Lina waited in her truck in the parking lot of Angel Grove high. Nervously tapping on her steering wheel and listening to 'What's up?' by 4 Non Blondes. When the finale bell rang it only took a few minutes before the twins were wandering out the building and climbing into her truck.

"So, how'd your first day go?" she asked as she pulled away from the school.

Erika grinned and dove excitedly into a retelling of their classes, landing especially on the music and language classes. Which didn't surprise Lina in the slightest. Her heart soared when Rebecca actively added to the conversation her enjoyment of the art and computer class.

"Oh!" Erika started, "We met some kids our age in gym that were really nice."

Rebecca nodded, until her hair grew longer they had it styled into a pixie cut at the salon yesterday and she practically glowed. "Kimberly and Zack. They where very friendly and asked if we wanted to come to the youth center to meet some of their friends."

Lina grinned, "Well, it's a good thing that was the plan then."

The twins chatted happily about their day. Lina reached over to turn the radio down, silencing a news cast stating something about a new artifact discovered on the moon so she could give her sisters her undivided attention until they pulled up to the youth center, and nearly dragged Lina inside in the hast to find their new friends.

Lina glanced around the youth center. It had been a while since she'd been here. The juice bar part was on small rise while down a few steps Ernie had set up a decent gym. There was a matted area where several students in beginner karate attire were watching two teens spar. Next to them was a balance beam and other equipment scattered about.

"That's Kimberly!" Erika said excitedly pointing to the brunette on the balance beam. Lina watched as she executed her routine. She was good, Lina had to admit. Balance was something that took more skill than people gave it credit for.

"Zack is the one sparring with the guy in red." Rebecca murmured. Lina and her sisters wandered down to get a closer look as the two sparing partners executed several hits and blocks. The one in red caught a kick by Zack and went to flip him, however Zach was able to control his fall and regain his footing. His partner dropped his stance and they high-fived smiling.

"Nice recovery, Zack." The boy in red commended.

Zack returned the grin, both boys attempting to catch their breath. "Thanks for teaching me, Jason."

"No problem".

"Erika, Rebecca! Hey!" The sisters turned and grinned as Kimberly walked over, with a taller girl following behind them.

"High Kimberly." Rebecca smiled.

Kimberly waved and gestured to the girl beside her. "This is Trini. She's one of my best friends. Trini this is Erika and Rebecca. They are in my English class. They just transferred here."

Trini smiled brightly. "I'm very glad to meet you! I hope you're enjoying Angel Grove."

Rebecca chuckled weakly, "Yes well….it….it's much livelier than where we were before."

Lina braced her self for the inevitable question but Zach and Jason came up behind and interrupted. "Hey Rebecca! Erika! Glad you decided to show." Zack smiled slyly as he glanced at Lina. "Who's your pretty friend? I think I'd have remembered seeing you around school."

Lina rolled her eyes and gently pushed him in the chest, making him take a step back. "Down Jailbait." She scolded.
"Miss Simmons."

Lina turned and scanned for the voice but broke into a grin as a familiar glasses rimmed face came into view in white karate attire.

"Bill." She nodded . " I didn't know you hung out here."

He opened his mouth, but Zack threw his arm around his shoulders. "Billy my boy. You been holding out on me."

He was pouring on the charm so hard, but his face fell as Lina leveled a serious glare his way.

"Ok let's make this clear so there are no misunderstandings." Lina said in a glacial monotone. "I am 18. You are not. Not only that but I am telling you to back off of this topic."

Zack smiled and raised his hands in surrender. "Fair enough. Hope that doesn't discount potential friendships."

Lina's posture relaxed and she gave him a small smile. "Friendships are always welcome. And as I have told Billy before, you can call me Lina."

"She's our sister." Erika supplied helpfully.

Introductions where exchanged politely and Lina gestured to Billy's uniform. "Taking up martial arts?" she asked.

Billy nodded, "Affirmative! I think I'm mentally and physically prepared for my first karate class."

Jason patted his shoulder supportively. "I'm sure you'll do great."

"Hey girls!"

The group turned around to see two boys in way too much leather for the California heat. Lina raised an eyebrow at the comical image they made. One was larger and rounder. They other was skinny and scrawny. "They look like they've watched one too many episodes of Renegade." Lina muttered under her breath as her sisters fought not to snicker.

"Oh no." Kimberly groaned as the too biker wannabes wandered over. "It's Bulk and Skull."

Bulk ran a hand over his hair to flatten it out and leaned toward Kimberly and Trini. "Hi, girls. How about that double date we talked about?"

Skull threw his head back and laughed in such a high pitch Lina could almost swear her ears were going to bleed. "Yeah. Ha ha ha! What about it?"

Trini shook her head and Kimberly crossed her arms. "Sorry guys."

Bulks face turned thunderous. "What's the matter? We're not good enough for you?"

Erika stepped between them and shoved Bulk once hard, sending him stumbling back.

"They said no. Take a hint and leave them alone."

Skull was struggling to help Bulk stand, who quickly shoved him off and stalked forward to loom over Erika. "Listen here new girl. Keep your nose out of this or you and your mouse of a sister are going to regret it."

He reached for Erika when his wrist was grabbed and faster than anyone could blink his arm was twisted out and away and he was quickly facing the other way with his shoulder wrenched behind him. He struggled to stay standing when he turned his head but was met with the fury in Lina's eyes as she jerked his writs slightly. Her grip on his hand and elbow keeping him immobile.

"You." Lina's voice hissed out with barely contained fury. "Do not. Touch. My sisters. I don't care how cool you think you are. You touch them without their permission, and I will to more than dislocate your arm." She put a little more pressure on his elbow causing him to wince in pain. "Do we understand each other?" he nodded frantically, and she released him by shoving him forward, forcing him to stumble forward, and away from the group.

He spun around, face red with embarrassment, and opened his mouth but before he could say anything another voice broke through the commotion.

"Farkas! You promised you weren't going to do this."

Lina's eyebrows rose as a small but muscular girl with long curly red hair and freckles came storming over. She pushed her blue rimmed glasses up her nose and glared furiously up at Bulk who was paling considerably.

"Gwen its not…." But Gwen shook her head and placed her hands on her hips.

"You promised that you weren't going to act like this. Treating people like this. I can't believe you." Tears filled her dark blue eyes and Bulk looked like he was starting to panic at her hysterics.

"If you don't leave these guys alone I'm going to tell Aunt Freda." Gwen threatened before turning and sending Jason an apologetic look as Bulk whined behind her about not telling his mom.

"I'm sorry Jason. Bulk was supposed to be helping me decide on a club or sport I could join after school. I didn't mean for him to interrupt your class." Jason waved away her apology and she turned her glare back on her cousin.

"I mean it Farkas! No more picking on people." She spun around and stalked off Bulk and Skull scrambling to follow her.

She only stopped when Trini called out to her. "You should stick around and watch Jason's Karate class. He's a great teacher."

Lina and her sisters followed the girls to a nearby table as they watched the students gather before Jason. Almost in sync they worked their way through the stances as Jason called them out.

Billy was struggling but Jason stopped beside him to help him through the more difficult steps.

"All right, class, what is it that Martial Arts helps us to develop? Billy?"

"Courage, kindness, integrity, fitness, loyalty, and discipline."

"That's good. You memorized that very quickly, Billy."

A familiar high-pitched laugh and Lina leaning her head back to rest on the back of her chair. "These guys just don't know when to quit do they?" she asked no one in particular as she watched Jason proceed to make a fool out of the large bully. Telling him to try some more advanced techniques, which ended with Bulk face first in the mat, and Skull clapping like an idiot.

They had just put an order in with Ernie at the juice bar when Billy and Jason came back after changing. Billy looking down and disappointed in his performance.

"Billy, I'm telling you, for your first lesson, you did really well."

Billy glanced up from the table. "I did?" he asked in a small voice.

Erika leaned over and gave him a one-armed hug. "For sure!" she said merrily. "You should have seen how bad I was when Lina started teaching us self-defense."

Lina sighed dramatically and shook her head in clear exaggeration. "Yes when Erika started the only safe place around her was the target because that was the only thing she never hit." She ducked easily as a candy bar went soaring over her head. "See what I mean, she hasn't improved that much." She raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Go pick that up, don't waste a perfectly good candy bar."

Erika roller her eyes but did as she was bid. As she retook her seat Ernie had come back with a trey full of shakes and juices. "Who ordered the spinach juice?" Before anyone could respond the ground began pitching to and fro violently. "Oh, no! It's an earthquake! Everybody stays calm!" failing to take his own advice he crashed into Bulk sending the shakes sliding down his clothes.

All around them kids ran screaming and the teens all stumbled into a standing position. Trying to head for the exit. Lina had just grabbed Rebecca's hand and they were heading to the door when most of their group froze, some looking scared, some nauseous.

"Oh, my gosh! What happening?"

"This is too weird."

"Hold on!"

"Sis!"

Lina spun around catching sight of her sister who was leaning heavily on the table as orange sparkles materialized around her. So rapidly they soon enveloped her, and she and the other teens were absorbed into columns of light that shot into the sky.

Lina reached for where she last saw her sister but was met with nothing but air. Her hand shook and she felt a pit form in her stomach as she cried out in terror and despair. "ERIKA!"