Chapter Ten: Hope

Lisa Rogan's POV

The morning after Maya's training, I came to visit her in the Training Temple to see how she was feeling after the previous night's events. Turns out, she was standing outside the temple wrapped in a blanket, shivering.

"I-It w-was c-c-cold in th-there," Maya stated as I approached her.

"You don't say," I sarcastically mused as I rolled my eyes. I turned to Sister Bikini, who had just walked out of the temple and asked, "Is there any way you could help with my focus, too? I apparently have a small memory problem where I forget certain things like names and whatnot, but the memory tends to come back quickly."

Sister Bikini laughed. "I don't think I've got any training for that, dear. Maybe next time I'll have something!" The three of us laughed.

"Feeling any better, Maya?" Not only was I asking about the cold or her focus, but I knew she would probably be shaken up from what happened last night.

"Y-Yeah," she gave me another hug. Good grief, you're cold!

"Anyone up for breakfast?"

"Ooh, me! I'm ready, Sister Bikini!" Maya let go of me and started to run across the bridge.

Sister Bikini called after her, "Wait, Mystic Maya! I haven't even made it yet!"

After breakfast, the three of us said our goodbyes and Maya and I departed for town. After our three-hour drive, Maya yelped, "STOP THE CAR!" I stomped my foot on the brakes just before we reached any busy intersections. Before I could ask what was going on, Maya unbuckled herself, hopped out of the car, and raced toward two people that we had just passed.

I turned to see that we had passed Nick and Pearl, both of whom were being hugged by Maya at the same time. It looked like Pearl was crying. I turned off the car and decided to join the group.

Pearl was, in fact, crying and hugging Maya, squealing, "Mystic Maya! You're okay! Where were you?"

"Lisa ended up taking me to Hazakura Temple for the special training." Like she's going to mention being attacked by zombies to an already worried Pearl.

"Oooh, the special training! How did you do?"

"It went well," Maya smiled, causing Pearl to smile. Nick, on the other hand, shot me a stare that seemed like a glare, but it was filled with relief.

"You let her go through the special training? You do realize what that is, right?"

I threw my hands up in the air defensively. "I tried to talk her out of it. No need to get your panties in a bunch. Your girlfriend's okay, after all." Nick's face grew red, as well as Maya's.

Pearl asked with the sweetest face, "Aren't they the cutest pair?"

"P-Pearly! W-We're not a p-pair!" Maya squeaked at her friend.

I had to know something. "How do you guys know each other? I mean, Maya and Pearl live in the same village, but how did all of you meet?"

"Pearly and I are cousins," Maya replied. "And Nick and I met when we were going to hang out with my sister, Mia, but some… complications happened." She looked solemn on the last part of that sentence. "I've wound up in trouble several times, and Nick used to always save me!" I smiled.

"Pearls and I met when I was introducing a client to Maya," Nick continued, still flustered about me teasing him.

Pearl's expression changed. "Miss Lisa?"

"Yes?"

"Where's Mr. Daniel? Is he okay?" I really hoped I wouldn't have to tell her… I can't just tell her that Daniel's dead. How could I break her heart like that?

"He's… he's with his father." Nick looked at me with understanding; he knew I meant that Daniel is dead.

"When can I see him again?"

"I don't know, Pearl. I don't know." I wish he could come back to us… to me…

Maya burst the bubble by questioning me, "So, how about my cheeseburgers? Don't pull a Nick on me, Lisa." Everyone burst into laughter except Maya, who kept a serious look on her face.

"Come on, I'll treat all of you guys to some cheeseburgers," I answered. The four of us hopped into my dad's car and drove off to the all-you-can-eat cheeseburger joint.