*Also not edited, but out, and six pages *whistles* that's the best I've done in a while. Hope you enjoy!*

Chapter Nine: Banishment

She was gathered in a huge room, and it seemed like all the Keepers in the Sacred Village were there. Actually, they were, Veneficus had threatened Punishments to all that wouldn't come.

She stood in the middle of the ring of Keepers, that cursed Floor beneath her. She rose her head, proudly, not to keep her eyes from the Floor, and it seemed like all the eyes in the room were on her. She managed not to shudder or turn her eyes or lower her head once, she thought absently that Clef would be proud. The thought made her want to cry, but she knew she couldn't.

Veneficus stood next to her, so close that his rainbow eyes seemed to glint. She managed not to shudder and instead averted her eyes to Quies who stood just toward the center of the ring of Keepers with her head lowered. She wasn't making an attempt to look into any of the eyes that probed her with questions.

"Umi, girl from another world, chosen to become a legendary Keeper, to protect Cephiro, do you understand your duty?" with Veneficus' first words the entire room went still.

Umi could feel the ceremony as she opened her dry mouth, "I do," and forced herself to speak.

"And you, Umi, Child of the Keepers, do you come here with a clear mind and heart?" Veneficus' mind rang with authority.

"I do," Umi answered in that same apathetic tone.

"And do you accept your duties and welcome with open arms the Punishments that come with the Title?" he continued.

"I walk the path," she thought again that Clef would be proud. There was only a slight tremor in her voice when she said that. Veneficus had instructed her beforehand; saying she did not accept was not an option. It meant hours of torture until she was ready to accept.

"Step forward Umi, into the Sacred Village and bask in our embrace until it was time for you to truly walk the path," again with the ceremony. Umi flushed in anger but kept her calm.

The Keepers broke out into applause, and Umi allowed herself a small smile that couldn't reach her eyes before something pulled inside her and her eyes widened as she held back a shriek.

Her eyes fell down to her clothes as her armor began to fade and her ovum vanished. The ocean roared so loud in her ears that she thought they would explode, until suddenly…it was gone. She was gone, her essence. This time she couldn't stop the blood-curdling scream that fell from her lips.

§§§~~~

"So Umi has been chosen as Keeper of Dreams," Ferio bowed his head solemnly as the others gazed down at the girl that lie still on the bed in front of them.

"Then where are Hikaru and Fuu?" Caldina puzzled, and Lantis and Ferio's eyes dropped.

"Many hours have passed since I last felt Hikaru. She and Fuu are far from here," Lantis answered solemnly.

"Windam came to me in a dream. They have both recovered their memories, but his tears were blood. I'm afraid Hikaru and Fuu are getting themselves into more Punishment. And we are helpless!" his words were filled with enough pain to make anyone think twice about getting in his way.

"Where is Clef in all this?" Presea inquired, but the change of subject was not a pleasant one.

"He summoned her; he must be nearby," Ascot puzzled.

"I've taught you well then," Clef strode into the room and smiled. He seemed more than a little distraught. His robes were torn, and his hair was falling from his headpiece in lavender waves. It seemed almost that years of grime had collected on his clothes, and rings surrounded his eyes. Bruises dotted his face and scratches looked infected. For only disappearing a little over two days Clef looked the worse for wear.

"Guru?" Ascot rushed to his side, and Clef turned to stare at him with blank sapphire eyes.

"Hai?"

"Are you… all right?" the question Ascot voiced was obviously illogical.

"Of course. Ah! This must be Alliandre," Clef looked down at the girl and smiled. The only problem, was that the smile was perturbed; it was mad.

"Maybe you should lie down," Ascot suggested hesitantly.

"Maybe…" Clef mumbled then nodded to a voice in his head almost, "Yes! Exactly!" then left as abruptly as he had entered.

Those in the room exchanged nervous glances with one another before turning to face the girl from another world.

§§§~~~

Umi picked herself off the Floor and blinked drowsily. All the Keepers were still assembled behind her, 'Funny,' she thought wearily, 'I don't remember falling asleep.'

Veneficus cleared his throat loudly and Umi's cheeks flared as she collected the cloak that had fallen when she stood. She pulled it tight around her shoulders and tried to maintain her dignity, 'And I really don't remember taking my clothes off in front of all these people!' With that thought she pulled the cloak tighter and blushed even heavier.

"In these um…circumstances I'd like to allow the Child a chance to obtain some…ahem…proper attire…" Veneficus wasn't going to deny his eyes the sight though. As they ran up and down her an amused grin fell into place on his face. She held her head high and acted as if nothing unusual was happening. He nodded in what could be mistaken as approval and then turned his eyes to Quies.

'The nerve! Testing me out as if I'm a new mare just come from weaning!' Umi growled in her head.

Mentis chuckled behind a hand, and Veneficus glowered at her openly. She ducked her head but didn't stop laughing.

"Now, unless you can't wait a moment longer will you show your new apprentice to her room and get her decently clothed?" Veneficus demanded angrily.

"Of course," Quies dipped a quick curtsey and grabbed Umi's arm before leading her out.

"Oh Umi, may I have my cloak back?" Veneficus inquired as the Keepers parted.

Umi's face flared as she spun indignantly and thought of curses that had Mentis howling in laughter. This time Veneficus didn't glare, merely smiled softly and watched her go.

*

"The nerve of that man!" Umi screamed as she pulled her blue hair from beneath her dress. She threw a ball of cloth that was Veneficus' cloak on the bed and turned to look in the mirror. She smiled sadly and traced a thin silver chain with her fingers. Clef had slipped it into her saddlebags, and she had just discovered it now. It was a tiny silver heart that held a sapphire in the middle. The stone was held in place by intertwining silver vines. She turned away from her image when Quies stepped behind her, head bowed meekly, hands seemingly writhing around once another, "What's wrong Quies?"

"I'm sorry Umi- I never thought, I mean-I could have-" she couldn't seem to find the words.

"Quies," Umi put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. "I walk the path," since saying the words she had felt them deep in her soul. "I would have had to come here sometime. You are leaving everything you know so that someday I may have a chance. I'm eternally grateful for that."

"Arigato Umi," Quies threw her arms around the formed Magic Knight on the brink of tears. She pulled away and considered the new Keeper of Dreams, almost weighing her. "You are the image of power."

Umi cocked her head, trying to find a way to respond to the odd compliment- or, at least, she thought it was a compliment, but she couldn't be sure.

"Don't let it go to your head Umi. Just remember, you've found love, and he will wait for you. Don't ever doubt that. Don't get lost in the dream, because without a Keeper to replace you Cephiro will weep for days on end if you are Punished. You will walk the path my Child, but do not let it consume you," Umi closed her eyes. How could she ever think…? She was too selfish for this job. She would never be able to be as strong as Quies. Still, she buried her thoughts and forced a smile.

"Arigato Quies, but now let us go."

Quies nodded and followed her out.

§§§~~~

"I never thought I'd live to see another Magic Knight summoned to Cephiro," Ferio grumbled unhappily. Fuu's disappearance weighed heavily on him. She had to be feeling this! He was going crazy with worry. All he wanted to do was console his angel, and she was miles away. He wanted to scream in frustration.

"I had hoped I would not live to see it," Lantis' mood seemed to seem the same, so cold and apathetic, but inside he was seething in anger and pain.

"Well, it has come and…" Ascot sighed and shook his head.

"What are we going to do?" Presea asked softly.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do," Clef stepped into the room, and they gasped. Clef seemed to have gone into mourning. His white robes had been replaced by jet black ones, and his staff seemed to have corroded in his grip, a color to match his robes. His headpiece was dark purple with a black stone in the middle that shone like obsidian. He was the image of despair, but his eyes were the worst. His eyes made them all shudder and step back; they were dark and cold. He was missing everything that made him a man. He was missing his soul. "We're going to go to Aliandre and greet her as we should greet a Magic Knight of Water."

Presea exchanged nervous glances with Caldina before they all followed Clef out.

§§§~~~

She laughed and shook her head; her long golden locks flew freely behind her. Her laughter was a music tinkle, a light sound, fit for a Water Knight, "This is the weirdest dream ever!" she shouted with obvious glee. "My dream people have never tried to convince me I'm not dreaming before!"

The others shook their heads in wonderment.

"Unbelievable," Ferio muttered.

"This is the fourth time we've tried to explain," Ascot stared in disbelief.

"Jeez! Not even Umi was this hard to convince!" Caldina shouted, then recoiled when she saw darkness grow in the room "G-gomen."

"It's okay Cal, it's good to remember her," Ascot put a hand on her shoulder and blinked back tears.

"For the fifth and final time," Clef sighed and began again. "You are-"

"Wait a second…" the new Water Knight looked at them with stormy gray eyes. "When have I ever been able to control what I do and say in dreams?"

Everyone in the room nodded as she continued with her epiphany.

"So I must be becoming psychic or something! How cool!" she grinned triumphantly as everyone else groaned.

Ferio sighed heavily, "This might be awhile," his eyes strayed over Cephiro. She was out there somewhere, alone, lost, his, "Fuu-chan…"

§§§~~~

Fuu looked up, startled, and Noctis and Hikaru glanced her way.

"What's wrong Fuu-chan?" Hikaru inquired.

"N-nothing," Fuu waved it off as Noctis settled back into his cross-legged position on the ground, and Hikaru resumed pacing.

Fuu looked toward the heat in her heart; she had no need to trace it, only one person could call her with such passion. 'Only a little while longer Ferio; I just have a few scores to settle first and some problems to address, then I'll be back with you. We can finally be together again.'

Four hundred years of exile tore through her like a bullet. She was frozen where she stood, incapable of movement. All those years, because she loved…it was a test of her love; she had passed. They both had. He was waiting, waiting with open arms. It took all her love and devotion to Umi to keep her from jumping on her roan mare and riding as hard as she could back to the Palace, where she belonged. 'We stood four hundred years, we can stand just a little longer.' "For Umi-san," she whispered. Noctis and Hikaru looked up but didn't say a word. In another moment all three were once again lost in thought.

§§§~~~

"It's time, Quies, step forward," Veneficus boomed over the crowd and a lull immediately followed.

Quies stepped forward as if this was the most sure thing she'd ever done. Umi guessed it was. She held her head high as her white cloak lined in silver gleamed around the room. It was then that Umi saw that all the Keepers wore different cloaks, and all were adjusting them nervously, methodically checking to see if their cloak was still firmly upon their shoulders. All save Quies. She didn't so much as glance at her cloak, or at anything really, as she stepped toward Veneficus.

"For the crimes you have committed you have chosen Banishment as Punishment. Do I speak the truth?" Veneficus questioned, ceremony overtaking his voice.

"That you do, I have strayed from the path. My feet have been cut from beneath me, my blood soils the ground of the Sacred Village and so Banishment is my choice," Quies answered in the same ceremony.

"Have you an apprentice, Keeper of Dreams, on which to place the burden of your failure?" the cruel words seemed to have no passion with Veneficus speaking in monotone. Quies never flinched, the Keepers never moved. Even Umi managed to contain herself from shifting restlessly; somehow it seemed out of place here.

"I have, Umi Ryuuzaki. She once was a Magic Knight of Cephiro, but she forsook her title and came to the Sacred Village with open arms, stretching toward her duty," now all eyes were on Umi as she stood there, frozen stiff.

"As that may be, she is no longer in Cephiro, she has come to us, to be reborn into her master's failures that she must overcome. Come forth, Umi Ryuuzaki, Keeper of Dreams," Veneficus summoned Umi with a few fingers, and she walked toward him hesitantly, forcing weak legs forward. As she did, the Keepers began to bow, staying low to the ground. She smiled, or tried to, as she approached Quies and Veneficus who stood by the throne in the Palace's throne room.

Quies smiled back, much more assured. She took Umi's arms and kissed each cheek before she turned back to Veneficus. "I submit to the Will of the Sacred Village. Take my apprentice if you would have her."

Veneficus nodded as Quies bowed her head and Veneficus took the cloak from her shoulders. She gasped as her power was ripped from her body, then came back, trembling.

Umi's eyes widened as a surge of energy washed over her. It was possibly one of the most wonderful feelings she'd ever experienced. Tingling filled her body and joy crept into her very being. Her laugh turned into tears which turned into weeping as the cloak settled onto her shoulders. It could have been made of chain mail, not the fine silk it was. Umi almost fell under the sudden weight, "Is this the weight of duty?" she gasped, and Quies nodded, smiling sadly.

"Q-Alianore," Veneficus' voice made both Umi and Quies turn once more. "I will help you," he took her hands and kissed her softly. She pulled back and shook her head, then looked down. "Hey," he laughed and looked down at her. "I obviously didn't expect you to reciprocate. I just thought I'd never get a chance without sending myself to the Floor."

"I understand," she smiled gently, and he reached down and let magic flow through his fingers.

She gasped again and magic sunk deeply into her body, "I feel…warm…" she whispered, and he nodded.

"You now have magic, use it wisely. Let it help you on your travels. Go with our love Alianore," he kissed her forehead, and wiped a tear from her eyes as she began to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Tears…" she whispered and faded from the room. Her body was nearly gone when a single silver tear hit the Floor.