Lantis marched along in the forest, fulfilling his duties as one of Cephiro's "sentries." This was a new position created after the Magic Knights had left to keep peace in Cephiro. It wasn't challenging work for Lantis, just killing the odd monster here and there created by a child's fear of the dark or something similar. Sometimes he considered going back to wandering, the ghost of his brother was still here. His life was pleasant but it was not enough.

Lantis finished his patrol and entered the "palace" where his room was. He shared this place with many of Cephiro's leaders from the war. Clef and Ascot were both here. Caldina and LaFarga lived here with their 2 year old daughter. Presea had moved away from them all shortly after the war ended. He reached his quarters and entered, taking off his armor almost immediately. He missed Hikaru.

*

Hikaru was waiting for her two best friends. She sat on the bench and watched the people go by, thinking about how Fuu and Umi were. Fuu was always caring and polite. The very first time they met was because Fuu had seen Hikaru's distress at not having enough money to continue looking out at the city from Tokyo Tower and had stepped in without a thought and given Hikaru the money. That was just the kind of person Fuu had been, a giving, thoughtful person. Hikaru's opinion of her had never changed since the very first day they met.

Umi was just about the prettiest person she had ever set eyes on, her long hair made her look glamorous in any circumstance. But Umi was loyal and considerate too, courageous and willing to stand up to anyone. Hikaru remembered how Umi had jumped to her defense the first time they arrived in Cephiro, when she had called Clef a pervert. It hadn't bothered her at all that she was in a weird country and that she didn't know Hikaru hardly, she had stood up for her just the same. And then there was when Hikaru was so down about what had happened to Princess Emeraude, Umi was all broken up about it too but she put that aside to be concerned and caring towards the "oldest" of the Magic Knights.

Hikaru stared at herself in the pond right next to the bench. She had never thought much about her looks before the second time she went to Cephiro even though she had been past the age when girls usually start thinking of those things. She had known she looked younger, even childish compared to Umi and Fuu that first time in Cephiro, but it had never bothered her. Then she met Lantis and she began to wonder if she was pretty enough, grown up enough for someone like him. She wondered why, despite the two younger of her three brothers' constant insistence that boys thought she was cute and that she should beware of them, boys in her class did not really seem to look at her that way.

Looking closely, Hikaru examined herself. Her face looked more mature now, sometimes she let her hair out of its trademark braid and it was on these occasions that she sometimes noticed boys glancing at her. If Lantis could see her she hoped that he would think she was pretty.

"Hikaru!"

"Oh, Umi! Fuu! I'm sorry. I was being a dunderhead spacing out. How are you both?"

"Great!" said Umi with an improtu hug, "It's wonderful to see you."

"Umi! You just saw me two weeks ago."

"I know," said Umi, letting go, "But a Hikaru-less week is a bad week."

"Yes, exactly," said Fuu.

"You guys," said Hikaru shaking her head, "You're too much."

"Onto the shopping district!" said Umi, taking control and wrapping one arm around Fuu's and the other around Hikaru's.