Often times the trees called out in agony as red sap seeped out onto the ground, making it look as if a murder had been done unto here. There were still dead splatters of grass where poisoned blood had fallen leaving an old truth behind a horrible story often told. To whom is this story told unto? Little babes who refuse to listen to their parents and travelers who choose to cause mischief.
Since the untimely death of one of the most ruthless killers the school had known, there have been many more showing up and seeming to prove the legend to be child's play compared to what they could do. But very few had known the monster in her true nature. Some knew her struggle of trying to keep the monster locked up and letting it roam about in a fierce notion. Others, knowing full and well, shivered at the mention of her name and kept quiet. Those that knew of the truth remained silent as stars or left to avoid constant questioning.

Several years had passed since that incident had come to pass. After so long, everything had began to calm down and things almost seemed normal. Too bad things would probably never really be the same again...
Scaly paws with large, unkempt claws padded silently and slowly through a narrow game trail that had, over time, become sandy of constant use. There was nary a breeze tonight as the full moon shown its beauty to the world. A large claw tail had been dragging behind the creature who chose to explore sheepishly now that shi was no longer confined to certain areas or chained up for fear of going berserk again. This new found freedom was exciting but very frightening as it had been more than a year since shi had come back. Having this new freedom suddenly made this large beast wary of anything that shi might get into.
This beast knew it was not yet allowed for hir to venture out at night, but hir longing to walk outside without the blinding sun had been quite unbearable. Thus, Krynn had decided to take the chance and leave for a few hours. Hopefully Blake and Drake didn't send out a search party already. Shi had not yet done anything wrong and planned to keep a clean record so far. A tiny breeze wisped by, gently rustling a thick black mane as hir black eyes closed to enjoy it.

Oh he'd known for a while, even when Drake and Blake tried to keep it a secret from him. Athos knew pretty much everything that went on in the school, sometimes he even got more gossip than Crimson. But for now, that wasn't important. He was out for a stroll much like another creature, and for a very rare change he was only slightly armed. Just a knife, one he could still easily be considered deadly with but not like his "anti-dragon bullets" or his sniper rifle, or smoke bombs, or poisons, or... well the list went on for a while. No, all he wanted was to have his own relaxing stroll through the evening woods and see if he could catch up to the creature known as Krynn.

Some of the whispers had even been started by him. Rumors to keep students from doing the wrong things, to keep them away from certain areas, to let her rest in peace and still be feared. No not feared, respected. While she was in school he kept a close watch on her. She could dodge some of his cameras and other methods of surveilance but not all of them. From what he'd seen and heard so far she wasn't the same killer she used to be. Still a strong presence and a powerful predator but the beast had different targets now.

Silent as ever he slipped ever closer to her but with a smile. He wasn't hunting her or trying to spy, he was trying to see if she still had all her skill. Should still be able to sense him coming one way or another from a good hundred yards, maybe sixty if Krynn was really rusty. And there shi stopped as a soft breeze caressed the two of them in turn, now he was only about thirty yards away and knew he had to have been discovered by now. Even without making a sound shi could smell him, shi could sense him, heck might even have seen him but now he left his stealthy approach and started walking normally. "Good evening. Nice to see you're finally out and about."

Shi had known shi was being followed, had shi known it was Athos shi would have made it nearly impossible for him to track hir. Shi had felt a presence after one hundred and fifty yards, little knowing who it was. Showed how rusty hir senses were. Then again, shi had made a silent vow never to use them when outside yet shi still did once in a while. Telling hir to stop altogether was like punching someone in the throat and telling them not to gag. Krynn's ears fell back as shi listened to the voice and slowly turned around.

"I thought I felt someone following me for a while... It is a good night. I forget how beautiful the nights are after so long..."
Shi could tell he already knew of what shi spoke of, why else would he be walking up so boldly towards hir? Out of habit shi backed up several steps from him, still not used to friendly approaches, save for Crimson always coming from behind hir.

This time at least he was smiling when he did. Shi still remembered Drake's reaction when he first learned of hir coming back. Shi remembered him worrying about where Inno was and to make sure shi was okay. Yes at one point Krynn had wanted to use hir blood's body to reincarnate into this world, but somehow along the way shi felt it wrong and stole from another. Drake was not happy when he learned that Krynn was back. He did, however, calm down after shi promised to stay away from the little ones. Shi had no right to get involved after years of being away from them, shi did not want them to learn hir bad habits and become like shi used to be.
"So how long have you known?
The beast asked, managing a small smile.

"I don't get to enjoy them much either. Used to, but for all the wrong reasons. Kind of like you I guess. Heh, as for how long? Those dragons can't keep a secret from me, I've been aware of you since pretty much the first day. Just figured I already put a bullet or two in you before, probably won't have to do it again. Sorry about that by the way but have to admit you were drastically different back then. Even in appearance. Not that your new look is a bad one, I kind of like it."

Athos had known and kept tabs but if someone made him be perfectly honest he didn't think he could handle her again one on one. So he never really thought about it and just went on the assumption that the dragons had things under control and would call him if needed. Shi was still a little flighty, made sense considering what shi'd been through. Good thing he didn't bring anything other than the knife or shi'd have a reason to attack.

"Oh. I do believe I was a bit... rude last time we had an encounter before your return to teaching. I believe I never gave you my name and it's terribly disrespectful to shoot someone, even if it isn't the fatal shot, see them die, and not tell them your name when they come back from the dead. One of these days I might actually need to know how you did that by the way but not to get off topic, I'm Athos. Nice to formally meet you under better circumstances."

"No I should be the one who is sorry. I was the one who had been the monster without true cause here... But then again a monster needs no reason to attack brutally..."[/b]
Shi muttered the last part quietly. Everything he spoke of sounded familiar but for some reason shi could not remember what happened. Krynn knew shi had been killed but knew it had been Rook or Drake who had taken hir life.

I can't remember... I can't remember that night... What's wrong with me!?
Shi thought to hirself. Of everything that happened that night, the beast could only remember seeing Crimson crying as darkness over took hir vision. Crimson crying. Why was that the only thing shi could remember?
What's wrong with me!?
Krynn shook hir head, having heard a mixture of his thoughts and having hir own interfere as well.
"No, I wouldn't attack even if you had an armada with you... unless you attacked first then I might have to."[/b]
Shi backed up a little more at the thought of him coming out here just to kill hir to avoid problems in the future.
"But... I don't want to do that anymore. I don't remember what I was like, though hearing the rumors going around tells me that I was something out of a horror movie."
Shi kept those ears of hir's down. Most probably would have expected hir to be the same killing machine that had just been reborn.
Listening quietly as he spoke about nonsense shi knew nothing about, shi nodded in acknowledgement of finally hearing his name. At least shi knew he was one of the ones involved in hir death, even if he was not the one to take hir last breath. But why could shi not remember what happened that night? Why was Crimson's crying face the only thing shi could remember?
"Nice to meet you Athos. You probably already know, my name is Krynn."
As shi spoke, hir voice did that eerie sound of having two voices, but it did not sound threatening in the least. That was one aspect of hir being that shi still had a hard time to control. The ahuizotl fidgeted hir raptor claws a little, finding it a little bit difficult to stand there and make conversation to someone shi barely knew, had been involved in hir death and acted as if shi could not fight back. Though several feet taller than him, almost dwarfing him easily, the creature did not want a quarrel. Yes, Krynn could easily over power him, kill him and cover everything up and make it seem like he decided to leave without telling anyone, shi felt it better to behave and leave well enough alone.[/color]

"Had been a monster being the key term there. I know you are no longer what you once were, and it seems you do not remember a fair part of it. If you really want to know I can tell you everything but you might not like what you learn. Sometimes it's better to just start fresh, that's what I did when I got here. Though my past life still sneaks up on me from time to time and I have to use skills that I can never forget."

And his former life had only been "presumably lost" instead of actually lost. Not that it mattered much. "I can assure you I have no desire to fight, to quarrel, or anything of that nature with you. I'd like to get to know the new you, the one that we should all be trusting already." Though even with trust Athos still kept his eye on people. Blake was still being watched even though the black dragon happened to be on the security staff with him and had shown no indication of snapping and going after his brother again. Some would call Athos paranoid, he'd call himself thorough.

This was true, but this creature still felt differently. Shi knew hirself better than anyone else that shi could flip at the slightest bit of pressure. It knew that anything could make hir flip in the blink of an eye.
"I don't know.."
The ahuizotl whispered as the snake continued to talk. Krynn was unsure about everything he just said and since he did not really give hir a second to reply, it was the only thing shi could manage. Athos may want to get to know hir a little bit more, but at this rate shi would not be able to do much talking at all.

Krynn understood he wanted to know hir a little bit, but shi also knew that he could be trying to pry out some weaknesses. Regardless, Krynn, naturally, was not one to speak about hirself. Getting information out of hir would be like trying to talk to a feral animal that could not speak English. The only thing Krynn would have been really interested in talking about was Crimson. Alas, shi felt it better if most knew not of hir and Crimson being so close together once again. There was no denying that Krynn wanted Crimson around, even if shi was not the first choice for the female dragon. Krynn would give hir life to protect Crimson, shi felt everyone knew that well enough.
In many ways it was sad to think that Krynn was not who the red dragoness wanted to be around, shi could understand though. Who would want to chance having a hybrid around that could snap and harm little ones that shi had swore to protect as well.

Without a word, Krynn resumed walking at a slow pace on the trail shi had been following previous to Athos coming so boldly to hir. Motioning with hir clawtail, shi hoped he would see it and follow. Not known for speaking, shi was willing to give it a shot, but shi would not reveal a secret of what would hurt hir the most.
"...I'm not usually one for speaking... I don't normally have others wanting to talk to me. Only one person has always been so willing to just come right up to me without a care..."[/b]
Shi finally spoke. Hir voice was doing that weird two tone again, but it still sounded sad and indescribably confused.[/color]

"I know. A lot more than you might think about that. Maybe even more than you know." Athos smiled, walking up and next to hir tail to stay just a little bit behind, matching hir pace. "I'd like to be better friends with you though, to be the second person that's always willing to come up and talk to you."

Athos knew more than he should on quite a few things. He knew about Crimson and Krynn, and about Crimson and that big dragon. She was being foolish about it, letting that behemoth think that she could actually give him anything like what he really wanted. Even if it were physically plausable for them to engage in any sort of... activity the odds of having any kind of spawn from it was very slim. Mostly she fell for the new "bad boy" and wanted to keep it under control somehow. Well he had a bit of a plan for that but it likely wouldn't go over too great with the colossus.

It had been silent for a few moments, he wanted to leave her a chance to talk but got the feeling that Krynn wasn't one to open up too much. "She really loves you you know. You're the one she wants more than anything." And now it would be his turn to go silent, to let Hir get some thoughts out and questions or comments. That's what he really wanted after all.

Shi was the one Crimson wanted? Maybe once upon a time, perhaps if shi had not slipped, not now. Sure they want to be around each other, sure Krynn wants to protect Crimson for life. Could Crimson really love Krynn for everything that shi had ever done? Impossible. Hir own parents could not even bare to love hir for one minute of hir life.
"It's alright... I appreciate you telling me but I don't think shi could ever really love me. As you just said, shi goes for more the bad boy type. Me.. well, I'm just a filler for that craving until someone sweeps her off her feet."
Few realized shi could read thoughts like Rynn could. Even fewer knew Rynn really was hir blood through several freak accidents. Shi chose to never speak of it and wiped any record of her birth from all the world wide records and replaced with a lie. Sure the hybrids father was true, but Krynn would never admit to having birthed the miscreation from hir own.
"I'm alright with it though..."[/b]
Krynn was quiet for several long moments as shi thought of what to say.
"What happened here? Why can't I remember anything passed the first month of my coming here? I know I was responsible for many disappearances, many students leaving in fear... I can't seem to remember anything. I can still remember bits of my life up to this place..."[/b]
Krynn probably knew more than shi thought, what with jumbled memories and thoughts it was incredibly difficult to place them rightly. It was difficult to the point shi would get migraines so bad shi could not be anywhere near noise and light.[/color]

"I don't think she's ever been truly swept off her feet. Crimson's the kind that does the sweeping instead. Besides if she went for every bad boy she should have flirted with me at least a little, and I was completely passed over and never even close to more than a friend. Besides, her kids will probably have a bit of a say in everything too." Athos smiled softly, reaching into a pocket and finding a power bar he'd forgotten about. Well now was as good a time as any to enjoy it.

"Well I'll give you a quick sort of summary on what happened, and if you want to hear more about any specific part, you say so and I'll tell you more. Let's see..." Finally unwrapping the power bar and taking a quick bite, offering some to the hybrid though he wasn't really sure she could stomach it.

"You came here soon after we had a crazy guy try and attack some students. Drake hired you because he liked you, you seemed very qualified, and hell he gave me a job. I'm a retired assassin so if he was willing to take a risk on me, you seemed good by comparison. You started teaching, and a few people started to go missing. Eventually two very specific people went missing, and we started searching for them because well, one was Crimson. Drake put more effort into the search when family went missing. Not that he didn't care before that though. Then, well, you were missing at the same time as them, and then... you died, but we got those two other missing people back. You were gone for a while, Blake was the only one that still knew anything about you, and now you're back again. Oh... um... and there's a few little kids involved in this whole timeline but... that's a tricky story all on its own."

Oh yeah, the whole thing with the kids was a bit of a mess but it definitely showed how much Crimson cared for the hybrid he was talking with right now.

That would explain why Crimson had flirted with hir as often as she could after shi had tried to play a mind game with her. Apparently Crimson had liked it a lot and wanted to get more. Somehow shi had managed to catch the eye of the beautiful dragoness, but it seems shi would probably not be able to give the other what she wanted.
"That explains something's. I knew they had a say but not that much.."
Shi spoke quietly, shaking hir head to the offer of the power bar. Just the faint smell of it being opened made hir want to get sick. Having not been around many normal foods since being allowed to walk around freely without that heavy and odd chain bound to hir waist. The creature had limited encounters with precooked food, since shi had spent most of hir time around raw meat and barely cooked food to consume for hirself. Naturally, before everything had happened shi often denied 'normal' food. Now it was especially common for hir to deny it.
Nothing but an animal... no.. monster..
The beast thought to hirself, putting hirself down and physically moving further away from Athos.

"I can't make out a whole lot of what your saying. Forgive me, I don't quite understand.."[/b]
Krynn could understand a tiny bit and almost make sense of what he was talking about. Shi had the idea that the reason Crimson disappeared was because of hir, but shi can't remember the things that happened to make hir that way. As the monster had spoke of before, shi could only remember a handful of things that had happened up to the point that shi had been hired on and that was it. The fact that shi even remembered that shi and Crimson had been close was a miracle. Shi only had fragments of things passed, shi felt it was time shi learned the truth.

If all else failed, shi could get another psychic to blank the memories out.[/color]

Athos took a deep breath. It was about time for hir to hear what he could tell. "You were acting like a monster but there was a spark of good in you even with that monster present. The monster part of you was cruel, especially to a young green dragon, but never cruel enough to kill him. And Crimson, she saw you snarling and being mean but you never really hurt her. She got to see you at your worst and still trusted the best in you." Athos gave a soft smile and stepped closer as shi stepped away. "You. Are not a monster. You are special. And when I say you aren't a monster trust me. I know because I've been one. That bad side of you is gone, hopefully won't come back, and Crimson wants to spend time with you." And besides if shi ever did become more like a monster again... Athos could put hir down again. Not that he'd enjoy such an act but he knew he was able to do it. The others played their parts and everyone was important in that rescue of Crimson but the snake knew how much damage he dealt to the long gone creature.

Krynn sighed and lowered hir head as Athos spoke. It was true then. Shi really was a monster, what made him so sure that shi would not revert back to hir old ways.
I was a monster back then... how can you be so sure that I won't go back to being that way? I still feel as if I can't control myself sometimes.. especially around her. I get strange feelings and I just want to go crazy and do crazy things.. I don't know how to act so calmly around her without scaring her or anyone else.[/i]
The beast pondered out loud. Shi wanted to ask even if shi could not understand hirself. To hir these were still dark matters to address before things could get out of hand.[/color]

"If you give yourself a reason not to become a monster, then you won't be a monster. Trust me. I found my reason, and I was able to change myself. And you're calm right now. Calm around me. It's not hard, trust me." Athos would know very well. His kill track probably rivaled the old Krynn's over her several hundred year term. And he was, well, it wasn't something he generally discussed, his age. "Hell if you end up too worried about her then you can hang around me for a while instead. And I can try to answer anything that still bugs you." There were bound to be more questions. Athos had done a bit of research, had a few things he'd like to test with hir, a few things he was very curious about. Maybe he should try to take her to the old church Blake had been fixing up with that gryphon kid, see if the "holy" atmosphere bothered her. Maybe later, when shi was a bit more settled in? Oh he wouldn't want hir to be harmed in any way but it'd be good to know just in case, especially to avoid any clumsy accidents.

Krynn kept walking slow, hir eyes towards the ground as shi walked and thought about what the snake had just told hir. Shi wanted to believe him, truly shi did. But there were things in the back of the ahuizotl's mind that warned hir not listen and to escape from his reach now.
But the beast felt it was the darkness trying to rise up again. Though hir soul was entirely evil, the good part of hir soul residing inside of Inno. Without that soul Inno would have been a stillborn hatchling upon her first breath. Shi felt shi needed to trust someone besides just the dragons.
What would I need to do to try and stay good? I would like to stay this way but I have very little belief that I can stay this way.. Even if I can't have what I yearn for. I know you have heard by now they want me to resume teaching latin but I don't know. Last time I was so mean when I teached.[/i]
Somehow Krynn felt it wrong but right at the same time to ask for help from someone she did not know hardly at all.[/color]