Margery Jourdemain stared in disbelief at the front of Angel Grove High School. Everyone she saw was conservatively dressed - yes, a couple of girls actually wore mini-skirts - but it looked nothing like any of her previous high schools. She pulled her black shawl tighter around her, rolled her shoulders back, and strode into the school. It didn't help that school had started a month ago. She felt a little like Don Quixote jousting at windmills. She had no idea what she was walking into.
The first person she noticed after she'd been to the office was a tall, slender blonde in a pink sweater and mini-skirt, standing at a locker. Her shoulder-length blonde hair gracefully framed her face, flowing down either side in waves. She wore white tights and flat, comfortable looking shoes. Then Margery blinked as her unreliable ability kicked in, the one to See beyond normal sight, and Looked at her. The girl was a were-cat. With a pink aura. She took one step in that direction, and knew, suddenly and with part of that unreliable ability, that her locker was right next to the girl's. She had met Tabitha the same way.
Her locker opened easily, and just as she started putting her books inside, she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Hi. Are you new here?" Her voice was cheerful, and had an Australian accent. Margery turned to face her, and smiled. She'd be a white cat. (Where had that come from?)
"Hi. Yeah. My name's Maggie." She extended a hand.
"Katherine." As their hands touched, Margery felt a surge of power and knew this girl was more powerful than anyone she'd ever met, and it had nothing to do with her being a were-cat. "Welcome to Angel Grove."
"Thanks." Margery took her hand back, and turned to her locker, where she shook it out. A were-cat with power? Odd. It was a flavor of power she didn't recognize, either. Certainly nothing like any of the other were-creatures she'd met. Not that she'd met a lot, only Tabitha. She filed it away with the other samples of power she had come across in her life.
"Hey, Kat! Have you seen the others?" The boy's voice brought Margery back out of her locker. He was taller than Katherine, and well built. His brown hair was longer than her own, and tied back. He wore a white t-shirt and jeans. His face was kind and strong.
"Not yet. Tommy, this is Maggie. She just started today."
"Hi. Nice to meet you," Tommy said, and extended his hand. Margery took it, and had to mask the shock she felt. He was more powerful than Katherine (had he really called her Kat?), because he'd been around the power longer. Not to mention that he 'tasted' just a little different, like they were both ice cream, but different flavors. She surreptitiously shook her hand out again.
Been around it? Odd thing to think. Then she realized he was speaking to her. "Sorry, what?"
"Want to join us for lunch?" he repeated patiently.
"Sure. Thanks," she smiled. "Meet you here?" At his nod, she grabbed a notebook, and started down the hall. "See you then." She passed a trio, two boys and a girl, and from the flurry behind her, that's who they had been waiting for. She didn't turn to look. One of the boys was really good looking, and she didn't want to get involved. She'd be leaving soon. The thought didn't hold the confirmation she was used to by now, and she wondered at it.
At lunch she waited by her locker, but not long. She noticed the good looking boy from the trio at his locker across the hall and a little farther down. He wore black jeans with suspenders and a white t-shirt just tight enough to show off the definition in his chest and arms. Short dark hair curled across his forehead and behind his ears. Definitely someone she would like to get to know better. As if on cue, he turned, and smiled when he saw her. "Hi." He walked across the hall. "Are you Maggie?" His mouth smiled, but his eyes were wary. Burned, she thought to herself.
"Yes. Hi. I'm waiting for Kat and Tommy." Do they even know how ironic her name is?
"I'm Adam." The shock must have shown when she touched his hand, because he got a concerned expression. "Are you okay?"
She nodded and took her hand back quickly. "Fine," she said. Younger than Tommy, older than Kat, she thought, and he tasted different, darker, almost richer than the other two. And he was far too cute for words. What, did I stumble across all the people in the whole school with any power at all? If so, it's a powerful coven. They don't seem to earth their power, and it doesn't seem to be having a bad effect on them, either.
He nodded. "I'm going on to Ernie's. Want to come with?"
Do I ever! she thought, and then wished she could kick herself without looking like an idiot. "No, but thanks. I'd better wait for them."
"All right. If they're already there, I'll come back and get you."
"Thanks." She watched him go, then shook her head. "I can't get involved," she muttered, then sighed deeply and leaned against her locker, closing her eyes. "I just can't."
"Can't what?" Kat's cheerful voice broke into her thoughts, and she realized Adam was out of sight. Flushing slightly, she turned to Kat and Tommy.
"I can't believe how friendly this place is. Adam is on his way to... Ernie's?" She watched them exchange glances.
"Yeah, the Youth Center. Ernie runs a juice bar there, and that's where we usually hang out. It's where we meet, most of the time," Tommy explained.
"Let's catch up with him, then." Kat took Tommy's arm and they started forward.
"Kat! Tommy! Wait up!" The girl's voice brought them all around. Margery recognized the girl as one of Adam's companions from that morning.
"Aisha, Billy," Tommy grinned. "This is Maggie." Margery nodded and braced herself. "This is Aisha, and that's Billy."
Aisha was a cute, dark skinned girl in a yellow jumper that reached to her knees, black tights, and black shoes. Her long black hair was held back from her face by a yellow hair band. She was of African ancestry, certainly. As expected, she had power as well, of Adam's... vintage. There was a difference, slight, but she couldn't have said what it was. More light? Margery smiled at her.
Her companion, Billy, was a geeky-looking boy in denim jeans and a blue shirt. His blonde hair was cut short but styled nicely. His blue eyes, behind thick glasses, looked a lot less foolish than the rest of him. She braced herself as he took her hand, but her eyes still widened in disbelief, and she took a step back. He.... his power was older and stronger even than Tommy's. She stepped into Tommy, and he and Kat both steadied her. Her senses, suddenly sensitive and not used to the power they all held, overloaded and she blacked out.
When she came to, Tommy was still lowering her to the ground. The other three had worried expressions on their faces. Drawing her personal shields in tightly around her, she struggled out of Tommy's grip. "I'm all right. I didn't mean to startle you." She brushed herself off, adeptly avoiding their attempts to steady her. "We shouldn't keep Adam waiting." I should have strengthened my shields, she thought. It wasn't as if I didn't have any warning.
She didn't miss the looks that passed among them, and smiled. "She's right," Kat said. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Margery nodded. "I'm sure, thank you." She positioned herself next to Kat, as far from Billy as she could. His experience with the power, how long he'd been around it, was mind boggling. She could almost taste the flavor, too. It wasn't familiar, something cool, but still... Then she realized Kat had said something and looked at her. "What? I'm sorry."
"Where are you from?" Kat repeated.
"I was born in Oklahoma City, raised in lots of places. Just moved from Portland, Oregon."
"I wondered why you said this school was so friendly. You sounded very experienced," Kat said.
Margery chuckled. "More than I ever thought I would be."
"Why did you move so much?" Aisha asked.
"My dad. He keeps looking for the perfect place to live." She grinned. "And the perfect school. He'll come by tomorrow and check out the High School. Should come as a shock to him."
"What does your mom think about all this moving?" Aisha asked.
Maggie grinned wryly. She'd fielded the question so many times it no longer bothered her. "My mom died about seven years ago - 20 moves ago. We didn't move much until then. It's like dad is trying to move away from the memory or something."
Aisha blinked. "I'm sorry," she said softly, and looked at a loss for words.
Maggie smiled. "Its okay."
They arrived at a youth center, and Adam waved at them from a table by the counter. With him sat a brown haired young man in a red plaid shirt and black jeans. He looked vaguely Mexican, and had probably been the third companion of Aisha and Adam from that morning. His greeting was cheerful and he introduced himself as Rocky. Margery dreaded having to shake his hand, and got a welcome surprise. He held the same vintage of power as Adam and Aisha, with the same slight difference from Aisha that Adam had, something between Aisha and Adam. Her sigh of relief was more obvious than she wanted.
"That's it," Kat smiled, patting her shoulder.
"Good." Margery smiled. "I have now met more people in one day that I usually get to know in three months. I just hope I don't get anyone's name confused."
"We won't hold it against you," Kat said with a grin.
"Hey, geeks!" With a resigned sigh, Tommy and Kat turned around, and Margery looked around to see the boy with the booming voice. He was... large, and dressed in jeans, a tie-die shirt, and a jean jacket that had seen better days. His long, thinning hair had been tied back. "We heard of a sighting in the Park. We're off to find the Power Rangers!"
"Yeah!" his companion chimed in, a thinner boy with short, near-black hair. "And we'll find out who they are, and we'll be famous!"
Margery saw Kat and Tommy exchange amused glances, and checked the others. Rocky smiled, and Aisha laughed. Why?
"When was this sighting?" Kat asked.
"A very reliable source told us they were there now." Aisha had to turn her head to hide her laughter.
"Maggie," Adam said from across the table, and her heart jumped. That is enough nonsense! she thought loudly to herself. "This is Bulk and Skill. Their dream is to find out the identities of the Power Rangers and expose them."
"Bulk, Skull, this is Maggie," Kat said. They both looked at her, and she smiled in some relief as they dismissed her.
"Hi," they both mumbled. "Just wait. You'll see," Bulk said, and pulled Skull out the door with him.
"Power Rangers?" Margery asked, looking confused. Then she nodded. "Oh, yes, I remember. I'd forgotten they manifested most often here."
"Great," Rocky muttered. "She sounds just like Billy."
"Hey," Billy protested, grinning.
"Good thing I can translate," Aisha teased him.
Margery watched them tease Rocky, leaning back and relaxing. She turned her shields down to normal, certain there would be no more surprises.
A tinny beeping cut through the conversation, and Tommy glanced at his watch, a large, white-banded silver one. She didn't see the face of it. "Oh, man. Guys, we have practice, remember? Look, Maggie, we'll see you back at school, okay?" They all gathered their books with an odd haste.
"Sure, okay." She watched them go, confused. What had chased them off? A sudden aftershock, a kind of wake due to use of power, slapped against her shields strong enough to rock her back in her chair. It tasted... ancient. Much older than Billy. But the same stuff, still like ice cream, and a neutral flavor, as if it were the base of their powers. Preoccupied, she finished her lunch and walked back to the school, wondering what they had done to generate that much power, and so quickly.
At the end of the day, she leaned wearily against her locker, mentally gathering strength for the walk home. She felt drained. And tonight was Samhain, autumn equinox, and an important part of her life. Speaking of which... She turned and spotted Adam, and suddenly found herself checking her hair. Hissing angrily, she jerked her hands down and walked over. "Adam? Hi. Those two at lunch said something about a park?"
"Yeah, Angel Grove Park." He looked at her for a minute. "I can show you where it is, if you want."
"Okay." She got half way back to her locker before she realized what she'd done. Skipping across the hall?! Angry at herself, she grabbed her books and closed her locker. When she turned back, Aisha and Rocky had appeared, and Adam was explaining what was up. She couldn't decide if her sigh was one of disappointment or relief. Especially when they invited themselves. He looked a lot more comfortable, too.
In the park, Margery started smiling and didn't seem to be able to stop. "This is perfect." It also made her feel less drained. She decided she would like to spend a lot of time in this park.
"What for?" Adam asked.
"Oh.... I'm a nature nut." Like I can tell you I'm Wiccan. That would freak them all out. Unless they are a coven, but the magic doesn't feel quite right.... "This is a beautiful park." She decided not to tell them yet, just in case.
"Yes," Aisha grinned. "We really like it."
"Is it big?"
"Huge," Rocky said, and shared a grin with the other two.
"Have you guys known each other long?" Margery asked.
"Yes," Aisha said.
"I can tell." She cast one last look around, turning on her heel to survey the whole area. "Is there a curfew?"
"No," Adam grinned. "Night owl, too?"
"Full moons bring out the best in me."
"Are you a werewolf?" Rocky asked.
"She said the best, not the worst," Aisha grinned, punching his shoulder. He grinned goofily.
"Does the park border on Main?" Margery asked.
Adam nodded and pointed. "That way."
"Great." I can find a quiet place here somewhere, I'm sure, she thought. "Is the park usually busy?"
"Only during volleyball and baseball," Aisha volunteered.
"Loner, too?" Adam asked. Rocky nudged him, and he flushed slightly.
"Only occasionally." Actually, that describes my life perfectly. What, can you read my mind, too? Perfect! She smiled to take the sting out of her thoughts, just in case. He didn't react, looking out over the wide expanse of space. "I'm going to explore the park, maybe find a quiet place to study," she added.
"I know one," Adam said suddenly. "It may take a while to find it, though."
"I've got to get back," Aisha smiled. "I'm meeting Kat for a swim."
Rocky grinned a little knowingly. "I'm going to sit in on Tommy's class. I'll catch you later."
"Bye," Margery said, a little stunned. Did they do that on purpose? she wondered as the two of them ran off.
Adam closed his eyes for a minute, then glanced around. "That way."
She followed him through the park, a winding path that doubled back on itself. "I'm sorry," he said after the third time.
"That's okay. Did you see it from the air or something?" She didn't miss his startled look.
"No. A game. I was blindfolded." He turned a corner and smiled a beautiful smile. Her heart fluttered and she screamed wordlessly at it in her mind. "I knew it was around here somewhere." He gestured, taking in a whole, small clearing, and Margery's smile matched his.
"This is beautiful. And perfect. Thank you."
A tinny beeping that sounded familiar came from his watch, and he glanced at it. From what she saw, it looked just like Tommy's, only in black instead of red. Probably why it sounded so familiar. "Sorry," he apologized again. "I guess I didn't notice the time. See you tomorrow?"
She nodded. "Have a good evening."
He dashed off, and then that ancient power brushed her shields again, rocking her back. She ran out of the clearing, past the trees to the rest of the park, but saw no sign of Adam. He couldn't have gotten that far, could he? What could he have done to disappear like that? Not to mention generate enough power to almost knock her over, and so quickly. She stared around, then set off for home, shaking her head in vexation. She was, at this point, fairly sure they weren't Wiccan. Although what they were was anybody's guess.