Bewildered Heartbeat.Hotohori questions Tamahome about Miaka's illness. Tamahome is evasive. Miaka is seriously ill, so Hotohori resolves to send her home, using Taiitsukun, the ultimate ruler of the universe. Hotohori tells Miaka of this, asking her to come back once she's well again. Outside, Nuriko accuses Tamahome of being jealous of Hotohori, telling him to apologize to Miaka so that Hotohori will be free for Nuriko. They set off to go to Taiitsukun, with a tense feeling between Miaka and Tamahome. That night, Nuriko tells Miaka to bathe in the mineral spring near where they are camped. She tells Tamahome to go to the spring, saying Miaka asked him to meet her out there. Miaka undresses to bathe and she is frightened by a dark shape. Tamahome comes running, and "saves" her from the dark shape, a log. After realizing Miaka wasn't clothed, they both turned their backs on one another, and they both apologise. Tamahome is very embarrassed by Miaka's appearance. Tamahome leaves and Nuriko reveals herself. Miaka hugs Nuriko and Nuriko's top falls off enough to reveal that "she"'s a man! The next day, Hotohori and Miaka have a heart-to-heart discussion, which makes Tamahome and Nuriko jealous. Taiitsukun decides she will have to test the group. She sends a thick fog. Tamahome insults Miaka and she runs off. She sees a dinner table and runs towards it, and is trapped in a mirror, where she is confronted by an evil mirror-Miaka.