Disclaimers: I own a purple mouse named Nuriko. But I do not own Nuriko. I do not own him here or there. I do not own him anywhere. Not in a box. Not with a fox. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. ^_^

Warnings: Spoilers, I guess, for Episode 33, but it's not an Episode 33 fic. Derogatory comments made about Tomite's head. Cheese-o-meter up to, oh, maybe seven or so. ~.^;;

Hopefully sequels will follow (uhhh…why'd I put that under "Warnings?"…).

At first, there was only me.

It was dark, and I must admit, I was a bit frightened. I don't like being alone, which may seem strange to some, given that I've been somewhat isolated for most of my life. But the past few months had changed that. I'd had friends; we'd stayed at each other's sides by night, and walked side by side by day. I'd had a family. And now I had darkness. Only darkness.

I curled up in a ball in the darkness, wondering if this was the end of my story, if I'd just sit here alone with my thoughts until the world blew up or the sky fell or something. If my body had been living, my heart would have been pounding in my chest; I didn't even have that familiarity to comfort me. And where was Kourin?! I'd seen her…I knew I'd seen her, smiling at me, waiting for me…I'd closed my eyes for the last time with the certainty that she'd be there. But there was nothing.

The first traces of panic were slowly seeping into my chest. "Don't think so much, Nuriko," I whispered to myself, a desperate tactic to prove that I still existed…to an extent. "Don't think so much…"

"Your battle was bravely fought, Nuriko," came a sudden, shriveled voice.

I blinked, then sat up; all at once, a faint light shone upon me.

And then she was there, hovering in front of me, surrounded by those annoying cloth things that never moved with any amount of wind.

"T-Taiitsu-kun?" I squinted at her.

"Who else would it be?"

"Where's Kourin?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "I'm waiting for Kourin. Where's my sister?"

"She is well," said the old witch, "and she is patient. A perfect gem of a child. Unlike some other members of her family, it would seem."

"Well, excuse me!" My voice was slightly stronger, encouraged by frustrated indignation. "I just got impaled by a werewolf, all right? Forgive me for not being in the best of spirits!"

The woman actually laughed. "There you are again, Nuriko! We can't have you moping about like a lost little boy, now, can we? Nothing's changed!"

"You mean, apart from the fact that I'm dead?" I asked wryly.

She clicked her tongue. "Oh, come. It was a sacrifice that had to be made. I know you understand that."

I looked down, fidgeting with my hands, and admitted softly, "Yes."

"You will see your sister again," Taiitsu-kun promised, "but not yet. Not yet. Even in death, you are still a shichiseishi, and I still have use for you."

"Use? But how can…"

"Ask me no questions, child. You will know, when the time comes." She raised her head, and the blackness in front of me lifted to reveal a huge, silver mirror. "Look."

Reflected in the glass was a cavern of ice, my companions…Miaka. And two strange men—one with a patch over his right eye, one with what seemed to me to be a ridiculously small head—were standing by while Miaka was…Miaka was…

"What are they doing?!" I cried in anger, slamming my palms against the mirror. "They're freezing her! They're killing her! Who are those guys?!"

"Hikitsu and Tomite," Taiitsu-kun replied.

"Tomato?!"

"Tomite!" She swatted my head. "Genbu no seishi. Spirits, like yourself. They protect the Shinzaho in Hokkan."

"Well, can't they see she's Suzaku no Miko?! Can't they see she's the one they've been guarding the stupid thing for?!"

"They are testing her."

"She'll die!!" I clenched my fists; my faded yanagi symbol began to glow as brightly as ever, and I reached out to my miko with my heart, with my soul. Miaka, I thought desperately, you have to win, no matter what!!

There was a burning in my wrists, which made me gasp, having been unaware that ghosts could feel physical pain. The world around me became a misty red as I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a wordless yell, thrusting my hands at the reflection; I felt the strength rushing like wind out of my body, and heard the distant shatter of glass… of ice. Panting, I fell to my knees, clutching my hands to my chest, my forehead resting against the smooth, cool surface of the mirror.

With the last bit of energy I possessed, I forced myself to look once more at the scene before me. There, on the floor of the cavern, sat Miaka, coughing and shivering… but alive. Still alive. She'd won…we'd won.

"Well done, Nuriko," came Taiitsu-kun's scratchy, oddly gentle voice, like a faraway echo in my ears, as I smiled in exhausted relief and let myself collapse into sleep upon the shadowed floor.

TBC….

**melodramatic sob** oohhhhhhhhh, the drama!! The drama!!! ^_^