//------------------------------//
// Chapter 19 - The Next Morning 
// Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds 
// by Kamahido 
//------------------------------//

Arc waits outside the Bathroom for quite some time before the water shuts off and Ember finishes drying Cybil off. Eventually she opens the door.

“She’s ready, Arc. Do you want me to carry her to bed?”

Arc shakes his head. “No, I should be the one to do it. After all, it’s my fault she’s here.”

He steps inside the bathroom. There is a large towel wrapped around Cybil’s chest and hips. Arc carefully picks the drunken woman up and carries her to his room. He lays her down and Ember covers her with a blanket.

“Let’s go. She can sleep it off.”

“But what if she wakes up?!”

Arc shrugs. “Then she wakes up. In her condition, she won’t be going very far.”

Ember follows Arc out and down the stairs. His squad along with Derpy are sitting on the couch talking.

“Is Dinky in bed, Derpy?”

Derpy sighs. “Yes, Arc. She seemed a bit confused about what this was all about so I had a little talk with her about it.”

“Good. I may have to do that tomorrow as well.”

Max shakes his head. “I still can’t believe you found her, sir!”

Xenos nods. “Me either! I mean, I knew you could do it. But I just figured it would take a while.”

Hugh looks to Arc, concerned. “So how is she?”

“Sleeping it off for now.”

Ember frowns. “And a heck of a lot cleaner then when she got here!”

“Right.”

Viktor nods. “What should we do with her?”

“I want to talk to her. But I can’t really do that with her drunk and naked.”

Derpy looks to Arc, angrily. “She certainly didn’t seem have a problem with it earlier!”

“True. But I want her coherent.”

Sereb nods. “Derpy brought us up to speed on your day, Arc.”

Max grins. “Sounds like quite the day you had!”

“It was… eventful.”

Viktor smiles. “You’re pretty good at what you do, sir!”

“Being a detective is originally what I wanted to do with my life. Although that is what I’ve been doing for a while now.”

Ember sighs. “So what do you want to ask her?”

“About her daughter mostly. If I can make her wish come true, I will.”

Xenos looks confused. “What do you mean ‘if’? You found her! Still not sure how, but you did!”

Max frowns. “Yes. What is there to talk about?”

“I want to know her mindset. For starters, why she left her daughter behind. I certainly couldn’t do the same, and can’t imagine Derpy doing such a thing to Dinky.”

Derpy nods with determination. “Right! She’s got to be messed up in the head or something!”

Sereb growls. “For what it’s worth, her scent is… off.”

Ember nods. “I’m with Sereb on this one. She certainly stunk!”

“While you are correct, that is not what I meant, Ember.”

“Wait, what?”

Sereb shakes his head. “It is difficult to put into words, but her body language show her thoughts to be convoluted and scrambled.”

Derpy shakes her head angrily. “That was probably just her being a drunk!”

Arc turns to her. “Something up, Derpy? You haven’t been yourself since we found her.”

“I… I just… the thought of her abandoning her foal to an orphanage just SICKENS me! Every day I cook and take care of orphans that would do ANYTHING to have a family! And… and she just tossed away her daughter like she was garbage!”

Arc nods. “She certainly has a lot of explaining to do.”

“Who’s got sum splaining to do?!”

Everyone turns around to see Cybil standing on the upper landing looking down at the group. She is holding the towel loosely to her chest. Ember frowns.

“What the…?”

Arc stands up. “How did you get UP?!”

Cybil stumbles down the stairs. “I kin hold my own against a bottle any day of the week!”

Derpy looks to her angrily. “Get back to bed and sleep that off you worthless drunk!”

“Who yu callin’ worthless, blondie?!”

Cybil looks to Arc.

“Call the… polize. Someone stole my clothes!”

Xenos stands up and walks toward her. “Why don’t I help you back to bed, miss?”

Cybil looks Xenos up and down. “My yer a big one!”

She looks around the room.

“I’m surrunded by… good lookin’ men!”

Derpy moves to stand between Cybil and the others. “And they’re a heap better than YOU!”

Cybil looks at her snidely. “What do yew know about wut men want, powderpuff?! Now move on over and let a real woman show yew how it’s dun!”

Ember rolls her eyes. “Yeah… you’re a real prize there.”

Cybil moves to push her way past Derpy and heads for Arc.

“Come heer tall, dark and handsome!”

In a flash Derpy grabs Cybil’s shoulder, turns her around to look her in the eye, and punches the woman squarely in the jaw. Cybil goes down like a sack of potatoes. Ember laughs.

“Nice one, Derpy! Didn’t know you had it in you!”

Arc sighs and picks Cybil up off the floor. “Let’s get you back to bed. And I suggest you stay there this time.”

He returns a few minutes later. Max looks over to him.

“Did she give you any more trouble, sir?”

Arc shakes his head. “Nope. She was OUT!”

Ember grins. “If she does, we’ll send Derpy after her!”

Derpy looks to Arc, embarrassed. “Sorry about that.”

“No problem. She kinda had it coming.”

Derpy frowns. “Kinda?”

“Okay, she totally deserved it. Just one thing though. I think I’m going to let you tell her why her jaw hurts so bad in the morning.”

“Squee!”

“While everyone’s here, I did run into someone interesting again today.”

Sereb frowns. “Who might that be.”

“Wiseman.”

Ember sighs. “That weirdo from the fire?! Again?!”

Max looks to Arc. “Where, sir?”

“At the elementary school. He just showed up behind me.”

Cherry shudders. “I’m still wondering how exactly he got in there.”

Arc nods. “Right. I had to Blink in myself.”

Ember turn to him. “He’s gotta have magic, Arc. There’s no other explanation.”

“Yes. But where he got it from is still a mystery.”

Xenos sighs. “What did he want?”

“To give me some more advice.”

Ember rolls her eyes. “What this time?”

“He said, and I quote, ‘the truth is not always a pleasant thing to know’.”

Ember raises an eyebrow. “What is THAT supposed to mean?!”

Max shrugs. “The truth hurts?”

“Probably. But I already know that.”

Arc looks at his pocket watch and frowns.

“Sorry to cut this short, but I’m pretty tired. It’s getting late and we have another big day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Derpy stands up. “Why don’t we all get some sleep now? I for one found that legwork exhausting!”

Max and the rest of his squad head for the basement. “We’ll see you in the morning sir.”

Sereb walks over to the stairs. “I shall keep an eye on our ‘guest’ tonight, Arc.”

“Thanks.”

Ember looks to him. “So where were you planning on sleeping Arc?”

Derpy blushes slightly. “You can sleep with Dinky and I if you want to. We don’t mind sharing!”

Ember shakes her head. “Three humans in one bed might be a bit crowded. You can bunk with me tonight, Arc.”

Arc sits down on the couch. “I think I’ll just sleep here tonight. Thanks for offering though.”

Derpy frowns. “Are you sure? I mean, it is your house after all.”

Ember grins at him. “Yeah! That and it’s been awhile since you and I did that!”

“I’ll be fine. You two head upstairs and get some sleep now. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Ember, Derpy and Sereb head upstairs. Sereb lies down in front of Arc’s closed bedroom door as Derpy turns to Ember.

“I sure hope this wild goose chase was worth it.”

Ember nods. “Yeah. Arc worked so hard to find this woman.”

Derpy heads for her room. “I’m going to run an extra blanket down to Arc. The couch can’t be all that warm.”

Ember nods. “Or comfortable. Maybe you can talk him into coming upstairs and bunking with one of us.”

“I doubt it. Good night Ember.”

Ember goes into her room. “Night.”

Derpy grabs a blanket from her closet and heads back downstairs. Arc is just about to turn off the lights as he turns to face her.

“Derpy? What is it?”

She sheepishly holds out the blanket to him. “I… I wanted to give you this. If I can’t convince you to rest upstairs with Dinky and I, this is the best I can do.”

“Thanks!”

Derpy looks down at her feet. “Arc, I… I also wanted to apologize for my behavior today.”

“Believe me, I don’t hold it against you for hitting Cybil.”

“It’s not just that. I was a bit… difficult earlier. Can we sit down?”

Arc gestures to the couch. “Sure. What’s on your mind?”

Derpy sighs as Arc sits down next to her. “I’m not trying to make excuses or anything, but… the way that woman acted really ticked me off!”

“Drunks aren’t the best people to be around. Believe me, I know.”

“It… it wasn’t that even! But the way she went after you earlier just made my blood boil! She isn’t worthy of your attention!”

“Worthy?”

Derpy nods. “Right! You’re strong, brave, smart, trustworthy, Loyal and Kind! Ever since we met, you’ve always done what you could to help others. But Cybil… all she wants is… whatever she can get others to do for her!”

Arc nods and sighs. “You’re right.”

“I am?”

“Yes. She’s a full-blown alcoholic. Getting drunk and staying drunk is all she lives for. Everything else is secondary.”

“Do you think that’s why Sam left with their daughter?”

Arc nods. “I’m certain of it.”

“What are we going to do about it?!”

“Help her dry out enough to see her daughter for Christmas.”

“Do you really think she can take care of that little girl?”

Arc shakes his head. “As it stands she has no money and nowhere to call home, so I’d say no. To regain custody she’d have to show quite a bit of improvement to the powers that be in this matter.”

“Who?”

“Child Protective Services for starters.”

Derpy frowns. “She’s not worth your time, Arc!”

“Maybe she is, and maybe she isn’t. But I’m not doing this for her.”

“What?! Then who?”

“That sad, lonely little girl in the orphanage.”

The next day, Arc and company rise early and prepare breakfast together. Dinky looks up at Arc as she and her mother set the table.

“How’d you sleep, dad?”

Arc rubs his neck. “Let’s just say my couch isn’t exactly the most comfortable place to sleep.”

Max looks up. “You could stay with us next time, sir.”

Xenos nods. “Right! Any of us would be willing to give up our bunk for you!”

Arc sighs. “I may just take you up on that.”

He turns to Ember.

“Any problems with our guest last night?”

Ember shakes her head. “Nope. Derpy knocked her out but GOOD!”

Derpy blushes. “I wish you wouldn’t say it like that. I feel bad enough about what I did.”

Viktor grins. “We were impressed!”

Sereb walks into the kitchen. 

“She is beginning to stir, Arc.”

Ember stands up. “I’ll go talk to her. She’s probably confused as to where she is and how she got here”

Derpy rolls her eyes. “That and she’s more than likely wet herself by now.”

Arc nods. “Do be quick. Breakfast will be ready shortly.”

Ember nods and heads upstairs. She knocks lightly before entering the room. Cybil is still lying on the bed and shaking her head as if to make sense of something.

“Hey. You okay?”

Cybil looks over, a confused look on her face. “You’re not Nadine. Who… who are you?”

She raises her head a few inches and looks herself over.

“W-where are my clothes?!”

Ember helps the woman sit up. “In the wash. They’ll be dry in about a half hour. By the way, names Ember.”

Cybil looks around as she weakly stands. “Where… where are we?”

“My friend’s house. He brought you here last night.”

Cybil blushes heavily as she holds the towel to her chest. “WHAT?! Did… did he…?”

“No! He brought you home to keep you safe!”

She puts a hand to her forehead. “I… I must look a sight. Do you have a bathroom around here?”

“This way.”

Ember helps Cybil down the hall and into the bathroom. The young woman promptly drops to her knees and heaves into the toilet. The contents of her stomach exits her mouth with such force that Ember has to help keep her head from dropping into the bowl. Cybil looks over her shoulder at Ember, smiling weakly. 

“Th-thanks.”

Cybil picks up the towel she dropped earlier and wipes her mouth. She throws the towel away disgusted.

“What is that smell?!”

Ember rolls her eyes. “You wet yourself last night. Hence the tarp on the bed.”

“Come on! I wasn’t THAT drunk!”

“Right. Tell me, do you remember coming here?”

“N-no.”

Ember turns on the shower. “Why don’t you take a quick shower before we head downstairs? Wash that smell off your skin.”

“Sounds good to me.”

She steps in the shower as Ember leaves the room.

“I’ll find you something to wear.”

A short time later Ember and Cybil descend the stairs together. Cybil is wearing a bathrobe from Arc’s closet. The pair walk into the kitchen to find the others have already started eating. Cybil looks around the room, confused. 

“Do… do I know any of you?”

Arc pulls out the chair next to him. “No. Have a seat.”

Cybil cautiously does so. Max looks to her.

“Hungry? “

She puts a hand to her forehead. “I am. But I don’t think I could hold anything down right now.”

Ember nods. “I can vouch for that!”

“Hugh, get her a tall glass of water.”

Cybil frowns. “But I just said…”

Arc interrupts her. “You need to rehydrate after last night’s binge. It will help with your hangover.”

“I’m not hungover! It’s just a headache!”

Derpy nods. “Yes! Caused by last night!”

Cybil takes the water from Hugh and takes a sip. “Ugh… what… what day is it?”

Dinky looks at the calendar. “Thursday.”

“THURSDAY! I’m supposed to open the restaurant today!”

She looks to Arc. 

“Can I please use your telephone?!”

Arc nods. “Sure. It’s in the living room. But that hardly matters now.”

Cybil stands up quickly. “I have to call and let my boss know I’ll be in when I can!”

Arc follows her into the next room. “That won’t help now.”

Cybil looks to him as she picks up the phone. “Why’s that?!”

“He fired you yesterday.”

Cybil quickly dials a number. “HA! He couldn’t run that place without me!”

A few moments later the phone connects.

“Hey boss, it’s Cybil. I just… wait what?! But I… hello?! HELLO?!”

She puts down the receiver but immediately picks it back up and dials the number again.

“We must have been disconnected or something!”

Arc takes the receiver from her and puts it down.

“No, you were fired. Trust me. I was there.”

Cybil frowns as the pair head back to the kitchen. “But why?!”

Arc rolls his eyes. “Showing up drunk tends to do that.”

“I wasn’t THAT drunk!”

Derpy glares at her. “Yes, you were!”

“Was not!”

“You don’t even remember how you got here, do you?!”

“My memory isn’t great, okay?!”

Cybil turns to Arc.

“Look, I appreciate the help yesterday, but I should really be getting back. My roommate’s probably wondering why I didn’t come home last night.”

“She knows.”

Cybil looks surprised. “You called her? How?”

“We went there. She had the locks changed. Something about you not paying your share of the rent.”

“Nadine can’t do that to me!”

Derpy rolls her eyes. “She already did.”

Cybil puts a hand to her forehead. “Look, if you could just give me back my clothes, I’ll get out of your hair.”

Xenos sighs. “We put them in the washing machine last night. But this morning they still smelled of alcohol and urine. They’re going through the wash again.”

Cybil looks out the kitchen window. “Where am I anyway?!”

Dinky looks at her. “Angel Grove!”

“Wait, what?! Why did you…”

Arc sighs. “You weren’t in any condition to…

“So you KIDNAPPED me?!”

“It was either you came home with me, or you spent the night in jail.”

“Jail?! On what charges?!”

“Being in a publicly intoxicated state. I mean… it’s not like that would be a terrible crime or anything mind you, but…

Cybil scoffs at this. “Sam would have bailed me out.”

Derpy glares at her “You also could have passed out and frozen to death in the snow!”

Sighing and sitting down, she glances in Arc’s direction. “I guess I should thank you… whoever you are.”

“Name’s Arc.”

“Okay… strange name, but whatever. I’m…”

Max nods. “We all know who you are, Miss Mason.”

“Oh? How?”

Arc turns to her. “You gave me your driver’s license last night so I could take you home.”

“Thanks, I guess. Were you a customer at the restaurant?”

“Not… exactly. You see, my friends and I were looking for you all day yesterday.”

Viktor chuckles. “You’re not the easiest person to find!”

“Why?”

Ember sighs. “Your daughter. She was… uh… she wanted to see you.”

Cybil looks suddenly stunned. “What?! How… how do you know her?! Did Sam send all of you to hunt me down?!”

She storms back to the phone, picks up the receiver, and angrily dials.

“He sure has a lot of nerve to send someone else to do HIS job!”

She stands there and waits for Sam to pick up the phone as Arc joins her. When no one picks up, she hangs up the phone.

“He must be out shopping or something. I’ll call back later.”

Arc sighs. “Cybil. We need to talk.”

She follows him back to the kitchen. “What about?”

Ember sighs. “About Sam.”

Cybil rolls her eyes. He’s a nice enough guy, but kinda boring. To be honest with you, I’m not even sure why I married him in the first place.”

Derpy glares at her. “Fine way to talk about the man who took care of you!”

“Like I said. Nice guy. You know where he is?”

Arc points to a chair. “Sit down, Cybil.”

She does as she is told. “Fine. Have it your way.”

“There… there was an accident.”

Cybil looks confused. “What do you mean ‘accident’?”

Arc sighs. “Sam’s apartment building… there was a fire a while back. I’m sorry, but he didn’t make it.”

She is quiet for a few moments before bursting into hysterical laughter. Hugh frowns.

“What is so funny?!”

Ember glares at the woman. “Yeah! What’s your problem?!”

Cybil looks around the room still giggling. “Where are the cameras?”

Xenos frowns. “Cameras?”

“Yeah! I’m on one of those reality TV shows, right?”

Arc whispers something to Viktor. He nods and hurried downstairs as Derpy stands and yells at Cybil.

“This is not TV! Can’t you take this seriously?!”

Cybil stands up and opens the cupboards. “Don’t worry! I’ll find them myself!”

A few moments later Viktor returns to Arc’s side with a newspaper. He opens it and points to a spot before handing it over to him. Arc stands up with the paper in his hands. 

“I think this will clear things up for you, Cybil.”

Cybil walks over to him still chuckling. “Sure! What do you have there?!”

“Our town’s newspaper. I’ll read it to you.”

Arc clears his throat and begins to read.

“Samuel F. Mason, 40, of Angel Grove, died November 29, 2019 from medical complications stemming from an apartment fire. He was born January 19, 1979 in…”

Cybil grabs the paper from Arc. “Give me that!”

She quickly reads the obituary as she collapses into a nearby chair, stunned.

“He… he’s really gone?!”

Max nods. “Sorry, but he is.”

“What about…”

Her voice trails off. Ember looks over to her.

“If you’re wondering about your daughter, she’s alive and living in a nearby orphanage.”

Arc nods. “Indeed. I saw her myself just the other day.”

“Was she hurt?!”

“Other than her hands, no. What exactly happened?!”

Cybil looks out the window. “I… I don’t know!”

She is quiet for a time before standing up slowly and walking toward the stairs.

“Sorry, but I think I need to be alone for a while.”

As she walks slowly upstairs Arc motions to Sereb. “Stay with her. Let me know if she does anything… drastic, okay?”

Sereb nods and quickly runs up the stairs after her. Dinky turns to her father.

“Is she going to be okay, dad?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart.”

Hugh sighs. “That was a lot for her to take in all at once.”

Xenos nods. “We should give her some time to process it.”

Viktor looks to Arc. “Do you think there’s anything we can do for her?”

“Keeping her warm and safe is probably all that can be done for the moment.”

Ember sighs. “I feel bad for her. As terrible as she looked yesterday, no one deserves… that!”

Arc sighs. “I hated to tell her. But she needed to know.”

Derpy sits back down. “So… what happens to her now?”

“She can stay her for the moment. Hopefully we can convince her to go see her daughter before Christmas.”

“What if you can’t, Dad.”

Arc sighs. “Then that little girl is going to have a sad, dark, lonely Christmas.”