After drinking and eating their fill, Vermallelia and Bella laid to rest on a blanket under the umbrella's shadow, while Felicia—having teased the brothers to her satisfaction and sending them off with a 'thank you, darlings,' and a 'you can go away now'—took a nap on her folding chair.
Kai walked alone for a long while, munching on a popsicle, and came to rest at the edge of the shore, sitting down where water met sand. Waves came back and forth, coiling foam around his ankles and withdrawing back into the sea.
He slurped in the flavor of the popsicle, then bit off the ice and chewed. The ice cooled him within, and the sea breeze cooled him without. He took a deep breath, and exhaled… feeling at peace.
Vira walked over and sat down beside him, hugging her knees, both of their gazes fixed on the horizon. When they first arrived at the beach it was afternoon, and now the sun had begun its descent into the sea, painting the clouds in the colors of early twilight.
"I wanted to ask you something," he said. "Being a fairy godmother… helping people fall in love… Why do you do it? What do you get out of it?"
"Why does anyone do anything? It is my nature; it is a part of who I am," she said, as if the answer was simple, as if she hadn't asked herself the same question a thousand times.
"So… you are like Lance, helping people find love; it… drives you. It's what you live for."
"You can say that."
"And… when you are done with a job—having helped a couple find Happily Ever After and all that… What do you do then? Where do you go?"
"I return to Castellastra."
"Castellastra?"
She nodded. "The Castle in the Stars—a place between dimensions where all fairies live and serve at the pleasure of our queen… I stay there with my sisters until I am called for another mission."
"Huh…" He considered that for a moment. "Do you miss them?"
"I… I do. Why do you ask?"
"Because… if you want… you can leave. I can take care of things myself from here on out, and I would feel bad holding you here for who knows how many years until I marry. Besides, there must be someone out there who needs your help more than I do."
"So that's it? You had a couple of successful dates, and now you don't need me anymore?"
"It's not like that. I could always use your help, but… that's kinda the problem. You can't stay here forever. Sooner or later, I'm gonna have to learn how to do things on my own."
"And you think now is an appropriate time? Seems unusually confident of you."
"I guess… I am starting to believe."
"Believe?"
"In true love… I never told you this, but Maria and I go back way before high-school, though I doubt she remembers it. We were in elementary school together, and I had wanted to be with her since then. It took me until the beginning of high-school to find the courage to talk to her, and after that… I was just thankful she knew my name." He smiled, his wistful eyes lost in the sunset. "And now that we are finally together, especially after that night… I think this is it—my Happily Ever After."
Vira clenched her fists and rose. "Is that what you think?"
He looked up at her, confused.
"This woman isn't right for you, Kai! In her current state, she isn't right for anyone, and if you think she is—then neither are you!"
"What are you talking about? I thought you'd be happy for me."
"Happy? Because you got laid?"
"No!" He rose to face her. "It's more than that; that's what I'm trying to tell you. I love Maria. I have loved her since elementary school."
"You hardly even know her! This isn't love!"
He scowled. "How would you know, anyway? You've never been in love!"
"Yes, I have."
He scoffed. "With who?"
"That doesn't matter," she blushed. She didn't mean to bring it up, but the heat of the moment drew it out of her. "The point is that I do know—"
"Vira!" Bella shouted from under the umbrella. "We have to go, now!"
They both looked at her, their brows furrowed in confusion. Then Vira's eyes opened wide as she felt the surge of energy and turned to look at the ocean.
The waves hit them with force, knocking them off their feet.
"What the hell?" Kai complained, regaining his footing.
Vira looked around. The same was happening all along the shore, yet people remained oblivious, considering the large wave no more than an anomaly. "We have to warn them," she murmured to herself, but knew there was no point. It was too late.
"Vira!" Felicia yelled. She and Bella were up and alert, with Vermallelia cowering behind them.
The fairy godmother grabbed the Oathless's hand and ran toward the group.
"Hey, what's going on?" he protested.
Vira felt a chill go through her spine as another surge of energy reached her, and the waves followed swiftly behind it. The waters gushed over their backs, forcing them to the sand once again, then pulling them backward into the sea.
"Kai!" Vermallelia moved forward, but Bella held her back.
The Oathless couldn't hear her through the sound of the roaring waves and the cries of people in distress.
Vira rose on her elbows and looked up at the girls, her sun-hat swept away by the waves. They were too far away. They wouldn't reach them in time.
She gritted her teeth. Go! She sent the telepathic message to the three. Save yourselves!
Felicia turned and fled, needing no convincing.
"No! Not without you!" Bella insisted.
It's alright, Vira forced a smile. My magic will protect us. Now go!
The dog-girl growled in frustration.
"We can't," the rat-girl stomped her feet. "We can't just—" she gasped as Bella lifted her over her shoulders and ran.
"Vira," Kai began to rise again. "Are you—"
"Stay down," the fairy pressed her hand on his back and focused on channeling her power through the amulet. A magical protective bubble formed around them.
Vira shuddered as the third pulse of energy hit, as expected. "Another wave is coming," she said, lying on top of him, sticking as close together as she could and shrinking the bubble's size while bolstering its strength.
"Vira—"
"It's alright, Kai. We are safe. Just stay still."
The wall of water towered over them, casting a long shadow.
"Kai!" the rat-girl screamed.
The Oathless closed his eyes, and the massive wave came crashing down upon them, devouring Crescent Beach.
***
Kai opened his eyes with a startle as he heard a thud and sensed Vira flinch above him. Something had moved fast, crashed into the barrier, and was swept away by the underwater currents. He only caught a glimpse of it, and his mind reeled, trying to decipher what it was. Not something, he thought. Someone.
"Was that—" his voice cracked. "Just now, was that—"
Vira pursed her lips. "Close your eyes, Kai."
"It was Mike!" He turned his head, twisting his neck as much as he could within the tight space of the bubble. Silhouettes tossed and turned within the sea: beach umbrellas, chairs, bags, plastic bottles, and… people. "It was Mike!"
"I know."
"You… We have to—"
"I'm sorry."
"We have to do something!"
"This—" her lips quivered. "This is all I can do." Tears trailed down her cheeks. Kai felt their warmth as they dripped onto his back. "I'm sorry."
Kai closed his eyes. "I can't go through this again," he murmured.
"Again?" she whispered back. Does he mean the accident? The one where his mother…
His fingers dug into the sand as he curled his hands into fists.
Slowly, the water began to recede, returning to the sea and leaving nothing but destruction behind.
"You… were with her," she dismissed her bubble once the danger had passed and moved off him. "When it happened, you…"
He nodded. "I was the reason she was there in the first place." He sat up on his knees, the memories flashing in his mind.
The car had turned upside down, and he felt the pressure of the blood going to his head. Jun unbuckled herself and groaned as she fell onto the car's roof. Tiny shards of glass were everywhere, and as she leaned on her hands, Kai saw blood covering her knuckles… and her forehead. "Mom?"
Her dark eyes searched for him, unable to focus. "Kai?"
"Mom, you're bleeding," he had said, his voice wavering.
"Are you hurt?" she had asked without urgency, as if in a daze.
"N-no, I don't think so… but, Mom, you are—'"
"I'm fine, honey," she smiled reassuringly. "Just stay where you are." Her strength left her, and she dropped to her elbows.
"Mom!"
"Stay where you are…" she repeated, maintaining her smile through the pain, and rolled onto her back. "Everything is going to be fine."
He shook the memory out of his head. "I saw… everything."
"Oh, Kai," she touched his shoulder, and he turned sharply, throwing his arms around her, burying his face in her drenched dress.
"Please, don't leave," he cried. "Forget everything I said before. I still need you, I—" he whimpered. "I-I—"
"It's okay, I'm not going anywhere…" She ran her hands through his hair. "I promise."
***
Hours later, the authorities and the media had referred to the incident as the Crescent Beach Disaster.
Disaster… that's what they believed it was, a natural disaster.
But Vira knew… that there was nothing natural about it.