(A/N: Anybody still out there:insert crickets chirping: I'm sorry if this chapter took too long, but exam week turned my brain to cottage cheese (trust me) and that only worsened by procrastination. I put A LOT of time and effort into this chapter, it is the LAST CHAPTER by the way. Thank you all for playing along and being such wonderful supporters:hugs crowd:

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yugi. Nor do I own Chichiri, if I did I wouldn't be writing this story. MWAHAHAHA!

"Marriage is more than the entanglement of two hearts, it is the entwining of two lives, forever."

-Anonymous

Chichiri had been running from his feelings all morning. Unable to confront the object that resided within his woolen pocket, he simply resorted to panicking internally. From the outside, no one would have guessed he was suffering so.

Now that purpose had been brought to his life, he felt obligated to envelope his wings around that precious object, and shield it from the rest of the world, keeping it nearby and safe under his every watchful eye. As a monk, he had sworn to never embrace feelings of love…yet he had defied that solid taboo a hundred times over. The plain and simple young woman whom had inconspicuously thawed the ice from his forbidden heart gradually accepted his character… she had accepted him for who he truly was.

He sighed, trying not to get too lost within his recurring thoughts. That constant nagging never ceased, it only continued to worsen like a bruise to the heart. He considered the silly and childish method of picking petals from flowers to determine what he should do. But he dared not hurt nature for the sake of his conscience. This was his choice, and he was firmly determined to pursue it…the only thing that stood in his way was a simple answer from the maiden he loved.

Burying his head into his hands, he surrendered to the chain of thought. It was his future…as well as hers, and she had as much of a right to consider it as he. At first he had simply considered the facts: She had come here on her own free will, and it was virtually impossible for her to return to her own time any time in the near future. Suzaku had spent the last of his energy to get her this far, and she was determined to stay. The remembrance of her stubbornness brought a smile to his lips. She wanted to stay…here with him…. Don't get ahead of yourself. His mind snapped, keeping him in check with reality rather than mere fantasy. He wanted her to stay of course, forever. But would she accept a life such as this? To dwell within a book, be written into his story?

"Oy, Chiri. Ya gotta ask her eventually." Came the voice of his bandit companion. A roguish grin playing upon his fanged mouth.

"Oh Tasuki, what should I do? The last time I was to be married was with…." Memories weren't always wonderful, they could take the form of horrible scars that never faded.

"Don't ya dare back outta this." Tasuki growled while taking a seat beside him and pointed his finger at Chichiri in accusation. "You love her, and she loves you. Nothing else should matter. Everything is in the past Chiri…ya chan't change that. After all that has happened, ya deserve to be happy."

"But…does she deserve someone like me."

The bandit was unperturbed by this insolent question, he just couldn't see how the monk could be so depressed by the thought of making Ally the happiest girl in the world.

"Now yer talkin' nonsense. Ya owe it to yerself Chiri. Don't lower yerself to that level, yer one of the best men I have ever known."

"Thanks Tasuki." He simply answered, glad that he had a friend who would help drag him out of his shell and accept this opportunity.

"Yer welcome. Now get out there and find her. Don't hold back or I'll fry ya."

Leave it to Tasuki to cheer me up and threaten me at the same time. Nonetheless he nodded and stood, his heart beating rapidly even though he was nowhere near Ally. The very thought of what he was about to do did little to steady the frantic racing within his chest. Gripping his staff as if it were a lifeline, he swallowed his fear and began a journey to find the golden haired maiden practicing her archery in the nearby forest.

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THWACK

The arrow had sped through the air in a straight line, unaltered by the soft breeze of the late afternoon. It hit just outside the tiny patch of moss she had been focusing on. Damn, so close…said her competitive streak. She had been practicing for a few hours now, and the sorry tree had suffered countless blows to the exposed bark around the bullseye patch of emerald moss. Readying another arrow into the longbow she straightened, retaining a perfect stillness that one might have confused her for a statue. She slowed her breathing, focusing on that one patch of green that endlessly taunted her. It was then a soft jingle broke through her deep concentration, it was a sound she knew all too well. Ally lowered the bow, not wanting to waste one of her few remaining arrows on an unfocused target.

"Hello Chichiri." She smiled at his approaching figure. In the span of time it took him to reach her, she could tell that there was something uneasy about his countenance. He seemed wary, unsure, almost…lost? He stood before her, a small smile touched his exposed topaz eye.

"I didn't mean to disturb you." His eye barely flickered to the tree that had incurred her archery wrath. "I can see you're having fun." Chichiri's fingers whispered over her cheek and into her thick hair to capture a stray natural curl.

"Hey, are you alright?" She inquired softly, trying to meet his gaze, which seemed to be fascinated by the strands of hair wrapped around his finger.

"I'm fine. Just…" He sought for a good word to use, "Thinking."

"Apparently it wasn't a pleasant thought." Poor guy, he looks as if he didn't get any sleep last night. She creased her eyebrows with worry. She didn't like it when he kept his troubles locked up inside. Something was bothering him, and she was very determined.

Gently taking his face in both her hands, she forced him to look at her.

"You should rest. Because truly…you look terrible."

"Gee thanks." He chuckled, leaning into her hands to feel the warmth of her touch. She couldn't suppress a smile at this childish reaction, he could be so cute sometimes. Releasing her hold on his face, she took his hand and led him over to a fully bloomed Sakura tree that quietly shed its pink petals to carpet the earth around it.

He obliged to her insistent idea of a nap, he was rather tired…but he had sought her out for a reason.

"Ally…." He leaned against the trunk of the tree, trying his best to stay upright as his body suddenly drained itself of energy.

"Hmm?" She replied, her gaze reaching out to him.

"What would you think…of staying here?"

She blinked.

"You mean…out in the wilderness or in the nearby tavern?"

"No. Ah…let me see." He quickly tried to think of another way to put it. "I mean, in this world. With me."

"I have no choice but to stay here. I probably can never go back." Her aqua gaze turned distant, as if she were remembering her previous life. "But I wouldn't trade this for anything. I'm with you, and nothing else matters. Why?" Why is he asking me this all of a sudden?

An adorable blush spread across his cheeks as he diverted his eye in a different direction. Much to her disappointment, she could not figure out what he was getting at…that is…until he flat out said it.

"Well uh…you see…. I-I've been thinking and…I want you to stay here with me, forever."

It was her turn to blush as he slipped a pure jade ring out of the pocket of his shirt and took her hand to slip it onto her finger. "That is…if you'll have me."

She didn't know what to say. Chichiri had just proposed! Ally gaped down at the ring, then at him, then down at the ring again. Her eyes welled up with tears, each one holding a greater liquid happiness as she suddenly threw herself at him, which knocked both of them backwards against the earth in a shower of pink petals.

"Yes Chichiri, yes! I will stay with you…forever." She nuzzled her face into his shoulder as his arms encircled their way around her waist, holding her close against him. Their laughter and tears mingled together until they simply resorted to pleasurable kisses. Off in the distance, the bandit Tasuki raised a shot of sake into the air then quickly swallowed the throat-warming drink.

"Good fer ya Chichiri. Good fer ya."

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Epilogue

Ally and Chichiri were married a few weeks later after the extravagate proposal and journeyed into the West to settle down into a small home. Over the years they had their own adventures, which included their return to the palace and see the warriors of Suzaku once again and be congratulated on their joining.

After a few years of having each other all to themselves, they decided to take another adventure that required both time and effort. Children. Ally had two girls and a boy, resulting in two proud parents accompanied by many headaches. They would soon grow to have their own journeys and experiences, eventually they would tell them of the quest they had embarked upon many years ago, and how Ally was actually from another world. But for now, she simply rejoiced in the fact she was spending the rest of her life with the man of her dreams and their children, whom were constantly vying for attention.

To make up for all the things she might had missed, Chichiri taught her the language and provided her paper and supplies to write their story. She became an accomplished writer in the world of ancient China, as well as a renowned archer. The proof is in the arrow that lays buried in the very heart of the patch of moss growing amongst the tree in the forest.

-End-

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Thank you all so much for reading! It was a pleasure to tell this tale and have so many of you supporting me. Needless to say…computers are nasty things that should occasionally be drug out into the street and shot due to their nasty manners. But I made it this far:strikes dramatic pose: I have conquered that mountain…now I just need to begin climbing the next one. :) Hopefully you ALL will be able to take that next journey with me! If you have any ideas as to what I should write with my next fanfic, please do drop me a review. I would prefer to write something either along the lines of Naruto or Seto Kaiba (from Yu-Gi-Oh) So please tell me what you think and hopefully I shall try to update EVERY FRIDAY from this point onward. :tosses gift baskets to all who review: