Grave Convictions Tangled Heartache Alyson dragged her feet dismally as she entered the Academy grounds. She had spent the morning searching the town for Natalie and still had no idea where the girl could be hiding. She wanted to find her friend before her brother did, however was starting to worry that maybe the girl was already beyond reach. Perhaps the "Sisters" already got to her. She shook her head at the thought. Although she tried hard to deny it she did feel very deeply for Natalie and the thought of some kind of harm coming to the girl wrenched at her heart. Her head hung low as she walked the school's many paths. She found she could think clearer when surrounded by the many trees found on the grounds. Today was a different story and the longer she wandered the more lost she felt. She couldn't even face going to class worried that Natalie may wander by without her knowing. The sound of a tiny voice jarred Alyson from her thoughts, "Come back here!!!" A young preteen aged girl called out as she ran towards Alyson. A bundle of papers where clenched to her chest as she was trying to pounce on a page that had escaped her, "Oh please stop!" She pleaded; sounding as if at any moment the girl would start to cry in frustration. Alyson stood perfectly still and watched the sheet of paper tumble across the ground only a step out of the girl's grasp. The moment the white prey came into range Alyson lifted her foot and stamped onto it, stopping the sheet's gleeful escape. The little girl was startled by the sudden movement and froze in place like a rabbit before a wolf. She had been unaware of Alyson’s presence until that moment and watched as Alyson bent over and picked up the paper, "You lose something Nicole?" She asked the child. The girl slowly moved her eyes from the paper to who had captured it and a smile broke across her face, "Alyson, thank you!" She said gratefully and took the paper in hand, "Sometimes I think these things have a life of their own." She grumbled as she added the page to the pile in her arms. "What are you up to?" Alyson asked watching the girl fumble with the papers as they tried to escape again. "The elementary kids are supposed to have a physical soon," Nicole replied, still fighting with the papers, "and... I was asked to take these papers... to Amy, but she is not at the clinic so I don't know what to do." Nicole said in a huff. "Here let me help you." Alyson took half the pile from the girl as they were about to leap from Nicole's hands, "Maybe we can find her together." "Thanks!" Nicole let out a sigh of relief, "I hear she might be at the Western Dorms." Nicole stated rearranging her remaining pile in her arms, "Some new girls arrived the other day. Everyone is in a fuss about them." She rolled her eyes at the thought. "New girls?" Alyson was intrigued by this notion, "It has been sometime since anyone new has arrived." "I haven't got a chance to meet them, but Natalie is watching over them so everything should be fine." The girl said cheerfully. "Natalie?" Alyson froze in her spot, "She has been here the whole time?" A frown crossed her face. Nicole turned to look up at her friend, "She didn't tell you? Opps!" She placed a hand over her mouth. "That girl!" Alyson's frown turned to a scowl as she stormed across the Academy grounds towards the Western Dorms, "She has a lot of explaining to do." "Wait up Alyson!" Nicole called out, trying to keep up with the older girl. Alyson rounded the corner and spotted a group of girls leaving the dorms. Among them was Natalie walking close to a small red haired girl. Alyson stood dumbfounded not sure what to do. Something inside of her said that this redhead must be the one that Natalie had been searching for all this time. Alyson darted back around the corner and leaned against the wall not wanting to be spotted just yet. Could it be that Natalie doesn't need her anymore now that she has found her friend? That was the real reason she never called or left any notes? Alyson hugged the papers to her chest as many doubts danced through her mind. Nicole cautiously approached the girl, "Alyson?" She asked, unsettled by the sudden change in her friend's mood, "Are you alright?" She glanced at her friend with curious concern. Alyson dropped to the ground in a heap while holding a hand to her head, "I... I don't know..." So many emotions were running through her mind at that moment. She had never felt such a heart ache however the moment she saw Natalie with Kim it was like something was crushing her. Nicole peered around the corner then returned to her friend, "Don't you want to catch up to them?" She asked with her head cocked to the side with more curiosity then before. Alyson ran a hand through her curls, "What if she doesn't want me anymore?" She mumbled nervously. "Course she does." Nicole innocently responded, "I can't think of you and her apart." "What about that redhead?" Alyson asked, realizing how silly it was to ask advice from a twelve year old, but found out long ago that age meant very little around this place. Nicole thought over the question carefully, "I heard that Natalie is very protective of her and even snarled at Jessie for flirting with the girl." Alyson's head lowered, "However," Nicole continued, "The redhead is rather close to one of the new girls and is rooming with her." "She is?" Alyson's head rose, "Then that means Natalie..." She stood to her feet, "Come on, and lets get these papers to Amy." They started around the corner to be greeted by Kris's worried face as she exited the dorms. The three girls stared at each other for a moment. "Have you seen a group of girl's who just left here?" Kris asked anxiously looking left then right. "They passed her only a moment ago." Alyson stated, pointing down the road, "We need to give these files to Amy so we were heading that way. Are you new here?" Alyson asked curiously. "Sort of..." Kris admitted as she fell in step along side the girls. "Sort of?" Nicole asked, "How can you be 'sort of' new?" Kris scratched her head, "I used to live here and have been... away... for a while." She nervously said, then noticed Alyson leaned close to her with her eyes shut and sniffed the air around her, "Ummm... is something wrong?" Kris asked, even more troubled about this girl then before. Alyson opened her eyes. There was something about Kris that Alyson could not quite place. She knew that scent somewhere before. It was not like her brother’s; he had a dark strength to him. No, this was very different. There was strength to the girl that was certain, however it was more like... "The head mistresses..." Alyson said under her breath as her eyes narrowed and she glared defensively at the girl. Kris anxiously laughed, "They are my Aunts. I used to live with them." She blinked at the girl, "How did you know that?" She then noticed the sword on the girl's back and her black leathers "Wait! Are you Alyshione?" She asked shocked that she didn't notice it before from the description Tanya had given her. Alyson backed off a little, "How... how do you know my name?" Now it was her turn to feel nervous. "Natalie told us about you..." Kris said then thought to herself, "Sort of... she likes to play things mysteriously." She looked at Alyson, "You sort of remind me of her a bit." "I do?" Alyson straighten up and blinked at Kris then turned to Nicole, "Do you find us anything alike?" She asked the girl. Nicole thought for a moment, "In some ways, I guess you could say that." She then smiled up at the girl, "But you are way cooler." "And who are you, little one?" Kris asked Nicole. "I'm Nicole Harshaw," Nicole said, "I'm the head of the Elementary section." She said proudly. "Harshaw???" Kris said shocked, "Are you related to Natalie?" "Yep!" The girl nodded, "She is my big sister, but Alyson pays more attention to me then she does." Nicole kicked at the dirt. "Well, I'm Kris," Kris said with a smile, "Pleasure to meet you." "Same!" Nicole smiled. Alyson stopped where she was and nodded forwards. The two other girls looked up to see they had caught up to the other group. ***** To be Continued...
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