Submission (#2145) Approved

Cinnamon’s cafe, though small, quaint, and almost wholly unnoticed by the rest of the world, had a certain charm to it that Pixis had always loved. It was nestled into one of the less populated corners of Elenion, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city’s center. To get there, you had to follow an old cobblestone path - one that could easily be overlooked if you didn’t already know it was there. This path, an unkempt marvel in comparison to those in the high traffic areas of town, was wedged tightly between two buildings on the settlement’s northern border, overshadowed by an archway so dense with flora that Pixis hadn’t even noticed it herself during her first visit.

Walking through the archway was like stepping into a portal to a land straight out of a child’s fairy tale. One moment you were in town, and just a few short footsteps later you were in what felt like another world - a beautiful tree lined path with the gorgeous floral vistas that Faerindell was known for just visible beyond the cracks between the trunks. The trees thinned out a bit as the path continued onward, opening up at last just before a small rise surrounded by wildflowers.

Perched at the very top of the rise was the cafe - an unimpressive structure in and of itself, but it was the view that was truly incredible. To the south, Elenion’s characteristic pink-blossomed trees stretched out as far as the eye could see. The trees flanked the rise on the east and west as well, but in far lesser abundance, broken up by huge swaths of the verdant farm and grasslands responsible for keeping the denizens of Eyre fed and happy. Beyond that though, the blue waters of Eyre’s oceans sparkled in the distance just out of reach. On windy days, however, the breeze sometimes carried the salty sea air all the way over to Elenion, bathing the city in cool coastal air and the nostalgic summertime scents of the ocean.

It was this in particular that came as a huge comfort to Pixis during the days spent in Faerindell. The familiar fragrances brought her back to happier times - back to Palu’au and the long lost companionship of her friends who she hadn’t seen and had scarcely heard from since.

Today, however, the cool ocean breeze brought no such comforts.  And despite the holiday atmosphere of an event that she once looked forward to, Pixis couldn’t find it in her to feel happy.

And so, the young kittom instead sat dejectedly on the floor of the cafe, her eyes cast absently toward the window, yet seeing nothing. In the back of her mind, she was dimly aware of Cinnamon’s cheerful voice as she assisted the final customer before closing, but she wasn’t really comprehending anything that was being said. Her thoughts were elsewhere, lost deep in a memory that, despite being a pleasant one, was causing her more pain than comfort.

The paper lantern that she had dug out of her small array of belongings in preparation for the day’s festivities had likewise seen better days. It lay at her feet looking almost as pathetic as she herself felt deep down. Its pale yellow paper was crumpled in more than one place and the pastel adhesive stars had long since begun to peel away from the lantern’s surface and lacked the shimmering luster they once possessed. Even her Pomu itself, in its dormant state, seemed to be emitting a much duller glow than usual.

These things that used to bring joy now only served to intensify the sadness she felt deep within her heart. Once again, she found herself unable to keep from thinking that, here she was, for a second time, in an unfamiliar land without her pomu… and without her friends. And what, really, was the point of it all? How could she ever hope to truly enjoy the pursuit of her dreams and passions knowing that her friends were struggling with problems far greater than she could ever hope to understand - problems that she should be there to help them work through.

But what was she doing instead? Nothing productive, that was for sure. Pixis knew that moping around every time she felt a bit lonely wasn’t going to help anyone, least of all herself. And yet… she just couldn’t seem to snap herself out of it - not when her pomu, the one consistent source of comfort in all her loneliness and sorrow, was once again somewhere far beyond her reach - through no fault of its own.

“Sorry about the wait!” Cinnamon’s voice suddenly cut through the kittom’s thoughts, jerking her back to reality as the older ‘nin padded up to her. “That girl just can’t get enough of her raspberry truffles. It always takes ages to shoo her out of here.” The annoyance in her words was belied by the warm glint of humor in her eyes.  “I guess it didn’t help that we’re closing up a bit earlier than usual today. Anyway, are you all ready to - hey, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” she lied quickly.

In spite of her overall mood, Pixis was determined not to let her sadness sour Cinnamon’s excitement - even if she couldn’t do the same for herself. She could tell by the frown on the older ‘nin’s face, however, that her impassive response wasn’t fooling anyone.

“What’s going on?” Cinnamon asked, nothing but earnest concern on her face and in her eyes.

Pixis hesitated, casting her gaze awkwardly to the side to avoid meeting Cinnamon’s own gaze. Her eyes landed on her lantern and once again, she felt the ice knife of loneliness cut through her heart.

“I’m just… feeling a little homesick. I guess.”

Cinnamon seemed to think for a moment before responding, glancing reflexively at a photo on the hearth as she did so. Pixis followed her line of sight, her eyes landing on the picture of a young cinnamon and another tiny kittom pressed together, posing playfully for the camera.

“You know…” She began, her focus still fixed on the picture. Pixis, however, returned her focus on Cinnamon, curiosity plain on her face. “A long time ago, I made a friend here in Elenion. She was only here for a few weeks - her family was just stopping by for a visit. But we became fast friends.”

“When it finally came time for her family to move on, I was heartbroken. I’d never had a friend before I met her and even though we only knew each other for a very short while, it felt like I was suddenly losing a friend I’d had for an eternity. I started to wonder what would happen if we never saw each other again and whether or not she’d meet someone new in the next city she stayed and end up forgetting about me entirely.”

“Did you ever see her again?” the kittom inquired tentatively, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer.

“No,” was Cinnamon’s somber response. Pixis felt her heart sink. “But it’s okay. And do you know why?”

“Why...?”

“Because even though I might never see her again, I still cherish the memory of the time we spent together and I know that no matter what she’s doing now or where her life takes her, that she’ll always feel the same way.” Cinnamon returned her warm gaze to Pixis. “Your friends may be having an adventure of their own right now, but I know they carry you in their hearts the way you carry them in yours. So cheer up! You have your own dreams to pursue. And I’m sure they’re cheering you on, too, wherever they are.”

Pixis turned toward her lantern again, and felt Cinnamon gently nudge her to her feet.

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s get out there and enjoy the holiday with our Pomu.”

Hesitantly, Pixis followed Cinnamon’s footsteps through the cafe door. Outside, the evening sun pressed down on her and the familiar floral scents of Faerindell washed over her. Almost immediately, she started to feel just a little bit better.