Unexpected Ally Chapter 1: Meetings

Turtle Cove would be a nice place to live, Tara thought, if it wasn't for all the Orgs. Having fights and battles all the time isn't very conductive to relaxing.

Of course, it wasn't like anyone else was bothered. No, everyone else was just, 'Oh, look, another fight. I'd better run away, but I'm not really worried. The Rangers'll win."

Of course, even if there had been a fight today, she probably wouldn't have noticed. She'd been seriously dazed all day, to the point of walking into people because she simply hadn't seen them.

"Excuse me. Are you all right?" Turning, she saw a boy of maybe nineteen or a little older watching her curiously. He pushed his hair absently away from his eyes as he spoke, and she frowned, taking in the jacket he wore, his tousled hair, and his general demeanour. The jacket had 'Blazing Lion' printed across the back and had no sleeves, leaving his arms totally free.

He was returning the scrutiny, but she knew what he saw. A girl of about sixteen, with long blond hair and green eyes set in a pointed face. She was tall and thin, and when she moved she had the grace of a dancer.

"You're the one who…" She broke off abruptly.

"I'm sorry?"

"N-nothing. Sorry. Did you say something?"

"Are you all right? You've been standing here for five minutes."

"I have?" She glanced around. "I guess I spaced. Sorry."

"Are you sure you're all right?" The boy was still beside her.

"Um-I'm not sure."

"Come and sit down." He drew her to a nearby bench. "Can I get you something?"

"No. Thank you. I'll be fine."

"Sure?" He hunkered beside the bench.

"Yeah." Something beeped and he frowned, rising to his feet and taking a few steps away. Lifting a mobile phone, he talked quietly into it for a minute before returning.

"Listen, I need to go for a few minutes. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine." His frown said he wasn't convinced.

"I'll be back soon."

"If you want." He nodded, turning and racing away.

When Cole came back twenty minutes later the girl was still sitting where he'd left her. She was sitting sideways on the bench, knees pulled up in front of her, staring out into space. Cole hesitated when he saw Kite some distance behind the bench, veering off slightly so the girl wouldn't see him. Kite vanished when he realised Cole was coming towards him, though, and Cole sighed and turned back towards the girl.

"Your friend gone?" she asked mildly when he hunkered again.

"Excuse me?"

"Your friend, the boy who was back there." She gestured over her shoulder without looking.

"Do you know him?" Cole asked.

"No. I've seen him around is all." She turned, sliding her legs off the bench. "My name's Tara."

"Cole." he answered, standing to help her up.

"Cole. Thank you for helping me, but I feel much better now. Honestly."

"Do you live nearby?"

"On the other side of town."

"I'll walk you there."

"Cole, I really…"

"I'm not doing anything else." he said, smiling.

"What about your friend?"

"Kite?" he said without thinking. "He has a habit of disappearing. I'll catch up with him later on."

"Kite. That's an unusual name."

"He's an unusual boy. Which way are we going?"

They chatted on the way, until, about twenty minutes later, Tara fell silent for a moment.

"Cole?" she said softly. "Your friend's following us. Did you know?"

"Yes."

"Why is he following us?" Cole shrugged.

"He doesn't normally come this far out of town." Tara nodded. A faint tremor caught her attention for a moment, and she had to psychically jerk her attention away.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"What?" She blinked and looked up at Cole.

"When you look around like that. What do you see?"

"I…" She looked away. "I don't know what you mean, Cole." Cole twisted in front of her, blocking her path. Behind them, Kite looked startled at the sudden move but didn't retreat.

"You know what I mean."

"Cole," she said sharply, "move out of my way." He stared at her for a long moment, and then she flinched and took a step back.

"What?" he asked, reaching out with one hand to catch her arm and steady her. She sighed, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him.

"Where do you go, Cole?"

"Excuse me?"

"When you leave Turtle Cove. You just vanish…It's like you fall off the face of the earth."

Without taking his eyes off her he called, "Kite?" When the boy stopped beside him Cole pulled him behind him, out of Tara's reach.

"I'm not gonna hurt him, Cole. You wanted to know, answer the question."

"Cole?" Kite said uncertainly. He didn't answer, looking at Tara.

"I live outside town."

"No, you don't. You go out of town, and then you just vanish. You're not anywhere." Her eyes were almost closed. "You go into the woods, and then…" She opened one hand. "Poof…you're gone." Cole stared at her for a long minute. "He does it too." she added, nodding towards Kite.

"Cole." Kite said uncertainly. "Is…"

"Tara." Cole cut Kite off. "We…"

"You need to go. I know, Cole. I'll be around." Tara said quietly. Cole started to say something, stopped, and turned, steering Kite away. Tara watched them leave, staring after them for a long time.