Convergence

Chapter Eight: Blue

Zoey closed her eyes, and waving her hands, the galaxy-colored magic materialized again into a spinning portal. Inside the portal, there was a clear view of Nick's office, empty yet pouring with light form the window. Ella's breeze could be felt from the window.

"My office," Nick said as they came closer.

"That's your office?" Matilda smiled.

"Wow, score." Wylie jabbed them gently in the shoulder. "Nice one, Nick."

"You'll have to return, and deal with things there. We'll meet you in the middle." Zoey stood behind them now.

"Wait, hold on." Nick turned back to Matilda, Alistair and Wylie. "I... I just found you again. I can't leave now."

"Nick, this isn't goodbye." Matilda stepped forward, smiling. "We're going to help you. You'll see us again."

"That's what I thought the last time, and—"

"You can't get rid of us, okay?" Alistair came up behind them, ruffling their hair. "You've been stuck with us from the beginning!"

"We're on your side, Nick." Wylie took both their hands, in the middle of Alistair and Matilda.

Looking at all three of them, and feeling Wylie's hands, they had to know it was real now. They could already feel themselves starting to cry again, but they held it in. "You're coming back?"

"100 percent." Alistair winked, nudging them once more.

Nick didn't say anything else, but hugged all three of them in one fell swoop. They stayed like that for a moment.

"Ella," Morgan called as they waved her over. "Remember what Zoey said, about you being super powerful?"

"Well, I don't know about 'super' powerful." Ella was still trying to be modest.

"Dude, you can control wind!" Riley squealed.

"Yeah, I'd call that super powerful." Pyro leaned in.

"I've never seen anything like it, so it must be." River seemed to study her.

"With the help of Nick, you can do anything in the world. I am sure of it!" Xudio waved his hands so swiftly that goop splashed around him.

"We're all rooting for you, Ella." Morgan smiled. "Go get 'em."

Ella looked at the five who'd encouraged her, and nodded. "Thank you all. And, good luck here!"

"No prob, dawg!" Finger guns. (If you don't know who said that one, then you probably shouldn't be here.)

Ella went back to Nick, who stood in front of the portal. "Are you ready?"

"Zoey." Nick turned around. "One last thing."

"Yeah?"

"I don't know what we're fighting, but if things get too rough here, bring us back."

Zoey thought for a moment, then nodded. "Will do."

"Okay, kid." Nick turned back around. "You first."

Ella nodded, taking a step back and jumping through.

And Nick, watching her go down, took one last look at their friends, and dove through. They turned back into their adult self, feeling their hair tighten back into their orange ribbon and the warmth of their lab coat and slacks.

They looked up, at the portal closing behind them.

"Kid?" Nick looked down at Ella, finally taller than her. "Was that real?"

"Yeah." Ella nodded, sighing. "It was."

"Are you gonna be able to handle this? I don't even know what we're supposed to be doing."

"Didn't you hear what Xudio and Zoey said?" Ella looked up. "We can do anything."

Nick slumped. Seeing their friends again had such a toll on them that they had no clue what to do next, not to mention knowing that all their hypotheses were correct about Morgan and Riley, and even Zoey.

The door slid open. It was Jackie. "Oh, there you are. You called me earlier, did you work everything out?"

Nick hesitated before speaking. "...We're about to. But first, the kid and I are going to get something to eat."

"We are?" Ella tilted her head.

"We are." Nick really meant that they were going to a private place to discuss things, and they showed it in the look they gave back to her.

"Okay." Jackie shrugged. "Good luck out there."

Nick sighed, flapping their lips. "Yeah, wish me luck."

To Be Continued in Chapter Nine