Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi nor any of the characters from it.

For the Sake of Bonds

-Chapter 3-

Miaka and Taka exited the taxi and entered into the quite countryside of Kyoto. After a month of searching for every place they could think of Taka's hometown was their last lead. Miaka was worried, if they didn't find the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho here then she didn't know where else to look. Sensing her mood, Taka put a supporting arm around her shoulder.

"It's okay Miaka. I'm sure that it's here," he reassured.

"…yes, it has to be. If not, I don't know where else to look…we've tried everywhere. My house, your house, Yui's and even Tetsuya's! And of course we've checked every single library in Tokyo as well as Morioka and both Suzuno and Tokiko's graves…" Miaka bit her lower lip in frustration. Miaka had hoped at first to keep her best friend in the dark on the whole situation. But Yui's ever careful eyes could not miss Miaka and Taka's frequent unexplained disappearances and had cornered them into telling her everything. Which they did, while leaving out the minor detail that Yui had been summoned as well. Miaka was glad they had confided in her though, it was Yui's idea to look in Taka's hometown when they had run out of all other options.

"It'll be here. Since this is where I was reborn to be with you!" Taka said, guiding her to the front steps of his home.

Taka grew up in a dojo that his adoptive parents ran. According to his father, Taka appeared one night in a blazing flash of red right in the middle of the dojo. This same dojo was now the one that Taka and Miaka hoped to find a clue to the location of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. Taka and Miaka were welcomed to Taka's dojo by his father and his father's student, Beki. Though it was not the first time Miaka had been here, she was still awed by the intricate design of the place. After taking time to catch up with each other and searching the dojo room inside out, Taka asked his father if he knew of any legends connected with the four beast gods.

"You are looking for something connected with the four beast gods of old?" Taka's father asked, sipping his tea, "well, why not look at the family heirloom?"

"The heirloom, father?" Taka inquired, "how come I've never heard you speak of this before?"

"The heirloom of the Sukunami family belongs to the next head of this dojo. I sense that you had another destiny and thus have kept this from you," Mr. Sukunami explained.

"Father…"

"There is no need to worry my son. I made this decision. I wanted you to be happy. Wait here while I got fetch it," Taka's father said as he made his way towards the closest cupboard and pulled out a scroll, "this is a scroll drawing of the sacred bird of the south, Suzaku. We Sukunami are said to have once been protectors of Suzaku himself! This scroll is traditionally hung in the dojo during the time when the next heir is tested in the martial arts and decided if he or she is worthy to carry on the Sukunami name."

Miaka and Taka both stared at the scroll as little sparks of red light danced upon its surface.

"Father…would it be possible if I borrowed this scroll for a while?" Taka asked, hand reaching unconsciously for the scroll as if drawn to it.

"Borrow? Now what could you want with something this old, Taka my son?" His father questioned.

"Father…I'm sorry. When the time is right, I will you everything! But for now…please entrust this treasure to me. I, Taka Sukunami, promise to let no harm befall this priceless heirloom," Taka swore.

"…this heirloom is mine to give, but only to the one who will inherit this dojo. Is that what you wish my son? Will you tie yourself down to this place even though you are aware that your destiny calls you elsewhere?" Taka's father asked.

"…yes. I will take responsibility for my actions. My destiny now requires that I acquire the right to receive the scroll of Suzaku," Taka said, standing and giving the proper martial arts bow.

"Very well. Then Beki here will be your opponent. Fight him for the right to this scroll."

"It would be my honour master," Beki said as he bowed deeply.

Taka's father then proceeded to lead them into the dojo. He approached the southern wall and hung the ancient scroll on the readied hook.

The two youths prepared for battle.

"As the current head of the Sukunami family I, Inuwashi Sukunami, now pronounce the beginning of the Ceremony of Inheritance. Begin!"

Taka dashed forward at those words, aiming a well placed strike at Beki. Beki dodged and lowered himself to the floor while swinging his legs forward, trying to trip Taka. Taka, sensing this leapt backwards into the air and readied a defensive pose as Beki used the momentum of his swing to propel himself towards Taka, fist extended. Taking advantage of his strong center of gravity, Taka braced himself as he parried Beki's attack to the side with one arm and connected a punch with the other. Stumbling, Beki retreated and regrouped, wiping the blood from his mouth. Taka and Beki then proceeded to ready their stance and a quick stare down ensued before the two once again charged and exchanged blows.

Miaka sat silently as per tradition and cheered on Taka in her heart.

'I haven't seen him battle this wholeheartedly since the time in the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho,' Miaka thought, 'I wish there was a way to gain the scroll without him getting hurt though.'

Miaka was then snapped back from her thoughts when she saw Beki's strike send Taka flying. Miaka bit back the urge to call his name and watched as Taka did a back-flip before hitting the ground and got ready to attack once again. Both were breathing hard from the extended fight. The end was drawing near. Taka spared a quick glance at a worried Miaka and felt power rising out of him as a warm aura engulfed him. Though no mark of the ogre appeared, Taka felt strengthened and put everything he had into a final straightforward strike that Beki matched with equal vigor. When the two collided, both were sent flying back. Miaka held her breath as both warriors struggled to their feet and only released it when Taka managed to shakily pick himself back up. Miaka took a quick glance in Beki's direction and found that he too had stood. The two contestants looked at each other, each refusing to be the first to break away. Both of them began to sway as the strain on their body caught up to them. The last thing Taka remembered before slipping into unconsciousness was Miaka's worried cry.

Tasuki sighed.

It had been almost an year since Chichiri had come back to Mt. Reikaku only to suddenly up and leave after Kouji brought in one of the Reikaku bandit trainees. He and Kouji had woken up unconscious in Tasuki's room with no memory of what happened after Kouji had opened the door. They searched the hideout inside out, but both Chichiri and Anei were nowhere to be found. Tasuki at first feared the worst, but then noticed that he didn't feel that same sinking sensation within his soul as he did when the other celestial warriors had passed on. He then became frustrated when he realized that the monk had once again left him behind without an explanation. Chichiri's warning of Kouji being near a strange chi as well as his feeling that "something is about to happen" before he dumped Tasuki at the doorsteps of the bandit hideout had Tasuki worried. Surely "information gathering" could not take almost an year to do? Opting whether or not to set off and find the monk himself, Tasuki had decided it would be wiser to stay put. When Chichiri didn't want to be found it was near impossible to track him. So the bandit leader resigned to his duties and could only guess that whatever had happened in that room had caused Chichiri to flee, taking Anei with him.

Tasuki was then abruptly shaken from his train of thought by the sound of knocking on his door.

"Hello! Who's there? Why it's Kouji, here ta wake t' boss up before he sleeps away t' whole day! Oh, Kouji yer concern is greatly appreciated, come on in! Thank you very much~"

Tasuki groaned as he wondered how much longer Kouji would keep up the habit of inviting himself into his room.

"Yo Genrou! Rise and shine buddy! Half t' day's already gone!"

"Shut. It. Too. Loud," Tasuki growled through his headache.

"Not my fault ya like drinkin' yerself into a stupor," Kouji laughed while he walked towards his leader.

"…ya rite, look who's talkin'! Don't ferget you were like that once too!" Tasuki snickered, trying to sit up on his bed.

Chichiri's disappearance was not the only surprise the young bandit leader had on that day. Kouji had decided that day to reveal why he had moved all of Tasuki's belongings into the leader's room and stopped allowing him access to their old shared one. While Tasuki had been away from the mountain, it seemed that Kouji had hidden a women away in the bandit stronghold. Her name was Shinzui. She was an inhabitant of one of the villages near Mt. Kaou and was a victim of one of their raids. Shinzui was the sole survivor of the massacre when Kouji and the Reikaku bandits passed by and took her in. Since Tasuki himself had never really taken up the role as leader before he left with the other celestial warriors, the leader's room had remained uninhabited. Kouji thus proceeded to move all of the bandit leader's belongings to the empty room while he gave Shinzui the space that Tasuki had once inhabited in their shared room. The two grew inseparable and soon married. Though Kouji had decided to stay with the Reikaku bandits, he was changed a great deal under the strict eye of his wife. So now, Kouji rarely participated in their sake celebrations.

Tasuki laughed to himself, he hadn't thought the day would come when Kouji would willingly give up on sake. The couple however, were a match made in heaven. Shinzui was kind but strict and that helped her fit in well with the bandits. She was also amazingly gentle and loving to Kouji and helped to bring out good qualities in him. Tasuki could not remember Kouji being happier than in this last year.

"Well Genrou? Ya getting' up or not?" Kouji asked, eyeing his friend.

"Yah, yah I'm up alrite?" Genrou said.

Just then, one of the scout bandits ran up to Kouji and whispered something in his ear before returning back to his post.

"Oy, Genrou. I think you should come see this!" Kouji said, turning to follow the scout.

Curious, Genrou quickly grabbed a shirt and followed the two bandits up the watchtower. Upon reaching the top, the scout pointed north. As he did so, an explosion occurred, and then another.

"What t' hell?" Tasuki said for better lack of words.

Then, curiosity turned into horror as he saw a familiar red chi expand into a barrier, blocking a new blast before collapsing.

"Shit! That's Chichiri's barrier!" Tasuki spoke in disbelief as he yelled for Kouji to prepare backup in case whatever Chichiri was fighting came closer. He then ran up to his room, grabbed his tessen, and made his way to where his fellow celestial warrior was fighting.

When Tasuki finally reached the clearing, Chichiri stood alone looking flushed and short of breath, leaning heavily on his staff. He stiffened for a moment when he sensed Tasuki's approach then relaxed when he realized who it was.

"Tas…" Chichiri began before he suddenly fall forward. Tasuki ran towards his friend and made it just in time to catch the monk before he injured himself.

"Damn Chichiri, don't go scarin' me like that," Tasuki said, then noticed that his companion was no longer awake to hear his comment. Frowning, Tasuki began to inspect the monk for any life-threatening wounds. When he was sure that there was nothing that needed immediate attention, Tasuki turned his attention to the flush on the monk's cheeks. Tasuki's frown deepened when he noticed that the reason for the flush was a burning fever. Cradling the monk as gently as possible, Tasuki made his way towards his base, keeping an eye out for whatever creature Chichiri had been fighting with earlier.

"Shit Genrou, what t' hell happened ta 'im?" Kouji asked as Tasuki carried an unconscious Chichiri into the bandit hideout.

"Not sure…when I got there t' thing was gone. Chichiri fainted a bit afterwards," Tasuki explained as he made his way back to his room and placed Chichiri on his bed and covered him in layers of blankets and added a cool cloth on his forehead, "yo Kouij, Chichiri's burnin' up, Shinzui got anythin' fer fevers?"

"Not sure, but I'll go get her!" Kouji called back as he ran to get his wife.

Calling a thanks to Kouji, Tasuki looked back at his unconscious friend, "hell Chichiri…what happened ta ya?" Tasuki asked as he changed the already warm cloth. As Tasuki placed the cloth back onto the monk's forehead, Chichiri started to mutter in his sleep.

"Who…? Succubus! No...no! NO!" Chichiri began thrashing, lost in the nightmare. Startled, Tasuki tried to calm his friend by holding him still.

"Damn it Chichiri! Calm down! Yer gonna hurt yerself."

"NO! TASUKI!" Chichiri shouted as he bolted up on the bed, panting and covered in sweat.

"Oy! Chichiri! Ya okay?" Tasuki asked, shaking his friend with a trembling hand, he'd never seen the monk like this before. Then Tasuki remembered that his previous thoughts were incorrect, this was not the first time Chichiri had woken up in cold sweat from a dream. The monk had been acting strange ever since that day about an year ago.

"Chichiri…it's Tenkou ain't it?" Tasuki asked, sitting down next to his friend.

Chichiri took a few calming breaths before looking at Tasuki and giving him a nod, "yes…it's Tenkou…he seems to be getting stronger…"

"Shit. So…did ya manage ta find out what's happenin'?" Tasuki asked, handing Chichiri a cloth to dry off with.

"Yes. A few things. But first, I need to warn you of something Tasuki no da," Chichiri said as he attempted to stand up but failed when he felt his head reel.

"Whoa! Don't go tryin' ta get up yet Chichiri. Ya got a burnin' fever! Ya ain't in any condition ta be walkin' around. Shinzui's gonna come and get some meds. Just stay in bed till then would ya?" Tasuki said as he tried to guide the monk back down on the bed.

"No! There's no time Tasuki no da. Please listen to what I have to say no da," Chichiri said, pushing away his friend's guiding hand, "there's a demon here Tasuki, in your hideout. A succubus no da. That is what I was fighting with earlier na no da."

"Uh…sucku-what?" Tasuki asked.

"Succubus no da. A female demon no da. One that feeds off of the souls of men," Chichiri explained, "while I was fighting her, I noticed she was responsible for that weird chi that I was feeling an year ago. I thought that it was Anei no da…but I was wrong no da."

"Anei! Yah! What t' hell happened that day Chichiri? I only remember Kouji openin' t' door then everythin's a blank," Tasuki said, rubbing his head for emphasis.

"You don't remember no da?" Chichiri asked, "Anei was a shadow demon no da. He had you and Kouji hostage so I teleported him and myself away to finish the fight no da. When I tried to come back to check on you, another demon came no da. And it's been that way for almost an year."

Tasuki stared at his friend in shock, "ya've been runnin' away from demons fer an year? Why didn'tcha come find me ta help ya or somethin'?"

"I tried to contact you Tasuki no da. But there was some kind of barrier around your hideout that I couldn't penetrate no da. I'm only able to come here because I found a weakness in the barrier na no da," Chichiri explained then turned to face Tasuki again, "and I have a warning for you no da! A succubus is here! And it's feeding off of someone's soul na no da! Whoever it is will probably die soon since the succubus is most likely the one that's been casting the barrier no da!"

Tasuki blinked a couple times before thinking back to Chichiri shouting the word "succubus" in his sleep, "hey Chichiri…ya sure that yer not still dreamin' or somethin'?" Tasuki asked.

Before Chichiri could answer, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Genrou! Kouji said that a friend was sick with fever? I've brought you some meds. Can I come in?" Shinzui asked.

Tasuki grinned, unlike her husband, she had manners, "go ahead Shinzui! He's conscious now too so it's a good sign!"

Suddenly, Tasuki felt a rush of chi pass him and bar the door closed.

"…Genrou? I think the door's stuck," Shinzui said as she tried to push open the door.

"What the…?" Tasuki began, then noticed that he recognized this chi. Turning around, he saw Chichiri standing by the bed, supported by the wall, one hand stretched out in front of him as he chanted.

"Uh…Chichiri? Ya okay?" Tasuki asked, moving closer to his friend, "ya know, it's just Kouji's wife. She ain't gonna bite ya or nothin'! She's got some herbs fer that fever of yers! She's real nice so no need ta worry."

"…Tasuki no da…that chi…it's her! She's the one I was fighting earlier! She's not human. She's the succubus!" Chichiri said before he exhausted his chi and was forced to fall back on the bed.

"Genrou? Ummm can I come in?" Shinzui asked holding the door partly open.

"Uh…give me a sec there Shinzui!" Tasuki said, then turned back to face Chichiri, "listen Chichiri, Shinzui's as good as they come. She's Kouji's wife and she's been good ta him and us! There's no way she's some soul eatin' demon! So I can't letcha just insult her like that!" Tasuki sighed as he continued, "I know this ain't the first time ya've had those nightmares Chichiri…think maybe this time yer just not fully awake yet?"

Chichiri was shocked, Tasuki didn't believe him, "Tasuki no da! She's a demon! Her chi's not human! If she's Kouji's wife that's even worse no da! It means that Kouji's the one she's been siphoning the soul outta na no da!"

"Uhh…so it's just her chi that's weird? Maybe that's just how she is? Ain't there another way ta check if she really is this sucku-thingy?" Tasuki asked.

"There is no da, but you're not going to like the answer na no da," Chichiri whispered, "the succubus will take on the form of a beautiful women when feeding. She will either return to her true form by her own will or when she dies na no da. Since the succubus won't return to her real form now, the only other way to confirm she is one…is to kill her…"

"Oy! Not happening Chichiri! Kouji'd have my hide if yer wrong," Tasuki objected.

"…Tasuki no da…don't you trust me?" Chichiri inquired softly, looking at the bandit.

Tasuki carefully studied his friend, "it's not that I don't trust ya Chichiri…it's just…well, ya said ya sensed the same chi from Kouji last time? Maybe it's t' same thing? Maybe they've both been near t' suckubaba thingy? I think ya should go back ta sleep…yer fever doesn't look like it's gonna go down anytime soon…" Tasuki was worried, 'is Chichiri's magic bein' affected by the fever?' he thought.

"It's succubus no da. And Tasuki…I'm not going crazy because of the fever no da…could you let me see Kouji no da?" Chichiri asked.

"Look Chichiri…Kouji loves Shinzui. Heck, Kouji gave up SAKE fer her! So don't go insultin' her infronta 'im alrite?" Tasuki warned as he got up to get Kouji.

"Promise no da. I just want to make sure no da," Chichiri said, mumbling the last part to himself.

"Genrou?" Shinzui asked, "is your friend okay? How's the fever?"

Tasuki sighed, "I dunno Shinzui. Don't worry 'bout it, I'm gonna go fetch Kouji. I think it's best if ya stay outta the room fer now though. Chichiri's a bit jumpy today or somethin'."

"…uh…sure. Just give this to him when you get back then? It should help with the fever," Shinzui said as she set the bowl of herb mix down on a table and closed the door.

Tasuki then made his way to Kouji's door and gave it a sound knock.

"Yo Kouji! Chichiri wants ta see ya. Open up would ya?" Hearing no reply, Tasuki opened the door a slit and found the room empty. Figuring that Kouji was with the others in the hideout, Tasuki left to ask the others if they had seen him. After searching the hideout inside out and not finding Kouji, Tasuki began to worry.

'No raids planned today…wonder if he went out scoutin'?'

After asking the scouts and not finding an answer, Tasuki decided to return to his room and see if Chichiri could locate Kouji's chi. When he reached his room he gave it a quick knock.

"Chichiri, I'm comin' in," Tasuki said as he opened the door and continued, "can't seem ta find Kouji, ya wanna…what t' hell?"

Tasuki exclaimed in both shock and confusion as he found his room trashed. The bowl of herbs knocked to the floor, table turned over, rips in his bed sheets and Chichiri gone.

~TBC~