*Sorry this took so long. Actually it's completely finished as of about two weeks ago, but I just got home from vacation, and got to the business of posting right now. I also realized that I had to make several drastic changes, so sorry about the wait, here's my next chapter!*
Chapter 8 Aquacity, Embertown, and Breezeville
They mounted and looked back at the palace one last time.
"We'll see you soon," Ferio called to the people on the steps.
"Princess Bless," Zagato called back.
"Princess Bless," Ferio responded, and they rode off.
They rode together all day until they reached the Forest of Silence where they spent the night together, then in the morning they were to part their separate ways. The morning was dull and showed rain on the horizon.
"Here is where we part," Clef told them, and they nodded.
Fuu, Umi and Hikaru brought their horses close together.
"Be careful," Umi told them, and they nodded.
"Be safe," Fuu added, and they again nodded.
"Be successful," Hikaru finished, and they broke away.
"Ashiteru!" they called and smiled at one another.
"I guess this is bye for now," Kojishi said sadly. Her face was downcast, but she forced herself to keep up her spirit and goodwill. She trusted her parents, and her friends with everything, with her life. She knew that they would stay safe and unharmed.
"Only for now, remember the pact," Fuuchou instructed, looking between her friends. Her heart ached, would she see them again? Would they stay safe, be hurt? She pushed out the thoughts.
"We'll stay safe; we have a lot on our side," Mizuuma smiled and looked at the people who stood near, brimming with confidence.
"Ashiteru," they all whispered and looked back to their parents.
"Rayearth!"
"Selece!"
"Windam!"
The three guardian spirits rose from the ovum gems and towered above everything else.
"Oh my God," the six who had never seen them whispered.
"Finally!" Rayearth shouted.
"I thought we'd never get out of there!" Windam whined.
"So where are we going?" Selece asked.
"Rayearth we are going to Embertown, our home," Hikaru told the giant Lion, and jumped from her horse, which was quickly turned into a pack horse to lighten the load.
"Selece, Aquacity," Umi mounted the huge blue Dragon.
"Breezeville," Fuu stroked the Phoenix before she too mounted.
"Okay, we'll meet up at the palace when we get the word from Emeruade," Fuu told them, and they nodded.
'You're splitting up, how convenient,' the voice of the Dark Blade hissed in her mind; she suddenly felt very uneasy about the plan.
"He's just trying to make thee feel that way," Selece informed her, and she smiled and thanked him but couldn't easily brush off that eerie voice. She flinched slightly and the goosebumps rose on her arms as she thought other thoughts.
With one last goodbye they turned and took off toward their designated cities.
§§§~~~
"They think that I want them all, so they're splitting up," she laughed cruelly.
"You called for me mistress?" he bowed to her and then looked into beautiful eyes.
"Yes, prepare horses; we're headed toward Aquacity."
§§§~~~
Brian was amazed by the beautiful woods that surrounded most of Cephiro. The lakes were pure and untainted, and the air was fresh and filled his lungs. He smiled, this place was magnificent. He wasn't sure where exactly this existed, another dimension, but wherever he was, Cephiro they called it, he could call this place home any day.
"We're almost there," Fuu called down from the Phoenix, and the horses automatically picked up speed. They looked at Ferio who grinned slightly.
"I did learn a few things from Yukito," he laughed, and Brian realized that this was the smoothest horse ride he'd ever had.
"This is a great animal," he looked down at the bay beneath him and smiled slightly.
"All horses in Cephiro are better than Earth horses because they have less to fear," Fuu told him.
"Ah."
As they approached the beautiful city ahead no one could speak a word, the beauty was breathtaking. There were many small houses made of straw and leaves on the outskirts of town, but in the middle there were huge palaces made of marble and surrounded by beautiful gardens.
"Welcome to Breezeville," the Phoenix's voice showed amusement.
"It hasn't changed a bit," Fuu said quietly, "Only…it's less burnt," she looked down and closed her eyes, pushing away memories as well.
"What?" Fuuchou asked as Windam landed. She saw the distress on her mother's face and had to know.
"Last time we were here this place was being burnt by the Dark One," Ferio told her.
"Oh…" she looked around and wasn't sure what to think. This was a beautiful place, she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to destroy it, but then, she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hurt anything in Cephiro. She closed her eyes and could feel the horse beneath her, she smiled softly as good thoughts flowed back into her mind.
"Windam, I hate to do this to you again, but back in the gem," Fuu teased, and he sighed and went back into the ovum gem with a few muttered complaints.
"Okay, let's go find a room for a few days."
They nodded and walked toward the nearest inn.
§§§~~~
Zack noticed the quickly rising heat as the horses lost their stride and worked their way up a steep incline, "What's going on?" he couldn't say he wasn't glad of the change of pace; he had only ridden once before, and he wasn't very good, but he wasn't sure what was happening. Was it some kind of trap?
"Embertown is on a volcano," Hikaru told him, and his jaw dropped.
"What if it explodes?" he managed to choke out.
"Then you touch me," Hikaru answered, "I can't be affected by Fire or lava in Cephiro. When someone touches me they get my gift for a short while."
"Oh," he was amazed by this fact, that was scientifically impossible, but he was beginning to notice a reoccurring pattern, science was not a part of Cephiro.
Rayearth slowed to a walk for the horse's sakes.
In a few minutes Hikaru decided it was best if he went back to the protection of the gem, and thanked him over his complaints. She laughed as they reached Embertown, and everyone's breath was taken away.
It was a very large city with huge houses made of deep redwood from the forest below. It made the houses look almost red, which was appropriate for the home of the Magic Knight of Fire.
A short man that was very plump and very bald ran out to greet them, "Fire Knight," he bowed, "It has been a very long time. And now you've grown."
She smiled, "Yes, hello."
"Welcome back to Embertown," he continued, and she grinned.
"Thank you, mayor, I'd like you to meet my husband, Lantis, and my daughter Kojishi, this is Zack, a friend of Kojishi's," she introduced them, and he shook their hands.
"You're as beautiful and strong willed as your mother," he told Kojishi, "I can see it. So where will you be staying?"
"Wherever's best," Hikaru responded.
"Very good very good, we'll get you checked in right now. No no no you don't pay, it's on me, my pleasure; I'm honored to have you back," he led them to a nearby Inn, and they followed as he spoke of changes and small skirmishes since she had been gone. He hinted a few times at some repairs that sadly could never get finished because they didn't have the money, and hinted toward her with her friends in high places. She rolled her eyes toward Lantis and laughed, but never interrupted him.
§§§~~~
Umi closed her eyes, and a tear slipped down her cheek as she looked longingly toward a village near the sea.
"Mom?" Mizuuma asked when she saw the tear hit close to where she was riding. She didn't understand the battle in her mother's eyes. She knew she loved Yukito, but how could someone hold onto something for that long? She needed to understand that emotion before she could understand her mother, and it made her helpless, it made her useless. Being useless made her angry.
Umi shook her head and wrapped her arms around Selece's neck, "It's been a long time."
"A very long time," he agreed.
After a few minutes of silence Selece went back in the gem, and Umi remounted. She looked at the pure white stallion beneath her and touched the blue spot on its haunches, Yukito's last gift to her. Her daughter was riding the chestnut mare that she had ridden so long ago, the one named Spring Breeze.
"This is Aquacity," Umi told them as they rode out into the open and were met with a large city with sleek, tall buildings painted blue. There was a blue lighthouse in the distance, and the waves lapped on the bottom of it playfully.
"It's beautiful," Mizuuma whispered in awe as they rode into town and found a room to stay at.
"It is, but when we saw it last it looked a lot worse. I hope I'll never have to see any village in that condition again," Umi shook her head, and Clef took her hand.
"You never will."
§§§~~~
Mizuuma jumped awake, and she could feel the fear tighten in her whole body. There was a girl there, with golden curly hair and dark hazel eyes; eyes that used to be innocent, used to love, but then they were distorted. She had a dark blade in her hand, and there was blood on it, and Mizuuma's eyes caught something else. A strand of deep blue hair.
"Is that the enemy?" she whispered and sat up.
Someone opened her door, and she drew her sword from her gem. She raised it and felt it meet steel. For a few moments they battled until suddenly there was a light, and she saw her father in the room, staff raised. He sighed heavily and lowered the staff, and Mizuuma turned back to her opponent; it was Jake. She couldn't believe he had actually held onto his sword that long.
"Mizuuma?" he whispered, and she nodded.
"What are you doing here?" Mizuuma demanded, slightly annoyed.
"I heard you call out in your sleep, I was worried," he responded and put the sword back in its hilt near his side.
"Oh," she unsummoned her own sword, and looked to her father, "I saw the enemy, in my dreams, she's looking for mother."
"I know," he said quietly, and Mizuum's eyes widened, "You know! Then why are we here?! Alone?!"
"Because this plan is strong, it will work, only in a different way. The enemy will come here, to Aquacity, in search of your mother, but we won't be here for long. We will go to another village on the sea, a village your mother has to confront, and she will go to the palace looking for Umi. That's when we'll corner her," he responded.
"I don't understand, you know, but mom doesn't?" Mizuuma asked, confused. More pieces to a puzzle that she didn't have a frame to. She had to base everything on bits and pieces. She had to build the middle before the edges. She tried not to think too hard because she had to hear what her father was telling her.
"No, but she'll understand soon, she will, trust me," he told her, and then told her to get some more sleep, that she needed it for the next day they would be traveling.
She nodded, needing her silence just then, and as he left Jake turned, "You," she pointed to him, and he turned and faced her, "Next time you decide to attack someone make sure it's not the one you're protecting."
He nodded and looked down.
"And," she smiled, "Good fighting."
"Thanks," he turned and walked from the room.
§§§~~~
In the morning they were on horses once more and headed toward a small city nearby.
"Clef I don't know if this is a good idea," Umi looked uneasy.
"It is," he assured her.
"But Fuu said to come here," she protested.
"But you need to face it; it'll help."
She sighed and looked down, running her fingers through the horses mane, "Hai."
"Okay then," so they set off; Jake riding close to Mizuuma, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He kept looking around him, completely alert.
"I wonder," Umi mused, watching him, from where she and Clef rode ahead.
"What's on your mind?" he always got nervous when he saw that glint in her eyes.
"Yukito called him one of the Sacred Guardians. Could they be of Cephiro only reborn? He uses that sword as if he was born with it in his hands, and he's too alert. Even now he watches us suspiciously," and when Clef looked back at Umi's words Jake was watching them with narrowed eyes, "I wonder," in one movement her horse reared and turned around, charging toward Mizuuma. Jake threw his horse in the way and drew his sword. Umi drew hers and pulled her horse to the side. There was a loud crash, and Umi found Jake meeting her stroke for stroke. Finally she stopped, and a word from Clef held Jake's hand from bringing his sword down upon Umi; she smiled.
"Why would you bring your sword down upon your own child?" Jake demanded harshly, and Clef didn't dare to let him have his hand back.
"Please," Umi scoffed, "I've been killing monsters and battling enemies since before you were born. I'm a better swordsman than that. It was a test, if you didn't protect her I would have pulled back."
"A test?" Jake asked skeptically.
"No, I really wanted to kill my daughter, my flesh and blood!" she threw her hands up and turned her horse around, "Strong, but dense, so very dense," she muttered, and Clef grinned.
"Sounds familiar, like mother like daughter," he said so only she heard, and she was quiet a moment before she spoke.
"No!" he raised his eyes, "No!" she laughed hesitantly.
"No he wasn't dense or no she hasn't fallen for the same kind?" Clef asked.
"Well I can't argue the first one," that made him laugh, "But it was ego not naivety," she added, "As for the second one," she turned and saw Mizuuma laugh at Jake's words, "I couldn't say."
"And of him?" Clef persisted.
"Tell me Master Mage, what are your feelings?" Umi smiled, and he shook his head.
"She is like you," he said plainly, "Beautiful, mysterious, only one who can take the challenge can claim the treasure; Mizuuma herself is the challenge, her heart is the treasure."
"He seems strong, but I wonder, strong enough?" Umi pondered, and Clef shook his head.
"That is a question I have no answer to."
"Only she does," Umi sighed, "More pieces."
"The Sacred Guardians are watchers, protectors; they are silent but for their duties. If he truly is one of them he will love her from afar," Clef told her, and Umi shook her head.
"That is painful; I would never wish that upon anyone, let's hope it is not true."
§§§~~~
"Where are they?!" she growled when she had ransacked the whole city.
'Selece! I feel you!' a triumphant voice shouted, and she smiled and took off to where the sword pointed.
§§§~~~
Suddenly they were moving faster, "What's going on?" Jake called to Mizuuma over the four horses.
"I feel something; something unnatural, something hunting us," she was confused by the feeling, but somehow she didn't doubt it at all.
"We'll never outrun it now!" Umi's voice was desperate.
"We've got to try," Clef urged the horses to move faster.
But after a twenty minute all-out run it was apparent they weren't outrunning it.
Mizuuma turned long enough to see Jake stop his horse and draw his sword, "Jake!" she screamed and stopped, causing Umi and Clef to do the same. Umi drew her sword and turned. She was met with a young beautiful girl with curly golden hair and hazel eyes, "Oh my God."
Clef winced at what he saw and turned his head.
"You recognize me I see," she smiled at Umi cruelly, "How?"
"The-the Dark One, showed me, a-a, vision of you and him," Umi looked down, tears in her eyes.
She laughed, "Does it hurt you Water Knight? Does it bother you that he loved another?"
"No!" Umi screamed, "He never responded!"
She looked down, deeply hurt, then quickly looked back again, "It's because of you too. It's all your fault!"
"No!"
"It is!" she raised her sword, "And I'll see you pay for it too!"
"Mom!" Mizuuma screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks, but Jake held her back, "Let me go!"
Umi parried and met her stroke for stroke, always having the upper edge.
Her accomplice jumped in and raised his sword to Umi.
"Umi!" Clef's voice was as pained as she had ever heard it. She ducked and swung her sword in a circle. She heard a scream and saw blood on her sword. She jumped aside and looked at the scene.
The blond girl was bleeding from the ankles, her accomplice was kneeling by her, trying desperately to keep the blood in, to no avail. He glared up at Umi and then glared at Clef, closing his eyes then looked down and sheathed his sword. He looked back up, took one final hateful glance at Mizuuma, grabbed the girl and disappeared.
After a few long moments of waiting Umi walked to a tree and pulled off a leaf, calmly wiping her sword off with it. She looked around and saw two gaping faces, "What?" she unsummoned her sword.
"Mom," Mizuuma choked and flew into her mother's arms.
"That was amazing," Jake commented, and Umi winced.
"That was training and experience," she turned back to Clef, "Your former student? You left something out didn't you?"
He nodded solemnly, "Hebi, trained by Lantis as well, and…you know the rest."
"Oh great," Umi muttered, "So we've got ourselves a Magic Swordsman wielding the Dark Blade. One who's looking for vengeance and wants to kill me and probably my daughter. Did I leave anything out?"
"She seeks something at the Palace, two things. I have one of them, Ferio has the other," Clef added, "And her accomplice is another student of mine, one that wasn't dedicated enough and quit soon after he began his training."
"Oh what might these items be? Let me guess," Umi said sarcastically, and Mizuuma interrupted.
"The Creator of the World, and the spell to bend him to his will. She wants to resurrect someone," her eyes seemed to snap back into focus, and she met some perplexed faces.
"Who?" this was Jake.
"Why?" there was a great sadness in her mother's eyes.
"How did you know?" her father's eyes were suspicious.
"I don't know," Mizuuma whispered, addressing Clef's question, "I just knew."
"Yukito," Umi answered Jake's question, "She was his old lover."
"Because she loved him," Clef answered Umi's question.
"Why didn't you tell me about this spell?" but Umi wasn't exactly angry, now it was complicated.
"Because I was afraid you'd use it," he answered, then thought about how that sounded, "Not because what you think, not because I didn't want you to be with him, because I was afraid of the price that must be paid to use the spell. I was afraid that at the time you would believe it wouldn't be a loss, and you'd use it."
"And what price is that?" Jake asked.
"The sacrifice of Earth and all its inhabitants," Clef said softly, and they gasped.
"Oh God…"
§§§~~~
"Don't go far; you'll make yourself a target," Hikaru instructed, and Kojishi nodded and bounded off, Zack following her, somewhat less enthusiastically.
"Should we trust her with him?" Lantis watched them, "What if the enemy shows up and…"
She put a finger to his lips, "Kojishi will not leave the safety of the city; she's responsible. He's capable I think, and I know she is; they'll be okay."
He smiled and pulled her close, "You always know what to say don't you?"
"Recently," she grinned.
"You've changed," he touched her face.
"So have you," she said quietly.
He nodded and kissed her, and when they broke away she laughed and grabbed his hand.
"Come on, let's go see the city, take advantage of this mini-vacation."
He smiled and followed her.
§§§~~~
She spotted a cave in the distance, "Come on!" she urged.
He looked around them nervously, "Kojishi I'm not sure that's a good idea…"
"Chicken?" she challenged playfully, "I'll race you!" she took off up the rocks, just enjoying the moment, living life to the fullest. She was like her mother, she could enjoy anything, despite the circumstance. She had inherited something from her father though too and was wary all the while. This time her joy overtook her, because she felt freedom, as if she could fly, and she ran.
He took one last paranoid glance, then followed her, "Hey! Cheater! Head start! No fair!"
§§§~~~
"You're sure you're okay here master?" she was healed but for a large cut on her ankle that would heal with time.
"Yes," she hissed, "Go to Embertown, Lantis must be protecting that stuffed animal. Take the Dark Blade; even if you can't wield it it will guide you," she instructed, and he nodded, bowed, and picked up the sword.
It hissed loud in his mind, 'Rayearth, looks like your Fire dies here.'
§§§~~~
"Hikaru!" Umi shouted and mounted, "Enough of this; Hikaru's in danger. We're going to the Heated Mountains, to Embertown."
"Umi, no," Clef said firmly, "You need to face this."
"Yah!" she kicked her horse into a gallop and headed toward the mountains, showing her spirit through her defiance.
"Dammit," Clef mumbled and took off after her, Mizuuma and Jake following, not understanding anything that was going on. It was another on a need to know basis, and it seemed they didn't need to know.
§§§~~~
They sat against the cave wall, laughing and panting.
"Well we didn't climb all the way up here for nothing, let's go in," Kojishi urged, and Zack got a bad feeling in his gut.
"Maybe we should…" but she was already heading in, "Kojishi! No! Let me go first!" he ran in and heard a scream. He drew his sword as light flashed in the room.
"How nice," a voice scoffed, and Zack's eyes widened when he saw a man holding a struggling Kojishi. He rushed forward, but the man had a sword that he put to Kojishi's throat, "Move and she dies."
He froze.
Kojishi opened her mouth slightly, and his words were like ice.
"Bite me and your Guardian dies."
She clamped her mouth back together.
"Now, what to do, what to do, ah yes, show me to your father and the creature Mokona, or I'll torture him in front of you."
§§§~~~
Lantis caught a flash of metal in the sunlight, and looked up; he saw a sword. His mind raced, a sword, in a cave, in Embertown where Zack and, "Kojishi!"
Hikaru's eyes darted, and she caught it too, "Rayearth!"
Some people screamed, others were awed, but she didn't hear any of it, "Come on," she urged Lantis who quickly jumped on. The Fire Lion bounded up the cliff with no need of words and when he walked into the cave he lit it all up.
"Let my daughter go," Hikaru got down, and Rayearth snarled at the man.
"How about a trade?" he inquired.
"A trade?" Hikaru was wary.
"Mokona for your daughter," he answered smugly.
"Well we would do that except Princess Emeraude has him," Lantis told him quickly.
"I won't fall for that, that's too obvious. Unless of course you thought I'd think that, so I'd never look there. But maybe you thought I'd think that you wanted me to think it was too obvious so you hid it here or…" he was even confusing himself.
In his confusion Rayearth jumped up and ripped Kojishi from him. She screamed at the lunge but when she found herself safe she hugged the huge animal and then went, sobbing, into her mother's embrace.
'Windam,' the voice was whispery, 'Windam is next, we must go to Windam. That is the last one,' it turned strong, 'And no longer will the Wind whisper his name.'
"You will see; she will have her revenge and the death of the Magic Knights will be mourned all through Cephiro," he whispered hatefully and disappeared, leaving some confused people.
"Umi…" Lantis sighed, "And Yukito…" he began the explanation.
§§§~~~
Umi screamed in aggravation as she turned her horse around, back toward the forest and headed toward Breezeville, even further than she was before.
They followed her and never spoke, afraid they would upset her, and she would evoke her wrath on them.
§§§~~~
"We're going to speak to the people here and try to find out what's going on here," Fuu told the other two.
"You two stay here, don't move," Ferio instructed, and Fuuchou stood and bowed.
"Of course father."
His eyes narrowed, because everyone knew not to trust her, she had her father's blood, and her mother smiled.
"That's good, now listen to your father, and stay with Brian, he's your Guardian. Now," Fuu turned to Brian, "Don't let her out of your sight under any circumstances do you hear me?"
He nodded, and they turned and left.
About five minutes after they were gone Fuuchou stood.
"I'm going to the bathroom," she announced and walked out.
He followed, suspicious, and she snuck out and into the woods. He nodded, knowing that he was very rarely wrong in this sort of thing and snuck after her, making almost as little noise as she did.
She walked around for awhile until she heard the snap of a stick behind her. She jumped and turned. He walked from the brush, and she glared, "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.
"Following you," he answered simply.
"I see that. Why?"
"Because I'm your Guardian; your mother trusted you with me."
She turned and looked away, "I am not a child."
He stepped next to her, "And this enemy is not practice."
She turned and looked into his eyes, then scowled and turned away, "I can look after myself."
"I know that," he said quietly, "But do you want to face this enemy alone? Because if you do I'll just turn around now and…" he turned and took a few steps.
She hesitated and then called, "Brian, wait."
He smiled as he turned.
"You wanna…you wanna take a walk?" she was hesitant as she looked down and blushed slightly.
He nodded, and she smiled for him.
"How touching, I think I'm gonna cry," a cruel voice said behind Brian, and he spun. He saw a man with dark black hair and blue eyes holding a dark sword. He drew his own sword, and it flashed green.
"One of the Earthlings wants to play," he laughed and met Brian's blade. Fuuchou's eyes were wide with fright. She was too scared to even remember how to summon her sword.
When their blades met the Dark Blade shrieked its fury and trembled in his hands.
'Guardian!' it screamed, and Brian's brain rattled, suddenly he could hear the other two in his head.
'What was that?' this voice was Zack.
'I can hear you,' this was Jake.
But he had no time to ponder because the enemy was upon him. He was fighting expertly though he didn't know how, but it wasn't enough only to parry. He needed help, fast. He knew he would tire before the enemy would.
§§§~~~
Her gem glowed a bright green and when she touched it she heard Windam.
"Thy daughter is in danger, go to the forest."
"Fuuchou's in trouble," Fuu looked terrified as she turned to Ferio.
He nodded, and they remounted and headed toward the forest at an all-out run.
§§§~~~
"Brian!" Ferio jumped from the horse and rushed to help as Fuu consoled Fuuchou.
"Prince Ferio," their assailant said with a smirk, "So nice to finally meet you. What say we make a deal?" he lashed a magical chain around Fuu and pulled her near him. He smelled her hair and ran a few fingers down her arms, "Ah, beauty is delicious."
"You sick…" Ferio held up his sword.
"Sorry," he threw Fuu in front of him.
"Let her go," Ferio growled deep in his throat, "So help me if you don't let her go I'll…"
"Give me Mokona and see her live."
Ferio's eyes darted; he knew what Mokona was needed for, but he had to get Fuu back. He couldn't stand to see her hurt, "You'll never find the book among all those in the library," he shouted.
His attacker glared, "When I do find it your sister's blood shall be smeared upon it."
Ferio held himself back for Fuu, "Leave Emeraude out of this."
"Give me Mokona if you're so confident that I don't have the book already," he bluffed, and Ferio didn't buy it.
"Fine, Mokona," he called, and the little creature timidly walked from the forest, "Mokona," he said quietly, "You're going to go with him now, but don't worry we'll get you back."
"Now give my mother back," Fuuchou drew her sword and glared, "Or die."
He laughed and let Fuu go; she ran into Ferio's trembling arms and sobbed. He stroked her hair and whispered to her, as he felt her salty tears hit his shirt. He glared at the man as he pulled Mokona into his arms and disappeared.
"Prince, Princess," Brian said timidly, "What is this book? Why did he just take that creature? I don't understand."
"That creature is the Creator of the World," Fuuchou told him quietly, "Of Cephiro and your world."
"What?" his eyes widened, well there went all his philosophies out the door.
"Yes, and he wanted him because there is a spellbook that will let him bend Mokona to his will. It will let him sacrifice all the people of Earth for one of the people of Cephiro," Ferio explained, and Fuu's eyes widened.
"Oh my God," she whispered, "But that would mean that…and the enemy isn't him…I thought something like this would happen…"
"Sh…" Ferio kissed her softly.
"Wait wait wait, go back," Fuuchou ordered, "What's going on? Who is being resurrected? Please don't tell me it's who I think it is either," her eyes were somewhere between angry, extremely confused and terrified.
"The Son of Cephiro, he was very, liberal, in his thinkings, of um…women," Fuu tried to put it nicely, "He…well…"
"He used them," Brian's eyes were dark, "Hm…interesting."
"What?" Fuuchou asked, but he waved his hand.
"Well he loved Umi, that's for sure, but he had many other lovers, but not loves, mind you," Ferio made that clear, "Well…one girl never got over him. One of Clef's old students, Hebi. She loved him, but he didn't love her back. She wants to see Umi dead, and she wants to bring him back."
"Eliminating the competition," Fuuchou whispered, "Oh my God, Umi-san, Mizuuma…" she tried to force back the tears, her best friend was in terrible danger and there was absolutely nothing she could do. Her fingers clenched into fists as she heard screams in her mind; she pushed it all away and shook her head. Mizuuma was strong, and her mother and father would even stronger, she would be safe.
Fuu shook her head sadly, "We will protect them with our lives, everyone for that matter, even the people of the Earth. Even after what they've done to us, we would never see them hurt."
Brian nodded, "And that's why we were chosen?"
Ferio shook his head, "That is another destiny, another prophecy and I am not about to explain it."
"Please, not again," Fuu begged, "The last one ended up so terrible."
"Nothing like that, well…something like that, but no one dies. No one is destined to die at least," Ferio assured her, and she smiled.
"That's good."
Tori Quote:
"Thought she deserved no less than she'd give
Well happy birthday
Her blood's on my hands
It's kind of a shame
'Cause I did like that dress"
~Tori Amos, Yes Anastasia, Under the Pink