hey, all. i have the intro to a fic here, so if you're not
interested, stop reading here. ^^

i had actually started this fic a looong time ago, soon after i'd
gotten my copy of "etude". i'd hoped to finish it and even translate
it into japanese in time for kamijo-sama's birthday, but that didn't
come even close to happening. -_-; somehow i sort of lost
motivation...i think part of the problem was to figure out how to
write the middle part (i have the intro and conclusion already). so
maybe if i get some feedback, i'll find the focus to start writing
again. ^^; unfortunately, now with "scarlet majesty", there's a new
character named lance...ah, well, i think i'll probably end up leaving
him out unless anyone has any ideas. ^^; hopefully you'll understand
what i mean better when you read the intro. feel free to comment.
anyway, here goes:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silence.

Eyes closed, he lay in the midst of it, a part of it, floating as if
on water. Rose petals drifted by him, carried by the gentle ripples
his body created. Sometimes they would brush against him lightly, but
he took no notice. He was lost to time, to the world, to everything,
as if in a never-ending dream. Nothing would ever disturb his peace here.

Or so he thought.

Suddenly, his vision was filled with a pure white light, bright even
through his eyelids. Out of the depths of that light arose a spirit.
The newcomer was like a blue illusion: draped over his shoulders was
a lush, azure velvet coat, intricately embroidered with thread of
gold; his face was ethereal and more beautiful than any mere human's
could hope to be; and his eyes--they commanded one's attention, deep
sapphires that pierced the heart to read what lay hidden there. This
"Blue Illusion," he was a stranger to the dreamer, yet he felt a faint
stirring of familiarity from within.

<i>You do not remember.</i>

The dreamer trembled.

<i>You have slept for a long time. But I have been able to influence
a soul in my image that will accept you. So I have returned to you to
give you another chance. Your destiny awaits you. </i>She<i> awaits
you. It is time to set you free once again. Then you will remember.</i>

"Blue Illusion" lifted a slender hand to caress the dreamer's cheek.
Deliberately, he leaned down to touch his lips to the dreamer's. In a
burst of sky-blue feathers, the dreamer became a bird, and beating his
wings with newfound strength, he soared away to the other world.
Unknowingly, he rode on the wind of "Blue Illusion"'s whisper:

<i>Asphodel...</i>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

geikou