Chapter 13: Turn Around
Hikaru was enjoying her time at Ascot's exquisite manor, but she was beginning to feel restless. She had regained most of her abilities in sword fighting that she had lost during her time back in Tokyo, and she was feeling like it was time to move on. She knew Ascot wouldn't like it so one night she packed up her stuff, and prepared to leave without saying goodbye. What was the point? She would be back, of that she was certain.
She crept silently down the steps from her room in the loft above the living room.
"The thing I hate the most is not getting to say 'farewell,'" said Ascot in a sullen tone from behind a high-backed chair as she moved towards the door. Hikaru was taken by surprise, "Ascot, I didn't see you there."
"That was the idea," he said turning around to face her. Ascot had such long brown hair that his eyes were generally invisible, but now she could see them drilling in to her like knives. "I never got to say goodbye to Umi before you left from Cephiro. I know she loves Clef, and I'm ok with that, but I want to see her. I must. Hikaru, I am coming with you. I don't know what's come between you and the other Magic Knights but I know you will see each other again and I have to talk to her again… I still love her."
"Oh Ascot, I would be glad to have you along, but…" Hikaru wasn't able to finish her thought because she was suddenly interrupted by a loud chirping coming from one of the doors. Ascot jumped down and opened the door, revealing a small blue humming bird with a long orange beak. It chirped and fluttered around for a while before landing on a table and tossing something at them from off its leg.
"What is that?" Ascot asked as Hikaru picked up the mysterious item.
"It appears to be a tiny bit of parchment. Haha, I sound like Fuu," for a moment Hikaru forgot all about her feud with Fuu and she had remembered all the good times they had had together, but quickly silenced herself. "It says, 'A new breakthrough had been made in the war against the monsters that have taken over Cephiro. You are invited to a meeting at the grand castle to discuss actions to be taken in the near future. Please attend, Fuu and Presea.' Fuu and Presea agreeing on something. That's new! Maybe things are turning around for them," Hikaru conjectured.
"Well it looks like we know where we are headed now," Ascot said cheerfully. He secretly knew and relished the thought that Umi would definitely be in attendance at this meeting. "Before we leave, I have a gift for you Hikaru. For staying with me these last couple of weeks."
"Ascot, you shouldn't have. I should be the one giving a gift since you have shown me your hospitality."
"You were the first human companionship I have had since the…Well anyway, here it is." Ascot turned back from the chair he had been sitting in earlier holding a great double edged ax with a red wood handle and the depiction of a dragon carved at the bottom.
Hikaru's eyes widened, "That is awesome," she managed before snatching it from him and trying it out in the air.
"Well then, lets go," and with that Ascot ran outside and summoned two of his friends, the giant haw/golden eagle beast and a black horse with white flames emitting from it mane and hooves. Hikaru hopped onto the horse and it galloped off into the sky.
She yelled back to her seemingly ant-size comrade on the ground, "…and you'll ride Hawkeye over there?" She felt witty with her pet name for him.
"You think too low of me, my friend," Ascot yelled up at her before jumping up and flying through the air, himself. "I am not just a Summoner!"
"Woohoo!" Hikaru yelled as the four of them sped off through the night air.