The Serpent's Secret

Chapter 1:

It’s another day, but not like any other..  For some reason this day is different.  It’s like something in the air has changed.  Instead of the musk and humidity there was a dangerous scent.  Like some kind of poison wafting in from uncharted territory.

I am unable to see, but I can still tell that the expressions on others faces are different.  I can hear someone behind me, walking.  For some reason their pace matches exactly with mine.  It gives me anxiety, like they are purposely trying to blend with me.  People’s footsteps typically disrupt my own, in order to trample on the impression I am making on the world.

I can’t make myself turn around, for if I turn around I feel I will lose myself in the aura of the one behind me.  The blending makes me feel even more invisible.  But also even stronger, almost as if the one behind me is purposefully increasing my power and influence.

I resisted the urge to inquire with the one behind me until I stood on the creaky floorboard that marked the place I was to sit in class.  I searched for my chair and carefully lowered myself onto it.  The draft from the window next to me gave me a large whiff of the ponds surrounding the school.  The familiar scent gave me a calm moment before a storm.

Their footsteps stopped matching mine once I set foot into the room.  They suddenly disappeared as quietly as they had appeared.  The very moment the footsteps stopped, I could once again feel the gaze of my predators.  I was not hassled when I was walking towards my seat.  Although I could still feel their gazes, they weren’t all directed at me.  It was as if another more fierce predator had entered the room.  

The particular class I was assigned to was populated by those who were low on the food chain, myself being the weakest.  It suddenly felt as if someone at the top had walked in.

All that could be heard at that moment was the sound of the trees brushing against our wooden building.  All conversation had stopped in order to gaze and admire whatever captured the attention of the room.  Because my gaze was unable to capture anything I was left in the dark.

I could hear the loud footsteps of the teacher coming in.  Her footsteps were unique.  They always resonated in my mind.  They sent out a vibration which gave me the calm feeling of flying away.  Despite being from a prey’s lineage she was fierce and could hold her own in battle.  She was taught to use the wind in order to power her attacks and speed her escape.  I admired her achievements.  She went from being preyed upon to being the one feared.

She was in charge of teaching strategic history.  She tied it into practical use and the historical importance of battle strategies.  I wasn’t all that interested in the material, but I looked up to her as a sister, and she treated me as her brother.

She stood at the top of the class, her gaze forcing the class to act in accordance to her regulations.  I heard her scratching on the chalkboard, the same she did every morning.  She would always write her name on the chalkboard, Ms. Ilda Selt.  Today, instead of immediately going into today’s material she took a moment to clear her throat.  I once again heard those footsteps, those that gave me anxiety.

I then realized what captured everyone’s attention moments before.  It was the one who was in control of those footsteps.  Even when I am unable to see I can feel that their aura is blinding.  A forceful and yet beautiful voice filled the room.  It identified itself as Theoria Huule.  Ms. Selt directed Theoria to an open to seat.  My anxiety grew as their footsteps grew closer.  The increase in volume sent shivers down my spine as I realized where she was being placed.

There was plenty of open space, considering the area of the school was scarcely occupied, but I could tell what Ms. Selt was doing.  Her attempt to bring me closer to someone would be appreciated, but would not bear fruit to any results.  She has attempted this before, and the result was a dislocated shoulder and being adrift in a pond.

Throughout the class I did my best to ignore Theoria’s presence, but I always felt her gaze on me.  The class took an eternity, but it eventually ended.  I waited for the others to leave the room before exiting myself.  The next class was outdoors.  It was a combat class, one I was fine at, but only because I was permitted to fight back.  In order to not get in trouble I allowed myself to be overpowered by others, that way they felt superior and it ended faster.

Theoria surprised me by blocking my way.  I ran into her.  The next thing she did surprised me even more.  She treated me as royalty.  She took my hand, because I was assuming violence would follow, I did not resist.  Instead of violence, she raised it to her face.  I felt something soft brush against it.  I could only assume it was her lips, I could not understand her reasoning.  Her actions were so unfamiliar to me.  Being treated with care was something I was unfamiliar with.

I could feel Theoria’s breath against my skin.  “I finally found you, your majesty.”

Earth Overcome: Part 9, Agon

  Today was Mother's Day, I know this is kind of tactless, but mine is dead.  So is my Dad.  They've been like this for two years, and I've visited them before, but this was the first time I had gone there since my gaining of scales.  Sure I was in Chicago and they were in San Francisco, but when you have wings you can go anywhere.  What was weird wasn't that I had wings, or that I had just helped saved a painter ninja.  What was weird was Long, or the lack of him.  He was quiet.  My best guess was that he was leaving me alone so I could mourn. 

  It didn't take long to find their graves once I was there.  I had gone there so often when I was in the orphanage I had the path memorized.  I had flowers because that's what you bring.  It's the unspoken rule.  Well, not entirely unspoken, but I think you get it.

  "Hi Mom." I said. "Happy Mother's Day.  Hey Dad.  How are you guys?"

  I was quiet for a moment to let them respond.

  "That's good, that's great.  Hope you like the flowers.  Don't worry Dad, I'll be back for Father's Day." 

  I was quiet again.  You know, if I really concentrated I could almost hear them.

  "So." I said slowly. "I don't want to take your thunder but I kind of have a problem."  I knew they were listening because they always did. "I kind of have scales, and claws, and wings."

  I knew this was going to be long, so I sat down in front of the tombstone, and told them all of it.  I told them how I got my powers.  About how I beat Dark Sage.  I told them how Bridget was scared of me.  I told them everything about the team, our first mission and how I flew here.  There were some parts where I could here them laughing.  Some where they were quiet.  Sometimes they didn't make any sounds.  It kind of felt like they were there.

  "...and now I don't know what to do next." I finished.  I was quiet again, waiting for an answer that never came,  They were gone again, and it didn't feel like they were there anymore.

  "August?" said Long. "Someone is behind us."  The first time he spoke and he was right, someone was there.

  "So, you're here." she said.  I turned around and found my sister, Bridget and she did not look happy.  "Shouldn't you be out killing more people?" she asked.  Ouch.  That kind of hurt.

  "Bridget come on.  Not in front of Mom and Dad."

  "The reason they're dead is because of you."

  "You blame me?" I asked quietly.

  "Yes, I do."

  "Wouldn't the one who killed them be Dark Sage."

  "And who brought him into the picture?" she asked.

  "Bridget please..."

  "No!  I already told you to get out of my life.  Now stay out!"

  "You're not being fair." I said.

  "I spent two years of my life with that creep because of you!"

  "You know what?!" I told her.  "I'm sorry!  Excuse me!  I'm sorry for going to China!  I'm sorry for ending up like this!  And I'm sorry for everything else I have no control over!  So why don't you take your judgmental self and get over it."

  "What did you say to me?"

  "You know last time I checked, I'm the one with the scales.  I'm the one the bad guy tried to kill.  I'm the one with a Chinese man in my head!  So I'm sorry for wanting to see my parents!" 

  Then I turned around and stomped out of the cemetery.  Leaving her with her mouth wide open.

About a Bird and His Hunger

Introduction:

  This was another school assignment based off the story from yesterday.  Enjoy!

 The Story:

 

“I’m hungry.  I’m hungry.  I need food.  I’m hungry.  Wait.  I’m hungry.”  Honestly those are the thoughts I have every day.  I know it may seem primitive to your giant human mind, but I don’t have the convenience of food in my nest.  I wish I did.  That would’ve made this whole experience much easier, and then I wouldn’t be hungry.

                On that particular day I was on the hunt for, well, food.  Anything really, though I prefer worms.  It had been hard that day, not much rain so not many worms.  I decided to go to the usual house, where the lady has food.  Though when I got there the usual person wasn’t!  It was an older woman sleeping on the porch swing.  I decided I’d give it a try, so I hopped up and squawked at her.  She woke with a snort and started yelling in her weird human language.  For all I knew that meant food, but no.  She picked up a stick at started shaking at me.  I didn’t want to get hit, so I squawked again and flew away.

                I couldn’t believe her, who was she to say what I could eat and what I couldn’t eat?  Humans are spoiled brats.  All I had wanted was some food, maybe just a crumb.  Humans are terrible, well, except the ones that give me food.  Those are alright with me.

                The problem was that I was still hungry and I still needed food.  It wasn’t really fair that I had to starve, and I didn’t feel like dying.  I kept flying around the same area until I came across a tree.  A tree with a hole in it.  You wouldn’t believe what that hole was filled with.  Nuts!  Acorns and walnuts and pecans and whatever other nuts grew in that area, and there they were.  Mine for the taking.  I landed on the branch and stuck my head in.  It smelled delicious in there.  I will admit I was curious to how they all got there, but I was so hungry I didn’t care.  Just as I was about to take a bite of acorn, there was a loud squeal behind me.  I pulled my head out and looked around, it was a squirrel chattering at me.  It must have been her nest and her food.  I didn’t want to steal.  So I opened my wings and flew away.

                At this point I was on the brink of falling out of the sky.  It was all because of hunger.  I needed food.  I just wish the squirrel had been a little more kind and shared his food.  I didn’t see why he needed all those nuts.  There were plenty for both of us.  Still, I didn’t want to be rude or steal, so I had flown away, but I needed to find food before I didn’t make it to tomorrow.

                I flew for about another hour, scanning the ground for something, anything.  That’s when I saw it, something pink, something squishy.

                “Worm!” I thought.

                I immediately folded my wings in and went into a dive.  I rushed toward the ground faster, and faster.  Then I made wings pop back out just into to slow my fall enough to land.  The worm wasn’t fast enough, and I snapped it up the second I touched the ground.  Delicious.  I hopped around a little in victory, but then I decided to fly back to my nest.  I needed rest for tomorrow, because I would be hungry again.

P.O.V. (from a bird’s eyes)

  Introduction:
 
  This was another school assignment where I had to take a poem and turn it into a story.  This one was by Emily Dickinson, one of my favorite poets.  Here's the link http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/bird-came-down-walk-328

and here's
The Story:

  The bird honestly thinks that this neighborhood is the best.  Only for a few reasons, but sometimes those reasons can mean life or death.  Though the bird doesn’t think about life or death, or even survival.  It thinks about food.  That’s mostly it.  You could argue that he thinks about survival because he thinks about food, but that’s not it.  The bird is just really greedy.

                It’s because of his greediness that the bird likes this neighborhood.  He likes it because it rains often.  When I said the bird only thinks about food, that doesn’t mean he isn’t smart.  He actually is rather intelligent, but he uses his intelligence to think about food.  You see, this bird has it all figured out.   Because it rains often worms come out making them easier to find.  He had actually found an angleworm that very morning and enjoyed it very much.  It also means more to drink.  The grass in one particular house’s yard is long, very long.  So the rain collects on it and makes it easy to drink.

                Though there are problems, the bird has yet to find a spot without them.  The biggest one is beetles, the bird hates them.  They look disgusting, they taste disgusting, and they feel disgusting.  So disgusting that the bird doesn’t want to be near them.  Well, more of them come out for the water, just like the worms.  So when the bird sees them he hops to the nearest wall and looks rapidly around for more before continuing the hunt for worms.

                There was something that made up for it.  Someone in particular.  She would sometimes watch the bird hunt for food, and the bird would pretend that he didn’t see her or else she would go away.  He did notice her, even when she was trying not to be noticed.  Somehow she had gotten it into her head that if he saw her, he would fly away.  Most of the time she sat on her porch and scribbled in her notebook, but sometimes the bird liked to take advantage of her.  When it had been a day without as many worms as usual, or if he just wanted more food (most of the time it was the second one) he would hop up to her and cock his head.  She would stare at him, then scribble something in her book.  After he stared at her for a while she would dig for something in her pocket.  After she found something she would give to him.  Whether it be a cracker, or biscuit, or in this case a crumb.  Usually this ritual would signify the end of this bird’s day and he would fly back to his nest.  And just to prove my point on how smart this bird really is, the bird has his nest built in this neighborhood.  I like to think that is proof plenty.  

Earth Overcome, Part 8: Sheath

  When Sara said "Guns Blazing" she meant guns blazing.  That's what hers were doing.  I for one was really curious about the team,

  "What are they like?" I asked. 

  Sara didn't answer.

  "How did they do on the mission?"

  Still no answer.

  "I hope they're okay."

  "Yukino, I could use some help."

  "Yeah." I nodded, I had been trying to avoid this.  I really didn't want to do this, but it couldn't be avoided, we needed Sheath.  I sighed and closed my eyes.

  Sheath Awoke

   Sheath was strong fast and silent, for that was what she needed to be.  One of the thug's trying to kill Raft noticed her and rushed her.  What a fool, he would be the first one.  Sheath drew her sword and spun around and slashed!  He fell to the floor, dead.  Another one decided to run at her, surely he would do better than his predecessor.  He didn't.  Sheath easily sidestepped him and tripped him.  He fell onto the floor, she spun her sword around and stabbed.  He screamed, but Sheath was silent.  The third was smarter, almost.  He shot at Sheath.  It was a Magnum.  Hard to aim, easy to dodge.  She ducked under the bullet and before he could get off another shot, she ran up and slashed.  That would be the last bullet he would ever fire.  Two more decided to follow suit and fired at her from opposite sides.  She ducked... and the bullets passed over her head and found their mark in the other man.  Silently Sheath rose from the floor and closed her eyes, her work was done.  For now.

  Yukino Awoke

  When I got control back from Sheath, there were bodies everywhere.  I don't even know how I got control back or why.  The only person not dead was Sara and she looked afraid.

  "Come on." she said when she saw it was me, not Sheath. "Let's go."

  Video Log: Scar

  I love Yukino as a friend, I really do.  But it's not easy.  I'm a little scared of Sheath, and why shouldn't I be?  She has the potential to kill us all!

  End Log

  On the way back to Sara's ship, we had to be quiet, if we weren't we'd be caught.  Though I wish we could've because that left me alone with my thoughts.  Sheath was usually quiet but sometimes she talked to me.  She says that she wants control over my, I mean our body.  But I can't let that happen, because she also wants to kill people.  I can't be responsible for that.  What's even worse is the way she works.  I don't know why she gave me control again.  It's like she's bidding her time, and that scares me.  Having this... thing!  Inside me.  I just, just, I just wish my other personality was a pacifist.

  When we did get to the ship, I'll be blunt, I was surprised.  The team was not at all what I had expected.  I mean, I knew who was going to be on the team, but they were different from my expectations.

  Sara strapped into the pilot's seat and started to fly.  the dragon guy, Agon decided to make a comment, "So that's the chick we came all the way out here to get?  I'm impressed."

  "Yes this is Sheath." Sara sighed.  Gallatian was quiet, almost quieter than Sheath.  It was creepy.

  Agon waved at me, "Wow she's quiet.  Kinda like Gallatian.  Match made in heaven if you ask me."

 "I do talk." I told him.  I hated people who said I didn't speak, that was Sheath not me.

  "Alright, so much for that wedding."

  "Could you leave her alone?" Sara called from the cockpit.

  "Fine." he sighed, but just because he wasn't picking on me, didn't mean he wasn't going to shut up.

  "So yeah, great first mission and so worth it.  Glad to know we can function, sorta."

  I couldn't take t anymore, "Will you shut up?  All you've done is make snide comments and criticize.  Sara you may have picked the heavy hitters, but this team sucks."

  "Could you please calm down, Yukino?" she asked.

  "No!  So far we have the wise-guy and the one who doesn't talk."

  "This may not be the best time, but during the mission Agon became feral."  Everyone shut up, Gallatian has spoken. 

  "Wow, Sparkles, you pick that to talk about?" asked Agon.

  "You did what?" Sara yelled.

  I decided to stay out of it and so did Gallatian.

  "I couldn't help it, I don't have complete control."

  "Then you better learn control!"  She yelled.  Then she sighed, "Great this whole team is a time bomb."  She turned back to Agon, "How many people did you kill when you lost control."

  "I don't remember, there was red and fire.  That's all."

  "Great, just great." she muttered.  Then she was quiet for a minute, thinking.  "Look." she said.  "Because we had to extract our spy we don't know where Wilson is going to attack.  This means we can only defend when it happens.  Come back here when that attack happens.  Until then, I think we need some private space." 

  Everyone is quiet while she lands the jet, and once that process is over, we all go our separate ways.

Earth Overcome, Part 7: Sara Raft

    The second we landed I was out of the jet and inside.  I had to be quick, I had to be efficient, and I had to be professional.  Yukino need me.  I didn't bother to say anything to Agon or Gallatian.  I had the feeling neither of them were very stealthy.  Though  I couldn't help but be a little ashamed for abandoning them.  I shook my head.  I didn't have time to be sorry.  I just shook it off and kept going, like I always do.

  I ran straight past a huge open room, and into a hallway.  Yukino was in the basement and I took some stairs down to the lower levels.  As I started down the stairs I noticed something.  No guards.  No one was on these stairs.  Then I heard a giant crash.  it sounded like Agon and Gallatian had the guards distracted.  At least they were doing their jobs.  I crept down the hallway and heard some voices around the corner.  I drew my pistol, silenced of course.  I peaked around the corner and saw three guards.  Each one of them armed.  Though I had the element of surprise.

  I took a deep breath and whipped back around the corner and shot one of the guards.  He crumpled to the floor but the others saw him fall.

  "Someone's here." he yelled!
  
  I whipped back around and before the could notice me, I took aim and pulled the trigger twice.  They both fell.  I didn't hesitate.  quickly I got out of my cover and sprinted down the hall, taking care to step around the bodies.

  The next room was a more open area, with a door. That had to be where they were keeping Yukino.  The only problem was the two thugs standing guard.  I reached down to my belt and pulled out a grenade.  I stared at it.  If I used it they would all know where I was, but it was the only way.  There was no way I could take down the guys equipped with machine guns.  Silently, I pulled the pin and chucked it across the room.  I heard it bounce once, twice, then it rolled. 

  "What the..." started one of the guards but he never finished.  The explosion was so loud it left my ears ringing.  All I did was shake my head and run to the door (which had been blown off it's hinges.)

  "Yukino!" I called, standing at the top of the stairs.

  There was a voice at the bottom, faint but strong, "Sara!  You're hear?"  I heard her footsteps coming up the stairs and then she was standing right in front of me. "Finally." she grinned.

  "Yeah, I even brought the rest of the team."

  She nodded, "Good, that's good.  So how are we getting out?"

"Guns blazing."

  She tilted her head, "Seriously?"

  I took her sword out of my duffel bag, "Yeah seriously."

  "Dragon Fang." she whispered.  I nodded, Agon would get a kick out of her sword name.

  She unsheathed it and looked around, "I like this plan."

Earth Overcome: Part 6, Gallatian

  It didn't take long for night to come.  You'd think it'd take forever since I had nothing to kill time.  Even if I did it wasn't like I could.  I was starting to wonder why we attacked at night.  They would know we were there soon enough.  That was just one of the many holes in the plan.  What do expect from the eighteen year old strategist.  Though hey, what can you do?  It's not like I could talk.

  Sara landed the ship right outside of their warehouse.  The heat sensors had placed the ninja in the basement, which would mean that Scar had to use the stairs.  There were two guards outside the main door, but Scar shot them quickly and quietly.  What kind of person can just kill without remorse? 

  "We're using the front door?" asked Agon.

  "Why wouldn't we?" asked Scar.

  Agon put his hand on the wall closest to him. "Why use the door..." I swear I've never seen anything like it.  he put his entire hand through the wall.  Then all he had to do was flex and it came crashing down.  "When we can make our own, elaborate entrance?" he finished.

  "Agon..." Scar started to scold.

  "What?  They already know we're here."

  I nodded, the whisper had told me that, though I wasn't able to tell anyone.

  "Fine." she grumbled.  Then before any guards could get us, she stepped around the rubble and rushed inside.  It was just us.  Me and Agon against everything.

"So." started Agon. "How do we grab their attention?"
  "You smash stuff?" I thought.

  "I'll smash stuff!" he yelled.

  He punched a different wall and it too came crumbling around him.  The dust was flying in the air, but it worked.  There was a stream of thugs running into the room.

  "Take them out!" one guy yelled, and that was all anyone said.  They all moved the same way and had the same glazed look.  They were either high or being controlled.

  Agon went ballistic and tore into the nearest person.  I instead, let the suit take over, it kicked into the air and hovered there above the guards.  I watched as my fist glowed and gleamed.  Then a beam leapt out of it blasted straight into a guard.  The whisper and the suit were working together, it'd tell it where someone was and the suit would blast it.  I was just along for the ride.  My arm whipped around again and I the bolt of energy felled another one.

  "Lasers?" asked Agon. "That's awesome."

  Agon himself was a blur.  He was a flurry of slashing and fire.  The guards didn't know what to do.  they didn't know how to approach him.  So they fell.

  I raised my arm again and the laser sprayed across the room.  I don't know how many people I hit, but it was a lot.  I didn't a thing.

  Then I heard a BLAMM!!!  A gunshot.  I looked down at my arm and there was a hole.  No blood, just a hole.  The pain came in hard and I hit the ground.  Two of the thuigs saw there chance and rushed me.  I struggled to my knees.  They got closer.  I steadied myself with my good and arm and slowly raised my bad one.  They grinned at each other, then at me.  Instead of a laser, I shot out a shockwave and they flew across the room.  They looked like they hit the wall pretty hard.  Be fore I could recover, another tried to rush me, but this one had a knife.  He slashed and I stepped back to avoid him.  He lunged and I sidestepped.  That was my moment.  I grabbed his hand and made him drop the knife, then I brought my hands back and shot off another shockwave!  He landed in a heap on the other side of the room.

  I looked around myself.  Whatever guys I didn't hit, Agon had.  The fight was over.  Then I remembered Agon and looked over at him.  He was shaking and twitching.  His breathing was heavy, almost like a growl.  I inched closer, wondering what was wrong.

  "Agon, are you well?" It wasn't what I wanted to say, but it's what I did.

  ROARR!!!  He turned around and tried to jump on top of me.  if it wasn't for the whisper and suit I would have been clawed.  Instead I was hovering in the air.  I raised both arms and shot him twice, but it didn't faze him.  He was too strong.  He jumped up and grabbed me by my leg.  Then he pulled me back down!  I was on my back, with him right on top of me.  He opened his mouth to breathe fire and started to see the back of his mouth glow. 

  "Don't..." I thought.  I never realized how scary he was up close.  Then something happened.  He stopped, and then he shook his head.

  "What happened?" he moaned.

  I wanted scream, "You almost killed me!" but I said: "You attempted to murder me."

  "How?" he asked.

  "It appears you lost control."

  "Again." he shook his head.

  I was sighing on the inside, but I never did, I just said "Come let's get back to the aircraft."

    Video Log: Agon

  "I feel bad about this... I blame dragons... and Long."

  End Log