school {someplace in Australia}

[Its Smiley]

"Those are my parents." Dragon murmured with a monotone voice and a face to match. The only emotions that showed were the deep resentment in his crimson eyes.

 

[Mayah Playah]

Her eyes instantly softened. "Oh...I'll just..." Flipping the page, she froze completely. It was a blonde woman of elegant, yet obvious beauty, largely pregnant. She was laughing at the photographer, pushing her hair behind her ear. "And this is my mother..."  

[Its Smiley]

He looked at the picture with more emotion displayed on his face. "She's very beautiful." he commented and glanced at Alonna, curious as to why she seemed to pale.

 

[Mayah Playah]

She nodded, her eyes watering. "She was. Even on her deathbed, Mom looked like a supermodel...she died when I was thirteen." Drawing her fingers across the picture softly, she traced her mother's features. "She's six months pregnant with me and my brothers in this picture. My father took it right after they found out what genders we all were. Dad was so happy that there was at least one boy, but Mom didn't care. She just wanted us to be...healthy."  

[Its Smiley]

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Dragon frowned sympathetically. He was a bit hesitant, but he reached out and held her hand for support.

 

[Mayah Playah]

She squeezed his hand gently. "It's alright. I've gotten used to not having a mother. Besides, I know that she's still with me, watching over me and keeping me from getting into too much trouble." Wiping her tears with her free hand, Alonna then turned the page, still holding Dragon's hand. The next picture was of Alonna and her brother at their senior prom. Alonna had gone by herself, naturally, but outshone her brothers' dates in her golden dress. "Prom...now that was an interesting night," she chuckled.  

[Its Smiley]

He smiled softly and looked down at the other pictures.
"Oh wow, you look gorgeous." he whispered and blushed a bit before realizing what event called for such beauty. "Prom! I remember it!" he smiled a bit sadly. "I didn't have a date, and my parents were avoiding me... but I met one of the nicest people there."

 

[Mayah Playah]

She blushed at his comment, then smiled. "I didn't have a date either. No one wanted to ask me." Feeling a twinge of jealousy at his last statement, she covered it with curiosity. "Oh really? Who?"  

[Its Smiley]

"His name was Armageddon." Dragon explained. "A lot of people didn't like him, but he listened to me and gave me lots of helpful advice." he said, remembering the times he spent with the cranky demon. "And he always protected me when I got in trouble." He chuckled at the times he remembered where he would literally clutch onto the demon and cry on his coat.

 

[Mayah Playah]

She tilted her head. "I've never met Armageddon. Everyone says he's too dangerous."  

[Its Smiley]

"He's a really great guy!" Dragon smiled. "He's a little rude and cranky a lot, yeah, but I think that's just some tough guy act of his." he laughed a little, he jumped just as the door opened accompanied by footsteps.
"Hello everyone." the young man said as he walked towards the teacher's desk. He was dressed, much to Dragon's confusion, not at all like a teacher. He wore a black coat that went just below his knees, and beneath that was nothing but more black clothes except for the faintest sight of a red undershirt, and his black hair was a little longer than his shoulders, especially the section of hair that partially covered his right emerald eye. "Please call me Mr. Rammington." the teacher said and turned to face the two, smiling in a way that made Dragon feel like he could trust him. And if that was true, than why did he have a strange feeling at the pit of his gut?

 

[Mayah Playah]

Alonna gasped at the intruder. "Erik. Why are you here? I thought you had your mind wiped..."  

[Its Smiley]

Erik shot a dark glare at Alonna. His hands were behind his back, so nobody saw the signs that he made. Those very signs happened to be spell-casting symbols, and what they did was summon a light spell that temporarily muted Alonna before she could say anymore.

"Erik?" Dragon blinked, beginning to recognize the man as the depressed guy from a few years ago, only now he looked more charismatic than sad.

Erik sighed and cursed under his breath before regaining his smile. "Yes, it's me." he said with that comforting smile of his. "You've grown quite a bit, haven't you?" he chuckled.

"Oh, I.. I guess so." Dragon murmured, eyes turning metallic as he looked at his desk. There was that strange feeling again, like he just wanted to sit and stare into space all day long. "Umm, what are you doing here? Are you teaching us?"

"I just came to see how you're doing." Erik smiled and walked over towards the boy. "I've been talking to Armageddon," he sighed and briefly glanced at the boy, smirking as he saw that he was now interested in the conversation. "He told me how you were trying to deal with these... strange feelings. Strange like you just don't feel yourself."

Dragon's eyes widened a bit. "How did....?"

Erik smiled gently. "I've... Gained a few things lately." he chuckled and ruffled the man's hair. "So is it true?" he asked and smiled a little when Dragon nodded. "Good. I think I can help." he said, a very dark glint in his emerald eyes.  

[Mayah Playah]

Alonna stared at Erik suspiciously, then her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Erik was evil! She tried to speak, but couldn't. Overriding the magic with her own, Alonna tightened her grip on Dragon's hand and kept silent.  

[Its Smiley]

"Dragon, this isn't easy for me to say, but the reason you have these elements under your control...?" Erik sighed and looked at his own hands for a moment.

"Yeah?" Dragon asked, wanting desperately to know why he had this power, why he was cursed with them, why him.

Erik looked into Dragon's golden eyes. "It's because someone's trying to possess you."

Dragon's eyes widened. "Possess me?" he breathed and sat back in his seat, a surprised and dazed look on his face. It sounded so bizarre, so unlikely. But it made sense. He didn't know why or how exactly, but it made so much sense. "What... What do I do?" he asked with a worried look on his face, not noticing Alonna's squeeze.

Erik smiled and lifted his hand, a bright light enveloping it. "Just relax and let me help you." he said softly and rested his hand against Dragon's forehead.

The young boy closed his eyes and felt Erik's hand against him, feeling so much at peace and at ease. It felt nice, what Erik was doing, as if he was being massaged with this warm, fuzzy feeling. In fact, it was really calming. He could lose himself in it...

Erik watched the boy slowly relax, a sick and wicked grin climbed onto his face when Dragon opened his eyes. They weren't gold, not red, not blue. But gray. Not any gray, either. They were Johan's gray. "Welcome back." Erik chuckled lightly as Dragon's features turned calm, composed, and a little bloodthirsty.

"It's good to be back." a different voice said from Dragon's mouth.