I lept off the last step of the community bus that had driven me from my hotel. There were a few people walking along the sidewalk to who knows where. Two girls sat on the bench making out. A man rode past on his bicycle gawking at them. The door of the bus slammed shut. I gave the area a quick sweep. It was habit. Eighteen years of looking behind my back, of being constantly hunted left it's toll. I stuffed my hands into the soft blue hoodie I wore, but didn't need. I wasn't affected by the cold. The clothing made me feel more comfortable. With one more look at my directions, I hurried down the sidewalk towards the Highschool where Nine was coaching the Human Garde. I was late. Very very very very late. To make matters worse this would be the first time I had seen Nine in a year and two months. Almost immediately after the Mogadorian invasion Nine had agreed to mentor the new Earth Garde. Before long John and the others followed suit. I was the last one to join.

I was too busy trying to extinguish the source of my anger. Five. I had waited near the island he hid in for weeks and weeks. One day John came and brought me to the Himalayas, I saw Ella again. Any thought of John shot a mixed feeling through me. Sickly sweet. We became close for a few weeks. It was really great, except for Five knawing on the back of my mind. I was going insane, so I left again and found him on the same island all by himself. Hoping for peace of mind I sat there waiting for my mind to snap. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands, to watch him die. It never happened. The hatred that had once fueled me had simmered down. One day I left and never went back. Instead I went back to America. I used the credit card given to us by the U.N.. I bought myself some gear and lived of the land.

Eventually John had again hunted me down with the help of, I presume, Ella. We had been talking back and forth for a while. I wasn't exactly in hiding. I just chose to lose contact with the others. I craved space and peace. John came and stayed for a while. He brought me up to speed on everything I was missing out on. He told me about the Earth Garde Program and how they could use my help. He persuaded me to take on a new assignment. Ella joined John, and I on a mission to Mexico where we spoke to President Pena about recruiting his citizens to the newly forming programming. Over the course of 8 months many people, mainly children and teens, had begun to develop Lorien's gifts. It was becoming an issue in the more densely populated areas of the world. hundreds of inexperienced Earth Garde causing mischief and upsetting their communities.

There were only 7 original Loric Garde left-Me, John, Six, Nine, Ella, Lexa and Five- Then there was Sam and Adam, who weren't original Garde, but they had real experience with leadership and legacies of their own. The goal was to spread and reach out to as many Earth Garde as we could. We were spread pretty thin. Right now Nine was taking care of North America while Ella, John, and Five were on their way to India, afterwards they would meet up with Six and Sam to visit some middle eastern countries. I didn't want to go for two obvious reasons-One of which being because of Five being there. John had pulled his "I am the reincarnation of Pittacus Lore B.S." to convince everyone to utilize Five in helping out the new Garde. The second reason was because the last time I had been to India Eight was there, alive and well. I got to see him again, said goodbye...got my closure. Yet, his memory still cut at me. His death was an unhealable wound.

John was right, he moved me to keep going forward, to use my legacies to jump start the new Lorien. Which led me to right now. After checking in at the gates and narrowly escaping a very awkward situation with the security guards who looked star struck to meet me, I led myself down a long hallway. A few posters covered the walls.

I could hear the sounds of cheering and laughter. A few feet from the door I heard a shrill whistle sliced through the air. When I walked through the open double doors and to the edge of a small balcony. Beneath me I saw the top of Nine's head and at least forty people of different ages, and genders.

"Alright Maggots!" Nine shouted. "Ten more laps and you can hit the showers!"

The Earth Garde took off to run a round the massive gym that had been made for the new students.

"Except you Gutierrez! one hundred laps!"

A boy a couple years older than Nine stopped for a minute, gave a salute, then took off again. His name was Hidalgo, and he had super speed just like Nine. I remember meeting him in Mexico city.

Finally he turned and faced me. He turned and walked somewhere underneath the balcony. I took a step back and was about to meet him at the bottom of the stairs, but instead he had walked up the wall. He climbed over the rails and stood right in front of me. He looked incredibly healthy, his hair was neatly tied back and he gave me a very big, welcoming smile. The kind that could melt hearts,

"Someone's late." He said. His eyes burned with fondness. I could feel the old part of me melt a bit, so happy to be with my own again. There was another newer part of me that froze. Hardened by a year of near solitude and pain.

"I overslept."

Nine checked the time on his phone. "Damn-what time did you go to sleep."

"Twelve."

"Midnight?"

"Uh-no."

I saw a look of concern flash in his eyes. For a moment he stood in front of me, taking me in. I had an idea of what he was looking at. A darker, skinnier version of what I used to be, dark circles around my eyes and who knows what else. I shifted uncomfortably and he cleared his throat. He looked uncertain for a moment, shifting his feet too.

"Ah, come here." He opened his arms and wrapped me in a very welcoming embrace. He was so warm. I could feel myself tearing apart at the seams.

"You look like hell." He mumbled into my hair.

I burst out a laugh. I didn't doubt that one bit.

"Well, you missed out on today's drills...but we can still at least introduce you to the group."

"Yeah. That sounds good." I agreed. We broke apart. Turning away from him I walked up to the balcony to look at the running group. "How are they so far?"

Nine shrugged. "Eh, could be better. I've really whipped them into shape."

"Nice. It seems they gave you some decent resources."

"Yeah, and right now they are setting me up a penthouse identical to the one in Chicago. I got to go over there and salvage somethings"

The American Government had been super supportive when it came to funding anything having to do with the shaping of new Garde. Ella explained it had to do with staying on top of the potential of new assets. It had even offered immediate citizenship to anyone with legacies, they are currently working on extending the citizenship to the families of those with legacies. Of course, some people weren't to happy about just allowing anyone into the country, Legacy or not. It was all in the works...

"Are you going to move there-once they are done I mean?"

"Hell yeah, hotel life is alright and all-lot's of parties and good stuff like that." Nine sighed loudly and brought his arms up to stretch."-But...I'm totally ready to own my own space again. I haven't called a place home in months. PICK UP THE PACE WOULD YA!"

I cringed at his outburst.

"I have to keep them on their toes." Nine explained.

I laughed, something I rarely did now.

"What?"Nine asked.

"Nothing, it's just that, the job really suits you."

"Because I'm a jackass. I don't take no lip."

"Profesor!" A voice called behind us. "I am sorry to interrupt."

"Did you finish your laps Gutierrez? All one hundred?"

"Si Profesor.

"Awesome, go ahead and meet us downstairs for a group meeting."

"Okay." Hidalgo nodded and with a quick glance at me he disappeared down the steps.

"They should be on their last lap by now."

The group was scattered around the perimeter-Some people were more out of shape than the others. I could tell that others weren't running as fast as they could. No one was walking, however.

"Come on." Nine stepped up on the balcony and extended his hand to me.

I looked at his hand and took a step back towards the stairs. "No thanks, I'll take the stairs." I turned and headed in that direction. I heard Nine's feet drop back to the floor, he decided to go with me.

"This isn't as cool of an entrance as you climbing down the wall."

"I'm not that cool anyway."

"What?!" Nine protested. "If you can save the planet and not deserve the title 'cool' then that means I'm not cool."

"I didn't do that by myself..."

"Neither did I and I'm cool as fuck."

At the bottom of the stairs several members of the group waited in scattered groups, many were talking amongst each other, some were chugging their bottles of water.

Hidalgo was sitting on the floor with another guy, talking happily. We were waiting on four people to finish their laps.

"Alright!" Nine shouted. "Bring it in, bring it in!

"Yes, daddy!" A girl chirped, causing her friends to giggle. If Nine heard her he made no reaction.

"Good hustle today everyone, good hustle. Whitaker, I can see you're improving."

"Thanks, boss." Whitaker, a gangly teenager, nodded. Allowing himself to smile appreciatively.

"Chopra, don't think I didn't notice your feet leave the ground."

Nine continued to call out his group while he waited, he called them all by their last names.

"Is that Marina?" One girl called Garrison had asked.

"I will introduce her in a minute."

I felt everyone's eyes on me. I swallowed hard.

Nine was about two feet away from me talking to the oldest guy in the group, Warren.

What are you doing? Ella was in my head talking.

I am waiting to meet Nine's group. I tried my best to send a mental picture her way.

Cool. She replied. I'm so bored. John is talking to the minister.

Is everything going okay?

Yeah. Everyone is very friendly. I learned a few words.

I wondered what Five was doing.

Five hasn't shut up the whole trip. Ella replied, reading my private thoughts. I could hear the exhaustion through Ella's mind.

What's he saying?

Anything. He just blabs.

I'm sorry.

How is Nine?

Good. He is talking to the group right now.

Tell him I miss him.

Can't you just tell him yourself?

She was silent for a moment.

Ella?

I'd rather you tell him, it would seem too pushy coming from me.

I'll tell him.

Thanks.

"Okay!" Nine clapped his hands. "Everyone, this is Number Seven but you can call her Marina. As you all know she was born on Lorien just like me. She was a part of the group that directly made what each of you can do possible. She brought the contents of our Loric chests and dumped them into an ancient well"

I was touched by how interested everyone looked.

Nine stepped back a bit and gave me a go ahead look.

"It's nice to meet you all, I do remember a few of you from Mexico City."

"Are you going to be helping coach Nine out?" Chopra asked.

"Yes." I nodded. "I look forward to it."

Beep Beep Beep. Nine's phone went off. It was Eight O'clock.

"Okay guys and gals-You're dismissed. You can personally introduce yourselves to Marina during the next couple of sessions.

Everyone made a break towards their bags. Hidalgo appeared next to me.

"Marina! Que bueno verle de nuevo!

"It's nice to see you again too." I replied in english.

"This is mi Primo, Teddy."

"Mucho Gusto." Teddy nodded. They both had the same color of dark brown eyes and curly black hair. Teddy was much lighter in complexion than his cousin.

"Mucho gusto."

"What's your legacy?" I asked Teddy.

To answer my question Teddy lifted his water bottle up to his chin and let go. Rather than fall to the ground it floated a bit unsteadily until he caught it with his hand.

"Telekenesis...very nice any other ones?"

"Gracias. y no...I have not discovered any otro superpotencias o legacies." Teddy said proudly. "Que es tu-what are your powers?"

Suddenly there was a crowd around me, a few people had hustled out of here and a few were talking to Nine. I swallowed and tried to hide my anxiousness from my voice.

"I can heal any wound-"

A chorus of appraisal rung through the gym.

"Whoa!"

"Nice"

"I'm jealous."

"Can you heal this?" A hand was thrust infront of me. A splint was holding his middle finger straight.

"That's easy." I took his hand and felt him tense up when he felt the tingle that my healing legacy produces. Once I let him go he quickly took off his bandages and bent the finger every way he could. He then turned to a woman on his right and flipped her off.

"Check it out Ana."

Her face broke into a huge grin "Don't make me break it again."

I didn't know what to do when everyone broke out into applause-

"Do you have multiple powers too?" A voice out of the crowd asked.

"Well, telekenisis-I can breathe underwater-

"What?!"

"Ooh"

"Has it come in handy?"

"Yes, actually. I first discovered it when I was pushed into a lake. I got trapped under a dock and would have drowned without it.

"S**t..." A voice cussed.

Everyone was quiet so I took that as cue to continue. "I can see in the dark and I can...uh manipulate ice."

"Like Elsa?" A tall man in the back asked?"

"Like who?" I asked.

"Elsa! the disney princess! My kids love her."

I shook my head-I had no idea what they were talking about.

A woman in the back raised her hand up and slowly reached for the ceiling. "Let it gooo, let it gooo..." Her voice blew me away. People began to sing with her. A few people looked around lost, including Hidalgo and Teddy. "Turn away and slam the door! I don't care what their going to say...let the storm raaaage onnnnnnn! THE COLD NEVER BOTHERED ME ANYWAY!"

I didn't know how to react.

"uh.."

Everyone erupted into laughter and applause-again.

I looked at Nine who stood several feet away with his hands on his hips. He found my confused gaze, shrugged and rolled his eyes. I could see he was amused though.

"Can you like." The girl made several motions with her hands. "Shoot out ice?"

"Yes." I nodded. "It's something like that."

"Do it!"

My stomach twisted in my gut. I hadn't used the power in a long time, not in that way atleast.

"Not today...maybe another ti-."

"Come on! Let it go!" Shouted the same girl who had started singing a minute ago.

"I-" I tried to protest.

"Hey! She clearly doesn't want to!." The older man, Warren, had argued.

"Yeah, respect that!"

"It's okay." Chopra said ernestly.

Nine came to stand next to me. "Alright you freaks! It's time to clear out. Rusty needs to clean the gym."

"?Vienes Manana?" Teddy asked.

"Yes, I will be back tomorrow."

Teddy nodded. He and Hidalgo turned to leave.

I heard many goodbyes. I felt really happy.

Three girls approached Nine-"See ya tomorrow boo!" The one in front wiggled her fingers in goodbye. She was really pretty. Dark brown eyes, full, dusty pink lips. They strutted away.

"Skedaddle!" Nine ordered lightly.

"Ty-ty you flirt too much!" I heard her friend accuse.

"'Boo?'" I asked.

Nine shook his head and changed the subject. "They aren't a bad group, hm? Could you throw away that water bottle?" His hands were full with trash.

There was an empty water bottle laying on the ground. I picked up with my legacy and led it over and into the trash can. "They seem really excited."

I followed Nine over to the wall where he reached down to pick up his gym bag.

"They've really improved, I'm almost proud of the freaks."

I bit my lip and then sighed.

"What?" Nine asked.

"Do you...have to call them mean things like that?"

Nine frowned and began walking towards the door.

"I say things like that to-to-hey Rusty."

Rusty, an older man bent over the cleaning cart that he was pushing into the door way. I had to jump out of the way.

"Hi." He barked in a very unfriendly tone.

"Have a goodnight buddy!" Nine called over his shoulder.

We walked down a dim hallway for a moment. It was probably darker than I knew of because of my legacy.

"I call them stuff like that to thicken their skin." He admitted. "The first few weeks were hard because everyone was afraid. They felt like...like freaks..."

"The gift of Lorien is amazing." I said, confused as to why they would have negative thoughts about receiving legacies. "There is no reason they should have felt ashamed."

"Their planet, wasn't prepared for all of this...already there are all kinds of protests and organizations forming." Nine held a glass door open for me. "They have all these movies about earth people getting super powers, and in a lot of them the Earth Garde-er superheroes-X-men-whatever-they go through a lot of shit and hate." He turned and locked the door behind him. "They need to feel safe and encouraged. Just like we did."

I took in what he said. I remember being in the convent. I had no one to help me out, my cepan wasn't there to guide my developing legacies. That really held me back.

"So you call them names to-"

"To get them used to hearing it, so they won't get too stuck on it if some jackass decides to hassle them. Some of them even wear the name like a badge of honor or some shit."

"Oh."

"How did you get here?" Nine asked as he turned in a circle looking for another vehicle in the parking lot other than his own.

"I took the bus."

"Don't you have a vehicle or something?"

"No. I don't have a license."

"Neither do I-they don't care."

"I don't like driving anyway."

Nine grunted and hit a button to unlock his car. It was black and angled. It reminded me of a panther.

"Well, come on-I don't mind giving you a ride home."

Part of me wanted to walk home, it was a nice night. The air was crowded with wafting smells coming from expensive restaurants. At the same time I really craved company. I slid inside the car onto smooth, gray leather. It had that new car smell. I put my seatbelt on, Nine didn't. He turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. The leather was so smooth, I couldn't help but to run my hands up and down it. The seats seemed to mold into my body perfectly. Nine pushed a button and almost immediately I could feel the seat warming up.

"I'm starving, how about we stop for something to eat?"

"I'm really not hungry." I lied.

Nine nodded. "It's cool." He put his car in gear and headed for the exit.

Turning my attention to the bright lights of the city, I took in the tall buildings and shiny cars weaving in and out of traffic. The car's engine purred rhythmically, tugging at the sleepiness that quickly began to weigh me down.

"San Francisco is really nice." I murmured, tapping my feet to try and stay awake.

"Yeah. It's a shame we nearly destroyed it."

I frowned at that, we never intended to destroy anything...

"We did more good than bad." I said.

Nine glanced at me then looked back at the road. "We saved their planet and now we are working together to make it better."

I nodded.

"They couldn't make me feel guilty for anything-and they don't."

Nine slowed down to let an SUV change lanes. Overhead a helicopter was flying over, I imagined for a moment that it was full of mogs. I knew what to do to take it down, just one flex of the mind was all it took.

"John said he found you living in the mountains?" Nine began.

"Do you talk much to the others?" I redirected the subject as I opened the glove was empty except for some loose papers.

"Yup...pretty much everyone except for Sam and Adam. Six and John call me nearly every other day and I see John a lot during the week. He can fly so getting around is easy."

"What about that Daniela girl, Ran and Nigel?"

Nine smirked. "They all went home to find their families. I thought Daniela was going to stay and help me out. We hooked up a bunch of times then she said 'bye' and left."

"You two had-you did-"

His smirk was getting stronger by the second. "Yep."

"That's so irresponsible." I said finally.

Nine laughed so hard that I was afraid he would crash the car. "Maybe to a girl who grew up with nuns in a church!"

I groaned-making him laugh even more.

"Saint Teresa's was a convent." I pointed out. I tried to mentally calculate how long it had been since I had last been at that place. A year and a half atleast and yet it feels like I was there just yesterday. We had countless sessions on abstinence, and chasity. It's no wonder I felt objection towards 'hooking up'; Although I don't know why I back something I learned from a place that I despised. Geez, how did time go by in such a blur? We had been anticipating the war ever since we left Lorien. I had spent many years in Spain, waiting, waiting, waiting, and waiting. It was all over now, the worst part was over. It's over. I try repeating that in my mind. It's over. It's over. The relief hadn't set in yet, it's like my mind doesn't know how to accept it.

We rode in silence for a while...maybe we were both lost in our thoughts. He hit his left blinker and turned down a residential road.

"We have two months left until the academy opens." Nine told me. "The place is going to be huge."

"Are you going to be the headmaster?" I asked.

"I'm not sure." Nine said. "I want to stay where I'm at and help the new Garde develop their legacies."

"Maybe John then?" I suggested.

"I already nominated him to be the nurse."

"Pft' I laughed.

"Until the academy is open for business there is a huge demand of Earth Garde that need mentors. Right now we have them all under one roof, with Johnicus Lore gone that means I'm all they have-"

"You seem to have it all under control."

"Not as much as I'd like."

"Isn't John and Lexa trying to establish plans for an academy across the sea?"

"One in Europe and another in Asia. We should have two of us in each academy."

"You mean split up?" I asked, thinking of everyone so far away.

"Not exactly." Nine shook his head. "We can always teleport to go see each other." He lifted up his pendant that John had carved out of Loralite. With it we could teleport to the Himalayan base at anytime. "John can fly himself where ever and Ella can talk to us via brain waves."

"...Have you talked to Ella much?"

"She pops in my head to say hello at least three times a day. You?"

"Ten times a day. And Ella says she misses you." I said upholding my promise.

"Yeah, I miss the squirt too."

"So. for tomorrow," Nine began. "You're planning on being there right?"

"Of course."

"Sweet," Nine said, maybe a little relieved. "Okay, so tommorow I am thinking of splitting up the group. With your half they will get the chance to meet you and get some expertise from another Garde."

I took a long pause. "...What do I do?"

"You-" Nine tried to think of a good response. "You talk to them, answer their questions-and they have a lot. Sometimes a government official or two stand in to take notes."

"Notes on what?"

"I don't know exactly." Nine admitted. "My guess is how you interact with the Earth Garde, the stuff you cover with them and shit like that. Plus everything is new to them, the government is already getting creative on using the legacies for good."

"Have you had any problems?"

Nine was quiet for a moment. His fingers fidgeted on the steering wheel. "One of my original students killed themselves."

I gasped. "What happened?"

"He was trans or something, kind of a geeky looking kid-but really funny once you got him talking. His legacy was mind reading, like Ella's."

"Yeah?"

"He didn't like what people thought about him, couldn't take it."

"That's terrible." I whispered.

"Some others have gotten into drugs and shit too. I was at a party with a cool dude I met who was visiting from New York, Paul. He introduced me to his friends. They all had legacies of some sort. One of them, Kai could manipulate fire-and well, he burned his mothers face. He smokes a lot of pot now."

"We can heal his mother." I pointed out earnestly.

"She was healed. I don't know by who though."

"And he still hasn't-he hasn't..."

"Gotten over it? Nope."

In that moment I felt determined. I wanted to be there for these new Earth Garde. I never, ever want them to feel like I did for so long.

Nine pulled into a well lit parking lot. "This is it right?"

The hotel I was staying at was pretty modest. It only had three floors, no room service, but it did have a pool.

Nine gave a low whistle."If you weren't an ass kicking goddess from another planet I would totally be against you staying here."

Nine was used to lux and glamour, I was used to necessities. "I've stayed in worse."

He pulled up next to the door. "Alright, get in there and get some sleep."

I yawned. "Yes coach."

"Four-thirty." He ordered.

"Four-thirty." I repeated back to him. I opened the door and began to climb out.

"Night."

"Good night."

I got back to my room and shut the door behind me. The place was neat and tidy-the near opposite of how I left it. I was in a hurry to get dressed and get to the college. I set the room key on the night stand and stripped out of my clothes. I decided to take a shower in the morning. It was only eight-thirty but I was beat. The night before I had been up all night walking around the city. My mind was restless-taking in the new surroundings. Thinking about my friends and Eight and trying to drain the emptiness I felt.

As I laid in bed the numbness began to creep from my gut and radiated through out the rest of me. Part of me craved company. Maybe I should have gone to get something to eat with Nine, or at least suggested to stop and talk for awhile.

It was too early in India to call John or talk to Ella. I turned the lights off and wrapped myself in the heavy blankets and let myself cry. I held on tightly to my pillow as one by one my tears began to soak it. I couldn't put my finger on any specific reason why I was crying, although I could name a few reasons. I just hoped and even prayed that the feeling would go away.

I wanted to feel happy again.

Thanks for reading, you can expect to get a new chapter very soon :*

Marina is one of my favorite characters and I really want to develop her character. (I'm really not a fan on how the series ended ;/ ) I am going to be playing with some heavy themes-I want to keep it real.