The Anistar Chronicle

Chapter 11: Calm after a Storm

Bonnie's attention flickered to Chamenos, who was still stuck in a trance by the sundial. She ran over to him, "Chamenos! Listen to me! I'm here now."

She was harshly pushed to the ground by a woman who had just stood up, again. "Idiot girl!" She pleaded with the petite teenager the best she could, "Don't interrupt, can't you see? This is going to create a better world, it's what Lylee would have wanted. Her family will want this, too. It's for the greater good." She was crying, now. Her strong, structured cheeks had tears rolling down them. "Please, Blossom."

"Blossom is a name I was forced into choosing." All of the companions they had used to battle with earlier had been recalled. "I'm Bonnie." She smirked confidently, trying to find the goodness that was surely still left in the woman's heart. "People can only grow if we are truly ourselves. I ran away from home, I never got the chance to see my brother again in time. The world is crumbling, the individuality is what makes it so wonderful." She looked up to the sky, thinking of Clemont, and then of lovely Max who had cared for her all along. "My name is Bonnie and I'm finally starting to accept that, again."

"Bonnie." Nova repeated. "That's a nice name." She noticed a key on the floor, shiny and knocked straight out of Bonnie's pocket. "I'm Eleanor, Eleanor Gallmann." She watched the blonde girl gasp quietly as she picked herself up off of the floor. She was related to Angeline Gallmann, meaning she was related to Lylee. It made perfect sense if you thought about it - she was the first person to even talk about The Anistar Chronicle in many years, after all. The dark-haired lady picked up the key. "Hey, where did you get this?" She smiled, and the world was suddenly already starting to seem a lot brighter. "It's the spare key to my office."

"The factory... Really? It was in a vending machine."

"Ah, yes! My sister works there." She paused. "I guess I left it there on a whim, secretly hoping she would do what you're doing now, Bonnie."

"What's that?"

"You're snapping me out of my daydream, showing me the aftermath of the earthquake, stopping the destruction before it happens. You're only young but you're wise beyond your years, Bonnie." Could this be it? Had she stopped the evil mastermind that was Nova? Was she admitting and owning up to her loss and wrong-doings? Was that even plausible? Eleanor started walking. "Come on! I don't know how to stop what's happening, but The Anistar Chronicle will say so, it's in the office back at base." She stopped and looked back at Bonnie who was baffled, "Hurry up!"

Bonnie eagerly followed her back, not fully believing just what was happening. They reached the infamous door. Eleanor, or Nova, fetched the key from the pocket of her black, work pants. In disbelief, the much younger of the two watched her turn it. They entered. It was odd but strangely comforting. The grey-almost-black walls were like a warm hug, making Bonnie feel much better and a lot less apprehensive. The desk was chic and a modern, Kalosian style. Eleanor closed the door behind them. She reached into a high filing cabinet and stood on her tiptoes so she could reach a sturdy, red box. She placed it on the desk. Carefully, she opened it up and took out the precious document that had resided inside. "Here, take this, my dear." She gave Bonnie the book.

"N-Nova-"

"Eleanor."

"Why are you doing this? How did you change your mind?" This woman still made her nervous after the chaos she had caused. Could she really trust her?

"Tell me, Bonnie, do you think I am evil?"

She didn't say a word.

"You do."

"No! I-!" Bonnie tried to get her words out but struggled. "You knew what you wanted. You just got carried away, and that's okay - we all mess up sometimes and you'll never be alone in that."

Eleanor shrugged sympathetically. "You miss your family, don't you?"

"Yes, yes, I do."

"I know exactly how that feels." Her eyes were shadowy and glassy. "My ex-husband left me for my big sister. In the end, they didn't last either. But it tore me and Angeline apart. I hated her and I hated myself even more. We used to be as close as the moon and the stars, but we became galaxies apart. I just wanted things to be the way they were again when everyone was happy and everything made perfect sense. I eventually decided that we were too different to get along. As a hobby, I began looking into the stories we were told as children, about Lylee Daniella and The Anistar Chronicle and the legendary creature we called Chamenos. It became an obsession and here we are today.

I knew nothing, but my sister did, so I sent you, Alabaster, Acacia, and Pembroke to see her again. But I made sure none of you brought me up to her, none of you knew my real name, anyway. Heck, I didn't even know the correct typing!

I can't keep living like this, you defeated me. And you showed me my wrongs. I want to right them before it's too late."

That was a lot to take in, yes, but Bonnie had been listening eagerly. Unsure how to respond, she placed the book on the edge of the desk. She moved her short hair behind her ears and said, "Thank-you so much, I'll try my very hardest!" and gave Eleanor (who was crying again) a friendly hug. There was some good left in her, after all, it had just been shrouded in hurt for such a long time. Things were going to get better - this they both knew.