340. A Moment With Jury

Construction on the house began that morning. By noon now the skeletal framing was roughly complete. It would take another 2 days at most to finish everything. Afterwards they’d be tasked with furnishing their home.

They considered expanding it in the future. Or making a small village for people they wanted to keep close or protect in this paradise. The Floor was too vast to be a sanctuary for the few. Maybe… for the Moons and Stars could also find a place here. Those that never had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful side of their world.

Frost had plans. Ambitions wider than the oceans of the Floor. Enacting them was different from dreaming. But if there’s one thing that’s she learned, it’s that one didn’t need to reach for the stars to achieve things. And if she really did need a star to reach, then she had herself and her trusted friends.

From what they understood, an Atelier could be held within Jury’s workshop which would be located beneath the Floor of Amalgamation, but somehow also within the same floor… however that worked.

Galia promised to show Jury this. It would require an extraordinary amount of work and materials, but it would be worth it in the long run to have Jury’s Atelier headquarters located within the Nexus, with potential branches placed outside.

It was all speculation at this point. A fun one at that. Whatever would become of Jury’s Atelier was answer for time to reveal. Additionally, Jury wanted to somehow incorporate Frost into her Atelier symbolically, coming up with a beautiful design which she carved into tree trunk.

Two feathers. One shaded white, and another left as an outline to represent black. A white feather and a black feather so to speak, each representing themselves.

“I know I have grey feathers, but what about this~?” Jury waged her tail back and forth, showing off the pale feathers that sat bundled just beneath the bulbous organ. “You and me. I want to draw an umbrella over it. I read in a book that some people used it to symbolize love. Or, I can circle or love heart around it.”

“It’s perfect the way it is.” Frost leaned her head against Jury’s shoulder. “It also represents me as the ‘Black Dove’, huh. I could be a secret Color associated with your Atelier.”

“Our Atelier.” Jury corrected.

“Aww. Yeah. Hmm~!” Frost became rife with excitement. A pleasant tingle filled her chest as she imagined the prospects of the future under their united command.

Problematic shadows aside, the light of such a future kept her keenly optimistic.

“Happy? I haven’t heard you purr before.” Jury was surprised by the sound Frost made.

She wasn’t even aware of it herself. Ever since defeating Sinder, or probably as far back as hatching from the egg, Frost had become a little more feminine in not just appearance.

“Happy wouldn’t even begin to scratch the surface. I could cry right now, you know? I imagined this world to be peaceful, just like this, when I first arrived in the Nexus. That naive me went straight off into the wild like I was invincible. But that’s how I ended up meeting you. Crazy how the world works, huh?”

“We first met next to a dead tree too.” Jury fondly raised her head to the beautiful, shimmering leaves of the great oak tree.

Rays of sunlight penetrated the umbrella-like canopy, casting light upon them and the bountiful, red, and green apples that grew along thick branches.

Those apples were Hung Jury at one point in Jury’s life. In a way, she also saw it as herself; living a miserable life in the dark that was no different than death. What those things were was still a mystery. The One Thousand Eyed Bird was a strange Corrupted to begin with. For instance, why were there so many ‘Jurys’ in the first place?

Not that Frost could talk. There were enough of her as it was. She had a feeling she’d be seeing another Alter Frost very soon too. It was a trend by now to at least periodically meet an Alter Frost.

Was that Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin also one?

Nav actually confirmed that there were numerous out in the wild, and they were not necessarily extractable from the Corrupted she manifested. Apparently, the Little Frost answered positively when she asked whilst inside of the Advent of Desire.

Any and all attempts to make the Innocent speak were just with a question mark emoji.

Frost’s train of thought was wonky at best. Whilst sharing a sentimental moment with Jury, she ended up thinking of arbitrary things. Her arms wrapped around Jury’s clawed arm this time around. Usually, it was Jury who clung onto her, but she wanted to go on the offensive.

“You think this tree is symbolic too?” Jury asked, watching as petals showered around them. She reached out towards an apple with a normal hand, plucking it as she brought it close, inhaling its sweet, irresistible scent.

“You mean because of the fruit?” Frost wondered if she was talking about the ‘forbidden light’ Elysia ate.

Jury shook her head before splitting the apple down into two pieces, offering Frost one half.

“The tree. Not the fruit.” She giggled. “A dead tree coming back to life. Some going as far as to bear fruit! I know it’s not the same tree. Doesn’t it remind you of something?”

“The Corrupted being able to be Realized?”

“Mhm. Corrupted… people that lose themselves being able to come back. To wear a new bark…” Her somber voice was accompanied by the laughter of Ber in the background, with an Ignis who diligently chatted with her. “… and bear new delicious fruits. They might not be the same. But I think it’s a step to become better. ‘We Can Be Better’. The language of words. I love that motto.”

Jury spoke whimsically, like she was lost in a daydream. Her enchanting voice was paired with the sweetness of the apple Frost sunk her teeth into, and she fell in love with the same phrase.

We can be better.

It was cathartic. The ideal of redemption resonated deeply within her because it was an ideal that she sincerely yearned after her wrongs. Of course, the Ateliers were much to blame, but she also bared faults that needed to be addressed.

The spring leaves and scent of dew etched themselves into her mind. She took a step back suddenly, with Jury still in her arms before she suddenly pecked Jury on the cheek. Her body moved on its own; a slave to the ebbs of her affection as Jury turned her head sideways, and again, Frost attacked her lips.

“… doesn’t taste like meat this time, huh?”

“Mm. It’s sweet.”

“… Yeah…”

“… Frost…”

“… mhm?”

Their lips gravitated towards one another. This time, Frost didn’t find herself needing to stand on the tips of her toes to reach Jury. Well, she was still on her toes though. The height difference didn’t matter much anyway. In fact, Frost loved it, because it meant that more of her could be consumed by Jury’s warmth.

Their eyes were hazy. Their breaths ragged and in sync. One could imagine what would happen if they were alone on this Floor. If Frost was an apple, then she’d gladly let Jury take as many bites as she desired. Slowly, their lips met again underneath the tree that bared the feathers representing them both.

Those feathers would forever be etched along its bark and immortalized on Jury’s Atelier insignia. Frost tried to pull Jury down a little closer, tugging her arms.

“Won’t you crouch a little? Please?” Frost asked. “It’s hard to reach you~”

“I see… Here. I can do something better.” Jury softly whispered into her ear, her breath causing ripples of electricity to run down Frost’s body before suddenly, Jury’s weight became unbearable and before she knew it –

“I’ll be your canopy from now on. The shade that protects you. No one is allowed to eat you other than me~”

– Jury sandwiched Frost between her body and the grass, mounting her stomach. Her scent was indomitable. It suppressed all Frost’s senses. Her body surrendered as she felt a tail slither into her coat, and a hand cup the side of her face.

Frost raised her hands, holding Jury’s cheek before she brought her head close.

“I’d love that. Much more than you think… A… Ahaha…” Frost suddenly giggled.

“Hmm?”

“Sorry. I just found it funny that I’m supposed to be the Amalgam, yet I’m the one being eaten. Some things don’t change. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. Let’s be better. Let’s be us. Let’s change this world for the better.” Frost whispered back into Jury’s ears as she wrapped her arms around her neck, watching her eyes sink into pleasure.

“We will. I’d take so many bites out of you right now. You don’t know how much I’ve been holding back. But…”

Jury looked as though she was about to nip Frost’s nape. To caress certain spots, but she refused to indulge. Instead, she cast her gaze to the side where she saw the others inconspicuously watching.

The Archivist peered through the house blueprints, with the Hired Arm covering the eyes of both the Star Child and the Innocent. Nav on the other hand keenly watched, her brows furrowing gradually like she was… disappointed they stopped?

Cer sat around eating grapes like they were popcorn beside Ber and Res at the riverside. Judging from Res’ face, she could tell she was mentally uttering: ‘Get a room’.

We don’t have one yet.

Frost mentally sighed before she broke into a small fit of laughter with Jury, her lover collapsing onto her.

And later that day, the group would then decide to take a small break at the beach of the Floor of Amalgamation.