A/N: I had always wondered what would have happened if Van had been a bit older when the series occurred so guess what? Van is the ripe old age of 18 now and everyone else is pretty much the same age as in the series.

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Chapter One

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Morning light streamed into the room from the slits as the robed figure stood with the sword before them, eyes closed. 'Clear your mind and then move according to what you feel.' A few moments later, the figure moved around the room like a winged demon, shadow fighting in the early morning. The door opened silently, going unnoticed by the whirling figure.

"Storm, shouldn't you eat breakfast first? It's ten in the morning."

The girl stopped as her wooden practice sword came in contact with the ground. She looked at the door as she straightened up. "I will Mama; I actually was finishing up now. I only started at seven."

"Storm, you practice too much you know. Why don't you worry about getting a dress for the graduation? And would you please fold your wings away child; the last thing you need to do is fall down on your back and crush them; I can't take you to the hospital for that kind of injury."

"Sorry Mama," Storm groaned; she made the downy wings vanish before going into the kitchen for cereal and milk. "I don't want to go. But between you and Tara, I don't have much choice now do I?"

"I should say not. And we are going to find a nice young man for you. You spend far too much time reading or practicing with that sword. I keep telling you that-"

Storm walked to the phone happily as its ring cut off her mother; if it didn't ring, she would never hear the end of it as usual. "Hi Tara."

"Hey Storm. I called earlier but I guess you were in your dojo?"

"Yup. Let me guess, you want to go shopping today right?"

"Well I have to find a dress for the formal. It's in two weeks Storm; guess who's going to try on dresses today?"

"Me." she said in a resigned voice. "All right I'll let you torture me, but I have to get my sword sharpened so we'll do that last all right?"

"No problem. I'll meet you at the mall then all right. Ok Tara. Later." Storm hung up the phone to find her mother looking at her with a smile. "Oh don't you start now too." she grumbled as she went up the stairs to shower and change.

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"Jesus man," Storm collapsed gratefully on a bench. "If I had known she was gonna do this much shopping, then I would have gone by myself."

Tara looked down at her friend. "Oh, stop acting like an old lady would ya? I know you aren't very tired."

"With all the places you're dragging me to, I will be an old lady by the time I get back home!!"

"You're just saying that. Now come on, I want you to see something that I saw."

Storm grumbled as Tara pulled her up and dragged her to a shop window. "What could this amazing thing possibly be eh?"

"Those." Tara pointed, her finger resting on the glass. "Aren't they cool?"

Storm peered around. "What are you talking about? I don't see it; everything in the window is cool."

"The pink necklaces you idiot; man are you blind." Tara rolled her eyes. "Right beside that amber brooch."

"Oh yeah, I see them now. Yeah...they are pretty cool. I haven't seen a necklace like that before." Storm paused. "I guess that you want to go in and look at them?"

Tara grinned. "How did you guess? Come on!"

With a feign sigh of acceptance, Storm followed Tara in, leaning against the display counter lightly as Tara talked to the saleslady. The shop at least was cooler than the humid summer evening outside. And now she could worry about was finding some way to avoid attending the-

"Storm!! Yeesh, come here would ya?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, she saw Tara at the cash register. "What? Are you ready to go yet?"

"Yup." Tara slid a gold chain around her neck. "Here ya go."

"How did I know. How much did you spend now?"

"Seventy five."

"Seventy five?!" Storm looked at the necklace before she gave Tara a look of disbelief. "I am paying you back for this you know."

"No you aren't. Come on, let's go and get your sword sharpened." Tara said with a smile as they walked out. "It can't be any harder than me buying these."

"How was buying these hard?"

Tara shrugged. "The saleslady talked something about the power to grant wishes and wanting stuff bad enough. I just nodded my head and said I would take them."

"OK, come on then," she said dismissing it. "It's almost seven and that's when the place closes." Storm grabbed Tara's hand and took off down the street with her in tow.

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Pinpoints of bright starlight twinkled down from the heavens onto the two figures that stretched out side by side in the hilltop. A slight breeze picked up, ruffling loose strands of hair into eyes.

"Tara?" Storm asked with a yawn as she pulled the annoying wisps away.

"Yeah?"

"Why exactly are you dragging me to the formal?"

A small chuckle escaped from Tara's throat. "Oh I don't know. Misery loves company I suppose. If I have to go and endure the terrible food, then you do too."

"All right then. Why didn't you say so in the first place? At least you aren't setting me up." she said in a pleased tone.

"Uh...yeah about that....there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Aw crap, I knew it was too good to be true. Stop trying to set me up already would you? So I am the only one who hasn't had a boyfriend. La-dee-da."

"Oh would you stop that? I know you're lonely, I can see it every time we go out and when you're alone at home on a Friday night, practicing with that sword of yours."

Storm didn't reply, knowing full well that it was true, every single word of it.

"Look, I didn't mean to offend you but-"

"Oh no you didn't. Simply because I find most guys are intimidated by me because I can use a sword with precision, I'm not the least bit put off." Storm's voice held the slightest tinge of sarcasm.

Tara sighed. "How about we drop the topic, all right?"

"Fine by me. My singleness doesn't bother me, it bothers the rest of you." Storm said.

"Must you always get in the final word? It really annoying sometimes."

"Oh?" Storm looked over at her with a gleam of amusement. "Remind me to try harder next time."

Tara whapped her before settling back down and gazing up at the stars. "Do you think what that lady said was true?"

"I wasn't paying attention, why are you asking me?"

"I told you what she said more or less. About wishes coming true."

Storm remained silent for a few minutes. "You still want to find her don't you?"

"Yes." Tara paused. "And ask why she gave me up. Was I really that terrible a child that she didn't want me anymore?"

"Here we go again." Storm sat up, with a heavy sigh. "How many times have I told you that you can't blame yourself for her shortcomings? For all you know, giving you up may not have been her choice, or she did it to give you a better life than you would have had or known with her. Do the possibilities bother you that much?"

Closing her eyes, Tara shook her head. "It doesn't bother me much...I'd just like some answers, that's all. Answers would clarify certain things."

"Well then, I don't really blame you one bit. Stuff like medical history and whatnot?"

"Yeah." Tara couldn't tell her yet, even though she was her best friend.

"Hey, look Tara!"

She opened her eyes to catch the streaking tail of a shooting star. "How do ya like that..."

"Did ya make a wish?"

"Heh...yeah...not that mine is going to come true anytime soon. What did you wish for?"

"Something stupid, don't bother. I don't know why I did because I know it won't come true anytime soon."

"It can't be that dumb. Come on; throw aside the convention that the wish won't come true."

Storm smiled over at her. "For war to end some day."

"This coming from a warrior? Never thought I'd heard this..."

"Fighting is all well and good, but you see the lengths we carry it too; ludicrous really, all to satisfy the notion that one is superior to the other. Is that any way to live really, convulsing an entire country or world apart?"

"No...it isn't. And you said it was a stupid wish."

"I didn't tell you it all of it though. If I may finish..." she watched as Tara gestured with her hand. "For once, I want to go somewhere with no war or violence at all."

"Now there's a wish if I ever hear it." Tara stretched out for a moment. "But that would be nice. To not turn on the TV and see that so many people died and this may happen or that could occur."

Storm sighed as she picked up the necklace and started to spin it. "Or I could just wish upon this thing, now couldn't I?"

"Eh heh. And shall we be trying to escape into fantasy somewhat? To a place with dragons and knights upon dashing steeds?"

"Christ, do you know how corny that sounds? I'd settle for me on a horse and the dragons though. Methinks that knights are overrated."

"Ya huh. Men dashing in to save the girl; fairy tales are clearly written by guys."

"Yeah, what they'd like to have happen." Storm laughed before she closed her eyes with a wistful sigh. "But I do wish I could go to a place like that."

"You and me both. Maybe I can find a decent guy there." she watched as Storm yawned again. "What's wrong with you?"

"You kinda tired me out for the day so I am about ready for a nap."

"Take a nap then. I'll wake you up when I'm ready to go."

"Thanks." Storm said before curling up.

Tara smiled slightly before she gazed back up at the stars. 'It would be nice to go to a place like that. A place that is free from all the vices of this world.' A soft snore made her look over to see Storm who had drifted off completely. She shifted her head back up to watch the sky once more. 'To a place with dragons and horses, no pompous idiots who think that girls need protecting.' She traced her fingers down to the pink bauble, letting it sit in her hand before she let it rest against her shirt. 'And that I could find the answers I seek. How I wish a place like that existed...' She closed her eyes heavily, the lure of the dream pulling her in strongly. She never even noticed the pulsating pink light that flared up sharply making a column of bright light plunge down from the heavens to the earth.

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