by Melanie Ray
Ezra tried to pull away slightly more, but Yed didn’t break the embrace. “Am I going to be okay?”
“Yeah.” Yed smiled and rubbed a tear off her cheek. “Cheer up, that’s an order.”
Ezra chuckled and looked at her Protector. “You haven’t changed.”
“Huh, that’s what you think.” Yed sighed. “I changed a lot. Without inhibitors, I ran wild. No rules, nothing could stop me.” He chuckled. "Not until the institutions."
“Sounds like you were really happy here.” Ezra smiled as she wiped underneath her left eye. “I can see it in your eyes, you are genuinely happy now, aren’t you? Did you find your family too?”
“Yeah, they’re at home.” Yed smiled. “My mom and my sister, they are back. My deadbeat father’s back too.” He groaned. “Did you know he left me out there all alone, and he was alive and well in the Waryes Kingdom with them?”
“Finding your mother and sister.” Ezra nodded getting the gist. “Sounds like he had to make a difficult choice.”
“Difficult? Writing a letter saying he was alive would be difficult?” Yed practically growled.
“Oh, don’t do that.” Ezra sighed as she nudged his left ear. “You don’t always have to be so serious. I always wanted you to lighten up a bit. I’m glad you finally are, but you should talk to your father,” Ezra insisted. “Yed, if he had communicated with you and failed? If he had already found your mother and sister, than they might have hurt your family to hurt him. Waryes’ are not kind, remember? Besides, that kingdom is locked tight. If he got in, then I don’t know how he could leave without it seeming suspicious.”
That simple? I forgot that their kingdom changed with time too. When there was no more threat from the Warno Kingdom, coming back and forth had been a breeze, but before The Great Destruction? Yed himself had never even had a chance to get through the gates. No civilians came out, and if his father hadn’t been a soldier, there was no way he would get out. If he got in, he’d never get out. If he got caught, he would have been killed. Mom and Millie too. “Everything happened so fast between Pagnia and Earth I didn't even realize...” He closed his eyes, feeling deep shame. “I even threw him against the wall because he broke your chip and didn’t get it out. He could have chosen to leave you there. He had to make a difficult choice, and I still...”
Ezra tilted his chin to her. “Yed, even if this chip is broken and probably causing my amnesia, I wouldn’t blame him. I need to be here.” She sighed and smiled sadly. “I can tell from your accent it's been a long, long while. How many years are missing from my life you suppose?”
“Oh more than a few,” Yed had to admit. “I’m sorry, but memories eventually come back.”
Ezra nodded. “Can we go home now?”
“It might shift.” Yed knocked on her forehead lightly. “Getting too close might mess something up, and you’re not real far away as it is. I need you to get examined by Bibble, right away.” He saw her clueless expression. “You've met her before.”
“Bibble?” Ezra seemed confused.
“Yeah, black hair. Kind of attractive, but belittles everyone too much,” Yed said. “Things will feel a little funny the further we go there.”
Ezra started to giggle. “I know, I feel it already.”
Yed stopped and looked at Ezra. He grinned. Damn, she hadn’t changed a bit, and she was still so cute. He didn't even care about his surroundings anymore, only her.
Wye watched as that beautiful girl started to twirl around a light post. Who was she? Dang, she was something. “Yed, come join me,” she laughed. His name wasn't Yed, but screw it. He couldn’t help himself as he jumped on the light post. He caught her on her next swing around, she wasn't getting away. "Damn, you are hot."
"I feel a little warm." Ezra giggled as her tail moved from beneath its hiding spot from her dress. "This world is exceedingly hot. Humid."
Ooh, she had a tail. Ooh. Wait. He looked down at the weird kilt he was wearing. He had one hiding too, talk about interesting. He moved his tail around and touched hers with his. "It gets real hot down in Texas. You must not be a native Texas girl I reckon?"
Electric.
“Okay,” X pointed at the scene. “I know I don’t like that,” he laughed. “We need to get to Bibble's lab,” X tried again.
“Yeah, but do we have to now?” Wye half whined. “I just found a cute girl...or I know....do I know?” He groaned. “Alright I'll go to Bibble's."
BIBBLE STARED AT THE coins Yed presented. The Warnos did not have much money, but they were willing to pay in old coins. Twenties and thirties, with exceptionally rare dates. Definite emergency funds. She could easily sell them and make some nice money. She finally nodded. “Agreed, because I like you.” Ezra went over to Bibble.
“Bring her back when you fix her,” Xiam said. He glared at Yed then started to leave. "What's wrong with her?"
Yed answered back, “Ezraponia’s got amnesia. One of those chip fragments hit her just right. She doesn’t remember becoming a waryes.”
“Fine by me,” Xiam said as he crossed his arms. “I’d rather she forget all those years anyhow. She can cross out all the unpleasant memories."
“YED!”
Yed looked over at Tiger and tried not to laugh. The boy wasn’t used to affection at all, and his mother was the best at it. He may not be able to get the boy to accept him, or even help him out in the middle of a crisis in his lifetime, but Tiger did have a use for him. He could still help his son, in an unusual way. “Mom, can you please let him go?”
“But he struggles so much, and he never wants to come see me for a hug,” Litalia complained as she rubbed her cheek to his. "He's my grandson, he needs attention."
“Yed?” Carress appeared beside his pant leg and pulled. “Where’s mom?”
“Tiger?” Yed lifted the boy away from Litalia. “Let’s have a talk, huh?” He put him back down on the ground and led him a distance away from his mom. "Better?"
"Yed dad?" Carress yanked on his shirt again. "Ezra?"
“Oh. She’ll be back later,” Yed said. He watched Carress run off but saw Tiger eyeing him. The kid had some of his skill and knew there was more to it than his statement let on. "She’s in a predicament, but she’s gonna be fine.” Tiger sighed, but he bought it. He nodded and proceeded to follow Carress to the table. Yed looked over on the other side of Litalia where his dad was hiding behind a newspaper. “Dad, can we talk?”
“I’m kind of reading the paper right now,” Danva said oddly.
“Dad,” Yed groaned. “Stop hiding behind the paper and let’s talk.”
“I’m not hiding, I’m reading,” Danva insisted.
“Sure, you’ve mastered the English language and can even read it.” Yed glanced at the upside down newspaper before pulling it down to see his father face to face. “Promise, I’m not going to throw you against a wall again.”
Danva took a deep breath and put up the newspaper. He looked over at Litalia unsurely. “Should I leave you?”
“Oh you big baby, Yed is not going to hurt you.” Litalia pushed her husband off the couch. “Now go and see what he wants.”
Danva dusted himself off and went over to the corner, watching Yed's hands. “Yes?”
Yed patted him on the shoulder. “Sorry, dad.”
“Sorry?” Danva looked at him in surprise.
“I let my emotions run wild.” Yed looked over at Danva. “I remember when I was a Protector, there wasn’t a single guard that just checked warnos coming in and out. They had locks, bolts, security and no one came in and out except soldiers. I forgot that when I first found out about you.” He gulped. “I didn’t realize that you had to protect what you found, and not me anymore. I was selfish, I guess.”
“No,” Danva smiled. “You have every right to be selfish, Yed. You’re my son, and I was your dad. If you hadn’t missed me so much, enough to be mad at me now, then I must have raised you wrong. I honestly wanted to be there, I did, but I had Phaver and your m
other stuck in the castle. I had to get them identities and, well even afterwards, I had to watch my steps all the time. It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t for you either, I know it.” He faced him eye to eye. “If I could have got out safely with everyone, I would have. I tried halfway once, but I realized I was putting Phaver and your mother at risk.”
“I get it,” Yed nodded. “I needed time to get it.” He smiled at his dad. “How do you like my planet so far?”
“Well, it’s nice.” Danva grinned at his son. “You've got a lot more freedom here. It’s a lovely place to call home. Almost as impressive as, well, Pagnia, before The Great Destruction.” He chuckled. “But hey, beggars can’t be choosers.”
“Yep, safe and sound.” Yed sighed with a sense of relief. “No more waryes. It’s a terrific feeling, isn’t it?”
“This language though, this will take some time.” Danva looked at the letters again. “It sounds pronounced and low pitched. It’s weird.”
Yed grinned, he knew what his dad meant. “English is weird, actually a lot of the languages are different, but you’ll get used to it."
Danva patted his son on the shoulder, finally feeling comfortable enough with him. “You’ve grown a whole lot, Yed. I’m sorry I missed so much. I mean, look at you. I only gave you a yo-yo shortly before everything happened.” He looked over at Tiger. “You were like him, he’s almost a mirror image of you.”
“Yeah, I was small,” Yed agreed. “Let’s not dwell on that though."
Danva just chuckled. “So, tell me? Where is that girl you fancy again? Is she okay?”
“Bibble's got it under control,” Yed said confidently. “She’s a genius, best there is. She’ll get it all out.”
“Over here again.”
“Xiam.”
“One more.”
“What’s going on over there?” Danva asked as he watched Xiam with a strange leaf branch kissing Iri over and over again.
“Mistletoe,” Yed chuckled. “It’s traditional to kiss the opposite gender when you get caught under it during the Christmas season.”
“Christmas season?” Danva looked over at the mistletoe. “Your planet has a delightful perk. Are you going to get Ezra under there?”
“Dad,” Yed said. Then he didn't exactly know what to say.
“Ah, yes. There is a lot on your plate right now. Your sister, your mother, the chip in your lady, being a father, and teaching us everything you can. It is a bunch, I agree.” Danva looked over at Yed. “You know something else though? You never know what tomorrow brings. Don’t get hassled down with everything that you forget to grab what you truly want when you can. You know, if ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ are together like they should be, it might help your situation more than hurt?” Danva winked. “These kids are trying to mimic what they’ve seen other kids do with their parents. It might help them more, if you can mimic and try too. Soon they will find their own way and you’ll all be a happy family. It won’t take long, not as close as you’ve all become already.”
“We’re not close like family,” Yed said, his face full of disagreement. “I'm just friends with them. I don’t want to rush them, and I want to give them their space too.”
“That will change one day. I'm sorry you lost all that time too.” Danva smiled sadly. "This ‘Christmas season’ will be the most memorable, since you have your family to share it with. I don’t mean me and your mom and sister, but your family. Take plenty of pictures.”
“I’m sure we’ll be taking a bunch. Xiam’s already got a ton. Speaking of Xiam,” Yed groaned. “Xiam, mistletoe is only for kissing, there are kids here.”
Chapter 55
COMING BACK
Muin didn’t look half as happy. She glanced at Cooey who was at her side. Mom. She didn’t remember a thing about the kid and she was attempting to call her mom. It was so annoying, and she was getting close to telling the runt where to shove it.
“What is this Christmas again?” Cooey said. “Why does a fat guy come down a chimney and give presents?”
“He just does,” Muin practically growled.
“But why?” Cooey asked again.
“He just does,” Muin whined at her. “Now stop-”
“Hi Muin,” Xiam stopped her from saying anything cruel to Cooey. He patted her Chronicle that had been lying beside her. “Why don’t you read for a little while?”
“I don’t want to read,” Muin crossed her arms. “I’m not in the reading mood, X.”
Cooey sighed and tried again. “Mom?”
“I’m not in a mom mood either,” Muin yelled at Cooey. “Leave me alone already, I don’t even know you, quit calling me mom.”
The house grew silent enough to hear a pin drop after Muin said her statement.
Yed marched over to Muin. “Come on, we’re having a talk now, Muin.”
“Why?” Muin said bitterly.
“Muinela, now.” Yed demanded. “My room, come on.”
“Why should I?” Muin humphed. “It’s not like you're my brother, you’ve already said so.”
Oh yeah, Pagnia. “Come on M-Win, let’s go talk, okay?” Yed tried again, delicately using her chosen name on Earth.
"Well I would Wye, I would." Muin stood up and left towards her room, "But my give a damn happens to be busted right now."
“Hang on Protector Yed,” Zaria gently touched Yed on the shoulder. “Let me try and talk to her first?”
MUIN FUMED AS SHE SAT on Zaria’s bed.
“Muin? What’s wrong?” Zaria handed her a small candy bar.
“Nothing.” Muin slapped the candy bar away. “I don’t want that, all those calories. My sexy shit wouldn't fit.”
“Oh.” Zaria winced but went to a closet nearby. He took a deep breath and handed a bat to Muin. “Well, here.”
Muin looked at the bat and back at Zaria. “What the hell?”
“If it makes you feel better.” Zaria said. "Release your energy?"
Muin looked at Zaria.“You gave me a bat to hit you on the head to make me feel better? You are weird, that's abuse, I could get locked up on this planet for that. You could get killed that way. Who are you?”
“I’m Zaria, your husband,” Zaria said, “and I’d do anything to see you smile right now.”
Muin felt a flush hit her cheeks and dropped the bat. She had a feeling she knew what his true goal was, and it wasn’t getting brain damage. “I'm not going to hit you, weirdo.”
“You have to, or tell me what’s wrong.” Zaria said. “Are you scared to remember? Because of how Yed and Xiam acted at first? I can tell you firsthand Muinela, it won’t be the same.”
“No,” Muin gulped. “I just, I don’t want this. I don’t want to be a mommy or married, and I don’t want all these weirdos in our house. I want my old weirdo friends here. Every time we remembered, we'd party for a week straight, people would come down from miles around to join our party. Damn, it was awesome back then, we blew the roof off around here! For me, I never remembered party to party, it was always brand new. Now I’ve got all those memories, and I want more. But now there's no party, no celebration, notta. My brothers should be locking lips from woman to woman right now; instead they are squabbling over their wives and wannabe girlfriends and dumb kids. I want it to be the way it was before, before you. Before all this. I want it back to being when I was still Yed’s sister, and we were all we had.” She crossed her legs. "Sorry too, but that's the way I feel. I wish that none of you were here. I wish we never went to that planet, and I wish I wasn't spilling my guts out to you, I don't know why I do that. Pisses me the hell off."
“Oh.” Zaria chuckled. “Change is tough, but everything changes. I guarantee, Yed does still think of you as his sister. If he said anything on Pagnia, he was just going through a rough time himself. As for missing your party days and not wanting kids, you only think that now. When you start to remember, what you want will change.”
“Xiam is spending all his time kissing and being mushy with his wife,” M
uin grumbled. “Yed is spending all his time talking to his family and helping Ezra with her little headaches. Only time they even notice me is when they gripe at me for calling them X or Wye. Otherwise, I might as well be invisible.”
“Not to me, I’ve been watching you for some time,” Zaria disagreed. “I only wish you’d come over and talk to me a little. Don’t sit in a corner and ignore everything. You’ve got me, and you’ve got Cooey and Zar, who honestly want you too.”
“She’s calling me mom,” Muin whined. “Mom, why is she doing that?”
“She is trying to get closer to you," Zaria said.
“I don’t want to be called mom. I am not a mom, and I don’t want to be,” Muin said sourly.
“You didn’t always feel that way. The first time it happened, you were thrilled,” Zaria said. “Don’t you like it at all? Why is it bothering you so much?”
“I don’t even know that little girl, I don’t have the right to be called a mom,” Muin admitted. “When she does it, I feel weird. Whenever I’m around Zar or Cooey, I feel nauseous. I feel sick, dizzy, and I don’t like it.”
“That's because you couldn’t be there,” Zaria explained. “Your subconscious remembers even if you don’t. It knows who they are, and that’s not going to change because you don’t want to remember. In fact, when you do, you’ll feel better about the kids. You won’t hear the story of the past, you’ll remember it. You’ll remember the good with the bad, and that will let you get through this mom thing. You’ll be happy to get to be called a mom. I don’t know, you might cuddle them all the time when you remember.” He saw the doubtful look on her face. “Muin, I’m still here, no matter what, okay? I would appreciate it if you tried to read your Chronicle, please?”