I could hear the water lapping softly against the docks as the silvery moon light shone down on the black water of the East River. I listened closely for a sound of human life, but the city was silent. "Too quiet." I muttered as I lit a cigarette. The smoke curled up into the night air, swirling around as it climbed higher. "Conlon." I heard a voice whisper from behind a post. I walked over to find the source of the voice but didn't see anyone. "Geez, get a hold on your imagination." I mumbled to myself and sighed. "Hearing voices... next thing ya know ya'll be seein' things." I took another drag off the cigarette and threw it onto the ground. I watched the red embers smolder for a second or two before walking back to the warehouse.

~*~*~*~*~

A boy stepped out of the shadows as Spot walked away. His eyes had an evil glint to them as his mouth twisted into a mischievous smirk. "You're not hearing things. Tomorrow you can lead me to her, tomorrow the hunt begins."

~*~*~*~*~

Clover's POV

I gasped and bolted up, looking frantically around the dark bunkroom. Something evil was coming. "Somethin' wrong, Clo?" Blink asked sleepily. Apparently I had disturbed his sleep.

I shivered but shook my head and whispered, "No, I'm fine. I apologize for waking you."

He grunted out a mumbled sentence and went back to sleep. I sighed and leaned back, laying silently until Kloppman came upstairs to wake us all up. I bit my lip as I started to get ready. "Clover?" Dutchy asked as we walked downstairs. "Are ya okay?"

I smiled weakly. "Of course."

"Liar." He said quietly.

I sighed. "It's nothing. I just have a bad feeling, that's all."

He looked concerned. "What kinda bad feeling?"

I shrugged. "Just a normal one. I'll be fine, it's probably nothing to worry about." I lied.

He nodded. "Okay, if you say so."

We walked to the circulation center and stood in line. I looked in front of me and saw a new kid. He was about my age and had black hair. "Hey, you new?" Kid Blink asked him.

"Yeah, I'm uh... Ryan, Ryan Price." He looked up for the first time, glancing at all of us and stopping when he saw me. "And you are?"

I hesitated. "Clover." I said shortly.

Dutchy sent me a worried glance, then smiled at Ryan and offered a hand. "Dutchy, and that's Blink in front of you."

Ryan shook hands with them both, then looked at me again. "So, where are you from, Clover?"

I froze. "Um.. Ireland."

Dutchy looked my way again. "Hey, Clo', you goin' ta Tibby's after ya sell papes?"

I nodded. "Yeah, you gonna meet me there?"

He glanced at Ryan. "Yeah... no. Uh, actually I was wondering if you wanted to sell papes with me."

I smiled as I got my papes from Weasel. "Sure, let's go." I said, sending one more glance Ryan's way.

Dutchy looked at me as we left the circulation center. "What's really wrong, Clo?"

I sighed. "I don't really know, Dutchy. I just know something evil is coming... I just don't know what."

"Does it have anything to do with that guy back at the circulation center?" He asked, looking back nervously.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Could we stop talking about it?" I said as I got that sinking feeling in my stomach again. Whoever he was, he was getting closer.

~*~*~*~*~

Ryan's POV

It had to be her. I didn't have any real reason to come to the conclusion she was the one I was looking for, but something inside told me it was. Of course, I had to know for sure, but I was could get close enough to find out as Ryan Price, and it it wasn't her... well, I wouldn't think of that now.

I tried to act as inconspicuous as possible as I walked into Tibby's at sunset. If she was the one, she was probably all ready suspicious. I sat at a table with her, Dutchy, the red-haired girl, and a boy I hadn't met yet. I extended an arm to the girl and the boy with the gray-blue eyes. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Ryan."

The girl eyed me without interest. "Flicker." She said flatly, not taking my hand.

After sending Flicker an annoyed glance, the boy shook hands with me, not without regards to cautions, and replied, "Spot Conlon." as if the very words should strike fear into my heart.

"So, what're ya doin' in New York, Ryan?" Dutchy asked.

I shrugged. "I'm supposed to be looking for someone." I said, sending a sidelong glance at Clover.

She sighed and stood up. "I'm going back to the lodging house."

"I'll escort you." I said, maybe a little too eagerly.

Dutchy started to protest, but she put a hand on his arm and said, "I'll be fine."

We started walking to the lodging house in silence. About half way there she finally spoke up. "What do you want with me?"

I jumped a little, startled by the question, but managed to regain my composure. "So, you are her."

She stared at the street ahead. "You didn't answer my question."

"Alethea-" I said, but stopped as her head jerked up and she glared at me. "How do you know my name?"

I sighed. "I can't tell you here, some one might be listening."

"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked suspiciously.

I took her arm to lead her to a more secure place. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have all ready done it." I led her to an abandoned warehouse where I was sure no one would hear anything. She leaned against a crate, ready to listen even though it was blatantly obvious that she didn't trust me. I sat down on a stack of crates. "Okay, here goes. I was sent to find you by a mutual friend. My name is Xavier."

"Xavier?" She said, a mocking tone in her voice.

I frowned. "Yes, Xavier." I said as I brushed hair out of my eyes. "I am a wizard."

She cracked a smile. "A wizard?"

I sighed. "Yes, now please stop interrupting. I was sent to find you by Kalana. She worried when you did not come back and thought you were in danger. She couldn't come find you herself, so she asked me to do it for her."

Clover frowned as her brow wrinkled in thought. "Why would I be in Danger?"

"You're being hunted. A warlock knows of your existence and he is trying to find you as a way to get to Nochlaur." I said solemnly.

"But... how does he know about me?" She asked uncertainly.

I shrugged as I jumped off of the crate I was sitting on. "I don't know. I was only sent to bring you back. So, let's go."

She shook her head. "Not possible. I'm stuck like this." She said, motioning to her human body.

I nodded. "I'm aware of that. Why do you think Kalana sent a wizard?"

She sighed and looked at the ground. "What if I don't want to go back?"

I blinked. "Well, that I wasn't ready for. Why would you want to stay here?"

She shrugged. "Friends... and Dutchy. I'm happy here."

I shook my head. "But you don't belong here. You never will." She looked away and I understood. "You love him." She nodded a little. "Oh dear, that's a problem." I said with a frown.

"Not for me." She said with a wry grin.

I growled. "Oh... don't you understand?! Unicorns can't love mortals!"

She sighed. "I assure you, wizard, they can."

"Well, they shouldn't! It's not right. Oh... this is horrible." I started pacing in frustration.

"Just go back and tell Kalana I'm staying." She said firmly.

I looked at her skeptically. "And what about the warlock?"

She groaned and looked away. "You got me there."

I smiled gloatingly. "There, you see? It's unavoidable. Anyway, like I said before, unicorns are not meant to love humans. It's asinine, ridiculous, and completely unheard of."

"I don't need a lecture." She snapped. "I'll find a way to get rid of this warlock and stay here."

I sighed. "You will regret this decision most bitterly."

She nodded a little. "I know." She said softly and walked away. I sat back down on a crate for a few minutes, debating what to do, before jumping up and running after her again.

~*~*~*~*~

Clover's POV

I glared at Xavier angrily as he pulled me into an alley. "What do you want? I thought we just settled this."

"Reconsider." He said simply.

I shook my head. "I will not go to Nochlaur with you, just as I would not before."

He sighed. "You don't understand. As long as you remain here there will always be a chance that a portal can be opened from Earth to Nochlaur. Telperion will find a way to Nochlaur no matter what it takes, and we cannot take that chance. I'm afraid that you have no choice but to come with me."

I started to protest but with a wave of his hand a white mist filled the alley. I frowned as I thought I heard my name and turned to Xavier. "Did you hear that?"

"There was nothing to hear." He said simply as the mist started to clear and I could see lush green grass growing around my feet. He said that I hadn't heard anything but I could sense a presence. I turned around as the last of the mist cleared away and gasped. "Dutchy!"

His eyes widened as he looked around at the rolling green hills and the deep blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. "Clover... where are we?"

"How did you get here?!" Xavier yelled, obviously somewhat annoyed that he had accidentally transported Dutchy here also. Dutchy sputtered wordlessly, probably too shocked to speak, and Xavier let out an exasperated sigh. "No matter, I'll just have to send you back."

"You can do that?" I asked cautiously.

He shrugged thoughtlessly. "Not as far as I know. I've only been able to transport people if I accompanied them before, but there's a first time for everything. Anyway, if I fail there really isn't any loss, he's just a mere-"

"He's the human I am in love with and you will do no such thing! I will not stand for you risking his life." I said acidly.

Xavier raised an eyebrow, and examined Dutchy. He didn't seem to be impressed but conceded. "Very well, if that is what you wish Alethea Star Dancer. I doubt Kalana will be pleased though... or Aradin and Kaelyn for that matter, and you can't stay a human forever. Now, we must be going. Follow me please." He said and turned to walk away.

Dutchy leaned down closer to me and whispered. "Where are we an' who are all dose people he's talkin' about."

I sighed a little. "Dutchy, do you remember what I told you before?"

He nodded timidly. "Yeah, da stuff bout you bein' a unicorn an' all."

"Well, yes." I started uncomfortably, sending Xavier a harrowed glance. He seemed to have heard the statement and turned around. "You told him what you were?" He asked in blatant disapproval. "Oh, you are going to have some explaining to do."

I bristled indignantly. "He was hurt and I had to save him somehow, the only way was to use my horn and he saw me. I couldn't very well keep it a secret after that."

Xavier frowned. "I guess I'll leave this one to the others also. I've had enough trouble with you."

I smiled encouragement at Dutchy since he seemed worried about me and went on as we continued to walk. "Well, this is where my family lives Dutchy. This is Nochlaur. Kalana is a friend of mine, which is strange actually because she is a dragon and they tend to be loners. Aradin is my father, and Kaelyn is my mother."

He nodded a little, but I could tell he was stunned by all of this and I could sense a feeling of disbelief. "Uh-huh... so uh... who's dat guy?"

I cleared my throat. "A wizard, apparently. Kalana sent him to bring me back here. It seems that there is a unicorn hunter on Earth with powers we do not have the means to deal with. Xavier, the wizard, tells me that as long as I remain on Earth this man will have a way to get to Nochlaur."

"Don't you think you've told him enough?" Xavier said testily as we approached a stream. He sighed and produced a container he proceeded to fill up.

I ignored him and kneeled by the water. "How do you know this water is safe to drink?"

"I just know. Do you not trust me? Would you rather be in your original form so you can tell for yourself?" He said sharply.

I sighed. "No, I trust you." I cupped my hands and drank some of the crystal clear water.

Dutchy sat next to me and was about to do the same when a scantily clad fairy leapt out of the water. He yelped a little and jumped back as she giggled and hovered in front of him, inspecting him with her large eyes as she slowly flapped her wings. I suppose she really was quite lovely, for a fairy anyway. Most of the ones I had seen had hair tangled with twigs and leaves, haphazard clothes of spiderwebs, and dirty faces. This particular fairy seemed to be an exception though. Her hair was a pretty shade of light blue, which matched her eyes, and judging from the way it glowed, was meticulously cared for. Her dress, although it didn't cover much, was made of flower petals neatly woven together with spiderwebs, and her pale skin was so clean it seemed to sparkle. Dutchy reached out to try and touch her, looking somewhat amazed, but she darted away in a flash of light. He looked back at me, stunned. "What was that?"

"A fairy, dolt." Xavier said condescendingly.

I sent him a look of disapproval. "There aren't any fairies on earth, he had no way of knowing." I stood up and smiled at Dutchy. "We should probably move on."

We continued on past the stream, but not without Dutchy glancing back a few times in disbelief. "Da guys're neva' gonna believe dis one." He commented shakily.

Xavier sighed a little and I could tell he didn't approve of Dutchy's presence. I decided to ignore him and pointed a finger at an animal. "That's a shekleil." The creature looking something like a small dog. It had beady black eyes, ears like a panda bear, and a bushy tail like a squirrel would have. They usually varied in shades of blue and purple.

"Neva' heard of it." Dutchy said, inspecting it as carefully as he could from far away.

I smiled. "No, you haven't. They were forgotten long ago."

"It's kinda... cute." He said hesitantly.

"Yes it it." I nodded. "I believe it is of some relation to the sea squirrel."

"Sea squirrel?" He asked doubtingly.

"Uh-huh. It's um... well, much like the shekleil. The same ears, and a similar tail, only flatter like a beaver's... and it lives in the sea." I drew a shaky breath and grabbed Dutchy's hand, whispering so that Xavier wouldn't hear. "I don't like this, Dutchy. I do miss my friends here, but I don't want to go back. It's just this Telperion guy is strong, and I don't think I have a choice."

He smiled weakly, trying to hide fear. "Hey, whatever happens, I'll stay with you."

I shivered a little, feeling like I was being watched. "I'm scared, Dutchy. Something is just not right."

~*~*~*~*~

Follow the fairy to Part 2...