Hotohori, Tamahome, and Miyoko looked at her in disbelief. Miyoko asked "Ha-chan, your not seriously going to go to that are you?" Hamatsu looked at her and laughed nervously "Of course I am. I may of killed her, but you don't I'm that BAD of a daugfhter. What? Do you think that I am just a cold-blooded murderer like Lizzie Borden. Y'know? Lizzie Borden took an axe gave her mother forty wacks when the job was nicely done. Gave her father forty-one."

    Hamatsu had this hysterical look on her face as she slammed the door to her room. Tamahome smirked "I knew Hama would of gone crazy, but never would of thought it would of been so soon. WHOOT!" Miyoko swatted him and followed right after Hamatsu.

 Hamatsu was out by the koi pond throwing flower petals into it watching the fish trying to eat them. Miyoko said "You can tell me whats wrong. Although I know its about your mother. Ha-chan, I don't know how to say it, but.......you did what you had to do."

     Miyoko took a step towards her and Hamatsu answered "I'm gonna be just as bad as her. Thats why I don't have kids. I don't want to put them through what my mother put me through. I don't want another human soul to suffer like I did." Miyoko rolled her eyes and assured "Your not going to be like her. Your Ha-chan, not her. Come'on lets go feast on pocky and play 'Let's Torture Miaka'. It always was the four of us favorite game. Yeah....me, you, Miaka, and Yui."

       Ha-chan walked towards the water and just went in knee deep. You could see the water soaking up into her dress. She turned around smiling and said "Miyo, remember that one t-shirt? The one that said 'I'd rather be hated for what I am, than loved for what I'm not' I've lived my whole life by that phrase until now. I need  to go to that funeral and make things right with the rest of my family. I really do sound like a Lifetime movie. How horrid." She fell backwards and just laid there floating on the water gazing up at the setting sun.

         Miyoko smiled and chucked a rock near Hamatsu causing Hamatsu to loose concentration. Thus, starting to sink. Hamatsu regained herself and popped up out of the water with a fish in her mouth. She spitted it out and sighed "Who told who that I liked sushi?"

          Hamatsu climbed out of the pond and held up her saturated dress. Looked as if she was going inside, but then flung Miyoko into the pond herself. As a way of revenge Miyoko called out "DEMOTION!!!!" Hamatsu was so caught up into falling into indian style sitting that she sat right down into a puddle. Miyoko stood up in the water and laughed so hard she lost balanced and fell into the deeper end The end her feet couldn't touch. She swam back to Hamatsu and threw some mud at her face. The girls started to have a mud war.

             Tamahome and Hotohori just stared at them in utter dumb-founded amazement at their childish behavior.

 Miyoko stopped and noticed the two men watching them. She hid her hands behind her and attempted to pull back her hair. When she bowed down, Hamatsu not realizing why Miyoko had stopped pounded a big mud ball on the back of Miyoko's head. Miyoko stood back up and grabbed Hamatsu's head and pointed it towards the guys. Hamatsu squeaked "Eeek! Its the guys! Whaddle we do, Miyo?" MIyoko motioned to bow and Hamatsu followed this action. Hotohori approached Hamatsu and lifted her chin up and said "Hama, you look dazzling even with mud upon your face."

      Tamahome on the other hand yelled "MIYO, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? YOU COULD OF HURT YOURSELF! WHAT IF SOMETHING GRABBED YOU WHILE YOU WERE IN THE WATER? WHAT DO YOU THINK I WOULD DO IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU, MIYO, HUH?"  Hamatsu gazed at the arguing Miyoko and Tamahome, then yelled at the top of her lungs "EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!! I HATE PEOPLE YELLING, SO IF YOU ALL DON'T SHUT YOUR PIEHOLES I'M GOIN GET PRETTY PISSED. NOW BEHAVE. HA-CHAN WINS!!!" She skipped off to her room after making this brief forcefulness.

       Satan had taken a certain obediance to Hotohori, so he now made it a "life's mission" to follow by his side. While Rysi followed Hamatsu around like she was a piece of ham. Hotohori mounted his horse at the head of the renforcement soldiers. Satan ran to the side of his horse and stood there looking up at him panting and wagging his tail. One of the advisors tried to remove him, but his attempts only got rewarded with a painful bite in the butt. Hotohori said aloud "He could be of some use. Bring him along. I have plans that this brave dog could help with."

     Hamatsu sat half way down the many steps watching them all ride out of the gate. Miyo sat next to her and asked "Whatcha thinkin, Ha-chan?" Hamatsu stared off down the steps and said "Look at this set of stairs, Miyo! It looks as if it could be never-ending, doesn't it? Thats the way love is supposed to be. I mean is it possible to love and hate the person you love or...is it-" Miyoko right away answered "It's possible to both love and hate them. It just means that they need to get over a certain person. I know what your thinking, Ha-chan. He doesn't love Miaka the way he loves you. So, there is no need to hate him for loving her." Hamatsu put her head down and replied "Its the way he looks at her, Miyo. He still wants her. Its a look I've never seen him give me. Its the look of wanting, but never getting and knowing it, too. My feelings for him wil never change. I'll always be there for him.  Maybe I should let him be with Miaka. Nari's right. I'm only eighteen, I can't be married and co-ruling a country. This war he's fighting is for her y'know?"

         Miyoko smacked the back of Hamatsu's head and yelled "OH GENBU, YOU HAVE BEEN WAAAAAAAAY TO SERIOUS THE PAST FEW DAYS, POSSIBLY MONTHS. I NEED BACK THE STUPID DITZ HA-CHAN. NOT THIS SPOOF-OFF OF HER. And just because your eighteen doesn't make a difference. Age is nothing, but a stupid number. NOW DON'T THINK ANYMORE, you'll hurt yourself."

     Hamatsu stood up on the steps and stomped her foot hard into the concrete stone step. She held her foot in extreme pain and causing her to lose balance she fell to the side. Resulting in her tumbling the hundreds, possibly thousands of stairs.

 Miaka came out stuffing her face full of rice and other tasty food. She muffled "Fhut tus all dat about?" Miyoko looked at her stragngely and said "Translation: 'What was all that about?'. It was about you and Hotohori, but the hidden meaning was. Ha-chan's just worried about if Hotohori dies in the battle, who will be the last one he thinks about. AND STOP SAVAGELY MASACERING THAT RICE DISH! ITS DEAD ALREADY!"

     Yoshiko came running up and said "My ladies, is Empress Hamatsu with you? If not then I am deeply afraid that the servant known as Hawa Mitsui, or commonly known as Nebbie-chan has attacked Her Empressy. Hawa seemed greatly angered by Lady Hamatsu telling her of the courtship between Miaka & Amboshi and Yui & Suboshi, but she got even more angered when m'Lady told her of how she set Hawa on a date with Nakago. She vowed to kill m'Lady and...um...well...circumsize His Majesty the hard way. M'Lady scoffed at her and last I saw of them was they were running about like a cat and mouse. M'Lady being the mouse. What are we to do? Kaniele is trying to catch and calm Hawa."

  Hamatsu all of the sudden came running past them down the stairs screaming. Hawa came following after. Miyoko pushed out her leg tripping Hawa. She got to her feet and started to growl in Miyoko's face, then bark loudly. She was acting like a dog then said "You people think your better than me. I'll bite your heads off. RRRRRRWOOF!" Miyoko tried to stifle the laughter, but attempts failed. Miaka and Miyoko started to crack up.

         Kaniele finally caught up panting. 

   So, Yoshiko and Kaniele lead Hawa back to the servants quarters to calm down. Hawa paced back and forth ranting on about " OH SUZAKU! THAT WOMAN, WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS? SO WHAT IF SHE'S THE EMPRES. I COULD CARE LESS! WHAT MAKES HER SO MUCH BETTER THAN ME?"

             Kaniele spoke softly "You mustn't think ill of our lady."

          Yoshiko stepped right up to Hawa's face and said "You have no right to speak of m'Lady in such a tone. Empress Hamatsu has tried her best to be kind to you. She may give us a few orders like an empress, but treats us like close friends and if we refuse to do them she does not get cross, but simply smiles and does them herself. She may be empty-headed and forgetful, but she is one damn good example of the perfect empress and friend. I can see why Emperor Saihitei cares for her so much. If you ever speak of her illy again I will go to m'Lord."

       Kaniele got in between the two as they stared eachother down in a silence that was scarier than fighting itself. In its own way.

      Kaniele spoke quickly with her voice shaking "If you two are done here two of us must help the remaining chefs with dinner and the other help Lady Hamatsu and Ladies Miyoko and Miaka prepare for dinner. If we quarrel it will be our heads. You both know the advisors will punish us. And not even our Lady can help us then."

           Hamatsu stared out her window and spotted something shining on the ground below. Keep in my mind she's how far up? She got this grin on her face and noticed it as her lucky safety pin. She climbed up to the window and hoisted her self so she was dangling out of it. She looked down below and saw how far it was. So, she whistled and minutes later came trotting up was Rhean. She let go and landed on his back.

    She turned and hopped off. As she reached down for the safety pin. She heard Yui say "Honestly Hama-chan, all that rouble for measely safety pin. Aare you really that stupid?"

   Hamatsu smiled big at her and said "Yeah! Have you noticed some of the smartest thing I say come out in the stupidest way. For example, people shouldn't be like pies. You have to take them in the wholes, not the slices. Meaning...you have to love OR HATE the person for all they are, not just for the good OR BAD, get it? I'm really glad your back, but why didn't you just come around the front. I mean I know thats a lot of stairs, but-" 

      Several soldiers popped out with chains, arrows, and swords, plus daggers to Rysi's throat. Yui explained "I'm sorry, Hama-chan. But this is the only way to end the war. If we tell Konan the only way to get back their empress is to surrender then this war will stop."

       Hamatsu shook her head and sighed "No, Yui. The only way to end this war is call back Kutou's armies and LEAVE KONAN ALONE!!!"

      One of the soldiers knocked her out. Yui growled "She is not to be harmed. She is still my friend and if you hurt her, then...then...I won't like it."

  They let Rysi go, but only to find her attack their legs maliciously. They finally just knocked her out. Four of them carried her away. Yui followed at the head of the party. They left away unnoticed and headed back towards Kutou. Yui thought to herself "Do I really think that this will stop the war or make it wworse. Nakago better be right about this plan. I just don't want anymore people to die. I do vow thou if anything happens to her...well....I'll feel bad."

   Hawa burst into the Royal Chamber and screamed out "COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE, MY MORNONIC LITTLE LADY HAMHAM. ITS TIME TO MEET YOUR MAKER. I ALWAYS KEEP MY PROMISES." Yoshiko and Kaniele were both on each arm attempting to hold her back, but couldn't. She slung her right arm and off went flying Kaniele into the vanity. Jewelry went every where. Brushes were thrown to the ground and make-up decorated the walls with pretty colors.

          Next Hawa looked over at her left arm and spotted Yoshiko pulling back with all her might. Hawa snickered and brought her arm up and wave it forward madly. Yoshiko flew onto the bed. She stood up struggling to keep balance and warned "This is His and Her Majesty's Royal Chamber and you are violating its greatness and......and...and....and where is m'lady?"

      They all looked around, but the room was empty. Left exactly like Hamatsu had it. The room was like it had been stopped in time. Nothing was different. Yoshiko and Kaniele paniced and ran out to the advisors. Who were discussing how to beat Kutou. Hawa stayed behind and sat down in a nearby chair and grabbed some sake'.

            An arrow went singing through the window and a piece of paper was attached to it. The paper read;

                      Dear Konan,

                            We have your empress, the Empress Hamatsu. She will not be harmed unless you simply surrender your armies and give Konan to Kutou. But if you refuse to follow our requests, then we are afraid we will have to end the empress's life. Tell Emperor Saihitei this is his decision alone and if our spies tell us that he has asked or listened to an opinion by his advisors, then we will just torture the Empress to her untimely doom. In short, give up or nice lady dies...bye. Have a pleasant day........if you can.

Make decision by sun down or else,

 The Kutuoins

             Hawa walked into the throne room where everyone was searching about and Hawa annouced "NO NEED TO WORRY FOLKS. SHE'S ONLY BEEN KIDNAPPED AND HER LIFE THREATENED."

     Miyoko ripped the letter out of her hands and skimmed over the letter. Miaka then ripped the letter out of her hands. The advisors commanded "Lady Miaka and her servant, Miyoko, you two will inform His Majesty about this and if you lose your lives on the way there, then your losses will be remembered."

      Miyoko glared at him and then the girls slowly walked out of the room. They headed for the stables. Where only three horses were left, Miyoko's horse, Takaryo, Miaka's Pockymewana, and Hamatsu's Rhean. Miyoko tried to saddle Takaryo, but her attempts were almost shattered when Takaryo sat down down in the stall. Miyoko yelled "OH GENBU! YOU STUPID ANIMAL, HORSES DON'T SIT. THEY DON'T EVEN LAY DOWN. Now if you don't stand still and let me put this stupid sattle on, I will kill you. You hear me?'

          The horse waited for her to finish tacking it all up before it started to act up again. Miyoko put her foot in the side and started to pull herself up when Takaryo went around in all little circle. Miyoko's body dragged a little before she let go and fell onto the cold , hard stall floor into the hay.

  She finally mounted him all the way and her & Miaka left riding out at top speed to the battle grounds. They rode for many days hoping to get to Hotohori before it was to late for Hamatsu.

       Back at the Kutou palace dungeon. Yui, a few soldiers, and some of the remaining Seiryuu celestials watched in amazement at Hamatsu sitting in her cell singing happily. Finally, one of the soldiers asked "Lady Yui, is that woman that clever that she's trying to lower our guard or just plain crazy?"

        Indeed, Hamatsu did seem rather stupid singing ''Stacey's Mom'' in the middle of a dungeon, but Yui explained "She does that anytime she thinks she's dreaming that way the reality her will start to hum, so us back in the real world will wake her up. We used to do it all the time in class when she didn't want to take notes."

         Miyoko and Miaka spotted the battle grounds. Arrows were flying, swords clanging, and fists being thrown. The girls spotted a nearby tent and walked towards it.

   Hotohori was insidewith some of his generals planning thier next moves on the enemy armies. He turned around and saw the two standing there. He smiled "Aaah, good, news from Konan. This should surely put a smile on my face, but it was dangerous for you two to travel alone to this war."

          Miyoko and Miaka moved there focus to the beautiful glittering sword attached to his belt. They watched it while they said "Your Highness, we have word about Hamatsu, but we are afraid its not good news. The Kutouins have kidnapped Ha-chan and threaten to kill her unless you surrender the war.....and Konan."

           He in one motion grabbed the sword and in anger stabbed it in the table. He then announced "There is nothing I can do. They are asking more than I can give. You two will stay the night and leave in the morning."

    Later that night Miaka and Miyoko lay in one of the tents talking;

Miyoko: What a major bakayarou?

Miaka: That just didn't seem like Hotohori.

Miyoko: Well, it was and I can't believe that he is so willing to choose his country over Ha-chan.

Miaka: He's the emperor what do you want him to do?

Miyoko: Save Ha-chan.

          The girls went to sleep or at least tried. Sleep was out of the question for Yui back in Kutou. Since Nakago told her "Lady Yui, I have a sure fire way to make the Emperor of Konan bow down to our demands. I know he won't agree to our needs, but he also will not let us keep her, so he will come here himself with Miyoko behind him. This will be his way of getting her back, but do you remember how easily bonds were broken between that celestial warrior, Tamahome and Miaka when I used the great power of the diedu? How would Hotohori or even the empress's best friend react to having be attacked by her? I know the Emperor of Konan is talented with a sword, but from what I hear and witnessed about the empress. She is better."

    Back at the war campsite. Miyoko lay restless, so she got up and walked out of the tent. Hotohori came up behind her and put his hand over her mouth and whispered "I am deeply apologetic for my previous performance regarding my darling Hamatsu. I did not know who I could trust, but know I can trust you. We leave for Kutou tonight. Their palace is only a few hours away. We should get their before dawn."

          Miyoko walked with him to where he had two horses, Takaryo and his own, Hikiru. He pulled himself up and Miyoko mounted, too. The rode off slowly at first, in order, to avoid loud noises. When they got about a mile or two away they broke the horses into a gallop.

             They could see the palace gates and the sun started to peer over the horizen, but not enough.

      They rode up the gates and made the horses rear up to kick them open. But to their surprise Nakago and some soldiers were already standing there smiling. Then they spotted one soldier fully armored with his head down. The face was unseen. Nakago laughed "Nice to see you your highness, but regretably I do not owe the honor of killing you. That specific honor is promised to another."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

    As the sun rose, so did the head of the unknown soldier, but only to reveal the raging face of Hamatsu. The sun shone on her face, but only exagrated the hatred in her eyes even more. This was not the moron they knew. No, this was a cold, smart person.

      The group of soldiers seperated into two. Hamatsu walked up slowly, carefully placing each step as she walked. She stopped when she reached the side of Nakago. He looked at Hotohori and kissed Hamatsu ravagely while still staring at Hotohori.

                  Something in Hotohori clicked. He raced toward Nakago with his sword raced high. Right before he brought the sword down. Hamatsu blocked it and brought out another sword as she thrusted that one at Hotohori's stomach. He jumped back freeing his sword from her grasp. She waved the two katanas around and backflipped without use of her hands. She kicked his side, knocking him down. She held the swords to his neck in a scissor-like fashion awaiting Nakago's orders.

       He finally said "Emperor Saihitei, does this sight anger you? Me having complete control over the one you love and want to have a family with. The face you want to wake up to every morning and now I've taken it away from you. Think of this as a lesson. Of how hard love comes, but how easily is broken. Now will you give Konan to me?"

         Hotohori stared into the cold eyes of his beloved. He thought for a moment and remembered how Tamahome regained himself. He rolled out from under the two swords and commanded Miyoko to lunge her ninja star into Hamatsu's stomach.

    Miyoko hestitated, but did it anyway. While Hotohori worked his mojo she fought off the other soldiers. Hotohori gently tackled Hamatsu to the ground and pinned the struggling Hamatsu to the ground and raised her head and kissed her with his own tears streaming down his face onto hers. Hamatsu's struggling started to slow down as she started to loose conciousness.

       Hotohori rested her head down on the ground and stood up and looked at Nakago and said "You will regret this moment."

         Three months later Hamatsu awoke to find Hotohori sleeping beside her holding her hand. She sat up in the bed and her figiting woke him up. He said excitedly "Your awake! I have been waiting three long months to see that shining face of yours."

        Hamatsu nodded slowly and mumbled "Its to early to make declarations of love. Just tell me what happened please. I feel like I have a hangover. NOTTHATI WOULDKNOWWHATTHATFEELSLIKE!!!"

     A few hours later Hamatsu realized it was time to leave for her and Miyo's world. She knew she had to go to her mother's funeral. Some might say she's just as bad as any murderer, but Hamatsu couldn't count how many times her mother attempted to kill her, but failed because of Nari..........and Sarah.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

    Hamatsu walked to Tamahome and Miyoko's room and yelled "GET YOUR DISGUSTINGLY IN LOVE BUTTS OUT HERE NOW.  YOU GUYS HAVE TO COME, TOO.......there will be a food table."

        Tamahome and Miyoko came running out panting "What are we waiting? Let's go!" Hotohori came holding his mouth ith a disgusted look on his face as he said "I can not bare to look at her another moment longer. It is truely a gruesome sight. In other words Tai-Yi-Jun is here to take us the last time back to your world and she seems very angered by us. Saying of how she is not an Amtrak. Whatever that means."

             Tai-Yi-Jun transported them to Tokyo, Japan, the current year. Hamatsu was sitting on her old bed with Tamahome, Miyoko, and Hotohori all laying there either sleeping or unconcious. Hamatsu picked up one of the pillows and threw it at Miyoko. Resulting in Miyoko to fall of the bed grabbing Tamahome with her. They stood up and yelled in unison "WHAT WAS THAT FOR YOU, STUPID DITZ?"

      Hotohori sat up moving the hair out of his face and rubbing his head.  Hamatsu asked "Is everyone okay? The was quite a first step there. Yeah...a real doozy. Whoot! We should ride it again sometime."

  Nari came in frantic and yelled "YOU GUYS ARE LATE! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE AN HOUR AGO! IF TRAVELING THROUGH THAT BOOK IS SO HARD THEN YOU NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY OF GETTING BACK HERE!" Hamatsu got off the bed and grumbled "What do you expect me do? Pull out a calculater and figure how many months and days I would have to wait till it would be three days here. I......DON'T......THINK.....SO."

       The two started to bicker. Keisuke came in and ignored the two girls, but welcomed the others. He led Tamahome and Hotohori to his closet to borrow some clothes, so that wouldn't stick out wearing their current articles of clothing.

    Miyoko went in between the two arguing siblings and shut them up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

       Nari begged Hamatsu "Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaase just take out those two piercings of yours. I bet they look at you funny back in anceint China. Your supposed to set an example as an empress. Your the only one their with piercings in your lip and eyebrow. There was no piercings then and what about that tatoo of yours. God forbid anyone back in anceint China has seen it. Do you honestly think that your suited to be an empress, huh?"

           Hamatsu sighed "Shut.....up, Nari. You know how stupid you sound when keep referring to it as 'ancient China', the name is Konan. Get....it.....right. I know I'm not suited to be the empress, but I am. You should be proud that I'm expressing myself and being myself in a time where woman were lower than dogs and shouldn't of pierced, tatooed, or even talked out. I do though. I'm myself and I know I'm the comic relief when everyone else is to serious and depressed to say anything. Now just help me and Miyo pick out two black dresses and lets all sit down with some donuts, otay?"

   Miyoko clapped unenthusiaticly and found a tolerable dress to wear "I found one! Dresses!?!"

         Hamatsu added "Yeah, I know. Most likely invented by a man as a way of cruel and unusaul punishment for women everywhere." Nari nodded in agreement.

      When the three girls were ready they walked out of the master bathroom to finnd the three guys waiting in the living room.

        Tamahome remarked "Suzaku! You look hot Miyoko. Why don't you where a dress more often?" Miyoko just glared at him.

    Keisuke looked at his watch and noticed they had one hour to get to the airport till their plane left. He jumped up and ran out the door. The others just followed him slowly. They all rode in one taxi. The diver dropped them off at the airport. THe drive took them 35 minutes. They had only 25 minutes to get to their plane. But they made it aboard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

***Note from Author-The next one will be strictly the funeral. It might be kinda long, but it will be funny...in a way. I would like to think I did a good job on this fanfic story. I would love to have good reviews, but the first two I got were YELLING to me about how I should put it into paragraphs, so a few minutes after posting it. I changed it. Oh yeah...LOOK FOR ME IN THE FUTURE WITH MY FUTURE MANGAS/ANIMES CALLED; Tortured Hearts, Time Realm, and/or Beyond. If you want more info on these three series just tell me in your reviews. I will have them published hopefully by either Tokyopop, Viz, or even Clamp. But my true calling is to be a fashion designer. That doesn't mean though I can't also be a manga writer, right? But that won't be till about ten, fifteen years from now.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*