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Kamen Rider Gotchard: Final Stage | Pamphlet (pages and translations below, long post)

Motojima Junsei (Ichinose Houtaro)

Q. If you were to call out to Ichinose Houtaro now?

A. Thank you so much for your energy over the past year! In the beginning, there were alot of things we didn't understand about each other (laughs). I was able to live as Ichinose Houtaro, and Houtaro's determination to never give up reached those who support Kamen Rider, and I myself was always encouraged by Houtaro. For the moment I get to live as Houtaro again somewhere, thank you.

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. Gotcha taught me the importance of facing the obstacles in front of you, never giving up, the importance of working together with my friends, and the feelings of everyone who supports you! Going forward, I'll keep this in mind as I continue on!!

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. Episode 27's "Gotcha! Crosshopper!" is my absolute favorite! Thanks to Houtaro's power of belief and determination to never give up, everyone believed in him and risked their lives to pass the baton to him. Houtaro was able to tell the Chemies and himself, "Don't give up!!," so I think that Houtaro was also able to show a huge amount of growth in this episode.

-I get the feeling that the story of Ichinose Houtaro and his friends isn't over yet-

This past year has truly "gone by in the blink of an eye." During filming of Kamen Rider Gotchard I had almost no experience in acting, and I was starting from a place where I didn't know what was right and what was left, but thanks to the support of the many staff members, cast, and fans, I managed to successfully finish filming. Every day, I had many things to reflect on, and there were times when I felt like falling apart, but the many voices of support was a source of power for me. It was a pleasure to play the character of Ichinose Houtaro. I feel like I want to do it for another year (laughs).

We finished filming with the scene after we enter into the cube in the final episode. The flow was that it went from Houtaro's parting with Clotho, to his anger toward Glion and his transformation. I was incredibly happy that filming ended with the transformation. With the final enemy also being Glion, I naturally got into things. After meeting his future self in the film "The Future Daybreak," Houtaro also knows what'll happen if he loses to Glion. With an enemy he can't afford to lose to, Houtaro goes into a decisive battle. Still, in the beginning, Houtaro was one of the newest students at the Alchemy Academy, but over the past year, the number of his friends has increased. I think Houtaro himself has become stronger, but it's more important that he's now able to work together with everyone. This is also something I can say about myself, since I've met so many people through the filming of Gotchard. In my own way, I think I was able to change.

Clotho's last words were also memorable. I feel that the gradual change in the relationship between the Three Dark Sisters was an interesting aspect of Gotchard's drama. Alittle while ago, Miyahara-san and I had the opportunity to train together at the gym. At that time, I was told, "You've worked really hard this past year," and even during the performance, Houtaro and Clotho give me a supportive push……I experienced a feeling that Houtaro and myself were linked.

In the final episode, there's a scene where Houtaro's mother sends him off to battle, knowing that he's a Kamen Rider. Minamino Yoko-san, who plays Tamami, sent me a LINE after we finished filming our last scene together. She wrote, "I'll always stand by Junsei-kun's side no matter what happens, you did your best this past year." True to her word, Minamino-san has encouraged me countless times. I'm truly grateful from the bottom of my heart for her treating me so kindly like a real mother.

I was surprised at the development that Houtaro would end up creating a New Earth. It's surprising that he's become such a great alchemist, but as I read the script like usual I was like, "What do you mean?!" (laughs). I think Houtaro will be exploring the New Earth with his friends at the Alchemy Academy from now on, and since I want Gotchard to remain in the hearts of the fans even after it finished airing, I was happy with this last scene. The battle may be over, but I get the feeling that the story of Houtaro and his friends isn't over yet, so I wonder if people will be imagining what to expect next. Of course, I'm personally looking forward to seeing the "continuation" of the story in some form.

Playing the role of Ichinose Houtaro made me realize that the profession of an actor is fun and rewarding. I think I was supported more by everyone in this work. I also received many messages of support and appreciation from those who truly enjoy Gotchard's broadcast. I'm amazed that a production I was involved in, or a role I played can give power and excitement to someone……From now on too, I want to encounter productions that can have a positive impact on someone's life, and for this reason, I intend to continue my efforts and growth. I'll always remember the words of advice that Director Tasaki gave me, such as, "A character is driven by the heart's engine" and "Let the cup (of emotion) overflow on set."

I'm very excited about the Final Stage. We start with Osaka, then Fukuoka, Aichi, and then Tokyo, four cities in total. I've been to several events in the past, and was able to directly meet with everyone who supported me in person, and I've really enjoyed all of them. This'll be the final time, and although I'm sad, I want to express my gratitude to everyone with all of my heart. Please burn the image of an energetic Ichinose Houtaro into your memory, as I want to do this for the next 100 years.

Please make sure to look forward to it. And with that, I'll see you at the venue!

Matsumoto Reiyo (Kudo Rinne)

Q. If you were to call out to Kudo Rinne now?

A. I'm glad I was able to live as Rinne! Thank you!

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. Gotcha means "heart"! It was a year in which I could feel everyone's love, and I was really happy that Kudo Rinne was loved by everyone. From now on, I'll work as hard as I can to return the favor!!

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. It's episode 48! "No matter how hard it gets, the way you live your life is decided through your own heart!" I really love that line, and Rinne taught me something very important. And, seeing Rinne's growth made me very happy.

-I think that "Matsumoto Reiyo" disappeared from my mind and I became "Kudo Rinne"-

When I was cast to perform in Kamen Rider Gotchard, what I kept in mind was to perform each and every scene with great care. In particular, as filming progressed into the second half of the show, I felt that my concentration on set had increased.

When we filmed "The Future Daybreak" in Shimane, we filmed until the very last minute, just in time to catch our flight back home, but while I was acting, I had completely forgotten about such things. I wasn't consciously trying to forget, but I think at that time, "Matsumoto Reiyo" disappeared from my mind and I became "Kudo Rinne." I was scared beforehand because it was Rinne's final moments, but when it came time to perform the real thing, as Rinne, I couldn't stop crying. I have tons of other memories from the film. The cuts where I was suspended in the air were fun, and I enjoyed being in that state while constantly asking the people around me, "How many more cuts are there now?" and "It's not over yet, is it?" It's an experience you don't get to have very often, and the moment when the height gradually increased was a great feeling (laughs). However, the setup was that I was captured, so I was careful not to let my joy show on my face. All the staff members knew though (laughs). If there's another opportunity, I want to be suspended in the air again.

Similarly, I enjoyed riding behind Kamen Rider Gotchard on his bike. Being suspended and riding on a bike, for me it was like a treat. Even if you appear in the Kamen Rider series, it's not something you're always guaranteed to experience, so I think it was a valuable experience.

I was surprised when I read the final part of episode 47 in the script. I also didn't know that the model for Atropos was Rinne, and there was a line (by Gaelijah) that by doing the ritual, the model would die, so I was worried and was like, "Rinne-chan, are you going to die again?!" And so from there, until I got the final script……even before I received the scripts for episodes 48 to the final episode, I received only bits and pieces of information, which made me even more worried. I heard something about a new form called Twilight Majade, but it was the appearance I took after absorbing Atropos, so I wondered, "What does it mean by absorb?"

So, when I received the final script and read it, I read it alone as I was prepared to cry. The parting scene with Atropos still hurts. However, the scene where Rinne (Majade) says to Gaelijah, "No matter how hard it gets, the way you live your life is decided through your own heart!," was very moving.

Even during filming, I put alot of effort into the scene where Atropos disappears. Just like in the film, I was able to concentrate so much, that I forgot the camera was there, but on take 1. Director Tasaki said to me, "You haven't quite worked through your emotions yet, huh?" I felt alittle inadequate, so I was grateful to be given another chance. That scene was given the OK on take 2.

When she's not in character, Okita Itono-chan, who plays Atropos, is a really adorable girl. And yet, she has the power to put on a real performance, and there were many scenes between Atropos and Rinne, but they were always serious matches that I learned alot from. Twilight Majeed was a form born from the heartfelt connection between Itono-chan and Atropos……and so I took great care in performing each and every word during the dub recording.

In the end, I was also glad that she was properly reunited with her father. Now that they can finally be together as parent and child, I want Rinne to be spoiled by her father as much as possible. As myself, I was happy to see Ishimaru-san's scene, as it naturally put a smile on my face.

Unlike usual, (for filming of the final scripts) I tried to avoid it as much as possible, and avoided discussing the fact that we were going to finish filming those three episodes at the same time, but before I knew it, I found myself at the final day of filming. Especially at the endgame, we had alot of days where it'd be like, "Today's the important scene for this person," so we'd try not to talk to that person in order to make it easier for them to concentrate. It wasn't something that anyone in particular decided on, but before I knew it, that was just the way things were going. The wrap up for Rinne was the scene in episode 49 when Lachesis dies. We were all tired from crying that day (laughs), but when we were returning from the location site, we all saw a rainbow from the bus. Everyone got excited and said, "Amazing!" Fujibayashi-san was the most excited about it (laughs).

I'd like to make the Final Stage a fun one to "repay" everyone who's supported me. And as Matsumoto Reiyo, I'd like to continue to make firm decisions on how I want to live my life, just like Kudo Rinne.

Fujibayashi Yasunari (Kurogane Spanner)

Q. If you were to call out to Kurogane Spanner now?

A. Be nice to everyone!! Also, I know you like it, but wearing a leather jacket during the Summer is dangerous!

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. It's all the cast members, who are my friends and good rivals that I've seen almost every day for a year, it's all the staff members who've supported this, and it's all of you who are reading this.

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. It's episode 3! It's because there's a scene in the dojo that I did at my audition, and this is the episode that started it all for me as Spanner.

-In the endgame, I think it was a fantastic collaboration-

When filming wrapped up, I cried more than anyone else (laughs). That day, I had already declared it from the makeup stage, and in fact, I was crying while getting my makeup done. Seeing me like this, the makeup artist was in a predicament. They couldn't progress with their work……I want to apologize for the inconvenience I caused.

I've been auditioning for the Kamen Rider series for the past 8 years, until I encountered this role of Kurogane Spanner. It's been a frustrating experience, but the Kamen Rider Gotchard project came to life, and that's where the character Kurogane Spanner was, which made it possible for me to appear in this way. No matter how great an actor is, it's important that they fit the role, so I was very lucky that Spanner appeared in front of me.

I was really happy, for a whole year, I'd be able to enter the set that I had admired. I didn't even have the mindset of "Let's do our best"……it may be misleading to describe it like that, but it was completely normal, and I just enjoyed being on this set. That's why I can't think of anything when people ask me, "Did you ever have a hard time?" (laughs). I think I was more excited than anyone else, and was enjoying the atmosphere of the set to the fullest.

Still, it was abit of a strange feeling……I couldn't be objective about my situation until the very end. I didn't really feel like I was in the Kamen Rider series, which during Saturday nights as a kid, I couldn't wait for them to start. This may be because we were often filming on Sunday mornings, when there's a broadcast happening. I couldn't equate myself with the "cool adult actors" who appeared in the shows I was watching (laughs). I've always felt that discomfort.

I was very happy to see Spanner portrayed so intensely in the final episodes. There was a time halfway through when Spanner didn't appear in the show that much, but from that time on, Producer Minato told me, "Not to worry." He didn't explain the fine details of this development, but I was told that I would be featured during the endgame of the show. I too was excitedly waiting for it. As a result, there was alot of excitement in store for me, I had a fight with Houtaro in episodes 46 and 47, my parting with Lachesis in episode 49, and the appearance of Kamen Rider Valvarad Kurogane. As expected, I felt alot of pressure, but being able to show the culmination of Spanner's work made them very gratifying episodes. I got into a fighting spirit.

While playing Spanner, I was always conscious of the difference in the way of thinking between Houtaro and Spanner. Houtaro speaks from his own thoughts, but Spanner is looking at reality. You could say Houtaro's flexible, but that Spanner has firm beliefs. I think sometimes these elements of conflict tend to be lost in the process, but I was glad to see that it didn't come to that, and that they were able to depict it all the way to the point where the two of them finally had a fist fight toward the end. Once it became clear that episodes 46 and 47 would be one climax, as myself, I began a "running start" from the Sabimaru's episodes (42 and 43). The confrontation with Houtaro was, in my opinion, even more climactic than the appearance of Valvarad Kurogane. We both gave it our all during the dub recording, almost to the point of running out of air, but it was worth it and I felt a good response. I feel that I've built up such a strong relationship of trust with Nakata Yuji-san that I could almost say we're "one and the same," and I think that by the endgame, including Valvarad Kurogane, it had become a fantastic collaboration.

The Lachesis scene in episode 49 was……sad. In the last part of the episode, Arisa-chan in particular seemed to be possessed by Lachesis, and it seemed like we'd cry if we made eye contact with each other even for a moment. Aside from during the actual performance, I tried to avoid looking at her face as much as possible. In playing the character of Spanner, I was constantly helped out by Kyoka-san's Fukuda Saki-san and Lachesis's Sakamaki Arisa-san. I was also moved by the line, "Lachesis smiles while drawing her last breath." As an actor, I'm satisfied to have been able to do that scene.

Looking back, Minato Sensei's Kumaki-san and I had talked during the beginning of filming for the first episode, saying, "We've already started," and "That means it'll end someday, huh?" (laughs). I didn't want to feel sad, so I had to "mentally prepare myself" somehow, but when the end actually came, I couldn't handle it. It was hard to think that we wouldn't be able to gather at this set as we had done in the past. The night of the wrap up, I slept for 14 hours, and when I woke up, I had two pimples.

I think the Final Stage is the place where I'll express my gratitude to everyone. I look forward to meeting you all. And as for future ambitions……Itono-chan said that she wants to do a 10th anniversary, so that's one goal. Everyone I worked with in Gotchard were good rivals. I hope we can continue to have a relationship where we can help each other grow, and I hope we can work together again in another production.

Abe Oto (Icho Renge)

Q. If you were to call out to Icho Renge now?

A. How are you doing as a landlady in Kokonotsu Village? Please invite everyone from the Alchemys Union to Kokonotsu Village so they can relax in the hot springs and heal from the daily battles!!

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. It's bonds. Throughout the past year of filming together, I've formed invaluable bonds with the cast members and staff.

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. It's episodes 28 and 29. These are the first episodes to focus on Renge, and she's the only one on the Alchemy team who doesn't transform, but it's really wonderful that she fights for her grandmother using the alchemy she's trained so hard to use.

Tomizono Rikiya (Tsuruhara Sabimaru)

Q. If you were to call out to Tsuruhara Sabimaru now?

A. Sabi~!! It's alright! You're having a Gotcha time with your friends in a fun future! Sabi is also a hero! Do what you love and keep on growing!!

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. The experiences and friendships!! I was able to experience many things, including being on location, on set, on a bike, being suspended, action, dub recording, and transforming. And then there's the friends who ran with me as fast as they could through both the hard and fun times. I'm really grateful for everything.

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. It's episode 43! I can't believe Sabimaru was screaming and fighting like that…!

Kumaki Rikuto (Minato)

Q. If you were to call out to Minato now?

A. Can you imagine a future like this? "Belief" is a difficult thing to do, but it's the only thing that'll bring you an exciting future that you can't even imagine!! The future is bright!!!

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. It's "youth"!! The best Gotcha ever was spending time with my Gotchard costars and staff, which reminded me of my school days, or maybe even more so!!!

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. There are so many, that I feel like I'd answer this question differently every day…but I'd still have to go with episode 27! There was the all out battle, and I'm so happy that Minato was able to come back to everyone, so this episode is very special!

Fukuda Saki (Kyoka)

Q. If you were to call out to Edami Kyoka now?

A. Chomp on cilantro!! Thank you for your hard work!! It's fine to be enthusiastic about research, but make sure you get a good nights sleep!!

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. Youth!! They were all honest and kind kids, and I had alot of fun messing around with them 🙂 I enjoyed every day!! I wish everyone can spend each and every day happy!!

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. It'd have to be episode 21, which is the episode where Spanner transforms into Kamen Rider Valvarad. It was also an important episode for his character!! That flaming Valvarusher!! And his transformation scene was so cool!!

Kanon Miyahara (Clotho)

Q. If you were to call out to Clotho now?

A. You're clumsy, yet your passionate feelings for your family are being conveyed to everyone. You were able to grow alot by fighting and struggling together throughout the past year. Thank you!! I love you 🖤

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. It's sisterly love! As an only child, I've been thinking about the two of them all the time this past year, both on set and in my private life. I'm so happy to have met such loving and precious people! It's because of the three of us that I was able to live as Clotho of the Three Dark Sisters.

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. It's episode 32. Of course, I was able to do a bunch of my favorite actions, but it's an episode where Clotho fights alongside Houtaro, talks with him, and realizes what she wants, allowing her to think more about the three sisters! I also love the scene where they're running away while "What's your FIRE" is playing 🖤🖤

Sakamaki Arisa (Lachesis)

Q. If you were to call out to Lachesis now?

A. Lache-chan said, "I want to be human!" and she did her best, as she was more human than anyone else 😊. Right up until the end, you did a great job.

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. "The greatest warriors!!" The cast members were very passionate about the performance and could bring out the best in each other's scenes!!!

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. What can I say, it's episode 33!! It's the episode where Lachesis becomes Kurogane for the first time 😊🖤. Her joint fight with Spanner was also very hot.

Amon Kabe (Kajiki Ryo)

Q. If you were to call out to Kajiki Ryo now?

A. Best friend representative, thank you for your hard work over the past year. I was so worried because you lost so much of your memory……Despite being an ordinary civilian, I was impressed by how you fought to protect others, both physically and mentally.

Q. What did Gotcha stand for through Kamen Rider Gotchard's show?

A. Creating a role throughout a whole year. I was able to experience alot of approaches that were different from regular movies and dramas.

Q. Please tell us your favorite episode and the reason why!

A. It's episodes 9, 10, 44 and 45. I didn't expect a Kajiki episode to come so early on…and I didn't expect a Kajiki episode to come so late…I hope that his growth as a person has become apparent.

To Everyone Who's Supported Us

Thank you so much for your support of Kamen Rider Gotchard over the past year! Let's have a great time at the Final Stage!! - Ichinose Houtaro's Motojima Junsei

Thank you!! Thank you so much for one year of Kamen Rider Gotchard!! I was really happy and enjoyed living as Kudo Rinne. Even though I went through some tough times, thanks to everyone's support, I was able to persevere! It was a very long but short year, and I was incredibly happy. Rinne-chan was loved, and as Reiyo, I couldn't be happier 🧡🧡. Majade is cool, right?! I was uneasy about some things, but it was alot of fun! Thank you very much! - Kudo Rinne's Matsumoto Reiyo

Thank you so much for supporting Kamen Rider Gotchard over the past year! Couldn't do it without your support!! Thank you again, Let's make Final Stage the best event, I love you all!! - Kurogane Spanner's Fujibayashi Yasunari

Thank you for supporting Kamen Rider Gotchard over the past year ❤️. It was very encouraging to receive your warm messages after every episode's broadcast!! I love you all! Let's have fun at the Final Stage! - Icho Renge's Abe Oto

Thank you for supporting Kamen Rider Gotchard over the past year!! I truly had alot of fun every day, and I got to experience so many different things! I'd be happy if you'd continue to send me the power of your support! Let's make a ton of memories! I'll do my best to be everyone's "power"! - Tsuruhara Sabimaru's Tomizono Rikiya

Thank you so, so much for your support over the past year!! Thanks to all of you, I've felt the most love in my life, and I was able to enjoy filming every time!!! Let's have fun until the very end!!!! - Minato's Kumaki Rikuto

Thank you for your encouragement in Kamen Rider Gotchard over the past year! I'm glad so many people loved Kajiki 💚. Let's meet again somewhere - Kajiki Ryo's Amon Kabe

Thank you for the past year 🖤. I had days filled with so much love!! I love you all!! I look forward to your support from now on 🖤 - Lachesis's Sakamaki Arisa

Thank you for supporting Kamen Rider Gotchard over the past year! It was a very happy time for me as Clotho of the Three Dark Sisters!!! Please remember to keep supporting me from now on 🖤. If you forget, it's a high kick for you!! - Clotho's Kanon Miyahara

Everyone!! Thank you for all the love!! A world where there's nothing but love for Kamen Rider Gotchard!! I'm really happy to see you all at the Final Stage!! Let's make some memories!! Happy~ 💜 Cilantro~ 💜 - Kyoka's Fukuda Saki

Scriptwriter Uchida Hiroki Special Interview

I've been participating in the Kamen Rider series since "Kamen Rider Saber," but Kamen Rider Gotchard was the first time I was involved in a project from the startup stage. What I thought after I finished writing the final episode is that it's amazing that Toei continues to make such year long shows every year. Of course, the Producers and Scriptwriters change every year, but a majority of the staff on set have been working together for many years. I was able to witness a single production from beginning to end, and I could feel the weight of its history.

I've been involved in anime multiple times in the form of "head writer," but in the case of Toei's tokusatsu productions, this head writer position is also handled by the chief Producer in charge. For Gotchard, this was Minato Yosuke-san. Minato-san was an Assistant Producer for Saber, but Gotchard was his first production as chief Producer. Since he approached me with, "If I can be of any help to you," we've been "running" together up to this point.

After working as the Main Writer for a whole year, I think it was easier than when I was a Sub Writer (laughs). I didn't have to think that much about the show as a whole, as my main job was to put together the episodes I was requested to make in my own way. There were various elements that I thought up and added myself, but I was like, "It'd be nice if someone picks up on this later on." When this becomes the main focus, I can't be irresponsible (laughs). If I didn't put much thought into it, I'd be digging my own grave later on.

On the other hand, I felt a sense of fulfillment that only the Main Writer can experience. I think it's partly because it was a production with a younger cast, but the span of a year allowed me to feel the growth and progress of these actors. Since I'm relatively close in age to the cast members, I made it a point to visit the film site as much as possible to interact with everyone, and as I did so, my love for each and every one of them naturally grew deeper. This is a feeling that's difficult to experience as a head writer of anime, which are often broadcast in the length of seasons (three months). Writing of the script and filming was happening at the same time to some extent, and sometimes I'd use what I talked about with the cast as a reference for the script. I love the entire cast and characters of Gotchard, so I was also always conscious of being able to focus on as many characters as possible. I can't judge for myself whether my skills as a Scriptwriter have improved over the past year, but I think the fact that I was able to devote myself entirely to a single production was a big deal for me.

-A true to life main character that you'll want to cheer for-

Out of all the appealing characters, I considered Ichinose Houtaro, the main character, to be the most important to the success of this production. The main character who transforms into a Kamen Rider tends to be depicted in a somewhat superhuman way, but I wanted to avoid going in that direction as much as possible, as I wanted to portray Houtaro as a "true to life high school student." Putting it another way, he's a main character whose perspective is as close to the children who watch the show. I wanted to make a main character that they'd instinctively cheer for. I was consistent with this from the beginning, as it was also a way to differentiate it from the more recent "Kamen Rider Geats." I was relieved to hear that both the show itself and Houtaro actually have many child fans.

Still, Houtaro doesn't have any elements of "me" in him (laughs). I personally wasn't a high school student like Houtaro. If I had to say, I guess he's one of the ideals that I wanted to be like? Houtaro's abit of a weirdo, but……(laughs). Personally, I was hoping to get power from Houtaro while writing him. After all, I'm not always happy with my work. When I was having trouble coming up with ideas or moving forward, Houtaro's cheerfulness saved me. Motojima Junsei-kun as Houtaro really surprised me, as I was very impressed with his performance, which improved with each episode. We talked alittle on the day of the wrap up, and we both agreed, "Let's do this for another year" (laughs).

-What a Grand Alchemist Produces-

Episodes 1 and 2 were written together with Hasegawa Keiichi-san, and the first time I wrote independently was episodes 7 and 8, with the Chemy called Saboneedle. Since that was the first time Gotchard had a two part story, I packed in alot of things I wanted to show in the episodes during this time, and it centered on the interactions between Houtaro and a slightly rude boy. Not just Houtaro, but Rinne, Spanner, the Three Dark Sisters……If I'm not mistaken, I believe that I also discussed with Minato-san during this time the idea of having the story end with Houtaro creating a "New Earth." The words "Grand Alchemist" come up, and Houtaro talks about big dreams, so I thought that eventually, he'd do something spectacular. Then we'd talk about what exactly that is, and we'd be like, "Maybe he'd do something like create an Earth through alchemy" (laughs). It wasn't decided there, and it was alittle strange to write in that direction. In the end, the "New Earth" is produced with alchemy. I wrote this without having any idea of how it'd be filmed (laughs).

After that, I was put in charge of the Winter film. I wrote about how Houtaro gets into a fight with Tamami-san, his mother, over something petty and runs away from home, and it seems that Motojima-kun himself had a similar experience. It was kind of like I interviewed him and wrote it (laughs). I wrote the scene between Houtaro and Tamami-san in the final episode with the impression of it being an expansion from the Winter film. As a matter of fact, initially, in episode 49 written by Hasegawa-san, there was originally a scene where Glion visited Kitchin Ichinose, and after he left, there was supposed to be a conversation between the mother and son. However, since it had been quite some time since the "welcome home" scene in the Winter film, I talked with Hasegawa-san, and we decided to use it in the final episode that I wrote. I decided that Tamami-san already knew that her son was a Kamen Rider. I put alot of effort into writing this script, not only for Minamino-san, but also for Motojima-kun's performance, as he had grown so much.

-Dawn and Legend-

Episodes 16-18 aired from the end of the year to the beginning of the new year, and the curtains rose on a new development. By the time I wrote that series of episodes, I believe that episodes 5 and 6 had finished airing, and I remember writing them while reflecting on the opinions of those around me. At the time of writing, I was alittle worried about Gotchard Daybreak's character. To begin with, I didn't see how elements like "from the future" would fit well in Gotchard. However, by the end of the shoot, there was already a good response on set, which led to talks about doing a proper Daybreak episode at some point. As you know, this came to fruition as the Summer film written by Hasegawa-san.

I wrote "Kamen Rider Gotchard VS Kamen Rider Legend" at the same time as episodes 7 and 8. I didn't intend on ending this as a one shot spinoff, and had already decided that it would be included in the TV series at some point. Still, I had decided that Kaguya lives in another world, and it's not easy to meet up with him, so I finished episodes 32-35 based on that setting. There was plenty of action shown, and they were quite literally "gorgeous" episodes, but in reality, there was alot more drama written in. I regret that I couldn't fit all of it in.

Episodes 42 and 43 were Sabimaru's episodes, and since it was decided that the next episode I'd write would be the final one, I included various elements that would connect to the final stages of the series. When it comes to episodes of this scale, it's hard to write a story that's independent of the whole flow. Still, there were the Renge episodes during the middle of the show, and I wanted to do a Sabimaru episode. Originally, the development of Sabimaru becoming Kamen Rider Dread in the beginning was my idea, and the idea came from the fact that I wanted to do a story about Houtaro helping his friends. I wanted to differentiate Sabimaru's episodes from Renge's episodes, so I tried to touch on the origin of his connection to alchemy. I also reflected on what Director Taguchi, who also shot the Renge episodes, wanted to do.

-Final Stage ~ With Gratitude-

As for the last three episodes, 48-50, it was Minato-san's idea to ask Inoue Akiko-san to write the Rinne story of episode 48, and for Hasegawa-san to write the Spanner story of episode 49 while I'd write the final episode. Minato-san and I discussed the overall flow of the episode, and we'd communicate with each other on what we had decided on. Also, Minato-san, Director Tasaki and I discussed the final drafting process, and in episodes 48 and 49, when parts needed to be corrected, I asked Inoue-san and Hasegawa-san for their permission and then made the necessary changes.

The deep involvement of each of the three sisters and each of the main characters, such as Rinne and Atropos, Spanner and Lachesis, and Houtaro and Clotho, wasn't what I had in mind at first, but as the story progressed, it seemed to come naturally. The final three episodes were written by each Writer, but there was never any talk of separating the responsibilities for this. Still, both episodes 48 and 49 by Inoue-san and Hasegawa-san were "rich in color." I think it has something to do with the fact that Inoue-san started her career as a novelist, but the way she delved into the characters felt deep. For example, I think this was evident in the Hopper1 Malgam episode (37). Also, since she joined Gotchard later than me and Hasegawa-san, her sense of distance from the work and characters was alittle different from ours, and I think that was also an advantage. If I had been in charge, I might not have written the fist fight between Houtaro and Spanner in episodes 46 and 47 that way.

Hasegawa-san's a veteran and has alot to offer, but he's also naturally skillful. Even now that he's become a veteran, he still has a clear will to "write about what he wants to write about." I felt this even more this time than when we worked together on Saber. He's very energetic, and his written works really show an author's touch. I thought that was to be expected.

When I was writing the final episode, I naturally pictured the faces of each of the cast members. I put my heart into each and every line, and also felt a sense of loneliness. In the Final Stage's story, I hope to show my gratitude to those who supported Gotchard, as well as to the cast members who received my scripts and performed them. I hope you enjoy this traditional "after" story of Gotchard performed by the original cast.

#kamen rider gotchard #kamen rider #tokusatsu #my scans #my translation #ichinose hotaro #houtaro ichinose #ichinose houtaro #rinne kudo #kudo rinne #spanner kurogane #kurogane spanner #toku cast #sabimaru tsuruhara #renge icho #three dark sisters #junsei motojima #kr gotchard #gotchard final

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mermaidfantasy05 · 2 years ago

Text

Cosmic - Chapter Four

Chapter Summary: Sally gives her daily report on the happenings around Riverview High. Later on that night, the girls discover something incredible when Lyra begins to sleepwalk.

Author's Notes: Hello everyone and welcome to the fifth chapter!!! In this chapter, lots of plot setup!!

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Selene, Estella, Rhea, Maia, Lyra, Juno, Callisto, Halo, Skye, Vela, Nova and Faye were all gathered around their usual table. It had been three days since the glion monsters had attacked and the girls were still a little on edge, wondering if Lady Adira would send more or if she had decided that Earth didn't have what she was seeking and moved on. The sound of a book slamming down on the table startled them all out of their thoughts. Mindy sat down, setting her lunch tray down on the table as she dropped her purse on the ground next to her. Mindy opened the brown leather bag and took out a pencil and opened the book on the table. Callisto raised an eyebrow.

"Are you doing your homework?" Callisto asked, incredulously. Mindy nodded as she took a bite out of her grilled cheese.

"Yup. It's my Advanced Literature." Mindy said, starting to fill in answers. Jack and Marcus set their trays down as they approached the table. Jack rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"I see you're already started on your homework, Minds." Jack said as he sat down. Mindy rolled her eyes.

"Yale doesn't accept just anybody." Mindy said. Marcus rolled his eyes.

"We're sophomores, Minnie. College is like light-years aways." Marcus said. Mindy glared at him for his use of her childhood nickname.

"One, I told you to stop calling me Minnie. We're not seven anymore." Mindy said, pointing the end of her perfectly sharpened pencil at him. Marcus smiled a shit-eating grin.

"And two, college is two years away, genuis." Mindy said, pulling out the wrinkles in the right sleeve of her rust red sweater. Marcus shrugged.

"Exactly, light-years." Marcus said. Mindy rolled her eyes.

"That attitude isn't gonna get you into Harvard, Marc." Mindy said, scratching down answers in her homework textbook. Sally had arrived and set her tray down as she plopped onto her seat.

"I thought you wanted to go to MIT, Marcus?" Sally asked, scrunching her eyebrows as she adjusted her light pink headband before throwing a strand of strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder. Marcus shook his head.

"No, I said I wanted to go to either MIT or Harvard." Marcus said. The girls, who had been watching the exchange between the four friends in amusement became interested to learn about the kinds of colleges on Wishworld.

"What kind of school do you want to go to, Sally?" Nova asked. Sally looked thoughtful as she munched on a ranch-dipped fishstick.

"Hmmm, I always wanted to go to Julliard or The Art Academy of Cincinnati." Sally said. Selene looked at Jack.

"What about you, Jack?" Selene asked. Jack folded his arms and tapped his chin.

"Either Columbia or Stanford." He shrugged. "I wanna become either a doctor or a psychologist and help people." Mindy snorted.

"If you go the doctor route, you'll definitely need a psychologist." Mindy muttered under her breath. Callisto raised an eyebrow.

"Then what about you, Mindy? What college do you hope to get into if Yale doesn't work out?" Callisto asked. Mindy narrowed her eyes at her before looking up at the cafeteria ceiling as she thought Callisto's question.

"Steven's Institute of Technology." Mindy said, nodding. She went back to doing her homework.

"I am going to Yale, though." Mindy said, resolutely. Halo nodded.

"Confidence is a great first step to making your wishes come true." Halo said. Mindy smiled proudly. Marcus took a bite out of his tamale and frowned.

"These always taste rubbery whenever the cafeteria makes them and yet I still get them everytime." Marcus mumbled.

"Fishstick?" Sally asked, holding a ranch covered fishstick to Marcus. Marcus shrugged and took it from Sally and took a huge bite out of it.

"Thanks, Sal." Marcus said. Sally adjusted her headband again before picking up another fishstick.

"Okay so, Riverview Report," Sally began. Ever since Sally, Marcus, Jake and Mindy had started sitting with them at lunch three days ago, Sally had started doing reports on what was happening around school. At first, the girls had thought that it was Sally's way of keeping them in the loop, only for Jack to reveal that Sally had been doing the reports ever since they were kids in the first grade. Still, the girls felt honored that Sally was comfortable enough to share her reports with them and always listened closely to what she was saying. Nova especially, since Sally's Riverview Reports were great for learning about all of the latest gossip.

"You guys remember the student council president elections that were announced?" Sally asked. Jack scratched the back of his head.

"Wasn't that supposed to start on Tuesday?" Jack asked. Mindy rolled her eyes.

"No genuis, it's supposed to start today." Mindy said. Jack scratched his head.

"So, what was happening Tuesday?" Jack asked. Marcus looked thoughtful.

"I think we're getting in new lab equipment on Tuesday." Marcus said. Halo nodded affirmatively.

"I heard Mr. Walters talking about it." Halo said. Maia looked at her.

"Any idea what the new equipment is?" Maia asked. Halo tapped her chin.

"I think it's supposed to be new beakers, new bunsen burners, new lab safety equipment and more test tubes." Halo said. Vela looked thoughtful.

"Wonder if any new orders are coming in for the computer lab?" Vela muttered.

"Anyway," Sally said, going back to her report. "The presidential elections are supposed to be starting today. I don't know who the candidates are this year, but I'm sure we'll find out soon." Mindy sighed.

"You know, I'm gonna miss Taylor as the student council president." Mindy said. Jack stared at her, deadpan.

"That's only because she got in new book shipments and upgraded the seats in the library." Jack said. Mindy held her chin up.

"And my back thanks her for it." Mindy said. Marcus smirked.

"And you also thought she was cute." Marcus said. Mindy shrugged.

"Just because I choose to focus on my studies, doesn't mean I can't appreciate beauty when I see it." Mindy said.

"Well, whoever gets elected, I hope they do something about the menu." Rhea said, staring at the sloppy, watery mac-and-cheese on her tray. Lyra nodded.

"Yeah, the lunch menu could do with some upgrades." Lyra said. Juno clapped her hands excitedly.

"Maybe they'll upgrade the auditorium and get in a sound stage and a special effects system!" Juno said, excitedly. Jack blinked.

"I don't think the school budget can afford that." Jack said. Juno pouted.

"Shame." Estella looked thoughtful.

"Maybe, they'll add a book request to the library. I know we already got new books, but i still can't seem to find the books I want to check out and when I do, turns out someone else already has it." Estella said. Selene nodded.

"I second that. We need a book request system." Faye stared at her lunch tray.

"Maybe we can get them to add desert to the lunch menu." Faye said.

"Or new sports equipment." Rhea said. Marcus nodded in agreement.

"I second that."

"Comfier chairs in the computer lab?" Vela suggested. Jack threw his hands up.

"Thank you! I've been saying that for years!" Jack yelled.

"Ooh, maybe they'll upgrade the art room?" Skye suggested. Maia shrugged.

"Anything's possible." Nova nodded rapidly.

"There are so many possibilities! Like, more greenery in the front of the school, more decorations, a new school flag, lockers that don't get stuck at least once a day, chairs that actually adjust themselves to your height and shape so you can be comfortable for once and not have to deal with an aching-" Faye put a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Breathe, Nova, breathe." Faye said. Nova took in deep breaths.

"Thanks." She looked at everyone sheepishly. "Sorry. Just that stuck locker of mine really gets on my nerves." Marcus lowered his voice.

"You mean, your lockers don't get stuck on Vis?" Marcus asked, eyes wide. The girls all shook their heads.

"Nope." Halo said.

"Never." Callisto said.

"Not as far as I can remember." Maia said. Marcus, Sally and Jack's jaws dropped. Even Mindy looked up from her homework.

"Wow. I'm honestly jealous. I once almost threw my back out trying to open up my locker when it got stuck." Mindy said. Jack nodded.

"Stuck lockers are the worst." Jack said. Marcus and Sally nodded in agreement.

"Oh! There's also a new girl in school. I haven't met her yet, but there's rumors going around that she's a bit.... well, mean." Sally waved a hand dismissively.

"But I'm sure it's nothing. After all, she's new to this school. I'm sure she'll open up once she gets settled in." Sally said. Mindy had since returned to her homework.

"Or maybe she is a jerk. Rumors can be true after all." Mindy said, back to writing down answers. Sally frowned at her and threw a fishstick at her head.

"Throwing food at me doesn't make me any less right." Mindy said, still jotting down answers. "Also, that's wasteful." Sally rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, that's all the major things going on." Sally said. The school bell rang out, signaling that lunch was over. Sally, Jack, Marcus, Estella, Selene, Vela, Halo, Skye, Callisto, Juno, Maia, Nova, Faye and Rhea all started picking up their trash. Mindy finished the question she was on and started packing up her stuff as well. The only person not packing up anything was Lyra.

"Hey, Lyra, the bell rang. Lunch is over." Rhea said. Lyra didn't say anything. Callisto squinted.

"Ly, you heard her? Lunch is over, it's time to go to class." Callisto said. Again, no response. Everyone looked at each other and then back at Lyra, concern washing over them. Mindy finished packing up her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Is she okay?" Mindy asked. Skye tapped Lyra on the shoulder before leaning over to look at Lyra's face. Lyra had a vacant expression on her face, eyes glazed and unmoving as she stared off into the distance. Skye shook her.

"Lyra? Lyra?" Still no answer. Before anyone could try something else, Lyra snapped back to the present. She blinked a little, her hand going to her forehead as she mumbled something under her breath. Vela squinted.

"Huh?" Vela asked.

"We need to go somewhere." Lyra mumbled. Callisto groaned.

"Not this again." Callisto groaned. Sally, Mindy, Marcus and Jack did double takes.

"Again?!" The four teens exclaimed. Juno nodded.

"She's been doing this for three days now." Juno said.

"She'll suddenly stop in the middle of doing something, stare off into the distance and then she'll snap back and go back to whatever she was doing before." Selene said. Estella nodded.

"She freaked Miss Wright out when she did it while helping her in the garden." Estella said. Nova nodded furiously.

"Miss Wright almost took her to the hospital! Which, good thing Selene and Faye managed to talk her out of it. That would have been bad, like really, really bad. I mean, could you imagine the doctors taking blood tests and seeing glittery-" Faye slapped a hand over Nova's mouth again.

"Short version, Lyra didn't have to go to the hospital." Faye said. Lyra began packing up her stuff as well, a crease between her brows as she appeared to think hard about something. She mumbled to herself again before seeming to remember where she was.

"Does anyone have any plans for after-school?" Lyra asked as she picked up her lunch tray. Jack groaned.

"I have to pickup the twins after-school and take them to ballet practice afterwards." Jack groaned. Mindy rolled her eyes.

"I'm on babysitting duty." Mindy said. Sally raised an eyebrow as she placed her empty tray in the tray return.

"Isn't your little brother in daycare?" Sally asked. Mindy gave her a wiry smirk.

"My mothers temporarily suspended his daycare service as part of my punishment." Mindy explained. "I have to pick up the little squirt after-school and babysit him." Though by the fond look in Mindy's eyes, everyone could tell that she didn't mind it as much as she was pretending to.

"What about you, Marcus?" Skye asked. Marcus slumped.

"I got benched from football practice for the next three weeks. And I have to clean out the shed and reorganize the garage." He shuddered.

"My mom loves the flea market a little too much. Pray for me!" Marcus said, a haunted look in his eyes. Sally patted his back comfortingly while Mindy and Jack gave him looks of ssympathy. Nova was wide-eyed.

"You mean, you weren't joking about that?!" Nova exclaimed. Marcus shook his head.

"No, i was not." Marcus said, shuddering. Lyra, Skye, Rhea, Faye, Juno, Callisto, Selene, Nova, Estella, Halo, Maia and Vela all looked at Sally, wondering what fate she had been given. Sally sighed and pulled at her pink-and-blue ombre ruffle top.

"No gymnastics practice for a few weeks. And my dads have me on cleaning and restocking duty at the store." Sally said, blowing a strawberry blonde strand from her face. The girls all winced.

"We are so sorry, you guys." Selene apologized again, for the umpteenth time. Jack waved a hand dismissively.

"Nah, it's fine. Ruby and Amethyst aren't too much trouble. Besides, the looks on their faces when they finally nail a ballet move is so adorable to look at." Jack said. Mindy nodded.

"Danny's a pretty chill little guy. All he does is ask questions." Mindy said. Callisto raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't annoy you?" Callisto questioned. Mindy raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Why would that bother me?" Mindy asked, confused. Callisto just blinked at her. Evidently, Mindy had the patience of a saint. Callisto hadn't been expecting to learn that about Mindy. Sally nodded.

"And I don't mind helping out at the store." She shuddered. "I just hope I don't find another spider in the storeroom." Marcus shuddered as well.

"You and me both, sister. I really hope I don't find a spider in the stuff my mom gets from the flea market." Marus and Sally both shuddered at the thought of the creepy-crawly.

"So many legs." Sally muttered.

"So many eyes." Marcus shuddered. Everyone stared at Marcus and Sally before returning to throwing away uneaten food and putting their trays in the tray return. The girls all pocketed the packaged snack food on their trays and hid them in pockets and purses.

"It's for the pomeranians." Skye explained when she saw the confused looks on Sally, Jack, Marcus and Mindy's faces. Marcus, Jack, Sally and Mindy all looked at each other and shrugged. The teens all started heading to the cafeteria's doors.

"Enough about our punishments for staying out so late, what are you guys doing after-school?" Jack asked, looking at the girls as he brushed off his jeans.

"Miss Wright has us helping out in the garden and cleaning and reorganizing the attic." Estella said. Mindy raised an eyebrow.

"Speaking of Miss Wright, does she know about-"

"Us being princesses from another planet hiding from an evil conqueror?" Nova interrupted. "Nope! As far as she knows, we're ordinary teenage girls from a far-off country that's currently under a coup and we were sent here as exchange students to protect us and we had our luggage stolen at the airport, which is apparently a thing that's super common here on Wishworld, I mean, are there just people that make it their profession to just stand around and wait for unattended luggage to arrive at the airport just to steal it? That seems like an unproductive way to spend your day. Super rude too. I mean what if-"

Faye slapped a hand over Nova's mouth.

"The short version, no, she doesn't know." Faye said.

"Will you tell her?" Jack asked. Nova, Faye, Skye, Vela, Halo, Rhea, Lyra, Maia, Juno, Callisto, Selene and Estella all looked at each other.

"We're really not supposed to reveal our identities to anyone." Rhea said. Marcus scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

"But, you told us." Marcus said, gesturing to Jack, Sally, Mindy and himself. Callisto smiled a wiry smile.

"Well, we kinda had no choice since Mindy seemed dead set on becoming negative energy monster food." Callisto said. Nova looked thoughtful.

"We really need a better name for those things." Nova said to herself. Everyone looked at her before turning their attention back to the conversation at hand.

"Well, if someone told you that they were an alien princess from another planet, would you believe them without proof?" Mindy asked. Callisto looked thoughtful.

"That depends. Was I being chased by smoke monsters before the reveal?" Callisto asked, a smug smirk on her face. Mindy rolled her eyes and folded her arms as she staunchly refused to dignity Callisto with a response. The bell rang, signifying that it was time for class. Sally clapped excitedly.

"Yes! English, here I come!" Sally cheered, running off to her locker to get her books. Mindy shrugged her bag up to her shoulder. She pulled up the left sleeve of her sweater to expose a slim black wristwatch.

"I have a couple of minutes before AP Biology." Mindy opened her locker and took out a couple of library books.

"I'm going to go drop these off at the library and inquire about that copy of The Girl In The Locked Room." Mindy said. Jack shuddered.

"I have no idea how you read those books." Jack said, putting his hands in his pockets as he headed off to his next class.

"Come on, Marc, we got history class." Jack yelled.

"I'm already way ahead of you!" Marcus yelled from the down the hall. Jack startled and looked behind him before looking ahead of him to see Marcus waving.

"Huh. So you are." Jack said. He shrugged before running to catch up with Marcus. The girls also began splitting up to head to their next classes, dodging and pushing their way past other students.

After saying goodbye to Jack, Mindy, Marcus and Sally, the girls all began the twenty mile walk home. They passed Mister O'Malley's yard and the tiny pomeranians immediately ran off the porch to the fence. The girls all took out their leftover snacks from lunch and unwrapped them before throwing the treats over the fence. The pomeranians happily gobbled up the treats, yapping happily. The little doggies looked up, hoping for more treats.

"Sorry, all out!" Faye yelled. The tiny doggies all sat down, seeming to understand. The girls continued on their way to their house. They walked up the porch steps and after unlocking the door, walked in. Miss Wright was in the living room, lifting up couch cushions and looking underneath furniture. Miss Wright was wearing a turtleneck cream cashmere sweater paired with jeans and cute, comfy looking canvas shoes.

"Hi, Miss Wright." The girls all said as they set their bags down. Miss Wright looked up from where she had been on the floor looking under the couch.

"Hi, girls." Miss Wright said, standing up and brushing off her sweater. "How was school?"

Multiple variations of "Goods" and "Fines" were voiced. Skye tilted her head.

"Are you looking for something, Miss Wright?" Skye asked. Miss Wright scratched her head and pushed a few strands of hair that had escaped from her bun out of her face.

"My wallet. My book club is meeting at a cafe for this month's meeting." Miss Wright explained, scanning the room for her elusive wallet. Faye, Nova, Skye, Vela, Halo, Selene, Estella, Maia, Rhea, Lyra, Callisto and Juno all started looking around as well. Skye dug her hand in the back of the overstuffed armchair. Her fingers brushed against something small and square. Skye stretched her arm as far as she could, fumbling around until her fingers closed around the small object. She lifted out a brown leather wallet embossed with floral details. Skye held it up.

"Is this it?" Skye asked. Miss Wright looked up from where she had been looking underneath a throw pillow.

"There it is!" Miss Wright said, relieved. She fluffed out the throw pillow and placed it back down on the couch before walking over to Skye and taking her wallet. She gave Skye a big hug.

"Thank you, dear." Miss Wright said, slipping her wallet into the back pocket of her jeans. Miss Wright picked up her purse and grabbed the book next to it and placed it inside her purse before zipping it up. She shrugged her purse up her shoulder before turning to address the girls.

"I should be back no later than eight pm." Miss Wright looked thoughtful. "Unless Aggie brought the wine, in which case, it'll be eleven." The girls all looked at each other. They still had no idea what that meant.

"There's leftover vegetarian chili in the fridge, but I also left some money and a couple of takeout menus on the counter if none of you want chili." Miss Wright said. The girls all nodded their understanding.

"There's a pizza place that makes a really good pescatarian pizza. There's also a really good burger place that makes a delicious salmon burger, a taco place with good fish tacos and there's a cafe that has some really good pescatarian options. If you order from the cafe, I recommend the lobster ravioli. It's really good." Miss Wright held her arms.

"Come on, hugs before I go." All the girls gave Miss Wright big hugs. Once all the girls had received their hug, Miss Wright picked up her keys and grabbed her phone.

"Now remember, no one open this door for anyone. I have my keys. If any of you girls need anything, call me."

"Yes, Miss Wright." All the girls chorused.

"Enjoy your bookclub!" Skye yelled. Miss Wright smiled.

"I will. Make sure you all do your homework."

"We will!" Vela yelled. She received several glares.

"What?" Vela asked. Miss Wright waved goodbye and walked out the front door. Selene locked it behind her.

"So," Rhea said. "Are we having leftovers or takeout?"

One intense debate later, the girls had all settled on pizza. After ordering, they had gotten started on their homework, tending to the garden and reorganizing the attic. The pizza arrived twenty minutes later and the girls all dug in. Miss Wright had been right, the pizza was good. The sauce was delicious and the cheese was nice and gooey. The crust was delicious and the salmon was nice and flaky. The jalapeños added a nice spiciness to the pizza and the crème frâiche balanced out the smokiness of the salmon and the scallion added a nice crunch.

"I was thinking, what about Juno and The Jams?" Juno said. Callisto rolled her eyes.

"Pass." Juno hmmped. She took a sip out of her can of root beer.

"Hmmm, Juno and The Jubilees?" Callisto raised an eyebrow.

"Every name you've suggested for this band so far has your name in it." Callisto said. Juno folded her arms and held her head up, haughtily.

"I don't hear any other suggestions." Callisto rolled her eyes.

"Because you haven't given anyone else a chance." Callisto said. Junk pouted.

"Fine. Skye, Selene, Vela, you have any band name ideas?" Juno asked. Selene looked thoughtful.

"What about The Shooting Stars?" Selene asked. Skye waved her arms around wildly.

"Galaxy Rock?" Skye suggested.

"The Vortexes?" Vela threw in.

"What about Darkside?" Callisto asked. The other girls threw in name suggestions as well.

"What about The Luminaries?" Nova suggested.

"Nebulus?" Maia suggested.

"The Dazzling Pulsars?" Rhea suggested.

"The Radiant Comets?" Halo said.

"The Sparking Rays?" Lyra said.

"The Stellar Constellations?" Estella suggested.

"The Glowing Cosmics?" Faye suggested. Juno groaned and thunked her chin down on the table.

"None of those have that glow I'm looking for." Juno said. Callisto rolled her eyes.

"Well, you can't have a band without a band name." Callisto informed her. Juno whined.

"I know!" Juno groaned. Vela grabbed another slice of pizza.

"Well, we have until this Friday." Vela said. Maia's eyes widened.

"Which means, i only have three days to come up with a new song." Maia breathed. She immediately stood up and piled her plate with two more pizza slices and picked up her soda can.

"I gotta get started." Maia turned and fled the room, the sound of her footsteps pounding on the stairs as she hurried to her and Rhea's room. The other girls all stared after her.

"Well, that happened." Callisto said, shrugging as she took another slice of pizza. Nova chewed on her slice of pizza.

"Next time, can we try that taco place? I wanna see how good their tacos are." Nova said. Faye nodded eagerly.

"Ooh, and maybe we can convince Miss Wright to mark down a pescatarian week on the meal planner, so we can try all kinds of pescatarian recipes." Faye said. All the girls could practically see the drool building up at the corners of Faye's mouth. Halo looked up at the large antique wall clock Miss Wright kept on the wall in the dining room.

"It's almost time for bed." Halo said, finishing up her last slice of pizza. Nova gulped down her final slice.

"I call dibs on the shower!" Nova yelled. Skye sighed as she ate her crust. All the other girls began finishing up their pizza and sodas as well. They all cleaned up, putting the plates in the sink, breaking down the pizza box and putting it in the recycling bin and throwing their empty soda cans in as well. Once the dining room was all cleaned up, the girls all headed upstairs, either to finish up homework or start getting together pajamas and toothbrushes for baths.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Selene's eyes fluttered open. She lifted her head up a little and then shrugged and laid her head back down when she didn't hear anything, thinking she had just imagined it.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Selene's head shot up, her eyes wide open. Okay, so it wasn't her imagination. The tapping noise started again. Selene threw off her comforter and padded over as quietly as she could to the door. Estella was sound asleep, an open book on her chest and her glass askew on her face. Bitty was happily curled up on Estella's pillow next to her head, snoring away. Selene quietly opened the door.

"Lyra?" Selene whispered, extremely confused. Lyra was dressed in a pretty seafoam green nightgown made of silk and lace that fell down to her ankles. Her long dirty blonde hair spilled to the floor and her seafoam green sleep mask was pushed up on top of her head. Lyra's eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply, almost as if she were still asleep.

"She's sleepwalking." A voice said. Selene startled to see Vela across the hall, leaned against her and Lyra's bedroom door. Selene almost didn't recognize Vela for a moment. Vela's usually perfectly immaculate hair was all tangled and frizzy from sleep. The left side of her mouth had a line of drool coming out and her usually alert brown eyes were crusty and droopy with sleep. Vela's pajamas; a dark blue sweater with a black hole on it and lighter blue pajama shorts, were rumpled and full of wrinkles.

Selene was certain that Vela would appreciate her keeping her comments about her appearance to herself and so she did.

"What's going on?" Selene put a hand to her heart as she whirled around to see that Estella was awake and rubbing sleep from her eyes. She readjusted her glasses and threw her covers off as she got of bed and stretched. Estella pulled down her pinkish-white sweater and pulled at the hem of her star patterned silver pajama shorts before joining Selene at the door.

"I think Lyra's sleepwalking." Selene said. Estella yawned.

"She is?" Estella asked, poking her head out the door. Vela, Selene and Estella watched as Lyra made her way over to Juno and Callisto's room and tapped on their door. A couple of taps later, the door was violently ripped open as a very peeved Callisto stuck her head out, a groggy Juno right behind her. Juno's already messy mane of curls was even messier and Callisto's short hair was sticking up all over her head. Callisto was wearing a black oversized hoodie with the name of some rock band she'd gotten into since they'd been on earth and black sweatpants. Juno was wearing a pale yellow t-shirt emblazoned with a golden, sparkly eiffel tower and the words Ooh, La La!! under it and dark yellow sweatpants.

"You have fifteen seconds to come up with an explanation for this or so help me Sol-" Juno lightly smacked Callisto's shoulder.

"I think she's asleep, Calli." Juno said, studying Lyra's face. Callisto turned her sour mood on Juno.

"So?" Callisto asked, arms folded as she glared at Juno, groogy and pissed at being woken up. Lyra moved across the hall and tapped on Skye and Nova's door. A sleepy Skye poked her head out, ponytail a mess and her light pink frilly nightgown ruffled. Nova was still sound asleep.

"What's going on?" Skye questioned, sleepily. Callisto folded her arms and glared at the sleepwalking Lyra.

"That's what I'd like to know." Lyra moved down the hall and tapped on Rhea and Maia's room until they came out, tired and groggy. She moved to Halo and Faye's room and tapped on the door until Halo opened it, exhaustion written all over her face. The other girls all hoped she at least got a few hours of sleep before being rudely awoken. Nova, seeming sensing that a party was going on without her, came out her and Skye's room. Her mini buns were a mess and her bright orange Creamsicle shirt and pale orange sleep shorts were all rumpled.

"What is happening?" Nova asked, yawning hugely.

"Ask her." Callisto grumbled, pointing at Lyra. Faye stumbled out of her and Halo's bedroom, looking like she was about to fall to the ground and continue her slumber. Her long thick braids had flyaways escaping from them and her emerald green cake emblazoned tanktop and blue cupcake shorts were all wrinkled.

"Is it morning?" Faye asked, groggily.

"No." Callisto answered her. Maia rubbed sleep out of her eyes as she tugged at the hem of her purple music note shirt and tightened the drawstring on her white music note pajama pants.

"Is she sleepwalking?" Maia questioned. Rhea yawned and scratched at her messy braided crown.

"Seems like it." Rhea said, pulling at her red-and-white sleep shorts. Halo pulled at the hem of her sky blue science pun shirt.

"Is she going to wake up Miss Wright next?" Halo asked, nodding towards Lyra, who was currently sleepwalking down the hall. All the other girls did double takes and immediately whirled to look where Halo had gestured to. Lyra turned and began heading down the stairs instead of continuing down the hall to Miss Wright's room.

"Sh-should someone stop her?" Estella questioned, tugging nervously on her braids. Nova scratched her head.

"Is that safe?" Nova wondered outloud.

"Doubt it." Callisto said, folding her arms. The girls all hurried over to the bannister and watched as Lyra sleepwalked to the front door and slid her shoes on. All the girls looked at each other, eyebrows raised before plodding down the stairs as quietly as they could. Lyra turned and headed for the kitchen. Selene scratched at her bun, strands of long brown hair escaping it and falling in her face.

"We should stop her, right?" Selene asked, smoothing out the wrinkles of her moon emblazoned lavender tanktop. Juno looked thoughtful.

"Are you supposed to stop sleepwalkers?" Juno questioned. Murmurs of apprehension and dubious shrugs were her answer. Rhea pulled down her white basketball tanktop and pulled on her shoes.

"Does it matter? Lyra's sleepwalking and could really injure herself! We have to follow her." Maia, Nova, Faye, Vela, Skye, Halo, Selene, Juno and Callisto all looked at each other before pulling their shoes on as well. All eleven girls ran to the kitchen to find the sliding glass door open. They immediately ran outside to find Lyra standing next to the back gate, almost as if she had been waiting for them. Lyra opened the backgate and walked out of it. The girls all immediately followed her, Faye closing the backgate behind them.

The girls followed the sleepwalking Lyra all through the neighborhood, wondering where she was going. Estella shivered.

"Girls, I think we should get Lyra and head back to the house. It's kinda cold out." Estella said, hugging Bitty a little bit tighter as if to absorb some of her warmth.

"Does she even know where she's going?" Callisto asked as they followed Lyra through lawns until they came to a path. Lyra turned off of it and headed into the woods. Maia groaned.

"Seriously, i thought we were done with this woods." Maia groaned. Halo blew a few strands of hair away from her face.

"Looks like we're not." Halo said. Rhea, Faye, Halo, Maia, Nova, Skye, Selene, Callisto, Estella and Juno all followed Lyra into the forest.

"On the brightside, no negative energy monsters are chasing us this time." Juno said, nervously. Callisto glared at her.

"If one shows up, I'm leaving you here." Juno immediately clung to Callisto's arm.

"Please don't!" Juno pleaded. Callisto's entire face blushed at the close proximity. Skye ducked under a branch.

"I can't even see where I'm going." Skye said. Vela nodded.

"It is super dark." Vela said. Halo nodded.

"We should have brought our phones." Halo said.

"Don't worry, I've got us covered." Estella said. She rubbed Bitty's belly and the yellow star began to glow softly as the Glowfur began singing.

"That's better." Faye said. The girls pushed branches and leaves out of their way and stepped over roots as they followed Lyra deeper into the forest. Lyra walked into a stream and crossed to the otherside, soft splashes sounding through the forest. The girls all stared at the stream before sighing and crossing it as well. Selene squinted in thought.

"Hey, Stell? Does this path we're taking feel familiar to you?" Selene asked. Estella looked around, narrowing her eyes as she studied the trees and plants around them.

"I... think so." Estella said. Callisto looked at them.

"You know where we're going?" Callisto asked. Selene narrowed her eyes in thought.

"I think so." Selene said. "But i can't be too sure." Lyra pushed past some branches and bushes, the other girls following her. Nova pointed ahead of them.

"Hey, look! There's a giant gate." Nova said. All the girls looked to where Nova was pointing, their eyes widening as they saw the gate. Selene gasped and pointing.

"Stella! It's the park!" Selene exclaimed. Estella nodded, mouth agape.

"It is." Estella said. Juno looked at them.

"That gate leads to a park?" Juno asked. Selene and Estella nodded.

"This is where we and Jack hid when we were running from the glion monster." Selene said. Estella nodded rapidly.

"It's also where we fought it." Halo tilted her head.

"So, why did Lyra sleepwalk here?" Halo asked. Selene and Estella both shrugged.

"Star if we know." Selene said. The girls followed Lyra up the overgrown trail leading to the gate. Lyra pulled it open and all the girls clenched their teeth and clamped their hands over their ears at the horrible sound of screeching metal. How that hadn't woken up Lyra, the girls had no clue.

"I think my ears are bleeding." Nova whined. Faye immediately grabbed her sister's face and began inspecting her ears.

"I don't see any blood." Faye said.

"It's probably internal." Nova said.

"How is she still asleep?!" Maia asked, incredulously.

"Must be a heavy sleeper." Vela said. Juno scoffed.

"My older brother is a heavy sleeper and he wouldn't have been able to sleep through that noise." Juno said. Rhea nodded her head.

"My brother either." Rhea said. Lyra walked through the gate and the girls followed her. They walked up the cobblestone walkway and through the overgrown main entrance and into the park. Rhea, Maia, Nova, Faye, Skye, Vela, Juno, Callisto and Halo all gasped as they took in the park.

"It's... gorgeous." Skye breathed as she took it all in. Juno nodded in agreement.

"It's a bit overgrown, though." Juno said, shaking her foot to get rid of the ivy vines that had gotten tangled around her shoe. Callisto scoffed.

"What did you expect? Looks like no one's been here in years." Callisto said, turning around to take in all the foliage around the park. Nova immediately ran over to the carousel.

"Wow! I've only seen pictures of these things on Google! Never thought I'd get to see one in person!" Nova exclaimed, climbing on the unicorn mount. Faye chuckled as she walked over.

"I don't think it gets power anymore, No." Faye said, patting the side of a Pegasus. Vela inspected the carousel while Halo stood back so she could look at all the mounts.

"Hmm, wonder if there's a power source for this nearby." Vela wondered outloud, her eyes scanning the ground for cables or wires. Maia laughed.

"Good luck trying to find it! This whole place is so overgrown that the power station could be right in of us and we wouldn't know." Maia said.

"And if we did find the power station for this thing, would it be in any state to supply power?" Halo questioned. Selene shrugged.

"Jack said this place has been abandoned for four centuries." Selene said. Estella nodded.

"Four full centuries." Estella clarified. Nova clicked her tongue.

"So, that's a no, then?" Nova asked. Faye, Halo, Maia, Selene, Estella and Vela all nodded.

"Ah, stardust!" Nova groaned. Faye patted her shoulder sympathetically and then helped Nova get down.

"Guys!" Rhea yelled a couple of feet ahead of them. "Over here!" Selene, Skye, Vela, Estella, Halo, Juno, Callisto, Maia, Nova and Faye all turned their heads to see the large Victorian Era gazebo in the center of the park. All ten girls walked towards it, as if in a trance, feeling a strange pull towards it.

"Woah." Nova breathed as they arrived at the gazebo. Rhea nodded, staring at the gazebo as if she were also in a trance. All eleven girls stared at the gazebo, taking in all the details that had managed to stand the test of time. The trance was broken when Lyra pulled open the glass French doors. She headed inside and the girls all silently followed her. They headed through the entranceway and into the main area of the gazebo.

"Wow." Juno said, once they were all inside. "It's part greenhouse, part cafe."

Halo hummed thoughtfully as she ran her fingers over an old chaise.

"I believe Wishlings called them coffeehouses back then." Halo said. Nova pointed at the jars behind the counter.

"Ooh, think there's anything in them?" Nova asked.

"Probably slime and mush." Callisto said, toeing a dead root. "I wouldn't open those if I were you." Nova shrugged and went over to the antique grandfather clock. Skye noticed it as well.

"Think it still works?" Skye questioned. Vela walked over to the grandfather clock.

"Might be in the same boat as the carousel." Vela said. Skye and Nova both whined in disappointment. Faye bent down and picked up an old menu off the floor and scanned its contents.

Lyra let out a yawn as her eyes fluttered open. Vela, Skye, Selene, Estella, Halo, Callisto, Juno, Nova, Faye, Maia and Rhea's heads all whipped to look at her.

"Hi, girls." Lyra said, yawning. "What's going on?" Callisto folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at Lyra.

"We were hoping you could tell us. You woke us all up and then sleepwalked all the way out here." Callisto said. Lyra looked around the room.

"I saw this place in my visions!" Lyra said. A smile appeared on her face. "Looks like I was seeing this place for a reason."

Juno raised an eyebrow.

"What reason?" Juno questioned. Lyra shrugged.

"I don't know. I started trying to decipher it by writing a poem, but I must have fallen asleep before I could complete it." Lyra said. Vela nodded.

"You did. I had to float you over into your bed." Vela said. Lyra blushed.

"Oh, star apologies, Vela." Lyra said, embarrassed. Vela waved a hand dismissively.

"It was no problem." Vela said. Lyra began carefully picking around items littering the floor of the teahouse. All the girls looked at each other and shrugged and started helping.

"You have a vague of idea of what we could be looking for?" Callisto asked as she opened the grandfather clock and looked inside. Lyra shook her head as she carefully put a china dish back down.

"No, I don't." Lyra said. Juno picked up a small oil painting of a rose in a gold picture frame.

"What about this? Getting any psychic-y feelings from this?" Juno asked. Lyra tilted her head as she looked at the painting. She shook her head.

"Nope, nothing." Lyra said. Juno carefully set the frame down and headed over to another part of the gazebo. The girls carefully sifted through all the decorations, furniture and paintings inside the gazebo. Lyra didn't get a single intuitive feeling about any of them. Some of the girls took the time to set the decorations back up as best they could.

"We've looked through just about everything in here." Halo said, placing a dusty throw pillow on an armchair. Skye used her wish energy manipulation to right an overturned armchair.

"Could we have missed something?" Skye asked. Maia looked over at Lyra as she and Rhea pushed a table back up.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Maia asked. Lyra nodded.

"Positive." Callisto looked around.

"Well, we've looked through just about everything in here." Callisto said. Selene put her hands on her hips as she surveyed the sitting room.

"Maybe, we'll find whatever Lyra's sensing in the another room?" Selene suggested. Faye held up a hand.

"Wait a minute, Lyra, you said we're in the right place, but are we in the right room?" Faye asked. Lyra closed her eyes.

"Hmmmm, I can't tell." Lyra said, opening her eyes and putting a hand to her forehead.

"Sorry, still kinda sleepy." Lyra apologized. Rhea yawned.

"I'm still kinda tired too." Rhea said. Estella nodded as she yawned as well, rubbing the top of Bitty's head.

"Maybe we should come back tomorrow?" Estella suggested. Halo nodded.

"That's a good idea. We should come back when we're less tired and Lyra's powers are working better." Lyra looked around the room and sighed before nodding.

"You're right, Halo. We should head back." Nova nodded in agreement.

"Besides, we also have school tomorrow and we have to get up for that in like.... actually, what time is it? I don't have my phone on me and i'm gonna take a wild guess and say that that grandfather clock doesn't work anymore since it's been here for so long and no one's been fixing up on it. When was that thing even made anyway? And how old is it exactly? Actually, come to think of it, everything in here must be way older than the gazebo itself, that's honestly-"

"Nova's right. We have school tomorrow and we should head back so we can at least be decently rested." Vela said, interrupting Nova's ramblings. All the girls started back towards the entranceway. Skye bent down to pick up a glass figurine and turned to find somewhere to put it. Skye's eyes landed on a silver star shaped button installed into the wall. Skye put the figurine down on a dining table and walked over to it. The button looked new. Far newer than everything else in the room. Every object in the room was either dusty, faded from old age, had tears or holes in it or had some kind of damage. Skye tilted her head.

"Hey, girls! There's a button here." Skye said. Lyra, Rhea, Maia, Vela, Halo, Selene, Estella, Juno, Callisto, Nova and Faye all turned to look at her. The girls all walked over to where Skye was standing and crowded around her.

"Whatsit do?" Nova questioned. Skye shrugged.

"I have no idea." Skye said. Vela looked around the gazebo.

"It doesn't fit in with the rest of the decor in here." Vela observed. Halo nodded.

"And it looks new." Juno scratched her head.

"What purpose would this button even have? It doesn't look connected to anything from what I can see." Juno said. Callisto shrugged.

"Might just be there for decoration." Callisto suggested.

"Or maybe it used to power something?" Selene said.

"Jack said that he, Mindy, Sally and Marcus used to hang out in this park as kids. If they managed to find this park, someone else could have as well." Estella said. Selene nodded in agreement.

"Jack did say that he, Sally, Marcus and Mindy had never been inside the gazebo." Selene said. Rhea scratched her head.

"So, someone installed a button for...?" Maia looked thoughtful.

"It could open something." Maia said.

"But what?" Faye questioned.

"Oooh, what if it opens a secret passageway? Like in those mystery shows?" Nova asked. Lyra stared at the button, a strange feeling coming over her.

"I'm getting a powerful feeling that we should press that button." Lyra said, her voice sounding far away. Skye lifted her finger and pushed the button. The girls waited with baited breath. Nothing happened. Nova scratched her head.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." A soft sparkly blue glow slowly began to radiate out from the button. The girls all stared with wide eyes.

"Nevermind, I spoke too soon!" Nova said as the sparkly light began to wash over the room. The girls watches in awe as the whole room was consumed by the light. The light slowly began to fade and the girls all gasped. The inside of the gazebo no longer looked as rundown as it did before. The sun-and-water rotted floor had been replaced by a familiar rainbow floor made out of starmarble. The mildewed, moth eaten rugs had been replaced by star shaped and galaxy patterned rugs of all shapes and sizes. The dirty, cracked decorations had been replaced by beautiful, sleek looking decorations that brought to mind the decor of Starling Academy. The ripped, sun bleached furniture had been replaced by sleek, comfy looking seats and new, futuristic looking tables.

The girls all looked up. The broken glass ceiling was now shiny and new, not a hole in sight. Golden light began to flow down from somewhere in the ceiling, filling the empty crevices in the floor and lighting the room up. Selene, Estella, Vela, Halo, Skye, Lyra, Maia, Rhea, Nova, Faye, Callisto and Juno all looked around in stunned awe. Even Bitty looked astonished at the room's transformation.

"Oh my stars." Skye breathed.

"H-how?" Faye asked.

"That button... it's Visian tech." Halo muttered.

"But... how? Wh-who put it here?" Vela questioned. Selene touched one of the chairs and immediately snatched her hand back.

"It's...interactive." Selene said. Callisto walked to a chair and sat down in it. The chair immediately adjusted to her body. Juno's jaw dropped.

"No way." Juno said, shaking her head. Callisto shrugged her shoulders and smirked.

"I'm sitting in a comfy chair right now, aren't i?" Juno immediately ran over to a chair and plopped down into it. The chair instantly adjusted to her body as well.

"Oh my stars, it is an interactive hologram!" Juno said. She let out a happy squeal and fully slumped down in her chair.

"Oh comfy chairs, how I've missed you." Juno sighed, sinking even further down into her chair. Nova spun around.

"Oh my stars, you guys." She threw her arms out. "It's like.... someone packed home into a hologram and then imposed it over the gazebo." Nova said. Callisto raised an eyebrow.

"That's exactly what happened, Nova." Callisto said. The girls looked around the room to fully take in the transformation. The entire gazebo had been replaced by what appeared to be the inside of a Wish-House. Maia headed for the door.

"What are you doing?" Rhea asked.

"Checking something." Maia called back. She exited the gazebo and came back in a few minutes later.

"Looks like it's just the inside that got a facelift." Maia said. Lyra spotted a large white table in the center of the room. The table had a large star embedded in it's center. The star pulsed bright blue. The girls all looked at each other and then they all approached the table together as a group. The star burst to life, a bright blue light radiating upwards from it, projecting an image into the air. The girls all gasped, their hands flying to their mouths as their eyes welled with tears.

The image was of Lady Celeste. Their headmistress was every bit as lovely as the girls had remembered her. Lady Celeste's olive skin was every bit as sparkly and luminous as ever and her pink highlighted white hair gleamed ever so brightly. Even her clothes were neat and crisp; a long white gown with a purple-and-pink turtleneck corset that had a pink gem attached at the top and a glowing white cloak with gold trim. Lady Celeste's usually kind, open face was somber and her usually warm light grey eyes were solemn. The holo-vid began to play and the tears that had been welling up in Lyra, Maia, Rhea, Vela, Halo, Skye, Nova, Faye, Selene, Estella, Callisto and Juno's eyes fell as the voice of their beloved headmistress began to fill the room.

"My radiant Star Darlings, if you are seeing this holo-vid, then that means the worst has come to pass." Lady Celeste began. The girls' tears fell full force as they were once again reminded of That Day and it's horrors. Lady Celeste took a deep breath before continuing.

"Vis.... Vis has been taken over by the evil conqueror, Lady Adira. For quite some time, Positive Wish Energy levels on Vis have been dropping. The brightest minds on Vis had been trying to come up with a way to stop it. We were getting nowhere. Then, I had an idea. As you girls know, the highest levels of Wish Energy come from wishes granted by young Wishlings. I theorized that if wishes from young Wishlings were granted by young Visians, the resulting amount of Wish Energy would be astronomical. The plan was for Starling Academy Students to go down to Wishworld and test this theory."

The girls mouths all fell open in shock. Starling Academy students going down to Wishworld to grant wishes before graduating? It was unheard of! Even if Lady Celeste's theory had merit, someone would have had to sign off on it. Right? Was it President Andromeda Glint? Or was it their parents? Had the royal families of Vis signed off on this? Why didn't their parents tell them? Before the girls could really spiral into questioning, they tuned back into the holo-vid.

"I feared that the situation would worsen and that Lady Adira would begin her attack before I could begin to test my theory. So, I and a few trusted faculty members with the backing of the royal families and the help of Vis's top Wish Energy Scientists and Wish Granters headed down to Wishworld to scout out a location for a Wish-House in the event that the worst should happen." The girls all wiped at their eyes. The worst had happened. All of Vis had been overtaken. Lady Celeste took a deep breath.

"While the construction of the Wish-House was underway, I turned my attention to finding the best candidates to test my theory." A warm smile came over Lady Celeste's face. "My search led me to you girls.

"Selene Liara, Princess of Lunara." Selene stood up a little straighter and wiped her eyes.

"Skye Volill, Princess of Virga." Skye smiled tearfully.

"Juno Sabe, Princess of Solaris." It spoke volumes to Juno's current emotional state that all she could manage was a little wave.

"Vela Allana, Princess of Void." Vela smoothed down her hair as best she could while fighting back more tears.

"Callisto Azan, Princess of Stye." Callisto gave a short nod of acknowledgement, wiping away tears from her eyes.

"Estella Rosneath, Princess of Stellar." Estella pushed her glasses up her nose a little to wipe at her eyes before burying her face in Bitty's fur, soaking it in tears.

"Lyra Vorian, Princess of Cosmia." Lyra's hands were covering her mouth and nose as tears fell from her eyes in a steady flow.

"Rhea Najan, Princess of Gamma." Rhea buried her face in her hands to hide her tears.

"Faye Galdina, Princess of Quasar." Faye held a hand over her mouth as she cried.

"Halo Galzar, Princess of Aura." Halo stood still as a statue as tears silently streamed down her face.

"Maia Soala, Princess of Alea." Maia wiped at her face and turned her head away from the holo-vid as she tried get her emotions under control.

"And Nova Galdina, Princess of Quasar." Nova hid her face in Faye's side and hugged her sister tightly. Faye's arms wrapped around Nova and rubbed her back soothingly.

"You girls displayed amazing wish granting potential. I and a few trusted staff all began drawing up a lesson plan to teach you girls everything you would need to know to prepare you for Wishworld." The girls all nodded as they recalled the fateful message they had all received just weeks before That Day happened. Lady Celeste sighed and her face turned somber.

"I know that this is a massive weight to put on your young shoulders, but I believe that my theory could still work." The girls whirled around as a bright glow materialized behind them. Twelve bright Wish Orbs stood in front of the girls. The girls all stared in wide-eyed astonishment as the Orbs began to swarm around them.

"If you girls grant these twelve wishes, the resulting Wish Energy should be powerful enough to save Vis." Lady Celeste said. The girls looked at each other, wide-eyed. Could they do it? Lady Celeste opened her mouth as if to say something, but then thought better of it and closed her mouth. She sighed and then looked up, a warm smile coming over her face, though it looked fragile.

"I believe in you girls. Trust in yourselves and each other and your abilities, my Star Darlings. I believe that I will see you all again soon." The holo-vid stopped and then turned off. The girls stood there in numb shock, even as the hologram began to shut down, the Wish-House reverting back to its original state. The girls stood there in the gazebo in silence for several long minutes as they processed everything they had just learned.

Out of all the one thousand and eight hundred students Lady Celeste could have chosen, she had chosen them. They were the ones Lady Celeste had entrusted with this mission. The girls all looked at each other. They were all thinking the same thing. Lady Celeste had sent them down to Wishworld to grant wishes and gather up enough Positive Wish Energy to save it. The only question was: could they do it?

The girls stared at where the hologram of their headmistress had stood just moments before and wipes their faces as a new resolve came over them.

They had to. Their families, their kingdoms, their friends and all of Vis was counting on them. They knew what they needed to do. Grant the twelve wishes and gather up Positive Energy and then Vis would be saved.

"Girls, let's head home." Selene said, wiping away her tears. "We've got work to do." Together, the girls all filed out the gazebo. With one last look back at it, the girls all headed out the park.

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