Chapter four, and my best friend Hamatsu who I love. waves Hi Ha-chan!! Disclaimer, see first chapter.

Hamatsu snorted. "Yeah right. I bet Miyoko's in love with that Tamahome dude."

Back in Tokyo, Hamatsu kept reaching for the book, then taking her hand away, back and forth, back and forth, trying to decide whether or not to try and go after Miyoko, or go for help. "But Saissa might come... what would happen to her then? And who would believe me if I said Miyo went into the book?" she said. "They wouldn't even believe something that crazy if it came from someone else, much less me." She stood. "All right then! Wait, if I'm gonna disappear into that crazy book thing, I'd better take my backpack with me! Let's see, what do I have in here..."

She pulled out a few small notebooks, some art pencils, her sketchbook, Pocky, her English book, more Pocky, and she still had a few other pockets of her backpack to go through. "I've got enough stuff!" she declared, replacing the items. "All right!"

She picked up the book and flung it open. A wind started to howl and a bright light came from the book. "Let's go!"

The book fell to the ground–and Hamatsu entered the world of the Universe of the Four Gods.

"Oh Miyoko!" Lady Nuriko sang out, flinging Miyo's doors open. Nuriko was also one of the Suzaku Seven, and as so, she was extraordinarily strong. Miyoko looked up from her sketchbook she had been given to see her door flying away. "Oops," Nuriko said, looking after it. It fell into the pond nearby. "Oh well! Anyway, Lord Hotohori has called for you."

"Thanks, Nuriko!" she said. "Are you coming too?"

"Of course!" she giggled. She cast a wary look at Miyoko. "Look, sweetie, I know His Majesty is quite a guy, but you must always remember–"

"That fate determined that you and he be together," Miyoko finished. Nuriko had reminded her of this several times already in the past four hours. "Yes, Nuriko, I know. Don't worry, I don't think he's my type," she said, as they walked into the throne room. "You called, Hotohori?"

"Yes, Miyoko. There is someone here I think you should see; she claims to know you." He cleared his throat, and muttered to his advisers. "You are dismissed."

"But– M'Lord, we–"

"Suzaku business," Hotohori said loudly.

"Very well," the man grumbled, and they walked out.

"And send the girl in," Hotohori called after them. "I swear, those people..."

"Do you want me to take care of them?" Nuriko asked sweetly.

"No, no, quite all right, Lady Nuriko," he said quickly. Tamahome snickered.

"MIYOKO!!!!!!!" a familiar voice shrieked. Suddenly Miyo was being glomped.

"Uh, Ha-chan... can't... breathe..." Miyoko grunted. She detached Hamatsu from her.

"Where are we-who are these people-why are you dressed like that-why are we here-how did we get here- WHERE ARE WE?!?!?!" Hamatsu asked, jumping up and down.

"Chill out, Hamatsu! That's Lady Nuriko, that's Tamahome, and that's Lord Hotohori," she introduced them. They bowed slightly to each other. Miyoko noticed Hamatsu's face grow extremely red when she looked at Hotohori.

"I might be able to answer some of those questions," someone said. Suddenly an old woman was floating in the air in front of them, and the two girls fell over.

"Oh my god! It's hideous!" Tamahome yelled, clutching his eyes.

"Oh my," Nuriko said, drawing back. Hotohori gagged.

"Oh, grow up," the woman grouched. "Priestess, I am Tai Yi Jun. I represent the 'yin' force."

"So... are you like, magic?" Hamatsu asked.

"I am omniscient of things of this world, and many of your world," she said. "I've got a fair bit of power at my disposal as well, and I could certainly turn some of you into toads if you don't get over it," she threatened Tamahome.

"Uh... sorry, ma'am," he said meekly.

"So... You know everything?" Nuriko asked, looking slightly flustered.

Tai Yi Jun turned to her. "Yes, Lady Nuriko," she replied. Nuriko giggled nervously. "Miyoko, you know that you came here through the book 'The Universe of the Four Gods,' correct?"

Miyo nodded. Hamatsu still looked confused.

"Hamatsu was able to follow you through a connection of some sort. The same uniform," Tai Yi Jun noted. "Now Miyoko, it is up to you to gather the Suzaku Warriors. You need to keep the 'Universe of the Four Gods' safe. Without it, you will not be able to summon Suzaku."

"I will," she promised.

"Kutou has already found their Priestess. You must work quickly, or Konan will be defeated." A small crystal ball appeared suddenly in front of Miyoko. She took it. "This will help you locate the other Warriors." Then Tai Yi Jun disappeared.

"Um... okay. Thank you!" Miyoko called.

They were silent for a moment.

"Okay then! Who wants dinner?" Nuriko said.

"I'll take Hamatsu to her room, Hotohori, then we'll meet you guys down in the dining room! C'mon, Ha-chan." She dragged Hamatsu away.

"All of this happened in an hour?" Hamatsu asked, still confused.

"An hour?! I've been here for a week! Hmm," Miyo said. "Time must pass differently here."

"So Hotohori..."

"I knew it!" Miyo shouted. Several servants looked at her oddly. "I mean," she said, quieter, "I knew you would like him. You do know he's the Emperor, right?"

Hamatsu's eyes grew wide. Miyoko continued. "Besides, Lady Nuriko has been trying to get Hotohori for years. You'll have to fight her for him. And she's super-super-strong. Because of her being a Warrior and all. Tamahome's really good at martial arts, and Hotohori's really good at sword fighting."

"And you're the Priestess," Hamatsu said thoughtfully. "You'll have to find all of the Warriors before you can come home. People will notice your absence by then."

Miyoko laughed. "Do you think I really care?"

"Good point. Is this a nice world?"

"We've always said we were born in the wrong era! And this, I think, is the right one! It's like ancient China. The town is so cool! And the people are really nice. I fit in here. And Tamahome–" She stopped her sentence there.

Hamatsu laughed. "Of course. You're really predictable, Miyo."

"That's not what I mean! He's really nice. Like the big brother I never had," Miyoko said huffily. "This is your room. You can leave your backpack in here. Anything interesting in there? Oo! Pocky!!"

"You know, you were right all this time," Hamatsu said, staring at Miyoko. "You really can eat a lot more than me."

"Told you!" Miyo said, mouth full. "And there you were, being insecure and thinking you weren't pretty... Hotohori, don't you think she's pretty?"

Tamahome, sensing what Miyoko was trying to do, tried to conceal his laughter with a fit of coughs. Miyoko hit him. Nuriko scowled. Hotohori merely smiled in reply.

"I know you were only trying to help your friend out," Tamahome said. "But really, this is stupid. It kind of reminds me of how Nuriko acted towards you for a while..."

They were watching Hamatsu and Nuriko walk in circles around that part of the palace, storming after the other.

"I just had to say that one comment; from here on out, I'm not giving any other help to either of them. Anyway. So the plan is to wait a few days, then go on the hunt for the rest of the Warriors?" Miyoko said.

He nodded. "That's the grand plan. There is one kinda strange thing. Usually we can get an idea of what's going on in Kutou, but we really don't know anything."

"Well... It could be, we keep to ourselves, and they keep to themselves, and we just summon our own gods and then everyone's happy."

"It doesn't work that way," Tamahome disagreed. "The Kutouins are a barbaric race. Hotohori doesn't want war. He really cares for his people, and he doesn't want to see them having to fight. Kutou's got an amazing army."

"What about our army?" she asked anxiously.

"We've got one. It's just average. I mean, it's possible to beat them, but... Sooner or later, we're going to need to summon Suzaku. And then you'll wish for him to grant peace to Konan."

"Sooner or later," she repeated, turning back to see Nuriko's hair flying behind her as she raced around again.