The Angel in My Heart

Chapter 1

Groups of girls stood together in one corner of the large school yard, laughing. Several boys were chasing each other in the field. Now she felt more scared than ever was before. The cool autumn breeze gently lifted her ebony black hair, cropped short. Her heart raced, knowing her time would be up soon. Where's Himeno?

"Takako???" a surprised and disbelieving, but obviously please voice shocked her, and she jumped a mile in the air. Bright maroon eyes stared her in the face.

"Himeno…" she whispered with relief. The very excited pink haired girl wrapped her arms tightly around Takako, squeezing the air out of her lungs in a big hug. Breathless, she managed to choke out a few words.

"You know—gasp—even though I'm an ex-prétear—gasp—, I still need to breath!"

"Heh…" Himeno laughed guiltily, using one hand to scratch the back of her head. Suddenly, Takako noticed the girl with rich aqua curls standing beside her stepsister.

"It's great to see you, Takako," she smiled shyly. Takako nodded in greeting. She felt tears squeezing out of the corners of her eyes. They welcomed her so, but would they still be so kind when they heard the horrible news that she had brought?

"Himeno… we all need your help again. Something is very wrong in Leafenia, and I think it's all my fault!" the cheerful look on Himeno's ace quickly faded, and was replaced by concern and determination.

"Then let's go." The girl turned to her sister. "Could you…" Mawata smiled and nodded, knowing exactly what Himeno was going to ask of her. Takako felt warm to see them like that.

"You and her are very close now, aren't you?" Takako asked.

"Mmm-hmm! And it just might be thanks to you!" she let out a quick laugh. "C'mon, let's go…and Takako?" she looked up. "I don't think it's your fault. Not if you didn't mean it." Takako stared at the ground. You wouldn't say that if you knew. Guilt filled the crevices of her heart again, and something bounced around in her stomach, making her feel sick. Guilty. Sad. "Hey, we really have to get going now!" Himeno laughed cheerfully. Takako nodded, and the two girls stepped out of the yard to find Sasame at the gates.

He smiled the charming smiled she had gotten to love.

"Sasame." Himeno acknowledged him. "It's been so long since I've seen you. Four years, is it?" Sasame nodded.

"Come," his soft voice passed by Takako's ear like clear, pretty bells. Using one hand, he opened the gate to Leafenia. Her face felt flushed, her throat closed up and she just wanted to bury her face in Sasame's cloak and cry. Himeno let out a sharp gasp, her eyes wide with horror.

"What happened here?" Takako felt dreadful, light-headed. Her heart was heavy, making it hard to breath.

"When I was still Fenrir, Princess of Disaster, I wanted many demon larvae to attack all at once, so I made tons more than was necessary." She tried desperately not to let her voice crack. "I kept the leftovers safe in a preservation water chamber in the sky, constantly moving, although I and I alone could summon them at will. They came to suck up all the leafe, and now—" the threesome stared at the mess in front of them in dismay. Another three hovered in the air, restoring leafe to what was left of Leafenia to the best of their abilities, which unfortunately wasn't enough. The once lush land was just a shade greener than when Takako had left to find Himeno, but Go, Kei and Hayate seemed exhausted. Another three were no where to be seen.

Takako stumbled. What had she done? As she watched Himeno and Sasame prêt, the all too familiar twinge of uselessness threatened to overwhelm her.

"Please help Leafenia, you guys." She whispered. So much she had done to destroy it, but there was nothing she could do for the land to get better. The big lump of guilt in her stomach grew bigger, and a charred-looking branch fell heavily at her feet.

Soft whimpering came from her left. Curious, Takako walked over to see Shin, Hajime and Mannen. Shin trembled, and Hajime just stared straight forward at the dark water visible from their hiding spot. Mannen just seemed plain sulky, the way he usually was. She bent down and took Shin into her arms.

"The trees are scared, Takako onee-chan. Their life forces are dwindling." His quiet, frightened voice shook, and Takako hugged him even closer.

"It'll be alright!" she turned to look at the little boy in the eyes. "Just believe in Sasame, and Hayate and Go and Kei, and your Himeno onee-chan. They'll restore the plants."

"No, they're jerks! Those people always treat me like a little kid!" Mannen's sharp, sulky voice cut in. Takako smiled at him in a motherly way, and reached over to pat his head of spiky white hair

"So that's why you, Mannen, need to behave well, and prove to them that you're all grown up, won't you?" Mannen glared at the Knights, and looked back down at the ground resignedly.

"I guess so." He mumbled. Takako bent, and hugged all three boys to her, and looked concernedly at Hajime, who still hadn't uttered a word, just sitting there, staring at the no longer sparkling lake. The poor boy hadn't experienced this kind of thing yet. It was totally new to them.

"I'm sorry boys," she whispered. Light steps dropped behind her. She turned to face Hayate, sad and forlorn.

"They can't give more Leafe than they already have. Neither can we. It'll have to wait until everyone's gotten their strength back" He sighed, and sat down on a singed log that fallen after it's quick death. The other Knights and the Prétear walked over exhausted.

"Why don't we go to my place for some tea? We can talk more comfortably there than here." Himeno spoke up brightly, trying to bring a smile into everyone's faces.

"I agree. This view is rather oppressing." Kei nodded distastefully. IN a flash, they appeared in the oversized garden of the Awayuki Mansion. Himeno disappeared into the building for the tea, and Kei flipped open his laptop.

"Now, how do you they may have escaped, Takako?" he turned towards the girl standing off to the side by herself, his wavy ponytail flipping behind his shoulder. Takako was also confused. The orb which contained the demon larvae was constantly moving, and was invisible to normal people. In fact, even she had no clue where it was. It had always been, she summons, they come. She had never known where they were, beginning to end.

"It may have been and accident, but the demon larvae must be commanded by someone. They have no mind of their own." She looked at the grassy surface beneath her feet. "But if they' are being commanded. We may be in trouble. I made thousands over thousands of demon larvae, ready to hatch. Only Fenrir would know how to make them hatch and terrorize people, or most commonly Leafe Knights."

Kei's expression turned thoughtful, or rather, stayed thoughtful. His fingers moved vigorously on the keyboard and touchpad. Computers had always made Takako's head spin. That was why, in high school, she had taken Latin. Latin and drama. Her skills in drama had come into use when she was Mikage, maid for the Awayuki household a little more than four years ago.

"Aha!" the furious clicking stopped, and Kei put on a satisfied, yet terrified look on his face as he scanned the dense text on the computer screen, faster than was humanly possible.

"I'm back!" Himeno's light voice interrupted then in their thoughts. "Sorry I took so long. Natsue made me learn how to hold a tray properly, how to pour slash drink tea in an acceptable, and lady-like manner." She chuckled. "I think I already forgot most of it.

Kei tapped the computer screen. "I'm glad you're here. Everyone needs to hear this. Especially our Prétear. It's a legend that used to be passed down in Leafenia, long before it met Earth."