Should’ve known as much.” Tama slid his hand down his smooth hair. Leiko turned back to Tama.
“I told Ando-Sama to let me do the job. Aiko is too insignificant to do any job like that. Maybe hid under a rock would do.” Leiko laughed. Tama refrained himself.
“May I remind you Leiko-san that if Ando-Sama was to hear that he would kill you in an instant. I would advise you against such insults of Aiko.” Tama’s voice had gone very formal all of a sudden once Leiko finished her sentence. Hikaru could sense fear in his tone. He was afraid of something.
“Aiko-chan,” Ami looked at her hand as if in a trance. “None of this is a dream is it Hikaru-chan?” Ami asked dazed. Hikaru shook her head.
“No, sorry.” Hikaru looked towards Leiko and Tama who were talking quietly. Hikaru watched them closely until something caught her eye. She turned to her right and found that the stairs and door had reappeared literally next to her and Ami. She glanced back at Leiko and Tama who were caught up in their conversation.
“Tama Ando-Sama would never kill me. I am too important. I can help him in ways neither Aiko nor Masako can.” Leiko said proudly.
“Yes but still he is very annoyed with you already for insulting Aiko-chan. He threatened you last time remember? And then you went after her and he almost killed you. He won’t hesitate this time.”
“But still….”
The conversation went on like this for some time and even though Ami was confused by the appearing stair case she understood what had to be done. Her and Hikaru stepped as lightly as they could on the shiny marble floor towards the stairs and the quickly ran up them once they reached them. Once at the top they could still hear Tama and Leiko’s conversation.
“I hope this is the way out.” Hikaru said pushing the door open. Ami nodded.
“Me too. These statues of girls are freaky. Let’s go Hikaru-chan.” Ami glanced nervously at the statue. It seemed to be watching her even though it was marble.
Hikaru eventually opened the door. She expected to see a corridor or something leading out of here but all she saw was a wide open space much like the sky. Clouds, if they were clouds, floated past in various shapes and sizes while the blue mass seem to go on forever. Ami was almost a nervous wreck.
“What is this Hikaru-chan? First we end up in some freaky marble place, then freaky a camp guy mutters about Magic Knights and now some woman is talking about my old friend and some other person. Hikaru-chan I know you know something.” Ami grabbed Hikaru’s arm. “Please tell me what’s going on?” Ami asked pleadingly. Hikaru looked at her friend who was near tears. Hikaru could see the tears swelling up in Ami’s eyes ready to burst over the edge.
“Ami-chan what we need to do is get out of here and find somewhere safe.” Hikaru said courageously. She needed to give Ami some form of strength and setting an example was the only way Hikaru really knew. “Once we’re out of here I’ll explain everything that I know okay?”
“Yes.”
“But now we must focus on getting out. And I think that that,” Hikaru pointed at the blue void. “Is the only way out. We need to get away from those freaks as soon as we can alright?” Hikaru asked. Ami nodded. She wiped her eyes.
“Alright Hikaru-chan.”
“Now we have to jump okay?” Hikaru held Ami’s hands. “But we’ll jump together so none of us is scared.”
Ami nodded and shut her eyes. Hikaru led Ami towards the edge of the door. She could feel the breeze on her legs and by the feel of it so could Ami as she winced slightly.
“Where did they go Tama?!” Leiko’s voice echoed around the halls. Hikaru looked at the end of the stairs and saw the golden haired woman appear holding out her staff.
“There you are you little brats!” She said menacingly. Ami opened her eyes and saw Leiko and scream out of surprise.
“Hikaru-chan what now?” Ami asked. Leiko smiled.
“I kill you both for running off like that.” Leiko said smiling. She held up her staff high above her head. “Creature summon.” She cried. Her staff then glowed bright green and out of it came what seemed to be a giant flower with tentacles. It lifted Leiko up onto the main flower which was a pure white colour and waited for her command,
“Meet my dear plant. I have yet a name for it but I believe it will stop a few twerps such as yourselves. No one escapes from me.” Leiko said proudly. “Attack!” She cried. The tentacles surrounding the plant then extended extremely quickly. Before Hikaru knew what was going on Ami had dragged her to the door and was pushing her out with herself.
“NO!” Leiko cried. The tentacles from the plant followed the girls but eventually they dispersed into stripes of light. Ami and Hikaru were left falling towards the ground that was defiantly below them.
“Hikaru-chan! What do we do?” Ami asked still holding Hikaru’s hand.
“I don’t know!” Hikaru cried gripping Ami’s arm. “I wish I could fly.” She said to Ami. Ami nodded.
“Me too. That would be nice right now.” Ami looked at Hikaru who was staring at the ground that was getting closer and closer to them. “I suppose we should have stayed.” Ami said.
“I guess so.” Hikaru said. “But it can’t end now.”
“Can’t it? We’re falling from the sky! We’re doomed. Domed I tell you. Doomed.” Ami said falling ever closer to the ground. Just when Hikaru was going to agree with Ami a huge griffin flew underneath them and caught them as they fell.
Ami lay ever so still on the griffins back for some time. She found fur beneath her fingers instead of feathers and it felt as silky and soft she could have fallen asleep in it. She didn’t stop to think that it was a giant griffin that had saved her and Hikaru but after seeing a huge plant with growing tentacles she wasn’t really surprised that something else weird would. Even so Hikaru had said she would explain what she knew. That must give her a few answers.
Hikaru sat up and looked over the edge of the griffin. Beneath her lay countless forests. Tree after tree followed her gazed. Every now and then a small opening would pas by in which there were a few houses and fields in. Hikaru smiled and found herself laughing as they flew by.
“What’s so funny?” Ami asked sitting up. Hikaru looked back at Ami’s exhausted face.
“We’re in Cephiro.” Hikaru said cheerfully.
“Where? Is that a new Japanese national park or something?” Ami asked. Hikaru laughed.
“No silly.” Hikaru sat next to Ami. “I said I’d explain what I now so here goes. A few months ago me and two other girls named Umi and Fuu were sent here to save the world. We were these Magic Knights that could awaken a rune god to save Cephiro from a High Priest named Zagato who had taken over this world and capture the pillar here.”
“Pillar? Of what?” Ami asked. Hikaru blushed.
“Oh yeah. Well in Cephiro a pillar is a person who controls over this world. If everything is as it should be then the pillar is someone who keeps the land peaceful.”
“Right.” Ami sighed. This was crazy. If Hikaru had told her this before she saw the giant plant she’s probably think Hikaru needed help. Ami rubbed her head and listened some more.
“Well the stuff you need to know is Magic Knights are legendary people who are really powerful.”
“That is why Tama and Leiko are after you right?”
“Right. By the looks of things something is going on. No one really wants to kill a Magic Knight unless they’re opposing them and if they’re opposing them then-.”
“They’re evil right gotcha.” Ami said giving Hikaru a thumbs up. “So you and Fuu and Umi, whoever they are, are Magic Knights who protect and save this world named Cephiro that you were meant to come back to but instead I came along as well. Okay I can take that I guess.”
“Right. And if those people want me then they’re evil somehow.”
“Okay things make a bit more sense I guess. But if you’re so powerful why didn’t you use you’re powers.” Ami asked moving her hands in a mystical way. Hikaru looked at Ami blankly. It went very quiet for a few seconds until Hikaru stood up.
“WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?!” Hikaru cried suddenly. “AM I SO STUPID?” Hikaru hit her head on her hand. Ami laughed slightly.
“Calm down Hikaru-chan. A lot happening in a short space of time. And we were okay I guess anyway coz that plant gave up after 5 seconds.”
“I suppose.” Hikaru said more calmly. She sat down and stroked the griffin. “I think this is a summon.|” Hikaru said eventually.
“So someone purposely saved us?” Ami asked.
“I think so. I bet that it’s taking us to it’s owner.” Hikaru said. The griffin nodded it’s big head. “Great then we can relax for a while right?” The griffin nodded again. Hikaru cried out with joy and sat back and relaxed.
Ami on the other hand wasn’t so relaxed. Like she said a lot had happening in a short space of time. One minute she was in Tokyo the next she was in Cephiro. She was scared but, she finally decided, if she stayed with Hikaru she would be fine. All she could do was thank God that someone knew about this place. But then again, Ami thought. Would I be here if Hikaru didn’t? Ami tried to stay away from the ‘it’s all Hikaru’s fault’ excuse and instead focus on getting back home-that was if the plant didn’t come back after them.
“Thank God that plant did give up.” Hikaru said watching Ami stare at the land I front of them. “Or else you’ll never have seen any of this.”
