Chapter 1

The sky was hazy blue, the air heavy and fat clouds hedged at the horizon. Summer was not over yet, but the first signs of approaching autumn were visible in the early tired leaves which, yellowed before time, felt off quietly from the still green branches.

That day, the neatly paved paths of the cemetery were almost empty. Everything seemed motionless in the sleepy air of the morning. The lazy swirls of the incense rose from the gravestones and dispersed in the sky.

Only a girl, mindless of the increasing heat, was knelt in front of a gravestone, hands clasped close to her chest and eyes closed. A six-coloured bouquet, a mix of red and purple, yellow and blue, white and green, was laid next to a photo and some incense sticks. Her shoulder-length purple hair, being held by a pink hairpin on the left temple, were moved softly by the breeze.

After a long time, Mai lowered her hands to her knees and opened her eyes. Her gaze moved at once to the photo. There, a boy with unruly red hair and a deck in hand smiled at her, uncaring of her sadness. With her fingerprints, she brushed the photo and found herself squeezing her eyelids to keep from crying. Breathing in, she stood up and rubbed the back of her hand against her eyes.

"We'd still need you so much, Dan", she whispered turning towards the sea, peeking behind the hills and the city. A stronger gust of wind raised some leaves, swiping them in a chaotic dance.

Mai went back to look at the gravestone and started to fiddle with a lock of hair.

"Hideto, Kenzo and I are doing our best, but-" she snorted and fixed the lock behind her ear, "- step by step, we'll do it. I'm sure. Then Magisa…"

She smiled tenderly and shook her head. She clenched her hand on the golden and amethyst pendant she wore around her neck.

"You were a hero. I'll be as great as you, just wait and see. I'll fight for you too, Dan."

With that promise gifted to the wind, almost hoping that, somehow, it'll reach him, Mai turned and started to walk back along the paths, lulled by the peacefulness of that place. Peacefulness that often she had struggled to grab in those years, with Grand Lolo, with the future and with everything that happened.

Some rows further, an old man was burning some incense near a gravestone. Another one who, like her, preferred to honour a loved one rather than catch the last bits of summer. A new gust of wind shook her hair, dropping a lock before her eyes, and she found herself thinking about how many seasons will pass, even now that Dan was gone. Maybe until the day she'd stop hurting inside, maybe until they'd be able to let everyone know the truth.

She resumed walking, determined to not look back again, and her gaze was drawn to a third person among those paths. There was a girl, maybe slightly older than her, kneeling some meters away from her. She had brown hair gathered in a braid and a bright yellow dress, almost clashing against the slumber of that place.

Mai stopped, deciding to wait, granting her a bit of privacy, and wondered who she might have come to honour. The girl stood up abruptly, and she started, her surprise growing when the girl hurried away checking her surroundings. Mai pretended to look at the nearest gravestone.

When the girl put some distance between them, she couldn't suppress her curiosity anymore and edged near the empty place. Near the gravestone, Mai checked one last time to not have been spotted.

She lowered her gaze and noticed a bouquet of roses. White blossoms wrapped in thin green paper. She felt an unexpected stab in the stomach. She looked at the photo and clutched the handle of her bag: there was the face of a teen, pale skin, long light green hair and enigmatic smile. Mai blanched and felt her throat dry.

"Momose Kajitsu."

She started running down the paths before she knew it. The girl's shoulders were still visible, but she couldn't let her slip by; if she had known the Momose siblings, she needed to know it. Halved the distance, Mai saw her picking up the pace. Mai felt her temples throbbing, sweat dripping down her neck but didn't slow down; she grabbed her arm before the girl fled.

"Wait!"

The girl turned, the braid slapping her back, and tried to break free. "Get off me!"

Mai panted, out of breath, but didn't let go even when the girl struck her wrist with her free hand. Mai wanted to reassure her, but she still had not enough breath to replay.

"Get off, or I'm starting to scream!"

"Please", uttered Mai with a tentative smile. "I only want to ask you a question."

The girl stopped struggling but her eyes continued to scrutinize her warily, every muscle of her body ready to bolt at the earliest opportunity.

"Did you know Momose Kajitsu? And her brother Yuuki? Did you know them?"

The girl widened her eyes. Mai opened the mouth to reassure her again, but she pulled free from her hold, turned and darted for the exit. The Purple Soldier took a few seconds to recover from the surprise and to run after her, berating over and over against her own stupidity.

The gate outlined a few paces from them. If they left that place, she'd lose her.

"Please! I was their friend. I need to know!"

The girl halted. When their eyes met, Mai saw incredulity. She slowed down.

"Did you really know them?"

Her voice was hesitant, almost afraid to betray too much. But there was also a trace of hope. Mai stopped and nodded slowly, starting to fiddle with a lock of hair. The girl moved closer, studying her face.

"Are you Viole Mai? The Purple Talk?"

That name, that blog, struck a chord in her heart, pulling out old memories. She stifled a gasp and closed her eyes. It was daunting that people still recognized her for her alter ego, the sassy teen who wanted to become a star of the web.

"Yes, it's me. Although now I'm only Shinomiya Mai."

On the girl's face appeared a huge smile, all the doubts previously present evaporated. She grabbed Mai's hand, taking her by surprise.

"You are a Bearer of Core's Light! Oh, you don't know how happy I am to have met you!"

Mai blinked, unsure of which was the best course of action. The abrupt mood shift of the now bubbling girl was baffling, the first one in a long time to be so thrilled to meet one of them.

"I really wanted to look for you, but I was afraid it would be too risky! With all the media attacks you endured." She chuckled shaking her head. "Sorry, I didn't want to sound indelicate. It isn't nice to make you remember it. But I'm really, really glad to meet you!"

"Really?", Mai echoed bewildered, interrupting the flood of words. "Who are you?"

She gasped and started laughing. "How rude! Forgive me, sometimes I get carried away a bit. I'm Elisabeth."

"Nice to meet you?"

Elisabeth grinned, almost bouncing from excitement. "Pleasure it's all mine!"

She squeezed Mai's hand and winked. "Come with me. At home, I'll answer all your questions!"

She started to walk, dragging Mai without waiting for an answer. The Core Soldier, while taken aback by that behaviour, was extremely curious by that turn of events. Elisabeth kept on with looking around, her braid bobbing every time she moved her head. What was so secret that one couldn't speak in an empty place like that one?

"It's about the Momose, isn't it?"

Elisabeth cast her an apologetic look over her shoulder. "It's better if we talk elsewhere."

Mai nodded resigned, opting to play along at least for the moment. At the gate she turned one last time, failing to keep her resolve, and sought to picture Dan's memorial with her mind. She clenched her pendant and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.

"Bye, Dan."

The two stopped a few paces away from the gate, close to the roadside. Mai lent forward to demand an explanation; Elisabeth brightened and waved her arm. A nice grey car pulled up in front of them. From the front seat, a man in his thirties got out fast and motioned briefly to the two girls.

"Sorry for the delay, Elisabeth. Mrs Yoshida's list didn't seem to end. The miss comes with us?"

"It's a friend!", she replied enthusiastically taking Mai by the arm. "She's one of the Bearers of Core's Light. Viole Mai!"

The Core Soldier cracked a smile and greeted him. The man just looked at her and got in the car, shaking his head. Elisabeth didn't linger and reached out to open the car backdoor, the whole time tugging with her an ever more baffled Mai.

"Let's go! We'll reach my home in no time."

Mai muttered her acceptance, well aware to not have a say in the matter. Elisabeth got in after her, and she shut the door, signalling hurriedly at the man to leave.

After a few minutes, the graveyard vanished from sight. Elisabeth started to tap against the edge of the window. Mai, assuming small talk would have been scarce, stared outside. Walls, small streets, little gardens. A question was filling unrelenting her thoughts: who was that girl and how was she related to the Momose?

"Sorry for my first reaction. You'll think I'm a bit moody!"

Mai drew back from her thoughts and turned to look back in. Elisabeth smiled.

"It's only a precaution, you know. You never can tell who may be listening. Kosuke always says that even plants hear everything!" She laughed, directing a cheeky wink towards the driver. The former rolled his eyes.

"I'm glad that your interest in the flowerbeds was only a way to have something to mock me with."

"You know that we all love you!", she replayed grinning towards Mai. "Without you, our garden will be a wasteland!"

The man grumbled. Elisabeth stretched out her hand, placing it on Mai's arm.

"There are still so many people angry with you Bearers of Core's light. Better keep them off, isn't it?"

Mai bit her lip, only the mention of everything that happened was enough to stir up the worst memories, enough to feel again the stares full of contempt and hate, enough to feel the buried impulse to run away.

"And now I upset you. Nothing goes right to me today", Elisabeth complained leaning against the backseat. It was enough to distract Mai.

"Don't worry. It's not your fault."

Elisabeth didn't look convinced, but her attention was soon drawn outside. They crossed a gate. Past it, there was a garden and a short cobblestone leading to a cream coloured villa.

"Here we are!"

Mai gazed at the neat and lush flowerbeds and at the two-story house, unsure on what she expected to find. The car stopped, and Elisabeth jumped out, the braid thumping against the car roof. She caught up with an elderly man leaning on a cane.

"Any progress?"

Mai got out at the same moment that the elder rolled his eyes. "No, Reiko, like every single time."

The girl slumped, lowering her head. The Core Soldier looked away from the landscape, frowning at the different name used by the man.

"Grandfather, you know I prefer the other one. Are you really sure it's all the same?"

"If you consider me so inept, wait for the nurse to come for the usual check", replied stiffly the man.

Then he turned in Mai's direction. "Do you intend to just stand there for long?"

She winced only to realize that he was looking past her. A few steps away, Kosuke was standing with his arms loaded of groceries.

"I carry everything inside right away, even the pastries you take with your tea."

The old man pointed the cane at him. "I demand respect, young man."

Kosuke nodded, moving past them and reminding Elisabeth that the flowers were in the usual spot.

Mai took advantage of the moment to step forward and bow. "Good morning. I'm Shinomiya Mai. I apologize to come unannounced."

The elder scanned her and scoffed. He turned to enter the house. "Like I don't know it's all my granddaughter's fault. I'll save you some tea."

That said, he got inside leaving the two girls alone. Elisabeth was the first to climb the steps, gesturing her to follow.

"Don't stay there, otherwise I'll look like I'm leaving you out."

Mai wasted no time to go after her and, once inside, she was enveloped by the cool shade of the hall. Airy paper panels featuring painted landscapes and photos were hung on the walls. A staircase led to the upper floor and, on the sides, there were a few closed doors. Against the wall in front of them, there was a little couch on which a bouquet of white roses laid. Elisabeth offered a pair of sandals to Mai and then she fetched the flowers.

"Before any questions, I have to show you something. Get ready because it may be quite a shock for you."

Mai didn't have time to demand an explanation: Elisabeth was already going upstairs. She followed resigned, and they arrived in a corridor. They kept going on the left until stopping by a door. Elisabeth gripped the handle and stopped.

"Try not to yell, ok? It's a good thing, I promise."

The Core Soldier didn't know what to say, puzzled by so much preparation for something that couldn't be so mind-blowing. But if she found all the walls littered with their photos, it could be quite a bit embarrassing and a lot creepy. As a matter of fact, they've never got a psycho fan.

Elisabeth pushed the handle and opened the door, moving straightaway to the side and hiding the face behind the flowers. She started repeating a fast litany of sorry.

Mai stepped ahead amused by the girl's odd behaviour. Then she looked inside the room and froze, her breath caught in her throat. She brought her hands over her mouth, unable to utter a single sound. She couldn't believe her eyes and steadied herself against the wall, almost in search of something to ensure that all was real.

"Yuuki… it's impossible."

Momose Yuuki, like a ghost from a past that seemed further away than a few months, was lying on a bed, a breathing machine secured to his face. There was an IV attached to his arm.

The tentative and constant beep was almost deafening.

Momose Yuuki was there. Yuuki was alive. But it couldn't be possible: Dan was there the day he was killed. Elisabeth walked in quietly. She went near the bed, throwing her a quick glance more than once. She picked up the withered flowers and put them down on a chair. Then she put the new flowers in the vase, and she spun towards Mai, rocking on her toes.

"I should have told you. I knew. But you wouldn't have believed me."

Mai lowered her hands, unable to stop gapping at the sleeping friend. She inched closer until a step separated her from the bed. Her gaze met Elisabeth's one who nodded encouragingly. So, the Purple Soldier went on until she found herself on the opposite side of the bed. Then she stopped.

"Morning, Yuuki", Elisabeth whispered smoothing with a hand the crease of the sheet. "Do you see who came by to say hello? I promised you that sooner or later I'd found them. Even if, to be honest, they were the ones to find me. How a small world, isn't it?"

Then she looked up to Mai.

"Try talking to him. The doctor said it's good for him. I'm sure that hearing your voice will be more useful than hearing mine. He must be asking who I am."

She smiled and motioned towards him with the head. "Come on!"

Mai raised her hand and found herself hesitating a breath away from his fingers. She felt her eyes wet with tears for so many reasons: for the surprise to find him alive, for the injustice of his condition thanks to ruthless people, for the impossibility of his awakening.

In the end, she squinted and took his hand. "Hi, Yuuki."

Someone knocked at the door, and Mai instantly opened her eyes. On the doorway, there was a young woman with a mortified smile on her face.

"Sorry to bother you, I've come to do the checks. I can wait for a few minutes if you want, Liz."

Elisabeth shook her head and grabbed the flowers on the chair, filling the floor at her feet with dried petals.

"No, go ahead. It'll be good to get some fresh air."

Mai didn't fight against it, allowing Elisabeth to guide her out of the room. In the corridor, Mai looked back one more time, towards the friend everyone thought lost forever.

A/N: Hello! So, here we are. First chapter!

To be honest, I'm actually quite excited and a little nervous. This is the biggest text I've ever translated from Italian to English and, even if the Battle Spirits fandom is pretty much dormant, I'm really anxious to post it.

Well, I hope you liked it and enjoyed the return of Mai and the semi-return of Yuuki. Did you expect to be him the one in a coma? I don't know what Sunrise/Bandai thought about Yuuki's destiny (probably he is dead… quite sure he's dead): this is my version.

This chapter takes place few weeks after their return from the future that I decided to place on 1 September 2010 (yes, the day after Mai met Dan) and a few days after the epilogue scene with Mai and Kenzo. It will be right? Probably not, but… I hope you'll bear with me (even if it'll be 99.99% not canon to Battle Spirits Brave Saga… well, we can't have everything).

A little warning, you surely noticed that there are some OCs and, as we go forward, inevitably there's gonna be some more. BUT I promise you that the canon characters will always be the protagonists of my stories and that as many as possible secondary characters of both the series will appear too.

So, a big thank you to all the people who read this story and I hope you'll stay with me for the next chapters. I can't promise you a regular schedule of updates (writing is hard, and translating is harder) but, for the moment, I'll try something like an update every two weeks?

If you have any questions, comments, doubts (corrections of my English) or if you want to tell me what you think about it, feel free to leave a review. But, really, thank you even if you'll decide only to read.

Til next time!

Gate Open! Release!

Originally posted on "EFP il tuo sito di fanfiction": 2 October 2018 (revised version), 1 October 2013 (original version)