Persona BLEACHED 4: Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Teaching Daze II
September 27, 2031
Los Angeles, California. Earth-727. Early morning.
"Barb...hey, Barb."
Wearing a light blue sweatshirt, head on her folded arms and sitting by the kitchen counter was Barbara. She snapped out of her thoughts.
"You alright?" In the apartment with her was her boyfriend, Kibō Ishimaru. He had on an ashen gray sweatshirt and pants, and had brown hair, with an 'ahoge' sticking up from it. He was a straightforward and studious young man who had finished at the top of the Artisans' class once they'd graduated. His naivete towards more adult subjects, coupled with his stubborn hairstyle, often made him the butt of jokes from the rest of the group (namely Kat). The son of former politician Kabu and wrestling queen Kyoko, he was studying to become a lawyer.
"I'm fine, Keeb. Just tired." Barbara replied half-heartedly.
"Now we both know that's not it, don't we? You've been this way ever since you got back."
"I'm fine. I'm used to my brother leaving."
"Barb..."
"Go. I'm gonna do some cleaning to get my mind on something else. I'll be fine."
"You sure you don't want to come with? Beachfront air should do the trick, too."
"No. I'm alright. Can't let it get too messy around here, you know."
"Barb, come on..."
"Keeb...just go. I want to be alone, OK?" Barbara was on the verge of tears.
Realizing he wasn't going to win this, Kibō relented. "I'll see you in a while." He got his things and walked out.
"....." Barbara got up. "I really should get to that cleaning...after bed, probably..."
She went back to her room, a light blue bedroom filled with musical posters and assorted memorabilia. She sat down on her bed. On her nightstand was a framed photo of a little blonde-haired girl and a little brown-haired boy, hugging each other. The words 'Twins, a built-in best friend!' were written on the frame.
She thought about calling her mother, but she knew that Saturday mornings were for working out and decompressing. She settled for trying to sleep it off. She put her head on her pillow and slowly drifted off.
.....
"You know a frown doesn't suit you, beautiful."
Barbara jarred awake. Sitting at the foot of her bed was a black cat with glowing pink eyes. "Meow."
"BAH!" Barbara tumbled out of bed, scrambling to her feet. "What are you doing here?!"
"Popping in for a visit." Kat replied.
"That's not--you're supposed to be in London!"
"And I'm gonna fly back there tonight. This was on the way back from Japan." Kat returned to her human form. 
"Why does it smell like lavender in here?" Tabby walked past, drinking from a bottle of water. "Oh, hello! You must be Barbara. Kitty Kat says such lovely things about you!"
"Gah! Who the heck?!" Barbara exclaimed.
"I let her in. This is Tabby. She's my new friend." Kat replied.
"Couldn't you have knocked first?! So I'd be in something other than my underwear?!"
"Oh, bother! So sorry, I didn't mean to be dirty!" Tabby covered her eyes.
"I kinda did." Kat uttered.
Barbara threw her pillow at her. "Out! Jeez!" She blushed.
Kat and Tabby waited in the living room. Barbara stepped out, now wearing sweatpants. "Y'know, even looking like you literally just crawled out of bed, you're still a 10/10." Kat said.
"Save the teasing for some other time. Why are you here?" Barbara demanded.
"Okay. Me and Tabs were gonna head straight home. But I didn't get a good feeling from you after you left. I had to see how you were doing."
"How does it look like I'm doing?"
"Your studly boyfriend offers you a beach day, and you're in here moping around by your lonesome. You tell me."
"You're eavesdropping on me now?"
"We passed by him on his way out. Kitty Kat got a feel for his biceps. You're a very lucky girl on that front. That stem sticking out of his head is another matter." Tabby commented.
"You're feeling up Keeb again?"
"Well you won't let me near your legs, so I have to get my fun from somewhere." Kat replied.
"Go home, Kitty Kat. I'm not in the mood. Maxie's gone, and there's nothing you can do to bring him back. I can take care of myself until whenever they feel like leaving him alone."
Barbara turned to head back to her room. Kat got up and got in her way. "Nope."
"Seriously?"
"The last time Sparky vanished, I lost you for over a year. That's not gonna happen again. So turn that cute butt of yours around and let me take care of you."
"Are you ever gonna stop talking like you want to make out with me?"
"Not in a million years. Now sit."
Barbara relented, and sat on the couch next to Tabby. Kat looked her straight in the eyes.
"...do you want me to move?" Tabby asked.
"Give us a minute." Kat replied.
"I'll just head to that ice cream parlor we passed on the way here." Tabby walked out. Kat took her seat.
"What are you gonna tell me? How it's gonna be fine? That you're gonna find a way to bring him home? That he'll be back by Christmas and we can have the big family holiday we haven't had in years?" Barbara teared up. "You always have the answers, Kitty Kat. Tell me...how do I make it stop hurting?"
"...I don't have the answer, Barbie. I can't give you any easy fix. The only thing I can give you is a bestie's shoulder to cry on. I couldn't help you the last time, and I wish I could stay here longer. I'm sorry I keep letting you down." Kat replied.
"'Letting me down'? You've gone out of your way just to be here with me! And all I ever give you is more tears! I can't go through this again, Kitty Kat. It took me forever to get myself together again. Is having a happy family just too much to ask for?"
"You can still have one. Even if your bro is gone for a while. Know what you need to do?" Kat picked Barbara's phone up from the couch's arm. "Call Bookie. And call your mommy. Cuz they're hurting right now, too. Family's there for each other, even when you're far away. They need your pretty voice as much as you need theirs."
"They're probably busy--"
"Barbara Dana Jadefang, you call your mom and your probably-future-sister-in-law right now. Don't make me use the kitty eyes."
Barbara grumbled. "Not even my mom uses my middle name...Ibuki's probably asleep by now, anyway..."
She called Ibuki first, not expecting her to pick up. It was already around midnight in Tokyo. To her surprise, Ibuki answered after only a couple of dials. "Hey, Barbie. What's up?"
"Oh, hey, I wasn't expecting you to answer right away. Sorry, did I wake you up?"
"Nah, I haven't gone to bed yet. Sunday's my off day, so it's not like I've gotta get up early. Besides, I've been having trouble sleeping..."
"Yeah, me too. How are you holding up?"
"I'm holding. No other way to put it. Felt like everything was falling into place and then *POOF* there's the wrench. Kanae-chan's been asking me 'When's Uncle Maxie coming back?' It sucks."
"I'm sorry. There's nothing short of him coming back that would fix all this."
"It sucks cuz everything's going so good. With all the money we're gonna come into from that pharmaceutical asshole, between what he did to Mom and Dad and everything relating to Kaede and Kanae-chan, we're gonna be set for the long haul. We're looking into maybe getting Kanae-chan into the same school Shizuka-chan goes to. And before he went away, Maxie and I were talking about maybe getting our own place. I mean, we can't room with my sister forever, right?"
"That'd be wonderful...if only..."
"Hey, Barb?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad that you called me. Honestly, I was going back and forth all day about if I should call you up or not. I didn't want to be a bother."
"No no, I'm happy to talk. Really."
"And another thing...even if Maxie's not back by then, I still wanna see you perform. Kitty Kat's been hyping you up for long enough that I've gotta see it for myself. That'd be okay, right?"
"Of course! You're welcome to come see me whenever. Nothing's gonna change that."
"Thanks, Barbie. That really means a lot. Thanks again for the talk. Family's gotta be there for each other when times get tough. It's how I've survived this long. So you know it goes both ways, right? You and Ms. Annie can still come by for Christmas. That doesn't gotta change."
"That'd make me really happy. We can be one big family, no matter what."
"That's what I wanna hear. We'll get through this. He'll be back, and it'll all be okay. Alright, I've gotta get to bed. Sending you a big hug. Pass it along to Ms. Annie, too, alright?"
"You've got it. Take care, Ibuki. Good night."
The call ended. "I'm sorry, was that a bit of sparkle I saw in your eyes?" Kat teased.
"You're imagining it."
"You heard the lady. Pass it along to Mama."
"She's probably busy..."
"Too busy to talk with her baby? I don't think so. She'll *make* time."
Arguing with Kat was a losing prospect. Always was. Barbara relented, and called her mother. Sure enough, she picked up even quicker than Ibuki had. "Hello?"
"Hi, Mama. Are you busy?"
"Hi, Moonbeam. I'm never too busy to talk to you. I just got done with a run. Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine, I just...wanted to talk to you for a bit."
"Okay. What's on your mind?"
"Well..." Barbara paused.
"It's about your brother, isn't it?" Annette questioned.
"Yeah..."
"I knew it. I can't get him off of my mind, either. It's starting to feel like the boy's been cursed. Everything I'd hear from him was so encouraging. 'I'm getting along with everybody, Mama, it's going great. Me and Ibuki are talking about getting our own place, and I've been thinking about looking at colleges. I'm starting to feel happy for the first time in a while.' Everything a mom wants to hear. But there's always a 'but', isn't there?"
"We'd just gotten past this situation with him. It's the not knowing that's the worst. I'm sure he can take care of himself, but I don't even know what kind of place they took him to."
"You two experienced everything together. You're not wrong to be worried. I know that I raised a strong boy with stronger ideals. But I also know he can be his own worst enemy. And if he gets into trouble, none of your troupe can be there to get him out of it."
"All we can do is hope it goes okay for him. But it's never that easy with Maxie, is it?"
"Never is. We just have to be there for each other in the meantime. I've been thinking of checking in with Ibuki. You think she's still awake?"
"I actually just got done talking to her. I think she'd really appreciate talking to you, too. I'd hurry up before she falls asleep."
"I think I'll do just that. Thanks for the call, Moonbeam. Don't forget about your poor Mama. Call me whenever. I love you."
"I will, Mama. Love you, too. Bye-bye."
The call ended.
"Feel better?" Kat asked.
"A little." Barbara replied.
"Help is always just a phone call away. I know it doesn't bring Sparky back, but you've gotta keep your spirits up til he does. Or else he's gonna walk back into a pit of misery. Gucci?"
"Gucci."
"Now, if you're still down in the dumps, I've got something in mind that can be mutually rewarding..."
A few minutes later, Tabby returned to the apartment, strawberry ice cream in hand. She walked through the door. "Okay, is everything all--ummm."
Barbara was lying on the couch. Kat, in feline form, was sitting blissfully in her lap. Barbara was petting her. "Mrraaaaawr~."
"She wore me down." Barbara said.
"These leggies are even more divine from up close! 14/10 would meow again."
"Good grief." Tabby uttered.
---
Kibō returned home a while later. "Welp, that guy with the 'Your tapioca is haunted' sign was back at it again--"
"Mmmrawr, bosoms..." Kat was still in feline form, lying on top of Barbara.
"She isn't letting me up, big guy." Barbara uttered.
"I was afraid this day was coming." Kibō responded.
"Oh, poor, poor, Keebie." Kat hopped off the couch and trotted up to Kibō. "Knowing that someday, a pretty kitty was gonna waltz in and steal yo girl. And there would be nothing you could do..." She walked behind him, then shifted back into a human, before grabbing him from behind. "...but surrender your moobs to me!"
"Gah! Knock it off! You know they're sensitive..." Kibō uttered under his breath.
Kat patted him on the shoulder. "Getting you to admit it makes it all worth it, ya doof. I'm kidding, love yooooou."
"I think you've been doing the cat act for too long, I'm starting to think you're in heat."
"Nah. I'm in an apartment with a bunch of beautiful people, and I can't control myseeeeelf." She brushed a finger across his chest.
"Is this...normal? When she's around you?" Tabby asked.
"I know what to expect from Kitty Kat. She's being a bit more frisky than usual, though." Barbara replied.
"Well, my theory is that it's because she's been away from Carrie and Natty for a week. All of that pent-up affection needs to go somewhere."
"Sheezus, Keebie. I could grate cheese on these abs." Kat rubbed her fingers on Kibō's chest.
"At what point does this become a crime?" he questioned.
A few minutes and chest pokes later...
"So let me get this straight...so this girl..." Kibō said.
"She has a name." Kat interrupted.
"Which I'd know if you weren't rushing to run past me. Somehow still finding time to spank me."
"I can always make time for dat ass, homeboy."
"Right." Kibō brushed it off.
"You know, you could've mentioned her having a Persona. That seems, I dunno, kind of important?" Barbara asked.
"I wouldn't have brought her around our chaotic mess if she wasn't totally on board. I came here mainly to check in on you, but I wanted you guys to meet Tabs, too. She can be kinda...eager. But she's super smart, and really fun to be around. I've got some things to take care of before we fly out tonight, and I'd really like you guys to get to know her better. Everyone else has met her already. And she *really* wanted to meet you, Barbie. Pleeeease?" Kat asked.
Barbara and Kibō looked to the couch. Tabby was sitting cross-legged, rocking back and forth and looking around curiously. "This apartment is *screaming* for a pet. Maybe a puppy!"
"We're not getting a puppy." Kibō replied.
"I mean I wouldn't be opposed to a puppy." Barbara chimed.
"We're not getting a puppy." Kibō reiterated.
Kat left to tend to her errands. Barbara sat down next to Tabby. Kibō stood nearby, bouncing around a rubber ball designed to look like a globe. "So, Tabby...I'm gonna sound like I'm interviewing you for a job now. Tell us a little about yourself." Barbara asked.
"Okay. I'm a bit of a science fanatic. Mum is a veterinarian, Dad is an astrophysicist. I'm studying zoology so that one day I can teach conservation in school." Tabby replied.
"That sounds awesome! An animal lover, I'm guessing?"
"Absolutely! With my Mum's job, I grew up around animals. She breeds cats on the side. You can get the 'tabby cat' jokes out now. I've been hearing them forever."
"I guess your house must be filled with them, huh?"
"Yes and no. My Mum's house in Wolverhampton is filled with them. My apartment in London only has one. She's the only one I can say is mine. You want to take a look?"
"Sure!"
"Right on. As you can imagine, I've got plenty of pictures." Tabby took out her phone. "This is Khukki, my loving furbaby."
"Oh my gosh, she looks so regal! Is she a Siamese?"
"She is! I found her as a kitten on a trip to Thailand. Don't let the air of royalty deceive you. She's the most affectionate little thing."
"Has she met Natty's cat?" Kibō asked.
"Mmhmm. They had a little playdate. Siamese love the company of other cats. I'm grateful to find another cat that's so affectionate. Of course, it's nothing compared to her owner. I've never met anyone so fond of hugs before."
"That's our Natty. Her positivity is infectious." Barbara replied.
"Sure wasn't like that when we met her." Kibō added.
"Anyway, I'm curious about this trip to Thailand you mentioned. Do you go traveling a lot?"
"Quite a bit, actually. The Thailand trip was one of the few that was voluntary." Tabby replied.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Most of my childhood was spent moving around. Dad would always go somewhere else in search of inspiration. He probably thought it was the coolest thing. It was when I was a little girl. Not so much when you're a young woman in need of stability. My parents split up because of it. Mum just couldn't stand being away from home anymore."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I can understand going through a contentious split. Do they not get along at all?"
"It's...not what you'd call positive. Though recent events have forced them to be a little more civil. I take it that Kitty Kat didn't tell you the circumstances under which I found out about your Metaverse exploits?"
"She never told us about you having a Persona, period." Kibō replied.
Tabby took a deep breath.
"It's okay. We've all gone through rough times. Our little family unit got us through them. You're part of it now, too. We're all ears." Barbara reassured.
"Kitty Kat was right about you." Tabby said. "Alright. The parental situation was stressful enough. But the real horror came from somewhere else. I was in a relationship with a guy named Calvin. He eventually became so possessive that I left him and moved to London to stay with Dad while I went to uni. The day that Kat introduced me to her mates, I went back to my apartment late. Calvin had broken into it. He..." Tabby shuddered. 
"Easy does it." Barbara grabbed her hand.
"He...stabbed me in my side. Forced me into his car...tossed me into the trunk...and drove it into the Thames river."
"Oh my God..."
"How did you ever get out of that?" Kibō asked.
"You should already know. Kat felt that I was in danger, and she came looking. Natty pulled the car out of the river with her power. If it weren't for them, I'd still be in that river. My parents might never have known what had happened. Natty, Carrie and Kenneth took me to the hospital. Kat did what she does. She hunted Calvin down, scared him half to death and left him for the police. That was the night I learned what kind of soul she is." Tabby explained.
"The best kind. She can be touchy..." Barbara said.
"To put it lightly." Kibō chimed in.
"But nobody questions her heart. Or her loyalty. How's your recovery going?"
"Physically, it's going alright. I mean..." Tabby lifted her shirt enough to reveal a stitched-up wound on her side. "The reminder's going to be there for a while yet. But I felt so violated by what happened. I spend as little time as possible at the apartment. That's a horrible feeling to have! Home is supposed to be your fortress, but it just doesn't feel that way anymore. Not only that, it's damaged my sense of trust. I've always been something of a romantic, but to have someone I once had feelings for do something so heinous..."
Tabby started to tear up. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I promised I wouldn't cry. It's such an embarrassing thing..."
"Sweetie, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I couldn't tell you how many tears we've shed around each other. You can't keep those awful feelings buried. Keep going. You're doing great."
"Okay...I felt so wounded after leaving the hospital. The girls tried to make me feel comfortable. Even let me stay at their home because mine felt so unsafe." Tabby looked Barbara in the eye. "Kat adores you, you know that? I thought it was odd that she wanted to take me to karaoke, of all things."
"Oh. That's, uh, yeah...that's our thing."
"She had a Freudian slip. She called me Barbara."
"Oh...oh."
"If I were Care, I'd start questioning who Kat thinks her girlfriend is." Kibō commented.
Barbara took off one of her slippers and waved it at him.
"Please, you're not a Hispanic grandma, you're not gonna throw--"
She threw it, hitting his rubber ball mid-toss, knocking it away.
".....yeah I deserved that."
"You can apologize with dinner." Barbara turned back to Tabby. "Sorry about that. So she called you by my name. How'd you take it?"
"I got sucked into the Metaverse out of emotional distress." Tabby replied.
"Not well, got it."
"Kat and the others got me through it. I started to take more control of my life. Everything felt so liberating. Then a week ago, I go with the group on a mission into the Metaverse. I see and hear some of the most heinous things imaginable. You have to understand, I grew up very sheltered from the evils of the world. My parents made sure I had a safe and fun upbringing. Within the span of a month, I was brutally assaulted and left for dead, then came face-to-face with an unapologetically evil man bragging about the lives he'd ruined for the sake of petty revenge. My entire worldview was crushed. I don't know if I can handle this sort of lifestyle for a long period. How did you ever cope with it?"
"...I couldn't." Barbara replied. "Did Kat tell you about...my brother?"
"The rather downcast boy with the scar on his face? I met him. And, ah...kicked him."
"You *kicked* him?"
"And you didn't film it?" Kibō asked.
Barbara took off her other slipper and threw it at him. "What's with the violence today?!" he questioned.
"Behave." Barbara turned to Tabby. "Why did you kick Max?"
"Kat said he was her ex, and I'd just had a horrific experience, so my emotions got the better of me for a moment. My apologies." Tabby replied.
"No, it's alright. God knows I've wanted to kick him myself a few times. But back on track. I'm in the same boat as you. I've never been a fan of hurting anyone. My mom always taught me the value of life. My doubts about what we were doing started at the end of our first year at the academy. During a mission against a group that had been tormenting us all year, me, Kenny and Sahir were fighting a really powerful enemy. We were close to dying. I...had no choice but to end that enemy's life. I knew I had to do it to save my friends. I knew that our enemies had been around for so long that they welcomed the end. It didn't make it better in my mind."
"Taking a life is something that shouldn't be taken for granted."
"Exactly. Over the next year, I started getting less and less comfortable. I tried to hide it, but when we found out what Max had been doing...it broke me. I begged...PLEADED...for him to stop. He didn't. He lost, and he vanished. By the next week, I'd withdrawn from the academy. I went home. I ran."
"You didn't run. You took care of yourself. Nobody blamed you for that. It hurt for a while. I felt like I'd failed. I know Kat felt the same way. But you had to go where you needed to be. No one was mad at you for doing that." Kibō retorted.
"Thanks, big guy. So, Tabby. Don't feel ashamed or guilty about not wanting to hurt anyone or see awful things. You're not alone in feeling that way. Never be afraid to express that. OK?"
"Ah..." Tabby was awestruck. "It really wasn't hyperbole from Kat. You really are angelic."
"I wouldn't go that far. Mama might've just mixed in an extra teaspoon of sugar when she was making me. Aww, come here, hon." Barbara gave Tabby a hug. "You know what would do the two of us a lot of good? A good old-fashioned LA shopping trip."
"Ooooh, that would be splendid! I'm not what you'd call fashionable, certainly nowhere near Carrie or Natty, but it sounds like a right cracker of a time!"
"Lucky for you, I know all the cutest little clothing and cosmetic shops around here. I'm a bit more fashionable than the girl you found in her underwear this morning."
"Sorry I missed that." Kibō muttered.
"Tabby, hon, could you hand me your shoe for a sec?"
"Um, certainly. I only brought the one pair, so be careful." Tabby reached down to pick up one of her sneakers.
"I'll buy you a new pair."
"Alright, alright, I get the picture! I'm hopping in the shower. Have fun throwing your shoes at somebody else." Kibō walked away.
Kat walked back into the apartment. "Yo-ho, beautiful people. How's everybody getting on?"
"I think me and Ms. Fairweather just struck up a beautiful friendship." Barbara replied.
"We're going to go shopping if you want to come with." Tabby suggested.
"Honey, it ain't a question of 'if'." Kat replied.
"I've been *starving* for a girl's day. Give me a few minutes to get into something cute. This is gonna be faaaab~." Barbara went to her room.
"GOD I missed that sparkly air!" Kat excitedly said.
"You were right about her, Kitty Kat. What a good heart she has. I can see why you love her so much." Tabby said.
"I'd give everything to see her bubbly again. I'm so stoked that you guys hit it off. Really warms my heart. Say...where's the stud hiding?"
"He went to go take a shower."
"Shower, huh?" Kat got a mischievous look.
"Kitty Kaaaaat."
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Obviously."
"That smirk tells a very different story."
---
"Okay...what do you think?" Barbara asked. The girls were inside of a boutique.
Tabby was dressed in a green blouse with white dots, along with a white skirt, and looked into a mirror. "Hmm..." She struck several dramatic poses, even bending backwards to 'walk' on all fours.
"Uhh...is everything alright?" 
Tabby jolted back up. "I look so cute! I love it! I feel like inviting all the girls over to my apartment for tea and not being ashamed of it!"
"Keep aiming high, Tabby. Maybe tone it down with the poses, just a bit. I'll put these in the 'Yes' pile. Okay, try this one on. I think it's gonna suit you a ton."
"Wait, this is a full-on dress! When am I ever..."
"There's always gonna be an opportunity to wear a really pretty dress. A fancy party, a nice concert...Mr. Right coming along~." 
"Duuuuuh..." Tabby stuttered.
Barbara giggled. "You're in the care of another romantic, hon. Go give it a try."
"O-okay." Tabby went into the changing room.
"(Ahh, feels so nice to have a fun shopping day with friends again. Makes me feel like things are gonna be fine, after all.)" Barbara thought. "(Still, I wonder where Kitty Kat ran off to. She's only gonna be here until tonight. How many errands can she have?)"
"Alright...give me your verdict." Tabby emerged wearing an orange dress. She was blushing.
"Oh my gosh, you're so pretty! It came out really nice."
"You're exaggerating..."
"No, I'm serious! If Kitty Kat was here, she'd probably have fainted. At the very least, a nosebleed." 
They both looked in the mirror, Barbara grabbing Tabby by the shoulder. "It does make me look pretty..."
"Sweets, it's just enhancing what's already there. That's what a good outfit does. You satisfied?"
"Mmhmm."
"Great! Get changed, and I'm gonna get these ringed up."
"Alright."
The girls made their purchases and left the shop. Barbara got a text from Kat. 
"'Still getting some things together, meet you in about 20 min -- 🐈‍⬛'"
"Well, looks like we're gonna be waiting for a bit. There's a café right around the corner, we can wait there." Barbara said.
The girls got an outside table at the nearby café. "I have to thank you again for such a lovely time. You're even nicer than Kat portrays you to be, and that's quite the accomplishment." Tabby said.
"Oh, now you're starting to sound like her. Always with the flattery. You were all starry-eyed like you'd never done this before." Barbara replied.
"I actually never have. The nomadic lifestyle makes it hard to have those kinds of deep friendship moments."
"Well I'm glad to give you a new experience~. How about we chat a little more? I've already asked you a bunch. Now it can be your turn."
"I honestly don't know what to ask. Kat has told me so much about you already, I felt like I already knew you before we'd even met. I guess..." Tabby's eyes turned to the band around Barbara's right wrist, which was made of tan fabric and had pictures of bear faces stitched into it. "Oh, this is cute."
"Thanks, it's a gift from my mom. In her culture, bears are symbols of courage. Plus, my school's mascot is a bruin, so it fits."
"I was actually a bit curious about that. I noticed some of the decorations in your apartment, along with those feathery earrings you're wearing. And your last name. Are you Native American?"
"Yeah, partially. Cherokee, specifically. Mama's half. She's very proud of it, and I've been learning a ton about where I came from ever since I started high school. We didn't really get to embrace our culture much when my father was around. Did Maxie tell you anything about our home life growing up?"
"He mentioned that your father was a violent alcoholic who abused you all. And that your brother wanted him dead. Tell me...was your brother the one who..."
"No. Our father died in a drunk driving accident. He did it to himself. He was an animal when he got drunk. Max and Mama both got beat up pretty bad more than once. But me...he kept his hands off of me. It was because of them. They took the hits so that I wouldn't. I hold a lot of guilt over that. Oh, he'd do such horrible things to Maxie. Hurting him, humiliating him, making him feel less than worthless. If none of that ever happened, Maxie never would've..."
Barbara shook her head. "I hate thinking about that time. And it's not my place to talk about what he did to my brother. I spent the year he was away trying to make myself 'me' again. I'm finally at a point where I feel like I can act again..."
"Act? Oh, that's right! Kitty Kat mentioned that you were a stage girl." Tabby replied, seeing an opening to change the subject.
"Yeah, that's right. Singing, dancing, acting, I do a little bit of everything. I'm gonna be in the university production of 'The Snow Queen' later in the year. I'm playing the...well...Snow Queen. I'm honestly super nervous about it. I've never played the villain before."
"You're used to playing the princess, aren't you?"
Barbara looked away. "Noooo..."
"I knew it! You have that aura about you. Could you give us a performance before we leave?"
"I think I can arrange that~."
Kat arrived with a few bags in-hand. "Sorry 'bout the delay. I had to fight some peeps for some goodies. You girlies getting along okay?"
"Like we've been mates for years. Barbara agreed to sing a tune for us before we leave tonight!" Tabby exclaimed.
"A better treat, I can't think of. On that note..." Kat reached into a bag. "I know it's still a couple of weeks away, but I thought I'd give you your birthday gift while I'm here."
"Aww, Kitty Kat, you didn't have to." Barbara said. "Oh, *hello*."
Kat handed her a CD case. 'Salt-N-Pepa: Best Hits'.
"Oh my goodness..."
"Ya know what we're gonna do tonight, girlfriend." Kat said.
"We're gonna shoop?"
"Mmm, we're gonna *shoop*."
Barbara's phone started ringing. She picked it up. "Hey, big guy. Everything okay?"
"Hey, so...I'm not entirely sure. You guys need to come over to Venice Beach. Sooner than later." Kibō said.
"What's up?" Kat questioned.
"Well...there's this girl here. She just walked out of the water."
"You do realize you're at a beach, right Keebie?"
"This isn't a normal swimmer. She started talking to the crabs scuttling around the beach. Like, carrying on full conversations with them."
"This feels normal for Venice Beach." Barbara replied.
"I'm not at the reason you need to come here. I asked her what her deal was, and she told me she was looking for...Barbara O'Donnell. That the sea told her that she was here. That this Barbara was her mother."
The girls were quiet.
"Thought that would be your reaction. She's waiting here. I'd get here quick if I were you."
The girls looked at each other. "How is this..." Barbara pondered.
"Guess there's only one way to find out. I can already smell hijinks." Kat replied.
"There's never a dull moment with you all, is there?" Tabby questioned.
---
The girls went by the apartment to drop off their things, before hurrying over to the beach where Kibō was waiting. "Hey. She's waiting over there." He pointed.
Over by the border between the sand and the walking path was a bench, and sitting there was a young woman with mid-length, curled, silver hair, wearing a blue-and-yellow two-piece bathing suit. She was staring straight ahead.
The group approached. "Hey. I brought her here like you asked. This is Barbara. I don't think she's who you're looking for." Kibō said.
It was now that Barbara realized that the girl had white irises in her eyes. Her staring ahead and lack of reaction to their arrival made sense. "Is she...blind?"
"Is now. Wasn't when she came out of the water."
"What's that supposed to--"
"Hello, Barbara." the girl spoke softly. 
"Ah...hi. Keeb told me that you were looking for a 'Barbara O'Donnell' that was your mom."
"That's right. I followed the ocean's voice, and she brought me here. I can tell that you aren't my mother. Even the ocean feels different. Her voice...I can hardly recognize it."
Kat noticed that the girl's swimsuit was labeled with three familiar letters. "'P.D.F.' Where have we seen that before?"
"Ah! That must stand for 'Planetary Defense Force'. So this girl must be from that group, too. That would mean..." Tabby surmised.
"She's from the same universe as that old man Max. How'd she get here, though?"
"Universe...that would explain it all. So you aren't my mother." The girl put her hand on Barbara's face. "So similar...but so different. Barbara...could you come with me to the water? I'm much more comfortable there. I can explain as much as I know."
"Um...alright." Barbara agreed. "You need me to help you?"
"I can hear her call and follow it. But if you wouldn't mind keeping me from bumping into people."
The girl grabbed Barbara's hand, and the two walked over to the water. Without hesitation, the girl leapt in. She came back up, and opened her eyes, which were now a shimmering blue. "Ah...much better. Saltwater clears my sight. Now that I can see...oh. You look about my age. Probably younger. Definitely not my mother."
"Who are you? If you're really from that other world, how'd you get here?" Barbara asked.
The girl caught sight of Kat. "...! That hair...Emily? No, I'm clearly mistaken. What a confounding few days. In any case. My name is Candice O'Donnell. A few days ago, I was at sea, visiting my father. Then all of a sudden, there was a flash of light, and...I was here. Off the coast of Japan, specifically. My father's home was nowhere to be found. Mother Ocean's voice sounded so different. But she knows so much. I spent days making my way here to find a 'Barbara O'Donnell'. And so, here I am."
"Dammit, Sparky." Kat mumbled.
"You swam all the way here from Japan?" Kibō questioned.
"And you can only see when you're in the ocean?" Tabby added.
"*And* you can talk to crabs?" Kat piled on.
"I can talk to so much more than crabs. I'm attuned to each one of the ocean's voices. My father's magic is suited to life in the open ocean, and that magic was passed on to me." Candice answered.
"Is your dad *Aquaman*?"
"Nothing quite so dramatic. But I do have a rather pressing problem."
"You mean how you have no way to get home." Tabby said.
"Father will no doubt be extremely concerned that I just vanished, and my mother will be expecting me back soon. Mother Ocean tells me much, but even she knows little about pathways to other universes. Do you know anyone who could help me? You must know of my world if you recognize the P.D.F. logo."
"Well, see...one of our friends--" Kat began.
"My brother." Barbara interjected.
"Her brother accidentally opened up a portal that brought your world's Max here. And apparently you, as well. There's really no way that we know of that would replicate it. And your uncle has already returned to your world." Tabby explained.
"Along with our Max." Kibō added.
"I...see. So I'm effectively trapped here." Candice uttered.
"Maybe not. There's one person I know who might have the right connections to get you back. Course, from what I hear, she's kinda 'grounded', but there's literally no one else on this planet that would know." Kat replied.
She placed a call. "Hello?" Rose answered.
"Hey, Doc. We've got a bit of a situation here..."
Kat went on to explain the events of the last few minutes.
"I see. Trapped with no way to return home. I would normally offer my services, but unfortunately, I'm in a predicament, myself."
"What sort of 'predicament'?" Barbara asked.
"I think it would be best to show you. Turn on the video chat, Ms. Kit."
Kat did so. What appeared on the screen stunned the group. Rose's platinum hair was now jet black, her golden eyes now hazel brown. "You don't need to say anything. I'm well aware." 
"Doc...are you trying something different with your fashion?" Kat asked.
"That's what I've had to tell Academy officials. The reality of it is, I didn't go unpunished for the incident last week. For the foreseeable future, my powers have been sealed." Rose lifted her arm to show the silver band on her wrist. "And yes, I *do* feel like more of an alien now. In spite of looking like any woman you'd see walking down the street."
"I'm sorry, Dr. Rose. That portal messed up things for a lot of people." Barbara said.
"Nobody could have foreseen it happening, Ms. Jadefang. I can accept the consequences for however long they last. Even if my mother did gloat about how I look more like her now."
"That's how moms be, Doc...hey, wait, that's it! Couldn't you ask your mom to help out with this? She reports to that frat looking guy that runs this whole multiverse thing, right?" Kat asked.
"That much I can still do. Knowing their reaction to the incident last week, they'll want this to be corrected posthaste. I would keep an eye on Ms. O'Donnell in the meantime." Rose looked annoyed. "And you all can stop looking at me like that. I've already had to darken my wardrobe to better suit this hair. It's *incredibly* annoying."
"No one here's judging you, Doc."
"Out loud." Kibō uttered, illiciting an elbow to his gut by Barbara.
"I'll get to alerting Mother. Then I can return to stewing. Enjoy Los Angeles." Rose hung up.
"Is she always that cranky?" Tabby questioned.
"I wouldn't call it 'cranky'. More like how maids and butlers are in shows and movies. That kind of snarky." Barbara replied.
"Well, Ariel, you should be out of here in no--" Kat looked up.
Candice was further out to sea. "Don't worry, I heard it all! I'll be here when someone comes to take me home!" she waved.
"But you've been out in the ocean for days! Don't you need any rest?" Barbara asked.
"I understand your concern, but I'm fine! The sea is where I'm most comfortable! Don't worry, I won't go far! Be seeing you!" Candice dove into the water.
"And there she goes. Starting to think there ain't a normal one from that bunch." Kat surmised.
"You could say the same about *our* bunch." Kibō replied.
"True, true."
---
Later that night, Barbara was awake in her bed. Her thoughts turned to a few hours before. 
"(I'll let you know when we've landed.)" Kat assured her.
"(I think I've done more flying in this last week than I ever have in my entire life. And that's saying a lot!)" Tabby proclaimed.
Barbara remembered the tight hug she'd gotten from her best friend. The promise that they'd see each other again soon, and that she'd tell Carrie, Natalia and Kenneth that the pair were doing okay. Kat hung on for what seemed like forever. Same with Tabby, thanking Barbara for the fun shopping day.
"(I love you to the moon and back, Barbie. If you ever need anything, I'll always be there. That's never gonna change. I'm always a phone call away. See ya for Jingle Bell Time.)" Kat said to her.
Barbara knew she couldn't stay around forever. She had to go back to Carrie sometime. But it hadn't taken long for the loneliness to creep back in.
There was something else dwelling inside of her head. Something that had happened earlier in the day that she couldn't get out of her mind.
She checked the time. Half past 11. There'd still be plenty of people out on a Saturday. She got out of bed and got changed.
Kibō was asleep on the sofa. Barbara nudged him. "Hey, big guy."
"Mmmph...Barb? What's going--" He blinked. "Why are you in your swimsuit?"
Barbara was wearing a blue jacket over a light blue one-piece bathing suit. "I wanted to go check on Candice. I'm not okay with her being out there alone."
"She swam all the way from Japan to here and started talking to crabs. She's obviously fine with being in the water."
"But she's not from around here! What if something happens and she ends up on-shore where she can't see anything? And she's so far away from her family...I can't leave her out there alone."
"Barb--"
"Please, Keeb. I've had this buzzing feeling in my head ever since meeting her. This feeling that I'm supposed to look after her. The other me is her mom. If this was the other way around, I wouldn't want her out in a strange place by herself. I can't stand the thought of her being alone..."
Kibō sighed. "Let me throw something on. No way am I letting you go down there by yourself."
"Thanks, big guy."
"I don't like the idea of her just sitting out there by herself, either. I wouldn't want some drunk idiots harassing her. I still don't know if she's got the kind of power to defend herself. Give me a minute and we'll head out there."
The two departed for the beach shortly after. Though there was still some activity around the pier, the spot where they'd been earlier was deserted. They looked out to the water.
"Not a soul around. Do you think she wandered off after all?" Kibō wondered.
Just then, a familiar face poked her head out from beneath the waves. "Hello! Did you come back to see me? I'm so happy you did!" Candice chimed.
"I didn't want you to be out here alone. So...here I am. Close to midnight in a bathing suit." Barbara replied.
"I'm glad that you were concerned, but it's alright! I have plenty of company out here. Why don't you come in?"
"Barb." Kibō cautiously said.
"I'm going in, Keeb." Barbara stated.
"You don't know what's swimming around in there."
"I trust her. If she says it's alright..."
"If there's even a single hint of fishy business, I'm getting you out of there."
Barbara took off her jacket. She took a breath. "I'm really about to do this."
"Don't be so fearful, it's actually not that cold! It's going to be fine, I promise!" Candice assured.
Knowing fully well that cold water would be the *least* of her worries, Barbara stopped hesitating, stepping into the ocean and swimming out until her feet could barely touch the bottom.
"Oh, I'm so happy you came to keep me company! To be honest, after you left I wanted to follow you, but, well...losing all visual functions outside of the ocean would've made that difficult. I must seem so bizarre to you, no?" Candice asked.
"N-no, I don't think so. You remind me of a mermaid. Just without the fish tail. And, I...I feel something when I'm around you. Like...I don't know how to describe it." Barbara said.
"'Buzzing familiarity' is how I would describe it. Give me your hands. I'd like to show you who I am."
Barbara held out her hands. Candice took them. 
"I'm not just attuned to Mother Ocean. I'm attuned to how people are feeling. And I'm feeling...sadness in you. Fear and confusion...your heart is in turmoil. What's troubling you?"
"It's...my brother. He's in your world now. He brought your Max here by accident. And I guess you, too. So now he has to prove himself in your universe."
"I see...if you and him are anything like Mother and Uncle Max, then you must be incredibly tight-knit."
"For most of our lives, we've been inseparable. But these last two years, I've barely seen him. Things were starting to feel normal again, but now he's gone. I'm just so scared that I'll never see him again..."
"It's alright to worry about him. Fearing for someone is proof that you love them, isn't it? If he's in the care of my uncle, then he'll be alright. Father has a saying about people being separated by fate. If your belief is deep enough, then surely fate will bring you together again."
Candice could see the emotion in Barbara's eyes. She held her hands tighter. "That's not all there is to it, is it? It's not just fear for your brother. You're afraid of something else. Something inside of you."
"...it's my power. I hate hurting people. But more than once, I've lost control of my power and done serious damage to others. I want to make people feel happy. The idea that I can get upset and hurt someone...it makes me not want to use my power at all."
"You've been given a gift, Barbara. Where I come from, everyone can use some level of magic. People often question why they were given the particular gifts they received. And with that comes some level of fear. But I learned long ago that my abilities aren't something to be scared of. I'm one with the sea's bounty. All that she holds, is all that I am. And there's not a one of her subjects that I don't count among my friends."
Candice became alerted to something. She turned around to look. "Ah, here's one now."
Kibō could see it from where he was standing. There was no mistaking what the large gray fin sticking out of the water meant. "Barbara..."
"W-w-we need to get out of the water!" Barbara, terrified, uttered.
"No we don't." Candice calmly replied.
The fin came closer to the girls.
"I'm not waiting another--" Kibō started for the water.
"STOP." There was an echo in Candice's voice, as a wall of seawater rose up, stopping Kibō in his tracks.
The water came back down. "Apologies for being so forward. But please give me a minute." Candice said. 
The fin stopped in front of her. Its owner, a large white shark. Candice's next move left Barbara dumbfounded. She put her hand on the large predator's nose. 
"Hello, there. What a fearsome beast you are. Out for a midnight snack?"
"You're talking to the shark." Barbara uttered, trying to convince herself that she wasn't imagining it.
"She's talking to the shark." Kibō uttered for identical reasons.
"Oh, what's that? There's something on your fin?" Candice redirected her gaze. "Oh, I see it. Barbara?"
"Um...yeah?" Barbara asked.
"It seems a careless fisherman lost their hook in my friend's right dorsal fin. He's rather frustrated by it. Would you mind taking it out?"
"You're...asking me to take a hook out of an *actual great white shark*. It's taking every bit of courage I have not to faint right now."
"It's alright. He won't bite. You won't be anywhere near his teeth, anyway. Do be quick. Sharks his size aren't meant to stay still for long."
"I..."
"Face your fear, Barbara. To be truly kind means to have empathy for all life. No matter how intimidating it might be."
The terror was overwhelming. Against her racing thoughts, Barbara moved over next to the giant fish. Sure enough, there was a large green hook embedded into its fin.
"That's it. Be gentle."
Barbara grabbed the hook, and carefully maneuvered it out of the fin.
"Good. Just one more thing..." Candice waved her hand around the fin. The wound completely closed up. "There. Good as new! What a well-behaved apex predator you are. Go on, now."
The hulking fish turned around and swam away.
"Candice..." Barbara uttered.
"Yes?"
"That was the most insane thing I've ever done, and I've been to the moon and Hell in a single day. They just...listen to you, no questions asked?"
"They listen because I understand them. I trust them. Love them. Most sea creatures are only ever party to humans' fear. I offer them something more than that. The power I wield tells them that I'm no threat to them. I want you to understand that power in your hands isn't something to be feared. Only you can decide how that strength should be used. I'm like you. I abhor violence and fighting. So I've devoted myself to a life of kindness and love. I can sense that your heart is exactly the same. Let your power reflect that."
"I don't want to look like I'm scared. I already ran off on my friends once. I love them all as people, but then they start with the stabbing and the kicking and--"
"--and the fire and lightning and the quipping at enemies they just finished bloodying?"
"So you do understand."
Candice giggled. "The people I love have their way of dealing with things, and I have mine. If you don't want to dirty yourself with violence, they have to learn to respect that. If you don't want to fight, then don't. Let the warriors do what they do. There's more than one way to offer your assistance. All you have to do is trust the gifts that you've been given."
"Is it really that easy?"
"You've yet to truly scratch the surface of what you're capable of. It'll come to you, once you've erased all of that fear and doubt from your mind. Have a little faith."
"Have faith...trust my power..."
"Father taught me about having faith. Mother about trusting in myself. Even if they could never quite figure things out between them, they were united in telling me everything that I needed to survive."
"Your mother...Barbara. What's she like?"
"She is...an incredible woman. Confident, powerful, self-assured. Very firm. Some in the P.D.F. fear her. All respect her. She's ensured that I have everything I need for a comfortable life. I'm in constant awe of her strength."
"I've got a long way to go before I ever get there..."
"Have faith. I can feel that strength in you. And I don't mean in terms of power."
Just behind Kibō, a glowing orb appeared, expanding out to form a portal. He turned to look at it. "What the...?"
A pair of armored agents stepped out of the portal, armed with rifles. Kibō materialized a longsword, taking on a battle stance.
"Wait! Don't attack them!" Candice called out. She quickly made her way to shore, with Barbara following behind. "They're here to take me back."
"Tell them to put down the guns." Kibō demanded.
Before anyone could register another move, someone else came out of the portal. Someone who immediately took on a dramatic pose. "Hooooo..."
Cindy O'Donnell. Now with her goggles over her eyes.
Kibō blinked in confusion. "...who the hell are you?"
"I am an emissary from hell! Here to rescue the princess from her unlawful captivity!" Cindy declared.
Hugo flew in and landed on her shoulder. "She doesn't look all that captive, Lady Cynthia."
"...did the metal pigeon just talk?" Barbara asked.
"Again with the pigeon talk! Are they the only avian species in this universe?!"
"Pause the dramatic act, Cindy. Nobody's holding me captive." Candice assured.
"Oh, hey Candy! We were starting to get a little worried, there. Thought you might've crossed the wrong whale and got yourself swallowed up." Cindy immediately dropped the pose.
"Have you been harmed in any way, Lady Candice?" Hugo asked.
"Not at all, my feathered friend. I was just having a lovely conversation with Barbara, here." Candice replied.
"Ah...hi." Barbara waved sheepishly.
"Hiya! Your Max says the sweetest things about you! You're even prettier than I imagined!" Cindy chimed.
"I'm getting a lot of that today." Barbara mumbled.
Candice's eyes began to waver from blue to white. "Ah...we should hurry home, Cindy. My vision's starting to go..."
"Say no more, Your Highness! We'll get you back to your pool in a jiffy! Let's go, gentlemen!" Cindy ordered.
Candice gave Barbara a tender hug. "Take care, Barbara. Remember to keep your faith strong. There is a beautiful spirit within you. Never forget that."
She headed for the portal. 
"Hey!" Barbara called out.
"Yes?"
A tear fell from Barbara's eye. "When you see my brother...I need you to tell him something. Tell him that his sister, his mom, and the woman he loves miss him like crazy. But that we're gonna be okay. We're gonna be strong. He's gotta be strong, too. It's the only way this can ever end. Promise me you'll tell him."
"Of course. I promise."
"Thank you. Now get back to your family. We'll be fine."
"I have no doubt about that. Take care."
Candice walked through the portal, and it closed behind her.
Kibō draped Barbara's jacket back around her. "You okay?" he asked.
"I think I will be." She rested her head on his shoulder. 
"...you touched a shark."
"I touched a shark."
"You gonna tell your mom about that?"
"Absolutely not! She'd pass out right then and there."
"I'd tell my mom if I touched a shark."
"Your mom could toss the shark over her shoulder. There's a difference."
The couple started the walk back to their apartment. Barbara gave one last glance over her shoulder at the vast, boundless ocean. With a look of contentment, she resumed her departure.