Nuriko has finally realized.
How he loves the Lady Miaka as a man.
Wanna know what it is?
I won’t say.
Forget it. You don’t have to know.
Nuriko…
I said forget it.
Nuriko, fearing for the Lady Miaka’s…
…and Tamahome’s relationship, went off to the top of Mt. Koku…
…by himself in search of the Shinzaho.
Is this it?
And before the door leading to the Shinzaho…
…Ashitare once again rose to battle him.
“Nuriko, one of the Suzaku Seven…”
“…fought for the sake of the Priestess and for his friends.”
“With no doubt in his heart.”
We’re counting on you, Nuriko!
I’m taking you down myself!.
Now come on!
You’re… pretty strong…!
But in a test of strength…!!!
And pretty nimble, to boot…
Is that clear? Fail me again, and…
He’s fast! I can’t keep up with him!
It’s like fighting a wild wolf!.
Wh-What is it, Your Highness?
What did I just feel?
Chichiri! Did you feel that?! Just now?
Something’s happened… to someone.
Nuriko? We have to go. We have to go now!
Tamahome… Hurry. Hurry!
Never, EVER underestimate me!
That was pretty stupid of me…
I’ll never be able to make fun of Miaka again after this…
Gotta move that rock…
Please, give me the strength…!
It seems like nobody will understand me.
These feelings I can’t tell you…
…feel like they’re ready to burst in my heart.
And when I’m almost ready to yell, I turn and see you looking at me!
NURIKO!!!
Korin, it’s you… How long have you been here?
Nuriko! NURIKO!!!
Tamahome!
Just hang on…
I’ll get this signal fire lit and call Mitsukake.
Got it!
What’ll we do? You won’t stop bleeding!
You were crazy to fight that guy all alone!
Don’t cry, Miaka…
This isn’t gonna kill me.
I can’t leave you alone…
Jeez… You cry so easily.
You gluttonous…clumsy…silly… stupid…hotheaded…
Nuriko…
I have to watch over you.
Nuriko, don’t talk so much.
You have to stay still till Mitsukake gets here.
But… Never mind…
When all’s said and done, there are a lot of good points about you.
So, please… Please…
Don’t lose. No matter what…
Wh-What’s with you?
You’re talking like I’ll never see you again.
That’s silly…
You’re gonna be here to protect me for a long time to come.
Hang on! Mitsukake and the others may almost be here!
Tamahome! I’m going to go look for them!
Right…
Nuriko…!
Nuri…!!!
Wh-What are you doing?
Tamahome? Come on, what are you doing?
Well?! Why don’t you say something?!
I don’t like this! Come on, Tamahome!
I really am clumsy, aren’t I…?
What’s wrong, Tama…
Nuriko’s—
NO, H E’S NOT! Don’t say anything like that!
Come on, it’s not true. He was just talking to us.
He was laughing. You saw him, right?
Tamahome! You saw, didn’t you?! Didn’t you?!
Oh, never mind what you think! Nuriko…
Come on… Open your eyes.
Nuriko…
Come on… Come on…
Please…?
Nuriko…
Nuriko, please!
Open them! OPEN YOUR EYES!
H-Hey… Tamahome!
What’s… What’s wrong with Nuriko?
He and one of the Seiryu Seven…
It just happened.
Th-That’s nuts…. Are you nuts?!
What’s the point of you gettin’ killed?!
You idiot! You wake up right now!
You goddamn coward, get up!
Of course!
I got a job for you!
Use your power to help him out, okay?
What a phony. He may have Tama here fooled…
…but he doesn’t fool me!
What the hell are you waiting for?!
Hurry up and heal him!
You can do it, right? Right? Can’t you?!
You can’t…?
You can’t do anything at all?!
He was just here…
He was so damn lively yesterday!
He isn’t dead.
Nuriko… He isn’t dead.
He’s not dead! He can’t be dead!
There’s no way Nuriko could be dead!
Miaka!
Nuriko… Nuriko…
It’s not true… It’s not true…
I don’t believe it…. I don’t believe it!
I DON’T BELIEVE IT!
What do you mean, we don’t have to do anything?!
Suboshi, keep your voice down in Lady Yui’s presence.
It’s gone! Ashitare’s life force is gone!
Can’t you feel it?!
The Suzaku Seven probably killed him.
I don’t see how you can just say that so calmly!
You’re just going to let them take the Shinzaho?!
Don’t worry. It’s part of my plan.
Nuriko…
I can at least erase his wounds.
Make him as beautiful as he always was…
It even…fixed his clothes…
He looks like he’s just sleeping there…!
Bring Miaka…
Bring everyone here now.
Tamahome…
Miaka…
Let’s go back, Miaka.
Go back…and say goodbye to Nuriko.
Besides, we have to get moving.
The Shinzaho… We have to get it as soon as we can!
No! How can you say that so easily?!
To get the Shinzaho, Nuriko was…!!!
It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make any sense…
To summon Suzaku, people have to…?!
I can’t do it…
I just can’t do it anymore!
Tamahome! No! Tamahome!
You’re hurting me! Let me go!
Tamahome! No!
Look at Nuriko, Miaka.
No!
Look at him!
Are you going to make his death be for nothing?!
What did Nuriko sacrifice his life for?!
You, more than anyone, should understand!
Miaka… I’ve given Nuriko his beauty back.
Won’t you look at him?
I know you’re sad… I know how lonely you feel.
No one’s going to ask you to feel better soon.
No one will say that, because we all feel the same.
There’s nothing to be done about the grief…!
I wish we had time…
A long, long time to heal.
But, right now, we can’t give you that time.
I know it’ll be hard.
Grieve if you must, but keep moving forward!
I want Nuriko to rest in peace.
Everyone has a purpose.
Everyone is born to do something that only they can do!
I’m proud to have been born one of the seven stars of Suzaku.
To the very end, Nuriko lived to its fullest…
…his role as one of the Suzaku Seven.
Do you see how satisfied he looks?
I’m glad I met you all…
I’m glad I met you, Miaka…
Nuriko…
It’s time to say goodbye to him.
You should take his bracelets.
I think Nuriko would have wanted you to.
This is the bag with his hair in it.
We should bury it with him.
Was he a woman? Was he a man? I couldn’t figure the guy out.
He was just so cool…
Uh-uh… He wasn’t a man or a woman.
Nuriko…was just Nuriko.
Nuriko… We’re going now.
And I promise you… We’ll get it.
Watch and see…
Long ago, Celestial Warriors devoted their lives to their Priestess…
…the way Tamahome and the others do for their own.
Hikitsu and Tomite. Warriors of the Genbu Seven.
Can the Lady Miaka open the iron door to their hearts?
Next time, “Guardians of Ice.”
Two lives in collision…