A Clef and Umi Story By: Vanilla Fox

Disclaimer: MKR, all characters and related indicia are © CLAMP.

Author's Note: *squeals* Chapter SEVEN!!! Woo-HOO! I can't believe this... *grins like an idiot* I've always dreamed of writing a story that would be this long... *sigh*

Chapter 7 [Tests]

Umi looked around in surprise as she began to split into several droplets, and finally, into herself again, in her full armour plus her sword. She turned around as she saw a flash of blue, when she came face to face with the same man from before. "You..." He smiled at her, and nodded in front of them. She turned to see a pillar of water, spinning as if... It were alive. Magic Knight of Water, the first of your three tests are about to begin. For the first one, you are to defeat me, your own strength. Selece is permitted to help you, but you cannot ask him what you are to do. Can we start?

Fuu braced herself as the wind started to blow hard. She dodged as a blade of wind came crashing upon her previous spot. She shrieked as another one came, and another one, and another one. Looking around frantically, she hid behind a rock and looked at the blades flying by. Then, everything was quiet. Cautiously, she peered out, and gaped. Wind was flying all over now, and a large tornado was bearing down upon her. She looked at it, and at her surroundings, as she dodged several rocks that came flying past. Suddenly, an idea came to her, and she smiled.

The elements... water against fire, and earth against wind! She jumped aside as a rock smashed against her previous position. "Windam!!" In a moment, she was inside the Rune God, and was flying over the whole land, scanning it. The wind was getting strong, it was getting hard to fly. She scanned the geography and smiled as she saw the perfect location amidst the sand. Focusing all her energy on landing, she hid behind a large jutting wall of rock, and let loose her strongest attack. The rock the size of a small building began to break, and Fuu pushed on it, and it fell on the large hurricane, and it disappeared amidst the rubble that was too heavy for it to carry.

She smiled and gave a sigh of relief, when she heard Windam speak to her. Good job, Fuu. But the next test is still to come... She sighed again and mentally shrugged. "What goes, goes." Congratulations, Fuu Hojouji. You were able to defeat me. But there is still the second test. You must fight against yourself. Will you be able to do it?

"My...Myself?" As her surroundings warped, she turned. "What-?!"

A figure emerged in front of her, with a very familliar silhouette. The same wavy hair, the same glasses, same height... She gasped as the mirror image of Fuu Hojouji emerged from the warp of her surroundings. Only this Fuu... she was a shadow-like copy, with monotone skin and outfit, with black hair, and almost malicious looking grey eyes. Fuu Hojouji- you have gone further than a few of your predecessors. But will you be able to win now? She frowned towards nothingness, irked. "Of course I will! I have to!!" She clenched her sword tightly. I have to, for Ferio!!

"Aaah!" She attacked, but was met with a parry. And the fight started, with parries and thrusts, and guards, and deflects. Fuu broke into a sweat. She was getting very uneasy. I'm fighting me... With the exact same abilities, and style... She frowned and stood still, shocking her copy, who did the same, and waited for her to do something, waiting uneasily and calculating her. Fuu frowned. I'm calculative... I don't want violence... not really... but... My COPY!! I hope this works... Fuu opened her eyes, with a determined look in her eyes. Please...

Her shadow backed up uneasily as she took a step forward and brought her sword back. But Fuu didn't give up at the sword pointing to her chest, though she was scared... Shivering, in fact, just like the blade- truth be told, she was scared it was gonna poke through... and it almost did, slicing her collar in half, and leaving a scratch. Fuu winced, but reached forward, and wrapped her amrs around her copy. "I... I don't want to fight you- eep!" She jumped as her shadow melted, and disappeared into nothingness. "What...?"

You won, Wind Knight. Can you guess your last task?

She frowned. "From all the things you've given me... to fight you?" There was a loud chuckling sound. Unfortunately, not. It may be deceptively easy, but you will need the most strength to complete this task, Fuu. She grit her teeth. "I.."

Fuu fingered the now bleeding scratch on her throat. "I'm ready."

A/N: I know, I know, you're all gonna shout at me. It's ok. But, I'm REALLLLLLY, REAAAAALLLLLLYYYY SORRY!!! I'm especially sorry to those who were waiting, and waiting, and waiting.... I really do apologize.