Chapter 1
"First Impressions"

Written by Xelloss.
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	Too many people. 
	This was the main thought line running through the mind of a young
man as he sat in a pub, nursing his brew and waiting for company to show
up. An hour had passed since he sat down, and it didn't look as if they
were going to show. 
	"I guess I can't blame 'em," he thought to himself, "Messy as all
hell out there. I wouldn't be here myself if it weren't for..." 
	His internal monologue was interrupted by a female figure walking
through the door. She seemed a bit lost. The young man was confused by
this, but then smacked his forehead in self-irritation and brought out
what looked to be a holographic boardgame. He began a game, and was not
disappointed when she sauntered over to his booth to join him. 
	"Hi, Grey." The lady's voice was smooth, but not too
extraordinary. She rather liked it that way. 
	"Hi yourself, DYNA. Where have you been?" 
	"Oh, nowhere in particular." Before Grey could raise a comment
about this, she spoke again. "I've brought someone I'd like you to
meet." 
	Concerned, he leaned closer to her and replied "Are you sure
that's wise, in a place like this?" 
	She giggled. "No, silly. Not here. _Outside_." The emphasis DYNA
placed on the word 'outside' made her meaning clear to Grey. He nodded,
tossed a credit to the barkeep, and the two of them left arm in arm. 
	Once outside, they quickly ducked into an alley. Grasping each
other's hands, they disappeared. 

	The flourescent lighting always irritated his eyes when he got
back, Grey mused. Blinking to clear them, he reached behind his head and
disconnected a wire from the base of his skull. Jacking in still left an
odd feeling in his head, and he doubted it would ever change. "So,
where's this friend?" Grey asked aloud. 
	A voice, seemingly centered nowhere, replied "In Meeting Room 3.
The higher-ups are already there." 
	"Tell them I'll be there shortly, DYNA." 
	"Later tonight then? The usual place?" 
	With a knowing grin, he replied an affirmative. 
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Written by Dracos.
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	<What have I gotten myself into now?>
	He sat, arms folded, staring at the man in front of him, and once
again wondered just what was up with this dude. He certainly LOOKED
human... except no human could have fought like this one did. Ken still
couldn't believe he'd actually lost to this... this... human!
	"Would you at least mind telling me your name,
Mr. Black-and-Gold?"
	The man looked at him for a second with piercing eyes.
	"Dracos. Dracos of Avalon."
	"Okay... So, what exactly am I DOING HERE!?"
	Dracos' mouth quirked in a small smile.
	"You're waiting until me and the rest of the NDF can figure out
what to do with you..."
	"NDF?"
	The man sighed, shaking his head.
	"Don't worry about it. You'll find out soon enough once the others
get here..."
	At that point, the doors opened to admit another Dragyn. His eyes
widened until they were almost out of their sockets.
	"YOU!" He launched himself at the Dragyn in the doorway, his wings
spread wide... and was abruptly slammed into the far wall by some
invisible force. He struggled, but it held him fast.
	"What the hell is going on here?!" He struggled against the
barriers that held him against the wall. "Is this the way you fight
someone! Let me go!"
	"Cool it, hot shot." Dracos stared at him, a slight golden glow
surrounding him. "We're not here to fight."
	Dracos turned to the new arrival. Just how did these two know each
other?
	"Hey, Ryu."
	The Dragyn shook his head.
	"So THIS is why you called us down here..."
	Dracos nodded. "Yep. I'm not sure what to do with him, so I
thought I'd get some advice. Are Xell and Grey on their way?"
	"Yep. They'll be here shortly."
	The two beings turned once more to Ken, still penned up against the
wall. Dracos crossed his arms.
	"You think you can calm yourself down now, kid?"
	Ken scowled at him, but nodded, and felt the pressure against him
disappear.
	"Good. Now just sit and wait. The others should be arriving shortly."
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Written by Ryu.
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	A few moments later, Grey arrived on the scene, but Xelloss was
not to be found. Ten minutes later, the trickster priest had still not
arrived. 
	"So when is this Xell guy gonna show up?" 
	"Relax tough guy... he'll be here." 
	"I wasn't asking you, HUMAN!" 
	Before Ken could start something, he found himself pinned on the
wall again, but this time by Ryu. 
	"If you want to fight someone, fight someone that's worth the
effort!" 
	"If you mean yourself, Bac'noca, then by all means. I'd love to go
down in history as the warrior that killed the parasite of the Draygn
race!" 
	In a flash, Ryu's ebony tail wrapped itself around the young Dark
Flyer's neck, and Ryu casually lifted him off the ground. 
	"So you honestly think you alone can take me down? Don't make me
laugh! You can't even get out of my stranglehold, let alone kill me. I
could have blown you away back in that ravine, but instead I chose to
leave you with a brused ego. So don't PUSH IT!" 
	With that Ryu tossed him back in the chair and returned to his
spot on the wall. 
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