The Moonlight on my Face

Chapter Seven (Two years later...)

JOY

Joy was now fourteen years old. She had not seen Sky in an unbearably long time. But now, she was going to visit her.

Joy tripped on some twigs and fell to the ground. She was GRATEFUL that the village leader had lowered the rule to fourteen years old after Jack had pleaded with him for several days. She was GRATEFUL that she didn't have to be guilty about forcefully making the oxygen hole guards sleep.

There. She saw it. A huge, towering mansion, like the one Sky described in her letter. Joy took a sharp breath, inhaling pine-scented air. She ran towards the front gate, giddy excitement building up in her heart. She was going to see Sky. Finally.

She ran up to the door and knocked using the knocker. Silence was there for a few seconds...and then a girl who looked like an older version of Sky opened the door.

"SKY!" Joy screamed at the same time as Sky yelled: "JOY!" The two girls folded into each other, laughing and happy. Sky was taller now, obviously. Her arms had lean muscles on them, and her eyes were unreadable. She looked like a swimmer, given her strong-looking shoulders and biceps. She still wore the clothing of the underground city, as well as her black mask.

"You are so different now," Sky said, grabbing Joy by the arm and yanking her inside the house.

The house smelled like peppermints. Everything was very airy and clean. A boy that was about sixteen stood a small distance away from them. He looked like he had copied Sky's style: he wore a black mask and a masculinized version of Sky's clothing.

"This is Alan," Sky said. "He saved me from Goldenknife." "Hi," Alan said, smile wrinkles appearing around his eyes. "Hello," Joy said. "Thanks for saving my friend." He laughed. 

"Who's here?" asked a curious voice as a tall, beautiful woman entered the room. "Ophelia, this is my friend, Joy," Sky said. "She came to visit." "Oh! Did you illegally escape, too?" Ophelia asked. "No, ma'am," Joy said politely. "Sky's father reduced the minimum age for leaving the city to fourteen years old."

Sky's eyes were bugging out of her head. "WHAT?" she asked. "I can go back now?" Joy winced. "I don't know," she said carefully. "Maybe you will still be banished and disgraced because you technically left the city at age twelve." 

Sky clenched her fists. "I do not care anymore," Sky said defiantly. "I don't. They can disgrace me and banish me all they want. I have a place to go now. I am part of a swim team. That place is not home anymore."

Joy was appalled. "Sky, that means I can't see you every day," she said. "I know," Sky said, a little bit sadly. "But that doesn't matter. You probably moved on and made new friends. And besides, you have Jack."

Joy squashed a smile as she thought about Jack's warm eyes, the way his laughter rang beautifully around the cave, the way he helped her through her grief about Sky's supposed death. "I'm going back to the city," Sky said. "I'm going to tell them that they can banish me all they want."

"Are you sure?" Alan asked. "Yes," Sky said confidently, in her new 'I can do anything' voice that made Joy a little scared. "I'm going to wait for you," Alan said, squeezing Sky's hand gently. "Yes, because you don't have a choice," Sky said. "Let's go, Joy."

The two friends set off, with Joy nervous about the outcome of their quest.

SKY

The oxygen hole stood below them, the same as before. Nothing at all had changed. 

"Let's go," Joy said, slipping into the hole. Sky felt a shiver run down her spine, but her new mindset hissed at her: Go in already. There's nothing to be scared of, you dithering idiot.

Sky followed her friend inside. The underground city was now decorated with lanterns that cast colorful light onto the empty hallways.

Sky navigated easily through the city. A sense of deja vu appeared as she went straight for her father's study, where he was most of the time.

She entered. "Hello, Father," Sky said. His head snapped up and he leaned forward, staring at Sky as if she was somebody back from the dead.

"Sky?" he asked slowly. "Yes, it's me," Sky said. "Where were you?" her father asked. "Outside. Having thrilling adventures," Sky said with a grin. Irwin's face fell. "Sky, we're going to have to banish you for breaking city rules," he said. 

Sky's heart jumped a little in fear. But she told herself not to care. "I don't care," Sky informed him. "Banish me all you want. I have somewhere to go. I have friends." She thought of Alan, the way he always cheered for her, the way he laughed at her jokes no matter how bad they were, the way he smiled at her and spoke to her that made Sky feel like nothing else mattered.

Unbelievably, a tear rolled down Irwin's masked cheek. "Oh, daughter," he said sadly. "I wish we didn't have to banish you. I wish we did not have to take you out of our sight forever." "Just do it," Sky said. "Or you will paint yourself as a weak leader."

The flames in the fireplace flickered like little dancers doing a wild dance. Sky was happy because the burden of returning to the city had been lifted off of her shoulders.

Joy was not there, yes, but Sky understood. And besides, she had Alan. He was sitting beside her, holding a mug of hot chocolate, watching the fire, just like her.

Then, the front door was kicked open. Sky sprang to her feet, alert and ready. Her hand went over to the sheathed dagger that she wore on her belt.

Alan gasped as he saw who was standing in his parents' house. Goldenknife. The villain who had stolen Alan when he had been a baby.

"We meet again, Alan," he said in a nasty voice that made Sky wish she had some chakrams to throw at him. "And you, peacemonger."

Sky did not feel furious or stung by these words. She merely glowered at the evil man who had captured and imprisoned her.

Suddenly, someone screamed. It was a scream of fury and rage. A blur shot towards Goldenknife and began to punch him. It was Nettle, fearlessly sacrificing herself for her brother and Sky. "NETTLE! NO!" Sky and Alan shouted, running towards her. But it was too late. Goldenknife had killed her, and blood poured from her throat all over the fine carpets. "No! NO!" Sky yelled, kneeling beside Alan's sister as the blood stained her knees and her arms.

Alan jumped forward with a dagger of his own. He sliced it across Goldenknife's arm. Goldenknife roared furiously. "I'll come for you, worm," he spat. "Someone from me will find your throat and slit it."

Ophelia and William arrived to the chaos. Seeing Nettle's body, they burst into tears. 

----

A/N

I know, what a confusing chapter, right, guys? I swear things will clear up after this.

-Blizzard