Success! I finally got this off my chest and to you for your curious eyes. The mystery of Courage through Eternal Night and her role in this story continues. You won't be expecting this, I'm sure!

Year: 2513; Location: Earth (formerly Erde-Tyrene)

"And you're sure that NOW is a good time for me to be going down onto Erde-Tyrene?" Courage through Eternal Night tied her long blonde hair back with a piece of blue ribbon with practiced ease. She turned to her mentor, the ever patient Gentle Heartbeat of Fate.

"My probe indicates that now is a good time," the older Forerunner responded with his infinite patience, analyzing the customs and practices of the planet's society. "Humanity advanced significantly in their technology, and are not as stricken with wars like in the past. Also, they are beginning to expand to other planets, so it won't be nearly as crowded. Remember when we sent the probe in their 22nd century?"

Courage shuddered at the memory, then turned away from the crystalline planet below them. "And we've still been laying a false trail for War for Ascendant Destiny?"The older Forerunner nodded. "Good. I'd rather he not find us here."

"Mother," a child's voice spoke, and Courage knelt down to stare into the very serious eyes of her young daughter. In the 1500 years since her daughter had been born, with so much time spent in a modified Cryptum, it looked as if the young Forerunner girl was only about twelve years old. Long white hair flowed in a neat braid down to the small of her back. Her fur had mostly receded back into her hairline, and the white crescents that had been around her face had disappeared save for two nearly indistinguishable indents in the skin. Golden skin and white hair, coupled with pale eyes, gave the impression that this girl was strange and to be avoided. That was how Courage preferred to think of it, anyways.

"Mother, will you return soon?" Song of Rising Skies asked her mother, a look in her eyes daring her mother to lie to her in the most innocent manner. Courage grasped her daughter's forearms and drew her close into a hug.

"I will send for you as soon as I can," she reassured her daughter, pulling a silver chain from around her neck and attaching it to her daughter's own. The black ring-shaped pendant hug somewhere about the girl's collarbone. With one last hug, Courage stood up and grabbed the sack of human clothes and notes on their behavior and customs for her to reference. She ruffled her daughter's pearly white hair on her way to this new planet.

This new home.

Location: Galveston, Texas, United States of America, Earth

It was WAY too hot out.

Even with the Forerunner's amazing adaptability encoded in their genes, Courage couldn't help but wipe sweat from her brow as she trudged down the dusty dirt road to her apartment. She and Fate had purchased it remotely, and the realtor seemed happy to have it off their hands. It had been on the market for at least five years, and the bank had been threatening to foreclose on the building if the real estate agency hadn't sold SOMETHING. Courage had the whole building pretty much to herself, which was just fine. Fewer people around meant fewer questions.

The trees were halfway from changing to their autumn colors, a mixture of deep green and pale yellow-green. A few children or young adults were running around in the abnormal fall heat, riding on bicycles or playing with rubber balls. A few people stopped to watch Courage as she continued along the side of the road (per human custom), curious as to who this teenage "human" was. She marveled at them as well. The way that humanity had bounced back after the firing of the Halos was truly astounding. Her mother would have been proud to see how the entire species has bloomed.

Something collided with Courage's leg at high speed and fell to the ground with a squeak. Pausing, she looked down to see a small girl, about twelve human years old with layered black hair and bright brown eyes sitting on the ground at her feet, having run into the denim of her pants. The small child reminded Courage of her own daughter in so many ways, from the bright curiosity in her eyes to the exercised eagerness that came with maturity. The small child stood up and bowed her head, her black hair flipping downward awkwardly.

"I'm SO sorry for running into you like that, miss," the child apologized in a thick Southern accent that Courage still had some trouble completely understanding. Still, she gave a small smile to the polite young girl.

"It's alright," she responded reassuringly, correcting the girl's hair as she turned her head upright. The little girl giggled as the blonde woman neatened her hair and set its layers right again.

"Rosie!" a young male voice called from across the street. A boy, probably about fourteen (as old as she appeared) ran across the abandoned roadway from a Victorian-style, powder blue house with manicured lawn and white fence. He stopped to correct the horn-rimmed glasses on his face, straighten out his green t-shirt, and dust off his jeans. "Don't scare me like that, little sister," he chided his sibling in a concerned Southern voice while the child hung her head in shame. "Did you apologize?"

"Yes."The girl gave a pathetic sniffle, and her older brother seemed to melt at the sight of his saddened sister. He gave a sigh and pointed at the house.

"Alright, go and have Mom take a look at that scrape on your knee," he told his sister, and that's when Courage noticed the reddened scrape on Rosie's knee.

"It's alright," she said, halting the girl. "I'll take care of it." She pulled a bottle of disinfectant spray out from her pocket, shook it, and sprayed some onto the girl's wound with practiced care and patience. The scrape hissed angrily as foam indicated the eradication of germs that had begun to make their home in Rosie's knee. The little girl stared down in fascination as the liquid foam ran down her leg and into her white tennis shoes, but without the pain of the iodine solution that her mother would put on her many bumps and bruises when she went out to play. Courage took the wide ribbon from her hair, allowing the blonde mass to float in the hot breeze of the Texas autumn, and tied it around the girl's wound. "Be sure to wash off that stuff tonight when you take a shower," she instructed little Rosie, tying off the ribbon skillfully. "It should be better in the morning."

"Thank you very much!" the small girl bounced up and down with glee at the older girl's first aid skills. Rosie's brother could only stare in amazement at how this complete stranger, new to these parts obviously, had just went ahead and fixed his sister up. With a wave of farewell and a spring to her step, Rosie dashed back off to her home across the street, kicking up fallen leaves as she went.

"I guess I should say thank you," the boy responded to Courage, who gave a smile.

"It's what I do," she replied. "Now, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything, for what you just did there," the boy responded eagerly, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"I'm moving into this apartment complex here in town, and I have the address, but I don't know where it is," she explained, holding out the receipt for the sale of her new home. "Can you point me to where it might be?"

The boy glanced at the paper. "You're in luck," he informed her. "It's just down the road here and to the right at the end of the cul-de-sac. You need me to show you the way?"

"No, that's okay," Courage responded, hoisting her pack on her shoulder again. "I really should get there and start cleaning up before my relatives get here."

"I'm Leonard, by the way," the boy introduced himself. "Leonard Church. And you've just met Rosie, my little sister. If there's anything that we can do for you, just let us know and we'll be happy to help."

"Thank you very much," Courage responded. There was an awkward pause. "Oh!" she realized. "You want me to tell you my name, now." Stupid human customs, she though bitterly.

That was when Courage realized a problem. She didn't have a human name, and she couldn't just say her Forerunner name. It would make her look like a crazy person if anyone else found out. Hurriedly, she looked for something to inspire a name. An advertisement on a nearby tree displayed that there would be a showing of an old 21st century movie at the local movie theatre, 'Alice in Wonderland.'

"My names…" she paused for a second. "Allison. My name is Allison."

Were you expecting THAT?! *evil chuckle*

More is on the way! Keep reading and reviewing, you wonderful people.

'Til All are One,

anna1795