I liiiiiiiiiiive! And I'm kicking and writing...I finally managed to find the missing muse for this story.

As agreed, I dedicate this chapter to the first person to guess correctly the identities of Kiyoshi and Mai! shinomu and airi1285 congrats! Shinomu half guessed - with a small question mark there - and Airi pushed all doubts away. xDD

Part 7

Umi and Fuu were crying. Umi and Fuu were crying.

Hikaru felt decidedly disturbed that her friends were taking the issue so badly, but then again she could hardly blame them for being human and...well, soft-hearted. Like her. When she'd discovered the truth about Presea and Sierra - straight from Rayearth's mouth - she'd cried as well. And she'd been the one saving this particular tale for the end, knowing just what effect it would have on both of them.

Still, that didn't make her feel better at all. Actually, the more she looked at the tear tracks on Umi's face and the sheer heart-breaking sadness in Fuu's eyes, the more she felt like crying again. Guilty. Already her throat was closing up and there was this annoying itchy sensation behind her eyes that was slowly intensifying...

"You're taking this worse than I thought," She really shouldn't have told them herself. It should've been Sierra's story to tell. Hikaru was half afraid that her muddled explanations of why Sierra had been Presea and Presea had been no more had only worsened everything.

Surreptitiously, she rubbed her eyes, taking advantage of the fact that her dearest friends were still busy gathering the scattered pieces of themselves. Once more, something Cephiro-related had come to haunt them...

How ironic. Hikaru couldn't wait to come face to face with her past once more...and yet here she was struggling not to cry over it as well. The feeling of happiness was almost painful in her chest, with slight hints of bittersweet memories, and she briefly entertained the possibility of being one of those strange persons who derived pleasure from pain. The thought made her shudder on the inside and she quickly batted away the possibility of that.

Even though she'd gone back to Cephiro once more to save it - ignoring, and perhaps, gaining strength and growing in spirit and character with every wound, scratch, hex, heartbreak and memory. She'd fallen in love knowing that it would end up in hurt, fought herself knowing that it would only chip away at her mending heart, left her second home willingly because she couldn't just abandon her parents and brothers like that...

Hikaru firmly clamped down her wayward thoughts.

"Sorry, Karu. I guess, I can't believe that I didn't realize it at all." Umi sniffled, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hands. "We only knew Presea - well, the real one anyway - for a short time but I hoped that I would be able to tell her from another one way or another. Some Magic Knights we were..."

"And poor Miss Sierra," Fuu spoke quietly, twirling her fingers in her lap nervously. "I can't imagine what it must've been like to live in the shadow of her sister's greatness; not even being able to tell us her name at least."

They sighed as one and Hikaru briefly wondered if if it was pure coincidence that she and Fuu were on the same wavelength as far as lamentations went or if everyone who knew the story thought the same way. Because the way her friend had worded out her own worries, sounded a bit too familiar for her liking.

"Yes, but I'm sure that neither Sierra nor Presea would want us to be sad over this." Hikaru reasoned with a half smile that was all understanding and sympathy. "So cheer up, Umi, Fuu! I'm sure she'll say the same thing to us when we meet her!"

Umi blinked, a bit dazed by the sudden change of subject, and slapped her forehead in exasperation. "Oh...right. I completely forgot about that."

Hikaru and Fuu smiled indulgently; though Umi's antiques were nothing new as far as they were concerned.

"How could you forget about that, Umi? It's only the most important even in our lives!"

"Maybe the most important even in your life, Karu! I'm..."

"...still waiting for Clef to come and rescue you, we know!"

"Fuu!"

"Oh, come on. Isn't that the most important even in your life, Miss Umi?" Fuu smiled, waving her hand carelessly.

"Fu-u!"

"Awwww! See? We're feeling better already!" Cheered Hikaru, determined to put behind her anything that could trouble her darling Umi and Fuu. Forcefully if needed.

"You mean you two are feeling better because you're having fun at my expense!" Umi loomed ominously over them, cracking her knuckles in a rather loud warning. "What kind of wacky friends do that? You're cold!"

"But Umi, you were the proclaimed Ice Queen of you former high school. Why am I in the wrong?"

"Smooth Hikaru...thanks for reminding me that!" The bluenette groaned, unconsciously throwing her hair over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. Hikaru didn't know whether to 'oooooh' and 'ahhhhh' over the elegance or point out the irony of the situation. With Umi, one could never know.

She could take it the wrong way either way.

"Best not tease her, if you don't want a chain reaction to start," Fuu mock whispered, as if knowing what she was thinking, making Hikaru smile behind her hand. "You know how sensible she is when it comes to rumors!"

"I am not!" Umi pounced on the bed, digging her nails in the bedding forcefully. Fuu squeaked as she nearly lost her balance - and a few years of her life - and Hikaru drew herself so close to the edge of the bed, that if the blonde hadn't caught her, she would've ended up prolonging her stay at the hospital...for a concussion and several bruises as well.

Both let out some very uncourteous words...half of which had been learned from Umi and the other half from Kakeru and Masaru's accidental slip-ups.

"First of all," Umi rectified - every bit the image of the evil witch she'd once wished to be, "They were rumors! Evil rumors! Invented by mean and nasty people who were jealous of my," sparkle, shine, flick of her hair, "inherent beauty and wonderful appeal! It was an all-girls school and things like that were bound to fly!"

Both girls twitched at the unmodest phrasing and Hikaru's eyes widened in horror when she felt the sheet beneath her start to slip just a little.

Maybe it would've been safer if they had all been sobbing about past misgivings. Listening to Umi could not be healthy...

"Umi..."

"Second of all!" The self-proclaimed beauty continued in a high pitched tone. "I am not cold - I may rule over the element of water and ice, but I am not like that Alcyone person who was completely lacking in modesty and full of vain beauty. Certain people - like the ones who made up the rumors - weren't worth speaking to in the first place, so I saved myself some trouble!"

"You're not vain."

"Thank you!"

"...much."

"At all!" Growled a dangerously fierce Umi. "I'm high bred."

"A little help please?" Hikaru squeaked, feeling her back ache at the uncomfortable position. The bedsheets slipped some more.

The redhead started praying.

"And high maintenance?" Fuu inquired sweetly.

"You're doing it on purpose, aren't you?"

"Just trying to save you from the evils of a traumatic event, Miss Umi. Letting out your frustrations is good for the heart!" It was by sheer force of habit that Fuu found herself raising a hand to arrange her glasses and then clap her hands.

Her prelude when explaining a theory or a logical conclusion.

Unfortunately...also the prelude to disaster for Hikaru who, having nothing else to hold herself to and precariously dangling in mid-air, tumbled sideways and over the edge of the bed with a squeak.

Unexpectedly.

Suddenly.

Umi and Fuu froze and for a moment there was silence.

"Ow ow ow...ouch."

"Oh my God!"

"Miss Hikaru!"

The door nearly flew from its hinges and Satoru burst into the room, Kakeru, Masaru, Yoshiyuki and Sayuri hot on his heels, all of them flushed and breathing heavily from what appeared to be a serious race against time.

Everyone in the room froze again and Hikaru groaned from her position on the floor.

She knew just what this would look like...

"What the..."

"Sis!"

"Hikaru!"

"Now wait just a second," Umi tried to intervene, helplessly waving her arms around.

Hikaru thought that she looked like a headless chicken - and then mentally slapped herself for such a horrible thought.

"Doctor! We need a doctor in here!"

"Wait! It's just a misunderstanding!" Fuu also offered, her voice high and feathery. Uncharacteristically panicked...

"Everyone stop yelling!" Hikaru shouted, covering her ears and pounding head. "It's a headache, not a terminal disease!"

"You're back! You're back!"

Mai squealed and nearly toppled over, as one of her oldest and dearest friends - and sometimes substitute mother - launched herself in her arms with the power of a rocket.

She should've known that walking into the kitchen unprepared, would lead to this disaster. "I'm happy to see you too, Emi. It seems like I haven't seen you in forever, but despite that, you're just the same as the day I left!" From her welcoming smile and shapely figure - which she only hoped she could still have as well when she was forty - to the chin length red hair and almond shaped eyes that were as black as a starless night.

"Your parents will be ecstatic to see you, young miss. Both you and your brother have been sorely missed around the estate."

Mai laughed. "Since when have you become so formal with me? We've just been gone a few months. I remember how you used to chase me around the house when I was little to try and stop me from breaking my scrawny neck on the marble floors."

Emi laughed and wiped her hands clean on the white towel, throwing it over her shoulder carelessly; Mai slipped into a high chair next to her and felt like she'd come home. Well, sort of...in a make belief sort of way. "True. I remember your brother sedately reading his book in a corner - so quiet and brooding - and you running around all over the place like a whirlwind...breaking things and graying my hair prematurely."

"I see I haven't succeeded." Mai continued, with a twinkle in her eyes. "Still looking good for your age."

"A number that should never be spoken in my presence," Emi grumbled in a good-natured fashion, with a similar teasing light in her dark eyes, "And where prey tell, young lady, is your brother hiding? I was eager to give a hug to my big teddy bear too..." Her voice faltered, "He isn't...there were no problems, right?"

Mai squeezed her hands and smiled reassuringly, "Of course there weren't! But you know how Kiyoshi is - he wanted to go and see dad right away. He has some," her smile took on a strange quality, "things he wants to talk about with him..."

Emi raised an eyebrow, knowing that underlying tone too well. "Oh? Things?" She inquired suspiciously, pulling out a bag of flour, a bowl and some cooking utensils from the cupboard. "Pass me the milk and eggs please, will you? You still remember where things are in the fridge, don't you?"

"Har har. Very funny. How could I forget?" Mai rolled her eyes, already anticipating the elder woman's movements. "But I'll let that pass, in favor for those delicious pancakes only you can make."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, my dear," The redhead laughed tying her apron - a pink, frilly thing which Mai remembered buying for her as a practical joke - and lifting her sleeves. "Now, you were saying something about your brother?"

"Oh," Mai replied cheerily, her voice muffled by the low buzz of the fridge, "Kiyoshi wants to get married!"

The bowl in Emi's hands dropped and shattered against the hard floor.

"Excuse me?"

"You'll absolutely love her! She's the most darling girl ever...sweet, kind, beautiful, strong! Father won't have anything to object." She emerged out of the fridge, trying to balance the carton of eggs and the box milk with one arm and the bowl of strawberries with the other. If anything, her excitement seemed to grow exponentially in front of Emi's flabbergasted expression.

And boy was it something, Mai thought, feeling pity for acting so biased about this whole matter. The poor woman looked like she was about to fall of her feet - obviously, the shock was too much for her and the information too sudden to be received any other way. After months of sparse conversations carried over the phone, at odd hours, Emi had to find out, from indirect sources, that one of the children whom she'd raised as her own was getting married...to a total stranger.

Mai reminded herself that not everyone had known about this arrangement for as long as she had. And that included Kiyoshi and herself who'd only recently seen the light and remembered just who they were and what they doing here. It had taken them one near brush with death, from a careless driver, and nearly their whole lives to remember but they had managed. Eventually.

Her amber eyes twinkled as she carefully deposited her fragile cargo on the table and popped a tasty strawberry in her mouth. Now for the talk...

Lantis - ahem, her dearest brother owed her big time!

"But you've only been gone for four months!" The redhead babbled, dropping down to her knees to pick up the pieces of glass and batting away her friend's hands when she attempted to do the same, "Your mother has been pestering Kiyoshi to get married for years! I've seen all types of girls parade through this house and your brother has never paid them any attention - all sophisticated ladies of high class and fine manners!"

Mai leaned her chin on her folded hands, cringing slightly as Emi nearly tripped over her own two feet in her rush to stand up and continue this conversation at eye level. "You sound like you've given up on him."

"God, yes!" Emi squealed, looking ridiculously like a teenager with a taste for gossip, "Do I know this girl? Is she one of your mother's beauty pageant contestants?" Here Mai snorted - a more accurate truth had never been spoken.

Even if her mother always meant well and loved her children dearly.

"Did he meet her when you were both visiting your grandparents in Russia? Does your grandfather even know about this? Well, young lady? Don't keep me waiting!" Emi pushed the strawberries towards her decisively and plopped into a chair next to her. Expectantly.

One eyebrow rose. "Are you trying to bribe me into telling you?"

"Double or nothing!"

"Half with maple syrup and half with chocolate...the strawberries are a bonus"

"Done deal!"

Mai grinned and popped another strawberry in her mouth.

"Her name is Hikaru. Shidou Hikaru..."

Isn't it nice to know that I can't make a simple plot to save my life? But you might be starting to see what's happening. I'm currently adding little clues here and there and everything will be explained later. ^^;

And...ahem! Kiyoshi and Mai are half Russian. Sexy! Yum! (wiggles eyebrow)