AN: Hehehe…sorry, minna-chan. I tried to finish the story before putting up the chapters so I won't have a problem, but I only managed to get three chapters. But anyways, I will be putting all of that here now, so you know… I hope you'll like it!!! And just so you know, these three chapters will sorta serve as a make-up for making you wait.

SHINOMU = hello! I see that you're still a faithful reader, huh?! That's good! I am always inspired with faithful readers like you…people like you keep me pushing to write more…sniff sniff. Agh, I've gone melodramatic again!!! anyway, I hope you like this chapter… this is dedicated especially for you!!! I thank you for reviewing on the previous chapter…although you didn't left your e-mail add again… sigh

MEWINESS = Hahaha! You just gave in to my request to flame me! and for that, I thank you very much!!! Just wait for a few moments and a virus will soon be attacking your PC and you don't have a choice but to reboot your system. Hahaha, just joking. you should know by now that I'm not serious with that 'virus' thing, 'ne? Because I'm not really that bad. In fact I'm a good person!!! Really!!! as if you care… anyway, just enjoy this new chapter!!! and thanks for the nasty review… I hope to see your name on my reviewer list again… and I hope you'd leave your e-mail add so I can e-mail you and thank you privately!!! have a nice day!

DISCLAIMER: Magic Knight Rayearth is owned by CLAMP originally. But now, there are, like, a thousand more other companies who are claiming possession over Rayearth, but I'm not like one of those companies, as I am an individual, so I do not own Magic Knight Rayearth. Period.

Chapter 3: LIGHT IN A DARK TUNNEL

"Hikaru-san! Hikaru-san!" a voice called out on the hallway.

Hikaru stopped dead on her tracks, knowing very well who the caller was.

Hikaru's been avoiding Fuu all throughout Org Chem lecture, even as far as avoiding looking at the genius. When the bell rang, she immediately collected her notebooks and dashed out of the room as fast as she can, hoping to avoid a talk with Fuu. But the brunette saw her and was now calling her. She sighed as she turned and waited for the running brunette.

She knew when she was beaten.

Fuu stopped right in front of her. The emerald-eyed teen gulped for air first before straightening up and smiling at Hikaru. "Konnichiwa, Hikaru-san. How are you?"

Hikaru was actually surprised to hear Fuu greet her so politely. Hikaru was expecting Fuu to be mad at her for canceling their appointment the day before, but she saw nothing behind Fuu's wide smile but happiness to see her again. This made her return Fuu's smile with a big grin.

"I'm fine, Fuu-san, arigatou. What about you?" Hikaru answered. She started walking again, Fuu falling into a step beside her.

"I'm fine as well, Hikaru-san. I was hoping that we could start our research today, if you don't mind,"

Hikaru perked up a little, "Sure! Are we going to the library?"

"Not exactly. I was hoping we could ask Professor Gardee if we could use the laboratory right now to try some experiments. You see, because you canceled our research study I decided to make my night useful. I researched some basic information about diethylene glycol, and I found out how it was manufactured. So, I want to put into experiment the info I gathered and test it," Fuu answered.

Hikaru looked at Fuu with so much admiration that Fuu found her self blushing a little. "Wow, Fuu-san! You truly are wonderful! You did the research even without me to help you out?! That was incredible! You're really so responsible! I can't believe my luck in being paired up with you!" she breathed.

Fuu chuckled, but the blush was still visible in her face. "Oh, quit it, Hikaru-san! You're embarrassing me! All I did was research a little bit about our project! It was no big deal!"

"But it is! Imagine, we'll be ahead of our classmates. We'll be experimenting now while they were still in the research stage! This is awesome! Come on, we must find Professor Gardee at once!" Hikaru answered enthusiastically, pulling a grinning Fuu behind her.

They went to the Faculty Room to look for Mr. Gardee, and luckily, he was there. They immediately asked for permission to use the laboratory tools and equipments, especially the chemicals they'll need. Next stop, they asked permission to the laboratory coordinator, Professor Nakamura, to get an excuse slip and also to have one laboratory technician to assist them in using the chemicals. Professor Nakamura assigned them to laboratory 16. They quickly went to their assigned place to start working.

"Diethylene glycol is a co product of ethylene glycol and triethylene glycol via the hydrolysis of ethylene oxide. So we must first hydrolyze ethylene oxide before we can acquire diethylene glycol," Fuu explained, pulling out from the storeroom a bottle of ammonium chloride, propanoic acid, methyl amide, sulfuric acid, sodium thiosulfate, butyl alcohol, hexylamine, sodium hydroxide, ethyl ether, propyl ester, benzene and phenol.

Fuu turned to the technician and smiled up at him, "Could you please get us some distilled water? Maybe a beaker-full?" she asked.

The technician nodded and walked out of the room. After a few minutes, he came back with the water, and the three of them went to the lab 16 to start the experiment.

"Just call me at the Satellite Lab if you need anything else, okay?" he asked. The two girls nodded, and they turned to the chemicals in front of them.

"I think we'll have a more difficult time in preparing DEG than actually experimenting on it," Hikaru muttered, looking at the divided chemicals in front of them.

Fuu laughed as she got the beaker of water and ethylene oxide. "EO is a colorless gas at room temperature and a liquid at 120C. It is soluble in water and organic compounds, where it forms a hydroxymethyl group via the addition of the metal and the hydrogen atom," she demonstrated, pouring in 1 mL of EO and another mL of propanoic acid. Surely enough, a white, viscous liquid formed, and there was a clear separation of the chemicals.

Next, Fuu placed another mL of EO on a beaker and a few drops of water on a test tube. "By this reaction, we can produce ethylene glycol, DEG and TEG," she said. After a few seconds, a colorless liquid was seen along with a whitish liquid and a grayish liquid. "DEG is the colorless liquid, Hikaru-san," Fuu pointed out.

"Oh wow. That was amazing! Really brilliant!" Hikaru exclaimed, looking closely at the experiment.

Fuu smiled. "It was pretty simple, Hikaru-san. So now that we have our by-product, we can start with the real experiment!" she said.

But before Hikaru could answer, her cell phone vibrated, and she immediately got it out her pocket.

"Umi-chan," Fuu heard Hikaru answered. The brunette started clearing the table again for their succeeding experiments. She brought the materials to the sink at the far end of the laboratory, hoping to give Hikaru privacy.

"But Umi-chan--! I can't leave Fuu-san here alone! I already canceled our first appointment because of that stupid welcome party you forced me to attend, so I'm not giving in to your caprices this time!" an extremely irritated Hikaru exclaimed, her voice reverberating on the four corners of the laboratory.

Fuu looked up from the sink and turned her attention to the redhead. So that's the reason why she canceled our research study! She thought. And she's talking to Ryuuzaki Umi?

"Like I said, Umi! I won't go to the party this night!" Hikaru continued. After a few tensed silence, Hikaru shouted again on the phone.

"Then so be it! Damn Umi! Don't give me that shit! My schoolwork is important to me as dope is important to you! And you know what? I'd much be pleased with Fuu-san's company than you or any of our members'!" and with that, she pressed the end button and threw down her cell phone on the desk, followed by her clenched fist.

"Hikaru-san!" Fuu exclaimed, rushing to the side of the redhead. She lifted Hikaru's hand to see if there were any injuries or blood, but aside from the bruises and cuts, Hikaru's hand seemed to be fine. "Don't do that again, Hikaru-san! You made me nervous!"

Hikaru sighed and looked down on her sneakers. "Gomen nasai, Fuu-san. I just…can't help my anger. Umi really made me angry this time,"

Fuu seemed uneasy for she didn't know if she should listen to Hikaru, but it seemed like the redhead needed someone to talk to at this moment.

"This is our first fight for the six years we've been friends, and it's all because she wanted me to do something I don't want to. Tell me, Fuu-san, was I really wrong into letting down Umi's request?" Hikaru continued.

Fuu shook her head. "You know Hikaru-san, even if you two are best friends, you shouldn't let Ryuuzaki-san take over your life. You should have your own set of activities aside from the ones that you do with her. After all, it's your life that you have, not Ryuuzaki-san's or anybody else. You do what you want to do, and not let anybody else decide things for you," she advised, taking Hikaru's hand into hers.

Hikaru let out a small smile and squeezed Fuu's hand, "Arigatou, Fuu-san. And gomen as well. I bailed out on you the other day because Umi forced me to go to that welcome party for our new members. I never really wanted to go there, because I was really excited for our research study. I even suggested to do the research on my house, 'ne? But Umi got pissed off at the idea that I will be skipping the party for some dumb study session and I have to abide by her whim. I'm really sorry, Fuu-san," she said apologetically.

Fuu nodded only and smiled at the redhead. "Oh, it's all right. Hearing you just now makes up for my disappointment the other day. It was really a compliment on my part to have you say that you'd enjoy my company over your friend's. And besides, you're here now, and you chose to stay here than go to that party,"

Hikaru returned the smile, and then she stood up and faced their experiment. "Now, I believe that we have an experiment to finish today," she said.

"Okay. Let's get started."

☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊

"Will you please explain yourself to me?! Why the hell did you choose that Hououji kid than me, you're sworn best friend in this damned world?! Why?!" Umi screeched.

Hikaru just continued walking, pouring every ounce of her power into biting back a nasty retort to Umi. But Umi was really pissed off. She grabbed Hikaru's hand and pulled the redhead to face her.

"Answer me!" she exclaimed.

Still, Hikaru was silent. She just stared daggers at Umi and folded her arms in front of her chest. And this only fueled Umi's already red-hot anger.

"Goddammit, Hikaru! What did that good-for-nothing Hououji did to you?! Or are you using her to get your GPA high and pass this damned course? What?" Umi continued.

That did it! Hikaru's mind screamed. "For your information, Ryuuzaki, I'm not using Fuu-san just to get good grades because I know I can, even without her help. And you know why I chose her over you? Because all you did was nothing but drugs, drugs and drugs! At least with Fuu-san, I'm learning something that I can use in my future! At least with Fuu-san, I'm enjoying myself without doing anything wrong! At least with Fuu-san, I'm bringing out the best in me that I didn't know I have!" Hikaru screamed back.

It was a good thing that it was already dark and the park was already deserted, because if someone would have seen or heard Umi and Hikaru arguing, it will be pretty scandalous. But with the way that the two were shouting at each other, it seems as if they don't care of what others might say. They were just busy venting out their anger and frustrations on each other.

"And what happens to our interests, Shidou? Does this mean that you will be spending all your time with that Hououji kid rather than with me?" Umi asked, lowering her voice a few notes.

Hikaru took a deep breath before answering Umi. "I just wanted to have some time with myself, Umi. Up until now, I still don't know the real me. The old Hikaru that I know was buried six feet on the ground, together with my hopes and dreams I created with my brothers. I wanted to search myself again, without any interference from anyone I know," she exclaimed, hoping that Umi would understand her point. But she was dismayed to see a frown on Umi's forehead.

"So you're saying that you do not need me for the time being?" Umi asked dangerously.

"Umi--I'm not saying that--" Hikaru started.

"Then go on! Stick with your nerdy Hououji friend! After all the help I gave you, this is how you repay me? By pushing me out of your life?! Who needs you, anyway?!" Umi cried.

Hikaru felt that a thread snapped within her, and she felt her temper flaring for Umi's narrow-mindedness. "Don't be such a prejudice, Umi! That is not what I meant!  I only wanted some time alone, and that doesn't mean that I want to distance myself from you! I wanted to search myself, Umi! I thought you're good at English, but why is it that such a simple word you can't understand?!" she snapped.

Umi kicked the bench in front of her. "I know what you mean, and what you said meant to me that you're detaching yourself from me and from the gang! That is what I understand! So go on! I'm not stopping you! The hell I care about you!" and with that, she stomped off the park, leaving Hikaru with a death glare.

"Umi! Come back here! UMI!!!"

☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊☊

"And she didn't listen to you?" Fuu asked.

Hikaru shook her head lightly, "Iie. She just walked away from me with a murderous look on her eyes. And I just know that everything will change from now on, unless I do something quick," she replied helplessly.

Fuu shook her head sympathetically. "Oh, Hikaru-san, you really shouldn't make yourself worry so much about Ryuuzaki-san's anger. After all, it's not your fault. You only did what you think was right. And if Ryuuzaki-san do not understand that, that's her problem, not yours," she advised.

When Hikaru still didn't looked up, Fuu sighed and placed a comforting hand on Hikaru's clenched fists. "Hikaru-san, for once, do what is right. Do what you really wanted to do. Don't stop to think of what Ryuuzaki-san might say to you. I think it's about time that you start detaching yourself from your bad habits and bad group. Because in the end, the things that you do will bring no good to you. In the end, it is you who will suffer from the consequences of your actions today. So before it's too late, you've got to get your act together," she spoke gently.

Hikaru offered a small smile amidst her dark face, "So you knew about my pranks at school?"

Fuu nodded. "But of course. Who wouldn't know of your endless fights and petty stealing? All the kids at school knows it, Hikaru-san, and everybody at school fears your gang, especially Ryuuzaki-san and Fujuiwara-san," at this, her cheeks colored a little, and she averted her eyes to the floor.

Hikaru picked up easily, "You have a thing for Ferio?" she asked mischievously, quite certain what Fuu would answer.

Fuu was silent for a moment, before she looked up and slowly nodded. "Yeah. I really like Ferio-san a lot, but he's with a bad crowd, not to mention that he is the leader of your gang. And besides," Fuu played with a few locks of her hair. "He already belongs to somebody else," she finished.

Hikaru nodded and looked out the window. "Yeah, it will be hard for you to get Ferio. He and Umi need each other. I think it would be hard for them to break up and find another lover. For the time being, they belong to each other, as long as they needed support."

"So what are you gonna do now, Hikaru-san? About Ryuuzaki-san, I mean,"

Hikaru sighed and shook her head, "I honestly don't know. I wanted to give in to her wishes and desires, but I wanted to stand on my two feet too. I promised to be always there for Umi, to not disappoint her and let her down because she's been through a lot, but what am I doing now? I made Umi angry, and worse, I turned my back on her!"

"We really should make it clear to Ryuuzaki-san that you wanted to change, that you wanted to straighten out your acts and deeds. But at the same time, make her understand that you two will still remain as friends even if you don't do things together anymore. After all, your friendship started out a long time ago, and to have it be destroyed because of a few pointless quarrels would be a shame. I'm sure she'll understand that," Fuu said.

That same familiar soothing voice entered her mind again. You should follow her, Hikaru. After all, you know that Fuu only wants the best for you. And her advices were what you really need to do right now. Although you owe a lot to Umi, it's about time you spread your wings, fly and be free. Umi is just another misguided soul, and if you were to act right now, you might just be able to help her be free from her pains and sufferings, too.

Hikaru nodded to Fuu. "All right. I'm going to talk to her first thing in the morning. I'll put some sense into her head. Because if there's one person whom Umi will listen to, it's me. I'm going to get her see the logic in my decision, and in so doing, stop her from doing all the bad thing she's been doing to forget her pain."

"Her pain?"

Sigh. "Umi's been through a lot of pain just because her parents separated when she was 13, and after that Umi changed. When she needed someone, Ferio came, and they just…leaned on each other because Ferio's troubled also when she came into his life. Then I came and she made me forget my own pain and made me her best friend. Because of all the things she did for me, I swore to myself that I will do anything and everything to keep Umi happy, and I thought that dope and Ferio were the answer to my prayers for Umi's happiness. But I guess I was wrong,"

Fuu gasped. "You were onto drugs? At this age?"

Hikaru nodded dejectedly, "Yeah. Kind of shocking, huh? I think I learned to do drugs at the start of college, but Umi and Ferio have been doing it even before they entered high school. And that's only the first part of it. If you heard of all the things we did way back in high school, you'll have a heart attack. In fact, the pranks we've been doing at Tokyo U were nothing compared to our troubles in high school. Sometimes we do those things when we're under the influence of drugs, but other times we just do it for fun. We even attempted to rob a store one night, when we're very 'high' on drugs, but we weren't able to do so because Ferio was afraid we'd get caught. Well," she looked sheepishly at the gaping Fuu. "I'm ready to change now, to turn my back on that bad things and…change. But I'll make sure to drag Umi into this too. I'm never ever letting her go. I promised that to myself."

Fuu remained silent. Then she shook her head in disbelief and looked amazed at Hikaru, "That was shocking, really. I bet no one in school knew that your group do drugs, am I correct? But anyway, you'll put those in the past and forget about it. And I'll help you with it," she said reassuringly, squeezing Hikaru's hand.

Hikaru squeezed back. And a voice whispered in the air, but neither Fuu nor Hikaru heard it. Yes Hikaru. Let Fuu guide you to the light and out of the dark tunnel.

Let me and Fuu guide you back to the right path that you were once walking down on.

AN (again): was it good? Review! And flame me!

Peace, men!

(.)-(.)