Chapter three, and a lot about Nuriko. I love him so. Disclaimer, see first chapter.

Hamatsu laughed. That Nuriko lady sounded pretty cool. She bet that if she were in the book, she would be Nuriko's friend.

"I must commend you on protecting the Priestess," Hotohori said to Tamahome. They were getting bandaged up back inside the palace.

"Commend him all you want," Miyoko said. "But Tamahome, don't risk your life for me! I can take care of myself, you know. I'm a ninja."

"I'll do what I want," he answered.

Lady Nuriko was led into the room.

"So you're the third Warrior!" Miyoko said. "Thank you so much for rescuing us!"

"You're very welcome, Priestess," she replied, smiling. An adviser called Hotohori out of the room, and Nuriko took the opportunity. "But I didn't do it for you," she continued. "I did it for Tamahome here."

With that, Nuriko kissed Tamahome. She grinned at Tamahome and then walked out of the room, leaving Tamahome and Miyoko very bewildered.

Later came dinnertime, but Hotohori and Nuriko were nowhere to be found. "This food is so good!" Miyo exclaimed, her mouth full.

"How in the world can you eat so much?" Tamahome asked, eyebrows raised.

"Usually," she said between bites, "I just have noodles. This palace food is great!"

"Better watch out," he said, taking a sip of tea. "If you eat too much, you won't be able to fit into those dresses the servants brought for you."

Miyo held the pitcher of very hot tea above him. "What was that?!" she asked, eyes narrowed.

"Nothing, nothing!" he insisted.

"The dresses annoy me," she declared, putting down the pitcher. "It's so hard to move in them! What if someone attacked me? How am I supposed to be a ninja in a skirt?!"

"Beats me."

"I know! I'll just have to get some pant-like objects."

"You could just say pants. But do you really think they'll let the Priestess run around dressed like a man?"

"Why not?"

Tamahome shook his head. "It wouldn't be proper. It's cross-dressing."

"Cross-dressing?! Fine then. You'll have to lend me some of your clothes."

"WHAT?!"

"Coming to this world is like going back in a time machine! I want to see the city! C'mon, Tamahome!"

"Hold on, hold on. There is an outfit that girls wear that involves pants. It's usually not worn when one wants to be an elegant lady," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "Who cares?"

Nuriko bounded into the room. "Hello, Tamahome!" she squealed, hugging him.

"N... Nuriko, I can't breathe..."

"Oops, sorry about that."

"Anyway, I'll see you two later!" Miyoko said as she got up to go back to her room.

She was trying to draw her new friends in her sketchbook to show people when she got back home.

"If I ever get home," she said aloud thoughtfully. Her door was open, and she saw Tamahome running away from Nuriko.

"Nuriko's been giving me the cold shoulder," Miyoko said. "I wonder why? I know! I'll be her maid for a while. That'll show her that I want to be her friend!"

So Miyoko left to find Nuriko's room. It wasn't too messy, but Miyoko cleaned it for good measure. Then Nuriko came in the room. "Um, Miyo... What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna be your maid!" Miyoko answered. Nuriko's eyes sparkled.

"Then do my hair!" she said. "And my nails, and then wash my clothes, and scrub the floor, and..."

Miyoko tried hard to keep a smile on.

"Life can't be too bad for you," Miyoko said to Tamahome. She had finished all the chores Nuriko had asked her to do. "I mean, you live in a palace, a beautiful woman loves you..."

"Am I supposed to be happy about that?" he asked grumpily. "The only chance I got to escape from her is when you were keeping her busy, and now. Why did you do that, anyway? I mean, the Priestess as one of her Warrior's maids..."

"I want to get along with her," she replied. "I mean, who knows how long it will take to find the other Warriors? We might be around each other for a while. I just want to be friends with everyone." She sighed. "My best friend is still in my world. I want her to come here so we'll be together, but I don't want her to be stranded here as well."

Tamahome didn't know what to say to that, so he just joked, "I think you're jealous that Nuriko is spending so much time with me."

"That's what you'd like to think," she replied.

That night, Nuriko ran around frantically.

"Lady Nuriko, what's the matter?" Miyoko asked.

"I lost an earring!" Nuriko cried. "It was a family heirloom. I lost it near the koi pond. Oh, I don't know what to do!"

"I'll find it for you!" Miyoko volunteered. "It shouldn't be too hard for a ninja."

"Really? If you find it, I'll protect you as one of the Warriors from now on!" Nuriko promised. Miyoko ran off.

Nuriko began to cackle.

Tamahome walked in the room. "Hey, have you seen Miyo recently?"

Nuriko gave him an innocent look. "Let's see, Miyo... About yea tall? Annoying-Emperor Hotohori-stealing-bitch?"

"Okay, what did you do to her?" Tamahome asked suspiciously.

Miyoko searched for a shiny object in the weeds near the pond, but to no avail. She just couldn't find it. But, as luck would have it, she slipped and fell in the pond.

"Dammit," she said in a low voice. Defeated, she began walking back to the palace.

Tamahome had been trying to go after Miyoko, but Nuriko grabbed him and stopped him.

"So you DO realize I'm not actually after you?" she said. "I'm just trying to make Miyoko jealous so she will stay far away from my Hotohori. There was no earring after all!"

"Nuriko," Miyoko said. She appeared, soaking wet, in the hallway where they were. She walked towards the Seishi, who had a huge grin on her face. "So why don't you like me? I missed hearing that part."

"You have to know that you can't go after Hotohori! He's always been mine! Don't you dare! You conniving little—"

But Nuriko was interrupted by Miyoko laughing. "What's so funny?!" Nuriko screamed at her.

"Hotohori? I don't love him! Don't worry!" Miyoko laughed. "He's all yours, Nuriko-sama."

"R—really?"

Tamahome watched this with interest.

"He's over there, with his advisers. Now's a good chance to go talk to him," Miyoko said, pointing to where Hotohori was sitting.

Nuriko looked confused. "You would... Even after all I..." She bowed. "I will protect you as a Warrior, now, don't worry." She smiled and left them.

Tamahome scratched his head. "That was weird. So are you guys finished fighting now?"

"I never fought her," Miyoko said. She leaned on the railing to watch Hotohori and Nuriko.

"So, Miyoko," Tamahome said. "If you don't love Hotohori, who do you love?"

She began walking away. 'I haven't decided yet," she replied. "And you?"

He grinned. "Same here."