Summary: In this alternative universe fic, Michael meets Nasedo and Tess at a younger age.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and original characters.

Part 2

Three Months Later...

Tessa looked at the dull passing scenery. They were moving again. This time to Nebraska. She didn't know which town.

He sensed her boredom but he didn't say anything. He kept his eyes trained on the road. She sat up and tapped her hands on the dashboard.

"Stop that," he commanded. She quickly stopped. They drove in silence.

Michael picked up his books. The bell had just had rang. He went over to his friends Davy and Timmy.

"I still can't believe today is the last day of school," Michael commented.

"I can! I can't wait to go swimming tomorrow at the waterhole," Timmy said. Swimming at waterhole was a first day of summer vacation tradition. It went back years.

"See you guys later," Michael said and started to his next class.

"Bye Mikey," his friends called after him.

Michael went his next class his took his seat. He had Art class. He wasn't much of an artist but over the past few months he took an interest in the class. He once got an "A" on a freestyle project when he painted the second symbol from memory. Every since that night he did not have a dream of the first symbol again.

They didn't do any work this period, like the rest of the day. He overheard some girls talking about the waterhole.

"So are you going?" Sarah Saunders suddenly asked him.

"Yeah, sure." Of course he was going. Everyone went there after school ended but he smiled anyway.

"Why do you want to know?" he teased.

The rest of the day passed by quickly. After school he went to Mr. Sims' General Store with Timmy. Timmy's family owned the store. He stayed there for a half hour and then headed to the cornfield which was located on the edge of town. He sensed he wasn't alone.

A cornfield? They had traveled a thousand miles to stand in a cornfield. She did not question Nasedo's judgment but they had been searching for a symbol for hours. Suddenly she sensed another presence.

"He's here," Nasedo said almost as if he had read her mind. He stood still for a few moments and motioned for her to be silent. He moved pass a few cornstalks and saw a symbol.

"The kolai," she whispered quietly. It was burned into the ground. Was it a random act of vandalism? Of course not. Nasedo nodded. He suddenly reached through a bunch of cornstalks and grabbed someone.

Michael screamed in surprise. Someone grabbed his arm and he was pulled through to the other side of the cornstalks. There he saw a man and a girl. The man was tall and looked just like anyone else in this town but something was a bit off about him. The girl looked at him cautiously but he could tell she was curious. She was about the same age as he was and had blond hair.

"Who are you?" Michael asked frightened.

"Who are you?" Nasedo responded dryly. The girl did not say anything. "I'm quite interested in this symbol." Michael glanced down at the symbol. After 3 months it could still be seen almost as well as when he first burnt it into the ground.

Michael stood up. "Well, I don't know anything about it," he said calmly. "You know, how there's that whole crop dusting phenomenon," he added and backed away.

"Have you ever been to New Mexico?" the man said as if from out of nowhere.

"Why would you ask a question like that?"

"I saw a symbol like this one before. I think I know what it means." Michael thought to leave but he didn't. He looked at the girl for a long moment. Had he seen her somewhere before?

"Really?" Michael continued.

"It's called a kolai," the girl spoke. The man gave her a stern look then looked at Michael again. Michael wore surprise expression. He looked back at the symbol then at the odd strangers.

"I've seen that symbol before too," he said slowly. " My name is Micheal," he said. He knew who they were.

"You can call me Nasedo," the man told him.