Author’s Note: Set just after the series, before the OVAs. Miaka has gone, and the surviving Suzaku warriors have gone back to their lives.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi, or any of it’s characters. Even Chouko’s bandits are not my own, as the characters are based on my friends.

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Chapter 1: River Butterfly

“You sure you know where we’re going?” Tasuki asked his friend for the umpteenth time. They’d been wandering the bank of a river for what seemed like hours. The bandit leader eyed the water uneasily before turning his gaze back to his companion.

“Sure, Genro! The mountain’s right over there,” Kouji pointed towards their mountainous home which rose above the trees to the west. They’d been on their way back to the bandit headquarters from the battle for Konan and Kouji had remembered a shortcut along the river’s course.

“So, why don’t we cut through the forest?” The Suzaku warrior inquired, skeptical of his friend’s sense of direction.

“Trust me!” Kouji insisted, sending a reassuring grin to the man he knew as Genro. As he spoke, the pair rounded a bend in the river, their view temporarily obstructed by an outcropping of the forest. When once again they could see the water ahead of them the two stopped, blinking in surprise at a large raft like boat floating by the water’s edge, moored to a tree.

Seven people sat on the rather rickety looking craft, sharing in an afternoon meal of rice. They looked towards the approaching men as they heard their voices. One of the strangers on the raft rose, arms folded, “Oi, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Trying to get home,” Tasuki replied, sensing a potential conflict. He reached over his shoulder, grasping the handle of his fan, “What the hell does it matter to you?”

The figure stood, balanced with one foot on the edge of the small vessel, mask covering the face, as was the case with all the characters on board. One of the still seated individuals chuckled slightly, the corners of a crimson gaze crinkling as proof a smile hiding behind the mask. A stern look from the leader, for that was the position the standing person held, and the laughter ceased, replaced by a downward gaze resembling that of a child caught in some shameful act.

“It matters,” The leader finally responded after the crew had settled, “Because this is our territory.”

“Yours?” Tasuki quirked a brow, having been completely unaware that any other bandit parties took up residence in this area, “Says who?”

The leader of the river bandits jumped from the raft, landing easily on shore. Behind her the rickety craft rocked on a wave created by the feat. Grey-green eyes locked onto Tasuki’s gaze, and if one looked carefully, they could tell the character was grinning below the mask worn in part to hide such details. What the cause of the grin was, only those closest to the leader could even begin to guess, “Says me.”

Quite suddenly and unexpectedly the river bandit poked Tasuki in his strong chest, catching him off guard. It wasn’t a hard jab, more like a teasing tap. But it was enough to startle the pyromaniac and send him teetering on the waters edge. Another laugh arose from the crew, once more stifled by a look from the captain. It ceased only momentarily, however as Tasuki completely lost balance, falling into the river with a yelp.

Despite the rather calm nature of the water where they found themselves, Tasuki’s eyes grew wide. He loathed the water, and quickly sprang to his feet and darted back to shore. At the site of the sopping wet bandit pouting faintly, even the river captain had to chuckle.

“D-dammit!” Tasuki shouted, shivering as he squeezed water from his sleeve, “Who the hell are you anyways?!”

“They call me Chouko.” The other, shorter bandit replied, returning to the raft-like vessel.

“Chouko?” the fiery hair bandit quirked a brow, and obtuse as he could sometimes be, he felt the need to further remark, “That’s a girl’s name.”

“Well…” Chouko removed the mask that had hidden her identity, “That’s probably because I’m a girl.”

At this Tasuki’s jaw dropped. Kouji, who had been standing obediently by (until his friend was toppled into the river, at which point the other bandit had rushed to be of whatever service he could to his soggy leader,) blinked in equal surprise. The two hadn’t even been paying attention to the possibility that these strangers could be anything but male. And given Tasuki’s recent experience with the likes of Nuriko, even if he’d thought these sailing bandits could have been female, he’d have second guessed himself. Damn cross dressers made things so confusing. But at least now he knew why he hadn’t liked this captain. From the moment he’d seen her, there’d been a sense of foreboding, and it figured. Girls were just such a pain.

“Oi, Chouko,” The red-eyed bandit pulled away her mask revealing that she too was female. Again she was grinning and giggling, her pale green locks flouncing in pigtails as she skipped towards the leader, “They’re kinda of cute!!”

The leader smacked her lightly on the head, twitching in irritation, “Could you just shut up and stop giggling, Tanrei?”

“Ow!” With a flare of over reaction Tanrei pouted, clutching the spot which had been tapped, “I was just sayin’!”

Though she wouldn’t admit it, Chouko had to agree with her bubbly friend. The two intruders were definitely good looking. The young banditess who had interrupted the leader returned, pouting to her seat. Where another member of the sympathetically, be the sympathy real or feigned on couldn’t tell, rubbed her should.

Taking the cue from their leader, the rest of the bandits removed their masks as well, revealing an entirely female crew. Comforting the still pouting girl who had been revealed as Tanrei was a girl just slightly taller, with short hair streaked brown and red, and hazel eyes that seemed to shift from one shade to the next as the day wore on. To that bandit’s left was another, shorter crewmate who also kept her brown hair short, and gazed upon the world with blue eyes. Moving once more to the left the tallest of the crew could be spotted, though she still fell short of Tasuki’s height. This girl had strawberry blonde locks and violet eyes, and seated to her left was not a person, but a small purple bunny that had been fashioned out of old clothing. The next human figure in the ring of bandits was a girl who matched their leader in height, with aqua hair to match the waves on which they sailed, and eyes of green. Completing the circle, we come to a girl with blonde hair to her shoulders, and blue eyes that seem to reflect innocence.

Tasuki and Kouji took in the sight of the female bandits, jaws slack in disbelief. There were few, if any, female amongst their own group. Their shock was interrupted by Chouko’s voice, “Alright, I told you who I am…what about you?”

“Genro.” Tasuki replied, using the name by which he was known outside of the Suzaku warriors. He nodded his head towards his companion, “And that’s Kouji.”

“I’m Meushi! And this is Usa-chan!” The tallest of the girls nearly shouted in her enthusiasm, thrusting the purple bunny into the air. Chouko put a hand to her forehead, wondering again how she got stuck as the leader of this strange little crew. She loved them, really, like family. Just like family. Right down to that annoyance one has for their family members.

Next to speak was the aqua haired girl, her eyes looking not at the two men on shore, but rather at some invisible entity off in the distance. She raised her hand as one might in a modern classroom when looking for permission to speak, and waited until Chouko nodded approval before introducing herself, “Call me Ranpu…”

The crimson eyed girl, though her name was already known due to her being scolded by Chouko sniffled, finally pulling out of her exaggerated sorrow, “Tanrei.”

With a subtle smile the shortest member of the crew spoke next, “I’m Hidenka.”

“Haku.” The blond stated simply, her eyes, though they reflected an air of innocence, scanning the men on shore cautiously as she tried to evaluate whether they posed a threat.

The final member of the crew, the girl who had be sitting next to Tanrei, tilted her head, showing no clear emotion as she observed the pair from the mountain. The rest of the bandits watched her expectantly, but she said nothing. Finally Meushi, or rather Usa-chan given mobility and voice by Meushi, introduced the final crewmate in a high pitched voice, “This is Taki! Smile Taki!’

Taki blinked at the bunny which had identified her, and smiled, humoring Meushi by patting the rabbit on the head.

Introductions having been made, Chouko gave her crew a small smile before turning to the mountain bandits on the shore, “Good, so now we that we know each other, maybe you should return to your own turf.”

“Eh?!” Tasuki stared at the other bandits, having thought that once they were introduced a truce might be called, “You mean we still have to leave?!”

“Unless you want to take another dip in the river,” The woman replied, grinning playfully. In truth, she’d love to spend more time with these good looking men, they amused her, but she had to defend her territory.

“Awww, Chouko-sama!” Tanrei pouted, “Let them stay! We can share our rice with them!”

“Hai! Hai!” Meushi agreed, “It would be fun to have visitors!”

“If they were walking along the river,” Haku pointed out, “Then they thought it would take them somewhere. It might be a good idea to have some land-based bandits as allies should we need them. Why don’t we give them a ride down river towards where they were going, and talk about an alliance?”

Chouko paused to consider all these things, mostly of course what Haku had said, seeing as it was actually helpful. Land-based allies would be a strategic advantage. Pirates from the sea sometimes ventured upstream into her territory, and their numbers far outreached her own small troupe, “Alright. Genro, you and you’re friend are welcome aboard my craft.”

Tasuki eyed the rickety vessel, “You sure it’s safe? The damn thing looks like it’s about to collapse!”

“Don’t worry,” Chouko teased with a grin, “If you fall in, my crew can save you.”

The aqua phobic bandit cast a glare to this smug river maiden. He hated being called on his dislike of water. But he was, in essence, an entity of fire, so it was fitting that he not trust the waves. Looking at Kouji, and being met with a shrug of loyal indifference, meaning that Kouji would follow whatever his friend’s orders were, Tasuki sighed and shook his head, “Fine. But this tub better not sink.”

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Author’s Note: Well, there you have it! And for those who don’t know the few Japaneese words…I shall include definitions! Oh, and to explain the chapter title, Chou means butterfly, Chouko is Butterfly Child. So, yeah.

Japanese:

Hai: Yes

Chan: a suffix added to the name of a child or a girl

Sama: A suffix added t the name of an authority, basically similar in meaning to “lord” or “lady”

The Characters: Yeah, they’re my friends…so here’s whose who. In order of appearance:

Chouko - Maria

Tanrei - Me!

Taki - Jamie-chan

Hidenka - Shippo

Meushi - Bikky

Ranpu - Ali-dono

Haku - CriKee