The Quiet Ever After

Croissant City - 9

They blitzed through the forest, leaving the house to the woodland animals. The chipmunks were probably going to make a solid mess of the place, but, it'd be worth it.

A resting Lord Carthinox let out a sigh when he saw the two of them

"Sorry for this, my lord, but there's been an error on my part that I need to remedy," Axel said. "I—"

Ryan was nearby. Nina noticed, too. He was observing them from a good distance away, one far enough that they couldn't see him.

Lord Carthinox raised his paw, then lowered it and nodded. All was well. Axel undid the knot in his stomach.

He gestured at the portal, and it was then that Axel realized it was still sealing. Had someone come through it? Ryan, maybe?

"We'll be back in the morning," Axel said. "I promise."

Carthinox watched him keenly as Nina opened the portal with ease. The fox gave them an exasperated snarl and bowed his head to let them know they could continue. Axel plunged hand-in-hand with Nina.

The two landed in Itucz, the vast sky above opening to reveal the great sea of stars upon a purple-orange canvas above. Axel slid forward, nodding to Nina.

"I'll talk to the Zanderia about getting us a room," he said, "can you find those same ingredients?"

"Not a problem."

"No, not a problem at all."

Riko emerged from the corner of the alley the splinter to Earth was in. He unfolded his arms and sighed as if he'd been waiting for them.

"Come," he said. "We're more than aware of your emergency."

"How?" Axel asked.

The Sentinel chuckled. "You've made many friends, Axel Orbit. It would seem your time on Earth truly has paid off in significant ways. Now, let's go. You're losing time."

Riko gestured and took to the skies. Axel and Nina couldn't follow from the air but did on the street, blitzing to another building similar to the one Axel had been in before. Axel's mind raced much faster than his feet did as he pursued the Sentinel of Itucz. He couldn't stop to ask Nina if she knew anything, though her expression was just as confused.

They were led to a room on the bottom floor of a building, one with easy access to the exit and one not far from the Zanderia building at all. Some heat emanated out of that room, and an exasperated man spoke in a hushed tone,

"How can you be so certain this is the right temperature?"

Riko showed them in. It was an open space with a tiny futon left for resting. It looked like an old kitchen connected, via various chutes, to a different room.

"This is a community center," Riko said. "An old outreach building the Ituczians of the past may have used. We use it from time to time during festivals to help with our feasts."

There, at one of the ovens, using his paw to show Phoenix how to manage the flames, was Isaac. All of the ingredients Axel required were on a table to the side.

"Isaac?" Axel asked.

The raccoon spun about but did not run to Axel right away. Nina burst out with a laugh.

"Wow, buddy!" Nina exclaimed. "Look at you go."

"We sensed someone come through and were unsure what to make of this one, thinking he'd come through on accident," Riko said. "Thankfully, Leley is as much in touch with the voice of an animal as she is with the voice of the wind."