Elffire City Interstate Train Station, Sakura Abode Country.
Sunday, 4 PM.
After a breezy three-hour train ride—during which Max had somehow lost at cards seven times in a row—Theo and his friends finally rolled back into their home city. A few things had changed along the way.
For one, Kaori had hopped off at an earlier stop to catch her connection to Sakura City. Vacation time waits for no CEO, apparently, and her massive company wasn't going to run itself. There had been hugs, a few dramatic promises to text immediately, and Ayia had clung to her sister like a koala for a solid thirty seconds before Shizuka gently pried her off. Goodbyes were rough, but everyone understood.
