Fantasy Moments in Time

"It'll probably make us sick. That thing smelled horrible." said James, unscrewing a bottle of cola, then taking a swig.

"So, what are we going to do today? And what's our overarching goal as we find a way out of this island?" He spread out a map of the park they had found earlier. No matter how they looked at it, the only way out was through sea or by air, but that meant going through the military and stealing one of their boats. They could hunt down what the military was looking for. Maybe then they could all go home.

He shared his thoughts with Minnie. Whatever they choose would dictate future priorities and decisions.

"...We're not bounty hunters and we're not trained to do these types of things but..." Minnie looked into the map, mentally placing the army around the island. "I think our overarching goal is to gather information about the ones who caused this mess and pass it to the military. This way, the military would let us live and go after them instead."

Then she looked over at their items. "For now, I say we should gather food and find more items in this place and then once we know we have enough food to last us a week or so, we can leave after." The tiny gunner looked back at the map and remembered of the soldier's notes and a diary. Wondering what could be inside, she reached over the map and turned the pages of the raggedy book, reading.

"Maybe we'll find a radio that will reach the military too?...Wishful thinking, I know but it's possible." Since there were soldiers' clothing, she thought maybe there's a radio that will connect to the military somehow.

Zer0

"That's a much safer route." said James. "This is a guard tower, they should have a radio." It was odd that the soldiers didn't have any, but in the control room there was in fact a radio box, but there was no electricity.

"So, we'll be draining the flooded basement then and then turning that generator on. Okay. So, for today food and scavenging. Do you know how to hunt?"

He also wondered if they should tell the people over at the rest house about their plans and that they survived. "More people's always useful, but we don't have food for them yet."

Among the papers they found, the soldier's report was the most informative.


If they inspected their scavenged soldier uniforms, they'd find one with the name of Col. Mark Gibbs, the man who had assigned CPT Forrest Ryan as the investigating officer and the one who had received his report. CPT Forrest Ryan's name wasn't among any of the uniforms.

Katsuya

"I do but I need to use my gun to hunt...and that's why I said we should find food first in case some of the others want to come with us..." Minnie muttered, distracted by the notes and diary. Her breath hitched.

"...Evangeline and Claire...they met here." She told James, numb at the moment as she didn't want to suffer through anymore heartache of losing another friend. The little gunner had read the diary out loud and then the soldier's notes for James to listen.

The little gunner frowned, not liking this at all.

"...We should be careful while we go out. It would be bad if there are anymore raptors and spiders nearby...other than the one outside of this room, I mean." She pondered about this Captain Scott guy. His actions...Minnie looked at the soldiers' clothes, finding the tags and to her relieved surprise, one of the men in the report is not here.

"...Captain Forrest is still out there...hopefully alive." Her tone suggested that she didn't really believe that but it's best to stay hopeful. "Maybe we should start looking for this guy and then ask him about what's going on and be wary of Scott and Roger..."

Zer0

"Alright then." said James somberly. He paused for a moment then placed a hand on Minnie's shoulder again. "About the giant spider. Whenever you want to kill it, just tell me, we'll do it together." he squeezed reassuringly for a moment, before gearing up to start the day.

The spider didn't seem to mind him as he crept out of the room carefully. He spent the first four hours searching the area, breaking open lockers with his pick-axe and pulling car trunks and crates open.

From his scavenge he acquired:

1. x2 fauna chunk
2. x2 gasoline
3. x1 firestarter
4. x1 Batteries
5. x6 Trauma kit

It was eight in the morning, when he came quickly walking to Minnie, telling her excitedly that in the flooded underground basement there was military rations crate, only another giant spider was very close to it. They'd have to kill it if they want the food. There was a fresh raptor corpse, all withered and hanging from webs beside it, so he doubted taming it using food was going to work, but maybe the two of them could devise a plan to get rid of it without getting hurt.


Katsuya

Minnie stared at James and nodded with a small grateful smile.

"...Thank you James..." Better keep that spider there for now, like a guard dog of sorts. The little gunner followed behind James, not wanting the spider to find some excuse to eat her too. Then she split up from him, going to the other gate tower. She slipped through any small openings and searched through the rooms.

What she found during her search was:

1. x1 Campfire
   
2. X4 Wood
3. x1 Fire Starter
4. X1 Fauna chunk

When she slipped out the second gate's door, ready to look in another place, Minnie looked up as James ran over to her. She blinked in surprise from the news. With those rations, they might be able to feed everyone in the safe house and some more f they are lucky. If only there was a way to deal with the spider. "...I can try to shoot it? Get a head shot in there..."

Zer0

"Okay, I'll protect you." said James, hefting his pick axe.

Half an hour later, a wet and bleeding James was frantically limping back up the first floor, carrying a severely injured Minnie in his arms.

"Help! Help!" he yelled, even though it was likely no one was around --- still, he could hope. He was so bad at protecting.

That spider was nuts! The author had got a shot in; James thought the water would slow the spider down and that he could keep the basement door barricaded in case it reached them, but no he overestimated his strength and soon they found themselves in a cramp hallway, wrestling and bashing away with their crude weapons against a heavy monster. The two had only gotten away --- no wonder all those people died! It was a beast! Now they were being chased!

Hunting

Failed to kill Giant Spider (1 attack roll to kill)

• James = +5 bleeding, -3 condition ( Condition -3 is "Exhausted". He cannot run and he has -5 to rolls and -5 AP)
• Minnie = Fractured back (3 months), +4 bleeding, -2 condition (Condition -2 is "Shaken". She has -2 to rolls and -2 AP)
  
• Serena = +8 bleeding

Katsuya

A yellow blur shoot down the stairs, flying past him and Minnie with an enraged war cry-!

"AAHHHHHH!!!!"

Taking the spider by surprise with her loud yell, the stranger managed to whack it's face with a...is that a violin?! She didn't stop attacking it either, giving James enough time to run up the stairs. He would hear another loud war cry from the crazy blonde, sounding very similar to the T-Rex as the broken items they used for the barricade slightly trembled. Then there were strong stomps following him up the stairs with heavy panting and she simply...simply pushed down a heavy desk down the stairs, aiming to harm the spider even more.

When she turned to face James, he can see that her hair is a mess, entangled and knots everywhere. Like she hadn't brushed it for weeks. Her skin was brown from dirt and leaf markings tinted it green on her face. Her wide azure blue eyes could pierce through a brave man's facade, reducing him into a trembling mess like a scared puppy with it's tail between it's legs. It didn't help that she was snarling a bit when she saw Minnie bleeding in his arms before looking back up at him.

"Well?" She growled. "Do you have a safehouse or a safe spot to stay in? Let's go before that-" She cursed." -of a bug comes back up here again. Let's go-!" She urged violently, not giving one more second to waste chatting in a dangerous area. She would follow James if he followed her orders.

Zer0

"What the blazes?!"James, almost dropped Minnie in his alarm as he stared at the wild lady that lunged like a cannon ball at the monster.

"Th-third floor." he stuttered, staring at her. "Follow me --- ahh, that spider is okay, that spider is okay!" he added as they passed the spider den of the partially blind one he had decided to call Mossy. James carefully placed Minnie on the floor, panting, and when Serena had barricaded the door of the control room, he turned to her. "C-can you help me? We need a splint, and bandages --- I have a trauma kit there."

He got the fire going again, and opened up the trauma kit. It was lucky he found this and that they got sterile bandages from the spider den.

Healing

• James = +2 bleeding, -3 condition ( Condition -3 is "Exhausted". He cannot run and he has -5 to rolls and -5 AP)
• Minnie = Fractured back (3 months), 0 bleeding, -2 condition (Condition -2 is "Shaken". She has -2 to rolls and -2 AP)
  
• Serena = +1 bleeding

Their bleeding managed, James plopped on the floor, relieved to have survived that. "Thanks." He told the crazy looking blonde. "You saved us. I'm James, this is Minnie." he looked over to his companion. Of all the injuries to get it had to be a broken back . . . He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder again. She could tell that no matter what happens, he won't abandon her.


Katsuya

The stranger was about to beat the blind spider too until James told her it's okay. Still she narrowed her eyes at it as they went past the seemingly peaceful spider, clenching her violin tightly and ready to pounce.

As soon they closed the door, the blonde barricaded the room. Then she faced James whom laid Minnie down and jerkily nodded. "Yea..." He would notice how surprisingly gentle she was when she had to hold Minnie up for him as he bounded her back. The little gunner didn't even hiss in pain when they had to move her. Though he was reminded how vicious she is when she made the splints, not even using the axe to cut it and just used her bare hands to break them apart. Like she was used to doing that before...

Minnie looked better but dazed. She lazily looked at James and smiled. Appreciatively and comforted. The stranger watched the small scene and her piercing gaze softened a bit.

".....I'm Serena. It's not a problem..." The blonde sat beside the tiny author and the tall detective, checking herself in case she had anymore wounds. "You let me use your bandages too. So it's fine." She placed her violin beside her and took out a bow...from her lion mane-like hair?! Okay then...

"So? What are you here for? I got invited because I'm a violinist..."

"...I'm...a-an author..." Serena raised an eyebrow.

"You're an author?...Oh! Wait, are you the one who wrote that wonderful romance between guys?"

A weak nod from Minnie and Serena shook her head with an amused smile. "Well then. I never knew the author was so young. And you..um.. James?"

Zer0

"I bought a ticket." smiled James proudly, "Did a lot of part time construction work for it for over a year. I'm a criminology major over at old good Russia." he said, adopting a Russian accent. "Where did you come from, Serena? Was the campfire Minnie found earlier yours?"

Katsuya

Serena looked impressed and gave James a little clap. "Ohhh~ Russia! I'm from Germany but if you're asking where did I come from here, then I was from the east of here."

"No, I didn't have a campfire. Honestly I wish I did." The blonde cracked her knuckles like she had an idea of what to use the campfire for. "Ohhh~ how wonderful it would be for me...Hmm. So much more easier too..." James can tell that Serena might have seen too much with the way her eyes looked; it glinted with a slight bit of insanity and a lot of anger.

Minnie sighed, somehow feeling comfortable with the casual topic as she rolled on her side and curled a bit towards James. Like a puppy curling up with it's siblings before they went to sleep.

Zer0

This lady's a little unhinged, thought James. He wondered what she had gone through to get that insane, angry glint in her eye. And wondered briefly if she was a crazy, dangerous, ticking time bomb that might attack Minnie and him. 'A violinist . . .' he thought, he didn't know much about violinists, but she must be famous if she was invited here, and he wondered if he had perhaps passed by a concert or party last month where she was the star. ' Serena . . . ' It didn't ring a bell in his memory, then again he was more into peaceful indie music.

He rested for three hours, just sitting next to Minnie while patting her hair --- she reminded him of his little sister back at home --- and asking Serena about her music, and if she could softly play one for him. "By the way, that violin's really sturdy, Serena, did you reinforce that with something?" It had really done a number on that giant spider.

Speaking of which, his stomach grumbled. It was now eleven in the morning, and he was getting hungry. After listening to her, he thought for a moment. "Serena, I'm thinking of setting traps and maybe hunting something today. We don't have any food, you see. Do you happen to have any food, or know where we could look for food?"

Towards the east, four hours away on foot, and an hour away by car, the violinist would know that there is a watering hole where dinosaurs frequented for water. It was a dangerous place with predators too, and they are likely to get into a battle, but they could be sure to find some food there. On the other hand, the forest is rich with wildlife. They could just try to search the area for something, though that would take more time than going to the watering hole.

Katsuya

When James asked her to play a tune, Serena nodded and stood up. She readied her violin, tuned the strings a bit before bowing at her audience, and played. She closed her eyes, her stance is a lot more relaxed now that she playing a surprisingly soft and calming song. It even got Minnie to sleep a bit, mumbling about home. The violinist paused her playing and thought on James' question.

"Yes. After someone breaking my other violin, I had this one made with a metal." Serena muttered quietly, resuming her playing. Once she was done and listened to the taller teen, the blonde nodded. "Yea, I have some on me." She tossed him a bag of jerky, unsealed. Then she mentioned about the watering hole.

"Though I have to be honest; I think it's best to not go there yet..." She looked at Minnie, worried for the younger teen. "We should try again with that crazy spider in the basement in case there's food there or we could go in the forest. But we might spend a lot of time hunting and catching some prey. Up to you."

Zer0

"There is food there. A military rations crate." said James. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know, Serena, I mean . . ." he looked at the sleeping Minnie. "That spider's too dangerous. I'll go with you, but I'm not going to engage it. I'll make some bandages first, though, hold on."

He made more bandages, a rain catcher, a sewing kit, and two fur sacks. "Here, this will help you carry more."

Craft

James and Serena +2 item slots

"Alright, ready when you are. Feel free to take whatever you need. I'll just be standing by, Serena."

Katsuya

"That's okay, James. I just need this."

Serena swung her violin with a crooked smile. Though she did accept the fur bag. "I'm ready. Let's go."

So the duo went down the stairs. Serena stayed quiet, breathing in deeply like she was getting ready to do something. Once they reached the basement is when James will see that instant snap from calm to rage. The blonde ran down the stairs with a battle cry, jumping up on the desk she push in before, and climbed on it's back. Next thing the taller teen would know is her holding onto the spider and whacked it on it's head with her violin. She didn't let up the attack as it tried to shake her off, but she continued to beat it without mercy.

By the end of it, Serena is covered in spider juice and she amibly smiled at James. Suddenly calm and collected. "There. See? And I'm only bleeding a bit too."

Zer0

"I see." said James, looking at her like she was whoa. "Dang, Serena, you're like the Hulk or something." he muttered, impressed, taking out some bandages. "Here, let me control the bleeding, it's the least I could do . . . Thanks."

Slipping on the muck, as he made his way around the collapsed corpse of the acromantula, James stared at its bashed, caved in head. He was glad Serena is on their side. Flashing a light around the flooded basement, he waded through the dirty waters to the web of the dead spider. There it was, a large floating crate stamped Food Rations. He simply pushed it through the water until he reached the stairs and asked for Serena's help getting it a few steps up higher so that he could break it open properly with his pickaxe.

"Oh, wow, we are good for five days!" he said happily, when he saw all the MRE's

Food!

Spoiler: MRE

​

• Serena +5 food
  Minnie +5 food
• James +5 food

Because Serena had given him and Minnie the jerky, the two were good for today. He spent lunch and early afternoon chopping up the crate and whatever they didn't need for firewood and collected some stones outside. He pooped himself out for five hours searching the rest of the tower some more for supplies, and by the time he was done which was six in the evening, he was dead tired.

Scavenged

Spoiler

x1 Junk
x1 binding
x2 pills
x1 Fast Prey
x1 dangerous prey
x1 bobby pin
x1 stone
x1 batteries
x1 Advanced structure: Chemist's Station

He told Serena about what he had found. There was a chemist station on the second tower and he had spotted another big spider in the flooded basement there that they need to take out if they wanted to get the food crate inside. He felt reassured though, since she was with them and sleepily asked her, "Serena, are you going to leave?"

Katsuya

Men cheered, lifting their cups to honor the owner of the large manor, an old samurai. They enjoyed their time, having beautiful geishas from different houses fawning over them, dancing and flirting coyly with their fans. However the most lovely of them all is sitting calmly on the tatami mat, plucking the strings of a very much loved Koto with pedicured nails. Her raven long hair flowed over her shoulders and back, weaving around her graceful figure and on the floor loosely, a part of it pinned with peach blossom kanzashi and gold hairpins. Her ruby red painted lips stretched into a smile that can pierce through a hardened man's dented heart. Skin as fair as a peach's blush with a long elegant neck and fitted shoulders. Her eyes...her ash purple eyes spoke of a silent confidence that most women wishes they posses, promising that she will do everything in her power to accomplish her goals.

Truly a desirable creature, one that most of the men she meets would want beside them as a wife, taming her spirit.

Zhou Chunsao is a simple Koto player from the Mushishi geisha house. She's held at a very high standard within most geisha houses, hard worker, never mind being beautiful; she's very clever too. Somehow she can console the most wary and dented of hearts with a few gentle words of compassion unlike any other. Yet she is no push over. Not once did she accepted a man's offer of marriage, not even to the most powerful in the country. It was like she wasn't afraid to face them head-on with a charming grin and a charismatic attitude, a samurai spirit in a woman's body...That's what the Head of her geisha house have described her once anyways.

Now when it's getting late, she silently packed her Koto and left the manor after bidding the old samurai 'Good bye'. "Are you sure you wouldn't want to stay a little while longer, Zhou-san?" He asked. The ravenette nodded slowly. "Yes, I am sure, my good sir. Thank you for the ride."

"It's a pleasure to hear your playing, Zhou-san."

With that, she road in a wheeled cart that's curtained with fancy drapes, covering her image from the night dwellers of the streets. Chunsao sighed, slouching her shoulders and cracking her neck. "Finally...Now I can go home." Her eyes lit up in happiness, looking into the pay and tips she gained this whole week. Once the cart got closer to a certain herbal shop in her town, she asked the driver to stop for a moment to get something from them and returned with a large rolled up leaf. Then they arrived to her home...where her son should be sleeping right now. Hopefully the medicine will help lower his fever.

"Thank you so much for your trouble, Sir." The old man sitting on the front of the cart and holding the reins blushed at her charming smile. "O-Of course, young missy! Hav' a gud night!" The woman went inside, smiling wide and bright as she went to the kitchen...

Only to freeze at the scene in front of her, eyes wide in horror and worry.

Her son, her little boy, is laying on the floor, reaching for the food that's littered on the ground. Panting harshly with a flush of red, evidence of his high fever. His golden blonde hair matted down on his sweaty forehead and his alarmingly thin body shook, probably feeling cold. Where's Hanaoka, the care-taker she hired for the week? What was she doing, leaving her son to starve?!

"Chenglei!? Wha-?" She was about to run over to her son when a male's voice echoed in the kitchen, stopping her in her tracks.

"Poor Chenglei~ So hungry to even drag himself on the ground." Her eyes sharpened into an intense baleful glare at the shadow that's leaning on the sink with his arms crossed. "If only the old hag hadn't got in my way to seeing you...Oh well."

"...I was hoping you'd go away...Damien." Chunsao said calmly though her tone didn't fool anybody; she wanted him dead.

The man, Damien, chuckled his 'Kufufufu~', sounding dark. He stood up and came into the moon's light. Wearing a dark western soldier's uniform, her lover...her ex partner gave her a handsome grin dripping in malice and obsession. Golden blonde hair slicked back with a few strands loose, narrow dirt brown eyes that screams arrogance, and broad shoulders that she used to lean on for comfort...Never again.

"I wanted to see you, my Spring Peach-"

"...Get out." She spat out. He laughed again, amused.

"Ahh~ Straight forward as ever, I see."

"I said Get Out-!"

"No, I will not-" He was whacked by her prized wooden Koto, catching him by surprise. The brunette swiftly ran to her sick son, scooping him up along with the medicine, and ran outside, passing by the hidden corpse of the caretaker, Hanaoka. The mother can hear heavy footsteps crunching the random patches of grass and branches on the dirt road behind her. She kept running and running and running-

"Not this time! You won't get away from me this time-!" Chunsao felt her heart beating fast as she continued to run for not just her life, but for her son's as well. She didn't dare look back. She knows what this man can do. She has seen it before with another...

The result wasn't pretty, to say the least.

Placing her hand over Chenglei's warm head, holding him close, the mother prayed to every god and goddess out there. To her deceased family members. Anybody in the spirit realm to please help her, give her some hope to get away from this man-

There! A light! There's a light in Mushishi, her work place. Must be the Head, it has to be her-!

Chunsao ran through the gates, went past the samurai guards who looked at her in shock as they never seen this woman look panicked before, and ran up the stairs until she reached a certain sliding door. The now wary samurai guards looked back at the darkness and they can see...a shadowed man stopping his run and just stood there...staring...menacingly standing there. They prepared themselves just in case.

"Obaba! Obaba!" She cried out and the door opened, revealing an elder woman with a disapproving scowl on her wrinkly face. "What, Chunsao? I have no time for-...stay here and take care of your son." The old woman looked outside of her office window, searching what caused her employee to be this panicky and disheveled . It took her a while, but she spotted a shadow that's staring right at her. She daringly stared back, raising her nose up and looking down at the ominous figure. Silently taunting him to try something but he didn't. Instead he slowly walked away in the dead of night. Then she looked back at Chunsao with narrowed eyes.

"Was that your-"

"Yes...it seems he has found us again." The young woman muttered as she sat down, panting heavily. She cleared her throat. "May I have some stew and water? My son, he needs food- don't worry about the medicine. I have some with- "

"Shut it and take care of your son."

The mother sighed in relief, smiling humbly at the elder woman. "Thank you so much."

Obaba waved her hand dismissively, her cheeks turned pink. "Whatever."

That night, the two women planned on what she needed to do to avoid her ex-lover. For years, the man could not let her go. Not after she found his last dead victim, hidden underneath his vacation home in the Orients. It was gruesome to see and she didn't want Chenglei to know about it. At all. So she left with their baby son and her Koto, hiding in other geisha and bath houses. Each one knew of her troubles and had agreed to let her work for them once she settled in a new home, but somehow...Damian finds her time after time...

So after many discussions with Obaba and weeks hiding in Mushishi past, Chunsao did what she believed would be the right thing to do; she left her son in the care of her mother back in Akihara at the southern parts of the Orients. Then she will leave and travel on her own until her insane stalker is caught by the soldiers.

Chenglei didn't deserve to be mistreated. He's only a child and he doesn't know of his father at all. She made sure of that. He was too young to really understand the situation and if it means that her son will hate her for leaving him...then so be it. As long he is taken care of and is loved by her mother, then she doesn't care if her son hates her guts.

Chunsao loves him too much to let him suffer under his terrible father's grasp...Then a few years later, she dropped Tsumiki off as well as her last lover was killed from Damian's murderous hands...

It wasn't until a few more years past that she's finally free of the man. He was caught by one of the prominent clans and was hanged in public. She had went to her mother's home, thinking she will find her children there and happy, only to see an empty farm house. So she searched and searched, even during the wars between the clans and the great war against the evil dragon, she searched and searched until she heard the news of her grown son...who's the reincarnation of the Golden Dragon and is currently the consort of the new Emperor...

"Oh Chenglei...my baby boy has found love..." Chunsao is so happy to hear of her son's adventures and see the paintings, knowing it's really her son because of the mole near his lips. Just like his mother...

The chirping of cicadas and the sound of wind rustling the tall grass and leaves echoed across the lush meadow that opened before Serena's cottage. It was a bright summer day, and at the side of a trail that wound its way across the field, a sun-tanned man wearing a straw hat and wooden slippers was humming to himself as he patted fertilizer on a couple of sunflowers growing at the side of the trail. He patted his dirty gloves loose of earth and stood up to water the plants with a blue watering can.

He had lively orange eyes and a scent that reminded one of a flower growing at the side of a mountain or the first days of summer. He was tall and gracefully lean, with a bit of an adventurous mischievous vibe about him, as though he saw the whole world as his playground. Right now though he was peacefully absorbed in his gardening, until he looked up as though he just remembered something, and turned to his beloved companion near him.

"Serena, remember that time after we met again atop that tower in the Farthing Plains, and my sister and Seifer had come out of the wardrobe, we had a talk outside at night, and I asked you why you were helping me? You had given three reasons, but I didn't catch the third one because the wind blew --- what was your third reason again?"

Katsuya

It was a hot summer day and the sun-tanned man would soon need a drink from planting flowers...or so thought his beloved companion. The blonde had went back inside the cottage for a few minutes, tucking her gardening gloves in her dirtied dark caprice's pocket so she can make some cold lemonade.

Her lovely azure eyes looked up and out the small window that's above the kitchen counter as she stirred the sugar and juice together. Her loose and long light pink shirt hid her lithe figure underneath, lean biceps flexed sublty as she stirred and poured into two cups. Her golden shoulder-length locks are wrapped under a red bandana that has a cute flora pattern. Her grin hinted her happy bliss as she sighed, picking up the tray and going back outside to pass Seth a cold cup of lemonade.

It was then that she heard the tall twin's question and her sun-kissed cheeks turned pink. "O-Oh. M-My third reason." Serena cleared her throat, looking a bit embarrassed.

"My third reason is because you are . . . involved." She lifted the tray so Seth can grab a cup as her cheeks turned red.

"W-What brought on that memory?" She asked, sipping her own cup shyly as her blue eyes stared at his lively amber ones.

Zer0

" Ahhh, so it was because of me." smiled Seth in an expression of I-knew-it, picking up a cup. "Thank you." he grinned at Serena before leaning and kissing her red cheek. "Ah, and for our lemonade too." he kissed her other cheek, then took a long gulp, sweat pooling down his collar bones. He gave a sigh of relief, smacking his lips. "It's so cold." he hummed, putting the cup against his cheek.

"I think it was the wind." the twin swayed on the spot, watching her affectionately. "I just suddenly remembered." he gave her a playful bump on the hips. "So . . . was I the main reason or . . . was it really because you wanted to find out who set us up?" he had a small smirk playing across his lips.

Katsuya

Serena closed her eyes as Seth kissed her burning red cheeks, her button nose scrunched up as she resisted to pout for being that predictable.

Again she sipped her lemonade as she listened to Seth's reason and blinked open her eyes. A bit surprised at the answer. The wind? . . . Oh! Because it was windy that night too . . .

When she saw that small smirk on his face, the blonde bumped on the hips, full on pouting. "Both. I didn't like how someone used us like that nor did I like the fact that you were being chased by that evil Scrim-whatchaname. . . So I wanted to find out who set us up first . . . and throw a wrench in his plans." She really found great pleasure at revealing the truth out of the terrible former head and Johnathon, watching the color drain from their faces as she played her violin; the screeches echoing in the hallways every time they lied.


Zer0

" But it was really because you love me, right?" Seth was now rubbing shoulders with Serena cheekily, still smiling.

Katsuya

"More then that." Serena whispered, tilting her head down as her hair curtained her blushing red face. She felt her shoulders relaxing under Seth's rubbings and sighed. "It's because I cared about you . . . and worried about your safety . . ."

The blonde peeked over her shoulders to look at Seth with a bright blue eye. "I wanted you to be happy more than anything else . . . even when it meant that you'll be in someone else's arms afterwards."

Zer0

Seth's cheeky smile gave way to surprise, then shy blushing warmth. "Thanks, Serena." he said, moved. He put the watering can and cup of lemonade down and then hugged her tight. "That's . . . selfless."

He gazed at her, looking like he was glad she was her, then smiled contentedly. "For all the treasures my hands have held, the best by far is you." He gently held her hands, then brought them to his lips.

"Ya know, from you I learned that love is selfless, that it heals you and doesn't steal from one's soul to feed its own heart. I can plant roots in safety, grow wings and be free to fly, and you're here always wanting what's best for me, even if it doesn't include you. You're like pepper rockets, Serena." he grinned. Pepper rockets were these green peppers that had their insides scooped out and filled with cheese, then wrapped in thin crepe pastry skin and fried. They were crunchy. "Spicy on the outside, but inside is where the sweet and good stuff is at." he shyly rubbed noses with her.

"Ya want that for dinner?"

Katsuya