Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Here I Am ❯ New Surroundings ( Chapter 13 )

Here I Am

Chapter Thirteen - New Surroundings

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer - Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes - Sorry it took so long for this chapter. I've been having writers block lately, and I haven't felt like writing. School starts next week, so expect even less updates then. So yeah, another chapter - and Umi finally wakes up! More Alcione and Nova in this chapter too, just because I like them and I wanted to write about them :P It's a pretty sucky chapter, but oh well. R&R, and enjoy - until next time! :)

Warnings/Pairings - Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary - Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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She was cold, and she could faintly hear the steady sound of dripping, each drop making her more and more awake. She silently cursed the noise, wishing that Yukari would stop leaving the water on like that, and would make sure the knob was firmly turned so the tap wouldn't drip.

Another drip, and the sound sent shivers up her spine. She clenched her eyes tightly together, shivering. Her nice, warm blankets seemed to be missing. Who'd stolen her blankets? There was going to be hell to pay once she was fully awake…

Drip.

She was growing mad now, the noise was really annoying. That, and the fact she was sleeping on a cold, hard surface, and she would rather be in a nice warm, comfortable bed…

Drip.

She groaned, moving slightly, her hand moving across the stone floor. No, she knew for sure now she certainly wasn't back home in her bed.

Drip.

So where was she?

Drip.

Damn that facet! Her eyes snapped open, her brows narrowing as she glared in the direction the noise was coming from. Her vision was blurry, but it soon came into focus as she stared at a stone wall.

"Ah, so our heroine finally awakens." Came a female voice, and Umi tried to turn her head. The sudden movement caused spots to appear before her eyes, but she managed to roll over and look at whoever was speaking.

A woman dressed mostly in black and dark purple stood watching her, a sneer on her face as she glowered and the blue haired girl. It took Umi a minute to recognize her, but it finally clicked through her haze filled mind.

"Alcione?" She asked in a small voice, blinking and looking at the older woman more carefully. "That's impossible…you're dead."

The smirk on Alcione's face widened. "Well I was," She paused, "But I'm back now, ready to take my revenge!"

Umi blinked, the spots were returning. She was hurting all over, although she felt a lot better since the night she had spent in the woods. Had Larfarga brought her to the palace after? She didn't remember anything after that. And if she had been at the palace, then what was this place?

"Where am I?" She managed to ask, her eyes remaining closed as she lay on the cold stone floor.

"Can't tell you that, it'll ruin everything if you happened to escape and told your little friends." At this, Umi opened one eye to look up at Alcione, who was looking down at her with a evil smirk, "But I can tell you this - you're in a floating castle in the sky," She raised her hands then, indicating to the dungeon room, "And this is the last place you'll see before you die!" She laughed.

Umi clenched her eyes tightly against the pain as Alcione's laughter echoed through her head, her last words taunting her.

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Alcione left once she realized Umi was no longer conscious. There was no use taunting someone unless they were awake. Besides, it wasn't her job to take care of the girl anyway. She would have to find Eagle and tell him the girl had finally awoken long enough to speak, and send him to look after her from now on.

Walking down the dark corridors of the castle, which were lit with small burning candles that gave off next to no light, she made her way towards Eagle's room in the west wing. The west wing was where all of Innova's generals were currently staying, the east wing being full of Innova's equipment and experiments. Her mind immediately went to what was staying in that wing. Clad in black armor he slept, ready to wake at any moment, and Alcione was eagerly awaiting that moment.

So deep in thought, she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her, and as she turned one of the many corners in the winding hallways, she bumped into someone.

"Watch where you're going!" She snapped, brushing off her clothes and not even bothering to look at the person she'd just banged into.

"Whatever." Answered a feminine voice, and Alcione finally looked up.

"Nova," She frowned, "What are you doing out wandering the halls at this hour?"

"What, am I not allowed out?" Nova snapped back, glaring at the older and taller woman, "What are you doing out?"

"I had to tend to the prisoner," Alcione answered, arms crossed. She had only known the other girl for a few days, but she already hated her, "So what's your excuse?"

Nova looked away, obviously troubled. "Couldn't sleep," She mumbled.

Alcione laughed, and Nova shot her a dirty look. "So our great general Nova can't sleep?"

Nova looked insulted. "I have nightmares, okay?"

"Whatever." Alcione mocked her, stepping around her and continuing in the direction she had been going before she had been stopped. Nova watched her go, a frown upon her face.

She found him in his room, just like she had expected. He was lying on his bed, hands behind his head and his eyes closed. Alcione stood in the doorway for a second, studying him. How weird it was, to be working with an old enemy. Of course, he didn't know anything about it, but she did. Her memories were fine, unlike the others. She hadn't needed for them to be erased.

"Are you going to just stand there, or do you have something to say?" His voice startled her, she had thought he was asleep.

She sneered at his in response. As much as she hated Nova, she hated Eagle even more. He had become her rival, and she tried her best to outdo him in every way.

"The girl finally woke up," She replied, "I believe it's your job to watch her."

Eagle opened his eyes, giving Alcione a dark look. He made no move to get up.

She frowned at him, eyes narrowing. "Innova will be most displeased if you don't do what he says."

Eagle winced now, knowing she was right. If he didn't obey Innova, who knows what would happen. With a sigh, he got up, stretching before he made his way across the room to get his armor. Alcione watched him for a moment, an inferior smile upon her face before she turned and left. He glared after her.

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The palace was in an uproar. It wasn't often that someone snuck into the palace and actually got away with it. Usually the guards would have easily caught a trespasser, but with the arrival of the Magic Knights, security had been slacking.

"I can't believe this has happened," Ferio shook his head, letting it fall into his hands. His green hair fell over his stressed face, and the others couldn't help but feel sorry for him. After his sister's death, the job of being Prince had been thrust at him, and he was young and uncertain. Fuu laid a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at her.

"I'm sure we'll find her. Umi's strong, whatever happened -" Fuu left off, seeing Larfarga enter the room. Ferio immediately stood up.

"Well?" He asked, a hopeful look across his face, "What did you find?"

"There was no sign of anything, my Prince." The blond man answered, "No sign of a struggle, no nothing."

"Damn!" Ferio cursed between his teeth.

"The guards did not see anything?" Asked Lantis, who had been comforting Hikaru up until then, "Anything at all?"

"Nothing." Larfarga confirmed.

Across the room, Ascot was silently shaking his head. "I should have stayed…"

Caldina, who was standing beside him, shook her head. "It's not your fault Ascot. It's no one's fault."

"Caldina's right," Said Presea, "And we'll find her, don't worry. Clef is working on it - he'll find something that will lead us to her."

"But what…if she's hurt out there somewhere?" Asked Ascot, looking up at Presea with troubled eyes, "What if they're hurting her right now? She could be dead by now…"

"Ascot!" Caldina scolded, "Don't say such things! You have to be optimistic!"

"How can I be, when Umi's missing?" He asked, "I don't see how you can be so calm about this either!"

"We have to stay calm," Presea whispered, and both Ascot and Caldina looked to her, "We have to be strong." She paused looking at Fuu and Hikaru, "We don't know what happened to Umi, but we must stay strong for the remaining Magic Knights. If they see how upset we are, they'll only get even more upset then they already are."

"Presea.." Ascot blinked, and then nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry.."

Presea looked at him with a small smile. "No need to apologize. I'm just as upset as you are, I'm just better at hiding it."

Ascot gave her a small smile in response.

"It's getting late," Said Caldina, looking out through one of the many palace windows, "We should rest. It's been one hell of a day."

"I don't think I can sleep, not after all this." Ascot said quietly, watching as Larfarga and Ferio continued to talk.

"Well you're going to." Caldina said, looking around the room. "We all need our sleep. We need to keep up our strength, for whatever's coming."

Presea silently agreed. Whatever the enemy's next move was, they needed to be prepared for it.

To Be Continued…