(TATB) Ch 24: The Time To Say Goodbye

(Skylar) Victor sat on the table before me, reading off a list of names in that steady, slightly nervous voice of his. "Gabriel, Sydney, Hol

(Skylar)

Victor sat on the table before me, reading off a list of names in that steady, slightly nervous voice of his.

"Gabriel, Sydney, Holly, Conner, Nate... oh, and even Vu," he added with a small chuckle. "They all wanted to make sure you knew how much they appreciate what you've done."

I felt a warmth bloom in my chest, and I had to fight the urge to wipe at my eyes. They liked me. I mean, I figured they didn't hate me or anything, but to hear their names, to know they had actually gone out of their way to thank me—it was more than I had expected.

Victor looked up from the list and met my gaze. "All of this is what you deserve, Skylar." His voice was quieter now, more certain. "You gave them a chance at something better. That's not small."

I pressed my lips together, letting his words settle. It felt good to hear that, really good. But I wasn't doing this for recognition—I was doing it because it was right. The Lillis deserved a place where they weren't just running for their lives every second.

Victor cleared his throat, moving on. "Gabriel and Sydney have been working overtime to expand the village. Soon, they'll be able to support a hundred people. Actual houses, Skylar. We're getting close to something real."

I beamed. "That's amazing! You guys are killing it!"

Victor gave a modest shrug. "We're trying."

"I'm so proud of you all," I said earnestly, leaning in just a little. "I should be able to buy more Lillis soon when I get my next check. That'll help things move along even faster."

Victor let out a small laugh. "Don't call it a town just yet. We've still got a long way to go before we hit 'thriving metropolis' status."

I rolled my eyes, smirking. "Whatever," I said, nudging him ever so slightly with my fingertip. He barely budged, but he threw his hands up dramatically like I'd sent him flying.

We both laughed at that, and I found myself watching him closely. Victor wasn't the loudest or the most outgoing, but now I understood why so many of the others had wanted him to take charge. He had this steady, thoughtful way about him—like he was always considering his next move, making sure he didn't screw things up. But when he spoke, you wanted to listen.

I glanced at the clock and sighed. "Well, I guess it's time to take you back to the town."

Victor nodded. "Yeah, it's about that time."

I reached down, grabbing the Lilliputian carrier I'd bought a while back. It was a simple little case, made specifically for safely transporting Lillis. It had padding, air holes, even a tiny built-in step for them to climb in and out. A great investment, honestly.

"You know," I mused, tapping the case, "I'm really glad I got this. Super handy."

Victor nodded. "Yeah, definitely."

I hesitated for a second before voicing the thought I'd been sitting on for a while now. "But, um... what if this time, I just carried you?"

Victor blinked. "Without the case?"

I nodded quickly. "I'd be careful. Really careful."

He didn't answer right away, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head. Maybe I was asking for too much. I knew most Lillis weren't exactly eager to be handled by a Brob. I didn't blame them. It wasn't like my kind had a great track record.

Just as I was about to backtrack and tell him it was fine, Victor exhaled and nodded. "Okay. Let's do it."

I lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said, standing up straighter. "I trust you."

I had to swallow down the little burst of joy that sentence gave me.

Moving with absolute precision, I extended my hand and rested a single finger on the table. I kept it as still as possible, watching Victor closely.  It took him a while but he finally made it onto my nail, his clothes making it easier for me to see him. He took a slow breath, then ran across my nail and onto my skin, settling against the pad of my finger.

I barely breathed as I lifted him, bringing him close to my face. "See?" I murmured. "Totally safe."

Victor huffed a small laugh, gripping onto my finger. "So far, so good."

With measured steps, I made my way toward the village, making sure to keep my movements smooth. I kept Victor just below my mouth so I could see him at all times, my fingers remained straight, making sure it didn't tilt in the slightest.

I reached the outskirts of the town and crouched low, carefully lowering my hand until my fingertip just barely touched the ground.

Victor wasted no time hopping off, his tiny form moving with confidence.

I smiled down at him. "I hope we can talk again soon."

Victor looked up, and even though he was just a speck in my vision, I could hear the small smile in his voice when he said, "Me too."

And just like that, he was gone, disappearing into the village, back to his people.

I stayed crouched there for a little while, just watching, listening to the faint sounds of their tiny world. It wasn't much yet, but someday, it would be. And I'd be there every step of the way.

***

(Nemu)

I folded the last of my things—just a small piece of cloth I had been using as a blanket—and placed it into the tiny bag I had managed to find. Packing was a new experience for me. I'd never really owned anything before. Back at the colony, everything was communal, shared among the group. No one had personal belongings, not really. But here... here, I had started to collect little things. A scrap of fabric, a tiny wooden carving one of the kids had made, even a piece of thread I had braided into a bracelet. And now, I was leaving them behind.

I stood in the doorway of my little house—if it could even be called that. The village was still new, still growing, but it had been a home, my home, even if just for a short time.

Outside, the night had settled in, casting the entire area in deep shadow. The only light came from the scattered lanterns, their glow barely reaching the edges of the village. It had been a couple of hours since Victor returned, and from what I could tell, his meeting with Skylar had gone well. That was good. He deserved something good.

I shook off the heavy feeling in my chest and stepped outside, closing the door behind me. I didn't bother locking it. Someone else would need it soon enough.

Vu and Sawyer were already waiting near the outskirts, both of them carrying small packs similar to mine. Vu nodded when he saw me. "Ready?"

I exhaled, adjusting my bag over my shoulder. "Yeah."

Sawyer smirked. "Skylar won't miss three Lillis."

"Yeah..." I agreed, but there was something sad in my voice that I couldn't quite shake.

None of us said anything after that. We just started walking, our footsteps light against the wooden ground. The night was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the village settling around us. The further we walked, the more the village faded into the distance, its lights growing dimmer with each step.

And then—

"Where are you going?"

We all stopped.

The voice was calm, steady, but there was something in it that made my stomach twist. Slowly, the three of us turned.

Victor stood there, leaning against the open gate, hands stuffed in his pockets. The faint glow of the lanterns cast shadows over his face, but even in the dim light, I could see the sharp look in his eyes.

"When did he get here?" I thought, my heart pounding just a little faster. None of us had heard him approach, and I hated that.

Vu, ever the composed one, was the first to speak. "We're just heading out," he said evenly.

Victor didn't move. "Yeah, I figured that much." His gaze flicked between the three of us. "So... what? You were just gonna leave? No goodbyes?"

Sawyer shifted uncomfortably. "It's not like that, Victor."

Victor let out a short, humorless laugh. "Really? Because from where I'm standing, it sure feels like that."

I clenched my fists. I didn't want to have this conversation. It would have been easier if we had just left. But Victor was here now, and he deserved an answer.

I took a breath. "Victor... we have to go back. We have family at the colony. People who are counting on us."

His expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. "So does that mean you're not coming back?"

That question hit harder than I expected. I hadn't thought that far ahead. We had to go back, that was true. But did that mean we could never return?

"I don't know," I admitted, my voice quieter now.

Victor exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair. He looked tired, like he had already had a long day and this was just adding to it.

Vu stepped forward. "Victor, we appreciate everything you and Skylar have done for us. This place is incredible, and it has real potential. But our people back home still need us. We can't just abandon them."

Victor nodded slowly, like he understood. But then he straightened, looking at us with something unreadable in his expression. "Then let me ask you something," he said. "If this place does become something more... if we do manage to build a real town here... will you come back?"

I didn't know how to answer that. Because deep down, I wanted to. I liked it here. I liked the people, the safety, the hope this place carried. But going back to the colony... I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to leave again once I returned.

"I—"

Before I could even try to form a response, Victor sighed and shook his head. "You know what? Forget it. Just... be safe, alright?"

That caught me off guard. I expected him to argue more, to try and convince us to stay. But instead, he was letting us go.

"We will," Vu said.

Victor's gaze met mine, and for a second, it felt like he wanted to say something else. But in the end, he just gave a small nod.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. "See you around, Victor."

His lips quirked into the smallest smile. "Yeah. See you around."

And with that, we turned and continued walking, leaving the village behind.