They reached the cave entrance without any further incidents and walked down to the beach. Bridget was there playing tag with a grindylow.
"You changed," Eldon commented, looking as happy about it as Shelly felt.
"Yeah," Bridget grinned. "I didn't want to be outnumbered by women like Eldon is, so I changed." Her hair had gone from Brock's brown, to Bridget's red to match her mother's.
"I wish you wouldn't have," Eldon muttered, though it was too quiet for Bridget to hear.
Looking around, Shelly realized that her brother was the only male there. Any guy's best dream, if more than half the women weren't related to him.
"Did you get what you needed?" Bridget asked, hope filling her voice. "Did Marchosias have the potion you need?"
"We got it," Eldon said, patting his pocket.
"Got… wha—" Areth muttered as she yawned and woke up.
"Welcome back," Gloria said with a grin.
"Back? Did I go somewhere?" Areth looked around, confused and dazed.
