Disclaimer: I don't own anything that doesn't belong to me.
"Attention all passengers – and my beautiful daughter-"
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"
"If you look out the window to your left, you should see Magitopia right… About… Now!"
Everyone turned to look out the window on their left.
The view was quite something.
"It's even more beautiful than I ever imagined," Philia whispered reverently, eyes wide with awe.
"Now that's something you don't see every day," Aranea murmured, greatly impressed.
Nushi's jaw dropped. "Oh my Gaim… Ariel… This is…"
Ariel nodded vigorously. "I know, right? It's no Hive City, but… Well, I think it has its own charm, don't you?"
It did indeed. The Travelion had taken them high into the sky, passing through a cloud layer to come into the midst of a loose group of dozens of floating islands resting atop cloud beds. These islands, ranging in size from tiny atoll to subcontinent, consisted of a vast array of climates such as deserts, volcanoes, jungles, forests, oceans, fields of flowers, snowy drifts, mountains, crystal gardens, lightning-struck wastes, windy plains, and more besides. Rivers flowed upwards, corkscrewing through the air, spiraling and twisting about in flagrant disrespect to the laws of gravity, with people, ships, and aquatic creatures merrily swimming or riding the waters without problem. Towns and cities made from a riot of different architectural styles reflecting mysticism from cultures all over the world sprang up here and there, linked together by rainbow bridges and highways, some of them big enough to take up their own island, while others weren't attached to any island at all and consisted of a series of loosely connected buildings drifting through the air in synchronization like a school of fish.
And speaking of which, a great deal of magical creatures flew through the air side-by-side with fantastic airships and other flying machines as they traveled between the islands. Nushi could see dragons, griffons, manticores, fairies, phoenixes, thunderbirds, rainbow serpents, creatures from myths and fairytales all over the world, and ones which didn't quite fit into any category. There were even a few giant whales that looked to be partially made out of clouds, rainbow hued butterflies streaming from their blowholes as they swam through great masses of floating crystalline coral.
As they passed the volcanic island, a great fiery giant emerged from the lava-filled crater, affixing them with its fiery gaze as they went by.
Ariel waved.
It waved back.
"Don't let his size and the whole fire giant thing fool you, Flagel's actually a pretty sweet guy," Ariel cheerfully told her awestruck friends. "Still hasn't worked up the courage to tell Wingel he has a crush on her, though. Like, hello, they've known each other for thousands of years, can't one of them just make a freaking move already?"
"Ariel, this is… Amazing!" Lepidoptera cried.
Coccinella shook her head in wonder. "I've never seen anything like it. And I've seen a lot!"
"Even back home, we didn't flaunt our magic to this degree," Aranea remarked. "Then again, our magic is of a different kind than yours, and greatly diminished."
"Once you take the throne, and restore the great power your people wielded in the past, perhaps that can change," Arachne suggested.
"If this is a dream, I never want to wake up," Philia declared.
"Ariel, I've seen this place in your memories, through your eyes, but… Looking at it now, I… I don't know what to say," Nushi confessed, lost for words.
"I suppose it can be a bit overwhelming for a first timer, especially one not particularly well versed with magic," Ariel admitted. "And would you believe the place actually used to be a lot smaller and less lively? As belief in magic faded and the war with Infershia dragged on, Magitopia dwindled a little. Now that the war's over and magic around the world has resurged – in no small part thanks to me, not to brag or anything – and we've got so many more great magicians and Heavenly Saints in the making, it's almost unrecognizable. The place looks a little different every time I come home!"
She frowned, squinting out the window. "For example, I don't recognize that island… Oh, wait, no, just looking at it from the wrong angle. Never mind, nothing's changed."
"Why would you ever want to leave a place like this?" Nushi asked, flabbergasted. "I mean, compared to this, our world is…"
"Not as impressive?" Ariel shrugged. "A lot of the people up here might agree with you. They're perfectly happy to live peacefully in this heavenly paradise, giving little thought to the surface. Not that they look down on humans or anything, but kind of like how most people don't really give a thought as to what people in the next country or even town over are doing with themselves. But my family always made sure that I understood both sides of my heritage, and even though I'm only a quarter human – well, maybe a little less now – the surface world is still a part of me and always will be. The stars shine over everyone, mortal and magical being alike, and so too do I share my magic and talent with everyone, to guide and inspire in hopes of making the Earth as wonderful a place as Magitopia is."
She smiled at her friends. "Something all of you can understand, can't you?"
Nushi nodded fervently. "I've always wanted to make the world a better place, and am convinced that working with the Hive is the best way to do just that."
"Mom wants to help all worlds, not just the ones we rule, and so do I!" Philia declared.
"There is much chaos, strife, and suffering in the universe," Aranea mused. "As spiders, my people have always had a natural inclination towards order. Once I fulfill my destiny and restore the Loom of Fate, I will ensure everyone can have a chance at a prosperous, harmonious future."
She looked down at the Heart of Hera, hanging on a spider silk necklace around her neck. "And with any luck, coming here will get me one step closer to my goal."
Travelion drew closer to a midsized island dominated by an ocean with a few tropical islands scattered here and there. The largest of them was shaped like a crescent and largely consisted of a long strip of beach backed by jungle, with an absolutely massive palace rising from the bay that looked as if it were made from frozen sunlight and sculpted water, gleaming brilliantly as they approached it. The train ran just on top of the water as sea spray flew in their wake and winged dolphins jumped out of the water and arced over the vehicle, chattering excitedly as they flew past the windows, flipping over to display glitter encrusted stomachs to the amazed passengers.
"That's Sunsea Palace!" An excited Philia squealed. "Your childhood home!"
"It's so bright and shiny and magical! Just like you, Ariel!" Lepidoptera chirped.
"… It's almost as big as mother's palace," an amazed Aranea murmured in disbelief.
Ariel shrugged. "Well, when your parents are world-famous heroes, incredibly powerful magicians, and in line for the Heavenly Throne, getting a big house is only to be expected. Honestly, lots of people have big houses up here, I was astonished the first time I went to the surface and saw how tiny most people's homes are, and none of them are bigger on the inside! How do people live like that?"
"They make do, I guess," Nushi replied, a little dazed. "We can't all be famous, popular, and extremely powerful magicians, after all."
"True," Ariel conceded.
"Now approaching our final destination, Sunsea Palace!" Hikaru declared over the intercom. "Get everyone ready, Starshine, the whole family is waiting!"
"Oh boy!" Philia cheered.
"Oh boy," Nushi moaned, her anxieties welling up again.
"Would using my breasts as pillows make you feel better?" Ariel offered.
Nushi considered this. "Only if I can be sandwiched between you and Aranea."
"I'm alright with this," Aranea informed her.
Nushi quickly calmed down as she was squished between her girlfriends' bosoms. Eyes wide, Philia took notes. And pictures. "This is the best train ride I've ever taken."
Shin howled in anguish.
A few minutes later, Travelion came to a halt before a platform of coral and marble dotted with glittering gemstones which rose out of the sea to greet it, water flowing off its sides as the train docked beside it. As the passengers disembarked, the last of the water evaporated due to the light and warmth pulsating from the station. The palace loomed over them, looking even bigger and grander up close, the golden parts of it pulsating and glowing with caged sunfire, while the watery bits were slowly flowing and changing, the whole edifice a shining beacon decorated in gold and coral and lapis lazuli.
Part of the wall facing them parted like water, and a portion of the sea rose up and solidified to form a set of steps linking the platform with the opening, allowing a rather sizable group of people to descend to greet them.
"Mom! We're home!" Smokey yelled unnecessarily.
Urara Ozu, a beautiful older woman in a regal blue gown which looked as if the ocean had been woven into cloth and wrapped around her shapely form, smiled graciously. "So I can see! Ariel, come give your mother a hug!"
"MOM!" Ariel cried, seeming to teleport without the use of magic over to her mother, wrapping Urara in a big hug.
"… That reminds me, I should probably call my mother at some point," Nushi murmured, fidgeting guiltily.
Aranea grimaced. "As have I. I haven't seen her in quite a while…"
Philia was struggling not to hyperventilate, because not only was Urara present, but so was the rest of the extended Ozu family. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. OH MY GOSH. It's really them, the Ozu family, the superstars of the magical world! I'm not… I'm not ready for this, what was I thinking, it's too soon for me to meet them, I haven't learned enough magic, I'm going to humiliate myself in front of them and ruin any chance of forming diplomatic ties with Magitopia and Ariel will disown me as an apprentice and mom will be so disappointed and-"
"Breathe," Hikaru instructed her.
Philia breathed.
"You have nothing to worry about," Hikaru assured the anxious Princess. "Despite the prestige, we're really just a family like any other."
"Most families don't live in sky palaces made of sunlight and water," Nushi couldn't help pointing out.
Hikaru looked confused for a moment, then nodded. "Oh, right, I forgot that mortals generally tend to live in much smaller domiciles, and none of them are bigger on the inside. How do people live like that?"
Nushi sighed, thinking of the terrible living situation back in China, much of Japan, and… Rather a lot of other places, come to think of it. "Not necessarily by choice, believe you me."
Ariel, who had just finished hugging her mother and every member of her family, eagerly waved everyone over. "Girls, come on over! Let me introduce you to the family! Or reintroduce you, in some cases. This is, of course, my mom, Urara…"
Urara gave them a dazzling smile, causing Nushi to flush. She could see where Ariel had gotten her good looks from. "It's lovely to see you again, Nushi and Coccinella, and to meet you for the first time, Aranea, Arachne, and Princess Philia."
"Uncle Kai, Aunt Yuka, Aunt Sphinx, and Cousins Inpu and Anput…"
"Ariel, sweetie, please talk a little quieter, we just got the twins to sleep and while I'm sure they'd be excited to see you, they really need a nap," Yuka, a seemingly ordinary human (because she was) said softly from her place beside a handsome young man in red and the Wise Goddess Sphinx, who had a pair of adorable jackal headed infants hanging from a papoose on her front.
"Oh! Sorry!" Ariel replied, lowering her voice. "Continuing, we also have Uncle Tsubasa, still tragically single-"
"Hey!" A long-haired older man in yellow protested.
Nushi frowned. "I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that," she thought to Ariel.
"I get a pass because I'm family, you don't. Don't worry, once we get married you can make fun of him for it all you like," Ariel promised breezily, and before Nushi could even begin to process that, the sorceress was already moving on. "Aunts Houka, Nai, and Mea, and cousin Fuuka…"
"Hi, girls!" A very pretty woman in pink cheered, waving happily to the newcomers.
"Thank you for taking care of our niece!" Nai, a gorgeous long-haired woman in an over-the-top Gothic outfit to make her look like a vampire (which she was), chimed.
"Care of our niece!" Mea, a nearly identical woman in an over-the-top Gothic outfit that made look like a vampire (which she was) only with shorter hair, added.
"Hi! You're cute! I like your doll!" Fuuka, a dark-haired girl with a stripe of pink in her thick black hair wearing a similar Gothic outfit to two of her mothers that looked to be a little older than Goro's kids cried, waving to Philia as she clutched a disturbing-looking voodoo doll of her own. "Want to be friends?"
"I'd love to!" Philia replied, immediately formulating a plan to befriend Fuuka, woo her, and eventually marry her so that Ariel would be her cousin and they'd be family forever!
Oh, right, and the Hive and Magitopian ruling families would be united, that was important too.
"I'm not sure if I should be flattered or disturbed," Ariel thought, frowning at Philia.
"What? It would be a great political move!" Philia insisted.
"Philia. No," Apista told her flatly.
Deciding to pretend that hadn't happened, Ariel next indicated a tall, strong man in green, standing beside a lovely fully human woman and a towering pale green creature resembling a walking mandrake. "Uncle Makito, Aunt Eriko, and Cousin Mandora Man…"
"I am Mandora Man," Mandora Man rumbled in a deep, gravelly voice. When the jackal twins started to stir, his parents shot him a look, and he flinched and repeated, in a quieter voice, "I am Mandora Man."
"And I am Aranea," Aranea replied.
"Arachne," Arachne added.
"Nushi."
"Coccinella."
"Philia!"
Mandora Man smiled and nodded. "I am Mandora Man."
"Why does he…"
"Nobody really knows, he's been like this ever since he got big enough to move out of his flowerpot," Ariel replied. "And of course we can't forget Aunt Rin!"
An enchanting woman in white and purple robes with lunar motifs carrying a silver staff smiled gently. "I can see that your magical powers has grown even greater, niece. It won't be too much longer before your stars outshine my moon."
Ariel giggled. "You're such a flatterer, auntie. I think I've got a few decades yet before that happens. And of course we have Grandpa Isamu and Grandma Miyuki!"
Nushi gulped as Isamu, a rugged, older gentleman who for some reason had decided to show up to the family reunion in a full suit of crimson armor, regarded her stoically. His wife, clad in white and looking fantastically well-preserved for her age and making it clear where Urara had got it from, rolled her eyes and elbowed him. "Don't worry about my husband, this is just his default expression. He's actually quite happy to meet you."
Isamu grunted and inclined his head very slightly.
"Oh, and we can't possibly leave out Great-to the somethingth power Grandma Splagel!" Ariel continued, waving at a gargantuan blue creature resembling a mermaid looming over the palace.
The mermaid waved back.
"And that should be everyone except for Arch Saint Magiel," Ariel concluded. "Oh, wait, there you are, Your Archness! Didn't see you there."
"That is because I did not wish for you to see me," Magiel, a giantess in white, said kindly. Nushi shivered. While she was much smaller than Splagel, something about her felt… Immense. Bigger than the palace, bigger than Bug-ohi even. There was a lot of power contained in that elderly form, and Nushi cringed as the mightiest of the Heavenly Saints turned her infinite gaze upon her…
And smiled. "Ah, so you are the one my dear successor won't stop raving about. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear child. You are everything she said you are and more."
Nushi blinked, startled. "You… You really think so?"
Magiel nodded. "I am. Dear Ariel has had quite a lot of partners over the years… So many partners…Really, an astonishing number of partners-"
"Your Archness, if you're trying to embarrass me, it's not working," Ariel spoke up. "I'm a pansexual polyromantic nymphomaniac and proud of it!"
"As well you should be," Hikaru assured his daughter.
"We fully support you, sis!" Smoky added, waving a magenta, yellow, and cyan flag.
"But none of them have made her as happy as you," Magiel assured the stunned Nushi. "I am so very glad that she has found someone who can fill her heart with so much joy. She is a very special girl, and deserves someone who can love her with the same passion and intensity that she brings into everything she does."
Nushi blushed at that. "Ariel makes me feel things nobody has ever made me feel before, and I… You really think I'm worthy of her? Even with-"
"Don't worry about that," Magiel said breezily. "We'll figure something out. These sorts of things rarely go the way anyone expects.
"And if my approval is not enough, then answer me one question: do you believe in magic?"
Nushi blinked in confusion. "… I just flew here, to literal heaven, in a magic train crewed by a sun god and a cat genie, am standing in front of a palace made of sunlight and water – two mediums which don't usually get used to build buildings – in the middle of an ocean that is defying the laws of gravity by its very existence, and am dating a literal sorceress who's basically a magical goddess herself. So… Yes?"
Magiel chuckled and shook her head. "That's not quite what I mean, child."
"Nushi, you are a scientist, yes?" Urara inquired, seeing Nushi's confusion.
"Well, yes, I consider myself one," Nushi agreed, unsure where this was going.
"When you see magic being performed before your eyes, what do you think of it?" Urara pressed. "Do you view it as some sort of trick? A scientific phenomenon yet to be understood? Something to be poked and prodded and dissected in a lab? Or as a force of nature that defies comprehension?"
Nushi considered this. "Magic and the supernatural has been empirically proven to exist, and only those who are either ignorant or desperately in denial – like a certain so-called 'scientist' who keeps killing her supposed best friend in a horrific attempt to understand how his mysterious resurrection process works – can say otherwise. Arthur C. Clarke said that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, but that the same is also true. Magic is an intrinsic part of the universe, as much a law of physics as time or gravity, and while I don't understand it, that doesn't mean I don't believe in it."
She turned to Ariel, grabbing her hand and smiling at her. "Ariel is capable of things I don't fully understand, and don't think I ever will, no matter how many times she tries to explain to me, or how many times I see her do it to her own eyes. That doesn't mean I love her any less for it. Magic is irrevocably intertwined with her very existence, so in loving her, I guess that means I love it as well."
"Awww, lovebug!" Ariel gushed, hugging her.
Miyuki nodded in approval. "And that, Nushi, is why we fully support the two of you together. You love and accept her for who she is, and understand that while magic operates on rules and principles that cannot be fully explained by science, that doesn't mean it's not there."
"Well, our understanding of how the universe works is changing all the time," Nushi pointed out, a little embarrassed. "Scientific theory and knowledge is constantly being updated, rewritten, and even thrown out when it's proven to be incorrect. Just because science can't explain magic now doesn't mean it can't one day. Maybe I'll be the one to figure it out. Maybe I won't. But, so long as Ariel continues to bring a little magic into my life… I don't need to understand it to know that she's one of the best things that ever happened to me."
Everyone d'awwed at that.
"How come you never say things like that to me anymore?" Eriko muttered to Makito out of the corner of her mouth.
"Not now," he muttered back.
"Love is a magic all its own," Sphinx observed sagely.
Magiel smiled and turned to Aranea, who performed an elegant bow. "Arch Saint Magiel. Thank you for allowing me to come here, to Magitopia. You rule a wonderful realm, and I can see why it is called the Heavenly Paradise."
"We take great pride in making it deserving of that title," Rin said proudly.
"Indeed. Although I think you may be the first magician from another planet to ever set foot here," Isamu observed.
"An oversight I perhaps should have corrected long ago," Magiel mused. "Although in my defense, most alien sorcerers have tried to conquer us. Ariel informed me that you were hoping we could help you with something?"
Aranea and nodded and produced the Heart of Hera. "I came to Earth in search of three magical artifacts that, when brought together, will rebuild the Loom of Fate and allow me to take my rightful place as ruler of the universe."
"Wait, you're trying to take over the universe?" An alarmed Kai blurted out, nearly waking up his children.
"It's my destiny. There are several prophecies about it," Aranea explained.
"Oh, all right then," Kai said, immediately relaxing.
Yuka stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously?"
He gave her a confused look. "What? She said there's a prophecy! We take prophecies very seriously up here."
"I am Mandora Man," Mandora Man agreed.
"Unfortunately," Aranea continued. "So far I've been unable to find any of the pieces of the Loom, and I've been here for several weeks now. This artifact is supposed to guide me to the Loom pieces, but so far it hasn't given me a single hint as to their location. I was hoping that, since this is the home of the most powerful magical beings in the world, I could find an answer as to where they are, or, at the very least, what is wrong with my Wayfinder."
Magiel extended a hand. "May I have a look?"
Aranea hesitated, but when Ariel gave her a nod, she reluctantly took off her necklace and put the jewel in the giantess's waiting hand.
Magiel raised her hand up to her face and examined the Heart of Hera carefully. She started murmuring words under her breath, words of ancient and unfathomable power as incredible magic began to swirl around her, magic greater even than Ariel's-
And then she frowned and handed the jewel back, an apologetic look on her face. "I am sorry, Princess, but the magic in this stone is beyond me. Not only is it alien, it is ancient even by my standards. I wouldn't even know where to begin to unravel the spells woven into this talisman. As far as I can tell, it is working properly, but not even I can be certain of that, and as to the locations of these three pieces of the Loom, I haven't the foggiest idea."
Aranea's face fell as she placed the necklace around her neck again. "I see. Thank you for trying. I apologize for wasting your time."
"Do not apologize, dear," Magiel gently chided her. "And don't give up just yet. Thickk?"
Without fanfare, a short, fat, blue skinned hobgoblin covered in spikes wearing a simple white tunic appeared at her side. "Yes, Your Archness?"
"Would you kindly search the library for any information regarding the Loom of Fate, and pieces thereof?" Magiel requested.
"At once, Your Archness!" The hobgoblin promised, saluting and vanishing just as quickly as he appeared.
"It will take some time for him to search our records and return with anything that might be of use," Magiel said, turning back to Aranea. "So in the meantime, feel free to relax and enjoy the reunion, Monke has prepared quite the spread for us."
"Yes!" Smoky whooped. "That guy does the best catering!"
"I am Mandora Man," Mandora Man agreed.
Philia coughed awkwardly and shuffled forward. "Um… Your Archness, Before we get to that…"
"Okay, Philia, don't mess up, you're only representing your entire civilization here, and it's not like screwing up will reflect badly on your people and your mom and ruin diplomatic relations between the Hive and Magitopia forever and make Ariel dump you as an apprentice and-"
"That's right, it won't," Ariel interrupted. "It doesn't matter if you make a mistake, nobody will hold it against you. Just do your best and it'll be fine, okay?"
Philia smiled at her mentor. "Okay."
With a flourish, Philia produced her wand – a varnished segmented rod made from one of her own antenna – and swished it through the air, chanting a spell in a high, singsong voice.
A red ladybug, blue ant, yellow mantis, green grasshopper, white butterfly, and golden bee made from solid light materialized around her in a burst of colored sparks and started flying through the air, leaving trails of light in their wake. The six insects danced through the air, their light trails weaving in and around each other in complex patterns, eventually forming the stylized M which was the emblem of Magitopia.
She chanted another spell, and this time a red Phoenix, yellow Garuda, blue mermaid, pink fairy, green Minotaur, and golden Genie materialized in a shower of sparks and started flying around as well, also leaving complex trails of light in their wake. Within moments, they constructed the elaborate honeycomb crest that represented the Hive.
With another few syllables and a twitch of her wand, the two emblems came together, combining to form a new sigil as multicolored fireworks exploded – very quietly, she didn't want to wake up the babies – around it. Everyone quietly applauded.
"So pretty!" Nai gushed.
"Pretty," Mea agreed.
She promptly bowed, spreading her wings, the magical symbols she'd painted on them flaring up again. [O Arch Saint Magiel, Ruler of the Heavenly Paradise and Mother of Good Magic, I humbly beseech you on behalf of my mother, Queen Apista XCIX, to lend us the aid of your great realm. My people are ancient and versed in the secrets of the universe, yet new to the ways of magic and eager to learn more, and it is our belief that a collaboration between our two peoples could enrich both our civilizations,] she said in flawless Magitopian, as before.
Isamu's eyes widened in surprise. "I haven't heard an outsider speak our language that well in a very long time."
"I know, right?" Hikaru agreed.
"You have taught her very well, Ariel!" Rin said in approval.
"But of course! As if I would pick anyone but the best to be my apprentice!" Ariel bragged, causing Philia to blush.
"Wow," Fuuka murmured, enamored. "She's really cool!"
"Yes!" Philia thought excitedly. "Stage one is complete!"
Apista groaned, wondering if it was too soon in the day to start drinking.
"I would be more than happy to speak with you and your mother about establishing diplomatic ties," Magiel replied, pleased by Philia's performance and speech. "Generally we choose not to meddle in the affairs of the world below except in times of great need, especially where magic is concerned… But perhaps it is time to change that, considering the current global threat. At the very least, we can help establish a proper magic school for young insects like yourself.
"But that can wait. I believe that some of us – especially Tsubasa – are growing rather hungry, and it is time we head inside for a well-deserved repast."
Tsubasa flushed. "Why did she have to single me out?" He grumbled.
As they all started to head inside, Urara approached Ariel and her guests. "Nushi, you simply must sit with us, we are all dying to hear more about Ariel's adventures on Earth!"
"Feel free to tell us about her more humiliating moments," Smoky teased. "We know there's stuff she isn't telling us!"
Ariel groaned. "Big bro!"
Nushi laughed, wondering why she'd ever been worried about meeting Ariel's family. The Ozus were amazing! "I'd be happy to! But only if you share pictures of when Ariel was a kid. I've seen her memories and know she was absolutely adorable!"
Urara laughed. "I'd love to!"
Ariel gasped in horror and dramatically pointed at her girlfriend. "TRAITOR!"
Everyone laughed…
Which turned out to be a mistake, because it woke up the jackals, who promptly started crying, and refused to stop until Nushi quite reasonably asked why they didn't just cast a sleep spell to knock them out.
Kai, Yuka, and Sphinx were very embarrassed and didn't say anything to her for several minutes after that.