Wings

A Rayearth alternate universe story.

by Scandiadream scandiadream@hotmail.com

Rated PG

Disclaimer- I do not own the MKR characters, CLAMP does. This fic was inspired by a dream I had.

"How can you fly?" a boy asked his friend one day.
"I do not know. I made this costume wings and tried to glide on the floor, and all of a sudden they lifted me." the girl replied. "Does nott matter if I do not get lifted more than three feet over the ground, it is still great".

Emeraude was the first person to ever fly on her own in Cephiro. While many citizens had flying beasts and mashin, she was the very first one to successfully travel on air without the help of another being or vehicle.

Her younger brother and friends had tried using her wings, but they only worked on her.
"That's not fair! I want to fly just like Sister!"
"Now Ferio, do not be angry. At least you can run fast. And jump without getting tired. Maybe the wings are letting Emeraude fly because her illness will not let her do many things you enjoy." their mother, Presea, told him.
Ferio did feel grateful that he was born healthy. His older sister had not been so fortunate, but was still optimistic and hopeful.

Everybody loved Emeraude. Someone a little bit more. Quite a bit more.
"Brother, when are you going to tell her how you feel?" a little boy asked his older brother.
"Lantis, it would be easier for me to take over Autozam AND Chizeta AND Fahren on my own than to have the courage to tell Emeraude about my true feelings."
"She's your best friend Zagato. She's not going to be mad. I do not think I have ever seen her angry at anybody".
"Someday. Soon."

But that soon was too late.
The next day at school, Emeraude and Ferio were both absent. Zagato and Lantis rushed towards their home. They were not expecting to see Ferio and his parents with tears in their eyes.
"Emeraude went to Heaven this morning." her father, Clef, told the boys.
"When she was diagnosed, the doctor told us she had less than a year to live. And that was 8 years ago. We thanked God for every day she was with us, but she went back where she belongs." Presea said.
"Now she is an angel and can fly as high as she wants". Ferio said.
Emeraude's family were grieving, but they knew that she was happy and free now.

"I do not want an angel in heaven. I want my friend to be with me. I could not tell her how much I love her. Now she is gone and I will not see her again for a long time."
Zagato cried continuously. He felt beyond regret and more like a loneliness that could not be easily healed.

"Come on Zagato, let's go fencing." his friend Lafarge asked. Zagato shook his head.
"Don't worry Zagato. If it is because of my sister, she is not ill anymore, and she is very happy waiting for all of us." Ferio tried to cheer him up.

"My brother barely eats, does not want to fence or play the guitar, and does not look forward to growing up like he used to." Lantis thought.
And the cold winter came. Lantis and his parents managed to get by without catching the flu this year. Zagato was not so lucky. He had always been a healthy boy, but this time the virus took advantage of his melancholy and waged a war against him. One day he did not get up as usual. His mother, Alfa, went to check on him, and noticed that for the first time since his friend's death five months before, he was smiling.
"Zagato is smiling. Does that mean he will be getting well today?" Lantis asked his mother.
"No. He smiles because he will now be with the one he loves." And Alfa wept as Zagato disappeared, still smiling until he vanished.

When Zagato opened his eyes, he found himself in a place more beautiful than the prettiest part of Cephiro.
"I know where I am. If only I knew where to start looking for Emeraude." he thought out loud.

"Did someone call my name? Somebody's looking for me?" Emeraude lifted her head from the flowers she was picking. All her relatives and friends were still alive, or so she thought. She turned her head to see her best friend.
"Zagato!!!!" she shouted in delight and ran towards him. They hugged tightly and cried for joy.
"Emeraude, the flu got the best of me. But I am happy that you are happy."
"I missed you so much. Hey, look at my new wings! Now I can fly all day long!". And Emeraude sprouted a beautiful pair of real wings and flapped them to hover above her friend.
"Is flying just for you, or can anyone do it?" Zagato asked curiously.
"Take a running start, then open your arms and jump" Emeraude told him.

Zagato raced towards the horizon and took a leap- and indeed he was able to fly as well.
"Yes! I can fly!" he told her as he descended.
"I told you" she said as they hugged again.
"I love you" he blurted out without thinking twice.
"I love you too!...oops" she replied.
"Gasp" both youths blushed.
"You mean, you do feel the same way for me?" Zagato asked perplexed.
"First you cross over and join me here, and now you tell me that you love me back? Wow, this IS heaven indeed." Emeraude was just as surprised.

"I have loved you for so long. But I was afraid to tell you, or even that you would find out." he said as he held her.
"And I was just as nervous. But I am happy that now you know, and that I know you feel the same for me, and that we will be together forever." she replied, as both hugged warmly and shed tears of joy.
"Emeraude. You are so beautiful..."
And before he could complete this sentence, their lips met in a soft sweet kiss.
"We will grow. And I will be your bride. And we will be together forever." Emeraude told her beloved. He smiled.
And they kissed again.

THE END

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