• Trip packed his bags and leaned back against the wall. He ran his fingers over his light blond hair. Things were taking an interesting turn. He'd just gotten throw out of college for not being able to pay the money due. All he'd work so hard to achieve had been cruelly pulled away from him.

    Not that it matter to much. Orphaned at the age of seven, Trip hadn't ever gotten a chance to ask his parents why they had to name him Trip. Trip wasn't even a name! It cause teasing to ensue the second it was announced to the class at school, and due to the fact that his ears were also pointed, then was simply nothing he could to stop the teasing. He frowned; his blue eyes narrowing. A funny name, and un-humanly pointed ears. That was all it took for his life to be throw off balance.

    He took a last look around the room, and then walked swiftly out the door. He didn't look back. If would have, he might have noticed a shadow fall across the floor. Whether he noticed it or not, Trip was being followed.

    Trip walked down the lonely walk way glancing at the grimy walls on either side of him. At least he still had a run down apartment room. He turned another corner, and paused. The hair on the back of his stood up as a chill passed through his body. He didn't think he had a six sense, but he was getting a feeling of being followed.

    The first conclusion he came to was: OMG I'm about to be mugged! Trip considered that there were other possibilities, but he wasn't staying around to find out. Trip darted down the alley at top speed, feeling like a hunted animal. He raced around the corner, and to his horror the sound of running footsteps echoed behind him.

    Trip's panic intensified as he ran head long for the apartment building. All he had to do was get inside the building.

    Some one dropped down in front of Trip's path. He skidded to a halt in horror; they'd come around to box him in! No. Trip blinked. There standing in front of him was a girl.


    The girl stood hands on her hips. She had long, black hair that hung down to her waist. Her bangs were shorter however, and cover her right eye. She was wearing a dress with a high collar leading down to a button down tank top-like top. The skirt hugged close to her slim figure. The sides were slit up to her mid thigh. And her combat boots came up to her knees.
    Trip swallowed. Who was she? He'd never seen anyone who walked around in clothes like that. "Who are you?" He gasped.
    She rolled her eyes. "You know."
    "I do?" Trip shook his head and raced forward. "Look, we have to get out of here I'm being......"
    She held her palm out in front of her. "Sleep Song!" She called out.
    Trip saw purple mist swirl out from her hand then everything went black.


    Trip slowly started coming around. He could tell that he was laying on a bed. Weird. He thought. He was just about to get up, when he heard voices.
    "Can you believe that he would do that!" That was the girls voice from earlier.Trip frowned.
    "Not really. After you spent on this time and effort memorizing the human messaging system." A man's voice answered.
    "Yeah, and to what end? I waited months for a reply." She pouted.
    "Hey, he just moved!"
    Trip held himself as still as possible, hoping that they'd just leave him alone. Some one poked him harshly in the ribs. (Resist Trip! You can handle it!) They poked him again.
    "Hey!" Trip sat up a glared. "That hurt you....."
    The guy standing next to the girl of also around his age. He had bright red hair. Bright enough to be dyed that way. Trip considered, but the part that made him stare was all the body piercings. Seven earring in each ear, an eyebrow pierce, and a nose ring. Aside from that this guy obviously didn't think clothes were important. He didn't wear a shirt, just a pair of jeans and combat boots. The guy held up a strangely gloved hair and pointed in his face.
    "Hey, Song. This weakling lives."
    This didn't sound good.

    The girl shoved the red head out of Trip's face and leaned over him. "Trip Greenwood, why is it you didn't answer my email?"
    Trip frowned. "Because I don't recall an email being sent to me."
    "I sent you one." The girl shot back. "The user name was SongBluesky26."
    "Oh yeah," Trip scratched the back of his head. "I didn't know who you were so I spammed it."
    "You what?" She asked.
    "Deleted it." Trip glared.
    "Didn't you at least read it?"
    "Nope."
    "I told you to just send him a notice our way." The guy hissed.
    The girls brushed her hair out of her face. "Well, let's start at the beginning then." She held out her hand. "My name is Song Bluesky."
    Trip glared at her hand. "Since you know my name, I'll just ask where the heck am I?"
    Song pulled her hand back. "In the medical wing, on a bed, in the Center."
    "The Center?" Trip rubbed his forehead. "The center of what."
    "The earth of course." Song answered.

    "What!" Trip frowned. "That's not possible."
    "Really?" Song returned his frown. "Dart, open the window."
    Dart, the red head, strode over to the window and flipped it open.
    Trip slid out of the bed and walked over to the window. He bit his tongue as he took in the view.
    Out side was one of the most beautiful forests he'd ever seen. Pine and oak trees grew along side of strange African trees. Flower dotted the forest floor. There were so many of them in some areas that it like patchwork. He looked to his right. There was a city of all different kinds of architecture. American, British, Japanese, Russian, Mexican, German, and so much more. He looked around and then saw walls running up the sides of the forest. They continued farther up than his eyes could follow.
    "I don't under stand." Trip glanced at Song. "How is it you have sun light?"
    Dart answered for Song. "You see, up there, there's a crack in Arctic. To humans it looks like a deep canyon, but it's actually bottomless."
    "And you don't freeze because your in the earth's core?" Trip dared to ask.
    "Right again." Dart smirked. "Or wait. You were never right before, so never mind."
    Trip had a feeling he and Dart probably wouldn't get along very well.
    "Enough talk." Song announced. "We have to take you to Flash Graycloud."
    "Who's that?" Trip turned and followed her toward the door.
    "Your new master." Song smiled.