4/1/01
Okay, listen up, I was writing the sixth chapter of the Only Battle worth fighting (sorry, gotta’ plug my other fic!) and I got to thinking. I know, I know, it was quite a strain on my brain, but I was. Anyhow, I was thinking ‘What if the Magic Knights Weren’t send to Cephiro the second time?’ I don’t recall reading any fics with that certain plot twist, so I figured, “What they hey?”, and here I am. Now, just so you know I’m so going out of character on Fuu’s part, and I’m so sorry, remember now Fuu is my favorite Knight so I won’t make it to bad, but . . . gahh, just read it and you’ll see what I mean.

“I’ll Love You Again”
By: Peach Goddess
Rated: R
Warnings: Angst-y, morbid, violence, and blood.
confused@crosslink.net
‘____’=thought
“____”=speech
*~*~*=scene change

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He remembered when the grass was green.

‘As green as her eyes . . .’

He remembered when the wind played with the leaves on the branches of trees.

‘Like it played with her hair . . .’

Ferio cursed under his breath and turned away from the window with an angry scowl on his face. He had to stop being so selfish, Cephiro was in a time of crisis and here he was, the current ruler of the country thinking about his broken love life. Cephiro was in a horrible condition. Three different candidates from three different countries came, all failed and all were killed by the spell surrounding The Proof of the Pillar. Princess Aska of Faren was the first to go, she had seemed so confident going in . . . she had only gone one step before the enchanted waters surrounded her and dragged her screaming to the dark depths of the water. It had taken three minutes for her to die; they knew this because that’s when the air bubbles stopped surfacing and the water stopped rippling from her underwater thrashing. Later that day her body surfaced, her face a ghostly white, vomit caked in her hair and chunks of flesh missing from places all over her arms and legs. The bites were later identified as human bites, from her own mouth. She had been trying to bite through her restraints, not realizing it was the very water around her that held her still.

Princess Tatra of Chizeta was the next to go, her twin sister standing by watching the events nervously, who wasn’t nervous though? All the candidates for Pillar were forced to watch the others go in turn, showing them the dangers of what lies ahead. Aska was shown with an anklet Caladina had been wearing. The waters had crushed it immediately.

Tatra was smiling like a fool when she went in, she had made it three steps over the water, much farter than Aska, but still only halfway there. A hand of water snaked up from the pool and grabbed her ankle, pulling her back wards, she knocked her head against the stone side of the moat as she was pulled in. She had the same smile on her face, even in death. Tarta screamed and ran towards her sinking sister, her head slowly sinking below the surface of the water. It took Lantis, LaFarga, and himself to hold her down before she could throw herself into the pool, getting only close enough for her fingers to rest in the puddle of blood that rested where Tatra’s head had smashed against the side. Tarta felt the blood on her fingers and pulled the back, close to her face to look them. She sobbed and ran her blood coated fingers over her eyes, cheeks, and lips before letting out a heart wrenching whisper of,

“Sister . . . “

Her tears mingled with her sisters’ blood from her cheeks as they splashed onto the cold stone tiled floor. She had locked herself in her room and never came out, refusing all meals and knocks that came. Last week LaFarga forced the door open and found a truly chilling sight. Over night she had hung herself from the chandelier in her room with a bed sheet, both of her wrists sliced open with a piece of broken mirror. On her desk they found a letter, obviously written in her own blood, only one word graced the paper but the word spoke of such feelings and love it was all that had to have been written. The paper simply read, “Sister. ”

The day of Eagle, from Autozam, had his test everyone was begging him not to go, they couldn’t bear it if they lost someone else to such a gruesome test that either way lead to suffering. He only waved and said a quick,

“See you later.”

and started his test. He had made it all the way across the water with no trouble at all, or so it seemed. Right before he picked up The Proof of the Pillar something happened. He knelt down and grasped his stomach in pain. His comrades, Geo and Zazu, were calling to him, telling him to be strong. Eagle only replied by tucking his legs to his chest and started moaning, a little after that her began shivering, all the while crying and his moans were slowly turning into screams of pain. He looked back to the group standing in the hall in his last moments, causing everyone to take a step backwards and cover their mouths in disgust. He was sweating blood. Not only that it was pouring from his nose and leaking from his eyes, his skin slowly peeling and melting away from the bone of his hands and face. His torment was put to an end shortly when the waters below engulfed him as it had the other two. Bits of his skin still floated on the surface of the water menacingly, daring anyone to come close to the bloodied water. No one did. Little after that Clef took both keys to the room, his ring and Lantis’ sword, and had them thrown off the ends of Cephiro into the dark and empty space that was rapidly closing around the castle, moving closer and closer as the hours went by. At this rate Cephiro would be gone by tomorrow.

Ferio looked blankly out the window, only noticing one thing, one thing that beckoned to him night and day for months, all the months he spent praying for her, for her return. Every day for two months he had prayed for her return to him, because when Fuu was with him somehow, somehow it all turned out all right. When she smiled the whole world seemed brighter, and when she laughed his anger would simply crumble and disappear. Oh and when she looked at him, dear Pillar when she looked at him with those large, emerald, doe like eyes of hers, they just filled him with this feeling, a feeling like he could do anything, take on any challenge and conquer any obstacle that came his way, just as long as she was by his side, where she belonged. He looked out the window again, knowing what he had to do now. Ferio’s fingers traced lightly over the smooth surface of the ring on his left hand, the ring he had never taken off since he had met her and given her both his ring and his heart.

~*~*~

He readjusted the strap of his scimitar and looked at the engraving on the door as he wiped sweat from his brow. It had taken him six hours to get here, and Ferio was exhausted, Cephiro wasn’t as safe as it once was and people were all losing hope, so the monsters were ridiculously strong now.

But it was worth it. It was worth it to be in the one place in Cephiro that only belonged to his love; The Wind Temple. Ferio effortlessly pushed open the decorative double doors and took a hesitant step inside; his footsteps echoing off the high ceiling and making them sound much like the raging earth quakes outside. He paused and looked around a bit, a smile present on his face. After all, this place held many a memory for him and Fuu, they had met up again after The Forrest of Silence, right after Fuu had revived the Mashin. Back then Cephiro was still beautiful, except for the occasional storm at night, nothing like what was happening now. Here, here was where he had told Fuu about himself, about him being the Prince of Cephiro and of his feelings for her. Ferio had told Fuu she was his soul mate. Fuu was taken aback by that comment and Fuu, being her inquisitive self, asked how he could be so sure about something so serious.

“Fuu,” He began “here in Cephiro we don’t have ‘marriage’ the thing you told me about, we have soul mates. And when we find our soul mate we never leave them. After I left The Forrest of Silence I felt this, well, pull to you. I suddenly wanted you with me all the time, wanted your smiles to be for me and me alone. I didn’t know what to do so, believe this or not, I went to a fortune teller.” After that Ferio gave Fuu a sheepish smile as she giggled at him.

“A . . . a fortune teller?” Fuu asked. Ferio looked quizzically and asked “Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing I suppose, but back on my world all the fortune tellers are con artists.”

“So are the ones here with the prices they charge . . . now, where was I before I was so rudely interrupted,” Ferio joked, giving Fuu a playful jab in the ribs with his finger. “Ah, yes, now I remember, I went to a Fortune Teller. She told me that I was bonded to someone, someone from a faraway place with green eyes, and a cute little smile and legs to her neck . . .”

“Ferio!,” Fuu scolded, her ears turning pink in embarrassment.

“Okay, okay, she didn’t say all that, but she did say I was bonded with someone, and when you bond with someone you share dreams with them, and sure enough, later that night I dreamt of you. The same dream night after night, and I’m sure I will dream that dream tonight as well.”

“Ferio, just because you dreamt of me doesn’t mean I’m your soul mate . . .”

“Yes, that’s true, but tell me Fuu, in your dreams were we in a meadow? Were you wearing a light green dress? Was I lying next to you, running my fingers through your hair? Did your fingers trace over the scar on the bridge of my nose, Fuu-chan? Did they?,” Ferio prodded. Fuu gave him a surprised look.

“How, how did you . . .”

“Shared dreams Fuu-chan, every pair of soul mates have them, except in some cases where bonds are incomplete, when one of the pair doesn’t acknowledge the bond. ”

“How did you know I had the dream then? What mad you sure I was bonded to you?”

“Truth be told I didn’t know you had the dreams, I was bluffing about my assurance, I do that you know,” Ferio replied giving her a cocky smile. Fuu tried to glare at him but failed, and ended up smiling at him instead.

“Why do I put up with you, Ferio?” Fuu asked wait soft eyes.

“Because we are soul mates.”

Fuu reached up and locked her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Ferio wrapped his arms around waist and nuzzled her forehead lovingly.

~*~*~

Ferio was kneeled in front of the spot where Fuu had told him she had stood when she resurrected Windam. Ferio looked up at the great bird with awe in his eyes.

“What Mortal disturbs my sleep, what mortal disturbs me that isn’t my Knight,” The Bird’s voice boomed.

“I . . . I did, Windam,” Ferio squeaked, still a bit shocked about the form of the Mashin, wasn’t it supposed to be a robot?

“Why did you disturb me, Mortal?”

“I want to ask a favor of you, The Great Spirit of the Sky, Windam.”

“It is about my Knight,” It was more of a statement than a question, Ferio was a bit surprised by the knowledge the Great Bird had of him and Fuu.

“Yes . . . how did . . .”

“How did I know, mortal? You are bonded with my Knight, correct Mortal? And my Knight is bonded with me, though not in the same way she is bonded to you, Mortal. There fore what you feel Mortal, my Knight feels, and I feel what you feel through my Knight, do you understand Mortal?”

“Yes, yes I do.”

“Good, I did not feel like explaining in more thoroughly, especially for you Mortal.”

“You might be a God but you are really rude,” Ferio said hotly.

“Mortal?”

“Yes?”

“What is it you ask of me?”

“Well, you see I . . .”

“Mortal, do not speak it pray it to me,” The bird commanded. Ferio nodded and bowed his head slightly. The bird looked a bit shocked at first but tilted it’s head in a sympathetic manner.

“I see. It shall be done, Mortal.”

“Really?,” Ferio looked a bit shocked.

“I do not lie, Mortal”

“Well, could you do me one favor before I leave?”

“What is it Mortal?”

“Stop calling me Mortal.”

Windam gave a booming laugh and craned it’s head down closer to Ferio. “No.”

“Alright, well, what do I have to do?”

“Nothing leave it to me, Mortal,” Windam gave a taunting smile to Ferio.

“Windam?”

“Yes, Mortal?”

“Please, do it now,” Ferio pleaded.

“It will hurt Mortal,” Windam warned.

“No as much as living with out her would, even if my death is only a few hours away.”

Windam stepped down off of it’s perch and walked down to Ferio, standing only a few feet in front of him, towering, it’s wings spanned out and head held up proudly. Ferio drew in his breath as one of the Birds talons came swooping down upon him, impaling his chest. Ferio watched in sick fascination as the claw went out his back, dripping with his blood. He looked up at Windam, tears of happiness streamed down his face as he let out a weak whisper.

“ . . . Windam . . .,” he called.

“Yes, Mortal?”

“ . . . thank you . . . thank you so much . . .” Ferio’s voice stopped, as did his heart. Windam scraped Ferio’s body off of it’s claw with a talon on his other foot and climbed back onto his perch and watched as Ferio’s body began to decay. His flesh slowly melted away from his muscles, his muscles from the bone, his organs went shortly after. It took only ten minutes for Ferio’s entire self do decay, and his bones were already turning to dust. Windam heaved a sigh as he looked at the pile of bone dust that was disappearing now.

“Goodbye . . . Ferio”

~*~*~

Someone standing by the bed wiped a bit of sweat off of Fuu’s forehead with a washcloth that had been dipped in cold water. Fuu collapsed back onto the pillow, breathing heavily with exhaustion. She looked around the room at the scrambling doctors. Something was wrong she knew it.

“What’s going on here?,” Fuu demanded.

“Nothing Miss, It’s not breathing but that perfectly normal when a baby is born, just calm down . . .”

“CALM DOWN?!? My baby isn’t breathing! What are you doing over here, go help them save my baby!,” Fuu bellowed, anger and worry evident in her tone.

“Miss calm down . . .” Fuu didn’t hear the rest, she was listening in on the doctors working with her baby.

“It’s choking. . .”

“On what? It couldn’t have gotten a hold on anything inside the womb . . .

“I don’t know help me out here Kenji, I’ll start trying to dislodge whatever it is in there . . .”

Just then Fuu’s baby tilted it’s head to the side and threw up, color was now returning to the baby face it started to cry, begging for it’s Mothers’ comfort. A nurse brought her child to her smiling, “It’s a boy,” she said. Fuu let out a sob of happiness as tears spilt down her cheeks. She rocked her baby gently and whispered to calm him.

“Shhh, shhhh . . . . Little one, It’s okay, your fine, everything will be alright now, hush . . . Mama is here . . . shhh . . .”

“Miss?,” The Doctor said.

“Yes?,” Fuu questioned, holding a now sleeping child.

“Do you have any idea how he got a hold of this?,” The Doctor asked, holding an object up for Fuu to see. Her eyes went wide and her face turned white.

“Where did you get that?” Fuu demanded.

“You baby threw it up.”

“May I see it?”

“Sure, hold on, let me clean it for you.”

Fuu waited as the doctor dipped it in a glass of water and dried it on the towel he baby was on moments before.

“Here you go,” The Doctor said as he placed the object in her hand. Fuu’s fingers tightened around it instantly.

“May I have a moment alone Doctor?”

“Yes, of coarse, a nurse will bring in your guests when you ring her with the call button.” Fuu nodded her head and the Doctor turned and left. Fuu gently opened her hand and looked in wonderment at the ring in her hand. The exact match of the one she wore on her hand. Her eyes turned to her child, widening in understanding at the scars that graced her baby’s cheek and the bridge of his nose. Fuu began crying again as she pulled her child tighter to her.

“Ferio . . . it’s you . . . isn’t it, my love?”

She kissed his forehead and snuggled the blanket wrapped child in her arms, now she understood. One day about nine months ago she heard a voice inside her head, one she heard many times before. It told her “We are soul mates, if we are separated we would crawl out of the depths of her its’ self to be together again.” It was that day she found out she was pregnant, that came as a shock considering she was still a virgin. But she understood now, it was so she could be with her love once more. Not in the way she expected, but she was with him, that was all that mattered.

Fuu looked down at her baby and smiled. She kissed his forehead and settled down against the pillows once more.

“I’ll love you forever, I’ll love you for always, and as long as your living my baby you’ll be my little Ferio . . .”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Okay, that last line was from a children’s book whose title I can’t remember, but I don’t own that book, never have, never will, it belongs to the person who wrote it. Anyhow, I liked this story, kinda’ morbid, kinda’ sweet. Well, drop me a line;

confused@crosslink.net

untill next time!

-Peach Goddess