Chiriko woke up to find Boushin sitting on the bed across from him, looking on with concern. "I brought you breakfast," he said.
"That was nice of you. Thank you, Boushin."
"You were up half the night staring out the window."
"I'm alright. Why don't you go play with Juan?"
"I'll stay here today. There's still a lot more to hear about the story."
"Yes, there is, isn't there?" he eyed him. "You're right. Let's hurry up and tell you this story."
"Why do we need to hurry?"
"Oh, no hurry. Let's just talk before we have any interruptions."
"…Are you expecting any?"
"Not necessarily, but you never know with Juan and Shouka," he smiled. "Who knows, Tasuki might drop in on us, too."
"In that case… Tamahome was dying with the kodoku…"
"Right. Once the kodoku had been neutralized, Tamahome had returned to his former self, with no recollection…"
The day stretched on, as did the story, but Boushin could not shake the feeling that Chiriko was on edge.
The book had succeeded in drawing Suzaku out of wherever Yui had sealed him, and putting everything as it should be. Trusting in that, Mayo knew that she had been brought to the Universe of the Four Gods. She had come and brought Suzaku with her!
She felt heavy as she tried to push her body up into a sitting position, which it finally did with some effort. The instant she opened her eyes to look around, however, she saw several spears pointed at her, and men with deep voices ordering her to halt. "You dare point that at me?" she said with a sideways glance as the world started to go dark again. "I'm…" she started as she began to fall back down, "…the Priestess of Suzaku."
Daybreak had never looked so lovely. The sea was calm as the boat sailed on, and the air was moving westward. It was as if every element in the universe had come together in harmony for this perfect moment Suboshi never thought would happen.
He looked away from the horizon and back down to Yui, who was sleeping.
The night before, he had caught her as she descended from the sky, thoroughly disoriented.
"Su… Suboshi?" she had looked into his eyes with shock as she floated down to her feet. "Is that you?"
"It is, Lady Yui," he nodded. "It's been a long time."
"Why am I back here?" she looked increasingly troubled. "I can't be here… does Nakago know…?"
"Ssh. He doesn't know. I'm going to take you to Sairou to keep you safe. The boat has already set sail, and it shouldn't take long to get there."
"You'll hide me?"
"Yes. Far away from Kutou! I'm the only one who knows you're here. I'll keep you safe."
She closed her eyes peacefully. "Then even now, you knew something was calling me. Thank you, Suboshi."
It only hit him now that he was probably that which called her there. His desire was strong enough to span the worlds and drag her back against her will, but so long as he could keep her with him, he did not care for what intention it was.
When Yui eventually woke up, she felt the rocking and smelled the sea, and reluctantly acknowledged that she wasn't dreaming. When she opened her eyes, she saw Suboshi sitting across from her with a smile. "Are you hungry, Lady Yui?"
"Hnn… not yet."
"I'll have food ready whenever you want it. Just say the word. Rest as much as you want."
"How long has it been?"
"Pardon?"
"You've gotten older. Look at you, you've got facial hair now. How long has it been since I left?"
"Oh, just a little," he rubbed his chin with a sheepish smile. "It's been ten years. You've grown your hair out too."
"It's been about four years for me. You're so much older than me now."
"That doesn't matter. You're beautiful, Lady Yui. I'm sure you're still much smarter than me, too."
She closed her eyes with a smirk. "You haven't changed."
"I'm so happy to see you again, Lady Yui."
"Hnn."
Despite his joy, Suboshi could tell she wasn't happy to be back with him—or at least, not back in his world. He knew she hated it there, but as long as she would not be in Nakago's clutches, that would keep her happy enough.
That would be enough.
Those with celestial destinies had a knack for sensing the life forces of others like them, and sensing changes in the balances of power between the stars and the gods. Some were more attune to it than others, or more attune to certain others, but the sense was in all of them.
Few, however, were more adept than Nakago.
"Lord Nakago," asked a voice, as a simple-looking man appeared behind the emperor. "I take it you're aware?"
He hmphed with a smile, not bothering to face him. "It certainly took long enough."
"And you'll just let him take off with her?"
"I needed Suboshi as a medium to bring the priestess back. She's completely closed herself off to me, and even closed herself off from Seiryuu, who is still coupled with her."
"However dormant that may be."
"Something awaked Seiryuu, and that awakened Suboshi," he at last bothered looking the man in the eye. "However, whatever that is has also drawn out Suzaku while Seiryuu was still sleeping."
"Then they'll have their powers back," the man scoffed. "What if they were to summon Suzaku?"
"They lost that hope ages ago. It's no business of Kutou anymore."
The man gave him a knowing glance. "Kutou is hardly your business either."
"It would inconvenience me if they try to interfere. If they see reason to, they can be more of a thorn in my side than Suboshi ever could."
"Would they?"
"Hope won't inspire them too. Revenge, perhaps, could."
"Revenge, even on peaceful terms? I'm glad to see you still think of these things and haven't grown soft with success. Does it bother you enough to take measures?"
"It bothers you enough to use it as an excuse take out your boredom on them."
The man had a cocky smile. "Ten years is an instant for me."
"Do as you please. I'll handle Suboshi at the appropriate time."
"As you command, Lord Nakago."
The man vanished, and Nakago inwardly scoffed at how little he knew.
"Miaka's going west. Why is Miaka going west? Did she forget where Kutou is?" Tetsuya eagerly leaned against Keisuke to read the book himself.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Miaka will find Yui."
"Yeah, when has that ever worked out?"
"You don't seem happy at all that Miaka's, you know, back from the dead?"
"I am! I'm just irritated with this book for abandoning Miaka long enough to make it look like she died, and then only cutting back to her when who knows what could be happening to Yui! Can't we flip ahead or read between the lines or something!?"
"Wait—it's switching scenes!"
"Good, finally—but now they're mentioning Houki! Yui wouldn't be there!"
"We don't know anything yet, shut up! 'Empress Houki, on behalf of the court, welcomed the girl from another world…'"
"Yui!"
"'…though was wary of her claim to be the Priestess of Suzaku.'"
"Aw, crap. It is Sakaki."
"'After all, she herself did not know…'" Keisuke's voice grew faint as he read over words he had not encountered in the book before. "…that she was the Vessel."