Title: Ki'rin
Fandom: Power Rangers ZEO
Characters: Maggie, Rocky, Adam, Tanya
Universe: Secrets2
Prompt: 015 - Blue
Word Count: 1154
Date finished: 05/11/2006
Rating: PG
Summary: When hiking, Maggie is confronted with something she was NOT expecting.
Author's Notes: Another scene from a story that may never get written. We'll see if it works out or not.
Disclaimer: I don't know who owns the Rangers at this point: I'd guess Disney. At any rate, it isn't me. Maggie, if she appears, is MINE. Please don't take her.

Unicorns are supposed to be white, Maggie thought irrationally as she stared at the animal across from her. It stood in the middle of the trail, a tall, vaguely horse-like beast with a horn growing out of its… his… forehead. His hair was a dark blue, with darker mane and tail; the horn was lighter blue at the tip, darkening to midnight at the base. "Wow," she whispered. "I'm sorry," she said louder, with a bow worthy of meeting the master of her dojo. "I did not mean to intrude."

The beast nodded in return, looking almost as if he were bowing, then turned around and paced away from her. She hesitated, then followed. He obviously wished her to.

It wasn't far to the cave where the blue unicorn-thing seemed to be staying, and he looked back once to see if she were behind him. As she followed, she felt… something malicious around her, and moved faster to catch up to him as he stepped into the cave.

The maliciousness was gone. Maggie took a deep breath, and turned to the unicorn.

:I'm a Ki'rin,: he said softly, :not the Unicorn you think I am. I won't tell you my name.:

"No," Maggie said, eyes wide. "No, I wouldn't ask. That would be rude, and… and that might hear." She gestured toward the mouth of the cave.

:Just so,: he said, and sounded pleased. :I won't talk outside of my cave. Please do not reveal my hiding place.:

"I would never dream of it," Maggie said. "Can I help you?"

The Ki'rin sighed softly and his knees buckled until he lay on the floor of the cave. :Something is stealing my…: He paused, as if unsure of what to say.

Maggie sat down as well. "Is that what that is?" she asked softly. "A thief?"

:As good a word as any,: the Ki'rin said. :We are being drained. You are the first to penetrate our defenses, to know there is more, other than those who know of us already.:

"People know you exist?" she asked, stunned.

:A… select few,: he admitted. :He hasn't been here for a long time, and I believe… he is no longer on Earth.:

"He died?" Maggie asked, startled.

:No. I would have known that. He is gone, and there is no word of him anywhere.:

Maggie decided she didn't want to think about that. "You are being drained. You said we. Is it your… herd?"

The ki'rin snorted softly. :My… associates, I think is the best way to put it. We are connected, and this theft is affecting all of us.:

Maggie stared, stunned. "How can I help, then?" she asked.

:You are special,: he said, his crystal blue eye meeting her green ones. :You can follow the energy. It will be dangerous.:

"Werewolves are not great people to be around, either," Maggie muttered. "I'll see what I can do," she said, louder.

:You have been marked,: he said. :On brow and on heart. By those I call kin.:

"Yes," Maggie said, surprised.

:They trusted you. You trusted them.:

"Yes. I… rescued a colt from… well, cold iron."

The Ki'rin nodded. :That is why you know,: he said.

"Are you alright?" Maggie asked, moving closer. "I mean, you don't sound so good."

:I tire,: he said. :You must find who is doing this soon, and get that person to stop. Or we will all die.:

Maggie got to her feet, shaking slightly. "Is there anything you need right now?" Her mother had gotten so tired, so fast, just before she died. Maggie felt the similarities sharply.

:No, but I thank you,: he said, his voice growing softer.

"Please be safe," she said around a lump in her throat. "Be well." She left the cave and fled back to the main trail, waiting until then to let out the tears that pressed her eyes. She knew that trail well enough to walk it half-blind.

She nearly ran into Rocky, Adam, and a girl in yellow. They steadied her, then the girl caught sight of her face. "Are you all right?" she asked gently.

Maggie sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "Yes, I'm sorry."

"What's wrong?" Rocky asked. He wore a blue shirt, the same color as the Ki'rin's mane and tail, and Maggie stared in shock, wondering for a moment why that seemed so important.

Shaking the thought off, she took a deep breath. "I just… saw something that reminded me of my mother," she said. "It was a surprise. And it hurt more than I expected."

"Your mother?" Adam asked.

"Yes. She… she died about three years ago."

They were silent. "I'm sorry," the girl finally said.

Maggie smiled tremulously. "You know, it's been long enough that I really thought nothing could make this happen, and then, all of a sudden, I get reminders of her all the time. She's never been here, either, which makes it really odd." She took a deep breath to calm herself, and remembered her manners. "I don't think we've met. I'm Maggie."

"Tanya Sloan," the girl said. "It's good to meet the girl who threw Adam so quickly."

Adam colored almost as much as she did. "He was doing me a favor," Maggie protested. "I'm sure, in a real situation, it wouldn't have been as fast."

"Not that Adam would attack you," Rocky said, and Maggie turned even redder.

"No, I didn't… I didn't mean that." She rubbed her eyes again. "How's Tommy?" she asked.

Rocky grinned. "Whatever you said to him did the trick," he said. "He doesn't mope any more."

"He called her."

"Yes, and thank you," Tanya said. "He was getting impossible."

"What about Kat?" Maggie asked.

Tanya looked uncomfortable. "She's unhappy right now," she said slowly, "but I think it's getting better for her."

"Good. At least she's not living so much in the other girl's shadow."

"So I keep telling her," Tanya said, and then checked her watch. "We've got to get going."

"Want to come with?" Adam asked. "We're meeting Kat and Tommy further up the trail, and there will be drinks and food."

"Oh," Maggie said. "No, thank you."

Rocky grinned at her. "They drove," he said. "You can get a ride down. It's not much farther up."

Maggie stared at him. "You can drive up here?"

Tanya laughed. "Yeah. Amazing, huh?"

"Yeah. And Chandra, Dean, and Annie never told me!"

"It kind of ruins the whole 'get out to nature' idea," Adam said. "But both Tommy and Kat had things to do today."

Maggie hesitated, and Rocky noticed. He took her arm and started up the trail. "Come on. If nothing else, it'll keep your mind on something other than what you saw."

She had to admit he was right, so she didn't struggle. And the good energy that flowed between the three of them was so wonderful, she barely noticed the climb.

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