Memories of the Past

***"How is everything I've heard... real?"***
This piece of *Evie and Mya* literature is outdated and is scheduled to be rewritten or tweaked in the future. Please note that some events currently depicted will be heavily altered or removed when said content is updated. Read at your own risk of discombobulating the series canon in your head!
And spare yourself from Av's old writing, please.
"I'm not there yet!"
 This page contains ***major spoilers*** for the series. If you're not caught up, stay back! Av's not gonna be too thrilled if you react to spoilers prematurely...

## Memories of the Past

### Director

Potato Flakin

***Memories of the Past*** is the first episode of *The Adventures of Evie and Mya* in Season 3, and the twenty-first overall.

## Synopsis

It is another typical summer day in Pineshadow, which becomes lined in mystery when Mya discovers that she may have living kin. Curious, she investigates, wanting to know more, unaware of what she is about to get herself into.

## Content Warning

*This episode contains blood, mature language, and violence. Viewer discretion is advised.*

## Transcript

**ELEVEN YEARS AGO**

*The episode opens in a snug, brightly lit living room. On a sofa sits a man, pale-skinned with dark brown hair, a partially shaved beard and brown eyes, watching primetime television. Nearby sits his wife, also pale-skinned, but with differing, auburn hair and yellow-green eyes.*

*Nita picked up her sewing needles, weaving with ease between blue, purple, and pink wool. She smiled. "This is coming out wonderfully, my love."*

*Patrick glanced at her. "Who are you making that for?"*

*Nita scooted closer to her husband, feeling cozy next to his blue sweatshirt. "Why, it's for Mya to keep her warm when Pineshadow gets cold. Don't you think she'll love it?"*

*"Oh, I bet she will. She's the most beautiful blessing we could have ever asked for." Mya was their three-year old daughter, and she was the perfect combination of the two. She had beautiful, auburn hair, green eyes like dappled leaves in the sunlight, and a mix of their pale skin colors. She was bright and inquisitive, and quite silly, like her father.*

*"Mya's going to grow up to do great things. I just know it."*

*Patrick snorted. "Marigold, of course she will. I can just see it when I play with her every day. Things are going to be cool as a cucumber."*

*Nita chuckled, scratching his chin. "Pat, your way of words."*

*Suddenly, they heard a knock on their door, and Patrick ran up to get it. Nita dropped her sewing needles and incomplete sweater, turning her head to the door in curiosity.*

*Patrick opened the door, revealing two adults of around the same height. The first was a cream-skinned man with brown hair and hazel eyes. The second was his wife, who had silvery-gray hair tied in a bun, blue eyes, and even paler skin than that of her husband. She wore a lavender blouse with flowery patterns and completely white sleeves.*

*"Mom. Dad," Patrick greeted. "Good to see you again. What brings you here?"*

*"Harlow? Ivanna? What are they doing here?" Nita questioned from afar.*

*"Good day, my son and his wife," Ivanna said. "We've come to inquire if we could have another... Donation, if possible?"*

*"Yes, we've come to ask for another loan of money," Harlow added. "Hollowleaf Mansion can't be run substainably. We still don't have enough. The roof is still leaking, electricity works on and off, and we need to get more furnishings... It is still quite frankly barren."*

*Nita approached, surprise and apprehension mixed in her yellow-green gaze. "You still need more? Alright. I'll give you access to another two-thousand - but we can't keep supplying you like this! If we keep handing you our money, we're gonna go broke! Surely you'll have enough after this?"*

*"Please, Nita!" Ivanna begged. "If we don't make the improvements, the city is going to evict us!"*

*"Evict you? It's that bad?" Patrick raised an eyebrow in suspicion.*

*"Enough has been said. Just give us the money." Harlow begged with a dagger-sharp voice. Patrick's skin boiled.*

*"What are you DOING? GIVE US THE MONEY!"*

*"We need it... Just give us it!" Ivanna looked away guiltily, clutching the frill of her blouse. Her blue eyes not only betrayed reluctance, but the obvious look of a liar beginning to show regret. Patrick realized then what had been going on all along.*

*The Parkers, his own parents, had been lying in order to use their money for their own benefits.*

*Enraged, he clenched his fists, taking a step toward them. Ivanna stared into his soul, her blue eyes lusting for far more than just money now, the regret having been replaced with greed.*

*Patrick's brown eyes blazed with cold fury. "You greedy snakes! Lying behind our back! You've just been asking for our money just so you can be the richest in all of Pineshadow. Get out of here!" He spat.*

*"Patrick Heartley! Show some damn respect to the family name!" Harlow snarled. "Give us the money. There's no need to fight over a demand so small."*

*Terror fluttered in Nita's stomach as she nervously glanced down the hallway leading to Mya's bedroom. "Keep it down, please!" She begged. "Don't wake Mya with your bickering. She needs to sleep."*

*Harlow raked a cold hazel gaze onto her. "Oh, who even cares about Mya?" He growled, venom lining his voice. "Who even cares? All we want is your MONEY!"*

*Patrick jumped toward them in a fit of rage. His father was threatening his daughter, and he would not stand for it. Mya was his pride and joy. He would go all-out berserker if she were hurt.*

*"GET. OUT!" He repeated himself, baring his teeth. He pointed a finger at both Harlow and Ivanna. "You two are NEVER welcome here again. Slither out of here like the twisted, lying snakes you are. Traitors."*

*Harlow nodded. "As you wish..." He stalled, glancing at the ground, away from his son. "Dear son." Suddenly, he grabbed an empty glass vase on a nearby table and threw it at Patrick's face. It shattered into pieces, and they fell onto the ground in a broken snowfall. Patrick clutched at his left eye, groaning in pain.*

*"Patrick!" Nita shrieked, grabbing her husband and pulling him up. Blood stained his hand, and he took it away from his eye, revealing a deep cut stained with crimson blood. From afar, Harlow and Ivanna watched, no emotion or conviction coming out of them.*

*"You have gone far enough!" She snapped at her in-laws. "Leave. We've made it clear you aren't welcome here anymore." She put herself in front of a weakened Patrick in case anything else was thrown.*

*"Ugh, fine," Ivanna muttered. "But just know, Nita and Patrick..."*

*"Someday, we'll come back to Pineshadow. And Mya will be OURS for the taking!" Harlow finished.*

*Nita growled, jerking forward and making a rapid move toward the two. "DON'T THREATEN MY DAUGHTER!"*

*Finally, Harlow and Ivanna ran out from the doorway, vanishing from sight soon after. Nita ran to the kitchen, grabbing a rag and dousing it in cold water. Quickly, she dashed back out and up to Patrick and cleaned the blood around his left eye. He winced as she did so.*

*"It's okay, Pat. It didn't cut deep. You'll heal. Keep cleaning yourself, I need to check on Mya." Nita walked to Mya's bedroom, gently creaking her door open. As gingerly as down feathers, she made her way over to Mya's bed, finding her sleeping peacefully.*

*"You're alright, my love." She moved some of Mya's auburn hair behind her ear.*

*Nita then headed back out, finding Patrick outside, his left eye now cleaned up and less bloody. "How is she?" He inquired.*

*"Asleep and well. She isn't aware of what just happened."*

*"Good... I just don't want her injured like I was. I'm glad she's safe." Nita nodded in agreement, pulling her husband closer to her.*

*"Pat... Where do we go now that we've distanced ourselves from your parents?"*

*"Patrick glanced at the floor, one fist clenched. "Lock those pests out of our bank account. There is no way I'll EVER let them near our money." He glanced into Mya's room. "She... She must never know she has grandparents. This is too dangerous for her to know. If she knows... All hell could break loose."*

*"Are you sure?"*

*"Yes, Marigold. Mya must never know about this so she remains safe. She will live a life with us as her only family," he vowed. He took a photo out of his pocket of him and Nita with Harlow and Ivanna. He then grabbed a BIC candle lighter out of his pocket, and gently set the photo ablaze. Fifteen seconds later - he blew it out - only leaving him and his wife in the photo intact. Harlow and Ivanna were burnt out.*

*Quickly, he ran into the basement, tucking the burnt photo in a box surrounded by other junk items. He got out seconds later, meeting Nita again in front of Mya's room.*

*"We'll make it through this, won't we, babe?" Nita questioned.*

*"We will. I promise you, Nita." Patrick then hugged her and kissed her on the cheek, and Nita returned the favor.*

**SEASON 3, EPISODE 1 - MEMORIES OF THE PAST**

*It is mid-afternoon in Pineshadow as overcast light shines onto the trees making up the Piney Woods. Gray fog intertwines through the leaves, covering their rough leaves in droplets of water. Nearby, a pair of northern flickers chirp and fly off into the sky, while a mourning dove calls in the distance. Things are seemingly at peace, especially between the two girls roaming the woods.*

Good morning, eyes open

I can see the light shining through

Mya walked forward, looking up at the bleak, overcast sky with thoughtful green eyes. "I think it's going to rain," she murmured to her adopted sister, Winter.

Winter turned to look at her. "Possibly. But we still have plenty of time to stroll around the Piney Woods. Sometimes, I just miss living here, y'know what I mean?"

Good morning, blinds open

I'm coming home to you

Her sister sighed. Winter, for much of her life as a teenager, had lived alone in the Piney Woods in a small cabin. She had run away from home following a disasterous coming out to her homophobic father, and had turned her back to the world.

Then, she had met Mya and her best friend, Evie. Her life had changed forever. She rebounded, chased out the darkness that had ruined her life, and became Mya's adopted sister. It was safe to say Winter was proud to have a family again.

Soft with the weather

Cool with the breeze

Flip through the pages of reality

Mya pressed close to Winter, resting her head on her shoulder affectionately. "I won't lie, the Piney Woods has always been cool to explore. Especially with an awesome sister like you," she commented. "We've been through a lot lately. It's nice to have some peace, after everything."

Winter nodded. "Damn right. Just want to have time with my loved ones in peace."

Float like a feather out to the sea

Roam like a lion living wild and free

She sighed, remembering the events of the past few months. Her former flame, Daniela, had sought to ruin her life, and had almost killed her twice. She thought it was over for her at the party as that knife impacted her shoulder. Then, she would have ran away, if not for Mya.

Mya had told her that she was perfect just the way she was, convincing her that she wasn't a burden. She rescued her once, and now, it was her turn to save her and Evie. With new strength and anger in her veins, Winter had sent Daniela back. Before she could retaliate, she was arrested and taken to juvenile prison.

Just like that snap my fingers

Just like that dreams get bigger

Just like that paint a picture

Some time later, Winter had met Amira at Pinelake Park, and grew to be her best friend. However, Amira had been hiding a deadly secret from her, Mya, and Evie, and that was her dangerous aunt Shetani - who also became school principal. Shetani had discriminated against them for being gay, but worse of all, she made Amira into her own slave and manipulated her every day, abusing her in every way possible. Thinking back on it made Winter sick.

But she rescued Amira and helped her see that life was worth it - there were people out there that loved her. Her gaze, her strength, by all means, was everything Winter wanted. She fell for Amira quickly and snuck out to see her. The two were meant to be. With the help of Evie and Mya, they turned the tide against Shetani. They fought a hard battle at the Pineshadow Bridge, and Winter had almost been dropped to her death. Refusing to let her die, Amira slammed into Shetani, and they went flying over the cliff instead.

Just like that (just like that)

Just like (just like)

Winter slid down to find her girlfriend apparently dead. It had broken her, and she sobbed, no longer wanting to live without the person she loved. What was the point?

Yet, a voice gently told her in Spanish that she loved her - Amira. She had survived the fall, and Shetani hadn't. That day, there was a true miracle in Pineshadow. Amira's grandmother came back and proved to her that she wanted to care for her at last. Amira was finally free to have the life she wanted, and Winter couldn't wait to hang out with her again.

Cause what you want

You'll have it just like

Some time after that day, a scream in the tall grass at the park had gotten her and Amira's attention. They found Daniela, who was noticably different from her evil self in the past. Much to Winter's shock, she had actually *changed*. Daniela wasn't a villain anymore. She longed for clarity and people who would appreciate her despite her having bipolar disorder and a nightmare-inducing past. Amira gave her a chance, and later on, Winter did too. She found no point holding on the past, seeing that her ex-girlfriend wanted to improve for the better, and so did Daniela.

Pineshadow was finally at peace, and Winter couldn't be more grateful.

Just like that, just like that, just like that, just like

"Winter... *Winter*!" Mya shook her out of her daydreams. "What are you doing standing there? Are you mooning over Amira again?"

Winter's face turned red in embarrassment. "No, of course not, Mya," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm just reflecting on everything that happened... And it makes me really grateful that I have you in my life."

Anything you want you can have it

Whatever you need you can grab it

Just like

Mya paused, facing her. "I'm grateful to have you in my life too. Where would you be if you never met me?"

"In a ghost town, that's where I'd be," Winter whispered, touching noses with her sister. More fog rolled in around them. "Okay, fog, nobody asked for you to make it a ghost town."

Anything you want you can have it

Whatever you need, what you need

Mya laughed, taking her hands. "You can't blame mother nature for taking its course. C'mon, let's go home before it rains."

Suddenly, a droplet of rain splashed onto her nose. "Never mind, it's raining," she snorted. Quickly, she grabbed Winter's hand, and ran in the direction of home. A soft breeze carried Mya's auburn hair into the air, and Winter smiled.

Good evening, eyes closing

We can see the star shining through

As they walked out of the words, a Stellar's jay sat on a branch above them, pecking at the wood. "Whoa, My, do you see that?" She pointed up at the jay, which turned an eye to them.

Mya's mouth fell open. "A Stellar's jay! Pineshadow hardly has any of these guys. He's so pretty..." She marveled at the jay's royal blue feathers and spikey black head. Bird watching was a hobby she took up from time to time, and she enjoyed going to the park to look at Washington's native wildlife.

Good evening, blinds closing

It's just me and you

Then again, Mya was a really avid animal lover. Any kind of wildlife, even an insect, would be a kind of wildlife she'd love.

The wind picked up, and so did the rain. Gray raindrops splashed the treetops, and Mya and Winter continued dashing in the direction of home.

Soft with the weather

Cool with the breeze

Flip through the pages of reality

"Have you ever been in the Piney Woods when it rained?" Mya asked Winter.

"I have. And to be honest, it's a wonderful sight," Winter commented, her ice-blue eyes glazing over. "The woods would become foggy, you could peacefully sleep to the sound of birdsong... Best of all, I had the woods to myself. No one in Pineshadow would come out in the rain. It was a mystical feeling."

Float like a feather out to the sea

Roam like a lion living wild and free

"Wouldn't you be cold and wet standing out there?"

"Didn't matter. I was kind to the woods, and they were kind to me."

Just like that snap my fingers

Just like that dreams get bigger

Just like that paint a picture

Mya touched her shoulder to Winter's. "Oh, you're so wild. You know, Win, when I first met you - I knew I would like you. You were determined, had a sharp temper, the prettiest of a haircut... What's honestly not to like about you?"

Winter blushed. "When I first met you, I thought I would be slitting your throat open. You and Evie were these two random girls coming up to a wild kid like me. I thought you two were a bunch of chucklenuts ready to mess with me."

Just like that (just like that)

Just like (just like)

Cause what you want

You'll have it just like

Mya started to cackle. "*Chucklenuts*! Good one, Win. You've learned from the best." She *loved* it when people picked up on her sense of humor. Winter was indeed a tough nut to crack, mostly because she had a hardened emotional state from living alone, combined with her insecurity. However, Mya's compassion had softened her to the point where she started developing her sense of humor.

Winter winked at her. "Okay, let's talk about something else. What do you want to do for the rest of the afternoon?"

Just like that, just like that, just like that, just like

"Sleep. Eat food. And be with my awesome sister. Wanna binge some gay television?"

"Yeah, as long as you *don't* spoil *Good Girls Gone Bad* to Daniela. She's only just started watching it with me."

Anything you want you can have it

Whatever you need you can grab it

Just like that

"Oh, okay," Mya quickly responded. Winter and Daniela had only just reconciled recently, and since then, Winter worked on spending time with her now-friend, having let go of her past issues. On the other hand, Mya still hadn't forgiven her yet - she still had things to mull over, especially the damage Daniela caused to the Heartley name with her bullying.

*It'll all heal with time.*

Anything you want you can have it

Whatever you need, what you need

She turned to her left, finding her lush garden. "Hey, we're home!" She told Winter. They dashed up to the door and opened it, discovering their parents on the sofa, watching the Weather Channel.

"Hey ladies!" Their father called out to them. He got up, walking over to both girls and hugging them.

"Hi dad!" Winter exclaimed.

"How was your day out?"

"Really fun. We were just debating on what to do when we got back," Mya explained.

Her father looked thoughtful. "Mmm. I think we're a little behind on spring cleaning. I think you two should clean the basement while me and your mother do the living room," he suggested. A look in his face beared reluctance, making Mya smirk at him.

"Oh, c'mon, dad. The basement is *not* haunted, and there is no way you'll fool me with that gag."

"If you say so, Mya. Have fun." Still, something in Patrick's face seemed reluctant. Winter noticed it. *What* was he keeping? Then again, like Mya said, he could just be joking with them, and so she shrugged it off.

The two headed to the basement door, right across from their room. Mya opened the door, while Winter flicked on the light; the bulb flickered briefly before becoming a still, yellow glow. "I've never been down here. Have you?" She inquired to Mya.

"Nope! Hardly in my life." She and Winter reached the bottom floor, glancing at the boxes stacked upon the cold, metal shelves.

Immediately, the girls got to work. They set down the boxes, and decided to shuffle items based on factors. If the item was old toys, it would go into a box dedicated to that, and so on. A box marked with "misc" was filled with various miscellaneous items.

Mya coughed up dust from setting down old boxes.

"Need one of these bad boys?" Winter waved a featherduster in her hand.

"Much appreciated." Winter handed her the featherduster while she grabbed another one. Together, the two dusted the shelves and walls, clearing cobwebs and anything of oddity that acculmated in the corners.

They repeated the dusting and sorting for about five minutes.

Without warning, the light flickered off, leaving the sisters in the dark. Both yelped, startled to find themselves in a pitch black basement.

"Mya? Where are you?" Winter then fell forward, tripping over a box on the ground, though she quickly got back up.

"I'm right here!" Mya shouted.

"Here as in *where*?"

"I don't exactly know!" Mya felt around, though found it hard to move in the dark. Several times, she slammed into the shelves before tripping on a box in the ground, grabbing something squishy.

The light flickered on - she had grabbed onto Winter's waistline. Her face turned red in embarrassment, followed by Winter, who's eyes were widened in shock.

"Okay, you thinking we should run outta here?" Winter proposed, her face still red.

Mya grabbed her hand. "Yeah. Let's. We already fixed the basement enough anyway."

She picked up the remaining box on the ground, setting it back down on the shelf. As she did so, a single photograph fell out, fluttering to the ground. Surprised, Mya picked it up, and gasped.

In the photograph was her mother, wearing a magenta dress, while her father wore a blue-gray coat. But the picture also contained two adults unfamiliar to Mya. One, an older man, was wearing a similar coat to her father, except that it was brown and white. An older woman in the picture wore a lavender blouse with flowers and white sleeves.

The heads of the strangers were burnt off.

"Mya? What are you-" Winter cut herself off, her eyes scanning the photo in amazement.

"Who are they?"

"I... I don't know. My family hasn't talked about anyone else... But why are their faces burned off?"

"Accidental fire?"

Mya shook her head. "No... There's something more here, Win. There is *no way* this photo was burned by an accidental fire. It was burned - on *purpose*."

Winter looked stunned. "You think we should ask mom and dad about it?"

"Hell yeah! Let's go!" Winter followed her excited sister out of the basement.

Mya charged forward, approaching her mother and father. "Hi, baby!" Her mother greeted. "Are you done cleaning the basement?" Winter sat down next to her adopted mother.

"Yeah, we did. But a new thing's cooking on my radar - what's *this*?" She showed her and her father the photograph, and their faces paled like a sunlit desert.

Her father, in particular, looked stunned, his brown eyes tinged with worry. Her mother pressed closer to him.

Mya, eager to have answers, asked more questions. "Why are there two people with you in the picture - and why is it burned?"

"We found it in the basement," Winter added.

Patrick turned to Nita, whispering something into her ear. She looked uncertain, but nodded at him, and he turned to face his daughters.

He sighed. "The two you see in the picture are your paternal grandparents." Grief clouded his eyes.

"I have adopted grandparents?" Winter asked. She seemed quite happy about that revelation.

"**WE HAVE GRANDPARENTS**?" Mya questioned more excitedly, bouncing up and down, startling her parents. She never *knew* she had grandparents, nor were they ever mentioned around her. Then, she settled down.

Noticing her father's grief, Mya asked, "Are my grandparents dead?"

"No," her mother responded. "They're just... Not in Pineshadow anymore. They moved to Oregon when you were a baby, Mya."

"How did the photo get burned, then?" Winter inquired.

Patrick took Nita's hand, gripping the finger which held their marriage ring. "It laid on the edge of the bookshelf near the TV. When Marigold went to grab a book, it fell onto a candle and it burned off your grandparents' faces."

"Oh... Unfortunate. Would have been cool to frame."

"Mhm." The Heartleys were obviously uncomfortable, yet Mya did not seem to notice.

"Have you kept in contact with them?"

"Not since you were a baby, honey," Patrick replied. "They've been busy."

"Can you tell us more about them? Please?" Mya begged.

"Yeah, why don't you tell us more? I'd love to learn about more adopted family," Winter said.

"Give us a moment," Nita told them, taking Patrick's hand and walking to the hallway with him.

"Should we just tell Mya about what H and I did?"

"No, absolutely not," Patrick murmured. "It's too dangerous. If she finds out about what they did, she'll become really insecure. I can't have her break like that."

"We have to tell her something, honey. You know Mya. She's curious and eager to learn."

"Then we have to bend the truth. There is no other way."

Nita nodded. "Okay, I trust you."

The two returned to the sofa, and sat down, glancing at Mya.

"Your grandparents were wonderful people. Kind, loving, simple, even somewhat old fashioned. They saw you several times when you were a baby, Mya. And they *loved you*," Nita started, turning over to Patrick.

He then finished. "Alas, the two had a very busy life, and had to leave Pineshadow behind. Jobs were calling them in Oregon, and they're enjoying it there, I bet."

"Now, if you'll excuse us, I think we're due for some shut-eye." Taking her husband's hand once again, Nita walked out of the living room and into the hallway, with Patrick following right behind her.

Winter stood up, flicking the tips of her hair upward. "Well, I think that pretty much solves the mystery. Seems like we had cool grandparents."

Mya whirled around, placing her hands on Winter's shoulders and shaking her, making her blush. "Are you **KIDDING**?" She exclaimed excitedly. "We're only just getting started! There is obviously more going on, and I'm going to find it all out!"

The next day, Evie sat in her bedroom, wearing her new yellow t-shirt. She flipped open the first page to her new novel, and began to read it.

*Blair and Ember were a dynamic duo and the great protectors of the world they lived in. Each possessed great power, power that wholeheartedly defined then as entities different from their citizens. It was their duty to protect the world of-*

There was a knock on her door, and placing her bookmark in her book, Evie set it aside on her nightstand. She turned to the entrance of her bedroom. "Come in!" She called gently. At once, the door flung open, and Evie smiled widely.

Mya was here - and she seemed delighted.

With a spark in her green eyes, Evie moved forward. "Mya!"

"Ayyy!" Mya jumped onto her bed, crawling right up against Evie's body before rolling on top of her completely, gazing at her with adoration she couldn't ignore.

"Get off me, you big lump!" She snorted.

"No... Never. You're too sweet to leave." She pulled Evie's face up to her own, feeling her soft cheeks, which turned pink as she touched them. They locked in their stares for a few seconds, only gazing into the loving depths within.

Then, Mya relaxed herself, letting her face touch Evie's nose. Affection began to drown her, and it was a feeling that made her *euphoric*.

She kissed Evie, slightly pulling back on her lip, and she kissed back. They made out for a few more seconds before Mya finally got up, and so did Evie.

"Okay, beach peach, tell me why you're visiting," Evie asked.

"It's a lot, basically... But my latest adventures all started with this photo." She pulled the burned photo out of her jean pocket, and placed it in front of Evie, who gasped in amazement.

"Your parents... Who are they?" She pointed to the two with the burned-away heads in the photo.

Mya took a deep breath. She wasn't sure how Evie was going to react after she admitted what she had discovered.

"Those are my grandparents."

"**YOU HAVE GRANDPARENTS**?" Evie asked, shock in her eyes. "Mya, I thought you never had any grandparents? Are you *sure* that's them?"

"Way more sure than sure, Ev," Mya responded. "My parents told me a lot about them. They live in Oregon... But I want to know *more*. There's a mystery - and I want to figure it out with you by my side."

"Then count me *in*!" Evie seemed excited to help her, considering she enjoyed reading. She snuggled closer to Mya. "Where do you want to start?"

"I have no idea where to even begin!"

"Have you tried researching your family name?"

Mya's mouth fell open - that was an *amazing* idea! The family name would be a good place to start. "No. But there's no time to waste." She yanked her phone out of her other pocket, and typed her family name into Google.

It only took a few seconds for results to pop up - and they were, in the least - unsatisfying.

*Heartland Conference: Realignment Plans Pitched.*

*How to Appeal to the Heart - Your Guide to Wellness.*

*Heartland Conference on Verge of Collapse.*

*Valentine-It-Up 2010: Feed the Heart - With Kindness.*

"Oh, come on!" Mya wailed in frustration. "Why won't this work?"

"Not every search result will be promising, My," Evie said. "Maybe it's a bust. Not every mystery can be solved-"

"**NOPE**!" Mya retorted. "Evie, eyeballs exist for a *reason*. I'm not giving up on this mystery, and I'm going to look through every last page of Google to find what I'm looking for."

Evie chuckled. When Mya had a will, she'd find a way, and there would be no use stopping her even if she tried. "Okay. Suit yourself. I'm going to go back to reading my novel."

Mya flipped through every page of Google's search results, reading, and reading, and reading. She scanned for five minutes straight, desperately looking over everything, wanting to *find* what she was looking for.

"Have you given up yet?" Evie asked, batting one dark green eye toward her.

"No, of course not," Mya murmured. "There is information lurking here. I'll find it. Just on the last page..."

Suddenly, she noticed a caption under a title of the last article, and her heart jumped. No, it fell. And perhaps was about to shatter into pieces.

*ELDERLY CITIZENS DIE IN WILD BLAZE*

*The tragic deaths of Elloise and Luca Heartley*

She gasped, and Evie put her novel aside once more, looking at her discovery. She put a hand to her mouth.

"No... It can't be possible..." Mya began to shake, and Evie held onto her, hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry, My. They're dead. At least that solves your mystery?"

"*No*, Ev!" Mya snapped. "My parents told me *my grandparents were alive*. They're living in Oregon. And do you think my parents are liars?"

Evie sighed. "They're not liars. But we should read the article. Maybe that way we can get more information?"

She looked at Mya softly and affectionately, and she realized that she was right. The more she knew, the better she could connect the dots. She clicked on it, and she and Evie read along.

"The article dates back to 2001," Evie pointed out. "So, this deadly fire happened when you were three."

Mya nodded, and continued to read.

*The fire that burned the two-story house of Elloise and Luca Heartley was suspected to be arson. But according to numerous residents, including their daughter, Nita, nobody hated them or had an incentive to ignite such a blaze. Police have reported no suspects in the fire, and the crime investigation is still ongoing.*

"This is a cold case murder... If the truth has been there all along, how have I missed it? Why haven't my parents told me?" Mya shook, and Evie kissed her neck, allowing her to relax.

"Some secrets are better left in the family, Mya. Your parents probably didn't want to tell you because it was so upsetting, and you're naturally sensitive. Just relax. It's gonna be okay," she whispered.

Mya smiled, glancing at her reassuringly, before placing her eyes back on the page. A particular detail then caught her eye.

*The wealth of the Heartleys will be passed on to "distant family," per sources close with the Heartley family.*

"They were rich?" Mya questioned in shock. Her family had always been middle class, but her grandparents being wealthy? She could have never even guessed. "And who's the distant family the riches were passed to?"

"This mystery runs even deeper than we thought," Evie stated, her dark green eyes puzzled.

Meanwhile, Winter sat with her girlfriend, Amira, in her bedroom. She looked at her so lovingly as she wrote with intent. The rainy weather outside had lessened, and now, the sky was a clear sunset. Pink, purple, orange, and reddish light filtered through Amira's window, shining down onto her and making her glow brighter than the northern lights.

Since Shetani's death, Amira's room had been completely redesigned. She now had a dark pink-and-orange floor rug in front of her bed, and walls that were night sky-blue instead of beige. The walls were patterned with swirling blues and cyans, in addition to bright yellow lights and white stars that went all the way up to the ceiling. Some text was scatted on the walls, written in beautiful cursive font.

*I've dared to dream*

*And I'll go on countless adventures*

*Through tunnels of blue, purple, and pink*

*Will lie my destiny*

Winter smiled warmly at Amira.

*She's the most beautiful person ever. Her fluffy, short brown hair. That purple streak off to her left. Her soft eyes. Oh, she's everything I ever asked for.*

Suddenly, Amira turned to her, finally noticing Winter was glancing at her. Startled, her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned red in embarrassment. "Hey! Were you looking at what I was writing the entire time?"

"Of course I was," Winter teased. "As your girlfriend, that's my job."

"Win, don't embarrass me," Amira muttered jokingly.

"Okay, but your work is wonderful... And I think you're really pretty, and-" Winter turned away. Embarrassment seeped through her veins, and she too turned red. She and Amira both glanced away, laughing nervously.

"I'm sorry, that was *really* cheesy of me to say, Ira."

Amira rolled her eyes. "Don't sweat it. Besides, you're cute when you're cheesy. Here, this is what I was working on." She handed Winter her paper, and read what had been written on it in fancy writing.

*We will always be defiant.*

"Wow... That's amazing! Where did you learn to write like that?"

"Grandmama," Amira said. "She likes writing fancily, and so she taught me how."

Winter moved closer to her, brushing her chin with her finger and touching her nose to hers, feeling euphoria build up in her body. "You're the best," she whispered.

Amira giggled, tasting her girlfriend's sweetness in the air. She moved her hand up Winter's back, pulling her onto her lap. "There's only one thing better - your love of me."

In a flash, she'd thrown her face right into Winter's, kissing her directly on the lips, and they fell to the floor, still kissing. Winter tugged on her lip, finding it sweet to the touch. She wrapped her arms around Amira's body, enjoying her warmth that she brought onto her. It was like a ray of sunshine.

Amira then took Winter's hand, rolling off and dragging her onto her bed, laughing as Winter pinned her down. "Oi! Pinning you is *my* job!"

"Doesn't mean I can't do that myself, you lovebug." Winter buried her face in Amira's neck, kissing her there and moving up to her chin.

Suddenly, the door opened. "Am I interrupting something?" Flustered, the two girls looked toward Amira's grandmother, Dahlia Schentady, in surprise, their faces red. A drop of sweat fell from Winter's face.

"Grandmama!" Amira snorted. "I can explain-"

"Darling, you don't need to," Dahlia responded, stifling a laugh. "I just made you two cookies. They're chocolate chip - your favorite, Amira."

Amira licked her lips, beginning to drool. Her grandmother had really begun to know her well. She caught a whiff of the cookies, and foam formed at her mouth.

"Thank you, grandmama. *Te amo*!" She took the small tray of cookies and placed them on her nightstand. She placed one in her mouth - boy, were they delicious.

She turned to Winter, half of the cookie still in her mouth. She raised one of her eyebrows, almost *asking* Winter if she wanted a bite. The temptation was too much for her to ignore.

At once, Winter bit down on the cookie, crumbs falling onto her and Amira's lap. They laughed. The other half of the cookie melted in Winter's mouth, and her eyes were shining with mischief and affection.

She noticed a spot of brown on Amira's cheek. "You want me to get that for you?" She approached closer to Amira's face, her mouth twisted in a comedic smirk.

"Winter," Amira started. "You are being really silly-"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Winter put her lips on Amira's cheek, and kissed her there. Chocolate was smeared onto her lips, but she didn't care - it was all sugar-sweet to her.

Then, her phone buzzed, and Winter grabbed it from her pocket. It was a text from Mya.

*Win! You've gotta come home - I have more information on my grandparents.*

Winter gasped, hiding her phone once more. "I have to go. Sis needs me," she told Amira.

"Oh, alright!" Amira said. "I'll see you soon, Winter. *Te amo*."

Winter got up, and ran the short distance back to home.

"Okay, Mya, I'm here," Winter called out as she returned to her bedroom, sitting down beside her adopted sister. "What's happening involving your grandparents?"

Mya took in a deep breath, then explained everything she learned to Winter, who was stunned by all the revelations. Their grandparents, supposedly dead in a fire, yet their parents mentioning that they lived in Oregon. The donation of all their money to "distant family" - all of it was a blur.

"What relatives do you think they gave the money to?" She questioned.

"I don't know, but I think there are two sets of grandparents here - maternal and paternal. So one of those grandparents on one of those sides gave the money to the *other* grandparents! That *has* to make sense, right?"

Winter nodded in agreement. "That seems likely. But... How can we be *sure*?"

"I just don't know," Mya muttered. "We're at a dead end."

Seeing her adopted sister deflated, Winter decided to crack a joke to see if she would lighten up. "Try calling the numbers of rich people in Pineshadow. See where that gets you." She winked at her.

Without warning, Mya bounced upward, her leaf-green eyes wide. "Oh my god! Winter, that's it! You're a genius!" Startled, Winter sat up. Mya had just taken her joke literally - she really didn't want her phoning strangers.

"Mya, wait!" She pleaded. "I was joking! Don't phone some random strangers. I never meant "call them" as in *literally*. If you call random strangers, mom and dad are going to flip out - and so will the city!"

"The chances of my parents discovering that will be zero to negative ten."

"My, I'm **dead serious**!" Winter snapped, frustrated that she wasn't listening, and Mya finally noticed, settling down. "You are my *sister*. I just don't want you doing something that will do more *harm* than *good*! I can't lose you, after everything we've been through... I never want to lose-"

"Winter..." Mya hugged her adopted sister tightly. "You won't lose me. I promise. You will never, *ever*, lose me. I've always loved you for who you are, and you love me for who I am. I know we've been through a lot, and I'll always want to go on more adventures with you. I'd *never* leave."

"You promise?"

"Yes," Mya whispered, hugging her tighter. "I always will. But I really want to figure out the mystery regarding my grandparents. Do you trust me?"

Winter relaxed, looking at Mya with pristine eyes that were serious, yet clear. "I do. With my life."

"Okay," Mya said. "Let's get to them calls."

Swiftly, she researched an article called *Pineshadow, Washington - Ten Most Wealthy Families*. Ten names popped up, each revealing their contact information, and Mya got excited.

She could, after all this time and waiting, finally find out the truth on her grandparents.

She dialed the first number. "Hello, is this the Evies family? I'm Mya Heartley, and I'm wondering if you could tell me if you got a lot of money eleven-something years ago?"

Silence.

She tried the second number. "Hi, I'm Mya Heartley. Are you the Samstrit family? Did you get a donation of money?"

Silence.

Mya tried again, and again, and again. But each time, the number went to silence or voicemail.

Now, she was on the last number.

"Are you sure you don't want to give up? It seems hopeless enough," Winter suggested.

"No. I want to know."

She dialed the number - and just like before - it went to voicemail. Mya turned to Winter. "All of them failed... I guess I'll never find the truth on my grandparents and where they are now," she commented.

Unbeknownst to her, she forgot to end the call, and a voice was heard through another phone near a dense forest. A silver-haired woman turned to it, shocked.

"Could it be true...?"

Meanwhile, Winter pulled Mya close to her. "Mya. You may not have solved the mystery of your grandparents. But what matters is that you have me, our parents, Evie, Amira, and heck it, even Daniela now! You have an entire badass squad already. And that's what you should hold true in your heart."

Mya sighed, realizing that she was right. "I agree. Thanks, Winter, you lovely adorable dork." She snuggled next to her sister, and soon fell asleep next to her body.

The next day, Mya walked with Evie to Pinelake Park on yet another day out together. Sighing, she explained everything, dismayed that she couldn't figure out the truth about her grandparents.

"I'm sorry to hear that, My," Evie said. "But let's be real - you shouldn't work yourself up over it. Remember, not every mystery can't be solved. Just move on, and be happy with the family that you've got - since they love you - and always will, regardless of what you do."

Mya hugged her. "Thanks, Ev. However... Why did my parents never tell me I had grandparents? It makes no sense."

"I'm not sure. Yet some things in the family don't deserve to be brought up at all..." Evie gained a distant look in her dark green eyes, and Mya guessed that she was thinking about her own family. Her mother, Opal, was once a dominating tiger parent who caused unease in the household, mostly due to her overbearing pressure of Evie that gained the disapproval of her daughter and her husband. There was lots of fighting and rough patches. But things had healed since then.

"I know what you're thinking, Evie. Your family. And... It's *not* the same!" Mya exclaimed, startling her girlfriend. "I just want to find out what's going on with my family line without hitting a goddamn-"

Suddenly, Mya smacked into two strangers, and fell back into a blushing Evie, who quickly caught her. "Mya, are you alright?" She questioned.

"Where is the leaking, ma'am-" Mya shook her head, regaining her bearings. She looked up, and her eyes widened in stunned disbelief.

There, in front of her, was an elderly man and woman. Both had pale skin, and had graying, if not completely grayed hair. The woman had blue eyes, while the man had hazel eyes. A certain detail stuck out to Mya, though - the two's outfits. The man had a brown-and-white jacket, and the woman had a flowery blouse that was lavender in color.

"Oh my god," she whispered. "Oh my god."

She grabbed the burned photo from her pocket.

*A perfect fit.*

"Young one, are you alright?" The man asked.

Mya ignored his question, too starstruck to respond. Instead, she had a question of her own.

"Are you... Are you my *grandparents*?"

The elderly couple gasped; then, the woman spoke, amazement shining in her eyes.

"Are you Mya Heartley?"

"Mya," the man stated. "It is an honor to finally meet you after all these years."

"**WHAT**?!" Evie remarked, dumbfounded.

## Cast

* **Wendie Malick** as Nita
* **Trent Garrett** as Patrick
* **Pam Ferris** as Ivanna
* **Udo Kier** as Harlow
* **Dakota Fanning** as Mya
* **Mae Whitman** as Winter
* **Peyton Elizabeth Lee** as Evie
* **Zoe Saldaña** as Amira
* **Miriam Margolyes** as Dahlia

## Songs

* Pegboard Nerds - *Just Like That* (feat. Johnny Graves)

## Trivia

* *Memories of the Past* is named after the song by Trammell Starks. It is the twenty-first track heard on the Weather Channel's sister channel, Weatherscan.
* This is the first episode to be released in January 2022, and the first to be released in 2022 overall.
* The original air date for *Memories of the Past* was January 8th; however, it was pushed to the next day to coincide with the second season premiere of *Euphoria*.
* This is the first episode to have *Mortals* as the intro and *Blank* as the outro.
* This is the only episode in Season 3 where Daniela is absent. However, she is mentioned.
* For the first time, every character sans Winter is now fourteen.
* It is revealed that:
	+ Eleven years before the start of the series, Patrick's parents were frequently asking for money in order to benefit their mansion. However, Patrick realized that they were only greedy and were lying to him the entire time, so he and Nita banished them from their household. As a threat for their banishment, Harlow and Ivanna promised revenge, in addition to subtlelty threatening Mya's life. This event ultimately caused Patrick to burn the only remaining evidence of Harlow and Ivanna in the house in order to protect Mya.
	+ Mya still hasn't forgiven Daniela after the events of *Two-Sided*.
	+ Mya has maternal grandparents, Elloise and Luca - and paternal grandparents, Harlow and Ivanna. While Elloise and Luca are revealed to have died long ago in a cold case murder, Harlow and Ivanna are still living in Pineshadow despite Nita and Patrick saying otherwise. Elloise and Luca's money was then given to other family members in the Heartley family.
	+ The series takes place in 2012. At the time, Av was just five years old.
	+ Since Shetani's death, Amira's room has been completely remodeled, now bearing a *Coraline*-esque color scheme and text referencing the tunnel Coraline went through in the movie.
* Starting with this episode, more mature language will be used throughout the series.
* Harlow breaking a glass vase over Patrick's face, in addition to saying "as you wish," is a reference to the scene in *The Lion King* where Scar throws ash into Simba's eyes, saying "As you wish... Your majesty!" - Harlow noticably mimics this line in his speech.
* The scene where Patrick vows for Mya to never know Harlow and Ivanna is similar to the secret of the Mack family in *Andi Mack*, where Bex was said to be Andi's sister and Celia and Ham Andi's parents. However, this was a lie on part of Celia and Ham; Bex was the actual mother of Andi and they were Andi's grandparents. The photos hiding the secret was ultimately discovered by Andi in the first episode.
	+ Notably, that scene is also a parallel to Mya finding out about Harlow and Ivanna through the photo.
* For the first time in the series, a straight couple shares a kiss between one another.
* While Mya and Winter roam the Piney Woods and their neighborhood, the Pegboard Nerds song *Just Like That* is heard in the background.
* Winter recalling that it was her turn to save Mya and Evie is a reference to the 2012 Maduk song *Ghost Assassin*.
* When Winter mentions that she would be in a "ghost town" if it weren't for Mya, she references the Adam Lambert song of the same name.
* *Good Girls Gone Bad* is meant to be a spoof of *Mean Girls*.
* Blair and Ember, the characters that appear in Evie's novel, belong to Av's now ex-girlfriend, Lauren. She wanted to include them as a present for her.
* Evie and Mya locking stares is a nod to the Laura Brehm song *Breathe*.
* Evie calling Mya "beach peach" is a reference to an *Owl House* shirt sold at Hot Topic.
* The Heartland Conference seen in Google is a reference to a real conference in NCAA Division II that disbanded in 2019 due to its members leaving for other conferences. What Mya found in her search results is meant to parallel conference realignment in the NCAA.
* Amira writing "We will always be defiant" in fancy handwriting serves as an allusion to the Feint song *Defiant*.
* The scene where Winter watches Amira write, in addition to Amira reacting in embarrassment, is inspired by the ending of *The Owl House* episode *Knock, Knock, Knockin' on Hooty's Door*. It is noticably similar to Amity admiring Luz while she writes down information from Phillip Wittebane, and both blushing and looking away.
* After Mya becomes dazed from hitting Harlow and Ivanna, she murmurs "Where is the leaking, ma'am." This is a reference to the *SpongeBob SquarePants* episode *Frankendoodle*, in which a sketch of a wrench falls on Patrick's head. In a daze, he says "Where's the leak, ma'am."
* Mya being starstruck is a reference to the username of one of Av's friends on Discord.