The ruins of the burnt Garden were as desolate today as when she had seen them three days ago. Kirche thought. Looking over the debris, she still thought her first guess had been accurate. It would have taken a skilful mage to do this with fire, it just turned out it hadn't taken a skilful fire mage. Well, two out of three wasn't bad, even though it had nearly been fatal.

"Are you going to stand around, or are you going to help." Louise asked with a note of annoyance.

Kirche glanced over and smirked. "Ah, but I love seeing a Valliere down in the mud where she belongs."

Louise gave her an insulted look. "I'm not working in the mud. I'm being diplomatic!" The young Valliere declared.

"Right." Kirche said. "You be diplomatic in the mud." She raised her hands defensively. "No, seriously. You already know how awful I am at this. If this is diplomacy, I'd probably start a war . . . Again! Don't give me that look!" Conceding her weakness as a gardener seemed to placate the fiery Valliere and she turned back to her gardening.

Louise wasn't the only one. At her side worked Tabitha, the small Gallian mage wearing a handkerchief atop her head to shield herself from the sun, and Leafa who had borrowed some work clothing and gloves from one of the Villagers. Yui and Silica sat opposite them, carefully planting the flowers and herbs that were to be transplanted from the Count's garden. Even Silica's familiar was helping, using her clawed arms to dig up holes for her master to place seedlings.

Since morning, they had managed to clear the ash and scorched topsoil in a circular area about ten miles across. It wasn't much to show for their labor, but they weren't the only ones in the clearing. Dozens of Pixies were present, planting seeds or drifting through the air in the company of their Willow Wasps. Their vibrant dresses giving the Little Sisters the impression of autumn leaves swirling through the air. Over two dozen villagers, concerned adults and curious children, had found time to answer the Count's request. The idea was the product of the talks between Hinagiku and the Count.

For the time being, only a handful of people knew the location of the Pixie Garden. And though the Pixies were willing to trust these people, the Elder Sisters were not yet ready to allow the secret of the Garden's location to spread further. They understood that the Villagers of Tarbes meant them no ill, but that there were also people many people who would do them harm. It was thus decided that the location of the Pixie Garden should remain a secret, shared only with the humans who had witnessed it for themselves.

As a show of good faith, it had been agreed by both the Count and the Pixies that an effort would be made to restore the burned Garden. The whole affair seemed rather morbid to Kirche, this was the sight of a slaughter. But the Pixies didn't seem to think of it that way. To them, the longer this place remained dead, the longer it would take to heal. Of course, it wasn't as simple as transplanting Yggdrasil Blossoms from the thriving Garden to this one. The seeds of the Yggdrasil Blossoms would only sprout within an already thriving garden. It would be many years before this place was healed enough to once more bear new Little Sisters of its own. Until then, the Pixies would have to tend to it constantly.

In the mean time, the Burnt Garden would become a symbol of good faith between the Pixies and the Villagers and a place where both parties could meet without revealing the location of the intact Garden.

"Please be careful with that one Olive, be careful!" The Count said. Crouching down in the dirt near Louise, the Count admonished the young Pixie as she attempted to extract a seedling from its pot by the thin sprout poking up through the soil. It seemed not even Little Sister was a green thumb.

"Olive, look! Do it like this!" Olive's sister, Lily showed as she scooped up the seedling carefully before looking up to her 'Elder Sister' Euphrasie.

"That's exactly right dear." Florine said encouragingly.

"Oy." Klein called as he touched down heavily. "You know, I think this has just about killed any desire I have to learn to equip heavy armor."

Kirche gave the Salamander an amused grin. "Is that so?" She teased, "You know, it would be quite the shame Klein darling. A little more muscle would make you quite the catch." Kirche winked and laughed inwardly at the way the Salamander paled. Virgin. She thought, she could always tell. Not that it was a problem. She toyed idly with the idea of actually getting serious with him. And really, why not? Finding a decent man, of any species, was hard enough. It might just be enough of a scandal to finally silence her family.

"Well anyways." Klein said quickly. "This is the last load." Upon the Salamanders back was wooden crate stacked full of paving bricks. A path had been planned so that humans could travel through the new Garden without damaging the Pixie's fragile flowers and herbs. It would also allow the humans to help tend to the Garden while it grew until it began to bear its own Pixies to care for it.

"Put them over here!" KoKo called from where she stood, helping Antoine and one of the Villagers, a man named Gavin, to lay down gravel along the planned route of the footpath.

Klein looked around as he set his load down. "Aren't we a few heads short. Where's Little Big Sis and Inch High?"

"I don't think they like you calling them that." KoKo observed, "Anyways, Hina and Botan will be here soon, Kigiku says they're bringing a special guest."

The promised arrival came only a few minutes later, a trio of Willow Wasps flying in the company of a black feathered dragon. Kirche squinted, had they found the crazy Pixie girl or was this a different one?

The mages and Faeries gathered round as Hinagiku and Botan dismounted from the dragon and Kigiku hopped down from her wasp. Kirche leaned a bit to the side, noticing an even smaller figure hiding behind the diminutive Shaman.

"Arthur-san." Hinagiku greeted the Count warmly.

"Hina." The Count smiled as he kneeled down and offered the Pixie his hand. "And who is this?"

Slowly, the figure stepped out from behind Hinagiku, the tiniest Pixie yet. The girl was dressed in a milky white gown and clung to the Shaman's arm. She looked to the Shaman who gave her a reassuring nod.

"H-hello everyone." The girl curtsied. "My name is Shion." The girl stopped looked around and stared up at the Count. Kirche squinted, was she blushing?

The Count exchanged a look with Hinagiku. "So this is who you wanted us to meet?"

"Yes." Hinagiku said, the Shaman's expression grew pained. "She is . . . The last Little Sister born in this Garden."

Kirche didn't miss the way that Yui tilted her head, or the way that the girl's eyes widened.

"I see." The Count said softly before smiling to Shion. "Hello Shion, my name is Arthur. It's a pleasure to meet you. So, what do you think?" The Count gestured to the rest of the clearing.

Shion looked about, bewildered by the activity all around her. "Uhm . . . What . . . What is all of this?"

"The humans are helping us to heal this Garden." Hinagiku explained to Shion. "It was a human that destroyed it, so the humans want to make right what was done." The girl looked uncertain at this, looking up at the humans.

The Count nodded solemnly. "What Hinagiku says is true. Some humans can be horrible Monsters, even as they are our good friends." The count reached into his shirt pocket to retrieve a small, round seed. "But most of us want to be good. Here, as the last child of this Garden, I think you should be the one to plant this."

Shion's eyes went round as she accepted the seed, bashfully, holding it close to herself in both arms. "What is it?" She asked.

The Count smiled. "It's a seed from a tree that grows in my garden."

"Humans have Gardens?" Shion asked with child like curiosity.

The Count nodded, "Yes, but it's not nearly as beautiful as the Pixie Gardens."

Shion looked down at the seed in her arms, biting her lip. "It's small . . . Like me." The girl observed.

Chuckling the Count nodded. "That it is, that it is. But keep in mind Shion, it's not what it is, it's what it will become." The Count carefully poked the girl's cheek. "By the time this tree is fully grown, this Garden will be full of Pixies once more. Until then, it will be a promise of that day."

The Pixie girl looked up at the count and nodded as she had just been told some great piece of wisdom. A moment later, she jumped back, startled as the four Tarbes Pixies flitted down to introduce themselves. Shion shied away, holding the seed like it was the most precious thing in the world.

"There's not need to be so nervous, Shion." Hinagiku said gently. "These are your Sisters, they are also from this Garden."

"That's right!" Celandine said, standing arms crossed in front of her sisters. "We're really happy to meet you Shion.

Keeping her arms around the Seed, Shion leaned forward and sniffed delicately at the air, then mellowed as she confirmed the identity of the other Pixies for herself. "I'm happy to meet you too." Her smiled widened. "Sisters!"

"Can we help you plant the seed?" Olive asked, "Please!" Shion looked thoughtful.

"You'll just kill it." Iris said flatly. "You just kill everything." Shion's eyes went wide and she backed away, shielding the seed with her body.

"No I don't!" Olive shouted at her sister before crossing her own arms. "Besides, Lily is really good with plants, so she can show me exactly what to do!"

Eventually the Tarbes Pixies convinced Shion that they wouldn't hurt the seedling and together flitted off towards the heart of the garden where the tree was to be planted at a fork in the footpath.

"She's a pretty cute kid." Kirche confessed.

"Hinagiku-san?" Yui asked cautiously. "That girl's . . . She's Sayuri-san . . . Isn't she?" For most of the Fae and Mages the name was only a name, but Kirche, the Count, and Euphrasie all responded with surprise.

Kirche felt her brows rise. "Wait, that was the crazy Pixie that wanted to execute us?" Try as she may, Kirche couldn't match that sweet little girl with the murderous Knight. "What happened to her?"

Hinagiku smiled sadly. "I cannot be certain. When we find Sayuri . . . When we found Shion . . . She was like this, returned to the form of a Little Sister. I think it may be because of how she was born. It it not natural for a Little Sister to be born a Knight. Perhaps her sickness was because she was holding this at bay to protect the Garden."

"She seems completely different now." Kirche said. "Has she forgotten everything?"

Hinagiku looked uncertain. "Some things. She remembers bits and pieces, some of her Sisters, and also some of the things she did as . . . as Sayuri. But, I think when she reverted, she lost the knowledge to place many of her memories context." The shaman observed from a distance as Shion interacted with her sisters. Olive had made Lily cry, again, and Shion had put herself between the two girls. Despite being barely half Olive's size, Shion stood on her tip toes, waving her arms and wings angrily as she accused Olive of being mean to her sister. The display brought a tired smile to Hinagiku's face. "Truthfully, she knows even less than a normal Little Sister. There are things she has to struggle to explain because she doesn't have the words. She has trouble flying. And she has such terrible nightmares. She needs much more attention than a normal newborn."

"She's like a human child." Yui explained to Hinagiku. "Human's aren't born with any knowledge, so there are extra things she'll have to learn that the other Little Sisters already know. Her cognitive development may also have been set back so she may not be able to behave herself properly just yet.

"She does have trouble listening." Hinagiku agreed. "Which is why I've decided to care for her personally. Even so . . . I think Shion is very blessed to have this second chance. She's such a warm Little Sister and even the other Little Sisters dote on her. I'm worried she'll be spoiled if this keeps up!" Hinagiku nodded to herself, "This is for the best I think. That only leaves one other matter to settle everything." Hinagiku drifted to Louise. "Louise-san, have you come to a decision?"

"A decision?" Kirche asked, "Have you been holding out on us?"

Louise scowled. "It's nothing like that. And to answer your question, Miss Hinagiku, I haven't had a chance to speak with my Mother or Father, but I would be happy to take Botan with me to speak with them."

"Botan?" Yui looked to the Vespid Knight who nodded back seriously.

"It's an important mission." Botan explained as she rested a hand on her needle sword. "There are still other Sisters from Sayuri-sama's garden. Isn't that right, Arthur-san?"

The Count nodded, the happiness from the moment before leaving him. "Y-yes. Yes, that's quite right. Fernand mentioned them. He said . . . He said they were taken to the Capital to be sold." The Count's expression darkened. "And also, I found a letter back from his anonymous buyers. They say that they are interested in acquiring more specimens."

Kirche made a disgusted look. There were a lot of things that mages might want specimens of a new magical species for. Not many of them were good.

"You're going to help them, right Arthur?" Euphrasie tugged at the Count's arm.

"I-I will try." The Count said slowly. "The Pixies don't have any legal protection from exploitation."

"We're going to have to change that." KoKo said flatly. Kirche found the conviction in the Faerie woman's voice quite impressive.

"Yes." The Count agreed. "And I will support whatever measures are decided on. But first we must find the stolen Pixies. For now at least I can demand their return. As game from my lands, they were unlawfully poached."

"The letter that the Count found gives us a lead." Louise said. "But we'll have to investigate further ourselves."

"So you'll be coming with us, Botan?" Yui asked. The small knight gave another nod. "Yes, someone from the Garden must go and try to bring back Sayuri's . . . Shion's lost sisters." The Knight settled into Yui hands and bowed politely. "Truthfully, I'm much too young to lead the Knights. Kigiku is a much better leader than me. And also . . . I am curious." Botan confessed. "I thought that humans were just beings that wanted to hurt us. But that's not the whole truth. I'd like to see and learn more, so that when I return to the Garden I can help my Sisters to avoid a tragedy like this ever happening again."

Everyone turned back watch as the Shion carefully placed the seed into the earth and began to reverently cover it in a light layer of soil. Celandine and Olive carefully pressed a wooden take into the ground to make the seed's location.

"I've been meaning to ask." KoKo spoke up. "Arthur-san . . . Where did that tree in your garden come from?"

"The Sakura tree?" The Count asked, seemingly pleased to discuss his flowers. Every one of the Fae stiffened. "It was a gift given to my mother as a seedling when I was born by a man who had settled in Tarbes. He was a peculiar fellow, him and his friend, but I recall he was hard worker, and well liked. I believe he passed away just last year. The tree in my garden is actually one of ten scattered across Tarbes, seeds that he brought from his homeland.

"And where did he say his homeland was?" KoKo asked carefully, Kirche looked around, the Fae seemed to be leaning in, all intent on hearing the answer.

"Why, that is the most peculiar thing, both he and his friend claimed that they were from another world entirely." The Count said. "I confess I've always thought it a ridiculous notion." The man looked thoughtful. "Though perhaps, not as ridiculous as I had thought. In any case, they simply appeared in Tarbes one day, along with the strangest contraption. They claimed it was an airship. But they were never able to make it fly. Still, some of the Villagers believed them and they ingratiated themselves so well that it was enshrined as a sacred artifact . . . Is something wrong?"

"Arthur-san." KoKo's ears were twitching furiously as if her mind was in overdrive. "What were the names of these men, if you don't mind."

The Count seemed to have to struggle to recall. "They were quite peculiar names, I'm afraid it's been quite a long time. But I believe the man who gave my mother the seedling was named Iwatani and his friend was named Ogawa. He said that they were soldiers of some sort and that he carried the seeds as good luck."

The Fae were all looked at one another now. "Arthur. This sacred artifact." KoKo said. "May we see it?"

"This is it?" Klein asked as he starred at the object that occupied that simple wooden shrine. The building itself wasn't all that impressive save for its size. But it had to be to hold the contents.

"Yes, this is my uncle's and father's sacred artifact." Roseau said with a hint of pride. "They had a name for it, but over time it's just come to be called the Dragonfly's Vestment. Nobody has ever seen it fly of course. Father always said that it wasn't broke, just out of energy, but it can't be charged like a Windstone. Some magic of his homeland I suppose."

"I hate to break this to you, but this thing isn't magic." Klein said as he walked closer to get a better view. "But believe me, it does fly."

"Really?" Roseau sounded quite interested. "Then do you have airships like this in your homeland."

"You could say that." Klein placed a hand on the smooth metal of the fuselage.

Leafa followed suits circling around the opposite side of the Dragonfly's Vestment until she came to stand before the open doors of a wide compartment that took up most of the insectile craft's interior.

"Klein?" Leafa said. Behind Leafa, KoKo held Silica close while she mouthed something to herself.

"Yeah, I know." The Salamander took a breath. This thing was unmistakeable, pretty much anyone who'd ever seen a war movie would know what it was, Klein more than most. Hell, he'd had the plastic Tamiya model on his desk as a kid, thought he'd never quite been able to get the rotors to sit straight no matter what he did.

"So this thing can really fly?" Louise asked as she walked up and lightly kicked the fuselage with her shoe. "Without magic? Impossible! It doesn't even have proper wings!"

This sentiment was shared by Kirche and even Tabitha, or maybe the Gallian girl just wanted to go back to sleep, Klein could never tell.

"Oh, believe me, this baby can fly." Klein placed a hand on the hull. "It can fly so well, the guys who built it made thousands of them."

"Thousands?" Louise said in disbelief.

"Man, it looks like it's in great shape too." Klein observed.

Roseau nodded, "A spell of preservation. Father thought it would be a waste to just let it rot away. He and uncle brought the village a good deal of prosperity, so nobody complained about their strange obsessions."

"Well, I can tell you this, it wasn't a strange obsession." Klein said. "And this thing isn't called the Dragonfly's Vestment."

"Oh?" The Village Chief asked. "Then what is it."

Thinking back, Klein could just imagine the box art of the Tamiya kit he had bought as a kid. How old had he been? Ten? Yeah, just before he'd fallen in love with video games. "It's called, an Iroquois."