TA: Are we having fun yet? Am I bugging you with these uber-short disclaimers?……Didn't think so. You know I own Nikyia, her deceased family, Jaden and Arafae, so just…please…don't sue?

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Chapter 7 - Farewells

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The next morning, Nikyia didn't even have to get out of her bed to know what would be going on. Tamahome had gone overnight. He'd do anything for Miaka's safety. But the traveling, it couldn't be after Tamahome, could it?

"I'll be damned if we head off to Kutou again…" she grumbled as she dressed for that day. Not too far outside Miaka was sobbing, and Hotohori had a note in his hand.

"He left, didn't he?" Nikyia asked. Hotohori nodded and held up the note.

"He says he'll be back once we have all the seishi of Suzaku…"

"Well then there's only one thing to do," she said, putting a hand on Miaka's shoulder and smiling at her. "We head out this afternoon. Be ready."

Hotohori sighed.

"So soon after I finished worrying about the both of you. All right. Take care of Miaka, Nikyia."

"Hey, we aren't leaving yet," Nikyia grinned. "Don't go acting like we're leaving right now."

Hotohori paused.

"I've…never seen you smile before Nikyia…"

"Heh, well get used to it, Hotohori. You'll be seeing it more often once we get back."

With that, Nikyia turned and walked away.

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That afternoon…

"Hurry up Nuriko, Miaka. The sooner we get going, the sooner we can head out."

"Do we even know where we're going Nikyia?" Nuriko asked.

Nikyia looked towards the horizon.

"Wherever Suzaku guides us," she said as Nuriko climbed onto her horse. Red Wing, Nikyia's house, whinnied impatiently.

"Okay no da. Miaka, you have that mirror Taiitsukun gave you no da?" Chichiri asked.

Miaka nodded. "I'm all ready to go."

"Then let's go."

The four headed off towards wherever their next destination would be. Hotohori watched them go, disappointed.

"What's with Hotohori no da?" Chichiri asked Nikyia, pulling his horse alongside hers.

"He likes Miaka, and he wants to be here with her to protect her. His duties as emperor keeps him at the palace…poor guy."

"Na no da…hey, where'd you get that bow from no da?"

"I've been wondering that as well," Nuriko said, slowing her horse to ride beside them. Miaka did the same.

"And where are the arrows?" Miaka added.

Nikyia laughed.

"Would you like a demonstration?" she asked. Nuriko stopped his horse.

"Go ahead." The rest of them stopped their horses as well. Nikyia hopped off hers and took the bow from her pack. She got the correct grip on the bow and pulled back the string. A fire arrow flamed into existence and Nikyia let fly. The arrow shot straight forward and hit a rock. The rock refused to catch fire and the flame extinguished itself. Nikyia coyly grinned at her friends. They were staring at the rock in amazement.

"Gift from my father. He said I'd need it."

Show-off…

"Hush it bird…" Nikyia muttered as she climbed onto Red Wing again and replaced the bow. Nuriko and Miaka headed off again, talking about Tamahome, where the next seishi would be, the bow, et cetera. Nikyia began to follow before she noticed Chichiri wasn't following.

"Chichiri? Are you alright?"

"Nikyia, I'm gonna go back no da."

"What? Why…"

He smiled at her.

"Because Hotohori needs to come this time. He shouldn't have to spend all his time cooped up in the palace."

"But what can you do? You look nothing like him."

"I can change that. It's one of the tricks Taiitsukun taught me. I'll look like I was Hotohori."

"That would be interesting to see…" she paused. "I'll miss you."

"Just hurry back."

"Nuriko, what's the point of this?" Miaka whispered from the top of the hill.

"Just hold on…"

Nikyia sighed.

"Nikyia, come back to the palace with me. Just until everything is ready."

She smiled.

"That works for me."

Chichiri leaned in and kissed her. Miaka stared. Nuriko smirked.

"Pay up Miaka. I won that bet."

Miaka grumbled, pulling out a dollar from her pocket.

"Never thought that Nikki would get kissed by anybody, especially Chichiri…" she looked back down at them. But they were gone. Nuriko sweatdropped.

"Do…we want to know where they went off to?"

Miaka shook her head, wide-eyed.

"Should we continue without them?"

Miaka, still wide eyed, nodded.

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Outside the palace…

Nikyia dismounted her horse. Giving it a piece of sugar and taking Arafae on her arm, she waited for Chichiri. His horse stopped next to hers a few moments later. She smirked up at him.

"Beat ya," she said as he dismounted.

"Pure luck no da."

Nikyia laughed and patted her horse's nose. "Stay Red." Then she turned to Chichiri. "Do you want me to wait out here or go in with you?"

"Why don't you come in?"

"Yeah, Hotohori will love the special attention."

Arafae ruffled his feathers.

I want special attention…I'm the guardian bird here.

Chichiri stared at Arafae.

"Chichiri?"

He pointed at Arafae.

"The bird talks!"

Nikyia nodded. Then she realized something.

"You can understand him?"

People can understand me only when Suzaku lets them. I'm not surprised he's letting peacock bangs here understand. Arafae winked at Nikyia. Nikyia swished her hand at him casually, forcing him to jump into flight.

"Peacock bangs no da?!"

"The bird needs to learn manners. Come on." Nikyia tugged on Chichiri's arm, and they walked to the throne room. Sure enough, there was a downcast Hotohori. Chichiri presented his idea with a nice visual. Nikyia couldn't help laughing as Hotohori began reprimanding the monk, who now looked like Hotohori wearing Chichiri's mask, about his sexiness.

"Hotohori, relax. It's good enough," Nikyia said, grinning. "If you're going to come, we need to get going."

"Alright Nikyia."

Hotohori got a few things and a change of outfit. Outside, the two horses were caught in the act of nuzzling one another. Chichiri put an arm around Nikyia.

"Well that's an interesting happening," Nikyia grinned, pushing Chichiri's arm off her shoulder. Arafae took his position in its place.

"Hurry back, and bring the other three with you no da."

Mounting Red Wing, she gave one last look back at Chichiri before leading Hotohori towards the edge of Konan and the next Suzaku seishi.

"Where exactly are we going Nikyia?" Hotohori asked.

"We were heading for the mountains."

"Those mountains?"

"Yeah."
"But aren't there bandits in that area?"

"Yeah."

"Miaka might be hurt!"

Nikyia glanced over at Hotohori.

"She's with Nuriko. The only problem she could run into was poisoning…" Nikyia's words sunk into both of them.

"Let's hurry."

Bringing their horses to a gallop, they basically raced to the mountains. As they neared Mt Reikaku, a small shack came into view, the horses of the others in sight.

"There!" Hotohori exclaimed, a hint of worry in his voice. He shot ahead towards the shack.

Nikyia! Watch out!

Before anything could be done, a man shot out in front of Red. Instinctively, the horse reared, and threw Nikyia from the saddle before running off.

"Red Wing!"

Nikyia!

A club connected with Nikyia's head, and the girl blacked out.