Lemon Tree Village

[Molecular Atrophy]

The music-owner was mental.

"I hope not all of the town's like him... he has his bug-eyed glasses on a little too tight!" Artemis slumps to the home by the gatehouse.

The lights were on; someone to inquire. . . .  

[Molecular Atrophy]

The last place left unexplored was Rusty's house.

"I want to kill someone,"  

[Molecular Atrophy]

Artemis had dealt enough with the town, and exited the gatehouse.  

[Metal Android_19]

"What a nice town" 19 Heads South through the archway  

[Lady March Hare]

Seeming almost escorted by the wind that swirled around her, Fairlee tiptoed past the snoring Gate Guard. Being one of very few morals she didn't bother waking him up, just in case there was paperwork to check or bills to be paid. Grinning mischievously, the blonde moved forward onto cobblestone streets, blowing strands of gold from her eyes as she looked around. Misty heels announcing her arrival with soft clicking of her steps, the dark elf moved forward slowly, trailing her crimson eyes slowly around the square. She abruptly froze, her eyes going wide as she stared at the center of the square.

"Lucifer... I. Remember. These. Lemons!"

"I figured you would." the dragon said, leaving his task of eying the Gate Guard warily to sigh a mushroom cloud. "They're the biggest around, if the talk is true."

"And they're SO hard to get to... Lucifer, would you be a dear and fly up to pick one for me?" Fairlee whimpered.

"No chance." the dragon grumped. "We've got wishes to collect; after we make some more progress, we can stop to eat."

"Aw, come on! I'll be your friend..!"

"You already are, genius..."

"Wow!" Fairlee gasped. "You've never acknowledged me as a friend before! Today is a special day!"

"Yeah, yeah... whatever." Lucifer muttered, looking deliberately away from the peppy girl. "Just pick a place to check, will you..?"

Fairlee grinned brightly, but didn't speak; the girl sensed Lucifer needed a moment to recover his dignity. She was glad that she had not been born male, nor born with dignity. Setting herself to the task of choosing the right place to go, the red eyed girl scanned the shops before them. It was so tempting to go into one of the many eateries; her mouth started watering at the very thought. But no, 'business first'; she wrinkled her blue nose and decided to go with the boring, non-food-providing option first. The most obvious one being the music store to the North. Pausing only to smooth down her skirt the dark elf meandered through the snow to the front of the store, hesitating only to look the front over before stepping inside.  

[Lady March Hare]

"Wow... that was fun." Fairlee hummed as the door of the music shop closed behind her. The girl stepped forward away from the music store and stretched her lean arms up over her head, grinning as she stretched like a cat. "He was much nicer then that cook person, dontcha think?"

"Griffith didn't give us food..."

"Good point." Fairlee replied wistfully, allowing her arms to drop with a heavy sigh. "But we're up to 11, so I guess I can forgive him. We'll have to remind him about the food thing when we come back."

"If we come back, you mean..." Lucifer amended as the duo moved along the cobblestone walkways.

"We'll come back. We promised, after all." she replied brightly, coming to a stop before a house. She looked at it curiously, tilting her head to the side. "Huh... wonder who lives here?"

"A house to the northeast... no idea. We'd better keep going..."

Fairlee's grin turned impish, but she acted like she hadn't heard the little dragon. Stepping forward lightly, the young woman moved purposefully up to the front door, ignoring Lucifer's garbled protests. Not bothering to knock; the young woman turned the door handle, pleased when it opened without any problem. Proving to be the best home invader she could be, Fairlee hummed softly to herself as she lead the way inside.  

[Lady March Hare]

"Alright! We're up to 17... that's not bad, right 'Fer?"

"Don't call me that." the little dragon grumped, undulating gently through the air. His baby blue eyes were slightly narrowed, and there was a general cloud of irritation that seemed to be hovering around him.

"What's with you?" Fairlee asked, nonplussed.

"Nothing." he said in a clipped tone. His single word sentence didn't invite further inquiry, but Fairlee didn't pick up on that. Or, if she did, she chose not to acknowledge it as she reached out to him. "Cut it out. Let's just go to the next place... this other house, to the Southeast."

"I thought you didn't want me breaking and entering..." Fairlee piped, looking at her companion with a perplexed expression. Had she done something wrong..?

"I don't care... let's just go." Lucifer said, flying forward to circle the front of the house.

"Hmmm... was it something I said..?" Fairlee murmured, for once truly talking to herself. The thing about talking to one's self is that there is rarely an acceptable reply. Sighing a mushroom cloud the young woman jogged over to where her companion waited, not able to fully enjoy the discovery of yet another unlocked door as she moved inside.  

[Lady March Hare]

"Lucifer, waaaaaaaiit..!" Fairlee called as she stumbled out the door, reaching a dark hand out to the flitting dragon. "Hold on a sec; let's talk!"

"Nothin' to talk about..."

"Sure there is... why are you mad at me, huh..?" she asked as she moved back out onto the cobblestone.

"Like you don't know. Getting all friendly with that guy..." Lucifer scoffed, puffing his cheeks out in annoyance.

"Friendly..?" Fairlee blinked, then grinned knowingly. She reached up and caught her friend by the tail, dragging him complaining and squirming back down into a hug. Snuggling the dragon against her cheek, she kissed the top of his head, something that made the dragon turn red and go limp. "It's so cute you're worried about me!!

"I'm not..! I... ugh. I hate you." the dragon grumbled.

"I know!" she replied in a sing-song voice as she moved towards the restaurant.  

[Lady March Hare]

"Alright... where do we have left to go?" Fairlee asked as she stretched her hands up to lace her fingers behind her head.

"You mean besides the whole rest of the Why Not World?" Lucifer snickered. "Well, we haven't been south yet..."

"Alright, alright... south it is!"' Fairlee said, twirling southward and humming softly as she made her way to the arch in the stone wall. Looking excited to be moving to a new section of the town, the duo continued along their way.  

[Lady March Hare]

"Hmmm... well, I think we've done all we can do here." Fairlee said, striking a triumphant pose and nodding heroically. "I guess it's back the way we came, right?"

"Right... there was a southern trail back somewhere... I think. Anyway, the wishes are where new people are. So it's back the way we came." the small dragon said with a small yawn.

Fairlee nodded and followed her companion's gaze, heading back the way they came.  

[Jirzo]

Becca skipped out of the village, toward the house by the Gate House.  

[iMonochromatic]

Rayne entered Lemon Tree Village and glanced around. Making her mind up, she headed towards the restaurant.  

[Jirzo]

"Almost finished" Becca muttered, as she headed south. Only another road or two to go.  

[Molecular Atrophy]

There was a tart, earthy aroma as Artemis scampers to the Town Square.

The Lemon Tree has been shed of its leaves and looms over the Village like an elder monster. Were the children ever frightened? Did the parents ever sign the tree up for a good blessing?

Artemis turns her head as light and sound boomed off of the Music Shop's stained-glass windows.

The music shop, she remembers, was where the shopkeeper had practically gone mad at Artemis's presence, assuming that she was one of the living dead.

"He was wrong on that. The nutcase," Artemis scoffs and heads forth to the Music Shop.

"I hope he doesn't think I'm a corpse . . ."

. . .He really shouldn't.

 

[trustedsamurai7000]

"Mmmmmm.... lemons...." trustedsamurai7000 says as she picks one. "Now where's a glass, some sugar and some water? I want lemonade!"