Fantasy Moments in Time

When Seth hugged her tight, he can feel how her heart pounded fast. She wrapped her arms around him too, turning around to face him as they embraced. As she listened, dazedly gazing at Seth as he kissed her hands, Serena smiled humbly. Rubbing noses with him gently. Then she giggled quietly, her cheeks feeling warm. She squeezed his hands and sighed happily that she can even squeeze his hands.

"Y-Yes . . . I dinner that want . . ." She shook her head a bit, smiling silly.

"I-I mean . . . Yes, please. My adorable poet and muse~" Serena kissed his cheeks adoringly. "Let's make some together, nee?"

Zer0

"Hai. To our dinner that want!" Seth boomed jovially, then looked about the trail for some green peppers.

That night, in their little cottage with the windows aglow from lanterns and candlelight, Seth chucked some firewood inside the brick stove. He played with a piece of stick with its ends aglow and smoking, putting it under his nose and wriggling, saying it was his smoking hot mustache, as he returned to help wrap more cheese filled green peppers.

During dinner where there was a vase of freshly picked sunflowers on the table, he took out his kunai and went slashy slashy with a flourish at his pepper rocket. It was whole for a moment, then crumbled into clean even slices.

Ever since the couple started living together, Seth's personality started to show around the home, such as a handsome weapon rack on one of the walls where an oriental kunai with a jade dragon handle, a jagged tooth orc dagger, and a nordic knife with wooden carvings of celtic knots on the handle were on display; by the door hung his sturdy courier shoes, wooden slippers, and a forest green hooded cloak with a golden leaf brooch; on the walls were black and white photos in cozy frames: one had him and Serena smiling on the beach while making a sand castle together, another where the both of them were lying on the grass watching the stars while holding out marshmallows on sticks at the edge of Foo's dress. There was one photo of him on stage, presenting Serena a gladiolus summer flower during one of her concerts and he looked like he was furiously blushing

Their bathroom had a prank ready and waiting for someone, while in their bedroom there was a notebook on the bedside table where Seth would grab to write poetry when he is suddenly inspired. There was a wardrobe where his clothes were in too, and tacked in the inside were posters with wise shinobi sayings, and some airship tickets bought a couple of months early for a trip to their next exciting adventure.

Much later that night, after the lamps had been put off, Seth snuggled into Serena's warmth, smelling her hair under the soft covers, then pressing his lips on the back of her neck. She could hear him sigh quietly in content, before whispering a sleepy, "Good night."

The blonde cackled again that day when she saw Seth's 'smoking hot mustache', shaking her head in amusement before chopping the peppers open to stuff cheese inside. When dinner was ready and done, her blue eyes glimmered happily as she clapped her hands at Seth cutting the food flawlessly. "Can't help but be a ninja huh? Even in dinner." She teased playfully, munching on the spicy and cheesy dish.

Ever since the couple lived together, Serena felt like the cozy cottage became livelier now that Seth showed his personality on the walls and doors. Even the bathroom is ready to play a prank on someone - - - Serena has one made ready when he steps into his winged work shoes tomorrow, squishing jelly between his toes - - - and her violin openly laying next to his note pad. On the corner of one of his pages and in her hand writing is "I know no ways to mince it in love, but to directly say 'I love you'." Music notes scattered around the living room's lower table, ready to be played and inspired again by something that Seth has done or said. Every time she stays there, Seth would find her staring at the black and white photos with a happy warm smile and then write down her musical notes furiously; like a small spark that started a raging bonfire.

Honestly, she loved those photos, reminding her of their time together. Serena didn't expect Seth to come out during one of her concerts, bringing summer flowers. In the photo she looked surprised and blushing red as well with a huge smile on her face. Next to the green hooded cloak is a red one with a sunflower brooch and heeled boots next to wooden slippers. Keeping company on the coat rack and by the entrance in case the couple needed to leave for the day.

Much later that night, as they snuggled and spooned, Serena blushed red when she felt warm lips on the back of her neck. Smiling wide, she reached for his hand and held it gently. Adoringly as she lifted it to her own lips and kissed his knuckles. ". . . Good night, Seth. Sweet dreams." She whispered in the dark, sighing happily and snuggled back into his chest and arms, lulled asleep by his soft breathing and comforting warmth.

Zer0

The port is busy as ever. Sailors passes over heavy creates filled with spices and trading items from all other countries, dropping them on horse pulled carts to send into shops. People from different countries come walking down the ships' bridges to explore the town or to quickly reach the trains to another place and vise versa. Just like a pair that's running towards a large air ship; the blonde of the pair waving at the sailor that's about to pull in the bridge.

"Hey! Wait!" Serena yelled loudly, catching the sailor's attention by surprise. He let them in after they showed their tickets and pulled the bridge to the ship, signalling the captain to set sail. She sighed in relief as they reached their room and dropped their suitcase on the bed before plopping herself too, facing forward and landing on her stomach.

"We made it~ Thank goodness." She muttered, bed muffling her voice. It would've been bad if they had missed it. Considering that this flight leads to concert in a different country. A very tense country that's slowly opening it's borders to other neighboring countries. It's been tough, but the neighboring countries and the New Order were able to convince the ruling people inside to open it's doors for trade and to let them help them recover from the war. Since James and Lydia are busy with the paper works for the peace treaty with the other rulers and governing people, it's up to Serena to make sure everything goes smoothly in this concert with another musician from the tense country. Which is a lot of pressure.

From what she understands in the meeting with James, the Tarot country is in a very . . . difficult state at the moment.

Serena muffled something on the bed.

Zer0

Seth ran gleefully with Serena, wooden sandals clacking, hooded green cloak billowing in the wind, and his old backpack bouncing, as he leaped on to the deck after her.

Thud

He dropped his bag in their room, then promptly threw himself on the nearest chair, wiping the sweat off his brow. "Yeah, that train stop at the cow crossing was slooooooow." Flipping his sandals off, he took off his cloak and threw it at the nearest coat rack. He looked around their room.

"What you say, Serena?"

Katsuya

Serena lifted her head and gasps out. "Think Minnie and Sen got here in time too?" She took off her heels with her achy feet. "I regret wearing heels today for a run." She groaned before plopping her head down on the bed again.

Their room wasn't as comfy looking as their cottage home back in Paroosia but at least they will be warm from the sea's winds thanks to the small fireplace. There's a decent sized window to see outside with light curtains on the sides, the bed is big enough to fit four people on it, and the walls has fishes lined up vertically as a pattern on the wallpaper. There's also a desk at the corner with a wooden closet nearby and a nightstand besides the bed, a fancy-looking lamp on top of it.

Zer0

"Yeah, Minnie would have made sure they were on time." said Seth, walking over then bending down to put her heels neatly on the side below the bed. "And my brother would be looking forward to visiting the engine room of this airship. This was engineered by rivaling guild, I think, he'd love to be able to take things apart just to see how it works." He sat cross legged on the floor and began massaging her achy feet. He'd give her a grin if she looked back at him.

Seth absentmindedly gazed at their room as he kneaded Serena's toes. "I like our bed." he said. It was nice and big, one he could spread his arms around, "And the fancy lamp is fanceh. I can live in any room as long as I have a comfy bed."

Katsuya

"You have a point the-errrrre~ " She groaned quietly as Seth works his magic with his hands, looking back at him to see his grin. Serena smiled back before sliding off the bed and sitting on the floor, facing the mischievous twin. "Yea, I think Minnie is used to making sure you two were in time with thinnnnngs~!" She flinched from a tense knot and sighed in bliss when he kneaded on her toes.

"Hmm~ . . . The bed is definitely comfy enough to fall onto. That's for sure . . . Seth?" The blonde's voice sounded nervous, her toes wiggled. "Do . . . do you think it's gonna be okay? With the whole peace movement happening, I mean?"

Zer0

"I have no idea." said Seth, moving up to the heels of her feet. "But people like peace and better lives that trading with another country can provide, most common folk do with more people wanting to buy their stuff, so you will have support, Serena." he smiled encouragingly. "And your music has a way of comforting people and reminding them of important things that change them, just like how you comforted me. So we've got those good things on our side!" he grinned.

Katsuya

Serena had to smile at that and nodded, feeling encouraged and comforted. "Yea! Oh! and we won't be the only ones. One of the Spades' royal members will be joining us too." She said to the twin, sighing and wiggling her toes again.

"Her name . . . is certainly interesting."

Zer0

Seth cocked his head to the side, curious, but didn't ask. "Loooking forward to meeting this person." he said, and tickled her toes. He moved closer and brought her feet on his lap, now rolling and stretching them by the ankles. "So, apart from being your dashing bodyguard, do ya want me to spy on anyone?"

There was a glimmer in his eye and she could tell that the idea of breaking into a royal palace, or unearthing some political secret, and spying where there is possibility of thrilling danger greatly appealed to him --- and was probably why he was very excited to come with her to her concert apart from seeing her play.

Katsuya

Serena snorted and cackled when he tickled her toes. She giggled as he rolled and stretched her feet by her ankles. She raised a brow at him when he asked and thought for a moment.

" . . . For right now? Not that I can think of, but we still need to be alert, my dashing bodyguard~" She purred at the end before her tone changed back to normal.

"After all . . . Tarot is still . . . wary of anybody outside their own states, much less people from outside their country. For all we know, there could be a terrorist group plotting or some left over shades from Valdanr or something - Oh! Did you know that this country is actually divided into four states and each one has something specific that the other three does not have? It's rather interesting how they depend on each other too. Kind of like a symbiotic relationship with each other."

"Though . . . I don't know the specifics, but I guess that's why we're gonna meet said Spades royal member." Serena muttered. ". . . I do know the states names though and the symbols for each one in their flags - Hold on a moment." She stood up, leaning down to kiss his cheek before going into their suit case to find a simple file. Then she sat back down to open it and reveal drawings and information of each state.

The blonde first pointed at a swallow tail-shaped flag with a dark midnight blue spade in the middle and a pair of swords crossing each other. "This flag is for the State of Spades and this one-" Her finger glided over to point at a flag with a golden yellow diamond in the middle of bronze coin. " - is for the State of Diamonds. This one is for the State of Clubs." She next pointed at a flag with a forest green club that has a wand over it as if it was growing from the ground. "And lastly the State of Hearts." The last flag has a floating red heart inside a golden cup.

"And it's gonna take two or three days to reach Tarot, right into the State of Spades." She said with a grin.

Zer0

"Nope. I did not even know this kingdom existed." said Seth simply, smiling when she kissed him. When Serena returned, he sat beside her, then kissed her cheek, leaning his head on her shoulder.

"I like this one." he pointed at the golden diamond flag. "I wonder what they need from each other?" he made himself comfortable beside Serena, snuggling close and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Hummmm, two to three days. That's quick, we'll have enough time to explore the ship and taste all the food, I think!"

Katsuya

She nuzzled her cheek on his head as soon he leaned his head on her shoulder, blushing a bit from his kiss.

"This kingdom was rarely heard because they were in isolation and didn't want to be part of anything that happens outside of it's own country or so what I read." Serena replied, reaching up comb through his hair gently. "I'm not surprised that you didn't know about them. I didn't know about them either - well until now."

The blonde smiled as he wraps an arm around her, snuggling back as she continued to lightly play with his reddish hair. "Yep, and Sen has enough time to tinker with this ship's boiler room and Minnie will write something again." Then she poked his cheek, saying 'Boop!'

Meanwhile in the engine room, as Seth predicated, Minnie was standing beside Sen as he talked with the engineers. She looked around the whole place, pondering on their new adventure to a strange country. Like as to why did James make Sen and her come too? She understood why Seth came - - - Serena is playing in the concert - - - But her and Sen too?

'Maybe he wanted more back-up for Seth?' She thought, again not really believing that reasoning. Why, you may ask. Well James had pulled her away after the meeting and told her to not be alarmed once she gets to Spades . . . Which was odd to say the least. Her teal blue eyes rolled back at her kooky beau and the poor engineer, the corner of her lips quirked up. Well . . . for now, it's nice. . . and she hopes it stays that way.

It wasn't until lunch that the twins, Minnie and Serena has met up to eat together. There was a buffet filled with different and exotic cuisines. The blonde poked a pale looking pudding in front of her, along with a plate of spicy chorizo, rice, diced tomatoes with lime and salt, and grilled beef.

Zer0

Sen would live in the noisy engine room if he could, and it took Minnie to make him stop secretly wriggling inside the nooks and crannies of the massive machines with a wrench to try and disassemble them to see how they worked.

That lunch time, he was covered head to foot in black oil smears (he at least washed his hands), and was enthusiastically telling Seth all about the thingamajigs and gears that made the engine run and showed him a nice burn scar he got a couple of days ago from smelting lead for Minnie's bullets.

Sen helped himself with grilled beef and rice, and eventually got on a pudding eating contest with his brother which he won proudly. The ladies could see that the twins missed each other, this being the first time in a long time they get to hang out for more than just an afternoon visit.

The two could hardly believe how grown up they were, being busy with work and such, though happy that the other wasn't lonely without their other half. The twins had been thick as thieves, but the war had definitely matured them enough to be independent. Sen personally was happy that Seth chose Serena and Serena accepted him. He looked at the two peacefully, as his brother asked the violinist if her feet were feeling better and if she wanted another massage before bed, appreciating the fact that his partner is as playful and not all that serious just like him.

"Minnie, I just realized something," whispered Sen, "I think Serena could have passed as our sister."

Katsuya

When Minnie spotted Sen about to take the massive machines apart with a wrench, she stole his wrench and reminded him that they currently need the machine to fly ship at the moment.

That lunch as she payed attention to the couple in front of them, pondering that maybe the twins should get together more like this, the gunner looked over at Sen. She blinked at Sen's conclusion about Serena.

"And what brought that idea?" She can hear Serena saying that she's fine now with a smooching sound on Seth's cheek, then an offered to feed him said pudding. Teasingly saying "Loser gets fed by another~" The blonde smiled playfully at Seth.


Zer0

"She cackles, she pranks, she's a liiiitle bit crazy, but not that much. She's not evil, but yeah. Isn't she kinda like me and Sen?"

On the other side of the table Seth was smiling, blushing a little, as he murmured, "Then I am happy to lose all the time~" he chomped happily on the pudding, gulped, then said, "Ahhhh." for more.

Katsuya

Minnie cracked a smile at the description for the blonde and nodded. "Then yea . . . I can see that she passes as your sister."

Serena cackled quietly as she fed Seth another spoonful of pudding, going 'Ahhh~' every time. The gunner, who secretly watched the couple be adorable for a moment and Sen saw a glint in her eyes. He knows that glint. He knows it all too well.

". . . Sen?" She muttered shyly. "C-Can you close your eyes?"

Zer0

Sen nodded and went back to his chorizo, then noticed the glint in Minnie's eyes. He smiled, putting his knife and fork down, then closed his eyes.

Katsuya

As she made sure that he has his eyes shut by waving a hand in front of his face, Minnie silently cheered herself on and leaned in. Her face turned red the closer she got to Sen's face and then she sat back down, sighing as if to calm down. With a huff, she tried again only this time she cupped his cheek with one hand, turning redder and redder as she got closer to kiss -

Only to squish her trigger arm on a cake. Alarmed, she panicked and tried to wave off the cake pieces, splatting on the table which brought Serena's attention. Her own eyes widened as she witness Minnie looking around fast for a napkin and held back her cackle. The gunner found one . . . and it's on the other side of Sen. With another huff, now annoyed, she leaned in to reach for the napkin, not taking her hand off his cheek as she reached-!

And got it! She happily pulled back only, in her embarrassed horror, to see the table cloth moving, rattling the dishware. It seems . . . she didn't notice her elbow plates folding on the table cloth and pinching it in between. So now . . . she's stuck in an awkward position above Sen's lap, with one foot on the floor while the other is about to lean back in place.

She didn't want to give up either-! Minnie sighed, plopping her head on Sen's shoulder, muttering 'Help'.

Zer0

' What is going on?' thought Sen, as he felt the closing and then withdrawing of the warmth of Minnie's breathing. The cup of her hand! He puckered his lips, now giddy on his seat, leaning forward. Then he heard a squish, the kiss didn't come. More movement, an annoyed huff? Then he heard the dishes moving.

"Uhh." he said out loud, wondering if he should peek. Then he felt her plop on his shoulder muttering help.

Sen opened his eyes to see his vision almost obscured by bright blue hair, and Serena holding back a cackle with Seth looking at him and Minnie as though they were cute. He looked at his beau's situation. And then chuckled.

"Hehe, only you, Minnie!" he said, and without minding that people were looking at them, tilted her chin up, smiled at her encouragingly, their noses just millimeters apart, and then closed his eyes again.

Katsuya

Her face is pure red, super aware that people are staring and chuckling at them - her specifically.

Minnie felt a hand tilt her chin up and felt her cheeks heat up even more when she saw his encouraging smile. Smiling shyly, she leaned in and kissed him. Pouring in her gratefulness and happiness in the kiss until she back away only centimeters apart; her forehead touched his as her hand held his.

Why did everyone in the dinner room go 'Awwww~!' with a few women whispering 'So precious~'?! Ahhhh!!!!

The gunner plopped her head on his shoulder again to hide her very red face again, muttering how she just wished she can use her confetti canon to escape from the crowd right now.

Serena cackled at Minnie's plight before feeding Seth food from his plate. "It's okay, Minnie. You're just adorable."

"I will shoot colorful paper shreds at you while you sleep."

"Yes yes, I care about you too, Minnie." The blonde teased back, grinning at her friend who grumbled and snuggled her face in Sen's shoulder.


Zer0

Lips that tasted of choriso kissed her serenely back, squeezing her hand. Sen blinked up at her looking happy silly and smiled. "Why not, Minnie? Let's escape!" said Sen, hugging her and letting her sit on his lap. He slowly picked away the cloth stuck to her elbow plates.

"Do you need a distraction, brother?" said Seth, rising to the aid of his twin.

Sen looked at Minnie, an adventurous glint in his eye.

Katsuya

Serena smiled as she watched Seth rise up to aid and saw that Minnie . . . shyly looked up at Sen.

The gunner simply nodded with her own little mischief-filled smile, recognizing the adventurous glint in his eyes. "O-oka- GET DOWN!" She suddenly yelled as she quickly leaned to the right, falling and covering Sen's head as they rolled onto the floor.

'THUD!'

When they looked up, they will see a a sharp knife embedded in the wooden chair with a small note attached to it's handle with twine. The crowd panicked, scattering out of the dinner room as Minnie tried to find who threw that knife at Sen . . .

But she couldn't see any suspicious person on board. "Must have blended in...." She growled. Serena tried to calm everyone down so no one would get trampled on by accident.

Zer0

It happened so fast! Next thing Sen knew Minnie was protecting him on the floor, a caked arm cushioning his head; Seth, looking at where the handle of the knife was pointing, immediately flipped the table to face that direction and ducked, calling at Serena to get down with him. A flare of fear rose up inside Sen and he hugged Minnie, a hand protectively on her head, as he searched for the nearest cover, saw Seth and began crawling over there. "Minnie, let's take cover!"

He should be used to this by now, the many times she has sensed danger and saved his life in an instant, but it still frightened him, the thought of losing Minnie. Her determined eyes and growling calmed him. His beau was on the watch, this girl hunted snipers during the war. They're going to be okay.

Seth was looking around too, throwing knives between his fingers, ready to throw, as the crowd scattered. "I'm going hunting." he told Serena, and attempted to blend in with the crowd.

Katsuya