"Minna! hayaku!" Tamahome led the charge to the river bank. The feathers 
had led all of them to the river, where the battle was taking place."We 
have to-AAUGH!" 

Water jest shot up, pinning them all to trees. Hikou laughed. "Let the fun 
begin.."

^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~
Harmonychan productions proudly present
A Fushigi Yuugi OVA:Ripples in the water
OVA23:With this power, I vow to protect you
^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~

"Chichiri! Chichiri!" H-chan screamed his name, clawing at the globe of 
water with her feather. She could only make shallow red scratchs int the 
water walls, and they soon dissapeared. She glared at Hikou. "Stop it! You 
dont have the right to hurt Chichiri-san!"

"Oh, I dont?" Hikou laughed, a bitter chuckle, and raised his hand. An 
image appeared in front of him:two men fighting on a cliff. They grrappled, 
untill finnaly one pulled a knife. "Give her back!" the knife-weilder 
hissed.

The sound of the voice stopped H-chan cold. "Chichiri...Chichiri's voice?" 
She looked oevr at Chichiri, who was frozen in shock. He raised a hand, 
weakly, torwards the images. 

The man in the image screamed again. "GIVE HER BACK!"

(This has to be...when Chichiri lost his fiance'...) H-chan stared at the 
images, transfixed. The image Chichiri seemed to have gained the advantage 
over the other man, and was slowly forcing him into the water.

"yamano..."

"HOUJINNNN!!!" The otehr man fell into the water. Inage Chichiri scrabbled 
for his hand-

"Yamano..."

An image of Chichiris hand, slowly letting go...the look of intense horror 
as the man slipped into the crashing water, screaming his best friends name
...

"YAMANO, HIKOU!" Chichiri fell to his knees, almost bawling. "YAMANOO!!"

The rain spirit laugehd again. "2 years ago, my life was ended thus. By you,
 Houjun. So I will take what is most precious to you...."

"CHICHIRI-SAN!" H-chan began to slowly force her way out of the water.It 
was hard work, the water felt strong enough to tear her limb from limb....
but finaly she reached a hand out far enough to touch Chichiris face....
"Chichiri..." She stroked his cheek with her fingers, almost bringng him 
out of his state of shock. He slowly reached up, and for an instant, their 
fingertips touched-

"Oh, no escaping now!" Hikou used two jets of water to seperate them, one 
forcing h-chan into a solid globe of water, the other knocking Chichiri 
into a tree. He slumped to the ground, consious but very much in shock.

"If you want her back...youll come." Hikou threw a necklace out to Chichiri.
 It landed beside his limp hand on the wet ground.

"Chichiriiii!!" H-chan reached out for him, in tears. Hikou laughed and 
they began to dissapear. In an instant, the water walls around the seishi 
broke. They rushed to Chichiris side. Tasuki grabbed his shoulder. 
"Chichiri! Daijobu da?!?"

Chichiri looked up out of his shock for a single instant. 

"HARUKAAAA!!!"he screamed, and slumped unconsious to the ground.

^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~

"Tomo, make arrangements for travel. Im sick of waiting." Miryuu walked 
over to him, putting an arm arond his waist. "The sooner this is over, 
the sooner we can be together...lets go to Shoryuu."

"Wakateiru, Miryuu-hime."

^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~

"Hes heavy..."

The water still pattered down around them. The shichiseishi were making 
the trek back to town to find somewhere to take care of Chichiri. For 
Tasuki, who had been stuck with the job of carrying Chichiri, this was 
not a good thing. "Ne, Mitsukake! Cant you use some of your healing 
junk?!?" He carefully laid Chichiri down on the wet ground. 

"Ni-chan, the grounds wet!" Migenrou growled in annoyance. 

"Like he'll notice." Tasuki snorted.

Mitsukake knelt beside Chichiri. The rest of the seishi watched worriedly 
as the green chi covered Chichiri. Mitsukake closed his eyes after a few 
minutes, and the chi dissapeared. "I can heal his physical injuries...but 
the mental shock he recived back there was far worse then anything I can 
help."

"Chichiri!" Tasuki knelt beside him, tapping him on the forehead. 
"Chichiri, wake up! Mikos in trouble..." Tasuki bit his lip. "Mitsukake, 
isnt there anything we can %$#@in DO?!?"

"Minna..." 

"Chichiri!" K-chan sat beside Mitsukake. "You were awake?"

Chichiri opened his eye slowly, brimming with tears. "Did you all see? 
I killed my best friend..."

He thought back to Kouran, huddled on the floor, shoulders shaking. 
"Im sorry, Houjin! I cant be with you! Im sorry!"

And his own impulsive thoughts and anger: "Hikou! Is it because you love 
HIKOU?!?" And the crushing pain:"I trusted you both...I loved you both..." 
And the final battle...

A whining cry escaped Chichiris lips. "The flood...that killed my family...
that killed her....was noones fault. But Hikou. To kill him again?" 
Chichiri turned his ehad away from the seishi. "I CANT. Im sorry..."

"But, H-chan!" K-chan glared at him.

"K-chan, be quiet!" Tamahome put a hand on her shoulder, but she shook it 
off. "H-chan has her faith in you! She trusts YOU! H-chan loves you more 
than anything...and it will kill her if you cant save her! Cant you even 
try?!?" K-chan sniffled a bit, a tear falling from her eye. "Youd let her 
die, just because your afraid of facing Hikou...coward!" She turned away 
from him, holding her arms across her chest and whimpering. "Coward...coward
...COWARD!" she screamed.

"Minna..." Tears flowed freely from Chichiri's eye now. What kind of choice 
could he make? "What do I do?"

"Chichiri..." Nuriko knelt beside him now, a hand placed gently on his face.
 "when I was younger...I lost my little sister. Her name was Kourin...I 
loved her dearly. But shes gone...and I have to go on."

"Yes...If I had only had the power I had now when Yuri was going to be 
killed..." Mitsukake shook his ehad. "But, you know...thats what the powers 
we have are for. To protect what we love. Remember Chiriko? He used his 
powers to protect all of us. We are the seishi...lean on us. Lean on your 
fiends."

"Hai!" Tamahome shouted. "We've been friends for a long time, Chichiri...I 
wont let you suffer alone! Even if youre not going...let me go!" 

Hothori nodded. "Chichiri, you dont need to be alone. For H-chan..and for 
who you love..."

Chichiri sat up. The rain made the bangs hand low in his eyes, "For the 
ones I love..." His hand reache up, touched the silver heart H-chan had 
given him at his chest. "For H-chan...Ill go." He picked up Hikous necklace.
 "Ill go, Hikou."

^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~

"Un..." H-chan slowly raised her head. Pain flared at every part of her 
body. She struggled to a sitting position and to survey her surroundings.

It appeared she was in a large cavern with numreous waterfalls crashing 
through it. "nani?" She put a hand out to the barriers around her, and 
noticed she was wet...not wet, soaked! She was in a bubble of flowing, 
live water.

"Enjoying my hospitality, miko?" Hikou laughed up at her, dark wings 
extended and shimmering with water. "Dont worry, your boyfriend will be 
here soon...if hes not a COWARD."

"Hes no coward...Chichiri-sans no coward." H-chan snarled. She took the 
feather into her hand, thinking about what could be done next. Escape 
probaly wasnt an option, at least for now..Hikou was far more powerfull 
than her and would probaly just amke things worse on her-on the off 
possibility that she even escaped the bubble, which was doubtfull. Better 
to save her strength...she looked down at Hikou. "why are you doing this?"
 She kept her voice calm, a struggle under the circumstances...

"Why ask? You knew, you watched."

"But even still...Chichiri was your best friend. He lost his EYE for you. 
He loves you!"

"Lies! The love of friendship..." a half smirk slid across his face. 
"Is nothing but an illusion."

"Thats not true..." H-chan felt a faint electrical buzzing at the back of 
her skull. "Nanda?" She concentrated her chi to try to repel it.

"Its no use, miko...I can use my water to read your mind...." Hikou 
laighed. "A friend named K-chan, eh? Well...lets see what she really feels. 
My water brings out raw emotion, gets rid of common sence..." He waved his 
hand, and an image of K-chan appeared on the side of H-chan's bubble.

"So? Im not worried. K-chans my best friend."

"Really?"

^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~

K-chan walked solidly behind the group, eyes to the ground. H-chan had 
gotten herself into a lot of trouble before, but they had always been 
together. even here, in this world, they were together! But Hikou...damned
 Hikou...

She was barely aware of the mist gathering around her...

"IYYAAHHH!"

"K-chan!" Tamahome ran to her. but Hotohori grabbed his arm. "Dont...wait 
and see what this is! It could hurt you too!"

K-chan began to glow, faintly. "N-nani?" she choked out. She head two 
voices, first Hikous: "Go ahead, say what you really feel...dont be ashamed 
of your Hypocrisy...its your nature as a human."

Then...H-chan! "K-chan...Im okay! Im okay! Dont give in!"

K-chan choked, and struggled untill she was able to speak. 
"Dai...dai...daijobu. Daijobu, H-chan...youre okay. Thank god."

H-chan's voice was urgent. "Chichiri-san! Hows Chichiri-san!"

K-chan looked to the front of the group. Chichiri was watching the 
proceedings with a shocked expression. The truth was being slowly 
pulled out of her... "Hes scared...he dosent want to fight Hikou...He 
almost left you..." K-chan struggled to put a hand over her mouth, but 
it was too late. H-chans voice was shocked. "Uso...youre lying, K-chan!"

"I cant...hes coming for you now, but hes so scared..." K-chan was choking 
now, both on the mist and her tears. "Hes scared, but he could never leave
 you, H-chan..."

"Hikou, let her go." H-chans voice was knifelike.

Cruel laughter. H-chans voice came back, sharper. "LET HER GO, HIKOU!"

The connection (or whatever it was) ended. K-chan stopped glowing and 
slumped to her knees. "Oww...poor H-chan..."

Chichiri shook his head. What she had said...it was true, wasnt it? But 
would he really leave H-chan to Hikou?

No. He shook his head. "Im only human...Im no coward...but I cant fight 
Hikou alone...what do I do?" 

"Baka." He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Tasuki 
grinning. "'Noones aware of the dormant things inside of him nan no da!'" 
he mocked in a high pitched tone. 

Chichiri smiled a little. "You coming with me?"

Tasuki's grin widened. "Yeah. Cant leave my oinu ni-chan to the wolves..."

Chichiri picked up the necklace Hikou had thrown to him and charged it with 
yellow energy. "Its a teleportational device...I think it can cary the both 
of us, but no more..."

"Then go." Nuriko frowned. "And good luck to you."

"Ariagtou..." Chichrii looked away, clutching the necklace. "but I dont 
think my luck will be good, no matter what happens. The only thing that 
can matter to me right now is H-chan." he handed his folded up kesa to 
Nuriko. "when its over, ill call you all in. Just wait on the kesa." 
He grabbed tasuki. "Lets go."

"Yosh!" The two shimmered and disapeared.

K-chan bit her lip. "You think H-chan will make it?"

"I know H-chan will make it. Chichiri-san, though..."

^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~*^_~

H-chan sat in her bubble, trying not to cry, knees tucked in below her 
chin. "Chichiri-san...you wouldnt leave me..."

"I think he would." Hikou ckaled. "Houjins always been a coward..."

"No hes not." H-chan sniffed defiantly. "Chichiri loves me. Chichiri 
would never, never leave someone he loved. Thats why he will come...for 
me and for you."

"U-" Hikou cut himself off, with a look of suprise. "He...hes coming."

"I TOLD YOU!" H-chan yelled triumphantly. The water began to sugre in 
around her. "Nani?"

"Die." Hikou said. "Suffer. I lost my life 2 years ago thus."

"No..." H-chan held her breath as the water began to come up to her chin. 
She clutched the necklace Chichiri gave her. (Chichiri...I gotta be strong 
for him...)

An explosion roocked the walls of the cavern. Hikou looked over. 
"Houjin?"

Chichiri stood there, mask long gone. Tasuki was a bit behind him, 
tessen at the ready. "Please dont make me fight you, Hikou. Just give 
H-chan back."

"If you want her back, better hurry...her bretah will run out soon, and 
unless you kill me, that barriers not leaving. He gestured up to H-chan 
in the bubble. Her eyes were shut tight, her face was red, and she was 
clutching the necklace.

"H-chan!" Chichiri screamed. "Damnit..." He glared at Hikou, a small smile
 forming on his face. "Right nwo whats most precious to me is H-chan and
 my suzaku friends. If you harm them...if its for them, Ill defeat you."

"Chichiri!" Tasuki charged forward. "Ill handle him! You get H-chan!"

"Hai!" Chichiri ran torward the bubble. H-chan was concentrating with
 all her might, chi rishing around her in waves. (I hafta protect 
Chichiri-san...)

"LEKKA-SHIEN!" Tasuki tried to make a wall of fire, and was stopped
 short by Hikous water powers. "DAMNIT!"

Hikou just laughed and sent jets of water at Tasuki, pummeling him.
 "Gah-" Tasuki coughed, a bit of blood flying out of him mouth.

"TASUKI!" Chichiri turned to them. Tasuki was nearly unconsious on
 the ground. Hikou was forming a massive water globe behind himself.

"Ah..." Chichiri stopped short and began to concentrate his chi. 

"YAH!" Hikou shot off the waterglobe.

"AH!" Chichiri shot off the red energy. It intersected the water and
 pushed it back at Hikou, trapping him in his own globe. 

Tasuki looked up "strong..."

Chichiri flew torwards Hikou on the power of his chi. He quickly reappeared
 in the bubble, holding Hikou from behind.

"CHICHIRI!" Hikou yelled.

"Dont worry..." tears fell from chichiri's eye. "Ill never let go." 
He grabbed Hikous left hand...the one he had mised so many years ago...
and held with all his strength. 

"TASUKI!" His kesa appeared over the globe. "BURN MY CAPE! PRAY THAT
 EVERYTHING WITHIN THE CAPE BURNS! THE FLAMES WILL REACH INSIDE!"

"I know...but..." Tasuki blinked. "Youl...youll..."

"MY BODY WONT LAST ANYWAY! DO IT, TASUKI!" Chichiri's voice reached a 
shreik. "DO IT!!!"

"But...but..." Tasuki held his tessen at the ready. He was weeping. 
"Chichiri...what do you want form me?" 

((tasuki...))

(Nanda? H-chans voice in my mind?) Tasuki looked up at the globe. 
It was now totally red with H-chan ki. her voice, her face was so sad
...((help chichiri, tasuki...))

Tasuki looked down at the ground. "Shit, what can I do?" He raised the 
tessen into the air. "LEKKA-"

"Let go, Houjin! Youll burn!" Hikou screamed.

"No. I promised not to let go. Together...the three of us...in heaven..." 
Chichrii actually smiled. "I wont let go, Hikou. Never."

"SHIEN!" The fire shot torwards the cape.

At the same time H-chans ki, which had been building constantly, shot 
out of the bubble and surrounded Chichiri.

The fire reached the cape, torching it immediately. The fire reached 
inside, consuming Hikou...but not Chichiri, who was protected by the 
red chi's glow. He watched in shock as his friend disintegrated. 
"Hi-hikou..."

The globe holding H-chan burst. She fell, coughing, into Tasuki's arms. 
"Doko da...Chichiri doko da?" she wheezed.

Tasuki pointed over. There was Chichiri, knelt beside a pool of water, 
still holding what was left of Hikous hand. Only that ghostly watery 
remain of his hand and Hikous face remained...and the Shinzahou. Hikou 
coughed. "Houjin...why dont you let go of my hand?"

"I promised I wouldnt let go. No matter what, I never should have let go."

"Houjin...youre too noble. Im the one who messed everything up. Did you 
think she hinestly loved me? Me over you?" Hikou shook his head. "No. 
I forced her to kiss me."

Chichriis eye opened wid in shock. "But...why-" 

"If anyoen else kissed her, she was unpure and unworthy of you. At least, 
thats how she thought...so I messed everything up. And for me, for me, 
that scar..." Hikou choked. "It would shock her."

"At that time, no matter what..." Chichiri began to sob. "If only I had 
the power I had now..." he clutched Hikous hand tighter.

"What fools we are...maybe we never really were best friends."

"NO! DONT SAY THAT!" Chichiri screamed. "We are best friends and always 
will be! Now and FOREVER!" Chichiri began to feel Hikous chi ebb away 
completely. "Thats why...it hurt so bad..." Hikous hand dissapread. 
"HIKOUUUUU!!!!!" Chichiri sobbed loudly, falling into the water where
 Hikou was. His voice disapeared. "I return to the water, Houjin. I am...
so...sorry..."

The voice dissapeared. Hikou was gone. 

Chichiri stood up and turned to H-chan, who had watched the scene with an 
expressuion of pain. "YOU...why did you save me?!?" he sobbed.

"Chichiri-san-"

"DONT SAY IT! WHY DID YOU KEEP ME ALIVE!" Chichiri screamed at her. 
"I SHOULD BE WITH HIKOU, BUT YOU WOULDNT LET ME! WHY?!? WHY, HARUKA?!?"

*slap*'

Chichiris face snapped back from the unexpected strength of H-chans hand.. 
He stared at her in mild shock. She glared up at him, tears spilling 
down her red cheeks. "How...how can you ask me that kind of question?" 
She grabbed the necklace around ehr neck. "I just used all my strength 
to sve you...and you wanted to die. you...SELFISH...CHICHIRI!" she 
yelled. "I love you! Dont you get it! Your firend has forgiven you! he 
apologized! LOOK!" She pulled down her sleeve and shoved her scarred wrist 
in Chichiris face. "You think Ive never been hurt? Huh? You think 
Ive never wanted to die?" She began to choke on her tears. "I could have 
never survived any of any of this without you...and you want me to let 
you die? a seishis job is to protect a miko...but Id die for you! I almost
 DROWNED for you! And you...want me...to let you DIE!" H-chan scremed 
in anger. She began to sob. Chichiri held her around her back, held her
 tightly, and they both sobbed together for the impossible situation 
they were in. Chichiri was forgiven by Hikou...but not by Haruka.

END CHAP 23