"Excuse me." The councilman interjected. "But I have a final question."
Holly Short waited. Her heart was thudding like it never had before. Standing in front of the line of powerful fairies was more nerve racking then she had anticipated. They sat in front of a long desk, staring at her coldly. If her previous record hadn't screwed her over already, her hasty answers to their questions and terrified expression would do it.
"What is the most important thing that you have learned while working in the Lower Elements Police?"
She paused. It was a puzzling question, exactly what the councilman wanted. Was it really her opinion? Or was he looking for an answer that everyone agreed on?
As it had turned out, fulfilling Julius Root's wishes for her career was harder than she had expected. She knew she had to, though. Julius may be gone, but his teachings lived on. She had a duty to the People.
The words were out before she could think to say something different. "I guess what I've learned is...everything happens for a reason. What seems like something terrible at first, might lead to something better than you could have hoped for."
To her surprise, the councilman smiled. "Well said." He looked to his colleagues and nodded.
LEP Commander Trouble Kelp moved from leaning against the wall in the back corner of the room. He approached her smiling proudly. Standing in front of her, he pulled something from his pocket. Two small somethings.
"Congratulations, Major Holly Short." He pinned the gold acres on her lapel.
She grinned.
The council clapped politely. The real party would be later, once they got back to the Police Plaza. In light of her achievements in the last few years, all sexist jokes had ceased. She had finally earned the respect of her fellow officers. There was also the fact that if Trouble ever heard any kind of biased remark, he would punish the officer severely. Even if it wasn't directed at Holly, he stood for equality in the workplace. He was a visionary by anyone's standards.
"We are more advanced then the Mud Men in technology." He told his superiors. "We should be just as advanced in the social aspects of life. It's our responsibility."