｢Chapter 27 ｣
'Exactly a year. Today is the day. The day where you have left us, me and Misa, for an exact year. Maker, how are you doing up there? Are you watching over me every moment? Are you watching over Misa every moment of her life.' Fighter thought as she stared at the white rose she held in her right hand. "This white rose is for you Maker." Fighter said out softly to no one in particular. She reached down to the pouch that she always carries around and pulled something out. Maker's star brooch. 'I still miss you this day. Maker. The only way I could see you right now is only to look at the star brooch.'
"Fighter." Serenity came into Fighter's room and called out.
"How's your date with Kurotsuki-san?" Fighter asked as she kept the star brooch away, not wanting Serenity to know that she was thinking of Maker again. That was because each time when Serenity knew that Fighter was missing Maker, she would start blaming herself for everything.
"I've saw it, Fighter. You don't have to keep that away." Serenity stated. "I'm sorry." She continued quietly.
Fighter looked down on the table. "You don't have to. I've made part of that decision. I was the partial cause. If only I was stronger, determined and certained about my choice then, probably all these will not happen." Fighter argued stubbornly as she closed her eyes. 'I need to change the topic, if not . . . I guess I will break down soon.' Fighter shook her head at the thought and looked up at Serenity. "I heard Kurotsuki-san had proposed to you. So how?"
"I guessed not so soon. We just announced out the truth of our marriage. I need to gain the trust of the people again before thinking about all these stuffs." Serenity answered, with slight redness running across her cheeks.
'It's good that you've found someone who loves you in one heart. I used to have a soft spot for you. If back then, you are not bounded by your destiny, I guessed my heart will be the all occupied by you. But things had change. She had slowly taken up the space you took. That was out of my expectation.' Fighter thought. "I agree. You can't rush these things."
"Fighter, so will you be returning to Kinmoku?" Serenity asked as she sat beside Fighter.
"I guessed so. Misa missed Kinmoku." Fighter answered quietly. "I missed bickering with Healer as well I guessed. That elf had decided that she should stay back with Ouhi. What a traitor is she." Fighter said jokingly, trying to liften up the atmosphere between the two of them.
Serenity giggled softely, appreciating Fighter's effort to cheer her up. "Kouie is going to miss you so much." Serenity stated.
"I'm going to miss that little pig as well." 'Piggy ~' Maker's voice rang in Fighter's mind. She smiled softly at the thought of the nickname Maker gave her when she decided to sleep in. "Serenity, I think you should change the name of Kouie, since the truth is already out."
"No Fighter. It's because of you that I can pull through those hard times, to bring her to earth. Without you, I'm not sure where Kouie would be now. She's always going to be my Kouie, to remember you and your efforts, your sacrifices to me, Fighter." Serenity insisted.
Fighter just nodded her head slightly.
"How's the things between you and Misa now?" Serenity asked with concern.
"She's starting to be a little cheerful now. I think when we get back to Kinmoku, she would be better." Fighter replied. 'I just hope that she would open up more to me. She's just like a mini Maker. You will never understand what's going through her mind.'
"Has – she acknowledge you?" Serenity continued asking.
Fighter shook her head. "I think she needs more time. If she do not want to do so, I would not force her as well. I just want her to grow up normally." 'I think she hates me, hates me for being such an indecisive person, hates me for causing the struggles her Mama suffered in the past 7 years, hates me causing Maker's death.'
"Fighter, don't worry too much about that. I think she will understand. She's such a clever girl, isn't her? She will understand." Serenity encouraged as she placed an encouraging hand on Fighter's shoulder.
"Thanks, Serenity." Fighter continued. "I think I'll go inform Misa that we will be going back to Kinmoku." Fighter stood up from her chair and walked towards the door.
"Misa?" Fighter called out as she knocked against Misa's room door. "Can I come in?"
"Yes." The short and curt reply sounded from the inside of the room.
"Misa." Fighter started. "We are going back to Kinmoku tomorrow." Fighter informed.
Misa looked shockly at Fighter. "Why?"
"You wanted to go back, didn't you? You miss Riko and Hishi, don't you?" Fighter answered as she tried to held on Misa small hand.
Misa flicked Fighter's hand away. "When I wanted to stay on Kinmoku, you dragged my feet all the way to Earth. Now when I found my reason to stay here, there you are, having the intention to drag me back to Kinmoku. I'm not going back." Misa stated bluntly.
"Why Misa?" Fighter was confused. She could not understand the rejection of idea of going home.
"Because I can see Mama here."
'Maker?'
"Let's go and see, Mimi." Misa suggested as she dragged Fighter out of the room, out of crystal palace.
'Maker? Impossible. Impossible.' Fighter was so lost in her world, that she missed Misa's first acknowledgment of Fighter as her mother. Misa had always wanted to call Fighter 'Mimi' But she was afraid. Afraid of Fighter's rejection. She felt so bad for treating Fighter so badly. She wanted to be good to her. But she was afraid. Afraid of losing. She was afraid about the pain she would feel if she allow her heart to grow fondness for Fighter.
Fighter and Misa sat at one corner of the café, looking at the back view which Misa claimed to be her Mama. Fighter was getting worried for Misa. "Misa. Maker had left us. It's impossible that that is her. We are really going back." Fighter was afraid that the 'Maker' Misa saw was her hallucination from her grieve for the lost of Maker.
"No! Look! Please believe in me. It's not my hallucination. It's real." Misa pleaded.
And the lady that Misa was talking about turned over, calling out to someone at the door of the café.
"Hikari!"
That voice struck Fighter frozen. Fighter released her grip on Misa, and turned over to the lady.
"Kiko!"
'No. That's not Maker. That's not.' Fighter tried to convince her mind. Fighter continued to stare. She had lost count of how long had she been staring at the 'Kiko' lady, observing her every actions and expressions.
"Excuse me." A familiar voice sounded, bring Fighter back into the reality world. Misa linked her arms with Fighter, slightly frightened at the lady in front of them. 'She really look so much like Mama.' Misa thought.
"May I take a seat?" The lady asked.
Fighter nodded her head, still unable to react well from the sudden event that had happened.
"Is this your daughter? She looked so much like you and she has your eyes." The women commented, causing Fighter and Misa to look at each other.
"She's my daughter. Thank you for the compliment." Fighter replied stupidly.
"Can I ask a question?"
"Su-re." Fighter shuttered a little at her response.
"Do we know each other?" The lady asked frankly, with her violet eyes looking at the clear blue orbs of Fighter. Fighter turned away from the glaze.
"Sorry. I don't think so. You just look like someone that we knew. Sorry for staring at you." Fighter replied quickly, just audibly.
"Knew?" The lady questioned at the choice of tense Fighter used.
"She's no longer around." Fighter looked down on the table,
"Sorry about that."
"It's okay." Fighter assured. "It's time for us to get going. We're really sorry about the awkwardness you felt from our staring." Fighter apologised once more. "Come on, Misa, let's go back." Fighter tugged Misa a little, signalling her to get out of her seat faster. Fighter just want to get out of this place as fast as she could. Any more moment spent with the Maker look-a-like was going to drive her real crazy.
Misa allowed Fighter to drag her along. She knew that that was not her mother. But she wished that she could see her every day. "Can we don't leave. I want to see her."
"Misa . . . " Fighter squatted down to the same level as Misa. "She's not your Mama. She's not our Maker."
"I know. . . " Misa started crying out. "But at least when I see her, it's like Mama is standing in front of me. I want Mama." Misa shout out in Fighter shoulder blade. "I miss Mama.
"Hush . . ." Fighter cajoled as she stroked Misa's hair. "I miss her too. But she wanted you to be strong, remember?" Misa nodded her head while still in Fighter's embrace. "Let's go home, I'll carry you." Fighter said as she picked Misa up while Misa encircled her arms around Fighter's neck. 'This is the first time. . . She actually allowed me to carry her.'
'It's feels so safe and protected in her arms. Just today. Let today be the only day.' Misa thought. And soon after, her eyes felt heavy and she fell asleep on Fighter's shoulder.
"Chotto!" Someone called after the two of them when Fighter was about to make her way back to the crystal palace. "You dropped this inside." The lady said as she caught up with Fighter and Misa.
"I dropped something? Fighter asked herself.
"There you go." The lady said as she placed the item in Fighter's palm. "I haven't get to know your name, I'm Kiko,"
"Seiya." Fighter answered subconsciously as she stared at the star brooch placed in her hand. 'I dropped this?' Fighter thought.'How can I drop such as important stuff. Fighter, what have you been doing.'
"You alright?" Kiko asked as she waved her hands in front of Fighter, noticing that Fighter was lost in her world. Fighter nodded her head and slide the star brooch in Misa's bag. "It's a very nice brooch over there. Where did you get there? I think I've seen that before somewhere." Kiko continued, walking along beside Fighter.
Fighter looked up at Kiko as Kiko looked forward. 'She's so different from Maker. She's more jovial, more chatty as compared to Maker.' And Fighter realised what she was doing at the previous moment, she scolded her own self. 'What are you doing? Why are you comparing the two of them. They are two different people!"
"Seiya?" Kiko called out.
"Yes Taiki?" Fighter blurt out. "Sorry, I mean Kiko." 'She even sounded so much like her'
"Is Taiki the friend that you mentioned just now? The one that I'm alike to?" Fighter nodded her head. "Sorry. but can I ask, where did you get the brooch from? When I saw it, it brought back so much familiarity to me. But I just can't remember when had I seen it."
"You've seen it before?" Fighter raised her eyebrow in surprise.
"I think I should have seen it somewhere. There's this missing piece inside of me. I can't remember anything that happened to me before a year ago. I can't even remember my name. Kiko is the name that sounded familiar to me, that's why I chose to use that name. When I saw the two of you staring at me, I was wondering that you may have knew me in the past, that's why I came to ask you. But it seemed that it's impossible ne." Kiko explained.
"A year ago?" Fighter asked. 'Maker'
"Yeah, exactly a year ago." Kiko stated. "Sorry to disturb and trouble you with my personal stuffs. I think I will go back first."
"Wait." Fighter reached out to her pouch and took out Maker's star brooch. "Is this the brooch that you have seen before?"
"Can I touch it?" Kiko asked.
"Hold it." Fighter said. 'If you are Maker, you will remember the past. If not. . . You are just going to be someone who really looked like her. Same height, same voice, same eye colour, with different personality. If you are Maker, then maybe, I'm just dreaming. or it's a wish upon that star that had came true."
A/N: OKAY! I've finally finished ! My first ever completed English story. I'm glad so (:
I've wrote this story from the ending up up to the beginning and I never knew that this story would grow so long. When I started writing, I never expected it to be so long and when I exceeded the 50000 words, i was absolutely overjoyed. And now that I've finished this, I even more excited. And this chapter of story is for my bestie, who kept pestering me to give this story a happy ending. So, if you liked this ending, thank her :X Personally, I preferred the sad ending, because it really relate a lot to the two character I've used. How people can love selflessly, and the heights and depths one who do, to love somebody.
Thank you Seiya - san for always reviewing. ^.^
Slight reference from Sera Myu is this chapter. Kurotsuki (Hikaru) is Prince Demand in one of the musical, AnS.