Misara had finished eating dinner when the rain finally stopped. The last few hours had gone by fast, and Tasuki had dozed on and off while she was talking to him. It was kind of annoying, but she decided that he needed his sleep and that she was just as tired. During one of his naps, she had left the room to find Miaka, who was sleeping in her room with Hotohori by her side, holding her hand while she slept. Misara apologized for waking him up and quickly left, making faces at him when the door was closed. After talking to Nuriko, she learned that Miaka had wandered away and almost drowned in the palace lake, saved in the nick of time by Hotohori.

Convenient for him, she thought meanly, then reprimanded herself. There's no reason for me to be jealous. I've got more important things to worry about than my crush on Hotohori.


Misara headed out to the garden, missing her flowers. Everything was still wet, and the sky was still cloudy and gray. It looked like it would rain again soon. She found some new flowers that she had never noticed before. The petals were the color of fire, starting with yellow on the inside and ending up blood red at the tips. She leaned over to smell them, but they didn't have a scent. Still, they were pretty, and she picked one. She wandered around the garden for a few minutes, then headed back inside. Walking past Tasuki's room, she peered through the door. Tasuki was still asleep, and Mitsukake was nowhere to be seen. Tasuki was snoring loudly, and Misara couldn't help but snicker. She leaned over and kissed the top of his head.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you..." She whispered. She put the flower on the pillow beside him and tiptoed out of the room.


She headed back toward her quarters, listless and bored. There was nothing to do. She didn't even feel like playing her violin. Chichiri had forbidden her from teleporting to Kotou to find Taylor, and she wasn't too happy with him. All of a sudden, she heard someone running in the hallway outside her room. She faintly heard a guard telling Hotohori that Tamahome had broken into the palace. She opened her door and saw Hotohori running past. She stood in the hallway, a little bewildered, and heard Miaka screaming.

"Let me out! Hotohori, please!" Miaka's shrill voice echoed through the hall. Misara ran over to Miaka's room, where she had been locking inside by Hotohori. Misara pulled on the door.

"Stop yelling Miaka!" She said loudly over her friend's cries. "I'm working on it!"

"Misara! Tamahome came back to kill me!" Miaka whimpered.

"I know, and I won't let him. Let's get you out of here." Misara said determinedly, closing her eyes and concentrating. After a short inner struggle, Nuriko's symbol appeared on her chest and she pulled the door open with a violent tug, breaking the lock and almost the entire door. Miaka, who had been leaning on the door, fell forward and knocked Misara over.

"Are you alright?" Miaka said quickly, jumping up and trying to pull Misara to her feet. Misara pushed her away weakly and stood up, wobbling a little. Miaka gave her a funny look.

"I'm alright, really." Misara said unconvincingly. "I just used a little too much power, that's all. Come on, let's hurry!"

Miaka nodded and the two rushed off to find Tamahome as the rain started once more.



For all her pain, Misara ran fast. She and Miaka decided to split up to find their friends faster, and Misara set off toward the shrine of Suzaku. Her inner feelings told her that Hotohori was this way, but she wasn't going to tell Miaka that. She didn't want Miaka to get hurt, she realized, for all her jealousness of her. Dummy, she thought. You shouldn't have let her out of her room. She hoped it would be all over before Miaka found them and ran even faster.

She burst into the square in front of the shrine and stopped in her tracks. Hotohori was attacking Tamahome with his sword while the rest of the Suzaku Seven stood by and watched, horrified.

"Stop! Hotohori, don't!" She cried out before she could stop herself, and Hotohori turned at the sound of her voice.

Miaka? He thought, squinting through the rain at the small figure. He spent too much time trying to see her that he almost didn't block Tamahome's sudden attack.

Misara's hands flew to her mouth. Why didn't I feel that Hotohori was in trouble? She thought desperately. Before she could think anymore, they had stopped fighting. Tamahome was looking at her evilly, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Priestess of Suzaku!" he called to her. "I've come to kill you!"

This time, her anger took over at his mistake. "Then come over here and kill me, you coward!" She shouted through the thunder. "Come over here and try to kill me! Come closer and see the mistake you made before I rip you to pieces!"

He smirked and walked closer, but she didn't wait for him to get to her. She rushed at him, weaponless and weak. He raised his sword to hit her, but she vanished in front of his eyes and appeared seconds later behind him, her bow in hand and her arrows on her back. She strung an arrow and lifted her bow, and aimed for his heart. He was still looking bewildered at her sudden disappearance, and she had a perfect shot. She pulled back.

"Tamahome!" The piercing, shrill scream echoed through the square. Startled, Misara let go of the string, and the arrow shot toward Tamahome, who had turned to find the source of the noise. The arrow hit him in the shoulder, close to his heart, and it was enough to send him crashing to the ground.

"Tamahome!" Miaka's voice cried again, louder this time as Misara saw her running toward him, her face full of fear.



Misara was shocked at what she had done. Although she had taken aim, she didn't believe that she ever could have hit him. And one of her warriors...she had harmed one that she was sworn to protect. She knew that although he wasn't really Tamahome anymore she could attack him, but just the thought of hurting one of her dearest friends was enough to send her into shock. She turned, bow still in hand, and bolted up the steps to the shrine, running inside and slamming the door behind her. After she had latched the door, she leaned up against it, breathing heavily, her eyes wide. Suddenly, her knees buckled and she collapsed against the door. She lay there for a few minutes, listen to the rain on the roof above.

She had used too much of her power, she knew that too well. The running up the steps to the shrine hadn't helped her either, and she knew it was almost over. What was it that Chichiri said? She closed her eyes tightly, trying to remember, but it was no use. She stumbled toward the statue and noticed for the first time, a ring of fire behind it. It was enclosed inside a perfect circle, not moving anywhere but blazing brightly in place. Had that been there before? She asked herself, not remembering that either. She reached out toward the flames. They didn't even warm her hands, and she leaned closer. Reaching out again, this time she stuck her hand into the fire fully. It wasn't even hot! She pulled back in surprise at how cold the flames felt.

Was it time? She asked herself. Now?

A voice inside whispered, "Yes..." and she knew it wasn't her own. She turned and looked back at the statue of Suzaku, and nodded.

Someone was banging on the door of the shrine. A voice was calling her, but she wasn't strong enough to hear it clearly. It sounded like Chichiri, but she wasn't sure and she didn't care. She set her bow and arrows in front of the statue and was about to go back to the cold fire when she noticed her ring. Instead of being tightly held in Suzaku's talon like usual, the statue had moved again. This time, the talons were facing upward, like an open palm, and the ring was resting on top, free for her to take. She turned away.

The voice outside the door turned to many, all crying at her. She put her hands over her ears and hurried toward the fire.

They can't stop me! Her mind screamed. They can't! I have to do this...I have to do this now or I'll die! Don't you understand?

"Don't you understand?" She screamed out loud. "Leave me alone!" She had reached the edge of the pit. Standing next to it, she suddenly felt lighter.

I am sick, so sick. Now I can feel better.

The door smashed to pieces and eight figures stood in the rain outside.

This is my duty...

"Misara!"

This is my destiny...

Footsteps running toward her, sounding impossibly loud in her ears.

No...

"Misara, stop!"

NO...

"Don't do this, Misara!"

Leave me alone...

"Oh please Misara! Stop!"

And be in pain for eternity?

"Please Misara! Get away from that fire!"

Don't try to stop me, guys...I won't let you!

"Misara, don't do this!"

You understand, don't you Tasuki? Why are you crying?

"Misara!!!"

We ARE friends…right?

"Misara!!!!!!!!"

Promise?

"MISARA!!!!"


Promise?

"MISARA!!!!"