What I wouldn't give to be free.

To be something that others could not see.

To do things that I shouldn't.

And go places that I couldn’t.

To listen in on conversations.

And cross the boundaries of all nations.

What I wouldn't give to be free...

****

Whenever you think you hear footsteps, or feel as if you're being watched, then your probably right. You feel as if there's some one there, but turn to find no one, you think it's just your imagination. Well, that would be where your wrong....

I can guarantee that every time a door closes without being touched, one of my people was there. Every time you feel breathing on the back of your neck, and your are alone with no one besides you, one of my people was there. When out of no where you hear shout a yell or the sound of some one running into something, one of my more clumsy people was probably there... But that's not the point.

I am one of Rayllom's elite few, called and invisible shifter. As in when we shift you cannot see what we have become. Some say our altered forms are those of the old days, a creature called a Cxi. Others say it's a completely new type of creature. I think it's just plain cool to be either.

Though some people don't. Some people think we are a danger to the society, a menace. They think that we will use our powers for crime and evil. Hey I wouldn't do that, though I admit some of us have. We have fallen at evil's feet and helped them with their dirty doings. My father did that, and he has been ashamed ever since.

See when we shift we can only be given away by three things; mirrors, reflections in lakes, and out own stupidity.

See mirrors show our reflections, not as humans, but as a vague outline of our given alter form. This is how people have come to believe that we are of old blood, the Cxi.

Lakes are another danger, they show our complete reflection, of our human form. Why they don't do what mirrors do is lost to me, but I'd rather be seen as a human. Cxi are alright, but they are kind of scary looking to be honest.

Some invisible shifters are rather clumsy and stupid, like my dad. He was one who gave himself away while he was on the job, getting something for as we like to call the 'dark side'. Kind of like earth's star wars, but hey I like it. It's kind of corny but yet kin of true. Luckily there never was one of us who turned completely bad, that would have resulted in big problems for my people, big problems.

Well you've probably heard enough of about my people now, and are wondering who the heck I am. Well I'll tell you, I'm Tyrus son of Tyrill and Ericia. See that was another problem my father faced, marrying an earth woman. He was daring that one, but also very, very stupid. He had to tell her about his 'condition' as she (being my mother) liked to call it. Once she found out she fled, leaving me and my sister all alone, her with dad.

My dad on the other hand, stayed with us and proved to be very loving, even with his 'condition' he never left me and Sazi's side. Never, not once. He was a good father until he started working with baddies to get cash. He had good intentions, but always a craving for power and a hunger for money...

Anyway....

You probably want to more about me, and if you don't want to, I suggest you stop reading this now.

Well, I'm about 6'2" and have medium build. I'm not puny thank you, but not overly musclely. I have white hair and really light blue eyes, see albinism is common in invisible shifters because of our altered forms. Though I'm not a complete albino, just the white hair and light colored eyes. My sister however is a complete albino. Sazi has pinkish eyes and very fair skin, though she's not a shifter like me and `ol dad.

Others can tell you about my social life, and my personality. Though I've been told that I'm quite the 'ladies man'. Whatever that means...

I'm here to tell you about my story, about what happened to me. Not about what others think of me, or about my family's past.....

****

The cold winter wind stabbed at me like a thousands pins sticking into my skin, but I didn't care, I was to preoccupied with something way more important than how cold I was. A girl...

Her name was Cassie and she was hotter than hot. The hottest girl I think I'd ever seen. Well maybe not the hottest, I'd seen quite a few girls...

"Ty?" She asked waving her hand in front of my face. "I asked you if you liked me?" she said smiling all cornilly like it really was important I say yes. I'd been dating her for what two weeks now and every single time I had to tell her I loved her over and over and over. I'm just not that romantic, I mean I can be if I really love a girl, but let's face it she was kind of a ditz.

Still staring at me with those big watery blue eyes I nodded and smiled back. "Of course Cas, of course..."

She turned to face the lake in which we where sitting in front of, a big deep and dark lake. You could see your relfecltion perfectly if you stood in front of it when the wind wasn't blowing s hard as it was toady. I was glad, I don't like lakes. "I thought you where spacing out again. Thinking about something?"

I shivered in a somewhat realistic chill. I wanted to get as far away from that lake as I could, it was too big and I just didn't like lakes. "'m cold can we go?" I asked pretending to chatter my teeth.

"Well you’re the one who refused to put on a warmer outfit Ty!" She said punching me on my bear arm, her rings digging into my shoulder.

I shrugged and chattered my teeth some more. I liked my normal clothing and plus it was only cold because we near that god damn lake. Excuse my choice of words but those weird trees didn't block any of the wind, it was coming from behind us not to our right, left of in front. Stupid lake. Stupid trees.

"Fine then....we can go back to my house, or your house. Whatever." She glanced down at her digital clock thingy. It was some knew invention the scientists had come up with, to help keep track of time. Say they got it from earth, but I don't believe them, earth people are to stupid.

"why don't we go to my house Sazi will be there but she won't mind or anything. Dad's at work, and well that's everyone in my family besides `ol Cohc. And he's not going to care whether I'm here or not. I never liked that `ol cat." I said not in perticalur wanting to go to Cassie's house, she lived with her father and half the time he was drunk. So she would come over and spend the rest of the night at our place. She says she fells safe with us, and told me that her old boyfriends used to take advantage of her like that.

I never once thought she was a virgin even before she told me that, she just seemed like the type of person for stuff to happen to. You know one of those overly sweet and kind people who would let you do anything you wanted if you asked. That's why I befriended her in the first place to watch out for her. It had just been recently we had become a 'couple'.

"Fine with me as long as he stays away from me. You know I'm allergic to fur."

I nodded. "Ok no problem, I'll have Sazi look after him..." then since it was on my mind I added. "How's your dad, he causing any trouble. I mean your always welcome here."

Cassie put her head down and sighed. "He's been drunk lately and I think he's going to be drunk again tonight. And I know that Tyrus. And thank you for that." She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. Suddenly I wasn't so cold.

******

I twisted sideways trying to keep the sun out of my eyes. It must have been around 7 or 8 in the morning, to early, to early for me. Rolling over gain I pulled the blankets up above my head and tired to make the couch cousins more comfortable. Stupid old couch. But hey it was all we could afford with me working to jobs and dad working three. We still didn't roll in enough cash. Sazi might even have to start working soon, poor Sazi. She's only young. Good thing dad was getting a big raise on one of his jobs, then we could afford some new furniture .

I punched at the cushions and they sunk in on themselves and stayed there, I think the springs where busted. Oh well I was only sleeping there for a little while, until Cassie's father was sober again. I laughed silently to myself. I was going to be here a while...

"Tyrus?" A muffled voice said through the thick woven blanket. A small hand reached out and shook my shoulders gently. "Tyrus? Cassie left. She said thank you for letting her stay. I offered her breakfast but she said she had somewhere to go." I reluctantly pulled myself up into a sitting positions. I blinked a few times letting my eyes focus. "And Tyrus..." the voice said again. It was Sazi she had come to wake me up, thank you Sazi ruin my weekend sleep. She sat down on the couh next to me a frantic look in her pinkey eyes and I could tell she was very nervous by her shaky breathing. She was too thin poor girl to small.

"I haven't heard from dad for a very long time..." She said grabbing my arm. "I think he's in trouble..."

I still wasn't quite awake yet. "Dad?" I said trying to force back a yawn. "He'll be fine he can watch over himself."

Sazi's eyes where still full of fear and she was shaking. "o Ty, I mean He's in trouble." I stared at Sazi she was really upset. Tears ran down from her eyes on down onto her cheeks. She was holding something in her hands that looked like a paper of some sort.

"Let me see Sazi..." I said motioning for the paper. She shook her head. "C'mon little sis, I want to see." She nodded and wiped at her cheeks handing me the paper.

I opened the soiled paper up and tired to read the very fancy curvy letters. It looked like an elegant woman's handwriting. It read "Tyrill- I need to talk to you asap. No excuses this time. We want you back or you'll be in for it.". the rest of the letter was to soiled to make out so I folded it back up and handed it to Sazi.

"I found it this morning on top of dad's things. It had an envelope that had this address on it." She shoved the envelope into my hands. "they've got dad Ty. The dark side, he's going to be hurt. They're going to hurt him." She broke into another fit of sobs. "Oh he's in so much trouble."

****

It was around 4 in the afternoon and I had spent the beginning of the morning convincing Sazi that I would go and help out Dad. I mean I wanted to but he was in serious danger, it was almost out of my reach. Well being the good person I am, I went out to look for him, following the advice Sazi had given me and trying very hard to find the address marked on the envelope. It was to some big old mansion in pern, very far away.

I swayed a little uneasy on my feet, pernese were never supposed to fin out about my people. Not only was it forbidden to tell anyone close to you that you where a shifter, it was highly forbidden to tell anyone out of the planet. If the rules were broken you where usually sentenced to either death, or worse; striped of your powers and sentenced to life on pern. Why is it so bad to live on pern? Well let me tell you the technology there sucks, and the technology here is so much better.

Dad is in so much trouble...

I closed my eyes and shifted into my altered from feeling the slight pain that comes with the changing. It was more like a tingling and stinging and sometimes popping it never hurt really bad. I reopened my eyes and looked down at my hand, well at where my hand should be. I was free again I was invisible and it was time to go get revenge on the skank who dared mess with my family.

Dared mess with my people...

I sat for a while adjusting to the awkward vision and senses that this invisible creature had, it was like they could see ultra violet and smell fear. Everything was so bright and purpley looking. It was neat but it kind of hurt my eyes outside. So I got up staggering a little but slowly made my way towards the towering mansion, looking for revenge...

****

I stealthily crawled over a window into the forsaken mansion, careful not to leave footprints on the dust covered floor. I looked around the damp and dreary room my eyes adjusting to the dim lighting. There was no trace of human life, but there seemed to be some sort of vermin living there, I could smell them.

The air had a thick and surrounding feel to it, kind of the feel you get when you inhale smoke. I sniffed the air almost coughing, that was a bad choice. It smelled of rotted flesh, and that really weird smell you get when a leather watch band gets to old. I shook my head to clear the smell but it wouldn't go away, the horrid smell of death. I looked up feeling uneasy as if some one was watching me. I scanned the room standing perfectly still and found no one. But still I felt the eyes on my back burning deep holes into my shoulders. I bent low to the ground and didn't make a sound until the queer feeling vanished. I didn't like being stalked, after all I was supposed to be the stalker here.

I pulled myself to my feet, head still spinning because of the smell and walked quickly towards what looked to be an old stair way. It was a stair way, but a very old one, some of the boards where missing, probably from the decay that was forming on all the rest. There where traces of a light brown paint on the stair that seemed to stubborn to chip and peel like the rest. I bent down and swiped my finger across the old pain, it crumbled to dust at my touch. I carefully walked up the good stair using the railing as a support.

So far so good, as long as I don't goof. I stepped on the very last step of the rotten old stairs and lifted my head. The smell of decay was stronger here and I had to lean against the rail to keep from toppling over. I looked around the top floor. There where at least 50 rooms, I couldn't possibly search them all. So I picked out one that smelled the least of decay and quietly stepped in hoping to find something useful.

The room was large and cleanly kept. The white and pink striped wall paper looked decent but wall to juvenile for the rest of the room. There was a large four post bed with embroidered roses on the quilt and pinkish white pillows sat on top of the neatly folded sheet. A tall dark brown dresser was to the left of the bed. (which was stationed in the middle of the room) It smelled very bad, like the old leather smell and it had jewels of all sorts on the top. Rubies, sapphires diamonds and even some sliver and gold stuff. I stared at them for a good five minutes and wondered how much a jewler would pay for just one, just one would but us some new furniture. I shook my head and wondered if the weird uneasy feeling in this house was getting to my head, stealing was wrong and I shouldn't do it. I walked past the dresser and looked at the bed, it had no dust, same as the rest of the room, it was the only one that showed signs of life.

I searched for some trace of my father rooting through old letters I found in the dresser, all of which where addressed to a woman named *****, and looted through her under wear drawer. Not to be nasty or anything, but you can find a lot of private stuff in some one's underwear drawer. I've learned that over the years, they keep secret things buried under there because they figure no one will go looking in it. Smart aren't they? No, not really just typical...

Typical humans...

I pulled out what looked to be a purple thong and tried very hard not to laugh. The sound would corrupt the eerie silence that surrounded this decaying mansion. Finally after digging through about twenty pairs of bikini style leopard print drawers, I found something valuable. A neatly folded paper with a scribble on it that looked like "tyrill" my father's name. I carefully unfolded the paper trying hard to remember exactly how it was folded and read it: "Why haven't you come to see me Tyrill? It has been so long, I know about your son and his abilities, he could be of great help to us. We need more of your kind for our plan to work. Tyrill this is no joke, if we do not get it, they will hurt us both, you more than me because of my high ranking. Please don't get yourself in trouble Ty, it's important. Love always Isla".

I glanced absentmindedly at the date at the top of the paper and scowled one year before mom left. Typical, my dad was cheating, and all this time I thought it had been mom who had been wrong for leaving us. I folded the paper back up and stuck it in it's place neatly. I glanced once more at the purple thong and placed it back neatly on top, just in spite. I got up, did a final scan of the room and proceeded to the next.

****

Aftr searching about ten rooms it was nearly noon and I had stared out on the brink of dawn. I decided to search one more before calling it a day, from what I found I learned that "Isla" came home around 1 or 2 o clock and I really didn't want to see the woman my dad had cheated with, knowing his tase, she was probably blonde and tall. With big blue eyes and freckles. Who else would have a pink room?

I shook my head and picked the last room on the right. The smell of decay was almost overwhelming and I stumbled on my feet wanting to turn back. But my curiosity held me and kept me going, my damn curiosity.

I walked into the small, unfurnished room and looked around. It was neat looking, as if some had just left and the curtain as drawn to the bathroom. It was a very thick maroon curtain and there was something funny about it. I walked up to it drew it back and looked down unable to move...

I saw a body laying sprawled across the floor, and the smell knocked me off my feet. I now knew why the whole house smelled of retched decayed flesh. There was a dead man laying in front of me stinking up the room and the mansion. I swallowed hard and backed a step away. The man was laying on his back with bullet wounds in several places. One on his back, three on his head, or what remained of his head. It was a bloody mashed up piece of flesh with a variety of insects crawling in and out of it.

I shook y head and tried to move, but something held me back. There was a not clenched in his fist. It seemed wrong to disturb this poor man, he had obviously had a violent painful death but I took the note and was surprised to see it made out to me.

"Tryus- their isn't much time. They are coming and they want you. They want all of our kind. Protect Sazi, she knows not what she is yet, but I have sensed it and I'm sure you have to. They are coming, there isn't much time. I love you Ty and I love sazi and please forgive me it was my fault mom left, I cheated. Beware of Isla. Take care of sazi..." The rest was unreadable it was scribbled in a hurry. I gulped even harder, it was my father's untidy scrawl and my father's words. I pulled back the curtain and said a quick pray to my favorite god, Bekél, asking him to watch over my father for he truly knows not what he does.

I decided I better get out, as fast as I could. I had found what I came for, just not how I intended to find it. I wondered how I would tell Sazi she was a shifter, I knew and dad knew, but she was only young. And I wondered frozen for a moment how I would tell her about dad.

Thump Thump Thump Click thump thump. I gasped Isla was home. I wondered if she could see through us. I raced out to the stair well and watched her. She wasn't what I expected, she was shorter and heavier with raven hair and green eyes. She wore a blood red suit and bright bright red lipstick. She looked up and around feeling as if someone was watching her and I smirked. Stupid girl...You will pay...

She climbed carefully up the stairs and walked into her bedroom, right past me. I followed her, feeling a bit cocky. I was careful to keep out of her dresser's mirror's range however.

She pulled something out of her purse and stuck it in her dresser and went through one of the drawers. I stood to her left watching her closely. She was and ok women, and I could have seen where dad would like her, but she was too evil looking, and there was an unfriendly air about her.

She pulled out a jewel and stuck it in her purse, replacing the letter. Then she walked into the room with my father and pulled back the curtain. Then from her lips issued a horrid cackled which disrupted the eerie quiet of the forsaken house.

"You silly bastard, really thought your son would get that letter? Warning him about me? How could you? After all we went through! I told you to be good and continue with us but no, you went back to them a leaded for forgiveness." She yelled at him and kicked his torso hard. Making a very nasty squish sound.

I was infuriated and started to see the blood in my eyes, how could he? How could she! I was on the verge on swinging my fist right at her head and cracking it open. No one would ever find out...

I heard a low growling sound and turned to find a large black do with blood shit eyes and very large fangs it was staring past the woman at me and snarling. I gulped I knew animals could sense my presence and a few could even see my altered form. This one obviously could. Time for a very quick exit.

I raced past the woman and my father past the dog who whirled and snapped angrily and chased me down the decaying stairs. I tripped on one and fell down the rest looking back to see the woman standing on the top of the stairs glaring down searching for me. "Heel vent!" she shouted in her cruel voice. The dog snapped one last time and walked up the stairs to sit at his master's side. She still searched for me, for a hint of my presence. I wasn't going to be found out like my father, I was good at being a spy. I closed tip toed to the front of the stair well and stood there glaring u at her with my eyes.

I"I know your down there." She came calmly down the stairs with her black dog at her side. "It's no use to hide from me I will find you, the way I found your kin, Tyrill."

I saw red, my head swirled with anger and I tried hard not to whack her across the head, it would be so easy. "I want you to know that Vent is highly trained in the arts of seeing the invisible. He will fid you." Her lips curled into smile.

I smiled to, I decided to play along with her game, and out smart her and that corny dog. It couldn't see m, it was blind. I could tell that from it's pale blue eyes, it's sense of smell had just been highly trained. "He will not find me and neither will you crazy old woman." I hissed and tip toed to a different part of the room.

Isla glared at the spot I had been and smiled. "Oh yes I will, so you mind as well tell me your status." She whispered patting her mutt on the back.

"My status? Well I am the son of a great shifter so powerful hi altered form could take out this house in one blow from his mighty hand." Why no have fun with this? She'll never know. I tip toed back to the window ad stood there smiling as she reached for the place I had been twenty seconds ago.

"Oh you are? Well I could use a person like you, and there would be great power and wealth involved in this. Money and riches beyond your wildest dreams." She was stumbling blindly to another part of the room, stupid old woman.

"is this how you lured Tyrill one of the pure?" I snickered. "You do know your dog is blind as you are Isla..." I said quickly advancing to the door. It was time for me to go. He was back up at the top of the stair way and slowly making her way down. "no I lured tyrill with something better than money...love.." she answered.

I had a brilliant idea, a stupid brilliant idea. I shifted to my human form and watched her face twist into a surprised look. I smiled and opened the door. "Nice thong..." I said stepped out of the door waved and closed it. Shifting quickly back to my invisible form and hopping into the bushes next to the entrance.

Isla raced down the stairs and walked out the door panting from her run. That out of shape old coot. She looked around for signs of me and sighed, walking slowly back into her mansion.

****

"Sazi..." I said chewing very slowly on the dinner she had made for her, me and our overly fat old cat. His name was tom, FAT tom, as I called him.

She looked up from her eating and waited for me to continue. "Dad....they got him..." I stammered unable to tell her the events that had riled me earlier in the day. I shook trying to force them from my mind.

Sazi dropped her fork and starred at me tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She was on the verge of tears and she sniffed them back, not wanting to look like a baby. "I knew he was going to get seriously hurt, but I didn't think they take it that far." She closed her eyes. "I mean, they killed their mvp...you'd think they'd be smarter than that.."

I clenched my teeth and stared at my food. "They know about me Sazi...there coming...for me and for you..."

****

The next day, I had to go back to school, for it was a Monday a wonderful sucky Monday. I sighed putting my head down on my large overly stuffed binder, I had been up most of last night explaining to Sazi the requirements and boundaries of being one of 'us'. It had been a looooong night. I blinked a few times watching the movie that my science teacher was playing very large on her computer screen; it was of Rayllom's first mission to earth. That was well over 1,000 years ago..

The bell rang and I picked up my binder laptop and headed out the door to lunch.

I was so increadlibly tired from last night and the night before, it takes a lot to shift into something invisible especially if you stay in that form for as long as I did. I was sitting a Cassie and her friends' table, minding my own business just being friendly to the girls. They where all very sweet, but each one was very different in her own little way; lets just say one had a tail and another was a half tiger. See what I put up with for that girl? Even though I made history by the standards of some guys, by sitting at the 'hottie table'. Oi...

I shut my eyes and tired to get some sleep, I didn't feel much like school food, even though it was pizza day. "Look at it, it's all shriveled and puny. You guys have the goods ones it's so not fair. I mean why can't mine be plump and juicy like you guys.." It was the voice of Kelsey, the one with the tail, she was always so descriptive with her words...but I was beginning to wonder..

"Well...mine's huge!" Danielle said laughing loudly. I popped open my eyes and starred at the girls who where laughing and staring at me.

"What the heck?" I asked blinking a few times. Soo tired....weird girls...

Kelsey waved a French fry in front of my face. "French fry? We were discussing why I always get the shriveled and puny brown ones when everyone else gets nice and plump golden brown ones..." she said stealing one of Dani's and popping it into her mouth.

"you guys are so weird...I don't know why Cassie likes to hang out with you..." I mumbled grabbing one of Cassie's fries. She was up getting a soda, there was a new kind from earth called 'mr.green' it made you very, very hyper and it tasted much like caramel and something green....

"we're weird?" Fillia said staring at me. She was the smartest and cutest of all the girls at the table, and also my ex..

"You’re the one who's sleeping during lunch?" A fierce yellow light flooded into her eyes. "I mean what could have possibly kept you up that late?"

I smiled and stretched my arms. "Ladies, ladies you really don't want to know..." why not have some fun...playing with their minds...

Kelsey giggled and so did Danielle, but Fillia just stared...Oi that girl should have been born with blonde hair. "You mean...?" She said blinking and choking on her drink. At that moment Cassie came back to the table and plopped down on my lap. Ouch...heavy...

"Hey Ty...sorry someone took my chair..." She said shifting her wait off my leg. She glared at Fillia. Since there has been a major shortage of plastic in Rayllom, we only a few comfy plastic chairs and they fill up fast, so people usually just 'share a chair'. "So...what where you guys talking about?"

Fillia's eyes flashed evilly, she still had not gotten over our break-up and was out to get either me or Cassie, whoever got in her way first. "Tyrus was just telling us about what he did last nigh. So what was it Ty?" she asked fluttering her long eyelashes.

I choked. I couldn't tell them about dad, Sazi anything that had happened. It was against our laws. I thoguth very hard for a whole 25 seconds on what the heck I could tell them. Cassie was starring at me along with Kelsey and Danielle, but Fillia's eyes just gleamed the same yellow color and her crooked smile...

I wanted to dissapaer, fade away, I knew I could but it would cause some trouble. "I....I....I......" I stammered my mind running blank.

"Well that's not what you said a minute ago, you told you that w didn't want to know what he did last night..." Fillia snapped glaring at me with a sick pleasure that showed clearly from her face. I twitched my lip and glared right back at her.

Cassie was quiet but Danielle spoke up. "come on Fillia your twisting his words, he probably was just watching t.v. or something..." she said. Then she added;" What kind of sick minded person are you?"

Fillia turned her evil glance from me onto Danielle, oh boy, time for the fireworks. "You little whore! I

M not the sick minded one! You’re the one who is constantly flirting with him! We all know you like him, so quite trying to save him, we all know what he's like.." she said, I swear for a moment she had fangs...

Danielle blushed bright red and sat back in her seat, it was never smart to tangle with Fillia. "Well you know, at least she's over the fact that she won't be with him, unlike you who can't even get over a break-up..." Kelsey said smiling at Fillia's gapping mouth. I snickered silently listening to the war that was going on over he he, me. "And Tyrus is a great person, a better person than you'll ever be." Go Kelsey!

Fillia's eye basically popped out of her head. She stood up and pulled Kelsey (who was quite small for her age) by the collar and towered over her. "Watch your words! You don’t' even know who your talking to..." She raised her hand back.

I picked up Cassie an set her on the seat rushing over to stop fillia before this got nasty. I grabbed her wrist and she whirled on me. She eyes blazed with fire and she hit me again and again with her fists and scratched at e with her long nails. Gilry punches, girly nails...

I let go of her wrist once she cooled down and went over and sat down next to Cassie. I almost laughed at Kelsey and Danielle who had moved very far away from Fillia and sat huddled together on my left side, Cassie and Fillia to the right.

Cassie still hadn't said anything, but she looked at me finally and asked; "Tyrus, what happened last night?"

I gulped it wasn't the first time I couldn't tell Cassie what had gone on the previous night or why I had missed our date. I couldn't help it, I had secret responsibilities. I shrugged and felt a little fain, if anyone found out I was dead, especially if Fillia found out.

"Why sister had boyfriend problems and I had to take care of them." Said half smiling.

Her worried look vanished and she smiled lovingly at me. "Aw...Sazi has a boyfriend?" she asked. She glanced around the lunch room and picked out my sister, oh wonderful...

"Sazi! Come here!" She said motioning for my sister to come over here. I drew a long breath.

"yes?" Sazi asked looking at my bewildered face. I crossed a finger over my throat.

"Tyrus tells me you had boy troubles last night? Who was it, we'll get him in trouble.." she said. Sazi glanced from me to Cassie wondering what was going on. I felt the back of my neck get sweaty and I knew I was going to need more deodorant.

She suddenly got it and looked around her. She smiled evilly and pointed to her friend's jack-, er, mean boyfriend, Kyle. Cassie smiled. "don't worry we'll take care of him for you..."

Well, I managed to get out of that one...

****

"Ya think he's dead?" A voice awoke me from my sleep, to early.

"I dunno, he looks like he's still breathing, maybe he's just asleep. " A second more feminine voice answered. I rolled over and groaned.

"Not now it's only 7 o'clock..." I mumbled and pulled the pillow over my head.

"Get up ya dork! You're being searched!" The first crankier voice responded and I sat up immediately.

I stood staring at a Tall blue skinned man, who looked to be a half demon and a tall brown haired girl, who looked ordinary, besides the fact she was wearing riding leathers..

"Me searched?" I said blinking. "But I can't ride a dragon..."

"Yes you can, and we're taking you to the Warren's Rave whether you like it or not..." The girl snapped her eyes beaming.

"Wait I know who you are!" I said the names coming into my head suddenly from an old current events test. "You're Miza and your Kurt!" I said wondering why they had come or me.

"Very good, now would you like to ride with me and Phantom or Miza and Hawk?" the half demon snapped.

"Calm down we don't have to leave just yet do we?" I asked, they both nodded in sync. "Fine let me say goodbye to my sister..."

"No time that rat is after you, we need to get you out of here now, Sazi will be safe now c'mon!" Miza said grabbing my arm and dragging me out of bed.

"Wait!" I said but it was to late, Miza was hauling me up onto Hawk's back. "Time to fly.." she muttered and smiled at me. "c'mon hawk let's move!"

***

I'm somewhat reluctantly standing at the Warren's rave.

***

It has been three months since I came here and let me tell you this place is dull. It's nothing compared to the high tech fairy tale land of Rayllom. I think I saw a vampire this morning wow, vampires original. Anyway I'm sitting her watching the sky boredly and all the sudden-

"Hurry Tyrus the eggs are hatching!" Someone called I looked up astounded and rushed off towards the sands. Mystic had just arrived along with her husband Aaron dressed in some very unusual attire. Heee, hee have to rag her about that one sometime. I watched the three odd girls, Pyra Skye and Tera walk onto the stands with little chips that made their voice readable t the rest of us, humanoids. The first egg to hatch was a fire marked hatching beautiful, very beautiful with sliver horns like the ones that hatched not to long ago at Azon.

The second hatchling was beyond beautiful he was a liquid platinum, with light blue eyes and long sliver horns. When he moved it seemed like he was floating and his hide would shine a multitude of different colors catching the sun just right. He looked over at a mean looking black that had just hatch and wisely scampered over to where the candidates where standing. I stood there dumbfounded and somewhere in my head found his name, a name I will never forget. " Kaleraith!" I said and embraced my unique colored bond. I've seen a multitude off odd and different colored dragons but never a platinum with his spectacular colors. He purred contently and sent images of food and hungry beasts running through my head. I smiled and picked him up carrying him off to the feeding halls with Pyra.

Later...

Woo! Rave time! Lights flashed and bounced off the dance floor as I looked around for someone to dance with. I locked eyes with a familiar looking girl who was staring at the little platinum dragon at my heels like I was the most powerful lord in the world. "Cassie?" I said dumbfounded as Kal twined his tail around my leg glaring angrily at the blonde haired blue eyed girl who was dressed in something a little too sexy.

"Hey Tyrus!" She said eyes still locked on the hathian at my heels. "Oh my! He's a platinum! That's means your about as high ranking as a bronze rider Ty!" she reached a hand down to stroke little Kaleraith and to my surprise he let her but reluctantly. "Hey let's dance ! I think your little handsome friend will have no problem finding a partner!"

I don't like her she's too blonde and she can't do this! A strong liquid like voice called into my head. I looked down at Kal to see him disappear with a pop. I laughed at Cas's surprised face.

"Like rider like dragon.." I muttered and closed my eyes until I was no longer there. I swear I thought Cassie was about to faint. I scanned the area finding the little shimmering dragon sitting next to a very odd flitter like creature. The violet brown flitter like thing was standing over two shaking eggs. ~Dathuis and Tyrus~ he muttered soundlessly looking at me and the wolf-vampire. I shrugged and popped back into view startling a few of the kids surrounding me. Cassie ran up behind me and watched as I took one of the eggs and sat down next to a bowl of food to feed the thing with.

The wolf-vampire's hatched into a stunning blue-starry. Mine hatched a gorgeous gold-sun marked female who elegantly took the meat that I handed her. she paused and looked up at me eyes full of love. ~My name is Solarii Tyrus and they call my kind Draca.~

I nodded respectfully and smiled at the little draca and Kal who had popped back into view to my left. We'd be quite an do bunch but who cares. I smiled as the little fire-marked queen curled her long elegant tail around my neck and settled herself happily on my shoulder. I reached a hand over to stroke Kal's head and looked up at Cassie hopefully. She smiled and sat down next to me. "we have a lot to talk about before you go to get revenge for your father's death.."

I looked up at her one eyebrow raised a trait I had picked up from mystic. "Sazi tell you that?" I inquired. She nodded a smirk pressing at the corners of her face. Ah well you live you learn...

***

I am big! Platinum Kaleraith roared into my head rearing onto his back legs and failing out his wings. And that he was, he had groan so much it was amazing! His coat was still the same shimmering silver and he looked as I he'd pop back and forth form existence any moment. His eyes blazed blue purple with crystal white at the center, giving them an eerie effect that radiated his power. Twin silver horns grew from around his eyes and extended at least a foot from their base, and his wing sails, that attached neatly to his front arms had extended and grown longer, to the full height of his wingspan.

"You are big my friend!" I laughed looking at him in wonder as opened his jaws, breathing out his deadly silver fire breath. He looked back over at me, and in his eyes a weird heat flickered and came alive.

You know Tyrus I've been thinking, since I can use my powers of invisibly maybe I could...participate in a mating flight? I know you have Cassie and all but she doesn’t have a dragon...and well... He said still facing the streets of our small town. We were at my house, Sazi was in the other room making dinner. She absolutely adored the big platinum, something that made me quite happy. If she didn't like him the we would have had a big problem.

I smiled. "Manly instincts eh?" The dragon nodded and I couldn't help but laugh. "sure buddy, but where?" I asked running a hand though my hair. What place would take a dragon almost guaranteed to win if he used his brain right. In the beginning he could jut become invisible and sneak up on the female if he wanted, but that wouldn't quite be fair now would it?

I was thinking along the lines of Ryslen. A very foxy light lavendar needs a few more males and she is looking for dragon that compliment her colors...He said a draconic smirk passing his face.

"Well I didn't need to know that dragon can be foxy but ok." I laughed. "But Kaleraith, your going to promise me something right here and now." I said watching him with one eye. He nodded. "You will give this female a Far flight. No invisibility."

The platinum took a minute to take this thought in. Of course not Ty! It would be cheating, and plus f she wear another hathian I'd consider it since they have their own powers but this young lady is from Rylsen.. His eyes seemed to fog up with thoughts of the rainbow-pastel.

"so tell me...what do they call this walking-wonder that has my normally smug Kal all spaced out. Dude, you look like a sixth grader who just found out what a girl is.." I said smirking at him as his head snapped back over in my direction.

She is not just any light lavender! He said acting if I had just committed a crime. She more beautiful than anything in this world! She is Light Lavender Shailekyth ! He said just barely above a draconic whisper, sending pictures of a amazingly colored dragoness along with his words.

If he ah not been so serious I would have laughed at him. He was normally not like this, I'd never seen him like this, he had it bad. Really bad. "Um...very poetic.." I said, thinking of turning my head sideways and barfing on the ground just to be spiteful. "So what's her rider like?"

Kal dropped the goo-goo eyed look at once and something evilly sane flickered in his blue-violet eyes. Oh is see how it is. He laughed. Now you want to know what the rider looks like .. He when on cackling. Well well Tyrus, you can find that out when we get there. But trust me old friend, I do think you will to have some...what did you call them? Manly instincts?

I shook my head. "fine fine! We'll go to Ryslen but if you ever say that again I'll kick your butt especially if her rider's cute.."

Mawhaha...that's funny...like you'd stand a chance against me! manly instincts I think we should add that one to the list of the top ten goofiest things to say. You buffoon..

"no we are going to add buffoon. I was just trying to be helpful. What would you have called it?"

Trust me you would rather not know...

Mr. Poetic is chasing Light Lavender Shailekyth at Ryslen