Note: This chapter contains lines of the poem A Dream by Edger Allen Poe. And I realize this chapter is kinda short but hey, I can only think of so much in one night.

Flame of the Guardians Soul
Chapter Seven
A Dream

Ranka looked at the outfit Glacier and sent her. It was quiet odd, nothing like what she had ever worn before. In Japan she had only needed her kimono or the occasional school uniform, never something like this. The outfit was a black shirt with a pirate symbol on it with red jeans and black boots, not really her style at all, but she didn't have much choice.

Glacier had told her that school started at 7:30 a.m. that was much earlier than Ranka had felt like waking up, but for the sake of seeing this thing threw she had to. She was just great full that she didn't have to wake up when Sen-Jui did for Gina's school started at 6:45 a.m. sharp. She had remembered Glacier telling them both that they had to be on their toes, because Shinma from all over the globe where in both schools and that they didn't know they'd be at school with the guardian incarnate.

After she had dressed Ranka went out to see if the boys where still asleep. To her surprise, the only one who wasn't sleeping was Larva. Ranka walked over to his side, "How long have you been awake?" She asked.

Larva blinked as though she had knocked him from a trance, he then looked down at the gothic Ranka, "I never went to sleep," he said calmly.

"Larva," Ranka said in slight surprise, "You need to get some rest if you are to get through this thing. Remember what Glacier said?"

"I remember," he replied, "Aira is not much like Miyu, I know that. I just..." he trailed off.

You just want to be the Guardian's protector again to prevent another horrid death for a soul, Ranka thought. She had arrived too late to see how Miyu had died, but it had vexed Larva in a way she never could have imagined. She could see the cycles under his eyes from the lack of sleep. She guessed he didn't even sleep when they where on the boat. She glanced over at the clock, "I better get going, and you should get some rest." She turned and headed to the door.

Larva let out a sigh and said in a calm voice, "In visions of the dark night I have dreamed of joy departed..."

Ranka had stopped she knew that poem. She turned to look at Larva but it seemed that he was now back in the trance she had woken him from just moments ago. There was nothing she could say to him now, thus she simply nodded her head and left the hotel room.

Larva starred out the window at the braking of the dawn. But a waking dream of life and light hath left me broken-hearted. He thought as he remembered the poem he had read as a small child. What was going to happen now? They had found the incarnations and Larva had vowed to himself years ago that he would find and protect the Guardian who would take Miyu's place at the throne of destiny. He gave a heavy sigh and went to the couch across from the television, he had nothing elts to do so he thought he might as well see what things are like in America.

Ranka looked at the schedule she had for the time she would be here. Her first period would be French One. Why does a Guardian want to take a french class? Ranka thought. She entered the French room just as the teacher was calling roll.

Miss. Petty looked up at Ranka, "Can I help you miss?" Ranka handed her the paper, "Oh! You're my new student, why don't you take a seat next to Aira over there?"

Perfect, Ranka thought. She walked over and sat beside Aira, she looked over to see what Aira was doing and was surprised to see a picture of something that looked like the Grim Reaper. Ranka looked at the drawing and was surprised to see that the grim reaper looked like Larva. Never the less she took her seat and the long class of French One began.

Sen-Jui didn't quiet know what to think West High School was a large and vast place. His schedule had been made to match Gina's own, yet he was still incredibly lost. Once he was going to ask a teacher for help but the teacher was occupied with a fight that suddenly broke out in the middle of the hall way. Apparently this school was a violent one.

He was getting more and more lost by the second when he turned around and bumped into a girl. "Oh I'm sorry." He said quickly.

"It's alright," the girl said. She had ivory hair, brown eyes and was just a little taller than Ranka. Wait! He had seen her last night at that coven-gathering thing! "You're new here aren't you?"

"Yeah. My name is Sen-Jui, I'm and exchange student from Japan."

"Really?" The girl asked, "I didn't know that we'd get exchange students so soon in the year. That's kinda cool," She blinked and slapped herself, "I'm an idiot, sorry, my name is Vans."

"It's nice to meet you Vans," he said and offered his hand.

Vans smiled and shook his hand lightly, "It's nice to meet you too."

"Hey um, do you think you could help me find my classes?" He asked, "I'm really lost here."

"It's easy to get lost here," Vans said, "Let me see your schedule." He handed it to her and she blinked, "Hey you've first period with me and Gina!" She said surprised.

"Well how about that?" He said trying to sound surprised.

"No kidding." She replied with a smile, "Now come on and I'll take you to class before we're late and marked down as a sluff." She took him by the arm and led him up a flight of stairs into a chemistry classroom.

"What's a sluff?" He asked her as soon as they where done running.

"It's when you ditch class," She replied.

"Oh." He said. It was then that he saw Gina enter the room along with the old teacher. The bell rang and class began.

When French Class got out, it was time to head over to art class. Ranka had never really been good at art, but then again maybe no one would realize this. The teacher had welcomed Ranka with open arms and Aira had found it strange that Ranka had the same period as she did again. Ranka then asked the teacher what the project was and Miss. Badly told the whole class yet again.

"The project is to select a poem from one of the poetry books by the paint over there," She pointed at the wooden shelf with at least twenty books on poetry by famous poets. "And to compose a drawing with the colored pencils from it. You think you can do that?" She asked Ranka.

"I will try to do my best," she answered truthfully.

"Why don't you sit by Aira then? She's one of my best students and she could help you in any way you needed."

"Thank you," Ranka said and took her paper from Miss. Badly and sat beside Aira.

For the first time in one day Aira turned and looked at Ranka, and spoke, "Teachers seem to like sitting you next to me, don't they?" She said.

Ranka blinked, "It would seem so," she paused and then continued, "My name is Ranka. What's yours?"

"I'm Aira, but my friends call me Kitten." She said.

"Which do you rather I call you by?" Ranka asked.

"Either or," Aira replied, "You need help with a poem?" she asked.

"No, I already have a poem picked out." She said.

"Oh? Which one?"

"It's called A Bird Came Down. It's by Emily Dickinson."

"I like that poem," Aira said.

Ranka smiled softly, then she looked at the picture that Aira was working on. It was a dark one. With purple-gray clouds, a figure with blue eyes that seemed to be crying water at first then it formed into blood and dripped onto a heart, and she was working on something that Ranka thought was light. "What is your poem?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh!" Aira said as though she had just come out of a trance, "It's A Dream by Edger Allan Poe."

Ranka was surprised. Aira didn't act like Miyu for the moment but she was sertenly on the same wavelength that Larva had been that morning. Perhaps there was more to this than meets the eye, and perhaps Ranka was just imagining things.