TA: Romance time!! =D Or at least as much as I can make of it…I'm not much of a romance writer…too much of humor person…curses…oh, and Nikyia is still mine alone. I own no one else…in this chapter.
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Chapter 5 – Rebirth of Emotion
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Nikyia moaned as she opened her eyes. She was sore and stiff and she couldn't remember a thing. Then slowly it all came back to her.
"Miaka!" she sat up with a jolt. It was then she realized she was in a familiar room, on a familiar bed.
"How…How'd I get to Taiitsukun's palace?'" she asked no one, looking around. Like she expected, her wounds were healed and, other than the stiffness and a slight pain in her back, she felt fine. Her clothes sat folded in a chair, clean and dry since she fell into the lake in them. She quickly dressed then exited the room.
"Taiitsukun? Miaka?" she called out. "Nyan-Nyan?" There was no answer. Instinctively, she headed for the "throne room" as she called it. Finally reaching the doors of the large room, she pushed it open with a lot of effort.
"Taiitsukun?" Inside was Taiitsukun, as she had expected. The old goddess was talking with Chichiri.
"Ah, Nikyia. You're awake. Wonderful, we were beginning to worry after that hit you took," Taiitsukun said, smiling.
"Nikyia…you're all right…" Chichiri said, slightly amazed.
"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, walking into the room and stopping next to him. "I feel fine…just a bit…tired, you know? How'd I get here? Where's Miaka?"
"You worry about Miaka too much sometimes Nikyia. You're more important than she is…"
"But it's easier for her to die…"
"It's easy for you too. You just need a bit more force. Be glad that blonde haired boy cast that spell that sent you into that wall and not Seiryuu's boy. That would have killed you."
"Nakago could have killed Miaka though. And that doesn't answer my questions!"
"Miaka's here no da. She and Tamahome no da. They're both unconscious right now no da. The trip here was a bit much for them no da. And I brought you all here with my kasa no da."
"So that's the deal with that hat…"
"I enchanted it to lead right to me. Chichiri can use his magic to get him everywhere else," Taiitsukun explained. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find those silly girls again before they cause any trouble…" with that she glided out of the room.
"What bugs me about her isn't her face…" Nikyia muttered after she left, "but the fact that she's so darn little…"
"After three years, I've gotten used to her face and size no da."
"Yeah. Three months just isn't enough."
The door opened again. In the doorway stood a Nyan-Nyan.
"Nikki! Chiri!" the Nyan-Nyan said happily, glomping them both at the same time.
"Nikki?" Chichiri asked Nikyia, a slight grin on his face. Nikyia's grin matched his.
"Chiri?"
"Nikki, how ya been, huh, huh? What're you and Chiri doin' in here all alone, huh, huh?" Nyan-Nyan asked. "Healed you! Healed you! You were all hurt and I healed you!"
"Heh…thanks, Nyan-Nyan. I owe ya one," she replied, trying to detach the girl from her leg. She only succeeded in tripping herself. "Gah!"
Chichiri caught her before she hit the ground.
"You don't need to be hitting anything else with your back no da," he said, smiling and putting her back on her feet.
Nikyia rubbed the back of her head. "Guess not, huh?" She looked away trying not to show she was blushing.
"Hey, Nikki? Why're you an' Chiri blushing huh? Huh?" Nyan-Nyan asked.
Nikyia and Chichiri looked at each other. Despite the mask, it was obvious he had been blushing, and Nikyia could feel her face burning slightly.
"You two like each other, doncha? C'mon tell me tell me tell me!" Nyan-Nyan insisted like a whining child.
"Er…well…" Nikyia's face flushed even redder.
"Is that…really….necessary…?" Chichiri asked, his masked face turning redder as well. "I mean, answering that no da?"
"It's obvious! You do you do you do! You're both blushing!"
Nikyia blinked.
"Nyan-Nyan, you get going. Taiitsukun's looking for you."
"Oh, is she?" Nyan-Nyan asked. "I better get going then! Byee!" With that the teal-haired girl ran out of the room.
"Heh…kids…gotta love em…I guess…"
"Nyan-Nyan does have a point no da…"
"Huh?" Nikyia looked up at him. He, however, looked away.
"I…I do like you. I kept wondering about how you were, those two years after…no da… and then Taiitsukun started telling me about her newest student who had just left. The way she described her, somehow I knew it was you. And then finally seeing you again…you and Genrou, that was when I finally realized it…"
Nikyia didn't know what to say.
"Chi…Chichiri…what…?"
"I'm saying that I love you Nikyia. It took a while but I realize now I love you…"
Losing all sense of what she was doing, Nikyia wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "I love you too, Chichiri…"
"THAT WAS A PERFECTLY GOOD VASE!!" Taiitsukun's voice echoed into the room.
"You wouldn't be so grouchy if you let us fix your face!" a Nyan-Nyan protested. The following sound was a mixture of a Nyan-Nyan screeching and a hole being made in the roof.
"Ah, another Nyan-Nyan with a one way trip into the atmosphere no da," Chichiri said, grinning at Nikyia as she let go of him. Nikyia smiled back, then, for the first time in a long time, laughed, just once. That was when the goddess walked in.
"Sometimes I wonder why I keep those girls…"
"Because then you'd have to do everything yourself, have no one to talk to and no one to push
around?"
Taiitsukun thought about this for a second.
"Perhaps…well, anyway. Miaka and Tamahome should wake any minute, and I don't want to miss a thing. Should be entertaining."
"Entertaining no da?"
"You'll see."
"I never did like it when you said that…"
Taiitsukun led them around to a room and opened the door.
"They're…awake…all right…" Nikyia said, trying not to laugh again. Miaka and Tamahome were sitting in a bed fighting over the sheets.
"Up and healed for only five minutes and you're already horsing around?" Taiitsukun scolded them. Miaka screeched and tugged the sheets towards her. Tamahome fell out of the bed, naked as a jaybird. Nikyia snorted and turned her head as he struggled to get back under cover.
"T…Taiitsukun…" Miaka said quietly, getting over her fright.
"Didn't expect to see you again so soon, Miaka. Imagine my surprise when Chichiri appeared all of a sudden carrying you three and…"
"Miaka! Long time no see!" a Nyan-Nyan interrupted.
"All three?" Nikyia whispered to Chichiri. He nodded.
"That's an armload…"
"Anyway, your wounds were light luckily so I…"
"Healed you! Healed you!" another Nyan-Nyan popped in.
"Fixed your clothes! Fixed your clothes!" a third volunteered.
"Like those batteries back home…they keep coming and coming and coming…" Nikyia muttered.
"I can't get a word in!"
"Yay! Yay!"
"Just go get their clothes you four…"
The four Nyan-Nyans went running out of the room to obey. Two of them ran right by Nikyia, sending her spinning again. Like before, Chichiri caught her.
"I think I'm a magnet for those things…" she muttered, getting back to her feet.
"What's a magnet no da?"
"Never mind."
The Nyan-Nyans ran back in with Tamahome's and Miaka's clothes. Tamahome was still red from his fall out of bed as Chichiri handed Miaka her clothes.
"Chichiri, why…?" Miaka started.
Chichiri smiled at her and removed his mask.
"I had the honor of training here for three years no da," he said.
"Oh."
A bit later…
"What?! Miaka, you're insane!"
"Nikyia, I have to go back to Kutou! There's something I have to know."
"Miaka, you're a wanted person there! If you're caught, you're not going to have a chance to ask questions! You're just gonna die!"
"But I HAVE to know what happened to Yui three months ago that's making her hate me now!" Miaka protested.
Nikyia groaned.
"Taiitsukun, can ya gimme a hand here?"
The goddess nodded. "Miaka, there is another way. If you'll follow me…" Once again the goddess led Miaka, Nikyia, Tamahome and Chichiri through the giant palace. Finally she stopped and the Nyan-Nyans pushed open the door then ran away giggling like maniacs. Once again, they zoomed by Nikyia, knocking her off-balance.
"They at it again, Nikki?" Taiitsukun asked.
"Oh yeah…" Nikyia said, picking herself up. Inside the room was a giant mirror.
"This mirror records all the memories of the world. Us old people don't remember so well."
"Then it's like a giant VCR…" Miaka replied quietly.
"That was the first thing I said about that too…" Nikyia said, her eyes softening as she remembered her home world. Then she remembered Jaden. The look in her eye turned into a scowl as the mirror reflected Yui walking down a road in Kutou.
"That place isn't meant for a girl…" Tamahome said. Nikyia knew what was going to happen. She shivered. "Poor kid…" She turned and walked out of the room before she could see more than the blonde haired girl calling for Miaka, all alone on the dark street. As she left Chichiri could hear her muttering, "Too close…it was just too close…" Outside the room, Nikyia leaned against the door, intending to listen to what happened inside, but a warm red glow interrupted her. She closed her eyes and let herself drift into her subconscious. She was in that room again, that red realm of her father's. Suzaku materialized in front of her.
"That didn't go quite as planned, did it?" he said quietly.
"How can you say that when there was no plan? Taiitsukun will help us though. I know she will."
Suzaku shook his head.
"But they have our Universe of the Four Gods. They know who you have left to find: Tasuki, Mitsukake, and Chiriko. I cannot give you another copy. They know what to look for. You do not. Daughter, it will be your judgment that will decide if the last three are who you seek or if they are spies from Kutou with the symbol painted on." Suzaku sighed and lowered his head. "I want ask your forgiveness, Nikyia. I shouldn't have put you in such a dangerous situation without training you, or warning you. I just wanted you to hurry, before any problems were caused."
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At Mt. Taikyoku…
Miaka dashed out of the mirror room to her own, sobbing. Taiitsukun floated out shaking her head. Tamahome dashed past her after Miaka. Chichiri was the last to leave the room. As he left, something red reflected off the wall. He looked back. Standing by the unopened door, the one that was stuck, was Nikyia. Her eyes were closed and her arms crossed as she stood there.
"Nikyia?"
She didn't answer. A light red glow stood around her.
"What's she doing?" he stood around to watch.
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Nikyia was confused. She had never seen a god ask for forgiveness before, nor had expected one to…of her at that!
"Don't blame yourself, Suzaku…um…Father…it was you who saved me. I could have died without your council. Plus I finally got to one up Jaden. And…I think you might have helped me in more ways than that."
Suzaku smiled at his 18 year old daughter.
"Don't think I don't know about you and that Chichiri boy," he said, ruffling her hair. She smiled, even laughed.
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Back at Taikyoku…
Chichiri quirked an eyebrow at Nikyia. Had she just laughed? There was a definite smile on her face, along with some now slightly rumpled hair. Yes, she had to have. He was hearing everything else she had said, along with a quiet, masculine voice that came from nowhere. Their conversation was actually quite interesting, especially since he had just been brought up.
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"It's nothing yet, father."
"Yet, but he's a nice man. You made a good choice. I'll be keeping an eye on you, Nikyia. And again, be careful. Stay away from Kutou, and keep Miaka away as well."
"I'll try my best Father."
Suzaku smiled down at his daughter.
"Best of luck then Nikyia.
The glow died around Nikyia's body as she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw, naturally, was Chichiri standing there, a crazy grin on his face.
"Interesting little conversation ya had there no da," he said. Her face blushed bright red.
"Wh…what did you hear?"
"Well for one thing," he said, "I heard you laugh. You ought to more often no da. Smile too. Cause you did both just a minute ago no da. I also heard you and your dad talking about me no da."
"I think he has a liking for you."
"Naturally. I'm one of his chosen no da."
Something about the way he said that made Nikyia smile again.
"Can I ask ya something no da?"
"I believe you already have."
"Don't play that game…"
Nikyia laughed again. It felt good, after not for so long, even if it was just a little one.
"Go ahead."
"Well, I heard you saying something about something being too close when you left the room no da. What were you…" he stopped, knowing he had said something wrong. Nikyia's fist was clenched and her eyes were on the ground. "Er, sorry. I was just…"
"It's alright. It's just another burden on my back."
"Care to tell me about it no da?"
Nikyia sighed.
"It's not much. When I was traveling, I came upon that same city. Didn't know it was Kutou, I thought it was just another big Konan city. I wound up in the same part of town…"
"Does that mean you…"
"No. I almost was, but I was too fast for them. They almost had me though. I lost my jacket to one of them after I struggled out of it when one of the men caught me. I was found when I was running by the guard. They chased the men away, but I was terrified. It was just too close for me. I never did get my jacket back, so I had to go through that winter cold, but I didn't mind…much. I'd much rather be cold than…Poor Yui…"
"Speaking of which, we better go check on Miaka no da."
"Yeah…perhaps…"
It was easy enough to find which room Miaka was in. Tamahome stood outside.
"How's she doing Tamahome no da?" Chichiri asked.
"She won't open the door…"
"It's locked?"
"Yeah."
"Then let me handle it," Taiitsukun appeared that very second in front of them, walking on the ceiling. Tamahome shrieked and grabbed onto Chichiri as she hopped by on the ceiling.
"It's scary!!" he yelled as Taiitsukun disappeared into the room.
"I'm used to her looks after three years no da," Chichiri told him. An unfamiliar sound drew their attention. Nikyia was almost doubled over with laughter.
"Oh Tamahome…sweet Suzaku…you…look so…" she forced out. A few seconds later she regained herself, a smile still on her face though. Tamahome and Chichiri were staring at her. She cocked an eyebrow.
"What?"
Chichiri smiled at her.
"Now that's the girl I met two years ago no da. And Tamahome?"
"What?"
"Let go no da."
"Oh, sorry."
Tamahome dropped his arms.
"I'm going outside. If Miaka ever comes out, just come find me."
Nikyia turned and headed for the exit onto the mountain. Outside, there was a light breeze blowing, warm, yet cold at the same time. To the left was a short incline of rocks. This was where Nikyia headed. Finding a good foothold, she climbed to the top carefully. At the top was a plateau: grassy, quiet, and with a wildflower or two. There was a perfect view of a waterfall from there. Since she had found it, the plateau had been her special place, where she came to clear her mind and relax. But today, there was something else there, a brown, screeching blob in the grass. Nikyia stayed away until the screeching had stopped. Then, cautiously, she neared it. There, on the ground, was a hawk, one of its wings limp. It looked up at her.
"Hey there little thing…I won't hurt you. Looks like you've dealt with enough…" she reached her hand forward. The hawk snapped at her with his beak. Quickly she withdrew her hand. "Hey now, I've got a liking for birds." Again she reached out for it. It stayed still glaring at her. The bird was a tiny one, probably just a few months old she guessed as she picked it up. Taiitsukun had told her that, being Suzaku's daughter, she had a miraculous bond with birds. Jade had a bond with dragons, Genbu's son with reptiles and Byakko's son with mammals. That was just how things were. Taiitsukun had also began training her to heal birds with her magic. Now was the test she had waited for. Nikyia stared at the hawk, the bird had one eye on her. Turn your head, hawk, she thought. C'mon…look at me…The bird turned its head slowly and Nikyia's stare met both its eyes. Now! The fire raced through her blood to her hands and into the bird in her hands. Everything but the hawk's eyes disappeared in the fire shooting from her hands. After a minute, the fire died down and the hawk jumped into the air. Its wing was healed as it soared away.
"I think I passed that course," Nikyia smiled and sat down on the edge of the plateau.
"Nikyia, you up there no da?"
Nikyia walked over to the rocky edge of the plateau. Chichiri stood down there.
"Miaka's come out of her room. She's ready to go home. Taiitsukun's waiting for us."
Nikyia nodded. "I'll be right down." Using her eyes, she judged the distance to the ground, about twenty feet. Piece of cake. She backed away from the edge.
"Nikyia?"
A blur of red jumped off the edge of the cliff. Within seconds, Nikyia landed, one hand touching the ground.
"That was nice no da…"
"I've practiced."
They headed back into the big room. Taiitsukun nodded at Nikyia.
"Good job Nikki. Now you four get." With a flash, the room was empty of everyone but Taiitsukun and the Nyan-Nyans.