Otome, Hiyake and Cole were in the parlor waiting for Raku to get them. Hiyake was flicking on and off his lighter. Otome was pacing back and forth. And Cole was flipping his tail back and forth, jumping at every little molecule of dust. All three of them were very antsy, wondering what was going on with the others.
Hiyake flipped his lighter off. "What are they doing?" he asked. "If Neo doesn't call soon, I'm going to go nuts."
"I hope they're okay," said Cole nervously from where he was perched on top of the couch.
Otome looked up, her eyes filled with worry and fear. "They're okay," she said shakily. "R- Raku wouldn't let anything happen. Would she?"
"Of course not," Cole said quickly. "I've known her since I was four. She's very responsible, and... smart, and, uh..." he trailed off. Otome, Cole and Hiyake looked away in different directions.
Seconds later, Otome's wrist crackled. "Otome," said Neo.
Otome jumped. "It's Neo!" she exclaimed. Otome sat on the couch and Hiyake sat next to her. From his perch on the top of the couch, Cole looked over her shoulder. All three stared intently at the tiny screen.
"So what is it?" Otome prodded.
Neo hesitated. "Otome, I'm afraid there's bad news."
Otome's face fell. She looked afraid.
"Tetsudai has Devon and... a-and...Kiylo."
Otome gasped as if she had just been punched in the stomach. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Then she looked back at her wrist with eyes shining. "What do we have to do?"
"Where's Raku?" Cole demanded.
"Raku, Adrienne and Tochi are trapped. Raku's spirits aren't working," Neo explained. "They need you to get there as soon as possible. Don't worry about being seen."
Otome nodded. "Right," she said. Otome jumped up and rushed out of Cole's palace.
Cole and Hiyake looked at each other and then started out after her.
"James," said Otome. "We need Hiryuu. Now."
James nodded and untied the great purple dragon. Then he helped Otome onto it.
Hiyake and Cole came out of the palace just then. They looked at Otome.
"Come on!" she exclaimed.
They rushed over to the dragon. Otome helped Hiyake up, who sat behind her.
"James, will you tell my mom that we had to go?" Cole requested.
James nodded. "Certainly, Prince Cole."
"And would you also tell them," he paused. "That... I love them," he finished. James nodded. Cole nodded and jumped on Hiryuu, taking the reins. "Go, Hiryuu," Cole said, and the great purple dragon lifted into the air, heading for Ariana.
**
The great eagle dropped Kiylo on the cold stone floor of the tower. He landed hard. Slowly, Kiylo picked himself up off the floor and stood up.
Suddenly, he heard an evil laugh. "Kiylo. Well, well," said a voice he had heard once before. He looked up into the shadows of the platform. Tetsudai stood up and began to go down the stairs and into the light. Kiylo watched with fear as the light climbed up his pants and shirt, glistening on his black gem and casting shadows on his face.
The eagle dropped Devon into a cage but didn't close the door. He flew to Tetsudai, morphed into a hawk, and perched on Tetsudai's black gloved hand. Tetsudai pet the raptor on the head with the other gloved hand. Then he walked closer to Kiylo.
"My bird's name is Tristan," said Tetsudai quietly, looking fondly at the bird. He glanced at Kiylo and held out his hand. "Do you want to pet him?"
Kiylo looked hesitantly at the hawk. It wore the same evil, jeering smirk as Tetsudai.
"No, Kiylo!" screamed Devon, flying out of the cage.
Tetsudai turned and glared at her. She stopped in mid air and her eyes got empty. She flew back into the cage and sat on the bottom. The cage swung closed behind her.
Tetsudai turned back to Kiylo with his smirk. "C'mon," he said. "Pet him."
Kiylo looked at the bird and suddenly had an uncontrollable urge to pet the hawk on the head. He slowly stretched his hand out toward the bird.
Tetsudai and Tristan looked at each other and smiled. "You were right," Tetsudai whispered quietly.
Kiylo blinked and looked at his outstretched hand. He brought it back by his side and looked up in amazement. What had just happened?
Tristan rose up and flew into the shadows, perching on Tetsudai's throne. Tetsudai put his hand on Kiylo's shoulder. "Kiylo," he said, "I could use your help. We could help each other."
Kiylo looked up quizzically at Tetsudai. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"You have a gift," said Tetsudai. "I want you to use it to help me."
"Help you?" asked Kiylo. "I don't know if I can do that. I think I need to help my sister and Raku."
"I understand that," Tetsudai replied. "Now, let me put it a different way. You can either help me, or I can make you help me."
Kiylo's eyes widened. "You... can?" he faltered.
Tetsudai smirked. "I think we understand each other," he said.
**
Hiryuu began to drop altitude as they neared Tetsudai's castle.
"I'm going to go look for Raku," said Cole.
"Drop me at the window," Otome replied. "I need to see Kiylo."
Cole nodded a moment, then turned to Hiyake. "You go with Otome," he ordered. Then he took Hiryuu's reins and bit off one end, making a single, long strip of leather. He put the leather in Hiyake's hands and looked him in the eyes. "Can you do this?" he asked.
Hiyake looked at the leather strap, then at the window for a long time. Finally, he looked up. "I can do it," he said. Then he looked at Otome. "Do you understand?" he asked her.
Otome nodded. Hiyake stood up at the side of the dragon opposite the window. Otome stood up behind him and put her arms around his chest.
"Hold on tight, Otome," said Cole. He watched the window get closer, and several moments later, he shouted, "Now!"
Hiyake jumped off the dragon and swung toward the tower window, with Otome holding onto him. Otome ducked her head, and Hiyake brought up his feet, and they made it through the four-foot window and landed on the floor.
Startled, Tetsudai looked over his shoulder and saw them crash to the floor. Kiylo was standing in there with a dazed, empty look on his face.
Above, Cole pulled the leather strap up so Tetsudai couldn't follow it back to him. Then he directed the dragon to where he thought Raku and the others might be. But there was no sign of them.
**
Raku, Tochi and Adrienne had been underground for hours. Raku's straight blond hair hung loosely below her knees. Adrienne was sitting down, shivering. "I wish I hadn't left my jacket in Tetsudai's castle," she sighed.
Tochi was sitting on the other side of Raku, leaning against the side of the hole.
Raku slowly pulled out Shadren again. "I wonder..." she murmured. Raku aimed the emerald at the side of the hole, rather than the top. "Shadren!" she exclaimed. The brown spirit began to tunnel through the dirt sideways. Raku's eyes lit up. "Come on!" she called to Adrienne and Tochi, and began to follow it through the dirt.
They got up and began to run after her. "Why are we going this way?" asked Tochi as he ran after her.
"Because Tristan couldn't have put his charm over the entire continent," she said. "Eventually, we'll be able to tunnel upward."
"Oh," said Tochi.
Suddenly, Raku stopped. Tochi ran into her, and Adrienne ran into him. "Here," said Raku. She pointed the gem upward and said, "Bring us up, Shadren."
The ground began to shake and the ground Raku, Adrienne, and Tochi were standing on began to rise above the ground. They covered their heads, and before long they emerged into daylight, dirty and triumphant.
The spirit stopped two feet above ground and then returned into the emerald. "Thank you, Shadren," Raku whispered.
Tochi hopped off the small platform and helped Raku off. Then they both helped Adrienne off.
"Now we need to find everyone else," said Raku.
**
Cole landed the dragon and began to search vaguely around the place he thought Raku and the others might be. He looked a little worried. How was he ever going to find them?
Just then, he felt the ground begin to shake. He stood very still until it was over and afterwards looked around for what had happened. Then he heard a voice behind him.
"Cole!" exclaimed Raku. Cole whipped his head around.
"Raku!" he cried. He ran over to where they were standing. "How did you escape?"
"Well," Raku sighed, "like most of Tetsudai's plans, this one had a hole in it."
"Is that supposed to be a pun?" Tochi asked.
"So where are Otome and Hiyake?" Raku asked of Cole, ignoring Tochi.
"They are in Tetsudai's castle, looking for Kiylo and Devon."
Raku looked up at the tower. "No doubt they've already found them, as well as Tetsudai and Tristan." Raku looked thoughtful for a moment, then at Cole. "How did Otome and Hiyake get up there anyway?"
Cole smiled and looked at Hiryuu's reins. Raku followed his gaze, realized what had happened, and raised her eyebrows. "Impressive," she said.
**
Otome got up off of Hiyake and ran over to Kiylo. "Kiylo!" she cried. "What happened?"
Tristan, who was still in the form of a hawk, gave a cry and Otome fell backwards as if she had just been pushed. Tetsudai stepped forward and gave her an evil smile.
"Otome," he said. "We meet again." He held out his hand to her. "Need help?" he asked.
Otome gratefully took his outstretched hand and let him help her up. Then she took a step back. "Wait a minute," she said.
Tetsudai was looking back at her with an amused expression on his face.
Otome looked at Kiylo again. "What have you done to my brother?" she asked.
Tetsudai didn't change his superior expression. "Your brother is fine," he replied. "Kiylo, tell your sister what I have done to you."
Kiylo blinked, then smiled at Otome. "Lord Tetsudai has done nothing to me, sister," he said.
Otome's eyes widened. There was something different about Kiylo-- something in his eyes that scared her. "That is not my brother," she replied.
Tetsudai laughed. "Otome, of course that's your brother. Do you think I have a bunch of little boys in my closet to pick from so I can deceive people?"
Otome looked away. Of course that idea seemed stupid. What had made her think that little boy was not her brother?
Suddenly, she remembered something Raku had said. "In psychic people, he can also get in their unconscious thought and control them. Make them do things they don't want to do. And there's nothing they can do about it."
Otome saw Kiylo pointing out Adrienne in a crowd of people. "That's Adrienne," he said. Then she heard Raku's voice echoing in her mind.
"There's nothing they can do about it ... nothing they can do about it ... nothing they can do..."
Otome gasped. "You!" she exclaimed. "Tetsudai, you're controlling his mind!" And then, she realized what she had just said. "Oh, my gosh," she said to herself. "My brother's psychic!"
Tetsudai raised his eyebrows. "Wow," he replied. "You're not as dumb as you act."
"So being psychic is hereditary?" asked Hiyake.
"What do you mean?" Tetsudai demanded.
"Oh, so you haven't heard about Otome's psychic powers?" Hiyake persisted.
"What?" Otome hissed.
Hiyake shot her a look. "Your psychic powers!" he said deliberately. Then he looked at Tetsudai. "Maybe if you weren't controlling so many minds right now, you'd have sensed it."
Tetsudai nodded slowly. "I see what you're trying to do," he said. "Smart. Only it won't work." He looked at what seemed to be a closet. The door opened, and one of the fairies came out. She flew over and made a circle around Hiyake and Otome. Immediately, a fairy transporter opened under them both, causing them to fall to a cell in the dungeon.
Outside, Raku had seen what happened. "Cole, you can pick locks, right?"
Cole nodded.
"Why don't you go downstairs and free Hiyake and Otome?" she suggested.
Cole nodded again. "I'll drop you at Tetsudai's window, then I'll land Hiryuu and go into the basement."
"Can I come?" Adrienne asked. "I don't think I can face Tetsudai again."
"That's probably a good idea," Raku agreed. "In fact, Tochi, maybe you should go, too. I think I need to face Tetsudai myself."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" asked Tochi.
Raku hesitated, then nodded. "I'm sure," she said.
Cole sighed and dropped her off at Tetsudai's throne room. "Be careful," he sighed as Raku went through the window. Then he guided the dragon to the ground. He, Tochi, and Adrienne went into the dungeon. They found the cell with Otome and Hiyake in it quickly. Cole studied the lock. "Easy," he proclaimed, starting on it with a claw. About thirty seconds later, the lock popped open. "Got it!"
Kiylo reached out and opened the door. Cole jumped. "Oh, I'm glad it's just you," said Cole.
"Really," said Kiylo, "you shouldn't be." His eyes flashed, and about ten fairies came out from behind him. The others looked at each other in fear.
**
Tetsudai looked up as Raku came in. "Ah, another visitor," he said, and went to his throne at the top of the platform, which was encased in shadows. He sat down. Raku could make out the form of a tiger reclining next to Tetsudai's chair.
"Don't worry," said Tetsudai. "We will have the chance to be alone. Your reinforcements aren't coming back up."
Raku's eyes widened. "What did you do to them?" she demanded.
Tetsudai just laughed. Next to him, the tiger's eyes glistened as he focused on Raku.
**
"Otome," Hiyake began from inside the dungeon, "remember when you asked me why I like fire so much? I thought of an answer."
Otome turned, interested. "Really? what is it?"
"Do you want to hear my story?" Hiyake asked.
"Might as well," said Cole. "After all, we've already heard everyone else's."
"I'll give you the short version," Hiyake replied. "Adrienne was right about my family. I have two extremely successful parents, a brother in college on a full-ride athletic scholarship, and a ten-year-old sister who's some kind of nuclear physicist. We live in the suburbs. Needless to say, I didn't grow up the most well-adjusted child."
Adrienne smiled. "I knew it. I'm an extremely good judge of character."
"Anyway," Hiyake continued, "It all started in first grade when I watched an apartment building burn down. Saddest moment of my life."
"Aww, did you know someone in it?" asked Otome sympathetically.
"No. It was that the fire was in its height of power and beauty when some old, fat men came and snuffed it out," Hiyake explained. "Anyway, I learned how to set fires as my one-year-old sister learned her times tables and my brother made the eighth grade varsity team at the age of eleven. Fire was my thing. Of course, I started small- you know, trash cans and bathrooms and things like that. But in sixth grade, that was my triumph. I succeeded in burning down the entire middle school. I was expelled, of course, but the school took two years to rebuild since my fire wrecked the foundation."
Tochi, Adrienne, Cole and Otome were looking at him, their eyes big. "Is that all?" asked Adrienne.
"Basically," he replied. "I haven't changed much since then. Probably never will."
"Hiyake?" Otome began, sounding a bit disturbed.
"What?" he replied.
"I'm really sorry I asked."
"Well, well," said Tetsudai from the shadows of his throne. "It's just you and me once again. Does this make you feel safer?" He stroked the tiger on the head.
"We're not alone," Raku replied. "You've got Tristan."
"And you've got your spirit, so to speak," Tetsudai countered. "Besides, no one is ever really alone. As long as they've got love."
Raku's expression didn't change.
"Who did you love, Raku?" Tetsudai continued in a perfectly conversational tone. "You weren't very good to your parents when they were alive, were you?" he asked. "You weren't very good to Cole or Devon or any of your other recruits either, or else they would still be here to help you, wouldn't they?"
Raku knew what he was getting at, and she didn't want him to get there. "You don't know much about love, either," she said. "You haven't seen your family in at least six years. In fact," she went on, "the whole object of your life up till now has been to show your family how much better you are than all of them. And you can't honestly say you loved your fairies or your big, stupid soldiers."
Tetsudai looked thoughtful. "You're right, Raku. Neither of us is a very loving person," he said. "Actually, I don't truly believe that we are that different from each other." He paused. "Except... there is one thing..."
Raku waited in silence to hear what it was.
Tetsudai leaned forward. "Only one of us will walk out of here the true king of Ariana."
"Ariana doesn't have a king," Raku replied. "It has only a queen, and no matter what you do, she will live in the hearts of the country and its people."
Tetsudai nodded. "Very poetic," he said. "Only you will need to have someone publish it posthumously for you. That Otome perhaps."
Raku reached for her pouch. Tetsudai shook his head regretfully.
"Sorry, Raku," he said, "your mommy can't help you anymore."
Raku slowly let her hands drop at her side. She looked up at Tetsudai, unable to hide her expression of fear and defeat.
Tetsudai sat back in his chair. "So, is there anything you would like to know, now that you are finished?"
Raku looked down, and then back up with traces of determination in her expression. "Tell me what you did to Mando," she said quietly, without a trace of warmth.
Tetsudai grinned. "I thought that might be it," he said. "It's probably best that you find out eventually." He motioned to the tiger curled up next to the throne. "Tristan," he began, "tell Raku what we did to her precious Mando."
The tiger stood up and walked slowly down the stairs and into the light. He stopped in the center of the room. Uncertainly, Raku took a step back. "You see," Tetsudai continued, "Mando still lives. In fact, he has been living in this very country for the past six years unharmed."
The tiger began to glow and change shape. Several seconds later, he had taken human form. Raku squinted at the figure. It was the same as she remembered, only much older. Her eyes widened.
"Mando!" she gasped. "Tristan! You're...you're..."
"That's right," Tristan replied. "Mando is just one of my many alter egos."
"But I thought you couldn't take human form!" Raku protested, still very much in shock.
"I can," Tristan said. "It's just more work than most other shapes."
Raku put her hand over her mouth, then grasped her necklace. "But Mando! How? Why? Oh god!" She was closer to tears than she had been for a very long time. Raku put her head in her hands for a while. When she looked up, her eyes were very shiny, but her face was dry and her expression was hard.
"Man- Tristan, why him? Why didn't you help me instead?" she asked.
"I thought of that," Tristan replied, "but I met him first. And that whole bad guy crossover thing is so cliche."
Raku looked at him with a slightly softened expression. "Then why did you give me my mother's gems?" she asked quietly.
"Well, I was rather fond of you," Tristan answered. "I figured you could go off somewhere and be out of our way without having to kill you." He shrugged. "Determination can be a very ugly thing, Raku."
Raku still had a strange expression on her face.
"Would you like to hear my story, Raku?" Tristan asked, sounding almost human.
Raku didn't answer.
"I met Tetsudai when he was eight and I was eleven and a half," said Tristan. "He was mad that his brother and sister were destined for power while he, the lowly third born, had nothing.
"At that time, I was a sorcerer's apprentice who was getting bored with life. We both wanted something that we felt the other could help us with. So we became friends.
"We met every day working on our powers. His psychic abilities became stronger, and before long, I could morph into almost any animal I could think of. At the age of twelve, I was one of the most powerful - and dangerous - sorcerers in the entire universe.
"One day, we met a little fairy named Janna. She was the last thing we needed. We were ready to set out on our quest. We wanted a powerful country that could easily be taken over. That was harder than it seemed to find.
"We looked in the sun's solar system first. That didn't turn out so well. They only have one planet with any sort of intelligent life, and their countries are too unstable. So we moved on.
"Some of the places we tried had no life. We had been searching for months, and still no luck.
"Finally, Janna had enough. She was tired of travelling with us from galaxy to galaxy and having no luck. She just wanted to go home.
"Well, that just would not do. We had been using her little fairy transporters to get around. Where would we be if she just quit? Right back where we started -- little nobodies on a planet nobody had ever heard of. But luckily, that was when Tetsudai realized the full potential of his abilities. He discovered that if a creature has an open mind and some psychic abilities, Tetsudai can control their minds. If you get them young enough, all fairies fit that criteria.
"It worked on Janna, anyway. She was the first. After that, any fairy we saw was added to the collection. Tetsudai figured they would come in handy someday. And he was right. Because before long, we came to this system with its two lovely inhabited planets. Of course, Jensui had the same problem as Earth. But Hitao... now, that was a find.
"We isolated Ariana for its size and political stability. That's where Mando comes in. I simply went to your parents as a poor, young orphan in need of a job. Your parents gave me a room and a job, and for the next two months, I learned Ariana's weaknesses and strengths, earned the trust of the monarchs, and befriended the young princess, who was about my age."
Raku was silently taking all this in with dull emotion, as if she had just heard the worst news possible and was waiting to see if it was true. "And what about the black stone?" she asked quietly.
"Ahh, you noticed," said Tetsudai from the shadows. "It's a black diamond."
"Tetsudai's gem is a rare strength stone," Tristan explained. "It works differently for everyone. In Tetsudai's case, it helps him sense his opponents weakness, which makes him a stronger enemy."
"And this means..." Raku prompted.
"Tetsudai's psychic abilities are no greater than that of anyone else," Tristan answered. "But with the stone's power and knowledge, Tetsudai is able to target certain parts of the brain for mind control."
"That's it?" Raku asked skeptically. "That gem is the reason Tetsudai can control those fairies?"
"Not totally," Tristan admitted, "but it's a big part."
"So then all we have to do is break the gem and the fairies will be free?"
"It's a black diamond," Tetsudai repeated. "Ten times stronger than most diamonds, it's virtually unbreakable."
Raku narrowed her eyes. "Why are you telling me all of this, Tristan?" she asked.
Tristan shrugged. "Like I said before, Raku. I am rather fond of you." His expression changed, and for a moment, Raku could see in him the Mando she knew long ago.
"Raku, listen to me," he said. "I am telling you this as a friend. I don't want to see you get hurt. Leave Ariana and don't come back. We're too strong for you."
Raku turned as if to go, then looked back at Tristan. "I'm sorry, Mando -- Tristan, whoever you are. I can't. I have a responsibility to Ariana and her people."
Tristan shook his head regretfully. "I tried," he said, and turned back to Tetsudai. "I guess we have to kill her now."
Raku's eyes widened. She reached for her pouch and started to pull something out. Then she stopped and looked inside. "Shadren... Aura... Cyril..." she murmured. Then she looked up hopelessly. "Where's Gemma?"
Tetsudai and Tristan looked at each other, exchanging victory smirks.
**
Hiyake was looking out of the tiny barred window. He sighed. "We'll never get out of here," he said. He sat on the floor sadly.
"Ow!" he hollered, jumping up. He looked where he was sitting and picked something up. His eyes widened.
"What is it?" asked Otome.
Hiyake showed them the ruby he had sat on. "It's Gemma," he said quietly.
"What's Gemma doing there?" asked Adrienne.
"I don't know," Hiyake replied.
"Maybe we can use it to get out," said Otome, trying to be optimistic. "Do they work for everybody?"
"No," Cole replied. "Raku used to let me play with them when I was little, but they never worked. I think they have to choose you or something."
"Choose you?" Hiyake scoffed. "They're rocks. They don't choose anything."
"Then why don't you try it?" Cole dared him. "You're the one who sat on it."
Hiyake half-heartedly held out the ruby. "This is stupid," he said. "Gemma."
A red-orange mist flew out of the ruby and began to swirl around in front of Hiyake. Seconds later, a chesty, red-haired girl in a black leather dress had appeared.
"G-Gemma?" Hiyake breathed, his eyes wide.
"Hi!" said Gemma cheerfully.
"Did you choose me?" he asked.
"Sure did!" she exclaimed. "You're much cuter than the others. And you're the only one who really appreciates fire."
"Wow," said Hiyake, still staring in disbelief.
"I thought you weren't the type to fall in love at first sight, Hiyake," Adrienne teased.
Hiyake shook his head and looked away. "I'm not," he agreed. "I was just... surprised to see a spirit in human form, that's all." He turned back to Gemma. "So, uh, what are we gonna do exactly?"
"We're going to rescue Raku," said Gemma, as though the answer was obvious.
"Gemma, we're in the king's prison," said Hiyake.
"No sweat," Gemma replied. "I've gotten out of one of these things before." She went up to the bars and, with her eyes closed, melted two of them.
"I'm impressed," said Hiyake.
Gemma stepped through the bars. "The rest of you stay here," she said. "Hiyake, don't step on the metal."
Hiyake sighed and slowly followed her.
She and Hiyake very quietly went up deserted staircases and through dark corridors. Finally, they stopped in front of a large wooden door.
"Is this..." Hiyake trailed off.
Gemma nodded. "Tetsudai's throne room," she agreed.
Then she raised her arms. "Time for a dramatic entrance," she said.
"May I?" Hiyake asked.
"Be my guest," Gemma replied, lowering her arms.
Hiyake pulled a lighter out of his pocket, and then took a small, rolled-up package out of the other one and set it next to the door. He then lit the package on fire and stepped back. "Three, two, one," he counted, and the door blew up.
Tetsudai's head whipped around. Tristan's eyes narrowed, and Raku smiled a small, almost sad smile. "Gemma," she said quietly. Then her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "But who..." she began.
The smoke cleared, and Hiyake and Gemma were standing there. "Go back where you came from, Tetsudai," Hiyake demanded. Then he stopped. "Hey, wait. Who's that?" he asked.
Tristan stepped forward and bowed. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Tristan, the most powerful sorcerer in the universe."
"I am Hiyake, the family disappointment," Hiyake replied. "But I thought you couldn't take human form."
Tristan shrugged. "Apparently, I can."
Raku pulled the topaz out of her bag. "Aura," she said quietly.
Tetsudai had just stood up when he was knocked back into his chair. He felt his cape tearing, and his precious black diamond was hurtled though the air. It landed on the floor in front of Raku, who picked it up and put it in her pouch. "Hiyake, free the fairies," she said, then called Aura back into the topaz.
Hiyake ran over to the closet and opened the door. The fairies flew out, no longer under Tetsudai's control. "Get him!" shouted Kiylo, coming out last, and the fairies started after Tetsudai, who looked mildly frightened.
Tristan quickly morphed into a falcon and flew to Tetsudai's shoulder just before the fairies reached them. He made a bluish shield around them, blocking the fairies.
"It's time to go, Tetsudai," Tristan said quietly. Tetsudai nodded and climbed up on the windowsill.
"What's he doing?" asked Hiyake.
"I think we won," said Raku. The fairies retreated behind Raku, and she stepped forward.
Tetsudai turned to face her with Tristan still on his shoulder. "Enjoy it while it lasts, Raku," said Tetsudai. Raku's pouch opened and the black diamond flew out and into Tetsudai's hands.
"We will be back," Tristan agreed. "And next time, we won't just be after your country."
With that, they turned back toward the window. Tristan morphed into an eagle, and they flew off with Tetsudai holding onto Tristan's talon.
Raku stood there watching them go. Just then, the door opened, and Gemma walked back in.
"Where did you go?" asked Hiyake.
"I went to get them," Gemma replied, holding open the door. Otome, Adrienne, Cole and Tochi walked in.
Raku was still staring out the window. "What's the matter?" Otome asked her. "You won."
Raku blinked and looked at Otome. "I did win," she said. "At least I won this one."
CHAPTER TWELVE-- THE QUEEN OF ARIANA
One hour later, everyone was standing in front of Raku's castle.
"Hiyake, thank you," said Raku. "You are the one who really saved me."
"Well, Gemma helped a lot," said Hiyake.
"Yeah, but you called me out of the ruby," replied Gemma. "You blew up the door and set the fairies free."
"Wow. I guess I am a hero," Hiyake said. "Damn. Now I got to go blow up a capitol building or rob a bank or something to make up for it."
Raku shook her head. Then she held out the ruby. "Gemma," she said quietly.
Gemma looked at her, then at Hiyake. "Thank you for your help, Hiyake," she said. Then she kissed him quickly on the cheek and, turning into reddish smoke, went back into the ruby.
Hiyake touched his cheek. "Can she do that?" he asked.
Raku shrugged. "She's a spirit. She can do whatever she wants."
Just then, Devon came up to them. "Jensui," she said cheerfully. "Wanna go home, Hiyake?"
Hiyake nodded. "I guess I should." He turned to Raku. "Goodbye, Raku." Then he turned to where everyone else was standing. "Bye, Adrienne. Later, Cat Boy."
Cole was kind of smiling. "Goodbye, you two-bit pyro."
"Two-bit? I am a first-rate pyro," Hiyake replied.
"That you are," Raku agreed.
"Well, goodbye everyone," he said again, and started to go out the fairy transporter.
"Hiyake," said Raku.
Hiyake turned and caught the ruby Raku had just tossed at him. He looked at it, then at Raku.
"Just in case you need someone to talk to," she explained with a smile.
"Thank you," he said, then disappeared through the silvery doorway.
"Coming, Tochi?" asked Devon.
Tochi looked thoughtfully at the silver thing. "No. I think I'll stay here. I can be a butler or something."
"That's fine," Raku permitted.
"Great," said Devon. She closed the transporter. "Where to next?" she asked.
"Japan," Neo said quickly. Otome looked at him strangely. He went over to her.
"Otome, I respect your family's decision to marry you off, if that's what you really want," he said. "But, you could also come back to Chicago with me and enroll in public school."
Otome's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked. "Is that legal?"
"I'm sure we could find you some exchange student program or something," he replied. "Anyway, if it's okay with our parents. We have an extra bedroom, and I even have a little sister who's eleven."
Otome smiled. "That would be great," she said. "And then after that, I could get myself into college."
Neo smiled. "What will your boyfriend say?"
"Koji is my best friend, Neo," she replied. "He will be perfectly happy for me. As long as I write him."
"And me," Kiylo added. "You have to write to me every day."
"Definitely," Otome agreed. "And you! When you learn how to bend spoons with your mind, I want to be the first to know."
Kiylo laughed a little bit. "Okay," he replied.
"Gandlen, Hitao!" sang Devon.
Otome hugged Adrienne. "Goodbye, Adrienne," she said.
"Goodbye, Otome," Adrienne replied. "If you're ever on Hitao again, stop by Gandlen and see me," she said, and then walked through the fairy transporter.
"I will," laughed Otome. Then she went over to Raku. "Raku," she said, "You didn't really need all of us, did you?"
"I'm not sure," Raku replied. "You all helped me, though." She smiled a little and put her hand on her pouch. "And more importantly, you helped each other. I think that's what my mother wanted the most."
Otome smiled. "Yeah. Maybe she knew Neo could help me go to college."
"And Adrienne learned she could choose her own life," Raku added, "and Kiylo learned about his powers."
Otome smiled at that, then looked thoughtful. "Hiyake didn't learn anything," she said.
"He could have. He chose not to," Raku replied.
"Hiyake will never learn," Cole butted in.
Otome laughed. "Hey," she said. "What about Cole? And Tochi?"
Raku looked fondly at her cousin. "I think they were mostly here to help me," she answered.
"Japan, Earth!" Devon sang.
"Well, goodbye, Raku," she said. "Thank you."
"Thank you," Raku said. "After all, you and Kiylo helped me, too."
"Neo, are you coming?" Otome called.
Neo nodded. "Yeah. We have to talk to your parents, and besides, I've never been to Japan."
Otome smiled and went through the fairy door.
"Bye!" said Kiylo, Neo, Cole, and Raku, and Neo and Kiylo followed Otome out the door.
Raku looked at Cole and sighed. "Now that this is over, I'm going to have some time to do nothing."
"No, you won't," Cole argued. "You're a queen now. You will have to do... queenly stuff. Like my mom."
"That means I have to learn how to give parties!" Raku exclaimed. "Guess I should get a maid."
"Is that a sense of humor I hear?" Cole joked. "Wow, I guess this little adventure helped you, too."
"Maybe it did," Raku agreed. "It's going to be lonely without you, though, so you have to write to me every day."
"You have to write to me too, Coz," said Cole. "I want to hear the entire tragic saga of Raku, the Queen of Ariana."
Raku sighed. "Cole, I don't have to tell you my tragic saga. You've lived it with me."
"True," said Cole, "but you have to write to me anyway. You've been like a sister to me, ever since I was four, and I'm going to miss you."
"Just come visit me a lot," Raku suggested.
"You'll be sick of me," Cole promised. "But I should get home before my mom worries." He walked over to his dragon and got on. He very quickly tied the reins back together tightly, then took them in his right hand. "Let's go, Hiryuu," he said, and the great purple dragon lifted off the ground.
"Goodbye, Cole," Raku called.
Cole waved as his dragon rose higher into the sky. Then he shook his head. "She's going to be bored out of her mind," he predicted.
The dragon faced southwest, and then started to fly toward Cole's Outback.
