Similar powers

Chapter 31. The Funeral

Max is in the Blackwell dormitory, ready to go to Rachel's funeral along with her classmates, but before leaving her room she listens to the news.

"Ten days have passed since the tornado that was spotted at the Arcadia Bay junkyard and then vanished into thin air, a totally unusual event that was not the only one, but thankfully it was the last abnormal event before Arcadia Bay returned to normal. Today will be the funeral of Rachel Amber, who was found to have been held hostage for six months by Nathan Prescott and Mark Jefferson, only to be killed by a third man at the dump whose trail is currently lost."

After hearing this, Max leaves the room and meets Kate.

"Hi Kate."

"Hi Max. I heard about Rachel, and I'm very sorry that she died this way."

"Did you get a chance to talk to her?"

"While I was there, she helped me not to think about the worst and defended me from Dio, she did more than I could have imagined."

"I am glad you are alive Kate, and I am very sorry that because of me you ended up in the Dark Room again."

"Don't blame yourself Max, you couldn't have known what was going on in that monster's mind, besides you were a force of nature when you took him by surprise, I didn't even see you coming."

"I guess you already realized that there was something unusual about everything that happened."

"I'm not stupid Max, I already knew when you saved me on the roof that you had something special. You could never have gotten to me so quickly without me even realizing it."

"I will no longer use my powers Kate. It is true that I have saved you, but at the same time I have done only damage since I have possessed them, because I..."

"Max, it's all over now, don't go any further. Victoria is coming."

"Hi Max, what were you talking about?"

"Nothing in particular. What about you Victoria?"

"It's weird for me to go to Rachel's funeral. I was really hoping that she was in L.A. chasing her dreams, but instead she's gone, and knowing that Nathan and Prof. Jefferson were behind her disappearance makes me sick."

"It's all over now Victoria. It will take time before we get back to normal, but together we will get there."

"Thank you Max."

After this dialogue, all students head to the Arcadia Bay cemetery along with the principal, professors, and even Samuel. As soon as they arrive at the cemetery, Max catches up with Chloe, with whom he heads toward Mr. and Mrs. James and Rose Amber, who have also recently arrived at the cemetery.

"H...Hello Mr. Amber."

"..."

"I know it is difficult for you to talk to me after what has happened, I only ask that you give me just five minutes of your and your wife's time, then I will leave you alone forever."

"What do you need to talk to me about?"

Chloe barely holds back tears as Max tries to give her the support she needs to cope.

"Just before she died, Rachel wanted me to report to you what she told me: Mr. Amber, Rachel told me that she forgives you for what happened with Sera."

"Really?!"

"Yes!"

"I thought that even after her death she hated me for what I did, which I bitterly regret every day of my life, but knowing that my daughter did not hate me to the end gives me a modicum of relief."

"As for you Ms. Amber, Rachel told me to tell you that she loved you, and that you were a good mother."

"I had no idea that *sigh* Rachel still loved me after finding out that *sigh* I was not her real mother."

"She may not be her biological mother, but she raised her as her own daughter, and she never forgot that even though she wanted to know the truth. I hope I have comforted you a little by telling you all this."

"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for what you did Chloe, you can tell that Rachel saw something different in you than others, and you showed us that today by telling us these things. I hope that in the future things can improve, and process this painful loss."

"I hope so, too. Goodbye."

After saying goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Amber, Max and Chloe notice Frank under a tree together with Pompidou.

"Hey Frank."

"I should have hidden better, I didn't want you to see me."

"The omelette is done. What's up?" Says Chloe

"I'm sad about Rachel's death, she certainly didn't deserve this bad ending. I would have liked to have said goodbye to her in a different way."

"Frank, in the end what matters were the moments you spent together, unfortunately when someone dies we always tend to regret not being able to say goodbye or spend more time with our loved one."

"Max's right, I had some horrible times when my father died, and you can't imagine how many times I wished I could have seen him again even for a second and told him that I loved him and missed him terribly."

"In any case, since I now have a certain confidence with you and for better or worse I like both of you, I'll let you know that I'm leaving Arcadia Bay today. This town has nothing more to offer me, and I need new air along with Pompidou."

"Do you already have an idea where you are going?"

"The first stop is Los Angeles. Since Rachel will no longer be able to go there, I will visit it as a tribute to her memory, and then I will decide on the other stops, or have none at all."

"Got it. Then have a safe trip Frank."

Frank exchanges a clenched fist with both Max and Chloe, and they both pat Pompidou before Frank climbs into his RV, driving away from Arcadia Bay. As they see the RV intent on driving away, they notice the figure of a blond woman in the distance, who reveals herself to be Sera. Chloe decides not to go to meet her, knowing that she was only there to pay her daughter a final farewell, but without anyone seeing her.