Shining Heroes

Chapter 85

I tried really hard to fall sleep, but every time I was almost asleep my mind would force me to wonder how I managed to survive or I would end up moving wrong and pain would shoot through my body. I wasn't sure what time it was, but the sun was starting to rise.

"Mood, are you asleep?" I asked softly.

"I'm awake." She said with sleep riddling her voice.

"I can't sleep."

"Is something on your mind?" She asked while slowly sitting up.

The glow of the sunrise illuminated her face.

"There is so much..." I said while carefully sitting up.

"Is it about the fight with your father?" She asked before carefully getting up and sitting next to me on the bed.

"I mean, technically, yes." She looked at me like she was waiting for me to further explain. "When I was fighting with him, he kept telling me about how I could never be a real hero, and that if I really wanted to help, I should just get out of the way."

"That's just not true." She said before grabbing one of my hands.

"I dont believe him, but when I was in the base, there were multiple times I could have just been done for." My vision was growing cloudy from tears collecting in my eyes. "I never feared dying before because I knew I had almost died when I was a kid..."

She slowly pulled her feet up onto my bed and fully turned to face me.

"For the first time, I was scared I wasn't going to survive, and I made it out because of you." I looked away from her and turned my attention to my hands.

"Shining you got yourself out of there all I did was..."

"You're the reason I had to come back out." I said, cutting her off. "I wanted to be able to see you smiled again or just lay on the roof and stared at the stars until we passed out."

She intently listened to my every word

"I've had plenty of reasons to fight, but I dont think I truly ever had a reason to survive until I met you."

When I looked back over, she had started crying too.

"I dont think I've ever been this happy, and to be honest, it scares me a little because you could just as easily take that away."

She smiled while tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"You dont have to be scared of being happy." She said while carefully placing her hand on the side of my face. "I dont plan on going anywhere."

Then she softly kissed me. I couldn't help but smile as she did.

"You make me so happy." I mumbled before a small yawn forced its way out.

"I love you." She said with a bright smile.

"I love you too."

Before long, she made me lay back down while she sang to me softly.

I dont remember ever actually falling asleep, but when I woke up, it was because Mood gently sat down next to me and placed a cold hand on my cheek.

"Ahh, you siren..." I mumbled as I opened my eyes to see her dressed in the outfit she was wearing yesterday.

"I'm sorry, my firefly." She said before kissing my temple. "I've got to head in, and I wanted to say goodbye." 

"I wish you could stay with me all weekend."  I mumbled as I slowly sat up.

"If I could, I would." She smiled softly before she began to put on her boots. "Maybe I'll be able to stay the night again soon."

"No matter what, you are always welcome." I couldn't help but smile as I spoke.

"I might have to take you up on that offer sometime, but before you worry about that, I think you should get some more rest."

After she left, I found myself unable to sleep, so I decided today was a good day to run to the store. Since Mood was busy, I decided to call Claire for help, and thankfully, she agreed.

"So I couldn't help but notice that you got taken off the recruit list." Claire said as she pushed the grocery cart for me. "Mood got taken off, too."

"What are you talking about?"

She pulled out her phone and showered me the recruit list, and sure enough, she was telling the truth.

Did I mess up something, and they just haven't told me yet? Are they telling Mood first?

She ended up changing the topic as we entered the checkout line, and just as soon as we had arrived, we were back at my apartment, where as soon as we passed the threshold, my phone went off.

"Is this Shining Dragon?" A woman said before I even had a chance to speak.

"It is."

"Good. On Monday at noon you are to arrive at town hall to receive your hero license."

I swear my body forgot how to function as the woman spoke.

"Congratulations from Power Corp United for completing your hero training. We are looking forward to working with you." The woman abruptly hung up the phone before I could get a word in.

"What was that about?"

"I think they are having me graduate early. "

"That's awesome!" She squealed before hugging me just below where I was hurt.

Immediately, she ran over to my closet and began to look through my clothes.

"What are you doing?"

"You just became an official hero, so we are going out to celebrate." She said before pulling out an outfit for me.

She pulled out a rose colored crop top hoodie that had black lace over my stomach and a pair of jean shorts.

"It's over a hundred degrees out, so you should at least go out and enjoy it if you dont want to celebrate." She tried to reason.

"You know what? You're right. I never get to wear these out." 

She quickly changed after I did, and she began to drag me off to The Mask.