The long-awaited day had finally arrived. Camelia was preparing herself for her departure to Radiant Garden, filled with a mix of anxiety about leaving her family and eagerness to reunite with her friends and her previous life. She closed her final suitcase with a sigh, noticing that the family photo she had shown to Rose a few weeks earlier still rested on her bedside table. Sitting on her bed for a brief moment, she took the photo frame in her hands, running her fingers over the kunai pendant around her neck as she gazed at the image of her mother. Nostalgia washed over her, reminding her of the reasons behind her decision to fight.
"Are you ready?" Lauriam burst into her room, asking the question. Camelia nodded and gently placed the photo back on her bedside table.
Although it had been immensely challenging for Lauriam to let his daughter go without him, he had eventually come to accept her choice. His utmost desire was to bring happiness to his family, a mission Elrena had entrusted to him before her passing. Smiling at his daughter, he leaned in to give her a kiss on the forehead before taking her suitcases to the car's trunk.
"You're leaving already?" As Camelia stepped out of her room, she spotted Rose on the other side of the hallway.
"Yes, I'm leaving," she replied, noticing her younger sister's tear-filled eyes. Camelia rushed into her arms, offering reassurance. "Don't cry, sweetie! I'll be back every weekend!" she whispered into Rose's ear. After planting a gentle kiss on her cheek, Camelia released herself from Rose's embrace, meeting her gaze. Kneeling down to be at the same eye level, she spoke with conviction.
"You're brave, and I know you'll be fine without me. But remember, if you ever need me, I'll come to your rescue immediately!" Camelia assured Rose, gently wiping away the tears with her thumbs.
His eldest daughter's final statement triggered a memory in Lauriam. He recollected saying nearly the same words to Strelitzia when she was around Camelia's age. The thought brought a smile to his face, as he felt a sense of pride in instilling his own values and a strong family bond in his two daughters.
"D-Do you promise?" the little girl with pink hair asked.
"Yes!" the teenager affirmed, nodding her head.
Standing up, Camelia and Lauriam made their way towards the exit, with Lauriam carrying the suitcases. Their apartment was conveniently close to a spaceport that launched Gummi ships, the sole means of leaving Quadratum without relying on magic.
As Lauriam drove near the spaceport, he took a deep breath and parked the car in a noticeably crowded area. Since the opening of visits to other worlds, numerous people traveled between Quadratum and various destinations for exploration, visits, or simply to reunite with their families.
Rather than immediately exiting the vehicle, Lauriam sat silently for a few minutes, his gaze fixed on a distant point. A tear rolled down his cheek, which he swiftly wiped away with his arm.
"Um... are you okay?" Camelia asked, a concerned expression on her face. She reached out and tenderly held his right hand, caressing it.
In an instant, the pink-haired man shook his head to regain his composure. Meeting Camelia's eyes, he smiled and reassured her, "Yes, I'm fine," while gently caressing her cheek.
They disembarked from the car, retrieved their luggage from the trunk, and proceeded towards the boarding area. Camelia took a deep breath, then rushed into her father's embrace. Overwhelmed with emotion, Lauriam dropped the suitcases he was holding, knelt down, and embraced her tightly.
"I'll miss you..." she whispered in his ear, closing her eyelids.
"T-take care of yourself!" he replied, trying to hold back his emotions. He placed his hands on her cheeks, looking at her with teary eyes, and kissed her forehead. He had never expressed how proud he was of her. Despite his fears, he knew she would handle things like a boss. Until now, he still saw her as the eight-year-old girl she was before Elrena's death, but she had grown up, and he had to accept that.
"Boarding for Radiant Garden in 15 minutes. Passengers of flight number 6530 are requested to proceed immediately to the boarding area. Accompanying individuals are not allowed."
Upon hearing the robotic voice from the terminal, Camelia released herself from Lauriam's embrace. "I have to go..." she told him.
"Alright. Send me a message when you arrive, okay?"
The teenager smiled and nodded in agreement. She grabbed her luggages and entered the departure zone. As the doors closed, Lauriam held onto one of them to watch his daughter leave.
"And be careful at school, okay? If anyone bothers you, come to me first, alright?" he called out to her from a distance.
Walking away from him, she chuckled softly. "Yes, yes! And I'll make sure to brush my teeth in the morning, noon, and night, go to bed before 9 p.m., and not talk to strangers I meet on the street!" she sarcastically shouted back.
"I love you so much!"
The young girl smiled and turned back for a moment, blowing him a kiss with her right hand. "I love you too," she calmly replied before entering the Gummi ship.
When she arrived at her destination, Camelia was overwhelmed with emotion. After six years, she was finally back here! In her hometown! Radiant Garden had changed a lot. Some buildings were still under construction when she used to live there. In her memories, the city was blooming and vibrant, and the people were kind and helpful. Now, the place was even more beautiful. Improved transportation and new buildings had attracted more and more people to settle here.
"We're almost at the lab!"
Ichigo helped her friend carry her suitcases. She was thrilled at the idea of becoming roommates. Suddenly, as they walked near their destination, Camelia felt a wave of nostalgia. She and her sister were born here. Although the scientists were not doctors, they had helped her parents during their happy events. Camelia was not familiar with the people in white coats who lived here, except for Dilan, Ichigo's father. However, she knew that they had all been part of the same organization when her parents turned into Nobodies. As strange as it may sound, and despite her mother's strong personality, they became very good friends afterwards. Camelia vaguely remembered the great dinners with her parents and all those people who used to be part of the Organization XIII. Her father ceased seeing them after her mother's death, but she has fond memories of that time.
"Here we are!"
Ichigo opened the door to the laboratory. It was located inside the central monument of the city, a fortified castle with multiple floors. They climbed a narrow staircase to the first floor, where the rooms were located. The girl with black and green hair opened the first door on the left.
"Ta-da! This is my humble room!" she said, waving her arms.
Camelia placed the suitcase she was carrying on the floor. "W-why does this place feel familiar?" she asked, panting from climbing the long stairs.
"Don't you remember this place?" Ichigo responded to her friend's question with another question. The young blonde looked around and shrugged. "When your parents regained their original bodies after the dissolution of the Organization XIII, they were welcomed here by the scientists. They shared this room and stayed here until you were about three years old, then they found another house to live in," explained Ichigo.
Camelia furrowed her brow, lost in thought as she continued to look around. Ichigo kept talking, "You were starting to feel a bit cramped here! I wonder why they didn't leave earlier?"
"Wait..." Camelia interrupted, "Are you saying that this was my parents' room before?"
"Yes, and I took it over when you left! I don't regret it, it's much bigger than my previous room," Ichigo chuckled.
Seeing her friend still deep in thought, Ichigo tried to change the subject. She raised her right arm and simultaneously summoned her Keyblade into her hand. It was adorned with shining purple and gold stars, with a sun-shaped tip. Intrigued by the sound she just heard, Camelia turned to her best friend and widened her eyes at the sight of her weapon.
"Wooooow!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands.
Ichigo laughed at her reaction. She put the handle of her giant key behind her shoulder and posed as if she was in a fashion show. "I know, right? So cool!" she replied, showing off. "And… What about you?"
"What do you mean, me?"
"Show me your Keyblade!"
Suddenly, the blonde's smile faded, and she looked down. "I... I've never summoned my Keyblade..."
Ichigo sighed. Of course, her friend lived in a world where no one needed to use weapons, magic, or fight evil forces. She felt a bit silly for asking her. "It's okay! It's in your blood, both your parents are Keyblade masters, after all! You'll eventually do it!" She encouraged her.
"Is everything going well here?" A tall, muscular man with ginger hair burst into the room. He had blue eyes and wore the same outfit as Dilan.
Ichigo smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, thanks, Dad!"
She had two fathers: Dilan, her biological father, and Aeleus, her adoptive father. The two men had grown closer during their time in the Organization, without admitting it to themselves too much... After recovering his heart, Dilan had a daughter with his girlfriend at the time. It was only a few years later that he realized he could no longer lie to himself about his sexual orientation. Of course, Aeleus and Dilan feared the reaction of others regarding their homosexuality. Contrary to what they thought, their relationship was quite well accepted by those around them.
Ichigo occasionally saw her biological mother until she completely disappeared, leaving her without any explanation. Aeleus then made the decision to adopt her and consider her as his own daughter. The young teenager lived happily and fulfilled, surrounded by her two fathers.
"Follow me! I'll introduce you to the others!" Ichigo offered to her friend, extending her hand.
She pulled her along the corridors, running and hopping. She was electrified, a true bundle of energy. It contrasted perfectly with Camelia's calm and reserved temperament. Well... calm when she didn't decide to punch a guy who provoked her in the face. The blonde smiled; her childhood friend hadn't changed a bit.
The girls entered a dark room equipped with large computers. Inside, there was a scientist with long blond hair and green eyes. There was also another man with long blond hair combed back and a beard. The third man was younger than the others, around thirty years old. He had long strands of blue hair covering his right eye, and deep blue eyes. Each of them was busy with their tasks.
"So, this is Even, the mad scientist of the group!" whispered the brunette in her friend's ear, pointing at the man with green eyes.
"Shut up, Ichigo!" Even exclaimed after hearing the remark.
She stuck her tongue out at him with a mischievous smile. When she wasn't talking about boys, teasing Even was her favorite pastime. Apparently, he had trouble understanding sarcasm. It made him the perfect target!
"That one over there is the leader of this place! Let me introduce you to Ansem!"
"Nice to meet you!" said the man with blond hair and a beard as he shook Camelia's hand.
"And last but not least, the most handsome man!" Ichigo added, shaking hands and giving a silly smile to the man with blue hair.
He rolled his eyes and chuckled slightly. "You must be Camelia, right? I'm Ienzo!" he said, greeting the blonde with his right hand. "By the way, I'll also be your science teacher at the Academy."
Camelia was surprised to hear this news. The idea of living under the same roof as one of her teachers was... strange. Ienzo approached her, ruffled the top of her head, and crouched slightly to be at her eye level. He was only a few centimeters taller. "However, neither Ichigo nor you will receive any special treatment. I will judge you on the same level as everyone else," he warned with a smile.
She nodded and smiled back. Feeling a bit disoriented, she silently observed the people around her. Ichigo continued to tease Even while the other scientists laughed at the situation. Although she and these men in white lab coats formed a peculiar family, Ichigo was a cheerful and radiant young girl. The two girls locked eyes, and Ichigo genuinely smiled at Camelia. She responded with the same joyful expression.