Chapter 9 - Stopping Time

AN- I'm alive! Err...well sorta. Senior year is done, I'm enrolled in collage classes and I start in one month...I have summer classes...Why can't I have a full summer before I start? Anyways enough of my complaining next chapter. Thank you too all my reviewers! Keli I luv you! Feel better soon. Now onward! Author is hyper after major pocky consumption.

I don't own Rayearth or anyother Clamp stories, the OC's are mine and that's about it. Go ahead and sue me you can have my markers set, it's the most expensive thing I own.

8. Stopping Time

“What is true strength of heart?
Is it the willingness to accept your fate,
or the courage to defy destiny?”


“Just how many of those have you had today Eagle?” Umi asked as she carefully balanced a tray with fresh bread and some other snacks.

“Only five” The blond man smiled as he ate yet another apple happily. He’d met them in the hallway after leaving the throne room and Umi had asked if he’d like to have breakfast with them. Along with a few apples he was carrying he also had an arm full of plates Umi had handed over to him.

“My elder brother said having a big appetite is good, it means your healthy!” Hikaru chirped and nearly dropped the cake she was carrying.

“Hikaru be careful you’ll drop my cake!” Umi sighed as Hikaru righted the dessert again; she’d only brought two of them this time and if Hikaru dropped it that was it.

“So this ‘cake’ is sweet right? I love sweet things.” Eagle asked.

Umi opened her mouth to answer his question but the words froze, stuck in her throat. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized that she hadn’t answered him but her full attention was now on the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. That same horrible feeing she’d had when Hikaru had been wounded.

Apparently Hikaru felt it too for she had stopped walking and froze as well. Her red eyes looked dazed as if she were looking at something in the distance.

Eagle stood confused watching both Magic Knights. When the girls had stopped suddenly without word he continued on for a few steps before he realized they were not following. Turning he looked back to see them frozen in place their eyes glazed over and far away. He was closest to Umi and reached gently for her. “Umi? What’s wrong?”

It was then that Fuu’s blood curdling cream tore through the air, ending abruptly. There was the shatter of breaking glasses and dishes as both girls dropped whatever they’d been carrying and drew their swords.

“Fuu!” The girls rushed forward to find their fellow knight.

In blurs of red and blue they dashed past Eagle heading for the direction the scream had come from. Eagle quickly threw down his things and was silently cursing himself for not asking Lantis to return his weapons. He was close on their heels as they turned a corner and nearly ran into Feiro.

“Where’s Fuu?!” Umi nearly attacked him before she realized it was the prince and then when she did she grabbed his collar roughly.

“She went into the garden!” He pulled away from her and hurried the few more doorways down to the garden, Eagle and the knights not far behind.

Hikaru and Umi over took him and burst upon the scene ready for whatever lied in wait or so they thought. Both knights stopped dead in their tracks, horror clearly written on their faces.

“Fuu!” Umi cried at the sight of her friend.

The Knight of Windom was on the ground writing in agony, her mouth open in a silent scream that no one could hear, for she had not the breath to voice her pain. A beautiful rose covered vine coiled around her frame squeezing the life out of her. Blood pooled in little puddles all around her as it oozed from her numerous cuts and seeped between the vines. A woman stood above her, with a smug smile tugging at her lips. She was no bigger than Hikaru and turned to meet the newcomers.

“You!” Hikaru growled and shifted her weight to the balls of her feet readying to spring to her fellow knight’s aid.

“Oh it’s the little fire knight, you recovered quickly…or did you have some help? I’ll have to remedy that as soon as I’m done with your friend.” Sentra leered as she shot a glance at Fuu who had slowly stopped fighting the vines, you could barely see her though them all.

“Let her go.” The voice was low and cold and there was an icy rage underlining it; it was not a request but a demand. And Umi meant to enforce it with cold, hard escudo.

“Or you’ll do what, little knight?” Sentra challenged.

Umi shot a look to Hikaru and to Ferio, who had come up behind her, the silent message was understood and all three charged forward. Umi and Hikaru went for Sentra and Ferio for Fuu.

There was a harsh clang as Hikaru met Sentra’s blade for the second time, this time more prepared for the attack. The contact of sword on sword had enough force to make Sentra slide back several feet her boots scraping across the floor.

Ferio in the mean time was hacking quickly at the vines that imprisoned Fuu but for every one he cut another grew back. Progress was slow but he did hear Fuu gasp as air filled her lungs when he slashed the vine that was wrapped around her chest. “Don’t quit now Fuu!” Some of her cuts that weren’t bleeding were turning a flaring red shade as if she’d been burned. ‘Poison…’ he thought and slashed faster.

“A little angry are we?” the pixie like woman asked Hikaru and placed the palm of her hand against the flat side of the end of her sword and push forward and then swung out sending Hikaru flying backwards. The redhead tumbled and went into a roll hitting the back wall with a solid clunk.

Umi then lunged forward to face Sentra but something caught her ankle and stopped her short. At first she though it was one of the vines that held Fuu but on the edge of her sight she saw a flash of gold.

Whirling just in time she saw a beautiful golden haired woman snap a whip of light tight, pulling the water knight’s feet out from under her in a flash. Despite the soft grass that carpeted the garden grounds her knees and elbows connected solidly with the hard ground, she knew she’d have bruises later.

Umi blinked quickly and staggered to her feet, for a moment she thought she’d gone completely off her rocker and was looking at Princess Emeraude but as she shook off the fall she could see the woman more clearly.

Piercing, icy blue eyes, several shades lighter than her own, watched her coolly as the light whip went snaking back to its mistress. The cord of light solidified into a needle sharp blade, not unlike Umi’s rapier. The hilt was silver and had one honey colored jewel embedded in the crossbar of the hilt and another in the pommel.

“Not so fast Lady Water Knight.” Her voice was just as icy as her eyes; there wasn’t any emotion in her tone at all really. There was no trace of the hatred or anger that filled the other woman’s voice; only a monotone, calculative feel that made Umi shutter.

The woman flicked back a few strands of her golden hair, it was longer than Umi’s but just as smooth and strait. If the woman had been on Earth Umi would have thought her too be in her late twenties or early thirties, but then again this was Cephiro and you can never really tell.

“Who are you? What did you do to Fuu?!” Umi grabbed her sword from where it had fell from her hand and quickly with practiced ease fell into en guard stance.

“I am called Solara” was the woman’s only answer before she lunged forward. Umi parried the blow; Solara tried to push though her parry with raw strength but Umi being smaller than her decided to retreat back a bit and then try a feint. Solara didn’t buy the fake attack and came down hard in a slicing arc. Umi parried again but the woman came in again with a flick and Umi dogged but not quickly enough. Solara nicked her side slicing neatly below her breastplate biting into her clothes and skin.


Umi stumbled back and smiled grimly, she was good, very good. She straitened and lunged forward with a thrust, it was blocked and she went into a short recovery and then lunged again quickly, the point of her blade embedding into Solara’s shoulder. The surprise on her face showed for only a moment but Umi got the feeling that the woman had not seen her own blood in quite sometime.

Solara pulled back dislodging the point, eyeing Umi with new respect. “I see your reputation precedes you.” The blond woman raised her blade in a salute, Umi returned the gesture. Then Solara attacked her once again, with quite a bit more ferocity than before.

With each thrust she pushed Umi back forcing her on the defensive, Umi grit her teeth and dug in for the long haul.

While Umi was occupied with Solara, Hikaru had gone after it again with Sentra. At first she’d tried to refrain from magic so as not to destroy the garden but it was soon clear that sword skill alone wasn’t going to be enough.

A quick glance toward Umi to ensure she was holding her own and didn’t need help, and then she gathered her magic, “Fire Arrow!” The flames came swirling out of her glove gem catching Sentra off guard and threw her back. She rushed forward to help Ferio save Fuu, he’d been able to free her from about half of the vines but he was tiring and couldn’t keep up the pace.

Hikaru eyes darted around quickly looking for the source of the vines, they had been created by magic she could feel that. So that meant they could be destroyed by magic. Her eyes on her target she dashed past Ferio and raised her sword high leaping up to put more force behind the blow and sliced through the vines. The vines squirming and writhing around Fuu stopped, the roses withered and the plant turned brown and fell away. Stepping back she called another attack, “Crimson Lightning!” and destroyed the root of the plant to prevent it from coming back.

Fuu whimpered in relief as she felt herself freed from the horrid restraints, she cried out when Ferio gathered her up into his arms. Every part of her felt like it was on fire, she tried to focus on his face but everything seemed to fade away.

“Fer...io…” she rasped and her head tilted back as she lost her fight to stay conscious.

“Fuu…Hikaru behind you!” He called out to the fire knight; she turned just in time to see one of Sentra’s shadow spheres heading strait for them. Fortunately it never made it as Umi’s water dragon stopped it a few feet from the three.

“Umi!” Hikaru gasped as Solara came up behind Umi while she had turned to fire the magic attack. She could only watch as Solara clenched her fist, her ovum gem flaring with a white hot light.

“Aurora Flash!”

The blast of magic shot forward at blinding speed there just wasn’t any time for Hikaru to reach her.

Umi felt the heat from the blast as she turned belatedly wishing she’d had more time and then suddenly something collided with her and collided hard. The heat was gone and she was tumbling down. She tensed and her eyes squeezed shut preparing to hit the ground but instead of hitting hard ground she hit something kind of soft and… warm?

“Wha…?” Umi braced her weight on her elbows and looked down at what she’d landed on and ended up nose to nose with none other than, “Eagle?!” she stared at him stunned.

“Well, I thought I might as well make myself useful” he smiled.

The commander had hung back for most of the fight, he was unarmed and was not capable of using magic and was feeling quite useless but then he’d seen the attack coming when Umi had her back turned.

He didn’t know if he’d make it in time but he rushed forward and took the chance. Hitting the water knight with quite a bit of momentum they both tumbled down. She landed on top of him with a thud.

He wanted to laugh at the shock written clearly on her pretty face when she realized what had happened, grinning ruefully he was about to say something else but his grin disappeared suddenly and in a quick motion he rolled over taking her with him just in time to miss a shadow sphere that Sentra had threw their way.

Both of them quickly got to their feet once more and backed up joining Ferio who was protectively clutching Fuu’s unconscious form. Umi winced at the pain that shot up her side from her wound as she stood. Biting her lip she pushed the pain into the back of her mind, there’d be time to deal with that later.

Hikaru also retreated a few steps to join them, all the while she watched carefully as Solar and Sentra join together across from them.

“Why are you attacking us?! What have we done to you?” Umi demanded taking a step forward.

“I was going to go easy on you and end this all quickly but now that you hurt my sister…” Sentra bit off the end of her sentence and left the threat hanging in the air like heavy fog.

She glanced to her sister Solara whom was standing next to her calmly gazing at the water knight. She seemed not to notice or not to care about the steady trickle of blood from her shoulder.

“Sister?” Umi lowered her sword stunned by that little bit of information.

“Yes and you hurt her. Now let’s see how much your friends enjoy watching as you die!” Sentra clenched her fist, her violet glove gem glowing in preparation for a magic attack.

Eagle stepped forward pulling Umi behind him. Damn why didn’t he ask Lantis to return his weapons when he’d spoken to him the night before? Where were the others anyway? His hard amber eyes followed the smaller of the two women as she started to circle their little group.

“A lot of good that’ll do her are you going to protect her. You can’t even use magic.” Sentra raised her hand “Shadow sphere!” The blackish-blue sphere of magic hurdled towards the group fast.

Eagle raised a hand and put up a mental barrier to reflect the attack. Unfortunately he was a little out of practice and the magic shot through in a few places. He heard Umi and Hikaru yelp as they tried to dodge the magic and protect Fuu and Ferio.

His feet began to slide back a few inches from the force of the magic, he grunted and put up his other hand concentrating to strengthen the field. Sentra threw another sphere on top of her first.

‘Damn she’s strong, it’s like trying to hold back one of Hikaru’s attacks in her mashin’ he slid back a bit more but his barrier held, although some of the second magic attack punched though. He took a nick above his left eye and a trickle of blood streamed down, blinking furiously he held the barrier until the magic stopped.

He let a sigh escape his lips as he let his hands drop to his side whipping his eye on his shirt, blood smearing across his shoulder.

“No bad…” Sentra stopped in her barrage, “but not good enough, Eagle Vision of Autozam.”

At his suspicious glare she smiled, “Yes I know you are not of Cephiro. You shouldn’t even be helping them, you shouldn’t even be here. You should have crossed over like the rest of us and…”

“Sentra!” Solara snapped cutting her sister off short her blue eyes darkening, she was angry.

“Crossed over…?” Umi asked confused.

“The rest of us…?” Eagle was about to ask more but Solara and Sentra both attacked together.

“Shadow Sphere!”

“Aura Flash!”

The two knights rushed forward to counter.

“Azure Hurricane!”

“Crimson Lightning!”

The four magic attacks roared towards each other rushing to meet between the two groups. But then something very strange happened, everything stopped. The water coming out of the fountain stood still, drops frozen magically in midair. The magic attacks hung in the air as if someone had snapped a photograph. Everything in the room had stopped moving except them.

Time had stopped.

“What the…?” Ferio stared.

“That isn’t supposed to happen right?” Eagle glanced at the two knights.

Both girls looked dumbfounded.

“Ah…no…” Hikaru shook her head slowly.

“Now, now, why can’t we all be civil?” A male voice echoed in the strange time-stopped silence.

Solara eyes showed a flash of surprise for quick second and then a slight smile tugged at her lips. “Ah, Camry. I was wondering when you were going to show up.”

“Well I can’t leave you two to your own whims now can I?” Something moved under the trees and Camry materialized from the shadows as if he were one of them. “You just might get into trouble.”

He walked forward stepping into the light and headed towards the no-mans land between the two sides. He was a fairly pale man, this made more prominent by his maroon clothes. His voice was light hearted as if he were teasing but his red eyes were serious, gazing from behind the fringe of white bangs at them as he ducked under the frozen magic attacks.

Hikaru watched him carefully those red eyes so much like her own, so much more behind those eyes than just what appeared to be. Rayearth’s final words came back to her echoing in her mind.

“Trust the one with eyes like thine.”

“Red eyes…” she whispered.

“What?” Umi looked at her confused.

“Nothing…I’ll tell you later, but I think he’s on our side.”

“How can you be sure Hikaru, he seems to know the other two pretty well…?” The water knight was unconvinced.

The rest of their conversation was interrupted by Sentra, “So the rumor is true. You really can control time.” She shot Camry an acid glare.

“Well control maybe too strong of a word for what I do, but yes you could say I can bend time.” He made a sudden movement with his hands and the magic attacks that were frozen seemed to implode on themselves and a black void appeared under him sucking the magic down into it. There was a rushing of air and a popping sound as it collapsed inward and then closed up.

“What the heck was that?” Umi gaped.

“Negative space, it creates a vacuum.” Eagle answered, “But I’ve only seen one in space between the worlds.”

“You mean like a black hole?” Hikaru sort of got that.

Umi sighed, “This is just too freak’n weird.”

“Why are you helping them Camry?” Sentra demanded. “You of all people understand why we’re doing this. After what happened, I know in your time you were connected in some way to the Pil…”

Camry’s face darkened and he cut her off, “I fight you because of that, it should have never been repeated. You know just as well as I do that what they did was for the better of Cephiro.” His eyes were hidden behind the shadow of his bangs but there was something in his voice that was…painful…to hear. “You are foolish for blindly following orders.”

“Damn you Camry! You have no right to pass judgment! You don’t understand our reasons, you could never understand!” She stepped forward but Solara stopped her. “Sister?!” she looked back surprised.

“Now is not the time.” Solara’s voice had yet to lose its calm, cold note, even when she was angry earlier. She held her sister back, “We should return.”

“But?” The angry Sentra protested it was easy to tell she wanted a piece of Camry, and she wanted it now.

Solara shook her head, “Later.” She turned and opened a portal under the shadow of a tree and looked back to Sentra.

Sentra grit her teeth and turned back to Camry. She raised her sword up to his chest, “Before this is over… I will kill you.” She pressed the point of her sword forward breaking his pale skin just below his collarbone. A small fleck of blood appeared and ran down the edge of the blade.

Camry didn’t move and only watched her indifferently as she stepped back her sword disappearing into her glove gem. She stomped off into the portal angrily but her sister didn’t follow immediately.

Solara watched Camry for a fleeting instant her blue eyes locking with his red for a moment. Then she moved and broke the spell between them, returning her sword to its resting place she disappeared through the portal and it closed after her.

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at Camry, trying to decide if he was their side or not. Then Umi broke the silence.

“Who the hell are you?” she asked.

“Umi!” Hikaru gasped.

“What?” she demanded.

Eagle chuckled a little reliving some of the tension from the room, “That was not very lady like of you Umi”

“We were just in a huge fight, with some psycho women who seemed pretty damn determined to kill us for no apparent reason, some weirdo shows up and stops time and you’re worried about my manners?!” Umi practically shrieked at the commander who visibly winced and backed away slowly.

“Sorry…” he grinned at her outburst looking pretty sheepish by this point.

“Well you sure are a lively bunch, although I’m not sure I’ll be helping you again if you’re going to call me names.” Camry grinned. “Weirdo? Come on am I really that weird?” He looked down as if to appraise himself.

Hikaru and Umi both sweat dropped but then shook it off; neither of them had put away their swords and stepped forward.

“I’ll ask again, who are you?” Umi repeated her former question.

“I’ll be glad to answer your questions in due time but attend to your friend first.” He pointed to Fuu who had yet to so much as twitch after passing out in Ferio’s arms. “When you speak to the Guru tell him the poison from the rose vines is resistant to healing magic, a natural potion would work best to help her.” He cocked his head to the side as if he heard something, “Hum, here comes your back up…I’ll return when you’ve taken care of your friend.” He turned and headed back for the trees as soon as he was beneath the eves he disappeared before anyone could get a word in edge wise.

At that very moment Lantis, Presea, Ascot and Lafarga came charging into the garden.

“What happened?” Lafarga returned his sword to its sheath for the danger seemed to have passed.

“We were attacked again” Umi sighed heavily, she had one arm wrapped around her waist pressed to her wound to ease the bleeding.

“It was the same woman as before…” Hikaru said as she shooed Lantis away insisting that she was fine and for him to quit fussing over her. “Only this time there was two of them.”

“Two?” Presea asked.

“Yes two and then that other one…” at this Umi glared off into the shadows where Camry had disappeared to.

“Other one?” Ascot asked confused.

“It’s a long story. We’ll explain later after we get Fuu to Clef.” Umi glanced back worriedly at her friend.

With a bit of help from Ascot, Ferio gathered Fuu up and they quickly headed out the door.

Eagle caught Lantis on the way out, “Lantis could you get my weapons back for me, if this escalates anymore it would be unwise for me to be unarmed.”

The Cail nodded and went out into the castle corridor leaving Eagle standing in the archway alone.

He looked back into the partially destroyed garden and shook his head then quickly headed after the others.

o               o               o               o

Sentra slammed her fist down onto the stone table top, “Why did you stop me Solara?” she demanded. They had returned to the other side by now and Sentra was venting her anger on her sister.

“Because that was not our mission.” The blond answered calmly. “We were to test the Magic Knights for any weaknesses they have and we did just that. We were not sent to kill them or Camry. Nor were we to kill the man from Autozam.”

“But still! Why did you stop me from at least getting rid of Camry?” Sentra took a step closer to her sister and glared up at her.

“Because your sister follows orders and I said I’d deal with him when the time came.” Impreza came into the room silently.

“Milady” both Sentra and Solara bowed.

“So what did you find?” The dark woman sat down on her queenly throne, “I’m waiting for your report.”

“The Wind Knight seems have some attachment to the last Pillar’s brother, the prince.” Solara started.

As does the Fire Knight to the Cail, the last high priest’s younger brother. He seemed very concerned about her when I injured her before. They are all loyal to each other I’ll give them that at least. During the fight they protected each other instead of just protecting themselves. ” Sentra added.

“And what of the Water Knight?” Impreza asked, a frown creasing her perfectly smooth skin. She really didn’t like the Water Knight after the little dog had escaped her trap.

“She protected her fellow knights fiercely, she even wounded Solara” She growled at the thought of her sister’s injury.

Impreza raised one perfect dark eyebrow, “You Solara? She managed to injure you?”

“Yes milady, her sword skills are exceptional.” Thought Solara seemed to be giving Umi quite the complement it really wasn’t, just a simple fact to her. “Although she didn’t appear to favor anyone, the one from Autozam did protect her. He saved her from my magic attack.”

“Ah that one…” Impreza murmured thoughtfully, “What of him?”

“He’s very quick and his powers grow daily, though I doubt he knows it. He is unable to use magic yet but he has been in Cephiro long enough for a magic to have chosen him. His strength of will is frightening…he held back one of Sentra’s magic attacks with sheer willpower.” Solara tapped her fingers upon the table top in a deadly melody.

“He also sensed my presence once before when he first awoke, Camry was there…the bastard…it was his fault I was almost caught and had to leave. She did seem to have at least some feelings for the foreigner.” Sentra circled over to her sister and waited for her lady’s order.

Impreza seemed to think for a moment, “This one from Autozam, he never did cross over and my sight if limited with the water mirror so I have no idea how he avoided this fate. But…” she paused for a moment and a vicious smile pulled at her lips, “he may prove useful. The next time you cross over…bring him to me”

o              o               o

Umi would have thought it impossible to fit so many people in one room. She felt like she couldn’t take a deep breath or she might bump into someone.

Clef and Presea were on one side of Fuu’s bed, Ferio and Hikaru on the other. Fuu herself lay motionless as Presea poured potion onto bandages and wrapped them around her arms and legs.

Umi herself was at the end of the bed with a fidgety Caldina to her right. The dancer was nervously hopping from one foot to the next and Umi was about ready to smack her.

“Well Clef?” Caldina asked anxiously.

Clef let out a sigh and opened his eyes, which had been closed as he used his powers to check on Fuu’s healing. “The poison is clearing slowly. I haven’t seen a poison of this kind in a long time. Who was it that told you it was resistant to healing magic?” he looked to Hikaru.

“This guy, he showed up in the middle of the fight and stopped our magic attacks. Just froze them in midair and then made them disappear into this freaky black hole. Then he left and said he’d come back after we’d taken care of Fuu.” Hikaru made a whole range of hand motions as she described the whole ordeal.

“Hikaru,” Umi started, “During the fight when that man first appeared you said you thought he was on are side, why?”

“Well, this is going to sound crazy, but I had a dream last night and Rayearth appeared in it. He said the mashine wouldn’t be able to help us but that he would restore my powers and right before he disappeared he said, ““Trust the one with eyes like thine.” ”
That guy had red eyes just like me; I think he’s the person Rayearth was talking about.”

“A dream? Well if we’re going to go into having dreams with mashine in them I got a visit from Selece as well.” Umi leaned heavily upon the bedpost the cut on her side was really starting to throb.

“Fuu said something about that last night.” Ferio spoke up; he was sitting by his knight’s side and had yet to move since he’d laid her down a few hours before. “She had a dream about Windom he gave her a warning.”

“Warning?” Presea looked up from wrapping the last of Fuu’s bandages.

““Beware the dark warrior, for roses are not all they seem” ” He intoned softly.

“The smaller woman, Sentra wasn’t it? Her magic attack had to do with shadows I bet Windom meant her and the rose vines that she attacked Fuu with.” Hikaru got up from Fuu’s side and went to stand next to Umi.

“The other woman she said her name was Solara, they were sisters.” Umi crossed her other arm around her side to appear more casual. ‘One with power over shadows the other over light. Why doesn’t that surprise me?’ she almost rolled her eyes at the notion.

“Umi did Selece tell you anything?” Hikaru asked.

“Yes, but I still don’t understand it. He pretty much said I’d grow much strong in the coming days and that ‘I was due to be transformed.’ Whatever that means. Why can’t mashine be strait forward?” She frowned, her brow creasing slightly.

“I have no idea.” Hikaru also frowned and gave a heavy sigh.

“Alright a girl that’s enough for now, everyone should get some rest. We can sort the rest of this out in the morning. You both should rest after using so much energy today.” Clef ordered them out.

Truth be told Umi felt like she was about to drop dead and she was pretty sure Hikaru was just as tired. It’d been some time since they’d been in such a knock down drag out fight like that.

Caldina went out the door with them leaving Presea, Ferio and Clef to finish taking care of Fuu. There wasn’t a whole lot they could do but take up space at least until Fuu woke up. The dancer squeezed both girls tight, Umi wincing as she did so but managed not to say anything, and then she left to go find Lafarga.

Both Eagle and Lantis had been the sensible two and had stayed out in the hallway; they were leaning against the wall when they came out.

“How is she?” Eagle asked kindly.

“Clef said the poison is passing slowly but she already looked better to me” Umi answered as the girls walked over to them.

“I’m glad I hope she’s well soon.”

“Aw Eagle you’re so nice worrying about Fuu” Hikaru jumped up and hugged his neck.

The commander only smiled and nodded as she let go.

“Well we never did get to eat anything I think I’m going to go get something. Do you want to come?” She looked up to Lantis who nodded. “What about you guys?” she asked Umi and Eagle.

“I’m fine Hikaru, thank you.” He shook his head.

“You should be after all the apples you ate, even before the fight, I’m sure you’ve had more since then.” She shot the blond man a look.

“No actually I haven’t but I’m fine.” He laughed a little and threaded a hand through his hair.

“I’m not really hungry Hikaru you go ahead” Umi encouraged and gave Hikaru a wink.

Hikaru blushed immediately and glanced up at Lantis from the corner of her eye. “Well see you later, night Umi, night Eagle.” She promptly drug Lantis off with her down the hall. The Cail seemed not to mind too terribly much but he didn’t quite understand her reasons for hurrying off so quickly.

After they turned a corner Umi and Eagle were left alone in the dark hallway.

Eagle chuckled as Lantis disappeared with Hikaru, “Umi you should tease her so.”

“Oh she’ll be fine” Umi giggled despite herself though she grimaced at the pain that shot up her side from the laughter.

Eagle noticed, “Umi did you get Presea to look at that?”

‘Darn him why does he have to notice everything?’ Umi sighed internally, “No not yet I was going to take care of it myself. It’s only a little nick, I’ll be fine.”

“Umi…” he scolded.

“What? You sound like my mother…” she grumbled. “You didn’t get anyone to look at your eye” she countered him.

“Yes I suppose you’re right I haven’t, have I?” He shook his head, “Do you know were I could find some bandages?”

“I have a first-aid kit in my room. You’re going to need help with it anyways.” She leaned in closer to him examining the gash with her eyes, “It looks pretty deep” she frowned again. “Come on” she turned and flicked her hair behind her shoulder and headed for her room, Eagle a few paces behind.

Reaching her room Umi pushed the door open leaving it ajar for Eagle. She went over to her dresser and pulled open a bottom drawer retrieving an intricate bowl shaped jar. Setting it down on the dresser top she hurried into her bathroom coming back in with a bowl and pitcher full of water.

Eagle stuck his head in the door and looked about just as she was pouring the water into the bowl. “Over here Eagle” she patted the seat of a blue settee that was next to her dresser.

He came in closing the door and did as she told sitting down on the settee next to her. She dipped a small towel into the water and rung it out. “Here let me see” she placed her hand on the side of his face, gently pushing his bangs back. “Yes, it is pretty deep” she studied it a moment before she began to lightly wash the dried blood away.

“So where did you learn to treat wounds Umi” he asked a question to break the silence between them.

“Last summer I volunteered as a lifeguard and I had to have special training, including some medical training.” She wiped away more caked on dry blood but this caused the gash to starting bleeding anew. “Here hold this” She pressed a new cloth to his skin and after he’d put presser on it she started to wash her hands in the bowl.

“Lifeguard?” Eagle asked his one eye was closed to keep blood from dripping into but his good eye glanced at her sideways as she dried her hand and popped open the small jar.

“It’s somebody that’s trained to keep watch over other people while their swimming and save them if they start to drown.” She reached in the jar and pulled out bandages and ointment.

“Oh, you did that?” He seemed amused by this.

“Yes, why is that funny?” she asked as she pulled the cloth away gently to see if the bleeding had stopped. It had and she started to smear some healing ointment on it.

“Well your magical abilities are rooted in water are they not?” She nodded to his question so he went on, “I just thought it slightly ironic that you did such a job.” He smiled up at her as she began to tread a needle.

“I’m going to have to stitch this up ok?” she asked.

He nodded and fell silent as she quickly and skillfully sewed the wound closed. It was almost like sewing a skirt, though Umi had to remind herself several times this was a person and she took extra care not to pull too hard. He didn’t even so much as flinch as she pulled the needle through, she knew it had to hurt for she had nothing to deaden the pain with. Even so he still didn’t move one twitch but kept his eyes peacefully closed.

“There all done” she tied off the end and cut it. His eyes slid back open again a calm honey colored shade as if he’d been thinking of something peaceful while they were closed. Applying a little bit more ointment she began to wrap a bandage around his forehead. Sighing she pushed some of his bangs out of the way to tuck the bandage behind his ear, “I wish they had some tape or band-aids this would be a lot easier.”

He opened his mouth to ask something but she beat him to it.

“A band-aid is a bandage that’s sticky on one side so it’s easier to put on.”

He chuckled once again, he seemed to laugh easily, and it made her smile to hear it.

“Done” she pinioned the wrap in place and flopped down next to him on the settee.

Smiling he reached out and took her hand, “Thank you very much” he kissed the back of her hand just like any perfect gentleman would do.

Umi blushed slightly she’d never had any guy do that. Though she’d never be the first to admit it she loved all the old tales about knights and chivalry and found it all quite romantic. At this thought she blushed further and withdrew her hand gently and stood. “Well you should get some rest and…”

Eagle stopped her by gently grabbing her wrist, “No you don’t; now somebody needs to take care of you. I can if you don’t mind of if you’d like I’ll go get Presea but you are not going anywhere until someone does.” His voice was still gentle but stern.

She sighed and ran her hand though her hair in an exasperated movement, defeated, “Presea’s busy helping Clef so I guess you can” one blush faded quickly into the next she sat back down next to him.

“Alight lift up your arm a bit,” he kneeled by her side and pealed the blood stuck cloth away slowly.

“Ouch” her nose wrinkled in discomfort.

“Sorry Umi, could you take off you armor I can’t quite get…” before he’d finished there was a soft blue flash and all her armor disappeared into her glove gem. “That is pretty handy isn’t it?” he tapped the blue jewel on her left hand.

“Yes they are” Umi cleared her throat and looked around the room trying to find something to distract herself. Suddenly the carving above her door became very interesting. “So where did you learn to do this?” she asked his own question.

“It’s standard procedure for all Autozam military to be medically trained, no matter their ranking.” He pealed the rest of the side of her shirt up, the slice in her skin was just below her ribcage but it wasn’t too deep and wouldn’t need to be sewn up like his.

“Oh” she felt pretty silly now asking that, ‘Duu! Umi of course he’s had medical training he’s a solider!’ she sighed but jumped a bit when he touched her side with the wet cloth.

“Oh, sorry did that hurt?” his hands stopped and he glanced up to her.

“No, just cold” she looked down smiling for a second.

He laughed again, “Oh well sorry anyways” he finished cleaning the nick and reached for the same ointment and bandages that’d she’d used before. “You know I actually wanted to be a doctor before I entered the army when my father became president.”

“Really?” Umi was surprised; she’d thought he’d wanted to be in the army.

“Yes, you see my mother passed away from a sickness not to dissimilar from my own when I was quite small. I wanted to be able to help people like her.” He’d finished with the ointment and was now wrapping her side up.

“Oh, I’m sorry Eagle” she looked down at him again as he finished up her eyes sad.

“It’s alright it was a long time ago, nothing for you to worry about” he stood and poured fresh water into the bowl washing his hands.

“But that still doesn’t change how much you miss someone after they’re gone” she said softly. She heard him sigh and looked up, he’d come back and knelled down in front of her. Taking her hands in his he smiled sadly.

“Yes that’s very true, but you needn’t worry.” He gazed steadily into her eyes for a moment, such a true, true shade of blue and she returned it.

Studying his own amber eyes she wondered what he was thinking and then he stood and leaned forward a bit smiling as he threaded some of her long locks in his fingers. “You’re a very good person Umi.”

He offered her a hand up and she took it looking at him with a slightly puzzled gaze. “Well, I’d say it’s time for you to get some rest.” He headed for her door and she followed him to it standing just inside the doorway as he went into the hall.

“Oh Umi…” he put up one arm to lean on the doorframe. “I know it’s been lost in all this trouble going around but as soon as Fuu is better and it’s quieted down a bit you really should tell them.”

She knew what he meant the second the words left his mouth. The accident with her friend’s boyfriend. She’d still not told them how much it’d shaken her up. “I know” her head dropped a bit. “I’ll tell them soon.”

“You promise?” he asked reaching forward and gently lifting her chin up so she met his eyes.

“Yes” she nodded lightly.

“Good. Remember if you need help Umi all you have to do is ask” on pure instinct he lent down and placed a feather light kiss on her forehead.

A deep red blush flushed her face and she couldn’t find any words to say so he only smiled at her, “Good night Umi.”

Before she had the chance to gather her scattered wits he turned and walked back down the hall towards his room. Slowly Umi closed her door and went back into her room, she stood slightly shell shocked for a moment and then flopped down onto her bed.

She wasn’t sure what to make of anything yet but she couldn’t hold back the small smile that found its way onto her face. She buried her face into her pillow, “Why are men so complicated?” she asked aloud to the empty room. She knew the next day would be a very, very interesting day no matter what happened.

AN: Once again thank you to all my readers and reviewers. Keep with me please I promise to get chapters out as fast as I can!

Next time: Camry friend or foe? What was his connection to the Pillar in his time? When will Fuu wake up and will Camry come clean about his perpose in the coming battle? What's going to happen with Umi and Eagle and just what does Impreza want with Eagle?

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