BEHOLD! THE PREQUEL TO THE INFAMOUS 'GROWTH SPURT'! TREMBLE IN FEAR!

…WHY IS THE CAPS NOT SWITCHING OFF?

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because I have a death wish, apparently, I am going to be putting up three new stories today. But I will update only ONE. I'm going to have a poll on my profile and I want people to vote on which one I'll work on. I'll continue the other two eventually, the second place one I'll keep updating after I finish one story I already have going. I have writer's block for everyone else so I figured this would be enough stress/excitement for me. If you like my stories please read the other two I just put up and then vote for the one I should continue..or if this is the only one that interests you, please just vote for it. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. (Hey, how come it worked for THAT? O.o)

Growing Pains

The factory on the outskirts of the city was dark. It was a large, abandoned, cryptic and creaking old building that still smelled of rust and fuel; the only remaining signs of life were the rats that scurried in and out of the place and the faded yellow tape that stretched across the doors reading: do not enter. Yes, it was an old, creepy and dangerous place; a place that mothers would warn their children not to go near, a place that the sane would avoid.

Teenagers, of course, did not fall under that category.

"I'm telling you, Kratos, I bet there's tons of awesome stuff in there!!!"

Yuan Ka-Fai, a half-elven boy of about sixteen years, was notorious for getting in trouble. Being a half-elf, he wasn't permitted to go to normal schools and truth be told most of his knowledge was obtained on the street. His pick-pocketing was infamous in the richer quarters, and his portrait hung in many police stations. So how it was this delinquent had managed to befriend the heir to the Aurion House of Knights, the son of the great and noble Lady Mira, was a mystery to many. Sure, Kratos was always the black sheep of the Aurion clan because of his status as- well, a bastard, but they assumed he was respectable enough not to associate with such scum.

Joke's on them.

"You sure Martel wouldn't kill us for checking it out?" the elder by one year asked as he jumped down the other side of the fence with his companion, adjusting his purple jacket.

"Oh it'll be fiiiiiineee," the half-elf grinned, putting an arm around the human's shoulders, "whatsa matter? Scared your mom will find out?"

"Aren't you?" Kratos answered simply, unable to hide the fearful expression on his face.

"…Well, yeah, but you're the one that has to live with her," he smirked before shuffling in his vest for something, "I know I've got it- ah-hah!"

He pulled out a knife he carried with him, grinning as he approached the factory building.

"Yuan, even if we do want to go in, how are you going to get the doors open with just that?" Kratos scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest in a huff of skepticism.

"Kratos, my dear human friend," Yuan shook his head as he examined the door, "you underestimate my awesome skills."

"Awesome skills my ass," Kratos rolled his eyes, "just like your 'awesome skills' when you tried to peek in Martel's shower?"

"Hey! That was- You promised you'd forget about that!!!"

"Woops," Kratos smirked, "now seriously, we can't get i-"

There was a loud metallic clang as the door fell open, dust billowing onto Yuan's already dirty and patched rags of clothing. Kratos gaped at hisfriend like an idiot before Yuan smirked and did a little mock bow.

"After you, Sir Aurion," he grinned.

"Shut up, coffee," Kratos glared as he walked forward.

"It's Ka-Fai! We've been over this!!"

Inside was, as stated, dark. Dark and creepy and nothing sensible people would go into. Still, they were teenage boys, not 'sensible people' and they went in. Why they went in, they really had no reason. They were bored; bored and rebellious against anything that was told to them was off-limits. That and curiosity was certainly a factor.

"They say there are weird noises here at time to time," Yuan smirked at Kratos as he nervously glanced around, "it's like a cat yowling, they say, except like a really big, demented kind of cat."

"Yeah, Yuan, because there's a giant cat in here wanting to curse us," Kratos rolled his eyes.

"Well you never now!"

"I swear, Yuan, you think up the dumbest-"

It was then that the weak, rust-worn pipe they had been walking on snapped under their weight and Kratos- who had been in front of Yuan- ended up falling into the darkness below.

"HOLY SH-!" he cried as he fell.

"Oh cr-! KRATOS!" Yuan called down, trying to back up enough so he wouldn't fall but trying to see as well. "Oh man-! Mira's gonna kill me! KRATOS!HEY! KRATOS!!!!"

The young human groaned as he sat up on the cold steel floor, rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to stop its throbbing.

"Aw man…what the-? Damn it, Yuan!" he called to nothing. "You have to jinx everything, don't you?! Mad half-elf…"

With a groan he climbed to his feet, wondering how he had survived the fall. He was down really deep…he didn't know they built it this far underground. Great. Just great. If he ever got out of here alive, he'd be late for dinner for sure and his mom would kill him herself. Kratos sighed as he looked around once more, finding nothing but darkness.

"Creepy…" he trailed, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

Slowly his hand crept around the sword he kept at his waist. After all, he was expected to become a knight as all males in his family did, so a sword was a mandatory object to carry on his person at all times… even if most of his 'all times' consisted of hanging out with a half-elven thief, but who really cared?

"Where the hell is the exit-?" he started to look around.

Hello young one.

Kratos yelped loudly, turning and unsheathing his steel sword in one swift motion. That voice- wasn't HUMAN. Definitely not. He looked around frantically, seeing only darkness-

And eyes. Yeah, giant red glowing eyes with no pupils. What a wonderful way to kick off a weekend.

"What in the name of mana-?!" he cried, taking a stance.

A swordsman, hm?

Behind the eyes he could've sworn he heard slithering, twisting, movement; but he didn't choose to focus too much on what was BEHIND it.

Tell me, child, do you assume yourself to be any good with that weapon?

"W- Why?" he stammered, the color faded from his face.

…How boring. You're not a fighter at all. You barely look like you can stand, shaking like that.

Now, Kratos was many things. Most of which he was called, such as: bastard, obnoxious, rude, disrespectful, and of course by girls his age, talented and good-looking. However, the most important thing was his pride.

And this thing had just cut it down.

"Excuse me?!

Do you object?

"Damn yes I object!" he shouted, tightening the grip on the hilt. "Look you- you thing! I don't give a damn what you are, no one and no THING talks to me like that!"

Prove it then.

The eyes lowered down immediately before him, and Kratos was sure he saw something moving behind it this time, like a giant snake. Kratos flinched, his sudden spark of courage beginning to leave him.

Coward.

Kratos' eyes widened.

"HYAH!"

He charged in before he realized he had moved at all, his sword going in a straight downward swipe between the creature's eyes- or that's where it WOULD'VE gone if the creature hadn't moved. Kratos turned and spotted the eyes, racing toward it and attempting to hit it, though he couldn't see anything more of his body- but it was big, so it had to be hittable.

"Eat this you s-!"

The eyes widened, Kratos finding himself locked in their gaze. He froze in his tracks, the color fading from his face as his body simply refused to move. The eyes then narrowed, a low cackle coming from the owner as it stepped out from the shadows.

"Oh g…" he barely managed to choke.

It was large, the head like that of a cat and its body like some huge python, fur covering its entire body and four legs crouched in place as the bodyit supported twisted and moved on its own accord. The boy's heart throbbed violently in his chest as the creature began to circle around him, its head and body close to the floor while it looked at him from all sides, as if deciding whether or not he should strike him down that very second. Kratos couldn't move to watch it, but he looked at it as much as he could while not moving his head, the thick, undulating body almost as hypnotizingas its eyes had been.

With the right motivation you fight well…and your eyes….

The head came before him and it looked at him with one eye out the side of its head, boring deep into Kratos' own wine eyes.

I like your eyes…they're eyes that'll pierce a soul…in time. Yes, in time, you'll be feared.

"…" Kratos tried to speak, but couldn't usher a sound, "…"

In time you'll be a warrior whose foes will dread to meet…what say you, boy?

"G…Get away from me!" he managed to shout, forcing a glare, "Get-!!"

You are able to give me such a look…heheheheheh…then that settles it.

"S- Settles wh-?"

The irises flared one more time and Kratos felt- something. His back arched suddenly, his spine straightening violently and forcing his posture upright. He grimaced and groaned as his body stiffened and he felt a shudder work its way down from his head down to his feet, his arms and legsstretching out so he felt tension in all his limbs. Just as it came, it passed, and he found himself falling onto the ground.

Good night.

His eyes closed a second afterward , the last thing he saw was a rattle of a large snake sliding into the shadows.

Like father like son, nay? n.n This is the prologue, so it's short as well, but I'll have the next one up soon. (wink)

Review if you'd like. n.n I was trying to improve on that scene with the Lestuk and I must say I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. (nod nod)