Title: Practice
Author: darkhrse
Pairing: Hikaru Shidou and Lantis
Fandom: Magic Knight Rayearth
Theme: #1, Look over here
Disclaimer: Magic Knight Rayearth and all the characters in that anime/manga are properties of CLAMP. These are used here without permission.

THE BACK DOOR to the Great Hall burst open as Hikaru Shidou, the Pillar of Cephiro, stormed through, stripping the ornamental pieces from her robes as she went.

"Princess!"

The red-haired teenager whirled to find the diminutive Master Mage struggling to keep up with her, his long staff making clicking sounds on the marble floor in time with his small but hurried steps. "Princess, please!"

Hikaru took several steps towards Clef, closing the gap between them. "I'm sorry for rushing out of there, Clef, but I just couldn't wait any longer to go outside."

"But, Princess--"

"It's Hikaru."

"Very well. Hikaru, there are a few more dignitaries that you need to meet with."

The Fire Knight let out a groan, letting her head hang back, her eyes fixed at the domed ceiling. After a moment she dropped her head forward, her eyes pleading. "Please, Clef, please, please. Can't you take care of that? Do I really have to be the one to meet with them?"

The mage gave her a stern look. And then his expression softened. "Oh, very well, Princess."

"It's Hikaru!"

"It's also Princess. It's important that you remember your station in this world every now and then," he said firmly.

"Okay, okay! So, can I go now?"

"Yes. Go. Before I change my mind."

Hikaru moved in a blur to pick up the mage and hug him fiercely. "Oh, Clef, I owe you one!" Just as suddenly, she set him down and rushed out to the next door that led outside.

Clef's eyes followed her until she disappeared and then looked down to see the trail of jewelry she left behind. "I don't remember Princess Emeraude being this way," he muttered, shaking his head.

---

Hikaru was running and jumping as soon as her feet touched the lush grass just outside the palace. She ran with her arms stretched outwards, a big smile on her face. "Umi! Fuu!" She spotted her friends from a distance, leaving the forest and into the clearing.

Both Umi and Fuu shared a look. Just when their smaller friend came within distance, they rushed her, hooking their arms around hers and pulling her back.

"Uhm, hey, guys! What's up?" Hikaru asked innocently, looking from side to side, not quite minding yet the fact that she was being dragged back to where she came from.

"Well, Hikaru, we happen to know that you're not supposed to be out playing yet," Umi said, smiling mischievously.

"That's correct, Miss Umi," Fuu added and then looked at her red-haired friend. "I believe the dignitaries from Fahren and Chizeta wish to speak with you about very important matters."

"Aww, c'mon, you guys! I've been in meetings all day. I really need a break. Please?"

By mutual consent, the two stopped dragging their friend. "And where do you plan to take this break?"

"In the forest, I guess."

"If you're looking for monsters to kill, you won't find any."

"Miss Umi and I have already taken care of that."

"Really? I hear there was a report of a disturbance in Astonville, down South."

Fuu's brows furrowed in thought. "I don't think I've heard of such a town, Miss Hikaru."

"Trust me. It's there. So shall we go?"

"Can't. Caldina and I are going to visit Tatra and Tarta."

"And Ferio is already waiting for me."

Hikaru pursed her lips. "I guess I'm going alone then."

"Miss Hikaru, please be careful."

"Yeah, and call us if you need help."

The Fire Knight smiled brightly and waved, walking backwards towards the forest. "You guys have fun then and don't worry about me."

When Fuu and Umi were out of hearing distance from Hikaru, the latter turned to the former. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"We have to call Lantis."

"Right."

---

Lantis landed his black steed on the ground and silently dismounted. If there was a monster nearby, he intended to be the one to surprise it and not the other way around. He walked forward, carefully planting one foot after the other, trying to minimize the sound. There were lots of dried fallen leaves around so the crunching noise his feet made could not be helped.

"Shush!" It was a loud whisper.

"Princess? Hikaru? Where are you?"

"Down here. And be quiet!"

Down here? Lantis' brows creased. He slowly lowered to a crouch. And began walking towards the thick bushes where he last heard Hikaru's voice. He cleared the obstructing shrubs. His eyebrows rose in mild surprise to see the Pillar lying flat on her stomach just at the edge of what looked like a hidden cliff. She was still wearing her ceremonial white gown with red sash and pipings. The gown wasn't so white anymore, though. And she was barefoot.

He raised his eyes a bit and saw that Hikaru was looking at him over her shoulder. There was a mischievous gleam in her sienna brown eyes and a naughty smile on her lips. The magic swordsman swallowed heavily. What was it about this girl that got his heart thumping?

"C'mon, Lantis. I haven't got all day. Look over here!"

He closed the distance between them and then layed himself down next to her and looked over the cliff. His eyes widened a fraction. Almost a hundred meters down was a large, winged monster, It was green and had three pointed horns on its head arranged in a line beginning from the top to its forehead. The two limbs it had in front were viciously clawed. It was currently feeding. Lantis could no longer tell exactly what wildlife it was consuming though, only that it was big and four-legged.

He turned to his right and was suprised to see Hikaru's face so close to his. She was watching the creature intently. The playful sparkle in her eyes was still there. She suddenly turned to him and planted a kiss on his cheek, which completely surprised him.

"Wish me luck!" She said as she planted her hands squarely on the ground to push herself up but Lantis shot his hand out to hold onto her wrist.

"You should let me handle this, Princess."

"No way!" Her voice rose just a tiny notch above the normal whisper. "I can take care of that thing. Besides, I need the practice." She quickly swiped his hand away.

Before he could object further, Hikaru had launched herself into the air with such an amazing speed. She was directly above the beast. The magic swordsman quickly looked down to see that the creature had already sensed her presence. With a roar, it spread its filmy wings and rocketed upwards to meet the threat.

Lantis gritted his teeth. He had seen Hikaru fight and she normally prevailed but lately she had been holding back, deliberately not using her powers to battle monsters. He saw a flash of light as she magically summoned her flame sword just as she reached the apex of her jump. She allowed gravity take hold of her as she sped downwards, her blade grasped tightly in both her hands.

Beast and girl met in mid-air. The impact of sword against claws was loud causing birds nearby to flutter away in panic. The size of the creature easily dwarfed Hikaru. The monster's bigger mass prevailed and he saw the Pillar get pushed back. It had the length of her between its hands but it could not close it to crush the girl. Hikaru had sunk her sword in its left hand and kept a foot on the other, keeping it effectively apart.

The monster decided to try another trick. It flapped its wings, flying higher into the sky. Lantis rushed to his steed, launching himself onto its back and commanded it to follow the monster. The steed complied immediately, leaping upwards and galloping across the sky towards the monster. When he got alongside it, he saw to his horror that instead of trying to crush the girl, it was trying to pull her away but Hikaru was holding fast to her sword, deeply embedded on one hand, and kicking the fingers of its other hand away. The monster roared in pain and frustration. It reared back and lunged, its fangs bared, intending to devour the girl.

At the last moment, Hikaru let go of her sword and allowed herself to plummet down.

"Hikaru!" Lantis shouted and was about to steer his stallion downwards to catch her but stopped when he heard her laughter. I can't believe she's enjoying herself!

The monster, realizing that it lost its prey, immediately began a steep dive. The Fire Knight had her arms stretched outward. It was as if she was floating on her back. She was facing the onrush of the monster. At the last moment, when it was upon her, she bent her legs just away from the lower fangs and planted her feet squarely on its lips. She grabbed the creature's upper lip and propelled herself upward just as the monster snapped its jaw shut. She scrambled over its head and traveled down its length, keeping a precarious balance even as the monster twirled in mid-air. She found herself on its belly and made for the hand that still had her sword. Its head was jerking upwards, its jaws seeking her. When she got to her sword, she pulled hard upward, releasing it from the thick hide that covered the creature's palm. Blood spurted out of the deep wound.

Hikaru stayed on the monster's belly as the head closed in on her. She had the sword in front of her but she was looking at it in the eye. And then with a finger, she pointed to just behind the monster's head. Lantis saw the question in the creature's eye. He smiled.

The creature reared its head back to look at where its prey had been pointing and saw that it was about to crash into the ground!

Lantis landed his steed just after the loud thud that was forceful enough to cause the ground to quake. The magic swordsman quicky dismounted and approached the creature. It was clearly dead, its head crushed under its bulk. But Hikaru was no where to be seen.

"Over here!"

Lantis looked up to see the Fire Knight waving at him and smiling from a thick branch several meters up. His eyes followed her as she floated gracefully down.

"That was some practice," he said, having nothing else to say.

"I hope I didn't give you a heart attack," she said, bumping the back of her hand against his chest playfully.

"What's a heart attack?"

Hikaru laughed. Her wonderful laughter was like the peal of little bells to his ear.

"So where are we going?" he asked as she walked passed him.

"To find more practice."