TL: ^_^ I'm back for any of you who actually like this!!!
SR: Which is barely any of us. *grumbles*
TL: Well *looks snubbed*, well, well, then that's to bad for you isn't it?
SR: Great retort. I just have to say that it's too much like the anime. You're almost following the exact events and plot.
TL: Well how else was I suppose to make this work? I didn't want to make a medieval one like yours!
SR: *glares daggers at TL* I'm going. --stalks off and doesn't return--
TL: Well, I might as well go to! --follows after SR with an ax--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Way Fate Meant It To Be
Chapter 3-Revealed Feelings
She was shrouded in mist and darkness. She couldn't even see her own hand that was at her side. It was too clouded up. But she could sense that someone was standing in front her. It was someone she recognized from life. It was a he. Tall. But she couldn't make out who it was.
"Hikaru!" the figure called out sternly. He didn't sound very pleased.
She tried to speak, but no words came out. There was a lump in her throat, and she couldn't swallow it. All she could do was grunt a reply
"Hikaru! You have made a mistake. I want you to follow your heart, Hikaru! If you make this mistake again, it is not forgiveable, but you are forgiven this time because you are, afterall, only human. Follow your heart and let Fate lead you on the right path. But you will have to sacrifice someone special on the way."
Whatever did he mean? What did he mean she had to follow her heart? She had followed her heart so far, hadn't she? What was he trying to tell her?
Then someone else appeared. Their shadows both looked so familiar, but she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember who they were. This one was broad shouldered and taller than the first.
"He's wrong, Hikaru. You are on the right track right now. You are with the right ones, you have done well. Don't listen to him. Don't listen," the second male said darkly. His voice was deeper and more mysterious than the first. The first man's voice sounded more like a woman's.
"No, you can't listen to him, Hikaru! You must let Fate lead you!" the first said again.
"Hikaru! Don't listen!"
"Hikaru! Let Fate lead you, Hikaru!"
She was confused. What were these strangers talking about? What was the whole thing with Fate? She wanted to agree with the second stranger, but her throat was still stuck tight.
"Hikaru! Hikaru!" This call was more far away. It seemed like it was in a dream. "Hikaru! Hikaru!" the person called again.
Hikaru slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred at first and only saw a mixture of faces and hair. Who were these people? Oh...right. They were her friends. They were her helpers.
Someone was bent over her. The person had blue hair, Umi-chan. Then another face appeared. She couldn't remember who it was. But it was a he...looked like the one in her dream, but she couldn't be sure. Then she remembered. She remembered who that person was. She remembered what had happened. Her memory was back, and the first words she spoke was, "Where am I?"
Another person in the room let out a huge sigh of relief. The sigh came from a male. "Hikaru! You're awake! Oh, we were so worried, Hikaru!" Umi said happily. Everyone, after the battle, had crowded into the room and watched over Hikaru until this moment.
"Where am I?" she said again.
"You're in my 'guest' room, Hikaru!" Eagle said smiling. He peered into her eyes and smiled wider. "You fainted...from the battle, remember?"
Oh right, Eagle saved me too. He caught me before I fell.
Lantis glared at Eagle. He should have saved Hikaru, not him. Oh well, the past is the past. "Hikaru, Hikaru, are you all right? I was so worried that something might have happened to you," he said, slightly pushing Eagle out of the way.
Hikaru stared at Lantis. It seemed like he was the second person in her dream. The one who had told her not to listen to the first male. "Lantis?"
"Yes, it's Lantis. There were monsters attacking, and you fainted in battle." He purposely left out the part involving Eagle. She didn't need to be reminded, and neither did he.
"I know. What's everyone doing here?"
Out of nowhere came a loud "Pu puuu!!!". Mokona wouldn't let everyone keep Hikaru to themselves. He hopped from Presea's arms into Clef's, then Fuu's, then Eagle's, and finally onto Hikaru's stomach. "Puuuu!! Pu pu!"
"Oh, hello there Mokona! Were you worried too? Well, thanks, then!" Hikaru said. She ruffled his fur fondly and patted it absentmindedly while looking at Lantis. "So what's everyone doing here, Lantis? Umi? Fuu?"
Lantis was mighty relieved that she hadn't mentioned Eagle. He didn't know why, but there was some new feeling in him that he had never experienced before. He seriously believed that it was something called jealousy. He got the feeling whenever Eagle was mentioned by Hikaru. "We were worried about you, Hikaru. We came in here right after the battle with the monsters were over."
"How long have I been out?"
"A few hours in Cephiro time," Clef answered. He was too short to be seen, but his voice was at least loud enough to be heard.
"And about an hour in Autozam's time," Eagle said, trying to brighten the situation up. He smiled again.
Lantis gritted his teeth. Why did Eagle have to try to invade the castle? Now he had to protect Hikaru from him.
"Oh. Then I guess everyone has their own things to attend to, don't they? After looking after me for hours, you must have your own things to do."
Caldina pushed the people in her way away and rushed up to her young friend. "You're awake! I just came back from the lavatory! Can't believe you woke up while I was gone! Give me a hug, girl!"
Hikaru nearly passed out again from the pressure of Caldina's hug. Her nose and mouth was buried in Caldina's clothes, and she was nearly suffocating. "Cal-dina! Let go! I can't breathe!"
Caldina let go immediately. "'Course! Wouldn't want ya hurt again, now do we?" she said with her Chizeta accent.
Fuu broke the uncomfortable silence that next came. "You must be hungry, Hikaru. I made some tea and biscuits, would you like some?"
"Thank you, Fuu-chan! But I'm not really hungry right now. Perhaps tea can wait?" Hikaru asked. She was starting to feel uncomfortable with everyone in the room staring at her...then watch her talk with Lantis. She certainly didn't want the whole world to know that she was in love with Lantis, Lord Zagato, former High Priest of Cephiro's younger brother.
Clef realized that Hikaru was uncomfortable, because Hikaru was usually talkative and shooed everyone out. "I think we should leave Hikaru here alone. She just woke up from a faint, and she needs her rest. Fuu-chan, Umi-chan, you can stay with Hikaru, and Eagle too, afterall, this is the room you're supposed to be sleeping in."
Presea murmured a complaint but dared not contradict Cephiro's best mage and left. Caldina would have prefered to stay like Presea, but she dared not argue either and left. One by one, Hikaru's visitors left.
Lantis seethed at the thought of Eagle being able to stay with her and not him. Why didn't Clef let him? Clef knew about his love for Hikaru, so why did he not let him stay? He held on to Hikaru's hand for a few silent seconds then left. Hikaru saw the pain in his dark eyes, but she did not know why.
"Well, that leaves Fuu-chan, Eagle, and me left, doesn't it, Hikaru? How're you feeling?" Umi asked concerned. She didn't really want Eagle in the room, but Clef was tired himself, and he certainly didn't want to go around the castle trying to find another room for Eagle or let Eagle stay in the halls and wonder around.
"So you've been waiting here three hours Cephiro's time, Fuu, Umi?" Hikaru asked. "Why did you stay? Didn't you have things of your own to do?"
"Yes, but we were concerned, Hikaru. You're our best friend and like a little sister, we need to take care of you!"
What Umi said made Eagle think of his relationship with Lantis. It was a brotherly bond. Brotherly love, it could be called. They were friends from the day they met, but now they were enemies. But in a sense, they were still friends, bound by a love that was not that of a lover's, but of a brother's. How ironic. "I'll just leave you three alone. Shall I wait in the hall?"
Umi rounded on him. "Oh no you don't, Eagle. We're not letting you stay in the halls in case you go wondering around. You're staying right here, and we're not letting you go."
"Umi's right. You're our enemy, and we can't let you roam around!" Fuu said, smiling.
Eagle really had no intention of roaming around the castle at this time, but he couldn't have insisted. They would just get suspicious and have him stay in a more secluded, and well protected room. He gazed at Hikaru again. She looked white...from exhaustion, and her hair was disheveled, but she was still beautiful. No matter in what angle or in what view you looked at her, she was always beautiful...that is, to Eagle Vision.'
Hikaru felt Eagle's eyes on her and turned toward him. She smiled. "I'm sure you would like your room back. I'll go." She started to get up, but a hand pushed her down again.
"No way are you getting up now, Hikaru. You just fainted and you want to get up just to give the room back to an enemy? You're too nice!" Umi said sternly, in her most parental voice.
Eagle smiled his heart-melting smile and said, "Don't worry, you stay in here as long as you like, until you get better. I don't really mind. I can wait."
But Hikaru persisted. "I'm sure Eagle-san has his own things to do, don't you agree, Fuu? It's the best we leave him alone."
Eagle paused at being called Eagle-san and sweatdropped. "My name is Eagle, no title. You can just call me Eagle."
"Besides, I'm sure the only thing Eagle here has to do is go around the castle trying to find the Proof of the Pillar. It's best we stay here, right Fuu?"
Fuu, not wanting to side with either one of them, tried to please both. "Well, I'm sure Eagle-san has his own things to do, but Umi's right, he's probably trying to find the Proof of the Pillar, so we should stay here. Besides, you're not completely healed yet, Hikaru."
Eagle sweatdropped again at being called Eagle-san. "Magic Knight, I do not like to be called Eagle-san, so please call me Eagle. That is my name, and I don't like to have my names pronouced with a title. Thank you."
Fuu smiled her diligent smiled and nodded. "Of course, I will respect your wishes, Eagle."
That was better...
* * *
Clef was just sitting down to relax on his chair when something rocked the castle. His eyes widened and then doubled over from pain. "Ferio!" he yelled to someone next to him, which he presumed to be Ferio. "Someone is attacking the castle again! They're trying to blast the shield! Quickly, outside!"
Ferio, who was indeed next to Clef hurried with La Farga and Lantis to the entrance of the castle. The attacks came from above...from Autozam's battleship.
* * *
Geo, who was commanding the ship then, hollered out orders. "Get the engine in full power, Zazu! We're going to ram the shield down if we have to!"
Zazu gulped. What was Geo thinking? "B-b-b-but, that's going to damage the ship, Geo! You c-c-can't!"
"I'm the second-in-command, Zazu, remember? Not you! I take over when our commander is not with us, so just listen to me, Zazu! Would you have disagreed with Eagle if he was still in charge?"
Of course not, everyone trusted Eagle Vision to command the ship, but Geo was more of a rough and battle type person than Eagle, and sometimes the way he ordered things to be done would turn out to accidently hurt someone instead. "A-alright, commander."
"Zazu! Are we ready it?"
"Half way there, Geo!"
"Now?"
"Now!"
The ship hit the shield with full force.
Clef, who was still inside the castle nearly passed out. He was concentrating all his mental energy on the shield so that it would not break, but something extremely powerful had hit them, and he wasn't sure he could bear the pain for much longer.
"It's getting weaker, Zazu! Again!"
Geo was going to destroy the ship this way, Zazu thought, but better listen then have Geo hang him on a clothes rack again for an hour in Autozam time. "Yes, commander!"
Clef was blinded with pain. His mental energy was quickly going, and his body had been ill for the past few days, what if he couldn't hold out for the people of Cephiro?
"Clef! Are you all right? I felt something, but wasn't sure where it came from so immediately came here. Clef!" a voice called. It must be what the people on Earth called an angel, Clef thought. It sounded so beautiful and sweet...
But it wasn't an angel. It was only Presea. "Clef!" She took his shoulders and made him stand up. "Clef you're in pain! You're trying to protect the castle, aren't you?"
"P-Presea?" he asked weakly. His energy was almost drained from his body.
"Clef, you have to hold on! For the people, for Emeraude, for the Magic Knights! For..." Presea didn't know what else to say, but, "For me!"
"Huh?" Clef was too dazed too tell what Presea had basically meant with what she said last. She basically meant that she loved him, but he didn't figure it out until much later. But the words "For Emeraude!" did reach him. His eyes suddenly flashed and he straightened, even though he was still weak. "Then I will do it for Emeraude, my Pillar!"
Presea nearly broke out into tears, because she thought that he loved Emeraude. She knew that he would never love her, she knew it. Her sister, the real Presea had fallen for him. When she died, she had asked her younger sister to pretend to be Presea, so that the Magic Knights would believe that Presea was reincarnated, but "Presea" did not know that she would fall for the same man as well.
"Zazu! What's happening? The shield is getting stronger!"
"Geo, we can't ram the shield! That's just crazy! You're going to kill everyone on board if you keep on using the ship, we have to devise some other way!"
"Damnit! Why couldn't have this ship been stronger? Got any brilliant plans, Zazu?"
"No," Zazu replied grimly. He wanted to see the Magic Knights come out again, he still wondered at how they were made. Besides, the mashins were kind of cute...in his opinion of course!
"Then we'll just have to retreat."
And it was just then that Clef, Master Mage of Cephiro blacked out from the strain.
Presea hurried to catch him before he fell, and he landed in a thump in her arms. She looked at him with teary eyes, but refused to let her thoughts overtake her and carried him back to his room. She sat down to wait for him. It would be hours before she did though...
She met Umi and Fuu on the way. "Umi! Fuu! What are you doing around here?" she asked. Weren't they supposed to be with Hikaru? They weren't supposed to leave her alone with that Eagle from Autozam! He was the enemy! "What about Hikaru?"
"We had to leave her behind, Presea. She wanted to come with us when the castle jolted, but we didn't let her. Is everything all right? What happened to Master Mage Clef?" Fuu asked. Her left hand went to the glove on her right hand where her sword was.
"It was an attack...from something powerful. Very powerful. He just blacked out. I'm taking him to his room. You girls see what it is."
Umi and Fuu rushed from the hall to the entrance, and immediately saw what the problem was. Autozam's battleship was trying to invade the castle, but it had backed off.
"Umi-chan! What should we do? They're backing off as if they're retreating, but what if there's another surprise attack?" Fuu asked. She wanted to go back to look after Hikaru, but there was trouble here. She didn't trust Hikaru in Eagle's hands.
"I think we should stay here for a while in case it decides to attack again, but most likely it won't, because Clef made the shield so strong that the ship would go through great damage if it ever made it inside the shield."
* * *
After Umi and Fuu had left, Eagle had gotten up from where he was sitting on the ground and walked to Hikaru. "Are you feeling well, Hikaru-san?"
"I would prefer to be called Hikaru, Eagle-san," she said, not realizing that she had just called him a "Mr" again.
"Well, then my name is Eagle, not Eagle-san, Hikaru," he said.
"Oh, sorry...Eagle. I'm feeling perfectly fine. I wish Umi and Fuu had let me go with them to fight, but I guess you do need to be watched." She smiled wryly. Somehow, she wasn't afraid being alone with him, because she sensed that he wasn't the type that would hurt someone like her. She felt oddly safe with him, actually.
"You really do want to defeat Autozam, don't you?"
"Yes, because no one should become the Pillar. I would destroy the system if I can. You lose all human rights when you become the Pillar. You lose the right to love, you lose the right to want something for yourself. You must always care for the people and the country, never for yourself. That's why no one should ever become the Pillar. It's too painful."
"But I don't care whether I can love or not, because I will become the new Pillar and make Autozam's people happy again. There is too much pollution in our country."
"I like your will, but don't you see, Eagle? You're sacrificing everything, except for your life, when you become the Pillar."
"I don't care, Magic Knight. I will become the Pillar because all I want is to make Autozam's people happy again, and make Autozam a better place. I do not need love, I don't need anything else. I will be the next Pillar."
"Then we remain enemies, don't we? Is there no way that I can persuade you to give up?" Hikaru asked. Didn't he GET it? Didn't he understand the things he'd have to give up if he became the Pillar?
"No nothing. Plus, I will die soon, and all I want to do is make Cephiro a part of Autozam."
Hikaru gasped. What in the world did he mean he was going to die soon? He was...looked young! "Whatever do you mean you're going to die soon?"
"Well, not die, but something like it. I will fall into an eternal sleep, it is my fate."
The word fate reminded Hikaru was the dream she had. The first man looked like Eagle, and he had told her to let Fate lead her...that she had made several mistakes already, but because she did not know, she was forgiven. Was this Eagle Vision letting fate lead his life? "I see what you mean. Then I will fight you for as long as I have to, Eagle of Autozam."
"I like your determination, but you will have to give up some time, don't you? You can't defend Cephiro forever, that you can't," he said as if this was some normal conversation about the weather.
"Yes I can, and I will if I have to. Look at us, we're enemies, and we were fighting against each other less than a day ago, and now we're arguing with each other, but in a friendly state. How odd life works," she commented.
Eagle fell silent. They were enemies, she was right.
The silence became awkward after a few minutes, but neither one wanted to attempt at conversation. Hikaru soon fell back into a dreamless sleep.
Eagle glanced over at the sleeping Hikaru. Her breathing was even, and she was still. He walked over and bent over her. She couldn't feel the presence over her and did not wake up. Eagle stared at her closed eyelids. The image of those crimson eyes lingered in his mind. His eyes scanned the rest of her face. Her hair was not as long, straight, or pretty as the blue Magic Knight of Water's, but it was wild and reminded Eagle of the prairies they used to have in Autozam before the air and water became polluted and the streets and fields littered with garbage.
On a sudden impulse, he bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead. It was smooth, not full of wrinkles like it had been when she watched her friends go. Mokona, who had stayed in the room the whole time, finally seemed to cheer up. He had been worried, unhappy, and annoyed the whole day until now. Eagle noticed as it hopped into his arms and smiled widely.
"You liked what I did, don't you, Mokona?" He patted Mokona roughly and went back to his post near the door. The whole time, he was thinking about Hikaru. Hikaru with the big crimson eyes. Hikaru with the wild red hair. Hikaru, the Magic Knight of Fire. Did this mean he was in love? Did it mean he was in love with this Magic Knight? But Hikaru had told him the Pillar couldn't love, and have to sacrifice everything for the sake of everyone else. If he truly loved Hikaru, then would he lose the potential to be a Pillar?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TL: I didn't want this to drag out too long, so I made Eagle "reflect" upon his feelings in this chappy.
SR: Yay! Hurrah! Eagle and Hikaru forever! Down with Lantis!
TL: Yeah! *waves humongous banner as long as room* Go Eagle! Go Hikaru!
SR: Besides, Lantis isn't even bishounen. He's too "manly" to be beshounen, but Eagle is!!! Eagle deserves Hikaru, not Lantis!
TL: --noddies-- Okay, let's go party elsewhere. Bye Eagle and Hikaru die-hard fans! --skips off with SR not far behind--
SR: Which is barely any of us. *grumbles*
TL: Well *looks snubbed*, well, well, then that's to bad for you isn't it?
SR: Great retort. I just have to say that it's too much like the anime. You're almost following the exact events and plot.
TL: Well how else was I suppose to make this work? I didn't want to make a medieval one like yours!
SR: *glares daggers at TL* I'm going. --stalks off and doesn't return--
TL: Well, I might as well go to! --follows after SR with an ax--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Way Fate Meant It To Be
Chapter 3-Revealed Feelings
She was shrouded in mist and darkness. She couldn't even see her own hand that was at her side. It was too clouded up. But she could sense that someone was standing in front her. It was someone she recognized from life. It was a he. Tall. But she couldn't make out who it was.
"Hikaru!" the figure called out sternly. He didn't sound very pleased.
She tried to speak, but no words came out. There was a lump in her throat, and she couldn't swallow it. All she could do was grunt a reply
"Hikaru! You have made a mistake. I want you to follow your heart, Hikaru! If you make this mistake again, it is not forgiveable, but you are forgiven this time because you are, afterall, only human. Follow your heart and let Fate lead you on the right path. But you will have to sacrifice someone special on the way."
Whatever did he mean? What did he mean she had to follow her heart? She had followed her heart so far, hadn't she? What was he trying to tell her?
Then someone else appeared. Their shadows both looked so familiar, but she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember who they were. This one was broad shouldered and taller than the first.
"He's wrong, Hikaru. You are on the right track right now. You are with the right ones, you have done well. Don't listen to him. Don't listen," the second male said darkly. His voice was deeper and more mysterious than the first. The first man's voice sounded more like a woman's.
"No, you can't listen to him, Hikaru! You must let Fate lead you!" the first said again.
"Hikaru! Don't listen!"
"Hikaru! Let Fate lead you, Hikaru!"
She was confused. What were these strangers talking about? What was the whole thing with Fate? She wanted to agree with the second stranger, but her throat was still stuck tight.
"Hikaru! Hikaru!" This call was more far away. It seemed like it was in a dream. "Hikaru! Hikaru!" the person called again.
Hikaru slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred at first and only saw a mixture of faces and hair. Who were these people? Oh...right. They were her friends. They were her helpers.
Someone was bent over her. The person had blue hair, Umi-chan. Then another face appeared. She couldn't remember who it was. But it was a he...looked like the one in her dream, but she couldn't be sure. Then she remembered. She remembered who that person was. She remembered what had happened. Her memory was back, and the first words she spoke was, "Where am I?"
Another person in the room let out a huge sigh of relief. The sigh came from a male. "Hikaru! You're awake! Oh, we were so worried, Hikaru!" Umi said happily. Everyone, after the battle, had crowded into the room and watched over Hikaru until this moment.
"Where am I?" she said again.
"You're in my 'guest' room, Hikaru!" Eagle said smiling. He peered into her eyes and smiled wider. "You fainted...from the battle, remember?"
Oh right, Eagle saved me too. He caught me before I fell.
Lantis glared at Eagle. He should have saved Hikaru, not him. Oh well, the past is the past. "Hikaru, Hikaru, are you all right? I was so worried that something might have happened to you," he said, slightly pushing Eagle out of the way.
Hikaru stared at Lantis. It seemed like he was the second person in her dream. The one who had told her not to listen to the first male. "Lantis?"
"Yes, it's Lantis. There were monsters attacking, and you fainted in battle." He purposely left out the part involving Eagle. She didn't need to be reminded, and neither did he.
"I know. What's everyone doing here?"
Out of nowhere came a loud "Pu puuu!!!". Mokona wouldn't let everyone keep Hikaru to themselves. He hopped from Presea's arms into Clef's, then Fuu's, then Eagle's, and finally onto Hikaru's stomach. "Puuuu!! Pu pu!"
"Oh, hello there Mokona! Were you worried too? Well, thanks, then!" Hikaru said. She ruffled his fur fondly and patted it absentmindedly while looking at Lantis. "So what's everyone doing here, Lantis? Umi? Fuu?"
Lantis was mighty relieved that she hadn't mentioned Eagle. He didn't know why, but there was some new feeling in him that he had never experienced before. He seriously believed that it was something called jealousy. He got the feeling whenever Eagle was mentioned by Hikaru. "We were worried about you, Hikaru. We came in here right after the battle with the monsters were over."
"How long have I been out?"
"A few hours in Cephiro time," Clef answered. He was too short to be seen, but his voice was at least loud enough to be heard.
"And about an hour in Autozam's time," Eagle said, trying to brighten the situation up. He smiled again.
Lantis gritted his teeth. Why did Eagle have to try to invade the castle? Now he had to protect Hikaru from him.
"Oh. Then I guess everyone has their own things to attend to, don't they? After looking after me for hours, you must have your own things to do."
Caldina pushed the people in her way away and rushed up to her young friend. "You're awake! I just came back from the lavatory! Can't believe you woke up while I was gone! Give me a hug, girl!"
Hikaru nearly passed out again from the pressure of Caldina's hug. Her nose and mouth was buried in Caldina's clothes, and she was nearly suffocating. "Cal-dina! Let go! I can't breathe!"
Caldina let go immediately. "'Course! Wouldn't want ya hurt again, now do we?" she said with her Chizeta accent.
Fuu broke the uncomfortable silence that next came. "You must be hungry, Hikaru. I made some tea and biscuits, would you like some?"
"Thank you, Fuu-chan! But I'm not really hungry right now. Perhaps tea can wait?" Hikaru asked. She was starting to feel uncomfortable with everyone in the room staring at her...then watch her talk with Lantis. She certainly didn't want the whole world to know that she was in love with Lantis, Lord Zagato, former High Priest of Cephiro's younger brother.
Clef realized that Hikaru was uncomfortable, because Hikaru was usually talkative and shooed everyone out. "I think we should leave Hikaru here alone. She just woke up from a faint, and she needs her rest. Fuu-chan, Umi-chan, you can stay with Hikaru, and Eagle too, afterall, this is the room you're supposed to be sleeping in."
Presea murmured a complaint but dared not contradict Cephiro's best mage and left. Caldina would have prefered to stay like Presea, but she dared not argue either and left. One by one, Hikaru's visitors left.
Lantis seethed at the thought of Eagle being able to stay with her and not him. Why didn't Clef let him? Clef knew about his love for Hikaru, so why did he not let him stay? He held on to Hikaru's hand for a few silent seconds then left. Hikaru saw the pain in his dark eyes, but she did not know why.
"Well, that leaves Fuu-chan, Eagle, and me left, doesn't it, Hikaru? How're you feeling?" Umi asked concerned. She didn't really want Eagle in the room, but Clef was tired himself, and he certainly didn't want to go around the castle trying to find another room for Eagle or let Eagle stay in the halls and wonder around.
"So you've been waiting here three hours Cephiro's time, Fuu, Umi?" Hikaru asked. "Why did you stay? Didn't you have things of your own to do?"
"Yes, but we were concerned, Hikaru. You're our best friend and like a little sister, we need to take care of you!"
What Umi said made Eagle think of his relationship with Lantis. It was a brotherly bond. Brotherly love, it could be called. They were friends from the day they met, but now they were enemies. But in a sense, they were still friends, bound by a love that was not that of a lover's, but of a brother's. How ironic. "I'll just leave you three alone. Shall I wait in the hall?"
Umi rounded on him. "Oh no you don't, Eagle. We're not letting you stay in the halls in case you go wondering around. You're staying right here, and we're not letting you go."
"Umi's right. You're our enemy, and we can't let you roam around!" Fuu said, smiling.
Eagle really had no intention of roaming around the castle at this time, but he couldn't have insisted. They would just get suspicious and have him stay in a more secluded, and well protected room. He gazed at Hikaru again. She looked white...from exhaustion, and her hair was disheveled, but she was still beautiful. No matter in what angle or in what view you looked at her, she was always beautiful...that is, to Eagle Vision.'
Hikaru felt Eagle's eyes on her and turned toward him. She smiled. "I'm sure you would like your room back. I'll go." She started to get up, but a hand pushed her down again.
"No way are you getting up now, Hikaru. You just fainted and you want to get up just to give the room back to an enemy? You're too nice!" Umi said sternly, in her most parental voice.
Eagle smiled his heart-melting smile and said, "Don't worry, you stay in here as long as you like, until you get better. I don't really mind. I can wait."
But Hikaru persisted. "I'm sure Eagle-san has his own things to do, don't you agree, Fuu? It's the best we leave him alone."
Eagle paused at being called Eagle-san and sweatdropped. "My name is Eagle, no title. You can just call me Eagle."
"Besides, I'm sure the only thing Eagle here has to do is go around the castle trying to find the Proof of the Pillar. It's best we stay here, right Fuu?"
Fuu, not wanting to side with either one of them, tried to please both. "Well, I'm sure Eagle-san has his own things to do, but Umi's right, he's probably trying to find the Proof of the Pillar, so we should stay here. Besides, you're not completely healed yet, Hikaru."
Eagle sweatdropped again at being called Eagle-san. "Magic Knight, I do not like to be called Eagle-san, so please call me Eagle. That is my name, and I don't like to have my names pronouced with a title. Thank you."
Fuu smiled her diligent smiled and nodded. "Of course, I will respect your wishes, Eagle."
That was better...
* * *
Clef was just sitting down to relax on his chair when something rocked the castle. His eyes widened and then doubled over from pain. "Ferio!" he yelled to someone next to him, which he presumed to be Ferio. "Someone is attacking the castle again! They're trying to blast the shield! Quickly, outside!"
Ferio, who was indeed next to Clef hurried with La Farga and Lantis to the entrance of the castle. The attacks came from above...from Autozam's battleship.
* * *
Geo, who was commanding the ship then, hollered out orders. "Get the engine in full power, Zazu! We're going to ram the shield down if we have to!"
Zazu gulped. What was Geo thinking? "B-b-b-but, that's going to damage the ship, Geo! You c-c-can't!"
"I'm the second-in-command, Zazu, remember? Not you! I take over when our commander is not with us, so just listen to me, Zazu! Would you have disagreed with Eagle if he was still in charge?"
Of course not, everyone trusted Eagle Vision to command the ship, but Geo was more of a rough and battle type person than Eagle, and sometimes the way he ordered things to be done would turn out to accidently hurt someone instead. "A-alright, commander."
"Zazu! Are we ready it?"
"Half way there, Geo!"
"Now?"
"Now!"
The ship hit the shield with full force.
Clef, who was still inside the castle nearly passed out. He was concentrating all his mental energy on the shield so that it would not break, but something extremely powerful had hit them, and he wasn't sure he could bear the pain for much longer.
"It's getting weaker, Zazu! Again!"
Geo was going to destroy the ship this way, Zazu thought, but better listen then have Geo hang him on a clothes rack again for an hour in Autozam time. "Yes, commander!"
Clef was blinded with pain. His mental energy was quickly going, and his body had been ill for the past few days, what if he couldn't hold out for the people of Cephiro?
"Clef! Are you all right? I felt something, but wasn't sure where it came from so immediately came here. Clef!" a voice called. It must be what the people on Earth called an angel, Clef thought. It sounded so beautiful and sweet...
But it wasn't an angel. It was only Presea. "Clef!" She took his shoulders and made him stand up. "Clef you're in pain! You're trying to protect the castle, aren't you?"
"P-Presea?" he asked weakly. His energy was almost drained from his body.
"Clef, you have to hold on! For the people, for Emeraude, for the Magic Knights! For..." Presea didn't know what else to say, but, "For me!"
"Huh?" Clef was too dazed too tell what Presea had basically meant with what she said last. She basically meant that she loved him, but he didn't figure it out until much later. But the words "For Emeraude!" did reach him. His eyes suddenly flashed and he straightened, even though he was still weak. "Then I will do it for Emeraude, my Pillar!"
Presea nearly broke out into tears, because she thought that he loved Emeraude. She knew that he would never love her, she knew it. Her sister, the real Presea had fallen for him. When she died, she had asked her younger sister to pretend to be Presea, so that the Magic Knights would believe that Presea was reincarnated, but "Presea" did not know that she would fall for the same man as well.
"Zazu! What's happening? The shield is getting stronger!"
"Geo, we can't ram the shield! That's just crazy! You're going to kill everyone on board if you keep on using the ship, we have to devise some other way!"
"Damnit! Why couldn't have this ship been stronger? Got any brilliant plans, Zazu?"
"No," Zazu replied grimly. He wanted to see the Magic Knights come out again, he still wondered at how they were made. Besides, the mashins were kind of cute...in his opinion of course!
"Then we'll just have to retreat."
And it was just then that Clef, Master Mage of Cephiro blacked out from the strain.
Presea hurried to catch him before he fell, and he landed in a thump in her arms. She looked at him with teary eyes, but refused to let her thoughts overtake her and carried him back to his room. She sat down to wait for him. It would be hours before she did though...
She met Umi and Fuu on the way. "Umi! Fuu! What are you doing around here?" she asked. Weren't they supposed to be with Hikaru? They weren't supposed to leave her alone with that Eagle from Autozam! He was the enemy! "What about Hikaru?"
"We had to leave her behind, Presea. She wanted to come with us when the castle jolted, but we didn't let her. Is everything all right? What happened to Master Mage Clef?" Fuu asked. Her left hand went to the glove on her right hand where her sword was.
"It was an attack...from something powerful. Very powerful. He just blacked out. I'm taking him to his room. You girls see what it is."
Umi and Fuu rushed from the hall to the entrance, and immediately saw what the problem was. Autozam's battleship was trying to invade the castle, but it had backed off.
"Umi-chan! What should we do? They're backing off as if they're retreating, but what if there's another surprise attack?" Fuu asked. She wanted to go back to look after Hikaru, but there was trouble here. She didn't trust Hikaru in Eagle's hands.
"I think we should stay here for a while in case it decides to attack again, but most likely it won't, because Clef made the shield so strong that the ship would go through great damage if it ever made it inside the shield."
* * *
After Umi and Fuu had left, Eagle had gotten up from where he was sitting on the ground and walked to Hikaru. "Are you feeling well, Hikaru-san?"
"I would prefer to be called Hikaru, Eagle-san," she said, not realizing that she had just called him a "Mr" again.
"Well, then my name is Eagle, not Eagle-san, Hikaru," he said.
"Oh, sorry...Eagle. I'm feeling perfectly fine. I wish Umi and Fuu had let me go with them to fight, but I guess you do need to be watched." She smiled wryly. Somehow, she wasn't afraid being alone with him, because she sensed that he wasn't the type that would hurt someone like her. She felt oddly safe with him, actually.
"You really do want to defeat Autozam, don't you?"
"Yes, because no one should become the Pillar. I would destroy the system if I can. You lose all human rights when you become the Pillar. You lose the right to love, you lose the right to want something for yourself. You must always care for the people and the country, never for yourself. That's why no one should ever become the Pillar. It's too painful."
"But I don't care whether I can love or not, because I will become the new Pillar and make Autozam's people happy again. There is too much pollution in our country."
"I like your will, but don't you see, Eagle? You're sacrificing everything, except for your life, when you become the Pillar."
"I don't care, Magic Knight. I will become the Pillar because all I want is to make Autozam's people happy again, and make Autozam a better place. I do not need love, I don't need anything else. I will be the next Pillar."
"Then we remain enemies, don't we? Is there no way that I can persuade you to give up?" Hikaru asked. Didn't he GET it? Didn't he understand the things he'd have to give up if he became the Pillar?
"No nothing. Plus, I will die soon, and all I want to do is make Cephiro a part of Autozam."
Hikaru gasped. What in the world did he mean he was going to die soon? He was...looked young! "Whatever do you mean you're going to die soon?"
"Well, not die, but something like it. I will fall into an eternal sleep, it is my fate."
The word fate reminded Hikaru was the dream she had. The first man looked like Eagle, and he had told her to let Fate lead her...that she had made several mistakes already, but because she did not know, she was forgiven. Was this Eagle Vision letting fate lead his life? "I see what you mean. Then I will fight you for as long as I have to, Eagle of Autozam."
"I like your determination, but you will have to give up some time, don't you? You can't defend Cephiro forever, that you can't," he said as if this was some normal conversation about the weather.
"Yes I can, and I will if I have to. Look at us, we're enemies, and we were fighting against each other less than a day ago, and now we're arguing with each other, but in a friendly state. How odd life works," she commented.
Eagle fell silent. They were enemies, she was right.
The silence became awkward after a few minutes, but neither one wanted to attempt at conversation. Hikaru soon fell back into a dreamless sleep.
Eagle glanced over at the sleeping Hikaru. Her breathing was even, and she was still. He walked over and bent over her. She couldn't feel the presence over her and did not wake up. Eagle stared at her closed eyelids. The image of those crimson eyes lingered in his mind. His eyes scanned the rest of her face. Her hair was not as long, straight, or pretty as the blue Magic Knight of Water's, but it was wild and reminded Eagle of the prairies they used to have in Autozam before the air and water became polluted and the streets and fields littered with garbage.
On a sudden impulse, he bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead. It was smooth, not full of wrinkles like it had been when she watched her friends go. Mokona, who had stayed in the room the whole time, finally seemed to cheer up. He had been worried, unhappy, and annoyed the whole day until now. Eagle noticed as it hopped into his arms and smiled widely.
"You liked what I did, don't you, Mokona?" He patted Mokona roughly and went back to his post near the door. The whole time, he was thinking about Hikaru. Hikaru with the big crimson eyes. Hikaru with the wild red hair. Hikaru, the Magic Knight of Fire. Did this mean he was in love? Did it mean he was in love with this Magic Knight? But Hikaru had told him the Pillar couldn't love, and have to sacrifice everything for the sake of everyone else. If he truly loved Hikaru, then would he lose the potential to be a Pillar?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TL: I didn't want this to drag out too long, so I made Eagle "reflect" upon his feelings in this chappy.
SR: Yay! Hurrah! Eagle and Hikaru forever! Down with Lantis!
TL: Yeah! *waves humongous banner as long as room* Go Eagle! Go Hikaru!
SR: Besides, Lantis isn't even bishounen. He's too "manly" to be beshounen, but Eagle is!!! Eagle deserves Hikaru, not Lantis!
TL: --noddies-- Okay, let's go party elsewhere. Bye Eagle and Hikaru die-hard fans! --skips off with SR not far behind--