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Changing Fate Series 3: The Legend Reborn	By : ctsama Category: +. to F > Fushigi Yuugi Views: 2243 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Ch. 2 � Imbalance

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Mitsukake was getting worried.� Tasuki had closed his eyes a few minutes ago, slipping further
into the bond he shared with Tamahome, he guessed.

All of a sudden, Tasuki stiffened.� His eyes went wide for a moment before he grabbed
his head and a blood-curdling scream tore itself loose from his throat.� Then, his eyes rolled backward and he passed
out.� Mitsukake caught him as he slumped
over, unconscious.� �Tasuki?� Tasuki!� he called, but there was no answer.

The doctor urged his horse on
faster.� �What the hell is going on?�

He stopped only long enough to get directions to the Genbu
monument that Tasuki had mentioned.� The
ride through the large city seemed to take forever.� Finally, it came into view.�
Miaka and Nuriko looked up, surprised to see him.

He pulled the horse to a halt and slid off as gently as he
could, still cradling the unconscious bandit.�

Nuriko�s eyes went wide when he saw Tasuki.� �What�s going on?� he demanded.

Mitsukake shook his head.�
�I have no idea, but it�s got something to do with Tamahome.� Do you know where he went?�

Before Nuriko could answer, a bloody Tamahome came pelting
up to them, breathing hard.� Miaka was
finally driven from her paralysis.�
�Tamahome!� You�re hurt!�

He just waved her off with a muttered �not my blood,� and
went straight to Mitsukake.�
�Tasuki!� Wake up!� he yelled
lightly slapping the bandit�s cheek.�
There was no reaction.

Mitsukake grabbed his hand,
preventing him from trying it again.�
�That�s not going to work.� Do
you know what happened to him?�

�I�m not sure.� He
was there with me, and then all of a sudden, he was gone.� I think� he might have gotten sucked into my
memories from when I found my family.�
He must have relived it all in a few seconds�� Tamahome�s voice rose in panic.�
�I can�t even feel him now.�
There�s just nothing there!�

Mitsukake nodded.�
�That would explain this.� His
mind must have shut down to protect him from the overload.�

Miaka shivered and backed up into Nuriko for support.� �Tamahome�s memories did that?� she
whispered.

Nuriko nodded and wrapped an arm around the shaking girl�s
shoulders.� �I wanted to be in Tasuki�s
place and have something special with Tamahome.� But if had been me��

�Emotion so painful it knocked
Tasuki out may well have killed you,� Nuriko finished.

Miaka quailed at
that.� She had foolishly prayed to
Suzaku to be in Tasuki�s place, and she had been angry when it hadn�t
happened.� Now, she was glad he hadn�t
seen fit to grant her request.� As much
as she loved Tamahome, she knew now that there was no way she could have
handled a bond with him.

Mitsukake laid Tasuki down on
the stone ledge of the monument.� �I
think he�s lost in there.� Try and call
him back.�

�I�ve been trying!� It�s just not working!� Tamahome argued,
frustrated.

�Focus!� Mitsukake yelled.�
It wasn�t something he did often, and it had the desired effect of
getting Tamahome�s attention.� �Can�t
you do more than just talk over this blasted thing?� There has to be some way to go in there and get him, right?�

The gray-eyed warrior stilled and kneeled next to Tasuki,
taking the prone bandit�s head between his hands.� Closing his eyes, his body went stock still as he threw his
entire being into the bond they shared, searching through the all-consuming
darkness in Tasuki�s mind.

::Tasuki!::

::��::

Fear.� ::Tas,
you�re scaring me.� Answer me!::

:: ��? ::

::You�ve got to wake up now.� I need you to come back.::

::�how?::

::You can hear my voice, right?� Just follow it back.::

::�I�ll try.::

A minute passed.�
Then another.� Suddenly, Tasuki
came awake all at once with a gasp and one hell of a headache.� He sat up groaning.� In less than a second, Tamahome had pulled
the bandit into a hard hug.� �Thank
goodness, I thought I�d lost you!�

�Aw man, what the hell happened?� Tasuki asked,
bewildered.� �One minute I was helpin�
ya go after Suboshi an� the next, I dunno.�
It was like gettin� sucked inta a hole an� gettin� smashed on
rocks.� It was cold and dark an�� really
bad.�� The bandit shuddered at the
memory.

�I�m sorry; it was my fault.� It happened when I killed Suboshi.� I pulled you in on accident and you relived everything I went
through.�

�Damn, Tama�� That�s
what you were dealin� with?� It ain�t no
wonder ya lost it fer a while there.��
What could he say to that?� �Quit
feelin� so guilty; I c�n handle it.�
Just�� Tell me it ain�t
that bad anymore.�

Tamahome finally smiled.

::Suboshi is dead, and I have you.� It�s always going to hurt, but it�s easier
to deal with now.::

Nuriko clasped his hands together happily and squealed.� �Oh, you guys are sooo adorable!��

Tasuki and Tamahome blushed as they realized the position
they were in.� Tamahome was basically
cuddling Tasuki in his lap, absently fiddling with a strand of his hair.� Self-conscious, Tasuki moved to get up, but
Tamahome refused to let him go.� The
redhead looked at him curiously.

::What?� I thought
I�d lost you.� Can you blame me for
needing to hold you for a while?::

::Not when ya put it like that.::

�Uhh, guys?� As much
as I hate to interrupt this, we�ve got a big problem.�

Miaka took up where Nuriko left off, only a little surprised
to find that Tamahome�s actions didn�t really upset her anymore.� �One of the Seiryuu seishi is running around
the city.� It was a freaky beast-monster
thing.� It came out of nowhere and
attacked me, and Nuriko got hurt scaring him off with our fireworks.�

�I only scared him for the moment; I doubt he�ll give up so
easily.� We need to get Miaka out of
here before he comes back.� Did you find
out where the Shinzaho is?�

Tamahome nodded.�
�It�s in a cave at the top of a mountain near here.� We�re going to have to wait �til tomorrow,
though.� We�ll probably just freeze to
death if we try for it tonight.�

Tasuki groaned, holding his head.� �Then we better find someplace to hole up fer a while �til
Chichiri an� Chiriko can get here �cause I need a drink.� Bad.�

********************************************************************************

It didn�t take long to find an inn, and they shot off
Mitsukake and Tasuki�s firecracker before checking in.

Nuriko and Miaka dragged Tasuki upstairs to the rooms they
had rented.� He whined for a while
about not being allowed anywhere near the bar, but his headache kept him from
actually sneaking off.� Mitsukake had
tried to relieve it, but it wasn�t something he could heal.� The only advice he could offer was to try
and sleep it off.

When they made it upstairs, Nuriko sent Miaka off to order
them some food while he dumped the bandit into bed.

�Owww!� That hurt!� Yer supposed ta be nice ta me, my head
hurts!�

Nuriko laughed.� �If
you�re okay enough to yell at me, you�ll be fine.� Just be glad I didn�t knock you into a wall for making me
worry!�� Nuriko turned to go check on
Miaka, but Tasuki stopped him.

�Say, Nuriko?�

�Oh, give it up already!�
I�m not getting you any booze, so you�d better just accept it!�

Tasuki chuckled for a second.� �Naw, that ain�t it.� I
wanted ta ask ya somethin�.� How come ya
didn�t help Tama go after Suboshi when ya had the chance?� He�d never tell ya, but that hurt �im.�

Nuriko sighed and plopped down next to Tasuki.� That same decision had been haunting him as
well.� �I wanted to help him, gods know
I did, but I couldn�t.� We�re Suzaku
Seishi first.� Our job is to protect the
Priestess, and Miaka was scared to death.�
Seeing all that death, seeing her sweet, loving, perfect Tamahome raging
totally out of control just completely overloaded her.� She was shaking so bad I thought she�d hurt
herself.� You should have seen her!� Right or wrong, I had to see to Miaka first,
and that meant stopping Tama and getting him back under control.�

�I think I get it now,� Tasuki said, yawning.� �Thanks fer �splainin� it.�

�You helped him fight, right?�� Tasuki nodded.� �Yeah, I
thought as much.� I�m glad he can
finally get some closure.� I hated what
I did back there.� If anybody�d ever
earned the right to have a good long rage, it was Tama-chan.�

Light snoring was his only reply.� Smiling, Nuriko pulled the covers up over the sleeping bandit, and
went to check on Miaka.

********************************************************************************

Tamahome had been surprised (and
a bit annoyed) when Mitsukake kept him from following the others upstairs,
telling him they needed to talk.� He had
been practically thrumming with nervous energy since the fight with
Suboshi.� All he really wanted to do was
march upstairs to be with Tasuki.

�You know, when someone says �We
need to talk,� they usually say something,� Tamahome grumbled irritably.

�You�ve got to be more careful
with him,� Mitsukake finally said when the others were out of earshot,
startling Tamahome.

�What do you mean?� Tamahome
asked, not sure he really wanted to hear the answer.

�I mean that he�ll do pretty much anything to help a friend;
just look at what he did to save Miaka and Chichiri in Kutou if you need one
example.� That goes double when it comes
to you.� We�ve both seen what he�s
willing to go through for you,� Mitsukake said meaningfully.

Tamahome shuddered, remembering how badly he had hurt his
now-lover their first time together aboard the ship to Hokkan.� Now, in addition to shredding his body, he�d
shredded his mind as well.

It was just one more entry on the long list of ways he�d
managed to hurt Tasuki since they�d met.

�I�m not saying he�s some weak little thing that needs
coddling,� Mitsukake continued sympathetically.� �Suzaku knows he�s stronger than anyone could possibly give him
credit for.� I�m just saying that you
have a lot of power over him.� He�ll
keep up with whatever demands � intentional or not � you put on him, but
eventually he�ll wear himself out one too many times, and something�s going to
give.� I guess what I�m trying to say is
this: do what you have to do, but protect him when you can.�

With that, Mitsukake gave him a reassuring pat on the
shoulder and continued upstairs, leaving a dazed Tamahome slumped dejectedly
against the wall.

�Great,� he thought.�
�Now I need a drink.�

********************************************************************************

It was late when Tamahome finally made it upstairs.� Tasuki was asleep but fitfully, obviously
still in pain.� The consequence of his
own actions.

Mitsukake had been right.�
He had to be more careful with this man who had become everything to
him.

At least he had an idea of how to kill that headache.� If Mitsukake couldn�t heal it, it had to be
something out of balance with the bond they shared, which would explain why he
had so much energy and Tasuki was in such pain.� He skimmed out of his clothes as quietly as he could before
moving to do the same for Tasuki, who had fallen asleep still dressed.

He undressed the bandit as carefully as he could, not
wanting to jar him awake.� He was
surprised to be able to get him completely naked without waking him up.� Tamahome crawled into bed and rolled Tasuki
onto his right side.� He slid his right
arm under the bandit�s head and curled around him.

Tasuki shifted closer to him and sighed deeply, some of the
tension already leaving his body.�
Deciding to take things a step further, Tamahome began to touch him with
his free hand.� Lightly at first, he
stroked over Tasuki�s sides and chest, feeling the warm body shudder under his
hand.� He circled a nipple before
rolling it to hardness between his fingers, making the bandit moan.� He slid lower, over his abdomen and down the
inside of a thigh, each touch bringing with it another shiver.

Finally unable to stay away from his prize any longer,
Tamahome brought his hand up to grasp that hard length.� Tasuki came awake at that.� �Tama, what�?� he moaned, arching back
against him and grinding against Tamahome�s erection.

�Shh.� Just
relax.� I think this will help
you.�� The press of Tasuki�s ass against
him caused a delicious friction.�
Tamahome groaned and pressed his face into that fiery hair he couldn�t
seem to get enough of.� He began to pump
the bandit in earnest while thrusting against his ass, pushing them both toward
completion.

It didn�t take long.�
Tasuki shuddered hard and came with a gasp, spilling over Tamahome�s hand.� His pleasure echoing over the bond had
Tamahome following a moment later.

�Better?� Tamahome asked after they�d both caught their
breath.

�Yeah.� How�d ya do
that?� Head�s not so bad �nymore.� But now �m all� sticky�� With that, he was out again.� Tamahome just smiled and pulled him close,
not envying the maids that were going to have to wash their sheets.

********************************************************************************

Mitsukake came knocking early in the morning, waking
Tamahome.� Tasuki heard him, but he
refused to get up.� Tamahome even tried
clobbering him with a pillow, but that didn�t work either.� Tasuki caught the damned thing and pulled it
over his head, but not before thoroughly cursing him out.� Annoyed but still laughing to himself,
Tamahome left him to sleep while he went to find out what was going on.

He was surprised to find Mitsukake and Nuriko all dressed
and ready to go.� They wanted to go on
ahead to Mt. Koku to find the Shinzaho; they absolutely had to get there before
Nakago did.� With the Seiryuu seishi
still on the loose, no one wanted to risk bringing Miaka out into the open
mountains to find the Shinzaho.

Tamahome tried to convince them that it wasn�t safe and they
should all stick together, but they wouldn�t budge.� They argued that the Seiryuu seishi was after Miaka, so there
wouldn�t be much risk if she stayed behind.

In the end, Tamahome had been forced to agree that it was a
good plan.� He and Tasuki would stay
behind to wait for Chichiri and Chiriko and to guard Miaka.� After seeing them off, he made his way back
to the inn to get breakfast.

********************************************************************************

Tasuki emerged from the communal washroom, toweling his hair
and grumbling that his preferred pillow hadn�t immediately returned to
bed.� He was so busy muttering to
himself that he didn�t notice when Miaka rounded the corner at a run.� She plowed right into him.

She bounced off him and hit the floor with a thump.� �Owww�� she groaned, getting up.� �Sorry,� she apologized sheepishly.� I wasn�t watching where I was� going�� Miaka trailed off, looking up to see who she
had run into.

It was Tasuki.�
Wet.� In a towel.� Beads of water dripping down his muscular
chest�

�Miaka?�

�running down his six-pack to absorb into the towel slung
low over his hips�

�Miaaaka-chan.�

�Oh, my.� No wonder
Tamahome can�t keep his hands off��

�Helloooo?� Miaka?�

�Huh?�

�You hit yer head or somethin�?� Yer droolin�.�

�Uhhh� Yeah?�
Oh.� Right,� she spluttered,
trying to recover her scattered wits while Tasuki shifted uncomfortably.� �I woke up and I couldn�t find anybody.� Where did everybody go?�

�Good question.��
Tasuki mentally prodded Tamahome for the answer.� �Nuriko and Mits�re goin� after the
Shinzaho, an� Tama�s downstairs stuffin� his face.�

�What?� Shouldn�t I
have gone with them?� That psycho is
still out there!�

�Nah.� If that
Seiryuu guy is after ya, yer safer here.�
Mits an� Nuriko c�n take care �a themselves; they�ll be fine.�

�Oh.� I guess that
makes sense.�� Miaka fidgeted for a
moment.� She had tried to apologize for
all the hurtful things she had said and done to this man several times now, but
she could never get it out.� How was a
person supposed to apologize for being monumentally stupid?� She hated thinking about how much of a fool
she�d made of herself.� �Tasuki,
I�m��

�Yer what?� he prompted when she stopped speaking.

�Jeez girl, just get it together and say it
already!�� I�m� going to� go downstairs
for breakfast.� Want me to get you anything?�
she finished lamely, chickening out once again.

Tasuki looked at her with something like regret before
turning and heading off toward his room.�
�Nah.� Go on down.� I�ll be there in a minute.�

Miaka could only watch him go.� �What is wrong with me?�
I can drool over him, but I can�t apologize to him.�� She sighed, remembering how they�d always
joked around with each other and had fun together back before all this happened.� Miaka walked away knowing she�d carelessly
damaged something special.� �I guess I
can always try again later.�

********************************************************************************

When Chichiri and Chiriko showed up around noon, Chiriko was
frantic, insisting that they go after Nuriko and Mitsukake immediately.� It was a little strange, but everyone knew
better than to doubt his hunches.� They
took off as fast as they could.

But they were still too late.

Nuriko and Mitsukake lay in a heap not far from the body of
the Seiryuu seishi they thought had been after Miaka.� Blank-eyed and still, he was obviously dead.� Mitsukake was slumped over Nuriko, and
everywhere, blood stained the white snow.�
Tama-neko lay curled protectively on Mitsukake�s back.� Everyone stared at the terrifying scene in
shock.

Tasuki and Miaka were the first to get moving.� They leapt off their horses and pelted over
to their fallen friends, kicking snow up everywhere in their haste.� Falling to his knees, Tasuki saw Mitsukake�s
pot of Holy Water in his upturned palm, almost half empty.� Tama-neko jumped off Mitsukake and hopped
onto Tasuki�s shoulder, meowing pitifully.

Setting the pot out of the way, Tasuki hauled Mitsukake off
Nuriko and started shaking him hard and yelling his name.� Miaka kneeled by Nuriko, scared to death but
unsure of what to do.� Mitsukake was
pale and cold to the touch.� Finally,
the physician groaned and stirred slightly.�
Tasuki turned to get a good look at Nuriko.� It looked like he was breathing.�
�Is he alive?� he demanded.

�I think so, but he doesn�t look good!�

Afraid to lie freezing Mitsukake back down in the snow to
get a better look at Nuriko, he turned to the three still on horseback in
frustration.� �Snap out of it an� get
yer asses in gear!� We need some help
here!!�

That finally got them moving.� Chichiri went to check out Mitsukake while Tamahome and Chiriko
ran to help Miaka with Nuriko.� They
checked his pulse and breathing, finding them strong and regular.� Tamahome breathed a sigh of relief.� �He�s okay, just unconscious.� How�s Mitsukake?�

�His qi is depleted.�
Can you get him warmed up, no da?�

�Hell yeah,� Tasuki said, whipping his fan out.� He propped the bigger man up against his
chest and wove a circle of flame around them.

Meanwhile, all the commotion finally roused Nuriko.� �I�m� alive?� he murmured.� �Last thing I remember� Mitsukake!�� Nuriko bolted upright, looking around
frantically.

Miaka grabbed him in a tight hug before he could get up and
cried out of sheer relief.�
�Nuriko!� I knew something had
happened to you, and I was so scared!�
Don�t you ever do that to me again!�

Despite his worry for Mitsukake, Nuriko wrapped an arm
around the crying girl�s shoulders and hugged her tightly.� �I�m all right, Miaka-chan.� Don�t worry!�� Tamahome watched them with a smile.� �Looks like Miaka�s got herself a new protector.�

Nuriko looked to Chichiri, who answered the unspoken
query.� �It�s okay, Mitsukake is alive,
no da!� He just needs to warm up and get
some rest.� What happened here, no da?�

�The Seiryuu seishi was waiting up here to ambush us.� He attacked us as soon as we found the
cave.� I fought him and I managed to
kill him, but not before injured me badly.�
Mitsukake started to heal me.�
But there was too much damage� I could feel myself dying.� I told him to stop, but he wouldn�t!� Then I� must have passed out.�

The group turned around when the cocoon of flames around
Tasuki and Mitsukake dispersed.� �He�s
warmed up.� I gotta stop now.� Any more an� I�ll cook �im.�� Tasuki put a hand to Mitsukake�s
forehead.� �Come on, big guy.� Wake up.�
Docs ain�t supposed ta give people heart attacks like this.�

After a few tense moments, Mitsukake blearily opened his
eyes, taking in his surroundings.�
Tama-neko nuzzled Tasuki warmly before happily hopping back into
Mitsukake�s coat while the other seishi breathed a collective sigh of relief.

All except for Tasuki, who started laughing.� Head still resting against Tasuki�s
shoulder, Mitsukake turned as best he could and glared at him.� �What?�

�Yer turn ta be the basket case again!�� The physician couldn�t help joining in the
laughter as almost everyone else looked on in amused confusion.

Almost everyone.

Nuriko got up and stomped over to the two, angry tears
clouding his eyes.� �What�s so damned
funny?� I thought you were going to die
bringing me back to life!� You should
have just let me go!� What the hell were
you thinking?!�

Mitsukake sighed.�
�I�m sorry I scared you, Nuriko.�
But I�m not sorry for doing what I did.�
After Shoka died I promised myself I wouldn�t let anyone else I care
about die, not if I could help it.�

Slowly, Nuriko�s scowl softened.� �I guess I can understand that.�
But if you ever pull anything like that again, I�ll kill you myself.�

�Oh, come on.� You
can�t be too upset with me, you know.� I
had� to do something; you did kill Ashitare on your own.�

Tasuki�s eyes went wide.�
�Ehhh?!� You killed the freaky
monster-thing all by yourself, Nuriko?�

Chiriko smiled brightly.�
�Really?� Wow, you�re so strong!�

�No kiddin�!� If I�d
known ya weren�t a total wimp after all, I�d probably have been nicer to ya!�
Tasuki cackled.

�Mitsukake, can you sit up by yourself?� Nuriko asked,
smiling sweetly.

�I think so��

�Good.�� Everyone
shook their heads and listened to Tasuki�s scream as Nuriko punched him and
knocked him headfirst into the side of the mountain.

********

Mmmm� Tasuki in a towel��
Bomma-chicka-wah-waaaah!!!!

�You didn�t really think I was going to kill off Nuriko, did
ya?� ^_^� Stay tuned for the next chapter in which Tasuki saves the day in
his own� particular� idiom.� I�m sure it
won�t be pretty�

To Yahnkehy: Muahahaahaaaa!!� I�m learning the fine art of cliffhangers!!� But I�ll try not to use �em too much.� ^_~ �As for Mitsukake, I don�t know what�s going on with him.� His character is starting to develop in a
direction I totally hadn�t planned on, but I guess we�ll just find out where it�s
headed together!� -_-;;

To tasukigirl78: Thank yeeew!� I hope you enjoy the rest of the story too; it�s gonna be a long
one!

To Kuragari: Oh, I was so wrong for leaving it like that,
but I just couldn�t help myself!� But
fear not, I�ll update pretty regularly, so you�ll never be left hanging for
long.� ^_^
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Changing Fate Series 3: The Legend Reborn