7 comments/ 15549 views/ 6 favorites An Elementalist Emerges By: Telain Introductions "Telain! Wait for me," Lucky called out to him as he ran out of the house. "Huh? I thought you didn't want to come with me?" Telain responded, looking slightly confused at Lucky's sudden decision to come with him to the magic school. "Yea, I normally don't like to go to the school, since I don't have any talent with stuff like that, but for some reason I felt like I had to come with you this time," Lucky panted to him as he caught up to his older friend. "Hmm, well, we've learned well enough to always heed your little feelings," Telain said as he playfully fell behind a bit to pull on his friend's tail before running off ahead, Lucky quickly picking up the chase as they ran to the magic school. Lucky and Telain had become fast friends five years ago when they met by chance when their parents moved into the same apartment complex. They had since moved away when Telain went away to the magic school, and Lucky did all he could to move in with him just a few weeks later. Neither of them thought that he'd be able to, but he won a contest at a local radio station, giving him just enough to get a house for the two of them not too far from the school. Telain Kat was a young cat, a cat-fennec fox hybrid to be exact, but he had so little of the latter that many people didn't even notice it. He stood at only 5'5" making him very small for his age of eighteen, and though he told everyone he didn't mind it, he was really insecure about his height. He'd been used to being different ever since he was small though, because his classmates had made fun of the small bright-yellow diamond of fur on his forehead that stood out sharply against his otherwise sand-colored coat. Another thing that stood out about his appearance was the large ears he inherited from his fennec side, the left one always sporting a small silver hoop about half-way up it. It was hard to pass his ears off as just being large for a cat, so he often got strange looks from people that got a half-decent look at him. Despite his differences, Telain was well liked by almost everyone that had gotten to know him well enough but snubbed by many of those that didn't. If it wasn't his odd appearance, it was his intelligence or his magical abilities. He had never had a problem learning anything over the course of his life and the abilities of an air elementalist were no exception, even though no one had heard of anyone having any control of air for centuries. As soon as the skill was discovered six months before he was sent straight to the magic school, far from home, to hone his skills as best he could. He hadn't made many friends at the school, and didn't care about it either. Of the friends he had, there couldn't be anyone closer or more loyal than Lucky Wolf. What about Lucky? Well, Lucky seemed just that, always lucky. He was a few years older than Telain, but he still acted far less mature, as if he hadn't grown any since he was twelve. He wasn't too much taller than Telain, only 5'8" which really helped Telain feel more comfortable around him, and vice-versa. His light grey fur and white paws weren't anything spectacular, so he was glad Telain looked far beyond a person's outside appearance. Lucky didn't have too many friends either, but, unlike Telain, it was because he was incredibly shy rather than being different. He had an aversion to going with Telain to the magic school most the time because he'd get weird looks from all the students, as if they could sense that he didn't have any talent. Shortly after they slowed their pace, Lucky got lost in thought about his most recent revelation. Lucky had realized a while ago that he was gay and was doing his best to try and tell Telain. He wasn't afraid of his friend leaving him because of the revelation; he knew they both loved each other more than even brothers. Telain was even the one that helped him realize it. Even thought Telain was most definitely straight, he was such an affectionate person by nature and so close to Lucky that they would often end up cuddling on the couch and even slept in the same bed many nights, one holding the other close as they drifted off. He knew he'd have to tell Telain soon, he told him everything, but he'd give himself just a little while longer to figure out how. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" Telain asked, snapping Lucky out of his self-induced trance. "Huh? Oh, nothin' important," Lucky said as he shook his head a bit to clear his head, "I'll tell you about it later, Tel." "Okay then," he said as they start to climb the steps to the school. "You know what's great about coming here?" "Yes, you tell me all the time," he said, then switching to a mocking tone, "'I never have to come any more than I want to, and I can come a lot if I want to, as long as the school's open," he finished, making a face and sticking his tongue out at Telain slightly. "Fine, I do say it about every time you come with me, but it doesn't change the fact that it's awesome," he said as he jumped up onto the large stone slope beside the stairs and began walking up it instead. Lucky laughed loudly at Telain's antics as he turned around and began walking up the slope backwards to the top. As he went to jump off backwards onto the top of the stairs, Telain gestured slightly with his left hand, causing a sharp gust of wind to sweep up beneath him and throw him high into the air, allowing him to complete two full back flips before gracefully landing on his feet a short distance in front of Lucky. "You know no matter how many times I see that, I'll still be amazed. You show-off," Lucky said, playfully sticking his tongue out at Telain again. "Yea, so what if I'm a show-off, nobody else can do that," Telain responded, a small hint of pride in his voice. "One day it'll probably come in handy, why else could you do it?" Lucky asked rhetorically before adding, "You know as well as I do, little happens in our world without a good reason." "Don't remind me," Telain said, shivering slightly, "I don't want to think about what I might have to do 'cause of these powers someday." "Well, if it isn't our little prodigy," a deep, male voice said from behind Telain, "showing off again I see. That's a good way to hone your skills, keep it up," he continued as he ruffled Telain's headfur. Telain giggled and turned around to see his teacher, a thin, black bat that stood several inches above Telain at 5'10" but for some reason never made Telain feel uncomfortable. His body was near perfect, probably having never been in a fight. He kept surprisingly fit for someone that spent most their time researching. "Heya Ventus, ready to try and teach me something else?" Ventus slid his hand down and laid his arm gently across Telain's shoulders, "I can teach you more theory, but as always you've got to learn how true it is or not. I'm an expert on the air elementalists of the past, but I have none of their talents. Heck, I have no magical talent except seeing other's potential. I see you brought Lucky along with you again, always a pleasure to see you," He said as he took Lucky by the shoulders as well and led them into the school. The building's main entrance looked much like a library, for that's really what this section of the building was: a library devoted to the collection of magical information. The tall shelves housed hundreds of thousands of tomes devoted to a specific magical art, the history of magic, and magical theories. Lucky didn't like reading, but he none the less was caught marveling at the amount of information available just like he was every time he came with Telain as Ventus and Telain discussed what Telain would try to master that day. "I'm glad you came again, it's been a little too long since I've last seen you," Ventus said, lightly scolding his favorite and only student. "I've only been gone a week, and besides, I've been using the time to practice a lot of the skills I haven't quite gotten down," Telain protested. "Don't you remember how I threw myself over the school last time I tried tossing myself up like that?" Ventus chuckled lightly, recollecting Telain getting stuck in a tree the last time he had been at the school, "Yes, I do. Glad you were able to get better at that." "Want to see what else I've learned to do?" Telain asked excitedly, not waiting for his teacher's response to close his eyes and raise his hands up in front of him, taking up the focusing pose he had been taught to help with skills he hadn't perfected. The sudden stop startled Lucky, his attention quickly focusing on Telain as he recognized the stance. Ventus stayed silent, watching his student intently, wondering just what he was about to try. Telain opened his eyes slowly, focusing his gaze on an apple resting alone in a bowl on a table about thirty feet in front of them. The bowl started to shake slightly, the apple rising away from it slowly as Telain brought his hands together, imagining cupping the apple gently and lifting it between them. It rose a few feet above the bowl before it suddenly dropped back down with a thud that was relatively loud in the library. Telain slumped down to one knee, breathing heavily as Lucky clapped loudly, and a small grin spread along Ventus's face. "When did you learn to control and sustain your wind like that?" Ventus asked as calmly as he could, "I read it took the past elementalists years to learn those kind of skills, especially using them in conjunction." Telain beamed up at his teacher, proud of his achievement, "You did always say that I was the most talented elementalist you'd ever met. It took me almost, I wanted to surprise you with it, so I came and got all the information I could on the skills, and I took it home to study when I wasn't here," he said, pausing to take a breath before adding in a mock-scolding voice, "whenever I wasn't being distracted by this guy." "Hey, you ask me to come and cuddle with you whenever you take a break. It's not my fault that you don't want to get back to work after," Lucky retorted, acting as if he was hurt by the statement, but in all honesty, they all loved the little playful teasing that seemed almost constant between them. "It's quite alright, Telain needs his rest after working and being affectionate with someone, even if it's just a good friend, is a great way to rebuild magical energy," Ventus replied with a small scratch at Lucky's head. "Oh, great, here comes Jared. I bet he wants to fight you again, Telain," Lucky says as he looks in front of him the one person that seemed to always want to directly challenge Telain constantly. Jared had considered himself to be Telain's rival ever since he first found out he was an air elementalist. The 6' tall fox also looked odd, having a ruddy-orange coat and lacking the typical white socks of his kind. He insisted on wearing a blue headband with a small metal plate, on which was engraved a paw-print. He was one of the few that also carried a weapon, a small kunai throwing-dagger, but luckily he was honorable not to use it in any fight he didn't have to. "Hey, Telain, been practicing your skills since you've been gone? I've probably run far ahead of you with how long you've been away," Jared said harshly. "I beat the crap out of you last time, and I'll guarantee that I can do it again," Telain snapped back at him as the air started moving faster around him and a low growl emitted from his throat. "Whoa, boys! Take this outside, the library's no place for fighting," Ventus said quickly, taking Telain by the shoulders and pushing him slightly toward the back doors, where a small field was setup for elementalists to test their powers against one another. They stepped out into the bright sun, the various sounds of fire, air, water, and earth being heard around them. Small piles of wood sat about with fires crackling as they slowly consumed their fuel. The air blew in an awkward pattern around the area, whipping around everything without disturbing anything. Water tickled slowly down rock faces, as it coursed its way around the field in a small stream beginning at the rocks. Rocks were strewn about in various patterns around the field, creating a very hypnotic patten for anyone that looked at one of them for too long. Ventus punched some buttons on the outside wall and the field changed, the sounds from the rumbling earth and roaring fire becoming muffled as the running of water and rushing of air intensified. The slight running over water over the rocks turned into many small waterfalls crashing down and creating a fine mist for a few yards around each water source. The air blew harder and ebbed suddenly, rapidly changing back and forth as it blew straight across the field now, as the rocks and urns faded slowly and disappeared from sight. Telain and Jared walked out onto the middle of the grassy field, Jared taking up a position near one of the small waterfalls as Telain took up a defensive stance on the opposite side. The air slowly calmed as Telain began to breath steadily, focusing on his element and concentrating on every movement it made around him, willing it to calm as he calmed himself. Jared took his usual offensive stance, one hand resting over the water as its level rose slowly and filled a small dip in the ground all around him. He stood on a small bump in the middle, his paws just barely touching the surface. Ventus cried out, "Begin!" and Jared immediately took off across the water in a straight line toward Telain. Thick tendrils of water quickly rose to his hands and trailed behind him, remaining linked to the pool they originated from. As he drew near he balled one fist and, forming a hard liquid sphere around it, swung at Telain. Telain quickly flexed his legs and sprung into the air, a strong gust of wind knocking Jared slightly off balance. As Telain soared overhead, Jared brought his other hand in a wide arc, pulling the strand of water thinner and longer before lashing out at Telain with it and hitting the watery whip against his chest. Telain gasped as he felt the sharp impact of the water slapping against his chest, his arms moving in a wide arc and a few strong gusts of wind turning him about in midair. He pulled his hands together and formed a small whirlwind as he moved them about the center, his feet suddenly planting against a plate of air he formed. He pushed himself back down toward Jared and extending his arms outward, the whirlwind flew forward and caught Jared up in it as he fought to regain his balance. Jared was thrown through one of the waterfalls and into the hard rockface behind it as Telain landed where he had been only moments before, a strong gust of wind breaking his sudden descent. Ventus whispered to Lucky as they both watched the intense fighting, "That's one of Telain's favorite techniques: exposing someone to their own element before hurting them." Jared slumped down, resting on one knee just behind the waterfall momentarily until sprung to his feet, running across the surface of the water, this time jumping up on a column of water and attempting to kick Telain as he descended. Telain laughed loudly at Jared, "You expect to try and turn my own element against me; you forget what the main component of flying through the air is?" He sidestepped slightly as he pulled his arms in a sharp movement from in front of him toward the ground at the same angle as Jared's fall. Jared felt the wind press hard against his back as he was pulled hard towards the ground and landed too harshly to keep his footing. His face slammed into the ground at an astonishing speed as he tumbled forward. Telain turned and walked away slowly as Jared lost consciousness, "It's over, reset the field, master." Ventus pushed a few more buttons, the field beginning to revert to its prior state as Ventus held down another and spoke into the comm, "I need a medic to field 3, Jared just lost another fight to Telain." "How bad was it this time?" a voice from the comm asked. Ventus replied with a small laugh, "Not quite as bad as last time, he's improved and Telain's learned much more control and restraint. He'll probably just have a light concussion." "Okay, don't worry about hanging around; someone will be there in a moment," the voice responded as Ventus released the button. Confessions Ventus took the two boys by the shoulders as they turned and walked back into the school, leaving Jared to the care of the two medics that rushed in past them to tend to the loser. "You did very well, Telain. You could still use some work on that temper, but you're getting yourself more under control," Ventus said calmly, proud of his student for not using too much more force than was necessary. "I know, Ventus, but he gets me riled up so easily. I can't explain it, normally I don't have much a temper at all, but whenever he actually struck me I could just feel a need to teach him a lesson," Telain responded, looking at his feet as they walked on, disappointed in the fact that he still hadn't gotten his temper in check as much as he thought. "But you definitely beat his ass this time! I think you hurt him worse than the last time you fought," Lucky interjected excitedly, bouncing slightly and beaming with pride for his friend. "Yes, it was a quicker battle than the last time, but Telain showed far more restraint. I think Jared's only going to be in medical one night this time," Ventus replied, scratching behind Telain's left ear softly to cheer him up. "You're right; I didn't hurt him too bad. After the last time, he was gone almost a week nursing a broken ankle," Telain said more cheerfully, tilting his head up and purring softly as he guided his teachers fingers to a better spot. "If you've taught yourself that much control only being gone a week, maybe you should take a few more days. Besides, I think you earned at least the rest the day off after a show like that," Ventus said, finding a way to hide the fact he hadn't found enough information to show Telain a new technique. Lucky looked hopefully at Telain, begging him with his best puppy-dog face to take up Ventus's offer. "Stop lookin' at me like that," Telain said, running around behind Ventus to tickle Lucky briefly. "Fine, I'll be back in a few days, just make sure you found something else to show me before then," Telain finally said, giving Ventus a knowing wink. Ventus just took them in his arms and gave them a tight hug before pushing them off towards the front door. "Have fun, boys. I'll be sure to find something really interesting for you while you're gone, Telain." Lucky grabbed Telain's hand and starting running toward the door, pulling Telain along with him as he laughed. "Hey! Slow down, I'm still a little winded from all that you know," Telain said between heavy breaths, doing his best to keep up with Lucky. "Sorry, I can't; you got me so excited watching that. When did you learn to push off thin air like that?" Lucky asked, slowing down slightly as he grew tired. "I never had gotten it right before today, but I've been working on it almost since I got to the school," Telain replied, showing off his new skill by bouncing slightly off his feet and taking his next step in mid-air. "I noticed Jared learned to harden the water as well, running across it like it was flat ground." "Yea, forming a solid plane of your element is the first thing that most novices seem to learn, but it's hard to maintain for much longer than a second, so they can't manage anything more than running across it. If I can learn to it with less concentration, I'll be able to run all around the sky without a second thought," Telain said, slipping off into his frequent contemplation about his abilities. He was snapped back into reality as Lucky turned his key in the lock to their home and opened the door, "Wake up, daydreamer; we're home." An Elementalist Emerges "Sorry," Telain said, shaking his head quickly, "I was doing it again wasn't I?" They walked inside their house together and immediately shucked their shirts, as it was a common habit between them. Their home wasn't anything special. It was just a small two bedroom that was way overpriced due to it's proximity to the school, but they didn't really want anything bigger and being so close to the school meant Telain wasn't gone as long whenever he went. They had a few pictures of their family around the room and a small television which didn't get used much. Most of their time was spent in the now spare bedroom, which they had converted to a computer room after realizing they'd rather sleep in the same bed anyway. "Yea, but I don't mind. It is interesting to hear what you think, and I didn't have anything to talk about anyway," Lucky said, walking over to sit on the couch after locking the door behind them. "What about that thing you were thinking about this morning?" Telain asked as he plopped down and leaned back against Lucky. Lucky wrapped his arms around Telain gently and set his head on Telain's shoulder before sighing heavily, "You promise you won't freak out when I tell you, right?" "Of course I won't, what could ever make me freak out about you?" "Well, I'm," Lucky began, trailing off and pausing for a moment trying to find some way to not say it directly. "Gay," Telain finished for him, causing Lucky to jump slightly and look curiously at his friend as Telain leaned his head back to look at him. "Um, yea, I am," Lucky said confusedly, "but how did you know?" "Come on, who knows you better than I do?" Telain said, poking Lucky's side playfully, causing him to giggle. "Okay, you're right, but it doesn't bother you?" Lucky asked, still trying to figure out how Telain knew and even said it like it didn't even matter. "No, it doesn't. Why would something like that change our friendship? You know I'm decidedly straight; I won't even let any guy but you and sometimes Ventus hug me," Telain said, nuzzling under Lucky's chin slightly to help show how much he meant that it didn't bother him. "But what if I started having other feelings for you?" Lucky asked, now definitely feeling worried about Telain's reaction if he actually revealed that he did have other feelings for his best friend of years. "That's a mute point unless," Telain said, pausing for a moment to think before he asked, "Do you?" "Well," Lucky said, getting more nervous by the moment but focused on telling Telain everything, "yes, I do." Lucky looked shamefully away trying to pull his arms closer to him without realizing he was just hugging Telain tighter. "Hey, don't act like that," Telain said, reaching his paw up to scratch Lucky's cheek softly. "It really doesn't bother me either, long as you know that nothing's likely to happen." "Are you sure?" Lucky asked, turning his head back towards Telain with fresh tears in his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure," Telain strained to lean up and give Lucky's cheek an affectionate lick to further his point. "We've been friends for years, there's no way something like this could run me off, and I've gotten used to being close to you. I mean, it doesn't bother me to be affectionate. I'm just not sure if anything else could happen between us." "Oh, thank you," Lucky exclaimed, pulling Telain into a tight hug and kissing him square on the lips in his excitement. "Hey now, what'd I just say," Telain said, jokingly poking his friend to show he wasn't really mad about being kissed. Lucky giggled and hugged Telain again, "Sorry, I'll try to resist the urge. You are really cute though." "And you're just realizing this?" Telain asked, acting hurt at his friend's just now calling him cute. "No, but now you know enough for me to tell you without getting worried you'll take it the wrong way," Lucky replied, sticking his tongue out Telain. "Well, I guess that's okay," Telain said as he nuzzled into Lucky's chest, enjoying being close to his friend as he always did. "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were gay, and hitting on me none the less," Lucky said, now having a way to tease his friend for his unusually affectionate behavior towards him in spite of being straight. "Yea, yea, I know I may not act it, but my mind's made up. I just can't have feelings for a guy like that. What I feel for you is strong as I'll even feel for a guy," Telain said softly as he closed his eyes and began purring softly. "I love you too, Telain," Lucky said with a hint of sadness in his voice as they drifted off to sleep. They woke up a few hours later, still wrapped up in each other's arms. As they got up, Telain headed for the bathroom as Lucky headed for the kitchen. "What do you want for dinner?" Lucky yelled across the house, always eager to make use of one of his few talents: cooking. "You know what I like: anything you cook. Just make whatever looks good to you," Telain yelled back as he shut the bathroom door and turned on the shower. He tested the water several times, adjusting the temperature slightly until he got it just where he liked it, before stepping in. He started washing himself fairly quickly, scrubbing the soap into his fur as he thought to himself. "Why can't I feel anything else for him?" Telain said to himself softly. "Because you can't find pleasure with a man," his inner thoughts told him, responding to his question. "I want to though, but for some reason, no matter how close I feel to him, I can't feel anything else for him," he continued. "Then why don't you love him?" the thoughts questioned. "I do love him, I really do, but what point is there in telling him if I can't do anything else?" Telain argued with himself. "There doesn't have to be a point, he needs to know you love him, regardless of what else that means," the internal voice contended. "I," Telain started, trying to come up with some other reason but not finding one. "I'll tell him soon, he does need to know," he conceded to himself, coming to a decision about what to do, although he still didn't have a clue how to do it. "Hey, you took your time," Lucky said as Telain walked into the kitchen, his fur still slightly damp. "I did? I thought I took a pretty quick shower," Telain responded confusedly, looking over at the clock to show he had been in for almost a half-hour. "Good thing it took me a bit to decide to make burgers. If I had known what to fix it would've been cold before you got out." "Well, sorry, I guess I just got caught up in thinking to myself," Telain said as he sat down at the dining room table, sighing internally. "Don't worry about it. You gave me just enough time to finish the food," Lucky said, setting the cheeseburger in front of Telain fixed just as he liked them. "I've really been fixing them up like this for too long, haven't I?" Telain asked Lucky jokingly but feeling better being reminded how well his friend knew him. "Nah, I just know you better than you do. Plus I like them the same way," Lucky said, sticking his tongue out at Telain before starting to eat his burger. Their meal concluded around 3am, as they always ran on a late schedule for everything they did. They sat cuddled up on the couch watching a movie for a couple hours to pass the time before bed and to give them an excuse to sit there together for so long without talking. As they lied in bed, Telain contended with his thoughts more, trying to make himself tell Lucky how he felt. He lied there in Lucky's arms for a while before finally getting the courage and asking softly, "Lucky, you still awake?" "Yea, Tel, I'm still up. You've been moving around a lot, but I didn't want to bother you. Is there something you want to talk about?" Lucky asked, concerned with what had Telain bothered. He was the one that was supposed to have made the big confession. "Well, I've been meaning to tell you that," Telain started, swallowing hard before finishing, "I love you, Lucky." "I, um," Lucky said, unsure of what to say, "What does this mean?" "I don't know if it means anything, I just wanted you to know," Telain said relaxing as he felt Lucky petting at his belly softly. "Don't worry about it, just try and get some sleep. We can talk about it in the morning," Lucky said, doing his best to comfort his friend. They fell asleep a short while later, as the long day overtook the thoughts running through both their heads. A Newfound Power The sunlight barely lit the young pair's room due to the black drapes hung over the only window, put there because they always slept so late. Telain was the first awake early in the afternoon, still held tight in Lucky's arms. He gently pulled Lucky's arms off, causing the wolf to groan slightly and roll over as he hugged the blanket instead. Telain carefully got out of the bed and stretched his worn muscles, still slightly sore from the fight the day before. He decided to go take a warm shower to ease them and wake him up a little better. He was in the shower for a few minutes before his mind woke up enough and reminded him what had happened the night before. He had confessed that he did love Lucky, even though nothing was likely to ever happen between them. He still couldn't wrap his head around what that meant but felt a little better with the weight of it being kept secret off his chest. Then he realized something, Lucky hadn't said it back. "He said he had other feelings for me though," he thought aloud, "probably just didn't want to upset me by saying it with how I was then." He washed himself slowly, milling the thoughts about in his mind before deciding to do his best not to worry about it and just ask Lucky whenever he woke up. He stepped out of the shower and toweled himself off vigorously, tossing the towel away frustratedly after a few minutes because he still couldn't completely dry himself. Telain stood there for a moment, humming to himself as he thought. "I wonder if I'd be able to manage that. I guess there's no harm in trying," he said, taking up a neutral stance in the middle of the bathroom and closing his eyes as he worked to steady his breathing. He brought his paws up, forming the sign that signified the element of air. As his breaths deepened, the fur along his back began being blown at gently by a steady breeze. He shifted his paws into a different form of the sign, and the air started blowing harder and expanding to a larger area, soon enveloping his entire body. He stood like that for several minutes, his breaths becoming more ragged as he maintained the force. Then, he suddenly dropped his paws and slumped down on the ground, his breath now coming in hard, sharp gasps. The bathroom door burst open as Lucky ran in, running over and hugging Telain. "Are you alright?!" Lucky asked loudly, his paws starting to roam over Telain to search for any injuries. "Yea, I'm fine, just a little tired is all. Why are you so worr," Telain said, cutting himself off as he looked around at their bathroom. It looked as if a tornado had run through and in some respects, one had. The shower curtain was tossed up and wrapped around the rod several times, and every loose object that could have been moved was strewn about on the ground. The walls all had large scratches and dents in them from various things flying into or along them. It seemed Telain had used much more power than he thought. "See, it looks like you were attacked or something," Lucky said, holding Telain now that he was satisfied the cat wasn't hurt. "I had just gotten tired of trying to dry myself with a towel and tried using my powers," Telain said absent-mindedly, still looking confused as he surveyed the damage he had done. After they sat there in silence for a moment, Telain started thinking clearer and, as was his usual, began talking to himself, "It must've been the signs. Ventus had shown me some he found in a book; they were each captioned but not described too well. I first tried the one for control, then I couldn't make the area large enough, so I used the one for that. Maybe combining them caused this." "Hey, snap out of it," Lucky said, shaking Telain gently, "Whatever it was, don't do it again until you talk to Ventus about it. I love you too much for some stupid accident you caused to take you from me." "Huh? So you do love me then," Telain said happily, distracted from the current mess by Lucky's comment. "'Yea, I just didn't want to say it outright last night 'cause I thought you had enough on your mind as it was," Lucky said softly, blushing lightly beneath his fur. "Thank you, it means a lot to me, Lucky," Telain replied as he hugged Lucky tight, a few joyful tears running down his cheeks. "Enough about us for now; we need to get you to Ventus to talk about this," Lucky said, helping pull Telain up off the ground. "You're right, we can worry about this later. Right now, lets hurry to the school," Telain said as he moved quickly through the house and started down the street with Lucky close behind him. They ran as fast as they could towards the school, completely unaware of the person following them from a short distance away. Suddenly a large wall sprung out of the ground in front of them, causing Telain to balk and Lucky to almost run into it. Telain whirled around on his feet and scanned the area but he found nothing. "Looking for me, Kythos?" a voice from atop the newly formed wall asked calmly. "Who are you?" Telain demanded as he turned back around and looked up at the figure, his thin silhouette being the only thing discernable with the sun behind him. "I am Lutious, but you, Kythos, can call me Lute," the figure said, his voice deep and menacing. "Who is this Kythos? My name is Telain," he yelled up at Lutious, growling as he took Lucky's arm and pulled the wolf behind him. "So that's your name, is it, Kythos? I guess you wouldn't have taken over your host; your kind never did have the spine for it," Lutious said, an ominous laugh coming from his throat. "It's of no consequence; all will be deal with soon enough," he added as he jumped off the wall, falling quickly towards them. Telain shoved Lucky away, urging him to run as he stared up at the dark figure coming at him. He could see now that Lutious was a very slender cat, his fur dark as midnight and completely perfect except for a dark red scar running diagonally between his eyes where no fur grew and all around it was a lighter gray. Small stone steps began jutting out from the wall as Lutious ran down it, pushing off and increasing speed with every step. Telain grew worried as he did all he could think of and crouched into a defensive stance. This guy was fast, and Telain doubted he could manage even a close match against him. As Lutious got closer, he yelled down at Telain, "I can see the fear in your eyes, Kythos! You know that you're going to die by my paws!" Telain couldn't move as a large stone pillar shot out from the wall and hit him square in the chest, knocking him backwards several feet. Lutious easily jumped off the wall and ran along this pillar, kicking Telain hard across side of his head. Telain was thrown hard to the ground, his head reeling and feeling like he was going to pass out any moment. A strangled cry from Lucky brought Telain back to his senses and as he looked over and saw Lutious strangling Lucky, he was quickly back on his feet and screaming, "Lutious, let him go! Whatever you want you can get from me!" "Ahh, yes, that's the temper I remember," Lutious said calmly, his grip on Lucky's throat unrelenting. "I don't care if your little mortal friend has nothing to do with this. Seeing him in so much agony as he struggles to breathe is so beautiful." "I said, 'Let him go!'" Telain screamed, even louder as he forced his paws up and into the first sign he had used earlier that afternoon. As he continued to watch his friend being choked to death, he quickly shifted to the second sign and then lunged forward with his paws. A hard, focused column of air rushed from him and towards Lutious, knocking the black cat away from Lucky and into the trees off the side of the path. Telain rushed over to Lucky, who was gasping for air, and started searching him for other injuries. He found a large hole torn through the flesh of Lucky's arm that was bleeding badly. He knew that if he didn't find some way to stop the bleeding, Lucky would die regardless of the fact he could now breathe. Telain looked desperately at the wound and all around him, trying to think of something he could do, but they didn't carry any medical supplies and were still too far from the school to go for help. He did all he could think of and pressed his paws hard against both sides of the wound, causing Lucky to wince and gasp slightly deeper from the pain. The blood was still running slowly through his paws as he begged it to stop. He cried out in his head for some help, not even realizing he wasn't making any sound, when a bright light shone through his fingers and the bleeding began to slow and then stopped. He pulled his paws away and gazed at Lucky's arm as Lucky leaned up and did the same. The only sign that there ever was a wound there was the large amounts of blood covering both of them. Neither could find the words to ask what had happened as they heard Ventus's voice calling out to them from down the path. Lutious's eyes shone through the trees, glaring at them and instantly ensnaring Telain's attention. "This isn't the last time you'll see me, Kythos. Next time we meet you won't be so lucky," the dark cat said as he ran back through the trees. "Boys, are you all right," Ventus said through gasps for air as he knelt down beside them. "I heard a loud rumble from this way and ran over with some of the other masters to see what was going on. What the oblivion happened to you!" he exclaimed as he noticed the large amounts of blood covering them. "I, I don't know," Telain said as he turned his gaze away from the trees and toward Ventus, "This cat just attacked us and kept calling me Kythos and tried to kill Lucky and put hole through his arm and I did some signs and threw him off and there was this bright light and then the hole," Telain spurt out quickly, not pausing to breathe. "Calm down, Telain, and tell me what happened. Did you say he called you Kythos?" Ventus said, wrapping his arms around Telain. "Yea, at least that's what I think he said," Telain said, looking confused as he continued, "Does that mean something?" Ventus whispered softly to Telain, speaking just loud enough for Lucky to hear as well, "I don't know, it may, but keep quiet about everything right now. We can talk about it in private back at your house." "Our house, but why not the school," Lucky asked quietly. "I don't want anyone overhearing us, and the school has far too many people running around, especially after something like this happens," Ventus said, urging both the boys up with his paws. "Follow me. Hopefully we can get out of here without being seen." He helped them up and began walking hurriedly into the trees a short ways before starting back towards the boys' home. As they all walked into the house, Ventus calmed down and said to them both, "Go clean off all of that blood. I don't know what happened, but it can wait a little while for you both to get clean. It'll help you relax to tell me too." The boys nodded and started to walk away to get cleaned up when Ventus called after them with a knowing grin, "Just take a shower together, it'll be quicker and more relaxing, I know you can handle it." They shrugged and adjusted the temperature on the shower to the same median they all ways did when they were in a hurry and needed to both bathe quickly. They began washing themselves, facing away from each other and taking turns under the water when suddenly Telain turned and threw his arms around Lucky, his crying muffled by Lucky's chest fur. An Elementalist Emerges Lucky turned around in Telain's arms and held him gently, "Hey now, Tel, what's wrong? I've never seen you so upset before." Telain relaxed and, leaning up to look into his friend's eyes, said through a choked sob, "I thought I was going to lose you out there. I don't know what I would've done if you'd." "Hey, don't talk like that. I'm never going to leave you," Lucky said softly, knowing that if it weren't for that miracle, he would've done just that. "But, you were," Telain started, choking at the word "bleeding" before going on, "so badly. Whatever happened, what if it doesn't again? What if you do die?" "Calm down, Telain, what'd I'd just say?" Lucky tried his best to comfort his friend before he got an idea. "Here, let me help you calm down," Lucky said as he placed his paw over and started stroking at Telain's canine sheath, causing him to gasp softly. As Lucky continued to rub at Telain's sheath, his cock slowly slid out to reveal a very feline anatomy. Telain moaned quietly as Lucky's paw slid up and began to gently pump his cock, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the shower wall. Lucky noticed the tom's eyes closing and took the opportunity to slowly get down on his knees before his friend as he continued to slide his paw along the now fully erect shaft. Telain's moans grew louder as Lucky's tongue slid slowly along his undeveloped barbs, still soft enough to not harm the wolf. Telain moved his paw down and placed it on the back of Lucky's head, pulling Lucky gently closer and urging him to suck the cat's cock. Lucky gently kissed the head of Telain's shaft before sliding it between his lips, thankful for his friend's wanting. He slipped his tongue around Telain's cock, teasing at the soft barbs as he bobbed his head up and down slowly. Telain's moans grew louder and more insistent as he neared his peak, his legs beginning to feel weak. As Lucky pulled back and sucked hard on the tip, his paws running quickly along the rest of the length, Telain cried out and came hard into his friend's muzzle. Lucky swallowed what he could of the slightly bitter fluid, what did escape his muzzle quickly being washed away as he leaned into the flowing water. He thought to himself with a small internal laugh, 'He does drink too much milk.' As Telain's body stopped shaking, his legs collapsed beneath him and he slumped down to the shower floor. His arms wrapped gently around Lucky, who did the same in return, and Telain whispered softly in the wolf's ear, "Thank you, Lucky, I needed that." Telain paused for a moment and a tear ran its way down his cheek as he said, "I'm sorry though, it doesn't change anything. We can't be any closer than we are now." Lucky just licked the cat's cheek affectionately and responded, "I know, Tel, and it's fine. I can stand to just be your friend." He hugged Telain tight, "Come on, Ventus is still out there waiting for us." Lucky started to get up when Telain pulled him back down and kissed his lips gently, "I mean it: thank you, Lucky." "I know you do," he said, kissing him back, "Now come on, we've got some very important things to talk about that aren't just about us." An Eternal Bond Telain and Lucky walked back into the living room to find Ventus meditating in the middle of the floor. Lucky started to go over and shake him when Telain suddenly grabbed his arm. "Don't do that," Telain said calmly, having expected Lucky to try that. "Huh? Why not?" Lucky asked as he looked back at Telain, confused. "I know he has the skill, even novices are taught it soon after learning to meditate, but it's actually harder for someone to regain awareness if you disturb their body," Telain explained. "In that state, a person's mind and soul isn't completely attached to their body, so even someone as skilled as him could take hours to return if you bother their body." "Is that why I never see you doing it?" "Not entirely, I get this odd feeling when I meditate, as if there's someone else there with me. I asked Ventus, but he had no idea, even after weeks of research." "Oh, okay, but then how are you supposed to contact them? We can't just wait for him, can we?" "No, we can't. I'm going to have to meditate myself to get him," Telain said, sighing heavily as he sat down in front of Ventus and closed his eyes. "It shouldn't take long, just sit there and wait. If something happens, you can gently pinch Ventus's ear, but don't touch me at all." "Okay," Lucky said worriedly as he walked over and sat on the couch. Telain's breathing slowed as he focused on reaching his mind out to Ventus's. As he slipped into the meditative state, he felt that odd presence again but did his best to ignore it; he had a job to do, regardless of how it made him feel. He reached out first to his master's body finding the small thread that connected his soul to his body. He lightly ran his paw along it, following its length until he found Ventus called out to him. "Telain, you're out of the shower I see," Ventus said. "Did you have fun?" "Yes, master, did you know that was going to happen?" Telain asked, his embarrassment more felt than seen by Ventus. "I had an idea of what may have happened, but I do not know exactly what did and am not going to pry. Are you feeling the same as usual?" "Yes, the presence is still with me." "Then let us go back now, you can follow me to make it quicker," Ventus said with a distinct feeling of worry for Telain as he slowly started drifting back toward his body. "You need to meditate," a feminine voice said loudly, distracting Telain and causing him to stop suddenly. Ventus stopped as well, asking Telain, "What's wrong?" Telain hesitated for a moment, another will seeming to speak for him suddenly, "I'm fine, just got the distinct feeling I should meditate." He judged the answer with his own mind, but not wanting to worry his teacher decided to follow what he had said, adding for Lucky's sake, "Please tell Lucky about everything, keep him calm. I'm not sure how long I'll be meditating, but I'll come out as soon as I'm done." "Okay," Ventus said hesitantly, "be careful, Telain. We're not sure what we're dealing with, so be wary of anyone you meet, especially in this state." With that, Ventus drifted back much quicker, leaving Telain alone. "Why did I say that?" Telain asked himself, trying to find some explanation. "I'm sorry, it was necessary to facilitate our contact," the female voice said apologetically. "I usually only guide you gently, but this once called for more direct interference." "What do you mean? You made me do that?" Telain asked, becoming increasingly confused. No one should be able to control another's soul, they could take over their body, but the soul was instinctively protected far too much for even the elders to take control of an infant." "I did, and I'm sorry. I know you want to know who I am, but first I must help you understand who you are." "Who I am? I'm Telain, a cat that happens to be the first air elementalist in over a century." "You're a foxxie cat, are you not?" "I, wait, how did you know that?" "I know you better than you do, Telain. You are an air elementalist, a Sor-ki as we know ourselves." "Sor-ki?" "Yes, that is what we air elementalists call ourselves." "But you can't be an air elementalist. They made such a big fuss over me; I would've known if there was another." "I no longer exist on your plane. I am but a spirit, my soul connected to your to guide you." "You mean you're the spirit of an ancient air elementalist?" "That is what I said. I am the first, in fact." "But then," Telain started. The spirit interrupted him, once again an apologetic feeling coursing through him, "Hush for a moment, all your questions will be answered in time if you give me a moment to tell you. Now, don't be alarmed by this." Telain could see part of his essence pulling away from him. He stared at it, unable to speak. Nothing like this had ever happened before as far as he had heard. It didn't hurt him at all. The alien presence that had always been with him when meditating was becoming more distant until he could sense it little more than he had Ventus. When she had separated as much as she could, Telain felt as if he had lost a part of himself; only a small tether like that back to a body remained between them. He was distracted from the feeling as he looked at her; the spirit was definitely a female and a gorgeous one at that. The spirit, he still didn't know her name, was a very attractive fox. The vixen's fur was pure as snow and completely without blemish. She had deep green eyes and a small pink nose, just like Telain's were. He glanced up and noticed her ears were extremely long; she was a fennec too! Her frame was slender and fit; the highly toned muscles she had accenting her beauty. He didn't know if she had perfected her appearance after being a spirit for so long, but he did know that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. "There, I know it is slightly uncomfortable, so I hope this is the only time we need to separate like this. Your soul is used to mine being joined with it; we've never been apart beyond this. I am to act as your guide throughout life, for I am Kythos Fenkai, your Sor-lu," the spirit said calmly. "Kythos? That's what that freak that attacked me and Lucky called me," Telain exclaimed. "Yes, to those with the proper sight, you bear a distinct signature from my presence," Kythos said, sending feelings along their connection to calm Telain. "But he also said that you didn't take over your host. That means me right?" Telain asked, his speech slowing as he felt the effects of Kythos's influence. "Yes, by host he meant your body. Sor-lu, the Sor-ne or current Sor-ki's, teacher and guide, possesses the ability to completely control the host. We only employ this ability if you were to become unconscious, or in this instance I did it to give us this opportunity. I am not here to live you life, but merely to help you through it and enjoy it with you. I usually just encourage feelings in you to direct your actions, or rather, that's what I've done up to now." "So then you made me feel so angry after Lutious started kicking my ass?" "I started to encourage the anger, but whenever you saw Lucky, it was obvious that you loved him and the anger was all your own," Kythos said, now a feeling of pride coursing through their bond. "So you want me to love him? Was it you I was arguing with in the shower?" "It was. Another of my methods of guidance was to argue with you. You often talk to yourself anyway so, as long as I used your internal voice, you thought it was just talking to yourself." "But then, do I really love him?" Telain said, feeling anger towards Kythos for messing with his feelings. "Don't be angry, Tel-ne. I wouldn't tamper with your feelings like that. You do truly love Lucky; I merely helped you realize it," Kythos said, tensing for a moment before she felt Telain's anger fading. What had she called him? Something about it calmed him down, and he distinctly felt a strong affection from her as she said it and then as if she was scolding herself. "Wait! Lucky must be worried out of his mind about me. How long have I been meditating?" Telain said, starting to fly back towards himself, pulling Kythos along. "Do not worry, Telain. Communication between us is quicker than that of normal meditative speech. I will always be with you, in the passenger seat so to speak. Anytime you need me, just think. Also, don't tell anyone of this. The Sor-ki's secret bond must never be revealed. I know you can come up with a story to cover your meditation." She finished just as Telain reentered his body, feeling an affirmative from him. Her spirit was once again merged with his as Telain regained became to rise out of meditation, feeling complete once again. "ancient air elementalist, we don't know much about him because it was so long ago and many things were not recorded," Ventus said as Telain opened his eyes, blinking slowly before beginning to stand up. Telain moved quickly and hugged Lucky tight, "Oh, Lucky, I'm so sorry. You must've been worried sick about me." "Only a little, Tel. Ventus told me you wouldn't be meditating for long, but I expected a little longer than thirty seconds to be honest," Lucky said as he hugged Telain back, confused by Telain's outburst. "Thirty seconds? I could've sworn I was gone longer than that," Telain said after a little thought, careful not to reveal his conversation with Kythos. "It's okay, Telain, you're not used to meditation. Time flows slightly faster to you, it would've seemed like a few minutes to you," Ventus said, resting his paw on Telain's back gently. More like an hour, Telain thought to himself. "What was that you were saying about ancient air elementalists as I came to?" "I was telling Lucky that Kythos was one of the older air elementalists, one source even suggests that he was the first one, but we don't know much about him because it was so long ago," Ventus said causing Telain to laugh a little before catching himself. "What's so funny?" "Sorry," Telain said, thinking quickly, "just thought that that guy must've been crazy to believe I was Kythos. How long ago did you say sh... he lived," Telain said, almost slipping and saying she. Ventus looked curiously at Telain before saying, "At least a millennium, it seems, possibly longer. Little was recorded back then, so records are sketchy. Anyway, was your meditation helpful? Find out why you felt the need to so suddenly?" "Not really, master. I do feel calmer, and the presence stopped bothering me. I'm not sure why, though," Telain said, trying his best to formulate a believable story. "Sometimes we get these feelings. It's okay to follow them, just be cautious. You do look exhausted; I'm sure that fight really took it out of you. Get some sleep and we can talk about it more in the morning." Lucky stood up, nodding and pulling Telain with him. "Okay, master, will you be okay?" Telain asked. "Yes, I'll be fine. I can sleep on your couch," Ventus said, grabbing some blankets that Telain and Lucky kept near the couch for when they felt like covering up. "Sleep well," Lucky said as he pulled Telain down the hall and into the bedroom. He started rubbing Telain's back softly until the cat relaxed. "Come on, time for bed. You heard Ventus," Lucky said, pulling Telain down and cuddling him gently. They slipped off to sleep much earlier than usual that night, worn out by the fight with Lutious, Telain was even more tired from such a powerful revelation being revealed to him just minutes before. As Telain slept his body was completely still, but in his mind he was visited by Kythos again. "G'night, Telain. Don't worry about sleep. Even if we talk through the night it will still be just as refreshing for your body and that is unlikely anyway," Kythos said, seeming to step out of a thick fog. Telain sat in what seemed like a mist-filled version of his room. The only thing that had any real definition was his bed, which was what he was sitting on. As Kythos stepped closer, he could see her wearing a loose white robe to match her fur. He looked down to notice he was wearing a robe as well, sand-colored just like his fur. She sat down next to him and wrapped her arm around him, causing him to blush. "Here we can be far more natural, Telain. We can form whatever we wish within the confides of your sleeping mind. You will learn in time to form a place naturally, but, for now, I decided on your bed. Don't be embarrassed; I was chosen as your Sor-lu because we are so much alike. I enjoy being close to others and, like you, draw more energy from affection than most," Kythos said gently as she kissed his cheek lightly. This only sufficed to make his blush deepen as he said sheepishly, "Is it right for you to do that? You said you're like my teacher, didn't you?" "Our relationship is special, Telain. While my place as your Sor-lu makes me a sort of guide to you, my use of teacher was slightly off. We, as Sor-lu and Sor-ne, are closer than anyone else could possibly be. Those terms mean much more than guide and guided, but also signify an intimate bond between souls. Our bond is most like that between twin siblings. There is nothing wrong with us sharing affection, or even intimacy for that matter." She knew exactly what would calm him down, so she tilted her muzzle up and began to nibble on his right ear gently. Telain relaxed almost instantly, the small nips practically making him melt. It was a few minutes before he could compose himself enough to even speak, "Is what you said true? You'll always be with me." "Forever Telain, beyond death our spirits will be joined." "Then, does that mean you are joined to other spirits as well, To other Sor-ki from the past?" "No, Tel-ne, Sor-lu and Sor-ne are a sorted pair. Our souls were made for one another." He found himself not needing to ask what she meant by Tel-ne now; it was a more personal way of stating their bond and how they were literally made for one another. She had even used his nickname, but it somehow sounded different coming from her, the simple addition of "ne" infusing it with so much love for him. "Then who guides the Sor-lu, Ky-lu?" He didn't know where the name came from, but it seemed so natural, as if he had been calling her by it forever. Kythos giggled softly, covering her mouth with her free paw. She composed herself quickly and said to him, "I'm sorry, my love, it's just so funny seeing you confused like this. I remember when I was in your shoes and you were the one guiding me." "Me guiding you? What are you talking about, you lived centuries before me?" "You see, Tel-ne, Sor-ne and lu pairs' spirits were born at the same time. The first to come into life is guided by the second; both are born in existence with all the knowledge needed to lead. They are bound through eternity. Outside the time that they each lived, they are known as Sor-lune, hence where the living titles are derived." "But then, you've known me for millennia?" "I have, and you known me, but when you come into life, all that knowledge is forgotten until you once again return to eternity. It is the job of one to guide the other through their lifetime. You have also known me in other ways, as I have you, for just as long. Our souls were made together, from two halves of the same mold. We will always be one." "You mean," Telain stuttered, blushing even brighter than before. "Yes, love, that is what I mean, and you'll soon learn exactly what I mean," She said with a seductive growl as she pushed him down onto the bed and pinned his arms above his head. She knew exactly how to rile him up, and why wouldn't she? She had just told him they had been together for millennia and had been mates just as long. She leaned down and nibbled along his neck as she ground her pelvis against his. Telain exposed his neck fully to her, not believing how much he was enjoying this. She had him fully erect already and had just barely started. She released his arms as she kissed him forcefully and opened his robe, freeing his shaft to the cool, foggy air. Telain was so turned on by her, he was desperate to know her as well as she did him. He fumbled to untie the knot in her robe before finally getting it open. She shrugged it off her shoulders and, grabbing it in one paw, tossed it across the mental room. He was so glad to be on bottom; he had almost no clue what to do and she obviously knew him so well. This would be his first time, in his mind, with her while she'd been with him countless times. She stroked his shaft gently, smiling as she guided it between her soft, wet lips and it pressed against her dripping entrance. She slowly lowered herself onto him, being a little tighter than she was used to because she had been so long without him. As he hilted within her, she teasingly squeezed his cock inside her, eliciting a loud moan from him. "See, perfect fit," she said, winking at him and rocking gently, "and it's been such a long 17 years without you in me." She gasped as he took her by the hips and began to rock her back and forth more forcefully on his shaft, rubbing his barbs against her needy flesh. She licked softly at his lips, begging them to open. He moaned out louder as she pushed herself back on him, giving her a chance. She pressed her lips hard to his and thrust her tongue into his muzzle, his tongue instinctively pressing against and toying with hers.