Small World (Slugterra Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Remember

"Dexas...Dexas please wake up..." Eli spoke softly, hanging his head low next to hers. She rested peacefully in her bed, her chest rising and falling as she calmly breathed. The friends remained silent most of the time, waiting eagerly for Dexas to open her eyes.
"She needs time, bro. I'm sure she'll be f-"
"It's been over an hour, Kord! She should've woken up by now..." Eli responded with swift distress in his voice and body language.
"Some take more time to recover than others, Eli. We must have patience, as hard as it may be." Junjie placed a hand on his friend's back with sympathy. The young Shane looked off to the side,
"Yeah, you're right. It's just...I..."
"What's on your mind?" Trixie asked concerned.
"N-Nothing. It won't matter if I say it now, only when she wakes up." Eli replied with a sigh.
"We need to be strong, for Dexas-Taryn would wish that of us! Of course, she already knows how considerably strong Pronto is! Both physically, and mentally!" Their boastful friend 'flexed his muscles'. Everyone except Eli simply glared at Pronto annoyingly.
"What?" He shrugged with confusion, leaving Trixie to roll her eyes as they returned their focus to Eli and Dexas. He soon rose to his feet while shaking his head,
"I'm going to...get some fresh air." The Shane turned around to walk outside, but stopped when he heard the softest groan from behind.
"Dexas!" He quickly returned to kneeling near her head.
"How are you feeling?" Kord soon asked.
"Mmm...fine I think," the dazed girl looked around groggily while she sat up in her bed. After having looked at everyone, she seemed rather confused.
"Who are you guys?" The gang gasped at her question, while their hearts quietly sank.
"Oh no..." Trixie whispered.
"Guess she took a harder hit than we thought.." Kord commented.
"No no no Dexas, look at me. It's me, Eli! Eli Shane?" He spoke hopeful, having grabbed hold of her hands desperately. All she did was gaze at him startled, shaking her head with confusion which caused a disappointed sigh to escape his mouth.
"I'm sorry..I really don't remember you. But I gotta admit, you're kinda cute. And handsome at that." She smiled a little with a tiny blush and looked down. Eli too found himself blushing a bit, but vigorously shook his head to snap out of it,
"Come on, you've got to remember something. Anything! What about this?" He gestured to the emerald locket hanging around her neck. "I gave that to you when we were younger." Dexas stared at the necklace while he spoke,
"Awe, you did? It's very pretty." Eli grumbled out of frustration from her response, sitting down in a nearby chair to think.
"It appears she still needs time to recover. She'll remember, you just need to have patience. Just like when you were learning slug-fu." Junjie pointed out calmly.
"Uh, what's slug-fu?" Dexas asked.
"Never mind that, we need to figure out ways to get you to remember everything. To remember us.." Trixie pondered aloud, placing her hand to her chin.
"Yes yes, but how?" Pronto added, before Eli suddenly gasped.
"Prisma! She's got to help you remember! Come on!" He excitedly yet gently pulled her out of her bed and into the outside world. The gang quickly followed, watching as Eli Shane whistled for Dexas' mechabeast. In no time Prisma came sprinting towards them, ultimately stopping before the pair.
"See? Good ol' Prisma! You told us you'd built her. You even modified her recently to respond to yours and my whistle! There's no way you don't remember her!" Eli smiled big while patting Prisma's neck. Again, Dexas just listened before shaking her head sadly.
"What about Burpy? When you two first met, he scared you because your left eye had been burned." Eli added as Burpy happily hopped onto his shoulder. When Dexas didn't move back out of fear, the gang instantly knew that hadn't worked.
"Her amnesia must be terribly severe if she does not recall being injured." Junjie observed.
"Dude, Eli. Take her to the meadow where you two had your first kiss." Kord folded his arms.
"Wait, I kissed you? Or did you kiss me first? Wait, we kissed?" Dexas' confusion continued to swirl, and before she knew it she was traveling with Eli on the back of Prisma.

"Oh wow, this place is beautiful Eli." Dexas-Taryn looked all around her, seeing every tree and every little slug. Prisma stopped her walk, letting Eli and Dexas dismount.
"Does any of it look familiar?" Eli asked.
"I'm sorry, no." She shook her head slowly, still looking at the surroundings intently. Soon a sympathetic smile etched across his face, slowly turning her head towards him.
"Maybe this will help." He softly pressed their lips together, and immediately both their eyes closed. His right hand gently traveled into her hair, resting behind her head to cradle it. A moment later they parted, Eli's eyes and heart full of high hopes.
"W-Wow.." Was all Dexas could say.
"You have no idea how much you mean to me, and how much we'd all love to have you back."
"As much as I believe you, I still just...don't remember..." Dexas lowered her head and closed her eyes, both her good and bad eye. Eli nodded while glancing off to the side and frowning,
"It's ok, we'll figure this out. How about we go for a walk and I can tell you things that might jog your memory?" He suggested, trying to keep a positive attitude. Dexas nodded with a half smile, gladly locking arms with him.