The Returning

I can only WISH I owned Di-Gata…

(( Some was written by Reya a.k.a Miyumi S-H))

Chapter 1

(10 years after the destruction of the Ethos)

"Why does Alnar always send me on the distress calls?" Seth grumbled as he rode his stormer through the desert heat. In the ten years since the Ethos were defeated he had grown into a man. His dark hair was speckled with a few white hairs, a trait in his family. His current outfit was much like what he used to where as a child; the only difference was a black combat jacket that he had on.

"I mean, doesn't he realize that I have better things to do?"

He was given no answer, not that he expected one, "And now I'm talking to myself. Great."

He rode over a sand dune and saw the town where the distress call had come from. A loud bang erupted from the West side and Seth saw a cloud of dust rise up, "Well. At least I know where the trouble is." He pointed his stormer in the correct direction and sped off.

It wasn't much later when Seth stopped his stormer near the cloud of dust.

"Get back here punk!" A voice called out as a figure ran towards Seth. He reached his arm out and grabbed the teen by the front of his shirt, "And just where would you be going?"

"None of your-" The boy's eyes widened as he saw the henge on Seth's shirt, "Your a defender!"

"No duh."

Seth turned to see a female walk out of the dust cloud. Behind her floated her clown like guardian carrying three unconscious teens, "Long time no see Seth."

Seth smiled and threw the boy at the guardian, "Nice to see you too Finn. It's been too long."

She smiled, "Only 10 years. That's not very long."

He rolled his eyes, "Oh no. No time at all."

She looked over her shoulder at her guardian, "Rimoldin. You mind taking these guys to the proper authorities?" Her guardian left and she turned back to Seth, "Come on. You want to get some lunch? My treat."

Seth's face lit up, "Lunch? Sure!" He grabbed her arm and ran off.

Minutes later they sat at a table inside a busy restaurant.

"S-so then they tell me girls are weak!" Finn said laughing.

"And what did you do?"

"What any lady would do. I kicked their butts with my 'weak' casting skills."

They both laughed out before digging into their food. Seth took a moment too look up from his food and at the woman before him. Besides her hair and face, she looked almost nothing like the Finn he used to know. Long gone were the clothes she wore at Madam Lisel's carnival. Now she wore a long sleeved dark blue shirt and black leggings. Her head band was now dark blue. She had grown up, no duh, he told himself, it's been ten years!

"Are you all right?"

Seth jumped, "Just great. Why do you ask?"

Finn made a face, "You're sort of…staring at me."

Seth instantly turned as red as a tomato, "I was not!"

"Yes you were!"

"Excuse me. If you're going to make a disturbance I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Seth and Finn glared at each other as the waitress escorted them out.

"Thanks a lot Finn. Now I'm going to get my ear chewed off by Alnar when I get back to the dojo."

Finn shrugged, "Sorry."

"Hey it's no problem." He looked up at the setting sun, "I'd better get going if I want to make it home by morning."

She nodded sadly and walked him to his stormer, "Well. It was nice to see you again Seth."

"You make it sound like this is goodbye."

Her eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

He winked at her, "I'll expect another distress call next week."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "You got it Seth. Till next week then."

He waved back at her as he maneuvered his stormer through the narrow streets; suddenly having to work on the weekends didn't seem so bad.

---

(13 years after the destruction of the Ethos)

Kara dodged several blasts from Rion, narrowing missing her. She had exchanged her old clothes for better-suited green tunic tops and leggings. Pigtails gone, her longer red hair was tied into a ponytail.

"Nice try, Rion! Fog Shroud!" Mist engulfed the dojo's gym, completely hiding them both.

"Hey, Kara-" Rion was interrupted by another attack. His clothes hadn't changed much, though he looked much older and more muscular.

"Bolt of Altas!" Kara flung a ball of lightning at his shields. "Are you even going to attack?" She asked, holding several glowing stones in a gloved hand.

"I guess… Lightning Strike!" Rion threw another bolt into her shield. "But I really wanted to ask you something…"

"Ask away. Typhoon of Power!" Clouds formed around the ceiling and thunder echoed through the dojo.

"Well, I was trying to ask- dang! Twister!" Rion cast his stones into the air and a wind funnel formed, spinning quickly towards Kara.

"V-Moth! Take Flight!" She held out her guardian stone and leapt onto the flying wasp-like creature. "Let's avoid that thing, shall we, V?" Kara said to her guardian, referring to the tornado.

"Um, as I was trying-" Rion was interrupted yet again.

"V-Moth! Sonic Sting!" V flew low to the ground sending waves of energy at Rion's shields.

"Ah! Stop it! Wind Tunnel!" Rion's cast formed a portal. V-Moths wings where caught in the current and pulled into it. Kara fell to the floor in front of Rion.

"Okay. I need to ask you something. Now." He helped her up took a deep breath.

"Well, okay." She shrugged, though her eyes widened when Rion knelt.

"Um, sure…I was wondering…if you'd marry me?" He held out a gold ring. "Please?" Kara stood there, mouth wide open.

After a pause of silence, she nodded.

"Yes,"

---

(14 years after the destruction of the Ethos)

The sun was just setting when a much older Adam approached Mel's room. He still had the same mischievous look on his face and messy hair. Gone where his cloak and thief clothes, replaced with a long sleeved black shirt and loose dark blue pants. However he still wore his gloves, no amount of convincing from Seth or Alnar could get him to forget the gloves.

At the moment he had one gloved hand in a tight grip around some flowers, the other poised to nock on the door. He never got the chance too.

"Oh. Hi Adam."

He spun around to see Mel walking towards him. She had most likely changed the most of any of the defenders. She had cut her hair short after it made her lose a practice battle against Rion. It now fell down to just above her shoulders. Her clothes had also changed, she wore a long, short sleeved shirt white shirt with dark blue leggings.

"Hi Mel," he said when she stopped before him, "These are for you."

She smiled and took the flowers, "They're beautiful Adam."

"Not as beautiful as you Mel."

She smiled and hugged him, "That's so sweet Adam."

He smiled and stretched out his hand, "So. May I treat you to dinner?"

She took his hand and he led her outside.

Minutes later they stood on a hill overlooking the new dojo in the now flourishing Altamor province. Mel laughed as she saw a picnic dinner spread out on a blanket, "I will never know how you manage to have time to make all this food and bring it up here after practice."

"I have my ways," he said winking.

She smiled and they ate in silence.

"Mel, can I ask you something?"

She turned towards her boyfriend, "Of course Adam."

He knelt before her and pulled out a box, "Will you marry me?"

She gasped as he gave her a ring with a large diamond on it, "I don't know what to say!"

"You could say yes." Adam said smiling.

"Yes, Adam. Yes."

---

(14 years after the destruction of the Ethos)

Even though the streets of Yin-gatti were packed, the bulky red head had no problem getting some elbow room. "Oh man. Oh man." Erik mumbled to himself as the people in front of him parted, "Adam is going to kill me."

He ran a hand through his short hair, all in all, he didn't look very different. The same hair, the same face -although more aged- and the same gauntlet. The only big difference was the pair of spectacles resting on his nose, the result of spending too many nights tinkering away under poor light.

He eyes scanned the marketplace, looking for a cake shop. As Adam and Mel's wedding date grew closer Adam had given Erik the all important task of buying a cake. A task that could not be given to Seth, the best man. Erik of course, being the airhead he is completely forgot about the cake until Mel mentioned it. This morning. The day before the wedding.

He was so busy looking at the shops that he didn't notice the woman in front of him until he bumped into her. The basket in her arms went flying and she fell backwards.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" Erik said and he rushed over to help her up, "I should have watched where I was going."

The woman shook her head, "It is alright. I am the one who should have been more careful."

Erik's mouth dropped as he recognized who the woman was. Of course, the curly hair and dark skin was a dead give away, "Koni! What are you doing out of your village?"

Koni smiled, "So you do remember me." She took his offered hand and stood up.

"After you and your friends left my home I told my father that I wanted to see the world. It took a little convincing but he finally let me go. I've traveled all over Rados, it was amazing to see everything! I've been staying at the inn here."

He smiled and handed Koni her basket, "I'm glad that you're enjoying yourself Koni. Where were you headed? Can I walk you there?"

She nodded, "I was on my way to run an errand for a friend. She wanted me to pick up a cake at the bakery."

Erik's eyes widened and he pulled her into a hug, "Koni. You just saved me from the wrath of an angry groom. Thank you!"

"Y-your welcome E-Erik," She stuttered, fighting for breath.

"Is there any way I can thank you?"

"You could let me breath."

He let her go, "Sorry. Guess I don't know my own strength." He paused and then snapped his fingers, "I know! My friend's wedding is tomorrow and he said I could bring a date. Did you want to come?"

Koni smiled up at her old friend, "Of course Erik. I'd love too."