Forgotten Magic

Chapter 55

"Hookfoot met someone?!"

That was something I thought I'd be able to go my entire life without hearing. Unfortunately, the world isn't so compliant.

"Hookfoot met somebody?" Lance and Cass echoed. Apparently hearing it three times was enough to grab Nickolas's attention.

Raps, Cass, and Lance went over to Hookfoot to congratulate him and ask about the special someone. What was her name, what was she like, was she pretty, and etcetera. Then, Hookfoot got this look on his face, and he glared at Eugene.

"Oooh, and he's surly again! Guys, I think he's back to normal!" the ex-thief grinned sheepishly.

"What did you do?" Nickolas asked, also approaching the scene.

"Tell us how you met her, Hookfoot!" Raps encouraged. "We want all the details!"

Hookfoot sighed. "Alright, fine. I was collecting fire wood the other day when I stumbled across something shiny in the sand. As I'm looking at it, she shows up and tells me it's see glass. 'Rarer than pearls'. Then, I drop the firewood, and she says "Hey Butter-fingers, name's Seraphina." So I tell her it's crab grease and tell her my name. And then, she asks me why people call me Hookfoot, and I told her it's because I had a hook for a foot. She tells me I have more looks than brains...She gave me this to remember her by and told me not to lose it." He holds up a pendant with a pink shell on it.

"Awwww," the group replies.

Hookfoot sighs happily. "And I never will." He takes a bite of his sandwich and adds "We're even gonna do dinner later!"

"Hooky, you got a date!" Eugene congratulates.

"No, it's not a date," he denies. "We're just gettin gtogether to eat and, you know, talk and..." His voice starts to pitch up before he exclaims. "WAIT! I HAVE A DATE!" And he doesn't move from that position.

"I think he's just a little anxious, that's all. He-he's gonna be fine," Eugene assures everyone as Raps waves a hand in his face.

"Uh, Hookfoot?" the princess asks. Aaand, then he falls off the cliff.

The group starts rushing down to the beach to rescue the pub thug while excitedly chattering about how they were so excited Hookfoot found somebody, how they planned to help him, and excetera. Nickolas and I didn't follow. They'd probably be able to fish him out of the water, right?

"Looks like we know what they'll be doing all day," the guard noted. "Should we help or...?"

"Pff, I don't think either of us know a thing about 'romance' or anything like that," I shrugged.

"Hey, where'd you get that idea?" he grinned.

"I dunno, just your...entire-"

"I have a boyfriend back in Corona for your information."

Nickolas seemed like the most lone-wolf type person I'd ever met, so this obviously surprised me. Pushing that aside in the moment, however, I was curious. Why'd he left Corona then? I had originally gotten the idea he left because he didn't have anyone left. But that wasn't true, so why leave?

"Whyyy are you looking at me like that?" The guard waved a hand in my face. "Are you okay? I think the sun's getting to you. Let's head inside. The others can deal with Hookfoot."

"Sure."

. . .

"Eugene, that's not how love works. All he has to do is relax," Rapunzel asserted, walking into the condo with Eugene close behind her.