Chapter The Sign of Zorro: Endgame

 "Mackenzie, we need to talk." Maisie pulled her aside once the Guests left after the talk. She lifted her finger. "You can't tell anyone, nada, about Melody."

 Feya's guilt had leveled out after her choice and how she tried to stop Melody from appearing, but it was still very much there. A grief counselor may be the best thing for her. "I tried to stop her from appearing, but now I realize that was wrong," she explained. "However, only a few people can know her identity. So, please, Mackenzie." Feya picked up Daisy and stroked her.

 "Don't worry, girls," Mackenzie said. "Your secret's safe with me. I'm just honored to finally meet the Veracruz Ghost." She smiled at Melody. "I always knew she was real, but I never considered her full story."

 "It was my fault, too," Melody admitted. "I should've asked for help when I was in trouble. I shouldn't have lived on my fears."

 Feya couldn't, either. Victoriya wouldn't want that. She would want her to live and reach the Olympics, and Feya would.

 "So, we all agree we're on good terms?" Maisie questioned after a long silence.

 Mackenzie nodded. "Agreed." She looked at Melody. "And, Melody, stay as long as you need here at Coronado. If you need anything, come to me. I'm here five days a week."

 "Thank you," Melody stated. "I'm just glad to meet people who finally accepted me."

 "Ooh, you know what this calls for, girls?" Maisie leaped before them and clapped. She punched the warm evening air and added, "Shopping!"

 It was nice to see her back to her old, jokey self.

 Back in the Tower Maisie, Feya, and Melody went to Panchito's Gifts and Sundries behind the fountain, where Feya had met up with Melody the day before. She hadn't realized it was beside a café, Café Rix, until now.

 The three girls walked up and down the store's aisles, checking out souvenirs, clothes, and more. A lot was squeezed into the small shop, but they made it work.

 "Perfect!" Maisie said, stopping next to a stand of Pride souvenirs. She grabbed three pairs of Mickey ears and handed two to Melody and Feya. "Let's get these!"

 "I'm game," Melody said, trying her ears on. "However, I don't have any money."

 "Aw, don't worry." Maisie lightly punched her shoulder. "I'll pay for it."

 "Wait, are you sure? I don't want to be a burden." Melody removed her ears and started to set them back on the shelf.

 Maisie snatched her wrist. "No! It's on me, Mel. You helped me believe in spirits, and I couldn't be more grateful."

 "But, May..."

 Feya chimed in. "You heard her. Don't worry about a thing, Melody." After helping her and Maisie reconcile, she deserved a free pair of Pride ears.

 Maisie and Feya paid together with their discounts.

 "Thank you," Maisie said, retrieving the Disney World bag from the Cast Member. After handing out the ears again, she, Melody, and Feya left Panchito's and went outside to Melody's bridge.

 The memory from earlier flashed through Feya's mind. She still couldn't believe Maisie and Daisy jumped into Dorado after her. And then Melody. Seeing her underwater was the most fascinating thing Feya had ever experienced, next to childhood memories with Victoriya. She and Maisie wouldn't have experienced a magical moment like that if she followed through.

 The words slipped like a knife through butter. "Thank you, Maisie, Melody, and Daisy, for saving me again."

 "Hey." Maisie wrapped her arm around Feya's shoulders. "That's what girlfriends do. And now we have one more for our Maya Club, Fey."

 "Maya?" Melody chuckled. "That sounds like a ship name."

 "And it calls for a selfie." Maisie urged everyone in and held her phone in front of them. "Say 'Mickey!'"

 "Mickey!" everyone shouted, their Pride ears caught in the shot.

 The phone flashed, and a gust of wind passed through Feya, Maisie, and Melody's hair.

 Feya smelled the evening air, the Villa del Lago burgers, and heard the chirping cicadas. Life was beautiful. Why did she and Maisie fight in the first place? Why did she try to hurt herself? "Maisie?" she inquired, grasping Maisie's arm. "I think I need that grief counselor."

 "I've already scheduled an appointment for next week." Maisie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "But for now, are you and Melody hungry?" She turned and pointed at Villa del Lago. "Why don't we give Villa del Lago another chance?"

 Feya realized just now how hungry she was. She clutched her rumbling tummy and grinned. "Sounds great, Team Maya. I'm starving."

 Maya. Now thinking about it, it had a nice ring and made Feya eager and nervous about the future.

 Skiing, here she came!

***

 "And there we have it." Maisie shut her computer screen and exchanged looks with Feya and Isla, who sat on the dorm couch with her. "That's my very first story. Cringey, I know, but I hope y'all don't mind me turning you into book characters." She still couldn't believe she wrote a story (Tessa Bailey inspired her)—a novelette, to be exact, called The Veracruz Ghost.

 "Mrow." Milo yawned and stretched his body. His backside shot up when Maisie tickled it, and he purred like little Luna beside him.

 "No, no!" Feya mused. "It's not shabby at all for a first draft." She brought Daisy to her chest. "And it's great that you made Isla and me characters. The world should know our stories. However, I'm a little jealous Isla got to be the ghost."

 "Spirit," Maisie corrected, giggling. "There's a difference, remember? When I was deployed at Coronado, Feya, just before Summit, and heard the rumor, I had to do something with it—you know? And Isla couldn't be there because she had to watch the animals."

 "I know," Feya returned. "It's just a joke, May. I'm not good at them, unlike you. We learned so much at Summit; we had to include Isla somehow."

 "And I'm so glad you did!" Isla set Carrot on the floor and watched while he hopped around the kitchen and under the living room TV. "I think you can do something with this story, May, if you keep working at it. And who knows? There really may be a spirit named Melody at Coronado."

 "Remember what Mr. Disney said." Maisie scooped up the remote on the coffee table and pointed it at the TV. "'If you can dream it, you can do it.' I finally wrote a story, and that's my dream come true." Maisie hugged her friends and the animals. "Now, what would you guys like to watch tonight?"

 "Zorro!" Feya and Isla announced simultaneously. "Let's watch Zorro."

 "Sounds great!" Regardless, when Zorro galloped across the screen on Tornado, Maisie worked on her novelette. The Veracruz Ghost was her magical version of Summit 2023. What came next was a memoir, which she would write after she expanded it. The future was bright. Maisie loved to read, but was she meant to be a writer?

 Only time would tell.

End of Act III: Post-Renaissance Era

Current Word Count: 17,600