St. Chaney

[DayDream]

In the South of St. Chaney City a very special high school stays. The children who go there are all orphaned, they're families all died tragically. The Orphans live in at the school, none better than the other.

On the Eve of St. Chaney death, the manager of St. Chaney Bank arrives. The manager, Mr. Baulings, has some bad news; they're closing down the school and the orphanage if the school doesn't pay the bank the money it owes. The teachers, home workers, maids and everyone else will be out of a job and the children will have no school, no home...

That very same day, some new children come to the school. As they settle in for the night a storm rages outside and lighting strikes the school, hitting two dormitories. A boys and a girls. The rooms are in ruins, but no one seemed to be hurt.

But the very next day, when the children from the two dormitories are alone together, they discover that they have some special powers.

Some children are intent upon helping the orphanage, others are out to use their new affinities for their own well-being, some are undecided, but they all agree on one thing, to tell no one.




-Profile-
Name:
Age (between 14-16):
Gender:
Affinity:
Affinity Development (later on the 'talents' will become more powerful):
Appearance:
Personality:
Family history:


Mine-

Name: Alisa Sterling

Age (between 14-16): 15

Gender: F

Affinity: She can go invisible

Affinity Development: She can turn other things invisible and even make them disappear altogether. She can begin to teleport, too, but short distances.

Appearance: Long, black hair that stops just as her back does, medium height, used to be a healthy weight but is now quite thin, has dark green eyes.

Personality: Sarcastic and defensive. Will sneer if she feels necessary. Not one to wear her heart on her sleeve, she doesn't like getting close to people.

Family history: Alisa had three older brothers and one younger one. Her Dad disappeared after the youngest brother was born, her two eldest brothers then went missing after trying to find him. Her mother and youngest brother then became lost at sea on a boat trip. Since then she's been living with her Uncle who feels her a burden rather than an actual person.




Note: All character affinities have something to do with what happened to their families rather than any trait of said character. Some children may have brother or sister with them too, some may have horrid aunts and uncles still alive but they didn't want to look after kids, ect.


The story will begin on the night of the storm, just after the children are told about the possibility of the building closing.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Name: Mona Vasquez (Stealing the name from Eoin Colfer's "Supernaturalist". I just love the name)

Age (between 14-16): 14

Gender: Female

Affinity: control of electricity (e.g. Household electricity. Nothing more than that and a bolt of lightning or two...)

Affinity Development (later on the 'talents' will become more powerful): Storm Bringer

Appearance: Mona is rather short for her age, and people never let her forget it. She has a round, smiling face that is heavily freckled, and a long, slightly crooked nose with a pair of broken spectacles perched precariously on them. Her hair is straight and a very dark brown that is cut very short with the appearance of having been very roughly cut. Her skin is an olive brown, like many spaniards. Her arms are strong, unexpectedly so for a 14 year old girl. Always wears her older brothers' hand-me-downs.

Personality: Bright and bubbly, but also very tough. Typical tomboy.

Family history: Her family were Spaniards and moved to St. Chaney from Barcelona when Mona was 7. Mona's brothers were outside, walking around, arms around each other's shoulders, and were struck by lightning. Mona's Father was electrocuted when trying to fix the tv and Mona's Mother died when some form of electrical appliance fell into the bath tub when she was having a bath.

[PotatoesRule]

Name: Kenneth 'Kenny' Vinson

Age (between 14-16): 14

Gender: Male

Affinity: Ability to feel the earth and pinpoint at certain radius.

Affinity Development (later on the 'talents' will become more powerful): Ability to control the earth.

Appearance: Kenny has short black hair that naturally stands up in small spikes. From behind Kenny's head often looks like a poofy spikey ball. Kenny is of medium height and has a scar running aross the bridge of his nose which he keeps hidden under a bandage. Kenny has bright, round grey eyes that appear to be out of focus for he is blind. Kenny is often seen covered in dirt that seem to be on him permanantly. Also carries a folded walking stick.

Personality: Is quite curious, often likes to prove that he could do things on his own regardless of the fact that he is blind. Dislikes it when people judge him and assume he can't do things alone. Also self-conscious of his appearance.

Family history: Father was a miner and died when a cave fell in. During a construction site, his mother fell in a hole and without knowing it, was buried alive by a truck that was dumping out new soil. Little sister died at birth. Kenny often visits their gravestones.

[PrettyInPointe]

Name: Mattie Blackburn

Age: 15

Gender: Female

Affinity: Water Control

Affinity Development: Can control water in liquid form, and make small amounts into ice.

Appearance: Light, caramel blonde, wavy hair, pretty pale skin, and dark blue eyes. Average height and weight, with light freckles splattering her cheeks and nose. Rather elfish features- with a slightly pointed nose and ears.

Personality: Pretty laid back and easy going, not in-your-face, but not unpleasant. Nice to talk to, and is good at taking things seriously and dealing with problems in a practical way. Gives good advice, and likes to think things through before jumping into action.

Family history: Was an only child. Her parents went away on a cruise, leaving her with an aunt, but the ship sunk and her parents were among many casualties.

[Kalik2486]

Name: Tristan Hale

Age: 15

Gender: Male

Affinity: Mental & Physical Teleportation

Affinity Development: Split into multiple beings, both solid and transparent, at the same time.

Appearance: Chestnut brown hair that is always wild no matter how he tries to flatten it, dark brown eyes, slightly tanned skin, tall, average build, dimples when smiling

Personality: Serious when needed, but being cheerful and witty are his dominant traits. He despises typical teenagers and protects his buddies. He treats everyone fairly and respects others’ decisions. Tristan also inherited the intelligence and will power from his parents.

Family History: Had one younger sister who died in a car crash in an ambulance taking her to the hospital for an emergency. His mother was very intellectual and always travelled to many places, but died in a plane accident. His father was a detective who had a lot of concentration and logic, and can multi-task in his mind – died on a mission involving many evil crimes.

[Wierdkid20]

Name:Alexander Crow
Age:15
Gender:male
Affinity:Super speed
Affinity Development:Flight
Appearance:Tall and lanky with with short black hair that he keeps under a bomber hat. Grey eyes that seem to look at everything with hawks eyes.
Personality:Inquisitive and a bit out there he's a Day dreamer.and very knowledgeable about flight. Is in the process of building his own glider.
Family history:Father was in the air force as a test pilot died in a plane crash. When his mother heard the news she committed suicide

[DayDream]

I think we've got enough people to start now :)
I'n also changing my characters name to Gaia Sterling.


Gaia looked around the vast grey assembly hall. The 14-16's had just been informed that the Orphan school could soon be closing. Great, Gaia thought, just what I need. The intimidating Headmaster, Mr. DeLiv, was trying to rally the students up for ideas for fundraising before they were shown their Dorm Advisor, Mr. Dusty Templar, a handsome young man who had midnight blue eyes with stars twinkling magically inside. He was tall with short black hair and a heart shaped face. He would be teaching art to the students, too.

Gaia stood up with the rest of the 14, 15 and 16 year olds and followed Mr. Templar out of the assembly hall. This was her first year, she had arrived only that afternoon, friendless and lonely. It was then, as she watched Mr. Templar talk to a group of three young girls about their holidays, that she bumped into a lad of about her age, "Watch it." She warned him.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona sighed in irritation as she stood up with the rest of the children in her line, some of the wooden chairs scraping noisily in the near silent room. The sound of feet tramping in single file to the doors was almost invasive. Out of habit, Mona cracked her knuckles loudly then rotating her head, cracking her neck. Her parents had hated it when they were alive, but Mona couldn't help it. It was her habit, especially when she was angry or nervous.

Her line tramped out of the large assembly hall and she went towards one of the windows of the foyer of the school. Leaning her elbows on the ledge, Mona threaded her fingers through her exceptionally short, roughly cut hair, taking care not to smush her glasses into her face. A feeling of hopelessness began to crawl over her. How could they close the school down? It was the home of hundreds of orphans who needed a place to go and education. It was the perfect place for them.

"How can they do this to us?!" she said in her lightly accented tone. Mona pounded the dusty ledge of the window sill with the side of her fist, getting dust all over her hand.

((Is there a uniform for the kids, or do they wear what they have?))

[PotatoesRule]

"I know what you mean." Kenny replied. The blind spikey black haired boy was leaning against a wall beside the window sill when he heard this remark. He tilted his head just slightly to regard the girl by the window sill. "It's a shame what they're doing here. The school can't possibly close. Where would we all go?" He frowned as his right hand tightened around his walking stick. He too was upset about this along with the other hundred orphaned students that attended the school. "It's just not right. We've already been through so much." Kenny whispered this. He was still grieving over the death of parents.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona jumped when she heard someone talking to her. Swearing in Spanish, she turned round, ready to punch the lights out of whoever had snuck up on her like that, when she saw that it was blind Kenny, one of her close friends. She lowered her fist and went over to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"Dude, you know, it kinda does freak me out when you do that." Mona said as she leaned against the wall next to him. "But you're right. We've all been through way too much, and this is the only home any of us have. They can't possibly close it down. It's just complete and total injustice. We've all suffered so much, and they are just trying to find more ways to make our lives even more miserable."

[PotatoesRule]

"Heh heh. Sorry about startling you." Kenny chuckled softly not realising that he nearly had his lights knocked out. "I've been startled so many times by them twinkle toes, I swear they make no noise at all, that I find myself sneaking up on people myself." Kenny shrugged. "That and I thought you saw me."

Kenny began to figet with his fingers as he went deep into thought. He let out a sigh and said, "Injustice, that's the word. As crazy as this may sound, sometimes I wonder if we were chosen." Kenny's eyes wandered into the distance. "Chosen for.. something. All these unfortunate events.. what does it lead to? Don't we deserve some good?" Kenny turned his head towards Mona as if expecting she had an answer.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona laughed lightly at Kenny's talk of his twinkle toes. To be honest, Kenny always managed to make her laugh some how. He just seemed to be so... uninhibited. Mona could always be herself around Kenny, especially as she didn't have to worry about looking stupid in front of him.

She saw the meaningful incline of his head towards her, showing that he expected an answer of some sort. "Y'know, Ken? I think you might be right. We do deserve some sort of good in our lives." Mona said it so forcefully, and with so much resolve that it even scared herself a bit. "But, we do deserve some sort of good to happen to us in our pitiful existences that we lead here."

[DayDream]

Gaia walked stony-faced behind Mr. Templer. She didn't want to bother with other students at that point, she wanted answers from people who know most. She was waiting until Mr. Templar had shown the student their dorms before she would talk to him. She needed to know why.

As Mr. Templar stopped in the grey stoned hallways between two matching oak paneled doors and a tall, gloomy window being hit with a constant down-pour of heavy rain from the storm, he indicated with his right hand the doors and spoke in a friendly tone, "Girls room is the door closest, boys is the one next. I'll leave you to get aquatinted in your rooms and be back in an hour for lights out."

Students packed into the two rooms. A few lingered outside; Gaia took those students for the ones who had been to the Orphanage previously. Mr. Templar leaned casually against the stone wall and smiled, "Any questions?" Suddenly Gaia's urgency for answers vanished as he smiled and was replaced with a flipping sensation in her stomach. She was too nervous, too new. So instead, she turned to a conversation to her right between a boy and girl.

"Have you two been her before? What do you reckon about the shutting down business?"

[UndercoverNinja]

Name: Alice Anderspike
Age (between 14-16): 16
Gender: female
Affinity: food manipulation
Affinity Development (later on the 'talents' will become more powerful): object manipulation
Appearance: shoulder-length brown curly hair, blue eyes, average height, not skinny but not fat either (just slight tummy), very toned.
Personality: quite cheerful and out there. she often believes things will happen for her and people will bend to her will. is used the being waited on.
Family history: only child. father died whilst choking at a restaurant and mother bled to death after a cooking accident

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona turned to see a new girl addressing herself and Kenny. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her school-issue uniform cardigan, she leant back against the wall and looked at the girl, gauging just what she was like. Mona was a fairly good judge of her character, a trait which had been given to her by her mother.

"I've been here for three years. Orphaned at the age of eight. Before I came here at the age of 11, I lived in the old orphanage and went to one of the primary schools that's shut down since then." Mona said rather quickly in her slight Spanish accent. "I think it's stupid that they're closing this place down. It's not fair that we have to suffer any more. Just when we think we're safe and have a sanctuary from the hurting that we feel, they try and take it away from us. The name's Mona, by the way," she said, holding out her hand to shake the girl's. "Mona Vasquez."

[DayDream]

"Pleasure." Gaia replied dryly, "I'm Gaia Sterling. My only family sent me here because they can't handle they responsibility. My uncle works at the St. Chaney Bank. I would have thought he would have mentioned the closing of the Orphanage as he would likely know about this type of thing. But don't hold that against me, I have many other unlikeable qualities for people to hate on." Gaia smiled in a cocky manner, "Storms pretty bad so maybe some lightning will hit the bank and morph them all. We can only hope."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan Hale was strolling aimlessly with his hands in his pockets around the hallways when Mr. Templar was leading the other children to their rooms. He was devastated like many others about the bad news. Why aren't there any funds coming in? Our parents are dead. We've got nothing except our friends and education, and now the only place we call 'home' is now being taken away as well. Tristan knew life was unfair and he wasn't going to let anyone sleep on the streets as a result of a lack of money. All problems has a solution.

Gathering his optimistic thoughts together, Tristan listened to the last chattering sounds of the children and ran after them in that direction, his hair getting more ruffled by the minute. Arriving at a opened doorway, he saw the students attempting to settle down with their friends. Turning around, Tristan found Mona and Kenneth talking to another girl called Gaia Sterling he managed to hear. S

miling, he approached them and clapped Kenneth on the shoulder and greeted the three, "Hey pals! How are we holding up so far?" THen he turned to the Gaia, "Gaia Sterling? I just heard it as I came here. Tristan Hale here. Nice to meet you," and he shook her hand.

[DayDream]

Gaia smiled for a split second at the eaves-dropping boy names Tristan and replied sarcastically as she shook his hand, "So very please to meet you too, Tristan. Hope we can be the very best of friends." Gaia rolled her eyes as she looked off to her side where Mr. Templar was standing coolly talking to a gangly boy of around sixteen. She sighed defeatedly, "How long as Mr. Templar been teaching here?" She tried to keep her voice neutral and hoped she succeeded.

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie was walking around aimlessly, mulling over the news in her head. It was an outrage! They couldn't close down this school. They must be able to get some form of government funding or something. And now the students had to fundraise?! How could they fundraise that much money?

Mattie wasn't really seeing where she was going, and walked right by a group of people before realizing that they were talking about the school shutting down too. She backtracked, then leaned against the wall. "It's terrible, isn't it? We all have no where to go, so they naturally plan to kick us out on the street."

[DayDream]

What was it about the school that made everyone but in on conversations? Yes, Gaia had done that very same thing, but that was out of self-saving than nosey-ness. She only did it so she didn't have to ask Mr. Templar, not because she wanted to make friends or because she had any desire to talk to the students who would most likely be clueless. Yes, Gaia was probably as clueless as them, more so in some cases, but why did she have to willingly engage in conversation with these people? Better still, why didn't she just leave and go get settled in? Because she was still curious. Darn.

"Well, some people won't need to be chucked out on the street. Those of us who have families, although unwanted by said families, won't be abandoned and left to scrap and scrounge for food like some common beggar." Gaia announced tediously to the group.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan snorted and raised his eyebrows when the somewhat unfriendly girls, Gaia, shook his hand. What did he do wrong anyways if her voice was rather loud and he heard some things? Another girl approached them and asked about the school's predicament.

Tristan wondered aloud, "Do you think we can do anything to help? It's better than worrying and sit around waiting. How about doing some fundraising as a group? It's a real shame to see bright orphaned students waste away on the streets or return to unwilling families."

Being a naturally friendly guy, Tristan introduced himself to the other girl, with light caramel blonde hair, who came up to them.

[DayDream]

"Yeah," Gaia smirked, "Lets all hold a fete! We can invite all our families and eat homemade cupcakes and throw sponges at teachers! What a huffing hoot - but oh wait, no one here has a family that wants to see them. Shucks. Makes you want to appreciate the finer things, don't it just?" After rolling her eyes Gaia turned on her heel and strode to the Dorm Room after shouting back, "I'm hitting the sack. I'll leave you all to your power-thinking."

As she passed, Gaia glanced up at Mr. Templar who smiled at her. Why did she feel like such an idiot? She hastily looked away and hurried into the dorm incase he said something to her. No doubt her brain would fall out and create world wide embarrassment.

On entering the dingy dorm room, Gaia sighed and hoped onto an empty bed by the back of the room, position neatly between two arched windows. Gazing at the rain splashing punishingly across the glass she watched the lightning spark and listened to the roaring thunder. Knowing she would never get to sleep, Gaia changed into some pajama's and opened up a book. It was about St. Chaney Hart herself, a going away present from her Uncle. Gaia leaving him was one of the only things he would give her a gift for.

[UndercoverNinja]

Alice was shocked. After everything she had been through the past couple of months, she was now being left here. First the death of her father, choking in front of her at the family's favourite restaurant. Her mother had been so upset that she had barely come out of the bedroom, let alone the bed. This had left Alice to do most things for herself as the family were not wealthy enough to have a maid or housekeeper. And then, once her mother had finally gotten a hold of herself, and begun to clean and cook again (in fact it was the first meal she had made since the death of her husband) she had slipped and stabbed herself with the meat knife. By the time Alice had found her it was really too late. She rang the ambulance and they rushed her mother to hospital but Evangaline had died just hours after her admittance. And then there had been the countless phsychiatric visits and phsycoanalysis'. She had been shunted from relative to relative but they all already had children of their own and Alice found it hard to adjust to living with other children. And now here she was, her family either dead or tired of her, leaving her in this dump.

She watched as her great-second aunt, Lily, filled out the rest of the paperwork. "Please don't leave me here," she pleaded, "I'll try to get along with Rupert and Barney and Albert and Patrick, I promise," here Alice put on her cute girly smile with the big eyes, but Lily just sighed, shook Alice's hand, wished her luck and walked out. Alice was shown to a dormitory full of other girls. Alice didn't notice that they were all looking at her. She was taken to her bed, near the back of the room. It was a thin and very small affair, she could see bits of fluff sticking out of the end of the mattress. She sat down rather heavily and even more fluff blew out. "Hi," she said to the girl in the bed next to her, who was curled up reading a book. 'Might as well get to know a few of the locals before I leave,' Alice thought to herself.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona pulled a face as the nasty girl, whose name was Gaia, turned and left for the dormitory. "Ooh, is Miss High-and-Mighty too good to hang out with us... what did she call us? Oh yes "common beggars"? Well, that's her loss, isn't it?" Mona said cracking her knuckles again. Most people at St. Chaney knew that if Mona didn't like someone, that person would soon know, due to Mona's incredibly short temper.

"Anyway," she said, turning to Tristan. "Hola Tristan. How are you? I haven't seen you in a while. How are you keeping?"

[PrettyInPointe]

Tristan snorted and raised his eyebrows when the somewhat unfriendly girls, Gaia, shook his hand. What did he do wrong anyways if her voice was rather loud and he heard some things? Another girl approached them and asked about the school's predicament.

Tristan wondered aloud, "Do you think we can do anything to help? It's better than worrying and sit around waiting. How about doing some fundraising as a group? It's a real shame to see bright orphaned students waste away on the streets or return to unwilling families."

Being a naturally friendly guy, Tristan introduced himself to the other girl, with light caramel blonde hair, who came up to them.

"I'm Mattie Blackburn. Nice to meet you." Mattie said, shaking the boys hand. By that point, she stood back, leaning against the wall. She didn't like being in the middle of things, but did like to know what was going on. And she didn't want to make an enemy out of the Gaia girl, so she just stood back as she stormed off. "Pleasant..." Mattie said, as the girl walked away.

She was trying to think of things they could do to fundraise. She was pretty sure they could pity money out of people. Like 'Oh, please sir. Please help us keep our home. We have n-no where else to go.' It would be pretty funny, too. But by using the orphan card, pitying money would be a snap.

[DayDream]

She watched as her great-second aunt, Lily, filled out the rest of the paperwork. "Please don't leave me here," she pleaded, "I'll try to get along with Rupert and Barney and Albert and Patrick, I promise," here Alice put on her cute girly smile with the big eyes, but Lily just sighed, shook Alice's hand, wished her luck and walked out. Alice was shown to a dormitory full of other girls. Alice didn't notice that they were all looking at her. She was taken to her bed, near the back of the room. It was a thin and very small affair, she could see bits of fluff sticking out of the end of the mattress. She sat down rather heavily and even more fluff blew out. "Hi," she said to the girl in the bed next to her, who was curled up reading a book. 'Might as well get to know a few of the locals before I leave,' Alice thought to herself.

Gaia turned to face the girl who had just entered the room and said "Hi,". Gaia smiled unconvincingly, "Why, hello." Before turning her head back to her book and sighing. She had lost her place. It only took a few seconds to relocate her place.

Mr. Templar had finished the small talk with the students. He looked over at the only remaining group, a small bunch of students debating on what best to do for fundraising, and walked casually over, "Hey, kids. Lights out soon; you'd better get settled into your beds." He told them and ushered them to the two dorms.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny had been silent most of time though it wasn't because he didn't want to socialize. It was actually because he was deep in thought. Being blind, Kenny's body had to adapt in many ways for example his sense of hearing was much better than the average person. And currently, Kenny wasn't sure whether it was his over-than-average senses or the thunder outside that was making him have an uneasy feeling. Perhaps he was just worried about the school closing down but Kenny couldn't help but feel there was more to it.

Before he could ponder anymore into it, the sound of Mona's cracking knuckles brought Kenny back to reality. You didn't have to be friends with Mona long to tell whether or not she liked a person, though Kenny did know Mona for quite some time now. Kenny could tell that Mona definitely did not like the girl named Gaia. Currently, Kenny wasn't taking a liking to Gaia either but he wasn't one to judge. First impressions don't always describe a person.

Kenny was just about to introduce himself to the forth member of the party when the teacher, Mr Templar came out and told them that it was lights out soon. At that very moment he said that, Kenny just had a horrible sinking feeling.

"Kenneth Vinson." Kenny said towards the girl name Mattie Blackburn before following the voice of the teacher. "Be careful." Kenny said to the group in a low voice as the teacher guided him towards the boys dormitory.

[Kalik2486]

Mona pulled a face as the nasty girl, whose name was Gaia, turned and left for the dormitory. "Ooh, is Miss High-and-Mighty too good to hang out with us... what did she call us? Oh yes "common beggars"? Well, that's her loss, isn't it?" Mona said cracking her knuckles again. Most people at St. Chaney knew that if Mona didn't like someone, that person would soon know, due to Mona's incredibly short temper.

"Anyway," she said, turning to Tristan. "Hola Tristan. How are you? I haven't seen you in a while. How are you keeping?"

Tristan beamed at Mona, "I'm fine thank you. It's great to see you and Kenny, and a few others. Well, looks like it's bed time. Good night girls!"

Tristan helped Mr. Templar guide Kenny into the boys' dorm. He saw Kenny's worried face as Mr. Templar left them to their beds. Tristan picked one next to Kenny's so he could chat with him. Across from his bed, there was a boy with black wearing a bomber hat, lying on the bed cross-legged. But it was the downpour of rain and the dark cloudy skies that really caught Tristan's attention. This is the worst weather I've ever seen...

After the boys changed into their pjs and settled down, Mr. Templar came in to wish them a good night and flicked out the lights. They were plunged into the darkness, with only the sounds of distant thunder to lull them to sleep.

[DayDream]

It was sudden when the windows in the girls dorm flew violently open, spilling rivers or water into the room and soaking everyone causing shrieking and yelping as girls jumped up in from the unpleasant surprise.

Before anyone could do anything more a giant clap of thunder jolted one of the windows causing the lights to flicker viciously. The water in the room spurted and splashed as it was shocked and sprayed everywhere along with a powerful surge of the thunder shuddering through the girls paralyzing them where they stood shivering or shrieking.

The thunder seemed to have spread through to the room next door and the hallway for more screams and shouts could be heard as the ferocious thunder pounded at the room, cracking the stony walls and shaking it in a brutal and cruel fashion, tumbling bricks after brick onto the helpless girls scattering themselves as they tried to escape.

The boys dorm was in equal uproar as the windows shattered, spraying glass viciously around the room as it was carried by the horrendous wind and scratching the skin of anyone it could find. The fierce weather seemed to be throwing warnings, threatening, intimidating them all with menace.

It could have been seconds or hours later as the wind died down, the rain stopped and the sounds of thunder subsided. The storm was blowing over, leaving them all after its malicious attack with shock and fear.

Was it over? Was everyone okay?

One thing was certain: everyone of the students in the two rooms felt the unpleasant tingling all throughout their body, a sense of unease and fear blowing inside gliding to every cell, every where. And so, St. Chaney's Orphans would never be the same again.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona hadn't slept a wink that night, she had astraphobia (fear of thunder and lightning). She was especially terrified of Lightning. She didn't like storms too much, but she could smell the odour of toasted almonds in the air, which she knew heralded Lightning. Mona's astraphobia had been brought on by the fact that her three brothers had perished in a storm when they had been struck by a bolt of Lightning. She had been left emotionally scarred.

As soon as the window had banged open and water began pouring into the room, Mona was up on her feet, clenching her fists so tightly that her knuckles had become completely white. She knew what was coming. And, almost as soon as she thought it, she saw a bolt of lightning flash nearby, illuminating the sky for a split second, followed almost instantaneously by a clap of thunder. Mona was paralysed with fear, and she couldn't even bring herself to scream. That was when the bolt of lightning struck the room.

Mona, who was completely soaked already, was one of the first people to have several thousand volts of electricity sent coursing through her body, having been standing right by the window, soaked to the skin. She was sent flying through the air in the dormitory, thrown right into the stone wall at the other end, next to the door. With a dull thud, she slammed into the wall, hearing a loud cracking sound from what she supposed were her ribs and possibly one of her arms. She slumped to the floor, her hair smoking slight, her vision going blurry and an immense feeling of pain spreading through her entire body.

Mona could feel consciousness slipping away from her, but not before she could feel an odd tingling sensation coursing through every square inch of her body. The edges of her vision began to dim and go black as she passed out, slumping over onto the ground.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny had just managed to fall asleep when the windows in the boys dormitory shattered into pieces during a particular clap of thunder. Sitting a couple rows away from the window, Kenny's face was rained down with shattering glass. Kenny sat up quickly as the room quickly went into panic. Hastily reaching for his walking stick by his bed side, Kenny made a move to stand but soon found himself tumbling over as a huge, ferocious gust of wind knocked him over.

What's going on?! Kenny wondered as objects such as bedsheets and pillows were flung at his face.

"Tristan!" Kenny called over the roaring wind. Kenny couldn't see what was going on but he could definitely hear it. Glass was breaking, the wind was howling, boys were screaming, thunder was booming, Kenny couldn't take it anymore! During his earlier fall, Kenny had lost hold of his walking stick and was now reaching for anything to grab on. "Damn it!" Kenny had never felt so helpless before.

Suddenly the room was struck by a bolt of lightning, though Kenny did not know this until it hit him. He could feel the current of electricity going through him as he kneeled on the ground helplessly. Is this it? Is my life over? Kenny thought as he felt himself losing consciousness. "No.." Kenny said as his head fell to the ground. Before falling unconscious, Kenny felt an odd tingling feeling going through his body, first from his fingers and then to his toes. "Damn.." Kenny muttered as his teeth grinded and his eyes closed.

[Kalik2486]

Trstian had been struggling to stay on his feet to get to Kenny when he heard his call. What in the world? More misfortune? he thought as the bed frames, broken glass, and the wall collapsed on him and several others. The room was splashed with torrents of rain water, soaking them all to their cores. Wind tore through the room, destroying everything that was still standing.

He tried to get up to find Kenny so they could escape to the door, but stumbled on something long and thing, and fell over on top of overturned wardrobes and pillows.
Just as Tristand lifted his head to look for any other signs of life, a bolt of lighting struck the room, causing more debris to fall on top of him. A course of electricity sliced through his body, making his hair stand on end and paralyzing his body, rendering him helpless. Darkness slowly filled his mind as he felt an unusual tingling spread around his veins and tissues just before he lost consciousness.

[DayDream]

Although Gaia was still awake the sudden crash as the windows spluttered open made her jump in her bed as the water from both sides tried to drown her in her bed. Coughing and gasping, Gaia rolled from her bed as the thunder viciously thudded, hitting the window above her head and sending a jolt of electricity to the water and all around her. Frozen, Gaia collapsed onto her side in a paralytic pose, electrified water splashing into her mouth and nose, sending an unpleasant and numbing tingling through her body as she slowly felt her eyelids droop, her body relax and give in to her darkness ... but before her eyes had completely shut she saw a .... a ... black mist ... soar through the room and out a window...

And then darkness consumed.

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie had been lying awake. She was still puzzled by what they could do to save the school. They couldn't possibly fundraise enough money in their state. They had no money, which was the need to fundraise, but all the fundraising ideas she could think of that would raise that much money would need a lot of money for materials. And advertising.

Just then, a window broke and her face was splattered with glass. It scratched her face, and she could taste the blood dripping into her mouth. The spat it out, but was soon rushed away by a ton of water flooding the room. The hit the wall and heard a cracking, but it wasn't as loud as the girl next to her. She must have broken her arm or rib or something. Mattie probably just fractured her wrist or ankle or something. She would find out soon enough.

But before she could think anymore, lightning struck the room. Her soaked body felt a tingling sensation all over, making her body go numb. The tingling didn't feel like a lightning strike though, or how she imagined one would feel. It felt like something inside her was... changing. She was changing.

[PotatoesRule]

~time skip to morning~

Kenny was in a world between reality and sleep when he felt himself being shakened by strong arms. Kenny opened his eyes but saw nothing. He could however feel the warmth of the sun beaming down on his face. The tingly sensation also seemed to have disappeared and was left with a feeling of calm and serenity.

"Oh good." He heard a voice say. "You're awake. That makes two of us." The voice belonged to a man. Kenny recognized the voice as Mr Templar's. "We had a horrible shock last night with the raging storm. Though the dorms are in ruins, everyone else seems to be fine but they're all still unconscious."

Mr Templar eased Kenny up so that he was in a sitting position but Kenny stopped short in pain. Clenching his forehead, Kenny let out a hiss of pain. He hadn't noticed earlier that his head was throbbing until he sat up. All the blood seemed to have rush to his head in that little movement.

"Are you alright?" Mr Templar asked.

Kenny nodded and dropped his hand to the ground. All of sudden, Kenny was hit with a 360-degree vision of the surrounding area at a near fifty meter radius and it was all from a simple touch of his hand. Though this wasn't like any normal vision. To a normal person with visible eyes, what Kenny saw could be described as a 3D model with lines going up and down. It was sorta like the technology they used to graph out mountains and landscape or to create 3D models for videogames. Kenny removed his hand and his 360-degree vision vanished as quick as it came. Holding his hand out infront of him, Kenny stared in wonder. Was this the 'good' he was waiting for? Was this, in some freaky way, his new way of seeing?

[Kalik2486]

Images and voices swam in Tristan's head as he slowly came to consciousness when he felt a strong hand gripping him on the shoulder. Groaning, his eyes fluttered open as the bright sunlight pierced his eyes and his hand instinctively shielded his face. In front of him was Mr. Templar anxiously peering at him and Kenny’s distraught eyes staring in wonder at his hand, as he finally managed to focus his vision. The dormitory was in rubbles.

Tristan’s body ached with pain and fatigue as he sat up. A sharp pain in his right leg made his gasp aloud; there was a huge gash in his quadriceps with a piece of glass embedded in it. His side also felt bruised. Mr. Templar immediately asked, “Are you alright? Don’t worry. We’ll get you patched up right away, once we’re out of here.” Tristan could only nod his head in response, and Mr. Templar left to see if anyone else had woken up yet.

Grunting with the effort of using his strength, Tristan pushed himself toward Kenny and patted him on the shoulders like he usually did. Kenny would know that he’s awake as well. Despite what they’ve been through, Tristan was actually relieved to be alive. He needed to be alive. For his family. His mind wandered off to the hospital where his sister had been born. He had been very excited. And suddenly, Tristan felt light-headed as if he was drifting off somewhere else, and the dormitory floor felt far away. The hospital and several paramedics rushing into ambulances came into his view. Dazed, Tristan shook his head and he saw the wreck of the dorm again. Am I seeing things now?

[DayDream]

Gaia fluttered her eyes open, but she still couldn't tell the difference. Where was she? Was she still in the storm battered dorms? She spread her arms out in front of her and called, "Hello?" She was met with the sound of her echo fading distantly away, leaving her with nothing. Was she dead?

"Is anyone there?" Gaia called out again, to no avail. "I wish I was back in the dorm." With the words barley out of her mouth, her eyes snapped shut and sprung open again. She inhaled deeply, gasping for breath. She pushed her arms onto the ground, coughing, to steady her weight. She was in soaking pajamas in a deep puddle.

"Hey, you okay?" Mr. Templar had came over and helped her on to her feet.
"What happened?" Gaia asked as she looked around at the unrecognizable disaster zone.
"The storm. I'm just going to take you outside to a paramedic. You'll be fine."

There was one question still unasked, Where had she been?

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie was lying near the wall, where she had collapsed earlier. She was unconscious, but rousing. She faintly heard a sound, someone calling out. Mattie sat up slowly, and looked around. She was in the ruins of the dormitory. All of a sudden, a rush of memories can flooding back to her. Her face was stinging, and she could remember the window bursting onto her face. She remembered being throw onto the wall. Then... she became unconscious? She couldn't remember much past that, so she probably did pass out.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Templar asked, looking concerned. Most likely about her many scratches. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine." Mattie said, getting up. But as she tried to stand, a sharp pain in her right leg made her collapse again. Mr. Templar just managed to catch her before she reached the ground, and he eased her into a sitting position. "Oh... that's what happened when I hit the wall..." she murmured. What had she done, broken it?

"We'll have to get a stretcher in here... I'll be back once I get the others." Mr. Templar assured her, and went to talk to some of the others who were arousing. Mattie looked down at herself. She was soaking, and much of the water was red-tinged. "Oh fantastic..." Mattie murmured.

[PotatoesRule]

Sensing that something was amiss, Kenny asked his friend, "What's wrong?" That was probably the biggest understatement of the year. The answer to that question could have been endless considering the fact that they have been struck by lighting and were left with two dorms in ruins. What Kenny meant was that did his friend Tristan experience something similar to what he did earlier? Tristan didn't reply right away so Kenny assumed he either fell unconscious again or was just out of it and was reflecting on what just happened. Kenny couldn't tell but just to play with him, Kenny asked, "Hey, did you die in the past two minutes or something? Perhaps bled to death?"

As he asked this, Kenny was self-evaluating himself for any injuries. Kenny blindly moved his hand from his arms, across his torso, and then to his legs. In the end, Kenny found that he hadn't broken anything and was just left with bruises and slight stratches.

Turning his head towards where he guessed Tristan was, Kenny asked, "Hey, Tristan. Do you see my walking stick anywhere? I think I'll take a walk and look at the damage myself." Kenny hadn't even considered the fact that perhaps that the floor was in crumbles making it impossible to walk on, especially for a blind person. "Look for Mona or something." Kenny murmured.

[Kalik2486]

Kenny’s concerned voice helped Tristan concentrate on the disaster around him. He could hear sirens’ noise getting louder and the engines of loud fire trucks stopping nearby. Is he psychic now or was he really just seeing things happening in the present?

Tristan smiled weakly and replied, “No, no, I’m fine. Just a cut on my leg with a piece of glass stuck in it. Probably hallucinated due to loss of blood.” Then he surveyed Kenny, “You look fine. No bleeding, lucky guy.” A flashback of tripping on something long and thin went through Tristan’s memory. Oh, it was Kenny’s walking stick. Laughing softly, Tristan found the stick buried under a few wooden boards and splinters. It was slightly battered but nevertheless, still usable. He looked around the room. The other boys were still not moving.

“Here it is. But walking through these ruins will be difficult,” Tristan said as he put the stick into Kenny’s hands. Clenching his jaws together, Tristan pushed himself up to rest all his weight on his left leg. He limped toward another pile of rubbish nearby and picked out a broken coat stand with 4 legs for his improvised crutch. Then he went back to Kenny and helped him up. Tristan cleared the way by sweeping his coat stand in front of him as they meandered through the wreckage. Finally, they reached the door way where a fallen beam was in the way. It crashed to the floor with a loud bang when he pushed it down. Mr. Templar was nowhere to be seen so they crossed over to the girls’ dorm. Seems like he’s gone to get the paramedics. He and Kenny scanned the room, which was just as horrific as their own. Spotting Mona and Mattie, he guided Kenny over on his coat stand. “Hey Mattie, how are you?” Tristan asked, looking down at an unconscious Mona, holding his side.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Pain. Complete and absolute. That was all the Mona could feel. All she could think about. Her eyelids fluttered open when she heard speaking above her. The first thing she registered was the immeasurable amount of pain in her chest. It was then that she remembered that she had been thrown forcefully into the wall by the bolt of lightning.

"Trist, you there?" Mona gasped through the pain. It was so painful to breathe, let alone speak. "Where's Mr. Templar?" Mona inquired, wondering where the teacher had gone, as she looked around at the destroyed dormitory. She tried to move herself into a sitting position, but she was in so much pain that she couldn't. That was when the second thing registered. She couldn't feel her legs. Slowly, she lifted an arm, being careful as to not hurt her cracked ribs, she put it on her right leg. With her hand, she could feel the leg, but she couldn't feel anything with her leg. She did the same with her left arm to left leg, but she couldn't feel anything of her legs. Forcing herself to breathe slowly and calmly, Mona tried not to panic. She dragged her hands up her legs to gauge from where she could start to feel things. Feeling didn't return to her until she reached her waist.

"Trist. Where's Mr. Templar?" Mona said, the sound of panic registering in her voice now.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny was observing the landscape with his walking stick. He poked at chunks and bits with his stick and cautiously took steps over them. The place was a complete war zone. It was amazing what a storm could do in a matter of minutes. Kenny was fortunate enough to have not been severely injured. Folding his walking stick, Kenny stuck it in his back pocket and kneeled down next to Mona. Without a word, Kenny tentatively reached out and gently placed a hand on her leg. This was his way of seeing.

"You don't feel my hand do you?" Kenny was well aware of his friend's predicament. Kenny frowned and silently prayed his friend was not permanantly paralyzed from the waist below.

Removing his hand, Kenny placed it by his side and stood up. "Mr Templar is coming down the hall right now with a couple of paramedics." Kenny annouced mysteriously. He couldn't explain it but with his feet he could feel fast approaching footsteps.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan glanced at Mattie whose body was submerged in a puddle of water. He slowly bent down on his left leg to sit beside Mona. "Yes, I'm here, Mona. Are you alright?" he asked. She was trying to get up, but her body wouldn't allow her. Must've cracked her ribs. Tristan frowned as she was desperately feeling her legs. Oh no, not her legs... she hasn't broken her spine has she? Tristan nodded, "That's right, Mr. Templar is coming."

Tristan ignored the pain on his right leg, where blood was seeping out and drenching his pjs again. Leaning on his improvised crutch, he made his way to the door to get the paramedics to see the girls first. He grimaced. His side was starting to hurt, a pain that he ignored earlier, but was now distinct.

"Tristan, be careful with your leg! Here, let's go to the ambulance," Mr. Templar came to support him. But Tristan only shook his head and said, "Mona." Then he hobbled back to the girls while the adults tried to persuade him to go with them. There were other people with more serious injuries to attend to. What did it matter if he had a bleeding leg even though it felt as if the glass was burying deeper into his bones? He pointed at Mona and Mattie who were still lying on the floor with Kenny beside them. Immediately, the paramedics rushed to the girls. By now Tristan had turned pale and broke out in a cold sweat. Why hadn't he noticed the pain in his side before? Slowly he pressed his hand to his side and a spasm of pain hit him. Was it internal bleeding? No, of course not. It was only a swelling bruise. He sighed with relief. Ah well, it wasn't too bad.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona was dimly aware of some paramedics asking her questions, which she answered in mumbles and gestures. They asked her about what had happened, and she told them about how she had been at the window when the lightning bolt struck, and how she had been flung across the dorm, and how she heard several loud cracking noises when she collided with the wall. Her mind was far more active now that she was fully aware of her surroundings, but mostly she was focused on the fact that she couldn't feel her legs. She grimaced as one of the paramedics asked her if it hurt when they put pressure on her ribs. Swearing loudly in Spanish, she glared at the paramedic.

"Of course it bloody well hurts! I can barely breathe, let alone answer if it hurts!" she suddenly yelled, causing even more pain.

Swearing once more, she tried to calm her breathing again, to avoid the pain. She then saw one of the paramedics doing sensitivity tests on her arms and different areas of her body. When he reached her leg, she felt completely nothing. When she was asked whether it hurt or not, she shot a look at them.

"What do you think?" she hissed, voice laced with venom. "I can't feel my leg, so I could probably care less whether or not it hurts!"

Soon the paramedics were tentatively placing her on the stretcher, carrying her out of the dorm. As she was carried, she grasped Kenny's hand for a second until the paramedics moved on. "Look after yourself, Kenny. Don't hurt yourself whilst I'm gone," Mona said, laughing weakly.

Mona was in a lot of discomfort now, and she could see the edges of her vision becoming fuzzy again. She took a look at the school as they shut the doors to the ambulance that she had been taken to, and saw just how badly the two dorms had been struck. Swearing quietly once more in Spanish, she passed out.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny smiled weakly. "I will." Kenny promised. "You take care too." Kenny said sincerely. "Get well soon, Mona." Kenny called as the paramedics took her away on her stretcher. Kenny let go of Mona's hand and let it hang in the air for a moment before returning it to his side. "Please get well soon." Kenny said softly to himself. He couldn't bare to have anyone close to him get hurt anymore.

Speaking of others who were close to him, Kenny turned to look a Tristan. "You know you're hurt. Don't pretend you're not. Go get help." Kenny placed a hand on Tristan's shoulder like how Tristan always did to him. Kenny smiled and nodded encouragingly.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan smiled painfully as he saw the paramedics finally doing something to help Mona while she was busy swearing under her breath. Then she was taken out on a stretcher. Be well, Mona, be well. Tristan fervently wished that somehow her legs would be healed. Maybe a miracle would occur.

Then Kenny spoke to him about his condition and encouraging him to get help. He sighed seeing that he could ignore the pain no longer. "You're right Kenny, I've lost a good amount of blood already. I hope there's only one piece of glass. Come, we've gotta let the paramedics do their work. Let's go outside. Everyone'll need to get a quick check up at the hospital."

Tristan limped all the way outside clutching at his side. A paramedic who just patched up another student came to his aid and helped him into an ambulance. After a minute of examination for other injuries, the man said, "Alright, I wrapped your leg with dressings, but you'll need to get that piece of glass removed and your leg disinfected at the hospital. So good luck," as he slammed the back door and the ambulance drove away.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona had come to once more in the ambulance as she was being carried into the hospital strapped to a gurney, as she was taken into A&E for the trouble with her legs and cracked ribs. After much painful examining from the paramedics, they had finally decided that something was, indeed, wrong with her ribs, earning another bout of swearing from Mona. She had never had a good tolerance of pain, and now it was just getting worse and worse for her.

There was a lot of waiting around until the paperwork was being done, all this time, Mona was getting more and more agitated. She hated hospitals, but she knew she would have to be there. A doctor with a kind, smiling face came over to her.

"Hello Miss Vasquez. You seem to have had a bad knocking about. I have been told by the paramedics about how you were struck by the lightning and then flung across the room, colliding with the stone wall." he took out a clip board with the analysis from the paramedics. "They have ascertained that you have several cracked ribs, which isn't too bad a problem and can be sorted easily. However, it also seems that several of the Thoracic and one of your Lumbar vertebrae are broken from the sheer force of your collision. You will be taken for an immediate MRI scan, and then we shall know what will happen to you."

Soon, Mona was taken into the MRI scanning room, whereupon she was helped into the scanner. Once she had been scanned, Mona was transported carefully to the A&E ward, where she was left in the bed, waiting for a verdict. In no time, the smiling doctor came in, no longer smiling.

"I'm sorry to report, Miss Vasquez, that the vertebrae I mentioned earlier, are, indeed fractured. You will have to undergo surgery to have them removed and replaced. Unfortunately, the bad news is that you will be paralysed from the waist down, and there is little that we can do to stop it. I am very sorry."

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie had apparently passed out again. She was lying in a puddle when the paramedics came to get her. They had taken her in a stretcher into an ambulance and hurried her off to the hospital. That was all she knew, for she had just woken up, and was going by what the other kids had seen. She had no idea what had happened since last night. She couldn't remember anything, and didn't know how many times she had slipped in and out of consciousness.

A doctor came into the room, and stopped by Mattie's bed. "Mattie Blackburn?" she asked, and Mattie nodded. "Ah. Glad your awake. Finally. It's past noon. You've been unconscious for a long, long time." Mattie's eyes widened. She had never passed out before, so passing out for that long was scary.

"You have a concussion. We're sure of that. But we couldn't figure out much more until you were awake. We're pretty sure you broke your ankle, and hurt your knee in someway on the same leg. A rib may be broken too, but we don't think so." the doctor explained. "Most of the trauma is occuring in your head though. Brain damage is possible." she said, then walked away abruptly, calling over her shoulder, "A doctor will be with you shortly!"

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona had been taken in to the operating theatre for her operation, and was now being wheeled out in a wheelchair back to her bed in the ward, where she was to stay for some time with her newly reconstructed back and tightly bound ribs. She watched with amazement how difficult it was to get her onto a bed without damaging her back. Mona's head was very groggy, having only just come out of the operating theatre and recovering from the anaesthesia.

Blurrily she looked around from her sitting position in the bed. There were lots of kids in the ward, many of them, she realised, had been kids in the dorms that had been struck by lightning. Most of them looked better off for what they had gone through, however, several looked as though they had been in a war, with cut lips, gashes all over their faces and some with broken bones. With difficulty, Mona recognised the girl in the bed one over from hers to be Mattie.

"Hey Mattie," she wheezed softly. It was still difficult to talk and the little that she had said sounded not only breathy but also drunk, due to the anaesthesia only just wearing off.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan had been taken to the Emergency Room and woke up on a hospital bed for a few minutes only to be told that he needed surgery for his right leg because there were too many pieces of glass embedded there and that he had a nasty bruise on his stomach. The doctor also said that he needed a blood transfusion because the leg wound was severe and could potentially lose the use of his leg if his muscles don't revive. He felt faint and weak, but he hadn't expected it to be that serious.

After he received his operation, Tristan was wheeled into a recovering ward after his stomach had been bandaged, and his leg stitched and wrapped up with antiseptic. He groggily wondered how Kenny, Mona, and the other girl they had met, Mattie, were doing. 15 minutes later, the anaesthesia wore off and Tristan felt his leg prickling with pain, but at least was not bleeding anymore. A nurse came by to give him a pair of crutches and told him to let his leg heal properly by not moving it too much. She took him to see the grave-faced Headmaster who was signing off the paperwork for everyone. The Headmaster smiled at him and said, "Get better soon, Tristan." Then Tristan was allowed to return to the ward to stay with the others.

[PrettyInPointe]

"Hey." Mattie said, smiling at Mona. "Wheelchair? Are you.... permanently paralyzed?" she asked, worried. It would be terrible if a freak storm made Mona in a wheelchair forever. And if the school closed... it would be that much harder to live on the street, or where ever Mona would go. By the look on Mona's face, Mattie could tell it was permanent. "Gosh, I'm sorry." Mattie whispered. "Uh, I would hug you, if I could move out of this bed." she said sheepishly, with a little laugh.

"I'm pretty sure you got the worst of it though. I'm not too bad. Scratches, possibly messed up knee, broken ankle, something with my head." she said with a laugh. "Not too bad." but then she realized she probably wasn't making her feel better. "I really am sorry."

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona remained silent through Mattie's barrage of questions. She was still trying to get used to the fact that she would never walk again, never feel the sand between her toes on one of the rare visits to the beach, never play sports again, never climb trees or do anything that she used to treasure so much. She knew that she would need assistance to do mundane things that she had always taken for granted, like washing herself or getting dressed in the mornings. She knew that eventually she would be able to do things for herself, but until then it would be difficult.

Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over the lids of her eyes, slowly trickling down her cheeks. "I appreciate it," Mona croaked, her voice thick with tears. "B-but, let's look on the bright side. When my arms get stronger, I'll be able to zoom around the corridors with you guys in my lap. It'll be f-fun," Mona said, sniffing lots. It was rare that she ever broke down like this, but it was just so much for her. Too much for her to bare.

A doctor came in to address Mona. "Miss Vasquez, your principal needs to see you," he said, helping her out of bed and into her wheelchair. "Do you want me to push you?" he asked her, taking the handles to her wheelchair.

"No thank you," she said through her tears. "I need to learn how to cope with this on my own." she said, putting on a brave face and drying her tears. With difficulty, Mona began to wheel herself over to the school's principal, who was doing all the paperwork for each student.

He went through all the legal stuff like full name, date of birth and all that, then proceeded to check off everything. "The school is purchasing a wheelchair for you Mona, as it states in your parents' will that your inheritance can be dipped into should medical needs demand it. It'll be arriving tomorrow, then you'll be able to come back to school. You're lucky that your dorm and classrooms are all on the ground floor, or you would have one hell of a time trying to get round." Evidently, he couldn't see that everything that he was saying was hurting Mona. "You may go now."

Sadly, Mona wheeled the chair round and went towards her bed. A doctor helped her back into the bed, patting her shoulders reassuringly. "I know this is all a big thing for you right now, Mona, but you'll adjust eventually."

[PrettyInPointe]

I should really try to be more... considerate. Well, I am trying to be considerate. I should get better at being considerate... Mattie thought. Mona came back, and then a doctor was with Mattie. A different doctor than before. Maybe the first one was a nurse or something. "Mattie Blackburn. I'm going to be doing some tests with you. We would've done them earlier, if you were awake. Now, here." her helped her into a wheelchair, and they went to a room with an X-ray machine.

"Why do I have to be wheeled?" Mattie asked. She thought the nurse said she only hurt one leg. "We don't know the extent of you injuries. You could have something wrong on the other leg we don't know about. Just a precaution." He wheeled her into the room, and laid her on the X-ray machine. After taking a few X-rays, some tests, some "Does this hurt?" and some "Heck yea!'s," she was wheeled back to her bed. "We'll draw some conclusions and get back to you." the doctor said, then walked away.

[DayDream]

"Sorry, Miss Sterling," The doctor said apologetically, "We don't think there's anything we can do for your eyes."

Gaia stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her uncle had hired her a private room in the hospital so she wouldn't have to sit amongst the scruff, as he put it. Or it could have been his way of making it seem that he cared about Gaia as he 'couldn't get away' from his work. So she was by herself, once again, because of him.
"It's alright." Gaia replied to the doctor. She couldn't take her eyes from her mirror image. Her eyes, more specifically. She could see perfectly fine but they had become ... faded. What was once a mix of black and green-forest was now a shadow.

"We're sure contact lenses would work. I'm sure your Uncle would be pleased to buy some." The doctor said.

"I'm positive he'd be delighted to hide away a damaged burden,"

"Your Uncle is a good man." The doctor smiled encouragingly. Gaia knew that she hadn't heard the double meaning about her uncle.

"A good man," Gaia murmured, "Could you do me a favor, Doctor?"

"Do you want me to ask for your Uncle again? See if he's managed to get off work yet?"

"No," Gaia shook her head and looked away from the mirror to face the kindly, yet gullible doctor, "I don't want him to find out about my eyes. I want you to get me some sunglasses. I don't want to worry him. Tell him I'm fine. It wouldn't be a lie."

"Gaia-"

"Just do it! I'm old enough to know what's best for him. He shan't be burdened by me more than he already is."

"He doesn't think of you as a burden!"

"Do it." Gaia said commandingly and closed the bathroom door in the doctors face. She leaned against the door and sunk to the ground, tears forming, and wrapped her arms around her legs.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona had nothing to do to keep her mind occupied. She had no books with her, for they had all been destroyed in the dormitory, and she had no iPod or music players or anything like that, as they had also been destroyed in the dormitory. So, Mona was excessively bored. The doctors wouldn't let her go outside for a stroll... well, a roll now, or do anything to get out of bed. They said that she wasn't yet in a fit enough condition after her surgery to do much.

Mona closed her eyes and lay back in her bed. She absolutely adored sports, and it was going to be absolutely hell for her if she couldn't do any. She had been a first-rate basketball and tennis player on the school teams, but now she couldn't do any such thing. She knew about the paralympics and how people in wheelchairs and with no arms and the like all managed to compete in their sports, but Mona was too down-hearted at the moment to even consider that once she could manage to do things independently, she might try wheelchair tennis and the like.

Beside her bed were a couple of sheets of paper and a pen that had been left there for her in the case that she might want to draw or anything, but she just couldn't do anything. She wouldn't talk to anyone and people who tried to get her attention were merely met with a sad look.

[DayDream]

Gaia had her sunglasses. She would show her Uncle the new burden, but hide it form the rest of the world until she was ready. She didn't want the stares, the finger pointing, the questions. She wanted to be as normal as she could be until things died over.

But what shocked her more than the peculiar sight of her eyes was that she wanted to go back to the Orphanage. She may not have had any friends and almost died within a few hours of being there, but she felt the place calling her, like it had something for her, destiny, a mission - who knew? It was that that made Gaia think she was crazy.

A nurse popped her head around the door and said, "The car's ready to take you back to your Uncle's," before leaving again. Going to her Uncles. That was what had been arranged until 'further notice'. No doubt as soon as Gaia's Uncle came home from work she would be sent back to the Orphanage. Most relatives would want to keep the child safe at home until all was two thumbs up and a smug grin. But not Gaia's Uncle. Still, she wasn't going to complain about not staying with him long.

Gaia closed her eyes and thought of the Orphanage. Her dorm would be in tatters so her thoughts went to the Assembly Hall ... Far, far away ...

Er ... Why is my bed suddenly un-comfy? Gaia had thought. The sudden disappearance of her pillows and soft hospital sheets was weird, but Gaia still left her eyes unclosed, unsure if she really wanted to open them and admit, full out, she was crazy. So placing a tender hand on the space beside her, she felt cold and hard ground.

Eyes pinging immediately open, Gaia saw the roof of the Assembly Hall of the Orphanage.

"I'm mental!" Gaia cried out. But something else distracted her ... she saw movement out of the space between the plastic of the sunglasses and the side of her face. A black mist? shadow? had glided eerily up wall and disappeared into the joining of the roof and the wall.

Gaia sat, mouth open ajar, one hand on the cold ground, staring blankly at where the shadow had disappeared.

"This is going to be a long therapy session."

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona knew she wouldn't be out of the hospital for at least another five days in the rehabilitation period after spinal surgery. In that time, she knew she would be very bored, but she knew that her mind would be very occupied with thoughts. But, she needed to talk to someone, or she would just go mad. Then she remembered that Mattie was in the bed one over from her.

"Hey, Mattie," Mona croaked out, trying to get her attention. "I'm bored. Want to talk? As long as we don't mention... yeah, I'll be good," she said, smiling weakly. Mona was already missing playing with her toes when she was bored, or the sensation of pins and needles, which she had always loved. It was odd, but she knew she would get used to it, but for now it was very strange.

[PrettyInPointe]

"I'm good with talking about anything. I'm pretty annoyed right now. The doctor's haven't even told me what's wrong with me yet! I'm getting a bit worried, because if it's taking them this long to figure it out... could it be bad." she realized she was sounding whiny.

"You know what, I'll take that when it comes. In the meantime, I find this whole thing a bit of a set back. How much more money will we need to raise now, if we have to rebuild the two dorms and get enough money to save the school? I couldn't even think of a way to raise the first amount. And our clothes must be ruined right? Can the school pay to get us new ones?" at this point Mattie was really just thinking aloud. "Gosh, I'm a depressing person..." she said with a laugh, as a doctor came to the foot of her bed.

"Mattie? We have the test results back. We've drawn some conclusions. We know, for positive, that your ankle is fractured. Just fractured. Your lucky it isn't broken. Also your knee is bruised, but no fracture or anything. Lucky again. You'll be on crutches for a little while though." The doctor took a breath, and Mattie braced herself.

"Here's where the real problem occurs. Your 'head trauma.' Well, you've fractured you skull, and may have bruised your brain. You will have to stay in the hospital for a few days, so we can monitor the fracture healing. But the bruise is our biggest problem. It is entirely possible, probable even, that you will have some memory problems occurring for... a long, long time. Minimum." the doctor said, a look of sympathy on her face.

"When you say memory problems....?" Mattie questioned.

"Spurts of amnesia. You may forget everything for possibly more than an hour. You may only forget a few events for a few minutes. You could forget any amount of information for any amount of time. I'm sorry. Now I must go tend to some other students." the doctor said, patted her good leg, and hurried away.

"Another minor set back."

[Thirrin Vertigo]

"Gosh, that sucks for you," Mona croaked quietly after the doctor had left. She knew what it was like to get life-affecting news. She had full sympathy for Mattie, especially as it meant that what would happen to her could be a hindrance at the worst times. Mona wasn't allowed to move her back too much, for fear of aggravating the new implanted vertebrae in her Thorax and Lumbar. So, she had to make do with turning her head to look around.

"I know that when she said it earlier, Gaia was only being sarcastic, but her idea was good. We could have a fundraising fayre. We could put on a school production to raise money also. We could even host sports tournaments..." that was when Mona stopped. She was getting excited over something that she wouldn't be able to take part in as a normal competitor. It was depressing for her, especially as she had so loved sports.

Mona became quiet then. She had just reminded herself of something that she had been doing so well at avoiding. Angry at herself, but mostly upset, she glared out at the strip of fluorescent lighting above the central path of the ward. All of a sudden, the strip exploded, causing momentary panic until the janitors came to clear up and replace the light. Mona had thought it merely coincidence until she looked at a monitor for a computer somewhere on the other side of the room. She stared at it hard and with a loud bang, the computer also exploded. Coincidence? She thought not. That was when an odd movement caught Mona's eye. She turned her head to see her shadow slowly climbing the wall, moving independently and then disappearing.

"Weird..."

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie sighed, trying to think of a fundraising idea that wouldn't involve much material, and would get a lot of money in. A sports tournament was a good idea. She couldn't really think of anything else though, as she also had to focus on not focusing on her amnesia spurts.

All of a sudden, when Mona got angry at herself, a light exploded. Then a computer monitor. "Mona, you're scaring me..." Mattie said, jokingly, but it was still a pretty crazy situation. "Did... did you do that? It certainly looked like you did that. You're like... like a powerbooster!" Mattie exclaimed. "Good fortune at last..."

[DayDream]

Gaia stood up on shaky legs. Just as she had got to her feet she heard footsteps. Her mind was too slow to think of anything other than, "OhmyGod!" So, standing idiotically, she could only gape and wait for awkward questions and, most likely, some form of punishment. Bracing herself, Mr. Templar walked around the stadium where the children sat with the Headmaster, both of whom were whispering. Mr. Templar seemed agitated and worried whereas Mr. DeLiv looked more annoyed, possibly due to the money lost from the storm. Neither of the two teachers even seemed to notice Gaia was there. Tip-toeing backwards and out the other exit as quiet as she could, Gaia never took her eyes from the suspicious pair.

Once out of the room, Gaia sprinted. She didn't know where she was running, or why exactly, but she needed to speak to someone. But who? She didn't have any friends. A downside to being sarcastic and unfriendly.
The the bell went for the end of lunch. Cursing, Gaia slowed down to normal human pace as students spilled out the cafeteria. Gaia tried looking for a familiar face, anyone even if she knew they didn't like her much, she needed to talk! So standing still in the corridor, she watched and waited.
If things weren't weird enough, they got a lot weirder. Two girls, of about thirteen, walked into Gaia and right through her. They hadn't even noticed. As Gaia looked around, completely uneased, she realized that nobody had noticed!

"What?!" Gaia screamed and after no one turned to look at her she ran up to a group of people talking by some lockers. She shoved her hands in their faces, kicked out at them, shouted things that could get her punched, but they totally ignored her.

"What is going on?!"

[Kalik2486]

It had been very boring, sitting around with the other patients, seeing that Tristan couldn’t do anything about their complaints other than providing comfort, so he wandered around the hospital to find a café where he could get a cup of water. The doctor suggested that he stay in bed to give time for his legs to heal faster but he wanted to go see how his friends are getting on. Kenny probably was still at the orphanage since he only had a few minor injuries that could be dealt with by the school nurse. But Mona’s condition was what he was worrying about. He had caught a glimpse of her in a wheelchair as she was wheeled back to her bed but she didn’t see him. Before this incident, Tristan would’ve never been able to imagine Mona having to depend on a wheelchair seeing that she was an amazing athlete. Now, he could do nothing except to give his deepest condolences to her lost ability.

Sighing with sadness, Tristan gulped down his cup of water and hobbled back to the front entrance to find Mr. DeLiv so he can get back to the orphanage and find Kenny. Maybe they could plan something to welcome the students once their back from the hospital and on their way to recovery. Having a happy thought to dwell on, Tristan didn’t even notice a freaked out lady running straight at him. Not being able to move aside fast enough on crutches, Tristan expected the lady to collide into him. But something weird happened; she stared at his crutches and starting to scream “Lunatics! Ghosts!” down the hall. Feeling offended, Tristan glanced down at himself and nearly fainted with shock. His body was semi-transparent even though he was still holding his crutches. What’s going on? Just as surprising, he turned around and found himself staring face to face with a ghostly figure of himself with crutches. His other self grinned and waved then slowly faded away to nothing. And at his feet, a dark shadow slithered down the hall and out a window. What’s happening to me?! Somewhere in Tristan’s mind, he felt amused like the one who just vanished, and saw a mirror image of himself looking shocked. Is his mind connected to a ghost's?

Shaken and pale-faced, Tristan hurriedly half-hopped, half-walked down to the front entrance and found that Mr. DeLiv had returned to the school. Great, now I’d have to walk, myself. He closed his eyes, hoping to clear his mind for some peace. When he opened them, he nearly stumbled back with shock. Before him was a hallway in the orphanage and two girls were at their lockers and didn’t even notice anything. He looked around him. No nurses or doctors or any hospital walls were to be seen. I’ll just say I hitched a ride from a nice taxi driver. Then he hobbled away to find Kenny, shaking his head in confusion.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny sat outside on a park bench. He was sitting there and was reflecting on the past events.

How were the others doing? He had know idea what conditions his friends were in. He tried asking the nurses and teachers around the school and orphanage but none were able to provide him with an answer. All Kenny could really do was hope for the best.

During his days alone at the school, Kenny spent most of his time outside. Ever since the storm, Kenny found that he was given a gift. The eyes he never really had were given back to him. Kenny was able to 'see'. Though it wasn't exactly like seeing. With his feet, Kenny was able to sense the earth around him. He could feel animals crawling on the earth digging for food, feel cars from a couple blocks away driving over every pot hole, he could feel everything, anyone. In a way, his new talent was better than seeing. Kenny spent hours walking around outside and found that he was able to walk around every obstacle that got in his way without the help of his walking stick. It was amazing, in a way it was miracle.

Though for fear of being ridiculed or sent to a mental hospital, Kenny kept his walking stick with him to keep away curious eyes. He felt like this was a gift he shouldn't share to world just yet.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona smiled slightly at Mattie, concealing her shock at what she had just managed to do. Sure, it was fun but in a hospital, it was probably the worst place to do it, especially if she was on a ward where there were lots of kids who had severe or critical injuries that needed a lot of tending to.

"Yeah... so I'm a... y'know. But why? And, how is it good fortune? I don't know anything to do with it except provide a bit of entertainment in assembly. Oh, that and I can charge my iPod on the go... quite literally." Mona said, her voice taking on a slightly sarcastic tone at the end. "I'm sorry, Mattie. I didn't mean to snap. I'm just... not in a good mood at the moment," she said, wriggling under her covers, warming herself up. She was incredibly tired and she decided that it was probably best for her to sleep now.

[PrettyInPointe]

"It's fine. I wouldn't be either. Go to sleep, you need rest." Mattie said, as Mona wriggled into her covers. Mattie probably should go to sleep, but her mind was too busy. It was divided into two parts; one thinking about the schhol, and one about her... issue. The school part had a few questions. Where was the money going exactly? What change had occurred in the budget to make the school run out?

But the other part of her mind was far more busy. When would her first amnesia attack occur? How much would she forget? Would she freak out during class? Wouldn't that be embarrassing... But it would be so difficult to hang out with her friends, if these attacks were frequent. Would they have a trigger? She was so full of questions, she had no chance of going to sleep. She sighed and glanced around, seeing how many other kids were still there. There weren't many.

[DayDream]

Freaking out, Gaia ran. She didn't care that she had no where to go, that she was walking though people, that she had been hit by a taxi and not been knocked off her feet. But she did care that people couldn't see her, feel her, hear her. Heck, she couldn't feel or hear them! Tears spilling from the corner of her eyes, she started running in the direction of the hospital. She could feel the school calling back to her ... someone there needed her. They wanted the other too ... but who were the others?

Stopping half-way to the hospital with two stitches, Gaia leaned against a wall in a back alley clutching her sides. Why oh why oh why oh why?
"Come..."
Gaia looked up, she had heard something, when previously all she could hear was herself.
"Come with us..."
She potted it. The black mist was blocking her way at the other side of the alley, towards the hospital.
"We can help..."
The voice was chilling. An eerie shadow of her own voice.
"I am the shadow ... come back with us ... our master can help ... only he..."
If it weren't for the chill creeping up Gaia's back and the twist of her stomach, she might have gone. Although a shadow of her own voice, it was familiar and haunting beautiful. Even the mist itself became more human like, until it became her, Gaia.
"Oh flip..." Gaia said, clenching her flipping stomach.
The shadow had turned in a ghost of herself. She was prettier ... darker.
"Your not me!" Gaia shouted and ran back out of the alleyway. She saw more of the shadows, back into mist form, gliding across the sides of buildings, passing on cars and busses, oblivious to everything except Gaia.
The called, again and again, in the haunting voice that was so familiar to her own that she was almost giving in, "Come home ... we can help ... come..."
Clenching her eyes shut tight and wishing she was back at the hospital, Gaia shouted at the top of her lungs, "NO!"

"No what, Dear? Are you alright?"
Gaia opened her eyes. She wasn't running, she wasn't oblivious to everyone around her, she was in the hospital, back on her bed, with a concerned nurse looking anxiously at her.
"You can see me?" Gaia asked and put her hands nervously to her face as her stomach flipped violently making her want to puke.
"Of course I can. Are you sure your ready to go back to your Uncles?" The nurse asked and put a hand up to Gaia's forehead.
"I think I should stay here for a while..." Gaia said, "I don't think I'm ready."
The nurse looked quite concerned and nodded, "I'll go let your Uncle know." She turned and started walking to the door.
"Wait!" Gaia called before she left, "Can I be moved in the room with the rest of my school mates?" Gaia knew she was using the word 'mate' widely, she didn't even have an ally at school, but she needed a plausible excuse for being in a non-private ward.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona was in a half-conscious stasis as she tried to fall asleep. It was difficult, as in the back of her mind, there was something stopping her from sleeping, but stopping her from awakening also. Her mind started to clear when she stopped fighting for sleep and relaxed. In her mind's eye she could see a black, human-shaped mist, about the same height and size as Mona had been before the incident.

The mist spoke, the shadow's voice echoing eerily around Mona's empty head. "We can give you back your legs," the voice said to her. "If you use your talents to help my master, you'll be rewarded with the use of your legs again. We promise," the voice said. The eeriest thing about the voice was that it was Mona's own voice, but it sounded, different. It wasn't musical like hers. It was an imperfect copy, like a reflection in a piece of scrumpled tin-foil. The shadow then began to morph into Mona, looking just as she had done when she able to walk. However, it was different. The shadow was darker than Mona, but far more stunning. It was scary, and it was mocking Mona. "Join us..."

Mona awoke with a start, a cold sweat covering her. "NO!" she screamed as she burst through the barrier into consciousness.

[DayDream]

Gaia burst into the room as a the girl, Mona, screamed "NO!" Could she, too, have been experiencing the strangeness that had been trying to engulf Gaia? She recognized the girl next to Mona, Mattie, both of whom were bed bound. Gaia had been told of their misfortunes, paralytic and an amnesiac.

"Well if it isn't the dynamic duo," Gaia smiled at them. She knew she had smiled wrong. The only smiling she could do well were sarcastic and smirky, "Heard about your problems. Wanted to wish my best." Gaia really could have punched herself. What was supposed to sound sincere and nice came out sarcastic and gloaty.

She sat down on a seat that was at the end of both their beds and, still smiling sarcastically, she said to Mattie, "You do remember who I am, don't you? Haven't forgot yet?" Before turning to Mona and saying, "How are things, Legs?"

Oh, crud.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

A nerve twitched under Mona's eyes. Her hair was already wild and messy and the added twitch and wild eyes made her look positively mad. It was bad enough that she was now paraplegic, but the fact was that if she hadn't been instructed to remain in bed to allow the replaced vertebrae to settle, stopped her from getting into the wheelchair by her bed and running over Gaia's toes. She had really gone too far with those insults.

"What did you say?" Mona said, her voice sounding dangerous. "Did you just make a wise-crack about Mattie's new-found amnesia and my paraplegia? I swear you did. But, I know you didn't, because if you did, you would be so dead right now. But then again, I can't do anything about it, but I'm sure something could be arranged." A low electrical humming was throbbing in the room, making itself clearly known over the chatter. That was when several fluoro strips and a tv exploded simultaneously, showering Mona in sparks. She looked positively murderous.

[DayDream]

Gaia, you idiot, you need these people! Stop now in the name of all that is weird!

Gaia was about to get up and leave. She wouldn't be welcome anymore and was unable to apologize with sincerity. Leaving was the best solution if she didn't want to make a situation worse. But glancing at the door way, Gaia's breath stopped in her throat, heart rate slowed down, thoughts brewing ... nasty ones ...

The Shadow was there. "Come home." It called in the all-too-familiar echo of herself.

Gaia wanted to cry and scream and run away, but found that she was unable to move. Turing her head back to Mona, she smirked, "What are you gonna do, Leg-less?"

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie sighed. She almost felt sorry for the girl. It was like she didn't understand how to be nice, how to have friends. Maybe she just needed practice being pleasant not snarky. But still, Mattie didn't like being made fun of. Though Mona seemed to be taking care of the girl pretty well with her crazy electrical skill-power-thing. She looked scary, murderous even. I guess I would be too, if I had something done to me as serious as what Mona has done to her... Mattie thought. She sighed again, then closed her eyes, blocking the Gaia girl out.

[Kalik2486]

At last, Tristan found Kenny sitting on the park bench in the gardens. He was slightly out of breath from walking on one leg. Kenny looked like he was concentrating on something important and fascinating. Tristan sat down beside Kenny as he greeted him, trying to sound normal, "Hey Kenny, I'm back! How have you been doing? Wait, don't answer yet. Let me get a rest first."

Tristan closed his eyes to hide the wild look in his eyes. What's going on? First, financial problems, then the storm, and now something so crazy, so weird. If he tells anyone about these unusual incidents, his next stop when the orphange closes down will be the asylum. I've never experienced something like this before that night. What really happened during the storm? All I remember before losing consciousness was being hit by lightning. Is this something like Spiderman or Wolverine, turning into mutants or something? If so, what about the others? Tristan let a deep breath. He needed to think, but now was not the time.

He opened his eyes and smiled to reassure himself. Then something strange happened. A dark shadow like the one he saw at the hospital soundlessly emerged from the ground. At first, it was hazy then it became a distinct figure of himself, only much more taller and darker with a knowing look on its face. It spoke with a sinister tone but he recognized his voice beneath it, "...Tristan...Come with me...you can do great things...come... he is waiting for you..." Tristan had had enough even though he wanted answers. Before all of this, he had been a cool-headed optimistic boy. So now, he was trying harder than ever to regain self-control. “No, go away!” he screamed at the ghostly figure. It slithered away and disappeared. Kenny didn’t seem to have noticed anything until he had screamed.

Tristan quickly covered for his outburst, “No no, sorry, not you Kenny… A bug was pestering me, that’s all… So, back to the question, how are you doing?”

[PotatoesRule]

Tristan's sudden out burst had startled Kenny. Though even though he tried, Kenny could see right through Tristan's cover. "A bug." Kenny said bluntly, not believing Tristan one bit. As if his friend would scream like that at a bug. Kenny was rather supicious at Tristan, perhaps he had seen something, Kenny really had no idea. Kenny reluctantly let this one slide and decided to move on with the conversation.

"I'm fine." Kenny said slowly. "Except.." Kenny was deciding whether or not he should tell his friend about his gift. "Well something strange happened.." Kenny admitted. "I don't know about the others but.. wait." Kenny suddenly remembered something. "How are the others? How's Mona? Mattie? And how could I forget, how are you?" Kenny was bombarding his friend with questions.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan groaned inwardly at his stupid mistake when Kenny looked suspicious about his excuse. No way would any boy be screaming like that about a bug. But he could not possibly tell anyone of that sudden apparition. And it looked exactly like his physical appearance.

Kenny suddenly asked of the others' condition. Sympathy and sadness replaced Tristan's confusion. "They...well, it's not very good. Remember how Mona could feel her legs?" Tristan paused to take a breath, "Unfortunately, it seems like Mona injured her lower spine during that crash... so she had a surgery of course... she'll be needing a wheelchair to get around from now on. As for Mattie, the doctors were still doing body tests and scans for her, so I don't know. But I hope she's in better condition. I didn't see Gaia, so maybe she was taken elsewhere. And I'm alive and my leg's going to be alright in a few weeks or so because there was a slight bone fracture." Then he remembered about Kenny saying something strange happened. Did he experience those unnatural situations as well? It's possible.

So Tristan asked, "Do you feel different, like I do? I think my memory's going and I'm not even old yet." THen he thought of something, "You wanna go visit Mona and Mattie? Do you think they'd want to see us right now? I'm going to grab a bite along the way, want to come?

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona's temper was starting to get the better of her. That snobby Gaia had just referred to her as Leg-less. In any other situation, Mona might have been ok with it, but right now, the sorrow she was feeling over the new-found paraplegia was just too much for her, and that sorrow was turning into hate, fuelled by a fiery temper.

The Shadow from her dream appeared behind Gaia and sibilantly spoke to Mona. It seemed that she was the only person who could hear the Shadow. "Do it Mona, you know you want to. Give in to all your anger. Make that girl feel the way you do. Teach her a lesson in pain..." the Shadow gave her one last steely-eyed look and disappeared. Mona was sorely tempted to electrocute the girl, but she knew that it would be wrong, but then again, she would have an immense satisfaction from it.

Mona had no idea how well she could control the electricity, but she knew that she could do something. Giving in to her darker side, Mona came out from under her duvet and lifted herself into the wheelchair, manually manoeuvring her useless legs. She wheeled herself slowly to where Gaia was sat. It was painfully slow how she was going, but she looked absolutely frightful. Mona had already lost everything she had and cherished, and so she had nothing to lose. It was dangerous to taunt someone who was in that mental status.

"You want to know what I'm going to do about it, Gaia?" she said, her voice laden with loathing as she brought the wheelchair to a stop just in front of Gaia, so that their eyes were level. She took her right hand off her wheel and held it up so that Gaia could see the sparks of electricity dancing on her palm. "You see, I have recently discovered this... what should I call it? A talent, if you will." Mona extended her hand quite ominously. "I've lost everything I cherish and you just expect me to do nothing? Foolish, foolish girl..." Mona lowered her hand slowly to make contact with Gaia's bare arm.

((Cue intervention! :p))

[DayDream]

Gaia, your an idiot. I will officially hate you if I die, Gaia thought as Mona's hand, whipping with electricity, slowly moved towards her bare arm. Bugger, bugger, bugger! DO SOMETHING!
"Gaia..."
Gaia looked up and saw the shadow of herself peering at her from a very close distance from her face, "Come with me ... you won't hurt ... speak with him ... you'll die ..."
Gaia was many things, but she knew right from wrong (sometimes she just didn't want to pick right), and she knew this shadow was wrong. But ... should she believe it?
"Yes ... you'll die..." It whispered faintly as it whisked itself behind her as to speak softly in her ear, "Come..."
"OK," Gaia said and closed her eyes. She could feel herself leaving her body, no ... being pushed out - by the shadow? She was floating in darkness ... through a tunnel ... but where to? Who was the Shadow Master?

Gaia looked down and saw, to her surprise, herself, sitting on the hospital chair and looking, well, dead. Was she dead? Was this Gaia going to Hell now? She really hoped not...

[PotatoesRule]

When Tristan told Kenny about Mona's condition, Kenny's face went very solemn. Kenny couldn't imagine how Mona felt. Having the ability to walk was something a person usually took for granted. Now Mona who had lived most of her life walking on two feet, had to learn how to adapt and cope without them.

"I don't know if they would like to see us right now but I definitely want to visit them." Kenny said, after a brief moment of silence. Kenny stood up from the bench and waited as Tristan got a hold of his crutches. "Do you think your stomach could wait a bit? I really want to see how the others are doing."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan smiled; he could tell Kenny cared a lot about Mona, so he said, "Of course, I can grab an energy drink in the hospital cafe after the visit. How about getting them some flowers and a get well card or something? It seems rather awkward to go there without something to show to show that we care."

He got up on his crutches and went over to pick some wild daffodils. They looked fresh and smelled nice, so they're probably going last for quite some time. He went back to Kenny and said, "Alright, let's go."

Before he took another step, Tristan suddenly felt light-headed like his previous experiences whenever he had a destination in mind. He grabbed Kenny by the arm just in time and the gardens whirled away, as if they were sucked into a portal, and they were back on ground in less than two seconds. Tristan looked around with wide eyes, they were standing outside Mona's ward, and two nurses were chatting down the hall turning around a corner. Now, he'd done it; Kenny would probably die of shock if he could actually see what had happened. He could deny his abilities no longer. Having no choice but to accept that he had not been dreaming for the last 24 hours, Tristan turned to his friend and to his surprise, said in a quiet, calm voice, "Kenny, did you feel what happened? Please tell me that I'm not crazy."

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny couldn't see what happened to them but he sure did felt it. The experience was very strange. One second, Kenny's feet was on solid ground, the next, Kenny felt like he was whirling around in a time warp.

Kenny only began to notice that they weren't at the school anymore when he heard shoes squeaking down the hall and some coughs and sneezes. He was sure that dirt and grass couldn't squeak and only polished floors did. The coughs and sneezes also told him that he was at the hospital. Kenny suspected that Tristan had something to do this.

His suspicions were confirmed when Tristan whispered, "Kenny, did you feel what happened? Please tell me that I'm not crazy."

"You're not crazy." Kenny said. "It seems you were also given a gift-" Kenny's sentence was cut off when suddenly from the ward beside them, they heard the sound of crackling electricity.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan felt strangely happy when he was told that he wasn't crazy. Something Kenny said also made him wondered. He had said "also" and "gift". Did Kenny have a talent as well? He was about to ask Kenny when a sound caught their attention -- the crackling of electricity coming from Mona's ward. He frowned and glanced at Kenny. This wasn't something he wanted to hear, considering that they've been through a storm and ended up with some sort of gifts. But was Mona and Mattie in trouble?

Tristan whispered, "I'm going in, Kenny. This is Mona and Mattie's ward." Then taking care not to crush the daffodils, he opened the door and walked in. An usual sight met their eyes. Mattie was in her bed, apparently asleep. Gaia was in the room. What was shocking was that Mona was sitting in her wheelchair across Gaia with her hand wielding some sort of energy in her palm, looking menacingly at the girl. And when Tristan looked back at Gaia again, her eyes looked sort of lifeless, and she seemed to be frozen in her position. Was this Mona's new power?

Laying a hand on Kenny to warn him, Tristan carefully said, "Hey, Mona. We've come to pay you and Mattie a visit...Erm, is this a good time right now?" and he smiled, though a little uncertainly.

[DayDream]

Gaia landed in gently in a darkly lit office, decorated in wooden panels and animal heads, with a roaring fire behind a large chair and dark wooden desk. Someone was sitting in the big chair, writing, but Gaia couldn't make out who they were. The question that really bugged Gaia was, could he see her?

"Sit," The man said in a low and deep voice. Gaia recognized his voice, but couldn't place it. It would most likely nag her until she realized who it was. So, Gaia sat down on one of the two comfy chairs in front of the mans desk.

"Who are you?" Gaia asked.

The man looked up and Gaia instantly knew who he was right then, "The Shadow Master." He said, as surprise ripped through the dainty girl, "I'm going to tell you something, Gaia Sterling, and you'll do it. But the thing is, you'll never remember this."

Before Gaia had time to say what? she fell into darkness. She was nothing, knew nothing, felt nothing ... she was just darkness ... a Shadow. That was, until she opened her eyes.

Back at the hospital, Gaia looked around. Mona was on a wheelchair in front of her, Mattie lying on her bed with her eyes shut and Tristan and Kenny were standing by the doorway. Sneering, Gaia stood up, "I have better things to do than hang out with cripples," She was surprised at the harshness of her words, and didn't understand why she was making things worse, but shrugged it off and began walking to the door as Mr. Templar walked in looking like he had heard what Gaia had said and wasn't happy about it.

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie's eyes shot open when she heard the cackle of electricity. She couldn't get up, as they hadn't brought her crutches yet, so she was forced to stay in bed while Gaia fell into a hospital chair. Is she...? No, no she can't be. Did Mona.... could she have killed her? No, she didn't. Definitely not. the thought, worried. As Gaia woke up, Tristan came into the room, along with Kenny. Gaia got up and started towards the door, and Mattie looked at Tristan.

"Yes, this is a perfectly fine time. Five second ago would possibly have been a better time, but now is fine too. What's up?" She asked, as if nothing had just happened. Why dwell in the past? She already knew about Mona's power, so she really just wanted to hear about what was happening at school.

[DayDream]

Mr. Templar raised his right eyebrow at Gaia and asked, "Can I have a word outside please?" Although it was phrased as a question, Gaia really had no choice. Rolling her eyes like she didn't care she was getting in trouble, Gaia followed Mr. Templar out the room.

Once they had walked around the hospital for a few minutes, Mr. templar stopped and faced Gaia. He said one word, "Well?"
"Well what?"
"You know what! Your attitude is, quite frankly, disgusting. I never want to hear you use language like that again. If I see you picking on those less fortunate than you again, there'll be hell to pay. Do I make myself clear, young lady?"
"Crystal."
"Drop the attitude. We're all in the same boat."
Mr. Templar walked away in silence, followed by a large Shadow. He was Marked.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan glared at Gaia as she was led out by a stern looking Mr. Templar. How could anyone be so tactless and arrogant when two young innocent girls were obviously upset about their condition? No wonder Mona was furious. Gaia should really consider herself lucky that Mona didn’t kill her. But had Gaia even been awake?

He guided Kenny into the room while he replied slightly jokingly, hoping to lighten up the atmosphere, “Thanks, I would’ve whacked her out the door with these crutches if Mr. Templar didn’t intervene, so to save Mona from having to waste energy on such people. Anyways, it’s great to see you two alive. Kenny and I brought some flowers. Here, hope you like it,” he set the daffodils in a vase filled with water on their night table. He glanced at the papers; Mattie had skull fracture and amnesia at irregular times. Knowing that the girls wouldn’t want to talk about their afflictions, he swallowed then turned back to Mattie, and answered her other question, “Well, Kenny and I are fine. The Headmaster and the other teachers are trying to keep the other students on task as if nothing unusual happened, if that’s what you’re asking about. I don’t even know how they’re going to get the money to hire builders to reconstruct the dormitories.”

Tristan remembered Kenny’s words and Mona’s newfound gift. Should he ask them now? He cleared his throat, glancing at Kenny, he ventured, “Erm, I’m just wondering…if you guys have seen or done anything unusual lately?”

[PrettyInPointe]

"Thanks, their beautiful." Mattie said, smiling at the flowers. They looked good. She recognized them from the school grounds. She loved those daffodils.

Mattie saw Tristan gulp when her saw their papers. "Yeah, sucks right? I'll get over it though. Not as bad as it could be." She listened as he explained what was going on at school. "I know! It's going to be so much more difficult to raise enough money now. Two dorms need to be rebuilt! We're going to have to get thinking...." she said, trailing off.

Then she heard Tristan question. "Well, Mona definitely has. That's kinda obvious. But me... no." she said, thinking hard. She had been out a lot, but since she had awoken, nothing.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny had been listening intently to their conversation and was trying to piece things together. It would seem that Mattie was also afflicted with something though Kenny wasn't sure what since he was not able to read. Kenny felt it wasn't the time to be asking and decided he would find out later. He continued on listening to their conversation and to his surprise he found out that it was Mona who was responsible for the crackling electricity they heard earlier. That meant that he wasn't the only one with a new talent. Tristan could teleport, Mona could control electricity, and Kenny could feel the earth. Maybe that storm impacted them in more than one way.

"You have a gift alright." Kenny said to Mattie. "You just don't know what it is yet. I think we were all given a gift."

As he said this, Kenny guided himself around with his walking stick and paced over to where Mona was and placed a hand on her wheelchair. It finally dawned on him that Mona really was paralyzed. It wasn't a joke. "You'll get through this, Mona." Kenny said sincerely as he lower himself to her level. "Nothing can defeat you. Usted es fuerte (You are strong)." Kenny raised a fist over his heart and moved it fowards to lightly tap her on the nose. He smiled, knowing that his spanish was probably horrible.

[DayDream]

Gaia walked though the busy corridor, not herself, not like anyone else, and somehow no one really noticed her. Some didn't even know she was there at all. She had business she needed to do for him. But what did she need to do and for who?

She needed to get them. Those affected by the storm ... but which ones were they? And how did she know that others were like her? And why, really, did she need to 'get' them? And for who?
Gaia tried to think about why she needed to do it, but her mind went empty when she thought about it, unable to put two and two together. She couldn't even think about, thinking about it.
She couldn't see her Shadow anymore, but that didn't bother her ... she could hear it though ... that should have bothered her, but it was calming too.
"Help them, Gaia ... Make them see ... Shadow Master calls ..."
Gaia saw a flash of a dark, wooden paneled room with a burly man talking to her, but she couldn't see his face. Why?
Gaia whispered back, "What do you from us?"
"Come..."
Gaia walked back into the ward that Mona and Mattie were in. Neither Tristan or Kenny had left either ... things would be easier now ... but for what? And for who? The confusion barley managed to show on Gaia's face before she stopped thinking about it too much.
"Ask one to come outside ... Mark them ..."
So Gaia turned to one of the four in the room, took her sunglasses from her face and asked, "Can I talk to you? In private?"

[Kalik2486]

Tristan gratefully smiled when Kenny decided to speak to Mona. Tristan knew that he wasn’t very good at comforting others. He solemnly nodded in agreement with Kenny’s kind words, “That’s right, Mona, you’re a free spirit, beyond any physical limit. Remember, we believe in you,” he looked over to Mattie, “and you too, Mattie.” Just then, his stomach rumbled loudly. Everyone raised eyebrows at him. Turning pink, he mumbled, “Sorry, I need to get something to eat.” He turned to leave.

Just then Gaia burst in and asked one of them to go outside for a talk. He icily replied, “I don’t think so, the girls need their rest, and we’re cripples to you anyways. Please excuse me.” And he left the room.

Tristan crutched his way to the hospital café. It was not long before he felt an odd prickly feeling of being followed. To his anger, the shadow, his shadow was tailing him. No one else noticed. He was tired of these things suddenly happening all the time. He wanted an explanation, so he hissed, “What do you want, stalker?” The shadow whispered, “Master needs to see you… come… he has valuable information... I can take you there…” Tristan sensed the shadow hovering beside him and felt his mind drifting off. He didn’t want to believe it, so he quietly snarled, “Yes, tell him that his information will only be valuable when he shows his face instead of sending ghosts like you to track people down. He can come to find me if he likes, but I don’t go around obeying commands of a stranger.” The shadow glared at him and drawled, “Foolish boy… you know he can give you everything you want…if you help him…listen to the girl…think about it…” and left Tristan stunned. What really is the harm of seeing this so-called ‘Master’? And which girl? Gaia?

Tristan shook his head to clear away to those thoughts as he paid for a muffin and water. But it was too late, the shadow has already planted a seed in Tristan’s head that the Master might actually have answers to their problems.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona felt tears filling her eyes. She took Kenny's hand and grasped it tight. "Si," she said, her voice cracking. "Yo es fuerta..." she could feel a lump building in her throat. She had support from the people whom she cared most about. Nothing could change that. But even still, it was going to take some time for her to get used to her new power and the fact that she would never be able to do what she loved doing.

Sadly, she hung her head and wheeled herself slowly towards her bed where she got in with much hassle. "I'm sorry g-guys. I don't mean to be u-unsociable or anything. I-I just need to sleep." she said, her voice thick with tears. She drew her bed's blanket tight around her and hid her head from the others where she quietly sobbed herself to sleep.

[DayDream]

Gaia smiled mischieviously as Tristan left and Mona started leaking. A flash of Shadow in a darkly lit room quickly skimmed across Gaia's eyesight ... she had the feeling she had experience it before, but ... when?
Unable to think about it any longer Gaia put on a mocking baby voice, "Cry, Baby, cry ... Is Baby Mona never going to walk? She really must be a baby." Cackling dryly, Gaia's eyes flashed, illuminating their condition even more, making her look wickidly sinister, "Keep on crying and that'll solve all your problems, Baby Mona."
Gaia had barly finished speaking when someone threw a glass of water at her. Startled, Gaia could only stare as it got closer...

[PrettyInPointe]

Mr. Templar had walked into the room, glass of water in hand, just in time to hear Mona making fun of Mona. Again. Mattie watched, stunned, as their usual cool-and-collected teacher lost his temper and threw the water in the cup at Gaia, who also looked stunned. To tell the truth, everyone looked slightly taken aback, even Mr. Templar.

What happened next was pure instinct. As the water grew closer and closer to Gaia's face, Mattie abruptly sat up and stuck her hand out in front of her, at the water. It froze; less than an inch from Gaia's face. Mattie sat there, looking at it for a second. Everyone was still. Slowly, Mattie got out of her bed, limped over to where Gaia was standing, staring at the water, at stuck her finger through a suspended drop of water. It came back wet. The water wasn't even ice, it was just frozen in the air.

Mattie looked quizzically at the water, than drank a drop right out of the air. "Uh.... was that me?" she asked, confused. She couldn't tell. All she knew was that the water had stopped, right when she had willed it to. "No, it couldn't be me. I'm not... special." she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

[DayDream]

"Never mind if it was you!" Gaia almost screamed and then pointed an accusing finger at Mr. Templar, "You threw that at me! Your a teacher and you threw a glass of water at a pupil! I could have you sacked! Wait until my Uncle hears about his, you bafoon!"
Gaia knew she was working herself up into a state, but she didn't care. She would still have been angry if it was any of the others who had thrown the glass, but Mr. Templar was her teacher! Her teacher!
"There'll be hell to pay for this!" Gaia shouted and stormed out of the room, aware that her words weren't really hers or that her actions weren't hers either. She knew Mr. Templar would have to go see the Headmaster now, and that pleased her, no, it pleased her Shadow...
Despite the fact that she knew, deep down, that that was bad, she smile wickedly as she left the corridor.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan was walking back to Mona' ward and after just finishing his snack. His thoughts about the shadow's words were interrupted by loud screaming down the corridor from the ward. Were his friends in trouble? But it sounded more like Gaia, though menace was laced into her words. Quickening his pace, he turned the corner and saw Gaia smiling triumphantly as she left. He cautiously went inside Mona's ward to find a half-angry, half-distraught Mr. Templar holding an empty cup, and Kenny, Mona, and Mattie looking shocked. And what was shocking was the fact that a river of water was frozen in midair, not even solid ice.

Wide-eyed, Tristan looked at a guilty-looking Mattie, "This is your gift right?" then looked at the others, "What happened during these few minutes?"

Mr. Templar sighed, "There's no secret anyways..." and he explained how Gaia had again mocked Mona, who looked like she had been crying, and how he lost his temper when something weird happened to the water. "Well, boys, I guess we should go back to the school and orphanage now. I'll have to explain myself and these girls here can get some good rest. Come," he beckoned to them.

After a few words of comfort and goodbyes, Tristan and Kenny could only follow a sad Mr. Templar to his car and he drove them 'home', where they would have to cope with new troubles and of course, their newfound gifts, for the next few days.

[DayDream]

~time-skip to everyone back at school~



Gaia was back at school. She really had no reason for why she had stayed off, but her Uncle, surprisingly, let her. He had surprised her more when he agreed to come with her to report Mr. Templar. Gaia knew she'd be making herself very unpopular with the vast majority of the school if he got fired, but she couldn't help herself...

As she walked through the school with her Uncle, his arm around her like a caring man, pupils moved out of their way ... like they would be infected by something if they got too close. They all looked quite shocked by her eyes, too. The Shadow of where they had been.

Gaia grinned wickedly when she saw Mr. Templar outside Mr. DeLiv's office. He saw her grinning and smiled back pleasantly.
"Dusty?" It was Gaia's Uncle who had addressed Mr. Templar, "Never thought I'd see you again." He stuck out a had for Mr. Templar to shake.
As Mr. templar and her Uncle shook hands, Gaia asked her Uncle, "You know him?"
"I was on hand when things from his parents will needed to be sorted. Mr. Templar's was a student here, too."
Surprised, Gaia sat down in the seats opposite from Mr. Templar. The way he looked at her made her sense that he knew more than he should. Possibly, more than she knew herself.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona sighed irritably as she wheeled herself around the school. She wasn't adjusting well to being wheelchair-bound. Her arms ached all the time from the constant use, but she knew they would adjust, and her hands were covered in sores and blisters from the constant rubbing of the wheels' grips. Most of the time she was in a foul mood and so people kept out of her way, for fear of their toes being run over by her wheels.

As she rolled down the corridor, finding her way to the newly installed wheelchair lift that the school had bought using more of her parents' money. As she went down to the lower level to get lunch from the canteen, she passed by Mr. Templar, Gaia and some other bloke who had his arm around Gaia's shoulders. Swearing under her breath in spanish, Mona resolved to ignore them as she passed, but she could help turning her head to face Gaia, locking eyes with her. Surely, if looks could kill, Gaia would be dead and buried by now. Mona could not forgive her for the constant jibes about her paraplegia.

Sparks of electricity began to crackle ominously as her hands pushed her wheels forward. The others certainly hadn't forgotten how Mona had been about to electrocute Gaia back at the hospital. Now, however, Mona couldn't help but want to try again, but she knew it would be foolish to do so now.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny lately made the habit of going outside to practice his new gift in a secluded area. Just recently he been having an odd feeling that someone or something was watching him but it wasn't exactly a person. With his new gift, Kenny could sense whether or not a person was there and their exact location but for this uneasy feeling he had, he couldn't exactly sense them.

On this particular day, Kenny had his walking stick folded and kept away in his pocket. He was strolling down the halls with his hands in his pockets as if he was a normal person who could see. Though he did not realise it, he was getting several odd stares as he passed by students. It also did not help that Kenny had dirt smudged all over his face and that his clothes were absolutely filthy. Once arriving in the cafeteria, Kenny heard the lunch lady gasp and mumble about how filthy boys were but paid no attention to it.

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie was back at school after recovering in the hospital for a few days, but was still on crutches for her fractured ankle. She sat in the cafeteria, starting to eat her lunch, and thinking about her problem. She had yet to have had an amnesia spurt, and was wondering when her first one would occur. The suspense was bugging her. Once she got the first one over with, she would be fine, but waiting for that first one was extremely annoying.

On seeing Kenny come into the room, Mattie decided a conversation would help get her mind off it. Leaving her tray behind, she walked up to him, and gave a start. "Kenny! Why on earth are you so dirty?" she asked, brushing some dirt off his clothes.

[Kalik2486]

During the past week, Tristan had taken to isolating himself from the others in the library to do some serious thinking. Once or twice, he had caught the shadow watching him, but never speaking to him. So he decided to ignore it. During those times in the library, Tristan made several “trips” in the non-fiction sections, where not many students like to visit. He managed to learn to control his teleportation abilities, whether full body or just mentally, and also to split himself up like that day in the hospital. Most of the time he had fun, but his brain couldn’t stop thinking about why they have new powers or about the school’s/orphanage’s financial issue, and these thoughts would often lead to the Shadow Master and the possible help he could provide. Little did he know that his curiosity would later get the better of him.

Humming a tune from a movie, Tristan strolled (his leg recovering and without crutches) down the hall to the cafeteria and saw Mr. Templar with Gaia and a man, who had an aura of power and importance. Such a fact didn’t really bother him, but it was strange to see someone who would not care for their relatives now suddenly being so protective. Like many others, he hoped Mr. DeLiv would be more lenient and not fire the kind art teacher.

Catching a glimpse Mona entering the cafeteria, Tristan ran up to her, “Hey Mona, how’re you faring? I haven’t properly talked to you guys for quite a few days.” He smiled proudly at her. She didn't look very happy in a wheelchair but at least, she wasn't like typical girls who break down very easily.

[PotatoesRule]

"Huh?" Kenny said, not quite getting her question at first but then remembered that he was outside earlier. "Oh!" He said when it dawned on him. "I was outside... playing with dirt." Kenny said as he narrowed it down. "But I didn't realise I was that dirty." Kenny said as he started brushing down his clothes. "That explains the lunch lady.." Kenny mumbled to himself.

Tilting his head towards Mattie, Kenny had a look of sympathy on his face. Over the past couple of days, Kenny found out that Mattie had bruised her brain during the storm and will be suffering from memory loss. Though as of currently, it did not seem like she had been affected by it yet.

"I've been thinking." Kenny said as the two began to walk. "Our gifts.. do you think there's a purpose? Maybe we could somehow use our gifts to help the school but.. I don't know how the public will take it, we might become circus freaks in their eyes."

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona managed a small smile when she saw Tristan coming up next to her. She matched his pace, ignoring the omnipresent pain in her arms. "I'm holding up ok at the moment. I'm just... not... well. It's taking a lot of getting used to. But, in time, my arms are going to be absolute monsters," she said, grinning a bit. She was starting to feel better now that she had one of her friends to be with. She'd pretty much isolated herself for the last week as her back had healed and with her foul temper, people had pretty much stayed away from her when she looked angry.

As Mona wheeled into the cafeteria next to Tristan, she grabbed a tray from the counter top and, with difficulty, wheeled along into the line, trying best as possible to keep herself moving in a straight line with one arm. Mona was getting the hang of manoeuvring herself around, which was good, at least.

"C'mon, I see Kenny and Mattie over there, let's sit with them."

[DayDream]

When Mr. DeLiv strode casually out of his office with a hollow-faced lunch lady, he waved her off calling, "The injured kids best get their soup ... We wouldn't want anything to happen to the poor mites again." He was smirking knowingly, arrogantly, but Gaia didn't notice, she was trying to stop the whispers. She didn't need them right then. They whispers disappeared when Mr. DeLiv spoke up again, "Dusty, Gaia, come into my office please."

On entering, Gaia had the sense that she had been there before. In a dream? No, that wasn't it. It would nag at her all day until it clicked or she forgot about it. But she still couldn't shake off the feeling of the Shadows. She felt that it had something to do with them - were they blocking her from remembering?
"So," Smiled Mr. DeLiv, "Someone want to explain to me what the feud is?"

It didn't take long for either Gaia or Mr. Templar to explain what happened and Mr. Templar was surprised when Gaia didn't actually say why the water suspended in mid-air, in fact she said that she moved out of the way just in time.
"This is, in fact, what happened, Dusty?" Mr. DeLiv asked with some skepticism in his tone.
"Yes, Sir, it is. I don't know what came over me ... but, I just lost my temper." Mr. Templar sighed waiting for what was to come.
"I see," Mr. DeLiv said and put his hand to his face, stroking his beard, "Well, I'm going to need to think about this, Dusty. I'll see you when I've decided. Your both dismissed."

Outside Mr. DeLiv's office, Gaia's Uncle was talking to a broad shoulder and mustachey man, oblivious to his Niece's arrival. Mr. Templar turned and asked, "Why'd you do that?"
"You threw water at me; I'm not going to let you get away with that!" Gaia snarled.
"No, I mean, you covered for Mattie."
"Covered?" Gaia hesitated, blushing, "I didn't cover for her! I moved out the way!"
With that final note, Gaia stormed away from the art teacher and into the cafeteria. She saw Kenny, Mattie, Mona and Tristan sitting at a table together and felt blatant envy. Yes, Kenny was blind, Mattie would forget who she was occasionally, Mona was unable to walk anymore and Tristan was, well, a pain, but they had each other. Like one big disabled, freak family.
"That was corny," Gaia muttered under breath and went to get some food.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona's mood was brightening up. For the first time in days, she was with her best friends. It made her feel so good to be with people who understood her and were trying to help her with her disability. They were, in a way, a big family. The closest thing any of them really had to having a family, anyway.

She played with her soup a bit, not particularly hungry for the time being, and looked at each of her friends. Mona was truly grateful for each and every one of them. And, it occurred to her, they were all oddballs in some way or other. Kenny was blind, Mattie was Amnesic, Mona was Paraplegic and Tristan was just odd, like all of them. She smiled slightly as she chatted with them, feeling far happier now.

As she looked around the teeming cafeteria, Mona espied Gaia looking at them, envy written plainly across her face. Mona's emotions were mixed when it came to Gaia. She felt sorry for her, as she had no friends, bad, because they hadn't really made an effort to include Gaia, but, to be honest, it was her own fault. Then, on the other hand, Mona absolutely despised the girl with a passion, after her constant insults about Mona's paraplegia and Mattie's amnesia.

[PrettyInPointe]

"I've been thinking." Kenny said as the two began to walk. "Our gifts.. do you think there's a purpose? Maybe we could somehow use our gifts to help the school but.. I don't know how the public will take it, we might become circus freaks in their eyes."

They took a seat, and Mattie listened to Kenny's thoughts. "Hm... I don't know. But that could work really well as a fundraiser... if we were able to convince the public that they were simply magic tricks. Hm... I'll think on it. Get back to you later." She decided to end it there, as she saw Mona and Tristan coming, and decided regular linch conversation would be a nice change for all of them.

"Hey guys. I wonder how that whole thing with Gaia and Mr. Templar is going?" Mattie wondered aloud. In truth, she was a bit worried. Gaia could have mentioned the fact that she stopped the water mid-air, and that could lead to all kinds of questions and problems. If she was lucky, Gaia would have had a spurt of niceness or Mr. Templar would have intervened. She was just hoping she was lucky.

[DayDream]

Gaia grumbled to herself as she sat down at a table alone, looking grumpily at her food. She was hungry but didn't feel like eating. She felt pathetic enough by herself, but having to sit and feel people watching her eat would be too much. There would be those who would feel pity for her, but none would approach her, the majority of the pupils feelings for her, though, went from conniving witch to hateful hag. She didn't care though. She was used to not being liked. Things were better that way.

But still, looking over at Mattie, Kenny, Mona and Tristan she couldn't shake off the feeling of envy. She felt connected to them, but why? She hated them. Hate, hate, hate.
"Yes, you do ... you hate them ... so make them pay ... they deserve it..."
The Shadows were back.
"Get the, Gaia..."
Gaia grinned evilly as she watched a Shadow crawl across her table and sink into her skin.

[Kalik2486]

To tell the truth, Tristan was really proud of Mona as she struggled to keep everything together, because she was like the younger sister he had lost. He let Mona do everything so she wouldn't feel like she's incapable of doing things for herself, despite her paraplegia.

Tristan happily joined his friends in their conversation concerning Mr. Templar, since he hadn't chatted with them for a few days. He didn't want to think of Mr. Templar's business, but he really had not taken a liking to Gaia's behaviour as it was her fault that Mr. Templar had to remind her to be polite to less fortunate people. He glanced over at the lone figure, Gaia, who had a shadow on her face as she looked at them, an expression he could quite place. Was it envy? Or was it pure hatred? There's something wrong with her. He saw something dark moving close to her and when he blinked, it was gone. Was it a trick of the light?

He turned his attention back to Mattie, and with conviction, he replied, "Mr. Templar will be fine. He's a great teacher and advisor. The school wouldn't want him to go, same with most of the students here. Everyone make mistakes." Then he decided to take a sip of his soup, which didn't look all that inviting. But, he needed the energy for his classes.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona's stomach grumbled loudly. She was really hungry, seeing as she hadn't eaten much for the last couple of days, having been in such a foul mood. She didn't particularly feel like eating, but she knew she needed the extra energy now. Taking a spoonful of the soup, she swallowed the luke-warm mixture down, grimacing at the sludgy texture. Mona had never really liked soup, but it was easy to eat and all that.

There was an odd taste to the soup, but Mona couldn't quite put her finger on it. There was something that wasn't quite right. It made Mona start to feel a little dizzy and heady, as though she needed to sleep really badly. She yawned openly, fighting off the sudden feeling of wanting to sleep. She'd have to wait a couple of hours to sleep, anyway, seeing as they had afternoon lessons, lest she slept in Maths or something.

[DayDream]

Gaia left her uneaten food at her table. She stood up boldly and walked out of the cafeteria like a woman on a mission. He had need of her. In a way she really was on a mission. Most pupils had left the cafeteria anyway, there was less than five minutes until the warning bell sounded, but it didn't matter if Gaia as late, didn't matter if she skipped class all together. The Shadow Master called.

She heard his voice in her own mind, it was speaking through the Shadow, but the Shadow was inside her, "Come to me Gaia."
"Gaia."
Gaia seemed to have snapped out of a trance. She looked up and saw a half concerned face of Mr. Templar.
"What do you want?" She snapped childishly.
"You look lost. I was just seeing if you were okay. I thought you weregoing to faint."
"I'm perfecly fine and I know that your concern is only fake to try and get me to drop the charge."
"Don't flatter yourself," Mr. Templar said and then walked out the door. It was just then that Gaia noticed that sh still hadn't left the canteen. But something had left her ... the Shadow stood a few feet away from her, not wanting to get near, but still it spoke to her.
"Stay away from him..." It spoke beautifully in the voice Gaia now trusted.
"Who?" She asked, not caring that M&M and their two boyfriends were still in the room.
"The Dust Hand..."
Who was the Dust Hand? Gaia wondered as she left the room. She saw the form of Mr Templar turn tnto the next corridor at the end of the path. Could it be him?

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Wearily, Mona slung her book bag over one of the handles on the back of her wheelchair and turned herself around, getting a head-start on leaving the cafeteria. She was just so tired and wanted to sleep, but she couldn't miss lessons. Even with her new disability, the teachers wouldn't give her specialistic treatment.

"C'mon guys, we don't want to be late for lessons. What do we have next, anyway?" Mona said as she began to wheel herself towards the doors. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see her shadow self, walking at the same pace as her rolling, laughing at her.
"Come, Mona. The Shadow Master wants you... join him... if you do... he'll give you back your legs..."

Mona stopped dead in her tracks at the last thing the shadow had said. Give me back my legs? She thought, bewildered. Her mind was a mess of noise and she couldn't think straight, but, over all that, the idea was very appealing. But no, she couldn't. The last time the shadow had lured her, she had tried to kill another student.

[DayDream]

Gaia walked aimlessly, thinking of Mr. Templar. for the first time, she had been able to ignore the Shadows. Was that because of Mr. Templar? Gaia had to admit that although the silence was refreshing, she quite liked the background music. It was comforting to know that although she had no friends, no family who loved her, something was always there. The Shadows understood. They had told her that she didn't need friends before, because she would always have them. Besides who would want to be her friend?

But Mr. Templar? Some kind of Dust Hand. Was it possible that The Shadow Master had a rival - no, a nemisis. Would Mr. Templar try and defeat The Shadow Master? That would explain why the Shadow hadn't wanted her to go near him ... could Shadows fear?

Gaia looked up and realized that she was down a dead end where she had never been before. The sign said 'Basement', but it didn't say not to enter. Gaia pushed forward and into the basement. There was a few dozen steps until she reached the bottom, but she climbed down them all. It was only once she had reached the bottom that she realized that someone was already there -
"Mr. DeLiv?"
The headmaster was standing in front of four matresses. There was a shute at the other end of the room, coming frm the cafeteria
"Gaia," Mr. DeLiv said pleasantly, "You should sit down whils we wait for our dear lunch ladies to deliver our guests..."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan quickly gulped down the remainder of his soup as Mona left and the lunch bell rang, marking the end of lunch. He waited for Kenny and Mattie to finish their soup while calling up to Mona, “Hey wait up, Mona! I think we have Maths next.”

For whatever reason, he felt strange and dizzy, like he was in a dream. He yawned, covering his mouth with one hand, and picked up his backpack. He said, “Come on Kenny and Mattie!” and caught up to Mona to wait for them. Tristan frowned. He didn’t feel very energetic like usual, but instead he felt more and more tired with each step he took. There was obviously something wrong. Was it the soup? Or did he not get enough sleep last night? He tried to keep his eyes opened. There were lessons to attend.

He decided to sit against the cafeteria doors to rest and his shadow appeared, again. What a surprise, he thought. This time though, it spoke in a firm tone, “Come, it’s time you met the Shadow Master…He is going to help you if you help him…” Tristan raised his eyebrows and shook his head slightly. He didn’t like to be forced. He can make up his own mind. Tristan looked around him as the corridor, cafeteria, and his friends’ faces blurred, and his eyes closed while his mind slipped into a stupor.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Soon it became too hard for Mona to even wheel herself down the corridor. Her shadow was jeering at her, making fun of her wheelchair and calling her names, much like Gaia did. It kept telling her to join the Shadow Master, giving her the incentive of having her legs again, which was so appealing to Mona, but she had to remain strong against the Shadow's calming, hypnotic voice.

The air became thick and heavy as she slipped further and further towards sleep. The soup... it was the soup... Mona thought as she tried to keep herself awake. Her arms felt like lead and she could no longer move. The Shadow's hypnotic voice lulled her further into a trance and Mona's resistance was withering.

It took a while, but soon the Shadow overcame her and Mona fell asleep where she sat, her head lolling forward. Laughing, one of the lunch ladies emerged from the kitchens and took hold of the handles of Mona's wheelchair and wheeled her to Shadow Master's lair, removing her from the wheelchair and lying her down on a mattress, wheeling the wheelchair as far away from her as possible.

[DayDream]

"What have you done?" Gaia asked the Headmaster as one of the lunch ladies walked into the room with a still body. It was a few seconds before Gaia realized that the lifeless body was Mona, "Is that - no, it can't - what's going on?" Thoroughly confused, Gaia watched as three more bodies were taken into the room and laid clumsily atop of the mattresses.
"Well done, Gaia, we couldn't have done this without you ... well, we probably could have, but you've just made things quicker for us." Mr. DeLiv smirked, "We'll get them on our side in time for the night of the Shadow Master... Yes, he will be pleased ..."
"Your working for him?" Gaia asked.
"Yes. Yes, I am," Mr. DeLiv smiled eagerly, "And pretty soon everyone else will too, or they will die too."
"Die too? Wha-?"
Before Gaia could finish what she was saying her Shadow appeared. It smashed into her before Gaia realized what was happening. They'll join us now...

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny didn't eat his soup during lunch. Being blind, Kenny had always been cautious with his food. Not like most people, Kenny liked to sniff his food before tasting it and today, the soup smelt a little different then what it usually did. Though at the moment, Kenny just assumed they had added in a new ingredient so he didn't warn his friends about it. Pushing his soup aside, Kenny decided to eat the bread that was placed on the side, Kenny wasn't a fan of the cafeteria's soup in the first place.

When the bell rang to warn them that their lunch hour was over, Tristan fainted by the doors. Sensing that something was wrong with his friend, Kenny was able to reach out and catch his friend in time before he hit the ground.

"Tristan!" Kenny shook his friend's limp body. "Guys, Tristan's down! He's not conscious! He-" Before Kenny could say anymore, he felt an evil presence behind him.

"Oh dear!" said a voice he vaguely recognized. "I'll take him to the nurse. You run along and get to class." The voice belonged to the lunch lady.
T
rusting his instincts, Kenny pulled Tristan away from the her. "No, I'll do it."

"Oh but you must get to class." The lunch lady persisted as she too grabbed a hold of Tristan. Now it became a tug-a-war and Tristan was the rope being tugged. "WOULD YOU JUST LET GO!" The lunch lady suddenly lost her cool and started screaming.

It was so unexpected that Kenny lost hold of Tristan. Before Kenny could get his senses back, the lunch lady was up and gone. Who would have expected that she was that strong? Kenny was just about to get up and chase the lunch lady when with his new talent, he was able to sense that someone had also kidnapped Mona down the hall.

What's going on? Kenny was indecision. He had to choose between which friend to go after and he didn't like it. Relunctantly, Kenny chose to chase down Mona, he felt that she was probably the one who needed the help most since her condition could easily be taken advantage of. "Sorry, Tristan." Kenny murmured.

((Sorry it's so long!))

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie walked out With Tristan and Mona, and was starting to feel sluggish. This often happened if she ate too much during lunch, so she didn't think much about it at first. But then it got worse, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tristan fall down next to her. She dropped to her knees beside him.

"Tristan? Tristan, wake up." She said, shaking his shoulders a little, and snapping in his face. He was out. "What the...?" she asked, trailing off as her sluggish feeling started intensifying. She was getting really tired all of a sudden, and it was making her limbs feel like lead. "What happened...?" she murmured, falling to her side on the hallway floor.

A few seconds later, a lunch lady scooped her up and carried her off after Mona and Tristan, eventually lying her down on a mattress in the basement.

[DayDream]

"I have a warning." The words were coming out of Gaia's mouth, but they weren't her words. The Shadow was speaking through her to the Headmaster, "You have reason to fear. Do not underestimate him."

"Who do you speak of?" Mr. DeLiv asked. He seemed nervous, unsettled by the news. Surely, if the Shadows felt the need to issue a warning then things weren't good, "The Shadow Master will not like this."

"The Dust Hand." Gaia tried to stop it, but she couldn't. She didn't care about the other anymore, she needed control of herself, she needed to get out. She needed to find Mr. Templar. In an instant, her trust in the Shadows was shattered. And she knew who she could go to for help, where Shadows couldn't touch her. But now the Shadows were using her before she could get away.

The Shadows might not be able to get near enough to Mr. Templar to hurt him, but surely the Headmaster could ... Then another thought came to Gaia. As long as Mr. Templar was around, they were safe, but hadn't she already set grounds for him to be fired?

"The Dust Hand is Dusty Templar."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan knew at once it had been the soup when he fell asleep. He was blissfully floating along in his dream, oblivious to the lunch ladies’ firm grasp and his friends’ calls. Lying on the mattress only made him more comfortable as he dreamed of a perfect place where his family was smiling at him, Mona walking with her legs, Kenny seeing with his eyes, Mattie looking healthy and whole, and a beautiful background. But something was weird, the more he tried to get closer to them, the distance between them seemed to lengthen. Tristan tried taking a few more steps, but it was no use; he couldn’t reach them. He was trapped in his dreams.

Then suddenly the images in his dream disappeared, replaced with dark skies with distant rumbling of thunder. He was on a cliff and below was a roaring river. He turned around and tried to get to safety, but a force field was preventing him and he slipped, clinging onto the edge for dear life. A familiar raspy voice came out of the darkness, “You know you need help…He can give you everything…Put those powers to good use…Do the right thing…Tristan.” He was shaking with curiosity and anger, “No, how dare you! Let me go back, now!” Somewhere faraway in another world, he heard an echo of a whole conversation about not underestimating the Dust Hand and the ShadowMaster not liking something. It sounded like Dusty Templar was an enemy, but how could that be? Tristan immediately wondered about the persevering ShadowMaster who send sneering shadows around to recruit people. Maybe he’s a good one and he’s just mistaken Mr. Templar. Maybe he needs our help to defeat whoever the real enemy is.

His shadow hissed softly, “Look at you… You’re such a weakling…” Tristan roared, “NO!!” and with that, he swung himself up back up the cliff. In a calm, collected tone this time, he commanded, “Tell your Master that I would like to meet him some time. I’ll help him if he'll help me.” Then his shadow smirked, “Consider it done,” and walked right into him. Tristan had not realized that he made a fatal mistake, that he allowed the shadow to enter his soul. When he wakes, there will be a shadow lurking in his dark brown eyes.

[PotatoesRule]

After what seemed like several hours of stalking, Mona's kidnapper led Kenny to what felt like an empty room which Kenny assumed was the basement. Kenny made sure he was not seen or heard and found a hiding place behind a pillar that was draped with an old dusty curtain.

With his talent, Kenny placed his hand on the ground and was able to feel where Mona was and too his surprised he found that there were also two other unconscious bodies with her; Mattie and Tristan. As he hid there he was able to hear a conversation. The voice sounded like it belong to someone familiar. At first Kenny couldn't place it but after listening to it for awhile Kenny was able to recognise that it was Gaia's voice. It appeared that Gaia was talking to the headmaster. What was the headmaster doing with unconscious students?

Kenny couldn't exactly make out their conversation. It just didn't make sense, Gaia was talking about some 'Dust Hand' and then uttered the words 'Mr Templar'.

"Mr Templar.." Kenny said softly to himself. Was he the key to helping them out?

[Thirrin Vertigo]

In her sleep, Mona was still wheelchair bound and she was watching everything that she wanted. She could see herself walking with her legs once more, Kenny able to see without the use of his power, Mattie being able to live without the threat of amnesia hanging over her, and, most of all, she saw her parents, loving and kind, greeting the dream-Mona and hugging her in the way that Mona missed so much. The tears came to her eyes, but she refused to cry. In this place she saw everything that she wanted to be real. Then there was something that shocked her a little. The visions of dream-Mona and dream-Kenny were walking hand in hand. Dream-Mona was giggling shyly, in a way that Mona had never done, and, without any warning, she leaned in and kissed dream-Kenny. This sent the real Mona mentally reeling. The Shadow, or whoever was making this dream, was reaching in to her innermost desires and making them appear to Mona, even ones that she tried to hide even from herself.

Then, the entire dream melted away from around her and she was trapped in an endless space of blackness full of nothing. In the blackness, there was an ever deeper black moving slowly towards her. The Shadow came up to Mona's shoulder and whispered sibilantly in her ear, the quiet whisper echoing loudly amongst the nothing.

"The ShadowMaster wants you, Mona.... if you join him, all of your heart's most desperate desires will become reality. You will have your legs back, Kenny will have his eyes, Mattie will have her mind... you will have your parents and... Kenny." The Shadow chuckled quietly, the sound echoed eerily. Mona whipped her head around to look at the Shadow, trying to glare at it, but it had slunk off in a different direction and was now in front of. She looked at the Shadow, seeing the familiar, yet unfamiliar, sight of her own face. "However, Mona, if you don't join the ShadowMaster... you will never have your legs back, your parents will remain dead and your friends will... let's just say that your friends should worry..."

Mona knew that the Shadow was trying to coax her into joining the ShadowMaster. To see the Shadow parading around as herself, walking on legs that merely a week earlier, Mona had been able to use, it was heartbreaking for Mona. There was nothing more that she wanted than to have her legs back, but she knew that she couldn't. The surgeon himself and the doctors had all told her that they would never be able to give her back the use of her legs.

"NO!" Mona roared into the darkness. "I'LL NEVER JOIN YOU! EVERYTHING YOU OFFER IS A LIE!" Mona knew that she was sleeping and she wanted to wake up, but the Shadow was stopping her from waking, she could tell. She struggled against the Shadow's power, but she couldn't get past it, not in the realm where Shadows ruled.

As she struggled, the Shadow, however, had different plans. Taking advantage of Mona letting down her guard, the Shadow merely entered Mona's body as she tried to fight to wake up. The Shadow knew that it would now be able to control Mona. She'd have no difficulty waking up now, and the Shadow would have no difficulty in forcing Mona to do the ShadowMaster's bidding, whether she wanted to or not.

[PotatoesRule]

A stabbing pain in Kenny's heart had him reeling over in pain. Clenching his shirt, Kenny let out a soft hiss. What was that? Kenny wondered to himself as he slowly surpassed the pain. It felt as if something.. no someone very dear to him was taken away.. taken away to the darkside.

"Mona." A voice whispered next to him. "Mona moved on." The voice droned on. "She's with me now," said the voice that sounded like Kenny's though really it was the Shadow.

"What?" Kenny said as he let go of his shirt to reach over to the voice but all he grasped was air. "Who are you?" Even with his talent, Kenny was not able to see this person. It was like this 'person' was a ghost, a ghost version of himself.

"Come join my side and you'll be with Mona. You could give her her legs."

"Her legs.." Kenny repeated. What Kenny would give to get Mona her legs back. He seen how hard it was on her and it ached his heart everytime he did and now this voice was telling him he had an opportunity to give it back to her? "It's not possible." Kenny said.

"Your new talent isn't categorized as possible either, now is it?" said the Shadow in reply.

[DayDream]

Unable to move and barly able to speak, Gaia could only watch as the Shadow controlled her, "They're joining us." The words were hers, but more beautiful, more sinister than Gaia could have said them.

Get out of my head! Get out of me! Gaia shouted inside her own mind. It was lke she had been paralysed. And Gaia didn't like that.

As she was shouting at her Shadow, Gaia didn't realize Tristan and Mona waking up. They were brought to her attention by Mr. DeLiv who shouted in glee, "Yes! Yes! They're ours! They're ours! I've done it right!"

With a bang the basement door smashed open. Illuminated by the light of the school hallway, Dusty Templar stood solid at the top of the stairs, "Game's over." He called down and marched boldly down the stairs. As he was climbing down, a lunch lady ran at him. He threw his hands up and she was swept away in a cloud of ash, hitting the opposite wall at top speed, "Mona, Tristan, Kenny, Mattie -" He looked questioningly at Gaia before nodding tp her, "Get out of here." With another wave of his hands, Gaia was almost released from her Shadow. But at the last second the Shadow thought about Mr. DeLiv's office and she was gone...

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie had been asleep, dreaming. It was a nightmare. She was forgetting everything, the good times with her friends, her parents, her home before she was an orphan, all the good times. But the bad times she remembered. The funeral, the ride to the school, everything. It was making her sad, wanting for change. Wanting help

We can help you. We can make you remember. We can make you forget. We can make you a better you. It was her saying it, but it wasn't her. It was her shadow. Mattie knew she had to fight her shadow. No, I won't join you. You won't help me. I won't...

Then she was woken up. She heard the command to leave. "Mr. Templar, Mona can't move!" Mattie called. She usually had a clear head in stressful situations.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona was struggling as she awoke into consciousness. There was a part of her telling her that Mr. Templar had to be stopped, that he couldn't destroy the Shadows, because he was the Evil one, but then, Mona's mind knew that Mr. Templar was good, but something was stopping her from stopping the darker side of her starting to take over. She gasped as she found herself beginning to prop herself up on one arm, stretching out the other arm, electricity crackling in the palm of her hand, sparks jumping between her fingers.

Without warning, an arc of electricity coursed through the air, straight at Mr. Templar, who, luckily jumped out of the way. With a gasp, Mona realised what was happening. "The Shadow...!" she cried out, unable to do more as the Shadow stopped her from doing anything but it's bidding. The Shadow was possessing her, making her body do whatever it wanted. The physical limitations of Mona's body couldn't even stop it. Mona was shocked when she found herself being somehow lifted to her feet by the Shadow, making her stand up and, albeit with a bit of difficulty, the Shadow stiffly moved her legs towards Mr. Templar, hand outstretched once more, alive with electricity. Mona tried to scream, but the Shadow prevented any noise from being made. It looked quite macabre, actually. A girl who could not walk being possessed by a malevolent Shadow that was making her walk in such a way that it was terrifying.

Mona struggled against the Shadow, managing to get two words out to Mr. Templar. "Help... me..." she managed to say, each word strained and troubled. Mona saw Mr. Templar set his jaw and wave his hand at her, banishing the Shadow from her body. Unable to support herself, with the uselessness of her legs, Mona immediately collapsed. Breathing heavily, she shook with fright and shock. The experience had terrified her.

[Kalik2486]

The shadow brought Tristan back to consciousness, just in time to figure out that Mr. DeLiv was the ShadowMaster’s accomplice and Gaia vanishing on the spot as Mr. Templar swept his arm. Then Mr. Templar dodged an electric bolt from Mona when he moved toward her. With a flourish of his arms, Mr. Templar forced a shadow out of Mona’s body. Tristan wondered if Mr. Templar was only trying to recruit them to be his own pawns instead. Deep down, he knew that was not the case, as something was preventing him from thinking that the teacher was a good one.

Tristan stood up as his shadow stirred inside him, andMr. Templar smiled cautiously, “You alright, Tristan?” In a flash, Tristan vanished and materialised behind Mr. Templar and felt his body moving against his wishes and jump-spin-kicking the teacher on the back shoulder. Mr. Templar grunted as he got up from the floor, “I guess not,” and lifted his arms to perform the same trick he did to Mona. Tristan struggled in vain to stop the shadow from possessing him. No, stop this ShadowBoy…I know going to the ShadowMaster is the only way. I know he won’t leave us alone until someone joins him, Tristan spoke to his shadow in his thoughts.

Miraculously, Tristan found his own voice and it was desperate, “STOP everyone! Enough, Shadowboy. Mr. Templar, I’m sorry, but I must leave.” Then his shadow brought him to a dimly-lit place that looked like someone’s study and a man was standing, facing a book shelf. The man did not turn around but merely said, “I’m delighted that you’ve come to join me, Tristan Hale. Your shadow will tell you what I need you to do, and you won’t remember this meeting afterwards, understand?”

Reluctantly, Tristan sighed, “Yes, sir.” He had no choice. The shadow took him to Mr. DeLiv’s office, where he found Gaia waiting there. He was officially Marked, now.

[PotatoesRule]

Before Mr Templer entered with a bang into the basement and before all the commotion started, Kenny made up his mind and told the Shadow no. As much as he wanted Mona to have her legs back and for his friends to be well and the same as they used to be, Kenny knew deep down that somehow they would all be able to cope. They weren't weak orphans, they were strong though Kenny wasn't certain anymore after what he just witness.

Both Tristan and Mona tried to attack Mr Templer but why? As he crawled out from his hiding place, Kenny could hear the crackling of electricity. Even collasped, Mona's hand was still alive and cracking, it sparked here and there, it was as if it took awhile to die down which was expected. Her talent was definitely deadly.

"Mona!" Kenny said as he raced towards Mona's fallen body. Despite the chance of being electrocuted, Kenny cautiously reached over and scrambled Mona into his arms. He could feel her shaking from fear and shock. "It's alright, Mona. I'm here. Mr Templer will help us." Kenny soothed.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona could feel someone drawing her up into their warm arms, holding her, safe. When he spoke, she recognised him as Kenny and opened her eyes, shining with tears, looking up at him, the vision of dream-Mona and dream-Kenny came back to her, and she had to avert her eyes. Mona knew that Kenny had somehow been able to see where she was when she had fallen, and so she was a little scared of him seeing what was in her eyes, the small sparks of love that she felt for him.

Mona nestled herself in the warmth and safety of Kenny's arms, hugging him tightly, not wanting to let go. She was terrified of what the Shadow had made her do, how he had made her walk and attack Mr. Templar. It was obvious that the ShadowMaster and his minions were far more powerful than they thought. "Kenny, I'm scared..." she said, her voice trembling as her eyes filled with tears.

[DayDream]

As Tristan popped into the room unexpectedly, Mr. DeLiv ran puffing into the office too. Staring aimlessly, Gaia was sat in one of the two seats in front of Mr, DeLiv's desk. The Headmaster blustered his way around the desk saying, Sit, sit," to Tristan, who followed like a good Shadow Boy. Once seated, Mr. DeLiv spat out in the direction of Gaia, "You Marked him wrong. Templar. He's more powerful than we anticipated. The Shadow Master won't be happy with you, Gaia. Won't be happy."

Gaia hardly listened. She was focusing on her Shadow, trying to make it leave her, trying to get her body back. It kept whispering to her about trust. How did they know she wouldn't run off to Mr. Templar?

"You though, Tristan," Mr. DeLiv carried on, smiling greedily, "You he will be happy with. You were Marked vaguely, but now we have you. Welcome to the Shadows." As the words left his dry mouth, something happened to Gaia that she had hoped, but was not going to bet on. Her Shadow left. It stood beautifully behind her, illuminating her slightly. She was back. She could run now, run to Mr. Tempar. He would save her, he coud help her. She could be free ... so why didn't she go? Why didn't she flee to him? She sat solidly in her seat doing nothing. She twitched her leg to check that she was not being held down by some invisible shield ... but then she realized why; she didn't want to leave. She didn't want to go o Mr. Templar. She was all Shadow, "What happened, mr. DeLiv? In the basement?"

He smiled dryly, "Templar took out Wilma the lunch lady. He was ijured by Tristan. The kids got away and I left Templar to deal with the cooks. The room is in ruins probably ... doesn't matter though, as we're teaing down the school soon."

"Mr. DeLiv?" Gaia asked, "Is the school short for funding, or is it merely an excuse?"

"The second one."

[PotatoesRule]

"It's okay." Kenny said, holding Mona closer. He could feel his shirt getting damp from Mona's tears. Drawing her back just a little, Kenny brought a hand up to gently brush away her tears. His hand hung there for a moment, caressing her cheek.

Kenny was slightly taken aback from the touch. Being blind he never really knew what his friends looked like, he only knew them by voice and with his new talent from how they walked, he never knew what their profile was but now from that simple touch, Kenny felt like he could 'see' Mona. Lightly, Kenny traced his hand down Mona's cheek, then around to the other side, across the bridge of her nose and then to her eyes again. He could feel each and every freckle on her face. It was like reading braille.

"Oh," Kenny said softly, a small smile playing on his face. "So that's what you look like."

[Thirrin Vertigo]

When Mona felt Kenny's hand caressing her cheek, she could have melted. She smiled slightly and huggled up closer to Kenny, feeling safe and happy. The tears began to stop as Kenny caressed her cheek and then traced over the pattern of her freckles as he felt Mona's face, truly seeing her for the first time, as it were.

"Oh, so you know that I'm a hideous, one-eyed monster from Venus?" she said, jokily, hiccupping slightly as she giggled lightly. Hardly aware of her actions, Mona's hand went to Kenny's face and she gently brushed his cheek with the back of her hand. I love you Kenny she thought to herself, unable to say it aloud.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan sat beside Gaia, listening carefully to Mr. DeLiv’s every word. His shadow had left his body now, and was standing behind him like a bodyguard, except only making sure that Tristan does his job. So Mr. DeLiv is really working for the ShadowMaster, and Gaia was too. And Mr. Templar is Marked, like we are, Tristan thought, sadly.He couldn’t remember who the ShadowMaster was, and when he tried to conjure up the image of the study, all he saw was a dark shadow in his dim memory.

Mr. DeLiv went on to congratulate him in a sinister way, in his opinion. So Tristan faked a chuckle and smiled, “Thank you, sir. I hope the relationship will be mutual, that’s all.” Then he was reminded of Mr. Templar’s state and his friends escaping, and a feeling of guilt and relief swept over Tristan. But he shook his head slightly to clear away these thoughts. If he does his tasks well, he can ask the ShadowMaster to not harm his friends. At least, they're safe for now. Keep fighting guys! Tristan felt glad that the ShadowBoy decided not to invade his thoughts at the moment, since he had earned the ShadowMaster's trust.

Then Mr. DeLiv said something surprising; there was no financial difficulty for the school in the first place. But what’s the reason for this lie? Eager to learn the whole truth, Tristan asked, “Would you please explain everything, Mr. DeLiv? I just want to know why exactly the ShadowMaster desires our help and why the school needs to be torn down.”

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny's face took on a slightly startled expression when he felt Mona's hand brushing against his cheek but it soon disappeared when Kenny smiled. "No, never hideous." Kenny said answering her earlier question and taking her hand into his. "You're beautiful." He said fondly. "Inside and out." He blushed slightly, feeling quite embarrassed that he said that out loud. Clearing his throat Kenny added, "And I'm pretty sure you have two eyes unless of course one is fake." Kenny raised an eyebrow, pretending he thought it was true but then chuckled.

"Now let's find your chair. You'll be my eyes and I'll be your legs." Kenny said as he carried her bridal style.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona smiled shyly when he said that she was beautiful. Mona had never really thought that she was beautiful, but Kenny thought she was from what he could sense of her face and that was enough to make Mona feel loved.

As Kenny picked her up and cradled her in his arms, Mona knew that she was blushing furiously and was glad that Kenny wasn't able to see it. Unsteadily, she noted, Kenny began to walk in the direction where she told him to go. Working as a team with Mona's directions and several nudges and Kenny's walking, they were soon by Mona's wheelchair.

"Thank you, Kenny," Mona said quietly as he placed her in the chair. There was a small silence in which a hundred words were said. "C'mon, let's get out of here, I don't want to be in here much longer if those Shadow Freaks want to return."

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny nodded in agreement. "Do you need help-" Kenny began to ask but then stopped himself. He shook his head and smiled. He remembered the words he told her in the hospital; You are strong. Mona could do it on her own, he had no need to doubt her strength and determination.

"Let's go," He said, pulling out his walking stick from his back pocket and unfolding it to its full length. The place was giving him the creeps and in the back of his mind he was wondering what had happened to Tristan. He shook those thoughts away and led the way out. As one walked and the other rolled, a thought hit Kenny; They were an odd couple, him and Mona. They were both disabled in some way.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona grinned as they walked/rolled side by side. It made her chuckle quietly when she realised how odd the two were together. Both of them were disabled and what one lacked, the other had and aided the other. Kenny was Mona's legs and she was his eyes.

Mona was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't realise that she was at the foot of the staircase, with no help when getting up the stairs. She couldn't leave the wheelchair behind as it was the only one she had. Swallowing nervously, Mona realised that she would have to use the technique that they had taught her in the hospital. It was difficult, but she had been able to do it, even though it was incredibly physically demanding.

Turning the wheelchair around a 180 so that she was now reversing onto the bottom of the staircase. Gripping the banister with her dominant arm, she heaved herself up the stair, wheeling one of the wheels with her spare hand, reversing up the staircase. It was difficult and Mona's arms ached when she got to the top of the staircase. As painful as it was, Mona was really pleased with herself for having been able to do that.

"Careful Kenny, there are some stairs there," she called down to Kenny at the base of the stairs.

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny let out a low whistle. "Wow. That's some upper body strength you have there!" Kenny complimented. He didn't even know it was possible for a wheelchair bound person to climb up the stairs without any aid but with Mona, anything was possible. Kenny clapped his hands and applauded her.

After a moment of applaud, Kenny stopped clapping and said, "Now I want to try something." Using his walking stick, Kenny tapped the foot of the stepcase and heard a soft clunk sound. "Hmm, stone." Kenny mumbled. Kenny looked over his shoulder briefly as if to hear for any approaching footsteps and heard none. Turning his head back, he thrusted his palm fowards. Suddenly the steps on the staircase, one by one turned to their sides so that now the staircase was a ramp. "Heh, Success!" Kenny cheered. "I've been working on that for days. Mona, you are my lucky charm!"

[Thirrin Vertigo]

"And you're mine," Mona said, grinning as she saw Kenny turn the steps into a ramp. It seemed that now, for the two of them, it would be easier for them to cope with their respective disabilities. "Come on, Kenny," Mona said as he climbed the ramp. "Let's get away from this freakish place... it's giving me the creeps."

Together, the disabled duo walked and rolled out of the basement and into the corridor of the school. The students were all in classes and so the corridors were all empty and they were all alone.
"So... uhm... do you know where the others are? I haven't seen Tristan since I accidentally attacked Mr. T..."

[PotatoesRule]

"No, I haven't heard from Tristan." Kenny said as tried to forget about Mona's earlier attack. "He just.. vanished." Kenny shrugged. "Out of thin air. I believe that was the gift he was given. I haven't seen the others either. It's really strange, the things that are happening at the school."

The two began to walk/roll down the long empty hall both in deep thought. Breaking the silence Kenny suddenly halted in his tracks and said, "You know.. not to promote that skipping is good or anything like that but do you want to go hang out together somewhere private? I don't really feel like going to class not after... well you know what." Kenny nodded his head towards the direction of the basement.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona's face broke out into a smile at the prospect. "I agree with you, Kenny. I wouldn't be able to concentrate after all that's just happened. Where do you want to go and hang out? What about under the Oak? It's absolutely gorgeous and because it is such a beautiful day, it will be nice and warm out."

Together, the odd pair began to set off towards the Oak tree outside. Mona couldn't explain why, but her palms were starting to get really sweaty under her fingerless gloves. For some odd reason, Mona was feeling a little nervous about hanging around with her best friend like this, just the two of them, even when not a week before, they had been messing around together when she had been able to walk. But, since then, a special sort of connection had been formed between the two. Mona knew it was because she loved Kenny, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it.

[PotatoesRule]

Mona wasn't the only one with sweaty palms, Kenny's palms were getting sweaty too and he knew why. Kenny loved Mona. He loved her since the beggining, her personality was unlike any other girl Kenny ever met, Mona was tough but was kind and this attracted him. Unlike Mona, Kenny wasn't in denial with his feelings, he had actually been planning to tell her about his feelings long ago but the whole storm incident got in the way. Though Kenny felt that the storm had somehow made their friendship stronger. Now that Mona was wheelchair bound, this didn't change his feelings for her at all. He loved her, wheelchair and all.

When they arrived at the Oak tree, Kenny decided he was going to tell her. If she didn't feel the same way.. well he rather not consider that, he was just going to have to face the facts.

"Umm.. Mona." Kenny began nervously. "I.. uh. I.." Kenny began to figet with his fingers. "I remember the good old days when you and I would mess around." Kenny found that he didn't have the courage to say it. "Oh! Not that now isn't good. It's great! You know.. Me and you. You and I. This oak tree." Now Kenny was rambling on like an idiot. Just great. He thought.

Kenny took in a deep breath and sighed. Closing his eyes for a moment, Kenny brought out his courage and said it, "Mona I love you."

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona had to stop herself from giggling at Kenny's rambling. She loved it when he became flustered at what he was saying and rambled on. There was just something quirky about it that Mona had always loved. She was smiling to herself, willing herself not to blush; not so much that Kenny wouldn't see it, being that he was blind and all, but it was in case someone else happened to walk past them or looked out of a window or something.

As she had been about to quiet him down by tugging at his hand, Kenny had said something that had caught Mona quite off guard. Kenny loved her! Had she been able to, Mona would have jumped for joy! The feelings were mutual and Mona now felt completely and utterly happy for the first time in a long long time. Her heartbeat increased and she felt tears of joy pricking her eyes.

"I... I..." Mona began, stammering slightly. "Oh Kenny, I love you too!" Mona said eventually, taking hold of one of his hands in hers. "It feels so good to let you know it, too."

[PotatoesRule]

Kenny couldn't express his joy enough. Mona felt the same way! He couldn't believe it! Kenny felt so happy that he could've kissed her so that was exactly what he did. Bending his head lower so that he was leveled with hers, Kenny cupped Mona's cheek with his free hand and kissed her. It was a simple kiss, nothing too drastic or too overboard. It was just perfect.

When they broke apart, Kenny's face was a light shade of pink and he was sure that Mona's was the same, though he couldn't really tell being blind and all. Feeling flabbergasted, Kenny was lost for words so instead he smiled and held on to her hand.

((Cue the others. :p))

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona had been a little taken aback when Kenny had leaned in and kissed her, but his hand was so warm on her cheek and the kiss was so soft and simple that she just softened into it, smiling as she kissed him. It was her first kiss and it had been with the one person who she had wanted it to be with.

When they had broken apart, Mona could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks, tinging her face a light pink, and she could feel her heart beating fast in her chest. It had been one of the best experiences in Mona's life.

She'd wanted to say something, but nothing really seemed to be the right thing to say, so she just held his hand like he did. She tugged lightly at Kenny's hand and he came lower down at the tug and gave him a long hug, smiling into his shoulder.

[DayDream]

Mr. DeLiv said something surprising; there was no financial difficulty for the school in the first place. But what’s the reason for this lie? Eager to learn the whole truth, Tristan asked, “Would you please explain everything, Mr. DeLiv? I just want to know why exactly the ShadowMaster desires our help and why the school needs to be torn down.”

Mr DeLiv eyed Tristan for a second, biting his thumb nail, before casually replying, "Another time, another place. I want to be one hundred percent sure of your loyalties first." His eyes went blurry, unfocused, as he stopped talking. Gaia was sure he was talking to one of the Shadows, or possibly even the Shadow Master himself. It was at least two minutes of awkwardness between Gaia and Tristan before Mr. DeLiv regained his senses and dismissed them, "I want you two to keep a tab on the others. Templar, the disabled girl, the blind boy and that amnesiac. Got it?"

"Yes, Sir." Gaia said. A part of her now felt like she had to prove her loyalty to the Shadow Master. She wanted to, but how would she do that? What if she kidnapped Mr. Templar? Or someone easier like Mona, Mattie or Kenny? Once Tristan and Gaia had left Mr. DeLiv's office, Gaia turned her head to the boy next to her with apt curiosity, "You're really going to go against your friends, Tristan?" She asked, "We're going to get our hands dirty."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan watched Mr. DeLiv’s eyes drift out of focus, and immediately thought He doesn’t trust me yet. He needs find out more about me from the ShadowMaster or maybe from my own shadow. Tristan disliked how Mr. DeLiv labelled his friends “the disabled girl, the blind boy, the amnesiac”; it’s almost as if they were people unworthy of any respect. Nevertheless, he smiled, “Of course, sir,” and left with Gaia.

Tristan always liked to find out the main objective of the plan so they would know exactly their next step would be if one way doesn’t work out. He did not be used like a mere pawn in a game, taking one step at a time, and not realizing what’s really happening the whole time. But Tristan intended to stay in the Shadow Master’s plan for as long as he possibly can, and that meant he needed to play to their game and some things must be sacrificed. Then Tristan glanced at Gaia beside him. His instincts told him that she’s loyal to the Shadow Master. He felt his shadow following him, and he knew it was watching him closely. Better be careful… Then Gaia asked him, "You're really going to go against your friends, Tristan? We're going to get our hands dirty."

Clearing away all his emotions, Tristan casually replied, “I’m just doing what’s best for everyone. I believe that the Shadow Master can help us, that’s why I joined him. My friends don’t really have a clue of what’s really going on more than we do. Anyways, we only have to keep a close watch on them, so we might not need to trouble ourselves with using force on them. Might I also suggest that we’ll need to put up a good act about all of this," but Tristan had a question in mind, so he asked, "What's your reason for helping the Master?"

Tristan had no desire to harm Mr. Templar because he’s the only one who has the power to save them. His friends will have to be part of his plan to prove his loyalty. As they walked out to the garden, the natural beauty made him realize how evil one can be that they have to resort to use any means to achieve what they want.

[DayDream]

Gaia was slightly surprised when Tristan asked why she was helping the Shadow Master. Truth be told, she didn't know how to answer that, at least not to him. Could she even think of a reason? Despite her lack of reasons Gaia answered him anyway, "What have I got to lose? I don't have any family, no friends." She smirked winningly, trying to show that it didn't bother her as they entered the Orphanage grounds.

Despite how pretty it was, that the sun was out and heating her skin comfortingly, Gaia zoned in on Kenny and Mona, "C'mon. Lets go over to your 'friends'. Although they don't look like they need company." She winked at Tristan and made a B-line for the odd couple.

[Kalik2486]

Upon hearing Gaia’s answer, Tristan rolled his eyes and smiled. There must be other reasons for her to make such a choice, but there was no need for her to be entirely truthful to him. He still didn’t like her very much, considering how her personality, especially when she’s around his friends. Whatever, I’ve got to act normal now.

Tristan looked across the yard, seeing his two best friends in a loving embrace. A surge of happiness swept through him, banishing his shadowy thoughts to the back of his mind. That’s right Kenny, you go for her! he thought, as a whole-hearted grin replaced his calculating expression. “Of course, who wants to be disturbed when they get to spend quality time with the person they fancy? But unfortunately we’ve got a job to do,” Tristan muttered.

He walked faster to distance himself away from Gaia. Approaching Mona and Kenny, Tristan called out, jokingly, “Hey, there you guys are! I was wondering where you two eloped to!”

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona jumped when she heard Tristan calling out to them. Her hand slipped out of Kenny's as she turned her head to look over her shoulder, smiling embarrassedly at Tristan as he came up to them. She wheeled herself around so that she was facing him.

"Hey, Tristan, what's up? Where has everyone gone, d'you know? For that matter, I haven't seen you since we were down in the basement and all that happened. Are you alright? You look a little... I dunno, tired or summat..." Mona said as she went up to Tristan and gave him a hug. They had always been good friends and it worried her to him looking... well, she wasn't really sure. She didn't know what made Tristan appear to be different, but whatever it was was giving Mona the heebies.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan burst out laughing when Mona looked embarassed and began rambling about the previous incident in the basement. She and Kenny were just the right couple. But, he could tell from her expression that he seemed different to them, which made him sad to be reminded of his promise to the ShadowMaster.

"Well, I found Gaia looking confused in the hallway, as if she didn't know how she got there. But I haven't seen Mattie... Do you think she's having her amnesia attack right now?" he paused and glanced around them, making sure no one overheard what he was about to say next, other than Gaia who was close behind. A serious expression crossed his face as he continued, "Well, I think there's no point denying it anyways, we know what had happened in the basement. We had dreams that... that our shadows invaded. I think everyone's has seen those shadows more than once ever since the storm happened and we developed these powers. The thing is, we now know Mr. DeLiv is up to no good. I'm going to find out what's going on. You guys are more than welcome to join me. The rest of the school is probably clueless about this whole thing, so we'll need to be careful."

Tristan's mind raced as he spoke. This is ironic. He fervently hoped that Gaia would think that he's only trying to gain Kenny and Mona's trust. Breaking eye contact with them, Tristan looked away up to the clouds and wondered what his role is and if his plans will work. A double agent, a traitor, or a friend?

[DayDream]

Gaia had a plan. As she walked behind Tristan it became clear to her. She wasn't with The Shadow Master and she wasn't with The Dust Hand. She was in the game already, a pawn of both sides, but now she had entered as herself. And Gaia knew how to play.

She listened to Tristan and Mona discuss and wonder what was going on. She hoped that they werent acting. Ignorant people were much easier to manipulate. In the end, it didn't really matter. Gaia decided to play along with Tristan, as well as playing him. She put her arm on his shoulder and looked up at the sky like he had. Gaia knew people. Suttle imitation was a subconcious form of flattery, "We have to find Mr. Templar." She said seriously and looked at the three faces staring curiously at her, "Our Shadows can't be around him, therefore, the Shadow Master doesn' know what we're up to. He can help us."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan was caught by surprise when Gaia put her arm around his shoulder and stared up at the clouds. He raised his eyebrows and thought: how dramatic...she didn't even bother to say 'hi' to them.

He glanced at the others, then looked at Gaia's serious expression. What is she doing? Is she trying get to Mr. Templar? He gently removed her arm. Tristan knew that Mr. Templar or the "Dust Hand" would be able to disperse the shadow's connection to him, but he wasn't ready for cleansing yet. Suddenly, another thought came up, what if Gaia herself wanted to find Mr. Templar for her own plans? Tristan certainly did not trust her, but he hid his doubts with a curious look.

"All of us?" said Tristan, cocking one eyebrow, then decided to play along with Gaia to look as if he's interested too, "Well, yes, of course he could help us. So, did you two see where Mr. Templar went after I escaped from the basement?" He intently looked at Mona and Kenny.

[DayDream]

Gaia turned away from the other three and started walking off, calling back to them, "Are you coming or not?" She wasn't all that sure how to go with the whole playing thing. Should she just wait and see how it all turned out? If she didn't, what would she do about Mr. Templar? Stupid art teacher, she thought bitterly. What she wanted to know, as well, was how long she would have to pretend to be buddy-buddy with the freaky freaks? Lets face it, she thought, they're all either disabled or Tristan. Yes, she, Gaia, had weird eyes, but they weren't a disability, did they? She couldn't be counted as one of them, really.

She asked herself out loud, "Where is Mr. Templar?"

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona shook her head at Tristan, almost sadly. Something was so different about him and it was weighing on her mind. "Sorry, I don't know where Mr. Templar is. C'mon, let's go and just... hang out. We haven't hung out as a group in ages, ever since the incident."

Her hands went to the wheels of her chair and she began to roll herself towards the path, albeit with difficulty on the uneven ground. "C'mon slowpokes," Mona said, turning her head to flash a smile at her friends, even though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. In her eyes, all her true emotions could be seen. She was worried, almost unnerved, by the difference in Tristan. It was just odd, because it was so small and such an insignificant change, but Mona couldn't help think it sinister and a bit threatening.

[Kalik2486]

Tristan watched Gaia leave them, wondering how she could find Mr. Templar all on her own. He could tell that her attitude toward them still hasn't changed much. How was he going to work with her?

But something else caught Tristan offguard. It was Mona's expression as she suggested to they should hang out. He thought he could see worry and confusion behind her eyes as she looked at him. Is Kenny feeling the same way right now? Tristan felt cold on the inside, as if he had lost something. Has he really changed that much? Can he confide in his best friends about his plans, who are so conveniently beside him? His shadow doesn't seem to following him anymore, and most obviously, he wouldn't be able to if his shadow takes over his body.

Tristan looked at Mona again. Maybe later. He should just relax and clear his mind, so he cheerfully replied, "Sure, where do you want to go?"
Before these strange events, Tristan would've been against skipping classes, but this was different. They needed to figure out what's going on, and they could always catch up on missing work.

[Thirrin Vertigo]

"Erm... we could... go to the gym... I really want to play some basketball at the moment. I haven't played much since the accident and I was the star player on the girls' team. It's a shame to not play anymore." Mona said as they went down the path; she rolling and the others walking. Her arms were truly aching to the bone at the moment. She hadn't quite adjusted to rolling herself around, and she refused to let anyone push her, as it made her feel weak and vulnerable and unable to look after herself.

"Y'know... ever since the lightning struck the dorms and we got our powers, it feels really weird being in a place where everyone else is normal and we, if we tell anyone about it, we're considered freaks. People give me... looks, now, 'cause of my chair, and I sometimes feel really tempted to send a couple volts of electricity coursing through their bodies, but I know it's wrong... It's just... weird."

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie hadn't felt like going back to class after the whole basement incident, so she had stayed to talk to Mr. Templar. She didn't understand what had happened. The dream she had was scaring her. She couldn't tell if that was the shadow trying to mess with her, or if that was the shadow telling her what was going to happen. The doctor's couldn't really tell what the extent of her amnesia would be, so it was entirely possible for her to loose all her memories. Or just specific ones. Heck, with her new-found knowledge of having water-controlling abilities, anything was possible.

Mattie was walking in the hallway, deciding where to go, when she saw her friends walking outside. She waved to them through the window, then went out the door to meet them. "Hey, guys."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan glanced at Kenny as they walked back to the school, wondering how he'd be able to join them in playing basketball, but seeing how much Mona wanted to play, he didn't have the heart to think of something else for her to do, so he agreed.

He smiled, but then frowned, "Yes, that's quite true, Mona, but doesn't it make you feel unique? It's kind of fun to have a secret, especially such an unbelievable one, from the normal people... Imagine their faces when you do electrify them, haha... but what's the problem with seeing people in wheelchairs? They shouldn't be treating you like you're inferior to them."

Upon hearing a familiar voice, Tristan looked past Mona, seeing Mattie. Sighing with relief that the shadows didn't seem have managed to get to her, Tristan grinned, "Well well, Mattie, there you are. We're going to play some basketball, care to join us?"

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona saw Tristan's sideway look at Kenny, wondering how he could play, but Mona had already thought of that. When she had been able to walk, she would play with Kenny, using a beeping ball and putting a beeper onto the nets. It's how blind basketball players played.

"They shouldn't, you're right, but they do. It's just the way it is, I guess." Mona said as she wheeled onwards until she heard Mattie's voice and looked up at the door to see her friend there. "Hola, Mattie. How are you? Everything... ok?" Mona asked, emphasising 'ok' to let Mattie know that she was wondering if everything was ok with her in the head as well as physically.

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie smiled upon seeing her friends. "I'm pretty good Mona. I'm pretty sure everything is okay.... I know where I am so I believe I am fine. But that was so... freaky." she said, shuddering. She was talking about the basement ordeal, and the dreams, but they would probably understand that. "Basketball will be fun. I'm not a good player... at all, but I can try." she said with a shrug. She wasn't worried about how Mona or Kenny would play, she knew they could take care of themselves.

She looked at all of them briefly, but then did a double take on Tristan. Something was definitely different about him, and it was starting to worry her. She couldn't quite place a finger on what it was, but it couldn't be good. She would have to talk to him later, alone. She would get more information out of him then. "Alright, so let's head to the gym?"

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona grinned. "Tooooooo the gym! Da da da da da da daaaaaa!" She yelled as she wheeled off very fast, going down the hallway to the Gym, skidding as she turned the corners sharply. It was very fun, but tiring work on her arms, but enjoyable all the same. On one stretch of the corridor, unfortunately, someone had spilt water all over the tiled floor and Mona saw it too late. Her wheelchair skidded and up-ended, sending her flying into a wall and her wheelchair crashing to the ground.

Mona pulled herself over to the wall and managed to sit herself up, leaning against it as she regained her breath and pulled herself together after the shock. It was quite surprising, and scary, to be thrown out of a wheelchair in such a way.

[PrettyInPointe]

((I hope I didn't control Mona, and if you want her to have anything else/nothing wrong with her I can edit this post.))

"Mona!" Mattie yelled when she heard the sound of metal crashing onto tile. Rounding the corner at a run, her mouth fell open when she found Mona against the wall and her wheelchair upside down nearby. "Good Lord, what happened?" she asked, checking Mona over. She had very little medical knowledge, but she knew not seeing and cuts or scrapes was a good thing. But Mona seemed to be getting a nasty bump on her head, probably from hitting the ground or wall.

Looking around, Mattie saw the water puddle. That's probably what happened... she thought. People really ought to clean up their messes. "Are you alright?" Mattie asked, standing up to retrieve the wheelchair. "They should really make these things with seat belts."

[Thirrin Vertigo]

Mona laughed giddily. She felt pretty good for someone who had just fallen out of their wheelchair, having got over the initial shock.

"Haha, actually, they do make those with seatbelts... but I forgot to do mine up again," she said as she managed to haul herself back into her chair. It was a rather difficult act and Mona always felt a sense of accomplishment whenever she did manage to get back in unaided.

"Right," Mona said as she did up the seatbelt around her waist. "Shall we go to the gym now? Y'know, I can't even remember why we were going... oh yeah, we were going to play basketball, si? We need to get the beeping ball I keep in my gym locker for Kenny and the two net beepers. It's going to be a very interesting game, I can tell you."

[Kalik2486]

Tristan had been walking behind Mattie with Kenny, when Mona decided to have some fun with her new wheelchair skills. He listened to her delighted screams and smiled. That was his friend. She sounded almost like her old self. This made him feel like Mona and Kenny’s older brother again, and not much of the apparent traitor he planned to be just two hours ago.

Must he do what the Shadows say? If so, how can he hide his emotions when the shadow invade him again? How will he face the Shadow Master? But before he had thought up of an appropriate answer for those questions, the sound of a wheelchair collision came from below, followed by a sickening sound of a body being thrown against the wall. He was about to follow Mattie and Kenny, but something out of the corner of his eye distracted him.

His shadow was standing next to a portrait of a man who resembled Mr. Templar, with its arms crossed. It shot Tristan a glare then nodded at the portrait, and rasped out, “Find Templar and keep a close watch on him. Don’t waste your time playing games, Hale.” After a split second’s hesitation, Tristan gave a slight, grim nod.

Looking absentmindedly at the portrait, Tristan wondered if Mr. Templar would stay at the school if he knew that he was an enemy of the Headmaster. Shaking his head, he hurried down to see if Mona was alright first. When he found his friends, he mumbled, one arm supporting himself on the railing, “Sorry guys, can’t play, I think I have a migraine headache...Are you alright Mona?”

[PrettyInPointe]

"She's fine, neither she nor the wheelchair are broken." Mattie said. "Someone had spilled some water on the floor and hadn't cleaned it up. Isn't that what they make "Wet Floor" signs for? Oh well, from now on, I'll just have to remind you every morning not to forget your seatbelt... Unless of course I forget too, which is a definite possibility."

Mattie paused. She knew something was up with Tristan, and she needed to figure out what it was. This could be the perfect opportunity to talk to him alone. She just hoped no one in the group would shoot the idea down.

"Well, Mona and Kenny can go get the ball from her gym locker, and I can take Tristan to the nurse, or back to his room depending on which he wants to do, to make sure he doesn't collapse along the way." She said the last part jokingly. Shooting a pointed look at Mona, Mattie said. "Okay?"

[DayDream]

Gaia was miffed at Tristan. She didn't expect much from the other freaks. Of course they would blow her off! But for Tristan to do that when they had been given an important task? If he was merely pretending to be on the Headmasters side then he was doing a poor job. If he was on the Headmasters side, he was still doing a poor job. Ugh she thought, Why should I even care? And she didn't. At least ... she thought she didn't. No, she was very sure she didn't care.

Because Gaia was thinking about Tristan, and not about the task at hand or where she was, where she was going or what she was doing, she didn't noticed the corner up ahead, or that somebody was turning that corner, reading some test papers.

The collision wasn't bad. Mr. Templar did drop his papers and his reading glasses went slightly askew, but Gaia was fine. She was fine when she realized who the someone she had bumped into was, when she accidentally knocked over hiss papers, when she accidentally lost her footing, when she accidentally tumbled down and especially when she accidentally allowed herself to be saved from hitting her ground by Mr. Templar. It was all an accident of course.

"Hi," She smiled brightly, as Mr. Templar pulled her up.

"Hi," He said, looking slightly bewildered, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks." She replied, noting that he hadn't let go of the tight grip around her arm, "And I've been looking for you."

[Kalik2486]

((Sorry, Thirrin, I’m going to use Mona a bit))

Tristan’s mood fell when he saw the pointed look on Mattie’s face. Even worse, Mona seemed to understand whatever Mattie was intending to do because she nodded with a knowing look in her expression. Tristan knew he looked a bit sinister to his friends, but trying to act around his friends is just too difficult to do especially when he’s the black sheep of the lot. I guess acting isn’t one of my fortes, he thought, despairingly. How did he manage to fool the Headmaster then? He would have to be stronger than that if he wanted to succeed in the task.

As Tristan tried to look sick and walked away with Mattie beside him, he felt a shimmer of hope. If the shadows wanted him to find Mr. Templar, then that means his friends aren’t the targets for the time being. But didn’t Mr. Deliv want him to keep a tab on his friends too? He stopped suddenly, fear evident on his face and forgetting that Mattie was with him. Had Gaia found Mr. Templar already?

He glanced sideways at Mattie. Would she be an ideal confidant for his plans? She certainly seems suspicious. Is there somewhere where his shadow can’t find him? Would her mind be easily invaded by her shadow? Of course there is a possibility...Then I will not tell, whatever the case is, or at least not the whole thing, Tristan thought resolutely.

[DayDream]

Even though Gaia had never felt the feeling before, she knew what the churning in her stomach meant ... The painful twist set in and she sank to the ground, her eyes rolling back up into her head and losing the ability to hold herself up, she fainted in Mr. Templar's arms.

What happened next she never expected. Her Shadow was standing behind Mr. Templar, hideously beautiful, holding out a helping hand as Mr. Templar let her still body down gently on the floor. Gaia was in an off-spirit form, which she didn't like, just above herself and Mr. Templar. She glared at her shadow and asked, "Was that you?"

Mr. Templar's head snapped around and stared at Gaia, and then at the shadow. He actually looked at Gaia. When she was out-of-body. "You can see me?" Gaia asked, ignoring the Shadow.

Mr. Templar nodded slowly, confused but not letting it bother him. And then there were voices. They were coming from around the corner Gaia had come from before she and Mr. Templar 'bumped' into each other.


((I'm thinking it might be Tristan and Mattie, who, by the way, won't be able to see Gaia-Spirit or Gaia-Shadow, but there own Shadow))

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie saw Tristan look over at her and met his eyes. Something was up with him, and apparently Mona felt that way too. Mattie wasn't very good at confrontations, but she had decided she was going to try, though she had been hoping her would've started talking first. As they walked, she started the conversation. "Tristan, what happened? Your acting..." She tried to figure out how to put it nicely. Creepy? No. Strange? No... "Different." she finished.

"I'm not trying to offend you or anything, but ever since the whole basement thing, you're evening looking weird. Like, your nervous, or something. What's going on?"

[Kalik2486]

((Daydream, does the Shadow Master have anything else for Gaia and Tristan to do other than keeping a tab on everyone else?))

Tristan inhaled to prepare himself for the blow, and it came just in time when Mattie decided to ask him the question he was dreading to answer. Sighing inwardly, Tristan straightened himself, stopping right before they turned the corner (where Gaia and Mr. Templar were). He looked straight into her eyes, still betraying nothing, and replied, “I guess there’s point pretending now. I believe that you noticed that I’m not the friend that you and Mona and Kenny used to know anymore. Actually, no one is really the same after that ordeal in the basement. Come,” he took Mattie by the hand and went into a nearby empty classroom, taking care to shut the door.

He continued, “I think you’d agree with me on the fact that we’ve seen our shadows and a certain Shadow Master exists, so I don’t think it’d be prudent to fully answer your question whilst our evil clones are on the move, unless we can somehow mentally shield ourselves against them at will.”

Tristan paused to glance around, making sure that his shadow was nowhere to be seen, he whispered, “I’m a double-agent, though my loyalty lies with the greatest, and that is the Master of Shadows. Please tell this to Mona and Kenny: Whatever I plan to do, I’ll always be a true friend inside. And that is to you too, Mattie. And the most important thing, for you and the others, is to remain close to Mr. Templar. He is the key to your freedom from shadows. He will understand what I’ve done and what I’m to do.”

[PrettyInPointe]

Mattie sat in silence for a moment, taking it all in. The thought that Tristan may have crossed to the other side, that he may have sided with the Shadow Master, had only occurred to her once, but she had quickly pushed it out of her mind, thinking it was ridiculous.

Tristan had always seemed so... strong. She would never had thought he, of all people, would've let his shadow get to him. She had always considered herself the weakest of all of her friends. But no, Tristan wasn't weak. She couldn't think that. She remembered what it was like, having the shadow taunt you with what you wanted most, with offers you found hard to resist. Tristan had to do what he had to do, and there wasn't anything any of them could do to change his mind.

"Just remember that we'll always be there for you. Always. Promise." She paused. "And I'll talk to the other two. I know they'll trust you." She started towards the door. "I don't know what your planning to do while pretending to rest, but good luck." She stepped out of the door, whispering to herself as she walked, not caring who might hear. "I'm really starting to miss the time before the storm..."