Disclaimer: Sorry, ppl! I don't own anything of MKR! But anything that wasn't in the manga, TV series, or OVA series, is probably mine and the story line as far as i know is mine as well. If anyone wants/needs to contact me, here's my info:

MSN: twin_star_of_suzaku@hotmail.com
ICQ #: 121284846
AIM: GuardianKotyra


ReWrite Version 3.0 [1/22/03]

~*~ The Final Battle for Cephiro & New Beginnings ~*~
Chapter 3 - The Joy of Love
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" " - Spoken
// \\ - **In italics** What the Heart and Mind Whispers
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WARNING!! so MAJOR FLUFFINESS!!!! you've been warned..... ^^;;


In the Castle of Will, nothing had changed except that the halls were not packed
with refugees like they had been when Cephiro was falling apart. A few of the families
had stayed as servants in the castle instead of starting over. "Things have not changed
much, have they?" Fuu commented on a sigh. Ferio had just led her on his 'highlights of
the castle' tour which ended with them sitting in a bench swing in the gardens.

"Not really. Clef and I have been thinking about starting an academy of magic
here but nothing has taken shape yet," he responded softly.

"I still feel guilty about leaving the others the way we did," she giggled as he
tugged on one of her curls.

"Oh, don't worry about it. We'll meet up with them later, anyway. I just wanted
to spend some quiet time with you," he grinned. Fuu just nodded and cuddled closer to
him. Ferio tipped her face up and gazed into her eyes, // I could spend the rest of my life
getting lost in these eyes and never be lonely. \\ He sighed and kissed her softly.

"I'm glad you're back, Fuu. I've missed you, so much," he said softly, "You've changed
so much since you left. You've grown taller and your hair has gotten darker."

"I have missed you as well, Ferio. I almost could not make it with out you. It was
my wish to come back to you, forever if it was not possible to travel between our
worlds," she whispered.

Ferio sighed, "Nothing would make me happier for you to stay, but I don't want
you to regret staying here if it means giving up your family in return."

"I would never regret it, Ferio," she said, shocked that he thought that, "All my life
I have lived in a world where I felt so alone, but ever since I came here, I have had
Hikaru-san and Umi-san and you. I could never regret leaving that world behind when it
means that I can stay here with you and everyone else I love."

"Do you really mean that, Fuu? Because, if you do, then..."

Ferio got down on one knee in front of her and took the ring from her right hand
and slipped it on her left instead, "Then I ask you as a man and as a prince to become my
wife and queen of Cephiro."

Fuu just gaped at him and her hand, not saying anything and suddenly Ferio felt very foolish.

//Damn. If I've ruined this, I'll never be able to forgive myself. Oh,
c'mon, Fuu, say something! \\ Then, he noticed Fuu's eyes fill with tears and she tackled him,
laughing through her tears.

"Oh Ferio! Of course I will marry you!"

Ferio, who had landed on his back when she had tackled him grinned widely and
hugged her close.

"Oh, Fuu, you've made me feel like I can fly," he exclaimed. He got up and
swung her around.

"I love you, Fuu-chan," he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers.

"I love you, too, Ferio-kun," she whispered back, smiling dreamily.


* * * * *


As Lantis escorted Hikaru to the chambers where she could relax, she had asked
him about what had changed since she and the other Knights had left. He had answered
them all in turn and even asked her some of his own.

"So, Lantis, are Fuu, Umi, and me gonna stay in the same room we did last time?"
Hikaru asked as she looked around the hall that they were walking through at the
moment.

"Actually, we thought that all of you would enjoy having rooms to yourselves for
once, but they are all connected so you won't be too far away from each other," he
answered, "I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, no, of course not. Actually, I believe Umi and Fuu would rather have their
own rooms too. I've outgrown the want to share a room. Even with my best friends,"
she said with a devious grin. Lantis had to chuckle at that. Indeed, his fire knight had
changed much since he had last seen her, and he would be lying to himself if he said that
he didn't like what he saw. While he was lost in his musings, Hikaru glanced behind them.

"Hey! Where did Ascot and Umi go?" she said, surprised at her blue-haired
friends' disappearance. Lantis, too, glanced behind them.

"Ascot probably wanted to chat with Umi alone for a while," he said in response.

"Oh," was all she said in return. At last they arrived at Hikaru's chambers.

"Won't you come inside?" Hikaru asked shyly. Even with older brothers, she still
wasn't comfortable talking to the man she loved.

"Are you sure?" he said, sensing her uneasiness. He lifted her chin to meet her eyes.

"Yeah, I am. I want some time getting to know you again," she said as she met his
eyes. He nodded and opened the door for her, and she preceded him inside. As Hikaru
looked at the room that had been prepared for her, she knew that Lantis had prepared it
for her. It was filled with burgundy reds and a great view of the floating mountain where
she had first come face-to-face with Rayearth, the Rune God that had become her soul
partner. Lantis came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He
smiled to himself and thought, //This is the woman I will marry. Even if I have to wait a
million years. \\

"So, why isn't Premera still hanging around you like a second skin? I know that she
leads the Fairy Ring now, but I didn't think that she would have given up so easily,"
Hikaru said, leaning against Lantis' chest. "Well, right after you left, I got very
depressed," he began.

"No way! You? Depressed?" Hikaru interrupted, startled at Lantis' definition.

"Yes, I was depressed. I felt as if my heart had taken flight to follow you to your
world," he went on, "Premera tried her best to cheer me up, but she realized that, with out
you, I wouldn't be the same. So, she met another pixie and decided that the pixies of
Cephiro needed a leader and she was picked, and that's what happened."

"Wow. Well, I'm kinda glad," Hikaru sighed, then grinned mischievously, "Now,
I don't have to pluck her wings off if she got on my nerves." Lantis stilled at that, then
leaned over to see her face.

"You wouldn't dare... Would you?" he said, aghast at Hikaru's serious tone. Then
he saw the grin on her face, "Why you.... pest!"

He started tickling her for all he was worth. They both laughed so hard that they
ended up collapsing in a big heap on the floor. When they both caught their breath, they
gazed at each other, love shining in their eyes. Lantis stroked a lock of hair off her
forehead and murmured, "Dinner won't be for another hour..."

"Is that an invitation?" she said, lifting an eyebrow at him.

"You can call it whatever you want it," he said as he bent to kiss her.


* * * * *


Ascot and Umi walked the halls around the palace in friendly silence. Ascot had
been blushing slightly since Umi had tugged him away from walking behind Hikaru and
Lantis. Umi studied him from the corner of her eye, and she knew how much he had
grown up. When they had first met, he had been small and childish. Literally. But he
had grown up so much since then. Then Umi blushed. //If only I hadn't been so
enamoured with Clef, I would have seen him as I do now.\\ That's when she stopped and
tugged on his hand, which she had been holding. He turned to her, a questioning smile
on his face. "Ascot, I, um, have something to tell you. Um, I-I'm sorry that I didn't pay
that much attention to you the last time I was here. You see, I, uh, had a bit of a crush on
Clef because he was always nice to me even when I was bitchy to him. But, uh, I see that
I hadn't really liked him in a romantic way, but more in a favorite Uncle kind of way."
She bowed deeply to him and whispered, "F-Forgive me?"

"Umi, do you remember when we first met?" Ascot asked. Feeling a bit confused,
she answered with a nod of her head. "Then you remember how much of an arrogant,
self-centered jerk I was."

He took her hand and held it to his chest, over his heart, "But you changed me in a
way no one ever could. You taught me that love and friendship is the most important
things in the world, and you forgave me then. I cannot hold a grudge against you even if
I tried." Then he smiled and thought to himself, //She is so precious to me. I would give
my life to protect her.\\

Umi glanced up to him, teary eyed, "You aren't angry?" He smiled and shook his
head. She smiled and slipped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. Returning
the embrace, Ascot placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and when they part, they
continue their stroll through the castle.



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Twin Star's comentary:
blah....... ugh...... I hate school!!! -.- GRR!! *sigh* gomen ne...... *cough* anyway! ^_^ well, now i can have just one fluff warning!! ^.^ yay....? *shrugg* i dunno...... but, damnit, FLUFF IS NECCESSARY SOMETIMES!!! -_-;;......ok, i'm scaring myself...... ugh........ *yawn* well, anyway, i'm slowly but surly work'n on this..... no new chapters yet, but soon!! ^^;; *dodges stuff that's thrown at her* ACK!! /.\ it's not my fault!! stupid school! stupid research papers!!! ARGH! *sigh* well, anyway..... um.... yeah..... no real serious coments..... but reviews are nice..... i'm sure i'll get some w/ new chapters.... heh...... well, nuff of me ranting...... ^^;; Matta ne, minna-sama!!


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