Oheyo minna! ^^;; *jumping up and down for joy*I got my midterm grades..AND I PASSED THEM ALL!! WOOOOO!! *pouts* I woulda passed w/ at least a B on all subj…'cept I didn't finish one writing assignment in Spanish…grr..*took ten points off my grades…grr…* Eh…anyways, onto the story! Gomen for the delay minna! ^^;; And I'm going to apologize in advance if this story doesn't meet your expectations…My muses have been resting for a while..and the ones that are actually awake are still trying to pull themselves together..--;; *looks over shoulder at quarreling muses who are wrestling right now to determine whose idea is better…*
Authoress*Crest- *watching Authoress run after Duo*…Are you still foaming at the mouth?! *Squints to get a better look*
Darcey- Curling up…in bed…*sighs and looks longingly at my bed* sleep…gooooooodd…*goes to take a nap*
Blue Moon- I'm glad you understand it…*slight pause*…um…what do you understand? ^^;; Really, I want to know…*kinda confused* grr…studying is evil..turns ur brain into mush..grr…
Crystalstorm21- *looks worriedly at fate* ahem..fate..you know I tried to stop her..so you won't..erm…kill me or anything, right? ..eheheh…*looks at crystalstorm* ^^V Thanks for the head start…*steals Wing and leaves* And JUST in case Heero manages to catch up to me, *grabs a folder labeled 'BLACKMAIL'…
Solus Nox- ^____________^ I'm glad you think so! Well..at least your exams are over…^^:; *they are over, right? O.O*
Lilaclight- ^^V I'm glad you liked the chappy! ^^V *Snf* You..think..I'm…a…good…writer…*falls into a simpering pile of goo* I'm so flattered!!! ^^V o.O…Eh..sure..i'll give you some pointers..but first.. *looks around cautiously, leans in and whispers to lilaclight in a secretive manner* Can you give me some pointers on how to give pointers? ^^;;; And tell me what it is that I did?
Note- I know I said Cosmos's throne was at the center of the cosmos, but I'm going to change its location to being on one end of the universe ^^;; Translations are in ()
'…' –thoughts
"…" –dialects
Disclaimer- Don't own either shows.
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Chapter Fourteen
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Recap:
Harmony stared up at the sky, as the final star twinkled and vanished, the heavenly rays of the sun overpowering it.
Metallic blue eyes flashed.
And a shrill scream erupted, echoing within the building.
-----End Flashback-----
Sol shot out of bed, looking around frantically for the source of the scream.
"Who is that?" Hana asked, sitting up from beside her husband.
"I…don't know…we better go check." Sol got up from bed slowly, despite the shrill scream that was just now been dieing out. Why was it that the nothing had been going well since his mother had arrived?
After pulling on his pants, he turned just in time to see his wife pull a robe over her nude form. A silly smile formed on his lips, though his ever-famous blush still graced his cheeks. Well…one thing had gone right.
"Ready?" Hana asked, smiling sweetly at her husband.
"Yeah…" Sol grabbed a robe and pulled it over himself, grabbing Hana's hand and leading her towards where the scream had been heard.
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Harmony stared in front of her, her nose scrunched up, staring disapprovingly at the screaming figure in front of her.
"Will you stop screaming already?!" She snapped at the screaming female, who continued to scream.
"SHUT UP!!" Harmony screamed.
The figure stopped screaming. Harmony smirked.
"With the way you were screaming, you would've thought I had you pummel a thousand feet to the ground." Faintly, she heard the running footsteps of the occupants of the house running towards her and the figure.
"You mean you didn't?!" The figure got up from the ground gingerly, rubbing her behind as she did so. "That hurt."
"Of course I didn't! I had you dropped nine-hundred, and ninety-nine feet from the ground!" Harmony sniffed, looking insulted. "And it should hurt…have you stopped thinking for so long that you forgot you could of just stopped yourself mid-air?" She smirked arrogantly at the girl ahead of her.
"I—" The figure was cut off.
"YOU!" Harmony turned around to face everyone who had just arrived. It was Hikari, who had spoken.
"Ah, Hikari, I see you still remember her." She smiled pleasantly at her seething "daughter".
"Of course I remember! How can I not remember one of the causes of all my pain?!" Hikari hissed.
"Tut tut, Hikari. As Hikari, you should not hiss! It sets a bad example for all the beings who follows the light out there." Harmony wagged her finger in front of her in a scolding manner.
"Who are you, miss…" Quatre/Sol trailed off, staring questionably at the figure ahead of him and the group.
She was of slightly short stature, though she seemed much taller. Perhaps it was of the large crown that adorned her head that added that extra height. Her hair was a sandy shade of brown, pulled back very loosely, in a slightly wavy ponytail, the end reaching mid-back. Long lashes framed her olive eyes, and her lips were painted a shady red.
A loose neckline sprung forth from two emeralds on either side of her shoulders, accented by the small gold necklace gracing her swanlike neck. The pale apple green dress had only one sleeve, clinging to arms till it reached her elbow, where it billowed out, wider and wider till the end. The dress clung just slightly to her torso and her hips, before billowing to form a bell shaped dress. A gold armband adorned her right arm, between her shoulder and elbow.
"Get away from my son, Destiny!" Hikari seethed.
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Stars…all around him there were stars. With a sigh, he made his way to the large throne ahead, the crushed burgundy velvet leading his feet towards the massive ebony design. Seating himself upon his throne, he allowed himself to take in the scene around him.
His 'lair', if you would so call it, was basically a slab of marble floating within a bubble on one end of the cosmos. The large "damned place of damnation for the friggin damned", as he so eloquently called his lair, stretched for about a mile each on all sides. The marble, which he knew had once been a pristine white, had turned a smoky hue of gray, ala Chaos.
Three steps, covered by the crushed velvet of burgundy covered the steps and continued straight to cover the area ahead of the throne. His throne was of the deepest ebony. On either side of his throne was a short thin column, elegantly depicting his life story. Two orbs, the only source of light in the dreary sett, topped the columns, hovering just millimeters atop it, giving off a faint red glow.
With a snap of his fingers, the fountains on either side of the steps, made of a dark crystal, spouted out a deep red substance. Morbidly, he allowed himself to muse in the fact that the blood sprouted by the fountain was the blood both he and Cosmos had both blood for the cosmos. He smiled darkly; the fountain was spilling forth his and Cosmos's heartache…spilling forth the bloodied heart of Cavan and Hikari. AN-remember, Chaos and Cosmos think of Hikari and Cavan as two separate beings from them.
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Everything was fuzzy. Fate blinked a once…and again. Slowly, everything cleared out.
"Ugh…" she got up slowly, her knees slightly wobbly. "What happened, Destiny?"
Silence?
"Destiny?"
No answer. With a frown, Fate slowly started to walk, a bit wobbly at first. She stopped as she made her way to the large fountain.
"Seir." She commanded, and the water shimmered lightly, only to fall still. Fate furrowed her brows. Why was it not showing her what she wished? (Seir- Show)
"Seir." She commanded, this time stronger. This time, the water did show her a portrait.
She was tall, and she seemed so much taller with the aura she commanded. Her hair was long, trailing past her feet, falling around her in an endless sea of platinum, lined with silver highlights that gave way to red at the end. The top part of her hair was pulled back into two heart shaped buns on either sides of her head, the rest left down in gentle waves. Her fair complexion was perfect…seemingly TOO perfect. A small nose led way to full rose lips. Her gown was the pale lavender of the earliest dawn, though as it traveled past her feet in a train, it became part of the elegant darkness of night.
But it was her eyes that got to Fate. Those damn metallic blue eyes, with their silvery gold hue. Those damn eyes that always stared at her with sorrow…no, not always.
There had been a time when they stared at her, with the love a mother would have for her child. And then there had been the time they stared at her with something else…she could not decipher what, so caught up in the fact that Cavan and Hikari had died she was. Those damned eyes! The same eyes that had banished her! The same damned eyes that had twisted her sister's mind and had turned her own sister against her! Those damn eyes…
"Harmony…" Fate all but hissed, the memories of what had occurred before the darkness had claimed her all too clear.
And the image suddenly took on a life of it's own, as the image of Harmony slowly turned to face Fate, who stepped back, as if she had been slapped.
Metallic eyes stared straight at her, silvery gold shining sadly into the deepest parts of what may have been left of her soul.
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"DESTINY!?!" Sol and Hana cried out.
"Cosmos…" Destiny turned to face Hikari. "You're son…"
"Will have as little to do with you as possible!" Cosmos cried out.
"Ah…the joys of sibling love…" Harmony drawled, a slight smiled on her lips.
"NANI!?!" Destiny and Cosmos shrieked, facing Harmony, before huffing, crossing their arms and turning their head away, and exclaiming, "WE ARE NOT SISTERS!"
"There it is again!" Harmony laughed, as Destiny looked at the rather large group of people, and sobered up immediately.
"Peacecraft, Millardo." She walked up to him, and he shifted uncomfortably at her knowing gaze. "Such a strange path Fate had you walk…I had not wished for all to occur to do so."
"Peacecraft, Relena." She made her way to the former queen, who stared, somewhat dazedly at her. "Child, if you will not believe any other, then believe me now. You and he…are not meant to be."
"Demo…demo…" Relena's wide unbelieving eyes shimmered with tears, loosing their shine. Destiny paused in moving to the next person, turning to smile gently at Relena.
"It is not often I allow any ordinary soul to know such of their destiny, but for you, I shall make an exception."
"That is enough, Destiny." Harmony cut in. "She shall know of her fate, soon enough."
Destiny gave a bitter laugh. "Fate has planned much for her…and with few, have I consented to."
"As she does not consent to much of your decisions."
"If I decided everything Fate's way, Harmony-sama, then everyone's destiny shall be their misery."
"Is it not already?" Destiny looked sharply at Hikari.
"No, Cosmos, it is not. The obstacles Fate has placed in reaching their destiny may cause misery, but the final outcome, their destiny, is not always."
"Enough, you two." Harmony chided gently, and turned her attention to the strangely silent Relena. AN- *sigh* I can't do it. I can't bring myself to bash Relena after reading so much Relena-bashing stories…*sigh*
"Child, look at me." Harmony gently ordered. Relena lifted dead eyes to face Harmony.
"Did you not truly know that it was never to be?" Harmony asked.
"At times, it felt like it was." Relena softly whispered. "I had thought that…perhaps…"
"If you had someone to care for…and someone to care for you, then you would have a pillar to lean on, hm?" Harmony smiled gently at Relena, who could only bring her head down to stare at her feet. With a few strides, Harmony was before Relena, gently forcing Relena to face her, her thumb and index finger resting on Relena's chin.
"In life, we must make many choices, each with their own consequences. Sometimes, the consequences are small, and others…life-altering. Some, even result in death. Death is a part of life, child. And what we are not able to do or find in life, we may find in death. Remember that, child, and be happy." She smiled at Relena, turned to look at Heero, and then turned back to Relena. "Besides, you'd never be able to rid him of his two loves…Mr. Blaster and Mr. Tapper." She winked at Relena, motioning for Destiny to take her place, while Heero stared at her, in his version of aghast.
"Sometimes, life is more precious because we know what will happen. Remember that." Destiny offered Relena, who smiled sadly at her, as understanding dawned upon her.
"Lucrezia, Noin." She looked at Noin, who stared defiantly back at her. "In life, people come and people go. Some will come back and others won't. You were allowed to find not only your other half, but your sister. Do not take lightly to what we have given you, and when the time should come that a loved one will leave you…do not chase after them."
"Ahh…and the Maguanacs…I'm glad you've fulfilled your destinies until this part…let us hope it shall go smoothly, hm?" The maguanacs stared back at her, in blank awe.
"Yumeno, Hana. Congratulations." That said, Destiny left a very confused Hana, turning to an equally confused Sol/Quatre.
"Ah yes..Yumeno Sol…or do you prefer Quatre. Sol, I believe, shall do, as you have shed the mask of Quatre. Congratulations, and remember. What one does for duty, does not always show what one will do for love."
"Bloom, Triton." She stared quizzically at him, before her eyes enlarged in recognition. Instantly, a sad look washed over her features. "She loved you so much. It was your death, I think, that sent her over the edge. Know that she loved you, and she always will…no matter what." She placed a hand on Trowa's left shoulder, and allowed one tear to slide down her cheeks.
"She…would have loved to see you…here…now." Destiny murmured inattentively, and slowly made her way to a stoic Heero.
"Shino, Yukio. Though I suppose you don't remember, hm? No, you would not to remember."
"Hn." Destiny sighed at his response.
"I…am sorry…" She gazed at Heero's emotionless eyes.
"One day, 01, one day…" She walked over to Hope.
"Yumeno, Hope. Ah, such a strange tapestry I wove with your thread. To be trapped in the broken dream of the infamous 01. And then…" Destiny trailed off, only to smile sadly. "You…should never fear the light." She walked over to a glaring Wufei.
"Seigino, Kiyoshi. Ah…the only mortal previous to this…in which Harmony-sama had intervened on behalf of. She…Keiko…" Destiny paused as Wufei, or Kiyoshi, immediately stiffened at the mention of his dead lover's name. She sighed.
"Kiyoshi…when this all ends…" She looked into the ebony orbs, "I hope you regain your full soul."
"It's Wufei." Was her cold reply, and she spared one last glance at the glaring pilot of Shenlong. She walked to the next person, and gasped.
"CESAR!" She wailed, flinging herself into Duo's surprised arms.
----------------------
"Iie! Leave me be! You hold me no longer!" Fate screeched, her eyes glinting with an insane gleam. "Harmony…the time is now." Fate whispered in an eerily soft voice, spinning around and making her way towards her tapestry.
She picked up her needle, and picked up a gleaming thread of crimson, placing it through the eye of the needle. With a morbid hum, she began to weave a new part to the tapestry, cutting through a glowing ebony thread, interlaced with silver.
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Chaos clutched his head, trying to stop the throbbing ache.
"Iie…not yet…I cannot face her just yet." He groaned. The ache grew heavier.
"Ohh…Lady Fate, such cruelty you shed upon me." He moaned, clutching his head harder.
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The red thread made its way through the ebony thread, and began its trek to the silver thread, interlaced with ebony.
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"Yu'ain na, doj-ai…dojai, le limai…" Chaos groaned, falling off his throne, his vision dimming. (Forgive me, please…please, my light…)
"Yu'ain na, le limai…wai'nai-ne…" He whispered, and all grew dark. (Forgive me, my light…I love you.)
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"Cesar, oh Cesar!" Destiny sobbed. "I've missed you so much!"
"Uh..babe..name's Duo Maxwell…" Duo stared quizzically at the figure in his arms. "I think you got me mixed up with this…Cesar of yours…"
"Cesar…" Destiny murmured, burying herself deeper into Duo's arms.
"Cesar…that sounds…familiar…" Duo muttered to himself. Before he could ask, an agonized scream erupted into the air. All present turned to face Hikari, who had fallen to her knees, one hand clutching her heart, the other, clutching her head.
"Iie! IIE! Cavan! Iie! Don't go! Iie! Onegai!" She cried out.
"Yar-e'a, nai, yar-e'nai!" She sobbed brokenly. (Sorry, love, sorry.) " Yu'ain na, nai, yu'ain na! Beo-waja! Li'ua nama-yat na! Beo-waja cair'en li'ua nama-yat!" (Forgive me, love, forgive me! Don't! You promised me! Don't break your promise!)
"Hikari…" Harmony murmured, embracing the sobbing figure. Sol, Hana, Kiyoshi, and Hope stood around her, unsure. "Shhh..yein ni, sh…" (yein ni- little one)
"Sa'maa…Cavan…" She moaned. " Oh Cavan…yu'ain na…Sui-wa yar-e'a, nai." (Sa'maa- mother; yu'ain na…Sui'wa yar-e'a, nai- Forgive me…I'm so sorry, love.)
"Shh….rest now…" Harmony placed a gentle kiss on Hikari's forehead, and instantly, she fell into a restless slumber.
"What happened?" Sol questioned.
"Wazhita oi sha'ma." (It is time.)
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The red thread cut through the silver interlaced ebony thread, and continued its journey, before it reached an empty area of the tapestry.
Eyes closed in concentration; Fate cupped her hands together, forming a dark gray light. When the light died out, a shining thread of metallic blue glowed within her hands. Fate smiled maliciously.
"Wazhita oi sha'ma. Li'ua sim'wad ba, Harmony." (It is time. You die now, Harmony.)
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Harmony's head shot up.
"Fate…wazhita oi sha'ma." She growled lowly. (Fate…it is time.) Her eyes flashed once, and immediately, all found themselves in a strange dark place, familiar only to five of the occupants.
"Boys! What are you doing here?! And who are these…guests?" The surprised voice of the doctors rang out.
"01! Ah…I see you've found the missing Relena. I should have known…not answering your laptop." A man, balding, with a metal claw replacing one hand stepped out of the shadows.
"We are not here for idle chit chat, chikuu-jin." Harmony step forth. "Such darkness you surround yourselves in." She spoke, addressing all the doctors. "It is in the dark that all secrets lie." That said, the place was immediately lit up.
Hope gave a shriek of pain, falling to her knees as she shielded her eyes from the brightness of the room.
"Hope-san…" Destiny walked over to the shaking form of Hope, of who was in her brother's embrace, her sister-in-law worriedly hovering over his shoulder. "There is no need to fear the light."
"Let us dim the lighting," Harmony made a waving motion with one hand, and instantly, the room dimmed as if the only source of light was from the full moon. "Many a century has passed since you've last seen so much light. Even when first you left your prison, the light was dim. I apologize, child, for overlooking such crucial facts." Harmony apologized.
Hope blinked a couple of times, her eyes mystified. Unsteadily, she slowly stood up, and when she stumbled, she was surprised to find that the arms that caught her belonged to the pilot of Wing Zero. "Th..thank you…" She murmured, blushing.
"Hn." He made sure she could stand on her own, and let her out of his hold. Quatre pouted darkly. He could have caught his own sister, without that 01's help, thank you very much!
"Harmony-sama?" Hope questioned, "Wh…when will I…" She trailed off. Harmony gave her a motherly smile.
"In time, child, in time. It is a shame that a child of light should fear the light so…but then, you are half of darkness. Don't fret so, child." She turned her attention to the doctors, who had formed a curious group ahead of her.
"Master Sol…wha—" Rashid was cut off by Destiny, who was speaking to Harmony.
"There are those present who play no part." Destiny looked up at Harmony.
"Ay, that is true. Perhaps one would prove to be useful, but the lot of them…that would cause such a disturbance." Harmony turned to look at the maguanacs, who instantly took various defensive stances.
"Shall we?" Destiny, too, turned to face the maguanacs.
"Yes, and Destiny?"
"Hai?"
"There is no need for them to remember."
"Of course." Destiny walked closer to the maguanacs, addressing them when she next spoke.
"No roles in this play you hold, and I daresay you ought to be pleased, to be free of this final battle, that shall decide the outcome of all."
"Tut tut, Destiny. Let us make haste. With every passing second, I feel Fate drift farther into the dark." Harmony closed her eyes, her arms crossed. At her feet, the body of Hikari laid.
"Return to your dwelling, and remember not, the events that have occurred." Destiny commanded, and at once, a lavender light surrounded the maguanacs, taking them with it as it vanished.
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A lavender light appeared in the Winner estate, and when it died out, the maguanacs were each sleeping peacefully in his room, slowly forgetting the events of the past days.
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"Doctors." Harmony turned her attention to the doctors, ignoring the surprised, and somewhat outraged look on the faces of the others.
The doctors stared, surprised.
"Doctors, I do not take lightly to repeating myself!" Harmony's voice was sharp.
"Wh..Who are you? WHAT are you?" Dr. J stepped forward, curious.
"The one who shall allow the undoing of your work." Harmony cryptically replied.
"What?!"
"There is no time for such trivial questions. It has come time for you to play your part in this ending performance."
"Ending? It has just begun!" Destiny butted in, though she quieted at Harmony's gaze.
"The performance has run its course, playing itself for centuries, millenniums…repeating itself. It is at the end, that it seems to begin. Have you forgotten?" Harmony turned to face Destiny now. "The tapestry spun shall be unwoven…"
"And our work, was for naught?" Destiny questioned, disbelieving.
"No…your work is the foundation, for which the events shall unfold."
"Eh…can someone explain what's going on NOW?" Duo piped up, earning a chiding glance from Harmony and eliciting a giggle from Destiny. He grinned at Destiny.
"You should laugh more babe…it's a lot more…less…um…" He paused, searching for words. Destiny giggled.
"You haven't changed a bit, Cesar."
"Who?" Destiny's smile faltered.
"He doesn't remember, child. Leave him be." Harmony drew Destiny's attention to her.
"EXCUSE ME!" Doctor J shouted.
"There is no need to shout, chikuu-jin!" Harmony scolded him. "Have you no manners? If your mother saw you now, what would she say?! Honestly! Fledglings…" She huffed indignantly.
The doctors, Relena, Millardo, Noin, and gundam pilots stared at Harmony as if she had lost her mind.
"Doctors, this is Harmony, and Destiny." Sol/Quatre politely intervened. "The unconscious woman is Hikari…and she-" Here he gestured towards Hope, "is Hope. Harmony-sama, Destiny-sama, Hope-chan, this is Dr. J, trainer of 01, Dr. S, trainer of 02, Professor G, trainer of 03, Instructor H, trainer of 04, and Master O, trainer of 05."
"Harmony? Destiny? Hikari? Hope? What are your true names?" Dr. J demanded. The said girls, save Hikari, glared at the doctors indignantly.
"That is our true name, mortals! J…tut tut…I had expected so much better from you…" Destiny paused, "Wait…no I didn't!" Destiny smiled slightly, appearing somewhat sheepish.
"No, really…what are your real names!" Master O commanded this time.
"The onnas told you already, those are their real names!" Wufei snorted. The doctors stared at him incredulously.
"What, no baka before the onna?" Dr. S asked. The girls, save Hope and the still unconscious Hikari, growled, and Wufei's eyes widened.
"I don't have a death wish!" Wufei hissed, and Hope broke out into giggles.
"Chikuu-jins, I haven't all the time in the world to wait for you. Well, I do, but you would die by then." Harmony paused, shooting an authoritative glance at the doctors. "Now, give me it and then we'll be done. We can do this the easy way…or the fun way." She smiled, almost ferally. Hope crinkled her nose in disgust.
"Violence is not the answer." She looked at Harmony. Relena nodded her head in agreement. Harmony groaned, slapping her forehead.
"All the kinds of daughters you could give birth to," She began, looking at the prone form of Hikari, "And you give birth to a die-hard pacifist. Ay…just my luck, hm?" She shook her head sadly, then composed herself.
"Will the hosts not invite their guests?" In a fluid movement, Harmony held Hikari in her arms.
"…" The doctors exchanged glances with one another, all wondering what was going on and who the crazy coot was.
"I am not a crazy coot…" Harmony glared slightly. "Such awful manners our hosts have. Destiny?" Harmony nodded towards Destiny, who in turn, made a flicking motion with her wrist.
Once again, a bright light filled the room.
And once again, when the light faded, the room was dark.
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Hikari moaned as the darkness began to fade away. Groggily, she opened her eyes and sighed, though whether in relief or pain, she could not say.
Slowly, she got up from her bed, the silk sheets sliding off her lithe form, as she made her way to grab her robe. Funny, she did not remember coming to her bedroom. Hadn't she last been seated upon her throne…but then, perhaps that was where the dream had started.
"Ah, Hikari, you've awaken!"
Hikari spun around, her eyes wide.
"I should say it's about time, Hikari! Had we still been on Earth, two suns would have set!"
Hikari continued to stare.
"Don't tell me you're going to faint again!" Harmony mock groaned, shaking her head.
"I..It….wasn't…a…dream…?" Hikari whimpered. Instantly, Harmony's face grew serious.
"Iie, I'm afraid it was not. The others await your presence…they shall be in the dining hall, when you choose to present yourself."
"Then…Hope…is back…" A small smile graced Hikari's lips, before it was replaced by a frown. "And…Cavan…Chaos…" she trailed off as Harmony sadly shook her head in affirmation.
With quick strides, Harmony held Hikari in an embrace in seconds, her gown absorbing Hikari's salty tears.
"Let it out, child. Let it out…" she murmured, staring motherly down at the sobbing form of Hikari.
'Let it out now, child…for it may be the last time…'
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An uncomfortable silence filled the dining hall. It was a large hall, created from marble of the purest white. The dining hall seemed to have no walls, instead, where walls should have stood were columns and arches of the most skilled designs. From the openings of the arches, a soft yellow light spilled into the room, hindered slightly by the lacy transparent veils that half-covered each arch. From the high ceiling, lacy drapes drooped down, playing with the light, twisted and played with in such a way that it created a most peculiar atmosphere, not quite formal, yet not quite informal. Should one look closer, one would find that these drapes were, in fact, the same gauzy drapes that only loosely covered part of the arch-openings.
Flowers, from both Earth and other foreign places, could be found anywhere in the room. Some seemed to be hanging from ceilings, the vines and actual flowers coiling around columns or arches, or entwined with the drapes. Other flowers still seemed to float in the air, floating gently in the ever-present soft breeze. From nowhere, yet everywhere, stray petals floated down the room with the passing breeze, revealing to those close by, its heavenly fragrance. Every flower was soft in color, as was the whole room in itself.
Small orbs of light, some glowing a soft white, others, a pale silvery gold, danced around the room, sometimes resting within a flower, creating a most beautiful effect.
Centered in the large hall, was a large marble table, surrounded by large chairs of creamy comfort. Seated around the table, the doctors, Relena, and Destiny sat opposite to Heero, Trowa, Kiyoshi, Duo, Millardo and Noin. Sol and Hana stood, gazing out of the room from one arch, while Hope took delight in the flowers that floated around her, playing with her.
Unnoticed by most, a pair of Prussian blue eyes stared at her childish delight, intrigued. How could she be so innocent? His eyes then narrowed. He had a mission. Protect Relena Peacecraft…and she had called herself the murderer of Relena Peacecraft. The fact that she had said this all while in Relena's body made no difference. She was a threat to his mission, an obstacle. All obstacles were to be eliminated.
Hope, feeling as if she was being watched, looked up to see Prussian blue eyes staring intently at her. She blushed, and then smiled brightly, waving slightly. Heero turned away, and her smiled faltered, before a flower floated in front of her face, and a small glowing orb decided to land on her nose. She giggled, looking and sounding much like an adult.
"Explain!" The silence was cut by the tempered cry from the doctor's mouth.
"J…so impatient…" Destiny shook her head sadly, allowing a petal to rest upon her palm.
"Everything shall be revealed when our hostess awakens." Wufei's eyes were closed, his back leaning comfortably against the chair.
"What does that mean, Wufei?" Master O inquired, and Kiyoshi's eyes snapped open.
"It's Kiyoshi." Hope corrected, seating herself at the table, a flower in hand.
"What?!" The doctors cried out, outraged.
"Your name is Wufei!" Wufei raised a brow as they addressed him.
"My name does not matter. The only name that should is no longer in existence." He replied coldly. "Kiyoshi…Wufei…both might as well be dead masks of the same body."
"Then how do you stand before us now!?" Master O sputtered, not enjoying the look of arrogant amusement in Wufei's eyes.
"I'm not standing before you now…I'm seated before you."
"Kiyoshi, do not play such games with them." Harmony's voice spilled around them, as she made her way to the table. "It is only fair that they should know."
"TELL US!" The doctors, ever the eager ones for new information, cried out.
"You have no manners as hosts, and even less as guests!" Harmony reproached them, an almost disgusted look upon her face.
"Welcome all." A voice called out from behind Harmony. Hikari smiled politely as she made her way to her guests.
"MAMA!!!" Hope grinned cheekily. Hikari sent her a playful, yet still chiding glance.
"Welcome all, to my domain. You must forgive my not playing the part of hostess sooner. I had no control over what had come to be." She smiled politely at them, once again. "Please, let us all be seated, and feast on the food."
She took a seat at the head of the table, while Harmony took a seat opposite to her. Sol and Hana, too, took a seat, sitting next Harmony. Sol sent a worried glance at his mother, who in turn, avoided his eyes.
"Um…I'm not sure the rule to this place…but usually, when people say let's eat…there's usually food…." Duo stated, baffled. Destiny gave a small giggle, earning a dashing smile from Duo, which in turn, painted her cheeks a rosy red hue.
"Let us eat," Hikari nodded her head slightly, and instantly, a grand feast laid before all.
Harmony glanced at the doctors, who stared at the food, not touching it. She mentally sighed. "Are you not pleased with the food?" Harmony asked the doctors, drawing the attention of all.
"What…is this." It was not a question.
"Food. Is it not of your approval? Hikari was kind enough to make sure they were all Earthen treats."
"HOW did you do that? What's going on here?" The doctors clarified.
"Let us eat now, and we shall answer questions afterwards." Hikari motioned towards the food.
The doctors touched nothing for the remainder of the meal, much to Harmony's annoyance.
---------------------
"Doctors, do come with me." Harmony stood up, everyone having finished his or her meals. The doctors exchanged glances, but stood up, and followed the tall woman down the hall, through twists and turns. They finally arrived at a large door with no knob.
Harmony turned around, her eyes cold. Her voice was flat when she addressed them.
"My Hikari is a very polite hostess. She has done nothing wrong to you, and in return, you show not one courtesy of a guest! She especially made sure that you were familiar with the food, yet you refuse to touch it. She allows you passage in her home, though you reek of the very darkness she fights against, and you insult this privilege! You rudely question us, talk as if you are deserving to answers, and yet still you try to act as you are not!" Harmony sent each a disgusted loathsome glare. "You are guests in this palace. If you cannot act as such, then we shall send you back. Now, Hikari promised you answers, and so let us see the answers." Placing a hand on the door, the door seemed to waver, before opening with a resounding creek.
The doctors stepped into the room, instantly being absorbed into the blue light.
-----------------------
"Kaa-san?" Sol hesitantly called his mother. Her back towards him, Hikari visibly stiffened.
"Kaa-san, can we talk?" Sol asked anxiously. A brief moment of silence passed between he and his mother.
"We have nothing to talk about."
"But we do, kaa-san!"
"Sol," Hikari turned around, and Sol stepped back. Had his mother always seemed so…old? So, fragile?
"Sol, what is done is done. There is nothing to be said of it. What ifs and such will not take back what happened. I was wrong, I apologize." Hikari took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She turned back around, and began to continue walking.
"Gomen nasai."
"There is nothing to be sorry of, little Sol." She paused as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head, only to see the tearful eyes of her youngest.
"There is, kaa-san, there is. I don't think you're a selfish person, kaa-san. And I don't think you're the worst mom…kaa-san…" He hugged her tightly as she turned around. "Kaa-san, you're the best mom, the best mom I could every wish for. I didn't mean it, kaa-san, I didn't mean it. I think you're the greatest mom, and I don 't hate you! Kaa-san, gomen nasai! Onegai, forgive me!" He wept.
Hikari's eyes softened and misted over, as she, too, wept tears. Rubbing the back of her son comfortably, she smiled motherly at him. "Shh…little Sol, there is nothing to apologize. We all say things we don't mean when we are blinded by rage, if anything…I should apologize to you." She softly spoke to him.
"Iie! I was a brat and selfish. I wasn't thinking, kaa-san! You did what you thought was best, and I should've known that!"
"Shh…Sol, you had no way of knowing. I should've let you known sooner. Shh…dry your tears, Sol." Hikari softly cooed.
-------------------
Hope giggled as the flower twirled around her. Getting up, she twirled around until she was dizzy, falling upon the bed of flowers.
She loved the garden, the dizzying array of life that shone and danced around her. She pouted slightly as a shadow came over her.
"Need a hand?" A slender hand reached towards her. Gingerly, she took the offered hand, and felt herself being heaved up.
"I'm glad to see you're well, Hope." Destiny smiled at the younger girl.
"I'm glad to be back." Hope giggled as a petal tickled her nose.
"Just like a little child…" Destiny smiled and sat down. Hope followed her, choosing to unceremoniously plop down next to the ancient woman.
"Perhaps," Hope smiled, suddenly no longer seeming like a little child. "But you know why." She smiled mysteriously at Destiny, who in turn, nodded.
"Hai, I do. You know what you will have to do."
"Hai, but I do not wish to do it, just yet. Of course, I will have to do it when the time comes, no matter what I may wish. I've given up long ago in believing there was another way."
Destiny turned to Hope, surprised. "You've given up? Hikari MUST be capable of giving up if her daughter is."
"You know how mama is. She won't give up," Hope turned to Destiny, her eyes wise with experience. "Mama is stronger than me, she will never give up."
Destiny's eyes softened. "You are not weak, little one. For so long, you've been trapped in a broken dream, and yet, here you are now, still strong. I don't believe that you've given up," she paused for a moment, breathing in the fragrance of the flowers. "You've just accepted the truth…because there is no use denying it. It is your destiny, her fate."
"Perhaps." Hope caressed the petal of a flower, savoring its silky texture. "How does it feel?" She suddenly asked.
"Hm?"
"How does it feel, to know the destiny of all, to determine the destiny of all, and yet, not know your own destiny?"
"For one who is the essence of a child, you act too wise..too…old." Destiny smiled slightly as Hope snorted. "And for a princess, you—"
"Princess smincess," Hope waved her hand carelessly. "Don't change the subject."
"I don't know." Destiny truthfully answered. "I had never done anything but determine the destinies of others."
"Do you like it?"
"I…guess so. It's all I know how to do. It's my destiny…"
"Can't you change it? You don't sound as if you like it."
"I cannot change my own destiny!" Destiny sighed. "I am in charge of the destinies of so many, yet, I have less control over their destinies than they may think. Often, the original path I make is not their destiny, but instead, Fate steps in, and I find myself weaving a new path for them." Destiny sighed again.
"Do you ever wish for it all to end?"
"I suppose so…" Destiny smiled. "To be free…ah yes..to be free with my heart…to be…free…to….live…"
"How did it happen?" Destiny looked at Hope, startled.
"How did what happen?"
"How did he die?" Destiny stiffened. "You know how."
"Hai, hai! You have dreams too, I've seen it! I know Cesar was killed in battle, but HOW. You have control over destiny, your sister, Fate. How is it possible that both you and your sister's lovers die in combat?"
"Chaos…" Destiny's eyes teared up. "Chaos…"
"What?"
"We have control over destiny and fate…Fate and I, we determine their fate, their destiny. Yet…we had no control over the fate and destiny of our lovers."
"How is that possible? Don't you determine it all?" Hope asked.
"Iie, when one is born, their life thread appears to us…most of the time, it is what we call a free thread, in which we can determine what they will do and such. There are instances in which their life thread is a certain kind of thread, a warrior thread or such. They…they had a warrior thread…anything I wove with their thread would lead to the same result—they would in the end, have to fight. We wouldn't have let them die…but…their threads…just snapped…" Destiny murmured distantly, reliving the memory.
-----Flashback-----
"Fate, why do they need to fight?" Destiny asked her sister, eyes shining with innocence.
"Because, oh curious one," Fate paused to tap Destiny on the nose lightly, as Destiny giggled. "It is their destiny."
"But I don't WANT it to be their destiny! Their destiny is to be with us!" Destiny pouted.
"Hey, I just decide their fates, I don't decide their destinies…if you want to discuss their destiny, take it up with Destiny…oh wait…that's you!"
"Fate…" Destiny whined, "How come if I control their destiny, I cannot make them stop fighting?"
"Because when they were born, and their life thread appeared to us, it was that of warriors."
"But that's not fairrrr…" Destiny whined childishly, as Fate shook her head teasingly at her sister.
"So, how's the battle coming?" Fate asked her sister.
"They'll win." Destiny asked.
"Hm…the battle is drawing to a close." Fate looked at her tapestry, before pulling out shears from seemingly nowhere.
"Time to get cutting, huh?" Destiny sighed. "I suppose I should finish weaving the effects." That said, both diligently began their task.
"That's odd…" Destiny paused just as Fate did.
"Why isn't Chaos backing down? He is new to his duty, but still…he knows he is to back down. " Fate glanced worriedly at the tapestry.
"Maybe he's too busy talking to Hikari again…" Destiny sighed. "Those two..sheesh! They've known each other their whole lives and yet they STILL don't get enough of each other!" Destiny shook her head, though her lips were pulled in a smiled at the thought of the two lovers.
"No…he never lets her get in the way of his duties like that…"
"Perhaps something came up?" Destiny offered. At her sister's glance, she sighed. "I know, I know, let's go check the fountain." That said, the two made their way to a fountain, bringing with them, their tapestries.
"Seinai." And the water shimmered and rippled until a scene appeared on its now calm surface.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"How come they're not retreating?! We're creaming them!" Cesar shouted out over the cries of warriors.
"It's Chaos…how should I know? I've never met the guy before…maybe he's too busy talking to Hikari! You remember what Destiny said!" Desi replied, stabbing a minion of Chaos' through the heart. It howled in pain, before he brought his sword back out in a different angle, letting its bloodied carcass fall to the ground.
"Well I hope he does something soon! I'm getting hungry!" Cesar whined. "And tired."
"Think of it this way, the faster we kill them all, the longer we have to stay with the girls."
"Aww…is wittle Desi lovesick for his beloved Fate?" Cesar teased, only to get nicked by the enemy. "HEY!! THAT'S MY FACE! DESTINY LOVES MY FACE THE WAY IT IS! YOU DON'T CHANGE THIS GORGEOUS FACE UNLESS I SAY SO!" That said, he started attacking his enemies with a renewed vigor.
Desi sighed, as he dodged a blow. Cesar…how it was that those two got along, he would never know. A picture of Fate appeared in his mind, and he gave a faint smile. The minion in front of him howled suddenly, and he realized that all around the battlefield, Chaos' men were howling, retreating.
"About time!" He heard Cesar before he actually felt Cesar slap his back. "Okay, how about we chase the last ones off, then go and visit our girls?"
The two began the chase off the remaining minions, paying no heed to the injured ones below them.
Cesar was the first to be hit with the poisonous arrow, courtesy of a dying minion. His cry of pain caused Desi to turn around, rushing to his friend and comrade's side.
"Get the healer!" He cried out to a soldier of lower status.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
"CESAR!" Destiny cried out, eyes wide. She dropped her tapestry.
"Let's go." And Fate and Destiny vanished, Fate still clutching her tapestry. The two reappeared on the battlefield.
"CESAR!" Destiny was at once at her lover's side.
"Can't you do something?" Desi asked Fate. Fate shook her head. "This wasn't to happen…something messed with the tapestry…this was never to happen!"
"Fate! Fate! You need to heal him!" Destiny cried out, tears streaming down her flawless face. She turned her attention back to Cesar. "C'mon Cesar, don't leave me. You promised we'd be together, remember? Cesar! GET UP!" She cried, her hand trying to stop the bleeding as she pulled out the arrow.
"Des…wh…what did I…s..s..say…ab..about..c..crying..?" Cesar weakly grinned at her.
"Cesar!" Destiny wailed, hugging him closer. "You'll be alright, everything will be fine. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS SACRED, FATE, HURRY UP AND HEAL HIM! See, honey, Fate is going to heal you, everything's alright!" Destiny sobbed.
"C..course it..is…I…I'm…wi..with…you..aren't I?" Cesar smiled one last time, the light in his eyes starting to fade.
"Iie! Iie! CESAR! CESAR!! DON'T!! DON'T LEAVE ME!!! IIE!!!!" Destiny pleaded to Cesar.
"Hey..now, be..beautiful girls…sh..shouldn't cry…I..I'll come…back to you…my Des…a..aishiteru." A content smile graced his face as the last light faded from his eyes.
"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" Destiny clutched his body closer to her. "Cesar…wake up! Wake up Cesar!" Destiny shook his body to no avail. Sobbing, she clutched his head to her bosom. "Aishiteru, Cesar, aishiteru. Come back to me, onegai….onegai!!!!!!!" and she rocked back and forth, still clutching him tightly, as she sobbed brokenly.
"Destiny…his thread..it…just…snapped…gomen nasai, imouto…" Fate placed a hand on her younger sister's shoulder, only to spin around as she heard the cry of her own beloved.
"DESI!" She cried out, as she watched the limp form of her lover fall to the ground, his heart still in the hand of a wounded minion, who had managed one final kill. Eyes wide with rage and denial, Fate rushed to her lover's side. "Desi, come on Desi, open your eyes! It's not your time, see! Your thread is still..still…" her world seemed to fade around her as she saw the tapestry, two warrior thread snapped in half. "D..Desi…"
Two large powers, one a sorrowed pool of lavender, the other, a raging storm of electric blue, erupted, killing all in its path.
-----End Flashback-----
Hope held the sobbing form of Destiny, her head cocked to the side in childish understanding.
"Here." She handed Destiny a flower, it's bud still closed, though it would seem that an orb of light was stuck inside, if the glowing bud was any indication.
"Huh?" Destiny looked up at Hope, and saw emerging, once again, the innocence of the naïve child.
"It's like you." Hope smiled, her eyes still holding aged wisdom. "Still trying to grow, to be free…"
"A..Arigato.." Destiny took the flower, looking at it strangely. She turned to look at Hope once again, and Hope smiled cheerfully at her, her eyes showing the innocent wisdom of a child.
"I like you." She giggled and got up, running and laughing amongst the flowers. For a while, Destiny just sat there, watching the younger girl run freely amongst the flowers.
…Perhaps she could interfere just this once…save a life…save Hope's innocent freedom…
"You can come out now, you know." Destiny smirked slightly, as she was answered with a grunt.
"I won't let you hurt her, you know." Destiny stood up, dusting her gown.
"Hn."
"I mean it!" She spun around, grabbing Heero and pulling him close to her, to face her.
"If you hurt her in anyway, I will make sure you never are free! Remember this, Yukio, I still have more control over your destiny than you do…if you hurt her…" she trailed off, her hand dropping to her sides once more, one still clutching the flower given to her.
"She deserves so much more…" that said, Destiny left the gardens.
Heero stood there, silently watching Hope run amongst the flower, her hair and dress trailing behind her as she shrieked and giggled in delight, the flowers and lights dancing around her, singing a song only she could seem to hear.
Such innocence.
-----------------------
Harmony closed the door behind her, the tortured screams of the doctors vanishing as the door shut tight. She frowned.
"You would think they would stop fighting the answers by now." She shook her head sadly, and began to walk away.
"I'll check back on them in a while…though at the rate they're going, it may take days." She sighed. "Mortals, I shall never understand them…"
Silently, she made her way through the palace, into her chamber. Sitting down on a plush seat, she greeted the figure before she saw her.
"Hello Hana. Why don't you take a seat and we'll discuss it." She motioned towards the seat across from her. "Would you like something to drink or eat?"
"Iie, majesty." Harmony waved her hand.
"No formalities, just Harmony, please."
"Hai, Harmony-sama." Hana curtsied before taking a seat before the older women.
"I suppose I won't be able to stop you from adding titles, hm? Very well, tell me what is bothering you, child."
"Harmony-sama…I…Sol and I…"
"Child, I know." Hana blushed. "I do not see a problem, child."
"Harmony-sama…I love Sol…I do. I want to bear him children, and I know he wants children too. I love Sol, and I know he loves me. But would he still love me if…" Hana trailed off.
"Hana, child, the man adores you. His face lit up when he found that he could see you in person again. Humph, why, he threw a fit so that I would bring you to him sooner than I wished. That man has a set of lungs, I must say. That should not be a surprise, I suppose, if you look at his mother." Harmony smiled warmly at Hana.
"You love him, and he loves you. That is all that matters. I doubt he would stop loving you for any reason, much less such a petty one." Hana smiled brightly at this.
"I know…demo…how will he react?" She asked worriedly. Harmony laughed, her laughter a rich song.
"Ah, little one, that is something you should find out, don't you think?" Harmony's eyes twinkled with delight.
"Hai, arigato, Harmony-sama. I'll tell him tonight." She began to get up, but Harmony motioned for her to stay seated.
"Lady Hana, tell me, why do you let the other girls ridicule you so?" Harmony asked, and Hana's eyes widened.
"I was not aware you knew—"
"Of course I know. It pains you, and it pains him, you know. Every time the so-called ladies of your home insult you, it pains you, and it pains him so to know it. Tell me, why do you let them ridicule you so?"
"I…I do not know…they've always done it. I suppose I've grown use to it. I don't understand though, why do they do it?"
"Envy, of course! Child, look at you! You've everything they do not. Brains, beauty, love, and power."
"But they do have beauty and power!"
"No, they have masks and title…you…you have true beauty, and you found yourself a nice catch. A catch they all want. Of course, they just want Sol for his looks and power, and yet, you come up and enchant him with one look. The jealousy that runs through them is strong…they insult you more and more as it grows. Child, you are no longer just Lady Hana, Lady-in-waiting of the so-called princess what's her name. You are now Lady Hana, beloved wife and queen of Sol, ruler of the Astral Realm."
"Iie, I cannot accept such power. I did not earn it, Harmony-sama." Harmony smiled and laughed gently at Hana's modesty.
"Oh, child, but you did. You just did. Now, you wonder why I bring this up now, hm?" Harmony smiled as Hana nodded.
"Child, think of the news you have. Changes must take place…for all of you. The time is coming for you to stand up for yourself."
"Harmony-sama?"
"Child, I do not approve of the nobles and royal family of your home planet. Their power and greed has corrupted them, and so, I plan to have them abdicate the throne."
Hana gasped. "They would never…"
"They would abdicate the throne, if you know what is best for them. Child, the planet will need a new ruler."
"You can't possibly be saying that…that…"
"You will be the new ruler." Harmony stood up, Hope following her example. "But that is for another time. Let us go now. Dinner approaches and I suppose it is time to check on the Chikuu-jin doctors now. Let us go."
-----------------
Dinner was, for the most part, an enjoyable affair. The doctors, whom were bitter at being locked into a room they believed to be worse than the training 01 was placed through, were quiet and polite towards everyone, every once in a while, casting fearful glances at Harmony. Harmony, for her part, merely shrugged and raised a brow when others questioned her of this change. Stories were told, any questions answerable were answered, and one would not believe such troubles would await the group in the future.
Destiny and Harmony exchanged several secretive glances, and soon, Hikari, too, joined the "game". It was not until Harmony smiled warmly at Hana that the secreteive glances stopped, only to be replaced by secret smiles between Hana, Harmony, and Destiny.
Sol, for his part, had no clue what was going on, and he was not sure he wished to know.
Between all the secrecy between most of the girls, it came as no surprise when finally, one of them stood up, calling for the attention of all present.
Hana stood up, taking a deep breath to calm her frantically beating heart.
"Minna, I have an announcement." She announced. All quieted down, save Duo, who winced as an anonymous person kicked him under the table. Destiny, however, was strangely pleased to see her 'Cesar' wince when she "accidentally" swung her foot forward to far, coincidentally, at the same time Duo had been kicked.
"Minna…I…" Hope took a deep breath.
"Well, tell us, Hana." Hikari smiled. If her women's intuition was correct… She turned to Sol, and flashed him a proud smile.
"I'm pregnant."
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WOOHOO!! I FINISHED THE CHAPTER! 24 PAGES! WOO! Hehe ^^;; gomen for the delay in getting this out, I got swamped w/ work after mid-terms. ^^;; hehe..well, review minna! My goal? To reach the 200 review mark! *I'll update a LOT faster if I hit that…I tend to whenever I reach a goal. ^^;;* *HINT*HINT* ^~ Hehe..don't mind me as I go celebrate finishing this chapter. Hehe.. well, minna, review! Review review review review review review review!!!! ^^V
