The Magical Islands Of Da

Chapter 15.5

"Why didn't you guys try to help me right there? Well, I mean why not right away?" Shawn asked while he looked down at Jessica.

She looked away from him for a second before she looked, "It was a tense and fast situation. A lot was happening there, my emotions were high there. Sorry hehe."

Shawn looked ahead and frowned. Jessica lightly smacked him on the arm. 

"Ow hey! I just got this arm reattached!"  

He rubbed his arm and looked down at her again. She giggled a little.

"Look I apologize okay you Bonehead? I'll try not to do that again, capisce?" A smirk was on her face.

Shawn lightly smacked her arm back. 

She burst out into laughter while they walked.

"See? Also, you should've seen your face during that, you were like 'ah help me! I need help please!' I'm sorry but you gotta admit, that's rich hehe."

"Sigh...I'll admit I did shriek there, and I flailed around! But seriously though I thought I was a goner there, so thank you."

"Yeah of course, you helped Cole and I get out of that arena, it was only fair if we brought you along for the ride. Oh, hey look the shack she mentioned!" Jessica said.

The shack was down the road, it seemed to be out in the open, with no one or thing to guard or protect it. Cole turned back to both of them.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get our stuff and go!" Cole exclaimed.

They opened the door of the shack and looked around, the inside wasn't warm and comforting, but rather cold and dingy. 

Light came in not just from the single window but also from random small holes in the walls. Tiny ants and beetles would crawl in from time to time. On a single table in the room were two bags. They picked up one and looked inside, "Welp Jessica this is yours, you call dibs for first or second?" Shawn asked. 

He gave the bag to her, she put up one finger and smirked. Cole and Shawn nodded before leaving the shack. 

Cole and Shawn would find an open plain with a simple horizon view, a shot of not only a red-orange sunset but also a few stark mountains that stood out amongst the many tree lines of the woods.

"You excited to see them again kid?"

"I'm excited I am but also nervous. It hasn't been a long time since we last saw each other, I thought their blood was on my hands. It still might ehm."

Shawn put one hand on Cole's shoulder, they both stared at the view.

"Getting another opportunity, I'm lucky. Ehm, I hope you get that same luck soon." 

Shawn looked away for a second and nodded warmly. Cole pulled out the folded piece of paper, the one the cactus couple gave him in the arena. 

Before he opened the piece of paper, Jessica walked up on them. Still wearing the performance blue, Cole smiled a little at the sight.

He put away the piece of paper. He went to the old shack with anticipation.

That build up grew as his umbrella was next to the bag, he slowly picked it up and opened it. To his surprise there were no holes in the umbrella, but rather it was polished like it was new. 

He slowly closed the umbrella and put it back on the table, he looked through his satchel bag, most items were not the same as they were before. 

Most of the items were depleted or disappeared, the fear flag even had some holes in it.

The red winged rose was still there. Cole took out the rose and squinted, "Huh that's quite something, very interesting. None of the pedals are gone, seems perfectly intact." 

He scanned the rose and looked all over it, the rose's wings were held tight together from being held by a bowtie, there was a small piece of writing on the bow. 

"Kiss me for who you want, do not untie me by force."

He eventually put the rose back in his satchel bag. One thing caught his eyes, a hole was cut in the bag. It looked pretty desperate.

Cole walked out of the shack wearing his normal clothes and the glistening golden vest, he had concern written on his face. He rushed back to Shawn and Jessica. 

"Hey! Look we're getting close to The Moonstone Zone, but we have a problem. A very big problem, I don't have the marvelous map." 

Shawn and Jessica looked at Cole confused.

"What I mean is that...when this journey for me started, Caitlin gave me this map to follow the right path. But we're gonna get lost without it, I don't have it now."

"You may not have it, but we do." A familiar voice called out from behind.

Cole stopped what he was doing and looked behind. The Crochet Doll stood there with a genuine worried look on her face, her eyes slightly red from tears. 

"Cole, are you okay? How badly did those monsters hurt you?" Yuna asked.

"Oh, they just bruised me here and there, but nothing to worry about. You don't need to be the worried walking catfish, that's my job!" Cole smirked a little with tears that built up in his throat. 

Yuna laughed a little in an emotional state, she ran up and tackle hugged him. Both in an embrace.

Cole hugged back; she sobbed in his arms. He teared while he patted her on the back, they both stopped hugging and looked at each other. Cole took out a handkerchief and wiped her face.

"Th- thank you."

Cole was abruptly hugged by Elijah, Cole hugged back tightly, the tears slowly streamed down his cheeks as his eyes were closed. 

"Elijah oh my! You have no idea how glad I am to see you both!" Cole expressed. 

They both stopped their hug shortly., Cole looked around and noticed the others.

"Elijah, Yuna...I met some new friends. Well Elijah, I'm sure you know Jessica more than me and Yuna. She was kidnapped and brought to that solitary confinement." Cole said.

Jessica walked up to Elijah and gave him a high-five, Yuna walked up to her and stuck her hand out for a handshake, Jessica looked at it and then over at Elijah. 

Elijah looked at the both of them before nodding to The Jester, Jessica and Yuna shook hands. 

Jessica tapped Yuna's hand before she let go.

"Hello? I'm glad the four of you had your reunion, but I'm not a statue. I'm a living thing, something that's alive!" Shawn blurted out. 

All of them glanced over at Shawn who still sat on the large rock alone.

"Guys this is Shawn, he was my cellmate. He helped Jessica and I get out of that kingdom, and we wouldn't be here without him." Cole said.

Elijah handed Cole the marvelous map as Shawn approached the others to introduce himself. Cole opened the map slowly and smiled warmly from how familiar it looked, he felt warm in his heart while seeing the path directions on the map. 

As he wrapped up the map, the smile on Cole's face faded slightly, he put the map in his satchel bag and walked past the others slowly. 

He looked in the distance as he stopped in his tracks, examining what was ahead carefully with caution.

"Whatcha looking at there buddy?" Jessica asked from behind.

"Our next challenge that's up ahead, The Woods Of Waning. I don't know what's in store for us, but we better be prepared."

Cole didn't know what was in store for them ahead, but he could be reassured for now from what he experienced, a little reunion. ***

(Thank you all for checking out both parts for chapter 15, I hope you all enjoyed the reunion of the 3! Let me know what you think!

If you liked it, please send a vote and share the story as it helps! Have a great rest of your day, see y'all in the next chapter.)