A Munto Fanfiction: Waiting For You © RedWingedAngel002
Disclaimer: Munto; Sora Miageru Shōjo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai © Kyoto Animation; Yoshiji Kigami and Tomoe Aratani
Genre: Angst, Drama, Horror, Hurt-Comfort, and Romance
Summary: It all started off with a simple question. Who would have known the answer would change the next ten months of her life into a living hell… MxY.

A/N: This was inspired by Maximum Ride and several fanfictions: Courage of the Spirit by: Velf, Of Emeralds and Rubies and Dreaming by: ElfMaidenOfLight, To Wake by: Tripleguess, and many others.

Songs: Pavane by: Ruruita and Illusions by: Vnv Nation

Japanese Index:
Okaa-san, 'Kaa-chan: Mother, Mom, Momma (Towards mother)
Onee-san (when talking about/to someone's sister), Ane-san (when talking about one's sister), 'Nee-san/ -chan: (Older) sister, sis, sissy
Otou-san, 'Tou-chan: Father, Dad, Daddy (Towards father)
-san: Honorific: Carries the meaning of "Mr.," "Mrs.," "Miss," etc., but used more extensively in Japanese than its English equivalent

"Talking."
'Thinking.'
Memories/Flashbacks

Chapter 1: Red Umbrella

Munto eyes opened, his pale gaze adjusting to the brightness of the sun's rays. As he accustomed to the harsh light, his vision was filled with swaying planes of gold and bright blue skies. There was not a cloud within the limitless expanse. Grasses tickled his knees and crunched softly under his boots as he walked forward, goldenrod belt jingling.

He was on the ledge. It belonged to a massive, circular, abrupt chunk of land, which rose from the Earth's surface. Invisible to the human eye, petals of energy towered over the tallest of buildings and connected to his world, above the earthly plains.

Pink caught the corner of his eye and he turned to see a girl whose back was facing him.

Red umbrella cradled in hand, Yumemi's white dress fluttered and danced in the wind. Her golden hair, unbound, melted with the grasses and caressed her lower back. She did not take note of him there.

The king walked over and stood to her left and watched her as her clover eyes roamed wistfully at the scenery below, mouth slightly agape. Rarely do they have moments like this, moments where the unthinkable happened and their link allowed them to communicate with one another through their dreams. Unfortunately, he had not had the chance to visit her in person in two years; his responsibilities as King prevented him to do so.

He continued to gaze at the girl, his eyes drinking in her form. He wanted to burn every detail of her into his memory. Time had caused Yumemi's form to grow and mature during his absences.

Her body, which had just started to blossom when he had last held it had bloomed into that of a woman's. She had grown taller. He noticed that she managed to grow just to below his collarbone.

Her face had matured as well; its childlike features had melted and softened. He marveled at how her long lashes contrasted with her fair skin, her small nose, which curved at its tip and straightened, flushed cheeks that dipped down her face, and lush lips, which glistened and enticed his senses.

Munto swallowed, gaze roaming back up to her eyes and his brows knit in confusion. They seemed different, almost opaque when compared to their last meeting. He felt his gut give a cold shudder.

'This is not right.' Even when filled with self-doubt, her vision always held its luster, had shown like emeralds through her wide gaze, when she stared up at him.

"Yumemi?" he breathed softly. She blinked, causing herself to snap out of her reverie, and slowly turned to the monarch.

She blinked a few times, shock painting her features. Shock gradually turned into confusion and then doubt.

One of his red brows twitched. This should not be so much of a surprise to her.

"Yumemi," he snapped once more, then softened, "It is I."

Recognition settled in her doubtful eyes and they shimmered. A beautiful smile bloomed in her soft features, one similar to when he accepted her help in restoring their future, to trust her when all hope was lost.

Hope. Raw and unabashed, hope beamed from her face as her hair whipped in the wind's breeze, her pale locks contrasting with the red umbrella's surface.

He was taken aback from her reaction. Sure, they have not "talked" with one another for over six months, and as much as that little voice enjoyed her response, her reaction was unsettling.

His right hand cupped her cheek. When moving, her weary gaze followed. Yumemi closed her eyes and leaned in towards the warmth his palm provided, relishing the touch. A small sigh escaped her lips, showing how much she enjoyed the king's presence. Even if it was just a dream, everything felt so real.

Munto relaxed some as well. He marveled at her cheek's softness as his thumb traced along its silky surface. Had he almost forgotten?

Neither was sure how much time passed through that moment, but soon enough, it ended when Yumemi opened her emerald gaze. He tucked some stray strands behind the shell of her ear.

The royal was to draw back but was prevented from doing so when she cupped her own smaller one tenderly on top of his. She looked wistfully at him.

Without breaking eye contact, Yumemi slowly traced his hand from her cheek to the top of her chest, long fingers tickling the base of her neck and collarbone. How sad her eyes were as she watched him with longing; he looked at her in confusion.

Lips tightening, she pressed Munto's hand more firmly against her chest, brows curving upward as her face pleaded. Why?

'What is the matter?' He felt warmth, a heartbeat, and something hard, which pierced his palm. She continued to press his hand flush against her, trying to give him the message. 'Why can you not tell me, Yumemi?'

Munto bent down to the girl's eye level and gave her an intense look, trying to draw out the answer through her gaze. He was about to question her aloud when suddenly—hesitantly—she pressed her lips against his own.

An electrifying shock zipped up the man's spine with her kiss. His eyes then softened. It was sweet and soft, but sad as well. Oh so sad, and vulnerable.

It was not like this before.

Fixed on the sensations of her lips on his, he almost missed the fluttering of her heartbeat—and something else, a small, warm band of some sort, under his hand, where she desperately kept it in place with her own. Brows knitting, Munto closed his eyes and leaned in, trying to figure out what caused her such sadness.

An arm came into focus. Pale and slick with sweat, the limb was bound at the wrist with a leather strap. She continued to watch the spotless ceiling. Suddenly, a gloved feminine hand went to wipe the perspiration with a cotton swab and checked her pulse.

"Blood pressure is normal; links are all set in place; Monitors on," the nurse mumbled to herself. "We are ready to start, doctor," she called out.

Brown connected with green. Yumemi's heartbeat roared in her ears. The woman's face was covered with a pale doctor's mask, her brunette hair bound in a tight bun and hidden under a clear cap. The nurse looked at her dully and turned away.

"What's he like?" Nozomi lightly inquired, keeping her eyes on her task as she continued to cut the vegetables.

Yumemi paused, blinked a few times, and turned towards her mother. "'Kaa-san?"

The older woman smiled and glanced at her daughter knowingly. Yumemi did not fully understand what her mother was asking.

"You know… The one who gave you that promise ring of yours?" Nozomi hinted.

"Oh." That's who she's talking about. Yumemi blushed prettily as she glanced down at golden loop, which hung innocently at her neck. "He's very nice…"

The image lost focus and changed, clearing to a room of white. Yumemi looked at ceiling with weary eyes, unable to move her aching body. Along with various beeping machines, a muffled male voice echoed outside of the doorway.

"The reaction to subject 247738 had been interesting, I'd like to make more tests as soon as possible." She closed her heavy lids and let the darkness consume her.

Yumemi and her friends were sitting out in the gulch, viewing the water's edge and enjoying the sun's rays.

'What a beautiful day,' she thought in content, feeling the grasses playfully caressed her sakura-kissed legs.

Looking at her right, she saw Ichiko, with her forest green leather jacket, comfortably lean against the back of her hands and look out at the island filled sky. A smile formed on her rosy lips.

She glanced to her left and found Suzume lying on her back, soaking up the sun's warmth. The grasses ticked and contrasted with her cotton pink overcoat. The adolescent opened her large luster-filled eyes and smiled, causing Yumemi to giggle in response. *1

The images started to move faster and faster, causing Munto's perception to tilt and lose track of what was happening. The king felt his head spin.

"You don't really expect us to believe this, do you, sweetheart?" her mother's voice hesitantly inquired.

Taken aback, Yumemi's heart constricted with cold betrayal. She threw her glistening gaze down at her hands, which twisted the green cotton fabric of her skirt and coiled like pale pink spiders…

"Don't worry, Yumemi, he'll come back soon." Suzume gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked down the school aisle, smiling.

'Stop…' a weak voice pleaded.

"It seems that subject 247738's reaction has become unstable. We have to take these next tests with precaution, sir," the cold woman's voice warned.

"No!" a male voice firmly barked. "Continue as plan. We are almost to our goal!"

The image blurred out and was replaced with another.

"Hey! Watch it, Chikara!" Yumemi yelled as he flew past her, concerned that her brother would trip and fall on his idle soccer ball…

'Please, stop…' it rasped.

"Then how do you explain those events that happened years ago?" Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. "I'm not making it up! This really happened!" She gasped, her voice gradually growing louder in volume. "Why don't you believe me?!" the girl shouted, tears causing the vision of her parents' shocked expressions to blur.

"Come on, Yumemi!" Ichiko shouted across the field, urging her friend to join the game.

Yumemi's head snapped up, her vision focusing on her smiling friend, who waved with excitement. Giggling, she put her sketchbook down and placed her pencil in the current page before her, marking its place.

"Coming!" she called out with a smile.

"Now, Hidaka-san, can you tell me what happened?" the councilor asked. He nudged his thick glasses back up to the bridge of his nose, dark eyes being replaced with a florescent glow...

'They did it on purpose… They just wanted to see my reaction…' She felt her body shake uncontrollably. 'They ordered these men to…'

Looking at the bloodied mass of flesh and bone, she numbly stared and tried to focus on calming her ragged breathing. 'It's only a dream, it's just a test. It's only a dream, it's just a test…' she repeated, curling in on herself and squeezing her eyes shut…

"My name is Mayu. What's yours?" bright aquamarine eyes inquired, twinkling…

"Just a few more and then we are done," the young nurse stated.

'It never ends, does it?' Yumemi questioned to herself.

Unaware of her question, the woman just smiled as she poked the needle into her patient's forearm, releasing the clear liquid into her blood stream. Her smile did not reach her eyes…

"What do you think you're doing?!" her father questioned the men, clad in black, who held his large form down.

They were dragging the helpless blond away…

'It's just a test.'

"'Nee-chan!" Chikara desperately tried to grab hold of his sister's outstretched hand. "Where are they taking 'Nee-chan?!" her brother cried.

The last image she saw was her mother on the ground. Nozomi's knees gave way and she was unable to move, face streaked with regrettable tears. The woman cupped her mouth, trying to prevent herself from sobbing uncontrollably…

"What an interesting piece you've got there, Hidaka-san. Wonderful job," her art teacher praised. "What caused you to think of such an idea?" His gray eyes sparkled.

Looking at the painting, Yumemi smiled wistfully. "It's just an idea I had." Colors of flame filled the canvas. A figured, clad in red, stood tall and proud against the sunset…

Faster the images blinked.

"Tell me," his voice was so cold. "Tell me how to use your power," the man repeated.

Green eyes watched in horror, unable to remove them with her blue. A soft click filled the tension-filled room, breaking the silence…

'It's just a test…'

All was chaos. Men and women with white coats scurried to the screaming girl and blocked her vision. "Abort, abort! Test subject 225930 has failed. Abort!"

'Will I have the same fate?'

"…Please, make it stop," she whimpered.

The memories then slowed to a crawling pace, blurring at the seams.

One last image filled his vision…

The girl looked at herself in the two-way mirror. There were dark bags under her eyes. Green irises, which were lifeless and opaque, numbly looked back at her. Her corn silk hair was matted and had lost its shine.

Hand outstretched, bony and pale, her fingers touched the cool glass as her gazed shifted, looking at the crusted dry blood on her face and down to her itchy hospital gown.

"Will I have the same fate…?" she questioned aloud, thinking of her friend with eyes of the ocean.

Her vision pulled itself to the small gold band, which hung almost mockingly at her neck. She closed her eyes.

'Ichiko, Suzume, 'Kaa-san, 'Tou-san, Chikara…' With every name, a face had immerged in her mind's eye. Her heart clenched with the thought.

"Munto…" Yumemi opened her lids. Tears streaked down her cheeks and caused the crusted blood to bleed once again.

'It's just a test…huh?' she thought ironically with a bitter smile.

Then everything went black.

It was quiet. Dead quiet. It was as if the roar of the sea had ceased and was replaced with a sudden stillness of the wind. The soft sound of swaying grasses reached their ears and tickled their senses.

Lips slowly pulled back; the sensation was chilling. His continued to seek the warmth, and without looking, he knew what the band was now.

Munto slowly opened his eyes and gazed at the oh-so fragile girl in front of him, his twin suns burning with untamed emotion. Like her last vision, she was bloody, pale, and clad in the same aqua-blue hospital gown.

She was crying. Tears, like small rivers, streaked down her dirty face as she watched him.

He numbly took in her shattered image. He noted that she had cuts about her; one, which crusted at her left temple, and another, at her right cheek. It was bruised. There was a small gash at her forearm. Raw, it bled freely.

The splatters of blood, whether it was hers or another's was unknown, splattered about the gown and gradually grew where his hand lay. The magical king felt the teen's warmth slowly fade as the sticky red substance continued to flow.

His promise ring was blistering white hot under his palm. He noticed that her umbrella was gone.

With hollow eyes, she continued to stare, seeking comfort with his presence. What was he supposed to say?

He tried calling out her name but choked, his raging emotions prevented him to speak.

A small, sad smile wobbled in place as he continued to struggle to talk with her. Never was the king at such a loss of words.

"It's just a test…" The words, like a mantra, softly escaped her chapped lips as she started to disintegrate, like falling petals.

Blood, cold as ice, instantaneously pumped through his veins, casing his heart to throb painfully. Munto snapped out of his sluggish state and tried to grab the girl. "YUMEMI!"

She continued to smile her sad, longing smile as the wind whispered, "I'll be waiting for you… Munto…" and then she was gone.

Nothing but the rustling grass, blue skies, and blazing sun filled his vision. Shaken to the core, he noticed her red umbrella, which lay innocently open on the ground, was now returning to its original pink.

Munto's hand was still outstretched; blood continued to roar in his pointed ears. There was something in his hand…

As he opened it, his long fingers shook, revealing what secrets it held. There in his palm, red and sticky with blood, laid his ring and a slip of paper.

Munto swallowed thickly and put the ring back on his left middle finger, remembering that that is where it originally laid before he gave it to his precious person as a symbol of his promise. He coughed, composing himself. When he finally stopped shaking he inspected the note with hard eyes, feeling its plastic texture.

It was an I.D. tag. Here, it read: 247738

Crushing his frustration on the simple paper, the numbers crumpled under his hand. Bullion eyes blazed with determination. He made up his mind; he knew what he had to do now… He was finally going to be able to fulfill his promise…

He was going to get his Yumemi back. And nothing was going to stop him.

"I am coming, Yumemi."

And as she did previously, Munto faded out of the dream, leaving the ledge in its lonely wake. All that was left were the golden grasses, blazing sun, and the endless blue skies. The wind suddenly picked up, causing the pink umbrella to dance about in the breeze.

A new chapter had begun.

A/N: Can you say angst city? What a way to start, Ari. Anywho, thank you for reading! Comments are always appreciated!

—Ari [1.24.10]

*1: This was taken from an extra scene of the Munto "movie". They actually put in some closer, after leaving us hanging at the end of the series… I downloaded and posted it up on YouTube just for you guys! Just search for: "Munto OVA I-III Movie Extras."