The disclaimer: I do not own the characters!

Going Back

I'm back! Umi was so excited that she wanted to do cartwheels. She had missed Cephiro sooo much in the past few months. She knew that her friends had too. Unlike her, they each had their soulmates in this world. Umi had often wondered why they had returned to Tokyo with her after the pillar system was done away with. Umi couldn't imagine leaving her true love behind. But then again, her true love didn't know that she felt that way.

Sighing, she stepped toward the castle. It was so nice to see blue skies and the castle rebuilt. The last time that she was here there had been so much destruction.

"Umi!" Before she could even catch a breath she was wrapped up in a huge hug. Laughing, she demanded to be put down.

"Ascot! It's so good to see you!" She smiled up at her friend. Part of her was sad that she could never return his feelings for her. He was such a wonderful guy. And he was always there to save her.

The telltale blush had already started to creep back into her cheeks. She really wished that he could find someone that would make him happy.

"Where is everyone?"

"Master Clef is in the throne room, I believe. It's turned into a place for meditation for him since the last time you were here. Everyone else is in the residential area."

"That's perfect—I want to say hi to him before I catch up with everyone. I'll see you later, okay?" She smiled as she walked into the large castle.

Everything had been decorated so beautifully. Which was kind of interesting, considering there was no Pillar to occupy the castle anymore. Not that it wasn't put to good use. Most of her friends still lived in the castle, as well as about a quarter of the country. If nothing else, you stayed just for the sheer beauty. Everything was perfectly done in crystal. It had taken her breath away the first time she had seen it, and now, cleaned up, it was even more amazing.

She slowly approached the throne room with mounting nervousness. She had almost blurted out her true feelings to Clef the last time that she had seen him. But she had pulled back at the last moment. He had been so wrapped up in so many things that it just didn't seem appropriate. Plus, she was pretty sure that how she felt for Ascot was how he felt for her. He was several hundred years old, after all. Why would he even look twice at a girl like her?

Hoping that she wouldn't be too obvious, she slowly approached. He had his eyes closed and looked older than that last time that she had seen him. She wanted desperately to give him a big hug and ruffle his hair. But she knew that he wouldn't appreciate that. People back where she were from would mistake him for a child. But to her he was the perfect man. Sighing over the impossible, she softly spoke. "Master Clef."

His eyes immediately popped open. "Umi!" Quickly standing up he rushed to give her a hug, something she never expected. "It's so good to see you! What brings you back, Magic Knight?"

"I missed this place. I wanted to come back and see what it was like now that its been rebuilt by the hearts of the people. The castle looks absolutely beautiful."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it? So much has changed thanks to you girls. I was so afraid that everything would be repeated with a new Pillar. Thank God Hikaru knew what was truly in her heart."

"It's good to see you looking so well Master Clef. We were all a little worried when we left."

Clef smiled. "I was a little strained, but I am tough."

Umi smiled.

"Alright, I know that you haven't come here just to see me so I will let you go. If you'd like, I'd love to have dinner with you."

"Really? That'd be great!"

"Sure. I know that all of your friends will want to be there in celebration."

Umi kept the smile to her face. She knew that Master Clef didn't really understand how she felt, but for some reason she kept hoping.

"It will be great to spend time with everyone again. I'll see you then Master Clef."

"I'll see you then, Umi." With a smile, he watched her walk away.

"Umi!" Next thing she knew, she was being attacked by a mass of pink hair. Laughing, she tried to extricate herself. "It's good to see you too Caldina. I take it that Ascot told you I was here."

"Of course! And shame on you for not coming by to say hello earlier!"

"I was just catching up with Master Clef."

"Ah," Caldina said with a knowing look.

"And don't look at me like that!" She hated that other people knew how she felt.

"I didn't say a word. Now come on," she said as she put an arm around Umi's shoulders. "Let me show you the Cephiro that I grew up in—the one that you would be proud of."

Umi spent the next few hours visiting all of her old friends. It was wonderful to be back. To tell the truth, ever since she had come here the first time she had felt lost when she was back in Tokyo. It was like she just didn't fit in anymore. Now that she had an apartment of her own, it was easy to explain her absence for awhile. There were times when she wanted to move back completely and forget about her life in Tokyo. The only thing that kept her from leaving permanently was that she knew that it would break her parents' hearts.

Ferio was waving his hands in front of her face. "Umi, you still with us?"

"Oh, sorry Ferio!" She hugged her friend. "How are you doing? It's so good to see you!"

"I'm doing okay. How are things back in Tokyo?"

"Oh, the same old thing. Ooh, but I did bring a picture of Fuu for you. This was from our trip to the beach a couple of months ago."

Ferio stared at his beautiful girlfriend, laughing with her friends on the beach. Umi left him there with his memories, knowing that he would want to be alone. I still don't understand how they manage to live apart. I just don't think I could handle it. She knew her friend would give anything to be with Ferio all the time, but was, like herself, torn between the two worlds and trying desperately to figure out how to combine them.

Umi made her way to the garden, sitting down on the bench and just taking in the sounds. It seemed like so long ago that she was first summoned here with her two friends to help save this world. And now she was here, practically as a tourist, and it was wonderful to see. If only she could share her happiness with someone…

Clef found her there sometime later, staring off into space. He hated to disturb her, but as he turned to leave she noticed him. "Master Clef?"

"Sorry Umi. I just wanted to see if you wished to use your old room."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you Master Clef."

"You seemed so far away just then. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing really big, Master Clef. Don't worry about me," she said with a smile.

"Alright, Magic Knight. I will see you soon for dinner."

Umi looked back at the rose bush to her right. Magic Knight. She knew that that was all that she would be to Clef, but it still hurt. Not that she had come back expecting anything more. Clef would never lead her on. It just hurt that she had loved him for so long and knew it would never be returned. Come on girl, you've thought that a million times today. It's time to be happy. Mentally shaking herself, she headed back toward her old room. A bath and a small nap before dinner is just what she needed.

Hope that you liked it:)