Yui found it strange that it was so difficult to find the correct route to the palace, but having spent most of her time within its walls or escorted to and from it, it was not so strange after all. Kaika found it odd. "It's been quite some time since you were here, wasn't it?"
"Yes, and truthfully, I never navigated this place much on my own. I wasn't quite as adventurous as Miaka."
"Even if you had, it wouldn't help much now. Even in my little neck of Sairou, we still hear about how fast the capital out here has grown. For the first time, people are packing up to move into the Kutou empire instead of flee from it!"
"It's not terrorizing anyone?"
"Well, there's something ruling over Konan, but I don't think they've waged any wars recently."
"Is that so?" she raised an eyebrow, but quickly lost interest. "We'll still find our way somehow."
"And we don't have to be in such a rush to march in front of the emperor."
"I'd rather find him before he finds me."
You and me both, Yui.
She thought she heard something, but shook her head and moved on. From above the walls of winding alleys and shops, Tamahome watched her and sighed. Leaving her to Kaika's care, he headed straight for the palace—a route he knew well, though his spiritual form didn't require him to use it.
He had followed Miaka and Chichiri to Sairou, but after hearing about the change of conditions, he decided someone needed to go to Kutou. Seeing Yui there caught his attention, but tailing her a while didn't set him much off course of his real target.
Floating through the palace, he spotted Suboshi first. He was in his private quarters, apparently having stomach trouble. His condition was stress induced; it had recently become clear what Nakago's machinations were. Not paying him much mind or pity, Tamahome went on until he found himself at the shrine of Seiryuu. With a shock to his spiritual form, he was repelled. Whatever was going on, Nakago had taken measures to ensure that he would not find out.
The excitement of the group had subsided with Miaka's mood, but she was still happy to be reunited. Nuriko took advantage of that. "Say, Miaka," he gave her a sassy smile. "I know your secret."
She blushed, and quickly took that as an indication that they should talk in private. Following him outside, she frowned. "I'm sorry, Nuriko."
"I've already lectured Tamahome enough, I've got nothing left to say to you about it," Nuriko shrugged, but still looked like he had it in him to tease her. "Since you are still perfectly qualified to be the Priestess of Suzaku..."
"I can't do it, Nuriko. I don't want anyone else to get hurt!"
"Then I guess you didn't need me to get you to that shinzaho then, did you?"
"We don't even have the shinzaho anymore, so it's no use."
"No use, Miaka? Suzaku broke free of his own imprisonment. With Mayo here, you can do the impossible!"
"No one asked her to come."
"Yes, but how is she going to get back?" he frowned. "Reviving Suzaku has sapped her of her strength. I'm afraid she's going to become a sacrifice at this rate."
"And summoning Suzaku would save her?"
"Waiting too long would kill her, that's what I'm most sure of. Come on, Miaka. You've had time to heal. We need to revive the priestess you once were, too."
"I want to talk to Tamahome first. That was a decision we made together to keep everyone from getting distracted."
"So I heard. And don't be so worried about Tamahome—I'm sure he's just tied up with something. And besides, what's the worst that could happen to him? He's already dead!"
Nuriko's humor didn't help the situation, and Miaka whimpered herself into tears. "I just want to see him again," she cried. "I miss him so much."
"I'm sorry, Miaka. I'll go find him, alright? I've already got a guess where he is anyway."
"You do? Where?"
"Have you forgotten who always played our little spy?"
"Well, dinner is served," announced Tasuki. He and Boushin sat down to the fish that everyone else had forgotten about.
"Thank you for the food. Did Mayo not want any?"
"Naw', she said it smelled gross. And everyone else is outside… or asleep." They shared an amused glance at Chiriko, who was snoring. "And your mother?"
"When she woke up, my father invited her out to speak with him."
"And Chichiri and Juan apparently didn't want the fish they caught, either. Hmm. You think there's somethin' we should know about these?"
"I wonder…"
"Well, I'll be your poison checker, then!"
"Please leave some for me!"
Little did they know two of the warriors were not even present anymore. "Chichiri," the boy had said in a low voice. "I'd like you to take me to see Shouka."
He gave him an inquisitive look-something was off. "Alright. Did something happen when you left her?"
"Yes. I'm fairly certain she was harmed when I was taken. I'd like to hurry back to her this time."
"…This time?"
"Yes," he had a faint, wry smile. "Some of my memories have returned to me. They're mixed with everything else, but I think I understand most of them."
"Welcome back, Mitsukake. Do you want to say anything to the others? They'd be pretty excited, you know."
"No. Let's be quick. Perhaps we could be back before anyone notices."
"If that's what you want."
It was already late into the evening, and Juan's secluded village was near silent. No one noticed them enter Shouka's room, where she lied bandaged. While no memories from that day had returned to him, Juan felt certain that she had witnessed him possessed. With his powers back, healing her injuries would be simple, but what concerned him most was the wound he might had left on her heart.
As he used his powers, she woke up to the sight of the light, and then looked back into his face. "Juan," she said softly, wrinkling her face up to cry. "Where did you go?"
"I'm sorry for leaving you," he said, holding her hand.
She lightly shook her head. "That wasn't you that day. You're just the one who didn't come back."
He grimaced. "You're right."
"Everyone's been so worried about you. I couldn't tell them what happened."
"I have to go back to Auntie Miaka for right now, but I will come back to you."
"Juan, don't go!" she reached out as he stood away from her bedside, and backed towards Chichiri. "Juan!"
In an instant, he had disappeared.
Rather than returning to Tamahome's village right away, they stayed outside in the trees, listening to the raucous inside the house as Shouka's parents attended to her at the sound her cries, over and over for Juan.
"You made it back in time for her, you know?" said Chichiri. "She'll still be waiting for you."
He nodded.
"Is that something you recall?"
"Even if they haven't come to mind, I'm sure all my memories are still inside of me," he replied. "I'm still the person I am now, as well as the person I was then."
Comforting though it was to hear words from an old friend, something didn't seem right about them coming a child's mouth. "You look wiped out, you know? Let's head back."
"You know," Yui mused aloud, "I don't think Suboshi knows we're here yet. Give me your arm again."
Kaika sighed, and extended it to her. At least this strange ability made him useful. Yui traced: Where are you right now?
A few moments later, words appeared on his other arm: Is that really you?
Yes, it's Yui. Kaika is with me. We're in the Kutou capital.
They waited a few minutes for a reply, but instead of feeling an itch on his arms, Kaika clenched his chest in pain. "Kaika! What's the matter?"
"He doesn't want us to come. He just wants us to leave. He's scared, Yui."
She frowned. "Let's find someplace safe to spend the night."
At the inn, Kaika slept roughly, and Yui stayed awake despite being more starved of sleep than he. Maybe I could talk to Tetsuya again now, she thought. While considering what to say, another voice caught her attention instead.
"It's strange to see you back here, Yui."
She was certain she recognized it, and turned on her heels to see Tamahome's figure illuminating the room. "Tamahome! But… you died!"
"Yeah, I did. No faked death here," he rolled his eyes. "I'm relieved you've already talked with Miaka."
"Have you appeared like this to her, too?"
"Without Suzaku's power, no. And since he's come back, I've been out here. Nakago's already moving."
"That's what I thought," she replied. "What is he doing?"
"That's the thing—I don't know! He's locked himself in the shrine of Seiryuu so I can't enter. Whatever it is, you can bet is has to do with you. Don't deliver yourself to him."
"Hiding from him won't work, you should know that. I'll be at more of an advantage if I know what he's doing. In any case, I won't be cooperating."
Tamahome eyed her for a moment. "You've changed, Yui."
"There would have been no point in coming back if I hadn't. This time I can be smarter and more aware of who I should trust. Even Miaka had me fooled all these years—it's even hard to trust her completely now."
"She still cares about you."
"I know," she smiled. "And she still cares about you, too. But where have you been for her all this time, I wonder? It's funny that you would show yourself to me first."
His glance fell. "I still love Miaka more than anything else I ever had in life. Time hasn't moved on for me since I was killed. I'll still do what will make her happy. And now that you're here, that means taking care of you."
Yui gave him a wry smile. "Maybe I'll take you up on that this time. We'll see."
"What, you're rejecting me now?"
"You just said you can't do anything against Nakago right now, didn't you? And in any case, you can't touch him-not now that Kutou is finally stable. Suboshi must know what Nakago is up to, so I'll push him to tell me."
"And? What am I supposed to do?"
"If Nakago knows you're here, he'll move faster. You should just go back to Konan and encourage Miaka to summon Suzaku."
"You really are rejecting my help!" he protested, but then sighed in resignation. "You've changed a lot, and I'm happy for you. But for Miaka's sake—and your own—please be careful."
Once he left her, she looked skyward, wondering what she should ask Tetsuya. It had been several hours for her since she had last spoke to him, but if he was reading the Universe of the Four Gods, he might have only started searching moments ago. As much as she wanted to hear him again, perhaps, she contemplated, she should trust herself more too.
Based on Suboshi's ravings earlier, Nakago's concern didn't seem limited to control over Kutou and Konan. She thought back—back to what she had last heard from Nakago about his own wishes.
Yui, his voice ran back through her mind. Make me a god.
With a jolt, her thoughts returned to the present, and she felt a heaviness in her chest—as if the very thought of wishes was enough to rouse Seiryuu within her. She consciously begged him to remain calm, as the matter of her final wish was something she did not yet dare to determine. Be patient a little longer, she told him. We'll be free of our ties soon enough.
Perhaps Yui could request an audience with Nakago under political guise to slowly gage what his true intentions were. Any indication, however, would help—and for that she would have to rely on Suboshi.