"The book says Chiriko and Boushin are back."

"That's good, it means Nakago didn't kill them."

"You're the pessimist now."

"That was an optimistic comment. And?"

"That's pretty much it. Everything we could already guess—Nakago knows what's up, and he's going to wage war on Konan again if they summon Suzaku."

"Yeah, as if that's all," Tetsuya rolled his eyes. "Let me ask Yui if she knows anything else."

"You're just looking for an excuse to—"

"The earring!"

"What?" Keisuke jumped when Tetsuya raised his voice. "What happened?"

"It's in pieces," his voice and hands shook as he carefully picked up the tiny shards. "How did this happen? When?"

"You didn't do anything to it?"

"No! I put it over here so it would be safe while I go through my notes. Nothing would have happened to it… not here! Where's Yui?"

"T-the book hasn't said anything about her leaving—"

"It must have been her earring that broke! Something must have happened to her!"

"Relax, Tetsuya! She's being taken care of, nothing would have happened to her in Konan! Maybe it was just an accident, like somebody stepped on it while she was in the bath!"

"She can't hear me now, Keisuke," he lips quivered and his voice was strained.

"She'd never think you abandoned her, Tetsuya," Keisuke took a more sympathetic tone. "She'll be alright."

"I can't… I can't do anything for her now."

Tetsuya succumbed to hiccuped gasps that sounded like crying sucked dry of tears, and Keisuke watched him helplessly. Unsure of what else to do, he awkwardly put an arm around his shoulders, saying nothing. You're on your own now, Yui, he said to her futilely in his head. We can only watch now, but I have faith in you. Come home, and bring Miaka and Mayo with you.

Miaka sighed. "So much for how excited we were to summon Suzaku. Now we have to sit and wait for permission."

"I think it'll be okay, Miaka," Tamahome smiled to her. "After all, we could always steal the scroll if we have to. I've done it before!"

She couldn't help but giggle. "You don't have to. I'll wait and see what they say."

"Say, Miaka," he struggled on how to approach the topic. "We were always told that you'd go back to your world after you summon Suzaku. Do you think that's still true?"

"I hadn't thought about it much, to be honest. It's been so long, it's hard to imagine ever going back."

"It's your home. Seeing as you can't go back to my home, maybe that would be nice for you."

"Maybe," she sighed with a faint smile that suggested she disagreed.

"Speaking of your world, are you worried about? It sounds like Nakago said some weird things about wanting to go there and take some misplaced revenge against it."

"That's what Yui told me. We have to make sure he can never get near her ever again!"

"But if it's possible for him to go to your world, well, do you think it would be possible for me too?"

She stared back at him with wide eyes, awash with the thought. That hadn't even been a daydream since they were young and alive together. "I don't know."

"Lady Miaka," a servant came and looked around cautiously. "Are you alone?"

"Yes, I am," she lied. "What is it?"

"I have a note for you from Counselor Ou."

Miaka received it, and looked it over. "Well?" Tamahome asked her.

"He'd like to meet with me and Yui," she hid it against her chest. "I better go."

"Okay. Let's go, then."

"It's okay, Tamahome. You can go rest."

"I'm dead. I don't need rest."

"Oh. That's right."

"The only thing I want to do is stay with you. Is there something wrong with that?"

She shook her head with a wide smile at the sound of it.

"What does the letter say?"

Caught, she frowned and showed him.

Tamahome furrowed his eyebrows as he read: Nakago is convinced our worlds are linked, and I share his suspicions. If he is right, there may be additional matters about the safety of our world that I must discuss with you and Yui. I ask that you be frank and honest. Please meet me in Counselor Shu's guest parlor as soon as possible.

Tamahome looked back at her with a questioning glance. "Should I ask if you know what he's talking about?"

"Not entirely. I need to find out what Nakago told them."

"You know something."

She frowned, and looked directly in his eyes. "You can follow me there, Tamahome. Whatever happens, you should know that my love for you and for Konan is very true. It doesn't matter to me what you are, because reality makes no difference to my feelings."

Tamahome nodded back to her in matching seriousness, mentally preparing himself for whatever might be ahead.

Boushin had sat among the court and their fervent arguments part of the day, though he didn't listen to a word they had said, merely nodding where appropriate. Chichiri and Tasuki were among the counselors, arguing in favor of summoning Suzaku wherever they could make an argument. In the gravity of the situation, no one cared much for Boushin's childlike opinion, but in all frankness, he didn't care for theirs either. In the end, he was still the one holding the Universe of the Four Gods scroll.

Maybe I should destroy it where no one will see it. If that's what will ensure the safety of this world, that is what I should do.

When he stood to leave, his absence hardly noticed, the empty halls were refreshingly quiet. The noise inside the emperor's head, however, did not cease.

It would be impossible then. There would be no more decision to make.

His feet carried him along a familiar path he took when he wanted to escape. Ironically, that led him to the shrine of Suzaku. Inside, he stared up at the golden statue of Suzaku. It had been recently polished, and even in the dim light it was bright and imposing. Unlike other times he had looked at that statue, Suzaku was practically at his fingers now, and possible to summon forth in a moment's notice. The shrine was even supplied with instruments to light the ceremonious fire.

If Boushin was going to rid the world of that dangerous scroll, he might as well do it ceremoniously.

He started a fire in the pit, which quickly roared into a wide, vigorous flame at the altar. The gold statue reflected its flickers, and Boushin took some time to gaze at it before taking the scroll from his sleeve. It was as if Suzaku was watching him commit such a sin, but so be it. If he was going to save the world from Suzaku, the least he could do was not try to hide his sin from the gods.

In a single action, it would be over, and there would be no need for arguments. Konan would have problems, but at least Konan would still exist. For as much as I've daydreamed about Suzaku being summoned someday, perhaps what bothers me most is the thought of it really being impossible.

He clenched the scroll. I could just hide it. Perhaps given more information, it will still be here for a future generation to decide its fate.

But I am the future generation.

This choice is mine! Will I save Konan, or will I save this world? I could even rule it if what Nakago said is true.

This gave him pause.

Nakago didn't care about this world anymore, but preferred it prospering rather than ending. If Boushin were allowed to rule Kutou in his stead, then he'd easily have the power to solve Konan's problems. If they had no war to worry about and fewer taxes to pay, and if they even able to share in some of Kutou's wealth while riding out the rest of the drought, then perhaps they could develop into something equal to the amazing world the priestesses were from. Hokkan and Sairou wouldn't be able to stand up to the combined power of such a hybrid nation, and might eventually join them. It would be a happy world for everyone created by his own power, not a beast god's power.

Clenching the scroll tighter, he lifted it toward the fire, and edged it forward closely. A spark jumped on to the edge, and began to eat away at the paper.

But I can't trust Nakago! I can never trust Nakago!

In a hurry, he recoiled away from the fire and patted the scroll to stop the spread of the burn. Above all else, I am the sovereign ruler of Konan! This is the land my father gave his life for! I will never bow to his murderer's whims! Come what may, I will show him never to underestimate the will of Konan and its people!

Leaving the fire burning, he turned and ran as fast as he could out of the shrine.

When Chiriko saw Miaka coming he was bothered that a certain ghost was following her. As Miaka approached he gave her a cautionary look, to which she replied, "Tamahome can be here for this. No one else knows I'm here."

Looking between them both, the scholar said, "If that's what you think is best."

They walked through the halls, and peaked in Mayo's room first. She appeared to be asleep, and Juan was asleep at the foot of her bed. Satisfied, they quietly shut the door, and then knocked at Yui's.

She was slow to answer, and her face was flushed when she appeared. "Miaka, it's you!"

"Yes, it's me! I've been a little wrapped up in the palace."

"I'm sure."

"Are you alright? You look like you've been crying."

"It's Tetsuya, I—"

"Did you have a fight?"

"No, I can't—" she stopped when she noticed Tamahome and Chiriko with her. "It's nothing. I can always tell you later. What can I help you all with? Why don't you come in?"

Between pleasantries and making themselves comfortable, Miaka showed Yui Chiriko's letter.

"So," Chiriko looked between them with a hint of a incredulous smile. "A book?"

The priestesses tensed then sighed, both startled and relieved to hear that someone knew, but Tamahome was left looking between them all and trying to piece it together.

"How did you know?"

"There was always reason to assume our worlds had a unique relationship with one another, but you can thank Mayo for making it explicit."

"How did she think that was going to help anything?"

"If I might ask," he said, "How did you come across our world… this book?"

Miaka and Yui went on to explain it how they remembered it, and how Keisuke and Tetsuya had read along and studied and kept an eye on the book since then. Chiriko listened intently and nodded along, occasionally asking for clarification, mostly letting them continue. Tamahome stayed silent.

"Well, this is embarrassing. They're talking about us now," Keisuke said to try to lighten the mood. Tetsuya had already significantly calmed down since being assured that Yui was alright. "Chiriko just asked Miaka if she always knew I was reading. Duh, Miaka! Remember the hair you burned and got us in trouble for at the library? She didn't even remember that, geez."

"It's been ten years. Did they say anything about the passage of time?" he leaned over and pulled the book over where they both could read it between them.

"That's already obvious from the difference in Miaka and Yui. Come on, say more about your beloved older brother, Miaka!"

"Weren't you just saying this is embarrassing?"

"Say, that is a good question."

"What is?"

"Has anyone ever manipulated the book?"

"What?" Tetsuya followed the text to where Chiriko had inquired such. "Whoa, wait. We've looked at the back of the book, and the story had always seemed like it had stopped where we left it! Tell them that, Yu—" He stopped, disappointed.

Fortunately, Yui remembered the same thing. "It never seemed different. But now that the story is progressing again, I'm sure the pages have been changing."

"And even now, they must be reading along, right?" Miaka smiled to her, but Yui didn't mirror it. Not entirely sure what to make that, Miaka continued. "Even if we can't hear them now, I'm sure they could hear messages we have for them. Right, Big Brother? Are you listening? Or reading, I guess."

"But you could hear them before, couldn't you? You were speaking with one of them, weren't you, Yui?"

"I was…"

"How did you…?"

"I don't know."

"A medium, Yui! A medium! She probably didn't even know about the earring, Tetsuya, that's got to be it!"

"She didn't?" he looked like he could cry. "Gee, I guess she just didn't like it enough to keep it on. I suck at this after all."

"Then if you ever do go back to your world, we could still give you messages from here, couldn't we?" Tamahome finally spoke up. Seeing as he didn't have a physical presence, it was easy to forget he had been listening the whole time, but perhaps the peace of death made it easier for him to accept that his whole existence may have been smaller than he originally thought. "Then even if we're just characters in a book, we never truly have to leave you alone in your own world."

"Tamahome," she beamed.

"But Miaka is the main character, so it might not follow you without her here," interjected Yui.

"And there is the matter of being able to receive messages from the other side."

"And what would we tell you? If there is wear and tear on the physical book, you might already feel it on the inside-should that make any difference," Yui went on.

"Yes, the physical nature of our world is worrisome. Though I take some comfort in how Mayo seemed to understand it," a smile crept to Chiriko's face. "While Nakago seems more convinced of it being entirely encased between two covers, she talked about the book as more of a portal rather than an embodiment of our world. Not that there is any way to prove this, and it would be nice if we had a similar portal here. What if its pages are merely a way for two points in time to converge? Perhaps that's only wishful thinking on my part."

"Chiriko," Miaka frowned. "You're not just a character in a book to me. None of you are! Even if this is just a world inside a book, it's special, one way or another. Whether we came out of some sick writer's imagination or not, everyone here has their own willpower to shape what happens on the pages. Don't just think of yourself as characters to flesh out my own little adventure! I love you!"

He smiled deeply and wiped a small tear away from his eyes. "Thank you, Miaka. There's no way the thought of it couldn't bother me, or any of us. But what good would being bothered by it do? What we really are makes no difference if we believe we're something more. Even if I only care about Konan because I'm predestined to, be it by a book or by the heavens, I do desire to see it flourish. If that means bending this world to our will, then that's we should be prepared to do."

"What's your idea?"

"We need some way to have contact across our worlds that wouldn't necessarily enable anyone like Nakago to cross its boundaries. Yui, you said that Nakago needed you for a ceremony simply because you were from the other world, right?"

"That's my understanding."

"Perhaps you were only able to have contact with the people reading this because you're from that world," he sighed.

"That's a possibility. I only wish I knew why it's not working now."

"Your earring, Yui!" Keisuke shouted. "Why isn't it obvious they need a medium? Hello! It's the priestesses' belongings! Think school uniforms, Miaka! Why aren't they getting it?"

"Give me that," Tetsuya yanked the book over into his lap, and Keisuke's eyes grew wide as he watched him take out a pen.

"You don't mean to—"

"Watch me."

Keisuke cringed but couldn't take his eyes away as Tetsuya marked at the margin of the page the word 'earring.'

"Has that always been there?" Tamahome's question interrupted the flow of their conversation. "Earring."

"Oh! That reminds me—" Yui turned to Miaka to apologize for it having broken, but then noticed Tamahome was pointing at the word on the floor. Everyone stared together, quite perplexed, and they all noticed and screamed as soon another word appeared next to it, making it 'your earring.'

"What's going—"

"My earring!" Yui stood up abruptly and put a hand to her ear. "Did you not give that to me, Miaka?"

"What? No, I don't think I did."

"Tetsuya!" she shouted skyward. "Was that you?"

They waited in a brief silence, until the word "yes" appeared in place of the previous words.

Immediate clarity on communication methods merited a brief celebration. Chiriko was more excited about other matters. "This confirms a few things," he took a deep breath. "There is the potential to manipulate our world from yours. This is not something we can allow to be abused. Yui," he looked at her gravely. "When you return to your world, I'd like you to find some way to make our story continue."

"But… why?"

"Because we don't want our world to end, obviously!"

"The end of the world? But the book only started with Miaka coming here, there has to be more of this world that's not in these pages."

"Nakago told us that once all of the beast gods are summoned and all of the wishes are exhausted, this world's function will end together with that story!"

Miaka's was so appalled that her mouth hung open. "Nakago told you that?"

"Yes."

"He tried to say that saving Konan would be the end of this world?"

"If it's a story then it makes sense, Miaka. And we don't have any way of knowing he's wrong."

"And he has no way of knowing if he's right. He said this as another dirty way of trying to prevent Suzaku from being summoned—he's only afraid of Suzaku because he doesn't want anyone to stop him from getting to our world!"

Incensed, Miaka marched out of the room, and met Mayo in the hallway. "Miaka," she looked startled to see her. "I was just coming over to see what all the commotion was about."

"It's time, Mayo," she looked at her, tense with rage. "We are summoning Suzaku right now."

The others who heard couldn't contain their shock, but Mayo grew a wide grin straight back at her. "Let's go."