A/N: This is my, erm, second fic, and my first lengthy one. So, since I absolutely abhor those silly plotless romance fics that usually involve Alviss/Rolan/Phantom x OC, I thought I'd add something more interesting to than a fangirl self-insert.

Warning: This is a piece of fanfiction directly from the possibly psychotic brain of Ceridwen Inari. Characters will be mocked, screwed over, and die for the sake of plot/my own amusement.

Disclaimer: Anything that doesn't look/sound familiar belongs to me. Get your hands off.

Breakthrough

Chapter One – An Adventure? We're Off!

The world is vibrant, green, and so different from the one he has just left. The man looks around, taking in the lush trees and the rocks that move, chatting with one another. He stares at the tiny fairies that flutter about, at the beautiful multicoloured birds that soar in the sky. A curious fairy flies too near, curious about this intrusion into their world.

His hand slashes through the air, and the blue thing is struggling in his grasp as he brings it closer, examining its delicate wings.

He marvels at his strength as his hand crushes the tiny being, its insignificant life snuffed out on a whim.

Then, only then, does he turn to look at the cloaked figure a short way behind him.

"Where am I." It is not a question.

"This is the world called MÄR Heaven." The voice is female, distinctively so.

The man pauses, running the name through his mind. " 'MÄR Heaven', huh?" He sneers, and there is a hint of mockery in his voice at the sickeningly magical name.

"…do you seek power?" The woman asks suddenly, reaching into her cloak and tossing a small pouch at him. He snatches the pouch from the air, and its contents clink. "If you can take it, wrest it from the living, then the world, too, shall be yours."

With that, the woman falls silent, waiting for his response. He ignores her, opening the pouch and spilling its contents into his hand. A couple rings, a brooch, and other assorted jewellery pieces fall out. He picks up a ring and holds it up, examining it. It is silver, or steel, he thinks, and ornately carved. Glancing at the woman, he watches as she pulls a ring off her hand, transforming it into a dagger which she then throws at him. That, too, he snatches out of the air by the hilt, surprise registering on his face when the dagger turns back into a ring with an audible 'poof'.

"Power, huh? To take the world?" A cruel smile spreads upon his face as he examines the dagger-ring. "I'll do it."

Dorothy sighed, running a hand through her pink locks. So many years had passed since the Second Great War of MÄR Heaven. She wore her hair loose now, scorning the braided pigtails of her youth. That, and the way she carried herself, was a tribute to her long dead sister, Diana. Now… Her mind turned back to the matter at hand. With the Grand Elder all but on his deathbed (not really, but he was old enough to be!), she was doing more and more to keep Caldia running. And this summons, another thing for her to deal with! The witch gritted her teeth at the unavoidable annoyance and sped up, winding through the halls of the Floating Palace. Finding the door she sought, she knocked. Loudly.

"Enter."

Pushing the door closed behind her, the witch strode to the center of the room, where she sat on a cushion. Directly before her was a wizened old man hunched over a crystal ball. The sight of the thing left a bitter taste in her mouth. Although it had been two decades since she laid eyes on the damned thing, the Orb that Caldia had lost to Diana was forever etched in her mind. A violet sphere of pure malice… Even now, the sight of any crystal ball made her itch to destroy it. Which wasn't a good idea, considering present company.

"You summoned me, Oracle?" She asked, as politely as she could. The old man 'harrumphed' and basically ignored her. So there was nothing Dorothy could do but sit there, gritting her teeth, and think of the dozens of things she could be accomplishing while she waited for the old man to hurry up with his preparations or whatever the hell he was doing.

It felt like hours had passed before he looked up. "Ah, yes, Dorothy. Now before we start…" The Oracle reached out a hand to her – no, through her, towards the door, which suddenly swung open.

"WOAH!"

"Ooof!"

Two teens toppled in, one on top of the other. Clearly the two had been standing with their ears pressed against the door, in an attempt to eavesdrop. Dorothy was on her feet in an instant.

"Oracle, I apologise for the conduct of—" He flapped a hand at her dismissively.

"It's just Riganth and Reinette. There's no harm in letting them in, right? Besides, the prophecy concerns them."

Shooting each other identical grins, the two bounced into the room, flopping down on either side of Dorothy, who merely sighed and gave up. She of all people knew just how taxing the two were, and it was easier just to give in, seeing as how she wasn't up to arguing over such a trivial matter. The Oracle took a deep breath and, leaning over his crystal ball, began to speak.

"Those born of She who slew the Witch

Seek the Summoner and the Sword

The shining orbs beneath the sky

Foretell the rising bloodied Light"

Dorothy held her breath, waiting for the rest of it as the Oracle fell silent. Long moments passed before he spoke again.

"That's it."

"What?" She gasped, "That can't be all of it!"

"The last one wasn't so long either," the old man snapped.

"But that was elegant! One would expect something so…so…dramatic to be longer! Isn't that what the legendary Prophecies in the old histories are like?"

"This is modern times, dear." The Oracle smiled kindly (or at least she thought he did, unable to see past his long beard). "But shouldn't you set about preparing your children?" At her blank uncomprehending stare he explained. "The prophecy, dear. The prophecy. You are the one who killed Diana, she who was more Witch than us all."

With a sigh and muttered thanks, Dorothy stood up, gesturing for her children to follow. Once in the hall with the door safely closed behind her did she turn to look at them, steeling herself for the upcoming torture. They were staring at her, sapphire eyes shining, with looks of awe on their face. She never really told them about her antics when she was younger, Dorothy realized. While her children were still silent in awe, she took the time to look them over. They were twins, Rio and Raine, and it had been a nightmare telling them apart as children. Although… Was Rio just the tiniest bit taller than his sister? Perhaps.

"Our mother…" Rio said whispered, the stunned look never leaving his face. "Our mother was the one to kill Diana the Witch…I can't believe it! You never told us!" The last part, albeit said accusingly, was flattering. With a small smile and a soft sigh, she gestured for them to follow her. As they made their way through the halls, Dorothy's mind drifted back to the old days, when she was Outside, searching for her sister. Those were good times, back with Team MAR. The witch was so caught up in her memories she completely missed the exchange happening behind her back.

"Rio. Hey. Rio!"

"H-huh? Whaa?"

"What do you think?"

"Think? About what?"

"The prophecy, stupid! The prophecy!"

"Oh. That. I guess…She'll let us go, right?"

"Dunno. It is Mother, after all...she might not…"

"Okay then… You do the talking. Your Nice Face is better."

"M-mother…?" Dorothy stopped and turned at the hesitant voice. Raine was looking odd. It was the slight tilt of her head, the way she held herself – as though she was a fragile thing, the way her dark red hair fell in her innocent blue eyes. She looked…delicate. Like a good girl. Dorothy was suspicious immediately. She knew her daughter. The little girl who, as a child, had chased her peers around and around relentlessly was as likely to be fragile as Rio was becoming a rock. She raised an eyebrow, eyeing her daughter warily.

"…yes?"

Raine flushed and fiddled with the corner of the shroud she wore. "Um… That is… I... um…"

"Can we go?" Rio blurted out suddenly. "You went." Dorothy stared at him blankly. Just what was he talking about…? Raine was silent as well, staring at her brother in confusion. Uncomfortable seconds passed before he explained himself.

"You know, the prophecy? Can we go to the Outside world?" He paused, possibly for effect, but Dorothy wasn't sure if that was even possible for him. "Since, you know, you went too? Pleeeaaase?"

Dorothy hesitated, the 'no' on the tip of her tongue. But then again… how old were they, sixteen? Seventeen? That was about the same age she was when she first left Caldia. 'But you barely survived that first week', a small voice reminded her. But there were two of them, they were twins! Surely they would fare better than she had? Surely there was no harm in letting them Outside? 'But they're not like you, not like you used to be'. But she couldn't expect her children to throw their lives away just to fulfil some stupid prophecy! A pause, as Dorothy realized that this was probably how her aunt had felt when she was told that the little girl under her care was to hunt down and kill Diana. Prophesies wouldn't be denied. It was always best not to fight them, or tragedy would ensure they came true. A wry smile appeared on her face as she took a breath and sighed. She had been strong enough to survive, and so she could only hope the same was true for her children.

"Alright. You can—"

"LADY DOOROTTHHHHYYYYYY!!!!!" The wail cut her off mid-sentence as they turned to stare at the breathless girl. It was clear that she had run as fast as she could in order to find the pink-haired witch.

"T-the...castle…help…" A cold sweat broke out on the witch's face as she stared at the girl. The Floating Palace? What was wrong with it? Were they being attacked? Again? She still remembered the horror of Phantom's attack twenty years ago. It had taken two years for Caldia to be restored to its former glory. The girl took a few breaths and straightened up, reciting her message at top speed.

"The-ARM-Council-had-developed-a-few-new-ARM-types-and-there's-currently-no-less-than-five-high-level-Guardians-running-rampant-through-the-labs-so-you-have-to-do-something!"

Dorothy sighed. Of course. And right when she was about to go into a rant about the dangers of the outside world. It was all she could do to call out to her children before being dragged off with the messenger to deal with another problem the Grand Elder couldn't be bothered to deal with.

"The Gate in three hours!"

:O:-:O:-:O:-:O:-:O:

Raine grinned happily as she spun before the mirror, admiring her reflection. The hem of her pale dress barely brushed her ankles, and according to the mirror, there was enough cloth that she could walk with long strides and maybe run. The only thing that marred the perfectly pale dress was the black sash tied around her waist, but she did her best to ignore it. It was brand new, after all. Her half-boots were made of leather and fit perfectly, indicating that they were made just for her, a luxury not many could afford. It didn't bother her that her hooded covering wasn't new – she'd only got it a month ago – because the charcoal cloth brought out her pale skin and added a well-traveled air to her person. Happy with her appearance, she backed away, brushing her dark red hair up into their usual twin tails. Turning, she glanced at Rio, still slouched in the chair, and scowled.

He was in a short black cloak, similar to hers, a light coloured tunic, and slightly puffy tan pants that tucked into his boots. A dark belt peeked out from underneath the cloak. All of that was new. No, what irked Raine was the fact that he continued to wear his hat. His stupid old hat. Elders' pants, it was a rag! She still couldn't believe the thing even lasted so long, but then again, Mother had probably enchanted it. Not that she was one to talk – her former "blankie" had taken the place of her sash, since she didn't think anyone would notice. It was good to have some bit of home, but really. Did he have to make his comfort item so damn obvious?! Rio looked up, as though feeling her stare. He managed a weak smile as he got to his feet.

"So…you're ready?" She nodded, and they proceeded out of their rooms. Dorothy waited by the Main Gate. Raine could see Mother's bright pink hair even before they were close enough to be seen. Happily skipping over, she skidded to a stop in front of the Gate. They were going to travel light, which meant that baggage would be nonexistent. They would enter the Outside world with nothing but the clothes on their back, ÄRM, and some coin. Which would be provided by Mother. She was, after all, the only person who had any contact with the Outside World's economy. Economy…economy… Rain suppressed a shudder. The last thing she wanted was for Dorothy to go into another rant about how economies functioned. If she was, say, thirty or something like that, then sure. Maybe learning about stuff like history and politics wouldn't bore her to tears.

Mother was worried, they could tell that. Raine hoped she wouldn't cry, especially not while she was surrounded by so many people! It would be so embarrassing. She didn't need to look at her twin to know Rio thought the same thing.

"I'm…I'm sending you to a friend of mine." Only the slightest tremor was in her voice, Raine noted with relief. She really didn't understand why Dorothy was so upset. Didn't she go on her own adventure? And while she was younger than they were, to boot! Really. She should be happy for them, not sentimental. Raine decided that, if she ever had kids, she would let them off on an adventure without crying.

"It should take you fairly close to Toldor town. Ask for Alan of the Cross Guard. He should be able to help you."

Dorothy held out a ring, something they recognised immediately. It was the ÄRM Andata – her own, to boot! Raine all but shoved her brother aside, a chunk of hair smacking him in the face in her eagerness to be the first to claim the ring. She didn't notice, of course, too busy shoving the ring on her index finger. Sure, it was more than a little big, the way it slid around and threatened to fall off, but she didn't care. Hell would freeze over thrice before she put it on her thumb, where she knew it would fit, or give it to Rio to carry. Why? All the great explorers and travellers wore Andata on their index finger. It was practically a tradition! Heck, just putting the ÄRM on made her feel more worldly and well-travelled. Raine sighed happily. She could see it already – the Great Explorer Reinette! She would wear a billowing white cloak, with the treasures of a thousand nations spilling from her arms. She would be famous, known and loved by all! Parents would tell their children stories of her adventures, and a golden statue of herself would be put up in Lestava!

A pointed cough pulled her from her thoughts. Whipping around, she shot a glare at Rio, who didn't even blink. As much as she hated to admit it, her brother was right. A soft sigh escaped her, but Raine perked up almost immediately. She couldn't be the Great Explorer Reinette if she was still in Caldia! For now… Onwards!

Giving Mother a hug and a muffled goodbye, Raine dashed through the Gate and into the corridor. There, she bounced on her heels as she waited for her stupid, stupid, slow twin to hurry up with his considerably longer goodbye. The fact that he picked up the coin pouch and provisions, she ignored. 'I've seen turtles move faster than him!', the irate girl thought. It was all she could do to not yell for him to hurry up. It felt like years had passed before he finally arrived at her side.

"Are you ready?!"

"I guess s—"

"Andata! Take the two of us to Toldor town!"

:O:-:O:-:O:-:O:-:O:

"Argh…" The voice, strangely enough, came from a talking tree. The magpie was confused, never having heard a talking tree before. Well, that wasn't exactly true. It'd heard a tree talk before, but that was in a Talking Forest. This, however, was most certainty not a Talking Forest. In fact, this was so not a Talking Forest, that everything here was silent, even the birds. Rather, this was a Mute Forest. The branches of the tree shook, and a shock of red popped out the leaves. The magpie startled, jerking backwards as the Red Thing began to talk to another cluster of leaves.

"We made it! We're Outside!"

It was a strange Red Thing, the magpie decided. It had never seen something as odd as the Red Thing. Perhaps too much Magic created a talking growth on the tree? More shuffling caught the magpie's ear, and it turned to look at the cluster of leaves the Red Thing was talking to. Another Red Thing popped out from the cluster, causing the magpie to wonder if the Red Things were infectious. This Red Thing was much smaller than the first Red Thing, and it sounded much different.

"That's great but… I lost my hat."

"Dummy! We're in a tree! It's down there!"

"What? Re—WAH!"

The smaller Red Thing shifted sideways suddenly, falling out of the tree. To the magpie's surprise, it was a Person. It was a strange looking Person, black on top and white on bottom. The first Red Thing slipped out of the tree – it was also a Person, albeit one with black wings. They were odd wings, and didn't seem very effective, as the Person simply fell onto the ground. The magpie sniffed, disgusted. Her mother would never have let such a distasteful landing occur. These Persons had horrible mothers! But the Persons started to talk again, drawing the magpie's attention once more.

"Isn't this great? We're Outside! I can't believe it!" One of the Persons started to do a funny dance, spinning around and around. The magpie had tried that once. It made it vomit up all the bugs it had eaten before. The Persons were very stupid, it decided.

"C'mon, Rio! Cheer up! We're on an adventure! We can do anything we want!" The R—the Person flung out its wings, sending a shiny small thing sailing through the air. The magpie was down there in a flash, probing the bush with a keen eye. It like Shiny Things. The Shiny Thing was a loop with a flattish round thing attached to part of the loop. It was also very very shiny. The magpie picked it up and, ignoring the cries from the Persons it decided it never wanted to meet again, flew off.

"You…did you…just…"

"OH MY GOD MOTHER'S GOING TO KILL ME!!!"

A/N: And here ends chapter one. Doesn't it make you feel wonderfully amused? I am.

Also, please don't expect regular updates. I write when I feel like writing, and while reviews would help spark continued interest in BREAKTHROUGH, they aren't enough to make me dedicate hours of my time plodding through mindless dialogue and text.

All errors are my responsibility. If you spot a mistake, please notify me so I can fix it. There's enough crap on the internet already. I'd rather not add to it.

Ceridwen Inari