Seiya Kou was eighteen years old. His adventures had ended long ago, and he had even been buried!
His life had become rather calm, as calm as a life could be with Kurai around.
Seiya was "wandering" around the park where they had gathered to head into the Festival to watch the eclipse.
"Seiya! Stop wandering! We're leaving!" Kurai called.
Seiya rushed to join them.
"What's with you?" Kurai asked. "You seem so strangely cheerful."
"I am not sure." Seiya said. "It feels as if all this peace is a long dream."
"Never say that, Seiya." Reiko chided. "If you say that, you might wake up."
"What are your plans for the year, Kurai?" Seiya asked.
"I plan to live here with you." Reiko said.
"That's my dream too." Seiya said.
"I've been having dreams myself." Reiko said. "And did you hear about Taiki and Yaten?"
"What about them?" Seiya asked, preparing the Eclipse goggles.
"They are here. They are coming now!" Reiko waved.
The two women approached and waved at their friends. It had been a while since they had all seen each other.
"How has your psychic reading gone?" Reiko asked Mana.
"Undefeated." Mana grinned.
The two took goggles from Seiya as Ninako and Lizzie played around.
"Ava." Seiya said. "How is your study at Oxford?"
"I am a Professor now." Ava grinned.
Seiya realized he should have expected that.
"Today's the day of the biggest total solar eclipse of the century." Ava pointed out.
They all put on their goggles.
"It's getting kind of dark out." Seiya heard a ringing sound. "A bell tinkling?" he thought. "Such a clear, pretty sound..."
"No! The awakening must NOT happen! Seiya!"
Her eyes met Seiya' and then without warning she turned away, and grabbed the hand of a redheaded woman who appeared to be her sister, and the two disappeared in the darkness of the eclipse.
"The new moon is completely hiding the sun..." Ava remarked, beside him. "The tradition is to make a wish. I think I would wish to win the Nobel Prize."
"Hm...I wish to remain undefeated!" Mana shouted.
"I wish that this peace would last forever." Reiko said.
Seiya paused. He wished only to be with his new family forever. In Peace.
It began to get very...very...dark...
"Odd," Seiya said. His eyes widened suddenly, and he doubled over in pain.
"Seiya!" Reiko called.
"I-I am fine..." Seiya lied. "Just a little dizzy."
"What was it..." he thought. "That pain..."
The four looked into look into the sky.
When you smile...the world really gets much, much sweeter than the sweetest candies...
What was that? A song? Ninako shivered. Where was the song coming from?
See, if you listen carefully. Such a sweet melody! The three o'clock fairies are calling me. Knock on the sleeping door. Leap out of bed, hurry! Let's go to candy land on a ship.
It was familiar, eerily so. As if it was a song she used to sing when she was small. Why was it so cold? She could hear the sound of a flute. In her dream a red headed young man with green eyes was playing the flute. His eyes looked vacant, lost.
Ah, full of dreams. Mint pies and apple pies. Good cake, good spirits. Yippie, yippie, cookies! Lap it all up, the wobbly pudding. Eat just a little chocolate. The three o'clock fairies laugh as they watch. Knock on the sleeping door. Leap out of bed, hurry! Let's go to candy land on a ship.
Wait! Don't go! Danger! Ninako could sense that this place that the magical man's song was calling the children to was dangerous. She also wanted to help the young man, who seemed to be manipulated by something. But her mouth wouldn't move. She was paralyzed.
Ah, full of dreams. Mint pies and apple pies. Good cake, good spirits. Yippie, yippie, cookies! Lap it all up, the wobbly pudding. Eat just a little chocolate. The three o'clock fairies laugh as they watch.
The song finished and Ninako's eyes opened and in a pulse of power the ice coffin holding her shattered.
She looked up into the sky as a strange blimp like craft kidnapped the children. On the deck of the craft stood Shimano, blowing that strange whistle, green eyes vacant as death.