"You really think I should meet her?" Abella asked skepticaly.
"The Collective thinks so. And I know Calla wanted her Moonlarks to meet." Flori answered. The two shared a sad, mournful look.
But Abella knew she was right.
"Okay, fine. Tell Forkle I'll meet with her. But don't tell her who I am. I don't want to be known as the failed experiment." Abella mumbled.
"You're not broken. You're just not what the Black Swan intended you to be. That's not a bad thing." Flori insisted.
"Sure, I certainly wasn't malfunctioning when I. . . When I left." Abella mentioned the time she'd rather have forgotten.
"Everyone knows why you left. The important thing is that you came back." Flori reminded gently.
"Sure. But that doesn't mean everyone trusts me." Abella sighed.
"Back to the topic of what we will and won't tell Sophie, you may want someone to bring you some blue eye drops-although I'm not sure any elves make that. Perhaps Mr Forkle can find you some in the Forbidden Cities." Flori said, changing the subject.
"Can't you ask him?" Abella groaned. "I'd rather not spend anymore time with him than I need to."
"I'm going to choose to ignore your last statement, Miss Abella." A familiar voice said.
Abella sighed.
"Now, as much as I know you distrust me, you and I need to decide on a good cover for your involvement with the Black Swan." Mr Forkle said.
"Alright, fine." Abella agreed stiffly. "I'd say tell her and her friends that my parents are members, which is technically true. Say that it takes up most of our time, and that's why I haven't gone to Foxfire."
"If that's what you're most comfortable with." Me Forkle stated simply.
"It is." Abella replied.
"I also picked up some contact lenses- some sort of human thing -that will make your eyes blue and won't fade back to brown when they wear off." Mr Forkle added, handing her a small box. "There should be instructions on how to put them on, but if you need help I'm sure you and I can figure then out together."
"I don't need your help."
Flori cleared her throat awkwardly.
"I mean, thank you." Abella mumbled.
"My pleasure, Miss Abella."
"I believe Abella could use a few moments to prepare herself before meeting Sophie and her friends." Flori said to Mr Forkle.
"Wait, they're here now?!" Abella asked.
"I came here to collect you, after you put the contacts in." Mr Forkle explained.
Well that would've been nice to know.
Abella sighed again.
"I'll be ready in a minute." She said.
"I'll be waiting." He said, stepping outside her treehouse bedroom's door.
Abella quickly figured out how to use the contact solution and slip the little lenses on. She looked in the mirror.
"Hey, I don't really look like a freak anymore." She said dryly.
"You could never look like a freak." Flori assured her. "Blue eyes or brown, you're one of the most beautiful elves I've ever met."
Abella wasn't sure what to do with the compliment, especially coming from someone with literal green thumbs.
But it was so nice to hear.
"Okay then, let's go meet the Moonlark." Abella said confidently. "Sophie Foster, it's time to meet your sister. Even if you don't know it yet."