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Chapter 8--Träumen
The day we met and laughed,
Whispers of its return,
But why do the tears still flow?
Ceaselessly till they join the stars,
Each going their separate ways,
Your scars sleeping quietly,
Wash away with words of prayer,
I read the carved epitaph,
In hopes the stars will hear,
But they disappear in the morning...
--Epitaph,Weiß Kreuz
"He's dead isn't he?"
Clef was looking rather strange, staring at the empty space on the other side of the room. "Where is he going?"
The blinding white light enveloped Clef, who followed the specter of Eagle's spirit. He was unsure himself, as to what was driving him forward.
What is this place? It was overwhelming him. The sun was shining brightly, but the stars twinkled in the darkness overhead. The sight he presently saw was a familiar one, the grounds outside of Cephiro's castle. Though the sky was bluer (when he didn't see the stars), and the grass was greener than it had ever been. He finally caught sight of Eagle, standing near a little blue steam, that seemed to transform into a shining mirror for a few seconds, then back to the original state.
He was screaming to get his attention, but the sound didn't carry even to his own ears. He began to run, to get closer to Eagle, and time slowed to a crawl, he was impossible to reach. As Clef stopped and caught his breath, he noticed another person coming into view. It looked just like Umi! No, something was different. Briefly he caught the look in her eyes. That's it this Umi--she loves him.
I'll never forget the sight of Umi covered in all those butterflies.
Eagle's thoughts. I don't belong here. As butterflies circled the couple in the distance Clef knew for certain. His Umi had looked at him that way, never Eagle.
Go to her, she needs you. And tell her, dying wasn't so bad at all. He squeezed the girls hand. Tell everyone I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye.
The strange light enveloped him again and he found himself alone in
the room, hearing Ascot trying to confort the crying Umi in the next room.
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Clef had dismissed Ascot as carefully as possible before making sure the door was locked tight.
"Umi, it's alright. Eagle is going to be alright. Believe me, I saw it. Umi..."
Her face was buried in her hands, she was still sobbing. A rather large pair of arms encircled her waist, and Umi looked up.
"Clef is it--"
He smiled at her. "Yes, it is me. This is what I really look like. I try to never take this shape because I never let myself grow into it. But I wanted to do this for you, only for you."
"Clef..."
He raised his hands to her face shakily, not used to the size of his hands. "I saw the most amazing thing Umi. You wouldn't believe..."
"Eagle died..."
"Yes, and he wanted me to tell you it wasn't so bad at all."
Umi brought her hands up to her face. "I never told you I asked him." Clef's eyes shone with a life she'd never seen before.
"So you understand that it's all going to be fine?"
Umi glanced over to the corpse on the bed. Clef turned her face back to him.
"Only an empty shell."
Umi collapsed back into his arms, losing herself in his body heat. "Will you tell me, Clef? What you saw?"
He nodded silently in reply.
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Träumen is German for dreaming. Epilogue coming up!
Ja ne,
Key--Quiet, geist filled robot of the Teisuki clan.
