Magic Knight Rayearth/魔法騎士レイアース 1. Prologue:  Winter's Silent Embrace

This is my first MKR story, and it is currently unbeta'd. I'm hoping to create a little more serious/mature storyline, but I don't expect this to be a very long tale.

It's going to be a short prologue, but I hope to make the other chapters much longer.

I would love to hear any feedback if anybody is still reading in the MKR section. The idea came to me (as most ideas tend to do) at an ungodly hour of the night. I couldn't sleep until I wrote it out. Maybe somebody out there will enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Disclaimer: I do not hold any rights to Magic Knight Rayearth and its characters. Copyrights and Trademarks relating to the series belong to CLAMP and its affiliates. Only original content expressed in this story belongs to me, SnowChildMemoires.

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><p>A cold breeze swept through the busy streets of Tokyo, the bustling sea of people clutching their coats to preserve warmth. The evening traffic had just begun, as everyone rushed home-wanting to escape the winter chill. Among the crowd, one Ryuuzaki Umi desperately pulled her coat collar closer to her face to guard against another chilling breeze. She pushed her way through the crowds attempting to avoid bumping into anyone. Her footsteps were quick and sure as she tried to make it to the station in time to catch the train ride home.<p>

Fencing practice had ended a little earlier than usual due to the forecast of a heavy blizzard preparing to hit the city. Being on the school council, she took part in the overall decision to halt all after school activities once news of the storm confirmed the level of severity. The winter season was off to a bad start and the dismal weather reflected on the people of Tokyo, especially the student body. Umi was now in her final year of grade school and entrance exams for college kept her extremely busy. Between that and cram school, her time with friends and family were drastically replaced with hours of studying. The walk home was usually a pleasant time for her to relax and think of her friends, Fuu and Hikaru.

Arriving at the train station, Umi pushed her way to the front of the platform—her tall, elegant frame exuding the same confidence and power she possessed from her experiences in Cephiro. Taking one step in front of the yellow caution line, she waited patiently for the train, her features holding one of sadness as memories suddenly plagued her mind. Many years had passed since she last saw the glimmering image of a replenished Cephiro reflected in the sky from the vantage point of Tokyo Tower. Though their destiny completed, all three girls still held a great love for the country they fought so hard to protect. But Umi held many regrets of things unsaid. Her love for Cephiro kept her constantly dreaming of the place and people whom resided in it. An aching longing to return plagued her night and day, but she avoided Tokyo Tower—she knew her life was on Earth, and her obligations were to her family and friends.

Umi continued to stare off into space as she reminisced her last visit with Hikaru and Fuu, not noticing the train pulling into the station. The buzz of people seemed to increase, creating a stifling amount of bodies cramming onto the platform waiting to board the train. Her notebook loosened in her arms—falling to the ground with a sudden 'smack' as the vinyl covering collided into the concrete. The sound shook her from her day dreaming. She blinked twice, realizing that she had dropped her book. Just as Umi was bending down to pick it up, a child in the crowd roughly bumped into her legs, knocking her forward. Her hair whipped back and then flew in front of her face and she quickly reached around blindly for something to hold onto, but found nothing.

Time seemed to slow down as Umi's body lunged too far out over the platform. Her eyes widened a fraction before the incoming train smashed into her face—and then—darkness.

"It's so cold." Umi whispered to herself. "And so dark," She said as her eyes wearily opened. "Why is it so dark?"

She felt strange and the air was eerily silent. Umi closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her body, burying her chin into her chest. She couldn't remember what happened. Where was she? Why was everything so silent? Suddenly, a dim memory scratched at her mind. She was at school. No—wait. A blizzard—school activities were canceled. Scrunching her eyes, she thought harder. Images flooded forward, she remembered being at the train station and someone bumping into took her a moment to realize that her eyes were still closed. Slowly opening them, she was shocked to find herself staring—at herself. "Wha-!" she shouted into the air, arms flailing in panic. Her eyes grew to the size of saucers at the sight.

People were crowding around—their faces in panic and fear. Some were screaming, others were crying, but no sound could be heard. It was like watching a movie on mute. Confused, Umi continued to float, staring on in disbelief. "I don't understand," she whispered. "What's happening to me!" she suddenly shouts. Tears began to form in her eyes as she looked down at herself sprawled out on the floor—There was blood everywhere. Her breaths came in faster as she started to panic. Like tunnel vision clearing in the blink of an eye, the memory of the train stood prominent. An overwhelming sense of dread hit as she realized what had happened. Touching the side of her face, she breathed raggedly at the revelation, "I'm—dead."

She recalled waiting for the train just like any other day. Only this time, she was pushed out beyond the platform. The memory of the impact caused her to flinch—creating fresh feelings of pain. Umi clutched her head tightly and began to tremble as sobs wracked her body. She was dead. As she continued to sob in front of the scene unfolding before her, her spirit suddenly began to float farther up into the air, taking her away from the body left on the ground. She balked, a sense of dread filling her as she started to move around, waving her arms to try and stop herself from rising. But it was to no avail. "Ah!-What's happening!" She yells into the air—but the bitter silence is all that welcomed her. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" She shouted into the sky as her body moved faster, making her dizzy even in her current state of supposed death. "Please!" She cried, and it was all she could do.

Faster and faster she rose. Looking up, she suddenly realized her body was floating parallel to Tokyo Tower, but her momentum continued to increase, blurring the image of the building and raising her up towards the stars.

A blinding bright light enveloped her—and then there was nothing.

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><p>If you got this far, thanks for taking the time to read my story. :) I hope you enjoyed it.<p>

See you next chapter. ;)

And if you're interested in writing your own MKR story and need something to get those plot bunnies multiplying, I found an on-site forum for MKR challenges. I've posted a shortfic/novella challenge. Maybe one of you will be interested. ;D *not so subtle hinting*


	2. Chapter 1: The Unforeseen

Thank you **Sparkling Moon Phoenix** for leaving a lovely review! It's so awesome to know someone finds this story interesting enough to comment on it. :D And no, your stories are not crap. D: I rather like them.

Besides, anybody who likes Sailor Mercury is super coolbeans in my book. :)

And I would also like to point out that after browsing the MKR section, I really wish I could fluently read Spanish and Portuguese. There are so many awesome looking stories, and I'm stuck with a dictionary and quick verb conjugation guide. Dx *cries* And a lot of the pairings are my favourite too! Lantis x Hikaru, Eagle x Hikaru, Umi x Ascot, Umi x Clef. D; I need a super smart brain so I can learn new languages overnight to support my addiction-I mean obsession-I mean love of all things fanfiction that is totally not beyond what is healthy! :x hehe...he.

Anywho, thank you to everyone giving this story a chance. It always fills me with warm fuzzies to know that people are reading this and even more so considering the stat information from my profile shows the vast diversity of people around the world visiting my page. :D (I think that's really amazing considering not that long ago (20 yrs maybe?) instant communication between foreign bodies on such a mass scale was uncommon.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Magic Knight Rayearth and am purely using references and characters for the sake of amusement and nonprofit activities. Ownership belongs to CLAMP and its affiliates.

"spoken word"

"_Thoughts._"

_'sound effects_'

Scene Transition: `~*.`~*.`

*still unbeta'd so please forgive any missed errors.

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><p>Chapter 1 – The Unforeseen<p>

It was the middle of the afternoon when a chilly breeze broke through the slightly ajar shutter to a window on the eastern side of the castle. The soft melody of birds singing in the gardens below carrying on the wind. Curtains of a pure ivory colour swayed in the breeze, holding back some of the chill threatening the soft warmth encompassing the room. Rays of sunlight fought against the cold, lighting up the marble floors. The swift scratching of a quill gliding across parchment was stunted by the occupant's reflexes telling him to hold down the many pages fluttering at the invading breeze. Shuttering as the air tousled his emerald hair, the regal figure instinctively clutched snow white robes more tightly around his body.

Small curses escaped his lips as a few papers floated off his desk, scattering across the floor. His youthful face scowled as he muttered under his breath about the many evils of paperwork.

Scurrying over to the other side of the desk and dodging piles of books, he begins snatching up the wily papers.

"Ferio."

From the floor, the young man jumped, clearly startled by the sudden interruption.

"Ah, Clef," he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "You startled me."

Leaning casually against the archway, Master Mage Clef's arms crossed over his childlike figure, as he stared at the young prince, his eyes alight with laughter. "Delegates from Autozam and Chizeta have arrived. The caravan from Fahren has been delayed."

At this, Ferio quickly piled up the parchments, slightly crumpling them in his hands and stood with a stiff back. "Is everything all right? What happened?"

Clef calmly closed his eyes and held one hand up in assurance. "All is well. Just a slight malfunction with the transport. They will be arriving later tomorrow; therefore, we've pushed back the diplomatic meetings two days from now."

Ferio's shoulders slumped, and he sighed heavily in relief. "Oh."

Taking the documents back to his desk, he settled into the cushioned chair and started to reorganize the mess, when another breeze blew into the room. With lightning reflexes, Ferio held down the parchments once more. "Damn it," he mumbled as his whole body was spread out across the desk, attempting to salvage hours of hard work. Looking up at the sound of soft feet tapping against the floor, Ferio gave a quick thanks as the master mage moved across the room to close the shutters. "Looks like winter is already fast approaching," Ferio casually commented.

Fastening the latch at the center of the window, Clef stared through the small cracks pondering the strange chill. "Mm, perhaps too soon," Clef whispered—worry lines etching into his childlike features. It would have been rare for him to miss a shift in the cosmos. He could always detect approaching evil, but something was off. The telling tales his magic embellished upon him were not so telling as of late. Maybe his age was truly beginning to show. Shaking his head at such a thought, he let his hands drop. All he knew was that it did not appear to be danger, but something was going to happen. He just knew it. Not knowing what that something was left a sense of unease within him, leaving him occasionally paranoid. If it were something requiring the Magic Knights, he would not be sure they could return as previously done. He felt the burden of his position weighing heavily on his shoulders, increasing the stress lines across his features.

"Clef?" Ferio called out, worry etching his face at his old friend's distant look.

Shaking his head, Clef gave the slightest of smiles and nodded to Ferio. "I am well," he said to the prince reassuringly. Without waiting for his reply, he gave a quick, "If you will excuse me—." Turning towards the archway leading down the grand hall, Clef took his leave—robes billowing with his movements and staff clacking softly against the marble floor.

Ferio watched the mage with concern in his eyes, but not bothering to ask any more questions. If it were truly a serious matter, he knew no information would be withheld. Without the status of Pillar in existence within Cephiro, Ferio's royal lineage left him as the highest level of authority among the people aside from that of his council of advisers. Clef was still the most powerful mage in Cephiro and even without the Pillar, the silent role of caretaker managed to shift upon the small man's shoulders.

Rubbing his forehead, Ferio leaned over the stack of papers and returned to work, sighing heavily into the now quiet air.

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Clef calmly made his way down the hallway towards the open gardens. Every day, he made it a point to visit the beauty it provided. And after dealing with the chaos caused by the loss of Princess Emeraude, he vowed to cherish the land and take a moment each day to appreciate its beauty. Reaching the entryway, Clef looked over to the fountain in the center. The soothing lull of rushing water and the birds chirping as they bathed gave him a sense of calm, washing away the stress constantly etched upon his face. The castle was rarely filled with guests now that Cephiro's previous peace was restored. Having the garden to himself was something Clef immensely enjoyed. Walking over to the fountain, he stood before it, staring into the pool and watching the ripples glide. Several minutes passed before he sighed in content and turned around. 'Tea sounds like a pleasant idea,' he thought softly.

The air suddenly turned thick, causing the hairs behind Clef's neck to stand on end. A resounding '_crack' _echoed in the air, setting him on edge. Eyes widening in shock, he took a defensive stance with his arms shielding his face—staff at the ready to launch spells. The air was pulsing with magic and a violent wind swirled around the gardens, tousling his hair. Squinting against the gusts, he leaned his body forward, straining to fight the power pushing against his body. _'What is this!?'_

A large cloud of mist appeared, opening a window of space—stars twinkling and planets orbiting in slow motion. Staring on in disbelief, Clef tightened his hand around his staff, preparing for any attack. This was it. This is what he felt coming. What haunted his senses. Whatever it actually was, he stood before it, ready to face what fate held in store. It happened so fast, that Clef had no time to react. A blur of energy flew into him, throwing his body across the ground and into the wall causing him to shout. In mid air, he had used a wind spell to soften the blow, but the impact still managed to knock the air out of his lungs. Just as quickly as it came, the tempest died and the magic dissipated leaving Clef sprawled out on the ground gasping for air. Gathering his wits, the master mage used his arms to pull himself farther up against the wall, but was met with a heavy resistance against his body. Moving his hands against the wall, he quickly opened his eyes and was startled. His hands rested on the shoulders of a person spread out on top of him, the shockingly blue hair filling his heart with a feeling of disbelief.

"Could it be..?"

Clef's disbelief turned to concern as he realized the body of the young woman wasn't stirring. He moved his hands to the person's face, fingers running through the dampened, flowing locks hoping to confirm his suspicions. His grasp became more firm at the contact of skin. She felt cold and clammy under his touch.

"Umi...," he whispered, his voice holding all the tone of awe. _"How could this be?"_ Still in shock, Clef failed to notice the pounding footsteps in the distance.

Ferio came sprinting into the gardens, his royal guard by his side. He had heard the commotion from the study as the violent winds crashed through the shutters, thoroughly casting not just paperwork but the numerous books upon the shelves throughout the room. Ferio had dashed down to the gardens, knowing Clef would most likely be there as was usual in the afternoons. What he saw left him staring on in astonishment. "Umi!" he gasped. The motionless magic knight lay face up, cradled against Clef's body. The only sign of life—the very small rise and fall of her chest. Realizing the implications of one Magic Knight, Ferio immediately looked around the garden for the others—namely Fuu. Excitement changed to confusion as he found no sign of the others, and he turned back to Clef. "Where are the others?"

Still holding the unconscious girl in his arms, Clef looked up at the prince with as much confusion. "I do not know."

Turning to his royal guard, Ferio commanded them to check the castle for any sign of the other Magic Knights. Then, he knelt next to Clef, helping the shorter man turn Umi over and off of the mage's small frame.

The master mage thanked him and moved to Umi's side, reaching his hand out to pull the girl's hair away from her eyes. Her face looked lifeless as she lay unconscious. The expression of death cast over her was unsettling to Clef, and he quickly rested his palm against her forehead, hoping to relieve whatever ailment she was suffering. His eyebrows scrunched, and his eyes closed tight as he used his powers to search for anything amiss but was left with no answers. Removing his palm hesitantly, he slowly opened his eyes.

Ferio shifted his position, "What is it?"

Clef never removed his eyes from her as he shook his head, "I do not know. My magic does not detect any illness or spells."

Taking a more simplistic approach, Clef leaned over her and grasped her shoulders with a determined look in his eyes. He shook her slightly, attempting to wake her. "Umi?" No response. He shook her a little harder, hoping she was just in a deep slumber, and spoke louder, more clearly. "Umi!"

Both Ferio and Clef jumped back in surprise as her body suddenly stiffened, her back bending in a painful arch off of the ground. Her voice strained in a wheezed inhale, her eyelids raised, but her pupils somewhere in the back of her head.

Grabbing her forehead, Clef chanted a quick spell that sent her body back into a boneless heap on the grass. Ferio looked on in concern, "What's wrong with her?"

Rubbing beads of sweat from his forehead, Clef lifted himself off the ground and shook his head in frustration. "I—am unsure." He faltered, upset at not having the answers to the prince's constant questioning.

Using a levitation spell, he prepared to transport her to one of the guest rooms in the castle. Unclasping a pendant that kept his outer robes attached, Clef removed the flowing cloth and wrapped it gently around the magic knight, hoping the thick fabric would contain what little heat remained in her frail body. Turning to Ferio, he looked up at the prince with a steady face. "I cannot feel the presence of the others—," he said.

Miffed at the current turn of events, Clef turned back to Umi and watched her breathing become more stable. "And I have no clue as to why Umi is here."

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It was strange—feeling a sense of nothingness. No sight. No sound. Nothing but darkness. She wasn't even sure how, but she knew she existed. As who? As what? She didn't know.

Time passed—how much? She could not supply the answer.

_"Mother. Father. School. My friends..."_

**_"Cephiro..."_**

She could feel something clenching—the soft '_thump thump'_ warm and comforting. Her heart beat. Life.

_"But why?" _She didn't know.

Something far off called to her. The distance causing a shallow echo. _"Can't forget—. Regret—Untold—."_

And then she saw.

There was light. It was small at first, but the feeling it created, warm and glowing, flooded her with something she could recall. _"Hope—," _and the will to live. Grasping for it with her mind, she clawed towards the source—felt a sense of fear that it would disappear.

Bigger and bigger the light grew, and she knew she was almost there. The feeling that she would make it overwhelming her senses.

She could hear something in the distance. A buzzing sound? No. Voices? Yes! They were voices!

Closer.

Closer. _"Please."_

She clawed her way towards the source, desperation in her countenance. She wanted these feelings! She wanted life! And then...

"Umi..."

The light flashed violently, encasing her body with pain, fear, happiness, laughter. Over and over different emotions ran through her, crossing over at an alarming rate. It was too much! All at once, her emotions hit beyond what she could ever imagine. It was like being swallowed whole.

Light. Feeling. Memory.

All fell silent, and the darkness came once again, but this time—instead of stripping her into nothing, it wrapped her in warmth and comfort.

It gave her peace.

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><p>Thanks to those who've made it with me this far. :D I know I said the chapter would be longer (which it technically is), but I always find the first few the hardest to lay out. I hope I did not disappoint regardless of length.<p>

It might take me longer to post the next chapter since I have exams coming up soon. :x But I do have plenty of plot bunnies already in place! (yay~!)

So I guess I'll see you next chapter! ;D


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Magic Knight Rayearth/魔法騎士レイアース, Angst, Romance