Chapter 36: Repayment
As we walk out from the door in silence, I look behind me to the crystallized pathway leading to the Golden Garden. We decided to leave the two siblings back, so Arianna could grow used to the air. I told her we would send a few townspeople to check on her anytime she needed any company. I squint at the bright sunlight shining down, as if it's trying to dry the soaked town. Luke has a joyful smile on his face, but there is a quick flicker of sadness too, maybe from Loosha's passing. "You look pretty happy. Do you mind sharing why?" I inquire. He looks up at me and lightly blushes with a grin. "Well, I was just thinking about how happy Arianna and Tony will be when they get to know everyone better. We all need a second chance, especially those two." He explains. I think about Melina and Claire, who had died too soon. They didn't have second chances...I shake off the emotional baggage and smile back at the boy. "That was really sweet, what you said about Loosha. I'm sure you made her feel better." I point out. He looks down, hiding his red face. "Don't worry, Luke. She's just teasing you." Hershel walks up to us with a chuckle. "Oh, I'm not trying to. But you can't tell me you don't notice those two getting pretty close." I hint amusingly. He laughs while Luke pulls his hat down.
"You two seem to know each other quite well. Might I ask where you met?" Emmy asks from behind. I turn to look at her, and playfully roll my eyes at her mischievous grin. "I was a new student at Gressenheller, and the professor was one of the first people I really knew well, besides Luke's parents." I explain quickly. I don't feel like talking about my sister, and luckily Hershel notices in silence. The young boy stares at me surprisingly and gasps, "You knew my parents from college?!" I smile at his astonishment as the other two adults laugh quietly. "They probably didn't talk about me too much. But yes, I knew them very well. Brenda was so upset when I left..." Luke looks at the sky, silent for a moment. "I bet she'll be glad to see you again, as well as my dad. He never got to say anything to you at the plaza." He exclaims. I nod slowly, staring at the approaching broken dam gate. It would be nice to them again, and catch up to date. It's been so long since I last saw them that day. Hershel adds, "Well it's been quite a long day for all of us. I'm sure Teresa can have a rest for today, since she's been fighting for the town. We owe her for all the help she's done." I shake my head at him and reply, "I don't need a rest. Have you seen the damage that's been done? There's a lot to..." I trail off as a yawn forces itself out. He looks at me to prove he's correct and I shrug. "I suppose a short rest won't hurt." I mutter stubbornly.
The townspeople are scattered around the plaza, some of them taking cleaning the debris or sending out search parties around Misthallery. I hesitate for a moment, letting the professor and Luke go ahead of me. What will they think of me now, since I'm not what they thought I was? I grip my shirt nervously, biting my lip in silence. Emmy notices my reluctance and stops walking. "Come on, Teresa. They have no reason to be upset with you, after all that you've done for them." She says reassuringly with a smile. I look down, a little touched at her attempts to make me feel better. The woman links her arm with mine, and starts to quickly catch up to the others. "Thank you again, Emmy. Your optimism really rubs off on everyone." I mutter. She looks at me with a little surprise, and then grins cheerfully. "It's no trouble at all. After all, we are friends now so we have to look out for each other." she responds happily. I've never seen someone so enthusiastic about, well, anything. I walk along with her, feeling a little more confident in myself, and I hold my breath as we pass a few people. They don't seem to look at us, since they're turned in the other direction. I didn't notice all the damage the Grand Plaza had taken; not only is the center pillar destroyed, but many buildings are smashed, glass is covering the ground, and most of the area is still wet from the flood. I sigh warily, thinking about all the time it'll take to get everything back to normal.
When we finally reach the professor, Emmy lets go of my arm and turns to me. "See, that wasn't so bad. There's nothing you need to worry about. Especially since you have the professor." She points out, a little smug. I push her playfully as she laughs at my red face. "Alright, we all know you were right. Why don't you tease someone else now?" I mutter embarrassingly. The woman in yellow winks at me and goes over to a few villagers struggling with carrying fallen bricks. I fold my arms, holding in a laugh as she walks away unaware. "T-Teresa?" the voice is a little shaky, but I don't turn around. My heart beat is starting to pick up a little as the sound of footsteps gets closer by the second. I take a deep breath and swivel my head behind me. I slightly flinch at the stare Brenda is giving me. I didn't realize she was in the plaza; her eyes are a mixture of shock and grief. She doesn't look very different from the last time I saw her. I stand very still, not knowing what to do now. Should I try saying something, or just show her how I feel...? Neither of us moves and we continue to look each other in the eye. I notice her hands are shaking a little, and as she notices as well, Brenda folds her arms firmly. Her eyes avert to the ground and she mutters, "It's been three years since I last saw you..." I grip the end of my shirt tightly, trying not to cringe at her distant tone. "And you didn't even send a souvenir!" I stare at her, a little taken back by her loud voice. A broad smile is on her face as I look at her. Good old Brenda...she hasn't changed at all!
We embrace for a while in silence, and I think I heard her sniff a little. "Sorry I couldn't bring you anything. I know how much you love your little trinkets." I say to break the stillness. She giggles and lightly lets go to look me in the eye. "I would've appreciated it, but it's alright. Seeing you again is good enough." She replies joyfully. I put a hand on her shoulder and smile at her. "I-I didn't mean to stay out of touch with you. I've been really busy for a long time." I mutter guiltily. Brenda looks at me for a moment, and then shakes her head. "Don't be apologizing. I'm sure you meant well. It's great we can finally see you again." I close my eyes momentarily, thankful for her understanding. "Oh! Have you met my son, Luke, yet? I wouldn't really know since I was trapped in the cellar..." she trails off. With a quick shake of her head, her face is bright like nothing happened. I guess she doesn't want to dwell on the past. If only I was like that. "I actually did meet him. He's very cute, and really looks up to Hershel." I reply. She sighs lightly and looks up at the sky. "I'm just glad to be out of there, and with my family. And I couldn't forget about you and Hershel!" Her tone lightens as she progressively talks. I look over at the college professor, who is talking to Clark with Luke next to them.
"Have you seen him since the last time?" I look down, fumbling with my hands. "No, I haven't. Today was when I actually started talking to him. It's a long story..." I answer while still looking at them. I haven't spoken to Clark yet...Maybe I should let Luke be with him until I do. "What exactly happened here? I'm sure I missed a lot, being trapped and all." Brenda looks at me with all her attention, waiting for a response. I raise an eyebrow at her amusingly. "You really want to know, don't you?" She nods eagerly, slightly bouncing in excitement. I guess she still has her energy even now. I begin to explain most of what happened, leaving out some parts with me and Descole. Her eyes glimmer as she listens intently. I didn't notice how long it would take to tell the whole story, so by the end of it I'm nearly breathless. Brenda stays quiet, slowly processing the story. "So you were working for him...but you realized that he was hurting people to find the Golden Garden. I'm so glad you fought for us, Teresa. You always had the fighting spirit in you." I blush at her praise and lightly shrug. "It was nothing, really. I had help from Hershel too." I add quickly to avoid a disbelieving look from her. She studies my face a little, and then turns to where her son is. "You say it was nothing, and yet you look very tired," she stops to smile at Luke. I rub my arms, now aware of what I might look like. "You deserve a rest for a day or two. And I'm not going to hear otherwise!" she exclaims before I can protest. I groan hopelessly, glaring at my friend. She giggles while I shake my head in defeat. "I don't know why everyone insists on me to take a break. I'm perfectly fine." I mutter, ignoring the dull pain in my legs. She puts an arm around my shoulder and sighs. "Even if you do have the energetic spirit, there's also the stubborn part of the fighter. How could I forget about that?" she points out. I hold in a laugh as my other friends come up to us.
"You two seem to be enjoying yourselves." Clark states with a grin. I look at him for a moment before giving him a hug. "Why wouldn't we? It gives us time to have private time without you boys interrupting us." I reply jokingly. Brenda puts a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. Her husband shakes his head and mutters, "I see you haven't changed much, old friend." "Three years isn't that long to change in. But I suppose some people can." I look over to Hershel, who is unusually quiet at the moment. He's a little farther away, talking quietly to Luke. The young boy has a nervous demeanor, shuffling his feet with his head down. What on earth could be upsetting him? His parents don't seem to notice him, so I decide not to say anything about it yet. "How has it been being the mayor of Misthallery, then? I never did get a chance to ask you about it." I ask quickly. I'm only half listening as he starts explaining what's happened since we last spoke. The archaeology professor is still speaking to Luke in a low voice, and he's now crouched at his level. He looks over at us, catching me staring at them. I blink at him curiously, but he only smiles in reply. Whatever is happening, he doesn't want to tell me right now. I can't tell what his face is trying to tell me; I nod at him and turn back to Clark, who is quiet. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" I ask, now paying attention. "I wanted to know why you were this Guardian of Time. You seemed to know a lot about what had happened." He repeats patiently.
I open my mouth to answer him, until Brenda steps in. "Oh Clark, haven't you seen how tired she is? Teresa needs a well deserved rest after everything she's gone through. I'll tell you about it later." I try not to laugh at Clark's surprised expression and look back at Hershel. He's walking over to us slowly, with Luke hiding behind him. That boy really looks up to him. As he finally approaches us, the other two adults notice their son behind the professor. "Luke, dear, what's wrong?" Brenda asks worriedly. Hershel turns to the young boy, gesturing him to come out. I watch him eye his parents hesitantly, and then walk next to me and Hershel. He gazes up at me with a glimmer of uncertainty. I put my hand on his back in an attempt to calm his nerves. "Luke has been wanting to tell you something, but he's afraid you won't approve." Hershel explains. Clark looks at his wife in confusion, then back to Luke. "Go ahead then. Tell us what it is." He says seriously. I stay quiet, thinking what the boy would want their consent on. "I could be Professor Layton's apprentice!" I remember his face as he said those words; it was a look of pure determination, nothing like I've seen him have before. Luke takes a deep breath, and quickly stammers, "I-I want to go with the professor!" His parents stare at him, wide-eyed, and the boy ducks his head in embarrassment. I smile at him assuredly, although he doesn't pay me much attention. "I...Clark what do you think?" Brenda turns to her husband urgently. He's staring at his son and Hershel with a very thoughtful expression. "Well, I'm not very sure about it." He murmurs. Luke moves closer to his father with a desperate tone, "Please, Dad! I want to learn more about the world, and become a true gentleman." He quickly gazes back to me and Hershel as he speaks.
Clark and Brenda remain speechless, sharing looks with each other. They're not the type to overprotect people...Then again people can change. I rub my hands together in waiting for their answer. "Luke, I don't know what to say. Your father and I would never hold you back from anything, but are you sure you want to go with him?" Luke turns to Hershel with a confident grin. "I think I could learn a lot from him, as well as Teresa." I feel my cheeks start to blush as he mentions me. He thinks I'm going with him...Am I? "Brenda, I trust our son enough to make his own choices. There is something we were going to tell you though. But then all of this happened and there wasn't a chance." Clark stops to give his wife a reassuring smile. "We're going to move to London." He confesses. His son's eyes widen and a big smile forms on his face. "So does that mean I can?" he asks in astonishment. Brenda chuckles at his surprised joy and answers, "Well, that depends if Hershel is alright with it." We all turn to the professor, who ducks his head shyly. "It's a rather big proposition, but I suppose I'd be alright with it." I nod swiftly in agreement when Luke gazes at me. His eyes shine with excitement and lets out a sigh of relief. "Of course, you can join them when we finally move to London. That is our one condition." Brenda adds before anyone can say another word.
5 hours later
I hold the warm cup of tea firmly, standing on the balcony under the stars. Sadly, I didn't get to take part in clearing debris from the town. Emmy sent me back to the Triton estate to make sure I didn't run off. Once everyone had finished for the day, the others came back exhausted so I fixed them dinner, with the help of Emmy. It turned out very well, even though I haven't cooked I quite a while. Luke was very jumpy when they returned, which surprised me since they had worked for a few hours straight. I gave him some tea to calm him down, and eventually he fell asleep. That kid is really excited to go with Hershel and...I take a drink from the mug to avoid the question nagging me. Luke expects you to be there. But is that what you want to do? This is your chance to make it up to your friend from those years you were gone. A cool wind blows the trees slightly, making me wrap my jacket closer around myself. Sooner or later, I need to make a decision on this. What would I do if my answer was no? I run my fingers through my hair as my head aches from all the questions.
"Teresa, what are you doing out here?" Hershel asks concernedly. I turn around to him and smile. "I just wanted to be outside, with the stars and some tea." I answer quietly. He has a blanket in his arms and offers it to me politely. Once it's wrapped around me tightly, I glance at Hershel curiously, and take another sip of tea. "Aren't you cold, Hershel?" He looks at me thoughtfully in the dark. "Oh no, I'm alright. A gentleman always puts a lady first. That's what you told me." He replies with a smile. I chuckle, remembering when I had told him how to be a gentleman. "I suppose I did. And you seemed to have abided the rules." I say exasperatedly. For a few moments, we stand next to each other in silence, staring out at the darkened grassland. It's very peaceful out here, especially with an old friend. I can dimly make out the cabin over on the hills looking isolated and darkened. Something about it makes me shiver, even if the blanket has warmed me up. Luckily Hershel doesn't notice so I don't need an excuse why. "Teresa..." he mutters. I look up at him patiently while he takes his hat off. I almost forgot about his caramel hair; I was always a little jealous of the color of it. "What are you planning on doing after this? I thought since Luke is becoming my apprentice, maybe you could, well come with me. It's been three years when we last saw each other." He remarks, staring at me. I lean more onto the railing to avoid eye contact with him. "I-I'm not sure anymore. There's a feeling of debt I have to this town, and to Arianna. But I don't want to abandon you...like last time." The last part is a whisper, and I bite my lip firmly. "Why did I think leaving my friends and mother was a good idea?!" I yell into the night.
Hershel puts a hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn to him swiftly. His eyes are glazed with pity. "Don't say that. You had a very good reason to leave home. We all understand that; none of us were angry with your choice." He stops to take a gentle hold of my hand. "I know what you mean, by having a commitment to Tony and Arianna. You need to make your own decisions, and I can't hold you back from that, nor can anyone. If you want to stay here with Luke and everyone, I won't stop you. But the only thing I want is to soon see you again. One thing's for certain: neither of us wants this to be the end." I look towards the door while loosening the blanket around me a little. His eyes avert to his hat and he brushes a hand over the top. "Thank you...for feeling the same way. Luke will be happy to finally go with you, as will I when I see you again. I'll try to find you when I can." Hershel smiles at me cheerfully in reply. "And I'll watch out for you wherever I go." He mutters exasperatedly, but optimistically. I blink sleepily out at the open land, and rest my head on my hands. Hershel puts his hat in front of him, letting me feel the fabric. Claire, you must be proud of Hershel, after all he's gone through. He is, truly, the perfect gentleman.
Q and A
Hugsrgood: Hello everyone! Welcome back to a late night Q and A! How's everyone doing?
Cast: *asleep in a pile*
Hugsrgood: *derp face* Well at least I have you, Q-bot. Let's start with the first question then!
Q-bot: Beep boop! Extra question! "What does Teresa think of Descole's strange actions? He's teaching her to fight!"
Teresa: *blinks sleep away* Umm, yeah at first I was a little skeptical about learning combat. But I suppose you have to try new things. Like this! *spin kicks sleeping Jakes and pile drives him*
Everyone except Jakes: *applauds happily*
Tony: HIT HIM WITH THE CHAIR!
Hugsrgood: While that's happening, Q-bot is watching the fight, if you could call it that. Kinda one sided by the looks of it. I'll read the next one. "Where exactly is your cabin in Misthallety? Also desmond and teresa you two deserve some five minutes in heaven go on im waiting" *screams in the corner* I SHOULD BE THE ONE THERE!
Teresa: I'll answer the question before leaving. It's on the hillside before you reach Clark's house. It's a little far from the path there, but you'll se it pretty clearly. *gets dragged by Desmond to closet*
Hugsrgood: *still screaming in corner*
Q-bot: "I hope Jakes suffered a painful kick in the groin from Teresa and Emmy." Beeeep!
Layton: I think Emmy and Teresa have beaten up Jakes well enough tonight. We may as well give him a-*gets cut off by Hugs*
Hugsrgood: *breathes heavily* No one...ever...decides Jakes's fate...OTHER THAN ME! And I say we give the children a chance to share the feelings for him. *cute but evil smile* Take him away, kids!
Children: *make a huddle around police chief*
Arianna: That's for tying me up!
Flora: How does my food taste now, Jakes?! *shoves a plate of burnt cookies in his face*
Tony: *hits Jakes with a chair*
Q-bot: "Quick question: Descole what's your favorite flower? Mines chocolate"
Hugsrgood: Is that...Is that a punch out reference?
Descole:...Can I point out chocolate is a flavor?
Hugsrgood: Answer the question, Jean!
Descole: Um, I don't know how to answer this...I guess my favorite is vanilla?
Hugsrgood: *heavy sigh* That's good enough, I guess. Well that's it for tonight's Q and A. It is kinda late and the kids already fell asleep beating up Jakes.
Clive: *sleepily smashes bottle on Jakes's head*
Hugsrgood: Good night everyone and make sure you check out the next one!
It's a little hard to make chapters off of no script. As always, the Q and A was very fun to make. It's the little part where I get to go crazy on humor and let myself do whatever I want. As a little update, I will be gone on vacation for about four days but I'll try to work on the next one when I can. Also, I'm starting a new school in the start of September, but it's a kind of tougher than my last one. Chapters might be postponed for a while, just keep in mind I'm not going to quit the story. Make sure to leave a comment on the next Q and A, or what you think on the story! Thanks for reading and keep those eyes on the screen!