I pushed through the crowd at the exit, ignoring my teammate's questioning looks. When I got in, I didn't care about being separated from my companions or being pushed around by people squeezing forward.

"Where's the princess?" A person whispered from behind me.

"Is that really her carriage?" Another said aloud to my left.

"Are you sure the princess is inside?" Someone up ahead asked.

I struggled through the crowd, only thinking about what everybody was talking about. Princess? That has to be my sister, right? Would we really be able to meet this quickly and easily? If only I could get through all these people! Would I get out in time?

Just as that last thought went through my head, I reached the edge of the sea of bodies. However, I wasn't able to catch my breath, as a glass railing blocked me from heading out into the wide, empty road in front of me. I was gazing to both sides of the road, leaning over the railing, when I was pushed back into the crowd behind me.

"Stay off the railing! Do not head onto the streets!" The officer who had shoved me was now back to yelling orders to the civilians. He wore a sleek suit made of shining metal with a gold finish and a blue material between gaps at the joints. The color palette of this officer's outfit reminded me of those guards we had met at the gates of the "reserve," but I could tell this new armor offered much better protection and flexibility.

As I turned away from the officer, a person cried out to my right. "She just lifted the curtains! Her Highness just lifted the curtains!"

I quickly started pushing my way at the edge of the crowd in that direction. With my shorter stature, I still couldn't see the carriage in sight. I had to go find it. Slowly, I pushed back one person, two people, three people. I kept trying to look over the edge of the railings without leaning over, but everybody was doing the same. I couldn't manage even a glimpse.

Then, it appeared.

The people around me quieted into only whispers and stopped pushing around to gaze at the sight. It was as if a spell had come over everybody.

I saw the horses first. They were white, majestic stallions held together by elegant blue harnesses with shining gold for the metal parts. I didn't feel any wind here in the crowd, but their cream-colored manes flowed smoothly in the air as if they were strolling through a breeze.

As the horses walked down the street, their feet clicking in a musical pattern on the ground, an elegantly decorated carriage slowly revealed itself behind them. Pulled by the steeds, the carriage rolled smoothly down the paved road. The body of the carriage was painted a vibrant blue and was covered in golden curves. The golden lines blossomed into painted flowers at the tips, showing the amount of detail and hard work put into designing the coach.

My eyes quickly landed on the window of the carriage, and behind, I saw that the curtains had been lifted just as that person had yelled out earlier. Through the glassless window, I girl was waving at the crowd, which erupted in cheers. I held my eyes on the princess's brilliant smiling face, but it was only for a moment, as she sent her last wave and let the curtains fall, hiding the girl once again.

Steadily, the coach strolled off to the left and disappeared behind the crowd again. I stood back and sighed. How was I supposed to meet with her if those guards didn't let me? She's a princess! Maybe I can go request a meeting?

Suddenly, before I could figure out a plan, A hand grabbed mine and pulled me back into the crowd. "Why did you run off like that, Day? We had to look everywhere for you!" The owner of the hand was Ari. His two swords seemed to gather many odd glances from the surrounding people, but nobody seemed to be afraid.

Behind Ari stood Abby, who was also irritated, and Em, who looked worried. They turned around to push out of the crowd, and I followed as Ari forcefully pulled me along.

When we finally got out, Ari released my arm. "So, are you gonna explain yourself?" Abby asked me. She had her arms crossed and her feet were tapping on the ground impatiently.

"I just… The princess just came by, right?"

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"Okay, well that isn't a valid excuse to get separated from us, you got that? We were lucky you didn't go out too far in that crowd."

"By the way, do you know where that carriage is heading to?" I didn't care about being separated from these people. We'd eventually leave to go our separate ways, right? Meeting with my sister was more important here.

Abby instinctively answered my question. "Based on their route, the princess is going back to the palace," she told me as she raised her hand up, giving me a direction. Only then did she come to the realization. "But that isn't important now! Just don't go off on your own again, alright?!"

It was too late. I had already set my eyes on the building she was pointing at, and I took off running behind the crowd. I had to stay ahead of that carriage in order to see who the princess really was.

"Hey, wait! Day! Why the hell you so infatuated with the princess that much!?" Abby yelled at me as she ran with the others after me.

I didn't look back at them, though. As I ran, I was captivated by my surroundings after I around for the first time.

Around me seemed to be a medieval city instead of the tall skyscrapers I had seen from outside the town. The buildings around us were either made of wood and covered with a straw roof, or built entirely out of stone bricks.

The place Abby had pointed to earlier, the palace, was an enormous manor at the center of this castle. The tip of pointy, cone roofs held large blue flags, reminding me of the Disney World building. Was this really closer to the center of the city? Or had we teleported somewhere completely different? No, that couldn't be true. This was where the palace was, and where the princess was returning. If that were the case, the only place we could be was inside that large structure at the center of the city.

I turned around and looked behind me. I was right. At the end of the road stood a thick wall, and behind that wall a few peaks of the skyscrapers were visible. Why was this medieval town inside such a large city with enough technology to build towers that pierced the heavens?

However, after I finished gazing over the walls of the castle, my eyes shifted back down to my companions, who were still chasing after me. When Abby saw me look in their direction, she called out again.

"Day! We have other stuff to do too! Why are you so set on going to the palace!?"

I turned my head back forward, ignoring her. I had slowed my temporal speed, so they were having a hard time following me. But once again, my teammates tried distracting me. This time Ari raised his voice over the crowd.

"Seriously, Day! Just how long are you gonna run for!? I'm getting tired!"

"Yeah, Day! Em here can't run that far! You know that, right!?"

Abby's statement made me turn my head around and returned to a normal pace. When I realized I had fallen for her trick, it was already too late. She sped up significantly, and before I could react, she knocked me over onto the ground.

I tried to push myself up, but she was putting her entire weight on me, preventing me from doing so. Reluctantly, I admitted defeat and loosened my muscles.

"I keep telling you to stop and wait for us! We'll go there with you, okay?"

"Yeah…" Em agreed with Abby. "Abby said we don't need to run to get there as fast as Her Highness' carriage."

Abby released her hold, allowing me to stand back up.

"What Em's saying is true. Just look at where the carriage is now."

I took a few peeks over the crowd, and just as she said, the carriage was already pretty far behind us. I gave in and walked along with the group again.

As we continued to ease our way through the crowd, we came closer and closer to the looming palace. I became more and more hopeful of seeing the princess—my long-lost sister—step out of the carriage.

When we stepped out of the road and into a large plaza, the palace gates were only on the other side. The glass railings cut through the plaza from the road to the gates, giving a large, empty path for the carriage to stroll through.

I hurriedly pushed through the crowded court and to those gates. To my dismay, we weren't allowed anywhere further into the palace. However, my hope raised again when I saw the carriage enter from the other end of the court. The crowd cheered and I looked tensely as the horses pulled the coach across the plaza.

Although I could still see the vehicle behind the iron bars of the fencing, I pushed my way through the crowd to get closer, ignoring the calls of my friends again. I had to get to my sister before she went inside. Who knew if I would have another chance to meet her? When I reached the edge of the crowd, though, I was stopped by another officer.

"Sorry, I cannot allow you to go any further than this. Please watch from where you are."

I was disappointed, but that soon washed away when a quick hush went through the crowd. Behind me, my companions emerged from the mob and squeezed in beside me. We gazed at the carriage as the door swung open.

First, a thin leg stepped out. Then, to my surprise, the body of a girl who looked no older than twelve or thirteen followed. She had light blonde hair that was tied into pigtails. On her body, she wore a short white dress which stopped short at her knees. How did such a small child have such a large following?

When the princess stepped onto the ground, she turned and waved. In response, her followers cheered even louder. I didn't even bother to hold my hands up to my ears to block the sound, because I was captivated by the cheerful little girl behind the fences of the palace. Was that really my sister? Was she really twelve years old now? How could I reunite with her?

I leaned onto the railing, but the guard nudged me back. I could only watch as the girl gracefully walked up the stairs to the doors of the manor.

"W—what is her name…?" I asked.

Abby took a closer look at the princess. "Alexis. That's her name."