Author’s Notes:

First off, let me start by introducing myself. My internet name is Serenity Hikaru, but I also use Shadowshy_Guardian. Some of you who are Final Fantasy fanatics may have read some of my other work on various FF8 sights.

This, however, is my first official Fuu/Ferio fanfic (actually this is a songfic). Fuu and Ferio are by far THE cutest couple on MKR and also my favorite characters for various reasons. I’ve never written a songfic before, and I’m sure it’ll be the longest one you’ve ever read, but I do hope that you like it. I appreciate any feedback you may have. :)

The song I used, "The Time Has Come", is from the Pokemon 2B A Master cd. (The song is also called "Pikachu’s Goodbye) I’m not really a Pokemon fan, but when I heard this song it reminded me of the time Ferio told Fuu to forget about him when he accidently "saved" Innova and so I thought it would be very appropriate for my first songfic.

I don’t own "The Time Has Come" and I don’t own MKR or any of the characters. I’m just borrowing them for my songfic because I love both the song and the show so much. Please don’t sue; I’m very broke. ^^

For those of you who haven’t seen the episodes that include a Fuu/Ferio storyline and wish to see them for yourself, I suggest you turn back now. There are MAJOR spoilers in this fanfic.

The songfic goes in depth of how Ferio and Fuu might have felt during this time. Many parts were taken directly from the anime, specifically dialogue. I copied everything that was said word for word, so if something seems different, it’s because you’ve probably seen a different version than the one I have. Also, I’m using the American term "Rune-God" instead of Mashin because it’s easier for me. In future Fuu/Ferio fanfics, I will always include a translation section that indicates the terms I use and what they mean for people who know them by a different name. Am I confusing you? Don’t worry. I have a tendency to do that. You’ll understand later.

And now....on with the story! Enjoy!

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"The Time Has Come"

(Siegler/Loeffler/Grossfeld)

Performed By: Marti Lebow

"I’M A FOOL!"

These words echoed throughout the canyon in which a cave served as a prison for a feverish teenage warrior. His name was Ferio, the young prince of this land called Cephiro, although even he had no knowledge of this. He screamed those words over and over as horrific images and sounds filled his mind, tormenting him with the unforgivable idea that his friends and loved ones would perish, and the fault would be his. It was he who had unknowingly "saved" the enemy called Innova from an ill-fated death, and he who convinced the Magic Knights that the stranger could be trusted. And now this same stranger, who was actually disguised as a girl named Sara, had reverted to his true male form and was, at this very moment, destroying his dear friends, the Magic Knights. Even if they survived this ordeal and even if they did not blame him for their hardship, he would not be able to forgive himself of such a deadly mistake.

Fuu. Of the three Magic Knights, she was suffering the most. It was the strength of her heart being tested by the Rune-God Windam, and she who had to defeat Innova in order to save Ferio’s life and the lives of the other Magic Knights Hikaru and Umi. He was the cause of her pain. If she should perish in the battle . . . . . . .

No. He had to believe in her. He had told Fuu that he believed in and trusted her strong will. And belief was power in Cephiro.

Eventually, Ferio gave up the fight against the sticky grey substance which restrained him, sighed, and closed his eyes in silent concentration. Precious memories of Fuu began to drown out the sounds of clashing swords and battles cries. He started to remember the day he had first met her, while she and Hikaru and Umi were wandering around the Forest of Silence. Ferio half smiled as the illusion of Fuu’s bleeding body wracked in pain was replaced by the gloomy face and distrusting glare she wore when she first was confronted by the strange green-haired boy who wanted to be their bodyguard. He even chuckled slightly as the memory continued with the calm and emotionless expression she maintained even when he continuously teased her about being so distrustful of everyone. Then Ferio’s heart grew lighter and its pace quickened as he remembered how he felt when he got her to smile for the first time.

Since that initial first meeting, Ferio had secretly trailed the Magic Knights, although he invested more time watching Fuu than the other two. It took a lot of restraint on his part not to charge into battle every time she was injured or in need of assistance. She would have become suspicious of his motives had he made an appearance any more often that he already did. Even he hadn’t been sure of why he felt the need to constantly watch over her and why his heart ached every time she felt pain of any kind. Only now did he truly understand. All those times he charmed her by telling her he loved her, his initial purpose to use this as a weakness, Ferio had meant it. He had fallen deeply in love with Fuu.

He had been in love with her since the first moment they met. He knew even then, but tried everything he could think of to ignore these feelings. Ferio had even betrayed her to Ascot, one of Zagato’s child-like minions. And only yesterday, he tried to charm the strange girl Sara he had rescued in the hopes that he would find interest in her. But all of his plots were, perhaps fortunately, foiled by Fuu’s compassionate nature. She had been very upset, yes, by his tricks, but she risked her life every time to deliver him from the trouble he managed to get himself into. Fuu had always been a true friend. And now, Ferio would give anything to hold Fuu in his arms and thank her for the love and security he knew he didn’t deserve from her.

It was astounding to think of all they had accomplished together. Although both Fuu and Ferio were quite competent on their own, they were stronger when they fought together. Not just physically fighting together, but when their heads and hearts were filled with thoughts of each other, they became stronger and more determined. So far, they had been able to overcome all obstacles, no matter how impossible they seemed.

Ferio had very few memories of his past. The furthest back he could remember was only a few years, and even that was in bits and pieces. This memory loss had left a big hole in his heart, a hole that Fuu had filled. Even now he sometimes wondered about who he was, but it didn’t seem to matter as much any more. All that mattered was the person he was now and was becoming now that he had Fuu in his life. Although she hadn’t trusted him at first, their bond had become very strong. They had been through so much together, both pleasant and hard times.

Ferio’s mind returned to the present as a bright flash of green light drew his attention from his sweet memories of Fuu. He blinked a few times, confused, but realization set in when he heard the pounding of running footsteps and the urgent call of his name by a frantic, familiar voice. He wanted to smile, as he now knew that Fuu had overcome the challenge of the Rune-God and had beaten Innova, but his breaking heart over-ruled his relief. He had made a terrible mistake, and it nearly cost him the most important thing in his life. Tears stun his eyes when he realized what he had to do now.

Ferio stared at the floor of the cavern as Fuu slashed through the sticky grey web that held him with her sword with the greatest of ease. There was no easy way to say this as he knew it would hurt her as much as it hurt him, but what choice did he have? She was a Magic Knight, destined to save Cephiro. He had made a mistake that almost cost her life. He couldn’t chance making a similar mistake ever again, and he could not get in the way of their mission any longer. This...was for the best.

Even as he felt her warm, tender arms close in around him, he refused to meet her concerned gaze. He allowed her to support him as she lead him out of the cave, but he couldn’t bring himself to look into those deep, beautiful eyes that would soon be filled with sorrow. If he saw that sorrow, he knew he would wrap his arms around her and kiss away her tears, and then he’d never be able to walk away.

"Are you sure that you really are completely well?" he heard her whisper.

"Yeah." Ferio reluctantly forced himself to leave the safety and warmth of her arms, taking a few steps away and looking towards the horizon. "Listen, I"m not gonna be hanging around you anymore, so don’t expect to see me again," he managed to choke out.

"Huh?"

He bowed his head as he continued, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. "I don’t wanna be responsible for holding you back." Forcing a smile, Ferio glanced back and looked at her face for the first time since she had freed him. "So why don’t you just...forget about me?"

"I can’t!" Fuu cried desperately. "Ferio, because of you, I was able to beat Innova. And I was able to revive another Rune-God. You gave me strength when I needed it most..."

"Enough!" Ferio shouted. Why was she so stubborn? Why was she making this harder for him than it already was? "I just...I just can’t ever forgive myself. You gotta just forget about me. Okay? Think only about saving this world...about saving Cephiro." Ferio grinned as she scanned each of the Magic Knights’ faces as he reassured them. "You guys can do it. I’m sure of it." After taking one last look at Fuu’s beautiful face, memorizing every little detail that he could in that short amount of time, he turned and began to run away as fast as his legs would carry him. "See ya!"

Fuu stared after Ferio as he ran away, shocked and upset, as tears began to gather in her sad green eyes. He left her. But....why? Did...did he think she was rejecting him? Hadn’t he been listening to what she said? Didn’t he understand that she needed him?

So many obstacles had been placed before her in the last few days. And Fuu would never have been able to overcome them were it not for Ferio. He had given her the strength and courage she needed to save herself and the people she cared about.

When they first met, it was Ferio who had pushed her to believe in herself. His encouragement made her feel stronger and gave her more determination. His constantly getting into trouble was just the motivation she needed to evolve her heart as well as her sword, and on occasion her armor. In fact, the very first time her sword evolved was when he had betrayed her to Summoner Ascot in the desert. As upset as she had been and despite his objections, she had stubbornly refused to abandon him in his time of need. She cared about him too much to leave him.

How could he? How could Ferio ask her to forget him after all they’ve been through? He had done so much for Fuu. He’d been a true friend to her and so much more. She could never forget him. She couldn’t even imagine the thought of forgetting him completely or replacing him with another. As much as she would have liked to deny it, her heart has and always will belong to him, and no other.

Fuu silently walked beside her two friends as they continued on their journey. Quiet times like this, with no monsters attacking them, allotted time for her mind to wander. She thought about lots of things, Cephiro, her family, and of course her two new best friends. But mostly, she thought of Ferio.

Now her ever logical and calculating mind began to enter a deep thought cycle revolving around Ferio. Why? Why had he chosen her? As she wondered about this, Fuu turned her head and looked at her friends, gathering information and possible scenarios to answer her questions. He could have had Umi. He had easily charmed her into trusting him by flattering her good looks. After all, she was extremely beautiful. Much more beautiful than Fuu, at least in her own opinion. Umi was not only beautiful, but smart, athletic and agile also. Why not Umi? Then there was Hikaru also. She too seemed like a much better choice to her. Hikaru was so much stronger and braver than her. The strength of her heart was unparalleled. Not to mention she was so trusting and adorable. Why not sweet little Hikaru? Honestly, Fuu couldn’t understand at all. What did she have to offer to him?

As her thoughts continued to wander, another interesting question came up. Why did Fuu love Ferio? There was so much about him that Fuu somewhat resented. For starters, he was so flirtatious and such a smooth talker. He had no problem flattering Umi, Sara, and even Hikaru a little. Fuu had always disliked flirts, both male and female as they most of them turned out to be complete air heads. Not only that, but he was also a liar. Ferio had very rarely spoke the truth involving his life or his intentions. Even if he didn’t lie, he was quite good at avoiding difficult situations or questions that might later require some dishonesty. On top of all that, Ferio had almost successfully betrayed her to one of Zagato’s minions! He deceived them and led them straight into Ascot’s deadly trap. How could she?! How could she fall in love with a lying traitor?!

Fuu shook her head slightly as tears almost threatened to spill out of pity over her own stupidity. To fall in love with Ferio was so illogical. Why had she done it? Why? Before her mind could come up with a reasonable answer, her heart softly whispered the truth she had been denying herself. Because...because he was a good person. He had a good heart. He had made mistakes that hurt her, yes, but they were understandable yet. His deceptions were his way of gaining advantages over possible enemies, and also they guarded his own heart from being hurt. And Ferio had betrayed her because he was a dedicated citizen of Cephiro who had taken desperate measures to perhaps gain knowledge and contact with the princess of his world. And the entire incident with Sara wasn’t his fault at all. His kind nature would not allow him to leave anyone in need of his help, and he had no way of knowing that Sara was really Innova.

Ferio was so special and precious to Fuu. She secretly liked his teasing and his charms. He was just as special and unique as their entire relationship seemed to be. Nothing would ever change that. If only he could see that.

Fuu wished more than anything to see Ferio now. She wanted to know if he was safe, and if he was happy. And there was so much she wanted to say to him. She wanted him to know that she didn’t blame him for all their misunderstandings. She wanted to thank him for being her pillar of strength and support when she needed him. And...she wanted to apologize, for so many things. For not understanding his feelings, for treating him so badly during the event with Innova, and for being so harsh with him when they first met. Fuu knew she wouldn’t have treated him the same way she did if she had known about the feelings she would have for him. She wanted him to know that she trusted him now, that she loved him now.

Fuu’s eyes never left Ferio as he handed Hikaru the second orb that he usually kept and spoke of saving Cephiro and the princess. This...could be it. There was no way of knowing whether or not they’d ever see each other again after this. They were going to revive the third and final Rune-God, defeat Zagato, and rescue Princess Emeraude. She had to tell him. Fuu had to tell Ferio she loved him and...she had to say goodbye. After it was all over, she knew they would return to their world.

She gasped slightly as Ferio turned his attention from Hikaru to her. Her eyes glazed over a bit with tears, but she quickly blinked them away. She couldn’t cry now. She had to say something. His eyes too seemed to be begging for her to speak, to say what he wanted to hear. However, she found her lips would not obey her commands. Fuu just didn’t know how she could say it, how to say what was treasured deep within her secret heart. And she didn’t know how she could ever say goodbye.

And so, she said nothing. Her lips never parted to speak the words she so longed to say. But her aching heart cried out and her eyes conveyed every emotion she was feeling. She hoped Ferio at least knew what she meant to say.

"Thank you, Magic Knights," Princess Emeraude whispered gently as an enchanting smile spread across her pale face that was slowly being drained of life. Fuu wept unlike any way she had before at this tragic turn of events. She cried and screamed at the same time as her heart ached at what happened but pain coursed through her body physically. The same blinding light she had seen that first day at Tokyo Tower engulfed her and the other Knights. They were being returned to the place they were summoned from.

Even though she was deeply hurt by Emeraude’s death, her own selfish desire couldn’t help but assert itself. Ferio. Now she would never ever see him again. It was time to go back. Back to Tokyo, back to her life and reality. But what would life be without him? Even as her bloodshot eyes and logical mind rained tears of sorrow for the princess, her heart couldn’t help but cry out her final goodbye to the one she loved.

"FERIO!!!"

Somewhere, on a high stony cliff overlooking much of Cephiro, a young green-haired boy slumped to his knees exhausted from emotional agony. Emeraude, his sister was gone. But even as he cried for the family he barely knew, he also cried for the one he loved. The one he would never ever see again. The one he didn’t even get to say goodbye to.

"FUU!!!"

THE END