The Wheel of the Year turns. Soon Summer will be over, and Autumn looms crisp and crunchy on the horizon. Atcher, Prism, and Tonic visit together regularly to study and practice their skills. Clover often stops by to share stories and help, between work duties at the Bloomiery and Apis Distillery. While the friends study for their Craft Courses, and try not to fret or worry, they also talk through the day and do their best to support each other. They take turns focusing on each other’s interests, and offer encouragement; sometimes they tend the gardens, or bake scones, or spin dandylion thread, or dig up stones. Always they share stories and ideas.

One such early Autumn day, while they practice skills and help each other rehearse facts for the Conclusions, Tonic speaks up. “I was thinking today about how many tea flavors are out there, and that led me to thinking about the world, and how much Graemes travels. I miss Graemes coming to visit! And…maybe I want an adventure of my own.” Tonic takes a deep breath “I want to find Graemes. I want to go learn new things!”

Prism’s breeze blows anxiously, gusting around the scent of sea salt and ozone like a tidal wave. “We haven’t even completed Professor Tome’s course yet; you know Tome gets cross when anybeing leaves a Craft Course early!”

 “You are right. We need to finish our Craft Courses, and do our best on our Conclusions.” Tonic agrees, in a hesitant way. “Whatever they might mean to us, we started with this training and we should finish it.”

Atcher adds the encouragement “Then we can decide what to do from there, after Conclusions are completed!”

Over the course of days, and in between courses, the friends continue to help each other study and practice. They fall into a comfortable routine as the days slide into crispness, and Craft Conclusion studies become their sole focus. Some days they study quietly, some days are loud with games of Quiz Catch.

And then:

It is Conclusion day, and Tonic wakes, slowly unfurling limbs. “Time to break our fast!” The gnome calls out the window to Bramble. Sleepily sipping tea, Tonic takes a cooled cupful out to the blackberry by the door. In the tea garden, Tonic ensures all the plants have plenty of compost and a warm layer of woodchips. The gnome sings and talks while working in the garden, tending every plant. Once done, Tonic grabs the peach pack from the door, swiftly shoves in some supplies, belatedly remembers to brush the garden dirt off, and heads to Professor Tome’s Conclusion.

It is Conclusion Day, and Atcher wakes with a creak and a groan. The brownie sits bolt upright when a Sudden Idea lands squarely on the bed. Atcher pets the fleeting Idea, and feeds it a sketch and a notion. Dressing in a favorite set of bismuth-hued brogues, Atcher bounds to the door. Then the brownie corkscrews and comes right back in to grab the bronze bag from the bed. Turning several more times, Atcher finally remembers to oil the door hinges, break fast with a hearty stone soup, and bring the birchbark journal along.

It is Conclusion Day, and Prism wakes in a fluttering mood, pushing off waves of sheets. The sprite feeds crunchy leaves to the ever-present breeze as it ruffles curtains and blows dust bunnies around the room. Next Prism washes tangled waves, checks on the clouds, and cleans up a messy current. After breaking fast with a bowl of beautifully brined bubbles and grabbing the seafoam satchel, Prism rushes out the door trailing a wake of confidence.

A dizzying forever later, after Conclusions, Atcher and Prism wait outside for Tonic, trading tales of their day.

“Clover was in the Cluster judging my Conclusion.” Atcher goes on, “They always need more brownie builders at the Bloomiery. – there’s so much honey comb to build, flowers to tend, and amber gems to make. Plus pollen distribution, and the hive works! Clover offered me work there. Did you know I had to build two Devices, while timed, over a volcano crevice? And they didn’t provide me with any Promising Possibilities! Fortunately, I had brought a Sudden Idea in my birchbark, and it worked perfectly. Alloy even asked to keep it – said they could raise it and use it near the Trellis. My final Conclusion was Builder with strong Inventing. Or was it Inventor with strong Building? The point is, I’m stoked!”

Prism is ebullient, describing in detail the harrowing tasks with manticores, no moon, razorfish, and a bleeding coral. “With Rivulets and seaspray everywhere! But I tamed the Seaserpent and managed to get the Whirlpools back into the pen. I was docked points for leaving my tasks to untangle a young kelpie caught in seaweed. Professor Woolen gave me extra marks, though, for a Storm Empath.  I still have scratches where the Seaserpent thrashed me during its tantrum. I’m glad to bits that serpent’s tempter finally blew over! My Tally took some time, and I was afraid I had washed out.” Prism gushes “My Conclusion was Weather with strong Tidal Tendencies!”

Many more students leave, in various states of excitement, sobriety, and in all cases, sometimes nursing wounds. When Prism and Atcher find Tonic sitting in a gloomy sadness, they are worried about their wilted friend. 

“My Conclusion was inconclusive.” Tonic mopes. “Professor Tome said I would need to stay after to talk, after everyone was done.” Tonic’s green puffs are tattered, but the gnome stirs up some courage and asks, “How did you two do?”

Before Prism and Atcher can answer, Professor Tome calls Tonic over to speak. Brownie and sprite are anxious for their friend, but wait patiently while the professor is speaking.

When the professor walks away, Tonic bubbles at the waiting friends, “I’ve been Concluded a Steeper! I can officially do Teawork, and was given an application for the Samovar!” Tonic’s expression turns bitter as orange peel while continuing, “They noted my knowledge and curiosity, and wrote down ‘Wildling’ with distaste. I don’t know what that means, but it didn’t seem good. And I’m restricted from travel! It was odd, but I think it was a book that bothered them.” Tonic pauses in recollection “ When a book fell out of my pouch, the panel started noting things in my Conclusion. They said I might ‘be a risk’ so I’m not allowed to travel for three full moons. The book didn’t seem to be anything special; it was just an old thing Graemes left at my house. I must have grabbed it by accident this morning.”

Atcher tries to direct focus on the good and exclaims “I’m so excited to know your blends will soon be in all the Tea Houses. And an application to the Samovar?! Exclusive! I will construct a gadget to move mountains just to visit you at the Samovar.” 

Prism joins in with a gusty sigh “I want to see your tin design for the tea you sell at the Samovar! Do you think they will really require special Clickfish to serve the tea in bubbles of fresh and salt water?”

Cheering up from the friends’ enthusiasm, Tonic’s mood visibly lifts. The three friends celebrate their successes with dancing and singing silly songs, and cheering each other on. While eating candied kelp and Raincakes that Prism brought, Tonic holds high some kelp, and cheers “To Conclusions and new beginnings!” They all heartily applaud. The trio of friends joke and play stories of their Conclusions, reenacting their favorite scenes. In the middle of a bite Atcher laughs and snorts a morsel of cake, and consequently coughs, sneezies, and causes much concern. The friends pat the brownie’s back, offer water to drink, generally try to help. With eyes still watering, Atcher, Tonic, and Prism decide that is enough festivity for one day, and head home in bright moods.

The sprite, brownie, and gnome live their lives and forget about finding Graemes for a while. The brownie visits the Bloomiery, and works on Building skills. The sprite studies up on Tides, and trains the breezes that always blow around the lake. The gnome tends the tea gardens, and sends in the application to the Samovar. Grand Plans and Wild Ideas melt away into mundane tasks. And our story could end here: the Marzipandas get fed honey and almonds, the tea plants get harvested, gears get cut, tides turn, and the friends live regular lives.

But, one day, as Tonic crushes up some particularly recalcitrant Anise seeds, something different happens.