Episode 1 - Winter's Flower

Just when his birthday had started, December must trek with February, May, and July through the winter forests and find the flowers to heal May.

~December 1st~

~Scene 1~

[The tenth month had been neglected by his own season once again, just at the start of winter. Though, for the most part he liked being isolated. He liked being in the cold atmosphere that follows the autumnal and aestival times; the cold atmosphere which the spring washes away. Inside a shaded forest, October stands face to face with a shadowed figure.]

{October}
Winter is arriving in these forests, Leto. I can feel her touch. She hates to have me out here, you know.

[Leto, devoid of expression, devoid of lips, simply penetrates the darkness with its yellow eyes.]

{October}
Mother Nature's Sphere is a nice, warm place. I like it better here, though - in these woods, with just the shadows and you, and me.

---

~Scene 2~

{May}
Happy Birthday, December!

[Several children and teenagers, varying in height, are gathered around an open room, the rectangular white windows on the side are opaque, indicating the transition from autumn to winter.]

{December}
Th-thank you, May... i-is the punch okay? I worked tirelessly to make sure everyone would l-like it, but now it just kinda…

[December's trembling voice breaks into incomprehensible blubbering, and just then a malevolent grin appears on March.]

{July}
Jeez, December. It's your birthday, you don't have to please anyone.

{March}
Speaking of punch, how old are you again?

[December trembles.]

{December}
Um, I-I'm 15.

[March strides over next to December, then attempts to swing a punch at his arm - with a strange mark inscribed on it - but a string of vines intervenes and wraps around March's fists. May, with a daffodil in her other hand, pulls March away from December.]

{May}
Stop bullying people, March!

{March}
What?! Bullying? Pfft, it's nothing more than some 15 friendly hits on the arm for good luck, amirite December?

[December awkwardly shrugs, shifting uncomfortably.]

{February}
I remember my fifteenth birthday. It was the day Winter instituted January's and my first curfew. The curfew is completely unrelated to the party, I was just reminded of it.

{May}
I remember my fifteenth birthday, too!

{March}
You're 12.

{May}
Well, a 12 year old can still dream, March!

{February}
January went to the bathroom over an hour ago. I think he might've snuck out.

{August}
Why does January never like coming to parties?

{February}
Well, with Winter as our season, he's just gotten kind of cold over the years.

{July}
Oh! Cold! I get it! 'Cause he has ice powers!

[February, and only February, bursts into laughter.]

{February}
That's not what I meant, but that's hilarious!

{November}
Speaking of Winter, where does she wander in these present times? Out of all the seasons, I'd expect her to be the gentlest towards her own month, especially during special occasions as this.

[February shrugs.]

{February}
She is probably in Naturata's Sphere. At her, y'know, potion brewing area.

{May}
May Winter give me a healing potion? Spring is away and I've got a bad cut on my arm.

[May rolls up her sleeve and displays a medium-sized wound.]

{March}
Haha, that's it? You're not even crying.

{February}
Yeah, let's show it to Winter.

{March}
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm just gonna stay here, and maybe chill with December.

{July}
August, please make sure March doesn't hurt anyone, I'm going with February.

{August}
Okay.

[February, May, and July walk away. March walks to the punch, which sits on the table, pours it into a cup, then drinks it. However, March instantly retracts the cup from his mouth and wipes it.]

{March}
Yup, that's- uh, punch, alright.

{December}
Wh-what? Is it bad?

[March puts his hand around December's shoulder.]

{March}
Nah, nah. You should just come to Spring's room sometime and I can teach you how to make real punch.

---

~Scene 3~

[May skips to the distant floating Sphere, which extends several hundreds of meters. The gentle snow falls onto the surface, forming a layer on the top half of the Sphere. Before them are moss-infested stairs, which lead up to a vine-covered door.]

{May}
Come on, February!

{February}
Sorry, I'm so out of shape.

[The three months walk up the stairs, through the door, and into a hallway containing several paintings on the walls and tables with illuminating candles. They enter a dome-shaped room covered in paintings depicting the seasons and months.]

{May}
Are you even sure Winter will even give me a healing potion?

{February}

Of course!

{July}
Once she gave me a lollipop and told me to leave.

{May}
See? I don't want a lollipop; I want a healing potion.

{February}
Why did you need Winter in the first place, July? When she gave you the lollipop, I mean.

{July}
I wanted a chocolate bar, but she said that she didn't have one, so I complained. She gave me the lollipop so I would stop complaining and leave.

{May}
But I thought Summer didn't want you to eat chocolate.

{July}
What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

[The three finally walk up to a reflective, transparent light-blue door. A glowing snowflake pattern is carved into the door, its lighting pulsating in the dim Sphere.]

{February}
Here.

[February raises her hand, causing a bow with an already nocked arrow to appear in it. She shoots the door, causing ripples to form around the arrow lodged in the door. It opens and the arrow disappears along with her bow, and the three enter the room. Winter is standing at her cauldron, and looks up as the months approach.]

{Winter}
What do you three want?

{May}
I've got a boo-boo!

{Winter}
A boo-boo? You poor, poor thing! What do you want me to do?

{February}
She needs a healing potion.

{Winter}
For what?

[May unravels her sleeves and shows the wound.]

{May}
See! I need a healing potion.

{Winter}
How did you get that wound? Does Spring know?

{May}
A crow swooped down and attacked me! They don't seem to like me... And Spring doesn't know, because she's away.

{Winter}
Well, as fate would have it, I'm out of poinsettias for the healing potion. However, if you three could retrieve some for me...

{May}
We'll do it! Where are they?

{Winter}
In the core of the north western forests.

{February}
I wonder if we should bring along someone who is a bit stronger than us...

{May}
Ooh! Ooh! I saw December using his powers; he's really good at that snow stuff.

{July}
True. Would he want to come, though?

{February}
Why wouldn't he? It's his birthday, I'm sure he'd want to do something fun.

{May}
Wait! Don't the north western forests have… crows?

{February}
It's okay, we'll protect you.

{May}
With the power of love?

{February}
Um, sure.

{May}
Okay, let's go!

---

~Scene 4~

[February, May, July, and December, who is holding the only lantern, hike through the pine forest. Distant crows fly through the foggy, night sky, cawing to each other through the light snowfall. May holds onto February's arms.]

{July}
Are we there yet? I'm hungry.

{February}
We're not there yet. I think we're almost there...

{July}
Ugh... if I don't eat something soon I'm gonna cry.

[December pulls a candy bar out of his jacket pocket.]

{December}
I-I was saving this for later, but if you want it, July...

[July jumps in happiness and takes the chocolate bar from him. She eats happily as the four approach a clearing in the forest. The middle of the clearing is covered in a seamless patch of poinsettias.]

{May}
Yay, the pointy-whatever-thingies! Now let's take one and leave.

{February}
We'll probably need more than one.

{May}
But- the crows...

{July}
I'm not afraid of any crows!

[July begins putting poinsettias in her basket.]

{May}
But March told me a story about a crow lady that stalks these forests.

{February}
March is just trying to scare you. The only things that stalk this forest are us.

{July}
Yeah, don't bite into that urban legend stuff.

[July takes a bite out of the chocolate bar.]

{July}
It can take over your life.

[A sudden, loud crack is heard.]

{July}
Um, that was just a branch breaking in the distance. Loudly.

{May}
It was a crow! I told you, they're out to get me! Quick, let me use you as a human shield!

[May hides behind July.]

{?}
Halt! Ye who pass through the nightly, hibernal forests, wherefore dost thou take such dares?

[The four turn around to meet eyes with a lady in pitch-black robes, wielding a staff with a static crow perched on it. The crow's red eyes illuminate in the darkness of it all.]

{February}
Who are you?

{?}
Foolish child, bring forth a reason for which I should give my name.

{July}
You'll, uh, regret it if you don't!

[A cold laugh bursts out of the lady's black lips, which creeps of light in the darkness.]

{?}
Thy soul embellishes such false dignity, when it is only ravaged by the raven.

[The crimson eyes on the crow begin to inflame of glare and color, until finally a plethora of crows fly out from the trees and towards the four months.]

{February}
Run!

[July and December obey as May, petrified to her core, focuses on the oncoming, black birds.]

{February}
May, what are you doing!?

[May shakes her head and breaks from her state of paralysis, then she bolts in the other direction following the other three.]

{May}
WHAT DO WE DO!?

{February}
Right now we need to focus on running away from those crows!

{July}
And then what!?

{February}
I don't know!

[In one fell swoop, a crow latches its talons into February's hair.]

{February}
Get off of me!

[February flails her arms trying to rid her hair of the crow. The four then hide behind a colossal tree.]

{May}
How will we explain this to Winter?

{July}
Zombies? Yeah, zombies. We were attacked by-

{May}
CROWS!

[Crows advance towards the months, who continue to dash away, when all of a sudden, another group of crows block their path. The four turn only to sight more of the birds.]

{July}

May! Use your powers!

{May}
But the ground is covered in snow!

{July}
Use your head!

[May drops to the ground and begins to shovel out the snow with her head. The crow lady abruptly stomps the staff onto the ground, petrifying the crows in mid-air, and causing May to fall and stumble back with an oof.]

{?}
Thy form is a mortal human, yet thou talks of possessing the power of months. Methought those fallen warriors glittered into the stars, their words never to thenceforth be heard.

{February}
Well, sorry to break it to you, but we're here.

{July}
You actually understood that?

{May}
Spring talks like that all the time.

{?}
Hark! Hence shall no words come out of thy mouths. Your seasons shall pay what has been long forgotten by the stars!

[The lady raises her staff, the crow's eyes glowing brighter than last time, when all of a sudden, she was pulled away by an unknown force.]

{May}
What the!-

[Several eyes illuminate in the gloom of the forest, as the crows all around fly away into the distant fog. Sounds of the snow crunching could be heard, and a silhouette of a child, whose one of two eyes is glowing orange, fades into view. The aura of the moonlight swirls around the crow lady, as her body fades into the sky and into the stars. May then points to the shadows surrounding October.]

{May}
What are those?

{October}
They're my friends.

[October shyly smiles and walks up to February, then hands her a basket of poinsettias.]

{October}
July dropped these.

{February}
Thank you.

{July}
Ugh, now I'm hungry. Let's get to Winter so I can eat.

---

~Scene 5~

[The five months enter Winter's room. Winter looks up at them, her face slightly lighting up at the sight of October.]

{Winter}
You're back. Give me the poinsettias.

{February}
Here you are, ma'am.

[February puts the basket on the table. Winter puts the poinsettias into a cauldron.]

{July}
By the way, we were like attacked by this really mean crow lady. October saved us.

{Winter}
Crow lady?

{May}
Yeah, the one March keeps telling me about. She had this ugly staff with a glowing crow on it, and she controlled the crows to attack us! Do you know who she is?

{Winter}
Yes, I believe the name of that individual is Corvus. She's a constellation who has had a past with us, a friend of ours before the war.

{February}
What happened next?

{Winter}
She betrayed us.

{May}
Well, that's mean.

[Winter gives the potion to May, who instantly downs the contents, letting out a relieving sigh and burp.]

{May}
Thank you, Winter!

{Winter}
Now, go to bed. It's late.

[The four months walk out of the room, leaving October, who stares out of the Sphere's window, observing the snowfall.]

{October}
Do you sometimes get lonely? Even when there are people around?

{Winter}
Of course. Is there something on your mind?

{October}
Did you love Naturata?

{Winter}
Of course. She was like a mother to me.

{October}
Sometimes, I feel we become less like ourselves if we no longer see the ones we love, but I hope the winter never changes.

[Winter hugs October.]

{Winter}
I hope you never change, October.

{October}
He told me there were more - that we're not done; the war was never done.

---

~Outro~

{May}
Spring, you're back!

[A tall, smiling blonde woman enters the room. She sits down on a leaf-woven chair, as May runs up and hugs her.]

{May}
I've been scarred!

{Spring}
What?

{May}
December, February, July, and I went to gather poinsettias for a healing potion cause a crow attacked me, but a crow lady stopped and chased us! Luckily, October saved us in the end.

{Spring}
Such is reality that scorns fantasy, for thy words I worry of should lack truth.

{May}
But I am being honest - well, this time I am.

[Spring wholeheartedly laughs, hugging and kissing May on the forehead.]

{Spring}
My loving heart manifests my gratefulness for thee, and it recalls for me that I possess more than just a love for my other flower.

{May}
Other flower? Who's that?

{Spring}
Oh. Have I yet to apprise of my other month? That shall be now or when the stars finally fade into dust. Now - hark closely - I talk of the month April, the one who you have yet to witness in her spirit of full glory and passion. Such flowers do not exist but her, and as so I had been disheartened at her departure.

{May}
You never told me about another month you love? But you said you loved me the most.

{Spring}
I love you, April, and March just as equally.

{May}
March? How can you love March?

{Spring}
Dear May, we are to be the field of flowers that may never seize in the winter. Regardless, the sun is much below our feet, so may you take rest?

{May}
I may take rest!

[Spring chortles once again, then carries May over to another room, which is decorated with daisies and lily of the valleys and painted as blue as the sea. She lays May onto a bed, in which May rests for the rest of the night.]