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Wings - Micha'els sad theme

As Tsuna got up he could tell that his pain numbing magic had done the trick. But he saw more than that in her eyes. Tsuna's pain was more than physicall, it was pain of a broken heart. Nothing could mend that easily. Instead he pursed his lips shut and swallowed. He agreed to her with a nod just as she brushed by them. He turned to watch her made her way but looked back over his shoulder to watch the flames consume the remains of the monster... and her father. Aoi was following shortly behind Tsuna, but it was Lottie who stopped. "Micha'el?" she asked, looked perplexed with wide eyes. His eyes glistened over the fire, in the flames there were a great many things that he saw... a great many memories that he had repressed. "I'm coming" he said with a short smile.

Together they made their way back to the camp, it would seem it was rather calm and many of the Vardent forces had retreated for now. Evening had come in by now too, the warm rays coming through the trees just barely enough to keep it warm. Landaras greeted them. "I get feeling that the deed is done... " he waited for Tsuna to pass, seeing the way she moved he patiently waited before adding "though not without some sacrifice?" Micha'el paused, he looked around at the tents, the trodden grass and dirt, the regal flags and armoured elves with eyes like mini suns. He could only nod. "May we rest for tonight? We'll continue our mission when the sun rises"
"Very well, you will find your team's tent next to the rather absurdly decorated twins' tent."
"Absurdly decorated?" Micha'el asked, looking confused. Landaras shook his head and rolled his eyes, "they have an unhealthy obsessed with white and blue - a rather disturbing likeliness to the traitorous elves across the country" It only took Micha'el a few moments to realise that Landaras meant the twins had made their tent look like the colours of Merlin, but at the same time the colours reminded Landaras of nothing else but the Star Elves. "Ah..." he responded, then seeing the corner of their own tent sticking out behind several others.

Team Sun made their way, Tsuna eventually or earlier found her way to the tent without a problem. It was large enough to give them separate corners with heavy curtains that hung down to divide each others areas off. It was at least some kind of privacy, and even in the forest of the enemy the Sun Elves seem to believe in some kind of regal living environment. By the time night fell Aoi and Lottie were fast asleep in their own corners. Micha'el however was still awake. His bed was decent, it was comfortable, the sheets were cream and clean. The curtains were thick enough to keep heat inside, but he didn't feel too closed off from the others in the tent with him. But it couldn't help the loneliness he felt. He was sat up with his knees to his chest against the headboard of the bed. In front of him the Aria sat majestically, it's white and gold visage looking perfectly in place with the cream sheets. He hadn't even undressed or prepared for bed yet. All he could think about was what Tsuna had been going through. He was plagued with the knowledge that she would be going through the pain of loss. He knew it well, although a little differently. One thought led to another, and he eventually found himself thinking about something that often crossed his mind but hadn't really upset him for quite some time.

Ever since he started Hope, ever since he became best friends with Lottie, he had her to speak to. Micha'el told Lottie everything, and she told him everything too. They spoke about their lives, their past, what they wanted to do with their future. She was the only person he ever spoke to about Zoltan too. He felt like pressure was building up within him as he thought about it again. He felt pressure to look after Team Sun whilst they faced whatever problems they found out here. He thought bringing them here would be good... but instead it has led to the death of Tsuna's father. And it wasn't even a good death. More than that he wanted to speak with Lottie. She would understand, she always did. But even now as he saw his vision blur because of the tears beginning to form in his eyes he knew she would not remember. He held in his breath and imagined her voice, "who is Zoltan?" she'd say. He let out a small breath as a tear ran down his cheek. He swallowed. He used to think that the Zoltan Crisis was a blessing. Not that he knew it as the Zoltan Crisis. To him he just woke up one morning feeling different, and suddenly his mother had more of a dance in her step. No one knew who Zoltan was. No one but him. He didn't know how or who did it, but somehow Zoltan had been wiped from time itself... and he thought maybe someone had stopped him. But as each day passed he began to believe Zoltan was still alive... his own murderous brother. And he couldn't talk to anyone about it, not even Lottie - because she couldn't remember who Zoltan was either.

Micha'el buried his face into his knees and let the tears streak down his cheeks freely. His breathing became irregular but quiet as hedid his best to whimper as quietly as possible. He knew he couldn't hold it back anymore so he let himself cry. Perhaps it would help him to sleep, he thought. He just felt so alone, he felt like the shadows of his brother were slowly strangling him. He missed his old life, before the Zoltan Crisis. He missed talking to Lottie about it, he missed worrying about his mother, he missed asking for Lottie's help and advice. Now he has a secret he can't tell anyone or else he'll be judged for it. All of that and... and... I got Tsuna's father killed he thought. He just hoped no one could hear him... his silly, selfish thoughts weren't worth worrying anyone else.

Wings - Micha'els sad theme

Amongst his own whimpers and breathes he hadn't realised he was being loud enough to be heard. If anyone was to come to him he had hoped it would have been Lottie. At least he thinks so... no. She wouldn't be able to console him properly. But when he heard the curtain waft aside his heart stopped. He lifted his head suddenly to see Tsuna staring down at him in the archway she made. "I-...I..." Micha'el began, but instead he looked down, remaining quiet and slowly lowering his head back to his knees. "...It's nothing..." was his only response.. He then took in a deep breath, his chest shaking as he did so, resisting the urge to cry more under the added pressure of Tsuna looming over him. He heard the curtain drop closed and thought she had left, but when he felt the mattress tug towards the edge he knew she hat sat down at the foot of the bed. Normally he would have instinctively reached to protect the Aria, but he didn't move at all. Instead it sat idle between them. He remained silent for an awkward, long, many seconds when she told him to not cry in front of the girls. He could only think of how much of a disappointment he must be. "That's why I break when no one else can hear me..." he said through his knees. But then he opened his eyes and looked towards her, he could barely see the back of her head and shoulders above the two archways of his knees covering his face. "... I- I'm sorry..." he said, his voice beginning to break, "I'm so... so sorry." Micha'el once again felt himself losing the control over himself. He wasn't apologising for crying, he was sorry for the loss of her dad. By now he was crying again, but he was remaining as quiet as possible not to wake the girls. "I-I shouldn't have brought us here... I wasn't able to protect you, I couldn't stop what happened - I-I couldn't even stop my brother-" Micha'el winced and hugged his legs closer again, shoulders jolting with each tear. "How do you stay so strong?!" he asked through his knees, "when everything is against you - when no one will believe what you want to say, when not even your best friend will believe you or even remember?!"

By now, Micha'el was saying too much, words that he didn't even mean to say but he couldn't stop. He wanted these things off his chest.

Wings - Micha'els sad theme

As Tsuna grabbed his arm he held his breath, he actually expected the worst. A hit round the head? A slap on the wrist? Was she going to throw him from the bed and show Aoi and Lottie just how much of a mess he was? Surely not?! No... all his anxiety and fear was gone as she gave him a firm squeeze. A squeeze. That was all he needed. He never expected to be getting one from Tsuna, either. Then she loosened, remaining still and calm. Micha'el, now beside Tsuna rather awkwardly brought his legs in front of him, now extended across the bed rather than to his knees. He couldn't help it, but he was almost leaning against her, but not too much. He stared blankly ahead as she told him she believed him. Two simple words. His mouth mimic'd you believe me? but he was silently speaking more to himself in absurd disbelief. His shoulders sunk when she mentioned his brother. He wasn't supposed to bring that up. But Tsuna understood, she was piecing the bits together, remembering what Lottie had said when they first arrived to Evermoon City. Micha'el just sat, stared ahead, and listened.

There was more connection between them than ever, yet neither looked at each other once.

"Thank you..." he said honestly. He was a fool. He never realised that of coarse his best friend wouldn't believe him, she knew him best - so having a surprise brother was stupid. But Tsuna, she was a new friend and practically a stranger still. She wouldn't find it as baffling. When she told him he was not alone his body shuddered, but now he resisted, he forced the tears back and swallowed, sitting up straighter and holding his shoulders properly. After taking in a breath he said quietly "He was a bad person... but everything he did... vanished. I don't know how, but i still remember him - as though he still exists... somewhere." Micha'el then turned to her, his eyes glistening, though a little sleepy. "Thank you Tsuna. And... without being cliche. You're not alone either. You're one of us" he then almost chuckled, "whether you like it or not." Micha'el then looked ahead at the curtains, "no matter who you are... or what you're going through. We will fight for you... why else would we let you be our leader - you don't really believe it's because we're scared of you, do you?" Micha'el grinned, crossing his legs in front of him and sniffing as he put his hands on his knees.

He wasn't sure if he was gonna regret saying that.

With Tsuna's reply he grinned from the corner of his lips, just about baring his fang to the dim light that kept the tent corner aglow. He felt a warmth go over him, not like a heat rush you get when you're given some bad news, but like a comforting warmth. Micha'el might have been a little naive to not notice how honest Tsuna was being in her reply, but he was blissfully accepting that the two of them had bonded. After all this time, it was about time they got to know each other. That was when she stood up and announced getting rest. "Right" Micha'el said, wiping his eyes away of tears. He began to swivel on his bed and reached for the Aria when she stopped and spoke before leaving. Her comment took him off guard and he couldn't muster a reply before she let the curtains fall behind her. He stared at where she was for a moment. He thought about Zoltan for a minute. But images of Team Sun came into his mind, Aoi, Tsuna, Lottie. He smiled. "So am I" he said to himself, placing the Aria on the small table beside him. With a wave of his hand the small glowing lamp beside him dulled and extinguished.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning the sound of silence greeted them. It was eerie and strange not to hear the sound of songbirds or the wind brushing on the sides of the tents. Instead it was the eventual clanking of metal and dragging of wood, or the hum of magic (which the elves here used extensively). Team Sun were quick to get ready. Micha'el was last to step out of their group tent, only because he insisted to himself that he would meditate for ten minutes before starting their mission for today. It involved sitting cross-legged on the floor of his corner with the Aria floating before him, occasionally a page would flick over delicately. White magic in the form of lines and circles also sometimes appeared on the ground and would raise up slowly towards his head before fading away. There were even a few moments when Micha'el whispered words to himself, words unknown to this world, words only he understood from the realm of Aria.

When he did emerge he found Tsuna, Aoi and Lottie all waiting just outside the tent for him. Lottie and Aoi had made sure to be specifically careful around Tsuna, for all they knew, Tsuna was still hurting but choosing to be strong. Neither wanted to upset her, not make her feel left out. So after some talking amongst themselves Lottie had eventually stepped up to Tsuna saying "Hey... Tsuna. We'll finish the mission today... we'll make everyone proud." She finished with a small smile before noticing Micha'el step out of the tent. Aoi smiled and tilted her head, "How was the meditation?"
"Effective... thank you Aoi" he replied, running a hand through his lock of hair. He set his eyes upon Tsuna and at first began to let his eyes drift off elsewhere. But he brought them back to her as he stepped closer to the team. He just looked her in the eyes and nodded. A flash of blue light then caught their attention, shortly followed by the voices of two familiar boys. The Onsen Twins. It seemed they had already transformed into their battle-gear,garments of black trousers, black elather tunic, white and blue over-coat and then the things that split them apart. Kotaro with his buttoned up coat and admiral's shoulders of gold - and Kaito, with his metal spaulders and undone coat. Kaito's slightly darker shade of blue eyes looked over the team. "Well well well" he said, " it's the star of last night's show". Kaito instinctively pressed his back against his brother's and together they clasps hands between them. Kotaro said "we heard you lost someone you knew out there, accept our generous and most esteemed regret for your loss"