Backdated to August 1st

“Come on Willie, we can go from the field … we won't be here long enough for anyone to notice us and we are so far out from the city,” Eliza called, making her way to the cornfield on Adam's property.

William wasn’t so sure he wanted to power up so close to home, even if he did understand that they would be spending the evening in space. He followed behind Eliza away though because at least it was the cornfield and he was more curious about her wonder and the surroundings.

Eliza stopped and grinned at Willie powering up and motioning for him to do so as well before grabbing his hand excitedly and looking up at the sky. She loved her wonder and the Surrounding even despite everything that happened to set her on this journey in the first place. She recited her oath, nearly bouncing on her heel ready to just be up there and show Willie around. She didn't get to do this often.

Neckar was surprised, even though he was expecting, to be standing in a courtyard.

It was surrounded by a lofty stone wall with what appeared to be some sort of gate at the entrance. There wasn’t much in the way of greenery. Trees and bushes strategically placed for aesthetics to beautify the courtyard.

Neckar assumed more than anything, but also maybe oxygen. He wasn't sure how that was incorporated where magic was concerned.

Pharos tugged on Neckars hand lightly bringing him back to the here and now. She gave him a bright smile, “it's nice isn't it. We are currently in the courtyard, people liked to rest here when they passed through the Surrounding. The light from the lighthouse often meant this was the first place travelers landed. It helped guide travelers mostly to the surroundings. It's hard to get lost in space with a big sweeping light, right? Also the lighthouse could let us see if someone was approaching.” The lighthouse was very functional, as most lighthouses were, but also it made her want to visit more wonders to see just how they worked.

She pointed out stone benches for people to sit on, placed under trees around the courtyard and there was ample space to just roam around. Neckar was sure the space could easily accommodate a couple thousand people. “Come on, I want to show you the knight's quarters. Most knights lived here and were always here to great visitors and the lighthouse served as a first defense to the surrounding, as it was hard not to get caught in the light.”

Neckar looked up and nodded, “that really amazing. I never imagined the history of all this. Its hard to imagine that space was inhabited when earth’s history doesn't remember it. It’s crazy and almost unbelievable except it's right in front of my face.”

“I bet your world is rich with history, when you go, you will see. Every world is different, so different from Earth. I've been to Mars. There is a huge Roman colosseum. Anyway,” Pharos said, opening the door to the knights quarters in the back, built into the back wall.

Hadrian seemed to appear beside Pharos and frowned at her. “Who is this? You've never showed off the knight's quarters before … they aren't exactly a site to behold, so unlike the inner workings of the lighthouse.”

Pharos jumped slightly and looked to the man that stood beside her. It was rare for her to see Hadrian. He was less than interested in Pharos and a little haughty and disapproving. His tone often held an air of superiority. Pharos shrugged, “Neckar is my best friend.”

Neckar looked at Pharos with a confused look wondering what she was looking at and who she was talking to. “Pharos there’s no one there.”

Pharos turned, “oh I didn't realize you wouldn't be able to see him. He’s the last Pharos and he’s kind of stuck here.”

Neckar’s eyes went wide, “like a ghost?!? A real ghost!” He was brimming with excitement.

Pharos laughed, “yes, I suppose so. He just kind of shows up every so often, I haven't seen him in a bit. Just asking you why I’m showing you the knight quarters. Says you're special and of course you are, you're my best friend.”

Neckar flushed before giving a chuckle and ruffling Pharos’ head. “Yup Tink.”

Pharos laughed and stuck her tongue out at Neckar as she adjusted her headdress. “Anywho,” she said, very aware of the fact that her ancestor decided to stick around following her, “this is the entry way, if you go to the right you’ll find a library, an office, and a bedroom. To the left is a kitchen, dining area and a bathroom. I cleaned it up a bit, but I don’t spend much time here. I can’t read most of the books in the library. They have symbols in them I have never seen before.”

Hadrian rolled his eyes, “they are gifts from travelers. Some are written in whatever language of the world they came from. That should be obvious from the lighthouse.”

Pharos looked at Hadrian and nodded, “I figured as much, but I wasn’t too worried about it.”

Neckar gave a chuckle, “I have to admit, it's weird to see you talk to the air.”

Hadrian rolled his eyes again, allowing Neckar to see him, watching his face light up in amazement. Hadrian did feel it was an appropriate response, but his face took on a look of disdain as Neckar reminded him of his little ancestor, who years later, still seemed to treat life like it was a fairytale. He was rather disappointed in the universe in general for his successor.

“Thanks, that's much better. You too looked very similar,” watching as Pharos looked at her ancestor.

Pharos nodded, “yes, but his hair is so much curlier.”

Neckar chuckled, “yes and he is a lot taller.”

Hadrian tried not to let his irritation show, but he was failing, “yes now if you are quite through, please move along. As she said she doesn't spend much time here anyway and the lighthouse is far more interesting.”

Neckar frowned, not particularly liking the tone Hadrian used with them, but Pharos seemed not to care at all and grabbed his hand.

“Yes. You can sign the logbook! It hasn’t had a new signature in a very long time.” Pharos wishes she could bring more and more people to visit the lighthouse and sign the logbook. She smiled happily pulling Neckar around.

It was a comical sight and Hadrian raised a brow at the senshi mostly because he was taller and bulky than Hadrian himself. He was bored of the tour and decided not to follow any longer, he wasn’t particularly invested in the girl or anything she did, just curious because of the senshi and a tad bit bored. He was surprised the girl made it to squiredom, but she hadn’t progressed further in years and he’d not been all that inclined to help her, if he was honest with himself.

Pharos pulled Neckar into the lighthouse, “Coming on we have to go up. This is one of the courtyard entries, but not the main one that leads to the rainbow road.”


Neckar looked a little confused at the mention of the rainbow road, wondering if it was something like the yellow brick road before shaking his head and rolling his eyes at the silly thought.

Pharos grinned, bouncing into the lower part of the lighthouse and looking up, though nothing could be seen as there was a floor above them. The area housed a room in the middle, a circle that met with the floor above. There were two staircases built in the walls on opposite sides both leading up to the floor above.

“Whats the room for,” Neckar asked, pointing to round room, he found very odd as the lighthouse was square.

“It’s like storage, or a lost and found even. There are a bunch of things people have over the years. A lot of them are on display along the walls of the lighthouse upstairs. I’m pretty sure that encouraged people to leave things.”

Pharos motioned for Neckar to follow her and lead the way up on the staircases, “careful, there is no railing and its not as wide as the one upstairs.” She wasn't really careful, but she was tiny and had climbed the stairs many times before so she didn't think about.

Once they reached the lighthouses main floor, Pharos headed straight to a pillar in the middle of the room, which held a very large open book. Neckar, however, was too in awe, looking straight up. Another staircase spiraled around the walls of the lighthouse and small boxes lined the walls along the staircase housing all manner of trinkets.

“Come on Neckar,” Pharos called waving a pen and pointing to the book with a large grin. She was so excited to have her best friend sign the book. She watched as her friend walked over, took the pen and signed, Sailor Neckar. She stood reading as he penned a little note under his signature, a promise to visit his world and one day show Pharos.

She looked up at the wonder as Neckar put the pen down and gave a soft sigh feeling at peace, “Let’s go up to the next level, you can see a lot of the surrounding from up there. It’s beautiful and so high up and you’ll get to see Pharos’ light sweeping around.”

Neckar nodded and followed his best friend up the stairs. They took their time, not in any hurry, looking at the many things left behind that lined the walls and became a part of wonder Pharos. “I want to have something here, do you think that would be okay? If I found something just right?”

Pharos thought about it for a moment and nodded, “I don’t see why not, but I should probably ask Hadrian how he feels about it. I'm Pharos now, but he’s been here for so long and it’s his home. You know?”

Neckar nodded, “I guess. What is he here for anyway? Why is he stuck?”

Pharos shrugged, “I don’t really see him that often. He keeps to himself, the awnry lighthouse ghost.”

Neckar thought there had to be some sort of reason, but he didn’t want to push the issue if Pharos wasn’t concerned about it. Maybe he would ask another knight.

It was quite a walk up the stairs to the third level, but it was amazing. Pharos ran right up to the ledge leaning on the wall and looking out into space and at the surrounding. The nearest outposts could be seen, illuminated every so often by a sweep light above them. “Over that way is the Virgo’s outpost and on that side is Libra’s. I know you can’t really see them, but yeah, they're there. Pharos is in the middle between them, off the rainbow road, mostly it's just space, wide open and beautiful space.”

Neckar leaned against the wall looking out in the darkness, lit up with distant stars, wondering how many planets, moon and asteroids were once teaming with life. He could see the rainbow road now and realized it was literally a rainbow and went on as far as the eye could see. He turned noticing that there were statues on each corner of the wall facing outward. “Are those senshi?”

Pharos nodded, “the zodiac handmaiden I think … Ive never seen or met them, but they serve Princess Chronos I believe.” She turned and pointed to the top of the lighthouse where a statue of the princess stood with the zodiac knight symbol carved into the base. “There are a lot of statues, they line the ramp from the rainbow road into the light house. They are past zodiac senshi and knights I believe, probably whoever wanted to be there.” She motioned to follow her and moved around to the front of the lighthouse, pointing down at the ramp, “When we go down to the rainbow road, you will be able to see better.”


Pharos lay against the wall looking down at the rainbow road, just enjoying the quiet moment. “I like to imagine what it must have been like. Seeing the people come in from the rainbow road stopping during long journeys. Watching them walk up in awe. Can you just imagine it? I bet the night would greet them, welcome them to relax in the courtyard, and invite them up here. Finding things left behind for visitors and storing them away. I wonder how the things on the wall got chosen to be there. Were they gifts, like what you want to bring?”


Neckar nodded, he could certainly see it. He turned and looked to the next tower in the center of the observation deck. “Can we go all the way up?”

Pharos shook her head, “no the door is locked. Ive never needed to go up there, though I would like to see what it looks like. Come on let go race on the rainbow rode, its so fun, its like being the flash!”

She grinned and pushed her friend playfully towards the stairs, “come on, it’s probably getting pretty late or early in the day. We can’t stay all night … well we could, but the farms wouldn’t get on too well without us.”

Neckar laughed and started down the steps, “they would be fine, we both went to school in the city for like 5 years.” Pulling out his senshi phone he looked at the time, that said it was 3:30 in the morning, which was so weird. “We don’t have long if we want to take a nap before sun up.”

Pharos gave him a look, “you dont have any early morning assignments do you? I know have some work with some of the farms further out coming up soon.”

Neckar shook his head, “no, but I know you have a deadline to hit for your book. Did you find an illustrator yet?”

Pharos shook her head, “no I didn't’ but it's just so hard to choose. I want the most whimsical style I can find though. I’m really excited. Writing a book is so involved.”

She chatted with her friend about life as they headed down to the rainbow road. This night had been the best she had in a while and it was nice to have her best friend on this magical journey.

Hadrian watched the pair as they made their way to the rainbow road. He wasn’t sure he would ever be fond of the tiny knight, who lived in a fantasy world and rubbed him the wrong way, but maybe she did grow up in the time he’d know her. Though he wondered if it was the guy with her, she definitely seemed more stable, centered … the word was escaping him. Still as bubbly as ever … he loathed it, but maybe he could deal with her. Maybe it was time to focus on the girl and hopefully be one day free from this place. He still doubted the possibility but at the very least, maybe he would have a more worthwhile knight.

“Alright young Pharos, your destiny changes again today,” he mumbled to himself. Time to prepare her. He looked up to the lens at the top of the lighthouse, only the lighthouse itself would know when she was truly ready.

WC: 2594
Pharos WC: 2013