Despite the transparency of the government in their actions toward all that had happened, the one thing they'd been able to shield and maintain is our anonymity. With the exception of a few government authorities and our parents, though people knew that Speck was stopped by some Zavolonian students, they didn't know who we were.

   But that was going to all change after today. After today's conference, the whole world was going to find out our identities.

   Was this something I wanted? I honestly wasn't sure. But just because the government had been able to shield our identities, doesn't mean they'd done so successfully. Amongst the many things about this whole situation that interested the public, nothing stood out more than finding out who the 'Liberators' (our fanclubs' words, not mine) were.

   This resulted in multiple harassments and stalkings of any student recognised as a Zavolonian for any sort of intel. It started in the hospitals where students were recovering from the mind-control device removal surgery and still hadn't stopped even weeks after they returned to their homes.

   According to the authorities, it was best to come clean now so that this won't keep happening to them and turn to something worse along the line and they could channel their best resources to protecting us, the ones who actually needed protecting.

   In spite of the many reassuring smiles and hand squeezes I received from Mum during the entire ride to our destination, it didn't make today any less daunting. The thought of running back home and hiding under the covers for the rest of my life continued to loom over me as we were led through one of the secret passages that led to the main press conference room of the Presidential House.

"Beth," Mum said, stopping us in front of the door that had the conference room on the other side.

"Yes?"

   I knew the hug was coming before she wrapped me in it. Since the night I showed up at my doorstep, broke down in front of her and told her everything that same night through snot-filled tears, I'd been getting spontaneous hugs like these.

"I know I've said this a million times," Her words tickled my neck. "There were so many things I felt when you told me all that occurred, one being disbelief– I was ready to call the school and tell them to give me my real daughter back. Then when I realised you weren't kidding, anger. Anger toward you for spending so many weeks lying to and deceiving me and toward myself not realising you were. I also felt hurt for the same reasons and crippling fear as any mother would. Amidst everything though, one feeling never wavered and it is how proud I am and will always be of you. I don't know what I did to be blessed with such a brave, strong, daughter but I know thank God everyday that I am. I love you so much."

"Love you too," I smiled. "And I don't thank you as often as I should for being the incredible mother who raised me right all on her own and always encouraged and supported my dreams, especially when I decided to apply to Zavlon Academia. You're one of the major reasons I could never give up irrespective of how difficult it was turning out to be. Thank you, Mum. For everything."

   We held onto each other a little longer before parting, laughing when we saw each other's teary faces.

"Okay," Mum sniffed while she wiped my face and picked at my afro. "Go out there and do your best."

"I will."

   She went through the door first, leaving me behind and alone.

   I rubbed my palms together, grimacing how sweaty they were. Resisting the urge to look back the way we came and let my thoughts of running away materialise, I wiped my hands against the flair part of my thin strapped, floor length African print dress and took a deep breath. Then I turned the door knob and walked through.

   The sounds of multiple camera clicks and flashes greeted me as I made my way onto the stage.

   The crowd of journalists, government officials and Zavolonians that stared back at me was much more than I'd expected. My hands began to feel moist again as my gut churned. It didn't help that my presence had rendered all sounds and movements to a standstill.

   I tried to remember how exactly I ended up being the one who was chosen to do this and got nothing but a blank answer in return.

   That thought, however, was not completely useless since it drew my attention to the only people amongst the lot that mattered. My mother and my friends.

   Feeling my nerves relax, I leaned toward the microphones before me and said, "Hello, everyone. My name is Beth Simmons. I'm supposed to talk about a few things today, but about fifty percent of that has already been covered in the past month by, well, everyone, everywhere.

   I didn't understand why that triggered laughs in the crowd. Probably some weird adult humour. But their laughs had the strange effect of making me calmer.

   I held onto the podium in front of me. "Everybody knows that the former principal of Zavlon Academia, Mr. Colin Speck, tried to use mind-control tech on the entire world and had already done so on Zavolonians. Well, most Zavolonians. By a strange twist of fate, some of us didn't only manage to escape Zavlon but actually return to put an end to it all. This brings me to what I'm going to center on today; those who were brave enough to risk everything to save the world. I'm not going to downplay the fact that I was a major contributor to the saving of the Zavolonians and others. However, I am just one of the many that should also be up here right now. They are currently seated amongst you though and I would like you all to give them a round of applause as I acknowledge each and every one of them.

"The first person I'll like to talk about is Mr. Sacury. Before I begin, I ask that we observe a moment of silence in his memory."

   As the room lapsed into a quiet and sombre mode, a commemorative hologram of Mr. Sacury appeared in an empty seat saved specially for him. I was glad to say that my Mechanics and Rav's Alien Studies teacher looked in no way like the messed up version of himself his holotar portrayed in the message in the Virtuo glasses.

"Unfortunately, as you all know, due to the deprivation of much needed medication for the side effects of his dark matter related condition, he did not survive. But him not being with us today does not make his role in all this any less important.

"Being coerced into working for Speck didn't deter him from discovering the cure to the monstrosity Mr. Speck created. Although his initial message was disrupted, it was what made us understand what was going on. It also provided a glimmer of hope that something could be done about this situation, even though we didn't know what that was yet. Finding the cure was not easy, but it wouldn't have been possible at all if not for him. The world thanks you, Mr. Sacury. We always will."

   This time, the room was filled with a loud round of applause that didn't die down till much later.

   When it did I turned to the person sitting beside my late teacher.

"Landon Charles, everyone!"

   As he stood up, his baby blue eyes sparkled with such sincere emotions of joy and gratitude that, like many times in the past, I felt guilty for actually believing he'd betrayed us.

"Let me use this moment to clarify the information circulating that Zavolonian students saved their school or were affected by the mind-control device. Landon is not a Zavolonian, but his contribution surpasses most of the Zavlon's present and future students. Without Landon, we wouldn't have been able to acquire the advanced tech, reading materials and other items that played huge roles in every single aspect of our mission. Thank you, Landon, for the times you had to be late to class or skip school altogether to get what we needed. I hope your parents weren't too mad when they found out."

"They just did actually," he said to my horror and everyone else's amusement. "I'll let you know their reaction when I get home though."

"Sorry." I winced.

"The next person I'd like to acknowledge is Talise Lightning."

   My best friend got up from her seat, flashing a smile that, not surprisingly, snapped everybody out of their laughing state to glance at her with awe-filled eyes.

"She paved our first way into Zavlon by selecting and disguising herself as a Visitor, something she single-handedly made possible. Without her, we wouldn't have found the location of the students and have a fair idea of where Mr. Sacury's lab was. All this was done at the expense of her safety and freedom, the latter in more ways than one. As your best friend, I could say then that I was a wreck. Now, however, I couldn't be prouder. Although you weren't with us till the end, there wouldn't have even been an end without you. Thank you."

   I grinned at the dramatic bow she gave before taking her seat.

"And now, I'd like Aarav Hooda to be upstanding."

It'd been two weeks since I'd yelled and walked out on him and ignored the countless calls and texts he'd made and sent in the subsequent days. Seeing him now, proved what I'd known for a while; that I was no longer mad him and just wanted things to go back to normal because i really missed my friend and his usually inappropriate sense of humour. Between visiting Talise at the hospital and Dorian in his home, Rav was the one who still pulled off the miracle of getting me to laugh.

"His expert-level knowledge on aliens was what guided me in the making of the weapons we used in defending ourselves against the Yunies. His knowledge was also a big help in the strategic plans that governed our entry into Zavlon. Rav's display of the wit he carries saved us anytime we were in serious trouble in the Tunnels. Also, if he hadn't called his parents at the moment where we needed the most help, not all of us would be here today. I think it's safe to say that we owe Rav a massive thank you."

   I didn't look away when his eyes met mine. Instead, I mouthed the word, 'I'm sorry'. The eyes and cameras on me became the least of my concerns once Rav smiled and nodded.

"Put your hands together as well for Camila Mendez, everybody."

   I felt nothing short of pride when she stood up, displaying her true alien form that would normally be shielded by camouflage tech.

"Camila is a key reason Speck was stopped and everyone is free. Even though her intentions weren't always pure, that was only rooted in the fact that humans had failed her in more ways than one. Being selfless enough to sacrifice herself to save the very species that caused so much trauma is something you should admire her for; I know I do. Also, ironically, I learnt from her actions that there is a level of humanity in everyone, no matter how far off they may seem, which can be tapped into if they simply so choose. So, Camila, thank you. Thank you for choosing your humanity in spite of everything."

   As expected, her applause goes on longer than the rest.

   I'd be lying if I said that was a bad thing though. Especially since I had to address Dorian for the first time since I kissed him with everything in me without knowing his condition and later dashed out of his room like a deranged person.

   Fortunately, the claps continued on once I said, "Dorian Mathers," and subsided when I finally remembered what I'd planned to say.

   Even though from Rav's unanswered texts, I discovered he'd told Dorian everything, it was going to be weird saying all this to someone who didn't even remember any of it. But I had to nevertheless since not doing so would raise eyebrows and Dorian's parents were adamant about keeping his amnesia a secret from the public until they understood its status better.

   Okay, here goes.

"Dorian," I stared into the blue-grey eyes and said the words I would've said if pre-amnesia him was standing here today. "The resolve you had to do this despite no knowledge of the consequences is a kind of bravery the rest of us would never fathom. But that bravery is what had caused the biggest uproar for the protection and promotion of aliens' rights the world had ever seen. It's the reason more aliens like you have come from the shadows to speak out on the many limitations and abuse they continue to experience to this day, including the Yunitides, who turned out to be not our enemies in the least but a species that was enslaved by Speck the entire time. It's the reason human animosity towards aliens is being questioned. Aliens are being credited for their contributions to the improvement of the world which have been overlooked. You were the pacesetter for all this. If not for your sacrifice, the world would not be here. I want you to know as terrified as I was when you put on the Neuroskel then, I'm really glad you made that decision, even though... things may never go back to the way they used to be."

   At that last statement, I was shoved back into reality. The reality where Dorian didn't share the moments and feelings I did.

   Afraid I would burst into tears if I continued on, I simply left it at, "Thank you, Dorian." and avoided his gaze as the applause erupted again with more intensity.

"Before I leave," I said. "I have something else to add. "For too long, I'd been scared. I'd been scared of wanting more than what I thought I should have, I'd been scared of being seen as different and weird and less than or not seen at all. I'd been scared of becoming who I could be due to the fear of failure and disappointing those who love and believe in me. What's ironic is that the heroes in the comics I read–those who I look up to– seem to be the opposite of everything I've just said. But I noticed that that's always this way. At a certain point, these glorified heroes were no different than me. They've felt that fear too, but rather than cower away, they power through it. It didn't cross my mind that I'd done something similar until now. I powered through when I applied to Zavlon, despite the fear that my financial background was already a giant odd stacked against me. I did so by staying even when it felt like I wasn't doing many things right. I powered through when I decided not to ignore Mr. Sacury's message like I'd intended, when I created the weapons which saved us time and time again, when I fixed the Neuroskel, not only preventing the deaths of the students you see here today but providing Dorian with the means to save them. In the instances where I did all these, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still scared. I don't think powering through means overcoming your fear. I think it means acting despite it and I can confidently say that in all those moments, I don't regret powering through. So if like me, you were or are still afraid, don't let that stop you. Do all you can scared. Thank you."

   The end of my speech was followed by several more from the President, the presidents of other countries and prominent international figures. Every one I'd spoken about received several medals, awards, scholarships for our higher education, funding for our future endeavours and many other benefits I could've only dreamed of in the past. 

A/N: One more chapter left!

Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to vote and comment ❤!

Follow me on instagram: @zwrites._

@WattpadExplorer @WattpadOutreach @Wattpad @adventure @TeenFiction