Unnecessary Disclaimer: Duh...
Notes: One hundred reviews! Yay!
BTW, out of boredom, I decided to pick up the Rayearth OVA today and watch it, since I haven't done so in a long time.
There's something in it that isn't intended to be funny, but its one of the funniest things I've ever seen in an anime.
Ok... so after Hikaru defeats Alcyone in the Lexus deity, she sees Umi, Fuu and Clef hovering near her in a bubble. Though in a lot of pain and soaked with blood, she is overjoyed to see them and clutches her hands to her chest, crying out, "Umi-chan! Fuu-chan! You're all right!"
Well, everything Hikaru does, Lexus mirrors. And when the camera pans back, there is Lexus, this big, badass fire deity, holding his fists together in excitement like a girl.
OMG.
It's so funny.
Is it just me? I about died...
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: The Water Knight Reborn
Hikaru was in her room, laying in bed, fighting off the sick feeling in her stomach. Fuu was on Ferio's arm speaking with Lafarga and Ascot. Both women gasped at exactly the same moment. In their minds, they each saw an image of Umi thrown backwards by an explosive beam of white light.
"Umi-san!" Fuu shrieked.
Hikaru tore out of her bed. "I'm coming!" Hikaru gasped, taking her staff and throwing it into the wall, where it exploded and transformed into a bright red portal. She leapt through it, and when she'd gone, the portal faded away, and her staff clattered to the floor.
Fuu broke away from Ferio and pressed her palms together, as if prayer. Crack!
Caldina screeched, and Ferio and Lafarga looked at each other with worried eyes.
Hikaru was the first to appear outside the armory, slipping out of her red fire portal. Fuu then appeared in a hissing snap. "What happened?" she cried, "where is Umi-san?"
Hikaru threw open the doors to the armory and peered inside. "She's not here," she fretted, "but I saw her. She was assaulted with magic!" She rounded on Fuu. "She was last with Clef!"
Fuu gasped. "You don't think--!"
Hikaru began to reply, but stopped when something down the hall caught her eye. When she looked carefully, she saw nothing. Her brow furrowed. "That's funny," she said. She nearly turned away, but Fuu stopped her.
"No, Hikaru-san, I think--"
Hikaru squinted hard on a spot against the wall. Fuu opened her palm, then closed it around a green sphere of light that formed there. She flung it at the wall, and it exploded in a bright flash. Clef appeared there, holding his staff before him, with Umi slung over his shoulder and Chiharu clinging to his leg.
"I thought so!" Fuu said, "what's the meaning of this, Guru-san!? What are you--?"
"I shall explain later!" he shouted, turning and disappearing into the wall.
Hikaru dashed forward. "Wait, what happened!?" she cried. "Fuu, what is he doing, hiding from us in the shadows?"
"Come, Hikaru-san," Fuu said, taking her arm. She closed her eyes and both women vanished.
Clef stepped into Umi's chamber and gently laid her limp body out onto her bed. Chiharu dropped to the floor and climbed to her mother's side. Her eyes were wide and watery. "Magic!" she said.
"Yes, child, do not touch her, she is frail now."
Laying his staff against the wall, Clef moved forward and pushed Umi under her covers. "I need a reviving draught," he said aloud.
Behind him, Fuu and Hikaru appeared in a crackling hiss. "Umi-chan!" Hikaru exclaimed, falling onto the bed.
"Hold," Clef said, stopping her, "she is weak, I would have you be gentle with her."
"What have you done?" Fuu whispered, approaching the bed. "Surely you didn't--"
"I cast my spell on her. She is once again a magical being."
Hikaru reached out to Umi with a shaking hand. "Then she's--?"
Clef nodded. "But she must rest, for now. When she wakes up, I shall arrange a ceremony to revive Selece." He brushed the lank blue hair out of her face and sighed.
"Why were you hiding from us in the hall, then?"
"I didn't know who you were, and I wanted to preserve this until such a time that we could tell the Council members what had happened--"
Fuu knelt beside him. "Guru-san, I'm so shocked. Did you really?"
"Look!" he said, grabbing for Umi's limp hand. There, in place of her old triangular scar, was the newly affixed ovum gem. Fuu screeched.
"Oh, Umi-chan!" said Hikaru, holding her own left hand up next to Umi's. She admired the way her own gem glittered next to the blue one on her friend's.
Fuu smiled and rubbed her green gem. "At least. It should always have been this way," she said.
"But it's made her terribly sick again, hasn't it?" Hikaru asked. "I mean, the teleport nearly killed her. And look at her now. She's so pale!"
Clef nodded, stroking Umi's forehead. "It was a shock to her body. But as we speak, the magic is growing inside her, healing her. She will awaken revived and refreshed, feeling no pain. When she's ready, anyway."
Hikaru studied Umi's face closely. Pale, though it was, she looked all right. Her eyelids twitched rapidly as she were dreaming. The redhead looked once again at Umi's sapphire gem. Though it was fixed to her hand, the gem inside did not glow yet.
Clef stood. "Go, then, please," he said. "I will stay and watch over her until morning."
Fuu looked aghast. "I insist you allow us to stay, Guru-san!"
"Yes, please, Clef, I don't want to leave her like this!" Hikaru said.
He shook his head. "She will be fine under my care, I assure you. Both of you need to do something for me. Hikaru," he said, pulling the redhead away from the bed. "I must ask you to go and see Lantis."
"But," Hikaru gasped, "I won't be allowed in to see him! The guards will turn me away!"
"Then find a way," Clef urged. "And you, Highness, you must fetch Galerick. We need him most of all."
Fuu protested. "Madoshi-san, please."
Clef motioned for her to leave. "Bring me Galerick, Fuu."
Hikaru sighed and took Fuu's hand. She pulled her towards the door. "No, Hikaru-san," she protested.
"Clef knows what's best for now, Fuu-chan," she said dolefully. "Let's just go."
Fuu clutched the door handle, looking sadly back at Umi. She gave Clef a sad look before allowing herself to be pulled from the room.
The Mage locked the door behind them. When he turned to Umi, he was relieved to see that a bit of color had returned to her face. He took her hand-- no glow, yet.
He sat back and leaned against the wall.
Nothing to do now, but wait.
She was in the middle of a dream, or so she thought. One minute, she was talking to Clef, and the next, all she could see was sunlight filtering down through water. Wasn't she swimming, then?
Far off, something glittered enticingly at her. Still assuming she was in a large pool or a deep lake, she moved her arms about and attempted to paddle towards the pretty shiny thing. But she wouldn't move. Her arms and legs sliced through the water but they did not propel her forward. Neither did she rise up or down. She merely hung there, suspended as if she were a science specimen in a jar of formaldehyde. Again, she tried to swim forward, but couldn't.
Frustrated, she looked around and tried to discern any kind of detail about her surroundings that would tell her where she was. Nothing. Only the glinting light ages and eons and years away. The water below stretched down into darkness, and the water above only reflected soft, blue sky. The shining thing winked in and out and she reached out to it. If only she could reach it...
Her chest tightened, and soon she realized that she wasn't breathing. Couldn't breathe.
I will die! her mind screamed. She must get air, she must swim!
SWIM!
She thrashed fiercely about in the water.
I can't breathe!
Finally, she felt herself moving through the water. But it wasn't any closer to the object. She was floating upwards. Soon she would break the surface of the water, it seemed only a mere twenty or so feet above her...
And then, as if someone had cast an invisible fishing line into the water and hooked her, she was pulled violently upward.
Clef pushed away from the wall, awed by the sight of Umi's body enveloped in blue light. Her ovum gem was shining like a beacon.
He grabbed his staff. "Awaken!" he shouted. It's jeweled tip sent a spear of light straight to her heart, and instantly, she was upright in bed. Clef ran forward, but not to Umi-- to Chiharu.
Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide. She grabbed her head and shrieked, and when she doubled over, icy water erupted from her flesh and flooded throughout the room like a tidal wave.
"Kakuen Boujo!" Clef shouted, grabbing up the child. His barrier shield held off the onslaught of water, and when it subsided, he shoved Chiharu away. He clutched at Umi's shoulder and cried out as ice and frost began to travel up his arm. "Umi, be calm!" he shouted, "your power is completely unleashed now! You must reign it in, or it will destroy us! Be calm!"
She fell forward and clutched at her sheets. The water in the room condensed and rose upward, spiraling towards the ceiling in a great funnel.
Clef could hardly see with his hair being whipped around in his eyes. He felt around for a weak spot.
Soon, he pierced the wall of water and gave Umi a powerful electric jolt. She gasped, and the water stopped spinning, falling like rain around them.
"What's happening?" she shouted, "where am I? What--?" Water was flowing off her skin in rivers.
Clef took her shoulders. "You're back!" he exclaimed. "Do not be afraid! Your power has returned to you! Just remain calm and rest for now!"
The girl made claws with her hands. "It's all over me!" she gasped, "I can feel it, it's like electricity! Ah, gods, I feel like it's eating me alive!"
"It will adjust!" Clef assured her, forcing her to lie down. "It's been without magic for many years, so this reaction is perfectly normal! Just calm your spirit!"
"I burn!"
"It will pass!" he hissed.
She began to toss and turn under him. "I'm soaking wet!" she shouted, coming to her senses. "Ugh, I feel like I'm gonna drown! This is disgusting!"
Clef laughed. "Dry off, then!" He waved his hand over her, siphoning the water out of her clothes and sheets.
Umi grimaced at the hot spell working over her. "Urgh, I feel so gross!"
"There, you're dry," he said, laying his hand over her face. "You're very hot, I suggest you lay here for the rest of the night. Even now, your power is continuing to grow and form."
Umi gasped at his touch. His hands were like ice. "How can it be so powerful when it's been dormant for so long?" she moaned.
"Magic is complicated. You may not have used it for four years, but even during that time, it continued to grow. You're not just picking back up where you left off; your magic is as powerful now as it would have been if you'd never lost it. That is the way with magic."
She pulled away from him, burning up and freezing at the same time. "Please, I feel so sick, get me a potion or something, I feel like I'm going to just... burst, or something."
The windows flew open of their own accord and the cool night breeze flowed into the room. Clef watched the far Umi's sheets condensed with frost and melted and froze over again simultaneously. "I said be calm," he warned.
"I can't stop it," she complained, "it's just blazing through me, I don't remember how to control it--"
"You do remember! Think! Calm your mind, close your eyes and remember..."
A powerful jolt from inside her caused Umi to gasp aloud. The magic was roiling within her. Her limbs flew outward and she went rigid, groaning in a mixture of pain and pleasure.
Clef sat back, frowning. "This is unusual. You should be fairing better than this. Your powers are escaping your body."
"But why?" she gasped. "Why is it d-doing this? Ah!" She clutched at her heart as more water seeped from her pores.
"Is it painful?" he asked,
She shook her head "It just.. It feels very overwhelming, like I'll overflow any second!"
He placed his hand on her forehead and whispered a soft incantation. Her eyes snapped shut and she was still.
"Then I woke you too soon, I suppose," he said. The blue gem on her hand was glowing brighter than ever. "I'll wait and let you wake up of your own accord."
He looked over into the corner. "Chiharu?"
A blue little head popped out from behind a chair.
He held out his hand. "Come, child. Lay next to her. I believe your strength will help her."
Chiharu remained firmly rooted to the spot. "Don't wanna!"
Smiling, Clef said, "It will be all right. You have your own bit of power, and it is much like hers. Your blood ties will help to heal her." He waved his hand again and the bed and its occupant were instantly dry.
Reluctantly, Chiharu came forward and took Clef's hand. "I don't know magic," she said simply.
"No, nor should you," Clef replied, lifting her up. "But, some day you will. You have much power in you, obviously. Some of it, you get from your mother, but most of it, you get from--" He stopped.
Chiharu frowned. "I know."
Clef closed his eyes and turned away for a moment.
Of course she did. He hadn't thought of that.
Once he'd composed himself, he set Chiharu down on the bed. "There," he said, "just lie against her. It will help her, I promise."
Chiharu obeyed and curled up next to her mother. Every now and then she glanced back up at Clef, looking frightened. Umi was quickly becoming soaked with sweat, and her eyes still fluttered back and forth beneath their lids, but Clef was sure she'd be all right by morning.
He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep, but he rested on a nearby settee anyway, keeping watch over Umi. Every once in a while, her body would give a slight twitch and he would fly from his seat. But she did not wake up.
While Clef, Fuu, and Galerick kept their solemn watch over Umi, Hikaru was busy making very sure that she was as silent as possible as she crept down into the bowels of the castle. When she came to the entrance of the hall that led to the dungeons, she paused, listening. The guards outside were talking amongst themselves and shifting around on their feet, completely unaware of her presence.
Quite favorable.
Hikaru, giggling to herself, pointed her staff down the hall in the direction she'd come from. The gem on its tip glowed, and soon after, a fiery explosion blew out part of the wall some feet away from her.
She heard the guards gasp, "What was that!?" Quickly, she pressed herself back against the wall and closed her eyes, willing herself into shadow.
The guards came clattering and clanking down the hall and passed her, not seeing her.
"What has happened?" they were shouting. "Someone call for the Captain! Call for Lafarga!"
Hikaru slipped away, unnoticed, and made for the heavy doors leading down to the dungeons.
Once inside, she bounded down the steps and felt along the walls, hoping to feel a bit of Lantis' presence through them. "Lantis?" she whispered, "where did they put you?"
As she passed one room, she paused, pressing her hand to the door. It was warm and felt very much like Lantis. She pushed against it, but it didn't budge.
"Open!" she commanded. The latch inside magically lifted and the door swung open.
There he was, sitting in the same circular light that she had been imprisoned in. He looked up at her, shocked.
"Hikaru!"
"Lantis!" she cried, throwing herself forward. "I've found you! Oh, Lantis, I've missed you--"
"Hikaru, what are you doing down here?" he asked incredulously. "If they find you here, you could be severely punished!"
She knelt down before him and did her best to keep from reaching out to him. "I had to come, Lantis, Clef ordered me to."
Lantis blinked. "Clef ordered?"
She nodded. "Lantis-- Clef has performed his spell on Umi. She has her powers back now!" Lantis said nothing. His dark face was unreadable. "It made her unconscious, though," Hikaru added, "and she might not wake up until morning. But Clef told me to come to tell you. Lantis... you're going to have to help revive Selece!"
He frowned. "I won't be released for another two days," he said.
"I know, I know," Hikaru said, "I think Clef wants me to bust you out of here or something, if only for the time it will take to get you to Selece. I don't know how I'll do it, but... well, it must be done!"
"How in the world would you be able to get me out of here without anybody noticing?" Lantis asked, exasperated.
Hikaru shrugged. "We'll think of something."
Lantis began to rub his temples. It had only been a little over a day, but he was already very weary. Sitting there all day, thinking about what he'd done was quite stressful. He was happy, though, that Hikaru was there. Her presence was soothing to him.
Her smile warmed his heart. "I'm so happy to see you," she said. She leaned forward. Any closer, and she'd be thrown back by the barrier spell surrounding Lantis.
The Kailu leaned against the wall behind him, a sad smile painted across his face.
"I feel ill today, again," Hikaru said. "Once all this is over, I'll be grateful. I've been very stressed out."
"I can see it in your face," Lantis observed. "It is thin. Have you not been eating?"
"I can hardly keep anything down. Basically just toast, and not much of it, at that."
"Clef should not put so much of Umi's fate in your hands right now," Lantis said darkly, "If you and the Queen have to devote as much power as you will have to to revive the Dragon Deity, then your body could suffer for it."
"No!" Hikaru said, "I'd be glad to do it! I don't care about that, I'd do anything for Umi-chan, if it would make her happy!"
"I only worry over you, Hikaru."
She shook her head. "You're right, it will be taxing. I'll have to summon Rayearth. His help will be needed, as will Windam's. But it's nothing I can't handle."
He leaned forward. "Hikaru--"
"Lantis," she whispered, reaching out to him. Her fingers brushed the walls of the spell, and she drew them back with a cry.
"Get out while you can!" he urged. "The guards do not keep watch over me, but others will feel your presence here!"
Hikaru bit her lip. "I did cause a bit of a disruption out in the hall. People will be running around in panic over it, soon."
Lantis pressed himself against the magical wall surrounding him. "Why must you endanger yourself for me?"
She scooted as close as she dared. "Because I love you, silly. I know I seem like a baby now, but don't you realize that this is the most time we've spent apart since the last time I returned to this world?"
"I remember," he said.
"Terrible, isn't it? I'd hate to think what would happen if you had to go away all the time on political trips, like Clef." She sighed and folded her feet beneath her. "If only I had something to sit on. This floor is so uncomfortable!"
"Don't make yourself at home in here, Hikaru! Surely you're not staying?" Lantis said.
"Yes, I am" she replied, "I have to wait. Don't worry, Lantis. Clef will send word about what to do, soon. As soon as Umi-chan wakes up."
Lantis shook his head. "Is it really so urgent that it can't wait a few more days? The Guru is entirely too impatient!"
Hikaru laughed. "No, Lantis, Clef's not the one we have to worry about. It'll be Umi coming to break down the doors once she realizes that she can get near Selece without being hurt again, or so she thinks."
Another dream. This time, Umi was sitting on the edge of a high cliff. From this cliff, she could see the entire landscape of Cephiro sprawling before her. It was a very picturesque scene. The floating mountain in the sky that housed the soul of Windam was still there, and far off in the distance, Rayearth's volcano lay dormant. She looked down to the sea and noticed that there, in the water, was a golden glow. She stared long and hard at it. Waves on the surface began to kick up and grow frothy white. The gold glow grew brighter. A dull rumbling pervaded the air, but before she could see what was rising to the surface, her body lay backward of its own accord and flattened out against the grass. She tried to sit back up, but couldn't. All she could do was stare into the blazing, bright blue sky above her. Her vision blurred, and she thought that she could see stars past the clouds, and even distant galaxies... and then blackness.
"Get up, Galerick!"
Fuu tore Galerick unceremoniously out of bed, causing him to shout.
"I'm sorry, Gau, but you have to come with me!"
The young boy stumbled to his feet. "What? What's going on?"
"I think we will be reviving Selece much earlier than we intended, Gau!" she exclaimed. "You must come with me, Clef wants you!"
"Selece?" he stammered. "The Dragon God?"
Fuu nodded. "I am told that you will be an asset to his reawakening. It's because of your wolf blood."
"What does that have anything to do with it?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Selece is only human in body, Gau. His mind, however, is that of a beast. You will be able to speak well with him. Your animal natures will sync with one another, and you will help us to revive him. Clef will be needed too, as he will be the channel, and Lantis will aid him, as he, too, is quite powerful. But you, Gau, are very important. Get dressed and come with me!"
Galerick sighed, pulling on his pants and shirt. It was quite late, nearly midnight, and he had been fast asleep. He wasn't even wholly awake yet.
"What good will I be if I'm so tired?" he yawned.
Fuu pulled him out of the room. "Clef shall give you a reviving draught. Don't worry, he'll tell you what needs to be done. You won't be alone."
"But what about Balu Ascot? He communes with beasts as a hobby. Why not choose him to help instead of me? He even has access to the best realm!"
"True, but he doesn't have the blood," Fuu emphasized. "No beast blood runs through his veins. He just has a natural talent for communicating with monsters. But you, Galerick, are part wolf, and therefore a beast yourself."
The young boy colored. He'd always hated being referred to as a 'beast'.
"So then, does this mean that the Princess has been given her powers back?" he asked dejectedly.
"Yes, Gau, but it rendered her unconscious. She's sleeping it off. Hopefully she will wake up soon. Hikaru-san has gone to fetch Lantis, and I'm certain that she will have to sneak him out of there. We won't have much time."
"Sneak him out!?"
"We have no choice. Clef wants this done as soon as possible."
"But why now?" Gau asked, "The Kailu will be released in a few days!"
"If Clef says it has to be now, then it has to be now, Galerick! Do you not trust his judgement?"
Before Galerick could answer, Fuu pulled him aside. "Quiet!" She backed into the wall and willed herself and the boy to blend in with it.
Two of the Council members came striding around the corner, talking hurriedly to themselves about something gone amiss in the dungeons. Fuu nearly gasped aloud. Hikaru-san!
What has the Princess done? Gau asked her, speaking to her mind.
Something worthy of getting the Council involved!
When the men passed, Fuu exhaled and the cloaking spell around them dissipated.
"Oh, we're so lucky," Galerick said, "those are powerful mages. They could easily have detected our presence!"
"They were distracted!" Fuu retorted. "Come now, I think Clef will want to know that people are suspicious. We should warn him." She puffed out her cheeks anxiously and continued on. "This is all happening so fast! I was beginning to give up hope on Umi-san ever returning to power, and then suddenly Clef relents!"
"I think he just wants to make her happy," Gau mused. "Nearly everything he does, lately, has been influenced by her in some way or another. He is very much in love with her."
Clef turned when the door behind him opened. In strode Fuu and Galerick.
"Clef-san," Fuu said, "I believe Hikaru-san has caused some kind of commotion down in the dungeons. Council members themselves are seeing to it. What should we do?" She did her best to sound angry, though it was totally against her nature. But she couldn't bring herself to do it, once she observed the stricken look on Clef's face. He was weary with concern over Umi.
But he gave no sign of it, and adjusted his features to display no emotion. "I hadn't thought of that," he pondered. "Hikaru had to do something to distract the guards away from the doors. As long as no one suspects any foul play, then I think we'll be all right."
"But wouldn't something suspicious happening down there trigger everyone to believe it had something to do with the Kailu?" Fuu asked.
Clef shrugged. "If Hikaru is caught, then we will have to wait for Lantis to be released. It's the last thing I want, though, because once she wakes up, there'll be no stopping her."
Galerick gazed over Clef's shoulder at Umi's rigid form. "What makes you think that?" She looked very much like she did those weeks ago when she was near death. The memory brought a dark, shameful heat to his body. He hadn't properly guarded her. He'd failed as a Mage Knight, and Lantis' face looking down at his had been so terribly discouraging. He closed his eyes and looked away.
"It will be a dangerous time for her until she can be properly re-trained," Clef answered. "She'll be in the full height of her power but will no longer remember how to control it. And you know her, she's very single-minded. Once she wakes up, she'll go straight to the dungeons to try to free Selece. I certainly won't be able to stop her. Do you think you could?"
Fuu crossed her arms and sighed. "It would be very dangerous for Umi to come into contact with Selece by herself?"
Clef nodded. "It would probably kill her."
"Kill her?" Galerick interjected. "But it's her own power! Her own deity!"
"No, not her deity anymore," Clef corrected him. "Selece was released from his bonds to her when he was sealed away. It is as if he were cast in stone inside the Sea Shrine again. She will have to prove the strength of her heart to him again, and until then, to enter there unprepared is certain death."
Like the crown room, Fuu thought. Is that were Selece is, then? Resting on the dais where Princess Emeraude's crown lay? That water kills anything that goes near it!
"Well then, what must we do to help Hikaru-san?" she cried.
Clef rose from the settee and knelt by Umi's side. He studied her face."Hikaru will be able to figure out a way to sneak Lantis out of his prison. In the mean time, we wait here for Umi to wake up."
"That might not be for several more hours!" Fuu said. "What should we do until then?"
"Like I said. Wait. It shouldn't be long now."
"How can you tell?" asked Galerick.
Clef peered very closely at Umi's body. "I can see what's going on inside her. The magic is very near to settling down into her heart. Now, though, it continues to bounce around inside her as if it were wild. I just tried waking her, but she was still ill and couldn't contain the magic."
Fuu collapsed onto the settee. "I don't like just waiting here, Guru-san. If only there were something more helpful I could do!"
Clef narrowed his eyes at Umi's hand. The gem affixed to it had faded slightly. "Galerick," he said. "Listen carefully." He turned to the boy with a very serious expression. "It will be you who will communicate with the beast god."
The white haired boy nodded, though a bit hesitantly.
"It will take much power to awaken him from his slumber. I've never performed such a spell. No deity has ever been sealed away in human form from the world."
"I shall try my best," Galerick said. "But what would I say to him? How exactly would I speak with him?"
"Your heart will be able to tell you. Once you're standing before him, it'll all become clear. Merely say the words that come to mind, and he will begin to speak with you."
Speak to the very gods? Impossible, he thought.
"Wow," he said, easing himself into a sitting position. "I certainly never thought I was anything special."
Fuu seemed hurt. "Galerick Ban, why would you say such a thing?"
He shrugged. "I only meant that I'd never thought I'd do anything as important as to revive the demi-god Selece."
Clef resumed his watch over Umi's body. "I will have to use a lot of magic on you, naturally, to get you into a proper state."
Galerick blinked. "Proper state?"
Clef nodded. He rose, looked casually out of the window, and frowned. The sky was quite black. "Potentially problematic," he thought aloud. "Very well, then."
"What?" Galerick gulped.
Clef held his staff into the air and concentrated hard on a spot in the ceiling. A large, white orb grew there, an orb that cast a strange glow.
Galerick gasped in horror.
"Sorry," Clef said as false moonlight flooded the room, "but there's no moon out."
The young knight doubled over and groaned in pain. His limbs began to contort, and he clawed at the ground. Tearing and ripping sounds filled the room as his clothes were torn off his body.
Fuu turned away, sickened by the sight of Galerick's transformation.
White hair grew in thick layers all over the boy's body as he writhed and moaned. Soon, his body shrank and he sank to all fours. His fingernails extended into sharp points and his teeth followed suit. Eventually, his cries turned into piercing howls.
Clef watched, disinterested, as Galerick finally picked up his wolf head and glared with angry, slate-gray eyes. The beast growled.
"Don't be angry with me, Galerick. It's necessary." He took the wolf by the neck and forced him to sit. "I will change you back soon, don't worry." Galerick-the-wolf snapped at Clef.
"Galerick!" Fuu said sternly. The wolf ignored her, continuing to glare hatefully at the Mage. But eventually, he obeyed, and lay down on the ground with his head on his paws.
"That's better," said the Guru.
Fuu leaned over to stroke her foster-son's head. "It's horrible to watch, but your actually quite a pretty wolf, Galerick!" she cooed.
The wolf only twitched his tail back and forth angrily and continued to simmer.
"Honestly, Clef-san, his moon cycle only let up a little over a week ago--"
"It doesn't matter, Fuu. He can't speak to Selece any other way." He pointed over to Umi. "And her gem is fading now. She will be awake soon. It's a sign the magic is settling." He knelt beside her again and took her hand in his own, partly because he wanted to closely monitor her ovum, but mostly because he wanted to touch her.
Umi, he thought, after tonight, you'll be whole again. You'll be the powerful, strong, beautiful girl you once were. I sincerely hope that this makes you happy.
He prayed that she would wake in the next few moments so that she would find him leaning over her like he was, eyes full of longing for her. If only she could reach out to him, or call his name in her enchanted throes. The thought gave him a pleasant warmth. But she did not. Her eyes remained resolutely closed.
"Fuu," he said. "It will be soon, I think. Do you know what you must do?"
She nodded. "Channel Windam into Umi-san."
"Yes. It will require a lot of power. Are you feeling well enough to do it?"
"I think so," she replied.
"No, Fuu, don't think, know," he said.
"I do know," she said rather hesitantly. "I just..."
"Are you doubting yourself?"
Fuu, self-consciously folding into herself, nodded her head. Indeed, she had been suffering doubts since Umi's return. "A little," she said. "I just haven't used the full extent of my power in a long time, Guru-san! I may be weak!"
His tone of voice had changed and he sounded very much like he did when he was their master, making Fuu suddenly feel seventeen again. "What have I taught you? You must have complete confidence in your abilities, or your power will take you over!"
"I know, Guru-san!" she whimpered.
"You were always the least confident of the three, Fuu, and yet the power Windam wields through you is immense! You must learn to master yourself! After all these years of training and honing of your winds, the one thing I always stressed to you was to have complete confidence! You have to learn to believe in yourself!"
Fuu shrank back into the settee. She nodded mutely.
"Be sure to keep alert for Hikaru's call," Clef continued in a gentler manner. "She may not be able to reach you from inside the magical barriers of the dungeon, but her will is strong, so she may come through. Also, since your bond with her is the strongest, I shall rely on you to relay the message to her to free Lantis when the time comes."
Though a little nettled at being chided like a teenager, Fuu consented. "Of course, Guru-san." She stroked her emerald ovum, closing off her mind and listening carefully for any trace of Hikaru's voice.
"And you," Clef said, looking down at Galerick. "You must do your best to retain your human way of thinking while you are in this form. I can feel you struggling with your wolf side."
The wolf picked its head up and tried to look as scandalized as his animal features would allow.
"Don't go completely animal on us. Try your best to remain focused and calm. A lot of this is riding on you."
Galerick put his head back down on his crossed paws and stared at the floor. Clef sighed. This was turning into quite a long night.
The Guru, suddenly feeling very tired, leaned against Umi's chill, moist skin. He could feel her power emanating from deep within her. Before, when she lay in his arms, he felt nothing, and it very nearly frightened him. Now, he could practically taste her magic. Water to his lightning. The two became as one when they met.
He breathed another sigh. "And now we wait."
Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw her sapphire ovum give a faint wink.
It was cold. All around was silky, cool, flowing water. Umi's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself floating in a black void, surrounded by a sphere of water. "What?" she said aloud. She looked around, marveling at the flowing water around her. In and out of the darkness, she could see writhing, twisting snake-like things. It was then that she realized that the darkness around her wasn't simply darkness. It was also water, but not bright and beautiful like the water surrounding her. It was thick and black, like oil, and the sight of the creatures slipping through it made her shudder.
"Where am I?"
It is your power, said a voice from within her heart. Umi clutched at her chest. The feeling of cold, agonizing nausea was gone.
"My power?" she repeated. "But I thought--!"
You are whole again, Ryuuzaki Umi, the voice said again. You must awake, now, and take your place beside your fellow Knights. It is time for you to be born again.
Umi held out her hands, staring avidly at them. They were very pale, like ivory, and glowing a faint blue. Whenever she closed her fist, flakes of snow floated out like powder. "It can't be, it's been so long now."
Take it into your hands, Umi, said the voice. Accept. All will be opened to you, but you must take the first step.
Before her materialized a small sapphire gem, encased in gold. It hung there, disembodied.
"My ovum!" Umi exclaimed.
Take it into your hands. And your heart. It is yours, Magic Knight.
Umi reached out. "I want it to be--"
Then take it!
Her hand closed around the gem, and she was suddenly blinded by blue light. It filled the entire sphere, breaking through the water. The darkness around her was eaten away by it, and soon, her whole body was consumed in a sapphire aura.
Water flowed down her hands, over her arms, and drenched her body. It was delightfully cool.
"Ah!" Umi exclaimed, "this is it, this feeling! I'm--"
Magic Knight. Become reborn.
The voice grew closer, as if it were right next to her. She turned and looked into golden eyes. Dragon's eyes. The dragon contorted and slid forward, twisting itself around her. As it's mouth opened, it began to consume her. She shrieked, and when she tried to pull away, she was paralyzed by a hot pain flooding into her heart.
Awaken!
Umi bolted upright in her bed.
She was not eaten alive!
Her eyes, wide and shiny, scanned the room around her. Clef was laying by her side in the bed, as was Chiharu. Fuu sat some feet away with a large white dog curled at her feet. All four figures looked up at her, shocked.
Umi shook her head. Images of the armory, of being in Clef's arms, and bright flashes of light were burned into her mind. When she rubbed her eye, she hissed in pain as the back of her hand, suddenly and strangely hard, dug into her socket. What the?
When raised her palm and turned it over, she screamed.
Royal Blue Kitsune: There'll be more than hints coming you way. The poor couple can't do much now, as Lantis is cut off from Hikaru, but if Hikaru finds a way to release him, I'm sure there'll be a warm moment or two for you!
Aruka: Yeah, I do tend to do that. I tried to cut down on it. Half the time I don't realize I'm doing it. Ellipses are just so much fun...
Sistine the angel of Hell: Of course I stayed away from a boring girl/boyfallbackinloveandgetmarriedtheend fic! Those are WAY boring. So, I guess that means you're not bored? Good! Boring sucks.
aRlEgGoDes: I can never type your name right. It's confusing! Anyway, sorry decided to cut your review short. You can try again with this chapter )
silverkrystal11: Good old Ascot being the sensible, level headed one in this story. I do rather like the idea of the eight hundred year old mage being slapped around by a young kid...
Kiyoshi-chan: Don't worry about being lazy, I'm about as lazy as they come. I'm pretty sure I'd win big prizes for it. But thanks for finally reviewing! I'm glad you enjoy it, and thank you for your compliments. I try.
Seumari -tai yuna-: Ah, a new kid! Thanks for reviewing! I love all my reviewers. Good job joining me on my Clemi rollercoaster of love!
jem1711: "Magic Accept!" sounds silly. "Mahaou Denshou!" is cooler sounding. I guess I thought everyone was as hardcore Rayearth as me! I can practically quote every episode, english and japanese. Hope that clears things up.