GLOWING EMBERS - THE STORY OF JACK
Story tags: <MA/FE> <FU> <WD> <MD> <AR>

[PROLOGUE: HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF]
Narrator: Simon Thunderpaw

Let me first introduce myself. The name is Simon Thunderpaw. Forty-seven years ago, I was delivered to this planet, which is called Xargon, by the individual I have accepted as my father.
You see, I originally came from Earth, which makes me a human. However, on Xargon, there are no human beings. This world is inhabited by creatures we call 'morphs', which are both human and animal. Or none, if you think of my theory.

This certain individual was called Nido. He was a great red dragon morph and a former human, like me. My father brought me to this world because my life on Earth was a misery. Both of my human parents, as well as my brother had died due to a car crash.
Anyhow, enough about that history. The more important fact is that there was another reason why Nido wanted me to come to Xargon: I was the One he was looking for, alias 'the Guardian'. The reason why I speak about my father in the past tense is that he died two years ago. Fortunately, Tanya, a vixen that used to be married to my father, is still alive at the age of seventy-nine.

The whole Guardian thing started about two centuries ago. The story behind the Guardian is that he or she has to fight a furson that has manifested itself as the Other One. After this battle, the winning party will rule for either twelve, thirty-six, or forty-eight years, depending on the amount of successions of the particular winning party.
When I was the Guardian, I was the third one in the row. The victory back then made it possible for the inhabitants of Xargon to live in peace for the next forty-eight years. Unfortunately, this period is nearing its end. It is only a matter of time before a new Other One steps up.
I blame myself every time I speak of victory concerning the events with the most recent Other One. You see, I used to have a friend back then. She was a tiger morph kitten called Samantha, another former human, but it was not meant to be. Sam found the Other One just before I did and she lost the fight. Heavily injured, she left the battle, to die in the hospital later. All she could say was "I'm sorry, Simon. I have failed."
Several years later, I found myself a new girlfriend. She was an arctic fox morph I immediately fell in love with. We got hitched and she gave birth to a daughter and a son. However, her life had to be traded for the life of our son, since she died after she gave birth to him.

I believe it is my job to find the new Guardian on Earth. My successor can only be found there, since a new Guardian would have arisen already if he or she were Xargonian. Going to Earth is not quite the problem; it's the fact that there are over four billion people in the world. Luckily, the Guardian was never older than eighteen in case he or she came from Earth.
Establishing contact with Earth is something for which only few fursons have the appropriate equipment. In my case, my father left us Relibia Incorporated, a company that is specialized in connecting an individual to the dream of a human child.

I do not work alone, though. My sister, Amber, and a friend of us, Regio, are my two most loyal and experienced employees. The three of us really like working at Relibria Inc., although we know that our jobs are both serious and important.

To mark the importance: we are the only company in the country that is able to contact Earth. As I said before, I believe it is my job to find the next Guardian. Even stronger: I believe I may have found him. Tonight, we will try to establish a connection between our systems and his dreams.

[CHAPTER 01: SIMON TO EARTH]
Narrator: Simon Thunderpaw

Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme,
tonight is the night, now is the time.

When talking to a human being in his or her dreams, there is one thing, you should always keep in mind: location, location, location. If you try to talk at the wrong time or place, or at the wrong circumstances, the child might either get scared or block you off.
"Blocking off" is the term used if child tries to ban you out of his or her dream. When talking to the presumed next Guardian, blocking off has to be prevented at all cost. Therefore, the simulation we use to talk in consists out of two small rooms with a one-way window in between. Thanks to the special glass, I can see the child, but not the other way around.

The connection was successfully established. I managed to reach the boy I had been trying to contact last week.
"Good evening."
"Who… who are you?" The boy asked.
"My name is Simon Thunderpaw. And what is your name?"
"I'm Jack, Jack Ferguson. Why can't I see you?"
"I don't want to scare you. Listen, Jack, I've come to talk to you about something important."
"Right… How can you talk to me? This is my dream, isn't it?"
"Yes it is, that's why I'm able to talk with you. However, it's not important how I found you, but the reason why I went to seek you is what really matters."
"Then what do you need me for?"
I coughed.
"Jack, I think you're the next Guardian."
"Guardian of what? I'm only fourteen, so how can I guard anything so important an adult would ask me to do so?"
"I can't explain all of that right now, it would take too long. The bottom line is that I kindly ask you to come with me."
"Where are you going, if I may be so kind?"
"To another world on another planet."
He laughed at me. Why didn't he believe I was serious?
"I'm sorry Simon, but this is a dream. You've got the wrong one here. I bet I can't remember a thing of what happened here if I wake up tomorrow."
"And what happens if you can?"
"Would you stop stalking me?"
"Jack, listen. It's really of great importance that you…" I heard my own voice trail off.
«warning: weak connection»
"Jack!"
«warning: collection lost»

Too bad, he blocked me off. One night later, I tried again at the same location.
"Hello Jack, my young friend. I've come to talk with you again."
"Simon, is that you again?"
"Yes it is. Do you still think this is a dream?"
"I'm not sure, but I guess it is. It's not impossible to dream about something again, is it?"
"I suppose so. Anyway, I don't think you understood me yesterday."
"What do you mean?"
"Listen, Jack. I've been in the same position as you. Forty-seven years ago, I was in your place. The choice of leaving Earth was easy for me, since I didn't really have a life back then."
"Is going to that other world reversible?"
"Possibly it is, but I don't think you want to go back as soon as you're used to your new life. What do you think, Jack? Is it worth the try?"
"It's a dream, so why not?"
I chuckled.
"What's so funny?" He asked.
"The fact that you actually believe this isn't really happening. To the point: you will lose your present body, Jack."
"Why is that?"
"You'll find out soon enough when you're on Xargon."
"What is Xargon?"
"Xargon is my home planet, one soon to become yours as well. Are you ready?"
He nodded.
"All right then. If you step out of the door on your left, you will be transferred to Xargon. The door on your right will keep you at Earth. You'll wake up tomorrow to believe what you believe and I won't bother you any longer."
He nodded again.
Think about it carefully, Jack. Your task as the next Guardian will not be an easy one."
"Bring it on, Simon." He countered and he chose the left door.

A grin appeared on my muzzle, since I had been able to convince the one I believed was the next Guardian to come over to Xargon. I had lied to him, though. Relibria had never de-transfurrized a morph before.
I sighed, hoping that Jack would not be afraid of me the moment he saw me. Then suddenly, I got myself a bright idea: I had to send in Regio first. What kind of human would be afraid of a rabbit morph?

Is it a kind of dream,
floating out on the tide,
Following the river of death downstream?
Oh, is it a dream?

There's a fog along the horizon,
A strange glow in the sky,
And nobody seems to know where you go,
And what does it mean?
Oh, is it a dream?

Bright eyes,
Burning like fire.
Bright eyes,
How can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
Suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes.

Is it a kind of shadow,
Reaching into the night,
Wandering over the hills unseen,
Or is it a dream?

There's a high wind in the trees,
A cold sound in the air,
And nobody ever knows when you go,
And where do you start,
Oh, into the dark.

Bright eyes,
Burning like fire.
Bright eyes,
How can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
Suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes.

I woke up from my own dream, just in time to see that the transfurrization was successful. There was one problem, however: a transfer error had occurred. I asked Amber about the error, but she said there was no physical defect to be found.
Wondering what could be wrong with Jack, I got up and went to the child's section.

[CHAPTER 02: HERE I AM]
Narrator: Jack Ferguson

When I woke up again, I expected to be in my own room. I was not there, however. On the contrary, I was lying close to the ground in an empty room without any windows. There was only one door and a single lamp illuminated the whole place.
My body felt strange, as if I was not myself anymore. Maybe I had been under surgery. That would at least explain why a blanket covered up my body. The thing that worried me most was that I felt like I was awake.
Suddenly, I saw the door open and a creature came in. I expected to see a human, but instead I saw a huge rabbit. Why was the rabbit so large? More important, why did it walk on its hind legs and why was it dressed in a lab coat?
"Good morning, Jack."
"Who are you and why can you talk?"
"Why can I talk? What silly question is that? We can all talk."
"But who are you? The Easter Rabbit?" I asked with sarcasm.
He sighed.
"You know what? I'll get Simon for you. I bet he can explain everything to you. Do me a favor and stay here."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Fine, thanks. By the way, don't look at your new body yet, okay?" The rabbit said and he left the room.

Some time later, I heard footsteps coming my way. Whoever was coming appeared to have halted near the door.
"Jack, are you in there?"
That voice! Could it be?
"Yeah, I'm here. Is that you, Simon?"
"It is. I'm sorry for what happened a while ago, I should have warned you."
"Why don't you come in?"
"I don't want to scare you again. Do you have any idea what I look like?"
"To be honest, I don't have the slightest idea."
"All right, I'll show myself to you. However, keep in mind that I'm not a human. I used to be one, just like you."
Not a human? What in the blazes…

I heard several more footsteps before I saw another creature enter the room. This one was no rabbit, though, but some kind of wolf.
"I assume you are Simon?"
He nodded.
"And I assume you are eager to see your new body."
"My new body? What are you talking about?"
"Think about that for yourself. Maybe it would help if I would recite that I used to be a human, too. In addition, I warned you in your dreams about your body."
"Wait… You're not telling me you've changed me into some other Easter Rabbit, do you?"
"You mean, like Regio?"
"What's a Regio?"
"The question is not 'what', the question is 'who'. You appear to have referred to him as the Easter Rabbit. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Jack. Anyway, to make a long story short, your human body is gone."
"Gone? Then what am I now?"
"Stay put, I'll get you a mirror."

I heard fading footsteps, some stumbling and then footsteps again. Simon came in sooner than I had expected. For some reason, his feet produced less sound then human feet do.
"Simon? What is going on here?"
"I think you should see that for yourself." He replied and he gave me a looking glass.

As I sat up and reached out to take it from him, I saw that my arm and hand were indeed no longer human, but moreover reptilian. My arms were covered in dark crimson red scales and my hands had short, black claws. Looking at my face through the looking glass, I was terrified to see the face of a dragon instead of my own, human face.
My hands trembled and I managed to put down the looking glass before I would shake heavily enough to drop it spontaneously.
"Simon, what happened to me?"
"You underwent a process called 'transfurrizing'. In other words, you have received a new body, which is, by the math, the body of a fire dragon."
"But… Why am I so small? I'm like, four feet tall, at maximum."
"I can't explain every detail to you, since that would be a long and rather boring story, but in short, your new body is somewhere between five or four and a half years old."
I suddenly felt the urge to pee, which grew stronger very fast.
"Um, Simon? I need to go to the bathroom."
"Follow me." He said and he smiled.

On the contrary, I did not have a reason to smile, because I could not hold my pee in any longer when we reached the door. It just flowed out of me, leaving me in a yellow puddle.
"Jack? Are you all right?"
"No…" I sobbed. "Why did this happen to me?"
"I was hoping you didn't have to deal with this as well."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll explain that to you later. Let's get you cleaned up first." He said, and he offered me his paw, which I took from him.

Simon led me through the corridor, to another room. There was an older vixen in there with a fur coat that was red like fire. She appeared to know Simon.
"Hey Simon. Is this the one you spoke about?"
"Yup, but as you can see, he had a nasty little accident. Would you care to help him clean himself up?"
"Not at all. Make sure you manage the rest of the practical aspects?"
Simon nodded.

I followed the vixen to another room; one appeared to be a bathroom. The vixen walked to the bathtub and started to fill it with water.
"Right, little one. We should get to know each other better, don't you think? Let's start with your name."
"They used to call me 'Jack' on Earth."
"That's a common name from your planet, isn't it? My name is Amber."
"Amber…" I repeated. "How do you and Simon know each other?"
"He is my brother, why do you ask?"
"I was just curious. Wait, how can Simon be your brother? He is a wolf and you're a fox. Is that even possible?"
"Of course it is. My parents have adopted Simon long ago, since my father thought he was the Guardian."
"Was your father right?"
She nodded.
"I took over this company from my father, together with Simon and Regio, an old friend. The tub is full now. Can you get in there yourself or do you need some help?"

I answered that I would be okay and I clumsily stepped into the bathtub. While I carefully washed my private areas, Amber said she had to go get some stuff; she would be right back.

[CHAPTER 03: FEELING THE RHYME]
Narrator: Jack Ferguson

Amber returned after a while, holding some clothes. I did not realize that I was not wearing any until she showed up. My new skin had a nice feature: it was water resistant, so getting dry was not that much of a problem. I got back on my feet, or paws, if you please, and stepped out of the tub.
She grabbed a towel and started to dry me off. I wanted to say that I was perfectly able to do that myself, but then I realized that I had grown body parts I was not used to yet. It was a strange experience to feel Amber dry off my tail. She then moved to another body part on my back. It hit me that I had grown wings, which Amber was taking care of now.

When I was finally dry, she took something from the clothes she had brought. It was some kind of garment, but one I had never seen before. As she unfolded the thing, I saw it was a diaper, but it was no ordinary diaper. This one had a total of four tapes at the front and one at the back. I wondered why there were three holes instead of one, but I soon concluded that the third hole was for my tail.
"Amber, I don't need diapers."
"I'm sorry Jack, but we don't want you to have another accident."
"But it wasn't my fault!" I protested.
"Of course it wasn't. Let me tell you something. When Simon first arrived on Xargon, his body was only three and a half years old. He didn't like the idea of wearing diapers as well at first. However, he grew accustomed to them later on. What I'm trying to put across is that I understand you don't like it, but it's for your own protection."
"What kind of thing happened to me that made me have accidents?"
"First of all, there was a slight error in your transfurrization. We don't know whether those things are related yet, but we don't exclude the option either. Second is that your body is no older than five years. Some dragons finish toilet training when they're six. You're no real exception if you look at it that way."
"I understand, but that doesn't mean I like it."
I shivered because I was still naked.
"I know. Just stand still for a while, okay?"
I nodded.

She then put the diaper between my legs and pulled up the rear part. The single tape appeared to be used to close the hole around my tail. Amber continued by pulling up the front part and finishing my diapering by starting with the lower tapes.
"Why is there a tape at the rear of this diaper? Couldn't they just make a tail hole?"
"Normal diapers to have a tail hole, but dragons like you have a thicker tail, so they require special diapers."
"How long will I have to wear them?"
"As long as you need them and as long as you want."
"I know I need them, but right now, I don't want to."
"That's not what I meant. Simon wore diapers longer than he needed to, just because he didn't dislike them. I'm not telling you he really liked them, but he didn't appear to bother wearing them." She said and she helped me to get dressed.
"Furthermore," Amber continued, "Our mother liked to take care of him. I'm the only child she ever gave birth to and she really wanted to have another cub when I grew out of that stage."
"Are your parents still alive?"
"No, unfortunately they have passed away. Our father died a couple of years ago."
"What was your mother like?"
"I inherited both my species and the color of my fur from my mother." She chuckled.
"And what about your father? Was he a fox as well?"
"No, he was a fire dragon, just like you."
"But how is that possible? Shouldn't you be a hybrid then?"
"The appearance of hybrids is quite uncommon on this continent. There appear to be a lot more of them in other countries, though. Simon is a hybrid because his transfurrization turned him into one."
"I see. Amber, I still think I'm going to wake up in my own bed very soon. Are you sure this is no dream?"
My question appeared to surprise her.
"There is a way to prove it, but you're not going to like it."
I signed her to go ahead, but I soon found out I should have believed her words. Amber gently tugged my tail, but still firm enough to make me feel the pain it caused.
"Ouch! Did you really need to do that?"
"Maybe I didn't. I'm sorry Jack, but it was the only way I could think of. If this would still be your dream, you would have woken up for sure by now."
I remained silent.
"Right, we're all done. You should go back to Simon." Amber said with a smile.

I did as she suggested me to do, and I found Simon at his office on same floor. The door was open, so I decided to walk in right away. Simon sat at his desk, being busy with his computer. He beckoned me to take a seat near his desk.
"Hello Jack. How do you feel?" He asked when I sat down.
Why did he need to start with a hard question?
"I'm sorry Simon, but I don't know how I should feel or how to describe what I feel right now."
"Do you feel alone, or maybe deserted?"
"A little, yes. However, your sister is really nice."
He smiled.
"There has to be a reason why we can still work together. How about me? Are you scared of me?"
"No, I'm not what people call 'scared'. It's just that I haven't been here long enough to know how I should act."
"All I ask you is to be yourself."
"Simon, is there any way I can go back if I don't like Xargon?"
"There is, but Relibria has never brought a morph your age back to Earth. The minimum age is twelve, and even this young, there is a lot to go wrong."
"But I'm fourteen! What's the big deal?"
"I wasn't talking about your mind, Jack," He replied with a calm voice, "I was referring to your body. If Relibria would humanize you, there is a chance of over ninety percent that your mind won't survive the transfer."
I stared at my feet.

[CHAPTER 04: NO ROAD LEFT BUT ONE]
Narrator: Jack Ferguson

I woke up in a dream today
To the cold of the static, and put my cold feet on the floor
Forgot all about yesterday
Remembering I'm pretending to be where I'm not anymore
A little taste of hypocrisy
And I’m left in the wake of the mistake, slow to react
So even though you're so close to me
You're still so distant
And I can't bring you back

"Jack, listen. If there was a way, I would do all I could to bring you back in case you would really want me to. The fact is that something is holding me back, even if I don't take your physical age in mind."
"What is it?" I asked, turning back to Simon.
"I've mentioned it before, but I'll say it again. A little over forty-seven years ago, a red dragon brought me in this world because he thought I was the Guardian. At first, I didn't understand anything of his reasons, but after a while, something made me see why the one I call my new father did what he had to do."
"No offense, but what do I have to do with this?"
"As the previous Guardian, I appear to be able to detect the likelihood in a child whether he or she will be the new Guardian. In your case, I had a very strong feeling."
"I understand, but are you never wrong?"
"Sometimes I am, Jack, but there is only one way to find out."
He coughed.
"My father brought me to Xargon because he knew the Rhythm Rhymes by heart."
"The Rhythm Rhymes? What does music have to do with the Guardian?"
"The Rhymes are no music, they are ten lines of poetry that reveal something about what will happen to the Guardian they're connected to. However, there are no Rhythm Rhymes for the present Guardian yet. The bottom line is that whether or not you're prepared to take the risk of travelling back to Earth, we'll have to wait."
"Wait? A human being is waiting for approximately five years of his entire life! Now you expect me to sit here and wait resignedly until whatever happens?" I asked more angrily than I wanted.
"Calm down, Jack. I'm not a newbie around here. My father told me everything I needed to know and I can assure you that my skills and knowledge surpasses him. I'm not the kind of type to undertake something big without thinking it out beforehand."
"But I still have to wait, don't I?"
He nodded.
"However, you won't have to wait long. If the new Rhythm Rhymes are here, it never takes long before it is spread all over the planet."
"Who makes up the Rhymes?"
"Nobody does, Jack. Did you really think there is a morph on Xargon that fantasize about something as big as the Rhymes?"
I shook my head, while deep inside my heart, a small voice told me Simon was right.
"Anyway," Simon continued, "The furson to come up with the Rhythm Rhymes is chosen close to random."
Simon noticed that I did not understand what he was trying to put across.
"Most of the individuals to come up with the Rhymes were rabbit morphs."
"Is that a coincidence?"
"No, on the contrary. Have you ever heard of Richard Adams's Watership Down?"
"Yeah, but I didn't really like the show. Why do you ask?"
"Did you notice that there was a rabbit in that series that was different from the rest?"
"Do you mean Fiver?"
He nodded.
"To put it in the terms of a rabbit, Fiver was able to 'see tomorrows'. It's funny that a human comes up with something that is actually true. On Xargon, there are several rabbits with this ability, too."
He paused for a moment.

"I hope you understand that all we can do is wait, wait until someone confirms or busts if you're the new Guardian."
I nodded and stared down again.
"Jack, besides the fact that we're not sure about whether you're the Guardian or not and we can't send you back to Earth yet, you'll have to wait at least until you're old enough to be humanized. That is, if you really want to go back."
"I know that, but where do you want me to stay in the meantime?"
He chuckled.
"You know, after my wife died, I moved to the top floor of Relibria. I still live there, but I've got myself a spare room I never used, as if someone should live there."
I jumped up and got back on my feet.
"Are you suggesting that I can live with you?"
"Only if you want to, yes."
I grinned.
"Show me the place."
"Give me the magic word." He countered.
"Please?" I said with the most enchanting puppy eyes I could, for as far as a dragon can be cute.
"I was just teasing you. Come on, we don't have all day." He said as he got up and beckoned me to follow him.

We took the elevator to the top floor and Simon unlocked the door that divided his work from his personal domain. His place was painted by a brilliant artist. As I looked through a window, I noticed that the walls were painted in such a way that they suggested you were looking right through them.
Simon nudged me and pointed at a room to my left. I saw that the walls were still white, in other words, they were unpainted. He must have noticed that I was - understatement - amazed by his house.
"I see you like the place, am I right?"
I nodded.
"Who painted all this?"
"Amber did, who else?"
"But… why is this room still empty?"
"I wasn't the only one that felt like this room didn't belong to me. She tried to let her artistic spirit go loose on this empty room, but she had no inspiration. For years, we have pondered what to do, still wondering why Amber couldn't get herself to do the job. We then just resigned to the problem, believing in the coming of a solution."
"You still don't have a solution to the problem, do you?"
He grinned.
"Maybe we do now. We'll just have to wait, even though waiting on its own is as boring as rearranging the books in a library."
"So what do we do now?"
"We'll think of something. For now, we should get ourselves the supplies we need to allow you to live here for a while."

[CHAPTER 05: TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL]
Narrator: Jack Ferguson

Several days have passed now since Relibria transfurrized me to Xargon. My life as a dragon is… quite different, to summarize it in two words. The spare room is now officially mine, but there is only some furniture. The walls are still blank, as if I don't belong here, or not yet. My room appears to be too large for me somehow.
Anyway, Simon woke me up today because Regio wanted to talk to me. After Simon had changed me, I went to the living room, where Regio was sitting on the couch, waiting anxiously for my arrival. I took a seat nearby and signed him to begin.
"Jack," He started, "I assume Simon has told you about his role as the Guardian?"
"A little bit, yes. Why do you ask?"
"He also said that he told you that some rabbits can see tomorrows. For a long time, I thought I didn't belong to those fursons. However, last night, I had a dream."
"What kind of dream?"
"I had a dream that literally showed me tomorrow."
"You've caught my attention here. What was the dream about?"
"All I could see was a pair of snow white wings. There must have been a creature attached to it, but I couldn't see whoever was talking to me. The creature said that he would be visiting you this afternoon at two p.m. to talk about something really important."
"Could this be the one to come up with the new Rhythm Rhymes?"
"Maybe it is. At least, I hope so."
There was a short pause.

"Regio, what were Simon's Rhymes?"
"I was expecting you to ask for them. After forty-eight years, I still know them by heart. Here they are:"

This is said about the third Guardian:
For saving this world, He will be the One.

His fur is like silver but does not glow
And within His body He will not grow.

But because He came from a world called Earth,
He will discover His life and what it's worth.

Being the Guardian will make Him grieve,
The way He came is the way He will leave.

Now this is a warning for the strong and the brave:
The One that will save us is the One we can't save.

"What is meant by 'the one that will save us is the one we can't save'?"
"I'd rather not talk about that." Simon interjected.
"I'm sorry Jack, but we've lost someone dear to us when Simon was the Guardian."

Time seems to last longer when you have to wait. Simon and Regio had even taken the afternoon off to be with me when the visitor should arrive. Finally, the clock showed "02.00 PM" and the doorbell rang. Simon appeared to be surprised, since it was his private doorbell and not the bell for Relibria on the ground floor. He went to open the door, finding the one that should be my guest.
Simon called for me.
"I think this is your guest, Jack." He said.

What will you do to make a difference, to make a change?
What will you do to help someone along the way?
Just a touch, a smile as you turn the other cheek
Pray for your enemies, humble yourself, love's staring back at me
In the midst of the most painful faces,
Angels show up in the strangest of places

Going through this life, looking for angels
People passing by, looking for angels
Walking down the streets, looking for angels
Everyone I meet, looking for angels

There are many ways to describe the creature I saw, but the first thing that hit me was that he was an angel; nothing else could meet his appearance. His head looked like that of a wolf, while his body was covered in fur for the upper half and covered in scales for the lower half. The creature was black, apart from his white, angelic wings. I noticed that his tail was a bit of defiant in the picture, since it appeared to belong to an otter moreover than a dragon or canine.
"I assume you are Jack?" The creature asked.
"Yeah, I am. But who are you? And where do you come from?"
"My name is Nathaniel and I come from the world of Pokémon."
"What? That planet is real? You've caught my attention here, come in."

He followed me to the living room, where Simon and Regio were waiting for us. Nathaniel appeared to recognize the latter.
"You… You are the rabbit I spoke to, aren't you?"
Regio nodded.
"And you are the messenger?"
"I am, sir. I came to Relibria to talk to the three of you. I'd also like to talk to Jack, in private."
"Of course, that can be arranged. Would you mind to take a seat and tell us what you want to share with all of us first?"
"Not at all, sir." He answered and we both sat down.
"Please, stop calling me 'sir'. My name is Regio, and this is Simon. We might be old, but that doesn't mean you're allowed to make us feel that way as well!" Regio laughed.
Nathaniel smiled.
"As I told Regio, I came to tell you something very important. However, before I start, I need to know for sure that I'm here by the right reason." He said and he faced me with his eyes closed, extending a hand to me.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"I just used my Aura Sight, and I may congratulate you, Jack. You've got what I was looking for: true courage in a brave heart. You're the one to be Xargon's new Guardian."
"Are you sure?" Simon asked.
"Auras don't lie. You know, the real reason why I came to visit you is a dream I had last night. In my dream, someone was reading a poem to me, one I had never heard before. The voice told me that the Guardian would be very interested to hear them. This is what he said:"

Now this is said about the first Guardian:
For saving the world they will be the one.

Their colors will be red and green,
Together they are always seen.

If they show they are two of a kind,
The Other One is what they find.

For twelve more years we shall have rest,
If they will do their very best.

Now here is for you an awkward fact:
There is one the other will protect.

"Is that about me?" I asked.
"Well, it is, partly. The Rhymes speak of another individual, keeping in mind that you are the one meant with 'red'. In addition, the second line says 'they will be the one', instead of the expected 'he will be the one'." Simon replied.
"Does that mean there is another Guardian?"
"No, but there has to be someone to be your aide, Jack." Regio said.

I looked at Nathaniel, only to see that he was doing his Aura Sight-thing again.
"Is that strictly necessary?"
"Unfortunately it is, Jack. I can see that you're still trying to get back to planet Earth."
"How do you know Earth?"
"I was born there, just like you, Simon, Simon's father and Samantha."
"Who is Samantha?"
"She used to be a good friend of mine. The furson I mentioned a while ago, the one we lost… it was Sam." Simon said with a sad look in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Simon. I shouldn't have asked about it."
"It's okay. All I want to know from you, Nathaniel, is how you know about Sam."
"Your aura shows that you still think about her every day, even now your wife has died. You really liked her, didn't you?"
"Yeah, she was a nice tiger." Simon replied, followed by a short pause.
"Nathaniel, you said there was something you wanted to discuss with me in private?" I asked to break the silence.
He nodded.
"You'd better go to Jack's room then. We won't disturb you."
"Thank you, Simon. Come on, Nathaniel. I'm eager to know more." I said and we went to my room.

[CHAPTER 06: THE GUARDIAN, THE ANGEL AND THE SPARE ROOM]
Narrator: Jack Ferguson

We sat down in my room to discuss what Nathaniel wanted to tell me in private.
"Jack, I'm going to keep it straight with you. When I was looking at your aura, I saw you still want to go back to earth. Is that true?"
I nodded.
"If you look deep inside your heart, do you still think it is true?"
"Now you make me doubt. It's just that Xargon is all new for me and I don't know what to think about it yet."
"I'm sorry Jack, but as the Guardian, you can't just go back to Earth. You would put the lives of many people in danger. I know it's hard for you, but you'll have to let go of your old life."
"Yeah, maybe I should."
"Jack, I know you can walk out of this room and really be what you are right now."
"Tell me, what am I?"
"You're human that has been turned into a young dragon morph, bearing the role of the Guardian. However, I also saw you were lonely, and maybe even… insecure, yes?"
I sighed.
"Nathaniel, you're right. I do feel lonely and I still believe this is some sort of dream."
He smiled.
"You'll get used to it in time, no need to worry 'bout that."
"If you say so." I shrugged.
"I don't only say so, I've been there before. Jack, I know you don't like it, but I want to take a look at your aura again. Do you mind?"

I shook my head and Nathaniel did as he announced. After a couple of seconds, he smiled.
"I see there is someone to come to your aid, Jack."
"Who is it? Do I know him?"
"You know the human I meant, and there is, between brackets, no case of a 'him'. Your partner will be a girl."
"Where did I meet her?"
"She is in the same class as you were, but you never actually talked to each other."
"Who is it?"
"Her name is Nathasha Kusiac."
"Natasha? Are you absolutely sure?"
"Of course I am, Jack. Auras don't lie, I've said that before. By the way, I'm not going to teach you how to breathe fire."
"What? How did you know… oh, bother. Anyway, why wouldn't you?"
"It would be a waste of effort. Your body is too young to produce the right energy for a fire breath."
"Not fair…"
"It's for your own good, Jack. You could only hurt yourself."
I sighed again.

"Jack, there is one more thing I want to ask you. What are you so worried about?"
I stared at my feet.
"It's about the diapers, isn't it?"
I nodded slowly.
"Does it really annoy you to wear them?"
"Maybe 'annoying' is the wrong word here, but at least it's weird. For some reason, I can't force myself to hate them."
"Yeah, after all, they're not the most uncomfortable underwear you ever had, right?"
"How do you know?"
As an answer, he showed me his underwear. Where I had expected to see grown-up underwear, he wore a disposable diaper, just like me.
"As I said, you'll get used to them." He said with a smile, while he put his pants back on.
"Thanks, Nathaniel." I said and he hugged me.
"Take care now, young Guardian."
"Are you leaving already?"
"Unfortunately, I am. I don't want to make Arcanine worry about me. She doesn't like it when I'm out on my own, especially not when I'm this far away from home."
"Who is Arcanine? Is she your mother?"
"Well… in a certain way she is. You know what? When your task is done, I'll visit you again, so I can take you to show you around my place."
"I don't understand why you'll have to come to me first then."
He grinned.
"Have you ever heard of the phenomenon called 'teleporting'?"
"Wait, you can teleport?"
"I sure do. How do you think I got here in the first place?"
There he had himself a point.
"Anyway, I'd better leave for now. See you later, Jack!" He said and he opened a gate to his world.

With Nathaniel's words echoing in my head, I went back to Simon and Regio to tell them about what I heard. After I had finished my story, both of my listeners agreed that I should beget a new name, so I could let go of my old self.
"Simon, is it true that dragons have long and complicated names, which are - on top of that - hard to pronounce?"
"Of course not! What nonsense is that? Draconic names are pure human quirks." Regio answered.
"What was the name of your father?"
"He called himself Nido Thunderpaw."
"Nido…" I repeated slowly "Sounds like a real name for a dragon. I like it."
"Well, if you like it, why don't you make it your new name?"
"Is that okay with you?"
They both nodded.
"Well then, Nido junior. I've asked this before, but not with the same words. I'm going to ask it again, though. Would you mind if I'm your caregiver as long as you're living here?"
It took me a while to answer that question. After a moment of pondering, I nodded slowly.

"Nido, did Nathaniel tell you anything about the identity of your partner?"
"Her name is Natasha Kusiac, and she is in the same class as I used to be."
"That's enough information. Tonight, we'll start looking for her." Simon said.

[CHAPTER 07: IT'S NOT EASY, BEING GREEN]
Narrator: Simon Thunderpaw

I would have never expected to have a hatchling to take care of, let alone that it would bear the name of my father. Like me, he was about to receive a former human as his aide. This certain individual, going by the name Natasha Kusiac, was relatively easy to find. Hoping that my usual tactics would be sufficient to convince this girl, my dream was connected to hers.

«connection established successfully»
"Good evening, Natasha."
"Who… who are you? And how do you know my name?" She asked in fear.
"I'm not here to frighten you, human."
"Why did you come to me? Isn't this a dream?"
"It is, but that doesn't stop this true event from happening?"
"Is there a reason why I can't see you?"
"Of course there is. If you would see me, it would have awakened you on instant."
"Why is that?"
"You would be terrified that something like me exists. Anyway, we're getting off-topic here. I came to ask you something very important."
"Go along, I've got all the time I need, mister…?"
"Oh, how terribly rude of me. My name is Simon Thunderpaw. I'm from Xargon, a planet in another system. The reason why I show up in this dream is because there is someone in my world that needs your help."
"Who is it?"
"I'm not allowed to tell that yet, I'm sorry. Let's keep this straight, Natasha. Xargon is in danger and we need you."
"But... How can I be of any use? I'm only fourteen!"
"Don't worry, human. I was once in the same position as you were, with about the same age. Any questions you have now will be answered soon. I know that it's a hard question, but I'm still going to ask it. Would you come with me to Xargon?"
"Before I answer your question, why do you address me as 'human'?"
I chuckled.
"I do so, because I'm no human."
"But you said you once were in the same place. How is that possible?"
"I used to be human. When a human is transferred to Xargon, his or her human body returns to dust and the individual is given a new body. Are you interested?"
"You've caught my attention, yes. One more question: do I know the person that needs me?"
"Better than you could imagine. Listen, Natasha. Your decision is made this way: if you take the door to your left, you'll wake up tomorrow to believe what you believe. However, if you decide to leave this place by using the right door, you'll wake up in my world, with a new body and a new life."
"If I don't like your world, is there a way to go back?"
"There will be, eventually. Come now, Natasha. Choose, please."
"I've already decided. When I told my adoptive mother that one of my classmates is gone, she replied that she wouldn't miss me if I would be gone as well. Don't think I hate her, she used to be a nice person. It's just that… I discovered that most adult humans are so wasted."
"There is a reason why I left Earth, Natasha."
She smiled.
"Will we meet again?"
"We will, soon. I promise."
"Good bye, then." She said and to my fortune, she chose the right door, quite literally.

«starting transfer…»
«loading processing files…»

Those were the last words I heard the digital operator say. When I woke up, I immediately checked the terminal next to my bed. The progress bar showed that the process was almost done. I now knew what Nido had to feel like. All I could do was wait until she arrived.
Then finally, I was saved by the bell. Strictly taken, I was saved by the beep, the wonderful sound that announced the actual materialization of a new morph. When the process was finished, I checked the system for errors. The terminal showed the information I wanted to see, but it did not satisfy me completely.

«success rate: 93%»
«survival-subject: positive»
«arrival-subject:successful»
«physical-status: possible paralysis»
«consciousness: comatose»
«subject-species: dragon-green»
«estimation-subject-body-age: 54 months»
«blood-sample-result: negative»
«overall-rate: success»

I had hoped for the last line to say «overall-rate: perfect». Unfortunately, there appeared to be something wrong with Natasha. I hurried to her incubator to find out exactly what was wrong.
There she laid, a beautiful young green dragon, strictly taken still in her hatchling phase. She didn't stir in her comatose sleep. On the contrary, the only part of her body that was moving was her chest. Seeing Natasha in this place made me remind my own arrival on Xargon.
There were some differences, though. I'm a folf morph and she is a dragon, to mention an obvious mark. Second is that there was no biohazard warning on this incubator. There was a similarity, though. Every incubator in Relibria was padded with a disposable absorbing pad on the bottom, in case there would be an arrival of a very young morph.
I did not get enough time for more flashbacks, since my pondering was intensely interrupted by the entry of Nido. He wanted to see 'her', he said. Seeing no harm, I allowed him to look, while I told him there might be some problems with his new partner. Staring at his fellow hatchling, Nido whispered the second strophe of his Rhythm Rhymes:
Their colors will be red and green,
Together they are always seen.

Then suddenly, something unexpected happened. Natasha began to twitch with her eyes and ears, along with some slight stirs every now and then. I sent Nido away; I didn't want to make him see something that might be scary. Fortunately, she eventually calmed down again.

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become

I was about to head back to my office when I saw a growing yellow spot appear on the absorbent pad Natasha was lying on.

[CHAPTER 08: A HARD DAY'S NIGHTMARE]
Narrator: Nido Thunderpaw

I wonder why Simon wanted me to leave. Was it about Natasha? What could be going on with her? He made me worry about her, maybe a little too much. That same day, I couldn't make my eat. Simon tried his best to distract me, but I couldn't get the image out of my mind, seeing Natasha in that incubator.
That night, I couldn't sleep either. Lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, shrouded by the darkness that had filled my room, I continuously fought my tears. There was no reason to cry, not yet.
Why didn't Simon tell me what was wrong? Did he even know that for himself? While I was thinking about those questions, I heard someone knock on my door. Expecting nobody but Simon, I allowed entrance.
"Nido, what's up? Are you still worried about Natasha?" He said with a soft voice.
I nodded.
"Why don't you tell me what's wrong with her?"
"We're still uncertain what exactly happened."
"Is she going to die?"
"Right now, there still is a chance she won't survive. I'm sorry, Nido. There is nothing we can do right now."
"We'll have to wait, don't we?" I sobbed.
"Yes… I have no other option. Nido, do me a favor. Please, try to catch some sleep."
"I'm trying, but…"
He put finger to his lips as a sign I should be quiet.
"Do you hear that?" He asked.
"I think you're hearing things, Simon. There was really…"
He cut me off again.
"I'll be right back. Stay put, okay?"
I nodded and he left my room, to return within a few moments with his hands behind his back.

"What do you have behind your back?"
"Okay, you've got me. I bought you a present that will help you sleep better. At least, it worked for me when I had your age."
"What is it?"
He then showed me what he was hiding: a beautiful tiger plushy. It was nice, but still, plushies are for kids, aren't they? But then again, I was a hatchling…
"Do you like it?" He asked after he had given me the present.
"Yeah… Thanks, I guess."
Simon smiled.
"No thanks. I got to take good care of my hatchling, don't I?"
"Sleep well, Simon."
"Sweet dreams, Nido." He said and he silently left my room.

I hugged the plushy, which appeared to have the effect Simon predicted. It didn't take me long to reach the Land of Dreams.

Comatose
I'll never wake up
without an overdose
of you

I don't want to live
I don't want to breathe
'less I feel you next to me
You take the pain I feel
Waking up to you never felt so real
I don't want to sleep
I don't want to dream
'cause my dreams don't comfort me
The way you make me feel
Waking up to you never felt so real

The next morning, I asked if I could see Natasha again. Simon replied that I just had to wait. Another day of anxious waiting passed. Again, a new morning came. When I woke up, however, I noticed two differences.
First of all, my diaper was still dry, which was an exception, compared to the past nights. Second, even though the room was covered in twilight, I felt the presence of another morph. There also hung a curtain in the middle of the room, dividing it half.
I got up from my bed to see what the curtain was for. During the past night, something great happened. Simon had put another bed in my room. I was right about the presence of another morph. There she was, my new partner. I immediately left my room to find Simon, who was sitting at the dining table.
"Simon, I don't understand it. Why is Natasha in my room?"
He smiled.
"When she first arrived here, she was comatose. She got out of that, but she is still asleep. However, I think she'll awake soon. Will you be the first furson she sees when she wakes up?"
"I'd be glad to."

I went back to my room and turned on a dimmed light. Looking at Natasha, I noticed that she was dressed in pajamas that looked like mine. I wondered if she was wearing a diaper as well, but I would find out soon.
This was the first time in my life I didn't bother to wait. I decided to wait patiently until she would wake up. The longer I looked at her, the more I felt like I liked her, even though we had never spoken to each other. It was just a strange feeling that told me we were somehow meant to be with each other. I then remembered the fourth line of my Rhythm Rhymes: Together they are always seen.

Anyway, after a while, she woke up with a silent yawn. She looked at me, which obviously scared her.
"Natasha, there is no reason to be afraid of me."
"How do you know my name?"
"We were in the same class."
"Ferguson? But… That's impossible!"
"What is impossible? Me being a dragon? Look at yourself if you don't believe me."
She did as I suggested, only to find out that she had morphed into a green dragon. She sat up and I sat down on her bed, next to her.
"We all thought you ran away from home." She said and she swallowed. "Or worse. Some of us thought you were, you know." She sobbed.

I took her hand and tried to comfort her. While she cried, I kept looking at her. Even though she was far from happy at the first sight, and even though she was a dragon, I couldn't let go of the thought she was pretty.
After she had shed some tears, she wiped them from her face and dried her hand on her pajama bottom. At the moment her hand stroked her clothing, she noticed something. I was certain she wore a diaper, just like me. She checked it to find the answer I could have given her as well.
"Jack, why am I wearing a diaper?"
"You shouldn't ask me, ask Simon instead. By the way, I'm not Jack. At least, not anymore."
"Why not?"
"This is my new life, Natasha. There was a reason why I changed my name."
"Changed your name? Into what?"
"Nido Thunderpaw, pleased to meet you." I said, shaking her paw.
"Likewise. Now that you mention it, where is Simon?"
"He's waiting for you. Come, I'll bring you to him."

Will you forgive me if I feel this way
'cause we've just met - tell me that's okay
So take this feeling and make it grow
Never let it, never let it go

(Don't let go of the things you believe in)
You give me something that I can believe in
(Don't let go of this moment in time)
Go of this moment in time
(Don't let go of things that you're feeling)
I can't explain the things that I'm feeling
(Don't let go)
No, I won't let go

[CHAPTER 09: ONE PAIR - TWO OF A KIND]
Narrator: Nido Thunderpaw

Simon was already waiting for us at the dining table, reading some kind of document from Relibria. As soon as he noticed our entrance, he put the document down.
"Good morning, Natasha."
"Good morning. I assume you are Simon?"
"I am. How do you like your new body?"
"Well, there are some parts I'm unfamiliar with, but I think I can learn to like it."
"Perfect. Please, take a seat, both of you." He beckoned.
"What were you reading?" I asked.
He sighed.
"This is the report on the physical examination Regio and Amber carried out on Natasha."
"What does it tell?" Natasha asked. "Something bad?"
"I'll be honest with you. Something went wrong in your transfurrization, causing the success rate to drop to 93%. Therefore, I had Regio and Amber take a look at you. The examination proved that your left wing and most of your tail are paralyzed. However, you should gain control over those muscles soon enough, with a little help."
"It sounds like there was a bad outcome as well, am I right?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, you are right. The bad outcome is directly tied to the reason we have put you in a diaper, Natasha. We didn't do that to tease or humiliate you, not at all. I just didn't want you to wake up in a wet bed. The problem is that your rebirth caused you to lose control over those bodily functions as well."
She stared down.
"Don't worry, Natasha. There is a chance you'll get control over those muscles as well. It just takes time, and maybe some training, that's all."
"In that case, it doesn't bother me anymore."
"Wait a second, you don't mind wearing diapers?" I asked.
"I've wet my bed until I was seven, so I'm used to the idea. I have to admit, I never really disliked wearing them. They're all soft and comfortable, you see?"
"Yeah, until you've wet them."
"Nido, you forgot that the scales of a dragon resist water." Simon interjected.
Natasha smiled.

"All right, children. There is something important I need to discuss with you. I've already explained this to Nido, so I'll give you a summary. Due to the age of your new body, it's far too dangerous to send you back on short terms. The bottom line is that you'll have to live here for a while. Is that a problem?"
We shook our heads.
"Apart from that, Nido is our new Guardian and there is trustworthy evidence that we need you as well, Natasha. I'll explain the whole thing about the Guardian to you later. My main point is now that I'm prepared to let you two live here in my spare room and to accept you as my adoptive children. I'll raise you as if you were my own. I know the idea might be hard to digest for you, especially for Natasha, but I promise your life will be better here."
"Jack, does this have anything to do with your new name?"
"Simon and I agreed that I should have a new name, so I could let go of my past life."
"Which brings me back to my question: would you two become official members of the Thunderpaw family?"
We both nodded.
"Then it's agreed. I'll discuss this with Regio today to arrange some more supplies we need for you, Natasha."
"Thank you Simon."
"On the contrary, thank you two. My sister will be most pleased to see that we have two hatchlings living here."
"Why is that?" Natasha asked.
"Well, she is as good as infertile. She appeared to have inherited that from my mother."
"How come your mother was infertile, but she still has two children?"
"Well, I'm no true kit of my mother. My Xargonian parents accepted me as their kit, but I'm no biological relative to any of them. With Amber it's different, though. My mother became infertile after she gave birth to her daughter. The reason that my parents were so fond of us is because neither of them had faith in ever having a kit of their own again."
"Speaking of Amber, will she paint our room as well?" I asked.
"Good of you to mention that. Help me remind to ask her to do so."
"We will, Simon. I wonder what it will look like." Natasha replied.
"If you really want to know, you should ask her to see my old room once. She lives in the house that once belonged to our parents."
"Why would Amber live in such a large house?"
"Well, she takes care of new morphs sometimes if we can't keep them here, if only for a while."

Simon directed us to the newborns floor, where Amber should be. We found her with great ease. She carried a sleeping Border Collie morph that could not be older than two years.
"Hello Nido, who is your friend?"
"Amber, I would like you to meet Natasha, my aide."
"Pleased to meet you, Natasha."
"Likewise."
"Say, Amber, you're a painter, aren't you?" I asked.
"Stop asking rhetorical questions, Nido. I painted all the playrooms and dorms and the walls of the top floor."
"Question!" Natasha said, raised her claw.
"Ask me." Amber replied.
"Why are the walls of Simon's spare room still white?"
Amber suddenly lost the majority of her joy.
"There were certain circumstances that made me lose my inspiration. I don't like to talk about what happened back then."
"Simon said you have tried again several times, but as you said, your inspiration was gone. Do you think having the Guardian in this building could replenish that supply?"
"I'll think about it today. It usually takes me a night to think of something."
"Don't you ever sleep?" Natasha asked in confusion.
"Of course I do, but I get my best ideas in my dreams." Amber laughed.

The Collie suddenly woke up and started to cry.
"I'm sorry, my hatchlings. I have a puppy to take care of."
"We understand." Natasha said with a smile.
"See you again tomorrow!" Amber replied and we went back to the top floor.

[CHAPTER 10: INSPIRITUS NON OLET]
Narrator: Nido Thunderpaw

Later that night, a little while before Natasha and I had to go catch some sleep, we really talked to each other for the first time. Since she would be my partner, it could only be beneficial to know her better than I did.
One of the things she gave to me was the reason why her caregiver on Earth was not her true mother. Both of her parents died in a blizzard during a mountain expedition when she was five years old. She had never been able to fully deal with the loss of her parents, a problem that made her wet the bed until she was a seven. She told me that her life was perfect until her parents died, which was one of the reasons that her new body was that of a hatchling.
An inevitable event happened: Simon came in to tell us that we should switch off the lights and go to sleep. As I expected, he had a plushy for Natasha as well. She received an arctic fox to cuddle with.
"I'd better name it, shouldn't I?" She asked Simon.
"Why would you give a name to a plushy?" I replied.
"Nido, have you ever had a plushy before this one?"
I shook my head.
"That explains your question. You see, a plushy is a mere toy when it doesn't have a name. If you name it, the thing will really become yours, being more than just an item to cuddle with." Natasha explained.
"Oh, I see." I mumbled.
"Thank you, Simon."
"No thanks, Natasha. Sweet dreams, my hatchlings. And remember that if any of you need a change, just wake me up, okay?"
We both nodded and Simon switched the lights off before he left.

Even though I never actually liked dragons, Natasha was one of the most enchanting creatures I had ever seen. Hoping that our teamwork wouldn't take its toll, I went to my own bed to sleep.
The next morning, Simon woke us up saying that he had a surprise for us. As soon as we entered the living room, I saw three other morphs sitting on the couch. One of them was familiar, it was Nathaniel. Next to him was a young female arctic fox and at the other side, there was a skinny gray wolf that couldn't be taller than five feet. The wolf had parts of his body dyed in red patterns. The most attention-catching patterns were the entwined snakes running down his arms.
Something bad must have happened to this wolf, I concluded from his scarred muzzle and face. Half of his right ear was missing and his left eye was blue. Having blue eyes is no crime, but wolves his age mostly have yellow eyes. I then noticed that the eye was a fake. It made me feel sorry for him.
Before I could ask myself who these two furs were, Nathaniel answered the question. He had brought these two furs to Xargon from his world. The arctic fox was Savannah, Simon's daughter. She had visited Simon's son, Kresdo, in Nathaniel's world and befriended the wolf. The wolf introduced himself as Lokotz De'Amontes, or De-Aaaaamontes as his singing voice cried out.
To make a longer story short, Savannah had been away from Xargon for long enough and she longed for Xargon again. Lokotz convinced her to take him with her. It took me one moment to put two and two together and conclude that they were more than just friends.

The really positive - in the broad definition of the word - aspect of Nathaniel's visit was that he had received word of Natasha's injury. As if he used this power every day, he sent some kind of pulse through her wings and tail to make them controllable again. Natasha was grateful for this treatment and didn't know how to express her thanks to her healer. Nathaniel just waved it away and said that being partly a dragon himself created a certain kinship. Furthermore, he stated that if he was in the position to help another furson, give him one reason not to.
However, the real surprise was yet to come. Savannah would take Lokotz, Natasha and me to a museum, which was all about the history of Xargon and its Guardians. After all, she said, if Lokotz wanted to stay, he would have to know what world he was living in. A less positive point was saying goodbye to Nathaniel again. He couldn't make his family and fiancé wait for too long, he said.

I can't remember everything of what we saw in the museum that day. The most important cause for this selective amnesia probably is the state of amazement I was in when we got back home. The visit to the museum was a mere distraction, in a certain way.
While the four of us were gone, Amber and Simon had painted the walls and ceiling of the spare room. The outer walls were painted to look like a cave, suggesting one really entered a dragon's cave when entering our room. In contrast to the rough-looking outer walls, the inner walls were painted in a plain sky blue, while the ceiling was covered in white clouds.
In addition, they had placed some more furniture and decoration to turn our room into a more grown-up place. However, the changing table with the usual supplies was still there. I knew that its presence in our room was inevitable in a certain way, though.

After dinner, Lokotz and Savannah left the Relibria building together with Amber. Simon said that they would be staying at his sister's place for the coming days. They would stay close to Relibria at least until the Other One was defeated.
Here we had ourselves a problem in my opinion. None of us knew the identity of my epic opponent, let alone her or his location. Another lack of information was even more worrying to me: we didn't know whether the Other One knew about me or not. Things were getting stickier…

Cool! Nathaniel's here to help. He could probably kick the Other One's @$$ on his own but at what is likely his current age, he will be more into helping others fulfill their destiny. Like the mention of Selina. Pity I can't manage to meet a girl like her. They'll likely be officially tying the knot soon now that Nathaniel is a fully fledged master.

You appear to have forgotten that Nathaniel's powers don't work in the same way on Xargon. Most of his Negative powers and other psionics are sealed, that's just the way it is.

He doesn't even need that really. He's an excellent swordsmaster on his own. Not to mention his breath weapons (those are naturally there, not powers!) Plus his scales are pretty tough as well. Just adding his armor would almost make him invulnerable. But he knows it's not his destiny anyways. Jack, sorry, Nido gets first crack at him. Another thing is his claws are still pretty tough too.

I know Nathaniel is a scalie tank, but he lacks the only weapon the Other One cannot abide.

EDIT: Here it is, the new chapter, featuring Lokotz, a character I borrowed from Daemonz, the King of Illogicality (that's not a legal word, is it?). Daemonz is a fur from FTT, one I hope will join this pawesome place once.

[CHAPTER 11: THE INNOCENCE OF CONFLICT]
Narrator: Nido Thunderpaw

I woke up with a strange feeling that morning. It was no metaphorical feeling, unfortunately. What I felt was physical and as real as could be. Trying to remember what the feeling meant, I sat up, which was a big mistake. I immediately knew what the feeling announced again.
Having a messed diaper won't cause the world to fall apart, but it's really gross when you sit up in the mess you made. Furthermore, the mental aspect was even worse. Waking up in a messed diaper meant that I had messed myself in my sleep.
Somehow, my mind couldn't handle that input and I lost control of myself. I broke down and cried, I cried like a hatchling.

My crying eventually woke Natasha up. She wanted to comfort me, but the stench I produced was enough to make her get out of the room. At first, I thought she only ran from the smell, but in fact, she went to get Simon for me.
He understood the situation and was far from mad. I knew they both felt bad for me, even though none of them said a word at first. Simon lifted me from my bed - careful not to squish my diaper - and took me to the bathroom.
Finally, I was freed of this torment. He undid the tapes of the diaper wiped my bottom clean. I looked up at him, trying to hide my shame, but he just smiled as if he was saying "it's okay, don't worry." Simon turned to the bathtub and started to fill it with warm water. After a few minutes, he lifted me from the floor again and put me in the tub so I could wash myself.

During breakfast, Simon recited the events from back when he was the Guardian. His fight with Richard was impressive, but it had a downside. Simon said that every Guardian had to make a Sacrifice along with the fighting the Other One.
At first, I thought his Sacrifice was the loss of Samantha, but Simon denied that idea. Even though he had mourned a long time about her death, it was her own choice. She could have known that only the Guardian carries a weapon Richard couldn't abide.
There was a Sacrifice for Simon, though. His brother Leo - or Lyonn, as he was called on Xargon - had given Simon a new life by giving up his own, which was the greatest of all Sacrifices.
It was an interesting story, but something still bothered me.
"Simon, you said that you had the only weapon that would prove to be useful against Richard. What kind of weapon could that be?"
"There is but one, Nido. It's name is Kiyoshi, a mighty sword, shining with a silver glow. Two emeralds are embedded in the haft, which was the sign of the previous two Guardians. For my predecessors, it must have been a one-pawed sword, but due to the size of my body back then, I could wield it with both of my paws."
"Do you still have Kiyoshi?" Natasha asked.
"Wouldn't that be impossible after falling down a hole?" I interjected.
"Of course not. Richard had disarmed me, and as he tried to pick up Kiyoshi, I pushed him over the edge." Simon answered.
"So, you still have the sword somewhere?"
"Down in the basement of this building, there is a vault. My father put the sword there to keep it safe, so it wouldn't get lost or end up with someone bad."

When we had finished eating, Simon took us to the basement to show us the vault. He opened it and took Kiyoshi out and showed it to us. Even the sheathe was impressive. Simon put the sheathed sword back where it belonged and closed the vault again.
"Listen, Nido. You know this isn't just a sword. Kiyoshi is the only weapon that can grant the two of you victory. Without it, you're lost."
He chuckled
"Lost, labyrinth, stupid joke. I'm sorry. What I said was serious, though." He continued.
"Simon, I don't want to pout, but all I ever did with a sword was in a video game."
"I got that covered. Do you remember Lokotz?"
"You mean the skinny, scarred wolf that came with your daughter and Nathaniel?" I asked.
He nodded.
"He offered to teach the two of you the meaning of the word 'swordplay'. Even though he didn't tell me how he acquired knowledge of that art, I think looking at his head gives a writer enough information to give birth to a novel."

"What about me?" Natasha asked as we ascended to the ground-floor again. "Do you have a sword for me as well?"
"Lokotz has two blunt fake weapons to practice with. When your time comes, you'll have a weapon as well."
"Okay, I see. And what about Lokotz? Where does he live?"
"He told me he would stay at Amber's place with Savannah, at least until your tasks are done."

Easy said, easy done. Simon brought us to his sister's place and dropped us off. Lokotz was already waiting for us in the basement, Amber said. Thus, Natasha and I went down to meet him. We found Lokotz in the basement, sitting cross-legged on a carpet.
He was dressed in black pants with two white zigzags running down the front them. His upper body and footpaws were bare, though, allowing us to see the red markings on his arms and chest. However, there was one thing that attracted my attention. Around his middle, a plastic waistband stood above his pants. Since I wore a diaper at that moment, I realized Lokotz was wearing diapers as well.
Deciding not to be impolite, I pretended not to have seen it and I sat down at the other end of the carpet. Natasha joined me and plopped down to my right.

Very cute. I'll bet teachers are even better when they're diapered! *giggles*

[CHAPTER 12: READY FOR TAKE-OFF]
Narrator: Nido Thunderpaw

Lokotz was a category on its own. Even though he had been human once, he never spoke about his life on Earth. All he wanted to say is that his old life was a mess and that he really liked the moment he woke up in his new body. He was a Geänderte, as he called it, but the essential details were the same. His life as a human wasn't worth a dime, so he was pleased with having been given a new chance.
However, he told us that he unfortunately repeated a great amount of mistakes he had made as human. The reason why he knew that much about combat was because of his experience with being a cop. Even as a Geänderte, he had served the police corps, which surprised me since we was only nineteen. On the other paw, Simon had the body of a three and a half years old cub when he defeated Richard.
To my surprise, it didn't take too long before Lokotz praised us for having mastered the basics of swordplay and the important details. It took us only about three weeks to please him. However, we spend three full weeks on practicing moves, footwork and duels.
Still, it kind of bugged me that Natasha had defeated me in roughly four out of each five duels. Either she was just plain better than I was, or she had talent for this. Several days later, I received a letter from Simon. He said that one of his employees received it from a fur he didn't know.
At first, I thought it was written in blood, but as I looked closer, I saw it was just red paint. The contents of the letter were even more intriguing. With a sign of his hand, Simon asked me to open the letter. I did as he asked, and read it aloud.

Dear Nido,

Have you ever heard of a place called Mt. Discord? Of course you have, you're the Guardian. You know, I might be able do you a favor.
I know Mt. Discord and its labyrinth like the inside of my ears, so if you're in for preparing a strategy to defeat the Other One there, I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at noon. I know who the Other One is, but I can't tell you in this letter. You'll find out soon enough, though.

Meet me at the entrance of the Maze of Apocalypse, young Guardian.

Signed: VII

P.S.: Take your 'equivalent' with you

The first thought that struck me was 'by all that is dear to me, please don't let this letter be from Lokotz. If he is the Other One, we're doomed to fail.'

"Simon, what could 'VII' mean?"
"I don't know, but it has to be something about the number seven, I guess. Only time can tell."
"So you think I should go to the Maze?"
"No, I think you should go to the Maze armed, well prepared, aware of the worst, and in the company of Natasha."
"What… what do you mean?" I mumbled.
"I meant that your mysterious writer might be number seven."
"What number seven?"
"Well, I was the third Guardian of the second era, which makes you the first Guardian of the third era. This letter could be signed by the first Other One of this era, which chronologically is the seventh Other One."
"If it's the Other One, should I go?"
"Of course, I believe in you. Besides, you never know what he might try to make you go to the Maze. Number VII is the first I've ever heard of to actually ask for his rival to meet him."
"Would that be good or bad? I think it's suspicious."
"Any suspicions ask for research."
"In that case, this about covers the discussion, I guess."
"Did we have a discussion? I thought I was only restating the obvious." Simon laughed.

Resolutely, I went to Natasha and asked her to prepare herself for the great Battle. While we were packing the only few things we needed, along with putting on our light leather armor, I had a strange feeling. This feeling a bit grew stronger every minute, which was no real reason to panic, but it struck me that I could neither feel good or bad about it
One the one paw, the feeling close to confirmed that we were preparing ourselves for the Battle, but on the other paw, I knew that there was a Sacrifice to be made. Something told me that this mysterious VIII wouldn't be the only one to get hurt in the brawl.
With these thoughts on my mind, Natasha and I took off from the top of the Relibria building. Simon had pointed us in the right direction, so all we had to do was covering the distance.
After nearly a whole hour of flying, we reached a large plateau, close to the summit of Mt. Discord. It was now close to noon.

*ominous music plays* Duhn duhn..... DUUUUHHHHH! I'm sensing the end is near. What will happen? Who knows. Interesting that Natasha is that much better than him though.