Taka woke up with a headache. He was still wearing the clothes he wore the night before. "Where am I?" he asked himself half expecting someone to answer back. The last thing he saw was the book and then a red light, everything after that was a blank. He stood up rubbing his head, the place he was at was so familiar. The place was damp, it looked like a broken down old house from the ancient china. He looked down at the floor and saw dried blood, it must’ve been there for a few years. Suddenly a wave of shock came upon him, this was his old house, this was where his family was brutally killed by Suboshi. A tear ran down his face as he remembered. Yurien, Chuei, Oyajii, everyone… He thought sadly.
He stepped outside the broken down old house, it was already morning. His old village still looked the same as he remembered. How come I can remember this village so clearly now when I couldn’t before? A million questions were running through his head. He was accustomed to phasing in and out of the book, after the whole ordeal with Tenco. He thought that they sealed the book for good, but now he was back in Konan, which meant someone had reopened the book, and a new story had already begun.
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"Tasuki, Hayaku no da!!!!" Chichiri ordered.
"I am hurrying!!" Tasuki replied in an annoyed voice. "Kuso! What’s the rush anyway?"
"Didn’t you hear what I said? Tamahome-kun is back! I felt his ki no da!"
"Yea I know I know I felt his ki too you moron! I just don’t get why we have to rush, it’s not like he’s gonna be going anywhere" Tasuki bellowed.
Chichiri hit him with his staff and hurried him along. There’s something weird going on and Chichiri knew this. For some reason something was telling him to go to the palace as soon as possible. "But first we have to get Tamahome-kun no da!" Chichiri thought out loud.
"Chee! It’s been A year since we saw him last! I should beat Tama-kun’s ass just for the hell of it!" Tasuki laughed and tried to keep pace with Chichiri. He glanced as his Blue haired friend and saw that his friend was preoccupied with something, otherwise he would’ve laughed at the crack Tasuki just made.
"Oii Chichiri! What’s bugging you?"
"Uhm nothing… I just can’t shake this feeling that something is wrong you know?" He replied.
Tasuki nodded in agreement and decided he’d shut up for awhile, atleast until they see Tamahome.
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"Miaka, calm down." Yui-chan said trying hard to comfort her friend who has been crying for God knows how long. Her and Tetsuya had rushed there right away when Yui-chan got a call from Miaka, she was so hysterical when she called, Yui could hardly make out what Miaka was saying so she just decided to have Tetsuya drive her to Taka’s apartment. They contacted Keisuke and he said that he’d be on his way ASAP.
"Yui-chan… Taka…. Taka..." Miaka tried to say something but it didn’t make sense.
Tetsuya examined the book. It was as he had remembered it. Old, dusty, and contained so much mystery that it made you want to open it. He tried to open it but it wouldn’t open. "Shimatta!" he cursed.
"What’s wrong?" Yui asked.
"Damn thing wont open!" He said in frustration and he cursed again.
"Nani? That’s odd" She walked over to Tetsuya who was still trying to pry the book open. The book glowed with blue light when Yui approached and when she touched it, the book opened.
"ehh??" Tetsuya exclaimed in shock.
As though something possessed her, Yui-chan read the book in a low voice which sent shivers up Miaka’s spine and stopped her crying.
"The young man who wore strange clothes walked around the back of his old broken down home and visited his family’s grave. The grave that he had made with his own bare hands while he was shedding tears that he never even knew he could shed. He’d never have forgiven Suboshi for what he had done. He never will.
He didn’t notice two figures coming from behind him. One of them placed his hand on his shoulders…"
"Tamahome-kun!" the voice shook him from his thoughts.
"Chichiri, Tasuki!" Taka exclaimed.
"Hissashiburi na Obake-chan!" Tasuki teased. Ever since Tokaki had told them of the story of how kids used to call Tamahome "Obake" (monster) he couldn’t help but bring it up once in awhile, even though it meant Tamahome having to kick his butt because of it.
"Tasuki, you still haven’t changed" Taka said as he smacked the back of Tasuki’s head. "But it doesn’t bother me anymore, the sign doesn’t appear on my forehead anymore see." Taka pointed to his forehead. "And I was reborn in Miaka’s world as Taka so it’s not Tamahome anymore!" Taka grinned.
"Whatever Tama-chan! I don’t really give a shit if your name is Taka, actually it sounds better as Tamahome if you ask me Obake-chan!" laughed Tasuki.
"Tamahome-kun, forgive Tasuki, he still hasn’t changed no da!" Chichiri laughed. The three laughed and chatted for a bit.
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"The three Suzaku shichi-sei headed towards the palace at Chichiri’s suggestion." Yui read in a low voice. "…meanwhile in the world of the Miko’s a new powerful force that has been hanging around for awhile now began to work its evil. The two Miko’s in the apartment of the Shichi-sei, Tamahome was being watched by a figure in the shadows…" The book then shut itself and fell to the floor.
"What!!" wailed Tetsuya as he looked outside the window. It was broad daylight, no shadows, what was this book saying?? Miaka’s words interrupted his thoughts.
"At least his safe, he’s with Chichiri and Tasuki." She said trying to reassure herself. She felt the ring on her finger. It connected her to him and she wished that he could hear her voice. "Taka" she whispered.
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"Miaka!" Taka said out loud, startling his two friends.
"Miaka-chan? Where?" Tasuki asked looking around.
"Oh it’s, nothing… I just thought I heard her voice, that’s all." Taka ran his finger around the ring that hung around his neck. They always had a strong connection, and he almost always knew when she needed him.
"Ne, Chichiri! Why are we going to the palace? Are we going to visit Houki-sama?" Taka asked. He wanted to see how much Boushin has grown in a year.
Chichiri’s face was serious, he removed his smiling mask and shook his head. "Iie, we’re going to see Hotohori-sama…"
"Hotohori??" The two said in unison, "but Hotohori is dead!!" they wailed.
Chichiri didn’t answer he just shook his head and continued to walk. He knew that Hotohori was dead, but something told him that they had to come there to see him… He couldn’t explain it, he just knew. Tasuki and Taka looked at one another and gave each other puzzled looks. They remained silent until they got to the palace.
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