Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Here I Am ❯ Shelter From the Storm ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four - Shelter From the Storm

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 - Wheee another day, another chapter. It's getting to the point where I can post a new chapter every day :P Actually, I could have posted two chapters yesterday…because I had this one written as well as chapter three. Almost had chapter five done, but I ended up finishing it off this morning. Of course I won't be posting it until tomorrow, but oh well. This fic is so easy to write because the chapters are short. If I wrote long chapters I'd never finish it. Hopefully I'll get around to finishing this fic…I don't think I've ever finished a chaptered fic before ^^; R&R, and I hope you all enjoy!

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

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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It was near dinnertime as the girls ran into each other outside of Tokyo Tower. It had taken them longer to get there than they had expected, and both of them were breathless from running.

"Sorry I'm late," Fuu gasped between breaths, watching her fiery red headed friend do the same. "I had to make up some excuses to get away from everyone."

Hikaru waved it off, bending down and propping herself up using her knees as she continued to breathe heavily.

"No..problem…" She gasped out.

Once they had both calmed down slightly, Fuu was the next to speak.

"So have you heard any news?" She asked.

Hikaru shook her head, her eyes downcast. "Not a word since her room mate phoned me."

"Maybe she went to visit her parents?" Fuu offered, hoping that there was nothing to get really upset about. It wasn't like Umi could just disappear out of thin air, was it?

"Tried phoning them. They told me she hasn't visited them this year, and they haven't heard from her." Answered Hikaru, heading into the familiar tower.

"Kidnapped?"

"No ransom note." Said Hikaru, eyeing the familiar surroundings before saying softly, "It's kind of sad, isn't it?"

Fuu stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "How so?"

"That we finally get together after all this time, and instead of saying hello and tears and hugs, we're worried sick that something bad has happened to Umi." Hikaru took a seat outside the souvenir shop, looking down as she played with her hands. When she had planned the get together, she never thought it would be like this! A lone tear made its way down her cheek.

"Oh Hikaru…" Fuu gave her a small smile. "Please don't cry!"

But it was too late. Her head bowed so that her hair fell down in her face and no one could see her, Hikaru let the tears flow.

"I'm just so worried, Fuu…" She sniffed. "I can't…I can't stand to lose any more of my friends!" She looked up now, meeting Fuu's sad gaze, "I lost everyone in Cephiro…I can't lose Umi too."

Fuu laid a comforting hand on Hikaru's shoulder, "I'm sure that wherever she is, she's fine. Umi's strong, she can take care of herself!"

"I know," Hikaru sobbed, "But it's just this feeling I have…that wherever she is, she's in trouble."

Fuu sighed, leaning her head against a hand as she looked down at the table. She was just as upset as Hikaru was, but she wasn't about to show it. Hikaru would only be more upset if she started to cry too.

Doing the only thing she could do, she reached out and pulled Hikaru closer, offering the most comforting hug that she could give as they sat there in silence, hoping to god that Umi was okay wherever she was.

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Umi shivered from the cold, wiping the water out of her eyes. The rain was blinding now, and she struggled to keep her eyes open against it as she trudged on, her arms wrapped around her small figure.

Never in my dreams of returning to Cephiro did I ever dream of this! She thought sadly, forced once again to close her eyes as a gust of wind blew icy daggers at her. I think I'd rather have stayed home, she laughed mildly, after wishing every day I could return here, and I already want to go back…that's just sad.

Another gush of wind sent her skirt flying up, and she was forced to give up what little warmth her arms gave her to push it back down. Normally she would have been embarrassed, but she was in the middle of nowhere with no one around, so why should she care?

There was a flash of lightning overhead, lighting up the darkening sky. Soon night would fall, and here Umi was feeling her way around a forest, not even knowing what direction she was headed in. All she knew was that she was cold and wet and in an awful lot of pain.

A crack of thunder made her jump, and she was glad she was holding on to a tree, although it wasn't the safest thing to be doing during a storm. The ground rumbled along with the thunder beneath her feet, causing her to sway.

This is one powerful storm, she looked up to the sky, shielding her eyes from the pelting rain, I haven't seen one this bad since…since the first time we arrived here and Cephiro was falling to pieces!

Another lightening bolt lit up the surrounding area, and Umi looked down in time to see something she hadn't seen in the darkness.

Was that..? Another flash. There! I saw it again!

It was a small cabin, not too far away from where she stood. If she had kept walking, she probably would have walked right past it in the rain and darkness. Gripping the tree tightly to steady herself, she made a turn to go to the cabin.

It was a small and shabby place, Umi noticed as she entered and closed the door firmly behind her, but there was a bed and a fireplace. That's all she really wanted, anyway. A warm place to sleep the storm out, and hopefully heal from her wounds. And if she were lucky, maybe someone would come and find her in the morning.

Making her way over to the fire, she found some pieces of firewood and some old papers to get the fire started. What she didn't find, however, was something to create the fire with. Searching around, she soon found a small box of matches beneath the old dried out wood.

I hope these are still good, she thought, opening the small box with shaking hands. There were only three matches left in it, and they looked like they were pretty old.

Please work, she begged, flicking the first one against the side of the box. It lit up, but before she could get it into the fire, it blew out. Damn!

She managed to get the second one into the fire, however, and soon the fire was crackling and hissing to life. She sighed, leaning into the warmth it was creating, putting her numb hands up the thaw out.

She sat there for a long time, letting the heat dry her hair and clothes. Outside the storm continued to rage, and when she finally glanced up from the fire, she realized it was night out. The motion of looking up made pain shoot down through her body.

She lifted herself up, sitting on the small bed in the corner. Time to check out the injuries…

Her legs were pretty bad, mostly because she had been wearing a skirt. There were deep scratches everywhere there was open skin. She was suddenly glad that it had rained, because all of the blood had washed off and she didn't think she could have dealt with seeing it. Blood wasn't one of her favorite things. However, she was still bleeding from a deep gash in her side, and she carefully took an old white sheet off the bed and ripped it.

This will have to make due, she winced, tying it around her to stop the blood.

With that done, she sighed deeply, laying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling, and for the first time since she woke up, she smiled.

I'm home…this is Cephiro… She rolled over so that she was facing the fire, and she stared into it. I may not be enjoying myself…but it's good to know that I'm home, and once I get out of here…I'll be able to see my friends again.

That thought in mind, she fell into a deep sleep.

To Be Continued…