"I know I left my Spongebob pajamas around here somewhere!" Miyo yelled, running around her room. She missed the Spongebob television show.

"MIYOKO! We need to talk!" Tamahome yelled, throwing the doors open.

"Don't… barge… in a… lady's room… like that!" Miyoko yelled, slapping him several times. After she finished injuring him, she picked up a blanket from her bed and wrapped it loosely around her.

"Ow…" he said. "Dang, that hurts more than that Nakago guy's attacks! Hey… What's all this stuff!" he asked, running around the room and picking up random objects. "I could get so much money for this! Hey! What in the world are these?"

"My pajamas!" she said, grabbing the Spongebob PJs.

"Spongebob?" he asked, confused. "Oh well. That's not what I came for. Miyo, why are you ignoring me!"

She sighed. "Tamahome, I've got responsibilities as the Priestess. I've got to find all of the warriors so I can summon Suzaku…"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm the Priestess of Suzaku, and you're one of the Celestial Warriors! We have to behave ourselves. This mean, for example, you can't barge into my room! Look, Tamahome, I've got responsibilities. I don't have time to waste with falling in love," she said, hating herself for saying it.

"Wasting time? Is that what love is?"

"Under any other circumstance, maybe not… but we can't be like other couples, Tamahome."

He kissed her, and she pushed him away. "Tamahome, let go of me!"

"No! You think I'm just gonna say, 'Yes ma'am, whatever you say,' when it doesn't make any sense!"

"You know it makes perfect sense! You just don't want to admit it!" she accused. They both fell silent for a moment. Miyoko sighed. "I'm sorry. You're always saving me. I should've died a few times by now, and I would've if it weren't for you. Remember what Tai Yi Jun said? I've got to seek out my own power rather than relying on others."

"You still don't understand, do you?" Tamahome said, shaking his head. He leaned near her, his face her hers, as she sat on the bed. "Risking my life and all of that–if it's for you, it doesn't matter what odds I'm up against!"

Here, talking to his beloved Priestess, the 'oni' symbol was glowing.

"Do you know what this symbol on my forehead means?" he asked in a low voice.

"Well… it means ogre…" she said.

"Besides that." He sighed. "When I was younger, all the other kids used to tease me about it, and I wondered if it was worth it. If protecting some Priestess was worth the teasing. But now I finally understand," he said. His expression was determined; he was determined to tell her this. "It means I was born to protect you. I live for you!"

Her eyes filled with tears that she quickly wiped away. "You're stubborn," she said softly. "Our personalities… I guess it really is like we were made for each other. I give up," she said, submitting willingly to his kiss.

"I'm glad to hear that," he said, smiling.

"Aww… that's so cute!" Nuriko giggled. She and Hamatsu were listening outside of Miyoko's door. Hotohori suddenly came running down the hallway.

"Be on your guard!" he said, throwing the doors open. Nuriko and Hamatsu scrambled to their feet. "There are evil spirits here!"

Tamahome held Miyo close to him.

"A message for the Priestess of Suzaku…" a hoarse voice whispered.

"Who are you!" Hotohori demanded.

"Messengers from Kutou! Listen well! There are rumors that we have already invaded several Konan villages in the west. Those rumors are true. If you wish to prevent more bloodshed, we require you to present to Kutou one Celestial Warrior or Suzaku: Tamahome!" The voices began to fade. "You have been told…"

That left the others staring at Tamahome. Miyoko broke the silence.

"But… we can't. He's a Celestial Warrior. He can't go!" Miyoko said, panicking.

"Of course not," Hotohori decided. "We would never give up any of our own to Kutou."

Tamahome stared with wide eyes at Miyoko.

"You aren't going to go… are you?" she asked gently. The others quietly left the room.

"My… My family lives near the west border," he said.

Angry tears sprang to her eyes. "Why does this happen!" she cried. "We finally deicide, and… How could they?"

"Miyo, you need your sleep," Tamahome said, brushing back her hair.

"You won't leave me, will you?" she asked, looking straight at him.

"No, of course not!" he replied. "I'll stay here with you until you fall asleep, okay?" She got in her bed, and Tamahome sat in the chair next to her. She took his hand.

"Please don't leave me," she begged.

"Sweet dreams, my love," he said softly.

Miyoko was finally asleep, but she didn't relent her death grip on Tamahome's hand. He finally pried her away, and she turned in her sleep. He looked at her sadly, and found some paper to scribble a letter on. He left it on her dresser, kissed her forehead quickly, and then crept outside. He sighed as he shut the door behind him.

"Going somewhere, Tamahome?" someone said coolly. He turned, startled.

"Ha-chan!" he said. "Don't scare me like that."

"I knew it," she said. "You're going to do a heroic thing and go to Kutou, huh?"

"Hamatsu-sama… My family lives on the western border. It's not like they can exactly defend themselves if Kutou wants to invade their village, you know that. I'm sure Miyoko will understand," he said. "Believe me, I feel bad enough already."

"Hey, I'm not gonna stop you," she said, shrugging. "And if you go, I don't intend to tell anyone about this conversation. Miyo especially would kill me if they knew I just let you go like this. But I'm warning you, Miyo-chan is gonna be really hurt. Got that?"

"I'll just go until you guys find the rest of the warriors. Then I'll come back, and Miyo can summon Suzaku. You can stay with Hotohori, and Miyo… But in order to keep the peace for now in Konan, I've gotta go." He started to walk off. "So, take care of her while I'm gone, all right?" He waved and disappeared behind a corner.

Hamatsu sighed. She couldn't sleep anymore. She checked her watch, which Miyo had coordinated with the time in that world. It was about four o'clock. She wondered if she could still get a cup of tea at that hour. She ran right into Hotohori on her way to the kitchen.

"I, too, had a feeling that Tamahome would leave," he said. He sighed. "I guess we should wait until Miyoko-sama finds this out in the morning. Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?"

She grinned. "YES!" she yelled. Then she winced, hoping that she hadn't woken Miyoko up, who was bound to be very grumpy.

Two Kutou men, dressed in black robes like the assassin back in Tamahome's village, met Tamahome outside of the city gates. "Are you Tamahome?" one asked gruffly.

"Yes, I am," he replied.

"Let's go then," the other said.