This one wasn't supposed to be published until after the Toes trilogy, but I figured this one can stand alone without them, so realize that I originally wasn't going to start this one for another two or three months and enjoy it!
This story has 2 OCs. The character bios would be really helpful when it comes to knowing who they are.
The character this story introduces is featured in one of the three character bios I've published – check it out if you want more in-depth information on her!
Read and review,
Raven's secret-keeper- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kary the Wanderer
Prologue
Dove was walking in Jump City with Sieara, her pet dove, on her shoulder, further acquainting herself with the streets. Raven had said that if she wanted to be part of the missions, she'd have to get to know where everything was.
Suddenly she sensed something she'd never sensed before. Her body slipped into stealth mode, and she followed her senses. Hidden by a corner, she peeked around the wall and saw a figure –
Her first thought was Raven, but she quickly learned it wasn't. The person was a little too big and was too thin, her hair was long and black, her clothes weren't in good enough condition or nearly the same, and she was digging through a dumpster behind a supermarket. Dove was confused, then she read the girl's mind and realized that she was searching for food. She heard a growl and tensed and froze.
A dog's head appeared out of the dumpster. Extremely unfortunately for Dove, it was big and she guessed it was a Great Dane – meaning it would probably be pretty fast.
It barked swiftly twice, and the girl said, "What is it?"
Dove had flipped around the corner, and she was fighting the instinct to run. Raven had told her to investigate further if she found anything suspicious or saw anything interesting. What she was sensing from this girl was interesting, and the fact that this girl was strange yet digging through the dumpster was definitely not normal. So she stayed.
She could hear the dog sniffing the air cautiously and her powers slipped in her anxiety. She could sense the girl was talking to the dog and mind-reading its reply – having lost control, she could sense the dog's thoughts as well and the way the girl had translated it in her own mind, or at least the way this girl heard it.
The dog's suspicion vanished and it turned back to sniffing around. Nothing… I just thought I saw something. Dove couldn't help finding it strange that this girl saw the dog's thoughts as actual words. All she could do with animals was sense their feelings. Ooh, steak!
"And it's still in a carrier… Good job, Buster… Orange? No. Pepper? No. Half-eaten hamburger?"
You keep that. I'll have the steak."Okay…"
Dove watched, once more around the corner, in much more sympathy than disgust as the girl sat down with her back against the dumpster and the dog jumped down and lay beside her, and both ate their finds.
The dog shifted and barked softly.
"What is it, boy?" the girl asked again.
Dove shot back just before the dog tilted his head and thought I just thought I smelled something…
"Well, I don't see anyone." The girl shrugged and finished her food ravenously.
Dove noticed again just how thin she was as she got up. She could almost see the girl's ribs; her clothes were just as thin as she was. She remembered when she was like this girl… Dangerously thin and homeless with nothing but an animal companion to keep her company. Only her pet was a dove. Then she remembered Sieara, the dove sitting patiently on her shoulder. Usually she would have flown off by now, but Dove would've run as well, and they would have fled together. Dove began thinking about how her dove was just as loyal as any dog, but then she felt disturbed.
She suddenly realized that this girl was abnormal. Way abnormal.
She heard them coming, so she chanted Azarath Metrion Zinthos under her breath and levitated back to the Tower.
"Raven?" She had gone immediately to her sister's room. She stayed at the doorway as the door opened, knowing the rule as well as any of the others.
Raven was meditating over her bed and seemed a bit startled, but this seemed urgent and Dove wanted Raven to know as soon as possible.
"Sorry to interrupt you."
"What is it?"
Dove's reply was amazingly fast and her words blurred together. "I saw someone today... She looked like you, but older and thinner and – "
"Wait, what?"
Raven stood up and walked to Dove.
Dove clarified, her voice slower than before, "She looked like you. Only thinner and older, but only a bit older. She was eating from a dumpster."
Raven considered for a moment, but Dove went on before she could say anything. "She had a dog, and was reading its mind and he understood what she said."
"How?"
"I have no clue. But they seemed close, and... Well, there was something really strange about her. Not the 'funny habit' strange, more like the 'something is very unusual about this' strange.
"Like what?"
"I don't know… I couldn't tell. I've never sensed anything like it before…"
"How was she reading the dog's mind? Or communicating with it?"
"She just… talked. She wasn't even looking at him or anything. And she read his thoughts as actual words, not feelings."
"Was there anything strange about the dog?"
"No. Well, besides the fact that he understood her… But I had a feeling that Sieara knew what she was saying, too." The bird on her shoulder tilted her head. "He seemed absolutely normal. It's the girl I'm wondering about."
"How exactly did she look like me?"
"I couldn't get a good glimpse of her face, but she had… sort of... her face looked a little like yours… and she had a chakra gem. On her forehead, just like – "
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Is that all?"
"No… She kind of had… Well, her eyes were the same color, and her hair was a lot longer than yours, but black, and she had… I don't know... She just had some of the same features as you."
"Any chance you would be willing to investigate?"
"As long as the dog doesn't chase me, then yeah."
"Alright. I can't help you out right now – I've never seen anyone else besides us with the gem, and I wouldn't be able to search for her psychic contact or her soul – I don't know what it's like."
"Okay…"
"Tomorrow, you can try to locate her again. If you need anything, call us."
"Why not today?"
"I think the others would like to know about this… And you seem a bit shaken."
"The dog was huge!"
"You don't need to be defensive."
"And the girl was just so… The thing I sensed sort of threw me off. It just came out of nowhere. I couldn't feel it at first, but then I just suddenly did, and it's not like there was a warning that something weird was about to pop up."
"Will you be okay tomorrow?"
"Now that I know about that weird thing, it won't be as startling – though it is unsettling and uncomfortable – Yeah, I'll be fine."
"Alright. I'll call the others and tell them what you told me. Was there anything else?"
"No."
"Do you mind me telling them? You look uneasy."
"I'm just nervous about this whole thing… I mean, what if there is another one of us out there, and she's… I don't know... All this uncertainty makes me anxious."
"We'll sort it out eventually. If you see her tomorrow, call us and we'll come and help you out."
"Good to know… It's still unnerving…"
"You'll be fine."
"It's not exactly me I'm worried about…"
"Then what is it?"
Dove thought for a moment. "I really don't know..."
"Don't worry. She can't be that hard to find, especially when you consider how different she sounds."
"No, it won't be that hard to find her. I knew that."
"You do remember how to search for a particular – "
"Yes."
"Then there's no reason to worry."
Dove looked at Raven unsurely, and Raven gave her a rare look of gentle reassurance. "Alright… If you say so." The fact that Raven was suspicious but not worried was a bit soothing. "I'll find her tomorrow."
Raven nodded, a bit relieved that her small gesture of comfort was taken into consideration and calmed Dove down as she hoped it would. "Make sure you meditate before you try to find her. You're still not very experienced with that ability."
"I will."
Raven nodded and left for the main room, and Dove went to her room, wondering what would happen tomorrow, if she would have to talk to the girl, if she'd even cooperate…
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-Raven's secret-keeper