Skye sat abruptly in her bed, breathing harshly as she clutched her covers against her chest. "Same nightmare," she breathed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She felt them water as her hands dropped to her sides, and she swung her legs over the side of her bed frame, sitting up.
She covered her face as she sniffled into her hands, the scenes of the horrible dream still fresh in her mind. Ever since GHOST had learned of their new predicaments, from losing the battle against SHADOW to Midas and Jules betraying them, Skye would have recurring nightmares that she desperately wished she could get rid of. They would always haunt her through the day and interfere with the work she still had to do, and she hated it. She hated it so badly... but they just wouldn't stop.
Wiping at her eyes, Skye stood and threw on some leggings as well as her favorite denim jacket. "Come on, Ollie," she whispered, pulling his beanie form over her head. "Let's... let's take a walk."
She slowly turned the handle and pushed open her door, glancing around the dimly lit hallways as she slowly walked around. The Shark was full, filled to the brim with GHOST agents as the waters outside continued to rise, yet it still felt so empty. Even now, as night-duty henchmen patrolled the area and a few agents conversed in the dark, the halls were almost lifeless.
After looping around the top level, Skye's eyes trailed to the stairs that descended into the dining area. A wave of nostalgia rushed over her, to the times she would find herself here after long days of work... how the piano in the corner called to her each time, and she would practice for hours when there was nothing left to do. Sometimes, she would even feel the eyes of the guards as they watched her in silence.
Skye made her descent into the open room, the gleaming rays of the moon a hopeful contrast to the high, murky seas. It was refreshing to see the mostly clear sky, as thunderstorms had become way more common after The Device's failure. She walked over to the windows behind the piano, pressing her face against the glass as she gazed up at the stars. Midas likes nights like this, she thought, a frown settling on her face.
At last, she turned and sat down on the piano bench, resting her chin in her hands as she contemplated what to do. With a silent sigh, she raised the piano lid and lifted her fingers, letting them slowly glide across the keys as she began to play. Just something soft and pretty she had learned, not really caring enough to remember what the name of it was.
"There's a piano?" Skye enthused, freeing her hand from Journey's grasp and running to the golden piano sitting in the open salon of The Yacht. She had already made herself comfortable and lifted the lid before either of the agents next to her could protest, her hands hovering over the gilded keys as she tried to remember a tune.
She felt Midas set a hand on her shoulder. She could tell by his movements that he was hesitant, but he didn't make any gesture to kick her off. "Yes, but it's not a toy," he advised.
With a wide smile, Skye finally laid a hand down and played a few easy scales, before properly positioning her hands to play a simple tune she had been taught by one of her former caretakers. She could feel several pairs of eyes on her, the astonished looks of Midas and Journey the fiercest. As she finished, she stood and bowed to the small crowd that had formed around her, standing next to Journey as she smiled at the applause.
"Well," Midas said coolly, trying desperately to hide his bewilderment, "I..."
Despite his best efforts, she saw a small smile fight its way onto his face. "Well done, Skye."
Skye felt herself fumble over the notes, raising her hand to quickly wipe a tear that had begun to trail down her cheek. She shook her head and kept going.
"What was that one?"
Skye looked up as Midas made his presence known, his golden hands folded over the top of the piano. She hadn't realized he had returned so soon from his mission. "It's something from one of my games, Legend of Zelda! I've been working on the theme for a while," she smiled. "I started learning another one, wanna hear it?"
She didn't give him a chance to think about it before preparing herself to play her next song, though Midas didn't seem to have any protests regardless. Instead, he moved to stand at her side, watching as her fingers glided across the keyboard without a care in the world. Despite her mistakes, she carried on until the end, and Midas couldn't help but smile at her talent and dedication. "Very well done," he praised. "I believe that one will become one of my favorites."
Skye paused, taking a moment to steady her breaths before continuing.
"He's just... really stressed. We all are," Jules said softly, sitting next to Skye on the bench. The plans for "The Device" were nearly finished, and though Skye still didn't really understand what it was all about, she could tell it was taking a major toll on both Midas and Jules. Midas especially didn't seem like himself, growing even more distant and irritable with everything that came his way. He had even snapped at her just minutes ago, and Skye desperately wished she could help him.
"Why don't you play that one song?" Jules asked with a small smile. "'5th Flower Dance' or whatever it's called... maybe he'll hear. We could all use a break."
So Skye began to play, and she swore she saw Midas's figure pause somewhere in the background for a moment before walking away once again.
As Skye brought her song to a decrescendo and a slow close, she covered her lips as she felt them quiver.
"Hey... sounded pretty good, kid."
Skye looked up to see a silhouette sitting on the stairs, standing up and walking forward to reveal itself as TNTina. Her mouth bore a half-smile as she approached the piano, leaning forward slightly against it. "Couldn't sleep or something..?"
Skye tried to smile, but to no avail as her gaze shifted downwards. "Or something," she sighed, resting her elbow just in front of the keys. "I didn't wake you up, did I..?"
Tina shook her head, moving to stand next to her. "No, I just... I couldn't sleep, and I heard the piano so I came to see what's going on."
She rested a hand on her shoulder. "You should keep playing, if you want. Don't let me stop you," she smiled softly, a stark contrast to the normally rowdy woman she was.
Skye looked down at the keyboard again, trying to think of a tune, and she pressed her fingers down, playing the first thing that came to her mind. She played it slower than usual, not feeling up to going any faster. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tina's head swaying gently from side to side, and Skye smiled ever so slightly. Tina always stuck by her side, and Skye was grateful to still have someone to rely on... especially after...
She didn't want to finish the thought.
"What is your name, child?"
Skye hopped down from the railing of the bridge, hands on her hips as she stood tall. "I'm Skye, Legendary Adventurer of Weeping Woods!" She beamed. "What's your name, sir?"
She watched as the man fought a smile at her enthusiasm. "You may call me Midas."
"You won't leave me... will you?"
Jules wrapped her arms around her, letting Skye sniffle against her chest. "Of course not," she murmured, smiling gently. "I promise."
Skye felt herself slow down even more.
"I... I've only had one place I could really call home," Skye frowned, resting her head on Jules's shoulder. "But... everytime someone found me, they..."
She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up, locking eyes with Midas. "I assure you... you'll never have to be alone again," he said, in that gentle tone that she only got the privilege of hearing. And Skye smiled, comforted by the voices of the siblings--she had finally found her forever home.
Skye looked up, and for a split second, she thought she saw a figure in the darkness, then two. Smiling at her as they loomed over the piano, but as soon as they were there, they were gone. She had barely gotten past the first chorus before she stopped playing completely, feeling her breath hitch in her throat. She felt Tina sit on the edge of the bench next to her. "Why'd you stop?" She asked.
Skye inhaled shakily, furiously rubbing her hands over her face as the tears began to fall. "It's... that was Midas's favorite," she choked out. "And I... I really m-miss J... Tina, I really m- iss th-them..!"
She buried her head in her hands, unable to stop herself from sobbing as she felt Tina wrap her arms around her.