SP FanFic: Shifters Stone

Does this seem familiar?

I won't tell you until the end.

Do me a favor, and read EVERYTHING until the end! EVERYTHING! do NOT stop!

(WARNING! THIS MAY SEEM BE-JUMBLED SINCE I JUST COPY AND PASTED THIS STRAIGHT FROM MY IPOD!)

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•••••Prolouge•••••

March Pathway lingered outside her door for a moment, before quickly shifting into a main coon cat and sprinting down the long hallway of Elysium Asylum.

She slowed, keeping to the shadows as a mage she had seen in the common staggered by, obviously drunk.

With a flick of her tail, March continued forward, more cautious this time. Her ears pricked upwards, hearing the thunder of the storm outside. Her whiskers drooped. As a cat, she instinctively didn't like rain.

She slinked lower to the ground, planning to dash down the stair case in a few seconds. At the top, she gathered all her weight in her hind legs and sprang, her kitty muscles working on high alert. She made it halfway down, wincing a bit on the impact. Reaching the bottom, she back stepped into the shadows, eyes detecting the smallest of movements.

She was just about to bolt towards the door when a mage came into view. 'Snap.' she thought.

Israel Elysium stopped, frowning. He looked to where March was hiding. "Mar Chu." he said. "I know your there."

March glared at him as she prowled out of the shadows, sitting in front of him with her tail curled neatly around herself. She sank her claws into the carpet slightly.

Israel sighed. "Mar Chu, you know you can't go outside for a few days."

The March-Cat glowered at him.

"If you hadn't picked a fight with that vampire, you wouldn't be in this situation." he finished, seeing her displeasure.

March instantly shifted into a human, fuming.

She leapt to her feet, hands in fists. "How was I supposed to know he was working with Dusk?" she yelled.

"Mar Chu..." Israel started.

"And its not my fault Dusk seems to want to kill me!"

"Mar Chu..." Israel repeated.

"I don't even know why Dusk hates me! He just does!" March stomped a foot.

"March." Israel said sharply, throwing her nickname aside.

March's eyes burned silently. She opened her mouth, then shut it.

"I don't know why he hates you. None of us do. Maybe you'll find out later, but there's really no excuse for you to go outside. Its best you stay here."

March looked at her feet.

Israel's gaze softened. "Just please try and stay here until the end of the week. Three more days. Then we'll see if theres any change."

March reluctantly nodded, trudging back to her room. It wasn't that large, but it wasn't that big. It had a basic queen sized bed and a bathroom that connected. A small writing desk was across from the bed, where March had her black bag of clothes parked. March walked to the window seat, where she was able to watch the rain fall in sheets. She had mixed feelings about rain. As a cat, she thought it was wet and cold and had nothing likeable, But as a human she thought it had a calming aura.

March went to her white vest, which she had left on one the bed posts. In the pocket was a iphone. She turned it on, fumbling with it for a moment. She cursed, dropping it on the ground.

Leaning down to pick it up, she spotted a small lump under the bed. Crawling further, she noticed it as a brush she had abandoned last night. She decided to leave it there, glaring at it and the large clumps of her Crimson hair that had been pulled out.

March stood up, dumbfounded at what to do next. Then...a little idea popped into her mind, screaming at her to be noticed.

March walked to the door, and smiled like a cheshire cat as she walked outside to the hall. However, standing in her place, was a pit bull puppy. With a habit of chewing things.


•••••Part One•••••


BEEP BEEP BEEP!

March's eyes popped open when her iphone alarm started ringing, signaling the morning. She grumbled, and rolled over in bed, sinking deeper into the covers.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

March cursed softly, saying a word any adult would be deeply concerned on how she had learned it.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

March shot out of bed, struggling to get out of the covers and too her boots. She crawled across the floor to them, reaching for the ruby dagger inside.

BEEP BEEP BE-

A loud cracking noise could he heard from March's room, as she gave her iphone another beating. And people wondered why it was so scratched up.

March hated alarms. Almost as much as she hated being left behind. And almost killed. That was a usually a topic that most people hated.

March stood up, yawning and stretching. She looked outside, seeing the warm sunny rays. She happily tugged on a black tank-top, with white jeans. Leaving her vest, she went to see if anyone would go out and get her a coffee from a caffe.

As she walked quietly in her stripped mis-matched socks, she looked around, expecting to find someone. It was eerily quiet. March's brow furrowed. She went to the common, where she found a older mage and that drunk mage she saw last night.

"Do either of you know where Israel is?" She asked.

The older mage nodded. "He went out, saying something about a vampire report."

"Kallista Pendragon?"

"She went too."

"Dragona Pine?"

"Yup..." the hangover one mumbled.

"Aquila Felis?"

"She went to visit someone in town."

"Everyone else?"

"Dunno."

March's eyebrow was looking like a caterpillar at this point, all scrunched up. She didn't really care about everyone else, she was infuriated that Kallista, Israel, and Dragona would leave about something concerning a vampire and didn't tell her. She stormed away without saying anything, to the dining room.


••••Part Two••••


Israel Elysium walked in front, Dragona Pine and Kallista Pendragon talking about zombies behind him.

He turned to both of them, a serious look on his face. "Lets talk about what we found in the dining room, over some food."

Dragona nodded. Kallista started to say something, but her rumbling stomach cut her off.

Dragona and Israel continued forward, laughing, as the flustered Kallista followed them.

However, at the dining room doors Israel stopped, frowning.

Kallista looked at him. "What is it?" she asked.

Israel sighed, and said "Prepare yourselves..." before opening the door.

March Pathway sat cross legged on the table, frowning and glaring at the trio.

"You left without me." she said.

Israel looked at the small girl, raising his hand. "Mar Chu, it was just a small notice about-"

"Vampires." March cut in.

Dragona stepped forward. "Who told you that?"

"That mage in the common room. I didn't quite believe him, but you asking that just proved it."

Dragona glared with equal annoyance at March.

Kallista looked back and forth. Neither of the two blinked.

"Mar Chu, Dragona, stop glaring at each other." Israel said slowly.

Dragona glanced at Israel, then looked at March, a little less annoyed.

March shook her head. "No." she said. "You left me behind."

"Stop being so sensitive about it." Dragona said, shaking his head.

March's eyes burrowed into Dragona. "I'm not being sensitive!" she snapped.

"Touchy..." Dragona muttered.

"Dragona..." Kallista warned.

"March..." Israel took a step towards March.

March sprang at Dragona, flying through the air. She was angry, being left behind always made her angry Israel had noticed, but she had never said anything about why.

Dragona stood stock-still, a colder glare forming, directed at March.

Israel held March back around her waist, the small girl thrashing around, trying to get at Dragona.

"March." He said calmly.

March still thrashed, trying to squirm out of Israels grip.

Dragona was still glaring at March. "Didn't your mother ever tell you its rude not to be understanding?"

March's eyes flared. "Your the one not being understanding, you-"

Kallista spoke up. "Hey, lets not-"

 Israel gasped as March stomped on his foot, wiggling out and darting across the floor to Dragona.

Dragona merely pushed at the air with his palm, sending March skidding across the room. Mar flew through the air, landing on the table with a thud and knocking some plates to the ground, the plates shattering.

Kallista stood there, dumbfounded at whose side she should be on.

March advanced on Dragona again, yanking a frypan from the table. She launched the frypan at him with as much force as she could muster, growling.

Dragona leapt to the side, the frypan hitting the wall, making a dent. He pushed at the air again, March again flying through the air.

Israel ignored the throbbing pain in his shin, and grabbed March as she flew into him.

"March." He seethed, ticked off. "Maybe you need to stay here longer, because it seems you can't calm yourself over something stupid."

March's head snapped at Israel. "Its not-"

"Room." He said. "Now."

March opened her mouth, then closed it, hands balled into fists. She walked stiffly out of the room. She looked back one time over her shoulder. If looks could kill, they would be dead.

When March got back to her room, she shut the door, leaning against it and breathing evenly. Ever slowly, a smile spread across her lips. She wasn't regretting what she had gotten into last night as a pit bull.

She heard Kallista and Dragona walk down the hall, talking softly. A few seconds later, she heard Dragona go to his room and shut the door.

March tip toed over to her bed, grabbing with her ipod and pretending to be fascinated with it.

Then- "MARCH!"

March tried not to smirk as Dragona flung open her door, holding one lump of leather that had once been a shoe.

"Where's the other one?" He growled.

"Oh my!" March exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. "How did it get that way?"

"Where is it...?" Dragona asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I don't know what your talking about." March waved it off.

Then she burped, and the smell of italian leather wafted in the room.

March launched herself off the bed as Dragona leapt at her, a fireball in his hand. March landed on the seat of her jeans, shifting into a cat and crawling under the bed. Dragona's boots landed where March had just been. Dragona's palm reached under the bed, feeling the air. March panicked, starting to crawl out, snaking around the brush. Dragona snapped his palm, sending the March-Cat and the brush flying out from under the bed.

To crash right into Israel's boots.

"You two!" He roared. "Stop this stupid fight!" Israel picked March up by the scruff of her neck, tossing her onto the bed. His eyes dug into Dragona, warning him not to do anything else stupid.

Dragona walked out of the room, head down. March heard the door slam down the hallway.

She curled up on the bed, trying her best to avoid Israel's gaze.

"March Pathway. Stay here." He closed the door with a thump, and March heard to her anger the lock clicking unto place.

March leapt up, shifting into human form. "Oi!" she screamed.

March heard Israel's voice on the other side. "Stay here for a day. Then come down and we'll see if you can control yourself."

March yanked her ruby dagger from the floor, and launched it at the door. It sank in, but she knew she didn't hit Israel. March stalked to the window seat, and sank into it. Curling up her legs, she laid her head in her arms, cursing.


••••••Part Two 1/2•••••


Kallista Pendragon sighed, leaning against the door. It was a day after the fight March and Dragona had, and Israel was going to let March out of her room in the evening. To be honest, it scared her when March got into fights like that. The small girl didn't get easily angered, but when that happened there was always something she wasn't telling them. Something dark.

Kallista looked towards the door when someone knocked on it, curious. She opened it, expecting to see someone other then what she DID see.

The vampire smiled, then clawed at Kallista, teeth flashing.


•••••Part Three•••••


March saw a blurry vision of her room, rubbing the tears that had been sliding down her cheeks. The time of day was almost twilight, the sun setting, getting closer to the ground that was bathed in orange.

Thump.

March looked in the general direction of where Kallista's room was, her eyebrows raised. What was that?

Thump.

March got up, pressing a ear to the wall. It sounded as if something had crashed...

Thump.

March shifted quickly into a mouse, using her radar-like ears to try and hear what was going on.

Then she heard someone scream. From the other direction of the hall.

March shifted to human, reaching the door in a few quick strides. What the heck was going on?

She tried the knob, then cursed when she saw it was still locked. That stupid fight!

March knocked tentatively. "Hello?" she called. "Anyone there?"

BANG!

March spun around to see the air vent cap on the ground, and small cat tumbling out.

March relaxed. "Aquila!" she called, relieved.

The cat's whiskers twitched, and suddenly a 17 year old girl was in the place of the cat, her brown eyes fixed on March.

"Vampires." Aquila Felis whispered, shaking.

"Aw Snaps." March helped Aquila up, placing the cap on the window seat. "But- why come to my room?"

"I thought it would be safe for a bit, locked and all."

"Aquila..."

"Yes?"

"Its locked from the outside."

"...oh."

"Oh is right."

March walked to the window. “You know,” she said. “We could probably turn into birds and fly out the window...”

March tried to open the window, but didn't quite know how since it was the first time she had tried. She yanked it, but all she got was the sound of screeching metal.

“Um, Mar?”

“Yes?”

“I think its rusted.”

March cursed. “Stupid rain.” she paused. “Deja Vu.”

March lifted her black bag off of the desk chair, in turn lifting the chair and placing it under the door handle.

"This probably wont work..." She muttered. "But It's worth a shot..."

A series of shots echoed from the hallway, making the two shape shifters looked at the door in alarm.

Aquila rubbed her shoulders, looking around the room. "Its a unnerving feeling..." she said. "When you know theres a killer out there, multiple killers, and you have no way of knowing they're going to pounce."

March snapped her fingers. "That's it!" she exclaimed.

March went to her dagger, which was still wedged deep in the door. March grasped it, seeing how easy it would come out. March wiggled it back and forth, biting her bottom lip.

"Aquila." she gasped. "Help me with this."

Aquila locked her arms around March's stomach, and yanked, the dagger, March, and herself sliding a bit backwards.

"More!" March said between gritted teeth.

The dagger popped out, causing Aquila and March to land in a heap, the dagger held above them like a prize.

Standing up, March looked through the peep hole the dagger had made. She mentally congratulated herself for being such a good aim.

The hallway was in the shadows of the nearing twilight, but nothing looked wrong. Then, a scream echoed down the hall, with bullet shots to follow. March blinked. Where were the vampires?

A vampire shot down the hall, going at a alarming speed. Another vampire followed, but stopped in front of March's door. He looked at the hole, and smiled, like he knew a secret. Then he took off after his friend. March then realized the sick and terrifying truth about this. It was a stealth attack, and it wouldn't surprise March is there were even some mages who didn't know what was going on.

March sank to the floor as Aquila looked through, twirling a bit of her hair around and around. "Snap." she whispered. "Snap snap snap snap."

As if in response, five bullets were shot.

March raised her eyebrow in amusement. March stood up, and slung her white vest onto her shoulders and slipped her boots on.

"Aquila." she said. "We need to get out of this room.”

Aquila looked at her quizzically. “How?”

March grinned. “Easy. We try and break into Israel's mind and get him to remember he locked me in here.”

“And how exactly do we do that?” Aquila raised an eyebrow.

The door unlocked and swung open, Israel standing there with his shotgun in hand. “You already did.”

March grinned, waving her hands in the air. “Ta-daa!”


•••••Part Four•••••


Aquila stared at March. "How did you do that?"

"That's an easy question!" March said. "The answer is...Magic."

"...Seriously?" Aquila stared at March. "Seriously? Thats your answer?"

"Well, I figured that eventually he would see something about us getting eaten or something like that, and come and get us."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise!"

"We were locked in a room with vampires running amuck!"

"So?"

"How could you think about it at a time that that?!"

"I have a very active brain."

"But you looked entirely occupied the whole time i was here!"

"Very active brain."

Israel held up a hand. "I didnt see you two getting eaten. What i saw, actually-"

Vampire number one shot into the room, grabbing Aquila by her shoulders and slamming her into the wall. March jerked back in surprise, her eyes the size of saucers. Israel grabbed March by her shoulder, and yanked her back as vampire two shot by where March had just been standing.

Israel pointed his gun, pulling the trigger. A bullet shot out, narrowly missing vampire number two by about an inch. March's eyes lit up. Her favorite part came next. Blue energy pretroted out of the shotgun, hitting vampire number two head on. It shot him more then halfway across the room, ramming him into the wall painfully, much like Aquila had been done seconds before.

"Cool..." March muttered.

Israel dashed over to vampire number two, jabbing him painfully in the stomach with his knee when vampire number two tried to attack him.

March turned to vampire number one and Aquila, eyebrows raised. "I'd appreciate it if you let my friend go..." vampire number two said nothing. "No? Fine by me. We're going to have a little fun together..."

March's blue eyes flashed a pale green, then to blue, and settled on a grey. She smiled, her dogteeth morphing into sharp fangs. March's skin rippled, white growing from her hair. She took a step, and her skin rippled again, flashing back to grey and white fur. March kneeled down mid-step, and not a second later she shifted into a deadly snow lepord.

March bared her teeth and unsheathed four of her claws. She let out a content sound, her long tail flicking back and forth. March's muscles bunched up, and she used the spring like reaction to jump to the vampire in one bound.

March shot her head into vampire number one's side, pushing. Vampire number one let go of Aquila, and she slipped away. Vampire number one grabbed March's head with both hands, digging his nails into her skin. The March-Leopard cried out, falling back.

March, determined to win, batted her left paw at vampire number one's arm, sinking her claws into him. In turn he cried out. March turned and kicked him like a bull, his legs falling out from beneath him. He landed holding onto March's back, his grip firm. March jumped around, trying to throw him off. However, vampire number one turned, then made a fist and hit her on the head.
March collapsed, her eyesight filled with stars. She felt herself shift back to human. March moaned, hand reaching up to her head. She saw vampire number one dash away, and saw Israel turn and run into vampire number three. Israel grappled with vampire number three, shotgun flying out of his grip. The first vampire he shot, vampire number two, roated himself around Israel, and reached and twisted his arm behind him, shoving him against the wall.

March felt a headache pressing onto her temples. She felt herself being rolled over with a foot.

March blinked rappidly, unable to focus. Her breath caught in her throat, her vision un-fazed again.

Dusk looked down at her, smiling cruely. "Hello." he said. "Nice to see you again."

Dusk grabbed hold of March by her shirt collar, pulling her upwards.

He leaned his face into hers, flashing his pointed teeth. "You and me have to have a little chat."

Dusk moved his grip to March's throat, dragging her to the window. March clawed weakly at his hands, feet trailing after her.

"No..." she whispered.

Dusk kicked open the window in a second, which March had failed completely in doing. He jumped out, into the open air, and he fell, dragging March by her neck, a story to the ground.

March screamed. "No!"


•••••Part Five•••••

March screamed. "No!"

Then...White.

Israel grabbed March by her shoulder, and yanked her back as vampire two shot by where March had just been standing.

March stumbled back more in shock, her mouth gaping open.

Israel pointed his gun, pulling the trigger. A bullet shot out, narrowly missing vampire number two by about an inch. March saw the exact same outcome, Saw the blue energy blast vampire number two across the room. However this time...

March quickly shifted into a Rhino, running and forcing vampire number two farther across the room. She put all her strengh into her muscles, and when he hit the wall it colapsed, vampire number two falling to the ground.

March stood up, shifting back. She coughed from the plaster dust, waving a hand in the air to clear it and looking back to Israel. Israel punched vampire number one, and proceeded in shooting him with the bullet and the blue energy, and March stepped aside as vampire number one fell to the ground also.

Israel tilted his head to March. "Why do you seem so shocked?"

March noticed her eyes were still huge, and she was shaking a bit. "Your fancy power, thats why."

"What? What did you see?"

"Myself being strangled by Dusk. Speaking of Dusk..." March ran to her bag, and dug into it. Her fingers met something steel, and she pulled it out, testing it in her hand. She then flung it at the door, where a second before it whent through Dusk's face appeared. The frypan made a hollow clanging sound, sending Dusk collapsing.

March fist-pumped. "Bulls eye!" She screamed.

Dusk was kneeled on the floor, gasping for air. He rubbed his head, gritting his teeth.

"What was that?" Dusk growled.

"A frypan." March chimed, rocking on the heels.

"Pathway..." He warned.

"Yes Dusk?" March asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

"I-" Israel kicked Dusk in the face, sending him spiraling to the wall across from March's room. March darted to the frypan on the ground, scooping it up.

March smiled, and proceeded with firmly wacking Dusk on the back of his head with the frypan.

Dusk collapsed, his breathing shallow.

Aquila walked to Dusk, looking at the dump that was already forming on his head.

"March...How much muscle to you have...?"

March grinned, and showed Aquila her arms, which had virtually no muscle on them. March laughed at the way her friends face bent into a shocked expression.

March shook a bit with laughter, but managed to ask- "What should we do with him?"

"Well-"

Dusk doubled over in pain, making Aquila jump. Dusk dug into his pockets, searching for a serum that will prevent his transformation. Dusk was shaking violently, and he started to kneel upwards.

March took quick steps back, reaching down to grab her frypan.

And Dusk's hand shot out and latched onto hers.

March screamed, jumping back, but her hand still trapped by Dusk.

"You..." He hissed. "Are going to be the first one i kill."

"Wha...?" March whispered.

"You..you look too much like her!" Dusk shouted, moving his other hand to pull away his skin. Israel's foot snaked out, hitting Dusk in the gut, letting his grip loosen on March and letting her back away.

"Run!" He barked.

March shifted into the small main coon as she ran, keeping low to the ground. He hackles were raised, her tail straight out to gain more speed.

She ran into another hallway, pumping her legs, gaining speed. She ran down some stairs, slowly growing lost. She had never been this way before, and she was growing worried. Was Dusk close behind her?

March sprinted into a smaller room, shifting into a human and flicking on the light. The light shone on all the battle equipment, the small battle storage cramped. March whent to the nearest rack of weapons, having left her dagger and frypan in her room. She picked up an axe, testing its weight and grunting with effort. Nuh uh. That wouldn't do.

March hurridly picked weapons at random, trying to find one that suited her. She looked at a long case that could hold a lacross stick. March zipped it open, and her eyes widened with joy. She took the sword out of the case, testing it. She grinned. Bingo!

Dusk tore into the room, his newly shucked skin gleaming. March swung the sword around, gripping it tightly. Dusk took a step towards her, his eyes wild.

"There...There...Vampire..." March said. "Do you...want a cookie?"

Dusk growled, his ears twitching.

"No? Okay, well thats fine...are you allergic? I once knew a kid who was allergic to chacolate, poor kid..."

Dusk bared his fangs, stepping closer to March.

"Oh! Not that theres anything wrong with being allergic to chacolate, theres still vanila. And, in your case, bloo- strawberry. I said meant strawberry." March said, randomly saying whatever was on her mind. "But anyway, why do you want to eat- uh, kill me anyway? I mean, before that bacame a hobby of yours, i dont think i ever did anything to anger you...does it have to do with my family-"

Dusk sprang at the word family, March spinning out of the way.

March held up a hand, still gripping the sword. "Woah!" she yelled. "Looks like i touched a nerve...does this happen often to you? Situations like this?"

Dusk pounced on March, forcing her against the wall, his breath smelled like carion and blood. Dusk hit March's head against the wall, making her see stars.

March wimpered, her sword hanging uselessly against the wall.

Dusk bent in, his teeth sharp.

Then...March's leg shot out, catching Dusk by surprise. He tumbled back a inch, allowing March to slip away. She ran out of the room, holding the sword and trying to remember a time she hadn't been as terrified as that moment.

March then stopped abruptly in her tracks. She looked down at the sword in her hand. Tears sprung to her eyes, but March blinked then away. She continued to run, remembering her mom.

Her mom.

•••

He wrapped his arm around his flaming haired daughter, a album of pictures between them. The air was warm, the air of the park laid back, with couples taking walks and people boating on the lake.

He pointed to a picture of a woman with sparkling blue eyes, and long, flaming hair, much like her daughters.

"This," he said. "Is your mother. She is the most powerful shapeshifter i ever met. She could shift into anything anyone commanded, and someone once said she could change into things she handn't seen, she only had the description. She was kind, light-hearted, and always had a reason for things."

The little girl traced her mothers smile with her finger.

The man looked at his daughter lovingly, stroking her hair. "I want you to be as strong and as kind as her. Weather you choose to be a elemental, like me, or a shapeshifter, like your mother, i still want you to try your hardest at everything."

He looked at his daughter, who was almost a complete replica of her mother, all except for her opinions. She freely spoke her opinions, even at the age of six, and she always wondered at what her future would be like. What path she would take in her life.

The man smiled, then spoke his daughters first name. "Zoey."

•••

Those memories always sprung up at the oddest times, taking March by surprise. They stayed tucked away until she was most vulnerable, the weakest.

March tripped, but kept her footing and continued to run. She was completely lost now, the hallways new.

'How big is Elysium Asylum?' She wondered.

March had been running for awile, huffing along. For exackt how long, she didn't know.

March crashed into a person. Or rather, thing. Vampire number three grabbed her by her shoulders, smiling.

"Ah. Dusk was looking for you." he said.

March thrashed around, slashing the sword down vampire nunber three's leg.

Vampire number three cursed, throwing March into the wall.

"I'm not going to bring you to him." He said. "I am merely giving a message."

March winced, her head pounding.

"Dusk said- 'We'll fight again when you actually know why i want to kill you. First hint, It has to do with your mother. That acursed woman. Hope i get to kill you soon, Dusk.' "

March stared at vampire number three. "Thats an odd thing to sighn at the bottom of a letter."

"Dusk said it, not me." He shrugged. "Anyway, Aruvoir!" vampire number three ran away, after tilting his head in goodbye.

"Great." March groaned. "He's French."

March slumped to the ground, laying the sword on the ground next to her. She hugged her head in her arms, trying to calm the pounding.

"Mom..." March whispered. "Please Come back..."

March sunk until she was laying curled in a ball, and let the darkness overcome her.

•••

Dragona Pine sunk one of his two katana swords into the nearest of the six vampires that surrounded Kallista and him. Dragona struck the vampire to the right with his elbow, and followed with hitting the vampire on his left in the same way. Dragoba swung his katana's in a circle, and dug them into the vampires.

Bringing the blood coated katanas out of the vampires, Dragona turned to see Kallista staring at him with a hand on her hip, the other three vampires in a heap behind her.

"What took you so long?" Sge asked.

"You finished before me?" Dragona scoffed. "Impossible."

"Ah, but it is..." Kallista mused, looking at the vampires.

A fox tore down the hallway, Israel close behind. Kallista and Dragona stood there, looking like idiots.

"I think we should follow them." Kallista finally said.

"It did look like something urgent." Dragona agreed.

The two ran after Israel and the Aquila-Fox, growing speed and trying to keep up.

Dragona and Kallista turned the corner, and came face to face with...

Dusk.

Kallista and Dragona both summoned flames, expecting a fight.

However, Dusk ran by, growling and drooling like an animal. For a second time, Dragona and Kallista stood there, looking like idiots.

"I am so holding that immage aggainst him one day." Kallista said.

"We'll both."

"We should catch up with Aquila and Israel."

"And we shall."

"Eventually."

"Yeah. Eventually."

The two ran for a bit, then stopped.

Kallista leaned agaist the wall. "This seems like a filler that a author would put in a story because he or she cant come up with anything else."

"But, were not in a book." Dragona pointed out.

"How do you know for sure?"

Dragona laughed. "I think I's know if i were in a story!"

"Well, if we really are, people are going to laugh at you bacause its so ironic."

"But were not in a book."

"Sure..."

•••Part Six•••

"We don't know what March's mother did, but it affected Dusk in some way that it makes him want to kill March." Kallista said, rapping her knuckles on the table lightly.

"So it would be sensible that we find out before he comes to kill me again." March reasoned.

Dragona sharpened one of his katana swords. "But where can we find the answer?"

"Are there any other shape shifters in Dublin?" Israel asked Aquila and March.

Aquila frowned. "Not that I know of."

"Maybe there's something in the apartments and houses i used to live in as a kid." March said, jumping up.

"How many houses?" Dragona asked.

"A couple." March smiled. "But we can split up in separate groups."

"With just us, the groups wont be even." Kallista pointed out, counting everyone.

"Oh. I know..." March chuckled.

Israel frowned "What are you talk-"

March put the iphone to her ear, smiling. "Hi Thalia!"

* * *

March knocked on the door, tapping her foot impatiently. Looking around the bland farm, she had a weird thought of Skulduggery Pleasant dressed as a cowboy and riding a horse.

a small voice came from behind the door. "What's the password?"

"Oh come on! Not again!" March wined.

"What is it?" the voice persisted.

"Ah...Vampires Suck."

"No. That's only a movie."

"Oh yeah..." March stuck out her tongue. "Mercury Lamp?"

"Um...Thats..."

"Mir, what are you doing?" Another voice from the other side asked.

"guarding the door."

"so whats the password? Did she get it?"

"ah..."

"You forgot the password, didnt you?"

"No!"

"So whats the password?"

"Uh..."

The voice sighed, then the door was slowly unlocked to Mir's protests.

Standing in the door was a teenage girl with black and and a golden hair, and a shorter girl about the same age as March with brown hair.

March grinned. "I'm baaaaaaaack!"

•••

Israel and Aquila opened the door to a small apartment, a few dust particles flying in the air.

"This is it?" Aquila asked.

Israel nodded. "This fits the description, and the key fit." He said, holding up a small key March had given him.

"What are we supposed to look for?" Aquila asked.

"Anything." Israel answered.

Aquila walked into a small hallway to the right, clicking on a light. There were three pictures on the wall, and Aquila spotted fiery hair in two of them.

She walked to the nearest one, blowing the dust away. It was a picture of a group of mages, all but one smiling and with fire in their hands. The man with no fire had a cocky grin of a youth. The second photo had a small spider crawling on it, and Aquila had to brush it away. Photo two was a picture of a twenty year old woman with long, flaming red hair, weilding a ruby sword, much like March's rubby dagger.

Was this...March's mother?

Quickly moving to the third photo, Aquila's breath was quick. The third photo seemed to be a family one. A younger March sat smiling on a twenty year old mans lap, her mother standing next to them. The man had midnight black hair, with sparkling blue eyes, much like March's eyes. Aquila reconized him fron the first photo, and she reasoned he must be...

That must be March's father.

Aquila ran back to the door, looking for Israel. She ran to the kitchen, but Israel was not to be found.

Then all the windows in the apartment shattered.

•••

Kallista Pendragon and Dragona Pine stared at the small apartment, puzzled looks on their faces.

"Sooo..." Dragona said. "There isnt any trace of anyone living here..."

"Tell me about it..." Kallista muttered, running a finger across the dust covered counter.

"No, really. Theres no picture, no family keepsakes." Dragona muttered, opening a drawer to a table, only to see nothing.

Something shattered farther in the apartment, and Kallista sprinted down another hallway to the noise.

Dragone turned to follow, when someone cleared their throat behind him.

Dragona spun around to see...The Skeleton Detective, Skuldugery Pleasant!

•••

"I've missed this place so much!" March chimed, running through the rooms and turning on the lights, Mir hot on her heels. March had lived here with her grandparents when she had been little, and it haf been nearly fourty years since she had last visited it. Meanwhile, Mira Block and Thalia Circe, her good friends, had lived at the house whenever they were in the area.

"We've kept it in good shape!" Mir said, grinning.

"Meaning...?"

"Thalia didn't break anything."

"Oh. Well that's good."

"But I did." Mir muttered behind March's back, not intenting her to hear.

However, March spun around, shocked. "What?!"

"Nothing." Mir quickly blurted out.

March raised an eyebrow, but continued to the next room. She turned on the light, and...

"Hey wait!" Mir screamed.

...March Fell into thin air.

•••Part Seven•••

Behind him, the bedroom window shattered as someone jumped through.

Israel spun around from the book he was looking at, his eye meeting those of a vampire. The vampire grinned, showing pointed teeth.

Israel drew his shotgun, narrowing his eyes. "Im really getting tired of you guys."

The vampire chuckled as if that had been the most hilarious thing in the world.

Israel's leg shot upwards as the vampire jumped, stopping the vampire and making him fall to the wall like a ragdoll.

The vampire cursed, then crawled to the door, kneeling up. Israel kicked at open air again, his foot making contact with the vampires back. The vampire howled in pain, leaping up. Israel heard other vampires in the other rooms, storming the place.

Aquila screamed from the kitchen, and multiple vampires howled in delight.

Israel gritted his teeth, running out into the hallway, only for his face to meet a fist. Israel's shotgun flew out of his hand as he staggered back into the bedroom, falling to the floor.

A vampire strolled in, taking his time. The vampire took Israel's shotgun from the floor, idely fingering the trigger.

"I wonder what it'll feel like...to be on the end of your own bullet." the vampire said, pointing it at Israel as the first vampire staggered out of the room.

Israel hefted himself up, trying to move off the floor.

The vampire pulled the trigger.

•••

Aquila dropped behind the kitchen counter as the vampires fell through the window, making shards of glass fly everywhere.

Aquila breathed quickly, her eyes wild. Had they seen her?

"Elysium is in the bedroom, and Felis should be here." a vampire said, his voice gruff.

Aquila pressed aggainst the counter, muscles tense.

"They should all know that they're all part of this little plan." one vampire said. "Playing peices in a huge game."

Aquila's breath was cut short. What game?

"They will find things that they didn't know before, sure," the vampire continued. "But the real prize lies somewhere else."

"Shut up you idiot!" abother vampire hissed. "What if Felis is listening?"

"It really lies with the other shapeshifters!"

There was a large WHOMP as the vampire was hit over the head, silencing him before he said anything else, to Aquila's disappointment.

"Did you hear that Felis? Thats a clue." the other vampire said as about five other vanpires chuckled in the backround.

Aquila jumped out and dove for the broken window, but was grabbed by the end of her coat, and flung back as the vampire yanked her away. Aquila screamed, her back hitting the wall and her arm twisting painfully under her.

The vanpire was a she, who was smirking. The other vampires in the backround howled with delight.

"This is all a game, Felis, but in the middle of each game their has to be some obstacles." the vanpires said, baring her teeth.

"Yay for us..." Aquila muttered.

Israel appeared in the doorway of a bedroom for a splitsecond, before a older vampire punched him in the face, pushing him back into the room.

"Israel!" Aquila shreiked.

The female vampire advanced on Aquila slowly, making her teeth glint with malice.

"Move back three on your gameboard." She said, smirking.

Aquila flinched, but the pain never came.

For her, at least.

The female vampire was thrown to the wall as a large, black, panther launched into it, diggin his claws into the vampires shoulder.

A panther jumped back, his skin rippling as if being blown away, leaving a man with black hair, dressed in a black coat.

Aquila let out a gurgled cry when she heard a gun shot in the room, and an anguished yell from Israel.

The man swept his black hair back, pulling a handgun out of his pocket, pointing it at the vampires.

"Get outta my house." the man said with a heavy irish accent.

Aquila shut her eyes quickly, and heard one, two, three, four, five, six, seven shots.

Aquila opened her eyes slowly, and was met with the sight of all the vanpires lying dead on the floor.

Something stumbled out the room Israel was in, and Aquila expected to see another vampire. However, it was just Israel, withought a scratch.

"Israel..." Breathed Aquila. "How...?"

Israel smiled, and raised an eyebrow.

Aquila blinked. "Oh. Yeah. Right. Your power. Sorry."

Aquila and Israel turned to the man, who was pocketing the shotgun.

"Wait a second..." Aquila whispered. "Youre...Youre March's father!"

•••Part Eight•••

"Detective?" Dragona mumbled, dumbstruck.

Skulduggery took no note to him, only looked around the living room from where he was standing. Skulduggery took a step...and walked right through Dragona.
"Alida?" Skulduggery called. "Alida Vesta?"

A young woman with long, flame colored hair walked out of the hallway, followed by Kallista. Kallista was looking at Alida with a confused look on her face.

Alida smiled. "Ah! Skulduggery Pleasant!"

Skulduggery tilted his hat. "I heard you had an echo stone at your hand." he said gruffly.

"Ah yes..." Alida mused. Alida walked to a small table, and started to rummage through it.

Kallista walked quickly to Dragona's side. "What the heck is this?" the whispered.

"Haven't the slightest clue." He whispered back.

Skulduggery, upon seeing an enormous ammont of items in the drawer, decided to start a conversation. "I heard that the war is supossidly in our favor-"

"-What?!" Kallista gaspd.

"-and that the outcome looks well." Skukduggery concluded.

"Interesting..." Alida nodded.

"I heard you and Erebus were deciding to have a child. Is this true?"

Alida stopped, turning around and smiling. "After the war, maybe. Maybe."

Skulduggery stood silently.

Alida gently took a bue stone out of the drawer, and walked to the middle of the room. "My sister already did. Named the girl Hope. Named the boy Justice. If I have a girl, I'll name her Zoey. Simple as that."

Alida's eyes closed, her breathing shallow. "Alright." her eyes snapped open. "But that probably won't happen. There's a rumor Lord Vile has returned, or will in the very near future."

Skulduggery said nothing.

"And loads of people want me dead. Its just worthless to pre-plan."

Skulduggery took a step closer, grabbing Alida by her shoulders and holding her firmly. "Dont say that!"

Alida shook her head. "No. I have a right to."

"How can you say that when...!" Skulduggery stopped when he saw the look in Alida's eyes.

"I saw this scene. Before. A sensitive. He told me what would happen..." Alida blinked back tears. "I just wish that..."

What happened next has a very limited way to be described. Shortly, the house blew up. Dragoa and Kallista were thrown to the floor, chunks of wallpaper flying everywhere. Dragona shut his eyes, tacklig Kallista out of the way of a flying chair.

...Everything stilled.

Dragona opened his eyes, and was stunned to see a barren block of the street where the bomb had gone off, a hundred years earlier, in the war.

"Look." Kallista pointed to a small blue stone. The same echostone, which was now powering out.

"It was all that." Dragona said slowly. "Everything..."

"...Was real, it actually happened during the war."

Dragona stood up, a grimm look on his face. "That was March's mother."

Kallista spun around to look at him. "How do you know?!"

"Her hair. The irony of everything. The way her face looked when she knew it was useless. March gets the same look."

Kallista nodded. "But the question is- What happened to her mother?"

•••

The man took a step back from Aquila, and turned and ran to the window, his coat flapping after him.

"Hey wait!" Aquila cried. She tried to run after him, whenhe threw a dagger at Aquila's feet as a warning.

"We know where youre daughter is!" Israel yelled at him.

This stopped the man. "You do?" He asked withought turning.

Israel nodded. "Yes. March Pathway."

The man took something round out of his pocket, placing it on the ground. "This will explain a lot of what youre looking for. My name is Erebus Donelly, and March Pathway is my daughter. I am married to Alida Vesta, and I am a shapeshifter, like much of my family."

Aquila looked at Erebus.

"I have other family, that are staying with friends. Many other shapeshifters are in dublin. May we meet again."

Then he was gone, right out the window.

Israel moved to the round object, rubbing the back of his head.

The object was a darker blue then a echo stone, and was eminating magic.

"How do I- Ahh." Israel meerely touched the stone, and the room lit up, transporting Aquila and Israel to another time and place.

•••

Mir's had shot out, grabbing March, keeping her hanging off the side of the crater.

"What the heck is this?!" March screamed.

"Ah...My powers gone wild?" Mir more guessed.

March sighed. "Pull me up!" she ordered.

Mir, after much swearing and muttering of how March weighs more then she looks, finally acomplished pulling March up from the crater.

"Wgats going on here?" Thalia asked, approaching the girls when they entered the hallway.

"Oh, Nothing..." Mir said innocently, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Oh, I think It's something..."

The girls jerked to the side, only to meet the sight of a vampire standing in the doorway.

"Surprise!" The vampires said happily.

The girls spun, looking to see vampires rounding both sides of the coridor.

"Well." Thalia choked. "You said that you were bored earlier today Mir."

Mir shook her head, pulling hammer from her belt. "I take that back."

The vampires attacked.

•••Part Nine•••

March jumped over the first vampire that dove at her, landing on the shoulders of the second. She clapped her hands over his ears, and he screamed in pain.

March flipped backwards, landing and spinning on her heels, punching the next vampire in the nose. Blood gushed from it as the vampire roared in anger.

Firm hands grabbed March by her stomach, pulling her back. Her hands were pulled behind her, but she kicked, and her foot connected with a vampire.

March squirmed out of the vampires grip, running behind him to where a open window was.

"Thalia! Mir! Window!" She comanded.

March leapt out the window, and as she looked back from the yard Thalia and Mir followed. Thalia was holding a shorter brand of a sword, where Mir had a spiked hammer.

March pulled the ruby dagger out from her boot, and motioned for them to follow her into the woods.

March pounded past the trees, stumbling over the ocasional stick.

Branches slapped her in te face, and getting tangled in her hair. March saw a clearing, and sprinted towards it, sounds of vampires behind her.


March emerged into the clearing, pulling Thalia and Mir into the middle. In seconds the vampires had them surrounded, nearly all grinning.

A older vampire walked foreward, staring tge trio down.

"Dusk only needs the shifter." He intructed the vampires. "You are free to dispose of Block and Circe." his eyes narrowed. "Dusk will be most pleased if Circe dies."

Thalia cursed. "I love you too." she muttered.

"Now-"

Arrows sprouted from all the vampire's chests. A mighty cry of a bird cut the vampire off from his scentance, as a large red bird dropped out of the sky infront of March, Thalia, and Mir. Thr bird's skin rippled, and the feathers were seemingly blow away by a wind, leaving a 17 year old girl. The girl was wearing a sort-of archers uniform, with a black sword in her hand. Her flaming red hair was tied in a braid, hanging over her shoulder.

The girl waved to the vampire. "Bye bye!"

The vampires dropped dead.

The girl turned to the trio.

"Pleased to meet you! The names Seconda Lann! Seco to people I know!" Seconda held out her hand to Thalia.

Thalia took it slowly. "Thank for...just now."

"No problem!" Seconda grinned. "After all, I would never let a family member die."

Mir blinked. "Family member?"

Seconda nodded. "Yeah." she pointed. "Her."

Mir gaped.

Seconda stepped back, and bowed. "Hello, Zoey Donelly."

"Eh?" Thalia muttered.

Seconda smiled. "Or as you go by now, March Pathway."

March opened her mouth, then closed it.

Seconda patted March on the shoulder. "I've finally found you, cus!"




___________________________


Well lookie here. The ol Skul-Man fanfic! 


I edited a load, and i was too lazy to go back and change everything. 


Think of this as a...review. yeah, a review. 


TA-DAA!