Disclaimer: I didn't create Fushigi Yuugi, and I didn't create most of the characters in this story. I am simply a fan who loves the series enough to be inspired to write a fanfic about it.

This is a serious fanfic that contains some scenes that aren't suitable for younger readers. If it was a movie, it would be rated R. It also has spoilers from various episodes. Comments, critiques, & flames are welcome.

Miaka rubbed Setsuya's back gently as she fed. Kenji and Arisawa were already asleep, and her youngest daughter was starting to drift off herself. Miaka smiled wearily when she heard Hotohori's voice.

"They're beautiful, Miaka. I wish you could see them."

"They must take after you then, Hotohori. I'm glad."

"I just hope they'll have your courage and generosity." Hotohori whispered.

Miaka smiled again.

"Arigato, Hotohori."

Setsuya stopped feeding, and fell asleep. Miaka's smile faded as she continued to rub her daughter's back.

"Who will take care of them, Hotohori? You're dead, and I will be soon.....even if I chose to live, I wouldn't be able to raise them. The other seishi are dead. Suboshi and Amiboshi will have their hands full with raising Taka and Rei. Keisuke and Tetsuya will be able to help, but they don't know anything about raising children, much less raising the heirs to a country."

Miaka tensed when she heard the door open, but relaxed when she felt Hotohori's reassuring touch on her shoulder.

"I will raise them." Maseo said quietly from the doorway.

Hotohori turned to the general of Konan-koku's army.

"Are you sure, Maseo?"

"Hai. My wife and I have always wanted children, but have never been able to have any of our own. We will raise the triplets as if they were the children we've always wanted. They will want for nothing."

"Arigato. This means a lot to us, Maseo."

"I'll raise them to be as good at ruling the country as you were, heika." Maseo said, bowing deeply.

"And we'll help. You two don't have anything to worry about." Keisuke assured his sister.

Keisuke stood back with the seishi while the others said their goodbyes to Miaka. Tears filled his eyes, and he was glad that his sister couldn't see them. He watched as Miaka finished saying goodbye to everyone. Then he ran up and hugged his sister as close as he dared.

"Goodbye, Miaka. I'll miss you. Come visit me as soon as you can, okay?" he whispered.

"Hai, I will. Don't grieve for me too long, okay? Promise me, Keisuke nii-chan."

"I promise."

Keisuke saw Amiboshi's questioning glance as he stepped away from Miaka's bed, and he nodded. Amiboshi smiled sadly, raised his flute to his lips, and began to play softly. Keisuke was torn between not wanting to have to watch his sister die, and wanting to be there for her til she was gone. He was still trying to decide what to do when Tetsuya made the decision by steering him out of the room with Suboshi following close behind the two friends.

Miaka found herself begining to relax despite the pain she was in when Amiboshi began playing. The melody was a soothing one, one that Amiboshi had played often while pretending to be Chiriko. Miaka felt herself begin to drift off into memories of happier times.

Amiboshi kept a close watch on Miaka as he played. He watched as she became more and more relaxed, and wistfully remembered the many times he had played this melody in the past for Miaka and the Suzaku seishi.

Those were the happiest times of my life. The Suzaku seishi were like a family to me. I actually found myself wanting them to succeed even though I was a Seiryuu seishi, and when Tamahome came after Miaka.....I've only been that scared one other time in my life.....the day my parents died and Suboshi and I were left alone. The idea of betraying the Suzaku seishi was almost unbearable.....but I did betray them; I had no choice because Nakago would have killed Suboshi if I hadn't. Even after I betrayed them, Miaka still didn't hate me. She believed in me. She tried to help me....she risked her life trying to save me, and she would have been pulled into the river with me if I hadn't let go. Now she needs my help. The least I can do is help her die.....I just wish I could kill her without causing her more pain, but I can't.....I thought I could, but I can't; the song has to be strong enough to destroy the defences her chi has built up since the last time I used this song on her. She'll be in twice as much agony as she's in now once I change my melody into the one that will kill her.

Steeling himself against the pain he knew he was about to inflict, Amiboshi took a deep breath and changed the melody he was playing.

Miaka was brought abruptly back to the present when the melody changed. Agonizing pain ripped through her, closing around her head in a vise-like grip until she thought her head would explode. She turned towards Amiboshi, and tried to smile. The pain grew, building up slowly until it became her world, drowning out the other pain she felt. It was all she could do to keep herself from screaming.

The melody changed again, becoming sharper, more jarring. Amiboshi watched with tears in his eyes as Miaka writhed in agony, her screams filling the room. He had to constantly fight the urge to stop playing, even though he knew what he was doing was for the best. After what seemed like an eternity, Amiboshi felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Taiitsu-kun floating beside him. She closed her eyes, and her aura glowed brightly as she focused her chi.

Miaka drifted, lost in an endless sea of agony. There was no sound, or movement, or even time.....there was nothing but a long tether preventing her from going.....somewhere. Miaka focused her attention on the tether, wondering what it tied her to, but she gave up trying to puzzle it out after a few moments; thinking was just too much of an effort. A tearing pain ripped through her awareness. When it faded slowly, the rest of the pain faded with it, leaving warmth and a sense of security behind. That slowly faded away as well, leaving Miaka's awareness to drift into nothingness.

Amiboshi stopped playing when he saw the look of peace on Miaka's face. He bowed his head and cried. Taiitsu-kun patted him gently on the shoulder.

"She's at peace now, Amiboshi. She's with her seishi. This is what she wanted." she said quietly.

"I know Taiitsu-kun, and that helps, but it doesn't change the fact that I killed her. I killed one of the two people who liked me unconditionally."

"We'd better go. The others are waiting for us." she said after a long pause.

Amiboshi nodded, and wiped the tears out of his eyes. He looked around the now empty room -- the Suzaku seishi had vanished when Miaka died. Then he followed Taiitsu-kun out of the room.

Keisuke looked up when Amiboshi and Taiitsu-kun walked in. He joined Tetsuya, Suboshi, and Suzaku in a small group and waited for them to speak.

"She's gone. The seishi are too." Amiboshi said flatly.

Suzaku nodded.

"I'll have to leave as well. I can't stay in this world now that my miko is gone."

"The four of you are welcome to stay at the palace if you'd like."

"Arigato, Maseo. I think Tetsuya and I will take you up on that offer. We can help you raise my nieces and nephew, and besides.....we don't know this world. We don't have anywhere else to go." Keisuke said quietly.

"I'll stay as well, but I have to go to Sairou-koku and get my children first. Taka and Rei should grow up with their half-siblings."

"Can my foster family come?"

"Of course they can, Amiboshi."

"Then I'll stay as well. I'll go to Sairou-koku with Suboshi to tell my family about your offer."

"I can send you two to Sairou-koku before I go, if you'd like."

The twins nodded. Suzaku glowed brightly, then the three of them vanished.