[Havok, Piasu, Ryomania, 2:35 PM, May 7th, Tuesday 2025]
The air was sizzling quiet.
People in their houses peeked out from the windows at Cathy, seeing the disappearance of The Boss, Jack and I.
Police sirens wailed in the distance as they headed for the suburbs.
Cathy Ariston: "Just more problems to deal with… Uff…"
She sighed deeply and began floating upwards, flying back towards The Daniels Estate.
Everything replayed in her mind, every voice, every face, everything she could have said and done and didn't.
She felt guilty and it ate at her more than the pain in her body.
Cathy Ariston: "Damn it…"
Tears quietly rolled down her face as she flew.
After a few minutes she arrived back at the mansion.
She hovered above one of the neighbors houses, a crowd of people had gathered around the destroyed gate, a few of them stepping over and entering the property.
Cathy Ariston: "Of course they'd notice—Amelia!"
Cathy quickly flew high above, before anyone could notice her and looped around the mansion, stopping in front of the old cabin behind the hill.
She saw Amelia inside.
Cathy sighed and opened the door with a flick of the wrist.
Amelia's head snapped to the door as it opened, she was curled up on the old couch, clutching her knees together.
Amelia Orwell: "Miss Cathy?! You came back for me!"
She began sobbing again, practically launching herself off the couch and wrapping her arms around Cathy's aura, trying to hug her.
Cathy Ariston: "Yeah, yeah, don't make such a big deal out of it! I said I would…"
Cathy gently pushed her off with a huff and crossed her arms.
Amelia Orwell: "Where's Master Jack and Master James? Did…?"
Cathy Ariston: "The Boss came and just teleported them away. With his freaky glass powers… I tried. I tried to help, and I failed again…"
Cathy hovered over to the couch and curled up in a ball, rubbing her head in frustration.
Amelia stopped sobbing, wiping her tears with the back of her hands as she stepped closer, sitting down next to Cathy on the couch.
Amelia Orwell: "I heard police sirens earlier… And I saw a bunch of the neighbors gathering around our house. What do we do now?"
Cathy looked over at her, patting the top of her head with her right hand, the aura repelling her.
Cathy Ariston: "It's fine… Don't worry about it."
Amelia shrank under her gaze, a rosy blush on her cheeks as she turned to the side.
Amelia Orwell: "Please don't pet me… Um… Heh?"
Cathy chuckled and pulled her hand back, uncurling into a cross-legged position.
Cathy Ariston: "Hey… How did you live here with Jack's family for four months? This place is way too small for a cabin… And why is it all the way here? I mean, surely you could've stayed in a bloody hotel or something, no?"
Amelia straightened her maid dress and leaned further back into the couch, rubbing her chin.
Amelia Orwell: "Mistress Erika came up with the idea, she wanted to be close to the mansion to set up a… project. I believe it had to do something with that wooden giant, eugh!"
She closed her eyes, shuddering at the thought.
Amelia Orwell: "And, she wouldn't really enter the cabin. In fact she wouldn't sleep here, she'd sleep in the middle of the construction site, enclosing herself in wood every night. She made sure nobody saw her though, but I did!"
Cathy Ariston: "What, you spy on people for a living or something?"
Cathy's voice came out more bitter than she intended.
Cathy Ariston: "Ah, sorry… I didn't mean it like—"
Amelia chuckled and waved gently.
Amelia Orwell: "No, no. I get it. It is a little weird… But I was just worried about her, I… I loved her like a mother. She rescued me from my village all those years ago, I owed her my life… And now she gave up hers for mine…"
She felt tears prick at her eyes, tears that she desperately tried fighting off.
Cathy Ariston: "I'm sorry, hey—Don't cry… I was acting like a prick, sorry… I'm just mad about her, I could've—"
Cathy tried hugging her again, only to be repelled by the aura.
Amelia Orwell: "No, I understand… I care too much about people, that's my weakness… Hehe…"
She chuckled sheepishly, wiping her tears away.
Cathy Ariston: "That's not a weakness, it's a blessing…"
Cathy pulled back, trying to give her space, she looked down at the floor, her eyes glued to her feet. Her purple rubber sneakers looked worn after all that happened.
It put a smile on her face.
Cathy Ariston: "When I was younger, my mom told me something I promised her I'd live by… My dad would always come home drunk after work or whatever shithole he crawled from, whatever. They'd argue about lots of things and every night I'd stick around my mother's room to make sure nothing bad would happen, phone in hand, ready to call the police… Like that'd help… But one night my dad got really angry at her—she was sick at the time, really sick—and my dad blamed her for our financial struggles, for whatever happened to him at work and he called her weak… She said to him, 'Live for others, Obie. Weakness is the cause of strength. If you're loving to everyone around you, you're surrounded by that strength. If you're weak, then you are strong'. You should've seen the look on his face when he heard that! He didn't say another word, he went to his room and…"
She paused, her smile turning into a scowl.
Cathy Ariston: "That's the last time I ever saw the bastard. He didn't even say goodbye to me or my brother Normand. He just took his things and left… I went into her room later on and told her I overheard… She said it would all be okay and told me to live like that, live for others… Then I'd be strong."
She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes and she sighed, running a hand through her hair.
Cathy Ariston: "Look where that got me, right fucking here. I've lost my mother, my brothers, my friend, my… Everything."
Amelia listened quietly, giving her a reassuring tap on her shoulder.
Amelia Orwell: "You still have the ability to gain it all back, that's everything… Right? Mistress Erika said something similar to me too, a long time ago… 'Live to serve others and you too will be served, that is true love' I stand by that fully! I've done my best to serve The Daniels family with my life, even… even up to her death…"
They both became quiet for a moment, feeling a combination of nostalgia and sadness for Erika.
After a few moments, Cathy nudged her shoulder.
Cathy Ariston: "Hey… You didn't really tell me how you all slept here, talk to me."
Amelia chuckled and clasped her hands together.
Amelia Orwell: "Sorry… It's best not to get caught up in the past, but… Right—I know it's a bit cramped, but we made it work. Master William and Mistress Gloria would sleep on the floor next to the fireplace while Master Jack slept on the couch, and I would…"
She trailed off, a wistful smile breaking onto her face as she looked down, rubbing the edge of the old couch.
Amelia Orwell: "I would sleep by his feet… Master Jack was always so kind to me, to everyone, so… brave… Just like Mistress Erika!"
Cathy Ariston: "Yeah, he'd always be the first at anything. First one to talk, first to get in trouble, first to eat… And especially the first one to piss me off!"
They both laughed, feeling a sense of camaraderie between them.
Amelia felt as if the cabin never changed at all, even for a moment.
Amelia Orwell: "We can't stay here, can we? People will look, they'll know…"
Cathy stood up from the couch, stretching languidly and glancing back at Amelia over her shoulder.
Cathy Ariston: "I agree, come on. You've got nowhere to go, right?"
Amelia nodded gently, standing up and dusting off her maid dress.
Amelia Orwell: "Well yes, I can't just… Yeah."
Cathy Ariston: "You're free to come live with me and all… I live in a small apartment in Havok, it's a bit crappy but it's better than this place, right? And it'll be somewhat safe… I mean, only if you want to though…"
Amelia stepped closer, clasping her hands together and smiling.
Amelia Orwell: "It's so kind of you to offer Miss Cathy! Of course I'd—"
Cathy Ariston: "Gee, alright! I get it! You don't have to bloody praise my ears off… And don't call me 'Miss', just Cathy is fine!"
She blushed and looked away, hovering towards one of the windows.
Cathy Ariston: "W-well?!"
Amelia Orwell: "Yes, very well, then I'd be glad to accompany you to your home and dwell there for as long as you'd have me!"
She bowed elegantly, her posture perfect and practiced.
Cathy smirked and flicked the door open, heading outside.
Cathy Ariston: "You're so proper, it's almost puke-worthy… Alright, just… Come on, we're sitting ducks."
The two of them stepped outside.
The sound of the crowd of gathered people just over the hill mingled with the sound of police sirens arriving at the gates of the property.
Cathy Ariston: "They must've found her body already, we have to fly… Hold tight!"
Without further warning, Cathy grabbed Amelia with gravity and held her in her arms, flying up high with her.
Amelia Orwell: "Ahhhh! Please don't drop meeee!"
She wailed, clutching Cathy as best as she could.
Cathy Ariston: "Stop screaming! Someone might hear us! You're fine…"
Amelia Orwell: "Ahhhh! Okaaaaaay!"
She continued screaming.
Cathy covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled.
Cathy Ariston: "It's funny that I'd be stuck with you, huh? Alright, let's go home."
With that, she flew off, the two of them headed towards Havok.