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Kora's face turned red. "Yea. I was day dreaming, sometimes it just happen when I do that." She glanced at Alba with a smirk, glad to have a friend, possibly another, if they find the quiet girl before she leaves the café.

Kora and Alba had been walking in circles till they saw the café in the distance.

"... I just live here." Kora heard a familiar voice as a door where the higher classes take place opened and shut. She looked over and saw the older student who helped her and the quiet girl (Echo) to class earlier.

"She helped me and the quiet girl to class earlier." Kora whispered to Alba, pointing quickly. As Cloud looked over in their direction, Kora quickly waved with an embarrassed smile but kept walking toward the café with Alba at her side.

Cloud saw Kora wave and lifted her hand in response. She was with another student and they quickly dashed away. She continued walking with Trent. They came across a Cafe. She had never gone inside one before.

"Nobody knows" Cloud said " Tea"

The other student she'd helped was sitting alone. She returned the wave with a lifted hand.

"Helped her get to class" cloud said

She chuckled a little when the other student came around again.

"That would be the other one" she said "They both wound up in my garden"

Trent nodded as Cloud explained how she helped the two young students earlier. It was a little confusing to him as everything he had seen and heard earlier was completely different from the person he was talking to now. “I haven’t been to the garden before. I’ll have to come visit you sometime.” He said, holding the door to the café open for her. He glanced at the students that she had helped before entering, they seemed to be having a conversation. Trent walked over to the counter and ordered the drinks, handing Cloud her tea.

Echo was trying not to panic as Kora and Alba introduced themselves. She didn’t really know how to explain to them that she didn’t talk. The then remembered and started frantically fiddling with her backpack, unzipping a part and showing the two girls where her name was scribbled on the inside. She pointed to the word Echo and pointed back to herself, hoping they would understand. Echo then put a finger to her mouth and shook her head as if she were telling them no. She hoped that this was sufficient, as she was still really nervous. Her face was completely red as she tried to explain. Deep inside, she really wanted to run away and hide.

Cloud stepped cautiously into the Cafe as Trent held the door open. She stood in one spot and glanced around as he went up to order. It was comfortably small with lots of places to sit. Their were booths by the window wall, tables in the middle, and a bar up front near where you ordered.
Cloud took her tea from him and wondered what they would do now. She tucked her wing in tight against her back so it couldn't bump into anything. The place was about half filled with college age students and one or two high school students.
"You will like the garden" Cloud said for a fact "If you like plants"
They were starting to get noticed now. The other tables were still talking but their eyes were curiously watching. A few cautiously pointed in their direction. Cloud tried to stay focused on Trent. She sipped her tea and enjoyed its flavor.
"Berry" she commented lamely

“I look forward to seeing it. Sounds peaceful.” Trent said, ignoring the stares coming their way. He gave a slight laugh at Cloud saying Berry. “So, what do you have planned for the rest of the day? Sitting in any more classes? If so, there’s a combat class at 9 tonight if you want to come. Jade signed me up. Combat isn’t my thing, but might as well go check it out, right?”


Echo nodded at the question about her name. It had more to do with her powers than her actual name. She scribbled the dorm room and number on the paper that Kora handed to her. She then grabbed her map and pointed to the building that was the dorm. It had a bright red circle around it. Echo was visibly calmer than before. Her face wasn’t a bright red anymore. She had a smile on her face, not expecting to meet anyone that wanted to be her friend so quickly. Her smile grew wider when Kora mentioned figuring out a way for them to communicate better. This was her main worry, and someone was willing to help her.

Alba returned with a drink and mentioned going to her place over the weekend. Echo nodded in agreement. It had been years since she visited anyone else’s house or had anyone come to visit her. The thought of it excited her. Things were going much better than she had imagined. Echo finished her tea and put her belongings back in her bag.

"That sounds fun." Kora responded to a weekend sleepover despite worrying about her abilities. "Do you need a roommate?" Kora asked Echo as Alba ran inside to order her tea. "I'm a run away..." Echo's mouth opened to a surprised "O" as Alba came back out to the bench with her tea. "Is that older student who helped us earlier still in there with her friend?" Kora asked Alba as she sipped her tea. "I should move into a dorm before school tomorrow, maybe she can help me find an adult to talk to."

Just then, the winged student stumbled out of the cafe, accidentally knocking Alba over. Kira grabbed for her but she had already hit the ground. "Hey!" Kira shouted, more worried than anything else. Looking inside the cafe, Clouds guy friend looked just as puzzled while another older student continued to vent. The angry student stormed outta the cafe, yelling louder with blood dripping off his hand.

"What's your problem?" Kora asked as he ignored her and went after cloud. He just glared back at the group of younger students and rolled his eyes.

"You'd stay away from her if you knew what was good for you!" He yelled. Kora walked up to him and grabbed his face with her hands. For a second his eyes went blank and his face lost color. As she let him go he fell to his knees. "Demon child!"

"I know. Leave her alone or I'll haunt your dreams!" Kora wiggled her fingers in his face. Turning back to Alba and Echo they just stared in curiosity. "I made him think he was face to face with the devil." She shrugged. "I wonder if that's okay..." she looked around to see if a teacher saw.

Trent stood in the café, stunned at everything that was happening. He didn’t even notice the splatter of blood that was on his shirt and part of his arm. He was more concerned with Cloud as she took off, the bully chasing after her. Trent headed out of the café, stopping to see a young student holding the bully’s face. His eyes were completely white, and his face was a ghostly hue. The girl released the bully and turned to talk to her friends. They were the students Cloud spoke of earlier. The bully came to and took off running in the opposite direction, screaming something about a demon.

“What just….how did you…..what did you do…..?” Trent babbled in confusion as he watched everyone scatter. It seemed that they had an audience as the people of the tea house were all crowded around to see the commotion. The puzzled look on his face mirrored those behind him.

Echo was stunned at what Kora did. She wasn’t used to others using their powers, nor seeing a student’s eyes roll back in their head and freak out, calling another student a demon child. It took her a few seconds to process everything, realizing that Kora and Alba were talking about finding Cloud. She noticed Trent and many others standing behind them when he started stuttering, presumably trying to ask about what just happened. Echo pointed to the blood splatter on Trent’s arm, the expression on her face seemingly asking if he was hurt.

Trent looked at where she was pointing, finally noticing the blood on him. He wiped it with his hand, smearing it a little. “Not mine, I’m alright.” He replied. “Cloud said she knew you. Do you know where she might have gone?” He asked, finally composing himself to make coherent statements.

Echo had made her way behind Alba, hiding behind her. She held on to her shoulder, Alba could tell she was shaking. Her anxiety kicked in as all of the people in the tea house were around, talking about what happened. Some more students were starting to approach, walking their way. Echo closed her eyes, trying to magically wish herself away from everyone.

Everyone was staring, not just Alba and Echo. Kora now felt as anxious as Echo but knowing Alba had her back was comforting, usually her abilities scared everyone away like the older student bullying Cloud.

"We first met her in the garden. She said no one goes there, maybe we should go there too." Kora stated, realizing Echo was to anxious even to scribble a reply and Alba wouldn't have a clue. "We should go soon though before people..." She looked around trying to figure out how to finish that sentence. A few younger students stood at a distance whispering, a few brave older students started to approach, obviously wanting to discuss he situation.

"Demon hands!" Kora sarcastically shook her hands toward the on coming students, they paused, trying to decide if she was joking. She couldn't help but laugh, letting them know she was kidding but it gave her time to grab Echo and Alba's hands before leading them away. "Coming?" She asked Trent over her shoulder. They soon lost the curious crowds back at the café as they neared the garden. Looking over her shoulder back at Trent, Kora was curious about Cloud having friends, she seemed fond of her alone time.

"If I answer your questions from earlier will you answer one of mine?" She asked. Trent nodded. "I astral project and lucid dream. If I really try hard, some times even on accident, I can go into other peoples dreams, or touch someone and make them see something I want them to see." Her chest tightened, thinking of the last time a group of students and teachers looked at her the way they did back at the café. "Last time I did that, they tried exorcising me, they thought I was possessed."

The garden loomed ahead. A few drops of blood painted a blade of grass here, a leaf there, or a stepping stone over there. "My turn, how did you meet her? She doesn't seem to like people and they don't seem to like her. I mean she's nice to us..." She shrugged.