Penny had always found Pelican Town especially beautiful in the Fall. As the trees lost their leaves, it was like they were shaking off everything that had happened in the year so far.

It was four days into the season, four days past the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. She hadn't had the chance (or the nerve) to talk to Sam yet, but she'd had a few texts from Sebastian and Maru, and things seemed to be going well and settling down.

She would have expected the days to come to be uneventful, if not for the ominous text she received from Abigail yesterday.

Attention, all members of the Solarion Company. You are  hereby summoned on the evening of Thursday, Fall 4, to 24 Mountain Road, for the mandatory TRIAL and SENTENCING of the offending parties, herein referred to as SAM, SEBASTIAN, MARU, and PENNY.

Penny had asked Sebastian immediately what it meant, but he'd just said not to worry, that this was the sort of quirky thing that Abigail did. Still, Penny couldn't help but worry. She already felt bad about not talking to Abigail when Sam and Sebastian had left town, but didn't feel at the time that it was her story to share. And even if Abigail had warmed up to her lately, they weren't really close, were they?

Penny pulled out her green peacoat from the back of the closet, it was going to be particularly windy tonight. She pulled it tight around her and headed up the hill.

Everyone was already in Sebastian's room when she got there, but they weren't chatting like normal, they were sitting around quietly while Abigail paced the room theatrically. Sebastian caught Penny's eye from his desk chair, but didn't speak. Maru smiled, but Sam didn't really look at her.

"Our party has all arrived, so I call upon you now to take your seats," Abigail declared.

They did as they were told. Sam and Maru shared the side of the table opposite Abigail, and Penny and Sebastian each took an open side.

"This session is now in order." Abigail pulled a gavel out from who knows where and rapped it on the table. Penny didn't know if she was allowed to laugh.

"Is that a gavel?" Sam asked with a smile, but Abigail somehow managed to keep a straight face, tapping the gavel again to silence Sam.

"It has come to my attention that a series of dramatic events has occurred lately that I have not been privy to," Abigail announced. "This severe neglect of my friendship will not be tolerated. I call upon you now: Who shall fill me in? Who shall bare their souls before the court?"

She was met with silence. Sam and Maru looked at each other, and Sebastian just looked flustered.

Sam leaned in and said, "Abby, don't you think this is a little ridiculous?"

But Penny was filled with a sudden bout of confidence. It was a little ridiculous; that could not be denied. But the obvious ridiculousness is what made the exercise worthwhile. Abigail was letting them be more honest with her and with each other in a way they never could have before. She was letting them not be so serious for the evening, something they all needed.

Though her palms were sweating, Penny suddenly stood up out of her chair. "Your honor, please allow me to address the court."

Sebastian's eyes widened, and Sam looked at her like she'd gone insane.

"You may proceed." A smile flickered across Abigail's stern face.

"The story begins with me, so I shall be the one to begin it." Penny tried to throw in some 'shall's to sound more appropriate. "I have been friends with Sam for many years, and for most of that time, I...had a crush. On him." She couldn't stop herself from looking at Sam now. He already knew this of course, but it still felt like a confession. "I never told Sam this, and if he had ever asked, I would have denied it. I am not sure if I ever directly lied to him, but it is true that I was not honest with him for a long time, and for that I'm sorry." Sam looked at her sadly and shook his head. She went on. "Recently, after spending more time with all of you, Sebastian became aware of my feelings for Sam. And then, when, um..."

Penny didn't know how to continue, but suddenly Maru got up from her chair as well.

"Your honor, please allow me to take it from here," Maru said with a little tremble in her voice. Abigail nodded, and Penny sat back down.

"What my co-council has left out," Maru said, gesturing to Penny, "is that she informed me last year of her feelings toward Sam. "And even knowing how she felt, I initiated a romantic, um, relationship with Sam. And I didn't tell her what had happened, and I didn't tell Sam about her feelings. Or that I knew about them. Uh, the council rests."

Maru sat back down, and Abigail was scrunching up her brow trying to make sure she was following.

"I guess that means it's my turn," Sebastian said, not bothering to get up or use any legalese. "I was walking with Penny, and we saw Maru and Sam...you know. I figured they both probably knew Penny's feelings and were seeing each other behind her back. So, I...punched Sam."

"What?" Abigail said, momentarily dropping her persona. "You said you fought, I didn't know you fought fought.

"And I told him how Penny felt," Sebastian said, not able to look straight at anyone.

Penny picked up the story again. "I got upset, and Sebastian came to comfort me, and then we ran off to Zuzu City. And went to a museum, and got breakfast."

"What?" Sam and Maru said in unison, as if this were the most interesting part of the story.

"You were in Zuzu City that night?" Sam asked in disbelief.

"Hey, you ran off too," Sebastian said.

Sam still looked incredulous. "Right, so anyway, like a jerk, I was upset with Maru for keeping Penny's feelings from me. I was angry with Seb, too, but she bore the brunt of it." He turned to Maru. "I'm sorry, babe."

"Ew." Sebastian said under his breath. "Ow!"

Maru kicked him under the table.

Abigail banged her gavel, and Sam turned his focus back to his story. "Anyway, I ran off to stay with my uncle, and Sebastian came after me. And he sort of apologized and sort of gave me a hard time, but pretty much made me realize that I was being dumb. The end, I guess."

Then Sam stood up dramatically and held his hand over his heart. "My true crime is being stupid. I beg pardon from the court." He bowed with a flourish.

Abigail was smiling openly now, but tried to keep up the act. "The court finds the defendants guilty. Your crime: excluding me from all this interesting stuff."

Penny caught Sebastian rolling his eyes.

Abigail looked around at each of them. "I hereby sentence you...to explore the mines with me. Tomorrow night."

"Abby, you can't be serious," Sebastian said, annoyed. Penny agreed. People could get really hurt in those mines; or so she'd heard. There were monsters and creatures that lived there.

"What, are you scared of the mines, Sebastian?" Maru teased. "I go down all the time to look for samples, they're not a big deal."

Sebastian seemed to be quieted by her remark, but Penny didn't mind if people thought she was a little cowardly. She said, "I'm sorry we left you out, Abigail, but I don't see how this will help. Someone could get hurt."

Abigail pouted and dropped her judge persona completely. "It'll be fun! We won't go very far in, I promise. We haven't hung out in a while, and we should celebrate putting all this behind us." She reached across the table and held Penny's hands. "Please?"

The sudden familiarity of the gesture moved Penny's heart. She wasn't thrilled with the idea of going in the mines, but she did really like hanging out with Abigail. With all of them.

"Well..." Penny glanced at Maru, who seemed excited, and Sebastian, who shrugged.

"I guess it couldn't hurt to try. And we could always leave." Penny couldn't figure out if she was being a pushover or being brave by agreeing, but once she had, she even started to feel a little excited.

"Yes, that's what I'm talking about!" Abigail said. "Penny's in, Maru's in, Sam, I assume you are, too?"

"I accept the ruling of the court," Sam said with a dignified nod.

"Seb?" Abigail asked hopefully.

Sebastian sighed heavily and made a show of rolling his eyes again, but Penny could see his mouth pulling into a smile. "Alright," he said. "Let's go die in some mines."

"Yes!" Abigail said. Then she stood up and checked the time. "Well it's pretty late, and I'm behind on my homework, so I gotta run. Peace out." She bounded up the stairs.

Maru laughed and pushed back from the table. "Well, that was the weirdest game of Solarion I've ever played."

"See ya, Seb," Sam said.

Penny started to follow them up the stairs.

"Wait, uh, Penny, you forgot something," Sebastian said.

Penny turned and looked at him expectantly, and Sebastian watched up the staircase until the door shut behind Sam.

"That was pretty odd, wasn't it?" Sebastian said. "Are you good?"

Penny nodded. "It was definitely unique...but I'm glad everything is out in the open now."

"I know it's late, but..." He walked to his desk and pulled something out that had been hidden under a sweatshirt. "Happy Birthday."

He handed her two hardcover books tied together with a blue ribbon.

"Sebastian..." Penny breathed. She sat back down at the table and put down the books like they were made of glass. She pulled the ribbon gently to untie it, and laid the books out next to each other. They were The Way of the Wind Part 1 and Part 2. And not just hardcover, but the sort of really nice binding that collectors go after. She ran her fingertips over the embossed cover. "I love it. Thank you."

"I thought you might not have read them before, and the bookseller was in town a while ago, so..." He rubbed at the nape of his neck and looked down at his feet.

Penny wanted to hug him, but she'd been so...familiar with him lately. She held herself back. She still hadn't come to terms with how they'd held each other on the night of the Moonlight Jellies. She'd just been glad he was back, right? And after all they'd gone through together, she hadn't been feeling her inhibitions as strongly as she normally would. That was all.

Now, things were back to normal, so she had to act like it.

"I haven't read it, but I've wanted to. This is a wonderful gift, Sebastian. Thank you." She stacked them neatly again and tied up the bow.

She stood and held the books to her chest, but she didn't want to leave. It was so comfortable here, with him. They hadn't been close for very long, but he understood her in a way that her other friends didn't. She lingered by the door.

Sebastian cleared his throat. "Could I walk you home?"

A smile spread across Penny's face. "Yes, I'd like that."

Even though they walked slowly, the distance between the mountain and town seemed shorter than ever. Neither of them had much to say. But it didn't feel awkward, just easy.

Sebastian said goodnight at her door. Penny went straight to her bookshelf and cleared the perfect spot for her new treasures. She put Part 2 in its place, but flopped onto her bed holding Part 1. She had tutoring in the morning, but a few hours of reading couldn't hurt.