Mikan packs up the rest of their things from Khashi Kno's Entertainment Complex. He enjoyed his time working here, but it's time for Mikan to follow in Clementine's steps and become free. That's not without sharing one last drink with Khashi however. One last flavour, orange and cactus and starfruit all together in one. It's vibrant and packs a punch, and the taste isn't half bad. Khashi proposes a toast, and the customers of the Entertainment Complex join in. “To Mikan, the best barkeep we've ever had!” Cheers erupt around Mikan, as everyone starts telling stories of the different drinks they had served by Mikan as they won their big games. Mikan is flattered so they spend some time saying goodbye and saying he'll probably be back to visit at some point. Khashi jumps in at this point to say there'll always be a spot at the bar for Mikan, but he has other plans for now. There's a whole world out there that has yet to try Mikan's orange juice.
Mikan finds himself at Jo's, enjoying some fresh fish and chips. He always makes sure to stop by here when he's nearby and it's never a disappointment. Recently there's been a new array of sauces sourced from the Heartwood which makes each dish even more delicious than they were previously. Jo hasn't been revealing the mystery chef yet though; she doesn't want everyone to get their hands on this secret sauce. When Mikan visits Jo's, he'll spend a bit of time taking care to the mangrove trees in the plot outside. They're coming along well, and they should start growing starfruit in a season or two. Jo has been making sure the plot stays clear of weeds, whereas Mikan fertilises it with leftover fruit skin and pieces whenever he comes back. The trees look like they could go even taller than those in the swamp. Mikan makes a note to take some of these starfruit to Barrow when they're fully grown, so he can do a proper comparison. For now, Mikan shares a cup of orange juice sitting next to Jo on the beach, thinking about where he'll go next.
The wind blows through Mikan's bristles as The Bird That Takes You Places flies him through the air. There's no particular destination in mind today, just soaring through the air with a friend. Mikan brought snacks of course, lots of fruit from the Orchard. TBTTYP doesn't often get some time to glide with a friend and snacks, so it was happy to take the time off. They pass by Clementine's spot on the Sky Island just as the sun begins to set once more. It's a beautiful sunset which covers Myddul in a perfect pink glow. TBTTYP slows down their glide, so it feels as if they're almost stationary in the air. If Mikan closes his eyes, he can almost imagine that he is the one flying.
“AND I TELL YOU WHAT I SAID, THAT'S MR SWORDIE TO YOU!” – Mikan opens their eyes from a sneaky doze to find Swordie telling a story in the Boiled Goat. Looking around, Mikan sees many familiar faces, including councilwoman Pika talking to some important-looking folks in the back. This leaves Swordie unattended, and happy to ramble on to Mikan. Of course, Mikan is always happy to hear the ramblings of a friend. Mikan offers Swordie a special orange juice, with some whetstone garnish as it's their favourite. “AH THANK YOU, MIKAN, I SHALL SAVOUR THIS FINE BEVERAGE”. The orange juice stays in front of Swordie, Mikan still hasn't figured how Swordie drinks their drinks, being somewhat inanimate and a literal sword, but they seem to enjoy Mikan's drinks nonetheless. Mikan waves goodbye to his friends to head to bed. It's been a long day today, and it will likely be a longer day tomorrow. Mikan falls asleep smiling, content with the adventures travelled and companions met today.
Mikan wakes up in the Swamp, specifically in Barrow's house. It was already night by the time Mikan had brought the shipment of starfruit from the Sea of Light over to Barrow's place, so Barrow had offered up the spare bed to save Mikan a dark journey home. When Mikan walks outside, she sees Barrow enjoying a starfruit smoothie in the swamp. “You're right, this does taste different. More… fishy. Not bad fishy though, like a salty taste that brings out the complexities of the starfruit. I like it.” Mikan smiles; every time he makes a friend a drink and they enjoy it, it makes the whole journey worthwhile. Mikan stands next to Barrow and looks out into the Swamp. The sunrise breaking through the uneven holes in the mangrove trees make the swamp feel ethereal, as if it was from another world. Mikan and Barrow just spend a while being lost in this world together. After a little while, Mikan waves to Barrow and starts the journey home.
The smell of orange and chocolate welcomes Mikan as he arrives home. As soon as Mikan opens the door, he can tell Yuzu is making one of their favourites, a chocolate orange magma cake. The delicious chocolate magma in the centre is divine. It's an adaptation on a cake Clementine made when they were younger; she would make an orange cake with chocolate filling. The magma and chocolate sponge is a new addition from Yuzu, and it's gone down a treat. Whenever Mikan has visited in the past few years, Yuzu has always had something sweet ready. It's the cherry on top that makes Mikan eager to come back as soon as he walks out the door. Yuzu takes it out of the oven as soon as Mikan sits down, and is serving it just as quick. They both take a bite at the same time…. exceptional. Yuzu was already a good baker before, but after Fig's baking classes they're on another level. They both get to chatting. Mikan tells stories about his adventures about the world, and Yuzu gets talking about everything that's happened in the Heartwood. To have those experiences and these conversations over cake a thousand times more, what more could a capybara want?