Chapter Three: The Appearance and Unraveling of the Silver Mystery

As they were ascending, the four Magic Knights caught sight of four mechas coming their way.

"Incoming!" Yukito shouted, as the mechas accelerated to attack speed.

"Whoa! They're fast!" Hikaru yelped, as two mechas shot past her. It was when the mechas slowed down that Hikaru and the rest stared in shock at one of them.

"Eagle's FTO……………………" Hikaru muttered.

"It certainly isn't Eagle-kun piloting it, though." Yukito shouted, as a red mecha lashed out at him.

"Binding Wind!" Fuu shouted, as she tried to stop one of the mechas.

"Hey! Why are you attacking Cephiro?" Hikaru asked, hoping she could reach the pilot of the FTO. There was a snicker, before the response came.

"You should know, Magic Knight." A woman's voice replied, from the FTO.

"Definitely not Eagle-kun." Yukito muttered, before parrying a blow from a blue mecha.

"No, I am not Eagle. Eagle Vision is dead, no thanks to you, Magic Knights!" the woman said, as she charged at Hikaru, and Hikaru dodged.

"Moon Arrow!" Yukito shouted, sending his spell flying. Luckily for him, he scored a hit on the blue mecha.

"Damn you!" the blue mecha's pilot shouted, as it fired a barrage of lasers at Yukito.

"Moon Shield!" Yukito cried, blocking the attack with his barrier. Before the battle could intensify, a brilliant silver light illumined the space between the two groups.

"What the hell……………..?!" one of the mecha pilots asked.

"What's that light?" Umi asked, as something materialized from the light. To their shock, it was the Silver Mashin Clef had mentioned!

"The Silver Mashin………………." Fuu whispered, not believing what she was seeing.

"But whose side is it on?" Yukito asked, as he watched the new Mashin carefully. From within her cockpit, the Commander growled at the new Mashin, cursing it's existence.

"Take this!" the Commander screamed, as she fired some lasers at the Mashin. With a nonchalant move, the Mashin blocked the attack, then initiated its own attack, that of which blew the four mechas back a little bit.

"Damn you, Silver Mashin! Just you wait! I'll figure out a way to destroy you!" the Commander shouted, before she and her allies flew away. When the four mechas were out of sight, the Silver Mashin turned to the four Magic Knights.

"Who are you? Are you on our side?" Hikaru asked. The Silver Mashin said nothing in response, but it motioned for them to land in the clearing where the Magic Knights had left Sakura and Mokona.

"He wants to land. Maybe he'll talk to us there." Fuu said, as they all went down to the area the Mashin had motioned to.

Sakura sighed with relief when she saw the mechas leave, but was confused when she saw the Mashin returning to the clearing.

"Mokona-chan, weren't there four of those things when they left?" Sakura asked. Mokona nodded. They both watched as the five Mashin landed and the four accomplished Magic Knights descended from their Mashin. For a few moments, the Silver Mashin stood still, then silver light emanated from the gem on its chest. As they watched, a figure materialized before them. He was about the same height as Yukito, and wore silver armor. On his head, he wore an ornate circlet that had stones set in it that matched the one he'd just descended from. His face was downcast and the light further obscured its features from the Magic Knights.

"Sir, we're thankful for your help." Fuu said, when light had begun to fade.

"Yeah! Thank you! Without your help, that fight would have gotten ugly!" Hikaru said, her gratitude genuine.

"Think nothing of it, Legendary Magic Knights." The figure replied, in a vaguely familiar voice.

"Hey, do we know you? You seem familiar." Umi said. It was then that the figure raised his head and looked at them.

"I should hope that you remember me, because I certainly remember you." The young man said, with a smile.

"It can't be………………" Fuu muttered, when it registered to her who this fellow was.

"Eagle……………….." Hikaru whispered, as tears came to her eyes.

"Eagle-kun……………" Yukito trailed off, when Hikaru rushed over and hugged the once lost warrior.

"Eagle……….I can't believe it! You're alive! Alive!" Hikaru sobbed, as she buried her face into Eagle's silver robes.

"Yes, I am alive, Hikaru, though I don't know how I could be, though." Eagle said, gently.

"We certainly don't know either, Eagle! How did you manage to get out of that machine of yours and into a Mashin?" Umi asked. Eagle shrugged.

"I don't know. The last thing I can remember is Debonair blasting me, this blinding silver light, and a huge eagle." Eagle replied, quietly, as Hikaru looked up at him.

"An eagle?" Yukito asked.

"Wait a minute! Did this eagle tell you its name?" Umi asked. Eagle nodded.

"His name is Vision." Eagle replied, as he looked over his shoulder at the silver Mashin.

"Vision………………..makes since, since that is your last name." Umi said. Eagle chuckled.

"It does, doesn't it? Maybe it is more than fate that I was snatched from my FTO before it exploded and brought before a Mashin." Eagle said, good-naturedly.

"Hey! Are you the person flying in that silver thingee?" Sakura asked, suddenly coming into the conversation.

"Why yes, I am. And who might you be?" Eagle asked, as he turned to look at Sakura.

"I am Sakura Kinomoto! Pleased to meet you!" Sakura chirped, enthusiastically.

"Very pleased to meet you too, Sakura!" Eagle said, with his usual smile.

"PUPUPU!" Mokona shouted, as it came from nowhere and landed on Eagle's head. There was a moment of shocked silence, then laughter erupted from the four experienced Magic Knights and the soon-to-be Magic Knight, as Eagle took the smiling creature from on top of his head and gave it a befuddled look.

"And what might you be?" Eagle asked, as he looked at Mokona.

"PU!" Mokona replied, then promptly wriggled free of Eagle's grasp.

"I think Mokona likes you, Eagle." Hikaru said, with a smile.

"I certainly hope so!" Eagle said, getting even more laughter from the Magic Knights and another 'PU!' from Mokona.

"Eagle, would you like to travel with us? We're heading to Eterna to get Sakura some Escudo." Umi said. Eagle nodded.

"I don't exactly know what you are talking about, Magic Knight, but I would be happy to travel with you and see Cephiro as it looked when you first traveled here." Eagle replied.

"Then let's go! There's no time to lose!" Hikaru said, as she and Mokona started on their way. They all agreed and started on their way again, leaving the clearing just as the five Mashin disappeared to go back into their dimension.