A/N: Some mild mature content ahead. Reader discretion is advised. ~Halo

Episode Five

Quiet. The wind was asleep, leaving a lake glistening under the overhead sun and the surrounding trees lush, green, and singing under the warm rays.

There was a sudden splash in said lake that disrupted the silence and serenity. Underneath the interrupted ripples of water sank an orange-haired bandit clutching tightly onto his priestess. Groaning against the water strangling him, he kicked his legs as hard as he could, searching for the heat of the sun above him.

His spiky hair shattered the surface of the water, and he hoisted Miaka along with him, gasping for a drink of air. With his arm tight around her waist, Tasuki waded over to shore, shifting her body to rest on the cool dirt. "Whoa, that was a close one. Are ya okay?" he asked, hovering over the brunette girl, acting as a canopy from the sun's light above.

But Miaka said nothing. Instead, Tasuki waved his hand over her blue lips, feeling not even the slightest breeze of air coming from between them. "She's not breathin'!" Panic rose up within the bandit's belly as he clutched his fingers over her arms, giving her a gentle shake. "C'mon, Miaka! Ya gotta breathe! Ya just gotta!"

As the words poured from him in a panicked flurry and the blue on Miaka's mouth intensified, Tasuki felt his mind crying out for Mitsukake to come and help him, but he knew the healer was nowhere to be found. It was up to him to revive her.

Tawny eyes fell on the blue tint on Miaka's lips, his heart thumping hard against the expanse of his chest. He swallowed hard and bent down, the heat of his breath leaving a patch of dew against her cold mouth. His palm, still dripping with lake water, cupped over her equally chilled cheek, angling her head towards him in a soft kiss.

Tasuki didn't know how long he sat there with the priestess in his arms, breathing life back into her before she suddenly jerked out of his hold, coughing up the water that lay dormant in her lungs. "Good. Ya didn't swallow too much water." He cradled her cheek in his palm still, rubbing his thumb against it as the color rose back to her cheeks.

And then his eyes settled on her lips again, now rosy and almost bruised from the kiss he'd given her. His mind screamed obscenities at him. Why had he kissed her? What the hell was wrong with him?

Even as Miaka's raspy breathing swirled around him, Tasuki tightened his grip on her body, steadying her as she calmed down and gathered her surroundings after being unconscious. Resuscitating her was one thing, but what he did was kiss her like she was his lover.

Like she was Atsuna. And that scared the hell out of him.

His eyes lowered over her, watching her moan as she came to the realization of what had happened. He swallowed. "Miaka."

The woman's eyes connected with his for a moment, confused and concerned, until a hand covered the one that remained on Miaka's face. Tasuki cringed and jumped when Chichiri's head popped in between them, smiling and closing his fingers over his.

Tasuki kicked himself back and away from them, tossing himself right back into the water.

Miaka gazed up at the monk in wonder as he now held on to her. "Chichiri?"

Tasuki sputtered as he broke through the surface. "Damn it, Chichiri! Don't scare me like that!"

Ignoring the fuming bandit, Chichiri looked down at his priestess. "It's all right now, you know. We're all safe."

"Miaka?"

The brunette priestess spun over her shoulder, watching as Taka and Atsuna came through the trees. "Taka!" She shrugged out of Chichiri's hold, rushing over to his side. Her hands rested on his arms, hugging him to her tightly.

"Is everyone all right?" Taka asked, staring down at Miaka, then turning towards the other warriors circling him.

Atsuna smiled at him, brushing her hand up against his arm as she passed him, coming up next to Chichiri. The first thing she noticed was how Tasuki was chest-deep in water and how his eyes managed to skim over everything but her. A soft red blush spread across his cheeks, his teeth nibbling on his bottom lip.

"Where are the others?" Miaka asked, throwing Atsuna out of her deepened thoughts.

"They're all scattered around a bit, but they're all right, as well, you know," Chichiri answered with a smile as he pushed himself from his knees. "Taiitsukun used her holy powers to get us out of there."

Atsuna finally tore her eyes away from Tasuki to look at her other comrades. "I can still feel an evil presence, but it has dulled a bit. Whoever was responsible for what happened on Mt. Taikyoku has gone back into hiding, it seems."

"Mt. Taikyoku is now covered in dark clouds," Chichiri added. "I can't see anything now."

"Where are we, then?" Taka inquired, his eyes scoping over the surrounding wildlife.

"Lake Taichi in Konan," Chichiri responded. "We're not far from the royal palace, you know."

Miaka's eyes hardened, Taiitsukun's final words ringing hard in her ears. "The palace. We should start there. We have to recover the jewels as soon as we can. We can't let some demon beat us."

Chichiri nodded in agreement. "Yes. We should make haste towards the palace, you know." He turned over his shoulder at the bandit, who continued to listen from the lake. "Tasuki! It's time to go!"

Tasuki snapped his head in his direction and grinned, pumping his fist into the air with recognizable vigor. "Let's get goin' then! We're not gonna solve anythin' stayin' around here!"

"Tasuki, since when have you been able to swim?" Chichiri asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion.

Tasuki's eyes snapped towards the water he was submerged in, watching the ripples forming around his body. And that was when he remembered that he was indeed hydrophobic. "I forgot," he said sheepishly, his legs suddenly becoming immobile.

Atsuna sighed, rolling her eyes as she watched the bandit disappear under the water. "I'll get him out," she said, walking towards the edge of the lake. "Chichiri, why don't you start the walk towards the palace? Tasuki and I will be right behind you. There's no use teleporting there if we're this close. You should save your power."

Chichiri nodded and turned towards Miaka and Taka. "There's a path towards the town through these trees, you know. Follow me." The monk started forward, followed closely by the otherworldly twosome. Miaka peered over her shoulder as Atsuna bent down, preparing to get into the water after the bandit, whose air bubbles were flooding the surface.

Atsuna listened to the sound of the sifting grass beneath her friends' feet disappear as she slid herself into the water. She took a deep breath and sunk herself under, finding Tasuki fighting his way towards the surface. She swam over to him and grabbed his wrist, yanking him towards the surface.

Tasuki came up sputtering, cursing how much he hated the water and everything about it. Atsuna watched him for moment, raking her fingers through her bangs until they slicked atop her head and out of her eyes. "We should get going. Otherwise, we'll get too far behind the others," she suggested.

Tasuki's eyes fell onto the small waves around him, concentrating on the sun's delicate rays as they glimmered against the water. "Yeah."

Atsuna's eyes slit as her brows furrowed together. "What's going on with you? I don't think you've met my eyes since the moment Taka and I found you, Chichiri, and Miaka here."

"I don't know what yer talkin' about," he quickly defended, his voice gruff. "Shouldn't we get goin'? I don't wanna get left behind either, ya know."

Atsuna stared at him in disbelief, and before a sudden flash of anger could get the better of her, she turned away from him. "Fine." She moved away from him, her hand reaching towards the edge of the water so she could pull herself back onto land.

But as her fingers curled over the soaked blades of grass and saturated dirt, hands grabbed her sides, yanking her around before she could pull herself out of the water. Her aggravation soared, releasing a heavy, exasperated sigh. "Tasuki, what are you—"

Cool, damp lips crushed hers, stealing the breath from her lungs. Tasuki's tongue invaded her mouth, tangling with hers in a heated, hurried dance. Atsuna's tension faded against his kiss, vigorous and desperate as it was, and her fingers tore up into his hair, gripping the wet but equally wild tangerine locks.

The next several moments came in a blur, Tasuki greedily kissing her, his hands roving and kneading at her breasts, her shoulders, the line of her bare arms. Her body was quite forcibly shoved against the edge of the lake, his mouth tracing a line down her jaw, her neck, her collarbone. His fingers pulled the water-heavy attire down, revealing one supple breast, before his mouth closed over her nipple, rousing a hushed gasp from between her bruised lips.

She whispered his name against the breeze, hoping to trigger a response, but he only continued to grace his fingers, his mouth, his tongue over her skin, his tongue dragging beads of lake water from her skin into his mouth. He clutched at her like a lifeline, his palm molding under her firm breast as his fingers pinched her nipple, now hard and cold from the water, from his passionate suckling.

"Tasuki! Atsuna! We're going to leave you behind, you know!" Chichiri's voice called through the trees.

Atsuna snapped her head over her shoulder, praying to Suzaku and Hikari above that he would not find them in such a provocative state. He had already walked in on them once; she would hate for something like that to happen again.

"We're comin', Chichiri," Tasuki called out in a passionate-laden growl. His hands moved over her clothing, situating it back over her body until it clung to her skin, leaving her looking as if she remained untouched by his experienced hands, his hungry mouth.

And saying nothing else, he moved past her, pulling himself out of the lake and pulling off his clothes so he could wring them out. Atsuna turned over her shoulder, watching him in a daze as he stripped himself down to nothing in front of her, ridding himself of the extra weight of water before quickly shuffling his clothing back on. "Let's get goin', then," he said, clearing his throat as he rolled his neck to alleviate the stiffness of his muscles.

Atsuna couldn't help but glare at him as he strolled off into the trees, leaving her alone in the lake, wanting, and a flurry of questions flooding her mind at what exactly just happened.

Miaka could not have stopped the smile spreading across her face even if she tried. Staring up at the grand red-roofed, gold-tiered palace was something she didn't think she would ever get tired of.

"We're here, you know!" Chichiri announced, snapping his staff on the ground until the rings jingled together melodiously.

"It's been way too long," Tasuki chimed, resting his hands on his waist.

"It hasn't changed at all, has it?" Miaka asked, turning to Atsuna as she joined her side.

Atsuna could only smile down upon the younger woman. "Certainly not. Its extravagance hasn't eluded me even after all this time. It's comforting."

"We should go inside and get started on our search," Chichiri suggested, making his way through the courtyard and up into the side walkway. Strolling over the familiar streams and ponds of water, the monk turned over his shoulder at his priestess. "The war two years ago is becoming ancient history to the people. It's peaceful now, you know."

Taka's eyes widened as he took in the sights. "It looks just like ancient China!" he exclaimed, turning to look down at Miaka. She could only smile at him.

"Why does everyone say that when they first get here?" Tasuki asked, rolling his eyes.

"Miaka!"

Hearing her name being called, Miaka spun around, finding a very familiar teal-haired girl floating towards her. "Nyan-Nyan! It's you!"

Taka's finger snapped forward as the young girl propelled herself into Miaka's chest. "She's flying!"

Atsuna chuckled, resting her hand on his arm. "You'll get used to it after a while, I promise," she assured him with a smile.

"B-But…" Taka's voice trailed off. "What is it?"

"This is really annoying," Tasuki said, giving Taka a playful punch in the arm. "Are we gonna hafta explain everythin' to ya?"

"I'm so glad to see you doing all right!" Miaka said, hugging the girl tight against her before Taka could respond. "I was worried because I didn't see you at Mt. Taikyoku. I'm glad you made it out okay when everything happened."

"Lord Chichiri! Lord Tamahome! Lady Atsuna! You're all here!" a gray-bearded man exclaimed from the end of the walkway. He was being followed closely by attendants dressed in red and gold garb. As he walked up to them, his eyes settled on the brunette woman holding onto Nyan-Nyan. "Well, bless my soul! Lady Priestess! You have returned!"

"Prime Minister! It's a pleasure to see you!" Chichiri greeted, bowing his head with a smile.

Miaka smiled as the prime minister and his attendants greeted all of them enthusiastically, showing very strongly that they were happy to see them all back at the palace once more. She didn't admit it, but she felt the same way. It was almost like coming back home. She'd spent a great deal of her time within the walls of the palace. It was comforting to be around it all again.

The prime minister turned around, staring at the orange-haired bandit as he leaned against the banister with his arms crossed over his chest impatiently. "Oh, and Lord Tasuki! You're here, as well!"

Tasuki's eyes grew hard. "Of course I am," he nearly growled.

The prime minister ignored his obvious aggravation and turned towards his guests. "Come, come! Let's go inside and sit down! I'm sure we have much to talk about, and I'd like to hear about what has brought you back here again!"

Miaka turned up at Taka as they followed the prime minister down the walkway, leading inside the grand palace. She couldn't miss the serious expression on his face. She could only hope coming this way would bring them what they were looking for.

"Stones that restore memory?"

Miaka nodded. "Yes, that's right, sir. We have no idea how to find them. We were hoping that maybe you could help us or that one would even be here somewhere."

"Say no more. I will assemble my staff and begin an extensive search immediately," he assured her. His eyes shifted towards the silent monk. "Lord Chichiri, if I may, I was hoping to ask you to stay here for a little while."

Chichiri's brows rose in interest. "You want us to stay here at the palace?"

The prime minister nodded, his eyes falling towards his hands as they lay rested on the surface of the table, fingers folded stiffly together. "Yes. We have been working hard to rebuild the nation ever since the war ended. However, there is still one injury that continues to sap the strength of the people."

Chichiri's face fell. "The death of His Highness," he murmured under his breath.

"Konan still lacks a leader that can be a bridge to the future," the prime minister continued.

Tasuki was the first to lean forward. "Well, what about Houki, the woman that he married? Ya know, the one that looked like Nuriko?"

When the prime minister shook his head sadly, Tasuki leaned back in his chair. "After giving birth to the prince, Lady Houki fell ill and hasn't spoken a single word for a year and a half. Her spirit has become quite broken," the elder man replied.

"What? It's been that long?" Miaka asked in shock. "Tell me where she is. I would like to visit her, if that's all right."

The prime minister nodded, releasing a sigh of relief. "Yes. I think that may be exactly what she needs, Lady Priestess."

Miaka gave a single nod in resolve. "Okay. But, before we do that…" Her eyes fell to the table, now covered with a grand meal. "Can we eat this food?"

Atsuna rested her cheek against her knuckles, smiling and holding back an amused chuckle as everyone released an exasperated sigh. She didn't know about anyone else, but Atsuna found it quite comforting that Miaka's insatiable appetite had not waned in the two years that had passed.

And even as the delectable smell of the meal before them wafted against her senses, she couldn't bring herself to eat. Instead, her eyes fell on the bandit sitting across from her as he quite loudly shoveled food into his mouth as if he'd never eaten a day in his life.

She instantly noticed his charade, that he was ignoring her, wasn't looking at her, pretended that he hadn't kissed her so desperately at Lake Taichi. His kisses and his touches were always passionate, but there was something else about them.

There was no love. Just desperation and the need to prove something. And that fact was enough to quell any hunger she had upon arriving at the palace. Now all she felt was ill.

After their meal, the prime minister led the travelers towards a quiet hallway where a set of closed doors sat at the end. He lowered his head and sidestepped out of the way. "She's in here," he said softly.

Miaka bit down on her lip before closing her hand over the doorknob, opening it slowly with a creak against the silence. "Lady Houki?" As soon as the door opened, giving way to the sun's afternoon rays, Miaka gasped with widened eyes as she watched the scene unfold before her.

Sitting next to a sleeping and very pale Houki's side was the spirit of Hotohori, his hand gliding through her face as he hoped to stroke her cheek, tell her that he was there. But as his hand continued to ghost through her, Hotohori could only hang his head in shame. "I can't comfort her," he rasped. "She can't feel it."

"Hotohori…" Miaka collapsed into Taka's side, his arm coming around her shoulders, as she watched the sadness swim over his features.

"Her heart is broken," Nyan-Nyan spoke up sympathetically. "She couldn't stand to lose His Highness. She loved him so very, very deeply."

Hotohori turned his head, closing his eyes as he fought the onslaught of tears. "Forgive me, Houki." And in the midst of his sadness, he heard the gentle click of the door. When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself alone once again with the woman he left behind.

On the other side of the door, Chichiri gripped his staff tightly. "It would be a good idea to leave them alone for now, you know."

"So this is where His Highness ended up," Tasuki mused, leaning against the wall.

"It was Taiitsukun's power," Nyan-Nyan informed. "The others went back to familiar places, as well."

"That's a relief," Miaka sighed. "That should make it a little easier to find them, at least."

Tasuki pushed himself from the wall, rolling the tension from his shoulders. "Oh, well. I guess it's about time we go find these rocks for this loser. We're not gonna get anywhere doin' nothin' here."

Taka slumped his shoulders. "Sorry for all the trouble."

"It's no trouble at all," Atsuna assured him as they all turned down towards the hall. "I think this is something we all need to do. And when it's all over, you'll recover your memories. Nothing but good will come of this, as difficult a task as it may seem. It will all work out in the end, I'm sure."

Taka flashed her a comforted smile.

"So, do you think you can find them, Chichiri?" Miaka asked, turning her head up to the significantly taller monk.

Chichiri shook his head. "This is one of the things I can't use my powers on," he admitted sadly.

"Nothin' to it," Tasuki interrupted with a wide grin. "We'll just hafta check every room one at a time."

"Wait! You mustn't go that way!"

Tasuki turned his head towards the sudden disturbance, and in the corner of his eye, he watched something dash towards him. As his gaze fell to capture what exactly was happening, something hard snapped against his knee, rousing a loud cry of pain.

The bandit knelt down, grasping the shattering pain ripping through his leg. His eyes connected with a brown-haired child, grasping tightly against a teddy bear. He clenched his fingers and grabbed the child by his frilled collar, ignoring the scolding coming behind him from Atsuna to unhand the small child. "Ya little rock-headed brat!"

An attendant rushed to their side, gasping for air. "Prince Boushin! You shouldn't run away like that."

Tasuki blinked for moment before a nervous smile curled over his features. He pulled the boy close, snuggling his cheek against his. "Ya cute little devil! An' don't tell yer dad I called ya that."

Miaka turned to Chichiri. "Did he say 'prince'?"

Chichiri nodded with a knowing smile. "This is His Majesty's son, you know."

Eyes wide and a smile even wider, Miaka turned back towards the little child as Tasuki pulled away from him, sheepishly stepping backwards and away from him before the ghost of Hotohori decided to glide through one of the walls to smite him where he stood for calling his son such a name. "Really? This is Hotohori's son? He's adorable!"

Kneeling down towards the young child as he took a cautious step back, Miaka reached for the bear, but the silent heir inched it away from her. "You know, I'm the one who gave that bear to your daddy a long time ago, before you were born. Don't worry, though. I won't take it away. What's your name?"

Boushin blinked several times, but said nothing. Tasuki leaned to her level with a wily smirk. "See? Ya wanna smack him, right?"

The prime minister hovered above them, shaking his head sadly. "It's of no use. Prince Boushin has never spoken a single word in his life. It's just like with his mother, as though his mouth and heart are sealed. He seems to understand what we say, but he won't speak to us."

"What are you saying?!" Hotohori's insistent voice demanded from behind.

Miaka screamed out, jerked back onto her bottom as the former emperor made his presence known. "Hotohori! Don't pop out like that!"

Hotohori ignored her plea. Instead, he knelt down towards his son, silent as the night, and watched as he gazed around confusedly. "Can't you see me?" His eyes fell while his son continued to peer around him at the ocean of unknown people. "He looks just as I did when I was a baby. The warm intelligence, the obvious wit, the regal grace, the strength of character."

Tasuki scoffed while everyone else seemed to sigh. "Gimme a break, ya narcissist," the bandit grumbled.

Atsuna's eyes traveled over the bandit as he stood next to her, his arms folded over his chest, as her mind reeled on what to say to him. But something sick churned in the pit of her stomach. She snapped her head towards the young boy and gasped, watching a black fog surround him like wildfire. "No! Everyone back away from the prince! Now!"

Tasuki was the first to stare at her, especially as her hand grasped his arm. But before anyone could question her sudden outburst, the head on the teddy bear ripped in two, tentacles of purple spirit power raging towards them.

Before Chichiri could conjure a spell, one of the tentacles wrapped quite sloppily around his body, jerking his arms to his sides and thus disabling any ability he had to summon his power. "It's some kind of tentacle monster coming from the prince's doll, you know!" The monk's eyes fell over his comrades, who all found themselves in the same position as he - Tasuki and Taka were wrapped by the neck and wrists, Miaka and Nyan-Nyan completely immobilized as he was, while Atsuna found her wrists and ankles bound.

Taka groaned, shifting his gaze towards the brunette girl at his side. He called out her name, watching her lips part in a painful whimper. "Please…Stop, Prince Boushin…" she begged, her throat constricting as a tentacle slithered around her throat, contracting to bar any passage of air.

"Please let go of the bear doll now, Your Highness!" the prime minister said, his own body nearly swallowed by the mass of tentacles that had surrounded him.

"I can't use my holy power!" Nyan-Nyan cried out.

"Me either, you know! I can't use my power without hitting the prince!" Chichiri piped in, much to the chagrin of the other former warriors in the room.

Tasuki tried fighting against the tentacles constricting his wrists, hoping to jerk his tessen from his back just long enough to call his holy fire. "It's no use," he seethed. "I can't reach the tessen!" He jerked his head to Atsuna, who was struggling against the annoying confines of the tentacles that had her ensnared. "What about you, Atsuna? Can ya do somethin'?"

Atsuna's eyes connected with his for a short moment before scowling. "I can't do anything," she admitted. "I need the use of my limbs; otherwise, any attack I call forth will be uncontrolled. I need to direct my powers with the motions of my hands."

Tasuki bit back a curse. "Well, we hafta do somethin' now or we're freakin' screwed!"

As Boushin continued to grasp the teddy bear against his robes, the head of the tentacle monster finally reared its very ugly head: with purple skin like rubber and a single golden eye, it opened its mouth, fangs seeping with saliva, and it burst towards the young prince with every intention of devouring the child whole.

"Boushin!" In a flash of holy red light, the prince jumped out of the way before the monster could sink its teeth in the boy's young flesh. Instead, the child lifted his palm towards the ceiling, and in a small burst of red light, Hotohori's holy sword materialized, guiding the child's movements as if Hotohori himself were controlling the swift swing of the glistening blade.

"He's possessed him!" Chichiri called out, eyes wide against his mask as he watched the child jump forward, two small hands gripping the golden handle of the sword and impaling the monster in the middle of its eye before it could make any more threatening moves.

As soon as the blade, pulsing with holy power, slid through the demon's eye, the tentacles melted and combusted to nothing, releasing everyone to fall to the ground several feet below.

Tasuki caught a glimpse of the tentacle ensnaring Miaka as it melted away, and just as it exploded, her body fell towards the ground. With his Suzaku-given speed, he propelled his body forwards, using his body as a cushion as she fell atop his back with a hard thump.

Miaka gazed down in confusion, flashing her warrior a grateful smile. "Oh, thank you, Tasuki!"

Tasuki shrugged. "Yeah, sure. What else was I gonna do? Now get off. Yer heavy."

Miaka scampered off him, cupping her hands over her mouth. "Oh! Sorry!"

Chichiri walked in between them, smiling wide, as he patted a hand against the bandit's shoulder. "You have been going out of your way to save Miaka during this trip, and I saw you kiss her down at the lake, you know."

Tasuki felt an uncharacteristically scarlet blush splash against his cheeks, and he looked at Atsuna for a moment to catch her response. Pain pierced his gut when he watched her shoulders tense, her chest jerk in a gasp before snapping her head towards the reincarnation of her brother to see how he was doing.

With homicidal thoughts against the monk for his frankness, Tasuki clenched his hands into fists. "It's called mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, ya dummy!" he growled through gritted teeth. With a grumble, he turned away from the monk and the priestess, ignoring the amused smirk on Chichiri's face and the confusion on Miaka's. His eyes roved over to Atsuna, who by now was standing next to Taka, a hand on his shoulder, while they looked down upon the Hotohori-possessed prince.

"We're all safe thanks to you, Your Highness," Taka informed with a smile.

When Boushin's lips parted, it was Hotohori's deep voice that echoed against the walls. "The monster has been destroyed with the holy sword. However, I am surprised that I am able to do this."

Atsuna's eyes widened slightly. "You mean you didn't know whether you would be able to take control of your son until you did it?" she asked. "That's a gamble, Your Highness. I thought you were well aware of what you were doing." A smile shattered through her serious demeanor. "But still, everything worked out well. I'm not quite sure what would have happened if you didn't take possession of your son. Sharing the same blood may have had a hand in allowing such a thing to happen."

"I agree," Miaka said, coming up next to the twosome. "And I'm not surprised at all, Hotohori. Any great father would do the same, after all."

Boushin's eyes widened, and before saying anything else, he turned around and scurried down the hall. Miaka called out after him, asking where he was going, but he turned towards the closed doors to Houki's bedroom.

Small palms pressing against the doors, he slammed them open, the evening rays of the sun pouring into the otherwise darkened room. "Houki!"

The violet-haired woman sat up, staring down at her young son as he bombarded her room, speaking her name as if he had spoken it many times before. She pressed her hand against the bottom of her neck. "Boushin?"

"Can't you see? It's me!" Hotohori's voice rang through the evening air.

Staring in disbelief, Houki jerked her blankets away from her body and stood on shaky ankles, a weak smile spreading against her lips. "Hotohori? Can it…Can it really be you?" But she didn't even need him to respond to her. She could see in her son's face, his smile, that it was him. She dashed forward, swinging her arms around the young boy's body until he was propped up against her chest.

"I'm so sorry for everything, Houki, for leaving you and Boushin behind," Hotohori apologized. "I have burdened the both of you with so much grief. Please find it in your heart to forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive," she murmured. "I've just missed you so much." Upon opening her eyes, she found her husband's former comrades standing at the door, shadowing the sun's warm shine. "You're all here?"

"Sorry for intruding, Lady Houki, but we need your help finding the Jewels of Memory," Miaka said, stepping forward. "If you're feeling better, that is."

Hugging her son close, Houki pushed herself to her feet and returned to her bed, sitting down on the edge with Boushin close at her side. "The Jewels of Memory? I have never heard of them."

"Without them, Taka—I mean, Tamahome will cease to exist," Miaka replied.

"The jewels were born from Tamahome and hold the individual memories he has of us," Atsuna added. "In order for him to join Miaka in her world, he had to abandon such memories. We believe the jewel containing his memories of His Majesty may be somewhere in the palace, somewhere closely connected to him. We were hoping you may know something."

Cupping her chin in her finger, Houki's mouth twisted in thought. "Come to think of it, I always thought it was just an illusion. Right before giving birth to my son, I saw a bright, shining, light-blue stone spear before my eyes. It entered my womb. I remember how warm it was. And after that, when Boushin was born, the warmth passed out of me. I thought it was an illusion brought on by my labor."

Chichiri stepped forward, his eyes falling on the young child sitting next to her. "So, it's with the prince, then."

"It's inside him?!" Miaka exclaimed.

Atsuna folded her arms over her chest, frowning. "How will we be able to extract it without harming him? That's tricky. We certainly don't want to cause the prince any pain."

"Just leave it to me!" Tasuki announced, thumbing himself in the chest. Leaning forward, he grabbed the child by the ankles, dangling him outside down. And with several jerks of his hands, he began shaking him, rousing terrified gasps from Atsuna, Miaka, and Houki. "Chichiri, hit him on the head! As long as His Highness possesses the child, he should be all right!"

Chichiri gripped his staff tight and nodded. "Right!"

And in a swift movement, Boushin's body wrenched free of the bandit's iron hold, planting the bottom of his foot into the side of the rash Suzaku warrior's face. "Just what do you think you're doing to my son?!" Hotohori demanded as Tasuki's body was sent flying towards the nearest wall. As Tasuki fell against the wall, his senses rattled by the driven kick from the young prince, a still-possessed Boushin turned to Chichiri. "Chichiri! How could you agree to such an asinine plan? And, Tamahome, what did I ever do to you to put a stone inside my son?"

Taka's eyes widened as Boushin's stubby finger thrust towards his face. "But I didn't put it in him! I wouldn't even know how!"

Atsuna sighed, eyes moving towards Tasuki as he stumbled to his feet. "This is why no good ever comes from listening to one of Tasuki's plans," she grumbled as she walked to the bandit's side, offering her hand. He looked at her hand and then up at her for a moment, but he silently declined, instead pushing himself up without her help.

Snapping her hand back as if she'd grazed fire, she planted her fists on her waist, scowling at him. "What is with you?" she hissed under her breath.

Tasuki shrugged at her, brushing off the front of his coat of invisible specks of dust. "Don't know what yer talkin' about, woman," he grumbled back. "I'm fine. Yer imaginin' things. I wish ya wouldn't have yer panties all in a bundle about somethin' that isn't even wrong."

Atsuna's mouth hung agape in disbelief at the coldness of his words. Feeling Taka's eyes rove over her, she spun around, saying nothing else to him.

"Excuse me, but it's time for the prince to have his meal," a female attendant interrupted, walking inside the open bedroom.

"We will have to discuss this later, then," Hotohori said through his son. "For now, my son needs to be fed." Boushin's eyes closed, and Hotohori's spirit lifted from the small body of his young son. "Eat well, my son, and grow to become a healthy and contented ruler of men."

The attendant carried a tray of food to the nearby table, and she turned towards the young heir standing close to the monk. "Come, Prince, so I may feed you."

Boushin walked forward, saying nothing, as usual, and as he closed the distance between him and the woman, he suddenly felt arms come around him. Curious eyes looked up, watching Chichiri grab a tight hold on him just as a blade slashed through his tunic, blood gushing from his arm. "It's another monster! She's not a real human being, you know!"

"What? How did I miss her presence?" Atsuna asked. But she didn't need to ask a question as the person responsible for her far-off thoughts came forward, snapping his well-known weapon from his back. It was if nothing was wrong, but she knew better.

"This is really pissin' me off now," Tasuki snapped. "They keep showin' up to bother us. Outta the way, Tamahome. You, too, Atsuna." He pulled his tessen back, flames flickering on the diamond edges. "Rekka Shinen!" Holy flames spit from the diamond fan, barreling towards the woman, engulfing her in a tsunami of fire.

Taka hunched in a defensive stance. "Is it gone?"

Nyan-Nyan flew past him hurriedly. "Not quite!" The flames blew away in a gust, and a Cyclops-like monster emerged growling. Nyan-Nyan's hands glowed white as she propelled them forward, calling her own holy attack. "San Zen Ha!" A volley of light spheres crashed into the monster's body, spilling green blood throughout the room. "This thing's tough!"

Hotohori walked forward, brows furrowed into his eyes. "I'll handle this!" He extended his hand and his sword materialized against his palm, strong fingers closing around the handle. His celestial mark pulsed through the thin white collar of his outfit as he tapped into his holy powers. "It ends here." With both hands, he channeled his energy into his weapon, sending shocks of red light through the blade. "I will not allow you to hurt my son! Now be gone!"

Houki gripped her son close to her as the red light swarmed the room in warmth and comfort. She peeked through her eyes as the light finally began to fade, the former Suzaku warriors all standing around with their own eyes fixated on the same empty spot in the room.

But after blinking the stars out of her eyes several times, Houki watched as a familiar red silhouette formed against the fading holy light, defining features sparking through her and pulling all of her hopes back to the surface. "Hotohori?"

The former emperor snapped his head to the bed occupied by his wife and son, eyes wide. "Houki. Can you see me?"

Houki released a choked chuckle, nodding quickly. "Yes. I can." Within the safe confines of her arms, Boushin leaned forward, his own short hands swinging forward with happy coos. "Can you see him, too, Boushin? Do you know who he is?" With her hands under his arms, she eased the young child onto the floor. "That brave man is your father."

Smiling as his eyes connected with his son's, the same warm shade of gold, he knelt down and extended his arms. "My beautiful son. Come to me."

Boushin walked forward, his arms coming up to circle his father's neck, but as his hands prepared to connect with his father's, Boushin took an unexpected step forward, walking right through his father's body. Hotohori's eyes widened as his son passed through him as if he were air, stumbling behind him. Turning slightly over his shoulder in horror, he watched his son sniffle and then break out into a wail.

Covering his mouth, Hotohori bit back his own cries. Houki turned away, unable to see the two most important people in her life in such despair, although the sound of her son's sobs were too difficult to ignore.

Atsuna pressed her hand against the base of her throat, releasing a shaky sigh as she watched the scene before her unfold, the young boy's cries piercing through her soul like a rusty, age-worn knife. She couldn't stop the lone tear from falling down her cheek, nor the spiking sadness through her heart.

A strong arm slid around her waist, prompting her to raise her head to the man next to her. Tasuki was staring down at her as he pulled her close to him, allowing her refuge against his chest as she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, wishing to mask her own onset of tears. And all he did was close his eyes, keeping her still against him, as he felt her fingers curl over his coat.

Taka walked forward, hovering over the fallen emperor. "Use my body. Please." He watched Hotohori lift his head, staring at him quizzically as he rubbed the budding tears from his eyes. "You can, because unlike everyone else here, I'm only using half of my memories. So there's plenty of room to spare, see?" A warm smile spread over his mouth.

Hotohori stared at him for a moment, then nodded once. "I am forever in your debt."

Atsuna watched the reincarnation of her brother kneel down to him, and as he closed his eyes, Hotohori disappeared within the confines of his body, giving the former emperor control. When Taka opened his eyes again, Atsuna could see the gentleness there from the emperor who had ruled valiantly over his country, the gentleness that begged to be sated as Taka leaned over the crying boy, picking him up against his chest.

Boushin's cries silenced almost immediately. "Forgive me, Boushin," Hotohori's voice rang throughout the room. "I have been a terrible father. I can't be here with you or your mother, but you are both forever in my heart. Grow up quickly. Be strong and noble. And as much as I did—no, more than I did, love your subjects and help to protect your mother and everyone else in the country. Build peace and happiness." Closing his eyes, nuzzling his cheek against the soft skin of his son's face, he sighed, taking in sweet scent coming from his son's tuft of hair. "You are…my greatest treasure."

"Pa…pa."

Houki snapped her head, a sharp gasp escaping her lips, as Hotohori jerked away, staring down at Boushin as if he were suddenly going crazy. "Boushin. What…What did you say?"

Smiling, the young boy reached forward, patting his palm against his father's cheek. "Papa."

Tears swam in the emperor's eyes as he gazed down at his son. "Boushin."

Boushin only continued to say his name over and over, and as he did so, a blue light flickered to vibrant life above them. Warmth swirled around them, flooding into Taka's body. Tamahome's memories of Hotohori bombarded him, recalling the fight he had with the emperor over Miaka's safety.

"You have to know, Tamahome, that even the power of kodoku was no match for the love you and Miaka share. The strength you use to protect Miaka comes from your abiding love for her and your gentleness," Hotohori said as the memories continued to play back in Taka's subconscious.

When Taka opened his eyes, he found that Hotohori had vacated his body and was now sitting next to Houki and Boushin on her bed.

"Thank you for letting me use your body, Tamahome. I will never be able to repay you for giving me that opportunity," he said with a smile, turning to look down at his son in Houki's lap.

Miaka rushed up to Taka's side, wrapping her arms around his stomach. "This is wonderful, Taka! We've found the fourth jewel!"

Taka looked down upon her, resting his hand gently against her shoulder. "I remember that time in the rain, Miaka, when you saved me from the kodoku. I couldn't have done anything like that without you with me. I hurt you so much, but you were still there for me." His fingers reached for her cheek, cupping her softly in his palm. Miaka only gazed up at him, smiling.

Tasuki watched, brows knotted, as his arm left Atsuna's waist. He turned to look at her, noticing the worrisome look deep in her eyes. He shattered their eye contact, snapping his eyes shut with a heavy sigh.

"What? What's happening?" Atsuna suddenly spoke up hurriedly.

Tasuki's eyes shot open, noticing a very familiar red light glimmering around Taka and Miaka. "What's goin' on now?" he demanded.

"They've been surrounded by the light of Suzaku!" Chichiri announced.

"So they're goin' back to the other world!" Tasuki continued for the monk.

Miaka and Taka exchanged glances with one another before the priestess looked over her warriors. "We'll be back! I promise! We'll find the fifth jewel together!"

Atsuna looked at her brother for a moment, lavender locking with lavender, and she knew that he had every intention of returning to finish what they began. She closed her eyes and sighed as he and Miaka disappeared from the room, forever swarmed with Suzaku's welcoming arms. "It's not over yet," she whispered to herself.