Title: As Swift As the Wind

Author: Haze

Disclaimer: I don't own Flame of Recca so don't sue me…

Chapter 6:

      Three heads rolled on the stone flooring of the castle and thick, crimson liquid pooled on the flooring beneath the decapitated bodies.

      Proxima stared coldly. "Blast it! Find them!"

      Three more warriors bowed and mixed with the shadows. Thereafter, a big crystal ball glowed and showed the face of a purple-haired girl and a silver-haired bishounen protected by a force shield emanating from the girl's body which reacted to the presence of certain blonde-haired bishounen as he stood a few meters away from the two humans.

      The crystal focused on the blonde bishounen.

      "Damn you!" She muttered angrily.

(Mikagami's POV)

      I don't usually go to a frantic level of worry but at that time, frantic worry is a damn understatement to what I experienced when I discovered Fuuko missing in her room. It was almost like I flew everywhere in the mansion to find her.

      Of course everyone in the mansion was disturbed and soon, we were all looking for her. And then, I found myself walking out towards the outdoor swimming pool.

      I found Fuuko there, sitting by the pool with her lower leg in the water. I couldn't move for a time and I just stood there, looking at her as she stared blankly at the water surrounding her lower leg. She looked very much like a goddess that she was for the Hokage.

      Long and delicate purple locks cascaded down her shoulders, framing her face slightly – dramatically. Her skin was glowing more than usual either from the moon's light or just by her own will. Lips as red as blood were slightly apart. And her eyes were looking blank as if she had retreated into herself.

      I would've stood rooted there to watch her but I thought otherwise. After all, it was rude to stare and I supposed that she needed a companion rather than a spectator. So I removed my shoes and sat beside her, letting my lower legs submerge in the water.

      Silence settled between us and I could tell that she was having an internal turmoil. But it was scaring me for the aura that seems to surround her was heavy and melancholic.

      Perhaps she did know of whatever tragic fact that had risen from an incident more than four years ago. Perhaps it was a wise hypothesis from her or perhaps it was her instincts. But I don't care whichever it is. What bothers me that for a long time she knew and she just bottled herself up thus refusing any help from any of us, her friends.

      "I'm sorry for not asking permission. I just thought that you may have been sleeping already." She said, speaking so softly.

      "It's alright."

      Again, silence came and I just looked at her.

      "Why do you stare at me, Mi-chan?"

      "I'm sorry." I just couldn't help it, I almost added.

      She shook her head gracefully and turned to me, dark blue eyes peering at me intensely. "I should be the one saying that. I'm being such a bother to you."

      "What made you think that?"

      "You've been constantly fretting about me like I am some porcelain that would break by the mere touch of the wind."

      She sighed and looked back at the water. "But truthfully, it makes me feel that I still matter, that I'm still loved. However, Mi-chan, it makes me feel guilty because I'm taking advantage of your niceness." Then she smiled slightly. "Can we just pretend that it's your payment for being so despicable to me before?"

      I felt a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Why not? I don't see anything wrong."

      "Your girlfriend might. You've been around me for more than a month."

      "Fuuko, how stubborn can you get? I have no girlfriend."

      "You used to deny. Then you admitted. And lately, you've been denying again."

      "That's because it is easier to accept than to deny. When you say yes, most accusations would stop. When you say no, they would just keep on coming. And at times, it's good to have no arguments."

      She fell silent and I wondered what I said that made her silent.

      "I wish I could be like you. You know so much." She sighed and looked at me. "Well, I think it's getting late. Good night. See you tomorrow."

      But she didn't make a move to stand up. She just sat there, her eyes slowly developing into blank ones. And again, the heavy and melancholic mood gradually came back.

      "Do you want to tell me something?"

      She looked at me, slightly startled. Perhaps she thought that I had left after her last sentence.

      "You can talk to me."

      She smiled slightly. "No, thank you. It's late. You might be tired from babysitting over a monkey."

      "Fuuko--"

      "Mi-chan, I'll just blab about nothing."

      I stared at her, hoping that she'd let me help her. "If only you'd let me, I'll help you."

      "There's nothing in me that needs help. Don't worry, I'd talk to you if I need help."

      "Promise me that."

      She peered at me for a long time, shock apparent in her face. "I think you're the one who needs help. You're straying too much from the Mi-chan I remember you to be."

      "You're changing the topic."

      "I am?" She smiled, again slightly. "Maybe. But I just find it weird or something." She paused and looked at me thoughtfully for some time. "Oh well, okay, I promise."

      "Good. So shall we go now?"

      "Go ahead. I think I'll hang out a while longer."

      When I didn't move, she looked at me with mock irritation. And for the first time since we left Japan, she smiled fully. "What are you going to do without me? You can't even stand up. Gee, that is so flattering. A Mi-chan who can't seem to do anything without Fuuko-chan."

      I smiled. "Oh, so now you see the obvious."

      She giggled, though I noticed that she was a bit shocked. "You're much nicer. I think I like you this way."

      "Then show it by being nicer to me. And you can start by standing up so that I can now take you back."

      "Oh alright."

      She stood up and held out her hand with the smile still present.

      We walked towards her room silently but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence that accompanied us. She was smiling at me with amazement all through the walk. And even more when I tucked her in bed.

      "You're going soft on the monkey, Mr. Zookeeper." She teased.

      "Aren't you supposed to be enjoying this?" I teased back although I tried to sound sarcastic.

      "I am enjoying this. Who would've thought you'd treat me like this? You're nice enough to make me want to have a crush on you."

      I could feel all my blood rush to my face. But I guess she was just teasing me because I could see confusion crowd her eyes. After all, I never did react to her teasing me about this before – never. Because at that time, I was still in denial. And when I had accepted, it was by that time that she stopped teasing me about being her crush if I could melt even a bit. And then, she was in a coma.

      "Uh, Mi-chan, you're red. All your blood is rushing to your face. Maybe you need to sleep now."

      She was still looking at me with confusion. It's not yet time to admit anything. Not yet. It would add to the confusion that I'm sure she is struggling about regarding every weird incident that involved her.

      "Good idea."

      I quickly stood up and left before she could say 'fly'.

      "Where are you going?"

      Amethyst restrained himself from rolling his eyeballs. If he had a guardian angel, Locke sure fits the role perfectly. It's like she can't even let him out of her sight for more than five minutes.

      "Do I need to answer you?" Amethyst asked in monotone.

      He immediately sensed a sudden falter in her aura before it went back to normal. He knew it was because his indifference still pained her. But it didn't bother him. Sooner or later, the girl would have to feel and understand that he would never be able to return her affections.

      "You might get in trouble, Amethyst." She answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

      Amethyst sighed inwardly. He could sense the concern in her aura although her voice was as emotionless as could be. He had to stop this. Meia would not approve of him making a girl hope for nothing. But what could he do when he really couldn't feel anything for her?

      If she could not take the hint with actions, maybe words would do. And to think it is widely said that actions speak louder than words.

      "Why don't you stop?" He asked, eyes turning colder by the second.

      She looked stunned for a moment. Then she regained her composure with as much ease and speed.

      "Stop what?" She asked, matching the coolness of his eyes.

      "You know what I'm referring to, Locke. Stop it. A cold unfeeling bastard like me will never deserve the affections you offer."

      With that said, he walked away expecting that the next time around she wouldn't be feeling anything remotely similar to love and compassion for him.

      Recca paced the floor to and fro. Domon was getting dizzy following him around. And Yanagi was plainly worried.

      Kagerou sighed. Almost everything was upside-down. Mikagami and Fuuko had been missing for some time after Fuuko's discharge from the hospital. And the Ekai ball couldn't find them. What more was that Koganei and Ganko had been running off to who knows where with reasons that they've been doing an important research. Heck, when will that research be over anyway?

      "What the hell is happening?!" Recca raved for who knows how many times.

      "Recca-kun, sit down please."

      "Yeah. I'm getting dizzy and it's adding to my frustration about things!"

      Recca glared at Domon. "Stop complaining! That's it! I'm calling Shane."

      He angrily punched the numbers and waited impatiently as the phone on the other line rang. It wasn't after a couple of trials that it was answered by a secretary.

      Recca immediately launched to his point. "I need to talk to Shane."

      "Shane? Sir, are you sure you are calling the right number?"

      "Yeah. I was looking for Shane Remmington."

      "May I know who is speaking?"

      "Hanabishi Recca."

      After a few seconds of silence, "I'm sorry sir but you're name is not on the scheduled phone appointment of Miss Remmington?"

      "Do I need that?" Recca impatiently asked.

      "Yes, sir."

      "But it's important!"

      "I'm sorry, sir. But I cannot put you on the line to speak to her unless you have an appointment. She has a very tight schedule."

      A debate ensued and when the secretary had lost her cool because of Recca's tone, she hung up and purposely ignored the call whenever his number appeared on the caller ID.

      "Damn it! I'm going there."

      "You can't, Recca-kun."

      "I'm going whether there are guards or not. I'm going to blast them off!"

      "Recca-kun!"

      Kagerou sighed and again looked at the clouded Ekai ball.

(Fuuko's POV)

      Run. . .

      I need to run. There's something out there, waiting for me.

      They're going to kill me and everyone near me. Why? Why wouldn't they leave me alone? Why? Why is there this deep emptiness? Why? Why does it follow me around all the time?

      I don't like it. It's like it's foreshadowing that something bad will happen to the people around me.

      No. I will not lose another loved one. I will not. . .

      I want so much to go back to how it all was, to how I was.  But who was I to begin with?

      I am no one come to think of it. Because I am not deliriously happy about everything as I had pretended to be. I am not the invincible wind goddess.

      That was all pretend. But at least I was someone. At least I had my family. At least I had a life.

      Now, it's so hard to piece back my life, no matter how staged it was. It's hard to stage such one now. My mask is falling apart. I am falling apart. For I have become my mask.

      More than four years of my life has gone by without me taking a part in it. My parents had died and I couldn't even do something to prevent them from doing so. My Fuujin is destroyed and I couldn't have even put it to its greatest use. And I. . . I should be alone. I don't want to lose anyone again.

      If I have to separate myself from all I love to protect them, so be it.

      If I have to separate myself from all I love to make a life of my own, so be it.

      They were alone. And can therefore lose the mask of superiority.

      Taurus' eyes warmed as she stared at the image of the purple-haired girl's protector.

      He had a long, blonde hair and eyes that had all the shades of blue. He was perfectly beautiful.

      Taurus reached out and touched the crystal affectionately.

      General Proxima's eyes softened a bit. "You're still in love with him." She whispered.

      The beautiful Lady let her guard down completely as she smiled bitterly and whispered. "Unfortunately for me, he's still in love with that traitor Rhapsody."

      Proxima's fists tightened. She knew pretty well the pain Taurus had to go through in trying to do everything excellently – in trying to win the love of the man who has eyes only for the traitor, Rhapsody. Proxima hated Rhapsody for all the pain she had caused – for all her treachery. She could still remember the blood shed that happened.

      Rhapsody had caused the greatest civil war long, long ago and had killed off majority of those belonging to the upper class – including Taurus' parents and her parents.

      Silently, she made a promise to herself. She would kill Rhapsody again and again if need be. And she would kill anyone related to her.

      Fuuko woke up in the middle of the night, not quite sure why she had done so.

      She rose and walked towards the dresser of the spacious room she had stayed in for the past two months since she and Mikagami had left Japan.

      For the past month, she had been gradually withdrawing more to herself. At first it was unconsciously but now it was not so. It's more like she had grown accustomed to having a distance between her and everybody in such a short period of time.

      Lately, she had been hearing the melodic voice of more than four years ago. But it was not in her sleep alone that she had heard the voice. Even as she was awake, she could hear it calling so softly to her.

      Perhaps that was the reason of her unconscious distancing before. She would withdraw to herself unconsciously to try to talk to the voice or think about why she was calling once again.

      Fuuko sighed and sat at the chair, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

      What she had been seeing since she woke up from her coma and looked at the mirror was not the Fuuko she once was. But then, on closer look, it was still she. Although so much had changed about her. But she expected it, as there had been changes even before they were attacked.

      Glowing rosy white skin, reddest lips, and softly long purple tresses met her eyes. She stared at her reflection longer than usual. But soon she noticed something else.

      Her eyes.

      Purple. Blue. And green.

      The colors seemed to blend well with each other. Just like the eyes of the angel who left her so long ago.

      "Fuuko."

      Fuuko's breathing became labored. But she didn't look back. She didn't need to.

      In the mirror, she saw the reflection of the angel. She looked so much like before.

      Beautiful. Ethereal. Perfect.

      "You came back." Fuuko whispered.

      "I have never left you, Fuuko." She said in the same gentle voice of long ago. "I had always been with you."

      "Why did you not show yourself until now?"

      "It is because you wouldn't let me."

      "What do you mean?"

      "You kept me away with the emptiness, pain and fear that you have surrounded yourself with."

      "Why didn't you break it?"

      "They are you as you called upon them from the depths of your soul. If I exorcise them, I might leave nothing of you. You have merged with them, Fuuko. And there was nothing I could do but wait for you to separate yourself from them."

      "And now?"

      "You have delved deeper into yourself like you were looking for me."

      "Tell me, who are you? Do you know those people who came to the house more than four years ago?"

      The angel nodded slightly. "I know of them. That's why I was warning you."

      Anger began to touch Fuuko's heart. "What did they want from me?! Why did they leave me like this?! What is the talk about the damn essence or whatever it was they were looking for?!"

      "Do you know what Essence means?"

      "Spirit. Core. Heart. Real meaning. Soul. Quintessence. Fundamental nature. So what?! They think I can talk to spirits and find that damn specific spirit they were looking for?!"

      "No, Fuuko."

      "Then what were they saying about me knowing where it is?!"

      "I'm sorry, Fuuko. Forgive me. I have brought you so much trouble."

      Fuuko's eyes widened as her brain registered the implication of the angel's reaction. "You – you are – the spirit that – they wanted?"

      The angel looked at Fuuko's face from the mirror with her eyes telling Fuuko how sorry she was. "Forgive me, Fuuko."

~tbc (soon)~

Author's Note: Yeah, I know it was boring and confusing. And it sucks. But I have an alibi. Exams. And instead of studying, I did this. My exam is a couple less than an hour away and I did this. But I can't upload because of internet problems. So now, after three hours and after my last exam, I am posting this. Anyway, thank you so much to those who stayed with me. You guys are great. ^^

My Answers to the Reviewers:

Fuuko-san That's so nice of you to assure me that you'll support me. It made me smile. Thankz

Melyan I think now you know about the Essence and the confusion lessened. And the joke was funny for me. ^^

hyper_shark I don't know what to say except that I am flattered. Really.

Ranka *hugs Ranka again and again* You're so nice to me.

Lady Light Thanks. About Fuuko, wait and see what I have for her.

bishounen lovah It's really sweet of you to review when you haven't read the story yet. And even sweeter when you read it even when you're still not feeling too well. Thank you

To all those who review. . . THANK YOU. It makes my heart get fatter in a good way. ^^