The Dream is Here: Part Two

Many people came to visit the Champion Deus. Hatoko, Sai, Kaede, Ringo, Kotarou, Tamayo, and of course Ichiro, or Icchan as he insisted on being called still.

Not that she was incredibly energetic to receive them.

Misaki lay for days in her bed, coughing, sleeping, and worrying. The last of these actions being a personal thing, it took a while for any of them to realize the bleakness in her eyes, but when the change became apparent, it was startling.

The shining star of the Layer, the brightness, the sweetness, the best friend, she was sad. Of course, anyone would be in her position, right? Misaki wanted to know why she felt exhausted, where this sickness came from, how she could stop it.

What is this, Misaki wondered as she lay in her bed one similar morning, sunlight streaming merrily through her window. Feeling more relaxed and less uncomfortable than usual, Misaki shifted her weight slightly to use it to help her open the window. As she opened it a slight warm spring breeze flittered in and wrapped itself around Misaki, calming her nerves just so. The white clouds in the cerulean sky above were like puffs of steam from a cartoon train and Misaki found herself searching for shapes in them.

She saw many things, none of them real, all creatures she read about in her fantasy novels, which, it seemed, she had taken a fancy to in her recent years. Dragons, cute unnamed animals with tails, unicorns, Pegasus, fairies, angels, serpents, all these things were born out of the frothy white clouds above as they passed by like a picture show with only the soft chirping of nearby birds to accompany it.

It was serenely wonderful and the natural warmth from the caramel sunlight flowing benignly down from the main source warmed Misaki inside and out. Things like these made things like her strange illness bearable and gave her hope, these things.

Misaki sighed contentedly, resting her arms leisurely on the windowsill and then laying her delicate chin on her arms, still in her soft, light blue pajamas. The thick but light material, Misaki thought absently as she rested her head on her arms underneath the hopeful sun, this material is very comfy.

And the Champion Deus who had only moments before woken up from a night's full sleep, drifted away again, unknowingly tired out from the minimal movement and awakeness she had been in previously.

But she looked peaceful, and that was something of a blessing to Shuu who found her that way, as well as Oujirou who came with her, and as many others would know, Icchan was not far behind.

"She's been sleeping more and more lately, only waking to, to eat or smile at me and tell me she's okay," Shuu furrowed her brow, leaning down to ease Misaki back into her bed, off the windowsill and quietly shutting the window, leaving the curtains open to allow the sun through.

"And?" Oujirou's question is terse and having known him for so long, Shuu is quick to catch on to the reason for his brevity.

"I know you're worried Oujirou. We all are. Just remember, you're not alone hm? We all love Misaki. It's not you alone who's here to try and help," Shuu walked over to Oujirou in her usual grace, very reminiscent of her Angel, Athena and nudged him playfully.

"Yes, I know Shuu...but really, anything else?" Oujirou persisted, twisting his hands together unconsciously. Shuu shook her head in resignation and frowned slightly.

"Well, she has been coughing less and less. That's good right?" Shuu turned to Icchan who stood watching Misaki carefully, his arms crossed, his expression pensive.

"I suppose, but Shuu, the truth is we know nothing about what is going on with her. That could be signs of healing but it might..."Icchan paused, not desiring to bring this bleak possibility into prospects yet, not wanting to upset Shuu or his little brother any more than necessary. Fortunately or unfortunately for him, Oujirou finished it for him.

"But it could just be the beginning," Oujirou's voice rang realistic and starkly resigned, as though he wasn't giving up but felt hope slipping through his fingers like powdered snow, then melting into nothingness.

"I see," Shuu responded absently, tucking the covers in lovingly around Misaki a little firmer.

"If you tuck those blankets in any more she won't have to get worse; you'll suffocate her," a teasing voice came from the doorway and the three conscious people in the room turned to see Shouko standing there, leaning rather, against the doorframe.

"How can you be so...so calm?" Shuu questioned, more of her real anxieties showing than before as she turns to face Shouko fully, though still sitting on the edge of Misaki's bed.

"Someone has to be. Someone has to remind all of you people, it's not over. You know?" Shouko waved her finger in Oujirou's face.

"Huh?" Oujirou for one of the very few times in his life, was clueless as Misaki's loved Aunt seemed to be berating him, no, all of them, for something.

"You're all worried, that's fine. It's understandable. After all, we all love her dearly. But the way you're all talking, it's like you're resigned to her being this way forever or dying on us tomorrow," Shouko stated plainly, staring fiercely but not unkindly at all the people in the room levelly, delivering her point with all the formality and iron-will of a drill sergeant.

"It's just hard," Oujirou whispered softly and Shouko's expression softened as she patted his shoulder lightly, taking some of the sting out of her delivery to smooth over his obvious unease, if only a little.

"I know," Shouko smiled sadly. "I know." A knock came on the door suddenly and Shouko went to answer it, leaving the original three there with Misaki once more. To their surprise, Misaki turned a bit in her sleep and then opened her eyes slightly, blinking and rubbing her eyes timidly, like a newborn kitten.

"Misaki! How are you feeling?" this came from all three of them and they all stopped to stare at each other for a moment incredulously before continuing on to Misaki to sit around her, as close as possible without pressing too near.

"I'm fine," Misaki smiled. Oujirou repressed a sigh. This was always her answer.

"Really Misaki?" Shuu asked hopefully, sun shining like shoujo sparkles in her eyes at the fervent words from her daughter's mouth.

"Hai," Misaki's smile widened.

"Really, Misaki Suzuhara?" Oujirou questioned her more firmly and stared deep into her blue eyes, searching for any possible corner she could hide her real fear or doubt in and yelling internally. Misaki was good at hiding her troubles, so good she could conceal them from him even and he wasn't happy about that one really. It wasn't necessarily that he thought he could be her knight in shining armor and rescue her every time, but he was a prince and as such, desired for nothing more than to be able to help his maiden fair.

If only she would let him.

"H-hai!" she squeaked and he could not repress a smile. That was a very Misakichi thing to do. And he could not help either that he leaned forward to hug her, a mite too fiercely perhaps, for she gasped at first but soon she settled into his warm cradle of two arms he never wanted to release her with.

So they sat there like that for a moment, the other two people in the room momentarily gone in the minds of Oujirou and Misaki who were only with each other, only each other for a brief moment of mortal heaven, feeling each other's hearts and minds, melding in a most supernatural way that was not at all unpleasant.

No it was something of a lovely euphoria actually.

Even in illness, the one you love can make you feel like you're drinking ambrosia next to the gods.

Even in uncertainty the one you love can hold fast for both of you when you accidentally let go and need someone to fasten you back on with them.

And even in the unknown, where anything, life or death, is fair game, the one you love, Misaki sighs, can provide the most needed cradle of security, a sanctuary of compassion that wields the strongest weapon in itself, against any foe.

"Misakichi!" Tamayo stepped softly into the room, unlike her normally exuberant self, Kotarou close behind as well as Hatoko.

"Tamayo!" Misaki's head shot up from Oujirou's shoulder where it had rested before, for how long, she wasn't sure. She smiled brightly at the incoming trio and gestured with her petite hand for them to move in closer.

"It's good to see you smiling; I haven't seen you this well in so long," Hatoko commented, albeit a bit shyly. To which, Misaki's expression upped another level of kindness and contentment as she replied:

"Thank you Hatoko-chan. It's been so nice of you, all of you to stay with me and visit me. You don't have to you know," Misaki assured them and they all pounced on her at once...not literally but in words of indignant stature filled with the love they all felt for her one way or another:

"Whaddya mean, we don't have to!? MISAKICHIIII, you're too cute to leave all alone. Oujirou looks kinda pasty from worrying so much about you though, why not let him rest? Dump him and give me a try?" this from Tamayo with stars in her eyes who was quickly reminded by several people that she is dating Kotarou who blushed and Tamayo shrugged and commented that she could always date two people. That made a few laughs, a couple quizzical stares and several shaken heads.

"You're one of the best friends ever Misaki-chan, there's no one else I'd rather have to visit," this from Kotarou who it seemed some short while ago had finally been convinced by a number of people to stop calling her 'Suzuhara-san.'

"You're my daughter Misaki! From now on and forever, I'm here with you!" this from Shuuko of course who gave her daughter a look of compassionate sympathy and sincerity.

"ICCHAN'S YOUR MENTORRRR, LITTLE GIRL, THERE'S NOTHING MORE FOR HIM TO DO BUT CHECK ON YOUUUUUU," Icchan crooned in an off-key tune so very like him that Misaki let slip a giggle unburdened by coughing. It reminded her of that time he hopped out of a bush to surprise her before one tournament and miscalculated his point of appearance by several yards.

"And you know, if I'm not here to make sure you recover well and soon, I won't have any more of your delicious cooked fish for brekkie!" Shouko added, throwing a playful Shouko-grin at Misaki as she returned to the room.

"Misaki-chan, I am here for you of course. It's not a question of whether or not I have to. I want to be here, with you," this from Oujirou who squeezed her hand softly.

"Th-thank you," Misaki was taken aback by their fervent and almost overwhelming emotions rolling over her as they simultaneously fulfilled her in more ways than she could ever elaborate on without stuttering and blushing to the extreme. Her thoughts halted abruptly though as Misaki clutched her head in pain, a sharp stab pulsing through it before she blinked and collapsed back onto her bed.

"Misaki!" Oujirou's eyes widened in fear as he clutched her limp hand tightly, looking over his shoulder at the others who were dumbstruck except Shuu who looked as though she were about to cry and ran out quickly to call a doctor. Icchan knelt down, suddenly serious and laid a hand across Misaki's forehead tentatively.

"No temperature, whatever it is, it seems to be internal," Icchan stated monotonously.

"Whatever it is," Sai muttered darkly. She had seen too many good people suffer from illnesses and Misaki was the very last person who deserved this. Sai glowered at nothing in particular, asking why, why do these things happen?

Kaede gently placed a hand on Sai's right shoulder, lowering her head in sadness.

Tamayo and Kotarou exchanged glances and then both looked to a riveted Hatoko, staring intensely at the still form of Misaki, Oujirou hunched over her protectively.

Meanwhile, Shouko waited for Shuu to come back with news of the doctor in the doorway, silently praying for this to be over.

They all waited, as Misaki lay unconscious, breathing light and nearing shallow.

They waited.

Where do you go when you sleep Misaki-chan, Oujirou wondered softly. Wherever it is, I hope you're safe and not in pain. I promise I'll bring you back to us, we all will, Oujirou assured himself as much as his sleeping love when he thought this. Like a dream hanging on a star just too far to grasp right now, and hidden in the many other stars' brightness, it seemed elusive of course.
But then again, Oujirou mused, most things we truly want, are.
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SHORT I know, but please review to get the net chapter, I need motivation lol. I'm still working on ALL my other fics, slowly but surely. ^_^

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL WHO REVIEW[ED]. My appreciation is boundless. So please keep inspiring me to write more by reviewing more. ^_^

-Kaji Hikage NEXT CHAPTER OF THIS AND ANGELIC HIGH, SOON as more reviews and I get my computer working better again!