Yata stood patiently in the Serpent of Lore waiting for Pi to report to him, he focused his gaze on one visual and he shook his head. He heard familiar footsteps and turned around to face his visitor.
"I see that you know Endrance's whereabouts now." Pi adjusted her eyeglasses and smirked. Yata massaged the brigde of his nose and sighed. He turned to look at the visual again and watched as Zelkova ran around Moon Tree's Home while Endrance sat at the elevated wooden floor watching the short character with an impassive face.
Yata frowned, "Is Zelkova the new…" he struggled to find the right words, unable to he just settled with, "the new… 'pink?'" Pi hid her chuckle behind her hand and Yata glared.
She cleared her throat and turned to face Yata, "Actually, believe it or not. Zelkova is not the new 'pink'." Pi smiled and watched Zelkova run around with Kaede scolding her and Hiiragi was showing Endrance his character's new items to which the latter was quite intrigued, "Endrance is merely hanging around Moon Tree, as to why, that I do not know but one thing's for sure he's not openly declaring his undying love for Zelkova. And personally, I think that would not happen."
"Pi, kindly summon Zelkova for me. I wish to speak with him."
"Worried about Endrance?"
Yata coughed and his character's face blushed, "Aren't you?"
"I'll get to it right now, Master Yata." She smiled then left.
At the Netslum Atoli was buying items from the shop when Pi saw her, the shy girl waved and ran towards Pi, "Hello Pi, did Master Yata sent you on an errand again?"
Pi smiled at her, "Yes, I was sent to go to Moon Tree's Home to arrange a meeting with Zelkova."
Atoli beamed and clapped her hands, "Oh, what a coincidence! I was about to go there too, can we go together?"
"Of course, Atoli."
Moon Tree's Home was always a serene place, it always seemed calming and tranquil but when Kaede Zelkova runs at a hall the members that he passes by would always get ready to witness an angry Kaede running after him. However, for the past few days it seems that it had quieted down for a bit, their Lord Zelkova still ran around the hallways but the one who followed him wasn't running to chase him at all and it wasn't even Kaede, the retainer who always angrily ran after Zelkova was replaced by the calm and serene Endrance who the members kept wondering why he was even inside their Home. Endrance wasn't even a member. Nevertheless, they saw how welcome he was with the higher ups at Moon Tree. He was good friends with Hiiragi and Kaede trails him with admiration in her eyes, Zelkova would always shout that they were playing tag and to the others they just treated him with respect. Endrance fit perfectly well in Moon Tree he was calm, serene, noble and chivalrous. Those traits were the very reason that spread the rumors about him being the replacement for Sakaki.
Zelkova and the others paid no mind to the rumors they didn't even confirmed nor negate it, if Endrance wasn't bothered by it then they shouldn't make it worse. Confirming and negating the rumor might lead to dozen more rumors that might be damaging to Endrance, all they want was to make the man who has played a major role in eradicating Aida and Cubia Gomorrah to get a time out and feel he is not obliged to do anything for anyone but most especially, they all want Endrance to realize that he need not be perfect to stand before anyone without the excess baggage.
"Endrance is not a pawn that once he's served his purpose he can go on and be set aside." Hiiragi told Kaede while they were trading, "I find him to be strong and wise!"
Kaede sighed and ended the trade, "With matters of the heart you lose all your sense of reason, I believe that you, yourself, can attest to that! Once upon a time, you were madly in love with Sakaki and laid your life on the line to achieve his goals. No matter if it was for a bad cause."
Hiiragi chuckled in a high pitch, "That was a long time ago but I agree with you, the heart tends to rule the mind when you're in love but Endrance helped me learn my lesson, I dearly hope that our friend could follow his advices." Kaede agreed to that and nodded.
A few moments later they heard a knock, they turned their heads and saw that it was Matsu, "Hey, I hate to interrupt your intelligent discussion but Pi from Raven's guild is here looking for Lord Zelkova." Kaede looked at him questioningly and he shrugged, "No idea." He said plainly, "She's waiting at the lower garden with Atoli." Kaede and Hiiragi walked to the lower garden where they usually entertain guests, it was a special upgrade for Homes and Zelkova always wanting a place to hide from Kaede grabbed the opportunity to have a new place to hide him-self. Upon arriving to the hall that lead to the lower garden Matsu stopped and waved at them, "Hey, mind if I sit this meeting out? I have to meet up with Antares for this new availale mission."
"Fine, just we'll just send you an e-mail is something's come up." Kaede said and Hiiragi just rolled his eyes, they were never in speaking terms. They separated ways, Kaede told her companion that she would look for Zelkova and that he should keep Pi company while she fetches their guild master. Hiiragi met up with Atoli and Pi.
Meanwhile, Endrance and Zelkova were in the inventory room. Zelkova was sorting what to sell in their trade shop while Endrance was listening to him babble about what could be done to upgrade Moon Tree's Home. In his opinion, Moon Tree seemed fine the way it was there was no more drama existing with Sakaki out of the picture and the members who had different points of view had been pacified and no extremes who would carry out Moon Tree beliefs with irrational acts were there, the guild was back to being the way it was an organization of players in a game that has one common belief. The Temptress excused himself to walk around Moon Tree, Zelkova just smiled and nodded.
Endrance passed some Moon Tree members who greeted him and whom he greeted back. The 'normal' Endrance wouldn't have bothered to so much as glance at the people he passed by but he himself decided that everyone was worth the attention and the 'normal' Endrance that he was, was simply not normal at all. He smiled inwardly when two blade brandiers came up to him and asked if where can they find items that seem to elude them, he gave them the information and they thanked him before saying goodbye, he wished them good luck as well and they thanked him again before disappearing. He felt quite happy when he has done something for others and when they thank him his heart swells with joy, he never felt like this before. He didn't know little things could bring him happiness before he felt happy when he has contributed something big for his love's success.
Endrance has been enjoying his stay at Moon Tree even though he has not expressed his feelings of becoming a member. He has been considering it but has not decided, either he chose to become one or not he knows Zelkova and the others would still accept him there. He has yet to return to visit Indeiglut Lugh but he'll go there when he has healed himself. He promised to face his beloved spirit tree with a light heart. Zelkova gave him guidelines on how to move on and right now, he is in the process of exploring his surroundings and healing himself with the help of friends. Endrance realized that when he lost Mia, he locked himself and moped in Indeiglut Lugh and back then he had no one to call friends, in his mind he only had Mia. When 'he' came Endrance immediately grabbed the opportunity to be someone in 'his' life, the Temptress immediately placed him on the highest pedestal, 'he' was most important, 'he' was the one that made Endrance's gray colored world into a rose tinted one and the blade brandier knew that 'he' was never at fault. It was he, himself that made his world revolve around Haseo, it has been the same with Mia. He never took the time to be with others and befriend them because he has a single mind-set, that was one thing that he needs to change. To make himself better, 'I want to be better.'
Kaede ran down the hall and asked whoever it is that she passed, she heard a two of blade brandiers talking to some members about Endrance and how helpful he was, she smiled and asked where they last saw him. "The hall near the inventory room, I see, thank you very much." She sped down the hall, if she learned one thing about looking for Zelkova he would always be around or near who interests him.
"Kaede…" a soft male voice called out and Kaede turned around and faced him, "You must be… looking for, Zelkova… he's at… the inventory room…"
"You know me so well, Endrance." She smiled at him, he led the way to the inventory and she followed. They entered and Zelkova smiled sheepishly when he saw Kaede.
"Are you here to scold me? I'm actually down here doing my job, Kaede." He explained defensively.
"Actually, I'm here because there's a visitor waiting for you." Kaede said and her guild master beamed and jumped out of joy.
"Really? Who is it?" he asked eager to know more about who paid him a visit.
"It's Pi, she's at the lower gardens with Hiiragi and Atoli. You may want to hurry down there, she's been waiting for a long time now."
Zelkova looked at Endrance, "You want to come?"
Endrance turned his head to look at the grunty and shrugged, "I… haven't seen Pi… I'd like to say hi to her…" Kaede and Zelkova exhaled the breathes that they were holding.
"Atoli's also there, Endrance. Do you still want to go?" Kaede added careful of her words.
Endrance chuckled and looked at her, "I have no qualms… in meeting other epitaph users, Kaede… they're also my friends…" the Temptress walked on ahead, "There's… only one epitaph user I can't face… as of the moment…" he need not dwell on that more as everyone knew who he was talking about.
"I hope Master Yata avails a guild upgrade too." Pi stated as she looked around, "The sounds of birds and cicadas are quite real."
Hiiragi nodded, "CCorp had outdone them-selves this time. Say, Pi, don't you work for CCorp?"
"I did, I quit once the crisis was over and now I'm back to being just a gamer having fun."
"And it's all thanks to the heroes who fought Aida!" Zelkova voiced his opinion and the three occupants saw him running towards them, "Hi Pi!" he said as he reached them.
"Lord Zelkova." She greeted.
"Lord Zelkova, stop running around!" Kaede appeared shortly with Endrance behind her.
"Endrance…" Atoli and Pi said not believing their eyes. Atoli had not seen Endrance once during her visits to Moon Tree's Home she thought that he was avoiding her and Pi thought that as well.
"Hello Atoli… Pi…" he greeted as he neared them, "It has… been a while…"
Atoli and Pi's mouth were hung open and if there were flies in The World they would've had mouths full of them. Zelkova puffed his cheeks and stomped his feet, "Geez, really Endrance. I swear you command too much attention, you walk into the room and I'm forgotten!"
Endrance ruffled the guild master's hair, "Sometimes… it's because of… our height difference… I'm sorry." And he smiled. Kaede stifled her laugh and Hiiragi giggled, Atoli and Pi were just standing there unable to believe that this scene was happening, 'The Endrance' had made a funny comment that is really meant to be a joke and he smiled.
Pi was snapped back to reality when Zelkova reminded her about her being at Moon Tree. She told him that Yata asked to arrange a meeting with him and that they will discuss the specifics of the date and time but hopefully it was as soon as possible, he nodded and told her to discuss it with Endrance since he knows his schedule very well the guild master excuse himself and Kaede together with Hiiragi followed. "Perhaps… this Tuesday would be good… Zelkova is around the whole day…" he sat down at the rock near the pond, "The time depends on Yata's schedule…"
"Master Yata is available at eight in the evening at that time."
"I'll coordinate with Kaede… to make sure that Zelkova's free at that time…" he trailed off but knowing Endrance's speech pattern Pi knew that he has ended what he wants to say, she just nodded and looked at him. He seemed at bit relaxed, "I might pay Yata a visit too… I don't really have a schedule to follow so… I'll just drop by… would that be okay?" Pi didn't hear half of what Endrance had said she was too busy staring at him however, she was snapped back to reality when Atoli jabbed her side with her elbow, "Are you okay, Pi?" Endrance asked with concern.
"Yes, I-I'm fine." She stuttered out, "I'm sorry, I didn't manage to catch what you last said." She finished while a blush adorned her CG animated face.
Atoli giggled, she only thought that could un-phase Pi was Yata. She smiled, this Endrance seemed more confident than the Endrence she was with three months ago. 'I like you this way Endrance. I always wanted to see you happy in your own right.'
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