"Hey, you don't have to be so hard on her, you old bag!" Tamahome said, standing next to Miaka.
"No," Miaka cried, "She's right. Think of everyone who got hurt so that we could call Suzaku. Yui-chan did. Shoka-san did. Amiboshi did. So did Hotohori, and Tamahome, and Nuriko, and Tasuki, and Mitsukake, and Chichiri, and Nikki, too. But I wasn't able to fulfil my duties as Suzaku-no-miko. Now we'll never be able to call Suzaku." Miaka was on the verge of tears.
"There is another way," Taiitsu-kun said, "It will be more difficult than anything before. Are you ready?" Miaka nodded. "You must go to the country of Hokkan in the North, which is protected by Genbu. Once there, you must find the shinzaho, an object dedicated to Genbu."
"I'll go." Miaka replied.
"Very well. Take these, they will increase your powers." Taiitsu-kun closed her eyes, and a small, glowing orb appeared to each of the seishi.
Inside each orb was a small gift. Hotohori received a sword, Tasuki's tessen was turned to diamond, Chiriko received a scroll, Mitsukake got a small jar of medicine, Chichiri got beads for his necklace, Nuriko received two bracelets, and Nikki received a small crystal pendant.
"What's for me?" Tamahome asked.
"Nothing. The `old bag's presents can't go to somebody who'd just sell them," Taiitsu-kun replied. Tamahome felt bad.
"Taiitsu-kun," Nikki said, "Why do I get a gift? I'm not a seishi,"
"Even though you are not a Suzaku seishi, you have fought hard to protect the Miko. This is your reward. Also, I will strengthen your natural abilities."
Nikki thanked her, and bowed respectfully.
"I like this girl," Taiitsu-kun said, "Tamahome, why can't you be more like her?" Tamahome was too busy trying to steal Mitsukake's jar to hear.

"Oh, Miaka," Taiitsu-kun said, "One more thing. Close your eyes." Miaka did as the old woman instructed. Taiitsu-kun sprinkled the ashes from the Universe of the Four Gods over Miaka. "This will strengthen your own abilities."
"Well, then I guess we're going to Hokkan," Miaka said.
"I'll go, too," Tasuki said.
"It'd be dangerous to let Miaka go without me," Nuriko answered.
"I'm not letting Nuriko go without me," Nikki said.
"Then I guess we're all going." Tamahome said, placing a hand on Miaka's shoulder.
"Before you leave, I want to speak with Miaka, alone." Taiitsu-kun said. Everyone else waited outside, and the doors were shut behind them.
Tamahome was still complaining that he was the only one who didn't get a gift. "How come Nikki got one? She's not a seishi. She just follows us around."
"Do you want me to kick your ass?" Nikki asked. Tamahome moved on to start a fight with Tasuki.
A few minutes later, Miaka came out. She tried to look cheerful, but something was bothering her. "Why don't we go back to the court?" she asked, "I'm a bit tired." Nikki didn't believe one word of it. But, not having anything better to do, she followed the others.
After supper, Nikki took her daily walk around the palace. Eventually, she found herself out at the pond. She sat on a rock by the water's edge and watched the sunset. The colours reflected off the surface of the water, making everything around her seem to glow.
"Chichiri said you'd be here," Nuriko said, sitting down beside her.
"It's so beautiful, and calm," Nikki said, "There's nothing like this back home,"
"Do you miss it?" Nuriko asked quietly. It was impossible for Nikki to read his expression in the dying light.
"What?" she asked.
"Your home."

"Do you miss it?" he asked again, facing her. Nikki had never seen this look on his face before. He looked dead serious, and almost sad.
"I never really had a home to miss," Nikki said, casually tossing a small stone into the pond. She sighed. "Well, I guess you'd have to find out sooner or later, so I might as well tell you now." Nikki leaned back on her elbows, and launched into her life story.
"My parents both died when I was young. I never really knew them. I grew up in a foster home in Los Angeles, but I hated it. They used to beat on me all the time. It got to the point where I knew that if I stayed there any longer, I was going to end up in hospital. I wasn't gonna let that happen, so I left. That was when I was twelve. I stayed in L.A., working odd jobs when I could, and if I couldn't afford food, I stole some. It was a tough life. Well, one day I swiped some guy's wallet, and inside there was a plane ticket to Japan. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I went. About a week later, I met up with Miaka, and you pretty much know the story from there."
Nuriko didn't know what to say except, "I'm sorry,"
"Don't feel sorry for me," Nikki said, "There are plenty of people who are worse off than me. Besides," She placed her hand over Nuriko's. "If I hadn't gone through all that, I never would have met you."
On the other side of the pond, Tamahome and Tasuki had come looking for Nuriko. Unnoticed, they watched to see what would happen.
Nikki leaned over and kissed Nuriko's cheek, then stood up to leave.
"But what if I had been a real woman?" Nuriko asked, "All that would still have happened."
"Nuriko, I would still love you," Nikki said, "Even if you were a woman."
Nikki left, and Tasuki and Tamahome went over to join Nuriko. "It looks like Nuriko's not the only fruit here," Tamahome said jokingly. Nuriko punched him hard, sending him flying. Satisfied, he and Tasuki returned to the palace.

"Hey, Nikki, there's a Star-Watching festival tonight, wanna come?" It was the next morning, and Nikki, Nuriko and Tasuki were on their way back from breakfast.
Tasuki elbowed Nikki, saying, "Ooh, I think Nuriko's asking you out!"
Nikki gave Tasuki a dirty look. "Sure, I'll be there," she answered.
"Good morning, Miaka!" Nuriko called.
"Good morning!" she replied.
"Miaka, there's a festival tonight. Why don't you join us?" Nikki asked.
"Sure, that sounds like fun." Miaka said enthusiastically. When Tamahome appeared in the hallway, her mood suddenly changed. Cooly, she brushed past him. "Tamahome, there's a festival tonight. You should come." she said.
`Whoa, she just majorly brushed him off!' Nikki thought, `I wonder what happened. Maybe it has something to do with what Taiitsu-kun said to her yesterday.'
"You know what, I've got stuff to do, so I'll see you later." she said.
Nikki returned to her room, grabbed her bag, and slipped out the palace gates into the city. She vaguely remembered the way to the marketplace, and soon enough found herself in the large, open square. It was crowded and noisy, and Nikki could almost imagine that she was back in L.A.
She wandered around for a while, looking at all the things that were for sale. She stopped at one table, which was covered with beautiful necklaces, bracelets, and all sorts of jewellery. She picked up a pair of tiny, delicate seashell earrings. Next to the earrings lay a beautifully carved dagger. She paid the man for both items, and moved on. Nothing else really grabbed her attention, so she headed back to the palace.

She knew Nuriko would be waiting for her when she got back, so when she opened her door and saw him pacing back and forth in her room, she wasn't surprised.
"Where were you?" he asked.
"Out." Nikki said, shrugging. The look on Nuriko's face told her that wasn't a good enough answer. "I told you I had stuff to do. I went shopping."
"You went into the city by yourself?" Nuriko screamed, "Do you know how dangerous that is? You have no idea what kinds of people are out there."
Nikki raised her hand. "Um, hello? Grew up in L.A. This is like hick-town to me."
Nuriko crossed his arms and considered this for a moment. "It's still dangerous for you to go out by yourself," he said, "Until we leave for Hokkan, I don't want you to leave the palace unless one of the seishi is with you."
"So you're grounding me?" Nikki asked, getting slightly annoyed.
"If that's what it takes to keep you safe," he answered.
Nikki found it impossible to be mad at him anymore. She ran forward and threw herself into his arms. "I'm sorry," she said, "I won't make you worry anymore. I promise."
Nikki remembered her purchases. "Oh, yeah," she said, digging through her pockets, "I got you these," She held out her hand, and dropped the seashell earings into his.
"Oh, they're beautiful!" Nuriko exclaimed.
"I figured you'd like 'em," Nikki said, "I was actually debating whether I should just keep them, they're so pretty." She stopped to think about what she was saying. "Okay, you know it's scary when you have the same taste in jewellery as your boyfriend," Nikki shook her head. "Well, I guess you could wear them to the festival tonight," she suggested.
Nuriko gave Nikki a quick peck on the cheek, before she kicked him out so that she could change.