Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (no david read aloud .TXT) 📖

the most to them could easily tell them apart.

BOOK II: BACK II REALITY

Part 1: Harsh Beginnings

Chapter Twelve:
Torn From Paradise

Aluna Sister stared at her new twin, smiling. "So," she began, "how do you like being a twin?"
It was four months later, and the girls were close, despite their separation. Each twin was eighteen-years-old, which the System celebrated joyfully.
Ariana shrugged. "I don't know." She paused, pushing up her glasses before continuing. "I guess I like knowing I have a family out there, somewhere."
Luna nodded. "Sort of puts your life into a whole new perspective, doesn't it?"
Ariana giggled. "Yeah, I guess it does."
As the girls headed to King's Court, a sports arena at the System's premises, Ariana's mind seemed to wander. A little too much for Luna's personal tastes.
"What's up, dear sister?" She asked of Ariana, a little worried.
"Just one thing." Ariana started, opening her sport locker. "Now that I have all this power, what do I do with it? Can I control it? What will my life be like now?" The questions poured out of her mouth faster than her mind could think them up.
The girls had decided to play one of their favorite games before meeting the guys: Derrick and Shane "Shadow" for dinner at the Chez Café‚ later. It was originally Luna's idea, but when she found out they both liked tennis, Ariana jumped at the chance to beat her new little sister at her favorite game.
Ariana grabbed two rackets and a set of balls, heading toward the court. She handed Luna a racket, keeping one for herself as they took their places. Ariana served the first ball, and Luna swung her racket to encounter her sister's move.
Luna thought long and hard before answering her twin's many questions. "I guess it's all up to you, Ariana." Luna again swung her racket, being sure not to miss. "The Sisters tell me you are the chosen one."
"What does that mean, I'm the chosen one?" Ariana asked. She ran to slam the defenseless ball her sister's way.
Luna reached to swipe Ariana's serve. "Didn't Shannon tell you?"
Ariana grunted, nearly tripping to swing. "No," She thought for a minute. "I guess she left that for you to tell me?" She smiled, nearly out of breath.
Could I possibly be this out of shape? She mused to herself.
Luna caught the ball in midair. "Well, as I understand it, you're the chosen one to succeed the Lord Guardian when the time comes."
Ariana stopped in her tracks. "I remember. I was to be the Young Guardian. I wonder when that'll be?"
Luna shrugged. "No one knows but Lord Guardian." She served the ball, firing her "perfect shot." She was trying to make Ariana miss the ball entirely.
Let her try that on for size, Luna thought playfully to herself.
Ariana heard her thoughts and had a plan of attack of her own. She spotted the ball in midair and, using her telekinesis power to float it toward her, Ariana raised the racket delicately to meet the painless attack. She smiled mischievously at her sister. The ball acted as if on fire, literally flying through the air.
This was unexpected for Luna, of course, and she missed it by a mile. Before picking it up from a few feet away, she put her hands on her hips, shouting. "Hey! That's not fair!"
"Life's not fair, little sister!" Ariana kidded, smiling. She burst out in giggles, unable to hold it in. After seeing the humor, Luna laughed with her.
"I admit it." Luna started. "That was kind of cool. Where did you learn that?"
The girls headed to the net in the center of the court.
“I’ve always known how to do it.” Ariana smiled with pride. She thought for a second before saying. "That was cool, wasn't it?"
Luna nodded, turning to pick up the ball beside her feet. She threw it in the air and challenged. "Yeah, but can you do it again?"
"No sweat." Ariana repeated her actions.
From the palm of Luna's hand, the ball began floating in the air. Luna gawked, awed by the feat, but stayed silent. Ariana watched the ball as it levitated toward her. Luna watched in amazement as the ball landed in Ariana's hand. She displayed it for her sister to see.
Luna clapped. "Bravo, big sister. Bravisimo!"
"Merci, Mademoiselle Luna." Ariana said in French, bowing. "Come on, Lu. We don't want to be late for lunch with the guys."
The girls headed to the locker room to change into their street clothes.
"Wanna help me with my braid?" Ariana asked Luna as she took her hair out of the ponytail.
"Sure. Hand me your brush." Luna sat Ariana on the bench and took the brush and rubber band from her twin's hands.
"This is still quite a shock for me." Ariana said.
"What? Being a twin?" Luna asked.
"Yeah. I mean, since I was five, I was considered an orphan."
"I know. I often wondered about our family, too." Luna said. "Like, what made our mother give us up and why separately?"
Ariana shrugged. "I don't know." She laughed softly. "I used to dream of my parents. They were nice folks, married, living in a good neighborhood filled with lots of kind, caring people. To me, that was heaven."
"I know what you mean." Luna fell silent in thought. "You know what, though?"
"Yeah?"
"I've been here since I was five, and I've come to feel the System is my family."
"Me too." Ariana said softly. "Me too."
Bridget "Big Guy" Guy and her fellow Senior Officer Cindy "Cool Cat" Carmichael came in then, playfully arguing.
"Hi, Big Guy!" Luna called, lightening up.
Big Guy noticed her and cried. "So it’s true! The two of you really look identical!"
Ariana and Luna laughed at each other.
"But of course, Big Guy." Ariana laughed. "We are identical twins, you know."
The sisters hugged when Luna was finished.
"I've noticed the two of you lately." Cool Cat replied. "You act as if you were never separated."
"Yeah." Big Guy agreed. "It's as if you've known each other all your lives."
"I feel like I have known Luna all my life. We have so much in common, yet our identities are unique." Ariana noticed, and Luna smiled.
"I see Ariana wears glasses, and you don't." Big Guy said. "I've known you, like, forever, and I know you have to wear them. Your eyes are allergic to contacts."
"True, but I hate wearing them." Luna replied. "Don't get me wrong, Ariana, but they don't look good on me."
"Luna, we're twins." Ariana playfully frowned. "How can they not look good on you?"
"I don't know." Luna shrugged. "Glasses aren't me, right Big Guy?"
"I've seen her with them on, and she's so uncomfortable." Big Guy interjected. "Well, we've gotta run. Big game with the team next week."
Cool Cat showed the twins a basketball. "Gotta practice. The Network's guys are nasty. See you later."
"See you." The twins repeated together. They looked at each other and laughed.
Both girls' pagers went off. Each looked, noticed it was Shannon's special code followed by 911.
"Must be urgent." Ariana mused, slamming her locker.
Luna wore a wide smile on her lips. "Wanna race?"
"You're on!" Ariana cried over her shoulder as she stared to run.
"Wait up!" Luna laughed, following her to Shannon's office two floors above.
They reached the Computer Room doors at the same time.
"Tie!" Ariana cried, opening the doors for them.
Before Luna could respond, the twins saw their cousin standing by her office doors. Shannon was wearing a world-class frown with her arms folded.
They looked at each other, but only Ariana spoke up. "What's wrong Shan? Another attack by Sabrina's Warriors?"
Shannon shook her head. "If only it were that easy."
Luna was worried. "Shannon Ryan, what's going on?"
"Come with me and find out." Shannon told the girls simply as they followed her to the office. She closed the door behind them.
Ariana smiled when she saw Derrick sitting in one of the chairs. She frowned when she saw the distraught look in his eyes. He was staring at his lap, not even noticing she was there. Ariana could sense her boyfriend was troubled, not even acting like himself. She found out why his eyes told a saddened tale.
Shannon crashed the silence. "I feel the three of you have learned enough that I myself can teach you." She started as the girls sat down. "Now it's time to go on your own."
Derrick was stunned by her statement and stood up yelling. "You can't do this to us!"
Shannon countered his remark with one in her leader's voice. "I can for one reason only." She paused dramatically. "I'm the boss."
Ariana looked at her new-found twin for any idea of what to do next. Usually, Luna would know what was going on before anyone else in the room. This time, however, her twin sister didn't have any clue.
She thought of the System. How it had become her home and sanctuary from all the foster homes and orphanages three years ago. Then she thought of something else. "Where will I go?" She asked. "Derrick and Luna each have families to go to, but what about me?" Her silver-blue eyes fell to her lap. "Where am I to go?"
Derrick didn't like seeing his love saddened by such news, so he decided to speak up. "She can't be sent out on the street to fend for herself!"
"You will listen, and listen well." Shannon demanded, getting in his face. Never had she had a tougher decision than the one she had now. Shannon continued after taking a deep breath. "I will dismiss you to go to your separate quarters and pack one, and only one, pack full of your precious belongings. I’ll send three different agents to take each of you to a separate car. From there, your destinations told to you, you’d be sent on your way. Understand, Agent Sister?"
Ariana sadly nodded, dabbing her tears.
"Agent Reading?"
Derrick nodded as well, holding her hand in comfort.
"Lu-Lu?"
"Yes, Shannon." Luna whispered, unable to look directly at her cousin. "I understand."
The only noise in the room was the soft sobbing coming from Ariana.
Shannon softened her tone as she watched them. "I'm sorry guys, but it’s not up to me." She placed an arm around Luna's shoulders and continued. "Lord Guardian came to me a few nights ago. He told me his plan for the three of you." She began. "He told me that, in order to prepare you for the worst the Dream Realm has to offer, you must first live in our world."
Shannon wiped a tear from her eye, for the moment was far too much sadness for her to handle. She had loved all of them, especially the twins, like family. She was too close to let them go now.
Shannon hugged Derrick, then each of the twins tightly. "I'm going to miss you guys, you know that?"
Ariana sniffed and nodded, smiling. "Yes, Shannon, I know."
"You three take good care of yourselves, you hear me?" Shannon kidded.
Again, they nodded.
"Now go, before we all break down in tears." Shannon playfully demanded. "You're dismissed." Shannon rushed pass them, heading to her own room before either of them could see tears racing down her cheeks.
Ariana, Luna, and Derrick sat up and started toward the door to exit, but stopped in their tracks. Derrick took Ariana's hand, pulling her close in a sad, very solemn hug. Luna joined in when she couldn't take the pain of losing both her best friend and twin sister forever.
"I'm just getting to know you, Luna." Ariana sputtered.