Chapter #16
I didn't know how long I was there, lying in that hospital bed. I felt so alone there. I hadn't realized until then how much I loved Andy and Carol. They were always with me and would rarely leave me alone. I guess that was a result of being with them all the time for over a year.
As I stared up at the white ceiling, I thought about the strange, unnatural wings I had grown. I wondered if they were there to stay, or where just a once in a life time thing. Oh well, I didn't care about that much. All I could think about was the Kilindas. I had saved Mr. Roloc's life. It wasn't until then I wondered if my act would have any impact on the war against Rukonians. I hopped it did though.
Suddenly, I heard a click from the door of the room. I looked over to it to find a nurse with strawberry-blond hair walk in. She appeared to be very short. She wore small glasses over her blue eyes and her skin was covered with wrinkles. She smiled at me. "You're awake." She said.
"Am I in a hospital?" I asked, just to make sure.
The nurse nodded, "Yes. You've been in here for two days now. How is your arm?" She asked. I looked down at my arm my father had barely missed to shoot. A bandage was wrapped around it. It felt snug and secure, but not so much that it hurt.
"I'm okay." I replied. "Umm Where are my friends?" I asked. I was horribly worried about them—not to mention Raichu.
The nurse was going through some papers on a clipboard while I was talking to her. It took her a while to reply to my question. "I can get them to come in you would like." She said as she marked down some things on the sheet.
I nodded, "Sure." I said.
The kind nurse smiled at me in a warm way and left the room, closing the door behind her. I stayed put in the bed, not moving. I was sore all over. By now you would think I was used to it—but I wasn't. As I laid in that hospital bed, I wondered if Andy and Carol were okay. I also wondered if Mr. Roloc was alright—after all, he did inhale a lot of smoke. I knew I had too, for my lungs felt sore.
I didn't know how much time had passed when the door opened again. I looked over to it, expecting to see Andy and Carol walk in—but they didn't. Instead, I was shocked to see my mother. "M-mother?!" I nearly shouted. I could hardly believe it was her.
My mother looked at me. Her expression showed guilt and relief as she looked at me. She forced a smile and walked over to me. "How are you, Seadra?" She asked as she sat down on a small stool on the side of my bed.
I lifted myself up quickly, ignoring the pain I suffered in the process. I was so surprised to see my mother—but I wasn't sure if I was happy or angry. "I'm fine." I said after a short hesitation. I gripped onto the sheets of the bed in my hands tightly. "Is it over?" I asked.
"Yes." She replied, then went silent. So, the Rukonian war was finally over. My mother sighed, looking down at her shoes. She couldn't even look at me in the eyes. I could tell by her shaking hands that she was upset about everything that had happened. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she spoke again. "Seadra I'm really sorry About everything I shouldn't have run away like I did, I should've helped you You." My mother began to have tears going down her cheeks. She seemed to have trouble speaking. "You were nearly killed" She finally gasped.
I only nodded. I knew I nearly died. But I wasn't angry anymore. She had given me my pendent, and I had a strange feeling it was what had saved me. "It's not your fault" I said barely in a whisper as my mother wiped away her tears. "Mother When I was falling, the pendent you gave me began to glow, why?" I had to know what had happened.
My mother looked at me; "It glowed? When you grew those wings? And when you stopped in mid air?" Her eyes widened in shock. I swallowed and nodded. "Seadra," My mother started with a sigh, "do you remember that painting of the Rukonian woman you found when you were seven?" Again, I just nodded. I remembered that very well. The painting portrayed a beautiful woman with flowing blond hair and a silk dress at a sunset. She also had wings. It was when I found it when I found out I was a Rukonian. "That woman is said to be the goddess of Rukonians—the Tsubasa no Kami."
I paused, "Tsubasa no Kami? What does that mean?" I asked in confusion.
My mother sighed and explained. "It's a Japanese name for the Goddess of Wings." She started, appearing nervous. "According to a legend, one of our the Tsubasa no Kami and in thanks, she gave him the pendent we have today. She told him it would bless our family with her love and grant eternal protection. Also, it provided a heaven for those after death. I don't know if it's true, but it seems that when you were in danger, the pendent began to glow and a miracle occurred. Perhaps the legend is true" My mother looked at me, then reached out and held my pendent in her hand. "Perhaps the Tsubasa no Kami saved you"
At first, I thought it was just a legend and nothing more. But after thinking it through, I knew it was completely possible. I remembered hearing about some war that occurred thousands of years ago—when strange and lost technology was used. There was supposed to have been a huge war that resulted in the extinction of hundreds of races, and Rukonians were thought to have been one of them. Of course, that proved to be false. At that time, Earth was called Dosha. Back then, there was said to have been strange races, magic and gods. Of course, there was no proof of it ever happening. Most thought it was just a tale and nothing more.
My mother let go of my pendent and got up. "Seadra, Andy and Carol are safe." I sighed in relief hearing those words. "But there is a problem. Carol and Andy have no living relatives that will adopt them." As she spoke, she walked out of the room, leaving me puzzled and anxious.
"What?! What are they going to do then?! They'll be separated! Don't let that happen!" Carol needed to be with Andy and I, she saw us as her only family. But there was no way for that to happen. I knew how adoption agencies worked. They would be separated and be stuck with people they didn't know. I knew Andy wouldn't be happy about it at all—and Carol would just be terrified.
I then noticed a small smile on my mother's face. I blinked as she opened the door and Andy and Carol walked in. They looked completely fine—in fact, they looked better than ever. The clothing they wore was clean and they had big smiles on their faces.
"Seadra," my mother started, "meet your new sisters."
I nearly fell off the hospital bed! The girls laughed and ran over to me. Andy tackled me and Carol clung onto me like a Heracross on tree sap.
"Seadra!" Carol cried. "You're okay!" I wrapped my arms around Carol and hugged her close. I had never felt so happy before. The war against Rukonians was over and now Carol and Andy were going to live with me as my new sisters.
Andy smirked and ruffled up my already-messy hair. "Glad to see us or what?" I smiled and playfully punched her shoulder. Andy laughed, "Carol and I have spent the past few days with your mother and she's a real nice person. Good thing, or else we'd be terrified to move in!" She smiled and then I heard something at the door. I looked over to it and was thrilled to see Raichu charge at me and jumps onto my lap, hugging me tightly.
I was so relieved to see Raichu was alright. I smiled, but then I decided to skip the happy moment and get straight to my questions regarding Mr. Roloc and my father. "Andy," I started, "What happened to Mr. Roloc and my father?"
Andy and Carol paused and looked at me. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Andy replied. "Mr. Roloc is fine. Your father died though in the building They found out he shot himself before the smoke suffocated him." I nearly choked on my own breath when Andy told me this. It wasn't until then I regretted leaving him there. I should've saved my father There was a dead silence that lasted for a few moments before Carol broke it. I looked down and hugged Raichu closer to me.
"Seadra," she started, "the people love Rukonians now. They call us angels because of you. The police are searching for Mason now He's highly wanted for his crimes against us and other Rukonians." She explained.
"What other Rukonians?" I asked. How could he have harmed other Rukonians besides us? Raichu perked its ears up and listened.
Andy sighed and held Carol close to her. Their expressions were filled with sorrow and hurt. I waited until Andy replied to my question. "Mason got all his money from capturing Rukonians and sending them to anti-Rukonian groups. They paid a lot of money But when the Kilinda Clan was formed, more Rukonians were being captured which resulted in less for him to catch Which was why he went bankrupt and betrayed us."
It all finally made sense to me. Mason made his money by capturing Rukonians, then he probably found out about the Orb of Mew and figured he would capture the most vulnerable Rukonians he could find, and get them to get it for him. But since we failed and the Kilindas were capturing all the Rukonians, he ran out of money and got rid of us. I felt like such a tool—I felt like a part of a cruel game. Nothing was fair to me. But then again, things were better now. Andy and Carol had a family again—my family. My father's death was something I realized had to happen. He just wasn't someone who would change his views on Rukonians. After all, he hated them so much that he turned on me—his own daughter.
As the day went by, I told Andy and Carol about the legend regarding my pendent and the strange occurrences that took place in the fire. We all were very skeptical about it, but at the same time, we knew there was no other possible explanation. Carol described the spurt of my new wings as being the most beautiful thing she's ever seen, and it made her feel like she was flying herself. Andy said they made her heartbeat faster and she felt a strange power grow within her. Again, no explanations to that.
By the end of the day, the girls and I realized what we had to do. We were going to risk it all and find Mason once I recovered. Apparently the adrenaline that went through my body during the fire had drained all my strength, and the minute it was over, I went into shock and fainted. Of course, I woke up a few days later, covered with burns, a gunshot to my arm and a few minor injuries. It would be awhile before I recovered and regained all my strength. But I knew when I did, we would look for Mason and make sure we got to him before the cops did.
Andy, Carol and I had unfinished business with his hide.
