Believe Me

Ch 24: Past Tense

Sky's POV

"Sky!" Brice yells excitedly.

"Replicate it," I pant, having run all the way here. "It's the cure."

"The cure to...?" Brice pauses, his eyes widen. "The cure!?"

I nod, still breathing heavily. "R-Replicate it. Now. Need enough for the whole city."

"What- Where did you get this? How did you get this?"

"Doesn't matter. Replicate it."

"How do you know it's really the cure?"

"I have it on good authority that this will save the city. Now freaking replicate it."

Brice jumps a little at my harsh tone, and I sigh. "Come on. Don't you wanna help Seto?"

His eyes light up for a moment, but then he frowns. I lean against the wall. "I- I don't know how," he says quietly.

"J-Just- concentrate, or something."

Brice calmly closes his eyes, but I can sense his growing panic. "I don't- Is there, is there a spell?"

"I dunno, what's the Latin word for 'replicate?'"

"Latin..?"

"Yeah. Seto isn't actually smart enough to make up a whole new magical language – he just uses Latin."

"Oh. I, um, I don't know Latin."

"We're doomed," I moan, sliding down the wall.

"Wait..." Brice bites his lip in excitement. "Maybe I can mix the cure with the jumbo potion!"

"The jumbo potion doesn't always work," I remind him.

"It's worth a try," he replies desperately.

"What if it jumboifies the people when they take it?" He gives me a hopeless look. "Fine, we'll try it. Be quick, Brice."

He nods excitedly and runs off to find the potion, and I'd like to follow him, but I can't. The eternal pain disease is finally starting to take its toll on me, and I find myself unable to move more than the slightest bit. "I got it, Sky, give me the cure!"

I force a nod. "Here. Make sure you put some of the jumbo potion on the bottle, as well, or else the cure will overflow."

He drips some of the jumbo potion on the bottle and then dumps the rest into the cure. The bottle grows and hits the ceiling, and we sigh in relief.

It worked.

"Cure Seto first," I instruct. "We'll need him if we run out of the cure – it can't be good to keep diluting it with more jumbo potions."

"Sure thing," Brice replies, relief showing even more clearly on his face. Well, yeah, of course he's super relieved to see Seto alive and healthy – not only are they best friends, they're also dating. They, uh, they just don't know it yet. "Here, I'll help you into their room."

"You are a dev, Brice."

"Ha, no problem. You've just saved the lives of everyone in the city."

"And traded the most important life in the process," I mutter. He doesn't hear. I don't repeat myself.

"How much do you think I should give them?" Brice asks, tugging the cure bottle behind us as we go.

"'Bout a cup," I guess, and then I pass out.

☼☼☼

"Sky?"

I groan as I sit up, eyes blinking rapidly. "Wha-?"

"Good, you've awoken. There was a chance that you wouldn't because of your history with the eternal pain."

"Seto!" I shout as the realization hits. "Seto, Ty!"

"No, Ty isn't here, I- Hmm. Where is Ty?"

"Dead!" I yell, jumping out of the bed I was on. "Or dying! Either way, I'm going back to find him."

"Woah, what?" Seto asks. "You were just cured, I don't think-"

"He could be dead, Seto," I choke out. "And it's my fault. I will not leave him, dead or alive, at the squid base."

Seto's eyes go wide. "Squid base? Notch, Sky, how- Okay, fine. I'll get the others. Hey!" he yells, turning to walk to the door. "We're going on a trip!"

"In our favorite rocket ship?" Jason giggles, peeking his head into the room and smiling widely when he sees me.

"Ty is either dead or on his way there," Seto informs him, "so, yes, if you can locate a rocket ship, we will most certainly make use of its speed." Jason's face pales.

"I- I- what?" he stammers. Seto nods. "Guys! We're going on a trip!"

"In our favorite rocket-" someone tries.

"No, shut up and get ready!"

I start towards the door as Jason darts off down the stairs, but then I remember the whole cure thing. "Seto, you're awake! Have you guys gotten to the city yet?"

"Yes, everyone's awake and perfectly healthy – thanks to you."

"Thanks to Ty," I correct him, refocusing on my current task as I run downstairs.

"What do you mean?" Seto asks, tagging along behind me.

"Ty, he- well, I'm not sure what he did, but he got the cure."

"Is that why...?"

"I don't know, Seto. I don't know. Notch, I thought he was helping the squids, Seto, and I- Notch," I choke out, my run faltering. "Seto. Seto, it's my fault that he's dead, and I- I can't-"

"Shh, it'll be okay, Sky. We'll find him – he'll be fine, I promise," Seto assures me, pushing me the rest of the way down the stairs.

"How do you know?" I sniffle. Notch, I'm a mess.

"Magic," he replies with a playful smirk. He splays his hands out, and purple magic sparks around his fingers.

I can't help but hug him.

"So, what's this about Ty being dead?" Tyler asks, effectively killing the moment. I let out another sob. "Aw. Darn, Sky, I'm sorry. 'S a real shame." Notch, why do – did? do – they hate each other so much?

"Please go away, Tyler," I say gently, trying to even my breathing. "I can't deal with you and Ty's petty rivalry right now. He's my best friend, okay? He's important to me."

"He was."

Seto gapes at him while I bury my head in the sorcerer's chest again. Make him go away, Seto, make him leave, I think, not expecting a reply.

"No problem, Sky," Seto replies, still sounding absolutely appalled. He waves his hand, and Tyler doesn't even have time to react before he's being teleported elsewhere.

Unfortunately, I can't stop the laugh that bubbles up.