reflection

“That depends on the witch,” Cora replied, taking a moment to think for herself. “Maybe a nice crystal? Something with a unique effect?”

Though Hoku was definitively thinking about Adriel, a stray thought wandered through his head like a little bubble: there were witches in Hawai’i... Sort of. He’d forgotten what they were called - it wasn’t witches - but water-benders and them were close allies, almost inseparably. Now he was gleaming dumbly as he grinned wide at the woman. “Actually, I know what I’m going to get her. I will see if the imps have it!”

“You ain’t stuck in a net.” Sol said while tilting his head and squinting both eyes in a confused expression. “Or is this a new metaphorical saying the kids are spreading around?“

“Hm!” He folded both arms over his chest and his tail curled toward his back. “Could ask you a similar question, guppy, but no. I am a raccoon, was a raccoon, will forever be a raccoon.”

“You’re right,” Hoku said. He wasn’t stuck in a net at the present, but the memories of being tangled up in one just surfaced into his memory. It felt impertinent to share, however, and instead he bit softly on his lower lip, nodding absently. It wasn’t until he noticed that he offended the animal did Hoku remember that he was in a conversation. “A racoon? I’ve never heard of them before - I actually thought you were a cat. I’m sorry, I don’t know much about the world, so I’m sorry if I offended you. I also don’t know what a metaphorical saying is - as I said, still learning about this strange place.”

“Uh, yes, they can,” Cora nodded slowly, “But, as aforementioned, they might charge you for more than what the imps offer. I think you’d be better off with them.”

Hoku looked at her absentmindedly before he finally replied. “Well, my witch friend is a nice person. But I guess I could buy a gift for her. Do you know what witches like?”

The atmosphere surrounding them couldn’t have been any more joyous, Adriel felt. Both the excitement over the oncoming sea and the exhilaration from the flight above the buildings and houses combined together and created an unrelenting bliss. The witch, consequently, let out a longer, more uncontrolled giggle at the reference. I can’t wait for you to hear about the ‘whip’ and ‘nae nae’.”

Moments later and Adriel was placed onto a swing made of ice - one that she marveled at as it was being created out of thin air. The two chains were cold to the touch, but the temperature didn’t bother the witch - in fact, it was one of the last things on her mind - the view of the approaching ocean being the first. “No, no, this is amazing,” she remarked, her breath escaping her as she glided through the air in the most fantastical mode of transportation she could have ever imagine. “It’s wonderful.”

As he glided amongst the clouds with his water wings, Hoku felt weightless, despite the heavy burden of not even knowing whom he was. There was something relaxing just being alongside liquid fluff, lazing about in the air over the Earth that just made him forget about all of this grief. His chest was still heavy as ever, but now it felt a little less empty. Mischievously, he soared through a particularly fluffy-looking cloud to play with Adriel, swinging her gently back and forth. When they rose from the clouds, the sea was perfectly in view. And it was everything Hoku had ever remembered: large, grand, terrifying, and soothing all at once - and more. He gazed out into the horizon, swallowing thickly to himself as a thin film of water slid over his eyes. Wordlessly, he bathed in its view, nodding his head out of respect.

He was so busy admiring the shades of blue that he didn’t notice how close they were to the beach. He placed Adriel down gently, then walked towards the shoreline as the blue began to fade from his eyes and the tattoos faded from his skin. When his feet met the silky touch of wet sand, he dropped to his knees, his hands buried as the waves brushed against him. They’d made it. He’d made it back to the ocean. He was panting, tired, but he’d made it. “I remember now. I’m from Hawai’i,” he said, his eyes fixed on where the ocean met the fine grains below him. This place was vastly different from where he knew he was from, but the ocean had never changed. “Oahu. I really miss it. I want to go back. But I don’t think I can yet. I wouldn’t be able to fly all that way,” he said before he finally looked up at her and showed her his tear-stained face, his red eyes. But instead of feeling low and thinking about how he could ever return, he laid back against the sand and let the salt water run through his hair and crawl along his body, laughing. This was close enough to home for him. “Man, it’s been too long. If only I could remember more” he said, calm all for a second before he suddenly splashed her on the leg with seawater to be playful and get her to join him.

As the pair flew through the sky at a reasonable pace, Adriel could feel her the tenseness in her loosen up. Her shoulders relaxed. The fluttering in her stomach lessened. The wind blew through her dark hair, and so long as she didn’t look directly below her, a newfound peace surged through the witch. “No, it’s not,” Adriel stated with a nod, her heart feeling a pang of sadness at the man’s discourage tone. “I think it is. Even nicer up close, if you ever get the chance.” 

Adriel had spotted the dark blue skyline a second off from Hoku, so when they suddenly accelerated toward it, she was caught off guard. Her heartbeat quickened, and for a moment she feared the fluttering would come back - yet strangely it didn’t. Maybe it was the fact that they had flown this high without Hoku giving her a reason not to trust him, but the witch didn’t feel scared at that moment. She was actually excited for the man, glad that he’d found something to be happy for since his world had turned upside-down on him. “I do see it,” she giggled at his pure, child-like giddiness. She took in a breath and, absorbing some of the excitement from the man next to her, let out a shout as they flew closer to the ocean.  “Wooo~!” 

Adriel’s irreplaceable excitement made Hoku grin wide, his face muscles almost sore from being stretched out for so long. When he was trapped in the mirror, Hoku ever wondered if he could truly feel happiness, but as he chuckled at her enthusiasm he realized that perhaps it would be possible. “Dab!” He yelled out with his lungs nearly deflating as he laughed out. “I still don’t understand that, but it’s fun to say.”

This was - pleasant. 

“I’m sorry, you don’t have to keep holding onto my hands,” he said, drawing the moisture in the air towards him. He concentrated to materialize a swing made of ice below Adriel and placed her onto the icy surface as he created two icy chains for her to hold onto and for him to keep her afloat. “Just let me know if it gets too cold, because I can always give you my hand’s warmth,” he said. The ocean was approaching, and Hoku could feel the slightest traces of brine on his skin, the familiar calls of the ocean. Oh... how this made him happy.

“Oh, definitely,” the demon replied with a quick nod. “I mean, why go to a witch when you can go to the imps? They’ll only charge you a coin for whatever it is you desire. I’d jump on that deal before they disappear.”

“Oh, wait, witches can do the same thing?” Hoku’s face brightened like the shades of a gradient. “Well, I really only have a few dimes, maybe it couldn’t hurt.”

Thaleia noticed the man become tense when her references were made, and felt a twinge of remorse strike her. “Don’t worry about it,” she reassured, lifting the corners of her mouth up in a smile, “a lot of people don’t know who those two are - usually just really lonely people with a lot of free time on their hands.” She herself only knew about DC characters because of a past fling with a comic book geek that went on and on about which pairings would win in a fight. “Besides, a lot of time has passed since you’ve been out and about, so you’ll just have to learn it all. I - along with a lot of other nice people - are all willing to answer any questions you have,” the mermaid replied with an affirmative nod. At his question, Thaleia paused for a moment to contemplate the best food places before returning his smile. “Well, I like to think the pizza place here is good for a quick bite to eat. It’s not too far a walk from here, either.”

Hoku nodded absentmindedly, not exactly sure what she said. Despite her patience and willingness to explain things to him, Hoku still felt like a sardine just dead out of a can, barely alive with his humanity. “Pizza - like, uh, the bread with sauce and cheese? Or something like that?” He was sure he’d tried pizza before, but it’d faded entirely from his memory, as if he were trying to put a thousand strings through a needle to weave his memory back into his place. “Okay, pizza. It has a nice sound to it. I’ll let you lead the way.”

To say Adriel was nervous about flying without being in an aircraft of any kind was an understatement. Her chest felt tight as she watched Hoku twirled in the air, appearing in his element after wobbling at first. The smile he flashed her way managed to dissipate the fluttering in her stomach enough for her to let him take her wrists and join him in the air. Out of instinct, she managed to keep a tight grip on Hoku as her feet left the sturdy ground. The breath escaped her lungs as they levitated further off the ground, both from anxiety and a sudden feeling of excitement. “Whoa,” was all the witch could manage as the roofs of buildings whizzed by her. 

From above, she could spot some of the well-known buildings around the city. The University campus, the library, and even the small shop she worked at all stuck out to Adriel. “Yeah,” she breathed, awestruck at how peaceful everything looked from so high up, and how just moments ago she was one of those dots walking along the street. "There’s the lake,” Adriel released a hand and pointed to the blue body of water, surrounded by a green outline of trees. “Lake Ehnita. It’s beautiful even from all the way up here.”

All of this was... different. Hoku had heard of New York - through talk around the island; seen it in vintage photographs - but now he was here, flying above the city with uncertainty in his future. The image of tranquil waters and dark stones lodged in the sand felt like it happened yesterday, yet entirely gone and distant - there was no ocean, gentle palm trees, no sand between his toes. He grabbed Adriel’s hand before he turned to look at the lake, scared that he’d might drop it. “Oh... that’s not the ocean,” he said. The idea of a lake was a foreign concept to him - he’d been surrounded by brine and seagulls his entirely, but to have it carved in the middle of the land? “I guess it’s nice,” he said, his heart still fluttering at the sight of blue.

But it wasn’t enough. Hoku flew higher into the air, hoping he’d get a glimpse of - the ocean. His expression brightened. “I - I see it,” he chirped, chuckling as he accelerated through the sky towards it. With every second closer, Hoku could feel his chest tighten. “Do you see it?” His voice was giddy with anticipation. “I can see the ocean! It’s still far away, but I can see it!”

Sol barked a laugh, “Oh. Pal, I’m sure they could–but the chances of me turning out hairless and you becoming a newt or just as likely. Why a fish though? A fish? Really? Out of every critter you could choose from. At least my kind can swim and come with opposable thumbs.”

“I just really like fish,” he said, his hand instantly on the back of his neck. “Maybe you have a point. Sometimes I just think what life would be like if I were a fish. But maybe I’d be stuck in a fishing net, so it’s not like things would be different.” He paused to gaze down at the animal before kneeling to level his face. “Wait, they didn’t turn you into an animal, did they?”

Honestly, the fact that the man couldn’t remember the name of the place he was from frightened Adriel to a small degree. She would’ve been more worried in a different situation, though, seeing as being trapped in a mirror for who knows how long would cause some hazy memories. If the memory loss continued for longer, however, there might be reason to worry. “Don’t worry too much about it,” Adriel reassured with a soft smile, “I’m sure it’ll come to you soon.” The witch shrugged her shoulders at his social commentary, her smile widening. “I dunno, I don’t really get much of popular culture - I’m still trying to understand all of it myself,” she admitted honestly. “Hoku. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Adriel greeted, her smile fading at his frustrations. She softened her tone to try and ease the gentleman. “Hey, it’s alright. You’ve been through alot, clearly, and you can’t expect to remember everything so quickly.”

Adriel watched in awe as Hoku created a giant ice arm that smashed the broken mirror and ruined it even more, to the point where it completely vanished. Words evaded her as she watched, a million questions running through her mind. Could he be like her? He was definitely in possession of some amazing capabilities, but the likelihood of them being due to magic was low. Listening to his discontentment, she couldn’t help but feel terrible that she had nothing to offer the man - a memory potion, maybe, but there’s no telling if it’d be powerful enough for him. She looked up at his eyes at his request, surprised at the sudden energy. “The ocean? Yeah, sure, of course,” she paused at his next proposal, her eyes widening. “Fly? You can do that?” She hesitated to ask the next question and bit her lip, not wanting to seem distrusting of the man. “Is it safe?”

Hoku’s heart was pounding against his ribcage at the mention of the ocean, his spine trilling. He nervously licked his lips as he concentrated on his powers.“I haven’t done it in ages but...” The water at his feet crawled up his body, creating two liquid wings on his back. He flapped them once before a faint smile appeared on his face. With a deep inhale, he leapt up into the air and began to float in place, wobbling only slightly but finding his balance. For a moment, all he did was twirl around in the air and fly in a loop before he looked back at Adriel and shot her a mischievous smile. “All right. To the ocean?” He swooped down and gently grabbed her by the wrists before pulling her up into the air.

Now that they were off the ground, above the city-scape, Hoku could see the metallic hues of Klamath Falls blended in with its earthy tones. The green caught his eye - it was his second favorite color, next to blue, and it’d always been calming - and all he did was gaze in awe of the landscape. “So... this is Klamath,” he said as his eyes traced over the scenery. He drank in the sights - the apartment complexes, high-rises, little creatures moving around in the parks - and forgot about the ocean momentarily. “This... this place is nice, I guess.”

“Hypothetical time, yeah? If I asked one of those gangly roaches to turn me into a real prince that I truly am, ya think it’d work? For a penny?! Talk about a bargain!”

“A penny? Is it really that cheap? So, if they can turn you into a human, can they turn me into a fish or a bird? Or is that not how it works.”

“What an exciting time of year,” Cora remarked as she saw an interaction between two girls on the street squealing over the bottles of various-colored liquids in their hands. The demon knew all too well what kind of game imps loved to play, and she herself couldn’t help but join in by sending more ignorant fools their way. “You know, I hear those imps have got some pretty remarkable stuff.”

“You think so?” Hoku asked, stopping in his tracks as he pondered over her words. “Do you think they have stuff that can lift curses, or maybe help with memory? I’ve been told they have stuff for that, but it sounds too good to be true.”