The Promise: A Tasuki and Miaka Love Story

By KittyLynne

Author's notes: 'The Promise' is intended to be a continuation of the Fushigi Yûgi series. ( I like to refer to it as a 'let's consider the possibilities' story.) Though there's a non canon pairing, the rest of the story remains strictly canon when referring to past events.

Here are some other things to know before you start reading this fanfiction:

1. There will be many spoilers for both the TV series and OAVs. The events in the Eikou Den OVA haven't happened, and won't.

2. I am ignoring the usual passage of time discrepancy between the worlds. The same amount of time has passed in each.

3. I like the Tamahome/Taka character and do not intend to bash him in any way. That goes for Yui as well.

4. Italics within the story denote a character's unspoken thoughts.

5. When I started The Promise, I had only seen the English dub of the anime, so therefore, I've written Chichiri as saying 'you know' instead of 'no da'. Unfortunately, several chapters had already been completed and posted by the time I discovered the difference between manga and anime. In the interest of continuity, I decided to leave this fic as is, while making the resolution to write 'no da' for Chichiri in my subsequent fics. My sincerest apologies to all of the Chichiri purists out there, and thank you for your indulgence. ;)

6. Chapter content will vary in tone, so I will give individual chapter ratings and warnings in addition to the overall rating. Prologue is rated K+ : )Overall Rating for Story: M for adult situations and coarse language.

A Final Warning to those who dislike the Tasuki and Miaka pairing: please don't read any further! This story is definitely not for you! (Although, if you clicked on the link and have read this far, you must be a little bit curious. Why not give my story a chance? *hopeful grin* )

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Prologue:

The Wish of Four Gods

Priestess, I am here. Open your mind to me.

The Phoenix- god Suzaku arched his long neck and stretched out his mighty wings, reaching for the touch of a vibrant life force as it spanned the distance between their two worlds.

She was waiting.

He looked forward to their reunion.

The young girl of legend had a strength of will that had been proven as undefeatable. In becoming a vessel for his godly essence, their coupling had gone far beyond what was foretold; the Priestess had nourished him with her very soul, and in doing so, had achieved the astounding feat of teaching him something new. To experience mortality and all the feelings of sorrow, resolve, pain, devotion, hope, joy and love that condition entailed was a priceless gift, one that had added meaning to his own divine existence and that had validated his keeping watch over the mortals in his charge. Granting three wishes in exchange for this enlightenment was a trifling recompense.

No less an impressive feat was the way she had forged ties of admiration and love with her guardian stars, a bond so strong that it had enabled the fallen warriors to cross the barrier between life and death. That alone would have been a testament to her worthiness, but she'd also won the loyalty, respect and protection of Celestial Warriors, who had treated her as one of their own.

She had fulfilled her duties in every way, and then traveled far beyond the boundaries of what was expected of her. The Priestess of Suzaku had made it possible for the four gods to come together to defeat the incarnation of evil. She had been the catalyst of turning the dream of peace and divine unity into reality.

And now, just as she had written the ending to the legends, she could be the one to write them anew.

Because they had merged, the patron god of Konan had been selected by his brother gods to reach out to the young woman with the will of iron and boundless capacity for love. Harnessing the inherent and unrivaled purity and strength of that love to the existence of the four gods could ensure eternal peace between the two worlds for all time... but only if Miaka Yuuki would willingly accept a monumental change in her destiny.

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The heavens above Mount Taikyoku resounded with Suzaku's triumphant cry. His long scarlet plumage formed a glorious trail behind him, rippling and sparkling in the downdraft made by the powerful wings that would carry him to another world.

May your journey be fruitful, my son! Taiits-kun thought, watching him go.

Only when the thick mountain mists had engulfed the impressive form of the bird deity did her gaze turn from the sky to the earth. With bowed head, the Creator entered into a state of deep concentration. A few moments later she opened her eyes, and waited for a response to her summons.

In a short time, a popping sound and a flash of dark blue told her that her star apprentice had wasted no time in attending her.

"Your Eminence!" The robe's owner exclaimed, as he appeared from the robe's folds and bowed to his mentor.

Taiits-kun acknowledged the tribute with a regal nod. His attentiveness pleased her. "Well met, Chichiri of Suzaku. I trust things have been going all right for you and that hellion since we spoke last?"

"They've gone surprisingly well." The masked monk told her. "We've finished rebuilding a village near the Kutou border, and just returned to visit Tasuki's old gang at Mt. Reikaku, you know." His voice took on a slightly dry tone as he added, "he was there when you called me, but I thought it best if he stayed for the celebration in his honor."

Taiits-kun snorted. "I thought that young pup had gotten over that stage. He'll need to cut back on those indulgences if he's going to be of any use to the Priestess once she's here!"

After a moment of thunderstruck silence, Chichiri lifted a hand and pulled off his enchanted mask, revealing the gruesome scar that slashed across his closed left eyelid. His good eye was wide and fixed upon his mentor with solemn intensity. "Miaka is returning?"

The Oracle inclined her head. "Perhaps. All has not been determined."

"But there's peace between Kutou and Konan, and I haven't sensed any other great evil since Tenkou was destroyed!" The Suzaku warrior exclaimed. He paled as a thought struck home. "Are she and Taka in trouble? Has something happened to their world?"

"Miaka and Taka and their world are safe and sound." Taiits-kun responded calmly.

"She fulfilled her duty to bring peace! Why would you-"

"To maintain that peace." The Oracle replied. "Tenkou was a demonstration and a warning of the dangers of leaving the doors open to this world. The gods are united in purpose in wanting to keep out those who seek to destroy this world or use it for evil purpose. Miaka, if she agrees to return, is an essential part of the permanent solution they've devised, and Suzaku has been dispatched to ask her to grant them this favor."

Chichiri stared at his mentor as the muscles in his throat worked soundlessly. Cackling, she leaned over and patted his arm.

"I see you are wondering how a mortal woman could ever grant a wish to a god! However, there is work to be done, so now is not the time for such questions!" The old woman paused, her expression turning somber. "Please understand, Chichiri, that anything I may ask of you is in the form of a request, and not an command. Acceptance must be of your own free will, just as it will be for Miaka."

The monk gave a curt nod.

"I will explain the preliminaries so you can make an informed decision about accepting this assignment." Taiits-kun continued. "You will go to Tasuki, and tell him everything I've told to you. If he agrees to resume his duties to the Priestess, then you may bring him here." Her voice lowered confidentially. "Tamahome was reborn as a man of Miaka's world, as you already know. The others have all been reborn as well, but are too young to effectively serve as warriors, which means you and Tasuki are the only Suzaku warriors left that can truly protect her, should you decide to do so."

Chichiri drew himself up to his full height. "I shall present your request, but on this I know I can speak for Tasuki as well as myself. We will always be willing to help Miaka."

An expression of what could have been construed as maternal pride flickered across Taiits-kun's weathered face. "I expected nothing less than the utmost loyalty from you both, but this is not as simple a matter as it appears. Your agreement to take on this responsibility, once it is made, is irrevocable. I would prefer that you carefully ponder what I have to say in your heart before giving me your final decision."

The masked Suzaku seishi bowed his head and sighed. The firmness in the old woman's tone made it clear that the suggestion was a directive.

"As you wish, Your Eminence."

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When Chichiri at last took respectful leave of his teacher, he didn't need to think about his next destination; of their own volition, his feet carried him down the path that led to a pond nestled amongst the rocky precipices of the holy mountain.

The quiet, ethereal beauty of the setting usually succeeded in bringing about a sense of peace, but today that tranquility was tempered by the looming implications of Miaka's possible return to his world. It was a situation that brought inner conflict as feelings of joy and excitement at seeing her blended with his apprehensions regarding the future the heavenly ones might be mapping out for his priestess.

Taiits-kun hadn't enlightened him with the specifics on that subject, deflecting his subtle attempts at eliciting more information as if the words were bothersome flies. After that he had done his best to contain his intense curiosity and misgivings- after all, it wasn't his way to voice an opinion or points of contention with a plan unless he had a good idea of what a situation was shaping up to be.

But this was an extraordinary event! There was nothing written in the legend about the Prietess returning after fullfillment of her duties, because nothing like this had ever happened before!

How could one prepare oneself for a mission when one didn't know what it is was or what was expected of them?

A crow's shrill caw pierced the air. Jolted out of his reverie, Chichiri chuckled at the realization that he had been standing in the middle of the path staring blankly into space for the gods knew how long. His own thoughts had waylaid him on the path to meditation, something which really didn't come as any surprise. Serenity had always been an unattainable state whenever he was concerned about the friends who had become like family to him.

Adjusting his grip on his shakajou, he resumed his trek. As an obedient devotee of the Oracle, he would perform the meditation ritual as instructed, even though he would only be going through the motions of seeking an answer. He'd already made his decision. As a warrior of Suzaku, Miaka's guardian star, and her close friend, he'd always make the commitment to be at her side, no matter what the situation.

But making a decision like that was deceptively simple. The one other thing of which he could be sure of, the monk thought with a mental grimace, was that this would be the ultimate test for Tasuki in dealing with his passionate but unrequited love for their priestess; a love undimished by separation and which had grown deeper with the passage of time.

Yet to his credit, the bandit warrior hadn't given in to bitterness or despair. The knowledge that Miaka was happy and well back in her own world and the unflagging belief that they would someday meet again had enabled Tasuki to survive a woman walking away with his heart.

But knowing Miaka was totally out of reach was one thing- having her within reach and still not being able to do anything about it was quite another.

And what about Taka? As a reborn warrior, what would his role be? He and Miaka were most certainly together now, so why would she even want to return?

No use worrying about those things that are out of my control, the monk reminded himself. Justl prepare and see what happens. That's all you can do.

Miaka and Taka would always find a way to help their friends if there was any way they could do it. And Tasuki was a man of strong character; he'd be fine.

Determined to keep his thoughts focused on the positive, Chichiri began to hum a refrain to a popular love ballad while reciting a mantra in his head. The Priestess is going to return. I rededicate myself to her and I will champion her cause. My life is renewed in her service.

As the remembered warmth of friendship and the beauty of the day lifted his spirits, Chichiri's humming gave way to a lilting tenor voice. Before long, the ballad's refrain was resounding throughout the crevasses and cliffs of Taiits-kun's mountain, accompanied by the rhythmic jangle of shakajou rings.

Walk on, walk on

We must live far apart

Ten thousand miles between us

At opposite ends of the sky

The road is hard and long

Will we ever meet again?

- Yue-fu, Nineteen Ancient Poems (Han Dynasty)

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And so the story begins once again…