The morning birds trilled, declaring their territory. It was hot out already, but the wind took the edge off.

Nyx escorted Kismet to Julian's to get her paperwork. She smoked a cigarette as they walked, ruminating over her last conversation with Angel, and her dream. Kismet didn't ask any more about it thankfully. Nyx wasn't sure what she would say and tried to create a plan.

There's no lying to a telepath. The sooner this girl gets a handle on her powers, the better.

Kismet seemed to slip in and out of various degrees of lucidity at a moment's notice. She'd stare off, sometimes only for a few seconds, then carry on like nothing happened. When they talked, it was as if she looked right inside of her.

When they arrived at Julian's, Nyx let herself in. Kismet trailed behind her, chewing on the soggy cuff sleeve of the hoodie Nyx lent her.

I wish she wouldn't. At least it's not one I care for much.

They found Julian lounging in the living room, a detective film played on the small television.

"Hey Nyx, who's your friend?" His tone was cordial enough, but there was almost a hint of accusation, or perhaps suspicion. Strangers were rare on the island.

Nyx stepped into the living room and sat in one of the arm chairs. Kismet lingered in the doorway, shuffling from foot to foot.

"This is Kismet," Nyx said, gesturing to the other girl.

Just get in here and sit down already, Nyx thought at her, but Kismet payed no mind. "She's new here and needs to get set up with a card and everything. Daisy told us you'd have the paperwork."

Julian frowned, pulling his bushy eyebrows over his golden eyes. "Ah, yeah. It should be in Angel's old room. I'll go get it." He looked at Kismet and waved. She only blinked. "Nyx, will you come help?"

"Oh, um, sure," said Nyx.

Why does he need me to help dig through boxes? I don't know what he has and what he doesn't.

They went upstairs. Kismet stayed in place, turning only to watch them go. This cabin was a similar construction to Nyx's own. There was only a small landing between a room to the left, and one to the right.

They slipped into the one on the left. It had been turned into storage long ago, but some of Angel's old rock posters still stuck to the wall. They barely clung to life on withered strips of tape.

"What's this girl's deal?" Julian asked once the door shut behind them. He was careful to speak in a whisper, or as close to a whisper as his gravelly voice could muster.

"She's come from the mainland, like I said, and needs a place to stay."

"This is unprecedented," he said. "They usually go to The Academy."

Nyx shrugged. "She didn't want to."

What if the paperwork doesn't even exist? Then what?

"What are her powers? Do you know?"

Something twisted in Nyx's stomach and her trepidation faded ever so slightly as the heat rose in her chest. "Does it matter?"

"I don't want Ivy coming here. How did this even happen?"

"Why would Ivy give a shit? Do you have the papers or not?"

"Watch your tone girl," he growled. "I do have the papers, but I need to know what her abilities are first."

"It shouldn't matter," Nyx snapped.

"Protecting this island matters," he said, pointing a thick finger at the floor to punctuate every word. "I'm only going to ask you one more time before I buy her a one way ticket to the mainland. What are her powers?"

Nyx stared into his amber eyes, her mind racing.

"She's an empath, like Daisy."

It was close enough to the truth to explain Kismet's odd behavior and why she'd be working with Daisy. Nyx didn't know why she lied. It was utterly impulsive, but something in her guts told her 'telepath' was the wrong answer.

People aren't this jumpy unless they have secrets. Hopefully Julian doesn't speak to Daisy about it. I'll tell him I got confused if he ever asks.

He visibly relaxed, then stepped toward a cluttered desk in the far corner of the room. After rummaging around for a moment, Julian produced a clump of forms held together by a clip.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Take them to Watcher Liz when she's done," he said. "I'm sorry to be harsh. I gotta look out for the island ya know?"

Nyx took the stack of papers. "Yeah, I get it."

She left the room and hurried down the stairs before Julian could change his mind.

"Did he yell at you?" Kismet asked when they stepped out into the front lawn. The door slammed behind them.

"No," said Nyx, marching toward the sidewalk, already lighting a cigarette while she moved.

Kismet hurried to keep up. "Where are we going now?"

"The library," said Nyx, exhaling a puff of smoke. She pressed the forms into Kismet's hands. The grimy sweater sleeves covered Kismet's fingers so it was like she wore mittens. "Fill these out and we'll give 'em to Liz."

"I hope I'm not keeping you from anything," said Kismet.

Nyx didn't break stride. "It's my day off. Don't worry about it."

The conversation with Julian had shaken her up. It was not unusual for him to be gruff, rude and even down right mean, but she'd never known him to be prejudiced against anyone.

Why does he care what abilities someone has all of a sudden?

Kismet stopped in her tracks. "Are my powers going to be an issue? You didn't have to lie for me."

"I won't let him kick you out for something you can't help," said Nyx, turning back for her.

"Maybe I should leave? I didn't mean to cause trouble."

"He's an asshole. Don't worry about his weird opinions. Plus, his vote isn't the one that matters. It's Watcher Liz you gotta win over."

After a few blocks of houses, they exited the residential area to find themselves in the village-core; A single street with shops, including the market, and public service buildings lined either side. The centerpiece was the gas station on one side, and the town hall on the other. The buildings were all made of wood, almost resembling cabins themselves. This time of year, all the flower beds under the shop windows were in full bloom, inviting butterflies and bees.

Kismet's eyes darted in quick, rhythmic motions. Mutants hurrying to and from the stores shuffled past them. The headphones came out of Kismet's sweater pocket and she clamped them over her ears.

"You ok?" Nyx asked, poking her shoulder.

"Huh?" She dipped her headphones.

"Do you need a break?"

"Uh - no, why?"

"Your headphones." Nyx said, pointing at them. "If you're getting overwhelmed, we can go sit somewhere quieter or something. All you gotta do is say so."

"Yeah," Kismet said. "Maybe a break would be kinda nice."

Nyx led her across the street toward a park where they sat on a wooden bench. Oak trees were planted in each quadrant, divided by stone walkways casting shade over the grass and wildflowers. A gazebo decorated the center, shielding a shallow fountain while pigeons splashed in the water.

Kismet doubled over, clutching her head between her forearms. "I'm really sorry."

"Please stop apologizing," Nyx said. "You're driving me nuts."

"Sor- Ok."

They sat for awhile. Kismet kept her eyes closed, concentrating on her music while Nyx smoked another cigarette.

When Kismet was ready, she clicked her CD player off and lowered her headphones. "Ok, I think I'm good now. Thank you so much."

They left the park, heading toward the library.

"For what?" Nyx asked, furrowing her brow. "Who do you listen to by the way?"

"Cosmic Bunnies," said Kismet. "I used to listen to all sorts of other stuff."

"I love those guys. You can have a look at my CDs when we get back if you want? That way you're not stuck with the same old one."

They reached the library. It was squashed between the police station and a barber. The yellow shingle-siding had hardly weathered the storms, stripped bare in some sections. A row of books pressed their faces to the front window, peering over the tulips in the window beds.

A small bell tinkled as Nyx opened the peeling red door. She was immediately greeted by the scent of dust and mildew.

They stepped around the corner to the main room. A desk was crammed in the far corner. A filing cabinet jammed in the back blocked out the other window so the room was dimmed. Bookshelves lined the walls, but there were plenty of gaps.

Kismet moved faster than Nyx had seen her go yet, darting straight for the books.

Nyx gestured to the bench and table under the front window. "Why don't you work on the papers? I'm going to find Watcher Liz."

"Oh, ok," Kismet pulled herself away from the shelves to sit down with the paperwork, while Nyx trailed off into the back room. It was supposed to be the non-fiction area.

Watcher Liz was Ivy's representative on the island and vice versa, she and the other board members would meet with Ivy on a monthly basis to discuss the needs of their respective charges. If anyone had a shot at knowing about Ivy's powers, it would be her.

When Nyx entered, a middle-aged woman dressed in all black emerged from one of the aisles. Her hair was worn straight and cut short at her chin. The ends were neat as the edge of a knife's blade.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Yeah - uh, um," Nyx scratched the back of her neck. "I'm wondering if I could ask you about Ivy?"

The older woman smiled. "What would you like to know? Are you thinking about converting?"

"Conver -" Nyx began, confused, then kicked herself for not remembering Watcher Liz was one of the weirdos that deemed Ivy to be some type of goddess. "Uh, um, no. I'm just curious and I thought you'd be the best one to ask."

"Oh, well, certainly. Ask me anything you like."

"Did her powers make her the way she is?"

Watcher Liz raised a thin eye-brow. "What way is that?"

Nyx flushed, not wishing to offend, but couldn't think of another way to phrase things. "Ya know, that thing where she fades and starts to dissolve or something and needs to suck out someone's life-force to stay solid."

"It's a rather unfortunate side-effect," said The Watcher. "The headmaster at the time, Derek Vaughn had built The Academy two-hundred years prior in order to use his fellow mutants for his own gain. His nucleokinesis and regeneration made him beyond reproach. Then Ivy sucked his life away and set us all free. Imagine the life-force of a man with that sort of power. Then she absorbed thousands more during the war. It was too much. Ivy sacrificed her mortal body to liberate us."

"What would happen if she just didn't suck anyone up and let herself fade away, or whatever?"

"I'm not certain," said Liz, putting a finger to her chin in thought. "Well, regardless, let's hope that day never comes. You're too young to know what it was like before. I'm not much younger than Ivy myself and like her, I was raised in the old Academy.

"It was a corrupt and unjust system needing to be ripped up by the roots and plowed under. We owe everything we have to her sacrifice. Ivy is the only thing holding the thin tethers of peace together. Believe me, if you had been there, you would tear it down too."