Note to self: Add wheels to the cages next time! Especially when you need to move them to a different location! Or how about smaller cages?! Do I really have big victims to capture?! Harper thought to herself, continuing to push Hope's cage through the carpeted hallways that would lead to Sunshine and the others. By the time I get there, Second Squad would already be dead and frozen. Stupid, heavy cage! Stupid me for not realizing this! Stupid me for getting myself into this mess! Stupid me for not getting a key right now!
Harper stopped for a moment as her eyes widen once she realized something. She slapped herself in the face and murmured, "Of course! I'll get the key, unlock Hope's cage, and just drag Hope there. That's better than pushing a heavy cage around."
The blue and white harpy eagle queen quickly left Hope's cage in front of a window and fly away for the key to free the pink and white monkey. Hope slowly look at the cloudy, night sky and frowned, remembering why this happened.
Hope: Can a sky be so indifferent?
Can what once was true be true no more?
Can this life be an illusion
Just an illusion my broken heart can't ignore?
Hope let out a small sigh and sit up with her knees to her chest, feeling that this was her fault this happened. She was the one who gotten depress, but at the same time, she knew it was also Kowloon's fault since it was his fault for making Hope depress.
Yet, Hope kept blaming herself for even believing in his lie.
H: She was gone, but not forgotten
In each ocean breeze, she lived again
Can her heart, distant and clever,
Be lost forever, be lost forever?
A small tear gently rolled down her cheek as she could hear the wind against the window. Hope look up at the sky, seeing the clouds slowly being blown away which reveals the night sky that was filled with many stars.
The sight of the starry sky made her continue to cry out more tears out of her pink eyes as Hope wish for this to be over.
H: When all this time
All these weeks
All those nights
Of looking for the star we share
Remembering all of our plans and dreams
Now it seems
It's me that's been a fool for all this time!
Her eyes widen when she notice a small star that shined brighter than the rest. Hope quickly wipe the tears off of her face as she stood up.
H: Tell me no
Say that it's all a lie
And let me go
Back to the hope I yearn!
I don't think it's best to cry about it now. I think it's best to make things right now. Hope thought, staring at the small star in the sky.
H: For all this time
All these weeks
All those night
Of looking for the star we share
Remembering our friendship's first hug
But more than this!
With a silver key in her beak, Harper quickly fly to Hope's cage, but she stopped for a moment to notice Hope. Harper was glad to see the monkey acting more lively than before, but she found it strange than Hope's pink and white fur seems to be a little duller than usual.
Oh yeah. Let her go. Harper thought.
Once the harpy eagle let Hope out of the cage, Hope ran to the window and open it with one big push, letting the wind blow in her face.
H: Give me what's been mine for all this time!
"Come on! Let's go before your friends freeze to death!" Harper shouted.
"Oh yeah." Hope said, closing the window.
Harper quickly fly towards the direction of Second Squad and Sunshine as Hope ran after her.
"Come on, Husky!" Kowloon shouted when Golden Eye Husky was too exhausted to breathe out any more fire.
"This is all your fault, Kowloon." Alpha Girl said to him, wrapping her arms around herself to keep herself warm.
"I know that! You think that I don't know that after a hundred times!?" Kowloon shouted, feeling absolutely frustrated with the situation.
Outside of the freezing room, Sunshine was against the wall, glaring at the room Second Squad is kept in and thought, How long does it take to freeze some people to death? It's taking so long!
Sunshine glanced to the side and notice Hope and Harper coming. Her blueish-black eyes widen as she shouted, "What are you doing, Harper!? You're suppose to eat her! We been planing this for a while if you haven't notice!"
This caused a look of hurt to appear across the pink and white monkey's face.
"First, I want something to hear from the Kowloon guy." Harper said as she stood in front of the door where Second Squad are held in.
A confuse look appear on Sunshine's face as Hope look at her feet with a frown on her face, knowing the truth already. Harper slowly open up the slot on the metal door and said, "Um... Is anyone dead yet?"
"No." Alpha Girl said. "What do you want anyway?"
"I just want to know the truth from your Kowloon friend, and maybe all of this will be over." Harper said.
"Truth? What truth?" Sunshine said, raising an eyebrow. "What other truth there can be?"
There was some silence until Kowloon said, "Okay. Okay. I'll tell the truth."
"Good." Harper said.
"I told Hope that her friend died, which made her go in a depression. I just wanted to know if Hope actually cares about her since Sunshine followed her because of some food, and at least I know now if she went all through this. At least I try to make Hope feel better before Sunshine comes back, but she never did." Kowloon said.
Sunshine's eyes slowly widen as she look at Hope. The look on Hope's face didn't look angry like Sunshine expected, even with the information she learned. Instead, Hope looked okay with this. Harper open the door and said, "Okay. You can come out."
Second Squad quickly ran out of the room, glad to feel warmth again. Sunshine look at Harper and said, "Why did you do that?"
"I'm too nice for my own good." Harper said. "Also, if I tell Master Highroller that I was able to kill Second Squad, I bet he expects me to be able to kill off First Squad too or something like that and there's no way I could beat that."
Sunshine stiffen up when she notice Hope have a small smile on her face, like nothing bad ever happened between them, and heard Hope say, "Sunshine, if you want, you can still come back to my tree house and live there with me."
Hope follows Second Squad as the group leaves. Sunshine still stood in place, staring blankly at nothing as she said out loud, "H-How? How could Hope still forgive me even when I almost killed her friends?"
Harper gently pat her shoulder and said, "Maybe she doesn't care about that fact, but she still care about you, kid."
As Harper fly away, Sunshine slowly walk towards her room in the castle, trying to think of everything that just happened.
Sunshine: I've seen a thousand wonders...
I've lived a hundred lifetimes...
But not until this moment
Have miracles seemed real
Sunshine could remember what she have done, regretting about what almost have happened to Second Squad and Hope. At the same time, She couldn't believe how long she believed that she was forgotten by her friend.
S: As fleeting as a shadow...
The time goes by unnoticed...
The hate that drove me forward
Is gone and I am face to face with...
Sunshine went into her room and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She let tears stream down her face, remembering how kind Hope was to her, even now.
S: The girl I used to be
Dreams I dared to dream
When friendship was all
The innocence of youth
Like memories of truth return
To learn forgiveness
She felt so angry at herself for even believing Hope would just abandon her like that since Hope isn't really the type to do that.
Why didn't I realize that Hope would never do something like that? Why did I have to hear someone tell me the truth instead of realizing it sooner? Sunshine thought, gripping onto her hair in her own anger.
S: The girl I used to be
Cannot be outrun
Our past still lives
Whatever else I've done
Forever in her eyes, she'll see
The girl that I used to be
Her tears slowly stopped as a small smile appears on her face.
M-Maybe I should try to forgive myself like how Hope easily forgave me. Sunshine thought, wiping her tears away.
S: And all the weeks will melt away
And lights will fall much softer now
Sunshine look out the opened window, feeling the wind pass by.
S: For all the pain is gone
Hope is what moves on
I will be there
As near as her next pray!
As merciful as sweet redemption!
She look up at the night sky and her eyes sparkle with delight when she saw a small star that was shinning brighter than the rest. The very star she knows very well.
S: Once blind, now I see!
Once a slave and free!
Give me a star
To home would guide my heart!
To resurrect a part of me!
The girl I used to be!
Sunshine smiles widely, now knowing that she can go back to Hope.
Hope, I'm coming back. Sunshine thought. But first...
