Chapter 109: Reunion [Illustration]

[Rachel's Home]

"You're...actually Amy...right, Anne?"

As Rachel's sudden question slams into the unsuspecting slime mother's back, Rose blinks a few times at the two, adjusting her glasses and freed face as the mood drops considerably. Having withstood Anne's frustration against her, she watches the life drain from said girl's face, paralyzed by Rachel's approach.

'Who is Amy?' Rose questions while rubbing her wrestled cheeks.

Anne would certainly know, shuddering as she continues staring past Rose. She has no idea what happened from the time Rachel left to the kitchen and back.

Did Daniel tell her anything?

"Rachel, stop!" he shouts, breaking through as he joins them from his prior stumble. "I don't know what you're thinking, but please calm down!"

Maybe not.

Anne refocuses. It's at these moments that she's glad she doesn't have a beating heart in the way of calming down. Although reeling in her mind, she masks her inner turmoil, twisting in her seat to meet Rachel's tear-struck eyes.

Her gelatinous internals tense to the need for truth.

"I'm... not sure if I understand. Is everything okay, Rachel?" she asks slowly, her smile distant.

Mentally slapped, Rachel flinches as she stumbles back. "O...okay? I..."

The scientist holds herself, squeezing her hand even closer to her chest. Her mind races by her time with Anne, rethinking her feelings. She's not sure, but regardless of intuition or evidence, she recognizes how hasty she's being.

Breathing out, she turns away to collect herself.

"N... No, give me a moment," she requests, her voice cracking.

"Rachel..."

Guilt clouds Anne's eyes. Instinctively, she's about to rise and comfort her friend, but Daniel extends a hand with a subtle shake of his head. This enforced distance is agonizing, but their precarious situation demands more diligence than before. At the same time, Daniel fears it won't be enough to dispel Rachel's doubts.

Before dealing with the scientist, however, Daniel doesn't forget Rose, awkwardly stranded amid the rising tension. He shifts his attention to her, offering a strained smile.

"I'm sorry, Rose, but can you give us a moment?"

Rose blinks. "Ah..."

She darts between everyone before coughing, standing from her chair. "It sounds like this is a personal matter, so I better head out now. Besides, I can't stay up too late with work early in the morning."

Daniel's shoulders relax. "If you insist. Before you go, Mike and Rachel told me a little, so I'm assuming that means you're part of the group as well?"

'Group?' Anne questions.

Rose stiffens for a moment before sighing. "Only a few years ago. To be honest, I don't know much about what's going on, and I'm not sure that I want to. If you're curious, Rachel or Mike can tell you more, but... can't say I have anything they don't already know."

Daniel's brows rise from this claim, but he doesn't pursue it. "Alright, thanks."

"Wait... Rose."

Perking to Rachel's weak call, Rose adjusts her glasses to the elder woman. "Y-yes?"

Rachel drops her hand, wiping the tears in her eyes as she draws to her with a bitter smile. She doesn't disagree with allowing the historian to take her leave but feels ashamed for inviting her in, only to let her go.

"Please be careful, dear," she urges past trembling breath. "I'm sorry you were dragged into this, but if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to come to me."

Rose's lens briefly flickers before she smiles warmly. "Thank you, but don't worry about me."

Switching to Anne, she sends a wink, adding, "And sorry for being so tight-lipped, but it was fun to talk again!"

Anne nearly sputters, straightening with disbelief. 'Fun? This was fun?!'

"Ugh...you..."

She can't say anything, though. Whatever the girl knows, it's easier to catch up with Daniel, seeing how he's in the know. Breathing out her frustrations, she narrows her eyes.

"Sorry for pulling your annoying cheeks."

Grinning, Rose barely stifles a giggle. "Aw, it didn't hurt, really. I hear that I often irritate people when I crumble under pressure. Anyway, it sounds like we might be seeing each other more. If there's anything you want to know that won't get me into trouble, I'm your girl!"

However, Anne only stares flatly before snorting. Rose might crumble into pieces, but those pieces don't break any further.

"I guess we'll see."

That's all she can afford to promise for now.

With nothing left to be said, Rose steps out with a wave, but Daniel thins his lips, troubled. Based on her admission, it's obvious now that she was formerly part of Lecia's group. If Mike was desperate to reach Rachel while she was preoccupied with them, it makes sense why the girl was reached out to check in.

Consequently, it will be harder to ignore her now, seeing how she has connections between Victor, Layna, and Lecia. Daniel doesn't want to think about it at this point, returning his attention to Rachel.

The front door shuts closed by Rose. With it, the air hums with unspoken words as Rachel locks her gaze on the slime mother. Her puffy eyes study the wavy-haired girl, stirring the conflicting feelings in her.

Anne shrinks a little with the attention on her but maintains her gaze.

"Rachel, please tell me what's wrong. Did... I do anything wrong?" she urges.

Wrong?

Rachel doesn't answer, her forehead creasing until she sighs. She rejoins the table, running through all the doubts that fill her. The quiet unnerves Anne as Daniel sits down as well, struggling to find a way to smoothly traverse the astronomer's feelings.

"Anne," Rachel finally calls, her eyes wavering to the slime mother. Despite drying her tears, she only managed to patch herself against a dam that threatened to burst again at any moment.

Feeling the pressure, Anne swallows. "Y-yes?"

Glancing at Daniel then back, Rachel inhales slowly. "I don't know if I can explain everything, but I need to know, are you..."

Pausing, she considers her words before shaking her head. It's important that she repose her first question in a manner that's less baffling.

"Do you know Amy?"

The slime mother widens her eyes, her lips falling crookedly before she forces out a chuckle. "W-what? No, how could I?"

"That's what I would have normally thought," Rachel agrees but lowers her gaze to the table. She circles a hand anxiously against the wood.

"I feel like I would've known about you if you and Amy were close. It's just...from our conversations, your knowledge, the sense I get around you, it...reminds me so much of her."

Too much of her.

Her hand drags to the table's edge, gripping it, before continuing, "I could've believed it was a coincidence, even as my friend's grave remains empty, but now there's this...history that I'm learning that might explain why she's gone. I don't want to believe completely in magic, but there's been unexplained events that make me question everything."

Anne holds still, her eyes blank, as the heart of her existence is touched closer than she wanted to ever see from Rachel. She passes a glance toward Daniel, but it's clear from his expression that he wasn't the one who told her anything.

How could she know, though? Was it from this Mike that she barely got answers about? She can't ask Daniel without arousing suspicion.

Daniel pushes forward as he finds an opening. "Rachel, I understand you miss her, but Anne is not—"

"I know, so let's say I'm just being delusional," Rachel cuts without looking at the artist. Returning to the slime mother's lost gaze, her lips rise with resignation as a single tear breaks through to stream down her face.

"Maybe this is just a bad joke from fate, but no matter how you arrived to Daniel, it's an honor to have someone who resembles my old friend so much...who can make me feel like she's alive."

Anne shakes.

If tears could fall from her eyes naturally, they would've already; however, nobody would need such to see the pain spreading across the slime mother's face.

Rachel leans forward, desperation crossing into her own. "So please, Anne. If you really don't know anything, I won't press this matter again. Just tell me, why do I feel like I've known you for so long?"

"R-rachel..."

Anne's voice trembles. Unable to answer immediately, she bites her lips and looks down, dragging her hands against her knees.

Rachel inhales. "Anne, are you really...?"

"I'm sorry, but... I'm not Amy."

Like that, Rachel's heart stops.

Of course, what was she expecting? Anne looks nothing like Amy, but the scientist didn't want to assume outward appearance would matter in the face of flaming magic.

Swallowing, she laughs dryly. "Right... how silly of me. I'm sorry for asking, dear. I've made you and Daniel uncomfortable with my—"

"She...she is part of me, though."

Daniel and Rachel snap their eyes at Anne, their pupils contract. For different reasons, both of them had not expected the truth to be given so easily.

'Mom...no...' Daniel pleads in his heart, but seeing the pain in her eyes, he understands that his slime mother can't hold it in any longer.

On the other side, Rachel blinks for a few seconds before leaning forward, folding her hands on top of Anne's own by the knees. "Dear...w-what does that mean?"

"I'm... I'm sorry for lying," Anne chokes, her lips spreading. "I'm the one responsible for taking what's left of Amy."

The confession lingers in the air, whitening Rachel. She opens her mouth, but no words come out of her rattled head as she struggles to process this claim. In place of that, however, she processes how strangely cold the slime mother's hands are.

She was like this before, too. It's enough of a push for Rachel's mouth to hang.

"You're...not human. That ritual... Lecia and the others... You're what came out of it!"

Anne rumbles, raising her head in horror. Her friend's words confirm she has been working with the former archaeologist. Since the news of the accident, the urgency within the home suddenly makes sense.

Did she make a mistake?

"I...!"

Rachel launches from her seat!

Anne's world blurs before she can react. The side of her head is suddenly pressed into the astronomer's chest, wrapping her unexpectedly close.

"Oh god...oh god...." Rachel croaks, the dam shattering in her eyes, flooding tears down onto her friend's head. "I can't believe it... You're...really..."

Anne's eyes swirl wildly. Her lips break downward as she tugs the scientist's arms around her, unsure whether to push her away or keep her close.

"No...no..." she squeaks, shuddering. Her eyes screw tight. "Stop... I'm not her! I... I can't be her for you! Nothing can excuse what I've done to—"

"To hell with that!" Rachel explodes, squeezing her. "From what I've seen, how can you not be her?"

Anne lies frozen while Rachel pulls back, her hands digging across the slime mother's shoulders as she stares past her tears into the girl's olive eyes.

Even Amy's eyes were of the same color, so how did she miss this?

She swallows, barely maintaining herself against the urge to spoil down to a sobbing mess. "W-whether you're Anne or Amy, do you remember when you felt we first met?"

Keyword is "felt."

Anne quivers. She can't lie about her feelings now, even if she wants to separate them.

Even if she doesn't want to assume her predecessor's life.

The Amy in her naturally flows out because it's part of who she is.

She clenches her hands, looking away. "When...when we were on the hill by the observatory, looking at the stars. No telescope, no machines to aid in our escape. I...was a little drunk."

"Ha..." Rachel shakes her head slowly in disbelief, her lips curling up. She grips the slime mother tighter. "What are you saying? You...you were completely out of it."

Anne's eyes narrow with fondness amid pain as the memories flow just like Rachel's tears — unstoppable. "I know... I was just lonely. Before meeting Daniel's father, I got dumped and blamed myself for not spending enough time outside of work."

"Yes...yes...you were crying to the stars about how hard it was. By the end, I had to take you home, and...somehow, we became stuck together."

"I... I don't even remember what was said."

Rachel scoffs between a happy sob. "Me neither, but...it doesn't matter. You were the best thing that happened to me! You and Daniel, becoming part of the family."

Anne lifts her gaze back, her eyes wide. She clenches her teeth behind her lips as emotions roil through her.

"No, d-don't say that."

Rachel slides a hand across her cold cheek. "You said she's a part of you. I don't know what that means, but from what I've seen, it doesn't make you less of her, even if you're no longer the same."

"Stop..."

"Don't leave me again, please."

The nail strikes Anne.

Daniel had said similar words. It riles the guilt Amy had to bear leaving this world. Unable to stop these feelings, she wraps back around the scientist—her friend.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel!" she cries, burying her face into her cloth. "I missed you...so much!"

Rachel adds to the longing cry, brushing against Anne's head, never wanting to let go.

So many questions need answering, but right now, she can only embrace what has become of her friend - someone who has been given life in a new way.

Like a star entering its next phase.

Outside this reunion, Daniel watches, his lips rising dryly as he slumps in his chair. He shuts his eyes to stop tears from infecting him.

'Fuck.'

He's not sure if this is a good outcome, but either way, he's once again lost a few years of his life.

...

..

.

Once tears relaxed among the starry friends, Rachel tugs Anne close as she glares at Daniel. The stains on her cheeks look like blood with how her creases expand.

Daniel was expecting this.

"You. Had. No. Right... To hide this from me!" Rachel hisses between her clenched teeth, far angrier than he had ever seen.

Despite that, Daniel shakes off the shivers down his spine and knits his brows.

"I had to protect her," he maintains lowly.

"That's your bullshit excuse!?"

Daniel snaps his eyes wide and slams the table. "Bullshit?! A form of my mother comes back to me, and I'm supposed to risk revealing her? I will damn lie to anybody about this, and seeing how you know Lecia, I think it was warranted."

"So you do know about her! Whatever you're imagining, this wasn't the way to do this!"

Daniel scoffs. "You'll have to forgive me for being so guarded. I know that she summoned my mom. Should I believe it was just for an otherworldly being to be free?"

"What?! You can't be—"

"ENOUGH!"

Anne jerks away from Rachel and stands between them. First, she turns to her fellow scientist.

"Rachel, if you want to blame my son for the secrecy, then blame me as well, but you can't just disregard our caution."

Then she turns to her son. "And Daniel, I know you're upset, but there are limits to how much we can hide ourselves if we aim to learn the truth of our existence. The fact we're allowing Mary's uncle to learn about us is proof enough!"

Daniel frowns. "That's not a fair comparison. Marlin carries a relevant book and revealed it to Mary on his own accord. With Rachel, we had no idea she was a part of something dangerous!"

Stammering with disbelief, Rachel growls. "Dangerous?! If anything, we're the ones in danger. Also, Mary? You're talking about your ex-girlfriend? She knew about your mother, but not me?!"

Before Daniel might explain and fan the flames, Anne raises her hands, chuckling nervously. "C-calm down, Rachel! Um...Mary was...well, the first one accidentally exposed to me. Good news, they're back together now because of it, so..."

Rachel shakes her head, hands up to the ceiling. "Seriously, if that were the case, why bother lying and using the cover of being Daniel's girlfriend to me?"

Anne stiffens.

Suddenly, the house goes silent.

Sensing she misinterpreted, Rachel lowers her hand slowly, watching the slime mother's eyes shift to the side.

"...Amy? No, I mean...Anne?"

The confusion over identity only worsens as the slime mother generates a clearing of her throat. "Um...like I tried telling you, I'm...different from Amy. I was there before Mary, so while I might consider Mary as the main girlfriend, I also...er..."

Daniel conveniently looks away, ashamed. Meanwhile, sweat begins to drop from Rachel's neck to see her friend hesitating.

"A-also...what?" she presses.

Anne wells up resolve and shuts her eyes tight. "I'm... I'm also more than just a mother to him, you know!"

The declaration echos into Rachel's mind, causing her mouth to creak down. She staggers back.

"What? N-no, but...you're..."

Reopening her eyes, Anne steps forward and raises her hand, which softens into her base goo form. Since it's come to this, she hasn't shown Rachel how she's not human.

"S-see, it's fine! While I'm not sure what I am exactly, Daniel and I aren't even biologically compatible, so... Ah!"

Anne quickly slides to catch Rachel as the latter's eyes roll up. Her knees give in, as does her sanity.

"Rachel!"

"Ugh..."

Daniel buries his face into his hands, groaning.

They might be here for a while.