Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Forever 17 ❯ Chapter 1

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

summary:
While out with some friends, Umi is in a car accident that leaves her in a
coma. Will she wake up? songfic using ZOEgirl’s “Forever 17”; part 1 of the
Forever 17 series

a.n.: Girls are in their last year of high school.

disclaimer:
Magic Knight Rayearth © CLAMP
“Forever 17” © ZOEgirl

~~~
Forever 17
~~~

“Umi-chan! C’mon!”
Umi looked over to her friends Shishinko Nekuta and Utakishi Yama. She
nodded and ran over to them.
“You’re a big flirt, y’know that?” asked Yama as she started the car. Umi
just laughed.
“Thanks, but I already have a boyfriend!” she said. Nekuta looked at her
with a curious expression.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I mean, we’ve never met him! He’s a big
mystery to us!”
“Yes, I’m sure, Nekuta-chan. Yama-chan, where are we going again?”
Umi asked her friend. Yama simply smirked.
“That new dance club,” she said. The light they were at turned green and
they started to head out. Before they could fully cross the area, another car
sped through their red light.
“Yama-chan, watch out!” screamed Umi and Nekuta. Yama cursed and
tried to escape the insane driver’s path, yet he slammed into the side of the car,
causing it to flip. Yama tried to look around, yet she felt subconciousness
beckoning her.
“Are...you guys...”
Before she could finish, she blacked out.

Never thought it would be me
Living in a shattered dream
Could this be the end for me?

Hikaru yawned as she walked from her room to the living room. She
spotted Kakeru sitting on the recliner, watching a kendo match on the television.
She couldn’t help but laugh at this She went into the kitchen and was getting a
drink when the phone rang. She picked it up.
“Moshi moshi!” she said in her bubbly way. “Shidou residence - Hikaru
speaking!”
“Hikaru-san, it’s Fuu. Could you come down to the hospital?” asked Fuu.
She sounded as if she was on the verge of a break-down.
“Why? What’s goin’ on?” asked Hikaru. She heard Fuu make a noise.
“Just get here as soon as you can. Umi-san’s...” Fuu couldn’t continue.
“Just get here a.s.a.p., ok?”
The next thing Hikaru heard was the click of the phone being hung up.
She looked at the phone in confusion as she hung it up. What was wrong with
Umi? She walked out to the living room.
“Can I borrow your car, onii-chan?” she asked.
“Why?” asked Kakeru. Hikaru glared at him.
“Because something is wrong with my friend, and I have to go to the
hospital to get the low-down!” she said angrily. Kakeru looked at her.
“Fine,” he said in an annoyed manner. Hikaru thanked him, grabbed the
keys, and left.

What I wouldn’t give to have
A life to live, a day to play
Instead I’ll be forever seventeen

Fuu looked over to Mr. and Mrs. Ryuuzaki, who were looking in the door
to the O.R. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Hikaru, Umi, and she were
supposed to always be together. They were supposed to grow up always being
there for each other. After they graduated high school they were going to go to
college, then they were going to move to Cephiro to stay forever. This wasn’t
supposed to happen. Umi wasn’t supposed to be in that operating room
depending on others to save her.
“Fuu-chan!”
She whirled around and saw Hikaru running towards her. She stopped in
front of her to catch her breath, and then looked up at her.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Umi-san was in a car accident, Hikaru-san,” said Fuu. She stopped to
take a breath and to try to keep her composure. “she’s currently in the
operating room. We don’t know anything else except that she was with
Yama-san and Nekuta-san, and Yama-san did not make it through her surgery.”
“What?!” asked Hikaru. Her voice was wrought with complete shock,
denial, and disbelief.
“I’m sorry...” said Fuu. She was trying hard not to cry.
“No!” said Hikaru. “This isn’t happening! We’re s’pposed to graduate this
year, Fuu-chan! We’re not s’pposed to get hurt and die!”
“I know you and Umi-san were close to Nekuta-san and Yama-san, but...”
said Fuu.

Could have lived out every dream
I could have been most anything

“How is she?”
They turned to see Nekuta’s parents and Yama’s parents running up to
them. Mr. and Mrs. Ryuuzaki turned and looked at them.
“Umi and Shishinko-san are still in surgery,” said Mrs. Ryuuzaki.
“What about Yama?” asked Mrs. Utakishi Mr. Ryuuzaki looked away.
“I’m afraid...”
Before he could continue, a doctor walked out with a grim look on his
face.
“Doctor?” asked Hikaru.
“They’re out of surgery, but I’m afraid I have some bad news. Sometime
during the operation, Ryuuzaki-san slipped into a coma. I don’t know if she’ll
wake up or not. Shishinko-san is suffering from a broken wrist and a concussion,
but other than that she’s fine. They’re both being transported to a room. Are
you two the parents of Utakishi Yama?” he asked Mr. and Mrs. Utakishi. They
nodded.
“Come with me,” he said. As they walked away, Hikaru fell to the ground
and started pounding it.
“No! No no nononononono!!!!!” she screamed. “This isn’t supposed to be
happening! We’re all fine, we’re going to graduate in four months, and then
we’re all going to go to Cephiro and live happily ever after! THIS ISN’T
HAPPENING!!!!”

Can someone wake me up?
I haven’t lived yet
I’m only seventeen

The nurses from the nurses’ station and the people in the area were
looking at her, shocked and confused by her actions. Fuu knelt down next to her
and grabbed her by the shoulders.
“Hikaru-san, calm down!” said Fuu. “At least she’s not dead!”
“She’s in a coma, Fuu-chan! Face reality: she may not wake up! She
could die, Hououji! Face it!” shouted Hikaru. Fuu bit her lower lip. She stood
up and turned her back to her friend.
“I know there’s a chance she may not wake up, Hikaru-san. But I also
know that there’s a chance she will. And like it or not, I am choosing to follow
the belief in my heart that she will wake up. She would not abandon us! She
won’t die on us, Hikaru-san - she’s not like that!” said Fuu. Mr. and Mrs.
Ryuuzaki looked at the two.
“Shidou-san, listen to Hououji-san,” said Mr. Ryuuzaki. Hikaru turned to
him.
“She’s going to die! They never wake up - they never do! She’s gone!”
cried Hikaru. A nurse walked over.
“What’s goin’ on here?” she asked. Mrs. Ryuuzaki looked at her. “She
can’t go scarin’ the people like this, miss.”
“We’ll handle it. Fuu-san, take her to the cafeteria for a hot chocolate or
something. We’re going to go see if we can see Umi yet,” said Mrs. Ryuuzaki.
Fuu nodded and, taking Hikaru, walked off.

God, did you forget
I’m just a baby?
And I don’t wanna be
Forever seventeen

- Umi’s POV -

This place is so cold...Nekuta-chan, Yama-chan? Where are you? I
remember being with them...and then nothing. There was another car...why
won’t this darkness go away? I’m so cold and scared...I wish Hikaru-chan and
Fuu-chan were here...even Ascot-kun..anyone, I don’t care! I hate being alone!
Especially now. I have no clue as to where I am or how I got here. All I
see is darkness. Wait - the scenery’s changing. I can’t tell...

I’ll never have a bed to make
A test to take, a summer day
I’ll always be forever seventeen

It’s Tokyo! But why is it so deserted? It’s cold, too...Fuu-chan!
Hikaru-chan! Anybody! Is there anyone there?! Can’t anyone help me?!
“Help!” I cry. I fall to the ground in a ball with tears streaming from my
eyes. I don’t want to be lost, confused, or alone. I want to get out of here!

- Normal POV -

Mr. Utakishi looked at the doctor, his face pale. Mrs. Utakishi was just
shaking her head, tears falling from her eyes. The doctor looked at them with
sadness on his face. He hated this part.
“I’m sorry. There was nothing we could do,” he said.
“Bastard!” Mrs. Utakishi screamed at him. “How dare you tell us there
was nothing you could do! You’re a doctor, damn it! You’re supposed to do
something! You were supposed to save our daughter! You bastard!”
“Honey, calm down,” said Mr. Utakishi. However, he honestly couldn’t
blame her - she was releasing the inner turmoil that was currently clawing at his
soul.
“No!” screamed Mrs. Utakishi. “I won’t calm down! You saved those girls
- why couldn’t you save Yama?! WHY, DAMN IT?!”
“Utakishi-san lost a lot of blood by the time she got here. She had several
injuries: broken bones, concussion, blood loss - there was nothing we could do.
We tried, Mr. and Mrs. Utakishi, we honestly did. There are just some people
who can’t be saved,” the doctor said with full sympathy. He hated himself for
not being able to save the girl. She was so young. Her entire life was before
her, and it was wasted because of an ignorant drunk.

Could have had a family
If things had worked out differently
Instead I’ll be forever seventeen

Hikaru looked at her drink with blank, emotionless eyes. Yes, there was a
chance for Umi. But how big was it? Zero to infinity. From her resources,
comatose patients almost never wake up. About one in every fifty do. She had
told Fuu this, and Fuu had just laughed. She said that was the biggest load of
crock she had ever heard. Ok, not in those exact words, but close. She pushed
her drink away and looked up at Fuu.
“I wanna see Umi-chan now,” she said. Fuu nodded and led Hikaru to the
floor where Umi was being held.

- Umi’s POV -

There’s a bright light, and Yama-chan appears in front of me. I blink.
She looks different - almost like an angel...
“Umi-chan...hi!” she says happily. I cock my head in confusion.
“Yama-chan? Where are we? What happened?” I ask. She looks at me
with a serious expression.
“Umi-chan, we were in a car accident. Remember? You’re in a coma, and
this is the inside of your mind,” says Yama-chan. I’m confused.
“What do you mean? If this is my mind, are you just a memory? A
figment of my imagination?” I ask.
“No, I’m afraid not. I didn’t make it, Umi-chan.”
What?! If anyone deserved to survive, it was Yama-chan and
Nekuta-chan! How could Yama-chan not make it?
“Then...what happened to you? Why are you here?” I ask.

Could I have just one more day
A chance to learn from my mistakes?

“I’m an angel now, Umi-chan. Well, an angel-in-training, at least. And
I’m here because I was instructed to show you something. You see, Umi-chan,
you’re not doing so good. I’m not allowed to reveal everything to you. But I
was told to let you see what you would miss if you do die. Are you ready for
this? Oh, and by the way, your boyfriend is hot!” she says. I can’t help but
laugh. That’s Yama-chan for you! I nod and before I know it I’m in a garden.
Yama-chan’s standing next to me, and I see Ascot sitting next to a fountain.
He’s watching some of his monsters play in the fountain. I see myself walk up to
him, dressed in what looks like Cephiran robes.
“Ascot? What are you doing?” the older me asks. He looks up at me...er,
the older me.
“Just watching my friends play,” he says with a smile. He stands and
gives her a kiss. Just then two kids run up. The girl looks to be about seven,
and the boy five. The girl has dark blue hair with brown streaks that stretch out
like spider legs from the top of her head and beautiful emerald eyes - eyes like
Ascot-kun. The boy has short, messy brown hair with sky blue streaks and warm
cerulean eyes. They’re both wearing Cephiran clothing.
“Okaa-san! Otou-san! He won’t stop bugging me!” the girl says, pointing
to the boy.
“But she started it! She b-bet-betted that I couldn’t annoy her, an’ I
t-took it up! It’s not my fault my s-sister’s such an i-idiot!” the boy says. I smile
slightly at his stutter. His speech is just like how Ascot used to talk.
“Don’t call your sister an idiot,” said Ascot, a small smile on his face.
“You two will never grow up. Figure out a way to fix it,” says the older
me. The scene freezes. I sense Yama turning to me. I can’t look at her.

Can someone wake me up?
I haven’t lived yet
I’m only seventeen
God, did you forget
I’m just a baby?
And I don’t wanna be
Forever seventeen

“This won’t happen, will it? I’m not going to survive, and I’ll never get to
see Ascot again. We’ll never get to have a family, will we?” I ask. My voice
betrayed the fact that I was near tears. “And I won’t get to see Hikaru and Fuu
again.”
“Umi-chan, all I can tell you is that I can’t reveal your future. I was just
allowed to show you this possible glimpse. I’m sorry,” says Yama. She vanishes,
as does the image. I know my time’s drawing to a close. I feel horrible. I’ll
never see Ascot again. He’ll never get to know how much I truly love him. I
place my hands on my heart.
“I love you, Ascot. I’m going to miss you,” I say, my voice cracking. “I’m
sorry...”

- Normal POV (Cephiro) -

Ascot jerked his head up from his book. He thought he heard Umi, but
she wasn’t supposed to come until tomorrow. He then hears it again.
[I’m sorry...]

- Tokyo -

In a matter of a moment
Life fell before my eyes
And now I’m looking at the meaning of
The miracle of life

Hikaru watched the green line go up and down. Fuu was standing next to
her, and both of them were by the bed. Mr. and Mrs. Ryuuzaki stood behind
them, both silently crying. The next think Hikaru knew, the line went flat and a
long beep filled the room.
“UMI-CHAN!”

Where are we going without even knowing
The answer deep inside

Doctors and nurses rushed inside the room at the sound of the scream.
They plied Hikaru and Fuu away from their friend and started working on Umi.
Their talk was a bunch of medical words and phrases that meant nothing and yet
everything to Hikaru, Fuu, Mr. Ryuuzaki, and Mrs. Ryuuzaki.

So don’t give up
You haven’t lived yet
You’re only seventeen
And God did not forget

“Wake up...wake up...wake up....wake up...” Hikaru kept repeating while
Fuu held her back. They were both emotionally shaken. Umi wasn’t going to
die. They were going to go to sleep, and it would all be over. Over...
“We lost her....”

You’re just a baby

~~~
Owari
~~~