No wonder May was so natural when she got brown sugar buns from Big Bear and Little Bear before. She didn't think anything was amiss.
"May, you haven't explained your actions just now," Tori asked helplessly.
"I was expressing my gratitude," May answered seriously. "They saved me; shouldn't I thank them?"
"See, sometimes her thinking seems completely normal," Tori commented.
"Then why did you give them brown sugar buns?"
"Because he wanted to eat them," May pointed to Carl.
Immediately, Tori cast a doubtful glance.
"I really didn't know she'd get them from that place," Carl explained. He was indeed testing the waters but hadn't expected May to agree so readily, nor that the buns were hidden in such a peculiar place.
Seeing Carl's sincerity, Tori's attitude softened. "Thank you for saving May," she said earnestly. After all, who would expect buns to be hidden there? Even if they knew, they'd likely refuse. It seems the issue lies in May's unique way of thinking.
"No need to thank me; I've already been rewarded," Carl responded with a wry smile.
Tori suddenly turned serious, staring at May. "Weren't your actions just now a bit inappropriate?"
May looked bewildered. "Huh? Wasn't it just sharing a bun?"
"In the past, I wouldn't have given you any, but things are different now," she continued.
Tori sighed, "I'm not talking about the bun, but your manner of getting it! You know where the buns were kept, right?"
"Of course I do. Big Bear and Little Bear are keeping them safe, even using their body heat for warmth," May said.
"Did you let just anyone look?" Tori asked.
"Certainly not!" May became serious, "Mom always said only my future husband could see."
"So was your action just now appropriate?" Tori questioned.
May suddenly stiffened, turning to look at Carl, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Am I... no longer pure?!"
Carl looked puzzled, while Tori was utterly confused.
"Oh no! Mom said Big Bear and Little Bear are only for my future husband to see."
"Does what I did just now count as showing?"
"No, no, it happened too fast. He probably didn't see clearly."
"But the buns were under Big Bear and Little Bear's care, and I let someone eat them. Doesn't that mean..."
"My Big Bear and Little Bear were touched?!"
"This is worse than being seen!"
"I'm done for; I'm ruined," May lamented, losing all her previous vigor.
Tori sighed, "I just wanted to remind you to be mindful of your actions, especially in front of the opposite gender."
Carl nodded in agreement. "Indeed, you should be more careful."
In private, he might not mind, but in public, it was better to be cautious to avoid trouble.
May hung her head, her voice trembling, "I don't know what happened; I just acted on impulse. Now I regret it deeply." She bit into her brown sugar bun forcefully.
Carl looked at her speechlessly, thinking she might regret eating the bun more than anything else.
"Don't do that again," he advised.
"Again?" May's face was mournful. "Just thinking about it makes me want to disappear."
"It's not that serious," Tori quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over. "I've spent enough time with May to understand her unique thought process, though not completely."
May places great importance on her late mother's words. That's why she initially joined a well-regarded group. Once she discovered its true nature, she promptly left because her mother had said, "Pretend kindness is more terrifying than pure evil."
Besides her mother's words, May also treasures her brown sugar buns and her Serperior. Which is more important depends on the situation. Normally, she goes with the flow, but once she gets serious, she sticks to her guns. To make her see reason, you must explain thoroughly; to calm her down, just change the subject.
"No, this is very serious," May suddenly said, staring at Carl with determination. "You must take responsibility, or else... I'll kill you and then myself!"
Carl nearly choked on his own saliva. "Eating a bun can lead to this?"
Just then, Lorelei and Cynthia walked over, hearing this exchange. They exchanged knowing glances, thinking, "So Carl has romantic entanglements outside, to the point where someone's willing to die for him. No wonder he stepped in to help."
Nessa and Caitlin also appeared silently behind them, their eyes glinting with curiosity.
"May, that's not right. He just saved you," Tori said apologetically to Carl, then turned to May.
"That's different!" May shook her head stubbornly. "The life-saving grace was repaid with a brown sugar bun. But he saw me embarrassed, and that needs compensation!"
Tori rubbed her forehead in exasperation.
How can she be so stubborn?
Looks like it's time for the hard approach.
Tori signaled to Serperior with a look.
Serperior resisted the urge to give its trainer a good smack, instead using its vines to tightly bind May, leaving only her head and chest visible.
"Ouch, ouch!" May cried out, prompting Serperior to loosen its grip.
"Oof!"
May rubbed her head as she got up, looking bewildered. "Why am I on the ground again? Was I dreaming?"
"Oh, that's right! I just rescued a cute Pikachu!" She exclaimed, eyes shining, as she picked up the Pikachu in Ash's arms. "Little cutie, thank your big sister!"
"Pika... Pikachu!" it nodded shyly.
Carl was baffled. "What's going on?"
"May's got temporary amnesia," Tori explained. "Serperior can make her forget for a bit. Once she calms down, she'll start remembering things."
"And by then, she'll be able to think straight and resolve it herself. That's how I solved it last time when I accidentally ate her brown sugar bun."
Tori was open with Carl, not because she was naive, but because Lorelei, Cynthia, and Nessa were all present.
These were prominent figures, yet here they were, seemingly focused on Carl.
And there was that mysterious creature in the distance, currently pummeling the Tentacruel.
This distinguished young man saved May, and Tori didn't want any misunderstandings.
"Physical amnesia?" Carl couldn't help but laugh.
Though it sounded unscientific, it was exactly the kind of thing May would do.
"Oh!" May finally noticed Carl, slapping her forehead. "I remember now; you saved me. Thank you so much."
"But you said it wasn't an accident earlier. Was it aimed at me?"
Carl almost thought he'd traveled through time again. She'd forgotten the bun incident entirely.
"An intentional attack?" Before Carl could respond, Lorelei asked, "Was it not an accident?"
"Definitely not," Carl explained. "With so many tentacles, only one attacked. How could that be a coincidence?"