(All-American Rejects- Swing Swing)

Miaka steps away from Tamahome and exits the room. She can hear him yell in a certainty of panic- his voice lingering midair. She walks at first fast, then slow and stops altogether. She falls and her knees strike the cold concrete surface; tears driving themselves into the ground.

Miaka: 'No we can't be in love anymore, Tamahome. We just can't'

Her vision is blurred and she is bought into Tamahome's sight.

Tamahome: Don't go. Don't go anywhere!

Tamahome stares tenderly at Miaka, walks up to her, gently pulls her head into his chest and hugs her.

Miaka remembers the wise words of Taitsuken as they beat in repetition inside her head- they are prohibited from touching each other; for fear that they may go further.

Miaka: Let go, Tamahome…

Tamahome refuses and only hugs her tighter, his eyes and fists clenched and close to tears.

Tamahome: I'm always scared of that…. I don't want to lose you….. I don't …ever…want to lose you.

Miaka's pulses beat harder and faster… How did I end up with Hotohori?...

Her temples wound themselves up and caused her to shift her limbs around restlessly.

Tamahome: Alright Miaka. What did Taitsukun say to you?

Miaka: It's nothing. Nothing I promise you.

Tamahome: You're lying! I proposed to you! I WON'T give up… Give me reason to!

A white flash momentarily blinded Miaka and the whole scene paused… Proposed? And then came back to her.

Tamahome: Throw away your feelings!

Miaka: It's hard and painful, I KNOW. But...but…we can't love each other anymore!

Miaka's throat began to ache she found it becoming increasingly difficult to swallow. Everything had faded into the pitch darkness enclosed within her eyes and she started to ponder.

Have I woken up..? I feel like I've just seen myself in this whole life and forgotten who I am! What have I done…? Where is he…? Hotohori?

Miaka's shoulders shiver and shake and she covers her mouth and starts to scream inside. HOTOHORI-I-I-IIIIIII ! Her voice sounds and she is alerted by the maids-in-waiting who vigorously shake her into consciousness.

What have I done…? Where is he…? Why are we not together…? What happened…? Where am i…?

I have to see this man who calls himself Tamahome. I have to see who he is and what he's done. I have to know what this dream is for. I have to find out.

"Hotohori! I need to see Hotohori!"

The servants do nothing but stare onto the ground with their arms dropped to the middle of their dresses and hands clasping their own.
Hotohori rushes from his chamber into hers, pulls Miaka close to him and holds her close.

Miaka stutters as she hesitantly looks up at the emperor, grabbing his robes to pull him closer to her.

"…strange man I apparently know.. But I don't know him…how can I know him? only you … I have only you, Hotohori!"

She sniffled a little before asking:

"Hotohori, who is Tamahome? I have been sitting here all day at my quarters having dreams- NIGHTMARES and invasions in my head about this, WHO IS HE? "

Hotohori closes his eyes and whispers "I was so afraid of losing you… so afraid that you would realise how amazing you are and leave me…"

"HOTOHORI! WHO IS THIS MAN!" Miaka cries aloud, her voice trembling and raged. "There is no one I would be with but you!"

The emperor does nothing but pulls her closer and tightens his hug to calm her down. "Miaka, you are safe, it's okay… It's okay… we have each other. That is all that matters."

I have to find out who this person is… Its been a while since I've been let out of the palace.. The last time was … I don't even remember! "Let me OUT Hotohori, I want to know what's happening!"

Hotohori stands still as the cool morning breeze slowly creeps in through the windows with the morning light.

"Fetch Miaka some fresh food and clothes. Pack her everything she wants and have my finest guards accompany her"

"NO!" she rammed both her fists into his chest "I want to be alone! I'm going crazy in here seeing the same things everyday. I want to know who I am by myself. I can't have anyone go with me- please Hotohori…please understand. I don't even know who I am….who I am…Hotohori, I don't even know my past- how I came to be with you! LET ME FIND OUT"

The emperor nodded and reinstructed the guards to "make sure she is escorted out of the palace, but when she has had enough, leave her and return. That is her wish, which is what I will gladly give to her."

He then turned to Miaka first serious, then slightly uplifted, "But Miaka, please be safe… I don't want anything to happen to you. I will be ever so afraid if you were lost...I would have to send my guards to find you and the Honan Empire might be a little afraid that we are giving the impression we are under attack. Please hurry back when you have had enough adventuring. Please come back safe, I will try not to miss you when you are gone, I love you- but please, don't take forever coming back. I am my empire and my empire cannot live without you"

He wiped the salty tears trickling down her face with his satin-silk robes and smiled sincerely in her direction. Miaka looked back up to him , her eyes big and round; "thankyou so much Hotohori- I love you too! I will be back as soon as I can. As soon as I know who I am-As soon as I find this man. I will return safely and quickly."

As the servants pulled up with a horse and cart, they lifted her in and carried her in, she waved goodbye to her love and looked ahead.

Hotohori took one shorter glimpse at her and turned around to stride away. Miaka, I didn't want to tell you… I can't tell you you've lived a lie. I want you to find out for yourself. You need to find who you are and when you do, hopefully then we can be together.


"Pardon me, Priestess, it is very bold of me to ask and I fear for your safety- how will you find him?"

"I don't know" she responded,"…but he has to be here. I have this feeling. I didn't know how to explain it to Hotohori before but I know that it will be in the Honon Empire because I have not been to any other and my dreams have never seen another place."