Before you start reading, be warned, this is a slash story. That means shonen-ai, yaoi, gay pairings, and/or whatever else you like to call it. It you don't like it, you have been forewarned. At this point, I claim the right to laugh at any flames on that subject. Others may be listened to, but I tend to prefer calm criticism without caps lock or swearing.

I do not own Prétear. If I did, why would I write fanfics?

Thoughts are in italics, along with flashbacks and stressed words.

Kei

The Great Tree of Fenrir was a formidable opponent, to say the very least. In fact, that was an understatement. It was all the Knights of Light and Fire could do to keep the demon larvae away from the Awayuki family, who trying desperately to free Mawata.

Kei sneaked a glance at Goh as he attacked another of the monsters. There seemed to be an endless supply of them.

—"Kei," Goh had said just moments before, "If we don't live through this battle, I want you to know I love you."—

Had he meant it? Kei barely dodged an attack from a demon larva and pushed all thoughts but the battle out of his mind. It would do no good to get himself killed.

It seemed a blur. The world flickered before his eyes as the way he'd been trained to fight took over. His instincts seemed to be pulling him through with barely a conscious thought.

Goh

Mawata was free. Goh hurriedly moved to cover their retreat. It went surprisingly smoothly until they reached the bridge. He couldn't quite hear, but Mayune seemed to suffer from a panic attack.

What the hell were they doing, taking so long? He and Kei could only hold off the tree for so long.

Kaoru set Mawata down, and they began to run again. He couldn't help but smile as Kaoru stopped to bow before continuing to run. Whatever else there was about that man, he was polite.

"They finally ran off," he said.

He paid for his moment of distraction as the tree knocked him out of the air. He heard Kei shout, and saw him as he was knocked into a streetlight, before the world went black.

Kei

Kei could hear the call from Himeno, not by his ears, but from the very center of his soul, tugging at him, pulling him back to consciousness.

He held out his hand, offering his energy to Himeno. He may have said her name, he couldn't be sure. What little Leafe he had, he offered to her.

"Thanks, everyone," Himeno's voice sounded clear in his mind, as though she was right next to him.

It could have been two minutes or two hours later, Kei didn't know (or care) which. He could feel his energy returning, Leafe falling gently upon him. He opened his eyes.

Leafe snow? It didn't seem possible, but here it was, falling before him.

Kei's eyes widened. It must mean that Himeno had won! But where—

Goh was sitting up. They shared a glance, and raced towards the Awayuki mansion.

Goh

Himeno was dead. No! It couldn't be! She couldn't be gone. That happy smile wouldn't light up her face; her chipper attitude wouldn't be a light for them anymore.

The kids were approaching. He tried to head them off, give them some warning, but it was too late. They had seen her.

Shin burst out crying. He buried his face against Goh, sobbing for Himeno. Hajime did the same. Mannen did not turn away, but looked at Himeno, trying not to cry as sobs shook his body.

Goh placed a hand on their heads, wishing he could be more of a comfort. He didn't know how to be. He had spent all his life being told not to cry, and telling others not to cry, but he didn't know how to say it was okay to cry. He just didn't know.

"There'll probably never be," Kei said, with more emotion in his voice than Goh thought he had ever heard before, "Another Prétear of her caliber again."

Goh was going to say something, but he stopped when he saw Hayate.

The Knight of Wind was leaning over Himeno, confessing his feelings, calling himself a coward.

And then he kissed her. Goh wasn't sure what Hayate thought it was going to achieve, but he still did.

Then she moved.

Kei

Kei had never seen the mood of a place change so quickly. Himeno was being hugged from all sides, by the children, her family, Hayate.

Sasame and Takako looked on.

Kei looked at Goh. Goh looked away from him. Kei sighed. When this party was over, he needed to have a talk with the Knight of Fire.

End part 1 of Battles

Yes, this will be shonen-ai. This chapter is just sort of setting the stage in and around the battle. There will be actual romance in chapter two!