The Hunter

 The copper hovered above the Launchpad of the emptied hospital, Tonya and Corbin standing together with their group lingered off in the shadows of the building beneath their feet. As the metal bird touched down onto the steel platform, two soldiers swung open the hanger door and nodded to the two awaiting them.

“Are you Tonya and Corbin Marshall? We were given word that a team led by Ross McNeil will be meeting us here for further action on this matter,” the closest soldier stated as he moved forward to shake Corbin’s hand.

“That we are. We were given word that you would be meeting us here with quite the discovery,” Corbin retorted, Tonya standing close to his side while she glanced at a large cage contained in the copper. “We were told you all had found something lurking in the jungles while making your runs through the area known as Patrues. I was told that this something was quite the devilish being.”

 The two soldiers glanced between one-another before the closest one nudged the other back towards the copper to attend to the contents of the cage. There was a shrill from the cage as the soldier pulled at the chains, opening the cage and yanking a dark figure out of the copper. Fighting to relieve himself from his chained bondages was a human-like creature, his grown, messy hair falling over his ash-colored face as he hissed at his captors. The soldier brought the stumbling creature to the doctor and her husband, Tonya looking on in horror at the figure.

 He looked no more than an eighteen year old boy, his jet black locks dirtied and unruly over his golden eyes. The creature did not form words but instead a series of grunts and growls as he pulled at his bindings, the soldiers threatening to show him discipline if he continued to fight them.

“Oh my god,” Tonya bit her lip as she reached a steady hand towards the creature, a loud shriek escaping its lips as he pulled backwards from her reach. “This poor thing; he’s like an animal that has been neglected within life. It’s almost like he’s reverted to an animalistic state from being thrust into the wild at a young age.”

“That is why we brought him here,” the closest soldier nodded towards Tonya as Corbin stepped in front of her, examining the boy carefully. “We thought it was some strange predator from the land of Patrues but we soon found evidence that there had been shipwrecks into their savage lands many years ago. We believe he was on one of those ships and was the only one who was able to adapt to survive.”

 “We say that because he was the only one we could find,” the other soldier spoke up. “And it’s not like we can just ask him if there were others. He can’t speak from what we have seen. He’s just an animal now; no longer to be considered human.”

“He’s still human,” Tonya snipped at the soldier’s words, him stumbling back a bit at her forceful tone. The soldiers had heard of Tonya to be a peaceful doctor who always housed a smile despite the mood of the people around her in hopes to bring a light to their day. But right now, she was fuming with anger at the bound boy before her, looking murderously at the chains binding him. “This is no way to treat him. You’re scaring him with all this. He’s not going to cooperate like this.”

“He’s not a normal human like you or me, this boy is so deprived of human nourishment that he has reverted into an animalistic state. If we don’t bind him, he will attack us,” the other soldier growled, defending their actions. “He attacked us in the wild; we are merely doing this in order to defend us against his rage.”

“It’s not rage, he’s being territorial,” Tonya explained, carefully continuing to approach the boy’s form. “He is being protective of himself and his home. When a bunch of strangers come stomping into the land with strange items in their hands that can be seen as destructive, I can understand him wanting to defend himself against you. That is the problem with naïve people, you think that you’re at the center of the world and anything around you that you don’t understand is monstrous.”

“Tonya, that was a bit far,” Corbin said lightly, bowing his head at the offended soldiers. “She did not mean to insult you in the least. She has been very stressed with the lot she has been caring for; you know how kids are.”

The soldiers glanced between each other before nodding in understanding, watching Tonya carefully as she inched closer and closer to the creature. She kept her mind at peace with each step she took, her eyes now locked with those golden orbs that showed fear and curiosity. There was so much pain laid deep in those tortured orbs, Tonya holding back her emotions as she continued to hold out her hand for acceptance. The boy could read this from the woman’s expression and gave a slight nod before taking a single step forward towards Tonya.

“Hold it!” One of the soldiers misread the situation and yanked on the chains, taunting the boy with his weapon as the golden orbs grew wider. “Better stand down, creature!”

Tonya felt her heart sink at the situation that had just opened up around the group, the boy letting out a scream before summoning all his strength into his legs and arms. Yanking wildly at his binds, the metal chains began to tear at the pressure before snapping away so that the boy could escape. Corbin pulled Tonya away from the soldiers as they were forced back by the boy, the creature slamming their bodies into the ground before he scurried off into the building and down the flight of stairs.

“This isn’t good, he took your taunts as a threat!” Tonya growled at the soldiers before rushing towards the stairs, Corbin grabbing her wrist to keep her on the roof. “What are you doing, Corbin?! We have to get down there and stop them!”

“We will call the others to block the boy from leaving. You shouldn’t rush down there and get yourself hurt or killed,” Corbin mumbled before lifting up his communicator, speaking into the phone while Tonya continued to gaze down the steps. “Calling Group Bash, we have a situation. The subject has escaped into the building. Be prepared! Stop him from leaving but do not…I REPEAT…do not hurt him!”

*~*~*~*~*

“I didn’t do it!” Malice whined to her friends among her, shattered glass at her feet which were once apart of a single large Ming vase. The dark-skinned vampire in the corner chuckled at the girl’s reaction while the demon groaned at her childishness. This was a typical situation for the group of three when the two boys weren’t vying for the girl’s affection. And usually when that happens, the redhead simply ignored their quarrel while being mischievious on her own terms. This would usually end in the destruction of property or broken bones in others. You see, Malice is why we can’t have nice things.

“We know you didn’t do it, Malice,” Zachariah smirked over at the girl. “I saw the whole thing. This large monster came out of the wall and decided to take out his frustrations on that defenseless vase. You’re in the clear, my dear.”

“Don’t spoil her like that,” Calsim grumbled while he locked eyes with the vampire. “You’re just going to keep encouraging her to destroy things when she doesn’t get her way.”

“Heh, you’re one to talk, Demon,” Zachariah retorted, his smirk large as he noticed Calsim’s anger growing. “Oh, did I hit a sore spot with you? I’m so very sorry.”

“I’ll kill you, you little…!” Calsim was about to launch himself once more at the vampire but paused as his communicator rang up with Corbin’s voice flooding from the receiver.

“Calling Group Bash, we have a situation. The subject has escaped into the building. Be prepared! Stop him from leaving but do not…I REPEAT…do not hurt him!” Corbin’s voice echoed in the room, the group of three staring between each other before sighing in frustration.

“Bet its those incompetent soldiers’ fault,” the dark-skinned vampire growled as he pushed away from his spot against the wall, Malice moving close to Calsim’s side as the three of them gazed around for where the creature would access the room. “He’s coming from the roof so we’ll have to find the stairwell and wait for him there.”

“Wow, you do have a brain!” Calsim added, avoiding Zachariah’s fist as the redheaded girl rolled her hazel eyes behind them.

“Just go! We need to slow this guy down!” Malice snapped, stepping forward and leaving the boys to quarrel amongst themselves. It was only a matter of time before Malice was way ahead of the others, leaving them in her dust to duke it out amongst themselves while the mischievous redhead skidded to a stop by the stairwell on the other end of the building. There were no sounds coming from the stairwell, which somewhat confused the girl. They said he was coming down the stairs and that was the only set within the building. Where was he…? “Ah!”

Malice cursed as a darkened figure leapt down from above her in the stairwell, his golden orbs piercing into her hazel ones while he tackled her to the ground and pinned her there. The redhead tried to pull herself free of the creature’s grasps but he was much too strong for her.

“Get off of me!” Malice cried out, trying to kick the creature away but to no avail. “Help! Zee! Calsim! You jerks! Help me!”

“Pain…”

The soft voice echoed in Malice’s ears as she gasped, glancing up at the creature that was pinning her. Instead of looking like a deranged lunatic as what Malice thought he’d be, the boy pinning her down had a look of fear and pain in his eyes. He didn’t look like an animal like the soldiers had said. He was far from that; this boy was as human as they got.

“What did you say?”

“Pain…you have pain,” the boy whispered, laying himself down closer to the girl as he examined her pale face. Malice squeaked at their closeness, a tint of red forming on her cheeks as he laid there on top of her. “Did Marcol cause you pain? Marcol is sorry.”

“Pain? Marcol?” Malice blinked at the boy’s words, shivering at the feeling of his breath on her skin. “Hey…stop that. Marcol? Is your name Marcol?”

“Marcol is Marcol, yes,” the boy nodded though began to arch his back when the sound of footsteps came barreling down the hall towards them. Calsim and Zachariah were halted in the doorway within seconds, both of them surrounded by a murderous aura when they saw the boy on top of Malice’s body. “They not friends…”

“If you get off me, I can probably keep them from killing ya,” Malice whispered and gave a reassuring smile over towards the guys. “It’s ok, don’t attack him! See, you know you shouldn’t attack him if I’m saying don’t do it!”

“He probably is doing mind control on her or something,” Calsim joked though Zachariah was still not letting up his glare. “Mind getting off her, boy? You’re going to be in trouble if you don’t.”

Marcol growled but nodded and pulled away from the girl, Malice slipping away from him and pulling herself to her feet. The boy leaned back on his haunches while glancing around the group, reminding Malice of a puppy.

“He’s so cute!” Malice cheered as she began to pester the guys. “Oh gosh, can I keep him?! I always wanted a puppy!”

“He’s not a puppy, Malice…so no,” Calsim rolled his eyes as the three of them stared at the curious Marcol, a small tint of fear remaining in his eyes. “Don’t worry, kid…we aren’t going to hurt you.”

 “We’re going to love you and take care of you!” Malice piped in.

 “He’s not a puppy!” Calsim growled, quieting down as he held up the communicator. “Caught the boy; don’t rush over here or anything.”

 “Oh thank goodness, is he all right?” Tonya’s voice rung from the receiver as the group of three gave a light smile towards Marcol.

 “He’s fine, just a little spooked I guess,” Calsim stated before giving his attention to Marcol once more. “You’re the one they call the Hunter right?”

“Hunter is Marcol?” The boy questioned, his confusion evident in those golden orbs. Malice and Zachariah exchanged looks before Calsim stepped up to him and examined his body.

“Hunter? He’s really the hunter?” Zacariah piped in as he examined the boy on the ground. “He looks like a scared kid who’s running around without a shirt on. There’s no way this kid could be a killer.”

“That’s not exactly true,” Malice whispered as she skipped in between the boys with a smirk. “They used to say the same thing about me, remember?”

“It wasn’t really ‘you’ who was pushing forward with the killing though,” Zachariah retorted. “If I remember correctly, you were basically taken over by the will of a certain demon.”

“Shut it, now’s not the time, Zee,” Calsim said. “You’re the one known as the Hunter, Marcol. But don’t worry, you don’t have to hunt like that anymore. You’ll be fine. You’re safe with us.”

“Safe?” Marcol perked up at the word ‘safe’. “Marcol is free then?”

“Almost,” Calsim gave a smirk. “The doc’s still gotta look you over but she can help ya with your whole business and get you on your merry way.”

“So he’s coming home with us?!” Malice cheered happily while she leapt around in a circle. “Yay! We’re getting a pet! That’s so awesome!”

“He’s not a puppy, Malice. And he’s not something we should fear either,” Calsim knelt beside the boy, smiling at him while patting him lightly on the shoulder. “You’ll be safe with us. Don’t worry. No one’s going to hurt you anymore. I promise…”

*End*

She’ll Be Ok On Her Own

AN: This drabble is based off of my new Sci-Fi RP with Jamie Canyon! Will Talon and Analay are her two characters and Nomel is a city she created as well. I am simply borrowing them for story-telling purposes. I hope you guys enjoy the story!

Blond bangs stuck to her forehead as the sweat beaded on Harper’s brow, the mechanic pushing her muscles forward to venture the streets in the city of Nomel. She had gotten herself lost amongst the crowds of people as she pursued Will, the criminal managing to escape the lines of the cadets within the city and moving deep into the polluted city.

 Harper had to admit, she didn’t quite understand why this place would be so special to the dark-haired criminal. The murky confines of the city reminded Harper of a prison more so than a home. Even the lonely room Will was given to sleep in on Beta-10 seemed like paradise to this place. Dark figures seemed to linger together in the alleyways, their cold eyes locked on Harper’s form like a hawk hungering for attention. Despite all the technology hooked to her belt, Harper felt even more unsafe with every step she took.

 She would never admit it out loud but Harper longed to be in Will’s company once again, the criminal feeding her the sensation of being a protected princess when under his careful watch. Whenever Will was at her side, he made her feel safe. Like during their test to be ranked within the cadets, Will had protected Harper from her angered opponent who held a grudge at being embarrassed at her hand. He was there for her when he needed him most.

 Now Harper was alone, a slight sting of depression settling in her heart as she kept moving. The main reason the criminal ever wanted to return to Nomel was to escape the guards that kept him cuffed and by their side, never letting the boy move freely amongst his comrades. There was also his past that Harper knew little of; she was sure though that it was a factor in his leaving so suddenly.

 “Hey, look at the pretty lass over here!” Harper jumped at the sudden deep voice rising up from one of the alleyways, a small gang of five men beginning to stalk out of the darkness to surround her. “You’re coming with us tonight! We’ll show you a good old time!”

 “No thanks,” Harper tried her best to stay calm as she spoke; the gang blocked her points of exit as they circled her slowly. “Please leave me alone. I have no interest in going out with you guys. Just let me go home.”

 “Aw, the little girl’s scared,” one of the men chuckled as he began to reach for Harper’s hand. “Don’t worry, kiddy. We’ll take good care of you tonight.”

 “Besides, it’s not like you have a choice in the matter anyway,” another of the gang cackled, his strong hand placed on Harper’s shoulder as she gazed up with wide eyes. “Come on, let’s go!”

 *~*~*~*~*

 Stretching his aching limbs as he walked, Will made his way through the crowds and parked cars of the streets towards the highest point of the skyline. He clambered the fire escape of the building, refusing to glance down as he climbed up to the rooftop. Loitering against the railing of the roof, Will scanned his hazel eyes over his world and gave a smirk. He had finally made it home, the place he had longed to return to when he aimed to escape that metallic prison called Beta-10.

 “Well, wonder how long it will take them guards to figure out I’m out of the lines?” Will smirked as he stared towards the sunset over on the horizon. “Bet Snips already figured it out. Hope she’s not going to get herself into trouble trying to bring me back. If she knew what was good for everyone, she would leave me be…”

 Will paused for a moment, frowning at the sudden vision of Harper’s tear-streaked face forming in his mind. He felt plagued by her saddened look and her reach for him but her never able to catch up to him. It was heartbreaking to see the girl then collapse down on the ground, unable to hold back her cries as she screamed out his name.

“That’s not going to happen,” Will snapped at himself, giving his head a light bang on the railing to send out the visions from his mind. “The air must be making me hallucinate or something. There’s no way she would do that. Snips will be ok on her own; she’s Harper Quentin after all. That girl, though sometimes needing an extra push, was actually quite strong for a girl her small size. She will be ok on her own.”

Will went silent as he heard a door beginning to open for the roof access, the criminal hiding behind the vent shafts as two lowly criminals moved onto the roof and lit up a couple cigarettes. They seemed to be chuckling about some teammates of theirs finding a rare flower on the streets and they were cornering her now to snatch her from the streets.

 “So, a rare flower, huh?” One of the men said with a smirk, taking a whiff of his cigarette. “Did you get a good look at her? What was she like?”

 “Aw man, she was quite the young beauty,” the other man cackled before continuing, shaking the ash from his own cigarette. “She had a small form and eyes the color of a sunset; she seemed lost so they figured she would be the easiest thing to catch.”

 Will bit his lip as he listened to the words of the two men, straining to hear every word they had to say. He frowned with the girl’s description being spoken by the men, trying his best not to rush into a panic. He couldn’t be sure but he knew that the only person he’s ever met that had eyes like a sunset was Harper. But she wouldn’t be the type to rush out blindly by herself to catch up to him. Wait…yes she would…that was what she did best, rushing into anything without much of a thought-out plan.

 “Gosh, those eyes were so amazing. And her hair was pretty nice too,” the man smirked. “Blond bangs while the rest is a rich, red color. She’s totally a looker man. You should have seen her!”

Yep, that was Snips all right. Will felt his anger build up within him as he dashed from his hiding place, punching away the lesser knowing of the two men before slamming the other’s head into the railing.

“Where is she? Where’s the girl you were talking about?” Will growled as he waited for an answer, banging the man’s head once more when he received none. “Tell me now!”

“Cool it man, what’s your deal?!” The man cried out as he tried to break himself free from Will’s grasps, unable to pull away as Will began to push him over the railing towards the open air. “Hey, hey stop! I’ll tell you! Just don’t do this!”

“You have five seconds…one…two…three…fo…”

“She’s being cornered on Reddles street, by the main alleyways near the markets!” The man screamed out, nearly passing out as Will threw him back onto the roof without a care.

“Thanks for the tip,” Will hissed as he began to move towards the fire escape. “You ever touch her again…or be associated with anyone else who touches her…you’ll all die…got it?”

Will wasn’t about to wait around for an answer from a disoriented hooligan so he slid down the fire escape and began to jump from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit of the troublesome girl. His speed granted him a high advantage as he made it to Reddles Street within minutes, though the sight he was dealt with was not what he was expecting. There were motionless bodies of hooligans all scattered amongst the alleyway, their unconscious bodies fallen victim some type of stun device. Will glanced over to a wrecked car to see Harper curled up on the roof, her knees to her chest as she buried her face to hide her likely tears.

“Guess you really could be ok on your own,” Will mumbled as he moved to the side of the car, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder which made her jump at the touch. “Hey, you ok? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“Will!” Harper cried out as she clung to his side, her tears soaking his shirt as the criminal sighed. She might have been able to handle them physically but it seemed to emotionally take a toll on her. “I was so scared! These guys hopped out from the alley and cornered me. I acted quickly to stun them all which brought more over. I was scared I wasn’t going to be able to take them! And why did you leave me, huh? Is that how you think the girl who’s been epic to you all this time?”

Will let the girl continue her tearful rant, a soft smile appearing on his lips as he kept up with their light embrace. The dark-haired criminal was happy that she seemed to rely on him for things still, though it was clear she could handle the fights all on her own. And the fact that she was crying because he left her to venture off into his home world gave Will the feeling of being cared for. He had to admit, it was a pretty nice feeling for something he had never experienced before.

“You’re a real jerk, you know that,” Harper snapped as she pouted by his side, glaring up at him with sunset-colored eyes. “Don’t you ever leave me like that again, you jerk. I’ll beat you up if you do.”

“Can’t do a thing without me, huh?” Will smirked as he nodded, letting Harper continue to cling to him as he sat beside her. “Yeah, no problem Snips. I’ll be here for you.”

*End*

Come With Me

AN: This drabble is based off of my new Sci-Fi RP with Jamie Canyon and Will Talon and Analay are her two characters. I am simply borrowing them for story-telling purposes. I hope you guys enjoy the story!

The room that had come to be Will Talon’s home away from home was bare save for the slab of brick covered in sheets referred to as his bed. The floor seemed more inviting for his fatigued body but Will gave a shrug and brought himself upon the bed, stirring about in the sheets as he aimed for a comfortable spot. After a few minutes of his hunt, the criminal moaned as he realized he had made a mistake in not choosing the floor to snooze upon.

“Lights out, Talon!” A deep voice, belonging to one of the guards, sounded from the hallway. Will could hear a loud switch from outside and the single bulb hovering at the center of his room began to flicker until all that was left was darkness. “Got a big day tomorrow!”

“Yay for me,” Will grumbled, tossing and turning in the sheets once more as he glared up at the vent above. It lingered there, a gateway for cool air to weave its way into the bare room that was Will’s home. And, on occasion, it was a gateway for a familiar ‘Snips’ to crash through and invade the criminal’s solitary confinement. Will could see the reddish orbs peeking through the vent’s gate and he sighed, knowing that this was one of those familiar occasions. “There’s a door, Snips…have you ever heard of using this type of technology?”

“That’s a boring way to think, now isn’t it Grumps?” A voice chimed from above, the vent gate swinging open as a light shown down from above. There, hovering above the boy, was Harper Quentin shining a flashlight down on Will while smirking away without a care. The lounging criminal would have complained had it been the first time this had happened, however it had occurred so many times that he had grown accustomed to Harper’s pestering. In fact, if an evening ever occurred that he didn’t find Snips diving from the vent shaft, Will would probably think that the girl got herself into some trouble. “Besides, it’s lights out and no one wants anybody visiting the ‘dangerous criminal’ Will Talon.”

 “Isn’t the dangerous one the girl sneaking around in the vent and invading other people’s rooms without permission?” Will questioned, groaning as Harper’s path of light crossed into his eyesight. “Hey watch it! And hurry up and get down here already. There’s no point in trying to stop you when you tend to just do whatever you want anyways. Just let me get off the bed first so you can land.”

 “Actually…” Harper smirked as she let her arm linger down towards Will, the criminal eyeing her hand cautiously as she waved him up. “I’ve got an invite for you this time. Got something to show you! Come on and climb up here.”

Will’s hazel orbs glared at the girl, finding her pestering even more aggravating than usual. Though, he had to admit, he did enjoy her company. Unlike the rest of the ship, Harper actually seemed to be interested in having him for company and speaking to him without expecting something in return. Harper, believe it or not, was a precious friend to him…not that Will would ever admit it.

“Yo Snips, you forget they cuff me?” Will held up his hands, showing off the silver accessories slapped on his wrists. “I can’t really move all that well…let alone escape with you into the vents.”

“That’s no problem, I can get you out of those cuffs,” Harper chimed as she began to fumble with her belt, pulling out a few tools and waving them above Will’s tired body. “Stand up so I can unlock the cuffs! Then we can go!”

“You’re being crazy, Snips,” Will frowned as he turned over, leaving the girl hovering above him with a confused look on her face. “I don’t wanna go on your crazy escapades. Just let me sleep.”

“Aw, don’t be such a baby!” Harper snipped as she reached her hand down again towards the boy, her eyes intense as they awaited his next move. “Look, I’ll have you back before anyone notices. I just want to show you something. Now come on!”

 The frown on the boy’s lips soon faded as he caught a glimpse of the girl’s expression, seeing how determined she was to get him out of the room and out with her. Will had to admit, he was curious as to what this girl had planned. However, he was already on thin ice with the guards…would everything really be ok?

 “Come on Will,” Harper began to whine, the criminal rolling his hazel orbs as she pushed himself up onto his feet.

“One hour; that’s all you’re getting from me,” Will snapped, throwing up his wrists towards the girl as she began to tinker with the cuffs. “Just hurry up and free me so we can go.”

  Within seconds, the silver accessories were unlatched as they fell back onto the bed, Will staring up in amazement at the girl’s quick movements. Harper looked pleased with herself as she sheathed her tools, holding out her hand again and helping to pull Will up into the vent. The criminal tensed up as he could feel the strain the girl was having on her arms but she kept going until he was finally safe inside the confines of the vent shaft.

 “Well, where we going?” Will questioned, Harper already crawling away and leaving him in the dust. “Hey, I’m talking here. You listening to me?”

 No answer. Harper was too focused in maneuvering through the confined spaces and pushing herself out into the main hall as quietly as possible. Once she found the coast was clear, Harper reached into the vent and grabbed the criminal’s arm, pulling him out and to her side.

“Where we going, Snips?” Will repeated, Harper again ignoring him completely as she pulled him after her down the hall. “Snips, you’re killin’ me here.”

 Will felt more aggravated with every passing second, so he just remained silent altogether. He followed closely at Harper’s heels while she weaved through the halls undetected, the girl giving a triumphant smirk as she neared a large door at the end of the hall. With a pause for effect, most likely, Harper opening the door slowly as a wave of fresh scents poured from its containments.

 Will had heard about the greenhouse from the other cadets, being a place of complete relaxation and peace. The criminal felt their words were false, unable to believe in a place that was so magnificent in this homemade metallic prison known as Beta-10. However, as he took in the strange surroundings, he couldn’t help but feel a calm take over his body. The trees and plants scattered about the gardens in the greenhouse were amazing to see reaching for the starry galaxy outside of the dome. Beside the criminal, Harper smiled happily as she skipped forward, falling back to lay amongst the flowers.

“So this is your big surprise, huh?” Will mumbled, pretending to sound not-amused as he sat down beside Harper’s lounging body. “Don’t see why you’re so excited, Snips?”

“It’s the best place to be on Beta-10 besides in the cockpit of a mobile suit or a space craft,” Harper retorted, taking in a whiff of the air around her as she smiled happily. “Don’t you just love it?”

“Meh, it’s nothing special, Snips,” Will rolled his eyes as the reddish-eyes of Harper immediately glared upon him for his comment. “What? Just stating what’s on my mind. You should know that about me by now.”

“You can fool the rest of Beta-10 but you can’t fool me,” Harper smirked up at the criminal, pulling him down to lay down beside her. “Now lay back and relax. You’ve been so tense since you got to Beta-10 from your home planet. You can’t even hope to get back there if you’re stressing all time.”

“I’m not trying to go back,” Will retorted.

 “Yeah right, you can’t fool me,” Harper giggled, the criminal groaning at her response. After a few more bickering comments between the two, Harper and Will laid together in silence as they glanced up at the stars beyond the treetops and glass. Will felt his soul relax as he laid there, a smile slowly creeping up on his lips as he inched his hand towards where Harper’s laid.

 “Thanks for this, Snips ,” Will finally spoke, a calm between the two of them as he continued. “You’re right; I have been stressed ever since these jerks snatched me up and brought me here. I hate Beta-10; it’s a prison for someone like me. But I guess this place right here isn’t so bad. Yeah, it’s actually pretty nice. I’m shocked this place has something this amazing within it. Guess you probably spend a lot of time here if it’s one of your favorite places.”

 Silence was the only thing Will was met with as he spoke, the boy blinking in confusion before tilting his head towards the girl lounging beside him.

“Snips, you listening?” Will growled after his question, the girl obviously asleep beside him. Her peaceful breaths were soothing to the ear though Will couldn’t help but feel slightly ignored once again by Harper. “Of course you’re not listening…you’re asleep…why do I even bother talking?”

 Will continued to lay there beside the slumbering girl, his smile returning as he took hold of her hand in his own. Harper was oblivious to his actions, though the warmth in her hand caused her to smile as well and cuddle up close to the criminal. Hazel eyes stayed on the girl as she slept, to Will being the only thing within the greenhouse worth viewing at that moment. He plucked a flower from the field they laid upon and slipped it behind the girl’s ear, smiling at her as she slept there soundly.

“Night Snips,” Will held tightly to her hand as he kissed Harper’s cheek, lying with her until time drew towards the wake-up call. Not wanting to wake the girl, Will let her rest amongst the flowers as he went back down his route in the vent shaft, eventually landing once more into his room where he latched himself with his handcuffs and waited for the guards to take him to breakfast.

*~*~*~*~*

The dark-haired criminal was led to the cafeteria and sat down at the table with his friend Analay Kennedy, the girl cadet glancing up at Will with a smile as she waited for the guards to leave. Once she knew the coast was clear, Analay frowned at Will while holding up her compact screen.

 “Do you know about Harper’s sleeping in the greenhouse last night?” Analay questioned. “They found her lounging about in the flowers like it was no big deal. Honestly, I love her to death but she needs to stop breaking the rules.  She knows about the curfew…”

 “Sounds to me like she just wanted a little place of her own to relax,” Will said with a smirk, Analay giving him a questionable look. “No, I didn’t know anything about it until you brought it up.”

 Analay grumbled more about her friend not being responsible and possibly getting herself arrested but Will just ignored her and smirked. The picture upon the screen was Harper sound asleep amongst the flowers, her smile brighter than ever. Tucked behind her ear was a single flower, the flower he had given her as she slept holding his hand.

 “Heh, that’s my Snips,” Will said to himself with a smirk, waiting for the girl to finally break away from the guards and make her way to his side once more.

 *End*

Fit for a Prince

Disclaimer: This drabble is based off an RP that I’m a part of. Matthew and Kayla belong to Jamie Canyon and Sarah belongs to Lulu.

For Jamie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Moonlight danced upon the sheets of Matthew’s bed as he held his snoozing sister in his grasps, finally calm from her crying fit just an hour beforehand. The shaggy-haired teen was exhausted yet he kept his light brown orbs open as the loud ticking from the hall rang in his ears. The large grandfather clock’s pendulum swung back and forth out in the hall as it tolled for the midnight hour, Matt’s smile growing wide as he listened to each chime.

“Heh, Happy Birthday Matt,” the boy whispered, lifting up his sleeping sister within his arms and returning her to her own bed. A small yawn escaped the confines of his lips but the boy simply shrugged it off and moved to the desk on the other side on the other side of his room. He pulled out the wooden chair softly from its home under the desk, taking a seat there as he reached for the toys sprawled out on the flat surface of the desk. Matt admired the handiwork of each of Kayla’s toys the Toymaster had carefully crafted for her, each one more beautiful than the last. “Lucky kid…she’s getting spoiled in this world. Then again…so am I…”

There was a pause from the boy as he noticed one of the drawers slightly opened with something twinkling in the moonlight. His eyes glanced through his shaggy bangs down at the object, Matt reaching for the drawer and pulling it out lightly to gaze inside. A small, silver-wrapped package sat amongst the papers within the desk, a large red bow sitting atop it with a single note. It read, “For Matt.”

“For me?” Matt’s cheeks blushed as he lifted up the package in his hand, a small smile crept onto his lips as he shook it lightly. “Heh, someone actually knew it was my birthday? Must be from Kayla.”

The boy paused, glancing back at his sister, before he ripped at the wrapping paper as silently as possible. Within seconds, Matt opened the box and stared at its contents in shock. It was a video camera; Kori’s video camera. A small note strung to the camera hung there, addressing Matt to pick up the camera and watch the tape within it.

“This is…” Matt lifted the camera up from the contents of the box, doing as the note instructed and turning on the tape to watch. The boy’s cheeks burned red as Kori appeared on the small LED screen, waving at Matt as she blushed and smiled at him. “Kori?”

“Hey Matt! I hope you didn’t have much trouble finding this!” Kori giggled as she winked at the camera. “I’m sure you were trying to keep this a secret about it being your special day but Kayla spilled the beans, so sorry but I just couldn’t resist. I decided to make you a video birthday card since I wanted to be the first to wish you a very happy and special birthday, my prince! I wanted to do it in person but just in case I somehow failed in my attempts, I made this card especially for you!”

“Kori,” Matt’s smile brightened as he watched the screen, feeling as if Kori was really sitting there across from him and wishing him happiness. He found her words adorable, especially when she stumbled with her words and had to start over with whatever she was saying. It was such a raw piece but to Matt…it was the greatest thing he had ever seen in his life; Kori’s best work.

“I really hope that you have the best birthday ever, Matt,” Kori blushed even more as she became even more shy before the lens. “I love you…my prince.”

The screen went dark with the end of the video, the shaggy-haired boy standing in place like an emotional statue as he replayed the whole scene in his mind. His heart skipped a beat as he repeated the final words out loud, red cheeks burning even more while he eased back into the seat.

“I have to see her,” Matt whispered as he placed the camera onto the desk, leaping up from his chair and reaching for the door. His light brown eyes widened as he opened the door to the hallway, noticing a sleeping figure sitting up against the wall outside the doorframe. “Kori?”

The red-haired princess was snuggled up underneath a blanket, her soft breaths even as something rested upon her lap. It looked like a small cake, decorated with toy soldiers drawn with icing. The writing upon the cake read ‘Happy Birthday Prince’, written carefully by the girl sleeping away in the hall.

“Gosh, you deserve so much better. Why do you do all these wonderful things for something like me?” Matt chuckled as he knelt down onto the ground beside the snoozing girl, kissing her lightly on the cheek before settling in beside her. He carefully threw his arm over the girl’s shoulder and held her close to him, sitting there quietly as he waited for her to awaken in his arms. “I love you too…my princess…”

*End*

I Wants A Cuppycake

For Rex

The sound of Selphie’s boots hitting the marble floors reverberated through the hall, the steampunk princess keeping her strides wide as she walked. A stitched-up teddy bear swung from her grasp, swaying along with each wide step. Her blond curls, usually tight in a bun under her ribboned top hat, hung down and cascaded upon her slim shouldered frame. Several trinkets jiggled from her belt with each step taken as the woman rounded the corner, only pausing at the sudden soft voice at her side.

“Can I has a cuppy cake?”

Selphie’s eyes, a unique shade amethyst, grew wide at the sudden chime, the woman turning towards the tiniest form of Emily Marshall; the four year old daughter of Tonya and Corbin. Her cheeks were flushed from her tears flowing downward, the crestfallen auburn-haired child now gripping tightly to Selphie’s skirt. Selphie couldn’t help but twitch at the sudden notion of the girl pulling at her properly cared for attire with her usually sticky hands, risking those salted tears on the fabric. However, Selphie kept her emotionless stare as she addressed the child beside her.

“What did you say, Miss Emily?” Selphie questioned calmly, Alonso still swaying within her grasps as she awaited the answer from the child.

“I wants a cuppy cake!” Emily screamed as she began her tantrum, pulling tighter along the threads of the skirt in a threat to rip it apart. Selphie gazed down in horror before snatching the skirt from the child’s grasps, furious as Emily began to stomp around the hall in anger. “Give me my cuppy cake!”

“Don’t do that, Emily. That is not a way for good girls to behave,” Selphie mumbled while still keeping her calm composure, despite the infuriating actions of the child. “Where’s your mother and father, Emily? I’m sure they can help you with the…cuppy cake thing.”

“Momma and Dadda out with Aiden,” Emily whined as she tried to reach for Selphie’s skirt, the steampunk princess stepping out of her reach. “Aiden’s cyberness needed upgrades I think. Something about brudder’s body beginning to malfunction from getting beaten up too much by Malice.”

“Out taking care of Aiden hm?” Selphie repeated, her amethyst eyes glancing around with hopes that she would find another person to take the child off of her hands. “Did they leave anyone in charge of you?”

“Malice,” Emily stated simply, raising a small hand to gesture down the hallway somewhere. “She got angry with Calsim and Zachariah and went chasing them out of the base. She lefted me too!”

Selphie groaned at the thought of Malice actually being entrusted with Emily’s safety from her parents. Sure, the hammer-wielding redhead had taken a turn for the better after her treatment with Tonya and Calsim’s transformation…but she still had some anger issues to deal with. When Calsim wasn’t in his hammer form, he was lulling about the base letting his work be taken care of by others. And Zachariah, well, he enjoyed a good chase every now and then; especially when it meant tormenting his redheaded girl of interest. Throwing all three of them together meant a rampage of doom…Selphie prayed that they weren’t causing trouble for the boss.

However, it seemed that Selphie had more important things to take into account. There was a little four year old girl pestering her about “cuppy cakes” when Selphie obviously had no idea how to deal with children.

“Do you have any idea when your mother and father will be back?” Selphie questioned as calmly as possible.

“No!” Emily snapped back, the steampunk princess beginning to show slight emotion in her eyes. Biting her lip to hold in her screams of frustration, Selphie began her questions once more.

“Emily, don’t shout like that. Now is there anyone else here that can aid you right now? I’m trying to…”

“No! No! No! There’s no one else!” Emily whined more as the tears cascaded down from her dark chocolate eyes and onto her pink dress. “Everyone left me! Mommy! Daddy! Aiden! Malice! Zacha…!”

“All right, stop!” Selphie let the scream escape her lips but she quickly composed herself, noticing Emily now quiet and staring up at her in shock. “I’m sorry but having a tantrum will solve nothing. You said you wanted a cuppy cake, correct? I would assume this to be a cupcake?”

Emily seemed to nod her whole body in reply to the question, her smile peeking through those tears of hers. Selphie tried her best to stay calm as she thought up the solution in her mind. Though she was quite the expert at inventions and machines, Selphie was a terrible cook. There was no doubt in her mind though that Emily was fretting because there were no cupcakes in the kitchen, so the steampunk princess sighed heavily before speaking.

“If I make you a cupcake…will you be good?” Selphie asked hesitantly, the young girl quickly nodding her head in anticipation. “Very well; follow me to the kitchen and I will do my best.”

Selphie began her wide strides once more towards the kitchen, Emily having to skip to keep up with her pace. The pristine countertops and stainless steel stove shimmered in the light, Selphie approaching them cautiously as she tried to come up with a plan. She would need a recipe, but where would she find one? The steampunk princess tried to learn her way around this strange environment, Emily watching her in confusion while Selphie leapt at the knifes falling from their block that she happened to knock over carelessly.

“This place is dangerous,” Selphie mumbled as she regained her composure once more, beginning to search the cabinets for anything helpful. “Emily, do you know how to make cupcakes? Has your mother ever taught you how to make them?”

The young girl shook her head in response, a small glimmer of sadness reappearing in her chocolate brown eyes as she took a seat at the counter. Selphie simply groaned at the reaction and quickly began to shovel different ingredients out of the cabinets, some that would be good for cupcakes and some that…just weren’t right.

“Well, I’ll just have to improvise,” Selphie stated proudly while she sat the things atop the counter. “Here we go…”

*~*~*~*~*

Aiden’s newly fitted cybernetic limbs worked wonderfully as he began down the steps of the base towards the main hall, Tonya and Corbin following closely at his heels in case their son happened to need their assistance. The teen sighed as he stretched himself fully, Corbin patting his shoulder while Tonya continued forward into the hall.

“I hope it wasn’t a bad decision to leave our daughter in the care of Malice,” Tonya mumbled as she moved towards the main den. The woman paused in the doorway, eyeing the three occupants on the couch in curiosity. There was the demon cloaked in a human disguise, a breakdancing vampire and a redheaded girl sitting calmly between them. There had been some obvious conflicts judging by the fresh debris on the floor and holes in the wall, but there was one thing that Tonya noticed was not in the room. “Malice, where’s Emily?”

“Huh?” Malice tilted her head back to stare at Tonya in question, her red curls threatening to escape her braids as she pondered. “What are you…?”

It only took Malice a few seconds for her hazel eyes to widen in shock as she leapt to her feet and began to search the room wildly. Zachariah and Calsim both followed the girl’s movements with interest, though not bothering to pluck themselves from their seats and help.

“She was here a little while ago!” Malice shrieked as debris flew through the air, Zachariah and Calsim finally dodging and stumbling over to where Tonya stood. “Oh god, I’m a horrible person! Where are you, Emily?!”

The entire group was silenced as a loud boom came from down the hall, smoke pouring out of the kitchen like a tsunami. Tonya was the first to the scene, everyone fast on her heels as they tried to figure out what had occurred. Barreling out of the smoke was an ashened figure holding a cheering four year old Emily in her arms, also covered with ash from the smoke.

“What the hell just happened?!” Tonya gasped, taking Emily from the steampunk princess as Selphie tried to catch her breath. “I’m gone for maybe an hour and you blow up the kitchen? Emily, what were you doing with Selphie in the first place? Someone explain to me what’s going on!”

“I believe it’s very simple,” Selphie retorted, wiping the soot from her face as she groaned at her dirtied threads. “Emily was left when Malice and the two idiots were pestering one another instead of watching the child. I was found by your daughter in the hall who demanded cuppycakes! And so, to quiet her down, I decided to try and make cuppycakes.”

The group all gawked at Selphie as she spoke, trying to understand just how she had managed to blow up the kitchen in doing a simply task as making cupcakes.

“How did the smoke and explosions happen?” Tonya questioned, wiping the ash from her cheeks.

“She was pouring everything into the bowl!” Emily chimed in happily. “I even think she put her teddie into the batter!”

“Oh no, Alonso!” Selphie shrieked, rushing back into the smokescreen in fear. “I’m coming for you, dearest!”

There was a silence amongst the group before Malice, Calsim and Zachariah chuckled together and waved the smoke from the air. Tonya and Corbin both eyed them curiously, especially when Aiden also joined into the laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Corbin asked the group.

“Selphie’s never been allowed in the kitchen before said the boss!” Malice giggled as she spoke. “I always thought it was a little extreme but I can see now why Selphie’s been banned there. She blows it up upon impact!”

Tonya rolled her eyes at the laughing members of the group, returning her attention to the smokescreen barreling out of the kitchen that no-doubt resembled that of a town in the aftermath of a hurricane. She wasn’t sure what all she had managed to use in this little escapade but Tonya knew that Selphie’s ban would return at full force. After all, who the hell would add a teddy bear as an ingredient to a cupcake batter?

“Hey Mommy,” Emily whined, breaking her mother from her thoughts. “I still wants a cuppycake!”

*End*

A Vampire’s Rant

AN: Just a little note as I’m posting this! This is strictly for the lolz~! I also wrote this while I was sporting a major headache just to keep up with my drabble a day goal so I hope you guys enjoy it~!

Then den was strangely peaceful despite its company, the ghostly form of Jaime nestled on the couch as he tinkered with the remote for the television. Malice stretched out on the couch beside him, the redhead grumbling to herself as she continued to seek a comfortable spot. Baby blue eyes glanced over in interest, following the girl’s movements as she swung her body around so that her legs hung off the back of the couch and her head hung off the cushion. Wavy red locks cascaded down towards the floor as Malice glanced onward with hazel eyes, trying to cure her boredom without her malicious demonic companion.

“Turn it to something awesome!” Malice whined as she tapped the boy’s forehead with her foot, Jaime smacking it away while sneering is disgust. “Turn it to something explosive!”

“You know you don’t have to do everything Malice says, Jaime,” Selphie mumbled from the table, continuing to sew Alonso’s limp arm with focused eyes.

“I don’t want her to kill me,” Jaime mumbled as he continued to flip through the channels, pausing while a loud boom was heard from the hallway. “Hmm? What was that?”

Within seconds, a strong wind blew throughout the room, the door unhinged and forced into the air before crashing down in the middle of the den. Selphie glanced up from her teddy bear in concern; Malice continued to stare at the television uninterested in the sudden door launch; Jaime screaming like a little girl as he cowered in his seat.

“What the hell is going on?!” Jaime cried out in fear, a dark figure stomping through the now open doorway. “Zachariah?! Oh my god, the boss is going to kill us when he sees the door!”

The dark-skinned vampire halted atop the splintered door at his feet, his anger evident in his golden-eyed glare. A trail of sweat fell from his brow, his dreaded hair pulled back so they did not fall over his face.

“I’m going to kill every little girl in that world,” Zachariah hissed, the others eyeing him curiously.

“What are you talking about?” Selphie mumbled, returning her glance to Alonso though keeping her ears to the vampire. “And did whatever it was really justify destroying our door? Where are your manners, Zachariah?”

“Zee’s blocking the television,” Malice mumbled, the others ignoring her whines as Zachariah began his rant.

“These bloody girls in the recent world I just had a mission in!” The vampire snapped, sweat flying from his brow as he stomped about the debris. “I can’t believe them! Just hearing I’m a vampire and they start shrieking like fan girls! And they kept pushing me in sunlight to see if I…!”

There was a sudden pause as the vampire gulped, bringing a hand up to his forehead to wipe away the sweat. Jaime kept his eyes focused on the dark figure before him, the ghost boy at the edge of his seat as he awaited Zachariah’s next words.

“Zee’s still blocking the television,” Malice whined again, though no one listened to her.

“They wanted to see if I…sparkle!” Zachariah let out a shriek, continuing his rant as he kicked around the debris. “What the hell does that even mean?! Vampires do not sparkle! Yet these girls are screaming about how all vampires sparkle! What the hell?! Vampires don’t sparkle!”

“Sparkle?” Selphie said with a slight smirk, trying her best to keep her focus on the teddy bear’s arm. “Well, isn’t that interesting? And you figured that you needed to take your anger out on the door?”

“Zee’s still blocking the television,” Malice repeated once more, though again she was ignored. Her hazel eyes began to twitch in anger, her fists balling up as she prepared to launch.

“Are you even listening to me?! They said that vampires sparkle!” Zachariah ranted before being silenced by Malice’s figure flipping from the couch and slumping over to the table where Selphie glanced on in confusion. “Hey Malice, are you listening to what I’m saying?!”

The redhead growled as she reached towards the table, ripping a small container out of Selphie’s crafting chest and stomping over to Zachariah’s side. With one move, she unscrewed the lid and tossed the containers contents onto the vampire in question, Zachariah now dowsed in glitter as he gawked. Jaime stared at the scene in fear of a fight about to break out while Selphie could no longer contain her laughter.

“Now you look like that robot-sounding singer that sparkles,” Malice snipped with a smirk. “What was her name? Kesha? Now you are Kesha!”

“What the hell?!” Zachariah fumed in place, trying his best not to strangle the girl at his side.

“Well let’s on the bright side,” Selphie piped in. “Now Vampires do sparkle!”

*End*

The One Who Tames The Beasts

The path towards the cliffs was strenuous and troublesome but Korin bared it as she continued her hike over the rocks. The redhead paused and turned her attention back from where she came, a beautiful view at the port city below her. She could even see the top of the Library of the Worlds nestled snap dab in the middle.

“Looks so tiny down there,” Korin whispered to the small fruit bat resting in her curls, digging through her satchel resting at her hip and pulling out a leather-bound journal and an inked sketch pen. The redhead took a seat on a close by rock, her red curls cascading over her eyes as she began to sketch the sight below her. It was rare for her to catch such a glimpse of her home and the way the sun hit the buildings was simply magnificent. Sitzu hung down from his nest of curls and squeaked proudly at his master’s talent, following every stroke of her pen with interest. “I bet Master Drelo has gotten to see this view many times before.”

“You know this is private property, right?” The question made the redhead jump from her seat, her journal falling at her feet as the woman turned to see a brawny man glancing down at her with forest green eyes blocked by his unruly black curls. Three large bags of feed were hurdled over his shoulder despite their weight, the man handling them with ease. “You’re trespassing kiddo.”

“I’m not a kid!” Korin retorted on instinct, though growing quiet as she noticed his glare intensify over her. “I’m sorry; I did not mean to come up without notice. You’re Ozi, are you not?”

The rugged man’s eyes sparked at the mention of the name, lowering the bags off his shoulder and down onto the rocks before beginning to encircle the woman before him. His tanned skin was glistening with sweat though he still moved as easily as ever, Korin amazed at how well he was able to hold up to strenuous work. Whenever the twins had to do heavy lifting, they would use simple magic spells to do the work for them instead of relying on their own strengths Korin knew they possessed. They really were a bunch of lazy bums when it came down to it.

“I’m Ozi, yes; are you the apprentice of Drelo?” The man mumbled, ending his revolving around Korin while staring down at the journal on the ground. Korin saw this and stood timidly in place, her bat companion snuggling deeper into her curls in hopes to hide himself from the stranger.

“I…am,” Korin stuttered, recoiling under the man’s intense stare. “I’m Korin…Master Drelo told me to travel here and examine the newest addition.”

“Good news travels fast,” Ozi said as his mouth twisted into a forced smile, returning his attention to the bags on the rocks. “I was expecting someone a bit older…also expected a man.”

Icy blue orbs grew wide at the man’s words, Korin gawking at him as Ozi grumbled and lifted up the bags over his shoulder once more. The redhead felt insulted by the man, her cheeks burning wildly as she clenched her fists at her side. She might have been young compared to the scholarly men living throughout Peloquinn but she was still fit to be the apprentice of the great Master Drelo. Sure, she had no magic abilities whatsoever but she still had extensively knowledge of the many worlds beyond her own.

“Hey Kiddo! Stop lollygagging,” a voice called from further up the path, Korin breaking away from her thoughts to notice Ozi already climbing up towards the top of the cliffs. “There’s a time and place for daydreams and now isn’t one of them.”

“Ah, coming,” Korin grumbled, kneeling down and dusting off the journal and pen before returning them to her satchel. Then, rising back to her stance, the redhead reached up to stroke her hidden bat’s head while following after the tanned-skinned man in the lead.

After a few moments of stumbles and groans, Korin finally pulled herself up onto the flat-land at the top of the cliffs. She paused to catch her breath, her glare intensifying as she noticed Ozi continuing on towards a large cabin instead of waiting for her. Sitzu lowered himself from his nest of curls, landing on his master’s shoulder as he peeked up at her worryingly.

“I’m fine Sitzu, I’m just a little frustrated with our company is all,” Korin gave a reassuring smile to her companion, kissing him lightly on the forehead before trying her best to catch up with the man. “Wait up, Ozi! You’re not being a very good host!”

“You’re the one who came up here without my consent,” Ozi said simply, keeping his attention forward despite Korin finally making it to his side. “I’m not aiming to be a good host to someone who does not have the manners to send word before arrival.”

“Hey, that’s not fair! I thought Master Drelo called you and told you I was coming!” Korin snapped in response, quickly relenting once more to not cause grief to her master. “I apologize for that, I am just here to examine the new arrival. Might I see it?”

“Its inside,” Ozi came to the door and paused, glancing over his shoulder back at the redhead. “Hey…don’t panic or anything in here. Just remain calm and let them get a feel for you, all right?”

Korin stood awkwardly behind the man, trying her best not to seem fearful at his words. She knew that she was at the cliffs of the Beast Tamers but she did not fully comprehend what type of beasts resided in this large home before her. The redhead took a step backwards as her thoughts flooded of large, dangerous creatures all waiting inside to gobble her up and spit out her bones. Her gulp was like a pin dropped in silence as Korin began to shiver in place, Ozi rolling his eyes at the sight.

“I told you not to panic,” Ozi snapped. “Calm down or I’m going to have to leave you out here.”

“But I was told to see the newcomer!” Korin whined, blushing as her voice cracked.

“Then calm down,” Ozi repeated, reaching for the knob slowly. “Or like I said, you’re getting left out here.”

Korin frowned but nodded, keeping her stance firm as Ozi turned the knob and slowly opened the door. Almost immediately, Ozi was forced backwards while a wave of tiny dragon forms came zooming out of the home, tackling Korin to the ground as they examined the fearful newcomer. Korin gulped once more but kept her scream within her throat, trying to remain as calm as possible to her new prodding company. Sitzu squeaked in agitation as the dragons poked at his tiny body, the bat finally flying up and taking refuge in Ozi’s dark curls.

“Some help you are, Sitzu,” Korin grumbled as the man chuckled, tossing aside the bags as he knelt beside her and reaching for one of the dragons. The creature saw his master and gave a snort of approval, flying into his arms as his brothers and sisters followed. The redhead’s icy blue orbs were wide as she leaned up onto her elbows, watching in amazement as the man played with all the dragons like they were small pets. “I guess I can see why you told me not to panic. That was a rush!”

“Huh?” Ozi blinked over at the redhead before chuckling once more, getting to his feet as the dragons encircled his body. “I wasn’t talking about these guys. They already seem to be taken with you. It’s the ones still inside you should be careful with.”

“The ones inside?” Korin repeated, her lip quivering as she spoke. “You mean, there’s more?”

“Of course there’s more,” Ozi retorted, turning his attention back to the inside of the house. “I’m home, everyone, and I brought a guest with me. Be kind to her as I hope she will be to you.”

The man turned back towards the redhead before extending a hand to her, Korin eyeing it cautiously before taking it. Ozi pulled Korin up to her feet before pulling her in front of him, one of his dragon companions landing on her shoulder and nuzzling her neck. Korin giggled at the touch of his scales and leathery wings against her skin, slowly bringing a hand up for the creature to examine. The dragon wasted no time in brushing its head forward, allowing Korin to pet him.

“See, everyone?” Ozi called out to the members of the household, placing a hand on Korin’s other shoulder and guiding her inside. “She will not bring any of you harm. She is a kind girl.”

Korin’s eyes grew even wider as she glanced around the cabin, eyeing creature after creature in interest. The small dragons flew over to a much larger dragon nestled in the corner, the mother sighing as the children snuggled up close to her. Two unicorns were huddled together in their own corner, their manes glistening in the light pouring out of the windows. A large stone golem sat by the fireplace, chomping down on rocks as a treat. The entire house was filled to the brim with creatures, all of them eyeing the redhead cautiously as she was lead in by Ozi.

“They’re all so…beautiful,” Korin whispered, feeling Ozi’s comforting hand on her shoulder as he came up to her side. “You take care of all these creatures? That’s amazing!”

“These are just a few of the creatures I care for. There are quite a few that actually wander about the woods and the cliffs,” Ozi stated, lifting Sitzu from his curls and handing him back to the redhead beside him. “So his name is Sitzu, hm? He’s a funny one.”

“I don’t remember telling you his name,” Korin switched her gaze back to the man, gazing into his forest green eyes in confusion. “How did you know that?”

“Simple; he told me,” Ozi said with a smile, chuckling as the woman beside him gasped. “You seem shocked by this.”

“I thought I was the only one who could understand Sitzu since we’re linked!” Korin said in amazement, the small dragons now back and circling around her feet happily.

“My magic allows me to speak with the creatures, including your companion,” Ozi explained, noticing Korin suddenly becoming crestfallen. “You alright?”

“I feel less important now,” Korin mumbled as she knelt down and watched the dragons play with her dress. “Being linked and speaking with Sitzu was the only thing close to magic that I possessed. And now I find out that there’s a magic that actually makes you able to speak with all creatures…you’re so lucky.”

Ozi stood by the redhead silently, his forest green eyes glancing down at the deflated girl in sorrow. He had heard from his father Antony, the former Beast Tamer of Peloquinn, that the newest apprentice was somewhat of a special case. In a world where magic wielders were the norm, this strange apprentice had no magical abilities whatsoever. Yet the most powerful mage in all of Peloquinn, Master Drelo, took such a rare flower under his wing as his most trusted student? The Beast Tamer sighed before kneeling down beside the redhead, patting her on the shoulder once more.

“You shouldn’t belittle your talents, I saw your sketch of the port city when I approached you,” Ozi said with a smirk. “Not everyone has talents such as yours. You should be proud of yourself for being the apprentice of the great Master Drelo.”

The redhead continued to sulk for a moment, her fruit bat companion flying out of her palms and into his nest of curls once more. A silence filled the air as the creatures all glanced at the scene in confusion, the aura of sadness strong from the two humans. The silence was broken however when Korin raised her head and glanced at the man beside her, a look of confusion and shock painted across her face.

“You’re being awfully nice to me,” Korin stated. “You were being super rude out there on the path and yet here you are trying to cheer me up? I must say I’m super confused about all this.”

“A simple thank you would have sufficed but whatever,” Ozi smirked as he rose up to his feet, pacing forward as the small dragons weaved through his legs. “Now hurry up and stand already; have you forgotten why you are here in the first place?”

Korin pouted as she rose up as well, aggravated that the man in question ignored her question and went about his business. However, Korin knew that she had no time to argue with Ozi when she had a job to do. So the redhead took strides over to the man’s side as he led her to a small room towards the back of the house.

The room was dimly lit by a single candle lamp in the corner, a small nest of blankets and pillowed thrown together with a small furry creature snuggled there. The creature grumbled as the door creaked open for the two to be let in, two feathery wings stretching out from its shoulder blades as it whined. The body of the creature resembled that of a lion cub’s, stretching its limbs as it rose an eagle’s head up from the pillows.

“A baby griffin!” Korin exclaimed as she watched Ozi carefully stroll over to its bedside, kneeling down and petting its feathery head. “Oh wow, this is the first time I’ve actually seen one in person! It’s so beautiful!”

“Quiet down or you’ll scare him,” Ozi stated, the creature seeming to purr at his touch. “Now come here, your job is to examine him right? You can’t get a good examination standing in the doorway like that.”

Korin gave a nod in agreement as she tiptoed into the room, careful not to seem too excited as she took a seat next to Ozi. The man gently took hold of Korin’s hand, the redhead tensing at his touch.

“Calm down, I’m going to help you,” Ozi said simply, Korin nodding hesitantly as she let his hand guide hers onto the soft feathery scale of the griffin. The creature purred at the girl’s soft hands, nuzzling them happily as Korin’s smile grew. “See? Puck’s already taken with you as well. I say you have the magic in you when it comes to the beast.”

“His name is Puck?” Korin repeated with a smile. “Such a magnificent creature he is.”

Korin pulled her hand away as the creature began to whine for attention, her red curls falling over her eyes once more as she dug in her satchel and retrieved her sketching tools. She opened up a clean page of the parchment in her journal and glanced up at Puck, following his traces with her pen as she began to sketch the creature. Ozi gazed at the woman’s movements in shock and awe, pleased with how much the drawing resembled his newest companion.

“Well Puck,” Korin said finally after finishing her sketch, turning the page to face the griffin. “What do you think of your self-portrait?”

The creature gazed at the parchment, his golden eyes sparkling as he purred in approval. Korin blushed happily as she nodded, returning the journal to her satchel before giving Puck one last pet.

“He really is a magnificent creature,” the redhead said with a smile as she rose to her feet. “I’m glad that I had a chance to come up here and examine him. I’ve written down a few notes in the journal about him for Master Drelo to glance over. He seemed very interested in him after speaking with Mister Antony.”

“I must say, I’m very impressed with your artistic skills,” Ozi said with a nod, rising to his feet as well and leading Korin towards the main door. “I apologize for belittling you before. I am sure you are the perfect candidate for Master Drelo’s apprentice, Kiddo.”

“Again, you’re being strangely nice?” Korin joked, bowing to the man as he led her out into the open air once more. The creatures all howled their goodbyes, even the golem who was still snacking on boulders. “I’m sorry too for being even remotely rude. You have a very important job tending to all these creatures and I praise you for your efforts. Though I’d wish you’d stop calling me Kiddo. You’re only like five years older than me after all.”

“Exactly why you’re a kiddo,” Ozi said with a smirk, avoiding Korin’s playful fist as he chuckled.

“Yep, still a jerk I see,” Korin laughed before glancing over her shoulder at the port city below. “If it’s all right, may I come up here again and meet all the creatures? Maybe even sketch a few for the Library.”

“I’m sure everyone would love that,” Ozi said. “Just call ahead next time and maybe I’ll be more of a gracious host to you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Korin smiled, extending her hand to the tanned-skinned man before her. “It was very nice to meet you, Jerk.”

“Heh, good to meet you too Kiddo,” Ozi took the extended hand and shook it, watching the redhead skip off down the path towards port city. The Beast Tamer kept his forest green orbs on the slender form stumbling down the rocky path, feeling as though the start of a strange new friendship had occurred.

*End*

Moonlight Waltz

Disclaimer: This drabble is based off an RP that I’m a part of. Matthew and Kayla belong to Jamie Canyon and Sarah belongs to Lulu.

For Jamie

The air was cool and crisp, the moonlight being the only visible spotlight for Kori as she sat on the steps of the toy factory, tinkering with her beloved video camera as she hummed a soft tune. The film student had to admit that it was a bit to chilly for her tank top and capris being her only cover, but she did not want to raise any fuss within the factory. Sarah had finally dozed off to sleep and Kori was worried that a simple press of a button and the poor dancer would fly out of her bed to a symphony of noise. There was also no chance she was going to linger and work in the factory; last time she tried that she disturbed Jack and everyone knew that when Jack was disturbed you had better be screaming for your life or he would make it so you ended up that way.

The only place Kori felt comfortable was on the stone steps of the factory, lunging about as she researched some of her shots taken from their first day in the world. The redhead tried her best not to blush at all the shots with Matt in them, though she noticed that every few minutes she would turn the camera to catch a glimpse of the boy.

“I wasn’t obvious at all,” Kori mumbled sarcastically, returning to her humming before a hand on her shoulder made her tense. “Oh no…”

“Relax, it’s only me,” Matt’s voice lingered above the girl as she sighed, smiling up at the shaggy-haired boy standing behind her. “I thought I hear noises so I followed them out here. How did I know it was probably you?”

“Probably because I’m constantly sneaking outside,” Kori joked, Matt taking a seat on the step next to her. “I’m sorry; did I wake you with my humming? I was hoping I wasn’t being too loud.”

“No, you’d have to be asleep to be woken up,” Matt said with a smile. “I was lying in my room staring up at the stars through the window. And then this beautiful hum was heard from the outside and I just had to find out what it was.”

“It’s just a little tune I thought of when I saw the moonlight,” Kori answered with a blush, trying her best not to shiver as a wind blew over the two of them.

There was a moment of silence between the two teens before Matt tugged at his jacket, gently placing it over the girl’s bare shoulders. Kori’s green eyes widened at the gesture, glancing over at the boy as her cheeks turned a brighter red. Matt’s cheeks were an equal shade as he glanced away, too shy to meet the girl’s eyes.

“Thank you, Matt,” Kori whispered, snuggling in the coat as she wrapped it around her slender form. “You really are a prince, you know that.”

“No, I’m not a prince,” Matt whispered as his blush intensified, the girl beside him leaning her head against his shoulder while smiling up at him. “I’m nothing like that.”

“On the contrary, Matt,” Kori retorted. “You’re exactly like a prince. You’re cute, charming, smart, kind, funny.”

With every word the redhead listed, the blush on Matt’s face grew brighter and brighter.

“You really think all that?” Matt whispered, his hand resting overtop the girl’s as he smiled.

“Every word I’m saying is the truth, silly,” Kori said happily. “After all, you’re the prince of my dreams.”

As the last syllable rolled of Kori’s tongue, Matt leaned himself down to kiss the girl’s forehead. The two of them sat together in silence once more as they held hands, admiring the stars and the moon that hovered above them. And then, Kori began to hum once more…

“Sounds beautiful,” Matt whispered into the girl’s curls, a little shocked as Kori suddenly stood from the steps and smiled down at him. “Hm? Kori?”

“Wanna dance?” Kori asked, outstretching her hand to the shaggy-haired teen.

“Dance?” Matt repeated with a blush, eyeing the hand with caution. “I’m not that good at dancing…never really did it before. Sure, Kayla has dragged me around in something she’d like to call dancing but…never for real…”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Kori gave a wink as she took Matt’s hand, pulling him up from the steps and into her arms. The boy tensed slightly at their position but kept his words to himself, Kori moving him into the correct posture. “All right, now just follow me. Just take the steps with me and listen to the music. You’ll be fine.”

With that, Kori began to hum her tune once more while taking her steps with the music, beginning a waltz with the boy as he stumbled along with her movements.  Matt’s foot slammed atop the girl’s many times but Kori just grinned and bared it, the boy babbling apologies as Kori continued their dance. After a few moments, Matt finally settled into the pattern and moved with the song, inching closer to Kori as he smiled.

“You know, I had a dream about this once,” Matt whispered as he gathered his thoughts. “It wasn’t this moment or anything…but we were dancing out in the moonlight.”

“Oh really? Dreaming about me, are you?” Kori giggled at Matt’s flushed cheeks, pausing her humming as she awaited the boy to continue.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” Matt said with a smile. “You were a princess in my dream while I was just a lowly servant. But we still danced together and…”

The shaggy-haired teen’s eyes went wide as he recalled the events in his mind, the visions showing the two of them in pure bliss as their lips touched. Matt bit his lip to hold in any words that thought to escape, Kori blinking in confusion at the reaction.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Matt?” Kori asked as she inched even closer to the boy, the distance between them closing with each step closer. Matt began to tense once more at this, the girl pulling away with a guilty look painted across her face. “Sorry…I’m prying again, aren’t I?”

“No, it’s not you,” Matt mumbled, gulping before glancing up at the girl with his light brown orbs. “It’s just…I didn’t know…I just…ah…”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to Matt,” Kori gave a reassuring smile as she took hold of the boy’s hand once more. “I’m fine just being with you, you know that.”

Matt glanced down at girl using her smile to cheer him up, feeling slightly guilty that he was holding back what he dreamt about. After all, he cared about the girl very much and he wanted her to know that. The shaggy-haired teen gulped before beginning to stutter.

“Well…well, you see…you see, you ki…kis..” Matt stumbled through his syllables, hoping he was not frustrating the girl as he desperately tried to share. “You kiss…kissed me…and said…said you lo…lov…loved me…”

Bright green eyes widened as Matt finished his words, Kori standing before him in silence as the boy began to cower there. Did he say too much? Was she uncomfortable with what he had dreamed? Matt wished he could just take every word back…until he felt Kori rush up to his side once more and kiss him on the lips.

Matt’s light brown eyes gazed down at the girl in shock before closing them off, accepting the kiss completely. They lingered there for a good moment, Kori wrapping her arms around his neck as Matt held her tightly around the waist. When they finally separated, Kori smiled up at Matt with the brightest smile he had ever seen.

“Too bad my dream-self got to tell you first,” Kori giggled as she kissed him lightly once more. “I do love you Matt, with all my heart. Although you’re the prince silly, while I’m just no one special.”

“Heh, I feel like the luckiest guy in all the worlds right now…I love you too,” Matt chuckled, pulling the girl close to him as they began to sway to the silent symphony. “And fine, I’ll be the prince if you can be my princess.”

“Sounds good to me,” Kori whispered as she leaned her head on the boy’s chest, listening to his beating heart with a smile. “And Matt?”

“Yeah Kori?”

“You’re a terrific dancer,” Kori said as they danced together. “A natural for a moonlight waltz.”

*End*

I Have A Home Now

Soft footsteps sounded within the alleyway as the tiny redhead dashed out into the marketplace, dodging the various shop vendors as they eyed her cautiously. Her pigtailed curls bounced with every move she made, the little girl finally skidding to a stop by the bakery. Her icy blue orbs watched as a tall brunette took a stride out of the shop, a large bag filled of various breads tight in her grasps as she walked.

“Hi Miss Meredith,” said the tiny form of Korin, the redhead smiling happily as she skipped to the brunette’s side. “Those sure look good!”

The woman glanced down at the tiny redheaded girl beside her, eyeing her with interest as she pulled out a single croissant from the bag. Korin took it graciously and nibbled on the flaky bread, gulping it down happily.

“Tastes so good!”

“Miss Korin, I have a question for you,” Meredith whispered with a smile, beginning forward once more as the redhead skipped to keep up with her pace. “You’re still living on the streets by yourself aren’t you? You know, if you bring yourself to the orphanage, then you will be able to find a home of your very own. One with a mommy and daddy that will take care of you forever and ever; don’t you want something like that my dear?”

Ice-colored orbs went wide at the woman’s words, unable to fully comprehend all that was being said to her. After all, Korin was only a small four year old girl.

“Living on the streets?” Korin blinked as she repeated the question several times, before finally smiling and shaking her head. “No ma’am! I have a home now! It’s really cool!”

“A home?” Meredith questioned, feeling as if this was another one of the redhead’s tall tales she would often spout out at the bar whenever she weaseled in. “You have a home, Korin?”

“Yes ma’am! It’s really cool!” Korin nodded and took hold of Meredith’s free hand, pulling her after her as she walked. “Here, I’ll show you!”

The brunette let herself be pulled along, remaining silent as she awaited being brought to another alleyway where a small fort was made up for the girl to sleep in. Meredith had often tried to take the girl in but Korin always managed to weasel her way out of the brunette’s grasps and out into the world once more.

Meredith truly cared for Korin like a daughter, but she could not hold the curious girl in the captivity of her home. Korin wouldn’t allow herself to be settled down in a single place for very long. She might have been young, but the redhead knew exactly what she wanted in life. And she would do anything to get it.

“Here we are, Miss Meredith!”

Reddish orbs glanced up in interest, seeing the large marble steps leading up to the Library of the Worlds that rested in the middle of town. So Korin had concocted this as her new residence?

“You live in the Library, Miss Korin?” Meredith chuckled as she held the girl’s hand tighter. “I’m afraid that’s impossible. The man who lives there is a grump who takes his world of literature very seriously. He doesn’t take kindly to children.”

“You mean Master Drelo?” Korin blinked up at the brunette in curiosity, Meredith a little surprised that the redhead actually knew the man’s name. “He’s not a grump. He’s mean at times but for the most part, he’s a wonderful daddy.”

Meredith chuckled more at the thought of Master Drelo being ‘a wonderful daddy’. She had known that man all her life and no matter how much she tried, Drelo always seemed only interested in himself and all those books at his disposal. There was no way in hell that he took this curious little girl under his wing.

“There you are, Korin. I was wondering where you scurried off to.”

Meredith’s reddish eyes grew wide at the familiar voice, turning her attention to the man at her side. Dusty-colored hair grew long over his gray eyes, a rare smile crept on his lips as he knelt down to the smiling redhead at his feet. Korin happily twirled before Drelo, her red curls bouncing as she danced before him.

“Master Drelo! Do you know my friend, Miss Meredith?” Korin questioned as she pointed to the brunette standing there in awe. “She’s the nice lady who always takes care of me! Do you know her?”

“Why yes, I know Miss Meredith very well,” Drelo’s gray eyes locked with Meredith’s, the librarian nodding along as he smiled. “Thank you very much for taking care of this little one. She’s become my apprentice at the library.”

Korin cheered at the thought of her two favorite people knowing each other, the redhead girl skipping up the marble steps as her small fruit bat Sitzu floated down to meet her. Meredith lingered in the street with Drelo, waiting for the girl to be out of earshot before turning to Drelo.

“Well, I’ll be,” Meredith said with a smirk. “The town grump has finally found something he can care for besides his literature.”

“I couldn’t just leave her out in the streets,” Drelo quickly retorted with a smirk of his own. “Besides, I do need an apprentice. She’ll do nicely in traveling to all the worlds for me. Now I can finally sit back and relax while someone else does all the work.”

“You can try and fool everyone else with that story,” Meredith winked at Drelo as she turned to Korin. “But you can’t fool me. I’m so proud of you, Drelo. This girl will be a fine daughter for you.”

“Apprentice,” Drelo corrected.

“Miss Meredith!”

The brunette smiled and turned her attention back on the dancing redhead, following her movements closely as Korin made her way over.

“See?” Korin said happily. “I have a home now!”

“You sure do Korin,” Meredith said, patting Drelo’s shoulder as the older man rolled his eyes at the displays of affection. “You sure do!”

*End*

My Foolish Apprentice

Chocolate brown eyes scanned the parchments sprawled out upon the mahogany desktop as Drelo let a groan escape his lips. Sweat beaded on his brow as the man slid his bifocals from the arch of his nose, placing them down lightly on the parchment before getting to his feet. Stretching his aching limbs, the Librarian of Peloquinn slipped out of his office and down the steps to the main floor of the Library. Drelo traveled through the labyrinth of bookshelves within the library, scanning the spotless aisles with approval as he moved.

“I could use a good jug of rum tonight,” the man mumbled to himself as he approached the main desk that greeted the entrance of the library. “I should probably ask that apprentice of mine to join me; she really has been working hard these last few…”

Drelo’s voice trailed off as he stopped short at the desk, his chocolate orbs glaring down at the ground within the circular desk area where mounds of books were scattered all around without a home on the shelves. And within that fort of literature was a slender redhead who laid there in slumber, a small fruit bat nuzzled up in her curls as the woman rested. The man let a low growl form in his throat while he moved into the circular fortress, halting just above the snoozing woman while he lifted a book up from the desk. Without a word, Drelo let the leather-bound literature fall from his hands onto the girl’s stomach, the redhead jolting up in pain as an array of curses screeched from her lips. The fruit bat squeaked as it flew from its nest of curls, circling above the two as they had their moment.

“Son of a bitch!” Korin screamed as she rolled around the floor, gripping her now possibly-bruised stomach. “What the hell, Master?! How cruel can you be?!”

“You’re lucky I didn’t drop an entire shelf on you!” Drelo snapped in retort, his glare intensifying as he watched the girl continue to curse him. “You’re supposed to be filing all these books into the system and shelving them. And what do I find when I leave my office after praising you somewhat with my words? I find my foolish apprentice taking an afternoon nap while the precious literature is being neglected on the floor!”

After a few moments of arguments, Drelo treaded off from the desk and down the steps into the open air leaving his fiery redheaded apprentice to pout and nurse her bruised stomach. His pace quickened as the ringing of her curses still echoed through the air to his ears, trying his best to escape his burden. Drelo’s stride soon brought him to Quinn’s Pub by the docks, the dusty-haired man letting out a sigh before stepping inside to his favorite table.

“You’re here early today, Drelo.”

The older man raised his chocolate brown orbs to the source of the voice, a middle-aged brunette in waitress apparel. The woman nodded with a smirk as he placed down a pint of rum, Drelo giving a nod of thanks before chugging it down.

“Actually Meredith, I was hoping to actually take Korin out to a nice dinner, maybe invite the twins and so forth,” Drelo trailed off as he lowered the empty pint. “But that difficult apprentice of mine made me angry before I could think to invite her out.”

“So you left her inside to linger?” Meredith questioned, raising an eyebrow to the man as she took a seat beside him. “What exactly happened that made you so angry?”

“She was mistreating the books!” Drelo snapped as he slammed a fist onto the table, the wood splintering at his touch. “She had them all sprawled out on the floor, dirt caked on their once pristine leather-bound skins. And not only that, she was snoozing about amongst those neglected pieces of literature. Can you believe that? Korin was actually sleeping there on the floor, in plain sight, neglecting her duties as my apprentice.”

Meredith smiled at the man’s rant, her reddish eyes following Drelo’s every move as he continued to express his anger. Once he quieted down, the waitress moved out of her seat and lifted the empty pint from the table. The brunette gave a nod before patting the man on the shoulder gently, her smile growing larger with each passing moment.

“You know, you act so angry with her when you’re actually worried about why she worked herself so hard into a slumber,” Meredith chuckled as the man glanced up at her in confusion. “You know I’m right, Drelo. Korin is like a daughter to you and when you see her working too hard or pushing herself too far, your fatherly nature comes out. This isn’t the first time you stormed out to suppress your parental instincts and it won’t be the last. You should probably go back and take that poor girl out to dinner though. Seems to me she could use the break…and you could use the time to learn what’s on that fiery redhead’s mind.”

With a bow, Meredith retreated back to the bar as Drelo remained at his seat, contemplating the words that were spoken to him. That brunette always knew the right words to say, even though she only knew a small glimpse of the story. The dusty-haired man sighed before returning to his feet, placing his pay on the bar and nodding to Meredith before he walked out of the door.

Drelo quickened his pace at the sight of the Library steps, barreling up them in hopes that he didn’t drive his apprentice towards another runaway expedition. As he made his way through the large doors, he could already see the redhead snoozing away while curled up in her chair. The dusty-haired man sighed in relief to see his apprentice there, making his way up the steps before pausing at the sight.

Every single piece of literature from before was stacked away on shelves and placed into the system, leaving not a single leather-bound book out of place. The entire main corridor of the library was sparkling from being cleaned, not a single speck of dirt on the polished marble. And sprawled out on the desk underneath the redhead’s hands were journal upon journal of Korin’s findings from her various trips to the other worlds, sketches and scribbles filling each page to the brim.

“You really have been a busy one,” Drelo mumbled as he lifted up one of the recent journal’s, noticing a sketch of a familiar delivery man, his knight of a friend and his rock dragon companion. “A very busy one indeed…that’s my foolish apprentice for you.”

Drelo smiled warmly as he placed the journal back amongst the others, moving behind the desk and pulling off his coat. With one single movement, the man rested his coat over the snoozing redhead’s shoulders. The small fruit bat that had nested himself once again amongst the curls glanced up at the man, seeming to smile at him as Drelo moved to lock the front door then head back towards his office.

“I suppose I’ll just have to treat her to dinner tomorrow night,” Drelo mumbled as he trudged up the steps to his quarters, leaving the library once more in peace.

*End*