Les Feuilles Mortes

Sam jolted awake in his own bed with no recollection of how he got there. His head pulsed with every heartbeat as the blood rushed back to his brain after the sudden movement. The sun had already risen and he could hear both Vincent and his mother on the other side of his bedroom wall. Sam checked his phone and saw a double-digit count of missed texts and voicemails. He grimaced. Most of them were from Abigail.

The date was Fall 26, so Sam ruled out any significant amount of lost time. The blond still questioned how he got to the house last night, but overall it seems he simply fell into bed and slept. He texted Abigail to let her know he was home safely and that he needed to do a bit of investigating before he could tell her much more.

Pulling on a shirt, Sam stepped out into the living space of the house and found his mother in the kitchen enjoying a meal with Vincent. Jodi lit up as he entered the room. "Sam, why don't you join us for breakfast?" she suggested, gesturing toward the assortment at the center of the table. "Vincent was my big helper this morning."

The kid brightened at the name drop and swung his legs happily as he stuffed a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. "Maum wet ma od choc'lat cheps!" Vincent shouted as he chewed, completely ignoring any semblance of table manners.

Warily, Sam took the seat across from his mother and served himself a plate. "Are you doing okay after yesterday?" the blond asked Jodi hesitantly.

Jodi's head fell to one side. "Yesterday?" she parroted in a tone that unnerved Sam, but from her response he quickly realized it may have been unnecessarily. "Oh, you mean my headache?" she clarified. His mother beamed. "Thank you for sending Caroline my way, sweetheart. Maru gave her a prescription to help and Caroline brewed me a batch of her special tea." Jodi sighed, almost dreamily. "I feel so much better today!"

"But Sam, you look like you didn't sleep well. Is everything alright?"

Sam felt slightly guilty for ditching both his mother and Vincent without warning, but they both seemed relatively unharmed. Though after meeting the witch, the man had to wonder if everything really had gone well after he left or if the magical woman intervened and altered their memories somehow. It was a discomforting thought to know that perhaps his own memories could not be trusted as the truth. "Uh, yeah," Sam replied to his mother. "Like you said, I just had some trouble sleeping last night."

It was then that Sam finally noticed that there was a strange object in his father's seat at the table. He leaned further out of his chair to better inspect it. Is that… an egg?

Vincent caught his brother's stares and flashed a toothy grin. "It's a dragon egg I got from farmer Violet," the boy announced proudly. "When I went to see the chicks hatch at Jas' house, they had the eggs under a lamp to keep them warm. So I told Violet that I was going to keep this egg warm and hatch it for her."

Despite his uneasiness regarding the memory-loss situation with their mother, Sam could not help but be amused with his little brother's new project. "And that's why you wrapped it in a nest made up of every spare blanket in the house?"

"It's too big to sit on!" Vincent claimed defensively. "She was going to donate the dragon egg to the museum, but I told her she should hatch it instead." He licked his fork clean of the syrup stuck to the tongs. "And Violet promised that if I can hatch the egg all by myself, I can keep whatever baby comes out."

Jodi laughed and humored her youngest son's active imagination. "We'll have to see what kind of dragon hatches out of that egg, won't we, sweetie?"

Sam did not think he would be able to convince his mom that Vincent's egg might actually hatch into a dragon. With all the wizards, witches, and other weird magic in town, a genuine dragon egg was not out of the realm of possibility. He glanced at the piece of off-white shell and its muted green spots peeking out from under the layers of blankets. It's definitely big enough to be a dragon egg…

Still, that was the least of Sam's problems right now and luckily for him, Vincent had school today. He needed to check in with Abigail to hash out what exactly happened yesterday and make a game plan for moving forward. Inhaling his breakfast, the blond took up his plate and washed it before announcing that he was heading out. "Have fun!" Jodi called after him. A chill ran down Sam's spine as he sensed eyes upon him. But whose?

After receiving a sweet, hand-written note in the mail this morning, Emily stepped into Marnie's house for the mysterious surprise Jas told her about. The little girl in her bright orchid dress called her over into the kitchen. Jas stood waiting for her in front of the door that led out to the where the animals were kept. "Uncle Shane's in the barn," she told Emily. "He said… Uh…" the child stumbled, unsure of how to phrase the rest of her practiced lines.

Emily waited patiently, as Jas fiddled with her shamrock-green bow to stall. "He said to tell you he wants to show you something."

The sapphire-haired woman played her part. "Then we should go out to meet him, shouldn't we?" Emily reached over to help Jas secure the bow more firmly and stepped back to admire Jas' dark locks. "Did you do your hair yourself today? It looks fantastic!"

Jas was delighted by the compliment. "I did most of it, but Uncle Shane helped!"

Emily was led through the door from the kitchen and into the main barn which acted as a central hub for feeding buckets, hay bales, and packaging eggs, milk, and other animal products before Jas turned a corner and into one of the adjacent coops.

The barmaid could tell it was a more recent addition, the smell of fresh sawdust still lingered in the air. Emily was about to enter the coop when Jas stopped her and held a finger to her lips to signal for silence.

In the doorway, Emily could see Shane painting a "Fresh Eggs" sign in red letters. Jas probably did not want to distract him while handling something so delicate, but once her boyfriend finished, Jas still would not let Emily go in. "Sometimes I listen to make sure Uncle Shane is okay," Jas whispered. "He tells Charlie things he doesn't tell me or Aunt Marnie."

While Emily did not approve of eavesdropping, Shane finished the final touches of his sign and set down his paint supplies. "That should do it," the man supposed with a sigh of relief. He bent down and scooped up one of his chickens. Emily immediately recognized the hen as Shane's favorite: Charlie. "It's the perfect home for you hens…" he supposed.

Shane continued his monologue to his avian companion. "We'll have the best eggs in the whole valley!" Shane looked so hopeful. "Fresh and healthy, with rich, golden yolks. Not like those pale, sickly Joja eggs…"

But then he gave Charlie an odd look that made Emily's chest tighten. Shane sighed heavily and even the hen's face seemed to reflect Shane's expression. "You know, Charlie…" the poultry farmer addressed his pet chicken. "I was thinking… A guy like me is always teetering on the edge of despair…" He shrugged, "Know what I mean?"

Charlie's appearance remained unchanged, still stuck the way it had been since Shane's tonal shift took a nosedive. "But you and the other hens are going to keep me upright from now on… I know it."

The fluffy chicken did not as much as cluck in response and Shane cracked a smile. "What's wrong…" he chortled, "too much pressure?"

Jas frowned at the words her godfather uttered and Emily decided it was best to make their presence known. The sapphire-haired woman strode past the little girl and into the coop.

"Good morning, Shane!" she greeted her boyfriend. Shane gently put Charlie down on the floor and for the first time Emily noticed that Charlie was not the only bird in the coop. Also present were a pair of gorgeous pale blue chickens, with large tail feathers that curved outward to trail behind them.

"Hey, Emily…" Shane expressed pride in his work as he gestured toward the fowl. "So, what do you think?"

Emily was taken aback by the gem-like hues of their feathers. "They're stunning, Shane!" she returned breathlessly. "Where did you get them?"

Jas interjected at this point, "Uncle Shane's been working on them for a while." The girl giggled. "I told him I wanted chickens that dressed as pretty as you, Auntie Emily!"

Emily was flattered and her cheeks flushed. Shane took back the reins of the conversation. Blue Cochin's weren't as flashy as Jas wanted, so I had to breed my own line for a more vibrant color." His dark eyes fell on Emily. "I've been raising them in secret this season. I don't want Joja finding out and trying to steal them before I register them as a new variant."

"So these are Jas' hens?"

Shane verified. "I won't be living here forever, and I wanted to pass something on to Jas," he justified his actions awkwardly. "I've been teaching her how to care for them."

"I'm going to have lots of colorful chickens!" Jas interjected as she pet the crest of the head on one of her striking blue birds. "I'm going to call them Jas' Gems!"

Emily's boyfriend leaned closer so Jas would not hear him. "She really wanted to name them 'Emily's hens,' but I told her that wouldn't tell other people much about the breed." The two watched Jas as she offered the hens a handful of corn and she giggled as they brushed up against her to beg.

Shane's voice was a bit more hopeful now and Emily saw his aura brighten slightly as he spoke "I want to feel like I'm not just a leech on the world. I want to contribute somehow, even in a small way like this."

Emily pulled him into a hug, squeezing him more tightly than she did anyone else because she knew he liked it that way. "You're making a world of difference, Shane," she assured her partner as she kissed his cheek. "I love you!" When she finally released him, patted her coat pocket to make sure her gift for Shane was still there. I think I'll give it to him before the Feast of the Winter Star… Emily thought with a gleeful grin as she watched Shane and Jas interact with the chickens.

Her heart swelled at their smiling faces. I want to make this little family of ours official…

Abigail was miserable from staying up into the early hours of the morning hoping to hear something from Sam. The woman was not sure when she finally nodded off, but her eyes burned instantly upon opening, so Abigail could tell she had not slept much regardless of her body insisting on rest.

She flopped over and reached for her phone. *Hey, Abi. I'm home safe, sorry for worrying you. I'll catch you up later.* The timestamp was only fifteen minutes ago. Abigail tapped a response.

*You've got some major explaining to do, ghosting me like that.* It sounded mad. And really, Abigail was furious that Sam had disappeared without a word to her about what was happening. It was so unlike Sam to forget about Vincent - or her for that matter. Wait, what about Mom?

Abigail staggered out of bed and into the hallway in an attempt to find her father. Her head hurt from the lack of sleep. Her ears caught the sound of rustling her parents' bedroom as she passed the door, so she knocked. "Dad, is that you?"

"Abigail?" It was her mother's voice!

The young woman burst into the room and her cerulean eyes swept the room until she found Caroline lying in bed. "Mom, you're alright!" Abigail shouted, running toward her.

Her mother's expression shifted to confusion. "Why wouldn't I be alright?" Caroline asked. "I'm just a little tired and decided to sleep in today."

"But you went missing!"

Caroline scoffed in exasperation. "I went to make sure Jodi was okay after Sam interrupted my annual check-up. Jodi was not feeling well and I stayed with her since she did not have anyone to take care of her. That's all," the emerald-haired woman clarified. "I came back late last night when Sam finally got home with Vincent. Didn't you talk to your father? "

"Which one?" Abigail snapped. She knew it was a cheap shot, but part of her felt stupid for not asking Pierre where Caroline might be all day. All that worry for nothing.

Caroline frowned. "I'm going to let that slide because it's obvious you were worried about me and I don't want to ruin the moment," she scolded her daughter. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to rest for a while…"

"Wait," Abigail realized there was a problem with her mother's story. "Why didn't you answer when I knocked on the door at Jodi's house?" The least her mother could have done was open the door.

"Jodi was sobbing, Abby," Caroline shot back, this time more annoyed that her daughter kept interrogating her. "I wasn't about to abandon my dearest friend just to get the door." She closed her eyes, signaling that she wanted the conversation to end. "I figured if it was something important, the person would come back later."

She shooed Abigail away with a flick of her wrist. "Now please let me sleep, I can't just stay up all night, drink a cup of coffee, and be ready for a new day like you twenty-somethings.."

Abigail was about to argue she was probably just as miserable, even as a "twenty-something," but decided against it. Some battles were not worth fighting and all she wanted to do was crawl back into bed until Sam came by to fill her in on what the hell happened last night.

Still, she should tell the others in case Sam forgot. She opened the group chat on her phone. *Everyone's accounted for. Deets to come after we've all slept*

But sleep would not come as soon as Abigail had hoped. Sam was sitting on her bed when she returned to her room. His head hung low until he heard her approach. She could see the dark circles under her boyfriend's eyes and the contorted expression plastered to his face. In all her years of knowing him, Abigail had never seen Sam look so vulnerable. "Abi," he breathed, stifling a cry of distress. "I don't know what to do…"

Lewis fell out of bed late that morning. His life had been so aimless lately, was there really much point anyway? It was as if the town forgot about their mayor. At least in the week after the election, people would knock on his door and solicit him for help, but it had been a while since anyone bothered to check in on him.

The mustached man wondered what day it was - he had lost track. Ah, it's Friday. Should he even bother going to The Stardrop Saloon tonight? Marnie would ignore him, sitting at the bar with Shane and talking to Emily and Gus anyway. Was there any chance of winning his milk maid back? Lewis' confidence in what he used to believe was inevitable began to fade.

Lewis dragged himself to the kitchen to make himself something to eat. Upon opening the door, his blood ran ice cold. There was a note inside. It was not there last night. Someone - or something - broke into his home in the middle of the night and deposited the letter. Shaken, Lewis' hand trembled as he reached for the folded paper.

He recognized the handwriting immediately. His benefactor always wrote the notes himself as a "personal touch."

Tick-tock, old man.

You still haven't told the new mayor about the debt, have you? This show isn't interesting anymore, you've lost your spark. I was really rooting for you, but I may need to send my associates to collect collateral after all.

But no worries, pal. I'm a man of my word. You have until the season's end.

Not a moment more.

Lewis could feel the perspiration forming on his brow. "Oh, no…" It was already the 26th. Without access to the town's tax money, how on earth could he pay his next installment to keep his lender satisfied? Rubbing his chin, he considered his options, most of which would involve begging Shane. Lewis decided that was distinctly beneath his dignity.

Aha! The safe in the old Community Center. Even if it was sealed shut, locks could be broken with the right tools. Not that he had those, but if he called a locksmith, no one would know it was him who got into the safe.

Snatching up his phone, Lewis dialed the number. A woman answered and Lewis explained that he needed to get into the safe, but silly him, he forgot the combination! The female voice did not respond for a while, then finally asked him from which town he was calling. Not a moment later, a man joined the conversation.

"What's your name, sir?"

"Why, I'm Mayor Lewis, of course. I've been the mayor for over twenty years here in Pelic-"

Lewis was unceremoniously cut off. "Mr. Lewis, Mayor Shane called me about this safe last week and we got it all squared away."

"That young man is not the mayor of Pelican Town!" the resentful retiree argued, raising his voice in an attempt to cow the other man. "I am a respected member of this community and I will not be treated this way."

Silence. Then, finally, "Sir, I asked a few of the townsfolk who the mayor was before starting the job last week and they all confirmed it was Mr. Shane. I even performed due diligence and confirmed it with the local records at the library." Lewis gnashed his teeth in frustration as the verbal assault on his pride resumed. "Now, I'm afraid I'll have to notify both Mr. Shane and the police if you attempt this again, Mr. Lewis. You're on the blacklist for all the surrounding counties."

"Dammit!" Lewis slammed the phone back down onto the receiver, growling with frustration. But as the adrenaline in his body began to slowly subside, he felt the fear of the consequences he may face if he did not get the money to his mysterious lender in time. If only he had kept a copy of that contract. What collateral had he promised in lieu of payment? Was it the manor? He could live with that, but then he would run into the problem of finding a place to live with no money.

Lewis knew he was no wildman like Linus. He was a creature of comfort and refined taste. If only he had something he could sell or use as a source of steady income. Wait. There was something he could sell.

Sebastian had made it through his first term of college. He just completed his final exam and now he was free. Well, at least until Monday, when the new term started. But that was his own fault for taking accelerated courses over the usual Winter break.

The student inhaled deeply as soon as he stepped outdoors. I did it, Sebastian thought to himself. He was one step closer to obtaining his degree and proving Demetrius was wrong about him. Now all that was left today was to check out Edge's place. He checked his phone for the time. Nearly noon. Violet should be here soon. There was also a text from Abigail indicating that everyone who had been missing yesterday were found and she would fill them all in later.

So, Sebastian decided to wait for Violet near the bus stop so they could head straight over to the address the professor provided. The freelancer was grateful that Edge had been so flexible when he had to reschedule last-minute yesterday. Especially when he was leaving on sabbatical Saturday evening. Luckily, Sebastian did not have to wait long for Violet to arrive. She hopped off the bus and threw her arms around him in a hug. "I missed you."

Sebastian bashfully returned the sentiment before asking, "Did you get Abigail's message?" His girlfriend nodded.

"I'm glad everything is okay now," she grinned, but it was clear she had not slept well either. "Vincent got antsy to go home once the sun went down, but it all worked out. I'm down a giant egg, though."

The hoodie-clad man asked for a recap of yesterday's events as he led Violet to his motorcycle to head toward Edge's place. It was a short distance from campus, which already endeared Sebastian to the location. He could even walk to class if he wanted.

Aesthetically, the building was not hideous. Sebastian had a soft spot for homes constructed with wood, but grey stone was not a bad choice either. He could tell from the outside that the windows of each unit were large and would allow for more natural light, which Sebastian had grown more accustomed to since his family installed the windows in his room.

"So far so good?" Violet inquired curiously. Sebastian bobbed his head to confirm and parked his vehicle. His girlfriend offered her hand. "Shall we?"

The condo was on the top floor of the building, which Sebastian had not expected. When he told Violet the unit number, the farmer had assumed it would be near the bottom since she was more familiar with the high rises in NuNu City where she grew up. "I'll bet it's got a great view!" The pastel-haired woman conjectured.

When they got to the correct door - 867 - Sebastian knocked. There was a muted crashing sound from the other side of the door. The door opened and a disheveled professor greeted the couple. "Sorry, kids. I must have dozed off," he apologized with a chuckle. "Students aren't the only ones who don't get as much sleep during final exams, you know."

Violet extended her hand to shake Edge's hand. "It's nice to meet you, sir. I'm Violet." The educator flashed a friendly smile and shook her hand.

"I suppose we haven't formally met," the dark-haired man admitted sheepishly. "But I've heard about you." Edge winked at Violet and for some reason Sebastian did not like it. His girlfriend, on the other hand, was distracted by another detail.

"What happened to your hand, sir?"

"Please, just call me 'Jay,'" Edge insisted. Sebastian noticed the man covering the back of his left hand, which had a square of gauze secured by two pieces of medical tape. "And it's nothing to worry about," their host assured them as she stepped aside so they could get a better look of the living space. "I just had to get some bloodwork done before my big trip."

The light of midday filtered through a large window, illuminating the living room. There was a decently-sized couch and a small TV, a yoga mat, and an old record player softly playing a somber song that sounded French, but most importantly an entire wall covered in books. Sebastian caressed the spines of a few particularly old titles. "You read sci-fi?"

"What mechanical engineer worth his salt wouldn't?" Edge countered with a cackle. The golden light of the sun through the window caught the grey in his hair, making it seem blond in patches. He picked up a well-worn copy of Neuromancer. "This is what really got me started on sci-fi," the professor said, handing Sebastian the book. "Sure, Dune was pretty popular, too. But I was a little young to appreciate it fully when I first got a hold of it and you get bogged down in politicking." Edge's grey eyes rested on the novel and he tapped the cover with his index finger. "But this really captured my imagination."

Sebastian stepped back to admire the multitude of books. Some he recognized, others he had never heard of. There was even a small section of comics on the bottom shelf. "This is the coolest collection I've ever seen."

"So I take it, you don't want me to put these in storage if you move in?"

The younger man looked aghast. "Hell no! I'm going to read these…" Sebastian swore, as if the professor had issued a challenge.

Edge tilted his head back toward the window. "I actually had that big thing replaced a few years back to keep more UV rays out to protect my books and heat trapped inside during the cold months."

Sebastian was not sure how long he and Edge lost themselves in discussion about sci-fi books that shaped the genre as a whole, but after a while he realized that Violet was nowhere to be found. "I think we might have scared her off…" the professor supposed apologetically.

"Violet?" Sebastian called, trying to locate the farmer.

The wavy-haired woman returned to the main room and stood with her hand on her hips. "No signs of water damage, pests, lead pipes, or concerning cracks in the walls!" Violet reported happily. "Internet speeds are great and there are proper plugs for your computer both out here in the living room and in the second bedroom." Her deep blue eyes darted between the two men opposite her. "So have you two made a decision or has Sebastian already been seduced by a wall-to-wall bookshelf?" Violet teased.

Sebastian's eyes wandered around the rest of the room. "I guess I should probably check out the rest of the place before committing," the programmer proclaimed remorsefully.

"That's probably for the best," Edge smirked, enhancing the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. "Allow me to show you around."

Harvey had slowly become used to this new nomadic lifestyle, traveling downriver every few days to treat the next encampment. This was now the fourth location the doctor had stopped by to treat soldiers and the clientele was becoming more mixed. At first, the bespectacled physician was treating patients from his own country, the Ferngill Republic. This was the first check-point in which the opposite was true.

The uniforms looked relatively similar - designed to blend into the greenery of the region - but the conversations going on around him were not in a language he understood and Harvey could not help but notice more stolen glances and hushed conversation as he passed.

This time, Harvey detected the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rise up as more eyes fell upon him as he walked through the encampment behind Talla. Were their gazes fixed on him because he was with a demigoddess or because it was technically a citizen of their enemy?

Talla was certainly eye-catching both with and without her disguise - though in entirely different ways. Did they know Talla for what she was, or was that a secret kept only among a small circle of associates? The clinician could not tell if the stares of the soldiers were out of reverence for her status or the way certain men gap at a beautiful woman.

Harvey chose to focus his attention on his steps, careful not to trip over any of the undergrowth on the damp ground. His boots were starting to catch with every step, but Talla seemed to have no trouble at all. Was walking on mud technically walking on water, too? The brunet supposed there had to be some odd, but convenient perks of being an immortal sea creature. It would look undignified to get stuck in the muck in front of all these hardened warriors, especially for a demigoddess.

The doctor kept his head down until he heard a man call out. The soldiers' head whipped around toward the noise and hastily cleared a path for a grey-haired man with a magnificently full mustache - but not much hair otherwise. It was clear from the marking on his uniform that he was a decorated warrior. The man hollered again, and this time Harvey could tell he was addressing Talla directly. He offered a large, meaty hand to the syren and she completed the motion with her own hand.

The teal-haired woman articulated something to the Gotoron and he cackled in a way that Harvey was convinced would make even small trees tremble. As he listened to the exchange, the doctor was reminded that Talla talked with a Gotoron accent. Her voice sounded so different, almost alien to him uttering phonemes not used in his country. He realized it was childish, but Harvey had not contemplated the kind of life Talla lived over her centuries of existence. Of course she had a long and rich history well before his time - let alone their first encounter.

Still, it was odd to see the syren look so comfortable around anyone other than sailors or beings like Diode. It made him feel left out. Harvey's only tie to this whole assignment was Talla, so without her, the doctor felt socially isolated. Even more so now that they had begun to enter enemy territory.

If Harvey had been paying more attention, he would have noticed those being brought forward to him for treatment. The bespectacled man luckily had enough constitution to swallow the bile that climbed up his throat when he saw their condition. Never had he seen a man's arm twisted so unnaturally or be screaming in agony from a torn limb. Harvey stared with glassy, unseeing eyes, as if someone had shut off his optic nerve's connection to his brain.

Talla shook him. "Doctor," she hissed sternly. "These soldiers require your care." When he failed to react, her attention fixed on him coldly. "Have you lost your nerve?"

Harvey swallowed, hard. "N-no, Talla, I just…" he could feel his body shaking as the scent of blood filled his nostrils. "I need to set up my tent." He looked at her pleadingly. "Please, I don't want these men to die."

The syren understood and barked orders in Gotoron. Surrounding soldiers quickly obliged and began to prepare the necessary structures for the doctor. Harvey excused himself to retch behind a tree as the crowd's attention shifted away from him and toward the task at hand.

Wiping his mouth, the physician berated himself for thinking even for a moment he would be spared any real blood and gore the closer they traveled to the battlefront. "Stupid, stupid…" Harvey muttered to himself under his breath, making sure to clean his mustache of any traces of his illness.

As he returned to the clearing, Harvey saw that his medical tent was already erected and a queue had formed waiting for his services. Balling his hands into a fist, the doctor steeled himself. He would need to be a pillar of strength from here on out. His patients were depending on him to make it through and live to see another day.

Unlike in the first three locations, however, Talla remained a constant figure to translate for the soldiers. Harvey seriously doubted that his employer was the only one in the entire camp who could speak on the wounded warriors' behalf. It made him wonder if this was out of concern for his own health or if the syren was wary of what the Gotoron soldiers might do to him if left alone.

As a merchant, Talla would not tolerate anyone damaging her goods; as a demigoddess, perhaps it would be seen as an insult to harm someone under her protection. Either way, Talla's presence was surprisingly calming. The first few soldiers who were brought to him were the worst of the bunch and took significantly longer than the others. Unsurprisingly, Talla did not appear at all squeamish at the sight of blood. In fact, more than once Harvey caught a glimpse of a hungry look in the shark-like eyes of the syren, but she never acted upon it and instead followed his instructions exactly.

The sun had set by the time he finished with the worst cases. Others would unfortunately have to wait until tomorrow. After thoroughly sanitizing his hands, Harvey sat down for the first time in at least twelve hours. He had not realized how exhausted he had become and as he relaxed, all the aches and pains hit him simultaneously - like a tsunami. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he still had to set up his cot for the night.

Talla, who had gone out to take record of those still in line, slithered back into the tent. "I have heard interesting news, Doctor," the syren announced with a sly smirk.

"Not now, Talla," Harvey begged as he flopped onto his cot with a heavy thud. He had not bothered to undress, save for the outer garment that was now soiled with blood and puss.

The syren ignored the request and leaned in close. "I hear there are prisoners from your country behind the Gotoron lines." Harvey blinked.

"That is good to know…"

"There is one particular prisoner who is causing trouble," the demigoddess reported. "He is especially skilled with explosives and rumors say he is a golden-haired man from the Land of the Fishnet Birds."

"Fishnet Birds?" Harvey was confused now. Why was this relevant?

Talla sniffed in amusement at his lack of understanding. "It is a local name for what you might call a 'pelican.'"

Harvey struggled to lift the upper-half of his body. "A blond explosives expert from the Land of the Peli -" the medic's deliberation trailed off as his eyes widened with realization and disbelief. Never in a million years would he have believed it possible. Harvey gasped. "Kent?!"

"Why are we hiking all the way up this mountain?" Sebastian grumbled. Despite his complaints, he still offered Violet his hand to help her up a ledge.

Violet huffed. "I wanted to show you something special!" she countered with a pout. "But if you're going to be grumpy about it, we can head back."

Her boyfriend waggled his head to the contrary. "No, it's okay. We're nearly to the summit anyway, right?" his obsidian eyes turned toward the overgrown path ahead. It was clear that no one had used it lately.

Violet hummed a tune she remembered from her grandmother as she passed Sebastian to head up the trail first. "The last time I came up here was with Bruno," the farmer explained. "And he didn't complain!"

Sebastian snorted. "You mean the dog that likes me better?"

The pastel-haired woman frowned. "He does not! You just happen to be a warm body at night," Violet protested. She could tell from Sebastian's smug face that he was enjoying teasing her. The farmer knew she was going to miss these little moments when Sebastian moved to the city. It made her heart ache at the thought.

But all was forgiven when they crested the final slope before the summit and the two stood at the edge of the world side-by-side. The rise and fall of the earth beyond breath-taking with its intense color of oranges, reds, yellow, and deep purple. Nature's tapestry on full display, weaving a feast for the eyes before the monochromatic season of Winter's approach.

The only green was in the deep rich pine clusters that would not shed their needles for the cold season. They stood out majestically, but still a part of the greater whole. A cold breeze swept over the land, sending a ripping through the technicolor leaves that was both powerful and mesmerizing.

"After you showed me your favorite spot, I wanted to show you mine." Violet spoke softly, reaching out to hold Sebastian's hand. He grasped her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. "I came here in the summer and it was filled with wildflowers, but I knew it would be just as beautiful come Fall."

"I feel weirdly… calm," Sebastian conceded, taking in the sight of the world stretched out before them. Violet smiled and sat down a safe distance from the ledge, inviting Sebastian to join her.

"I wanted to stay and watch the sunset with you, if that's okay?" she requested, leaning her head to rest on his shoulder. "I originally would have asked you to come here last night to watch the sunrise, but things didn't really work out." Violet bumped her boyfriend playfully. "Besides, I know you've been forcing yourself to get up for classes, but you're really not a morning person."

Sebastian nodded. "I've always liked sunsets better anyway," he admitted with a snicker, wrapping an arm around Violet.

Violet beamed, but pulled away for a moment to retrieve a pair of thermoses out of her backpack. "I almost forgot," she gasped in theatrical horror. "How could we properly enjoy a sunset without some cider and snacks?"

Her boyfriend laughed, poking at her side. "You're always about the food, aren't you?" Violet shoved the insulated cup into his hand, placed a container of cookies between them, and snuggled in close.

"Don't act like you hate it," Violet argued with a harmless jab of her own. "I even mulled the cider, so it's good stuff."

The raven-haired man took a sip and bobbed his head agreeably. "Yeah, that is pretty good." Sitting in comfortable silence, the two gazed out over the mountain range as the golden sun slowly dipped lower in the horizon. Finally, Violet broke the silence.

"So I guess you're moving to the city on Sunday, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Sebastian's lips twisted, reflecting his conflicted emotions. "Edge's place is perfect for everything I need and has a bunch of perks."

Violet smirked. "You two did have an hour-long conversation and completely forgot I was there."

Her hoodie-clad boyfriend looked guilty. "Sorry about that…"

The farmer declined the apology "No, it's okay. It was really cute. And I love how animated you get when you talk about something you're passionate about." Violet chuckled. "You're like two peas in a pod!" Her blue eyes flickered toward Sebastian. "You two even look kind of similar."

"Eh, all us motorcycle 'bad boys' have a similar aesthetic," Sebastian shrugged. "Don't get any ideas like that stalker girl."

Violet rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, my boyfriend is such a bad boy," she joked, shoving a cookie into his mouth. She grabbed one of her own and began to nibble it. "I hope you and Jay can continue that friendship when he gets back from sabbatical. It seems like you two have a lot in common."

"Yeah, I guess he's not as lame as most guys his age," Sebastian acknowledged, finishing off the last swig of his cider. He stole a look her way in a manner that made Violet blush.

"I.. uh-" Sebastian tripped over his words slightly. "I'm going to really miss not being able to see you as often. I kinda feel like a dick for asking you out and then immediately starting school and deciding to move away." His fingers plucked a blade of grass from the ground beneath him. "We don't see each other as often anymore."

"It was a bit of a dick move," Violet teased, "but I understand…" The farmer bit her bottom lip contemplatively. "And, honestly, I'm glad you're doing it. Maybe not for all the right reasons at first, but I want you to have the greatest chances of fulfilling your dreams as possible, and I think everything you're doing are all steps in the right direction." She kissed his cheek. "I'm proud of you."

Sebastian flushed. Violet had not meant to embarrass him, but she did not dislike his bashful face. It was really cute the way his face lit up like a stoplight.

"Violet?"

His voice was so low and serious that it caught the young woman off-guard. "Yes?"

"Maybe I don't know a lot about farming, but..." Sebastian leaned away to better face her. "And, maybe I'm rushing things and this is stupid to suggest since I know about what happened with your ex -"

Violet took pity on her rambling romantic partner. "Sebastian, just say it."

Sebastian's obsidian eyes locked with her own, and in the dim golden light she saw herself reflected in them. "Violet, do you… want to come live with me?" He turned his head away, as if he regretted asking. "I know you've got the farm, but I figured if Shane's taking care of your animals anyway…"

Violet could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage and her face went hot. "Y-you want me to move in with you?"

Her boyfriend back-pedaled. "I- I'm sorry, I know it's selfish of me. I just -" he held his head. "I just figured you probably wouldn't be growing anything during Winter and that way we wouldn't have to be long-distance all season. I mean, we'd have to come back to Pelican Town on the weekends anyway, so Rasmodius can teach me how to better control my magic. I don't want to freeze my classmates or make them hurl anymore, so -"

Violet did not hear Sebastian's voice anymore. She had a million thoughts rushing through her head at once and could not make sense of any of it. "Could I… have some time to think about it?" the farmer implored him.

Sebastian ceased his word vomit, but his brows knit in confusion. "Wait, you actually-?"

"I said I'll think about it."

Her boyfriend's face tinged pink. "Yeah, of course you can think about it." Sebastian's attention turned back toward the setting sun. "And even if you do, you can have your own bedroom. Edge's place had an extra one and I don't wanna pressure you."

Violet's lips stretched in an upward curve. "I know." She leaned over and kissed Sebastian gently. "That's why I'm even considering it," she revealed, brushing his bangs out of his face. "You're the only man I'd break my own promise for, Sebastian." Their lips brushed against one another's again, this time, neither wanting to break away.

They kissed until their pent-up anxieties were a distant memory and the sun had set on the valley below. When they stopped, Violet made a small request. "Could we hike up here again next year? Same time, same place?"

"We'll come here every season, if you want," Sebastian answered, pulling Violet into an embrace. "Even if you'd rather watch the sunrise."

Author's Notes: This chapter was named after the song that's playing on Edge's record player when Sebastian and Violet come to view the condo. It's actually a favorite of mine.

Just in case it wasn't clear Abby/Abi = Abigail. Caroline uses "Abby" and Sam uses "Abi." I started using Sam's spelling before I realized Caroline uses the more common spelling and I wasn't going to go back and change all the dialogue. Besides, it adds personal "flavor" to the characters or whatever, right?

Also, Fall is winding down. Only two or three chapters left (depending on whether I need to break up the Spirit's Eve festivities) for the season! I'm doing my best to get to the finale before the holidays so I can take a nice break to spend time with friends/family and properly plan for Winter before I start the writing process.

As for these last few chapters: Hot tea will be spilled, tears will be shed, and at least one "OH SNAP" reveal. Prepare yourselves readers.

Predictions in the comments are always appreciated/enjoyed. It's fun when people guesses are way off, but I LOVE it when people are right, too!