Daiki smiled and squeezed Athena’s hand. “Thank you. I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you.”

    Aquila smirked. “We’ll get to that once we’re in Osaka. For now, you two need to get changed and grab your things. I think it’s time for us to go. I’ll leave the sword in the house – the village can figure out what to do with it.”

    Daiki and Athena went back into their bedroom. As Daiki was stripping off his tunic, Athena kissed him and said, “You don’t suppose they’ll wait a few minutes while we use the bed one last time, do you?”

    Daiki grinned and kissed her back. “I don’t think they will.”

    A few minutes later, dressed in the clothes of modern Japan and full packs on their back, they came out to find Aquila, Kasumi, and Cap exchanging bemused looks.

    “What?” Athena asked.

    Cap grinned and said, “Nothing.”

    “Last chance before we leave,” Aquila declared. “If you forgot something, this is the time to get it. We won’t be coming back.”

    Daiki and Athena glanced at each other and shrugged. “We’ve got everything,” Athena said.

    Aquila looked at Athena. “If there are any notes you want to leave, letting your family know where you went...”

    Athena gave her a sad smile. “My family was killed by the slavers. I’m not leaving anybody behind.”

    Aquila frowned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

    Athena nodded. “It’s okay.”

    “Right,” Aquila announced. “If I’m handling the travel, my method for transit between worlds requires physical contact with everybody who’s coming along. So, everybody hold hands!”

    Daiki took Cap and Athena’s hands, and then looked at Athena and smiled. And then they were somewhere else.

    They stood at the corner of a residential street. A couple of doors down was the house he had grown up in, just as he remembered it – pale brick on the ground floor, with white walls above. His parents’ green car sat in the driveway. He embraced Athena and closed his eyes, crying quietly. There could be no doubt about it – he was home. This was his Osaka.

    “How do I thank you?” he asked, looking at Aquila, Kasumi, and Cap and wiping the tears from his eyes. “How do I ever thank you?”

    “I take it we’re in the right place,” Cap said.

    Daiki nodded, more tears rolling down his cheek. “I thought I’d never...I...”

    “Your wedding,” Aquila stated.

    Daiki blinked. “What about it?”

    “We want in,” Aquila said, grinning. “We want to be there for it. And not just as guests – we want to help out.”

    “I want to design your wedding dress,” Kasumi said to Athena.

    “Oh yes, absolutely yes!” Athena said, embracing Kasumi and then Aquila. “And you’ll be my maid of honour, please!” she said to Aquila.

    Aquila nodded. “Of course. I’d be delighted.”

    Kasumi looked at Aquila and grinned. “You’ll look great in a bridesmaid dress.”

    Aquila went pale. “Dress? Um...I refuse. I’m not a dress-wearing person.”

    “You’ll look amazing,” Kasumi pressed.

    “No!” Aquila protested. “I won’t do it! I am a god of destruction on the battlefield! I could kill everybody in this city in the blink of an eye! I could–”

    “All of that’s true,” Kasumi said, taking Aquila by the arm and grinning. “And when we get back for the wedding, you’re going to be fitted for a bridesmaid dress.”

    Aquila looked around in desperation. “Cap! You can help me – you have laser eyes! Use your laser eyes to destroy all the dresses in Japan! I’ll make it worth it!”

    Cap chuckled and turned to Daiki. “Kind of reminds you of trying to give a cat a bath, doesn’t it?” he said as Athena laughed and joined in the fun.

    Daiki smiled and nodded. “Cap, there’s something I need to say before you leave.”

    “What is it?”

    “I know you’re not the Matthew Markham I fought beside back on the hub world,” Daiki said. “He died. I understand that. But, he seemed pretty happy. And...”

    “Daiki,” Cap said. “I’m fine. I’m plenty happy. I smile all the time.”

    “No you’re not,” Daiki stated. “I’ve never seen your smile reach your eyes. And one day I’d like to. I just wanted to say that...that I hope that you find your way back to being Matthew Markham again someday soon.”

    Cap nodded. “Thank you.”

    Daiki blinked. “Wait...are you staying?” he asked, looking at Cap, and then Aquila and Kasumi. “I mean, we have no way of reaching you if you leave.”

    “Right!” Aquila said. “I almost forgot. We drew you some phones.” She handed a smartphone to Athena, and then one to him. “We’ve all got one. And they work between worlds, so you can call us, or text us, or contact us whenever you like. The address books are already filled out. There’s even an app that will allow you to video chat with us...well, with everybody except for Cap.” She glared at him. “He insisted on having a flip phone.”

    “I like flip phones,” Cap stated. “They remind me of Star Trek.”

    “I still don’t know what that is,” Aquila retorted.

    “One moment,” Athena said. “That thing that happened to Daiki, where he disappeared – could that ever happen again?”

    Aquila shook her head. “Your creator is dead, and the story she told will be going out of print without ever being finished. The information stream is dormant, and will stay that way. Nobody can fall into it anymore. You’re both safe.” Then she smiled. “And now I think we’re the ones who are standing between you and your homecoming. So, we should be on our way, at least for a while. We’ll see you when it’s time to get ready for the wedding. Until then, enjoy your happy ending, both of you.” She looked at him. “This world has coffee, right?”

    Daiki nodded. “It’s pretty decent too.”

    “Good,” Aquila said as Kasumi and Cap said their farewells. “We’ll stop by a coffee shop then before we leave. I’ll get the kitchen to fill up the thermos to tide us over until we get back to that quiet life world.”

    “At least wash the thermos out first,” Kasumi said as they walked away down the street.

    “No,” Aquila said, shaking her head. “The old coffee will add extra flavour to the new coffee.”

    “That’s really not how it works.”

    Daiki looked at Athena and smiled. She took his hands and smiled back.

    “Last steps?” she said.

    “Last steps,” Daiki replied.

    Hand-in-hand, they walked up to the front door of the house. Daiki took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

    The door opened to reveal Daiki’s father.

    “You’re...you’re...” Daiki’s father stammered. “You...”

    “I’m home,” Daiki said, embracing him. From the corner of his eye, he saw his mother stop in the hallway and stare in shock.

    “We were so worried,” his father said. “You just disappeared. And the police couldn’t do anything, there was just no trace, and...”

    Daiki nodded. “I know. As hard as it is to believe, I was summoned to another world to be their hero.”

    His father blinked. “What, like in all those isekai animes?”  His gaze fell on Athena and his eyes widened. “She’s got a–”

    “This is my fiancee, Athena,” Daiki said. “I wouldn’t have made it without her.”

    Athena bowed. “It is an honour to meet you.”

    “I know it’s a lot to take in at once,” Daiki said.

    Daiki’s father stared at her. “The ears and tail are interesting.”

    Athena blushed.

    “Will you let them come in and sit down?” Daiki’s mother demanded. She came up to Athena and took her by the hand, leading her into the living room. “Welcome to the family. I want to hear everything about you.”

    Daiki followed, sitting on the couch beside Athena.

    “Another world,” his father said, joining his mother in sitting down on the couch across from them. “What happened? How...what...”

    “It’s a long story,” Daiki said, and then smiled. “And we’ve got all the time in the world to tell it.”

NEXT: “Epilogue”