To BD the Wandering Pixie: Wow. I think that's the greatest compliment I've ever gotten. Not only on my story, but in my LIFE. I practically melted when I read your review! Thank you SO much! I really appreciate it. Your epic huh?

To Split Personalities: Thank you for keeping up with me! Again, I love you devoted reviewers.

To everyone else: Please keep sending comments, good or bad! I'll also answer any questions and take in any story suggestions.

~

Chapter 19 : Untruthful Mirrors

"Hotohori was treated for his injuries, thanks to the healing powers of Mitsukake. Though his wounds were healed, Hotohori was in dire need of rest." Tetsuya now had the book, and quietly read to Himself and Keisuke. Yui was changing Hikari in the other room. Keisuke supposed she also left to get away from the torment the book bestowed on her.

Tetsuya cleared his throat. It was getting late, so they'd have to take a break soon. Keisuke yawned. "Nuriko, fully drenched and tired, returned back to the palace shortly after. He had lost track Ashitare after a long run. He was strictly disappointed, but relieved to see that Hotohori was well." Tetsuya skimmed along. He looked up at Keisuke. "Taka didn't break anything, he's just really bruised."

Keisuke gave a sigh of relief. He jotted what Tetsuya had said on a piece of paper in his lap. It was a list of any good things that happened, so Keisuke could update Yui on that when she returned. It also included "Tasuki has an upper hand with fire" and "Nuriko is getting exercise."

"Put 'Miaka helped clean up' or something." Tetsuya said slowly.

"She did?" Keisuke asked, surprised.

"Nah." Tetsuya leaned over and whispered. "But Yui doesn't know that. Feel free to make up anything."

********************************

"I knew spiders were evil." Saori stated. She was in Miaka's room along with Taka and Chiriko. Taka, of course, laid in the bed, shirtless. "That's what I always said, but NO one ever listens to me..." Saori continued commenting while hugging her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth slowly

"It was just that one..." Miaka reassured, though she couldn't stand the things herself. She looked down at Taka, who was trying to sleep. "I feel really bad for Ami. She's here when all this is happening, she must be scared."

"SPIDER!!!!" Saori yelled, jumping back and pointing at the wall.

Miaka screamed. "AH! Where?!!!"

Saori nearly fell off the bed. She grabbed her stomach and began laughing hysterically. Taka had jumped too, but only at the loudness of his wife.

"Saori!!" Miaka scolded.

Chiriko couldn't help but laugh as well.

"You fell for it! You're so funny Miaka!!!" Saori laughed. She was practically rolling on the floor.

"Fine! You got me!" Miaka pouted. "Joke's over!"

Saori gasped for air. "Ha!" She giggled.

Miaka suddenly went rigid as she felt something crawling up her back. She jumped and screamed again, shaking wildly to get whatever it was off. She turned around.

"Sorry." Taka smiled, withdrawing his fingers from her back. "Couldn't help it."

Saori burst out into a new chain of laughter. Along with the "ha ha"s there were some definite "ows." Saori held onto her side tightly. "It hurts!" She cried, half laughing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The quickening of footsteps the next morning was heard coming towards Hotohori's door. Hotohori laid in bed, still awake and recovering. Boushin was at his side, and Mitsukake was in the corner.

A magistrate walked in, followed by...

"Sire!" The woman gasped.

Hotohori looked over in shock. "I.... Inami?"

The brunette walked into the room and knelt down by Boushin. "Sire! Are you all right? Please forgive my intrusion... but still, are you okay?" The girl tried to apologize for her current ill conduct and check the welfare of Hotohori at the same time.

Hotohori sat up. "I am perfectly well, thank you. But. what on earth are you doing here?"

Inami stood up. "Please forgive me, Sire. I did send word, but I imagine I got here before it did. I arrived just ten minutes ago. Your men informed me of your condition. Please pardon me..." Inami looked somewhat flustered, suddenly in realization that she was in the Konan Emperor's personal quarters.

"It is quite all right." Hotohori notioned. "Your concern is appreciated. But still I must ask, why are you here?"

Inami made a sideways glance at the Magistrate in the room. Hotohori nodded to him and he left, closing the door.

Inami knelt back down. "Honestly, things weren't quite peachy on my return to Hokkan." Inami explained. "The emperor sent Ami Kaiku down in my place to work things out. I had to convince him I was much better suited for the job, you would understand...." She paused, "And I had to get over my own embarrassment."

Boushin nodded. Hotohori must have told him about Inami, or at least told him a story that fit Inami's explanation.

Inami bowed her head, and again stood. "Sire, I do not mean to keep you from your rest, but Hokkan is in great need of your assistance. Kutou is likely to strike at any moment, whether it be Hokkan or Konan. I really...."

"Understood." Hotohori finished.

"Highness." Mitsukake went over to the emperor. "You must rest."

Hotohori was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Perhaps you are right. Thank you, Inami. You are always welcome in Konan. I will have some of my men escort you back to your room, and Boushin will help you with any immediate arrangments."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm terribly sorry for the short notice." Miss Cheinun explained.

Ami smiled as she closed her suitcase. "I said before, Akue. It's okay!" She looked towards the door. "Actually, I'm quite relieved. It's rather frightening being here. I can't wait to return to Hokkan. I already miss the snow!"

Akue smiled. "Thank you."

Ami picked up her luggage. "By the way, I've been quite curious. Why did you leave the first time?"

"I... needed to time to assess all the work, that's all." Akue smiled.

"I know what that's like." Ami sighed. "I'll be seeing you back in Hokkan, ne?" Akue nodded.

The next morning, Tasuki sat in a leisure room with Nuriko. His feet were messily plopped up on the table. His diamond fan was in his hands, and with an old rag he swept it over the edges, polishing it up.

Nuriko was staring off into space, a blank expression pasted on his features.

Tasuki sat up and waved his hands in front of the depressed man's face.

Nuriko blinked hard and woke back into reality. "Oh.... sorry." He apologized.

Tasuki slunk back into his chair. "Are you all right?"

Nuriko sighed, and smiled a little. "I'm fine." Nuriko's voice squeaked. He paused for a moment to clear his throat, his smile fading. "I still can't do it. After all this time, I still can't do it." Tasuki looked extremely curious. "Can't do what?"

"Defeat him." Nuriko answered. "Ashitare of the Seiryu Seven has won yet again."

"Hmmph." Tasuki retorted. "He didn't win nothing. You and I, of course, beat the hell out of that sucker."

Nuriko smiled slightly. "But now that he's injured Hotohori-sama, I can't forgive him."

Tasuki rested his fan on his shoulder. "You can't forgive him for that, but you can for your own death?" Tasuki shuddered at the remembrance of the lost of the cherished Nuriko. The first of the Suzaku seven to die.... perhaps his death, along with Chiriko's, was the hardest for the bandit to deal with.

The room lay eerily silent.

"For heaven's sake! You're such a slob!"

Tasuki fell over out of his chair and onto the carpet, giving a heavy gasp. The loud nagging in the serious silence scared the wits out of him. Still staring at the carpet, he came to the sudden realization of what the voice was coming from. He didn't dare to look up.

"Tsk tsk." Akue put her hands firmly on her hips. "Do you even THINK about cleaning your second-rate boots off before coming into an imperial room and messing it up?!" She bellowed.

"I....Inami?" Nuriko choked, startled himself.

Inami suddenly took a friendly expression. "Nuriko-san!" she smiled. "How are you? Miaka told me she wasn't sure if you were feeling all right."

Nuriko put his hands on his knees and smiled. "I'm fine."

Tasuki finally stood back up, holding his fan out in a very offensive mode. "What the hell is wrong with you, woman?!!!!" he screamed loud enough for Kutou to hear. "What the hell are you doing back here?! PLEASE don't tell me your sending that NICE one away! Nuriko!!!"

Inami lowered her eyebrows.

Nuriko stood up and sighed, leaving the bickering two quiet. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not in the mood for this..." He mumbled. He walked calmly by Inami, and left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'The reason I came back here was for you!'

'But my friends call me Tamahome....'

'Tamahome! Welcome home! We haven't seen your face around here in a while!'

'Tamahome, do you truly love Miaka?'

'Why do you feel you have to compete with him? You are Tamahome, not just Taka...'

'I love you....

'Tamahome....'

Taka slowly opened his eyes. His body felt hot, the covers heavy. The drapes covering his window were spread a few inches, filtering clean, bright sunlight. He could see everything in his room clearly from the beige walls to the velvety bed. Miaka's head laid softly on his chest. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, almost protectively. He inhaled deeply.

Miaka, who must have been awake, looked up. "You're awake, Taka?"

Taka stared up into the canopy of the bed. "Miaka, I had a strange dream just now... actually, all night..."

Miaka turned onto her stomach. "What was it about?" She asked, lightly placing her hands over Taka's shoulders.

Taka sighed. "It was about me. Just a lot of things about my past."

"Oh." Miaka commented.

Taka ran his hand over Miaka's back, which was covered by a thin silk night robe. "Miaka, how did I get the name Taka again?"

Miaka looked bewildered at the sudden question. "When you were reborn.... it's just what we called you.... why?"

Taka closed his eyes. "Because. I want to be called Tamahome."

"Tamahome?" Hotohori asked. He sat on the corner of his bed, fully healed. His chestnut brown hair was pulled back in a loose, bound ponytail, accenting his handsome features.

"Yes, Sire." Tamahome answered.

Miaka was at his side. "He wants his old name back, isn't it just...." Miaka smiled and wrapped her arms tighter around her husband.

Hotohori smiled. "Very well then, Tamahome it shall be."

Miaka closed her eyes and snuggled closer to Tamahome.

~And if you think there was peace at last in the palace of Konan, you're about to be proven wrong.~

"Chichue!"

Hotohori looked up at his door as Boushin, running the best he could in his heavy robes, entered through the doorway.

Hotohori stood up. "Boushin, what is the matter?"

Boushin struggled to catch his breathe. "It's Saori. Something in wrong with her... she refuses to leave her room! She won't tell me why... but she sounds upset. I'm worried. She's been in there all morning."

Hotohori looked to Tamahome and Miaka.

Tamahome nodded. "We'll see what's the matter."

Hotohori nodded his thanks.

Boushin turned to the married couple. "Please, she's this way."

Chiriko was already standing by the door when Boushin, Tamahome, and Miaka arrived. He exchanged worried looks with the young emperor. Miaka stepped away from Tamahome and knocked on the door.

"Saori, it's me, Miaka. Are you okay?"

There was no answer.

Miaka knocked again, louder. "Saori-chan! Please say something!"

"Are you sure she's in there?" Tamahome asked Chiriko.

Chiriko nodded.

Boushin, who was slightly taller than Miaka, knocked firmly on the wooden door. "Saori!" He shouted. "Open this door at once!" He ordered.

"I...... can't....."

Saori's quiet, shaking words were barely audible.

Boushin pounded his whole fist on the door. "Saori!"

"Saori," Chiriko spoke, quieter than the prince, "Tell us what's wrong. Are you sick?"

"I'm not.... here...." Saori whispered quietly. Her voice shook in what sounded like fear.

Tamahome heard it. "Move back." He told Boushin.

Boushin did so.

Using his right leg, Tamahome swung back and smashed his foot into the door right next to the knob. The Door flew open, hitting the opposite wall.

Saori wore only the shirt of her school uniform. Her hair was undone and plain. She sat on the floor by the foot of her bed, knelt down with her hands on her knees. She stared blankly forward, not even noticing the loud clammer of the door.

Boushin stepped in first. "Saori! What are you doing?"

"I'm....not...." she whispered.

Miaka ran in past Boushin to Saori's side. She knelt beside her, planting her hands firmly on Saori's shoulders. "Saori!" She said, shaking her friend. "Saori, snap out of it, what's wrong?!" Miaka turned to see what Saori was staring at. She gasped.

"What is it?" Boushin asked.

Miaka, not looking away, slowly stood. "Saori... you...."

Everyone else came over to see exactly what was going on. Once realizing it, they stood silent, shocked. Tamahome felt a slight twinge of sympathy.

Saori's focus was directed towards the long mirror in her bedroom. It reflected Miaka and the others, but where she was supposed to be, there was only her bed.

"I just... woke up and...." Saori trembled. "and... it was like this...."

"She isn't meant to be in this world, no da." Chichiri now stood in the doorway. "Saori has no reflection."