Final chapter; rest at http://kalciane.tnim.org/ab.


.09. - Reece



She could still remember the day when he had first kissed her. The warmth 
of his lips, the strength in his arms... every detail was etched indelibly 
in her memory, and the mere sight of him was all it took as the 
recollection of that day flooded her mind, playing itself out in 
unmistakable detail. But as she gazed at the man who had once been her 
lover, she knew that there was something terribly wrong with him. His 
motions no longer held that smooth, sublime fluidity that had captivated 
her when they'd first met. Instead, they were crisp and efficient now, the 
mark of a person who wasted no energy.

It was the way Hikaru conducted himself.

The details of what exactly had happened were still unclear to her; even 
with Trinity's presence spreading through the ballroom, she found herself 
unable to slip into Kail's Guardian like she used to be able to. Something 
was very wrong indeed, and there was no doubt that it was because of 
Hikaru. Yet she felt no animosity for what he had done, both actual and 
implied. He simply did not know any better, which was why she had tried to 
educate him to begin with.

But somehow, she had failed.

Bitterness welled up in her heart, unwanted and sharp. She had never failed 
to help others in her entire life. The power had always been with her, ever 
since she could remember, and she'd chosen to do good with it. From mending 
a scraped knee upon the playground to instilling bravery in a friend who 
had spent years afraid to admit love for another, every smile and word of 
gratitude had been reason enough for her to keep going. When she had met 
Kail and Hikaru, she knew that it would be the most difficult task for her yet.

And in the end, Kail had changed in ways that perhaps even he did not 
wholly understand. But Hikaru had apparently only become worse, more 
focused in his obsessiveness.

What had she done wrong?

Her Guardian answered without hesitation. *You know what it was.*

Reece realized that Trinity was right. The answer had been in front of her 
the entire time, and she'd chosen to ignore it - much like how she'd chosen 
to ignore Hikaru. His eyes were what had haunted her... that ice-filled 
gaze, cold and unrelenting, eyes boring into her own as if trying to divine 
her every thought. At first it was frightening, for she had never let 
anyone know about her Guardian, and the prospect of this man being able to 
see its presence was strangely terrifying. But as she looked closer, she 
found that his mind was open to her: every word was plain for her to read, 
scrawled in tight, neat black ink.

That was when she knew that ignoring him would be the worst thing she could do.

But in the end, she simply could not go on. He was just too intense and 
disturbing to handle; his very presence chilled even Trinity's compassion 
to the point where Reece refused to allow herself and her Guardian to be 
subjected to it any further. So she had chosen Kail, and that was when it 
all began.

All of the times he'd excused himself to "speak" with Hikaru, all of the 
nights she'd waited for him to return home, knowing full well where he 
was... what had Hikaru been telling him? His words must have been like 
sweet poison upon Kail's brain, sinking in with precise efficiency and 
taking root inside his moral core. What kind of twisted logic had been 
imposed upon him, so that the man who once confessed his love to her now 
saw her as a mere nuisance? What had happened to the man she could love and 
idolize?

She didn't know, but in the end it made no difference. Though Trinity was 
no fighter, she still knew full well what she could do and what had to be done.

Reece shifted one leg forward, subtly positioning herself in response to 
Toji and Minaki's advances. She could hear Trinity's whispers of 
encouragement and feel its presence guiding her limbs, lowering her elbows 
slightly. The small motion was all it took to set Minaki off; with a feral 
growl, the girl leaped forward with both hands extended, bluish energy 
sheeting from her fingers. A high-pitched whistling cut through the air, 
and the sapphires in her armor flew out in wide arcs quicker than her eyes 
could see.

Even so... it was too slow for her Guardian.

All of a sudden, her body was flying through the air, arms swirling 
gracefully outwards of their own accord. Reece barely had time to catch a 
glimpse of Minaki as she fell to the ground in a sickening crunch before 
landing easily on her feet. A slight twinge shot through her mind, and in a 
flash she swung herself downwards almost flat against the ground, narrowly 
avoiding Toji as he came barreling in at her. Another quick flick of her 
arm and he went flying back, skidding helplessly across the floor.

Reece could barely bring herself to look at her hands in wonderment, not 
believing what Trinity had done for her. But even as she shook her head in 
disbelief, her Guardian's voice cut sternly through her thoughts. *Do not 
hesitate, Reece. This power has been within you the entire time... it is 
not I who tugs your strings, but rather you who wills me to action.*

*But Trinity, I can't fight...*

*No... you cannot.* Her Guardian seemed almost amused by the prospect of 
her doing so and directed her attention towards Reiya, who was standing a 
distance away against the far well.

*But she can.*

__________

Angelblade

by Jeffrey Yang

11.18.03 to 12.03.03

__________


"No... how can this be?" Hikaru muttered darkly as Toji and Minaki 
struggled to right themselves. Already, their balance was impeded by the 
changes caused by their Guardians rampaging unchecked through their bodies, 
their human minds unable to stave off the inevitable decay that followed. 
Soon, they would be of no more use as soldiers nor bargaining chips in 
dealing with Reiya... and with Reece's intervention, he was going to need 
everything he had to ensure the chips fell in place.

He glanced at Kail, but one look was all he needed to know that he would 
never fight Reece even with the way he was now. Hikaru turned his gaze back 
to Seki instead and scowled immediately; the man was watching the 
proceedings with a sort of dumb amazement, as if he couldn't believe what 
was transpiring in front of him.

"Tsukichiro!" he called out as harshly. "Make yourself useful. Our plan is 
about to be compromised - do not stand idly by and allow it to happen!"

But Seki only shook his head sadly and leaned casually against the wall. 
"Sorry, Hikaru... no can do. I've been waiting for this to happen for a 
long time, y'know? And besides, it's bad luck to get in the way of an 
arguing couple."

Hikaru gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more at that moment than to slice 
his throat open. All of his planning was going to waste because of the 
princess and no one seemed to care enough to stop her. But he had come too 
far to be denied now; he was not going to let this setback do him in. He 
was just going to have to take care of things himself.

The princess was standing perfectly still, waiting for Minaki and Toji to 
make a move. Her back was turned towards him, and the luxurious protrusions 
of her butterfly wings tilted lazily outwards. A small gesture was all 
Hikaru needed to reassemble Crystallean in the air around him, and he 
pushed himself forward as the ice blades trailed from one hand like a 
jagged whip. Raising his arm, he brought it down with all the force he 
could muster upon Reece's back...

... but she was not there.

Something struck his temple, snapping his head to the side. Before his 
Guardian even had the chance to react, a second blow landed directly on his 
chest, sending him tumbling onto his back. Hikaru blinked in confusion - 
the attack had not hurt so much as it had surprised him - and felt a rush 
of air from behind, his senses picking up a faint flutter of wings. He 
rolled over just in time to see that Reece had already crossed the room and 
was approaching Reiya, the multi-colored expanses upon her back starting to 
bleed and melt into wisps of light.

He felt his own Guardian recoiling in sympathy and horror, and it wasn't 
until too late that he realized what she was about to do. Even as he 
sprinted towards them in a desperate attempt to stop her, he could hear her 
whispers as clearly as if they'd been directed at him.

"Reiya, there isn't any time left. I need you to help me - "

"Why? I don't even know you..."

"Please..."

For the first time in memory, Hikaru screamed - not because of the dread 
rippling through his mind as his Guardian came closer to the princess, nor 
his own frustration with the situation. He could feel Reece's Guardian 
groaning in pain as it continued shedding itself, already fading from 
existence while its Host leaned forward to clamp both hands forcefully upon 
Reiya's shoulders.

"Reece!" he shouted hoarsely. "Stop it!"

Reiya's eyes widened with surprise, but Reece was already leaning forward 
so that their faces were barely inches apart. In the next moment, she felt 
the woman's lips pressing upon hers with an intimacy that was strange yet 
not unwelcome. Time ceased to have any meaning; hot blood rushed to her 
cheeks, and her hands shuddered with the sensation of the embrace. Reece's 
lips were warm, but there was something more there than simple body heat. 
There was a tinge of energy that hummed with life upon her soft skin, and 
she felt Setsuna shivering inside of her as the awesome presence of Trinity 
flared to life within her mind.

And then, she suddenly saw everything with a clarity that was almost 
unreal. Every thought in Reece's mind was open to her, borne by the link 
between their Guardians - and as Reiya's eyes gradually closed, she felt a 
presence dancing through her soul, its presence strong yet subtle, pausing 
every so often on its journey deeper within. All the times that she had 
wanted to confess her feelings to Toji, all of the times she had envied 
Minaki's abilities, and the lingering sadness that had passed with time to 
leave her an empty, hollow shadow of the person she had been... she could 
feel the princess laughing and crying with her at what had happened, as 
they had been together for it all.

And her eyes widened as she found herself falling through Reece's mind, 
delving deeper into the torrential emotions that were sweeping through her 
even now. She saw Kail and Hikaru from a long time ago, when they had not 
been consumed with ambition; she heard Reece's sobs of grief tearing at her 
heart after she'd finally admitted her true feelings for them both. But it 
did not end there. She saw the countless lights of Hoshimi at night, as if 
she was hovering far above the city, and the strange twist of indecision at 
having to find people who could free her from confinement within her 
chamber of ribbons.

Reiya finally shrank back, unable to take it anymore; it was like placing 
the tip of her finger in a powerful current that wanted to pull her in 
bodily. *Reece... you...*

*Yes, Reiya. I only wished to help you and your friends... not for things 
to be like this. I'm sorry...*

*No, don't be - Setsuna is the best thing to ever happen in my life - *

*I'm happy to hear you say that,* Reece murmured softly. There was only 
darkness now, and yet the warmth of her body and the silent presence of 
their Guardians remained as strong as ever. *I do not want to do this, but 
I have no other choice.*

*What - *

*I am going to give you all of my power, Reiya.*

*What?!*

*I need you to fight for me... I need you to make them understand... even 
with Trinity, I was not able to do so.* A faint sensation of regret swept 
around them and was quickly gone. *But more importantly... I want you to 
understand.*

*Understand?* She wanted to be confused, but Reece's words left no room for 
doubt; she already knew what she had to do. Already, she felt the emerald 
miasma of Trinity slipping towards her.

*Yes... so that none of us will regret what we have done. There is not much 
time. Your friends are already - they - *

Waves of anger and hurt radiated from Reiya's presence, momentarily 
brushing Trinity aside. *I have to save them.*

*You must... but you will not be fighting alone. Please accept this, Reiya, 
so that you may fight for me as my angelblade.*

Reiya nodded, and in the next moment Reece's Guardian was upon her own, 
their essences edging into each other for a second before surging together 
in a powerful rush. She screamed, but there was no sound in the universe of 
their minds. As the mingling continued, an irresistible joy welled up from 
the depths of her heart, a sensation so pure that she found herself at a 
loss to articulate her own pleasure. It was electrifying, and through the 
ecstasy she began fearing that the elation would overwhelm her completely...

Then it was done, and she abruptly stumbled back to collapse on the floor 
as the bond between them snapped like a twig. Trinity was no longer working 
between them; it was within her now, pulsing softly with dizzying power in 
her chest. Reiya glanced down at her own hands, not quite believing what 
had just happened... then back up at Reece in alarm as she fell 
unconscious, her hair streaming around her disheveled golden tresses.

"Reece!"

Kail was at her side instantly, kneeling down carefully next to her and 
checking to make sure she was all right. Then he turned and glared 
balefully at Reiya, the hem of his cloak fluttering to life as dark energy 
bled outwards in a fine mist. "What did you do to her?" he demanded. "Tell me!"

She was about to back away when she suddenly heard her Guardian murmuring 
in between her thoughts. Its voice, however, was nothing like what she had 
ever heard; strong and noble, deep and almost masculine, yet still wholly 
the Setsuna that she knew.

*Stand up, Reiya.*

Her arm lifted up in response. Whether it was through her Guardian's 
influence or her own will no longer mattered; they were one now. No, it was 
more than that... she was no longer carrying only her belief, but the lives 
of her friends and the responsibility that the princess had entrusted to 
her. Bright light welled out from her palm, casting a dazzling array of 
glimmers across the polished floor, and a blade of pure brilliance began 
working its way out from her hand.

"I didn't do anything to her," she said calmly, surprised at the strength 
of her own words. "You loved her, Kail. Why did you leave her alone like this?"

"You understand nothing," he replied tightly, trembling with rage. "All of 
this was *for* her sake. I did this because I loved her, and now you've 
taken that away from us. You have *stolen* that which belongs to me."

"Is that all you think of her as, a possession?!" Reiya shot back. "Listen 
to yourself! You sound like Hikaru!"

The accusation came out before she could think, and only when Hikaru turned 
towards her did she understood where it had come from. Even in her slumber, 
the princess was still aware of her surroundings, working in mysterious 
ways through the Guardian that now rested in her soul. Reiya felt a 
bitterness that was not her own lingering in her heart, refusing to be quelled.

But Hikaru bore no trace of animosity on his face as he spoke, 
straightening himself amidst the fragile chiming of Crystallean's blades. 
"Do not listen to her, Kail. She has obviously gone mad and is no longer of 
use to our cause. She has taken Trinity's power as her own while you were 
distracted. Are you going to allow this to happen?"

"No..." Kail muttered, his cloak becoming darker until its shape was like 
liquid night upon his shoulders. "I do not know how you managed this, Reiya 
Eice. Reece's Guardian lives within me even now, for we have solemn pact... 
one that shall not be so easily broken."

Reiya only shook her head, her fingers closing firmly around the hilt as 
her weapon came to light. It was no longer a mere sword that she held: the 
blade burned with a radiance that filled the room in slanted beams of 
prismatic phosphorescence dancing with every motion. "You aren't the only 
one who has a promise to keep," she said softly.

He looked to be taken aback by the persistent glow coming from the sword 
only briefly before smiling wickedly. "I am going to reclaim the remnants 
of her Guardian from your unworthy flesh. Reflika... now!"

The darkness moved away from his shoulders, seeping out of his shadow and 
up through the air into the thick material of his cloak. Dark energy 
crackled around his arms, and Kail flung them up imperiously as a powerful 
wind swept through the ballroom. More energy gathered at his hands, taking 
shape by degrees. Flames raced up the length of his left arm, forming the 
shape of a jagged sword; crystals of ice gathered about his right arm, 
extending outwards in a slim, deadly blade. The flaps of his cloak snapped 
out and split in two, coagulating into a pair of inky black wings that 
spread out behind him.

Kail lowered his swords in one smooth motion and turned his head slightly. 
"Hikaru. The princess' life is in your hands now. Do not betray my trust." 
Then with a ferocious cry, he was soaring through the air towards Reiya, 
his leathered wings pumping powerfully as he raised both swords high above him.

Hikaru grimaced at the rush of power emanating from the man, shielding the 
princess with his body the best he could. Even though she was now no longer 
of use to his plan, he still believed that she would be able to recover her 
Guardian if Kail was the victor. If? He narrowed his eyes and glared at 
Reiya, who was standing calmly in the face of the attack as if awaiting her 
inevitable slaughter. Though he wanted to believe that Kail would have 
little trouble dispatching the girl, Hikaru was no longer certain of that 
fact, now that Reiya possessed Trinity's strength.

And just when the blow would've landed, Reiya pushed herself upwards, 
whipping her sword around at the domed ceiling with a faint sizzling. The 
roofing seemed to tremble and burst into debris an instant later, and with 
a few quick leaps across the tumbling mortar she disappeared through the 
gap and into the night. Kail followed soon after, his wings carrying him 
upwards in heated pursuit.

Hikaru shook his head sourly and stood up, cradling the princess in his 
arms. "Fools, all of them," he muttered, gesturing towards the now-prone 
bodies of Reiya's friends while gradually moving away from the ruins of the 
ballroom. "Tsukichiro! Dispose of those two now."

Seki twitched a bit at that, but nevertheless began moving away from the 
wall. But before he could bring Infuriel forth, another powerful explosion 
came from the opposite side of the room. He turned around in time to see 
the wall crumbling in thick clouds of dust and grime, obscuring everything 
from sight - but a quick sweep of the area was all he needed to tell who it 
was. He grinned gleefully, cracking his knuckles slowly. He had been 
waiting for this moment.

Sure enough, the dust whirled aside as Keiya strode into the room with 
Kaname in tow, looking disdainfully around until his gaze settled upon 
Seki. "It would seem that I'm a bit late for the proceedings," he said with 
a faint smirk.

"You again!" Kaname yelled, pointing at him as Rave's arm-blades exploded 
with purple energy. She looked over to where Minaki was curled up on the 
ground in a trembling ball, then back at Seki. "What'd you do to her, you 
bastard?!"

The accusation went unheard, lost in the mounting rush of heat and sound 
that quickly grew into a deafening roar as Seki's Guardian erupted out from 
his arm. Licks of flame seared the tiles beneath him, leaving charred 
streaks in their wake.

"Keiya Dulce," he growled, voice already low and hoarse. "I thought you'd 
never get here."

"The pleasure is mine, I assure you." Keiya took a step forward so that he 
was in front of Kaname before addressing her. "Take care of your friends 
first. I will handle Seki."

His words served only to further incite the fire Host, who brought his 
hammer forward even as it was still taking shape. From the corner of his 
eye, he could see Hikaru slipping back into the hallways with the princess, 
but he didn't care anymore; the rage was burning him from within, consuming 
every bit of his rational mind. "I'd hate to have it be an unfair fight, 
after all," Seki said, clenching his fists around Infuriel's hilt. "Now 
let's *do this!* BRING IT ON!"

Kaname scurried over next to Minaki and Toji just as the two men met in an 
implosion of superheated air, drawing close to shield them with her body - 
and backing off with a yelp as she felt the auras of their Guardians. 
Something was very wrong with them. Their very life forces were warped 
somehow, almost to the point beyond recognition. Already, she saw the hints 
of change in their bodies, their skin darkening beyond what was natural for 
a human, their limbs twitching spastically.

But she knew that there was nothing that she could do to stop what had been 
set in motion. That was up to Reiya now, and Kaname only hoped that 
whatever power she had discovered, it would be enough.

_____


The darkness wrapped around the exterior of the mansion melted beneath the 
glow of Reiya's sword, the girl bursting through the roofing to perch 
tenuously upon the shingles. Kail appeared a moment later, swooping down in 
front of her with both of his swords in full view, his cloak settling 
against his shoulders upon landing. The two regarded each other silently 
for almost a full minute before he flicked his blades up scornfully, the 
folds of his cloak parting into wings once more as he rushed towards her.

Reiya brought her own sword around to meet the attack, the light from her 
blade sparking against the antipodal elements of Kail's weapons. His 
defense, however, was nothing short of perfect. With both swords in hand, 
he had little problem shunting her own blows aside and retaliating in kind. 
She gradually found herself giving ground beneath a furious assault that 
was flawless; every move she made was turned away and quickly answered with 
blows she knew she could not afford to take.

Instead of continuing in her near-frantic dodging, she decided to widen the 
gap between them so she could at least rethink her strategy first - but 
even as she soared over the peak of the roofing, she felt the wind whipping 
around her, the scent of spoiled roses filling the air. A faint crackling 
came from her left, and Kail seemed to emerge from the very shadows with 
both swords raised high above him. Reiya barely moved aside in time, the 
frigid aura of his blade leaving a delicate trail of ice upon her cheek.

She pivoted around on her heel and swung Setsuna upwards, trying to score a 
hit as he left himself open... and was denied yet again when Kail shifted 
his other sword around to deflect her attack. Leading with his left hand, 
he pressed the offense once more in a series of shallow swipes aimed for 
her neck and forearm, forcing her to draw back even further across the 
shingles. Unable to mount a counteroffensive, Reiya resigned herself to 
pull back again with a wide jump backwards, flipping onto the peak of a 
clock tower in the very center of the mansion.

Kail turned deliberately around to face her, tapping his weapons together 
with a soft hissing. Both wings then snapped outwards as he took to the 
skies, flinging his right arm outwards to send one of the swords whipping 
viciously through the air in her direction in a gout of fire. Reiya turned 
the brand aside as her own blade swept around in a crescent of light, only 
to pitch backwards as the sword suddenly boomeranged around back at her. 
She brought one hand downwards to catch herself, springing back onto her 
feet just in time to meet a furious array of thrusts and slashes from the 
animated weapon.

Even with Trinity's powers flowing through her, Reiya knew she was 
outmatched. She could see Kail following her through the cascade of sparks 
thrown off by repeated clashes against his disembodied sword. He was 
smirking, obviously amused at her valiant attempts; they both knew who had 
the advantage, and Reiya found herself growing more frustrated by the 
second as she continued edging back along the roof. Nothing had changed. 
Reece had entrusted everything to her, and yet she still was not able to 
keep her promises...

Her guard slipped for an instant, which was all Kail needed. A deft stroke 
of his hand and the flame sword scored a deep gash across Reiya's torso, 
sending her flying back into the clock tower in a powerful flash of verdant 
energy. Glass gave way and shattered as she pitched helplessly down the 
interior amidst multi-colored shards, the light of her sword casting the 
room in a kaleidoscope of amber, crimson, and sapphire. She struck the 
ground hard, but there was barely any pain; Setsuna and Trinity's presences 
joined hands and shielded her at the last moment, leaving her safe.

But Kail was already descending upon her with both swords in hand, 
intending to run her through as she lay on the ground even as she shifted 
around on her back. Despair clenched her heart. Her eyes squeezed shut. She 
had amounted to nothing, there simply was no way she would be able to 
overcome him. Kail was far too powerful and experienced -

*Reiya.*

The voice that interrupted her thoughts was strong and sure. For an 
instant, she thought it was Trinity speaking to her... then she realized 
that it was Setsuna, sounding more than faintly displeased.

*Why do you no longer trust in me?* it asked. *Do you not believe in your 
own power anymore?*

*I can't,* she answered. *He's too strong.*

*Then stop fighting him alone.* Trinity's voice joined Setsuna's, and a 
feather-light touch picked her up bodily, steadying Reiya on her feet like 
she was standing for the first time. *Believe in yourself... believe in us.*

A piercing sound of metal grinding against metal filled the air.

Reiya opened her eyes just enough to see Kail in front of her, his face 
twisted with rage and determination - but there was a trace of confusion to 
his features as well. She glanced down and saw that her sword had 
interposed itself to defend against his attack. Energy thrummed from the 
blade in a livid shower, struggling for dominance over the flames and ice 
of Kail's swords.

"Damn you..." he whispered. "Relinquish the princess' Guardian at once!"

A twinge of indignant anger flickered across her thoughts at that, as if 
Trinity itself was protesting. Then she pushed with every bit of strength 
in her body, sending him flying back through the air. A strange, 
undefinable emotion filled her heart, bitingly painful; Reece's presence 
filled her with iron-clad conviction that swept through her like a storm. 
Suddenly, she realized that it was the princess' regret.

Kail turned in mid-air and landed softly on his feet, flicking his wings 
apart irritably. "Why? Why do you fight me? Do you believe you can win?!" 
he demanded, bringing his swords around to bear.

"It's not about winning." Reiya shifted her grip upon her sword so that 
both of her hands were grasping the hilt and leveled the blade up in front 
of her. "It never was."

His face registered only confusion, but it was all she needed. With a burst 
of speed, Reiya moved forward and lashed out in blindingly quick strokes, 
driving him back towards the cobbled stone wall. In the narrow confines of 
the tower, Kail found himself abruptly hampered by the multitude of wooden 
beams supporting the structure. Reiya threw herself forward with increasing 
ferocity, suddenly able to see the gaps in his defense as plain as day, 
driving him steadily back and up along the winding staircase towards the 
top of the building, scoring a number of cuts along the way but nothing 
that would bring him down.

Halfway up the steps, Kail decided that he'd had enough. Swinging his 
leading arm around, he brought both swords crackling in Reiya's direction, 
the blades blurring with speed. She flicked her sword up to parry - and 
nearly pitched backwards as the blow landed with unexpected force. 
Immediately, she swung herself back onto her feet, but Kail was already 
soaring upwards with wings outstretched, intent upon placing the initiative 
upon her.

She knew that as soon as the fight went outside, things would shift into 
his favor again. There was only one way to level the playing field.

*Fly, Reiya,* her Guardian whispered encouragingly, Trinity joining in a 
moment later. *With wings that will carry you forever...*

Kail felt a rush of air beneath him as he reached the top of the clock 
tower, and turned around smoothly to meet the rush. But instead of seeing 
Reiya bearing down upon him, there was only a mighty flash of light. He 
screamed in rage and instinctively raised his swords up in defense, to no 
avail; a strange, sharp pealing cut through the air and in the next second, 
the pained wail of his Guardian tore through his thoughts. The world 
exploded around him in shards of glass and sound, and his wings strained to 
steady him even while he struggled to regain his sight.

He struck the rooftop at a severe angle, tumbling across it a few times 
before coming to a halt. That was when the sparkles cleared from his 
vision, and he craned his head up to see what exactly Reiya had done.

The girl was standing at the peak of the tower with her sword in hand, a 
pair of magnificent white wings arched about her protectively. Soft, 
ethereal feathers drifted ever so often from their span, dissolving into 
nothing before reaching the rough shingles beneath. The night itself 
retreated from the illumination, giving way to a hesitant twilight upon the 
horizon.

Kail lifted his swords up with another cry of rage and charged forward, his 
restraint forgotten at the treacherous sight of Reiya's angelic form. But 
she did not wait for him to approach this time. Already soaring through the 
air, she met him in mid-flight with wings lifted wide, her sword sizzling 
as their blades met repeatedly. Reece's presence was somehow guiding them, 
moving her delicately between Kail's strikes and carrying the two of them 
through the air towards one of the spires upon the castle.

A turn of her wings and she glided gracefully upwards away from him, taking 
the battle higher into the skies. No longer bound to the earth, Reiya felt 
a sense of exuberant freedom that she never knew, so much that she almost 
overlooked Kail as he gave chase with a defiant shout. Their swords met 
again among wisps of fog in the sky, throwing off colorful sparks like 
fireworks. She twisted her blade forward between his, forcing him back - 
but only for a second until he shifted against her in kind, driving her 
back down towards the rooftop of the manor.

They landed upon the ceiling and locked themselves in combat without 
missing a beat, their blades flashing in arcs of light across the very peak 
of the ceiling. Reiya's wings moved back and forth constantly, balancing 
her against her thrusts and swings to leave her focused upon her attacks. 
Everything was so much easier; there was a sense of liberation in her 
movements that she'd never known previously, and Kail's blows were nothing 
so much as the amateurish, hollow swipes of a child. There was no 
conviction behind them, only the gaping void of a man determined to consume.

She flipped upwards neatly just as flames scorched the space around her, 
Kail's weapon smashing into the spire behind her into dust. In the same 
motion, she spun around and scored a hit along one of his wings, then the 
other. He roared in pain and spun around, blindly trying to swat her like 
an insect, but it was too slow. She landed before he could recover, 
lowering herself in a tight crouch. One leg darted out, aimed at his shins; 
the other swung up towards his face. Bright light flared out from the 
impacts, sending him tumbling across the rooftop once more.

Reiya twirled her sword around so that it lay against her arm, its bright 
length cool and reassuring against her skin. "I'm not afraid anymore," she 
announced as Kail pulled himself up. "Will you surrender yourself?"

He looked at her incredulously for a long while, dark ichor dripping in 
thick streams from his injured wings. Then he chuckled coldly, shaking his 
head with much like one would with a petulant child. "Surely you cannot be 
serious," he said. "We both know that this will only end one way: either 
yours... or mine."

"No, Kail. It doesn't have to be like this. Reece still wants to believe in 
you - please, will you give her the chance?" She felt her eyes watering at 
her words; they were not unlike something Minaki would have said. "Don't 
listen to Hikaru. I beg you!"

"Hmph." He snorted derisively and flicked his swords outwards, sending a 
delicate shower of sparks and sleet drifting to the shingles beneath. "Mere 
words intended to sway my heart. However, Lady Eice, you will come to 
understand that my passion will not relent. I will not back down again in 
what I believe in."

Reiya gritted her teeth angrily and steeled herself. "Do you really believe 
this is what she would've wanted you to do?"

But he did not answer that, perhaps refusing to do so. Instead, he raised 
his arms high and spun both swords outwards in perfect circles of ice and 
fire, bringing them together in an immense clash of metal and sound. Sparks 
of blue and red poured outwards from the fusion until Kail readjusted his 
grip upon the hilt of the now-unified blade, lifting it up at his side. 
Darkness coalesced around the edge of the weapon, which seethed with twin 
streams of elemental power.

She realized in that instant that the time had come, and as much as she 
wanted to deny it, he had left her with no other choice. The faint tremors 
of Setsuna's hesitation were already coursing through her soul, raising 
tiny pricks of fear. Even Trinity's whispers of reassurance were not enough 
as Reiya brought her sword upwards; she could sense that Reece's Guardian 
was afraid as well. But somehow, she felt no fear in her own mind. There 
was no doubt left, only a blinding courage that would have almost struck 
her as foolhardy had she thought about it. That courage welled up from the 
very recesses of her heart, manifesting itself around her blade with a 
piercing, consuming light.

*This is goodbye,* Trinity murmured - whether it was meant for Reiya or her 
Guardian was not clear. *It was a very brief time, but I enjoyed every 
second of it. I truly did.*

The light stretched outwards, bursting into fragments of rainbows and 
shards of dreams, diffusing into the air so that it became a part of the 
impending daybreak itself. Her sword was no longer a mere weapon; it was 
the love of her friends, the trust of the princess, and a beacon of hope... 
and as she hefted it skywards, every last bit of Setsuna's power bled out 
from her limbs and into the sword's prismatic length. The sensation was so 
strange that she did not notice the sting of tears moistening her cheeks.

*Reiya... never forget...*

It was all she heard before the Guardians' presences vanished altogether. 
Setsuna, the one friend she could rely on when no one else was there, the 
only one who believed in her when everyone else faltered, was gone.

The world seemed to suddenly lose a dimension. Colors took on a faded, 
tired hue. Shadows were darker, angles sharper. Reiya barely felt the 
fringes of the two Guardians' presences now contained within the celestial 
weapon in her hands - yet she felt nothing but a grim resolution as she 
swung the weapon down at her side, the blade of light now extending well 
past the edge of the ceiling.

Kail lowered his arm as the unbearable light dimmed... and stiffened in 
livid rage upon seeing the ragged, shining hope in Reiya's hands. Wings 
outstretched, he launched himself forward in a mindless charge, his sword 
trailing glimmers of light behind him -

- and with a cry that shook the heavens, Reiya twisted herself forward, 
bringing her sword wheeling around in a tremendous arc of multi-colored 
incandescence.

Everything became silent.

She felt something fade within her, its last sparks filling her soul with 
bittersweet tranquility.

Kail was standing bare inches in front of her, his eyes wide with 
disbelief... both at what had happened, and what he had done.

Energy shimmered and wavered uncertainly in his hands before vanishing from 
existence in thin curls of regret. Behind her, Reiya's wings shivered 
briefly and broke apart into countless fragments of light.

He stumbled back, looking down at his chest in shock... and as Reiya 
followed his gaze, she saw that her sword was no longer a sliver of heaven, 
but a simple, dull weapon embedded within his chest. Bluish light shot up 
in a weary geyser, and in the next moment the sword was no more.

Kail glanced up at her, his expression now laced with deep sorrow. Then he 
pitched forward onto the ceiling with a soft rustling, quickly sinking into 
the depths of unconsciousness as his tattered overcoat fluttered down upon him.

The world darkened around her further and Reiya felt herself slipping into 
blissful oblivion, even before she realized that she was crying.

_____


Toji opened his eyes.

The last thing he remembered was Hikaru standing over him, his Guardian 
whistling through the air to deliver the final blow. After that, there had 
only been pain: thick and cloying, interspersed with flashes of 
consciousness where he could see a man clad in black. The man had whispered 
to him in venomous tones, his voice full of deceit, promising him the 
strength and control that Toji craved. It was almost as if the man had 
delved into the depths of his mind to tell him exactly what he wanted to 
hear. After hours - or was it minutes? - he had faltered, succumbing to the 
man's dark artifices.

That was when the had pain settled in again. The world meant nothing after 
that.

But for some reason, he was awake once more. The dazzling glow of the 
chandeliers above him was painful upon his eyes, leaving spots in his 
vision. The numbness in his limbs steadily receding, leaving him shivering 
with cold. Strangely, everything was silent about him. It took a few 
minutes for Toji to notice that the world wasn't as bright as it used to 
be. More than that, he felt a discernable gap in his mind where something 
familiar, yet unwanted, used to reside.

He scrambled onto his feet clumsily, his body cumbersome and unwieldy. With 
his disorientation came a sense of creeping dread as he slowly pieced 
together the events that had transpired while he was gone. The room around 
him was in a state of utter chaos; what appeared to have been a ballroom at 
one point in time was now a battleground, streaks of ash and soot scattered 
across the elegant marble tiling in haphazard fashion. A faint sizzling 
came from the smoldering pocks in the ground, and as he looked closer, he 
saw the shapes of people strewn amidst the rubble.

Toji curled his fingers to invoke his Guardian's abilities, just in case - 
and stopped short with a puzzled look on his face. He brought his hands up 
in front of him, then towards a hole in the ground where a broken pipeline 
was gradually flooding the room with water. Nothing happened.

*No... it can't be...*

A moment of recollection flashed across his thoughts, causing him to recoil 
from its clarity: Reiya, flying through the air with her sword in hand... 
and him, standing impassively before her as a dragon of water surged 
towards her -

What had he done?

"Reiya..." he breathed, looking around the room in a sudden panic. "Reiya!"

Something tugged at his shirt from behind in response. Toji whirled around, 
eyes wide, and saw Minaki standing there. She was looking somberly at him, 
the fabric of her gown torn; flecks of blue and white clung tenaciously to 
what was left, drifting to the ground as she lifted her hand upwards.

"She's up there."

Toji didn't bother trying to comprehend what had happened to her, or 
whether if she was even telling him the truth. There was only one thought 
racing through his mind, and in the next moment he was bolting towards the 
exit. His body already knew where he wanted to go, maneuvering him through 
the labyrinth of corridors and staircases neatly. His footsteps resounded 
dully against the thick carpeting until it gave way to hardwood floors, 
then bare cement.

He flung one last door wide and found himself standing at the entrance of 
the manor's clock tower. Bits of glass were scattered around the narrow 
interior of the room, and a quick inspection revealed the signs of a 
fearsome battle. Toji moved up the steps as fast as he could, taking them 
two or three at a time, leaping over gaps left in the wake of the 
combatants' passing. He saw a jagged maw of colored glass at the top, and 
the first rays of sunlight spilling through it reluctantly.

Only then did he feel himself hesitating - but he knew he had no time. 
Bracing himself, he lunged through the broken portal, tumbling onto the 
ceiling awkwardly. Hot pain seared his shoulders and back, blood welling up 
from the jagged cuts on his skin, but that didn't matter anymore. Off in 
the distance was a man in black sprawled near the edge of the roof... and 
next to one of the spires was Reiya.

"Reiya!" he shouted, sprinting raggedly across the rooftop. His foot 
slipped, and he struggled to remain upright upon the slanted surface. "Reiya!"

Perhaps she didn't hear him. That was the only thing he allowed himself to 
believe, even as he approached her motionless body. She couldn't have lost. 
It was Reiya, she couldn't be dead -

Toji crouched down next to her, checking to see if she was breathing, 
swearing under his breath when he felt no warmth upon his fingers. Tears 
threatened to break his composure, and he shook her lightly by the 
shoulders in an attempt to jostle her awake. "Reiya. Reiya! Wake up!"

Her eyes did not open.

"Dammit! Reiya, come on! You can't die! Y-you... can't..."

And then the last vestiges of his restraint crumbled under the weight of 
all that had happened. The times he'd made her cry, the words spoken in 
anger, the half-hidden looks of disapproval; it was too late now to make 
amends for causing her so much unhappiness. More than that, it was too late 
to take back the last thing he had done. Instead of aiding her in fighting 
Kail, he had ended up nearly killing her. He could only imagine the way she 
must've felt as she expired, knowing that the person she loved had betrayed 
her.

Loved?

The thought was strange but not surprising at all. Perhaps it was a 
deep-seated understanding that she had always loved him from the moment 
they'd first met, and through all the times they had talked and fought 
together. He had always been the one to invariably draw back at the last 
second, knowing that admittance of his feelings would've been best left for 
another time. But now... even if it no longer meant anything to her...

He had to say it, if only so his own heart would forgive him.

"Reiya," he said, much softer now as he gently wrapped his arms about her 
shoulders. "I'm sorry for what happened. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you 
like I wanted. I... I tried to be the person you wanted me to, and I just 
couldn't - "

No. That wasn't what she had to hear right now. Cursing himself for being 
so weak, he shook his head and pressed on, brushing a few strands of hair 
away from her face so he was looking directly at her serene features.

"I never got to say this to you," he continued slowly, feeling the tears 
slipping down his face. "And if there was anything I could do to change 
that, I would. Reiya, I... I love you."

Toji leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her cool lips, hoping to convey 
the strength of his emotions even through the void that was stretching 
wider between them by the minute. He heard footsteps behind him, but he 
didn't care anymore. Whether it was Kail rising up to finish them off once 
and for all or one of his henchmen didn't matter. He had wanted to tell her 
how grateful he was after the fight with Keiya, but had balked in doing so. 
If only she knew...

"Toji?"

He recognized the voice, but didn't turn around at all. He didn't want to 
see the look on Minaki's face at that moment; nor could he bring himself to 
say anything, his shoulders shaking silently with grief.

The girl circled around in front of him, her eyes wide with shock. 
"Reiya?!" she cried out. "What happened to you?"

"Minaki - "

"Reiya! Please, wake up! It's all over now, you did it!"

He felt his expression contorting with anger borne out of frustration, both 
at his own characteristic ineffectiveness and Minaki's stubborn refusal to 
understand the truth. But just as he was on the verge of reprimanding her 
for being so tactless, he felt a sudden, faint movement in his arms, 
startling him so much he nearly dropped the girl in his arms. As it was, 
his grip loosened considerably, enough so that Minaki had to dart forward 
and catch Reiya before she tumbled onto the shingles.

Toji's eyes widened in disbelief. Had she heard all that he had said? Pangs 
of embarrassment swept through him, though they were quickly forgotten as 
Minaki lowered her down carefully. Reiya's eyes fluttered once, twice - and 
then she inhaled deeply, a fit of coughing doubling her over.

"Reiya," he whispered, more to himself than anything. He crouched down next 
to her, still not believing, not wanting to believe. "Are you..."

Her coughs subsided gradually, leaving her to look up at him through moist 
eyes. "Hello, Toji," she murmured. "I'm glad you're back - "

He didn't wait for her to finish. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her 
in a needful embrace, feeling the tears coming freely now. The beating of 
her heart against his lips was balm to his soul, the returning warmth of 
her skin an all-too-welcome testament to her well-being.

"Toji, what are you doing?" she whispered.

Undoubtedly her eyes were wide with shock, judging by the tone of her 
voice. Perhaps she had not heard him after all, and he found himself 
feeling relieved more than anything else. He tried to answer, and the words 
came out a choked sob... but as she slipped his own arms around him to 
return the embrace, he knew that she understood regardless.

Through the matted locks of Reiya's hair, Toji saw the first rays of 
sunlight coming in the distance.

_____


The soft chiming of an alarm clock brought Minaki out of a hazy dream and 
into reality. Her eyes opened slowly, heavy with sleep. It was already well 
past morning, judging by the way the sunlight was soaking her blanket, and 
for an instant she wondered if she would be able to make it to school in 
time. Then she glanced off to her side and saw that it was Saturday, and 
swung herself up from the bed with a soft sigh. There was only one thing to 
do today, already marked off in bright red ink on her calendar.

Months had passed since she had last seen her friends. Her parents had been 
shocked at what she'd told them after returning from Kail's mansion, and 
with no small amount of lecturing, she'd been forbidden to go out with 
Reiya or Toji. According to her parents, it was for her own good; Minaki 
tried to convince them otherwise, but this time she was unable to change 
their minds.

The first few weeks had been the worst, when she'd been beset by thoughts 
of her own self-worth, mulling over the strange emptiness in her heart. 
Only when Kaname had shown up at her doorstep did she finally accept what 
the truth was.

Minaki gazed over at the prone form of the girl sleeping in her bed and 
smiled faintly. Kaname had insisted upon such an arrangement even before 
her parents had decided to take her in, although she seemed to have learned 
enough common sense not to ask for it outright in her usual abrasive 
fashion. Their decision had come as a surprise to both the girls, but 
neither of them had any complaints. To Minaki, Kaname was now the only 
person she could speak with about their Guardians.

That had been the only unpleasant moment she remembered since they had 
started living together. True to form, Kaname wasted no words as soon as 
they'd breached the subject. "It's gone."

Minaki's mind refused to register that, the terse statement a harsh 
confirmation of what she already knew. "What did you say?" she murmured.

"Rave's gone. So's Kazeki. I guess that's why I'm here," she admitted with 
a somewhat sheepish look. "You haven't felt Kalciane since that night, have 
you?"

"I..." Minaki frowned and shook her head slowly. "No. I haven't..."

"It was something they did up there," Kaname continued, flopping back onto 
the bed with a grunt. "Something Reiya did with the weird winged lady. I 
dunno if you saw it, but I think she gave Reiya her Guardian - at least 
that's how it felt to me."

"Maybe."

"And I think that other guy in black - he took some of it too, so when they 
fought, it all disappeared. I dunno."

"I guess."

Kaname groaned with irritation. "What's wrong with you?"

Minaki looked up in mild surprise. Was it genuine concern that she saw in 
her face? No, it couldn't have been... "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You're acting weird and quiet. You used to be really annoying and 
talkative and nice." Kaname rattled off the traits as if they were all 
equally admirable. "You're sad because you lost Kalciane, aren't you."

"That isn't it at all," Minaki lied. "I'm just a bit... overwhelmed."

Kaname's lips quirked up in a half-grin. "Worried I can finally kick your 
ass, is that it?" she crowed triumphantly.

"No."

Her demeanor was already rubbing Kaname the wrong way, and she shifted 
around to stare intently at the other girl. "Dammit, Minaki, you're not the 
only one who got their Guardian taken away!" she snapped.

"Kalciane wasn't taken away."

That was enough to make Kaname stop short. "Then where did she go?" she 
muttered curiously.

"After the fight with Seki, I was taken to Kail's castle," Minaki said, 
smiling sadly. "He did something to Kalciane there... something that made 
her much stronger."

"Okay..." Kaname said flatly, not seeing the problem.

"It all makes sense now," Minaki continued. "That's why Seki acted the way 
he did... anyways, Kail did something to Kalciane and Liquis. I couldn't 
resist him for some reason, and when I woke up again, I wasn't myself. 
Kalciane's voice had become my own, and she was too strong, too much for me 
to control. It made me very mad, and seeing only Reiya only made me madder 
when I felt how weak she was."

This time, Kaname said nothing.

"I think back to that and I know it wasn't me that was thinking those 
thoughts, because after I woke up again they were all gone." She sighed 
quietly and shrugged, as if admitting defeat. "But I felt what happened 
even while I was asleep. Kalciane wasn't taken because of what Reiya did. 
She took her own life."

"What?" Kaname muttered. "That's not possible. Guardians can't do that - "

"Of course they can. Guardians are - *were* living things. They still have 
the choice to not live, and that's what Kalciane and Liquis did... so that 
they wouldn't end up changing us into demons."

Silence descended upon them as they considered the ramifications of that. 
Truth be told, Kaname was a bit stunned at it all, and more than slightly 
ashamed at how she must have been coming across. But Minaki simply bore it 
with the same infuriatingly pleasant smile she'd always had, though it held 
an edge of maturity to it now. No longer was she irrationally exuberant; 
the loss of Kalciane must have affected her in ways Kaname could only begin 
to imagine.

And yet she felt almost nothing at her own loss. There had been a deeper 
understanding between Rave and herself that she couldn't articulate in 
words, and her own Guardian had departed with only a few final whispers of 
encouragement. They both knew that their time together was over, and though 
there was some small part of her that wanted to cling to the irresistible 
power that her Guardian offered, she knew that it was not to be. She only 
hoped that their time spent had made her come out for the better.

It was the frustrating abruptness that she hated; that was the one thing 
which had always pissed her off about Keiya, who never saw a need to 
rationalize or even explain half of what he did. She'd grown accustomed to 
the point where even she could appreciate the irony of her Guardian's 
departure. But what she did not like was how Keiya had just walked away 
after recovering himself from the fight, in a manner that suggested he 
hadn't cared all along.

But she knew otherwise. Of course he'd cared. If he hadn't, he never 
would've bothered coming all the way from the south-side just to make sure 
she was all right... nor would he have willingly engaged Seki in an attempt 
to distract him from setting his sights upon Reiya.

Kaname tried to think of something to say and came up short. Apologizing 
would have worked best, but it wasn't in her blood to do so. Instead, she 
silently reached forward and wrapped her arms around Minaki.

The gesture came completely unexpected, leaving Minaki wide-eyed for a 
second until she hesitantly returned the embrace. There was an unspoken 
neediness in Kaname motions beneath the inviting warmth of her body - and 
with a sudden, terrible sense of loneliness Minaki found that she could no 
longer feel the girl's emotions like she before. But she only smiled 
faintly. It was fitting, after all; she had started their tenuous 
friendship utilizing her Guardian's abilities to her utmost in order to 
divine what Kaname was thinking, and now that she'd finally opened herself 
up to her, Kalciane was no longer needed.

It just wasn't fair. Bitterness surfaced in a subtle but tangible wave, 
both at Reiya and at Kail. She felt hints of jealousy coming to light, 
murderous thoughts from when she'd let herself be devoured by Kalciane's 
power... and quickly squeezed her eyes shut, trying to forget them. Maybe 
it wasn't fair for her, but she had no right to complain. Reiya would've 
hated her for it, and their friendship had already been strained too much 
for her liking.

Minaki still wasn't sure if Kaname understood everything as well as she 
would've liked, but either way, she was here with her now. One day, if not 
now, she would understand.

For now, however, she was going to have to wake up.

She crept closer along the bed until their faces were inches apart, then 
reached out with both hands and wiggled her fingers against the girl's sides.

The blanket flew up with a soft whoosh. Kaname boiled up from beneath in 
panic, nearly screaming in Minaki's face before noticing how close they 
were. Then she turned away with a sullen grumble, cheeks flushing with 
surprise and embarrassment, and buried her head beneath one of the pillows.

Minaki frowned and moved forward to tug it away, much to half-hearted 
protests of the other girl. "You have to wake up," she said sternly. 
"Today's a very important day."

"Murghfble."

"Do I have to tickle you again?"

Kaname was up in a flash, swinging her feet onto the carpet. "No. Go away. 
What day is it?"

"Saturday."

"What's so special about Saturday?"

"Today's the graduation ceremony for Reiya and Toji," Minaki stated 
patiently. "C'mon, we're going to be late."

"Oh." With that, she swung herself back onto the bed and rolled back over, 
sans blanket and pillow. "Why do I have to go?"

"You don't have to if you don't want. I just thought you might've wanted to 
see them again."

The idea of seeing Reiya and Toji again was laughable, yet strangely 
nostalgic. They hadn't exactly met on the best terms, but with the way 
things stood now, she wasn't sure how they would react to her. Maybe they 
would chastise her over always getting in the way of Reiya's efforts for no 
other reason than to annoy her. Or maybe they would forgive her, perhaps 
even thank her for helping her friends out when they had been on the verge 
of death.

As ridiculous as it was, the prospect of it was tempting, and at the very 
worst, she figured that she could just hang around Minaki until they were 
done. With a grunt of assent, Kaname rolled off the bed and moved over to 
the closet, shifting the door aside to reveal her half of the wardrobe. Her 
parents had been nice enough to treat her as their own after she'd been 
taken in, although their taste in clothing was not quite in line with what 
Kaname considered fashionable.

She settled on a red shirt and a pair of faded denim overalls that looked 
reasonably not-girly, turning around and noticing Minaki's silent look of 
amusement. "What?"

"I'm just happy to see you finally growing up," Minaki said quietly.

Kaname couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not; chances were, 
though, that she wasn't. "Yeah, sure," she muttered, slipping into the 
overalls. "You sound like an old lady."

"Well, I am your sister now, right?"

"Yeah."

She had been wanting to avoid that word because she knew what the 
implications of it were. Keiya's last command to her had been clear: to 
follow Minaki and learn from her. Ever since Kaname had met her, she had 
wanted something more than a simple friendship; at first, it was to learn 
her secrets so she could become stronger and eventually beat her in combat. 
With their Guardians gone now, that goal had faded into obsolescence, 
leaving her wondering if their friendship might not evolve into something 
beyond a modest acquaintance.

A sudden wind rattled the overhanging branches aside against the window 
pane, startling Kaname out of her thoughts. Blushing slightly, she hastily 
finished dressing and followed Minaki out of their room.

Her parents were already sitting at the table with breakfast set out for 
the two of them. Minaki's father was reading the paper, her mother perusing 
what looked like some kind of biomedical journal. They were a portrait of 
domestic tranquility, and Minaki smiled as Kaname slid into the seat across 
from her, wolfing the food down without so much as a word. She still wasn't 
accustomed to how things worked, but there would be time to change that.

Minaki lifted her fork and poked at her food disinterestedly, her thoughts 
lighting upon Toji and Reiya. The months had gone by quickly, a blur of 
studying and tests and brief meetings in the lunch area. Reiya had been 
hanging around Toji more frequently than usual, which was a mixed bag. 
While Minaki was happy that they were finally spending more time with each 
other, she missed being able to be a part of the group that they'd formed. 
She wanted to be able to be around them, to be with them as they talked... 
of course, since there were no more demons or Guardians around, she had 
very little idea as to what she would talk about.

Even so, she would've liked to at least have the chance, and it almost felt 
like Reiya had been avoiding her on purpose. But Minaki quickly banished 
the nagging doubt from her mind, forcing a smile as Kaname gave her an odd 
look. The graduation ceremony would set everything straight, and after 
that, she would be able to do what she had told Reiya those months ago. She 
would finally be like her, and have the strength to stand on her own and 
move on.

"What?" she murmured, as Kaname continued to glare at her curiously.

The girl bunched her mouth up, her features crinkling with accusation. 
"You're thinking again."

"Oh, finish your food."

Kaname looked suspicious, but did as she was told - and Minaki simply 
smiled, growing more excited by the moment. Everything was going to be 
fine. She was sure of it.

After all, she had no intentions of breaking the promise that she'd made to 
Kalciane.

_____


Reiya was waiting for Toji at their usual meeting spot behind the math 
building, leaning against the wall and reading quietly from a book. He was 
late again, as he always was, but she found herself not really minding; she 
was near the end of the story, and the few extra minutes were sufficient 
for her to finish the last couple of sentences just as she heard the 
telltale sound of his footsteps scraping on the ground from around the corner.

He looked faintly annoyed as he came into sight, and Reiya couldn't help 
but smile faintly. Of all the things that had changed about him in the past 
few months, his perpetual tardiness was not one of them. "What happened?" 
she said.

"Parents," he mumbled, panting lightly from exertion. "They decided to drop 
me off on the other side of campus."

She winced in sympathy. Hoshimi Academy was a unified institute that had 
students of every grade level from elementary to high-school, so the 
premises were fairly expansive. Walking across the grounds must've taken at 
least a good twenty minutes. "I'm sorry," she said softly, patting him on 
the shoulder.

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

"When do you think you'll be moving out?"

Toji seemed to cheer up at the mention of that and adjusted his graduation 
gown, falling into step besides her as she headed towards the field where 
the ceremony would be held. "Probably in a few weeks," he said. "Dad 
decided that he was okay with it, as long as I keep my grades up. Um, 
speaking of which, did you ever..."

"Did I ever...?" Reiya trailed off, not sure what he was referring to.

"The letter," he prompted. "Did you find out if Kanagawa accepted your 
application?"

"Oh! I... didn't get in," she finished, smiling ruefully. "My entire senior 
year wasn't very good, so I guess that's what killed me."

"Ah." Toji looked rather crestfallen, but managed to reign in most of his 
disappointment. His expectations had been unrealistic, he knew, but the 
prospect of attending college was no longer a distant ideal on the horizon; 
it was very real now, and he had not wanted to face it alone. "I guess 
there's always next year, right?"

They traversed across the numerous empty basketball courts, passing by the 
swimming pool and the gymnasium building on their way. "I suppose," she 
replied slowly. "I'm not sure if I want to try, though."

He stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean by that?"

Reiya turned around and found that she could not meet his gaze. "I... I 
don't know, Toji. It took everything I had just to make sure I didn't end 
up failing my last year at school, because I honestly didn't care anymore."

"Of course you do. You just weren't putting your mind to it because of... 
other things."

"Even after that," she insisted. "Even after I defeated Kail... even after 
we talked things over with Reece and decided to leave it behind us... I 
can't stop thinking about Setsuna. She *died* for me, Toji. How am I 
supposed to make things right?"

Toji was silent for a long while, thinking back to that night and all that 
had happened. There was no point in denying what she'd said, though. He 
still thought about his own Guardian from time to time, wondering if Reiya 
knew what had happened to it in those final hours, whether or not she 
understood that she was not alone. For a time, it seemed that she did, and 
yet when they were alone together she still grieved over Setsuna like she 
had with her parents. As bad as things had become, he had never felt the 
need to do the same; he simply could not bring himself to feel anything 
more than faint regret for Liquis.

Perhaps he still didn't understand her as well as he thought.

"You can make things right by doing what Reece told you to," he said 
quietly. "'Believe in yourself and don't be chained by your past'. Thinking 
about it too much will only make things worse."

She didn't answer for a time, even as they started moving towards the field 
again, and Toji knew that she was doing the exact thing he had told her not 
to. It was frustrating beyond belief, but he said nothing of it. He still 
remembered what he'd done the last time he thought he knew what was best 
for her.

"What do you suppose everyone else is doing?" Reiya murmured as they set 
foot upon the grassy field. Already, the crowd was gathered in the 
bleachers around them: parents, relatives, friends, and alumni, all come to 
witness their final passage from an era in their life.

"'Everyone else?'"

"You know... the other Hosts we've met."

Toji slumped a bit. "Oh."

"What's wrong? You don't sound very happy."

"I just don't think of them as Hosts anymore," he said quietly. Indeed, he 
did not. Their powers were all gone now; it was silly to think of them as 
anything but regular humans. "They probably are going about their lives, 
like normal people."

"Oh, Toji, it's always about being normal with you," she said teasingly. 
"You should lighten up a bit."

"It's true," he said defensively. "I mean, what exactly are we supposed to 
do now that we don't have powers anymore? We can't exactly go around 
picking fights with people."

Reiya looked faintly disappointed with his response. "Just because we don't 
have powers doesn't mean that we have to be completely unremarkable. Look 
at Seki... he's still fighting."

"And helping with repairs on Kail's house, after we all trashed it," Toji 
pointed out. "And besides, none of us ever found out what happened to 
Hikaru or Keiya."

"Kaname says that Keiya visits her from time to time," she said 
distractedly. After the fight had ended, they had all simply went their 
separate ways - until Reece had sent out invitations one day, completely 
out of the blue, for a gathering at Kail's mansion. That night, they had 
talked well into the night about what had happened and what would become of 
them. Many of the former Hosts that had been invited had decided not to 
come, either out of spite or simple ignorance. Seki had been there, though, 
and after the official gathering had been disbanded he'd taken her aside 
and confessed that he had never wanted to do anything more than meet her in 
combat; he had never intended to hurt her friends to the degree that he did.

She'd forgiven him. Among everything, though, Hikaru's absence was 
conspicuous, and the look upon Reece's face had told Reiya that she did not 
like it at all. But there was nothing that could have been done.

Toji sighed and moved ahead of her as they reached a gate leading into the 
stadium, opening it for her. Had it all been a waste of time, the entire 
time he'd spent with Liquis? Was everything destined to be as futile as the 
unheard confession he had given her? "I'm doing it again, aren't I?" he 
said. "Damn it, even after all this, I'm still the same annoying person 
I've always been..."

Instead of turning away or chiding him as he'd expected her to do, she 
smiled and shook her head. "Toji, you still don't get it, do you?" she said 
softly.

He frowned in confusion, not sure what she meant. "Huh?"

"You've always been someone very important to me," Reiya continued, moving 
close besides him. "Whenever I thought I would not make it, you were always 
there for me, even if you were terrified at what I was putting myself 
through. The least I can do is to be that kind of a person for you."

Toji found himself unable to reply, his mind working over her words, 
comprehending them syllable by syllable.

"And," she said, voice lowering to a whisper, drawing ever closer until 
their faces were inches apart. "For what it's worth... I love you too."

She gave him a soft kiss on the lips and pulled away just as quickly, her 
motions so fleeting that it was like Setsuna was still guiding her. But she 
knew that such was not the case. Even as Toji suddenly broke out of his 
reverie, sputtering and flushed with embarrassment, Reiya found herself 
smiling, nearly on the verge of giggling. It was a good feeling, one that 
she had believed forgotten. It was a part of the legacy that her Guardian 
had left her.

She didn't have to look to know that he was rubbing his lips with mild, 
disgruntled shock as he fell back into step besides her. Off in the 
distance, she heard her name being called by a familiar voice and turned. 
Minaki and Kaname were waving to her from the tracks, the former already 
making her way through the people gathered in the stands. Reiya waved back 
cheerfully and reached out to grab Toji's hand, tugging him forward to meet 
her friends.

Not everything had happened the way she'd wanted. Being able to go to 
college with Toji was a nice thought, and one she'd devoted a lot of time 
contemplating. But in the end, she didn't feel right about it. He already 
knew what he wanted from his life, even if it had been decreed by his 
parents. Even though he didn't seem aware of it, he had finally become the 
person that she'd always wanted him to be: someone who could understand 
her, someone she could speak freely with... and most of all, someone she 
could share her heart with.

She, on the other hand, was still discovering her own self in ways that had 
not been possible even when Setsuna was with her. Things that she had been 
afraid of were no longer ominous to her; the future was not another day to 
live through, but a promise maintained and the sign of a hope reborn.

Perhaps, one day, he would understand that she loved him for the way he 
was. Perhaps, one day, she would be the kind of person he wanted her to be.

"Reiya? Are you all right?"

Minaki was peering at her curiously, obviously puzzled as to her unusual 
silence. Toji was off to the side, still looking rather flustered, and 
Kaname seemed indifferent to it all, as she tended to be.

"I'm fine," she said without hesitation, and for the first time in recent 
memory, she realized that it was no longer a half-truth or a white lie. 
Smiling brightly, she reached out for Toji's arm and began heading towards 
the podium of the stadium.

"I really am."

_____


-- bellreisa

Writings	http://bellreisa.tnim.org
Wiki		http://ciel.ath.cx:8080/cielwiki


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