Chapter 22

"Your Majesty!"

"Mmm," Cynthia moaned as the guard's voice disrupted her sleep.

"Your Majesty, wake up!"

Cynthia blinked tiredly, half-awake as the top of her shellbed opened, revealing a frantic guard floating in front of her. "What is it?" she asked, still groggy.

"Come quickly!" the guard said. "It's very important!"

"Please, tell me what's going on," Cynthia groaned, still half-awake. "If it's really that impo –"

"Mother?"

At that, Cynthia's eyes shot open, now fully awake. She looked behind the guard, searching for the owner of that familiar voice.

"Mother! I'm home!"

Cynthia swam out frantically. She arrived in the main hall and, sure enough, May was floating there, looking tired but happy. Cynthia immediately swam over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

When May arrived in the palace, she was so full of joy that she felt like she would explode into sea foam. Now, however, as her mother embraced her, shoulders shaking and voice trembling, she felt a pang of guilt in her heart as she returned the embrace. As she listened to her mother whisper quiet, inarticulate words of relief, she realized how much she had hurt her by leaving without saying anything.

"Mother?" she whispered. Cynthia pulled back to look her in the eye. Her own eyes were bloodshot as tears flowed from them. May realized that she was probably crying a lot while she was gone, and that only made her feel worse. "I'm sorry."

Cynthia just smiled at her. "I know, sweetheart," she said, pulling her into another embrace. "I know."

May say next to the small countertop where she and her mother were planning to have breakfast. After leaving home without saying anything, she figured it was the best way to make it up to her. She smiled as she looked around the old meal hall, her mind drifting to memories of long ago when she and her sisters would eat together in here.

"Those were the nights," she sighed to herself.

"Remembering again?"

She turned to face her mother swimming up behind her. "Yeah," she said with a smile. "We made a lot of good memories in this room."

"We sure did," Cynthia nodded, sitting across from her. "You still miss your sisters, don't you?"

"Of course I do," May nodded, her smile unwavering. "But it's all right. As long as they're happy where they are."

"I'm sure they are," Cynthia smiled back. The two sat there for a moment, neither one saying anything. Eventually, May decided to bring up the Wailord in the room.

"I guess I have some explaining to do," she sighed.

"You certainly do, young lady," Cynthia said, her expression firm but gentle. "Why didn't you come talk to me before you left? Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?"

"I thought I did," May sighed, "but now that I see you, I don't think I have a clue." She rested her elbow on the counter and rested her face in her hand. "Going as far away from home as I did...I guess I shouldn't be surprised at how worried you were."

"What?" Cynthia blinked. "Oh, no. That's not what worried me."

"Huh?" May blinked in surprise.

"Swimming away from home to the Southern Sea? I knew you could handle that, and I figured you'd do it one day, whether I let you or not." She leaned forward. "But why didn't you talk to me about it?" May saw the concern in her mother's eyes, and she looked down in shame. Cynthia placed her hand over her daughter's. "May...did you think I would say no?"

"Yes," May said, surprised at how she responded without missing a beat. She looked into her mother's eyes. "It's not that I don't trust you; I really do. I was just afraid that after what happened to Alola's merfolk, you would start to be paranoid about my safety. I didn't have time to wait around, since the new moon was coming in just a few nights. So yeah...that's why I left without saying anything." As she continued to look into her mother's eyes, she found herself unable to read her expression. "I'm sorry, Mother," she said. "Really, I am."

"I know you are," Cynthia said, smiling softly, "and I guess I understand why you were worried that I wouldn't let you go. But May...you're not a child anymore. You shouldn't feel the need to ask my permission for something like this."

"No, but –"

"No buts, May," Cynthia said. "You're a grown mermaid, and it's high time you swam out of my shadow...and your sisters' shadows as well. It's time you decide who you are and what you want in life rather than let other mermaids decide it for you."

Hearing this, May smiled again. "I guess you're right," she said. "I guess I've taken a big swim in that direction, haven't I?"

"You sure have," Cynthia nodded. "Just promise me that next time you leave for an extended period of time, you talk to me first, okay?"

"Okay."

Cynthia smiled, then floated over and placed a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead. "That's my girl."

As they sat there, they continued to talk about other things, including another wave of refugees that came from Alola while May was gone. Thankfully, there was no need to build more homes for them this time, as the homes the other merfolk built when the first wave arrived proved more than sufficient. It wasn't long before their breakfast arrived. They ate in silence, then parted ways afterwards.

May smiled as she swam off to her room. For her, it was one of the best meals she'd had in a long time.