TA: Yes, I'm either going to START or END every chapter with a disclaimer in case of a loophole and I don't want to get sued! I'm saving up for OVA2…So I own Nikyia. And anyone else that is not Yuu Watase's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 3 – The Past Can Hurt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three months passed. Taiitsukun taught Nikyia about all the powers she had, but she couldn't master all of them, only a few. Taiitsukun managed to make the mark of Suzaku an almost permanent fixture. It was noticeable only when Nikyia used one of her powers, including controlling fire, if her bangs weren't in the way of the mark, this is. It was enjoyable to Nikyia to cause a small campfire sized fire to shoot up to the roof, make shapes, and more without being burned. Finally, the day came when Taiitsukun said, "Nikyia, you've tried your hardest, but there is trouble around in Konan, and your friends are going to need your help. I'm going to send you back. Don't ever forget what I taught you, and feel free to come by anytime!"
With that, Nikyia found herself outside the meeting room of Hotohori. A commotion sounded from inside. Nikyia was able to catch only a few phrases, mainly involving Kutou and Miaka. Nikyia took her chance and peered inside.
"Miaka!"
There was no mistaking the girl that Hotohori was hugging. Miaka was back. She, and everyone else in the room turned towards the door.
"Nikyia, you're back! This is perfect. Konan is in trouble."
Nikyia nodded.
"Taitsukun told me. I'm here to help."
She stepped into the room. As she did, Hotohori seemed to realize his manners again.
"Friends, may I introduce our other source of greatness, the daughter of Suzaku."
All talk in the room stopped.
"Daughter…? A daughter of Suzaku?" one of the men asked, astounded.
Nikyia nodded again.
"However, you may know me simply as Nikyia."
More silence. Suddenly, as a group, everyone cheered.
"This is wonderful! With the priestess and the daughter of Suzaku with us, Kutou won't stand a chance!"
"We'll have to see about that, sir…" Nikyia said. "You may not have known about me as the daughter of Suzaku, but Kutou did two years ago. How they found out I'll never know, but they came for me one day, two years ago, and murdered my family. They know that I am here, and about Miaka. We'll all have to take necessary precautions."
Hotohori nodded his agreement and the meeting ended. Hotohori caught Miaka and Nikyia up on current events. Apparently Kutou was trying to take siege of Konan. Miaka and Nikyia discussed this as they walked around the palace together.
"Miaka? Nikyia?" a purple-haired head popped out of a doorway.
"Nuriko," Nikyia said, raising her hand as a sort of "Hey" sign.
"Nuriko!" Miaka practically tackled him. "Where's Tamahome?"
"He left just a few days ago. He said he had to make some money and visit his family…While he was here, all he did was mope around. A bird made a nest on his head once and he didn't even notice the whole day. I wonder why he was so out of it…"
"Well, we need to find him again. We need to find all of them. We need the seven constellations of Suzaku and we need them as soon as possible," Nikyia said matter-of-factly.
The next day, Nikyia, Miaka and Nuriko set out to find Tamahome. Miaka rode in disguise behind Nuriko, and for once Nuriko was dressed in men's clothes. Nikyia silently rode beside them. By nightfall, they had reached a dark forest and were guiding the horses by foot. As they walked, a man in a dark cloak appeared in front of them.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The voice was familiar. Miaka huddled behind Nuriko.
"Baby…" Nikyia muttered to herself. More men appeared, one holding up a light near the cloaked man's head. It was Tamahome.
"T…Tamahome?"
"Miaka?"
The two embraced. Nikyia sighed and looked back the way they had come. It was so dark, so lonely. It seemed almost as if the shadows would swallow the group of them whole if they ventured into it. As Nikyia thought this…
"Miaka!"
Nikyia's head whirled fast enough to see two hands pulling Miaka into the shadows. Nikyia shivered and ran after her, Tamahome right in front of her. They reached a clearing after a short run, but Miaka was nowhere around. Taking a wild guess, Nikyia shoved through the bushes in front of her. There was another clearing, this one with Miaka, and a familiar hat. Nikyia couldn't quite remember where she had seen it before. She shrugged. It would come to her eventually.
"Miaka, what happened?"
"Well…" before Miaka could say anything else, Nuriko's scream hit them.
"Now what?!" Nikyia asked, annoyed as she turned and ran back to where they had left everyone else. She gasped as she saw many of the people who had come with Tamahome, riddled with bows and blood. Nuriko was stuck to a tree, four or five arrows just missing him.
"Wha…What happened here Nuriko?!"
Tamahome and Miaka caught up. Miaka screamed and Tamahome pulled her closer to him.
"Just as you all ran off, those arrows came from the trees aimed right for us and where Miaka had just been standing."
"We were warned that Kutou spies had snuck in past the border, Nuriko. We'll have to be extra careful. For now, let's get Miaka somewhere safe. Tamahome, is there a house nearby?"
Tamahome nodded and led the four and the two horses out of the woods to a small city nearby. Miaka slurped down a meal as she explained everything that had happened to Nuriko and Tamahome. Nikyia was outside, drifting off to sleep with the silence of the night.
The next morning, the sound of a horse whinnying opened her eyes. Tamahome was mounting a horse of his own, loaded with some supplies for a short journey.
"Now where're you going Tamaboy?" Nikyia muttered as he galloped off. Nuriko's screech drew her into the house.
"I suppose we're following him…"
Not long after, Miaka, Nuriko, and Nikyia arrived at another small city right behind Tamahome. Tamahome hadn't noticed them on the whole trip.
"Tamahome? It's been a while," a farmer said to him.
"It's great to be back home," Tamahome replied, continuing on.
"Home? Must be his hometown…" Nuriko realized. They continued to follow him right up to a small farm where four children were playing outside.
"Big Brother's home!" the youngest child, a little girl said happily, attacking him as best she could. The four children surrounded him , all hugging him. A lump caught in Nikyia's throat as she watched them. Then she shook her head to clear her mind.
I'm not going to cry anymore…I can't…
Outside the window of the house, the three listened to Tamahome talk to his family. That's when they discovered that all the money he had been so obsessed with earning was for his family. Nuriko and Miaka were nearly in tears, but Nikyia seemed unaffected.
"Yuiren!" Tamahome's worried voice called out. Miaka, on instinct, jumped up and through the window while Nikyia tried to grab her. "What happened?!"
Miaka took control from there as Nuriko and Nikyia followed her in. Finally, as she laid the sick girl down, Tamahome got over his shock.
"So, you followed me, huh?" Miaka froze and gave a faint laugh. Nikyia smiled a bit when the oldest girl asked if Miaka was Tamahome's wife.
"Why does everything today remind me of Genrou? I almost feel as if he's going to appear any moment, alive and well again…" she muttered as Miaka began to head out of the house for a river. Nikyia followed after her. It was a beautiful day out and both girls relished it.
"I feel like Tamahome's wife…" Miaka said grinning.
"Do you now? That's nice."
Miaka could tell that she didn't mean it.
"Nikyia, how'd you ever get to be so cold hearted? Don't you love anything?"
Nikyia gave her a sideways glance.
"No. I don't."
Obviously, Miaka hadn't expected that. She stared at Nikyia as the older girl headed towards the water.
"But why? How can you not love anything?"
Nikyia stopped, not looking at Miaka.
"You wouldn't love anything either, if everything you ever loved was taken away from you. I've loved seven people in my life, and they all have died. Would you continue to love, Miaka, or would you do what I have done and leave your heart with the last who died?"
Miaka listened quietly, frozen to the spot as Nikyia continued for the river.
I never knew…she's lost seven people that she loved…no wonder she's so solemn all the time…
Finally, Miaka reached the river and filled the bucket she had with her.
"Hey, Miaka?"
"Gah!" Miaka dropped the bucket. She hadn't seen Nikyia standing in the shade of a tree nearby. "Wh…What is it?"
"I'm just wondering, what's the Universe say about the next person we're supposed to find?"
"I don't know…" Miaka refilled the bucket and took out the Universe of the Four Gods.
"Priest…and face? What is that supposed to mean?"
"Are you the priestess of Suzaku?" a man said, coming up behind Miaka. Nikyia's eyes narrowed at him and her hand moved down towards the knife on her belt.
"Y…Yeah…"
The next thing she knew, he was attacking her with his pick axe.
"Out of the way Miaka!"
Nikyia threw herself at the man, slicing his arm. He rolled on the ground a bit and raised his head to the attacker.
"Sweet Seiryuu…" he muttered in amazement, his eyes on the mark on Nikyia's forehead. He scrambled to his feet and began running back towards the village.
I can't let him get into the city! Nikyia thought. "Watch your back Miaka!" she called to the girl as she ran off after the man. He had a head start though. Her hand clenched into a fist as she ran. Summoning her power into a small fireball, she threw it at the man. It missed and hit a branch that lay on the ground. The man was forced to skid to a stop to run around the fire. Now Nikyia had an advantage since the fire had a source. She slowed down in front of it and gazed into the fire. She placed her hand in it. The fire was warm on her hand and didn't burn. Concentrating, she pushed a wave of fire after the man, faster than he could run. As the fire moved, she heated it, until it was as blue as water, and scalding hot. Just outside the town, the wave fell over him. Nikyia grinned as he screamed. Seconds later the screams stopped. Nikyia called back in the flames as the stick finished burning and the fire died away.
"Better go see if Miaka is okay…"
She headed towards the river again. When she got there, Miaka was gone, but the bucket of water was still there. However, Nikyia didn't worry.
"Tamahome's bond with Miaka tells him when there's trouble with her. He probably came and got her. Better head back to the house."
Lifting up the bucket of water carefully, Nikyia headed back towards the house. She placed the bucket of water outside. She could hear Miaka's voice inside. She pushed open the door.
"Miaka, I'm…" she couldn't say back. Sitting across from Miaka and Nuriko was a familiar, blue peacock haired monk with a cat-like face.
"You're what Nikyia?" Miaka asked. At the old name, Chichiri turned towards the door and gaped.
"I…'m going to go check and make sure that there's no other Kutou spies around, okay?" Without waiting for an answer she turned and closed the door.
"Nikyia's very protective of you, Miaka," Nuriko stated.
"I think it's just something she has against Kutou. Seiryuu is her enemy after all."
"Only cause Suzaku's her father. But a girl can't help that, right?"
"I guess not…"
"Nikyia's the daughter of Suzaku?!" Chichiri asked, stunned.
"Yeah. You get names down pretty fast, Chichiri…" Miaka said.
"Nah, we've met before no da," he said, standing up.
"Going somewhere?" Nuriko asked.
"Nikyia and I have some catching up to do no da. And don't go taking that the way it sounds no da."
With that, he was out the door. Taking a wild guess, he headed back towards the river. There she was, sitting by the bank, her long braid of hair blowing softly in the wind. As Chichiri neared her, a man stalked out of the bushes towards him. He didn't notice the man. Suddenly Nikyia raised her hand and flicked back a small flame.
"Daa!" Chichiri jumped out of the way, only to see the flame pass by where he was standing and hit the upraised arm of the man behind him. The man dropped his knife and ran back into the bushes, trying to put out the fire on his arm.
"I thought you were the one looking for them, not them looking for me no da!"
"Kutou will attack any one of us or any friend of us. They know who to search for."
"Us?"
"Suzaku's chosen. I figured you were one after I saw you in Tamahome's house…priest and face…should have guessed it was you."
All of this was said without giving Chichiri a second glance. He walked over to her and sat down.
"Well hello to you too no da. How are ya?"
"I've been better."
There was an obvious difference between the once cheerful girl Nikyia had been and who she was now.
"Hey, what happened to the cheerful, perky kid you used to be no da?"
"She died with Genrou…"
A tear lingered in Nikyia eye as she remembered everything about her little brother.
"You loved him a lot, I guess no da."
"More than anything else…I prayed every day that I was traveling that he and the others wouldn't…They've all died…everything I've loved…but Genrou was special…more special than any of the others…"
She couldn't hold in the tears anymore. She buried her head in her arms and silently let them fall. As if it wasn't obvious enough that she was crying…
It's been over two years, and she still misses him…That's real devotion for a little brother…or anyone. Not knowing what else to do, he put an arm around her.
"Why can't I forgive myself, Chichiri? I miss Genrou so much…and I feel it's my fault that he died…" For the first time she looked up to him. She definitely wasn't the same girl he had known two years ago. The most obvious difference was the sword-like scar on her cheek. The next most obvious difference was she wasn't pretty anymore, she was beautiful.
"You weren't there, Nikyia no da. You were with me no da. It's not your fault no da," he said, brushing a tear from her cheek.
"But that's why…because I wasn't there. If I had been there I could have saved them all."
"If you had been there you could have died too no da."
"I don't know what to think anymore…"
As she said it, the wind stopped blowing, and the river seemed to go silent.
"Wha…?"
Nikyia shivered for a second.
"What's going on…?"
"I…I don't know…"
Nikyia looked back behind her and paled. Chichiri did the same. Standing there, on the road, was Genrou. It looked like him in every way. With his big, empty eyes he looked at Nikyia.
"Genrou…" she stood up and slowly walked down the road towards him. The boy didn't move. She got to her knees in front of him. "Genrou…is it really you?" The boy nodded. Then he held out his arms, like a child asking to be picked up. Nikyia gasped then hugged him. Chichiri watched in amazement as the two siblings embraced. Tears streamed down Nikyia's face again. Genrou's mouth moved up to her ear and he whispered, in an eerie voice that seemed to echo in her mind, "It's not your fault I'm dead. I love you KaiKai. Goodbye." Nikyia, stunned, pulled away and looked at him. Genrou smiled at her. Nikyia understood and smiled at him, actually smiled for the first time since before he had died in her arms. "Goodbye, little brother." Genrou smiled again, then faded away into air.
Was that why I've been blaming myself? Nikyia asked herself., not moving from her spot. Have I been fighting a pointless battle with myself, blaming myself for his death…all because I didn't say goodbye?
"I'm even more confused now Genrou…did you come to let me say goodbye, or to tell me that it wasn't my fault?"
"Could be both no da."
"Gah!"
She hadn't heard Chichiri come up behind her.
"Either I wasn't paying attention or you walk really quietly Chichiri," she said, giving him a light smile.
"You were a bit preoccupied no da. That was…weird no da." he said, pulling her up from the ground.
"Mm…" Nikyia nodded. In the midday sun a single tear sparkled on her scar. Again, he brushed it away.
"How'd you get those?" he asked, curious.
"These scars?" Her hand moved up to them. "I don't like to talk about it…"
"C'mon, it…helps to talk about it…" he said, slightly hesitating.
Nikyia glanced up at him.
"How would you know? You don't have any. You've probably never suffered a day in your life…" she looked away from him as she said it. There was no reply.
"Nikyia…"
She sighed.
"Chichiri…I…I'm sorry about that…I shouldn't have said that. I'm not thinking straight…I'm just so confused, so lost…these past four years have just been so insane. You're right…It does help to talk about things."
"It's alright no da. I don't blame you. Do you wanna go back down to the river? It's a bit awkward just standing around in the middle of a road, no da…" Nikyia detected a slight difference in tone. Was it her imagination, or did the smiling monk actually sound depressed. She quickly shook it off. "Sure, Chichiri…that's fine with me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back at the river…
"So, do you want to tell me no da?" Chichiri asked.
"Might as well."
"Go on then no da."
Nikyia sighed again.
"I guess you could say Genrou earned me these scars. The long one came the day he died, when I attacked the man who killed them. It was actually this knife that caused it…" she said, motioning to the ivory handled knife. "About three months ago, I got the second one from a piece of glass. Miaka and I were… stuck in a mirror I guess you could say. Miaka took the hard way out. Nearly killed herself. Stabbed herself right by the heart with a plate slab, all to save Tamahome and Hotohori. I was just about to follow her and do the same when I saw Genrou, just standing there in the same manner he did today. I walked towards him, but he stepped away. Then I made a grab for his hand, just as he vanished. I got so angry at myself for just nearly missing him that I threw this knife at the mirror…the glass exploded, and I got hit all over with the pieces, but I was fine, compared…Taiitsukun took us in then. She had the Nyan-Nyans heal us, but she insisted that they leave these two. I never found out why, not in the whole three months she had me training there…"
"You trained with Taiitsukun?"
Nikyia nodded.
"Three months there."
Chichiri turned his face towards the water of the river.
"You're lucky. Some people are ashamed of their scars no da. They try and hide them from the world. But they can never hide them from themselves no da. You've got no reason to hate yours no da. They're proof of victories…"
"And proof of defeats…I lost Genrou…both times…"
"But they don't disfigure you either no da. If anything, they make you even more beautiful…"
Nikyia reddened.
"You sure know a lot about scars and how people feel about them…" she said, looking down the river, away from him. Chichiri was silent for a moment.
"Taiitsukun's magic can do anything she wishes it to. She's the goddess of creation. She can heal…and make anything. Fire, wind, rain…and masks."
"Masks?" Nikyia turned and gasped. Chichiri was looking over the water again, but in his hand he held a thin mask, the cat-like face he always wore. He looked down at her with one dark red eye, the other was covered with a scar.
He's ashamed of that?! But he's gorgeous!
"Chichiri…how…?"
He put the mask down.
"If I can tell anyone, Nikyia, it's you. When I was 18, I was engaged. I didn't think that I could find a more beautiful, loving girl in the world. One day though…I had gotten her a gift, and I went to find her…to give it to her….and I found her and my best friend, kissing. I was devastated. My fiancee killed herself not long after. I think it was because she didn't love me anymore. I never found out exactly. I was furious with Hikou, my friend. I met him by a river, like this one, and we fought. It started to rain hard then, and he fell into the river. He couldn't swim, so I grabbed his hand and held on. While I was holding onto him…" Chichiri cringed, "a log came flying down the river. I saw it coming seconds before it happened. It hit my eye and….I lost my grip. Hikou died in the river, and my family died in the flood that hit the city. In one day, I lost everything important to me…"
Nikyia was silent for a few seconds. "I guess we're not so different after all, huh?" she asked, smiling slightly up at him. He looked down into her pure red eyes and smiled back.
"I guess not."
Nikyia never knew what inspired her to what she did next, but she leaned up and kissed him, just for a second. The look on Chichiri's face was one of mixed surprise. Then he smiled down at her, leaned forward and kissed her back on the lips.
"Don't take that the way it sounds, huh?" Nuriko whispered, watching everything from the bushes, a grin hanging on his face. "How about the way it looks?" He watched for the whole time, until they broke off a few minutes later.
"I…guess we better head back to the…um…"
"The group…right…um…you go…I'll say here just a bit longer."
"Oh, okay, no da." He smiled at her again before putting back on his mask. Then he walked away back to the house. Nuriko watched him until he was gone. Then he silently moved out of the bushes and towards Nikyia from behind.
"Nikyia!!!!! Why didn't you ever tell us?!" Nuriko said, giving the girl a hearty slap on the back. Naturally, Nikyia flew forwards into the water.
"Nuriko!" the red head shouted. "Did you forget how strong you are again?!"
"Whoops…" Nuriko took Nikyia's hand and pulled her out of the water.
"Now, what were you saying?" she asked, undoing her braid to squeeze out her hair.
"I was asking why ya never told us you had a boyfriend!"
"Boy…friend?" Nikyia's eyes widened and she flushed red.
"Yeah, how come we haven't heard about Chichiri from you before?"
"We…We aren't…."
"Oh please Nikyia. The way you two were making out, that was not just old friendship renewal!"
"Wanna bet?"
"Whatever…oh wait until I tell Miaka and…"
"No!"
"What?"
Nikyia stared at Nuriko seriously.
"Nuriko, don't tell ANYONE about what you just saw, okay? And what were you doing up here anyway?"
"Oh. Well, you and Chichiri were gone for a while, so Miaka, Tamahome and I decided to flip a coin to see who would go check on you two. After Tamahome finally gave up a silver piece we flipped and I lost. So I had to come hunt you two down," Nuriko said, trying to sound bored about it and failing.
"Wonderful…please, Nuriko…don't, just don't tell Miaka, Tamahome, Hotohori…anyone, okay?"
Nuriko winked at Nikyia.
"You have my sworn word, Nikyia."
"Better. Now let's go back. We're going to tell the group that we met outside the house, got it?"
"Got it."
Together they walked back to the house. As Nikyia opened the door, Tamahome, Miaka, and Chichiri all turned to look.
"Nikyia, what happened?! You're soaked."
"Well that's obvious Miaka…"
"What happened no da?" Chichiri asked, worried.
"Oh, I was just getting up and slipped into the water. I'm fine." She let go of her hair, which she had been drying out the excess water. It fell, wet but softly down her back, making her look more like the girl she had been 2 years ago. Chichiri smiled at her again then turned back to Miaka and Tamahome and began talking to them again. Nikyia headed outside and grabbed her pack from her horse. In the bushes, she got out of her soaking clothes and into the only other things she had, her clothes from home, when she was 14. Luckily she had added more fabric to the jeans. On the shirt was the Chinese dragon, a popular clothing design from her time. She'd have to sleep outside to avoid the questions the others would certainly ask, seeing that Seiryuu was a dragon in the exact form of the design of the shirt. She went back behind the house and fell asleep in the shade of a tree.