(Cole's P.O.V.)

I'll have to admit, like the others…I was a bit thrown off by the girls' sudden appearance-not to mention Talynn's over-reaction to something. But once I got to know them a bit at the dinner table, I could see that they fit well together.

Each of the girls had lost family members-or in Talynn's case, a whole family- sometime between their second and third birthdays. They weren't really sure since it was so long ago. After that happened, Talynn had gone off with someone who took her to her adoptive family, where she stayed until Sensei found her and her powers. She was brought back to the monastery where she was later reunited with her friends.

As they got older, they began to do more…artistic things. Kyna appeared to have a bit of a way with words. She could make anything seem like it really happened-which it did, according to Talynn.

Soula was a bit of a photographer, as she showed us some of her work after dinner. Some of her earlier pictures were a bit hazy, but they got more…how did Nya put it? Oh yeah, colorful. But I think the ones that were the best were either the ones she took in spring or winter.

Talynn's gift seemed to be sketching. Seriously, that girl is fast. While Lloyd was doing some katas, Talynn's pencil hardly stopped moving. It was like her hand had a mind of its own. She hadn't even noticed what she was doing until Kyna pointed it out.

"Tal?"

"Hmm?"

"You're doing it again." The red-head said, watching the pencil move at lightning speed.

"What?" She looked down. "Oh, génial, pas encore.

"Uh…what?" Jay asked confused at what she said.

"It's French Jay." Soula said, looking through her photos. "Talynn's known that since we were old enough to speak."

"Yeah it's kinda a…secondary language." Kyna said, picking up a videogame controller.

"One that I hate slipping into." Talynn stated, looking at her drawing. "It's one habit I could never break. Well, one of many."

I looked over her shoulder a bit to see her work. She had an eye for detail, that's for sure.

"Not bad." I told her, almost making her jump. For a second or so I saw the red eyes I'd seen earlier today. But they were different. They were calm, almost turning black.

"Thanks." She said, getting to her feet. "I'm gonna turn in. Later."

As she walked away, I noticed that her steps were a bit wobbly. I wasn't sure, but I don't think it was from the ship moving. I'd have to keep an eye on her.

(Talynn's P.O.V.)

I can't believe I slipped into my drawing zone again. I mean, sure in our room it would've been okay, but in front of complete strangers? That's another story. Especially so late at night. I just sat on my bed for awhile, not even wanting to pick up by pencil and sketch more onto the wall. We had training in the morning, so I got ready for bed instead.

"Come on Talynn, a deal's a deal." Soula says as I'm pulling on my pajama top. She's holding a cup full of my medicine. Multi-colored pills and needles. Oh joy.

"I can't believe you agreed to do this without fighting." Kyna said, closing the door. "I mean, we usually have to hold you down just to get you to take one pill. Now you're not even gonna fight?"

"I know it's crazy." I tell her as Soula preps my arm for a needle. "But a deal's a deal." She looks at me coldly. "And don't think I didn't see you cut yourself earlier Kylina Corazana Elisa Sohma."

She stood stock still as I took the needle, as if she was feeling my pain. But I didn't scream. I only stared at her, which without my specs wasn't very hard.

"You don't know anything." Kyna said, sitting down on her red comforter.

"Oh no?" I asked. "Kyna, we've been over this. We've each suffered in some way, but we have to face the hurdles if we're ever to reach our-"

"Our true potential. I know I know. But it doesn't help." She digs through her bag until she finds what she's looking for, then tosses it to the ground. "It won't bring them back!"

As I look at what she tossed, I can see for once we aren't talking about our mothers and my father.

We were talking about the ones who saved us from the fire. Our protectors; our dragons.

(Normal P.O.V.)

The girls didn't talk anymore that night. Instead, they fell straight into dreams. Well, almost all of them did. Talynn was still awake when it reached one in the morning. No matter what she did, her mind wouldn't shut off.

There were often nights like this; nights that she often just walked about and prayed for sleep. But this was a new environment, she couldn't just walk about she'd wake someone. Sighing, she got up from her bed and put on a thin hoodie jacket and sweatpants, thinking maybe the night air would do her good. She didn't realize that she wasn't the only one awake.

Cole lay awake on his bed, thinking the day over. It'd been an interesting one that's for sure. Three new members of their little group in one day-and right after his dream about the little one? Was that just a coincidence? And now Kai and Zane had had dreams of little ones as well. That had to mean something right?

He groaned as he sat up. It was too much for one night, he'd never get to sleep. Then he heard movement in the hall. He grabbed a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans and quickly pulled them on. When he looked out, he saw Talynn headed up stairs.

'What's she doing up?' he thought as he sneaked over to the staircase. 'She was the first one to turn in. Why would she be awake?'

As he got to the main deck, he could see Talynn looking over the side, holding something tightly in her hands. He couldn't make it out for certain, but it looked like a locket. He had to get a better look.

Talynn looked down at her mother's locket. She didn't remember how she'd gotten a hold of it, but it was her one comfort at night when she couldn't sleep. She opened it slowly, letting herself prepare for the picture inside. Once she opened it, a rush of things ran over her. Her mother's laugh, her father's smile, her brothers' mischief; she remembered it all. The only thing she didn't remember, was how she survived, and they didn't.

"Who will kiss my head?" she sang out quietly.

"When I lie in bed?
And who will hold my hand?
Who will understand?
Who will sing my song to me?"

Cole couldn't believe his ears. Her voice was so gentle, it probably put birds to shame. Heck, it put anything he'd ever heard to shame. He snuck a little closer to hear more.

"Who will hold me tight," she continued, staring at her mother.

"In the dark of night?
And who will brush my hair?
Rock me in my chair.
Who will sing my song to me?" She looked at her father, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Who will sing my song to me?" Now her two brothers, who had made her giggle so much.

"Now that you," She closed the locket tight.

"Are gone."

She continued to stare out into the night, as if it held the answers. The she sighed.

"You can come out now Cole." She called into the wind. "There's no use hiding. I know you're there."

Cole jumped out of the shadows, landing beside her. "How did you know I was there?"

"Your aura." She replied, putting the locket in the sweatpants pocket. "It told me you were nearby. It's a gift I got from my mother."

"You remember?" he asked, a little startled by this.

"A bit." She replied, looking at him for the first time without her shades since this morning. "Nothing special about her, I guess. I mean I remember she had a way with people. She could talk to them openly and-" she looked down a little. "I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"No, it's good." He said giving her a smile. "What about your dad? You remember him?"

"Not as much." She stated. "I guess he wasn't around a lot when I was young. But my brothers…I'd rather not talk about them."

"Okay. I understand. Still, the 'aura' thing?"

"Right." She looked him in the eye. "Well whenever I want to check something out, I spread my aura all around until it comes in contact with another one. I can't see aura's clearly, but I can feel them."

"Huh." Cole said, looking out onto the horizon.

"What about your parents?" She asked. "What're they like?"

Cole sighed. "Well my dad," he began. "He's a Royal Blacksmith. You've heard of them?"

She nodded.

"Well, he tried to get me to follow in his footsteps. And when that didn't work, well…I ran away."

"Well that seems foolish." She said. "But…then again, if you hadn't, you wouldn't be here now."

"Exactly my way of thinking."

She smiled. "What about your mom?"

Cole's stance hardened. She could see she'd upset him, and very badly as well.

"She left as soon as I wasn't dependant on her anymore." He stated harshly. "I was most likely one when she did." He gripped the railing. "We'd hear from her from time to time. Then she just…stopped. Didn't hear or see her again. Then two years ago, she came out of nowhere. Giggling and smiling that I was her son."

Talynn listened carefully, letting her aura surround her to make sure everyone else was asleep. He just kept gripping the railing harder. Something was wrong. Like angry wrong.

"She reentered my life only to get some fame from being my mother." He said, his voice near a yell. "She didn't care about me, she only cared about herself."

"Cole…you need to calm down." She said, trying to get him to look at her. "You're not the only one who's gone through a thing like this."

"Name one other person." He said harshly, not meeting her eyes.

"Me."

He met her eyes then, finding them weary and disoriented. He also saw that she had slipped of her jacket, revealing that her arms were wrapped in bandages.

"Relax, this isn't from you." She said, tying the jacket around her waist. She then looked out onto the horizon. "My adoptive parents were quite famous where they lived. So when they adopted me, I became pretty famous too. When I was fifteen, I met this reporter guy and…well…"

"He got you hooked to things didn't he?" he asked as he looked at her arms.

She looked down at the deck and nodded. "I'm not proud of it. Especially when my parents found out." She started shaking. "The look on their faces when they saw me in that magazine. I couldn't stand it."

"Hold on a sec." He told her. He pulled a lever and a punching bag popped up. He guided her to the bag slowly. "Hit this. Trust me, it'll help."

She began punching slowly, each hit harder than the last.

"He used me."

*Punch*

"Just to make his job easy."

*Punch**Punch*

"He manipulated me, just to bring my family down a notch!"

*Punch**Punch**Punch*

"He's the reason I almost died!"

*Punch**Punch**Punch**Punch*

The last punch took the bag right off the ring it was hanging on, landing about four feet away. Cole was impressed. He'd never seen so much strength in a girl, let alone one who had been through so much. She was good at masking her anger that was for sure.

Talynn breathed in and out slowly, regaining her composure. No one ever saw her true anger. Because her true anger was aimed at herself. SHE had done all those stupid things, She had gone along with whatever that guy said. And now she was paying the price.

"Is this why you came back?" Cole asked, helping her up slowly. " To regain control of your life?"

She thought about it a bit. "I guess so." She said as a small yawn escaped.

"Come on," he told her, putting her arm over his shoulder "let's get you in bed."

Talynn didn't argue as she was almost asleep on her feet. But before they headed downstairs, she got his attention for a second.

"Cole," she said, her head nodding a bit. "Don't tell the others…about what I told you…okay?"

At this Cole smiled. "Just as long as you don't tell what I told you."

She nodded, glad for the first time in a long time, she could trust someone outside her small circle of friends.

(Cole's Dream P.O.V.)

"Come on Tallie it's easy." I say as I look over at the little one. "Just watch me and repeat what I do okay?"

She nodded at me and watched closely, eyes wide with wonder at what I was going to teach her.

"All right. Now," I grab a scythe near my feet and get it into the right position. "First stance."

She mimics me.

"Second stance." I bring the blade above my shoulder; she does the same. "Strike!" We both bring them down to the ground, causing a small earthquake beneath our feet.

She smiles and giggles at what she's done. 'I did it!' She signed happily. 'I did it Col!'

"Yes you did." I say lifting her up above my head as she laughs louder. "And I couldn't be prouder!"

"So she mastered it huh?" A voice said that I recognized. I turned and saw a guy who looked somewhat like Kai come up with a little redhead girl. "Ky too. She's almost got the fiery tornado down."

"Well that is no surprise Kashton." Another voice says as a guy who looked like Zane when he looked human approached with another little girl. "All of the girls are quite well trained for their ages. Snowflake has almost made the Ice shield a plethora of times."

"That's great Zandor." I say as I set Tallie down to play with the other girls. "Tallie's just mastered Earth Shaker with the scythe, so now we just gotta work on getting her to do it without a weapon."

We all laughed as the young ones sat down and began to play a game. I couldn't help but smile as I saw something begin to appear on Tallie's shoulder. The mark of the Black Dragon.

****
(Talynn's P.O.V.)

"Talynn? Talynn. Talynn it's time to wake up."

"Mm…wha?" I open my eyes blearily to see Soula above me.

"Come on slow poke wake up." She shakes my shoulder gently. "Sensei stopped by with our new uniforms. Ky's already got hers on and is heading to breakfast." She says pulling me up slowly. "We've got to get you out of your bandages and into yours."

I can't help but smile. She was so excitable. Then again-if I'm remembering right-so what her mother.

As the bandages came loose, I looked at my right shoulder to watch what I had worked so hard to earn.

The mark of a true Blessed.

A black dragon.

I'm back! Sorry for taking so long with this, lots of college stuff needed to be done. Anywho, comment. Ask questions! Follow the story! I'll be posting when I get a chance!

Oh, and the song does not belong to me. Nor do the ninja. Only Talynn, Kyna, and Soula belong to me.