People were talking, they were talking about 'her'. It was the first day of classes for the new year and although some of the gossip was good, she tuned it out by placing her headphones on her ears and turn up her music. Bell rang and everyone made there way to their first classes. Not surprisingly the teen followed only a few minutes later. Classroom goes quiet as she enters, and a small smile graces the ruby red lips of the silver haired girl as she calmly makes her way to the back of the classroom. sitting down she takes out her books and waits for everyone to get back to the front of the room where some teacher would drone on and on about how this year was important and that no homework will be handed in after the due date, stuff like that. The classroom remains quiet as teal green eyes look up and find herself face to face with a new professor who looked a little miffed. "First day of classes and you are already late miss...Albatou" the irate teacher says between clenched teeth. Teal eyes narrow as the class waits on bated breathe for what they were sure to be a defining moment in the room, no one ever challenged Tajay Albatou and got away with it, not even the teachers.

"I'm sorry I got a little sidetracked with some old friends" Tajay replied with a small smirk and a monotone voice. The teacher merely turned and stormed up to the front of the room. Whispers followed her up to the front many saying that she was lucky, or that someone did something to Tajay over the summer causing her to become so tame and nice. Tajay smirked and then chuckled softly, "The fools they had no idea what she had up her sleeve, no one did'' she thought and began to take notes.

Lunch Period

Teal green eyes gazed out onto the school grounds from Tajay's perch on the school roof. No one dared come up there except for those deemed worthy enough to be her friends. "Taj you are so not going to believe what they are saying" came the voice of a bubbly blue haired girl as she raced onto the roof.

"Oh really Blaze, do enlighten me" came the cold drawling reply.

"You know what there saying about you this time, their saying you've gone soft" Blaze replied and stopped to catch her reaction to the news. What took her by surprise was the smile and laughter that came from the silver haired girl. "Ha ha ha so they think That I've gone soft, well we'll just see about that" Tajay replied and shut her eyes, the flick and click of the lighter in her hand the only indication of the fact that the silver haired girl was deep in thought. After what seemed like a hour teal green eyes opened slowly and a sadistic smile tugged at the edges of her mouth. Getting up she grabbed her book bag and headed down the steps back into the school. Blaze was nervous but she knew better than to try and find out what her best friend had planned. Tajay on the other hand knew exactly what she was going to do.

After School

Tajay raced out to the parking lot followed quickly by her best friend Blaze and Blaze's kid brother Setto. Stopping beside a black mustang convertible Tajay dumped her bag and binders in the back, smiling she turned around and waited as Blaze opened the door to her Camaro which surprising to most was baby blue. "so are we heading to the warehouse or are we heading our separate ways" Blaze asked and waited for Tajay to answer. smiling Tajay looked around a moment and started to play with her lighter again. Just as she was about to speak Tajay's cell phone rang and with a sigh she picked it up. "What, ya sure whatever uh huh, fine" hanging up she re pocketed the phone and smirked. "I'll meet you at the warehouse later, mom wants me home right away for some reason" she said and hopped into the car starting it up her teal eyes rested on her best friend for a moment and with a squeal of tires the black (2005) mustang took off.

Pulling up to the mansion that Tajay called home, she took notice of the fact that there were several men lounging on the front steps, smirking she stepped out of her car and grabbed her bag heading for the house. Reaching the door she felt a pair of strong arms encircle her waist and she turned her teal eyes blazing with undeniable anger, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed and the arms released her as the man stepped back and bowed before her "My forgiveness my lady, I forgot my place" the brown haired man stammered and cringed as if her expected to be slapped or something. A pale silver eyebrow raised and Tajay stood there amidst the snickering of the other men on the lawn. Turning around she entered the house and slipped her sneakers off, racing down the end of the hall way she raced to her bedroom and dumped her pack on the red silk sheets on her bed. Then turning she raced to her closet and took out a pair of low rider tight black jeans and a tight red shirt that only came to her mid stomach, her silver hair fell softly onto her shoulders and she raced out of her room, and down the stairs. "Mom I'm home What ch'ew want" she said as she walked into the kitchen grabbing a piece of fruit and having a seat at the table. "I'm in the back" came the faint reply and Tajay got up and headed out the back door grabbing her other pair of black sneakers. She stopped short when she got out there, because on the lawn were the same group of guys from the front, as well as her mother who was talking to a pale green haired man in a cloak. All turned as the back door slid shut and Tajay's teal green eyes narrowed as she took another bite of the apple.

"Oh good you're here Taj, I was wondering if you had gotten home yet." Amber sighed in relief at the sight of her daughter eyes narrowed suspiciously at everyone.

"What's going on mom?" came the cold drawling reply and everyone except Amber shivered.

"Well I would like you to meet the Dragon slayers and your father." came the meek reply.

Tajay sweat dropped and looked around, the men were all standing straight, and expressionless before her, shrugging her shoulders as if she didn't have a care in the world, Tajay stepped forward and looked around a bit, "So where is the infamous Albatou who has the privilege of being called my father?" she asked and jumped as an equally cold voice sounded from behind her. "Right here little wench" Tajay turned around and came face to face with a mirror image of herself except with blood red eyes. "Eep" she squeaked and backed away, showing real fear for the first time.

"Well we finally meet, A pity it has to be 16 years after the fact" said the red eyed man and Tajay merely shook her head, "Wow a babe" was all she managed to get out before she went into a dead faint falling onto the lawn.

(Chapter 2)

Teal green eyes opened slowly and a small groan escaped her lips. Opening her eyes completely she found herself staring into the garnet eyes of the man she had been startled by. Sitting up Tajay looked around and noticed that they were still on the lawn. "What the fluff" she managed to murmur before she was pulled to her feet by the strong arms of the man above her. She looked at him again and noticed a very familiar smirk on his face, it was one that was identical to hers when she was amused or holding back something sarcastic. "Tajay this is you're father Dilandau Albatou general of Zaibach and leader of the Dragon Slayers." Amber said tensely and waited, for she knew what Tajay was capable of when she got angry, or confused or just plain scared, after all it was exactly the same reaction that Dilandau has when any of those emotions actually show across his face. Tajay stepped back out of his reach and dug into her pocket bringing out her lighter, again she began to play with it while she chewed her bottom lip. Tajay sighed finally and looked up her teal green eyes as hard as Ice, "So what have you been up to all those years that mom was stuck raising me hmm?" she drawled her voice cold and monotone. To top that off she placed the exact same smirk on her face as he had, but was rewarded with a soft chuckle and a eyebrow raised at her question. Tajay repocketed the lighter and crossed her arms over her chest, and in the process revealed the dragon in flames tattoo that encircled her arm.

"Well I have to admit she not short on temper or for that matter anything else, but surely the beauty before me is not the same white haired angel that I have been fighting for all these years." He drawled and Tajay smirked again, this time a glint of mischief could be seen coming from her eyes. "Yes dear she is the same however she has grown and on top of that she has also developed some habits that are anything but angelic." Amber said with a small chuckle as she came up and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Tajay couldn't help it she burst out laughing and after some time of trying to compose herself she finally managed it, then she asked the one question that had bothered her for some time. "So are you here to stay or are you merely here as a formality before you go and fight some more stupid wars?" she asked casually and just barely avoided being hit by something, she turned and noticed that it was Dilandau, he had moved quickly but not quick enough to catch her. "Wars are not stupid and yes this is only a visit at the moment, you think because you have never fought in a war that they are a waste of time, which is not true we fight to keep the peace. You would never understand" he said with a voice akin to thunder. Tajay stood up strait her eyes flashing with anger. "You know nothing about me, I've seen what a war can do, I've had my friends and family die, I know more about war then you ever will sir" She snapped out. To an observer the looks on there faces would probably scare you to death because well it took everything the Slayers had to keep from cowering.

Amber steeped up and into the middle, "Enough out of both of you, this is pointless neither of you will win" she snarled and everyone looked in surprise, they hadn't thought her capable of doing that ever. Tajay's phone rang suddenly and without thinking she picked it up. "What, No everything's cool, ya I'm coming soon, WHAT? no I'm on my way, no they will pay, they tried taking out our turf, yes go ahead but don't let it get started without me. yep whatever, Albatou out." she said and hung up, "got to run mom Taylor's cruising the area again probably looking for a place to take ground" Tajay said and ran back into the house. She raced into her room and grabbed her black military boots and her black trench coat. Then she dove under her bed and came up with two 9mm.'s and extra slips, strapping them to the belt she was wearing she turned and moved out of her room while fastening her hair into a braid. Her eyes were cold and she didn't look to happy. Coming out of the house she found everyone on the front lawn, and mom was leaning casually against her car. "Mom I got to go now" she said and Amber gave a swift nod and a quick kiss on the forehead. "Good luck" she whispered and just as Tajay was getting into the car she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist again. "Let go" she hissed and as the arms loosened she turned coming face to face with Dilandau. "Be careful, If you need any help let me know" he said and gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead. Tajay paused and gave one of her quick genuine smiles before jumping in her mustang peeling out of the drive at top speed and heading towards the warehouse.