It felt almost like a dream to Hikaru, as if only yesterday her and her friends had been summoned to another world by Princess Emeraude. It had been a long arduous journey full of pain, triumph, monsters, and wonder. They had learned to use magic.
"Flame Arrow!"
They had obtained magical armor and weaponry, all in the quest to bring peace to Cephiro.
"We're gonna become Magic Knights!"
She had fought against innumerous foes and placed her life on the line for her friends time after time. She had protected and been protected, she had believed and been believed in. And at the end of her journey, she had obtained a legendary Mashin.
"Rayearth…"
"I have seen proof of thine heart that remains firm in thy beliefs."
Hikaru and her friends had become full-fledged Magic Knights and donned the Mashins, who had been revealed to be giant magical robots. With these mechs they had fought against High Priest Zagato and Princess Emeraude. By combining their mechs into one, they had managed to put down the grief-stricken Pillar of Cephiro. By striking the princess down, they had liberated her from her duty as the Pillar and allowed her to be with her beloved.
"Zagato… Finally, I am yours and only yours."
As these happy memories flew by her mind, they all ended in a bright flash of light. When the light faded, all that remained was darkness and silence, that wrung her heart. Her weapons, armor, spells, and Mashin were all gone, and she was back to being a regular fourteen-year-old school girl. Her tears were blown away by the wind that swept across the void of her creation. An endless dark world dotted by cyan and magenta fragments of what once was.
Falling to her knees, Hikaru's tears stream down into her lap, "This… This can't be true."
Deep regret and a feeling of emptiness overtook her. While she and her friends had fought and adventured, they had only been preparing to kill the person who they thought they were saving. The fact that there was nothing she could have done to change that, made her heart ache.
Feeling the world coming down on her, she was surrounded by teal mist. Her cries were interrupted by an echoing, contemptuous laughter that chilled her to her very bone. Looking up in front of her, Hikaru could see an incredibly tall, shadowy figure in the mist.
The figure was completely black to a point where she cast a shadow on the void around herself. The figure had long arms, thin waist, wide shoulder pads, ethereal flowing cape, and a large head with beady red eyes. She looked royal and alien at the same time, exuding an aura of pure gleeful malevolence and cruelty.
"The Pillar of Cephiro has been eradicated," her voice echoed throughout the void, oozing with sinister delight. "This world is about to turn towards darkness. H-hahahahaha!"
Finding the courage to stand up, Hikaru asked, "W-Who are you?"
"Soon… Soon everything will fall to extinction. Everything will disappear," the figure ignored her.
A cold shiver ran down Hikaru's spine, as the apparition continued, "Not only Cephiro. Every world will become mine. H-hahahahaha!"
As the figure laughed, Hikaru could see movement at its feet. From the mist and the giant woman's shadow, a smaller figure appeared. Hikaru could barely see any of its features, before the larger figure twisted and warped, its shadow spreading throughout her field of view.
The void around her was consumed by the shadow, turning pitch black with Hikaru trapped within it. As all was gone, the towering figure appeared once more, even more menacing than before. It raised its large hand with long claws and brought it down, slashing directly at her heart.
With a loud gasp, Hikaru's eyes popped open, as if she had held her breath for hours. She jumped up startled, breathing heavily as she tried to register her surroundings. It was day time, and she was sitting on her usual futon, under a pink comforter. She was wearing her old beige pajamas, the one's she had not grown out of in over two years.
She was in her room at her family's traditional Japanese house. The walls were wooden, the floor covered in large tatami mats, and the windows were made out of paper. Her room was simple in décor, only having a desk for studying, a dresser for her clothes, and a few shelves for her books and stuffed animals.
Despite the familiar environment, it took a while for Hikaru to calm down. She panted heavily, the visions of her dream still lingering in the back of her mind. But as her senses awakened fully, the relief of knowing this was reality set in.
"A dream…" she sighed, before getting off of her futon.
She walked over to her window and slid it open, the bright rays of the sun catching her by surprise. Staring outside, she could see the garden of her house's inner garden. The garden had several bushes and trees growing in it, with a small pond and decorative stones giving it a touch of class. The lush greenery and the singing of birds in the trees, reminding her of Cephiro.
"But that wasn't a dream," she told herself. "What happened in Cephiro wasn't a dream."
Having made sure she wasn't late for school, Hikaru decided to take a walk in the garden. She walked down the wooden terrace of her house, before putting on her slippers that were waiting on the garden's stone steps. Stepping in, she could see the ears of a brown, sleeping husky twitch. With a whimper, the sleeping dog turned its head, before cheerfully barking at her, as it rushed over.
It politely sat next to her, waiting to be petted, while wagging its tail. Despite still being out of it, Hikaru knew she couldn't just ignore her dearest friend. She got down to her knees and wrapped her arms around it.
"Good morning, Hikari," she greeted her pet.
Hikari happily licked her face and while this did brighten up Hikaru's mood, she couldn't shake her dream away.
"Who… was that?"
The image of the dark figure flashed before her eyes once more, with the smaller one appearing next. Never in her life had a nightmare shook her to her core to this extent.
"Who in the world was that…"
To calm her mind, Hikaru decided to use her remaining time before school meditating at her family's kendo hall. This was the place where she could focus the best and build up her confidence. The kendo students wouldn't arrive until later afternoon, so she had the place to herself. She put on her fully white kendo uniform and knelt down in the middle of the wide-open room, attempting to clear her mind. The room was simple in décor with only a few swords on the walls and a sign with the dojo motto, Accomplish Your Original Intent.
As she focused her mind on staying calm and listened to the bamboo deer-frightener in the garden, she didn't notice three figures spying on her. Three brunette young men of different ages with brown eyes were staring at her from the kendo hall's doorway. The youngest of them was wearing a black school uniform, while the middle one had a casual yellow collared shirt. The oldest of the three wore traditional, dark blue robes. These were Hikaru's older brothers, Kakeru, Masaru, and Satoru.
"Hikaru sure hasn't been as cheerful lately," Kakeru stated.
"She's been like this ever since that field trip to Tokyo Tower," Masaru pointed out.
With eldest brother Satoru staying quiet, Kakeru's voice turned alarmed, "Did something happen at Tokyo Tower?"
"W-What do you think happened?" Masaru asked worriedly.
"Maybe she was pushed away from the souvenir stand by some tourists!" Kakeru suggested. "Or because she's so cute, Hikaru was approached by shady guys!"
Masaru's mind ran wild with imagination as she let out a shrill gasp, shaking his head, "I won't allow any guy to be rude to our cute, little Hikaru!"
"That's a given," Kakeru stood up next to his brother. "Anyone who wants to date Hikaru has to defeat all three of us, then start out by being pen pals!"
"Yeah!" the two of them cheered, as Satoru headed inside.
With his trained and silent footsteps, Hikaru only noticed Satoru as he knelt down in front of her. He was tall and broad shouldered, over a head taller than Hikaru even when they were both kneeling. As always, he had a stern look and a serious expression.
"Big brother Satoru…" Hikaru addressed him respectfully.
Without a word, Satoru placed his hand over Hikaru's head and began to stroke her hair. Despite his intimidating presence, his touch was gentle and soothing.
"Won't you tell me why you aren't as cheerful as usual?" Satoru asked with a calm voice.
Hikaru was about to answer, but stopped herself. How could she ever explain what was going on in her mind? Not even she herself would have believed her story if she hadn't lived through it. She could only share about her experiences with three other people, one of whom was gone forever.
With Hikaru remaining quiet, Satoru smiled, "I understand. Then I won't ask."
Moved by her brother's understanding, Hikaru apologized while trembling, "I am sorry… Big brother Satoru."
"You wish to rid your doubts by yourself. If that's what you decided, Hikaru, follow through until the end."
Hearing the brotherly advice full of love and faith, Hikaru nodded, "Right."
"You're not being fair, brother Satoru!" Masaru yelled before grabbing and hugging Hikaru from behind.
While Masaru wasn't as large as Satoru, Hikaru still felt like a small kitten being hugged by her middle brother.
Embracing her with warmth and love, Masaru cooed, "Hikaru, I'm worried about you too."
"Brother Masaru," Hikaru smiled.
Jealous of his older brothers, Kakeru grabbed Hikaru for himself, "I'm worried about cute, little Hikaru too!"
Making sure not to squeeze her too tightly, Kakeru teared up, "If something's bothering you, cry on my shoulder."
"Brother Kakeru," Hikaru laughed.
With how much her brothers worried for her, Hikaru smiled, knowing she was loved. Their family had always been close and slightly isolated socially, so they always looked after one another. Her mother had told her that the boys had been a lot rowdier before she had been born. As long as she could remember, the three of them had been there, looking after her. Having such a loving family, Hikaru was reminded of her fourth brother, who used to have none.
"Thank you," Hikaru smiled with misty eyes. "Thank you, my dear brothers."
Some ways away at a luxurious modern house, the Ryuuzaki family's day started peacefully. Their large house was idyllic and western styled, with white walls and several floors, as well as sloped maroon metal roofs. The house was surrounded by a purple concrete wall with iron bar gates and sheet metal garage door, with trees around the yard.
The insides were bright and decorated lavishly with expensive flower pots, paintings, and a grand fireplace. The walls were painted sage-green and the floor was covered by a maroon fitted carpet. The windows were framed by green silk curtains that hung from mahogany wall paneling.
In the brightly lit living room, the mother of the family was setting a large round table with various breakfast items. She wore a white apron and a baby blue blouse. The father of the family was sitting in a chair, reading the newspaper and taking note of the stock market. He wore a grey three-piece suit without the jacket on. The daughter of the family was sitting opposite to her father, with a tired expression on her face. She was already dressed in her blue school uniform.
Her breakfast included a fried egg sunny side up with some carrots and broccoli. In addition to her looking tired, there was also an air of melancholy around her, which her mother and father picked up on quickly. As their only child let out a miserable yawn with a thousand-yard stare, they couldn't help but worry.
"What's wrong, Umi dear?" her mother asked worriedly. "Was something wrong with mama's cooking?"
"Oh, it's not that, Mom," Umi snapped out of thought, before putting down her knife and fork. "It's as good as ever."
Her father closed the newspaper, focusing only on her, "What's really the matter, Umi? You haven't been cheerful for a while. And we haven't had your homemade cakes in some time now."
"I just had a bad dream last night," Umi answered, trying not to worry her parents. "I'm sorry, I just don't feel hungry."
"You have been this way for a while now," her mom pointed out. "If you aren't feeling well, perhaps we should take you to a doctor?"
"It's all right, really!" Umi said defensively, trying to smile. "Dad, mom, I'm sorry to worry you."
Just as Umi was about to drink her tea, her father asked, "Perhaps you're feeling a little love sick?"
Umi swallowed quickly, burning her throat slightly, "N-Not really…"
"You should be in love, Umi," her father said sternly, crossing his arms, before turning his head to the right. "Because I fell in love, papa married someone as wonderful as your mama."
"Oh papa…" Umi's mother smiled at her husband, placing her hand on his shoulder.
As her parents started flirting, Umi turned around and stroked her head, "It's too early in the morning to see the eternal honeymoon…"
Despite the awkwardness of seeing her parents flirting right in front of her, she couldn't help but turn around for another reason. During her life, she had only ever seen two other couples who had cared for each other so much. First one was High Priest Zagato and Princess Emeraude, who loved one another to fight till death for their love, even if it meant the end of the world. The second one was her friend who had found love in an old foe, and left his old world behind for her. While the first one filled her heart with grief and the other with bittersweet happiness, she still felt empty.
"I wish this jealousy was my only problem…"
At an old-fashioned European style mansion in the suburbs of Tokyo, the youngest daughter of the Hououji family was taking her leave. Dressed in her green prim and proper school uniform, she walked across the front yard garden, closing the iron gate behind her.
"I will be on my way," she said clearly enough for her parents to hear, but not loud enough to disturb the neighbors.
As she began to walk down the street towards the private school, she heard the iron gate open and close quickly, "Wait, Ms. Fuu!"
Turning around, Fuu saw a taller girl with a dark green dress and long, light-brown hair running after her. She was carrying a school bag and wore heeled leather boots. While the two of them looked very different, their eyes were the same emerald color.
"Elder sister Kuu…" Fuu greeted her carefree older sister.
As her sister caught up, she smiled before suggesting, "Let's walk part of the way together."
Walking down stone brick laden roads of their neighborhood, the atmosphere between the sisters was slightly awkward. Fuu didn't really know what to talk about with Kuu, as her thoughts hadn't really been focused on the comings and goings of their day-to-day life.
To break up the ice, Kuu went straight to the point, "Father and Mother are worried since you have not been your usual self."
"…I apologize," Fuu said with a guilty tone.
"No need to apologize. You usually work so hard not to put any worries on father and mother. Something significant must have happened."
Fuu sighed internally, as her sister had no idea how right she was. She had experienced fear, success, and suspense that would probably never be topped. But most importantly, she had found someone she couldn't forget about. A man she had fallen in love with after a rocky start and who had helped her grow and develop. She had promised Ferio to save Cephiro, to save Princess Emeraude, and come and see him again. While Cephiro had been saved, she had only seen him for a moment, and killed Emeraude, who had turned out to be Ferio's older sister.
Having returned home right after, these failed promises kept her awake at night. The thought of Ferio having been hurt by her actions, the possibility of him holding a grudge, it was tearing her up on the inside. She would do anything in order to apologize and repent for actions, but it was impossible.
"So, Ms. Fuu," Kuu stopped her in her tracks. "Is there someone who understands those worries with you?"
Fuu was surprised by her sister's insight. She had three good friends who knew exactly what she had gone through. Though one of them had stayed behind in the same world as Ferio, she still had two friends to share her troubles with.
"It is difficult to not have someone that understands your worries. However, if you're not alone, if someone worries with you and finds the solution to your worries with you, you will be alright," her sister smiled at her sweetly.
Seeing she was doing her best to help her, Fuu nodded with a smile, "Right…"
"By the way, was the reason you told mother you would be late tonight, because you are meeting them?"
"Y-Yes," Fuu stuttered slightly. "I promised I would meet them today after school at Tokyo Tower."
"Tokyo tower?!" Kuu cheered up immediately, before leaning over Fuu's shoulder, her voice getting slightly higher pitched. "The chick pastries they sell at Tokyo Tower are really delicious!"
Slightly embarrassed by her older sister's child-like way of speaking, Fuu grinned, "W-Well then, I will buy some as souvenirs today, sister."
"Thank you, Ms. Fuu," her sister babbled, before walking off happily.
As her sister walked off on her way to high school, Fuu could only be envious as to how carefree she was. But as her long brown hair and green dress disappeared behind the curve in the road, the reason for her envy returned.
"I'm not sure if these feelings will disappear even if I talk to others…"
The sun was setting over Tokyo after a peaceful spring day. Aside from a few car crashes, nothing major had happened today and all was well for both workers and tourists. Even today, hundreds of people had visited the Tokyo Tower, enjoying the sight of the ever-expanding city scape, while catching a glimpse of the mountains beyond it. Everyone seemed to be having a peaceful and cheerful time, despite the disappearance of one young man just last week. A single wanted poster decorated the inside wall of the support structure on one of the observation platforms. It was a simple poster with the contact information of an orphanage.
Waiting for the others to arrive, Hikaru glanced back and forth between the poster and the setting sun. The familiar skyline should have been a comforting sight to her, but it only made her miss the lush landscapes of Cephiro more. The bright skies and setting sun reminded her of the simpler days of their journey's start, when all they had to worry about was awakening the Mashins. As she saw Hotaru's grumpy image on the wanted poster, she wondered if he was happy with Alcyone and the others in Cephiro.
She had no idea what had happened to Hotaru and the others after the final battle. All she remembered was striking Princess Emeraude's warped Mashin down and a bright light, before appearing in Tokyo Tower with the others. However, between the flash and her return, she could've sworn she saw a glimpse of Zagato and Emeraude.
Turning towards the golden sunset, Hikaru could still hear the words of the princess.
Thank you… Magic Knights…
"Princess Emeraude…" Hikaru whispered, trying to hold back the tears.
She began to tremble. While she remembered those words, she didn't remember if she had actually heard them, or if she had just imagined them. Had her consciousness just made up that echo or had her heart just wished for her to hear those words, to not be riddled by guilt?
Just as the uncertainty was about to get too overwhelming, two arms wrapped around her neck and shoulders from behind. The spontaneous tight embrace caused her to gasp out loud and snap out of thought. She was going to fight back, until she heard a familiar comforting voice.
"Don't look like you're going to start crying," Umi whispered in her ear, before pulling away. "You'll make me want to cry too."
"Umi-chan…"
Stepping out from behind Umi, Fuu asked in a sisterly voice, "Are you not sleeping much lately? You look a little pale."
"I could say the same about you, Fuu-chan," Hikaru pointed out, before turning towards the sunset again. "I have… I have dreams about Cephiro. The Spring of Eterna, the volcano, the ocean, the island floating in the sky. And the battles that took place there. Princess Emeraude… She supported the peace of Cephiro with her will, all by herself. And I killed her… With my own hands… Because I was hotheaded and thought that I was fighting for justice, and became a Magic Knight. The reason why Zagato started the fight and Princess Emeraude's true feelings, were things I didn't know. And by the time I did know, it was too late…"
Seeing Hikaru start tearing up, Umi spoke out, "Hikaru, it was the same with me. The four of us were summoned to some weird world together. In the beginning, all I wanted to do was get back to Tokyo… But I was able to use magic and got armor and weapons that evolved, and revived the Mashin. I watched so many people grow and change and fall in love, while trying to keep the world from crumbling. I thought that I was doing something to make Princess Emeraude and everyone in Cephiro happy."
"It was a world that was just like a video game, yet it was all real," Fuu added wistfully. "The battle had no clear right or wrong unlike those games. Zagato wanted to free Emeraude, Emeraude wanted to be with Zagato, Alcyone wanted Zagato to love her, Hotaru wanted to save Cephiro, and Ferio wanted to save Emeraude. Everyone fought for their own wishes and that brought us such a sad ending."
As the sun was setting below the skyline, Hikaru clenched her fist, "I want to go to Cephiro one more time! And this time, I want to do something for that land that Princess Emeraude protected so dearly!"
"I want to go so that I can see everyone again and make sure they are happy," Umi smiled.
"I want to go so that I can apologize to Ferio," Fuu stated firmly, with her hand on her chest.
"Right!"
As the Magic Knights nodded as one, they made a promise to return. Before they could start figuring out a way back, a sudden blue light appeared in the sky just outside the Tokyo Tower. It bathed the entire observation platform in a bright light, causing the three of them to cover their eyes. Despite the phenomenon, only the three of them seemed affected this time.
"This light!" Hikaru yelled out in excitement.
"Just like when we were summoned to Cephiro!" Umi pointed out.
"Or maybe it is the nuclear bomb Hotaru talked about!" Fuu yelled out.
As the light intensified, it felt like a strong breeze was blowing straight through their bodies. As their bodies began to feel hot, they feared Fuu might've been right. Eventually they converted into spheres of red, green, and blue energy that hovered in the air for a moment. As the girls felt their bodies turning solid once more, they were surrounded by dark clouds and lightning. Before they could react to their surroundings, a familiar sensation took over them. Gravity.
"Aaaa-AAAAAHH!" the three of them screamed, falling down through the storm clouds.
"W-Where!?" Hikaru yelled out in a panic. "Where in the world are we!?"
As they fell through the cloud cover, the ground below them came into view. It was a world of nothing but rocky landscapes and barren mountains, with next to no sources of light. The only thing that stood out in the dead world, was a ginormous glowing structure made entirely out of light-blue crystals.
It was a crystal castle surrounded by a mountainous circle. It had a base of hundreds of angled crystal spires, with five taller ones standing upright in the middle. But despite its beautiful architecture and fairytale atmosphere, it provided them with little comfort.
"We're falling!" Umi screamed with her eyes shut tightly. "At this rate, we're going to crash into the ground!"
Just as they thought this all seemed a bit familiar, they hit something bouncy and soft. Realizing she was still alive, Umi hugged the object underneath her, despite it being a bit slimy and fishy smelling. As she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar flying fish familiar.
"Oh, you are Mr. Clef's…" Fuu started, forgetting the name of the fish.
"You're one of Master Mage Clef's creatures!" Hikaru yelled out in amazement.
The giant fish squeaked at them conformingly, greeting its old acquaintances.
"You saved us!"
"Thank you!" Umi wept and hugged the fish, rubbing her face against its scales.
Realizing the implications of this, Fuu looked at the world around them, "That means… This is Cephiro?!"
Hearing Fuu gasp, color drained from Umi's face, "That can't be! It's completely different! What about the ocean, the floating mountains, the volcano?"
Truly, despite their efforts, the world around them was in even worse condition than Cephiro at the tail end of their adventure. Everything was dark, the word seemed shattered and incomplete, the skies were even darker than before, and there was constant lightning without any rain.
"Hey, are you taking us to that castle?" Hikaru asked the fish.
The fish let out a soft whimper while nodding.
Though the crystal castle had looked gigantic from afar, its true scale only became apparent as they got closer. It covered an entire landscape beneath it and towered over the mountains around it. As they flew to the central tower, its single, golden section decorated with blue and purple gems was almost the size of Tokyo Tower. At the center of it, there was an oval entrance large enough for a construction crane to fit inside. Even though the fish they were flying on was the size of an elephant, it looked like a mouse sneaking through the front door.
Once inside, the fish landed on the crystal floor of a half oval shaped corridor, with smooth marble walls that shone like mirrors. The hallway was vast and empty, with nary a soul, except for one small round creature.
"Pu-pu, pu-puuuu~!" it chirped and jiggled cheerfully.
"Mokona!" Hikaru greeted her old friend.
The Magic Knights quickly climbed off of the fish and ran over to Mokona, laughing happily to see their old guide. As they got close, Mokona bounced over and jumped into Hikaru's arms, taking its usual spot. Though they had been afraid and confused just a moment ago, seeing Mokona's eternally happy face melted away all of their worries.
Holding the familiar squishy rabbit fay in her arms, Hikaru asked, "Mokona, how have you been?"
"You're the real Mokona, right?" Umi asked.
"Pu-puu, puu!" Mokona chirped, before jumping into Umi's arms.
"This fluffiness… You really are Mokona!" Umi smiled, as Mokona wagged its ears.
With Mokona jumping into her arms, Fuu greeted it as well, "It has been a while, Sir Mokona."
"If Mokona is here… Does that mean it really is Cephiro?" Hikaru wondered, looking down the corridor.
With Mokona giving a confirming nod, it jumped out of Fuu's arms and chirped at them. Next, as always, Mokona ran off without waiting for further questions.
"Mokona wants us to follow!"
"I see you still understand what Mokona says."
The three girls bid a quick farewell and a thank you to the flying fish, before running after Mokona. They barely were able to keep up with the bouncing white blob, as it led them down the winding corridors of the castle. Although the well-lit and smooth floored corridors were easier to run through than heavily overgrown forests, it was easier for Mokona as well.
"If this is Cephiro, how did we get here?" Umi panted while running.
"Supposedly, only the Pillar is able to summon those from another world," Fuu reminded them.
Hikaru swallowed deeply while running, wondering if a new pillar had already been chosen? But if that was the case, why was the world outside still so bleak? Had the wrong person been chosen?
Eventually Mokona came to a stop in front of a pair of imposing, giant golden doors. If the castle was this big, they could only imagine what kind of a behemoth the king was.
"Here?" Hikaru asked carefully.
"Puu puu!" Mokona nodded.
The doors opened slowly with a clanging sound, revealing a brightly lit, round room on the other side. The room was empty aside from a golden throne at the back of it and marble pillars on the sides of the wall, covered in golden decorations. In front of it, stood a familiar face, who was far from being a giant.
As they all gasped in relief, Hikaru greeted, "Clef!"
The aquamarine eyes of the short, ten-year-old looking Mage widened from surprise upon seeing them. Since they were alone, this meant his fish familiar had brought them in. He had placed his old friend on guard duty, in order to scout out for invaders and remaining refugees outside the sanctuary. Never in a thousand years would he have expected to see these three again.
"Hikaru, Umi, Fuu… It is so good to see you all again," Clef smiled, seeing his old students.
"Mr. Clef! I hope you have been doing well," Fuu smiled,
"Nice to see you too, Master Clef," Umi greeted him politely.
Feeling somewhat relieved with the girls present, Clef spoke out, "I have seen better days, but how are—"
The reunion was suddenly interrupted, as the golden doors of the throne room opened up. A bearded, armored figure with a bad posture walked through the doors. His eyes were tired, his posture was forward leaning, and he held a cane. His hair and beard were long, grey, and shaggy, and his armor shone of silver and gold.
Behind this man, followed a raven-haired beauty in a revealing black outfit and a white cape. She held the hand of the old man gently, her ankle length black hair flowing gracefully behind her. Her indigo eyes and dark red lips, smiled lovingly at the old man next to her.
Recognizing the woman as Alcyone, Hikaru gasped realizing who the old man was, "H-Hotaru!"
"Eh? Is that the sound of Hikaru?" the old man said with a tired voice. "My mind must be playing tricks on me…"
"It is no trick, my love," Alcyone stroked his head lovingly, "they really are here.
"Mr. Hotaru!" Fuu said, rushing over to him with the others.
"What happened to you? How have you become this old!" Umi asked, horrified. "We've only been gone for a week!"
"Is that how long it's been for you?" the old timer rubbed his eyes. "No wonder your voices sound so youthful. For me, it has been seventy years since you left Cephiro."
The Magic Knights gasped in horror, as Clef behind them sighed deeply, "Really Hotaru, could you stop messing with them? They only just arrived."
The girls looked confused for a moment, before the old man started laughing in a wheezing voice.
"Ehehehe! It is because these young girls just arrived that I get to mess with them like this," Hotaru said, before quickly standing upright. "They wouldn't fall for it later."
Before the girls could react, Hotaru removed his messy wig and fake beard, revealing his still eighteen-year-old face.
"Eh!?" The girls yelled out, taken aback by this.
"Ahahahaha!" Hotaru laughed from the gut. "Oh, you should've seen your faces!"
As Hotaru laughed, Alcyone covered her eyes shamefully, smiling only a little, "I can't believe you spoke me into agreeing to this…"
"Eeeeh!" Umi growled, before slapping Hotaru repeatedly on the armor. "That was mean!"
While Hikaru and Fuu giggled slightly in relief of Hotaru still being himself, Clef shook his head, "Hotaru, when you said you would be preparing disguises for infiltration missions, this is not how I expected you to use them."
"Hehehe, sorry," Hotaru apologized halfheartedly, "when I saw the girls flying in, I couldn't resist."
Oh, who am I kidding, this is exactly why I made this disguise!
Once everything settled down, the five heroes of Cephiro stood in a line in front of Clef. Hikaru stood in the middle with Fuu and Umi on her left and Hotaru and Alcyone to her right. Mokona was sitting pretty in front of Clef, on a golden raised platform in front of the throne.
"Girls from another world, I apologize for withholding information from you. I was the one to send you into that battle without any prior knowledge," Clef lowered his head with heavy hearted words, "I'm sorry."
After a moment of silence, Umi asked him, "Did you know why Princess Emeraude had summoned us?"
"Yes…" Clef confessed with a heavy heart. "Princess Emeraude told me of her wish to be with Zagato. She locked herself up in the royal castle's depths in order to try and forget about him. But as that didn't work out, she summoned you Magic Knights in order to end her life. I should have told you what your true mission was, but I could not bear the thought of such young girls having to carry it out…"
Listening to Clef's explanation, Hotaru could feel the temperature in the room drop by a few degrees. Knowing what this meant, he decided it was best to let it sort itself out.
"It must have been hard for you too, Clef," Umi said understandingly.
"Luckily we did find out before the final battle thanks to Mr. Hotaru and Lady Alcyone."
Hikaru nodded, "And it is not like you could have explained it all to us once you were turned to stone."
Hearing their forgiveness, Clef let out a slight smile, "Hikaru, Fuu, Umi."
"I wish we could have done more for Princess Emeraude and Cephiro," Hikaru sniffed, beginning to tremble once again.
"You did plenty," Clef said gratefully. "I'm sure you heard it too. Princess Emeraude's last words…"
It took a moment for Hikaru to fully register Clef's words. But as she did, it was like a clump of ice had thawed in her heart. If Clef had heard them, she hadn't imagined Princess Emeraude's words after all.
"You granted Princess Emeraude's wish, something no one else could have," Clef praised them.
"Still salty about that one…" Hotaru grumbled quietly.
"But…" Clef continued, looking at the three of them confusedly. "Hikaru, Umi, Fuu. Why are you here? Hotaru told me you returned to your world after granting her wish."
"We don't know either," Hikaru shrugged. "There was a flash of light outside the Tokyo Tower windows…"
"It was the same situation as when Princess Emeraude summoned us," Fuu explained.
"But only the Pillar should be able to summon those from another world," Clef wracked his brain. "How…"
"So, you didn't summon us?" Umi asked.
"I cannot summon you," Clef admitted, disappointed in himself. "In addition, no one currently in Cephiro is capable of such a feat. Because right now in Cephiro, there is no pillar."
"What mission did you get this time?" Hotaru asked, trying to help them figure it out.
Hikaru shook her head, "There was none. No voice was heard when we were summoned."
"How odd," Hotaru rolled his eyes slightly. "Anyway, finding a new Pillar has not been easy. Too many clauses."
"How much longer can you still wait for a new pillar to appear?" Fuu asked thoughtfully.
"Not much longer," Clef answered, pointing his staff towards the ceiling.
A blue beam of light shot out from the staff, hitting the ceiling above them. The blue surface flashed, before an image projected into it. What they saw was a sideways view of Cephiro's landscape, barren, dead, and mountainous. The skies were as hopelessly dark and stormy as they potentially could have been.
"I'm sure you saw how Cephiro is now. None of the beautiful landscape that once existed remains. As Cephiro has lost its Pillar, it is crumbling… No, it is beginning to disappear."
"Disappear…" Hikaru trembled.
"That is not all," Clef continued. "Armies from other countries have already reached this area."
"Armies from… other countries?" Hikaru gasped, as the situation was only getting more dire. "Clef, there are other countries in this world other than Cephiro?"
"Yep," Hotaru blurted, leaning back with his armored hands in his pockets. "Turns out there are people living on other planets in this world with the capability to travel between them. Makes our world look primitive in comparison, but with the Mashin being giant robots I should have seen this coming."
With Hotaru helping with the explanation, Clef waved his staff, causing the gem on it to flash, before the image above them changed. It transformed into an image of the night sky, with clouds circling the edges of it. Among the stars, there were three dots of light, red, yellow, and green respectively.
"There are armies mobilized from those three lands all headed towards Cephiro. Autozam, Chizeta, and Fahren."
Three planets appeared upon the ceiling as Clef named them. A planet with enormous protrusions of green crystal that emerged from the very core of the planet, its surface covered in large cities and mega structures. A small golden planet covered in a hexagonal pattern with two massive golden cones hovering at the poles. And finally, a large red planet covered in red swirling clouds with two crisscrossing dark red rings of asteroids.
The Magic Knights stared at the worlds that all looked so alien to them. While Cephiro was somewhat similar to earth, these three planets were akin to nothing in their own world. The thought of these worlds sending armies to Cephiro was terrifying.
"Until now, Cephiro had been protected from outside forces thanks to the Pillar, Princess Emeraude. Anyone who entered Cephiro with the intent to harm we're all hindered by an unseen wall and could not enter the country," Clef explained, before pausing for a moment to not get emotional. "That is how absolute the princess's power was."
"Not only was Princess Emeraude protecting Cephiro from internal wars, but also from outside invaders," Fuu explained to Umi and Hikaru.
"Invaders who have had all the time in the world to prepare for when we are at our weakest," Alcyone added, with vitriol in every single one of her words. "And thanks to Zagato, we have been caught unprepared for all of this!"
Seeing Alcyone getting riled up, Hotaru wrapped his arm around her, "Don't worry dear, I promise it will be alright."
With Hotaru having calmed Alcyone down, Clef continued, "Hikaru, Umi, Fuu. I do not know who or what summoned you three here again. But Cephiro is now about to turn into a battlefield. However, you have already granted the princess's wish as Magic Knights. You, as beings of another world, have no need to be involved in this war for Cephiro. Even I do not know who summoned you."
The urge of suggesting to Clef that the girls may have arrived on Cephiro on their own was tempting Hotaru greatly. And yet, he had to keep in it, as it was too early for them to realize this. He did not wish to risk them trying to go back home.
"That means somewhere in Cephiro, there is one like the Pillar, with enough of a heart to summon someone from another world. As we keep the enemies away, we'll look for the next Pillar. That is all I can do for this land that Princess Emeraude gave her life for. I will be sure to find who summoned you. So take refuge in this castle with the others from this land…"
"I'll fight with you!" Hikaru interrupted Clef.
"Hikaru!" Clef gasped.
"That's the spirit!" Hotaru laughed and patted Hikaru on the shoulder. "I knew you girls would have it in you to fight!"
"But Hotaru, they have nothing to do with this battle!" Clef insisted, worried for their safety.
Hotaru looked at Clef confidently and smiled, "These girls would never back down from the opportunity to protect that which they care about. Though I am not sure about Umi…"
"Of course I will fight!" Umi roared out angrily. "But what are we going to fight with?"
"Presea managed to find your weapons after the battle," Hotaru explained casually. "As for your armor, I am sure Clef can hook you up with something."
"Hotaru!" Clef yelled angrily. "Do not lead them on. There is no reason for them to fight and endanger their lives any further."
Before Hotaru could talk back, Hikaru stepped forth, "Clef, you told me that this was a beautiful, peaceful country, but I haven't seen any of the true Cephiro!"
"I want to do something for the good of Cephiro this time," Umi spoke out as well. "For Ferio, for Presea, for Hotaru, who helped us… For everyone I met here!"
"I believe that we were able to mature just a little from the last battle. Not only in handling weapons or fighting techniques, but in our hearts. That is why I would like to assist in protecting Cephiro as well!" Fuu said passionately.
As Clef was taken aback by their passion, Hotaru shrugged smugly, "Told ya. You can't keep these girls down."
Alcyone chuckled while rubbing her lover's arm, "Hotaru, you really are a bad influence on them."
Hearing the girls laugh at Alcyone's joke, Clef sighed, feeling happy for all five of them, "I understand the way you feel very well."
Tapping his staff against the floor of the throne room, the charms on his staff jingled. Next, Clef brought his left index and middle fingers next to his face.
"Bestow Magic!"
A small wisp of magic shot out of Clef's fingers, before flying towards the girls. While this was far more subdued than last time, the results were the same. Refreshing and gentle waves of water wrapped Umi, strong yet calm breeze draped Fuu, and powerful raging flames surrounded Hikaru. Once the elemental forces dissipated, they were covered in familiar looking sets of cream-colored armor with gold trims. A small armored pauldron on their left shoulder, a breastplate going around their chest and waist, a single armored bracer on their right arm, and a glove on their left hand. Their legwear was of different length each. Hikaru's boots reached her knees, Umi's her thighs, and Fuu's her ankles. All of their armor pieces were decorated by corresponding gems of red, blue, and green.
"Armor!" Hikaru yelled out happily.
"This isn't the armor we previously equipped," Umi said while admiring it.
Fuu inspected it further, "It is different from any of the evolution stages."
Alcyone leaned over to Hotaru and whispered, "I am surprised they can see the difference. They look just like the ones they wore when we first met."
"It is the pauldron. It is spikier in shape and double layered," Hotaru whispered back. "Also, I think the golden decorations on the chest piece are new."
"There is no need for you to evolve your armor now," Clef explained proudly. "What I have given you is for warriors who have become Magic Knights. That armor will respond to your hearts and change its shape when you feel it necessary."
The Magic Knights seemed a bit confused by this, so Hotaru clued them in, "Basically your pauldrons won't be hitting each other when not in battle."
"To put it bluntly. You can use magic as well," Clef explained. "In addition to your previous ones, I'm sure you will be able to cast new spells as you further mature."
"Hey, Hotaru," Hikaru turned towards her old friend, "have you learnt new spells yet with Alcyone?"
Hotaru crossed his arms and frowned annoyedly, as Alcyone giggled, "I have had time to learn some new spells, but Hotaru hasn't learnt anything new yet. He has also been training with Lafarga, but hasn't learnt any new tricks."
"I've gotten better at sword fighting at least!" Hotaru said defensively, before sighing. "But yes, I will admit, I have hit a wall of some kind."
"Well Mr. Hotaru, you always did seem to lag behind in certain areas, but made up for it in tenacity," Fuu reminisced nostalgically, before turning to Clef. "What about our weapons, Mr. Clef?"
"I've already sent for them," Hotaru answered on the mage's behalf, before the throne room doors opened once more.
As the give heroes turned around, they saw two blonde women with long ponytails walk in. They wore dresses with large jewel encrusted collars, sashes, and knee length skirts, arm length gloves and calf high boots with matching gems. Their outfits were identical in design, except one was orange with white accessories and the other was white with orange accessories.
"Presea!" Hikaru yelled out happily, running over to hug the woman who extended out her arms. "I am so happy to see you!"
"I am happy to see you as well, miss Hikaru," the woman chuckled, "but my name is Sierra."
"Ah—" Hikaru grinned awkwardly, before being grabbed from behind.
Hugging Hikaru tightly, the woman in orange scolded, "Don't go stealing my hug, Sierra! How are you doing Hikaru?"
"I am… doing great!" Hikaru smiled happily.
Seeing all of her friends again, the worries and nightmares from this morning seemed so far away. While the guilt of killing Zagato and Emeraude still lingered, she could tell her actions had at least done a bit of good.
Umi and Fuu rushed over to Sierra and Presea, after which Umi looked at the two of them closely, "Wow, you two really look similar… I thought Presea was exaggerating when she told us she had an identical twin sister."
"It can get quite confusing at times," Alcyone said annoyedly. "The best way to tell them apart is that Sierra is more well-mannered than Presea."
"Oi!" Presea shook her fist at Alcyone.
"She does give a better first impression," Fuu agreed, causing Presea to pratfall with Hikaru.
Hotaru helped Hikaru and Presea up, before whispering, "Maybe don't trap people in cages when you first meet them."
"You were the ones intruding in my mansion," Presea retorted, before seeing Clef glare at her angrily.
"Oh right," Hikaru remembered as she got up, "I've been meaning to apologize to you, Presea."
Presea stared at her surprised, "Apologize for what?"
"Last time we met, we wrecked your house," Hikaru admitted sheepishly. "Because of us, you lost your home."
Presea smiled and waved her hand dismissively, "It is not any of your fault. Ascot has already apologized for sending his monster over. And besides, thanks to you all I managed to reunite with my sister. As well as see Cephiro one more time before it began to crumble."
"Also, I would like to thank you all for saving us," Sierra bowed her head politely. "Even though I don't remember it, I heard that you all saved me and my sister from Zagato's control, last time we met."
"I need to thank you about it as well," Clef admitted. "I cannot believe Zagato managed to get a drop on me twice."
"It was the least we could do," Fuu smiled, before looking inquisitively. "But Mr. Clef, may I ask you something?"
"You may, what is it you wish to know?"
"If Cephiro is crumbling to pieces without a Pillar, why are the other countries invading now? Isn't invading now a fool's errand, from which they have nothing to gain from?"
The atmosphere in the room turned from cheery to serious in almost an instant. Even the storm outside seemed to be growing stronger from the amping up anticipation. The Magic Knights could tell by the others' expression that the answer wasn't as simple as they had hoped.
"The other countries are taking this opportunity to invade, because one need not be from Cephiro to become the Pillar," Clef answered in a dead serious tone.
"W-What?" Hikaru stuttered, as Fuu and Umi gasped.
"The only condition for becoming Cephiro's Pillar is to have a stronger heart than anyone else," Clef explained.
"And they must be willing to become the pillar," Hotaru added. "Not many are willing to do that when knowing the pros and the cons, but some do."
"Then if someone from the invading armies were to become Pillar…" Umi's eyes widened in horror.
"They can run Cephiro as they wish!" Hikaru continued.
Powerful lightning strikes could be heard from outside, adding to the dramatic tension.
Fuu corrected her glasses, "So, the only way to protect Cephiro is to find a Pillar who prays for Cephiro's peace."
"Precisely," Clef nodded, while looking at the ground in front of him. "While protecting Cephiro from the invaders, we must find a new Pillar to lead Cephiro to peace as soon as possible."
"Presea, Sierra," Hikaru addressed the two master blacksmiths, "I want you two to lend us our weapons. We will fight to save Cephiro!"
Seeing that the three Magic Knights were all unanimous in their decision, the twins raised their hands into the air. The orange gems on Presea's right-hand gauntlet and Sierra's left-hand gauntlet glowed, as a gentle breeze and light surrounded the two blacksmiths. A bright ball of light formed between their palms which then formed into ethereal shapes, before solidifying into three weapons. A familiar set of a greatsword with an extravagant red hilt, a rapier with a dragon-shaped blue hilt, and a zweihänder with a simple green hilt. The weapons gently floated over to their wielders, who received them as if welcoming old friends.
Despite it only having been a week since she last wielded it, there was something nostalgic to Hikaru about having her sword in her hand, "These are the weapons we evolved."
"That's right, and just like before," Presea said, as the weapons turned into masses of energy, storing away into the gauntlets of the magic knights, "if you wish for them when you need them, they will reappear in your hand."
"If we wish for them…" Hikaru repeated in shock, having forgotten about the weapon storing function.
As she was slowly starting to remember how to Magic Knight, a bright light suddenly shone from her chest . The gems on the Magic Knights' chest armors glowed white light that made the rest of the throne room appear dark. A massive burst of energy overtook the three of them, catching them by surprise.
"W-What is this?" Hikaru yelled.
"The gems suddenly…" Fuu gasped.
"W-What exactly is this?" Umi panicked.
As the power flowing into them grew stronger and stronger, white sparks and arcs of electricity started pouring out of the girls. Those looking from the side were horrified by this violent event and the screaming of the girls. The only one who seemed calm, was the warrior in silver armor, who put on his sunglasses.
The light became so bright Alcyone had to cover her eyes, "This power is insane!"
"Hikaru!" Clef yelled
"Umi! Fuu!" Presea and Sierra called out.
With one last scream, the bodies of the three girls turned bright white, before shooting up into the air as pillars of light. As their screams faded and the room returned to its normal luminosity, Clef, Sierra, Presea, and Alcyone were badly shaken.
"W-What just happened?" Presea asked, worrying her weapons might have killed them.
"I don't know… looks like they were transported somewhere," Clef said, sitting back on the throne from the shock.
Clearing his throat in order to get everyone's attention, Hotaru spoke calmly, "If I would have to hazard a guess, the girls have been summoned by the Mashins. Their armors' chest gems always glowed whenever the Mashins were involved."
"I-I see…" Clef stuttered, feeling a sense of relief. "It would certainly explain a few things… Where are you going, Hotaru?"
Hotaru, who was heading towards the doors of the throne room, informally informed, "I have a hunch as to where they might appear next. Alcyone, you stay here and hold the fort. And try not to chew Clef out too harshly."
As Hotaru walked out, he closed the doors behind him with a clank, before sensing Alcyone's magical aura flaring up. He had expected this day to come eventually, so he wasn't surprised by the outcome. However, he hadn't been prepared for just how cold Alcyone's words had been.
When this meeting is over, let me talk to Clef in private.
These were the words Alcyone had said to him telepathically, while the girls were receiving their weapons. Telepathy was but one of the skills Alcyone had been studying from the books she had obtained from the royal castle. She had also mentioned learning mind reading, but Hotaru had managed to distract her from that endeavor for now.
High above Cephiro's skies, a large vessel was making its way towards the center of the country. It was a sleek, futuristic ship with a green and silver paint job. Most of the bulk of the ship was located at the upper middle section, as a single cylindrical shape with a long, flat, curved, and sharp nose cone. Above it, right at the center, was a large blue, cockpit-shaped section that housed the ship's main fighting force. On the sides of the cylinder, there were large, round, blue sections, with wing-like spiky parts protruding backwards.
On the sides of the main cylinder, there were small wings similar to an airplane, with the wing tips pointing down like the rudders of a ship. Below the cylinder, there was a huge, turbine-like shape that housed the main engines. Below the turbine, was a massive, forwards protruding undercarriage, that looked like a giant gun. The undercarriage and the central cylinder were connected to one another with multiple cables.
At the back of the ship, on top of the cylinder, was a command tower the size of a small skyscraper. It was supported by several cables that were attached to winglets on the sides of the command tower.
The entire ship was covered in yellow, armored up circles that hid the most crucial components of the ship behind them. Red warning lights were flashing all over the ship, allowing potential other flying ships to steer around it. Its many decks, weapons platforms, and sides were covered in small to medium turrets, prepared to fire upon all enemies who came too close.
At the top of the control tower, was the main command center with access to all functions of the ship. The command center's roof was a giant window with a nearly full range of view in all directions, which also functioned as the main monitor. The main computer terminal stood at the center of the command center, and was formed of two, blue round shapes.
On top of the main computer terminal, stood a young man with white hair and brown eyes. He wore a green military outfit, with a beige cloak over it. His left arm was hidden underneath the cloak, and his right arm was equipped with a large mechanical gauntlet. On his right shoulder, he wore a golden, star-shaped pauldron, signifying his rank in the army. On his head, he had a black headband with a silver pentagon on his forehead, with a blue orb on it. A single wire connected his headband to his mechanical gauntlet.
Around him, there were his most loyal and trusted subordinates and comrades. They were all concentrated on the image of a giant crystal castle, projected on the command center's window.
"A Cephiro without a Pillar," the man said with a bright smile and an effeminate voice. "If we are to attack, now would be the time."
Behind the closed doors of the throne room, Presea, Sierra, and Clef were all shocked to see Alcyone's cold white aura flaring up. The twins stood in front of Clef protectively, but it soon came clear Alcyone wasn't hostile.
"Alcyone…" Clef addressed his student regretfully, "I—"
"You knew…" Alcyone interrupted him, her voice resentful and hurt. "You knew all this time that Zagato and Emeraude were in love with one another!"
With Alcyone's words cutting him deep, Clef nodded, "…Yes, I did."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, tears running down her cheeks from anger.
A single tear rolled down Clef's cheek, as he felt her pain, "Because I was blind to your feelings. I didn't learn of your desires and goals until after being turned to stone. I was just disappointed in seeing two of my former students rise up against the Magic Knights, preventing Princess Emeraude's wish…"
For about a minute straight, Alcyone choked on her anger, before yelling out, "Do you have any idea how many people I hurt and maimed, because I didn't know any better? Because I was in love with Zagato!"
Seeing the pain she was in, Presea could only tremble while following the conversation, "Alcyone…"
"Do you know how many broken families were left in my wake, because I wanted to rule Cephiro alongside Zagato!?" Alcyone spat out the words, her voice trembling. "Because I don't! I stopped counting a decade ago!"
"I know I should've told you," Clef gripped his staff tighter, knowing he had failed Alcyone. "I should have told a lot of people a lot of things a lot earlier than I did. I should have trusted you with the information regarding Zagato and Emeraude, even if I didn't know of your feelings."
Alcyone aura flared out again, with the throne room floor being covered in ice. Presea and Sierra had to lift their feet so as not to be frozen to the floor. Even though the chances of Alcyone attacking were high, Clef could not find the strength to defend himself.
"When you see Hotaru next time, tell him that we are both fortunate to have him around," Alcyone spoke spitefully, her eyes covered by her long hair. "Because if not for him, I don't know what I would do to you and this sanctuary!"
"Alcyone! You can't mean that!" Sierra spoke out, distraught by her words.
"Even I'm not sure if I do," Alcyone said before turning around, her large white cape billowing in her aura. "All I know is that I now have someone I can trust! Because unlike you, my ex-master, I can rely on Hotaru telling me the truth."
With one last angry glance at Clef, Alcyone walked out of the throne room, slamming the doors behind her.
Author's Afterword: As such, we start season 2 on a double chapter, in a sense. On one hand, it feels good to finally have a script again that I can follow. On the other hand, I am reminded of why I felt like season 2 is a 20-episode series stretched out to 29. Some parts of season one suffer from repetitive dialogue, but season two takes it on a whole nother level!
While I knew I would be shortening the events of season 2 somewhat (and adding bunch of my own), I never expected this chapter to be almost two whole episodes! I mean seriously, this chapter was only 10 pages by the time episode 1 ends. I had already written everything up until Eagle's introduction, but realized there was no good spot to end the chapter.
Now enough about ranting on the anime. While this chapter followed the anime's script quite heavily at times, the devil is in the details. I would feel confident in saying I managed to foreshadow some of the greatest changes to the story in this chapter alone, so keep an eye on them. They are more subtle than you think.
Of course there was Alcyone's outburst, but that was mostly something I think should have been addressed in the original series. Makes ya wonder how different the story would have been had Clef told Alcyone what he should have.
As always, reviews and speculations are welcomed and appreciated. This time my thanks go to merendinoemiliano and our recurring anonymous Guest for your reviews on the last chapter! I hope you will one day make an account for yourself so that I can reply to your reviews.