Chapter 30 Who?

Celia didn't dare go into her childhood bedroom. That place was cursed. Not literally of course, but the amount of horrible nights she had spent there were enough to permanently taint the place for her. So, she slept on the couch. Roy got the floor, as that gave him the opportunity to curl up into his shell. The two snoozed away, not even worrying about anything or anyone as they spent time lost in their dreams.

The next morning was an early one. Celia wanted to spend as much time as possible resting, but something alerted her senses. It wasn't a feeling; she wasn't in pain. No, it was a smell. It smelled of fire, smoke. It made her sweat. She didn't even fully comprehend the fact that she was smelling it at first because she was still halfway asleep. But when she did realize what was happening, she bolted off the couch.

Her nose was now fully functioning. She sniffed the air, and as she did, her heartbeat went faster and faster. It was definitely a burning smell; she hadn't imagined it. She began searching the house, trying to locate the fire. She noticed smoke escaping through the entrance to the kitchen.

That's when she knew exactly what was going on. She just had to see...yep, there was Ruby, burning waffles. Ruby Patch was interesting in the fact that she had the magical talent of annihilating every piece of food she put to the flame. Seriously, it was like she was a toddler.

"Mom?"

Ruby turned and tried to smile, but the expression was wrought with embarrassment. Ruby was aware of this lack of cooking talent, at least to an extent. That didn't stop her from trying her cooking again and again. Which...was admirable. Dangerous, but still admirable.

"Hello."

Celia nodded her head to acknowledge the greeting. She went over and washed her hands under the sink. Because she lived in the sewer for so long, she was cursed to always feel like her hands were as dirty as sin. She scrubbed extra hard, determined to get the germs off.

Ruby kept her eyes on Celia. However, it wasn't uncomfortable to the hybrid. It felt… relaxing somehow. She could allow her Mom to stare at her for all eternity. After the loving look she gave her the night before….

Celia couldn't help but smile. She turned and met her mom's eyes. They shined, sparkled, glimmered. There was so much joy in those two, emerald green eyes that it could bring an entire country up from the brink of despair.

"I missed you," said Ruby. No judgement, no hatred, nothing. She was happy, which as a consequence made Celia happy.

"I...missed you too."

Ruby's brow furrowed a little bit. "Where were you all this time?"

Celia gulped. "Wherever was the best hiding spot."

Ruby's brow furrowed even more. "You've...you've been hiding?"

Celia sighed. "I have to. After all that's happened to me...the world could never accept me. I know that now."

Ruby's face fell. She looked like she was about to cry.

"And, I just realized I'm bumming you out," Celia said. "Why don't we change the subject?"

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

Celia giggled. "What possessed you to make breakfast this morning?"

Ruby's face turned crimson. "I wanted to celebrate your return, okay!" She reached onto the counter and picked up the bag of waffle mix that she had used. "I've been saving this for six years, and now I finally get to use it."

Celia glanced at the label. "Cinnamon, huh?"

"Yep. You loved cinnamon waffles, remember?"

"I do." She had only had them once in her life, so it was amazing that Ruby remembered at all. "They were good."

Ruby nodded. "I thought so too. I wanted to give you something amazing when you finally came back." She sighed. "If you came back at all."

That last sentence made Celia's heart shatter. Before she knew it, her eyes filled with tears. "Darn it, Mom!" she said as she wiped her eyes. "You're making me cry!"

Ruby chuckled. "I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around her. "But you're here now, so that's all that matters."

Celia paused. The hug, while not as amazing as the one she received last night, was still warm and inviting. Ruby didn't squeeze her to death nor did she hold on too loosely. She just held onto Celia, embracing her in a way that she had never been embraced before.

She returned the hug. It would be heartless not to. "Yes. I'm here, Mom. Don't worry, I'm here."

Ruby took in a deep, relaxing breath. When she let it out, her body became that much lighter. Celia smiled.

"Yawn good morning."

Ruby let go of Celia and stared at the entrance, startled out of her mind. Celia, however, just looked at Roy with a very strong sense of joy.

"Hey, Roy."

"Hey. How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good; can't complain." This was actually true; the sleep she had last night was the best sleep she had ever had; far and away better than the time when she had the nightmare.

Ruby looked at Roy. "Is this your friend?"

"Oh!" Celia slapped herself on the forehead. "Duh, you two hadn't been introduced. Roy, this is my mom, Ruby. Mom, this is Roy Koopa."

Roy studied Ruby, taking in her features. He seemed to be trying to decide how he should feel about this woman's appearance, whether he should compliment and appreciate it or reject and berate her for it. After a bit, he smiled, a sign of approval.

"I see where Celia gets her good looks from."

Ruby blushed. "Thank you. You're very kind."

Roy kept the smile on his face and gracefully glided over. He took Ruby's hand and kissed it, much to Celia's surprise. "You're the one who should be complimented here. I know a good person when I see one."

"Oh?" Ruby said in shock. She laughed. "I don't think I've ever been complimented like that before; thank you!"

Celia grinned. "Yeah, Roy's a true gentleman." She looked at him. "And a very good friend."

For a minute, Roy looked extremely hurt by that, like the word "friend" was actually a lethal poison. However, just as soon as the expression was there, it was gone.

"Well," Ruby said. "I'm...I'm glad that you managed to make a new friend. You need someone like that in your life."

Roy looked over at Celia, as if expecting her to be embarrassed by this. However, she just nodded.

"I think you're right."

There was a moment of silence. The stillness, the crispness of the air was invigorating; Celia hadn't experienced this quality air in so long. She allowed herself to be caught up in the swarm of memories that came rushing back to her at full speed; the good times she had spent with her Mom. Despite what a nightmare her childhood had been, it did have it's high points.

Then, Roy cleared his throat. "Celia...you remember why we're here, right?"

Celia blinked before her heart sank. She remembered, how could she not? She cast Ruby an uncomfortable look, which in turn caused Ruby herself to look mighty uncomfortable.

"What is it, Celia?"

Celia took a deep breath. The more she thought about the pain and the awful, awful humiliation, the more angry she became. She had been stewing in hurt all her life, and a good majority of it could have been avoided had Ruby just come out and be honest with her daughter.

But she hadn't. That was what really pissed Celia off.

"Mom," she said. "Who's my dad? My real dad?"

Ruby blinked. She looked at Celia. Then, she looked at Roy. Her face morphed between looking sad, hurt, and guilty. That last emotion in particular stayed on her face the longest.

"You...you…"

Celia scrunched up her brow. "Yes, Mom. I know you lied." She gripped her hand into a fist. "How? How could you do this to me?"

Ruby cringed. She looked over at Roy, as if just remembering his presence. "Roy, could you step outside?"

"Oh. Sure, sure."

With that, the shades wearing Koopaling made his way outside. Once the sound of the door closing could be heard, Celia turned toward her mom. All the joy from before had been replaced with rage.

"Why?" she spat. "Just….why?"

Ruby took very little breaths. She made her way over to the counter and leaned against it.

"You came back just to ask me this?" she said quietly.

"I have every right to ask you this. You, on the other hand, had no right at all. None whatsoever to lie to me."

Ruby sniffled. "You're right." She began shaking. "I...I…"

"Why!" Celia practically shouted. "Seriously, tell me why!"

Ruby sighed and dried her eyes. "Do you remember….the first day of preschool?"

Celia seized up. Her form recoiled as she recalled the memory. She put her hands to the side of her head, where her scar still rested.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I do."

Ruby nodded. "And do you remember how nobody would help?"

Celia looked at her mother. "Yes. The teacher just said that the boys picking on me was all in good fun."

Ruby nodded again. "Exactly. Well...they didn't actually believe that. I talked to them at a parent teacher conference later, and they shamed me for having a child with a Koopa. They told me to encourage you to...to crawl back down into the gates of hell where you belonged."

Celia's eyes grew wide, her breath caught in the middle of her throat. "My preschool teacher said that? Miss Murray said that?"

"Yes." Ruby wiped a tear from her eye. "I realized at that moment...that the life you lived was going to be difficult. Everywhere you turned, there would be people who hated you. They would despise you for no valid reason; only because of what creature you happened to be."

Celia's body relaxed a little bit. "So you told me Bowser was my dad in order to help me cope?"

"Yes. I wanted you to feel special, which I knew you would if you thought you were a princess. I wanted you to have a reason to hold your head up high. To face all situations knowing that you had worth."

Bile rose to Celia's throat. "I don't have worth if I'm not Bowser's daughter?"

Ruby looked horrified. "No! That's not what I said!"

"That's what it sounds like." She turned her head away and stared at the floor.

"I...I…." Ruby sighed. "I'm sorry. Really, I am. I….you're right." Ruby sniffled. "The lie did more harm than it did good. I shouldn't have said it." She sniffled again, drying her eyes with her hand. "I hope you can forgive me. If not now, then someday. "

Celia bit her lip. "I...I don't know if I can." She stared into the hurting eyes of Ruby Patch. "Not after this."

Ruby looked like she would burst into tears. "I must have really hurt you." She clutched the edge of the counter. "After I tried so hard to spare you the pain." She whimpered. "I'm a horrible mother. Aren't I?"

Celia didn't know what to say to this. Thankfully, it looked like she didn't have to say anything, as Ruby took a deep breath and gathered her bearings.

"Well," she said. "If you won't forgive me….that's okay. I can live with that; I have to. It's a burden that I will carry for your sake."

Celia's eyes watered. She was already considering retracting her statement. However, she didn't do that; at least, not entirely.

"You shouldn't have to carry that burden, Mom. You wouldn't if Dad hadn't abandoned us."

Ruby blinked. "What?"

"That's what happened with Dad. Isn't it?"

Ruby blinked again before sighing. "He was someone I trusted, Celia. He was someone I loved. I didn't care that he was a Koopa. When I looked at him, I didn't see him like that. I saw...my soulmate."

Celia blinked. Ruby had said to her when she was very little that she didn't believe in soulmates. Could….could this be the reason why?

"Then why did he leave?"

"I don't know!" Ruby cried harder than Celia had ever seen her cry before. "I just don't, and it hurts! Everyday, I'm left to battle this hoard of what ifs. I didn't even get a proper explanation, a proper breakup. He just left! Out of my life, out of his daughter's life; your life!"

Celia started getting teary eyed herself. A novel missing a final chapter, a painting without name. A story without a happy ending. That was what this was. A horrible, horrible tragedy that had ruined the lives of two people. And it was all thanks to him.

"Who was he?"

Ruby lifted her head. "What?"

"Who is my Dad?"

Ruby hesitated, as if her tongue had been paralyzed. "Singe," she said quietly. "Singe Marksmite."

Despite wanting to know that name her entire llife, hearing it uttered by her mom now made her feel….hollow.

"Do you have any pictures of him?"

Ruby sniffled. "One. Just one." She led Celia into the living room. She pulled a box out from underneath the couch; a treasure box of sorts. Out of it, she pulled the photo. "I don't know why I kept this, honestly. I guess I. never had the courage to trash it."

She handed Celia the photo. In it, she could see a younger version of her mom with a wide smile on her face. Her left arm was wrapped around the shoulder of…

Him. Singe Marksmite. Her father.

Celia's heart leapt into her mouth. There was no doubt in her mind that this was her dad, because his hair...it was hers. The same red, orange, and yellow causing the strands to shine. And his eyes were also hers. They sparkled like red lava.

"Oh my developer." She stroked the picture, her mouth hanging open.

"Yes. That's him. I don't know where he is now."

Celia lifted her eyes and looked into her mom's. There was so much hurt there, such an undeniable, ugly pain. A strong sense of determination overtook her. "Well, wherever he is, I'll find him. I promise."