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DISCLAIMER: Fushigi Yuugi and it's characters weren't created by yours truly...
		Standard disclaimers apply!
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::...:: Denotes thought

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			All the Things You Hold So Dear
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.5.




"What's taking so long, dammit!" the bandit muttered through grit teeth. He could 
still taste the coppery traces of blood left in his mouth. ::He'd better have some 
water too...:: 

Just then, a voice came from behind the closed tavern door. "How can I help you?"

Upon hearing Mitsukake's voice, he felt relief wash over his frazzled nerves. "Open 
up will ya! Someone needs help!"

The voice was familiar to the doctor's ears. He slid the wood apart, regarding the 
young man as he hurriedly walked in. He then noticed the female hanging weakly from 
his arms. "What happened?"

"She got bitten by one of those snakes." Tasuki eyed the room frantically. "Hey! 
Where do I put her?"

Mitsukake outstretched his strong arms. "I'll take her." When the girl was successfully 
transferred, He carried her to a futon that was spread in the corner. "Did you suck 
the poison out?"

He nodded as he followed the two. "I think so but I can't get the bleeding to stop!"

Mitsukake studied the blood on her yukata before parting it, immediately noticing 
where the girl had been bitten. He remained calm as his eyes traced the two holes that 
seared open the girl's outer thigh. "It was a big one wasn't it?"

"Yeah..." Tasuki watched him work, soothed by the graceful motions of his arms as he 
cleaned the wounds. "I dunno where she was headed, but she was sure trying to get there 
fast." He remembered her words the evening before. ::"Leave me alone.":: "Is there 
anything I can do?"

He nodded. "Go upstairs to the shop. Get some antiseptic from Shoaka." 

*********

She entered the cell, heart stopping upon noticing exactly what her patient looked like.
Nuriko rested the bowl of water against the cold stone floors, startled at the noise made 
by the two solids as they collided. ::His face is so beautiful.:: Her eyes never left 
Hotohori's golden ones as she stationed her supplies next to him. How was she to
concentrate while touching such an exquisite man? ::I wonder why he's a prisoner:: She 
thought as she nervously stripped the bandages into manageable pieces. 
According to Suboshi, the wounds on his body needed to be cleaned and covered. 

*********

Tasuki trudged up the wooden stairs. When he finally reached the top, a woman with long
blonde hair met him. 

She smiled. "Tasuki, what brings you here?"

He placed a shy hand behind his neck. "Mitsukake needs some antiseptic." 

"Is that all?" She probed, turning her body towards the storage room.

Tasuki thought of the thin, bloodied yukata that Miaka had been wearing. "And do you
have any clothes?"

"Clothes?" The woman questioned curiously.

"Yeah... Something for a girl about my age. I'll pay you."
 
She nodded before leaving him.


**********

Hotohori felt utterly helpless under the woman's light touches. He watched the prison
bars as she worked, too weak to wince as the cloth pressed against his tender flesh.
"Are you a doctor?" He managed to say. 

"Well, you can say that." Nuriko smiled to herself. :: I've had 4 years of medical 
training.:: She sighed wistfully, remembering her days as a lady. ::That's right. 
It wasn't always like this.:: It was Nakago who had changed everything... had taken 
away everything from her land, to her family, to her freedom. ::Why does it seem like
it was so long ago?:: 

"Thank you." Came his soft voice, breaking her train of thought.

"No problem" she answered, feeling closer to him than she did to anyone in the world.

*********

Tasuki rested the clear liquid next to the doctor. "What're you doing?"
  
"Preparing my needle." He answered flatly, threading the pig skin through its eye. 

The boy began unwrapping the paper parcel in his other hand. "I got her some clothes."

"You'll put them on her when I'm done."

"ME?!?" Tasuki exclaimed questioningly. 

"She's your wife isn't she?"

The bandit blushed. "You've got the wrong idea."

He kept focus, touching the sharp metal point to Miaka's skin as she stirred 
slightly.

Tasuki moved closer. ::Does she feel that?:: 

Mitsukake pushed the needle through a small fleshy flap. "Don't worry, she won't feel 
a thing." The flame-haired youth was practically breathing down his neck. "Can you step 
back a little?"

"Oh." He moved to the other side of the girl, still keeping his amber eyes on the small 
stitches that the doctor made.

::He's so worried.:: Mitsukake tried to lighten the mood. "So where'd you find her?"

"I got to her when she was leaving Nakago's property."

"Nakago's?" The larger man moved on to the other opening. "What was she doing there?"

Tasuki scratched his head. "She works for him I guess."

"Well, you should watch out for her."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Why? It's not my business what she does."

"She's too young to have to be involved with someone like Nakago." He pulled the needle
for  the last time. "And you know that."

::What do I know?:: Tasuki watched as he proceeded to wrap the newly closed wounds in 
bandages. He breathed in, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "So, you think I should take 
her back?"

Mitsukake shook his head. "I wouldn't. If she was headed out when you found her, i'd 
say take her home."

"But I don't know where she lives."

"So take her to your place." Mitsukake returned her leg to the ground. "I'll ask 
Shoaka to dress her."

*********

Nakago remained stone-still as Soi dressed him. "Soi." His voice was low yet so
trembingly prowerful. 

She felt her heart-rate quicken as he finally adressed her-- finally acknowledged
her existence. "Yes, Nakago-sama?" She blushed at how hopefully girlish her voice
sounded.

"When you are finished here, bring Miaka to me."

For a moment her fingers faultered with the cloth. ::why?:: Her heart stopped beating 
for a milli-second as his order crushed the flower of emotion that had sprouted from
her chest. "I'm sorry your magnificence, but, That girl has already left."

Nakago regarded the woman with little interest. "What do you mean?"

Soi nodded, eyes never leaving his broad shoulders. "I saw her leaving the property 
earlier."

He remained unmoved. His room was so cool in the evening. He felt detached from his 
senses-- so much so, that he could barely feel her hands and fingers through the 
heavy material of his robe. "Is that so?" He closed his eyes. ::How foolish of 
Miaka.:: "How very foolish" he repeated out loud.  


*********

Miaka's eyes fluttered open. ::I'm still alive?::

Tasuki loosened his hold on the girl as she sat up, simultaneously applying more pressure 
to the reins that he had been holding. When the horse had slowed its gallop to a more
leisurely one he addressed the girl. "You awake?"

She slowly began to feel the stinging in her outer thigh. She looked down to find her 
body covered by a flowered light-blue cloth. Touching a hand to the pink obi around
her waist, she realized that she was wearing an expensive formal kimono. "Where did
these come from?"

"Hmm?" The bandit couldn't keep the grin off his face. His proud eyes roved across the 
girl's outfit with appreciation and congratulation. "I got you those."

Miaka studied the flowing sleeves and lush texture of the cloth. "It's so beautiful."

He returned his eyes to the barren country road. "Of course. It was me who picked them 
out you know."

She glanced at her surroundings before watching wearily at Tasuki. "Where are we?"  

"Were approaching Mt. Leikaku."

::Mt. Leikaku?:: Miaka's mind spun at her limited knowledge of the region. "Are we near
Nakago's dojo?"

"We passed there a while ago." He said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Miaka's eyes widened, panic settling over her. "We have to go back!"

Tasuki watched her confusedly. "Go back? Why?"

She reached for the reins yet Tasuki held them tightly. "Oi! What are you doing?"

"If we're not going to Nakago's then where are you taking me?!?"

Tasuki smiled. "Relax. It's a surprise."

Miaka was on the brink of tears. "I have to get back... Or else..."

Tasuki furrowed his eyebrow. "Or else what? Weren't you're the same one who tried to run 
away. I saw you leaving from there!" 

"Me?" Miaka's mind replayed everything that had just happened. ::What was I trying to do?::
She shook her head. "I wasn't running away."
 
Tasuki could feel his frustrations building up. "What do you mean you weren't running? When
I found you, you were headed towards the wilderness."

Miaka studied the rockiness of the ground beneath them. She then noticed that he had given 
her sandals as well. "That was a mistake."

"And you almost got yourself killed for it. If I hadn't gotten you to that doctor, you'd 
return to Nakago's in an urn."

She could feel her stomach grumbling. Her hunger added to the weakness that she felt. "But I 
have to work. If I don't go back then my family..." ::You'll never see your family again.::

Tasuki sighed. "So how about you work for me?"

She looked into his face, surprised to see concern in his amber eyes. "What do you mean?"

The bandit shrugged. "I mean you already owe me for the clothes and for saving your life. If 
you're so bent on keeping busy why not come with me?"

::Is he serious?:: Miaka searched his face reading nothing but earnest. She turned her eyes to
the smooth back of the stallion they were riding. "But Nakago..."

::So stubborn!:: "He wouldn't even know if you were dead or alive."

Miaka closed her eyes, heart thumping erratically in her chest. ::Can I leave?:: The sky was 
becoming so dark, and the wind all-consuming. "Only if you promise."

"What?" 

The girl continued. "I'll go with you only if you promise to return me to Nakago when you're 
done with me."

Tasuki pouted. "You really want to go back there? Are you sure?" ::Maybe Mitsukake slipped 
her some mind-altering drugs when I was upstairs...::

She nodded. 

Tasuki sighed. "Fine Miaka, I promise." ::Sheesh.:: 


				To Be Continued
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NOTES:

1. The story should start picking up soon. I can't help how slowly it's moving! ;_;