Disclaimer: ^^

~ You guys are so funny! Some of your scenarios really cracked me up. I'll tell you who came closest at the end of the chapter so no one knows prematurely. You've all been great. Thanks for making this my first 100+ reviewed story!! Look forward to my soon-to-be-up new story, "Suzaku Superheroes." It's been fun! ~

Chapter Eight: The Startling Conclusion

By: omni82

Striding out into the hallway, she held conference with the head sentry. "Assemble all of Suzaku's warriors at the scene of the crime. It's time that Tamahome had some justice."

The Suzaku Seven twitched and scuffed their shoes and whispered amongst themselves as Houki entered the room. It was amazing how the nation's top citizens could look so darned guilty. Nuriko was wringing his hands, Tasuki would thrust his hands into his pockets only to draw them out and repeat the process. Miaka wept silently on Hotohori's shoulder and the emperor made sure not to make eye contact with his wife. Chiriko and Mitsukake were referring quietly in a corner. When Houki looked over at them, Chiriko flipped her the middle finger. She returned it before good manners could stop her. Whatever the verdict was tonight, she would never be able to look some of these people in the eyes again.

"I'm sure some of you are feeling guilty." Houki announced. "And it's well that you should because Tamahome's killer comes from one of you here." The seishi shot each other glances that bespoke of puzzlement, guilt, and trepidation. "Well, that's not entirely accurate," Houki said thoughtfully, tapped one perfectly manicured finger against her chin. "Tamahome had several killers from this group. In fact, none of you can claim total innocence in this crime."

"Well then how do I fit in?" Nuriko demanded with self-righteous indignation.

Houki's smile was cold as ice. "Why, you are the one who ultimately finished Tamahome off of course."

Nuriko paled, his righteous ire forgotten.

"Allow me to present you with the situation of Tamahome's death." Houki addressed the uneasy crowd.

"We can all agree that Tamahome was a lecherous creep with little to no redeeming features." Heads nodded vigorously. "He was in the practice of debauching young virgins and bragging about it in some detail to his supposedly close buddy, Tasuki." Crossing his arms over his chest, Tasuki frowned.

"Tasuki couldn't listen to any more stories of the victim's infidelity. He told Miaka."  Miaka had cut the tears and looked furious.

"She was naturally hurt that the man she loved was a traitorous wretch. She wanted revenge. The Priestess of Suzaku went to the warrior she trusted the most, Hotohori. He was incensed and agreed to help her."  Hotohori tried to look nonchalant but was failing miserably.

"Neither of the two are the brightest apples in the bunch so they went to get help from the smartest person they knew, Chiriko. He was happy to oblige, being sick of Tamahome's short jokes and rotten attitude. Chiriko suggested poisoning.

You would think that would lead directly to Mitsukake but it didn't. Instead, Hotohori approached Chichiri. The monk would be best able to sneak into Tamahome's rooms and poison his bottle of wine. Chiriko would concoct a lethal mixture that would kill Tamahome painlessly and make it look like a natural death.

But that wasn't good enough for Miaka, oh no. She told Tasuki of the plan and how it hurt her that she couldn't make Tamahome suffer the way she was suffering. Poison was a good idea but it had to be one that would kill Tamahome slowly and painfully. Tasuki approached Mitsukake. The healer agreed to do it all too readily.  Tamahome had made one too many cracks about Shoka being a demon slut, isn't that right Mitsukake?" The tall man buried his face in his hands and wept.

"Tasuki and Miaka decided that the surest way for Tamahome to take his medicine, so to speak, was to put it in his opium. They came in the night before and visited with Tamahome, as was their wont. Nothing unusual there. While Tamahome and Tasuki roughhoused, Miaka planted the poison in his opium. I'm sure you two were disappointed when he didn't die the next day." They nodded; they were in too deep to save themselves now anyway.

"So tonight, they sent an unwitting and unfortunate serving girl in to Tamahome. Unbeknownst to them, Chichiri and Chiriko had waylaid the girl and swapped the wine she was carrying for the poisoned one. It was too difficult to sneak in to Tamahome's bedroom if he was entertaining, right Chichiri?" The monk hung his head in shame.

"The girl was Tamahome's nightly entertainment, poor lass. Afterwards, Miaka came in and shooed the girl out. She wanted to see the louse die, didn't you Priestess? Tamahome got dizzy and fell out of bed. His eyes alighted on the bottle of wine and knew immediately what she had done. Thus, the stunned expression he had in death. He tried to strangle the Priestess of Suzaku and in his death throes he could have very well accomplished it if Nuriko hadn't burst in at the initial sounds of Miaka's groan of pain. His concern for Miaka outweighed the love he had for his star brother and he cudgeled Tamahome on the back of the head, killing him.

Miaka heard people start to awaken and pushed Nuriko out the door. She then pretended to find Tamahome's dead body. Nuriko was naturally the second one at the scene, comforting his priestess."

Houki took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You people should be ashamed. The only person who was not in any of your conspiracies was Nuriko. His actions were instinctive and honorable unlike those of the priestess. How unfortunate that your punishment will encompass Nuriko as well."

"What is it?" Miaka asked in a subdued voice.

"Because you killed Tamahome, Suzaku cannot be summoned. You are all stuck with each other and the memories of this night until the day you die. Take a good look around people. This is your future." Houki let her words sink in before heading for the door. Tonight, destiny had been thwarted but justice had not. It was a small comfort.

The End.

~ I think that punishment was the worst thing that could have happened to them. Now they're stuck with Miaka until the day she dies. How evil is that? But I digress. Do you want to know who came closest to solving Houki's Murder Mystery? Okay:

1) Anyone who said Nuriko was technically correct. He did finish Tamahome off. Kryssa (you were so good with that multiple plot thing. You should get extra points.), Dimps-chan(I think you said Nuriko. It was process of elimination, ne?), Draconsis (you were practically saying Nuriko from chapter two. Good guess.), The Antwerp (You hit the nail on the head with the Nuriko rushing in part. I was sweating because you came almost too close to solving it.), and Hnilmik (I laughed at your review. I am quite evil, killing the readers with suspense.).

2) Anyone who said that there were two (or more) groups involved with the killing. In Chapter seven only Kryssa made any kind of definite idea with that but in the earlier chapters lots of people had hinted at that.

3) Anyone who said Miaka, which is most of you. Miaka had the biggest role in the killing, making her the guiltiest without actually doing anything to kill him. Don't make me look through that please!! I got so many reviews for Chapter Seven that I'm just looking through them to see who said what.

Ultimately, two people tied in my mind for coming closest to solving the mystery. They are Kryssa and NekonoMiko. NekonoMiko had the situation really close to truth but had the wrong people. Kryssa had the situation nearly right and had most of the correct people involved.

I'm giving out honorable mentions to people whose solutions made me laugh. Draconsis wins one because his/her idea that Miaka and Nuriko were secret lovers really tickled me. I hadn't seen that. Stariko-Tasuki no Miko was quite adamant that Chiriko was possessed by Miboshi. It was wrong but I liked her refusal to see little Chiriko as evil. I'm fond of the little fellow too. Hnilmik was entertaining especially with the crack about me killing the readers. It's okay to copy answers here. I don't care. Moon Revenge gets a thumbs up for the idea that Chichiri was pretending to be Hotohori in the bedroom so the emperor could go kill Tamahome. That was an image that made me laugh so hard I nearly cried. Saihitei no Miko was strangely persistent in her claim that Houki did it. Houki did not do it. She has to be innocent so that the crime can get solved. No one would have been able to guess Houki since there were to clues to point to her. But that would have been an unexpected conclusion wouldn't it have?

As in all mysteries, some evidence fits your hypothesis and some doesn't. It's okay to dispose of what you don't need. Throwing in extra details is just another way for me the writer to see how many of you will trip over it. You guys were great. Thank you so much.

~While you're down here, why don't you review? ~