The whole idea of Tanya taking Aisha's place on the team became more and more disturbing, especially the reasoning her friend had followed. Every time Maggie tried to think of a way to ask, though, it just didn't work, and it had skipped her mind while she was being tutored. That had ended when Adam and Tanya became a couple; Tanya never seemed to like it. Maggie was getting frustrated about the whole situation.
Finally, one day, she found Adam by himself just outside the library, obviously waiting for someone. She could only guess it was Tanya. "Can I talk to you?" she asked.
He looked at her and smiled, sending her butterflies into flurries. "Sure. What's up?"
"I had a question, actually. How did Tanya take Aisha's place?"
"Why?"
"I don't know. Confused, I guess. Is it normal?"
He looked pensive for a moment, then gestured at the table near them. "Let's sit down." She followed him over and sat across from him. She wanted to sit closer, but Tanya was becoming a friend, and Maggie didn't want to ruin that. She also didn't want to make trouble for Adam. "Aisha, Rocky and I weren't the first, either. Those three went to Switzerland to the Peace Conference. And Kat took Kim's place when she went to Florida to train for the Pan Global games."
Maggie blinked in surprise. "You...." It was like her mind stopped functioning.
Adam laughed. "You should see your face."
She smiled. "I can only imagine. They just arbitrarily chose you?"
He shook his head. "No. Nothing arbitrary about it. We were...." He paused, then began to tell her the story of how they had met the Rangers. About the time he got to where they'd discovered the identities of their new friends, Tanya joined them, sitting next to Adam and throwing an arm around his shoulders.
"Hey," she grinned.
"Hi." He hugged her back, and Maggie sighed softly. He really liked her, that was obvious.
"Well, I know you guys have plans. We can finish this up later, okay?" she asked, standing and throwing her backpack over one shoulder.
"You don't mind?" Adam asked. Maggie shook her head.
"Nope. You guys have fun. I'll talk to you later." She turned away, catching Tanya's softly asked question about their conversation. She sounded just a touch jealous.
A couple of days later, passing by the library again, she found Tanya, probably waiting for Adam. She smiled to herself at the irony. "Hey, can I talk to you?"
Tanya looked up, surprised, and smiled. "Sure."
Maggie paused, gathering her thoughts. "What did Aisha say?"
Tanya regarded her for a couple of seconds, then gestured at the same table Adam had. "Let's sit down." Once comfortable, Tanya eyed her again. "She was concerned with the animals, mostly. She knew she could help them, and wanted to...." She paused. "We didn't have a lot of time to talk, really. You guys were good friends?"
"Not as good as she was with Adam and Rocky, but yeah, we were friends. I was kind of surprised.... Well, I guess you knew that. So, her choosing you wasn't arbitrary either, was it."
"I'm not sure. It may have been because I was the one who was there."
"But you said yes. And from what I understood, they really didn't meet anyone they weren't supposed to." The Lady must have had a hand in that. She suddenly, irrationally, wanted to meet the being who had put the team together and ask if it knew the Lady or if they were just working together anonymously.
"Good point," Tanya said, musing. "There really wasn't much time for any messages. She knew it was urgent that someone get back, and felt it was my calling. So I came. I'm glad, too. This has been amazing."
Maggie laughed. "Oh, I bet. Talk about culture shock.... I had culture shock when we moved here. It's so different."
Tanya laughed. "That's true, for sure." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Would you have taken her place?"
Maggie stared at her. "She didn't ask me," she said distantly, then shrugged. "It would depend.... No. I couldn't. I have other... previous commitments."
"Like what?" Tanya asked, then Maggie saw Adam approaching and grinned. Saved by the bell, so to speak.
"Adam's on his way, and I've got homework. You guys have a great afternoon, and I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye," Tanya said. Maggie waved at Adam as she turned to leave; he smiled and waved back. I don't know what the other commitments are, she thought to herself as she walked out the door. Only that I have them.
The next afternoon she found Adam in her clearing; it had become a habit to go there to do her homework, and she actually didn't think anyone knew it. He gave her a half smile as he looked up at her. "Hi," she grinned, and sank down facing him.
"Hi. How's your geometry coming?"
She shrugged. "Better." Not as good as when you were tutoring me, but better...
"Still interested in knowing about how we were... chosen?" he asked, choosing his words carefully.
"Definitely," she grinned.
He continued the story, then, how Billy was being attacked by the snake of evil, and how they'd found out, how they'd helped, and then, when the others had gone to the Peace Conference, he and the other two had taken their place. "It's weird," he said softly, his hand over the communicator on his wrist. "It's like... I don't know how to explain it. I guess I understand, a little, anyway, how all the comic book heros feel." He laughed. "Rocky has sworn off his Batman comic book collection. I know he still collects them, but he hasn't read them since the second battle we had. It was like deja vu, or something." He chuckled.
"So, what about Kat?"
He thought a minute. "Her beginning was a lot like what I've heard Tommy's was. Rita had her under a spell."
"Spell?" Maggie perked up.
"Yeah, Tommy, too, which is probably why they get along so well."
"Rita used magick?"
"Not the same as yours, I don't think, from what I remember Matt talking about."
"Matt?"
"A friend of mine in Stone Canyon was studying Wicca. I don't know how seriously, but he was at one point looking into joining a coven."
"Wow. You have some weird friends," she teased with a smile.
"Yeah. So do you." He matched her smile with one of his own. She wished distantly that the butterflies in her stomach would just stop.
She had to search Kat out the next Saturday, and finally found her at the juice bar, watching Tommy teach his Karate class. She sat next to the tall blonde and smiled. "What is it about a man who can beat you senseless and has the control not to?" she asked softly.
Kat grinned back. "The absolute power implied," she said, and gestured at Tommy. "Have you ever just sat and watched a tiger pace?"
"Yeah." Maggie sighed. "It was beautiful. And this was a big one, too. She didn't seem angry or anxious, just bored." She laughed. "After a few minutes, though, she stared back at me. That was weird. I was just as bored, so I paced a bit for her, then we paced together. Apparently, we gave quite a show."
"You like cats."
"So far, most of my best friends have been cats. That's all that has been really constant in my life. My dad is willing to put up with just about anything having to do with cats, as long as there's only one. I don't have one now; my last kitten had leukemia and we had to put her to sleep. The doctor said she wouldn't feel anything, but I made him let me watch. I wanted to be sure she didn't feel anything." She sighed, feeling lonely and content at the same time. "Then I took her and buried her in the woods I'd found her in. I think she liked it."
When she looked up, Kat was staring at her. "You really do like cats."
"Yes, and I have questions for the one in front of me," she grinned. "I was talking to Adam about Aisha, and the whole idea of inheritance," she started. "He said you were an heir."
Kat looked startled. "Yeah, I guess I am," she said after a minute of reflection. "That's one way to put it."
"He also said you were put under a spell."
Kat nodded. "Yes."
Maggie made a face. "You said that, too, didn't you." She thought a minute. "Adam said he didn't think it was the same kind of magick as I practice. Which I can believe, actually, since I'd never want to make someone what they weren't. I'll help them change, but that's something else."
"Is it?"
Maggie nodded. "Definitely. It's a case of... asking help of the Goddess, the Lady of Light, like you'd ask your father, or... or you old friend to help you." She touched the pink banded communicator on Kat's wrist. "She will help, but you must be willing to do your part." And perhaps I ought to ask for help in dealing with Tanya.
Kat didn't look convinced. Maggie smiled at her. "I promise that I will never cast a spell even in your direction without your consent," she said.
"Okay," Kat said, but still looked disturbed.
An idea struck Maggie. "Did this... Rita have any success against the Rangers?"
She shook her head. "Not really. I mean, she came up with some devastating stuff, but they could usually take it out pretty easily."
Maggie nodded and grinned. "There's a thing called a threefold law in Wicca. It basically says 'what goes around comes around, multiplied threefold'. I think Rita was her own worst enemy."
Kat stared at her, then giggled. "Oh, man... can I share that idea? I don't know if anyone else will believe it, but it's something that will make us all laugh."
"Go ahead," Maggie grinned. "But remember, that's part of why I won't try to cast a spell on anyone, like Rita did. I don't want the bad Karma."
Kat laughed, looking much more at ease. "All right," she said. "I think I understand."