Chapter Word Count: 2,867 word(s)
POV: Third but Mio-centric
Summary: What Mio decides to do. Azusa and Mugi support her.

To Breathe

Azusa was the first angel to arrive for the tradition at sunrise. The young angel waved at her senior and approached her. The moment she saw her senpai, she immediately knew something was off about her. The other angel wore an aura around her and Azusa couldn't figure out what it was. There were too many emotions to really pin point what troubled her senpai. Something happened, she thought, and it probably had something to do with Mugi-senpai's ward. She came closer to her senior and the older angel greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning, Azusa."

"Good morning, Mio-senpai."

They both stood there in silence, Mio who chose not to say anything and Azusa who did not know what to say. Angels trickled in and their number grew. The two angels scanned the beach for Mugi, for their other friend who was still nowhere to be found. Just then they heard a voice.

"Mio! Azusa!"

Then there she appeared, just a few steps away from them, with that gentle smile and small wave of hers that always comforted Mio and made Azusa feel at ease. The three exchanged polite greetings of 'good morning' and the sun peeked from over the horizon and the orchestral music played. They stretched out their arms and turned their heads to the sun, their eyes glowing with a speck of gold among the blanket of beautiful blue.

And as the sun showed itself fully and the music came to fade, Mio turned to her two friends.

"I have something I must tell you two. It's something I just realized last night, and in all honesty I feel even more lost than I already was."

Mugi and Azusa shared a worried look and nodded at the same time. Whatever Mio had to tell them must be really huge, and they couldn't imagine anything bigger than what their friend already went through. Even if they had an inkling of what their friend might tell them, they still feared the stretch of possibilities that seemed almost endless.

"Of course, Mio."

"We're here whenever you need us, Mio-senpai."

Mio smiled thank fully. The troubled angel already knew of this but was still glad to hear it. She told them of the recent developments and her recent discovery as fast as she could so she wouldn't keep her friends from their duties for too long. Mio stammered and stuttered all through it despite her efforts to make it quick and short. Well, really… Do you expect an angel to just easily admit to falling in love with a human?

To Mio's surprise her friends just nodded. They didn't wear the shocked faces she expected.

Mugi and Azusa were in fact relieved. This was what they had foreseen.

"You're not surprised?"

Mugi smiled at her and Azusa's eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Mio, we knew it might come to this."

Mugi's eyes then sparkled as she thought of her friend and her ward together. Oh, what a beautiful sight. She clasped her hands to her heart and looked to the sky. Azusa sent her Mugi-senpai a weird look; Mio quirked an eyebrow at the angel who suddenly went into a trance.

"Mio and Ricchan~"

Mugi whispered dazedly and giggled. Azusa stared at her senior and thought, Mugi-senpai seems to be enjoying this a little too much. She decided to say something before her senior became even weirder.

"Mio-senpai, we're angels, remember? Of course we knew!"

Mio wanted to smack her face. Of course. Angels had unbelievably sharp intuition and insight. Mio clasped her hands and twiddled her thumbs embarrassedly. Just more than a month with a human and she was already forgetting about the world of angels.

"Ah! It's alright, Mio, don't worry."

Mugi held both of Mio's hands in her own and Azusa then put her hands above both of her seniors'. Mio looked up and opened her mouth to ask a question.

"So…"

Mio looked to the side.

"What should I do?"

The smile fell from both her friends' faces. Mio wanted to tease them, 'so, you haven't thought that far, huh?', but knew that wouldn't help with their situation at all so she remained silent. Her friends had no answer for her and now both just had their heads bowed down and looked at their feet. Mugi and Azusa really were ashamed to not have thought that far. Mio felt sadness wash over her. There is nothing to do, huh? I'll keep loving the human and never be with her. Mio hung her head and closed her eyes dejectedly. To spend an eternity without the comfort of sleep, thinking about Ritsu and going through my duties mindlessly… Mio shuddered at the thought. The benefit of not feeling exhaustion suddenly was a curse to her. Her whole existence was suddenly a curse.

Azusa looked at her senior and bit her lip, unsure if she should say what she had in mind or not. She did anyway. She felt something inside of her push her to. This is for Mio-senpai. This is for her happiness. Now is not the time to be selfish, Azusa. She told herself. I have to help her in any way that I can, even if it is a long shot. She looked back down at her feet and the sand.

"Mio-senpai… Do you…"

Mio looked up at her junior who struggled with words. Azusa looked up and caught her senior's gaze. Mio-senpai has already gone through so much… I have to.

"Do you really want to be with this human?"

Mio's gaze lowered, the weight of the question forcing it to. Yes. She wanted to scream the word to the whole world, she wanted to scream it at the Maker and all the other angels who wouldn't understand and would condemn her.

"Yes. I don't think I've ever wanted anything in all of my millennia. And to be with her… I want it with all that I am."

Azusa almost took a step back. Mugi's eyes widened. What Mio said was laced with so much emotion, so much want and longing and affection. They've heard of Mio's stories, the things the angel did and felt because of the human girl, and this should not be new to them, but somehow this time even they could feel it too. They felt a fraction of what Mio felt and understood her even more, understood her need to be with this human even more. Azusa continued.

"Well…"

The younger angel thought over what she was about to say. This was it. The younger angel was sure that saying this would be one of the best decisions she's ever made and will ever make. Or at least hoped against all the odds that it would be.

"I know a way to make you human."

The three angels stood at the top of a building that was currently being renovated. Different kinds of metal and wood stuck out of the sides and there were hollow blocks of concrete around them. Their eyes were all dark with tiny speck of white light. It was midnight. After their talk at the beach and after Azusa's revelation, they all decided to let Mio think about it for the whole day and go on with their rounds first. They would then decide after their three rounds and would do what needed to be done in order for Mio to become human.

Mio did not need to think about it though. The angel knew that deep within her she wanted this, she wanted this chance to be with Ritsu because she wouldn't be able to bear seeing her with another and live on for millennia knowing she just let go of the only thing, only being that could bring her happiness. She was scared, yes. Terrified, actually, of what they were about to do. Her knees shook and her hands trembled. It felt like her whole body pulsated from nervousness and she thought she might even throw up.

Azusa and Mugi fared no better than her. Her two angel friends kept looking unsurely at each other and kept asking her if she was sure even if they knew the answer. Mio said yes every time.

"Okay."

Azusa spoke and shook her head to snap herself out of her train of thought. The young angel was worried about her senior of course, since this wasn't really something that was proven. This was only something she saw once and it was by accident, after all.

"Mio-senpai, Mugi-senpai, you're both probably wondering how I know of this."

Azusa's gaze shifted from one senior to the other. Her two seniors nodded.

"Well, it was a few years ago... I just finished my three rounds and decided to take a little walk. I saw this tall building and thought that maybe the view would look beautiful up on the rooftop, so I blinked myself up here... I saw another angel. I immediately noticed how beautiful she was and how her robes were different… I realized that she was a third sphere and that she wasn't just any ordinary third sphere; she was one of the angels in the Circle."

Mio and Mugi's eyes nodded. Of course they knew of those in the circle. The Maker had many angels, true, but there were very few— one could probably count them all with their fingers— that were included in the Maker's Circle. The Circle was made up of the best angels there were. They weren't only guardians, they were also warriors and they've been around even before the Maker made the earth. They have battled armies of other celestial beings, who thought of themselves to be above and greater than the Maker and wanted to overthrow Him for hundreds of millennia. The battles were between an army of angels around more or less ten and battalions and battalions of the other beings' creations. The angels always won.

The angels of the Circle were also the only angels to have ever seen what the Maker looks like.

"Well, the angel was there and stood on the ledge. She sensed my presence and turned to look at me. She only stared and then all of a sudden she fell off the building. She didn't jump. She just let herself fall off and waited to hit the ground. I was mortified. I was frozen for a few seconds and then I blinked myself below to save her. I was too late... She was already down there and unconscious. I thought she was dead and then told myself that that was impossible. Then I saw that there was a little blood on the side of her face. I stayed by her side… And after a few seconds I saw her chest move and her eyes flew open. She coughed blood out on her hands and her chest proceeded to heave breaths out. I only then realized that she was breathing and bleeding. I was amazed. Then she slowly and gingerly sat up and winced. She probably felt my presence because she smiled towards where I am but her eyes wandered and I found out that she couldn't see me."

Mugi and Mio listened to their junior talk attentively. Their eyes widened and they nodded. The angel bled and breathed after and couldn't see Azusa. Amazing. They thought. So she had turned human. Azusa went on with her recollection.

"I stayed with her until sunrise… She wandered around and I followed her... I still remember her groans of pain. But then I had to go because the skies started to be filled with light from the rising sun... And I left her. I never saw her again. I don't know where she went. I don't even know if she's still alive."

The two seniors looked at each other. Mugi saw how determined Mio still was and feared greatly for her friend. What if she doesn't survive? What happens then? Do I just watch Mio… die?

Mio turned to the junior and asked what she thought was both on her and Mugi's minds.

"So I just jump from here?"

Azusa went deep into thought for a moment.

"No. I don't think so, senpais. I think it's not what that angel did but what her actions meant. I think… I think that her jumping, no, letting herself fall off the edge was like her opening herself up to physical pain. She made herself heavy and let herself hit the ground. She chose to be vulnerable; and being human means being vulnerable. She let go of her immortality by letting herself fall off a high place. She opened herself up to mortality. That was a physical manifestation of her choosing to live as a human… But I'm not really sure if this would work on you, Mio-senpai. That angel was a third sphere and belonged to the circle."

Mio nodded and understood what her junior meant. She knew her friends only wanted to be sure she would be safe after it all. But that was the thing, though. There was no way to be sure. She wanted this still; that, she was sure of. Her mind was made and she was not backing out. She can't lose this human. She told herself that she won't. But her hands still trembled and her knees still buckled. She was going through this but it was not without fears. Azusa saw the silent and sure, albeit nervous, 'yes' in her senior's eyes.

Mugi wrapped her arms around Mio all of a sudden. Mio was surprised but hugged back. Azusa joined in and hugged as tight as she could. They stayed there for a while and then loosened their grips and pulled back. Mio looked at her two friends and nodded.

"I'm ready."

Azusa and Mugi felt their hands start to tremble and both clenched them into fists. They were going to be strong for Mio. They could only imagine what the angel was going through so there was no room for selfishness here. There was no room for backing out. They could only proceed forward. They could only see this through the end. Mugi held one of Mio's hands and Azusa held the other. They walked with their friend to one of the edges of the building and helped Mio get on the thin ledge. Mio's feet barely fit and her toes felt the cold air of the night hit them. That didn't help with the jitters at all. She closed her eyes.

Open yourself up to pain. Mio told herself. Open yourself up to vulnerability. You're already open to human emotion. Now you only need to let yourself be mortal. Do this for love. Do this for her. Mio's eyes flew open with renewed determination. A wave of peace washed over her. She would do this. She would do this because living on for millennia, going back to this moment and regretting not risking everything for her love and happiness was unbearable. She would become human and she would make Ritsu fall in love with her and she would be happy. She would be far from perfect and she knew human life would be messy but she would be happy. Even if Ritsu didn't love her back, she would be happy and would have no regrets.

She turned around to face her friends and looked at them straight in the eyes.

"Thank you. Both of you thank you so much. I might not see both of you again after this, but know that I will never forget you."

She kissed her fingers and blew the kiss towards them, closed her eyes, and let herself fall off the ledge, her back to the unknown, and into whatever would happen next.

Mugi and Azusa watched their friend's image disappear from their view and knew that was their cue to blink themselves to the ground. Every second seemed to stretch for years. Will they be too late? Mio already fell past five floors. Will they be there too early and watch their friend crash on the ground? Ten floors already flew by. Was this a mistake? Fifteen floors, the number grew and grew; eighteenth, then twentieth. Oh, no… There were twenty five floors on this building.

Mio felt time run just as slow. She kept her eyes open. She saw the building grow taller and taller and then it suddenly loomed over her and she knew she was close to the ground, so close. She might become human, she might not. She might die from the fall or might cease to exist. She didn't know. She just held onto the hope that everything would turn out right.

Her friends appeared.

And then she hit the ground.

The Maker watched one of his favorite angels choose human life for the second time. He wondered how many more would follow. There was a pang and an ache at the loss of one of his most priced creations. Mio made Him proud. She was a good angel after all, much better than the normal ones.

Mio stood at the ledge and she tipped herself over and let go.

The Maker clenched his fists and gasped.

To be continued...

AN: The last two were, I admit, not the easiest chapters to write xD I couldn't even decide how to end this one. I still feel like this was too short but I can't continue on with the story just yet :P The rest to come are totally different with what you've read so far but I'll make sure it still gives of the same feeling. There will be more Ritsu and Yui. I miss them. xD I still have a few secrets that I have yet to reveal.

I have new ideas for oneshots and I honestly miss writing in the second person. While writing the last two chapters, I sometimes found myself starting a paragraph or sentece with 'you'. xDDD I want to try my hand at a little bit more humor and fluffiness, also. :D I was thinking of taking a day or two off before writing something again. :) Trust me when I say it won't last for a week. :P I'll be back before you guys know it. Thank you guys again for everything!

~pineapurus