“I can’t turn back now,” Bugz said, as much to herself as to Feng. She raised her phone to her eyes and snapped it into headset mode. She nodded for Feng to follow suit. He did, and together they dove into the Floraverse.

Immersed in the Spirit World again, Feng followed Bugz to a cliff’s edge high atop Castle Rock. A beautiful sunset exploded across the sky behind her. Bugz turned to face Feng, her sleek ’Versona of old replaced now by a figure that looked exactly the way she did in real life—beauty, imperfections, and all. Bugz smiled at Feng. She made the shape of a heart with her two hands. Slowly, she raised her two thumbs to the center of the heart until her hands became an infinity loop.

“This is the real me.” Bugz brushed the hair from her eyes. “And I finally feel good about that.”

Bugz embraced Feng and pulled him in. They kissed. As Feng closed his eyes and lost himself in the moment, Bugz gripped him by the scruff of his neck and threw him over the edge of the cliff. Bugz jumped high into the air, arcing into a perfect swan dive. As she dove down toward the Clan:LESS army, Bugz pulled her guns out and rained fire down on the enemy horde. Feng regained his composure, drew his weapons, and fell in closely behind Bugz as she sped toward the enemies below. A torrent of vines and animals tore down the rock face as Bugz summoned the life forms of the Floraverse to fight at her side once again. Even the rocks shook themselves loose from the bluffs and came roaring down behind her in a symphony of organized chaos.

As she dodged enemy fire and plunged into battle, Bugz wasn’t sure how things would turn out. She didn’t know if she’d win or lose. She didn’t know if she was good enough or not. She didn’t know if she and Feng would last forever.

She didn’t know anything beyond that moment.

Still, for the first time in a long while she felt peace.

I am who I am,

In every world I walk in.

ACKNOWEDGMENTS

Gichi-miigwech, a big thank you, to my beautiful wife, Lisa, for always having my back. To our fun, smart, and good-natured kids, Dominik, Bezh, and Tobasonakwut—I wrote this book for readers the ages you are now and will soon be. I hope you enjoy it. Miigwech also to my sister Shawon, who provided insight into and inspiration for the character Bugz. My mom and late father are always in my heart and mind, as are my sisters Diane, Kiizh, and Pat, as well as all of our extended family.