For this chapter, I'm doing only making two characters views points. I'm not sure if I'll be doing this in future chapters at this moment anytime soon. Just thought to give you guys a heads up.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

(Cori's point)

"Alright, I'm all done," I said to myself sleepily, "When I get home I'll eat then go take a nap."

It has been a long day so far, well, it did help that it's spring now. Okay, early spring, but it's quite warm since winter ended about a few weeks ago. Or at least warm enough for me to go out in my dark blue overalls, simple light brown boots, and a gold colored long sleeve shirt. I even have my absolute, favorite forest green zip-up hoodie jacket on. It's halfway open though, but it always keeps me warm. The reason this is my favorite is that it goes with my blue moonstone-like eyes and light tan skin. But I never told anyone that, it's more or less a secret I guess. I also have my long light brown hair in my signature style, which is just a ponytail with a hair tie.

Well, as I walk tiredly through the crowd with a small cart of some stuff Ma sent me to get, I let my mind wander to whats for launch. Yet I didn't forget that I have to focus on maneuvering through the crowd. It was a busy morning in the market. But that isn't really anything new. The market here tends to be like this a couple or so days a week.

It's almost noon, and I have been up for about five hours now. If only my brothers weren't busy doing their own things, then I wouldn't do this today. But Ma wouldn't let it happen anyway.

Recently, she's been having me do a lot more work and some other stuff as well. Both in and out of the farm with chores. This has been happening since she found out that I might have a good chance of getting into a wizard's school. But not just any school, oh no, it's Ravenwood. The best magic school that in existence(!), as far as I'm concerned. Not just that, but she caught me packing in the middle of the night a couple of times. So this could be a form of punishment, I guess.

Well, at least I have the stuff Ma wants. And I had bought a little something for myself with the extra money that I have.

What I got was a new collar for Luna for when I take her to school with me. She is a little silver dragon. We had her for as long as I can remember. Shes really sweet, yet shes also really protective of me. You know how a wild animal becomes really protective of it kits. Well, that's how Luna is with me. But it's odd when shes even more protective of me when I'm home (alone or not) with Ma. Its wried that your overprotective dragon acts as though your own mother might attack you? Because I'm just hoping that in the past she just threaten her or something. The reason why I'm hoping that is because she's my Ma, and she only wants whats best for me, right?

I don't want to think about that stuff. She's family, how could I think of anything like that about her.

Anyway, I have the collar in my pocket; I didn't want to risk someone telling my folks about it. I know Pop wouldn't mind me doing that. It's Ma that I'm scared of when it comes to this. Ma is more against me going there than the others. If you take me out of the number that voted against her, it would've been four against one.

Pop and my three brothers (all of who are older than me and two of them went to the same school) voted that I should go and I love them all for it. I especially love Jack and Nick. The reason why (quite possibly) love them the most is that they're helping me pack for what I need and what I don't need for school. Not to mention to help me hide it from Ma without her knowing where the packed bags and luggage are. She would unpack everything and hide some items that I might need the most.

I wonder when I'll get my acceptance letter. I have been waiting for about a three months. Even Nick says that it would've come in by now. Well, whenever it may come, I'm all ready to go the very day or so to leave. I will even sneak out of the house with my brothers' help if Ma tries to forbid me to go.

It's weird though; Ma never acted like this when Jack and Nick went. Maybe it's just that I'm the only girl, or because I'm the youngest? Or perhaps both? As far as anybody can tell me is 'I don't know,' or 'no clue,' or even 'your guess is as good as mine.' As far as I know, it's anybody's guess. Because Ma won't tell anybody or even give a reason as to why I shouldn't go.

Well, it won't matter after I leave. Along with some of the things that I will be glad to get away from here.

"Hey, look! It's, Cari."

Speaking of 'things'... here they come. The bully pack has appeared, and I was only about 20 more minutes to go on the walk home (I had almost gotten to the edge of town).

The person who spoke and called me something other than my actual name (again, for the billionth time), her name is Ember GoldGem. She has shoulder long firey curly brown hair, pale skin, and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a red long sleeve dress with yellow trim that goes to her knees, black leggings, thick red coat and black winter boots.

She has this 'pack of bullies' that I like to call them. A few times in the past I said that out loud, and they try to correct me that they're more like 'wolves.' That, and they decided that I should learn that through a game of, 'Cori in the middle.' You play it the same way you would 'monkey in the middle.' The only difference is instead of a ball; you push around a girl named Cori, aka, me. And theirs no one trying to catch me, they trap me in a circle and keep shoving me repeatedly. Plus there's no time limit, only till they get bored or before they get caught and get in trouble.

The reason why I call them that (that as in 'pack of bullies' or even 'bully pack'), is because they like to pick on me and force me to do their work for them. Along with other things like making fun of my name by calling me 'Cari,' 'Carey,' 'Coney,' stuff like that. And if it's not my first name, it's my last name. My last name is DragonSong, so there isn't much they can do there, though. But they tend to call me a 'simple farm girl' or 'dragon breath,' that's when I wish they could go away.

Sadly, only part of that wish came true. Since last spring Ember has been going to a magic boarding school. I didn't care where it was; I was happy that a member of the 'bully pack' was gone the majority of the time. No matter how many times I said that or get in trouble because of it, it will always be true. I won't even try to feel sorry for it either, I meant it, and that's how I feel. She has always been a bully to me, why should I apologize.

I didn't bother to look at them, none the lone stop as I said, "It's Cori." They always bully or bug me when they have a chance. But they do it more often when Luna isn't with me. The reason why is because they're scared of her and she's mine overprotective small dragon companion. And, sadly, Ma wanted Luna to stay home as I'm doing errands. Which equals to, this encounters is not going end well for me.

As I kept walking, I was forced to a stop because one of them ran ahead of me and blocked my path. He had short reddish-brown hair (more on the brown side, though), dark green eyes, and pale skin. What wasn't surprising is that he was wearing similar clothes to Ember. The same colorations, but he had a red shirt, black pants, and a black jacket. Everything else was the same as Ember's. Those two coordinate with that stuff on a regular basis. Not only that, but they both have pretty much the same personality. That's not a good thing in my opinion since it's the troublemaking kind.

"Hey, whats wrong? We just wanted to say, 'hi.'" That was Ember's top 'sidekick' and cousin, Eric SickleStone. He lives with Ember because his parents are so busy, they couldn't take care of him. So they sent him over to this part of Spiral to his aunt and uncle eleven years ago (he, Ember, and I were three years old then).

I raised my hand to pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. I don't want to deal with them today, just like every day before. Including when I'm tired like now, "Listen, I'm not in the mood for this right now. So can we do this another day, please?" I lowered my hand and looked up at Eric, to show that I mean this, "I know there are better things to do than to bother me today. Like for instance, well, say, anything." I did a hand jester to emphasizes my point on it.

He raised his hand to his chin to look like he was thinking about it, as he said, "That's true. But..." He looked back at me with a mischievous grin on his face as he says, "We figure to be nice today and help."

I didn't believe it for a second, especially not with that look on his face. "Thanks but, no thanks, I'm good."

Ember appeared by her cousin's side, with a similar look on her face, said, "But we insist. Let us 'move' that, shall we?"

The thing I knew, the ground was shaking, and there were cracks in the beginning to form. Then out of nowhere, a giant beetle appeared and was running towards the cart. I moved out of its way so I wouldn't get hurt by it. I landed on the ground face first and covered my head. But that didn't stop me from seeing the beetle smashing into the cart and sending it into the air. The beetle disappeared, and I can hear the cart landing somewhere far away.

Once I got up, I looked straight at them and shouted, "What was that for! Someone could've gotten hurt!"

They were laughing, all but the other two who were in their group were. Ember replied in her usual smug way, "Why not? And do I need a reason? Where the fun in that?"

"And besides," Eric said, "I wanted to this before I leave this dump and go back to school with Ember."

'What?' I thought to myself, 'What is he talking about?'

He saw how I reacted and said mockingly, "Oh, I guess you haven't heard. I'm going to the same school with Eber and going to become a wizard like her."

That's when they made their exit, at least not before Eric said, "See ya around, No-ie."

I couldn't react. They had left me frozen there. How could the two, of the worst people I know, could go to a wizards' school?

And not me.

I didn't know how long I stood there; the time had seemed to stop. But I had finally snapped out of it, and the first thought was to get the cart.

Or, at least whats left of it.

(Christopher's point)

(about nine minutes earlier)

"Man, Christ, I thought that was going to be it."

"I know what you mean," I said, disappointed and tiredly, to Matt. He was wearing his white shirt that stands out from his darkly tanned skin. He had dark jeans that were held up by his black, silver studded belt with a leather jacket and matching boots. He had his hands in his black curl like messy hair, while his dark-honey colored eyes look up into the forest canopy as we walk.

I, on the other hand, had my hands in my blue jean pockets with my eyes closed. I have pale skin, short blond hair, and brown eyes with blue around the pupils. I had a light green long sleeve shirt on with a brown jacket that has gold trim and a matching set of boots. Even though I don't really like this jacket all that much (I would rather go for green colors, really), it was the warmest jacket I have.

We had just come from a farmhouse that the people in town said it was where Cori DragonSong lives. The reason why is because we were sent by the headmaster from Ravenwood to pick the person up. We were told that Cori was supposed to have started school last month. So he was worried if something had happened. And so he sent Matt and me to a town that is based on farming and gem mining in the more countryside part of the Spiral.

But wouldn't you know it, after asking around town for about three hours, for directions on how to get there, when we finally found (or, what we were told and hoped) was the place we have been looking for.

And couldn't you believe it? We were told by a lady who lives there that they got the wrong house!

Now we're walking back to town and try to see if we can start back up in the search after we get something to eat.

Matt looked at me, then said, "Dude, did you get much sleep last night? Because you look exhausted."

"Ya, I guess," I can't believe how tired I am this morning. Maybe it was because I was busy most of this week. And, possibly because I had a positively annoying admirer back at school that is getting on my last nerve.

"Was it the fire chick again?" Did he have to ask? I looked at him to convey that message with my eyes. As if confirming it he said with a sympathetic look, "oh... that's some rough luck you have there."

I couldn't hold in the annoyance when I said, "You telling me that? No offense but, it's as obvious as Barkly growing legs and walking around."

Matt looked back up at the sky and said, "True." Then a couple of moments later he shouts, "INCOMING!"

I didn't have time to react before Matt tackled me to the ground and my side. After Matt climbed off of me, I said, "Hey! What was that for?!"

Matt looked at me with his thumb pointing to where we were just standing said, "Well if I didn't do that, you have been crushed."

I turned my head to look and saw a small upside cart that has items spilled and scattered everywhere. In my slight shock that a wooden cart almost landed on us, I said, "Huh, that's new." After Matt pulled me up I added, "I never had that happened with a cart before. Rocks, tree limbs, spells, amongst other things, yes. But never a cart."

Matt can see the humor I tried to use to lighten the mood of what had just happened. He smirked, and his only response to it was, "I know what you mean. That this is surely a new one for me, too."

After a few moments of silence, I said, "Well," I walked over to the cart, "let's get this cleaned up, while we're here."

Matt shrugged as if saying, 'why not?' and joined in.

We had just rightened the cart back up and started to pick up a couple of items when we heard someone say, "Hey!"

Both Matt and I looked to see who it was. It was a girl about their age with light tan skin, brown hair, dark blue overalls, gold shirt, and a green zip-up hoodie. She ran up to us and asked, "Are you both okay? Did either of you get hurt?"

That was when I notice her eyes. They were a shade of blue is one I had never seen in someone's eyes before. They were a darkish light blue color that reminds me of stones or gems. I never thought anyone could have eyes like that ever. And I know Matt noticed them, too. He always had a thing for stones, gems, and stuff like that.

Matt was closer to her then I was and answers her with a reassuring smile, "Were alright, It'll take than that to get us." Then he asks her a question of his own, "By any chance, do you know who's cart this is?"

She gave a sheepish (which I can see a small blush on her cheeks) looked at the both of us before she said, "Actually, the cart is mine, and I can explain."

The both of us agreed, and we heard of how it happened. It turned out that a couple of bullies was making trouble for her, one of them was a wizard-in-training and used a spell that summoned a beetle, which rammed the cart. And the rest was already known by Matt and me.

Yet, for some reason, I feel like I know who that kid was. And I think that bugs me even more than the part that they didn't care for others safety. Or the fact that the other bully (the one that didn't use the spell) is going to be a wizard, too.

I couldn't help but comment on it after she was finished, by saying, "Man, I think you should be more concerned about your self then us. Did you get hurt?"

She put in the last item that was on the ground in the cart (that definitely shows some damage from the encounter) shrugs as if it's nothing new. She turned her head to look at us as she said, "I feel fine, I'm used to them picking on me. But I'll feel better to know if you two were alright."

That saddens me a bit to know that this is somewhat normal for her. But I gave a small smile as I said, "We're fine, truly, we are." Then an idea comes to mind, "But we were wondering if you could help us? Or even just give us some directions, maybe?"

She gave a pause as if thinking it over. Which got me a bit nerves, 'What was I thinking,' I thought to myself, 'but, oh well, it's a worth a shot anyway.'

It didn't take long for her to decide because a moment later she says, "Sure, why not. Besides, I did cause you guys some trouble, and you both did help me out. It's fair right?"

'Wow, she is really nice.' Is what I'm sure is what Matt and I were both thinking the same thing. If not, it's what I surely am right now.

Of course, Matt would like to verify on it when he said, "You sure?"

She replied happily to him, "Sure I'm sure. so what do you guys need help with?"

I choose to answer her this time, "We're looking for a girl-"

"Or a boy," Matt interrupted me.

I ignored him and continued, "-named Cori DragonSong. We were sent here to pick her up because she was meant to arrive at Raven wood last month. Do you know her?"

I was expecting her to show some recognition or something. But what I saw was her face became bright and brighter with each word. After I was finished, she looked so happy and excited that I think all of us (her including) was about to explode. Then she shouted delightedly, "'Do I know her?!' I am her!"

Now that explains a lot. "What really? You honestly mean it?" Matt asks happily to her. By my guess, it's because that means we get to go back sooner.

Cori nodded her head so fast with a grin so big that I thought her head could've fallen off.

After she stops nodding her head, Cori was now jumping like a hyper little kid saying, "Yes! Yes! Yes! I'm going to Ravenwood!"

But I have to admit. It is a bit cute seeing her act like this. I bearly known her for an hour, yet I feel like I have known her longer than that.

Once she stopped jumping, she said, "I'm sorry, it's just. I'm just so excited that I'm going. I have always wanted to go to Ravenwood!"

I can hear a small chuckle coming from Matt. I'm sure he knows that her energy is just contagious. It's hard not to be happy right now.

"Well, if it counts," Matt began to say with a smile, and I know what he was going to say.

So I beat him to it by saying (smile and all), "Let us be the first to congratulate you. I'm Christopher SnowLeaf by the way."

Matt gave a small bow with a grin playing upon his lips and said, "And I'm Mathew BoneDew, at your service." He straightens up and says, "Though, you could call me Matt. My friends do anyway."

I guess I saw this part coming, it still surprised me. Because the next thing I knew was Cori saying, "And I'm Cori DragonSong as you already know." Out of nowhere, she lunges and grabbed the both of us in a huge hug, then says, "And it's wonderful to meet you both!"