The Magic Knights spent two more weeks in Cephiro. Hikaru spent time with Lantis but also with Umi and Fuu. It wasn't long before Hikaru became convinced that Umi was right and that she wanted to stay in Cephiro with Lantis. She knew that she couldn't stay without saying goodbye to her family though.

"Do you really think I can go home and then come back Clef?"

"Yes and no Hikaru. I think it's dangerous for your spirit to be divided. We've been down that path with Nova and again with your recent illness. If you want to be with Lantis then this must be the last time you go back to Earth. You can only go back to say goodbye."

"I understand Clef. I just want to see everyone one last time and make sure they're not worried."

Umi and Fuu went back with her, partially to make sure she had their willpower in case she needed it to return, and partially because it didn't seem right to break up the Magic Knights just yet.

Hikaru said goodbye to her family. She told them the truth and Umi and Fuu were surprised at how easily they accepted the existence of Cephiro and even Hikaru's decision to stay there.

"Her family is a little weird," whispered Umi to Fuu.

Her two younger brothers cried and hugged Hikaru tightly.

"They respect her and her judgment immensely Miss Umi. If Hikaru says that she wants to go to Cephiro and will only be happy there then they believe her. I don't think they were shocked at all to discover that Hikaru is a hero in another world."

"No, I think you're right. They're not surprised at all about that. My family would never react this way though."

Fuu giggled slightly, "Neither would mine. But then I hardly think I quite deserve the unflinching trust that her family places in Miss Hikaru."

Hikaru's oldest brother looked at her searchingly and then nodded. He bend down to hug her and only then did Umi notice that he looked sad. Her parents also said their goodbyes. Hikaru had already said goodbye at Hikaree's grave and packed a small bag of items to take with her. Faster than Umi would have thought possible they were back in Cephiro with Hikaru to stay there.

Another week passed and it was one of the sadest that Umi had ever known. There was celebration in Cephiro and constant activity as they prepared for Hikaru's wedding. But whenever she was alone with Fuu or thought to long when with others Umi felt grief creeping in. She could tell Fuu was mourning too.

Finally it was the morning of the wedding. The Magic Knights were all strolling in one of the gardens. The afternoon would be filled with preparations with the wedding to take place in the early evening. They were to leave right after the reception. That meant that this was their last free time together.

"I guess this is goodbye Hikaru, or almost," said Umi, knowing that Hikaru would have to go in to prepare for her wedding any minute. She had put it off as long as possible but she wanted time to say a proper goodbye to her. She was not sure that Hikaru had really come to terms with leaving the two of them.

"You don't have to leave right after the wedding, you could stay, I'm sure there's lots of Cephiro you haven't seen, and stuff…"

"I hate to say it Hikaru, but we can't. We've got to get back to Earth and start living our lives. And you've got to live your life here. Putting it off would just make it worse in the end."

Hikaru looked suddenly like she was going to cry and grabbed both of them around the neck, "Umi, Fuu, I love you guys so much."

Part of Umi was hoping even then that Hikaru would change her mind. She felt a desperate internal plea for Hikaru to come back to Earth with them or for herself to stay in Cephiro. Fuu felt something similar, tempered by a more reserved and practical nature.

The Magic Knights held each other and cried.

Hikaru's wedding was the most beautiful thing that Fuu & Umi had ever seen. There were flowers and birds, butterflies and rainbows. And there were hundreds of people, more than they had ever seen at one time in the small country.

And then there was the red headed girl that Umi and Fuu had come to love as a best friend, an ally, and almost as a beacon of hope.

There weren't words to describe how beautiful she looked in her white wedding kimono. She looked healthy and radiant and powerful. She looked just the slightest bit older too.

"Before we came here I never gave a thought to her belonging in Cephiro, but now I wonder how I could've believed she didn't."

"She doesn't just belong in Cephrio Miss Umi. She also belongs to us. We're going to have to remember that."

"I know, but it almost sounds like what people say when someone dies. She's staying here, we won't be able to visit her or talk to her or anything. Clef says that thinking about us too much could make Hikaru sick again. And we've got our own lives to live too. Here's where we go our separate ways."

"Well, not exactly," said Clef from behind them in the audience, "I did say that Hikaru should focus on her life in Cephiro and not on Earth and that you both should do the same in the same. And I did say that Hikaru can't visit you. But I never said you can't visit Hikaru."

"What?" said Umi and Fuu.

"I never said you couldn't visit Hikaru. I should have been more clear. Neither of you seem to have the problems with division of will like Hikaru has. As long as you have enough willpower to come back to Cephiro, and I think you do, I don't see why you can't visit her again as long as it doesn't interfere with your lives. Say maybe in another five years you should come back. I'm sorry, I should have mentioned this before."

"Clef, if we weren't in the middle of Hikaru's wedding I would be tempted to beat you with your staff while Mokona jumped on you," yelled Umi quietly. She took a deep breath, "But since we are I have decided to forgive."

"Thank you Umi. You have grown in the past four years."

Umi and Fuu returned their attention to the ceremony, both smiling broadly, much happier then they had been before. They would go back to Earth and live their lives with satisfaction, knowing that they would see Hikaru again.

The End

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this story. It's my most successful so far! Hope everybody liked the ending! The live your life theme is similar to the end of LOTR. I long ago decided that Hikaru would stay in Cephiro while Umi & Fuu went home but I finally devised a way for it not to be so sad.

This story is dedicated to the two friends I watched Rayearth with. One I ran around an apartment in Germany singing the theme song with. The other one I took a Mokona plushie to Tokyo Tower with. Thanks for sharing Rayearth with me guys!