CHAPTER TWO: Fasten Your Seat Belts Upon Arrival

"Gone? For the whole summer?" Kaoru, Himeno's dad, looked horror-stricken at the thought of his only biological daughter being away for so long.

"Yeah, but don't worry! I can come back anytime I want for a visit," she said ecouragingly.

"B-but, what about the beach? And the carnival? You LOVE the carnival," he continued. Oh, great, was he going to cry on her? Not in front of the knights!

"Mr. Awayuki, I promise you Himeno will be safe," Hayate offered up.

Kaoru glared at him. He liked Hayate very much, but felt it was his duty as a dad NOT to like him in the least. "Oh, really? And YOU think you can to that?"

"DAD! He's been doing that for over a year and a half now! Stop being so weird!"

"Himeno, your father is hardly being weird," Natsue, her stepmother said firmly. "We're only worried about you being gone the entire time...unsupervised." This last was said with an evil glare in Hayate's direction.

"Meaning, you think I'm going away for the summer to have wild, passionate sex with Hayate?" Himeno said, making big starry eyes just like Yayoi did when discussing her latest romance novel.

"Himeno," Hayate said sharply. He was beyond red now and edging closer to being crimson.

"Himeno! That was not very ladylike!"

"Well, I don't see why I can't go unless it's that you don't trust me! I'll have my cellphone on me and any of the knights can open a gateway back at any time. They're all going with me, so I'll be protected like it's nobody's business. So what's the problem?"

Natsue and Kaoru glanced at each other. Kaoru put his head on his arms and began to cry.

"Is he crying?" Kei hissed behind her to Blaise.

"Bloody hell, he is," Blaise muttered back.

Looking up, Kaoru said, "Call everyday and be careful! And take lots of pictures!"

Himeno ran forward and kissed her dad's cheek. "Thanks, dad! And thanks, mom!"

"Just don't let this effect your homework, young lady," Natsue said firmly.

"I won't, I promise!" Himeno waved as she turned and left with her knights. Kei still had her notes and they had to talk about what was going on.

Himeno bit her lower lip and stared at the flashcard Hayate was holding like she could see through it. "Umm..." Her Lo Mein was sitting in front of her, only half eaten. The entire dining room table was loaded down with notes and books and Chinese food. Hayate thought it was way too much food. He didn't know her study routine!

"Come on, you've been staring at it for twenty minutes," he complained, picking up an eggroll and biting into it.

"Well, I'm trying to think! And you're distracting me." He was doing it on purpose, too. Pushing his hair back, stretching back so his t-shirt pulled across his chest and made her blush whenever she thought of him with his shirt off. GOD! Stupid, stupid brain, homework, NOT Hayate!

"Oh, am I?" He was smiling, making it very obvious he was enjoying himself at her expense.

Scowling, she reached across and grabbed not only the flashcard but one of his fortune cookies as well. Damn it! It WAS carbon dioxide!

"HEY! That was My fortune cookie!" He tried to snatch it back from her, leaning way over the table.

Himeno yanked it further back out of his reach. "Uh-uh, no way, mister! You got the extra fried rice, this one is mine!"

"It was in my pile! Plus, you have all the egg foo young AND the chop suey!"

Shrugging, she scooted her chair back further and tore into the wrapper quickly. Hayate was getting up! Oh, no! Laughing, she hunched over her fortune cookie and cracked it open, trying to read it before he got there.

She laughed harder when his hands grabbed at hers, arms wrapped around from behind. "Come on, give it up," he said.

"I'll never give up my fortune cookie. It's mine and there's nothing-." Evil bastard! He was leaning over just far enough that when she'd turned to speak he kissed her, shutting her up in a way she didn't mind at all.

Fortune cookie fogotten, she wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him down further. She was supposed to be doing something...She couldn't remember what it was right now.

Hayate went to his knees so that she was slightly taller in her chair, not once breaking the kiss. His hand moved to the back of her neck, holding her as the kiss deepened. She turned in to him, pulling his shirt out of his jeans, touching his waist lightly. His breath caught and he drew back a little, eyes half closed. "Himeno..."

Himeno didn't let him finish. She kissed him again, moving her hands further up his chest, his heart pounding. His lips brushed along her jaw and then lower, to her neck. "Hayate?" she whispered. God, she couldn't think when he was doing that!

"Yes?" He asked back, sitting away from her a little. His cheeks were flushed a little and there was something in his eyes...something that made her heart skip a beat and her hands shake.

"Maybe...maybe we should..."

The door to the kitchen swung open and Blaise came in with a sandwich, stopping with a bit of ham hanging from his mouth, eyes wide. Then, just as quickly, he covered his eyes. "Oi! Oi, bloody hell! Y'know, there's this lovely little place called Anywhere But Here. And that's where I wish me mind was at right now! Bloody, bloody HELL!"

Himeno felt her cheeks burning as the Knight of Flowers made a great show of stumbling blindly back into the kitchen and warning Kei loudly not to go into the dining room. Hayate resumed his seat across from the table, the deep blush going down his neck a little. He picked the flashcards back up and they went back to studying, trying not to think about anything else.

Kei came in, looking over his shoulder at Blaise. He glanced at them and a little smirk came to his face. "Let me guess, he DIDN'T walk in on studying! Here's the rest of those notes for you. Excellent timing on my part. I missed the show."

"God, Kei..." Himeno couldn't look him in the face. That had gotten a little...out of hand. And so did Hayate from the way he was really staring at his Lo Mein.

Shrugging, Kei dropped his papers off on the only blank spot on the table. "Hey, you two have been a couple for a year now, it's only expected that you-,"

"Kei, don't finish that," Hayate warned.

The Knight of Light for once kept his brutal honesty to himself and sighed. "Well, your dad just called, Himeno. He wants to know, since it's midnght, if you're staying or going home?"

Himeno looked at the piles of untouched books. It was Friday night, so she didn't have school the next day. It wouldn't be bad just to crash here and get up early to start again. Her stuff was already spread out and ready. "I'll call him and let him know I'm staying over. Thanks, Kei."

"Uh-huh. Blaise is making waffles tomorrow morning, just so you know."

"REALLY? I LOVE WAFFLES!"

"You should have just said you love food," Hayate said sarcastically.

Himeno turned and stuck her tongue out at him. "Keep it up, mister, and you'll be sleeping on the couch?"

Kei shook his head, hands held up in a defensive manner. "I'm leaving! You two are starting to make me sick with your old-married-couple act!" He went back through the kitchen.

Hayate sighed and tapped the flashcards on the table to straighten them. "Okay, one more time and then to bed?" he asked.

The thought of going to bed made her face flame up. She'd slept with him before...stupid hormones! "Um, okay, sure!"

"And tomorrow, if you want, we can take this to the book store or library. Somewhere less distracting."

She dropped her head on the table. He just HAD to go reminding her...lousy jerk!

He ruffled her hair, which made her raise her head and scowl. "Hey, I'm not a puppy! Don't mess the hair up!"

"Sorry, Tulip-head. Ready?"

Sighing, she nodded, propping her head up on one hand. "Let's go."

Hayate held up the first flashcard for her. And she stared and stared and stared at it. School really, really sucked!

Himeno dug through the racks of gowns and dresses, not really sure what she was looking for. Hayate had told her to pack at least threeformal dresses plus a ball gown. Apparently the court had this big presentation ceremony, not to mention all kinds of formal affairs. And she had to bring everyday cloths, too.

Mawata was with her, searching the other end of the store. "It's a shame Mayune won't just let you borrow one of hers," she said softly, pulling out a lime green sparkly dress and putting it back. "She's just mad because Blaise told her off."

Himeno snickered at that. Mayune had tried to get Blaise to wait on her when he'd accidentally knocked her over. The whole house had heard the screaming match between them. It ended with Blaise shouting about "crazed female banshees" and stalking off, leaving Mayune gaping, jaw working silently. She'd looked like a fish.

Mawata laughed, too, blushing. "Blaise...doesn't happen to have a girlfriend, does he?" she asked shyly.

Mawata and Blaise? Hmm...not a combination she would have thought of, but love was funny like that. She pulled out a pale peach dress covered in white lace. It wasn't a ball gown, but it was a formal dress. "Hey, what do you think of this?"

Her step-sister came over and looked at the dress. "I like that. Is this for evening or daytime?"

"Umm...Hayate never said."

Mawata went over to another rack and grabbed a white sweater. "If it's daytime, you can wear this over it, see? And since it's strapless, you can take it off for evening wear."

"Hey, cool! You're really good at this, Mawata."

Smiling shyly, she went back to digging through dresses. "Himeno?"

"Yeah?" She pulled out a light blue and green dress, holding it up against herself. Hmm, this looked good, too.

"Do you think...maybe you could...talk to Blaise...for me?"

"Huh? Oh, sure! But why don't you do it yourself? He'd be thrilled!"

Mawata blushed again, eyes shining. "I couldn't! He's so...and I'm so..."

Himeno rolled her eyes. "Look, we're leaving this Saturday for Leafenia. Maybe you can talk online or something before then? I'll give you his screen name and he doesn't even have to know it's you."

"Are you sure he wouldn't mind?"

"Are you kidding me? He'd love it!"

Smiling again, Mawata said, "Okay. Thanks. Here, this one, too." She passed over the lavendar and pink dress she was holding.

They finished shopping, after they found the most perfect ballgown and went back to the house. Himeno immediately went to her room to study, while Mawata (who didn't really study for anything) went online to see if Blaise was on. Himeno kept going through all her triganometry notes, trying to memorize equations she knew she'd never use in real life. But she kept thinking back to when Caias, the Knight of Mists, had come. Hayate had said this wasn't good at all. What wasn't good about it? To her, it was a compliment the Topaz Prince specifically requested they join him for the summer. So why was everyone on edge? She'd been so busy with the finals that she hadn't had a chance to ask. Two of the finals were done, she just had three to go. She hadn't been over to the safe house all week, just going straight to her room to read or something. Tomorrow was Friday and then...

Sighing, frustrated and tired, Himeno put her head down on her arms and stared at the big pot of flowers on her balcony. Her mother had planted those when she was five. She'd always taken care of them, making sure to cut the dying ones and turn the soil to keep it alive. Now that she had Shin, he got a kick out of using some leafe to keep it in bloom year round. Her mother...she still missed her so much. Smiling, she watched the breeze blowing through stir the blossoms.

Himeno opened her eyes, staring around her darkend room. What the...she must have dozed off. She glanced at her clock. Two thirty in the morning. Yawning and stretching, she got into her pajamas and crawled into bed. One more day and then off to Leafenia. Sighing, she closed her eyes again and fell back asleep.

Himeno saw Hayate standing by the school gate, waiting for her. Did he...he did! She ran up to him and threw herself in his arms, kissing his cheek. He'd bought her flowers! They were all tulips, all kinds of different colors. It was a joke now between them. "Aww, thank you!"

"So, how did it go?" he asked, taking her hand as they walked away. Himeno made a face when she caught sight of Feryn behind a tree cleaning out Yayoi's mouth. Eww...so public! Of course, the last time she and Hayate had been alone... No, don't go there! It was waaaay different than that display!

"Okay," she answered. He was tracing little circles on her hand with his thumb, a habit of his that she thought was cute. "I think I squeaked by in trig, and chemistry was really good. History, though...I hate it! I got confused over the Boxer rebellion-,"

"-Tell me you're joking! We spent HOURS on that!"

"Yeah, well, it didn't pay off! Oh, well, at least I know I passed and I'm gonna be a senior next year."

Hayate squeezed her hand. "Have you thought of colleges?"

Himeno shook her head. She really hadn't sat down and thought about it. Mayune was going to fashion design school. Mawata was applying to all the ivy league schools and would get in no problem. She on the other hand had no clue what she even wanted to do!

"Well, you'll have plenty of time at court to think about that."

She smiled and looked up. "Really? But I thought I'd be too busy doing court stuff."

Hayate rolled his eyes. "And what do you think court stuff implies?"

Himeno bit her lower lip thoughtfully. Come to think of it, she had no clue whatsoever! She'd always thought it was like fairytales, all dancing and parties and tea. Girlie stuff. "Okay, so, what DOES go on there?"

"It's really boring," he began. "And you have to watch your back and what you say and do. Everyone there is always looking for a way to make themselves more noticeable to the Topaz Prince."

"Even you?"

The look he gave her was enough. She'd known he wasn't like that. Grinning, she hugged his arm. "Not everyone can be like that!"

"No, not everyone. Ravijot's team isn't too bad."

"Who's Ravijot?" She looked up when he stopped outside the ice cream shop.

"Want some? My treat."

As if he even had to ask! Smiling wider, she followed him in. "So?" she pressed. She wasn't going to let this slide so easily.

"Ravijot is the captain of the India team," he explained, pulling out his wallet. He ordered their ice cream, his butter pecan and her new favorite, mint chip with caramel topping and peanut butter cups. "That's really disgusting, you know."

Himeno shrugged. He was allowed to complain about this combination since he'd tried it and practically spit it across the shop. "Well, I like it. What's Ravijot's leafe?"

"He's the Knight of Oceans." He was watching her eat her ice cream, looking a little sick.

Himeno made sure to lick her spoon extra clean. "Mm, yummy! Isn't that the same thing as Hajime's power?"

"Not exactly. Hajime controls water in general. Even when he gets older and more skilled with his leafe, it won't be anywhere near as powerful as Ravijot's. Ravijot uses not only the water leafe, but he can use the force of the ocean currents against an opponent."

"And do they have a pretear?"

Hayate nodded, setting his empty bowl aside. "She's new. They just got her four months ago, and she's having a very difficult time adapting. Her name is Pasha."

She was really surprised with how open Hayate was being with all this. Usually he didn't supply information this detailed about Leafenia and the High Court. She was gonna milk this for all it was worth! "How many other teams are there?"

"There's seven global teams, and then the Red Guard."

"The Red Guard?"

Hayate looked a little uncomfortable, shifting in his seat and twirling his empty ice cream bowl around on the table. "It's the home guard for Leafenia, the ruling Prince's personal guard. Usually it's made of the knights that don't fit with a team. My father..."

Himeno froze and looked up. This was the first time he'd ever mentioned his past. If she pressed him now, he might get defensive.

"My father was the captain of the Red Guard before he died."

She reached over and touched his cheek, wishing she could take the pain away. It still bothered him, and rightly so! His father had died in a duel with Feryn's father. It was the main cause for strife between the two. "Hayate..."

Hayate took her hand, kissing her palm lightly before holding it across the table. "Okay, I really don't think you'll remember half of what I tell you. Especially since we wasted all that time with trig notes to have you fail it-"

"-I didn't fail it," she interupted, pulling her hand away. Such a jerk!

"But it's important that you know the names of the other Pretears and the team captains," he continued as if she hadn't spoken.

Huffing, she sat back. "Okay, fine! So, who's who?"

"You've met the captain of the Red Guard already. Caias, the Knight of Mists."

"HIM! He's the captain of the Red Guard?" Himeno shivered when she thought of those eyes. It was like he was pulling her soul right out of her body.

Hayate nodded, a bitter smile on his face. "He took over when my father died. Erelah and Alaya for Europe. Ajiaso is the captain in Australia, with Fukaira as the Pretear. Kondhae leads in South America with Ameina. And Otoshi and Tasia are in America."

She nodded. Yep, he was right! She'd be lucky to remember even one. "Do I have to know their leafe?"

He shook his head. "No, their names are enough. Don't worry, I'll be with you to point them out."

Himeno smiled and tipped her bowl back so she could drink the last of the melted stuff. "Well, I'll try, but I didn't know there were so many!"

Hayate laughed, toying with her fingers on the table top. "The Presentation Ball is going to be that night. We'll arrive and be taken to our rooms to relax a bit before getting ready. You'll be assigned someone to assist you in preparations. The ball starts at six. When you're ready, you'll be shown to the main staircase where I'll meet up with you. As the captain and the Pretear, we enter together. The rest of our team will come in behind us."

"Wow, this is really formal, isn't it?"

"It is. It's a real pain, too. When presented to the Topaz Prince, curtsy and don't speak unless he speaks to you."

"Why not?" she asked. This was a lot of information!

He shrugged. "It's just considered rude. Once he acknowledges you, we're good to go about the ball. Can you dance?"

"Huh? Me, dance?" She laughed at that. She was soo uncoordinated!

"Right, good point," he said, making a face. He sighed. "Well, Kei can teach you. He's the better dancer. We don't have to stay for the whole thing, just two hours or so at least. There's going to be food there, and drinks. PLEASE, don't gorge yourself!"

Himeno drew herself up. "I don't gorge! God, way to make me sound like a cow!"

Hayate rubbed his eyes and looked away. "Why do I bother?"

Himeno grabbed his chin and turned him back around and kissed him, making sure it was sloppy. He drew back, wiping his mouth. "Ugh!"

"That's why you bother!" She grinned, hugging him.

"Yeah, because I love getting drooled on by some gorging cow!"

Scowling, she hit him, standing up. "I'm gonna go home and finish packing now! Goodnight, Hayate."

"Wait, Himeno!" He jumped up and followed her.

Himeno continued walking. She knew he would follow her. He was too much of a gentleman to let her walk home alone.

Hayate caught up with her just as she turned the corner of her street. He grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Because we're not going to get a chance any time soon..." Himeno looped her arms around his neck, his going around her waist and lifting her up a little. They kissed, and there was something to it that seemed a bit more heated than usual. Like Hayate was trying to make sure she remembered him.

He tripped a little under their combined weight, falling back against the neighbor's shrub lined fence. "OW! That thing's got sharp needles!"

Himeno laughed as he jumped away, letting her go. "Aw, poor wittle baby! Attacked by a big, mean shwub."

Scowling and rubbing the back of his neck, he said, "You'd be screaming a lot louder if it was you!"

"Would not!"

He ignored her, taking her hand and walking her to her gate. "We'll be here around nine in the morning. Be ready, because I'm not waiting."

Himeno rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay! I'll see you tomorrow!" She kissed his cheek and went inside, glancing back to see if he was still watching. Yep, he was!

Kei opened one eye when he heard the whispers. Someone was in his room. Someone...MANNEN! He moved his pillow enough to look at the clock. SEVEN IN THE MORNING! "Mannen...dead! I'm gonna kill you till you die from it!"

"But, Kei, Hayate said-,"

"Screw him! It is too early to be up on Saturday! He doesn't need me to arrive with the rest of you. Just let me sleep." His eyes came fully open when he smelled coffee. By his bed...He pulled the pillow off his head and saw Blaise grinning down at him with a steaming cup of black coffee.

"Thought that would get ya, mate," he said cheerfully.

Kei took it and drank it, ignoring the burning hotness on his tongue and throat. God, coffee had to be the best thing in the world!

"EW! He's drinkin' it black," Mannen said, making a disgusted face.

Once the coffee hit his system, he could roll over and get out of bed, yawning. "I'll be down in a second," he muttered, stretching his arms over his head. He hated mornings, he really did. No one needed to be up before the sun! He quickly got dressed, grabbed his suitcase by the door and went downstairs.

Everyone else was awake and getting ready to go, grabbing snack bars to eat for breakfast. He ignored Shin trying to give him one and went straight back for more coffee. This was going to be such a long day!

Once everyone was fairly organized, they popped over to Himeno's house to find every light on and the whole place in an uproar.

"Mon Dieu! What is this?" Feryn asked.

"Gee, if we knew, do you think we'd be standing out here looking stupid?" Kei asked sharply. Feryn glared at him but didn't answer.

"NO! NO! I CHANGED MY MIND! HIMEEENNNOOO!" Kaoru was hugging his daughter's leg as she tried to leave the house, two big suitcases being lugged out.

"What the bloody hell? Is her dad mental?" Blaise asked. He'd just recently dyed his hair a rather nice plum color.

"DAD! LET GO OF MY LEG! YOU ALREADY-ACK- SAID I COULD GO!" Himeno yanked her foot free and fell over her bags.

Hayate was through the gate and to her side before any of them even thought of it. Kei leaned against the fence as all three of the younger knights ran to her as well. He knew Himeno was absurdly clumsy and thus had expected her fall. He didn't do anything about it because he found it so amusing each time.

"I'm alright, I'm fine," she said, laughing as she got up and brushed her jeans off.

Hayate took one of her bags and Blaise took the other. Everyone gathered around as Hayate opened a gateway into Leafenia, taking Himeno's hand to guide her through. Kei went through last, shutting the gateway after himself.

Oh ther other side was the Palace of Leafe. Himeno's reaction of, "Whoa," was appropriate indeed. Long, thin spires looking like mother-of-pearl rose into the blue sky, forests of deep trees disappeared right into the white walls rising. Blue rivers, three of them to be exact, formed a water fall at one end. It was the most beautiful spot in Leafenia.

"This...is the Palace?" she asked in awe.

"Oui, the Palace of Leafe," Feryn answered.

"You weren't kidding about it being a real, honest-to-God palace, were you?"

Hayate smiled, letting go of her hand under the pretense of carrying her bags. Kei knew the real reason was because Pretears and knights weren't supposed to see each other. Himeno didn't know that, though. "Come on, let's get to our rooms."

Finally, an idea Kei agreed with! Coffee was good. Sleep was so much better! He was about to follow them when he stopped, looking around. Wait...that tree shadow moved. That in itself wasn't strange because of the tree, but it's shadow...it was longer, like it was later in the day. He looked up at the sun. No, that position was all wrong! It said it was closer to ten than the nine he knew it to be. What in the world... Eyes wide, he shouted, "HIMENO, LOOK OUT!" And dove forward to save her from the arrow bolt whizzing for her back.