Some time later, Misara was walking quietly through the woods toward Nakago's camp. Miaka's clothes didn't fit her right, as Miaka was a little taller, but the only thing she could really think about was how her fingers kept flying up to her head and running through her hair. It was the strangest feeling, and her head felt so light. Before she could ponder Miaka's hair-cutting credentials, she arrived in the camp. The sun had just set, so it was dark, and Misara was safe in the dark, as long as Nakago didn't look too closely. It was inside, in the light, that she was most afraid of.
Suddenly, there was a hand on her shoulder, and she stopped herself just in time from screaming. She spun around and found herself looking at the man she was most afraid of.
"So you've come to me at last, Priestess of Suzaku." Nakago laughed.
Misara was about to correct him when she remembered that she was SUPPOSED to look like Miaka this time, so she said nothing. She had forgotten how handsome he was, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she reprimanded herself for it.
You're supposed to get that Shinzaho back, stupid! She yelled at herself. And rescue Taylor from Nakago's evil clutches, a voice echoed in the back of her mind.
Miaka had finally told her about Yui and now that Misara had seen all that Nakago could do, she desperately wanted to get Taylor out of this world. She had wanted to contact Hotohori, to let him know she was alright, but decided that she had to do this first. She didn't want Taylor to end up hating her for the same reason Yui hated Miaka.
Nakago was looking at her curiously when she looked up at him again, and she realized that she must have looked strange, standing there and not doing anything. He shrugged.
"I think I can guess why you've come, Priestess. You want this, don't you?" He said, pointing at the Shinzaho which he was wearing around his neck.
Misara laughed nervously. "That's the reason, alright! Now, I'll just take it and be on my way, okay?" She reached for it quickly, but not quickly enough. He grabbed her arm and began pushing her in the direction of one of the tents.
"Now, now, Priestess. Let's not be rude! Come, sit with me for a while and I'll get you something to eat..." As much as Misara didn't want to go in the light, the thought of food was almost too much to bear. She hadn't eaten since her meal on the plane, and it wasn't a very big one either. She was starving, although she hated to admit it, and reluctantly let herself be propelled into the nearest tent.
He sat her down, a little roughly, at the table and set a plate full of food in front of her. She ate slowly, nervous because he was sitting in a chair not 10 feet from her and was watching her the entire time. Determined not to let him see her face completely, she avoided his eyes and kept her eyes on her food. It was pretty good, she had to give him that. Of course, she didn't have to give him anything, she reminded herself.
"Of course," he started, "I'm not just going to give the Shinzaho to you...where's the fun in that?"
"You stole it from us in the first place." Misara muttered to her plate.
"Oh...right..." he said, laughing. Misara scowled, but didn't say anything. Then she heard him stand up and she knew he was coming over to the table.
Get the Shinzaho and rescue Taylor. Get the Shinzaho and rescue Taylor. Get the-
He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "You know, it's only polite when a soldier takes off his armor and waits fo-" he stopped as he looked closer at her, then he let go of her face and began to laugh. Misara visibly cringed at the sound, but that only made him laugh louder.
Misara waited until he was finished laughing before speaking. As he wiped his eyes, she stood up.
"Now that I've entertained you, are you going to give me the Shinzaho or not?"
He ignored her question. "You were doing a pretty decent job of imitating the Priestess of Suzaku, Misara. I have to hand it to you, you almost had me fooled. Almost." He finished angrily. "I don't like to be fooled, Misara."
She snorted. "Well, forgive me for fooling you, almighty Nakago, but I was just trying to get back something that you STOLE." He smiled evilly at her.
"Well, I wouldn't put it in so harsh of terms..."
"I would." She shot back. "You stole it from us and now I've come to get it back. Whatever I have to do." She smiled back at him. "Of course, the smartest thing for you to do would be for you to just hand it over, but you're not exactly known to do the smartest things, are you?"
He clapped his hand over his heart. "Why must you hurt me so?" He asked sarcastically.
Misara rolled her eyes and sighed, but before she could think of a comeback, he reached over and grabbed her wrist.
"What if I don't want to give it to you? How are you going to get it back?"
Misara hesitated. "Uh...I'd have to...beat you up."
"Of course, you know how your Priestess was going to get it back, don't you?"
"Yes, I know." Misara said, scowling. "I wasn't going to let her, either."
Nakago smiled. "It wouldn't have worked anyway."
"What do you mean by that?"
He didn't answer, but smiled even more, irritating Misara. She tried to pull her hand out of his, but his grip was too tight.
"Does Tamahome still love that silly Priestess?" Nakago asked her.
"Of course he does!" Misara cried. "Why do you think I wouldn't let Miaka come here?"
"I thought you came because you missed me." That stupid smile wouldn't leave his face.
"Why would I miss you? You must have been dreaming!"
"Well, when two people love each other, they usually miss each other when they're apart."
"I'm not in love with you!"
"Yes you are! You just don't know it yet..."
Misara tugged on her arm. "Let go of my hand!"
"You're in love with...the Emperor, Hotohori, aren't you? At least, you think you are..."
Déjà vu, Misara thought. "What is with you people??" She said out loud.
"Whatever do you mean, my dear child?"
"Never mind! Let go of me!"
"Not until you confess your love for me, Misara."
"No!"
"No?" He asked, delighted. "Meaning-you won't? Which means you do! Oh, I'm so happy!"
Misara was getting pretty fed up with his mind games.
"So tell me, Misara, why do you fall in love with men from this world? Don't you know that you can never be together?"
"That's not true..." Misara whispered. Tasuki had said the same thing.
"Of course, we can be together. The summoning of Seiryu will see to that. Once we get the second Shinzaho, Seiryu will be summoned and your Suzaku idiots will be powerless. Why don't you stick with the winning side?"
Misara didn't speak, but instead concentrated on wrenching her arm out of his grip. He grabbed her other wrist.
"Stop it." He said dangerously. The change in his voice made Misara stop struggling and look up at him. His eyes were flashing, and it was rather frightening. Misara stopped moving and stood very still.
His grip loosened and he dropped her arms. There were red marks on Misara's wrists, but she didn't notice them as she watched him go back to his chair and sit down.
"Give me back the Shinzaho..." she muttered through her teeth.
He didn't smile this time. "No." He said simply. "You're not strong enough to fight me. Even you know that. If you want it back, you'll have to take it from me."
Misara scowled. There's nothing I can do right now, she thought. Damn...
She turned from him and walked out of the tent and into the starry night. After a few minutes of walking though the woods, she remembered Taylor. Turning back around, she ran right into him. In her anger, she hadn't even noticed that he was following her.
"By the way," he said, "Taylor isn't here."
"What do you mean?" Misara said frantically.
"She went with Lady Yui to find the second Shinzaho." Nakago pointed toward the west. Misara spun on her heel and walked away from him. "Be careful, my love! There are scary things out there!" He shouted after her.
As Misara wandered through the forest she was too angry to think about Nakago, so she tried desperately to think of something else. Suddenly, she heard her name being called, and Chichiri appeared up ahead, searching through the trees.
"Chichiri!" She cried as she ran toward him.
"There you are!" He said when he saw her. "Where have you been??"
"Uh..." Misara wasn't sure what to say to him. She definitely wasn't going to tell him about Nakago.
"Never mind...I won't ask you about it." He said quietly.
"Thank you." Misara answered.
"Let's go, alright? The others are waiting for you."
After a moment of silence, Misara spoke. "Alright."
