Chapter Text
Summer wasn’t a pleasant month for Sunny. Not anymore, at least. As a child, though, he had loved it. Smores, fireflies and salty ocean breezes feel less magical the older you get, but that wasn’t the reason Sunny disliked summer. By looking at him, you’d probably assume it was because of the heat. With how pale he had gotten from his four years of isolation, Sunny looked like he’d catch fire the moment he stepped out of the shade. While it was true that Sunny was highly flammable, that wasn’t the reason why he disliked it.
It was about a year ago when it happened. He could remember it vividly- standing in the doorway of an emergency room and looking at the sheer terror on each of his friend’s faces. He had told them the truth that summer. The truth of what he had done to his dear sister, Mari.
It was an accident. No matter how far he had run from the truth in the past, that was something he always remembered.
His friends were accepting. Too accepting. Sunny knew such forgiveness could not come easily, and despite his occasional visits to Faraway town he still felt like all three of them had secretly resented him. Basil could never resent him, he knew. That was one of the things he hated most about the boy.
Sunny sighed, letting his head rest against the cool window of the bus. It felt refreshing, especially after he had walked all the way to the bus station in this heat. His hand absentmindedly adjusted the eyepatch covering his former right eye. It's almost funny how quick he had adjusted to losing it.
Sunny hadn’t seen Basil since that day in the hospital, where they had both finally been released from the guilt that had plagued them for so long. He remembered smiling that day, something that was rare for him to do. Both his and Basil’s therapists thought seeing each other in person after their recovery was a bad idea. Sunny understood the logic, more so for Basil than himself. He wanted to believe he wouldn’t have a panic attack at the sight of his best friend, but then again he had been wrong about such things before. Regardless, they had suggested the two of them wait 8 months before visiting each other again.
Up until now, Sunny and Basil had communicated solely through the group chat that Kel had set up. Sunny was content to keep it that way, mostly for Basil’s sake, but today that was going to change.
It had been Hero who suggested the idea. Sunny often called him for financial advice. Having taken up a few part-time jobs around the neighborhood, he had ended up with more money than he knew what to do with. Hero almost always suggested he save it, which he did. Still, sometimes Hero would suggest things that Sunny really should have thought of buying before.
“Didn’t you wear the same shirt the last time you visited? No, wait, you wore that when I pulled you out of the lake too. Have you been wearing the same shirt this entire time? Sunny you...you know you can buy other clothes right?”
Hero was so observant.
It was one of these times where Hero had added an extra comment.
“You know, I’ve had this idea for a few months but I don’t know if it’ll even happen.” Hero had said, a hint of excitement in his voice.
“What kind of idea?” Sunny had asked. At the time he had been putting Mewo back into her cage after she had gotten into some of the fake plants around their apartment.
“Well, I saw that the beach had finally reopened. I think it was closed because of jellyfish.” Hero informed.
“Do you want us all to go to the beach?” Sunny asked. He had fond memories of the beach from the time before Mari died. It was the best summer his friends had ever had.
“Kind of. I wanted to go on a road trip with my new car.” Hero had said it so bluntly that Sunny almost dropped Mewo onto the floor.
“Hero. Are you okay? You sound like Kel.” Sunny had asked with a complete tone of seriousness.
Hero had laughed. “No, really. It’d be us 5 all together going wherever we wanted. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
Sunny remembered tensing up a little when Hero said 5. “Yeah it would be but...that’s expensive. It’d also be hard on your car.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I don’t think we could do it either, but it's something I had thought of this summer. Guess I just wanted to let you know in case you wanted to save some money for it.” Hero had replied.
Since he had moved, Sunny had saved up a few hundred dollars. That would only have been enough to pay for his part in such a trip. He was sure Hero would need everyone to pitch in if they were ever going to do something like that.
That was until his birthday.
His mom had surprised him by giving him 500 dollars. It was a shock, especially with how much they had spent on getting him back to a normal life.
“I’m just so proud of you for growing up this past year. I know it’s been rough for you sweetie, but I love you and I’ll always be here for you.”
The words of his mother echoed in his head the entire day. It was an overwhelming feeling of happiness he wasn’t quite used to anymore. His mother’s new job had been going well, and she had given him more than he ever would’ve asked for. Part of him felt guilty for wanting to spend the money she had given him for other people, but upon telling her the idea she was overjoyed.
“Leave it to Hero to think of something like that. I really want you to go! Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
Sunny sighed. His relationship with his mother had been strained for many years following Mari’s death. Partially due to how isolated he had made himself but mostly due to her being the one of only ones he had told the truth about Mari’s death. He was glad they were beginning to rebuild, but he was afraid that she still hated him for what he had done.
“No one hates you, little brother. Please stop thinking that way.”
Sunny’s eye cracked to the left. Mari was in the seat across from his, looking over at him. She looked as she did the day she was buried. Stark white dress and shiny black dress shoes. She looked very much alive, though. Her face wasn’t contorted, or ghostly or obscured. It was just Mari.
It was not uncommon for Sunny to see her. Sometimes it was in mirrors and sometimes it was out in the open. Sometimes she looked as she did when she was alive, while other times she looked ethereal. At the worst of times, her neck was broken and her eyes were nothing but suken, voidless sockets.
No matter what, she was still Mari. It took Sunny a long time to decipher what visions were hallucinations and which were actually his sister. Even now, he still is never sure.
“You always got caught up in your head too much, even as a child.” Mari giggled. Although she wore the dress she had been buried in, she didn’t look 15 at all. It was as if she had never died. The thought sent pangs through Sunny’s heart.
“See, you’re doing it now!” Mari said, noticing the hurt look in Sunny’s eye. “You’re finally going to be with everyone again, aren’t you happy?”
Sunny looked back out towards his window. He still wasn’t sure if he deserved any of this. He could barely forgive himself, how could they have? His hands had only hurt others- was he truly able to have friends? He could feel Mari’s arms wrap around his chest. It felt cold, but comforting. Her words echoed deep within his mind, was Sunny really happy? He had little time to think about it, though. A sign passed by his window- one that he had read all his life and one that he would likely never forget.
“Welcome to Faraway Town”