Prologue

Garu was walking through the forest. It was very early in the morning. He had just finished fishing and was about to go home when he heard a rustling sound.

Alert and already posing for a fight, Garu dropped his fishing gear. That was when he heard the sound of glass breaking somewhere above him.

He looked up only to feel a warm liquid splash on his face. It stung his eyes and he could feel it dripping from his neck to his chest wetting his clothes in the process.

Garu wiped it from his face with his hand and opened his eyes. That was when he realized that the substance on his palm was glowing purple.

"What the—" Garu tried to shake his hands to flick it off but the substance sank itself into his skin.

He could feel the intense heat rushing through his veins. He cried in agony. He felt like it was burning him alive.

Then just as suddenly, his heart started pounding harder in his chest. Faster and faster it went until he felt like he couldn't breathe. After what seemed like a century, he stopped breathing and his heart stopped pounding and everything went black.

0o0o0o

Earlier that day

Shaman excitedly ran through the forest clutching his precious treasure in his chest as he did so. He was running to find Clown to share his bit of good news.

Shaman saw him at their camp on the edge of a cliff concentrating on sharpening their weapons. Clown was sitting on a trunk pumping his legs on the paddles of a stone wheel. He carefully held the edge of the sword on the stone. It sparked from the friction but he didn't seem to mind. He rarely minded anything really.

Out of breath, he bent over and clamped his hands just above his knees to support his weight as he gasped in air.

"I-gasp-I did it!" He said without preamble. Clown's eyes flickered to him before returning his attention to his task.

Shaman was smart enough to know that he shouldn't wait for a response, so he continued. "I made a love potion and it worked!" He proudly held out the small glass bottle for Clown to see. Inside was a murky concoction that glowed an eerie purple.

Clown raised disbelieving eyes from the potion to him. "How do you know it would work? Everything you've ever done was either ineffective or it was effective for a different purpose. I learned to expect that whenever you do another one of your magic."

Shaman's eyebrows slammed together in hurt pride. He didn't understand half of what Clown said but Shaman recognized that his companion didn't believe him. He straightened himself then crossed his arms over his chest. "It worked this time. I tested it out, you see. I sprinkled it on some squirrels- just a little bit- and I could see they loved each other instantly."

Clown eyed him weirdly then he looked somewhat disgusted. Shaman always thought Clown was cynical so Shaman felt obligated to defend the squirrels. "It's true. At first, they fainted. I really thought I messed up again and killed them but when they woke up minutes later, the male one became all caring and gentlemanly and tried to help the female one up a tree. Although, she wouldn't budge when he kept pushing at her from behind—"

"STOP! I get the idea." Clown cried out as if Shaman offended his criminal sensibilities. Then, he seemed to want to tell Shaman something but then thought better of it and clamped his mouth shut.

Poor Clown. He couldn't know the mysteries of love.

But Shaman did and he put all his knowledge to create the perfect love potion. Although, he was shocked when he realized that it worked. He guessed it was because he wasn't used to the fact that his creations did the job they were supposed to.

"What do you plan to do with it?" Clown asked still eyeing him weirdly.

"I'm going to give it to Chief as a present. She's with Tobe now but I know she'll be happy with me once I give this to her. " Shaman said giddily. He believed no one else knew his deeper admiration for their Chief. But Clown's eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.

"I know she will. But..." Shaman's face fell when he added that small word. "that's because she's going to want to use it on Tobe." Clown said it slowly so his colleague could absorb his words.

Feeling the rage boiling inside him, he furiously threw the bottle off the cliff with all his might. He heard Clown gasp when they saw the potion getting smaller and smaller until it was lost among the trees below.

Stupid! He was just so stupid. He should've known she was just going to use his hard labor on Tobe. Perfectly effective but useless now.

"You are such an idiot!" Clown railed at him. His usually stoic veneer was gone and was replaced by exasperation. Clown had stopped his task and was looking at him with his eyebrows furrowed irritably.

"You don't have to rub it in. I should have known she would just use-"

"Not that you moron! Since you seem to like her so much, why didn't you think about using it on her?"

Oh.

Clown shook his head when he watched Shaman process that bit of information.

Clown didn't know how he could sometimes tolerate him. "Can't you make another?"

"No... I don't know how anymore." He looked away sadly.

Clown shook his head at the irony. Shaman, for some twist of fate, created a successful potion only for him to throw it away in his ignorance. If it weren't for him irritating him all the time, he would have felt sorry for the idiot.

"Why did you even make one?"

"Because the squirrel—"

"Stop. I'm sorry I asked."

0o0o0o

Chapter 1

Ching was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room engrossed in a magazine she was reading. She was at the hospital waiting for Garu to wake up.

She got up from her chair and walked to the side of the bed where Garu was sleeping peacefully. She gave a long sigh of relief although she'd swear her heart was still pounding from the rush of adrenaline she got from their experience in the woods.

Yesterday she and Pucca were in the lake having a picnic when they heard a loud cry. They rushed through the trees following the gut-wrenching screams until they saw Garu huddled in a tight ball.

Pucca instantly went to him and Ching was just right at her heels. When they realized that Garu had no pulse, Pucca immediately administered CPR. Ching automatically ran to get help.

When Ching came back with two paramedics, she saw Pucca still trying to revive Garu even though it was already more than half an hour.

They were too late.

They really tried to get there sooner but it was hard to maneuver a vehicle through the dense forest.

Ching's heart broke when she saw Pucca's face. She had a blank expression on her face as if she couldn't register the situation. She was in a state of shock. And who wouldn't be in her position? The man she loved just died on her.

Ching could understand some of the pain Pucca was going through because Garu had been like a brother to her. Ching, Pucca, Garu and Abyo had been friends since they were kids.

"His heart isn't beating," Pucca rasped out. "Ching… Why isn't his heart beating!" she cried out.

Ching had placed a consoling hand on Pucca's shoulder trying to comfort her friend at the same time hold her own tears at bay. "Pucca, you have to let him go. The paramedics are here. They will take care of Garu."

"Wake up!" Pucca screamed Garu's name over and over. The paramedics tried to pry him from her but she hugged him tighter and wouldn't let go.

That was when they all heard a hoarse whisper saying, "tight..."

Pucca tensed and Ching held her breath. "u-kah..." Garu whispered incoherently again in Pucca's ear but his eyes were still closed.

The dazed Pucca laid him gently on the ground and Ching gently tugged her away so the paramedics could examine and give him the necessary treatment.

Remembering that crazy morning had Ching shaking her head. Tumultuous emotions crossed her companion's faces when all they got from Garu was one mumbled word, "Pucca..." Ching knew their expressions reflected hers as well.

But what topped the list of weird things for that morning alone was when Garu opened his eyes slowly and gazed at Pucca with a tender expression on his face and said—

"Hi!" a cheerful voice broke her out of her reverie. Ching turned to the door to see who it was but no one else was in the room with her except...Garu.

He was smiling up at her as if he all had was a good sleep. "You look pretty." Ching stared at him in disbelief. A really great sleep, apparently.

He never complimented me on my looks before. Or anybody else for that matter.

"Thanks, Garu..." She said hesitantly since she didn't know what to make of his mood.

"Of course, you're always pretty..." Garu grinned still looking a bit groggy, "You're also sweet, kind, thoughtful, a good friend to everybody..." Ching felt an answering smile on her face at Garu's apparently good mood. He wasn't acting like his usually silent and stoic self and the softened features on his face made him look boyishly cute.

Interested in what Garu thought about her, she sat on the bed beside him. So what if he wasn't himself?

She was still listening to Garu's non-stop praising so she didn't hear the door opening.

"...cute, generous, sweet-oh I said that already. But you're all those things though." Whatever happened with him on that forest must be really drastic for him to change personalities in a matter of hours. But in spite of his good mood, Ching still felt chilled with worry about what had happened that morning.

Ching smiled at him more sincerely this time. "Thank you, that's very sweet of you to—"

"And I like you." Garu interrupted then he grasped her hand, "I think I have a crush on you."

Ching's amused smile faded and her eyes widened. She was about to say something when she heard a choking sound behind her.

She froze.

She didn't dare turn around to see if the person at the door was Pucca. Ching practically had to drag her out so she would take a break and get something to eat. Now after everything Pucca had been through, she was going to see Garu hitting on Ching. It wouldn't matter that Garu wasn't himself, she still felt like the worst best friend ever.

"Hey Abyo!" Garu had a silly smile on his face.

Ching's head whipped around to see Abyo standing outside the door looking at them awkwardly. Ching breathed a sigh of relief that it was only him and not Pucca. Abyo wouldn't care. It wasn't as if he liked her or anything.

Ching felt her insides twinge with something she didn't want to name.

"Hey." Abyo replied solemnly. Ching's brows cocked in amusement. It was as if the two friends switched bodies since Abyo was the more optimistic and cocky of the two.

"I was just..." Garu sounded tired and he yawned as he continued, "I was just telling Ching that I have a—"

"I heard." Garu seemed oblivious of Abyo's darker mood. Ching thought it must have been from the scare and worry he felt when Ching told him on the phone that Garu was in the hospital. Ching could hear them from Abyo's voice when he asked which room they were in.

"I want to tell you something. Come closer." Garu sounded as if he was drifting back to sleep. But when Abyo leaned his ear closer to Garu, Garu suddenly pulled him down and gave him a wet kiss on the lips.

"Aah!" Abyo had jumped away from the bed far from Garu's reach. "What the fuck man!" He rubbed hard on his mouth as if he could erase the experience.

"I love you man. You're like family to me. No— you're more. Like a… like a… just something more." Garu gave them both a sleepy smile. "I love both of you guys." Then he snuggled deeper in his covers and slept.

Ching gaped at them.

For long moments, Ching and Abyo didn't say anything. Then Ching broke the silence, "How was it?"

"Shut up."

Then Ching was in a fit of giggles. She was trying hard to keep quiet as not to wake Garu but it wasn't an easy task. She pinched her arm hard to stop herself from laughing.

Abyo still looked weirded out by Garu's rare but intense show of emotion. "Do you think Pucca will kill me?" He chuckled shaking his head in amusement and incredulity.

When his mirth subsided, his eyes clouded again when he looked at Garu then back at Ching. "He's still holding your hand." Abyo said rubbing his nape consciously.

Ching looked down and saw that Garu was indeed holding her. She slipped from his grasp and stood up. She walked up to Abyo in that unconscious grace of hers with a worried frown on her face. "What's wrong Abyo?"

"I guess I'm just stressed." Abyo mumbled rubbing a hand over his chest. Ching thought he sounded as if he was talking more to himself than to her.

0o0o0o

Hours later, Garu was still asleep. Pucca was sitting on a chair beside the bed watching Garu with a worried frown on her face.

They were alone since she volunteered to stay with him while her friends talked to his doctor.

"Pucca..." Garu mumbled her name in his sleep. He'd been doing that since the morning at the woods but Pucca couldn't help the surprise she felt every time he did. He never answered her though. He just went on sleeping. Pucca stood up from her chair and sat on the bed.

Pucca lovingly stroked back the hair on his forehead. She was startled when Garu's eyes suddenly swung open.

"Pucca, I love you." Pucca's hand stilled as her stunned mind processed his words. Not waiting for an answer he grasped the hand on his forehead and kissed her palm setting a wild fire rushing to her arm before settling on the pit of her belly.

"Garu, you— you already said that this morning in the ambulance." Pucca's heart was hammering in her chest and her throat was tight with emotion just as they had been when he first said them. "Just try to get better, okay? That's just relief and gratitude you're feeling."

"I'm. In love. With you." Garu let go of her hand and pushed himself on a sitting position. He cocked his head and looked at Pucca with his glazed eyes.

It wasn't the most romantic declaration of love when he said it a matter-of-factly but Pucca felt herself melting all the same. She ignored the small voice in her mind warning her that something didn't feel right.

How could this not be right? Garu is in love with her! The words kept circling in her mind and Pucca felt like bursting with happiness.

When Garu pulled her to him, Pucca didn't protest. Pucca turned her face and kissed him. Her stomach did a series of acrobatic stunts when Garu returned her kiss.

Their first realkiss! Pucca's mind shouted. In all their years growing up together, this was the first time Garu ever kissed her back. And it was everything she imagined it would be, sweet, gentle and loving.

She ignored the warning voice and lost herself in the moment. She clutched at his shoulders feeling her bones and muscles turn to quivering jelly at the hypnotic slide of his lips to her cheek then to her earlobe.

Pucca.

Pucca.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she kept hearing her name but she ignored it. The only thing that existed was Garu's lips on sensitive skin.

"Pucca!" She recognized Ching's voice and she pulled away from Garu startled. She scrambled to her feet and slowly turned around to face the witnesses of their make out session.

Ching, Abyo and Dr. Clause were standing in the room outside the door each one looking embarrassed, suspicious and amused. She felt her face heat up in embarrassment.

It was Dr. Clause who broke the awkward silence with his polite and professional voice "We were just talking about you... Come out here for a moment please."

When Pucca closed the door behind her, she scowled at Ching and Abyo who were still looking amusedly. Then she turned her attention to the doctor.

"What's wrong with Garu, doctor?" Pucca asked.

"I really can't say." He said tapping a pencil on his clipboard. "All his test results turned out normal. Except for the fact that he's still disoriented, I can't see anything wrong with him."

Abyo chuckled, "I do. I think he dropped several IQ points. Plus he never told me he loved me before, you know. And he just confessed to Ching that he has a— Oomph!" Ching had elbowed him hard on the ribs.

"Well, the point I'm making is that he can go. But I want him under strict supervision for a couple of days. To do that, someone has to stay with him." Dr. Claus looked at her expectantly and Pucca found herself hesitating to volunteer. Of course she wanted to look after Garu but after what they'd just witnessed, it was hard to say it out loud.

"I'll do it." She forced herself to say knowing Ching and Abyo were only waiting for her to volunteer.

"Perfect." Dr. Claus smiled down at her, "Now I'll leave you with Garu to tell him about your plans."

0o0o0o

Garu was looking around the room his eyes bright and humorous albeit a tad impatient. Abyo wanted to know what the hell was wrong with this guy.

Abyo watched Pucca sit beside Garu. Despite his earlier amusement with them, he knew his suspicions about something being wrong with Garu were confirmed. If Garu was the one who was kissing Pucca, then something was definitely up. Not that there was anything wrong with Garu kissing Pucca but it was just not like him to do it suddenly.

"Garu, you're going to live with me for a while." He heard Pucca say. "I'll take care of you, I promise."

Abyo rolled his eyes when Garu started clapping in delight.

Clapping. In was creeping Abyo out seeing his normally aloof and taciturn best friend act like a lovesick kid high on drugs. He had to do something to help.

Ching clutched at his arm and looked up at him as she whispered, "Abyo, come with me."

Abyo's eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment, "Huh?" Bewilderment was all he felt and he was definitely not feeling any excitement at Ching's breathy request.

He felt himself dragged outside the room again. Ching closed the door behind them and turned to face him.

"Come with me to the forest where we found Garu. Since he's not fit to be interrogated, we should do some investigating of our own. I think we can find some clues as to what happened with him in the forest." Abyo was surprised that Ching was thinking on the same wave length as he was. Only she was a step ahead of him.

"I can do that on my own. You can just stay with Pucca and look after Garu or something." He said trying to sound off-handed about it.

Something had been churning in his damned gut since this morning when he saw her. He didn't know what was going on inside him and why it chose to surface whenever she was in his line of sight but he was sure she would just prove to be too much of a distraction for him to do any work.

"The way I see it, you have two choices, Abyo." He looked at her stubborn expression unaware of the myriad of expressions that crossed his face: surprise, annoyance, amusement, thrill. "It's either you come with me or I'm going to beat you to the spot and find out for myself what happened to Garu." She said implacably.

After a long moment, the two tried to stare each other down. Abyo, after recognizing that he had no choice, said reluctantly, "Fine. You can come with me then."

"No." She huffed and Abyo looked at her in confusion.

"But I thought-" She held up a finger to his lips to silence him. It was then Abyo noticed the teasing sparkle in her eyes.

"It's you who are coming with me." She said smiling sweetly as she looked up at him.

"'Tis basicly d'same thing." His words came out muffled as his lips moved against the finger she was still holding up. He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"It's not." She explained her eyes shining with merriment. "Right, I'll go tell Pucca what we're up to."

Abyo was not proof against that sugar sweet smile of hers and he felt the corners of his lips tug in a small smile even after Ching went back inside and closed the door between them.

0o0o0o

After they picked up some of Garu's things in his house, he went straight for a shower in her bathroom. Pucca figured that she might as well fix Garu something to eat while she waited for him.

She decided to cook him some light soup. She stirred it slowly and counted the minutes until it should be ready. She looked up at the clock hanging on the reddish brown and beige-painted wall.

It was just after four pm.

After such a physically and emotionally-draining event it was hard to believe that this day wasn't even halfway over. She wished it was over and that Ching and Abyo would tell her whatever they would find out in the morning. She didn't know how much more excitement she could take.

Figuring the mushroom soup was ready, Pucca turned off the stove and replaced the lid on the pot. She cleaned up the mess she did while cooking and set the table for two and even placed a loaf of bread at the center of it.

She looked around the clean and warmly-colored interior of her kitchen with not much enthusiasm for the upcoming hours. She plunked down on a chair as she waited for Garu to finish his shower.

Pucca knew Ching was right to try to find out what happened to Garu. It would help find out the best way to handle him. God knew what she'd do if Garu had that mysterious attack again.

But despite knowing all that, she couldn't help the twinge of resentment she felt. Their realization that they needed to investigate what happened to Garu seemed to coincide with the kiss they just witnessed.

She knew she was being irrational and that her friends didn't really do anything wrong. But she wished Ching told her that before they saw them kiss. She felt like Garu kissing her was the confirmation they needed that Garu was indeed out of his mind.

Pucca sighed. She was scared about what her friends would find out but she could handle it. What mattered to her most was Garu's life.

Pucca had been waiting for some time when she heard a loud thud upstairs. Fear gripped at her and the only thing in her mind was Garu.

Galvanized into action, she darted from her chair and raced up the stairs. She threw open the door and she let out a silent scream in terror when she saw Garu convulsing on the floor.

0o0o0o

"Do you see anything?" Ching called out to Abyo.

"Not yet." He responded as he went on his knees and looked under a bush. He grumbled to himself that he didn't even know what he was searching for. "Are you sure you found him just around this area? 'Cause I don't see a thing."

"Yes. I have a good memory for places." Ching was also on her knees as she combed out the grass for clues. Then something reflected the rays of the sun and caught her attention. "Abyo."

He looked at her expectantly and she pointed somewhere on his left. Abyo saw a large rock hidden behind a shrub but light was coming out behind it.

They got on their feet and approached it. Abyo tucked Ching behind him in a protective gesture. He leaned down and saw the bottom of a broken bottle and its other pieces scattered around it. They were emenating a purplish glow.

"Don't touch it!" Ching warned him.

"I'm not that stupid to touch it." Abyo retorted even though he was itching to take it and have a better look. "What do you think it is?"

"Look!" Ching called to him pointing up a tree. Abyo looked up to where she was pointing. He saw the other pieces of the bottle caught between the branches of a tall tree. "I'm climbing up to get it." Ching said already making a move to climb up.

"Okay. I'll wait right here." Abyo replied.

Ching looked at him amusedly, "You know, some guys would insist they do it. They think it's the gentlemanly thing to do."

He rolled his eyes at her not the least bit offended by what she said. "Puh-lease, I spent half my life at the training hall training with you and your father. I know what you can do and I know damn well you can climb a tree." Then in a dry voice, he added, "And, I'm not a gentleman." He said the last word as if it was a dirty word.

"Good thing I don't want one."

There was a tense little silence between.

Caught off guard, Abyo couldn't help the rising pleasure at her words.

Ching was visibly shocked that the words slipped out. "I mean I, um- that I-" She was looking at her feet as she stammered.

"Ching." She stopped stammering and looked at him shyly. Abyo saw the girlish pink tint on her smooth cheeks. The unfamiliar sensation in his gut started again making his voice harsh, "Just get that glowing stuff down or I'll do it."

Ching huffed indignantly and turned away. Abyo felt guilty at his harsh tone.

He hesitated before calling her. "Ching?"

"What now?" Ching had already climbed up to the first branch before she glanced at him impatiently.

"Be careful." He said more gently this time. He felt intense relief washed through him when Ching's face softened.

Ching smiled and, in a voice just as soft, said, "Just be there for me if I fall."

The unexpected leap of his heart warned him that he was treading a dangerous path with this woman.

0o0o0o

"I just told you! He was having a convulsion then… then…" Pucca stammered in frustration but the paramedics she called only regarded her patronizingly. They were in the living room now after just going down from the guest bedroom where the incident happened.

After her initial shock and fright, Pucca snapped herself out and immediately soaked a towel with cold water. She took off Garu's shirt and wrapped his feverish body with the towel. Then she ran to where the nearest phone was and punched in the emergency number. When she rushed back to Garu a few seconds later, he was no longer convulsing but was still above normal temperature. Strange, she thought. She was going to have to tell the paramedics what just happened. Then it took Pucca all her strength to lift his towel-wrapped body up and lay him down on the bed. But then, when she was wetting his body with ice water trying to bring down his temperature, something strange happened.

"Then he started, um, glowing. Literally?" The paramedic clarified hesitantly. Pucca had to admit that sounded crazy.

"Yes." She sent the man a withering glare. She was beginning to wish that she hadn't dialed the emergency number since they didn't seem to want to help. The man's eyes slid from hers and sought his colleague for assistance.

"You said he looked purple, could it be he was suffocating?" the other paramadic asked.

"I don't know. But I know choking people don't glow purple." Her withering stare was now directed at the man who spoke. "For the last time, I'm telling you that he was lit up like light bulb."

"Miss, we're the same paramedics who helped you at the forest. We saw how distraught you were. And I believe that youbelieve what you're saying." He said soothingly which further irritated her. "But it's not impossible for your mind and body to be so stressed out that your eyes would play tricks on you."

Pucca didn't believe that for one second and was about to say so when he started again, "Plus, the object of our conversation looks to be resting contentedly now."

Pucca's eyes settled on the door of the room where Garu was resting. He had a fever but nothing that would seem to necessitate an emergency call.

Put it like that, it really did sound impossible yet it wasn't. But these were men of science and whatever was wrong with Garu it can't be fixed through ordinary means. She realized she couldn't rely on an ordinary medic.

She grumbled an agreement to the paramedics and escorted them outside. When the ambulance left, Pucca had the momentary urge to strangle the sleeping man for the fear and confusion that was pushing her over the edge.

She sighed and slumped on the chair beside Garu's bed. Pucca changed her mind about wanting Ching and Abyo to come by tomorrow to tell her what they found out in the forest. Despite her earlier reservations, she wanted to know now. The uncertainty was driving her crazy.

As if on cue, Pucca heard someone leaning on her doorbell. She bounded down the stairs hoping it was her friends.

True enough, when she looked out the peep hole on the door, Abyo was the one making the doorbell go off repeatedly. She also saw in Ching's hands a package held together by a bundle of leaves.

They found something.

Pucca quickly threw open the door and ushered them into the living room.

"Please sit down." Pucca offered.

"Nah, I'd rather stand." Abyo shook his head. "We've got to hurry. From what we're about to show you, you'll know why." Abyo answered vaguely then gave Ching a meaningful look. Ching placed her burden on the coffee table. She started to untie the package and unfold the layers of leaves.

Pucca watched with both curiosity and dread pumping her heart faster. Then she saw it, a broken bottle glowing with the same light that she saw earlier coming out of Garu. When she saw Ching use the leaves to turn the bottle over, Pucca understood why they seemed agitated.

On the bottle was a rectangle of paper glued on it with a messy handwriting labeled, "Love Powshun." Pucca read.

Love Potion. Someone who definitely did not know how to spell should not be trusted to perfect a complex potion. But—

It worked. Garu loved her because of it.

But at what cost? Garu was randomly suffering near fatal attacks that no medical specialist could stop. Pucca knew that they had to find a cure or Garu could be in more serious danger.

"What should we do?" Her voice was firm and confident. She was determined to do her part in helping Garu. And she was not going to break down and give in to her insecurities and fears. Not when he needed her to be strong.

"I know someone who could help. She is called Goda, the Good Witch. She lives in the mountains and it's a one day hike from Sooga Village." She heard Ching's gentle voice.

"Do you really think she could help?" Abyo addressed Ching. "Do you trust her?"

"I do." Ching's eyes shining with hope and sincerity pacified some of the chaos raging in Pucca's mind. "We can ask her to make an antidote for Garu. How is he, by the way?"

Pucca wondered if they would believe her if she told them what happened. She hesitated before answering, "He… he had an attack again earlier. He had a really high fever. He also… glowed purple." She had to tell them because they deserved to know. Them trekking up a mountain to look for help was enough proof that they cared about whatever happened to their childhood friend.

Ching looked at her blankly. "Glowed?"

"Yes."

Abyo expressed his worry and disbelief with a string of expletives and Pucca didn't have it in her to reprimand him like she always did.

However, she felt relief that they didn't even think to question her state of mind. She felt guilty about doubting them.

Abyo sighed, "That just means we have to worry."

Pucca was about to voice her agreement when Ching came flying to her arms. "Ching?"

"You know what this would mean for you right? Are you ready for what you'll be facing while we're gone?"

"Excuse me?" Pucca knew she wasn't fully grasping the situation. She felt strange like she was separated from herself watching the events unfold.

"Garu's going to stay here for the next few days. You take care of him and we'll take care of the antidote."

Then that was it. Sleeping with a lovesick Garu under the same house was in her immediate future. And camping in the mountains was in her friends' immediate future. Pucca wondered what would be in store for them.

Something told her that things won't be the same after this.