Noel stepped out in the early morning light and sneaked around the other side of the inn, then ran to the woods, down the trail to the Mosaic Rosetta, and rested her hand on it.8964 copyright protection513PENANATP3KUlxU8x 維尼
"What did I know about myself before now?" her thoughts raced as she peered into the world inside. There were four portraits, one of Maria, one of Kokoso, one of Byrd, and one of Cathryn, with another four, the two that were filled were the Seasons, followed by one of Mother Goose, one on another side of Historia, and then four others, one of herself, but the other three were a mystery. Noel's portrait had no words under it, besides the Maria gave her the name.8964 copyright protection513PENANAmBc6eqhIgJ 維尼
Noel stepped away, backed up, and sat across from it, "Why can't you just show me who I am, what I was?"8964 copyright protection513PENANALMHSr4nf5o 維尼
She alone, trying to remember until she heard footsteps racing toward her.8964 copyright protection513PENANAs1h4Z2SIhd 維尼
"Noel!" Noel stared at the ground and closed her eyes and she heard Maria approach, "We thought you ran away again."8964 copyright protection513PENANA7fpoScV2Wn 維尼
"Not even the Mosaic Rosetta can tell me what I knew about myself, back before...anything." Noel sighed and stood back up, "Sorry, I guess I was just here so long, sulking, I forgot to come back."8964 copyright protection513PENANA9EomZAWWeP 維尼
"Why didn't you ask someone to join you?" Spring whined.8964 copyright protection513PENANAZndV0Hd9jK 維尼
"It's dangerous to step foot inside the woods by yourself." Byrd added.8964 copyright protection513PENANAa50VKvQjlc 維尼
"I know...I told myself I wouldn't be here long," Noel turned to the others, but not looking up at their faces, "but there was this nagging doubt, that if I found something, I...I don't know, if I'd found out that I was with them, I think I might have ran away...confront them...but I had this idea in my head, that if I looked, I'd see there was something reassuring, but there was nothing, just a few words, 'Noel, the name Maria gave you', that was it...nothing else."8964 copyright protection513PENANAcl5MUl61gF 維尼
"Well, you don't need the Mosaic Rosetta to tell you that we're your friends, right?" Kokoso crossed his arms, grinning, "Don't worry about what it doesn't tell you; take heart in what we've told you."8964 copyright protection513PENANA8VPoWKEAXg 維尼
"Kokoso's maxim of the day?" Spring teased.8964 copyright protection513PENANAWq4b1Ippcc 維尼
"And you giggled like an idiot when I said what I did last night," Byrd pointed out, "and I gave you a warning that it'd be sappy and cliched! This takes the cake."8964 copyright protection513PENANAKBdN74Dr26 維尼
"And the milk, too." Cathryn added.8964 copyright protection513PENANAiplOjXXNUD 維尼
"And the coffee?" Spring ventured, "Oh, please let there be coffee!"8964 copyright protection513PENANAs15lJ5kumM 維尼
"You don't need coffee." Autumn smirked.8964 copyright protection513PENANAK4GBdzD9gA 維尼
Noel looked up at her friends, smiling, "Thanks, guys!" she said quietly as she embraced Maria.8964 copyright protection513PENANAdwGMZwjVVA 維尼
"What a contrast to how she first interacted with us!" Kokoso marveled, "I do believe we've all grown close-" he stumbled back as Noel wrapped her arms around him and turned to Byrd, who was snickering for a few seconds, before it was his turn.8964 copyright protection513PENANAIvX6aDoBGw 維尼
"Kokoso, want to call it?" Spring asked, crossing her arms.8964 copyright protection513PENANAxRL6Lx54d6 維尼
"You don't mean to say team hug, do you?" Kokoso wondered.8964 copyright protection513PENANAejox23XWx3 維尼
"No, let's skip that and just eat." Byrd suggested.8964 copyright protection513PENANA3c4yigRRLe 維尼
"Too awkward for you?" Kokoso challenged.8964 copyright protection513PENANAjoflx6lWKg 維尼
"Don't start it." Byrd warned.8964 copyright protection513PENANALyyoF3fnYI 維尼
"Ha, ha, fine, fine, I'm pretty hungry anyways." Kokoso relented.8964 copyright protection513PENANAdEokWUO4Cx 維尼
"Team's dad isn't one for hugs," Cathryn acknowledged, "everyone keep that in mind."8964 copyright protection513PENANAlB0HXhUC2z 維尼
"So, guys, last night I had this really weird dream," Kokoso began, "you want to hear it? So, I was a fruit-"8964 copyright protection513PENANAm0O1xF3VRC 維尼
"No one said they wanted to hear it!" Byrd admonished.8964 copyright protection513PENANASgim3Jl3Zw 維尼
"He's got a point." Maria said, smiling, "So, what was this about being a fruit?"8964 copyright protection513PENANABMLvr9U8Bv 維尼
"Wait, what?!" Byrd turned to Maria, shocked, but otherwise stayed quiet as Kokoso continued.8964 copyright protection513PENANAG1Y3RHGHPe 維尼
"So, I was just hanging there on a limb, and then Byrd swooped over and tore me right off the limb, and all of a sudden...I was the limb!"8964 copyright protection513PENANAbzHATQZ3qn 維尼
"And then?!" Spring leaned forward, exaggerating enthusiasm.8964 copyright protection513PENANAvYH4RsbZ9H 維尼
"And then nothing, I was the limb, and the tree, and the ground...it was actually quite strange...at the end I was myself again, under the tree, except I was a bunny."8964 copyright protection513PENANArhvlEjqc4n 維尼
"That actually reminds me of my dream." Cathryn remarked, "So, I was me, sitting by the fishing pond, and when I cast my line, I was the fishing rod, and then I was the fish when it bit, and then I was me again, eating the fish."8964 copyright protection513PENANAwrWbRM8Vsy 維尼
"Oh, cannibalistic." Spring rubbed her hands together, "Now we're getting dark."8964 copyright protection513PENANACW1Avs5A02 維尼
"Ha, nothing compares to when Byrd pulled Kokoso off the tree." Maria laughed.8964 copyright protection513PENANAkq8jALN5G2 維尼
"I had a dream it was my birthday," Spring sighed, "all I wanted was a pony, and for a minute, I had one, but then it was an ox when I looked at it...I guess I pretended it as a pony?"8964 copyright protection513PENANAvioT1lK29D 維尼
"I had a dream I was a dragon." Autumn smiled, "It was nice."8964 copyright protection513PENANAQepo5l4ax5 維尼
"Well, while we're at it," Byrd leaned back in his chair and took a pause, "in my dream...my wings were gone. It was so weird, as weird as when I first had wings, to be honest, I had an unsettling feeling that everything we've been through was a dream."8964 copyright protection513PENANAkkkQKIfaQy 維尼
"I had a dream I was a werewolf." Maria shrugged, "Big lumbering arms, swinging them like a yeti."8964 copyright protection513PENANAKljRZ6jza8 維尼
"We do share the claw weapons," Autumn nodded, "but it's highly unlikely you'll ever be a werewolf."8964 copyright protection513PENANASlIQWnrRQz 維尼
"How about you, Noel?" Maria watched her friend curiously.8964 copyright protection513PENANAO9KeN6QFQl 維尼
"I...uh...I didn't have any dreams." Noel admitted.8964 copyright protection513PENANAuXqCPpdSWh 維尼
"No dreams, really?" Maria drummed the table under her hand, "How about...well, look, these don't have to be recent dreams, just one you remember."8964 copyright protection513PENANAOmgkYkZ23v 維尼
"No...nothing." Noel shook her head and sighed, "Guess I'm not normal, huh?"8964 copyright protection513PENANALSP6tCnJA6 維尼
"Well...I'm sure it's not completely unheard of," Maria said hopefully, "and even if it is completely unheard of, our standard for normalcy is on a low bar anyways."8964 copyright protection513PENANAIhtR1GnPVG 維尼
"Yeah," Kokoso laugh, "I tripped on that bar, didn't I? Still made it over."8964 copyright protection513PENANA4SFhqXWfgZ 維尼
"Just barely!" Spring teased.8964 copyright protection513PENANANl2sAmidcc 維尼
"What do you know, you weren't even there, yet!" Kokoso laughed.8964 copyright protection513PENANAjlvmQjNO90 維尼
"So, when are we taking a test run into the city?" Noel inquired.8964 copyright protection513PENANAJmCqm9oFDN 維尼
"I was thinking at dawn, so we can do the usual routine, get some sleep, and show up at a time when we can see well." Maria proposed.8964 copyright protection513PENANAg4rdg5FGTZ 維尼
"That works." Kokoso raised his hand, followed by the others.8964 copyright protection513PENANAodPW1Nf9lS 維尼
"Then we'll go on our test run tonight, after Spring, Kokoso, Noel, and I bring back Cathryn's shopping list of materials." Maria stood up and Spring, Kokoso, and Noel stood to follow her.8964 copyright protection513PENANANIokX7C4L9 維尼
"Okay, I woke Maria up." Noel informed, approaching the others on the beach. Kokoso had his hat, and Maria mentioned a hat before Noel ran back out.8964 copyright protection513PENANAC2fyqmaEm5 維尼
"So, we'll all be going, since we're just going to go and hang out for a bit?" Spring wondered.8964 copyright protection513PENANASLvYM69sAo 維尼
"That's the idea." Noel sighed, "It's been a while...guess this is kind of my home, might bring back some memories."8964 copyright protection513PENANAyYpjUewWGq 維尼
"You're home right now." Byrd reminded her, "Don't forget that."8964 copyright protection513PENANAjOC2vP5I9Q 維尼
"Right...this is only a former prison for me, then?" Noel wondered.8964 copyright protection513PENANABtv7ijtarP 維尼
"That sounds about right." Byrd folded his arms and stared past Noel, "About time you showed up, Maria."8964 copyright protection513PENANAKZogIvLIi7 維尼
"Ha, yeah, I was having good dreams, though." Maria laughed.8964 copyright protection513PENANAxoGphK9v67 維尼
"I...I wish I had dreams," Noel sighed, "I wonder if I've always never had dreams...they sound like they'd be a lot of fun. I guess before I met you, I hadn't smiled either, my face is used to it now."8964 copyright protection513PENANAFeWZ2afSB8 維尼
"There's more than one way to have a dream," Noel flinched in mild surprise to find Maria's hand on her shoulder, "it can just be something you really want to do, or something you want to happen, like getting your memories back."8964 copyright protection513PENANAehb2E8qTEH 維尼
"Then...I have more dreams than I thought." Noel stared at Maria for a few moments before turning to the others, "Now, we have two flyers and five passengers."8964 copyright protection513PENANAReOHuTrFTK 維尼
"I guess that means I'll finally have to piggyback someone." Spring stretched out her wings and gazed over the ocean, "It feels like we're taking a really big step here."8964 copyright protection513PENANAhZQDa7xzXX 維尼
"We are." Kokoso sighed, "Well, time to see how long we can stand around before we run out of magic."8964 copyright protection513PENANAEXbJHR6wea 維尼
"What happens if we run into ships?" Noel wondered.8964 copyright protection513PENANA7XaDSKCD2k 維尼
"We outrun them, outmaneuver them," Byrd shrugged, "same as whenever Kokoso brought someone back to the village, I'd carry him and the newcomer, with Cathryn on my back...cumbersome, but it worked."8964 copyright protection513PENANALkEGu0TOpi 維尼
I don't think I could carry three people." Spring frowned, "I don't have talons like you."8964 copyright protection513PENANAhrhm9rpaEj 維尼
"True, but you can carry two people, right?" Byrd inquired.8964 copyright protection513PENANAlMrwwNykD7 維尼
"Yeah...maybe, only one way to know!" Spring started flying up and pointed at Noel, "You're probably the lightest here, an obvious choice for piggybacking...and Autumn."8964 copyright protection513PENANAVuPe7yZI5F 維尼
"Okay," Byrd sighed, "Cat, hop on."8964 copyright protection513PENANAeJ57vptO77 維尼
The slow rising sun painted the sky a rosy color as the seven friends flew across the ocean, in the distance they could see several battleships.8964 copyright protection513PENANAPRVDLLdH7i 維尼
Noel watched the city's skyline and distant ships intently, trying to remember anything related to the current sights, but found nothing. When they landed she still found nothing interesting around them.8964 copyright protection513PENANAbvSWJrzu65 維尼
"Byrd and I will hover," Cathryn decided, "we've been spotted before, I've no doubt someone will recognize us, everyone should stay in groups threes or twos, to avoid undue suspicion."8964 copyright protection513PENANAwHugw0mq5E 維尼
"I got dibs on Autumn!" Spring announced, "You and I have lots to catch up on."8964 copyright protection513PENANAG3X3nobF0n 維尼
"Hmm, now you're making me hungry." Autumn hummed, walking away alongside Spring, "I wonder if we can find a restaurant, I could go for some fries and ketchup."8964 copyright protection513PENANAXMgYAZ4BBD 維尼
"I'll stick with Maria," Kokoso decided, "we haven't been around recently, but there's no way they can instantly recognize us and our lack of presence, even though His Majesty likes to think he's watching us every second of every day."8964 copyright protection513PENANAP2piok0FJt 維尼
"Um, I would join you guys," Noel swallowed and backed away, "but if someone recognizes me, I'm sure they'll know that I stole this suit...I hope I stole the suit, but if I did, that means they won't be happy to see me."8964 copyright protection513PENANADGjIva962H 維尼
"There's plenty of buildings to hide in," Kokoso waved for her and Maria to follow him, "apparently Maria and I both found an abandoned store, books and random oddities were all over the place, but we never met there, she scrounged around during the day but I spent my nights there, I wonder if it's still around."8964 copyright protection513PENANAXiQZhASsyJ 維尼
"It was to the right." Maria pointed and Kokoso chuckled as he started down that way. The doorway had fallen in, leaving a narrow opening between the floor and the door, and inside the place was covered in dust.8964 copyright protection513PENANAHsqITryt9i 維尼
"Okay, nothing suspicious in here." Kokoso called from within.8964 copyright protection513PENANAsvytL9udfa 維尼
"I'll watch the street," Maria pointed at the hole, "you go on ahead."8964 copyright protection513PENANAJWd0cxN9jb 維尼
Noel nodded and crouched down, sliding an arm in, balanced on her other hand, she squeezed inside, "Okay, I'm in." Noel sighed, leaning against a wall. She watched as Maria slithered in with practiced ease.517Please respect copyright.PENANAHZEhwKtOK3
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"It's safer in deeper." Maria stood up and started for a dark tunnel.8964 copyright protection513PENANArQRjyf0Xxx 維尼
"U-um," Noel raced over and grabbed Maria's hand, "we're not even staying long, wouldn't it be better to stay out here?"8964 copyright protection513PENANAFEW0oNMIf8 維尼
"I guess, but we brought our weapons, may as well enchant them, the dark is the best to do that, in case someone decides to peek in." realization crossed Maria's face as she stared at Noel, who stood gazing at the aged floorboards, "Noel, are you scared of the dark?"517Please respect copyright.PENANADwMiOcKsvp
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"I don't know why...but I am." Noel looked up at Maria anxiously, "You can't even see where you're going, you don't know what might be there, waiting to pounce on you!"517Please respect copyright.PENANAYCZSVY1Hhb
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"Noel...I'll go first and-" Maria started forward but Noel pulled her back.8964 copyright protection513PENANAksKGZ7T52B 維尼
"Look, I'll go first, but give me room if something jumps on me." Noel shuddered before taking a step into the darkness. She took several small steps before finding and sliding down against a wall, "Okay, I'm here."517Please respect copyright.PENANApZOeMmJOJx
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Maria stepped into the room and walked ahead, "Where are you?"8964 copyright protection513PENANAogKg0DPW1A 維尼
"Against a wall just ahead of the doorway. Ah!" Noel sprang away from the wall, "There was something on my face!"517Please respect copyright.PENANAhmrBTmRCr8
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"That was probably my hair, I was going to sit next to you."517Please respect copyright.PENANAOgDtQM3x3d
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"O-oh...sorry." Noel crawled back over, shaking as she sat next to Maria.517Please respect copyright.PENANA1tAVaczffc
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"Here's some light." Kokoso sat in front of Noel and flame erupted from his shield.517Please respect copyright.PENANA3AtDmZFIBW
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"That's much better, huh?" Maria remarked.517Please respect copyright.PENANAvKpFtpWf7L
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"Yeah...I just want to fall asleep." Noel sighed, leaning against Maria.517Please respect copyright.PENANAwIgIkDVwSu
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"Ha, ha, I think the only way you're leaving is if you crawl out by yourself." Kokoso noted.517Please respect copyright.PENANAfBC4m9k2b6
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"Oh, right...I guess I'll try to dream."517Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6wlIXZIGb
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"That's daydreaming." Maria informed quietly.517Please respect copyright.PENANAHRzh2UGBUb
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"Daydreaming." Noel parroted softly, "Sounds...fun."517Please respect copyright.PENANAW0TyXYQB4k
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