Welcome to Part Two. And so the journey continues.
A light, a light. It sets the world on fire like the match she yielded and her sword, her fury. She was full of passion, anyone could tell you that. Full of fight, she wouldn't back down; on the contrary, she'd sink her claws into your trembling leg until she found purchase in your flighty decisions.
That was the old May, and she seems to be returning.
It's bad though, or at least makes me feel like a bad person when I don't know where the old May ever went. I bet Brendan does. I bet even Solidad might. Harley...I can't help but cringe with the slightest inkling of thought.
But now I have to handle this new prodigy of hers through crumbling walls and unknown dangers. We're out of that cave and into another. Adventure seems so potent in our blood that we can't stay away, that we reek of it.
So be it. We ask the seasons to bring it on.
I am being introduced to my saviors today. Amy is by my side, holding onto her mother's hand. It's suspicious though; I haven't seen much of Brendan since our return to the surface. Maybe he's still in shock.
Gary-'scuse me, I meant Professor Garrison Samuel Oak-teaches us about the circumstances each individual helped us overcome.
First is Delia. I shake hands with the elderly woman.
"I'm Ash's mother," she says with a heartfelt smile and pinch of Amy's cheek. She seems like she'd be a great mother...the kind to bake cookies with milk on bad days and give great advice. "I'm so happy that you're okay. You know, we all were worried sick! Even little Gary was, despite his rocky exterior."
Oak shifts uncomfortably.
Next we run into Ash being his usual indescribably idiotic self-or maybe I should keep my recollections unbiased.
"I helped, Drew. I shouldn't have though, based on what you did to May," he tells me, making sure May and Amy are out of earshot. We appear to be shaking hands like men, but he sure doesn't act like one.
"The hell are you talking about, Ketchum?"
"You know exactly what I mean," he growls.
I decide to ignore him. He's only full of nonsense anyway. And any battle he might have won during his career was won out of sheer luck.
A ginger comes forth after. She appears to be about thirty, but she has wrinkles around her eyes and very dark circles below. When she shakes my hand, her fingers feel like they can simply wither away out of weakness.
"Hello. I'm Misty Waterflower. I'm glad to see you've returned safe and sound."
"As am I." I didn't have much time to think of conversation starters; I was too distracted by her appearance.
"Are you okay, miss?" Amy wonders. May frowns and squeezes her daughter's hand.
"I'm getting there," Misty nods. She's honest to strangers. I don't know why, but that strikes me as so strange...
Magnolia flies in right behind Misty and grabs my hand in both of hers. She looks a little bit flustered.
"Name's Maggie, but you already knew that, right? Eheh...welp, I'm the one that found you guys under the collapsed tomb," she says, vigorously shaking my arm. "And I'm really glad you're not dead," she adds. "I wanted to at least meet you before writing you up in a historical essay!"
Realizing she might have said something wrong, Magnolia side-steps away from us. I didn't say one word to the girl, but already, I sort of respect her.
We finally circle around back over to where Oak stands with Danson, Sammy, and old Oak. They call him "Gramps;" even the ones that are not related to him call him that, so I merely follow suit.
"Drew," Danson greets me. "Amy. May. How are you?"
"I've been better," I reply, as Amy smiles and says, "Just great!"
She's been in a delightfully cheery mood for the last couple of hours. I suspect that the emotions now are not quite as desperate as they were before when we still resided in that damned castle.
"We just got away from the meds," I add, flicking my hair. "They kept fussing over us, but we're fine. We were just a bit shaken up."
"And who could blame you?" Gramps says, shrugging.
"You could have died," Oak remarks. I raise an eyebrow.
"Ignore Dad," Sammy warns. "He's chock full of optimism."
"I'll keep it in mind."
Amy tugs on my hand now. "Solidad's over there," she notes to her mother and me. "Can we go say something?"
May purses her lips and looks at me. I am indifferent.
"Yes, Amethyst. Go with Drew. There's someone else I'd like to talk to."
"'Kay, Mom. C'mon, Drew. You're so slow, it's like toting around a Slowbro or something. Hurry up!"
"Can't you call me something else that demands respect? I dunno, sir or something?"
"Nope. Let's go, Drew."
So we make our way over to the pink haired woman. I find myself wishing I had a rose to offer to her but all of mine wilted in my backpack during our stay underground.
"Oh look, it's wittle Drewbie!" Solidad cries, using her best baby voice. "Ha! How goes it, little guy?" She ruffles my hair.
"Not so little anymore," I say, flicking my hair back into place. "I'm thirty years old now and I'm definitely a man."
"See, there's where we disagree," Solidad says, winking. "And who's this?" She looks down at Amy.
Amy grins. "I'm Amy Birch. Aspiring world champion and peacemaker."
"Peacemaker?"
I squirm uncomfortably. Amy says, "Have you seen how many fights Drew gets himself into?"
Solidad laughs. "Point well made. I remember back in the day when Harley-"
She stops short. I swallow. Amy seems curious. "Harley?"
"Oh...maybe I can't remember..." Solidad poorly covers up her mistake. Her smile wipes from her face. "Never mind, never mind. I must be hitting my mid-life crisis..." And she awkwardly walks off. Leaving Amy behind, I follow.
"What was that all about?" I demand once we're away from everyone else. I take her by the arm, force her to look at me.
"Nothing. I just couldn't remember..." Solidad trails off unconvincingly.
"Liar," I accuse. I don't mean to sound so serious, so...dangerous, but I do, and Solidad suddenly looks worried.
"I-I'll tell you later. Seriously. Let me go, I need to..." She doesn't finish her sentence, makes a wild hand gesture, and leaves like that. I don't know what to make of the situation. And I try to forget it but things like that are difficult to forget, so the whole thing stays clogged up in the back of my mind.
Amy calls out my name and asks me to join in on a conversation with her and her mother, and I oblige.
"Women."
Brendan leans on the side of the balcony and drowns in his own self-pity. He clutches a bottle of beer in his right hand, grips the railing with his left. It's only his first drink, so he's not quite tipsy yet as much as he would like to be. He doesn't want to be able to think straight when the process of the mind hurts so much.
He has a mental debate with himself.
Maybe, just maybe if I ripped Harley limb from limb she'd love me again, he thinks to himself. I'd do anything.
But why do I say that? She loves Drew. It's obvious. She's probably fallen into his open arms already. I have no chance.
Unless...unless Amy chooses me. If she'd rather be with her father than some random imposter. Drew wouldn't make a very good father anyway. And he's the one that got Amy trapped in the chamber with him anyhow. Regardless, he did help to save her, but I just need to mention the Unown to set May off. Then I'll be good.
Amethyst could be my child though. That would make things easier. May would stick around just for the sake of providing a stable lifestyle for her. And I love them both so much...I can't imagine life without them.
I should have a talk with Drew, shouldn't I? He ponders to himself. And with this final thought he downs his beer and reaches for another in the cooler by the sliding glass door.
"Please, sir? Please...?"
"No. I told you. I'm too old for you. You'll find some other guy, someone younger, kinder, you know. Someone better for you. There's gotta be someone out there for you, girl."
"I doubt it. You're the only-"
"It will never happen. That's my final word on the subject."
"But-"
"I'm being seirous here, alright? I can't be dating some chick that just took her baby steps into adulthood! My reputation is already tarnished enough!"
"As if it could get any worse..."
"Don't you dare scoff at me. If you had any chance at changing my mind, it's gone now."
"Sorry, I-"
"No. I've told you, no."
"I'll convince you. I promise."
"Doubtful."
The door opens and shuts. Sammy merely stares, mouth gaping open.