Disclaimer: Just to say that Jevo, Kurisa/Lillian, and Magcron are copyright me, so please, ask permission to use them, ok?

Postscript: Yume, thanks for referring your buds, but I seriously don't see what was so funny about the last chapter. :3 Maybe your writers' block is what's stopping you updating your fic. Writers' block is eviiil.

~Chapter 21: Fatigue~

It was the chirping of the birds that roused Umi. "Bloody birds…can't they pick a better time to chirp?" she got up, and stretched, arching her body and extending all twenty claws. She licked her lips. Wonder what one of those birdies would taste like? Mortified by her own thoughts, she rolled on her back, and bumped into something. "Oi?" Rolling right-side-up, she stood up and looked. Whatever she saw, she couldn't believe it. "Clef?" She blinked. He's still not up? Umi glanced outside. Yep, broad daylight, he should be downstairs by now. Maybe it was a weekend or something. Anyway, I'd better wake him.

"Where's Clef?" asked Lantis, as Hikaru trotted out, yapping madly, behind him. "Didn't sleep well, Prince?" Ferio looked like a panda. "Yeah, not with Fuu squawking and I keep having feathers up my nose." Ferio pulled a feather out of Fuu's tail. She pecked him in disgust. "You haven't answered Lantis's question," said Larfarga. Currently, it was still pretty early, but everyone was used to seeing Clef downstairs before himself or herself. "No, the Guru's not here," said Ferio. "Ferio, it's like, the crack of dawn," sighed Larfarga. "Who'd be up earlier than this?" "Clef," retorted the Prince. "The man's like an owl – never sleeps. Off the subject – what the heck are you two doing up so early?" Lantis set Hikaru on the table. "She barked all night." Hikaru whined and hung her head. Both men turned to Larfarga. "Caldina's into karaoke…something of the Knights' world, and she does it at night and in the wee hours of the morning." Lantis and Ferio thought back on something Clef had said the previous morning. "Does anyone know what was making that dreadful noise last night? Sounds worse than a dying monster." Both of them chuckled mentally. Whether that piece of information should be relayed to Caldina or not was another thing; few people feared the wrath of the cotton-candy haired Chizetian dancer; Clef of all people the most unlikely candidate for fear.

"Clef, wake up, damn you," cursed Umi, poking him with her nose. Finally, her temper on the brink, she closed her eyes, and mumbled, "Forgive me," and scratched his arm. Hard. "Ouch…!" He sat upright and examined his arm. His eyes saw Umi sitting innocently upon the bedcovers. "Why on earth – ?" "Before you start lecturing me," said Umi, "I'm sorry, and you were so zonked last night you didn't even hear me come in, and by the way, it's past your waking time." Clef's vision swam. "Add another four to the scratch score," he sighed. He rubbed his eyes. "Ugh…I got more sleep than I deserved and still I feel as if I haven't slept in ages." "Cheer up, honey," said Umi cheerfully. "Beats being a cat and being mauled alive by your best friend." Despite the sick feeling in his guts and his overwhelming fatigue, he grinned.

"Guru Clef!" yelled Ferio when he and Umi arrived. "Prince, don't yell so," said Clef. His voice was weary and strained. "You alright there?" asked Ferio, lowering his voice, "you don't sound too good, nor look too good, for that matter." "I'm f-fine, thanks," said Clef. "Just need…more sleep." "O…kay," said Ferio, but there was a note in his voice that told Clef his alibi wasn't quite steady enough the bank upon. "Any progress on changing –squawk– us back?" asked Fuu. Clef put a hand on Umi's neck. "No," sighed Clef, tired as he sank into his chair. "Could you please stop badgering me for it? I'll tell you if I have any progress, alright?"

"Stupid." Clef shut the book with a snap. "No luck?" asked Umi from on the table. "Zero – Umi, get off those papers, please." Umi reluctantly shifted out of the way whilst Clef picked up the papers. When he was done she slithered back into the patch of sunshine there. "What is it with you and sunlight, Umi?" asked Clef, perplexed. "Cat thing," she answered. "Don't knock it till you've tried it." "Trust me, I have," he answered, scratching her ears. "To the point of sunburn." Umi giggled. "You've been sunburnt before?" "Yes, when I was a child," said Clef.

"What's it like to be a chicken, Fuu?" asked Ferio casually whilst in the gardens. "Miserable," squawked Fuu, trying to balance her glasses, "absolutely miserable." "Can't be that bad, can it?" asked Ferio tentatively. Now that Fuu was fowl, her temper was apt to "fly". (Bad pun, sorry.) "Ferio dear, yes, it can be that bad! How about you try being the damn chicken for once?" Fuu exploded. Ferio blinked slowly. "Umm…honey, you just said 'damn'." "How can you notice such trivial details at a time like this?" Fuu stopped. "What…did I just say, actually?"

"Hikaru, what now?" asked Lantis, because, for the hundredth time, his love was yipping madly at the top of her voice. "Play fetch with me!" chirped Hikaru. "Fetch? What's that?" asked Lantis as Hikaru bounced up to him, a ball clamped in her jaws. "You throw this ball, I'll fetch it." Lantis, knowing he wouldn't get any peace unless he did as Hikaru asked, tossed the ball. Hikaru ran forwards, and sank her little needle-like teeth inside. So hard, the ball burst.

"Clef," Umi broke the Mage's reverie, "how old am I in Cephiro years?" Clef thought for a moment. "Not quite sure," he answered. "Well, Eagle once mentioned to Zazu, that although we looked fourteen back then, we could be three hundred over years old. That helps?" Umi suggested. "That's a rough guide," said Clef. "Let's see…you're seventeen now, I guess maybe about three hundred fifty?" "What about you?" asked Umi. "Cephirian years?" asked Clef, puzzled. "No, Earth years," said Umi. "You look about twenty-five." "Eh, I guess around that area, yes," he answered. Umi's ears twitched. "What was that loud 'pop'?" "What pop?" asked Clef. "You're a cat; you can hear things I can't." "Came from the courtyard," said Umi, swishing her tail. "Let's go look?"

Clef arrived in the gardens, carrying Umi with a hand, and saw Hikaru, sitting on the ground, a burst ball in her jaws. "So that's what burst," he told Umi. "Poor ball…Lantis, what happened?" "Hikaru wanted me to play…er…fetch with her, and when she tried to get that ball…" The magic swordsman shrugged. "You burst a ball playing fetch?" Umi was abashed. "Can I help it?" yipped Hikaru. "My teeth are sharp! Also they're good for mauling you!" Hikaru lost control. Her animal side was currently stronger as she dashed at Clef, trying to maul Umi. Lantis reached forward and restrained her. Umi was panicked. Shrilling loudly, she plunged her claws into Clef's robes. "Ouch, Umi, stop trying to claw me!" he yelped, trying to detach her.

"Lillian" watched from behind her bush. "Enough fun for you, Knights," she said in her airy voice. Throwing a sparkling powder to the wind, she let it carry the powder to the Knights. With that, she vanished.

First, the powder descended on Umi and Hikaru. Pop! Hikaru's dog form seemed to explode, the human her sat on the ground, bewildered. Clef put Umi on the ground, and she too, reverted. Both men were stunned. "That was…sudden…" Clef found his tongue first. Lantis had the "deer-in-the-headlights" look written all over his face. Hikaru broke the stunned silence. "Can we still play fetch?"

Ferio joined them soon, carrying a still chicken Fuu. The powder settled on her feathers. Pop! Ferio staggered with the sudden weight and almost dropped Fuu, he himself falling on the ground.

"Well, now that the animal problem is solved," began Clef, raising an eyebrow upon seeing Ferio on the floor with Fuu lying on top of him, "we can get down to…Ferio, Fuu, stand up."

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Water Dragon!"

The dragon sped towards Clef, and it exploded on his shield. "Nice try, Umi," he chuckled. "Needs more work." As he turned to help Hikaru, Umi tried again, this time, as a back attack. "Water Dragon!" The attack wasn't strong, though. Splash! Clef was thrown forwards a step, and he looked up and turned around. He was dripping wet. "Umi, that was not called for!" he scolded. "Back attacks are low-down and dirty," muttered Fuu. Umi, however, found the sight of Clef soaked to the skin hilarious.

Smack.

Clef had whacked her around the head with his staff. "I thought you'd said you'd stop hitting me!" the Water Knight shrilled at the Guru. "I'm seventeen, not fourteen!" "Yes, but only if you stopped behaving so childishly!" spat Clef. "Hitting someone's back with a spell is the definition of childish, Umi Ryuuzaki!" "But you're not hurt!" she whined. "You added salt to the wound by laughing when it was your doing," said Clef.

"I hate it when he starts lecturing me as he did three years ago," sighed Umi, delving into Hikaru's magazine. "Back then he was still child-looking; I could zing him back for his comments." "Yes, but now he's not," said Fuu. "Anyway, hitting him in the back with a spell wasn't nice, Umi." "Would you much rather have him stay child-like or would you have preferred the more handsome him?" Hikaru teased. "Aw, shut up," Umi threw a pillow at Hikaru. "You know which one I like better." "Yes," chimed in Fuu. "Imagine seeing Lantis as a child." This time, Hikaru threw a cushion at Fuu, her face glowing like the setting sun. The door burst open and Liana flew in. "Where's my Cleffy-poo?" she shrilled. "Not here!" yelled Hikaru back. This resulted in a verbal fight as words flew back and forth.

"He's here!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not, is not, is not!"

"Is too, is too, is too!"

"Quiet!" A second voice, a male one, broke the heated catfight. "Will you two please shut up before I get a migraine?" It was Clef. "Cleffy-poo!" Liana shrieked, throwing herself at him. Clef dodged. "Get a grip, Liana," he hissed. "What was going on? I could hear you two from the courtyard; that's saying something." "Liana; she started it!" All three girls pointed their fingers at the brunette who put on what was later known as a "fighting-fish" face and stormed out of the vicinity, tripping over Mokona in the process. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a catnap," said Umi, threatening to throw a pillow at Clef. "Go away," she said in a cheeky voice.

Author's Note: Alamak, as we Singaporeans say in times of crisis. Writers' block has struck again, and badly this time too. I hate writers' block; it's as evil as artists' block. My writing muse, Marker (yes, Marker) is on strike. .___.