As could be expected, the Lady Miaka…
…once again fell into Nakago’s hands.
On top of that, Miboshi of the Seiryu Seven…
…now the master of the great temple…
…robbed her of her voice and she was then imprisoned.
There, the Lady Miaka met Tatara, one of the Byakko Seven…
…and keeper of the Priestess of Byakko’s Shinzaho.
Miaka?
Yui…!
Hey! Are you the ones with “The Universe of the Four Gods” ?
Who are you? How do you know about the book?
Yui…
Nakago told me about this. You have some business with me?
I can’t talk! That Miboshi guy’s spell…!
I hate this! I’m finally with her again, but…!
What’s wrong? Why won’t you speak?
This girl… She seems to have lost her voice.
Oh? That’s too bad.
And I’d finally changed my mind about talking to her, too.
Yui wasn’t really raped! Nakago lied so he could use her…
Please understand, Yui!
I’m sorry I didn’t save you from those men! But…
Even after everything, I love you as much as I love Tamahome!
Can’t…breathe…! Choking me…!
Oops…
Forget it. You win. Why fight it?
When I see someone as silly as you are…
…my being stubborn seems just as silly.
We’ve been together since kindergarten.
I don’t want to just keep on fighting a friend like I have.
Yui…!
You understand how I feel! Finally! Finally!
Anyway, Miaka, where’s Tamahome and the others?
If Nakago finds them, they’ll be in big trouble.
Come with me.
Tatara, I’m really sorry about before.
Until now, I didn’t know what to do.
You both are friends?
Hurry! This way!
Are you okay? Should we rest for a minute?
Are you sick?
Not exactly. It’s because I’ve left the shrine of Byakko.
90 years ago, my companions cast a spell on me…
…to stop time’s effects on my body…
…so that I could protect the Shinzaho.
But in return the spell makes me age faster on the inside.
I’m fine if I stay in the Byakko shrine, but…
I guess you really can’t extend your life span, can you?
Listen, you can’t protect the Shinzaho in your condition.
Shouldn’t you just give it to Miaka as soon as you can?
Yui…
Sorry, Miaka. I don’t understand you at all.
Oh, I get it!
“Since Nakago has the other Shinzaho…”
“…we still can’t summon Suzaku, right?”
Bingo!
Oh, well then, I’ll see what I can do.
Even Nakago won’t be suspicious of me.
All right. I get it! Knock it off!.
You really think I should give it to you now?
A seed…?
Holy…!
This is the Byakko Shinzaho.
That’s where it was?!
Here.
Je t’aime!
I think she wants you to know how much she appreciates this.
That was the hand-mirror Suzuno had when Byakko was summoned.
Suzuno?
Suzuno Ohsugi…
A girl who came here from your world 90 years ago…
…and then returned after summoning Byakko.
The Priestess of Byakko.
The Priestess of Byakko…
The one and only girl I’ve ever loved.
The Priestess of Byakko was your only love?
You mean you were in love with each other?
Yes. Suzuno and I were in love.
She was a gentle girl, with long hair.
But the other members of the Byakko Seven…
…were against our being in love.
“You and the Priestess can never consummate your love,” they said.
As they warned, when Byakko was summoned…
…Suzuno returned to her world.
Goodbye. Tatara… Goodbye.
But why? Didn’t you ask Byakko?
To let that girl stay in this world with you?
We did.
However, Byakko said this to us:
“That one wish I cannot grant you.”
Is that it, Tamahome?
That, no matter how much we love each other, we’ll have to part?
Even if I summon Suzaku, you and I…!
Miaka… Come on, get a hold of yourself.
You rest here and I’ll bring some water or something to you.
Go see Miaka?
Yes. I’m sure you’ll be able to use her…
…to get the Shinzaho from the Byakko warrior.
Because I trust you.
Do you take me or do you take her?
The decision is yours.
Yui!
Tamahome!
I figured you’d be here!
Looking for Miaka? I was just with her.
Well, Tamahome. You and Miaka can never be together, can you?
What makes you say that?
Miaka and I both heard it. From Tatara of the Byakko Seven.
I pity you. You may as well give up.
Even if you summon Suzaku, Miaka still has to go back.
No! I won’t let even the laws of heaven beat us!
If Miaka can’t stay in this world, then I…
Then I’ll go to Miaka’s world!
What are you talking about?
That’s ridiculous. Are you serious?
You, go to our world? Don’t make me laugh.
Yui, wait! Dammit!
I want to see Tamahome! I want to hear his voice right now!
If I can’t, I’ll…!
Sorry I took so long.
Here, Miaka. Water.
I’m sorry. Use this handkerchief to dry off.
Sorry. I tripped. I’ll hold that.
Nakago and the others may be coming.
You two, wait in here for now.
Yui!
Hey! You!
You’re so naive, Miaka. Did you really think I’d forgive you?
I have the Shinzaho now!
Then I’ll go to Miaka’s world!
I won’t let you! I’ll summon Seiryu immediately with this.
You two, just be quiet and wait here.
Yui!
Grandma Suzuno has been chattering away about you coming here.
How does this “Suzuno” woman know about the book?
Because she says she went into it, too…
…and became the Priestess of Byakko.
Whoa, do you believe all this?
Whether you believe it or not, my friend’s little sister is…
…in there now as the Priestess of Suzaku!
Now I’ve got MORE weirdos coming in here…
Grandma’s father, a guy named Takao Ohsugi…
…had a best friend whose daughter was the first priestess.
Takiko Okuda!
Is that written in the book, too?
I always thought it was just a story she made up.
Heh, I’m still not sure I believe it, even now.
Allow me to introduce you.
The Priestess of Byakko.
Suzuno Ohsugi…
Yui! Yui, wait!
This can’t be! I thought she understood how I felt.
If I only I could talk!
It’s all right.
I’ll get us out of here.
Tatara!
Even as weak as I am, I have enough strength left to do that.
That Shinzaho belonged to my beloved Suzuno.
I can’t let it be used for evil.
We have to hurry!
The evil I sense above us is incredible.
Stay here. I’ll go!
Don’t follow under any circumstances!
Tatara…
Tatara, if I could talk, there’d be so much I’d ask you.
Wait!
Return the Shinzaho to me.
I had my doubts about you from the beginning.
Why do you think I produced the Shinzaho despite them?
Because you’re the friend of the Priestess of Suzaku.
You love her, don’t you?
Wh-What are you talking about?!
I don’t know the reason you two became enemies…
…but your heart isn’t completely against her yet.
That was why I trusted you.
Go back to her with the Shinzaho.
Come.
Lady Yui, this way.
Miboshi!
I can’t just wait there! If Yui summons Seiryu while…
…she still doesn’t know the truth, it’ll be a disaster!
Whew! Looks like they’re gone.
Agh! Leg go! Cut it out!
Miaka!
Tamahome!
REKKA SHINEN!
Tamahome…
Hey! Chiriko, leg go my neck! I can’t breathe!
Miaka… I’m sorry I didn’t say why I wanted to break up.
But when I heard you could never come back here…
…after Suzaku was summoned, well…
I just didn’t want to believe it.
Maybe I’m just a coward, thinking of giving you up now…
…so it’d hurt less when it happens, but…
No… I can’t face him. It hurts too much.
I can’t face Tamahome now.
Ow!
If we’d kissed on top of that tower when the sun set…
…we’d never be separated again, is that it?
This isn’t the top of that tower…
…and the sun may have set a long while ago…
But, if there’s even the tiniest chance we can change our destiny…
…I’ll do anything to do it!
Tamahome…
That’s right! We have to stop Yui, fast!
Miaka, what’s wrong with your voice?
Yui…?! Yui’s here, right?!
You’re trying very hard, aren’t you?
But how long can you keep that spell going with that weak body?
You love her, don’t you?
No… No! The one I love is…!
Yui!
No! Don’t come here!
Tatara!
His body appears young, but inside he’s more than 100 years old.
It appears he lacks the strength to maintain his spell.
If anyone moves, I’ll kill him.
Now go, Lady Yui. Don’t be concerned with this.
Lady Yui.
Come. This way, please.
We’re ready to begin the ceremony to summon Seiryu on the roof.
Nakago!
Don’t move!
Yui!
Why, you…!
Tatara!
Tatara, hang on!
Tokaki… Subaru… Forgive me…
It seems the time has come… for me to go to heaven…
You damned fool! What are you saying?!
We made a promise to Suzuno 90 years ago!
That we would live together and die together!
Come on! We’re going after the Priestess of Seiryu!
It’s turned into a wall, you know?
You are… Tamahome?
Even though we knew we would be separated…
…Suzuno and I…
The Priestess of Byakko and I loved each other.
Just as you and she love each other now.
Though we had to part…
Though we would never again be together, we had no regrets.
If she returned to her world…
Married another man… and had children…
If she found happiness, then…
If the woman I loved could be happy, then I could be happy.
Our hearts had joined.
And so, even if she lived in a different world from mine…
…the two of us were together.
And always, always, I have held on to that feeling!
Tatara… We will always be together. Always…
Grandma!
Tatara!
TATARA!
She’s gone…
Tatara…?
It’s all true?!
Tatara?
Tatara!
Suzuno!
It was all okay… It took so long…
But they were still happy!
Both of them! And even now, they’re happy…!
Keisuke…
Chiriko!
Chiriko! What’s wrong?!
I am Miboshi of the Seiryu Seven…
I claim this body as my own!
She thought she hated the Lady Miaka.
She thought she wanted to make her suffer.
These feelings welling up inside wrack the Lady Yui’s heart.
With confusion in her heart…
…the Lady Yui now proceeds to the ceremony to summon Seiryu…
…hoping it will release her from her torment.
Next time, “Moment of Battle.”
Wanting to believe in something… And in someone.