A/N: *{}= flashbacks.
*Any scenes here that are out of the manga, obviously, aren't exactly how they happened or exact dialogue, I just edited them for my purposes.
Chapter Seven
{"Hikaru-hime! Hikaru-hime! Stop them!" there was a screaming little girl at her feet; her mother was just as frantic as she was.
"I-I…" Hikaru stuttered and closed her eyes. "I don't know how."
"You have to Hikaru-hime! Use your magic!" the little girl was crying now. "They're hurting us! Hikaru-hime!"
There was a loud knock on a door outside her chambers, and she stood, trying to clear her mind.
"No! It might be them!" the mother of the little girl shouted.
"There are people dying out there!" Hikaru found herself lashing back. "I'm not going to watch them die!"
"Please Hikaru-hime, you don't understand their power!" the woman pleaded.
Hikaru turned her head and opened the door. She was met with Eagle and Lantis.
"Come on," Lantis said gruffly and pulled her from the room.
"What about…?" Hikaru began, but Eagle shook his head.
"No time, come on."
Hikaru tried to pull away from them, but they were too strong.
"Hikaru-hime!" the little girl's voice rang in her ears.}
*
{"Prince, Princess, we must go!" Presea burst into the room where Fuu was sitting with Ferio. Why was she with Ferio? She shook her head… what was going on?
There were loud clashes and clangs outside the walls of the room.
"What's happening?" she found herself demanded, and Presea turned her head.
"They've reached the palace," she said grimly. "Come now, Guru Clef is waiting, we don't have much time."
"Presea we can't leave," Ferio begged, but Presea shook her head.
"Not now Prince, we must leave now," Presea knew that they had to go. She looked around her shoulders nervously. "The others are on their way, quickly, before they get inside."
"Presea no," Fuu's voice was shaking, but she was somehow determined.
Ferio knew that if he didn't come she wouldn't. He wouldn't risk his Princess; he looked at her gently, and took her hand, "Come on Fuu-chan, it's time."
She begged Ferio to reconsider, but he shook his head firmly, and it was settled. They followed Presea through dark winding halls, and Fuu sobbed with every scream or clash.
"We're almost there," Ferio soothed her, but she wouldn't look up. She didn't want to have to see her safety while she heard other's deaths. How could she hear them through the walls of the palace? Her head swam as they reached large oak doors and Presea swung them open. The Master Mage looked worried and worn.}
*
{She looked around her, blinking heavily. Where was she? She was in her room in Cephiro, hadn't she just been in the gardens though?
"Come on Umi-hime," Ascot grabbed her hand.
"Where are we going Ascot?" she asked softly, and he shook his head. "Where are we going?" her voice was more heated, more demanding.
"To Clef," something in his voice or maybe what he said made her struggle. She tried to pull free of him, but he wouldn't let her go.
"No! I will not abandon my people!"
"If you don't save yourself there will be no people left to abandon!" Ascot glared at her fiercely.
"I will not abandon them Ascot!" she screamed, but he pulled her along despite that. "Please, save yourself, but Celes will protect me. He'll keep us safe; Rayearth and Windam and we will come out triumphant."
"Not against this enemy Umi, not this time," Ascot said softly and pulled her into Clef's study.
He seemed to sigh in relief, and she noticed all the people around her.
"Let us go!" Hikaru screamed, but they were helpless to their carriers.
"Here," Clef handed Lafarga a potion of some sort, and Lafarga nodded and kissed Caldina goodbye. She cried and held him close, not wanting to leave him.
"I'll stay safe, I have to," he assured her, and she nodded and let go, saying a sad farewell, before they all disappeared into darkness.}
*
Lantis shuddered and looked up. Something was wrong with Hikaru. He turned and ran out the door.
"Lantis!" Eagle called after him, knowing quite well what was going on. "Lantis she's fine!"
*
They all stood, shaking weariness and confusion from their bones.
"What-what just happened?" Hikaru inquired softly.
"I-I don't know," Umi answered just as softly.
"They were memories," Fuu's words made them turn and stare.
"Memories?" but they didn't get a chance to hear Umi's question or Fuu's answer, because Lantis burst into the room, his eyes were a combination of angry and worried.
"Hikaru, are you okay?"
She nodded, "But how did you know?"
"Know what?" Lantis inquired.
"That I was in trouble," Hikaru looked at the floor.
"I just had this feeling," Lantis shook his head. "What happened?"
"I'm not entirely sure; I think it needs to be explained by the people who remember," the words still rung clearly in Hikaru's head. {"Hikaru-hime!"}
"Come on then," Lantis took her hand, trying to comfort her, and they headed back to where the others were. Fuu and Umi followed close behind, speaking in soft whispers.
*
"They were so scared," Hikaru recalled her vision in a small voice, the pit in her stomach was growing.
"I could-hear the battle in my head," Fuu said just as softly. "Though I know it was at least a mile away."
"I know I didn't want to leave, Ascot made me come," Umi looked at the Palu who turned away and couldn't bear to look at his lost angel.
"I couldn't lose you, but it seems I still have," he turned and walked from the room.
Ferio looked softly at Fuu and clutched a chain around his neck that lie hidden beneath his shirt.
Eagle stared at Hikaru and Lantis' interlocked hands and turned his eyes, as he always had.
"These are visions, from your pasts," Clef told them softly. "You'll have them now that you're back, until you recover your full memories."
"I don't want to remember if our memories are all like that," Umi muttered.
"Not all are like that," Caldina took Lafarga's hand.
"The legend…" Hikaru thought to herself out loud. "I meant to ask."
"What legend?" Fuu inquired.
"That old Japanese one, my mom used to tell it to me. She said it was about true love, about Emeraude-hime and…"
"Zagato-sol," Umi and Fuu finished her sentence.
Lantis put a hand to his head, and his world began to spin. They all braced themselves as Lantis fell to the floor. Hikaru held his shaking body.
"He's having a seizure!" Fuu shouted.
Clef waved his staff over Lantis, and his shaking went to a few small twitches and then a deep, strange silence, only broken by Hikaru's sobs.
"Lantis, Lantis…" she whispered until Eagle pulled her up. Clef snapped, and Lantis disappeared.
Hikaru sobbed into Eagle's chest, and everyone else stayed silent.
*
{"You're getting better Lantis," a tall man that looked a lot like himself commented as he drew back from their sword fight.
"Arigato, brother," he found himself panting. A smile, a smile, appeared on both their faces. He never smiled, only for Hikaru and…Zagato}
{"I love her too much to be without her. You understand, don't you?" Zagato took his younger brother into his place of confidence. He spoke of his love, Emeraude.
"Hai, but brother, you may be killed. The Magic Knights are strong. I know you love Emeraude-hime, but for me, please," he was begging.
"There is no doubt of my death brother, but I must protect her, with my life. I must," Zagato had made the Princess that solemn vow long ago. "Not even for you Lantis, can I break this."
"But you love me, don't you?" Lantis demanded, because time was growing short.
"Of course, but you are strong, you don't need me as Emeraude does."
Lantis turned his head down and nodded, "Hai, my brother."
"You must go to Autozam, use your skills, stay safe there until it is time for Autozam to take their place in Cephiro's history. Emeraude has seen this, and your happiness. This is all I wish for. I love you, my brother," Zagato turned from him.
"Brother! I will claim vengeance for you and Emeraude-hime!" Lantis called after him.
He turned and looked at his young brother, "Seek it not in the Magic Kights," he answered softly.}
{"You can hit me," Hikaru instructed, and he seemed confused. "Just don't take it out on Fuu and Umi!"
"I don't want to hit you," Lantis answered calmly.
"But I killed your brother," Hikaru protested.
"Cephiro killed my brother," Lantis responded.}
{"How do you profess love in your world?"
"I guess, will you marry me?" Hikaru pondered before answering his question.
"Is there anyone you want to marry?"
"Lantis and Eagle," she grinned.}
{"Eagle, it is time for me to leave," Lantis walked into Eagle's chamber.
"As it is time for me, let us conquer Cephiro together," Eagle's eyes shown.
"Not this time, this victory must be my own," he walked swiftly from the room; his place cape followed obediently.}
{"Let Eagle and Hikaru go!"}
{"I've decided to stay in Cephiro, not just for the coronation, forever," Eagle smiled brightly.}
{"Hikaru, you shall now be known as the Princess of Fire and shall rule over Cephiro with a just hand," Clef placed a tiara of gold and rubies upon Hikaru's head. "And to be your guardians I appoint the two Head of the Guards, Eagle and Lantis."}
He jumped awake, "Hikaru," he whispered. He stumbled out of bed and walked down familiar halls. He ran into Ascot on the way, and stopped him.
"Where is Hikaru-hime?" he asked.
"She's in the gardens with the others," Ascot answered. "I'll take you."
"No need, she is well then? No hurt has befallen her?" Lantis questioned.
"No…" it hadn't sunk in for Ascot, yet.
"Arigato," he began to walk past him.
"Lantis?" Finally, it hit him.
"Hai?" Lantis turned.
"Good to have you back," he responded, and Lantis shook his head at the strange remark and continued.
Ascot smiled to himself; maybe he would get her back yet.
*
"Hikaru-hime," Lantis bowed to her, making the other's smile.
"Lantis?" Hikaru inquired.
"Hai," Lantis frowned; her reaction to seeing him alive and well wasn't quite what he expected. She was in fact, frowning some.
"Then he's regained his memories too," Hikaru looked down, and Lantis understood. He sighed; glad to know her disappointment was in not having her memories and not the fact that he was alive and unharmed. "Why can't we recover our memories? I don't want to be in a world where I don't have my dearest friends!" she began to cry, and the only ones who could comfort her were Fuu and Umi because they understood.
"In time you will all recover your memories," Clef told them.
"And not all will be pleasant," Lantis mumbled and turned his head.
"But it's good to finally have you back," Lantis' eyes turned toward Eagle.
{"And Eagle…"} her words rang in his head, and the love came back times one hundred and the guilt and feeling of betrayal, and the passion and anger and competition because she loved them both, and they both loved her.
A/N: Lantis and Hikaru or Eagle and Hikaru? I know that I'm going to put Umi with Clef only because I have the perfect idea that came to me. I still don't know what I'm going to do with Hikaru, suggestions?