Argent Eye IV

14

As Alex had said, there was a Dreamwalker waiting outside the gym- it was Harry, who'd taken Stark and I to Penelope's office before.

"Ready?" He asked.

I nodded, and my feet left the floor. I was about to turn and say thanks when we landed in the corridor, however Harry had already gone. He didn't come across as the most talkative type, but then again, perhaps he was busy.

I knocked on Penelope's door.

"Come in!" She called, and so I did.

She was sat at her desk, doing something on her laptop, but then she closed it when I walked in.

"Ah, Millie." She said. "How are you?"

"Good thanks." I said. "And yourself?"

"Not too bad." She said, and smiled. "Come and take a seat."

I walked to the front of her desk and sat down.

"How was your first day, then?" She asked.

I puffed my cheeks. "I feel exhausted." I said honestly. "But it was good."

Penelope chuckled. "Alex does tend to test people to their limits." She said. "Don't worry- not every day will be like that."

I mentally sighed with relief, but just laughed.

"You're probably wondering why I called you to my office." She said.

I nodded.

"Well, you promised me that if you joined us, you would fill me in on the details of how you defeated three of the most powerful men we've ever known."

"Ah, of course." I chukled. "Where do I even begin?"

Penelope smiled. "From the very beginning."

And so I explained everything.

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Penelope was intrigued the whole time, stopping to ask me questions every now and then, but it was mainly the ways in which I'd used my powers that she was interested in. She was particularly fascinated in the part where I'd lost my powers at the hand of Doctor Geralds, and how I somehow got them back and completely fused with the ice. Also, when I'd fused with the water and the air in the battle against Fujio.

"Remarkable." She said when I'd finished. "I might think it remarkable for someone who's been an Argent for the majority, if not all, of their adolescence, but you... you've only been an Argent for three years and already you're showing signs of being one of the greatest."

I blushed, not even bothering to try to access the ice to hide the fact- I knew it wouldn't work.

"But I do have one question playing on my mind." She said. "And that is why? Why risk everything? I mean, you were at university. You had your whole life ahead of you, and friends and family who loved you- you had everything to lose."

I frowned, because nobody had ever asked me that before. "I don't know." I said. "I just... at the time, it seemed like there was no other option. Haydn was going to kill me whether I fought him or not. Doctor Geralds was the same- he wanted my powers. I'd inconvenienced them both."

"Fair enough." She said. "But what about Fujio? You became mixed up in the Spirit Warrior business, and could quite easily have left it to them to sort out."

I chuckled. "I wouldn't say that it would have been easy to leave." I said. "I'd annoyed Fujio."

"Again, that is true." She said. "But I struggle to understand why you would want to get yourself involved in the first place. To annoy him initially."

I shrugged. "I wanted to help." I said. "I hate feeling useless, and to be honest, that's how I felt to begin with- these people were not like anyone I'd ever met before, and my powers couldn't help them. As it turned out, I was far from useless- I knew where one of the stones was, and Fujio didn't. Besides, I wanted to help my friend. I had no idea that he would double cross me."

Penelope nodded. "I understand." She said. "Do you think that they could have done it without you?"

I thought for a moment. "I think they would have found a way, yes." I said.

Penelope smiled then. "I don't think that's the truth." She said, but not in a nasty way. "I think that you helped these people and got involved because you knew, deep down, that you were the only one who could put a stop to it all."

I just looked at her, not agreeing but also not denying it.

"You have remarkable gifts, Millie." She continued, and stood up, making her way round to the front of the desk. "You are a very powerful individual, and I don't think you truly know how powerful you are. But some part of you knows. Some part of you thinks that there is no choice when it comes to getting involved. In facing danger and death. You do not hesitate to sacrifice yourself for your friends." She paused for a moment, and sat down in the chair next to me. She then smiled, and held out her hand. "Welcome to the team, Millie."

I smiled, wondering then whether this conversation had been some kind of test, before shaking her hand.

"Thank you." I said, before I left and made my way home.

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