Okay, now everyone meets back. I don't own MKR.

Chapter 25

Both Umi and Hikaru meet above the village at the same time.

"Umi-chan!" Hikaru exclaimed, shocked, but happy.

"Hikaru!" Umi greeted with her own emotions.

"What happened to you?" Hikaru asked as the bubbles combined, creating a fire/air bubble.

"Well, I found my stone & jewel." Umi grinned.

"Me too!" Hikaru giggled. Then they both looked down to see Fuu surrounded by Lantis and Ascot. "Looks like Fuu-chan's having problems." Hikaru laughed.

"Lets help her." Umi suggested. Hikaru nodded and they began to float down.

They heard Fuu say "Well, I actually have something to tell you about Miss Umi and Miss Hikaru."

"What about us?" Umi said as the bubble popped, the girls landing on their feet.

Everyone spun around to see the two girls grinning, holding bags.

"Miss Hikaru! Miss Umi!" Fuu exclaimed, tears running down her face.

"Hello, Fuu…oomph." they grunted as Fuu tackled them. They rolled for a while, until Hikaru finally asked. "What's wrong, Fuu-chan?"

Fuu shook her head. "I was just scared when you guys disappeared."

Umi stood up, brushing the dirt off her skirt. "Well, we're here."

"And guess what?" Hikaru giggled.

"What?" Fuu asked, wiping her tears.

"We found our stones and jewels!" Umi exclaimed, excited.

Fuu's face lit up as well. "Really? That's great! Now we only need the earth realm."

Hikaru nodded, but wasn't able to say anything cuz she was swept up into a hug. Turning, she looked up to see a pair of purple eyes radiating worry. "Hello, Lantis." She greeted.

"Hikaru…" he whispered into her hair as he hugged her to him. She felt tears hit her head and was shocked.

"Lantis, are you crying?" she asked quietly, looking up. She was shocked that he was. She had never seen him cry in her life. It sort of scared her. "Don't cry. Remember what I said? We're a team."

Lantis looked down at her, slowing down his tears. "Yeah, we're a team. Just don't disappear like that again."

Hikaru grinned. "Deal." She smiled as he kissed her.

Meanwhile, Ascot hugged Umi to him so tight that Umi had to tell him to loosen up.

"Sorry." Ascot blushed, but still hugged her.

"It's cool." She smiled up at him, but was shocked to see unshed tears in his eyes. "Don't cry." she said quietly.

Ascot nodded. "I was just scared." he admitted.

"Well, I'm back." Umi smiled back.

"And I'm not letting you go." Ascot said as he kissed her.

Back with Fuu and Ferio, they watched as the couples were reunited. Ferio looked down at Fuu, who seemed tired. "Fuu, maybe we should rest."

Fuu shook her head, looking up. "We have to get to the earth realm."

Hikaru broke free, and nodded. "Yeah, Aiko said we don't have much time." As she noticed everyone's confused expression, she explained. "Aiko's the fire realm guardian." She winced as she remembered the fire surrounding her. "She was cool, but getting there was not."

Umi nodded. "At least you didn't have to go underwater & fight five mermaids." she laughed.

"Well, you know what? At least you weren't consumed by fire that burned your skin so bad you wanted to cry." Hikaru joked back.

"Fine, I guess you win." Umi admitted, pretending to pout.

"I usually do." she joked as the two girls laughed. Everyone else sweat dropped.

Hikaru was the first to stop laughing. "That reminds me. Aiko gave me a beautiful gown." She ran to the bag & produced the gown.

"Hey, that's exactly like mine, but mine's aqua." Umi showed her own. "Chika gave it to me as well."

Fuu pouted. "No fair. I didn't get a gown."

"Maybe we can ask Kameko to make you one." Hikaru suggested.

"Maybe later. But now we have to go." Fuu said as she was about to go.

"No!" a little girl ran up to Fuu and clutched her leg, crying. "Don't go big sister!"

"Big sister?" Hikaru and Umi scrunched their eyebrows up. Hikaru stared at the girl, taking in her features. "Gin?" she asked.

The girl looked up and nodded. "That's my name."

Umi let out a sigh. "That's good. Fuu found her, we found our stones/jewels & meet new friends."

Hikaru nodded. "Exactly." But just as she said that, a high pitched giggle cut the air. Hikaru straightened up, closing her eyes. 'Calm down, Hikaru. You'll be fine.' she told herself.

Opening them, she noticed everyone staring at her with concerned expressions. "Hikaru, are you OK?" Umi asked.

Hikaru stared at her. "You mean, you didn't hear…" But she stopped herself, shutting her eyes again. 'Pull yourself together, Hikaru. Don't cry.' But as she told herself that, she felt the tears escape her eyes.

She felt herself being pulled into a hug and leaned against him as she cried quietly. 'Why is she back? Why is this happening to me again? Please God, stop it.' she asked as she clutched Lantis' shirt.

"Hikaru?" he quietly said her name.

"Yeah?" Hikaru sobbed out.

"What did you hear?" he asked with a firm voice.

"Nova's giggling." she admitted, before crying again.

She felt the hug become tighter and she cried harder, not caring anymore. When she finally finished, she had sobbed for 10 minutes.

She pushed off of Lantis and wiped her eyes. "I'm fine." she sniffled out, attempting a weak version of her trademark smile.

When no one said anything, she blinked a couple of times, some leftover tears falling down. "I'm going to lay down." She began to walk, but stopped and turned. "Um, can I lie down in someone's bed?" she asked sheepishly.

"Of course." a woman said suddenly.

Hikaru smiled at her, eyes and nose as red as her hair. "Thank you."

The woman smiled sweetly and steered Hikaru towards her house, leaving the others to worry.

Umi bit her lip. "Well, at least she's telling us now." she said, but couldn't stop the intake of breath she had.

Fuu just nodded as her eyes teared up as well.

Lantis just stood in the same place, staring at Hikaru's retreating back. 'Hikaru…' he thought as he turned around and walked into the forest.

"Sir Lantis…" Fuu started, but stopped when Ferio shook his head.

"He has something to do. Let him." he softly said as he hugged her to him.

Fuu nodded silently as they all watched the swordsman walk into the forest.

Please RR