Arven's Scarlet Desire

Chapter Thirty-one - Amnesia

Scarlet was having a nightmare. She tossed and turned and cried out, and Nemona put her hand on her friend's forehead to calm her down.

"Ssh," said Nemona, her voice strained with worry, "you're safe, Scarlet. I'm here, you're at home in Cabo Poco, we're all here with you."

Scarlet mumbled something and opened her eyes.

"What'd you say?"

"Why are we at my house?" Scarlet asked, groggy and disorientated.

"We thought it best to bring you guys here," Nemona said. "You were in pretty bad shape."

"What?" Scarlet asked, shaking her head. "I don't understand." She sat up in bed, and felt a sharp pain behind her eyes. "Oof, what the hell? Jeez, my head hurts so bad..." She clutched her forehead in pain.

Nemona looked up as Scarlet's mother came in with a tray, followed by Jacq, who was tired and bruised and limping. Both of their faces lit up to see Scarlet awake and upright.

"I'm here, Scarlet," said her Mother. "Have a glass of water and some medicine- the doctor told us you should take this when you wake up."

They were all looking at her, nervous and concerned. Scarlet gulped down her medicine - her head was so sore that even the light coming in from the window hurt her eyes. Her mother noticed her wincing and pulled the blinds closed.

"How are you feeling?" Jacq asked.

"Like death," Scarlet groaned. "Why are you here, Professor?"

Jacq frowned, and Nemona raised an eyebrow. They looked at each other and back to Scarlet.

"I'm here to help you, Scarlet..." he said, slowly. "You and Arven, both."

"Arven?" Scarlet asked, her memory casting around for the name, like she'd heard it somewhere a long time ago. "Oh - the guy who gave me Koraidon... Professor Sada's son, right?"

There was a long pause. Nemona seemed speechless, for once.

"What?" Scarlet asked. "What about him? Does he want Koraidon back? Because Koraidon is mine, I've been training him and he's happy with me - it's not fair if... what's going on?"

Jacq, Nemona and Scarlet's Mother, Polly, were all looking at her and each other with an irritating mix of concern and shock. The frustration in her tone was enough to snap Nemona into responding.

"Scar," she said, nervously, "what day do you think today is?"

"What the hell do you mean what day do I think it is..." Scarlet started off with a scowl, but trailed off, realising her mind was so foggy she couldn't actually answer. "I don't know..." she said slowly.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Jacq asked.

She felt dizzy even trying to recall anything. Her head swam and she lay back on her pillow.

"Last thing I remember..." She squeezed her eyes shut. She remembered classes, and exams, and Nemona making inappropriate comments about Professor Jacq.

"I think... as far as I remember, today is the first day of Treasure Hunt." She said, opening her eyes. "I went to bed last night, and I was all packed for the graduation ceremony, and then we were going to head for Cortondo," she said to Nemona.

Nemona was near frozen with shock, and Polly took her daughter's hand, a horrified look in her eyes.

"Scarlet," Jacq said, "that was nearly a month ago."

Scarlet's eyes widened.

"How is this possible?" Polly asked him.

"I don't know," Jacq said, shaking his head. "We couldn't see them when Geeta attacked-"