Hitomi no Hikari

(Eyes of Light)

Shugo…I'll be waiting for you

Wind blæsten viento kelata gaz schlingt bugðast aria ddirwyn ventus flamen giro scia respiro fiati curva vira sno

I feel…foggy, and a bit confused. I try to open my eyes, but my lids feel heavy, weighted down by something unseen. I hear a voice singing far away. Was it far away? Or is it my mind? I suddenly feel my aching head being pillowed underneath something somewhat warm. Not too long, I feel my whole body lying down on something soft and familiar.

"Can you hear the calling of the raving wind and water?"

Ah, I think I'm on my bed. But… something is out of place.

"We just keep dreaming of a land cross the river."

Long wise fingers, whose nails were dipped in India-blank coloring, comb and smooth my wavy silver locks. My wakening eyes look closely at the hands, especially the long fingernails! Yickes! I've seen those fingers before…

"No destination, but we are together."

Morganna!

"In the silent sadness we're paddling down the raging sea,"

My still-aching head moves quickly up and I turn to see my sister. Just as I was going to ask her what she was doing here, Morganna puts her long index finger on my lips. That touch...it's familiar.

"down to nowhere…" Her head that was held high in composure looks down arrogantly on my blank face. What nerve! Her finger never leaves my lips. My lips…Oh, Shugo! I turn my eyes away from my sister to try to suppress a blush. My small pale ears hear her chuckling.

"What's this? A fragment of a kiss I feel? Well, well, dear Aura. I suppose you did meet your new Heir after all!" A full blown laugh reaches my ears, almost to the point of breaking my cybernetic ear drums. Is there such a thing? Oh well, I could fix them later. I angrily look back at my sister with a gaze that said, 'Take the finger off, or you will suffer.' She lifted an eyebrow for a response. I may be strong, but she is much stronger. Morganna side-smiles and rubs her finger hard on my lips before letting go. When she did, I put my hands to my mouth to rub away her 'bad influence' data.

"Aura." Morganna examines the finger that touched my lips. She then turns her head to me, her long dark wavy locks falling off her shoulder. "How are your 'incompletes' doing?"

My 'incompletes', my daughters born to never see their mother! I'm not allowed to visit and communicate with the players, so I send my daughters like I'm in The World with them. "They're fine, Morganna. One of them though almost got into big trouble" I remember her, a child born from very old data fragments that I pieced together as a flower.

"Ah, yes. And your newest one? The last time I saw your work on her, she looked like an angel." Morganna left eye seemed to twitch as she said the word 'angel'. Does she not like my latest daughter or maybe the thought of something 'angelic' annoys her? It seems that way. I smile in spite of what she thought.

"I'm sure she's fine…" I feel my voice fade with my wondering mind. My smile dims. Yes, I love my children, but how is it worth it when you cannot be with them. I made them not just for the World, but also for myself in a way. A sigh escapes from my lips before my own sister could recognize my change in mood.

Morganna leans in with a smirk to my depressed face. I don't care anymore about anything now. Shugo…he probably WANTED to forget about me. Do my own 'children' wonder about their maker sometimes? If I ever fade, will people remember me? I try to keep these temping thoughts at bay, shaking off the tears that are forming in my eyes. I feel like I cry too much.

"Do you think you're ready to make a 'complete' child?" Morganna corrects herself with a dry cough. "Well, an AI child since it will be born here."

I immediately look into my sister's eyes in bewilderment. Did I hear 'Complete' child coming out of my sister's mouth? "Ready?" Morganna shook her head in fervor to know my answer. Am I really ready, but what if I don't have enough strength? Will the child be like the others who go on with their lives without even knowing me?

Morganna, fed up with my depressing attitude, held my shoulders tightly with her hands so I wake from my saddening stupor. She didn't touch me with her forefinger, as if trying not to damage something. "Aura, it's going to be a 'complete child'. Do you know what that means? She'll be more then you'll ever imagine! You'll get the chance of being a mother like our Emma! A new adventure! I'm sure you'll have enough strength."

For a second I was sure of myself, but a doubt hung in my mind. "Morganna, who will supply the other 'data'? It sounds like you found some or something-"

My sister screams in frustration as she shook me unconsciously. "It's Shugo you idiot!" The next thing I saw was that forefinger within cross-eye distance to my face. "THIS is the fragment we needed! You can finally create a child with his 'data'!"

Happiness finally overtook me. A child by Shugo and me! I blush a deep red. Oh, I wonder what she'll look like! Of course, I had to be a girl. I jump on my bed to a standing position till another doubt hit…Does Shugo want to be a father? Is he worthy not to abandon her? I flop back on my bed to lie in my bitterness. My hands cover my face as I sighed once more in despair. Morganna follows suit, without sighing and being in despair. She shakes her head and chuckles.

"Aura, now you're being paranoid. I'm sure Shugo would love to be a father" She gags on her own words a bit, but swallows down her pride. "You'll just have to take a blind leap of faith." Morganna then smiles at me, not one of her fake or one sided smiles, a full fledged one to truly admire. She never smiles like that. I wonder what made her change. I smile hastily, as if letting her know that I was ok.

"So," I began. My azure blue eyes gaze into her mahogany-brown orbs, glittering with anticipation. "When do we start?"

Morganna rolls her eyes. "It's a matter of 'where' not 'when', dear sister. You have not been listening well to my lectures on building AIs, I figure."

Net slum, a sanctuary for the lost and unwanted; the gate to my forest where I sleep. Ever since Shugo came into my life, I have always wondered how he got into the forest. Did the player before him found a way into my own realm? Or maybe it was just a coincidence…

"Nothing's a coincidence, Aura" My sister replies to my thought just as she appeared beside me. "Everything has a plan, a map that no one can figure out. Destiny, it's unpredictable as the wind."

I gaze from my sister to the pale-violet glowing orb in front of Morganna and me. The orb contains a small figure outside, although the shape is undeterminable since there are bits of pieces of hexagonal data files still left to be put together. But I know that this figure will soon become my child. My feet wonder to the orb before me as I wanted to have a closer look at my creation. I smile as I could make out a sleeping face. Did I look that cute when I was young? I wonder if Shugo thought of me as cute. My face heats up a bit 'Everything has a plan, a map that no one can figure out. Destiny, it's unpredictable as the wind.'

Wind…

"Have you named her yet?" Morganna asks like it's a statement of fact other then a question. Is she calling me slow?

"Of course I have!" Not really, but I'm thinking…Wind…something with wind. Breeze or Coil? No. …wait. Ze - Zephyr? I feel my smile growing larger the thought dwells longer on my mind. Zephie! I'll name her Zephie!

"Wait." My sister's voice reeks with puzzlement. Is the name not right? She walks forward and looks me in the eye, standing in the way of my view of my child. "What is that?" She asks.

"Her name?" I assume she heard my choice. I try not to appear insecure of my decision.

"Yes!" She lifts her left eyebrow and over exaggerates her speech. "What kind of name is that?"

As soon as she said the words 'what kind of name is that', anger instantly flows within me, feeling mocked and insulted by my name choosing. I huff and turn my head away from her in a pout. "I think 'Zephie' is an adorable name."

To my surprise, Morganna suddenly bursts out laughing, trying to suppress it. Now I really feel insulted!

"Alright, fine. Have it your way. Go with your chibi-syle naming system. Guys looooooove girls with cute names." Her mahogany eyes wink at my blazing blue orbs. She smirks and materializes a stick. "Here's something to beat the guy players off with-"

BAM!

Morganna flies into the air as I lower my boxer-gloved hand from the impact point I had on my sister's face. I know, it's disrespectful, but she deserves it. With a sigh, I walk closer, inches apart to my sleeping child and touch on the liquid-like opaque orb.

"Zephie dear, when in doubt, always punch the point of your anger or injustice in the face. You'll have to deal with the consequences, but," I smile sheepishly. "It's always worth it in the end."

A familiar boy in a green wizard-not-quite-wavemaster suit sits on a rock with the same smirk he smiled at Aura before.

"Hmm, a child I see. This might as well be interesting." He jumps off his artificial rock. "I, the great Merlin, will have to investigate this for CC Corp."

Disclaimer: I don't own .HLotT and the words. But I do own the ideas and thoughts of Aura (sticking out tongue)

About this time, I think Shugo is participating in the valentine's event (wink wink)

"Do rare items explode?"

Heehee. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the delay, I had more school. (Cries.) I don't know when I'll finish the next chapter so bare with me! I'm doing my exams soon. (Shudders.) Yuck.

I'm reading Once and Future King (thumbs up). I never really thought of it but…Morganna kinda reminds me of Morgan Le Fay. I'll put references (smile).

Thanks to all those who read and reviewed moi! Alex Warlorn (Four times reviewed! Whee!) Twilight Memories (Trice revied! Heehee yhay!) Helbaworshiper (Four times! Yhay, I feel loved thankies!) Steeple333 (thrice-ie! Thankie! Smiles!) Vash (Love Peace and Doughnuts to ya! Kisses!)

Thank you all again and don't forget to review for this chapter! They always keep me motivated!

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