Ali raked a hand through his tangled mop of auburn hair. He stared groggily into the mirror, wishing he didn’t have to get up. But if he hadn’t gotten up, his dad would’ve pulled out the bucket of ice water. And Ali didn’t want to get wet. So he got up.

Sighing, he pulled a brush through his semi-straight hair, combing it down neatly.

Class started at 0700 hours and Ali had only fifteen minutes left before he had to be there.

Hanna walked into the bathroom. Her hair was already combed and clipped up with a tiny blue butterfly barrette, which glittered, dark against her pale blond hair. “You’re going to be late.”

Ali gave a wave as he pulled out the toothpaste. “Yeah, well… I still have fifteen minutes. I won’t be that late. And anyway, class starts a few minutes late most days. Apparently, as Mum and Da are fond of telling me, the punctuality of the place has lagged a bit since they were schooled.”

“You don’t say?” She drawled, flipping a strand of hair over her shoulder and grinning at him. A rare thing from her these days. “Well, maybe they should make it a bit later then. Because you can’t seem to manage it even when they are late.”

She was teasing, but he didn't see it. That happened a lot now. He was much more serious than he had been when they were younger, and he didn't see her banter for what it was. Which stung. I want my brother back. I want it to be back to the way it was before all this when we were so close that Mum and Da couldn't seperate us until bedtime came. I want us to be friends again. But I don't know how to bridge the gap between us. She wanted to tell him what she was thinking. But she couldn't. He wouldn't understand anyway. Not anymore. He never understood her problems.

Ali rolled his eyes. “Hanna.” He spit out his mouthful of toothpaste. “I’m nearly ready, and I’m not usually late. So lay off.”

“Whatever!” She walked out of the bathroom with a huff, muscles tense, tears springing into her eyes. But he didn't see those tears.

***

He misunderstood what her tense posture had meant when she walked out of the bathroom, but he had enough sense not to laugh. She had been so moody lately that he didn’t know if the old Hanna that he’d known from childhood even existed anymore. Everything he said or did seemed to set her off. I just wish that she wouldn't be so closed with me. If she told me what was going on, I might be able to fix things between us. To maybe help her. Instead she blows me off. Ali sighed, feeling heavy.

He rinsed the toothbrush, and walked out into the living quarters ignoring his painful feelings. “Mum?”

“What, dear?” His mom was making his bed.

Hanna, as usual, had neatly folded her extra blankets and immaculately made her bed. Ali figured he could probably bounce a penny or maybe even a ping-pong ball off it.

“Uh… Mum?”

She turned to him. “What?” She snapped.

He raised his hands in a bit of a defensive gesture. “Well, it’s just that, I like my bed messy, and it’ll just get messed up again tonight. So… You don’t have to make it for me.”

“I don’t mind, Ali. Besides, I don’t like looking at it like that all day long. Remember, your father had me retire. I don’t have anything to do until the afternoon when I have private tutoring lessons with some of the kids. So I sit in here all day, and your un-made bed bugs me.”

“Umm… Okay. Whatever, but why are you so upset?”

“Ali, do you have something that you actually need to know? You’re going to be late for class.” His mom sidestepped the question.

“Well…” Ali wanted to know what was bugging his mom, but since she wasn’t going to tell him, he figured he’d better not push the issue. “Yeah. I wanted to know what you did with my books the other day.”

“In the bag by the door.” His mom turned back to making his bed, plumping the pillows with energy.

“Well, thanks, Mum. I’m eating breakfast after my first morning class. You wanna eat with me?”

“No. You go find your friends and do whatever it is you boys do together at breakfast.” She didn’t look at him, and her shoulders were tense.

“Mum, why are you upset with me?” Ali tensed too, sensing something was really wrong.

“Why should I be upset with you? Just, go on, Ali. You’ll be late for class.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He frowned, gazing at her back unease stirring within him.

“Absolutely certain. Go on. Shoo!”

He shrugged, his stomach churning with a vague sense of nausea. “If you’re sure.”

She didn’t respond, so he walked to the door. He picked up his book bag, slung it over his shoulder, and headed out for class.

***

 Hanna glanced at her teacher. Ms. Arlene was demonstrating how to use various magical spells to a couple of nymphs. They giggled, giving each other significant looks.

Hanna sighed, putting her arms around herself as she stared at her tiny bubble of light. She concentrated, shaping it into a miniature dragon. The shape flickered before solidifying. The little creature glittered with soft light, and she concentrated on making it real. She whispered a few words to it, smiling at the tiny creature. She loved the little things. They were so delicate and beautiful, and creating them brought a spark of warmth into her life.

It was slow to solidify, but it came into shape in gradual portions until it was a complete form. Then, it moved its wings, flapping into the air and breathing a jet of fire at one of the girls who was passing by.

The little thing couldn’t do much harm, but the flame did singe the girl’s arm. She yelped and turned to look at Hanna. Eyes narrowing, she marched over to the girl, face turning livid.

Uh-oh. That was a really bad move. You know, Hanna, next time, you should find a target for your animals so that they don’t involve you with the biggest, meanest girl in school. Hanna chided herself.

The dragon blew another paltry jet of fire, catching the other girl’s hair on fire.

Without breaking her stride, the girl snuffed it out with her fingers, slapping the dragon away and shattering it back into its individual particles of light.

“Hanna Covalenti!” The bigger girl hissed.

Hanna gave her a snide smile. “What’s your issue, Medusa?”

The other girl’s eyes narrowed to slits. She flicked tiny, snaking braids out of her face. “The name’s not Medusa, runt. It’s Francesca. You’d do well to remember that.”

Idiot! You just made things worse! Why do you always get sarcastic and snarky when you're scared? Moron! Hanna could've smacked herself then, but she didn't want to move for fear Francesca might pulverize her. She decided to keep playing her original stuck-up, snide card. Maybe that would get her out of trouble, maybe it wouldn't. It'd probably get her into more trouble, but if she backed down now, Francesca would see it as a weak-willed act of submission, and Hanna would end up being bullied worse than she was now. Which was definitely not what she wanted.

Hanna gave her a snarky look. “Would I? Seems to me that you would do well not to bother me. After all, I can whip up real, fire-breathing dragons, and you can’t.”

“I’m a nymph, you jerk! I deal with water. I can immediately drench your stupid dragon, and then no more fire, no more danger.” Francesca grabbed hold of Hanna’s shirtfront. “Now, you’re going to pay for insulting me and burning me!”

“Are all nymphs this irritable?” Hanna quipped, mentally cursing herself for an idiot while doing so.

“Why, you little punk!” Francesca's face contorted into a snarl.

Hanna tisked. “Watch the language, sister.”

“I’m not your sister.” Francesca shouted.

“Oh, my mistake.” Hanna glanced back over at Ms. Arlene.

This is not good. What was I thinking? If her teacher didn’t notice what was going on, Hanna knew she could be in serious trouble. Francesca’s step-mom had a bone to pick with Hanna’s mom, and Francesca didn’t like Hanna any better.

“You’re as bad as your mom, Francesca! You know, I would think that with a mother as irritable as Vanessa Lykeson, you’d be better!”

“She’s not my mother! She’s my step-mom.” Francesca gritted her teeth, drawing a fist back to punch Hanna in the gut.

It connected solidly, and just then, Ms. Arlene’s voice rang out across the room. “Francesca Chordata Fregson! Stop this instant! Hitting others is not tolerated. Report to the General’s office right now. He’ll decide what to do with you.”

“But Ms. Arlene! Hanna’s stupid dragon burned me.” Francesca shouted.

“Please stop shouting, Francesca. I’m sure that Hanna didn’t mean to burn you.” Ms. Arlene looked at Hanna. “Did you, Hanna?”

“No, ma’am, Ms. Arlene. It was an accident. Promise.” Hanna struggled to breath as the pain in her gut became a dull throb.

“Was not! She sicced the thing on me! I watched her do it on purpose. She was looking at me, and then she whispered something to the little beast, and it came over and burned me.” Francesca insisted.

“I did not! I just whispered some words to make it real. That’s all.” Hanna protested.

This is not good. This is so not good!

Ms. Arlene sighed. “Did the rest of you see what happened?” She looked at the other students.

One of them put her hand up, eyes darting to look at Francesca and Hanna. “I did, Ms. Arlene.”

“Well, what did you see, Mary?”

“Hanna was whispering something to the dragon, ma’am, and then the dragon burned Francesca. I didn’t hear what Hanna said, but the dragon did head straight for Francesca, and it did light her hair on fire.” Mary shifted from foot to foot, glancing over at Hanna again.

“Told you so!” Francesca crowed.

“I didn’t tell it to burn Francesca. You have to believe me, Ms. Arlene!” Hanna begged.

Ms. Arlene sighed. “You two, report to the General’s office. And if you fight on the way, I’ll know about it. Henrique, you take the two of them, please.”

A big, hulking boy with a sour expression walked over to them. “Well, you heard her. Move, you two.”

Francesca glowered at him. “Why, you little…”

“Stuff it, Francesca. I don’t care!” Henrique growled.

The big girl shut her mouth, glaring at Hanna.

Hanna didn’t look at her, but instead scuffled along in front of Henrique, gazing only at her feet. Will the General put me in clean-up duty or have the cane-master cane me for this? It was an accident! I wish that stupid Medusa-girl didn’t always look to get me trouble. She’s always out to gun me down. Hanna’s fingers clenched. After this, Francesca would probably punish her even further for getting her in trouble too. Because it won't be enough for her that she got me in trouble for something I didn't do. She'll have to beat me up too. The thought made Hanna sick to her stomach.

A few minutes later, they reached the General’s office. He was doing paperwork at his desk.

Henrique knocked, and the General’s voice filtered to them through the closed door. “Come in.”

Hanna found herself drawn to the voice. It was inviting and warm. Something in the voice made her feel understood and safe. It was a voice that could’ve compelled her to do nearly anything. She trusted it even before she laid eyes on the General up close for the first time.

He was in his forties, she guessed. Her parents had told her that the General had been around their age when they’d saved the world.

Henrique shoved open the door. “These two are here for fighting, sir. Ms. Arlene asked me to bring them to you.”

“Thank you, Henrique.”

Henrique started, but recovered, masking his shock. He didn’t remember ever telling the General his name. As far as he knew, he’d never spoken personally to the man before now. It was unsettling how much he seemed to know.

Hanna lingered outside the door as long as she could, but Francesca barged straight into the office. Henrique gave Hanna a gentle shove to get her moving.

“For what it’s worth,” he hissed. “I didn’t think you did it on purpose. That girl’s pure trouble through and through.”

Hanna gave him a weak smile. “Thanks, Henrique. But I’m not sure if the vote of confidence will really mean much to the General.”

He shrugged before turning and walking off.

She took a deep breath and walked into the office, letting the door swing silently shut behind her.