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"Nothing I wouldn't endure for you." was Hikaro's reply as his wing folded completely, the other slightly extending to recieve the brunt of another attack should it come. He was carefully examining Klonoa's shins when the marble phoenix's voice startled him. But Klonoa wasn't speaking to him, he was speaking to Mirabelle. Suprised, Hikaro turned to see that indeed, a small tear was trekking down the soot black face of the girl. Already? Surely it couldn't have been that soon?

As soon as Klonoa queried she replied with two more darkballs, which Hikaro made move to block, but missed one. The other whipped past him toward Klonoa as the first dug into his abdomin, searing a perfect circle into his chest. His shirt ignited from the magic and Hikaro jounced lightly as he furiously patted it out, looking to see if Klonoa was alright.

Hikaro jumped to attention when Klonoa was blasted back. He'd forgotten how Klonoa was so much smaller than himself. He rushed to where Klonoa lay, cradling the violet boy in his arms. Letting out a distressed cry, Hikaro brushed the violet strands away, wishing he could do more in terms of healing.

"Damn it." He growled under his breath. Klonoa's plan had better work, he wasn't gonna lose his phoenix this day. Still, Hikaro would not attack Mirabelle, and he struggled to keep his anger in check, for if he lost control... Instinctively he lay down Klonoa and stepped in front of him, between his beloved and the danger ahead. In his gaze was not hatred or malice, but the unfailing conviction and willingness to stand for Klonoa and what he believed in.

Hikaro was becoming quite the punching bag today. She shot out a weaker boom at him, which blew against his already wounded torso and caused him to stagger a step backward. Hikaro gritted his teeth against the pain and against crying out and stood up again, proudly crested by the light filtering through the trees. Her demands for his anger almost caused him to smile, but it was crushed as she flung five more boomerangs at him.

Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! The arrows blasted the nearby air with a reverberating echo and roar that put thunder to shame. Hikaro curled his wings inward, releasing a keening cry of anguish as his feathers were torn free and buffeted along the wake of the arrows in the air. They drifted like autumn leaves to the floor as Hikaro was battened by the last three arrows and their resulting dopplegangers.

He was hurt.

Braced as he was, the boomerangs sundered his form with the same force as blades, and Hikaro staggered, thin but deep wounds seeping the fluid that kept him alive. His wings, rendered useless at last by his now near complete lack of feathers limply hung at an odd angle as Hikaro's knees buckled. Unable to stand any longer, he slid to the ground in a pool more red than his feather had been at infancy.

"Klonoa..." He rasped, and checking to see if the marble phoenix was okay finally smiled. He could do little more to protect him now, save stand up again. His legs flexed and trembled as he tried to erect himself once more.
"I...I love you." Hikaro whispered as his legs failed him again and he sank back to the leaflitter, his eyes closing.

Hikaro was unconcious and missed Klonoa's confession. As Klonoa embraced him, his breath was shivering and faint. Blood spattered him entirely, even seeping along the tips of his hair. But the two pets had approached them, and healed them, and the wounds sealed up, leaving dark scars along his pale skin. The scorch mark on his chest from the darkball left a perfectly circular shallow wound that hardened over, and yet would take time to fully heal.

Bewildered eyes came into focus as Klonoa told Mirabelle how he loved her despite her cruelty, and how he'd always love her. It struck a familiar chime and Hikaro smiled. So that was what it took, that is what was needed...

He felt himself being lifted and his feet automatically tried to find footing on the ground made slippery with blood. Not just his own, Hikaro marveled for a moment, but Zaner's! Hikaro stood fully and lifted his arm away from Klonoa. He nudged the phoenix to where Zaner lay.
"Go to her, my friend. I will be here."

As Klonoa left his side, Hikaro staggered close by and leaned against a tree for support, watching with confusion as to what was happening to Zaner. Had she been attacked? The woman was always so nice to him.

And just like that...She was gone.

Somehow, amidst the sobs and the cries, Hikaro had the feeling a textbook profecy had come to pass. How odd it was then, that all three of them were caught up in such a tragic display of fate and destiny, where courage and stregnth of willpower seemed already predetermined. So perhaps there was a script afterall, and though they changed the words, the outcome remained the same. Death in the family.

Hikaro thought bitterly on how Asher would probably be pleased by such a passing. At least Mirabelle, who had been death's own servent herself had found remorse and sorrow for the deeds she had done.

And yet, they had all died at one point, hadn't they? All Hououza were living before so cruelly turned back into fluffy little inanimate objects. With an exhausted sigh, Hikaro's legs began to fail again and he gripped onto the tree for dear life.

That was when he noticed Klonoa was looking at him, broken in sorrow and denying what was only truth. Wouldn't he do the same, if his own father so suddenly passed? He'd likely be lain under one of his own sculptures. Hikaro was only glad he managed to survive.
"We have to call a hospital or a morgue." Hikaro said,
"How do you think Zaner would like to be put at rest?"

"Ssh Klonoa, don't speak now." Hikaro said, gladly relenquishing his grip on the tree with one hand to embrace Klonoa tightly, though the pressure on his wounded chest was great. It would take Klonoa time to accept his mother's death, but denying it did no good. No one really could understand what had happened here, and the only one who truly knew was Zaner, but her lips had fallen silent. Hikaro dropped his head to bury his nose in the light feathers of Klonoa's hair, nuzzling him and for once not trying to hide it.

He started when Junpei appeared from the forest, right on cue. He'd almost stepped where Zaner lay, instead splotching a food on one of the many scattered pools of blood. Hikaro shook his head, unable to answer.

"Klo...Did Zaner have any journals, any indication of what might have transpired?" Hikaro asked quietly, almost whispering to the teenager in his arms.

Lovers though Klonoa knew them to be, Hikaro thought Klonoa still thought him a brother, and was curious almost as to why Klonoa would still be so willing to be near him when he foolishly confessed what he had known the entire time. Hikaro expected awkwardness, he expected confusion or even malice, but Klonoa seemed not to think on it at all but just clung to him.

The sunshine phoenix leaned against the tree heavily to avoid from leaning all over his young friend. The marble teenager wasn't strong enough to hold his weight, and must still had been reeling from the darkball he took head on.

He watched the teal hared teen dart past Zaner and into the house, and he wanted to follow- to find a couch and sit or lie down, but could do neither, or leave Zaner upon the ground where she had fallen. Lifting a cool hand, he reassuringly stroked Klonoa's hair, the very hair he so adored.

(There is a slight error in your last post.
Klonoa sighed, "Klonoa, help bring Hikaro in to lie down...")

It took very advanced healing magics to fill the body with blood again. His cuts had sealed over, but Hikaro was still feeling woozy, and his chest, back and wings still hurt like all heck. His wings...! Hikaro curled in one to look at the featherless limb with dispair. He tucked them in again to make them as small as possible. It was humiliating to see a bird without feathers.

Junpei floated up to him and extended his hand. After Klonoa left his side, Hikaro pushed himself off of the tree and took Junpei's hand in his own cooled one. He utilized Junpei's offer for help and together they made it back into the house.
"Thank you," He said very sincerely, sorrow weighing heavy in his normally vibrantly golden eyes. Their luster had faded to a muted brown that would return to normal within a few days time to rest and heal.

Hikaro was quiet, he'd leave Klonoa to grieve out of his way, but would be there for the marble youth to come to- if he wanted him.
Once seated though, he began to look over his most pressing wounds, taking off his tattered shirt so the cloth would not become embedded in his injury or dirty it. It needed to be cleaned and dressed, but it could wait.

Kudo caught his attention though, absently, Hikaro wondered what his father would say about the fox.