Wo Ai Ni

I'm starting this a little after the place I left off. Don't get confused @_@, it will come together eventually. Does anyone know if Cephiro has a moon? I'm saying it doesn't here. By the way, thanks for the good reviews so far. Key is a happy robot! (^_^)
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Chapter 2--No Luna de la Plata

Eagle shifted on the stone bench, the coolness of the night air was beginning to chill them both.
"I think I finally figured out why, even though the sky is so beautiful here, it feels so strange looking up," Umi's voice held a certain sadness in it's tone that made him uneasy.

"It's probably the stars. They're probably a lot different than the ones where your from." He gave a small laugh. "I'd probably feel that way too, except in Autozam you couldn't see the night sky through all of the pollution."
She shook her head no. "I've been to many places all over the world, my world, and no matter where you go the stars are always a little different." She paused a moment. "But wherever I was, I could look up at the moon. Maybe just a tiny half-sliver of light, or a large pearl that completely lit the sky, it was always there."

Eagle didn't know what to say, he couldn't miss something he hadn't had himself. He watched as a smile slowly spread across her face.

"I bet Cephiro is a bit short in the song department. No Blue Moon, or Dark Side of the Moon, or Moon River or.."

"Moon River?" There was a question mark above his head. The thought of a gigantic rock floating down a stream wasn't helping him understand.

Umi facefaulted after seeing the completely baffled look on his face, and sighed. "And me without my guitar..."

"You have a guitar?"

"No." Her eyes glittered in the dim starlight, a little confidence showing as she began to sing.

"Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style some day.
Old dream maker, you heart breaker,
Wherever you're going, I'm going your way.

Two drifters, off to see the world --
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end,
Waiting round the bend,
My huckleberry friend,
Moon River -- and me..." Umi's voice wavered a little on the final verse, she felt dizzy. Almost as much as the previous night when she'd brought Eagle back.

"Umi?" She looked as if she might fall backwards off of the bench. He grabbed her by the shoulders, steadying her.

"Sorry, I felt kind of odd for a second there. I'm alright." She smiled softly, but he wasn't convinced.

"Should we head back to the festival dance?" Noting her sour expression, he guessed the answer was no.

"Why did you come out here anyway Eagle?"

"I can't have the lady who saved my life, stuck out here alone in the middle of the night."

"Wonderful. I've always thrived on the pity of others."

"Umi--" he began taking one of her hands, "--I'm not really sure what I feel. But I know it isn't pity." He brought his other hand to her face, caressing it, and intently gazed into her eyes.

Umi could feel her face getting warm. Eagle, why are you...

"Eagle?" The strong voice of Lantis made both of them jump.

"Hmm. I wasn't expecting you, Lantis." Eagle saw the disapproval in his friends eyes, able to see the emotion that others who didn't know him couldn't have noticed.

"A little of your time please."

A little of your time please he mocked him inwardly. Do you ever change at all Lantis? "Umi wait just a minute for me."

Umi, still dazed from Eagle's earlier attention, merely nodded.

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(Author's Note: brackets [ ] = flashback)

She hates me.

[I only did what I was taught to do, what you showed me!]

I was much too hard on you this morning. You were right, Umi. It wasn't your fault at all. Clef laid his head down on the ancient book, frustrated. Damn proto-Cephiran language, nearly impossible to translate this ONE spell.

The name of Yokaze festival is all I've translated of this so far. If I hadn't gone to see Umi I'd have more done. He laughed at loud at himself. Not true, as quickly as she ran out of the dance when she noticed you, no time's been lost at all.

"Yokaze festival, it was supposed to be special. Wasn't it Mother?"

["What makes this festival any different from all the others, Mother?"

"I'm not sure if your quite old enough to appreciate this kind of festival, Clef." She laughed melodically.

"Why is that?"

"They say if you declare your love on Yokaze, you will be with your beloved as long as they live."

"Sounds stupid to me."

*sigh* "It worked well enough for your Father and me..."]

It was his only real childhood memory with any substance whatsoever. He couldn't even remember his Mother's face or his Father's name. He'd been alive so long he couldn't remember back more than a few hundred years. I remember everything about you, Umi. The first time we met, the tears of your despair, every time your hand touched mine. I know it was stupid to make you wait, I wanted to tell you how much I need you and make sure it meant something. Tonight... Even if it couldn't be as long as I live, I wanted to try.

"Even if I translate this spell, and find out what it has to do with Yokaze, I'll never know if you were right Mother. It's nearly dawn..."

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The humming was driving Lantis crazy. He'd been trying to tell Eagle important things. "Starting tomorrow, you're not supposed to be seen in public, if anyone found out you were alive it could be trouble. If the public found out there was a way to bring back the dead, it would be complete chaos." After all, everyone has lost someone they love. Brother...Princess...He shook the thought away. "No one should have that kind of power over life and death." Even if it means having you back, Eagle.

Eagle still hummed the tune he'd learned from Umi. He knew it was irritating Lantis, but it was firmly ingrained into his head. "I can behave myself, Lantis. Besides, I can keep myself occupied." The humming resumed.

"With Umi? She's in love with someone else you know. And I thought you were as well." He said the last quietly, looking away.

All too aware of his meaning, Eagle stopped his song and looked hard at Lantis. "I thought so once." He leaned in close to Lantis, putting his hand on his shoulder. He whispered in his ear, "But we know how that turned out." Lantis stumbled back a few steps.

"I--"

"You can't control who you fall in love with, or if they'll love you back." Eagle's voice was firm, and he'd taken a step back. "But I have to trust my feelings. Ever since I saw Umi laying there, unconscious, I've been unable to think of anything but her."

"You hardly know anything about her."

"How well do you know Hikaru?" He didn't wait for Lantis to answer. "About as well as I know Umi, I'd guess. I saw you dancing with Hikaru, and it was obvious to everyone how much you love each other."

Lantis had yet to show any signs of change.

"The point being, love doesn't work that way. I don't know if Umi could ever care for me, but I'm going to do everything I can to see if she'd even consider it."

"What about Clef and his feelings?" He could tell his teacher was in love with the girl, and it was only right to mention it. Do I feel sorry for him?

"Has he ever said the slightest thing to let her know that he loves her?"

Silence.

"I thought so." So stupid Clef. "I'll let Umi decide. She can wait for Clef forever, or maybe, just maybe, she'll consider me."

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Hope you're all still there, and the time jump didn't bother you too much. I was afraid of degenerating into songfic for a while, but I think it worked OK. According to my J-Trans software Yokaze means "Night Wind." The chapter title No Luna de la Plata, means "no moon of the silver." If you have a chance, download the Sarah Brightman version of Moon River, I think it helps to hear it. Anyway, keep reviewing.

Ja ne,
Key--Quiet, geist filled robot of the Teisuki clan.