*I could just kill fanfiction…grrr…but it's up! YEY! Finally! I love them again!*
Chapter 5 Touch
He took them back to his 'pad' which was just an apartment nearby.
"How old are you anyway?" Fuuchou asked as she looked around the apartment.
"Nineteen," he responded, staring at her.
She blushed but that moment was quickly ruined when Mizuuma burst out, "And you're on our own?!"
He laughed slightly, "I go to the American University right in D.C. it's my second year. My parents pay for everything for me, but they have no idea that I protest."
"So you live here alone?" Kojishi inquired.
"No, I have a roommate; he should be here soon actually," and as if right on cue a guy walked through the door, "Here he is now."
"Brian! You would never believe what h…" he stopped short when he saw the girls, "Uh…hello? Who are you?"
"My name's Fuuchou," she smiled her mother's smile, the one that lit up the room, and Brian held his breath. He knew his roommate was much more attractive and interpersonal, a real 'ladies' man'.
When he turned away and looked at the other two he let out a quiet sigh.
"Kojishi!" she grinned, and he smiled at her.
"And you?"
"Mizuuma," she answered quietly, taking on her father's personality.
"Nice to meet you," he turned to his roommate, "New recruits?" here he laughed, "Pretty conservative if you ask me."
"They're not from around here," he snapped defensively, "The cause has nothing to do with clothes anyway."
"Ah," his smile was mischievous, "I see how it is. Which one?" he said soft, so they wouldn't hear.
He blushed and threw a glance at Fuuchou.
"Good taste," he turned back to the others, "Well my name is Zack."
"Nice to meet you," they smiled.
"Well I'm hungry, anyone know how to cook?" he asked, and Kojishi grinned.
"Mizuuma is a great cook," she responded, and Mizuuma smiled.
"And Kojishi is my apprentice, we'll whip you up something."
"Okay then, let's see this talented cooking skill," he winked at Brian and the three of them walked into the small kitchen.
§§§~~~
Once they were inside and all the ingredients for Mizuuma's dinner were laid out they began to cook, and Zack took the opportunity.
"Brian is really diggin' on your friend," he informed them, and they laughed.
"Yeah we noticed, not to mention the weird way Fuuchou's been acting," Kojishi clamped her mouth shut and blushed.
Mizuuma and Zack laughed.
"You're cute," Zack informed her and there was a hidden glint in his eye.
"Thanks," Kojishi blushed deeper, and Mizuuma grinned.
"Oh look!" she called, "We don't have any garlic! I better go get some!"
"But Mizuuma you don't need…" Kojishi began, but she had already grabbed her bag and run out of the apartment. She would ask someone where the nearest place to get the ingredient was once she was outside.
§§§~~~
"So um…" Brian didn't know what to say now that she was here with him alone.
"Yeah," Fuuchou looked down and blushed just as Mizuuma escaped through the door.
"Where is she going in such a hurry?" Brian asked, and Fuuchou smiled that dazzling smile.
"Well she happens to be a very excellent cook and will go to many lengths to get the things she needs to make the perfect meal, especially with company," she answered, and Brian laughed.
"Really? I can't wait to try it then. So how long have you guys been friends for?" he used it as a subject to speak about.
"Since forever," she answered, "Our parents are best friends, and they…" she stopped; he couldn't tell him what she wanted to. She felt she could trust him, but these were Earth people, not those from Cephiro.
"And they…?"
"They live near each other," she finished, "So we see each other a lot."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"So what are you doing here, all the way from Japan if you're not protesting?" he got back to the subject of where they were truly from.
"We came to see America, our parents didn't want us to come, so, being the rebels we are," she laughed, "We came."
He grinned, "True protestors at core, we're rebels too. All our parents, or most of them, believe that war is the right thing, but we've seen what it can do. It's not right for this to be happening, and we're fighting for it."
"That's very noble," she said quietly, "I wouldn't be able to do that. I'm very close to my mother."
"But you came here, against her will."
"Yes, but…" she looked into his eyes, "Well I really wasn't thinking when it happened."
"It's hard not to think about getting on a plane and flying across an ocean," he informed her.
"Uh…I guess," she mumbled and again there was an awkward silence.
§§§~~~
"Clef I'm worried," she spoke to him in their true language, and he was surprised.
"I am too," he responded in the only language he knew.
"It's dangerous out there," she looked out the hotel window across to the White House, "Very dangerous. I don't know what's out there, or who she's with or anything," tears sprung to her eyes.
He walked behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, trying to keep the pure fear from his voice, "She'll be okay; she's smart and strong, and the others are too. She'll be fine."
"But Earth, it's not like Cephiro. It's not all safe and happy, it's harsh and there's so many things that have changed. It looks even more dangerous than it was then, the people are so different. They're not to be trusted," she turned away from the window, "I don't want to be here; I don't want to have to look at this place, this place that stole my life."
"Umi," he held her close, "I know what Earth did to you, but you had good times too. I know you did."
"More bad than good, too many years of war," she looked down, "And though Cephiro gave my mother and I our lives back there was no getting anything back for my father."
"I know," he whispered, "I know, but you have to put that behind you. You have to, for our daughter, for yourself, for me, for the family, you have to put it behind you."
"Easier said than done," she laughed weakly, and he led her to bed. They would need to be up early in the morning so they could resume their search.
§§§~~~
Fuu ran her hands over her ovum gem and looked at it nervously. Why was it doing that? Why was it pulsing and glowing? She didn't like the look of that, not at all.
"What's wrong?" Ferio came over and knelt beside her.
"I'm not sure," her face curved into a frown, "Something is wrong with my gem, it's screaming in agitation and anger, and it's pulsing, like it's scared or something."
"That's weird," he watched it, and his eyes grew wide, "That doesn't make sense, maybe we should ask Clef, he's the one who made them."
"I don't know how, but I know that he wouldn't be able to answer this question," she stared at it, "But maybe I know someone who can."
'Windam!'
'Yes Wind Knight?' the bird answered in her mind.
'My gem is pulsing and screaming with magic in anger and fear. I don't understand, what's happening?' Fuu inquired.
'There is a deep danger lurking behind the shadows. Something that is going to threaten Earth. It will be up to the Magic Knights to save this land,' he answered.
'Oh no,' Fuu whispered, 'Windam that can't be right. How are we to fight with the people, how are we to explain that?'
'The people of earth will be protected from knowledge and danger,' he answered, 'I cannot tell more.'
'Arigato Windam,' she knew that she would get no more from him.
"What'd he say?" Ferio asked anxiously.
"He said that there was a danger here and that there was going to be trouble," Fuu answered, "He said that we would have to fix it and the people would be safe from harm and knowledge."
"Oh that doesn't sound good," Ferio said dryly.
"No it really doesn't," she looked toward the window, "Wherever this danger is I hope it can wait until we have our girls back."
He put his arms around her waist, "They're together and they're safe."
"I hope so," her tears looked silver in the moonlight as they streamed down her cheeks.
§§§~~~
"So where are you from?" Zack asked Kojishi, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Um…" she remembered suddenly, "Japan!" she shouted triumphantly.
He laughed, "Glad you remembered."
"Yeah me too," she admitted, and they both laughed.
"So what do you think about the war? Where are your views?" he questioned.
"Well I don't really know much about it," she answered and blushed, "Where we're from we don't know much about anything that goes on around here."
"That's understandable," he nodded, "But let me tell you about the war."
When he was finished explaining she had a deep sadness on her face, "It's wrong," she began, and he nodded in agreement, "That they should be imprisoned by their own people. It sounds awful, being betrayed by something so close to you," and suddenly her words hit her, her mother…she pushed it away.
"But why should we be killed in a war that doesn't concern us?" he asked, getting defensive on his views.
"Because maybe they need help! If you needed help wouldn't you want someone to help you?!" she glared at him, "You should always help those in need."
"That's easy for you to say, you're not the one being drafted," he muttered, and she glared.
"I'd be glad to fight for someone else, proud to do it, and I think you should be too," they stayed that way, glaring at each other for what seemed like forever before he laughed a bit and smiled at her.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up, it's an easy way to get into a fight. I don't want to see you angry, no matter how cute you are when you are angry."
This made her blush and look down which only made him laugh harder.
She glared and hit him playfully.
He shoved her back and suddenly they were play fighting each other, laughing and screaming.
§§§~~~
"What's going on in there?" Brian asked and looked toward the kitchen.
"Kojishi!" Fuuchou shouted and ran into the kitchen, Brian close on her heels. They stared, shocked at what they found; Kojishi was on the floor rolling around and hitting Zack who was laughing and playfully fighting back.
Brian brushed past her and sent tingles up her body. She flinched slightly and brushed the feeling away. She liked it though and wasn't in a hurry to make it leave.
§§§~~~
She drew her sword subconsciously and summoned Fire to her fingers. She jumped back, and Lantis stared.
"How?" he asked, and she shook her head.
"I don't know, I never thought that I could use magic on Earth," she stuttered and tried to understand, "I was almost positive I couldn't."
"You can't," Lantis said firmly, "It's impossible because Earth doesn't even have magic because no one believes in it."
"But maybe that's changing, or maybe something is happening to Earth and Cephiro," Hikaru looked distressed, "And it seems that our children are at the center of it. We have to find them Lantis, this is unnatural, it is."
"I know," he took her hand, "I know it is. We'll find them."
"We have to; we can't leave them out there alone like that. It's so unbelievably dangerous; it's so different from Cephiro. The people here don't care about anyone but themselves, all they care about is getting what they want. If they have to hurt people to get it they will, and they don't know that. They don't understand that the people here aren't like the people in Cephiro. I'm afraid they're too vulnerable. What if we're already too late?" she sank to the ground and sobbed into her hands.
"I know, but we can't think like that," he told her softly and pulled her close to him, "We have to keep searching and I know that we'll find them. If magic works here now then so does the power of will, and I know that you have the strongest will of anyone I know."
She smiled up at him through her tears, thankful for his warmth. They both said a silent prayer for their daughter before they retreated to their restless sleep.
§§§~~~
She walked into the streets and into what she thought was a store. When she opened the door though she knew she had found the wrong place.
All around her was loud music and people dancing. A weird smelling smoke covered the room and made her cough and sputter. She looked through the smoke and watched the flashing lights and bright colors. It was utterly insane.
"Where am I?" she muttered and felt suddenly dizzy, "What's going on?" she fell into a wall and stumbled further into the room.
"Woah! New girl!" someone shouted and pulled her down into a chair and put something in her hand, "Have some, it'll clear up your headache."
"Uh…" Mizuuma looked at the thing in her hand warily, "I don't know what this is…" she tried to explain, but someone was pushing her.
She caught flashes of what was going on around her. Insane laughter and dancing, and then there were people kissing and throwing themselves at each other all around her. All of this was happening in a world of color.
"Yo! She's trippin' and she didn't even have anything!" one guy laughed, and the words blurred together.
Someone grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the world of color into a dark corner, "Are you okay?"
She stared, and her vision blurred and swayed. She coughed, and she realized she couldn't breathe.
He looked at her worried and picked her up and took her outside. When he set her down again the fresh air had cleared her senses, and she was able to look at him again.
"Where am I?" she asked, "Who are you?"
He smiled slightly and tried to explain to her, "You're in downtown D.C. You stumbled upon a party, and I think you might have sniffed a little bit of something you shouldn't have," he told her.
"What?"
He looked around, "Drugs dear, drugs."
"What?" she repeated, and he sighed.
"You don't dress like you're from around here, so you might not know what I'm talking about, and that's probably better off. Those people in there, stay away from them, they're dangerous."
"But they look like the same people that we're staying with," she informed him as her senses began to slowly come back.
"People here are deceiving; you're really not from this world," he laughed slightly, "People aren't all the same. I think you need to get your brain warmed up again because you might have lost some memory."
"Right," she muttered and turned, remembering what she had been doing before she got in there, "What time is it?"
"Just after ten," he answered.
"How did it seem that fast?" she whispered, "I've been gone for an hour."
"They work that way. I have no idea how you got on a high from just sniffing in the stuff. I mean I would've thought you'd been more immune to it," he admitted, "You're pretty straight edge looking, but everyone has a better immunity than that. It doesn't have that effect unless you live in perfectly clean air your whole life. That's not possible for anyone."
"You'd be surprised."
He ignored the comment, "Where are you going? Can I take you there?"
"I'm really not that far," she took a step and stumbled. He caught her.
"I better drive you."
"Okay," she agreed this time, and then stared in wonderment as he drove her home. She was surprised at this creation and tried not to ask too many questions about it. He answered them all guessing she was still somewhat high and had a lot of patience for her.
"If those people are so dangerous than why were you in there?" she asked when he stopped outside the apartment complex.
"Oh because I like a bit of danger," he grinned, and she glared.
"That's not very good. I mean if that stuff did that to me and I didn't even technically have it then you really shouldn't be having it at all," she informed him.
"I don't do it; I just hang around with people that do," he offered, and she closed her eyes and yawned.
"Oh."
"Maybe I'll see you around."
"Maybe," she smiled and thanked him, walking inside.
§§§~~~
They walked around the streets in wonderment. Everyone there was frozen, as if they had never moved before in their lives, living statues. Hikaru pushed one of them and they fell over.
"Oh, my, God," Fuu whispered as she looked over all of Washington D.C.
"What if this happened to them?" Umi demanded.
"I don't know," Lantis shook his head.
"This is crazy," Ferio muttered.
"I don't understand," Hikaru closed her eyes.
"How did this happen?" Clef demanded.
"We should probably find out," Umi told them, and they nodded.
"But how?" Hikaru inquired.
"First and foremost we find the girls, and then we figure out what happened here," Fuu gave orders like a Princess, and they nodded and set off at a run in search of their daughters.
§§§~~~
"What the hell?!" Zack shouted as they walked outside and found the same scene as the others had.
"What happened?" Brian looked around him in horror.
"Uh…" Fuuchou laughed hesitantly.
"Is this something from home?" Kojishi looked at the other two, and they nodded.
"Something from home?" Zack's eyes narrowed, "What the hell kind of weapon could do this? Are they alive?"
"They're alive," Brian looked up from examining one of them, "They're breathing, but they're like statues, living statues. But as for you three," he glared at them, "I think you need to explain just where you're from and what this is about."
"Well you see," just as Fuuchou was about to begin a car came screaming around the corner, and Mizuuma looked at who it was.
"Do you know that you're the only people alive in this whole city?!" he shouted as he jumped out of the car, "I thought you were just trippin' last night, but it seems I was wrong. What is this about? What the hell are you?!"
"Mizuuma, who is this?" Fuuchou asked, and Mizuuma shrugged.
"Some guy I met last night."
"Oh great," Brian muttered and rolled his eyes, "One of them."
"What is that supposed to mean?" the newcomer asked.
"Just one of you people who care more about the drugs and the rebel side of this than the true cause. One of you who care more about yourselves than about the people that are dying in Vietnam," Zack told him harshly, and he glared.
"For your information I happen to be straight edge, just because I hang out at those places doesn't mean I do that stuff!" he shouted, and they glared at one another, "And none of that matters now considering everyone in the whole city is dead!"
"They're not dead, calm down," Brian snapped, "They're just, stunned, or something."
"So what really is going on here?" the newcomer asked, calmer now.
"Why don't you tell us who you are first and then we'll think about telling you," Fuuchou instructed, and he nodded.
"My name's Jake," he answered.
"Well," Kojishi sighed.
"Well," Fuuchou looked down.
"Well," Mizuuma laughed hesitantly.
"Well would you tell us?" Zack snapped.
"We're from another world!" Kojishi burst out.
"And we came here to find out where our parents were from," Mizuuma tried.
"And our parents are the Magic Knights of the realm, and we needed to know what they experienced," Fuuchou explained.
They stared, gaping, wide-eyed and completely shocked at just this little bit.
"They're all trippin'!" Jake laughed, "No seriously though, tell us."
"We're from a world called Cephiro, and our parents are the Magic Knights from there, and they came from here. We just found out they were from here and then we willed ourselves here. And now we're here, Cephiro is based on will, so we can do basically whatever we want if we want it bad enough," Fuuchou explained.
"I don't think they're kidding," Zack said softly, and Brian's eyes widened.
"Is that why I didn't think your accents were Japanese?"
They nodded and looked down.
"This is insane," Jake shook his head, trying to absorb it all.
"Mizuuma, Fuuchou, Kojishi you are in so much trouble!" Umi shouted as she walked upon them, the others close behind.
"Mom? Dad?" Mizuuma asked, and she walked toward them.
"Mom! Dad!" Kojishi ran to her parents, and Fuu bowed to hers. They bowed back and embraced.
When everyone was back together they looked at the three boys.
"How are they still standing?" Lantis asked, and Clef shook his head.
"Hold out your hands," he instructed Jake, and the boy did as was asked. A blue glow surrounded Clef's hands and wrapped around Jake's. When Clef opened his eyes he knew what had happened, "They were touching them when this happened. And they are…" he looked at Umi, deep worry in his eyes, "They are Magic Knights."
Tori:
"And you know and I know
I don't know me very well
And I know and you know
If they found me out
Sugar he brings me SugarI know the robins bring they bring me many things
But Sugar he brings me Sugar"
Tori Amos, Sugar, To Venus and Back, Live