The yeti's icy claws and breath reminiscent of a blizzard, added with it's ability to fall into a shadow and drift away from the warriors made the fight far from easy, but eventually the pack succeeded in wearing the Seasonal Girl to a smaller form, first to a tall chimpanzee, and then an orange haired girl dressed in red and gold.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWWimORDMF 維尼
"I think you guys should stand back," Maria suggested, "she's a smaller target, and this time...this time she can't pick me up and swing me around!"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmNa5bC4Vc 維尼
"Plus you need all the spirit energy you can use...take it away, Maria." Spring cheered.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z3gyd92vL 維尼
"Good luck, she ate the wisdom salmon, after all," Kokoso turned to Byrd, "and yes, it was specifically called a salmon."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNr1XHCpxS 維尼
"Hey, I didn't say anything!" Byrd laughed, "Just that it seemed oddly specific."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLuTpauY24 維尼
"And how strangely coincidental that fall is the season for the salmon to lay eggs, just in time for a yeti to go fishing." Noel remarked.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡANVwtMEKuu 維尼
"It's kind of funny, huh?" Maria laughed, before approaching the weary-eyed Seasonal Girl, "Okay, Autumn, if you can try to fight whatever monster you're in, then do that, you'll save us both a lot of trouble...but you'll fight until you're out of energy, won't you?"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1DoeS9nWI 維尼
Autumn roared in reply and stalked closer to Maria.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpjsrY8ePD 維尼
"Changing your pattern...then I'll have to open up with a trick," Maria turned to Spring, "How much energy for special attacks or Spirit Strikes do you have left in you?"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuKdhMw8fm 維尼
"Maybe ten more, but if you use a Spirit Strike, that'll leave you with five more special attacks, or one more Spirit Strike!" Spring replied, "But really, you should only need to disarm her!"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHsHDPubpz 維尼
"Okay, great, I guess I should conserve that power." Maria leaped forward and lashed out at the claws Autumn guarded herself with, spinning to push her off balance, but Autumn held her ground and jumped into the air, spinning on her way down, skipping backwards after she landed.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbAkivGiHv 維尼
They stalked in circles until Maria darted forward, hands behind her, giving Autumn an opportunity to strike, which she took, "Canine whirlwind!" Maria spun around, hands behind her, and knocked Autumn back on the defensive.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIDRvMvDNC 維尼
Maria backed away from Autumn, then lunged forward, quickly shuffling away at an angle, swiping at Autumn as she passed, but Autumn swiftly turned and grabbed Maria's arm, bearing her teeth to snap at Maria's arm, "Vicious!" Maria struck Autumn's temple with the side of her claw, and hit her with the back of her freed right hand's claw, grabbed the claws on her hands, and gripped them tightly, until Autumn fell to her knees, "I think we're good here!"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLrrZcLjTJ 維尼
Autumn looked up at the team with amber eyes and blinked twice, before groggily closing them and falling to her side.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNd4URI25p 維尼
"That's one Seasonal Girl down, two more to find and rescue." Byrd sighed, "How do we expect to find Summer and Winter?"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡKStmv3ZvGa 維尼
"Well, for now they're not a threat, I will check in on spirits wandering near the village, see if they learned anything interesting, but they'll most certainly be in one place on the beginning of their respective seasons." Spring looked up at the clear sky above them, "For now, we should find mine and Autumn's scepters."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CLembv0IJ 維尼
"You mean those?" Noel pointed at what she at first considered to be maces, but decided that scepters seemed more likely.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMgta7Xpin 維尼
"Oh, yes, that's mine," Spring held out her hand and the scepter flew into her grasp, "looks like she found it before turning into a monster...come to think of it, she may have been looking for me. Monsters have very little in the way of wills, but sometimes there's that...instinct or habit...that thing near the core of our consciousness that influences even the murkiest depths of our minds and hearts, even as a monster...that's why regular monsters who were animals fight so relentlessly, it's just their way, every animal has adrenaline for a fight or flight, monsters just choose to fight more often than not."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYKFl0aVSk 維尼
"I wonder if she could hear me." Maria slipped her hands out of her claws and put them away.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡT04UWiUhtG 維尼
Spring followed Maria, who had lifted Autumn and started leading the group back to the distant Refractory Construct, "I'm sure that she could...although it's hard to fight back when you're basically trapped in a monster."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡQN6RLEzJ5g 維尼
Cathryn silently studied the sky for a moment before informing the others, "It'll probably be late noon when we get back."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkwetpCgWG 維尼
"Oh, don't worry, there's a shortcut." Spring replied easily.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80ZtEvCjAN 維尼
"Ha, if only," Maria shook her head, "we've still got to get her back to the village...don't we?"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcpxLtHdb3 維尼
"No, she'll be fine here, taking me to the village wasn't a given, I know," Spring continued, "but here the monsters can't get to her, she's safe...though we'll have to explain what happened when she wakes up, it could be a little confusing."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rLZgQWkCF 維尼
Kokoso nodded slowly, "I imagine so, waking up on a table after being a monster, and getting beaten by a small army, doesn't sound like my idea of fun."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0mSrnWnc2 維尼
"It's not fun," Spring promised, "there's no way I'm recommending that to anyone."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMkGa5TfZJ 維尼
Maria leaned against a wall and hummed, "I wonder how the other two are doing."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcwIZHsbLy 維尼
"They probably won't show themselves until the first day of summer and winter, around the Refractory Construct, our ruling presence is very apparent, sometimes it'll even snow." Spring explained.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiYdF8Xq9d 維尼
"The Wilds is a strange place." Noel blurted, "Not sure I'll get used to the extremes."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OZtCa5scZ 維尼
"It's only like that because...remember when I first told you guys that we were looking at an end of the world situation?" Spring paced the floor as she awaited confirmation, "There's a spirit named Unseason, she's got a grudge against us, and wishes to bring the world under her domain, the domain of Unseason, the so called seventh season, after Drought and Monsoon, twins who are as different as night and day."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡA01UTbx2p6 維尼
"Kind of a cliche, huh?" Kokoso grinned.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJBJBkkB6j 維尼
"Yeah, it is...but they do influence the world in very different ways, they can be found wandering side by side, throughout the centuries they've never once separated...despite their many differences." Spring laughed at the memory of the day she met the twins and shook her head, "They've bickered and laughed and cried through the centuries, kind of makes me wish I had a sibling."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7c1JvhtJvr 維尼
"So, what's the story with Unseason?" Cathryn stepped closer, interests piqued.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBOPvBZ3EW 維尼
"U-um, well, she's...an ancient spirit, as old as Gaia, some say, and only one other spirit has been known to live that long, Record...or Historia, or whatever she goes by these days."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡllk4g7uxwX 維尼
Noel narrowed her eyes and tried to focus on her blurred memories, Unseason rung a bell, but she didn't know why, "So, about Unseason?"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRw7qiwYDm 維尼
"Ah, right!" Spring cleared her throat and began the story again, "Long ago, the spirit Unseason tried to take away our scepters, to rule the seasons themselves, but it was overly ambitious for a lone spirit, she knew that and had many of the world's armies attack, but they couldn't break into the Refractory Construct. Upon seeing her situation she fled, and searched for Historia's gates. She found four of them and placed them around the Refractory Construct in the four cardinal directions, then tried to use her power in conjunction with Historia's and Gaia's, using the gates and Refractory Constructs as links to the spirits in question, but she cannot have a mortal form here, and without one she could do little more than summon a phantasm in our midst. The shade faded from the room as quickly as it appeared, and we stepped outside to put an end to her shenanigans, binding her with all our powers combined, and Gaia herself put the lock on the chains of our powers, sent Unseason away, and left the world as quickly as she appeared."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYEzul390z 維尼
"If Unseason was bound, then why's she a problem now?" Byrd inquired.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW3C7iHpCW 維尼
"Because, our powers aren't infinite, even Gaia's power amplifying our own never guaranteed success, it only promised time, and we've been counting down the centuries...yet, as we prepared to face her again, she had somehow contacted a human...or rather, one found her, one who was part of the organization she created, one that took her, prison and all, to the city and even now seeks a way to free her...I know that's what happened, I knew it the day she was suddenly gone from her place, and I immediately fashioned a body to use, for that day when she would challenge me, but on my annual journey to the Refractory Construct, I was transformed into a monster. I sense her powers at work, and that of another...one who is very close to her, who, in aiding her, made it so that on that first day of spring, when I was vulnerable, I would become a monster."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIrLcMip29 維尼
"Hmm, Spring?" Autumn sat up and stared at the group before her, confused and anxious, "Who are all-"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡgptX7C3l9z 維尼
"Hey, I'm Kokoso," Kokoso sat on the table next to her and gestured to the others, "that's Maria, basically our general now, that's Cathryn, Cat for short, you've met Spring, Noel's someone who recently showed up out of the blue, and that's Byrd, no comment."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLMfrnGGHk 維尼
"Hey!" Byrd stepped forward and scoffed, "Fine, I know how to introduce myself! And you know, bunny boy here just like riling me up!"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPrj1cFV0J 維尼
Autumn's frown turned into a scowl and she jumped upright, "Okay, both of you, shut up!"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRwBVp1ogG 維尼
"Okay, okay!" Kokoso smiled sheepishly and Byrd silently crossed his arms.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GQhN4nWFN 維尼
"Thank you...now, Spring, what have you gotten yourself into?" Autumn inquired, gesturing to the boys.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡCODN9zjGcX 維尼
Spring took a deep breath and sighed, "Oh, well, long story short, they saved me, they're good friends with Mother Goose, and I had them pick a leader and became Maria's Guardian Angel...oh, and by the way, she's the team's older sister!"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaW89vdStc 維尼
Noel frowned and held up a finger, "I just want to ask again why-"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTpHFt4u8T 維尼
"What? Why...there is no why!" Kokoso waved his hands dismissively.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZyoGoU4Yw 維尼
"Good to know I'm not the only one confused here." Autumn sighed.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmflgjMljp 維尼
"Don't worry about them, we've got to activate our powers now." Spring extended her scepter and Autumn nodded, "Maria, I ask to also become your Guardian Angel."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51i98apFGJ 維尼
"Alright, we can never have too many, right?" Maria watched as the two scepters struck, sending echoes through the Refractory Construct, a red flame and green flame emerged from the table, and Autumn held out a string of red leaves. Maria took the necklace and dropped it on the one Spring gave her.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwXG47zKb2 維尼
"Now, are we forgetting anything?" Spring wondered, "We lit the dual flames of Spring and Autumn, and Maria's got twice the Guardian Angel's she showed up with...I guess all that's left is to inform you that for every Guardian Angel you ally with, your able to pull of more special attacks and Spirit Strikes."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡHi3yMXfvbv 維尼
"I do believe that's all." Autumn concluded.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLZawCCQex 維尼
"Great, I'm heating the showers for the second time today," Cathryn turned to Spring, "as soon as you let us in on the shortcut."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69mSyvBl6e 維尼
"Ah! I knew we were forgetting something, outside, let's go!" Spring darted out the door, and Kokoso coaxed Byrd into a race, Autumn and Cathryn hurried after them, but Cathryn warned her not to compete, as either of the two were prone to ramming into each other.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEyVcZNBup 維尼
Noel halted Maria by placing a hand on her arm. Maria turned to the contemplative amnesiac with a curious hum, "Noel, are you okay?"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡKntnYRjVoN 維尼
"I'm just...anxious...I've wanted to get a chance to talk with you, alone," Noel looked up from the floor and swallowed, "there's this nagging...thought in the back of my mind, when she said 'one who is very close', I was sure she'd look at me...I'm afraid I'm involved."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6qimkNXcb 維尼
Maria smiled warmly at her and clasped her shoulder, "It's okay, if you're that scared you're involved, then you can't be guilty...and you don't have to worry about airing out your fears with the other, there's no reason to be afraid of them."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHSv6ppKLU 維尼
Noel smiled and pressed her knuckle into the corner of her lips, "Guess I'm not used to smiling."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHiL6QJcVL 維尼
"Well, Kokoso will certainly fix that, him and Byrd are in a permanent state of comedic spontaneity, I can't even take their arguments seriously."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZfmoIbNgm 維尼
"That..sounds like fun." Noel turned to the door, "Well, we should go now."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0O8TgVJiR 維尼
Maria nodded, "Yeah...let's-"8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoshzsnIdg 維尼
"Hey, what's taking so long?" Kokoso called out, waiting in the door way.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡByFt0LjKMa 維尼
"Yeah, yeah, Noel just wanted to chat real quick." Maria waved him off as she made her way to the door.8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eIkXDLShb 維尼
Noel looked up at Maria and bumped her shoulder, "Thanks for not going into detail about that...I guess I'm still scared they'll want to kick me off the team."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡrx0NYNocCD 維尼
"Well...one day maybe you'll get to know them better...but until then, you can always just write down your thoughts and leave a letter for me, maybe slip it under the door to my room, the team meets at my place in the morning, they all have a key so they can get a start on things if I'm not up by then, generally Kokoso and Byrd joke or quarrel while Cathryn fishes...she loves to fish. I guess you're stuck with that option to pass the time, since the boys are too loud for any hope of reading."8964 copyright protection471ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6r0ZuwMY26 維尼
ns18.232.177.219da2
and then Add to home screen.