After reading Snarf's 'Mirror Image' for about, say, the 10th time ^_^; I was inspired randomly to write Taikoubou's view of the whole thing, even though it's short and I can't write Taikoubou very well at all. The beginning structure is the same, just because I thought it'd be neater with the duality thing and *rambles on while hoping Snarf won't kill her*



---



I hate you.

I can't stand to look at you. Not because you look weird or inhuman but because every time I look at you.... I think, "That could be me." That could've been me locked up with the youkai, _rescued_ by Dakki, living only on hate and the need for revenge. I could have been like that.

I could still be like that.

It's freaking scary, you know. I don't want to think about what will happen if we.... Eh, I guess it's not really an "if" anymore, now is it? This plan was good, damn, damn good, I'll give you that. You know I'm not going to give up on all this work.... Too many people died. On both sides. I'm not going to just stop now, let myself go and fly off to blissfully hang out in the Houshin Dai, just because I hate you. Because I hate the fact that I almost am you.

It explains a lot, really. How we kept guessing each other's moves during the Sennin War.... I thought that was strange at the time, but figured you just had a good head on your shoulders. Was wrong about that last one, wasn't I? Psycho. I still can't believe all the hell you put Youzen through. It wasn't his fault you two got traded and he didn't have exactly the time of his life being the only youkai at Konron either. Though I guess he was less worried about being eaten.

Yeah, so it was a cheap shot, bite me. Uh, no, not literally. I'll bite back, though I'll probably end up poisoned or dissolved in the pro--No wait, I'm dead. AHAHAHAH! Take that, you blue freak! Yeah, come through this little portal you've got going and I'll give you a piece of my half-houshined mind. I don't have to like this -- I know you don't. Huh. Or do you? This was all _your_ idea. Hell, if I'd known about all this I would've gone screaming off the nearest cliff years ago and left you to hope that the old man kept around a few spare souls.

I feel for you though. Must've been harsh.... knowing that at anytime you could become a snack for a youkai strong enough to get to you. Knowing that you were always missing something but couldn't find it. Knowing that whatever it was could just go and vanish and you wouldn't have a clue until it was too late. So I feel for you. I shouldn't. You're a murdering, sneaky, lying bastard. Of course, when you get down to it, I am too. Maybe we really are the same person. So I guess it's not fair to hate you. If you're me and I'm you or whatever.

Well then....

I hate us.