A lot had happened in the lives of the Magic Knights after their victorious return from Cephiro. While the three of them kept in touch, they didn't spend much time together due to living in different districts of Tokyo and going to different schools. Despite this, they would meet up once a month to exchange comings and goings, if their school-, social-, and family lives permitted them to.
Their last year in junior-high was mostly spent with their classmates, enjoying life and focusing on exams and hobbies. While they would often find life getting slightly boring compared to their adventures, not living in constant danger was also a blessing. It wasn't too uncommon for either Hikaru, Umi, or even Fuu to wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweat, due to a dream that reminded them of life of death battles. By the end of the year, they met up more often, as Fuu gave Hikaru and Umi private tutoring for them to get accepted to their preferred high-schools. Though Hikaru struggled more than the other two, they all managed to pass and get into the schools of their choice.
Hikaru's choice was a standard high school, with the most prestigious gymnastics- and kendo-clubs among the public schools. She also joined an animal husbandry club, which took care of a large selection of school pets. Fuu on the other hand was admitted to a prestigious high school with access to the latest computer technology and courses on computer sciences. Although the school found things like archery old-fashioned and impractical, she was able to visit an archery range outside of school. Umi's school of choice was an internationally famous private high school, with many field trips abroad and emphasis on politics and international business. While she herself didn't much care for such topics, it also had a fencing club that was known for participating in international tournaments.
But it wasn't just their academic lives that had seen changes during the year, for their lives at home also weren't the same. As the summer vacation of their first high-school year approached, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu all agreed to go and visit Cephiro on the third day of their vacation. Not only were they excited to see how the fantasy world had recovered and explore it freely, but to see their other world boyfriends.
But all the excitement and forward planning in the world, never guarantees all to go right. Sleeping in her quite large bedroom, Umi was tucked up cozily under her pink blanket, on her salmon colored double bed. Her bedroom had baby-blue walls and a beige hardwood floor, as well as white desk, bookshelves, wardrobe, and wall shelves. Her shelves were decorated with trophies, plushies, dolls, and a few story books and manga. The brightly colored western-style room was filled with light, flooding in through a large window, as the noon sun was shining in.
"Umi dear! Wake up! You're going to be late!" a happy voice called for her from downstairs.
"I don't have school…" Umi muttered, hearing her mother's voice.
Opening her blue eyes slowly, the Magic Knight of water tiredly focused in on her alarm clock, before snapping fully awake.
"What the heck!" she yelled, throwing her blanket aside and jumping out of her bed. "Why didn't the alarm ring!"
Scrambling about to put on her clothes, Umi tripped and fell back onto her bed, before quickly getting back up. Having already packed yesterday, she grabbed a large blue gym bag, before rushing downstairs. Almost slipping on the smooth stairs in her socks, Umi hopped on one leg the last few steps, before rushing through the dining room where her parents were.
"Good morning and bye Mama, bye Papa!" Umi yelled, hurrying past them.
"Aren't you going to eat breakfast, Umi dear?" her mom asked, putting down a tray.
"No time! I have to be at the station in 20 minutes!"
Putting his paper down, her father asked in a deep voice, "Aren't you forgetting to greet someone?"
Stopping at the door, Umi sighed before reluctantly turning around, and returning over to the dining room table. In addition to her mother's usual breakfast, was a large woven straw basket with soft, white padding. Staring down into the basket, she was greeted by the sleeping face of a small baby girl with light blue hair. The baby was wearing a white onesie with pink frills, and breathing quietly as she napped.
"Good bye Mizumi~!" Umi whispered, trying to be as silent and cheerful as possible.
Despite trying to be gentle, her baby sister twitched in the basket, before opening her mouth wide, letting out a startled cry. As Mizumi started weeping, Umi's mother quickly rushed over, and the eldest daughter of the family facepalmed. Even as her mother cradled her and hushed lovingly, Mizumi continued wailing at full volume.
"She cries just like you did in her age," Umi's mother chuckled, holding Mizumi close to her chest.
"Yeah, but why does she always cry when I speak to her…?" Umi sighed frustratedly.
"Maybe she is just sad to see you go each time?" Her father mused with a smile.
"Well maybe she can go a few days without crying now that…" Umi started sarcastically, before noticing the time, "Eighteen minutes! Cya!"
"Have fun camping!" Her parents cheered her on.
Seeing their first daughter rush out the house and their second daughter immediately stop crying after, the loving couple smile awkwardly. They had thought it was time for them to finally have a second child now that Umi was all grown up, but they hadn't expected the siblings to start quarreling so early.
"I'll be going now!" Hikaru announced.
Standing in the hallway of their Japanese style home, the red-haired Magic Knight was wearing a large brown backpack and pulling along a flower-pattern roller. In addition to the large amount of luggage, the rather cramped entry hall had its space taken up by Hikaru's siblings.
"Did you remember to pack everything?" Masaru asked. "Have you got your changes of clothes?"
"Yes," she nodded, looking up.
"Your toothbrush and paste?" Kakeru asked.
"Mhm."
"Your tent? Sleeping bag? Matches? Food? Rope? Raincoat? Swiss army knife?" the brothers continued asking back and forth, as Hikaru nodded faster and faster.
"I got everything!" Hikaru announced, her head getting dizzy. "And even if I forgot something, Umi and Fuu will have my back!"
Sighing deeply, Masaru crossed her arms, "It can't be helped. I guess our little Hikaru is going on a journey on her own."
"Promise not to do anything too dangerous!" Kakeru raised his finger up warningly.
As she was about to open her mouth, a series of flashbacks of her previous times in Cephiro wracked her mind. The number of injuries and near-death experiences she had faced, made it hard for her to keep that promise.
"…I promise to take care of myself!" Hikaru grinned, an awkward drop of sweat dripping down her forehead.
"Before you go, Hikaru-chan," a voice from the kitchen called out.
Walking out into the hallway while drying a porcelain plate, came a woman about a head and a half taller than Hikaru. She had long, bright red, neatly combed hair, slightly darker than Hikaru's, large brownish red eyes, and a comforting face. She wore a light blue cardigan with a yellow apron over it, knee-length brown skirt, and yellow fuzzy slippers.
"…Make sure to come back before your sixteenth birthday," Hikaru's mother smiled warmly. "We're having a special guest coming over."
With her eyes widening, Hikaru gasped, "Is big brother Satoru bringinghis girlfriend over!?"
Tilting her head awkwardly, her mother nodded, "Yes, he is. But your father is also coming home."
"Dad is!?" Kakeru yelled out loudly.
"It's been almost a decade since he left…" Masaru stared at the ceiling. "I wouldn't remember his face if it weren't for photos— OW!"
Holding her second son by the ear, she scolded, "Your father's heart will break if you speak like that when he comes back. So, Hikaru, make sure you have plenty of energy to meet with your dad when you come back, alright?"
Seeing her mother wink at her, Hikaru smiled happily, "Right!"
"Are you sure this is what you want to do with your summer break, Fuu-chan?"
On the third floor of an old-fashioned European style mansion in the suburbs of Tokyo, the youngest daughter of the Hououji family was finishing her packing. A large green suitcase was laying on her bed, filled with neatly folded clothes, some camping equipment, and a map. Fuu's room was quite a spacious loft room, with a large arching window and light-green walls. She had many bookshelves, a wardrobe, a desk with a computer, and a writing desk for homework. In addition to her classy furniture, she had a video game console under a modern tv stand, and her archery equipment mounted on the wall.
"I am certain, Mother," Fuu answered, closing her suitcase. "I want some time to breathe freely and be one with nature with my friends."
"Yes, but if you were to attend the summer courses, you would gain a leg-up on your peers and test scores," Her father pointed out strictly.
Lifting her suitcase while standing straight and proper, Fuu looked at her parents for the first time since they had entered her room. Her mother was a beautiful woman for her age with long, freely flowing bronze hair and green eyes, and red lipstick. She wore a simplistic, indigo, Victorian-era dress without a corset, which covered all but her hands and head. Fuu's father on the other hand wore a dark-green suit, pants and vest, black leather shoes, and black framed wayfarer-glasses. His hair was short, slightly curly, and light brown, and his eyes just as emerald as his wife and daughters'. While her mother seemed worried and her father as strict as always, Fuu didn't stop smiling politely and calmly, instead her expression just brightened.
"I can always start the summer courses slightly later," Fuu answered graciously, before bowing politely. "I will be going now. Take care of the house, Mother, Father."
Without listening to further objections, Fuu turned around and walked out of her room, dragging her suitcase behind her. Slightly taken aback by their daughter's unwillingness to heed their requests, Fuu's parents were about to raise their voices, before deciding against it.
"She is becoming more headstrong by the year…" Mr. Hououji sighed.
"It is a sign of growing up," Mrs. Hououji stated calmly. "First Kuu and now Fuu. Our girls are becoming more and more independent, and we should be happy for them."
"I guess so," Mr. Hououji admitted, before slumping his shoulders, "but I'm worried they will make decisions they regret later without their Papa helping…"
Patting her husband on the back, Mrs. Hououji smiled, "Our job is not to prevent their mistakes, but help fix them."
Getting into the train, Hikaru had struggled with her large luggage at first, but had managed to find space for them. Unfortunately for her, she had arrived during lunch hour rush, causing the train to quickly get jampacked. Due to her short stature, she had to struggle with all her might in order to get out of the train at the correct station.
Thanks to her more rarely used route and first-class tickets, Fuu was able to travel peacefully, while enjoying a cup of tea onboard the train. While sitting in a private booth, she pulled out a familiar pink and red orb, decorated with gold trims and gems. Stroking its surface, she smiled wistfully, while thinking about the future.
For Umi, who had slept in and had to run to the station, she had no time or luxury to order a first-class ticket. Panting heavily, she rushed into the first train leaving, before grabbing a free strap, as all the seats were taken. Breathing heavily and her blue hair shining in the sunlight, she quickly drew the attention of the other passengers. Despite being tired and barely woken up, she was still able to sense and catch one of the passengers trying to get too close to her, staring them down fiercely.
After an otherwise uneventful trip, it was around two in the afternoon when Umi arrived at the Tokyo Tower. Due to a two-hour train ride with no breakfast, her stomach was grumbling as she walked through the doors. While the gift-shop was selling the Tokyo Tower's chick pastries, Umi's dislike of sweets kept her from buying any. After all, soon they would be in Cephiro and she would have plenty to choose from.
Getting up to the observation platform using the elevator, Umi looked around to spot her friends, or for them to spot her. But after a while of checking her surroundings, it seemed like Hikaru and Fuu hadn't arrived yet.
Covering her eyes so as not to scare others with her glare, Umi sighed, "After all that rushing about, I'mstillthe first one to arrive!"
Not wanting to spend time worrying about it, Umi walked over to the edge of the observation platform to wait, turning her back to the skyline. Though she had been dreaming of seeing Cephiro again for weeks now, finally going there again filled her with the same suspense as attending a fencing tournament.
Cephiro is meant to be a peaceful and beautiful place now that it's been fixed, but we're dealing with a whole new Cephiro. Of course we're all legendary Magic Knights, but that's what I thought when we last went back. Autozam, Chizeta, Fahren, Debonair, and the shadows… So many foes, just as strong as we were. At least the ones that remain are our friends now, but it has been a whole year now. I wonder if Hotaru and Alcyone have kept Cephiro safe?
"Umi-chan!" a loud voice called for her from the crowd.
Rushing past the crowd of people, Umi could spot a familiar head of red hair zigzagging towards her. Knowing there wasn't time to respond, she just held her arms open, and welcomed Hikaru who jumped into her arms. Already used to this kind of greeting, she almost got tackled down as Hikaru was heavier than expected, and was only saved by the railing.
"Hikaru!" Umi grunted, rebalancing herself. "Why are you carrying so much luggage?"
"It's camping gear," Hikaru answered innocently.
"That was just a cover story!" Umi reminded her. "We're going to Cephiro! We will be fine without it."
"I know, but my brothers and mom insisted they pack for me…" Hikaru smiled awkwardly.
Sighing tiredly, Umi looked towards the ground while speaking quietly, "I hope we can get our armor back quickly so we can store that all away…"
"Ms. Umi! Ms. Hikaru!"
"Ah! Fuu-chan!"
Seeing Fuu approaching, Hikaru and Umi waved at her happily. Their blonde friend was wearing a double layered, buttoned-down sundress with a white shirt under it. The dress was pale-green in color and had yellow flowers patterned on it. Upon her head, she had a pale turquoise hairband and a straw summer hat, decorated with white flowers. She wore black leather gloves and shoes, and a matching black choker with a red rose.
"That is such a cute outfit, Fuu!" Hikaru complimented her friend.
"Thank you very much, Ms. Hikaru," Fuu smiled happily. "Yours is… very cute too."
Looking at her own outfit, Hikaru couldn't help but smile awkwardly again. She was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with red denim overalls, matching sneakers, and beige gloves. Due to her family being so gung-ho about her going out into the wilderness, this had been the bare minimum they had accepted for her to wear. Luckily for her, she had managed to sneak in more, lighter changes of clothes.
"Thank you…" Hikaru thanked sheepishly.
Seeing she struck a nerve, Fuu changed subjects, "Your outfit is also very stylish, Ms. Umi."
Despite having dressed in a hurry, Umi had still managed to throw together a respectable ensemble. She wore a deep-blue long-sleeved shirt with a baby blue dress over it. The dress was knee-length, sleeveless, high collared and tied at the front by a bunch of white laces. On her legs she wore black thigh-high socks and brown knee-high, brown leather boots with crisscrossing straps at the front.
Before Umi could say her thanks, she noticed Fuu's large suitcase that she pulled behind her.
"Did your parents pack for you too?" Umi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I packed for myself," Fuu answered with a smile.
"Why do you need such a big suitcase then?" Hikaru asked, encircling the large piece of luggage. "What's in it?"
"Changes of clothes, toiletries, eye-glass kit, and plenty of books," Fuu listed off. "I figured we all could use some reading in the evening."
"Right… we can't exactly watch tv or play video games," Umi admitted, crossing her arms.
"What did you bring with you, Ms. Umi?" Fuu asked, looking at her gym bag. "You are traveling quite light."
"Fufufu~" Umi chuckled proudly. "I packed everything that a good tourist needs! Tadah!"
Reaching into her bag and slipping her hand under her change of clothes, Umi pulled out a large, pink, instant camera. Seeing the state-of-the-art apparatus, Hikaru and Fuu both leaned in close to inspect it.
"Wow…" Hikaru gasped, having never seen one up close.
"Why did you bring this, Ms. Umi?" Fuu asked, adjusting her glasses.
"To take pictures, of course!" Umi beamed proudly. "Who knows if we will be going to Cephiro again after this, so I figured we should take pictures of our vacation!"
"Cool!" Hikaru yelled excitedly. "That way we can better remember the time we spent together with the others."
Thinking about it more closely, Fuu asked, "Are you not worried people might ask questions if they see pictures of Cephiro or Cephiroans?"
"We'll just tell them we visited a theme-park together!" Umi patted Fuu on the back reassuringly. "We can also leave a few pictures of ourselves on Cephiro in case they want to make statues or paintings of us!"
Holding onto her glasses as Umi patted her, Fuu smiled impishly, "I guess that would be better than them thinking we were guys in a few generations."
"Shhh! Everyone is staring," Hikaru hushed the two.
Quieting down for a moment, they did in fact notice they had caused a bit of a ruckus. After all, they were the only visitors in the Tokyo Tower with such heavy carry-ons on them. As such, they took a moment to relax, chatting about their home lives, waiting for people's attention to turn away.
"So, Ms. Umi, how is little Ms. Mizumi doing?" Fuu asked curiously.
Tilting her head to the side, Umi frowned dramatically, "Still cries as soon as I speak to her. Mom keeps telling me she misses me when I'm gone but I think she is just saying that to get me to take care of her."
"Do you not like taking care of her?" Hikaru asked.
"I would if she wasn't always crying," Umi clenched her fist. "I swear, neither of you knows what it is like to be an older sibling!"
"You've been our dependable big sister for years now!" Hikaru smiled happily, causing Umi to blush from the flattery.
"And yet you are the youngest of us," Fuu added, causing Umi's head to be brought low as if struck by a washtub.
Straightening herself out, Umi coughed in her fist, "Speaking of which, Hikaru, how was your birthday?"
"I haven't had it yet!" Hikaru announced happily. "I figured we could celebrate my birthday together in Cephiro and when we come back I could celebrate it with my family!"
"Clever way of getting double the gifts," Umi teased her, causing Hikaru to laugh.
"That does make me wonder," Fuu thought out loud. "We always return back to the time when we left Tokyo when we come back, so do we age while we are in Cephiro?"
"Who cares! No one is going to notice if we are a month or two older than we should," Umi said adamantly. "Although… How do we get to Cephiro? First time it was because of Emeraude, the second was like… an accident."
"It wasn't an accident," Hikaru stated firmly, turning towards the skyline. "Our hearts desired to go to Cephiro and help everyone there, to see the world Princess Emeraude gave her life for. All we have to do is desire to go there within our hearts."
Following Hikaru's lead, Fuu and Umi turned to look out the window themselves, staring into the blue expanse of the cloudless sky. Soon before their eyes, they could see the landscapes of Cephiro up in the skies, with its many green and verdant landscapes, mountains, oceans, shores, and floating landmasses. Focusing their hearts as if using magic back on Cephiro, the Magic Knights summoned a bright white sphere of light in the air that nearly blinded them.
"Hold onto your luggage!" Fuu yelled over the intense light.
With the light engulfing them all, their bodies, clothes, and carry-ons were transformed into red, green, and blue energy that was sucked into the light. Before they even noticed it themselves, a feeling of weightlessness took them over, as the air around them felt cleaner than in Tokyo. Recognizing the landscape around them as the world they loved so dearly, it took them a moment to realize they had forgotten something.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!" the Magic Knights screamed together, plummeting down from up high.
"Why do we always appear so high in the sky!?" Umi yelled with her eyes closed, waving her arms and legs.
Holding onto her glasses, Fuu suggested, "Maybe it is because we are always in Tokyo Tower?"
"This is much higher than the tower! Anyone see Clef's fish anywhere!?"
Smiling confidently, Hikaru spoke calmly, "Relax, we'll be fine on our own."
"Eh?!" Umi and Fuu gasped.
Quickly focusing on her heart and spreading her arms and legs midfall. Umi and Fuu watched in awe as Hikaru's clothes transformed into her red, fully evolved Magic Knight armor, her red cape flapping in the wind. Understanding what she had in mind, they followed suit, donning their own green and blue Magic Knight armors.
"Rayearth!"
"Selece!"
"Windam!"
Three bright flashes of red, green and blue lit up the skies of Cephiro, as its guardian deities appeared for the first time in over a year. Spreading their wings and flames, the three knightly mechs with animal motifs took flight, soaring through the bright blue skies. Despite the grand spectacle they were putting on for the people down below, the Magic Knights were much more interested in their own point of view.
As far as their eyes could see, Cephiro blessed them with its natural beauty. Lush and dense forests and jungles coexisted and mingled in harmony. Dozens of individual mountains and vast mountain ranges jutted out proudly, creating waterfalls and several layers of elevation. Fields of both crops and flowers dotted the landscapes, giving splotches of color among the seas of green. The skies were clear aside from a few white fluffy clouds and some pillars of smoke from volcanoes. Floating islands carrying large crystals and gently flowing waterfalls glistened in the sun, creating rainbows with their prisms and water vapor. Villages and towns were dotted here and there, though far fewer than back on Earth. Flocks of birds, flying fish, and other magical creatures were flying below them, while animals on the ground were grazing in peace.
"The new Cephiro is even more beautiful up close," Hikaru beamed, looking at the land below them through her see-through control sphere.
"It is amazing how quickly it has recovered!" Fuu exclaimed happily, letting her eyes soak in all the colorful scenery.
"This will be the best summer vacation ever!" Umi cheered, raising her Mashin's fist.
While the three of them were celebrating, deep voices spoke out, "Girls summoned from another world. It has been a while."
"Rayearth!" Hikaru gasped, happy to hear the voice of the old friend.
Following Rayearth, Selece spoke next, "It is a pleasure to see you again, Umi. Shall thee be staying long?"
"Thank you Selece. We're not sure yet, but we want to see all of Cephiro before we go back!"
"I'll look forward to playing games with thou again, Fuu," Windam spoke in a jovial manner.
"Me too," Fuu smiled, before asking. "Your voices, they seem different. Has something changed?"
"We have lately had more time to socialize with youngsters—" Rayearth answered, before his voice froze. "Something is coming!"
"Huh?" The Magic Knights gasped, looking around, before being struck from behind. "AAAAH!"
Before they could react, massive metallic arms wrapped around the three ancient Mashins. The Magic Knights tried to struggle and break free from the grip, with Hikaru using Rayearth's thrusters to push herself away. But as the other two knights started complaining about the heat, she stopped.
Unable to turn around, they were surprised to hear a deep voice yell, "Appearing in the sky just like that!You three almost gave me a heart attack!"
Turning around as best as they could, Hikaru and others gasped as they saw a familiar face, "Hotaru!?"
Hugging the three Mashins in his arms like toddlers, Hotaru was keeping the three mechs against his chest plate. Although the scene could have been quite cute, Hotaru's peeved off expression lessened the heartfelt reunion.
"Why are you so angry at us! You scared us too! Appearing out of nowhere!" Umi said defensively.
"I teleported here as fast I could when I sensed you were ridiculously high up without your armor or swords!" Hotaru scolded them strictly. "Only to find you three flying about without a care in the world!"
"Go me ne," Hikaru apologized sheepishly on the behalf of the group. "We forgot the path to Cephiro took us so high up…"
Rolling his eyes, Hotaru paraphrased his knowledge from the manga, "Next time, try to open a door to ground level, okay? Now, let's land already, I have something to give you three."
Landing down onto a relatively small forest clearing in a somewhat densely grown forest, Hotaru placed the fifty-meter mechs onto the ground. With their old bodyguard shrinking down to his regular size, the Magic Knights got out of their Mashins and unsummoned them. Changing out of their armors into their regular clothes, the Magic Knights were shocked to see Hotaru's clothes. In fact, the man they had traveled with over a year ago, now looked so different from how they remembered.
"That is a very nice outfit," Fuu complimented him. "You have really settled in here on Cephiro."
"Oh, this thing?" Hotaru said, looking at his hero's clothes. "I've had them for a while. You three also look… Honestly, have you three grown at all?"
"Not when compared to you!" Umi slapping Hotaru on his arm, slightly peeved. "I'll have you know I am now taller than the national average for women!"
"And I am no longer getting mistaken as an elementary school student!" Hikaru said happily with her arms behind her back, before remembering what she was wearing. "…That often."
"I have not grown that much taller," Fuu admitted, tilting her head back. "But my big sister keeps teasing me that we can now share bras."
"Show off…" Umi muttered under her breath.
"Fufufufu~"
"You said you had something to give us, right, Hotaru?" Hikaru asked curiously. "Would it be… gifts from others?"
Seeing Hikaru's expectant expression, Hotaru said awkwardly, "Kinda. Presea asked me to give these to you in her stead once you came back."
Raising both of his gauntlets into the air, the lime-green gems on the backs of them began to glow, before a gentle breeze and light surrounded the paladin. Two balls of bright light ejected from the gems, before forming into one between Hotaru's palms and turning into familiar ethereal shapes. In a bright flash of light, a greatsword with an extravagant red hilt, a rapier with a dragon-shaped blue hilt, and a zweihänder with a simple green hilt appeared. The weapons gently floated over to their wielders, who welcomed their old partners in arms.
Hikaru looked at her Escudo weapon with a smile, "I cannot practice kendo anymore without thinking about this sword. It is great to have these back."
"But how come you are the one giving these to us, Mr. Hotaru?" Fuu asked, leaning her zweihänder against her shoulder.
"I promised I would take care of you three when you came back," Hotaru answered straightforwardly. "I am currently better off than Clef or Presea, so it would only make sense for me to—"
Listening to Hotaru speak, Umi spotted something large moving in the forest, "BEHIND YOU!"
Before the girls could react, a huge, bipedal monster jumped out from behind the trees. It looked like an olive-green gorilla with the jaws of a hippopotamus, three red eyes on its forehead, and its back and arms were covered in quills like a porcupine. Crushing everything in its wake, the monster rushed towards them, causing them to extend out their arms.
"Flame Arrow! Water Dragon! Emerald Typhoon!" the girls yelled at once.
As they finished chanting their spells of fire, water, and wind; they were shocked to see that nothing happened. Even though they had successfully come to Cephiro and even summoned their Mashins, their magic didn't work. Before they could ask why, a loud bang rang out from right in front of them and across the forest clearing,
BLAM!*
Frozen in place by shock, the girls watched as the giant monster disappeared in a flash of darkness and wind as it died. Looking towards the source of the sound, they could see Hotaru holding a large smoking gun of sorts. The weapon looked like a heavy-caliber, single-barrel elephant gun. Its thick barrel was silver and surrounded by golden hoops across its entire lengththat slanted forward, all connected by a golden reinforced rail. The center block of the shotgun was silver in color and decorated with golden embossings, as well as round lime-green gems. The stock of the shotgun was made of darker and heavier metal, with a golden butt at the back of it.
As quickly as he had pulled it out, Hotaru absorbed the gun into the gem on the back of his left hand. Halting his Silver Speed and Steel Strength spells, Hotaru turned to look at his friends, who were still in shock from what had happened.
"…W-Why didn't our magic work," Hikaru stuttered, looking at her hands.
"Since you've been back on Earth, you need to have magic bestowed to you again," Hotaru explained to the three of them. "We'll take care of it before the day is done."
"Oh, that's swell… Forget that!" Umi shouted, still in aggressive disbelief. "When did you get a shotgun!?"
"Presea made this monster gun for me after studying some Autozamian…" Hotaru answered bluntly, before pausing awkwardly for a moment and changing the topic. "Why're you surprised? Did you forget she had a cannon in her workshop when we last met her?"
"She did have one," Fuu agreed, thinking about the past.
"Anyway," Hotaru placed his hands on his hips, changing topics further away from his larceny, "what brings you three here with so much luggage?"
"We're here on summer break!" Hikaru announced happily, lifting her suitcase.
"Summer?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "It is autumn now… Or whatever passes for autumn on Cephiro. I guess the time you spent here really does add up. How long will you stay on Cephiro?"
"We are not sure yet," Fuu answered with a slightly devious smile. "Due to the time moving differently, we can enjoy our summer break as long as we want. Maybe we will stay for a couple of weeks. Or a couple of months. Hohohoo~!"
"That said we could use a good place to stay," Umi scratched the back of her head, before leaning towards Hotaru. "You wouldn't know of somewhere where three girls could stay for cheap that has comfy beds and hot baths? Preferably for free…?"
Crossing his arms, Hotaru said sternly, "Unfortunately there is only one place you three freeloaders can stay for so long with your budget."
"…Mokona's shelter?" Umi squeezed her eyes shut.
"My place."
"EH!?"
With Titanium Powered Hotaru carrying the Magic Knights in one hand and their luggage in the other, the quartet quickly flew over to the Claw Mountains. Though the girls had been enamored with the views of Cephiro earlier, seeing a good chunk of the planet truly made them feel the weight of their efforts. Seeing the mountain range, they at first didn't think of it as anything special, but their eyes widened as they saw the plateau behind the mountains.
A large and colorful village, almost a town, expanded across the mostly forested, palm-shaped plateau. Hundreds of buildings and homes had been built along long, cobbled streets, lined up with large rectangular stone bricks. Though most of the buildings were wooden, there were many large stone facilities, such as a school, a town hall, and a guard barrack. The curved and straight cobbled main roads looked like the lines of a hand, as they cut across the plateau. A round fountain could be seen at the back of the village, with a tract of water running from it across the plateau in a watertight channel. Despite the many buildings and the artificial river, there were still large forested areas between the roads.
Down in the village, many different kinds of villagers could be seen, from Cephiroans to Chizetans, as well as fay and magical creatures. Different beasts of burden pulled supplies in various kinds of wagons, while children played on lawns along with magical creatures. At the town square, people in white robes and hoods could be seen talking to the public, drawing in large crowds. Bakers, blacksmiths, stone cutters, woodworkers, and even jewelry smiths had set up shop and worked out doors. Even the people in charge of housework were outside doing laundry and sweeping the streets. Despite a shiny, armored giant flying over them, the villagers didn't even look up.
"Such a pretty little town!" Hikaru gasped, looking down as Hotaru slowed down.
"Is this where you live, Mr. Hotaru?" Fuu asked loudly, so that the giant would hear her.
"Technically yes," Hotaru chuckled amusedly.
"Don't tell me you live in that creepy tower up that mounta— Woah!"
Before Umi could finish her sentence, the rest of the mountain estate on the Claw Mountains' thumb became visible. The mansion, made up of close to a dozen different architectural styles and colors, was overwhelming at first, but soon her eyes started to divide it into several sections. The kitchen, the alchemy tower, gate house, main building, and so on all stood as individuals, but together formed a cozy collective. But while the mansion was impressive, the gardens, orchards, fields, and the courtyard truly stood out, making the estate seem like a variable paradise.
"Gorgeous…" Hikaru gasped, as they landed in front of the gate house.
"How can you afford to live in a place like this?" Umi asked, as Hotaru placed them down on the ground.
"Who does your gardening?" Fuu asked, as the giant shrunk down.
Before Hotaru could answer the questions, an angry voice shouted, startling the quartet, "HOTARU!"
Turning to look through the iron gate, they could see Alcyone angrily speed walking towards them across the courtyard. The raven-haired sorceress was wearing her usual black leotard with gold trims, black thigh-high high heeled boots, fingerless arm-length gloves, and horned reverse diadem. While Alcyone wasn't wearing her cape, her ankle-length hair still billowed behind her threateningly. Without access to magic, the Magic Knights dared not to face Alcyone's wrath, and hid behind Hotaru's back.
"I know I said we would be discussing tax reforms afterwards," Alcyone shouted angrily, "but did you really have to teleport away in the middle of your magic lesson!?"
With it been a while since Hotaru saw Alcyone this angry, he quickly tried to correct her, "I wasn't skipping class, my love! I thought it was a matter of life or death!"
"What are you on about?" Alcyone shouted confusedly, forcefully pushing the iron gates aside.
As the furious sorceress opened the gates, the girls were ready to start searching for a different place to stay the night. But as Alcyone's indigo eyes were laid upon the figures hiding behind Hotaru's back, her tone of voice and volume dropped lower.
"Wait… are you three…?"
Peeking out from behind the paladin's back, Umi smiled frightenedly, "Umm… if this is a bad time, we'll come back another day. Okay?"
With Alcyone quickly going around Hotaru, the Magic Knights almost fell over as they tried to get some distance. But as they saw Alcyone's expression, they almost went weak in the knees.
"You're finally back…" Alcyone gasped happily, her eyes growing misty and sparkling.
"Uuuhh… long time no see?" Hikaru greeted her carefully.
Before the Magic Knights could react, Alcyone raised her arms into the air and shouted happily, before hugging the girls tightly. Taking a step back to admire the view, Hotaru couldn't help but chuckle at the baffled expressions of the girls, as they struggled in the busty sorceress's embrace.
"You are finally back!" Alcyone repeated excitedly, radiating happiness.
"…Yes, we are!" Fuu gasped, finally able to pry herself out of the hug. "Have you been missing us, Ms. Alcyone?"
Alcyone continued rejoicing and hugging the girls a bit longer, before finally snapping out of it, letting go, and taking a more dignified pose. Blushing slightly from embarrassment, Alcyone cleared her throat before speaking.
"Not particularly," Alcyone admitted under her breath, crossing her arms. "It is just that somebody was adamant about keeping me waiting until you three come back."
Seeing Alcyone glance at Hotaru while pouting and her brother in arms grinning, Hikaru tilted her head, "Waiting for what?"
"AAAAH!" Umi yelled out, drawing everyone's attention, before pointing. "Alcyone's finger!"
Turning to look, Fuu and Hikaru saw a ring made out of shining purple metal, with gold and silver lines twisting around its outer surface. Seeing the expressions of the girls, Alcyone presented her slender hand gracefully, while showing off her rings smugly. Its large, hexagonal cyan and teal Olympia opal with a snowflake pattern, glinted in the sun brightly, contrasting her dark outfit. While Hikaru was gasping at the beauty of the ring, Fuu was holding her hands in front of her mouth.
"You are engaged!?" Fuu gasped. "That means the wedding is…"
"In about a week," Hotaru announced with a bright smile. "We have made all the plans and arrangements already, and invites have been sent. We've just been waiting for you three to come back so you wouldn't miss it."
With their eyes shining, Umi and Hikaru shouted, "Congratulations! Thank you so much!"
"Apologies for the wait," Fuu bowed respectfully.
"It's fine," Alcyone sighed, "at least you are finally here."
"Speaking of waiting," Hotaru changed subjects, turning to Alcyone. "Remember what we promised to Clef?"
"Hmmm?" Alcyone blinked, before remembering. "Oh… Alright then. I guess that's why you're all here."
Summoning her large, bident-shaped golden staff, Alcyone raised her escudo weapon into the air, "Bestow Magic!"
A bright lightning-bolt struck the tip of her staff from the sky, before the light surrounded the girls. Shocked by the intensity of it all, the girls gasped as a familiar sensation filled their beings. Refreshing and powerful waves of water wrapped Umi, strong gusts draped Fuu, and intense raging flames surrounded Hikaru. Once the elemental forces dissipated, they could feel their magical powers radiating from their hearts, filling them with a sense of comfort.
Realizing what had just happened, Hikaru yelled excitedly, "Wow Alcyone! You can give our magic back like Clef can?"
As Alcyone looked rather smug again, Hotaru explained, "She has been practicing to be the next Master Mage of Cephiro. I'd say she is getting very close."
"Wait a second!" Umi objected. "While we have magic, what about our suits of armor!?"
While Umi's uproar was impolite, it wasn't unwarranted. In the past, each time they had been bestowed magic by Clef, they had also obtained armor. While they had been able to change into their fully evolved ones earlier, it was good to have more simplistic armor when exploring Cephiro.
Pointing her staff at Umi, Alcyone frowned, "Don't blame me for Clef forgetting to hand them over! You can have them back when we meet at the wedding, but don't you dare wear them during it. I have had enough trouble coaxing this one to not wear armor to his own wedding."
"It's my best outfit!" Hotaru defended himself. "Besides, you said nobility used to get married while wearing armor!"
"I want to wear a dress like they do on Earth!" Alcyone crossed her arms decisively. "And I want to stand out, and that is very difficult to do with you clanging and shining."
Not wanting to continue arguing in front of their guests, Hotaru sighed and led the girls through the gate into the courtyard. The girls were all enamored by the Japanese style garden, filled with hundreds of foreign plants, flowers, bushes, trees, and grasses. The large courtyard had developed into a proper botanical garden over the year, with many hidden details, nooks, animal nests, and napping spots. When the girls complimented the floral abundance and asked again who their gardener was, Alcyone puffed out her chest so much she almost had a wardrobe malfunction.
Making it to the main building, four figures were there waiting for them in the first-floor drawing room. A young woman or a late teen with messy purple hair, who was about the same height as the girls, who smiled with her eyes closed. A significantly taller woman with green hair in a braid that hung over her shoulder, and stood straight and proper, giving an air of dignity. The third woman looked to be around the same age as Alcyone, but shorter and stockier, with orange hair in two spiraling hair buns, and seemed to be shaking. The fourth and final member of the group was a darker skinned man who was as tall as Alcyone, wearing a bluish gray three-piece suit with a red undershirt.
"Let me introduce you to our maids," Hotaru said proudly to the Magic Knights. "These are our head maid Integra."
"Pleasure to meet you," Integra bowed.
"Our coachman Envix."
"How you doing!" Envix waved at them.
"…And our scullery maid, Livina," Hotaru rolled his eyes.
"OH MY GOD IT'S REALLY YOU!" Livina exploded out of excitement. "I am so happy to meet you, Magic Knights!"
Severely taken aback by the fangirling, the Magic Knights completely forgot about introducing themselves, as they stared at Lina with their mouths agape. While they had expected a warm welcome from the people of Cephiro, they hadn't thought of being treated like rockstars.
"Um… happy to meet you too," Hikaru offered to shake her hand, finally getting over the shock.
Holding Hikaru's hand, Livina shook it quickly, "I am such a big fan of you three! Thank you for saving our world twice and removing the Pillar System! Had I known you were coming today, I would have prepared my autograph book!"
"We will make sure to sign it later," Fuu smiled awkwardly.
"Apologies for her behavior," Hotaru rubbed his temples. "She is a good maid but more celebrity obsessed than anyone I have met…"
"Fans can get out of hand," Umi chuckled, having slight experience, before changing subjects. "Tell me, is your butler from Chizeta? He looks very similar to Caldina, but dresses more snazzily."
Hearing Umi's off-handed compliment, Hotaru, Alcyone, and their staff all held in their laughter, as the swarthy man looked at Umi in shock. Before he could object, the man dropped his head low and sighed.
"I suppose ya could call me that…"
"This is our mayor, Präsident," Hotaru corrected Umi, still holding in his laughter.
"Ah!" Umi's jaw dropped, her eyes shrinking into dots. "So… nice to meet you!"
To help Umi out, Fuu asked politely, "Mr. Präsident, did you come to live on Cephiro before or after its restoration?"
"Afterwards, my good lady," Präsident answered, smiling awkwardly. "I am… quite fortunate that the good people of our village selected me as their mayor, despite being an outsider. Then again, most of us are in this village."
"A whole village full of people with the Osaka accent..." Umi tried to imagine it.
"Why are you visiting Hotaru and Alcyone, Mr. Mayor?" Hikaru asked curiously, tilting her head.
Hearing the little girl'spolite and cute tone of voice, Präsident smiled, "I came over in order to speak to Lord Hotaru 'bout tax reforms for the village. But I can now see he had a more important task at bringing ya'll here."
"Yeah, we dropped in unannounced, didn't we?" Umi joked, trying to get over her previous embarrassment, before her eyes widened. "Wait… did you say Lord Hotaru? Did you come up with another title for yourself!?"
Smiling smugly, Hotaru rubbed his knuckles against his chest while Integra answered, "Lord Hotaru is the lord of the Claw Mountains and the village of Martin."
"No way!" Umi gasped. "How did that happen?!"
"After saving Cephiro, he relocated the people back to their home regions, connected the villages with roads, helped Cephiro recover by carving rivers, opened borders to other nations, opened mines, created a new form of monster protection service," Integra explained, not pausing to breathe, "got engaged with Lady Alcyone, opened diplomatic relations with Autozam, became the richest man on Cephiro, and defended the village from space pirates, he was given the title by Master Mage Clef and Lady Alcyone."
As the maid finally finished talking, the Magic Knights were left with their jaws hanging agape and sweat dripping down their brows. It took them a while to understand even half of what Integra had said, but even then, they were speechless over what had happened in their absence.
"I've been keeping busy over the last year," Hotaru grinned proudly. "What did you girls do?"
Speaking in a small, sheepish, and quiet voice, Umi answered, "Um, we… graduated junior-high school and started our first years in high school… I won the tournament, and I think Hikaru and Fuu won annual contests too."
"That's great!" Hotaru smiled, patting Umi on the shoulder. "I passed basic education this year as well."
As the girls stared at Hotaru in confusion, Alcyone asked politely, "So, where will you girls be staying tonight? I could go fetch Mokona for you from Clef if you want."
"Mmm, Hotaru told us that we could stay here, is that fine?" Hikaru asked.
"Did he now…" Alcyone smiled with her eyes closed. "Integra, Envix, Livina, please take our guests and their luggage to the guest house."
With Alcyone, Hotaru, and Mayor Präsident staying behind, the maids escorted the Magic Knights to a Queen Anne-styled section of the manor. Though the guest house was small compared to the alchemy tower and main building next to it, it was still the third largest section.
The three-story guest house was built out of multiple different materials and was packed with features from all sides. Its walls were dark gray plaster, with olive green timber frames and lattice work. It had white wall carved columns and supports, with multiple different textures and designs. Its many overhanging, steeply pitched roofs were made out of black shingles and its numerous different-shaped windows and bay windows had dark green frames. It had towers with both conical and pyramidal roofs, and a huge wraparound porch surrounded by intricate white and olive pillars and balustrades. The heavy wooden front door was intricately carved and lacquered with a cherry-wood finish.
To Hikaru, the guest house looked like a very Gothically designed, antique doll-house.
But despite the rather dark façade, as they walked into the guest house, they were met with a bright, cheery, homely, and extremely lavish interior. The walls were covered with colorful and intricately patterned wallpapers of red, blue, and green, as well as elaborately carved wooden panels. The floors were smooth stone and hardwood, softened up by fuzzy carpets. The ceilings were tall and supported by small, decorative wooden arches.
Roaming around the building, they were met with what felt like an endless amount of intricately decorated rooms. The entrance hall was wide with tall, slender bay windows on both sides of the door, with a wood paneling archway beckoning them deeper in. Past it was a large, open, two-story space with many doorways and a twisting staircase, which led to other sections of the house. The staircase led to an overhanging walkway on the second floor, both of which were lined up with opulent balustrades. From the passage way forward, was a large, colorful, octagonal living room with plenty of open space, and windows facing in different sections. To the right of the living room was an open kitchen with three marble-top counters, dark brown wooden cabinets, two sinks and stoves, and a hanging rack of pans. The back wall of the kitchen had plenty of large windows and double doors with full-length windows, which showcased the backyard garden.
Upstairs there were plenty of rooms for the girls to choose from, all of them varying in sizes and décor. With two whole stories of bedrooms with a game room, a parlor, and a library to boot, the house was quite maze-like. Eventually, Fuu picked out a round green room in one of the third-floor turrets, as it reminded her of her room back home. Umi chose a large blue room on the second-floor, with a plush double bed, and a large five section bay window overlooking the lake next to the mountains. After a bit of back and forth, Hikaru decided upon a smaller, pink room with frilly curtains, bedsheets, and a steeply pitched window facing towards the courtyard.
After choosing their rooms, the Magic Knights unpacked their luggage to get settled in. As the lord and lady of the manor were still busy with their civic duties, the Magic Knights sat for a cup of tea and some snacks with the maids in the living-room. The tea was deep amber in color and reminded Umi of the tea she had drank with Tatra and Tarta, but had a homelier feel to it. However, she was more interested in the snacks, as this was technically her breakfast.
"This is such a big and complex building," Hikaru said as she sat on a couch, taking in the guest house. "It feels empty yet very homely."
"It's my mother's style," Envix said bluntly. "She obsesses over details and goes overboard, but it's still a nice place to stay in."
"Have you had plenty of guests staying over during the year?" Fuu asked, while blowing over her tea.
"Not yet! But Envix does like to come and nap here!" Livina said with a wide smile. "She says it reminds her of home."
Almost choking and spilling her tea on her uniform, Envix bared her teeth, "Livina! I told you that in secrecy!"
"But it is such a cute secret!" Livina smiled obliviously.
"Speaking of secrets," Umi spoke up, before leaning in, "be honest with us. What is it like to work for Hotaru and Alcyone? Are they slave drivers or do they ask any weird requests?"
Keeping a serious expression, Integra answered, "That is information that maids should not reveal about their masters. But I would not call them slave drivers in the slightest."
"They only make us do the chores they don't like," Envix answered, leaning back with her arms behind her head. "Lady Alcyone takes care of all the gardening, Lord Hotaru does the shopping, and they cook together. As long as we keep the place clean and don't slack off, we can be at peace. Pay could be better though…"
Crossing her arms, Umi leaned back disappointedly, "Hmmm, I always thought they would be a lot stricter or merciless."
"They are quite nice, but they can bescary," Livina smiled, before thinking back. "Though they do have a very strict rule about not entering the main building after dark. Thought you girls should also know."
"It's their private time," Envix winked, causing the girls to smile awkwardly.
Waiting for Hotaru and Alcyone to finish their tasks, the sextet continued talking and exchanging stories for a while. As the sun began to set, Integra went to check up on the trio, returning to tell the others that Hotaru and Alcyone would be busy for a while longer. As such the maids were given the task to make dinner for tonight, and suggested the Magic Knights would go and wash up at the bathhouse before that. While they weren't particularly dirty compared to their previous trips to Cephiro, it would be nice to sleep on their new clean beds after a bath.
The bathhouse was on the opposite side of the manor, in a corner between the main building and the scullery. The ornately carved bathhouse was an opulent, two-stories-tall white and gold building with a curved cobalt blue roof. It had colorful stained-glass windows with golden frames, and plenty of carved, statuesque pillars. The walls were covered in intricate marble facades, and there was a miniature grand staircase leading up to the door. The second floor had a closed up arched walkway, similar to the one between the guest house and the alchemy tower, with a gate beneath it.
While the inside of it was nowhere near as extravagant as the bathhouse back at the sanctuary, it had some curious elements to it. There was a large, rounded off L-shaped pool with gently flowing warm water, the sides of which hugged the left and back walls. On the right wall, there were three shower stalls, and a smaller, round pool. The second floor consisted mostly of walkways strung between decorative pillars, one of them leading to the main building. From these walkways led down stairs, but also swinging ropes, as well as a waterslide, which fed into the larger pool.
Following public bathhouse etiquette, the Magic Knights took a shower before getting into the pool-sized tub. The gently flowing water current was soothing and a slight hint of vanilla wafted in the air. The relaxing and homely atmosphere of the manor made them forget all the worries they had had upon coming to Cephiro, but awakened new ones.
"This is… a lot more lavish than what I was expecting," Hikaru said, leaning her chest and arms against the side of the pool.
"Is that so, Ms. Hikaru?" Fuu asked, sitting comfortably in the water. "We did come here for a vacation, did we not?"
"Yes… but I thought we'd be staying in Mokona's shelter or some inn while traveling," Hikaru admitted, rolling onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "But now, thanks to Hotaru, we can stay in this beautiful mansion and not have to worry about food, shelter, or anything. I just feel like—"
"WOHOO!"
Before Hikaru could continue, Umi slid down the waterslide at high speed, making two big splashes as she skipped across the surface. After coming to a stop, she dove underwater gracefully, her blue hair flowing in the water before she resurfaced.
"Ms. Umi doesn't seem to mind…" Fuu said, impressed by her untroubled attitude.
"Hikaru, you need to stop worrying," Umi said sisterly, swimming over to the other two. "Just like Hotaru and Alcyone, we also helped to save Cephiro twice. Let us enjoy the break we have deserved."
"Y-Yes!" Hikaru said, almost standing at attention, before sitting back down. "But… I still feel bad using Hotaru's hospitality like this. Unlike us, he stayed behind, and helped rebuild Cephiro… We just left and let the people of Cephiro worry about taking care of everything… Do we deserve this?"
Holding her hands on her hips, Umi sighed, "Forever the worrier. Yes, Hotaru has done more for Cephiro than we have, but that's why they built him this mansion for free! He has a home, a title, money, servants, and everything else he could need, because of his efforts! And he is sharing it all with us, because we're his friends."
Listening to Umi's blistering peptalk, Hikaru slowlyrelented, "Well, I… I guess it's fine to stay here for a few weeks."
"To lessen their burden, we can also go out camping every now and then," Fuu suggested. "After all, Ms. Hikaru did bring all that camping equipment with her."
"That'll be fun!" Hikaru exclaimed. "It will be like when we first got to Cephiro!"
"I guess so…" Umi groaned, flopping into the water. "Sleeping in a cramped tent, cooking over a campfire that blows smoke in your face… At least it won't rain, but I am not looking forward to camping…"
Looking at Umi floating along with the current, Hikaru asked, "Then what are you looking forward to, Umi-chan?"
Laying down limply in the water, Umi sprung up almost immediately, "The wedding, of course! I have been waiting for those two to get together since day one, and now they are finally getting married! Plus, I love weddings!"
"I-Is that so?" Hikaru stammered, as Umi got up close to her face. "Good for you…"
Wrapping her arms around herself, Umi wriggled in excitement, "I want to see what weddings on Cephiro are like! I want to talk with all the guests and see everyone in their best outfits! I want to dance the wedding waltz and congratulate the blushing bride! And I want to try and catch the— EEEEAAAAH!""
"Umi! Ms. Umi!" the other two yelled together, seeing her shudder all of a sudden. "What's wrong!?"
Holding and rubbing her head, Umi paused for a moment before lamenting, "…I have nothing to wear! I didn't know we would be attending a wedding, so I didn't pack a dress with me! I want to wear a cute pretty dress instead of my casual clothes or Magic Knight armor or something!"
"Do not worry, Ms. Umi!" Fuu tried to calm her down. "I am sure we will have time to get something to wear before the wedding."
Pouting slightly, Umi crossed her arms, looking down into the water, "I hope they have fast seamstresses… What about you Hikaru? What do you look forward to?"
Thinking about the question, Hikaru eventually answered, "Everything! I want to travel around Cephiro, pick flowers, play with the animals, eat Cephiroan foods, learn about its history, and see all our friends! I want to play with Mokona, Presea, and Caldina, sword fight with Lafarga and Hotaru, do gardening and ride horses with Alcyone…"
"All right! All right!" Umi waved her hand to get Hikaru to stop. "We have plenty of options, got it. …What about you Fuu?"
When asked, Fuu blushed as she tried to answer, "Uhh, I, well… I have not thought about it…"
Leaning in teasingly, Umi smirked, "You're wanting to see Ferio again, isn't that right?"
"I-It is not j-just him!" Fuu flustered. "I do want to talk to him and get to know him better, but I…"
As Fuu blushed in even deeper red and continued muttering under her breath, Hikaru leaned close also, "I am sure he will also be happy to see you again!"
"I-In any case!" Fuu yelled out, even more flustered and seemingly a bit angry. "What about you two? How are you going to approach your b-boyfriends?"
Now it was Umi's and Hikaru's turn to blush. While they had also thought about Ascot and Lantis during their time on Earth, they had far less experience with romantic relations than Fuu. In fact, having not seen them in over a year, left them in an awkward spot, trying to figure out how they would even greet them.
"I… I guess I should find out if Lantis still wants to be with me," Hikaru admitted, fidgeting nervously. "He may have found someone else while I was gone…"
"I'm sure Ascot still loves me, but I feel bad for having left him alone for all this time," Umi confessed, thinking about it. "I should have brought a gift with me… I promised I would bake him a cake next time we met, but that might have to be after the wedding… Or before it."
As her friends were thinking about what they would do with their sweethearts, Fuu was struggling to speak up. While she did look forward to seeing Ferio again, her heart was aching with uncertainty, not letting her speak up. Figuring it was best not to bother her friends further and let them enjoy their vacation, Fuu decided to keep quiet, for now.
After finishing their bath, it was getting dark out and the Magic Knights had put on their pajamas. Enjoying a late dinner with the manor's residents, they had all talked, exchanged stories, and caught up with what had happened in each other's lives. The girls told Hotaru and Alcyone what had been going on with their families, about Umi's new baby sister, and Hikaru's eldest brother finding a girlfriend. Hotaru and Alcyone in turn had told them about their little misadventures and different locations on Cephiro, as well as what others had been up to. The girls had been amazed to hear Caldina having become the principal of her own school, Sierra getting together with Zazu, and Clef's growth spurt. They had been even more shocked upon hearing both Ferio and Hotaru turn down the title of the King of Cephiro.
As they talked, Alcyone had to remind Umi and Hikaru about their table manners often, due to today's meal being quite delicious in the Magic Knights' opinion. It was a simple peasant dish of steamed vegetables, fried meat and potatoes, placed in a deep dish, topped with cheese, and baked in the oven. Having been taught cooking by Alcyone, the maids had seasoned it richly with herbs and spices, giving it a mouthwatering aroma and aftertaste. Although the maids had been invited to eat with the five heroes of Cephiro, they were forced to return to the kitchen in the middle of the dinner. Having cooked as per usual, they had underestimated how much their guests wanted to eat, as even Umi and Fuu requested seconds.
Once the dinner was finished, the Magic Knights bid Hotaru and Alcyone goodnight, before returning to their guest house. With no more guests in the main building, the lord and lady of the manor headed upstairs to turn in for the night. Normally they preferred to stay up late reading, playing video games, drinking, snacking, and spoiling each other, today had been more than they bargained for. While their usual daily duties and lessons didn't bother them, the Magic Knights' arrival and Präsident's visit had drained them socially. As such, they headed straight for bed after their usual routines.
Laying down on their king-sized bed, Hotaruwatched Alcyone remove her evolving armor. As her voluptuous yet slender body lay down next to him in the nude, Hotaru was ready to pull her into their shared embrace as per usual. But instead of pressing her body against his, Alcyone lay down on her back, staring at the roof of their four-poster bed. Figuring she needed time to think about something or just clear her mind, Hotaru joined her in staring up at the dark ceiling.
Once a few minutes had passed, Hotaru smiled and said flatteringly, "Can't believe that in a week I am finally getting married to the love of my life."
"Fufu~," Alcyone giggled quietly, but didn't respond further.
"…Sorry for making you wait so long," Hotaru apologized, feeling slightly guilty. "I figured they would be back sooner, and knew they would be annoyed with me if they missed out on our wedding."
"…It's fine," Alcyone said in a gentle tone. "We owe them that much."
Realizing Alcyone wasn't mad at him or giving him the silent treatment, Hotaru was finally able to breathe deeply and relax. Reaching out underneath the blankets, he held onto Alcyone's hand, feeling their fingers interlock as they laid down.
Smiling widely, Hotaru mused, "You know, with as many times as I witnessed the story of the Magic Knights, it feels unreal to see them finally come back."
"…Is that so?" Alcyone asked, with a slightly sharper tone.
"Well… It was implied, but the story never continued to a third season. It feels like I am witnessing something I shouldn't…" Hotaru explained, before noticing Alcyone gripping him tighter. "…If something is bothering you, you can tell me."
Laying silent for a moment, Alcyone eventually asked begrudgingly, "Why did you let the Magic Knights stay with us without asking me first?"
Turning his head, Hotaru raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? We already agreed that they can stay with us when they come back."
"We agreed they could stay with us," Alcyone emphasized sharply. "I thought they would stay here if they had nowhere else to go, but you invited them over from the get go!"
Realizing the root of the misunderstanding, Hotaru knew there was no point in blaming either of them. Instead, the best course of action would be to figure out the root of Alcyone's annoyance.
"I mean I figured we could finally put that guest house into use," Hotaru shrugged defensively, before pulling Alcyone's cool body halfway into his embrace. "Is there some reason you don't want them around?"
Keeping her gaze away from Hotaru, she sighed, "I just… don't feel comfortable having them so close to you right before the wedding…"
Recognizing her tone of voice, Hotaru smiled warmly, stroking her cheek, "You feeling like an old and wicked evil queen compared to them, again? You should know by now that I am no spring chicken myself, and I prefer your darker side."
Pouting angrily but also amusedly, Alcyone muttered, "It's not that. I know you love me the most. I just… I don't want you to be disappointed in me…"
Hugging her closer, Hotaru asked, "Now why would I be disappointed in the most wonderful woman in all of Cephiro? Not like anyone else could make me as happy as you do."
Wriggling out of his embrace, Alcyone snapped, "That's what I mean! You see me as nothing short of perfect, and I try to be, but I do not think if I can be anymore…"
Worried he was making her self-conscious, Hotaru leaned in supportively, "I only expect you to be yourself, dear. If there is something bothering you, please tell me what it is."
Hearing Hotaru's concern, Alcyone's heart ached and she turned her back to him, so as not to show her face. Despite giving him a cold shoulder, it was her body that shivered from the agonizing feeling radiating from within her. This feeling of inadequacy had been bothering her for months now, but she had managed to push it to the back of her mind as a problem for later. But with the appearance of the Magic Knights who were full of life and signaling the coming of her wedding, it had resurfaced once more. While she wanted to keep her worries secret, she knew she had revealed too much at this point to stay quiet.
Eventually ready, Alcyone stuttered, trying to find the courage to speak, "D-Do you… r-remember our a-anniversary at the rainbow lotus valley?"
"I could never forget it," Hotaru admitted, stroking Alcyone's long hair soothingly. "It was one of the best days of my life… even in hindsight."
After a moment of reminiscing, Alcyone realized Hotaru was referring to the incident with his Mashin. It was assuring to know that he remembered the day fondly, even though he had lost his most powerful asset due to the events that followed. However, Hotaru wasn't the only one with regrets and worries when looking back on that day.
"You… You remember how you said back then, that we should try to 'add eggs into our nest'?" Alcyone asked, blushing slightly despite her melancholy feelings. "I was… over the moon when you said that, and when you returned from taking care of the pirates."
"Yes, I remember," Hotaru admitted concisely. "I thought back then that our relationship could handle the strain of taking care of children."
For a while after that night, they had tried to start a family on multiple occasions. Though having a child out of wedlock was about as taboo on Cephiro as back on Earth, neither of them cared, for Hotaru had been a bastard in both lives. Now that the topic had been brought up again, Hotaru could hazard a guess what Alcyone was worrying about.
"…Are you worried about being a mother?" Hotaru asked sympathetically.
Forcing the words out of her mouth, Alcyone tried her best not to whisper them, "…I'm worried I might not even be able to be a mother."
Hotaru's heart sank as Alcyone's words echoed in his mind. He felt awful for having pressured her to confess this, but also uncertain as to how to approach the subject from here. Noticing Alcyone shivering even from underneath the blanket, Hotaru spooned over her, nuzzling against her neck. Although Alcyone's body twitched violently at first, she didn't try moving away from him this time.
"Even if you couldn't, I would still love you the same," Hotaru said with heartfelt compassion, "but tell me, why do you think you are unable?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Alcyone asked in a whisper. "We've been trying daily for almost half a year now, but it still hasn't happened. I know you told me that it can take a while back in your world, but in Cephiro it is much less uncertain."
Remembering his discussion with Clef and Alcyone about making babies in Cephiro, Hotaru had been surprised by the number of differences. While the process was the same, the factors for pregnancy to occur were different. As both men and women could live for centuries, the women didn't exactly have a regular menstrual cycle or menopause. Instead, both the man and the woman had to truly pour their hearts and wishes into conceiving a child, to produce fertile eggs and sperm. Once they did, the chances of pregnancy were all but guaranteed. If the pregnancy didn't occur, it would mean either of two things.
"Despite all our efforts, all I get are cramps that tell me I was unsuccessful in giving you the children you desire," Alcyone said, tears running down her cheek onto her pillow. "Even though I dreamt of it so many times, I guess it wasn't meant to— Woah!"
Feeling Hotaru's arms forcefully turn her around, Alcyone couldn't help but gasp in surprise, as he used his strengthening magic. Awaiting to get a stern pep talk from her fiancé, Alcyone was shocked to see Hotaru tearing up more than she did.
"I'm so sorry…" Hotaru apologized, sobbing heavily. "I didn't know…"
Seeing her lover's lime-green eyes heavy with tears, Alcyone couldn't help but smile while crying herself. Reaching out to his cheek, she stroked him gently, assuring it was fine.
"It's okay… you didn't know," Alcyone whispered tenderly. "I'm sure there will be a chance for us to adopt or…"
"That's not it!" Hotaru interrupted her again, squeezing his eyes shut. "The fact we haven't had children, isn't because of you. It's because of me…"
"…Huh?" Alcyone gasped, blinking in disbelief. "What are you saying?"
Wiping the tears away, Hotaru looked at Alcyone guiltily. "You remember how I told you about Mazdakin getting angry at me and leaving?"
"Yes, I do…"
Taking a deep breath, Hotaru continued, "Back then… I punished him severely for disobeying my orders. I towered over him and treated him like a misbehaving snot nosed brat, hurting him until he would obey…"
As Alcyone listened to Hotaru's guilt-ridden words, she slowly started to understand what hemeant.
"After I drove him away, it took me a few days to truly realize how I had acted," Hotaru admitted, feeling a lump in his throat choking him. "I then asked myself; how would I treat my own children, if they ever misbehaved or argued against me? To this day, I still don't know for sure…"
Hearing Hotaru go quiet, Alcyone felt like she was about to burst, "So that means…"
"I stopped trying to have children with you, because I didn't think I would be a good father," Hotaru confessed guiltily. "I didn't tell you why because I didn't want you to also see me as a monster, but I never thought it would make you doubt your own body. I'm so sorry…"
Staring at Hotaru in disbelief, Alcyone's mind was taken over by dozens of emotions. She was furious to find out that her months of self-doubt were due to Hotaru's,and all her efforts had been one-sided. The truth that there was nothing wrong with her body, gave her an immense sense of relief. The weeks of experimenting on different kinds of methods to improve chances of them conceiving while Hotaru wasn't even trying, frustrated and embarrassed her to no end. The idea that Hotaru had treated his own creation so terribly made her fear for their future. But to see him reflect on his actions and acknowledge his shortcomings, allowed her to sympathize with Hotaru. And for him to realize the pain he had put her through, made it easier to forgive him than last time. So as not to completely break down, Alcyone held onto Hotaru tighter for support.
Feeling Alcyone hold onto him tightly after minutes of silence, Hotaru returned the favor, as they wrapped around each other. Albeit used to sleeping in this position, Hotaru was too nervous to close his eyes, as he felt Alcyone's heart pounding through his chest.
"Never put me through that again…" Alcyone seethed quietly, nuzzling into Hotaru's neck. "If you need time to figure out how to be a good father, I will wait for you. But never, ever, keep something like that secret from me again!"
"I promise if you do the same," Hotaru smiled, running his fingers through Alcyone's hair. "Thank you for being understanding…"
I can't believe I came this close to ruining my own wedding, just when the date was set. But I guess I should count myself lucky that this was the closest thing we got to something going wrong. With the girls coming back, I was worried another disaster or invasion would go down, or maybe something else for a potential season three. Maybe we can just enjoy a vacation and honeymoon in peace…
Several hours later after the arrival of the Magic Knights in the village of Martin, a messenger had finally reached their destination. On the other side of the planet, a figure dressed in a white robe rode a large, white and gold bird with four wings, as they approached a large fortress.
The fortress was built over a mountain, consisting of four large, angular towers on different sides and the middle of the mountain, with star fortress-like walls surrounding them. The polygonal towers were grand in scale with heavyset white stone walls, small windows, and red, blue, green, and gold, slanted roofs. On the sides of the towers were watch-tower turrets, and the sides of the entrances were flanked by large angelic statues.
Landing his mount on a circular, stone walled garden in front of one of the entrances, the messenger rushed inside. The large and heavy wooden doors led to a well-lit grand hallway, bordered by arching pillars carved to look like knights in armor. His metal footsteps echoed across the amber-colored floor tiles and gray granite stairs as he made his way to the innermost sanctum.
Reaching a pair of white crystal doors, he pushed them open forcefully, yet made no unnecessary noises. Inside the brightly lit sanctum, the walls, floor, ceiling, and the large tables on the sides of the room, were made out of different shades of marble. At the back of the sanctum stood two tall figures, in white and silver armor. One of them was a rather young and quite handsome dark-brown-haired man with keen red eyes, and two golden, triangular piercings on his left ear. The other was an older looking man, almost feet tall, with shoulder-length, curly, silverish teal hair and a short beard. A large scar ran across his tanned face, going down his amber eye and lip.
But instead of these two imposing men, the messenger bowed down in front of the figure kneeling in the middle of the room, praying silently. Sitting gracefully on her knees atop a wide, round, crystal altar, was a cloaked female figure in a black robe. Despite wearing black, hooded robes with gold embroidered trims at the edges that covered everything aside from her mouth and hands, she gave off an air of welcoming warmth and grace. Even as the messenger approached, the matronly figure's smile didn't falter nor did her pious pose wobble.
Surrounding the figure were six crystal pillars with large round jewels floating above them. The gems were blue, purple, green, orange, red, and black, each one lustrous enough to show the figure's mirror image on them.
"You may speak, my good messenger," the figure in black spoke in a gentle voice.
"Gracious Prophet Sybil, I have witnessed the return of the Magic Knights, just as you predicted," the messenger greeted her, still bowing down. "They have been brought to the village of Martin, in the mansion of Hotaru the Hero. I came as fast as I could to let you know."
Raising her head gently, Sybil smiled motherly, "You have done well, my songbird. Thanks to you, the Gallant Order may now proceed with its purpose on schedule. Go rest now, you have had a long journey."
"T-Thank you, your grace," the messenger bowed again, before taking his leave.
As the messenger took his leave, the larger of her adjutants, Lieutenant Titan, spoke up, "Your predictions are as accurate as always."
"As expected of the last member of the Order of Oracles," Captain Darracq smiled confidently. "But that means the other things you said will come to pass too…"
Standing up on the altar, Sybil straightened the skirt of her robes, "Yes, but with the Magic Knights having returned, we might actually stand a chance at succeeding in our cause. With them, the Wrath of the Broken Pillar might be pacified."
Author's Afterword: And with that, the unreleased season three of MKR is finally underway. I tried capturing the feel of CLAMP's and the storyboard team's writing to the best of my ability, hence plenty of comedic moments. I am curious to hear how I succeeded in your opinions, especially since I did introduce some new family dynamics. I would also like to apologize for the delay with this one. I have been busy at my temporary job which is now over, which means I have time to write some more in the future.
To me a summer vacation taking place shortly after the epilogue of season two worked best, meaning this is quite a bit earlier than the finale of the manga. Hence the girls aren't quite as adept or knowledgeable just yet, but thanks to this being the anime continuity, they are more romantically aware. Next time around, we will finally be having Hotaru's and Alcyone's wedding and the girls will meet up with the rest of their friends. And who knows, maybe the plans of the Gallant Order will be brought to light.
However, before that, I will be taking a week-long break from writing. I have been writing daily for almost a year now and I am starting to get overwhelmed. I feel that if I let myself rest, I will be able to come up with more ideas and start writing at the pace I used to when I started this fic.
I would like to thank Antoinette Veronica on their suggestion of naming the Prophet Sybil.
As always, reviews, questions, and critiques are welcome! Let me know what you thought of the chapter! I am slightly disappointed that the only review I got since the last chapter was from a bot…
Remember, even if you leave a review on an older chapter, I will always be grateful and make sure to mention you in the next chapter!
The link to my Deviantart page with images on the OCs is available in my profile bio.