Reiha still looked uncharacteristically apologetic and guilty, all what she could offer in compensation for the wind wrecking Ayumi's home was a transparent barrier that made the house look normal to outsiders so there would be no panic or weird unbelievable explanations drawing innocent people into danger.
"I cannot understand why none of the neighbors are fazed! They insist my precious house looks fine… they do not believe me!"
Ayumi's grandmother complained for the tenth time in one day while Ayumi looked at her just as guilty as Reiha on account of the neighbors thinking the old woman had gone mad or senile and started imagining things.
"The house is a little bit shaken up… it seems its foundations were long due… but the construction workshop will arrive today…"
Ayumi replied to her grandmother, both waiting for the cab ordered to take the old woman to some old friend where she will spend the day while the house underwent "repair".
"I do not have the money for this! I was saving it for your collage!"
"Do not worry about it this, I know I will get a prominent scholarship!"
Ayumi assured her grandmother, her heart warmed by the old woman's concerns that even amidst such destructive conditions still revolved around her.
"Will you not come with me?"
The old man asked Ayumi again and Ayumi shook her head.
"No, I will stay with my friends… besides, I know you want someone to oversee that no one wrecks anything any further and to make sure everything returns the way you liked!"
"I appreciate this, Ayumi… please take care of my granddaughter, Reiha!"
The old woman bowed her head to the "senior student" and Reiha returned the gesture. The cab arrived and before the old woman hopped in, she turned at her granddaughter remembering something very important.
"What happened to the other senior tutor we had? Where did she go off to?!"
"She said I no longer needs tutoring, and that she prefers to tend to more… students in need…"
"I see… "
The grandmother mulled over the words for few seconds, then added.
"She could have at least said goodbye… I do not get what her circumstances were exactly… but I accepted her weirdness… However, I cannot accept her rudeness! We hosted her freely for god's sake! The least she could do before turning tail at the slightest inconvenience is to…"
"I am sure she had her reasons, and remember you were ill when she left… so you probably do not remember but she bid a very warm goodbye and showed a lot of gratitude…"
"But I still see no flowers or gifts… never mind… it is enough she admitted you needed no tutoring!"
"Right… right…!"
Ayumi faked a laugh as she rushed her grandmother into the cab, sighing in relief as the car drove away.
"Oh, Ayumi… I am so sorry!"
Reiha spoke before Ayumi could comment on anything, and she found herself sighing again at the words in another bout of frustration.
"Please Reiha, do not be like my grandmother playing the same cassette in a raw! Nothing is your fault!
"But it is my wind…"
"You said it yourself, it was defiled by Hina's box and was no longer responding to you! If anything, it is Noboru's fault and he will pay for it!"
Reiha nodded silently then at the arrival of the "construction workers", she attempted a dry joke.
"Well… here is our one – woman workshop!"
Ayumi looked ahead to see none other than Chiyasu, visibly displeased as if humiliated somehow by Reiha's request to repair Ayumi's house since she held power over wood and earth.
"Do I need to get you a safety helmet?"
Ayumi could not keep her laughter, annoying the princess of earth even further.
"My powers are for battling evil and balancing nature, not to repair the houses of dimwits! Besides, what on earth happened to this place!!"
"A battle took place here, what do you expect!"
Ayumi replied, but her words were still merry and spoken with a humorous tone, making Chiyasu raise her eyebrows in question.
"You seem quite high - spirited for someone whose home is destroyed and who was about to be murdered by their own…"
The harsh look from the princess of the wind stopped the earth princess from finishing her sentence, and Chiyasu complied contrary to her habit of disagreeing and doing opposite what's asked of her just for the sake of doing so. After all, she herself was as guilty as Reiha, failing to catch the dead queen who disappeared leaving no trace of her aura to be tracked down. However, the last observation did not escape Reiha who also noticed Ayumi's ongoing smile and raised morals, but she had a vague guess about the reason, unlike Chiyasu.
Chiyasu stood in front of the barely standing house crossing her arms as she examined it, chewing on the inner of her cheek. She turned at the two girls asking with no intention of jesting or lessening a dire situation into a funny anecdote.
"Are you sure you want to repair the house? "The rude senior student" will definitely come back but not to pay her gratitude for the hospitality… you might not live long in it… or outside it… or anywhere really..."
Chiyasu seemed content with this plausible turn of events, and while Reiha was of the same opinion, not about fixing the house, but about Amaterasu's possible hunt for Ayumi's power and life, the targeted girl on the other side was quite unfazed or afraid.
"The prince of souls promised to take care of her soul and send her peacefully… so this is not an issue…"
The two princesses of wind and earth exchanged wondering glances bordering on figuring out something, all thanks to the bright in Ayumi's eyes upon mention the prince and the near – gullible smile accompanying that shine.
"I see…"
Both uttered in unison and Ayumi lost in her happiness that really seemed out of place and time failed to notice the curious suspicious looks seizing her from head to toe from the two princesses.
"Ok.. let me see what I can do with this dumb…"
"Hey it is my house!"
"Precisely!"
Chiyasu fell into deep concentration, the inner of her cheeks probably half eaten by her constant chewing and Ayumi refrained from starting an argument or a fight because she really needed a fast help and Chiyasu, controlling the needed elements, was the perfect choice.
Getting tired of the two pairs of eyes waiting her to take any action, Chiyasu waved her hand dismissing them away.
"Why do not you two scout the place, or go shopping or do some "tutoring" while I work peacefully… you are irritating me!"
"What? I thought this would be easy for you… you are the princess of…"
"I am the princess of "get the hell out of my sight right now" at the moment!"
Chiyasu huffed an angry breath interrupting Ayumi, and the latter along Reiha knew not to infuriate her into changing her mind, so they left quietly leaving the master at work doing her magic.
***
"Where do you think queen Amaterasu had gone to?"
Ayumi asked while taking a stroll with Reiha, who was as always on the watch. The latter thought for few seconds then answered.
"I do not know if it is in her power yet to create her old territory, but her body seemed to be unable to contain all of her power… so she had to retreat… in the same sense, I believe her mind became overwhelmed by the all memories pulsing suddenly without a warning... all together through her awakening consciousness."
"But if I was endowed with her power… what were those powers she released then reabsorbed?"
"The power left to preserve her body… but I never imagined it would be that immense and strong… she must still hold some of her old powers somehow…"
"So the power was split between the two of us?"
"Only she could answer this."
Ayumi was able to sympathize with the late queen but at the same there was a question that bugged her and which everyone seemed to have the same answer to, an answer she was not convinced with or able to believe it.
"But why does everyone assume she will come after me…"
"Well… it is her power…"
"And harm me?"
Ayumi was not finished with her inquiry when Reiha answered, and the girl found herself disheartened at this thought, using the word "harm" in place of what everyone else stated plainly… "kill her".
"Would you willingly give her your power?"
Reiha answered with a question Ayumi thought she could answer easily without any hesitation, but the period of silence stretching between the two girls confirmed Reiha's point of view, until Ayumi finally replied.
"Will she free you? Will she be able to take Noboru down as she is now?"
"Is this really why you are reluctant about giving up your power?"
"Yes! In the end, you came to me to free you and end this battle!"
Ayumi insisted. Going by what she had witnessed and heard, Amaterasu had firmly held to the vow binding the princesses to her... Now, driven by revenge and another chance at life, would she let go of that vow? Still, Reiha asked once more.
"While I appreciate the sentiment, are you sure this is all there is to it?"
If it were Chiyasu, she would have probably asked the question with a malicious intent, seeking to bring out the worst of Ayumi and look down on her for it. But Reiha seemed solemn, even a bit concerned and sad as she asked.
"Well… to tell the truth…"
Ayumi stopped walking, fiddling with her arms for a while before she explained with stuttering words.
"I have to come enjoy your company… I really cannot imagine my life without you... just like before… "
"Parting is a natural part of the life cycle, you have come to learn of this and accept it I believe…"
Reiha's answer was cold compared to the emotions flowing Ayumi's voice, the princess did not even meet the girl's eyes as she stated this referring to incident with her parents souls and the closure the prince of souls had given her, forcing Ayumi to admit the last reason for her hesitation, almost ashamed at her own words .
"Well.. I also have a personal grudge against Noboru and Laila now… even Hina and her cursed box… but this scares me if I am to be honest…"
Reiha stopped in her track as well after hearing the third reason, she turned back and looked at the girl casting her eyes down as if she had confessed a huge mistake.
"Ayumi…"
The girl lifted her gaze, and the princess of the wind was smiling.
"It is all right to have personal reasons to choose a fight as long as you do not lose sight of yourself in the process and bring harm and malice upon other people…"
"But I am the queen of light… should not my intentions be pure? Noboru made me live the nightmare I feared the most… still, should not I be selfless and fight only for the good of others?"
Ayumi replied clenching her fists, she was afraid of Reiha's disappointment, but there was none of that, only understanding. Still, she herself could not allow these feelings to grow although they were occupying a great portion of her thinking, swinging between a rage to battle and fight and a shame over it.
Reiha walked back to where Ayumi stopped, patting her shoulder as she looked her in the eyes.
"You are the queen of light but you are also the protector of the light and its warrior, so there is nothing to be ashamed of… even holding what you believe to be "personal grudges"… they are not! They are rightful retaliation… just do not lose yourself to them for doubt is your greatest enemy as the queen of light and as a human being."
"Is this what made Amaterasu lose he final battle?"
But what could the most powerful queen of light doubt? Her abilities? Her powers? Her followers?
And then Ayumi remembered the betrayal of the two princesses of fire and water. However, that betrayal did not unfold till the late in the battle and Amaterasu did not know of them at the time according to what she had heard of the tale this far.
"Who could tell…"
Reiha returned to her vague answers, and Ayumi respected her wish to talk about those painful memories no more for the day.
"Everyone has to doubt, otherwise we will reach no answers and will not know what path to choose and remain faithful to. In Amaterasu's case, doubt indeed exited but it perhaps erased her conviction in her path."