Disclaimer: I have a big surpirse for you all... I don't own Rayearth. I know, I know, what a shocker. Clamp does... the evil bastards...

Author Notes: I am Shadow, this is my fic. This is my own interpretation on how the series should have ended. I personally thought it sucked ass. And, most people who have seen Rayearth, I think, would agree with me. Well, on with the fic...

The Price of the Pillar

Finally, the time has come. It's really happening. I am the Pillar. It's me. I'm in control of the whole world called Cephiro. It will bend to my every emotion. You would think that this would make me the happiest girl in the universe, but it doesn't. Being the Pillar means that I can never go home. I can never see my family. I can never see my friends. And, worst of all, I can never fall in love.

"Congratulations, Hikaru," said Master Mage Clef as he walked up to me. " But, don't let all this partying go to your head. You know what responsibility has been laid upon you."

"Yes, Sir." I answered. I let my head drop down and I stared at the floor. The burden of the Pillar overwhelmed me at the moment and my head felt too heavy. " This is the last time I'll ever be able to have fun." I thought to myself. At that moment, someone walked up to me. All I could see at that moment was his dark pointy sikatiga hide boots. I let my eyes slowly rise to his face, pulling the weight with me. It was Lantis. Oh, Lantis. I loved him so much, but we could never be together. I'm the Pillar now. We can never have a love.

"Hikaru.." he whispered quietly. His voice was so full of emotion I didn't know how to reply. "Wow, everything happened so quickly, and for the first time I wasn't able to stop it. My sword, the one thing that has always protected me, is the one thing that has hurt me the most." I didn't know what to say. I just looked in his stormy gray eyes with compassion. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to kiss him and declare my love, but I had to suppress it. Forever.

"Hikaru!" I heard yelled to me from across the room. I turn my head to see that it was Umi and Fuu. "Hey girl, how's it going?" Umi asks.

"Umm. Well.." I tried to answer but,

"Hey Hikaru, Umm, we have some bad news." Umi continues. "Yeah, um. We are umm.. leaving today."

"What, What? Today, why today?!" I shouted.

"Well, Clef still isn't feeling well. I guess the happiness of the occasion has given him the strength. If we don't go today, we may never be able to go home. I'm sorry." Just as she finished speaking Fuu's eyes welled up with tears. We all started crying. Umi pulled us all into a big group hug.

"When will I be able to see them again?" I thought as I cried.

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After the celebration ended, I went to my room alone. My friends were gone. "I will never have a life again," I thought. Just then, I heard a knock at my door. I turned and saw Lantis standing in my doorway. His presence in my room startled me. I got right up off my bed.

"Oh, hi Lantis. You startled me." I managed to say wile struggling to speak though my shock. He began to blush.

"Oh, I'm..I'm sorry. I didn't mean too." I seemed that he had the same problem speaking. "I didn't really get to talk to you at the party. So, I thought I'd come and talk to you now."

"Ya, sure. I'm not busy."

"Yes, you are. You're the Pillar. You will always be busy, and you will be for the rest of your life. That's what I came her to talk to you about." He walked farther into my room and lightly closed the door.

"Oh?" I answered not knowing what else to say.

"Being the Pillar is a lot of work. That's not what I wanted to say. Um, .. Hikaru, I've known you for a long time and, Um.. No that's not right. Okay, You.. and ..I, Umm.." At that moment we locked eyes. I could feel his stare penetrate down into my soul. A few seconds later I was shocked when he put his arm around me and kissed me. His lips were so soft and his kiss was so gentle I never wanted it to end. But, like all things do, the kiss did as well. "I'm so sorry. That has been building up inside me for such a long time and I had to get it out before it is too late." He leaned in again and we began to kiss. This wasn't right. I pulled away. "What's wrong?" he asked. I looked deep in his eyes. They were full of love and compassion, but I knew that this couldn't continue.

"I can't do this. I can't let this relationship manifest. I need to keep my mind clear, you know that. I just have to let it go. I'm sorry." At that moment I loved him more than any other. His eyes filled up with sadness and despair. He stood there for a moment fidgeting, as if he didn't quite know what to do with himself.

"Well, at least I'll always be able to see you." He said quetly. His gaze feel from my eyes to the floor. At that moment I wanted to tell him I loved him. I wanted him to know. But, alas, it could never be said. His body slowly turned and walked out of my room without another word. The sadness in me at that moment consumed me. I collapsed on my bed and cried. I cried harder than I ever had in my whole life.

"I never chose to be the Pillar!" I screamed. "Why! Why me!"

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"Lantis!" Primera screamed from down the long palace hallway. Lantis half heartedly turned around wile wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Hey Primera, I'm not really in the mood to talk to you at the moment."

"No, No! It's very important." She said ergently.

"What is it?" Lantis answerd kind of annoyed. Primera has been obsessed with Lantis for as long as anyone can remember, and she has become kind of a pest.

"I have to confess something. I know you and Hikaru are in love with eachother." Lantis tried to say something but Primera wouldn't let him. "I know, as well as anyone else who would know this secret, that it's a very bad thing. You two can not be together."

"I know that. We."

"HEY!!!! I'm still speaking!!" Lantis shut up very quickly. For a faerie Primera screamed very loudly. "So, you know as long as you are here she will be in love with you. You are a very hard person to get over. I should know. I think that, in the best intrest of Cephiro, you should leave."

"What?"

"You have to leave. That way, you won't be here to think about. As the saying goes, out of sight out of mind."

"You really think so?" At this point Lantis would take anyones advice. He was deperate and confused.

"Yes. Go wherever you went when Emeraude was the Pillar. No one could find you then."

"But, I don't want to leave her."

"But, you have to."

"Maybe your right."

"I usually am."

"See you later Primera." Lantis answered gloomily as he slowly walked down the palace halls.

"Ha Ha, Hikaru." Primera said to herself. "If I can't have Lantis, you can't have him either."

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I sat on the throne listless the next morning. Lantis has left. No one knows where he has gone to. Why has he left me? What did I do to make him leave? Why would he do this to me? "Okay, Okay, You have to get this out of your mind." I said to myself. "You have to think of Cephiro and nothing but Cephiro. It is your job. It is your life purpose."

"Princess Hikaru," Clef says gently. I look up quickly as I was pulled out of my thoughts. "I'm sorry. We still cannot find him. He is not anywhere in the vicinity on Cephiro. Should we send people out of Cephiro to search elsewhere? I already set up groups to go to Chizeta, Atazom, and Fahren if you choose for them to go." I began to search my mind. "Should I send a search party? Do I really need him here? He will only get in my way. Who am I kidding. I want him here more than anything else. More than the well-being of Cephiro."

"Yes, please. Do whatever you can do," I answered.

"Of coarse, Princess." Clef answerd and walked away. I wanted to know where he was so badly. All I want to do is talk to him. What happened? We have to find him.

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Author Notes: This is the end of chapter one. There is one more chapter and I shall post it soon. Just to warn you... it's a tear jerker...