Of Heroes And Lunatics

"Ghhhhhh!"
"Don't! Stay here!"
"Let... meee... GO!"
"I can't let you, you're about to do something very stupid!"

A frantic Bee clings onto Evelyn, who struggles to get to a building ahead of them.

Evelyn: Leave me be! I'm checking myself into the lunatic asylum!
Bee: Nooooo!
Evelyn: Yes I am! I hallucinated a magical change of my clothes, a supernatural fight, and am currently having a conversation with a weird talking insect twice its normal size! None of this can possibly be real! Of course I will go!
Bee: You won't! You have a town to save!

She pushes further, then twitches as she holds her back in pain.

Evelyn: Ow, my back! Ouch...

Immobilized by the pain she finally stops, if only unwillingly. And Bee, slowly running out of ideas what to do now, holds its forehead in exhaustion and exhales.

Bee: Look, I understand you were thrown into this unprepared, but you can't run away forever.

Meanwhile, Evelyn spaces out, simply mumbling to herself.

Evelyn: I do not understand. Was there some kind of drug in my food? No, that is impossible, it started before I ate the cake... but my mind could be playing tricks on me, too! Just what exactly is going on...? Did Edgar's death drive me crazy?
Bee: You're ignoring me?!

"Evelyn? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

A senior woman, dressed in an old school dress in dark blue with fitting black shoes and maybe a few years older than Evelyn, approaches the unlikely pair. Her deep blue eyes are in a stark contrast to her dark grey hair that was arranged to a bun, and her fierce gaze is as sharp as an arrow. Bee and Evelyn turn around to her, and the latter's expression turns slightly hopeful.

Evelyn: Oh, it's you, Gertrud. Good day to you.
Gertrud: Hello there, my dear. So... do you mind filling me in what this is all about? What are you doing in front of the mental hospital?
Evelyn: I want to go inside, obviously. I started hallucinating the wildest things, including a strange bee that won't stop talking to me!
Bee: HEY! I am perfectly normal!
Evelyn+Gertrud: No, you are not.

Baffled, Evelyn casts a thousand-yard stare at Gertrud.

Evelyn: ...Wait a second. Do you hear and see that thing, too?!
Gertrud: I do.
Evelyn: Thank goodness! So I am not alone with this! ...On the other hand, perhaps you are crazy too, then?

The sturdy woman leans forward, resolutely staring Evelyn down now as she grabs her by the shoulders.

Gertrud: I AM. NOT. CRAZY. Get that into your head.
Evelyn: Alright, I get it already...

Gertrud pulls back again, and a skeptical glance at Bee follows.

Gertrud: And what about this insect now?
Evelyn: It keeps telling me I need to accept my role and other odd things.
Gertrud: I see. That means it keeps bugging you. Do you want me to get rid of it?

The other woman's hand disappears behind her back, suddenly pulling out a flyswatter from there as her eyes begin to glint. Bee shudders, trembling with terror now and mimicking the expression from "The Scream".

Bee: AAAAH! NO, NOT A FLYSWATTER!!
Evelyn: Why do you have something like that on you?
Gertrud: Because I had a feeling I would need it today to protect you.
Evelyn: This is why you randomly bring along a flyswatter to your daily walk?!

With a mixture of anger and visible anticipation to smack the curious bee Gertrud trudges towards it, causing Bee to "turn the sting" and fly away in great panic.

Gertrud: Leave Evelyn alone, you!
Bee: UWAAAAH! Evelyn, who is this brute lady?!
Gertrud: Who are you calling a brute?!

Gertrud accelerates, and both engage in a weird cat-and-mouse-game where she chases Bee mad as a hornet now, speeding around in circles.

Evelyn: This is Gertrud, my lifelong friend. We have been going through thick and thin together.
Bee: Then please tell her to stop! I ain't bugging nobody, I am here to help! Just PLEASE give me a chance to explain everything for once!

As Evelyn watches them dashing back and forth, she begins to pity the striped mascot, revealing a sad countenance.

Evelyn: Gertrud, I think that is enough. I feel sorry for the bee. And if everything that happened before was real too, it even helped me. Please stop.

The game of cat and mouse ends, and Gertrud casts Evelyn a questioning stare.

Gertrud: Are you sure?
Evelyn: Yes.
Gertrud: Hrmpf. Fine.

Bee breathes a deep sigh of relief and all three of them gather up, with Gertrud looking a bit disappointed she didn't get to fend Bee off as she lets the flyswatter disappear behind her again.

Evelyn: This is no place to have a conversation like this. Let us go to my house.
Gertrud: And what about that thing? We cannot exactly walk around with it in public.
Bee: How rude! I am not just "a thing"!
Evelyn: Easy now, you two. But she does have point there. Do you mind hiding in my handbag until we get there?
Bee: If I really have to... but don't squeeze my wings, they are fragile.

Evelyn opens her black bag, showing the concerned bee there is plenty space for it inside.

Evelyn: Can you cope with that?
Bee: That works, I guess. See you later, then.

Bee hovers inside and gets comfortable as good as possible, then Evelyn carefully closes her handbag again.

Evelyn: There we go. Let us head out, Gertrud.
Gertrud: As you like.

The two seniors set off, with Evelyn's home as their next destination.