Upon A Dream

Author’s Note – I’ll be honest, if it weren’t for one muse’s patient persistence, this story probably would’ve been scrapped and placed in the pile of things to not be completed. He’s been nagging me to continue with this, and I’m kind of glad he did. I sort of owe to him, I guess you could say. At any rate, I’m just glad to be writing again. That dry spell was enough to drive any writer insane. Now all I need is a computer of my own so I won’t hear the husband bellyaching that I’m spending too much time on his computer! Gah…men! Sometimes, I seriously do NOT understand them. If it weren’t for my muses, I’d probably have given up on them a long time ago.

Anyway! Before I go off on that soapbox, I want to thank everyone who has been so kind and patient in waiting for this next installment. The reviews have been wonderful – please keep them coming! It really helps fuel my creativity.

Another thank you goes out to ladywolf_terri, DracOnyx, SilverShadowFire, and shy_leighc. You guys are the greatest!!!

Disclaimer – I don’t own YuGiOh or Magic Knight Rayearth. Mores the pity, cause I’d definitely put Umi with Ascot and drop Clef into another realm entirely. He’s just so yummy!

Chapter Three – Introduction and Introspection

Silence was something the lavender haired mage valued and respected. It gave him time to contemplate things and evaluate the situation. This time was no different in that respect.

A small boy had come to get the blond that had been his companion since waking, leaving Clef in the room alone. That had been some time ago, and the Master Mage had put the time to good use.

He was still working out how he had gotten here. Only those gifted with the power of the Rune Gods could even hope to breach the barrier between Cephiro and Earth and despite his power, he knew that this was one task he could never have accomplished. The short, odd haired man must’ve been correct in his assumption. Something about the two spells must have thrown him through the barrier, bringing him to the home world of the Magic Knights.

The question was – how was he going to return?

His world was a shambles, the beauty marred by the devastation that the invasion had brought about. Countless lives had been lost, many from the council he served on, and he could only hope that his friends would survive until he managed to return.

If he managed to return.

The last thought bothered Clef more than he was willing to admit to. His sense of duty and loyalty was strong and given his position within Cephiro, he simply couldn’t leave his people to face this trial alone. He couldn’t abandon the ones he cared for and knew he had to do everything he could to return home.

First things first, he needed to see just how wounded he had been during the last battle. The blankets were pushed back and he carefully sat up, wincing at the pulling sensations coming from various spots on his body. Reaching out, he grabbed his staff, noting that his circlet and ring had been placed on the table beside the bed.

Leaning heavily on the staff, the mage slowly made his way to the bathroom. After placing the magic item against the wall, within easy reach, he slowly took off the pajama top that had been placed on him.

Bruises and bandages decorated his torso, creating an elaborate and painful looking pattern of off white and Technicolor, an arrangement that looked odd against what little of his pale flesh could be seen amidst the damage. His arms were also decorated like this, and he knew his legs probably were as well. The battle had been difficult at best, and he’d faced several opponents before being sent here.

The worst of the pain seemed to be along his abdomen, and he pulled the bandage back slightly to see the stitches that had sealed the wound together. It was about the length of his hand, and he remembered all too clearly what had caused that injury. Even in magical battles, physical injury was possible, especially with all the debris flying about. His barrier hadn’t stopped all of the ice spears from getting through, causing injuries similar to this one.

“The doctor said he found several other injuries as severe as that one which required sutures. The rest he bandaged once the bleeding slowed down.”

Sapphire eyes met sapphire in the mirror and held as Clef responded to the arrival’s comment.

“Were you the one that summoned the…doctor?”

Despite having heard the Knights use the word on various occasions, it felt unfamiliar coming off his tongue and he knew he would probably hear and speak a lot more words that would also be strange to him during his time here.

“Yes, I was.”

“You have my gratitude.”

Seto nodded before answering him, somewhat impressed by the regal response and manners. Despite the limited time he’d been around his new guest, he could certainly tell that this man was someone who had been in power for a long time and knew how to react to people.

“You’re welcome. However, I do think it would be wise for you to return to bed.”

There was a head shake as Clef responded to the comment. The last thing he wanted was to spend time in bed, especially when he had so much to do.

“I’ll stiffen up if I stay in bed for much longer, and that could be more painful than moving. As long as I’m careful and take it slowly, not pulling the stitches, I’ll be all right. What I do need to take care of is eating something so I can recover from the blood loss.”

That comment was unexpected, indicating that this man was definitely more than he seemed.

“You have experience in medicine?”

The lavender hair fell into his blue eyes as he nodded, imparting another part of his training and past.

“I’m a healer.”

Seto nodded as well, leaving the doorway and moving towards the bedroom door.

“I’ll have someone bring up some clothing. Unfortunately, yours was too damaged and had to be discarded. Once you’re dressed, you can meet us downstairs for dinner. The others will be waiting to meet you.”

“Thank you.”

The CEO left the room and Clef slowly made his way back into the bedroom, heading towards the nightstand. He ignored the circlet and picked up the ring that had been given to him when he had taken his position as Head of the Mystic Council and Pillar’s Advisor. The ring was a comforting weight as it was slid onto his finger, reminding him of home.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts and when he called out, a teenage boy with long white hair and warm brown eyes entered.

“I’m Ryou. Seto asked me to bring you something to wear.”

Ryou moved in quietly, laying the clothing as the bed as he spoke. He gave Clef a tentative smile at the end of his small announcement.

“Thank you, Ryou. I appreciate you bringing this up to me.”

The smile grew wider, and he nodded as he responded.

“I’m just glad I could help. I’ll wait for you outside so you can dress and afterwards, I’ll show you where the dining room is. This place is rather large, and it’s fairly easy to get lost.”

“Sounds a bit like home. Thank you for thinking of that.”

“Not a problem. Take your time. I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”

Ryou slipped out of the door, and Clef turned to the clothing that had been brought to him. Whoever had chosen the outfit had anticipated his need for light weight materials that would allow him freedom of movement, give his injuries a chance to breathe, and not put a lot of weight on them.

Moving slowly, he carefully pulled off the pajamas and folded them neatly, placing them on the bed. Afterwards, he slid on the white slacks and short sleeved white shirt, ignoring the bruises and bandages that could be seen on his arms. There were no shoes, so he simply took hold of his staff again, finding comfort in the chiming noise it made as it was moved.

Leaning against the magical item, the mage moved cautiously towards the door, very much aware of the injuries and his need to keep from reopening them.

Ryou looked up when the door opened and smiled as Clef could be seen in the entryway. The outfit didn’t look too bad on him, but it was on the large side. A part of him realized that if the man stayed for too long, they would have to see about getting him some clothing that actually fit. Catching a glimpse of his bare feet, the hikari also added shoes to the list, knowing that he couldn’t go without once he was able to leave the confines of the house.

“Are you ready to join the others?”

“I think so.”

Ryou walked beside him, unconsciously matching his slow pace so that he wouldn’t rush the injured mage. He answered the occasional question and watched the lavender haired man as he took in his new surroundings.

The hikari was quick to notice that his companion didn’t seem awed by the large mansion that Seto Kaiba and his brother inhabited. In fact, it almost seemed as if the mage had been surrounded by buildings like this for most of his life.

Something about this new arrival sparked Ryou’s curiosity, and he knew the others would feel the same. Especially Malik, who had seemed drawn to the mage from the moment he had arrived, interrupting their picnic at the park.

The two took the stairs at an even slower pace. Clef relied both on his staff and the banister to ensure that he didn’t do anything to aggravate his injuries any further. Ryou stayed close by, in case his help would be needed.

A young ebon haired boy met them at the bottom of the staircase, gray eyes sparkling with curiosity and concern.

“There you are. Big brother sent me to find you and make sure everything is all right.”

Ryou’s voice was gentle as he responded to the boy. The mage could pick up a note of affection in the soft tones, indicating that the two knew each other rather well and shared a friendship.

“We’re fine, Mokuba. It just took us a while to get down the stairs.”

Raven locks fell into his eyes as he nodded enthusiastically.

“Big brother thought that might be the case, but he wanted to make sure.”

The white haired hikari smiled, grateful that Seto had sent someone to check up on them. He noticed Mokuba watching the taller man and was quick to introduce the boy to the mage.

“Clef, this is Mokuba Kaiba, Seto’s younger brother.”

Clef managed to give a small bow as he responded to the introduction.

“I am Master Mage Clef, Mokuba, and I thank you for you and your brother’s hospitality.”

Mokuba smiled warmly and nodded his head to a door that wasn’t too far from their position.

“You’re quite welcome, Master Mage Clef. My brother and the others are waiting for us. Shall we?”

Clef and Ryou followed the boy to the door, and a thought occurred to the mage as he waited for it to open. He knew the others were waiting for him, but he wondered if the lavender eyed one would be there as well.

He shook himself away from that thought and braced himself as he followed the two into the dining room, knowing that introductions and explanations would soon follow.

To be honest with himself, Clef was unsure of his future and was extremely worried. Not just for himself but for those he had called friends for so long. He could only hope that they were doing all right without him, pushing away the thought that he might not get to see them again.

Taking a deep breath, the mage stepped into the room and into his future, unknowing of what it might hold.

Author’s End Note – Guess that wasn’t too terrible, lol. I’ve got a few ideas on what to do with this. Guess I’ll have to wait and see where my muses decide to take me. Okay, for the Rayearth fans, I can almost hear the ‘huh’ when the Mystic Council was mentioned. In the fan universe I created and haven’t posted yet, once Hikaru placed the responsibility of Cephiro’s stability on the shoulders of the people, a governing council, which Ferio heads, was created. The Mystic Council, in my little universe, had been created millennia ago to govern the magic users. Clef, being the most powerful magic user, is head of this and is also an advisor to the Governing Council. Hope that clears things up for you guys! Again, I appreciate everyone taking the time to read this. Please review and leave me some feedback as to how you think I’m doing so far. Thank you and see you soon!