Niji lived in Magitopia. Her father, Hikaru, already had his own grand palace due to his Saintly status, and her mother, Urara, had moved in with him. Their daughter, even with her natural talents towards magic, didn't want any of it. She may have been three-quarters Saint, but she still had one quarter human left in her. Something she made sure to emphasize to her parents at every point.
Urara had dressed her in the clothes of a Blue Mage, perhaps trimmed with a hint of gold, when she was younger, but once Niji revealed her talent for all five branches, Hikaru had no choice but to let her choose her own style. Niji could remember that day well. She was the first female Magician to have mastered all five branches. As much as she disliked her magical heritage, she had something to be proud of.
Niji stepped up to her mirror and looked at herself. She was in a white, neutral version of a magician's jacket. She touched her finger to her left breast, her five-colored triangle symbol materializing. "Too boring," Niji frowned to the mirror, "Who am I, my mother?" She magically cut the outfit off at the midriff and changed the skirt into a pair of short shorts. The jacket's sleeves were removed, along with the buttons, and the neck became exposed.
"Too sporty," she looked it over again, "If I'm going to dress like this, at least go all the way…or don't go at all. Luludo!" The jacket transformed into a bikini top, dark blue with gold edges, the symbol still on the left breast. Her shorts had changed into a bikini bottom as well. "I can't go out in public like this. Need something to cover it up and shield me from the weather. Let's see…"
A spool of iridescent fabric was hanging in her room. She unraveled enough to make a nice, light robe to cover her, and tied it off with a small string of the same material. "The Rainbow Cloth, of course!" It was a magical material that could bend itself to the user's mind, perfect for any meteorological or battle situation. Niji let it flow into a transparent cover that left her bikini visible underneath, slipped on a pair of sandals, and magically added a rainbow armband above her left elbow and below her right knee.
"I am stunning," she thought, twirling around. Niji opened her door and called out to her parents. "Mom! Dad! I'm going to the arcade with my friends!" She had just had her 19th birthday recently, and Hikaru and Urara decided to let her spend the weekend as she chose. Niji muttered "Goolu Lujuna" under her breath and teleported a few blocks away from the arcade.
When she landed on the street, she noticed something out of place. A man, dressed in a trench coat and a fedora, carrying a silver pocketwatch, was standing on the other side of the street. Simply standing there, not doing anything. Niji could barely make out the words "The past will give us hope" inscribed on the back of the watch. She ignored him, and ran ahead. Sparks of electricity jumped from her feet as she ran, being grounded by the pavement beneath.
"Finally," she sighed, "Hi!" Her two best friends were there, waiting for her. Yume, the leader of this unusual trio, showed her three tickets and pile of tokens while smiling widely.
"Niji!" Yume commented, "Didn't think you'd make it."
"Nice outfit," said Sora, her other friend, "What's the occasion?"
"No occasion," Niji panted, "Just enjoying the weekend."
"Then let's get on it!" Yume cheered.
The girls walked into the arcade. Niji, however, walked through the door just as the clock shifted to 10:10:10. A Saint Circle appeared in the doorway, instantly whisking her away back to Magitopia. "Mom!" Niji screamed as the magical gale force swept her through the warp, "Do you trust me at ALL?" She landed firmly on the ground and checked herself. She was still in one piece. After getting up and rubbing her butt, Niji looked upwards. She wasn't back in her room.
"I'm in…the Great Hall?" Niji asked.
"Correct, young Saint!" a voice boomed overhead. It was Magiel herself, the Queen of the Saints. Her spectacles rested in her hands as her white dress touched the ground. She was at least three times the size of Niji, intimidating her greatly. The child of light and water immediately bowed down before her Queen.
"If only you showed that kind of respect to Sungel and Urara," Magiel commented.
"Did you call me here to lecture me or is this actually important?" Niji scoffed, "I've got a game I need to return to beating and…"
"Of course this is important!" Magiel bellowed. "Niji…do you know the circumstances under which you were conceived?"
"Ew, I don't want to think about that."
"We'll skip the messy details, then," Magiel calmly agreed, "Your mother made a contract with an Imagin. That Imagin returned to her and Sungel's wedding day, turning the world into one of chaos. We must quell the Imagin and the Order of the Full Moon before N. Ma truly rules the Earth."
"We?" Niji questioned, "Who's this we?"
"You," Magiel said, "Have you ever wanted to focus your powers? Channel them? I've been watching you since you were born. You're the child of magic, Niji. It's within you, and you shouldn't try to deny it."
"I'm not going to go back in time," Niji snubbed her nose, "Uncle Tsubasa tried that once. It didn't end well."
"Except that Imagin are supposed to be destroyed in the past; the only one who can destroy this one is you. So I was informed. If you fail to destroy him, the world will crumble. It's up to you, of course, but I'm simply giving you what you need to know."
"What'll happen if I refuse?" Niji asked, showing a hint of interest.'
"You'll still exist, just more desolate than now…or you may not exist at all."
"At all?"
"It's
a possibility."
"Queen Magiel, I value my existence. If for that alone, I accept the mission."
"Then let your power flow!" Magiel said excitedly, "Jiruma Golu Majiiro Gojika!"
Outside of the Great Hall, the five islands where the Heavenly Saints resided shone alight. Flagel's volcano shot a beam of red light towards the Hall, Volgel's mountain peaks launched a wave of yellow lightning, a torrent of blue water burst from Spragel's waterfall, Wingel's meadow sent a pink wind their way, and Groungel's forest launched a green beam with the rest. Aligned in the positions of the Mahou Circle, the five powers converged on Niji, avatars of the five Saints briefly appearing before entering her body.
A deck of MagiTickets materialized in Niji's right hand. These were navy and aquamarine in color, yet similar to her father's. A gold Grip Phone, with a five-colored triangle symbol in place of the Shine "S", was in her hands. "A Grip Phone?" Niji asked, "These are outdated. My mother has magic more advanced than this."
"It's the magic a Saint would use, raw and yours to control," Magiel explained, "I've helped you with all I can. If you want a way to go back into the past, that's your mission. I trust you can find a way." Niji found herself back in the arcade, quickly tucking away her new items. She wouldn't let her friends know. She couldn't. Niji Ozu was perfectly human, and that was all they needed to understand.
The rest of the day continued as normal, ending with Niji nearly asleep at a small café and bookstore known as the Milk Dipper. Yume and Sora had gone home, the hours getting late. She was preparing to leave and teleport home when that man with the pocketwatch appeared in the doorway. He spoke to her, his voice quiet but firm. "The Time Train DenLiner," he spoke, "It's your only way. You may want to take this." He reached into his trenchcoat and produced a palm-sized piece of black plastic with a peculiar symbol on it.
"What is this?" Niji asked, examining it closely.
"A Rider Pass," the pocketwatch man explained, "When time is aligned, you'll find yourself ready. Hour. Minute. Second. Three as one." With that, he walked off, never to be seen again.
Niji looked up at the clock. It was 1:01:01, exactly. Her Rider Pass was held in the direction of the door, and a burst of rainbow light swept forward. Niji walked through the light, finding herself in a desert-like landscape. "The Sands of Time…" she said, "I thought this place didn't even exist." Her father had taken her for many rides in Travelion when she was younger, but never had they gone to this Marudeyouna World. She continued holding up her Pass, and a musical whistle sounded. DenLiner was streaking towards her.
When Gouka's first car, its red designs shining brightly in the eternal sunlight, slowed to a halt in front of her, the door to the car opened. "Welcome aboard, DenLiner," a young man jumped out, dressed in jeans, a white shirt, and a red scarf, "We've got an open seat in one of the regular cars back near…" Ryotaro saw his latest passenger at last. Helping them board DenLiner was usual business by this point, but he'd never seen one like her.
"Excuse me, miss, what's your age and era?" he asked nervously.
"Niji Ozu," she replied calmly, "2027."
"I'm Ryotaro Nogami," he replied, "What brings you aboard DenLiner?"
"I need to make a journey to 2006," Niji looked into his eyes, the sands swirling around them, "My existence and the future depends on it."
"We're on the same page," Ryotaro held out his own Pass, "Welcome aboard."
Hand in hand, they began their journey, speeding through the Sands of Time until they saw Travelion, in the year 2007, pass through its own portal to the Sunshine Solace. Their journey had begun.
"If only, if only…" Niji sat in her submarine interior-like cockpit, manipulating the controls to make sure she would arrive at the proper time. Suddenly, the clocks in the Sands of Time came to a halt and transformed into a portal. The three trains shot through to an undamaged world. Diverion skimmed along the ocean's surface, Travelion parked along the shore, and DenLiner stopped on the streets. One by one, Hikaru, Niji and Ryotaro jumped out of their respective vehicles.
"We're here!" Ryotaro flashed his Rider Pass, Ticket shining, "January 29th, 2006!"
"Guessing by the time…" Hikaru remembered, "I should be talking at the beach with Miyuki now. We have about half an hour before the wedding begins. I say we look for the Order of the Full Moon."
"I'll search for the Imagin!" said Momotaros, possessing Ryotaro's body, "Wherever he is, I'll thrash him but good!"
"N. Ma should be here too," Niji commented.
"I'll thrash him but good!" Momotaros repeated.
"NO!" Niji and Hikaru turned to him angrily.
"Fine, I won't thrash him," Momo sighed, "But I need to see some actio-"
Ryotaro's strength of will had forced Momo out of his body and back into DenLiner, where he landed on top of Naomi. Ryotaro whistled for DenBird. On cue, the white-and-blue bike launched itself out of Gouka. Hikaru summoned his MagiLamp, Smoky peeking out of the top, and jumped on Skarpet. He looked at Niji. She'd helped him so much, but lacked any way to get the city.
"You can ride on Skarpet if you wish," Hikaru said, "There's enough room."
"Urara loves it," Smoky commented, "Master, she's doing fine. A little sick, but I tended to that. Just resting now."
"No thanks," Niji held up her hand, "I'll go with Ryo."
"Okay," Hikaru was fine with it, "Just be outside the house about the time the wedding starts."
Ryotaro climbed on DenBird and revved the handle. Compared to his busted bicycle, it was a rush. Niji straddled herself behind him. He could feel her pressing against his back, and remained calm. Hikaru soared upwards towards the heavens as a blue streak of light became visible where the Machine DenBird once was. They were off.
Meanwhile, in DenLiner, Ryutaros, Momotaros and Kintaros were congregating at one of the tables. Kintaros, as usual, was fast asleep and audibly snoring. Momo was punching the wall for being expelled from Ryotaro before he could even do one attack, and Ryutaros was busy trying to juggle a coffee cup, a pack of sugar, Hana's purse, and a spork. Kintaros woke up, looked around, and asked what had occurred to no one.
"Where's Urataros?"
A resounding crash rode through DenLiner as the cup shattered into tiny pieces. Hana came storming outward, grabbing Ryutaros by his collar and looking into his eyes with fiery anger.
"Urataros is GONE?"
"Where'd that turtle run off to?" Momotaros yelled.
"He's infatuated with Niji, and you know it!" Hana growled.
"I'm infatuated with Ari…" Ryutaros chimed in.
"SHUT UP!" Hana punched him backwards, "Who knows what Urataros wants to do with her? Our entire mission could be compromised!"
"That's not good," Naomi perked up, "Who wants some coffee to calm their nerves?"
She knew even that wouldn't help.