AN: Fuji and Sora meet FINALLY!!! yay! hope you all like! please remember to leave me a review! I'll have Fujimoto come over and thank you personally... and if he frightens you then i'll send ponyo instead ;)

Chapter 7: Sora Meets the Very Serious, Aristocratic Sea Wizard

Moments after the council was informed of Wasago's decision to hand Sora over to Fujimoto for training, Abril raced up the halls of the castle and relayed the news to the princess.

"Are you alright?" The crane asked worriedly, enfolding her in his wings.

New tears slipped from Sora's bloodshot eyes as she wrapped her arms around the slender bird, she could barely take in the news he had given her, "I don't think so Abril," she said, her constrained voice barely above a whisper, "but what choice do I have?"

"I'm so sorry m'lady." Abril said, not knowing how to comfort the young woman. Pulling back, he wiped her tears away with the tips of his wings. "I must fetch Master Fujimoto now. The council desires that you meet to seal the agreement… they need your official consent."

Sora nodded her head quickly, her eyes downcast and her cheeks burned a bit. Her consent, she thought irritably, thrusting Fujimoto at her in this dire moment was nothing short of coercion. What other choice did she have but to give the council her consent? She would become the sea wizards apprentice and whatever else they demanded from her.

After Abril left to see Fujimoto up to her rooms, Sora paced the floor of her apartment in a nervous panic. A large knot of anxiety formed in her stomach at the thought of meeting her new master so soon. Everything was being thrown at her so quickly that all she really wanted to do was to run away. She wondered if anyone was going to give her any consideration in the following days, or if they were going to bend her to their will till she reached breaking point.

All she could think about was being forced to live life under the ocean with only a stranger for company- a stranger who would be running her life how he saw fit. There would be no more freedom if she were to be closed in on all sides by miles of heavy, dark water. And visits to the surface would be very seldom.

In the midst of her self-pity she thought of her father and what he would have told her. She could hear his voice in her head so clearly it was almost as if he were speaking to her from beyond the grave.

'You can learn to adapt Sora. You are air after all. Air can find routs of escape, mold to fit any area and adapt to every surrounding. Although this is not the path we had planned child, you have the power to forge a new one for yourself. Do not deny this new chance to reach your destiny, embrace it with determination.'

Closing her eyes Sora took in these words. She found a new strength in herself now that opened a door to which she could carry on. Her father was right as always, she could still become Mistress of the Winds, even though the road was long and hard, she would find a way to overcome it. There was still hope for herself yet.

Breathing in a fresh breath of renewal, a knock came at the door. Suddenly her newfound confidence was crushed under the weight of her previous anxiety; Abril had returned with Master Fujimoto. Straightening out her clothes, and wiping the half-dried tears from her face she called of them to enter.

The door opened, Wasago entered her chamber followed by who she assumed to be Master Fujimoto. They came into the room and then bowed out of respect for her new position.

Sora had to spend a moment to take in her guardian. She noticed the incredibly slender man towered over her by a good foot and a half, his nose was large and prominent, and his features were somewhat sharp and gaunt. She was shocked by his long, flaming red hair that fell in his face and down his back. What was even more shocking was the heavy blue eye makeup he wore that accentuated his very large, very brown eyes. It looked to her as if he hadn't slept for days.

This aquatic man, as she decided he was, was nothing like she had expected. She imagined a spirit who was large and jolly as well as very dopy looking and perhaps a bit too jocular for his own good. Instead she found herself in front of a very serious, aristocratic sea wizard who looked like he hadn't eaten or slept in years. She had to admit that he wasn't ugly, but he wasn't drop dead gorgeous either… he was nothing like she had ever seen before.

Their eyes met for the briefest of moments then, slightly shocked from the intensity of his gaze, Sora bowed before the two men, breaking eye contact.

"Princess," Wasago began to speak. "May I present Fujimoto, Master of the Sea and your new guardian."

Sora nodded, approaching the old chancellor and the sea wizard. She knew Fujimoto was not her guardian yet, this moment the council debated so strongly for depended purely on her consent. They all thought she was young and inexperienced, therefore knew nothing of procedure. However she would not let them bully her as they seemed to intend to. Regaining confidence, Sora held her head high and performed with surprisingly skilled candor.

"Master Fujimoto," she addressed him clearly; this voice of power and authority was foreign to her, yet she allowed it to take control. "It is unfortunate that our meeting should be brought about by such a tragedy; however I am grateful for your presence here today as well. I know I am young, however with your help I will be fit to rule the winds. As is my duty, I will now give you my consent to take me on as your apprentice."

Fujimoto was somewhat shocked that such powerful words could come from this small woman. Perhaps she wasn't as swayed by the air masters as much as he once thought. There was an odd silence in which the princess seemed to be waiting for something. She repressed a smile and said,

"You may kneel now, Master Fujimoto."

Fujimoto cleared his throat, trying to hide his frustration, and kneeled on the ground before her. He then gently took the small hand she held out to him in his own; all the while thinking that this formal ceremonial business was a waste of time.

"Master Fujimoto, I grant you permission to become my new guardian and to teach me the ways of the ocean so that I may one day be Queen ofthe Air. Do you accept this responsibility?" Her breathing became shallow now, the anxiety edging back in as she waited for his answer.

"I do." He said, still kneeling.

Sora removed her hand from his and with a nod dismissed the two masters,

"Thank you for coming," she said rather quickly, however losing no authority. "My father's funeral will be held tomorrow, so if you will excuse me I must prepare."

Wasago nodded his head in understanding, "Yes, then we shall take our leave, your highness."

"Thank you." With that Sora retreated into her room. Closing the door she gasped for air. "Father, please give me strength." She begged, recovering from the unusual meeting. At least I held my head high, she told herself.

Yay!!! next chapter's coming really soon :)