Shattering Crystals

"Hey, at least they speak English here," Connor says, as our plane touches down. I start to unbuckle my seat belt, even though the sign hasn’t turned off yet. I’m so rebellious.

It isn't everyday that we fly in first class, though. Katalina insisted... and it's her money, anyways.

It's been only two weeks since we had a “late night visit” with Katalina, but she feels like one of us already. A snobby part of the group, but nevertheless included.

"I still do not think I should wear these... ugly disguises," Katalina moans. She reaches up to pull off her curly brown wig but Lorraine slaps her hand away.

"Don't. We'll get recognized."

Katalina sighs. "We should go as fast as we can. I want to look like myself again."

When she says this, it strikes me that she won't look like herself. Not when we get back to Crystallaria, anyways. She'll look like her former self. Her magical self. I wonder if she knows this. It’s probably best not to tell her just yet.

"We're trying to go as fast as we can, okay?" Lorraine says. "But we did waste a few months waiting for you..."

"You are lucky I am even here," Katalina says. "But I just want to get this itchy thing off my head."

"I could have dyed your hair, but you wouldn't let me," Lorraine reminds her. We start to get up and off the plane.

"Could you not just use magic?" Katalina says, reaching for one last sip of her drink. "You have done that for everyone else."

"I tried, remember?" Lorraine says patiently. She checks to make sure that none of the flight attendants hear. "It just doesn't work on you. And don't ask me why, because I don't know."

Katalina sighs again and reaches for her expensive designer bag. "It does not matter right now. Welcome to Singapore."

----

The airport is beautiful. The polished tile floor and high ceiling make for a very clean, comfortable atmosphere. The structure is made of all neutral shades, but it's far from boring.

There are flowers everywhere. A rainbow of petals, their scent fills the air. Lorraine runs over to look at some yellow ones.

"I could stand here all day," Lorraine says, inhaling deeply. She sets her bag down at her feet and gently touches the yellow petals. "I love flowers... all kinds."

"Even the ones that smell like rotting flesh?" Dean asks.

"Well... maybe not those," she says. "But these."

"I'll have to remember that," Cody says, walking over to her. He slides an arm around her small waist.

They had gotten together the day after the whole thing at Katalina's house. I don't know what exactly happened. Lorraine had told me about it, gushing over every small detail - but in all truth, I wasn't listening.

There's a huge change in them. Usually Cody would be teasing her about something right now. They would fight over the stupidest things. But now, as a couple, it's romantic all the way. The change is noticeable (very noticeable), but it just seems so... perfect.

I wonder if they were together in their past lives. Lorraine does remember a few boyfriends, but she can't be sure if Cody was one or not. This leaves me thinking that relationships while still in our human lives could potentially screw up our magical lives. What if somewhere, back on a different planet, there’s someone who loves a person in this group? It's not my job to mess with these things, but how will past and present life mix?

"So... where to?" Wessley asks. His hand is firmly wrapped around Lynda's. I don't blame them - their time is short.

"We'll get a map and see," Lorraine says, taking in the sight of all the beauty in this airport. It's more like a resort than an airport. Cody mumbles something in her ear and she laughs.

All this romance around makes me wonder why I'm not included in it. But Connor and I don't have that type of relationship. There's never much hand-holding, hugging, or kissing - so that when it actually happens, it feels special. And we're happy the way we are. Looking at his brother with my best friend, I feel next to nothing in the jealousy area. It’s Connor and our relationship that I want now.

We wander through the airport, not ready to leave yet. There are stores everywhere, so it's like being in a mall. Katalina goes to exchange currency and we all wait, sitting down in some very comfortable armchairs. She comes back with a stack of colored bills in her hands.

"These are Singapore dollars. Of course, I did not exchange all of our money. There is much, much more." She gives some to everyone, but keeps most for herself. It's her money, anyways.

"This place is so awesome," Lorraine says. "Like a mall... but better."

"You have to remember that we have to go quickly," Katalina reminds her. "I do not want to be in hiding any longer."

"Fine..." Lorraine says. "Let me find a map. And then we'll get going, okay?"

Half an hour later, Lorraine finally finds a map of the general area (after taking a lot of detours through stores). We stop by a beautiful indoor pond with colorful fish swimming in it. Lorraine sits on the low stone wall encasing the pond. Everyone crowds around, looking at the map. She searches it with her fingertips and teaches Katalina how to do it.

"I know how to do it now," Katalina says for the tenth time. "Can we just go now?"

"Fine," Lorraine says, tucking the folded map in her pocket. "The sooner the better, anyways."

----

"I feel like a creep," Cody says.

"We're all creeps..." Connor adds.

"Considering you're looking through someone's window..." I say, holding back a smile.

"This isn't the creepiest thing we've done," Lorraine says. "I mean, we basically watched Katalina sleep..."

"I did not appreciate that," Katalina says.

We're standing in front of a two-story yellow house, the same shade of yellow as the flowers Lorraine was admiring earlier today. Connor and Cody are looking through one of the windows. They look so funny (and sketchy), and I know that I'll love them both for the rest of my life.

"So... do we knock?" Ashlee says.

"Okay," Dean says, "we're not going through this again. I'll just knock like last time and get it over with."

He steps up to the door, pressing the doorbell. We wait for a few seconds and then the door opens. A girl with dark curly hair and round eyes looks us up and down. We can almost see the thoughts running through her head. She's probably going to slam the door in a few seconds...

"Hi," Lorraine says.

"Hello..." the girl says, looking at each of us in turn. Her eyes stop on me. "Oh, it's you... You've finally come."