SISTERS OF SPIRIT - A College-aged cosplay story
          by Dale, Brandie and Angela

          Chapter Two: The Sorrow Of A Crisis- The Joy Of Sisters

          The next day found Dale and Sandra bantering over what the Japanimation Club president said about hosting a night of Sera Myu. "I never knew a guy," Dale remarked, "When we said I had Sera Myu on VCD, so in favor of us doing it one night!"
          "I agree." Sandra said. "Usually he's into the mecha animes more than shoujo. This Sera Myu night is going to be so great!!"
          "And I'm kind of glad we didn't let him in on our secret," Dale said. Both of them then giggled... because what they were planning held more scope than even he could know.
          "I could just imagine his face if we had told him." Sandra said, giggling "He would go nuts. He's heard me singing in Japanese. Just the thought of me doing it in front of an audience would shock him to death."
          "But overall, I'm glad we cast Brandie to be Metallia and Kerri to be Sailor Mars," Dale said. Dale was remarking about when they determined who got to be what in the cosplay they were going to do... and a smile was on her face when the thought came to mind...

          "I'm going to cast Brandie as Queen Metallia," Dale said, "Jamie as Princess Serenity, Andrea as Sailor Mercury and myself as Sailor Venus. But who do we get to play Mars- for the other gets Jupiter by default."
          Sandra looked over at Kerri with a gleam in her eye. "I want to be Jupiter." she said forcefully.
          A look of concentrated anger appered on Kerri's face- even though she wanted to be Jupiter, sometimes she knew that she needed to learn how to play other roles. But that did not stop the red head's famous temper from snapping like wildfire.
          "Oh really." Kerri partly growled then caught Brandie's eyes. Kerri found a calmness there that helped her rein in her temper. She then spoke with a little heat in her voice still. "I wanted to be Jupiter as well," she said, sighing deeply while closing her eyes to rein in her temper more she continued with less heat in her voice, "But sometimes, there is the need for some new experiences. I'll be Sailor Mars."
          "Then it's settled then," Dale said, "Besides Kerri and Brandie, do you 3 have any sewing machines?"
          "I do," Jamie said. She brushed her long blonde hair behind her smiling brightly at her new friends.
          "So do I," Andrea added. Tucking a lock of chestnut hair behind her ear bouncing a little in her seat.
          "So do I!" Sandra said, finishing it off. All three laughed at each other's sudden outbursts.
          "Can you trust me to leave them here in the studio?" Dale asked them.
          "Sure thing!" Five voices chimed together. They all grinned at one another and then laughed. All of them agreed on it, and Dale smiled at what had happened.

          "I'm glad I got that idea out in the open," Dale told her friend as they both walked to their next classes.
          "Yep! Now the hard part comes. Making the costumes." Sandra said smiling a little.
          "Especially the toughest one," Dale said, "Princess Serenity's gown. That's going to be the touchiest piece of work we've ever set out on."
          "I've already got some pictures to use as a reference for her dress." Sandra said. "After class tomorrow, I plan on going over to the craft store and look at what they got as far as fabric and such."
          "Alright," Dale said, "I'll have Jamie come down tonight and we'll get her measurements done. This is a big job, so we don't want to lose time due to the pattern being cut."
          "Right!" Sandra said.
          "But after classes today," Dale said, "I think we can start working on at least our Senshi Outfits."
          "Sounds like a plan,." Sandra looked at her watch, then got up from the table where they had been eating lunch. "I'll see you after class then."
          "Ja ne, Sandra-chan!" Dale said- and she felt comfortable with it.
          "Ja, Dale-chan!" she said, heading to her next class.

          Dale was walking to her next class when she ran into trouble- trouble in the form of Jason DeMarco. She didn't want to be late for her class or caught fighting with someone.
          "Um," she said, "If you don't mind, I would like to get to my next class."
          "Oh," he said, "Well, I'm sorry but you're not going to your next class. I didn't like it when you flipped me over you and Brandie... then you walked away, with my girlfriend." He loomed over her with menace, his dark eyes lit with a dark fire that scared Dale.
          "Well, from what I saw she isn't yours," Dale remarked back with a false bravado.
          Suddenly, Jason restrained the young woman against the wall and smirked at her. She felt her body turn to ice for she knew she was in danger.
          He cut into her gut with a hunting knife. Wiping it off, he smirked down at her fallen form then continued walking to his next class. 'That's one person who will not get in the way of me winning Brandie over,' he thought.

          Sandra was about to walk into her class when she heard a commotion going on down the hall. There was a large crowd of people just milling around. Curious, she walked over and saw that it was Dale. Quickly, she ran over to her friend. "Dale-chan!" she said, worried at what she saw.
          Kerri was walking to the gym through the wing where Dale was... and saw her slumped on the floor with Sandra next to her. there was quite a crowd gathering around the two.
          "Sandra," she said as she caught up... then noticed the blood coming from Dale. "Not you, I hope," she said.
          Sandra quickly shook her head. "No, not me," she stood up and looked at the crowd. "Who did this?" she asked, looking as tough as the character she was to play.
          Kerri got out her wireless phone and made 2 calls- the first to Admin, letting them know of the injured woman in the west wing, then to EMS for Paramedics and an ambulance.
          "Who would you think?" Kerri asked- then Brandie arrived.
          "Oh god, Dale-chan," she said, her face pale for she had a feeling in the pit of her gut of who did this. Her worst fears were confirmed a moment later as someone in the crowd spoke up, "It was that punk, Jason DeMarco."
          The Principal called admin on his 2-way radio, telling them to call the police- then thanked the student and dispersed the crowd. Sandra kneeled next to Dale. Seeing the blood continue coming out, she pulled off her overshirt and covered the wound with it. Brandie also knelt next to Dale, touching her shoulder- using a little of her gift unnoticed by the others to slow down the blood.
          Brandie looked at the cut... and realized it did come from Jason's hunting knife. "It was him," she said, "Soon as we get before a magistrate, I'll swear out the arrest warrant against him." Her voice held the quiet fury that she was known to have. "Baka, I will see him pay for this," she said in a silent rage. She used a little more of her gift to help Dale, knowing Dale was still in bad shape but now her new comrade was not in as bad of shape as she had been.

          Soon, Paramedics arrived and saw that they had Dale flat against the floor. They were able to get her stabilized before loading her onto the gurney and into the ambulance- Sandra riding with her while Kerri riding up front and Brandie riding in the paramedic rescue unit.
          "If you hadn't used your sweatshirt as a compress," the paramedic in back said, "Dale would have been dead." But the paramedics nor did anyone else know that Brandie had also employed her gift to slow down the blood flow and help Dale on the road to healing.
          "How bad do you think it was, Kerri?" the driver asked. "Dale did lose quite a bit of blood," she replied, "But Sandra's quick thinking helped us stabilize her. Now, let's hope the doctors can help her further."
          Using the portable 2-way in the ambulance, Kerri notified the hospital of the patient's name and the extent of her injuries. "Is she hooked up for EKG?" the doctor on the other end asked, and she responded in affirmative. Recieving a tape of her heart rhythm, the doctor knew that Dale was in immediate danger, and told Kerri so.
          "Ignore any and all stop lights and signs," Kerri told the driver, "Dale's got to get to the E.R. and into treatment." So the driver did just as Kerri ordered.

          This incident scared Sandra to the bone. She was quiet the entire way over to the hospitial. As they rushed her in and the nurses pushed her and her friends aside, Sandra sat in one of the chairs in the waiting room. 'Not again.' she thought, 'I can't lose another friend like this.' She kept her head in her hands.
          They transferred the EKG leads into their unit, and saw that her heart was beating irregularly. "BP is 170/85, pulse is erratic and thready," Kerri told the doctor.
          "I V," the doctor ordered, "D5-W & Ringers, adminster 2 AMPs Sodium Bicarbonate and 5cc Lidocaine I V Push."
          "Notify the blood bank," Kerri said after viewing Dale's medical record, "Tell them we need at least 3 pints of AB Positive blood or 1 pint blood and 2 pints of plasma."

          Brandie sat in the ER waiting room with Sandra. Jamie and Andrea piled in seeing Sandra with her head in her hands and Brandie looking about as pale as a ghost.
          "What happened?" Andrea demanded looking at the two girls.
          Sandra just looked at the two newcommers with dead eyes. That spooked Jamie to no end.
          "It's that bad?" Jamie asked softly. Sandra nodded.
          Brandie stood up suddenly. "I'll be back." She disappered just as Kerri came in with the Doctors.
          Kerri looked around for Brandie, shaking her head she then addressed the others. "Dale's stablized. She is still critical. But Stable."
          The girls all sighed.
          "Do any of you know where Brandie went?" Kerri looked at the three in the room. They shook their heads.
          Another nurse looked up from her station. "Brandie might have went home. Here." Handing the girls the directions. They thanked the woman and went off after their friend.

          Driving up all four girls were stunned. Brandie's home was huge. It was done totally in the asian style of buildings and gardans. There was water and plants everywhere. They spotted tropical birds flying around. Two temple dogs were at the door. a servent let them in and led then to one of the water gardans to meet with Brandie's Father.
          They walked with the older servent and saw an older man. He was slender and dressed in a Chinese style top and loose pants. He walked over to the girls. His black hair was streaked with grey though his face looked young.
          "Konnichi wa, minna." His voice was soft and rumbling. "I am Brandie's Otou-san. You must be the young women she told me about." He led them to the family dojo.
          He stopped just outside of it. They could hear muted yells and someone hitting something. He did not look happy. "Before I let you girls in. Tell me what is bothering my daughter so?"
          So Kerri explained to him.
          He sighed and nodded. "That Jason is not a good character," he said, leading them to the rice paper doors of the dojo. "Here is our family dojo." He opened it.
          There was Brandie going though every move her father taught her. The girls all watched in awe. For their friend was quicker then they thought she could be.

          "You know why I never told her her ranking," His soft voice carried only to the girls ears and not his daughter. "It's because she's better than me but she holds back when fighting me." His old eyes twinkled at the girls.
          "Dale-chan taught Brandie something yesterday," Sandra said to him, then repeated what she heard. "How does Dale know this?" he asked. "Because she's a Martial Artist as well," Sandra replied, "holding NiDan in Shotokan Karate." "Dale-san is very wise in her words," her father replied, and it was then that Brandie turned around and spotted her Father and her friends.
          "Otou-san, minna-chan," she bowed to them. The 5 were gathered in her father's dojo, talking about what happened to Dale. They sat on the mats Brandie drug out to make them all confortable.
          "Dale taught you a wise tidbit that I didn't," Brandie heard from her father, "You shouldn't treat me in the sparring ring as your father and your sensei, but as an opponent." Sandra looked at Brandie's hands and remarked, "You pounded the heck you did to your hands."

          "I could never believe that Jason," Jamie said, "Could have attacked Dale that viciously!" Kerri sighed, rubbing her forehead. "This is not good- that guy is bad news," she said, cracking her knuckles. "I so want to pound him into the ground till he is a bloody pulp."
          Andrea looked at Brandie's hands and tisked as she said, "No, what happened is not good. And beating ourselves over it will not do us any good either." Looking at Kerri and Brandie. "We all know this." she caught their eyes then Jamie's and Sandra's.
          "But now we know that we can get him," Jamie said, "At least for attempted manslaughter." Brandie flexed her fingers a little. "No, Dale getting hurt was not good," She looked at Jamie. "It was attempted murder, Murder-2. He went out to hurt her truly." Brandie sighed. "He will not give up on me being his." Kerri and Andrea and the other girls looked at each other. They all nodded as one being.
          "But knowing prosecutors," Kerri added, "they will plead it down to Man-1."
          Brandie nodded then sighed. Closing her eyes she murmmered her calming mantra a few times much to the amusement of the others.
          Sandra nodded her head. "Dad's one of the top prosecutors in this area. He said he'll make sure that Jason will pay the price." Just then, there was a soft knock on the dojo door.
          "We've got to leave Jason's criminal record to the criminal court," Jamie said, "But Dale can help us take him to Civil court and put him through the wringer!"
          Hearing the knock, Jamie asked Brandie if she was going to answer it. Brandie rose up in a fluid motion and opened the door as Jamie was asking her question.
          "Otou-san," He handed his daughter a tray with a tea pot and some snacks. He nodded to his daughter then left Brandie and her friends with his gift.
          Brandie carried it over to where the girls were gathered. Setting it in the middle, she began to pour the tea. Handing each a cup before taking one herself.
          "He always leaves too quickly for me to thank him." Brandie said softly smiling into her tea cup.
          "It can be expected," Jamie said.
          "That my father leaves to quickly to be thanked?" Brandie asked as she raised an eyebrow.
          Sandra sits quietly and slowly sips the tea. "This tea is delicious." She picks up one of the asain styled snacks and takes a bit. The rice puff melted in her mouth, she smiled at that.
          "Arigatou." Brandie said smiling softly.
          Kerri and Andrea both nodded.
          "It is very good." Andrea said sipping her tea. "Green tea, too, which is very good for the body." She smiled at Brandie also like the others ate her share of the snacks. Finding each one different and good tasting.
          "Thank you, Brandie," Jamie said. "And it's expected that your father understands that you want time alone with your friends."
          "Doitashimashite." seeing the confused looks. "He does and that means thank you in Japanese," Brandie added as she blushed slightly.
          Kerri laughed. "You have got to quit fusing your languages," she said as she gently punched her friend in the shoulder. "Not all of us speak fluent Japanese."
          Andrea just shook her head and laughed at the two. Her and Jamie exchanged looks and both smiled at each other.
          Sandra sits and silently watches her friends talk. This incident brought back bad memories.
          Andrea poked Kerri in the shoulder. "Kerri its hard to change habits." She gently reminded her friend. "Who else would help us out with learning Japanese?" Kerri nodded and smiled slightly.

          Brandie's eyes then swiveled on Sandra as she asked, "Sandra-chan are you alright?" She noticed the change of mood with her newfound friend. There was a new sadness that clung to Sandra. Brandie was puzzled as to why it appeared- she hoped Sandra would tell them without prying.
          She showed a small smile. "I'm fine." she replied. Sandra knew she might have fooled the others but she sensed that Brandie would be harder to fool. She sighed feeling Brandie's concern.
          The group sat in silence for a while eating and drinking their tea. Brandie gathered the used dishes and took them too the door where a servant took them away. She returned and watched Sandra. For she had a feeling the other was keeping something.
          Sandra looked over and let out a small smile. "I'm fine," she repeated to them once more. The sadness decendended on her like a cloak, wrapping her up in its folds.
          But Jamie noticed a look in her cousin's face. "This is the second time it's happened, isn't it?" she asked. Sandra wasn't surprised that Jamie would remember. "Yeah," she said in a whisper. "Jamie, what is it?" Brandie asked, and it attracted the others attention. "The only other time that Sandra got so close to someone," Jamie said, "It got that someone killed."
          Sandra just looked at the ground, tears in her eyes. "Hey!" Kerri said, "This may have been her second time someone got hurt that she was close to- but we was able to save her life." "Kerri-chan's right," Brandie replied touching Sandra's shoulder for she managed to move closer to Sandra when the redhead was not paying attention.
          Sandra quickly got up. "I've gotta go." she said before running out the door to her car, driving off. "Now what's the matter with her?" Kerri asked. suprise colored her pretty features. Her and Andrea both exchanged worried looks. Jamie looked at the others. "She still has a hard time with what happened then. And to make it worse, tomorrow is the anniversary of her friend's death." she smiled then. "She'll be okay," she finished. "Still," Brandie said, "She is like a loose cannon ready to explode." There was great worry in her voice.
          "Hai, that she is." Jamie said. "But when that time comes, all that rage and grief will be taken out on the exercise mat." "Let's just hope it does get taken out on the mat," Kerri said, and all of them agreed.

          ~*~*~

          In the hospital room that she was admitted in, Dale was awake and recovering from what was an extensive repair job that the doctors did for her. 'I'm only too glad Kerri and my friends kept me from death,' she thought. She also felt a closeness with Sandra that could only be described as affection for a sister.
          Sandra walked into the hospital and asked for Dale's room. After being told, she headed straight up there. Walking to Dale's room, she was reminded again of the pale walls Patrick laid in. As she stepped into Dale's room, she saw that her friend was awake. "Konnichi wa, Dale-chan," she said.
          Seeing Sandra walk in made Dale's eyes light up with joy. "Hello, Sandra," she said in a weak voice. Sandra walked over to Dale's bedside. "How are you feeling?" she asked, taking her hand. "Not too bad," Dale said, "If it wasn't for you and Kerri, I would have been awaiting an autopsy in the morgue."
          "Let's just be glad that you're not, ok?" she said quickly, "I have a surprise for ya." "Oh really?" Dale asked. her interest was brought up as she watched Sandra ready her surprise. Dale had to smile lightly at this.
          Sandra's smile turned into a wide grin. "Yep!" she pulled her other hand from behind her back and gave Dale the wrapped gift.
          Unwrapping it as best as she could, Dale couldn't believe her eyes- it was the latest Sera Myu, straight from Japan on DVD. "How did you know I wanted this?" Dale asked Sandra, "This is the best gift I could ever get!" All she was looking at was from the outside... she had no idea what else resided in the case.
          "When I realized that you liked Sera Myu, I knew you'd like it. It's hot off the presses, from a friend I have in Tokyo." Sandra said happily, glad she was able to give this to a living Dale. "Look inside." she insisted.
          Dale opened up the case and a note was inside. "Dale-chan," she read, "You needed something you appreciated... and a friend who needs to be in touch with someone in the world. Please accept this with my thanks. Takeuchi Naoko." Dale was shocked, saying, "You're friends with Takeuchi-sensei?"
          She lowered her head. "Hai," she said in respect, "She is a good friend of my father, who works for Animerica magazine. I met her a few times when she came over here, and we e-mail each other regularly." "The next time you e-mail her, tell her I said thanks for the DVD," Dale said, "She never knew that she made my day a lot brighter."

          ~*~*~

          Kerri was still at the Dojo when the doctor assigned to Dale's case called her. Picking up her cell Kerri took the call and smiled for the good news that was relayed to her. "We repaired just about everything wrong," he said, "But she's still a little weak. She can go home... but I want her to rest for 5-7 days so that she can recover her strength."
          "Thank you, doctor," she said, and relayed the news to all present after she concluded the call with the Doctor. "Being Pre-Med has its advantages," she added. "That is good news," Jamie replied, then she laughed at the last comment.

          ~*~*~

          When the nurse brought Dale's personal effects in, she fished out her car keys and gave them to Sandra. "Get your cousin and drive over to the college to get my car," Dale said, "You're going to drive it here and drive me home with it." "Yes ma'am!" Sandra said with a smile, "I'll be back." She then left the hospital room and once she got outside, she called Jamie on her cell phone.
          Noting it was Sandra on her phone, Jamie activated it and said, "Hi, Cousin." "Hello!" Sandra said into the phone. She quickly relayed the situation to her cousin. "There's just one problem," Jamie said, "I don't have my driver's license at the moment. Mind if Brandie did it with you?"
          "I forgot about that." she said. "My cousin procrastinating on getting her license. No problem. Go ahead and send Brandie, then. I'll meet her at the Emergency Room entrance." "Actually, it's at my apartment," Jamie said, "in my purse. I just didn't bring it with me." "Sure thing. Tell Brandie I'll see her when she gets here." she said, hanging up the phone.
          So Jamie asked Brandie if she could. Brandie nodded- she had just rejoined them from going to take a quick shower. She was dressed in loose black pants and a black long sleeved baby tee. Her short hair was pack in two pig tails. "I'm on my way," she said, "You guys stay here ok. Otou-san does not mind." She smiled going to her car quickly and drove off to the hospital.
          "So you're getting Dale's car?" she asked Sandra once she got there. "Yep." Sandra said as she got into Brandie's car. She noted that her friend drove a red Shelby Cobra from the 1960's. She was surprised but then again she was not. "Dale said she wanted me to get her car and take her to her apartment." She looked at the ground. "I'm sorry I ran off on you guys earlier."
          "You was worried that what happened last year was going to happen to Dale," Brandie said giving Sandra's arm a squeeze, "You had to do this as a message of concern to all of us."
          In her car, Brandie told Sandra that her skills as a Magical Healer would keep Dale from experiencing Death's Touch. "Arigatou, Brandie-chan. With all of us watching over her, I'm sure she'll get better in no time at all!"

          Soon after, they pulled into the college parking lot and Sandra got out of the car. "I'll call when I get Dale settled into her apartment," she said, "Then you all can come and visit her. I'm sure she'd like that."
          "But don't tell my father, okay?" Brandie asked, "I don't want him to think that I'm an actual incarnation of Tomoe Hotaru."
          Sandra smiled. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." That being said, she closed the door. After Brandie drove off, she got into Dale's car and started on her way over to the hospital, where her best friend was waiting.

          Brandie's thoughts were on Dale as she drove back to her home and the others. "Why is it that the one who unites people has to be hurt by a jerk?" she asked herself, "Well one thing's for certain, that jerk, who's name is Jason, will pay for what he did."
          Her fingers thrummed on her steering wheel. She hummed along to her favorite j-rock station. "Gotta love Serious," she thought, then smiled slightly.

          ~*~*~

          Sandra drove up to the Emergency room entrance, where a nurse stood next to Dale, who was in a wheelchair. She got out of the car and smiled. "Ready to get out of here?" Sandra asked.
          "Oh, ready as I'll ever be," Dale replied. "Good!" she said as she placed Dale's items in the trunk of the car. After everything had been taken car of, she drove off toward Dale's apartment.

          Dale understood, from the police officer's explanation, that Jason DeMarco did the attack. "I'm calling the prosecutor first thing in the morning and file the charges," she told Sandra, "then we're also instigating a civil action against his family for the hospital costs as well as pain and suffering."
          "My mom has offered her services as your lawyer free of charge. She's the best in this area. She also sends her hope that you recover soon." Sandra said to Dale with a smile. "By the time all of this is over with," Dale said, "We'll be in gear for something great." "You got that right." Sandra replied.
          Her cell phone rang just then. Putting it on the speaker, she answered. "Hello?" she asked.
          "Jamie here," she spoke, "Is Dale-chan with you?" Her voice was loud and clear- no cell static break up to obscure the words that were coming though. "Here, Jamie," Dale said, "What's happening?" As the two talked, Sandra drove the rest of the way to Dale's apartment. Traffic was light for a warm California day.
          "We were wondering if you're going to be okay," Andrea said over the speaker. "Just peachy," Dale said, "I'm going to call the prosecutor first thing in the morning and file the charges, then we're also going to instigate a civil action against him."
          "Good," Sandra said as she parked the car at the apartment complex, "Jamie, minna, I'm taking Dale inside now. We'll call when we're ready, okay?" Responding in the affirmative, Jamie closed the connection and told the others- including Brandie, who just arrived.
          Brandie smiled. "Let's go." "Shouldn't we wait?" asked Jamie, "That's what Sandra said." Brandie motioned for the girls to all come on. They piled into a deep green BMW. Brandie sat behind the driver's wheel and took them all to Dale's complex, knowing it would take them a bit in the heavier traffic- and she made that point known to Jamie.

          ~*~*~

          Grabbing Dale's stuff, Sandra went around to the passenger side to help Dale out. "Lean on me if you need to, Dale-chan." she said as she took Dale's arm. Leaning on her shoulder, the 2 made their way up to Dale's 2nd. floor apartment.
          "Thank you, Sandra," Dale said, "for helping me like this." Sandra smiled as she replied, "It's no problem at all. I should be the one thanking you for being my friend." she said as she put Dale's stuff away.
          Dale pondered over what Sandra did since they ran into each other from Day 1... and knew that if she had a sister, she would be like the woman in her presence- for Dale was an only child and very lonely, the daughter of wealthy parents killed in Europe while on vacation. "I wish I could ask Sandra if she would be my adopted sister," Dale thought, "My life would be so much better."
          Sandra saw Dale look off into the distance, as if thinking. "Dale-chan?" she asked, "Are you ok? You need to rest?" Hearing her question brought Dale back into the present. "No, Sandra," she said, "I'm fine." Dale looked at the note from Naoko one more time. "I wish I had more friends in my life," Dale thought, "Sandra has Jamie & Naoko-sensei, and Brandie's friends with Kerri and Andrea. I wish I could have such close friends by me... but I can't risk it, not when the memory of my parents takes the center stage."
          Sandra saw Dale read the note from Naoko-sensei again. She herself didn't know what the note said, but knowing her foreign friend, it had something to do with friendship. She was sure of it. And it looked like Dale could use all the friends she could get. Suddenly, a great idea came into her head. "Hey, Dale-chan?" she asked. "I have an idea I'd like to run by you."
          "What is it, Sandra?" she asked, the memory of her parents hurting her even more... that was why she didn't allow anyone to enter her world. "I wish I could get this one bad memory off of my conscience," Dale said openly- without even knowing it.
          Hearing Dale's words, she stopped on her idea and started thinking on how to help Dale. She walked over to her friend, who was on the couch. Sitting down next to her, she asked in a kind voice "What bad memory, Dale?" Dale tried to cover up what she said- but Sandra was relentless, seeking out the answer she was looking for. "Why do you want to know about my bad memory?" Dale asked her.
          Sandra smiled. "Because I want to help you overcome it. Because, once you do, you'll feel alot better. I'm sure of it!" Then she added a bit quieter. "And because I want to be your best friend and help all I can."

          Dale felt tears welling up in her eyes... and she sat Sandra down to tell a sorrowful tale that would take all of her strength to tell- and then some.
          "I was an only child," Dale said, "No brothers, no sisters... because my parents didn't want to split up what they had between 2 and more children." She also said that her parents were wealthy... to the tune of 10 figures.
          Sandra's eyes went up in shock, but remained quiet as she listened to Dale's story.
          "But my parents were tragically killed in Europe while on vacation last year," Dale told her, "They had individual wills- but nothing in the case of both dying, so the probate court said that the debts had to be taken care of... and once it was done, it was still in the billions when it all went to me."
          Dale said that most of the money was kept in secured Swiss accounts, except for $200,000 kept in individual Savings and Checking Accounts. "This way, I could have funds to when I needed to do something," Dale said, "So are you happy?" But Dale's tears continued rolling down her face... as the memory was so harsh to remember, she was straining to fight it from breaking her. Sandra winced at those words, feeling bad for what she had done. "I'm sorry I made you bring this out." she saw the tears on her friend's face and handed her a tissue. "You can stop telling it, if you want."
          "Do you know what hurts me the most about that memory?" Dale asked her. Dale's voice was filled with bitterness in the memory of her life.
          "And what is that, Dale?" Sandra asked trying to confort her friend. Jamie had led the others into the room as Dale was telling the memory of her parents' death... and she then asked, "Is it because you were an only child?" Sandra could see the pain in Dale's face when she nodded at Jamie's question.

          Sandra sighed then, not knowing what words would be best to comfort her friend. She put her head in her hands.
          "I didn't even have any childhood friends," Dale said, "Because of the fact that my parents kept me home all through my childhood years. I had a nanny through my baby years, and I was tutored by the finest teachers in the world. But I would gladly give up all of that to have one brother or sister who would be with me." Sandra took hold of Dale's hand and squeezed it as she said, "I'm here with you, Dale-chan. And I always will be."
          "When you came into my life that one day, Sandra," Dale said, "You showed me what a true friend was... and now, when you went out of your way to help me from the hospital, I realized that if I had just one sister in my life... I would want her to be just like you."
          Sandra went quiet. Mustering up the courage, she looked at Dale. "I'm touched, Dale-chan. Truly touched. From now on, you and I will be sisters. Hai, Onee-chan?" she said, using the Japanese term for sister. Reaching over, Dale clasped her hand with her other. "You will always be in my heart, Sandra," she said. And the others saw it as well.
          Laying their hands on the 2, Brandie said for herself, "We are no longer friends in this... from here on in, we are now sisters under a common bond." Knowing as she spoke her words that something would happen. Kerri and Andrea felt it too. they all exchanged looks during this that went unnoticed by the other three.
          Sandra looked at her sister and grinned. "Looks like you have all of us now, Onee-chan," she said, "For better or worse!" "It looks like it," Dale said.

          But then something extraordinary happened... when all of them were joined, Brandie's magic worked a miracle in Dale- repairing the remaining damage. "What happened?" Dale asked, suprise and awe coloring her voice as she touched her stomach where her wound had once been.
          "Somehow, when we united as sisters, we were able to fully repair the damage Jason inflicted," Brandie said. Her dark eyes glittered with hidden knowledge. Sandra grinned. "That is SO awesome!" she said. All six girls grinned, for they felt the power of their newly forged sisterhood.

          From that day forward, the 6 then became known as the Sisters of Spirit.

          TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT STORY...

          Friends In The Making | Flights

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