Chapter 148: Interlude Thirty: Maria - Queen

Scanning the large, echoey area, Maria lifted an eyebrow as they stopped at the pool’s edge to look down at a sleeping, monstrous-looking woman near the bottom, blowing bubbles up to the surface in her dreams.

Her brother rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh, expected...more?"

"Hahaha. You should see my daughter when she transforms. She’s quite the looker."

Maria looked to the side as an older woman approached them. "Hello. I assume you’re the unicorn mythickin that they said would come to check on her condition?"

Horn flaring to life, she looked into the lightly rippling waters, beams shining through the liquid to touch the leviathan. "Yup, same as the others...spiritual fatigue. Damn. Shit’s no joke; drops ya like a bag of rocks. Give her a few more hours, and she’ll be good. No problems."

"Haaa. That’s a relief," the lady sighed, giving her a thankful smile. "I appreciate you coming all this way. Can I do anything in return?"

Maria held up her hand and walked away. "Ain’t nothin’ I need right now. I do gotta head out, though. I got a party to hit. Later."

"Is that it?" Fiona asked, her eyes creasing with worry as she looked back at the mother. "Isn’t there anything else we can do? Umm, do you have a name, Ma’am?"

"Aww, thank you; Fiona, right? You’re kind. And it’s Teri." The woman shook her head as they paused. "And I’ll be fine. I’m sure you’re very busy with amazing powers like yours. If it’s just a few hours, I can plan on taking Selvaria to Garcia Seafood Grille to celebrate. Thank you, Maria."

A little put off by how she knew her name, Maria shrugged it off; it was probably passed around by Rachel or something since everyone seemed to know her. "Sure, whatever."

Roy fell in line with her as they headed back to her car. "You’ve been a lot calmer than what Cameron told me. Other than that weird drunk spell, since we left the hospital, you’ve just been coasting."

"That’s a good way to put it." Maria looked up at the sunny heavens, a hum rumbling in her throat. "I’m just glad the kids made it through that shit... Damn, they’ll have nightmares, for sure, but at least they’ll live to work through it. Kids can be tough if you let ’em. Aye, but I got places to be. No more side shit!"

Loading up into her Impala, the sun dropped in the sky as she took them to Little Havana, driving slow and low. She let herself be seen, calling out to the locals and showing the city everything was on the up. Felix shouted out that their block was having a party, getting some of the older folk to do funny little dances and sing old Cuban hits.

By the time they rolled up to the block, Maria was wearing a grin, seeing the crowded streets, people passing between houses and collecting food. Classic cars lined the road in anticipation of the after-party cruise, bumping songs in unison for people to dance to, and when her jam came on, she turned it up—Neighborhood Music by Lil Rob.

She saw grills being wheeled to the nearby park where everything was going down, but her first stop was a little brick duplex on the block: her house, right next to Zarita’s.

"Queen!" a fifteen-year-old honey badger beastkin cried, jumping out of the front door as they pulled up. "Yo, what the hell happened in Miami Beach?! I heard you took out Terrell’s clique! Why the hell didn’t you bring me, bitch!?"

"Aye, Queenie!"

"Yo, Maria. Check out this bomb weed! We got the joints!"

Maria got out, waving at all the folks she’d known almost all her life, supporting each other wherever needed. "Haha! Don’t burn it all before the party, niñitos."

"Naa, just a taste, Queen! Ack-haha!"

"Dude, give me a hit!"

She turned away from them to run her fingers through the girl’s thick, dirty silver hair as the honey badger ran up to her, everyone else going back to the party preparations.

"Yo, Elena, chill, chica. You know you ain’t old enough for the biz. Thug around the block if yer feelin’ jumpy. How’s la anciana; her back still actin’ up?"

The pouty beastkin girl’s leery eyes darted off Roy and Fiona, excitement budding as she showed her sharp fangs. "You’re strong enough now?! You can heal my mom?"

"C’mon." Maria nudged her head for her to go inside, forcing the troublesome teen into a one-armed hug. "How’s things with Uncle Miguel? He been by?"

"Yeah!" Elena punched the air with a wicked grin. "They hit Terrell’s spots with the boys; they brought back a shit ton of food, weed, and other stuff for the blocks! We got steak!"

"Steak, huh..." Maria grumbled, knowing she couldn’t stomach it with her new diet of only fruits and vegetables; it sucked. "Sounds real good. Yo, Felix, go shout to Miguel that I’m posted in the hood."

"Aye, on it, Hermana!"

Going inside with Elena by her side, she caught Roy staying by the car, surrounded by Mexicans and Cubans, as they saw what the military man was about. She heard Zarita’s thick accent as she tried to get out of bed.

"Ugh... Elena, is that Lil’ Maria? Is she back?"

"Aye, Anciana; yeah, I’m home."

"Good..."

"What’s up?" Maria held up her hand as the damnable woman came out with a slipper to smack her raised arm. "Aye! Cut it out, Aunt Z!"

"Ya go off and startin’ shit with people—leavin’ me ta worry shitless about your fat ass! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Ma, chill! Ma!" Elena hissed, trying to pull her back, ears pulled back. "She just got outta the hospital! You’ll hurt yourself!"

"Oof!"

As expected, Zarita doubled over, hissing and grasping at her back.

"What did I tell you—dammit, Mom..." Elena snarled, helping her to the couch. "I’ll get you the ice packs."

Chuckling at the angry woman who had been fretting over her since she was five, Maria activated her powers; horn flaring to life, she felt the metal holding Zarita’s body together firing off her nerves, her failing pancreas, and a host of other problems.

"Hey, I’m here for ya, Aunt Z..."

[Heal], [Purify], and [Cure Defect] activated, healing and relieving her of all the pain the woman would have felt for nearly two decades.