"Priestess?" It was a whisper in the dark, just barely loud enough for her to hear. "Are you ready?"
"Yes. I'll be out in a moment," she whispered back. The door closed softly. Yui pressed against Kado one last time and then put a small amount of powder into some water. Still sleeping, the boy was given a sedative that would ensure another twelve hours of sleep. She kissed his cheek and left him.

The girl saw the blonde woman and the guard approaching in wonder. Her name was Mao Kou, a wanderer from Konan who had found one of the sacred relics. She recognized the priestess of Seiryuu. "Hello."
"Good morning," said the priestess as she awkwardly dismounted her horse. "Do you live here?"
"Yes. My name's Mao." She touched the bandage on her left cheek. "Please, come in."
Yui gestured for the guard to stay outside. As she sat down, a wave of deja vu came over her. "Thank you. I've been trying to find-"
"How long have you been traveling?" the girl interrupted.
"Two weeks."
"You really shouldn't be traveling. Your life is in danger."
Yui jerked. "What-"
Mao removed her bandage, revealing the symbol of 'stomach' there. "My given name is Mao Kou, but I'm also called Kokie. You're the priestess of Seiryuu and...haven't you realized it yet?"
She looked puzzled until the girl made a vague gesture to her stomach. "No, it's not-"
"You don't have to believe it, but I have the keen senses of animals. I know things." Her pale brown eyes and fiery orange hair triggered a memory.
"You...you're related to-"
"Yeah, Suzaku seishi Tasuki," she said grimly. "He's my father."
Yui rubbed her forehead. "Why are you in Kutou?"
"I live with my father and six...SIX brothers! I...can't...stand...them!" Mao saw the priestess's face go pale. "Are you all right?"
"Yes."
"Anyway, this is what you came here for." Out of the bag on her belt, Mao pulled out-
"Amiboshi's flute!" Yui's hand curled around it, but only for a moment. Her head fell heavily into the girl's lap.
She lifted the priestess up, placed her on the bed, and went out to the guard. "You have to go back to the capital! She needs..." Mao stopped in confusion. "Her husband!"
"What happened?"
"Just do it! I can take care of her, but she needs him and she can't travel." He nodded and sped off. Mao went back inside.

Koichi readmitted Miaka to his apartment at four pm. "I'm glad you're back."
"Has anything happened?"
"Yui is sick and in the care of the celestial warrior Kokie."
"Kokie?" She shook her head, not understanding.
"Her name's also Mao Kou, the youngest child and only daughter of Genro, Tasuki of the Suzaku seven."
She grabbed the book. "Yui's with Tasuki's daughter? What's wrong with her?" Realizing she still couldn't read the book, Miaka thrust it back to Koichi.
"It doesn't say what's wrong with her, but Kado might. That's why Mao sent for him."
"What's going on now?"
"Mao, knowing that the speed of a bird was faster than a man, sent a message to her family."

"Miyu!" He skidded to a stop just before the drop-off.
"What?" The brown-haired, pale brown-eyed boy of thirteen fell on his butt. He looked up into his father's face. "Don't do that! I almost fell off the cliff-"
"Again?" Tasuki helped the boy up. "Mao come back yet?"
"No, not even-" A hawk made a direct dive towards Miyu and he fell again. It landed between his sprawled legs. "Get away! Get away!" The bird dropped a roll of paper into his lap and took flight again. Miyu was crying.
"How can you be afraid of animals when your sister-"
"Miyu-
Stop crying! The animals won't hurt you because you're my twin.
Anyway, I need for daddy to come to Kutou, it's very important.
-Mao, meow."
Tasuki began to laugh as his youngest boy glared at him. "Come on, let's go. If she sent a message like that, it's trouble."
"Can I come with?" Miyu certainly didn't want to be at the mercy of his older brothers for an unknown length of time.
"If you hurry up."
"Sure."

"Anyway, my daddy said I looked like a drowned kitten. That's where I got my name." Yui gave her an odd look. "Oh, sorry." She dismounted the rafter she had been on and landed by the bed. "I use to scare my brother like that too," she mused.
"You should've been called 'chipmunk', not 'cat'."
"Glad you feel better. My daddy should be here soon, probably with Miyu in tow. Are you feeling okay?"
Yui sat up. "Yes. How did you know-"
"Your scent. One of my powers is sensitivity to smells..." Mao grimaced. "You have no idea how bad testosterone can smell."
She laughed and the girl put a hand on the priestess's stomach. "The flute...how did you know about it?"
"Actually, it was just a little treasure hunt because of a story my daddy told us. Hmmm...I don't smell that...that's so cool!"
"What?"
"Never mind. I'm going to get some water. Just stay put."
"All right." A few moments after the girl left, Yui's breathing became labored again. It would happen soon.

Two weeks he had been confined to the palace, wanting to go after Yui, but knowing she had left him here for a reason. At this moment, he was in the shrine. Kado was praying for the priestess to return to him.

Mao was down by the river, fetching water for herself and the priestess.

Tasuki and Miyu were only a few moments from where the girl was.

Miaka and Koichi were following the story, fearing what might happen to Kado and Yui.

Wherever they were, whatever they were doing, they all felt the silent bright blue force of Seiryuu as it exploded out.

"What was that?" Koichi had dropped the book and looked at Miaka. She was surrounded by a red light.
"Something happened with Seiryuu, with Yui. Keep reading."
"Sure."

Mao was frozen to the spot. She had felt the energy waves and saw the bright light, both which overwhelmed her senses. Nothing could calm them until she dunked her head into the river.
"Mao!"
"Sister!"
She lifted her head and shook the dampness from her hair. "Seiryuu! Did you feel that?"
"Yes. What was so-"
"Oh no! Stay here! I'll be-" Mao sprinted away to the little house before any protest could be made. Nothing was inside the house. She went to the empty bed and touched a small red damp spot. "No...that can't be it..." The girl went back down to the river.
"What's that?" Miyu's squeaky voice was always so annoying. "Mao!"
She had heard the growling and went over to where the sound was. "Sh." Mao heard it, immediately exchanging growls with the unseen thing. "She won't let me touch her. She says you have to, daddy."
"What?"
"Please, just..."
Tasuki went to where his daughter was and reached into the bush. Shock ran through him as his skin came in contact with damp, cool skin. He pulled her out and the small bloody blonde girl clung to him. "Mao, what did you do?"
"I didn't do anything. She specifically asked for you by name." Miyu lifted up his twin. "She's mute and..."
"What?" the boy asked.
"Nothing."
Tasuki felt the little girl shivering against him. He whispered in her ear. She pressed against him harder. The sky darkened instantly and a downpour began when the first streak of lightning lit up the sky. "Mao, we have to get inside! The girl-"
"This way!" Mao called the horses to follow them and they went into the house.

Kado had hit his head during the shock and was only now regaining consciousness. He tried to sense Yui, something that he had been able to do since they had come back into the book, but there was nothing. "Oh, Seiryuu!" At the foot of the Seiryuu statue was..."Yui!" The priestess's arms were folded over her bare stomach, between the lovely blue and violet outfit she had worn during the summoning. "Yui!" He reached for her. A force field stopped him. "No...you can't be..." Tears fell onto her and trickled down her face, forming a puddle on the floor. He felt completely empty.

The girl had a gold diamond-shaped plate with a round red gem affixed to her chest, Tasuki noticed as he poured warm water over her. "Mao?"
"What is it?" She popped her head into the room.
"I want you to ask her a few questions. Her name for starters."
The girls looked at each other. Small growls were exchanged. "She says her name is Amisumi and she's cold. She'd rather do this when she's dressed."
"Thanks." He left her a moment and came back with a towel. Amisumi let herself be dried off, wrapped in the towel, and pressed close to him once more.
Questions and answers were translated in animalistic tones, including the fate of Miaka's friend Yui. The little girl was soon asleep in
his arms. "So she's dead. After all she did-" Miyu was hit at once by his father and his twin. "Ow!"
Tasuki kissed Amisumi's forehead and laid her down in the bed before rounding on his boy. "No one ever deserves to die like that. Miyu, after all the things I told you, I thought you'd understand that."
"Yui's betrayal was spurred on by a twisted man who was using her. She already doubted everything in her life and he took that opening to get her to do his will. That isn't who she is."
"Was."
"Eh." Mao went over to the girl and took in her scent. It wasn't normal. "Well, I guess..." A slight growl. *The relics must be found?* "Are you guys up for a trip to Kutou?"

In the bed, their bed, the eighteen-year-old boy mulled over all that happened.
One: Yui, the priestess of Seiryuu, his wife, had left on a mission without him. She had even gone as far as to drug him.
Two: The guard who had gone with her had just returned with a message for him to go to her. She was very sick.
Three: There had been that force that had knocked him unconscious and, presumably, knocked out his connection to Yui.
Four: Yui's body was in the shrine. She couldn't have gotten there in the short time he had been unconscious.
Five: He was now charged with the mission of finding the relics so he could return home.
He pulled on his boots and went to the shrine one last time. She was still there, like a spirit bound to the place. Kado bent down, kissing the force field just above her closed eyes. A strange feeling came over him. She's not dead...just gone.

"What are you doing?"
"I have to go back into the book. I have to get Taka here too."
"The phone's in the next room."
"Thanks." She got a hold of her husband and he would be there soon. Together they'd go back into the book.
"Everything all right?"
"You've got the book, so you tell me."

When Tasuki saw the boy, deep violet eyes eerily familiar, he stopped him. The little girl in his arms pressed against him. "Who are you?"
"Kado Yujino. Excuse me, but I-"
"It took you long enough to get here," Mao said indignantly. "Geez, I thought those guards were supposed to be the cream of the crop."
He looked at the girl behind the brown-eyed boy and it came to him. "You were with her?"
"Yep."
"But how-"
She rubbed her nose. "Your scent was on her."
Kado blushed. A low growl came from the blonde girl. "Amisumi." She crushed her face against his stomach, giving a low growl.
"That's odd."
"What?" The lightning flashed above them.
"That's the second time that's happened," the girl stated.
"Translate, please."
"She said the priestess is dead. Hmm, I wonder where that came from."
"Can we continue this somewhere else? I don't like the look of that sky," Miyu muttered.
"For once, you're right, even if you're the only one who's not a seishi."
"I hate you." He was grabbed by his twin and involved in a full mouth kiss.
Tasuki held Amisumi up and asked, "Would you like to take their place?" She smiled.
"Mao, you're a pervert!"
"Takes one to know one." Mao looked at Kado. "You've lost your powers."
"Huh?"
"Let's get inside and continue this." He had felt the first droplets of rain and settled Amisumi back into her spot.

They were settled in the inn and waited for someone to break the ice. Amisumi was looking out the window; her tiny pink soles a sharp contrast to the brown stool she stood on. Tasuki had tied back her hair after she became aggravated when it kept falling in her face. He watched her a moment longer and then turned back to Kado. "You're a celestial warrior too?"
"I..."
*Why won't you answer me, my star? Why won't you answer!*
"You're not really a celestial warrior, you know. At least, that's what Yui said."
"Huh?"
"That's right. Yui told me a lot about what happened to me." He looked at the little girl. She had a flute strapped to her belt.
"Amiboshi..." he whispered.
Tasuki stood up, slamming his hand flat on the table. "SUBOSHI?!"
"You bas-" The boy was slugged by his twin, knocking him to the floor.
Kado pressed himself against a wall, clutching his stomach. "Are you all right?" Mao went over to him. "What's wrong?"
"How did she get my brother's flute?" he gasped.
"I had it. I found it." She let his head rest on her shoulder.
Tasuki took in the scene in front of him. Miyu was lying beside him on the floor, nursing his bloody broken nose. Amisumi, completely oblivious to all around her, kept staring out the window. His daughter, a female version of himself, held a boy who had once been an enemy and then a short-lived ally. "Where are you from?"
"What?"
"Where are you from? Where were you born?" Mao's father demanded.
"Tokyo..." Kado stood up and let the girl stay on the floor. He threw his wallet on the table. Tasuki ignored it. "You don't believe me."
"You ever met Miaka?"
"Mi-"
The next few seconds drew out as the violet-eyed boy slid down the wall, fainting as everything came down on him. Mao bounded onto the table and her twin backed against the wall opposite Kado. Amisumi jerked backwards, losing balance as the stool tipped. Tasuki snapped out of whatever zone he had been in just in time to catch the girl. She burst into tears.

"How are you going to do it?"
"I don't know."
"Is it possible that you can't get back?"
"Maybe, but we have to try." A knock on the door made them jump. Miaka opened it and Taka embraced her. "Get in her."
"How bad is it?"
Her eyes filled with tears. "Yui's dead."
"Oh god." Her head rested on his chest.
"Jeez!"
"What?" They looked at the book, which was now glowing red.
"You have to go!" Koichi looked at them, watching as they disappeared. "Oh, please let them be all right." Kado was still unconscious, but now he was in a corner with a blanket tucked under his chin. Miyu was sprawled out under the table as Mao curled herself into a ball above him. In the one bed, Tasuki lay with the little girl, her pressed against him, a ball of heat in his arms. He looked at her. Quite suddenly, he was scared for her and kissed her forehead. Amisumi's bright blue eyes shined up at him and then closed again. The man pressed the small girl closer to him, absently running his hand through her hair. He slept. No one noticed when the red light deposited Taka and Miaka into the center of the room.

She twitched her nose and pounced. "Hey!" Taka yelled.
"What's going on?" Miaka squeaked.
Miyu sat up, hitting his head. "Ow!"
There was a little growl. "Amisumi!"
"Tasuki?" Miaka squeaked again.
"Miaka?!" both Tasuki and Taka called out.
She caught sight of the boy in the corner. "Kado?"
"Yui?" he murmured, half-asleep still.
"Miyu?" he inquired about his son.
"Sorry!" Mao backed off, letting Taka sit back up. "You startled me."
"You..." He looked at the girl.
Miaka looked to Tasuki. "Your daughter?"
"Sadly, yes."
"MAO!" She pulled her brother out from under the table, his nose now bleeding again.
The small blonde child drew everyone's attention. "Who's that?" Miaka reached for the girl who began a deep, soft, violent growl.
"Amisumi," he whispered in the girl's ear. She pressed her face against him again. "We found her out by the river."
"Your daug-" Miaka and Mao both smacked Taka at the same time. "Hey!"
"Miaka," a husky voice, the one that had called out Yui's name, came from behind them softly.
"Kado? Are you-" She saw his face and went over to him. "I can't believe it..." He gently pushed her away. "You really are him."
"What?" Taka asked.
"You're half right, priestess," Mao purred. "Kado was once a seishi, but not anymore. It was that-"
"That feeling."
"Yep." Mao was sniffing and poking at Taka, who was trying to get her to stop.
"Mao, quit it." His twin deftly kicked him. "Ow!"
She stood up and delicately went around the table on tiptoe, hands behind her back innocently. "Sorry."
"Wasn't the book sealed?" Tasuki asked as he set Amisumi down on the floor. She quickly drawled over to the stool and looked up longingly at the window. Mao growled. Amisumi did the same. Tasuki's little girl approached in the submissive position and gently set the stool upright. The blonde scurried up to her perch. "Yes, but I think that when Yui and Kado came together, and they had the book..."
The violet-eyed boy looked at the flute at Amisumi's waist. "All I care about is getting back home, back to my brother. We need to find the other six relics."
Miaka looked at him in dumbstruck silence. "But Kado. Why-"
"I want to get this over with!" he snapped.
Amisumi turned her bright blue eyes on him as the lightning flashed.
"When things get like this," Mao stated, "the best action is to split up to look for the relics. We can met at my house when we need to."
"Your house?"
"You don't-" Miyu was immediately pounced on by his twin. They began to wrestle hard. Tasuki rescued Amisumi before the stool could be knocked over. "Mao!"
"Give up?"
"No!"
"All right!"
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" She was growling at him.
"Cut it out," their father said wearily.
Mao rolled back on her hunches immediately. "'Kay."
Miyu got in another punch before collapsing on his back. "'Kay."
"Are twins always so violent?" Taka asked.
"Only the younger ones," Kado said and left.
Miaka got up, but Taka held onto her arm. "Don't go after him."
"You two..." Mao managed to look embarrassed, but Miyu just looked dazed. Amisumi bounced from his arms to the table and grabbed the wallet. It went into her top. "So, Mao, how do we split up?"
"I think we should go guys and girls."
"So you and Miaka-"
"No, us, Amisumi, and Miyu because...that's the way I want it."
Taka and Tasuki looked at the sprawled thirteen-year-old boy and said in unison, "You can have him."
"But what about the girl?" Miaka asked. She was no longer in the room.

Kado was sitting against a tree, eyes closed with tears streaming out from them. He gave a watery sigh. Small soft hands touched his arms. Then, suddenly, there were warm lips on his neck, his cheeks, and his lips. Kado kissed back, but soon the slight pressure was gone. He opened his eyes, feeling a little better. Standing, a thud made him jump. His wallet now lay at his feet.

"Amisumi!" They went outside and looked for her. The boy joined them. When Mao went back inside to see if the toddler was in there, she was pounced on.
"Oh, Amisumi." The girl was in her arms and she stroked her blonde hair. "Oh, little girl, thank you." She took her outside.
"Mao?" Miyu asked.
"I think we should go."
Taka piped up, "What did you mean when you said 'only the younger ones'?"
Kado flinched ever so slightly. Tasuki and Miaka looked at Taka. "Never mind."
"But-"
"Mao!" She stopped half an inch from Miyu's face.
"Please?"
"No." Tasuki shook his head.
"Thank you," the brown-eyed boy squeaked.
"We should go back to the capital. I have resources there." He jumped on his horse. "Taka, Tasuki, let's go."
"I don't have a-" Mao cut him off with a loud call. Yui's horse and two stallions came into sight. "How?"
"Take the priestess's horse. Once out of my calling range, the others will go wild. Miyu, give Miaka your horse."
"What?"
"You boys should get going." She poked at her brother, set Amisumi on one of the stallions, and began brawling with him.
"Stop it! Stop it!"
"Mao!!"
"Baby." She mounted the reddish-brown stallion and pressed Amisumi to her.
"Miyu, come here." Tasuki and his son exchanged a short conversation and a small bundle. "Now be careful. Mao, DON'T kill your brother."
"I won't."
"Nice kids."
"Shut up, Taka."
"Let's go." Kado started off, Taka behind him, and Tasuki taking one last glance at his twins. He quickly caught up.
"Mi-Yu..."
"Where are we going?" the priestess of Suzaku asked.
"Hokkan!" the younger girl piped up.
"It'll be cold," Miaka murmured.
"Yeah."
"Just get on a horse! We have to go!"
Miyu brought over his horse and helped Miaka up before mounting the deep brown stallion. "We'll have to get supplies."
"We can stop at home, brother mine, it's on the way. You can meet our brothers, priestess."

Kado showed Taka and Tasuki the shrine, but only the former two were able to enter. "What's in there?" he growled from outside.
"Oh...Yui..."
"Wha-Ow! Dammit!"
"It's still a protected shrine, Tasuki. You still can't enter." Taka seemed a little amused.
"But if she's there-"
"It's her body," came the boy's soft voice, totally lacking in emotion. Tasuki knew the tone all to well. "I don't know how it got here."
"This is odd."
"Let's go. We can't do anything for her now." Kado came out, eyes downcast.
"Are you-"
"Yeah."
"You can't come in here," Taka taunted.
"Little punk!" He turned his attention back to the boy. "Where are we off to?"
"Tenryo."
"You can't-" When he accidentally stepped out of the shrine, Tasuki took his chance. "Hey, cut it-"
"This is serious-"
"I know it is. Let me go!"
He released the younger man, but pressed their faces close enough to touch. Tasuki's gruff voice said in his ear, "He may be Kado, but he's still Suboshi too. You may not remember what happened...I hope you don't..."
"What-"
"Don't push him and don't push me. Do you understand?"
"Yes." When he was released, he looked around. "Kado?"
"What? Jeez, where'd he go?"
"I can't believe you let him go!"
"C'mon punk! You and I-" He stopped, looking into the shrine at a different angle. "Do you see that?"
"You're not going to trick me-" Then Taka saw it. He went back into the shrine. Underneath the statue, embedded just above Yui's body, was a sword. It seemed to glow with the same blue light that surrounded the priestess. Taka grabbed it and quickly left the shrine.
"She's helping us."
"What do you mean?"
"You didn't see it when you were in there before, did you?" Taka shook his head. "Look at the blade."
"Wh-" The symbol of 'heart' glowed in that blue light.
"Nakago..."
"I found-" Taka was knocked before the taunting could continue.
"Two down, five to go."
"It's amazing Miyu's not dead," he moaned after a few minutes.
"Nah, his brothers keep him as a buffer between them and Mao." He lifted the younger man up. "Now let's find Kado."
They searched the palace for the boy, stopping to get a sheath for the sword. Taka kept it at his side. When they found nothing, they left. A few minutes after they began their ride into town, the blue-haired man asked, "How many other kids do you have?"
"Five."
"You have seven kids?" Taka was stunned.
"You can add; you surprise me."
"Were you serious about Miyu? That he's a buffer?"
"Yep. Without him, Mao would be the dominant one. When the twins were two, the older boys tried to drowned her." When there was no reply, he continued, "Miyu told me what was happening as well as he could. Before I could go after them, the boys came back wet, bruised, and scratched up."
"No Mao?"
Tasuki shook his head. "They didn't know where she was. Miyu was amused and dejected."
"But you found her." Taka stopped his horse. "You had to have or-"
"Miyu found her six months later. She was a bit bigger than before, more feral, but it was her." He didn't add that she had gained her mark and had actually grown fur. Her attitude towards all except her twin was nasty, but he eventually returned her to normal, more or less, by the time they turned four. In that time, the little boy became Mao's favorite punching bag.

"They tried to drown you?" Miaka was shocked.
"All five of them came back all torn up. It was sort of funny until we couldn't find...her." He looked at his twin, a faint blush heating his pale cheeks.
"What about your mother?"
Miyu blinked and winced simultaneously. Mao said, "She was already dead."
"Sorry."
"No reason for you to be. You had no idea and nothing to do with it."
"It seems we're almost there," the boy muttered.
"Don't change the subject and stop blaming yourself, brother mine."
Miaka looked at the twins who seemed to only share three things: their parents, their birthday, and the pale brown eyes of their father.
"Why...We're going into the mountains?"
"Amisumi and I are. You and Miyu will check out the town to see if you can find anything."
"Won't it be dangerous?"
"This whole mission is dangerous. Yui knew it and-"
"Now she's dead." Amisumi began to tremble.
"Oh!" Mao felt the change in the girl and the weather. "Amisumi, what's wrong?" she growled. Amisumi replied. "All right, we'll stay
here for the night."

Kado walked for a long time with the feeling that he wasn't alone. *Amiboshi? Yui? Who's there? *
*Come to me* a girl's voice said.
"What?" The feeling he had had was gone. "There's no one here," he murmured. The sky was growing dark and the appearing stars triggered a memory.
*Nakago, Amiboshi...Suboshi. *
"No!" Suddenly there were screams filling the air. Kado rushed in their direction, unmindful of the consequences.
"Hey!"
"I..." The girl had blood on her and the strange item in her hand.
"What-" Her knees buckled and he rushed forward to catch her. She had fainted. Once he had put her in one of the beds, he surveyed the scene. "Oh my god." He buried the bodies in the backyard and cleaned up.
"Who are you?"
He turned, seeing her leaning against the doorway. "My name's Kado. Your parents...your parents are dead."
"I know." Her violet eyes welled with tears that accented the blue-green flecks. "Oh god."
"What's your name? How did this happen?"
"Ryuchai. I don't know, I heard them screaming and when they stopped..."
"Okay, Ryuchai. Why don't you clean up? We can-" She kissed him fiercely. "Don't do that! I-" Kado fainted in her arms.
She brushed his bangs off of his forehead. "You are mine now, Suboshi. Mine now and forever."

Amisumi stopped suddenly. Her tiny hands were clasped up by her heart and icy streams of tears covered her cheeks. Mao slid to a
stop. "Amisumi? What's wrong?" she growled. The little girl made no reply.
Growls rose all around them. Ten wolves, seven adults and three pups, surrounded the girl. She began to growl back.
"Amisumi, what is it?" Mao's head was swimming. *I know the language...why can't I understand them? * "Amisumi!"
The alpha female bared her teeth at the toddler. She approached, growling and spitting. The blue-eyed girl got on all fours, mimicking
the wolf to perfection.
"Ami!"
Her face was covered with the female's rough tongue. She giggled, putting her tiny pink arms around the female's neck. They began a hurried conversation as eight of the others obscured Amisumi. The smallest pup scampered off.
"Amisumi." Mao heard it now.
*Ashtaire's relic...yes, for you...we are glad to see you again. *
*Thank you...I'm sorry for the trouble. * Her blue eyes shone brightly.
Mao tried to speak in there language, but her throat was locked. The pup came back and growled to part the group. He approached the
girl. Amisumi released the alpha and held out her pink hands. A rag of fur dropped from its mouth.
*Thank you. *
The girl put the fur in her belt and went over to Mao. "Amisumi...are you ready to go?" The blonde pressed against her. "Fine. Let's go."

He felt the warm body pressed against him and moaned. "Oh Yui..." His face was struck sharply.
"Suboshi!" Their eyes locked. "Who am I?"
"Ryuchai. What did I do?"
Her long, dark blue hair clung to her chest, just above the sheet. "Who am I?"
"Ryuchai, my priestess." He kissed her throat. "We have to find the relics," he murmured into her ear.
"Yes, my star." Ryuchai kissed his chest and stomach to tease him.
"Yes." Kado got up first and found a set of clothes where the girl gestured. They triggered a memory. He dressed quickly, tying the
strange yet familiar item from the girl around his waist. "All seven?"
"You have one."
He lifted his hand and the balls rose with it. *God, this is familiar. *
*This is who you are. *
He dropped his hand and whirled. The girl was now dressed in similar clothes, but in a shade of blue barely lighter than her hair.
"How?"
"We must hurry to Hokkan. Your memory is coming back and that will be helpful in gathering the relics. Come now, it's a faster trip
my way." She pressed against him and kissed him. He pressed back gently. "Let's go."

Miyu was sprawled out in sleep and Miaka watched him. As a boy raised by his father, they were nothing alike. *But they sleep the
same way, * she thought.
"Why are you staring at me?" he murmured.
"I was just thinking about your father."
"Well, Mao's his girl. I'm like my..." He wiped his arm across his face and then sat up.
*What? * "Are you all right?"
"Yes." He brightened. His eyes shone with the reckless happy-go-lucky optimism that had defined his father during his stint as her
Suzaku seishi. "There's a festival in town today. We should go there."
"That would be fun." She watched the boy unwrap the bundle he had gotten from his father. "What's in there?"
Miyu clasped the holster over his shoulder and then held up the tessen. "This." He gave an awkward grin.
"You can...you can use that?"
"Just about the only thing I can do." He slipped it into the holster. "Let's go."
"Yeah." Miaka led them out into the street. They looked at the games, the booths, and the shops. Miyu seemed a bit uncomfortable,
but he enjoyed seeing the priestess having fun. They both had their own troubles on their minds. "Hey, look at this!" Miaka held up a
brightly colored necklace. She paid for it and slipped it over his head.
"What's this for?"
"Just because."
He rubbed the spheres as they continued to look at the odd charms and trinkets laid out on the tables. Suddenly the necklace clicked
against his collarbone and he picked up an item. "That's strange."
"What, Miyu?"
He opened his hand. He held out an open shell with a tiny violet orb in it. "I thought I saw a symbol on it," Miyu confided gently.
Miaka closed it and saw a faint blue mark. It disappeared again. "This is 'shin'. That..." She shuddered as she remembered what
happened to Yui, when she had been used as a shield and how Suboshi, in his twin's body, died in her arms. "It's one of the relics." He
set the shell in her hand. "Miyu?"
He walked away, towards the mountains, as if he heard someone calling him. "Mao..."
She followed him after paying for the shell. "What is it? Miyu-"
His voice became gruffer, almost a growl, came to her. "We have to go up. Mao, Amisumi, and..." Miyu's eyes darkened as much as they
could. "They're in danger."
"Right." They ran back to gather their things and to set off into the mountains.

She stopped and began to growl fiercely.
"Amisumi, what's wrong?"
The hair on the little girl's neck rose and she growled to Mao, *There is a lot of blood...someone just came...*
"A lot of-" Mao was cut off by a strange laugh. "What?"
A girl with long, dark blue hair stood before them, a figure in the shadows behind her. "I want the relics, little cat."
"Amisumi, get back," she murmured.
"That won't help, little cat." She reached behind her and brought the figure's face to hers. They shared a long kiss.
Amisumi pressed against her leg and began a long, low whine. "Kado? Kado, what are you-" The girl slapped her, knocking her to the
ground.
"Just give us the relics and we won't hurt you or your little pet."
"I don't...have them," Mao coughed, blood trickling down her chin.
"Oh, then your pet has them. Suboshi, take them from her."
He went over to Amisumi. She was frozen to the spot and looked wide-eyed at him. *Oh my god. *
"Amisumi, get-" Mao's nose was broken in a split second. "Ami..."
"You should worry about yourself, little cat. I'm no pushover myself. Be honored you got to meet Ryuchai, priestess of Seiryuu."
"No!" she yelled.
Amisumi gave out a shudder and blue light surrounded her. Her top came open, exposing the diamond plate and red gem, which began to glowing. Kado was hit with the blast from the gem.
"Aaaaaah!"
"Ami?!" Mao kicked out at Ryuchai.
"Huh, ow!" She fell hard, leaving herself open to any attack.
"Priestess?" the boy gasped.
Mao went for Amisumi. "Get out of here!" The little girl was vaulted past Ryuchai and Kado.
"Eeeeeeeeee!" Amisumi squealed.
"Got her!" Miyu barely caught her.
"Miyu, take-" He had her. The meteor balls were wrapped around her throat, cutting into her palms, and lifting her off her feet. *Miyu, get her and the relics out of here! *
"Miaka." The boy's voice grew eerily like his father's. He handed the girl to the priestess without even looking. "Get her away from here."
"But..."
"Just give us the relics and the little cat goes free."
"Mi...yu..."
"Kill her," Ryuchai said in a bored voice.
The twins locked eyes. Miyu did as his instincts told him to. "REKKA SHINEN!"
"Mao!" Miaka shrieked.
"Suboshi!"
A brilliant fiery bird rose into the sky. The blue-haired girl took a hold of her celestial warrior. "Get out of here now."
"You've won this round, boy, but at what cost?" She and Suboshi disappeared.
"Miyu, why-"
"Mao!" The bird fell from the sky, but Miyu caught his twin. "Mao? Mao! MAO!!!" He shook her desperately.
"Mi-" A jingle from behind her cut her off.