Several hours later mother and daughter arrived back at their farm. Hikari was relieved to finally be home and smiled happily. However the child scowled and jammed her tiny fists into her coat pockets. The Wizard didn't like her gift and it was the third thing she tried! Mushrooms and berries didn't work so Cara was determined that the shell would. She knew many people like liked the shells. But the Wizard isn't like other people, she thought. As she contemplated what to do about her gift predicament, the girl's mother walked her towards their cozy home.

Inside, Hikari's husband slowly brushed their youngest daughter's hair. The young girl, Ruby, yawned and hugged herself tight in her warm flannel pajamas. But went she heard the door creek open her crimson eyes brightened in excitement. "You're home!" she cried out happily as she jumped off her father's lap and ran into her mother's arms. Hikari laughed and embraced the giddy child as she tried to brush off the light dusting of snow that covered her. Cara smiled and rolled her eyes at her younger sister's antics. Relieved to finally be out of the cold, Cara pulled her beanie off but spun around went it was ripped from her hand.

"How many times to I have to tell you that this hat doesn't go with that jacket?" her father teased as he held his eldest daughter's hat high above her head. After a few failed jumps Cara stuck her tongue out at her amused father, who at this point was laughing at her. He laughed loudly, surrendering the beanie and gave Cara an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"What are you doing out in this cold anyway, sweetie?" the father pondered out loud. Cara saw his smile shrink a little and his eyes dimmed. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him so bad! But she had promised to keep it a secret and a promise was a promise. She shrugged, "I just like helping Mom run errands in town." Her father's shoulder's sagged. He knew Cara wasn't telling the truth and was broken hearted about it. The two used to be so close, now she just seemed distant.

Hikari hadn't even noticed the darkness in the sky went she headed home, but her daughter's pj's reminded her about what time it was. "Ok girls, it's time for you to go to bed!" Cara groaned to herself. She was sick of being treated like a baby. But Ruby had other ideas. "Can we have a bedtime story first?" she rushed out. Hikari nodded at her daughter who promptly jumped up and down. "I'll take care of it," her husband said and he ushered his daughter's into the room both girls shared.

Hikari was happy for a moment alone. Once her husband left the room she dug around in her toolbox for what she was looking for. She grinned when she found it right where she had hidden it from her spouse. She carefully held the Shining Pumpkin in her arms and couldn't wait for him to come back. Shining Pumpkins were one of his favorite things. Hikari had saved it from their last pumpkin crop of autumn. She figured he deserved a treat.

She met Julius shortly after arriving in Castanet. At first his appearance shocked her. His eyes, like two bright rubies, dazzled her and his streaked purple hair stunned her at first. And his taste in fashion certainly surpassed hers. In the beginning she only wanted to be friends. But day after day she found herself back at the Accessory Shop where he worked and being determined to give him his favorite things. Before Hikari even knew it, Julius had wrapped himself around her heart. The moment she had heard the legend of the blue feather, she knew what her heart wanted her to do.

Their time as newlyweds was blissful and short-lived. Soon arrived Cara and then Ruby, spinning their lives in new directions they never expected. But the pair never regretted a moment.

As Hikari reminisced, Julius crept back inside with his back to her. Hikari smiled and hid the pumpkin behind her. "Guess what I have?" she teased. Julius didn't say anything or even turn around. But Hikari couldn't be ignored. She walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. The man slowly turned around and found himself face to face with the Shining Pumpkin. Hikari had her biggest smile on her face and couldn't wait to see the joy in Julius' eyes. But when she looked into them she just found disappointment.

"I can't accept this," he mumbled as he turned back around. At that Hikari's heart crumbled. "W-why?" she stuttered, "Is there something wrong?"

At that, Julius was furious. "Is there something wrong?" he mimicked, "IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG?" he shouted. Hikari rushed to hush him, pointing at the room with the sleeping girls. With the silent mention of his daughters, he tried to gain back his composer.

Hikari was devastated. He found out, she thought. She almost wanted to cry. Hikari had thought that Julius wasn't that mad. She knew that her sneaking around was causing tension but when she came home and saw all her fields nicely watered just like she had asked, she thought that he would eventually forgive her. But now she wasn't so sure.

Slowly, Julius' breathing went back to normal and he looked deep into Hikari's eyes. "Are you," he said slowly, giving each word emphases, "having an affair?"

"WHAT?"

Julius quickly covered Hikari's mouth but pulled away when he felt sharp pain. "Did you just bite me?" Hikari ignored the question and was shaking with rage.

"Firstly, I would never do that to this family," she hissed, "and secondly, I would never put Cara in the middle."

"Then what's going on?" Julius cried with exasperation.

After a long pause, Hikari said, "I can't tell you."

Back in the girls' room Cara was wide awake. She didn't have to guess about what it was about. It's all my fault, she thought. The young girl wrapped her arms around her knees and looked out her window. The stars were bright and reminded Cara of the Wizard. He loves the stars. She couldn't help but wonder if he was watching them too.

"Cara, why are Mommy and Daddy fighting?"

Cara jumped. She had thought her little sister was asleep. But beside her was a wide-awake Rudy with concern in her eyes. Through the years the sisters shared everything, and now Cara wished to continue that.

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Her little sister nodded.

"You have to promise not to tell!" Cara warned.

She nodded again. Cara sighed a sigh older than her years and leaned into her sister's ear and cupped her hand around her ear.

"I have magic."