A Life Unlike Any Other

Chapter 04 Written by Koizumi Tsukiyo

A/N: Gomen ne! For taking SO long to update since I got lots of things to study in school and writing other stories from different anime! Romances would probably take time to develop, since it's kind of odd having it immediately. Please be patient, though I believe it would probably come on the next few chapters or so. And as everyone that knows me, my grammar is terrible! Until then, enjoy this chapter. I'm sorry if some of the characters seen a bit OCC, since I don't watch a lot of episode from Rayearth. Hope you all understand…

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                "You come from the Shidou Kingdom with Hikaru-hime, didn't you?" Ferio asked, standing beside her as they both watched the Princess from the large windows. "Fuu is your name, I presume?"

                Fuu nodded politely, "Yes."

                "Emeraude-aneue had told me to meet her," Ferio whispered, looking at Hikaru with gentle eyes, "She's everything that Ane-ue had said. I'm glad to have that chance to know her…"

                "And the others? I'm sure they're all waiting to meet you," Fuu noted, before looking at him in apology with wide emerald eyes, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that…"

                "It's quite alright," Ferio laughed, before looking away in annoyances as he uttered, "Some of the girls are either too young or too snobbish. And to make things scarier, too hyper and downright dangerous at the same time!"

                Fuu giggled, "It's not that bad, Ferio-ouji."

                "Not bad? You shouldn't see them! Poor Mokona especially," Ferio replied, shaking his head, "The two twins, Presea and Sierra, are really kind and mature…but they just don't like Mokona for some reason and had set up traps everywhere to capture it."

                "Mokona…is that it?" Fuu asked, pointing to the bouncy bunny outside the window where it hops over to Hikaru.

                "That's it alright. I see Mokona is not caught in those traps…yet…" Ferio grumbles, before looking at the book in Fuu's hands, "So was I really interrupting you? I could leave."

                "No, I was only…thinking," Fuu replied, looking back down at Hikaru with sad eyes.

                "May you join with me then?" She blinked, looking up at Ferio, who suddenly stood closely beside her with passionate brown-amber eyes, a gloved hand offered out to her. "Something for you to think about, which I hope would be a good one…"

                Fuu would've agreed but she stopped, lowering her gaze despondently, But…Hikaru-hime…

                "We will go back down and asked Hikaru-hime to join with us, if you want," Ferio said, as if reading her thoughts, his hand still out to accept hers. She looks back up to him with a smile, giving a nod before taking the offer as he held her hand tightly with his. With a grin, he turned and begin leading her out of the door towards the long hallway, his hand still clamped to hers.

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                "Puu puu puu!"

                "So you're Mokona I had heard so much about back at home," Hikaru laughed, holding onto the hyper bunny, "Why are you here? I thought you'll be with Emeraude-hime."

                Mokona started to turn blue, "Puu puu…"

                "Cause you want too? The answer doesn't seem to fit with your mood right now."

                "I'm surprised you could actually understand it," Ferio spoke, walking up to her with Fuu.

                Fuu smiled, slowly releasing her hand with his, not noticing his disappointment, "Would you come with us, Hikaru-hime? Ferio-ouji had volunteered to take us out."

                "Why don't…you two go ahead?" Hikaru said, raising an eyebrow when staring at where their hands were clamped. That's when Mokona hopped out from her lap and started running deeper into the garden, 'puu-ing' as it did so. Hikaru can only laugh, chasing after it while waving at the speechless Prince and Fuu, "I'm going after Mokona, I'll see you two later!"

                Watching the Princess's running figure, Ferio shrugged, facing around to Fuu, "Are you still joining me, Fuu?"

                "If you want me too," Fuu replied with a low bow, not seeing a wide grin on his lips. Ferio then grabbed her hands and started dragging her away.

                "Then let's go!"

                "W-Where are you taking me?"

                "To the Wood of Silences…I've been there ever since I was a kid and no one knows about it yet. You're going to be the first!"

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                "You did better than I thought, marshmallow," Umi snorted, kneeling down in front of Mokona as she start poking it, "It's a good thing I saved you from one of the traps, you could be in good use to me consider I cannot be in the open too often."

                Mokona's ever-cheerful face gazed at her, "Puu puu!"

                "Make sure you keep Hikaru-chan and Fuu-chan safe," Umi replied before glowering over the sweat-drop Mokona with a mallet dangerous high over its' head, "Or I'll give you a kind of torture where you'll wish to be caught in those set-up traps and get the twins treatment instead of mines!"

                Mokona's happy look irritated her more as it quickly stepped away when the mallet was smashed to the ground, "Puu puu!"

                "Don't you be 'Puu-ing' with me, you marshmallow!" Umi cried angrily, missing it once again as she strike. "Hold still and be squashed like a marshmallow you are!"

                "Mokona! Where are you?"

                Umi stopped in her mid-strike, looking back when hearing the Princess's voice. Hiding the mallet away, Umi easily grabbed Mokona by the ear and gave it a swing over her head, "Remember, you owe me by saving you from the traps. So keep an eye on Hikaru-chan when she's lonely!"

                And with an expert whoosh, she had sent Mokona flying as it gave a loud cheerful 'Puuuuuu!!' in the air. Umi stared at the falling bunny with a kind smile, "Take care of her, marshmallow…"

                "I have to say, you're worst as Presea and Sierra when it comes to Mokona, but strangely, get along fine with it, even if it's a bit weird with that kind of 'friend' relationship," A female voice with an odd accent said behind her as Umi whirled around, "I have a feeling you're up to something."

                Umi glared, "Who are you?"

                "Aren't you different then the other servants," She laughed, looking at the taller man behind her, "Ever see that kind of attitude from a servant, Ascot?"

                Ascot observed her silently under his brown long bangs, shaking his head, "First time, Caldina. I never see her around before…"

                "So you're new here or what?"

                "Yes," Umi reprimanded, giving a quick bow before walking past them, "If you excuse me, I got some errands to do."

                "Fine fine, be on your way," Caldina said, waving her away as the bells jingles nicely through the silences. As Umi disappeared from their view, Caldina gave a smirk and continued, "Quite an attitude but she's a cute one."

                Ascot lowered his head to hide his blush and gave a quiet nod in agreement.

                "She definitely has something with Hikaru-hime and Fuu," She said her thoughts out loud, looking back where Mokona had flown, "That's my decision then! I'm going to meet those girls during lunch! Whatever that servant is planning, she must have a reason and I'm going to find out!"

                "Anxious, are you?" Ascot asked with a sweat-drop. "It's her business anyways, just leave her be."

                Caldina raised an eyebrow, "When have you cared for other people's business? Don't tell me you're really fond with her, Ascot!"

                Ascot's deep blushed was her only answer.

                "Thought so…"

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                "People these days are very rude," Umi grumbled under her breath, walking down the halls silently as she frowned, "I need to talk to Mira-chan for some help. I hope those two people won't be messing up with my plans."

                "And may I asked, what plans you are going to perform?"

                Umi gave a loud shriek, turning around and stare at a familiar white robe in front of her including a long staff in his hand. Slowly looking up, she gazes into familiar sapphire eyes before giving a very low bow, "Guru Clef! I-I didn't see you-"

                "Kindly look up to me please." He interrupted in a firm tone. Umi hesitated, before slowly lifted her face as she froze. Clef slightly narrowed his eyes, giving a soft smile for he had finally met the servant from earlier during the ceremony, "Who might you be? I never saw you around before."

                Umi held back her annoyances, "Umi…"

                Clef gave a nod, turning around and started down the hallway, his long staff in hand. Umi would have shouted after the Guru from his sudden leave if he hadn't turned his head, the most serious expression on his handsome face, "Aren't you coming, Umi?"

                Umi stood there, dumbfounded, "Eh?"

                "In my private room so we could be alone."

                "WHAT?!"

                In a blink of an eye, he stood in front of her before the large staff was then connected to her head, "Pull your thoughts together correctly, Umi, for I need to talk to you where no one could hear." He said in a mere whisper, looking over her shoulders at the two dark figures in the corner of the hallway. Turning around, he once again walk away while Umi rubbed her head with a grumble, following him from behind though fidgeting nervously, trying to predict what the Guru wants with her.

                Asuka and San-Yun then walked out from the shadows of the hallway, watching their retreating figures. Asuka gave a smirk on her lips, "I knew that would be Umi who Hikaru-hime had sadden from her disappearances! What did I tell you, San-Yun?"

                San-Yun blinked with his dotted-eyes in annoyances, "Asuka…you knew about Umi when overhearing what Hikaru-hime had said to Fuu-san during the ceremony. But you found this Umi by pure luck when we were just passing by."

                She ignored him, "What would Hikaru-hime say if we tell her this? She deserved to know!"

                "Maybe you shouldn't say a word…"

                "Eh?" Asuka raised an eyebrow, "And why not?"

                "For all we know, she might not be the one Hikaru-hime is looking for," San-Yun said plainly, adjusting his cap on his head, "A mistake that I'm sure would cause a great commotion in Cephiro."

                "What's wrong with you, San-Yun?" Asuka asked, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor, "You never talk back at me like that before."

                "I believe you meant, not always…?"

                Asuka frowned worriedly at his behavior, before she snaps her fingers in realization, "I know why! You just don't agree of me being here to be with Ferio-ouji, ne?"

                San-Yun slightly flinched at her words but still managed to hold his blank look, "What do you mean? I supported you in every opinion you make."

                "Even marrying Ferio-ouji if I was chosen in a few weeks at the upcoming ceremony?"

                San-Yun stiffens on his spot, but was able to look at her face and answered, "Yes…"

                "I see…" Asuka whispered, turning her gaze away from his and walked through the hallway, expecting him to follow her from behind.

                And he did so obviously while going through his thoughts, lowering his head, I just want you to be happy, Asuka…

                A tall figure watched them silently by the corner with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the wall to support most of his weight. He flicked his pale-blonde bangs away from his gentle brown eyes and sighed, "I do hope Emeraude-hime know what she's wishing…especially for Ferio-ouji."

                "Eagle…"

                Eagle blinked, looking up and smiled cheerfully at his dark friend who had suddenly stood beside him, though Eagle fully know he had heard his words, "It's been a long time, Lantis."

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