Too many ideas... A simple one shot sounds pretty good to me right now. (I promise I'm still working on my other stories. T_T)

One Less Obstacle

The last thing she'll ever remember was falling.

It seemed like forever before she would hit the end.

It was a strange feeling to know you'll die without being able to do a thing, she decided.

Her thorns had been cut, the Queen had fallen.

And yet, a part of her knew that this would happen. After all, that's why she decided to tell him that one time before they parted. She could still remember the bitter aftertaste of that experience, something that still made her cry at the very end.

(Before Ikki can, I'm gonna defeat Sora-san!)

What a promise to make; something she wished she could have accomplished before her fall. Her regalia was shattered by Nike himself, but not without sacrificing something of his own. She smirked at that. She could feel the wind around her desperately try to pick her up, slow her fall, but without her infinity atmosphere, she could not command the wind.

(As the number one supporter... I... I...)

She knew Sumeragi would be able to support Ikki. That's why she went to her because she knew Kururu also loved her baby-face, though not as deep as she would. Her entire existence was a contradiction: between Croissant Mask and Crazy Apple and Ringo...

She didn't know who she was anymore.

(Ringo-san... loves you, Ikki-kun.)

And like the coward she was, she ran. She knew he would be okay without her; he still had his friends. For a moment, Ringo was jealous. For a moment, Crazy Apple was not in control. She was just Ringo. And there in lied the truth: she could never be just one person.

(Please become Ikki's number one supporter.)

As Crazy Apple, it would be impossible. She was the leader of Sleeping Forest, she was the knight that guarded the Sky Regalia, she was-

She wanted to be Ringo. She wanted to go to school like always, she wanted homework and projects and having the worry of deadlines, she wanted to be near Ikki without her roles getting in the way, she-

She was both. She couldn't give up either because one would kill her heart and the other would kill her mere existence.

Ringo didn't want anything to do with air gear.

Crazy Apple could hear the shouts of the rest of her team.

Ringo could hear the screams up above.

Crazy Apple saw her life flashing before her eyes.

And they saw... him.

And they knew at that moment, that he would be able to defeat Sora-san.

And with that thought, they gladly accepted her fate.

'I wish we could've had that last fight, so I'm sorry for breaking our promise.'

Crazy Apple let the tears flow, knowing that they would be her last. She really did want that last fight. She really wanted him to beat her, so he could obtain that sky regalia. So he could finally reach that clear, blue sky.

'I wish I had more time...'

Time is something that can't be wasted, Ringo now understands. She would give anything for more time. Even her legs, her ability to grab the sky. That's how desperate she was to live, no, to see everyone again. To see him safe and sound again.

'But at least there's one less obstacle in your way... ne, Ikki?'

They both smile for the last time as their eyes closed, fluttering in the last of the winds they would feel. They were one and the same; no matter how different they would be. They both loved the same person, and that was enough for them.

Their last thoughts.

'I love you, Ikki.'

Their last words.

“I love you.”

...

I really just wanted to get this out of the way. Maybe there'll be more one-shots to come. And just so everybody knows, I am not just a Naruto fan, and I don't plan to write another fanfic for that series in a while (more like forever) so if you're watching me for that very reason, I'm sorry to disappoint.

Thank you for supporting me to this point. I really hope everyone can be open-minded enough to read more of my stories.