Zara inherited the mansion when her parents passed away. Zara herself was passed into the caring hands of the house keeper, Carina, five years later she still acted a bit more like help then a mother.
Zara sat by her bedroom window watching the rain trickle down the glass. A knock at the door temporarily caught her attention.
The door creaks open as Carina pokes her head in the door, "Do you need anything?".
Zara turned back to the window, lost again to the rain, "Thank you, no."
She hears the door close but something new has caught her attention. Was that a car driving down the drive way? There's been no one here in five years.
Zara was transfixed by the sleek black car that stopped in front of the door and the girl who was stepping out.

(If you come up with a title for this at any point let me know and I can edit the first post)

Carina had always been afraid this day would come. She heard teh car before she actually saw it. Truth be told she heard the car before anyone within miles of the house would have seen it. It was her gift. She had been trained with the best, and was placed with Zara's family right after Zara's birth. Zara's family was well known within the community.

It was true that Zara's family had died, but Carina had worked to keep Zara from that life. However, it seemed now that the solitude they have enjoyed, and the secrets that Carina had kept from Zara would be revealed.

It took the girl a few minutes to exit the car, it almost seemed like she was thinking about never coming out.
Zara watched in amazement as a leg peeked out of the crack in the door. Slowly, but somehow more bravely then before, the figure ducked out of the darkness and into the rain. She seemed to be about the same age as Zara, 15 or 16 she was guessing. Unfortunately that was all Zara could gather because the girl was quickly hidden under an umbrella and ushered into the house.
Zara sat in silence. Should she go down and find out what was going on, but fear kept her sitting at the window.

"Carina!" The girl shook her umbrella off as she entered the kitchen. "Are you still here?"
Carina walked slowly into the kitchen to greet her guest, "Yes, though Child, i don't know why you asked. You wouldn't have come unless you knew i was here."
The girl regarded her old nursemaid thoughtfully, "Yes, I suppose you are right." THe girl shook her hair out of her cloaks hood and revealed hair the color of a midnight sky. Carina was still taken aback by the intensity of the color.

"Am I to assume you are here for Zara?"
"Yes. It is time she came to school."
Carina shook her head, "No, she is not ready, and she is not showing any signs of a gift."
The girl shook her head defiantly and her hair changed from black to s startling red, "Neither, if you remember, did i."
"I still she isn't ready."
The girl looked past Carina, "Well, shouldn't we let Zara decide?"
Carina turned and there stood Zara with a look of shock of her pale face.

Zara didn't know what question to ask first. What school? What gift? And how the heck did that girl's hair do that?!
So instead of speaking Zara just stood there in silence with Carina and the guest staring at her.
Carina slowly approached the frozen figure.
"Zara... umm there are a few things I need to discuss with you." Carina gently grasped the girl's arm and walked her back up to her room, leaving the guest in the kitchen.
Very slowly the two walked back up the stairs, Carina making sure she kept a hand on Zara fearful that any minute now she might collapse. Carina didn't let go until the still white girl was safely placed on her bed.
"I'm sorry this all happened Zara," she said as she placed the desk chair next to the bed. "I should have told you sooner..."

Zara didn't want to hear this, she just kept shaking her head back and forth, but it didn't keep the words from sinking in.
"...Your parents didn't die in an accident. I'm so sorry, but they were murdered, and you were to be too. You see, you're the last in a long line of gifted."
"Gifted?" Zara looked up, completely at a loss, her whole world was crashing down.
"Yes, gifted, but really we shouldn't worry about that right now, right now what we need to talk about is what we're going to do. you dont have any signs of being among the gifted, so really..."
Zara's head shot up, "SO just because i dont show any 'signs' means that i'm not? and because of that you want to deny me my family's legacy? i dont think so. i'll do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of my parents death."

Zara was no longer scared, with this new information wave of anger swept over her. She leaped up from the bed and quickly began packing her things.
"But there's more you need to know," Carina said surprised at the sudden change of mood.
"I don't care," Zara shot back, not even looking up from her packing, how could she? Carina, and possibly her parents, had lied to her for years maybe even her whole life. You can't make up for that in one day. If it was her destiny to go with this girl to some school then that's what she was going to do.
In minutes her room was packed up and still Carina sat in silence. She expected this time to come, she even had envisioned how it might go. She always knew it wouldn't be easy and Zara would probably take it badly, but she never had guessed this would have been the result.

Resolutely Carina followed Zara back downstairs to face an uncertain future. Without looking back Zara followed the girl with the color changing hair into the black car.
Once settled in the back the girl looked furtively at Zara, "I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me, but you must know that i won't be able to answer many of them, but i will tell you what i can."
Zara looked up as thought just noticing that there was someone with her, "Can you tell me your name?"
THe girl laughed and her hair shimmered to a chestnut brown before settling back in teh black color it had been when she first arrived, "Of course, you must think me so rude. My name is Vivi."
"Vivi?"
"Yes, it's short for Vivienne."
Zara nodded, "OK" She fell into silence and continued to look out the window at the passing country side. "DO you know what happened to my parents?"

Of course Vivi knew something about what happened to Zara's parents. Everyone at the school knew something, now what was true and what was simply rumors, that was a tougher question.
"I'm not sure...." That's about all Vivi could say. She knew it wasn't her place to discuss this issue, Zara was destined to find out with time, but something inside Vivi wanted desperately to help this curious girl on her quest that would soon be beginning.

"You're not sure?" Zara was stunned. "You came all this way, forced Carina to drop this bomb on me, and all you can say is you're not sure?"
Vivi leaned back against the seat, "I'm very sorry. But it is difficult to sort out fact from imagination. There are those out there who will only make things up to upset others, and among those there are some very dangerous people who know the truth and are waiting for the truth to come out so that they can do what they do best."
Zara stared at Vivi, "and that is??"
Vivi looked up, "Push the truth back down, by any means necessary. NOw you must be very careful and understand that you will be able to sort out truth from lies in time, but for now rest in teh fact that your parents loved you, and stopped at nothing to protect you. Not everyone is so lucky."
Zara felt chastised, "I'm sorry. i've been very rude, but you-"
"No, please do not apologize, you have been through a great deal, and i myself remember when i was taken. i was much younger than you are now, but my talents were much more apparent than yours."
"DO i have talents?"
Vivi raised a teal eyebrow, "We shall see."

They sat in silence for the rest of the car ride. They drove out of the city and continued on until the sun had set and the stars lit up the night sky.
Zara first noticed the building when it was still a great distance away, but it seemed to shimmer through the trees they were currently passing.
As they rounded the corner the car slowly approached the grand gates. Zara nearly had to stick her head out the window just to see the top of the twisted iron. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the driver remove his gloves and place it carefully into a box that was hidden into the intricate gate. After a flash of green the gate silently opened. For the second time that day the car snuck up a curved driveway and stopped.
Vivi hopped out of the car and bounded up the stairs grateful that the trip was finally over.

Zara slowly got out the car not sure what to expect. Vivi stopped at the front door and turned to Zara, "Are you coming? there's a lot for you to see."
Zara nodded slowly and walked up the stone stairway towards the front door.
Vivi openned the enormous door ssoundlessly and Zara was imediately swept into the beauty of just the entry way. Art covered the walls and the marble floor was hidden beneath a carpet runner that started at teh doorway and wound it's way to the main staircase.
"Wow," was all Zara could say.
Vivi smiled, "Just wait till you see the rest of the house, but first i want to show you to your room, adn then we'll go and check out the clasrooms."
"What's the point of going to school when we dont know what 'talent' i may or may not have?"
"You still have to take, math, english and history. The specialized classes come later."
Zara made a face, she hated math, but if she had to deal with it to learn about her past, she would.

Vivi grabbed Zara's free hand and took off running up the stone staircase. Their footsteps echoed down the oddly quiet hallways, when they finally stopped at the top the silence had caught up with them.
Whispering Zara leaned in to Vivi's ear, "Is anyone else here?". Vivi just giggled and began walking down the dim hall way.
It resembled the main entrance, more cold marble trying to be warmed up by the sporadically placed decorations. Zara looked around in amazement and fear. This place was nothing like the warm and familiar home that she had come from, this place was cold and distant but Zara could feel that there was something amazing, something that Zara must find.
She follow Vivi down the hall to the second to last door, where Vivi stopped, grinning widely she opened the thick wooden door.

In the room there were two huge beds covered in a crushed velvet canopy. at the foot of each bed there was a trunk. Zara recognized her bag that was sitting on the bed under the window. "You dont have a room mate yet, but i thought you might like the far bed better."
Zara had always loved being by the windows when she was inside, which was rare, adn when she was outside there was nothing more that she liked to do than lay in teh sun and doze. She politely thanked Vivi and walked over the bed. The bed had already been turned down, and the sheets looked cool and comfortable, and suddenly Zara was incredibly sleepy. She turned to Vivi to continue the tour, but Vivi had already left Zara to her own devices.
As this appeared to be her last day of total freedom, Zara decided to take advantage and laid down for a nap.

When Zara opened her eyes again she was startled to see the sun was out. She decided the best plan was to find the bathrooms, so she could shower and prepare herself for the rough day she knew was coming. She opened every door in the room and was relieved to discover that she did have a private washroom.
After the shower she slowly stepped out of her room and into the hallway. Since the tour was incomplete Zara had no idea where she should be going to find breakfast and oddly enough there still seemed to be no one around, so unfortunately Zara had to try to find it on her own.

Zara had never liked to wear socks, she had been bare foot whenever she could, and thus far in her life had built up a menagerie of sensations that her feet had experienced. But never in her life had Zara felt carpet as soft as the carpet that ran through out the enormous house that was to be her new home.

She took a few minutes just to let her feet sink into carpet. When she came back to herself she realized she wasn't alone; Zara looked around, "OK, come on out."

At that a black cat slinked out of the shadows and sat in front of Zara with unblinking eyes. Zara smiled, "Well aren't you pretty,"

"Well i should think so," the cat said. Zara leapt into the air and shrieked. The cat only laughed.

"You're new right? I thought as much when i first came upon you. You're late for breakfast, but i'm sure we can find something for you to eat."

Zara only stared as the cat stood and walked down the hall towards the stairs.

"Shake it off." Zara said to herself, "I have a feeling you'll see weirder in the next few days."
She started off after the cat, wondering if it was impolite not to make small talk. She shrugged to herself and continued on. She tried to make a mental map of where she was going, the faster she learned the lay out of this mansion the faster she could begin snooping around. They passed many open doors to large rooms. Some filled with desks, some just with junk (or so it seemed) but suddenly they passed one door that caught Zara's attention. She stopped quickly trying to get a better view of the far corner of the room.
"Come along." The cat's voice echoed down the hallway.
Zara started again but was lost in her thoughts, she could have sworn there was a painting of her parents hidden in the corner of that room!

"Cat?" Zara asked meekly, she didn't remember hearing her impromptu tour guide say his name, and hoped she wasn't being disrespectful by calling him Cat.
The cat stopped and turned, "I'm sorry, you must think i'm terribly rude, my name is Aiden."
"Aiden, then. In that room back there, i thought i saw...Nevermind."
Aiden walked up to Zara and sat at her feet, "The painting of your parents. I'm sorry to have hurried past that, i know how hard this must be for you."
"Do you know what happened to my parents?"
Aiden shook head, "No one really knows. I'm very sorry. How about after breakfast we go back to and look at the picture."
Zara shrugged not wanting to appear too eager, "That would be nice, thanks."
Zara continued to follow Aiden through the house and soon she was able to hear the dull roar that usually meant a cafeteria was near.
Aiden pushed through a set of swining doors that was just off the front door and Zara saw a sea of kids of varying ages ranging from pre-k all way to early twenties. "You coming?" Aiden asked
"Yeah, i'm right behind you."
Zara followed Aiden to a table in teh center of the room where she saw Vivi, and four other people she didn't recognize.
Vivi smiled, "Guys, this is Zara, she's new."
Zara smiled in greeting, while everyone introduced themselves.
"So where are you from?" the girl to Zara's right--Tess was her name.
"She's Thom and Adele's girl." Vivi said, and everyone at the table fell silent.

Zara couldn't help but wonder if this would be everyone's reaction to her, if so it could get very annoying very quickly.
Luckily Vivi barely seemed to notice the silence and continued babbling, "Sorry about not finishing the tour last night, I should have shown you where this place was yesterday. Oh well, you got here," she smiled. "Here com with me," she said grabbing Zara's hand, "I'll show you how this all works"
The two walked up to the little window, Vivi said something to the lady behind the window and suddenly the most delicious plate of food appeared in Zara's hands.
"I hope that's ok," Vivi beamed at the shocked look on Zara's face. "Don't worry about the shocked silence thing," Vivi was almost whispering "it gets annoying but it will fade. They all had that reaction when I first arrived too."
Zara wanted to ask why but they were back and the table and something in Vivi's expression stopped her from asking.

Viv led Zara back to the table in the center of the room, where everyone had composed themselves and were doing their best to be friendly to Zara.
"I'm Tess," said a girl to Zara's right.
"Hi," Zara said, not wanting to stare at teh girls ethereal beauty too much.
"I'm Oliver" a boy to the left said, and as he offered his hand a rose appeared. Zara was incredibly taken aback.
"Dont pay any attention to him, he loves new girls." Viv said staring pointedly at Oliver.
Aiden hopped onto the table, walked over to Oliver and swatted his arm, "You know we're not supposed to do that when we're unsupervised. Don't you remember what happened to Elaine?"
"Yeah, but Elaine was being dumb. there's nothing wrong with a rose."
"Enough," Vivi announced with such authority that everyone at teh table, Zara included, mumbled their apologies and fell silent.
A boy walked by the table shortly after, "Hey Vivi, did you lose something?"
Vivi closed her eyes and Zara wondered what was going on.
"No, Ly, i didn't lost anything."
Ly shook his hair out of his eyes and looked angrily down, "That's not what my mom said, she said you lost your mind in the accident. She said that you--"
"Shouldn't be here? Is that what she said? Well i'll tell you i have as much right to be here as anyone else. So you can just go to hell!"
Zara leaned over to Tess, "What just happened?"
"You'll have to ask Vivi, no one really knows anything other than there was an accident years ago and Vivi was never quite the same after it."

No one really spoke for the rest of breakfast, a somber mood had fallen over the group. Zara didn't mind much though she had enough stuff to be thinking about.
After what felt like 15 minutes the room began to empty. Zara was still in her own thoughts when Vivi grabbed her arm and lifted the girl from the table.
"We have some place we need to be." Vivi said leading the girl out of the large room. They seemed to be heading in the opposite direction from everyone else. The two girls walked down a dark hall lit only by the candles that hung from their gold frames. Sporadically there would be pictures of people Zara didn't recognize, and probably didn't want to due to the scowls most of the figures had. At the end of the hall were two huge wooden doors. The doors creaked open without anyone toughing them. Vivi lead the other girl in and introduced her to the woman sitting behind a desk that matched the doors.
The woman stood up, and with a slight nod that Zara barley caught, Vivi exited the room. The figure walked around to the front of the desk. Zara almost couldn't breath, she was tall and slim with the most beautifully pitch black hair she had ever seen. Zara almost missed this feature though because she couldn't seem to stop staring into the woman's eyes. They were the color of Mercury and seemed just as dangerous somehow.
"Good morning," The voice matched everything else, it was smooth and calming, which almost made Zara even more nervous. "I have been waiting a long time to meet you."

"Me? Why me? I dont think i'm anything special."
"Of course you are. Don't ever let anyone tell you different."
Zara was taken aback, "OK" she looked down at her hands and plucked nervously at the hem on her shirt.
"I'm very sorry, you dont even know why you're here, do you?"
Zara shook her head and felt for the first time in days that she might cry.
"Well, let me start by saying that you're here because you are special. If your parents had lived we would know better how special, but that's no matter, because you're alive."
The matter of factness which this woman spoke startled Zara, "Why does everyone talk about my parents like that? What did they do?"
"They started this school."

Something in Zara's head snapped. She was suddenly in a memory, she couldn't remember much but there was something her parents had said. Something about their money going to a good cause. "If we don't help them who will?" Zara's mother said, her voice sounding odd coming out of the television. Zara couldn't seem to remember how long ago her memory was but from things she heard and saw she assumed it was a long time ago.
The Headmistress sat on the corner of her desk waiting, letting Zara take her time with the memory and absorbing the new news. When Zara seemed ready she continued on "I will have to tell you about your parents later, now you have classes to go to."
CLASSES! Zara thought. What type of classes would a school like this have? Should she be expecting the usual? Math, English and History type? Or Potions, Spells and Broom Flying type?

The Headmistress handed Zara a schedule, on it were the same boring classes that she had had her whole life. Zara looked up, But..."
"We will place you in 'gifted' class when we know more about what gift you posess. generally a student will posess more than one gift, usually no more than two, and always a variation on what their parents could do. Becuase of the accident, we dont know if you were displaying your gifts as a child, or if you really are jsut a late bloomer. Hopefully being around others like yourself will help manifest your gifts as it did Vivi."
Zara stood, "Excuse me, but what happened to Vivi's parents?"
"That's not really my story to tell, but you will find out in time, there was a particular reason i sent her for you."
Zara was frustrated, "No one will tell me anything! It's not like i want to know how to get to Atlantis or something, why is it all a big secret?????"
The Headmistress smiled slightly, "I'm very sorry about the secrecy, unfortunately there isn't much i can do about that. But for now, just go to your classes and do your homework. You'll be flying in no time."
"FLying?"
"Just a figure of speech my dear."