-Zapphirra/Cecelia-

"That's it, I'm going to rest for a bit."

I said after the song ended and I smiled when Mia and Tami groaned and started begging me to keep dancing, but stopped as soon as I mentioned that Kouhai and Kenta seemed to enjoy dancing and that was all it took for them to get off my case and go dance with them. I sighed in relief before making my way through the mass of bodies to the wall by the back of the club. I leaned against it and tilted my head back and closed my eyes as I stared up at the ceiling.

"You okay Celia?"

I tensed at the sound of my name, but relaxed some when I saw Rai had been the one to say it.

"I'm fine."

I said and turned my head to see him leaning against the wall beside me.

"How come you're not dancing?"

I asked curiously as I realized he hadn't moved from the wall since we walked into the place.

"I don't have a partner to dance with so I see no point."

He said simply and I sighed at his reasoning.

"You're weird, you know that?"

I asked and could feel him looking at me as I turned my attention to the crowd of dancing people. I spotted Hikaru and the others and when I saw the huge smile on Hikaru's face I couldn't help but smile a bit myself. They'd told me on the way here that today was Hikaru's nineteenth moon, or in human terms his nineteenth birthday and I was glad he seemed to be enjoying it.

"How is that?"

He asked and I laughed slightly before turning to look at him from over my shoulder.

"Well, I do believe you've had at least six girls come up to you already and ask if you'd like to dance, and yet you've denied every one of them. Yet when I ask how come you haven't danced all night so far you say its because you don't have a partner to dance with."

I said and saw a smile pull at the corner of his lips.

"Now, you're either really damned determined not to dance or you're waiting for something."

I finished explaining and saw his smile widened slightly to which it almost turned into a smirk. I found my face heating up as he did this since it seemed to only add to his looks.

"You caught me Celia. I am indeed waiting for something."

He said and I blinked in shock. I hadn't really expected to be right, I just thought he didn't want to dance.

"And what exactly are you waiting for Raiden?"

I asked and felt my heart speed up when he moved from his spot on the wall beside me to move infront of me with his hand held out between us.

"To ask if I could have this dance."

He said and I was about to comment that the song playing was too fast for the kind of dance he had in mind, but then it changed to a slowdance and I blushed before taking his hand and allowing him to lead me out onto the dancefloor. I'm not really sure what it is, but something about Raiden stands out to me. I opened up to him more than I have to anyone and he understands the pain I've gone through by myself for the past several years. But that's not what makes him different. He is closed off, but seems to be willing to open up to me. When I see him my heart races, when I manage to get a small smile out of him it makes my day, and when I have a conversation with him it doesn't matter what its about, just the fact of talking to him and hearing his voice makes me happy. I was happy to have Hikaru and the others around too, but I find that when I wake up in the morning the first person I want to see is Raiden. I know why that is, but I don't want to admit it, even to myself.

"We will have to get closer Celia."

He said and I shivered slightly as I felt his hand slip around my waist and pull me closer to him. I blushed, but found I didn't want to pull away. I may not be willing to admit it, but I still knew it. But what was the point when he would be leaving? I sighed to myself before mentally shaking my head and focusing on the moment. I looked up at Rai only to see him looking at me. I blushed when I saw him smile again and could have sworn everyone in the room with us disappeared as we danced, but I couldn't really find it within me to care.

-THE NEXT DAY-

-Hikaru-

I walked into the livingroom to see Kenta and Kouhai in the middle of playing Smash Brothers with Daiki, Katsume, and Cece sitting on the couch watching. I glanced into the den to see Raiden sitting in the recliner reading a book.

"Oh, morning Hikaru."

I heard Cece say and turned my attention back to the livingroom.

"Morning."

I said as I moved to sit on the floor next to Kouhai.

"Did you enjoy your birthday last night?"

She asked and I tilted my head back so I could look at her, but smiled at the fact she was upside down.

"Yes I did, thanks for that."

I said and she smiled before getting to her feet.

"No problem."

She said before walking into the kitchen. I frowned as soon as she was gone and laid out on the floor with a sigh. I heard Kenta and Kouhai pause their game and turn to look at me.

"Tell me I'm not the only one who doesn't want to leave."

I said to Katsume and the others.

"You're not Hikaru, but we have families and responsibilites back in the Demonic Republic and we can't just forget about them to stay here for a friend."

Katsume said and I blinked in surprise at him. He was the last person I expected to say the word friend, but then again Cece really had had a huge impact on all of our lives. Even Katsume's.

"But how is she going to react once we leave? What will she do?"

I asked sadly.

"She managed before we showed up and I'm sure she can do so once we're gone."

Daiki said and I frowned.

Even Daiki knows we can't stay, but that doesn't make it any easier.

I thought with a sigh.

"We are leaving Hikaru, we have to. We don't belong here."

Kenta said and I turned my head so I could look up at him.

"But what about you and that girl Mia? Didn't you two hook up last night?"

I asked and noticed how he blushed slightly, but he cleared his throat.

"That's besides the point. Even if I did, she is not my mate so I have no reason to stay. I have my life back in the Demonic Republic as do you. You have a pack to look after, or had you forgotten that?"

He asked and I sighed.

"No."

I said and looked up at the ceiling.

"But I just don't want to leave."

I said and my response was met with silence.

"None of us do Hikaru, but we must."

We were all shocked to hear Raiden's voice and turned to see him standing in the doorway of the livingroom. I glanced into the kitchen to see Cece was gone.

"Where'd Ce-"

I started to ask before I picked up on where her scent led. She'd gone up to her room for a shower. I could smell the hot water and the smell of her wild orchid shampoo.

"Hikaru, we've all made a great friend in Cecelia, but we cannot stay here."

Raiden said and I pouted as I sat up.

"I know, but-"

I started, but he cut me off.

"No buts Hikaru. We are leaving when the night of the Blood Moon arrives, wether we want to or not."

He said before disappearing up the stairs. I sighed and fell back on the floor as Kenta and Kouhai resumed their game and everyone else watched in silence. I knew he was right, but that didn't make it any easier. Cece was my friend, and I didn't like to leave my friends behind.

-OCTOBER-

-Zapphirra/Cecelia-

I frowned at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were slightly red from my tears. October was already here and tonight was the night of the Harvest Festival, but it was also the night of the Blood Moon. I'd already gotten ready for the festival. I had a major part in it, I was to sing the ceremonious song of the harvest to end the festival.

"Cece, are you ready!?"

I heard Hikaru's voice from the other side of my door and felt tears well up in my eyes again.

"J-Just give me a few more minutes!"

I called back as I wiped at my eyes, glad I'd decided to wear waterproof mascarra.

Get a hold of yourself Cecelia. You knew this day was coming, there's no point in crying over it.

I told myself, but it still didn't help.

"Celia."

I jumped at the sound of Rai's voice and turned towards my door to see him standing in the doorway of my now open door.

"Raiden! What if I had been changing!?"

I shouted and he just stared at me.

"Are you okay?"

He asked as he stepped into the room. I froze at his question and fought back the tears that wanted to fall.

"I'm fine. It's just..."

I started, but trailed off. I couldn't bring myself to say it.

"It's just what?"

He asked as he stepped closer to me.

"It's just Talia loved this festival."

I lied and an understanding look crossed his face.

"Well come on, I'm sure she wouldn't want you to be late for her favorite festival then would she?"

He asked as he moved behind me and pushed me towards the hall. I wanted to protest and say I could walk on my own, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get my body to do as I wanted today. Not with knowing today would be the last day I saw them.

-Daiki-

I sat with Kenta and the others as the festival started. It was rather interesting to see the humans of this world still worship and be thankful to where their food and such comes from. I had thought that was a practice long lost amongst the humans, but I was glad to have been proven wrong. As the festival started to wind down I saw Cecelia walk up onto the little platform and smile out at the crowd. She had told us what her part in the festival was and when it happened, so the fact she was up there meant the festival was almost over. I reached for my glass, but froze when I heard Cecelia's voice as she started to sing. She sounded like a Goddess.

"Dreaming of the stars on high

That speak to me in secret sighs

Drifting on a breeze

Only I can feel and hear

Could it be the sacred wind

That's calling me to now being

To walk into the dark

Copying the light of tomorrow..."

It seemed like she was singing to the moon itself. I'd never heard anything like it before. I glanced over at Katsume and the others to see they all had their eyes closed and were listening intently to Cecelia as she sang. As if they were trying to cherish the moment, and truth be told, they probably were.

"Beating of the wings up high

Beyond the earth, beyond the sky

Come now, don't hesitate

Don't look back we got to go now

Don't fear, you'll be safe from now on

Morning sky watching over all

Deep inside so silently my heart will speak..."

I felt someone tap my shoulder and looked over to see Hikaru and the others on their feet by the forest and Kenta crouched down next to me. I sighed to myself as I silently got to my feet.

I guess it's time.

I thought before following them into the woods until we reached a clearing. We could all still hear Cecelia singing in the background and I felt a pang of sadness in my heart as I knew we were about to leave without saying goodbye, but we had all decided it would be best that way.

"Alright Raiden, open the portal."

Katsume said and Rai nodded before holding his arms out infront of him and closing his eyes. The wind picked up around him and when he opened his eyes they had changed from their normal lilac color to a deep, royal purple.

"Goddes of the Moon, Goddess of the Harvest, lend us your power to get back home."

He said and I noticed the wind seemed to pick up even more so that it almost drowned out the sound of Cecelia's singing in the background. Almost.

"Boundaries of this time and space, take us from this time and place."

Raiden said and his voice carried throughout the clearing we were in and the wind picked up even more that I had to shield my eyes from the flying dust and debris. When the wind died down I put my arm down to see a large swirling portal in the ground before us.

"Looks like it worked."

Kenta said and we all just nodded.

"Alright, Prince Katsume, you first."

Kouhai said and I mentally scoffed. I'd forgotten about the formalities and rank of our group of friends. Raiden was a well known and very powerful Wizard, Katsume was a prince, Kenta and Kouhai were hired knights for the Demonic Republic's Army, Hikaru was the leader of the Northern wolf tribe, and I was the Prince of the Eastern Palace. It was strange to think about now, but it was true.

I watched as Katsume jumped in and disappeared within the swirling vortex of colors. Next in were Kenta and Kouhai, followed by Hikaru leaving only Raiden and myself.

"You go, I will have to close the portal after me."

He said and I nodded before jumping into the portal and leaving this world behind.

-Cecelia-

I looked out over the crowd as I finished the last of the song and my eyes widened when I didn't see Daiki or the others. I fanned out with my miko powers and found that the only one I could still sense was Raiden.

No.

I thought before jumping off the stage and pushing my way through the crowd of people and into the woods where I felt their presences fade away. I burst through the trees in time to see Daiki jump into a swirling vortex of colors on the ground. Raiden moved towards it and I screamed his name and he stopped and his head snapped up in my direction.

-Raiden-

I'd just finished the spell that would close the portal up after I went through it when I heard Cecelia's song end.

I guess its time to go.

I thought to myself before moving to step into the portal.

"RAIDEN!"

I stopped and snapped my head up in the direction I heard my name being called from to see Cecelia standing at the edge of the woods looking slightly out of breath.

"Cecelia."

I said and she walked further into the clearing.

"I had hoped to tell you all goodbye."

She said as she stopped infront of me.

"I know it won't help, but we're all glad to have met you Cecelia."

I said honestly and frowned when I saw tears well up in her eyes. I froze when she suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me in a hug, but after a few seconds I wrapped my arms around her and returned it. I felt her tears soak through my cloak and frowned. I knew it wouldn't be easy on her, but we couldn't stay and I had to close the portal after my departure.

"Cecelia."

I said, but she didn't respond, she just kept crying into my chest and I sighed before lifting her chin so she was looking up at me. I stared into her eyes for a few seconds before deciding to leave her with something to remember me by if nothing else. I leaned down and closed the gap between us. I was slightly shocked she kissed back but was glad she did. I ran my tongue along her bottom lip and she opened for me. I pulled her body closer against my own and relished in the small gasp of shock that emitted from her lips when I did so. I pulled back and stared into her eyes again, this time the tears were gone but their trails were still there. I reached up and wiped them away with my thumb before kissing her again briefly.

"Goodbye Zapphirra."

I said before stepping back and disappearing into the portal and having it close up behind me.

A/N: Okay, first off I'd just like to say no I did not take this from anybody this was my original plan for when they went back, it just so happens a friend of mine used something similar to this in one of her stories. Just putting that out there. Anyways, I updated and it was longer than before. I hope you guys liked the update cuz now I'm out of ideas. Please show me the love and review!