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249Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6ES0XtAwO
_ Setchi _
"Have a happy time hunting books, gentlemen!"
"Thank you." I gave a smile to the librarian. I turned my head over to my right, taking in the view of the vast library. The counters for the check-ins and registers were near the entrance, where Sut and I entered. There was a large space in between them and the bookshelves that stood tall as ever. Many folks were either standing by them, sitting in those chairs around the round tables, walking on by, or doing what else within this place. I gazed over to the bookshelves, landing on one familiar person who stood by them. Sutato in fact. He was eyeing the books in each and every one of them, making me sigh quietly. I rushed over with our notes while making sure I wouldn't bump into anyone. I halted right beside him, catching my breath before speaking. "Wait for me, you goofball."
He didn't seem to hear or pay attention to me as his attention was glued to the bookshelves. I grumbled quietly,
Today's doing good so far- in fact, it's been doing good ever since yesterday! Ever since Aloe got banished from the colony, Purity hasn't been able to join us since we, as a whole, keep denying her invitation to join our group. She keeps on using 'threats' and 'words' to get us to join but we declined. Then she moved on threatening to tell her mother about us and swearing to us that her mother will do the same thing Aloe did. I don't think ... Aurora will do the same thing as Aloe did. She seemed ... stressed last time, over Aloe's decisions or ... manipulative tricks. Aurora hasn't done anything and nor did we ever see Purity after that. So, I assumed her luck with her mother failed poorly.
I chuckled, grinning widely and quietly. She definitely deserves it for the shit she pulled.
I dropped my grin and gazed back into reality, looking over to an empty spot where Sutato used to be. I blinked and turned my head all around, panicking at the sight. Great. Maybe I shouldn't have explained our current status and gone on ahead and grabbed him. Oh well ... I can just hunt him down in these aisles. Shouldn't be too hard. I moved out of the way for a folk and began my search.
Something appeared in my head from yesterday as I frowned slightly. Sutato disliked the decisions we made as a group when we declined Purity's request. He mention it but didn't say anymore after that. I don't understand why he dislikes the decisions we made. Did he want Purity to continue to insult the way he was? No, I don't think that's the case. He dislikes the insults but ... feels bad for her? By what means?! I shook my head. I'm not so sure what he sees in her that is ... 'good' to begin with. But I know one thing about her deep down in my soul, she's bad and she cannot be trusted!
I halted my steps and jumped back into the present. Speaking of one, what does he like to read? If I have known what he does, then I can find him much faster! I smiled before dropping it and blinking at the shelves' labels. A frown formed on my face a little later. I should have asked him what he liked to read before we even entered the library. I sighed, disappointed in myself. I'll just go with a guess. I think he'll like fantasy. Maybe ... a little action and adventure? I slowly nodded, glancing over a label on one of the aisles. I walked over and squinted my eyes. It read ... 'Romance.' I immediately shook my head. He doesn't even know what that is in the first place. I highly doubt he'll know what to even look for in that section.
I looked over to the other labels, scanning them all. One of them caught my eye as I halted in front of it. I... think it read ... 'Current Times,' but I'm not so sure. I could be wrong since ... I don't understand how a book genre under the section of 'Current Times' can be a genre. I tilted my head slightly and stepped along the aisle. Maybe I can see what makes up for its genre. I glanced at the books on the shelves, seeing how there were not many. In fact, it wasn't quite as full as the other bookshelves. So ... they did recently create this, but for what? I paused in my steps and turned over to a white book, leaning against a dark-colored book. I grabbed the white one and took a look at its cover. I tilted my head, squinting my eyes as I focused on the title.
'Fruity Times.' ... Fruity Times? The hell does this means? I tapped my finger against the cover of the book, opening it up as I stared at the starting page. I blinked as the realization came onto my face. I can't read that well enough ... or completely ... or form sentences to have them make any sense. What makes me think that I know what they're trying to say in this fruit book? At least, I think it means that...
I sat down and leaned against the shelves, turning another page. "Introduction," I mumbled quietly. Introduction to what? A book about the different types of fruit?! I squint my eyes at the text, only reading some words that I know. 'Please do not [...] against the [...] when reading further into this book.' G.S.R.M. I tilted my head, wondering what that means. I mean ... I think it stands out for a long word. Or ... multiple words.
I rubbed my chin quietly, wondering what could go with 'G' first. Wait. I reread the statement, getting 'community' this time around. The fruit community? Why would we ...--- if I assume this book is warning me about not being mean to the fruit community--- Why would we be mean to some gardeners who want to grow some fruits?
I shook my head, closing the book. Maybe Paradise can use this book for what type of fruit they want to grow. I nodded my head and got up to my feet. "hi." I jumped inches up into the air before turning over to my right and seeing Sutato holding some books in his arms. He tilted his head, cracking a chuckle as he pointed down at the book in my hand. I glared at him before dropping it and looked at it as well. "This is only for Paradise since ... it is about growing fruits," I told him.
He slowly nodded, raising his brows. He looked down and grabbed a book from his pile, showing it to me. I squint my eyes, reading it as 'sign language.' I tilted my head, looking back up at him as he put it back with his books. "What's sign language? You use signs to ... speak?"
He shrugged before turning and walking forward. I stared at him with confusion. How ... how do you even use signs to speak? Why is that a language? I shook my head and followed after him. I ... may know if I could read about it with him. We passed the whispering folks before halting by the librarian's counter. We checked the books out and exited the building. I gazed around before looking at Sut who was smiling happily at the books he collected. I smiled softly at him, feeling unusually excited than usual. Like ... when you're feeling too much excitement for something to happen or you can't wait to do it.
Or ... it's something with the person you're about to do with.
Wait. I looked away from him, feeling my chest with my hand for a moment. That's what friends do right? My heart is beating fast as it's excited about something. Yeah- but why am I feeling excited more than usual? I shook my head slightly. I don't think it's ... different. Maybe it means we're gonna read what books he picked out. Specifically the sign language book and this one in my hands. I stared down at the book, nodding my head. That must be it.
Soon we returned to the house, entering and getting greeted by Bambi, who ran over to us when he spotted us from the spiral staircase. "You've returned! How was your reading! or ... Picking out books! Did you get interesting ones?!" He chirped, glancing up at us with his beaming eyes.
"I'm sure Sut can answer all of that for you." I smiled down at him, turning and closing the door behind us.
"But what about that book in your hand, Dragonie?" He asked me.
I stared at the white book, "Oh. I got this for your sibling. It's a book about fruits and I'd thought they might have an interest in gardening."
"Can I see?" Bambi reached his hands out towards me as I nodded, giving it to him. "Oooo what does fruity mean?" He flipped the book all around.
"I pretty much thought of it as fruits being fruity, maybe a scent of it? I don't know." I shrugged.
"I'll ask Big Sib what it means!" Bambi chirped, holding the book up in the air before running across the living room and over to the spiral staircase. I shook my head and slowly followed along. I gazed over to Sut who was doing the same thing. We walked up the staircase, reaching the second floor. I stepped out of the way as Sut led the lead this time. I spotted familiar folks sitting in the cozy area. One sat in a chair while the other was on the first couch. I saw Bambi bouncing up and down in front of Paradise as they grabbed the book I gave to him. I walked over, seeing Sut settle right in on the second couch.
"... Setchi..." I turned my head over to Paradise who had the book opened. "... This book isn't about fruits."
I raised my brows, blinking with confusion. "It's not?"
"No... it's not." Paradise shook their head, looking up at me. "It's about people who aren't ..." They trailed off, looking back at the book again. "Aren't ... like the norm. I don't know."
"What do you mean, not like the norm?" Carla asked, turning her head over to them.
"I don't know how to describe it. Maybe Sut has better luck than us." Paradise said, giving it to Bambi. He turned and ran over to Sut who had his books down on the couch. He grabbed the book and took a look at it. I blinked as I heard knocking downstairs. Oh. Who could that possibly be?
"Tell me when I get back up here," Paradise told us before getting up and walking over to the spiral staircase.
"Will do!" Bambi chirped.
"Soooo ... Sut, what is it about?" Carla asked, leaning over even if she was on the first couch and not next to him. I gazed up at him as he lifted his head and turned towards us. He shrugged as I let my head hit the back of the first couch. "You don't even know?!" Carla asked, widening her eyes. I lifted it up as he shrugged once more.
"Okay. WE need to get some folks who know what THIS IS. I don't want to have you guys return the book back to the libay." Carla said, getting up to her feet.
"It's Li-bra-ry." I corrected her.
"Whatever, the word is hard enough to say." She rolled her eyes at me. "Don't pressure me to say the corrections."
I rolled my eyes and heard Paradise's voice once more. "Did you guys figure out what the book means?" I turned my head over to them, padding from the spiral staircase with a giant wolf I despised. I ignored him for the time being.
"NOPE. Sutato doesn't even know what it means!" Carla said, turning towards their return.
"Oh gosh..." Paradise frowned, facepalming slightly while sitting next to their chair.
"What are you guys trying to ... do?" I turned over to the giant wolf who spoke. I narrowed my eyes with disgust as I shrugged.
"Trying to figure out what book Setchi brought in means!" Carla told him.
"... Oh. As expected for you guys' ... knowledge. You are from the wilderness, you won't know a lot of things that are presented in the society of each colony or folk." Neptune spoke, walking over to the couches.
"I thought it was about fruits," I said. Stop being such a know-it-all, you damn wolf.
"... Why is that?" He asked, padding over to the book that Sutato was handing him. He took the book in his mouth and walked over to the third couch that lay across in between the first and second couch.
"Well it did ... read ... 'Fruity Times.' I'm not so sure if I got the title correct." I answered, shrugging.
Neptune jumped on the couch and placed the book down. He shifted into his humanoid form and picked up the book, taking a look at it. "... Well ... isn't this just offensive. The author of this book could have named it to another title instead of being offensive about it." He grumbled, growling almost.
"... Setchi..."
"I didn't see anything offensive about it! There was even a warning inside of the book!" I panicked. OH, GOD. Did I pick up a book that was offensive to the entire fruit community? ... Well ... if it is ... offensive to him ... then I guess he deserves it for being suspicious?
He perked his ears, opened the book, and read what was inside. "... Oh. Maybe it was written by the GSRM community and ... they thought the term wasn't offensive. It is to me and I don't like it. So we'll call it The GSRM Book for now."
"What is G.S.R.M?" Carla asked.
"It's an abbreviation of Gender, Sexuality, and Romantic Minorities. It's those who feel quite different from cis-heteros." He answered. "For example, I'm gay, which means, I would be a part of the GSRM community."
"Ooooooooooh." Paradise, Carla, and I all said.
I blinked, tilting my head. "... Then why is it named ... 'Fruity Times'? Couldn't it just name the book like what you said?"
"... Fruity ... is another term for GSRM. It's ... half on half term for those who find it offensive and the others who do not. I don't want to talk much on the term at all so let's move on." He answered, shuddering.
I slowly nodded, rubbing my chin slightly, "What else is in there that is included in the ... 'GSRM' community." Would my asexuality be a part of it? Maybe ... I should have asked that first...
Neptune stared at me, narrowing his eyes, "I just told you."
I narrowed my eyes back at him. Gosh, this guy is annoying. "We may not know what type of genders, sexualities, ... whatever the third term was, is out there." Paradise voiced in. "So ... you can't blame us for not knowing."
"Two of you are folks who are a part of the community..." Neptune spoke before slowly turning over to Sutato, "... Maybe three. I don't know about him." He turned back to us. "Though you are correct, I can't blame you for knowing all of them. Maybe just the common ones."
"You said two, which do you think is it?" I asked, gripping the couch tightly.
"Definitely me for sure. I don't go with my original gender." Paradise said, looking disgusted. "Eh, that sounds wrong. I told my mom "original gender" sounds off as hell! Dead gender is more like it as it's not who I am anymore."
I nodded slowly at Paradise before turning back to Neptune. He nodded to them, "It was oblivious you don't go with that." He turned his gaze at me, "But you don't seem straight enough."
I blinked my eyes, looking baffled to pieces. "You don't know that."
"That is true." He nodded, leaning back against the couch. "It is not my place to be guessing who's, who's. You can tell me whenever you finally trust me."
I narrowed my eyes with a disgusting expression, continuing to hate this guy's wits. Carla stared at me with a wary look, "... Why do you not trust him?"
"He's suspicious." I sneered.
She gave me a look, "Now you're just overreacting with that expression."
"OVERREACTING?" I glared at her. I let out a long sigh and stepped away from the first couch. "Fine, don't believe me." I grumbled, "But when the truth is revealed, don't say I didn't warn you." I turned and walked over to the second couch. I heard Carla say something else, along with the others but I ignored them completely. I caught sight of Bambi frowning at me before crawling over to the couch's back. "... I don't think Mr. Wolf is bad." He whispered to me. "... I think he's trying to be good but ... doesn't know how to."
I stared at him, holding back the frown that wanted to appear on my face. "Doesn't know how to my butt. What does that mean?"
"... I dunno but ... maybe ... give him a chance?" Bambi asked, looking up at me with beaming eyes. More like puppy dog eyes.
That frown slipped through as I sighed, "Alright ... I'll try." I whispered.
Bambi smiled before turning back to Sut who watched in silence. I tilted my head at the book he had in his lap. "What are you guys doing?"
"We're learning sign language!" Bambi chirped. "It's very cool! It's where you use your hands to communicate and I love it!" He leaned back and was falling to the floor. Something kicked in within me as I hurried over to catch him but Sutato was quicker than I was. I slowly leaned back as Sut help him sit up properly. "Sorry!" Bambi chuckled before smiling nervously at us. "But yeah! You should try to! It's funnier than learning words!"
"A lot funnier than words you say?" I whispered with a grin spreading on my face. "I'm in!"
Bambi gasped and smiled widely, clapping his hands. "Come on, Sut!" He turned towards him. "Let's start from the beginning and teach Dragonie everything we know!"
Sut nodded and gave me a smile. I smiled back and felt those same feelings from before. However, I didn't pay any attention to them as I walked around the couch and sat down next to them to learn what 'sign language' is.
249Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPDDXKOPwx
...
_ Sutato _
"Here to visit the feaolk?" Peruvian said, looking up from her notes.
"Yep!" Setchi nodded with a smile.
"I'm afraid you boys have to wait here for a moment." She spoke. Setchi and I frowned as she walked around the counter and gestured to the chairs we had to sit at. I slowly nodded and walked over to them as Setchi slowly followed behind. I sat in one and watched the deolk disappear in one of the doorways.
"Last time she allowed us, why not this time?" Setchi whispered, sitting in the seat on my left.
I shrugged at him. Maybe they're releasing him from the hospital and we just came at the wrong time. I turned my gaze over to the doorway where the deolk left in, waiting patiently for her return. "Well, why not practice some signs we learned over the last few days." I turned my head over to Setchi who offered that. "While we wait."
I nodded slowly, lifting up both of my hands. I stared at them, lowering one hand down to my lap. I tilted my head, turning my left hand over. I remember the first basic sign in my head and proceed to motion it. I had my fingers and thumb together and placed them on my forehead. I turned to him and moved my hand forward. I repeat it a second time before lowering it. Setchi narrowed his eyes as he tilted his head. "Wait--- It's Hello! W--- OF COURSE THAT'S the OBLIVIOUS ANSWER!" He hissed but to himself. He blinked and looked down at his hand, "Uh..." He quickly mimic the same motion as I did but outward rather than forward.
I shook my head and repeated the motion, moving my hand forward with my palm facing him. I soon pointed at my palm and faced it towards him. He blinked and attempted it once, getting it almost right. He kept moving his palm facing from him to me while moving his hand forward. I pointed at my palm again, placing my hand on my forehead where my fingers connected. I pointed at my palm once more that is facing him and moved it forward.
"... I thought I was doing it right. Right?" He asked.
I sighed and held out my hand, pointing at his own. He turned red in the face as I gave him a look. He slowly placed his hand in mine as I guided it to his forehead and turned the palm of his hand towards me. I used my right hand and pointed at his palm and at me. "O-O... Oh. So ... the palm has to face you and not me first?"
I showed one finger as he nodded. "O-Okay, I ... think I got it now." He mumbled, looking awkward as I waited for him to remove his hand. I stared at it before turning forward at two people approaching. I smiled up at Castit as I let go of Setchi's hand. I signed hello to him as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at us. "... What did I just walk into?"
"Oh! We're just going over our sign language lesson." Setchi explained to him.
"Oh." Castit turned to him, "Seems like a perfect fit for Sut."
"... You know what it is?"
"Of course. It's in the name, dummy. Sign language. You probably use your hand to sign to one another with words and ... I assume Sut said hello to me." Castit answered, turning to me as I nodded with a smile.
"... Oooooh," Setchi said before facepalming himself.
"You ... somehow didn't know ... so don't blame yourself," Castit muttered, avoiding staring at him. I wonder if he's calling him dumb in his head.
"THANKS," Setchi grunted. "So. They're sending you home and yet your arm is still in a case. I think that's isn't fair!"
Castit grunted. "I don't think they want to keep me here any longer than they have to. The rest of my wounds are healed besides my arm."
"Besides, it was broken." Peruvian voiced in, glaring at Setchi, "It takes weeks for bones to heal."
"Don't you have healing magic?" Setchi asked.
"No. Nature Elementals don't have healing magic or magic in general that can have their bones all heal up. The body does that." Peruvian spoke, crossing her arms.
"Besides ... I'm ... fine," Castit told him. "This isn't nothing."
Setchi grumbled before getting up to his feet, "I'm just looking out for you."
"You don't need to," Castit said, which made Setchi angry even more. I sighed quietly and stood up, walking over to the entrance. I turned towards them as Castit nodded to me slowly, following after me. I opened the door and stepped out.
"Check back with me if it gets infected, feaolk!"
"Use my name ... instead of my race name." Castit hissed at her. "That is getting annoying."
"... I will next time, Castit." Peruvian lowered her ears and nodded her head. Soon we left the hospital and walked quietly on the path to the residential area. I gazed up at the snow falling down, staring at each snowflake that was close to us. I poke one that fell right past us as one landed on my nose. I blinked and shivered from its touch as I blew it off of my nose.
"... Did something seriously happened when I was gone?" I turned over to Castit's voice, looking confused at his question as he looked weirded out. I tilted my head as he narrowed his eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Setchi asked.
"You being ... unusually unlike yourself." Castit pointed to him, who was on my left side. Castit was on my right side.
"Unlike myself? How so?"
"How--- I'm sure you know this, Setchi," Castit grunted. "I know you're ... cheerful, very much so, but not to the point of extreme. You know ... the kind ... and the similarity to ... how Carla reacted to ... Winter's 'mentor'." He said the word 'mentor' very oddly as I tilted my head once more to that. Is ... Winter's mentor not what he seems to be?
"Nooooooo, That's not me." Setchi shook his head. "I have nooooo idea what you are talking about. I can't act like that, that's toooooo unlike me!" He looked forward, looking a little annoyed. I slowly turned my head over at him, tilting my head. Is there something you want to say, Setchi?
"... Some people act like that when they like someone very much," Castit said.
"So? That doesn't mean I'm one of them." Setchi grunted. "It's too alien to act like that anyway! I'm a dragon, I don't think dragons are supposed to love someone else."
"... Did your parents teach you that?"
Setchi turned and glared at Castit, "No but I did! And I'm keeping that promise!"
"You don't have to. You don't need to push yourself away from your crush."
"I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH." Setchi snapped at him as I jumped away from him. I widened my eyes at him, surprised at his rage. "I never once had one and I never will. It won't ... work out and you know it."
"... Okay ... I won't say anything about it anymore." Castit shrugged, turning his head away from him.
"Good." Setchi hissed, turning his head away and staring forward. I blinked with confusion, tilting my head. A crush is ... someone you like, like-like right? And ... be with that crush ...? I tilted my head, confused at the concept. I don't understand it ... and I don't know why he's angry about it. Wouldn't ... it be strange to hate something you like so much? I wouldn't hate my book because I like to keep it close to me so ... why should he do the same thing to his crush?
I shook my head and looked forward, maybe ... he will try to go out of that ... promise and do what he likes? I think torturing yourself to prevent yourself from liking someone is wrong and you should do what you want. No one stopping you. I shrugged before looking down at the wooden floor.
I hope it doesn't worry me to the point I'll have to ask.
I stepped forward and into a new area underneath a new day. We did show Castit to the group a few days ago but he wanted to get home as fast as he could. The others try to ask why but he didn't answer and left right away. I became curious about his departure and want to know why he left, so I tried to be sneaky around his home. But then I gave up because I got distracted by the snowflakes again. I frowned, knowing that I'll be a terrible spy if someone told me to become one.
The wind breezed through the crowds on the wooden platforms, making some of the people shiver from the cold. Snow was near the edges as a cold sigh left my mouth. I gazed up at the light through the fog that was way high up in the air. I eyed the light shining before looking down at a food place before getting halted by a force. "WAIT---" I turned behind me as I stared at Setchi panting. I blinked at him. "Gosh, you just don't listen, do you?"
I shrugged and continued. "SUT--- ugh." I heard him grunt. It's your fault you wanted to go with me. I padded over to the food place, glancing at all of the round tables with umbrellas stationed in the center of them. I looked past the seating range and spotted the food placements, inside of the counters or stands. People were there, standing beside them as they picked out their favourites or the ones they wanted to try out. I tilted my head, wondering if I could get some treats.
"You want something from there?" Setchi asked.
I turned towards him on my left as I nodded with a smile.
"Alright, we can go in." He nodded, walking inside the area as I followed behind. We past the seating spots and over to the stands, glancing down at them. There was an apple on a stick while others had cheese in some bread, or covering the bread in some way. "Oh, Hello you two!" I lifted up my head at the voice's owner, revealing to be a deep blue-haired person. I narrowed my eyes, staring at their eyes. Their sclera was black and their pupils were blue. "O-Oh! I'm not one of them! Don't see me like them, it's just how our folk looks like." They smiled nervously before looking down at the food pops.
"How do we know we can trust you?" Setchi asked as I elbowed him. "What? I gotta make sure they're trustworthy." I gave him a glare as he grumbled in defeat. "Fine."
I looked back at the person who chuckled quietly. "Do you guys want them?"
I nodded, smiling before tilting my head at them. Actually ... I signed a question before trailing off mid-way as I realized this person may not know sign language. "Oh! These are called apple pops! They are delicious to taste!" They answered, smiling at me.
"... Wait--- what did Sut say?" Setchi asked. "And how do you know sign language?"
"Oh, he said or ... trying to say what these delicious treats were and I taught myself--- sort of, to understand sign language! The books here help me relearn some of it or ... most of it in this case, but in all today's work, it turned out okay!" They answered with a smile at him.
"Oh. Cool." He nodded. They turned away from the counter and grabbed napkins from a bin. They turned back to the line of apple pops and grabbed two of them with two napkins. They picked the two up and handed one to me and the other to Setchi. We both grabbed ours and stared at it. I tilted my head, noticing how shiny it was. I ... I know the apple is shiny but ... it doesn't smell like an apple does. Is it a candy apple? Do those exist? I think ... that nice scientist once told me candy was nice to try. "You two enjoy your apple pops! Have a well day." They told us before turning and walking away to another customer beside us.
I nodded and turned to Setchi who was enjoying his apple pop happily. "These are soooo good, Sut! You should try it!"
I nodded and stepped away from the stands, taking a bite out of it. I chewed it quietly, widening my eyes as the taste of the apple blossomed with a raspberry taste. I smiled softly before taking another bite. I love raspberry, I love the way it tastes. "What is your flavour? Mine tasted like banana for some reason."
I blinked, remembering the letters for raspberry before spelling them out with my fingers. He paused and stared at me with confusion. I narrowed my eyes, as he blinked, "... Repeat that?" I repeated the motion as he slowly nodded, "... R... R-a-s-p-b- OH, Raspberry?" He asked, making me nod. "Oh. so Raspberry flavour..." He shuddered and shook his head. "I'd prefer banana, thank you very much." He continued eating his apple pop.
I rolled my eyes and turned away. Fine by me, your tastes are different from mine. I turned my gaze over to a familiar person as my smile dropped and turned into a frown. Purity was approaching and she doesn't seem ... happy about our presence. ... Is she here to ask about our business? Maybe ... maybe she's here to apologise. Yeah, I nodded my head slowly. That could be the reason for her appearance. Please let me hope that is the right answer.
I don't want to hate her as the others do.
249Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKW55ma3uC
- End of Chapter 22
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