The three of them flew across the sea to a deserted area of beach several miles north of the city. They set down there. Then the mashins set the three girls themselves down on the sand and were recalled into the jewels of their armor. Then their full dress armor transformed into their customary attire: their school uniforms with the light armor. They looked around momentarily, but then Umi walked down to the edge of the water. The waves were very calm and only gently lapping the wet sand of the seashore. But that's not what had Umi concerned. Hikaru and Fuu followed and joined her. "This is a beach of course, but I really hope no one actually comes and swims in this." Umi remarked as she pointed down at the brown and murky water. "Yeech, that's pretty disgusting looking stuff Umi-chan, it even smells bad." Hikaru commented. "How could the people of Cephiro let this happen to the sea?" Fuu asked. "Yet another question without an answer" Hikaru replied. "And Cephiro doesn't give up its secrets easily. I know … all too well." she finished quietly. Then Umi responded, "come on, let's get out of here. I can't bear to look at this any longer." Umi turned away from the sea almost in tears and walked back up the beach towards the woods.
The woods beyond the beach, wasn't really a natural place. It was free of undergrowth and easy to walk through. "This is very much like one of the city parks in Tokyo." Hikaru commented. "Indeed it is Hikaru-san, we need to look for some path or road that will lead us to the city" Fuu added. They walked quietly for a short distance and found just such a road, going through the woods. All three of them were surprised at what they had found. "It's a paved road, just like the ones back home." Hikaru said, astonished. "Cephiro's technology has advanced a great deal since we were here last" Fuu surmised. Umi had kept silent since they walked away from the beach, but now spoke up, "we should continue to follow it inland and find a way to the city." They all agreed and started to follow the paved road. Within a few minutes they came upon a gate across the road and a building like a guard shack was sitting at the roadside by the gate. It was deserted. They went around the gate and on the other side found a large sign welcoming visitors to the park. "Great Sandy Beach State Park" Fuu read the large sign. "Closed for the season." Hikaru read the placard hanging at the bottom. "It seems that I was right about it being a park." Hikaru finished. "Too bad the beach was in such bad shape, this might be a nice place to visit in the summer." Fuu remarked, but then she turned to Umi. "That's really bothering you isn't it Umi-san?" "Yes." Umi replied, then continued "it's just like Hikaru said at the Tokyo Tower. The people of Cephiro have completely forsaken their world. They've neglected it and let it decay. Before long it will crumble again. And I think we all know that's what will happen, there isn't any doubt." They all looked at each other for a moment, then Hikaru went and embraced Umi. "You do understand don't you Umi-chan?" Hikaru said to her. "Don't let it bring sorrow to your heart, we stopped the crumbling once before, we can do it again." Hikaru reassured her.
"You're right Hikaru." Umi replied. "I mustn't let sadness like this interfere with what we have to do" Umi finished, "We all feel it I think, right Hikaru-san?" Fuu added. "Yes. The sadness comes from Cephiro itself." Hikaru answered. "Then as long as we're here, our hearts will be troubled like this." Fuu said. Then she continued "we'll have to be strong and remain focused, if we want to accomplish our mission." "Yes, Fuu-chan, otherwise we all risk falling into the same trap that I did, after what happened to Princess Emeraude." Hikaru finished. "Cephiro is a land of the will, and I really don't want to wind up fighting my own version of Nova." Umi responded. "Then we should get going. Cephiro needs us and we want to save it, so to the city!" Hikaru pronounced brightly. "M-hm" Umi and Fuu answered.
The three of them continued to follow the paved road for a short time. But then Hikaru, who is leading, stopped short. Umi and Fuu nearly bumped into her before holding up. "Erm, Hikaru?" Umi asked surprisedly. "Is something wrong Hikaru-san?" Fuu inquired. Hikaru answered: "There's something up there ahead of us. Look!" Hikaru pointed up into the tree branches overhead and in front of them. A small red object can be seen, some distance away. "What ... is it?" Fuu asked nervously. "Oh no! It's probably a monster!" Umi answered, a little frightened. "Yes, but I'm ready!" Hikaru assured them. Hikaru put her right hand over the jewel of her glove on her left hand. Then, with a flash of light, Hikaru draws her sword of Escudo out of the jewel and holds it with both hands in front of her. "Come on, let's go." Hikaru says to Umi and Fuu and starts to go on ahead towards the unknown danger. Umi and Fuu draw their swords as well. "Oh, here we go again!" Umi remarks drolly and takes off after Hikaru. Fuu just shrugs her shoulders and follows as well.
They charge down the road only a short distance and soon the forest opens up into a clearing. Hikaru slows down and stops. Umi and Fuu come up behind her quickly and stop in stunned amazement as well. Hikaru just stands there and blinks a couple of times. "Wha ...? Erm, Hikaru ...!" Umi starts off. "It's a traffic light Hikaru-san." Fuu finishes. "Erm, yeah it's a traffic light … eh-heh" Hikaru replies very embarrassed. "I guess I'm not going need this after all." Hikaru finishes as she stows her sword back into her glove jewel. Umi and Fuu stow their swords away as well. "Well at least it wasn't a monster." Umi added, quite relieved. "But what is a traffic light doing here in a place like this?" Umi continued. Fuu answered "There must be an intersection up there, where the light is." "Yes, so let's go and take a look." Hikaru responded.
Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu walk up to the intersection where the paved park road that they have been following meets a main highway. Another stunning surprise is found there by them. "Woah, I can't believe it!" Hikaru responds incredulously. "They have cars Hikaru!" Umi reacts "And lots of them too, holy cow!" she finishes. "It's just like back home. Are you sure that we're in Cephiro Hikaru-san?" Fuu adds in amazement. The highway that they are now standing beside is a large road, three lanes of traffic in each direction, with a grass median in the middle. The traffic is quite heavy and moving along at a decent rate of speed. Hikaru turns her back to the highway and faces Umi and Fuu. "I'm sure that this is Cephiro. I'm just as surprised as you guys to see all of these cars here." Hikaru answers Fuu's question. "This Cephiro is nothing like the one we knew at all." Umi commented. "It has become modern and technologically advanced, just like our home in Tokyo." Fuu remarked. "Judging by the large amount of traffic, I would say that Cephiro's population has grown a great deal since the last time we were here." she finished. Then Hikaru continued "Then what is happening? What place do we, the Magic Knights, have in a world like this?" "That's a really good question Hikaru" Umi observed. "On the other two missions we had here Clef and Mokona were there to show us what to do, but not this time." Umi finished. "Yes Umi-san. Just figuring out what we must do will not be easy, but that must be a priority. We need to investigate and learn everything we can about this new Cephiro we're in now." Fuu stated firmly. "Oh dear." Hikaru mused. "Is something wrong Hikaru?" Umi asked. "You just mentioned Mokona, Umi-chan. I wonder what has become of him over all of this time. I hope that he is all right." Hikaru answered with concern. "Erm, yes. It will be different this time not having Mokona with us." Fuu responded. "Yeah. I guess I hadn't even thought about that." Umi added. "I'm going to miss having that little puff of marshmallow fluff hanging around with us." Umi sighs as she finishes. "Mokona is pretty powerful, I'm sure that he's been alright, Hikaru-san." Fuu reassured her. "You're probably right Fuu-chan." Hikaru responded.