Reina hummed happily as she skipped down the hallways. She felt all giddy inside.

She was finally back here! Reina twirled around, sighing. It had been so long, she’d almost forgotten what this place looked like! Luckily, she could never truly forget this place.

Reina tilted her head as she remembered her meeting with Veriy and Wynn. It had been so good to see them again! But they looked less than happy.

This thought froze her in place. Could it be they were mad at her? What had she done?

Maybe they realized she hadn’t been keeping up with her studies? It had just been so boring!

Or perhaps it was because of her secret business? No way! They had helped her, after all.

Then could it be-

“Ow!”

Reina rubbed her forehead and pouted at the offending object; an oak door. Her face brightened when she realized just exactly what door it was.

“Xia!” she cried exuberantly and headed right in.

Reina gazed at the room in wonder. It was a simple curvature room, with silver walls. There was an huge round window on the roof, just the perfect place for moonlight to stream in. Gentle waterfalls tricked down the side of the walls and into a miniature moat around the place.

There were two rooms; the lab, where Xia did all her work, and her private bed chambers. Her bed was nothing but a mess of blankest and pillows hanging in a huge basket, and she loved it! Her labs was more confusing to Reina, because she never found any of the vails and telescopes the scientists on TV had, but she trusted Xia!

“Xia! Xia! Are you here?” Reina asked. When nobody answered, she decided to wander into the bed room.

“Xia won’t care if I go into her bed, right?” She took a moment to ponder this, tapping her chin. A distant memory of Xia yelling at her for doing just that entered her brain, but she quickly shoved it out of her mind.

Reina slapped her thighs. “Nope! She won't care!”

She waltzed right on in, lightly tapping the wind chime and giggling at the noise it gave. Reina immediately toppled onto the bed, snuggling in deep

“I wonder when she’s coming?” Reina wondered.

After several minutes, Reina quickly became bored and impatient. “Uh! This is boring. Boooring!”

She rolled off the bed and began filling through the bookshelves for something fun to read. “Come on, there’s got to be something here. Nope. Nu-huh. Disgusting. Too many big words.”

Reina tossed all the books aside and decided to head to the kitchen. Once she was there, her eyes grew in size and glimmered.

“MACARON!”

Drooling, she zoomed over to the platter of macaroons and began shoving them in her mouth. She moaned in ecstasy. “Sooo good.”

They dissipated down her gullet with seconds and as she reached for the last one, a string wrapped around her wrist. “What the-?”

The string gave a sharp tug and retracted upward into the sky, bringing Reina with it.

“No! I don’t like this! HELP!!”

Reina dangled in midair, feeling like a piñata. “I swear to all holy celestial objects that I won’t hurt any piñatas anymore! I swear! I know this is my punishment for all those poor piñatas, and I’m sorry! Please don’t kill me!”

“Ah! Caught you!”

Reina stopped struggling as the familiar voice reached her ear. “Xia!” She made an effort to turn around her friend. “How’ve you been?”

Xia, an 21 year old that acted more child than adult, with pink hair and tanned skin, was gazing at her like she was an angel descended from the heavens.

“Reina?” Her voice cracked.

Reina’s eyes widened. Shoot! Was Xia mad as well?

She chuckled awkwardly. “This isn’t what it looks like?”