Agent Moonlark

Chapter Twenty Six

"Hey, it's okay to cry. In my opinion, crying makes you stronger."

"Keefe," Sophie laughed, though her voice cracked. "It's supposed to be the opposite."

"No, Foster." He cupped her face with his hands. "Many people think crying is a moment of vulnerability, but I think it's when you're no longer afraid to be judged. It's when you care so much about something, you have to express your feelings. It's you opening up. And you bounce back stronger than before." (Serious C R I N G E)

And then they were both crying. Somehow, they were in each other's arms without Keefe realizing. They were holding on to each other, holding on to life by a thread.

Mitya had almost been like family to Keefe. She had not judged him. She had not expected a lot from him because she had just wanted him to be himself. Even though they hadn't seen each other much, she was like the grandmother Keefe had never had. Maybe if they had known each other better, she would have knitted him scarves while Keefe would have gone to tell her these problems. Maybe one day Keefe would have called her 'Grandma' or 'Granny.'

"We'll all miss her, Foster," Keefe said. "But we have to move on. It's what she would have wanted. Right now, though, we have to go to her funeral."

"Already?" Sophie croaked. "You came here to tell me this?"

"Yeah. But better sooner than later. Who knows, there could be a distraction, and we would have to put off burying her. Or a seagull could fly off with her body, or something. The point is, we never know what could happen in the future. With our luck, if we don't do it now, we'll probably have to hold off her funeral in a year."

He scooped out a handful of what had been in his pocket. He opened his fist, showing Sophie what they were.

"Are those Panakes petals?" Sophie asked.

"Yes and no. I drew these on paper. I tried to make them as realistic as possible. I was thinking we could sprinkle them on her grave, or something. You know..."

He shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what she would think of them. Would she hate them? Would she find them too fake? Too shallow?

"I love them," Sophie breathed. "They're perfect. We can't use the real ones because Mitya wouldn't want us to waste them, but you're such a good artist that it's almost impossible to tell the difference between these and the real ones." She hugged him tightly. "Thanks, Keefe."

"Anything for you, Foster," he murmured.

They stayed like that for a while, then Sophie asked him a question he wasn't expecting.

"When this all settles down...do you think we could...actually date?"

Keefe turned to her. "Only if you want to."

"Do you?"

"Of course. You're amazing and smart and brave and so many other things. If you want me to, I could list them, but it miiiiight take a while."

"Glad you feel the same way." Sophie put her head on his shoulder, and for the first time since Mitya died, Keefe felt a sense of peace.

Agent Gi-smell-a (Oops, I meant Gisela XD)

Agent Gisela glared at everyone. She was not happy. Dimitar and his henchmen had come back, bearing news of their defeat. Curse that little Moonlark.

"What do we do now?" Agent Fintan asked. His eyes were challenging her, taunting her. It was no secret that Fintan and Vespera both wanted to become the leader of the Neverseen. One wrong word from Gisela, and they would overthrow her faster than one could say 'Eternalia.'

Agent Gisela took a deep, shuddering breath. She chewed on her lip in anger. She really hated those pests called the Black Swan.

"I'm sick of them!" she exclaimed. "I want to get rid of them. They have been weakened by the plague, and will still continue to be because there is no cure. Keefe has infiltrated the Black Swan. How about we finish this once and for all? We go to their base and take them down."

This plan was so basic that the others were taken aback.

"Hm," Vespera said. "Impulsive. That must mean-"

"Stop analyzing every single thing I do, Vespera," Gisela snarled.

"You have gone mad, Gissy," Fintan remarked with an eye roll.

"Gissy?" Gisela asked coldly. "Remember who's boss, here, Finny."

"You two are literally insulting each other by calling each other pet names," Glimmer said. She gave them a look. "What's next? Calling Vespera Vessy?"

"Teenagers," Fintan muttered. For once, Gisela was in agreement with him.

"This war could go on for ages," Gisela said. "It's now or never." Her cold eyes fixed the others in an intimidating stare.

"Dramatic," Vespera mumbled.

"We leave now."

"Now?" Fintan asked skeptically.

"Need I remind you again who has more power?"

Fintan casually took out a lighter. "I could burn your hair off."

"Don't underestimate me." Gisela whipped around and called behind her shoulder, "I want everyone able to fight to be in this room in ten minutes. We're giving the Black Swan our all."

She exited the room, her heels clicked ominously as she walked down the empty hallway.

Watch out, Black Swan. We're coming for you.

"I'm the idiot clawmate."

^If you get that reference, comment your favorite character from that series.

New Author: My favorite is Turtle 😉