Flashing colors and strange visons swirled through Tonya’s mind. The optical illusions danced merrily through her dreams, their voices a cacophony of sound both beautiful and chaotic. They began to spin faster and faster through her inner eye, lost memories occurring all around her, mixing with happy and terrible moments alike. Too fast for her to comprehend until the frenzied whirlwind merged into one singular image, and the familiar tenor voice of a young boy.

	“Tonya, Tonya?”

	Tonya’s eyes snapped open only for her to squeeze them shut again. The blinding light from the bright morning sun shone down directly upon the spot where she lay, burning her sensitive retinas. She tried again, this time cautiously, letting her eyelids slide open in a controlled fashion. She was outside, how that happened she did not know, and someone was shaking her shoulder and calling her name. Bewildered Tonya focused on the boy, clearing the blurry image until she recognized his pale face and that silly haircut and his strange eyes.

	[color=ed145b]“Ed-Eddie?”
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	Her parched mouth creaked like a rusty gate as she tried to speak, and her brain worked even slower as it tried to formulate some rational for what was going on. Sirens blared in the background and behind Eddie’s head, Tonya could see a large poster asking people to attend a party at the Luna’s Lunar Lounge plastered on a cracked window. Instantly memories came rushing back as the floodgates were burst wide open. Reaching a hand up to her face Tonya expected to feel her mask and hood, or maybe some of the scale armor that protected her. Instead all she felt was her flushed face and brown hair. She must have passed out from the gas, and Talon must have dragged her out here, and then both of their suits must have deactivated. Tonya wasn’t sure whether she should be terrified or relived. She was quick to add two and two together, and knew there stood only one logical explanation for Eddie being out there, and not in school. She just simply didn’t know what to say to him.

	Ossar rose from his hiding place behind Tonya’s hair. He was weak and in desperate need of sustenance, but he remained defiant in the defense of his master. The tiny serpent kwami frowned at Eddie, clearly disapproving of his actions. [color=007236]“Thou should not have returned warrior of the eagle. Daughter of Tabbet’s secret was hers to reveal alone. Thy foolishness hath cost us greatly, and placed you both in grave danger.” [/color]Around the corner a group of paramedics rushed towards Tonya, their concerned voices mingling with the other sounds. Ossar slithered back from whence he came, giving Eddie a few last words of advice. [color=007236]“Go now, and speak of this to no one. The finer points of the whole remain concealed. Perhaps the damage will be minimal.”
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	The paramedics halted beside Tonya, checking her pulse and running a preliminary inspection. Lifting the semi-conscious girl onto a stretcher they thanked Eddie for looking after her before rushing her limp form onto the nearest ambulance. The last thing Tonya remembered thinking before the doors of the truck slammed shut, was whether Eddie was angry about the way she’d yelled at him only hours before on the steps to school.