Things Lost and Found (a Waglington and Mianite fanfiction)

Chapter 37

The song for this chapter is "Something New" by Fireflight. This is a really rockin band if you've never heard them. :)

Something to think about: Martha eavesdropped on Wag and Donella's conversation a few chapters ago, and Martha is pretty smart. She's likely figured out (part) of what's going on...

*Waglington's POV*

The medicine Dec gave Memento had kicked in by the time I'd finished my very short, very cold shower. My leg felt as good as new, which meant Memento's was feeling better too. I used my magic to clean my clothes and fix the tear I found in my robe before putting them back on. I laughed to myself when I realized I'd been wearing the same outfit for centuries. I wondered how much money I'd saved on never buying new clothes or having to do laundry, granted my white linen shirt and tan trousers were extremely dated. No one ever sees them though; I always wear my robe. Sadly, I did have to learn how to do laundry when I lost my powers. Those months until I started getting my powers back were miserable. How did mortals stand having to do laundry all the time?

Memento and I met up with everyone—except for Dec who had already returned to Dagrun—at the Wizardly Tavern for breakfast. I took a deep breathe and made sure to wear a (forced) smile as I opened the door. They had been talking in hushed tones about something, but it was forgotten the instant I walked in. I truthfully hadn't been so happy to see my brothers in a long time. Matt looked a bit out of it, but he still smiled and jumped out of his chair to give me a big hug. Phil and Tom were close behind him. Seeing everyone was great, but "everyone" also meant Martha. She stayed off to one side and waved a greeting to me, but seemed lost in her own thoughts, which was fine by me. I didn't want to deal with my emotions with all my friends watching. I quickly pushed down the pain and sadness that rose at my seeing her and tried to focus on those who really cared about me.

"Don't you ever scare us like that again!" Matt exclaimed as he released me from his vice-like hug. "We almost lost you!" He said a little more quietly as his voice cracked.

"Well, I saved your life once. It was about time you repaid the favor, little brother," I quipped while stealing his glass of orange juice from the bar behind him. I downed it quickly before he could snatch it back. We all laughed at the dejected face Matt made as he stared into his now empty glass.

"Bring the wizard some food! He's probably starving after yesterday," Tom called from one of the tables. He'd teleported back from the Nether and didn't seem to have any hard feelings about it.

Memento meowed loudly from where he stood next to me, What about me? I'm wasting away here!

"Yes, yes. We'll get the d*mn cat some food too," Tom added grudgingly.

Scratch that; he has no hard feelings toward me.

What exactly did you do to Doughnut to make Tom so mad at you? I asked as Mot, who seemed to have become the unofficial bartender, set two plates on the counter and loaded them up with food from the stove.

I may have given him a permanent reminder that cats are not dinner, Memento said coyly while scratching the wooden floor with one paw. After a quick glance at Mot, who was trying to hide that he was twitching being so close to a cat, Memento walked to the far side of the tavern to sit next to Akatena.

Phil magically refilled Matt's glass while he was distracted, then pulled me over to a seat at the bar and whispered on the way, "You have your memory back from before the athar ritual?"

"Parts of it, enough to wish I didn't," I whispered back, not really wanting to talk about this now. Phil nodded and left me to eat my breakfast while he went back to his. Bacon and eggs never smelled so good before. I stuffed a whole strip of juicy bacon in my mouth before picking up the plate of cooked chicken next to mine and walking it over to my "starving" cat who rubbed against my leg as a thank you.