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"Some say the world will end in fire. Some say the world will end in ice. I prefer the ones who pick fire, And despise those who like the ice…" - © NBC "Firestarter" commercial 2002
Faquin dislikes water, but he can deal with it every once in a while. The thing he hates most is ice. Ice is the worst thing in the world to him and if he comes near to it his eyes starting turning from their normal orangey-yellow to a pale white. That is a dangerous thing to him, for if he looses color in his eyes his temperature starts falling and he can die. "Are we almost there?" A boy in about the age of 13 asked his mother, from the back of a large yellow dragon.
"Yes almost there. Now prepare yourself to go between, we need to get back in time to see your brothers. They'll be wanting to help out with the gather decorations." She smiled lovingly at her son. "It's a rare treat when a searchrider is in town. Your old enough to be searched now, you should ride a dragon. Maybe the search is from a Sanrix, I don't want you to go world-hopping. "
"Yeah ok I will…but when can I dye my hair?! I want yellow tips!" The boy said running a hand through his bright blood red hair.
"When your 15 you can. Right now I think you should keep your hair…" She frowned slightly and turned to her son. "It's your father's hair…" She said.
The boy sighed and didn't respond for another minute or two. He always wanted to know what became of his father. The whole town wouldn't utter a word about him when the boy's mother was around.
The large yellow dragon they were mounted on swooped low to the ground. "Mom, you know I can't be searched…If they knew about you…" He said almost silently.
"Our business is our business, no one needs to know about that Faquin." She said. "Were warping back home on three, ok?" She said turning to face her son. He nodded solemnly.
In his mind, he feared he could never ride a dragon because of his mother's job. It was the only way she could make money, being a thief paid well. Not even a quite dragon like his mother's yellow Sarick. She was a very quite dragon hardly ever talking to anyone but his mother.
Faquin snorted, Sarick was from Alskyr but no he couldn't world hop. He had to stay on Rayllom, but Rayllom wasn't so bad. Rumor had it that Sargon was bringing Azon back and The Rayllomians needed it! Azon was the largest Sanrix they ever had, But when Sargon took it to Pern for advertisement and more candidates…
A loud trumpeting sound broke Faquin's thoughts. He looked up and saw three large blue riders mounted by his mom's worst nightmare. Members of a different thieving group she had stolen from, and they were angry.
"Faquin run!" she said making Sarick lower herself to the ground straining to keep aloft. Faquin stared blankly at his mother. "Go help your brothers!" She pushed him off her dragon's back and he fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"Mother!" He screamed and tried to move, no good his left arm was broken or injured.
Faquin sat helplessly watching his mother and little Sarick struggle to keep away from the larger blues. Finally when all seemed hopeless, they burst between leaving the blue riders looking around.
One spotted Faquin and pointed to him. He felt his face go pale and tried frantically to get up, using his uninjured arm. They came still, chasing the helpless boy on the backs of dragons.
Just ahead of him he saw his mother burst back from between. She screamed and waved, making the blue riders forget all about her son. Almost out of breath Faquin ran and slid behind a towering rock and peered out to see if his mom was ok.
He saw his mother and Sarick surrounded by blue dragons. He sighed thinking his mom was going to be ok, just as the leader of the blue group knocked his mother off of Sarick onto the ground.
Faquin was enraged he felt his body temperature rise and he knew his eyes burned with a fire of hatred. He leapt out from behind a rock and ran to his mother as the blues scattered away. He knelt down by his mother's body and leaned over her.
"Mom…?" He said eyes welling up with tears fearing that he would loose her. She opened her blue eyes and smiled at him.
"I told you to go and take care of your brother Faquin…" she coughed and started to sputter out a little blood. "It's to late for me now…tell Sarick I'm sorry. And say goodbye to Viania ok?" She coughed up more blood.
Faquin nodded. "It's ok mom, your going to be ok…" He muttered hugging her for the last time.
She leaned back onto the ground and grasp his hand. "You know there is a reason your name means fire…" She said shutting her eyes. Faquin felt her hand go limp and he gently placed it on the ground.
He felt eyes burn with more rage than before. "Mom…no matter how hard it is…I will find them and avenge you…" He said almost in tears. He got up and bowed in respect to her and walked back to say farewell to his brothers and sister.
***
Faquin walked into the barn of his house looking for his mother's brown horse. "Here Naton!" He said whistling. A large brown farm horse walked over to him and neighed softly. "Hey boy! Let's go for a little ride ok?" Naton whinnied in response. Faquin picked up a saddle and began to place in on the work horse.
A large clunk from the rafters brought Faquin's attention away from saddling the horse. He looked up and saw a small blue haired girl sitting in the hay.
"Vainia!" He said almost dropping the saddle. "how…how did you…?" He said shocked at his sister's stealth.
He grinned evilly and got out of the hay. "Well…I am a thief's daughter Faquin…" She said climbing down the ladder.
Faquin stood there and looked at her. "But still…why did you?" he asked still sort of dumbfounded.
"It was easy I followed you…" Her bright blue eyes dimmed. "Where are you going big brother?"
Faquin sighed. "I don't want to be stuck her Vai…I just can't live like that…you know without mom…" his eyes swirled a redish white.
"you really loved her didn't you?" she asked watching his eyes swirl. "I mean you did right?"
"Yeah Vai she was our mom. But why did you say hat? I mean it's not like you can read people or anything…:
Vainia picked up the reins and started to put them on the large work horse. "Your eyes…they turn different colors when your feeling different I guess. Like when we had the big freeze last year and we were playing in the snow. Just before you got really sick your eyes turned like white." She shrugged. "That's when I first noticed it."
"Whateva…just like you always seem to do well in cold places?" He shot back at her.
"And you in hot places, oh fire starter?" she said. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone. The only other person who knew was mom and she would never say anything unless under torture."
Faquin stared blankly. "You know? About the fire?" He stammered. "how?"
She smiled. "Well…you see mom told me after it happened. She said I was the only one she could trust besides you. You know Bomi and Jakel aren't related to us…"
Faquin nodded. He had known for some time that his two "brothers" were not really related. But how could his mom tell his sister a secret so important…
"show me…" she said and handed him a lighter. "Show me how you do it…" she repeated.
Faquin sighed. He held his hand out and curled his fingers up. He clicked the lighter on causing it to burst into flames on his hand. Only his hand wasn't burning a large ball of fire was forming just above it and floating there. "Happy?"
"No…throw it or something…" Vainia said watching the fire ball with some sort of childish glee.
"Yeah and start more fires…" He closed his hand and the light from the fire dimmed and faded. Faquin finished saddling the horse and for the rest of the time his sister was quite.
Faquin hopped onto the horse's large brown back and sighed. "Goodbye Vainia. Stay here and I will come back for you. I promise…"
Vainia nodded her blue eyes welling up with tears. "I'll wait for you brother…" she said whipping at the corner of her eye.
Faquin nodded and kicked the horse. He trotted out of the barn and into the pasture with two things on his mind. Avenging his mother and keeping his promise to his sister…
~*~4 years later~*~
Faquin fell to the ground, pushed by a tall lack haired man. "You want a piece of me punk?" The man said his eyes a blaze with anger.
Faquin whipped the blood from his mouth and stood facing the man. "Watch your step you fool, or it might be your last…"
The man laughed. "I've heard of you...You're that arsonist. That thinks he can control fire…well I've got to tell you something buddy." He said leaning closer to Faquin.
Faquin felt his temperature rise he was ready to punch this guy out. Looking up he saw this man was a lot taller than he was. He leaned over Faquin and whispered
"Some say the world will end in fire…Others say the world will end in ice…" the black haired man leaned so close to Faquin that he could smell the man's breathe. "The ones who think fire are wrong punk this world is going to freeze."
The man swung a fist right at Faquin's head, knocking him to the floor. Fire burned deep within Faquin he felt his temperature rise again more than normal and his hands began to tingle. He rose with a smirk on his face. "Welcome to the end of the world…" Faquin said and felt a fire rage from his hands up onto his back. He walked towards the black haired man.
"How, how…you little!" The man said backing away and falling into a trash can. Faquin loomed over him his eyes burning blood red and fire was crawling up his arms.
"Now who's the punk?" Faquin said and shoved a trash can lid onto the man.
**
Faquin walked into a bar close to his indecent with the black haired man. He was about sick of these supposed "high thieves" he whipped every one Kilo could throw at him. But he never even got the rank he deserved, Faquin deserved to sit at the top of the pyramid of thieves they had. He was the best fighter, not to mention the smartest, and he was the one how could break through any door.
He shook his head angrily and ordered a drink. He needed to cool down, no more fights today or the whole city would be in flames. He bartender slid him a glass of water and he drained it. Without even waiting for the bartender to ask if he wanted some ice…
A tall very attractive curvy girl walked up to him. Her hair was blonde with darker streaks and her eyes were brilliant blue. She was followed by a couple of her friends who looked rather stupid. "hi Faquin…what's up with you? You look like you were in a fight…" she said staring at the cut on Faquin's lip.
"Not now Cari…It's nothing really. One of the stupid guys from Vale's group. He thought he was good enough to whip me…" Faquin snorted. "Ha…"
"Aww…" She said. "You didn't hurt him bad did you?" she asked with a mock worried look on her face.
"no he just got stuffed into a dumpster after I scared the living you know what outta him…" He smiled cooling off a bit. "So…who are your friends?"
She grimaced a little. "Oh this is Sani and Kaila…" she smiled at Faquin. One was a brunette the other was a red head. The red head's hair was almost the same color was Faquin's maybe two or three shades oranger though.
"Hello…" The red head said. she walked behind him and sat down on his other side. "Cari tells me you like fire…" She said fumbling with something in her pocket. "I do too.." she said and pulled out a lighter. "Show me how you do it…"
Faquin eyed Cari, she knew he didn't like to be entertainment of anyone. She shrugged and Faquin concentrated on the red head. "I'm not some freak show you'd find on Earth." He got up and shoved the bar stool in. He drained another glass of water and put it down next to the red head.
The red head looked disappointed but stuffed the lighter in her pocket. "Oh well.." she mumbled and ordered something to drink.
By now Faquin was half way out the door. He felt his temperature rise again, he was sick of being entertainment. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Cari looking at him. "You know if I wasn't Kilo's girlfriend…" She said pushing some of her long blonde hair out of the way of her face.
Faquin cringed. "I know Cari…but you are…" He said and turned to the door again. He knew that Kilo would personally kill him if he even thought about it…
***
Faquin walked home disappointed at Cari's stupid friends. Everyone wanted him only to start fires and to show them what he could do. He didn't like being treated the way that he was being treated.
He walked into his shabby apartment in the middle of an abandoned street. He unlocked the door and walked in. Sighing he sat down on the couch and flung a fireball into the fire place. It got cold at night too cold for him.
Faquin leaned back on the couch and pulled something out of his pocket. He opened it and smiled, remembering it was the locket his little sister had given him so long ago. He wondered about her and stared at the locket. "Shards Vainia…it's been so long…" He heard a clutter from behind him and looked over his shoulder.
He saw a tall blonde girl with bright blue eyes walk towards him. H blinked a few times she had barley any clothing on. Faquin turned around and began to shake. This cannot be happening this cannot be happening I'm in soo much crap if…
"Who's Vainia?" the blonde girl asked sitting down a little to close to Faquin. "Was that one of your girlfriends?" she asked pulling the locket out of Faquin's hand.
Faquin stuttered. He had no clue how to tell Cari to leave without hurting her feelings. It wasn't that he didn't like her or anything it's just that…
"Cari…you really, really shouldn't be here." Faquin said making up his mind not to be dragged into whatever Cari had in mind.
Her blue eyes twinkled evilly. "Why? Kilo's not around and he won't be coming back for a long time…" she said smiling at him.
"You know he'd kill me Cari…I mean he'd kill me…" Faquin said moving away from the blonde. She just didn't understand.
"Faquin…I like you. You know I do…I hate Kilo." She sat back on the couch. "I really do…I'm not just saying that. I know he'd hurt you but I…I" she stammered. "I've always liked you Faquin more than just a friend."
By now Faquin was sweating and he felt his temperature rise. He had always liked Cari but he could never admit it to himself or to her. not even to Typhin the dark and spooky guy who had left the gang a long time ago. "Cari…I'm sorry but I just can't…" He smiled softly. "I like being alive…"
She giggled. "I bet you do fireman…" she said leaning closer to him. "I bet you do…."
Faquin leaned back farther away but it was already to late Cari was leaning on top of him and was kissing his lips, but Faquin was kissing right back…
***
Faquin awoke from a dream that was bothering him. He sat up sleepily in his bed, looking to his left. He when cold Cari was there and his dream wasn't a dream. Faquin felt a little light headed and jumped out of the bed reaching for his pants. He pulled them on and ran into his living room making sure the door was locked.
He ran back into the bedroom and saw Cari sitting on the bed. She smiled at him. "Morning fireman…"
He sighed. "Cari…you should be considered a demon…" He said and picked up his shirt from the ground.
"I know…" he said and smiled at him standing up and walking over to him. "You do know I ca never talk to Kilo again…thought that doesn't matter."
Faquin sighed. "Yeah and I have to join a new gang…maybe I can find Typhin…or Vainia…." He shrugged.
"I want to go with you Faquin…I meant what I said last night I really do like you…" She smiled. "So who is his Vainia you keep talking about?" She asked with concern in her voice.
Faquin grinned. "She's my sister." He pulled the gold locket out of his pocket and threw it to her. "I haven't seen her for…4 years…"
"She's very pretty, but she has blue hair…" Cari smiled. "Must have been some screwed up family you came from Faquin…"
"Not totally screwed up just a little…" He thought for a moment staring at the picture. "We'll go back for her to Rayllom…they can't find us there…" He smiled.
Cari stared at him. "Rayllom? I thought that was just a child's myth…back?" She asked eyes widening. "You've got some explaining to do Fireman…"
Faquin smiled. "No it really exists…Sanrixes and all…" His eyes twinkled. "I used to live there with my mom and my sis. When mom was murdered I never when back and just came here…" He saw the surprised look on Cari's face.
"Murdered?" She choked. "Like killed?"
"Yeah like killed by a bunch of stupid blue riders and there dragons…" Faquin's eyes swirled yellow, the color of anger and hate. "I hate those flying lizards…"
"how can you hate dragons? The blue dragons didn't kill...i mean they wouldn't do something like that. Dragons are sweet…" She smiled. "I want to ride one someday…"
Faquin snorted. "Yeah ok…I'd like to see that.." He placed the locket back into one of his overly large back pockets. He stared to get something out of the closet. " Here." He flung a bag at Cari. "Put all of your stuff in here we warp to Rayllom tomorrow morning."
Cari looked up at him. She was quite serious about riding it had been a dream of hers for a long time. She sighed and grabbed the bag and walked to the front door. "Why tomorrow Faquin? Are you hoping to catch another nigh of action?" she said and winked at him.
He pulled something down of one of the higher shelves of his closet. "Oh you know it…" he replied sarcastically.
**
Faquin awoke early in the morning when the sun was just beginning to rise. He shook Cari who was sleeping next to him, she rolled over and looked at him. "I should get at least 4 more hours of sleep you know…we were up late…" she hissed at Faquin.
"Well that was your idea…not mine. If we don' get stared early the gang will find me…I've been gone for two days and when I when home your stupid red head friend asked me if a saw you…."
"Well?" Cari asked even though she had an idea of what happened. She smiled wickedly.
"she told me a lo of stuff I didn't want to know about what happened after I left the bar. You saying bad stuff about kilo and you wanting to …erm…be my girlfriend…and stuff.
Then she said that she was wondering why she hadn't seen me or you for two days and she said something about how hard that is because we live in such a small town. She being and airhead took about 5 minutes to put it together and ran off looking for Kilo. So if we don't get outta her in like 20 minutes were in deep you know what.
Cari blinked. "She told you that I…I...wanted to… be your girlfriend?" Cari asked looking shocked. Faquin nodded and pulled her out of the bed. "some friend she is…" Cari mumbled. She grabbed her bag full of her worldly possessions and rushed out the door after Faquin.
**
"Hey! You going to Rayllom?" Faquin asked a blue haired man hopping onto a large starry blue dragon. Faquin eyed the dragon suspiciously. He didn't look like one of the ones that had helped with the murder of his mother so he felt alright with it.
"Yeah…you want to come? I think I have room For two…" The man said looking at Cari. "she's not from Rayllom is she?" the man asked eyeing her.
"No…she's from here. We really need to get going or we're going to get in deep crud with our gang…" Faquin replied to the man.
The man turned to face his dragon and hurried to saddle him. The dragon snorted through his nose.
You kids in trouble with our gang? The dragon said startling Faquin and Cari. He was a beautiful starry blue color with eyes the same color as Vainia's.
"Uh…yeah...i'm not supposed to be seeing him. I'm only supposed to like the stupid ugly Kilo but Faquin is soo much cuter." Cari said, who was always one to talk before she thought.
Faquin slid a hand through his hair like he always did when he was nervous. The dragon's rider laughed. "I see why you want to get out of here. Don't worried I don't blab anything to anyone except for Sargon. But I'm pretty sure he won't mind me taking you two to Rayllom. Why you look like a couple of…" the man said.
Faquin looked at Cari. She was looking very happy. "You’re a searchrider aren't you?" She asked hopping up and down. She grabbed Faquin's arm. "Weeeeeeeee!" she shouted.
Faquin grabbed Cari by the shoulder. "Calm…" He said almost laughing she really did love dragons.
"Yes I am Kurt of Starry Phantom...we normally ride for Sanrix Azon but today they aren't in need of candidates. I think we should send you to the den. If you impress you'll have no trouble getting to Rayllom. If not I'll take you to Rayllom anyway." He smiled showing fangs.
Faquin looked at Cari's begging face. Maybe dragon's weren't so bad..."Just one question...the den?"
"Baeris Kshau's Healing Den..." Cari replied. "It's legendary..." Faquin sighed what a girl he had fallen in love with...
___________________________________________________________________________
Faquin is standing at Baeris Kshau's Healing Den.
Care to view Cari or Vainia's page?(not finished yet sorry^^)
Faquin had grown bored of the healing den, it was nice and all but he had been there forever, he was begging to think these eggs would never hatch. And there was this Jalemar guy, a very horny little saiter who Faquin didn't like at all. He wouldn't let Cari within a 12 foot radius of him.
When Faquin was losing all hope, he wondered down the hallway and found that the eggs where shaking! He suddenly became a whole lot more nervous than he thought and Ran back to Cari who drug him down to the sands, very eager.
***
¾ of the way through the hatching Faquin was once again getting nervous. A group of eggs broke open, and from one a beautiful red-brown dragon emerged. He had a flame like pattern that crept up his side and a single red horn in the middle of his forehead. The rest of his body was a mud brown and anyone who looked at him could tell he was strong. He walked over to Faquin and rested his forepaws on his shoulders glaring into Faquin's orange-yellow eyes with his own multicolored ones. "Liekki..." Faquin muttered amazed the dragon had chosen him.
Let's not leave... just yet ok?Faquin nodded and moved to the side of the sands, just in time to see a tall lean blue haired girl make her way towards a white and sliver dragon. Vainia? Faquin nodded.
He was so excited he was finally going to see his sister again! "Jaath..." she muttered to the dragon and made her way towards Faquin and smiled very big. "hello big brother!" She raced over to him and hugged him very tightly.
"Vainia..."
***
It had been a few hours and everything settled down, already Cari and Vainia had become friends and Faquin was beginning to get used to this Vale guy Vainia liked, he was ok. Very nice but he seemed to familiar. He hadn't bonded but he was headed off to Ryslen, or so he said.
This would be interesting....
I think it is time Faquin it has been quite a while and I do not intend to wait for that silly green of Cari's to rise. You do know that I can fly other females...The cocky hot toned voice of Liekki rang into Faquin's head.
"Yes I know that but Cari is important to me.." He pleaded watching the brown-red's yellow red eyes swirl with wanting as the snowy white Jaath walked past. "forget it she's Vainia's ..i don't want you flying my sister's dragon you perv!"
I'm not a perv! Anyway Faquin what Cari doesn't know isn't going to hurt her. We can go world hopping...Rayllom isn't the only place with dragons.
"Listen oh buddy oh pal. There is one thing that horridly contradicts with this whole plan of yours. World hopping? To Where what place is going to take you? And another thing, what about me? " Faquin snapped in his deep and sassy voice running a hand through his hair.
Faquin Faquin you have much to learn. Baeris took you so you are obviously fine to dragooning folk . Plus Faquin girls adore you. Liekki laughed his voice booming loudly with over confidence. What about Pern? How many dragon weyrs are there on pern?
About a million..Faquin thought to himself looking about the main section of Azon where he and the whole crew of thieves had been recruited for some unknown reason.
"Faquin there you are I was just looking for you!" Faquin looked up at Sargon he strange yellow-eyed Sanrixian of Azon, who undoubtedly had recruited him. "We want you, Vainia, Cari, Vale and who ever else you people have out there to start a wing. Azon needs a few more of them, we only have forest's Edge and those elves get so annoying.." He said watching Faquin' eyes turn from reddish orange (normal) to a startled yellow white.
We'll do it, if I get to be wing leader's dragon. Liekki spat grinning draconically and flexing his large red-brown patterned wings. Sargon were is a place I could fly? Faquin and I were just discussing it...
Sargon nodded and looked down at a paper he was carrying. "Ryslen needs oddly patterned males to chase one of Utopian's holiday dragons. Hum, I think it was a rainbow female but I'm not sure. Ask Bolton for the directions, he's been there quite a few times.." Sargon said handing faquin who was still totally shocked the paper he had been carrying.
"Have I told you how much I hate you Liekki?" Faquin said looking down at the paper. "I wonder if the rider's hot.."
I love you to oh dear rider of mine and don't worry we won't tell Cari, your one of those one's nights stands guys anyway...
Liekki is Chasing Rainbow-pastel Univoqueruseth at Serpent's Reach Caer
Liekki is Chasing Gold Dizth at Ryslen Weyr
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