That night, Jayde laid in the tent, unable to sleep. Clef had insisted that she get the tent that night, because she didn't have her cloak. Jayde thought back to when they had been sitting at the campfire.

Why did I almost blush when he apologized? It doesn't make sense. Master Clef is not only my teacher, but the highest ranking mage in Cephiro. I guess I was just embarrassed by such an important person actually apologizing to me like that. Still, it's odd, I didn't feel embarrassed. Ugh, if I keep thinking about this, I'll never get to sleep. Besides, Fuu told me about what Umi had done last time, and Master Clef's reaction. He doesn't seem to really think much of it. *sigh* I've got to get to sleep, they're gonna be hungry in the morning.

Clef was sleeping, back against a tree. Ferio watched him from his spot on the other side of the camp, closer to the fire and the girls' tents.

Y'know, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if he had absolutely no idea how many girls liked him. Completely oblivious to anything that doesn't have to do with spells and magic.

Sometime around 5 AM, Ferio and Clef were awakened by a loud crashing noise. Soon, multiple crashes were heard, and Ferio quickly woke the magic knights and Clef woke Jayde. The thing causing the crashes was a giant monster. Clef and Jayde could sense something wrong about it. Jayde turned to face Clef.

"They're powering it, aren't they?"

Clef nodded in reply. Their latest enemies had imbued the monster with a portion of their power, causing it to be much, much stronger than any normal monster. Clef saw that all four of the girls were still very tired, and would be near useless in battle, plus Ferio's sword wouldn't be of much help, it was too strong to go into close-range combat with.

"I will fight it. You girls are still half-asleep and swords will be of no use against it."

Jayde tried to protest, but Clef held up his hand and Jayde stopped. Clef walked closer, so that he wouldn't have to worry about anything hitting the others. Clef and the monster fought for a while, Clef firing attacks and the monster swinging it's giant paws. Unfortunately, the monster got a good hit in and sent Clef sprawling. Umi, Hikaru, and Fuu stood in stunned silence as the monster reared back for the final blow. Jayde didn't.

"CLEF!"

Jayde was crying, she didn't think that he would make it out of this alive, no matter how much she wished that he could. Suddenly, the jade on her head band began to glow. A beam of light shot out from it and encased Clef. He was teleported to the air directly above Jayde and she caught him. This snapped the knights out of their stunned state, and they began fighting the monster. Meanwhile, Jayde carefully removed Clef's cloak and slowly began to heal him. She started with broken bones, then did a deep healing spell, in case there were any internal injuries. As she finished that spell, Clef began coughing. Jayde helped support him until he stopped and laid back down. Jayde could see a few flecks of blood in the early morning light.

I guess he had a puncture in his lung.

Clef was conscious after the coughing fit, and looked up at Jayde.

"Thank you....for saving me."

"Clef, you shouldn't talk. I've taken care of the more serious injuries, but you are still wounded and weakened and I will not take any chances."

Clef smiled slightly and laid his head back on the ground. Jayde finished healing Clef, but he was still weak from the battle. She refused to let him stand, and she sat next to him to keep him from getting annoyed by her restrictions.

"Jayde, how did you do it?"

"Do what, Master Clef?"

"Save me."

"I'm not sure. I didn't want you to die, and I think I began crying....Then a green light shot out of my headband and somehow transported you to where I was."

"Ah."

Clef looked at Jayde.

"I am glad that you have such a strong will. If you didn't, I would have died today."

Jayde managed a weak smile and turned back to watch the battle just as the magic knights defeated the monster. Jayde and Hikaru helped support Clef as the walked, since they were closer to his height. No one said a word until they had set up camp, when Jayde congratulated the magic knights on defeating the monster and they all thanked her for saving their friend Clef.

Once again, Jayde had made Clef sleep in the tent, while she slept outside.. Jayde sat, leaning against a tree and watching the dying embers of the camp fire when Clef walked over to her, leaning heavily on his staff.

"Master Clef, you should be laying down."

"Jayde, something is obviously troubling you. What is it?"

"Nothing for you to worry about. Now go back to bed, I don't have the strength for another healing spell."

"Jayde, as your master I ask you to tell me."

Jayde sighed.

"If I tell you, do you promise to go back to bed?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm afraid that I've fallen in love with a man who will never feel the same about me. There, I've told you. Now go back to bed."

Clef nodded and left. Jayde watched him and sighed, then laid down to try and fall asleep.

~Dream~

It was the battle from that morning, but not. It was only Jayde, Clef, and the monster on the battlefield. Clef had put a restraining spell on Jayde to keep her from getting involved in the battle. Jayde couldn't look away as the monster mercilessly continued to beat Clef, who didn't seem to be able to use any magic. Jayde watched as the monster slammed it's giant paw down on Clef, and an audible snap was heard. The monster lifted it's paw and Jayde saw Clef, his broken body surrounded by blood.

~End of Dream~

Jayde woke screaming and found someone covering her mouth and helping her sit up. It was Clef. Jayde couldn't control herself and clung to him, sobbing pitifully. Once she began to calm down, she let go and hugged her knees to her chest, keeping her head down.

"I...I'm sorry for waking you, Master Clef."

"Jayde, you kept calling out my name in your sleep. What happened?"

"It was the battle all over again, but the knights and Ferio weren't there. You had placed some sort of restraining spell on me to keep me out of the battle and...the monster...it killed you...It smashed you and when it moved it's paw....I could see you and...there was...there was so much blood..."

Jayde began crying again, pulling her knees close to her. Clef put his hand on her shoulder.

"Jayde, I'm alive, you saved me. Don't cry."

Jayde calmed down and leaned back against the tree, trying to go to sleep. Clef stood up and walked back to his tent, deep in thought.

In all the years that Jayde has been my pupil, I have never seen her get so upset over anything. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen her cry before, even when she received the news that her family had been murdered. Although, she had once told me that she wasn't very close to her family. But still, she didn't cry for them, and yet she cried because she had a nightmare about me being killed.

Clef decided to leave off thinking about it until the morning, and fell asleep. On the other side of the camp, Ferio bore silent witness to what had just happened. Jayde's cries had woken him, and he had been about to go wake her up when Clef walked over to her. Ferio had decided to watch, and see what happened. Once Clef had gone back into his tent, Ferio leaned back against his tree.

What a horrible nightmare, poor kid. And doubly so for her, I can't believe she told him about falling in love with someone and he hasn't put it together yet. Like I said, totally oblivious to anything that doesn't have to do with magic.

Suddenly he felt a strange pain in his head. Almost immediately he realized two things. One, the pain was actually anger that was being directed at him and two, Jayde had listened to his thoughts.

Damn.

Ferio, don't you ever say such things about Master Clef.

Even when they're true?

Ferio felt her anger flare, but she didn't reply.

Jayde, it is true. I figure someone already told you about Umi. He realized what her feelings were, but he didn't do anything about them.

You're wrong, Ferio. You're so very, very wrong.

Ferio could sense her sadness.

What do you mean Jayde?

He said thank you to her. He realized what she felt and thanked her, because she had made him aware that it was possible for people to think of him that way. He just doesn't think of other people that way, which is why he didn't do anything else... And why I know it's hopeless, but I just can't help it.

Why do you love him so much, anyway?

So many reasons. We are alike in some aspects, but quite different in others. We both like quiet, but have rather different methods of experimenting with magic. His is study and small experiments, mine is seeing how far you can push it until it explodes and leaves you unconscious for a week. For me, it isn't a success if it doesn't leave me unconscious for at least a couple of days.

That's a little frightening.

Yes, I do feel kind of bad for what I put Master Clef through back then. Once, I actually blew up half of his house.

Ferio could hear her laughter, and also began laughing.

Oh no! What'd he do to you?

Oh, nothing much, just made me manually repair it, plus I had to replace anything that I destroyed that wasn't mine.

Ouch. So is that it? Is that the entire reason you like Clef so much?

Oh no, that's just a funny story that I haven't had the chance to tell anyone that'd appreciate it. You know, I can't put it into words, why I like him so much. I've come to know him, only a little bit, but that's as much as anyone can know about him without him sitting down and actually telling you all about him, which he'd never do. I guess the best answer is that I just do. We understand each other, however slightly, on a weird level. He can almost anticipate what I'll try next in an experiment and then tell me a safer way to do the same thing. I don't think I ever took his advice though. Well, I'm tired, but thank you for talking with me.

You're welcome Jayde. I'll talk to you again in the morning. And as for Clef, I realize that you'll probably always love him, but if you're sure that nothing will come of it, don't be afraid to keep an eye out for a different guy. A heart is a terrible thing to waste.

Ferio could hear Jayde giggle.

And who are you to be giving such advice?

Oh, no one much. Just a prince.

What?! Wait, no, I should have realized it. Well, I'll see you in the morning.

The two fell asleep, and only one person remained awake. The telepathic conversation had woken him up, and he had listened. He laid awake, staring up at the roof of he tent. He was in the middle of mentally banging his head against a wall.

I should have anticipated this. I should have realized that something like this would happen. *bang bang* No wonder she became so upset over that nightmare. I can't believe I didn't realize this earlier. *bang bang* I had never thought that she had liked me before she disappeared. Wait, why am I worrying about this so much? She's still my pupil, and knowing her, she'll keep her actions in check, so there's no reason to worry.

Reassuring himself with that thought, Clef fell back asleep.

The next morning, once they were traveling again, Jayde heard something moving around in the bushes behind her. It was making a lot of noise, so she figured it had to be human. She turned around and reached her staff towards it, and the beak of her staff snagged on something. She pulled it up and brought an oversized hat with it.

"Hey! That's my hat! Give it back!"

Jayde grinned.

"Only if you tell me who you are."

"Give me the hat, and I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good."

Jayde held the hat over the bush and a hand grabbed it. A moment later, a man stepped out onto the path. Hikaru recognized him immediately.

"Ascot! What are you doing here?"

Ascot smiled slightly.

"I was sent to look for you guys."

Ascot turned to face Jayde.

"Who are you? You aren't familiar."

"I'm Jayde, and I can and will hurt you if provoked. That's all you really need to know about me."

Clef rolled his eyes, she used to say that to anyone that had come to him for teaching while she'd been his apprentice before she disappeared. The magic knights were confused by Jayde's statement, but Ferio started laughing. A tiny jade ball appeared in Jayde's hand.

"Hey Ferio, catch!"

Ferio's stopped laughing just in time to see a tiny green ball flying straight at him.

Crap.

Ferio squeezed his eyes shut and waited for it to hit him. He heard Jayde laugh and opened his eyes. The jade ball was hovering just centimeters from his face.

"Guess it's a good thing that I've been practicing, huh Ferio?"

Ferio gulped and nodded. Jayde recalled the jade ball and started tossing it around. Clef sighed.

"Jayde, someday one of those things will blow up in your face."

Jayde grinned and gave him a sideways glance.

"I know. I kind of miss waking up after being unconscious for a week."

Clef sighed again and they continued walking, Ascot up in front talking to Hikaru and Umi.

They came across a few weaker monsters, which were easily destroyed. They set up camp just before dusk, and Jayde ended up sitting next to Ascot.

"Hey, Ascot. Sorry about this morning, I didn't know that you were a friend."

"That's ok. You know, I've never seen you before."

"That's because I was stuck in another world for the last century. If you want the full story, go ask someone else, I'm getting tired of telling it."

Ascot laughed.

"I'll find out later. You seem pretty close to Clef."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, it's crazy of me to think this, but do you like each other?"

Jayde sighed.

"You're right, it is crazy of you. It's one-sided. I like him, but I realize that he'd never feel the same, so I just act like I always have."

"Wow, this is kind of weird."

"What?"

"Well, we're in the same predicament. You like Clef, I like Umi, Umi likes Clef, and as far as I know, Clef doesn't care."

"No, he does care. In fact, I've never seen him as affectionate around Umi as anyone he's ever met while in my company."

"Wow, so the two people we like, like each other."

"Yeah, strange. Well, I guess we'll have to stick together then. Two hopeless kids, who've already realized that the person they love, loves someone else."

Ascot smiled.

"A miserable existence, but at least not a lonely one."

They both laughed a bit at that, then returned to eating their dinner.