Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Just wanted to say thanks to Painted Angel Wings for reviewing! I hope this story isn't that bad. If it is, LET ME KNOW! I won't get offended or mad unless you're unnecessarily nasty.

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.

"So, what's with her, Shin?" Go asked, once she had left. "I noticed your face back there."

"When you called her Toni…she suddenly was really afraid, and angry," he said quietly. "I don't know why. As soon as she saw you, her body seemed to tense up."

"She doesn't like men," Sasame stated, surprising the heck out of Go when he suddenly spoke from behind the Knight of Fire. "I'm not surprised."

"Yo, are you gonna tell us what's going on, or just keep up the whole 'not surprising' attitude?" Mannen asked in annoyance. Sasame considered something for a moment, and then sat down.

"I suppose I may as well tell you three as well. From what I can gather, Antonia is abused by her stepfather. Physically and mentally, most likely. When I caught her, I saw a bruise on her shoulder that seemed to extend down her arm," Sasame told them. "That, combined with the memory of her father's death, is most likely the reason she doesn't feel comfortable with men her age and older – which explains her reaction to Go and myself."

"Oh," Hajime blinked and continued licking his ice cream for a moment before saying anything else. "So…what are we going to do? If she can't Prêt with us…"

"Well, she may be able to Prêt with you three, given time, but that's not enough," Sasame thought. "There must be a way to get through to her, and show her that we're not her enemy…perhaps if Himeno helps explain the situation."

"I guess it's worth a shot," Go shrugged, stretching his arms out behind his head. "So, when we gonna give it a go?"

"Well, Himeno doesn't have school tomorrow, so I suppose that's a good a time as any to ask," Sasame thought.

"Hey, Antonia!" Himeno yelled, chasing after her classmate the next afternoon.

"Huh?"

"Oh, you don't remember me? Well, we only met a few times," Himeno grinned. "I'm Himeno Awayuki. We're in the same class."

"I think you seem familiar," Antonia peered at her for a moment before turning away. "Nice to see you again."

"Hey, wait!" Himeno grabbed her arm gently, but Antonia jumped and pulled away roughly.

"Don't touch me!" she hissed, backing up. To her shock, she stepped on someone's foot – tilting her head back, her eyes met a grinning face that belonged to Go and she stepped away, realizing that she was surrounded by Himeno and young men. "Shin – Mannen, Hajime?" she blinked in confusion, and looked down as Shin took her hand.

"Don't be scared," the Plant Knight said quietly. "We need to tell you something, that's all. We won't do anything to you."

Antonia surveyed the group suspiciously, and her gaze hovered between Go and Sasame before nodding reluctantly.

"What the hell kind of bullshit is that?" she demanded, when they had finished the story.

"I find that offensive," Kei said lightly. "After all, your father was killed by one of those bullshits, wasn't he?"

The entire group stared at him in shock, having never heard him swear before, before Himeno turned back to Antonia with a gentle smile.

"I know it's hard to accept. I didn't believe it either," she admitted. "But it's true, honest. They're not just a bunch of weirdoes – well, stalkers, anyway."

"Even if I believed your crazy story, where do I fit into all of it, if Himeno's Pretear?" Antonia pressed.

"Well, apparently my power expired," Himeno shrugged. "Some girls are Pretear for life, while others only until their powers are gone. I guess my battle with the Princess of Disaster used a lot of it up."

"So…this Princess of Disaster chick was creating that red snow stuff? And she's gone?"

"Yes," Sasame nodded, and she glanced up at him. Realizing she hadn't heard, he nodded again and her gaze returned to Himeno. The Knight didn't miss something flash through her eyes briefly, and made a mental note to press the issue further another time.

"No," Antonia shook her head. "Since I can't even Prêt or whatever with you guys, what good would I be? Get lost – I've got enough problems to deal with. And – oh damn, it's dark already!" she interrupted herself, obviously upset.

"Is something wrong?" Himeno asked in concern, but the other girl didn't hear her as she raced off, trying to beat the setting sun to her house.

"I'll go," Sasame said suddenly, and disappeared in a flash of light.

"What do you think's gonna happen now?" Hajime wondered.

"My money's on that she kicks Sasame's ass," Go grinned, earning a 'look' from the others. "What?" he demanded loudly, and suddenly grabbed Mannen. "It's past your bedtime, brat."

"You're late again," Duane greeted her, as she skidded into the house panting. "Your mother is out with her reading group."

"I'm…sorry…" she panted. "I did my best, honest. I had to get rid of some guy trying to talk to me, that's all."

"Oh, so now you're a little slut," he said conversationally, and pulled her to him. "You're a little bitch," he growled, twisting her arm. She cried out in pain, but he paid no attention as he hauled her up the stairs. Tossing her onto the floor of her bedroom, he kicked her in the ribs before hauling her to her feet again and slapping her face. Trying to keep the tears of pain back she remained silent as he beat her, wishing she had never met the Knights of Leafe.

"I should have stepped in," Sasame thought, peering in her window later that night. She lay curled underneath the blanket, the bruises on her body obvious in the moonlight. "And that thing about red snow…there's something there." Gazing at the girl for a little longer, he turned away and disappeared, leaving her to sleep in peace.

The next day was dark and rainy, the sun hidden behind gray and black clouds. The weather matching her mood, Antonia dragged herself out of the house, her body still throbbing painfully after her beating. Wearing the same black jacket over boots, blue-black boot-cut jeans, and a black T-shirt, she walked around the city in the rain. Almost no one was on the street due to the downpour, and she was soon soaked through, her hair clinging to her face. Hunched over despondently, she walked aimlessly, not realizing where she was until she hit a guardrail.

"Oh," she looked up, and saw that she was on the deserted bridge, which had been rebuilt only recently. Leaning on the rail she gazed down into the dark water, thoughts racing through her mind like quicksilver.

"I'm sorry."

She jumped in surprise, and a hand on her waist kept her from falling over. Sasame quickly released her once she was steady and calmly met the glare she gave him.

"What do you want?"

"You're the Toni that sent me the letter, aren't you?" he said, looking back at the river. "You told me not to read it aloud. The people who do have problems like yours do the same thing."

"What would you know?"

"I'd like to know what went through your mind when you learned that the only one who can create red snow is gone. You looked surprised," Sasame mentioned, seeing her startled once more.

"I was…just curious."

He remained silent, waiting for her to say something else. She bit her lip awkwardly and stared at the water as well, edging away from him. After a long while, with rain dripping in her eyes, she finally spoke.

"I saw some…the other night, after you left," she admitted. "Just a little, though."

"I see," he said, hiding his surprise.

"What?"

"You have a hearing problem, don't you?"

"Deaf in my right ear," she said grudgingly. "And mostly in my left. It's a condition I was born with. How'd you know?"

"I'm the Knight of Sound, after all. I wouldn't be worth my job if I couldn't tell. It must be rough."

"Eh," she shrugged. "I'm used to it." Sasame glanced at her, sensing a change in her mood again. Suddenly reaching over, he took her hand in his and held it firmly. The light began to shine again, and he felt himself beginning to Prêt with her. But just as he was almost completely merged with her, a shield came up and tossed him back, and he ended up on his back while she stood above him, looking both mad and scared at the same time. "What the…what the hell did you try to do?" she demanded, holding her hand. "What the hell was that?"

"That is how a Pretear merges with a Knight of Leafe," he explained, getting to his feet. "For some reason, you're unable to complete the process."

"So find another one, like I said," she muttered, turning away again.

"You're the only with the power of the Pretear – even if you can't access it, you still hold it within you."

"That's your problem then," she spat out, before spinning around and racing away. He paused momentarily and then shot into the air, following her movements.

Running blindly in the rain, still shaken by Sasame's attempt to Prêt with her, Toni didn't pay attention to where she was going. Hearing only his voice and her heart pounding, the cries around her went unnoticed until she looked up and saw a truck coming right at, its brakes slick from the rain. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the impact, and gasped when something rammed into her. Expecting to feel the pavement and pain, she blinked when air swirled around. She gasped again when she realized that she was in the air – and in Sasame's arms.

"What…I thought…you can fly?" she managed. "What are you, Peter Pan or something?"

"Not quite," he smiled, holding her firmly against him. "You were almost hit. You didn't hear it, did you? Or the people yelling at you."

"What do you think?" she muttered, going red once more. Conflicting emotions of embarrassment, anger, relief, and gratefulness surged in her, confusing her further and just making her more annoyed than she already was. "Are you going to put me down, or what?"

"When we get to where I want to go," Sasame told. "If you fall, I can't guarantee I can catch you again, so I don't recommend squirming like you are now."

Toni stared up at him gaping before snapping her jaw shut and looking away, stubbornly remaining silent and trying to ignore her current situation. Sasame noticed her reaction – his only sign was a sudden grin that she failed to notice.

"So, where's this?" she asked, looking around the forest. "It doesn't look like any place I've been before. Everything looks…brighter."

"We're in Leafeania," Sasame explained, "The world where we live in. The Leafe here is much purer, which is why everything looks different. I wanted to bring you here so you could see what Leafe is." He stopped when he realized that Toni wasn't even listening, preoccupied by gazing around in wonder.

"This is amazing. It's so beautiful," she breathed, and he smiled.

"Yes. Can you feel the Leafe?"

"Leafe?" she repeated awkwardly, letting the word roll off her tongue. "What is Leafe, exactly?"

"The source of life to everything living thing," he said. "That's the only way to explain. A Pretear can access Leafe to Prêt with a Knight. If she gathers enough strength, the Pretear can also Prêt with Leafe itself, becoming the White Pretear. The Pretear is able to give Leafe, where the Knights can only manipulate it. We can also give it to some extent, but not nearly as much as the Pretear."

"If this Princess of Disaster is gone, why do you need a Pretear?" Toni asked. Sasame blinked and then answered.

"We still need to protect the Leafe in both worlds, and to restore lost Leafe in this world," he told her.

"What about that red snow?"

"I don't know," he admitted, and she paused. "We thought Fenrir – the former Princess of Disaster – was the one creating it, but perhaps we were wrong. I'm sure everything will be figured out eventually, though."

"So…"

"Yes?"

"How do I Prêt, if it's that big a deal?" she asked, her question obviously startling Sasame.

"That was rather fast…" he thought, taking a moment to regain his thoughts. "You have to be accepting of the Knight, and of yourself as well."

"Well, that isn't going to happen in a thousand years," she muttered, looking gloomily at Leafeania. "Can we go back now? I'm getting a weird feeling…"

"So am I, actually," he agreed, and took her hand. Creating the gateway, he guided her to her world, and they looked around as the other Knights gathered around them.

"Leafe has started to be sucked out of all the trees in the park not far from here," Kei reported calmly. Shin looked like he was going to burst into tears, being the Knight of Plants. "We have to either restore the Leafe by killing the source, or merely destroy all the trees in the surrounding area to prevent the disease spreading further."

"We'll use ice and fire," Go volunteered himself and Mannen, cracking his knuckles.

"No!" Shin protested, and suddenly clung to a very-surprised Toni's leg. "Don't let them, please!"

She blinked uncomprehendingly, having never been good with young kids in general. Hayate, as well as Sasame, waited silently for her to decide her course of action, and Kei merely gazed at her expressionlessly. Go blinked in confusion, and Mannen and Hajime looked at her expectantly. But it was Shin's face, with his trembling mouth and watering eyes that looked pleadingly at her, that struck closest to her heart.

"I'll do my best, then," she said, suddenly crouching down to his eye-level. He smiled anxiously at her, and she unconsciously grasped his hand in hers. Their palms began to glow, and a satisfied expression came over Sasame's face, while Hayate looked surprised – as did Kei and Go. Mannen and Hajime looked delighted, while the shock and fear was apparent on Toni's face. "What's…what the…"

"Don't be afraid," Shin said quietly in her head as they began to Prêt. "I'm merging with you – you're the Pretear of Plants now. Let me help you and we can save the trees!"

"Um…" she hesitated, now fully transformed into the Pretear of Plants. Seeing how uncomfortable she looked, Sasame stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll help you, Antonia," he said softly. "Don't be afraid."

"Who said I was afraid?" she demanded angrily, hate having people think she was scared of anything – especially this bunch of weird guys. "I'll show you afraid! Come on, Shin – let's go kick some whatever butt," she said firmly, quickly adjusting to her power and using it to fly through the air with the rest of the Knights trailing after her.

"What happened here?" she asked in shock. The majority of the trees were black and ashy, as if a single touch could cause them to disintegrate.

"This is what happens when Leafe is stolen," Kei explained.

"Please…let's save the trees before it's too much!" Shin pressed in her head, and she nodded to herself.

"All right – but what do I have to do?" she asked, quietly talking to herself in an attempt to figure out how to reply to the Knight inside of her.

"Let your Pretear power guide you – feel the power of Plants and use it," Shin encouraged her, but that didn't do much to explain things. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate on the little poking that was in the back of her mind. To her surprise, she realized that she really felt the Leafe of the trees in the area, and of the rest of the plants. Listening to Shin's advice, she merely let her instinct dictate her actions, and began to weave something with her hands without realizing what she was doing.

"I hope Shin's got enough for this," Go muttered, and Kei looked at him calmly.

"He does. He's grown stronger, after all."

Their words went unheard by the Pretear and Knight of Plants, who were absorbed in their task. Their weave became apparent within moments, when a tangle of vines rose around Toni's body and bean to creep towards the dead trees. The other Knights watched – some more calmly than others – as Leafe began to pour into the trees, which revived quickly and thoroughly. Toni abruptly let go of the power, and Shin separated the Prêt quickly. The Knight appeared a little pale and breathless, but Kei was apparently right – the youngest Knight had grown stronger.

Toni sat heavily on the ground, trying to catch her breath, and Sasame knelt next to her in concern.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded wordlessly, still sucking in air. She didn't want to admit it, but she had unconsciously drained more Leafe from herself than from Shin, not wanting to put him in danger of anything. Sasame sensed it, and suddenly pulled her towards him. She gasped, finding her back against his torso in-between his bent legs and his chin resting on her head. His arms folded around her and she willed herself to relax, but it was extremely hard.

"Thank you," Shin said, suddenly appearing at her knee, which was bent as well. She smiled at him and their fingers touched, the sense of accomplishment and companionship both strong. Sasame smiled to himself, and Hayate merely left as soon as the job had been completed. Kei shot a glance at Go, who seemed clueless, and dragged him and Mannen away, with Hajime following with complainants. After a moment in silence, Shin left as well, with a green flash of light. Sasame, connected to Toni in giving her Leafe, felt her surprise and suppressed a laugh.

"I forgot you haven't seen us transport yet," he mentioned, but she frowned at hearing his voice.

"Are you all right?" she asked, pulling away a little. Seeing him a little pale himself, her face changed abruptly in concern. "Sasame, what did you do? You gave me Leafe, didn't you?"

"Of course. A Knight is always prepared to give Leafe to the Pretear and support her," he informed her, and pulled her back again. She remained for a few moments longer before sitting up straight and scrambling to her feet.

"I have to go…home," she said reluctantly, and Sasame rose to his feet as well.

"I'll accompany you."

"N-no!" she cried, in a burst of panic. Seeing his shocked expression, she laughed nervously while backing away. "Uh, I mean, uh…well, you see…I have to get going! I'll see you later, Sasame1" she called, before rushing off. Sasame could have easily caught up to her again, but remained still, considering her reaction.

"It won't hurt to stop by later," he decided, and disappeared in a flash of light.

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