Chapter 2

Mayume and Taiitsukun approached the followers of Suzaku. As they came closer, Miaka and her warriors could see Taiitsukun more clearly. Their reactions to seeing Taiitsukun made Mayume want to double over in laughter; however she held it in but not without a teasing smile on her face.

Miaka pointed to Taiitsukun. "It's King Tut's grandmummy!"

Taiitsukun's head, suddenly became ten times larger, and shoved it in front of Miaka. "Do you want me to reopen your wound?!" The old sage's head shrunk down to normal again. "Who do you think you're calling King Tut's grandmummy?"

Nuriko came to stand in front of Taiitsukun. "Uh, hi there..."

Taiitsukun shifted her gaze to Nuriko. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Are you...Taiitsukun?"

"Yes, I am," Taiitsukun answered.

Nuriko blinked, "Really?" Nuriko looked over at Mayume in wonder. "Then, who's she?"

"I am. I am indeed the controller of this universe." Taiitsukun gazed over at Mayume before moving her eyes back to Nuriko. "Introduce yourself, child."

"I go by a few different names, but for now you may call me Mayume." Mayume smiled softly at the Priestess and warriors. "It's a pleasure to meet you all in person."

"Oh, yes, well I'm N-" Nuriko began.

"I know who you are, Nuriko,"Mayume interrupted. She looked over at the others. "Miaka, Tamahome, and Hotohori."

Taiitsukun looked over at the Emperor of Konan. Mayume also shifted her gaze to the man, seeing his back turned away from them and bent over slightly as if he were sick. "Hmmm...Hotohori? What are you doing?"

"I can't stand the sight of anything that is so ugly," Hotohori answered.

Mayume sweat dropped as well as Miaka, Nuriko, and Tamahome. Taiitsukun pulled out her hammer and hit the Emperor in the head. "You shouldn't have said that...Taiitsukun hits anyone who insults her ugly appearance." Mayume side stepped Taiitsukun's hammer as it was hurled in her direction.

Taiitsukun huffed but did not attempt to hit Mayume again. "You saw that coming, didn't you?"

Mayume smiled while laughing, "Maybe!" Mayume looked at their guests. "Oh, my, we should get you treated right away!"

Taiitsukun sighed as she put away her hammer. "Yes, she is right. It is clear to see you are all still terribly wounded. I wanted to test you, just to see how willing you were to help one another."

Miaka perked up at Taiitsukun's words. "A test? You mean that other person that counterfeit me...?"

"Yes, of course. That was my doing," Taiitsukun admitted.

Miaka suddenly began to whimper and hold her chest tightly. Mayume's eyes softened at the sight of the girl in pain. She looked over at the old sage. "We should get her to the palace quickly so Nyan-Nyan can heal her and the others..." Mayume whispered to the small old woman.

Taiitsukun nodded, "Her devotion surprised me." Mayume opened her mouth to comment but a sharp look from Taiitsukun made her close it shut. "I suppose we have no choice. Let's go to my palace and there we will discuss this." Taiitsukun placed her palms facing towards the small group of four. The followers of Suzaku suddenly flew up into the air on a magic carpet. You would think this was Alladin...Mayume thought as she chuckled at the surprised screams of the four guests.

Mayume tapped Xia on her head lightly to wake up the small feline. Xia yawned while looking at Mayume with sleepy eyes. "Xia, can I ride on you back to the palace?" Xia nodded lazily as she jumped off Mayume's shoulders. In mid-air, the once small feline erupted into flames. The cat's body became surprisingly large enough to allow a few people to ride on her back. Xia now towered over Mayume by at least a head and a half. Mayume patted Xia on the head lovingly. "Thank you, Xia." Mayume jumped up onto the feline's body and turned towards Taiitsukun. "I guess we should join up with them."

Taiitsukun nodded as she flew off towards her palace. Xia followed Taiitsukun's example and jumped into the air. The cat's body stayed aloft in the air as she began to run at a high speed towards the palace they called home for the last several months.

Upon landing in front of the palace, Mayume jumped off her companion's back. Xia rubbed her large head against Mayume's smaller frame and purred affectionately. Mayume laughed and petted the overgrown two-tailed feline. "That's a good girl. You can shrink down now if you wish." Xia nodded and once again became a small cat. Mayume picked her up and placed her on her shoulders like before.

Mayume entered the palace to see Taiitsukun and the others had already arrived. "First we will need to attend to your wounds. Did you inform Nyan-Nyan, Mayume?"

Mayume stepped out from behind the followers of Suzaku and approached Taiitsukun. "Yes I did. Nyan-Nyan, we need you now!" Several purple orbs floated into the room and suddenly became little girls with blue-green hair.

"Treat these people immediately," Taiitsukun ordered Nyan-Nyan.

"Yes ma'am!" The Nyan-Nyans chimed in unison. They all went up to the warriors and began their treatment. "Treating! Treating! Heal! Heal!" They all giggled. Two of Nyan-Nyan's bodies started to move Miaka away from her warriors.

Miaka looked back at Taiitsukun. "Taiitsukun please treat Tamahome and the Emperor before you administer to me. The only reason their hurt at all is on my account."

"What about you?" Taiitsukun questioned.

Miaka smiled, "I don't mind waiting." Before Miaka could say another word, Nyan-Nyan pulled her down and started to strip her of her clothes.

Taiitsukun just stared at the girl. "You had better be quiet and allow them to treat you or it will take us even longer to return you to your home."

One of the Nyan-Nyan's looked up at Nuriko. "I can cure you as well!"

Nuriko smiled at Nyan-Nyan. "Don't you worry about me little girl. I'm not even injured!"

Nyan-Nyan didn't seem to care. "I'll fix your perversion!" Nyan-Nyan was suddenly flying across the room. Mayume watched in amusement.

Taiitsukun ignored Nyan-Nyan and Nuriko's little scene. "I fear that this of returning you to your own world is too dangerous to try while you're all so weak."

Nyan-Nyan came out of nowhere and began to try to fix Taiitsukun. "Taiitsukun's face needs treatment too!"

"Yeah!" Another Nyan-Nyan agreed. The two Nyan-Nyans were hit with Taiitsukun's hammer and sent flying through the palace roof.

Mayume frowned at the hole. "I'm not fixing that..."

Miaka also frowned, but not because of the hole in the roof. "Oh, but you see I really do wanna go home soon. I have high school entrance exams to take and if I don't get back...!"

"That's pure nonsense. I'm afraid you've lost too much blood. And you appear far too fragile," Taiitsukun sighed. "I doubt you have any reserved strength at all. None."

Mayume looked over at Taiitsukun, her orange eyes meeting with grey. "My lady, perhaps if we could somehow transfer some blood to her then she may be able to make the trip sooner."

From behind Mayume and Taiitsukun, Hotohori joined the conversation. "Please take blood from me."

Tamahome walked up as well, standing just behind the Emperor. "From both of us. Take some of our blood and then give it to Miaka."

"No, please don't. It's much too dangerous," Miaka protested.

Taiitsukun ignored Miaka as she turned around to face the two warriors. "Are you sure about this? I can do it but it will cut your powers in half."

Hotohori smiled, "Anything to help her."

Tamahome knelt down next to one of the Nyan-Nyan's and petted her head as she tried to whip his chest clean of blood. "My blood's already pouring out. So why not use it?"

Miaka stared at her two warriors in awe. "Tamahome...Hotohori..."

"Very well then," Taiitsukun agreed.

Nuriko pointed to himself. "What about my blood?"

"Save it," the old sage answered as she passed by the warrior.

Nuriko growled at the old woman with his hand formed in a fist. "Why do I get the feeling I've been insulted?"

Mayume giggled, "Don't worry. Lady Taiitsukun is like this with most everyone that meets her. I think her crankiness comes with the old age." Mayume suddenly found herself flat on the floor with a throbbing head. "OW!"

"Quit your whining and tell me how this will turn out!" Taiitsukun ordered then blonde female.

Mayume sat up with a pout. "Fine, fine. No need to be so bossy..."

A vein started to throb on the old woman's head. "Do you want me to hit you again?"

Mayume squeaked at the threat, waving her arms frantically in front of her. "No! No!" Mayume stopped and became very still. To those around her, it looked as if she were frozen. The Priestess and Warriors gasped when they saw a symbol appear in Mayume's left eye. As they looked closer, they noticed it was the chinese symbol for dream. A jade green light radiated from the symbol until suddenly it disappeared. Mayume blinked her eyes to refocus on the present scene around her. She looked towards Taiitsukun and nodded. "It'll be alright. The warriors will be tired but they will make it through just fine."

Taiitsukun nodded from her throne. "Hotohori, Tamahome, I will now use my powers to transfer some of your blood to Miaka. Kneel down." The two warriors obeyed Taiitsukun's comand. The sage began to chant a spell that put the Suzaku warriors in transparent green spheres. "I will perform a blood transfusion through these spheres into Miaka's open wounds. Prepare yourself Miaka. This will be painful for all of you but you must try to bear with it." Taiitsukun then began the transfusion. The pain was evident on the warriors faces and they gave small moans but did not complain. After a couple of moments, the blood transfusion was complete. "Done. That is enough." Taiitsukun released the spheres that held the Priestess and warriors. Taiitsukun looked at Tamahome and Hotohori in pride. "You all bore up very admirably. I am impressed."

Mayumed smiled at the warriors. "You should be proud of yourselves. Lady Taiitsukun is not easily impressed. Nor does she give compliments so freely."

Nyan-Nyan helped Miaka get dressed again. "Thank you..." She looked up at her warriors. "Hotohori...Tamahome...Are you alright? I'm sorry, all this dreadful pain and you were willing to do it for me."

Tamahome smiled at his Priestess. "That's alright as long as it helped you get well."

Nuriko smiled softly at the scene. "Oh good grief. You should be smothering them with kisses Miaka. You owe these two a lot." Miaka nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright then, now that the Priestess of Suzaku has recovered. I will proceed to explain to you how you can get home," Taiitsukun stated.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do you understand Priestess of Suzaku that you have remained in this world too long. Opening the channel that allows your return will not be as easy when you first arrived," Taiitsukun informed the young fifteen year old girl.

Miaka tilted her head in confusion. "Opening the channel, huh?"

"The channel which connects this world to your own. At first your strong will alone would have been enough to take you home without delay," Taiitsukun explained to the Priestess.

"But what can I do now?"

"There is something here which connects this world with your own. You must discover what that is."

"Something that connects both worlds?" Miaka pondered.

Taiitsukun hummed, "That they have in common. That exists both here and in your own world.

"Something that exists both here and..." Miaka trailed off.

Mayume chuckled, already knowing what the connection was. "It's actually quite obvious. Just think about it a little."

After a moment, Miaka placed a hand on her uniform. "Yui has one! School uniforms!"

Mayume nodded, "Correct!"

Taiitsukun continued on with her explanation. "It also requires a strong connection through your emotions and your will-power." Taiitsukun paused for a moment. "To be honest it would be an easy matter to return the Priestess if we had the life energy of all seven of Suzaku's warriors to call upon." She looked at the three warriors of Suzaku. "Hotohori, Tamahome, Nuriko, the power with only three of you may not be enough and except for Nuriko, you're all injured."

"It'll be alright. I'm up for it," Tamahome interjected.

Hotohori nodded in agreement. "And I'll do it. I swear I'll get her home."

Nuriko smiled at his Priestess. "Relax Miaka. Count me in. Haven't I been a good girl lately?"

Mayume raised an eyebrow. "Expect you're a man..."

Nuriko twitched, "H-how did you know?!" Mayume shrugged, not answering the question.

Miaka began to tear up. "Oh yes!" She smiled at her warriors. "Thank you all."

Tamahome placed a hand on Miaka's head, causing the girl to turn to him. "Just promise you'll come back again. We will...all be waiting." Mayume observed the Priestess and warrior. From what she could tell, the two had feelings for each other. This made Mayume frown just a little. From what she could remember, it was a bad idea for a priestess and celestial warrior to fall in love. Mayume only hoped that the two would be more fortunate than the previous priestesses.

"I'll be able to help out as well, so it will be a little easier," Mayume informed them.

Taiitsukun nodded, "Well let's begin. You will all gather around the Priestess of Suzaku." Everyone quickly got into their correct places around Miaka. "Concentrate your will and life force into her. Miaka, visualize your world inside your mind and heart. Focus on it and concentrate. Feel the life energy in everyone here and take it into yourself." Mayume began to focus on her life energy and transfer it to Miaka, but she could tell the girl was having a hard time focusing on her own task. This would only get Miaka a scolding from Taiitsukun. "Miaka!" The old sage glared sternly at the young Priestess. "Concentrate. Don't let your mind wonder. If you fail, you may end up trapped between the dimensions for all eternity. Now focus within."

"I can't! The more I try to concentrate, the more I just think of Tamahome and Hotohori!" Miaka cried while shaking her head. Something in the girl seemed to snap into place and she began to concentrate on her home. Slowly but surely, the Priestess of Suzaku became shrouded in a red light and faded out of view.

After a moment, Taiitsukun began to speak. "Alright. The Priestess of Suzaku is now in her owl world."

Mayume smiled, "That's good!" She looked over at the warriors. "Don't worry! You'll see her again!" Mayume began to stand up but she faltered as her vision swam and shifted. Hotohori managed to catch her before she hit her head on the floor. She stayed still while she watched the vision appearing before her. Once the vision was complete, her sight came back to her. Mayume blinked up to see the warriors of Suzaku and Taiitsukun surrounding her. "Lady Taiitsukun...something unexpected has happened..."

Taiitsukun frowned, "What is it child?"

Mayume shifted her gaze over to the warriors before looking back at Taiitsukun. "I think it would be best I tell you later." She sat back up and smiled at Hotohori. "Thank you for catching me." Mayume stood up once more but this time without falling.

"Nyan-Nyan!" Taiitsukun called. Nyan-Nyan entered the room. "Take our guest to their rooms. You may stay here until you are well enough to travel once more."

Nyan-Nyan quickly ushered the warriors of Suzaku out of the room. "Come this way!"

Once the warriors were out of sight, Taiitsukun turned her attention back to Mayume. "Now what is it that you saw, child?"

Mayume frowned and sighed, her orange eyes sad with what she had seen. "It's Miaka's friend. Yui, I believe is her name...She has come to this world...and...she will become the Priestess of Seiryu."