Epilogue:  The Return Home

-June 24th, 2000-

Celia smiled as she watched the two girls that had become part of the family check their bags.  The two were again dressed in their old uniforms, plaid skirts ironed and white blouses buttoned up under their sweaters.  In the hallway, everyone stood around nervously, unsure of how to proceed with the farewell. 

The Ronin and Mystical Warriors were definitely going to miss the Oracle twins.  Already, there were some unhappy faces among the crowd.  Ryo and Serena watched their cousins with regret as the two girls finished packing their backpacks with all of the things they had brought from their world.

Serena stepped forward a little.  "Are you two certain you can't stay?  There will always be a place for part of our family here."  The rest of the group nodded, not wanting them to go, no matter how much they all wanted them to leave at times.

Margot smiled.  "I wish we could stay, but we have to go back.  We miss our families and friends there too.  Although it is nice to know we will always have a place here, we have a place there too.  We have to go back."

Julie grinned, teasing the group.  "Besides, we better give you some time to be on your own.  If we don't give you a little breather, you people might get sick of us.  Now that would be bad.  Besides, we only come in doses, albeit large ones."

Serena nodded, expressing the sentiment of understanding that everyone was feeling.  "We're going to miss you two.  The house won't be the same without you two creating havoc and making noise and playing your music at six o'clock in the morning.  It might even be quiet around here for a change."  Serena smiled as she realized something.  Teasingly, she said, "Well, now that I mention it, maybe not having you around will be nice."  Serena spotted the two falling faces and rushed to say, "Just kidding."  The twins smiled with tears in their eyes and ran to hug Serena. 

"Don't worry," Margot said, "we'll be back before you know it.  We can't stay away for too long."

Julie grinned.  "Besides, there's only so long I can last in this stupid school uniform.  I'll be back.  Don't you worry."

For odd reasons, at a large gathering, when one or more people hug, it turns into a big hugfest.  That was precisely what occurred. Everyone joked and laughed and cried and hugged the two departing girls.  Margot and Julie had just extracted themselves when they realized that they had forgotten something. Reaching into their backpacks, they pulled out six little gift-wrapped items, smiling as they did.  Each one went to one of the guys.  Ryo looked puzzled at the package in front of him. 

"What are these for?"  The two smiled. 

"Open them and you'll see," the twins said.  The six unwrapped their gifts to find small communicator watches in various colors lying on their hands.  Each was emblazoned with each warrior's symbol.  Ryo's was red, Rowen's blue and Darien's was black, but the rest stared at theirs in puzzlement.

"This isn't my color," Sage said, crinkling his nose in confusion as he looked at his red communicator.  Kento likewise studied the green one he had been given, turning it every which way, while Cye admired the orange of his.

"Oh, we know," Margot said, "because they aren't in your colors.  They're in the girls' colors."

"After all," Julie said, "you guys should match your girlfriends."  The rest of the group laughed and Kento playfully shook his fist at the two.  Finally, they pulled a pearly white one out and handed it to Mia also.  She smiled and thanked them.

Celia smiled at the two girls as she stepped in front of the rest of the group.  "Are you really ready to go back now?"  The two looked at each other and nodded.  Without a warning, Celia transformed, her deep olive green armor appearing in an instant.

"Okay.  I'm sending you right back to when you left, or as close as I can.  You two have the power to come back whenever you want and I'll be watching you, so please try to stay out of trouble!"  Celia smiled and blinked back a tear.  "I'm going to miss you two little trouble makers.  There won't be anyone here to keep me on my toes."  Margot sniffed, blinking to keep the tears from falling. 

"Enough.  I'm going to start crying and then we'll all start bawling and that will be the end of the nice neat goodbye," Margot said, her voice quivering with tears.

                Julie gave a watery grin.  "Yeah.  We gotta get going guys.  We'll be back.  Don't worry!"  Celia lifted her staff and a minute later there was an unsettling feeling as the world filled with white light and the two girls found themselves flying through time and dimensions.

Back in the school building, Margot and Julie blinked and rubbed their eyes, dropping their stuff to the ground in amazement, not really believing that they had returned.  Yes, they realized, they really were back in the high school academic hall next to the bathroom and the mail boxes. 

They were still staring in shock when Kateri emerged from the bathroom.

"Good, you guys waited for me.  Are we all set to go?"  Kateri smiled her sunny little smile and picked up her bags from where the two had dropped them months – or was it minutes? – before.  She frowned suddenly, noticing something off about the two. 

"Are you guys ok?" Kateri asked.  The two nodded.  Then, Kateri noticed something else.  "Margot, when did you put your hair up like that and why is it longer than it was a few minutes ago?"  The two shook their heads, clearing their minds of the past nine months. 

"Never mind Kateri.  It's too long of a story and my mom is waiting," Margot said.  Kateri just smiled in puzzlement and the three walked down the hall.  Suddenly Julie stopped as she realized something. 

"Oh no!  This means I have to repeat all of my junior year again here!  Not fair!  I have to do all the homework over!" Julie wailed as Margot giggled at her and Kateri stared.


Gahhh, I am so sorry everyone.  I really did mean to update faster, but life got in the way.  So, the end of book three draws to a close.  Next book should be interesting – new warriors and allies, a new enemy who will prove one of the most difficult, and some new steps in the relationships between couples and between all the Universal Warriors as they find their friendships and ties stretched to the limit.  Look for Book 4: The Test of Love and Friendship to be up sometime next week!  Please review!  : )  ~Des