Madison

The sky was clear, the birds where singing, and a butterfly drifted lazily down form the sky to land on an over turned out of use tire. The wind gently blew through the trees, sending a shower of pollen and old leaves whirling to the ground. Spring had come and after a long winter people where eager to get outside and do outside stuff. Like biking, fishing, roller-balding and even skateboarding.

Not Madison.

In her opinion this beautiful spring day was perfect. Perfect for Racing.

Madison stepped out of her Mitsubishi spider, a very cool looking convertible. It was her off the track car and she had well earned it. With the rep of being the hardest rider to beat out their, it was sometimes hard to believe she was female. She was tall and skinny and somewhat flat chested but their was an air of power around her, maybe it was the way she held herself or just her title. Madison was not one to 'drag' with.

She closed the door of her custom painted neon green eclipse. Yes neon green, so bright on a hot day you had to wear sunglasses just to look at it. Everything about her screamed green, her eyes where a lime green, and she so was her collection of 20 racing and off track cars. Even her hair was green, and she kept her fingernails and nails painted the exact shade. She pushed her, you guessed it green tinted sunglasses up on her head and walked past the burned out tires and up ot the small red-orange building of the go kart tracks. She was the manager there and kept this shabby place in shape, it was her side job from racing cars.

She opened the lock on the old rust-orange colored door and strolled in past the red-purple painted room filled to the brim with the latest in video and viritual gaming. She nodded to Butch, the sweet old guy who took care of the front next. He was once a legend in his own day but now helped manage a go-kart track and helped Madison plan her races.

"Hey butchy!" Madison called out in her soft but roughed up voice. He looked up form what he was reading, something about the world's smartest monkey going to college and grunted a hello. He looked rough and tough, it was his image an eyepatch, slicked back hair and badass tee-shirts like that said things like: 'darth vadar is gay', or 'your mom's hot'. Today he had one on that said 'like I give a #4%@ about that'.

But that was Butch. You leanr to love him. Madison smiled and continued walking into her office that over looked the actual track. It was a dusty tire-ringed 3 loop 5 strait away 2 hilled thing, but kids got kicks out of it and for 5 dollars a person per ride, it brought in the money pretty well. She leaned back in an old well used computer chair and opened up her e-mail checking to see if anyone she knew had taken home the victory in the race that had taken place last Saturday. She had meant to get around to it but it had seemed to slip her mind.

She typed in her username (Daytonachic72) and password and waited boredly for her inbox to load. 72 was her car's number, well her on the track sponsored car number. She had been sponsored by Fruit-loops so she had pasted that annoying little toucan Sam thing across her car in at least four places so people would know who she raced for. She hated Fruit-loops and especially that little toucan thing, but one can't be picky can she? Racing was such a sexist sport and she was very lucky to have gotten a sponsor, most other people laughed in her face when she had asked.

She glanced back at her computer and saw that she had 2 new messages. Curiuos. She hardly ever got mail on this account, this was her personal account, for her small handful of friends to reach her with. She clicked on the first message which had been sent by some guy she'd never heard of. (dairyboy67864 or something)

In front of her eyes unfolded a picture of a very handsome tall brown haired brown eyes man holding a large golden trophy. the picture was taken at sundown for it was a bit dark and unclear but the sunlight played off the trophy in such a way from behind this man that the name was visible to all who looked at it.

Ethan Johnson, Madison's archrival and leading competitor. He had been after her title since she had beaten him down last year at the Indy 300. which was supposed to be his specialty. What Madison had neglected to tell him was that it was her specialty, too. He was smug and so much of a ladies man that no one could keep track of his numerous girlfriends, not even him. He had lost count after 60 something. He was also very handsome and their had been a time when Madison was attracted to his looks, but not his bad-tempered vain personality. She had beaten him just to put a dent in his thick skulled head.

Underneath the picture typed in big gaudy letters read the message: See you at the races, slut. Make sure to bring your sunglasses you'll need them to keep my dust out of your face. Madison's face burned with anger. It was bad enough to taunt her but to bring up ancient history?

Ok, ok so Madison had fallen for this guy, even though his personality sucked. She had dated him for 3 months, a record in his book. They had been almost inseparable the tow until Ethan had falsely been accused of cheating. Madison being a sensible woman had told him that if he couldn't keep his mind on one woman at a time, that she should never be within a four foot radius of him again.

The next day he she had blown him away in spite of her anger in the race. Ethan was furious, for one he was a bad sport, for two he had never been dumped by a girl. He did the dumping when he was tired of a woman, not the other way around. So he spread rumors about Madison sleeping with him, and being a slut, and saying that all the rest of the drivers had to do was ask and she'd willing do anything they wanted.

Madison was humiliated, even though she was a driver she had her morals! She'd never do anything like that! She was so embarrassed she had been unable to show herself for months anywhere near any of the other racers. Especially Mark Martin. *cough*

Madison was humiliated, even though she was a driver she had her morals! She'd never do anything like that! She was so embarrassed she had been unable to show herself for months anywhere near any of the other racers. Especially Mark Martin. *cough*

Madison narrowed her bright green eyes. "Oh I'll show you Mr. Ladies man.." she said an uncontrollable smirk pulling at her face. She copied the picture and pasted it into her photo-editing program. She pulled up the picture she had gotten from a friend as a joke. It was a NY fireman in honor of the recent event at the trade center, but the interesting part was he was extremely sexy and wearing only a thong. At the bottom it said support or Drivers. The man drove one of the city's firetrucks, ironic. She giggle dot herself as she cropped out Ethan's head and pasted it onto the fire-dude's body. She saved it and opened back up her e-mail, her other e-mail, the one that got 77 e-mails a day form all the drivers in the league. She pasted it in the message box and checked every box in her addy book.

As a final thought she typed: E-mail dairyboy67864@milkmaid.com and tell him what you think.. With a victorious nod she clicked the button send and smiled with glee, honey is sweet but revenge is sweeter. Madison glanced out of the corner of her eye at the group of young teens standing at the gate waiting impatiently for her to come out and rev up the go-karts. She sighed and got up closing her office door behind her.

"Hey boys how may I be of service?" she asked a scrawny looking blonde one who looked to be the leader of the group of 5. He glanced up at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"M-Madison?" He stammered reaching out his hand to shake hers. "I can't believe 'm meeting you! Your like my sister's idol!" He said breathlessly. The group of boys snickered.

Madison flushed, turning a healthy peach color, her complexion was a bit paler than normal. "Well tell your sister not to take crud form anyone if she wants to drive cars someday." She knew well that the boy was just saying sister so he wouldn't look like an idiot in front of his friends. "How many rides did you kids pay for?" she asked. It was a simple sytem, and no one really ever lied aobut it, fearing that old Butch would get them if they did.

"We paid for 2 rides a piece. And Butch said to ask you what cars you thought where the fastest!" the youngest boy who looked a lot like the blonde that had spoken before said smiling so big that Madison thought that he might spilt his face in two. Butch was like that with kids, he had a soft spot for them.

Madison smiled warmly and bent down to eye-level with the youngster. "Ok kid. Now tell me do you want both rides together, you'd get to go for a long time with the same car or would you like both separate; you'd go for two shorter times with different cars?"

The kid, who was between 7, and 8 smiled even wider a task that Madison had thought to be impossible. "Both at the same time!" He said eagerly. Madison nodded and opened the gate letting the group walk into the 'pit'. It was a pretty good sized closed in area, with benches to the left and right so parents could wait for their kids to finish rides. They had 20 go-karts decorated like Madison's and a few other of her close friend's cars. Notice that Ethan's Powerade sponsored blue-sliver car was strangely absent...

Madison took the kid's hand and led him to a replicate of Mike Meyer's blue-white viagra powered car. It had the same stickers and colors that his car did, but the top was cut off so a good sized person could fit into it. The kid was nine, he had asked for the fastest car he could get the fastest car, even if it was the viagra car. Madison rolled her eyes at a few of the older kids who where laughing soundlessly. She helped the boy into the go-kart and made sure his seat belt was nice and snug. The other boys choose their cars, Dale Jarrett's brown Ups car went to a brown haired boy who looked to be fifteen, Bill Elliott's red-white doge car was chosen by a dark haired Latin boy, Jimmie Johnsons' lowe's sponsored car was taken by a black haired blue eyed boy who looked to be the oldest of the group, and the blonde haired boy chose Jeff Gordan's flame blue patterned DuPont car.

Madison walked calmly by making sure that each of the boy's belts where snug, when she checked the blonde's car she had to keep herself form laughing he looked like he had died and gone to heaven. "Ok boys 12 laps since you paid for doubles!" she said, reving up each boy's engine.

Madison watched as the boys zoomed off onto the dust clouded track. A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth as she shook her head muttering to herself. "What a crew.."

* * * *

Six or seven months later Madison stood at the entrance gates to the Indy 300. This was her 4 time running and she was the only female driver to ever compete in this event and most of all the other events, too. She waved angrily at a few of the news cameras and walked directly to her pit crew who where all dressed in the same neon green tight fitting racing uniform as her. One particularly handsome tall blonde man waved to her from underneath a very shinny green-flame licked car. Her favorite racing car. It had so many stickers and trademarks on it the pattern was barely audible but it was there you could tell. And written in goofy-childish letters across the front was Fruitloops and that annoying bird.

Madison rolled her eyes form behind her neon green racing glasses. She pulled her died green hair back into a pony tail and fitted on her helmet with an attached microphone so that the boys' (her crew) could tell her how she was doing.

A man she had never seen before stood dressed in her teams' uniforms staring at everyone like they where crazy. He was tall, 6'4 with strange yellow eyes and a very odd air hung around him, the air of power. His eyes' caught hers and Madison felt a chill run up her back.

He strode over to her his odd yellow-gold hued eyes locked on her green ones. "Have a nice race.." He said simply a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Madison nodded still unable to speak. You just don't see people like that every day on Earth. And those freaky eyes...

She shook her head to clear the image form her mind. When she had regained all of her cool she strode over t her car and got in flipping on the air conditioning and all of the little buttons and switches that needed turning-oning.

She clicked on her microphone and said into it: "Testing one tow three. Can you read me?" She glanced up at the mirror and fixed pulled down her clear plastic visor. The sunglasses where their to keep the sun out of her eyes but you still needed a visor for protection.

"Read you loud and Clear #72. Please proceed to the starting line.." Butch's familiar raspy voice came blasting form the microphone into Madison's ears. She winced and turned the knob on the volume control down. "And look the pretty's boys here." He added. Pretty boy was Butch's nickname for Ethan. He had a nickname for everyone but Madison which was why she liked him so much. He was like the father she never had.

Madison's eyes scanned the area locking on the all to familiar form of Ethan striding over to his car and talking to one of his pit crew. He glanced over to her and smiled. She smiled back and blew a sarcastic kiss. "whops...hit the wall.." She muttered smirking delightedly.

He hopped into his car and revved the engine extremely pissed off. Good, it's good to have your opponents mad at you when your racing, not. Oh well it's just one driver, she had bigger things to worry about. She inserted her keys complete with a Garfeild king ring (she would have had no problem with him on the front of her car, at least he was funny.) she revved her own engine feeling the blood began to pulse in her ears and run hot in her veins. This was her moment nothing was going to spoil it, round the bend three times, take the lead early and crush anyone who gets in the way. Simple as pie.

Only this time things went way worse than planned. On the second lap as Madison slowly let off the pedal to take the turn the brake stopped working and she spun out. Heart racing with a new fear, a fear for her life she clutched the steering wheel and franticly turned it the other way. No use, the car was headed strait for the wall.

The front end of Madison cherished racing car slammed into the wall with a defining crunch. She felt her head slam forward onto the dash board, but thankfully she was smart enough to wear a seat belt. She looked down at the wheel horrified to she it stained a nasty color red, the color of her won blood. She suddenly felt light-headed and weak. "Heh." She muttered and pasted out.

She woke up 5 hours later in the hospital room. Her head hurt horribly like someone was inside her trying to stick pins through her skull. She groaned and looked down at her arm where an i.v. pierced her skin sending fluids into her bloodstream. She rolled over uncomfortably and almost fainted again when she saw someone sitting next to her. A thought dawned on her mind. "YOU screwed up my car!" she yelled at the handsome dark haired but freakishly yellow-eyed man who sat next to her bed. "You little bastard how could you?! Who Are you?!?"

The man smirked and leaned back in the uncomfortable hospitial chairs. "Listen hon." He said in a voice smoother than velvet. "I didn't screw with your car. I came here only to recruit you for a dear friend of mine who goes by the name of Tiyanni. Now if you would please come with me. You may think your hurt but trust me I've seen worse."

Madison blinked, then laughed cruelly. "I know what kind o person you are! Well go away I'm a driver you sicko!" He glared at her angrily. "Oh your serious about this aren't you...Well dude I'm sorry you came all the way here but I already have a sponsor unless you'd.." she caught his weary pained glance.

"Listen Madison. This is all going to come as a big old shock to you so I'm not going to tell you what happens until you impress. Now please if you would get out of that damn bed and come with me I swear in the name of my mother that you will not be disappointed." He spoke with absolute urgency craning his neck to see out the door. "It's now or never."

Befuddled Madison decided to trust someone besides Butch, for once. "Um ok.." she said pulling herself up and finding that only her head was bandaged even though her body felt like it had been hit by a train. She walked slowly over to him as he got up. He took once glance over his shoulder back at the door grabbed her hand and *pop*.

Suddenly Madison wasn't in the hospital room suddenly she was standing on the docks looking up at a very large building that looked like something pulled form a medieval history book. It was like a giant castle only not so castlely, more modern and high tech. The man looked over at her and smiled at her shocked face. "don't worry hon your not the only Earthian out there." She looked at him like he was an idiot. "Ok here's the deal; R'lan" he pointed to a man walking towards them. "Is coming to take you to your room. When you've impressed tell them that you want to be taken to see Sargon." He pointed to himself. "that's me. I'll explain everything form there on ok?"

She nodded unable to breath more of less speak. He turned tail and walked away up to the castle and shouted over his shoulder. "Tell Tiyanni I said hi. She's the weyrwoman's mom." Madison's attention now fixed on the oddest looking man besides Sargon, he looked like he was going riding on a horse but the leathers he wore where extremely thick and clunky.

"Hello Madison I'm R'lan rider of Blue Ancith now if I could-" the man began holding out his hand to take her away.

"Excuse me but blue? Horses don't come in blue as far as I know. Brown maybe but not blue." Madison corrected raising a questioning eyebrow.

He put his head in one hand and shook it. "Kid we aren't talking horses, or cars anymore. Were talking dragons. Big fire-breathing winged lizards." To add to his words at that moment Madison heard the beating of wings and looked up to his the most incredible thing that she'd ever seen. A real live dragon without scales but with smooth skinned and nifty little crest. He was completely blue from his head to his tail and his eyes shown a multitude of colors, like a rainbow.

"Um...wow. He is blue.." Madsion said her eyes widening at the sight of him.

And your very green... A voice said into her head shocking her. It took the ten seconds to figure out that it was the dragon who had just spoken.

R'lan nodded. "Sargon ever so kindly brought you here to ride one of these. They may look scary but most of them are just big babies. Most of them are nice but people say riders tend to rub off on their dragons. Now please M'lday I'll take you to your room. You can stay there until the eggs hatch.."

Madison's eyes widened ever further. "Baby draggies?" She said, when she was young she had a thing for dragons, she always thought they where so cool. Now sitting in front of her was a real live dragon. She thought it was a dream and that the medicine was doing this to her, but she'd ride it as long as it lasted. "How cute! I can't wait to see them!" then on a side not she added; "Where are we exactly?"

why your at Ryslen finest of all Weyrs out there. The familiar voice of Ancith said dreamily into her head. A draconic smiled pulled at his mouth.

* * * *

Madison had just arrived when someone pulled her out of her room and dragged her down towards the sands. "what?" she protested still not all the way healed. Most of the way, thanks to Ryslen's fine healers but not all the way, she was still a little wobbly on her feet. Mabe it was that odd brown liquid they had forced down her throat.

She glared over at R'lan who had dragged her down towards the sands and was now trying to stuff her into a white looking vest. "R'lan this is stupid it could at least be green.." She protested as he pushed her out to stand next to the rest of the candidates. She glared over at him and he smiled and quietly edged away.

She shrugged and looked out onto the eggs and then at the people surronding her, next to her was the oddest person she'd ever seen. He was like a demon almost except his face and upper chest weren't. She smiled up at him as he looked down at her and she quickly when to stand next to a nice looking white haired guy.

But she didn't have to wait long. Suddenly out of nowhere a night green dragon came racing towards her like a maniac behind the wheel. "Woah! Careful Razzath you don't want to crash like I did!" Madison exclaimed catching the dragoness in her arms.

You'll never crash again with me around Madison! A cheerful hyper-active voice said into Madison's head as the night-green snuggled into her shoulder.

"Aw.." Madison said happy to have met this spunky little ball of energy.

Sargon sargon sargon sargon!! Razz called mentally her cheerful little voice booming with energy as she and Madison sat on the banks of the Ryslen lake.

"woah...Razz calm down. We'll go see him in a few ok? I want to say bye to Ancith and R'lan." Madison said curling her knees up to her chest and patting the hyper-energetic dragon on the head.

Wrong thing to say, the dragon seemed to float even higher in the air. OoOoOoHhHh! she said. R'lan and Ancith! Ancith and R'lan! Fun fun fun fun! Hey how come you said Anicth and R'lan and not R'lan and Ancith?

"God, did they give you coffee again?" Madison asked shaking her head as a smile tugged at her lips. She couldn't help but love the little thing, even though it was so incredibly hyper.

coffee? coffee? coffee? coffee? coffee? coffee? coffee? coffee? She inquired sniffing around Madison's feet like she just stored the stuff in her boots. coffee? Where coffee?

"No honey coffee bad for you. Stunts your growth it does.." Madison laughed patting the night green between the ears. She'd grown and that was obvious to the eye. Her black-green coat was shinier than ever, and her Ryslen crest enlarged and extended.

Razzath looked as if she was about to say something more, but she was cut off by someone else. "I thought you said you'd come and see me.." Sargon's smooth voice hissed eerily into her head as he came to sit next to her on the docks.

"I was it's just we where going to.." Madison started to say but was ocne again interrupted by Razz, who had began to be called 'the lost daughter of Impatientith' around the Ryslen folk, whatever that meant.

SARGON!!! She yelled jumping onto him and knocking him flat on his back. Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! She said almost dancing. If she would have been a dog, Madison thought Razz would have licked the poor guy's face.

"Woah." Sargon said from underneath the fledging, who was a bit to big to be going around tackling Sanrixians. "That's one hyper dragoness, and I thought Dulath had it hard when her son turned out to be-" He caught Madison's look of utter confusion. "Never mind then." He pushed the dragon off himself, a feat that looked to be very hard indeed, for Razz was hanging onto him. "Yeah, anyway I was wondering; you see there's this new wing that I'm making and we need a wingsecond. The wingleader is wondering around here somewhere, his light blue is going to chase that Verrath..i think."

"Um...so you want me, an earth kid to be a wingsecond?" She asked feeling a bit light headed, that was defiantely nto what she would have expected. "Ok..sure...2 questions." Sargon nodded. "One..who is this guy?"

Sargon's jaw twisted uncomfortably. "well he's a bit of a jerk and he's also an earth kid. Fred I think they call him."

***