I hesitated, standing just outside the door to Arthur's House. I struggled with the decision for a few moments. If I entered now, I'd face my family face-to-face for the first time since my escape to the island. I didn't know for sure how things would go, and I might be forcibly captured and hauled off again. However, if I didn't do it, if I ran off and hid again, the problem wouldn't go away; the guilt and worry would continue to hang over me, as it had since I left, but much more powerfully in the last few days.

It wasn't much of a choice. I pushed open the door and walked inside.

Kazuma was sitting on a couch reading what appeared to be some sort of gardening magazine. He looked up as I walked in, and his expression became very surprised.

"Hi," I said, a weird sort of defiant smile on my face.

"Hi," Kazuma managed to respond, getting over the shock of me suddenly showing myself. "Um… Sue, I… you should probably talk to mom while you're here…"

"Sure," I said. "Go get her."

Kazuma looked at me a little funny, and then called for mom.

"What is it?" My mother asked as she walked in to the room, carrying a pile of freshly ironed lab coats. "We… seem to have a visitor," Kazuma said slowly, gesturing toward the doorway.

Mom looked over, stood terribly still for about five seconds, and then abruptly dropped the laundry all over the floor. She made no further motion, either to come towards me, or to pick up the scattered garments.

"Hey, mom," I said a little sheepishly. "Um… how are you?"

Mom opened her mouth but didn't respond. She closed it an opened it a few more times before she could finally speak.

"Sue? Is… is it really you?"

"Yeah," I answered. "Believe me, I'm almost as surprised I decided to show up as you are."

"Well," said mom, speaking more loudly and clearly. "Have you come to return home, then? Are you done with… this crazy adventure of yours, this… this wild goose chase you've led us on?"

"I came to talk," I said sternly. "To sort things out. Where the conversation will lead isn't relevant. Now will you please control the hysterics long enough for me to actually try to tell you what's been going on?"

"You… won't try to escape again?" Mom asked softly.

"No. I'm done with the antics. I'm done with the traps and the espionage. I just want to sit down and make all my motives perfectly clear, before either of us decide to do anything more. Is that okay with you?"

"…Yes," she answered finally, sinking slowly into a chair. "Kazuma, please go bring something for the three of us to eat."

"Gotcha," said Kazuma, jumping up and scampering into the kitchen, eager to escape the tense atmosphere for a couple of seconds. Mom and I sat silently while we waited. I couldn't face her and remain silent; I looked at the floor and I'm pretty sure she did the same.

Kazuma came back a couple minutes later with a couple of pieces of toast (It was about breakfast time anyway), a jar of jam, and, to my surprise, a couple of flowers, which he set on top of my piece before handing it to me.

"Mimiga snack," he chuckled, still trying desperately to soften the mood in the room. It didn't really work, but I appreciated his effort.

I took a bite of the toast and ate the petals off one of the flowers before facing mom again. "So," I said. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Well," said mom, who didn't appear to have any intention of eating the breakfast Kazuma had provided. "I think an initial explanation would be nice. What on Earth would posses you to abruptly leave your family and return to this place you hated?"

"I had to," I said. "I can explain everything, if you'll let me."

"Please do."

Mom recalled well enough my depressing demeanor during the months before I had fled home. I finally began to explain the story, in full, about how I felt inadvertently pulled back here, and only once I arrived did I discover that inside, I was still a mimiga at heart. I told about how I had asked Misery to transform me back, and had come to live in the village.

"So you see, mom, it has nothing to do with not wanting to be with you and Kazuma. You don't know how badly I wished that was still possible. But a human life, in a human form with human responsibilities, simply can't work for me anymore. I still want to be your daughter, but I just can't live as you want your daughter to anymore. I'm trapped on the border between two very different worlds, missing the joys of one but needing the features of the second to feel like I belong."

"That's… kinda deep Sue," said Kazuma. "But… I think I see what you mean. Mom, what do you think?"

Mom had a weird look on her face. I couldn't decipher the expression, but I had the feeling that it wasn't a good one.

"You think you're the one who can't bear a certain way of life here?" she asked softly. "Sue, you say it's been hard for you. But think how it's been for me, to have my child go to such great lengths to flee my care! I've done so much for you Sue! How could you think that you are the one hurting here as a result of the situation when you caused it? You're… just so selfish!"

"Mom, I understand that!" I desperately parried her outburst. "I know what you've had to go through, and I realized how selfish it seemed, which is why I've come back to set the story straight!"

"But you don't know what it's been like! You can't understand the sorrow I've harbored, the worry I've dealt with, trying to find you here!"

"Apparently," I retorted. "You can't understand what has happened inside me either, or you'd see that it was justified!"

"Well, we'll fix that right up!" Mom answered. "I changed your body back to its human form, and I can change your mind back as well. I'm sure there's just some biochemical reaction in the brain that didn't convert back to its human version, a few tweaks to the transformer will fix that. And then you will be ready to come back with us and we can put this whole messy business into the past where it belongs!"

This, of course, wouldn't work out, but I couldn't explain that to mom now. She couldn't see past the scientific side of things. A few weeks ago, Professor Booster was the same way, but Jenka had managed to open his eyes. At least he had come out of all this with some significant discovery.

I had no choice at this point. I could only do what the Professor said; take the bad situation in stride and persevere. I would do it my mom's way, and try to learn to cope with it. I knew she could never really change me back on the inside; powerful magic had done that and I doubted any amount of science could undo it. At the moment, there was no other way; I had to go along with what mom wanted, until maybe someday I could convince her otherwise.

"Alright, mom," I said. "You win. I'll go. But first just let me…"

"Oh no!" Mom interrupted. "You're not leaving now."

"But I'll be back! I just need to…"

"It won't work, Sue," she said coldly. "Do you think I'm stupid? You realized you lost the verbal battle, so now you're simply trying to escape again rather than oblige with me."

I'll admit that's kind of what it looked like. But honestly, I wasn't planning to escape. I just had to confront the other mess I'd made before leaving the island. I had to apologize to Kanpachi.

"Mom, please…" I pleaded. "I'll come back. I just need to clear up one last matter. You've got to believe me."

"Well, I don't," my mother answered. "We're packing immediately and heading off this floating rock."

"But… But…"

"Let the girl go, Momorin," came a voice.

Mom, Kazuma and I all turned to face the doorway, where Professor Booster was standing.

"Professor," my mother answered, a little surprised at his request. "How can you trust her? I mean, after what's happened…"

"Yes, Momorin, from all logical points of view it seems a bad idea to let her go. But perhaps you need to look beyond the logic for a moment and consider the sincerity of your child's request."

Mom flinched as if Booster had just punched her. "Professor, where has all this been coming from? You haven't been acting at all yourself these past few weeks."

"I know," the Professor answered. "Momorin, I actually didn't return to this island to help you find your daughter. That was just an excuse. I returned for much the same reason as Sue, to settle an internal conflict of sorts. I've found the answers to my inner worries as well during my time here."

"You're all acting like this now?" Mom asked incredulously. "Kazuma… please… will you back me up here?"

Kazuma looked uncomfortable, but he shook it off and faced his mother sternly.

"Mom, I agree with the Professor. I think we should let Sue go. I can't explain why, but you know, sometimes you don't need to explain."

Mom looked at Kazuma in defeat. "Fine," she said. "Go do whatever final errand is so important to you. But we're following along."

"That sounds reasonable," I said. "I need to settle things with someone. The mimiga down at the reservoir."

Professor Booster's goggles glinted knowingly, and I set off for the reservoir, followed closely behind by mom and Kazuma. Professor Booster called after us that he would catch up, and returned to the house for something.

There was silence as we walked down the rough path toward the reservoir. I could feel mom's eyes burning into me from behind, but I didn't look back at her. She could wait; I'd settled her problem. Now, it was Kanpachi's turn, and though it could very well go equally as bad, it still needed to be done. Kanpachi deserved something from me after what had happened.

We reached the end of the tunnel, and I could see Kanpachi, sitting on the dock a few dozen yards away as usual. I asked my family to wait there, and slowly approached the other mimiga.

My soft footsteps on the wooden dock behind him were easily detected by his acute hearing. He swiveled his torso to look at me, his face expressionless.

"What?" he asked churlishly after a minute, turning back to his fishing.

"Um, so, catch anything good today, Kanpachi?" I asked, not really expecting an answer to that question.

"Look, Sue," he said, not facing me. "Cut to the chase, or go away, alright?"

"Alright," I said. "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened last night. I… I know I should have said something a lot sooner…"

Kanpachi snorted. "You think? Maybe it should have been something more along the lines of not trying to start a relationship with me, since it turns out we're totally different species."

"We're not!" I said. "Have you looked at me lately, Kanpachi? True, the past doesn't agree, but right now, I'm definitely a mimiga! Look, I've got my floppy ears, and my white fur, and…"

"Yeah, big deal," said Kanpachi, still not turning around. "You still have a human mind, and lots of human experiences under your belt. You're working with those other humans, the ones who came to the dock looking for you that one day. So, since I don't really feel like being the next test subject in your disguise-myself-as-a-mimiga-to-win-the-trust-of-others-so-I-can-lure-them-into-my-trap plan of yours, I'm going to have to say goodbye and good riddance to you."

"I'm not trying to lure you in to a trap!" I exclaimed. "I was doing it because I actually care about you, Kanpachi!"

"That's nice," said Kanpachi nonchalantly. "Now go away, I'm very…"

Kanpachi didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Something so huge caught the other end of his fishing line that it unreeled instantly and pulled Kanpachi into the air behind it with no effort at all. Kanpachi screamed as he flew through the air and occasionally skipped off the water's surface, hanging on to the rod for dear life as he was pulled all around the reservoir by something that was clearly many times bigger than he was.

As I watched in horror, mom and Kazuma came running up, obviously noticing that something was wrong. As we watched, a gargantuan fish, 20 times Kanpachi's size, leapt up from the water, pulling Kanpachi higher into the air with it. It was a monstrous beast, and for some reason it wore a helmet of some greenish metal over its upper face.

"The Ironhead!" Kazuma announced. We all turned to look at him in surprise. "Quote told me about it when we met in the Egg Corridor before he headed up to the plantation to rescue you guys. He mentioned fighting a huge fish with an iron helmet in the island's artery. I think this is that fish!"

"We gotta do something!" I yelled. "Kanpachi's gonna get killed!"

"What can we do?" Kazuma asked. "That thing's huge!"

"We can do anything with enough willpower!" I responded. To demonstrate, I waited until the fish shot near the shore, and then leapt into the air, grabbing on to Kanpachi's waist. Unfortunately, the doubled weight didn't even slow the fish down, and so it began to pull the two of us through the air behind it.

"No!" I heard my mother cry from the shore. "Sue! What is wrong with you?"

"I was about to ask you that myself!" Kanpachi said as the two of us flapped in the breeze behind the monster like a living flag. "Why on Earth would you do that? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"No!" I yelled back. "I'm trying to stop you from getting killed."

Kanpachi didn't answer. I didn't blame him. Hanging on for dear life took quite enough concentration.

The next time I got a clear view of the shore, I was surprised to see to figures emerging from the tunnel to the village. Professor Booster and Jenka were hurrying toward the water's edge as fast as their elderly legs would carry them.

"Professor!" Mom cried. "Help! We've got to find a way to help Sue and that other mimiga!"

"Don't worry Momorin," Booster said. "I've got just the thing for this." He turned to Jenka. "Will you help me?" he asked. "Of course," she said. "We've got to help them. They're in grave danger out there."

Professor Booster nodded, and from his lab coat he drew what looked like some kind of harpoon gun. "Taste the power of science!" he cried, and from the device he fired an electrified spear. The weapon hurtled through the air, and jabbed straight through the scales on the fish's side.

An enormous electrical current pulsed through the creature, stopping it almost immediately. Luckily, not enough energy traveled up the fishing rod to give Kanpachi and I more than a small shock. (Thank goodness it wasn't made of metal.)

The stunned fish came to a halt, and Kanpachi and I finally splashed down into the lake next to it. Professor Booster turned to Jenka and gestured toward the fish.

"Your turn."

Jenka held up her tiny, gnarled staff, and a magical energy surrounded Ironhead, Kanpachi, and myself. We were all lifted in to the air and carried magically to shore, to the astonishment of mom and Kazuma. (But not the Professor, interestingly.)

I coughed for a few moments, but I was able to stand. Kanpachi, however, seemed to have fainted. Since my mom and Booster were busy fussing over me, Kazuma tended to Kanpachi, to make sure he was okay as well.

"Sue! What on Earth were you thinking?" mom asked me. "You could have died pulling a stunt like that."

"But I saved Kanpachi," I said. "If my weight hadn't been added, Kanpachi would have been thrown around more violently. He would have lost consciousness earlier, and then been eaten by Ironhead or drowned."

Mom and Booster were about to ask me something else, when they were suddenly interrupted by Jenka.

"Excuse me, ma'am. I wondered if I might have a word with the girl alone?"

"Of course," mom answered. "You helped to save her. Thank you… uh…"

"Call me Jenka," the old woman answered. "And I shall just be a second."

Jenka took me aside, while the others continued to look over the passed-out Kanpachi.

"That was a dangerous little stunt you pulled there, dear," Jenka said. Then she smiled warmly. "You must really care about that little friend of yours."

"I do," I answered. "I've never felt the same way for anyone that I feel about Kanpachi. I just wish he still felt that way about me."

"Oh, I wouldn't say he doesn't," said Jenka. "He just… doesn't realize it right now."

I looked at her puzzled, but she just laughed.

"Listen dear, if it makes you feel any better, I'll tie up the loose ends on the mimiga spell my daughter cast on you. You'll really, fully, be a mimiga in every aspect if you like."

"Wait, what?" I asked. "Would I still, you know, love my family and all? I don't want my connection broken with anyone!"

"No, no, no, that's not it," said Jenka. "Your mind and emotions will remain unchanged. No one will ever know the difference, except you, and even that may take time."

"Well, I'm not sure it matters," I said. "My mom is planning to take me away after this anyway."

"Oh, I wouldn't count on that either," said Jenka, laughing at my dumbfounded expression. "Things like this have a way of working out. Now do you want me to patch up my daughter's shoddy handiwork, or not?"

"Yes, Please," I answered. Jenka motioned for me to hold out my hands, which I did, and she placed her palms on mine. I felt a warm sort of energy flow between us briefly, but didn't feel any remarkable difference at all. When she had finished, Jenka smiled and motioned for me to join the others, who seemed to be succeeding at waking up Kanpachi.

I knelt next to Kanpachi as the others looked on from above. Kanpachi finally opened his eyes. "That… was a really big fish," he finally managed to say.

I sighed in relief; he was okay, just a bit shaken up. He got to his feet after a few moments, looked at the fish, and then turned and looked at me.

"You… you probably saved my life there, Sue. Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me," I said. "I had to help. A situation like that was really dangerous."

Kanpachi looked long and hard at me. "So… you actually risked your life to save me? This wasn't all staged?"

"Of course it wasn't staged!" I laughed. "Look at that thing! That's no prop. That's a large and dangerous fish."

Ironhead confirmed this by gasping and flapping his fins helplessly.

"Then… maybe you really do care about me?" Kanpachi asked slowly. "And… maybe you really…"

He trailed off and stared at the floor. I changed the subject.

"So, I guess he's the catch of the day, huh? I mean, if you caught something better before I got here, I'd sure like to see it."

"He's not the catch of the day," said Kanpachi. "I caught something much better today."

I grinned disbelievingly. "And what's that?"

Kanpachi turned and looked at me, and a smile crept across his face.

"Forget the fish, Sue. You're the catch of the day."

And he was kissing me. I didn't instigate it, and it didn't just sort of happen like when we were in the restaurant. It was completely his decision. Naturally, I was shocked, but obviously I didn't resist. I didn't know or care what expressions were on the faces or what thoughts were in the heads of my friends and family standing nearby. All I knew was that I had never been so happy as I was at that moment.

We separated. Kanpachi looked a little thrown-for-a-loop; I think he was more surprised that he kissed me than I was. But we were both grinning and blushing, not to mention giggling a little.

I finally turned to look at the others. Booster and Jenka were grinning and whispering to each other. Kazuma looked quite shocked, but he gave me a weird grin and a thumbs up. Mom's expression was harder to discern.

"Sue," she said. "I… didn't realize what… what was going on between…"

She couldn't seem to finish her sentence. Eventually she sighed.

"You know what, Sue? I need to pursue some new research topics anyway. How about I pack up my stuff and we all live on the island for awhile?"

Both Kazuma and I practically knocked mom over, as we ran to her to agree and thank her. In the background I heard Booster mention something about staying as well. I glanced in his direction and caught him and Jenka sharing a quick kiss of their own. It looked like the professor had more than the pursuit of new knowledge to look forward to on this island.

But while mom and Kazuma, Booster and Jenka all talked about the big upcoming plans, I wandered back over to where Kanpachi was standing, still eyeing up his gigantic trophy fish.

"So… you're okay with it now? I'm mimiga enough for you?"

"I didn't believe that one who was once human could ever really, fully be a mimiga," Kanpachi said. "But you've changed my mind today, Sue. You're more than mimiga enough for me."

He gave me another peck on the cheek and said what I'd been waiting to hear from him for weeks.

"I love you, Sue."

I pulled him into a great big hug, and he happily hugged me back.

"I love you too."

THE END

Author's Note: Good gravy, that was really off with my usual writing mood! (And that last few sentences were waaaay too cliche', but I digress...) Anyway, this concludes the story. I hope you all enjoyed it and continue to review. I'm thinking about starting a sequel some time after Christmas, (Still from Sue's point of view, but perhaps involving the return of Quote, Curly, and Balrog), but I'll only write that if I get some requests for it in the reviews. If there's no demand for one, I'll leave it at this.

Thank you for reading, I know I had fun writing so I sincerely hope you all liked the ending!