Another chapter up and ready to go! Enjoy

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Fushigi Yuugi or any of its characters. But Izaya is mine. MINE!~~~

The following day, Izaya didn't leave her room, not even to eat. Early in the morning, Nakago called two of his soldier over to stand guard over her. When they asked him what the reason was, their captain had dragged them into private. Both men reappeared looking like ghosts and, scowling, Nakago had swept away to perform his regular duties as general. Other palace workers tried to ask the two soldiers what had happened, but every time they were prompted with the question they would pale and shake their heads. That was enough of a sign for most to not ask anymore; the soldiers didn't know and judging by their reactions, Nakago was going to "deal with" anyone who tried to pry into the subject. Servants brought food and books when she requested them throughout the day, all careful not to inquire about the night before for fear of incurring the general's wrath. Later in the evening, Nakago had slipped into Izaya's room and didn't come out for a long time.

Rumors had started spreading like wild fire within the first few hours. Nakago had never been known to get so protective of anyone; that he threatened his soldiers so badly that they turned white was proof enough to everyone that he was being protective of the Seiryu priestess. When one man mentioned that he'd seen the general carrying to her room the night before, the gossip doubled. Maids and kitchen girls insisting whispering about "love affairs with the priestess" while men insinuated sex at every possible opportunity. Of course, they were careful not to say anything about it while the general was anywhere within hearing distance; those that did would be killed and they ALL knew it.

The morning after isolating herself from the rest of the palace, Izaya was wandering around once again. She looked as normal as she had prior to locking herself in her room, except for the two guard escort that tailed her throughout the day. Not that she seemed to mind the company; throughout the day she could be seen spun around, walking backward as she spoke with the two men constantly. When anyone mentioned her being in her room all day, the young priestess had simply forced a smile to her lips and said something along the lines of:

" I wasn't feeling well; stomach flu probably, but I'm feeling fine today."

When asked about the general's involvement, she'd said:

" He was taking care of me; found me passed out in the hallway curled over my stomach. Think it really worried him."

This didn't stop the rumors, obviously, but it had certainly given a rational reason for everything that had been seen and done in the past few days. Well, if they believed her. A large number of the palace staff didn't take her word for it, though what had actually happened was speculated about until late that evening. While walking back toward her room, Izaya had crossed paths with the Emperor. They were on opposite sides of one of the gardens; both had stopped upon catching sight of the other. There was a long staring contest over the flowers, stones, and grasses.

Then, a twisted smile had formed on the priestess' lips which the Emperor flinched at the sight over. Raising a hand, Izaya traced a line perpendicular across her neck, her tongue hanging out and head hanging at an angle when she let her hand fall back to her side. The Emperor paled visibly, gulping before spinning away and hurrying down the halls. The priestess had watched until he disappeared, a hand on her popped out hip, both of the guards exchanging unsure glances behind her. Turning to them, she'd grinned, waving a dismissive hand before continuing back to her room.

When word of this incident had spread all the rumors had ceased. From the second day out of her room since her "sickness" on, all of the palace workers had begun to look and treat her with a new, greater respect. Women beamed, their faces showing bright with awe and graditude. Men made it a point to be as polite as possible as well as giving her as much personal space as she wanted; never approaching her but allowing her to approach them. No one knew for certain just what specifically had happened between the priestess and Emperor. With what happened between the two across the garden, however, had made it painfully clear just who had come out the victor at the end of the night. For the workers in this palace, that was enough.

Days went by and the regular rhythm had returned to the lives of those in the castle. Aside from the Emperor's lack there of interest in having the priestess in his company nothing had changed.

Izaya was back to delivering meals to the Suzaku warrior despite the protests of the server girls and kitchen workers. Coming in with a tray for breakfast, the Seiryu priestess had blinked when she noticed the change of clothes that Tamahome had gotten into that morning. Laughing, she crossed the room, placing the tray down on the table with the Suzaku warrior's eyes following her as she went. Placing a hand on the table, she leaned, her other hand moving to her hip.

" Black really doesn't suite you." she giggled, a scowl forming on Tamahome's face. " It makes you look like an idiot trying to pass himself off as a hard ass. Stick to blue, bird man."

" Well someone's not in a good mood today." he commented, glaring at her as he sat down to eat. " Usually you wait until at least half way into a conversation before calling me an idiot." Pointing his chopsticks at her, he added. " Which I'm not, by the way." Shrugging her shoulders, Izaya pulled out the chair on the left side of the table and settled down herself.

" The more defensive you get about it the more you prove that you are an idiot; people only get that defensive about something if it's true." she pointed out as Tamahome began eating. As he chewed he glared at her even more, a pout on his face when he finally swallowed what he'd been nibbling on.

" It's the same as you being a serious bitch." he retorted, a comment which had the priestess throwing her head back and laughing.

" That's a fact that I openly admit to, Tama-chan; there's nothing defensive about it. You're the one who's in denial of his idiocy. Don't you know the first step to fixing a problem is admitting that you have one?" crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair, sniffing smugly at him. Tamahome rolled his eyes and kept eating.

" I don't have a problem; I'm not an idiot." he insisted as he took a drink of tea. Shaking her head, Izaya let out a long, heavy sigh. Placing a hand on her forehead, she rubbed her temples as though a headache was already pounding through her head.

" And that is why you will always be an idiot." she answered just as the doors to the room slid open. Both of them glanced around and as Tamahome instantly stiffened, a smile spread wide across Izaya's face. " Neh! How unexpected!" turning, she crossed one leg over the other, placing her chin in her hand as she finished. " What brings you here this time of day, Nakago?" The blonde general had a little smirk on his face and as he came to a stop at the corner of the table, Izaya tilted her head, raising a brow at him. Nakago focused in on her for a second, his expression giving away nothing that he didn't want her to see.

" Excuse me, Lady Izaya," he said in the attempt to look polite in front of Tamahome, " I just heard a very interesting story." Izaya's brow dropped slowly, though she still hit Nakago with a stare that made it seem as though she were gazing straight through him and into his very soul " It would seem that the priestess of Suzaku has lost her sight." That had the full attention of both Izaya and Tamahome, though only the Suzaku warrior jumped to his feet in response to these words.

" What?!" he exclaimed, distracted after a second by the little snicker that slipped out of Izaya's mouth. As both warriors focused their attention on her, the priestess eyed the Kuto general with a stone steady gaze.

" Oh? Is that so?" the short few words that came out were followed up with a little smirk. Nodding, Nakago shut his eyes and went on.

" She seems to have caught some contagious disease. It's a fatal disease which has no known cure." he reported on. Tamahome's jaw had slacked, what was on his mind made clear by the expression on his face. The silence that had fallen over the room then was broken up by Izaya's laughter. Horrified, the Suzaku warrior looked over at the Seiryu priestess soon enough to see her lean back in her chair and rest one elbow on the table while letting the other hand settle in her lap.

" Well, what do you know?" she spoke casually, though as she turned her head towards the window on the wall opposite the door it seemed that the words weren't directed at anyone in particular. " Maybe there is some justice in this world after all." Nakago's mild blink after hearing this comment was overshadowed by Tamahome's outright protest of her words.

" Justice?!" the Suzaku warrior snarled. " You think Miaka deserves to be blind and die at the hands of some illness?!" when his words were met with silence, the Seiryu priestess not even twitching at the sound of his voice, Tamahome couldn't seem to hold himself back. " What the hell kind of priestess are you?! Laughing at the expense of others! After she went through all the trouble to try and rescue you-!" his words caught in his throat when Izaya shot up out of her seat. Her eyes, normally as steady and cold as stones, shown with a storm. That smirk still colored her face, the tension in her thin muscles but leisurely appearance the signs of the type of control that experienced fighters showed. Slowly, she turned her eyes from him, taking a pace around her chair and pushing it gently back into place beside the table.

" You really need to take a hint, you know that, Tama-chan?" she said, glancing over her shoulder at him. When he didn't say or do anything in response, she shook her head, making her way over to the window. Both of her hands lay against the opposite elbow, the body position looking odd on someone so young. " Let me make this perfectly clear to you then: I never asked to be rescued." Turning, though she glared at him from across the room the anger reached the Suzaku warrior, setting his skin prickling with unease. " If you're little girlfriend was too stupid to realize that I was in Kuto of my own accord that's not my problem. So if you expect me to give her any sort of 'thank you' on account of that you can take that idea and shove it up your ass."

Looking back out the window again, she went right on to say. " As for Miaka, I never said that she deserved to be blind or die. Don't put words in my mouth." This time it was Tamahome's turn to simply blink at her, utterly lost about what she was saying. With lips pressed into an even line, Izaya continued to stare out the window. Letting herself drift, the priestess leaned her shoulder against the window's framework, letting her head tilt and touch the side as well.

There was a pause, one where the two men simply waited for her to go on. When she did her voice was flat, though the smirk pressed at her lips by the end of her explaination.

" That someone privileged is finally getting a taste of true pain, THAT is justice." sniffing she spun on her heels and headed for the door. " About time some of the suffering has been given to someone like her instead of another poor man on the streets. Come on, Nakago. I want to hear more about this deadly disease." passing beyond the threshold, the general paused only long enough to send a little sneer over at Tamahome before following after Izaya. ~~

That evening, Tamahome made a break for it. There was nothing for him here; it had become clear to him that morning that Izaya was beyond his help. Finding that they actually got along half way, despite being enemies had given the Suzaku warrior the idea that he might have been able to persuade the Seiryu priestess that what Kuto was doing was wrong. He'd thought that he could convince her that leaving the palace and Nakago behind was really the best thing she could do not only for herself, but for all of the people of Konan and Kuto.

This hope had been ripped out of him by Izaya herself earlier that day. No matter how normal she appeared, how human her likes and dislikes, Tamahome was sure that she was a demon. A demon with the thin face and frame of a human being, who walked and talked like a person, but had no heart; no compassion.

As far as he was concerned she was evil to the very core.

Besides, in his mind, whenever he closed his eyes all the Suzaku warrior could see was Miaka, sick, sightless and dying. This was no time for him to be clinging to false hopes of "helping" Izaya. As he ran he could only think of the Suzaku priestess, praying for her well being.

That was, until he spotted someone up ahead.

Slowing to a stop, dread dragged at his heart, pulling it down to the level of his stomach as he recognized the skinny form and short black hair. Leaned back against one of the support beams on the right side, Izaya stood with her arms crossed under her breasts. Like earlier in the day, there was a smirk on her face and the look in her eyes gave him an eerie feeling that she had known exactly what he was going to do from the very beginning. As he stopped, the Seiryu priestess pushed herself up off the beam, planting both her feet on the ground and walking the short distance that had been left between the two of them.

" Neh, neh, Tama-chan?" she said with a wave, that smirk spreading wide across her face. " What are you doing way out here so late at night?" As she slowly paced around the front of him, a shiver ran up Tamahome's spine. Those stone eyes were cold, so steady and focused it unnerved him. A feeling of foreboding whipped through him because of that stare that rested on him far too long; that saw far too much. " You know we have our usual breakfast date tomorrow morning, right? You should be sleeping." Clenching his fists, the Suzaku warrior drew his shoulders up tall, the bit of anger that had arisen and quickly gotten the better of him.

" Screw your 'breakfast date'!" he snapped back stepping closer, into her comfort zone. Izaya didn't look the least bit perturbed by his closeness or his temper. Those gray eyes never left his face and she stood her ground, a statue before him. " Miaka is out there, probably suffering! When I think of that," his voice lowered and he raised one of his clenched fists, looking at it for a short time before returning his attention to the Seiryu priestess, " I can't just stay here and do nothing!" Sternly, he finished. " I'm leaving-"

" You're really missing the point of the entire situation you're in." Izaya interjected, cool, casual in a way that Tamahome had heard her use while referring to the weather. Raising both of her brows, she went on. " The whole reason that you're here is because you're a hostage; a hostage taken with the promise of the safety of the Konan villages closest to the Kuto boarder." Turning, the pressure of her steady gaze left him as the girl from another world looked up at the ceiling over them, one of her hands on her chin. Quietly, she stopped by the wall, humming.

" Tell me," she spun around to face him again as she spoke, " if you leave now just what do you think will happen to those villages and their people?" Grinding his teeth, Tamahome lowered his head, the inner struggle written on his face, plastered in his tense muscles. As she stood by and watched him fight with himself, Izaya smirked, smug, at ease in the knowledge that no matter what, she was going to win the night. " You have two choices, Tama-chan; the lives of those villagers or the life of your precious Miaka." Watching him, studying him, she stepped closer so that they stood side by side but faced opposite directions. " Which will it be?" There was a long pause after that.

Then Tamahome started to run towards the palace entrance.

" Bad choice, Tama-chan." Izaya murmured, shaking her head. She didn't turn around, didn't even flinch at the snap of the whip that caught the Suzaku warrior in the leg. He hit the floor with a heavy thud and a short cry of protest. " So, you had the same idea, neh, Nakago?" There was no answer to this question as the general stepped out of hiding, the handle of a whip in one hand while the other pulled the leather length taut.

" It seems out 'guest' doesn't understand his place here." the general sneered something that had Izaya giggling.

" I KNOW, right?! That's what I was saying!" she exclaimed, sounding positively girlish. Twisting his head around, Nakago hit her with a deep frown and glare. Looking back, after a second she sighed and patted his arm. " Yeah, yeah, I know, this really isn't the time for that. God!" pouting, she crossed her arms and muttered. " I was just having a little fun. It's not a crime."

" Bring him to the dungeon!" the general called out to his soldiers. They managed to wrestle the Suzaku warrior down and force his arms behind his back, tying and yanking Tamahome away. Watching them go, Izaya waved, giggling and saying thanks to Nakago's men as the left. The general himself had looped up his whip and put it back in place on his belt. Crossing his arms, he gave a steady stare at Izaya until she turned his direction. Seeing the look on his face, she instantly glared and pointed at him.

" Hey, hey, hey! You didn't mention a damn thing to me about him making a run for it either! As far as I'm concerned, we're even!" she snapped, stomping her foot. Spinning on her heels, Izaya stormed off without looking back.~~

After eating breakfast the next more, Izaya made her way down into the dungeon, whistling a song as she went along. Hearing several sharp snapping sounds along the way, she only paused and listened for a minute after hearing the first. The rest of the time she'd simply gone back to skipping down the stairs and whistling.

" Hello, gentlemen!" Izaya called, waving at the two guards that were standing in front of the cell once she reached the one that the cries of pain were echoing from. As they turned, Izaya took up a narrow space between and in front of the two of them, grinning at the two.

" Lady Izaya." one greeted, both looking at her with warm eyes and smiles.

" You look well this morning, priestess." the other tacked on, something that Izaya giggled about.

" Hey now, haven't I told you guys all to just call me ' Izaya' ?" she inquired of them. Both men turned their eyes downward onto their feet, shuffling side to side and looking embarrest. Rolling her eyes, the Seiryu priestess shook her head patting both men once on their arms. " Next time guys. Anyways, how goes it down here?" arching her neck, she attempted to peak into the cell. Izaya could see Nakago's bright golden hair inside of it, not the least bit surprised to find him doing the grunt work for himself. Judging by the sounds she'd heard on the way down she could guess what sort of damage he was inflicting on their "guest" though at the moment she couldn't see because of the board armored shoulders of the general blocking her view. The two guards exchanged glances.

Scowling, Izaya placed a hand on her hip. " Oh, come on, guys. It's not like I'm going to go in there and stop him; not that I could if I wanted to." Sniffing, she nodded her head to the inside of the cell. " I just want to know what's up."

" You sure?" one of them insisted, glancing over his shoulder at the scene. " It's gruesome stuff, priestess." a grin spread wide across her lips, wolfish as she stepped past both of the guards and rested a hand against the thick wooden bars of the cell.

" I bet it is." she agreed, a low growl in her voice as she spoke. The two men stared down at her, then looked at one another. Glancing over her shoulders at them, the priestess persisted, patting the lock. " Come on, let me have a look see. There's nothing wrong with a look see. Besides, " her voice level raised to a yell, " if NAKAGO didn't want me around he'd have thrown me out by now, RIGHT?!" if the Kuto general heard her even a little bit, he never showed it, not saying or doing anything in response to her shouts.

Nodding her head, Izaya glanced back at both of the men. While the first man hesitated, the second grabbed up the keys and opened up the cell. " Thank you." she said to him as he allowed her to slip inside. As the lock clicked shut behind her, Izaya grinned at the two guards before making her way across the cell to where Nakago and a few other men were.

They small collection of soldiers was gathered around Tamahome. Chained by the wrists and ankles, the Suzaku warrior was bare chested, panting. If he was conscious it was only just barely; there was a hazy, unfocused look to his eyes that made it clear just how close to gone that he was. While the two other men in the cell had clubs in their hands, Nakago held the whip in his hand with the poised beauty of a snake. All the weapons had been used on the enemy warrior, evident by the extensive bruises and cuts that colored his skin. Coming up beside the general, she gave a low whistle, place a hand on her hip.

" You guys sure did a number on Tama-chan." she commented casually as Nakago glanced over at her.

" Why do you have an entire container of baijiu with you?" he inquired abruptly, taking note of the rounded container with a cork on top that was tied to her waist by a string. Blinking, after a second she smiled at him. Using both hands she unstraped the container from her hip and held it up, swishing the contents of it as she moved her hand side to side.

" Is that what this is called? Bai-jiu?" she tried out the word as someone might try a new food he or she has never seen before. Slow but curious. Shrugging her shoulders she looked up into his face. " One of the old kitchen guys I was drinking with last night gave it to me; said it was good stuff that had some real kick to it. I'm trying to find the right place to sit down and drink it." Holding it out to him, she inquired. " You want some?" Brows arching downward, the general glared and scowled at at the same time, the message clear. Raising a hand, she amended. " Sorry, sorry. Just being polite, thought I'd offer."

Dropping her arms to her sides, the priestess' eyes swept over the badly beaten Suzaku warrior. Nodding her head at him, she prompted. " Are you done with him yet? I'm bored."

" Is he still conscious?" Nakago called to one of his underlings. One man grabbed Tamahome's face just under his chin. Turning the boy's face side to side, inspecting the Suzaku warrior, the nodded his head at his general. Turning to Izaya, Nakago said. " No, I'm not done." The Seiryu priestess replaced a hand on her hip.

" Well, you mind if I interrupt for a few minutes then?" as Nakago narrowed his eyes at her again, she quickly added. " I'm not going to do anything to him; just talk. Give him a breather with me and you might get to play with him longer." she said, smiling far too widely, her brows far too high on her forehead. " Hm? Hm?"

" Fine." he answered, sniff, gathering the tail end of his whip into his hand and waving for his men to step back. " But make it quick." The general didn't back off until she smiled and nodded in return. When he'd turned around she'd waved at him while sticking out her tongue before turning her attention onto Tamahome.

Sitting down a short distance away from him, Izaya crossed her legs, popping the cork on the baijiu that she'd been given. Putting it to her lips, she drank, a long, deep gulp. Sighing, she snapped the contain down so that it hit the floor with a distinct thud. Wiping her mouth, the Seiryu priestess looked up at the Suzaku captive, gaze even and steady.

" What do you want?" Tamahome's voice came out a garbled drawl, heading hanging forward in a haphazard fashion.

" Nothing." she answered, smiling and giggling. " I just came to make sure that you're getting the right idea about all of this." Leaning forward, she lowered her eyes down onto the baijiu jug, lifting a finger and tracing it along the top of the container. " This has nothing to do with being at war with Konan or us being cruel or evil." Snapping back to attention, Izaya's gray eyes barreled up at Tamahome, piercing him like a blade with cool stone color. " You were given a choice. It was either those villages or Miaka. And just like your choice to become our captive, the one you made last night came and comes with consequences."

Putting the cork back on the baijiu jug, Izaya got up, dusting off her jeans and shirt as she did. Strapping the jug against her waist once more, she closed the gap between the two of them, planting herself squarely in front of Tamahome. The instant she halted the Suzaku warrior spat right in her face. Eyes shut, nose wrinkled, Izaya heard the sound of the guards in the cell shifting and held up a hard to stop them.

" It's alright, it's alright," she said to them, taking a hand and sweeping it across her face, sliding away Tamahome's saliva, " real cute, Tama-chan, " blinking her eyes, she wiped off her hands on her pants, looking up into their hostage's face once more, " you think I haven't dealt with that kind of thing before?" Rolling her eyes, she shook her head, holding up a hand and wiggling a finger at him. Looking at it a second, she frowned before swiping it off on his bruised shoulder.

" But, you know, while these guys finish beating the tar out of you, I think you should think about all those villages and their people. You know," leaning forward, she raised her brows, placing a hand over her mouth as though she were telling him some kind of secret, " the people that you were willing to sacrifice in order to go play hero for your little girlfriend. Think about what's going to happen to them now that you tried to sneak away from us." Tapping him on the forehead, Izaya chuckled then stepped back, waving at Nakago and his men who took her place back over by the captive.

As she was let out of the cell and made her way out of the dungeon, one of the men still within it shouted one word rather loudly:

" Idiot!"~~~~~

There we are! Another interesting chapter. Baijiu is a type of Chinese liquor btw, typically clear with an alcohol content of 40%-60%. I'll have it known that Izaya has a very high alcohol tolerance and she likes to make fun of drunk people. XD Anyways, read and review please! Let me know what you think! I highly encourage reviewing!