Chapter Three: The Adventure Begins!
Far away, the dark armored figure from before walked quietly from the mirror and into a room where a waterfall cascaded down from the caverns above. On the manmade island in the center sat an elfin figure; his silver hair flowing freely over his pale neck and down his cream-robed shoulders and back.
"So, what did the mirror reveal, Zagato-sama?" the elf asked, curiously.
"Yes, Zagato-sama, what did it reveal?" a feminine voice asked, from behind the waterfall.
"The Legendary Knights have been summoned to Cephiro." 'Zagato' informed, with a cold smile.
"Oh, that won't do………" another, different female voice murmured.
"Princess Emeraude's powers are stronger than we thought, if even in prison she can still work to restore peace and order to her kingdom." The first female voice said, sounding grudgingly impressed by the feat.
"Is the legend correct? Are there six?" a boy's voice asked, this time.
"If they succeed and become Magic Knights, then they will revive the Mashin!" the second female voice shouted. Zagato sneered.
"Surely you're joking. Emeraude's chosen ones are merely children. They cannot revive the Mashin." Zagato said, confidently, but then his expression sobered.
"Still, Madoushi Clef has already met them." Zagato growled, a little annoyed by this development.
"The Madoushi? How annoying!" the boy's voice muttered.
"This is very bad." The elf added, sounding a little disgruntled by the news.
"Alcione." Zagato murmured.
"Yes sir?" the first female voice replied.
"Make this problem go away, won't you?" Zagato asked, with a cruel smile. Seconds later the waterfall parted to reveal a beautiful, yet very scantily clad, sorceress. She smiled as she faced her dark master.
"Your wish is my command." Alcione replied, as she stood tall before him, then abruptly left the waterfall room, leaving not a trace of herself behind.
"Back at Tokyo Tower, there was a voice……..I heard it just before we were swept away." Hikaru stated, seriously.
"I heard it as well." Subaru murmured, thoughtfully.
"So did I." Kamui agreed, as Yukito nodded his agreement.
"Me too! It was like a whisper. Help save our world……" Fuu started.
"Legendary…….." Umi continued.
"Magic Knights!" Hikaru finished. The mage nodded silently, his eyes affirming that what they'd heard had not been their imaginations.
"Ever since Princess Emeraude, the Pillar of Cephiro, was imprisoned, peace and order have disappeared from her kingdom. Before, everyone lived happily. People, spirits, and all creatures lived as one. But when they took Princess Emeraude away, a nightmare of war and chaos took over the land." The mage explained, seemingly unaware that a monster was coming up behind him.
"Look out!" the six teens shouted, in alarm. They were astonished by what happened next.
"Lightning Flash!" the mage cried, calling the lightning down and incinerating the monster effortlessly.
"Wow." Hikaru muttered, impressed.
"I'll say……." Kamui agreed, wholeheartedly.
"The light split the monster in two." Umi said, quietly, subdued by the show of power.
"We never had monsters in Cephiro before. We're in the Forest of Elel. It breaks my heart to know that monsters now roam freely in these sacred woods. We should hurry, before more come." The mage said, his heart truly in his words when he said that.
"When the princess disappeared, why did it do so much damage to Cephiro?" Yukito asked, curious and wanting to know more. The mage again looked gravely at them.
"It's not a metaphor. Princess Emeraude really is the pillar of our world." The mage replied, somberly.
"Pillar?" Hikaru asked, confusedly. The mage nodded.
"Princess Emeraude's prayers were the things that brought harmony to this land." The mage stated, quietly.
"Her prayers?" Umi and Subaru asked, at the same time.
"Yes. In Cephiro, everything is controlled by one's will. In this world, belief is power." The mage said, as the information began to sink in.
"Belief is power here? How could that be?" Kamui asked, the skepticism quite gone from his voice.
"Princess Emeraude's belief was the source of our unity. She alone protected her people from fear and strife. Until…………." The mage trailed off.
"Someone abducted the princess." Yukito murmured, as the apparent reason for their summoning started to become clear.
"Who? Who would do such a thing?!" Hikaru asked, the demand to know very evident in her voice.
"It was Sol Zagato." The mage responded, grimly.
"Zagato?" Kamui asked, speaking for all in the group when he said that.
"Zagato kidnapped the princess and hid her far away." The mage said, in response.
"Can't you find her? Use your powers!" Hikaru ordered. The mage slowly lowered his head.
"Zagato's power is great, second only to the princess'. And……….." the mage trailed off again, as great sorrow filled his wise blue eyes.
"What? And what?" Kamui asked, a little impatiently. The mage abruptly put his back to them and took a deep breath.
"He's hiding something." Subaru thought, as the mage quickly denied having anything else to add to that thought.
"Oh, I see………the only way we can leave…….!" Fuu started, finally getting the underlying thought.
"It's like I told you, everything here is controlled by one's will. The princess is the one who brought you here. She saw that you six were the Legendary Magic Knights from prophecy. If you fulfill your destiny and save Cephiro, her rule will be restored. Only then can you go home." The mage explained, pleased now that he had the teens' complete and undivided attention.
"This is crazy." Umi muttered, at last.
"Got that right." Kamui agreed.
"It's like a video game." Fuu murmured, matter-of-factly. Hikaru was another story.
"We can save the princess! We will become the Magic Knights!" Hikaru said, with determination in her voice and eyes.
"But why us?" Yukito asked, confused as to why the six of them had even been chosen.
"Yeah! Who are we? Why not some big Cephiro dude or something?" Umi added.
"Yukito-kun and Umi-san have a point. Why don't your people fight back?" Subaru asked, his blue eyes alight with concern.
"If you all love this princess so much, why didn't anyone do anything?!" Hikaru shouted, a bit angrily.
"Did ya'll even try to rescue her?!" Kamui added, his usual fiery personality once again coming to the fore. The mage quickly recovered from being shouted at and nodded sadly.
"Many sorcerers, warriors, and knights have fought Zagato to save her. But, so far, they have all lost." The mage gravely replied.
"H-he's that strong, eh?" Umi stammered, shaken by this fact.
"More are fighting as we speak…….but the citizens of Cephiro will never win." The mage added, as all of the color drained from the teens' faces.
"Why not?" Yukito asked, point blank.
"Yeah, what's stopping them?" Hikaru also asked.
"Only the Legendary Magic Knights can win, and they cannot be of this world." The mage replied.
"How come?" Kamui in turn asked.
"To become a Legendary Magic Knight, one must revive the Mashin." The mage said, simply.
"Mashin?" Subaru asked, his interest piqued. Any kind of spirit was within Subaru's realm of interest!
"But first thing's first………we're going to have to do something about those outfits." The mage said, with a slight grin, as he eyed what he viewed to be silly and impractical clothing for Magic Knights.
"Oro?" Kamui muttered, deadpanning as he did so.
"Our outfits?" the rest asked, confusedly, as the mage kneeled down, reached out, and gingerly grasped the hem of Hikaru's skirt. Seconds later, three outraged young men (namely Yukito, Kamui, and Subaru, and in that order) tackled the mage, and Umi wasn't too far behind them.
"Try that again and we'll be sure to put you in a body cast, you perv!" Kamui snarled, as Subaru and Yukito made similar threats of bodily harm.
"Yeah! What're you doing, you pervert?!?!" Umi screeched.
"I am not a pervert!" the mage retaliated, somehow wriggling free of the young men's grasp and getting right in Umi's face.
"Then what were you doing?" Yukito growled, his anger cooling just slightly.
"I was just checking your armor. You can't fight in those flimsy clothes!" the mage stated, then raised his staff into the air. No sooner had he done that, a brilliant light emanated from the staff and surrounded the startled teenagers. As it whirled around them, it formed something overtop their school uniforms, and when it had gone, all six of them now wore armor.
"Yeah!" Hikaru chirped, thrilled beyond belief.
"I'm impressed!" Kamui muttered, honestly.
"What the…..!" Umi trailed off, surprised to say the least.
"Now this is an interesting development!" Yukito said, as he looked himself over.
"Couldn't agree with you more, Yukito-kun!" Subaru agreed, shakily.
"This just gets more and more like a video game!" Fuu muttered, not believing what she was seeing.
"Do you know magic?" the mage asked, when the six teens had gotten the chance to catch their breaths.
"Magic?" All six asked, confusedly.
"What do you think, bishonen? If we were all magic and everything, we'd just zap ourselves outta here!" Umi said, impatiently.
"I have an uncle who taught me a card trick." Fuu added, helpfully. The mage sighed in exasperation.
"No, I'm talking spells! Potions!" the mage muttered, voicing his exasperation.
"Dude, we're in junior high!" Umi shouted, as she motioned to herself, Hikaru and Fuu.
"And we're in high school. We're not magicians." Subaru stated, coolly.
"I see. Well, I'll have to give each of you one specialty." The mage stated, then again raised his staff and shouted, "Magic Gift!" As before, the six teens were surrounded by magic, but, unlike before, six different elements now surrounded them. Hikaru was surrounded by flames, Umi by water, Fuu by the wind, Yukito by moonlight, Kamui by stardust, and Subaru by spirits of every kind.
"Magic chooses its user………." The mage muttered; it was his turn to be surprised.
"Nani?" Subaru asked, his voice softer than before.
"Each kind has chosen you. In Cephiro, magic is mainly controlled by the heart. Depending on the strength of the user's will, it can be very powerful, or very weak. You six have now been chosen by six kinds of magic." The mage said, calmly.
"Really…….?" Hikaru murmured, awed by the thought. The mage nodded. He could see the light that was now being given off by the six teenagers, and could tell that the princess had not been wrong in her decision.
"That light…….It's brightness…….I think you six really can become the Magic Knights." The mage mused, then flinched when Umi started going off about witches and turning boys into toads.
"Ne, Umi, does that include us?" Kamui asked, as he ducked behind the mage, and looked warily at Umi.
"That depends!" Umi replied, before the mage's staff met the top of her head.
"You fool! You only use magic when it's absolutely necessary! If you try to use it frivolously, the spell will boomerang right back at you!" the mage shouted, a bit angrily.
"Then can you teach us how to use our magic properly? I mean, you were kind enough to give it to us……we should know how to do it right. Just like with medicine, it's good to read the instructions before putting it to use." Fuu said, brightly, cheerfully ignoring Umi when she muttered something about magic being stronger than aspirin. Then the mage turned and looked directly at Hikaru and Subaru.
"What're your names?" the mage asked, curiously.
"I'm Hikaru." Hikaru answered.
"And I am Subaru." Subaru also replied.
"Hee-ka-roo? Soo-ba-roo?" the mage sounded out.
"That's right! Hikaru and Subaru." Hikaru encouraged, before Fuu, Umi and Kamui rudely butted in.
"Hey, bishonen! I'm Umi!" Umi shouted.
"And my name's Fuu!" Fuu added.
"And mine's Kamui!" Kamui snapped, impatiently.
"Okay, okay! Back off whydoncha?" the mage retaliated, then glanced at Yukito, who stood a safe distance away.
"And you, young man, what is your name?" the mage again asked.
"My name is Yukito, sir." Yukito replied, politely, his friendly smile having returned since he couldn't stay angry for long. With a nod, the mage returned his attention to Subaru and Hikaru. Without even saying a word, he motioned for the two to kneel before him, close their eyes, and wait. Then he pointed at both of them and initiated their first magic lesson.
"Can you feel it inside? You have powers……..You're both different now." The mage intoned.
"Yes……….I feel it…….." Subaru murmured, softly.
"Something warm deep inside of me……….I can almost express it in words." Hikaru added, her voice equally as soft.
"That's your magic." The mage said, addressing both of them when he said that. Then, before any of them could react, birds of almost every shape and size took flight, their voices shrill with alarm.
"I don't like the sound of this………." Yukito thought, as a sinking feeling started to settle in his gut. The feeling was shared by the others as well, as one bird flew into their clearing and landed on the mage's shoulder, squeaking urgently as it went. The mage's expression immediately changed to one of alarm.
"What?! No! One of Zagato's disciples?!?" the mage yelped.
"Zagato?!" the six teens also cried.
"The Zagato?!" Umi asked.
"That's the guy who kidnapped Princess Emeraude!" Kamui and Hikaru shouted, at almost the same time.
"That means he's the boss villain!" Fuu added, almost getting a face-fault from the rest of the group for that comment.
"That's kind of obvious, Fuu-san!" Yukito shouted. As the wind started picking up and the sky turned dark.
"Hey, bishonen! Hurry up and teach me magic too!" Umi cried, urgently.
"And me too!" Kamui added, as lightning began to dance across the sky.
"It's too late." The mage whispered.
"NANI?!" four of the teens yelped, in alarm, as Hikaru and Subaru gazed resolutely at the stormy sky.
"Spirit Beast Summon!" the mage shouted, this time bringing forth a huge griffin from his staff.
"Well, that's a big change from the flying fish." Yukito murmured, once again impressed by the mage's power.
"Fyula's way too slow…….." the mage replied, before the forest behind them was struck by a huge bolt of lightning.
"Hurry! All of you climb on!" the mage shouted, urgently, as he motioned to the griffin with his staff.
"But what about you?!" Hikaru asked, shouting amidst the thunder and wind.
"I'll stay here." The mage said, bravely.
"No way!" Hikaru cried.
"You're insane!" Kamui added, alarmed that the mage wasn't going with them. The mage shook his head.
"I'm fine! Just get out of here!" the mage again shouted, courageously, as the griffin began to flap its wings and get aloft.
"Wait! At least tell us your name!" Hikaru shouted. The mage paused for a moment, then smiled up at the six anxious faces.
"It's Clef. Madoushi Clef. I've sworn to protect you, guide you, and help you become the Magic Knights. I promised Princess Emeraude." The mage replied, calmly.
"Clef! Let me stay! I can help you!" Hikaru cried, as she tried to jump off of the griffin's back to rejoin Clef on the ground, but Umi and Yukito wouldn't let her.
"No, you must go! You must remain safe!" Clef replied, determinedly.
"Clef!" Hikaru shouted, this time in despair, as the griffin started flying away.
"Go west. Go to the Forest of Silence. Find Presea. She'll give you weapons……and Mokona!" Clef called after them.
"Clef!!!" Hikaru cried, as the figure of the mage gradually became a tiny speck in the distance.
Meanwhile, where Clef stood, the disciple of Sol Zagato had just arrived.
"My, Madoushi Clef, long time, no see." A woman's voice purred, seductively. Clef in turn gave the woman a look of scorn.
"Not long enough. You're a disgrace. After everything I taught you, how can you work for Zagato, Alcione?" Clef asked, angrily. Alcione smiled placatingly at the mage.
"Oh, Madoushi, don't fret. You showed me the way to such powerful magic like this trick here." Alcione said, then shouted, "Ice Attack!" Clef barely had enough time to put up a barrier before thousands of ice knives sliced their way through the air towards him. He grimaced when one passed through his left shoulder, and another imbedded itself in his side.
"You forget, teacher, that I know all your moves and how predictable you are." Alcione taunted, sneering when she saw blood beginning to stain Clef's pure white robes.
"Traitor! I taught you magic so you could protect Princess Emeraude…….not so you could tear her kingdom apart!" Clef said, from between gritted teeth, as he struggled to ignore the pain from his wounds and face his former pupil.
"Always by the book. You need to lighten up, Madoushi. Seriously." Alcione mused, then added, "Now, get out of my way! If you don't………"
"You'll do what?" Clef asked, challengingly.
"Spirit Beast Summon!" Alcione cried, as a two-headed, giant wolf bounded out of thin air and stood snarling before the wounded mage.
"You know my limits. I'm no match fighting you one-on-one. But I have a mission. I must dispose of those fledgling Magic Knights. So my two-headed cutie will have to take care of you for me, letting me get on with the real deal, wiping those children off the face of Cephiro!" Alcione cackled, as she flew off, leaving Clef to face the beast alone.
"Wait! Alcione!!" Clef shouted, leaping aside when the beast swiped at him with a clawed paw.
"So long old teacher! Mind the dog!" Alcione crowed, before disappearing into the distance. As he desperately fought off the spirit beast, Clef thought about the six teenagers and the trials that were to come.
"Only as the Magic Knights can you fight your true enemy……..Children of another world! Your path is difficult, but you must save Cephiro!" Clef thought, as he called upon the lightning once again and destroyed the beast, revealing a trap that Zagato had set beforehand within the beast itself. No sooner had the lightning destroyed the monster left by Alcione, it triggered a tremendous explosion that obliterated the cliff and sent Clef flying.
"Please…………Legendary Magic Knights…………survive and save our world………please………." Clef whispered, as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and he closed his eyes, expecting death to come quickly.
When Clef next opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a makeshift bed. Across from him, he could see his robes; bloodstained and otherwise ruined.
"I'm glad to see that you're awake, Clef. I didn't think you were going to live, judging from how severe your wounds were and how much magic if took just to get them to stop bleeding." A relieved-sounding male voice said, from close by.
"Clow? Clow Reed, is that you?" Clef asked, very relieved to hear a friendly voice.
"Yes. It's good to see you again, my friend, despite the circumstances." The dark-haired, lavender-eyed mage said, as he came and sat down beside Clef's bed, removing the torn and bloodied robes from the chair while he was at it.
"And it is good to see that you haven't turned to Zagato's side…….Yet I wonder how the Magic Knights are doing." Clef murmured, thoughtfully.
"You'd be proud, Clef. Two of your newest pupils have already used their magic already. They caught on quick." Clow said, with a smile.
"Subaru and Hikaru………" Clef whispered, his eyes going distant as he imagined the scene………..
Earlier and elsewhere…..
Six teenagers yelp as spears of ice sail past, holding on to the griffin for dear life as it swerves to avoid another onslaught.
"It seems safe to say……..that this is definitely a bad guy." Fuu stated, shakily.
"No duh, Sherlock! What gave ya the first clue?!" Kamui snapped, as he tried throwing an ice spear back, javelin style, but ended up having to duck to avoid being hit when it came flying back.
"What about Clef? He didn't lose the fight, did he?" Umi asked.
"We have to go back and find him!" Hikaru shouted, succeeding in getting looks of alarm from the rest of the group.
"Are you nuts?! You won't last ten seconds against that witchy woman!" Kamui yelped.
"Kamui-kun's right, Hikaru-san! While you and Subaru-kun may know some magic, it probably won't be enough to drive that woman off! She's more than likely toying with us!" Yukito cried, desperately.
"It may not be too late to help him, Kamui-chan, Yukito-chan! It doesn't matter how strong the woman is, I can't just sit here and let Clef die! We've got to go back!" Hikaru argued. It was Fuu's and Subaru's voices that made everyone pause.
"We must go on, Hikaru-san." Subaru murmured, his voice ever calm and patient. Hikaru stared at him in disbelief.
"It's what Madoushi Clef wanted. We have to go forward if we want to save Cephiro." Fuu added, softly.
"The Madoushi made sure we could escape. He summoned this creature so we could go on with our quest and rescue the princess, not so we could stay with him." Yukito said, gently, yet firmly.
"So, if you really care about him at all, we have to keep moving." Fuu intoned, with grave determination in her young voice.
"Regardless of what we do, Hikaru-chan, we still have to get that crazy witch to stop chasing us." Kamui said, with a cocksure grin.
"She's gaining on us! We can't escape!" Fuu yelped, as the woman started to close in. Subaru watched as his companions braced themselves for another onslaught, and as Hikaru continued to get encouragement from Umi about the stubborn mage's ability to survive. Then, just when Hikaru had regained her confidence, the woman whipped around them and blocked the way.
"What's up, kids? Tiny Magic Knights." The woman purred.
"Who're ya callin' tiny, ya near naked bimbo?!" Kamui growled, as Yukito and Subaru struggled to hold him back. The woman laughed at his antics, then pointed a bejeweled staff at all of them.
"Such an amusing child! Pity you can't stick around!" the woman said, as she prepared to fire off a spell.
"Say what? We ain't finished yet!" Umi yelped, frantically.
"Okay, this isn't like a video game anymore, because it's too early to face a villain like this. We don't have enough experience points to face such a strong enemy!" Fuu stated, matter-of-factly.
"This isn't Dungeons and Dragons, Fuu-san! This is real life!" Yukito shouted, very aware of the danger they were all in.
"That bishonen mage is so mine when this is over!" Umi declared, angrily.
"If we can survive to meet him again, I'll hold him still while you throttle 'im, Umi-chan!" Kamui added, alarmed when both Hikaru and Subaru stood up, putting themselves between the woman and their companions.
"Hikaru! Subaru! Get down!" Umi shouted, in alarm.
"What're ya doin' Subaru?! Do ya have a death wish or somethin.?!?" Kamui yelped.
"To be honest, I don't think whether we sit down or stand up matters. We're still in danger." Fuu said.
"Quiet you!" Umi screeched, not noticing when both Subaru and Hikaru moved very slightly. Hikaru was now pointing at the woman, and Subaru had both arms raised over his head as though about to grasp something that no one else could see.
"What have you got going on there, young ones?" the woman asked, sounding honestly curious as to what the two teens were up to. What happened next surprised everyone.
"Fire Arrow!" Hikaru cried, as she three an arrow of flame at the woman.
"Spirit Lance!" Subaru shouted, as he joined his magical attack with Hikaru's and they both knocked the woman from her mount and incinerated said mount as well. Seconds later, both novice Magic Knights fell back, physically drained from having used their magic for the first time. Luckily for them, though, their friends were there to catch them.
"That was wicked awesome!" Umi shouted, enthusiastically.
"Got that right!" Kamui agreed, as he helped Subaru sit up.
"So that's what Clef was teaching them!" Fuu said, remembering the brief lesson Clef had given to both Subaru and Hikaru.
"Magic……..I used my magic…………" Hikaru murmured, to no one in particular.
"I think it was their desire to protect us that drove them to use their magic so soon." Yukito mused aloud. Kamui somberly nodded in agreement.
"Ever since I can remember, Subaru's always been around to protect me from harm. Someday I hope to pay him back." Kamui whispered, so only Yukito could hear. Yukito nodded in understanding.
"It's good to have friends like that. And it's even better when you feel you could do the same for them." Yukito said, knowingly, looking up when Umi stood up and looked around.
"So, where do we go from here?" Umi asked.
"I'm pretty sure Clef said to head west." Fuu murmured, thoughtfully.
"That's right! He said to find Presea in the Forest of Silence." Kamui said, remembering what Clef had told them before they'd gotten too far away.
"He also said something about weapons." Yukito added, calmly.
"Maybe someone will lend us some weapons there." Fuu suggested.
"They'd certainly help." Umi muttered.
"Especially against witchy ladies!" Kamui agreed, before getting a dirty look from Umi for that remark.
"And what was that supposed to mean, Kamui?" Umi asked. Kamui immediately took refuge behind Yukito and looked nervously at her from behind him from time to time.
"N-nothing, Umi-chan! Not a single thing!" Kamui replied, sounding as nervous as he looked. Meanwhile, Hikaru and Subaru still looked a little out of it, and Umi noticed this.
"Are you two okay?" Umi asked, concernedly. Hikaru nodded.
"We're just a little tired, Umi-san. Nothing to worry about." Subaru said, with a tired smile.
"This place is more like a bad dream than a fantasy world." Umi muttered, as she looked at the fantastic scenery that was going by.
"Then let me pinch you so you can wake up!" Fuu chirped, as she proceeded to pinch Umi's face in a teasing effort to wake her up. Yukito, Kamui, Subaru, and Hikaru chuckled at the attempt to lighten the mood.
"Fuu's fingers say it's not a dream." Umi muttered, as Fuu laughed good-naturedly at her.
"Then we might as well go west." Yukito stated, quietly.
"But which way is west? Does the sun here set in the west like it does on earth?" Fuu asked, confusedly. It was then that the griffin let out a series of loud squawks, startling the six Magic Knights somewhat.
"What the……..?!" Umi yelped.
"Is he trying to tell us something?" Subaru asked, finally regaining enough equilibrium to stand on his own and look the griffin in the eye.
"Hey, I'll betcha he knows where the Forest of Silence is." Hikaru said, getting an enthusiastic nod from the griffin as a response.
"You're going to take us to Presea's place, aren't you?" Hikaru again asked, as she stroked the griffin's giant beak, getting a rumbling purr from the beast.
"I can't believe it! the kid speaks bird!" Umi muttered, as she, Fuu, and Kamui stared at Hikaru in disbelief.
"Technically, that's griffin, Umi-san." Yukito quipped.
"Shaddup!" Umi snapped, as Yukito smiled good-naturedly at her.
"Animals are easy to understand…..just like Hikari." Hikaru said, happily, now back to being her usual spunky self.
"Hikari?" Umi asked, speaking for the rest. Hikaru nodded.
"Hikari is my dog back home. I've known him all my life. He's my best friend." Hikaru said, as sadness again stole into her ruby eyes. She was surprised when all of her companions smiled warmly at her.
"When we get back, you're gonna have to introduce us!" Umi said.
"Yeah, and maybe Hikari would like to meet my dog too!" Kamui said, with a grin.
"You own a dog too, Kamui-san?" Fuu asked, seemingly surprised by this.
"Yep. Her name's Inuki. She looks kinda like a black wolf, but she's got a heart of gold. I should know since she's been by my side since I was little." Kamui stated, a little wistfully as he remembered his own childhood friend.
"Then I would like to meet them both! Hikari and Inuki!" Fuu said, with a smile.
"As would I." Yukito agreed.
"I would like to meet Hikari as well, since I have already met Inuki." Subaru added. This got a big smile from Hikaru as a result.
"You bet!" Hikaru chirped, as Kamui nodded his consent.
At that Moment and Far away……..
In her little prison, Princess Emeraude was beginning to come around. Yet she continued to plead with the Magic Knights, even though they couldn't hear her.
"Please, save Cephiro……….before it's too late." Princess Emeraude whispered, pitifully, turning when something came into existence close by.
"Too bad. You used the last of your magic to summon the Magic Knights." A male voice said, coolly, from the orb that now floated before the startled princess' face.
"Zagato!" Emeraude yelped, fearfully.
"Your efforts are futile, Emeraude, princess no more. The Legendary Magic Knights will fail. The Mashin will remain asleep." Zagato murmured, with a contemptuous smirk.
"Why? Zagato why are you doing this? Don't you care what happens to Cephiro?" Emeraude asked, trembling as she did so. Zagato only smirked at her in response. His silence speaking louder than words.