By the time the Festival of Ice rolled around, sans some minor pain and some visible scabs on my face, I was good to go. I was ready to explain that the scabs were from a farming accident, where I fell onto some rocks. I'd rehearsed it for at least a good ten minutes, even practicing on Laslow once, before I'd left the house.
Maru had agreed to keep everything a secret, but I'd never worked up the courage to ask Harvey to do so. For a while, every time I approached the mines would be a time of fear, fear that I'd find it closed up with boards.
Not that I went into the mines for a while, though. It was less the fact I was healing, and more the gut-wrenching thought of ending up in the clinic again so soon, if I even survived. I know I'd be miffed if I was Harvey in that situation.
The only good part about having to lay in bed all day for a few days was the fact that Sam came to visit once, with a basket of food goodies his mom had made, and a few things (a few more-on-the-candy-side things) that he'd bought. We talked for a good bit, and also discovered we had a favorite video game in common, Junimo Kart DX… and again, my heart wished he could stay until the end of time.
I felt extra triumphant walking to the festival, having come back from something so major and being able to live my life again.
I even won the fishing competition again, by one fish. I couldn't help but feel bad that I'd taken Willy's record from him again. I hoped he'd win next year.
After the competition, when everyone went on their merry way, my way was over to a snowgoon that looked remarkably like a demon. A handsome demon, at that; whoever made this had to be an artist. They seemed to be attentive to the very last snowflake. The ridges in its brow were pronounced, and its smile was very cartoon-like. I had to admit, for a second, I couldn't believe it was only snow.
"Hey," I heard Sebastian say from behind me.
I turned around and said "Hi!" back.
He looked around, seeming to make sure nobody could hear the following conversation… and for at least two good reasons.
"You feeling better?" he asked once he felt it was okay.
"Much better," I smiled. "And… I'll never be able to thank you enough for rescuing me, so again, thank you."
"Don't worry about it," he said. "What was I supposed to do, leave you down there?"
"Think nothing of the bat screechings, think maybe they were devouring some other kind of prey…" I listed. "I dunno. Things other than saving me."
"Touche," he said. "But really, don't think anything of it."
A pause.
"But…" he then said. "Before all that happened…" He leaned in a bit, and his voice went down to a half-whisper. "I took Abby down there. In the mines."
"Ooooh, scandalous," I reacted, trying to be just as quiet.
"I didn't confess," he said, as if trying to invalidate my reaction. "It wasn't even a date… I don't think. She told me she wanted to go down there, so I went with her. It all went smoothly, thank Yoba. In fact…"
He smiled. No doubt about it, that was a smile.
"We had a lot of fun. We took monsters down, found a lot of cool gems… and the mines have always served as a good shelter from the harsh world above them."
"And," I added, only half as a joke. "That already-great experience of mine-exploring was made exponentially better by having the love of your life by your side."
"No," he tried to refute. I could tell he didn't mean that, though. The look on his face told all.
"I'm glad you two had fun," I smiled.
I then noticed he was in his usual hoodie. And how weird that was.
"Aren't you cold?" I asked.
"What, me?" he replied. "I don't get cold."
Okay, edgelord #354, I wanted to joke.