GinnyLyn

America has been hurt. Its people have been devestated. Lose a loved one, and then tell me afterwards you don't feel any hatred toward whoever or whatever caused it. You can't do it, can you? We must be careful not to let our hearts rule our minds, but we must also remember we cannot commend terriorist behavior. They have already achieved one of their directives--[i]to terriorize people[/i]. That much is obvious. And I'll reiterate what I said earlier--we can teach tolerance, but that doesn't mean the enemy (whoever they are) will adhere to it as well. While war may seem hypocritical, as Transtic Nerve said, we cannot take this laying down. War, as many have pointed out, was already declared when the first plane hit one of the World Trade Center towers. Like Pearl Harbor (there, I said it, I compared it, chew me out if you must). But this isn't war. The people who fired the "first shot" were cowards--they attacked innocents, who had no defense, who were not prepared, who were not aware that tensions were in the air. My view is that those responsible are the only ones to be held accountable. Declaring war on the nation (whichever one it is) from whence these terrorists came from would not make sense--more innocents would die. All I want now is a stop to this terror and grief, an understanding and a reckoning... ...and a reason why the Palestinians are cheering about our tragedies. That I can't fathom at all.

In a moment, the world freezes. At least your own part of it. You hear unbelievable things. You see things you can't understand. You stare and stare, comprehending yet not comprehending...It sinks it, yet you hoping and praying that it's a horrible nightmare...you'll wake up soon and it'll be gone. But it's not. It's very real. And it has yet to make sense. We keep saying if we teach our children tolerance, everything will be all right. Sadly, our children can't grow up fast enough, and yet, at times like these, they are asked to grow up too fast. It goes back to elementary school days--you can teach your child to be tolerant, but that doesn't mean you can teach the school bully to be, also. Sadly, some choose to ignore what they should cherish most, and senseless tragedies like the WTC beome results. True, we Americans shouldn't turn around and declare war. We are still trying to figure out who did this, and to a lesser extent, why. And at the moment, we are in a dangerous position. We can only defend for so long, but sooner or later, we will have to fight back--not for the total obliteration of the enemy, but for our own self-preservation. All I can say now is... Don't stop teaching tolerance, but remind your children and peers not to allow themselves to be walked on. Don't stop praying and hoping for peace and comfort for all. Don't ever forget those we have lost, and those who are still in danger--keep them in your thoughts and prayers. I offer my condolences, and admit that I am also mournfully aware of my bewilderment at people who don't value human life at all.

Silva sat in the bushes, terrified. Ryu ran at Batwing and swung his sword, the legendary Masamune. Batwing dodged nimbly, as was to his credit. Both kept up the deadly dance, until the sword bit into Batwing's arm. He toppled to the ground, and hissed, holding the wound. Ryu gasped for air, the fight draining his energy. Batwing looked as if he was about to slump over, but at the last moment, lunged at Ryu's unprotected back. Ryu cried out as the demon creature dug his piercing claws deep into his skin. As before, Batwing hissed in evil glee. "No mutt to save you this time, no way to escape. Your blood is mine!" The frog-serpent tongue flickered past Ryu's ear, as Batwing prepared for the killing bite. "NO!" Silva screamed as she tore out of the bushes. She wasn't what exactly she was going to do, but she had to do [i]something[/i]. Both Ryu and Batwing looked surprised as she swung her clasped hands in a huge fist at the beast. He tumbled over, his claws tearing away from Ryu, leaving bloody scores. As Silva tried to help Ryu up, Batwing retaliated; he slapped Silva against a tree, and she sagged to the ground, stars bursting in her head. Ryu held his arm out to protect himself against Batwing, and he strained to reach his sword, lying a few feet from his hand. He almost had it... Batwing almost had him... The creature had dug its claws in again with a death grip, preparing to bite Ryu once more. Ryu stretched his arm out as far as he could, but the Masamune was just a few fingers away. [i]If I could reach just a little farther...but then Batwing...oh, to Hades with it!!![/i] Ryu threw himself at the sword, grasping the handle. At the same moment, he exposed his neck completely, and Batwing attacked. The poisonous fangs sank into Ryu's flesh, and the venom began to immediately travel through his bloodstream. Silva was shrugging back into wakefulness at this point. She took the situation in at a glance, and screamed painfully. Running to the pair, she tore at Batwing, but he refused to let go. "Ryu, do something!" [i]I can't...the venom...he's killing me....[/i] "You stupid ***, don't die now, don't let the evil ones win!" Ryu blinked through blurred vision. He summoned the last of his strength, and drove the Masamune through Batwing's withered heart. "The Warrior has risen!" With a howling shriek, Batwing toppled over and died, his fangs still bared, stained blood red. "Ryu?...[i]Ryu?!?[/i]" Ryu struggled to prop himself up on his sword. He clasped his neck and held his hand out, staring at the blood in dull bewilderment. "Ryu, just calm down, I'm sure you'll be all right, I just...I just..." "I'd never thought it'd get this far..." [i]I'd never thought it'd get this far...[/i] Something stirred in Silva's memory. A little boy and a girl playing in the meadow. A snake in the grass. It had jumped at the girl. The boy had pushed her out of the way, and it had bitten his arm instead. Back at the doctor's, was it?...he had smiled at the girl. And he had said the same thing. She never thought it had made any sense. And she still didn't. Ryu sighed and collapsed, the sword thudding to the ground. Silva fell to her knees, tears welling in her eyes. An adult had come running when the girl had screamed. But who was here to hear her now? Silva softly sobbed uncontrollably, unsure of what to do... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GinnyLyn strikes again! Poncho, done by me...

How many Dragon peeps we got here? Silva-Shiva, Ryu-Ragear, Cecil-Afelra, Amber-Kazul, Warlock-Predator, Hajime-Suzuku, and Ketrah-Massora. That makes seven. Um, were we supposed to have six? :confused: Also, I'm working on a sketch based on your sketch of Poncho, DW. I just can't help myself. :angel:

Silva was in a panic. She urged Shiva to put on speed, pulling her spear out as she did. "Silva, you need to calm down!" "Calm down?!? Ryu and Ragear are in danger and you want me to [i]calm down?!?[/i]" "In a word, yes. If you plunge into this situation with no control over your emotions, you won't be much help to Ryu, Ragear, or anyone, least of all yourself." "Just hurry!" They flew toward the campsite. Down below, Cecil was helping Ryu up. From her vantage point high in the sky, it looked to Silva as if Cecil was hoisting Ryu off his feet, ready to run him through. "Cecil? But I thought he was on our side?" "Yes, Silva, he is--" Silva didn't hear her. As Shiva swept near Cecil and Ryu, Silva leapt off her Draaqua and slapped Cecil over the head with her spear's shaft. "You [i]have[/i] been following us!" she shrieked, whacking him again. "Hey, stoppit, I come in--OW! Hey, knock it off, I'm on your side!" Before Silva could swing her spear again, Shiva picked up the other end of it; Silva gripped the spear tightly, dangling in mid air. "Put me down this instant, Shiva!" "Not until you sit down and promise to listen to me, first." Silva scowled, then nodded consent. As her feet touched the ground, Ragear ran to her, his arms open. "Ilvy!" "Ragear, you're all right!" Silva sighed. "Me too. Wow, I've never seen you so...wrathful before." Ryu grinned. "Thanks for coming, but we're fine." "I hear a bloodcurdling scream from Ragear while we're on patrol, and we race back, only to hear you're fine!?" "Well," Cecil interrupted, kicking the whimpering Batwing. "We had a visitor, but he's under control for the moment." Batwing's mouth was tied shut; his wings and arms were tied togther as well. He squirmed, attempting to scratch the ropes off, but Ragear stepped up to him. "If oo bad bad'ing, me flame." Ragear hiccuped, and a tiny fireball singed the grass next to Batwing's foot. Wide-eyed, Batwing stopped squirming. "It doesn't look you needed me after all," Silva said, with a huff. "You came after me," Ryu said, "that was pretty brave. And even though you didn't do anything, I'll count the thought for the deed." "Well, thaaank you!" Silva snorted with a mock bow. "I only came to save Ragear, so there!" Ryu groaned. "I didn't mean--" Silva ignored him and stepped up to Cecil. "So what's the deal? Why are you following us?" "It's about the Dragonial." "Ah, so you admit to following us," Shiva grinned toothily. Afelra looked at Shiva. "Don't think you don't need it." "We can take care of ourselves!" Ryu shouted. "Right," Silva said sarcastically, "like the time the soldiers were looking for us, or when my home was destroyed, or just now, with the bat-thingy--" "Batwing," Batwing said between mouthfuls of rope. "--and Ragear eating people's food." "That happens a lot, actually," Ryu admitted. "But don't forget all the times we saved you. The salamander and...." "Well whoop dee doo!" "Oop ee doo!" Ragear chortled. "Silva," Ryu said, with almost a plead in his voice, "why are you acting like this?" "To be honest, I don't know," Silva shot back. "I'm leaving!" "Ilvy!" Ragear called sadly. "Let her go," Shiva said. "She just needs a little time to cool off. She had a bad scare, and she got a little over-excited. Nothing to worry about." "How do you know all this?" Ryu asked the Draaqua. "When you live with your dragon as long as you do," answered Cecil, "you learn a lot about each other." Shiva nodded in agreement. "So what does that say about us, Ragear?" Ryu asked him. Ragear only hiccuped. "Oop ee doo!"

(Sorry, Dragon Warrior, I just couldn't wait for you to post :D) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "C'mon, can't you just go away or something?" Ryu shouted, swinging his sword in great arcs. Batwing leapt nimbly about, hissing his irritation. "Look, fool," he spat, "make it easier on yourself and give up. One little bite and you'll be dead. I'll make it quick, deal?" "NO!" Ryu stabbed with his sword. Batwing jumped on the end and slid down the flat of the blade. "Suit yourself, human." Batwing bared his teeth and claws. Ragear slammed against Batwing, and the two went rolling. "Watch out for his teeth!" The two stopped rolling, Ragear on top. He pushed a claw against Batwing's snapping mouth. Ryu raised his sword to chop off the creature's head. A long frog/serpent tongue shot from Batwing's mouth and wrapped around Ryu's left boot. "Oh [i]stuff![/i]" Ryu hollered. "Let go you #$@$^$#!" Batwing hissed in fiendish glee, dragging Ryu toward him. "One bite, human, one bite...."

The room suddenly fills up with too much water. The pressure is intense. Before everyone blacks out, the walls explode.

Ryu backed away from BatWing. "Why do you you want to kill me? I'm funny, and handsome, and really nice and--" "And expendable. Your mutt, too." "Mahtt?" Ragear looked puzzled. "I'll make it fair..." "OK." "Tell me which one of you wants to die first." Ryu looked blank. "[i]That's[/i] fair?!" "No more time for talk. Your death is nigh, man!" [i]Hello, Silva, Ketrah, whenever one of you lovely ladies is available to come save my butt again!!![/i] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "We're not really scouting, are we?" "What gives you that idea?" Silva inquired. "I've been flying in the same circle for over an hour, and you have yet to notice it." "Sorry, Shiva," Silva apologized. "You're as smart as ever. Actually, I wanted to get away from the others, to see if I can remember more of the song." "What do you have so far?" "[i]Over land, over air, over sea...[/i]...That's all I can recall." "What do you suppose the song is directions to?" "The Dragonial? Who knows?" "Shall we head back for now?" "Yeah," Silva agreed, "I can't get anymore of the song right now, anyway..." [i]"EEVAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"[/i] Shiva cocked her ears up. "Ragear!" she cried. Silva felt her heart gripped in icy cold fear. Ryu and Ragear! Something was horribly wrong, or Ragear would not be calling out like that. "Shiva, we've got to get back--!" [i]I didn't know something like this was going to happen! Please, Ryu, hang on!! We're coming!!![/i]

"Well," Silva commented, munching on some carrots, "that makes five of us now." "Huh?" Ryu looked bewildered. Ragear tugged on Ryu's shirt sleeve playfully, and Ryu landed back on the firm ground again. "Cecil and his dragon, Amber and hers, and now Ketrah and hers." Silva smiled. "Plus us and ours, of course. I wonder how many there are." "Silva." "Hmm?" Silva didn't seem to be paying much attention. "Did you ever...ah...did you ever get the feeling that we have seen each other before." Silva looked at him. Ryu couldn't read any emotion on her face. "Why do you ask?" Ryu wrestled with the idea of telling Silva his dream. He suddenly decided against it, and pointed to Ragear. "Here's something else I don't get--when did he get wings?" "I dunno, but I don't see them anymore." "Maybe because they are folded up? Hey, Ragear, c'mon, you goof!" "'Ag'eer goof? No 'Ag'eer goof! Rooie goof!" Ryu ran his hands over Ragear's back. A small scar had formed where Ragear had been hit by the salamander, but besides that, nothing. "What happened to your wings, buddy?" "'Ings? Fo' lie?" "Yeah, for flying." Ragear hiccuped, a small fireball singeing the ground next to him. "You [i]didn't[/i]," a wide-eyed Ryu gaped. "'Ings gohn," Ragear grinned. "You ate them?!?" "Ragear's right, Ryu, you [i]are[/i] a goof!" Silva giggled. "He may be hungry, but he wouldn't be [i]that[/i] hungry. I'm sure you'll find out more about his wings later." "Whaddaya mean, me?" "Duh, you're his 'master'. The more time you spend with your dragon, the more time you get to know your dragon. Speaking of which," she said, walking to Shiva, "wanna go now?" "Yes." "Go? Go where?!?" "We won't be gone long, we're just gonna scout the area." "But Ketrah said--" "I know, I know, but sometimes I feel better when I scout around." Shiva took to the air. "We'll be back soon!" Silva called as they climbed higher. Ryu sighed miserably. "Looks like it's just you and me again, Ragear." Ragear hiccuped. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BONUS: GinnyLyn's view of Ryu and Ragear

"Ilvy!!" Ragear leapt from Shiva's back and dived at Silva's plummeting figure. "RAGEAR!! Crazy litttle--" Ryu swore to himself under his breath. "Shiva, [i]do something![/i]" Shiva was about to, when the whatever it was shot past her. With a startled snort, she leapt back in the air. The creature turned and chased after Silva and Ragear. "Ragear, you dummy, what are you doing?!?" Silva shrieked as the small dragon gripped her. "Potektin'," he replied. The two gasped as the creature flew at them. "Pyro sssskorch!" the fiery salamander (for that is what it was) hissed. "Ssssuffer!" Pyro opened his fanged mouth and breathed black fire at them. Ragear suddenly twisted in the air, protecting Silva and taking the hit in his own back. "Ragear!" "Ooo, it hurt, bernz, Ilvy," Ragear moaning pleadingly. "Yesss, yesss, sssskorch!" Pyro said, its voice like the sound of water steaming on fire. Above, on Shiva's back, Ryu drew his sword. "Ah, the mysterious blade," Shiva commented. Ryu didn't say a word, but sprang from her back, aiming his sword at the salamander. "Oh, the idiotic warrior!" Shiva growled as she watched him fall. "When will they learn that some things [i]do[/i] need wings to fly?" The blade pierced Pyro through. He turned his head on Ryu, staring with unblinking eyes. "Death will vissssit sssoon, thissss I promisssse...." The yellow pupils clouded over, and Ryu's rage left him. He suddenly noticed the tiny error in his heroic plan. He was falling faster now, with dead weight on his sword. Silva clutched at Ragear. His breathing was labored now, the black fire still burning on his back, his once dancing eyes mere slits closed in pain. Then he forced them open. "'Ilvy, I lie now..." Before Silva could say another word, the black fire burning on Ragear's back seemed to explode. A small cloud of smoke hovered, but was blown away as Ragear flapped two enormous black wings. "Wak me, 'Ilvy!" Their fall was almost immediately halted as Ragear beat his new wings. Ryu fell past them in a blur, a look of amazement written across his face. "Rooie!" Ragear chortled. He folded his wings and chased Ryu. He then clamped his teeth on the seat of Ryu's pants and yanked. The dead salamander fell off of Ryu's sword, landing splat on a main road on the village below. (The dead salamander became a source of much speculation in the days to come, and villagers became even more terrified of the dragons, as we shall soon see.) "Ragear!" Shiva flew under the small dragon, who was near collapse. "You flew, little one, you flew!" "Yes. Eeva be quyit, I tired..." So saying, Ragear folded his wings in and fell asleep on Shiva's back. "So who saved who here?" Silva playfully shoved Ryu. "Who cares? At least we're all safe right now. Say, who was that guy we ran into earlier?" "Cecil. He had a dragon. So did that one girl, Amber." "Just how many people are there with dragons?!?" "You're asking me, Ms. Secret Past?" "You're one to talk! You didn't start shutting up until I saw that sword of yours." "Oh, so you [i]wanted[/i] me to shut up, is that it?" "Right now," Shiva cut them both off, "I want the both of you to be silenced. Ragear needs his rest. And you do too." "Where are we going, Shiva?" "Later, Silva. Rest now." "But--" "Sleep, child, let rest wash over you, let dreams carry you on their current." The Draaqua flew on, careful of her three sleeping passengers.

OOO, this is good stuff! I'm gonna copy a version of this story to my pc when it gets long enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Silva wakes with the dawn, stretches, and walks out to the terrace. She is surprised to see Ryu there. "Did you get up early this morning, too?" she asks. "Well," Ryu replied, looking sheepish, " I kinda never went to bed last night." Silva furrowed her brow. "That's not good. What did you do all night?" "Stayed out here." "All night?" "Yeah, I just couldn't get your song out of my head. And you said it was important, even now? Is there some way we can get you to remember it?" Shiva and Ragear have come out by this time too. Ragear rolls across the neat lawn, Shiva stepping after him. "I can't remember anymore right now." "But we can try, right?" "Well, I don't--" "This IS important, just like you said." Silva rubs her arm, looking at the ground, wishing it would swallow her up. Shiva turned to the pair, noticing Silva's discomfort. "Ryu--" she began. "C'mon Silva," Ryu interrupted Shiva. "You [i]got[/i] to remember!" "Ryu, look, I don't want to right now..." "Silva!" He puts his hands on her shoulders. "[i]This is important![/i] You can't clam up now just because you have a bad feeling!" "Ryu?" Shiva tries to interrupt, but is ignored again. Ragear pauses in play, his ears quivering in nervousness. Silva slaps Ryu's hands away. "You don't understand!" "Look, whatever is bothering you may be bad, but if we don't get this song out of you, things might get a lot worse!" Silva glares at him, cletching her fists. Ragear walks up and sniffs at her. "Oo leeking." Gritting her teeth, Silva brushs away tears angrily. "Jerk," she mutters, and flounces back into the house. "Silva!" Shiva stands on her four legs, about to follow the girl. "What was [i]that[/i] all about?!" Ryu asks. "It was something I was trying to prevent," Shiva says solemnly. "Silva does not like to speak about her past, what she lost. If you had only listened--!" The Draaqua sighed. "What's done is done. We must fix this now." "Wat wong?" "I messed up." "Rooie fessed uhp?" "Yes, Rooie--ah, Ryu messed up, but we can--" Ragear stared hard into the sky and growled. "Ragear?" He didn't move, but bared his teeth harder and growled deeper. "Ragear! Shiva, what's going on?" "He's back, they're attacking again!" Ragear opened his mouth in a huge roar, as a large fireball slammed into the palace building they were standing outside of. "[i]SILVA!!![/i]" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [i]Over... Over... over what? Over land... yes that's it... Over land, over air.... oh, three over's, wasn't it? Why can't I remember? oh yes... Over land, over air, over sea...[/i] Silva recalled the first line as the fireball slammed into her home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Three black, scorpion bat looking creatures flew in after the fireball. They screeched, bloodthirstyly, and dove at the three on the ground. Shiva knocked one back with her powerful tail. Ryu dodged his, a few deep scratches on his shoulder. The third locked with Ragear, and they tumbled over and over. Before Shiva's could recover from its fall, Shiva breathed ice on it. The scorpion bat clunked to the ground, an ice sculpture. "No no no, that's cheating," said Shadow Wing as he came back into view. A wave of his hand had a whole swarm of scorpion bats attacking Shiva, holding her mouth shut. Ryu picked up a piece of rumble from the ruined building and held it up as a shield. "We have to help Silva!" he hollered, as the scorpion bat tore his rock shield in two. "Yes yes, but oo help us-ens?" Ragear whimpered. His bat raked its claws across his face and Ragear snarled. He hiccuped and spat a mighty blast at the bat. It was gone in an instant. "Such power..." Shadow Wing whispered. "No matter, you're not my perogative today. The girl!" "NO!" Shiva screamed, though restrained by bats. Shadow Wing stepped to the building, and was stopped by Ragear. "Call your mutt off," Shadow Wing said. "The longer we stand out here, the longer the girl goes without air. She'll die if you don't let me through." "And she'll die if I do," Ryu spat back. His scorpion bat lunged out with its tail, and Ryu collapsed into a poisoned sleep. "ROOIE!" Ragear cried. He faced Shadow Wing, preparing another fiery blast. "Little insect, you are too valuable to destroy, but you are in the way!" Shadow Wing spat. He summoned more scorpion bats to surround Ragear. "And now, the girl." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OK, now would be a really good time for another person and his/her dragon to step in. (Sorry, this story just went crazy. :))

An hour later, Ragear is still scarfing food down. Silva watchs him with a kind yet bewildered look on her face. She rests her head on one hand. "Ragear?" "Scmff mmm! Munch scff mm-mmm! Mmm scff yhhh?" "Where'd you come from?" "'Rum ousside." "No no no, where did you [i]come[/i] from?" "'Rum place in allee wit bozzes." Ragear chomps on a chicken wing. "No, I mean, (Uh Ragear, that isn't cooked)..." Ragear hiccups. "Never mind." "'Coose me." Ragear grins, a little smoke wreathing his small face. "Where were you before the alley?" "Huh?" "Where did you live before the alley?" "Dunno." "Why all the questions?" Ryu butted in. "I want to know stuff," Silva answered. "Well, I do too. Like about Shiva. And this place. It's like...like...dang, it's no less than a palace!!" "Would you take 'I'm just special' for an answer?" "Not really." Silva sighed. "It's really complicated." "I've got time." "That's nice," Silva smiled. "But I don't. And you really don't either, if you plan to get Ragear trained." "For what?" "The Dragonial." "Ahowneeall?" "How do you know about it?" Shiva turned her gaze on Ryu. "The question is, how do [i]you[/i]?" "I've got a dragon, doesn't that count?" Silva massaged her temples. "Too many questions." "And not enough answers." "Too much has been said already," Shiva commented. "Now let the embrace of sleep wash over you and carry you away on its current of dreams." Ryu and Ragear were asleep in an instant. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Late that night, Ryu sat up in his bed. He was in a quiet room. Nearby, a wrinkled puddle of a blanket showed where Ragear had been. The door to the room was slightly open, letting in moonlight... ...and the soft sound of someone singing. Ryu got up and crept to the door, peering out. The main hallway laid empty before him. He slipped out to follow the singing. Several minutes later, he found himself on a terrace, overlooking a large garden. To his right was a water fountain; silvery in the moonlight, the water poured down in musical tones. But none so musical as the ones coming from Silva's mouth. Shiva hung over her, her eyes closed in blissful peace; Ragear was also there, watching Silva intently. "'Rettie." "Yes, it is pretty." The three jumped and stared at Ryu. "Thank you," Silva stammered. "Are there words to it too?" "I-I can't remember them." "It was a song from her childhood," Shiva explained. "She always comes out here to try to remember it." "I kept thinking it had something important to tell me," Silva admitted. "And now, with the Dragonial..." She trailed off. "Oh, it's important more than ever now that I try to remember!" "Yes, it is." "Who's there!" Silva shouted. Shiva growled deeply. Ragear bared his teeth at the shadowy figure that stepped into view, and even Ryu felt uneasy. "A friend." "You're no friend!" "Aw, that hurts. Really." The shadowy figure snapped his fingers. And that's when Ryu's world turned upside down.

I, also, profess exhaustion and deliberate use of my creative skills on other threads. But here's the story so far: Ben stole Z to corrupt her. The rest of us follow. (Joined by Oreta and Kazuya.) We suddenly find ourselves in a whole heap of trouble.

Ragear looks through the bag for anymore food, then contents himself with chewing on it. He hiccups, and the bag turns into ash. "Well," Ryu shrugs, "so much for leftovers." "Nowwy Rooie," Ragear moans. He scratches his ear, then looks at Ryu pitifully. "That's all right, young one," Shiva says, picking Ragear up on her nose. He slides down her back and laughs, stretching his arms out. "Lie! Lie!" "What?" "Wanta lie!" "Ragear wants to tell fibs?" Ryu looks at Silva for help. Silva giggles. "No, silly, Ragear wants to fly." Ragear runs around in a circle, his arms out. "Lie! LIE!!" Before anyone can do anything else, a dark shadow falls over all of them. "Lie?" Ragear looks up. "Oo! Lie!" A large dragon decends next to them, a girl astride it. "Lie!" Ragear says again. "Excuse me?" the girl, Amber, says. "Lie!" Ragear says once more, as if this explains all. "He wants to fly," Shiva told them. "He's a little small, don't you think?" "Hey!" Ryu says, "Don't make fun of Ragear! Back off!" "Is that a challenge?" the dragon, Kazul, rumbles deeply. "Uh...." Ryu looks panicky, and glances at Silva. "Don't look at me," Silva says. "I'm just the girl with the Draaqua." "Well....?" Kazul says.

Krillen's got a good idea, but there's no reason we can't have several different threads of this soon to be complicated story going at once. :) I, for one, would go crazy waiting for others to post, and I'd post anyway. That's just me--I can't control when I get inspiration. *shrugs* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shiva laughed gently. "That's what you get for trying to make young Ragear fly." She nuzzled the small dragon, and he blew a tiny fireball in appreciation. "I'm going to care for him, and feed him, and train him, and make him the BEST dragon ever!!!" Ryu shouted. Silva slapped her hand over his mouth. "Shoosh! Do you want to draw attention to us again?" "Mowwie." "What?" Ryu pushed her hand away. "I said sorry." "OK" "So now I have a dragon like you. Neat. So," Ryu continued, looking at Silva, "how did you come by Shiva?" "Duck!" The girl pulled Ryu down among the boxes. Two soldiers peer into the alley, shrug, and stagger off, mumbling. Shiva grins toothily. Ragear ventures to open one eye, then the other. "That's it, open your eyes, they're gone." "Wohn?" "Gone." "Gohn." "Why did we hide, but not them?" Ryu asked. "They're kind of hard to miss." "Shiva can disappear just by closing her eyes. She made Ragear vanish too, I guess." "How did you learn all this about Shiva?" "We've spent a lot of time together," Silva replied, in a tone that said she was unwilling to speak further on the matter. "So where [i]did[/i] you and Shiva meet?" Silva threw him a pitying glance, as if she wanted to tell him, wanted him to know what she knew, so he could take good care of Ragear. As much as she wanted to help him, she was just unwilling to. The past was there, deep in the knowledge she held. Silva just stared at the alley wall across from her. Ragear trying to reach Shiva's head far above his own. "Eeva!" Shiva smiled a motherly smile. "Take good care of Ryu, Ragear." "Oo nare Roo." Silva gazed knowingly at Ragear. "Yes, take care of Ryu." "Hey!" Ryu griped, "what about me?!? What about, 'Hey Ryu, take care of Ragear'?" The two females grinned at him. "He'll learn," Silva said. Ragear hiccupped and spat a fireball at Ryu again. "Yes," Shiva agreed. They could hear the sound of the soldiers returning. A tremendous whoosh! of air, and Ryu felt a sudden emptiness behind him. He turned to find Silva and Shiva gone. "In here!" Ryu froze. In a moment, they'd see him. They'd come closer. Then they'd see Ragear. What was he to do? [i]Thanks for leaving me on my own,[/i] he thought bitterly of Silva and Shiva.

Silva and Ryu both collapse. Silva is instantly on her feet, helping Ryu up. "Are you all right?" "Yeah. Thanks, I guess," Ryu says. "I'm Ryu. Who're you?" "I'm Silva." "Nice to meet yo--" "Gotta go!" Silva calls over her shoulder as she runs off. [i]What an odd person,[/i] Ryu thinks. Behind the cover of a large, abandoned building, Silva glances about her, to make sure no one is following her. She then begins to call softly. "Shiva!" A movement catchs her eye, and Silva's breath is taken away, as it always is, as she gazes on Shiva, a Draaqua Dragon. Shiva stretches her legs luxuriously, her orca markings clearly in evidence. Slapping her tail against the ground, she scratches an itch between two of her sharp dorsal fins. "What is it, small one?" "The Dragonial..." "How do you know about the Dragonial?" Both jump at the sudden, unexpected intrusion. Ryu is peering around a corner. "YOU!" "Nice dragon. How's it fly?" "Wings are not needed to be carried aloft," Shiva comments in her deep voice. She snorts rather impatiently. "OK, fair enough. But how do you--" He glances at Silva, "--know about the Dragonial?" "What does it matter?" Silva says, beginning to look nervous. "I just want to know." "Silva?" the Draaqua asks. Silva nods at her. In a swift movement, Shiva sweeps Silva on her back and takes to the air, looking for all the world like she is swimming through it. "That's how she flies," Silva calls back before the pair disappear into the clouds. Ryu just shakes his head, and continues to walk through town.

Name: Silva Periphire Element: Water Dragon's Name: Shiva, a Draaqua Dragon (I'll show you what I mean in my pic.) Weapon: A spear and Longbow Age: 19 Personality: Quiet, reserved, cares for others very much, but likes to be alone with her dragon when people begin to ask about her or her past. Hair Color: Reddish Brown, with gold tints Eye Color: Blue Clothes: White tunic, dull silvery gold rope tied about it; traveling boots; soft blue hooded cape; a water droplet pendant hangs about her neck. Lemme draw a pic and post it later, k?

...no one's posted lately, so now you are all going to suffer. That's right, I'm gonna twist the story!!! *Bwa HA HA HA!!! *More D.E. type laughter :devil: ** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Somewhere...* Ben: One little, two little, three corrupted Digimon... Zalta: *squirms in a cage nearby* You sicko! What could you possibly be thinking, doing this horrible stuff?!? When I get ahold of you-- Ben: You're in no position to talk, now, are you? :devil: Hold still, this won't hurt...much. *In absolute terror, Zaltamon squeezes her eyes shut and squeals:* Zalta: [i]AMANDA!!![/i] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *And somewhere near a spiraling staircase...* Cera: :cross: Oh boy, I don't feel so good... Amanda: :D Nothing to it, you just-- *She suddenly stops and clutches her head.* Cera: Nothing to it, eh? Amanda: [i]Z!!![/i] *Gryfmon, Marimon, and Nekomon all look noticeably disturbed.* Gryf: Something's not right here... Mari: The darkness, it's overwhelming... Neko: We should turn back! *Ginny grabs the scared Digimon by his wings.* Ginny: We can't! Not after all we just went through! Cera: Try digivolving. Maybe that will make you feel better. Mari: *doubtful* Ok....Marimon, digivolve to...........! Mari: ....Marimon? Ginny: You try, Gryf. Gryf: *trying not to look scared* Gryfmon, digivovle to........! Gryf: ...(what the?)...Gryfmon? Neko: *whimpers* We shouldn't be here... Gryf: We can't leave Zaltamon! *Marimon's ears droop.* Cera: Well, Mari, what do you think? Mari: I-I...ooohhhh....... *A strange thing happens. Marimon shrinks back into her In Training form. Nekomon groans, trembling.* Neko: I knew it! We shouldn't have stayed! *He too shrinks back to his In Training form.* Amanda: Gryf, don't you dare! You're our last Rookie! Gryf: But it's so hopeless....*she sags and lies like a limp rag. She also turns back into her In Training form.* Ginny: *suddenly stressed--everything seems to be falling apart around her* Look at this! We're down to Tiamon, Noptamon, and...uh...what's yours, Cera? *Cera is about to answer when the wall to their left explodes. The girls and the Digimon, shaken by the blast, strain their eyes to see what is coming through the smoke. They all gasp together as they recognize who they see.* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Another famous GinnyLyn cliffhanger! Go to it, my fellow fanfic writers! *dodges SH Cera's weilding**

(Lia is not really all that mean!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nopta: Not that! Them!!! Everyone else: "Them"? *Everyone looks to where Noptamon indicates. Nothing is there.* Lia: Great, not only am I have delusions about little talking monsters, my delusions are having delusions. That can't be a good sign... Nopta: But...but...something [i]was[/i] there! Ty: *hugs Nopta* [i]I[/i] believe you. Yoshi: I guess the important question is...were whatever you saw bad or good? Nopta: Uh....? Ty: He wants to know if the things you saw will hurt us. Nopta: I dunno... Corla: *giggles* Yoshi: What? Corla: You things have the weirdest eyes. Yoshi: Wha?!? Corla: I saw them too! Lia: Ok, fine, whatever. The point is, [i]will they hurt us?![/i] Corla: *giggles again* Lia: You little--! *Yoshi sweeps the Fresh Digimon in his hands.* Yoshi: Hey, stop! Corlamon's just a baby! Lia: *pouts* Hmph! Nopta: I think [i]some[/i]one needs to meet her Digimon. Lia: Whatever... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (I have one for Lia, so please do not make one up for her. Also, Cera, write yourself in whenever.)

Yoshi: *rubs egg* Uh oh... Lia: Whaddya mean, uh oh? Yoshi: The egg, it's...*The egg in question is vibrating in his hands. A crack appears, then another.* It's hatching!!! Ty: A new Digimon! Nopta: A new friend! Lia: A new something to worry about! Yoshi: Shh, let's just see what happens. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (BTW, I meant for Hiroki Hida to be in this story, but I nicknamed him Yoshi. I guess we'll stick with that name, huh? And also, Noptamon is Nekomon's (my made up Digimon) In Training form.)

(What's your Crest again, Amanda? Do you have it yet?) Cera: Mari! Ginny: Oh shoot, Gryf, Neko! Zalta: Fine, let's not show any compassion to the one Digimon who's got the bad guy breathing on her! All three girls: ZALTAMON! Zalta: :cross: Thanks... Amanda: Give her BACK! Ben: I'm afraid I can't do that. I've got some corrupting to do now, so I'll bid you ladies adieu. *he vanishes with Zalta* *Amanda runs to where Ben was just standing, but is stopped by Blockmon.* Blockmon: Bring it on, little wussy girl. *Amanda suddenly loses her temper and whacks Blockmon over the head with her digivice. Gripping the hammers he was about to throw, Blockmon sags, a little dazed. Amanda's digivice lights up and shines on Blockmon. The lit up parts of him are now ToyAgumon looking. The shadow parts still look like Blockmon.* Amanda: Uh, what's going on? Ginny: You're asking me? *WereGarurumon, Mammothmon, and Monzaemon stand over Blockmon. Meanwhile, Cera picks up Marimon, and Amanda helps Ginny try to shake Gryfmon and Nekomon awake.* Cera: They're...they're not moving.... Ginny: *almost in tears* Cera, [i]what's wrong with them?!?[/i] Cera: You think I have answers anymore than you do? Block: Fools...idiots...corruption...darkness swirls...confused... *One by one, the three Ultimates begin to shrink and there are five SnowAgumons once more. The SnowAgumons begin to fade.* Amanda: Uh, are they supposed to be doing that? Ginny: HEY! Where are you going? 5SnowAgus: We'll.....return...in time....be brave... *And they vanish completely.* Cera: *mutters* That's the last thing we need right now. Amanda: Lemme add one more--Blockmon or ToyAgumon or whatever, he's waking up.

*Lia is not a meanie, she just can't stand her little cute bro, who gets away with everything because he's so adorable. And "Yoshi" is really Hiroki, so for anyone who's playing Hiroki, make your choice of which name you are going to use. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Raiha: Cute means, uh...really nice looking. Like Lia's little brother Ty. Isn't Irismon adorable? Lia: *less than enthusiastic* Yeah, adorable. Terris: What's wrong with her? Lia: Nothing's wrong with me! I'm going to go find that kid who called himself Yoshi. *stomps off* Raiha: O...k. *meanwhile, Ty and Noptamon are chatting like old friends.* Ty: And my sister-- Nopta: What's a sister? *Lia is walking up at this point* Ty: A sister is...well...she's a person who...uh...I dunno. But I like mine a lot. *Lia raises an eyebrow, then decides to walk away for a moment. That's when she runs slap bang into "Yoshi" (Hiroki).* Lia: OW! Please watch where you're going from now on, k? Yoshi/Hiroki: Never mind that, you should see what I just found!

All 5 SnowAgumons: SnowAgumon, group warp digivolve to-- Block: Oh no you don't! *he hurls hammers at them* *The SnowAgumons stagger back under the hail of hammers.* Cera: We gotta stop him somehow so they can group Digivolve! Amanda: What?!? Ginny: Never mind, Amanda, we'll explain later, but for now...Gryfmon! Gryf: Gotcha! Tygermon time! *While Blockmon happily plays kickball with the SnowAgumon (:devil: ), Gryfmon digivolves and tackles him from behind.* *Outraged, he slaps his arm against her throat and shoves her back. That's when Lyrdramon pounces on him.* Amanda: Whoa, lookit them grow! Neko: My turn! *Volunsmon joins the crowd, and Blockmon is distracted for the moment.* Cera: SnowAgumons, [i]hurry![/i] SnowAgus: SnowAgumon, group warp digivolve to-- Block: Enough already! *he somehow manages to break free of the three Champions, but instead of attacking the SnowAgumons again, he dives at the corner where the Crest of Peace shone. With a concentrated attack, he shatters the symbol.* That should keep you from doing any more harm! Cera: *mutters* Look who's talking... Amanda: Does this mean they can't group digivolve. Ginny: I dunno. Try it, guys! SnowAgu1: SnowAgumon, digivolve to...Frigimon! SnowAgu2: SnowAgumon, digivolve to...Gururumon! SnowAgu3: SnowAgumon, digivovle to...Mojyamon! SnowAgu4: SnowAgumon, digivolve to...Garurumon! SnowAgu5: SnowAgumon, digivolve to...ShimaUnimon! *Sidenote from Ginny--I took a little creative license here, oh well. :D* Ginny: I don't think that's how that's supposed to work... Frigi: Frigimon... Mojya: Mojyamon... Both: DNA digivolve to Monzaemon! Gururu: Gururumon... Garuru: Garurumon... Both: DNA digivolve to...WereGarurumon! ShimaUni: ShimaUnimon, digivolve to...Mammothmon! Cera: OK, now [i]that[/i] I've never seen them do. *While WereGarurumon faked a kick at Blockmon, Mammothmon slipped its trunk around Blockmon's body, and squeezed tightly.* Monzae: Hold still, you...Hearts Attack! *The Blockmon is now imprisoned in a large heart bubble...for the moment.*

*Lia suddenly remembers her own brother, Ty. She looks about for him, but doesn't see him anywhere.* Lia: Have you seen a kid named Ty, or one called Yoshi? Raiha: Well, I did see a boy walking over the-- Lia: Thanks! *runs in direction Raiha points* *She sees her brother, but immediately stops and screams. Raiha and Terris catch up with her, asking what is wrong. Lia points.* Lia: What is that--that [i]thing[/i] with my brother? *The "thing" looks like a caterpillar, but is too big to be a normal one.* Raiha: Whoa....where are we? Terris: A place where there are a lot of strange animals. I saw some small dinosaurs running by the waterfall before you caught up with me, Raiha. Lia: Ty, get away from that thing! Ty: But it's nice--it's just a baby. And it's name is Noptamon. It won't hurt us. Raiha: How do you know? NoptaM: I won't--I promise. Ty is very nice. I want to be his friend. Ty: Can I keep it, Lia? Please? Lia: I dunno, squirt. Are you sure about this? Ty: If you don't let me keep it, I'm gonna cry! Lia: *unmoved* Whoopee. Now let's go see if we can find Yoshi--he's bound to be here somewhere. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Just a side note--pick a character--human, Digimon, or the bad guy, whatever you want, and post as them. NO EVIL DIGIDESTINED!!!*

*This thread is here for us to explore what could have happened way back when, how things started, before Digimon S1. There are 5 kids, two of them younsters. No evil DigiDestined or anything~~this was back when they fought the evil from behind the FireWall. One twist~~we'll set this a little farther in the future (would have originally taken place in 60's, 70's maybe, but let's not go there.). I've only got one rule: if you post, you need to post part of the story~~you can complain about another post, but you must post a part of the story as well. Got it? I hope so. I'll start (lucky me).* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *A regular day like any other. Lia is doing her best to kick butt in FF7, when her younger brother Ty stumbles in. Just as Lia is about to deliver the final blow to Sephiroth, Ty trips over the main power cord.* Lia: :eek: TY! WHAT DID YOU DO?!? Ty: ...um? Lia: I was about to win, you doofus! :flaming: Get out get out get out!!! *Crying, Ty does. Mom and Dad are in Lia's room in a instant, scolding her. After they leave, Lia kicks her wall, living with her punishment.* Lia: Grounded for a week. Just for yelling at my dweeb of a brother. *A knock on the door. Ty sneaks in.* Lia: Get out of here--you've already got me in enough trouble as it is! Ty: I'm sorry...:( Lia: Yeah, right, you always say that. And you always get away with it because everyone thinks you are so cute. :mad: *A tap on her window causes Lia to open it. The Hida boy that just moved in next door is there.* Lia: Hi. You're new here, aren't you? What's your name? Koushiro Hida: Koushiro Hida *actually, I don't remember his real name, work with me here*, but please don't call me that! Lia: What do you want to be called? Koushiro Hida: Yoshi. Ty: Hee hee hee, like the dragon dinosaur? Yoshi: Who's that? Lia: My little bro. So what brings you here, Yoshi? Yoshi: :confused: You mean you haven't seen the weird glow outside your window? Lia: What? *He points to it. Sure enough, there's a weird glow under her window. It pulses gently. As Lia looks closer, she could almost swear she sees something not of our world.* *At that moment, the earth shakes. Lights blink, and Ty reaches out for Lia as she falls through her window. Two kids across the street see the commotion, and run over. A mighty terra heave throws all five kids into the glowing thing.* *A moment later, Lia is alone. But what frightens her more is that she know she is not at home anymore. And suddenly, being grounded doesn't seem so bad.* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OK, go to it. (Sorry DigiStory peeps, but I want to have another, different story going.)