Modern Ranger

Chapter 5:

Bree expected time travel to be like the movies, with a swirling horoscope of colours and strange objects flying everywhere.

It was nothing like that.

Her mind didn't seem to be intact. It was as if Bree were like gas particles; different pieces of her floating around, speeding along through the air. Her BODY didn't seem intact.

Then she seemed to solidify. She hammered into a grassy ground and air whooshed into her lungs.

After taking a steady breath, she realised Halt was next to her. His dark-eyed gaze was unnerving.

Bree looked down at herself. A funny feeling crept across her; it was strange, becoming older so fast. Yet she wasn't that different. Her body only had more curves, and her hair was longer.

Bree cursed her similarity with Alyss. Will was gonna flip.

Halt didn't say a word until they reached the hut. Before he let himself in, he turned to Bree. "Perhaps you should wait a few minutes," Halt murmured. Bree nodded. Will needed to be prepared.

Halt slunk through the doorway.

"Halt!" Will yelped excitedly. Halt braced himself as Will hugged him gleefully.

Halt studied his former apprentice. He was younger than he last saw him, but he hadn't changed much.

"Hello Will," Halt muttered. Will paused uncertainly. He'd expected a sarcastic comment in reply, not just "hello."

"What's...wrong?" Will asked carefully. "Nothing," Halt replied, glaring at him. A smile tugged at the corners of Will's mouth. Now this was the regular Halt he knew.

Halt wasn't sure how to explain Bree.

"Will... you know the new recruit I told you about in the note I left behind?" Will nodded. "Well, don't have a heart attack when she comes in. Her name is Bree, so she is not the person you're going to think she is," Halt told him.

Will was confused. Why was Halt so uptight about this girl?

"Do I come in now, Halt?" A girl's voice sounded through the door.

Will froze. She sounded like...

No. This was Bree.

When Bree stepped inside, Will tried to cover up his emotions like Halt could, but failed dismally. He closed his eyes briefly and took in a shaky breath.

Bree was a tall, elegant figure. Long blonde hair flowed across her shoulders. She looked exactly like Alyss did before she died.

But there was a difference between Alyss and Bree. Alyss held herself in a diplomatic and, well, girly, way. Bree stood proudly, with an unmistakable aura of a leader. Bree was obviously a Ranger.

Will calmed his heart rate down and looked at the girl's clothes. She wore clothes that were identical to his.

Will frowned thoughtfully, turning to Halt. "Who trained her?"

Halt bore his dark eyes into Will's.

"She trained herself."