Noel sat in her room at the inn, glad that Historia hadn't taken her gates back after what Unseason tried to do with them, though she had concerns for what would happen if Unseason somehow got a human body, though that would be weird, Spring assured her that Unseason was incapable of generating a body while bound by the power of the four Seasonal Spirits.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLcQ2fRIsP
"Why do I feel unconvinced...I want to believe her...but I feel like I know something they don't know." suddenly she had an idea that she believed could work, she would go to the Mosiac Rosetta that one of Historia's gates took them to, and try to review herself.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOrGsd1LoJ
She crept downstairs, but the manager of the inn caught her trying to sneak out.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡObJ3WBKJUN
"Out for a walk, Miss Noel?" the pig Animen spoke with an accent, he was always in a tie and suit, as far as she could tell.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKy1BBgtjJ
"Yeah, I'll be back soon." she turned around before leaving and waved, "Goodnight, Jack." copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPyJv0XwMl
Jack shook his head after she left and smiled, "Poor thing really has lost her memory, else she would know you don't have to say goodnight every evening parting."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAw0DsBobv
Noel looked around to find her bearings and started in the direction of the woods, but noticed one of the inn's windows had the curtains pulled back, "No light...either they're watching me, or asleep, Jack probably doesn't trust me, especially not after I left last night...better not give him a reason to think poorly of me."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0gJ1RlikE
She walked past the woods and kept walking, behind the Sea Side Wolfe--which she couldn't stop frowning at, something about it seemed odd, but she couldn't put her finger on it--and towards the beach, following the rocky wall next to her as it descended, fin-like, into the earth.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CtzmZAjvm
She stared at the stars over the ocean, the distance seemed solid, as though the stars would land on a solid surface if they fell from the sky. Noel heard someone behind sigh and turned around Maria facing away from her, on her knees, "That strange bunny Animen told me she liked looking at bugs on the beach...pill bugs, I think they were."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMWbMAEnYP
Noel stepped forward and knelt next to Maria, then bent forward, "Is it a nocturnal bug?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaQ9UR0f9l
"Hmm?" Maria turned around and smiled, "Nah, it's my parents...grave markers...all I was told is that they were the only casualties from a scuffle with the Company...aside from a letter they wrote for me before then, that's all I know."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbXnLknlES
"Oh...s-should I leave for now?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjFEvrf9Oe
"Nah, you can stay, I was...just thinking about things, apparently they were going to try to take out the captain, they were that strong, that everyone thought they could take out the majority of invaders before it got worse, but something happened and they...were found under water later."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIoPRiHSxQ
"Parents...I wonder where mine are?" Noel looked up at the sky and found a horde of stars above them, she turned back to Maria and cleared her throat, "So-"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr1aPMvd89
"I just wish...I still had my parents, seeing Kokoso and the others with theirs forces me to face that I don't have have mine."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QtKvYcK71
After a while Noel finally spoke, "Lot's of stars out, huh?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7JnWAGDsd
"Yeah, there really are...I haven't looked up there in a while...I actually haven't been back here in a while, I prefer to just spend my nights in that upside down boat I live in."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGFwQvjmIr
"That explains why it looks...wrong...like if the windowsills were above the windows, instead of below them."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOhZzMXLx5
"If you had questions, you could have just asked me."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwcwU97ANA
"I was thinking about it...maybe tomorrow."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiguO607tJ
"Well, now you know...the story around here is that it was called the Sea Side Wolfe because the ship had been the S.S. Wolfe, I guess there was no use for a ship, so it was turned onto it's head." Maria stood up and turned around, "Speaking of tomorrow, it's about time to turn in for the night...so, why were you out so late?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZxQY7DVTb
"I was going to...y-you know, it's just such a nice-" Noel looked away from Maria's inquisitive stare and sighed, "you know the Mosiac Rosetta? Well, apparently you can review knowledge on anyone you've met, I wanted to see what I know about myself, if I can...if I can see that at all."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GHddCnkca
"You're a pretty long way from there, Noel."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0tavhhvpK
"I thought I might have been being watched."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYJMPIUtDO
"Jack?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEulSHYf2a
"Yeah, I don't think he trusts me, not after I disappeared yesterday, looking for you guys." Noel stared at the ground and shrugged, "I mean, I don't blame him or anything...I did sneak out."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWbT6GbncA
"Well, I don't see how he'd find you untrustworthy, maybe he's anxious because you're not an Animen."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qzSdpA8Se
"I never thought of it that way...I guess I am pretty suspicious, in that light."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwSqSL8Q0a
"Not all non-Animen are bad, and I'm sure there's plenty of bad Animen somewhere."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0r7ckdTwB5
"Maybe here?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KwGCJ5dSY
"Maybe, but Mother Goose isn't someone I'd want to cross, I'm glad she's on our side."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOukfn5nd6
"Hmm...which side is that?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡyexFrSTkov
"The...side of people who just...wish that people would stop being stupid."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvfVcSFi6x
Noel smiled and closed her eye, "Smiling kind of hurts...like something my face wasn't built for."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxlLSB8YYm
"Ha, ha, your face wasn't built, I'm sure." Maria opened the door to the inn and waved at Jack, "Goodnight, Jack, Noel."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xBCd2u6mT
"Hmm?" Noel stared at her and Maria smiled.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLoRHBKmTQ
"Um, it's...like there's a silent, 'and you, too' when I said your name...that counted for both of you."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9ofVgQ3fP
"Hmm...so, goodnight Maria, Jack?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkn0WA3rHp
"Yeah, it's weird, huh?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡljaKaRlUee
Noel nodded and waved at Maria, "Goodnight, Maria, Jack."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8o9okpfnF
Re watched Noel visit Maria, writing down what she saw, laughing in some places, "'Just wish that people', how inspired, I'll just borrow that line sometime...you know, I could stand to meet these guys, but I need a good disguise...I guess I have the night to think it over."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NZsOW2RoJ
Re switched to another window and stared at the king and advisor, "Meanwhile these two are being stupid, and I can't say anything about what's going on to the heroes of this story, they'd just throw themselves into danger, they need the other two Seasonal Spirits to stand a chance against what Unseason has cooked up for them...nice, I just made myself hungry."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJ3rudjP8x
Re got up from her chair in her green, book pattern pajamas and pulled a lamp that acted as a lever, which lowered a bookshelf, revealing a refrigerator at the end of a short hall. She opened the door and grabbed a smoothie. Turned around and left, pushing the lamp forward, it automatically fell back into place and closed the bookshelf, while she took out a journal for a short story she'd been working on and set it on the bed, there were no words yet, only ideas, misshaped sketches that represented people and events.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TFt34Ntjb
Maria woke early and waited outside for the others, fishing to pass the time. She heard Cathryn and Byrd talking, then heard Kokoso call them over, "Hey, guys, she's over here!"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oZ7QN4TFs
Maria turned around and waved at the six companions, "Party's all here, then? Good, I was getting bored anyways."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWcFoGTHv2
"So," Kokoso began, "Byrd brought up a good point on the way here--rare, I know."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAWV3ZZRsi
"Hey, I always-" Byrd began his objection, but Kokoso hopped between him and Maria.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AG1IwPMpu
"Now, our folks have all commented on the fact that the Wolfe isn't reliably open, and that Byrd's bad at making macaroni...I'm kidding, Cathryn's youngest brother said that." Kokoso cleared his throat, "Anyways, so Byrd and Cat were tossing ideas back and forth, and we got to the point where everyone had the same idea: Split the party, half of us go to the woods to get stronger, the other half stays here and mans the Wolfe."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2rrIP7CxD
"The best part about it," Spring announced cheerily, "is that you don't have to worry about being the fact we're acting as Guardian Angels for you, our power is yours, but if someone in your party was given one of your Seasonal Strings and designated by your as the authority of the party, then our gift of special attacks and Spirit Strikes would go with them, all it takes is one of those strings, and it'll be just as good as wearing both, since you're still wearing one, and the other person's wearing one, and both of them are Seasonal Girl Strings, and we're both you're Guardian Angels...just don't remove it from your neck while your friends are in battle, or things could be bad."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMdAHhAG82
"Hmm, so we can keep making money to buy more supplies, while still keeping the monsters at bay." Maria nodded and pulled off her Autumn String, "Byrd, Autumn, and Cathryn, good luck...Cat, I trust you and Byrd keep Autumn safe and...come up with some kind of cleaver battle formations, the rest of us are stuck on restaurant duty."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbCFclb17B
"Well, since she uses claws--yes, I asked her on the way here, what's that face for? Anyways, since she uses claws, we'll keep the same attack patterns we've been using."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmEXNmNVYk
"So, I'm staying?" Spring inquired, Maria turned to say something, but Spring cut her off, "No objections here, Boss, just making sure! You'll love some of these ancient recipes from years ago, like gorgon noodles...don't worry, they just call them that."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡzD6MeO4Ouc
"W-why?!" Maria cried, eyes stuck on Spring.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtot9AOlCW
"Because, they're, what, thousands of years old? People back then had crazy names for things...Record would give you a more detailed history on it, but...she's not here right now."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8iB56XT1W
"So, how do you make...gorgon noodles?" Maria turned to Kokoso, "Aren't those monsters supposed to make you freeze if they saw you?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAAknO8sCD
"Yep, they were the ones!" Kokoso confirmed with a nervous smile, "Hopefully they were just back then and not...present day monsters."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡFs73WgDKBf
"You make gorgon noodles with a special kind of noodles--Perseus noodles, just like regular noodles but soaked in lemon juice and garlic--olives, and eggs, soft boiled is preferred--take notes--and insert the olives into a small crater in the egg, use your choice of sauce as adhesive, and set them aside," Spring clasped her hands excitedly and continued, "ideally you should have been boiling the noodles until they were nice and noodle-like, so they should be done boiling by now. So, take those noodles give them some gorgons' bane, so named because they were the only way to prevent the blight of gorgons' eyes, often taken before battle, otherwise you'd make a broth and soak the victim in a tub until they were soft and human again, but that's another snack. Now, take the herbs--they're spicy, so boil the heat out of them without taking out all that flavor and gorgon's bane goodness--and dry them, in the sun if you have time, but the oven works too, and then blend them with pepper and basil. So, for the finally! Time to add the eggs that you may have noticed have an uncanny resemblance to eyes to the noodles, then sprinkle the seasoning and bake them until the noodles are crunchy, serve hot and eat with a fork...and maybe a knife."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡGynZ9t57n7
"U-uh...Spring?" Maria scratched the side of her head, struggling to remember the recipe.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AIDU5s2x4
"It's okay, I remember it." Noel promised, "If I get it wrong, Spring's still here."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdxMgt3TeE
"And it'll be here until Summer!" Autumn added, smirking.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VcxUm10to
"Oh, Autumn, that reminds me, could you find some gorgons' banes for me?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xYPbTVDVt
"Sure, Spring, how many leaves?"copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBGfoWIrQX
"Just bring the whole plant, I want to make a garden around the fish pond behind the Wolfe." Spring turned around and went inside the Wolfe.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZSjwNFxN9
"Well, guess we should have breakfast before heading out." Byrd shrugged.copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUGUKSNGvJ
"A lot of foods grown can be influenced by the power of the Wilds," Autumn informed, "certain foods can help you out, increase the Wild's effect on you--always a good thing--and keep certain things from happening, like...for example, if gorgons still walked the earth, then you'd eat gorgon noodles to keep from getting turned to stone."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡadlRsJObbE
Kokoso nodded, "That sounds good, we already brought full meals with us on the way to the Refractory Construct."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hE0AbNgJB
Byrd agreed, "Yeah, our logic was that we could, so we did."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFw6zgYnXu
Autumn nodded slowly, "That makes sense...you guys really do get all the use out of your supplies that you can, I respect that, no ands, ifs, or buts about it."copyright protection280ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68HsZ9bNkm
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