Magic Knight Rayearth: Saving the Villainess

by HORRIOR

After meeting his end in an accident, Hotaru ends up reincarnated in Tokyo Japan, only to find out this world may not be as mundane as he first thought it to be. After stowing away in on someone else's adventure, he finds out that maybe he wasn't as uninvited as he thought. The usual retelling of MKR anime with a fourth character, done in the honor of 30th anniversary.

50. Vows and Prophecy!

The next morning in the Martin Manor started out slowly and lazily, yet quite early. The maids woke up at their usual time to take care of their morning chores, such as sweeping the entryways, feeding the horses, and making breakfast. Due to going to bed earlier than usual, Hotaru and Alcyone had also woken up earlier. So as not to bother their maids or their guests, the soon-to-be-married couple decided to spend this time by their two-some. Having finished their morning routines, they lay down in the courtyard, on top of a dew-covered knoll, to enjoy the gentle morning sun.

While they lazed in each other's arms, it took almost an hour longer before the Magic Knights woke up. First to wake up was Fuu, who yawned and stretched in her frilly, short-sleeved pajama, as she sat up on her bed. As she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by round green walls on all sides, leaving her slightly confused. Looking around, it wasn't until she put on her glasses that she remembered where she was.

"Good, it was no dream after all," Fuu sighed in relief while smiling. "We really are back in Cephiro."

One floor downwards, Umi stretched her arms and legs wide while laying in the large blue double bed, twitching and kicking with her legs a bit. She had pushed her blanket almost off the bed while asleep, but still felt pleasantly warm. The morning sun was shining through the east facing bay window, glimmering against the lake east of the mountain. Smiling brightly, she hopped off the bed, walked in front of a white bureau, and brushed her long blue hair.

"I wonder what everyone will be getting up to today?" Umi asked herself in the mirror. "Maybe we can go visit the village?"

Finished with her hair, Umi started doing her usual morning calisthenics. While she was getting her blood pumping, the shortest of the magic knights slowly woke up from underneath her thick and warm blanket. While normally a morning person, Hikaru had spent many hours lying awake in bed last night, too excited to sleep. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Hikaru sat up and stretched upwards, hearing the sound of birds chirping outside. Slightly taken aback by her overly pink surroundings compared to her simplistic bedroom back home, she smiled energetically, remembering where she was. Looking at her reflection in a round wall mirror, Hikaru noticed that her long red hair was standing up a bit and her locks were messy.

Holding her locks in her hands, she frowned a bit, "I thought it would look more lady-like if I slept with my hair untied, but now it's all frizzy…"

Before she could fix her hair up, there was a knock on the door, "Hikaru! You awake yet?"

Hearing Umi's voice, she answered clearly, "Y-Yes I am!"

"Come! Let's all go brush our teeth together for old times sake!"

"Okay!"

Outside, Hotaru and Alcyone were listening to the sounds of the wind in the trees and the burbling of the artificial spring in their courtyard. They talked about their plans for today, while watching the maids take care of their morning chores, until the Magic Knights finally exited the guest house. Umi was wearing the same outfit as yesterday, but Fuu and Hikaru had changed their clothes.

Fuu was wearing a somewhat frilly green dress with medium length sleeves and knee-length skirt, as well as golden buttons running down the front. Underneath the dress, she wore a long-sleeved shirt and a red bowtie around her neck, with long white socks and black leather shoes. Hikaru in turn had exchanged her red denim overalls for a red, loose-fitting shirt-jacket with black vertical stripes on the sleeves and lapels. Underneath it she had a pink t-shirt with lace trim around the collar, with her golden necklace showing prominently. She wore red sneakers with matching thigh high socks, as well as an almost knee-length, grey skirt.

"Ah, you three are finally awake!" Hotaru greeted the girls, waving at them.

Smiling at their hosts, the girls smiled and waved back at them, "Good morning!"

With the maids having finished with their routine, the Heroes of Cephiro gathered around a round table on the main building's terrace. So as not to stuff them silly, Hotaru had ordered the maids to make a simple but balanced breakfast. This included omelets with ham and cheese, fresh sliced up fruit, toast with jam, and some seared fish. For drinks they had served coffee, tea, and milk. While the breakfast was meant to be formal, the Magic Knights' servings had been decorated with smiley faces and good morning greetings, in Cephiroan. Neither the knights or the lord and lady of the manor had to guess who was the culprit.

"This is… quite colorful looking," Umi smiled awkwardly.

"Yes…" Hotaru's smile twitched. She never misses a beat, does she?

Not bothered by the scribblings, Fuu closed her hands together, "Make sure to eat it before it gets cold."

As they took their time enjoying breakfast, Hotaru noticed that Umi had brought her pink instant camera with her. Alcyone had been curious about the device, so Umi had explained how it worked, with the help of Fuu. With Integra called over, the head maid took a picture of the five of them, after instructed on the use of the camera. Thanks to the maid's steady hands, the shot came out quite perfectly, giving them a nice and colorful group picture.

"This is quite the clear picture," Alcyone admitted, looking at the photograph in his hand. "And it came out so quickly…"

"Have you ever seen anything like this on Cephiro?" Hikaru asked curiously.

Thinking about it for a moment, Alcyone reached into her cleavage and pulled something out. Due to her black choker with a large, golden, arrow-shaped, bejeweled pendant on it, they hadn't noticed the golden chain around her neck. Hanging from the chain, was another, smaller, gold pendant, decorated with an oval Olympia opal. As she opened it, they could see a small but incredibly high-definition picture of Hotaru smiling inside.

"Hotaru got this for me for our anniversary," Alcyone answered, presenting it proudly.

"Eh!?" the girls gasped, looking into it, before Umi asked. "Hotaru, where did you get this!"

"Picture from Autozam, pendant from Presea, the opal from my own sources," Hotaru smiled, almost as smugly as the picture in the pendant.

"You've been to Autozam?!" Hikaru gasped. "How is Eagle doing?"

"What was it like on Autozam?" Fuu asked soon after.

"Can we go and visit there!?" Umi asked excitedly. "Ooh! And the other worlds too!"

Overwhelmed by all the questions, Hotaru raised his hands up, "We can probably go and visit there sometime in the future! Then you can see for yourself, but… Huh?"

As Hotaru was about to point out how it would take time to convince Eagle to let them aboard his ship, he noticed a dark shadow move over the manor. Looking up, Hotaru could spot a large winged creature above them, slowly descending. It was a skinny and brownish red wyvern, with a single forward-facing horn, and a yellow bird-like beak. While at first he was about to reach for his gauntlets, Hotaru quickly recognized it as Kaiser.

"Hey! Everyone!" They heard a young male voice from up high. "Where can we land?"

"Is that…!" Umi gasped, before being interrupted by Hotaru.

"LAND ON TOP OF THE GATE HOUSE!" he yelled at full volume.

Landing the huge wyvern atop the blue arched roof of the gatehouse, the two riders walked down its wing onto the parapeted patio of the stables. Coming down the staircase at the back of the Jacobean style building, they could see two young men dressed in white.

"Ascot!" Umi gasped, standing up.

"Ferio!" Fuu yelled, rushing over.

With Umi following her, the two of them rushed into the second floor of the main building and then down the stairs. Giving the two young couples space, Hikaru, Alcyone, and Hotaru watched from the terrace, as they reunited on the eastern side of the courtyard. Even though the girls were in a great rush to get to their boys, as they got closer, they slowed down quite a bit. Though it had been more than a year, their boyfriends seemed to have changed very little, still wearing the same outfits as when they last met. However, whether it was because of them having matured or just missed them so much, they almost looked more handsome than they remembered.

Getting closer to her boyfriend, Umi blushed while smiling and keeping her arms behind her back, "How have you been, Ascot?"

Blushing back, Ascot smiled dorkily, "I've been… doing fine! Hahaha! …But I'm still happy to see you!"

Getting closer to her prince, Fuu held her hands together while looking into his amber eyes, "It has been a while, Ferio."

"Too long, if you ask me," Ferio smiled back with misty eyes, before wrapping his arms around her gently.

Seeing the more seasoned couple waste no time, Ascot and Umi slowly got closer to one another, before spreading their arms. But before they could hug, Umi's expression froze up for a moment, and her nose twitched.

"Yech! What's that smell…?" she gagged quickly, before leaning closer to Ascot.

"Eh?" Ascot blushed, keeping his arms spread.

"Fufu," Ferio chuckled reluctantly. "I told you to wash up before meeting with Umi. You know most people aren't used to the smell of monsters."

"I did clean myself up!" Ascot defended himself, looking at his sleeves. "I even did my laundry…"

Seeing Umi still sniffing at his clothes, Ascot also took a whiff, not noticing anything himself. However, he did remember having fed many of his friends before leaving, so maybe he had gotten something on him.

"Is it that bad…?" Ascot asked Umi carefully.

"Kind of reminds me of a zoo…" Umi admitted, furrowing her brow. "I guess one gets used to it over time."

As Hikaru was curiously watching her friends chat down below, another shadow flashed in the sky. The hairs on the back of her head rose up and her heart skipped a beat, as she heard the deep neighing from up above. Looking up, she could see a black horse with a blue flaming mane riding around in circles above them as it descended. Instead of waiting for instructions, the black horse landed right on the terrace, little ways away from her.

A tall, handsome, dark-haired man got off the horse, wearing a black and silver armor, decorated with blue gems that matched his eyes. His demeanor was quiet and stoic as always, but Hikaru could see a faint slime on his lips and the swordsman's focus in his eyes. Having stood up almost on instinct, Hikaru slowly walked over to him, trying her best not to blush sheepishly.

Grasping nervously at her skirt and golden necklace, Hikaru greeted him with a nervous smile, "It has been a while! Lantis…"

Staring into her red eyes, Lantis nodded, "Yes."

"S-So how have you been?" Hikaru asked, trying her best to sound cheerful. "I am sorry for not writing or staying in contact… Been busy with school and family."

Seeing her nervousness, Lantis smiled a bit more, though a bit stiffly, "It's fine. Spending time with your family is important."

Following their reunion from a distance, Alcyone couldn't help but smile smugly and look towards Hotaru. Looking at her fiancé, she could see him staring at the two of them with a lukewarm expression.

Leaning towards him, Alcyone whispered, "It seems even Lantis can get shy around his flame."

"You think so? I couldn't tell," Hotaru answered, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.

Noticing Hotaru's cold attitude, Alcyone raised her eyebrow, "Don't tell me you are still jealous of Lantis, again?"

Sighing exasperatedly, Hotaru leaned back in his chair, "No! It's just that… it never stops bothering me seeing those two together."

Turning to look at Lantis and Hikaru again, Alcyone tilted her head, "I suppose it can be disturbing if you're not used to it. I have seen many couples where there is a major age difference. At least it looks better than between Zagato and Emeraude…"

"Yes, but unlike Emeraude, Hikaru actually is as young as she looks," Hotaru grimaced, trying not to make it too obvious to the onlookers. "I doubt either of them will try anything, but I feel I need to keep an eye on them…"

"Well, what about those two then?" Alcyone asked, pointing at the other couples in the courtyard. "Ferio is even older than Lantis, and I believe those two girls are younger than Hikaru."

Turning his head with a snap, Hotaru raised an eyebrow as he pondered the question, "…I guess it really can be a case of aesthetics. But I suppose I trust Fuu's judgement more than Hikaru's?"

Before Alcyone could express her agreement, a familiar voice rang in their heads.

(Hotaru, Alcyone, are we interrupting you by chance? May we come over?)

"Clef?" Hotaru spoke out, catching the attention of Hikaru and Lantis.

(No, we are just about finished with breakfast, so feel free to come to our mansion,) Alcyone answered back telepathically. (But thank you for asking beforehand.)

Alcyone leaned back and crossed her arms smugly after her message. After interrupting them during their anniversary celebration, she had held a lengthy lecture to Clef about using telepathy without warning. Seeing that her former master had taken the lesson to heart, Alcyone was quite pleased with herself. Even as there was a bright flash of light on the terrace between the main building and the alchemy tower, she remained smug.

"Master Mage Clef," Lantis greeted him properly.

"Presea!" Hikaru yelled out, rushing over to the master blacksmith.

Presea was wearing a new set of blacksmithing gear, with the inclusion of Autozamian style elbow length gloves and metal boots. She wore an orange long-sleeved blouse and a miniskirt, and matching knee length orange socks. Over her neck and shoulders, she had a broad, beige, armored collar with two orange gems below her chin. She had two armored beige knee pads that wrapped around her socks, decorated with a gem each. A beige blacksmith's apron that covered her from chest to knees, was held up by many straps going around her waist and over her shoulders.

Welcoming the shorter girl into her arms, Presea was almost pushed back as Hikaru doved into her embrace. Regardless, the blacksmith hugged her tightly, happy to see her young friend again.

"It is wonderful to see you again," Presea smiled, before complimenting her. "Oh my, how you've grown, Hikaru."

Smiling and nodding proudly, Hikaru turned to her former mentor, "Not as much as Clef, though."

Standing more than a head taller than Hikaru, the formerly ten-year-old looking mage now looked twice as old. His lilac hair was slightly longer on the right side of his head, his eyebrows longer and narrower, and his face less round. Instead of his ornate white gown, he now wore a white and blue tunic, boots, and harem pants, separated by a black armored sash. Over his clothes, Clef had a black body-length cloak with golden trims, blue ribbons, and blue cuffs at its wide sleeves.

"It is all thanks to you girls," Clef smiled warmly at Hikaru, before wrapping his arm around his still taller girlfriend. "With the Pillar system gone, I was finally able to find love again."

Blushing embarrassedly, Presea tried covering her cheek, "Oh you~."

Slightly at awe at Presea's ability to appear ladylike, Hikaru quickly looked around curiously, remembering that something was missing.

"Wait a minute, where is—"

"PUPUU!"

Almost jumping out of her shoes, Hikaru was surprised as Mokona bounced on her slightly bent over butt and then onto her shoulder. Before she could get over the shock, the marshmallowy rabbit fay started nuzzling against her cheek as it hugged her with its nubby hands.

"Ahahahaha! Mokona that tickles!" Hikaru laughed, picking it into her arms.

"Pupupupuuupuu!"

Smiling at the two of them, Presea chuckled, "Fufu, it is kind of hard to tell with its usual behaviour, but I think Mokona has been missing you three."

"I missed you too, Mokona!" Hikaru smiled, rubbing her cheek against it while hugging Mokona tightly.

Instead of returning the cuddles, the slippery white blob wriggled out of Hikaru's arms. At first, she thought she had been too rough, until Hikaru saw Mokona bounce off the terrace down the courtyard. With excited and quick hops, Mokona quickly charged after the quartet down below, who soon spotted it.

"Aaaaah! It's Mokona!" Umi yelled out, before playfully running away from it.

"Sir Mokona!" Fuu yelled excitedly, watching it chase after Umi.

"Pupuuu!"

"Ahahaha!" Hikaru laughed happily, before turning and bowing towards Clef and Lantis. "Ummm, excuse me for a moment."

Seeing Hikaru rush indoors to go after Mokona herself, the adults couldn't help but smile at her contagious enthusiasm. As they watched the red-headed Magic Knight join the chase down in the courtyard, Lantis approached Hotaru. While the magic swordsman seemed serious, Hotaru could tell he wasn't being hostile, but was worried he had heard him speak earlier.

"Something wrong?"

"I saw two figures dressed in white hooded robes at the center of your village when I rode here," Lantis pointed out. "Seemed like they had gathered quite the crowd."

Raising an eyebrow, Hotaru shrugged, "What about them?"

"I have seen people wearing similar robes in villages I look after. Do you know who they are? I have never seen such outfits."

Furrowing his brow at the news that Lantis didn't know of them, Hotaru answered, "Well at first, we thought they were simply healers, but after talking with them they seem to be part of a charity organization. What were they called again…?"

"Gallant Order," Clef spoke up, having overheard the conversation. "They introduced themselves to me at the Sanctuary, to establish themselves as an official organization. Their purpose is to spread words and messages across Cephiro, so that none of the villages grow isolated. I'm surprised you two haven't heard of them…"

"So, couriers then?" Alcyone asked. "I guess we simply have not heard of anything too important from them. Seems odd they do it for free aside from the collection pail."

"…Have any of you heard what kinds of news they spread?" Lantis asked, stroking his chin while keeping his arms crossed. "They always stay silent whenever I am around, so I have never heard them speak much."

"Maybe they just get nervous around you," Hotaru pointed out. "Happens to me and Alcyone all the time with people we haven't met before."

---

After several hours of playing with Mokona and catching up with the other guests, everyone took a moment to calm down. As there wasn't enough room on the terrace for all ten of them, they had decided to have a picnic in the courtyard. With a few polite requests, Mokona had summoned them a couple of baskets filled with sandwiches, pastries, fruits, and juice. The maids brought over some herbal tea, made with Alcyone's own blend of mint, Cephiroan herbs, and a hint of licorice and cinnamon.

Having eaten and relaxed, many of the couples got closer together. Ferio leaned against one of the bushes, while Fuu rested against his shoulder. Presea wrapped her arm around Clef, pulling him into a gentle embrace. Seeing the others, Alcyone decided to show how it was really done. As Hotaru was already leaning against a tree, Alcyone sat down into his lap and laid back against his shoulder, with Hotaru wrapping his arms around her.

Seeing the more experienced couples, Ascot and Umi blushed again, before slowly and nervously holding their hands while sitting on the ground. The only couple who seemed to refrain from embracing were Hikaru and Lantis, who were sitting on a bench, playing with birds.

Almost falling asleep in Ferio's arms, Fuu straightened herself and her glasses, before asking, "Are all days on Cephiro this peaceful even without the Pillar?"

"Only the best ones," Ferio said with a chuckle. "Today it's peaceful, but there seem to be monster attacks every now and then."

"That's a fun way of saying every other day," Hotaru scoffed, stroking Alcyone's thigh. "Maybe daily if we look at it globally."

"That often?!" Umi gasped worriedly, remembering yesterday's attack. "But who protects the people?"

"We do," Hotaru answered, lifting his arm up.

Looking at his arm, the Magic Knights could see a silver strapped watch with a green metallic case. At the center, was a sky-blue glowing gem, or perhaps a screen of some kind. Following Hotaru's example, Ferio, Ascot, and Lantis all raised their hands, showing off similar wristwatch-like devices. At first, the Magic Knights hadn't paid much attention to them, but now they could see these weren't ordinary bracelets. Though Hikaru could recognize these as Autozamian technology, she had no idea what they were.

"What are these?" Fuu asked, looking at Ferio's device closely.

"Mobile computers," Ferio answered, keeping his hand steady. "A bit of Autozamian technology which uses an alarm system that tells when one of the villages each of us protects is under attack. Hotaru was the first to have the idea, but it was so good many of us copied him."

"Wasn't the first time," Hotaru crossed his arms in mock indignation. "My next idea is to build a patent office."

Impressed by the device, Umi asked Ascot, "Does that mean you all protect Cephiro's people like Hotaru does?"

"Yes, we do," Ascot nodded. "Me, Ferio, Lantis, and Lafarga all started protecting villages after hearing about Hotaru. It is more stable living than monster hunting used to be, and it helps us save more lives. Plus, I can give my friends jobs as village protectors, which improves the people's impressions of magical beasts."

"Magical beasts?" Fuu tilted her head. "Is that what Mr. Ascot's monsters are called?"

"Yeah, it kept getting confusing calling them all monsters," Ferio admitted, tilting his head to the side. "It took a while for people to figure out the difference, but we've managed to educate them."

"…But is it fine for there to be so many attacks?" Hikaru asked quietly, catching Clef's and Lantis's attention. "Has Cephiro really become more dangerous due to there being no Pillar?"

"Little bit of instability is to be expected, now that the responsibility of upholding the world is spread equally with everyone," Clef answered calmly. "But things are still much better than when you first arrived."

Looking at the Master Mage guiltily, Hikaru asked, "But what about before that?"

"No world is perfect," Lantis spoke up in a stoic but confident tone. "If you were to compare Cephiro today to its past, it may not be so great, but it is getting better each day. And if you compare Cephiro to the other countries, I would say its people are happier."

Leaning against the tree comfortably, Hotaru smiled smugly, "I'm pretty confident in saying that Cephiro is still the best world I have been on, though I do have bias."

"I guess having great wealth, fame, power, and a beautiful house and wife would affect that judgement?" Alcyone asked teasingly while stroking his cheek.

"And free food when Mokona is around," Ferio chuckled, taking a bite out of a red fruit.

"Speaking of which, where did Sir Mokona go?" Fuu asked, looking around.

"Pupuu!"

Click*

Hearing a familiar chirp from above, the Magic Knights stood up and looked up into the terrace. Standing on a railing, they could see Mokona holding Umi's pink camera in its nubby hands, while taking selfies. Seeing her four months' allowances in danger, Umi stood up quickly, almost treading on Ascot's hand.

"MOKONA! Careful with that!" Umi yelled, rushing indoors to get to the second floor.

"Pu-puuu!" Mokona chirped, jumping down into the courtyard with the camera, before bouncing away.

"AAAAH! Bring it back!" Umi yelled, doing a U-turn and chasing after the bouncing pink blob. "That camera was expensive!"

Watching Umi chase after Mokona around the courtyard, the maids who had been doing the laundry quickly joined her. On the second lap, Hikaru, Fuu, and Presea also ran after Mokona, to try and help their comrade.

"It is good to see they still have so much energy after playing so much earlier," Clef said with a chuckle.

"I hope they tone it down for the wedding…" Alcyone murmured, looking a bit pale.

Finally, having caught Mokona who almost dropped the camera into the pond, the pursuers soon came back carrying their spoils. Umi was holding her camera carefully with both hands, while Presea was carrying the ever-smiling Mokona by its ears. After calming down and looking around her, Umi was struck with an idea.

"Hey, now that we're all here, how about we take some couple-pictures?" Umi suggested.

"Is that such a good idea, Ms. Umi?" Fuu asked, holding her chin. "Most people here are dressed in such colorful outfits; it will be hard to explain…"

"It will be fine!" Umi patted Fuu on the back. "Like I said, we can just say we visited a theme park."

"Pictures? Theme park?" Clef blinked curiously.

Getting up on her feet, Alcyone patted his head condescendingly, "We'll explain to you soon enough."

One pair at a time, the five couples started posing in the courtyard garden. Having their picture taken for the first time, Clef and Presea stood in front of a tree with hands on each other's shoulders. Fuu and Ferio decided to have their picture taken surrounded by tall bamboo-like grass and flower bushes, with their arms linked together and looking at each other's eyes. Umi in turn stood in front of Ascot with the summoner's arms wrapped around her, posing atop one of the bridges going across the pond. To keep it simple, Hikaru and Lantis just sat on the bench they had played with the birds in front of the guest house, with Hikaru sitting in Lantis's lap.

"Watch how pros do it," Hotaru said, posing with Alcyone.

The soon-to-be-married couple stood in front of the courtyard's largest flower patch, holding each other lovingly. Alcyone pressed her chest against Hotaru's right side, while Hotaru wrapped his right arm around her hips. Following this, Alcyone placed her right leg over and around Hotaru's left leg, while the paladin held her cheek lovingly with his left hand.

"That is so bold…" Fuu blushed, watching from the side.

"You are showing way too much leg, Alcyone," Umi criticized.

"And you are taking way too many pictures," Integra pointed out, as Umi kept snapping pictures from multiple angles.

After finishing with their little photoshoot, they all went inside into the living room, to look at the pictures taken by Umi and the maids. Clef and Presea were amazed by the pictures, while the other couples chuckled and bantered about each other's photos. Hikaru was especially blushing, seeing how she looked like a little girl in her father's lap. However, looking at all the photos, she couldn't help but think something was missing.

"Come to think of it, where are Lafarga and Caldina?" Hikaru asked. "I feel they would also like their picture taken."

"Caldina had no time to take a day off from her school on such a short notice," Ascot explained. "In addition, they don't have a fast way of traveling around Cephiro."

"Still hard to believe Caldina is now a principal," Umi stroked her chin, tilting her head all the way to the right.

"Then let's go and visit them instead!" Hikaru suggested. "I'm sure they will be happy if we—"

"Not a chance!" Alcyone interrupted strictly, almost causing Hikaru to fall off her seat.

"W-Why not, Alcyone?" Presea asked, perturbed by Alcyone's sudden outrage.

Calming herself down and clearing her throat, Alcyone placed her hands on her hips, "I forgot to mention this earlier, but I have reserved an appointment at seamstresses for these three."

"Seamstresses?" Umi tilted her head, before her eyes widened. "You mean we can have dresses for the wedding!?"

"When did you have time to do this, Lady Alcyone?" Fuu asked curiously.

"Months ago," Alcyone answered, crossing her arms. "We knew you wouldn't have gowns with you when you'd arrive, so Hotaru and I chose to get things prepared. We can't have you attending our wedding in your street clothes."

While she was happy to hear she would be getting a dress for the wedding, Hikaru still wanted to see the school, "Could we visit the school afterwards?"

"Caldina and Lafarga live more or less on the other side of the planet," Hotaru pointed out. "By the time we are finished, it will be in the middle of the night for them."

"Then can't we visit the seamstresses tomorrow?" Hikaru pleaded with big eyes, holding Mokona in her arms.

"Pupuu?"

"That would be unfair to the seamstresses," Alcyone pointed out, keeping her arms crossed. "They will already be in a hurry to finish your gowns in just six days. Giving them only five would mean they could be left unfinished."

"…Tomorrow?"

"Puu?"

"Tomorrow I will be busy with contacting the catering and decoration providers and transporting them to the Sanctuary. Rest of the week I will be busy with floral arrangements and getting my hair and dress taken care of."

"Clef?"

"I am in charge of spreading the wedding invites."

Seeing Hikaru get increasingly downhearted, Fuu gently patted her on the shoulder, "It is fine Ms. Hikaru. We will get to meet them during the wedding."

"Okay…" Hikaru sniffed like a small kitten.

"The rest of us should be going too," Clef said, standing up with his staff. "But before that, are you girls ready to receive your new armors?"

With the eyes of the Magic Knight sparkling from excitement, Hikaru raised his fist into the air, "Yes—!"

"NO!" Alcyone interrupted again sternly, halting the girls again. "I don't want you gallivanting around in your armors before or during the wedding! You can have them after the wedding."

While the Magic Knights couldn't argue against their hostess, the other guests were quite taken aback by Alcyone's austerity. Behind his fiancée's back, Hotaru was doing his best to mime apologetic gestures, without Alcyone noticing.

Sorry everyone, she can be quite the bridezilla…

Having listened to the conversation Ascot walked up to Alcyone determinedly, "May I make a request, Alcyone?"

Hearing the tone of voice of her former colleague, Alcyone asked strictly, "What is it, Ascot?"

Already aware of how harsh of a mood Alcyone was in, everyone else was slightly on the edge at Ascot's request. While they didn't expect a full-on fight to start, it was rare to see Ascot so upfront without Caldina around.

"Could you take me with you to the seamstresses?" Ascot requested politely. "I know they will already be busy, but I would like to place my own order."

"Oh?" Alcyone leaned closer. "I don't mind it, but why?"

Looking her straight in the eye, Ascot tried to stay strong, "I thought I could attend the wedding in my summoner robes, but if they really do smell of monsters even after washing them, that's not possible. As such, I would like to order an appropriate outfit for myself. Idon't want to embarrass you or Umi at the wedding… I will pay for it myself, of course!"

Giving Ascot a subtle whiff, Alcyone could tell the youngster was smelling a bit earthy. Figuring the boy had no ill intentions and only everyone's best interests in mind, Alcyone straightened herself up and smiled composedly.

"Very well, I am sure they have something they can modify for you already."

---

After saying their farewells to their guests, Alcyone was about to take the girls, Ascot, and Hotaru over to the seamstresses. But before they could leave, Ferio pointed out that Ascot had been the one to give him a ride to the mansion in the first place. To help the prince back to his home, Clef had offered to teleport him there first.

With their guests having left the house, Alcyone took her group over to the town of Vauxhall. The recently rebuilt and expanded town was bustling with people, all wearing beautiful dresses, suits, and outfits. The buildings were all gothic or Victorian in style with tall walls and colorful tiled roofs. Famous for its many seamstresses and cloth production, the town had many boutiques dedicated for clothes and tailors, built in large tall rows.

Entering the largest and fanciest one of the boutiques, the party was met by a group of happy and smiling seamstresses. Having already heard from Lady Alcyone and Lord Hotaru that they were bringing the legendary Magic Knights to them as customers, the boutique owners had been filled with joy. They had showered thankyous and praises over the girls, and even congratulated Summoner Ascot for being invited to the wedding. With the tailors having already drawn some designs ready, the Magic Knights simply had to pick and suggest improvements. Although Ascot had wanted to request something simple to save on time, Hotaru had pushed him into going all out with his outfit.

While the clothiers were very nice and patient, listening to the requests of the girls and Ascot, they were very strict with measurements. Each of them was forced to stay perfectly still, move precisely, and hold certain poses. This was particularly rigorous for Ascot, who was having pants made for him. But despite the lengthy procedure, they managed to finish before closing time, after which came time for payment.

Having already struck a deal with Alcyone and Hotaru, the seamstresses charged five hundred gold coins per gown. Ascot on the other hand was charged more than double, since they didn't have all the material for his outfit. But despite Hotaru offering to pay half of it, Ascot refused, saying he had plenty of savings.

Although Alcyone offered to send the poor boy back home, Ascot refused, as Vauxhall was closer to his home than the mansion was. Summoning Kaiser once more, Ascot bid his friends a good evening, before they teleported away.

The rest of the week went by with a far busier schedule than the Magic Knights had expected from their summer vacation. While Alcyone and Hotaru had planned the wedding beforehand, getting it all set up took a lot of their time, and the girls couldn't refrain from helping. With Alcyone teleporting around Cephiro, she requested that the girls take care of her gardens and orchards. While this at first seemed like hard labor, the girls soon found themselves enjoying pruning and watering the plants. They were also surprised by just how many small animals had made their nests in the many gardens and would occasionally come peek at them.

Sometimes the girls would spend time with Hotaru, but the Hero of Cephiro also had his hands full. Protecting twenty-five settlements in total now, there were days when Hotaru was forced to take care of monsters more than once. In addition, in cases where Alcyone couldn't bring everything with her, Hotaru had to use The Box to transport supplies and people over to the Sanctuary via air. Despite this, when Hotaru did have the time, he would take the girls out on nature hikes and visit the town of Martin.

Taking his time to listen in on the Gallant Order members from afar, Hotaru was able to confirm that what Clef said was true. The word they bore only included news from distant settlements on other continents, such as monster attacks, new businesses, changes in leaderships, the upcoming wedding, etc.

Once the week came to an end, came the great day a large chunk of Cephiro had been waiting for. Arriving at the Sanctuary, the girls were delighted to see the crystal castle still standing, but also with minor changes. While its surroundings and lower half had remained mostly unchanged, its five towers were shorter and had large green, flowering vines wrapping around them. In addition to the lush vegetation around the castle, many of its surrounding crystal spires were decorated with large white and pink bows. Even between the two western-most great towers, a massive wedding banner had been tied between them.

While the Magic Knights had expected Alcyone's and Hotaru's wedding to be a private event, they were surprised by it being an open invite. People from all over Cephiro were attending the wedding, or at least the ones able to make the trip in less than a week. There were merchants, artisans, local villagers, village chiefs, town mayors, musicians, mages, warriors, and other odd jobs alike. Regardless of social status or profession, each of the guests seemed to have put on their best clothes for the event.

To fit so many people, instead of having the wedding and reception take place indoors, the wedding venue was held near the front steps of the Sanctuary. Large rows of chairs and pews had been lined up between the smaller crystal watchtowers that the locals now used as their homes. Streamers and ribbons had been tied between the watchtowers, turning the entire expansive crystal village into a giant wedding altar. At every corner, large and beautiful flower arrangements gave color to the crystal village, while skillfully crafted ice sculptures kept the guests cool.

On the southern side of the crystal village, was an almost hundred meters long line of tables. The tables were covered in white table-cloths and silver plates, stacked with dozens of different party foods. Most of the treats and snacks were Cephiroan, but there were some Earth and Autozamian drinks and foods as well. There were large champagne towers, with drinks anywhere from sparkling wine to simple cola. A large, rectangular wedding cake took up one of the tables, decorated with heavy cream, strawberries, and dark chocolate petals. At the center of the cake was a simplified art-piece of Hotaru and Alcyone, made with frosting and colored powdered sugar. In addition to the food and drink, the table was covered by more flower arrangements, ice sculptures, and Mokona who was sleeping in a breadbasket, after working hard all morning.

Standing next to the tables and eating snacks off of small plates, the Magic Knights watched as more and more guests arrived. They could see Hotaru shaking hands with everyone who arrived, thanking all of them and even greeting most. Next to him stood Lantis, who was helping him in greeting all the guests. Although the wedding guests all seemed to have put on their best outfits, the three of them still felt a bit overdressed.

Fuu's ball gown was an emerald, low cut, strapless evening gown with a wide and frilly skirt. It slimmed down her waist and had a glimmering crisscrossing pattern going across her front. From the center of her dress front, two large, green feathered plumes swept over her shoulders. In addition to the gown, she was wearing black velvet shoes with short heels, and around her neck a golden necklace. Her bronze hair had been tied into a short ponytail with a red hair scrunchie and she was wearing lightish-pink lip-gloss. The bases of the feathery shoulder plumes and the necklace were decorated with round emeralds.

Umi's sleek, sapphire blue mermaid gown hugged her slender frame tightly, but spread out stylishly into a glimmering skirt at the bottom third. Two sapphire-covered shoulder straps held up the gown, and a cobalt blue sash with a golden scale pattern wrapped around Umi's waists and right shoulder. Her already impressive height was emphasized by deep blue, three-inch high heels. Some of her long blue hair had been tied into a bun, uncovering her ears, with most of it still hanging freely behind her head. Two golden hairpins had been threaded through the bun and golden, sapphire encrusted, dragon-shaped earrings hung from both of her lobes. To contrast with all the blue, Umi had put on some red lipstick, and done her eyelashes.

Hikaru's ruby red off-the-shoulder gown had many layers of bright red, sheer fabric over the skirt, making it billow like fire. The front and shoulder straps of the dress were covered in deep red ruffles, some of which had been twisted and tied up to look like roses with green clips. A golden belt with several round pink gems ran around her waist, and on her forelocks, she had a matching tiara. The tiara had many back swooping golden prongs, which together with her red hair resembled a lion's mane. Try as she might, Hikaru hadn't been able to learn how to walk in heels in time, and hence wore red pumps. To look more mature like her friends, Hikaru had requested a light layer of red eyeshadow to be applied on her. To finish off her outfit, she wore the pendant Lantis had given her.

Each of the girls had silken, arm-length gloves decorated with gems. The gloves had no fingers, which came handy in keeping them clean, as they ate snacks while waiting and watching people come in.

"Gee, how many people are even going to attend?" Umi thought out loud, munching on potato chips. "At this rate there won't be enough seats."

"I think we are closing in on three thousand," Fuu answered, having kept count, eating grapes and round candies. "I guess Cephiro always having such good weather is beneficial for outdoor weddings like this."

"Everyone on Cephiro wants to pay Hotaru and Alcyone their respects," Hikaru smiled happily, drinking juice. "I'm so glad that not only have they been accepted by the people of Cephiro, but that they have accepted the people."

"Yeah…" Umi nodded, before turning towards the other side of the village. "Though I can totally see Hotaru making this open invitation to get as many wedding gifts as possible."

On the northern side of the village, opposite to the tables with the foods, was another long row of tables, covered in gifts. These included everything from letters to baskets of fruit, liquors, clothes, furs, wooden and stone statues, paintings, jewelry, shields, weapons, embroidered pillows, and other artworks. There was even a large tapestry that depicted the Magic Knights' and Hotaru's journey across Cephiro and their other deeds.

"I wonder if they can fit all that in their home?" Fuu giggled awkwardly.

"Knowing the two of them, they will expand their home when space runs out," a laid-back male voice spoke out.

Turning in the direction of the voice, they could see Ferio walking over to them, smiling charmingly. The Prince of Cephiro had combed his green hair back and thickened up his small ponytail a little. For the wedding, Ferio had worn his usual white, princely armor with orange markings and yellow gems. But underneath the said armor, he wore a white suit with gold embroidered sleeves that resembled vines. His white pants were sleek and sharp, and the hem of his jacket was decorated with ornamental fringes. Though his outfit seemed a bit unorthodox, the girls found him quite charming.

Extending his arm out, Ferio gently grabbed hold of Fuu's delicate hand, pulling it close and kissing the back of it. Left speechless, Fuu's cheeks blushed and sweat dripped down the back of her neck, as her glasses fogged up a little. Covering her mouth to stifle a gasp, she took off her glasses to better see Ferio, before being firmly pulled close.

Looking deep into his girlfriend's emerald eyes, Ferio smiled, "You look stunning today, Fuu."

"Th-Thank you, Ferio," Fuu stuttered, staring back at him. "You are also… particularly handsome to-today."

With Hikaru and Umi smiling wryly but amusedly at the blushing couple, the two of them gently kissed before them. Seeing this, Umi started quickly scoping around the wedding scene, trying to spot her date. Spotting a familiar large black hat, her eyes quickly locked on her target. Seeing that he had been found out, Ascot quickly stepped out from behind one of the crystal towers. Clearing his throat, the tall brunet summoner stepped towards his friends confidently.

"N-Nice to see y-you, Umi!" Ascot waved casually, trying to appear confident. "You look… absolutely divine today!"

Pulling out a fan to cover her blush, Umi strode up to him with a swing in her hip, "Thank you for noticing~! You're also looking… quite handsome."

Due to his order having been made in such a short notice, Ascot hadn't gotten a full new outfit. He was still wearing the same hat and pointy white and gold shoes as per usual, as well as his emerald earrings. But despite having his new clothes made in a rush, they were still of the highest quality.

His black harem pants and turtleneck sweater had been replaced with a white, high collared shirt and white full-length trousers, with black chaps. Over these he wore a large, white, and wide coat, the hem and coat-tails of which reached all the way to Ascot's knees. Its green lapels were double breasted with four rows of buttons and it was mostly open at the top, with the collar reaching around his upper arms and back. The collar was decorated with golden stripes from the inside and with criss crossing pattern on the outside. The same pattern matched the coat's green trimmed, wide mouthed elbow-length sleeves. Under the coat, around his neck and shoulders, Ascot wore his usual large, golden, summoner's necklace, studded with large emeralds.

Looking up into his green eyes, Umi winked, "I hope you will ask me to dance with you when the ceremony is over."

"Of course!" Ascot said, placing his hand on his heart. "There is no one else I'd rather d-dance with!"

"Awww, Ascot~! That breaks my heart!" A bubbly female voice spoke out.

Shocked to hear this, the five of them turned around, only to be greeted by two familiar faces. One of them was a tall, blond, robust man in a white doublet, jerkin, and britches, with silver trims, as well as a black cape that was azure on the inside. Over his fancy clothes, the man wore a white set of armored pauldrons, cuirass, boots, and gauntlets. The other was a darker skinned, pink-haired woman, wearing a revealing, formfitting, cream gold, lace tattoo gown with a palm-leaf pattern. The woman was wearing plenty of golden jewelry with pink round gems.

"Caldina! Lafarga!" Hikaru greeted them happily.

"Nice to see you again," Lafarga greeted them politely.

"Hello!" Caldina waved at them with a wink. "How are ya lil missus doin'? You are lookin' gorgeous!"

"Ah, I missed that Osaka accent," Umi sighed behind her fan, before putting it down. "Your gown is beautiful as well, Caldina. So very brave…"

"Thanks!" Caldina smiled with her eyes closed, before placing her hands behind her head and swinging her hips. "It feels good bein' able to cut loose a bit after always dressin' up the way the parents want me to~."

Seeing Caldina swaying her hips, the girls couldn't help but blush a bit, and the men look away. While it was good to see that her time as a teacher and principal hadn't reduced her confidence in her body, even Lafarga seemed to make sure no one was staring.

Collecting herself, Fuu asked, "So Ms. Caldina, how does it feel to be a school principal?"

"It keeps one busy. Guidin' teachers, teachin' lessons, payin' wages, givin' counselin'," Caldina listed off, seeming more tired by the minute. "…But lookin' after all the adorable kids, seein' them learn and grow up, it makes it all worthwhile!"

Hearing Caldina speak so passionately about her work, the Magic Knights yearned to see her teaching her school. She reminded them all of their favorite teachers back home, making them actually miss their school life for a moment. As they looked at her closely, Hikaru couldn't help but spot something shocking.

"That ring!" Hikaru yelled out, pointing at Caldina's finger. "Are you two also engaged?"

"Ahahahaha!" Caldina laughed while blushing. "Not quite…"

"Better, we are married," Lafarga blurted proudly, wrapping his large arm around Caldina and pulling her close.

"Really!?" Umi asked, her jaw agape.

"Congratulations! I guess I will be calling your Mrs. Caldina from now on," Fuu smiled.

"When did this happen?!" Umi asked impatiently.

"About five months ago," Caldina scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "We just didn't have the patience of Hotaru and Alcyone to wait for you three~!"

Letting the situation sink in for a moment, Hikaru asked innocently, "Has it been fun being married?"

"Fun?" Caldina repeated confusedly, before smiling. "It is wonderful! Lafarga is a great husband and works hard for the both of us! It was thanks to him that I could open my school and educate!"

Blushing slightly, Lafarga remained stoic, "You speak too highly of me, dearest."

As the others were smiling at the happy couple, Hikaru was looking around, trying to spot her heart's chosen. But before she could spot Lantis among the ever-increasing crowd, her field of view was quickly taken over by glimmering pink.

"SO, IT'S TRUE THEN!"

Startled by the high-pitched and angry voice, Hikaru almost spilled her juice. Looking up, she saw an aqua-haired fairy floating before her.

"Pri-Primera?" Hikaru stuttered, still trying to recover from the jump scare.

Though she hadn't thought of Primera often, Hikaru could still recognize the pale-complected fairy with amber eyes and odango style hair. At first Hikaru thought that the ten inch fairy had grown taller, before realizing that this was due to her gown. She wore a pink, double-length tiered-skirt gown with sparkling pink bow ties and frills on every tier. The front and shoulders of the dress were emphasized by a golden frame, as well as round red gems. A see-through flowing shawl was wrapped around Primera's arms and behind her head, making her upper body seem larger.

Crossing her arms, the small fairy looked down at her angrily, her pupils narrowing into dots, "I heard a rumor that you were back, Hikaru! I cannot believe Lantis snuck off to meet with you without telling me!"

"He… He did?" Hikaru blinked, a cold shiver running down her spine.

"Honestly what is up with that guy? As a punishment I've only cooked him two meals a day instead of three!" Primera announced, keeping her nose up, before looking down at Hikaru. "What business do you have blushing so red! Lantis loves only me and is just being nice to you! Homewrecker!"

"Get out of here you little flea!"

Diving quickly out of the way, Primera barely managed to avoid getting clapped by Umi. As she turned around quickly in the air, her skirt brushed against the face of the sleeping Mokona.

"How dare you try to swat me!" Primera yelled at Umi. "Just because you're bigger than I am, doesn't mean you—!"

"Pupuu!" Mokona chirped happily.

Before Primera could finish her sentence, Mokona jumped up and grabbed the hem of her overly long gown. Dangling Mokona in the air, Primera yelled out in a panic as she tried to balance herself. While the dress didn't tear, Primera was barely able to keep both herself and the slightly larger Mokona in the air.

"Let go of me you little runt!" Primera screamed

"Look out for the cake!" Fuu yelled out, rushing to stop the two.

Right as Mokona and Primera were about to fall into the wedding cake, they were snatched up in a flash of orange. The two fays were caught by a tall blonde woman wearing a moderately long and slim, orange evening dress. The form fitting evening dress had an opening in the back, left her shoulders bare (aside from a strap on the left side), and the skirt had an opening for her left leg. A cream-colored scarf hung behind her, splayed over the elbows of her orange, arm-length gloves. Her blonde ponytail had been braided into cute heart-shaped segments.

"Try to be careful you two!" the woman snapped at them angrily. "If you ruin the cake I will not protect you from what Alcyone will do to you!"

"Pupupuu…"

"Sorry…"

"Ah, Presea!" Hikaru yelled, rushing over to her. "You look beautiful!"

"Why thank you, but I am actually Sierra," the younger twin smiled, letting go of the two troublemakers.

"Oh! Apologies…" Hikaru bowed respectfully.

"Sierra!" a voice yelled out.

Turning around, the ever-growing group saw a young, short, brunette man running towards them. He was wearing a long white coat with red breast pockets, white pants, black sneakers, and a white cap with a short rim. Beneath these he had a red vest, a black tie, and red socks that were pulled over the pants. The young man was panting as he rushed over to Sierra, almost tripping on other party guests.

Finally catching up, he panted while bent over, "Why did you… run off like that? Did you not want to be seen with me?"

Taking a moment to recognize him, Hikaru greeted, "Konnichiwa, Zazu! It has been a while!"

Barely recognizing the voice, Zazu stood up straight, staring the red-head straight in the eyes, "Hikaru-chan! You look beautiful! Have you grown taller?"

"Mhm!" Hikaru nodded, as Zazu was comparing their heights. "You also look taller!"

"Seems were about even now," Zazu said, before clearing his throat. "Anyway, while you do look prettier, I'm afraid I'm now engaged."

"Already!?" Umi yelled, flabbergasted. "But you're so young…"

"I'm almost eighteen years already!" Zazu crossed his arms seriously. "I've served in the military for four years and it is time I started going steady."

"Do all Autozamians grow up and live their lives that fast?" Fuu asked, slightly worried for their society.

"Only Zazu does," Sierra chuckled. "He graduated top of his class at the age of thirteen. Ten years earlier than his peers."

As Zazu crossed his arms smugly, Hikaru asked, "Are Geo and Eagle here as well?"

Feeling his accomplishments were being ignored, Zazu sighed before answering, "Unfortunately no. We didn't know when you would be coming, so we didn't know when the wedding was, so they couldn't come here on time."

---

"Welcome! We're happy you managed to come! Good afternoon! Please enjoy your stay! Good to see you, Stelvio! I need to get myself an outfit like that!"

Having welcomed guests to his wedding since morning, Hotaru was starting to get tired of smiling and shaking hands by the fifth hour. Had it not been for Lantis helping guide the guests to the tables and the waiters bringing him drinks, he would have passed out a while ago. While greeting so many people reminded him of his old job back in his previous life, seeing all of their smiles helped him stay positive. The gifts helped him stay cheerful too.

"Think you should take a break?" Lantis asked, seeing his nephew sweating.

"No need," Hotaru said with a slightly hoarse voice. "The number of guests seems to finally be going down. Also, we agreed with Alcyone that once the guests had arrived, we would let them mingle an hour before the ceremony."

"I guess that will give us time to pull a chair and sit down," Lantis said dryly, before smiling at a guest. "Please take your gifts to the left side and get refreshments from the right.

Having gone through yet another crowd of people, Hotaru allowed his cheeks a moment of respite, frowning with his neck muscles. Grabbing a champagne glass full of cola, Hotaru gulped it down in one sip to quench his throat. But as he knocked the glass back, he saw something through it that almost caused him to spit-take.

"La-Lantis," Hotaru coughed, trying not to burp. "D-Do you see what I see?"

Turning to look, even Lantis's stoic disposition cracked for a moment, "It can't be… Eagle? Geo? And…"

Swallowing nervously, Hotaru forced a smile on him, "The princesses."

Coming down the mountain path leading to the sanctuary, were six lead figures of neighboring planets. Not only were Commander Eagle Vision and his Second In Command Geo Metro here, but so were Chizetan Princesses Tatra and Tarta, as well as Princess Aska and her little friend.

The Autozamian commanders were wearing formal military uniforms, decorated with a variety of medals. Eagle's uniform was predominantly black, with large golden epaulets shaped like stars, while Geo's was green with thick, rectangular black and gold epaulets. Both officers were wearing black metal plated shoes and wore the insignias of Autozam's military on their right arms. On their right breasts, they had complex, colorful, and decorative golden plaques that seemed to show off their military service. Both of their uniforms had many golden trims and decorations, and Eagle was wearing a golden, ornate headband.

The Chizetan royalty were also wearing mostly matching outfits that left most of their tanned bodies visible. Both Tatra and Tarta had golden necklaces, miniskirts, and shoulderless and sleeveless tops with matching bejeweled lotus designs. They wore golden armbands, bracers, anklets, and high heels, all with red gems on each of them. Behind and over their heads, wrapped around their upper arms, they had thin, golden, leathery evening wraps that seemed to defy gravity. What differentiated the two princesses were the headwear they were wearing. The older sister Tatra wore a headband with a large triangular ruby, while Tarta tied her long red hair into a ponytail with a golden, cylindrical hair piece.

The last and shortest of the bunch, Aska and Sang Yung, wore silken robes with golden trims and cuffs. Aska's robes were mostly pink with red highlights, having a pattern of pink and white peaches around the hem and two golden Taijitus above them. Covering her legs and feet, she had a thin pink skirt and many black ribbons. Her black hair-horns were decorated with golden, Chinese-dragon-shaped hair ornaments. Sang Yung's robes were mostly purple with red highlights, with next to no pattern, but wore a silken, two-pronged hat with a white Taijitu and golden tufts. In addition, the young boy wore red pants, with black pointy shoes.

While the Fahrenese children were still small, Hotaru could tell that they had grown a bit since he last saw them. And although the outfits of all these high-profile guests were stunning, their very presence was even more so.

"Good afternoon, Lord Hotaru," Eagle smiled, greeting the groom. "I hope we are not late for the wedding ceremony."

"No, you are just in time… Lovely outfits, everyone," Hotaru smiled, trying to appear confident.

"Of course!" Princess Aska said proudly, puffing out her chest. "These are the party vestiges custom made by the imperial tailors for great festivities! Only the finest Fahrenese luxury fabrics! Far more tasteful than what these two weirdos are wearing…"

Seeing Aska give her a not-so-subtle side eye, Tarta quickly clenched her fist, "HAY! These're the latest in Chizetan fashion and made with materials throughout the galaxy! They're far more expensive and prettier than yours!"

"Tarta, remember your accent," Tatra wagged her finger while smiling, causing the princess to cover her mouth. "We are guests here so we must be on our best behaviors. Isn't that right, Lord Hotaru?"

"Apologies for not bringing you gifts, we didn't know what would be appropriate for a Cephiroan wedding," Geo apologized, shaking Hotaru's hand.

"I don't mind… but how did you get here so fast?" Hotaru asked, still flabbergasted. "I don't think we even sent you a message about having the wedding today…"

Before Hotaru could finish, Tatra walked in front of him and placed her hands together, "We were having a meeting in international space when Eagle's little friend called us! Finishing our meeting in a jiffy, we were able to make it here in time~."

Distracted by the older sister's outfit, Hotaru swallowed before nodding, "Oh I see… Please enjoy your stay."

"But how come we didn't see NSX or other vessels approach Cephiro?" Lantis asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before Lantis could ask more questions, Tarta began to push the guests into the wedding event, "Nee-san! Let's go find Umi already and greet her! Congratulations on your wedding! We will make sure to send you something quite lovely later on as a gift."

"Come on Sang Yung! Let's go find Fuu!" the littlest of the princesses rushed past them.

Trying to keep up with her, the young boy stuttered, "Do-Don't run or yell in a public event l-like that, Lady Aska!"

Looking after his VIP guests, Hotaru watched as they disappeared into the crowd, "Well… that was a stroke of good luck."

"Too good," Lantis pointed out suspiciously. "I can never get a read on Eagle, but there's something they are all hiding."

"Definitely, but you don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Hotaru shrugged. "Besides, Alcyone and I wanted them to attend our wedding for the grandeur of it. Plus, I am curious to see what kind of a gift Tatra and Tarta have in mind…"

Seeing Hotaru drooling slightly, Lantis looked at him condemningly, "It is your wedding day."

Though it took Hotaru a moment to react to this, he rolled his eyes offendedly, "I'm talking aboutgold here, Lantis. The royalty of Chizeta give out gold statues as good luck gifts! Imagine what they give as a wedding present…"

Sighing tiredly and facepalming slowly, Lantis muttered, "Sometimes I wonder where your priorities lie…"

"All I know is that I am taking that break now," Hotaru said, seeing another crowd approaching. "Good luck with the rest of the guests, best man!"

Leaving Lantis to fend for himself, Hotaru tried to catch up with his royal guests, but by now they had already gotten far. The Chizetan princesses were getting a lot of attention, and the immigrants of their world would often gasp in shock to see them here. Despite the difference in status, the princesses would often stay and chat with their former citizens, to see if they were being treated well. Geo and Eagle would do the same with the Autozamians, however the people were far more nervous to talk to military officers.

While the adults were taking their time to be responsible, the Princess of Fahren had no time for such. Running between the crowds of people, she darted around the place with Sang Yung struggling to keep up. Just as she was getting frustrated with just how tall Cephiroans were, she caught a glimpse of the green she was looking for.

"FUU!"

"Hmmm?" the glasses wearing Magic Knight turn around in Ferio's arms. "Oh dear, who do we have here?"

Rushing over to her older friend, Aska dove into Fuu's large and frilly skirt, while wrapping her arms around her waist. Ferio had to move out of the way so as not to be knocked aside, pushing Umi into Ascot's arms. Despite the domino reaction, everyone was too focused on the scene of Aska and Fuu greeting one another.

"Fuu it's been so long, I missed you!" Aska smiled happily, looking up at you.

"Nice to see you again too, Lady Aska," Fuu smiled, crouching down slightly. "You seem to have grown a lot since we last met."

"Mhm!" Aska nodded confidently. "I have also kept up with my studies and am now a proper lady!"

"Her behavior could still use improvement," Sang Yung panted quietly, earning an empathetic pat on the back from Zazu.

"But wait…" Hikaru spoke up. "If Aska and Sang Yung are here, then doesn't that mean…"

Looking into the crowd, it didn't take long for Hikaru to spot a white head of hair and a very tall man walking towards them.

"Eagle! Geo!" Hikaru and Zazu yelled excitedly, rushing over to meet with them.

"Hello! How are you kids doing?" Geo greeted them, patting their heads with his big hands.

"Hey! I am almost a man now and soon to be married!" Zazu countered, pushing Geo's hand away. "That means you'll be an old unmarried man soon!"

"Oh yeah!?"

As the two old friends started play fighting, Eagle bowed towards Hikaru, smiling warmly as he looked into her eyes, "It has been a while; how have you been, Hikaru? Has Cephiro been everything you wanted it to be since you came back?"

Smiling back, Hikaru answered, "I've been doing great, and yes! Cephiro is so beautiful with everyone taking care of it! But… What about you? How is your health?"

Seeing the girl in red ask about his well-being so genuinely, Eagle felt his heart skip a beat. Ever since traveling back and forth to Cephiro, he had met many wonderful and caring people, and even then, Hikaru was something else. It took him a moment for the significance of Hikaru still remembering his illness to sink in, as he had almost forgotten about it.

"I am doing great," Eagle answered, smiling with his eyes closed. "Thanks to the healers and Lady Alcyone's medicines, the symptoms of my illness have stopped. I still take regular check-ups, but I no longer live week by week."

With a single tear of happiness rolling down her cheek, Hikaru nodded, "Thank goodness…"

Looking at the heartfelt union, Ascot, Umi, Caldina, and Lafarga were startled as two cheerful voices caught them off guard.

"Hello again~!" Tatra and Tarta greeted them, hugging Ascot and Umi from behind.

"T-The princesses!" Ascot gasped, quickly trying to remember their names. "I-I should've known you'd come as well!"

"So good to see you two again, Tatra and Tarta!" Umi smiled, hugging the younger sister back. "I thought Hotaru said you all wouldn't be able to make it here in time?"

"We were just in the neighborhood when we heard about the wedding," Tatra answered carefreely, before switching the target of her hug. "Caldina! Your outfit is lovely as ever! Is it true you and Lafarga got married already?"

"That's right!" Caldina smiled, hugging the younger woman back. "I would've liked to have held it on Chizeta, but I couldn't travel for such a long trip due to my job! Maybe we'll come and visit for our honeymoon?"

"Let me know when you do~! I will make sure you get a nice discount on a hotel!"

"You're the best, big sis~!"

As the surprise guests were catching up with the invited ones, Hotaru was finally able to spot them all. Going over to them, he had to respond to the congratulations and compliments of many of the guests on his path. Slowly but surely, he made it over to them all, garnering their attention.

"Okay good, it seems you all have already found each other," Hotaru chatted, unable to hide his fatigue. "On behalf of me and Lady Alcyone, I would like to thank you for coming. I hope everything is to your liking?"

"It is a very nice party," Eagle smiled, holding a glass of cola, "and the Autozamians who migrated here seem to be doing well."

"Same for the people of Chizeta," Tatra beamed, clasping her hands together happily. "We were really hoping to see how our people are doing!"

"Well, we are here to congratulate you on your wedding too," Tarta pointed out, "but we have other more important business to discuss here too."

"Umm… you're not trying to collect for what Luna did to your guards, right?" Umi asked awkwardly.

Having almost forgotten about the incident with Umi's shadow, Hotaru stiffened on the spot. Apparently, Luna had caused a few casualties and a large amount of destruction on board the Bravada. While Umi may have blamed herself about what had happened, there were at least three ways the blame could be placed on Hotaru instead.

"Well… we thought about it, and then came to the conclusion that Lord Hotaru could help with that debt," Tatra smiled, giving off a wry air about her.

"…What do you want me to do?" Hotaru asked worriedly, sweating under his wedding clothes.

"We will explain once the wedding has been held~."

---

With the clock nearing four and the sun soon starting to set behind the mountain range surrounding Ford Vale, the guests headed for their seats. The massive crowd of people quieted down respectfully, as they filled in the dozens of rows of pews. The writhing mass slowly organized itself into neat rows, making the crystal village surrounding the Sanctuary seem almost empty by comparison.

At the front, left of the wedding altar, stood four men in a row; Ascot, Ferio, Lantis, and Lafarga. As the groom's mates, Ascot, Ferio, and Lafarga were all wearing white outfits, while standing slightly further away from the altar. Closest to it stood Lantis, who as the best man was wearing a gray and gold outfit. His outfit included a gray tunic, a black cape, and a golden sash running from the cape to his waist. On his head, Lantis had a golden head band, with it, the sash, and the tunic, all decorated with blue gems.

The Magic Knights were given front row seats on the groom's side, with Caldina, Sierra, and Zazu sitting on the bride's her camera in her lap, Umi was prepared to take a picture or two of the happy they waited for the events to start, the Magic Knights and their boyfriends couldn't help but stare back at each other. Umi and Hikaru had a hard time believing how handsome their men looked, and Fuu couldn't get Ferio to stop flirting with her.

But as music started playing, the guys all stood up straight and focused their eyes to the back end of the red carpet laid across the village. The wedding guests followed soon, turning to the best of their ability to look behind them. There they saw Hotaru, walking down the wedding aisle, accompanied only by grand and triumphant flute, horn, and string music.

The paladin wore traditional Cephiroan wedding garments, meant for the upper echelons of nobility. The centerpiece of the outfit was a white satin, full-body length robe with golden lapels, cuffs, and trims. Around it, Hotaru wore a lime-green silk sash that wrapped around his right shoulder, waist, and drooped down his right leg. Similar to a cape or a cloak, he wore a large red jacket with long sleeves, the hem of which reached his calves. The jacket was adorned with golden embroideries and had a thick, white, furred collar, which was attached to the shoulders of the robe. Under it, Hotaru wore white, slim trousers and golden, calf-length boots.

Though he had already greeted them while wearing just the robe, Hotaru could tell that the people's reactions were completely different with the rest of the ensemble on. Keeping a straight-backed and regal stride, he made his way over to the altar, smiling widely and proudly. Though he was tired from today and the week that had preceded it, he knew it had all been worth it for this day.

I've had a lot of happiest days of my life in the past year, but this might still top it.

Making it to the altar, which was essentially a wide, hollowed out marble block, Hotaru could see their "priest" coming down the stairs of the Sanctuary. Wearing his usual Master Mage apparel, Clef walked over to the pedestal slowly, smiling at the wedding guests and Hotaru. In his hands, he held his large wooden staff, as well as a large, white, leather-bound tome with gilded pages.

The book, as far as Clef had explained it to Hotaru, contained the outlines of over a hundred ceremonies. While the number of different ceremonies in Cephiro's culture was nowhere near that amount, each ceremony had different versions based on status. Merchants, nobility, royalty, clergy, and ordinary citizens all had their own versions, and today, it was the wedding of nobility.

As Clef placed the book on the altar and opened it, the music started to build up and pick up. Turning to look to the back of the wedding aisle again, Hotaru and the guests saw a series of dark figures walk out from one of the crystal towers. While many of the guests let out shocked gasps, Hotaru could only smile lovingly at what he was seeing.

Standing tall and proud, Alcyone walked down the aisle, wearing a trumpet gown wedding dress, made out of black silk, satin, and velvet. The wedding dress was form fitting from chest to hips, showing off the sorceress's beautiful curves. Right above the knee, the skirt flared out into a wide and voluminous skirt that trailed almost two meters behind her.

The top of the dress resembled Alcyone's leotard, leaving her back and shoulders bare, with a neckline that almost reached her navel. The neckline had a silver trim with a slightly jagged edge, culminating into three claw-like shapes curving over her breasts. Holding the halves of the neckline together, was black bat-shaped brooch with a red teardrop-shaped gem on it. The waist section of the dress had a dark-gray spider-web pattern embroidered over it. A belt of silver snowflakes ran around her waist, each one studded with a round purple gem. The skirt of the trumpet gown was made out of several layers of velvet, cut in a bat-wing pattern, similar to her white cape.

In her hands, she held a bouquet of large black flowers with dark green stems and leaves. Over her head and face, Alcyone wore a black, wide-brimmed hat with a very long black veil around it and behind it. Hotaru had pointed out to Alcyone that this was called a funeral hat in his previous life, but with her extremely long hair, it came in handy. The several meters long veil was being held up by four bridesmaids walking behind Hotaru, all dressed up in black, more traditional dresses.

These four were the maids Integra, Envix, and Liviana, as well as the maid of honor, Presea. Despite all the looks they were receiving, the four of them smiled widely, feeling proud to have been chosen.

Underneath the veil, although Alcyone had emphasized on the beauty and elegance of her appearance, she was smiling like a little girl. Through the black veil she could see her handsome husband, waiting for her at the altar. Her heart fluttered like it had never before, with happiness, nervousness, and love. She had to hold her steps back, otherwise she would have rushed into his arms without restraint, causing a scene with the bridesmaids. But as she walked past the guests, she could hear them whispering.

"What is that dress… She looks scary… She dresses like a villain… Lady Alcyone is as bold as always… Her breasts are big… I can't believe Hotaru the Hero chose someone like her… Is she holding dead flowers…"

Although most of the whispers were insults told behind her back, Alcyone didn't care. This was the reaction she and Hotaru had wanted from the crowd, to hear what people really thought. Their words didn't bother her, for Hotaru loved every bit about her that they criticized. To show up as her true self, was to show them that they and their opinions were powerless in front of their love. However, there was one whisper that almost caused her to pause on the red carpet.

"Truly the Bride of Zagato…"

Trying not to let this get to her, Alcyone continued walking down the aisle. However, while her husband-to-be still awaited her, the fluttering and smile were gone. Seeing Hotaru still smiling at her with misty eyes, she couldn't help but feel the old guilt of making him her accomplice rear its ugly head. Walking up next to Hotaru, Alcyone faced away from the crowd, as her bridesmaids took their places opposite to the groomsmen.

Trying to stay calm, Alcyone held back her tears, before she felt Hotaru's jacket brush up against her, as he stepped closer to her. Having felt the cold air around her, Hotaru could tell that Alcyone was getting nervous, so he made sure she knew they were in this together. Sensing his warmth, Alcyone calmed down, looking towards her former teacher. She could also hear a familiar clicking sound, as Umi snatched a photo of them.

With Alcyone and Hotaru having taken their places, Clef began his opening remarks with a clear and sonorous voice, "Friends, allies, associates, and former enemies alike; today we have all gathered here to witness the union of the last members of two families. One having been abandoned in childhood and growing up alone; the other born to a life of luxury and guided by Cephiro's most influential. Regardless of backgrounds, both of them fought for their own path to happiness, whether due to sheer determination or deceived passion. Though they started out as enemies and their pasts are as different as possible, they both found themselves becoming protectors of Cephiro."

As the Master Mage spoke, the audience listened intently, with even the Magic Knights in shock how much into detail Clef was going. While at first Hotaru and Alcyone had wanted to keep Alcyone's past hidden, after several versions of Clef's opening remarks, they decided against it. While they could have just kept silent and hoped that the others would forget and forgive, it would give the impression that they wanted to ignore the past. To show everyone that Alcyone was willing to acknowledge her misdeeds and that Hotaru accepted her as is, was far more important to them than others' acceptance.

"Whether before, during, or after the weeks of darkness, these two have been influential in securing Cephiro's future, and saving its people," Clef continued, his voice showing great pride in both of them. "During these tough times, they found love in one another and went above and beyond to protect everyone and their love for each other. Today, let us celebrate their achievements and bear witness to the culmination of love that epitomizes the tenets of Cephiro! The heart that believes, the unbreakable will, and the undying wish! May their love for each other stand for as long as Cephiro does!"

As Clef finished, a silence fell over the audience, who listened with bated breaths. Not sure what to do, Hikaru leaned over to her friends.

"Are we supposed to applaud?" Hikaru whispered, only for the other two to shrug.

Hearing Hikaru's question from a couple of rows back, Eagle smiled and stood up slowly, with Geo following suit. Despite the looks they were given, the two Autozamian officers began to clap respectfully at Clef's speech. As this went on, Tatra and Tarta stood up as well to applaud, which caused all the other Chizetan guests to rise. Eventually almost every last guest was giving a standing ovation, with Aska and other children standing on the pews. Though this was unusual, everyone near the altar was smiling at the shows of approval to the bride and groom.

As the applause eventually died down, Clef gave the stage to Alcyone and Hotaru, "You may now exchange your vows."

Turning to face Alcyone, Hotaru reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper, "When I first laid my eyes on you, I thought I already knew the kind of crazy journey I would be in for. But thanks to you, I realized there would be surprises ahead, and that my actions and existence had consequences. I used to think that nobody was irreplaceable and that people could be substituted with others if the need arises. But as we grew closer and my feelings for you stronger, I learnt I could never replace you or any of my friends. I realized that what truly mattered in life, was to have people who you love."

Speaking in a heartfelt yet audible voice, the Magic Knights, the groomsmen, the bridesmaids, and their closest friends, were moved to tears. However, the guests who couldn't call themselves close friends, were shocked to hear their hero speak like this. To learn how cold and uncaring he supposedly had been, while also knowing what he was capable of, was unnerving.

"When I saw you abandon Zagato and dedicate yourself to healing this world, it inspired me to be a better person myself," Hotaru continued, staring into Alcyone's eyes through her veil. "When I lost you during my darkest moment, it was my love for you that prevented me from being consumed by my shadow. The people here owe more to you than they could possibly realize, and I owe you a hundred times that. You have always taken good care of me and made me happy, and I hope to return the favor to you for the rest of our lives."

With the crowd listening silently, Alcyone lifted the front of her veil up and over her hat. While Hotaru was the one who was supposed to do it for her later, she couldn't wait any longer. As she uncovered her face, the crowd could see the tears in her eyes reflecting the light of the setting sun. Yet despite this, her blood red lips were curled up into the happiest smile anyone had ever seen from Alcyone. Without evening taking out her vows, Alcyone began to recite them.

"Before I met you, I lost everything chasing a dream, for the sake of achieving the impossible. I couldn't do it alone, but for as long as we have known each other, I have seen you do the impossible time after time. I have seen you move mountains, both figuratively and literally, to make me see the mistakes I had made for a decade. You defied fate for my sake, risking your life to save the blind fool that I was, following a man who loved another," Alcyone words flowed sweetly yet wistfully. "But perhaps the most amazing of all was to see you love someone like me, enough to relinquish the position of the Pillar. To be loved just like your father loved your mother."

Seeing Alcyone and her relationship in a new light, the crowd collectively let out a quiet, saddened sigh. Those who had arrived on Cephiro within the last year, felt their hearts ache for the sorceress. For those who remembered Alcyone's past actions, found themselves grappling with their thoughts. While their hero wasn't as perfect as they had liked, neither was their villainess as heartless. The couple before them had always seemed untouchable, to the point where charging Alcyone for her crimes was pointless. The services, charity, sweets, and medicine she provided, had to some of them felt like a lukewarm apology for her sins. But now they realized she truly was genuine in trying to make things right.

Drying her tears in her glove, Alcyone smiled more cheerfully before continuing, "The time we spend togethermeans life to me, and I love every minute of it. Whether it is the moments of silence in each other's company or fighting for our lives, I want to be by your side. I love teaching you the things I know and learning from you in return. You will always be my number one pupil. Even if we cannot make all of my dreams come true, I would still rather live with you than live a dream."

Listening to each other's vows, Hotaru and Alcyone became so absorbed in one another that the world around them faded away. Even as Umi snatched another picture, their loving gazes locked in with one another, urging them to dive into a tender embrace. But before the two of them could get ahead of themselves, Clef cleared his throat lightly, before addressing the couple.

"Do you, Lord Hotaru Martin, take Lady Alcyone Subaru, to be your lifelong wife, and to share your wealth, land, joys and ordeals?" Clef asked.

"I do," Hotaru declared with confidence.

"And do you, Lady Alcyone Subaru, take Lord Hotaru Martin, to be your lifelong husband, and to share your wealth, lands, joys and ordeals?"

"I do," Alcyone responded, her voice filled with conviction.

"Would the best man and the maid of honor bring forth the rings?"

Hearing their cues, Lantis and Presea walked over to the starry-eyed couple, and reached underneath their own collars. Pulling on strings around their necks, they revealed rings that they had kept safe close to their hearts. This was an old tradition of the nobility, to have the best man and maid of honor protect the wedding rings with their lives. With the rings out, Lantis and Presea snapped the strings, before presenting them to Hotaru and Alcyone.

The rings were simple gold bands, with one of them decorated by a lime-green gem and the other by a purple one. Taking the still warm ring into his hand, Hotaru gently threaded the lime-green gemmed ring onto Alcyone's left ring finger. Following suit, Alcyone placed the purple-gemmed ring onto Hotaru's, much thicker ring finger. With the rings exchanged, Lantis and Presea returned to their places, and Hotaru and Alcyone turned to face Clef.

Addressing the crowd in a loud yet benign voice, the Master Mage asked, "If anyone were to have a reason why these two shouldn't be wedded, speak now or forever hold your tongue!"

"Please, ignore the archers," Hotaru whispered jokingly.

"Pfft!" Alcyone held herself back from laughing.

With the crowd staying quiet, Clef let out a sigh of relief, before declaring, "With everyone's blessings, I announce you two husband and wife! You may kiss the bride."

Leaning in, Hotaru had to lift Alcyone's hat out of the way, before he could pull her back into an embrace. Staring up at her husband and leaning her head against his hand, Alcyone smiled and puckered her lips to receive Hotaru's. Though the hairs on Hotaru's neck stood in anticipation of something happening, the cool touch of his wife's lips put him at ease. As the two of them kissed, the crowd cheered and applauded, with the Magic Knights standing in ovation, with Umi snapping another picture.

While still continuing the kiss, Alcyone threw her bouquet of blackened rainbow lotuses blindly at the crowd. Spotting the bouquet, Umi chucked her camera to Fuu quickly and almost jumped onto her seat, hoping to catch it. But with this being a tradition from Earth, most of the crowd was only confused by this. As the blue-haired Magic Knight snatched the bouquet, they gave Umi a series of odd looks.

Trying to laugh this off, Umi smiled awkwardly, before noticing Ascot staring at her with a blush. Realizing they both knewwhat she had done, Umi quickly sat down, clutching the bouquet tightly, right before Hotaru and Alcyone finished kissing.

---

Following the ceremony, the newlywed couple proceeded to cut the wedding cake, before taking a moment to eat and relax. Having underestimated how many guests would be arriving, the people in charge of catering had already whipped up a few new cakes with Mokona's help.

Finally having the chance to sit down, many people came over to congratulate and praise them, as they hadn't had the chance to do so to Alcyone. They complimented her on her moving wedding vows, beautifully done hair and makeup, wedding dress, flower arrangements, and ice sculptures. When questions moved onto where they would be having their honeymoon, Hotaru had taken over to give Alcyone time to eat and drink.

Once the majority of the crowd went back to continuing their prior discussions, the bride and groom's closest friends gathered around them. Ferio and Fuu shared tea with Aska and Sang Yung, as Umi fed Ascot cake while being smiled at by Caldina and Lafarga. The princesses of Chizeta were talking with Autozam's officers, with Geo and Tarta comparing training regimens and Tatra and Eagle sticking to more political topics. Zazu and Clef sat by sharing a drink, while Presea and Sierra caught up with what had happened to each other throughout the day. Hikaru was spending time with Lantis on the side, just sitting close to him while keeping Mokona in her lap. The maids were keeping Primera busy, while at the same time taking this rare opportunity to be waited on by the staff. So as not to miss a few good photo opportunities, Umi requested Envix to take pictures of everyone in their best clothes.

With everyone having had time to cool off and take their pictures, the setting sun painting the crystal village in hues of gold signaled the band to play music once more. With the staff having carried away the pews already, everyone who could grabbed themselves a partner, before joining in on a village wide ballroom dance.

With Ascot having no training, Umi took the lead for the two of them.

"Just follow my lead, we don't need to rush…" Umi said, paying close attention to their movements.

"You know a lot about dancing, Umi?" Ascot asked, trying to compliment her.

"Not really, I have only practiced a couple of times in elementary school," Umi admitted, still a novice herself. "…Those two seem to be far more adept at this."

Looking over to the direction of Fuu and Ferio, they could see the two of them dancing quite gracefully. Switching up the lead from time to time, Fuu and Ferio danced in swaying motions.

"Did you learn how to dance before you lost your memories?" Fuu inquired, smiling coyly.

"Nah, I learnt it while waiting for you to come back," Ferio admitted, pulling Fuu close. "You?"

"My mom and dad love ballroom dancing, so they taught me and my sister."

Little further from them, Lantis and Hikaru were dancing slowly, with Hikaru learning from scratch, and Lantis being careful with his minute dancing partner. Though Hikaru wanted to stare into Lantis's eyes, she was blushing too much, and learning to dance gave her the excuse to look at her feet. Little by little however, they slowly started to improve.

"This is… kind of tricky, nee-san," Tarta griped, dancing with her sister. "I have never heard of a dance like this before…"

"Fufu, but isn't trying new things so much fun?" Tatra chuckled, taking the lead. "The dancing princesses of Chizeta never back down from a challenge~."

"Yeah, but it is embarrassing when there are so many people better than us…"

Staring at the other couples, the princesses could see Clef and Presea dancing slowly but rhythmically, matching the music. Zazu and Sierra were slightly more rigid in their dancing, but the couple had practiced a bit in preparations for the wedding. Even Caldina and Lafarga were boldly gliding across the dance floor, even though the former Captain of the Guard wasn't much of a dancer.

Sitting aside as wall flowers due to lack of knowledge or partners, Eagle and Geo watched their friends dancing.

"Eh, I can't believe Zazu ended up finding a girlfriend before either of us did," Geo sighed boredly, leaning against a crystal pillar. "Lantis is also lucky to have lil miss Hikaru as a partner."

"I wouldn't be too upset," Eagle smiled, sitting while enjoying a drink, "you did seem to get along well with that Chizetan princess. Perhaps you should ask her to dance?"

"W-What are y-you on about? She is royalty from another country!" Geo stuttered while blushing, before seeing Tarta trip over. "And she seems to be having enough trouble as is without me… You gonna ask the big sister?"

Tilting his head, Eagle smiled wryly, "I don't think she would agree… Also, I don't know how Isetta would react to it."

"Naruhodo, I figured you two were getting close," Geo said teasingly. "Wait… doesn't that leave me… never mind."

Chuckling at his friend's pouting, Eagle looked in the opposite direction, "…Those two certainly seem to be having a good time."

Garnering everyone's attention, Hotaru and Alcyone danced elegantly from side to side, their steps certain and rhythmic, and their poses immaculate. Alcyone's skirt and wedding veil and Hotaru's jacket and sleeves whirled around them ethereally, keeping the other guests at a reasonable distance. Having practiced almost a year now, the two of them were immersed in the music and each other's movements. Getting into the heat of passion, the two of them would add in improvised tango moves, blatantly showing off their skills.

Leaning Alcyone back while staring into her eyes, Hotaru asked, "Was this wedding all you hoped for, my love?"

"Everything," Alcyone purred, hooking her leg around Hotaru's, lifting herself up to eye level with him, "and more. Thank you for choosing me… As your lawfully wedded wife."

Seeing Alcyone wink at him, Hotaru smirked and leaned in for a kiss, when the music all of a sudden quieted down. Before the two of them could ask the band what was going on, they heard Integra yelling at the western side of the village.

"We appreciate you all coming here, but the wedding ceremony is already over! We don't have the capacity for so many more guests!"

"We're sorry! Maybe next time?" Livina apologized desperately.

Looking from far away, Hotaru and the guests could spot a very tall man standing at the entrance of the village, wearing a white robe. As everyone started heading towards the western side to see what was going on, Hotaru and Alcyone flew over the crowd so as to get there first. The Magic Knights had to squeeze past the crowd, and as they got closer, they realized that the man wasn't alone.

Outside the village, a large crowd of around five hundred people had gathered. Each of them was wearing white hooded robes and silver armored boots and pauldrons, and standing at attention. The only people who stood out were two tall men, as their uniforms were different and they didn't wear hoods. From the hundreds of them, these two were the only ones who Hotaru recognized.

"The Gallant Order?" Clef gasped, looking at their numbers. "What do they want?"

"I don't know…" Hotaru said with a deep voice, "but I am sure they will get it."

Gallant Order, I should've realized Galant Guard had something to do with them, but the pun escaped me. I guess this is what I get for not flipping their house again…

(TL note: Gallant Order is said in Japanese while Galant Guard is spoken like the car model)

Before Hotaru could speak up, Lafarga spoke out firmly, "Lieutenant Darracq! Lieutenant Titan! What do you think you are doing here?"

"That is Captain Darracq to you!" Titan snarled loudly, leaning down at Lafarga. "Ex-Captain Lafarga!"

"Calm yourself Titan," the shorter of the two men spoke composedly, before addressing the crowd as a whole. "We the Gallant Order have come in peace to deliver a message for all of Cephiro to hear!"

Raising her eyebrow, Alcyone asked bitterly, "And what important message would you have to share to interrupt my wedding like this?"

"We are here but as the envoys of our messenger," Captain Darracq answered, before smiling. "But let me congratulate you, Lady Alcyone; you are even more beautiful than usual today, and as alluring as the full moon."

Seeing the taller captain bow his head to her, Alcyone leaned back uneasily, "Erm… thank you? But then who is… AH!"

Without a warning, the larger crowd had to cover their eyes, as a bright and loud flash appeared in the sky above the order members. The Cephiroans were shocked as this reminded them of the storms of the weeks of darkness, and the Magic Knights thought they were getting transported to yet another world. As the light and the spots in their eyes faded, the crowd was left staring at a tall woman in black robes hovering in the air. Slowly and gracefully, she descended downwards, until she was hovering a little bit higher than Titan.

"Citizens of Cephiro!" The woman spoke out in a grandiose yet concerned voice. "I am Prophet Sybil and bear with me grievous and dour words of warning! I bring forth to you the final message of the Order of Oracles! The Prophecy of the Wrath of the Broken Pillar!"

"Wrath of the…" Hikaru

"Broken…" Umi

"Pillar?" and Fuu repeated, trembling in fear.

"Order of Oracles?" Clef gasped.

"What even is that?" Hotaru asked suspiciously.

This question seemed to be on everyone's minds, as they saw the Master Mage's eyes widen and jaw drop in fear. As Clef finally got over the shock, he looked at the inquisitive faces of others, struggling to come to terms with the situation. Seeing everyone was relying on him for information, Clef knew this was no time for secrets.

Clenching his staff, Clef swallowed nervously, "They are… were the unseen Eyes of the Pillar. Just like some people are born with the ability to use magic, even rarer few are born with the ability to see the future."

"But why haven't we heard of them before?" Lantis asked.

Looking down at the ground, Clef spoke reluctantly, "…Details about them were only known to the Pillar, and the High Priest."

"The Master Mage speaks the truth," Sybil said, clasping her hands with her fingers interlocked. "But today I must make myself known to everyone! For the order's final prophecy must be heard by all!"

With a glowing white aura forming around Sybil, the prophet spread her arms wide, her sound reaching far, all the way to the edges of Ford Vale. Her voice was clear and melodic, with a distinct sound of desperation.

"When the Pillar breaks, the order supported by it will turn to chaos!"

"The lands will be drowned, as the tears of the Magic Knights fallen overflow the seas!"

"The long-silent plagues will stir from their slumber, roaming free to spread their contagion anew!"

"The tempestuous anger of the skies, held back until now, will tear the ground asunder!"

"The hostilities quelled will stand up in arms once more, their withheld blood-thirst a thousand-fold!"

"The world will be paved over by disasters, scorching the land and skies black as night!"

"And when the planet rings hollow with the echoes of the fallen, the reaper will collect his own!"

"For this is the Wrath of the Broken Pillar!"

Listening to the Prophet's dire ramblings, the citizens of Cephiro were dumbstruck by the horror of it, even though they couldn't fully understand it. Those who weren't native to the planet were all making their own assumptions on the prophecy. The Magic Knights were left in a state of shock, as they realized that they had been the ones to break the Pillar system. Alcyone, Clef, Lantis, and Lafarga were trying to decipher the prophecy as quickly as possible, while Hotaru was staring up at Sybil with suspicion.

"Then… is that it? What are we supposed to do about the… whatever is going to happen?" Presea asked, trying to stay and keep others calm.

Leaning her head down, Sybil spoke in a somber voice, "Prepare. The prophecy speaks of no hope or solutions. Only by heeding the warning, doing everything you can to survive, and praying for salvation, do we stand a chance at what will happen next."

Slumping her shoulders, Umi sighed deeply, "I guess so much about this being a relaxing vacation..."

"Remember! The Gallant Order will always be there to help you!" Captain Darracq announced firmly and heroically. "Whether you need shelter, help with evacuation, or the latest word, we are there for you!"

Having said their piece, Prophet Sybil teleported away, taking Titan and Darracq with her, as the rest of the order members started moving out. With the supposed protectors taking their leave, all the wedding guests turned towards their hero. Realizing he was being relied upon more than ever now that he was just as clueless as everyone else, Hotaru swallowed deeply, forcing himself to calm down.

"Alright everyone, thank you for attending our wedding," Hotaru addressed the crowd calmly. "Be careful on your way home and remember; fear causes monsters to appear, so stay calm. We will all get through this together."

Hearing Hotaru's words, the guests looked at each other worriedly, before following his instructions. Those who didn't live in the crystal village began to take their leave, whether through mounts, carriages, foot, or teleportation spells. Even as they left, Hotaru knew this was going to be a long night.

Well, I guess season three won't be as peaceful as I thought it would be…

---

Author's Afterword: Apologies for taking so long with this chapter. While my intended week of vacation went swimmingly, I have still had difficulties with writing my usual three pages a day. However, this time around, I can totally shift the blame on all the outfit descriptions… Let me know what you all thought of the different outfits.

While today's chapter was mostly focused on the wedding, the main purpose of it was setting up the final pieces for the rest of the season. Potential relationships, conflicts, and setting the main plot in motion.

But before all that, I felt our heroes needed a well-deserved break. Alcyone and Hotaru's relationship has been in the forefront for a while now, so tying a nice ribbon on it in the form of their wedding was fitting. I was planning on having their wedding be interrupted earlier on, but then figured I could be nice to them just this once. Though this is not to say their romance is over yet. There is more to come, but that is true for everyone.

I also wanted to reveal more about Sybil and what Clef knows about her, but the chapter already ended up like 31 pages long. So happy speculating until I get to that point! But next up though… Well, next I need to write the Christmas Special, though I doubt I will have it finished on time at this rate. But after that, I think we are due a beach episode…

As always, reviews, questions, and critiques are welcome! Let me know what you thought of the chapter! I would like to thank Antoinette Veronica and Cartoonguy133 for the reviews on the last chapter! Your feedback is what keeps me writing x)

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.