*I'm sorry it's been awhile since my last chapter. I wrote this manuscript as a project and turned it in and my teacher liked it and told me to reedit it so I've been stuck with that yuck! Anyway I just got an email from a reviewer that was really good, and I just wanted to put a note in here telling everyone how happy I am that you like my work. I never really thought that I would get as many reviews of this story as I have. So I'm really thankful that you're there to review my work and everything. I probably wouldn't be finishing this if it wasn't for the reviews I get so thanks a lot! I really appreciate it ^.^*
Chapter 13 Burning Bridges
"What were you thinking?!" she winced as she heard him beat her lover with his words again and again. She wanted to scream at him and tell him to shut up but held her tongue. Fuu was looking down and shaking her head while Hikaru tried not to snicker. Ferio looked as if he had failed and stayed quiet. The only ones that made a sound were Yukito and Clef as they battled head on for all to see.
"What I was thinking was none of your concern! None of this is!"
"She is my concern," Clef sent a dangerous gaze toward Umi as she looked away.
"No, not yet," Yukito's voice was icy, "Until then you will not dictate what I do with my own life whether she is involved or not."
"It's not that easy, not this time," Clef made him turn around where he had tried to walk away, "You will not walk away from me this time. I've seen you whisk away more of my students than I want to think about, but you will not harm this girl."
Yukito turned, and Umi could see his hands were itching to draw the sword at his side.
"It's always been easy for you," each word that Clef spoke was dripping with venom and daring Yukito to draw his sword, "Just use people for what you can and disappear. I've let you get away with that far too many times; it ends here."
"I will not use her," Yukito growled.
"Step away Son of Cephiro, let the prophecy fall another way and spare her now before it's too late."
"I will not use her or harm her, and I will not step aside and watch the fall of the Magic Knights. Windam has begun speaking of the 3Mages, if the prophecy wants it so then why not let it fall?" Yukito demanded, "What is it to you whether or not the prophecy falls one way or another? Either way you win."
Clef glared, "The 3Mages," he scoffed, "Windam would say that, but you know better than to say such things. Leave her, leave her please, for the safety of us all," he said this so low it could only be heard by Yukito.
"I love her!" he burst out averting everyone's eyes, "And if you cannot see that you are blind. I will not step aside. If it weren't for the prophecy I'd…"
"But how do you know that it is not the prophecy that loves her? How do you know that she is only a perfection created by destiny? She is the Magic Knight of Water, girl from another world, mysterious, beautiful and powerful; you are not the only one who loves her," Clef's words tore through her like a knife.
"Yukito," her voice could barely be heard, but they both turned, "Is this true? Were you simply destined to love me?"
He looked from her to Clef, deciding something, before he finally spoke, "It is true that I was destined to love you, but that is not why I love you. You're more than just beautiful, you're intelligent and strong and you light up those around you. I was destined to love you, but I can't imagine ever wanting anything else."
She felt her heart well up, and she was put at rest, blushing softly.
"Yukito come with me," Clef instructed, and he followed stiffly.
Umi wanted to follow but knew that it wasn't her place, instead she was left with a blushing Fuu and a snickering Hikaru, "What?"
"We thought you were fighting Umi-chan," Hikaru giggled, and Umi grinned.
"Oh we were, but I couldn't stay mad for long."
Fuu wondered how Umi kept from blushing and shying away; she wished she had her confidence.
'Finally someone with sense gets involved!' Umi turned her head when she heard Windam's voice.
'Where have you been all this time Master Mage?' Selece growled.
'Yes Guru, where have you been? Aren't you part of this too?' Windam's voice was strained when he used the title.
'This is none of your concern Windam, or you Selece,' Clef's voice was crisp in her mind.
'It may not be Windam's concern, but it is Selece's!' the other voice argued.
'Rayearth's right, it is Selece's,' Windam sounded smug.
'And I choose to let them in, so where have you been Guru?' Selece sounded equally satisfied.
'At the castle making arrangements for the Princess and the others if something is to go wrong,' Clef sounded angry.
'Your duty lies elsewhere. You have taken care of the Princess for many years, now it is time to watch over others,' Selece's voice was calm, but Umi detected hidden fury.
'Look before you leap because if you don't you may catch my blade,' this was Yukito's voice, low, warning, and hostile, and she wasn't sure who he was warning, Clef or Selece, maybe both.
'Selece you know I am the Master Mage of Cephiro and my duty will forever lie with the Princess; it is where my love lies that concerns you,' he said it softly, but she could feel Yukito's anger as he put a hand on the hilt of his blade. She could feel his every movement, almost hear his thoughts. She wasn't sure that he wouldn't kill Clef.
'Watch your words,' he growled instead.
'This war you two have caused, this rift; it is futile,' Selece suddenly seemed very tired, ridden with fatigue.
'Selece is right; you should be building bridges, not burning them,' Windam too took on that solemn tone.
'Please, for the safety of the Water Knight, for the safety of the Magic Knights, unite. You know how the stories go,' the last voice too was ghostly, and Umi realized something else…old
And then everything was over, and the others were staring at her curiously.
"Umi-chan?" Hikaru asked, sounding unsure.
"Hai," Umi put on a smile and tried not to wonder about the conversation she had just heard inside her head.
"Where were you?" Hikaru persisted, and Umi laughed.
"Home," she whispered and then her mind did flash back to her home and her mother. How could she be feeling joy when her mother was crippled at that damned internment camp? Why hadn't she been thinking of her more?
Because you don't want to remember, a little voice nagged at her, you've taken care of her long enough. It's time to live your own life, and you know it.
"Shut up," she whispered, and they turned.
"What?" Fuu looked at Hikaru, and both their eyes said that same thing; what did we say?
It's true, you know it, from the minute you walked in here you've wanted to forget about your past. He's making you forget it.
"Shut up! That's not true!" she screamed, clenching her fists to her head.
"Umi-chan!"
"Umi-san!" the two girls ran to her, but Ferio drew his sword and stopped them.
"Move!" Hikaru ordered, but he stayed, standing rigid.
"She is possessed and will only spread the demon to you," he told them calmly.
"No! She's sick! She needs our help!" Fuu tried to move past him, but he stopped every attempt.
"Why are you doing this?" Hikaru demanded.
"For your safety," Ferio replied, looking at Fuu, though it was Hikaru's question, "I wouldn't want harm to come to…the Magic Knights."
§§§~~~
She felt strong arms around her, "Sh… don't do this," he whispered, and she calmed. She put her hands on his arms and turned around, kissing him in an attempt to prove the voice wrong. He wouldn't want to hurt her, ever, "You're okay now?" he asked her softly, holding her tight against him.
"Hai," she smiled at him, and Clef scowled.
"The sun," Clef muttered, changing the mood some, "Has just risen, let us make a break for the mountains."
They all looked at Umi warily and were going to insist otherwise when he held up a hand, "I will have no arguments."
"But…" Hikaru started.
"Umi-san, she…" Fuu couldn't finish.
"She's fine," Yukito told them harshly, and they were curious about the way he pushed it away so quickly, as if…as if it hadn't happened.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she assured them and mounted, "Hurry, we must be fast, the sun only stays awake so long and the mountains are far."
They took nervous glances at each other and nodded, saddling up and mounting. They kicked their horses into a gallop as Yukito said a spell, and they took off, sprinting towards the mountains as fast as the feet of their mounts could take them.
§§§~~~
"It won't be long now," a voice whispered around him, and he shook, "It won't be long now, don't worry old friend. You will see that the prophecy will fall another way, and it will be because of your dear dear Water Knight. She will scar you, I'll see to that."
"Shut up," Yukito whispered, "Leave her alone, you have no need of her. Leave her alone, leave Cephiro alone. What made you turn this way?"
Everyone looked around at him. Had he gone mad now too?
There was laughter and then no more, "There's no sense in talking to him, that phase was over years ago," Clef told him softly, and he nodded in agreement.
"I wish it was another way, but it must be so," he said determined, and no more was spoken.
They reached Embertown safely and both Yukito and Clef assured them that they would be protected there. They said that it was a holy city, and were greeted by the mayor. They were given good housing, and no one dared to bother them.
"I don't understand," Umi muttered, "In the other places when we were known as the Magic Knights we were ambushed. We weren't allowed to be known. You said there were spies, but here…here it's different."
"It is different," Yukito agreed, "You have now revived two of the Rune Gods and are beyond spies. After another few days we will want him to find us, for a final battle."
They all gave weak glances and spoke no more of the topic. They were eating dinner and laughing when Umi pulled them out of the crowded room and told them softly, "I'm ready to tell my secrets now."
She led them into the woods and to a nearby creek. She slowly crept onto a fallen tree and faced them. She didn't know why she took them outside, but she thought she'd need the forest to help her say this, "I guess," she had to clear her throat, "I guess it started in Japan…my home."
They looked at her, shocked. They had never thought that she lived in Japan. They thought she might have lived there and then moved to some distant place where she could be away from the war. She had always seemed so neutral, almost like she hated both countries just because they were fighting.
"Japan?" Fuu whispered, feeling her throat tighten.
Umi nodded, "We…we lived in Tokyo…my mother, my father and I, near the Tokyo Tower. 118 Orange Street."
Fuu knew that neighborhood, that was the rich part of town, "You were wealthy then?"
She nodded again, "My father was a businessman, very profound."
"Was?" Ferio asked, and a tear fell from her eye.
Yukito wanted to stop them, make them stop questioning her, make her stop answering their questions. But he too wanted to know, he was curious, so he didn't stop her.
"The Germans were invading Europe, taking control, forcing the Jews into camps. All the while the Japanese remained at home, silent. Then…" she had to stop, the people of Cephiro had questions in their eyes.
"Germans?"
"Europe?"
"Jews?"
"The Germans are the Japanese, our people's allies," Fuu began.
"Oh yes," Hikaru said dryly, "See they put these people, the Jews, they're like a different religion, they believe in a different creator," she explained, "They put them in these camps where they're beaten, starved, and killed."
Fuu glared when Ferio asked, "And you're…allies with these people?"
"Stop," Umi whispered, "I'll explain."
Everyone looked at her, and they saw a wisdom in her eyes, something that could come only from being neutral, from despising both sides.
"The Germans are a people from a country in Europe. Europe is a continent, a big mass of land that is divided up into small little countries. Each country has its own ruler and way of ruling, its own law."
When understanding came into their eyes she continued, "The Germans and the Japanese are trying to…trying to take over the world, our world. They have allied with a few countries and want to destroy everything they can and bring it under one rule."
Fuu tried to argue, but she stopped her by turning her eyes and continuing, "The Americans are really the only ones standing in their way," here a gleam of pride shown in Hikaru's eyes, "The Americans don't want anyone to take over the world, they believe in freedom above all things. But then they are hypocrites in a way as well. They believe in freedom and detest the Germans for what they're doing to the Jews, but then they cage the Japanese up like some criminals in camps not unlike the Germans camps for Jews."
"They're not that bad…" Hikaru began, but Umi's eyes flared up, and she was angry enough to kill.
"Have you ever lived in one Hikaru?!" she screamed, and then everyone seemed to understand, "All you've ever known is American perks! All you've ever seen is the way the Americans believe in all this melding pot philosophy, that everyone can be happy together and live that way. You're sheltered from the outside world. Have you ever sat inside an internment camp where guards poke at you and take your food before you're finished?! Where they mock your pain and make fun of you?! Beat you for not getting up at four every morning?! Have you ever had to force food down your mother's throat, so you won't wake up the next morning and find her dead?! There are people in there who are starving to death! Others who are too old to move and are being beaten! Almost everyone had to cut off their hair in fear of lice, and worse. You cannot tell me they aren't that bad; you've never had to live in one."
And then for a long time all was silent, and no one dared to speak. The only sound they heard was the running water, and the small drops that fell into the creek beneath her feet. She stifled her sobs and forged on.
"I lived in an internment camps for two months before coming here," she whispered, "We lived in America for one month, my mother and I, before they found out about us. They thought we were spies, or feared we were so they forced us into the camps. They only forced new immigrants there. After those first few months they closed their borders to the Japanese fleeing the war. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of Japanese slaughtered now because of it."
"Why America? How did you get there?" Clef questioned gently, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"My father bought us the tickets; he told us we would be safe there. He was worried about the war, you see, he…" she stopped and looked at Fuu, making a decision. She looked into the gentle eyes of her friend; she looked past the intent glare of the general's daughter, and into the heart of the Magic Knight of Wind. She nodded slightly and began again, "He was a head member of the Resistance Force."
*Two quick things. One: Umi's address, I made it up entirely. I didn't feel like finding her address though I'm sure that it's known. Orange is from Agent Orange who happens to be the greatest person that ever lived.
Two: The Rune Gods, *sighs* I'm still reading through Old English stuff to try and work everything out so it might be awhile until I get that figured out.
Three wait there's three?: After this there should only be a few more chapters I think. Everything has been building up to the next few chapters dun dun dun so I'll try to have them out ASAP so until next chapter ja ne!*