Part One

"C’mon, Hikaru! Make up your mind!" Umi began to hum the jeopardy song. "You can’t have them both!"

"Why not? I--I think I love them both!" Hikaru protested. She tossed aside the petaless flower she’d pulled apart. "Lantis loves me, he loves me not. Eagle loves me, he loves me not...."

"Oh, Hikaru, you really aren’t sure, are you?" Fuu added sympathetically.

"And we can’t hold the wedding until she decides, and I’m getting damned sick of waiting!" Umi cried.

"Oh come on, Umi, we’re still just fifteen. What’s this about a wedding?" Hikaru asked, trying to shift the subject.

"We wanted to hold a triple wedding for the three Magic Knights. Ascot-san and Umi-san, Ferio-san and I, and--"

"If I do recall correctly, both Ascot and Guru Clef would be happy to marry Umi, and she’s known them longer than I’ve known Lantis and Eagle. So why is it all right for her to deliberate over her choice, but not me?"

"You’re not even deliberating! You’re just taking them both for all you can get! A dozen roses on your doorstep every other morning, boxes of candy showing up mysteriously on your dinner plate...it’s disgusting, that’s what it is!"

"And yet that necklace you’re wearing from Ascot isn’t disgusting?" Hikaru wondered dryly.

"Well, he doesn’t give me things every day..." Umi replied, touching the necklace self-consciously.

"Jiminey Christmas! I don’t think I can choose! I want them both!"

"Maybe you do now, but what if you get married to both, only to realize later that you only really love one of them?" Fuu replied softly.

"What if I marry one of them, but find out that I love the other?" Hikaru replied. "Fuu, Umi, I don’t know what to do!"

"Take your time," Fuu advised. "There’s no hurry. Honestly, Umi."

Umi shrugged. "Sure, I’ve got my whole life to waste," she muttered grudgingly.

"First day I’m up and walking, and now it seems as if I can’t stop." Eagle stumbled a bit as his legs got used to carrying his weight again, but on the whole, he was pretty much recovered.

As healthy as he could hope to be, anyway.

"Face it, Eagle Vision, you’re no Lantis." Not that it was such a tough admission to make--he had never been as healthy as his friend. But there was more to be considered than that. Why was it so hard to resign himself to the fact?

He didn't like that one bit, didn't believe a word of it--no matter how hard he tried to convince himself it was true. If he had to go down, it would be fighting.

He found himself panting. Too much walking. Maybe I'm not as fit as I thought I was...must sit down... Eagle took a seat on the base of a fountain, one of the many that spurted from the garden he was in.

"Excuse me?" The voice was familiar, but Eagle couldn't place it. The same went for the face that peered at him through the fountain. Long, pale green hair framed a face that smiled sweetly at him. "Would you mind if I came and sat with you? I've been alone all day..."

"That goes for both of us. Go ahead--it'll be good to have someone to talk to."

The girl stood up, never ceasing that sweet smile that was incredibly beautiful--and familiar. But he couldn't place it for the life of him...

"So what brings you to this lonely place?" She sat down beside him. She was wearing some kind of light floral perfume that smelled as sweet as she looked.

"Well, actually, I've been unconscious for a few days, and I wanted a breath of fresh air."

"Oh, have you?" Her laughter was like bells. "Well, I've no such story to tell. Just an old one too often told. My boyfriend left me for another girl."

"A feeling I know..." He remembered the ways girls seemed to prefer the strong, handsome Lantis to his frail shadow. It had never been too much of an issue in their friendship, but such things tend to have a bearing on the mind. "What's your name, by the way?"

"Me? It's...Solana. And you? As you may have guessed, I'm new around here. This is all very unfamiliar." She seemed to think it necessary to get this point across, which Eagle thought a bit odd. But then, everything was odd these days...

"Eagle Vision. I--" He looked up to see someone standing in the gateway to the garden. Lantis?

"Oh, I--I'm late! I'm sorry, Eagle Vision, I'll look for you again sometime--I promise! Bye!" Solana stood up and dashed off, towards the opposite gate as the one Lantis was occupying. Eagle shrugged and headed for his friend.

"Bout time you woke up!" Lantis said cheerfully, giving him a friendly hug. And as no more than a friend, either--not to say that Eagle wished for more than friendship.

Well, not from Lantis, anyway.

"Say, who was that you were talking to?"

"Her name was Solana. She says she's new here--but there was something familiar about her."

"Well, maybe we met her sometime back on Autozam or something."

"I don't know--she certainly didn't recognize me."

"Now that is odd." Lantis frowned. "Everyone in the palace has been worried about you--no one's stopped talking about you! She should have at least recognized your name, unless she is very new here."

"It's not worth worrying about now. Shall we pay a visit to the Magic Knights? I should like to see how they are doing. Hikaru has told me a little, but..."

"Of course! I would have thought she’d be at your side the moment you awoke!"

"No...I kind of told her I wanted to be alone." Eagle looked at his friend and rival. I haven’t got a chance... But then he realized it was not Hikaru’s face he thought of, but Solana’s. And also the realization that something was missing.

"Where’s the pixie?" Eagle added, changing the subject.

"I haven’t seen her," Lantis replied, a bit surprised. "She disappeared a few days ago, all in a huff. And you know what?" He blushed, looking away for a moment. "You know, I kinda miss her. No more than as a friend, though," he added hastily.

"She has a temper, but I’m sure she’ll come back. She can’t stay away from you for long."

"It’s been days, and no one’s seen her, you know." Lantis couldn’t hide all the nervousness in his voice, not from his best friend. "Absolutely no one. I’m kinda worried."

"Well, maybe the Knights will help us look," Eagle suggested. "Or Clef--his magic is good for seeing things."

"I already asked Hikaru." Oh, I’ll bet you did, Eagle added silently, hiding a wince of jealously. "But not Clef. He’s been busy lately."

On the way to the wing of the palace claimed by the Knights, Lantis helped Eagle catch up on the goings on at the palace. Preparations for a celebration were being made, the only thing holding them back was waiting for Eagle’s recovery. Now they could put the plans in motion for a grand ball, the likes of which had never been seen, even in Emeraude’s day. Geo and Zazu, Tatra and Tarta, and even Asuka and company would be attending, with other guests from their respective homeworlds. They ran into one of these on the way--Eagle’s aunt Mercedes, the official seamstress--and unofficial matchmaker--of Autozam. The plump woman embraced her nephew in a stifling bear hug.

"It’s good to see you up and about, young man! You’ve grown! I’d say you’re about a forty-one, now, give or take a half-terce."

"Aunt Mercedes..." Eagle moaned, blushing as she produced a tape measure marked in terces, the measument unit of his homeworld. "I’ve got clothes enough for three men, and you’re no doubt busy enough making dresses--"

"No! Not at all! I’ve got helpers. That nice young girl Umi is helping me out, and Tatra, and even Asuka does some embroidery. And I’ve been through your wardrobe." Somehow that didn’t surprise Eagle one bit--nor her tone of disapproval. Mercedes had always been his least favorite aunt. "You have nothing that will suffice for the grand ball to be held. I don’t know how you are allowed to go about in such rags. Just like your father--no taste for fine clothing." She continued measuring him, business-like, while Lantis hid a snicker behind his hand. Eagle glared at him.

"Can’t you do this some other time, Aunt Mercedes? We were on our way somewhere..."

"It’ll just be another moment, sweetie." Lantis snorted. "Let’s see, forty-two, twelve, and..." she scribbled down another measurement. "Twenty-six. I’ll see what I can do."

"Yes, do that. But I want to approve a design before you sew a single stich on it," he added menacingly. "I don’t want my eighth birthday to happen all over again."

Geo Metro and Zazu Torque, who had been eavesdropping on this conversation through a cracked-open door, now fell into the hallway, rolling and hooting in laughter. Even Lantis grinned, having heard the story. For his eighth birthday party, Eagle’s aunt had designed a sailor suit so overdone with frills and ribbons he looked like a little girl. He still hadn’t lived it down.

"Not polite to eavesdrop," Eagle said, his the only stern face in the hallway. His sweatdrop offset it nicely. "Very rude indeed."

"It’s all right, man." Lantis patted him firmly on the back. Eagle, taken by surprise, nearly fell flat on his face, arms wheeling to regain his balance. This set Geo and Zazu off again, and his sweatdrop grew even more. Lantis was giggling, which looked rather bizarre for a man of his size and build.

I am no Lantis, Eagle sighed to himself, eyeing the giggling man, but perhaps that is not such a bad thing.

Primera stalked sullenly around the room, clenching and unclenching her fists. That had been too close! But she told herself she was foolish. She had hidden somewhere Lantis--nor the Magic Knights--would ever think to look!

A curse on Lantis. How could he choose that Magic Knight over her? Always Hikaru this, Hikaru that--and the way both he and Eagle went on was enough to make a pixie sick. But at least now, Eagle was awake. They would put that party into motion.

"And I shall have my revenge!" she cried, then blushed, realizing she had spoken aloud. This would not do at all. She had to learn to better control her emotions. She still had to bide her time, and then...

Lantis, Hikaru, Eagle...you are all in for the surprise of your life.

"Is Umi here?"

"What are you doing here? Get out of the way, we’re busy!" Ascot found himself being pushed around by a rather...erm...large woman. "The dance is in a week, pal, and we’re overloaded!"

"I just wanted to speak with Umi..."

"Ascot!" Umi appeared behind the lady who had first spoken to him. "Excuse me, Mercedes, it’s a friend of mine. Do you mind if I speak with him?"

"You should tell your friends to stay out of where they don’t belong. It’s crowded enough in here as it is," Mercedes grumbled. "Fine, you may go. But keep it short."

"C’mon, Ascot." Umi led him out of the sewing room and shut the door behind her with a sigh of relief. "You came just in time. I was beginning to think I would go crazy in there! I mean, I like sewing, but after hours and hours of it..."

"You...you mean you’re not upset with me for...for interrupting you?" That cursed stutter! He was trying not to sound like a child, damn it! But she was wearing his necklace...he touched the ring that was in his pocket, considering...no. Not yet. This was not the right time.

"Of course not! Though if I spend too long talking, Miss Mercedes will be angry. Not that I can’t match her scream for scream." Ascot could believe that. Mercedes may have been big, but Umi was fiercer.

She looked so cute, having given up her school uniform for one of the dresses like the other seamstresses wore, with a white apron with several pockets bulging with spools of thread and needles and scissors. The other Magic Knights were doing the same, giving up their earth clothes in favor of Cephiran--well, ex-Cephiran--garb. One wouldn’t have guessed that they came from another world--it was almost as if they had lived here all their lives.

"Well, I can be quick. I j-just wanted to ask you if you were--if you would like to, um, go to the ball with me?"

"Of course! You didn’t think I’d go with anyone else, did you?"

"Well...no, not really..." He felt his cheeks get warm, then blazing hot as she kissed him.

"I’ll talk to you later, but I should get back to work. So many people want new clothes for the dance! Asuka called in her chief seamstress, but there’s so much work to be done..."

"I’m...I’m sure...there is," he stuttered even more that before, and he could still feel where she had kissed him, even as she returned to the room. He wondered how it could not be plastered on his cheek for all to see as he walked down the hallway, nodding to Ferio and some others he barely knew. They looked at him no differently.

But...but Umi had...k...k...kissed him! He reached the area--a former garden--that he shared with his creatures, and collapsed into the soft grass with a sigh of utter bliss. From there he drifted off into daydream.

"Shall be lifted--nevermore!" Fuu finished her softly spoken recitation at the same instant she finished hanging a banner of thick, silky gold ribbon around the perimeter of the ballroom. She was met by a round of applause--or at least a pair of hands clapping, which was just as surprising. She blushed and pushed her glasses up her nose. "Well, I didn’t know I had an audience!"

"What was that you were talking about?" Ferio asked, helping her down the ladder.

"Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, a poem from my world." Her words took him aback for a moment--it was easy to forget she was from another world. Though her dress was conservative by Cephiran standards, it was a far cry from her school uniform--this was a flowing thing in a soft pale gold, with the sleeves cuffed and the skirt split to allow more freedom of movement. It was a reflection of the wearer, Ferio thought with a smile. Both beautiful and practical.

"Weird. I don't think I've ever heard anything like it. Don’t you think you’ve been working a little hard on setting this up?"

"Of course not! I’ve only been awake since six this morning." Ferio got a sweatdrop.

"You need a break. I am going to take you out to dinner," he told her.

Fuu blushed again. "That’s very kind of you. Ferio, but I--"

"You what?"

"Well, we’re installing the sound system tonight. I told Geo and Zazu how to do it, but they--"

"They don’t need you looking over their shoulders all the time! Like I said, you are taking a break, and we are going out to dinner."

To Ferio’s surprise, she smiled. "All right, if you insist."

Ferio took her hand, and they left the ballroom. "Do you know any more of this Ed-gar Al-len Poe?" he asked, pronouncing it slowly.

"Not by heart," Fuu replied. "But I have a book. I can show it to you, if you’d like."

"Maybe later tonight," Ferio replied. "You should change before we eat dinner. The restaurant is really fancy."

"Back where I come from, this would be considered really fancy," Fuu replied, indicating her clothing. "A fancy restaurant? Are you sure you can afford it?"

"Money is no object," he said. "I am a prince, remember?"

"Yes...you make it easy to forget, though. I like that about you," she told him rather matter-of-factly, and it was Ferio’s turn to blush. They came to her door, and she opened it. "You wait out here," she told him. "I’ll be out in a moment."

Ferio nodded.

"And don’t you dare peek!"

Ferio turned his back, whistling innocently. Fuu shut the door.

It seemed as if her wardrobe had grown tremendously since she’d arrived in Cephiro; for a moment, she was overwhelmed at the prospect of choosing anything. However, she soon ruled out those that she was pretty sure were too casual, and settled on one made of dark green satin and velvet, with a matching emerald headband. She took one final look in the mirror to make sure everything was in place, then left the room.

"This is all right, isn’t it?" she asked Ferio. He didn’t reply, though his mouth was hanging open.

He thought she had looked pretty before! Well, she would look beautiful in just about anything, but this was absolutely breathtaking. The tight velvet bodice was cut low enough to show off her slender shoulders, but not so much as to be immodest. The skirt was just long enough to brush the floor, so that she had to hold it up with one hand when she walked.

"Ferio?"

"Um, yeah, you look--very nice," he stuttered, struggling to return his mind to the present. "I mean...really, really beautiful." He knelt to kiss her hand, smiling at the ring--his ring, he thought happily, with a rush of pardonable pride--then stood up again. "Are you ready, my Lady?"

"Yes, Ferio, whenever you are."

"Eagle Vision?"

That voice could only belong to one person--the only one who called him by his full name, for one thing, but also the only voice that sounded so sweet one wondered how it managed to stay on the right side of disgusting.

"Good evening, Solana," Eagle replied.

"A good evening, indeed," she replied, "though a bit cold for my tastes."

"Oh." Eagle unhooked his cape and offered it to her.

"Thank you," she accepted, wrapping it around herself. "You are very kind."

"I was just doing what any gentleman would have done."

"Oh, I can think of some people who would not even offer," Solana replied bitterly.

"Your ex-boyfriend?" wondered Eagle.

"Yeah. Man, am I glad I’m rid of him." Solana sniffled, then threw herself at Eagle. "No, I’m not!" she cried. "I miss him so much!"

"It’s okay," Eagle told her softly. "If you really do love each other, I’m sure things will turn out okay."

"But he’s taking her to the ball," she whined.

"Well, at least he isn't taking your best friend to the ball," Eagle replied bitterly.

"That's awful!"

"It's not as bad as it sounds. It's not like she's dumped me, but...I know it won't take long." He looked down at his shoes. "It's for the better, I guess. At least we'll still be friends..."

Solana slapped his cheek. "That never works, don'tcha know that?"

"Hey!"

"Don't you see? People say that all the time when they're breaking up, but it never works, you understand? That's what L--that's what my boyfriend told me--that we were just gonna be friends! It means its over, and it just causes you more pain. You gotta take a stand, Eagle Vision--you can't let your girl just slip through your fingers!"

"But if she'll be happier..."

"She won't be happy with anyone but you," Solana told him firmly. At least, she'd better not be! "And unless you go in for love triangles--"

"She did say she loved us both...but the kind of love, I guess I don't know anymore. I've been awfully silly about the whole thing. I guess that's what happens when you're unconscious for a long time." Eagle grinned in spite of himself. "I even started naming our children."

"See? You really do love her." Solana sighed happily. "And as angry as I am with L--er, my ex, I know that I still love him. Everything has to turn out all right." She took a stance in front of Eagle, sweeping her borrowed cloak out around her. "We just have to make it happen."

Eagle stared at her. "I'm afraid I don't quite follow."

"I've got a plan, Eagle," Solana said. "We'll go to the ball together, and break up that couple so we can have our own true loves to ourselves!"

"That couple?"

"Er...those two couples," Solana amended quickly. "So, what do you think?"

"Having a date as beautiful as you will make up for any disappointment," Eagle replied. "What do I have to lose?"

End of Part One.

Intermission.

On to Part Two.