*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 5

To Love,

To Care,

To Happiness.

The zoo was mostly full of varied colors of animal fairy dragons. There were wild mice, and other creature as well, but the biggest surprise came when they were at the end of the zoo. Johnny glanced into a normal looking cage and jumped back, "They've got a wild tornado dragon in there!"

Jack shot to the cage, "How big is it?"

"Huge! How'd they manage to dig a hole big enough to get one of those thing in there anyway?!"

Jack wasn't listening. He was watching the tornado dragon as it reared up. It's eye almost filled the entire cage-bottom where anthros could look at it.

"Damn! How do they even feed it?!!!!!!"

Jack drew back from the cage, "They haven't." He was on the ground, shivering, "I spoke with it...that dragon can barely move! They've chained it to the ground inside the cage, and the cage stops any tornadoes that dragon makes before they have enough power to break it free. That thing is starving!" Johnny watched as Jack walked to the back of the cage. He reached it and started talking, "Okay, Tony. Don't attack me..." Johnny almost laughed at the name Jack had given the dragon. Jack cried out and jumped back as his hand touched the cage, "They've got the bars electrified! We can't free that dragon..."

Johnny helped him back up, "Jack, even if we did free him it's too late. I can tell by looking at him that the tornado doesn't have enough energy to glide back to the larger island. All we can do is leave him to his fate."

"NO!!!!" Jack cried and frantically looked around. He spotted something and grabbed a stick off the ground.

"Jack, what are you doing?"

"If we can't free him then we need to at least kill him to end his misery. I've already talked to him and he wants me to."

"What? But Jack..." Johnny started to reach for him.

"LET ME DO THIS!!!!! NOTHING DESERVES THIS KIND OF LIFE UNLESS THEY WANT IT!!!!!" Jack shoved Johnny off and concentrated on the stick he held, "Are you sure this will work, Tony?"

There was a bit of silence as Jack lisetened for a reply only he could hear. Jack dropped the stick in as the tornado flapped its wings. The stick was caught in the whirlwinds the dragon made, turning into a bullet as it gained speed. Johnny could see the smile on the tornado's face as it lunged it's wings one last time, then fell over, dead, with only a stick embeded in its skull.

"I'm glad for you Tony. You're free again." Jack said as he walked away from the cage.

Jack focused on as many other things as he could after that. He didn't want to remember how pained Tony had felt, how angry he'd been at every anthro he'd seen since being captured. He couldn't stop remembering the grateful smile he'd been given right before Tony had killed himself, "Why did they not even try to feed you? Who's in charge of that zoo anyway?" Jack forced his mind away from that place by looking at Ania. For some reason, whenever he looked at her, he could think of nothing else. It was a great distraction from the death he'd just helped cause. It was even better when Ania noticed his staring and didn't even try to stop him.

"Jack, why have you been staring at me?"

Jack blushed, "You provide a great relief from thinking about Tony. Unless I look at you, the harder I try to not think about him, the harder it gets. I'm sorry if I'm annoying you..."

"Annoying me? This is the first time anyone's paid this much attention toward me since school for the mute."

"It is? Why have you lived alone so long?"

"I can't be ridiculed if they don't know I exist..."

"Ania--I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Things have been worse."

"Can I ask wh--"

"NOOO!!!!!!!!!!"

Jack backed away from her when she shouted like that. He meekly apologized, "Sorry..." He tried his best to look elsewhere, but after that conversation, it became hard to think of anything but her. He gulped as his mind started thinking of her with less and less on, "Oh no..." He started sweating; he forced himself to look anywhere but at her. He even let himself think about Tony! It was no use. His mind's eye watched her take her shirt off, then her pants, then--Jack shoved the images away, "What can I think about that won't make me imagine her like that?!!!!" His sweat suddenly turned into the only thing that felt cold on him, "I have to stop thinking of her!" He searched for a pond, a puddle, anything that would cool him down more. They were leaving the zoo, away from any hope of getting easily accessible water. He gulped and stared at the ground. There were little cracks in the pavement that he could focus on if he tried hard enough. It was finally something that took his mind from Ania. When he thought he could handle it, he looked up again. There she was, looking just as tempting as ever. He stared at the ground from then on. Ania glanced back at him.

"Jack, what're you doing?"

Jack focused on the ground as much as he could, "Ania, don't ask. Please. Don't even speak to me right now. Something's wrong with me whenever I look at you."

"Is that so..." She lifted his chin. Jack squeezed his eyes shut before he could look at her face. He still heard her voice, "Jack, look at me. I need to see something."

Jack gulped, "Must I? I'm afraid..."

"Just once, Jack. Just once."

Jack carefully opened his eyes. Ania filled his vision. Those unclean images of her returned full force, heightened now that he could see nothing else. His breath came in shorter and shorter gasps as she leaned closer to him. He stepped back a little, "Ania--don't."

"Let me find out something." She said as her lips drew closer.

Jack shivered with excitement as they kissed. It still didn't feel right..."Ania, please." He pulled away from her, "This--this isn't right."

She ignored him and stepped closer. He couldn't stop her again.

Johnny averted his gaze. All he had to do was look at Kim, then he was fine, "They'll make a great couple, don't you think?"

Kim sighed and leaned against him, "Like us. The children those two make will look beautiful."

Johnny chuckled lightly, "Since when did you become the expert on children?"

"Since I had one of my own. I'm not talking about how everyone sees them, I'm talking about how those two will see them. They won't be any less happy when they have kids of their own. Come on. Let's leave them alone for a little." Trent followed behind them.

Johnny turned back, "You okay?"

Trent sighed, "They remind me so much of the family I never had. To have someone who loves you for who you are on the inside is what is recommended in every book on marriage I've ever read, and those two will have no trouble at all. It makes me think how close I was to having my own sweetheart."

"You still think about her?"

"Yes."

"Trent, she dumped you on the day you asked her to marry you! She said it herself that she was only after your money!"

"She was honest. That meant we could have had a chance together."

"But Trent!"

"I know, I know. I just can't help myself. Heh, some phsychologist, eh?"

Kim put a comforting arm around Trent, "Don't think about her anymore, Trent. If you do, you won't see the girl who wants you."

"I know already! Stop reminding me!"

Trent took her arm off of his shoulder and frowned as they walked. Johnny let it go and turned to look back at Jack, "Well, at least we don't have to worry about what'll happen to them. I doubt they'd even hear us if we went back up and talked to them."

Kim laughed, "We never heard anyone when we were like that. What makes you think they could be different?"

"Nothing, Kim."

Jack shouted at them to wait up, so Johnny turned around again. Jack and Ania were running to catch up. Johnny smiled at them and stopped walking. When Jack got close enough Johnny asked where he'd found the energy to run. Jack had just looked at Ania and smiled.

Hana paced back and forth in the apartment. It had been days, and still no sign of Gareth. She shook and sat down on the couch. The phone was waiting for her, so she picked it up and called the police.

"Mrs. Brik? No, we still haven't gotten any word of your husband. Settle down miss. I suggest that you get ready for bed and get some sleep."

"That's what you always say! Damn it, I want you to look for my husband, not tell me what to do!"

"Maam, we have been searching for him ever since you first called us. We will notify you immediately if we recieve any word on your husband's whereabouts. You really must calm down."

"I'll calm down when he's safe at home again! Just find him!!!!!" Hana hung up the phone and huddled on the couch. It was so lonely without him around...

Tears created a small soaked area on the couch as she cried herself to sleep again.

*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 6

A Hero?..

Night came and went quickly for Jack. He'd found a nice hotel to sleep in, and Trent had graciously provided the money. Johnny had been offered a room as well, but he'd declined, saying he already had a place to sleep. Ania had spent the night with Kim and Maik at Kim's mother's house. Jack had spent the night dreaming happily about Ania. He woke in the morning feeling refreshed better than he'd ever felt before. He walked out of the building after paying what he owed, and explored the city. It was huge! Anthros crowded the streets, walking in and out of buildings to get a bite to eat, then head to work, or the trains, or who knew what else. There was a park in the city that had hundreds of anthros crowding into it, each one trying to get a glimpse of the black false-horse dragon standing on a table in the center. The dragon had blond hair, and was wearing a very fancy suit. There was a box covered in a blue cloth on the table as well. Jack got as close as the crowd would allow, and listened to what the anthro was trying to say.

"I told you, I'd do it!" He was shouting, "I went to the larger island and killed the anthro! Johnny Greenwood might've stopped me last time, but I persevered and have brought back proof." The dragon smiled, "this might look a little sickening folks. It was one of the few things small enough to bring back with me." He pulled the cloth off of the box to reveal a glass box with an eye in it! Jack covered his mouth with his hands before the bile could find its way out. The rest of the crowd cheered. The false-horse dragon seemed to bask in all of the glory they gave him, "Take that Greenwood! I made a vow that I would kill the anthro you let escape, and I've fulfilled it!!!"

Jack walked away, disgusted by what he'd seen. He found the first garbage can he could find and let his stomach empty itself. He wiped his mouth, feeling slightly dizzy, but much better. He was heading back to his apartment when someone saw him, "Hey! It's Richard Tyne!!!!!!" The anthro who'd seen him just happened to be in the crowd at the park. Jack glanced at the crowd, about to shake his head and keep walking, when the false-horse dragon shouted.

"He'll agree with me! Mr. Tyne, should I have killed the anthro or not?"

Jack shook his head.

This brought a gasp from the entire crowd. The dragon on top of the table laughed, "Very funny, Mr. Tyne. Now, honestly."

"What's your name?"

"Cory Taner, sir."

"Well Mr. Taner, I say it was wrong to kill that anthro. Johnny Greenwood was right to have stopped you the first time. I view what you did as murder, not heroics. You should be in court for this!"

"Wha--but Mr. Tyne, you were the one who encouraged me to do this! I followed your adice!"

Jack laughed, "Well, in that case, Mr. Tyne is just as guilty! I am not Richard Tyne. If you'll excuse me, I have to leave now." Jack walked away, leaving a speechless crowd behind him.

Cory suddenly shouted, "He's one of the pacifists! He should be thrown off the island like we did with Greenwood!"

Jack scowled and turned around, "Fine! Do that! I already live away from this island you moron!!!!!"

"WHAT?!!!! Then he's returned to face his death! Get him so we can throw him to the chair!!!!!!"

Jack's eyes widened when he realized what Cory meant, "They're gonna electrocute me! I've got to get out of here!!!!!" He ran as fast as he could to get away from the mob that was chasing him, sighing in relief as he started to pull ahead. He could still hear shouts behind him, so he looked back. Most of the mob that had started to chase him was in the air, gaining fast! He ducked into the first place he saw, which happened to be the zoo from yesterday. The anthors flew in behind him; some anthros began to dive and snatch at him. Jack jumped behind a cage as he was swooped at yet again, trying to catch his breath. A headache suddenly acted up, allowing him to hear the thoughts of those around him. It soon became too much to bear.

She watched through the bars of her cage, "Why do they chase their own kind? Has he done something wrong?"

The two-legger looked up at her from where he sat, still clutching his head, "Can you help me?"

"You spoke!"

"Can you help me?!"

"Why?"

"They want to kill me for saying it was wrong to kill a giant anthro."

"A giant?..Like the ones at home?"

The two-legger looked at her, confused, "Back home?..you mean you came from the larger island?"

"Yes. The wind caught my wings and blew me here. Your kind caught me and trapped me in these bars."

"If I touched the bars, would they hurt me?"

"If you ran at them..."

"Good." the two-legger instantly kneeled down and searched for something. When he found the small chain that kept her in, he smiled, "You'll be out of there in a second, fairy dragon."

"Why do you help me?"

"Because I need your help. You can fly, and I cannot. I will need to if I'm going to get away." the chains snapped open, letting the gate swing out as well. She chirped happily and came out to let him climb onto her back.

"Where do we fly?"

"Away from them." The two-legger pointed back at the mass of two-leggers in the air. She nodded and took off. When they had out-distanced the mass of two-leggers, the one on her back sighed, "Thank you."

"I owe you my freedom. Thank you for helping me."

"What are you called?"

She puzzled over the odd question, not understanding what he meant, "I am not called anything...why?"

"I am Jack. May I give you a name?"

"What is a name?"

"A name is something one can call another instead of how they appear. It is an easier way of talking."

"Very well..."

Jack smiled when she gave him permission, and started thinking of a name for her. Her body was a grey that almost looked silver, shining in some places when she shifted in flight. Her wings were a wild assortment of colors, kept in check only by the line of near-crystal blue. Yellows and reds mixed together, accented by the small black spots that dotted her wings, "Well, Beauty comes to mind..."

"Why that?" She asked and turned her head until one eye could look at him.

Jack gasped. Her eye color had been dimmed slightly when they'd been at the zoo. Out in the full sunshine, her eyes sparkled a brilliant saphire. She truly was a beautiful creature, "Do you not like that name?"

"No. It reminds me of the mates I had that were forceful. What else might you name me?"

Jack studied her again, then smiled, "May I call you Crystal?"

She chirped once. It sounded almost like she laughed, "Yes, you may."

They landed in some very tall grass. Jack had a little trouble pushing his way through, "Where did we land?"

"Far away from that place of two-leggers. Thank you for freeing me...Jack."

"Crystal, must you leave?"

"I don't wish to be kept here. To face predators is better than this!"

"If you stay, I'll make sure you're safe." Jack said, hoping that she would reconsider and become his friend.

"But the two-leggers..."

"Won't be able to get near you. I have friends that will help me protect you. Please stay?"

Crystal sat down, chirping softly as she thought, "You did free me...but can I trust you?..what if you're like the other two-leggers..."

"Crystal, I promise you, I am nothing like the anthros you just helped me get away from. Please..."

"Oh, very well. I will stay."

Jack smiled, "Thank you. Umm...which way should we go?"

"Not back to that place of two-leggers!"

"But that's where my friends are...we need to find a way to contact them. Maybe we can find another place. Johnny said there were two other villages here."

"I know where one is. I saw it when I was blown here. Want me to take you there?"

"Okay." Jack climbed onto her back again and held on as she took off. The ground suddenly fell away from them as she gained height. Jack clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut until they landed. Crystal had to pry him off her back before he was convinced they were on the ground again. He stood back up where he'd been pushed off and looked around, "Small village...I wonder what it's called?" He started walking toward it, soon seeing a billboard that welcomed all who traveled this way, "Seashore village...welcome one and all...well, I hope I can find Trent's number somewhere. This isn't going to be easy...what was his surname again?" Jack looked back and saw Crystal standing a way's off, "I'm guessing you aren't coming?"

"No. Too many two-leggers."

"Okay. Just wait around there for me. I'll be back." Jack entered the village. He wandered the streets, looking at the small shops and stores. He walked into the first super-market he saw, and went straight for the pay-phones. It took some searching, but he found Trent's home phone and called. He got Trent's answering machine.

"Hello. If you are trying to reach me for an appointment, please call my office phone. If not, please leave your name and number so I may call you back. Thanks."

Jack spoke into the reciever as soon as he heard the beep, "Trent? It's Jack. I ran into a little trouble in Wrall city and am calling from Seashore village right now. I can't go back into the city, or they'll try to kill me. I had the pleasure of meeting one of Johnny's enemies. I'll call later, okay? Bye--

"Wait!!!!"

Jack stopped himself from hanging up the phone, "Trent?"

"What happened?" Trent asked from his end of the line.

"I just told you on the answering machine."

"No, how did you get to Seashore village without taking a train?"

"I flew."

"YOU DON'T HAVE WINGS!!!!!!!!!"

"I made a friend who carried me. Her name's Crystal."

"Crystal...Look. Just hang there. Johnny and I will be there tomorrow morning."

"Can Ania come?" Jack asked, hopeful.

"I think so. Do you realize how worried you made Ania when you didn't show up at my apartment this morning?!"

"Tell her I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"She's waiting for the phone right now, Jack."

"Jack?"

"Ania, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to run off like that. Really."

"It's okay..."

"No it's not. I'll make it up to you when I see you again, okay?"

"Be careful Jack."

"I'm waiting for you Ania."

Jack hung up the phone and left the store. Someone was coming in right then, so he held the door open and smiled. It was a griffin, who suddenly started searching for a pen and paper. Jack sighed, "Look, if you're thinking about getting my autograph or something, I'm not Richard Tyne. Name's Jack."

The griffin looked at him, "You're right." She sighed, "Damn. I'd hoped..."

"Hey, it's okay. Lots of anthros have mistaken me for him so far."

"Umm...could you help me? I'm looking for someone."

"I'll do what I can miss...err..."

"Melodie. I'm Melodie Patkins."

"Okay. What do you need help with?"

"Well...I bought a whole strawberry from here ealier, but it turns out it was rotten. I can't lift it by myself, so I came in here to ask for help."

"Sure I'll help." Jack went outside and followed Melodie to a huge wagon that had a single strawberry loaded on it. The wagon looked ready to collapse under the weight, "The wagon looks pretty old."

"It is. I have to get a new one sometime."

"You pushed it here all by yourself ?!"

"I had to. My entire family is sick right now. I'm the only one who can do anything."

"Hmm..." Jack wondered how they would be able to move the thing, "Hang on a second, Melodie." He cleared his mind and searched for a familiar voice, "Crystal, are you there?"

"What is it?"

"I've found someone who needs some help, but she and I can't move it by ourselves. Could you come and help?"

"No. I have no wish to be a prisoner again."

"You won't be. There aren't enough anthros here to get you."

"Jack, I will not go into that place full of...anthros...as you call them." Crystal gasped from wherever she was, "Jack, watch out for the two legger!!!!!!!!"

Jack wondered what she meant, then saw it. A shadow fell over the village...Melodie screamed and ran inside the super-market where it was safe. Jack wasn't so lucky. He couldn't remember seeing one of these before and had no idea what to expect. The two-legged animal glanced down at him. Jack switchedd his mind and listened to what the creature was thinking, "One didn't run. LUNCH!!!!!!" Jack dove out of the way as the monster pecked at him.

Jack closed his mind from the beast, "That thing wants to eat me!" He frantically looked around for a place to hide, sighing when he was able to dive under Melodie's cart. The monster's mouth shot down and ate the strawberry, then kicked aside the wagon like it was nothing more than a twig. Jack desperately scrambled away from the gaze of the creature. It followed him easily, cutting him off whenever he ran in a new direction. The creature's tail came from out of nowhere and whacked him hard. Jack flew through the air, grunting as he landed. Something cracked inside him, but right then he didn't feel it. Looking around, he saw a stick close to him and picked it up. The monster loomed over him as he stood up. He glared at it, then spoke to it, "You want me? Come get me!!!"

"So your kind can speak. Oh well." The monster lunged at him.

Jack threw the stick like he would a dart, aiming it as carefully as possible.

The monster reared back as the stick landed in its eye. It ran off, crying in pain. Jack saw another shadow fall over him and looked up to see Crystal landing beside him, "Jack, are you alright?"

Jack moaned and and fell over. There was a bone sticking out of his right arm. Everything went dark.

Melodie had seen the entire struggle from inside the store. She came out when she saw the fairy dragon land beside Jack, then ran to him when he slumped over. She hesitated when she came close to the fairy dragon, unsure what to do. The fairy dragon looked up at her, then nudged Jack. It backed away after that and took to the sky, "Jack? Jack, can you hear me?" She slapped his face gently, trying to wake him up. His head rolled with her slap, as if he were dead. Other anthros started to come out slowly, wondering who they were supposed to thank for driving off the huge creature. Melodie looked around, "Can someone help me?"

Two anthros came by, "What is--god..."

"We need to get him to a hospital. He just saved us all!"

"Lady, don't you get it? That's Richard Tyne!"

Melodie gave the anthro an accusing look, "He's too tall. This guy isn't Mr. Tyne, but he still needs a hospital right now!"

The other anthro ran off and came back with a doctor, "Can I do anything?" The doctor asked as he kneeled down to look at Jack, "Bring him to my office. I can bandage him up there."

Melodie looked back at her cart. It looked like it was still in good enough shape to be used. She ran over to it and tipped it back onto its wheels. The two anthros and the doctor loaded Jack onto the wagon and wheeled him away.