6

I'm Counting On You

 

Aurora and Melody’s Ai were waiting on the fifth floor for Luna and Chloe to finish their side of the mission. The floor they were in was clearly for storage, with many shelves and boxes that were covered in dust.

“They’re taking quite some time to shut off the security. You think they’re okay?” Melody asked as Ai flew around Aurora.

“I’m sure they’ll be just fine. Eclipse will make sure of it!”

“You really trust her a lot.”

“Of course I do! She’s super kind, and thoughtful, and loving, and sincere, and-” Aurora’s list of adjectives to describe Luna went on for a little while.

“Woah, that’s so many words I’ve already forgotten! When are you gonna tell us how you met her, anyways?”

“Hmmm, does it really matter if you know?”

“Eclipse told us the same thing!”

Aurora chuckled in delight, “She did? Well that’s a fun coincidence!”

“Hey! No dodging the question this time!”

“Right, right. Honestly, it’s not like I’m trying to make it a big secret. I just don’t know if I’m comfortable sharing that whole story.” 

“O-Oh! If you really don't want to, then I can drop it…”

“Here’s an idea! Why don’t you ask Luna about it?”

“Won’t she say no again?”

“If you pester her about it, she might give in. I’m sure talking to someone about it is something she secretly wants.” Aurora winked straight at the cute little eyeball Melody was looking through. The real reason she hesitated to tell the others about her history with Luna is that she knew Luna wouldn’t enjoy having information like that be shared with others without her consent. The easiest solution to a situation like this would be to have Luna be the one to do it. 

After another minute or so, Aurora’s ear became blessed by a delightful voice.

“This is Eclipse reporting in. The security for the secret floor has been shut down. Cat and I will now escape from the building before the Void makes it here.”

“Fantastic! I’ll be out shortly after,” Aurora answered. “It’s time for me to do my part!”

Aurora raised her hand toward a floor panel next to her. In less than a second, the panel lifted itself up with intense force, revealing the hidden area below. Aurora’s landing was a little shaky as she stumbled a bit after hitting the floor, but she didn’t fall on her butt this time. The panels she stood had no light, signifying that they were shut off. Aurora was free to walk around without the risk of painful electrocution. What luck she had.

The interior space of this floor was much smaller compared to the fifth; all the wooden shelves were even dustier than said floor. Aurora proceeded to look through every shelf and inspect as many files as she could while Ai flew around and observed the names of each cabinet. This process took a few minutes until Aurora found something of worth.

“It’s here!”

In Aurora’s hands was a file listed as “Eterna Ruby.” She skimmed through all the papers, each having different writings on the history of the Ruby dating back to decades ago. The quality of the papers were so well-preserved that being gentle while flipping through them only felt natural.

Ai looped around the air in joy as she realized Aurora found what they were looking for. “We did it! The file is ours! Now let’s get out of here and reconvene with Cat and Eclipse-”

“We’re not done yet.”

Ai completely halted its forward momentum. It was questionable if the physics behind this made sense.

“I’m sorry what?”

“There’s still something else I want to get. It should also be here.”

Aurora continued to look through file after file. Across every shelf, she found documents related to properties owned by the Eterna family and connections to organizations across the globe, but these weren’t what she was after. Minutes were shredding away as Aurora searched and searched.

“Sunlight, we really have to get going now! The Void will be here any minute!”

“I’m sorry, Dawn, but I’m not leaving until I find one more file.”

“What are you searching for?”

“Something related to my previous investigations. I’m confident it’s here!”

The two could now hear the footsteps of at least a dozen people on the floor below.

“The Void is here! We have to go now!”

A sweat drop rolled down Aurora’s face as she feverishly pulled out files. “I’m sorry for being selfish, Dawn, but I’m not giving up on this! You can escape now and inform the others that I’ll be there shortly!”

“What!? But what about…”

“You made sure to move the van away from here right?”

“O-Of course!”

“Then don’t worry your little head. You’re safe, and I know a way out of here. Now get Ai out of here! Before any soldiers find you!”

“R-Right!” Ai quickly flew up from the opening in the ceiling and was on its way out the library to meet Luna and Chloe. 

Another minute passed. Aurora still couldn’t find what she was looking for. Voices became audible on the fifth floor. The footsteps were loud and imposing.

“Search the whole place! Be wary of any intruders!”

Aurora knew they were about to notice the opening, so with her telekinesis, she grabbed onto shelves she finished searching and sent them into the opening, one by one. It was a messy blockade, but still a blockade.

“There’s someone down there!”

“These shelves are blocking us from getting in! We’ll need to blast them out of the way!”

For just a moment, Aurora developed some doubt. The idea that she may not find what she was looking for began to seep into her brain as she had only a few more files to look at.

It’s here! It’s gotta be here!

As Aurora pulled out one last file, her confidence skyrocketed back into its former glory. She read the name of the file and knew this was it. The only task required of her was to escape the building. With her only opening blocked, and all floors around her being surrounded by soldiers, she’d have to make her own path.

It’s been a while since I’ve had to do this.

Aurora’s Curse, though giving her a supernatural ability like Luna, was an entirely different beast. At face value, all it seemed capable of was telekinesis; the ability to move objects without ever touching them. It had a hard limitation placed on it, however. She could only control one object at a time, which required her to use this power carefully. But even with all those rules, her Curse had another property. One that she could demonstrate by aiming her hand at the wall in front of her.

Just focus. Think of everything that connects me to this power, and let it take over.

Her hand becoming enveloped in a red aura was nothing new, but now the light emanating from it was even stronger than before. The dark wall she aimed at began to glow. The light became more and more powerful until it practically became pure white. The vibrations of the wall became so fast it looked about ready to explode.

Within the next moment, the wall exploded into sliced pieces of debris, blasting them far away from the building these pieces were one part of. The aura around Aurora’s hand dissipated, as a cheerful smile laid across her face from pulling this off.

“That’s still quite satisfying to do.”

 

***

 

Luna and Chloe both made it to an adjacent rooftop of the library. They could see the numerous black trucks surrounding the building, and all the soldiers around it. 

“Geez, look at all that. I sure hope Sunlight made it out of there,” Chloe said.

“She should’ve had enough time to get the files and escape. If anything went wrong, perhaps I should…”

“Nah, I say let’s trust her on this. With how things have escalated, she’s gotta be playing it carefully.”

It didn’t take long for the two to hear the sound of an explosion nearby. They witnessed the side of the building they were facing have a hole blasted out of it.

“Was that…!?” Luna gasped.

“Eclipse, can you hear me?” A shockingly innocent voice could be heard through Luna’s earpiece.

“Sunlight! Did you just…?”

“You know how you said you’d protect me? It’s time for you to continue that promise!”

“I’m sorry?”

Luna looked closer at the hole, and to her bafflement, she saw Aurora waving at her.

“I’m about to jump off the side of the building. Prepare to catch me! I’ll be jumping off now because they’re about to blast their way here!”

“Wait a second! How am I going to-?”

“I’m counting on you!”

While still somewhat flustered, Luna knew she had to act. She ran towards a corner of the rooftop. and quickly observed the angle she’d have to jump and the timing it’d take to reach Aurora.

Don’t think twice, you got this!

With a running start. and grappling hook in hand, Luna leaped off the building and shot towards the top of the library with remarkably precise aim. Once the hook latched on, she swung towards the opening Aurora created. Luna had never made a swing this precarious in her life. Her hands started to shake, but she tightened her grip even further in response. With how she timed it, the equilibrium position of her swing would be right where Aurora was.

Aurora could see Luna approaching, but at the same time, the soldiers successfully blasted away the shelves she placed. Their entry was mere moments away. With no time left, and Luna about to meet her, she had no choice but to jump straight out the building. 

In the air, her hand reached out for Luna, and while Luna was caught off guard, she also reached her hand out, but with the timing slightly off, they barely missed each other’s grasp. Time slowed itself down from the shock they were both undergoing. Aurora was going to plummet to her death, but Luna already thought this might happen.

Clone activate!

Luna created a clone that fell fast enough to grab Aurora’s hand while also grabbing onto the original Luna’s hand. This clone pulled with all its strength to lift Aurora up until the real Luna could grab her.

Once the two girls' hands joined together, the clone immediately vanished. While still in the pendulum motion, Luna pulled Aurora up so that she could wrap her arms tight around Luna. This level of finessing with each other while swinging on a grappling hook was a level of absurdity that Luna didn’t prepare for, but she acted calm the entire time.

Once they reached the highest point of their swing, Luna retracted the grappling hook, and the two landed on the rooftop of the nearby building.

The two of them practically crashed onto this roof with both rolling a few feet after landing. Aurora’s clothing and Luna’s cloak were enough to prevent any serious scratches or cuts against the concrete, but that didn’t change how exhausting the last ten seconds of her life were.

“Aurora!”  Rising up after a few seconds, Luna rushed to Aurora laying on the floor. Aurora looked almost lifeless Luna as she lifted her back, which made her tense up. “You’re not hurt, are you?!” 

Aurora's face had been completely covered by her messy hair. A giggle could be heard through that mess until it transformed into full blown laughter. Aurora ruffled her hair as the widest smile Luna had ever seen emerged.

“That went better than I thought it would!”

Luna blushed a bit before sighing in relief. All these daring actions in succession wore her out, but that didn’t compare to the swing of emotions Aurora put her. It was hard to say whether or not her cuteness outweighed the pressure she put Luna through, but she chose to focus on the latter nonetheless.

“That was absolutely insane! Did you even stop to think about what you were doing?! You almost fell to your death!”

“Oh, but I didn’t! Because you came to rescue exactly how I knew you would!”

“Well that’s… your intuition was correct! But…”

“Indeed it wasn’t! Is it not fun getting to be my hero?”

Luna could feel her face turning red. Aurora moved exceptionally close as she awaited a response, but Luna swiftly turned away. “Geez. I’m just relieved you’re alright.”

“Uh, you guys realize you left the communications on, right? You two can save your flirting back at the base.” Chloe decided only now to point this out.

“Don’t ruin their moment together, Cat! It was just getting wholesome!”Melody’s own comment did not help.

Luna loudly cleared her throat, “Forgetting all that now, it’s best we finally leave”

“Okay everyone, let’s all meet at rendezvous number three so Dawn can pick us up in the van,” Aurora said.

“Roger that.”

“Okay then!”

***

With their earpieces now shut off. Everyone made their way out of the district to reconvene. Luna, Aurora, and Chloe traversed on foot while Melody rode the van. They were lucky she recently got her license. With the Void left behind at the library, and their stolen goods acquired, the mission was a success.

As Aurora and Luna made their way out, eventually getting off the rooftops and moving on ground level, Aurora looked at the files she stole again. While she did care greatly about the file on the Eterna Ruby, she was more fixated on the other file she stole. At face value, it looked like every other file, but what mattered most was the name written on the top, The Starlight Gift.