Yui, Tasuki, and Tama-chan journeyed with Chichiri to rescue Tamahome from Kutou, but Miboshi and the mind-controlling drug Kodoku put an end to their hopes for victory. Now, merely escaping Miboshi’s trap and returning to Konan would seem nothing less than a miracle.

Episode Twenty-two:

Hiromasa didn’t slow up at all as he parked the motorcycle in the garage of his parents apartment building and dashed up the staircase, not willing even to wait for the elevator. He didn’t stop until he’d run back to the apartment and to his own room, where he locked his door and threw himself down on the bed, frantically pulling out the book and opening it to the marked place.

“‘Although her Sei Tasuki fought bravely to rescue his Miko, the guards outnumbered him greatly, and were able to take the Tessen from him. As Tasuki was sent to Kutou’s dungeon, the tessen and the Suzaku no Miko were brought to the fair-haired Shogun’s quarters.

“‘Meanwhile, Suzaku’s Sei Chichiri hid in the palace and tried to think of a plan for escape.’”

*

Chichiri pressed herself against the corner wall as a pair of guards walked past an adjoining hallway. Calm down, concentrate... she ordered herself. She had to strike a balance, concealing her chi from Miboshi as much as possible but not so much that she made herself powerless against anyone else. There must be a way to get Yui and Tasuki past his barrier. I just need to think...

“Meowr.”

Chichiri jumped, then breathed a sigh of relief as she found Tama-chan at her heels. “Shhh no da,” she whispered, bending down. Then she tensed again. Last she’d seen him, Tama had been with Yui. If he were here now...

Almost in agreement, he ran down the hall, then looked back over his shoulder and meowed softly for her to follow. She peeked around for any guards, then quickly followed. It’d be faster to use her powers to talk to the cat directly, but if Miboshi used it to find her... It was a risk she didn’t dare take until she was sure Yui and Tasuki were safe.

With a few quick stops and ducks to avoid soldiers, Tama-chan led her toward the dungeon and stopped outside a cellblock door, directly beside the sleeping guard and underneath a ring of keys. Chichiri put her finger to her mouth for him to stay silent as he looked up and mouthed a meow. Carefully she tip-toed past the guard and wrapping her fingers around the keys. They jingled slightly, and he shifted with a half-snorted snore. Immediately Chichiri froze, and time seemed to limp by. Tama paused until the guard was fully settled, then nodded as though signalling her to go on. She lifted the keys and slunk past the guard, pushing the thankfully well-oiled cell block door open without a sound.

“Yui-chan no da?” she whispered when it was safely closed behind her.

“Sorry, Witch, ya lost her,” came Tasuki’s voice.

“Tasuki no da!” she called, taking the steps into the block two at a time. She quickly found his cell. “What happened no da?!”

“Ogre-boy happened, and a mob of guards. Why the hell didn’t you tell us we were that close to where we started!?”

“I was trying to get us away from Miboshi no da.”

“Whatever, just get me out of here so we can find where those bastards took Yui!”

Chichiri started to unlock the door, then stopped. “If I let you out, will you do what I tell you to no da?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever, just do it!” Tasuki snapped.

“Tasuki, I mean it no da!”

“Look, it’s not like you’re leaving me here, so hurry, dammit!”

Chichiri sighed. “Tasuki, I’m sorry, but if you won’t do what I tell you to, it’s safer for you in here no da,” she said, stepping back. “I’ll come back for you as soon as I can get us all out of here no da.”

“WHAT!?” Tasuki roared. “If that’s what you think, you’ve got another thing coming, Witch!!”

“I’m sorry no da,” she called, hopping up the steps. She carefully opened the outer door and slipped out, closing it behind her as quietly as possible. Now, where would they have taken Yui-chan...?

“Hey! Get back here!” Tasuki shouted as his voice began to fade with distance.

*

Yui woke gradually, cool night air spilling over her from an open window as she tried to collect her thoughts and piece together what had happened last. She groaned softly and shifted on the bed, hoping it had all been some kind of nightmare.

“It’s about time you woke up, Yui.”

Miaka...? For one moment she clung to the hope she’d fallen asleep during a study session, but the bitter edge to Miaka’s voice left no doubt about where she was. Yui sat up in bed slowly and opened her eyes. She was in a bedroom, not a dungeon, and Miaka was sitting in a chair beside her bed in her old school uniform, with Tamahome standing silently behind her. “Miaka...”

“You ought to thank me, you know. Miboshi would’ve had Tamahome kill you, but I stopped him,” Miaka said.

“What did you do to him?” Yui asked.

“I didn’t do anything!” Miaka insisted, half-rising from her chair. “I just won’t let you take Tamahome away from me. I’m not going to let you betray him the way you did me.”

“I’m sorry!” Yui said, putting up her hands defensively. “I didn’t mean to accuse you, but Tamahome’s a friend. You can’t expect me not to worry about him when he’s changed so much.”

“Yeah, he’s not someone you can push around and use anymore,” Miaka gloated.

Yui looked up at Tamahome, but he just watched them with a hard, detached look. “Miaka, I’m really sorry about what happened...”

“Oh, so you know what happened to me, too, huh?” Miaka said. “You’re probably the one who told Tamahome. You probably told everybody, didn’t you? ‘Ooh, wait’ll you hear what happened to that girl...’”

“No!” Yui insisted. “I... Taiitsukun told me, because I had to know what happened. Miaka, I swear I didn’t know. I didn’t even know where you were! I came back as soon as I realized you were in the...” she glanced at Tamahome and stopped before saying ‘book.’ “...In this world.”

Miaka just frowned at her for a few moments. There had been an affected quality to her last accusation, as if she were playing at saying such things for fun, and now she frowned as if she’d gotten bored with the game and had to keep playing anyway. “I could still have him kill you, you know.”

“All you have to do is say the word, Miaka-sama,” Tamahome spoke for the first time.

Yui was almost overcome. She wanted to lay her head down on something and cry, but she just hung her head, staring at the floor. “Miaka, why are you doing this?” she asked softly. “This isn’t you. This isn’t Tamahome.”

“Sounds pretty dumb, you saying that to me,” Miaka said. “You just need to stop taking people for granted.”

“It’s not called taking people for granted!” Yui insisted, rising from the bed. “I know Tamahome is a better person than this. I know you are! I’m saying it because I believe in you, because I know you’re a good friend! Look at what you’re doing Miaka! Is this the kind of person you want to be?”

Miaka jumped back from her for a moment, and Tamahome moved forward threateningly. “No, don’t,” Miaka said, then looked at Yui, her eyes harsh again. “That’s for me to decide.” She sat down again on the foot of the bed and flipped her fingers through her bangs carelessly. “Well, anyway, they left you here for Nakago, so I’ll just see what he wants to do with you.”

Yui remained standing in the angle between the bed and the desk. Miaka wouldn’t act like this... This isn’t my best friend anymore. She won’t let me get through to her, even an inch. And Nakago... Her last memory of him was facing death at his hand in the Shrine of Seiryuu. He’d offered his help in getting Tamahome back, which had brought Yui and her Seishi here into this nightmare... She dreaded to think ‘what he would want to do with her.’ She leaned back on the desk and felt something metallic under her hand, partly wrapped in cloth. She didn’t dare give herself away by looking over her shoulder or even feeling around it with her hand, but she was sure it was... I’d be risking my life if I tried this... But I’m also risking my life if I wait. Miaka might never forgive me. But I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me anyway... The desperate gamble seemed to cry out to be made.

Tamahome, I’m counting on you to protect my friend.

With desperate speed, Yui snatched up the iron fan from the desk. “LEKKA SHINEN!”

Instantly the entire room was bathed in flames. Miaka screamed as Tamahome snatched her up and bounded out the window, alighting on the ground not far below, on the lea side of the stone walls. Yui couldn’t follow that way, and stood in the flaming room for a long moment, afraid that she would end up burning herself to death. They say if you just get through it quickly... With another “Lekka Shinen!” she destroyed the wooden door of the room, then took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and ran out and down the hallway as fast as her legs could pump until the air felt cool around her. Now I’ve got to find Tasuki and Chichiri... I hope they find me soon. It’s not like I’m making it hard...

*

“Quick, get a fire brigade going! The Shogun’s room is burning!”

Chichiri ducked into an empty room as frantic guards and servants poured down the hall. His room’s on fire...? The tessen! They had to have taken it from Tasuki, so maybe it was Yui-chan! That gave her an idea of where to find Yui, but she still needed to get there. Doubtless she was running away, so it would require some searching, and with so many guards and servants... Chichiri sighed. She risked giving herself away if she used her chi, but there was no way around it. She needed a disguise. If I’m going to do this, I better make sure I only need to do it once. It’s a big risk, but there’s only one way to make sure I have access to the entire palace if I need it.

She closed her eyes and raised one hand to her face, and there was a slight “poof” of air around her. Opening her eyes again and looking down at herself, she saw blue armor and a purple cloak, and a few locks of blond hair falling over her shoulder; Nakago’s form. Hopefully she knew him well enough to put on a good act if---no, when---someone found her like this and wanted orders. And hopefully I don’t scare Yui-chan half to death when I find her.

She’ll be trying to stay out of traffic... Setting out with what she hoped was a confident, masculine stride, Chichiri made her way into the narrow hallways leading past gardens and minor rooms, scanning intently for Yui’s chi---or Miboshi’s. She turned a corner...

And found herself face-to-face with Nakago himself. They stared at each other blinking for a moment.

“Chichiri?” he ventured at last.

Her hand shot out and struck him hard across the face. “How could you no da?!” she exploded, not even trying to imitate his voice. “You told me you wouldn’t give Tamahome-chan Kodoku no da yo!”

“I didn’t,” he said, with a hand to his cheek. “It was a horrific mistake, I don’t know how it happened.”

“You don’t know how it happened no da? You don’t know how it happened no da?! How do you make a mistake like that no da!?”

“I don’t know! I was certain everything was in place, and then it just fell apart!”

“I noticed no da! Tasuki’s in the dungeon, I don’t even know where Yui-chan is, Miboshi has the entire palace covered in a barrier---”

“Give me a moment to think. I’ll come up with a plan.”

“No, no more of your plans no da!” she snapped. “I’m sick of your plans, and your schemes, and your lies no da. I can’t trust you any more, Nakago no da! Even if you really want to help, I can’t depend on you no da!”

Nakago stood silently for a long moment. “Then you had best take this before I let you down again,” he said, producing Suzaku’s “Universe of the Four Gods” from his cloak and handing it to her.

She blinked as he pressed it into her palm. “Nakago-chan...”

“Shogun!” a guard shouted, running into the hall. He skidded to a halt, staring in disbelief at the two Nakagos standing before him.

“Uh-oh, busted no da,” Nakago blurted out in an attempt at Chichiri’s voice. He turned and darted down the opposite hall in a surprisingly undignified manner.

Chichiri stared after him for a second before coming to herself. “Well, catch him,” she ordered in Nakago’s voice, pointing.

“Yes sir, Shogun!” the guard answered, running after Nakago. Chichiri waited until he was gone, then looked at the scroll for a moment before tucking it into her shirt and starting back down the way she had come.

Chichiri heard a scream right in front of her and looked up suddenly---to find Tasuki’s tessen not a meter from her face, and Yui holding it as she stumbled back in fear.

“Da! Yui-chan, it’s me no da!”

Yui caught herself and straightened hesitantly as Chichiri jumped back, her eyes scrunching up into the customary “laughing”arcs, an odd addition to Nakago’s features. Finally Yui let out a breath of relief. “Chichiri!” she said with her hand to her chest. “Don’t scare me like that; I could’ve killed you!”

“You scared me too no da,” Chichiri assured her, giving her a big hug. “Are you all right no da?”

“Yeah, pretty shaken up, but I’m okay. Do we have a way out of here? Where’s Tasuki?”

“He’s in the dungeon no da. Here, hide the tessen and we’ll pretend you’re my prisoner and I’m taking you down there no da,” Chichiri said, helping her hide the fan in the folds of her robes. “With all the guards trying to put out the fire, maybe we can climb over the garden wall or even just walk out no da.”

“Let’s hope so,” Yui said, crossing her wrists behind her back and offering them to Chichiri to hold.

Chichiri took them gently and led her down to the dungeon, dismissing the suddenly alert guard at the cell block door. “Tasuki no da,” she called, returning to her normal form as she let go of Yui and they hurried down the stairs.

Yui swore she could physically feel the stream of obscenities Tasuki let loose. “---and if you thought you’d get away with leaving me in this #$@%&#ing cell, I’ll show you what a @#^$@---Yui, you tell her---”

“Tasuki,” Yui snapped. “I have your tessen. If you don’t cooperate at least until we get home, I won’t give it back.”

Tasuki sputtered for a moment. “But Yui, she---”

“Tasuki, you sound like a kindergartener and I am not your teacher. The important thing is to get us all out of danger, then we can worry about who did what.”

“Well, if someone would let me out of here,” he snarled.

“I’m working on it no da!” Chichiri protested, sorting through the keys and trying them one by one until she found the one that opened his cell door.

Tasuki grabbed her by the front of her shirt and yanked her forward as it opened. “If you ever pull that kinda sh---”

“Tasuki, save it! This isn’t the time or the place,” Yui said, lightly slapping the arm holding Chichiri with the iron fan before handing it back to him.

Tasuki grabbed it from her grumpily. “So how we getting out of here, huh, Witch?” he asked Chichiri.

“Lots of luck and a little prayer no da,” Chichiri answered, putting an arm on both Yui and Tasuki. A moment of motion passed, and suddenly they were outside by the garden wall. “Hopefully all of the guards are distracted by the fire and we can just climb out no da. Do you see anyone no da?” she asked, jumping up to look over the wall.

Tasuki looked around at the guard towers. “Nah, looks like everyone’s busy.”

“Good no da.” Chichiri jumped back down and cupped her hands. “You first, Yui-ch---”

Suddenly, Chichiri grabbed Yui and jerked her back, just as a monsterous snake as large as a person slammed into the wall where she’d been standing. It recoiled, and Yui gasped. On top of the long, scaley gray body was a human head, its mouth full of needle-like teeth. It darted for them, and Yui screamed.

“Demon be gone no da!” Chichiri shouted, making symbols with her hands before punching her fists together. A beam of light exploded from them and struck the creature, and it vanished. Quickly she made more gestures, muttering, and a wall of red light sprang up behind them just as another demon snake slammed into it. It let out a blood-curdlingly human scream and jerked back as though burned.

“What the hell?!” Tasuki demanded.

“Stay behind this barrier; the demons can’t get through no da.” Chichiri ordered.

“There you are,” a familiar childish voice said. Chichiri pushed Yui behind her as Miboshi floated into the garden. “You’ve led me on quite a chase, student of Taiitsukun, but I thought you would come back here eventually.”

“Chichiri, can he get through this barrier?” Yui asked under her breath. “Maybe you can just move it along with us...?”

“Once established, it’s stationary no da.” Chichiri whispered back. She took a deep breath, and stepped forward, to the edge of the barrier. “This is between you and me, Miboshi no da. Leave them out of it no da.”

Miboshi chuckled. “Ah, but Chichiri, the only path you’ve left me is through your friends. Unless, of course, you would sacrifice yourself so they could go free.”

Chichiri glanced back at Yui and Tasuki, then looked at Miboshi again. “Will you promise me to let them go unharmed, and mean what you say no da?”

“Chichiri, don’t you dare!” Yui snapped, automatically.

“Yui-chan, if it’s the only way...”

“No!” Yui grabbed her arm. “I’m not going to lose you. And besides, how are we supposed to summon Suzaku if you’re dead??”

Miboshi chuckled again. “I assure you, she’s more expendable than you are,” he told her, then turned to Chichiri. “It seems your Miko is as stubborn as mine is stupid.”

Suddenly Miboshi was jerked back with an arm around his neck as Tamahome seemed almost to appear from nowhere behind him. For a moment Yui dared to imagine he was coming to their rescue...

“Don’t talk about Lady Miaka that way!” he snarled.

“Let go of me this instant.” Miboshi ordered. Tamahome’s arm obediently fell away. “My my, how convenient. Someone who can get through your barrier, student of Taiitsukun. It appears you’ve all just become expendable,” he said, with a wicked smile.

“Run no da,” Chichiri ordered, grabbing Yui and Tasuki’s hands.

“Screw that,” Tasuki snapped, jerking his arm away and whipping out the Tessen. “I’ve had it with running.”

Yui’s voice froze for a moment in disbelief. “You--- You can’t fight Tamahome!”

“Hey, I’m a Sei of Suzaku same as he is, so he can’t be any stronger than me, right?” Tasuki sneered at Tamahome, showing one of his pointed eyeteeth. “Come on, let’s see what you’ve got.”

Miboshi laughed. “Well, if he’s so eager to die, let’s oblige him, shall we? Tamahome, kill him, then the Suzaku no Miko.” He snapped his fingers, and a pair of nunchaku appeared in the air before Tamahome, who snatched them and advanced on Tasuki.

“This is no good...!” Yui said as Chichiri gripped her hand and started them toward cover as quickly and stealthily as possible. No matter who wins this fight, we lose... And she knew that under Miboshi’s influence, Tamahome was fighting to kill.

Tasuki darted to the side of Tamahome’s swing of the nunchaku and turned on him as he passed. “LEKKA SHINEN!” Apparently Tasuki was fighting to kill, too.

But at the same moment, Tamahome brought the nunchaku around. They struck Tasuki’s arm with a sickening CRACK! and sent the tessen flying, still spewing flames as it spun through the air. Chichiri and Yui darted away from the flames, even as a nearby stand of hedges was engulfed. An inhuman shriek issued from it, and a white shape streaked out of the flames toward them. Yui watched it as they ran---another one of Miboshi’s demons? No---a cat! “Tama-chan!”

She realized the mistake as Miboshi turned toward her shout, and Chichiri cried out and bounced back, having run into a blue barrier.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Miboshi laughed, spinning the prayer wheel constantly now. The moment passed quickly, though. Obviously Tamahome and Tasuki were his primary interest.

Chichiri huddled Yui and Tama behind some unmolested bushes as Miboshi turned away. “Stay quiet, no da,” she said. “If he stretches his chi too far and gets distracted, we might be able to get past him no da.”

“What about Tasuki?” Yui whispered. Tamahome was beyond hope...

“I’ll do my best no da.”

Tasuki made a dive for the Tessen, and bounced off yet another barrier, sending Miboshi into a mad fit of laughter. He scooped it up and rolled to his feet, swearing under his breath and desperately wanting to turn it on Miboshi, but Tamahome gave him no opportunity, and he had to leap out of the way of a jump-kick. “LEKKA SHINEN!”

Nothing happened.

“You’re in Seiryuu’s country now!” Miboshi crowed. “I’ll decide whether you can use that toy or not.”

Yui glanced over to Chichiri in a panic, but Chichiri was whispering to her two fingers, focussed so intently that sweat beads were forming on her face.

“Yeah, why not come over to my place sometime?” Tasuki said, out of breath as he tried to back off amid a hail of blows from Tamahome. “I’ll FREAKIN’ KILL YOU!”

Miboshi only laughed.

Tamahome, on the other hand, was grimly silent, like a wolf fighting to the death. He closed the distance toward Tasuki with a spin-kick, and Tasuki’s arm flung drops of blood from the previous blow as he raised it to block. The impact of the kick shook him visibly, but the tessen, folded shut into essentially an iron club, shot out and impacted head-on into Tamahome’s belly.

Tamahome doubled up and fell, and Tasuki took advantage of the moment. With a roar of rage and a swing of his arm, he hurled the Tessen.

Miboshi’s eyes were still squeezed shut with laughter until the iron projectile impacted, sending him sprawling through the air. It finally landed only a few feet behind Yui and Chichiri.

“Now no da!” Chichiri cried, and Yui felt the stationary speed of Chichiri’s travel magic try to pry her away from the ground on which she was huddled, but the image of the burning garden only blurred for a moment before she was slammed back into the moment. Chichiri punched the ground in frustration, and her mask clattered on the ground.

Tasuki was also caught up in the failed spell, and Tamahome was waiting for him when he snapped back from it. In the same moment that Miboshi turned angrily on Chichiri and Yui, Tamahome grasped Tasuki’s coat and heaved him in that direction, sending him crashing through the bushes they were hiding behind. Yui was knocked to the ground beneath him, and when she managed to raise her head, she saw Miboshi and Tamahome looming over them, surrounded by ominous shadows.

*

Hotohori was sitting on the steps leading up to his throne, as were Mitsukake and Chiriko, off to his side. Nuriko was pacing the floor. “They should be back by now,” she said.

“It’s probably nothing serious,” Chiriko said. “I can play a song to ease your nerves...”

“No,” Hotohori said. “It’s been too long. We’d be remiss if we didn’t worry. If only... Without some sign from them, what can we do?”

Suddenly, the room was bathed in red light, which appeared in a small circle, probably only a foot across in the center of the room.

“They’re back!” Nuriko said.

But even as she said it, the light vanished as quickly as it had come, dropping a screeching Tama-chan to the floor. As the light faded, the cat looked around, and immediately began a loud, plaintive yowl.

Mitsukake hurried over to him and picked him up, but Tama only cried louder. “Something is very wrong...” Mistukake said as the cat climbed up to his shoulder, finding the best position to yowl at the sky through the throne room cieling.

“But there’s nothing we can do...” Chiriko said.

“We can pray.”

Nuriko turned to Hotohori, but realized that that was not an admission of helplessness. His voice was strong and serious, and he rose to his feet and lowered his head, his face drawn tight with the effort of whatever silent prayer he was making, hands clasped in front of his chin. Mitsukake followed him, and Tama grew silent, huddling on Mitsukake’s shoulder with an air of intent, as if he also were contributing in his own way. Nuriko walked closer to them, forming a tight triangle. She clasped her hands. Chiriko was still looking on, dumbfounded, when she squeezed her eyes shut.

Great Suzaku... She felt like she was stepping into the current of the other Seishi’s prayers; she felt she could almost hear and echo their exact words.

Great Suzaku, please protect Yui and the others... Carry our prayers and strength to them on your wings...

*

Tasuki struggled to his feet, limping, and Yui managed to pick up the Tessen as she and her Seishi backed away, Chichiri clutching her mask. Miboshi advanced on them, with Tamahome and the shadows of demons closing in in his wake.“Tamahome! Don’t do this!” Yui pleaded. She saw no other hope than to find where Tamahome was sleeping beneath Miboshi’s control. “I know you won’t do this! I have faith in you, Tamahome! Don’t let him control you!”

“Tamahome! Don’t do this!” Yui pleaded. She saw no other hope than to find where Tamahome was sleeping beneath Miboshi’s control. “I know you won’t do this! I have faith in you, Tamahome! Don’t let him control you!”

He only glared at her with narrowed eyes.

“Shut up,” Miboshi snarled. “Or at least think of some more original last words.”

“Oh, I’ve got some choice words for you,” Tasuki said.

This is it... Yui thought. No way out... But just at that moment, she felt something, like a warm tickle on her cheek, but it wasn’t the sensation of anything tangible. She dared to glance toward it, and saw a red twinkle peeking over the garden wall... Suzaku’s constellations? They were reaching toward her, stretching halfway over the wall.

Yui heard Chichiri’s voice in her mind. Do you feel that no da?

Yes.

If I could just see all the stars no da...

Yui looked around. If they could get to the foot of the walkway, Suzaku’s constellations would be in full view. But one look at Miboshi and Tamahome told her they would never make it that far...

“Tamahome!”

They all turned to see Miaka, standing on the walkway overlooking the garden. “Miboshi!” she snapped. “You said you’d leave him with me!”

“Now!” Yui shouted. She wrapped an arm around Tasuki and sprinted for where Miaka was standing.

“STOP!” Miboshi screeched, taking no heed of Miaka. “Stop them!” Demons sprang from the shadows to pursue them. Yui could feel them snapping at her heels; she desperately wanted to turn and look for Chichiri, but didn’t dare turn and see them...

Miaka screamed, seeing the stampede of hell-monsters bearing down on her position. “Tamahome, HELP ME!” she screamed.

Yui did turn. Chichiri was there, running beside her, and grabbed her shoulder to keep her running straight as she looked back. Like a phantom out of nowhere, Tamahome appeared behind her, and landed a punch square in the fanged face of the nearest demon.

“Tamahome, what are you doing!?!?” Miboshi screamed.

But Yui was hardly worried about that. She didn’t slow up, but threw herself against the wall below Miaka’s feet to stop herself, unintentionally slamming Tasuki against it as well. Chichiri spun to a crouch in front of them, and Yui turned. Tamahome was still fighting back demons, Miboshi was still screaming at him, but they seemed a mile away from the flood of warm red light shining down on them from those stars, reaching out for them like a mother’s arms...

With a whisper from Chichiri, Kutou’s gardens vanished, and after a weightless, flying moment, the throne room of Konan palace gently caught them.

Tasuki and Chichiri immediately collapsed, Tasuki from his injuries, and Chichiri from the psychic exertion. Yui wavered on her feet for a moment, long enough for Hotohori to catch her as she fell.

“Yui! Are you all right?” he asked, easing her to a seat on the floor.

“I’ll be okay,” she told him, only then realizing that her voice was weak and shaking...

“What about Tamahome and ‘The Universe of the Four Gods’?” Nuriko asked.

“We have ‘The Universe of the Four Gods’ no da,” Chichiri groaned from the floor, struggling to get the scroll out of her cape and get her mask on.

“And Tamahome?” Mitsukake asked. He was already kneeling by Tasuki, and had a hand on his arm, which was still dripping blood.

Yui turned her face in to Hotohori’s chest as it twisted, trying to wring out the tears that she felt but couldn’t find.

“Yui-sama, here,” Chiriko said. She looked up, puzzled, and found he was giving her her uniform, neatly folded. She rifled through it to her pocket and found a packet of tissues, almost empty. Still, she pulled them out, her fingers so clumsy that everything else came with them and fell on the floor. Two inkpens clattered on the tile, and the memo pad---it fell open, and Yui looked down at it to find the list of her Seishi’s names staring back at her. Hands trembling, she picked up the pad and a pen, set the point beside the T in Tamahome---the second name on the list, and drew a wavering line through it.

Hotohori held her close as she dropped the pad and pen and collapsed into a flood of tears.

*

To Be Continued...

*

PREVIEW

After their crushing defeat and the loss of Tamahome, Yui and her Seishi struggle for what to do next. Even in their darkest hour, they cling to the hope of victory. And for Miaka as well, the battle is not yet over.

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