TA: okay, okay, for everyone who's been begging, here's the next part of Nikyia's story. I own her and a short list of other characters, now including her guardian, Arafae!

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Chapter 6 – Gifts of The Gods

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At the palace…

"Hotohori! We're back!" Miaka burst into the throne room. Hotohori was obviously ecstatic to see her. Tamahome looked pissed when he hugged her.

"Heh…" Nikyia shook her head and walked out of the throne room. It was great to be out by the lake again. For a fire child she really was attracted to water. She was a good swimmer. She sighed happily as she sat down by the lake. A soft wind beat along her back in short bursts. Like a bird was beating it's wings behind her. She turned quickly, half expecting to see a phoenix. But it was a hawk, the same one she had cured only minutes ago.

"Well hello there little one. Where'd you come from?"

The sky

Nikyia gasped.

"You…can talk to me?"

For your information, child of Suzaku, I can.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

M'lord didn't mention that his nestling would be around. I was unsure that it was you. Sorry for leaving so abruptly. Anyway, enough chit-chat. He wants me to keep a watch over you for him. Be your guardian, he says. How does that sound to you, daughter of Suzaku?

Nikyia was silent for a moment.

"I guess I can't argue with my father, can I?" she held out her arm for the bird. "What may I call you then?" He hopped on.

You, child, may call me Arafae.

"Alright Arafae. I'm Nikyia." She stood up. "I better go find out what the deal is with finding the next seishi. Come on Arafae. You've got some friends of mine to meet."

I'll be delighted. And by the by, I'm not only a few months old. I'm just small for regular hawks.

Nikyia smiled as she headed towards the throne room. Tamahome and Miaka were gone, and Hotohori was leaving with Chichiri.

"Nikyia. There you are," Hotohori said. "Congratulations on the finding of the next seishi."

"I'm afraid I can't take that credit, Hotohori." Arafae shook his feathers, begging for attention. It worked.

"Nikyia, where did you get that bird?" Hotohori asked.

"Arafae? A gift from my father, I guess you could say." Arafae had a proud look, if birds could. Hotohori laughed.

"The priestess, the daughter, and the bird of Suzaku?"

Nikyia smirked at his way of putting it.

"I guess you could say that."

Tell his majesty there that I'm a HAWK, not any old mockingbird.

Nikyia nodded. "Arafae wishes me to tell you that he is a hawk, not any old mockingbird."

"You…can speak with it?"

Nikyia nodded.

"It sometimes amazes me how lineage affects who we are. Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to go talk with Miaka."

"You don't have to ask to be excused, Hotohori. I'm still your equal."

Hotohori left the room, leaving Nikyia alone.

Where will you be staying here? Out by a lake or something? M'lord has told me his nestling likes the outdoors.

"I do, but I have a room here. Come on, I better go find a place for you to stay."

No cages, please…I hate solitary confinement.

With that, Nikyia headed towards her old room. But she paused.

What is it?

"There is an evil presence here…" she dropped her arm with Arafae and ran towards Miaka's room.

Hey! Wait for meeeeeeee!

Nikyia skid into the room. Miaka, Tamahome and Hotohori were there already. Arafae flew in seconds after and began circling a place on the ceiling.

"What's that bird doing?" Miaka asked.

Nikyia was silent for a second.

"There's something up there!"

Chichiri entered the room running.

"There's something bad here."

"Up there."

Arafae then slammed into what he had been circling. Someone cried out and Arafae attacked again. A Kutou spy appeared and fell to the ground. Then he vanished. Arafae flew down and landed on Nikyia's shoulder.

That'll be it for around here.

Nikyia nodded as she flattened Arafae's feathers.

"There are no others around for now…what was that about?"

Miaka hugged Tamahome.

"You can't go Tamahome! We need you."

"What…?" Nikyia asked.

"Kutou wants Tamahome in return for sparing our cities…"

"You really believe that they'll spare them?! It's pointless! We'll be even weaker without him and they know it!"

"Nikyia, you know we can't take any chances."

Nikyia was silent for a moment.

"Why Tamahome though? Why not ask for Miaka…or me?"

"Because Yui likes Tamahome…" Miaka whispered. Nikyia and Tamahome were the only ones who heard her answer.

"Let's sleep on it. It's been a long day for all of us…long week really. Tamahome, you better not act rashly. Think it over before deciding to stay or go."

Saying no more, Nikyia left the room, Arafae on her shoulder. Everyone watched her leave. Then, Miaka spoke the question most everyone else was wondering.

"Where'd the bird come from?"

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Nikyia sighed and leaned against the red wall. She was getting used to this sort of trip. But this time, while she waited, she wasn't alone. Arafae sat on her shoulder here. While the bird nuzzled her hair, Suzaku appeared.

"Arafae seems to have accepted his new position…"

Nikyia looked up at her father.

"New position?"

Suzaku nodded and picked up Arafae from Nikyia's shoulder.

"You may think of him as a pet, but I sent him to be your guardian. I do, however, have a true gift for you. Consider it eighteen years worth of birthday gifts."

He held out his hand. Flames swirled and formed a shape. When the flames died down, a bow hung from his hand. Nikyia took it from him. It fit perfectly in her hand.

"I know you've been a knife fighter since your foster parents died, and that is a handy ability. But I think you'll find you will need this as well. Don't bother saying you can't use one…" he interrupted as Nikyia was about to speak. She smirked. "You know how to use this one by instinct. Try it."

She looked around.

"Where are…"

"The arrows are here." He touched her hand. "Pull back the string."

She did. As soon as it was pulled as far as she needed to, an arrow of fire formed on the bow, ready to be fired. Nikyia let fly. The arrow flew straight to the wall of red that was her father's realm and the fire glistened on the barrier. However, to both of their shock, the arrow shot through the barrier and through Seiryuu's barrier. A few seconds passed before they heard a shriek from the blue realm. Suzaku grinned and rested a hand on Nikyia's shoulder.

"Nice shot."

There was a blue gleam in the realm and before either god or child could react, another god appeared, Seiryuu.

"WHAT was the point of hitting me with an arrow of yours, Suzaku?!" he roared.

"Uh hehe…" Nikyia grinned sheepishly, still holding the bow in her hands.

"Just teaching my daughter how to shoot a bow, Seiryuu. Nothing to get your scales out of order about."

"Damn it Suzaku that dau…" the angry god paused. "Daughter?"

Suzaku ruffled Nikyia's hair again.

"Yes, my daughter. The only goddess in our history. And from what I've seen, better trained than your own son, what was his name?"

"Jaden." Seiryuu glared at Nikyia. She glared right back, startling the god. Then she stepped out of the protective reach of her father.

"Back in New York I beat Jaden in every fight he picked with me when he was alone. That won't change here. It will never change. He's weak."

"Why you little…" he took a step towards Nikyia, but she was quick. She raised the bow and readied another arrow.

"I'd recommend you leave, now, or you'll be feeling another arrow in your flesh."

Seiryuu hesitated.

"You'll still never win Suzaku. I'll make sure of it." With that, he vanished back to his own realm. Suzaku smiled.

"You're doing your old man proud Nikyia. To think, when I told Byakko and Genbu about you, they laughed because you were a girl."

"Want me to shoot them too?" Nikyia grinned. Suzaku laughed.

"No, no. They'll hear all about it from Seiryuu. You better get home. You'll be traveling again soon." With that, she vanished from the realm, Arafae with her.