TIGHTROPE | fitz vacker

Chapter 9.

"HOW DID YOU get that?" Keefe asked.

   Sighing, Azalea lowered her hood. 

   Azalea wished that Keefe would finally know who she was. They both had the same hair and eyes, if Keefe still didn't know, he was dumb.

   "Oh my God." Keefe gaped. "Oh my god! Azalea!" A smiled stretched across his face the minute realization hit him. 

   "Hi?" Azalea said.

   Keefe briskly walked towards her and cocooned her into a hug. Relieved that Keefe took the news well, she hugged him back.

   The siblings stayed like that for a while, just embracing each other. Keefe couldn't believe that his sister had been under his nose this whole time. He was too happy to be angry at her. Azalea couldn't believe that she had finally gotten her brother back. Years of being away from him made her more and more hopeful for a reunion. And now she finally got it.

   Still holding Azalea, Keefe waved to his friends at the bridge. "HEY GUYS! YOU CAN STOP SEARCHING FOR MY SISTER NOW! I FOUND HER!"

   Azalea was surprised to see Fitz and Alvar walking really fast towards her. Of course, everyone else was also really fast, eager to see Azalea.

   When Fitz entered the room, Keefe let Azalea go and in turn, Fitz hugged her. Azalea was a little shocked. Sure, they were close before, but she didn't think they were after being apart for so long.

   "Azalea!" Fitz said, his accent crisp. "I missed you!"

   "I missed you too." Azalea replied.

   Alvar was next. He ruffled Azalea's hair like he used to when they were younger. "Is it really you, Junior?"

   "Yeah, it is. And I thought we were over that phase!" Azalea didn't like it when Alvar called her 'Junior'. In fact, she ignored him for weeks because of it.

   "No way."

   "Dex, Sophie," Keefe said, putting his arm around Azalea's shoulders. He was a head taller than her, even though Azalea had been taller than him when they were younger. "This is my little sister, Azalea."

   Azalea smiled a little. 

   "Hi!" Dex said, his dimples showing. "Do I call you Zee, or Azalea."

   Azalea didn't even realize, or felt uncomfortable that everyone had been calling her by her real name. Not wanting to have code names like Forkle-man, she said, "Azalea will do."

   "So you are Keefe's sister," Sophie said. 

   "Duh," Biana said. "Can you not see the resemblance?"

   "Or were you staring at me too much, Foster?" Keefe teased.

   "That was a very touching reunion," Mr. Forkle interjected. "Now that we are all aware of Miss. Sencen's identity, we can discuss the escape plan."

   "Wait!" Keefe said. "Azalea isn't going."

   "What?"

   "You aren't going." Keefe said.

   "I can go anywhere I want to, Keefe. You can't stop me." Azalea crossed her arms in front of her chest.

   "You're going to make her use her power, aren't you?" Keefe turned to Mr. Forkle. "I won't allow it."

   "No one was asking you, Keefe," Azalea said. "Mr. Forkle gave me a choice and I said yes."

   "And now I'm saying no."

   "I don't care what you say."

   "Children, please!" Mr. Forkle said. Everyone's eyes were on the siblings, as if they were watching a show. "Mr. Sencen, I understand that you are wary of the situation, but I promise you that your sister would be safe."

   "The risks are too high," Keefe shook his head. "It's too dangerous for her."

   Azalea heard Tam scoff. Then, Tam said, "She lived alone in the Neutral Territories for years. She excels in Exillium, and she doesn't show it for survival. She had a Dire Wolf as a pet. Her ability is deadly. And she's starting to control it. I think that she would be able to survive this mission, Doofus."

   "Did you just-"

   "Hey!" Azalea said, putting her arms out between the two boys. "First, thank you, Tam. Secondly," She turned her gaze to Keefe. "You may be my brother but you can't make any choices for me. I'm fourteen, not ten. And you're only fifteen! You aren't that much older than me. How would you like it if someone controlled you, and all the decisions you make, huh?"

   After a long moment of consideration, Keefe said, "Fine. But she has too be near someone at all times, alright?"

   Receiving everyones approval, Mr. Forkle continued. "As I was saying, we may be able to get into Ravagog, but getting out is a lot more difficult. Our presence might have been known and reinforcements will be arranged. Thankfully, Miss. Sencen discovered that she could do something that can help us."

   "No way," Alvar said in awe. "You've really managed to get your ability in control."

   "A little."

   "I'm sorry," Sophie said. "Am I the only one who doesn't know what ability Azalea has?"

   Azalea cleared her throat. "I'm an Energy Projector. Basically, I project pure waves of energy by focusing really hard. But the consequences are destructive and... deadly. And I can get out of control if I'm really mad, or sad."

   "Yes. And before, everyone thought that she could only project energy waves that destroy anything in her path. But Miss. Sencen has managed to project more than that. Energy Zaps, and Energy Beams. With this, Miss. Sencen is a valuable member of our team."

   "So that's why we saw Azalea in your memories." Fitz said. "You were training her?"

   "He just passed something to me. But that isn't important. What's important is that tomorrow, when I blow up a building, or make mini craters, no one is close enough to get hurt. Just don't look back, don't stop running, and don't go anywhere near something that it humming really loud. Got it?"

   Azalea got reassurance from everyone.

   "I suggest you all head to bed." Mr. Forkle said. "Is anyone willing to share their room?"

   "Of course," Sophie said, quickly adding, "I meant with one of the girls."

   "I'll bunk with Azalea," Biana latched onto Azalea's arm. 

   "I guess I'll take Alvar with me," Fitz said.

   "Actually, I'd rather bunk with Keefe." Alvar turned to the group and whispered, "Fitz is a cuddler."

   "You can have my room," Dex told Tam. "I'm going to stay up tweaking the wiring on these cubes—"

   "No, Mr. Dizznee, you're going to rest," Mr. Forkle interrupted. "You all are. Even you," he told Calla, "at least take a few minutes."

   "I cannot rest while my people are suffering," Calla argued. 

   Mr. Forkle decided not to argue. He shooed everyone else to their rooms, and Azalea dozed off as soon as her head hit the pillow.