"I guess before I start, I should tell you that I'm the second ranked Teikoki. My magic is based around time."
Riku's eyes widened slightly as Arima explained that to him. "The second..?! I'd probably get my ass handed to me if I were to fight this guy..!" He told himself anxiously.
"Realizing how you couldn't do anything even if I did have evil intentions?" The boy smirked lightly.
Riku scoffed. "I could still beat you..."
"Right." Arima rolled his eyes.
"Arima, stop playing around and explain please." Artemis said sternly.
"Fine fine..." Arima sighed and took a seat in a floating computer chair. "This place is not only my room, but it's where I work my magic. I turn kids old enough to the point where they can fight as good as anybody else here. My actual living space is right up there." He pointed up the stairs he came down from a moment ago. Riku was about to speak up, but Arima held up his hand, freezing his mouth shut in time. "Don't interrupt me please." Riku breathed angrily through his nostrils, no one able to translate the incoherent noises coming from his mouth.
"Anyways..." Arima sighed. "The reason we do what we do is so we don't have to watch children die, so they can't be taken captive as easily, and/or so they'll be strong enough to help us fight when they're needed." Riku glared still, and as if Arima read his mind, he spoke as if to answer a question. "We don't take away their childhoods Riku. Simply making kids older wouldn't make them stronger or give them the knowledge to be able to fight extremely well." Arima nodded upwards. "That's where number five comes in."
As if on cue, a young girl around Riku's age came down the stairs. She had long, messy silver hair and yellow eyes, her figure hidden by the multiple layers she was wearing, but she had rather slender legs under the thigh highs she wore, which made Riku think she had a slender build. "Hello Riku... My name is Elizabeth, Eli for short, and I'm the fifth of the Ten Teikoki. It's nice to meet you." Even though she was one of the ten, she wasn't wearing her robes that proved she was one of them, but the air around the girl was enough to tell Riku that she was one of them. He also realized that this was the same girl that Riku F. had began speaking to in the other world.
"My magic is memory control. I can insert false memories into people and change them as I please. I can also make my memories a reality as long as it's not magically stronger than my own magic. When I work my magic with Arima's, as in the one that controls people's ages, I can input memories in their mind as well. And no, it's not just false memories. The process of the aging magic takes a couple hours. I use my memory magic to let memories that would actually happen to be inputted in their minds during the aging process. So, it's more or less as if they actually grew up and everyone just stopped aging at that time." Eli smiled confidently after she finished her explanation.
Arima nodded. "So in short, we make the children who want to become older, older, while inputting memories that would actually happen if they were to grow up. So they don't lose their childhood at all. Not to mention it's their choice. Either they get older that way, or we send them home without any memory of the resistance or anyone involved."
Riku frowned, realizing his mouth was finally unfrozen. "But why would you do that?"
"Because we won't be responsible for the deaths of children. We won't put them at risk." Artemis spoke up, walking up to Riku and looking into his eyes. "We don't want their blood on our hands. Not to mention this isn't a nursing home, we aren't babysitters." She turned and walked around him. "There's your explanation. It was their choice to go through with the aging magic. You can't take away what they decide Riku. I had Kei test you so you wouldn't interfere. Also, before you get any other ideas, it was Riku F's choice to implement this system." She walked out of the room, past Gina and Haruto who were standing by the door now.
"We won't change our minds about this. We're going to avenge Mom and Dad with our new power. Whether you like it or not, we're staying this way..." Haruto's gaze was serious as he kept his eyes on Riku.
Gina frowned. "I know you're mad...but this is the only way for us to be of any use to you and everyone else. We'd just be in the way otherwise. Neither of us are going to take it back..." She muttered, her gaze serious and brave as she kept her eyes on Riku as well.
Riku turned, staring at the two of them. He could see faint images of Makou and Reina behind the both of them, as if they were giving them courage from wherever they were now. Riku slowly smiled at the two of them. "Can you see them, Makou, Reina? They've grown up in the blink of an eye... I'm sure you'd be proud of them." Riku told himself.
He walked to them both slowly. They both flinched, closing their eyes tightly, expecting him to yell or something of the sort. However, he just ruffled their hair and rubbed their heads, walking out the door afterward. "Why would I be mad? You made your choice, just be ready for training with me 24/7 from now on."
They both stared at his back and tears filled their eyes. Both of them dashed after him, tackling him. "Rikuuuu!" They cried in unison as they hugged him.
"Gah!" Riku fell over, both of them too big now for him to stay standing if even one of them tackled him. "What're you two-" He looked down at them both, both of them crying as they hugged him. In his eyes, they were still the same two children as before. He sighed and ruffled their hair before hugging them both back. "Idiots. You're supposed to be grown ups now. What're you acting like this for..?" He smiled softly. The two sniffled, hugging him without saying anything.
Arima and Eli watched from the room and Artemis watched from where she was, all of them smiling softly. They each shared the same thought. "Even if he's not the same one...he can still make people cry with tears of joy instead of pain. He's made this place much livelier all over again..."
The three of them continued to hug for quite a bit of time until Riku pulled them both up and moved away from them. "Alright, go eat dinner and then get some rest. We're training bright and early tomorrow." He grinned.
"E-Ehhhhh?!" The two groaned before going to do as he said.
Riku chuckled, his stomach grumbling. "Guess I better do the same..." He looked forward, clenching his fists slightly as he watched the two of them walk off with a sense of purpose in their hearts now. "I'll get my revenge soon enough...damned royals." He muttered before walking off.