Disclaimer: I don't own Rayearth.

Yay! Chapter 3 is FINALLY up! OK, just to make it clear, this fic is probably gonna focus more on Umi and Clef. The rest of the cast DOES make their appearance in this chapter, however. (Sorry for not putting them in before... they just wouldn't have that much to do...) But don't worry! There will still be F/F and H/L fluff somewhere in this fic eventually! ^_^ Also, it may seem as it the story is moving rather quickly. Don't worry about that, either! There's plenty more that will happen! Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

~*~*~*~*~

At breakfast at the castle, the following morning, both Clef and Umi were late. The other residents of the castle had decided to begin without them, and they ate heartily.

"Did you hear Umi scream last night?" Hikaru asked her friends softy, almost hesitantly.

All of those surrounding her lifted their heads.

"I heard her," Presea said as she leaned closer to Eagle, who was sitting to her left.

"Scared me half to death!"

"I heard someone running down to her room..." Fuu began.

"Must've been Clef," Ferio shrugged. "He was banging on her door. That's what woke

me up..."

Hikaru tilted her head downward. "I hope she's alright."

"I'm sure she's fine..." Lantis said as he placed his hand on her shoulder gently.

Hikaru looked up and stared into Lantis's deep violet eyes before she gave a small

smile.

"Yeah," she smiled gently.

Suddenly, the door to the dining room opened. The occupants of the room jumped

slightly and their eyes all turned to the door. Then, Clef and Umi stepped inside the

room.

"There you guys are!" Ferio grinned. He got up from his chair and greeted them

kindly.

"Good morning, Prince Ferio," Clef replied as he pulled a chair out for Umi. Umi sat

down quietly without so much as a "Good morning" to her friends.

Both Umi and Clef looked exhausted. Umi's eyes were red from crying and Clef was

pale from lack of sleep. Hikaru noticed their fatigue and stared at them worriedly.

She noticed Ferio looking at them with an unreadable expression as he sat back

down after Clef had taken his seat.

A gloomy atmosphere hung over the group, and in an attempt to lighten the mood,

Ferio grinned broadly and his golden eyes narrowed slyly.

"Didn't get much sleep last night, eh, Clef?" Ferio grinned as he elbowed Clef—who

was at his right-hand side—jokingly. His comment earned him a sharp kick in the

shins from Fuu. Catching Ferio's hint, Clef turned a number of shades redder. Umi

didn't seem to notice Ferio's remark, and Ferio was trying to stifle a yell after Fuu

had kicked him.

"The issue of last night is not a joking matter," Clef hissed through clenched teeth,

now quite embarrassed. He picked up his fork and jabbed it into a piece of ham

aggressively.

Ferio's eyes reflected a quiet apology and Clef nodded in consent before turning back

to Umi. She held her folk shakily, and it made soft clicking noises as it continuously

tapped against the side of her plate. Clef's eyes grew soft and he placed his hand

gently over hers. The rattling ceased and Umi turned her head, staring into Clef's

azure eyes. She drew a quivering breath and muttered, "Sorry."

Clef smiled gently and her turned back to her plate.

"Umi?" Hikaru asked. "Are you okay?"

Umi nodded shakily.

"She had a rather unsettling nightmare last night," Clef stated plainly. He stared at

Umi's sad face. "Perhaps... it would be best to explain it to you all."

Umi's sapphire eyes widened and she bit her lip. Clef leaned close to her and

whispered softly in her ear, "Tell them."

It took Umi a long time to get through the dream, her breath coming in quivering

sobs. Everyone seemed to be in more disbelief than alarm once she had completed

her story. It wasn't until after Clef explained the connection between the dream and

what he had seen the other night that they understood.

"So now we have a new opponent to face..." Ferio mumbled.

"So it seems," Clef replied. "But I suppose nothing is for certain, yet. After all, it

might just be a mere coincidence or—"

Clef's words were cut short when the sense of a presence shot through his mind. He

stopped in mid-sentence and clapped his palm to his forehead.

"Clef?" Umi asked.

"There's someone at the front gate..." Clef whispered before he stood and walked

swiftly towards the door, his black robes trailing behind him. Everyone sitting at the

table exchanged questioning glances, their faces lined with confusion.

Umi was the first to rise and she bolted after Clef just seconds after he had walked

out the door. It took the others a few seconds to register that she had left, and they

quickly rose and swiftly followed.

They all strode down the dim hallways, catching a glimpse of Clef's black robes as he

turned a corner. Umi lead, quickly gaining on Clef. Clef's shoes echoed in the empty

hallways, and the noise of many more footsteps followed shortly after. The group

soon caught up, and Hikaru was first to speak.

"Clef? Where are we going."

"Gates," Clef replied shortly. He didn't feel he needed to elaborate.

As they walked quickly down the dark corridor, their pace hastened, and they walked

faster down the torch-lit passageway. Finally, they reached the front gates. The iron

gates towered above them. The granite walls on either side of the gates were

adorned with large statues of fierce-looking wolves near the top of the walls.

Clef signaled to the gates keepers above them, and the gate was slowly lifted

upward.

There, a figure stood, head turned downward. Their green robes were ripped at the

edges, and brown hair fell into the figure's eyes. Umi gasped as the person staggered

forward and fell into Clef's arms. Clef turned the figure gently, and Umi screamed.

"Ascot?!"

~*~*~*~*~

Umi sat by Ascot's bedside and brushed a strand of auburn hair away from his face.

(A/N: OK, guys... remember Chapter 2? Please remember that Ozumo has taken the

form of Ascot. Therefore, whether I say Ascot or Ozumo, they are the SAME person.)

She pulled down the collar of Ascot's robes slightly to the edge of a half-healed

wound, in the exact location of where he had been maimed by the sword. She

sighed, remembering the last time something like this had happened. Ascot's strange

appearance was similar to Akudoi's appearance all that time ago. It all seemed so...

strange.

Umi sighed heavily again. It was impossible! She had watched Ascot die. He had died

in her arms...

Suddenly, Ascot's body stirred. Umi gasped as emerald eyes slowly opened. So he

was really alive!

~*~*~*~*~

Ozumo opened his eyes to see the blue-haired ex-demon slayer standing over him.

Inwardly, he grinned. The sleeping potion he had created had obviously worked perfectly. He groaned for effect—his body felt stiff from the potion, anyway.

"Ascot...? It's me... Umi. Do you remember me?"

So her name was Umi.

"Umi..." Ozumo whispered. He felt like an idiot, but he had orders to carry out.

Tears welled up in Umi's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ascot." she paused. "How did you... survive?"

Ozumo sat up slowly. He had prepared an explanation perfectly.

"After everything went black, I saw a flash of light, and I woke up on the other side of the cliffs. I can't remember anything before that."

Umi bit her lip, and suddenly, the door to the room opened. Clef, Ferio, and Lantis

stepped inside quietly, and Umi turned around to meet their gaze. Clef's face was

stern, but his gaze softened when his eyes settled on his former pupil.

"So you really are among us once again, Ascot," Clef smiled.

Ozumo smiled and nodded.

"Good to have you back, buddy," Ferio said as he patted his friend on the back.

"Do you have any injuries?" Lantis asked.

"No," Ozumo shook his head. "Only the healing scar on my chest."

Clef nodded. "Then would you like to resume your training?"

"Of course," Ozumo nodded. The training could come in handy.

Clef nodded, and the three men left quietly.

~*~*~*~*~

"All right," Clef began. "Perhaps we should go over the fire spell once again..."

Ozumo grinned. Fire spells were child's play. He waved his hand, and a flame

instantly appeared, hovering inches above his hand.

Clef's jaw nearly dropped. Ascot had never been able to perform the fire spell with

such ease before his death. Something was definitely suspicious...

"Very good," Clef commented, trying to smile. "Let's try something a little more

advanced. "The lightning spell."

Again, Ozumo performed the spell at a level that was far higher than Ascot's. And

again, Clef grew suspicious. He decided to do a small experiment...

"Excellent. Try the—" Clef was about to suggest the summoning spell, but that had

been Ascot's greatest strength. "The vanishing spell."

Now here's something more challenging, Ozumo thought. "Of course, Master Clef."

Ozumo performed in with ease, once again, and Clef's eyes narrowed. "That's enough

for today."

Ozumo nodded, and the mage left.

~*~*~*~*~

While Ferio was walking back to his room, Clef passed him, looking quite unsettled.

"What's wrong?" Ferio asked, placing a hand on Clef's shoulder.

"There's something not right about him," Clef said icily. "Not right at all."

~*~*~*~*~

As Ozumo stepped into his room, he let out a relieved breath. At least the his first day was over. He pulled at the collar of Ascot's robes. God, it was uncomfortable! He reverted back to his original form, glad to be his normal, onyx-eyed self, dressed in brown rags. He walked over to a mirror on the back all, and looked into it deeply. He placed his hand to his mouth and muttered a spell under his breath. The surface of the mirror rippled, and Shimizu's face appeared in the mirror.

"How did it go?" Shimizu asked.

"Fine," Ozumo replied. "I'm planning on taking action tomorrow night."

Shimizu smiled coldly. "Perfect."

Ozumo returned the grin and Shimizu's face disappeared.

"Tomorrow night..." he whispered. "Then you both shall suffer what you deserve."

~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, Shimizu sat by herself, staring at a worn photograph. In the photo was the image of a silver-haired teenage girl and a brown-haired, beaming boy. The boy's emerald eyes sparkled, offsetting the girl's scowl.

"I shall avenge your death..." Shimizu whispered. "Little brother."

~*~*~*~*~

Well, there's Chapter 3! ^^ Sorry it took sooo long to get up... School is terrible. High school preparation is becoming a big deal, but I can't wait to get out of Junior High! (I thought eighth grade would be more fun... *sigh*) Oh, well. Well, I try to get the next chapter up soon! See you then! PLEASE REVIEW!!

By the way, if anyone is interested in checking out my fanart, (was is you, Aranami-koi, who said you wanted to see it? I know someone told me they wanted to see it in a review...) the URL for my website is on my profile. Check it out~! ^_^