Konichiwa! (hello) I apologize for the EXTREMELY long wait *grins
sheepishly*. SAT-9's are next week and I had a lot of homework this week
(^_^0) as usual. This is a very interesting chapter I thought up that
gives a little twist to the story, and it IS a big part of the plot, though
you may not know why at this moment…ah well you'll figure it out soon
enough. Enjoy!
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1 CHAPTER 9: RUNE-GODS
Mikoto looked back over her shoulder at the Magic Knights who were slowly gaining on her. Mokona's red beam emitted steadily from his forehead as he rode on her shoulder, showing her the paths she needed to take.
"Ow!" gasped Mikoto as she fell heavily onto the floor. She rubbed her left shoulder, where she had collided with whatever it was, and looked up to identify the sudden obstacle. Her eyes widened and she backed away, "Lantis!"
Lantis looked down at the person who had run right into him, without even looking. His memory recalled seeing this person somewhere before…was she that girl he had seen in the Chamber of Recreation? He hadn't been paying attention at that time…Hikaru's words were still ringing in his head and he didn't pay much attention to anything else. "Who are you?" Lantis asked quietly, his face unreadable as always.
Mikoto was surprised, gazing up into the eyes of her brother for the first time in a long, long while. It felt like she was being drawn into pools of bottomless violet…like she would sink into them and never come out again. She could sense nor hear anything…his face was all she knew at this simple second that seemed to take all eternity. The sound of swords being drawn rudely shattered the moment as the Magic Knights drew closer. Mikoto turned, half-dazed yet aware, and drew her own sword to block the attack.
Every move Mikoto made was natural…as if she had been born into them. Like walking, the blocks she did were subconsciously done, her mind elsewhere. Lantis watched the fight numbly, his memories tugging at him. These moves…so familiar…
"Umi! Do we really have to do this–?" Hikaru asked unsurely, her strokes not as confident as they usually were.
"What other choice do we have? She's from Autozam, and if we don't stop her…I don't want to think what will happen!" Umi responded.
Mikoto didn't want to hurt any of the Magic Knights…seeing them in any sort of pain…hurt her more than any physical wound could. "Umi, Fuu…Hikaru, stop!"
Hikaru stopped her sword thrust where it was, Fuu's steps slowed to a stop, but Umi rushed forward, continuing her advancement. This girl had beaten her before, and she could never forget that, as the best fencer in her school. Suddenly, Lantis stepped forward and held out his hand. "Stop, Umi."
Mikoto was startled to hear Lantis's voice…so like Zagato's…a voice she hadn't heard in a long, long time. She had wanted to escape at this sort of moment, so she quickly blocked out the image of his eyes…but now…his voice froze her where she was. Curse him! In one quick wrench of emotions, she tore away from all of them, Mokona straining to hold on to her shoulder, as she pushed past Lantis and down the hall, crying silent tears.
"Only Zagato and I were taught those moves by Master Mage Clef during our training…and Clef only taught Alcyone, Zagato, Emeraude, and myself…how could this girl have these skills?" Lantis thought, his eyes looking after the rapidly fading back of Mikoto.
"Why did you do that?" Umi demanded, recovering from the shock Lantis had caused when he stepped out to defend Mikoto.
Lantis looked down at the blue-haired Magic Knight. "She wasn't doing anything to you. Why were you attacking her?"
"Mr. Lantis…we believe she is from Autozam…and somehow she escaped from a magic-protected room…she can't be allowed to run freely around the Castle of Cephiro at this time," Fuu explained.
"But did you have to attack her?" Lantis questioned.
"N-no…" Hikaru sputtered, averting her eyes.
Lantis looked as if he didn't even hear Hikaru's answer, his expression looking, as usual, as if he was in another place.
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Clef suddenly took a sharp intake of breath as he sensed Mikoto's life-force running through the halls of the Castle. So strong…familiar yet strange…
"Hikaru! Umi! Fuu!" he broadcasted with his mind.
All three of them turned to his voice. "Clef?" Hikaru inquired.
"The girl…Mikoto…she is running loose in this Castle–" Clef began.
"We know," Lantis informed Clef, although Clef had not called for him, Lantis, as a student of Clef's could communicate with him at the times he needed to.
"You know? Then why aren't you –" Clef started asking.
"She does not seem like a threat to me," Lantis answered, not waiting for Clef to finish. "I have a few things I need to talk with you about first."
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Mokona clung to Mikoto's shoulder as she cautiously ran along the halls of the Castle of Cephiro. Just ahead, a fork of lighting illuminated the exit, where Ferio and a bunch of guards were standing watch.
"Mikoto?" Ferio said under his breath as he watched her approach.
"Emeraude's brother…Ferio…" Mikoto muttered softly, her steps not slowing as the guards quickly formed a blockade to stop her. "Nova!"
Nova was floating right above the guard's heads, unnoticed and grinning impishly. Her slightly transparent form solidified but still hovered in the air.
"Ferio, watch out!" Mikoto yelled, dashing forward and knocking him aside, just as Nova threw her crisscrossed weapon at them.
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Clef's brow broke into a sweat as he felt Hikaru's strong life- force…two in the Castle? That wasn't possible…was it?
"Hikaru…" Clef murmured.
"Mikoto is here," Umi, Fuu, and Hikaru announced, gazing out the door of the throne room where Lantis, Clef, and themselves had assembled.
"Wait!" Clef called, but the Magic Knights had already ran out the door. "Be careful…"
"I will go with them," Lantis declared, running after them, "to make sure they are safe."
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Ferio lay on the ground, astonished. Just as he was about ready to order the guards to get their plan in action, the girl had rushed forward and knocked him aside, bars of yellow light speeding over their shoulders to return to its owner's hands. He gazed up at the figure, "Hikaru…?"
"No…that's a shadow of Hikaru's heart," Mikoto informed him silently, picking herself up to dodge the next attack, startling Ferio. Mikoto drew her sword to parry Nova's shots.
"Mikoto!" Umi and Fuu shouted.
"Nova!" Hikaru said, surprised.
"Hikaru, let's play!" Nova suggested, smiling and thrusting her golden weapon towards the Magic Knights.
Mikoto sped forward, extending her sword to block the attack. The impact shook her, but she stood her ground, while wind and dust blew around her, from the force of the blow, the Magic Knights all knocked to the ground. "You guys all right?" Mikoto asked, not turning around, but keeping her eyes on Nova.
"Y-yes…" Hikaru replied, looking up at Mikoto from the floor, but it seemed Mikoto barely heard, even as Lantis approached. She seemed to be concentrating hard on something. All three Magic Knights and Lantis, who stood just behind them, started, astonished. They suddenly felt like something had left them for a moment, like when a weight suddenly disappears from your shoulder. Columns of light surrounded everyone except for Nova and Mikoto, still fighting.
"Why isn't she attacking Nova?" Hikaru asked no one in particular, watching the battle. Mikoto could have attacked many times, but each time, she didn't attack; she only blocked each hit, never in the offensive. Umi and Fuu nodded in agreement, with Lantis scrutinizing the fight without comment.
"Hikaru!" a voice said.
"Umi!" another continued.
"Fuu!" the last finished.
"Rayearth!" Hikaru responded.
"Selece!" Umi replied.
"Windam!" Fuu said.
"Rayearth, Selece, and Windam…," Mikoto muttered
"Mikoto…" All three Rune Gods murmured.
"Why do you not attack?" Rayearth asked quietly.
Mikoto grimaced, reflexively evading Nova as she dived towards her, "I know you can communicate with Hikaru, but I want you to not tell her this, all right?"
Rayearth did not respond, but Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu could hear their conversation easily, though they didn't tell Mikoto. "Nova...is a shadow of Hikaru's heart, Rayearth…I won't hurt Nova if it means that a part of Hikaru will be hurt too…" Mikoto explained. Just then, Nova shot repetitive beams of light toward Mikoto, and, concentrating only on the conversation, Mikoto didn't dodge it quickly enough. She winced as she hit the floor, rolling aside as Nova tried to hit her again.
Hikaru had heard Mikoto, but she didn't understand what it meant. How could this be…Nova, a shadow of her own heart? Her eyes watched in disbelief as Mikoto's steps started getting slower and slower…she was wearing out, and Nova seemed to be getting stronger.
"Hikaru!" Mikoto shouted, drawing Hikaru out of her trance. "Hikaru, don't…don't be afraid or worried…Nova will get stronger!"
Hikaru's eyes widened as the pondered the new thought. The barriers surrounding them deflected Nova's shots, but Mikoto had no such defense. More and more shots found their mark, Mikoto getting weaker and weaker, until she could barely stand, her sword barely raised in a feeble stance to protect herself.
"Mikoto!" Hikaru called suddenly, her eyes filling as she watched the other girl get hurt, while she couldn't help. "Rayearth, what can I do?!"
"Mikoto's cut and bleeding lip murmured feebly, "Rayearth, Selece, Windam, lend me some of your power."
She raised her sword. Gleams of blue, green, and red light dashed away from the gloves they wore, heading straight for Mikoto's uplifted sword.
Mikoto's blade pulsated with all three lights until they melded into one, single, bright white light. Getting up with the strength of all three Magic Knights and their Rune Gods, she closed her eyes and declared, "Are you ready to try this again?"
Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu felt another strong presence, extremely alike to their Rune-Gods. "All right then," they hear Mikoto say and then she shouted one single word, "Jiyuu!" The blade tripled in brilliance, and everyone shielded their eyes from its light, as a form leapt out from what seemed like the tip of the sword. A unicorn, with a flowing silver mane, a golden horn, and a pure, dazzling, white coat. It turned to nuzzle Mikoto, who, in turn, patted its head. She leapt on top of in one fluid motion; seeming to join into the unicorn she called Jiyuu. Mokona still clung to Mikoto's shoulder, after all this, and she muttered to it, "Are you ready Mokona? Guide me, please!"
The jewel on Mokona's forehead shot a beam of red toward Nova, drawing a straight line towards her heart as Mikoto lifted her sword to cast the spell.
"Nova, come back! You will have time to play with Hikaru later!" Debonair commanded. Nova disappeared right before the attack hit her, evading the blow that would have ended her sojourns into the Castle of Cephiro. At that moment, the walls of light disappeared, and Hikaru gasped, gazing uncertainly at Mikoto.
Mikoto patted the creature's neck, her eyes mirroring its deep sadness, a deep longing that was so strong Hikaru almost felt it. As Mikoto bent her head, the creature disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.
"What is that?!" Umi demanded, her eyes hostile.
Mikoto didn't respond immediately, but when she did, everyone took a step back in shock. "Jiyuu…is my Rune-God…the Rune-God that will never transform."
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So, how was it? Took me a while to get all the details in correctly, but hope you liked it! I apologize but the next update you can expect no earlier than a week from now! See ya then! (Please review!)
By the way: If you reviewed as either Shazzam or Becky (the ones that didn't leave an E-mail address) can you leave me your E-mail addresses? Thank you!!!
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1 CHAPTER 9: RUNE-GODS
Mikoto looked back over her shoulder at the Magic Knights who were slowly gaining on her. Mokona's red beam emitted steadily from his forehead as he rode on her shoulder, showing her the paths she needed to take.
"Ow!" gasped Mikoto as she fell heavily onto the floor. She rubbed her left shoulder, where she had collided with whatever it was, and looked up to identify the sudden obstacle. Her eyes widened and she backed away, "Lantis!"
Lantis looked down at the person who had run right into him, without even looking. His memory recalled seeing this person somewhere before…was she that girl he had seen in the Chamber of Recreation? He hadn't been paying attention at that time…Hikaru's words were still ringing in his head and he didn't pay much attention to anything else. "Who are you?" Lantis asked quietly, his face unreadable as always.
Mikoto was surprised, gazing up into the eyes of her brother for the first time in a long, long while. It felt like she was being drawn into pools of bottomless violet…like she would sink into them and never come out again. She could sense nor hear anything…his face was all she knew at this simple second that seemed to take all eternity. The sound of swords being drawn rudely shattered the moment as the Magic Knights drew closer. Mikoto turned, half-dazed yet aware, and drew her own sword to block the attack.
Every move Mikoto made was natural…as if she had been born into them. Like walking, the blocks she did were subconsciously done, her mind elsewhere. Lantis watched the fight numbly, his memories tugging at him. These moves…so familiar…
"Umi! Do we really have to do this–?" Hikaru asked unsurely, her strokes not as confident as they usually were.
"What other choice do we have? She's from Autozam, and if we don't stop her…I don't want to think what will happen!" Umi responded.
Mikoto didn't want to hurt any of the Magic Knights…seeing them in any sort of pain…hurt her more than any physical wound could. "Umi, Fuu…Hikaru, stop!"
Hikaru stopped her sword thrust where it was, Fuu's steps slowed to a stop, but Umi rushed forward, continuing her advancement. This girl had beaten her before, and she could never forget that, as the best fencer in her school. Suddenly, Lantis stepped forward and held out his hand. "Stop, Umi."
Mikoto was startled to hear Lantis's voice…so like Zagato's…a voice she hadn't heard in a long, long time. She had wanted to escape at this sort of moment, so she quickly blocked out the image of his eyes…but now…his voice froze her where she was. Curse him! In one quick wrench of emotions, she tore away from all of them, Mokona straining to hold on to her shoulder, as she pushed past Lantis and down the hall, crying silent tears.
"Only Zagato and I were taught those moves by Master Mage Clef during our training…and Clef only taught Alcyone, Zagato, Emeraude, and myself…how could this girl have these skills?" Lantis thought, his eyes looking after the rapidly fading back of Mikoto.
"Why did you do that?" Umi demanded, recovering from the shock Lantis had caused when he stepped out to defend Mikoto.
Lantis looked down at the blue-haired Magic Knight. "She wasn't doing anything to you. Why were you attacking her?"
"Mr. Lantis…we believe she is from Autozam…and somehow she escaped from a magic-protected room…she can't be allowed to run freely around the Castle of Cephiro at this time," Fuu explained.
"But did you have to attack her?" Lantis questioned.
"N-no…" Hikaru sputtered, averting her eyes.
Lantis looked as if he didn't even hear Hikaru's answer, his expression looking, as usual, as if he was in another place.
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Clef suddenly took a sharp intake of breath as he sensed Mikoto's life-force running through the halls of the Castle. So strong…familiar yet strange…
"Hikaru! Umi! Fuu!" he broadcasted with his mind.
All three of them turned to his voice. "Clef?" Hikaru inquired.
"The girl…Mikoto…she is running loose in this Castle–" Clef began.
"We know," Lantis informed Clef, although Clef had not called for him, Lantis, as a student of Clef's could communicate with him at the times he needed to.
"You know? Then why aren't you –" Clef started asking.
"She does not seem like a threat to me," Lantis answered, not waiting for Clef to finish. "I have a few things I need to talk with you about first."
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Mokona clung to Mikoto's shoulder as she cautiously ran along the halls of the Castle of Cephiro. Just ahead, a fork of lighting illuminated the exit, where Ferio and a bunch of guards were standing watch.
"Mikoto?" Ferio said under his breath as he watched her approach.
"Emeraude's brother…Ferio…" Mikoto muttered softly, her steps not slowing as the guards quickly formed a blockade to stop her. "Nova!"
Nova was floating right above the guard's heads, unnoticed and grinning impishly. Her slightly transparent form solidified but still hovered in the air.
"Ferio, watch out!" Mikoto yelled, dashing forward and knocking him aside, just as Nova threw her crisscrossed weapon at them.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/- /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Clef's brow broke into a sweat as he felt Hikaru's strong life- force…two in the Castle? That wasn't possible…was it?
"Hikaru…" Clef murmured.
"Mikoto is here," Umi, Fuu, and Hikaru announced, gazing out the door of the throne room where Lantis, Clef, and themselves had assembled.
"Wait!" Clef called, but the Magic Knights had already ran out the door. "Be careful…"
"I will go with them," Lantis declared, running after them, "to make sure they are safe."
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/- /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Ferio lay on the ground, astonished. Just as he was about ready to order the guards to get their plan in action, the girl had rushed forward and knocked him aside, bars of yellow light speeding over their shoulders to return to its owner's hands. He gazed up at the figure, "Hikaru…?"
"No…that's a shadow of Hikaru's heart," Mikoto informed him silently, picking herself up to dodge the next attack, startling Ferio. Mikoto drew her sword to parry Nova's shots.
"Mikoto!" Umi and Fuu shouted.
"Nova!" Hikaru said, surprised.
"Hikaru, let's play!" Nova suggested, smiling and thrusting her golden weapon towards the Magic Knights.
Mikoto sped forward, extending her sword to block the attack. The impact shook her, but she stood her ground, while wind and dust blew around her, from the force of the blow, the Magic Knights all knocked to the ground. "You guys all right?" Mikoto asked, not turning around, but keeping her eyes on Nova.
"Y-yes…" Hikaru replied, looking up at Mikoto from the floor, but it seemed Mikoto barely heard, even as Lantis approached. She seemed to be concentrating hard on something. All three Magic Knights and Lantis, who stood just behind them, started, astonished. They suddenly felt like something had left them for a moment, like when a weight suddenly disappears from your shoulder. Columns of light surrounded everyone except for Nova and Mikoto, still fighting.
"Why isn't she attacking Nova?" Hikaru asked no one in particular, watching the battle. Mikoto could have attacked many times, but each time, she didn't attack; she only blocked each hit, never in the offensive. Umi and Fuu nodded in agreement, with Lantis scrutinizing the fight without comment.
"Hikaru!" a voice said.
"Umi!" another continued.
"Fuu!" the last finished.
"Rayearth!" Hikaru responded.
"Selece!" Umi replied.
"Windam!" Fuu said.
"Rayearth, Selece, and Windam…," Mikoto muttered
"Mikoto…" All three Rune Gods murmured.
"Why do you not attack?" Rayearth asked quietly.
Mikoto grimaced, reflexively evading Nova as she dived towards her, "I know you can communicate with Hikaru, but I want you to not tell her this, all right?"
Rayearth did not respond, but Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu could hear their conversation easily, though they didn't tell Mikoto. "Nova...is a shadow of Hikaru's heart, Rayearth…I won't hurt Nova if it means that a part of Hikaru will be hurt too…" Mikoto explained. Just then, Nova shot repetitive beams of light toward Mikoto, and, concentrating only on the conversation, Mikoto didn't dodge it quickly enough. She winced as she hit the floor, rolling aside as Nova tried to hit her again.
Hikaru had heard Mikoto, but she didn't understand what it meant. How could this be…Nova, a shadow of her own heart? Her eyes watched in disbelief as Mikoto's steps started getting slower and slower…she was wearing out, and Nova seemed to be getting stronger.
"Hikaru!" Mikoto shouted, drawing Hikaru out of her trance. "Hikaru, don't…don't be afraid or worried…Nova will get stronger!"
Hikaru's eyes widened as the pondered the new thought. The barriers surrounding them deflected Nova's shots, but Mikoto had no such defense. More and more shots found their mark, Mikoto getting weaker and weaker, until she could barely stand, her sword barely raised in a feeble stance to protect herself.
"Mikoto!" Hikaru called suddenly, her eyes filling as she watched the other girl get hurt, while she couldn't help. "Rayearth, what can I do?!"
"Mikoto's cut and bleeding lip murmured feebly, "Rayearth, Selece, Windam, lend me some of your power."
She raised her sword. Gleams of blue, green, and red light dashed away from the gloves they wore, heading straight for Mikoto's uplifted sword.
Mikoto's blade pulsated with all three lights until they melded into one, single, bright white light. Getting up with the strength of all three Magic Knights and their Rune Gods, she closed her eyes and declared, "Are you ready to try this again?"
Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu felt another strong presence, extremely alike to their Rune-Gods. "All right then," they hear Mikoto say and then she shouted one single word, "Jiyuu!" The blade tripled in brilliance, and everyone shielded their eyes from its light, as a form leapt out from what seemed like the tip of the sword. A unicorn, with a flowing silver mane, a golden horn, and a pure, dazzling, white coat. It turned to nuzzle Mikoto, who, in turn, patted its head. She leapt on top of in one fluid motion; seeming to join into the unicorn she called Jiyuu. Mokona still clung to Mikoto's shoulder, after all this, and she muttered to it, "Are you ready Mokona? Guide me, please!"
The jewel on Mokona's forehead shot a beam of red toward Nova, drawing a straight line towards her heart as Mikoto lifted her sword to cast the spell.
"Nova, come back! You will have time to play with Hikaru later!" Debonair commanded. Nova disappeared right before the attack hit her, evading the blow that would have ended her sojourns into the Castle of Cephiro. At that moment, the walls of light disappeared, and Hikaru gasped, gazing uncertainly at Mikoto.
Mikoto patted the creature's neck, her eyes mirroring its deep sadness, a deep longing that was so strong Hikaru almost felt it. As Mikoto bent her head, the creature disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.
"What is that?!" Umi demanded, her eyes hostile.
Mikoto didn't respond immediately, but when she did, everyone took a step back in shock. "Jiyuu…is my Rune-God…the Rune-God that will never transform."
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So, how was it? Took me a while to get all the details in correctly, but hope you liked it! I apologize but the next update you can expect no earlier than a week from now! See ya then! (Please review!)
By the way: If you reviewed as either Shazzam or Becky (the ones that didn't leave an E-mail address) can you leave me your E-mail addresses? Thank you!!!