"Uuunnngg..." Misara groaned in pain. She hauled herself upright from where she was lying on the cold floor, and rubbed the back of her neck. She started to stand as she opened her eyes, then fell back down in surprise. She was in the middle of a beautiful room, and there were four extremely strange people staring at her. One of Taylor's mottos was to follow your instincts, and Misara did just that. She screamed.

"Stop!" A voice boomed. Misara stopped in surprise as the small old lady floated over to her.

Grandma? I must have fallen and hit my head...she thought bewilderedly.

"Who are you calling Grandma?" The old woman asked angrily. Misara backed away in surprise.

"Miaka? You're back already?" A voice asked incredulously from behind her. She spun around and came face to face with an extremely handsome guy, who had long blue hair. He leaned in a little closer and stared for a moment, then shouted, "This isn't Miaka!"

The old lady rolled her eyes. "Thank you for that brilliant deduction, Tamahome. Miaka is safe in her own world at this moment. This is Misara."

Misara spun to face her. "How did you know my name? And who's Miaka?"

"Miaka is the Priestess of Suzaku, and I am Taitskun, ruler of this world." The woman answered, not bothering with the first question.

"Suzaku? But isn't that-it was...just a statue...it's not real...." Misara said hesitantly.

"Yes, it IS real." Taitskun answered. "Suzaku is the guardian of the South, and he has called you here."

"But we already have the Priestess of Suzaku!" The purple-haired woman said. "Why did Suzaku call her here?"

"I must say," Taitskun pondered out loud. "I never expected it to come to this...but if Suzaku willed it..." She sighed heavily, and then beckoned for them all to sit down.

"In the beginning, when I gave a scroll to each of the emperors in each kingdom, I had one scroll left, a scroll that never kept its colors. It kept switching between the four colors of each of the kingdoms, Kutou, Ciro, Hokkan and Konan. On the scroll was written a prophecy, much like the one on each of the other scrolls. This prophecy, however, was different. If a Priestess and her warriors needed her, the Goddess of the Sky would be called by one of the gods and she would protect them all from danger." Taitskun pulled a scroll from her sleeve, which was a deep blood red. "This is the scroll, and since Suzaku has called the Goddess, it is now red." She handed it to Misara. "Keep this, and never lose it, because it is very important, or will be in the end." She looked up at the three people behind Misara, and her next words seemed to be to them, not Misara. "Because she is the one that must protect you, you must teach her how to fight. If you'd like, Hotohori, teach her the skills of the sword, or if Tamahome is willing, he can teach her the martial arts."

"What about me?" The purple-haired woman asked indignantly.

"Cross-dressing won't do her any good, Nuriko." The one called Tamahome teased. He looked at Misara. "This one's actually a guy. Don't let HIM fool you." He pointed to Nuriko. Nuriko scowled, but was cut off by Taitskun.

"Would you two shut up?" Taitskun then turned back to Misara. "Do you understand what your destiny is, Misara?"

Misara nodded slowly, rather dazed. "I do have some questions though...why did Suzaku pick me? And what if I have to go home?"

Taitskun nodded. "Suzaku chose you for reasons only he can tell you. Even I am not fully aware of the god's intentions and motives. As to your last question, it is rather difficult to explain. You are here because Suzaku brought something that is tied to you to this world, and you cannot leave without it. Until you have this thing in your possession, and wish with all your heart to go home, you must stay here."

Misara looked distraught. "I have a violin competition in a week! I can't stay for very long...it's important that I get home!"

Taitskun shrugged. "Be that as it may, you shouldn't go home unless you are really in trouble, or you have fulfilled your duties. And you must find that thing if you wish to go home at all."

Misara gripped the scroll tighter and tried not to cry. I can do this...find the thing, go home, play the violin, and come back, she thought to herself.

Almost as if she had read Misara's mind, and Misara wasn't exactly sure that she didn't, Taitskun said, "By the way, Misara, once you go home, you won't be able to come back easily. That is why you must choose carefully when to go." Taitskun finished talking, then floated higher. "Are you ready to go back to Konan?"

The others nodded. Misara looked puzzled, and turned to them.

"Konan?"

"Oh! How thoughtless of me." Taitskun cut in. "I never introduced to you the celestial warriors of Suzaku." She pointed to the one with blue hair. "That is Tamahome."

He bowed. "Hello." He said, smiling warmly. Misara smiled back.

"That is Hotohori, Emperor of Konan." Misara turned to the next man, who she hadn't really got a good look at. This time she did, and she stood, gaping, at him. He smiled too, and bowed like Tamahome. "I welcome you, Misara."

"H-hello." She said softly, still staring. Then she shook herself, embarrassed, and turned to the next one.

"That's Nuriko." Tamahome interrupted Taitskun. "He's gay."

"Tamahome! I'm gonna pound you into the ground!"

Misara giggled softly. "Hello, Nuriko."

"Well, now that that's done, let's send the four of you back to Konan. Teach her how to fight effectively before the Priestess returns, and then you can look for the remaining warriors. There are four more, by the way, that the priestess must find." Taitskun said to Misara.
"Ready?"

They all nodded, then she closed her eyes and a red light surrounded them and sent them to Konan.