Thank you to the few people who are actually reading this 'not very good' story! Especially those who actually reviewed it! Things get firey and hot!
Wish Upon A Wing
Fox Fire
Ryuu walked into the mirror room. The light from the giant mirror glowed dimly. The figure was sitting on his usual chair, staring at the fuzzy screen of the mirror.
"Ryuu," he said.
"Yes sir?" answered Ryuu.
"Where is she?" Ryuu paused.
I can't tell Master where SHE is otherwise he will not like it.
Ryuu cleared his throat.
"I'm afraid I haven't seen her today," he replied.
"Really?" asked the figure.
"...Yes."
Suddenly the mirror began to flicker and a picture began to shape; a pink hair girl running in the streets.
Amu ran along the streets.
"I swear I did set my alarm!" she grumbled, "Maybe I need a new alarm."
Her school shoes thumped against the pavement. The school grounds came into view.
"Nearly there!" gasped Amu.
Suddenly a walking figure came into view.
"WATCH OUT!" she screamed.
BAM!
Both Amu and the passerby lay sprawled on the ground.
"Ow...," groaned Amu as she rubbed her head.
"Geez, out of all the people it's you," said the passerby.
Amu looked up and froze, "Ikuto!"
Out in the barren plains, the hooded figure appeared. A cool breeze blew her hood around, along with some long strands of orange hair. Flower petals were also blown into her face.
"Spring," she muttered, "I hate spring."
The figure extended out a hand and a single flame appeared.
"Let's burn things up, shall we?"
Amu stared out of the window. She was thinking about what Ikuto had said after he helped her up.
"Be careful. Fire is coming."
The sky was blue decorated with cotton-like clouds.
Fire? There's no smoke and the weather is too nice for it to spark up flames.
"Psst. Amu."
Amu turned around to face Tadase.
"Concentrate," he hissed, "You don't want to get in trouble again."
Amu nodded and turned to face the front. But her mind was still pondering about the midnight blue hair boy's words.
Yuki looked up from his book. Outside his window, a wind chime was shaking under the force of the wind. He stood up and strolled over.
"She's coming..."
Kaneko looked up as well. She turned to a small brass stand with multiple arms branching out. On each arm dangled a different gem. Suddenly another arm appeared.
"An interference?" she muttered.
She stared out of the window. On the new arm dangled a blazing orange gem, glowing like a flame.
"Thank you Chie," said Amu as a plate of cake was placed in front of her.
Chie smiled and went off to serve the other customers. Amu stared out of the window. The setting sun caused the sky to look like it's on fire.
"Fire is coming...," she whispered.
"Pardon?" said Tadase.
Amu turned to him, "This morning," she explained, "I bumped into Ikuto. He said fire is coming."
Tadase's brow creased when he heard Ikuto's name.
"Fire?" repeated Tadase, "That's impossible. It's only spring."
Amu nodded in agreement, "I know. That's what I've been thinking."
Tadase picked up his cup and calmly sipped the tea.
"What I think is," he said, "Ikuto must have forgotten that we're still in spring."
Amu rested her chin in her hand.
"I guess...," she said but she was still unsure.
That night, Amu snuggled in her blanket. Ikuto hadn't come by and Shigeru was still working so she decided to go to sleep early, in hope to get up early. Amu closed her eyes and quickly drifted off into sleep.
In her dreams, she could hear crackling. Amu opened her eyes and gasped when she saw the burning tongues of fire. A hooded figure stood in the middle.
Ryuu?
But the hood was trimmed with orange. Blazing yellow eyes stared at Amu.
A female's voice echoed above the flames, "You'll pay for getting close to him!"
The heat of the flames grew more intense.
Amu backed away.
"Who are you?!" she cried.
But there was no answer, only the warning echoing.
"You'll pay..."
"Amu! Get up!"
Amu woke up with a jolt. Her hair was batted with sweat.
Shigeru's voice called again, "Amu! Come! Quickly!"
Amu quickly flung the blankets aside and rushed downstairs.
Shigeru was standing at the front door, staring outside. When Amu reached his side, she gasped. The smoke came, a haze of white at first, then billows, till the whole sky was pale grey.
"It's coming from the West," Shigeru muttered, peering from the window, after they finished their breakfast.
Amu remained quiet, remembering her dream.
"What are we going to do?" she whispered.
"Wait," replied Shigeru, "See how bad it becomes."
Amu shivered when she remembered the warning from her dream; you'll pay...
The day grew darker, though the smoke seemed no thicker in the sky. The shadows vanished, and the sun. The light seemed to come from everywhere, a strange unearthly glow.
Shigeru told her to change into her thickest trousers, a shirt and boots. Amu tied her long pink hair into a messy ponytail. Shigeru changed into something similar. He then handed her a green branch, thick with leaves.
"What do I do with this?" she asked.
But there was no time to answer, Shigeru quickly walked out of the house with Amu tagging along his heels.
"We need to pass Town Square in order to reach the west so come along," said Shigeru.
"Your Highness!" cried Emerald a green bird, fourth highest bird in the Bird Council.
Mia straightened up in her seat when she detected alarm in Emerald's voice.
"What is it, Emerald?"
"Fire!" Emerald gasped.
Mia looked at her in disbelief.
"Impossible," said Mia.
"It's true Your Highness!" replied Emerald.
A yellow bird called Saffron, third in the Bird Council, flew in.
"Flames are heading towards the Kingdom," she reported, "Residents are trying to fight the flames."
Mia thought for a moment.
"Let the residents fight," she said, "And hope for the best that the winds will change its course."
Amy could smell the fire now. She had expected it to smell like the cooking fire they had when they went camping. It didn't. It was just the lack of hot meat or flour. This was another smell, as though more than wood was burning.
The earth?
A sound crashed behind her. She turned, thinking it was a building or a branch that had fallen. But it was the wind. It had been still before. Now the air tumbled and howled like the monwolves Amu had encountered before. The smoke whirled in strange soft patterns, almost too fast to follow.
Flames were licking the edges of Town Square. Shigeru immediately lashed the flames with his branch. Amu was amazed that the firey tongues disappeared when the green came into contact. She quickly copied her brother's actions.
How did fire come into Town Square? thought Amu as she lashed at the flames.
Town Square is in the middle whereas the fire is coming from the west...
A sudden stamping noise broke her thoughts.
"Watch out for the sparks behind you," scolded Shigeru.
Amu nodded. After they cleared most of the flames Shigeru gave Amu a cup of water. She drank, and felt the water soothe her mouth and throat. Shigeru then suggested they should head out to the West quickly, to help other people. Amu shivered despite the heat, the West, the front lines.
Yuki stared at the reddish glow from the west from his window.
"She actually done it," he muttered, "She really did it."
His grip on the curtains tightened. Yuki turned away from the window and headed to his coat hanger. He grabbed his white hood and draped it over his shoulders. He stopped when he opened the door.
The air was filled with white ashes and small embers that the wind had blown. He turned to his right. Only the red flames were visible in the distance.
"This needs to stop."
"Hurry Amu!" called Shigeru.
The fire in the west was more intense.
"I'm coming!"
She stumbled after him. For a second she lost her footing, but felt strong hands helping her up.
"Tadase!" Amu gasped.
Tadase smiled, "Don't worry everyone's here."
Behind him were the rest of the friends carrying different equipment; Yaya and Kairi were holding branches, Rima and Nagi held buckets of water while Kukai had wet blankets draped over him.
"They made me carry these," he grumbled.
"We'll split into groups," said Tadase, taking charge, "I'll go with Amu. Rima, you're with Nagi."
Rima pulled a face.
"Yaya with Kairi. And Kuukai, you're strong enough to handle yourself, right?"
Kukai gave a thumbs-up.
"Good," said Tadase nodding, "Let's head out."
The plains had turned black. Time lost meaning. Her body seemed to vanish. There was only fire, snickering through the grass, leaping into the trees, flaring from branch to branch.
Her feet would hurt, if she let herself feel pain. Amu suspected the moistness in her boots was blood or broken blisters. The west wind brushed hot again against her face.
Tadase stuck close to her as they battered the fire with their branches. Suddenly flames leapt up and the heat increased.
"Yes...come to your death," hissed a soft voice.
Amu gasped.
The voice from my dreams!
Tadase covered his face with his arm.
"Amu-chan!" he choked.
There seemed to be no more air, only smoke. Amu struggled to beat the flames down. Suddenly, in front of her, a claw of fire lashed out at her. Amu jumped back, bumping into Tadase.
"Are you alright?" he gasped.
"T-The flames...the fire," stuttered Amu.
Maybe it's the smoke playing tricks on my eyes...
Suddenly the flames began to take shape. Tadase felt Amu stiffened next to him.
"What's wro-"
His voice trailed away when he turned around.
A fox made out of fire crouched before them, snarling. The heat from the burning flames intensifies. Both Amu and Tadase drew back as their faces felt like they were being cooked.
They started to clutch their throat, gasping for air. The fire fox began to circle around them ready to pounce and devour them.
Ryuu quietly walked into the mirror room. He had just returned from the garden. When he looked up, to see the mirror, he froze. On the mirror's glass surface, an image was playing; Amu and the blonde boy Ryuu attacked before were caught in the middle of a blazing fire. Ryuu had to dig his nails into his hand to keep him from running to the mirror.
"Amusing, isn't it?" said the figure who was watching the 'entertainment'.
Ryuu remained silent, his eyes glued on the screen. The fear, exhaustion and pain were clearly reflected in Amu's eyes. Ryuu bit his lip.
If this keeps going, they'll die from the heat and smoke!
He clenched his fist.
Please, someone, save her!
Her skin felt like it got a scorching sunburnt. The fire fox was still prowling around them. Amu placed her arm in front of her face, in attempt to shield it. She could feel beads of sweat running down her face. Tadase was struggling against the heat. Amu's throat felt dry as a desert.
We're going to die!
Standing in a ring of flames, the hooded figure smiled to herself.
"I've got you now," she whispered, "Hinamori Amu."
Against the blur of smoke, Amu could see the fire fox crouching, ready to leap at them.
This is it. This is the end.
Suddenly there were some cries. The fire fox immediately dropped to the ground like it was caught in a hunt men's sight. A cold breeze blew, causing the flames to die down into small flickering embers. Amu and Tadase looked up in surprise. The fire fox had disappeared.
This breeze could it be...
"Here they are!" called a voice.
Amu and Tadase turned around. There was Yuki in his white hood which was slightly black on the edges.
"Yuki!" called Amu.
Yuki turned and saw the pink-haired girl and smiled. Then he faced the plains with a sad expression. Then, with a wave, Yuki disappeared into a breeze of snowflakes. Two riders burst into the scenes on two stallions; a white and a black.
"There they are!" yelled one of them, "Are you alright?!"
It was Shigeru. Amu's throat was too dry to answer. Shigeru swung his arm down and helped her scramble up onto the horse's back in front of him.
"Tadase!" she called, and then saw the other rider; Ikuto, help him up.
She felt the horse move below her, and Shigeru's strong arm around her, as they cantered up a hill.
The hooded kneeled down onto the ground. Her hand was on the hard sandy ground.
She frowned, "... Yuki..."
Shigeru and Ikuto reined in front of a villager's house. A woman ran out and hurried Amu and Tadase inside. Shigeru slipped off the horse and followed them in.
Amu peeked over her shoulder and saw Ikuto, still on horseback, looking back at her. A flash of pink appeared on her cheeks as Amu quickly looked back. The woman led them to the kitchen where they sat and drank water, glass after glass.
"I wonder how the others are doing," said Amu when she finished her glass.
Tadase brought his glass down, "Hopefully they're alright."
Amu stood up and walked outside with Tadase behind her.
"Amu-chii!"
Yaya, Kairi, Rima, Nagi and Kukai were standing in front of the house, all covered in soot. Amu was about to run to them when she heard her brother.
"What are you doing?!"
She turned to her left. Ikuto had attached a glass orb of water to his saddle and was about to ride off when Shigeru stopped him.
"There's no use of fighting the fire at the edges," replied Ikuto, "We need to get to the heart."
Before Shigeru could protest, Ikuto dug his heels into the horse and they galloped off, disappearing into the smoke leaving the friends bewildered.
Amu grabbed a fresh branch from a pile.
"Come on, everyone!" she called to her friends, "We can't let Ikuto do this all by himself!"
The friends looked at each other and nodded. Yaya and Kairi rushed off to fill some buckets of water while Rima, Nagi and Kuukai grabbed some branches. Tadase seemed reluctant but he followed Amu's orders.
Amu, Tadase, Rima and Nagi ran out into the smoke while Yaya, Kairi and Kukai stayed and worked hard to keep the flames at bay. As Amu beat the flames, she looked out to the west.
Ikuto… you better be alright.
The hooded was crouching with her hand still on the ground.
"Pitiful things," she muttered, "Do you really think you can take out my fire by beating some flimsy bit of greenery and throwing buckets of water?"
Suddenly there was a rumbling sound rushing to the direction of the fire ring. A black stallion and its rider burst through the flames. The figure quickly got to her feet.
The rider slipped off the horse's back. His midnight blue hair stood out from the orange glow. He stared straight at her. She smirked. The flames, around them seemed to engulf both of them up.
Amu wiped her face with her hand, aware that she might be smearing more soot on her face. The fire had become more intense as if it was fighting them. After waving away a burning leaf, Amu returned to focusing on fighting the fire.
Suddenly the fire began to behave strangely. The flames went up and down. Amu sensed her friends were surprised as she was. Then a wind blew from behind her.
Amu sworn she heard a faint scream being carried by the wind. Then, with a quiver, the flames disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only small flickering tongues of fire. Amu blinked.
What just happened?
"Your Highness!"
Emerald flew and landed in front of Mia.
"How's the fire, Emerald?" inquired Mia.
"Well," panted Emerald, "Amazingly, it stopped! There's only a small amount of fire still left."
"What do you mean it 'stopped'?" asked Mia.
"It just disappeared!" said Emerald, waving her green wings in the air.
"If that's the case," muttered Mia.
She turned and nodded to Sapphire, fifth place of the Bird Council. Sapphire nodded back then took flight, out of the window.
Sapphire flew over the kingdom. Then she gave a shrill that echoed throughout the area. Suddenly gray clouds started to move across the sky. Sapphire flew back into the palace.
Amu felt a drop of wetness splash across her cheek. She held out her hand and another drop fell onto it.
"It's raining!" cried Nagi.
The friends watched in silence. The sun was still shining, causing the raindrops to become gold. The friends headed back, towards the village.
"Amu-chii! Tadase! Rima! Nagi!" called Yaya, waving franticly.
Yaya was the only one out of the group who wasn't exhausted. A rather sweaty and tired-looking Shigeru joined the group, with a tired smile on his face. That was when Amu noticed something, or rather someone, was missing.
"Where's Ikuto?" she asked.
Shigeru turned to his sister.
"He hasn't returned," replied Shigeru.
Amu turned to the west.
"Amu-chan?" said Tadase, "Are you coming with us? We're going to the café to rest."
"No. I'm alright," said Amu with her eyes still on the west, "I'll rest here."
Tadase said nothing as he turned and left.
Amu sat down on a warm rock in the plains. The sun was setting and the golden rain came down heavily. Soon Amu's pink hair clung to her face but there was no sign of her guardian.
Please, please be alive she prayed.
But there was no answer and the rain continued to fall.
Water swirled around Zina's glass coffin. Ebony and Pearl were sleeping soundly with their heads tucked under their wings. The secret chamber was silent. Zina's body glowed in a soft light.
Two members of his court has stepped out of the darkness, and attacked the Positive Wing. Now, only one remained in the darkness. Or… he himself will step out…
Amu looked up. There, on the horizon, was a figure slowly walking to her direction.
Could it be? Yes! It is!
Amu leapt of the rock and ran to the figure's direction. Ikuto was walking slowly while leading his horse by the reins.
"Ikuto!"
He looked up and saw the pink-haired girl running towards him. He stopped.
"You're alive!" cried Amu when she reached him, "Are you alright?"
"Yes. I'm fine," was the tired reply.
Ikuto walked pass her, with his horse behind him.
Why? Why did that girl wait for me?
Amu smiled and followed him from behind. That was when she saw it, that made her smile disappeared. She didn't see from the front. The back of Ikuto's shirt was ripped, exposing his skin. On his skin were burns in the shape of claw marks.
"Ikuto!" cried Amu, "What happened to your back?!"
"Oh, that's nothing," he muttered.
She ran up and grabbed his arm. Ikuto looked at her, in surprise.
"Once you return that horse," she said firmly, "Let me treat your back."
Ikuto bit his lip, "Fine," he muttered.
Ryuu leaned against the windowsill, gazing at the bleak landscape. Suddenly he heard stomping. He turned to his left and stiffened. The hooded figure marched up the corridor, dripping wet.
"What happened?" asked Ryuu.
The figure ripped off her hood, revealing a young woman with blazing orange hair clinging to her face. She had fox ears on her head.
"Curse that black cat!" she spat as she threw something to Ryuu.
He caught it. It was an empty glass orb.
"A water orb?" said Ryuu. (A/N: a water orb is a glass orb that contains a large amount of water than the orb can hold. For example, the orb is the size of a watermelon, that 'watermelon' can fill an Olympic swimming pool)
"That cat poured the whole contents on me and my fire!" shrieked the woman. "
Calm down, Kitsune," said Ryuu.
Kitsune stomped off with Ryuu following her.
"Let me help you," demanded Ryuu.
"I don't need your help!" snapped Kitsune.
"Kitsune."
"What?!" Kitsune cried, turning around.
As she turned around, a towel landed on her face.
"Dry yourself with that or you'll catch a cold," said Ryuu.
Grumbling, Kitsune did as she was told.
"Where would Ikuto get a water orb?" pondered Ryuu.
"From that damn witch," replied Kitsune.
"Kaneko?" said Ryuu, "Then he must have paid a price."
"Of course he paid a price," grumbled Kitsune as she walked, with the towel over her head, "Anything you want or any wish you want to grant from her, you must pay a price."
Kitsune opened the door to her room. Ryuu was about to go in when Kitsune stopped him.
"Don't even think about it," she smirked, "I'm getting changed."
Then she slammed the door in his face.
"Do you always get yourself hurt?" asked Amu as she rubbed a blue ointment on Ikuto's burns.
He said nothing.
"First, it was the gun shot, then the monwolves' bites and now burns!" cried Amu.
"You know," said Amu, her voice softer now, "Instead of charging into danger by yourself, you can ask for help."
Ikuto turned to face her.
"I was worried about you when you didn't return."
Ikuto looked away, "I don't ask for help because people get in the way," he answered.
Then, with a smirk planted on his face, he turned around.
"Like you," he said.
"Since when did I get in your way?!" cried Amu, her face was pink.
"Yesterday morning," Ikuto replied.
Amu stiffened at the memory.
"I was casually walking," continued Ikuto, "When suddenly, out of nowhere, a pink-haired girl crash into me."
"More like YOU got in MY way!" argued Amu.
Ikuto raised his eyebrows, "Who's telling the story here?" he asked.
Shigeru looked up at the ceiling where the shouting and crashing were coming from.
"So much for peace and quiet," he muttered.
After they settled down, Amu began wrapping bandages around Ikuto's back.
"How did you get these strange burns?" she asked.
Ikuto stiffened at the question.
"A… An animal attacked me," he mumbled.
"An animal?" repeated Amu, "In a fire?"
"It's… not your normal day animal," muttered Ikuto.
Suddenly Amu remembered the claw of fire and the fire fox.
Is that what Ikuto meant? Did he encounter whatever caused the fire?
"Did you fight it?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"So did you use your Amulet?" There was a pause.
"I… lost my Amulet," he replied.
"What?!" cried Amu, "How could you lose it?!" shrieked Amu.
Ikuto sighed and closed his eyes. He remembered what happen the day before.
(Flashback)
"You want a water orb?" repeated Kaneko. She was sitting at her desk while Ikuto was sitting on a chair in the sitting room.
"Yes," Ikuto said, his voice was firm.
"Why would you need a water orb?" she asked.
"An interference will occur," replied Ikuto, "One that involves fire."
Kaneko stared hard at him, "You well know that if you want something from me, you need to pay a price."
"I'm well aware of that," he replied.
"Alright. Your price," she closed her eyes, "is your Amulet." Ikuto was slightly taken back.
"I have a feeling you don't need it, judging by the… state you are in," said Kaneko as she slowly open her eyes.
Ikuto sighed and fished his Amulet out of his pocket and held it out to Kaneko. The Amulet glowed then flew out of Ikuto's hand and into Kaneko's open palm.
She then turned and walking into a small archway with curtains hanging down. A minute later, she came out with a glass orb, size of a watermelon, containing water.
"Here," she said, holding it out, "Take it."
Ikuto took the orb, "Thank you, Kaneko."
"Use it wisely," was her last words before he left.
(End of flashback)
Amu finished tying the bandages. Ikuto was about to grab his ripped, black shirt when she stopped him.
"Don't wear that," she said, "Hang on."
She went out of the room for a few minutes then returned with a neatly folded white shirt in her hands.
Amu held it out to him, "Here," she said, "Wear this instead. This is Onii-chan's old shirt. He doesn't wear it anymore so you can keep it."
Ikuto stared at the white shirt. Then he took it. Ikuto stood up and slipped his arm through the sleeves. After he buttoned it up, Amu smiled to herself.
Hey... Ikuto doesn't too bad in white.
"What are you staring at?" asked Ikuto, staring suspiciously at her.
Amu blushed, "Nothing at all!" Ikuto brought the collar to his nose and breathed into the fabric.
"It smells like it's just been washed," he said.
Amu blinked then she caught on. "Oh!" she said, "That's because I wash it."
Ikuto smiled, "That nice… you still wash your brother's clothes, even though he doesn't wear it anymore… what a nice family." Amu stared at him. Ikuto looked so far away.
Although he's saying really nice things, there's a sad look in his eyes. Why?
"Amu!" called Shigeru from downstairs, "You have a guest!"
"Wait here," Amu said to Ikuto, "I'll be back."
She turned and left the bedroom. Ikuto looked out of Amu's balcony window. Amu ran down the stairs. There, standing at the front door, was Tadase. He smiled when he saw Amu.
"Sorry to disturb you," he said.
Amu blushed, "No! It's…er…fine!"
Tadase held out a small cardboard box.
"Masayoshi prepared this for you," he said, "its prawn and avocado sandwiches."
Amu's face lit up with a smile, "Wow! Thanks Tadase!"
Tadase blushed, "It's alright."
Shigeru came up from behind her, "Good some food. I'm too tired to cook. Would you like to eat with us, Hotori-kun?"
Tadase smiled politely, "If it's alright with you," he replied.
Amu then had an idea.
"Wait here!" she said then ran up the stairs.
"Ikuto!" she called when she entered the room, "Would you like to-"
Her voice trailed off. The room was empty and the balcony door was open, with the curtains flying in the wind.
"Ikuto…"
Ikuto walked beneath the starry sky. He stopped to look at the twinkling lights in long stretch of black velvet. The moon shone brightly, bathing everything in a soft white glow. Being exposed to light, Ikuto's right eye grew pale.
"I'm sorry Amu," he whispered, "I didn't mean to worry you…but you're just a fragment of my plan."
Kitsune kneeled before the figure with Ryuu standing behind her.
"Do you know what you have done?" muttered the figure.
His voice was soft but dangerous.
"I-I'm terribly sorry," said Kitsune.
She was aware the danger in his voice.
"But," she continued, "I was merely following your orders; to rid that girl and strip the Positive Tsubasa off her. But I failed," she added, slightly trembling.
There was an awful pause. Ryuu shifted uncomfortably.
"Yes," spoke the figure, "You were merely following my orders but…" he voice turned harsh, "You just made yourself known!"
Kitusune flinched, her ears drooping.
"If the princess had detected your presence, she'll be onto us in a flash!" growled the figure.
Kitsune bit her lip. The figure settled down.
"Let's just hope that princess is blind as we think she is."
Yuki placed his quill back in its pot. He had just finished writing a letter. Yuki carefully folded it and placed it in an envelope. He then dribbled some hot wax on the envelope flap and gently pressed a seal onto the soft wax. When the seal came away, there on the surface of the wax was a curly 'Y'.
"A report to her," he muttered.
Yuki looked up, out of his window. The village's light glowed in the distant.
"Although I have a feeling," said Yuki, "I'll be writing lots of reports to her…This year, the Kingdom will face a lot of changes."
To be continued…
And that's that! Here's a question: Why do you think Kitsune was so angry at Amu? R&R!