She's running around the class frantically. The lesson begins in 5 minutes and they cannot find the map of Modnik hand out. The guest speaker from Lefton laughs, says it's completely fine. Maybe, but she wants it to be perfect. Cedar and Leopold spent so much time exploring and rebuilding the world. Going to places on the map which Anton never built and building them from the ground up. She's not going to repeat the mistakes of the past, they're not going to tell the kids about Lefton and let them assume it exists. No, she will point to the map and tell stories about how it was rebuilt because the citizens of Modnik want to live in their own world, and how this guest speaker is proof the world can thrive out of Ytic.
Cedar finds the handouts just as the kids start coming in. Almost looks like it was planned when she starts handing out the maps at the door. The kids sit down, laughing, smiling. They instantly start chatting about all the places they've visited.
“Lefton is so cool, the ice cream there is so nice!”
“Downton has like a million parks! Can we take a school trip there miss!”
“My dad went to Necropolis once, he said it's haunted, zombies and skeletons and more!”
And their teacher can't help but smile with them. The next generation, having the chance to explore and experience the world in a way Cedar never did. This is why she helped rebuild the world. This is why they helped set up the school. And this is why she does what she does.
Bee.
“Ok class, now we've got a very important guest speaker. Give it up for Mr Wright from Lefton!”
And so he talks. He talks about a normal life. How some things are a bit different in Lefton, but also how some things are similar. He talks about the sea, and he talks about the people. He talks about how the city was founded and how they even had their first mayoral election recently. The kids keep focus the entire time, eager to hear about other parts of the world. Eventually, he says all that he has to say, and the kids applaud.
That's the geography lesson done. Next is history, talking about the unpleasant truths of the past, and how they can help usher people into a comfortable future. Then science, how the people of Modnik can move away from being reliant on Notes. And finally, one of Cedar's favorites.
“All right class, who's ready for maths!”
Collective groans and cheers ensue.
“And that, class, is why freeing the Antagonist will bring about the End.”
Class is dismissed. It's been a long day, but every day is worth it when you're stopping secrets from being spread. Cedar sits back in their chair, and looks at the classroom around them. The maps on the wall, created by her and Leopold many years ago and the crumbled paper hat and the black bow she used to wear back before the Story was free, which sit on her desk even to this day.
Cedar picks up the bow, and ties their hair up into a ponytail. She's all dressed up – today is a special day after all!
However, before the Tisagday celebrations begin, there's one place Cedar has to go. She heads out of the school building, and into her childhood home.
There it is. The old shrine to Enneyis she had worshipped many years ago, restored when she and Leopold went on their adventure. Cedar looks at the shrine, and smiles. Reflects. She laughs to herself. What would their dads think if they realised Enneyis was the being that caused their demise? What would Oakley think if they knew Cedar had used a paintbrush to bring them back from the dead briefly? Funny how the world works really.
Cedar is lost in thought, when suddenly they are brought back to reality by a noise:
“Mum, mum!” A voice shouts from behind.
Aspen comes running in and hugs Cedar tightly.
“Mum, did you see how big the Tisagday pinata is? It's huge!”
Cedar laughs. It's funny how a simple joke with a friend in her darkest days became a celebration of honesty in Ytic. Cedar takes one final look at the shrine, and heads out with her son. The streets are full of balloons, ribbons and lights. Today is a day of celebration. Today is the day Ytic recognises the heroic actions of Eris Snuffsmot, and the efforts of the Royal Guard. But most of all, today is the day Ytic celebrates the fact that its citizens can finally write their own stories.
Aspen picks up his bit and takes a swing at the Anton-shaped pinata, and cracks it open. It bursts open, revealing “Notes” inside – sweets wrapped in decorative paper made to look like the Notes of the old days. Aspen offers a Note to Cedar, and in opening it too quicky, Cedar gets a papercut on their finger. She watches as the wound slowly heals, apologising to the old man next to them who now has to deal with a sore finger. Being the monster that transfers injuries to others isn't something Cedar is proud of, but show knows it's something they have to embrace if she wants to keep spreading the truth. She may still be a monster, but at least she's a good monster now.
Written by Heather C