[Todd]

The Elder Spackle is standin with her back towards us when Viola and I step outside; starin' out at our community. Only a few people are up and movin', mothers hangin' clothes on a line to dry, children runnin around barefoot and laughing. It's silent and it's simple and there isn't a cloud in the sky; I'm squintin' my eyes just to keep the sun from blindin' em. But when I look over at Viola, her eyes are wide and seeing. Her Noise is, too, sayin' –

Don't be afraid.

And it's probably the Land that's speakin' to her –

Telling her that there ain't nothin' to be afraid of –

And even tho I can't hear it –

Can't see it –

Can't kno that it's true myself –

I believe in it –

I believe in her –

I believe in Viola –

Viola, Viola, Viola.

She takes my hand after readin' my Noise, and the light that forms between our interlocked hands is small, but powerful, small, but present. It moves our feet, and our minds, and our hearts, as we walk towards Mona and the Elder Spackle.

Ben walks behind us, too, and even his Noise presses against me; all his love and support and protection like a shield over wut me and Viola already got. There's enough force between the three of us that the Elder Spackle senses us comin' – she and Mona are almost knocked off their feet once we get closer to em'. Viola tightens her hand in mine; her way of tellin' me to slow down. Five feet of distance stands between us and them, and I swallow hard, start thinkin' to myself –

It's alright –

It's alright –

We'll be okay –

We got this far, haven't we? –

Viola? –

She's the first to speak to em'.

We got your message. She says, calm and steady and unafraid. Are you here to threaten us again?

Mona is only lookin' between us and the Elder Spackle, fascinated by our Noise. But the Elder Spackle – she's got a look in her eye, a look that says she ain't come here for a fight but she sure does got somethin' to say. I tighten my grip on Viola's hand, bracin' for the answer.

And it's the last thing I was expectin', the last thing I would have guessed –

I've come here to call a truce.

Viola doesn't look at me, but her Noise is reachin' out to me, all on its own; happiness and relief and shock and hope. Neither one of us can believe wut we're hearin', not after the night we'd just had. The plans I was gettin' ready to make. The war I thought we'd have to fight in, once again –

Wut changed yer mind?

I blurt it out before my Noise tells me not to, before it tells me to let Viola handle this before I mess it up – but the Elder Spackle, with her gaze turned to me, didn't have a problem with answerin'. The Land has presented itself to me. It has informed me that peace between our two species is necessary in order to maintain balance in this world that, though it is out of my control, we both share. Interfering with your gift to use Noise will only make our planet suffer, rather than prosper, and that is not something that I want.

Even with Viola's messages from the Land, our Noise is skeptical, but we're here now, standin' in front of em', with nothin' left to do but to listen. It's a scary feelin', lettin' down our defenses, but somethin' about it is freein, too. And it's the first time I understand that we don't have to fight anymore. Not for our Noise, not for our Land, not even for each other –

A truce comes with some sort of negotiation, does it not? Viola asks, still calm, and without accusation, but her Noise is still determined, just like a leader should be.

We do not want anything from you. The Elder Spackle says, but her Noise isn't happy to admit what comes next as she hangs her head in shame, We have been misguided in the way that we've treated you, and you have my word that peace will remain from this point forward. I've even had the scientist draft up a document that says so. She informs me that this is the way one keeps their word, where you are from.

It ain't nothin' I've ever heard of, so when Mona steps forward with the sheets of paper in her hands, Viola is the one to take it. I watch as she reads over it, mumbling the words to herself, brow furrowed in confusion until she reaches the end:

From the day that this document is agreed upon, and for all those days to come, it will be the law of this Land that those granted with Noise, regardless if they are native to our planet, will be protected from harm and or violence for their natural abilities. Communities of the Land are to live in peace and harmony with one another, as it is the original intent and purpose of the Land we all share. Failure to uphold this law will result in immediate punishment by the council who find this community in its care.

Viola looks at me when she's finished readin, but it ain't shock that's in her eyes. I don't think I've ever seen her this happy, this relieved, in all the days I've known her –

Because in her hands –

And standin right in front of us –

Was the very things we'd been fightin' for –

Not to win a war –

Not to beat the enemy –

But to come to an agreement –

To an understandin' –

To create peace –

And all I'm thinkin' is –

Finally.

I know you must be confused. The Elder Spackle continues when me and Viola stay silent. But I can assure you that my words are true. Are you in a place to forgive me for the trouble I've caused?

I'm thinkin it's gonna take a little more than a simple apology to get her out of all the threats and chaos she's caused, and before Viola answers the Elder Spackle, I tug on her hand to get her attention.

Can we talk first? I ask her, blocking out everyone else from my Noise so that only she can hear. Viola looks at me, and I can see that her Noise is sure of itself, already prepared to give the Elder Spackle the redemption she's asking for. And I want to be able to do the same, want to be able to trust Viola's word, but the solider in me wants to be sure. Viola is lookin' at me, not just in my Noise, but in my eyes, and can tell this is wut I'm thinkin'. She nods, and we walk away from the group to talk on our own.

You still don't trust it. Viola says, not accusin' me, but genuinely askin'.

It's not that. I say. But the Land only told yer to not be afraid. It didn't say nothin' about makin' a pact with her. We shud at least look it over before we give her an answer. Wut if she's got somethin' else planned, somethin' we can't see yet?

Viola is considerin' wut I'm sayin', but her gut feelin' is tuggin' her away from my suspicions.

You're right in thinking that we need to mull it over. It wouldn't make sense to sign something into law without going over all the benefits and risks. We'd need to include the rest of the council, too.

I nod in agreement, but it's not the only thing she's got to say. I do think her apology is genuine, Todd. I just… have a feeling.

It's hard to believe in a feeling that you aren't gettin' yerself, and I'm wonderin' how it's passin' me by, even with our Noise bein' connected. Now isnt't the time to wonder about it, tho, and all I can do is assure Viola that I believe in whatever she's seein.'

I know it's confusing, Todd. But I'm glad you're trying, anyways. I'm glad you trust me. She says. I only give her a half-smile.

I want to trust the Land, but I wouldn't be able to stand it if we were wrong about this. The Elder Spackle ain't the easiest to trust.

And now Viola is givin' me a look as if I shud kno better, says, At one point you weren't the easiest to trust either, Todd.

It had been a long time since the first war, but I never went too long without thinkin' about wut I'd done in the past; how I'd worked for the mayor and imprisoned so many Spackle and even got some of them hurt, got some of them killed – but hadn't they forgiven me, in the end? Wasn't I livin' and workin' with the very same Spackle who had once despised me, wished me dead? Here I wuz, lookin' for every reason to deny the Elder Spackle my trust, when they'd been the ones to give me theirs the moment I woke up. 1017 had begged for my forgiveness, too, and I'd offered it to him without a second thought. Maybe it was the second war that did it to me, but there wuz a pit forming in my stomach at the thought of me becoming so untrustin', and cold, and suspicious. I wanted to be more like Viola – no doubts or worries or fears about wut might happen next. We'd come too far to keep on goin', like this.

Yer right. I tell Viola, and it's somethin' I'd known all along, just didn't kno how to come to terms with it. We'll accept her apology, and tell her that we can start thinkin' about her proposition to put some laws in place.

Viola smiles at me, and it's wut convinces me that it's the right decision. Anythin' to keep her happy. Anythin' to keep her believin' in us. Believin' in me.

We walk back to the group and I let Viola do the talkin'.

We understand that welcoming our Noise wasn't easy for you. It takes a lot of courage to accept this kind of change when this place is your native home. Viola starts off. We accept your apology.

The Elder Spackle looks at me, as if she needs me to agree before believin' it as true. I only nod at her, but my Noise shud tell that I'm genuine about our decision to forgive her. Not only for the Elder Spackle's peace of mind –

But for our own.

It's true. I say, crossin' my arms. We wanna go over the terms of this document, tho, before we decide on anything. Just to make sure we got it right, before we start forcin' people to abide by it.

Viola nods beside me, and it feels good to be workin' together like this, instead of runnin' for our lives. The Elder Spackle 's Noise shows that she is pleased with our decision, even tho nothin' is set in stone.

My own council would like to work with you all in drafting a new document, then. That way our two communities are in alignment and have the same understanding. The Elder Spackle says. Viola and I look back to Ben, and we ask him thru our Noise if he'll join us in the meeting. He nods his head yes, of course he will.

When will be a good time to meet? Viola asks the Elder Spackle.

As soon as possible. She says, and looks down to Mona, who's scribblin' away in that journal of hers. Wut was it that she was always writin' about, anyway? I'm thiknin' that I'll ask her at some point, now that we're all gonna be one big council and all, and I almost miss it when Viola agrees that tomorrow after sundown wud be a great time for us to meet.

I'm glad to hear it. We will see you all then. The Elder Spackle says, and she slowly turns to go – but not before Viola does somethin' that even my Noise doesn't detect –

She steps forward –

Reaches for the Elder Spackle –

And without even askin' –

Viola takes her hand in her own –

Places the other one on top of it –

And gives it a warm squeeze –

Along with a reassuring smile –

A smile that she's given to me –

And to the settlers –

And to all our other friends –

A smile that says she sees you –

And understands you –

And loves you –

And when she gives you that sort of smile –

There ain't no goin' back –

There ain't nothin' else you can do but believe her –

The Elder Spackle, usin' only her Noise, gives Viola one back. And the three of us, includin' Viola, stand there in awe, watchin' as our enemy turned ally slowly walked away with Mona at her side.

Author's Note: Good news, my friends! I'm already working on the next chapter for this story, so it'll be up much sooner than this one was :) and along with it will be my thoughts on the movie! I still haven't seen it yet, but it's available to stream online now, so that's what I'll be doing today while simultaneously writing the next chapter! You guys are the best – I love messaging with y'all about this story and CW and all the other fun stuff in between. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support on this story… I think I've got four or five chapters left before it ends...(but then again, who knows?) Hope you guys liked this chapter, and see ya (really) soon for the next one!