"What? A slumber party? And you did not wake me?" Gabriolis grumbled when he woke up and scrambled out from under his sister's wing.
"What happened here?" he asked in rising alarm, spying the Mon Colle Knights under Spectra's protective wing too. He couldn't rouse Spectra or either Mondo or Rachna, though all three appeared to simply sleep. Doppelfanger crept out from under the wing and whimpered as he approached.
"What happened, Doppelfanger? They appear to just be sleeping..." Gabriolis observed, petting the dog. "I will watch and guard them until they wake, then. Though nothing ever comes to this place except for you, my friend."
Doppelfanger rested at his feet while Gabriolis kept watch.
A short time later, Spectra's wing quivered and withdrew. Gabriolis reached an arm down to help her up.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Oh, Gabriolis! Are you...okay?"
"Oh. I'm not going to weaken into tears again. But...thank you," Gabriolis replied. Spectra smiled at him.
"Why are they here? What happened that the Mon Colle Knights would come here? Did I miss something?"
Spectra thought that Gabriolis had missed a great deal, her meeting with Lark and powering Lark to go to Earth, but thought it best to not mention that to her brother just yet, "Oh, I inadvertently summoned them. You know how sensitive they are to angels! When they got here, they became very tired, I did too, and we fell asleep. Nothing more alarming than that!" Spectra glanced at the sword clasped in Gabriolis' hand.
"Oh! Very well then. But..." Gabriolis sheathed his sword, leaned over and picked Rachna up, "Perhaps the ground is too rocky for them to sleep on?"
"You are right," Spectra rubbed her shoulder. "It is hard!" she reached down herself and picked up Mondo. "Sleeping in angels' arms should be more comfortable!"
"For Mondo anyway," Gabriolis muttered under his breath. Almost on cue, Rachna stirred in his arms. Her green eyes opened, a smile started on her face and then she focused her eyes.
"Eeep!" she screamed a tiny scream. "Oh, it's you, Gabriolis! That gave me a fright!" she said.
"Oh!" she clasped her hands to her mouth. "I didn't mean...that is...uhm...I'm used to my dad or Lovestar waking me up!"
"Oh? My face is more scary than you dad's?" Gabriolis made light of her unintended insult.
"Well, it is certainly more impressive!" Rachna replied. "I don't think I'd find it scary to wake up in your arms again...if it should happen a second time!" she promised.
"We'll see, Mon Colle Knight!" Gabriolis swung her feet around to set her on the ground. She squeezed his arm briefly as an apology before letting go. Rachna walked over to where Mondo was still sleeping peacefully in Spectra's arms and grabbed his ear.
"C'mon, sleepyhead! It's time to go!" she shouted in an energetic voice.
"Wha...?! Rachna! Just give me five more minutes..."
"No! We have to go back home! We've studying and schoolwork and I have to make that casserole tonight!"
"Oh! You'll remember to put extra tuna and chocolate sauce on it this time, right?"
"And the special ingredient!"
Spectra and Gabriolis watched as they bantered and walked down a little ways to the Utopian Eagle. A moment later, Mondo rolled the wings overhead as the portal formed and the ship returned to Earth.
"I should go," Spectra said. "I've been away from my duties long enough. Do you want to return to the Upper Kingdom with me, Gabriolis?"
"No," Gabriolis reached down to pet the faithful Doppelfanger again, "I should try to find Lucca. He can't come to the Upper Kingdom at all. And I do want a few minutes to be by myself...no offense, Spectra!"
Spectra smiled, knowing all her brother had to endure, "None taken. Just remember..."
"Eh?" Gabriolis turned to look up into his sister's face.
"Just remember...you have an angel watching over you!" Spectra sprang up into the air and flew up out of sight.
"An angel who is a little sister," Gabriolis agreed under his breath.
********
"Dad! Dad!"
"Rachna! I just had the most interesting...well I guess you could call it a dream..."
"It was Lark, wasn't it? We know all about it! What can we do to help?"
"Oh! I was thinking that it would be great to make Gabriolis a scientist, just like me, but Lark pointed out that Gabriolis simply doesn't have the knowledge for such a life..."
"Dad!" Rachna protested.
"So what did you plan for him, Professor?" Mondo asked.
"He's going to be a teacher of Mon World studies at your school and live in this town. I've already found a house for him and started to set up an identity. I was thinking of calling him 'Hiiragi Genius', but Lark suggested leaving him with his own name. Of course, he still needs a last name..."
"How about...'Knight'?" Mondo suggested. "After all, that's pretty much what he's been since becoming good again."
"Mondo! That's a great last name! I think he'll like it!"
"What's to like? He won't know about it. He'll think his last name has always been Knight!" Mondo retorted.
"When he recovers his memory and returns to Mon World I mean!" Rachna clarified.
"Oh...well, he might never recover his memory and return," Hiiragi told them.
"What?!"
"Never recover..." Rachna covered her mouth in horror.
"That's why I have to make as complete a background as possible for him. Lark explained it to me. The only way Gabriolis will recall who he is or any of his life on Mon World is if it no longer causes him heartache. He might be so happy here he wouldn't want to remember."
"Oh..." Mondo thought about it. Never see Gabriolis charge across the sky, faster even than the Utopian Eagle's sky sled? Never merge with Gabriolis again to make the Justice Sword and Red Magic Battle Spell? Never see those dark wings, red eyes or noble expression, never hear that deep yet concerned voice that teased so gently now... Mondo found a tear slipping from his eyes.
"Oh...Mondo..." Rachna's eyes showed the same almost-horror that Mondo felt.
"But he would have a place...and he would have peace...wouldn't it be selfish of us to take that away from him?"
"But do we really have the right to make this kind of decision for him?" Rachna countered.
"It's not as if we could ask him what he wants. If we do that, it won't work," Hiiragi pointed out.
"Let's ask Spectra Angel. She is his sister after all," Rachna suggested.
"And it was Lark, his best friend, who came up with this idea. Let's not forget that!" Mondo agreed.
----------------------
Reviews, comments and constructive criticisms are always welcome! Please feel free to email me also if you see something awkward that needs to be clarified or fixed. I need all the help I can get!
stargarde@stargarde.com