Wow. Here it is, guys, the last chapter of the saga I pretty much wrote in my head until finding this site. XD Thank you to the readers who kept me going; I love you guys!
I'm explaining the asterisks up here; Yes. this is true for every Peacekeeper, and yes I put a lot of thought into it! XD Well here it is!
"Aw man, I can't believe this." AJ said to Vert as Stella and Agura embraced. The week had flown by; and it was time for Stella to return to Phoenix.
"I know." Vert said solemnly.
"Don't worry; I'll be back in the summer!" Stella tried to convince Zoom, who was restraining tears.
"And then you'll go live with the Peacekeepers and we'll never see each other again." Zoom muttered, and Stella laughed.
"I'm not staying there forever, Zoom."
"What?" He turned to her. "But you said-"
"I said we'll see how it goes. I never promised anyone anything. I know my people are there, but my home is here. And I'm going to find a way to make it work. I'm only staying with the Peacekeepers until summers over, then I'll come back for the school year." She explained happily.
"Oh." Zoom said. "So…"
"So, we'll see each other in two months, when school ends, then three months! That's how long you waited last time!" She said.
"Well, we can't wait." Vert added, pulling in for a group hug.
"Have fun in Phoenix!" Spinner exclaimed tearfully.
"Yeah, and say hi to Mr. Wagner for me. I think he might remember a certain frosting incident…" Vert hinted.
"That was you?" Stella's eyes widened. "He told us that story, but I never thought it was true!"
"Oh, it was true." Vert grinned as Stella boarded the GearSlammer. AJ had wanted to say hi to his family.
"Well…bye guys! Thanks so much!" Stella finished, and again the GearSlammer drove her away.
"Miss her?" Vert asked Zoom.
"I always will. But this time, I know she's coming back."
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"Dear BF5," Agura read the letter out loud.
"Whazzup? LOL, Aaron says I need to learn to write more formally. *eye roll* Anyway, things here are awesome! I probs shouldn't be saying this, but…ROSE AND AARON ARE GETTING MARRIED! Guess who's being the Maid of Honor? *squee!* They'll definitely help "increase the population," if you catch my drift. Winkety wink! Point is, da Peacekeepers are coming back! Me and the other Terras (Sorry, Aaron, the other Terras and I) have been working super hard to restore all the houses and the palace. Rose is growing a mega-garden with her mom, another Flora, so we have plenty of food. I found my sister Violet's Essence! Cried, but glad to have something to remember her by. Aaron is teaching me about my powers; apparently I can do A LOT more than I thought with water, air, everything! With any luck, I'll be able to find my parents Essences! AJ, can't wait to parachute off the Hub roof when I get back! Hope you're still kicking Red, furry and metal butt! Love and Hugs, Stella." Agura finished, her voice catching.
"Hey, there are a few more letters in here." She said, pulling out separate envelopes addressed to her, Zoom, Vert, and Sage.
"Hmm." Sage took her envelope, glowing eyes scanning the paper. "This is nearly a complete history of the Peacekeepers! It will be extremely useful for the Mobi's database. It must have taken an incredibly long time to write. Please, send Stella my gratitude." The Sentient finished, walking off to the Mobi. Zoom retreated to his room to read the letter.
Zoom, I miss you sooooo much! I can't believe I still have another two months to go! I loved your last letter and can't wait to hear your voice in person again. XOs, Stella
Short but sweet. Just like her.
Meanwhile, Vert was receiving another short letter.
Vert, how's it going with Sage's memory and the war? We get zilch info here, being PEACEkeepers and all. Also, how are things with Agura? You better write me back! JK. SWAHUG, Stella
Agura's was a bit longer.
Hey sis! Brothers just ain't the same, huh? Anyway, how's the bf? Winky-wink! I miss you guys tons! How is everyone? (I know I'll get an honest response from you) Between you and me, Rose and Aaron are really making me think about me and Zoom. I miss him SO much, and…well, let's just say love is in the air! I hope you're all doing well; I miss waking up and seeing everyone's faces! Mushy I know, but love ya'll! 3 you, Stella
Agura grinned and immediately began composing a reply.
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"It's opening!" Spinner exclaimed, hugging Sherman.
"I see it, bro." Sherman rolled his eyes, even though he too was excited to see Stella again.
"Well don't I feel special!" She joked, stepping through the portal.
"Stella!" They all exclaimed, rushing forward for a hug.
"Wow. Okay, seriously guys, OFF!" She laughed. "Gosh, I missed you all so much!"
"Trust us, we missed you too." Agura grinned. "So, wanna head up to Zeke's?" Stella grinned.
"I thought you'd never ask."
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It had been about eight years. Stella had finished college and was putting her negotiation skills to use as an attorney. AJ's uncle had helped her start out, and she worked with his law firm. Stella was sitting across from Zoom in one of Phoenix's most luxurious restaurants. They had been dating frequently now, and she was in the middle of telling him a quirky anecdote about her high school years, but all Zoom could see was how her eyes sparkled against the sapphire gown. It reminded him of their first official date, Som Night, the anniversary of which was being celebrated right now.
"So, you really got the entire cheer squad to dress up from the eighties?" He laughed, taking a sip of champagne.
"Of course! Honestly, it was a riot. We got the strangest looks, but it was so much fun." She laughed.
"What did the teachers say?" He asked.
"Well, they couldn't say anything! I mean, it was nearly thirty girls, and we followed the dress code. Besides, I was Stella Olson, Cheer Captain Supreme!" She joked. "The teachers kinda let things slide when you've got a title like that."
"Wait, Stella Olson?" Zoom was confused.
"Oh, right. Well, when I was registering, Vert said that "Olson" was so common, so we thought it was a pretty safe bet for a last name." She explained, taking a dainty bite of pasta.
"True, but don't you wish you had a real last name?" Zoom hinted.
"Well, I suppose." She had never really considered the idea. "But I can't change it now, and I couldn't think of anything that would really fit."
"What about Takazumi?" Zoom asked, pulling something out of his tuxedo jacket.
"Zoom, what do you mea-" Stella stopped short as he bent down on one knee.
"Stella, I love you. I have ever since we met. Will you marry me?" The tables around them fell silent as they eagerly awaited her response.
"Yes. Yes, of course!" Stella's face lit up and she joyfully pulled him off his feet and planted a kiss on his lips.
"I'd love to."
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"Mom, Dad," Zoom began in Thai. "This is Stella." His parents smiled at her and began greeting to speak in Thai as well, greeting her. They would have expected Zoom to translate, but were a bit surprised when Stella replied in equally fluent Thai. The couple was staying for a week; she wanting to see his home and the sights and he wanting to introduce her to his parents. They made small talk, and stayed for dinner.
"You have chosen well, Zoom." His father whispered to him in Thai while Stella and Mrs. Takazumi eagerly discussed the wedding. "We will be happy to welcome her into our family. I am very proud of you."
"Thanks, Dad." Zoom responded. "I'm proud of her."
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The wedding was Stella's dream come true. Zoom had surprised her by taking her up to Big Sur, California, for an outdoor ceremony in a clearing, surrounded by towering Redwoods. Stella had chosen Agura as her Maid of Honor, and Vert was Zoom's best man. Maddi and Staci were there as bridesmaids, and Sherman and AJ had been picked for the groom's party. Stanford had been a tad upset at this, but that didn't stop him from hitting on the bridesmaids.
"Stanford!" Agura, who was self-appointed in-charge (nobody had argued), snapped for the third time. "Knock it off! We're trying to have a wedding here!"
"Oh, pish, Agura. The ladies love me." She grinned coyly, and both girls immediately turned away to roll eyes and giggle with each other.
"Okay, we're starting, we're starting!" Agura announced, ushering people to their spots. Stella and Zoom hadn't wanted anything grand, so there were a small number of guests.
"Agura, chill out!" AJ joked at her panic.
"I will "chill out" when the wedding is over!" She replied. "Shh! Here she comes!" The guests fell silent as Stella appeared at the end of the path, with Aaron next to her. She had been slightly upset when she found out that her father was supposed to walk her down the aisle, and had immediately thought of Aaron, who was both flattered and anxious about the idea. When the wedding ended, Stella threw the bouquet back into the crowd, but the wind caught it and it fell directly into Agura's hands. Agura gave Stella a glare, received a wink, then turned to Vert, who was grinning awkwardly. Staci and Maddi, who recognized the couple both whistled, as did the BF5.
"So…" Stella tentatively approached Agura. "Can I be the Maid of Honor?"
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"OW!" Stella cried out, clutching her swollen stomach.
"It's gonna be fine. Just breathe." Zoom patted her hand. They were in a hospital room; the contractions had been going on for hours. Zoom had called Agura, who had already had her child a few months ago, for help. He loved Stella, but when it came to giving birth….he was lost. And though she hated to admit it, Stella wasn't too sure about it either.
"Alright, I'm here!" Agura ran in breathlessly. "Hey, how's it going?" She addressed Stella, who simply glared. "Yeah, I know. I'm not gonna lie; it'll probably hurt. How far in is she?" She asked Zoom, who gave her a blank look.
"She's got anywhere between one to ten more hours." A nurse, who was standing by, replied.
"Okay, don't worry, you'll be fine." Agura said, kneeling next to Stella.
"Liar." She stuck out her tongue.
"Well, it'll be worth it." Agura comforted. She and Zoom stayed with Stella for another stressful hour. The strangest thing was that no matter how hard she gritted her teeth, or how many tears burned in her eyes, Stella never made a sound. To Agura and the nurse, it was insane, but Zoom had no idea what to expect.
"Are you sure you're fine, honey?" The nurse asked, concerned at the lack of…well, screaming. Stella managed a nod, then her eyes widened.
"A…Agura?" She winced. "I think…" Agura and Zoom grasped the meaning immediately.
"Holy crap." Zoom panicked, and began hyperventilating. "She's going to have a baby HOLY CRA-"
"Zoom! Panicking won't help anything." Agura calmed him down. "Why don't you wait outside? Give Vert a call, okay?" Zoom nodded, then sprinted out.
"I'm scared." Stella whispered, and Agura squeezed her hand.
"It's going to be okay." She told Stella a bit about how it had gone with her, trying to distract the girl.
"Wait, you said what to Vert?" Stella exclaimed.
"I was mad at him! He put the kid there, and then I had to get it out!" Agura laughed.
"I just can't believe that Agura Ibaden told her husband that she was going to cut his d-" Stella began, and Agura gestured to the nurse.
"SHHHH!"
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"Takazumi?" Zoom stood instantly upon hearing his name.
"How'd it go?" He asked anxiously as the nurse lead him into the room.
"Why don't you see for yourself?" She grinned, closing the door behind her. Agura was kneeling over the side of the hospital bed, giggling with Stella.
"Oh! Hey, Dad." Agura nudged him as she walked out. "I'll be outside." Zoom looked over at Stella in anticipation. To his delight, she was holding a small bundle. Stella looked up weakly, face shining.
"We did it." She said softly, and Zoom ran over to meet the newest addition to their family.
"Oh…" He took the bundle in his arms, looking down on the sleeping child. The baby's eyes blinked open, and Zoom felt like he was staring at Stella. "She has your eyes!" He exclaimed.
"And your hair, for now." Stella joked at the child's tufts of dark hair. She took the child back, then leaned in. "She's a Zephra, Zoom, I can feel it." Stella whispered.
"What should we name her?" Zoom asked, and Stella responded instantly.
"Claire."
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"Hiiii!" Stella exclaimed as Agura and Vert entered their house. "The kids are all out back."
"Is Claire here?" A girl with slightly brown skin and Vert's blue eyes asked eagerly.
"Yes she is, Abbi with an I." Stella grinned, ruffling the fifth-graders dark hair. "What made you spell it like that?" She whispered to Agura.
"Oh, an old friend of mine." Agura responded (Come on, subscribers, you know what I'm talking 'bout here!)
"Whaddabout Cole?" Asked their other child, Jason.
"Mhm." Zoom responded to the seven-year old. "Everybody's out back, go on!"
"Food's in the kitchen!" Stella added as the kids ran off.
"Are we the first ones here?" Agura asked as they entered the kitchen, taking a seat.
"Mhm. Everyone can make it except AJ and Tezz. Spinner said he and Sherman and really busy working on some new software, but Spinner's going to try and stop by. Sherman just took the day off, and he's coming with his wife but no kids yet. Stanford said he "might be bored enough to drop by," but I'm sure he'll be here." Stella said.
"Sounds good. So, how are Claire, Lily, Cole and the twins?" Agura asked.
"Well, Beth and Curt are hyper as ever. You know how five year olds can be, especially when they have a partner in crime." Stella smiled. "What about Abbi and Jason?"
"Good, but Jason hasn't stopped talking about which Pokemon cards he and Cole traded." Vert grinned. "Those two are almost as close as-"
"Claire and Abbi?" Everyone finished.
"It's great that the girls are such good friends. Claire keeps begging me to do that braid-y thing Abbi did on her? You have to teach me that." Stella told Agura, who nodded.
"Say, is Lily determined yet?" Agura asked. "Or is third grade still too young?"
"No, she's determined." Stella grinned.
"I'm guessing…Flora?" Agura asked, and Stella nodded.
"How do you do that?" Vert asked, exasperated. "Do you two have some sort of physic link?"
"It's not that hard, Vert." Zoom assured him. "Even I caught on."
"It's a Peacekeeper thing*." Stella explained. "Like, our name corresponds with our Essence. Cl-AIR-e? Curt as in dirt? Beth as in…well, Terra names are hard, but it's close to Earth."
"Ohh…Got it." Vert nodded. "Cole's a Fiera then, right?"
"You got it." Stella replied, when there was a knock on the door.
"Uncle Spinner's here!" Spinner yelled, not bothering to wait for Stella to open the door.
"You made it!" She exclaimed happily. "And…you brought presents?"
"Only the best for my favorite little kids!" Spinner said as the kids all ran up.
"Uncle Thpinner!" Cole, who had lost his two front teeth days earlier, shouted. "What'd you get uth?"
"Cole! Be polite!" Stella scolded.
"It's alright. I brought you, Curt, and Jason new video games…" He handed out Pokemon games to the Jason and Cole, and gave Curt a Spongebob game for his Leapster.
"Spinner, you shouldn't have!" Agura said as the kids ran off to test their latest toys.
"What? I don't have my own kids to spoil, and might as well make use of the employee discount!" He grinned. "And for Claire, Abbi, Lily and Beth…" He handed Claire and Abbi Just Dance 4, and they both squealed, running downstairs to play it. Lily got a pink CD player, and Beth received one of those Disney Princess-style learning laptops.
"Thank you, Uncle Spinner!" They both said.
"Really, Spinner!" Stella put her hands on her hips. "Now they'll be playing those all day instead of being outside, and I feel guilty!"
"Aw, come on! Let them have their fun! Besides, I helped sell some of those. I don't mind." He reminded her, when there was another knock on the door.
"AJ?" Stella exclaimed, letting him in. "I thought you couldn't make it?" She seemed happy to see him but a bit irritated. She would have nearly doubled the food if she had known he was bringing his family!
"Well, I figured I owed it to you guys to try and stop in. Say, are those chocolate chip cookies?" He asked.
"Yum!" A pale blonde boy darted through the door, following his father.
"Andrew James!" A brunette followed holding a small toddler. "Sorry about him, he takes after his father." She grinned.
"Oh, I can tell." Stella muttered, watching them gobble the cookies. "You must be Elizabeth. And this is…"
"Avrielle." Elizabeth, AJ's wife, explained.
"Well, Avrielle, I have a five year old daughter who's downstairs right now! Why don't we grab your brother and go say hi?" Stella knelt down friendlily, and the little girl nodded when again, the doorbell rang.
"Agura, can you get these two downstairs and try to get the kids outside?" Stella asked, and the other woman nodded. "Hey Sherman." Stella greeted him. "Staci! Hey!" The former cheerleaders embraced. Stella and Agura had purposely paired them up at the wedding, knowing the strong, sensitive and slightly shy Cortez would be a perfect match for the friendly, energetic Staci; not to mention neither of them had a mean bone in their body.
Finally, the kids were playing and the adults had gathered around in the living room, chatting and exchanging stories. Spinner and AJ only stayed for a short amount of time, and Stanford also popped in for about an hour. Unfortunately, time flew by, and after dinner some of the couples who lived farther away had to leave. Finally, it was just Stella, Zoom, Vert and Agura, and they began talking about memories of the Battle Force 5, something they couldn't discuss in front of the other's wives. As it was getting late, Abbi and Claire ran in, stopping the conversation short.
"Can we have a sleepover?" They begged in sync. "Please?"
"Sorry girls," Vert said, standing up, "But it's time to go."
"Aww…" They groaned, still in perfect sync.
"Dad's right, we better hit the road." Agura added. "Time to go, Jason!"
"No! Cole's about to trade me a Darkrai!" He yelled up.
"Come on, buddy." Vert went downstairs for a second, and returned with Jason on his shoulders. "Bye everyone." He waved to the kids.
"Thanks for hosting, Stella." Agura said.
"Oh, anytime! Next time I'll just make sure I have enough food for AJ to stop by." She grinned. "I'll call you about Abbi and Claire's camp, alright?"
"CAMP?" Both girls squealed, high-fiving.
"Oh dear." Stella laughed. "Bye!" She and Zoom waved as the family made their way into their car.
"Okay, who's ready for bed?" Zoom asked, turning to face their kids.
"NOOOOO!"
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"Alright, kids, open your eyes." Stella instructed Claire, Lily, Cole, Beth and Curt.
"Woah…" They looked around, taking in the newly restored log homes and majestic marble palace that stood in front of them.
"Are we in Narnia?" Lily exclaimed. The now-fourth grader had just become a fan of the series.
"No, sweetie." Stella laughed. "This was my home." She showed them the castle, Tapestry, and introduced some of the Peacekeepers, telling them about her history.
"Is that why Claire can fly?" Curt, the first grader, asked, brown eyes wide.
"And why Lily can make flowers grow?" His twin Beth added.
"Mhm. And one day, you'll all be able to do something special like that too." Stella told them.
"Wow…" Claire said. "Mom, this is like, so cool! Wait until I tell Abbi-"
"No!" Stella said sharply, then sighed. "I'm sorry, Claire, but you can't tell anyone. Very few people know that this planet exists."
"But you said that Auntie Agura and Uncle Vert were in the Battle…Battle Team…uhm…" Cole struggled.
"Battle Force 5. Yes, they were. Vert was the leader, actually, but they haven't told their kids yet, and I don't think they will for a long time." Zoom explained.
"Well, why'd you tell us then?" Lily crossed her arms.
"Because this is part of your history, your very life. You all needed to know so that you can learn about your powers. One of you could be the next Omnis." Stella said.
"I wanna be an Omnis!"
"No, me!"
"I have dibs!"
"Aw, no fair!" The kids argued.
"Kids!" Stella stopped them. "You don't get to pick. It could be one of Aaron's children as well. You never know." The kids looked to each other, accepting this.
"Fine, but I still wanna be the Omnis."
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After a hectic morning of trying to get all five children fed and on the school bus, Stella was relaxing in the living room. She flipped through an old photo album, laughing at a picture of her and Agura in Mexico, having their hair done into thousands of little braids while Vert and Zoom pretended to fall asleep in the background. More snapshots showed her and Zoom on a beach in Thailand, her surfing off the coast of California, their entire family in Disneyland and an old one of her and Spinner at the Hub, drawing on AJ's face while he slept. Stella smiled to herself, turning the page. Zoom cocked his head, putting a bagel in the toaster and joining her on the couch.
"Good times, huh?" He said, pointing to a picture of them at Som.
"Yeah." Stella smiled, flipping to another page. "Ooh! I forgot about these!" She said, looking at the pictures she had taken while visiting her home for the summer. She had brought a camera, which fascinated the remaining Peacekeepers, and there were several random pictures of the ground and floor as Aaron had tried to figure out what the device did. Zoom laughed, then turned the page again.
"Here's my favorite one." He said, gesturing to a shot of him and Stella that Agura had secretly taken. They were sitting in the booth at Zeke's; he was whispering something into her ear and she had a bright, happy smile on her face.
"I love you." He said, kissing her cheek.
"I love you too." Stella nuzzled into his chest contentedly when Zoom's bagel popped up, and he leaned away, prepared for the inevitable.
"AAH!"