So we go outside, all of us headed toward the bus stop. “So, uh...” Azul starts to speak. “We did it, I guess.” I didn't really think about it until he said that, but he's right. I was starting to feel like we didn't accomplish much, but our efforts did save the city, for now. I can be happy about that.

“Guys, what are we going to do about what Strife just told us about, though? The Dragon... Should we be worried about that?” Cleo asks. She does have a point. 2020 isn't that far away. Although I think we're pretty powerful when we work together, DotA is no joke... I will prepare myself to confront him. Hopefully the others will do the same.

“Come on, let's not talk about this stuff,” Trace says, grinning. “We just did something awesome. Let's celebrate!”

“So, what are we gonna do, Trace?” Baek asks. “Are we going out to eat? Gonna see a movie?”

“I was thinking about inviting you all to my place, but I don't know if my parents will come back early or not.” She shrugs. “Sometimes they surprise me like that.”

“We could go over to my house,” Cleo says.

“We go to your house all the time...”

“I haven't been to Cleo's house. Neither have Baek, or Emerald,” Azul says.

“Oh, whatever. Let's just go do something.”

The bus finally arrives. As we get on and find seats, those three keep talking about what to do and where to go to celebrate. “If we're going to someone's house,” Azul says, “we should grab some snacks. Rent a movie or something.”

“I'm cool with that. What are we seeing?”

“Have you seen the movie for Precious Blue Child yet, Trace?” Azul asks.

“No, and I wasn't really planning to.”

“Aw... come on, Trace, reconsider! I swear this one's much better than the Abandoned Blue Child adaption.”

Trace sighs, and admits defeat. “Alright, alright. You pick it up from Video Hawk while we're out. Don't be surprised if I complain through the whole thing.”

“It'll be good, Trace. You can bet on that,” Azul says, with confidence.

“Okay, then. I'll pay you back for the rental if I enjoy it. Deal?” She extends her hand.

“Deal.” He takes her hand and shakes it. “Alright,” Azul says, “Let's go to my place. I'll ask Gramps if it's okay. You guys haven't met him and Miko yet, have you?” Trace and Cleo shake their heads. Azul starts to call his home.

“Hello? Gramps?” Azul has a short conversation with the person he calls 'Gramps'. “Gramps is okay with it. You're coming, right, Baek?” He nods. “Emerald?”

I'm surprised he's inviting me. “Oh... is it okay?”

“Of course. Why would it not be?” Azul says, smiling.

I'm taken aback. What do I say? Has he forgotten what I said about getting revenge on Trace? “It's just that... I thought all of you hated me.”

They all seem surprised, but Azul most of all. “Hate you? Why? You haven't done anything to wrong me, have you?”

“Well, no, but...”

“Then it's okay, right?” he says, as if he truly has forgotten. No, it's more like he's chosen to disregard it. “You guys know what I'm saying, right?”

“Yeah, I get it,” Baek says.

“Yeah, it's okay, Emerald,” Cleo says.

“Um, it's alright, Emerald. Don't worry about it.” It's Trace, of all people, who says this.

I feel a tear roll down my cheek. “What's wrong, Emerald?”

“Oh... ah, it's nothing.” I quickly wipe it away. “Thank you... so much. Forgive me for being overly dramatic.”

With that, I decide to spend the night with these four. We buy nachos and popcorn, and watch the movie Azul rented. After watching it (Azul lost that bet, by the way), I somehow find myself talking to Trace.

“Trace, I found the movie surprisingly good.”

“That's because you don't know, man. They didn't show the part where Mikal and his party bust out of Hell. That scene was badass, and important. Real stupid of them to cut it.”

“Oh, this is based on a book? I ought to read it.”

“Yeah, man. Do you... oh, you can borrow mine.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“What? Um, I, uh...”

“Come on, don't be like that. I've read mine. Just come to my house with me later.”

“Trace, is it okay?”

“What? I just said--”

“No, that's not what I mean!” I'm starting to blush... “You trust me. You've started treating me like a friend, although you know that...”

“Well, Emerald, I was hoping we could put that behind us. I mean, don't you?”

I can't form the words I want to say.

“So, yeah, Emerald. If you still want to kill me, come home with me and you'll get your chance. It'll just be you and me. No one even has to know it was you...”

After some time, Trace goes home, and I follow her. We go to her room, and she gives me her book and everything, then, she sits and waits...

There she is.

There's the girl who killed my friend.

Who's averted being found out by the police and everything.

Here she is, looking at me. Offering her life as if it was nothing.

And yet...

“...I can't. I can't do it.”

“Why not?” Trace says, more dead serious than I've ever seen her.

“I've tried... I've tried so hard...” More tears. Why am I crying so much, today? “I've tried to convince myself that you were a monster... I wanted so badly for you to just be another monster I could slay, but I can't...”

“Ah, so you can't do it. I'm... disappointed and relieved at the same time. It's just that... I would have let you do it. Somewhere inside, I've felt I deserve to suffer and die for what I've done. Part of me still does. Wouldn't it be fitting for the one who I've hurt the most to answer the dead's cry for justice?”

“I'm done with this shit!” I shout. “This craziness has gone on too long... I can't take it anymore...” I start walking out of the room. “Forget it, Trace. I will not kill you.”

...

...It's now June. School will be ending, soon. I think about what I'll do over vacation. While I had hung out with Trace and her friends over the year, I kept a bubble of sorts around myself, mostly hoping to keep from bringing up anything that would destroy these nice moments...

On this last day of school, during lunch, I stand on the rooftop and look out over the city. It's pretty quiet up here... but the silence doesn't last long.

“Something told me you'd be up here.” It's Trace. She followed me up here.

“What is it?” I try to sound as neutral as possible. I'm actually a bit irritated that Trace came to talk to me, but I can't show her that.

“Nothin' much. Just wanted to talk.” She comes closer and looks at my face. “...but if you don't want to, then--”

“It's okay,” I say, quickly, before she starts to leave. With that, she smiles and walks toward me, looking down at the city below.

“It's been one hell of a year, hasn't it?”

“Uh-huh.” I hadn't really thought about it until now, but yeah... she's right about that.

“Have you been preparing? For... y'know.”

“In my own way, yes,” I say. “What about you? You've been training, I assume?”

She nods. “Whenever I can. My initial plan was to just do nothing but train and research the Dragon over summer break, but... I don't know.” She scratches her head.

“That's what you're going to do? All summer break? Just prepare for a fight that's coming in two years? Surely, there must be something else.”

“Well, what are you going to do? Over summer break, I mean.”

“I was thinking of going to Lumière.” I look over at Trace and see her expression light up. There are a lot of people who think Lumière is a beautiful place, and I would always hear about people going to visit. Although, not as much, nowadays... I heard something had happened, but... “The original Chiesa del Salvato is there. Since I'm one of 'The Saved', I figure I should visit it at least once. I'm sure it's amazing, and I might even learn something.”

Now, Trace's expression is changing. I can see curiosity, but there's also a bit of nervousness to it... a face you wouldn't expect from her, of all people. “...can I come with you?”

I was half expecting it, but... “What?”

“I want to go to Lumière with you. Is that okay?”

I don't know what to say. Should I just tell her 'no'? “I don't get it, Trace. Why do you want to come? Wouldn't you be happier if you just stayed here with your friends? I'm not taking them with me, I can only afford one ticket to Lumière.”

“I can pay for my own ticket, so don't worry about that. As for them, they'll be okay without me, but you--” She stops.

“You're worried about me?” I say, trying to be sincere. What's going on with Trace that she would start worrying about me? Even if only for a second, I would like to peer into her mind and truly understand her.

She shakes her head and starts to chuckle. “It's kinda hard to explain, sorry.” She smiles. “Still, I think it would be good for me if I went... good for us.”

Awkward silence. I try to figure out what she's trying to tell me. She thinks it would be good for us? Does she just want to get closer to me? Suddenly, I come to this conclusion... “You want me to forgive you. You know that's not going to happen.”

“No, it's not it.” She looks into my eyes. “I just want to try and understand you, Emerald, and you to understand me. If I go on this journey with you, I feel like we might get that. No one has to forgive me for what I did, least of all, you, but...”

I think I get it. She really is serious about this. She doesn't need... doesn't want to be forgiven, she just wants to move forward. I feel that I understand Trace a bit better, now. “I see.” Seeing this, I reach my hand out towards Trace, and she takes it... “Come with me, Trace.”

A week passes as we make preparations for our trip. I made arrangements for where we'd be staying, the plane we'd be getting on, what we'd do there, what to bring with us, and other such things. The day has finally came for us to go. Trace's friends are here to see us off. Primo isn't here, though... I guess he could be busy. It's too bad.

“Don't worry, guys, I'm not leaving forever,” Trace says, with a smile.

“Yeah,” Blue says, nodding. “Just come back soon, okay?” He smiles back at her.

“...and be safe. Take care of yourselves,” Cleo says.

“See ya, Trace, Emerald, and bring us back something!” Baek says, grinning.

“Okay, okay,” I say, starting to smile, myself. “Goodbye.” I start to board the plane.

I look back one more time. They're all shouting, “Goodbye!” and waving at me and Trace.

“Bye! See you all later!” Trace shouts back, and waves.

It brings a smile to my face. She's been blessed with such good friends... and I guess they're my friends too, now. “Goodbye!” I wave back at them, holding back tears of joy, smiling brighter than I have in a long, long time...

“Come on, let's go.” With that, we start to get on the plane that will take us to Lumière, and truly begin moving forward...