Topic: MKR Chapter 3

[Maki-chan]

It has been a gloriously beautiful day in June. Hikaru has waited patiently in line for her turn to board the elevator for the trip up to the observation deck of the Tokyo Tower. Today there's no smile on her face. She boards the elevator when her turn comes. On the trip up she looks down at the floor, oblivious to the view outside of the elevator's windows and the other people crowded in there around her. "This is one day of all, that I wished would never come." Hikaru thinks to herself. After a few minutes the elevator arrives at its destination and all of the passengers disembark, along with Hikaru. Walking slowly out into the observation deck, Hikaru starts to look around for a couple of familiar faces. Before long a voice is heard from the crowd: "Hikaru! Hikaru-chan!" She turns towards the voice and Hikaru sees immediately her two best friends, Umi and Fuu, walking towards her, both smiling. Hikaru's face lights up as she sees her two friends. All three come together and embrace in an affectionate hug. "It's so good to see you again Hikaru-chan" said Umi "But, I was starting to wonder if you were going to come." "The line was very long and I had to wait, I'm sorry." replied Hikaru. "That's okay Hikaru-chan." Fuu said. "At least you had a very pleasant day today for the wait." Fuu continued with a smile. "Yes, Fuu-chan it is a nice day today. Very nice weather .. for our last day together, before we say goodbye forever." replied Hikaru. The three girls, best friends closer than sisters, all looked at each other solemnly for a moment ...

The setting for our story today: It has been four years since the conclusion of the Magic Knights' last mission to Cephiro. In the warm month of June in Tokyo, the final year of high school draws to a close for each of them now. This day marks the completion of final exams for them with only the commencement ceremonies remaining. After which Umi and Fuu will leave Japan for university studies abroad - Umi in Europe and Fuu in America. Hikaru will remain behind to study at a local university in Tokyo. This occasion today will be their final day together before parting their separate ways.

... "This place isn't very different is it?" Umi said, "Just like it was the day we first me each other. It seems like only yesterday." "Yes, Umi-chan, but us, we have changed. More than I ever could have imagined back then, before we were summoned to Cephiro." replied Fuu. "Cephiro. I wonder what has been happening there." Hikaru added, "It seemed to have recovered well the last time we were able to see it three years ago." "Hmm, I don't know." Umi answered, "but maybe we could try to take one last look today?" "Yes, I kind of like that idea Umi-chan. Hikaru-chan, you can still do it right?" Fuu asked. Hikaru answered, "I think so, It's been a long time since I've tried using the power of the pillar. It's something that I try not to think about too much anymore. Having it makes me feel strange when I'm here in Tokyo." Hikaru walked over to the windows at the edge of the observation deck, with Umi and Fuu close behind her. Hikaru looked out at the view over the city, then reached into her shirt and pulled out the gold pendant that Lantis had given her. She held it in the palm of one hand and closed her eyes. Within herself Hikaru reached out to the world of Cephiro with the inner feelings of her heart. Soon a great golden light, seen only by the three girls, shone in through the windows of the observation deck. Hikaru opened her eyes and the three of them beheld the view of Cephiro from high above.

[Maki-chan]

The intense feelings brought back by the memories of Cephiro rushed upon the three of them as they gazed upon the land. Soon though, the gaze of wonder upon their faces melted into concern. "Something isn't right." remarked Umi. "Yes, you're right Umi-chan. Something about Cephiro has changed, but I can't tell what it is." Fuu agreed. Umi continued, "The scenery is slightly different. I mean all of the landmarks are as they should be, but what is that large white area on the land next to the sea?" Umi points her finger at the area in question and Fuu sees it. "Hmm .." Fuu muses. She looks away for a moment and sees the streets of Tokyo below. Then she looks back at Umi. "It's a city Umi-chan. A very large one, like Tokyo." Fuu concluded. "My goodness you're right Fuu-chan." replied the amazed Umi. "But where did it come from? How could they build a huge city like that in only a few years?" "I don't know Umi-chan." answered Fuu, "and look around it - the air and sky are no longer clear, they have become polluted by the human activity there." she continued. "The sea near the city has also changed, like the sky it has also become polluted." Umi added. "Has something happened to the people of Cephiro?" Umi asked. "What's the matter with them? Can you tell Hikaru-chan? Hikaru?"

Hikaru has been silent for all of this discussion. Her concern for what she now sees in Cephiro has brought tears to her eyes. "Hikaru-chan, what's wrong?" Fuu asked in a concerned way. Hikaru turned her back to the view of Cephiro for a moment and faced her friends, the tears welling in her eyes. "You can sense it too Umi, Fuu. There's something terribly wrong with Cephiro. It's so lonely, the world of Cephiro is so alone, abandoned by its people. They have forgotten ... forgotten everything." Hikaru embraces Umi and starts to weep pitifully. "Forgotten?" Fuu said as she turned to look at Cephiro. "As long as I live I could never forget Cephiro, its people or what happened there. I don't understand how they could possibly forget any of that." "Is there something that we don't know Hikaru?" Umi asked her tearful companion. Hikaru composed herself and answered slowly. "It was so long ago." she answered. "So long ago? It was only four years ago Hikaru-chan" Umi replied. "That's the feeling I get from Cephiro itself." Hikaru answered "and I'm not sure exactly what it means. I also know that Cephiro is fantastically pleased to see me, to see us again" she finished.

"I think I might have an idea, an answer," Fuu remarked. "Remember, both times that we were summoned to Cephiro?" "Yes." answered Umi and Hikaru. "We accomplished our mission and returned back home to Tokyo. Both times it was in the evening of the same day we left." "Yes," Umi and Hikaru answered again. "Doesn't that seem strange? The time we spent in Cephiro on both missions seemed like much longer than just a single day." "It was several weeks" Hikaru answered "Yes, that's right Hikaru-chan, but what are you getting at Fuu?" Umi added. "Time moves slower here in Tokyo. Many weeks in Cephiro is but a single day here. Over the last four years, many centuries may have passed in Cephiro." Fuu finished.

Umi and Hikaru looked at each other, then at Fuu. "Then it is possible, like Hikaru-chan says - over time they have forgotten. Everything that happened with us, Princess Emeraude, Clef, Zagato, Debonair, Autozam, Fahren, Chizeta, all of it! In the end, everything we did was for nothing!" Umi finished angrily. "No, not nothing Umi-chan." Hikaru replied "I am still the Pillar of Cephiro, and as long as I still live, there is hope to save Cephiro from the neglect of it's own people ... and of me." Fuu and Umi both looked at Hikaru." "What do you mean Hikaru-chan?" Fuu asked. Hikaru waited a moment before answering, but replied "For the first year after we left Cephiro for the second time, I prayed very hard every day for the restoration of Cephiro. I took my new role as the Pillar very seriously and my efforts did pay off. Cephiro looked very beautiful when we last saw it three years ago. But after that day I thought that Cephiro would be all right on it's own, and the the people themselves were supposed to replace me as Pillar anyways I thought. So I stopped praying for Cephiro. I became too involved with my own life and didn't worry about Cephiro anymore." "That is how it was supposed work." Umi replied "The people of Cephiro were going to care for their world and no longer be dependant on the Pillar to sustain their world" she finished. But then Fuu added "Over a long period of time they seem to have forgotten their responsibilty. So it's not your fault Hikaru, you kept your promise to take the Pillar away, but they failed to work and keep their promise." "And now Cephiro is in danger of crumbling again" Hikaru added "that's why it wants us back."

[Maki-chan]

"Wants us back?" Umi and Fuu both asked at the same time. "Yes" Hikaru answered "this time to save it from its own people." "Then I am with you Hikaru-chan. I'll go and do whatever it takes, just like before." Umi answered strongly."So will I, The Magic Knights will once again return to Cephiro." Fuu affirmed. "Yes." Hikaru added, then all three turned to the view of Cephiro and reached out with the strong desire of their hearts to the world that longed for their return.

Just like before, the floor of the Tokyo Tower observation deck vanished from beneath their feet. The three girls opened their eyes as soon as they began to fall. Hikaru looked down and saw the darkest blue of the sea thousands of feet below. "I forgot about this part" she thought to herself. Through the wind Fuu shouted "Where's the flying fish??" "I don't know!" Hikaru shouted back. "No one sent one this time!!" Umi shouted, "this mission will be very short if we don't do something quick!!" Umi looked down again at the quickly approaching surface of the sea. By now the wind currents had separated the three of them so that they could no longer hear each other. "Aha, I know!" Umi thought to herself. She closed her eyes and with the strength of her heart reached out to the mashin Selece, and as loud as she could shouted his name - "Ceres!!" Immediately he awoke from deep slumber in his dimension and joined Umi in the sky above the sea. Ceres took Umi, and once safely inside of her mashin, Umi said to him, "Quickly, we must save Hikaru and Fuu! With a graceful dive Umi swooped down towards the sea and towards her two friends, still falling. What seemed like forever was only a moment before Umi was able to gently catch first Fuu, and then Hikaru with the great hands of Ceres.

Fuu and Hikaru looked around, stunned and surprised that they had suddenly been rescued from their perilous fall. When they saw that it was Umi holding them, they were both surpised again. Fuu spoke up "U-Umi-chan, you saved us .. by calling your mashin Ceres." "Erm, gee, why didn't I think of that?" Hikaru mused drolly. "Eh-heh, how embarrassing" Fuu continued, "we could have just saved ourselves, eh-heh. But thanks Umi-chan." "Yes, thank you." Hikaru said too. "Just quick thinking that's all" Umi replied. "You should call your mashins as well and reawaken them. They will be glad to see you again, Hikaru-chan and Fuu-chan." "Right!" Hikaru and Fuu answered together. They both stood up, one in each of Umi's palms. Fuu closed her eyes and reached out with the strength of her heart until she felt the presence of Windom, sleeping in his dimension. Then in a loud voice she called his name: "Windom!!" Instantly the mashin awoke from his deep slumber and appeared in the sky next to Umi. Windom took Fuu into himself and once again Fuu was a Magic Knight. "Welcome back Fuu-sama." was all Windom said to her. Then Hikaru also closed her eyes and reached out with the strength of her heart until she felt the presence of Rayearth still sleeping. With a loud shout, Hikaru called his name: "Rayearth!!" And like the two others, the mashin immediately awakened and joined Umi and Fuu in the sky. Rayearth took Hikaru into himself and welcomed her back too.

And thus the legendary Magic Knights of Cephiro returned once again and were ready to rescue their world. "There, now we are ready!" Hikaru stated enthusiastically. "Ready to do what?" Umi asked. "Yes, we must have a plan of action Hikaru-chan." Fuu put forward. Hikaru looked at them sheepishly for a moment then answered "Yeah, you guys are right. Having all of the power of the Magic Knights won't help if we don't know what we have to do." Hikaru sighed. "We probably shouldn't stand around out here in the open like this, while we decide." Umi replied with concern. "We are likely to attract some unwanted attention." she finished. Then Fuu added "Cephiro has probably changed a great deal since we were here last. I think we should go to the large city we saw and find out what kind of world Cephiro is now. Find out what we are dealing with." Hikaru agreed "Yes, both of you are right. For now, let's just go to the shoreline near the city and set down." "M-hm" they both agreed.

The three of them flew across the sea to a deserted area of beach several miles north of the city. They set down there. Then the mashins set the three girls themselves down on the sand and were recalled into the jewels of their armor. Then their full dress armor transformed into their customary attire: their school fuku's with the light armor (as seen most often in the second season). They looked around momentarily, but then Umi walked down to the edge of the water. The waves were very calm and only gently lapping the wet sand of the seashore. But that's not what had Umi concerned. Hikaru and Fuu followed and joined her. "This is a beach of course, but I really hope no one actually comes and swims in this." Umi remarked as she pointed down at the brown and murky water. "Yeech, that's pretty disgusting looking stuff Umi-chan, it even smells bad." Hikaru commented. "How could the people of Cephiro let this happen to the sea?" Fuu asked. "Yet another question without an answer" Hikaru replied. "and Cephiro doesn't give up its secrets easily .. I know .. all too well." she finished quietly. Then Umi responded, "come on, let's get out of here. I can't bear to look at this any longer." Umi turned away from the sea almost in tears and walked back up the beach towards the woods.

The woods beyond the beach, wasn't really a natural place. It was free of undergrowth and easy to walk through. "This is very much like one of the city parks in Tokyo." Hikaru commented. "Indeed it is Hikaru-san, we need to look for some path or road that will lead us to the city" Fuu added. They walked quietly for a short distance and found just such a road, going through the woods. All three of them were surprised at what they had found."It's a paved road .. just like the ones back home." Hikaru said, astonished. "Cephiro's technology has advanced a great deal since we were here last" Fuu surmised. Umi had kept silent since they walked away from the beach, but now spoke up, "we should continue to follow it inland and find a way to the city." They all agreed and started to follow the paved road. Within a few minutes they came upon a gate across the road and a building like a guard shack was sitting at the roadside by the gate. It was deserted. They went around the gate and on the other side found a large sign welcoming visitors to the park. "Great Sandy Beach State Park" Fuu read the large sign. "Closed for the season." Hikaru read the placard hanging at the bottom. "It seems that I was right about it being a park." Hikaru finished. "Too bad the beach was in such bad shape, this might be a nice place to visit in the summer." Fuu remarked, but then she turned to Umi. "That's really bothering you isn't it Umi-san?" "Yes." Umi replied, then continued, "it's just like Hikaru said at the Tokyo Tower. The people of Cephiro have completely forsaken their world. They've neglected it and let it decay. Before long it will crumble again. And I think we all know that's what will happen, there isn't any doubt." They all looked at each other for a moment, then Hikaru went and embraced Umi. "You do understand don't you Umi-chan?" Hikaru said to her. "Don't let it bring sorrow to your heart Umi-chan, we stopped the crumbling once before, we can do it again." Hikaru reassured her.