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Chapter Five

An Act of Friendship

When she came to, Guardian looked up at the faces that stared back at her with fear and worry. She sat up and fumbled with her necklace for a bit, then she concentrated on it and soon she looked at Ed and Fallin's faces. "Guardian!" Fallin exclaimed. "What happened? Why am I in Amestris?" Guardian shrugged, looking faint. "I have no idea whatsoever, Fallin." Fallin looked down into her lap.

"The last thing I remember was having this strange dream where the Homunculi Pride and Envy had you all trapped and Envy was about to... to..." she began, then started sobbing again. Ed wrapped his arms around her. "Shh. It's gonna be alright," he whispered to her. Guardian looked shocked. "That's the same dream I had except our roles were reversed!" she exclaimed. Fallin's eyes grew wide and she rubbed the back of her neck nervously. Then Fai stepped forward.

"Would you let me see your tattoo, Fallin?" he asked. Fallin shook her head, rubbing the spot where it used to be. "Uhm… well, actually, it's gone. I don't know what happened." Everyone looked shocked but Fai. "That's what I thought. You must've been so worked up over your friend's torture that you unconsciously called upon the tattoo's power and chose to come back to Amestris. Your emotional levels not only wiped out the tattoo's power but shattered the pendant as well," he spoke wisely. "What?" Kurogane snapped.

"How do we get her back here and restore her tattoo's power?" Syaoran asked Fai. Now Fallin chimed in. "I'll head back to Ranger HQ here in Amestris. They have me on file as one of the Rangers who needs a tattoo. And they have Ed as a witness. As for the pendant, can you get another from Yuko?" she asked. Fai looked up in thought.

"Hmm. I don't know. Yuko-san always demands high prices." As if on cue, Mokona sprung up an image of Yuko. "I can get you a new pendant, Fallin," the witch said. "But your price? Your price is your freedom of movement. From now on, the only places you can go are Clow, Amestris, and that Japan. Even if Syaoran and his friends pop up in another Ranger dimension, you cannot go there." Fallin's eyes widened at that realization, but then she smiled. "As long as I can visit the hosts and Edward, I'll be alright. I accept."

Guardian opened her mouth to protest, but Yuko held up the pendant and sent it through Mokona to the group in Japan. "You'll get it when you get back to Japan, Fallin-chan," Fai teased, holding up the pendant. Fallin took hold of Ed's hand. "Let's get some sleep, but tomorrow I'm getting that tattoo back. Bye, Guardian, bye everyone, I'll see you all tomorrow for sure."

"Okay, make sure you get rest, Fallin. No more nightmares, okay?" Guardian said. Fallin nodded, resting her head on Ed's chest. "I won't. Ed will scare 'em all away. I should be saying the same for you, Guardian. You don't look so good. Visit one of Kyoya's family doctors. Bye!"

As the transmission faded away, Guardian just sat on her bed, Fai and Kurogane next to her. She told the others to get some rest before the next day came and not to worry about her or what had just happened. They nodded then slipped back into their beds before falling fast asleep. But Guardian didn't go to sleep. Everything that had happened over the past several minutes suddenly washed over her like a wave and she started to cry, unable to cope with the situation any other way.

Fai looked at Kurogane and the warrior nodded. The mage nodded back before taking Guardian into his arms once more. The little alchemist held onto Fai and cried into his chest, half-caring that she was ruining his shirt with her tears, as he stroked her back comfortingly and Kurogane softly patted her head. Guardian cried for a long time before she was finally reduced to dry sobs, her tears now finally spent, and just laid her head on Fai's chest. The mage wiped the tears away from her eyes and just held her close. Kurogane sat next to them, concern for Guardian apparent in his red eyes.

"Are you all right, Guardian?" Fai gently asked her. Guardian shook her head 'no' and took in a shaky breath before answering him. "No. I'm glad that Fallin was able to get a new pendant, but Yuko's price for it was so steep. Now Fallin can't travel to all of the worlds that the others and I can go to. It's not fair, Fai," she told the mage before her body started to tremble and new tears formed in her eyes. "It's not fair to her. Now Fallin can't come with me on missions other than to Amestris, Clow, and the Japan we're in. But Yuko doesn't understand... I need her. Fallin's my best friend. My partner! We've always gone on missions together as a team. Now she can't come with me... It's like my right arm has been cut off... like the light has completely vanished from my sight, leaving only darkness in its stead. I would give Yuko anything for her freedom to travel to the other worlds with me and the others."

Then Guardian started to cry once more, but this time she felt faint. Kurogane noticed this and felt her forehead and cheeks with one hand before pulling it back again. Guardian was burning up like a furnace, her skin dewy with sweat, and her cheeks were bright red. Fai noticed this, too, and felt Guardian shiver as if she was cold, but her body was radiating heat. The magician looked up at Kurogane, concern and fear apparent in his blue orbs, before the warrior nodded and went to grab a few things to help Guardian.

Before long, Kurogane came back with a glass of water, a bowl filled with cold water, and a cloth. Fai took the cup from Kurogane and held it to Guardian's lips. The little Light Alchemist drank the water gratefully and the cool liquid soothed her parched throat from crying so long that night. When she finished, panting lightly, Fai put the empty glass on the ground next to her bed and lay Guardian down on her bedding, pulling the sheets over her. The mage stroked Guardian's brown locks with a hand, soothing her, as Kurogane dipped the cloth in the water in the bowl, wrung it out, and placed it on the little alchemist's burning forehead.

Guardian closed her eyes with a sigh as the cool cloth helped sooth her fever before opening her eyes again. But her eyelids started to droop and Fai knew that she was trying to stay off sleeping. The magician shook his blonde head and ran a hand through Guardian's hair. "Get some rest, Guardian. You need it to get better. And don't worry. Kurgie and I will be right beside you as you sleep."

Guardian smiled weakly at Fai before finally giving into a sleep free from nightmares. Fai sighed softly, still gazing at his young friend's sleeping face. "She's suffered so much, Kurgs. But someone as pure and full of light as Guardian shouldn't have to suffer so much."

Kurogane looked up at Fai and the mage looked back up at him, his blue eyes betraying his sorrow for Guardian. The look in the magician's eyes cut Kurogane to the heart. Fai had never acted this way, but somehow Guardian had made a significant crack into his soul. She had become like a little sister to the magician... something he'd never had before.

Kurogane placed a hand on Fai's thin shoulder, a determined look in his red eyes. "Guardian had a good idea of what the road she has decided to take would lead her on. She knew that there would be dangers and that there might be pain, but she decided to take the path anyway to help others and to help her friends."

Fai smiled...a real smile this time...and nodded his head. Then he stroked Guardian's brown locks, smiling when Guardian smiled in her sleep, knowing that her dream was a happy one. "You're right, Kurgs. And I know that Guardian wouldn't give anything to choose a different path and destiny than the one unfolding before her."

xXx

Fai woke up the next morning with the sun and stretched his arms up over his head. Then he heard something that made his heart sink. He turned to Guardian and gasped when he noticed that her cheeks were flushed bright red with fever while the rest of her skin was very pale and her hair and skin were damp with sweat. She was also panting for breath and shaking uncontrollably.

"Guardian!" Fai breathed before he placed a hand upon her forehead before pulling it back suddenly in surprise. She was burning up as if she were in an oven, but she was shivering as if she had stayed the entire night in a snow bank. Something was wrong. "Kurogane! Wake up!"

"Wha... It's too early, wizard. Go back to sleep," Kurogane said tiredly when he realized that Fai had used his real name not one of his silly little nicknames. Something wasn't right. Kurogane sat up in bed and was about to ask Fai what was wrong before he noticed Guardian's shaking form. She had gotten worse since last night. Kurogane then got up and woke up Bekah-chan while Fai looked after Guardian and told her that Guardian needed a doctor and soon. Bekah-chan knew from one look at her friend's face that Kurogane was right and went in search of a phone.

When she finally found a phone, Bekah-chan called Tamaki and told him what was going on with Guardian. Tamaki told her that he would call Kyoya and get a doctor for Guardian as soon as they could, hopefully within the next couple of hours at the least. Bekah-chan thanked him and hung up before going back to the Ranger room again.

Fai hadn't left Guardian's side once since Bekah-chan left, holding Guardian's hand to try to comfort her. Kurogane was sitting beside Fai in an armchair, vigilantly watching over Guardian. Sakura sat next to Guardian, opposite of Fai, and was stroking Guardian's damp hair in order to sooth her. Syaoran was sitting next to the princess and Mokona was in Syaoran's arms, tears in the corners of its eyes. Yami had gone to get them all some food and broth for Guardian. It would be a while before the doctor came.

Guardian felt like she was on fire because of her fever even though her body was shaking as though she were in an icebox because of the aches and pains that kept racking her body over and over. Guardian had gotten sick before, but it hadn't been anything like this.

Tears rolled down her face from her closed eyes as the aches and pains washed over her in waves again, her body trembling. "...Fai..." she gasped as the next wave of pain came over her and she gripped the magician's hand tighter. Fai felt helpless as he watched Guardian battle with her fever. Guardian had told him that she didn't want Fai to heal her, that the fever needed to run its course through her body. But still...he wanted to heal her...wanted to save her from the pain and discomfort she was in. Then suddenly sorrowful tears started flowing unbidden from the mage's blue eyes to the floor and his mind started to wander to his past.

"It's all...a calamity that...you brought upon us. The birth of you two...was the start of all the sorrow and misfortune in this country. ...Live...and attempt to atone for your sin." Fai could hear the last words that the King of his birth country said to him ring through his mind. The words were deafening to the point that Fai thought that he might lose his sanity.

Is it a sin...just to be born? Fai thought to himself, looking at his hands with wide eyes. Is it a sin...to be born as twins? We were born! It wasn't our fault that we were born together!

Then the mage looked at Guardian's flushed face, knitted brow, and closed eyes as she gasped for breath... and a thought crept to the fore from the darkest corners of his mind.

The curse of the twins.

Fai's eyes widened and more tears ran down his cheeks in sorrow. Had the curse of being a twin come back to haunt him...and bring his friends, the ones he loved dearly, pain and suffering? This made Fai hang his head in shame and guilt, tears flowing freely from his closed eyes.

Guardian heard Fai's faint sobs and opened her eyes tiredly. She looked up at him and felt her own eyes well with tears. Guardian hadn't seen Fai this sorrowful before...not since when she played Stand in the Rain.

What can I do to comfort him? Guardian thought to herself then she knew. She extended a shaky hand and placed it on Fai's right cheek. Feeling the hand upon his cheek, Fai opened his eyes and looked at Guardian. She smiled weakly at him, wiping the tears from his face, and said, "I'm going to be fine, Fai. It's probably just a bacterial infection or just a cold. I get a cold every year, so it's not anything new. I'll be all right."

Fai nodded and closed his eyes again, nuzzling his cheek into Guardian's hand a bit and placing his hand upon hers. Guardian smiled a little bit then Mokona suddenly cuddled into Guardian's cheek and the crook of her neck, making her laugh and take her hand away from Fai's face. The gang watched the sight and smiled, starting to laugh a little bit as well. "Mokona! That tickles! Stop!" Guardian laughed, squirming a little bit, before her pendant glowed bright gold and an image of Fallin, Ed, and her dear friend Mr. Marshall appeared.

"Hey, Guardian!" Fallin said before her face fell at the sight of her friend's flushed face damp with sweat. "Are you all right? You look worse than you did last night." Guardian nodded and sat up slowly with Fai holding her weakened body up so that she could talk to Fallin. "I'm alright, Fallin. I think that I've caught a bug or something. Bekah-chan called Tamaki and he told her that he would talk to Kyoya about a doctor."

Fallin nodded, relieved, and Mr. Marshall stepped forward with a smile. "It's been a while since I've seen you last, Guardian. You look as lovely and lively as ever." Guardian blushed and hid her face in both hands. "Marshall!" she whined, making Marshall, Fallin, and Ed laugh heartily. Then they all enjoyed a pleasant conversation with each other and catching up.

xXx

That night, Fai and Kurogane lounged around Guardian, watching over her to make sure her condition didn't worsen. Then they flinched as light exploded in the dark room and rainbow threads of light spun around an enchanted circle. Fai smiled, knowing what was to happen next. The light faded and Fallin looked back at them, eyes shining, still in her Amestrian gear. Her hair appeared mussed, as though she had just gotten out of bed, which she probably had in Amestris. Fai smirked. Of course she wanted to get back here as soon as she could. She grinned.

"Hey, guys, I'm back," she called as she flung herself into Fai's waiting arms. She held the mage tightly then stepped back and shuffled over to Kurogane, standing on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders, grinning ear to ear. Kurogane smiled a rare smile, wrapping Fallin in a giant bear hug, causing her to squeal quietly. When he released her, she flew to Guardian's side.

"Guardian," she whispered. "I'm back, darlin'." She placed her hand on Guardian's forehead. "Fai, she's burning up!" she hissed. Fai's blue eyes turned sad and he knelt down to her. "Yes, I know. Kurgs and I have been trying to get her to rest, she needs it. Oh, and I do believe this belongs to you, dear," Fai said, pulling the pendant out of his pocket and putting it on for her. She looked at it in wonder, fingering it and twisting it this way and that. Then she rose and stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

"What's that all about?" Kurogane asked. "Oh, she's probably gone to call Edward, of course." Fai whispered, stroking Guardian's hair.

xXx

Fallin sat on the floor and called Ed with her pendant. When their transmission opened, Fallin saw Ed was still in bed. She grinned, chuckling to herself. She had gotten up early that morning just so she could get back to Japan as soon as she could. "Edward," she said softly. "Wake up, love. I'm back in Japan." With this he stirred slightly, and when he saw Fallin he grinned.

"Well, I'm glad, beautiful. What time is it there?" She looked around for a clock. "I can't tell, but it's definitely nighttime." Ed nodded. "Well, how are you feeling? From the look of your hair, I'd say it was a rough trip," he said, laughing to himself.

"Oh, shut up. I just didn't feel like brushing it before I left," Fallin said, self-consciously pulling her blue-black hair back, all except for her long bangs covering her left eye. "But," she continued, "Guardian's got a fever and I don't know what to do." Ed's eyes turned sad for a minute before reassuring her that Guardian's strong will would get her through the fever. Fallin nodded, then waved goodbye before going back to Guardian's room.

xXx

The next morning, Guardian was feeling slightly better, and she sat up weakly. "Mokona? Could you contact Yuko for me? I need to speak with her." The others looked at Guardian in shock, but Mokona just nodded and projected an image of Yuko. Yuko looked at Guardian and said, "You wished to speak with me, Guardian?"

Guardian nodded. "I do, Yuko. I...I need to ask you for something," Guardian said before taking a deep breath. Fai could tell that she was trembling, but didn't know why she was. "I will pay the price for Fallin's freedom to move about the worlds again."

The others were shocked at Guardian's request and started to protest against it, especially Fallin. "Guardian, I chose to give up my freedom to get a new pendant. It was my choice to make."

"And it is also my choice to give you back your freedom," Guardian told Fallin sternly, looking into her friend's ice blue eyes. Fallin knew from one look in Guardian's eyes that her mind was made up and she nodded in defeat. "All right, Guardian. If that's what you want to do."

"It is, Fallin. You're my friend, my partner, and I don't ever want to leave you behind. I want you by my side, traveling to other worlds, like you always have. That is my only wish." Yuko nodded and said to Guardian, "There will be a price for what you are asking me, young Alchemist."

"I know there is. Nothing comes without a price, but please let me name what I will offer. I will give up part of the end of my life in exchange for Fallin's freedom." Fallin's eyes widened and Fai was ready to protest when Yuko spoke again. "Very well, Guardian. I will take away one year from your old age in exchange for Fallin's freedom of movement. You won't live quite as long as your God planned for you to live, but you will live to be an old woman and see your children and grandchildren grow up."

Guardian nodded in agreement. This is what she had wanted to give from the start. Yuko held out her hand and a tiny ball of light left Guardian's chest and settle into Yuko's awaiting palm. The little alchemist swayed as she felt a year of her life leave her body and would have collapsed to the floor if Fai hadn't caught her. The mage held her until her eyes fluttered open again. Guardian sat up and nodded at Fai with a small grin, telling him that she would be okay. Guardian looked up at Yuko and the witch nodded at her before saying her farewells to the gang. Mokona shut off the projection and hopped over to Guardian, nuzzling into the nape of her neck. Guardian just smiled and held Mokona close, Fai putting a hand on Guardian's shoulder with a grin.

Guardian is truly a very special girl, Fai thought to himself. A kind, compassionate, and loyal girl, willing to do anything for her friends.

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