“One plate, two plates...” Kanzashi, not realizing that their route had completely avoided her, sat alone counting plates.
✦ ✦ ✦
It was evening. Ichika and Cecilia looked down from a Ferris wheel as the orange rays of sunset washed over the amusement park, alone together in a small cabin. It was only natural that, so close together, their thoughts would turn to each other.
“Such a beautiful view,” Cecilia sighed, looking every bit the proper young lady.
“Yeah...”
She frowned at Ichika’s fascination with the scenery and muttered, “You were supposed to say something like ‘not as beautiful as you,’ you know.”
“Huh?”
“Oh, nothing!”
As Cecilia pouted and turned away, Ichika reached out a hand and cupped her cheek.
“Don’t frown like that. You’re beautiful too, Cecilia.”
“...Ah?” It was like she’d always dreamed. She hesitated, barely believing her ears. “What did you just...”
Ichika pulled back his hand and smiled.
“Oh, nothing.” The gentle teasing sent Cecilia’s heart aflutter as her face flushed red. Shyly, awkwardly, embarrassedly, angrily yet joyfully, she let her emotions swell over her.
“Er, Ichika... I... I—”
Just as she was about to finally put into words what she’d been feeling over the past year, a blaze of light streaked by the window.
“......?!”
A hail of laser fire fell from the sky, setting the amusement park ablaze. It was more powerful than any IS was capable of, and crimson flames shot up around them as the fire began to spread.
“Cecilia!”
“On it!”
No more than half a breath later, their IS’ were opened and they were helping rescue the confused park attendees.
“Stay calm! Don’t panic! Stay with your families!” The attack was over, but the fire was still spreading. A young girl, separated from her family, cried. “Mommy, Daddy, where are you? Wahhhhhh!”
Something about the girl reminded Cecilia of who she once was, and she swooped down, closing her IS as she took the girl in her arms and said, “Don’t worry. It’s okay. Your mommy and daddy are all right.”
The kindness of her smile was enough to calm the girl.
Half an hour later, the fire department finally arrived.
“Cecilia, are you okay?!”
“Ichika. I’m fine, but this girl was separated from her parents.” As she spoke, Cecilia brushed away the girl’s tears.
Ichika crouched down in front of the girl and looked her straight in the eye.
“What’s your name? I’ll help find your mom and dad,” he said to the girl.
“O-Okay... Ah!”
Even before Ichika could get an answer, her parents approached, drawn by the sound of her voice.
“Thank you so much. We don’t know if we could have gone on living without her.” The gratitude of her parents, in turn, took some of the tension from Ichika and Cecilia. At least things had turned out okay. That much was a relief. And as they did, a completely unexpected visitor arrived.
“So there you are, madam.”
“Er... Chelsea? Why are you here? I’d thought I’d left you a list of things to do in England.”
Chelsea’s head dipped sorrowfully, but her words were as cold as ice.
“I’ve come for you, madam. ...No. Cecilia Alcott.” A swelling of light formed around her.
“An IS?!”
And from the light, she emerged in BT Unit 03, Dive To Blue.
“Let us meet in England. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” In an instant, she disappeared into the heavens. It was Dive In Blue’s one-off ability In The Blue, but there was no reason for Ichika or Cecilia to know that.
“What the heck is going on?”
Cecilia, at a loss for words, trembled, her face ghostly pale. All Ichika could do was wrap an arm around her.