Songs of Power
Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Only own Mia'n'Ally. Rich people own everything else.

Mia woke up excited. Tonight was the choir concert to benefit charities, and she was really looking forward to it. She went happily down the stairs, a little bit of a spring in her step, very happy indeed.

She found herself some breakfast: a muffin with a glass of orange juice, and brought it out into Ororo's garden to enjoy her breakfast with the dawn. (A/N: No idea when it really is. Interpret time-the-sun-rises as you wish here)

She was surprised to meet Todd out so early in the same area. He had never struck her as the sit-out-in-the-winter-cold-to-watch-the-sunrise type, but he was there nonetheless.

"Oh, hello!" she said.

"Uh…Hi?" he responded doubtfully.

Mia wasn't sure what she thought of Todd, who smelled, if not down-right nasty, as least dubious, who looked like a toad or frog, who didn't even have a decent grasp of basic grammar.

Todd wasn't sure what he thought of Mia. She was the sort of girl to slap him for just looking at her the wrong way. Though she hadn't shown she actually she disliked him she was pretty enough, relatively intelligent, and normal looking. Utterly and completely normal. Of course she would hate him, or at the best be able to barely stand his company.

The silence they sat in was awkward, to say the least. Neither was sure of the other. Neither knew more than the very basic basics of the others personality. Not a good basis for sparkling conversation.

That was just fine for Mia. She wasn't in the mood for conversation at all, sparkling or otherwise. She just wanted to sit outside and watch the dawn come up, spreading cream, peach and gold through the dove-gray satin of the sky, then palest sea-shell pink.

"So…Why are yo' out here?" asked Todd finally when he couldn't stand the silence any longer. If he got slapped he'd at least have a good reason to leave.

"I just like the sunrise…"

"I know. It's like the beginnings of a new day, yo…I like it in winter when it stains the trees golden in the first light…"

"Yeah, I know…"

Todd sneaked a look over at Mia. She wasn't looking at him, but she had responded to him, positively even…

"Happy to see the end of school for a whole blissful two weeks?" asked Mia dreamily.

"Hell yeah."

"Me too. I'll miss choir, though…won't caroling tonight be fun?"

"Yeah, I guess…I dunno, choir ain't my thing…"

This made Mia look at him. "I've seen you in choir, you look like you love it. Don't try that junk with someone who knows better."

"Okay, okay…geeze…"

"Good. Want to practice with me and Ally after school on weekdays? Freddy is too, and Kitty. It'd be good to get to know you better. I can't say I really know all that much about you."

The sudden silence unnerved Mia. Had she said something she shouldn't have? Insulted him? Had he just left…? She risked a glance over.

Todd was shocked. A person—a girl—had said she wanted to get to know him better. He saw her looking over, a nervous look on her face, and quickly said "Uh…sure. I mean, of course, yo."

"Great! Talk to you about it at lunch? I need to go find my choir folder before school, I was practicing last night. See you later!"

"Uh…see you?"

Todd sighed deeply, his whole world shaken. Someone had indicated interest in him…true, it wasn't much, and Mia was friendly to everyone, but still…

That morning as Mia left the Institute, in a hurried, school-day rush, she noticed with a bit of surprise that there seemed to be an inordinate number of squirrels in the trees around the school, all chanting in high-pitched voices…Oh well. Maybe her muffin had been off.

A/N: Expect further insanity in the next chapter. This is for you, MuggleBuddy! I was sorta surprised you liked it... I have an ahem "unique" sense of humor.

As always, reviews are unto me as gods.