I hope you like this story so far! R + R…if enough people review, I'll
update this story the most often! For now, just read the story! (^_^)
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1 CHAPTER 4: I PROMISE
In her dreams, she was forced to watch everything the Knights did…but was frustratingly helpless to assist. It was like this all the time…but it was so hard to deal with it, even if she had been trying to cope with it for eight years….She always watched, on the side, everything the Magic Knights enduring flashing in her mind as she witnessed them. They happened, but she couldn't help because she wasn't there…each second, awake or sleeping, she would be watching, always watching, the Magic Knights. No matter what she thought of, or what she did, she was unable to stop seeing these images in her head…unless she was right there, next to the Magic Knights, and then, only then, would she be freed from watching, constantly, never-ceasing, watching. How she wanted to help them! It was like being restrained, in a cage, while your friends were being torn apart, and not being able to do anything but watch.
So she saw, saw everything that happened to them while she was forced to sleep because of the concoction Nova had given her. It was the same, awake or sleeping, but when she slept, it was easier, because she could awaken at anytime, and then when she did, it would take a few seconds for the visions to return to her. Now, though, she was unable to awaken, unable to run and help. 'Maybe it's easier this way. You won't be caught or discovered just because of a rash decision or a sudden urge to rescue.' A smaller inner voice whispered. She fought over it and ignored it, watching and raging because she couldn't assist as each disaster happened.
Eagle captured Hikaru, and took her to the NSX as a valued prisoner, but then a man…Lantis? appeared…then Hikaru vanished from her sight and reappeared in front of Nova. She gasped, but then Umi and Fuu arrived in her vision, and she dared to hope.
"Hikaru!!!" she screamed silently, in her dream. "No! That sword…!"
When Hikaru's sword broke, it felt like a knife in her heart. 'I wasn't able to stop Nova…' she thought, but was unable to stop and rage; she was only dragged away from that to watch more, ever more.
Umi and Fuu, in a battle to protect Cephiro, were captured by the two remaining enemies, Chizeta and Fahren, but Umi managed, with a boy's help…Ascot? to get away from Tarta and Tatra. Hikaru's decision to revive her sword alarmed the girl, but unable to do anything, she pushed away her emotions and continued watching. Fuu met Princess Aska of Fahren, but in a life or death archery match, she prevailed and Ferio rescued her after she explained the hardships of the Pillar to Aska. At this, the girl was almost overwhelmed with emotions. Emeraude…'I knew you...but why?! WHY?!' she screamed in her head. "Why did you have to do this to me, Princess Emeraude? I thought we had talked this over…why…?" the last word escaped her mouth in a whisper, and then her eyes were finally able to re-open to the walls of the room provided for her in the Castle of Cephiro.
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"I'll never let you leave, Hikaru!" Nova declared as she shattered the light Presea had shone to Hikaru in an attempt to help. Hikaru landed hard, shards of light raining down around her. She felt so weak…so tired.
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"We must help Ms. Hikaru!" Fuu said.
"No, Fuu!" Clef opposed, looking at her. "She must fight her own battle…against her heart."
"But, Clef…."
"Presea is helping Hikaru, and is the only one at this time who can help her properly. If you go in there, you might endanger both their lives!" Clef informed her gravely.
Umi and Fuu looked at each other, and then down at the floor of the throne room in thought. Umi changed the subject with a lot of effort, seeing the discomforting silence that had settled around them, thinking of their cheerful companion.
"Clef…?" Umi started.
"Yes?" he asked, his blue eyes turning to her.
"Did you ever catch that girl? That one who came into our room the other day?"
Clef looked startled, and then composed himself with a slight cough and replied evenly, "None of the guards posted at either exit have seen anyone with the description we have given them."
"Oh…"
"We weren't able to search, because we had more important matters to take care of, Umi, Fuu." Clef said, pointedly looking at the both of them.
"Yes, Mr. Clef, we did," Fuu asserted, and smiled. "But, if we can't help Ms. Hikaru, we have to put our energy into doing other things that will help."
"Fuu…" Clef murmured.
"Since we cannot help Ms. Hikaru, we will have to do what she would have done if she were here," Fuu continued shakily. She was worried, so worried about Hikaru, but, unable to help, she would not endanger her friend's life, but try and help to accomplish what her friend wanted before. "Right, Ms. Umi?"
After a few startled blinks, Umi replied, "Yeah, Fuu!"
"It has already been a few days, and the only food in the Castle will be found in the kitchens, around the living area. There are patrols at night around the halls, and no one has seen her. That means that the girl must be living somewhere where she cannot be found easily," Clef speculated.
Umi and Fuu bowed their heads in thought once more. "Mr. Clef!"
"Yes, Fuu? Do you know where she is, again?"
Fuu smiled and replied, "The only place she would be able to blend in would be where everyone else lives. After all, her clothes were quite foreign, I believe, right Ms. Umi?"
"Now that I think about it, they were kind of odd," Umi responded. "They looked like what that guy on the airship was wearing when we saw him."
Fuu looked surprised, but then continued, "The girl would have to change in order for people to not notice her. I believe the only place you can find spare clothing is where most people live. Where is that, Mr. Clef?"
"The living area, where the people of Cephiro have evacuated!" Clef said.
"Then that's where she'll be," Fuu said confidently.
"Wait a second," Umi interrupted, and waited for their attention to go to her. "If that girl was wearing what that guy was wearing…do you think she came from that country?"
"I never thought of that," Clef answered, going over the new thought.
"That country, I believe, was Autozam," Fuu told them.
"Could she be a spy?!" Umi said, her eyes growing wide.
"We cannot judge her until we capture her, Umi," Clef said gently. "Let's hurry, because we have already wasted time here."
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"Ohhhh…" the girl moaned as she sat up. Her head hurt tremendously, and waves of dizziness swam in her head, and she leaned against the wall for support and until she was steady enough to attempt to stand.
"Miss? Are you in there? Miss!" a voice called from outside.
"Mira? Yeah, I'm in here. Come in, if you want to!"
Mira entered the room at full speed, rushing to her side immediately. "You were in here for a few days, Miss! I didn't know adults could sleep so long!"
For a few minutes, the girl sat there, contemplating this latest bit of news. 'A few days?' she wondered. 'I've really slept THAT long?' Aloud, she said, "Sorry, I was just tired, Mira."
"That's good. Are you well enough to play with me, Miss?"
"I think so." After she said it though, her memories of what she had seen while in her sleep struck her in full force. "No...I think I'd better rest a bit more. Later ok?"
"Promise?"
"Uh-huh." The girl rose and ushered Mira out the door. "Just remember to come and find me later, ok?"
"Ok! I won't forget! My friends really want to meet you!"
The girl smiled and waved at Mira's disappearing form. After she was sure Mira was out of sight, she rummaged through the chest in the corner and found a nice, long cloak with a large hood that would provide sufficient cover from any prying eyes that cared to take a second look at her while she was on her way to the room where Hikaru and Presea were.
"Hikaru…please don't lose to your own heart. I'll be there…soon!"
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Clef, Umi, and Fuu rushed down the hallways and corridors. For such a small person, Clef could travel fast.
"Only two more corridors, Umi, Fuu!" Clef announced, without breaking his stride.
Umi and Fuu nodded and kept on running.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Fuu and the other person apologized as they ran into each other.
Fuu looked up. Both of them had been running, so it was quite an impact. Fuu examined the person she had run into. The person had his or her hand outstretched to help Fuu up, and Fuu was surprised at how easily the other person was able to apply their strength into puling her up. They didn't seem to need to put any effort into it. However, as Fuu tried to take a closer look at the person's face, mainly because she thought it was impolite to not look at someone while speaking, she realized that because of the hood on the cloak the other was wearing, she was unable to see anything.
"I…have to go. I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way, Fuu," the person said. It was then Fuu could tell the other was a female. She pushed past Fuu, and at that moment, Fuu realized that she had never seen anyone at the castle except for Clef, Presea, Ferio, and her other friends, so no one else could possibly know her name.
"Wait! Who are you?!" Fuu asked, but the girl had already started running away.
"Clef, Umi! I have to find out who she is!" Fuu told them, running after her. Umi and Clef started pursuing her, chiefly because they didn't want her to go alone.
"Why?" Umi panted, trying to catch up.
Fuu didn't answer, but continued running.
"We're going straight towards the room where Hikaru is!" Clef informed them.
In front of her, Fuu could see the outline of the girl running. "We have to stop her!"
"Who?" Clef and Umi asked in unison.
"The girl that I ran into! I'm following her! If she runs into the room where Hikaru is, you said that Hikaru and Presea would be endangered…they may lose their lives! I can't let that happen!" Fuu stated.
The room where Hikaru and Presea were in was just around the corner…and they saw a cloaked figure reaching out to touch the door that had no handle…and then Fuu heard a slight ringing sound from behind her. Umi had pulled out her sword! Not supportive of violence, Fuu had to agree that this time, it might be necessary. She drew out her own sword, made of Escudo from the Spring of Eterna, like her friends'.
"Get away from there!" Umi ordered, her sword in front of her, ready to attack.
The person turned to look at them, gave a small, startled gasp, and started to run away from them.
"Oh no you don't!" Umi snarled, and pursued her quarry.
"Ms. Umi!" Fuu called, but Umi didn't look back and Fuu sighed and ran after her.
The cloak blew off as she ran, and when the corridor turned, she looked around frantically. 'This hallway ends here? Why?!' she thought desperately.
"Gotcha!" Umi said triumphantly, and stared. The girl she had seen in the room was standing before her…and yet something prevented her from striking. With a supreme effort, she tore her eyes away from the half- frightened and half-defiant face of a girl who reminded her so much of Hikaru, closed her eyes, and attacked.
"Wait, stop, Umi!" the girl pleaded, dodging the blow and resting a hand on Umi's shoulder. "Stop!"
Umi closed out her cries and kept on attacking. The girl dodged each swing, but there was little room in the hallway. At a strong stroke from Umi, the girl was forced to back up against the wall at the end of the hall and Umi's sword was pointed right at her neck.
"You won't ever hurt Hikaru again," Umi stated in a rush of sudden viciousness.
Fuu and Clef arrived just before she was about kill the girl off, but it wasn't them who stopped Umi from killing her.
"Do not harm the Magic Knight!" commanded a voice that all froze to hear.
"Princess…Emeraude?" Umi, Fuu, and Clef asked dazedly.
The only person who didn't look for the source of the voice was the girl. Umi's sword still dangerously close to harming her, she stayed perfectly still, but her eyes were cast onto the floor, so none could see the swirl of emotions dancing in them.
"Knight of Hope, you can't die now!" Emeraude's voice called.
She knew it was coming from the Proof of the Pillar, because some of Emeraude's soul would stay there until the next Pillar was chosen, but the other three didn't. Clef, Umi, and Fuu all looked at each other, and then at the girl. She didn't change her position, but spoke, "We promised each other, Emeraude…I promised you I would find a way! Why did you have to…!" The girl couldn't continue the sentence, but Umi's attention was immediately diverted to the hot tears flowing down the half-hidden face of her opponent.
Emeraude didn't answer that question, but continued, "Please, you have to assist the Magic Knights. Promise me, please." Right after she finished what she was saying, Umi, Fuu, and Clef shielded their eyes from a bright, glowing source of light that suddenly engulfed the girl. When it was gone, they opened their eyes to see…the girl dressed almost like the Magic Knights, except that her clothing was the color of white pearls. Anguish traced its mark all over the girl's face, and tears still poured from closed eyes. "I promise," came the muttered reply, almost so that Umi couldn't catch it. At the ending syllable of "I promise", the presence disappeared as abruptly as it had emerged. When it was fully gone, the girl muttered, "I promise I won't let tragedy be repeated in Cephiro ever again…"
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Watcha think? Review please! Oh yeah, by the way…I thought that 'the girl' is getting to sound a bit boring, so her name is revealed in the next chapter! Thanks to anyone who reviews!
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1 CHAPTER 4: I PROMISE
In her dreams, she was forced to watch everything the Knights did…but was frustratingly helpless to assist. It was like this all the time…but it was so hard to deal with it, even if she had been trying to cope with it for eight years….She always watched, on the side, everything the Magic Knights enduring flashing in her mind as she witnessed them. They happened, but she couldn't help because she wasn't there…each second, awake or sleeping, she would be watching, always watching, the Magic Knights. No matter what she thought of, or what she did, she was unable to stop seeing these images in her head…unless she was right there, next to the Magic Knights, and then, only then, would she be freed from watching, constantly, never-ceasing, watching. How she wanted to help them! It was like being restrained, in a cage, while your friends were being torn apart, and not being able to do anything but watch.
So she saw, saw everything that happened to them while she was forced to sleep because of the concoction Nova had given her. It was the same, awake or sleeping, but when she slept, it was easier, because she could awaken at anytime, and then when she did, it would take a few seconds for the visions to return to her. Now, though, she was unable to awaken, unable to run and help. 'Maybe it's easier this way. You won't be caught or discovered just because of a rash decision or a sudden urge to rescue.' A smaller inner voice whispered. She fought over it and ignored it, watching and raging because she couldn't assist as each disaster happened.
Eagle captured Hikaru, and took her to the NSX as a valued prisoner, but then a man…Lantis? appeared…then Hikaru vanished from her sight and reappeared in front of Nova. She gasped, but then Umi and Fuu arrived in her vision, and she dared to hope.
"Hikaru!!!" she screamed silently, in her dream. "No! That sword…!"
When Hikaru's sword broke, it felt like a knife in her heart. 'I wasn't able to stop Nova…' she thought, but was unable to stop and rage; she was only dragged away from that to watch more, ever more.
Umi and Fuu, in a battle to protect Cephiro, were captured by the two remaining enemies, Chizeta and Fahren, but Umi managed, with a boy's help…Ascot? to get away from Tarta and Tatra. Hikaru's decision to revive her sword alarmed the girl, but unable to do anything, she pushed away her emotions and continued watching. Fuu met Princess Aska of Fahren, but in a life or death archery match, she prevailed and Ferio rescued her after she explained the hardships of the Pillar to Aska. At this, the girl was almost overwhelmed with emotions. Emeraude…'I knew you...but why?! WHY?!' she screamed in her head. "Why did you have to do this to me, Princess Emeraude? I thought we had talked this over…why…?" the last word escaped her mouth in a whisper, and then her eyes were finally able to re-open to the walls of the room provided for her in the Castle of Cephiro.
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"I'll never let you leave, Hikaru!" Nova declared as she shattered the light Presea had shone to Hikaru in an attempt to help. Hikaru landed hard, shards of light raining down around her. She felt so weak…so tired.
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"We must help Ms. Hikaru!" Fuu said.
"No, Fuu!" Clef opposed, looking at her. "She must fight her own battle…against her heart."
"But, Clef…."
"Presea is helping Hikaru, and is the only one at this time who can help her properly. If you go in there, you might endanger both their lives!" Clef informed her gravely.
Umi and Fuu looked at each other, and then down at the floor of the throne room in thought. Umi changed the subject with a lot of effort, seeing the discomforting silence that had settled around them, thinking of their cheerful companion.
"Clef…?" Umi started.
"Yes?" he asked, his blue eyes turning to her.
"Did you ever catch that girl? That one who came into our room the other day?"
Clef looked startled, and then composed himself with a slight cough and replied evenly, "None of the guards posted at either exit have seen anyone with the description we have given them."
"Oh…"
"We weren't able to search, because we had more important matters to take care of, Umi, Fuu." Clef said, pointedly looking at the both of them.
"Yes, Mr. Clef, we did," Fuu asserted, and smiled. "But, if we can't help Ms. Hikaru, we have to put our energy into doing other things that will help."
"Fuu…" Clef murmured.
"Since we cannot help Ms. Hikaru, we will have to do what she would have done if she were here," Fuu continued shakily. She was worried, so worried about Hikaru, but, unable to help, she would not endanger her friend's life, but try and help to accomplish what her friend wanted before. "Right, Ms. Umi?"
After a few startled blinks, Umi replied, "Yeah, Fuu!"
"It has already been a few days, and the only food in the Castle will be found in the kitchens, around the living area. There are patrols at night around the halls, and no one has seen her. That means that the girl must be living somewhere where she cannot be found easily," Clef speculated.
Umi and Fuu bowed their heads in thought once more. "Mr. Clef!"
"Yes, Fuu? Do you know where she is, again?"
Fuu smiled and replied, "The only place she would be able to blend in would be where everyone else lives. After all, her clothes were quite foreign, I believe, right Ms. Umi?"
"Now that I think about it, they were kind of odd," Umi responded. "They looked like what that guy on the airship was wearing when we saw him."
Fuu looked surprised, but then continued, "The girl would have to change in order for people to not notice her. I believe the only place you can find spare clothing is where most people live. Where is that, Mr. Clef?"
"The living area, where the people of Cephiro have evacuated!" Clef said.
"Then that's where she'll be," Fuu said confidently.
"Wait a second," Umi interrupted, and waited for their attention to go to her. "If that girl was wearing what that guy was wearing…do you think she came from that country?"
"I never thought of that," Clef answered, going over the new thought.
"That country, I believe, was Autozam," Fuu told them.
"Could she be a spy?!" Umi said, her eyes growing wide.
"We cannot judge her until we capture her, Umi," Clef said gently. "Let's hurry, because we have already wasted time here."
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"Ohhhh…" the girl moaned as she sat up. Her head hurt tremendously, and waves of dizziness swam in her head, and she leaned against the wall for support and until she was steady enough to attempt to stand.
"Miss? Are you in there? Miss!" a voice called from outside.
"Mira? Yeah, I'm in here. Come in, if you want to!"
Mira entered the room at full speed, rushing to her side immediately. "You were in here for a few days, Miss! I didn't know adults could sleep so long!"
For a few minutes, the girl sat there, contemplating this latest bit of news. 'A few days?' she wondered. 'I've really slept THAT long?' Aloud, she said, "Sorry, I was just tired, Mira."
"That's good. Are you well enough to play with me, Miss?"
"I think so." After she said it though, her memories of what she had seen while in her sleep struck her in full force. "No...I think I'd better rest a bit more. Later ok?"
"Promise?"
"Uh-huh." The girl rose and ushered Mira out the door. "Just remember to come and find me later, ok?"
"Ok! I won't forget! My friends really want to meet you!"
The girl smiled and waved at Mira's disappearing form. After she was sure Mira was out of sight, she rummaged through the chest in the corner and found a nice, long cloak with a large hood that would provide sufficient cover from any prying eyes that cared to take a second look at her while she was on her way to the room where Hikaru and Presea were.
"Hikaru…please don't lose to your own heart. I'll be there…soon!"
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Clef, Umi, and Fuu rushed down the hallways and corridors. For such a small person, Clef could travel fast.
"Only two more corridors, Umi, Fuu!" Clef announced, without breaking his stride.
Umi and Fuu nodded and kept on running.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Fuu and the other person apologized as they ran into each other.
Fuu looked up. Both of them had been running, so it was quite an impact. Fuu examined the person she had run into. The person had his or her hand outstretched to help Fuu up, and Fuu was surprised at how easily the other person was able to apply their strength into puling her up. They didn't seem to need to put any effort into it. However, as Fuu tried to take a closer look at the person's face, mainly because she thought it was impolite to not look at someone while speaking, she realized that because of the hood on the cloak the other was wearing, she was unable to see anything.
"I…have to go. I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way, Fuu," the person said. It was then Fuu could tell the other was a female. She pushed past Fuu, and at that moment, Fuu realized that she had never seen anyone at the castle except for Clef, Presea, Ferio, and her other friends, so no one else could possibly know her name.
"Wait! Who are you?!" Fuu asked, but the girl had already started running away.
"Clef, Umi! I have to find out who she is!" Fuu told them, running after her. Umi and Clef started pursuing her, chiefly because they didn't want her to go alone.
"Why?" Umi panted, trying to catch up.
Fuu didn't answer, but continued running.
"We're going straight towards the room where Hikaru is!" Clef informed them.
In front of her, Fuu could see the outline of the girl running. "We have to stop her!"
"Who?" Clef and Umi asked in unison.
"The girl that I ran into! I'm following her! If she runs into the room where Hikaru is, you said that Hikaru and Presea would be endangered…they may lose their lives! I can't let that happen!" Fuu stated.
The room where Hikaru and Presea were in was just around the corner…and they saw a cloaked figure reaching out to touch the door that had no handle…and then Fuu heard a slight ringing sound from behind her. Umi had pulled out her sword! Not supportive of violence, Fuu had to agree that this time, it might be necessary. She drew out her own sword, made of Escudo from the Spring of Eterna, like her friends'.
"Get away from there!" Umi ordered, her sword in front of her, ready to attack.
The person turned to look at them, gave a small, startled gasp, and started to run away from them.
"Oh no you don't!" Umi snarled, and pursued her quarry.
"Ms. Umi!" Fuu called, but Umi didn't look back and Fuu sighed and ran after her.
The cloak blew off as she ran, and when the corridor turned, she looked around frantically. 'This hallway ends here? Why?!' she thought desperately.
"Gotcha!" Umi said triumphantly, and stared. The girl she had seen in the room was standing before her…and yet something prevented her from striking. With a supreme effort, she tore her eyes away from the half- frightened and half-defiant face of a girl who reminded her so much of Hikaru, closed her eyes, and attacked.
"Wait, stop, Umi!" the girl pleaded, dodging the blow and resting a hand on Umi's shoulder. "Stop!"
Umi closed out her cries and kept on attacking. The girl dodged each swing, but there was little room in the hallway. At a strong stroke from Umi, the girl was forced to back up against the wall at the end of the hall and Umi's sword was pointed right at her neck.
"You won't ever hurt Hikaru again," Umi stated in a rush of sudden viciousness.
Fuu and Clef arrived just before she was about kill the girl off, but it wasn't them who stopped Umi from killing her.
"Do not harm the Magic Knight!" commanded a voice that all froze to hear.
"Princess…Emeraude?" Umi, Fuu, and Clef asked dazedly.
The only person who didn't look for the source of the voice was the girl. Umi's sword still dangerously close to harming her, she stayed perfectly still, but her eyes were cast onto the floor, so none could see the swirl of emotions dancing in them.
"Knight of Hope, you can't die now!" Emeraude's voice called.
She knew it was coming from the Proof of the Pillar, because some of Emeraude's soul would stay there until the next Pillar was chosen, but the other three didn't. Clef, Umi, and Fuu all looked at each other, and then at the girl. She didn't change her position, but spoke, "We promised each other, Emeraude…I promised you I would find a way! Why did you have to…!" The girl couldn't continue the sentence, but Umi's attention was immediately diverted to the hot tears flowing down the half-hidden face of her opponent.
Emeraude didn't answer that question, but continued, "Please, you have to assist the Magic Knights. Promise me, please." Right after she finished what she was saying, Umi, Fuu, and Clef shielded their eyes from a bright, glowing source of light that suddenly engulfed the girl. When it was gone, they opened their eyes to see…the girl dressed almost like the Magic Knights, except that her clothing was the color of white pearls. Anguish traced its mark all over the girl's face, and tears still poured from closed eyes. "I promise," came the muttered reply, almost so that Umi couldn't catch it. At the ending syllable of "I promise", the presence disappeared as abruptly as it had emerged. When it was fully gone, the girl muttered, "I promise I won't let tragedy be repeated in Cephiro ever again…"
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Watcha think? Review please! Oh yeah, by the way…I thought that 'the girl' is getting to sound a bit boring, so her name is revealed in the next chapter! Thanks to anyone who reviews!