Author's Notes: Sorry it took me so long to get out this next chapter. I've
been swamped with school activities and such. Plus, I'm still not sure
where I'm going with this. ^^;; All kinds of reviews are accepted so don't
hesitate to send bad ones! Oh and, I own nothing! Whee!
Chapter Three: This Time Around
Hikaru sat nervously next to Lantis trying to enjoy the afternoon sunshine with him. It wasn't that it was her first time being alone with Lantis with their feelings exposed (despite her tentative grip around his arm) or the fact that he was staring at her wondering why she seemed so rigid. "No." Hikaru thought shaking her head confusing the magic sword man even further.
"It must be..." Hikaru slowly raised her trance gaze. "Nova."
"What about Nova?" Lantis asked causing Hikaru to snap her head in attention, her face brightening to match her hair. Hikaru uttered a forced laugh, Lantis' face stayed indifferent.
"Nothing really." Hikaru replied after minutes of Lantis staring at her, obviously wanting more than a giggle. "I just had a dream last night and Nova was in it."
"What kind of dream?" Lantis asked breaking all hope of Hikaru trying to assure her health.
"Well..." She began slowly knowing she couldn't evade his question unlike Umi and Fuu's. "Someone was trying to take Nova away from me. Nova was pleading for me to protector her."
Lantis sat quietly leading Hikaru to wonder if she should go into full detail. Right when the red knight was about to lengthen her story, Lantis abruptly stood up. "I think Mage Clef should hear of your dream."
"Okay." Hikaru agreed but not convinced that her dream was that important. She stood up filling their height gap slightly and walked back into the castle, her hand clasped lightly in his.
*~*
Otamri leaned against the wall, her eyes closed and flowered hair brushing the white paint. She had been waiting outside of Ferio's room for what seemed hours. After listening the story of her beloved provided by Clef, she had spent the rest of that day in her room thinking things over.
At first she had just stood numbly next to the door, her hand resting on the door knob- unable to think of anything. It had been moments later that she had finally broken down and sobbed huddled on the floor in a tight ball. She was sure Ferio would chose this Fuu over her; after all, Fuu was a legendary Magic Knight.
Later, when Otamri's head began to clear, she reasoned that Ferio understood that he couldn't be with Fuu forever. "That is why he fell in love with me." Otamri whispered looking at Ferio's bedroom door.
At that moment, the door clicked signaling the Prince was about to leave his room. Otamri sucked in as much air as she could and heaved a heavy breath as Ferio stood before her. "What are you doing here Otamri?"
"I came to see you." Otamri replied, barely above a whisper. "Master Mage Clef told me what happened...and I..."
The look Ferio was giving her froze her in place. The green haired prince looked as if he had crawled out of an untimely grave. Otamri inwardly shuddered from his appearance and hoped it wasn't the result of her. "I wanted to know..." She tried to continue as Ferio closed the gap between his second love.
"...how I feel." He finished watching her round face nod. "This isn't easy Otamri..." He sighed reaching out to grasp her shoulder.
"It's okay, I'm sure Fuu would understand-"
"It's not Fuu that I'm worried about." Ferio cut off watching Otamri's blank look.
"But Ferio, if we stay together she's going to be-" Ferio waved his hand silencing the lilac haired sorceress again.
"I love Fuu." He blurted turning away from the shocked girl. "I have always loved Fuu. I should have realized I could never get over her..."
"But Ferio, she-"
"And it isn't right to pretend to love you." Ferio finished feeling Otamri grasp his clothed arm. "It isn't fair to you." He whispered looking into opposite watering eyes.
Taking Otamri's silence as an understanding to the predicament, Ferio turned and started down the hall. "But Ferio!" Otamri cried taking a step forward. "Fuu can't stay forever! I will be here forever!"
Ferio turned to face the pleading girl once more. "Fuu lives on here." He replied touching his chest. The prince walked down the rest of the hall and out of sight of the sobbing sorceress.
*~*
Fuu and Umi stood beside Clef and Sieara chatting lightly. Clef had called the two girls in and they were now waiting for the final Magic Knight to join them. "Where could she be?" Umi huffed rapping the tip of her foot on the floor. Upon request- Hikaru and Lantis emerged through the large double doors.
"Hi guys!" Hikaru called, surprised at their presence in the room. "What are you doing here?"
"Clef-san asked to see us." Fuu answered as Hikaru bounded up to the duo.
"And we've been waiting for you." Umi replied a little annoyed as Lantis came behind Hikaru. Umi gave a reassuring wink to Hikaru's guilty face before Clef gave a small cough for attention.
"I have called you three Magic Knights for a special reason." Clef began shifting his gaze to the anticipating girls. "I haven't been truthful to you since you came here and I apologize for the deception. However, it was in my best intension due to recent events."
Fuu bowed her head slightly feeling the guilt of causing Clef to worry. "It isn't anyone's fault." Clef announced quietly gazing at Fuu's slumped figure. "The truth is-"
"I think I should tell them Clef." Sieara cut in resting her hand on the small mage's arm.
"What's wrong Presea?" Hikaru asked, immediately worried for the Master Swordsman's health.
"It isn't anything like that dear Hikaru." Sieara smiled sadly.
"We if you're not dying that it can't be anything too bad." Umi chuckled in relief. "For a second, Presea, I thought you were going to say you're dying."
Clef, Sieara, and Lantis looked at the Water Knight making her nervous. "But...if Presea said it wasn't a health issue..."
"Presea is dead, Umi." Sieara informed clasping her nervous hands together. "I am her sister, Sieara."
*~*
Hikaru lay wide-awake in her spacious bed. Her lack of sleep could have been due to the startling news of Sieara's identity. Or perhaps she was afraid to dream of Nova being ripped away from her. Hikaru rested her right hand over her chest.
"I wont lose you Nova." Hikaru whispered, hoping to reassure her other half and herself. "I guess I should go talk to Clef about what's happening. "The short Knight rustled her sheets in attempt to climb out of her bed safely.
"The news of Presea...I had forgotten to talk with Clef." Hikaru yawned smoothing out her white night gown. She moved quietly down the hallways to insure the residents of the castle would stay asleep.
Turning the corner to the grand double doors, Hikaru noticed light seeping underneath the doors. "Good, he's awake." She sighed and reached for the handle.
Just as Hikaru's tiny hand grasped the door handle, Umi came running out through the other door. "Umi-chan?" Hikaru gasped jumping away from the speeding wave of blue.
Umi hesitated looking directly at Hikaru before turning back to her original task and vanished around the corner. "Umi-chan!" Hikaru yelled after her as Clef walked up beside her.
*~*
Umi nervously played with her hair as she stood outside the double doors where Clef was inside, most likely worrying about her and the other's health. She felt the need to be comforted, especially from Clef. The nerve- wracked girl slowly reached for the door when it suddenly swooshed open.
Clef stood in the doorway, his body outlined from the light inside the room. "I sensed you standing out here Umi, come on in." He gestured backing away from the door.
Umi entered the room, her eyes darting from the interior to the Master Mage's childlike face. "Do you need another sleeping potion?" He smiled conjuring a chair; similar the one he had created for Umi last time she had come to see him.
"No, it's not that..." Umi answered with a small smile and slid into the chair.
"Do you need to talk about Sieara?" Clef asked, standing before the unusually timed Magic Knight.
"No...it's..." Clef took a step closer to Umi in worry breaking all of Umi's nerves.
"Iloveyou!" She cried glancing up at Clef.
Clef took a step back in startle; his whole body froze. He had never been in such a predicament before and certainly didn't want to be the cause of this young girl's pain. Umi's facial expression began to tighten waiting for the Mage to say something. "Anything!" She thought to herself.
"Umi...I..." He started clutching his staff. "It's that...I do love you too...you're very special to me...all of the Magic Knights are special to me..."
Umi felt tears begin to well up in her glass blue eyes. Her head began to drop as Clef continued to explain his feelings. "Please Umi...I don't want to hurt you...you're very dear to me...and I-"
"Is there someone else?" Umi asked on instinct. Her voice lacked life and her eyes seemed to have glazed over.
Clef hesitated in answering her and was stuck between patting her shoulder and leaving her be. "I wont lie to you Umi...I have found someone to love as an equal..."
"I don't want to hear anymore!" Umi cried jumping up from her seat. "I'm sorry I have burdened you." Umi hastily bowed before rushing for the door.
"Umi! Wait!" Clef called after her as she bounded out the door.
By the time Clef had reached the door, tripping several times on his long robes in attempt to catch up to the quick Magic Knight, Umi had disappeared from view. "Umi-chan!" A young female voice called, which clef recognized quickly that it belonged to Hikaru. Clef walked up beside Hikaru as the smallest Magic Knight cried franticly for her heart broken friend.
"I heard them say that dreams should stay in your head...well I feel ashamed of the things that I've said...put on these chains and you can live a tree life...we'll I'd rather bleed just to know why I died..." - This Time Around
Chapter Three: This Time Around
Hikaru sat nervously next to Lantis trying to enjoy the afternoon sunshine with him. It wasn't that it was her first time being alone with Lantis with their feelings exposed (despite her tentative grip around his arm) or the fact that he was staring at her wondering why she seemed so rigid. "No." Hikaru thought shaking her head confusing the magic sword man even further.
"It must be..." Hikaru slowly raised her trance gaze. "Nova."
"What about Nova?" Lantis asked causing Hikaru to snap her head in attention, her face brightening to match her hair. Hikaru uttered a forced laugh, Lantis' face stayed indifferent.
"Nothing really." Hikaru replied after minutes of Lantis staring at her, obviously wanting more than a giggle. "I just had a dream last night and Nova was in it."
"What kind of dream?" Lantis asked breaking all hope of Hikaru trying to assure her health.
"Well..." She began slowly knowing she couldn't evade his question unlike Umi and Fuu's. "Someone was trying to take Nova away from me. Nova was pleading for me to protector her."
Lantis sat quietly leading Hikaru to wonder if she should go into full detail. Right when the red knight was about to lengthen her story, Lantis abruptly stood up. "I think Mage Clef should hear of your dream."
"Okay." Hikaru agreed but not convinced that her dream was that important. She stood up filling their height gap slightly and walked back into the castle, her hand clasped lightly in his.
*~*
Otamri leaned against the wall, her eyes closed and flowered hair brushing the white paint. She had been waiting outside of Ferio's room for what seemed hours. After listening the story of her beloved provided by Clef, she had spent the rest of that day in her room thinking things over.
At first she had just stood numbly next to the door, her hand resting on the door knob- unable to think of anything. It had been moments later that she had finally broken down and sobbed huddled on the floor in a tight ball. She was sure Ferio would chose this Fuu over her; after all, Fuu was a legendary Magic Knight.
Later, when Otamri's head began to clear, she reasoned that Ferio understood that he couldn't be with Fuu forever. "That is why he fell in love with me." Otamri whispered looking at Ferio's bedroom door.
At that moment, the door clicked signaling the Prince was about to leave his room. Otamri sucked in as much air as she could and heaved a heavy breath as Ferio stood before her. "What are you doing here Otamri?"
"I came to see you." Otamri replied, barely above a whisper. "Master Mage Clef told me what happened...and I..."
The look Ferio was giving her froze her in place. The green haired prince looked as if he had crawled out of an untimely grave. Otamri inwardly shuddered from his appearance and hoped it wasn't the result of her. "I wanted to know..." She tried to continue as Ferio closed the gap between his second love.
"...how I feel." He finished watching her round face nod. "This isn't easy Otamri..." He sighed reaching out to grasp her shoulder.
"It's okay, I'm sure Fuu would understand-"
"It's not Fuu that I'm worried about." Ferio cut off watching Otamri's blank look.
"But Ferio, if we stay together she's going to be-" Ferio waved his hand silencing the lilac haired sorceress again.
"I love Fuu." He blurted turning away from the shocked girl. "I have always loved Fuu. I should have realized I could never get over her..."
"But Ferio, she-"
"And it isn't right to pretend to love you." Ferio finished feeling Otamri grasp his clothed arm. "It isn't fair to you." He whispered looking into opposite watering eyes.
Taking Otamri's silence as an understanding to the predicament, Ferio turned and started down the hall. "But Ferio!" Otamri cried taking a step forward. "Fuu can't stay forever! I will be here forever!"
Ferio turned to face the pleading girl once more. "Fuu lives on here." He replied touching his chest. The prince walked down the rest of the hall and out of sight of the sobbing sorceress.
*~*
Fuu and Umi stood beside Clef and Sieara chatting lightly. Clef had called the two girls in and they were now waiting for the final Magic Knight to join them. "Where could she be?" Umi huffed rapping the tip of her foot on the floor. Upon request- Hikaru and Lantis emerged through the large double doors.
"Hi guys!" Hikaru called, surprised at their presence in the room. "What are you doing here?"
"Clef-san asked to see us." Fuu answered as Hikaru bounded up to the duo.
"And we've been waiting for you." Umi replied a little annoyed as Lantis came behind Hikaru. Umi gave a reassuring wink to Hikaru's guilty face before Clef gave a small cough for attention.
"I have called you three Magic Knights for a special reason." Clef began shifting his gaze to the anticipating girls. "I haven't been truthful to you since you came here and I apologize for the deception. However, it was in my best intension due to recent events."
Fuu bowed her head slightly feeling the guilt of causing Clef to worry. "It isn't anyone's fault." Clef announced quietly gazing at Fuu's slumped figure. "The truth is-"
"I think I should tell them Clef." Sieara cut in resting her hand on the small mage's arm.
"What's wrong Presea?" Hikaru asked, immediately worried for the Master Swordsman's health.
"It isn't anything like that dear Hikaru." Sieara smiled sadly.
"We if you're not dying that it can't be anything too bad." Umi chuckled in relief. "For a second, Presea, I thought you were going to say you're dying."
Clef, Sieara, and Lantis looked at the Water Knight making her nervous. "But...if Presea said it wasn't a health issue..."
"Presea is dead, Umi." Sieara informed clasping her nervous hands together. "I am her sister, Sieara."
*~*
Hikaru lay wide-awake in her spacious bed. Her lack of sleep could have been due to the startling news of Sieara's identity. Or perhaps she was afraid to dream of Nova being ripped away from her. Hikaru rested her right hand over her chest.
"I wont lose you Nova." Hikaru whispered, hoping to reassure her other half and herself. "I guess I should go talk to Clef about what's happening. "The short Knight rustled her sheets in attempt to climb out of her bed safely.
"The news of Presea...I had forgotten to talk with Clef." Hikaru yawned smoothing out her white night gown. She moved quietly down the hallways to insure the residents of the castle would stay asleep.
Turning the corner to the grand double doors, Hikaru noticed light seeping underneath the doors. "Good, he's awake." She sighed and reached for the handle.
Just as Hikaru's tiny hand grasped the door handle, Umi came running out through the other door. "Umi-chan?" Hikaru gasped jumping away from the speeding wave of blue.
Umi hesitated looking directly at Hikaru before turning back to her original task and vanished around the corner. "Umi-chan!" Hikaru yelled after her as Clef walked up beside her.
*~*
Umi nervously played with her hair as she stood outside the double doors where Clef was inside, most likely worrying about her and the other's health. She felt the need to be comforted, especially from Clef. The nerve- wracked girl slowly reached for the door when it suddenly swooshed open.
Clef stood in the doorway, his body outlined from the light inside the room. "I sensed you standing out here Umi, come on in." He gestured backing away from the door.
Umi entered the room, her eyes darting from the interior to the Master Mage's childlike face. "Do you need another sleeping potion?" He smiled conjuring a chair; similar the one he had created for Umi last time she had come to see him.
"No, it's not that..." Umi answered with a small smile and slid into the chair.
"Do you need to talk about Sieara?" Clef asked, standing before the unusually timed Magic Knight.
"No...it's..." Clef took a step closer to Umi in worry breaking all of Umi's nerves.
"Iloveyou!" She cried glancing up at Clef.
Clef took a step back in startle; his whole body froze. He had never been in such a predicament before and certainly didn't want to be the cause of this young girl's pain. Umi's facial expression began to tighten waiting for the Mage to say something. "Anything!" She thought to herself.
"Umi...I..." He started clutching his staff. "It's that...I do love you too...you're very special to me...all of the Magic Knights are special to me..."
Umi felt tears begin to well up in her glass blue eyes. Her head began to drop as Clef continued to explain his feelings. "Please Umi...I don't want to hurt you...you're very dear to me...and I-"
"Is there someone else?" Umi asked on instinct. Her voice lacked life and her eyes seemed to have glazed over.
Clef hesitated in answering her and was stuck between patting her shoulder and leaving her be. "I wont lie to you Umi...I have found someone to love as an equal..."
"I don't want to hear anymore!" Umi cried jumping up from her seat. "I'm sorry I have burdened you." Umi hastily bowed before rushing for the door.
"Umi! Wait!" Clef called after her as she bounded out the door.
By the time Clef had reached the door, tripping several times on his long robes in attempt to catch up to the quick Magic Knight, Umi had disappeared from view. "Umi-chan!" A young female voice called, which clef recognized quickly that it belonged to Hikaru. Clef walked up beside Hikaru as the smallest Magic Knight cried franticly for her heart broken friend.
"I heard them say that dreams should stay in your head...well I feel ashamed of the things that I've said...put on these chains and you can live a tree life...we'll I'd rather bleed just to know why I died..." - This Time Around