Chapter Five: Reason for Living
Eagle waited patiently outside of the sickbay. He hadn't left that area since the Magic Knight had been brought in for treatment.
"But what caused those wounds? Chizeta and Fahren were too busy making off with the other two Knights to have hurt this one." Eagle thought, as the doors opened and a doctor strode out, taking his bloodied gloves off of his hands as he did so.
"Well? Will he survive?" Eagle asked, keeping his voice even.
"The wounds were pretty severe, Commander, and he'd lost quite a bit of blood. Yet he still seems to have a strong spirit, since he's still hanging on." The doctor replied, as Eagle walked into the recovery area and looked at the male Magic Knight. Yukito's face was extremely pale and he looked frail beside the life support machines.
"It is hard to believe that this is the same Magic Knight that had repulsed me so strongly earlier. It would be a miracle if he survives." Eagle murmured, as he picked up Yukito's glove and examined it. It was similar to Hikaru's, except it had a deep purple stone set in the center with delicate gold details surrounding it.
"Hikaru……………….san……………..don't go into the darkness………..Nova…she'll kill you…………No……………..don't let the darkness consume you………..fight it, Hikaru-san………….fight it…………!" Yukito moaned, softly.
"Magic Knight, what is after Hikaru? Can you tell me what kind of danger she is in? Who is Nova, anyway?" Eagle asked, gently.
"Darkness………………darkness is threatening to consume Hikaru-san……………the darkness in her heart………….." Yukito replied, painfully.
"Darkness in her heart?" Eagle asked.
"Darkness…………..that is so deep………..no light can hope to penetrate…………." Yukito murmured, before lapsing once more into silence.
"Magic Knight! Magic Knight, please, tell me more!" Eagle begged, but to no avail. Yukito had slipped back into a comatose state.
"If Hikaru's in danger, that could only mean that she must now be fighting for her life! But who is Nova? What does this person have anything to do with this situation? What?" Eagle wondered, as he continued to watch Yukito for any signs of life.
Hikaru stood frozen. Her mind was ablur with confusion. Had her friends really said what she'd thought they'd said? Or was she just trying to fool herself into thinking she had friends?
"Hikaru-san!" a voice called.
"Huh?!" Hikaru whirled around, looking for the source of the voice.
"Hikaru-san!" the voice called again, closer this time.
"Who is it? What do you want?!" Hikaru asked, thinking that this was another of Nova's lies.
"Hikaru-san, it's Yukito! Listen to me! Do not give in to the darkness! If you do, all will be lost! Hikaru-san, I don't want to lose you, not the way I lost my parents! Please! Don't give in!" the voice begged, as its owner appeared before Hikaru.
"Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, as she leaped over to him and hugged him, tears cascading down her cheeks.
"Hikaru-san, do you remember what I'd told you before Umi-san, Fuu-san and I left the castle?" Yukito asked, gently.
"You told me not to give up and that I have friends I can rely on." Hikaru said, softly.
"Yes. And that is the truth you must hold onto, Hikaru-san. Don't let Nova's lies get to you, for you know, deep down, what you believe. That is all you need to know." Yukito said, as he gently cupped Hikaru's face in his hands.
"You're right. I know what I believe now; it was always in my heart. You, Umi-chan, and Fuu-chan, are the most important people to me in my entire life, aside from my family and dog. You've always been there for me." Hikaru said, as tears again flowed from her eyes, but this time they were tears of realization, and not sorrow.
"Now, my dear little sister, I must go. I'll be back at the castle soon, don't worry." Yukito said, kissing Hikaru's forehead before departing.
"Right. See you soon, Yukito-chan." Hikaru said, as Nova appeared on the scene again.
"So, that was another person you loved, hmm?" Nova asked, not expecting to get a stony glare from Hikaru.
"I'm going back, back to where my friends are. Back to where everyone I love is waiting for my return." Hikaru said, as she raised her arms over her head and summoning her sword into them.
"What?! No!! Flame Arrow!" Nova screamed, hurling the spell at Hikaru. With a deft swing, Hikaru deflected the shot and disappeared into a column of flame.
Eagle was still sitting at Yukito's bedside when Yukito started glowing.
"What the…………….?!" Eagle yelped, as Yukito's body floated off of the bed, his glove reappearing on his hand and his final armor appearing on him. As this was going on, Yukito's wounds healed instantly.
"So this is magic………." Eagle murmured, stunned by what had just happened. As suddenly as it had started, the magic swirling around Yukito stopped, leaving Yukito standing before Eagle, fully conscious and alert.
"Thank you for helping me earlier, Eagle-kun. Now, I must go, since Hikaru-san is waiting for my return." Yukito said, with a polite bow.
"I……………uh………….You are welcome, Magic Knight." Eagle said, taken by surprise by Yukito's calm demeanor.
"You may call me Yukito, Eagle-kun." Yukito said, before summoning his sword into his hand, calling Yue, and disappearing into the Mashin.
"You're welcome, Yukito." Eagle said, to no one in particular.
At the same time, Fuu and Ferio were on their way back to the castle, they both looked up when they saw Yue descend from somewhere above them and fly alongside them.
"Yukito-san! He's all right!" Fuu shouted, with relief in her voice.
"What do you think you were doing, Yukito? You had everyone worried sick about you!" Ferio chastised, somewhat irritated when Yukito chuckled at him.
"I'm all right, Ferio-kun. I was saved by a very unlikely person." Yukito said, then suddenly stopped when eerie laughter filled the air.
"What is that?" Fuu asked, as a holographic image appeared before them. It was the same evil woman they had confronted in Nova's dimension!
"Who the heck is that woman?!" Ferio asked, not taking his eyes off of the image.
"You fools! You have no power against me!" Debonair screeched.
Elsewhere, Umi and Ascot were seeing the same image. Even the enemy ships and their crews were seeing the ethereal image.
"Where is……….that laughter comin' from?" Tarta asked, as the laughter caused chills of revulsion to run down her spine.
"Oh my………!" Tatra murmured, trembling slightly at the sight.
"What the heck is that?!" Aska asked, fearfully.
"Could this be what Yukito had mentioned?" Eagle murmured, as Geo and Zazu gaped at the image.
All of the witnesses watched as Debonair charged an energy ball and sent it flying.
"Moon Shield!" Yukito shouted.
"Guardian Wind!" Fuu yelped, adding her strength to Yukito's, but both of them found that they were not strong enough. On the other side of the battlefield, the same energy ball was sent flying at Umi, but Ascot bravely took the blow for her.
"Ascot!" Umi cried, as the monster Ascot was flying on disintegrated and he started falling. Carefully Umi manuevered Selece to catch the wounded Palu and brought him up against Selece's chest.
"Ascot, are you all right?! Speak to me!" Umi shouted, worried about the brave monster summoner.
"I'm all right, Umi. I'm glad…………I could help you out a little………….." Ascot murmured, before passing out from the pain of his injuries. Meanwhile, Ferio, Fuu, and Yukito had regained control and were once again facing Debonair.
"Foolish humans! You don't know the true meaning of my power!" Debonair cackled.
"What do you mean?!" Yukito shouted, boldly.
"What I mean is that I draw power from the limitless ocean that is the very heart of the people of Cephiro!" Debonair said, getting shocked reactions from all of those she'd appeared to. Just as she began to charge up again, a voice spoke to the Magic Knights.
"Umi! Fuu! Yukito!" the voice shouted.
"It's Clef!" Umi murmured.
"Clef-san!" Fuu said, surprised.
"Madoushi….." Yukito said, relieved to hear the familiar voice.
"Synchronize with my heart." Clef ordered.
"Synchronize?" Umi asked, telepathically. Clef, who now stood in the observatory, nodded.
"Open your hearts to me and concentrate. Fuu, Umi, Yukito." Clef commanded.
"Concentrate………………" the three Knights thought, as they all focused on Clef's aura. At the castle, Clef raised his staff into the air and the gem on the top of the staff lit up, producing a brilliant light. At the same time, Selece and Ascot started glowing, Ferio, Fuu and the bird they were riding on started glowing, and Yue started glowing. Before Debonair could fire off another shot, her three targets vanished from sight. The energy ball Debonair was holding fizzled out when she found that her targets were gone.
"Oooh that Madoushi! That was unnecessary!" Debonair said, sulkily, sounding not unlike a child that had been caught with a hand in the cookie jar. Within seconds, five figures materialized on the floor of the observatory.
"Oh, my head!" Yukito muttered.
"Oh my arm!" Ferio said, with a little sarcasm in his voice, even though it sounded pained.
"Oh my whole body!" Ascot said, with a grimace. It was then that Umi noticed a crumpled form on the floor.
"Clef!" Umi yelped, as she got up and rushed over to his side. Gently, Umi pulled his head into her lap, relieved when she saw Clef's eyelids flutter and his eyes open.
"U-umi…………..I am relieved………..that you're all right………" Clef murmured, smiling weakly up at the girl he loved, then passing out in her arms from exhaustion.
"Oh Clef…………" Umi whispered, tearfully. As Fuu worked her healing magic on Ferio and Ascot, and while Umi tended to Clef, Yukito went in search of Hikaru. Before he could get very far, he caught sight of Lantis carrying Hikaru to her room.
"Lantis-kun! Is Hikaru-san all right?" Yukito asked, worriedly.
"She is merely exhausted. She'll be fine after she gets some rest." Lantis replied, with something in his voice that Yukito could not decipher. But he was relieved that Hikaru would be all right.
"Lantis-kun…………?" Yukito asked, as Lantis turned to walk down the hall.
"Hn?" Lantis asked.
"Thank you for taking care of Hikaru-san while the rest of us were away. It was greatly appreciated." Yukito said, with a smile.
"You're welcome, Moon Knight." Lantis replied, as thoughts of how alike Eagle and Yukito really were entered his mind. At dinner that night, Yukito regrouped with his friends. Kerberos looked very interested in how Yukito had been rescued by Eagle of Autozam.
"So he just let you go, Yukito?" Kerberos asked, stunned.
"Yes. I told him that Hikaru-san was expecting me, and he simply let me go. He really isn't a bad fellow. There was something he was hiding, though. Something he didn't want anyone else to see. There was sadness in his eyes." Yukito murmured, as he remembered his brief, one-on-one close encounter with the commander of Autozam's battleship.
"Hmm………you know, Hikaru had said something similar earlier. She doesn't want to fight him." Syaoran said, watching as Lantis entered the room.
"He looks tired." Meiling murmured, as she hovered over Syaoran's head.
"Yes, he does. I wonder…………" Yukito murmured, as the whole group in the dining hall watched Lantis silently disappear down another hallway.
"He's heading for the residential area. He goes there quite often." Kerberos said, as he watched Innouva follow Lantis into the hall. As Lantis walked, he heard Innouva's footsteps behind him.
"Innouva…….?" Lantis asked, turning slightly and looking at the elf. Innouva froze.
"Yes, Lantis-sama?" Innouva replied, eager to please the brother of Zagato (not that way, potential yaoi readers!).
"Why are you following me?" Lantis asked.
"I don't know. It is a habit, I guess." Innouva replied. Lantis sighed.
"Well, since we are both halfway to the residential area, I would like to talk to you, Innouva." Lantis said, quietly.
"As you command, Za-----Lantis-sama." Innouva said, catching himself from saying his old master's name.
"It's not a command, Innouva, it's a request." Lantis murmured, having caught the near saying of his brother's name. Innouva nodded, silently, and followed Lantis to where the fountain was. When they had both taken a seat, Lantis began to talk.
"Innouva, do you miss being a lightning hound?" Lantis asked. Innouva fell off of the ledge and into the fountain base.
"Do what?!" Innouva sputtered, not believing what Lantis had just asked.
"Do you miss your original form, Innouva?" Lantis asked, again. Innouva sat where he, was, stunned, then came to his senses.
"Not really, Lantis-sama. Why do you ask?" Innouva asked, as he picked himself up from the fountain and sat on the ground in front of Lantis.
"The lightning out there would have really been to your liking." Lantis said, quietly, as he listened to the thunder that sounded overhead.
"Yes, it would have, before I was commissioned to be Zagato-sama's guardian. But now, my only thought is to fulfill my promises and remain loyal to Zagato-sama's family." Innouva said, his ears twitching as he listened to the sound of lightning sizzling through the air.
"So you have willingly resigned yourself to that fate?" Lantis asked.
"Yes, Lantis-sama." Innouva replied. Lantis looked relieved about that.
"Innouva, would you mind telling me what Hikaru was like before she had to face my brother and fulfill the legend?" Lantis asked. Innouva looked down at the ground, his eyes thoughtful.
"She was………….very energetic. Her comrades always had a hard time keeping up with her. She also had a seemingly limitless smile and incredible courage. I watched from the sidelines as she and her comrades traipsed across Cephiro, only emerging to face them when I was permitted to. The one you should really ask is that Moon Knight, Yukito. He traveled with her, so he knows exactly what she was like." Innouva said, falling silent when he heard footsteps. Both turned and looked, surprised to see Hikaru and Mokona entering the area. Deciding that it was best to leave the two alone, Innouva stood up and started walking away, but going past Hikaru in the process.
"Hello, Innouva!" Hikaru greeted, cheerfully.
"Hello, Magic Knight." Innouva murmured, quietly.
"I wish you would call me Hikaru. I want to be your friend, Innouva!" Hikaru said, gently. Innouva looked a little surprised about that, but managed a slight smile.
"Okay, Hikaru. I believe Lantis-sama would like to speak to you." Innouva said, before departing from their presence. In Clef's room, Umi hovered anxiously over the still form of Madoushi Clef.
"He seems to be sleeping now, Umi. You needn't worry so much." Eriol said, as he stood Clef's staff up next to the head of the bed.
"But still, he looks so weak lying there." Umi said, quietly.
"Don't worry. Kaho is the finest healer in these parts. If the Madoushi does fall ill, she'll be able to treat him. Just go and get some rest. We'll let you know when he wakes up." Eriol reassured, as Umi was ushered out of the room. Meanwhile, Fuu walked the halls with Ferio. She had her hand on his tunic sleeve, almost as though to reassure herself that he was all right and wasn't going to leave her. Then Ferio chuckled about something, making them both stop.
"What's so funny, Ferio?" Fuu asked, confused by this.
"Remember back when you and the others were going after Windam? I grabbed your arm to tell you that I believed in you. Remember?" Ferio asked. Fuu nodded, unsure as to what Ferio was getting at.
"Well, you have a death-grip on my tunic sleeve. Are you tryin' to tell me somethin'?" Ferio asked, his golden eyes sparkling. Fuu blushed.
"I guess………….I guess what I am trying to do is reassure myself that you are all right. And that I love……………….." Fuu stopped, blushing even deeper than she ever had before. Ferio smiled, pulling Fuu into an embrace so quickly that she didn't know what was happening till she found herself in his arms.
"I know………….I feel the same way for you." Ferio said, gently, as he continued holding her.
Yukito sighed as he gazed up at the observatory ceiling/ holographic projection. The skies matched Yukito's mood; gloomy.
"Well, I didn't know you would be in here, Magic Knight." Clow said, as he entered the room.
"Yes. I don't quite understand why I was drawn in here. It seems that Cephiro's future is very bleak indeed." Yukito murmured.
"I agree. Unless we find a new Pillar soon, Cephiro will crumble away." Clow said, as he watched bits and pieces of stone float weightlessly away and into the swirling vortex above Cephiro Castle.
"Why must there be a new Pillar? Why must that same terrible tragedy be repeated? The summoning, the magic, the Fountain of Eterna's trials, the awakening and donning of Mashin, the killing of the Pillar and the man she loves, and then the return to earth; why must it all be repeated? Isn't there any better way?" Yukito asked, sorrowfully. Clow slowly shook his head.
"I am afraid not, Magic Knight. The only way Cephiro can exist is through the prayers of a Pillar. There is no other way." Clow said, watching as Yukito's posture went rigid.
"Haven't you or anyone else ever searched for another solution? Huh? Have you? You have no idea the hell Fuu-san, Umi-san, Hikaru-san and I went through before we returned here! Day and night we would relive that final battle and remember that we have blood on our hands! I don't want anyone else to live through that kind of pain! Somehow or another, we have got to put an end to this system, otherwise, in a matter of years the new Pillar would need to summon new Magic Knights to come and kill her! The whole cycle would continue!" Yukito said, finally snapping from his usually calm persona to one where he was crying uncontrollably. It was then that Caldina and Presea entered the room and saw Yukito sink to his knees in defeat, while Clow gave them a helpless look.
"Yukito…………" Presea murmured, as she gently walked over to his side, kneeled down next to him and held him, rocking him back and forth like she would have done with a small child.
"Poor thing. And his tears are all for the Pillar." Caldina said, softly, as she too hugged Yukito, both of them holding him close until his sobs subsided into the gentle breathing of a sleeper.
"Clow, would you mind getting Lafarga? Yukito's asleep now." Presea said, keeping her voice low so she wouldn't disturb him. Clow nodded and went out of the room, while Presea and Caldina stayed with Yukito, their sympathy drawing them even closer than they ever had been before.