I toldya I'd go on an update spree! I just read the review from Goku-chan (thanks for reviewing! I love you guys!) and I realized how getting through the original story AGAIN must suck serious monkey butts. So I've decided to post two chapters a day from here on out… at least on the days I get online. That's right! Two chapters a day! How do you like that!? But I looked ahead, and I noticed that there are about seven-ten more chapters before we get into original story line!

But wait! There's more! What's this? Kori's secret is revealed… but to who? And where, and why!? You'll find out in the next… five-six chapters! Oh, and they get kinda really short, but I'm sorry! So here's the next stor—no, wait! Disclaimer!

*A shy looking Kori steps up from behind a curtain*

Kori: I was hired to do this job, though I don't know why! *realizes she's already off track* Oh! Taryn Eithne does not own that junk written by Yu Watase. She wishes she did, but she doesn't because all she can create is a lsouy character like me… *sees Taryn glaring at her* Sorry! She does own me, however, and then she'll own later plot line!!! So lets just get on with the story…

Chapter Eight: Remote Reunion

"Take care of yourselves!" Kori called, mounting her horse.

"Thank you so much, your Eminence. And to all of you!" Tamahome's father called back. Miaka nodded.

"I can't believe we found all seven constellations of Suzaku!" Nuriko shouted joyfully as he mounted his horse.

"Yes, this is splendid," Hotohori added. Miaka was going to comment, but felt a small tugging at her leg.

"Please don't go! " Yuiren cried. She was the one pulling on Miaka's leg.

"Yuiren..." Miaka whispered.

"What are you doing, Yuiren!" Chuei cried. "She's the Priestess!"

"But she's Tamahome's wife!" Yuiren cried back, still hugging Miaka tightly. "We should all be together!"

"Let go of her eminence, Yuiren!" Chuei ordered.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Yuiren cried. However, a flute was soon heard and Yuiren sunk into Miaka's arm.

"AHH! Yuiren! Yuiren!" Miaka cried, shaking the girl.

"Are you making her go insane!?" Kori cried, turning to Chiriko.

"There're better ways t'keep a kid quiet!" Tasuki added, taking Chiriko by the collar. He pulled away quickly.

"She's asleep," Miaka suddnely realized. Chiriko smiled.

"That was a tune of hypnosis. Even her dreams will be pleasant," he explained, holding up his flute. Miaka smiled and handed the little girl to her father. She smiled again and the seven departed.

***

"This is your palace!?" Kori was asked as they all entered the palace. However, Hotohori had disappeared, and Kori's question remained unanswered.

Suddenly something popped out of nowhere. Miaka turned and smiled.

"Welcome back, everybody! No da." It cried.

"Chichiri!" Miaka cried back. Tasuki took a step back.

"What the hell izzat!? Some kinda squirrel!?" he asked. Nuriko laughed.

"That's Chichiri, a Celestial Warrior like you. Who hasn't changed a bit!"

"I can't believe I'm in a palace..." Chiriko was saying.

"Where'd Hotohori go?" Kori asked after not receiving an answer from the absent Emperor.

"Yeah, y'look up, an' suddenly he's gone!" Tasuki added.

"Don't you guys get it yet!?" Nuriko cried, "He's..."

"Please, Nuriko." Everybody turned to see Hotohori already changed.

"Your Majesty!" Chichiri shouted, appearing suddenly between the four newcomers. All four jumped away from him in surprise. "Your kingdom rejoices the occasion of your safe return!"

"Chichiri, we thank you for your service," Hotohori stated, taking a seat.

"Y--" Tasuki sweat-dropped. "Your Majesty!?"

"You needn't be so formal," Hotohori laughed. "We travelled together as fellow Celestial Warriors, did we not?" Tasuki nodded numbly and Kori laughed.

"First we must discuss the methods of retrieving Tamahome," Hotohori stated, suddnely serious. "Tamahome, however, is not the only problem..."

Kori sighed and sat back, getting the feeling that none of this pertained to her. She closed her eyes, ready for a nap. However, "I'll go!" interrupted her sleep very quickly and she sat up straight. Tasuki chuckled lightly as Miaka stood.

"I'll go to Kuto and get back the Universe of the Four Gods and Tamahome both!!" Miaka continued, throwing her hands upon the table.

"Miaka, you mustn't..." Hotohori insisted.

"It was my fault we lost the Universe of the Four Gods!"

"Yet..." Hotohori tried again

"I'll go with her," Chichiri interrupted. "But we gotta coordinate it with Tamahome before we do anything! No da!"

"Coordinate with Tamahome..." Miaka smiled and drifted into dream land.

***

"Is she coming yet...!?" Kori rolled her eyes as everybody waited for Miaka to get ready. Miaka came flying out of one of the palace rooms then, but fell flat on her face as she ran towards them.

"Eey, Miaka..." Tasuki began, but Hotohori interrupted with,

"Do not disturb her. She's to seeTamahome. It's best to leave them alone."

"Why? Why?" Tasuki looked thoroughly confused. "I thought that Your Majesty and Miaka were an item!" Kori rolled her eyes.

"Think, Tasuki," she stated irritably.

"I get it!" he shouted after a moment. "It's a ménage et--" Tasuki would have finished his phrase, but Hotohori promptly introduced him to a nearby wall.

"Let's ignore the subtlelty challenged and proceed, your Majesty," Nuriko suggested, looking sadly back at Tasuki and his wall-print.

"I'm here," Miaka stated nervously.

"Girls take forever to get ready!" Chichiri muttered under his breath. Kori was going to shout at him, but refrained herself. Chichiri continued. "You don't have much time, so you'd better ger right to business. No da." He sighed deeply. "Okay, gaze at the folding screen."

Miaka did so, and Chichiri plastered some unreadable symbols on the the folding screen, then mumbled some inaudible chants. Hotohori ushered everybody out as a man began to fade into the folding screen. Kori tried to stay a while longer to catch a glimpse of him, but Hotohori grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. She reluctantly walked away and headed for the kitchen to eat. Boy, Earth-girls could really get hungry.

***

Blech, super duper short. This is kinda of why I wanted to double-post for a while. Don't get used to it, though, because I have school on Tuesday and I have to write a bunch of stuff when the actual plot begins and… well, there's a lot to do as soon as the original comic/anime series ends in this story!

So keep a lookout tomorrow for the next exciting (yet completely unowned by Taryn Eithne) episode of Secrest Best Left Alone, Chapter Eight: Love Trap!! I just loved the regular episode!

~Taryn Eithne

Here's the teaser for Chapter Eight:

"'Why don't we do it the traditional way? How 'bout looking?'"