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the sun peaks over the calm town of Ackro one winter morning as the homeless kid, Tepes, begins to plot out his morning. He looks out the spider web decorated window of his house (which is actually "the forbiden shed" wink as the kids like to call it, to see all the school children having a rather violent snoball figh in the cold. Before going out to join them he slips on his deep-tredded leather boots and his scarf and goes out the back door in the clothes he woke up in. How does a homless kid live so luxouriously? Well, sadly enough, tepes is a thief. Crunch Crunch Crunch, was the sound of snow crunching under his feet as he dashed out into the feild. Winter was perhaps Tepes' favorite time of year. it was the one time school was out the most and while he did not actually go to school he did enjoy time with his freinds.
As tepes ran towards the school he noticed a new kid. A girl with a red hood and black hair seemed to be avoiding the fight... SPLAT! Tepes took a snowball directly in the face projected by his freind Charlie. "Wonderin' eyes 'ey Tepes?" Charlie couldnt tell if tepes was blushing or if his face was red from from just getting hit by a high speed snowball. charlie was was a fat redheaded kid adorned in lots of snowclothes. He was about 6 inches taller then Tepes' but Tepes rather short for his age. A wistle blew from a tall slender lethal looking women. She had rectangular spectacles and her hair was tied back in a tight bun. "back inside children recess is over."
"you joinin' us tepes?" charlie asked as he was heading into the the house sized building that tepes had always remembered to be the school. "yeah" tepes replied dully. As he headed in to class he felt a definate change in air as there was a fire recently lit beside all the desks in a large fireplace. everyone sat in their desks and begun to quietly chat with the persons next to them. tepes leaned over to charlie and whispered "who is the new kid?" "oh her?" charlie replied, "she be ere' for the week an' then she's gone, dont mess with 'er Tepes she is an outsider and a political figure." political figure tepes thought, like the mayer? no, he gives the mayer crap all the time. she must be higher up like a "president" or a "king". Of course Tepes only remembers these terms from the tiny bit of class he actually did take. When the teacher got to him "Tepes, Nightingale" he replied, "here." the teacher looked up in surprise, "oh Tepe's you actually did decide to join us" a few students giggled but Tepes just said solemly "yes Mrs. Cutter." Mrs. Cutter was Tepes' mortal enemy, she detested students that didn't make at least three days of shool a week, but what she hated even more were slackers like tepes that could still pass no matter how many times she triple checked her gradebook. then after a bunch of of little kids names were called she finnally got to the new girl.
"uhhh miss." "Saia, Onika" she interupted. "Miss Onika, Why dont you tell the class about yourself?" she walked to the front of the class. looking nervous. who wouldn't be? When tepes had to do this all he could utter out was that his name was tepes. she got to the front of the class and stratened out her robe and looked at the floor while figiting with her fingers. There was one strap on her robe that she seemed to have trouble tieing. unlike the thick cotton scarfs and sweaters that most of the class was hidden under, Saia was wearing flowing black robes with a red cloak with its hood down. Thus revealing that her face was a rather pale shade of white and, her shiny black hair had red tips.
She spoke softly but determinedly "I am Saia Onika you may call me Saia, I will only be here for a week since on of my guards is injured and resting." a hand shot up from one of the little kids from the front "why did he get hurted?" Saia giggled "cuz he got hurt silly, guards do that." tepes caught himself staring with his mouth hung a little, and for a second he thought she might have stared back. Tepes quickly pretended to be doing homework that was more important then hearing a speech from someone who he was never going to see again on monday. " i hope to get a chance to meet you all and maybe get better at your snowball fights." Saia smiled and gave an imperceivable bow as she took her seet.
"Well then miss Saia that was certaintly a most short introduction but i guess some of us have done worse" Mrs cutter eyed Tepes as she said those words and Tepes felt his temper rise and his stomach sink. "well for this week i dont think it would be fair to have our regulalry schedualled education so i beleive that for today we will merely read chapters 5-10 of your history books before moving on to lunch" this was the nicest Tepes had ever seen Mrs. Cutter something was almost wrong with her Tepes thought.shouldnt she be giving us impossible amounts of homework? 120 problems of math or for us to name the different known countrys of the world in turn? ohwell Tepes thought. Better not ask for trouble. "Tepes that is not you history book!!" he hear miss cutter yell "However if you are so interested in math now you may do pages 345 and 346 before lunch."

chapter 2

Tepes did not finish his math work nor did he actually read about the great war and how it mysteriously ended. What he did do was sleep in class and then dash outside for lunch the second he heard Mrs. Cutters cow bell she kept on her desk ring.A winded Charlie caught up with him "he- hey Tepes" he gasped, "Yo-you c-cant keep this up mate, yer not only going to fail school yer never going to get a job wi' out a diploma." Tepes looked at him with a bored sarcastic look then Charlie continued. "jest cuz were from a backwater town doesnt mean that a diploma wont be good. Even if its not credible its the knowledge tha' counts." Saia came up behind them by surprise. "hello, do you know of any good place to eat?" Tepes instantly turned around with every intention of saying The back of the pub but instead he said, " uhhh i-know a-a places" this was all said with a considerable gap between each word and a very shakey voice. then Charlie looked at Teped with a very wicked grin on his face. "Tepes and I usully take a bit of the food from the back of the ol' pub."
Tepes had just realized what this ment he would have to sit through a whole meal with her, fake some conversation, and not look stupid for a whole half hour. He wanted to hit charlie but Saia was right there and all he could to was smile and nod his head while charlie led the way. They got to the pub and went through the alleyway to the back and sat at a picnic table where a thin zit-faced older teen was smoking something that was rolled up in a peice of brown paper and looked rather vervouse as he brought out three hamburgers and dinks without being asked. "Thanks Mike" Tepes said. Tepe knew mike because he was the one who helped mike get the job of dishwasher at the pub by exposing the fact that the owner was sneeking out American spice to travelers, a secret that is kept to this day."hehe" Mike nervousely replied. Mike was never one to be nervous. he was always layed back, but Tepes guessed that smoking spice put you on edge. "thanks for showing me this place" Saia said as she grabbed her water "Its rather nice and cosey." and it was, even though it was outside the vents from the brick wall that led the the coal fires kept this place warm enough that the snow had melted off the ground. "well" Carlie choked gruffly as he stuffed his piglike face with his hamburger. "It was really Tepe's tha' had foun' this place, see kids arent allowed in the building cus of the alcohol but we have a deal cut out with mike." "oh" Saia Replied politely.
"How did you work that out?" Saia asked chearfully."Uuuhh- uh" Tepes uttered in what he thought was a completely unfair question as it cought him off guard. "Its ok you dont have to tell me." Saia said quietly."so how long have you two known each other?" " We ere' have been mates ever since first grade idnt tha' right Tepes." Tepes replied with a kinda upbeat "yeah." finnaly knowing what to say seemed to have made the words come out easier. "Oh", Saia said a little shocked and blushed. "I didn't know you two were.. you know." "Wait its not like that", tepes burst."were just best freinds you know?" Charlie laughed "Oh i forget foreighners use words differently sometimes. When i said mate..." "i know" Saia said looking more comfortable with her surrounding she glanced at tepes and he could swear that she smiled at him before looking back at Charlie. "I was just giving you a hard time." and then she quickly added " Im sorry if your offended." Charlie replied. "Haw haw haw, I like this foreigner shes got class." Tepe realized that charlie was like the drunk freind you were always waiting to get sober again but never does. As they left there was a homles drunk in there corner wearing a trench coat which covered his face and and anything in front of it for about 3 feat. Saia stopped and said with a voice clear enough to hear but not low enough she could have been talking to anyone. "you should be in bed". The drunk coughed and blood stained his pants that had the design of a dragon on it. The rest of the day was exiting, they tought saia how to snowball fight and she seemed to be having a blast at it exept that she never treid throwing a snowball more that 4 feet away. Still Tepes felt cheated that he never got to talk to the new girl without Charlie making himself look like an idiot. But at least tomarow was "Revelation Day" and school was ouy it was forbidden to be outside on "Reveltaion day" if you were christian, it was supposed to mark you as the next to be judged. "rubbish" tepes thought.
chapter 3
The snow that night was heavy and the wood was low in tepe's shack. So tepes decided that he would be cold tonight and he wrapped himself in as many rags as he could find. Then he heard a voice, "cold?" Tepes was covered is goose bumps from head to toe a shaking like a carp out of water. Tepes looked up from his shed which was barely big enough for one person on a good day. Saia was staring back at him "dont worry ill make a fire." and she turned her back to him and started fiddling with his stove. "how did you know where i lived?" he asked in a daze still wondering if he was asleep. the fire instantly ignited and warmed the shed. this must be a dream, tepes thought, it usually took him 20 minutes to get a fire going and another 20 to warm the whole shed. but the shed was already warm like it had been going for hours. "some kids told me" She paused and sighed in a dissapointed voice. "about us leaving for next week, it seems we are leaving tonight and i wanted to say goodbye i never got to really know you, and you'll never know me." "uhhh," Tepes interupted seeing that him even saying anything saddened her "maybe we could take a walk" he said cheerfully thinking that this had to be one of his dreams.
"lets" she replied.
Saia wasnt wearing her school apparel, instead she was wearing pleated pants and a black leather jacket. she still had a little warmth in her face but he could tell she was sad. with her robes out of the way of her hair it revealed that her hair was shoulder length.tepes got his blue scarf and walked after her. "So" she asked as they both walked. "whats your favorite food?" it was difficult for tepes to keep up with her and the air was bitingly cold again. "r-rice" he said this time shivering due to the fact it was cold. "you?" he said. "chocolate." they were walking deeper and deeper into the forest tepes had been told never to go into the forest due to the horrible monsters that live there.
a dark figure stood before them. " he has to stay." said the dark figure was 6 ft tall and wearing a trenchcoat with bloody pants that had a dragon design. "i supposed he does" replied Saia. "but you should still be in bed." getting a closer look at this tepes could see that he was built like a tank, even though he was six feet tall you had the impression he was stout. the he saw his fave at first he thought he was wearing a mask. but he truly did have a head of an aligater or perhaps a crocodile tepes didn't know that difference. part of his snout was torn . tepes could see how this guy could be a bodyguard. He was clearly an anthro , but tepes ahad only seen two of these before and they were both rats but no one thats presence demanded so much attention. "do you have a staring problem, boy?" the alligater man asked. "S-sorry" replied Tepes.
"there's no need to be rude Croc, besides, its still your bedtime remember." Croc snarled apparently not liking to be chided like he was an infant. "well i guess this is the last time well be able to see each other" said Saia in a depressed voice.
"maybe well see each other again sometime?" tepes said cheerfully. "No im sorry but i dont think wll ever see each other." just as she had said that a dark figure with a gun almost appeared out of no where with an arm around saia choking her and a gun pointed at croc. this man had crazy eyes he looked like a scrawny giant. upon further examination he was lifting saia off the ground. He was wearing a red hat, which capped his long greasy black hair that went down to his butt. A matching crimson trench coat coverd in straps in the front seemed to conceal many firearms. He was also very pale. "ah ah ah, temper temper mr Croc. I would think you would have used your head it is rather large is it not?" Crocs hate was flowing off off him. he had flexed and his trench coat completely ripped of his body reaveling his armored scaley torso.
Tepes was completely horrorstruck he couldnt move he couldn't flinch. These were scary dangerous people he was dealing with. If he breathed wrong he would die. Then Saia dissapeared. "Thats makes it fair doesn't it?" the man in the red coat cackled "mwa hah ha ha give me your best shot, mut, or would you rather have your son in diapers do it for you?" tepes felt like there was a hand around his throught and his stomach was knotted. he was noticed. how couldn't he be? he was right there standing like a statue in a wax museum. the snow crunched as Croc took a tiny step forward. BANG. the wave moved through tepes like thunder striking a few feat away. he had never hear a gunshot before. he had only seen two guns and those were the town rangers' hunting rifles. was he shot? tepes dropped to the ground. then a splash of green blood hit him. no it was Croc. The only thing standing between him and that monster. There was a 3 inch diameter hole in Crocs arm.
"It takes baby steps don't it Croc? how about this time you just use your little teathy weathys and attack? or is that little hole in your mouth too painful?" "******** you, dracula!" croc leaped and in a blink of an eye tore draculas gun fireing arm off.
Croc was convulsin to get the tarry black blood out of his mouth as quickly as he could it seemd to drip upward into his mouth even as he was coughing it out. "Ok Mr. Croc I'm tired of this game. You were never all that amusing to begin with. And now, its time to say good night." Draculas gun holding arm crawled up to crocs rib and pulled the trigger of the giant black handgun. Tepes was horrified to see chunks of rib and intestine fly all over the trees. and stain the snow red. Dracula looked over to Tepes. and then faded out of sight and then faded back in grabbing Tepes' hair. "wasnt that fun little boy?" Tepes screamed a blood curdling scream and dracula smacked him to shut him up. tepes was being held off the ground by his hair. "Now now im not going to kill you that would be rude and unintertaining." Tepes was in the process of wetting himself. he could not controll it any longer. He punched Dracula right in the face and then Dracula unflinching smiled. tears and snot covered his face. "freinds are nice weaknesses arent they?" And then an image of charlie appeared in his head he was reliving a snowball fight he had had several years ago. dracula set Tepes down ever so slowly as he said " i have a perfect punishment for you, yes. the little hero arent you?." drucula punched tepes in the stomach and for a moment tepes felt as if every this in his body opend up as if ever pore tore open as if all his muscles ripped out of place a little. and then he colapsed.
He woke up, Croc was gone, Dracula was gone. The only evidence that anything had happened was the exesive amount of grean and brown blood that belonged to Croc had sprayed the trees, the snow, and him. he has also sufficiently wet himself. he was warm, no he was hot. his nose started to bleed and it was hot to the touch as he cought it with his hand.It scalded his hand. and he walked back to wear he thought was town he noticed that his vision was blurry. like everything was emitting light. Snow seemed to be melting under his feet. as if he was emminting heat. burn marks stated to appear all over his arms as he went through the forest. and he herd a rustling behind him. was it dracula? no this was a large creature. he instinctively ran and it rane towards him. he didnt look back to see what it was. all he knew is that as he dodged trees, it ran them over. He came to a cliff face. It must have been 400 feat up. His feat didnt stop in time and he ran headlong into it. He thudded and turned around to see what his options were. 10 , 20 foot tall brown haired werewolves were cornering him. They were all snarling and baring their teath. Their yellow eyes peirced the night. The middle one however was 40 feet tall and had silver hair along with milky white eyes. this was ridiculas tepes thought.
Suddenly landing almost silently a tall figure with a brown torn cape weilding a sythe landed. and tepes decided that he had no will left to stay awake and so he feinted right then and there.