Thanks to all who read in the last chapter. I apologize in advance for the wait and for any flaws this story may have. I hope to hear some commentary on my actual writing style if you have any time. Now then, I own nothing except my OC and the majority of the plot. I hope that you will all enjoy this chapter.


"It's wonderful! The air is so different here." The humidity and the atmosphere had the best tropical feel to it! There were plenty of trees around and Rein could even see a volcano in the distance.

"Rein, don't stick your head out of the carriage," Shade warned.

"When we get out, I'm sure that Lione will guide us around. You'll be able to have a better view from there, so just wait a little longer," Bright told her kindly.

Rein smiled widely. "I can't wait to see Lione! She said that we'll go around the capital. I wonder what kind of place it is!"

"Hot."

"What Shade means is that it's a wonderfully tropically place year round so people are often dressed in summer clothing," Bright answered. "Since we're here, is there any type of place in particular that you want to see?"

"Hm… Well I would like to see the volcano and go to the famous hot springs that I've heard the maids talk about. Supposedly, it's the best healing water on the entire planet. I want to get something for Camelot to help her out with her back as well."

"How kind of you," Bright commented.

"Hehe… It's probably my fault that her back is in such awful conditions now." Camelot ran too much whenever Rein had ran away from princesses thus strained her back, a problem that did not get better with time.

"I feel sorry for Camelot, she had to take care of you."

Rein pouted. "Mou! You're so mean Shade!" Shade and Bright laughed and soon Rein laughed with them. What good friends! Friendship is such a beautiful thing, something that should be treasured and cherished with all one's heart. Because true friends will always be by your side.

"We're at the castle."

"Really?!" Rein hurried out in excitement, but soon remembered her manners and walked towards the castle like a princess should. Wait, would a princess go without her escorts?

"Rein, I know you're excited but you still have to act like a princess," Shade stated. Was even he disturb by the fact that she was unprincess like? "Remember your manners when you see King Wal and Queen Nina."

"But it's not like I haven't met them before." Like when she was allowed to travel to attend Princess Parties. "And when I last saw them, they seemed like very nice people. Particularly King Wal, he was so energetic that I was scared." Especially when flames came out of the pots.

"But this is the first time that you've met with them in private and since you're representing the Sunny Kingdom, you need to behave maturely."

"Suddenly this meeting feels more nerve wrecking." What if she messes up?!

"Don't worry. Just take it slowly and you'll be fine Rein," Bright encouraged.

"You're right Bright-sama! Calm… If I just calm down…" Of course things like that are easier said than done. Rein walked stiffly towards the Flame Kingdom rulers. "G-G-G-Good day, Your Highnesses! How do you do? I am Princess Rein of the Sunny Kingdom!" Oh! She forgot to curtsy!

Shade bowed calmly. "I am Shade of the Moon Kingdom."

"I am Prince Bright of the Jewelry Kingdom. I'm happy to see that you're in good health, King Wal, Queen Nina, Princess Lione, Prince Tio."

"WELCOME! WELCOME! WELCOME YOUNG ONES!" His voice was so loud that Rein fell back from shock. She's never heard his voice up close in a long time.

"My apologies for my husband shocking you. Lione, Tio, be sure to show your friends around our fair country?" Queen Nina requested from her children.

"Of course! I'll be sure to protect my fellow friends!" Tio declared, unsheathing his sword. His movements were flowing beautifully… until he tripped over his own tail and began crashing into some of the large decorative pots of the room.

"Tio!"

"Fear not! I am fine!" He stumbled out with a pot on his head before crashing on the floor once again. "I, Tio will not be beat by a mere pot!"

"AS EXPECTED OF MY SON! AS EXPECTED! AS EXPECTED!" Rein laughed nervously while Bright smiled and Shade was shaking his head in worry. Well, it's a good thing that there weren't so strict like in other kingdoms.

Quen Nina chuckled good naturedly. "Lione— Lione what are you doing? This is the 3rd time you've been spacing out today. Is something the matter?"

"Of course not Mother! I would be grateful to show them our beautiful kingdom," she insisted quickly. But Rein could see the anxiety on her friend's face. "What would you like to see in the capital? There's spicy food, dancers, shopping, culture, "she listed out as the group rode a carriage towards town. Unfortunately, Tio needed to get unstuck from one of the decorative pots, so he had to stay while he was getting pulled out.

"Lione, is something wrong? You look worried," Rein pointed out.

"Eh? It's absolutely nothing, I assure you. I was… just thinking of how wonderful a day we could have together."

"Lione, if something's wrong, then you should tell us or we won't have as much fun as we could have," Bright suggested. "Come on, what is it? You can tell us."

Lione took a deep breath. "Actually… There's been a problem lately with Bo Dragon."

"Um… Bo Dragon is the source of the Flame Kingdom's powerful volcanoes right?" She only remembered faintly from her cultural lessons when she was younger.

"Yes. Recently, it's becoming so cloudy and at nights it's getting colder than it's ever been. On some days it even looks like it could rain or snow!" This was cold weather? But Rein just found this weather tolerant, how hot would it be if it was normal for Lione and Tio? "If only Bo Dragon would get better…"

"Well, why not?"

Everyone in the carriage looked at Rein in shock. "Excuse me?"

"Why don't we help Bo Dragon feel better?" Rein clarified.

"Well Rein, there are some problems with that, like you can't fix a dragon's cold with soup!" Isn't someone a Mr. Grumpy today? But he does have a point with that one purple soup that she made him one time…

"Well, maybe not that." Because even she admits that the soup was horrendous. "But if we find out why Bo Dragon isn't feeling so well, that could still help us?"

"It's better than just finding an array of strange cures," Bright pointed out. "Why not try it?"

"Thank you so much," Lione bowed, grateful to her wonderful friends. Immediately, she turned to the carriage driver, with enough confidence to command. "Driver, please take us to the mountain, as far as you can if you would."

"As you wish, Lione-sama. Excuse me if anyone feels uncomfortable, the road that we are about to take is quite bumpy."

"Something like that is of little importance."

"Then, please hang on." Soon the wheels began screeching violently as the carriage quickly turned towards the upslope 'path'. They went into the dense forest, which was strangely cooler than the heat they were just in, in fact it felt too cold! "Lione-sama, my apologies, but this is as far as I can take you."

"That's fine. Make sure that you keep yourself warm, we'll be back as soon as possible. Everyone, please follow me."

As Rein stepped out into the bitter cold, she exclaimed, "It's so cold!" If people in the Flame Kingdom were used to such a tropical climate, then they must be freezing in this weather!

"Here Princess Rein," Bright offered, putting his cloak on her.

"Thank you. Lione, do you want to share?"

"Thank you, but I can't move well if I'm bundled up too much. I'll be fine like this," she insisted. "Now, let's move on."

Such determination for the sake her country… Even though Lione was only a year older than Rein, how could they be so different? She seems suited to become a queen, unlike Rein. Even though Rein loved her people, she felt like she lacked something else. How could she possibly have the aspects to become a queen? Is what she's lacking power?

"Rein!" Rein blinked and tripped in the snow. "Sheesh, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry!" Rein shouted as Shade helped her up.

"Be more careful. We're almost at Bo Dragon's lair." What exactly is she good for?

It's so cold! For a fire dragon, this might as well be a cave for an ice dragon or for a snowman! There's so much fog, how were they supposed to see anything? Regardless of what they couldn't see, Rein could still hear something. She could hear a low and gruff coughing. It sounded so rough that it hurt.

"Bo Dragon! He sounds worse than before! What should we do?"

"Look there!" Rein's eyes followed Bright's fingers and saw something… no some things curling around Bo Dragon, as though they were chains to imprison him. What were they? Entangled voices that started as mere whispers gradually raised their volumes to shout and scream. Their voices were not only harsh to her ears but they were also sorrowful, as though they were screaming in pain. Something felt so heartbreaking. What is it that they screaming about?

"They're from the Abyss!"

"Abyss?" Lione's voice sounded faint as she looked to the ground. Was she afraid? "The Abyss did this too?" Lione looked up with even more determination on her face. "Unforgivable!" From her dress, she drew a sword of flames. "Absolutely unforgivable!"

The chains ceased their whispers and shouts, instead expanding themselves in attempts to grab onto those children, but those weren't any children that they were dealing with. Lione slashed the chains, cutting them off efficiently while Shade and Bright got out their weapons to protect themselves and Rein. Normally the first born has the most power in the family, because of a variety of reasons, but because they have known of the Abyss and trained for most of their lives to defeat it, those children were even more powerful.

"Shade, Bright, make sure that the chains don't catch one of us. There's no telling what they could do. Rein, see if you can purify the chains like before, I'm going to try to find the root of this," Lione instructed.

"Got it!"

Rein took out her compact. She had to think of something that she wanted to do, something that would catalyze her emotions into power. That's the only way that she could call upon the mysterious power. But with all the thoughts cluttered in her mind, she couldn't!

Chains tried to catch the Sunny Kingdom Princess, but a whip of fire stopped them. "Rein! Be careful! What if something happens to you?" Lione looks so beautiful and strong as though she is willing to give her very life for this. Could Rein ever become like that? Dedicated to the point of sacrificing herself? "Bo Dragon!"

The chains tried to capture Lione as well while her attention was focused on Bo Dragon but Shade prevented it. "Lione, you need to stay focused! What will we do if something happens to you as well?"

Bright called out, "Rein! You need to purify them soon!"

Everyone was trying their best, so she should at least try! Rein called out, "Prominence! Destroy the chains that bind Bo Dragon!"

Light shone from her compact, fashioning into a wand that perfectly fit Rein's hands. Smoothly she twisted the top of the wand and it became to rain down streams of light. The drops of light were like acid to the chains, effectively melting them into nothing. Warmth filled the volcano, allowing Bo Dragon to rise and roar in joy towards the heavens.

The snow filled clouds began to scatter and the first rays of sunlight shone down onto the land. The original heat was returning to the Flame Kingdom.

"Bo Dragon!" Lione dropped her weapon and rushed to the dragon's side. Bo Dragon leaned his head down so that Lione could feel his forehead. It was back to his normal heat! "Thank goodness..," Lione sighed in relief, "Thank you so much Rein!"

"I…"Her sight began to falter and her legs wobbled. Why did she feel so tired? When she was perfectly fine last time…

"Rein!" Both boys shouted out as each grabbed one of her arms.

"I'm… sorry." She could only do this much. She felt so useless! How is it that she could only purify but she needed someone to protect herself? Rein doesn't want to have to rely on someone all the time. "I want to be stronger…" And just like that, the girl fell unconscious.

"Then we'll help you become stronger." Because this girl needs to become even stronger and even more powerful so that the sun can always shine on this planet. Determination is needed for the steps to come. If this girl lacks the necessary will, she will remain as a 'girl', nothing more and nothing less.