Chapter 400: Yes.
"Yes, I think this place will go within a week of being on the market. It's a prime location. It's convenient to public transit and it has been lovingly maintained." Lamp took notes on his datapad.
He had spent an hour looking over the house and all of its features. Noble could feel how pleased he was with what he found.
"Fort and I have treated this house as a home," she nodded.
Lamp smiled at her over his notes. "It shows! I especially love how you updated the lighting!"
"The low-hanging box lights that were here were a bit much for someone who has a tendency to float," Noble chuckled, "and don't get me started on ceiling fans."
"I can only imagine." The realtor rubbed the side of his head with a wince.
He then tucked his work under his arm.
"That is all I need, Master Noble. I'll get you and your husband the contracts and estimates by the end of tomorrow."
"That works just fine." Noble walked the man to the door.
"Pleasure doing business with you. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know!"
Lamp headed out the door just as two rambunctious preteens barreled in from the cold. They nearly collided, but the realtor stepped aside just in time.
"Sorry, Mister!" They chirped as they shut the door.
The frigid air clung to them, filling the front hall with an icy edge. Winter had fully taken over and the homes of the NQSC were having trouble keeping up.
'It's good practice,' Noble decided.
She doubted the air was any more forgiving in Ravenheart.
Fortunately, the Master was virtually immune. She clicked her tongue.
"You boys must be more mindful of other people, even when entering the house. Now, please wipe the snow off your shoes before you put them away. We need to keep everything looking nice!"
The twins looked at her, startled, and her expression softened.
"Welcome home, boys. How was your day?"
As the twins complied and got rid of the snow caking their boots, they told all about their day.
Their announcement about their move made them quite popular or at least interesting to their peers. They had gotten so many questions in one class that the teacher said the next person who mentioned the Dream Realm instead of mathematics would be given extra homework that night.
"I'm sure your classmates will settle down soon." As a fellow teacher, Noble felt bad for the instructor.
'I probably should have prepped the boys better before they told people…oops.'
"Perhaps you should get a jump on that math homework, just so Mr. Frost doesn't have another reason to act icily toward you," Noble suggested.
Blaze gave her a sidelong glance. "Leave the dad jokes to Dad." Motioning to his brother, he picked up his school bag. "Come on, Brock. I'll help you get your stuff done so we can play some games."
Brock smiled broadly. "Sounds good to me!"
Noble called after them. "Don't you just let him copy you, Blaze!"
"But, Mom! Will they even have math class in the Dream Realm? It's not like I'm ever going to need to use it," Brock whined.
"I'll see to your math studies personally if I have to," Noble warned. "The calculations I had to make in my second Nightmare are the only reason I'm with you today."
The elder twin frowned. "Fine…"
'Reluctant compliance will still save him when push comes to shove,' Noble reminded herself. She smiled.
"And don't forget that I need you both to shovel off the front sidewalk before any video games happen."
"Yes, Mom." The boys shut the door to their room.
Looking at the time, Noble wondered when Rain might be home.
Had she told anyone about her upcoming adventure? If so, had she caused a similar disturbance to her brothers?
Noble frowned. Any time Rain was late nowadays, her mother irrationally began to worry that she had found another "study group."
It was unlikely, especially with the family's recent decision to move. Rain would be extra reluctant to entangle herself with anyone in the Waking World.
Still…
Noble pulled out her communicator and called her daughter.
Rain answered with a pensive expression. "Hey mom, everything ok?"
Noble could see the city whizzing by in the background. Rain was on a train.
"Everything is fine. I just wanted to check in and see where you are."
The weather had dumped quite a bit of snow around lunchtime, so Rain didn't find the request odd.
"I'm heading home, but first…" Rain hesitated. "First I think I'm going to have some ramen."
"Ramen?" The mother pursed her lips in confusion. "Dinner isn't that far off, if that is what you are worried about. I can move up the time if that is the problem."
"It's not that," Rain looked wistful. "It's just, I am beginning to realize all the things I will miss and the convenience store ramen is one of them. I haven't changed my mind about leaving, but…"
Noble understood. "You want to enjoy all the things while you can."
"Exactly." The teen looked relieved that her parent wasn't upset. "I'll be home in a little while."
"I'll see you then," Noble blew her daughter a kiss. "Enjoy the noodles!"
"Thanks." Rain ended the call.
Noble thought about what she would miss too.
While she would still have access to the NQSC, there would be activities she couldn't do anymore, at least not with her family.
Like making them a hot meal using electricity. Fort had promised that the Dream Realm would catch up eventually, but until that happened, the family would be living quite primitively.
So she made a note in her communicator of the ingredients of all the kids' favorite dishes to make over the next few weeks.
They would also have to visit all their favorite places together.
'As well as Seb's grave.'
The list of things to do continued to grow so long that Noble felt overwhelmed. She would get it all done, of course, eventually…
"Mom?" Blaze broke Noble from her reverie. He and Brock looked at her with curious expressions.
How long has she been sitting at the table planning? Time had gotten away from her again.
"Yes?" Noble blinked and smiled at her sons.
"So, uh…we went to clean off the front sidewalk, but there's a man out there just staring." Blaze furrowed his brow.
The Master tilted her head. "Staring? At what?"
Blaze bit his lips. "That's the weird part. I'm not sure. Maybe the neighbor's house?"
"It's kind of creepy," Brock added.
Instinctively, Noble felt for the emotional signature of the person outside.
'Hmmm.'
"I'll take care of it, boys." Noble rose from the table.
Heading outside, she found a man with porcelain skin and dark hair looking forlornly at the house next door.
Noble cleared her throat. "May I help you?"
The man looked at her, startled by her sudden appearance.
The man's dark eyes met hers, and a spark of recognition lit inside her.
"Have we met?"
The stranger stared at her with a complicated expression. His jaw clenched, but at last, his mouth opened as if forced by an outside pressure.
"Yes."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
NobleQueenBee
NobleQueenBee Chapter 400! Thanks for coming with me on this journey. I hope you have enjoyed it so far!
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