Nigenai Megumi: Unlikely Goddess

Christina: You’re one of my best friends, top of the list, as always. You were always by my side whenever I needed you. For all the times I forgot to say thank you, this book is for you.

Hannah: I didn’t like you at first, as I didn’t like most of my, now, best friends, but you grew on me. Like a cyst or some other kind of deadly disease that people usually die from. Just pulling your leg.

Sara: Back in sixth grade I would have given anything just to be put alone in a room with you and to have a baseball bat in hand at that moment. You were, quite possibly, my archrival. Now, for some reason, you’re like a sister to me. One that doesn’t wet the bed, or smell strangely like Gummi Bears. *shudders*

Stephanie: What can I say? I REALLY didn’t like you for a while, and yet, I was the one who introduced you to our group. I don’t know why, I love you to pieces now. Don’t cry, nothing’s worth as much as a single tear from you. No matter how much you miss your friends, we’re always right there. BIG SMILE.

Moira: A newer friend, but one that I love already. We’re bound to have many grand adventures in high school. Maybe I should buy you a turban to go with your pancho?

Laura: “Those Frenchies seek him everywhere!” You’re got a friend in me! For some reason, you laugh at the weirdest things, but it always makes everyone else laugh too. If anyone’s got a gift of special happy-person-type-ness, it’s you! *MWAH!*

Keith: A nice guy. Anyone that likes GW can’t be that bad. Thanks ever for those CDs! BTW, if the opportunity ever arises, don’t knaw on a raw, frozen fish. Just a little note of caution.

April: Thanks for liking my sad, sorry excuse for a story. ^_^ You’re a great friend. PS- I’m sorry about what I do to Altaire. ^^; It must be done.

Jessica: I’m looking forward to the rest of high school with you! You’re one of my more opinionated friends, stay the way you are, no one can take away your fiery will! Hehe!

Tao Prophesy: Yin’s Quest

Yang’s Priest has failed,

As fate has predicted.

Superiority to the victorious God.

The world is threatened by

Sorcerers, dark magic users,

One which shall lead us to death.

Pray for our savior,

High Priestess Yin shall come,

Or we shall be doomed to

Everlasting sleep.

Wish for your choices,

Be careful in your decision,

Decisions are followed by consequences.

Hold your head up high,

Make your choice,

To search or to fight,

Don’t look back,

Or you’ll see the err of your way.

~High Oracle, first order Yin,

Aztenila De Tao

Marium Tomo sat on the crunchy, stiff plastic seats that she remembered since she was little. Every bus had these seats. And every day she'd sit on them long enough for the bus to reach her house on Griffen Street. Life was repetitive... and boring. The only thing worse than the school year was the vacation she got from school every summer.

As she gazed out the bus window, she sighed. It was officially summer vacation. Nothing but cool lemonade, reruns on television, and video games she'd already beaten five times over for the rest of the summer...

But the other side of her, the wild, childish side that still held wishes and dreams close to her heart, swore that this summer would be one she would not forget.

Far away, another person sat quietly, peering up at the night sky with an anxious look on his face. The stars were shimmering, tauntingly, as if they had some deep, lustrous, cosmic secret that they refused to reveal. Their light reflected back sparks from within the windows of his soul. Could he even hope to wish?

Slowly, he turned his gaze from the sparks that danced across heaven’s painting, and back to a rather large scroll that lay unrolled on his lap. Noitanimul. A small ball of light erupted in the air above his head, shining dimly down on the parchment so he could study its contents once more. The print was swirly and decorative, and the actual words were spelled out in the oldest language, long forgotten by even the eldest race on Pallas. What was in this document, titled “The Tao Prophesies”, written by the High Oracles of the Two Deities, had to be passed down by word of mouth.

Luckily, for this young man, he knew the one man that had memorized every verse and canticle from the prophecies. He too had been forced, at a very young age might I add, to memorize the tales in that old, battered scroll. At times, it appeared useless, the one they were waiting for would never come, or so it seemed. And all the while, as her followers and worshippers waited with baited breath for her to fall from the sky, they were oblivious to the reality of life on Pallas now.

The Jinjus were about to make their move. It was all too obvious to Altaire and his remaining warriors as they watched from their hide-away deep within the Forest of Magic.

With a silent sigh that heaved his cloak covered shoulders, the mute priest made the light disappear, returning to his star-gazing. Never too late to wish, I suppose.