Ascot chased Mokona as far as the field's edge, and then stopped to wait
for his 'friends' to catch up. The little ball of fluff that was the
creator of both Cepherio and the Magic Knights' world Earth could certainly
run when there was a particular destination on his mind. The young
magician knew Clef would kill him if any harm came to the sometimes
annoying creature, so Ascot was pursuing as best he could.
This particular meadow was covered in knee-high daises; a trickling spring cutting pleasantly through the corner made gurgling noises, and for a moment drew his attention. Scanning the entire field, he saw no sign on Mokona and was about to leave when something a little ways off moved. Ascot trained his gaze on it fully and was surprised, amazed, delighted, and bashful all in one breath. There, sitting in the field with Mokona bouncing playfully about her, was Umi.
His breath was caught up in his throat otherwise Ascot would have called immediately to the girl he had so desperately fallen in love with three years ago. She hugged the creator to her tightly, cooing loud enough for him to hear at a distance, then stood and began following Mokona back towards Ascot's position. Her gauzy dress floated around her, daisies in her long flowing hair, and a perfect smile on her lips. Ascot felt his body tightening at the sight of her, and strived to focus on the fact that a Magic Knight was in Cepherio and not that Umi was about to be within earshot.
When she was finally before him, it took everything he had not to grab her up in an overly enthusiastic embrace. He'd dreamed of her for so long, pined really, and now here she was, more beautiful than he'd ever imagined.
"Hello, Ascot," she said in a pleasant, patient voice. With her hands clasped behind her back, the sunlight twinkling in her eyes, she was more fairy than real.
"U..Umi, how did you get here?" He stumbled over the words.
She giggled in that way, which made him blush, "Nice to see you too, silly." She looked past him as his 'friends' caught up. "I see everyone is here too. Were you all out gathering fruit or something?"
"Uuuhh, fruit?" She raised an eyebrow and Ascot was suddenly cured of his bashfulness. "No, actually we were following Mokona. He took off from the castle and Clef told me to follow. Said he needed the fluffy ball today, that you might . . . "
"That I might be coming?" she asked expectantly. Her heart had skipped a beat at the mention of Clef, and if what Ascot was alluding to was true, he'd known she might be on her way. "I only just left Tokyo; how did Clef know?"
Ascot rubbed the back of his neck, noticing again the way she was dressed. "He's been having visions like he did before you came the first and second times. Said he was expecting all three of you?" He had to look around at anything but her; she was just too darn pretty.
"I'm alone, I think," Umi replied. She was sure that the other two Knights knew she wasn't in Tokyo anymore, but wasn't sure if they would unlock the secret to her departure anytime soon. Sighing with the exhaustion she felt from being awake for so long, Umi cuddled Mokona to her cheek, waiting for Ascot to offer her a ride back to the castle. She imagined she'd see Clef before too long, and that alone helped her subdue the need for sleep that had suddenly arisen in her.
He could see she was ready to collapse, and so offered his hand, not even blushing when she took it casually. "Let me take you to the castle. You can rest there and then tell me how you came in the morning." The afternoon sun was beginning to cast long rays across their field of daises as Umi nodded acceptance and allowed Ascot to help her onto the back of his flying griffin friend.
There was little space for two, so he scooted up close behind her, amazed that Umi allowed it. She was too tired to care, though he didn't know that, and he felt so warm behind her after being close to chilled on the balcony. When his arms came around her to hold onto the griffin's fur, Umi leaned into him, drawing the warmth and smell of him into her.
She knew how he felt for her and was sorry that she couldn't return the feelings. She'd tried her best to dissuade him that last time she was in Cepherio, but it seemed that all her efforts had either been ignored or just not recognized for what there really were. Concerned now, when she heard him sigh and gather her closer, Umi roused herself and turned partially to face him.
The wind form their travel caught in her hair and blew the in wild disarray around them. She looked up at him and Ascot had the overwhelming urge to kiss her. Leaning closer to hear her better he shivered in anticipation at the sheer nearness of her lips to his.
"Ascot?" She knew what she had to say and only hoped he'd understand.
His emerald eyes seemed to glow, "Humm," he answered, more focused on her now than he'd ever been on any one thing before.
Umi ducked her head slightly (they were getting to close) before speaking the next part. "We're friends, right?"
Ascot missed the down tone in her voice that would have indicated she was breaking something to him. "Of course, Umi. More than friends I like to think."
"More?" He'd just made it difficult, with that one word now she would not be able to do this without it hurting even a little.
Searching for inspiration, she remembered how Hikaru had explained her relationships with Eagle and Lantis. 'One reminds me of my brothers and the other . . . well, he's a different kind of friend,' her words echoed in Umi's head.
"You mean like a brother and sister are more than friends," she intentionally didn't ask him but made it an uplifting statement, genuinely pleased for the escape.
Ascot tightened his arms around her a little and relaxed. She thought of him as a brother? How did that happen?
"Well, no, Umi I've got feelings for you but they're not the kind a brother has for his sibling." Her brows came together and he could see in her eyes the compassion she held for him. It told him what he'd feared for three years, that she didn't love him. There was another.
The look in his eyes hurt her too, and Umi grasped his hand and squeezed, trying to show how sorry she was. "I don't know what to say, Ascot." The castle was coming closer, maybe another few seconds. "I'm sorry."
Ascot returned her sympathetic gesture, hugging her one last time as the griffin touched down. "As long as he makes you happy," he whispered into her ear, actually believing his own words though they cut deep. "That's what matters to me the most."
"Thank you," Umi sighed, returning his hug fiercely before drawing back. His bangs hid those spectacular green eyes again, and she brushed them aside to look right at him.
Unshed tears glistened high on his cheeks, but Ascot kept them in check, taking her hand and sighing too. "Shall we show you to Clef and then find a room? You look like you could use some sleep."
"You have no idea how good that sounds to me. Maybe we could get your friend here to carry us all the way to the throne room?"
Ascot turned to look at his 'friend' and his eyes widened at the comical picture they would make as the immense griffin squeezed its way into the throne room and laughed out loud. Umi's joyous burst of mirth joined his as he turned to look at her again. "I don't think that would work too well," he observed.
"Well, just being helpful . . ." she winked at him before starting to back away down the hall. "Um, Ascot?" He raised his brows is response. "Race you!"
Ascot stared in amazement at Umi's retreating back and with a hoot of laughter he took chase, letting her win but complaining about her 'unfair head start' the entire way.
PS
Had to clear the air with these two before I could really get to the good stuff ;)
This particular meadow was covered in knee-high daises; a trickling spring cutting pleasantly through the corner made gurgling noises, and for a moment drew his attention. Scanning the entire field, he saw no sign on Mokona and was about to leave when something a little ways off moved. Ascot trained his gaze on it fully and was surprised, amazed, delighted, and bashful all in one breath. There, sitting in the field with Mokona bouncing playfully about her, was Umi.
His breath was caught up in his throat otherwise Ascot would have called immediately to the girl he had so desperately fallen in love with three years ago. She hugged the creator to her tightly, cooing loud enough for him to hear at a distance, then stood and began following Mokona back towards Ascot's position. Her gauzy dress floated around her, daisies in her long flowing hair, and a perfect smile on her lips. Ascot felt his body tightening at the sight of her, and strived to focus on the fact that a Magic Knight was in Cepherio and not that Umi was about to be within earshot.
When she was finally before him, it took everything he had not to grab her up in an overly enthusiastic embrace. He'd dreamed of her for so long, pined really, and now here she was, more beautiful than he'd ever imagined.
"Hello, Ascot," she said in a pleasant, patient voice. With her hands clasped behind her back, the sunlight twinkling in her eyes, she was more fairy than real.
"U..Umi, how did you get here?" He stumbled over the words.
She giggled in that way, which made him blush, "Nice to see you too, silly." She looked past him as his 'friends' caught up. "I see everyone is here too. Were you all out gathering fruit or something?"
"Uuuhh, fruit?" She raised an eyebrow and Ascot was suddenly cured of his bashfulness. "No, actually we were following Mokona. He took off from the castle and Clef told me to follow. Said he needed the fluffy ball today, that you might . . . "
"That I might be coming?" she asked expectantly. Her heart had skipped a beat at the mention of Clef, and if what Ascot was alluding to was true, he'd known she might be on her way. "I only just left Tokyo; how did Clef know?"
Ascot rubbed the back of his neck, noticing again the way she was dressed. "He's been having visions like he did before you came the first and second times. Said he was expecting all three of you?" He had to look around at anything but her; she was just too darn pretty.
"I'm alone, I think," Umi replied. She was sure that the other two Knights knew she wasn't in Tokyo anymore, but wasn't sure if they would unlock the secret to her departure anytime soon. Sighing with the exhaustion she felt from being awake for so long, Umi cuddled Mokona to her cheek, waiting for Ascot to offer her a ride back to the castle. She imagined she'd see Clef before too long, and that alone helped her subdue the need for sleep that had suddenly arisen in her.
He could see she was ready to collapse, and so offered his hand, not even blushing when she took it casually. "Let me take you to the castle. You can rest there and then tell me how you came in the morning." The afternoon sun was beginning to cast long rays across their field of daises as Umi nodded acceptance and allowed Ascot to help her onto the back of his flying griffin friend.
There was little space for two, so he scooted up close behind her, amazed that Umi allowed it. She was too tired to care, though he didn't know that, and he felt so warm behind her after being close to chilled on the balcony. When his arms came around her to hold onto the griffin's fur, Umi leaned into him, drawing the warmth and smell of him into her.
She knew how he felt for her and was sorry that she couldn't return the feelings. She'd tried her best to dissuade him that last time she was in Cepherio, but it seemed that all her efforts had either been ignored or just not recognized for what there really were. Concerned now, when she heard him sigh and gather her closer, Umi roused herself and turned partially to face him.
The wind form their travel caught in her hair and blew the in wild disarray around them. She looked up at him and Ascot had the overwhelming urge to kiss her. Leaning closer to hear her better he shivered in anticipation at the sheer nearness of her lips to his.
"Ascot?" She knew what she had to say and only hoped he'd understand.
His emerald eyes seemed to glow, "Humm," he answered, more focused on her now than he'd ever been on any one thing before.
Umi ducked her head slightly (they were getting to close) before speaking the next part. "We're friends, right?"
Ascot missed the down tone in her voice that would have indicated she was breaking something to him. "Of course, Umi. More than friends I like to think."
"More?" He'd just made it difficult, with that one word now she would not be able to do this without it hurting even a little.
Searching for inspiration, she remembered how Hikaru had explained her relationships with Eagle and Lantis. 'One reminds me of my brothers and the other . . . well, he's a different kind of friend,' her words echoed in Umi's head.
"You mean like a brother and sister are more than friends," she intentionally didn't ask him but made it an uplifting statement, genuinely pleased for the escape.
Ascot tightened his arms around her a little and relaxed. She thought of him as a brother? How did that happen?
"Well, no, Umi I've got feelings for you but they're not the kind a brother has for his sibling." Her brows came together and he could see in her eyes the compassion she held for him. It told him what he'd feared for three years, that she didn't love him. There was another.
The look in his eyes hurt her too, and Umi grasped his hand and squeezed, trying to show how sorry she was. "I don't know what to say, Ascot." The castle was coming closer, maybe another few seconds. "I'm sorry."
Ascot returned her sympathetic gesture, hugging her one last time as the griffin touched down. "As long as he makes you happy," he whispered into her ear, actually believing his own words though they cut deep. "That's what matters to me the most."
"Thank you," Umi sighed, returning his hug fiercely before drawing back. His bangs hid those spectacular green eyes again, and she brushed them aside to look right at him.
Unshed tears glistened high on his cheeks, but Ascot kept them in check, taking her hand and sighing too. "Shall we show you to Clef and then find a room? You look like you could use some sleep."
"You have no idea how good that sounds to me. Maybe we could get your friend here to carry us all the way to the throne room?"
Ascot turned to look at his 'friend' and his eyes widened at the comical picture they would make as the immense griffin squeezed its way into the throne room and laughed out loud. Umi's joyous burst of mirth joined his as he turned to look at her again. "I don't think that would work too well," he observed.
"Well, just being helpful . . ." she winked at him before starting to back away down the hall. "Um, Ascot?" He raised his brows is response. "Race you!"
Ascot stared in amazement at Umi's retreating back and with a hoot of laughter he took chase, letting her win but complaining about her 'unfair head start' the entire way.
PS
Had to clear the air with these two before I could really get to the good stuff ;)
