Lush grass hosted morning dew that hadn’t had the chance to dry quite yet. Shrubs walled off the paths and an intoxicating scent perated the air—sharp nitrogenous sweetness.
The fresh culmination of a nightly storm left the skies shaded by swirling puffs of white and the late morning Sun bared its light enough to send down a delicate glow upon the gardens.
Such lodramatic weather. She could sit with her eyes endlessly wandering the skies, letting her thoughts drifts akin to the clouds above.
"ko?"
The dulcet voice brought her blank stare back down. Oh, that’s right, they were under a frilly blue umbrella—table of white tal which had a polished glass circle in its centre.
She looked to the redhead, "What?"
One of Hotaru’s ears folded, "You haven’t touched your muffin," she pointed out.
Fuko looked down to the couple of chocolate muffins on her plate she picked out from the serving stands in front of her; various pastries and desserts sat atop it—her cup of tea half-full. "Yeah, yeah, don’t worry I’ll eat it."
An orangish-black butterfly fluttered past and her gaze followed its flight. Asobi had one hand on the table, while the other hand was painting her nails.
Her eyes were glued to her fingernails till, "Oh no," the elf uttered. The butterfly took rest upon the back of her hand; Asobi froze, "It tickles...! Please don’t walk on my nails Mr Butterfly," she hushed.
Fuko waved her hand and shooed it away, "Just move your hand next ti."
"But I made friends with it," Asobi pouted.
"Butterflies drink blood you know," the blonde petting a small dog on her lap said with a smile.
The wide-eyed Asobi glanced to her, "Y-you’re just kidding, right?" she fake-chuckled to confirm.
"Nope," Jotou shook her head. "And considering how sweet you are, you must be delicious~"
"Oh no, I’m a butterfly buffet!" she recoiled her hands from the table and swivelled her head all around the table.
Jotou giggled to herself whilst Orion rested his head on her lap. She looked to the right to notice a wolf-girl glaring at her. "What~? I’m not lying. Though, they only drink blood if they’re desperate for food."
Hotaru tightened her lips.
Jotou fluttered her lashes back at her and cocked her head with a smirk.
"Oh... That makes sense with their tiny long needle they use to eat flowers. But we’re surrounded by flowers, so the butterflies won’t eat yet!" she raised a finger to the air.
Hotaru rolled her eyes and glanced back to the brunette, "Are you okay?"
Fuko furrowed her brows, "I’m fine wolfy, I don’t know what you’re talking about."
"You haven’t eaten your muffins silly," Asobi replied. She wriggled her fingers to the sides of her lips to show off her black-painted nails.
"What, cause they haven’t disappeared yet, sothing must be wrong?" Fuko leered. "You’re acting like every ti you blink I’m eating sothing; I get that I eat a lot, but seriously."
"Not just that, you were just staring off into space, that’s all. Sothing you wanna talk about?" Hotaru’s ears pricked.
"I’m not allowed to look at the clouds? I told you wolfy, I’m fine," she sighed. "The palace life is fun and all- Well, comfortable’s a better word. But this is just the sa routine over and over again- GAK!"
Fuko could not stop Orion leaping onto her lap from beneath the table to attack her softly with his paws. She grabbed the dog from under his front legs and held him away from her, "JOTOU!"
The blonde who whispered the command to pounce, giggled deviously. She stuck her tongue out and gave a wink.
Fuko grumbled at her while Orion panted in her hands; she tossed the dog onto the grass and Orion ran straight back to Jotou.
"Jotou Howllett..." those were all the words that Hotaru needed to utter.
"I’ll behave, I’ll behave~ Sorry," she took Orion back into her arms. She looked to Fuko right across, "Finish your thought; what’s on your mind detective?" she smiled.
Her brows relaxed a smidgen, "I just feel, trapped..." She shook her head with a sigh, "It’s nothing really. I’m just glad we’re going back to adventuring soon." She huffed, "Co on, I wanna hear your plans already," Fuko looked to the redhead.
"Sentint’s the sa," Hotaru’s fangs glistened.
"Yeah! You must have sothing marvellously magnificent planned!" Asobi picked up her wand and flourished.
"Alright, no need to rush," Hotaru humd as she opened up her journal. She flipped the pages—one containing a pressed sea dandelion Zach gave, to which Jotou’s eyes were drawn to.
A little tea party to the four of them, one sitting on each side of the rounded table. "I’ve gotten a lot of information from working here.
Even so information that the Cravoltan Adventurers Guild might not have~ The rainforests of Cravolta are largely unexplored in modern tis; so adventurers usually get commissions after soone finds a new place.
Word is, there’s a lot of ruins and even caverns which may contain a lot of artifacts that can fetch a high price; might even have treasure like gold and gems. Not to ntion, finding all that ancient history would be really interesting for the world."
"We’re gonna beco archaeologists...?" the brunette raised a brow.
"There might be mysteries you can piece together~"
Fuko considered Hotaru’s words and slowly nodded, "Alright, let’s go!"
"If archaeologists haven’t uncovered it, there must be a reason," Jotou retorted. "If Kria Park’s anything to go by, I doubt there’ll be no danger."
"I figured that, but we can handle them," Fuko closed her eyes and flaunted her hair.
"Yeah! We have the power and everything!" Asobi made an illusory frog in Jotou’s teacup. Jotou squinted—Asobi giggled as it hopped in the cup.
Hotaru turned a few pages, "It’s fine, we have plenty of ti to decide. If that’s not to your liking, we did talk about maybe visiting Northern Cravolta, which-"
"Pardon my interruption," a Royal Guard marched towards them. They all turned as he greeted them with a small bow of his head, "A letter has arrived for Ms Namora," he handed her one of the two letters.
"That’s Detective Namora to you," she plucked the letter from his hand.
"Thank you," Hotaru told before the guard marched away.
"Were you expecting sothing?" Jotou held back Orion from climbing the table. "Was that why you were zoning out?"
"No paranoiac, I have no clue what this-" her eyes bubbled to the sender’s address... She nearly tore the flap as she opened up the envelope and took out the letter.
"What is it?" Asobi leaned in closer.
"Who’s it from?" Hotaru’s ear flickered.
She flapped the paper open, "Kazuo Namora," she answered as the grip on the paper tightened.
Hotaru’s eyes widened and Jotou knitted her brows. "Ooo, your dad!?" Asobi giddied. The envelope had another docunt within still.
Fuko pulled the letter away with a glare to the magician. Her eyes sped through the words. ’Hey kiddo. I know you must have mixed feelings seeing this pop up in your hands all of a sudden. I’ve been mulling it over—sending you this.
I’m sorry I didn’t reach out sooner. But you seem to be stationary for now, so I figured it was the best ti for to, do sothing. Listen kid, why don’t you co back ho for a bit?
I also got a letter for you; your graduation ceremony’s soon. I know I can’t convince you to do anything you don’t want; but I’m just asking for this. In any case, hope to hear from you soon kiddo.’ her fingers wrinkled the paper more...
"What does it say?" Jotou queried.
Fuko took a deep breath, "He’s asking to co back ho... Also that my graduation ceremony’s soon." She took out the other docunt from the envelope.
The detective twisted her head, "Dolpool Academy Graduation Ceremony?" the glossy red and gold paper had her na printed onto it, inviting her to take part. "Wait a second, I didn’t go to school.
I learned everything at ho from tutors; I even did the exams at ho. Why am I invited to the ceremony at the school itself?"
"I’d say it’s normal school procedure," Hotaru replied.
"You expect a ceremony at your house too?" Jotou added.
"Yay!" Asobi hopped out of her seat and got behind Fuko to blast out illusory confetti, "Fuko’s graduated!"
"Well not yet apparently," Fuko folded both docunts back into the envelope.
"Are you gonna go back ho?" Asobi queried with a tilt of her head.
"I..." Fuko faced the rest. "I don’t know. How useful’s a high school diploma anyway?" she shrugged.
"Depends on what you wanna do," Hotaru poured more tea for herself.
"She’d be the expert; my opinion’s from another world, so I can’t really say for certain here," Jotou let Orion onto the grass. "I’d say it’s useless. But, that’s not your only problem, is it?"
Fuko glared to the letter... before she closed her eyes. She glanced at her friends before staring to the muffins before her.
"Well, then it’s ti I do so howork about Burnetrout and plan sothing," Hotaru’s tail wagged as she opened up a new page on her journal.
"I’m sure there’re people in the palace who can help arrange the trip," Jotou replied.
"B- w-wait."
The both of them glanced over to the brunette with inquisitive looks.
...
"...Fine," Fuko exhaled.
"Then it’s settled. Our next destination is Burnetrout," Hotaru stated.
Fuko felt a gentle hand on her shoulder; she glanced up to Asobi, "We’ll be right beside you ko," she gave a warm beam.
"Yeah, yeah," she pouted with a faint smile. "It’s ti for an adventure."
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