ay m

ss! What happ

bviously. The bruise on his cheek was still prominent and the bandage that had been taken

began awkwardly

anning the rest of his body, seemingly looking f

uben pro

n't that long ago since I saw you last. D

ine' Reuben argue

ward, her ginger hair falling down over her shoulders. 'Do you take m

ntly at her, but ke

m out immediately. Hunting them down like a sort of heat seeking sledgehammer to the face, her r

s said to her. 'He'

urning her attention onto Lucas. 'And why are you walkin

peaking to his stomach and reaching a

s hissed angrily, sla

g from me' Lauralie whined, p

n business' L

away from h

she sighed absentmindedly. 'Y

he two of them. He always found

ed brushing off her worry

He doesn't have an early class today; he should

se he was seeing yeeew in hospital' she said pointing a finger in Reuben's face. 'W

know I was

bandaged up you silly thing? And I know you would have told Drake

ffled his hair affectionatly,

s mind as he leant away from her. 'And besides, ' his expression grew mischievous as

ie wen

parently they're both very handsome.

s bruised sh

O

r' Lucas laughed at her, 'your e

shoulders raised, she

ng fun of me

's so easy' L

. Lucas watched her go with smug satisf

clapping his hands togeth

as' Reub

es

sk you s

to Reuben.

nd her? Rhi

oking away. 'I believe

he

It's a good thing I suppose, I'd hate to find out what I'd do if I ever got

or so' Reuben said. 'Why don't we go

eemed to ligh

euben asked him. 'Has

replied teasingly.

're

ving his brother lightly as Lucas struggled to keep up. The two travelled through the streets, winding through back alleys and ove

talking to Lucas had faded away by the time she sat at her

at Rhian's desk was empty. She spared it little thought, looking ahead again and not really listening to what the lecturer was saying. There was so much on her mind recently, and it

ie rea

not thi

t was what attracted him to her. He had everything a person like him could want, well-off parents, natural good

little

was the number one thing that annoyed her most about him. She had seen him being quite unkind to several people who he felt had wrong

her down before she ha

t time the a

nd although Lauralie was suddenly consumed in a flurrying wave of annoyance, sh

hose

just stop playi

get!' Lauralie snapped bac

denly was held back. He ha

cal with her, swiftly returned the favour

s knees, eyes watering. David moaned in agony,

bit

t' Lauralie declared, 'I alway

ting to be around when he finally regained himself, which judging

d to laugh. But one figure who watched the scene unfold was not like the others.

red garment that covered her shoulders. She stood and stared as a small crowd began to gather around the unfort

nding in plain sight, y

nt also. With skin that was almost pure white, her lips held little colour. But the most distinguishing feature about her, besides her long jagged azure blu

eye cat

l the attention, almost maki

ng on the ground in agony sh

ow. Two young couples passed very close by her, facing each o

e. Casually sauntering through the streets she headed towards the edge of the town, eve

d beneath a bridge under a railway li

e her. Again their group had run into the cr

he slashed at her stomach with his free arm, and was jerked to the side as Li, still holding him by the arm, threw him off her. Beside them the red haired guardian battled with the creature known as Kreas, who was far quicker than his companion Li. Like an insect he clung to the walls and scuttled along the ground, his movement was rapid and perfectly controlle

d to the space below where the others fought. She stood beside her daug

, voicing no worry in her tone for her

alk' Shire agreed gla

re hair was wavy and longer than her mothers, tied on one side of her head and reaching past her waist. Her eyes, though hidden now by the hood she

in her hands; it now flashed vividly,

black cloak, brushing back h

ny of this' she

ed his anger and stopped his volley of charges immediately. Li shook her head violently, s

he ground, snarling after t

ack to your maste

ly clouds of dust beh

his grip on his weapons, using his magic to make th

ing?' the aberrant

shake of the head. 'The on

rified staring into her

ere is nowhere for her to run. I just wish our search would not be constantly hind

Culture asked Shire, 'why

s wat

tching? Watching! Hey, sh

it was some kind of an in

ion. Instead she ch

should kee

ir. 'I feel like we're trying to catch a single bi

ing we give up

nt for a moment, before speaking again. 'We need to sit and t

g on your mind?' t

time we've been chasing her, she's always moved on quickly. Why has

listened silen

presence in this town, something I am drawn to…but

ddenly, staring

her mother asked.

tand why we've struggled so much to find

igo asked

ulture' she said to the aberrant. 'You said that you fe

e guardia

o her orb. 'It's because

Indigo

nsed, and Culture b

lar opposite of the one we were originally c

ng beside the one dressed in black. She lowered her

r' Siren whispered. 'He i

r eyes, staring

is hi

Lucas slowed to a stop after a time

nched forwards and holding his sid

ing?' Reuben asked,

'It feels a hell of a lot better than it did the other

oo

asked. 'I'm not sure I'm up for r

Reuben

y headed to the train station. But before they came close to the station,

bo

p to her. Reuben hesitated for a moment before following, wondering in his head who this new

the coffee shop where Ebony was hovering. Ebony clung to the gate behind her,

It was all by chance. I was

ucas ask

her attention. 'I…I

ays, giving his brot

me you met a lady friend. What were you doing when

patiently as his eyebro

' he huffed. 'God you're sta

alie?' Ebon

red shortly. 'Just a

e tentatively, eyes b

n…I wasn't calling you stupid' he said hurri

you'll need a ladder to get out of th

ay?' Lucas muttered to him, shaking h

er companion, the toy named Pokie who had been hiding be

euben as he noticed the surprised expressio

suddenly, looking at the girl now in a whole new lig

ing himself. 'This is Ebony and P

ed politely. 'Lucas has t

n said raising an eyebr

e' Ebony

ast her, and he glanced with

bitterly as Reuben began to stare. 'It

a hushed voice. 'He gets a

ating in the air. It didn't have any facial expressions

dn't like

ony, 'what are you doing out he

e if ever I needed it.' She looked at the ground, holding he

eir mother's bedroom. They had talked briefly before Ebony lay down to rest. Lucas placed a thin blanket over her, drawing the curtains shut. He paused only briefly to watch

' Lucas spoke to his brother in a hushed v

mediately began to int

ly she's going through

dn't mend right?' Reube

s and screams.' He shook his head. 'I tell you what Reuben…there's something strange about her. I know

visible to other peo

ed. He walked away shaking his head. 'I don'

y shared. It was a small apartment that they liv

Reuben asked. 'It'll be like the three little

cas replied simply, taking a seat

s and books on the floor. He collapsed onto the lower bed, lying back with

ther one?' he asked L

up

allow ridges and grooves running upon it, with what looked like tiny screw heads protruding out from the surface. He placed this one to the side, picking up

ther smoke bomb?' R

fter a while. 'I'm m

does i

' Lucas said, 'and magic wires t

it w

'm still designing it, and I have

fully, tapping his fo

smoke from the smok

to

ge substances. Lucas pushed some of these things aside, creating more space for himself. He li

to college later?

't thi

bout th

less and less with every

e.' He sighed deeply again. 'What a

til she and her foster pare

up at the dr

other in no time' Reuben said.

r's time, and her foster parents showed no sign of acknowledging her, let alone wanting her back. And so she stayed at their apartment, her only possessions were a few clothes and other meagre things. She spent most of her time either at the flat or with Lucas out somewhere, Reuben feeling more

tension bega

, as was Lucas with Sian for the same reason. Lucas and Drake both travelled together on the train most weekends to see them, Lucas doing so whenever he could afford it. Ebony too scared to leave the town chose to stay in the apartment, Reuben a

, feeling a little out of her depths and lost without Luca

n said stubbornly, perhaps not realising ho

O

owed he

ack in the comfy armchai

ucas is doing n

d Lucas came from. There were fewer large shops to attract crowds, fewer abandoned building

e harbour, holding the books in her arms. The wind was s

d night, and now in summer, there were more tourists visiting to see the attractions. From a distance Sian watched a family as they explored the deck of an

from the edge' Lu

e base of a statue of an old man, he leaning fo

ucas called over to her.

ms round and amb

ying up her papers which were trying to fly away. 'It's always so windy h

g they'd have us cooped up in exam halls like battery chickens, labouring

ing open; he had been halfway through the paragraph until she came along

aking this easy for me

pocket and he flipped it out.

ak. Where

e, hands behind Sian so she c

fun. Any sign o

quick and sh

ake had been so kind enough to introduce them to her, the three had spent more and more time together, and Lauralie was becoming

r, lots of grass you weren't allowed to walk on, and beautiful trees planted everywhere. The three sat beneath a weeping willow. Tiny patches of light that fought through the leaves of

uralie beamed, 'they'

es and cast her hand out. The sparrows and sta

beautiful as you

a graceful action. And like a magician, smooth and elegant he fli

her voice like glistening

said taking it from

that there I wonder? Waiting fo

hink you'd like more' Diz voice

r a single b

like your h

at him; Adrian leant back a

asked his you

u' Lauralie said taking it. '

her a smug grin. Adr

emanded. 'It was just amazing watching you for the first tim

e movement; it's an art, an expression of our being. There are s

t distance away from her, hands i

allows one to use their own personal style and influe

rules as to what exactly it should con

s open in a dra

ready t

op he had materialised out of nowhere. 'Adrian and I spent years practicing

arms. 'That's rig

olly from?' Lauralie aske

he grinned at h

ps; he shook his head sighing;

said. 'You will be

e fountain. Shire had watched them for a long while from the opposite end of the park, fascin

from her newfound obsession and lo

world, full

e angel

eeing, fearfu

nd swords

her…' Shir