It was quiet, always quiet. No matter how many months and years should pass, it would always be too, too quiet. Her white face had lost its characteristic blush, and joy no longer cast a sparkle on those golden eyes. Her rose-colored hair had lost its sheen, and her ribbons were loosely tied, disregarded like the rest of her clothes. Her stockings had holes near the top; the edges of her sleeves were frayed, tattered, fading to gray. Where her golden-tan ears once perked up with life, in this dismal, silent void, they were still. Her fluffy tail was matted, never again to be primped and tended to, never again to wag with excitement, never again to be touched by her master.

After many hours - or was it thousands of years? - Tamamo had shed enough tears to flood the world. Had everything in that war been for naught? Had it all been an exercise in futility? At last, at long, long last, she had found someone she coud love, and cherish, and hold. She could rectify her mistakes! She could love them like she'd not gotten a chance to love him! Yes, Hakuno had been female. Yes, it might be considered improper by some. Yes, she'd even felt uncharacteristically hesitant at first! But in the span of the Holy Grail War of the Moon Cell, Tamamo had fallen deeply, madly, heartbreakingly in love with Hakuno. It was the kind of love which had buoyed her up whenever she'd felt moody, it was the kind of love which had flung her up on waves of excitement every time she saw her Master's face! Every new day had been exciting because her master had been in it. That was what she'd fought for: Tamamo had fought for an eternity with her master.

To have victory yanked out of her hands - no, to have Hakuno taken from her, just when they had arrived at what they had thought to be their shining moment, was unbearable! Unthinkable! Unforgivable! Tamamo had cried and kicked and beat her fists, in this cold, dark place where no one could see her. She raged at the Moon Cell, Twice Pieceman, and everything in the world, and everything beyond it. When her anger burned itself to a lumpy husk somewhere between her heart and guts, all she had left was her hopeless sorrow. Tamamo had eventually begun to pray every once in a while. Her pleas went out to the Earth, and the Sun, and the Moon, and all other places in the cosmos, begging for someone, or something, to help her. Even if unheard, even if unknown, Tamamo had to pray. Only if she prayed to be reunited with Hakuno, could the kitsune ever feel like she was being a good Servant, a good comrade, a good wife to that girl whom had made her life feel worthwhile again.

Time became confused to her, but this was of no concern to Tamamo. Few memories could be dredged up of her existence as Amaterasu, but she retained a sense of orientation even in a place where time had no bearing. Tamamo focused, and meditated, and coordinated every last iota of her body, mind, and soul to praying. She soon was praying every second of every minute, every hour, every day, for however many months and years were cascading by - or perhaps sluggishly dragging on. It became easy to do, after a while. Focusing on all that was Hakuno gave her a rock to cling to, a life preserver in this groping abyss of misery. Brown hair, brown eyes, an awkward way she walked, the polite way she talked. The feeling of her hands petting Tamamo's ears; the sound of her voice commending, consoling, confiding, praising, begging, and arguing with her Servant.

Soon, the devotion to Hakuno welled up within Tamamo. Life returned to her features, and her newfound purpose lifted Tamamo into her usual proud posture. One wish, one desire, one request was sent out to all of the lands of Earth, and every single thing in Heaven, and every other sphere that cared to listen: Please, she prayed, if it means to have a chance at my eternity with Hakuno, I would fight a whole-new Holy Grail War to win our happiness. I will defeat anyone and everyone, if it means that I can have that extra life with her. This is my one wish. I have never wanted anyone, or anything, near as much as this. Please…Let me fight with, and for Hakuno Kishinami, one more time, to win an eternity with her. For an impossibly long time, it was silent. Tamamo could feel tears burning their way to life in her eyes.

Then, a sound. It was her name - it was that voice! A light began to shine out, and to Tamamo, it appeared to be all of her hopes and dreams. She rushed out, and up, and into the light, to where she could embrace her.

Hakuno was, understandably, very confused. "Um," she gulped, "hello…Ta - Caster…Have we met before?"