Chapter One:

The stars twinkled and winked in and out of existence as I watched them through the lone telescope I had set up in the park. I was bent over both looking through and writing down astronomy notes when a rustle in the bushes caught my attention. I treaded as softly as I could on the freshly mowed grass, my tome levitating towards me and into my left hand still levitating in place flipping to a particular page as my eyes began to glow a bright pink color, I shifted all my weight into a big gust of wind trying to take whatever was hiding by surprise. I saw a flash of white for a moment as it slid quickly passed and stopped probably a football field away; fleeing on four legs quickly.

'Did I just fling a dog across the park essentially?' I thought mildly, my brow furrowed and I shook my head to laugh, 'I have got to be less jumpy.'

My name is Fawn Lupine and I'm what they would call a human monster; also known as a mage. I direct my power straight from an ancient tome passed down from my family line for centuries. Most normal people avoid eye contact with me, but mages have always been looked down upon for being different for centuries, even if our ancestors helped keep this land safe for years. Not many mages were left in the world but the ones that were alive ran an elite school in a quieter part of town to train magi's in training.

I stood only four feet six inches, terribly small for my age I was regularly informed, and I had turned nineteen only a month ago. My hair was always up either in a pony-tail or a bun; strands of light ginger hair inevitably seemed to fall into my face that would work its way out of the hair tie. I had very fair skin, with freckles fanned out across my face, but my eyes were what gave me away as a mage. My eyes were a champagne pink color; and whenever I was using magick my eyes themselves became caged in a deep burning pink fire as well my right hand bursting into the same pink fire. I always wore a simple light pink cloak with the hood normally pulled up that fell to my feet and draped over my clothes; but it didn't close so that my hands were free if I needed to ever defend myself. I always carried my tome, a white well-worn ancient leather book, with dozens of spells I have familiarized myself well with. I only needed to think of a spell, make the page turn, and command it to life to materialize the spell.

I strode quickly back over to my telescope, bending down into my bag as Carbunkle came bounding back to me, turning its head side to side for a moment as if to ask me why I attacked the bushes. I couldn't help but laugh, patting its head and scratching it between its raised ears, making it hum mystically. Carbunkle looked like a cross between a fox in the face, the tail and the body, with the ears of a jackrabbit; but he glowed a pink magick aura. He was mostly used as a weapon by most tome magi's but for me he was more of a companion. Carbunkle could defend me fearlessly, because that's what his purpose was, but he enjoyed being by my side more than anything. I had even fashioned a collar and leash for him; since he seemed adamant about sticking by my side once he had imprinted onto me.

"Carby," I pulled out some of my almonds I had brought as a snack and let him chew them thoroughly before speaking again, "You've got to stick close to me, okay? I'm in unfamiliar territory and this research is important." Carbunkle nodded to me, his ears flopping comically, and took his perch inside my hood as I lifted it down.

I looked through the scope again, clipping the tome to my belt underneath my cloak, finishing the last of my notes. I mumbled a few formulas out loud trying to piece together the last of what I had found. I absentmindedly took my glasses off and wiped the on the handkerchief I had in my pocket to clean them. I closed my notebook with vigor, taking apart the telescope back to its easier travel size variance, and loaded my bag back up. Carbunkle flopped out of my hood as he understood it was time to go; waiting patiently for me to produce my leash for him.

Walking through the huge city had its advantages and its obvious downsides. Since the monsters had begun to pour out of the mountain years ago, no one paid very much attention to magi's, but they still took longer looks than they would a normal person. It was something even I couldn't get used to. The streets were more crowded up ahead, I tenderly picked up Carbunkle and cradled them so I wouldn't lose them, trying to pass through a group of people huddled together. There seemed to be more commotion than normal; making Carbunkle's head swivel around to assess the noise.

Once I got to the front of the wall of people I saw a short skeleton monster, he was a bit taller than I, with a very bored expression on his face. I ran my eyes over to the human standing entirely too close to him. His posture screamed angry, his fist balled up at his sides, he appeared to be aggressively telling this monster he had no business on the street. I grew curious and watched them intently expecting them to break out into a fight; but instead of that the skeleton just shrugged and winked at him before he spoke in a very deep tone, "I don't see your name on the street, buddy. Wasn't aware you owned it."

There was a collective murmur from the group and I couldn't help but snicker at his comeback. I'm guessing he noticed because once I looked back up he winked at me with a toothy grin. He wasn't able to focus on that for too long, the man grew even more livid it seemed at the smart comeback from the monster, and pushed him aggressively. At this point, I had seen entirely enough, and decided to step in myself.

I let Carbunkle off his leash, taking out my tome as it levitated on my left hand, my hand glowing a bright pink as the same glow encompassed the man and picked him off the ground. When he realized he was no longer planted on the ground he screamed for help. I stepped confidently into the ring, as I did he floated higher and higher, Carbunkle in a defensive stance.

"What do you think you're doing," I called out to the man, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size? All of you." I sat him down with a thud and felt my eyes burn a bright pink and my hood fall. I stood in a defensive stance in front of the skeleton who was still on the ground from being pushed; daring anyone to try me. It wasn't too long before the crowd seemed to disperse in search for easier prey. I offered my hand to the monster, which he took without hesitation, his grin would have been ear to ear if he had any. "I'm sorry they were bothering you. They say those with no minds tend to create a hive mind mentality. Were you hurt?"

The skeleton shook his head dismissively and I gave a look to make sure. He was pretty big boned for a skeleton, but I guess monsters came in all shaped and sizes, and his posture was very lax. He wore a bright blue jacket with fur on the hood, gym shorts that contradicted his jacket, and a pair of matching blue fuzzy slippers. I stifled a chuckle and thrusted my hand out, "I'm Fawn," and I felt Carbunkle climbing my cape to rest in my hood adding, "And this is my familiar Carbunkle. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He held out his hand and grabbed mine to shake when I felt a slight shock and heard a loud ringing noise; as I pulled my hand back quickly as I realized what had just happened. It was a shock toy, I almost pulled back out my tome and blew this creature away over a shock toy, with that realization I burst into laughing fits so hard I doubled over.

Once my laughing fit stopped, the skeleton chuckled a bit and spoke, "You should have seen your face. It was priceless. That was some shocking revelation, eh?" I choked back another laugh at his joke and he added, "Anyways, I'm Sans. Sans the skeleton. You're not really human though, are you?"

"I'm not," I held out my levitating tome and spun it around watching it thoughtfully, "I'm a magi in training." The book closed with solidarity before I slid it back into its clip with a smile, "I'm sure you don't see many of us. We aren't exactly welcome in normal company either. I've never seen a monster before, though. Would you mind if I accompanied you?"

"Tibia-honest I'd be insulted if you didn't." Sans turned to walk down the street and I picked up the pace while I giggled at his pun.

As we walked passed many shops without being bothered, I felt Carbunkle humming which was his way of showing he was pleased, taking in the city sights with wide eyes. The skeleton pointed to one of the street signs and motioned for me to follow him. He explained we weren't far away from his home and we were more than welcome to stay to have dinner with his brother and himself. I smiled and nodded agreeing that that sounded wonderful before admitting I hadn't had a home cooked meal in some time.

"Be prepared for some mediocre pasta then," He chuckled lightly and I tilted my head curiously, "My brothers kind of intense, by the way, but he wouldn't hurt a fly. He's a big tall baby bones."

"I'll keep that in mind," I noticed he had a tendency to slouch when he walked and I began to feel a sense of uneasiness about the way he acted. Like he was in a constant state of strain. I had a tendency to read people easy, "Mind if I ask you something?"

"You just did." He winked at me and I playfully pushed his shoulder for him to add, "Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Are you… okay?" The question made him come to a full stop. His whole body tensed, and I mentally kicked myself for making him uncomfortable, the air around us growing thick it seemed. I could feel Carby's velvet fur bristle and took two fingers to his nose; the command to stay put where he was. The skeleton turned around rather quickly and then he was gone. I scanned the area cautiously, my stance turning defensive, but I didn't feel Sans was trying to threaten me. "I didn't mean to come off rude. I just felt like you were upset and figured you would want someone to talk to…" I trailed off; noticing I was talking to literally no one. The skeleton had disappeared. With a defeated sigh I turned to walk back to the academy, putting Carbunkle down back onto his leash and pulled my hood to my cloak back up, with plenty to think about on the walk back.

I felt an apprehensive feeling, shrugging it off to continue my long trek back to the dormitory, chalking the feeling from having an eventful day.