The Brightest Stars

Skyler

If I were to look at myself in the mirror right now, the Skyler I was last year would not believe who I am now.

Or where I'm standing now as I stand tall and firm wearing my new uniform. I'm no longer a trainee. I'm no longer a newbie.

I'm a soldier now.

I lift up my chin as I stand among greats of the United Force Facility. Not everyone in the facility is here, but they are all watching me through their holograms or smart televisions in each corner of this place.

In this room there's a few important agents that have run the facility for years. There's Indie and the young man she's always with. I know his name now. It's Anthony, but people call him AJ. Just like my brother.

I wish they were here. I wish they could see me. I wonder if they would be proud of me... Mom isn't here, but Uncle Steve is. My mother has disagreed from the moment I mentioned that I was going to finish Dad's mission. She completely stopped talking to me since then. My heart aches at her absence but for once, I'm glad Uncle Steve is proudly smiling at me. I see my father in him...

But despite of several of my loved ones' absences, I'm filled with strength at the shining eyes of Ty standing by Indie. He has his loving smile and his eyes shine brighter than the stars. I shine brighter than the stars....

Commander Shaw comes over towards me with his usual stern face, but his dark eyes also carry a sense of pride. He wears his uniform filled with medals and wears a hat similar to his daughter that stands tall behind him. She carries the same stern face but the moment that Shaw puts that badge with my name on my left side of my chest, her lips start to form a smile. She's trained me the moment I took my risky decision and now she's watching her student become into the woman she trained me to believe in.

Josh is at the back of the room and he carries that playful smile. Wide and filled with joy that I'm the open door for him. He gives me a small nod when my eyes land on him and I give him a smile.

Then it's Xander and Nayeli by him. He wears his medic uniform and I'm surprised that he's here since Luna is still at the hospital for today. Nayeli should be with Nate in this room, but we have all been taking care of our paths now. I heard about Luna's incident when I was stepping out of the self-defense class that leads me back to my city. Ty and I raced to the hospital, but my heart fluttered at the memory of Shaw's booming voice telling me that I will initiate.

"Skyler Newman. Do you swear to keep loyal to this facility despite of any kind of enemy adversity?"

"I do," I firmly say.

"Do you swear to resist any obstacle that may come against you depending on approach of mission?"

"I swear to resist."

"Do you swear to fight under one cause only in the name of justice?"

"I swear to defend this facility against all enemies whether they may be domestic or foreign. I swear to serve for justice..."

"Do you swear to use your knowledge and any future knowledge gained in this facility to collaborate and defend those around you inside of this agency?"

"I swear to bear allegiance and faith to the United Worlds and Force Facility."

"You are now accepting and taking this obligation freely. Are you aware of this?"

I raise up my hand as a soldier would do up to my forehead and firmly say, "I am, sir."

Shaw puts his hands behind his back and everyone in the room copies my position. Shaw raises his chin up high and with a booming authority, he says, "Welcome to the United Worlds and Force Facility, Agent Newman."

As I step out of the room, people that pass by give me respectful nods and some even smile at me. I smile back and hope that my father is seeing this.

Oh Dad. You would be so proud. I know it.

Several people congratulate me or call me by my new name here. Agent Newman. This is like music to my ears. I'm trying to figure out if the cello is truly the only sound I've fallen in love with...

"Agent Newman!"

I turn around to see Josh, Indie, and Ty walking towards me. Josh is the first to hug me. His smile wider than ever as he says, "Man! I can't wait! This is only the beginning of many things, Sky! It's only the beginning."

"I bet," Indie says with a smirk. "I'd hate to fly you back in pieces. You better resist that place longer than your father because I need a more interesting job than fixing jets."

"She won't disappoint," Ty says this time as he puts a hand on my shoulder. I smile at him and he winks at me. "I'm proud of you, love."

"I wouldn't have done it without you, flyboy." I start to lean in for a kiss, but Indie loudly clears her throat and we separate with a chuckle.

"Oookayyy," Josh says awkwardly. "We're gonna leave now...." He gestures at Indie to start walking with him and she follows him out of the hallway.

It's just Ty and I. It's always been like this after my father's death. My siblings would always leave me behind when they would hang out, and it would always be just me and Ty.

We stay silent. Letting the moment sink in. It's our first day for the both of us. He just got confirmed that he will be one of the pilots to enter another world and open the door for them. We're separating paths soon...

"I love you."

I look up at him and smile at this. It's the first time he's said these three words by themselves to me. His eyes are filled with genuine love and sadness that all I can do is let my heart fly with his. I give him a hug and say these three words back to him.

"I wish you could come with me," I quietly say.

He pulls away and looks at me. He nods and says, "I know, but there are some things that are meant to be completed on our own. There are some skies that are meant to be flown on our own...."

"What will happen when we leave? What if we--"

"No." He gently holds both of my cheeks and I fall into those light blue eyes. "No matter what happens....No matter how far we are...My heart is yours. You carry my heart with you and I will carry your heart with me."

"Promise me," I say. "Promise me that you will at least survive. If there's something that may change our relationship. If there's something that may change us, I am complete only knowing that you are okay."

Sadness falls onto his shining eyes, but we both know that we will not see each other in a very long time. In years perhaps. Anything can happen. Anyone can happen....

But we don't have to say it out loud to know that we will stay loyal to our first love. To each other.

Ty's whisper is gentle but his expression certain and strong as he says, "I promise that I will always fly back to my Sky."

This is enough for me to go on. It's enough to step into the unknown. It's enough to build up the strength for my mission as our lips meet. It's a different kiss. Some would see it as a goodbye kiss, but I feel it as a sensation filled with passion and love. It's deep and soft; filling our hearts with the fire that was ignited the moment we both stepped into this facility.

I let my quiet heart soar with the melody of Cello No. 1 in G major surrounding me at our last kiss.