Author's Notes: Before I start spilling- I'd like to thank zipp and Yume-
damo-shirinai for their constant reviews. ^^ I've never had constant
reviewers except for my friends and that's because I pester them to read my
dribble. XD Thanks so much you two!
Moving on- some of you think this is a FerioxFuu story. Let me burst your bubble and say it isn't. They might not even end up together in the end- who knows? I'm leaving all my options open. The only definite couples in this story are Hikaru and Lantis, Caldina and Lafarga, and Clef and Sieara. ^^ I've been neglecting Mokona and Primera a bit...you might see them later on though...maybe... =D On another note, sorry for the long wait! ^^;;
Chapter Five: Save Me
The meeting hadn't lasted long. It was clear what had to be done despite the protests of several individuals partaking in the discussion. After a brief negotiation between the leading parties, minus Umi and Ascot who were currently in the Water Knight's chambers, the vote had become unanimous. The Legendary Mashin would be awakened again.
"The Mashin were laid to rest after the battle with Debonair." Clef informed after Hikaru and Fuu had won the discussion. "They sleep peacefully in their shrines; it will take an act of heart and will to awaken them once more."
"That shouldn't be too hard." Hikaru smiled a bit relieved. "We've proven ourselves once, we can do it again."
Clef frowned slightly at Hikaru's ignorance, but was thankful that she had retained some of her childish personality. "You will be tested. Each of you; even you, Hikaru, the last Pillar of Cephiro." He clarified with a connecting stare.
"But shouldn't the Mashin recognize Hikaru as the last Pillar? Doesn't that prove her power?" Ferio asked looking away from the now damped Fire Knight.
"There is a point I had yet to bring up." Clef replied not breaking his gaze at Hikaru. "Hikaru has become infected by her shadow again."
"Nova has returned?" Sieara cried covering her mouth with a gloved hand. "But how?"
The small mage closed his eyes taking a deep breath. "I believe the evil force I've been feeling has something to do with it. In any case, if Hikaru retains Nova, Rayearth may deem her unable to done him."
Hikaru's body tensed in disbelief, Fuu following suit. "Yes, it's that serious." Clef answered before Hikaru could even ask.
The Red Knight's face quickly turned from stricken to determine with a blink of an eye while everyone else looked on. "We will over come our tests and we will awaken our Mashin." Hikaru sprang up from her chair startling the people in the room.
"Yes." Fuu agreed standing beside her companion. "We've proven ourselves time and time again. We will not lose. For our sake, the people we love, and the sake of this country."
*~*
The meeting was adjourned shortly after the speech because nobody else could think of what to say, let alone utter a single word. Hikaru and Fuu proceeded to Umi's room to tell her of their new mission, Ferio retreated to his own living area. Lantis made his way to the garden to clear his mind and Sieara accompanied Clef while he paced in the throne room.
"They don't understand...those girls..." Clef sighed as he lifted his robes to turn. "The hardships they will face..." He continued his pace after completing his readjustment.
"You know as well as I do, Clef." Sieara stated watching wisps of lilac hair flutter from rapid movement. "The girls must find and awaken the Mashin."
"Yes, I know." Clef sighed and stopped in the middle of his tracks. "Only the Mashin know everything that is going on in Cephiro. Their knowledge is greatly needed at this time; perhaps even their powers." Clef slightly turned his head bringing Sieara into view. "I can't even begin to fathom what this presence is, let alone what caused it-"
"And it bothers you." Sieara finished watching the tired man nod in agreement, his age finally starting to show. "We aren't meant to know everything, or understand even some of it."
"I know." Clef replied walking up to Sieara. "But all the same, it bothers me." Sieara sighed embracing the worried mage and began stroking his hair.
*~*
"Fuu." Ferio uttered quietly behind the Green Knight. Her body tensed slightly from the sound of his voice freezing her in her place. "Please, Fuu, can we talk?" He asked clasping her arm with a gloved hand. "Please...?"
"What do you want to talk about." Fuu replied stiffly keeping her back to his face.
"Fuu...just for a moment...you know what I need to say..." Ferio pleaded maneuvering closer.
Fuu's head quickly snapped, her jade eyes burning into his face and her golden hair blowing like a storm from the quick movement of her head. "I know what you need to say, and I rather not hear it."
"I think you do." Ferio's golden eyes hardened to equal his love's.
"You love me, but you went with another. You didn't know if I was returning, but the minute you saw me, you wanted me instead of Otamri." Two delicate eyebrows curved deeper into a heated glare. "Have I missed anything?"
"No." Ferio answered relaxing his own glare. "Just that I love you. No matter if you hate me or if you murder me; even if you tease me with other men or just tease me in general, I love you."
For a brief moment, one of Fuu's blonde eyebrows quivered. Sincerity could always break her and Ferio was aware. Whether he was using it to his advantage or not, she wasn't sure. After a moment of silence, Ferio finally finished their conversation. "I'm not asking you to believe me, because you already know. You know where to find me."
Ferio gave a light hearted smile with a small wink then turned and proceeded down the hall, the opposite direction Fuu had been going until he had stopped her. She lingered at her spot, watching him walk down the hall, then turned to leave; her eyes a pale green.
*~* The air crackled with yellow energy leaving an empty soul in its place. Otamri smoothed back a loose strand of hair from her face and into the rest of the mass piled on her head. Her eyes flashed quickly as a vengeful smile spread across her lips. With her new power, Otamri stepped boldly into the palace to set her plan into action.
It wasn't long until she found what she was looking for. The green haired prince paced down the length of one of the side halls, his faced had returned to his normal tormented state that had settled when Fuu had arrived. Otamri smiled lightly as she watched him quietly from the entrance of the hall. This was one of the qualities that had caused her to fall in love with this man months ago.
Ferio glanced at Otamri who quickly regained her sophisticated cold composure as he stopped his pace. Otamri strode slowly over to him, her new velvet cape that attached to her hands grazing the polished floor behind her. "Otamri.you've changed." Ferio observed noticing a brilliance in her golden eyes; whether it is good or evil, he couldn't tell.
"Yes, I have." Otamri nodded in response noticing Ferio's shocked expression as he noticed her new apparel. "After our talk, I took a walk to think things through." "I see." Ferio replied watching her gaze slide to the floor.
"I've decided you were right." Otamri said looking up from the polished marble. "It was juvenal and selfish of me to have said what I did."
Ferio's right brow curved in skeptic, he wasn't familiar with this side of someone he thought he knew completely. "And your new appearance?"
"Reinvention. I want to change my attitude, there for, change myself." She replied with a sincere smile.
"Well, I'm happy for you." He smiled, though not convinced. The reinvented Otamri was beginning to make him nervous "I have to be going, I need to speak to Clef." He announced suddenly turning towards Clef's chambers and gave a small wave. "See you."
"Perhaps this shall be harder than I though..." Otamri thought as her dulled yellow eyes watched Ferio's figure move farther away from her in a rather quick pace. "But the challenge would provide some interest." Her lilac eyebrows curved inward contorting her delicate face as Ferio continued down the hall.
*~*
It was pitch black, like it always was. It always started this way. However, a pair of glowing red eyes never followed. "Hikaru." Whispered a hollow voice as Hikaru's gaze darted around her surroundings and not the glowing eyes she had been transfixed on moments before. "Hikaru."
"Nova! Is that you?" She asked glancing around once more before returning to the beckoning eyes. "Yes, it must be you. What is it Nova?"
"Hikaru." The voice echoed luring the Red Knight closer to the now flashing eyes. As the petite red head drew closer, a body started to materialize around the eyes. Hikaru quickly realized Nova's figure as long hair floated around her heart's face, framing it in a swirl of pale pink.
"Nova! What is going on?" Hikaru asked now standing face to face to her reflection.
"A rather serious matter." Nova answered as one of her eyes began to twitch losing it's glowing luster.
"What's wrong?" Hikaru cried watching the glow in Nova's eyes flicker.
"I'm...having problems...Hikaru..." Nova croaked as her eyes swirled from her normal red to a blinding flash, then settling back to normal.
"What sort of problems?"
"I'm having problems keeping myself...under...control..." The mirror replied as her eyes began to twitch again. "I don't have much...time...Hikaru."
"What do you need to me to do?"
"You...you need to know...that there is an evil...power...much like mother...Debon...air..." Nova chocked trying to finish her sentence before her whole body started to go into convulsions.
"Nova!" Hikaru cried dropping down to cradle her heart as it withered in pain. "Do you know what this power is?"
Nova's headed slowly nodded as her body jumped from time to time trying to keep her normal self as long as she could. "Hika...ru..."
"Yes? Nova?"
"I'm sor...or...ry..." She stuttered before her eyes glowed a flashing red causing Hikaru to shield her eyes.
"Sorry for what, Nova?" Hikaru shouted while her eyes were still covered. Once the light died down, Hikaru unsheathed her eyes to see Nova standing before her, looking down with a grin spread across her face.
"Sorry that I will have to kill you, Hikaru." Nova replied, her voice no longer crackling and her eyes glowing a consistent red.
Hikaru quickly jumped up and backed a few paces away from her other self. "Nova...you've..." Her expression quickly turned from worry to anger. "Whoever has Nova, let her go! Let her live happily!"
Nova's grin twisted contorting her wild face. "Oh, I am happy, Hikaru." She cackled as air began to swirl around her body, her hair flowing upward like a blazing fire. "I'm very happy."
"I never thought I'd be speaking these words...heaven thought I'd find a way...another day alone is more than I can take..." - Save Me
Moving on- some of you think this is a FerioxFuu story. Let me burst your bubble and say it isn't. They might not even end up together in the end- who knows? I'm leaving all my options open. The only definite couples in this story are Hikaru and Lantis, Caldina and Lafarga, and Clef and Sieara. ^^ I've been neglecting Mokona and Primera a bit...you might see them later on though...maybe... =D On another note, sorry for the long wait! ^^;;
Chapter Five: Save Me
The meeting hadn't lasted long. It was clear what had to be done despite the protests of several individuals partaking in the discussion. After a brief negotiation between the leading parties, minus Umi and Ascot who were currently in the Water Knight's chambers, the vote had become unanimous. The Legendary Mashin would be awakened again.
"The Mashin were laid to rest after the battle with Debonair." Clef informed after Hikaru and Fuu had won the discussion. "They sleep peacefully in their shrines; it will take an act of heart and will to awaken them once more."
"That shouldn't be too hard." Hikaru smiled a bit relieved. "We've proven ourselves once, we can do it again."
Clef frowned slightly at Hikaru's ignorance, but was thankful that she had retained some of her childish personality. "You will be tested. Each of you; even you, Hikaru, the last Pillar of Cephiro." He clarified with a connecting stare.
"But shouldn't the Mashin recognize Hikaru as the last Pillar? Doesn't that prove her power?" Ferio asked looking away from the now damped Fire Knight.
"There is a point I had yet to bring up." Clef replied not breaking his gaze at Hikaru. "Hikaru has become infected by her shadow again."
"Nova has returned?" Sieara cried covering her mouth with a gloved hand. "But how?"
The small mage closed his eyes taking a deep breath. "I believe the evil force I've been feeling has something to do with it. In any case, if Hikaru retains Nova, Rayearth may deem her unable to done him."
Hikaru's body tensed in disbelief, Fuu following suit. "Yes, it's that serious." Clef answered before Hikaru could even ask.
The Red Knight's face quickly turned from stricken to determine with a blink of an eye while everyone else looked on. "We will over come our tests and we will awaken our Mashin." Hikaru sprang up from her chair startling the people in the room.
"Yes." Fuu agreed standing beside her companion. "We've proven ourselves time and time again. We will not lose. For our sake, the people we love, and the sake of this country."
*~*
The meeting was adjourned shortly after the speech because nobody else could think of what to say, let alone utter a single word. Hikaru and Fuu proceeded to Umi's room to tell her of their new mission, Ferio retreated to his own living area. Lantis made his way to the garden to clear his mind and Sieara accompanied Clef while he paced in the throne room.
"They don't understand...those girls..." Clef sighed as he lifted his robes to turn. "The hardships they will face..." He continued his pace after completing his readjustment.
"You know as well as I do, Clef." Sieara stated watching wisps of lilac hair flutter from rapid movement. "The girls must find and awaken the Mashin."
"Yes, I know." Clef sighed and stopped in the middle of his tracks. "Only the Mashin know everything that is going on in Cephiro. Their knowledge is greatly needed at this time; perhaps even their powers." Clef slightly turned his head bringing Sieara into view. "I can't even begin to fathom what this presence is, let alone what caused it-"
"And it bothers you." Sieara finished watching the tired man nod in agreement, his age finally starting to show. "We aren't meant to know everything, or understand even some of it."
"I know." Clef replied walking up to Sieara. "But all the same, it bothers me." Sieara sighed embracing the worried mage and began stroking his hair.
*~*
"Fuu." Ferio uttered quietly behind the Green Knight. Her body tensed slightly from the sound of his voice freezing her in her place. "Please, Fuu, can we talk?" He asked clasping her arm with a gloved hand. "Please...?"
"What do you want to talk about." Fuu replied stiffly keeping her back to his face.
"Fuu...just for a moment...you know what I need to say..." Ferio pleaded maneuvering closer.
Fuu's head quickly snapped, her jade eyes burning into his face and her golden hair blowing like a storm from the quick movement of her head. "I know what you need to say, and I rather not hear it."
"I think you do." Ferio's golden eyes hardened to equal his love's.
"You love me, but you went with another. You didn't know if I was returning, but the minute you saw me, you wanted me instead of Otamri." Two delicate eyebrows curved deeper into a heated glare. "Have I missed anything?"
"No." Ferio answered relaxing his own glare. "Just that I love you. No matter if you hate me or if you murder me; even if you tease me with other men or just tease me in general, I love you."
For a brief moment, one of Fuu's blonde eyebrows quivered. Sincerity could always break her and Ferio was aware. Whether he was using it to his advantage or not, she wasn't sure. After a moment of silence, Ferio finally finished their conversation. "I'm not asking you to believe me, because you already know. You know where to find me."
Ferio gave a light hearted smile with a small wink then turned and proceeded down the hall, the opposite direction Fuu had been going until he had stopped her. She lingered at her spot, watching him walk down the hall, then turned to leave; her eyes a pale green.
*~* The air crackled with yellow energy leaving an empty soul in its place. Otamri smoothed back a loose strand of hair from her face and into the rest of the mass piled on her head. Her eyes flashed quickly as a vengeful smile spread across her lips. With her new power, Otamri stepped boldly into the palace to set her plan into action.
It wasn't long until she found what she was looking for. The green haired prince paced down the length of one of the side halls, his faced had returned to his normal tormented state that had settled when Fuu had arrived. Otamri smiled lightly as she watched him quietly from the entrance of the hall. This was one of the qualities that had caused her to fall in love with this man months ago.
Ferio glanced at Otamri who quickly regained her sophisticated cold composure as he stopped his pace. Otamri strode slowly over to him, her new velvet cape that attached to her hands grazing the polished floor behind her. "Otamri.you've changed." Ferio observed noticing a brilliance in her golden eyes; whether it is good or evil, he couldn't tell.
"Yes, I have." Otamri nodded in response noticing Ferio's shocked expression as he noticed her new apparel. "After our talk, I took a walk to think things through." "I see." Ferio replied watching her gaze slide to the floor.
"I've decided you were right." Otamri said looking up from the polished marble. "It was juvenal and selfish of me to have said what I did."
Ferio's right brow curved in skeptic, he wasn't familiar with this side of someone he thought he knew completely. "And your new appearance?"
"Reinvention. I want to change my attitude, there for, change myself." She replied with a sincere smile.
"Well, I'm happy for you." He smiled, though not convinced. The reinvented Otamri was beginning to make him nervous "I have to be going, I need to speak to Clef." He announced suddenly turning towards Clef's chambers and gave a small wave. "See you."
"Perhaps this shall be harder than I though..." Otamri thought as her dulled yellow eyes watched Ferio's figure move farther away from her in a rather quick pace. "But the challenge would provide some interest." Her lilac eyebrows curved inward contorting her delicate face as Ferio continued down the hall.
*~*
It was pitch black, like it always was. It always started this way. However, a pair of glowing red eyes never followed. "Hikaru." Whispered a hollow voice as Hikaru's gaze darted around her surroundings and not the glowing eyes she had been transfixed on moments before. "Hikaru."
"Nova! Is that you?" She asked glancing around once more before returning to the beckoning eyes. "Yes, it must be you. What is it Nova?"
"Hikaru." The voice echoed luring the Red Knight closer to the now flashing eyes. As the petite red head drew closer, a body started to materialize around the eyes. Hikaru quickly realized Nova's figure as long hair floated around her heart's face, framing it in a swirl of pale pink.
"Nova! What is going on?" Hikaru asked now standing face to face to her reflection.
"A rather serious matter." Nova answered as one of her eyes began to twitch losing it's glowing luster.
"What's wrong?" Hikaru cried watching the glow in Nova's eyes flicker.
"I'm...having problems...Hikaru..." Nova croaked as her eyes swirled from her normal red to a blinding flash, then settling back to normal.
"What sort of problems?"
"I'm having problems keeping myself...under...control..." The mirror replied as her eyes began to twitch again. "I don't have much...time...Hikaru."
"What do you need to me to do?"
"You...you need to know...that there is an evil...power...much like mother...Debon...air..." Nova chocked trying to finish her sentence before her whole body started to go into convulsions.
"Nova!" Hikaru cried dropping down to cradle her heart as it withered in pain. "Do you know what this power is?"
Nova's headed slowly nodded as her body jumped from time to time trying to keep her normal self as long as she could. "Hika...ru..."
"Yes? Nova?"
"I'm sor...or...ry..." She stuttered before her eyes glowed a flashing red causing Hikaru to shield her eyes.
"Sorry for what, Nova?" Hikaru shouted while her eyes were still covered. Once the light died down, Hikaru unsheathed her eyes to see Nova standing before her, looking down with a grin spread across her face.
"Sorry that I will have to kill you, Hikaru." Nova replied, her voice no longer crackling and her eyes glowing a consistent red.
Hikaru quickly jumped up and backed a few paces away from her other self. "Nova...you've..." Her expression quickly turned from worry to anger. "Whoever has Nova, let her go! Let her live happily!"
Nova's grin twisted contorting her wild face. "Oh, I am happy, Hikaru." She cackled as air began to swirl around her body, her hair flowing upward like a blazing fire. "I'm very happy."
"I never thought I'd be speaking these words...heaven thought I'd find a way...another day alone is more than I can take..." - Save Me