A/N: Sorry about the delay I didn't realize I had this finished. Oops!!!

Chapter Six

Hikaru shook her head and tried to digest everything that had happened that morning. She was startled when there was a knock on her door. She stood and hesitantly opened it. She found Presea, Lantis and Eagle waiting there.

"Come in," she opened the door for them, and they walked inside. "Have a seat," she commanded, and they found various spots in her room. Eagle sat on her bed, Lantis in a chair nearby and Presea in the window seat. "Well?"

"Well, these two have agreed to tell us what we're missing, at some cost, or so they say," Lantis answered, and she looked confused.

"What cost? I thought you were my friends! At least…" she faltered. "You were on Earth.

"We still are Hikaru-hime," Presea assured her.

"Enough with the Hime stuff," Hikaru snapped, and Presea pulled her head down. "I was only being respectful to one of the rulers of Cephiro."

"I'm not a ruler!" Hikaru screamed. "I can't even pass my Classic English Lit. Class!"

"Calm yourself Pr…Hikaru," Eagle stopped her ranting. "Let us explain."

She sighed and nodded.

"The cost is only that, it was very painful for you, that's why you can't remember," Presea told her softly. "We just don't want it to bring back all those unpleasant memories."

"But," Eagle stopped her shortly, "there are good ones too. That's why you have to know."

"Well then tell us," Lantis growled, and Presea sighed and began.

"There was peace for many long years…"

*

Fuu looked out her window across the world that was not hers, and strangely, was. She missed Earth; she missed her family and her small group of friends. She missed being in a place she knew with people that were familiar. She missed her school and her schedule. She was alone here on this place, and she didn't understand what was happening around her. All day she had waited to wake up from this, praying that it was a dream, as Umi said, but she never did. She touched the ivory-like wall, and it was smooth and cool under her fingers. The thing she noted most was that it was solid; she didn't feel solids in her dreams. This wasn't a dream, it couldn't be, and she would not be waking up in her dorm room. She would be waking up in this cold world without any hope of getting home.

"Fuu-chan," a knock at the door made her jump. She stood and opened the door; she was greeted by Ferio's concerned face.

She opened the door for him, and he entered, slowly. "Yes Ferio?" she was weary and wanted to get back to her thoughts. She wasn't sure she could take anymore of this Princess stuff.

"Are you all right?" he asked rather hesitantly, and she nodded and smiled a weak smile.

"Just confused, which is something I'm not often doing," she didn't hold back or try to be modest. She wasn't bragging, just simply stating a fact.

"As you should," he was being stiff, formal. Fuu didn't doubt for a second that he really was a Prince, the way he held himself said that.

"Please, sit," she offered her bed to him, and he sat, only because she asked. He stayed just as wooden as she fell onto the bed and sat against the pillows. Her golden hair dangled just above the soft down pillows. He looked at her and tried to breathe; she was everything he remembered and more.

"Fuu-chan…Fuu-hime," he stopped himself, how was he going to explain this to her? "There's something you need to know…"

*

Umi pulled herself from her thoughts and her bath when there was a knock at her door. She put on a robe and pulled it close to her, hiding her delicate frame. When she opened the door she was greeted by the Master Mage of Cephiro, his Palu and Presea.

"What do you want?" she snapped, but it only halted them for a minute.

"May we come in?" Clef asked softly, and she nodded reluctantly and opened the door to let them come in.

Ascot watched her as she moved, and she felt a slight blush rising to her cheeks as the same blush rose to his. Clef cleared his throat and shattered the moment. For a moment Umi hadn't been thinking of Cephiro or where she should be, and she swung to Clef with angry eyes. "Yes?"

"Princess, there are some things that need to be explained to you…"

*

"The Princess' were protected by their guardians, the Rune-Gods and their people…" Presea continued.

"Go back," Hikaru shook her head wearily. "Guardians, Rune-Gods?"

"Guardians," Eagle looked at Lantis and turned his head slightly. "Each Princess is protected by someone with a special talent. You were protected by Lantis and I; he was the head of the guard of the castle, I was the stranger from Autozam. You were protected by strength and the Rune God Rayearth."

"Sure…" Hikaru muttered and let Presea continue.

"But then the people were idol, everything was going well. The young got restless; you tried to calm them, but they revolted. No one knows why. The elder people loved you, but the young turned on them. They wanted reform; they wanted more of a say than they received. They didn't realize how much it would hurt the country. They stormed the castle, and you were forced to flee to the other world. We would retrieve you there when everything was okay," Presea explained quietly, head hung low.

Hikaru couldn't remember this, but just the thought brought tears to her eyes. How could anyone hate her that much?! "Why didn't I give them what they wanted?!" she demanded, and Eagle winced.

"You couldn't hand control of Cephiro over to people that have started an uprising. It would bring upon years of civil war. So we evacuated everyone from the castle, everyone except Lafarga, Sanyun and Princess Aska. They raised an army of supporters, and the rebels were pushed back and destroyed. They restored peace in Cephiro and ran the country, awaiting your return. The only thing is, now that there is peace once more, Cephiro is starting to crumble without your pure hearts," Eagle looked at her with desperate eyes. Why wasn't she remembering?

Lantis shook his head, through the whole story he had stayed silent, but no longer could he stay silent, "I'm sorry, I just can't believe this."

"You will, in time," Eagle said softly, "you all will."

*

"Yeah?" Fuu asked softly, and Ferio took a deep breath.

"There was a civil war in Cephiro over the way that it was ruled. There was a horrible fight. We managed to win, and when it was over we brought you back to Cephiro. We had to keep you there because it was too dangerous for us, for all of us. Then Lafarga summoned us back and here is where we find ourselves. I want you to remember because…" her eyes were so blank, so… "We were married."

"What?" Fuu's jaw dropped. "Not possible."

Ferio nodded, "We were, you were my wife. I was the Prince of Cephiro, you were the Magic Knight of Wind. We were in love, please Fuu, you have to remember."

She shook her head, "No, I would remember something like that!"

"You won't remember anything until something happens bad or good enough to remind you. Please though, you have to believe me. Fuu I miss you so much, please come back to me," he itched to touch this girl that looked like his Fuu-chan, but couldn't.

"I'm only twenty-one," she protested. "I can't be married."

"In Cephiro you are much older. We age differently here," he tried to make her remember to no avail. It was not his choice on when she would remember; it was hers.

"I think I need to be alone right now," she felt as if she was going to be sick.

"Okay," he stood and bowed. "Good night Fuu-hime."

"Good night Ferio," she answered, and he left without looking back.

*

Once outside Ferio put his head against the door and sighed, "Fuu-chan." Tears formed in his eyes; tears that he wouldn't let fall. "Please come back to me."

He sat against her door and listened to the gentle rhythm of her sobs. He only stood when he was sure that she was asleep. Then he did so and walked down the halls to his room. The room he used to share with his Princess.

*

"Civil war?" Umi was less than convinced. "So while this war was going on we fled?"

"Exactly," Ascot smiled, thinking it had broken through.

"So why exactly," her words were like hot iron. "Why didn't these rebels take over the castle in our absence and take over Cephiro?"

"Because Lafarga and his army wouldn't let them in," Clef answered.

"So if he was all strong and everything," Umi wasn't going to make this easy for them, "then why didn't we stay in his protection?"

"It was war, things are never entirely safe in war," Ascot shook his head; he was wrong. This was the Umi that was their Princess though, only a little less formal.

"Nope, didn't happen," Umi assured them.

"Of course it happened! Lafarga was there!" Caldina shouted at her, and tried not to hit her.

"Listen Umi, we're not expecting you to remember so soon, we just thought that you should know how your country is," Clef said more patiently than he would with anyone else. They all knew that Clef had outstanding patience with this girl that he had to spend more time with than anyone else. Most people would drive him insane, but not her.

"Somewhere inside you're wanting to know what happened," Ascot added.

"Sure, whatever," Umi muttered and turned her head. It was getting night there, and she knew this could not possibly be a dream. The days did not change in her dreams. She couldn't even begin to believe that this was happening. Did someone slip some acid into her drink at the concert or something?

"We'll leave you now, good night Princess," Clef ushered them out, and Umi waved a sarcastic goodbye.

When they had shut the door she sighed and put her head on her pillow. So what if what they said was true? How could she run a country? She couldn't even get the kids at her University to respect her.

*

The morning brought about new problems for the three girls.

In all the confusion the three hadn't really gotten a good idea just who the other two were. When the realization hit them Umi and Fuu immediately clashed.

"Umi Ryuuzaki," Fuu whispered at breakfast when Umi walked to the table that morning.

She nodded and put a hand out to Fuu, "Fuu Hououji, nice to formally meet you."

Fuu looked away and refused to take the hand. Umi drew back and looked hurt.

"I understand," she muttered.

"You understand nothing," Fuu spat hatefully, and Umi's eyes flashed. Everyone watched the fight in silence. "I work insanely hard to get the grades I do, and all you do is sleep with a few teachers and everything is set right. Either that or your daddy pays for you to get into a good school, then bribes the teachers for good grades. You're lucky you're here now because you wouldn't have made it in the real world."

Umi's eyes filled with tears; it took a lot to make this normally docile girl hate like that. "That's-that's not true," Umi stumbled.

"It certainly is. 'Your reputation precedes you,'" Fuu recalled their professor's words.

"That's not what he meant!" Umi screamed, and the tears began to fall.

"Save it," Fuu said harshly. "I will not be part in anything that she is. I will not have my name associated with hers."

"I don't do that stuff!"

"Umi-hime," Ascot put a hand around her shoulders, and Umi sobbed into his chest. Fuu's eyes were dangerous as she watched the two. Umi didn't even know this guy, but he was obviously powerful. She had all ready sunk her claws into him.

"Now Fuu-hime, this just isn't right to torture her with accusations like these," Clef never took his eyes from Umi.

"Not you too?!" Fuu threw her hands up and sighed heavily. "You're really good at what you do aren't you?" Fuu's eyes turned to Umi who turned from Ascot and shook her head.

"Just because I'm friendly with teachers does not mean that I'm sleeping with them. If you used half the brain that the entire University and I, believe you have, you would notice that female teachers say nice things to me too!" Umi screamed and ran from the room, not able to stand this any longer.

"Umi…-hime, wait!" Ascot quickly added the phrase as he called after her.

"Shame yourself," Clef scolded Fuu. "Your lives on Earth are no longer important, what you lived there was meager compared to what you must now do that you're home. This country for all its beauty and splendor is war-torn. There are people starving out there; you need to put all back together. You can only do this with a strong Will, and love for the people around you. Whatever happened there does not matter."

His eyes were troubled though, what were these accusations that Fuu-hime was making about the Water Princess? Were they true, if they were…he shuddered to think. He decided to investigate more before jumping to any kind of conclusion, but the trouble in the Palu's eyes showed him that Ascot was thinking the same things.

Fuu immediately dropped her eyes with Umi's words and stayed silent. She thought back and realized that female teachers had said good things about Umi. She was wrong to have believed the stuff the kids fed her. She couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before, and she felt stupid and guilty.

"I should go apologize to her," she muttered and trudged off to go find the girl.

"Wait," Hikaru called after her. She turned and looked at the girl who had stayed silent through the whole fight. "I want to get to know all of you better since we're going to be running a country together."

Fuu was forced to smile with her wide smile; she was too cute.

She walked outside, Hikaru by her side speaking and asking questions with the exuberance of a elementary school child.

The people inside shook their heads at the girls.

"I can't believe that they can't remember," Eagle sighed heavily.

"We'll just have to make them remember, somehow," Geo clenched a fist.

Lantis stood and watched; they must have forgotten he was in the room. So he stayed in the background and listened; maybe they were serious about all this…

*

Fuu and Hikaru wondered around the halls in the direction that they thought Umi had gone.

"So what do you make of this place?" Hikaru asked Fuu, and she shook her head.

"I'm not sure; I think it's beautiful. I just keep thinking I'm going to awake from a dream, but it's no dream. I wonder how we got here…" she was deep in thought.

"There is no scientific explanation I don't think," Hikaru told her. "I know that you, being as smart as you are, want to put a reason behind all this, but I don't think there is one. I think that maybe this is our fate or something. I don't know; I just know that if I could smell magic this place would reek of it. Something sacred is hidden in these walls, something that maybe no human has ever seen before."

Fuu just stared at the girl.

"Maybe I could be wrong…" she tensed under the gaze, feeling self-conscious.

"No!" Fuu protested. "I think you're absolutely right," she laughed slightly and blushed. "I guess sometimes I just try to think when the simplest answer is normally the right one."

"Wow, you make me feel smart," Hikaru grinned, and Fuu smiled and shook her head as they approached a beautiful Utopia. Inside these gorgeous gardens was a gorgeous girl, weeping openly. She sat on a stone fountain and was crying hard. She threw herself up and began to pace.

"U-Umi," Fuu's voice was scratchy with hesitance. Umi turned and glared fiercely at her.

"What?" her tears only made her look angrier, daring anyone to test her all ready fragile nerves.

"G-gomen nasai. I judged you before…"

"That's right, you did," Umi scowled and turned back to her pacing. "And you made me look like a fool in front of those people, filling their heads with the doubts I thought I had left behind on Earth. At least if I have to be here I could start with a clean slate, but oh no, you have to bring that back."

"I didn't know that you-I spoke before I thought. I can't do anything but say I'm sorry," she turned to leave, but Umi dropped her hands.

"And I can't do anything but say I accept your apology."

"Really?" Fuu smiled, and Umi wiped a hand across tears that were slowly easing.

"Yeah."

"Yey! I'm glad that we're all getting along because I want to know all about you both!" Hikaru shouted and grinned at their response.

"You must be the most energetic person I've ever met," Umi informed her, and Hikaru beamed in response.

"Yep, that's me. My name is Hikaru Shidou, I'm captain of the kendo team along with my friend Lantis who also is from here apparently. Glad to meet you," she offered a hand to Umi who took it delicately.

"Umi Ryuuzaki, glad to fight you when you need to practice. I'm captain of the fencing team."

"Really?!" Hikaru squealed, and Umi nodded and smiled; the last of her tears had dried.

"That makes it two swordswomen and an archer then," Fuu added. "I'm captain of the archery team."

"Well then, seems we are leaders after all," Umi put her hand in the center of the triangle they had made. "To Cephiro?"

"To Cephiro," Fuu nodded and put a hand upon hers.

"To Cephiro," Hikaru added her hand, and in a flash of light they were thrown back and into separate worlds.