Maria stood next to Noel, while Kokoso and Noel were working on the day's special and most popular menu item: Salmon.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoHVGcsENm
"After everything that happened, not sure I can look at salmon the same way again." Maria sighed.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1Jm6VStZ3
"You mean the golden one?" Noel thought for a moment before giving a reply, "I guess it could have been magic, but you know what Autumn said about food, it could have just been a salmon with extraordinarily high concentrations of magic, which is why that yeti was after it."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWaDgj4Ao9
"I guess the yeti was Autumn...she knew what status she was after, it probably made her ice attack stronger." Maria mused, "We could speculate for hours."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIxXDea6SX
"Or I could just tell you," Spring fell into the desk next to them, "the salmon she ate gave all her magic effects a boost, from resistance to attack, Autumn told me all about it at the inn before we fell asleep."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRZde686z8
"That's where you were, I thought you went back to the Refractory Construct."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡay5lblEgW2
"That would be nice, the magic of the Wilds is strong there, steeping in that kind of magic would be ideal, but it's a wreck, Autumn trashed that place well, it's best to wait until we find Summer and Winter before trying to make it livable...I think I saw a molded...former plum in a corner." Spring thought back to it and shrugged, "Anyways, until then we're living in the inn, the only problem is that I can't be sure if that's Autumn snoring across the hall, or Noel who's next door to me."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcLX9obkv3
"Hey, what's going on with this soup, is it supposed to stick to the bottom of the pot?!" Kokoso cried from the kitchen.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYVhbankgX
"Oops, got to go back there, my soup's burning!" Spring darted back to the kitchen, where Kokoso jokingly accused her of abandoning him.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqwxLISqZO
As the day dragged on, Maria noticed two costumers who she hadn't seen before, a woman in a green suit, blue tie, red tented glasses, carrying a notebook with her, and a young man who came in after, wearing a plain yellow shirt, he immediately went to a table in a corner, while she sat at a table on the side, "So, they're traveling alone, then."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡsp0dmaCyv7
She turned to Noel, who turned to the dining area, "I'll take his order, you take hers."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡBN6x4hHsBY
Noel nodded and started towards the table.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4pXBbFuBE
"Hello," Maria greeted, "welcome to the Sea Side Wolfe-"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡj44kiqvUY0
"Something feels off." he suddenly remarked, looking around curiously.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AN88SqQl1
"Eh, this was a ship, that's probably why."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡOM6eJIppd0
"Not in the geometrical aspect...just fundamentally...off."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4w48Rmznhx
"Oh, it's probably the Wilds, the energy here is...hard to explain."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡoj8csh4S7q
"As though it has filled a void in my soul...like an empty battery suddenly given power." he looked up at her and frowned.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWd0aWIAmV
"Um, is something wrong?"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqsFyk17Hj
His reply was a question, "You have chocolate cake here?"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5DOh55mYd
"U-uh, no...we don't, now that you mention it, we haven't stocked up on any desserts."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSa0TlXCVj
"Well...that's fine...I can wait...I've got a little while."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvK1bildq2
"Y-you'd wait for that? We still have to find the ingredients and compute prices-"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡw589TqfZMe
"I can wait...I'd show up every day for some cake."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡcz6mA0HyCD
"Alright...well, until then, do you want to order anything else?"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡRa9BbkUxxk
"Uh, I'll just have a salad for now."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4qIdj8tiV
"Alright, I'll bring one out."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvvOR6OzEr
She got back to the kitchen to find Noel bringing out single coffee, "Mine wants chocolate cake, since things seem to be slowing down-"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwCl8OF2ld
"Got it, just have Kokoso hold onto the funds for ingredients." Noel continued on her way and Maria absentmindedly wondered where the others were, before continuing to the kitchen to burden Kokoso and Spring with yet another order.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVhNEv7NZp
Byrd waited behind Cathryn, axe upright to guard against the pack of wolves rushing up to them, Autumn running from them, luring them in close.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGVevNkkmY
"Shocking Guard!" Cathryn roared, waiting for yellow sparks to run through the pack, springing from one to another, stunning the pack.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzunVCbAFx
She then swung her axe through the group and Byrd flew off to the side, then raised his spear, "Piercing Gale!" he cried, before charging across the wolves.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2t5Q7AXVz
Autumn took the pack out with regular claw attacks, then stepped away from the vanishing monsters to address the others, "We can forge new armor with what we've collected, right?"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEgiTM5e6s
"Byrd, what's on our shopping list?" Cathryn inquired.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡcS1HfWkrx0
"Wolf pelts, iron, gorgons' bane, eagle beaks...is there even a monster that drops eagle beaks?" Byrd turned to Autumn, who nodded.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡZm3srTA2Qv
"Don't worry about the iron," Autumn assured, following Cathryn to the Mosaic Rosetta, "I collected some before the wolves saw me, as for the eagles, there's a mountain beyond the Fall waterfall's source, monster eagles should live there, plenty of bears, too."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeaTw3FChL
"I have a question." Cathryn turned to Autumn and continued after the spirit nodded, "Why did Spring attack as a phoenix, and you were a yeti? It doesn't...doesn't make sense to me."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uE7cT3xlB
"Yeah, it's crazy, huh? The thing is that it does make sense, if you're thinking one season in advance, Spring gives way to Summer, I prepare the land for Winter, Spring's element is wind, so you have an airborne monster, yet Summer comes next, and sense one thing becomes another, the airborne beast is cloaked in flames, thus the phoenix, a symbol of rebirth, a bearer of fire borne aloft the winds." Autumn snickered, and sang out merrily, "I just plagiarized Historia!"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡylXBNpvnsm
"Wait, that means Summer's going to be fiery and earthy, and symbolize life?" Byrd racked his brain for a monster that would fit that description, but came up empty.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4A4Y77DKp
"And how could Winter manifest as chilly and airy, and...deathly?" Cathryn fell into contemplation as she continued leading the group back to the Mosaic Rosetta.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPU4W7Y0Fj
"That's the thing...I don't know, for instance, instead of a yeti, I could have been a snowman, that wouldn't have been fun...and I'm sure there's another symbol of rebirth that Spring could have been...I just don't have an example prepared...it could even just be a symbol of new beginnings, like...an ash tree?" Autumn frowned and shook her head, "Yeah, that's the best I've got...because ash, fire, Summer."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdEzPsZkQr
"That would be a good name," Byrd decided, "and I see where the wind figures in, it'd attack with leaves."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKwhOuoW88
"Well, that happens sometimes." Autumn shrugged.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyXgCToAU4
"W-wait, this happened more than a few times before?!" Byrd exclaimed.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvhz5724sS
"Yeah, it's never easy, one year Summer was fine, the next hundred years we tried to find her, she was crazy, destroying so many farms and forests, once she was a whirlpool monster...but there are four patterns: Forward, reverse, flip, standard, forward is what's happening, reverse is what like...if Summer was a phoenix, and flip...when flip happened, Summer became a Charybdis and wandered the ocean like an idiot, it took a couple of decades to snap her out of it...of course, I was a dragon, so...yeah, it wasn't fun for the kingdoms at the time."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8C2qqxOmG
"Why did you turn into monsters last time?" Cathryn wondered.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIfUZSOotI
"Ha, ha, um, well, Spring told you about Unseason, right? Well, she has minions, some were magicians, some were alchemists, some were...other spirits, we're most vulnerable without a body, but then, if we're along, we're more vulnerable than spirits without a body, and thus, wandering alone, become monsters, but Unseason wasn't supposed to be able to do anything this time around, we thought we were safe, her magicians shouldn't have had power, and yet...somehow someone could use the chains we cast upon Unseason to curse us, turn us into monsters, it's torture to be a monster, during the time, it feels like a nightmare, except there's no waking up."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoeKXkS0ok
"Alchemists turning spirits into monsters?" Byrd shook his head, "I know you're not kidding me, but I wish you were."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVtvYTWvHj
"I do have a terrible time refraining from humorous indulgences, but I'm afraid I'm sober this time...somber, I meant somber!" Autumn grinned as Byrd closed his eyes and lowered his head, a toothy grin on his face while Cathryn gave her an amused hum, "Oh, and I remember once, I think it was one of the last three or four times, Spring was a shadow on a horse, she had ravens that attacked...her monster was Valkyrie, she raised spears that could cut your defense, and if she mortally wounded someone...she made them fight for her...raising them as her puppet."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡcF2sz1koqN
"So, what was that occasion, standard," Byrd inquired, "or-"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ScmD9Gva5
"It was reverse, her mortal wounds bound victims in ice, her lances were chilly gales, and she could swoop over her enemies to freeze them."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡP21iyZbuvT
"I guess I see how Valkyrie is rebirth." Cathryn sighed, "Even if it's not actual life, there's still the theme of death, it's really perfect."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHyP98Ruxh
"It is," Autumn agreed, "and I can't wait to break the cycle...but we can't necessarily 'kill' Unseason, just bind her again...with a better hiding place, I hope."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFau1OEIkO
Cathryn used the Mosaic Rosetta to travel back to Historia's gates outside the Refractory Construct, and they continued the journey in silence.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9QPspOETj
Noel returned from the store, Spring waited outside a side door and gestured her over, "This one leads straight to the kitchen."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡyH07wafoEN
Noel nodded and took the groceries inside, after fitting them in the refrigerator, she went back to the front to find Maria nodding as the woman with red glasses spoke to her, she heard something about pentameters and synonyms, her eyes drifted back to the journal and she realized that the woman was a poet.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXsRruF5cZ
She turned to the man sitting alone with his salad, besides the two here, the place was void of customers.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡT19KQC9Eh3
"Hello, Miss," the poet greeted, "Maria and I were just discussing my new poem. My name is Re."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPKYWg9cFO
"I'm Noel." Noel turned to Maria and nodded her head to the kitchen, "Maria, does he still want chocolate cake?"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lLsccXSha
"Yeah, I think so." Maria turned around but Noel was already headed that way.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbb1W1E5GV
"Don't worry, I've got it." Noel promised.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DLTCIaMVP
"So, Maria, have you heard the news in he city?" Re asked, smiling.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡAValonxlfP
"No, I haven't, what's going on over there?"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡv71H9XIN3o
"Apparently the king and his science team are mobilizing, something about a missing android."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡJc2v5Fdfr8
"A missing android, aren't those things hard to make? Why would an android just go missing?"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ423ensCVNR
"Oh, this one, they say, is special, mobile and coordinated as a gymnast, with all the fiery might of a phoenix born aloft the winds."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjZM08JJWM
Maria's brows furrowed as she stared at the smiling author, "Are you-"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GYbb4Roji
"If you know, you needn't speak my name, but if you do, know that my...resources are limited and that all I can do is write under my pen name, that of an author you and your bunny friend have read much of." Re stood up and took a final sip of her coffee before turning away, "Ciao, and good luck with managing your battles and your store."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnkBCI3eDR
"Thanks." Maria watched as the woman left, it made sense that she was the spirit Historia, but only Historia would know about her and Kokoso's favorite author, "So, she writes as Relia Cordelia? I don't see how that makes sense...Spring suggested she was calling herself Record, but she cut it to Re...she's a strange one, for sure."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ob5aceUVa
"Maria?" she turned to find Kokoso watching her, "Noel told me about an author that didn't seem affected by the Wilds, one named Re...Spring suggested that that was," Kokoso turned to the last costumer in the room, "well-"copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4RFf2K6r3
"I know, I think so, too...she cut Record short, and is apparently our favorite author...despite not having met you she knew."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZrKA3sEi6
"She could probably tell us where the last two are."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpvHvFTJAP
"She...probably could." Maria shook her head, "For some reason, I get the feeling she can't, either that...or she's interested in seeing what kind of destruction either side can do to the other."copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhTLX9OHgf
"You know, at first I thought there were three regulars here, looks like it's just Noel and that guy who ordered chocolate...is he wearing yellow?!" Kokoso hurried off to speak with the customer and Maria turned away.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFebqPfTty
"What's gotten into him?" Spring laughed.copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZXvHtaAcL
"I think he's going to go and extol the virtues of yellow." Maria shook her head thoughtfully, "Oh, well, if he embarrasses himself, I'll just be...taking his place in the kitchen."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacbcw4bZLS
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Spring giggled and watched Kokoso, who seemed to be in a deep conversation with the cake fan, "I keep forgetting how much fun humans can be to watch."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHj7SWXTPG
copyright protection182ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrpbDP0SJu
Spring smiled and started for the exit, she wanted to be the first to know when the hunting team came back with the gorgons' bane.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngpRFD3y2Q
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