Chapter 4 - Fairytales
Submitted May 22, 2006 Updated June 27, 2008 Status Incomplete | Fairytales were never meant to have happy endings, they're warning of the past. Hidden in Cephiro's past is a deadly secret, whatever does happen to those who fail the Test? Where do they go,what becomes of them,what vengence do they seek?
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Anime/Manga » Magic Knight Rayearth |
Chapter 4 - Fairytales
Chapter 4 - Fairytales
AN: 0_o Chapter 3, finally. You can thank the finishing of this chapter to the hellish Texas heat. The high today is somewhere around 99*F, but the heat index is like 106*F!!!! It’s too hot to do anything else and I am nowhere near the vicinity of a pool and or watering hole to go swimming, so here you go next chapter is up.
O_O;;; *major sweat drop* and alas I don’t own Rayearth, if I did I would be rich and also live in Japan ^_^. Ok, I’ll shush now and let you read. Comments most welcome.
--3. Fairytales
~The loneliness within me~
Takes a heavy toll
'Cause it burns as slow as whiskey through an empty aching soul and
The night is like a dagger
Long and cold and sharp
As I sit here on the front steps
~ Blowing smoke rings in the dark~
The storm had quieted hours before, and the night was calm and smooth like a good whiskey. You could still smell the rain through the open window in the room which Umi was sharing with Eagle while she recovered. It was the perfect weather to sleep in, and yet…Umi’s sleep was anything but peaceful. Closed eyes flittered uneasily as a frown creased her face; suddenly she sat bolt upright in bed as a scream echoed in her dreams. Her delicate hands gripped tightly at the blue coverlet, her knuckles turning white. After a moment she eased herself back into bed not sure if she really wanted to go back to sleep. She tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position, but it was useless. She sat up slowly and looked to Eagle who, by the feeling of his mind, was sleeping like a baby.
“Lucky…” she mouthed softly and swung her feet over the edge of her bed and stood, and to her surprise fell back onto her bed. “Whoa” she shook her head to try and clear the spots in her vision. She sat still for a moment and then slowly stood on wobbly legs.
Making her way over to the window she stood there gazing out into the darkness. A soft shutter passed through her slender frame as the wind picked up anew. She wrapped her arms around her stomach in what appeared to be a vain attempt to warm herself, but that was not her reason.
She knew the true reason for her discomfort and troubled sleep. That scream, that scream that was all too familiar kept playing over and over again in her mind. A scream she knew the exact meaning of, she had heard it before. Emeraude had let out a scream like that during the battle, when they had killed Zagoto. She had hoped to never have to hear another human being scream like that again, but as fate would have it she had been faced with having to hear it again this time from a close friend.
Her friend’s boyfriend had just been in a car accident. When she heard what happened of course she had rushed to the hospital to comfort her, knowing that her friends parents were out of town. They waited for news for what seemed like eternity and then one of the doctors had come out.
He’d died on the operating table.
She stood there and watched a scene all too familiar as the color drained from her friends face and the poor girl just started screaming. And what had she done during all of this? She had run into the bathroom and into a stall sinking down onto the floor trying to block out the sound, ‘that scream not that scream again’.
Her friend had needed her and she had left her with only the doctor to comfort her. It had just been too much for her, reminding her of what had happened to Princess Emeraude. Those two screams were worlds apart but one in the same, both the same pain, the same sorrow. The incident had shaken her considerably. She’d not exactly told the other Knights about it, not wanting to make them have to think of that sorrowful day, but she knew she couldn’t hide it for long. Especially from Fuu, that girl, darn smart people have to ruin everything when it comes to hiding something.
A heavy sigh escaped her and she continued to stare out the window at the night sky. Unlike Earth with its one moon, Cephiro had not one but three. Each one a shade of red, blue, and green respectfully, and each had a completely different place in the night sky. ‘Is everything color coded here?’ she wondered mildly.
At that moment the blue moon was high above her casting an eerie blue light down into the room. The blue glow made her almost look like a ghost, if there had been anyone to see her that is. And although the former Water Knight had no eyes upon her she was most definitely not alone in her thoughts.
Eagle. Yes, the former leader of the invasion of Cephiro was actually wide awake. You will have to humor the poor man because despite the fact Umi had been very quiet her aura alone was enough to wake him. After spending what felt like an eternity to him alone in that room when something moved he knew it, and just having a person in there to begin with changed the room’s entire aura. It was like having a light on in the dark, even when you close your eyes you can still see the light. And right now Umi’s aura was just as blinding as the light can be, it fact was an absolute mess.
He had felt a little bit of this problem the other day, but she had her guard up then. Now, when she thought she was alone with her thoughts, that shield was gone and all her emotional turmoil was laid bare. It moved and churned with uncertainty, mixed with confusion and even a little pain and the bitter taste of remorse, to produce an aura that gave him a headache.
“What could be the matter? She seemed fine when I spoke to her the other day, maybe a bit tired, but none the less alright. Well…’ he thought about that again and she had seemed a little sad that day, ’but I had no idea it was this bad. I’ll have to try to cheer her up tomorrow. Perhaps I should ask Hikaru if she knows what’s bothering her.”
The blond man pondered over the blue knight’s mood. He disliked having anyone around him unhappy, but after a moment he closed his mind off to the flow of emotion, not wanting to be completely and totally rude and he didn’t want the headache he had to get any worse. Thankfully Umi apparently decided to go back to sleep and he sensed her movement as she crawled back into bed. After a few moments he felt her aura calm slightly a sign that she had once again fallen to sleep. Giving an internal sigh as his headache eased he made the decision to speak to Hikaru, or even Fuu, if given the chance.
o
o
“What?! Are you serious?” Umi screeched in a voice that could shatter glass and half jumped out of bed, Hikaru and Fuu had to hold her back.
“But Umi it’s for the best” Fuu tried to explain and keep the very agitated water knight from the object of her agitation, namely Clef.
The mage was standing at the foot of the bed along with Presea and Ferio, the later was grinning slightly at her outburst. “Umi, I know you dislike the idea but you really do need to stay in bed for a least another day” the mage spoke in a calm if not slightly amused tone himself.
Umi sat back down her arms crossed with a very unhappy look on her face, “But what am I suppose to do all day?” she complained.
“Don’t worry Umi. We’ll keep you company for a while” Hikaru tried to pacify her friend before the unholy wrath of Selece came down on her head.
“I can bring something for you to read if you’d like Umi?” Clef offered.
“Oh! I know!” Hikaru exclaimed as she leapt up from where she was sitting and darted out of the room at break neck speed almost tripping over Lantis, who had just stepped in the door. “Sorry Lantis, be right back!” she hollered back over her shoulder as she rocketed down the hall to her room.
The cail blinked and watched the redhead disappear, “Where is she going?” he asked perplexed and got shrugs and “I don’t know” from the others in the room. Before he could finish coming in the doorway however, the enthusiastic fire knight rushed back past him, his cape sliding over her head as she whooshed past, causing her hair to frizz.
“I got it!” she huffed and sat back down next to Umi as Lantis moved to the other side of the room next to Eagle and out of the flow of traffic, he hoped anyways.
“You got what?” Umi asked and Fuu had one perfect blond eyebrow arched in question.
Hikaru plopped her school bag into her lap and started digging through it, “I know it’s in here somewhe…” her voice muffled as her head vanished into the bag.
Clef looked oddly at the girls and then shrugged, “Girls I have some things to take care of, Umi if you need anything or would like a book…” he looked back at Hikaru who was still digging in her bag, “let me or Presea know” he left with Presea right behind. Ferio sat down in a comfy chair by the window and Lantis remained out of screeching girl range by Eagle who he was talking to quietly. Fuu watched Clef’s unusually frank departure but her attention was diverted at the sound of a squeak.
“Found it!” came Hikaru’s voice from within the bag and she held up something small and square.
“Your iPod!!” Umi squealed and jumped over to her and squashed Hikaru in a massive hug. “You’ve saved me. You little devil,” Umi shook her finger at the blushing redhead, “we’re not suppose to take these with us to school”
“What is that?” Ferio asked curiously and stood back up, “an I what?”
“An iPod,” Fuu answered him.
“It plays music” Hikaru added.
“Really?” Ferio asked bewildered on how such a small thing could have music inside it. “So, it’s like a music box?” he looked to Fuu. She giggled, “I guess you can think of it like that”
Eagle was meanwhile explaining the actions of Hikaru and filling Lantis in on what the Guru had spoken of before he’d arrived.
“Well apparently Umi is quite upset because she has to stay in bed. I must say I have to sympathize with her…” he trailed off and Lantis looked down at his friend.
“I know you’re tired of being asleep Eagle, but it shouldn’t be much longer. Hikaru’s giving her best the rest is up to you” he didn’t speak out loud but ‘thought’ it for Eagle’s ears alone.
“I know. Its…just getting really hard to stay hopeful”
Lantis looked sadly at his friend; he knew Eagle was finding it hard to hold on. A person always fights for something stronger when they have their heart in it, and at this point in time Eagle’s heart was anywhere but on his health. During the battle for the Pillar Autozom’s fate and his own had weighted heavily on his mind, but now Autozom was on the road to improvement and here he was, one year later, in his coma still. Hope was getting harder and harder to find in his voice and Lantis knew it.
“Hikaru what’s that?” Fuu pointed to the bag Hikaru had dropped after digging out her iPod. “Oh…that. Well it’s…uh” the small girl flushed and Umi reached down and pulled a small book from the bag. “Hikaru I didn’t know you liked to read”
“Well…” the redhead blushed slightly and ran a booted foot along the floor, “It’s kind of a book I’ve had since I was really little…”
“Oh! It’s a book of fairytales! I didn’t know you were into this stuff” Umi smiled running her hands over the well worn edges of the book.
Hikaru blushed even more; “Well I thought you guys might think it was for kids” she gave a lopsided grin and looked up to the girls plus Ferio.
“What’s a fairytale? It doesn’t have anything to do with Primera, does it?” Eagle suddenly popped into the conversation as Lantis had moved over to where the girls were and Ferio also had a confused look on his face.
“Oh, there’re stories and legends from our world.” Fuu said in matter-of-fact tone of voice.
“Really? I‘d like to hear some of them” Eagle seemed quite interested.
“And why are they called fairytales?” Ferio asked. At this Fuu’s face changed to one of confusion, a look rarely seen on her.
“You know,” she said after a moment, “I don’t really know.”
Ferio grinned, “You mean there’s actually something you don’t know?” he teased her.
She gave him a grade A female glare that promised retribution if something further was said and he promptly shut his mouth, but still with a grin plastered there. The others in room just laughed at the joke and Fuu’s cheeks turned slightly pink.
Suddenly Lantis stood from the place where he’d sat next to Hikaru and strode to the door quickly, Hikaru sensing his change of mood looked up to him startled, “Lantis?” she called, “What is it?”
He stood there quiet for a moment, “Lafarga and the others are back…” at the happy look on Hikaru’s face he added, “Something has happened…something bad.” Ferio was on his feet already and following Lantis out the door, Fuu and Hikaru both jumped up to also follow.
“Guys wait up, I’ll come too” Umi threw her legs over the edge of her bed.
“No Umi you need to stay in bed” Fuu ordered her like her own mother would have, “We’ll be back to let you know ok” she rushed out after Hikaru and the door clicked shut.
“But…” was all the protest Umi managed. “What could have happened?” she asked out loud.
“I’m sure their alright Umi” Eagle’s voice lightly called and caught her attention.
Standing slowly, ignoring all the demands for her to stay in bed, she carefully walked over to his side of the room and sat at the foot of his bed pulling her knees up to her chest. “Well at least you didn’t run off and leave me” she huffed and gave a soft pout. She felt him chuckle and glared his way even knowing he couldn’t see it, “What’s so funny?” she demanded.
“You” he felt confusion from her and continued, “You’re so dramatic. What makes me laugh most is the fact you said I didn’t leave you. Like I’m going anywhere Umi…” he couldn’t bite back the bitterness that came at the last words.
“Eagle…” Umi reached out and put her hand on his, “You’ll wake up soon. I know you will.”
“How can you be so sure?” he asked, his mental voice soft and hardly audible.
“Because you are the only person I know that is more stubborn than Hikaru, and like her, once you get something in your head there’s no use trying to get it out.” Giving his hand a squeeze she smiled and then wrapped her arms around her knees, “So what should we do while we wait on the others to come back?”
Eagle mused over the question for a moment, “Well you do still have Hikaru’s book don’t you?”
o
o
“What happened?” Hikaru huffed as she hurried into the throne room with Lantis and the rest of the group.
Clef stood with Lafarga and Caldina as well as poor Ascot who looked completely worn out; in fact they all looked tired.
Caldina smiled as the girls entered and ran over picking up Hikaru in a big hug, “Hey now wait just a darn minute…where’s little miss Umi?” she asked looking around and setting Hikaru back on her feet.
“Clef, you haven’t told them yet?” Fuu asked in her usual polite manner looking around Caldina’s shoulder who’d just grabbed her in a hug as well.
“I was just about to. There have been other things to discuss as well, unfortunately” he taped his staff and several chairs appeared and they all sat down.
“What happened while we were gone?” Ascot asked worried.
“Umi used a rather large amount of her will power to save herself from a monster, rather like Hikaru did when she entered the road Eagle built to invade. She merely drained herself of power and needs to rest before she starts to move about again” the mage explained.
“Really? It must have been on heck of a nasty monster to drain poor Miss Umi of so much power” Caldina commented as she flicked a strand of hair out of her face.
“Well…” and at this all eyes turned to Fuu.
She squared her shoulders and continued, “I’ve been thinking about that…I don’t think it was an ordinary monster created from someone’s fear. Usually those monsters just randomly attack whatever gets in their way, but not this one…It went strait for Umi and only Umi, actually it reminded me of Lantis’s spirit horse” she tapped her chin lightly as she shared her revelations from her quiet brooding over the last few nights. “I don’t think what happened…was random” she finished to a silent room.
After a moment Clef sighed, “I was afraid you might say something like that. Lafarga has just reported about the disturbance in the south…” at this he looked to the swordsman.
“Yes, I must agree with her on the fact the monsters didn’t seem to be random. In fact…they were well timed and placed”
“And my beasts had a harder time than usual,” Ascot added after Lafarga had fallen silent. “With the normal monsters that appear it usually takes little effort to destroy them, but lately they’ve been different…” he bushed his bangs back from his eyes and looked back to the others.
“Lantis,” Hikaru looked up to cail, “Didn’t you say the weather had been strange lately too?”
The cail nodded, “Yes, but why do you ask?”
“Well…” Hikaru thought for a second, “What if the strange weather, what happened to Umi and what Lafarga saw…are all connected?” she ticked each point off on her fingers as she said them.
“But what could cause such a thing?” Presea asked with wide eyes. “That’s what I’m afraid of” and Hikaru’s tone left no room for doubt about her fear for the kingdom.
o
o
“I still don’t understand how she could wear glass slippers. Wouldn’t it be impractical?”
Umi was about to throw the fairytale book at Eagle if he didn’t quit driving her up the wall with forty million questions. “Eagle it’s a story. It just works that way. Now are you going to let me finish?” She huffed slightly amused and agitated at the same time.
“Go ahead” she heard him chuckle and she could be heard muttering something along the lines of “Men…” and rolling her eyes.
She continued with the story of Cinderella and ended with “And they lived happily ever after” closing the book with a soft thump.
Eagle mused for a moment, “So do all stories end happily in your world?” he asked.
“Well…no of course not. Not all of them do, it’s just most of these are meant for children” her face seemed to darken suddenly and she fell silent.
‘There she goes again…’ Eagle felt that sadness from the night before creeping into her aura again. ‘Something must have happened to her…’ “Umi?” he ventured tentatively.
“Oh sorry, I was just thinking. I didn’t mean to go all quiet like that” she laughed it was so convincing that he hesitated to ask her what was wrong. “Well, where were we?” she went on all bubbly almost like Hikaru.
“A story?” he inquired, he still hungered for something new and his curiosity was getting the better of him.
“Oh right…you were asking if all our stories have a happy ending. Well most do fairytales do…but I do know one”
“Really, what’s it called?” he asked, most of the other stories had fluffy, happy tittles to go with them, “Ice and Snow” she sat the fairytale book down on the floor and hugged her knees to her chest sitting on the foot of his bed.
“It’s a tragic tale even the title is tragic” she rested her head on her knees.
“What’s so tragic about it?” she had his full attention now, “Snow is a symbol for purity…” she started.
“That’s what I’ve always thought” he ‘looked’ up at her usual calm, serene face with question.
“But… it has a darker meaning” she looked saddened suddenly.
“It does?” he asked perplexed, what could this other meaning be that made her so sad?
“Yes, death…”
o
o
“Lady?”
A young warrior entered her chambers as the shadow woman stood above her mirror.
“What is your command?” the warrior asked, dark green eyes and short black hair framed a pale, strong face. This was a woman of power and those eyes held no mercy.
“Sentra…go to the other side. Find the fire child, her light is the brightest…test it. See if she is really strong enough for us to worry. She was once the Pillar and that should not be over looked…and the other… who didn’t past the test. He should have come here but did not, find out why; we might be able to use him” she waved her hand over the mirror; an image appearing.
“We have much to lean about the knights who did so much for Cephiro” she studied the image; the girl she watched moved and flickered like the tongue of a flame, full of life and vitality. “Much to learn…” she smiled and let out a laugh that would send a child running, screaming back to its mother.
A vicious smile crossed Sentra’s face,
“Yes my Lady”
AN: I’m sorry for all the fluffy in the chapter; I was planning on getting into a little more action but alas not yet. You will have to live with me until the next chapter when we get to really kick some ###. Anyhow I hope you’re confused about the ‘enemy’ her true purpose is a Big secret.* Author gives great big smile* I should really write the main story thread out for myself…but I’m lazy and I like writing without. It’s all in my head but, oh well. I’ll shush now. Go review please. Begs and pleads shamelessly. (Extra note-I've changed my formating now. I hope its much easier to read now. Thank you for the comments)
O_O;;; *major sweat drop* and alas I don’t own Rayearth, if I did I would be rich and also live in Japan ^_^. Ok, I’ll shush now and let you read. Comments most welcome.
--3. Fairytales
~The loneliness within me~
Takes a heavy toll
'Cause it burns as slow as whiskey through an empty aching soul and
The night is like a dagger
Long and cold and sharp
As I sit here on the front steps
~ Blowing smoke rings in the dark~
The storm had quieted hours before, and the night was calm and smooth like a good whiskey. You could still smell the rain through the open window in the room which Umi was sharing with Eagle while she recovered. It was the perfect weather to sleep in, and yet…Umi’s sleep was anything but peaceful. Closed eyes flittered uneasily as a frown creased her face; suddenly she sat bolt upright in bed as a scream echoed in her dreams. Her delicate hands gripped tightly at the blue coverlet, her knuckles turning white. After a moment she eased herself back into bed not sure if she really wanted to go back to sleep. She tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position, but it was useless. She sat up slowly and looked to Eagle who, by the feeling of his mind, was sleeping like a baby.
“Lucky…” she mouthed softly and swung her feet over the edge of her bed and stood, and to her surprise fell back onto her bed. “Whoa” she shook her head to try and clear the spots in her vision. She sat still for a moment and then slowly stood on wobbly legs.
Making her way over to the window she stood there gazing out into the darkness. A soft shutter passed through her slender frame as the wind picked up anew. She wrapped her arms around her stomach in what appeared to be a vain attempt to warm herself, but that was not her reason.
She knew the true reason for her discomfort and troubled sleep. That scream, that scream that was all too familiar kept playing over and over again in her mind. A scream she knew the exact meaning of, she had heard it before. Emeraude had let out a scream like that during the battle, when they had killed Zagoto. She had hoped to never have to hear another human being scream like that again, but as fate would have it she had been faced with having to hear it again this time from a close friend.
Her friend’s boyfriend had just been in a car accident. When she heard what happened of course she had rushed to the hospital to comfort her, knowing that her friends parents were out of town. They waited for news for what seemed like eternity and then one of the doctors had come out.
He’d died on the operating table.
She stood there and watched a scene all too familiar as the color drained from her friends face and the poor girl just started screaming. And what had she done during all of this? She had run into the bathroom and into a stall sinking down onto the floor trying to block out the sound, ‘that scream not that scream again’.
Her friend had needed her and she had left her with only the doctor to comfort her. It had just been too much for her, reminding her of what had happened to Princess Emeraude. Those two screams were worlds apart but one in the same, both the same pain, the same sorrow. The incident had shaken her considerably. She’d not exactly told the other Knights about it, not wanting to make them have to think of that sorrowful day, but she knew she couldn’t hide it for long. Especially from Fuu, that girl, darn smart people have to ruin everything when it comes to hiding something.
A heavy sigh escaped her and she continued to stare out the window at the night sky. Unlike Earth with its one moon, Cephiro had not one but three. Each one a shade of red, blue, and green respectfully, and each had a completely different place in the night sky. ‘Is everything color coded here?’ she wondered mildly.
At that moment the blue moon was high above her casting an eerie blue light down into the room. The blue glow made her almost look like a ghost, if there had been anyone to see her that is. And although the former Water Knight had no eyes upon her she was most definitely not alone in her thoughts.
Eagle. Yes, the former leader of the invasion of Cephiro was actually wide awake. You will have to humor the poor man because despite the fact Umi had been very quiet her aura alone was enough to wake him. After spending what felt like an eternity to him alone in that room when something moved he knew it, and just having a person in there to begin with changed the room’s entire aura. It was like having a light on in the dark, even when you close your eyes you can still see the light. And right now Umi’s aura was just as blinding as the light can be, it fact was an absolute mess.
He had felt a little bit of this problem the other day, but she had her guard up then. Now, when she thought she was alone with her thoughts, that shield was gone and all her emotional turmoil was laid bare. It moved and churned with uncertainty, mixed with confusion and even a little pain and the bitter taste of remorse, to produce an aura that gave him a headache.
“What could be the matter? She seemed fine when I spoke to her the other day, maybe a bit tired, but none the less alright. Well…’ he thought about that again and she had seemed a little sad that day, ’but I had no idea it was this bad. I’ll have to try to cheer her up tomorrow. Perhaps I should ask Hikaru if she knows what’s bothering her.”
The blond man pondered over the blue knight’s mood. He disliked having anyone around him unhappy, but after a moment he closed his mind off to the flow of emotion, not wanting to be completely and totally rude and he didn’t want the headache he had to get any worse. Thankfully Umi apparently decided to go back to sleep and he sensed her movement as she crawled back into bed. After a few moments he felt her aura calm slightly a sign that she had once again fallen to sleep. Giving an internal sigh as his headache eased he made the decision to speak to Hikaru, or even Fuu, if given the chance.
o
o
“What?! Are you serious?” Umi screeched in a voice that could shatter glass and half jumped out of bed, Hikaru and Fuu had to hold her back.
“But Umi it’s for the best” Fuu tried to explain and keep the very agitated water knight from the object of her agitation, namely Clef.
The mage was standing at the foot of the bed along with Presea and Ferio, the later was grinning slightly at her outburst. “Umi, I know you dislike the idea but you really do need to stay in bed for a least another day” the mage spoke in a calm if not slightly amused tone himself.
Umi sat back down her arms crossed with a very unhappy look on her face, “But what am I suppose to do all day?” she complained.
“Don’t worry Umi. We’ll keep you company for a while” Hikaru tried to pacify her friend before the unholy wrath of Selece came down on her head.
“I can bring something for you to read if you’d like Umi?” Clef offered.
“Oh! I know!” Hikaru exclaimed as she leapt up from where she was sitting and darted out of the room at break neck speed almost tripping over Lantis, who had just stepped in the door. “Sorry Lantis, be right back!” she hollered back over her shoulder as she rocketed down the hall to her room.
The cail blinked and watched the redhead disappear, “Where is she going?” he asked perplexed and got shrugs and “I don’t know” from the others in the room. Before he could finish coming in the doorway however, the enthusiastic fire knight rushed back past him, his cape sliding over her head as she whooshed past, causing her hair to frizz.
“I got it!” she huffed and sat back down next to Umi as Lantis moved to the other side of the room next to Eagle and out of the flow of traffic, he hoped anyways.
“You got what?” Umi asked and Fuu had one perfect blond eyebrow arched in question.
Hikaru plopped her school bag into her lap and started digging through it, “I know it’s in here somewhe…” her voice muffled as her head vanished into the bag.
Clef looked oddly at the girls and then shrugged, “Girls I have some things to take care of, Umi if you need anything or would like a book…” he looked back at Hikaru who was still digging in her bag, “let me or Presea know” he left with Presea right behind. Ferio sat down in a comfy chair by the window and Lantis remained out of screeching girl range by Eagle who he was talking to quietly. Fuu watched Clef’s unusually frank departure but her attention was diverted at the sound of a squeak.
“Found it!” came Hikaru’s voice from within the bag and she held up something small and square.
“Your iPod!!” Umi squealed and jumped over to her and squashed Hikaru in a massive hug. “You’ve saved me. You little devil,” Umi shook her finger at the blushing redhead, “we’re not suppose to take these with us to school”
“What is that?” Ferio asked curiously and stood back up, “an I what?”
“An iPod,” Fuu answered him.
“It plays music” Hikaru added.
“Really?” Ferio asked bewildered on how such a small thing could have music inside it. “So, it’s like a music box?” he looked to Fuu. She giggled, “I guess you can think of it like that”
Eagle was meanwhile explaining the actions of Hikaru and filling Lantis in on what the Guru had spoken of before he’d arrived.
“Well apparently Umi is quite upset because she has to stay in bed. I must say I have to sympathize with her…” he trailed off and Lantis looked down at his friend.
“I know you’re tired of being asleep Eagle, but it shouldn’t be much longer. Hikaru’s giving her best the rest is up to you” he didn’t speak out loud but ‘thought’ it for Eagle’s ears alone.
“I know. Its…just getting really hard to stay hopeful”
Lantis looked sadly at his friend; he knew Eagle was finding it hard to hold on. A person always fights for something stronger when they have their heart in it, and at this point in time Eagle’s heart was anywhere but on his health. During the battle for the Pillar Autozom’s fate and his own had weighted heavily on his mind, but now Autozom was on the road to improvement and here he was, one year later, in his coma still. Hope was getting harder and harder to find in his voice and Lantis knew it.
“Hikaru what’s that?” Fuu pointed to the bag Hikaru had dropped after digging out her iPod. “Oh…that. Well it’s…uh” the small girl flushed and Umi reached down and pulled a small book from the bag. “Hikaru I didn’t know you liked to read”
“Well…” the redhead blushed slightly and ran a booted foot along the floor, “It’s kind of a book I’ve had since I was really little…”
“Oh! It’s a book of fairytales! I didn’t know you were into this stuff” Umi smiled running her hands over the well worn edges of the book.
Hikaru blushed even more; “Well I thought you guys might think it was for kids” she gave a lopsided grin and looked up to the girls plus Ferio.
“What’s a fairytale? It doesn’t have anything to do with Primera, does it?” Eagle suddenly popped into the conversation as Lantis had moved over to where the girls were and Ferio also had a confused look on his face.
“Oh, there’re stories and legends from our world.” Fuu said in matter-of-fact tone of voice.
“Really? I‘d like to hear some of them” Eagle seemed quite interested.
“And why are they called fairytales?” Ferio asked. At this Fuu’s face changed to one of confusion, a look rarely seen on her.
“You know,” she said after a moment, “I don’t really know.”
Ferio grinned, “You mean there’s actually something you don’t know?” he teased her.
She gave him a grade A female glare that promised retribution if something further was said and he promptly shut his mouth, but still with a grin plastered there. The others in room just laughed at the joke and Fuu’s cheeks turned slightly pink.
Suddenly Lantis stood from the place where he’d sat next to Hikaru and strode to the door quickly, Hikaru sensing his change of mood looked up to him startled, “Lantis?” she called, “What is it?”
He stood there quiet for a moment, “Lafarga and the others are back…” at the happy look on Hikaru’s face he added, “Something has happened…something bad.” Ferio was on his feet already and following Lantis out the door, Fuu and Hikaru both jumped up to also follow.
“Guys wait up, I’ll come too” Umi threw her legs over the edge of her bed.
“No Umi you need to stay in bed” Fuu ordered her like her own mother would have, “We’ll be back to let you know ok” she rushed out after Hikaru and the door clicked shut.
“But…” was all the protest Umi managed. “What could have happened?” she asked out loud.
“I’m sure their alright Umi” Eagle’s voice lightly called and caught her attention.
Standing slowly, ignoring all the demands for her to stay in bed, she carefully walked over to his side of the room and sat at the foot of his bed pulling her knees up to her chest. “Well at least you didn’t run off and leave me” she huffed and gave a soft pout. She felt him chuckle and glared his way even knowing he couldn’t see it, “What’s so funny?” she demanded.
“You” he felt confusion from her and continued, “You’re so dramatic. What makes me laugh most is the fact you said I didn’t leave you. Like I’m going anywhere Umi…” he couldn’t bite back the bitterness that came at the last words.
“Eagle…” Umi reached out and put her hand on his, “You’ll wake up soon. I know you will.”
“How can you be so sure?” he asked, his mental voice soft and hardly audible.
“Because you are the only person I know that is more stubborn than Hikaru, and like her, once you get something in your head there’s no use trying to get it out.” Giving his hand a squeeze she smiled and then wrapped her arms around her knees, “So what should we do while we wait on the others to come back?”
Eagle mused over the question for a moment, “Well you do still have Hikaru’s book don’t you?”
o
o
“What happened?” Hikaru huffed as she hurried into the throne room with Lantis and the rest of the group.
Clef stood with Lafarga and Caldina as well as poor Ascot who looked completely worn out; in fact they all looked tired.
Caldina smiled as the girls entered and ran over picking up Hikaru in a big hug, “Hey now wait just a darn minute…where’s little miss Umi?” she asked looking around and setting Hikaru back on her feet.
“Clef, you haven’t told them yet?” Fuu asked in her usual polite manner looking around Caldina’s shoulder who’d just grabbed her in a hug as well.
“I was just about to. There have been other things to discuss as well, unfortunately” he taped his staff and several chairs appeared and they all sat down.
“What happened while we were gone?” Ascot asked worried.
“Umi used a rather large amount of her will power to save herself from a monster, rather like Hikaru did when she entered the road Eagle built to invade. She merely drained herself of power and needs to rest before she starts to move about again” the mage explained.
“Really? It must have been on heck of a nasty monster to drain poor Miss Umi of so much power” Caldina commented as she flicked a strand of hair out of her face.
“Well…” and at this all eyes turned to Fuu.
She squared her shoulders and continued, “I’ve been thinking about that…I don’t think it was an ordinary monster created from someone’s fear. Usually those monsters just randomly attack whatever gets in their way, but not this one…It went strait for Umi and only Umi, actually it reminded me of Lantis’s spirit horse” she tapped her chin lightly as she shared her revelations from her quiet brooding over the last few nights. “I don’t think what happened…was random” she finished to a silent room.
After a moment Clef sighed, “I was afraid you might say something like that. Lafarga has just reported about the disturbance in the south…” at this he looked to the swordsman.
“Yes, I must agree with her on the fact the monsters didn’t seem to be random. In fact…they were well timed and placed”
“And my beasts had a harder time than usual,” Ascot added after Lafarga had fallen silent. “With the normal monsters that appear it usually takes little effort to destroy them, but lately they’ve been different…” he bushed his bangs back from his eyes and looked back to the others.
“Lantis,” Hikaru looked up to cail, “Didn’t you say the weather had been strange lately too?”
The cail nodded, “Yes, but why do you ask?”
“Well…” Hikaru thought for a second, “What if the strange weather, what happened to Umi and what Lafarga saw…are all connected?” she ticked each point off on her fingers as she said them.
“But what could cause such a thing?” Presea asked with wide eyes. “That’s what I’m afraid of” and Hikaru’s tone left no room for doubt about her fear for the kingdom.
o
o
“I still don’t understand how she could wear glass slippers. Wouldn’t it be impractical?”
Umi was about to throw the fairytale book at Eagle if he didn’t quit driving her up the wall with forty million questions. “Eagle it’s a story. It just works that way. Now are you going to let me finish?” She huffed slightly amused and agitated at the same time.
“Go ahead” she heard him chuckle and she could be heard muttering something along the lines of “Men…” and rolling her eyes.
She continued with the story of Cinderella and ended with “And they lived happily ever after” closing the book with a soft thump.
Eagle mused for a moment, “So do all stories end happily in your world?” he asked.
“Well…no of course not. Not all of them do, it’s just most of these are meant for children” her face seemed to darken suddenly and she fell silent.
‘There she goes again…’ Eagle felt that sadness from the night before creeping into her aura again. ‘Something must have happened to her…’ “Umi?” he ventured tentatively.
“Oh sorry, I was just thinking. I didn’t mean to go all quiet like that” she laughed it was so convincing that he hesitated to ask her what was wrong. “Well, where were we?” she went on all bubbly almost like Hikaru.
“A story?” he inquired, he still hungered for something new and his curiosity was getting the better of him.
“Oh right…you were asking if all our stories have a happy ending. Well most do fairytales do…but I do know one”
“Really, what’s it called?” he asked, most of the other stories had fluffy, happy tittles to go with them, “Ice and Snow” she sat the fairytale book down on the floor and hugged her knees to her chest sitting on the foot of his bed.
“It’s a tragic tale even the title is tragic” she rested her head on her knees.
“What’s so tragic about it?” she had his full attention now, “Snow is a symbol for purity…” she started.
“That’s what I’ve always thought” he ‘looked’ up at her usual calm, serene face with question.
“But… it has a darker meaning” she looked saddened suddenly.
“It does?” he asked perplexed, what could this other meaning be that made her so sad?
“Yes, death…”
o
o
“Lady?”
A young warrior entered her chambers as the shadow woman stood above her mirror.
“What is your command?” the warrior asked, dark green eyes and short black hair framed a pale, strong face. This was a woman of power and those eyes held no mercy.
“Sentra…go to the other side. Find the fire child, her light is the brightest…test it. See if she is really strong enough for us to worry. She was once the Pillar and that should not be over looked…and the other… who didn’t past the test. He should have come here but did not, find out why; we might be able to use him” she waved her hand over the mirror; an image appearing.
“We have much to lean about the knights who did so much for Cephiro” she studied the image; the girl she watched moved and flickered like the tongue of a flame, full of life and vitality. “Much to learn…” she smiled and let out a laugh that would send a child running, screaming back to its mother.
A vicious smile crossed Sentra’s face,
“Yes my Lady”
AN: I’m sorry for all the fluffy in the chapter; I was planning on getting into a little more action but alas not yet. You will have to live with me until the next chapter when we get to really kick some ###. Anyhow I hope you’re confused about the ‘enemy’ her true purpose is a Big secret.* Author gives great big smile* I should really write the main story thread out for myself…but I’m lazy and I like writing without. It’s all in my head but, oh well. I’ll shush now. Go review please. Begs and pleads shamelessly. (Extra note-I've changed my formating now. I hope its much easier to read now. Thank you for the comments)
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