Disclaimer: I do not own Magic Knight Rayearth or even it's characters. They All belonged to Clamp.
Chapter 1 – Beginning x Regret x Silence
PREVIEW: The magic knights were reunited once again with thoughts and longing for their love left in Cephiro. The water knight caught herself in thoughts of regret for her untold love. Unexpectedly, the water knight made her way back in Cephiro in a strange and unusual way.
It's been years since they were last summoned in Cephiro and it seems like it was their last. They felt contented, satisfied on what they have contributed to the welfare of the alternate world. It was like their presence was no longer needed anymore. As time passed by, the three young girls had made their journey in reality of their world. They have to move on and continue their lives as normal person and leave behind their role as magic knights. As years have gone by, the thought of their journey to the other world seems to be like just a long adventurous dream they ever had. It was difficult to adjust in their first few days back to their world. The thoughts of their journey, friends and loved ones in Cephiro made their mind wander most of the time. But they have to continue, they have to learn how to live the reality without them.
As they woke up each day in their world, they haven't noticed that they already have moved on. Have they really forgotten Cephiro? Or they just become preoccupied by their reality. Years had passed, they were not like the young naïve little girls anymore but instead they are matured, beautiful young woman in their mid-twenties. They were matured enough to know what love is and even wiser than before. There was a time, maybe seldom that they could still recall their magical adventure in the alternate world. There comes a time that their heart wishes to come back which sometimes lead them in visiting Tokyo tower hoping that they will be summoned back. It was unlikely that the three girls crossed their paths in the tower but there was this unexpected time where the three of them have accidentally met.
Hikaru was looking on the binoculars gazing the view of Tokyo from above remembering the time where they were first summoned in Cephiro. Her gazing suddenly interrupted for the telescope was coin operated and she ran out of coins. She looked for a coin in her pocket but it seems like she already have used it all. Unexpectedly, someone offered a coin to her from her back. She was pleased to accept it and to her surprise she never thought that it was Fuu. What a coincidence, this was like the scene they have when they first met.
"Fuu? Oh my goodness it was you…" Full of gladness she hugged her tightly. She never saw her for many years.
"Hikaru, I never thought that I will see you here. I am so glad to see you." Fuu hugged her back.
"It's been years Fuu, I thought were not going to see each other anymore." Her eyes were like forming tears in joy of seeing her long old friend.
"Oh, Hikaru you looked so beautiful and matured now." She let go of her embrace and looked at Hikaru from head to foot.
"Oh, thank you and I must admit. I almost didn't recognize you. You're not wearing those big eye glasses anymore and your hair, why did you grow them?" She complemented excitedly.
"I am wearing contact lenses for now and my hair? Doesn't it look good?" Fuu inquired as she holds gently her golden brown hair.
"Actually it looks good on you. You look like some sort of a model" Hikaru commended.
"A model? I am not into that kind of thing unlike Umi." Fuu giggled.
"Oh yes, Umi was really famous now, I can always see her in front of magazines." Hikaru exclaimed.
"I wonder how she was doing now." Fuu thought deeply.
"Maybe she was busy doing some photo shoot. So what do you do now Fuu?" Hikaru asked.
"I am working as a systems engineer in a big electronics company, and how about you Hikaru? Fuu curiously asked.
"I own a small business near our town. It's a pet grooming station. I just love animals you know." She replied beatifically.
As they were having conversation, they noticed the crowd gathered in one place. It seems that there was something they are looking into. The two got curious and followed the crowd and to their big surprise they saw Umi. She looked more matured and sophisticated. Her style was really on the trend or rather she makes the trend out of her style. Indeed she was pretty and Hikaru idolized her when they first met and this time she got even prettier.
"Umi! Umi! It's me Hikaru!" Hikaru exclaimed. She was jumping trying to catch Umi's attention from the thick crowd.
Umi heard Hikaru's name and started to search where it come from but the crowd was so thick.
"Hikaru!" She shouted trying to search for her.
Hikaru jumped even more, raising her hand. She crammed in to the crowd to get closer to Umi.
"Umi, I'm here." Hikaru was excited to see her as she managed to cram into the crowd.
"Hikaru!" she grabbed her hand pulling her out of the crowd.
"Umi… Fuu and I are here. Are you here for work? Are you busy?" Hikaru excitedly asked.
"No Hikaru, I was just here to take a visit. Where is Fuu?" Umi was looking for Fuu in the crowd.
"Miss Umi! I'm here!" Fuu was trying to get out from the crowd.
Umi's body guard took Fuu out of the crowd and secures a place for them to talk without paparazzi or media to cover her.
"You really are that famous now Umi, I can't believe you can still remember us." Hikaru mumbled.
"What are you saying Hikaru? How would I forget you and Fuu? We are like sisters though we haven't seen each other for a long time." Umi replied.
"I miss you two so much. It's been years since our last meet up here at the tower" Fuu was grateful to see her friends.
"So what brought you two up here? And why didn't you inform me that you two will meet up here?" Umi asked suspiciously.
"It was just coincidence miss Umi. We never thought that we are going to see each other here again. Isn't it like fate that brought us back here?" Fuu thought deeply.
"And what if this fate will bring us back to Cephiro?" Hikaru asked curiously.
"Well, maybe we should wait here if someone in Cephiro would actually summons us." Umi jokingly stated.
"I was actually here because the thoughts of Cephiro keep on bugging me" Fuu with a sullen expression.
"Is it really Cephiro or Ferio rather?" Umi teased.
Fuu blushed upon what Umi just said but it was actually true. She rather misses Ferio than anybody else. There was a time that a picture of him suddenly flashed into her mind and into her dreams. These past few days, she was like being haunted by the thoughts of Ferio wanting her to come back to him. She clearly knew that her love for him before was like some sort of infatuation only but it turns out that it was now most likely love. She was quite reluctant to admit it with her friends but she knew they already have an idea of their broken relationship.
"I must admit, I keep on seeing Ferio in my dreams. He was like calling me back in Cephiro and I went back here hoping to come back to him." Fuu confessed doleful.
"I thought it was just me, I felt the same as Fuu did. I suddenly felt the need for Lantis. I mean you know how I truly felt for him before and it didn't fade for years." Hikaru confessed her feelings too.
Umi looked at Hikaru and Fuu. There was a pleading look in their face wanting to be back in Cephiro not for the reason of saving their world again but for personal desire of their heart. Was it possible to go back in Cephiro for such reasons? It seems more like it was impossible for they haven't been summon back for years. Umi looked down as she looked for her own reasons to go back. Her heart knew the reasons already but she denies it. The main reason she went into the tower is because she was haunted by the words she left untold for many years. All by herself she often went into the tower disguised and looked at the sky telling the words she should have told him hoping that he will hear it but it was not enough to relieve her regretful feelings. She cannot admit to them the feelings she had for her love seems to be unrequited.
Back in their real world, Umi had a lot of suitors, but none of them makes her feel the love she felt in the alternate world. She tried to deny and divert her attention to her career but the feelings she felt never really stopped from the day she left Cephiro up to this moment. She still hides her feelings and tried not to be sad about it.
"If it was only possible to will ourselves back anytime in Cephiro." Umi muttered.
"Umi, is everything alright?" Hikaru inquired as she noticed Umi's sudden change of mood.
Umi, was staring at clear blue sky with her hands supporting her head, preoccupied with her remorse thoughts.
"Hey Umi! Are you even listening? What's wrong?" with a bit loud tone of voice Hikaru tried to catch her attention.
Umi was startled as she turned her head to Hikaru and was snapped back to her senses again.
"Yes, of course I was listening, I'm sorry I just had this thoughts" Umi explained.
"Is there something bothering you Miss Umi?" Fuu was a bit curious about Umi's change of mood.
"I'm just fine Fuu, I was just hungry, and shall we order some foods? My treat." Umi smiled as she tried to hide her true emotions.
Umi ordered some foods and tried to divert the topic into something much lighter. They smile and laugh upon telling each other's experiences in their world. For a moment at least somehow, Umi was left out by the thoughts of regret.
Time passed by so fast without them noticing, it's almost nightfall and the tower is about to close early for some sort of renovation.
"Ehem, excuse me Miss Umi, I'm sorry to interrupt you but the tower is about to close" Umi's bodyguard informed them.
"Oh! I'm sorry, we didn't realize the time" Hikaru said politely as she looked at the big round clock on the wall at her back.
"It's been a very wonderful day Miss Umi and Hikaru, I wish to see you again some other time here." Fuu said as she hugged Hikaru and Umi.
"We sure did miss each other, I hope we could still have a bonding like this more often" said Umi as she grabbed her bag and gave her personal calling card to them so they could get in touch with each other.
"Call me when you have time and let's have some coffee in other places." Umi suggested.
They went down on the tower thru an elevator, they waved on each other as they parted ways, hoping that there will be another meeting for them to cherish. Fuu and Hikaru parted their ways at the subway, while Umi drive herself home.
Umi wanted to be alone for a moment, he requested her body guard to leave her for a while as she went to the place where she usually go when she felt lonely. She went into the beach just near the roadside. She parked her car on the sidewalk, left her shoes inside the car and walked on the white sandy shore barefooted. She untied her hair letting the cold breeze blew her beautiful long silky cerulean hair as she let her feet be soaked by the cold small wave of the sea then she closed her eyes, breathe in and out smelling the fresh cold sea breeze. She opened her eyes to see the moon so bright, reflecting on the ocean floor bringing light to the dusky shore. Then she pours out her emotions.
It was unlikely for her to be in the state of this emotion. She was usually stubborn, short-tempered and lively type of woman. But this time, she was different. She showed the serious and delicate side of her. She was far more different than before.
"What if I told him what I really felt for him? I wonder if it is possible for him to love someone more than friend." She whispered to herself.
"Of course Umi he will not love you the way you wanted him to love you. Imagine how he controlled himself to love someone for 745 years. It is really impossible" she hit herself in the forehead upon the thoughts of it.
"But he spoke to me before we left, what if there was something… or maybe... I shouldn't have hope for it. Oh darn! Why am I thinking about this, I knew I already forget about this feeling" she was pissed off by her ambivalent thoughts.
Full of despair and regret she tried to deny her true feelings but her heart is like a bomb ticking that could explode anytime if she wouldn't let it free. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something just to divert her thoughts.
"Stop thinking about him Umi! It's been years. What's wrong with you?... Why am I feeling this way" Then suddenly she saw Clef's image in her mind she can't help it. She can't deny the feelings. The more she tried to forget him the more she felt her heart being crushed into pieces for deep inside she doesn't want to forget.
She opened her eyes and tears began to form, her heart wished to be back in Cephiro, to tell him what her heart truly felt for him even if he might reject it. Tears began to fall. It fell into the sea. The moment that her tear touches the water, a sudden brief rush of wind envelopes her body as the moon shines brighter spreading the bright light all over her sight. She covered her eyes with her arms. She doesn't know what was going on then she heard a soft beautiful melancholic voice. It was whispering to her ear.
"My Water knight…" the voice was echoing.
Umi was so sure that she was alone in the shore. She was surprised by the voice that addressed her as knight since nobody called her a knight after she came back from Cephiro. The light was so bright. She can't even glimpse a sight but she tried to search where the voice was coming.
"Your heart has a pure willing desire to come back" the soft voice continues to speak in her thoughts.
With a bit of fear and hesitancy she asked the mysterious voice "Who are you?"
"Your strong willpower is your way to your desire" the last two words are like a whisper that she almost can't hear.
Umi was frightened that the voice might be like Debonair or something evil in Cephiro. Then she asked again loudly who is she but there was no response.
The bright light that surrounds her began to settle, she slowly opened her eyes but her vision was quite blurry. She maintained her eyes opened until she can clearly see the moon and the wide ocean in front of her. She immediately searched for the voice but there was nobody around her. The voice bothered her a lot, leaving her with curiosity and suspicions of what could it possibly be. She decided to go back to her car and go home. She turned around and to her shock the scenery was not like before she left it. Everything was different. The sidewalk where she parked her car has turned into a big forest. She closed her eyes and opened it again believing that it was only a dream but the same scenery was seen and then she realized she was not in her world anymore.
With a bit of doubt in her heart she went inside the forest to scan around and to know where she truly was although in her mind she had a clue that maybe she was back in Cephiro. Mixed emotions of fear and excitement dominated her thoughts as she scanned around the area barefooted hoping she could find her way to her longing desire. It's been a while and yet she didn't find her way out of the forest her feelings of excitement suddenly fade leaving only her fear which dominates her thoughts from that moment.
"I'm pretty sure this isn't our world which probably means I'm in Cephiro and this forest…" She paused with realization where in Cephiro she probably was.
"… Is the forest of Silence." There was a trace of fear that can be seen in her eyes but she tried to be on her guard and alert as she grabbed a long pointed wood she found on the ground. Lost and afraid she called out for help but no one seems to be around. Tired of walking she suddenly stopped for a while and think of something that she could to do get out of the forest.
"Hmmm… If this was the forest of silence, there should be a lot of monsters here but it seems that there are no monsters here anymore… so possibly this is not the forest of silence.." She concluded as she tried to calm her quite fearful emotion.
"Oh wait, I forgot we already destroyed the magical rock that turned animals into monsters and that is why I never encounter such monsters here… so maybe this was really the forest of Silence after all." Again she concluded with realization.
"Presea once told us that the forest has an aura that prevents the use of magic, so if I failed to use magic this could probably be the forest of Silence." Without thinking much she raised her hand and tried to cast her magic.
"Water Dragon!" She waited for a big wave of water burst to happen but there was nothing.
"I'm so stupid, how can I forget. Of course I can't cast magic because Clef hasn't bestowed me one yet." She hit her forehead with her hand upon realization.
Then after a while she noticed something glowing in a lake few meters from her. She was curious of what could it possibly be. She went closer to the lake to take a good look but the glowing light was in the middle of it and was impossible to reach. She stopped along the lake dumbfounded with the mysterious glowing light. Then suddenly she turned out to be in a state of trance. The bright red glowing light seemed to be calling her closer or rather hypnotizing her. Unconsciously, she raised her hand as if she was reaching for that mysterious light then suddenly it moved closer to her. As it reaches to her hand the light turned into a black sphere orb revealing a glowing detailed carving of an unknown symbol. The carving on the sphere glows even brighter and explodes into her hand. The sudden explosion made her back into her senses again without a memory of what had happen a few moments earlier.
"What happen?.. uhh…" before she could make another word she felt a sudden heat in her chest. She pressed her hand in her chest as she suddenly felt a burning sensation on it then later on it turns into pain, a sudden crushing pain on her chest, an unbearable pain that turned her into her knees. She can't even think of anything but the physical pain she felt on her chest. Words can no longer come out of her mouth for the pain was so excruciating.
"Is this how I am going to die?" Her last thoughts before she closed her eyes. Alone and helpless inside the forest, tears fell from her eyes before she fell unconscious to the ground.
AN: More chapters to come... Please let me know your comments or whatsoever. Reviews will be much appreciated thank you so much!