Dumaguete welcomed them back with a celebration that rivaled the wedding.
"Welcome home!" signs everywhere. Streamers in the community center. A banner that read: "The Manananggals Are Back!" (Glad insisted on adding "and aswangs" in marker).
"How was the honeymoon?" Kim asked, hugging her tightly.
"Perfect. Magical. Exactly what we needed."
"Good. Because things got... interesting while you were gone."
"Define interesting."
Kim pulled out her tablet. "Three new creature communities want to affiliate with us. Two from Luzon, one from Mindanao. They've been inspired by your story and want to start their own centers."
"That's wonderful!"
"That's the good news. The complicated news is that the Department wants you to consult on national policy. And a human rights organization wants you to speak at their conference. And Netflix called."
"NETFLIX?!"
"They want to do a documentary. About your life. Your journey. The community."
Glad sat down heavily. "I was gone ONE WEEK."
"A lot happens when you're the most famous supernatural creature in the world."
Ariel squeezed her shoulder. "We don't have to do everything. We can pick and choose."
"I know. It's just—" She looked around at the community center, the garden, the people. "I wanted a quiet life."
"You accidentally gave that up when you went viral."
"Accidentally is right."
But even as she complained, she felt the familiar pull—the desire to help, to advocate, to build.
This was her life now.
And despite everything, she loved it.