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Nourtuck, Town Central, Time: 7:00 AM
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"HUH, WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
Back in Nourtuck, the town seemed peaceful. Above, inside the Tree of Knowledge, Ace, Maxim, and Koras were sitting around a wooden table, enjoying some tea.
"You heard what I said; I want to go and wipe out Gray Phoenix HQ," Koras stated, leaning back with his arms crossed. "That's quite... hard for you to do on your own?" Ace tried to convince him, petting a duck that let out a 'quack.'
Maxim, however, seemed even more worried. "Listen, Koras. I know you've just been purified by Ace, but your first thing after a party is ending Gray Phoenix once and for all by yourself?!" His voice grew louder with every second.
"Well, not exactly. I will bring them along." Koras pointed at Ace, who did a spit take.
"Oh hell no, you ain't gonna rope us into this!" Ace remarked, not wanting any part of it.
"We will," a mysterious voice said. Ace turned to see Ezra.
"Woah, Jesus. When were you here?!" Ace was spooked by his sudden appearance.
"I am very efficient at not popping out in the crowd," Ezra stated, making Ace let out a 'Huh.'
Ace then remembered what Ezra said, "Wait a minute... Ezra, why?!" Ace was confused about why he would help him.
"Remember, we already threw our lives on the line," Ezra started with his first reason, "And if anything, Nourtuck would be destroyed by the rest of Gray Phoenix if we don't do it now." Ezra finished.
"I mean, couldn't we stay here for a bit? We've only been here for like a day." Ace said as he continued petting the duck.
"Is it because of the duck?" Ezra remarked with a dead expression.
"No..." Ace lied, making Ezra stare at him, "...Yes." Ezra nodded before dragging Ace's leg along, leaving the duck to leap down to the chair.
"Wait! No! The duck!" Ace tried to grab it, but he was quickly dragged away.
"Oh yeah, Koras. Come back down once you're ready; I will get everyone." Ezra stated as he dragged Ace down with him.
"Welp, time to get going," Koras grabbed his sack bag, "Sorry, old man, for ruling over this place." Koras sweat-dropped for a bit.
"It's alright, young man. I will come down in a bit so I can reward the adventurer." Maxim waved at him, in Koras went down the stairs.
"Quack."
Maxim simply agreed, "Hmm, I think you're right, duckling."
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Qumor, Outskirt of Qumor Dynasty, Sugar's Household, Time: 7:00 AM
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It's a brand-new day! The birds happily chirp about, a calming breeze blows through the air. It seems like a perfect, normal day! We've come back to check up on Sugar's Enterprise!
The large, dark wood cottage rests on the cliff. Sugar has been making breakfast for everyone: a perfect fried egg with a side of pork!
He seems to be having a pleasant time to himself as he hums a song, "Maybe a little seasoning won't hurt," he says to himself as he adds a bit of black pepper and a little salt.
"And, all of that's done!" Sugar exclaims as he picks up the egg and pork with his wooden slotted turner.
He turns off the steampunk oven, 'Thank you, Sky Steamline for these ovens! But not worth 500k coins though..." Sugar thought to himself, having almost spent a million on this steampunk technology.
Sugar sets everyone's plates on the table with their respective seats. "Everyone! Breakfast is ready!" he yells out as he sits down on his chair, "Just to make sure nothing is burned..." He'd mutter to himself as he closely examined the pork and egg.
November comes out of the basement, dressed in her usual outfit, "I hope it has a delightful smell, professors," she stated as she sat down on her chair.
"Not with those bloody hands, young lady!" Sugar points a finger at her, which she scoffs and goes into the sink.
"Coming!" Toodies says as he comes down the stairs, moving very carefully. It seems he has transformed into a teenager, with messy brown curly hair, wearing a white dress-up shirt and blue overalls.
"I smell something very good!" Toodies says in excitement as he rushes over to his chair, "I smell blood, did someone die?" Toodies, curious about the other smell, asks.
"No, November seems to be 'experimenting'." Sugar stated as he sat down.
"Are you sure? I mean, considering how we're a bunch of wanted criminals," Dy'va says, unsure if he heard Rosco correctly as they head to the dining room.
"I'll be fine; I just forgot something back in that town," Rosco says as he puts on his left eye patch, his eye was hidden by the shadow.
"Okay, did November have a period?" Rosco jokingly said, and she threw a towel of blood at his face, ruining his skincare.
"Good luck, having a good smell in the morning, jackass," November stated angrily.
All of them arrive at the dinner table and proceed to eat their breakfast.
"So, what are we doing today, boss?" Dy'va asks as he munches on the pork.
"Dy'va, table manners, please," Sugar says as he carefully cuts his pork.
"Mmmm, so good. Too bad it's not bacon though." Toodies munches on the pork.
"I will make some for you during lunch." Sugar promises, making the 18-year-old sparkle in delight.
It seems everyone has finished their breakfast as they stand outside, "Well, what we're doing is going to collect the debt from 'The Collector Office' in Ulvala. So, I'll be needing only 2 people for this mission," Sugar says as he puts on his blue top hat with white goggles on it.
"So, Dy'va, November, you're up for the task," Sugar points at them, which makes Dy'va's face excited and November keeps her neutral smirk.
"Haha, yeah!" Dy'va says as he shakes November's hand, and she accepts it.
"And, what about us, sir?" Rosco asks, celebrating in his mind as he doesn't have to work with November on this mission.
"You two can go get your stuff back in Oceanmaw," Sugar says as he prepares his portal rune for November and Dy'va.
"Yes, sir," both of them say in unison. As they all prepare to go to their destinations, Sugar hops on his golden merchant wagon, "I'll prepare a market for any newcomers nearby," he says, and everyone goes their separate ways.
Sugar grooms his horse, which has unicorn hair, "You are pretty today. Let's get going." Sugar feeds it some crystal carrots, making the unicorn let out a 'Nyeh.'
He prepares himself, twirling his hand to open a golden portal, and leading the wagon into it.
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Nourtuck, Town Central, Time: 7:40 AM
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"Everyone, got all of their stuff?" Ace finished packing all of his belongings, a bit saddened that he couldn't bring the duck.
"Yup, just waiting for James to come back," Ezra said as he looked at his repaired bow.
"James needs to sharpen his halberd again," Mianne sheepishly smiled.
"Hey, all of you," Koras said as The Lucky Inquisitors turned to him, "The grand sage has something to say before all of us go to Gray Phoenix HQ," he rubbed the back of his head.
"It must be important then," Ace said, crossing his arms again.
As he waited for James to return, he looked over to see James walking toward them.
"I'm back!" James yelled as he raised his halberd into the air.
"Oi! Come over here! Maxim's got something for us!" Ace yelled back, which led to Mianne giggling at their brother's lively attitude.
"Ah, it seems all of you are prepared to leave," Maxim said as Delia stood next to him with a box. "But, I want you to take something with you," Maxim said as Delia opened the boxes for all of them.
Inside the box were necklaces with very smooth gold chains attached to pendants shaped like crescents, the weirdest part about them was that the pendants were almost cosmic-like, with the appearance of stars and the universe within them.
"Woah, what's this, gramps?" James said in awe, as he had never seen anything like this before.
"To answer your question, I have no idea either, young man," Maxim stated, "I found this 5 years ago on my first time taking the throne, I do believe it was a gift from someone else." Maxim grabbed the necklace, "But, I would like you to take it as a token of appreciation and as a lucky charm," he continued as James took the pendant to examine it.
He was in absolute awe when he looked into the universe-like patterns, "Well, thank you so much, Maxim!" James said, contemplating whether he should wear it or not.
He then looked at Mianne and suggested, "You should wear it, Mianne!" Mianne happily accepted the necklace, and James put it around her neck.
"Thank you so much, Jamie," she said, her heart beating rapidly. 'I should ask him about it now...'
"Do I look pretty, James?" she asked, blushing even harder.
"Yeah, you do!" James said, completely oblivious to her feelings.
'Oh my god, he's so dense and cute! Don't pinch his cheeks...' Mianne's heart was ready to burst with excitement.
"Well, we shall now get going!" Koras said, reminding everyone of their plans.
"Thank you for everything! I hope you guys visit us again someday!" Delia said as she waved at them.
"We will!" James said as The Lucky Inquisitors prepared to leave for another adventure.
"Goodbye!"
"Have a safe trip!"
"Come back soon!" the people of Nourtuck waved at them as well.
"THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAVING THIS TOWN, I WON'T EVER FORGET YOU!!!" Maxwell said as he started to cry. The Lucky Inquisitors left with smiles on their faces.
Koras led the way, with everyone following him. Ezra followed right behind them, not saying a word but seemingly captivated by the necklace that Mianne was wearing, "The gate to The Sacred Frontiers..."
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