From The Ashes We Rise

Epilogue

~June 2017~

I stepped out of my chalet and let the warm tropical breeze brush against my face. I gazed out at the pristine, azure blue ocean. The sun shone down on the island, its rays warm and inviting. I listened to the birds singing in the trees and squinted to see the flying foxes hanging upside down on the nearby coconut trees.

I was on Perhentian Island with Ariff's family. My family got to know Ariff when I leaked my address to him. Soon enough, both our families started visiting each other during their respective holidays. This was one of our first vacations together.

"Good morning, fucker!" Ariff yelled from the front of his chalet.

He was shirtless again, something he did when it got too hot at night. Either that or he just wanted to show off his abs.

"Good morning, bitch!" I shouted back. I heard him laugh and saw him flip me off. I did the same to him.

I laughed as he went back indoors, presumably going to take a shower. I sat on one of the chairs and looked out at the serene landscape again. He showed up at my chalet after that, with a towel around his neck.

"So... Ebony Lee Brooks. Your new family how?" Ariff asked, smirking.

"Better than I thought," I replied. "I didn't think I would feel a parent's love again ever since I ran away."

Ariff nodded. "You're happy, right?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah."

Ever since I was adopted last year, I had never stopped remembering those moments that led up to it. I kept all the memories of my friends, both from America and Singapore, in my mind. I kept in touch with those from America because I still missed them so much. They, too, missed me and kept begging me to come back.

Apart from that, Kenny also found out I was a shapeshifter. My parents didn't know it yet because he promised me that he'd keep it a secret. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for one day during our holiday, because he accidentally spilled the beans.

When we were swimming one day, Kenny asked me to become a dolphin, which I, of course, did. I forgot our parents were with us when I did so. They freaked out when I appeared in that form. I started to panic and dived underwater. There, I shifted back into a human and resurfaced again. I was expecting them to react like how my birth father did, but they didn't. In fact, they were pretty chill with it. My dad cracked a few jokes that I could scare people in the water as a shark.

Other than that minor fuck-up, I had a good holiday with both mine and Ariff's families. I couldn't count how many times Ariff shifted into his panther form to wander away from the resort. I usually had to chase him back before he got into any trouble in the wilderness. I get that he's a were-panther and all, but some risks probably shouldn't be taken. Eventually, he decided to stop and spend some time with my new family. Kenny adored him a lot, mostly for his ability to throw him very high into the air before catching him. My mother... did not like when he did that.

We spent a good two weeks at Perhentian Island, exploring the surrounding islands and snorkelling at different spots. We also did some fun activities at our resort, ranging from karaoke to just stargazing. It turns out that Singapore was too bright to even see constellations. Here in the islands where the lights are sparse, we could see more.

Our families bid each other farewell as we separated at the ferry terminal on mainland Malaysia. Ariana hugged me while Kenny hugged Ariff. We smiled as our siblings hugged each other too. As Ariff's parents got ready to pack everything into their car, Ariff rested an arm on my shoulder.

"So, where will the cat drag me to next?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged, smiling. "Maybe somewhere that's more a-meow-sing than Perhentian."

I smacked him just for that lame pun. "Whatever you say, wildcat."

"Sure, I'll see you back home," he said, his dimples showing as he smiled.

With that, he left to join his family. I grinned as I held Kenny's hand and led him to our car. I helped my father pack our luggage into the car before hopping in myself. We drove all the way back to Singapore with Ariff's family driving nearby. We even stopped over at rest areas together for meals or toilet breaks. The trip back to Singapore was a long one.

Along the way, my parents brought up the topic of my powers again. They asked about them out of curiosity, which I didn't mind. As I explained to them about my powers, they asked me more questions. A few of them pertaining to my life in Minnesota. I guess they also made the link that my powers were what caused my relationship with my birth father to turn sour. At least they accepted me for what I was. To them, my powers made me more special. They still treated me like a normal son, which was all I needed. They gave off the vibe that told me they had no regrets adopting me one bit.

My life has been getting better with the new family I have. So much so that my mental health has recovered more than when I first came to Singapore. Well, mostly because my parents allowed me to get the therapy I deserved after all this time. The life I live now is what my younger self would only dream of, and I don't think this will ever end.