Riding up a rather steep hill with footmen driving the horses - she came to a fork in the road; one leading past a harvest field into a dense forest, the other, continued onward a dirt barren road. A knife's blade- or a very shiny glint up in the sky shot down into the forest. It seemed to make clear the priestess's decision.

"That way!" she pointed. The men nodded and headed for the direction of the harvest field.

Her red, white and gold gown fluttered in the wind as she commanded the order and so she sat back down in the cart and looked out.

As they rode by, a face from the harvest field turned around before veiling his face under his hat. Miaka took notice of this as odd. He looks so familiar… Later still, the men in the harvest field kept turning around before hiding their faces again in synchronisation. Who are these people … they remind me of no one… but I've feel known them before.

As the horse and cart drew near into the forest, a quarrel could be heard. A bandit darted out from no where and struck the footmen out cold at point-blank, Miaka protruded her head out of the cart to see the commotion and almost instantly was grabbed by a cloaked stranger, who disappeared with her deeper into the forest at great velocity, flashing faster than light through to a small lagoon. There, the cloaked figure dropped her as leaves rustled to signify his departure.

(Utada Hikaru-First Love).

Miaka shook her head and released herself from the ground with her elbow. A voice! A man with darkish turquoise hair caught her attention as he hummed an old tune; whilst taking a shower under the smaller waterfall splashing from the higher boulders. She crouched low as to not make a sound. He heard the clanking of money as the boy's clothes were tossed onto nearby boulders and rocks.

At this point, the same cloaked figure swiftly darked about; reappeared and stalled in front of the bathing male who was startled as such that he fell into the pool. As the male surfaced, the pair appeared to be in conversation. It wasn't very long though, before the figure vanished again- just as he did, the male turned around in Miaka's direction. It's the man from my dream! What do I do, what do I do! Miaka's fingers cramped and she made claw like movements to loosen them up while her face turned blue and her mouth expelled liquid. Hysterically panicking she waddled in her crouched pose trying to think of a solution. Run.

She sprung up and darted the other way.

Tamahome: Are you alright Miaka?

Miaka: Will you stop it? Stop putting yourself in danger for me!

Tamahome: Why are you saying that? I can't leave you alone Miaka. You see how it can be. I have to be with you.

Miaka: I don't want you to. Please leave me alone!

Tamahome: Can't I be with you? While you were gone, I wanted to see you so badly. For the first time in my life, I was aware of my feelings. I couldn't even focus with you gone. I have to keep you safe.

"Wait! ... Miss!" Miaka's defence mechanism faltered and she haltered to a stop before turning around.

Both stood there; much like people do in a face off- and yet neither knew of each other's intentions. The boy's hair was dark, messy and wet; water dripping onto his body, dispersing into even tinier droplets which trickled even further downward. He was wearing only baggy trousers which bunched around in places to look quite oversized. But somehow… they sat perfectly over his pelvic bones. He had a very masculine figure; his pectoral abs rippled through his torso-he had wide-broad shoulders and a rather tanned complexion. Miaka concluded that he had a much defined body.

She didn't want to assume, and took a while to realize, that this was the boy from her dreams.

The grass swept with the polished wind brushing over the tops and both Miaka's and the stranger's eyes met for the first time again. Both of their eyes had widened and pupils fully dilated at each other; their hair blew about amongst this breeze where silence followed.

They did not recognise each other.

But … This voice...this hair...these lips...

Miaka, in panic, about faced and ran again. Rustling through the trees, she forcefully plummeted her way further and deeper into the forest.

"wait! DON'T RUN! COME BACK HERE! OI! "

A giant shadow overcast the light given through the leaves of the taller trees and before she was tackled to the floor and held still. "WHO ARE YOU!"

Being held down, she muttered into the ground "I'm the Priestess of Suzaku. LET ME GO! "

The boy loosened his grip and dusted himself off.

"But I have no affiliation with the Priestess, what is your name?"

"Miaka…I demand to know who you are."

"Tamahome" an unexcited voice came from the boy's lips.

"Tama…home- then it really is you!"

"What is?" he answered, unsurprised and unmoved- almost indifference reached his voice.

"You were the man from my dreams!"

"You need to be joking. I was just told by my friend that you were finding someone."

Don't say it's him you were looking for.

"Yes…I am looking for someone"

"He said that you were offering a large sum of money."

"I am?...I guess…I will…"

"Good, then I will help you locate him. Money in advance, no refunds and I am only to be here for the duration of your payment- once your quest has been completed, I offer no further service to you."

"Half now, half later" Miaka's voice tried to sound a little stronger but only croaked. She coughed to disguise her nervousness.

"Fine with me," he brushed his hand and caught the gold she took from her waist to hold it out to him.

"Where do we start?"

"…with all four empires"

"…WW—H-A----TTTTT?" A very shocked Tamahome exclaimed.

Miaka, with a very satisfied humour continued, "Come on now, let's be on our way, the sooner we leave the sooner you get your money."

Tamahome's eyes lit up with the thought of shiny pieces of gold.

Ridiculous! Thought Miaka.

Setting out on foot was something Miaka had not done in a while and soon naturally, her feet began to ache. But her heart felt light and she kept glimpsing up at the strange man who now accompanied her.

"What are you smiling about… we have to walk through all four empires!"

Miaka couldn't help but stare up and smile while walking alongside with him, even skipping at times.

Miaka: Tamahome's clothes...Tamahome's smell...I'm NOT alright. From the first moment I saw him, I've never taken my eyes off of him. I've always hung in there because Tamahome was with me.

"So where are we heading first?" Tamahome asked

"Koutu." She said without hesitation.

"Why Koutu?" he muttered under his breath.

"You don't like Koutu?- perhaps you are afraid of the god that protects that region."

"No…. actually… to be honest, I think I left something back there and I'm afraid I don't want to know what it is"

"Then let's hope we don't find it then"

"Deal…Agreed...Whatever"

"Well it's about evening now, if we make camp around here for the night, we'll be able to start fresh early in the morning."

Miaka nodded. "Alright, I have no objections…but where? I am not sleeping on that floor ridden with forest things."

Tamahome sighed. "Yes, Priestess…I'll make sure nothing bad comes to you."

He didn't see a giant leg rise between his legs and kick in one foul, swift move.

"AAAAA---A—A—A--IIIIIIII-I-I—IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII" He sky-rocketed clutching the staggering pulsating pain coming from his groin.

Tamahome's forehead sweat dropped before leading her back into the lagoon. Here. He pulled open the waterfall fountain with a giant toadstool to a magical hideout.

Miaka's eyes lit up , sparkling with nothing but amazement "Wow! -It looks so ….so…"

"cosy….warm….tranquil- magical?"

"fake." -. -

"… it is." -. -;

"…oh"

"Anyway," he continued, "get some sleep; we have a big day ahead of us. There are some woven blankets over there and a few scattered pillows around."

"You live here?"

"No."

"then wha-"

"I hide here" he said with kindling sticks in his hand.

"You hide?"

"never used to"

"then why did you sa-"

"None of your business." As ignited the fire with two clinking rocks.

"Right. . ." she paused before raising the point that there were not enough beds.

"You can sleep on the mattress."

The boy moved to the opposite side of the cave and snuggled toward the fire in the middle of them.

Miaka sat on the straw bound 'bed' and lay her head to rest and her eyes averted to the ceiling, her hands hitched up to her chin grasping the blanket.

It's so old and creepy…. Cobwebs….insects….Spider… spider!

"Iiii-iii-Aaaa-aaaaa--aa-hh" a high pitch squeal shook some of the ceiling rubble loose.

Tamahome jumped out and whacked the critter dead with his flat shoe.

"You're such a kid, you know that?"

"I am not!" Miaka pouted as she turned to face the rocky wall. I miss Hotohori.

The waterfall continued to patter at the entrance, while Miaka's eyes slowly grew heavy- before finally, her lids shut.

Miaka: Tamahome, all kids love you.

Tamahome: Just like you loved me at first site too!

Miaka: I'm not a KID!

Tamahome: It felt like I'd gotten another kid sister to take care of.

Flashbacks to the moment Miaka grabbed him crying out how terrified she was

Miaka: Oh sure! I'm just a another kid sister that needs taking care of!

Tamahome: That was only in the beginning. But I wonder what made me realize I loved you.