“Asida, Talin and Scarthey! Get your guilty behinds downstairs pronto!” Tommy yelled.

As if taking care of three teenage girls on your own at less than 16 years old weren’t enough! Now he had to go and hear about this too. Boy were those girls in for it.

The twins were the first ones down, completely identical except for their hair and outfits. It was so unusual that Scarthey’s hair could be as dark as night, while in contrast Talin’s hair was as golden as the ever shinning sun. Both girls had startling brown eyes, the color of milked down cofee.As for their tastes in clothes... Talin preferred sweaters and cute little skirts, while Scarthey favored jeans and a tank-top.

“What’s up Tom?” Talin asked sweetly as Asida trudged into the kitchen.

Asida’s hair was not as dark as Scarthey’s, as she was more of a brunette, and not a black haired girl. It was around the shade of Tommy’s own hair, which was a little awkward, since the pair weren’t really related, a fact that most often went unnoticed by all of them. Asida was wearing a blue sun-dress with flowers on it, not that Tommy truly acknowledged their clothes, he was much more concerned with the actions of his sisters.

“I just got off the phone with James.” He began, watching the color drain from Scarthey’s face. Talin and Asida didn’t look concerned,although they should have.

Now the other girls looked a bit nervous. As a matter of fact all three were as white as sheets, Asida was slightly less shaken than the others.

“Listen Tommy, I know what James had to say about me, and even though you might not have meant to ask me, yes it’s true. I am going out with Tukak’s brother. His name is Uskak and he’s fifteen, which you may recall is only one year older than me. He’s really sweet, and if you knew him you’d like him Tommy, I know you would.” Talin stated, with little more confidence than a deer caught in headlights.

“If you knew that so well, than why did I have to hear about it from James? Besides, he steals Tal, and lies, and... He’s just not a good influence. I don’t want you hanging out with him anymore.” Tommy said.

“So I can’t see Uskak anymore, but you can still be friends with Tukak, who is ten times as bad? What kind of logic is that?! Besides, you’re my brother Tom, not my dad. You can’t tell me who to date.”

“First of all, I’m older than you. Second of all I’m the Leader so Tukak wouldn’t try any thing with me. Third...... You’ll do what I tell you because, reality check, you don’t have a dad anymore, and you sure as heck never had a mom!” Tommy yelled, starting to get angry. “We’ll finish this conversation later Talin. Right now you have two sisters who I’m much more concerned about. Go and wait in your room until I call you back down.”

Talin glared at him as she disappeared up the stairs. The other two waited silently. They didn’t want to give up any information that he might still be unaware of.

“Asida, what’s this about you and T.J.? How could you decide to go out with that lowlife? He’s way too old for you!” Tommy exclaimed. “A 12 year old with a guy who is over two years older than I am! It’s just ridiculous!”

“I don’t care! He’s really sweet, and I will do as I please! I’m going upstairs!” Asida cried.

“You don’t know the real T.J.!” He called to her retreating back. “He does things just because he’s told not to do them!”

Scarthey kept her eyes down as he rounded on her. This was going to be bad, and she knew it.

“So...... I know what James told you, and I’m really sorry Tommy. He asked me out, and I couldn’t say no to him. Oh Tom, have you ever taken a good look at those eyes of his? I could just die!” Scarthey sighed.

“Yeah, well while you’re swooning over my best friend, I’m tearing my hair out! Couldn’t you have at least thought for one second about how this would affect me?” Tommy demanded. “James is a player Scarthey! Everyone knows that. He can’t stick with one girl for any longer than a week before he cheats on her. I don’t want to see you hurt, which you definitely will be eventually, and the moment that he hurts you our friendship will cease to exist.”

“Well whatever happens, it’s going to happen one way or another. I’m not going to dump him now, so deal with it! You can still be friends with him, this has nothing to do with you.” Scarthey argued.

“You’re only 14 ‘Thee! James is four years older than you, and guys like him don’t just settle for a peck on the cheek. Please don’t let him do to you what he’s done to so many other girls. I don’t want to see you go down that road, so promise me that you’ll reconsider about dating James.” Tommy begged.

Scarthey studied him for few minutes, then, slowly, she shook her head. Tommy’s head dropped.

“I’m sorry Tom, but I really like him.” She turned and ran upstairs to the safety of her room.

Oh boy, he thought. The twins are way over their heads and so is Asida. Oh Boy. Tommy hollered to the girls that he was going out and headed for Fi’s.

Tommy decided to walk the 10 blocks to Fi’s. It was a beautiful summer morning, and he hoped it would give him a chance to clear his mind. Being with Fiona often helped, because she usually gave him good advice. Plus, she always gave him kisses. It felt good to know someone cared.

“Tommy? What are you doing here?! Is something wrong? I mean, you usually call before you come over.....” Fiona said as she answered the door.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to surprise you...Well, actually, something is kinda wrong.” He looked at the ground for awhile, then into Fi’s green eyes. “Do you feel like taking a walk?”

“Sure, just give me a sec to check up on Samuel and let him know where we’re going. I’m in charge of the house while my ‘rents are in Luxembourg. Some business thing.” She disappeared into her massive house with a slight toss of her waist-length blonde hair.

Tommy sighed. Fiona was so beautiful, it was hard to believe that she was his. He couldn’t imagine life without her. His problems would overwhelm him so fast...Being with her made all of that disappear.

“I’m set. Let’s go.” As they started walking, Fiona started interrogating in that not-so-subtle way she had. “So, what happened. Don’t look at me like that, I know when you’re upset from the look in your eyes, and you can’t hold it in. Especially not around me.”

“All right, you got me. Talin is going out with Uskak, you know, Tukak’s kid brother. I definitely don’t approve.” Tommy said.

“Tom, if that were all you had on your mind you wouldn’t have come to me. You’d be venting in front of James instead. Did you two have some sort of fight?” Fi demanded

“ I’m working up to that part.” He gave her a rueful smile. “Once again you skipped to the heart of the problem while I’m still giving background. Let’s see, Asida is going out with T.J., which you can see is even less pleasant. Now here’s the biggest problem, do you see the pattern here? Scarthey is....”

Tommy stopped in the middle of the wooded path, choking back tears. He hadn’t realized how much her actions had affected him. That was close to the deepest pain he’d ever known, hearing about her.

“I see..... You don’t have to tell me. Scarthey’s dating your best friend, right? Oh Tommy, it’ll turn out all right. You and James have been best friends too long for anything to tear you apart.” Fi whispered consolingly.

“I know.” He ran a shaky hand through his curly black hair. “It just hurts is all. I’m not really sure how to feel about this....James is my BEST friend in the world, but even I know what a jerk he can be with girls, and I’m not going to let him do that to my sister. It’s funny, I never would have thought Scarthey could hurt me so bad. Usually we understand each other better than anyone. Our relationship is so much more like friends than the one I have with the other two.”

“That might be just the reason it feels so bad.” Fi commented. “Listen, I gotta get back to Sammy, but if you want to come over we could watch some movies or just sit and talk in my room. Take your mind off everything.”

“You know your room is my favorite place to be,” Tommy grinned. “It feels so much more like home than mine does.”

The twins giggled nervously when James came to pick them up. Asida ran down the stairs two at a time. Tommy felt his jaw drop as he looked up, and his stomach did a flip. Even one who had been Chosen would be hard pressed to read his emotions from his Stone at that moment. He thought mostly he was afraid.

The outfit Asida was wearing was much too skimpy for a twelve year old girl on her way to the movies. It was too skimpy for any girl with a responsible adult around to get out of the house in. A bikini top that barely covered anything and a purple mini-skirt made of thin silk that was just a little too mini for Tommy to feel comfortable with her wearing. Unfortunately there were no responsible adults around, so he was obviously going to wind up playing the warden.

“Go. Upstairs. Change. Now.” It was all he seemed able to get out. He could barely breathe.

“Now Tom, she’s a big girl. Don’t you think it’s about time you let her choose her own outfits?” James joked. “Why don’t you give Asida the space to grow up in? All this crowding her creativity... Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

“James if you want to see creativity, how about I make your face into a piece of abstract art?” Tommy growled.

“Sorry man. I was just kidding...Kidding? You know, messing around? Or have you become too much of a daddy to remember what that’s like? Never mind it. Asida go on and change, I can’t be seen in public with that outfit. Besides it might contaminate the upholstery in my car.” James laughed.

“I happen to like what I’m wearing, and I see no reason to change. If you’re so worried about your precious leather seats I will walk.” Asida glared at them both and Scarthey grabbed her arm and pulled her to the far corner of their tiny kitchen. After a few soft-spoken words from her, and encouraging nods from Talin, Asida threw up her arms and went to pick a new outfit.

“What did you say to her?” Tommy asked.

“I just told her that if she wanted she could wear something of mine since nothing else of hers was ‘good enough’ for T.J. and tomorrow night we are going shopping. I’m going to give her $50 to spend and Talin is too. I expect that cash to come from your pocket... As a voluntary thank-you of course.” She smiled her most winning smile, and Tommy knew that no matter what, his relationship with Scarthey would always be the most friendly. Even when he had to start playing good cop/ bad cop with her. Emphasis on bad cop.

“That’s my girl.” James said, pulling Scarthey to him by the waist. “Good negotiating.” He leaned in for a quick kiss before catching a glimpse of Tommy’s eyes, which were filled with brimming anger. It was lucky Asida returned just then and they could leave without a fight starting.

“Tukak?” She coughed. “Is that you?”

“Yeah, s’me.” He whispered waving away some of the smoke. “I was just chillin’. Ya know how it is.”

“No. I don’t.” Cameron snapped. “C’mon it’s late. I’ll take you home, we shouldn’t be here anyway. Wait a second. Have you been smoking pot?”

“Maybe yes. Maybe no. Whatcha gonna do ‘bout it?” Tukak demanded, once again becoming his drunken-jerk self. Girl, you sure know how to pick ‘em, don’t you? Cameron thought to herself as she watched Tukak settle down on the grass beside his brothers.

”Please can we just go home? It’s against the rules in the town Charter to be in the park after the sun goes down. Please?” Cameron begged.

“Not yet. Not yet. Me and the boys gonna go for a little ride. Wan’ come?” Tukak grabbed Uskak and Sukak by the arms. He yanked them to their feet roughly and proceeded to drag them to his truck.

“Loosen up man. That kinda hurts.” Uskak whined.

Sukak looked around, wide-eyed and waiting, then quickly bowed his head when Cameron caught his eye. She felt as though he had just made a plea for help without saying a word, and forgot her former resolve not to look too closely into what her boyfriend did with those kids. She had to stop this.

“Where are you taking them? Tukak! Answer me!” Cameron yelled. “They’re just kids. Leave them be. That’s no life for them out there. You’re just going to turn them into the same type of miserable slob you’ve made yourself, and I know you don’t really want to do that.”

“Relax. We are just going shopping. Now, I love you, so I’ll let that ‘slob’ remark slide, but you gotta let me do this thing. You can come too if you want. Make sure no one’s getting mistreated or anything.” Tukak grinned as he started up his truck.

“Shopping? Oh, no. I know what that means Tukak. I will not participate in any of that lowlife behavior, and I wont let the boys do it either. If there’s something you need I’ll buy it for you in the morning. For Christ’s sake, it’s 2 A.M.!!”

“It’s also Suk’s first run. So relax, we’ll take it easy tonight.” Uskak said, taking a swig of Tukak’s beer. “You can hang out at the house ‘till we get back.”

“Fat chance! I think I’ll just crash at Fi’s thank you very much. I don’t like to be around when he’s been drinking.” Cameron muttered as she watched them speed away down the road.

Betty woke up screaming. It had been such a terrible nightmare, especially since she had only ever had pleasant dreams all her life. She could hear Bobby calling and ran to his room.

“Why did you scream Betty?” He asked, he sounded concerned. “In all your 12 years I’ve never heard you scream quite like that.”

“Just a bad dream that’s all.” She fought to keep the tremor out of her voice.

”You never have bad dreams.” Bobby looked at his little sister with worry in his eyes. “Tell me about it. I’ve got a good five years on you, so maybe I can help figure out what it means.”

“Being 17 doesn’t make you a psychologist. Still, I would think talking about it might help. So, I was just a baby in my dream. All our family was standing around me in a circle, just staring. I had my stone in my hand. You know, the one on my headband. Only it was glowing Emerald Green. Nothing to resemble the moods. Then I pointed it at the floor and I fell through this hole it burned in the rug. I just kept falling and falling with these jagged rocks beneath me.” She shuddered. “That’s when I woke up.”

“Lets go see Tommy . Right now. Go get dressed.” Bobby ordered jumping out of bed and pulling a pair of jeans on over his boxers. “Have you seen my shirt? Oh, never mind, just get your stuff and lets go.”

“Now? It’s 3 in the morning, what do you need to see Tommy for?” Betty was supremely confused.

“Not me. You. Now get a move on!” Bobby said sternly.

Tommy awoke to a banging on the door. Uh oh, he thought. No way this can be good. He managed to drag himself out of bed and into the kitchen. He’d only gotten back from Fi’s an hour ago... Hadn’t he? He checked the clock, yep, only an hour of sleep.

“Tommy! It’s Bobby, open up!” The intruder yelled. How dare Bobby deprive him of sleep? This had better be good.

“Shh! You’re gonna wake the girls. Wait a sec,” Tommy hissed as he unbolted the door. “I gotta go put on some clothes. What’s the big problem that couldn’t wait until I had gotten more than an hour’s sleep?”

“No time to get dressed Tom, this is an emergency.” Bobby insisted as he rushed through the door with Betty in his arms. “She fainted on the way over. You gotta help me man. Why didn’t you sleep more than an hour yet?”

“Okay.” Tommy murmured filling a glass of water to splash on Betty’s face. “And if you must know, I was at Fi’s all night, and we didn’t exactly take a nap together. Why were you coming over in the first place?” He asked.

”It was time. She had one. A Stone dream.” Bobby explained.

“What! That’s impossible, I mean how old is she? She can’t be 15 yet, and no one has ever gotten it any more than a year early! Did you explain it to her before? Sometimes that can speed it up.”

“No. She doesn’t know anything about us, or what her dream means. Why did this happen Tommy? She’s not of age! I’m scared man.” Bobby whispered.

“We may never know for sure, but I suspect it has some thing to do with how close the Battle is getting.” He sighed. “She’s waking up now, so first I’ll explain the dream to her, unless you want to handle that?”

“No, you’re the leader and you can understand it best. Plus, you’ve handled this before, and I wouldn’t know how to answer all the questions she’s bound to have.” Betty’s brother looked down at her fondly.

“Oh, hi Tommy! Did I fall asleep? Last thing I remember we were driving down Mainstreet and...” Betty stopped. That was all she could recall of the ride over.

“You fainted.” Bobby informed his sister.

“But I never faint! Why would I faint?” Betty argued.

“Your dream, do you want to know what it means?” Tommy asked. Betty nodded. “You’re coming of age now Betty. No one as young as you ever has before. The Stone on your headband does more than just show moods. I gave that to you when you were born. Bobby and your parents were already living here, and by a strange ‘coincidence’ so is everyone else I have found. Confused yet?”

He grinned. Let the fun start! “Ever since I was real little I’ve gone around trying to find the Chosen Ones. There are twenty in all. Back then I had my dad to help me, but now..... Well I’m all on my own. Anyone with a Stone is a Chosen One. Keep that in mind if you’re ever in trouble and don’t know where to turn for help.”

“What do the stones do? What role do I have in all of this? What am I, er, I mean we, chosen for?” Betty asked.

“We have to fight the Evil of the Abyss. It comes in many forms....Mostly it’s the memories planted in the minds of those it uses. The evil ideas the minions and victims get. We fight both followers and hostages. The controller of the Abyss is a man named Raulph Redrick, also known as the Dark Master. He has more power than any individual alive, and to defeat him will mean forestalling the spreading of the Abyss.” Bobby explained.

“What are the Stones for?” Betty asked again, Tommy decided to answer her this time. Just for kicks.

“That’s the source of our magic, how we cause the forces of good. Without them we are powerless to fight the Dark Master. No one but a Chosen One can work a Stone, and they become attached to their owners in such a way that it becomes nearly impossible to exchange even between Gaurdians. Most of us only learn how to use them after the dream, which you have now had. It requires training and mental stillness to activate a Stone in an effective way. So that anything will happen. I refuse to train anyone until they have had the dream, because to me it indicates the ability to learn and the strength to go on. Usually you’re fifteen when it happens. I hope to find the others before they get theirs.” Tommy replied.

“How old were you? Tommy?” Betty wondered.

Tommy looked away. He couldn’t tell them. Not just yet.

“What’s all the noise? Tommy? Are you awake?” Whispered Talin as she crept into the kitchen.

“Yeah it’s me.” Tommy hissed. “Go on back to bed now. We’re just taking care of something.”

“ ‘We’ did you say? Who else is here Tom?” She reached out, groping for the light. “Is it safe to turn this on or am I going to see you and Fi doing something you shouldn’t?”

Not waiting for an answer Talin flicked the switch and flooded the room with light. Tommy shook his head and imagined himself somewhere else. Someplace where his sister hadn’t just said that. It wasn’t as though she could possibly know or anything, it was just the type of thing girls joked about with their brothers. Had to be.

“Do the twins know about....” Betty glanced at Talin.

“Yeah. For the past two weeks. They got it the same night. Just proves that whole theory of a special bond between twins.” Tommy shrugged as if to say that he had his doubts about that. “Talin meet the newest Gaurdian. Betty got her dream tonight.”

“Tonight? Don’t you mean this morning? It’s four a.m.” Talin replied with a yawn. “Congrats Betty. Aren’t you a little young though?”

“The youngest yet.” Tommy said, clearing his throat meaningfully. Talin knew that wasn’t true. Tommy had been just two years old. He was the youngest ever and he had the calling. This and the visions he saw named him Leader. His dream had been more vivid than anyone’s. Tommy had understood without being told what it meant at two years old, and he had enlisted his father’s help by giving him a vision. Unfortunately, that action resulted in his father’s death..........In a roundabout way.

“Why do you understand it so well Tommy? Why were you the one Bobby sought out for help with this? And why was I chosen? What makes me so special, how is a Chosen One chosen?” Betty’s violet-flecked eyes searched his.

“Well Betty, first of all my big brother is the Leader, so he understands it all better than you can ever hope to. Naturally Bobby went to the one person who he knew could help you, because Tommy is the one who explained it to your brother. You were chosen because you have inside of you the power to do whatever you want to do, to be whatever you want to be. You were born a Child of Destiny. Destined to do great things with your life. The power and drive is there, and it always will be even in death.” Talin whispered, pulling the explanation from deep within her soul.

Knock. Knock. Uskak waited, holding Sukak by the wrist. Tukak had locked the door and told him to make sure Sukak stole something. They wouldn’t get back in the truck until Tukak saw it on the curb. Sukak squirmed, trying to run away.

He had some insane idea about going back and confessing to stealing one of Fi’s five televisions. She had too much and they had too little, but Suk couldn’t understand that. Fiona wouldn’t notice or care but Sukak did. Uskak sighed, why did his little brother have to be the honest, sensitive type, and not the older? If Tukak had just gotten a job and tried to raise them right he wouldn’t be standing on the curb forcing his kid brother to.....Well “if fishes flew and wishes came true”..... but they didn’t, so Tukak did what he knew best; he taught them to be tough

Tukak rolled down the truck window. “Jump in the back. Put the t.v. in here. Good job Mr. S. You made your first run.” He nodded at Sukak, who stuck his tongue out at him.

“You know, for a mute you sure don’t know anything about when it’s a good idea to shut up!” Tukak growled throwing the door open. “I’m gonna hit you so hard ...You’ll wind up deaf as well as dumb!”

Actually the words were slightly slurred, but the boy obviously got the message because he took off at a dead run. Uskak knew it would be foolish to intercede, Tuk was much larger than he was, but this was his baby brother....

“Whoa. Tukak wait! He’s just a kid! It’s all new to him, he’ll understand soon, and he’ll adjust. Just give him some time....Remember how much I hated my first run?” Uskak floundered for excuses. “Don’t hurt him!”

“And are you going to stop me if I try short man? You? With all the strength getting drunk has given you? ‘Cause I’m a little high you think you can take me? Is that it Us? All I remember from your first run is that you flipped me off when I congratulated you, and I beat the living daylights out of you for it. Now I am prepared to do the same thing to him, or you again, to avoid that kind of disrespect. For me, for you, and for what we all are and always will be.” Uskak stepped back and squeezed his eys shut so he wouldn’t have to see Sukak trying to scream.