A/N: Yay, a story! But it ain't a normal story - it's a collab between Magma Red, DunalN2, Chidori Minami, and yours truly, the eternally terrible reegreeg!

So I think you read the summary, and with that belief firmly stuck inside my head I'm not saying anything. Nobody owns FF, by the way. But we all own our respective characters and the AU's mostly mine.

- reegreeg

Terra Lark shifted uncomfortably on the balls of her moccasin-clad feet, waiting impatiently for night to fall and the last of her fellow tribespeople to go to sleep. The sun had long since gone down, but fingers of red and purple were still reaching slowly across the twilit sky and only a few weakly flickering stars were out. There would be no moon that night, which was both good and bad for the thirteen-year-old and her plans: bad because she wouldn't be able to see where she was going but good because nobody else could, either.

She considered (for the millionth time) writing a note of some sorts to her family, but what was there to write? "Dear mother and father. I'm leaving and never coming back, even though that's punishable by death. Love, your daughter Terra. PS: I'll be staying in Ceratopia. Come and visit one day!"

But she settled for hoisting her leather knapsack higher on her shoulders and giving her dog, Chuchip, a sad last scratch behind the ears before she left. She did everything she could not to cry, looking at who had been her only friend for the last few years, but a sob rose in her throat anyway. Technically, Chuchip was merely a hunting partner, but he meant so much more to her than that. Plus, the greyhound-husky-wild dog mix was super cute, and that had to count for something. At least it did in her teenage-girl mind.

And why are you so depressed? asked Chuchip. She knew it was simply a fact of life, but sometimes Terra still found it weird that the Khans could talk to animals; just like they could talk to humans.

(But only she could talk to dinosaurs.)

"Oh, Chuchip! You're awake!" she whispered, feigning surprise.

No really.

"Boo," she went on, with a mask of fake emotions still plastered on her face. "You're so boring."

Terra, I've known you for five years. Plus, you're a terrible liar. Now, tell me—what in the world is going on?

Terra sighed softly, a few small tears glistening in the corners of her leaf green eyes. "I'm running away, smarty-pants. And I can't bring you."

Why not?

"Because I'm gonna be as discreet as possible? Besides, how could I bring a hunting dog to a city like Ceratopia?"

Chuchip stood up, looked the small girl in the eye (which he was almost large enough to do without tilting his head), and said, You'll pretend I'm a normal dog, that's what. You remember all the people with dogs on strings-

"Leashes."

Leashes, strings, whatever. Point is, lots of people had a dog, and now you can pretend to be just like them. It'll be fun. Anyway, nobody else ever takes me out hunting. I'm your dog, remember? Face it, I'm coming with you.

Terra bit her lip and smiled at her hunting companion ruefully. "Fine."

Fine is correct, sister.

She crawled inside her teepee and rooted around as quietly as she could in her drawer for Chuchip's collar, favorite deerskin ball, and a pouch of dried meat strips. Her fingers brushed the cold bone of a dinosaur whistle and she turned to her dog, holding the object up. "You know," she said, "since I'm bringing you, so you think I should bring an Ankylosaurus, as well?"

How else were you planning it get to Ceratopia? By walking?

"Exactly." Terra crawled back outside and blew on the whistle lightly, her delicate ears easily catching the ultra-high-frequency chirp it emitted. Her eyes widened and she whipped her head around to see if she'd woken anyone up, but it seemed the rest of the Khans and their heightened senses had either decided it was a bird or something, or had ignored the whistle entirely.

She and Chuchip stood perfectly still for a moment, but when nothing happened, she took a risk and puffed on the whistle again, cringing upon hearing the shrill sound. A great armored dinosaur lumbered out of the forest sleepily.

What do you want? grumbled the Ankylosaurus.

"I wanna get outta here," said Terra, "and you're gonna be my ride."

Where to?

Terra took a final look around the Khan camp, at the teepees in the clearing, at the hunting grounds and the forest, and at all the animals and dinosaurs and where she knew the people who had shunned her all her life lay. Anger bubbled up inside her, mixing with the sadness and making her want to scream.

"Ceratopia," she finally told the dinosaur. "And sweetie, make it snappy."

Meanwhile...

A boy sat in a passenger car of a train, looking out the window. His long, spiky, dark grey hair was covered by a deep blue driver's cap, and he wore a light, summer coat that was grey, buttoned up to his neck and stretching down to his knees, covering all but the legs of his dark grey cargo pants and boots, which were grey as well, with black buckles on them. A duffle bag sat at his feet, backpack next to him, and suitcase stored above.

He stared out the window with a blank look on his face, the darkening sky reflecting off a lake, resulting in a breath-taking sight, but his deep, sapphire blue eyes had a hint of sadness. This was one of the few times he had ever left home, and he was unsure of how long he'd be away. The sight of his parents standing at the station, waving good-bye sat at the front of his mind.

BING!-BONG!-BING!

"Attention all passengers, we will be arriving at Ceratopia Station tomorrow morning. Please enjoy the rest of your trip."

BING!-BONG!-BING!

He blinked, then stood, putting his duffle bag and backpack above with his suitcase, then laid down on the seat he had been sitting in. It was slightly uncomfortable, due to his unusually tall height, but he'd manage.

'Red, how much longer do I have to ride like this?'

'Until we arrive at the station tomorrow...Sorry. The conductor said you had to ride in the cargo car. I asked if you wanted to shrink down and let me carry you in a second duffle bag, but remember? You said no.'

'Alright, alright. But stop being so gloomy! Ceratopia! Not everyday you get to visit a place like that!'

'Yeah, but still. I miss Mama and Papa.'

'Red, you're thirteen. It's time you spread your wings some.'

'...Alright.' He closed his eyes, the rocking of the train lulling him to sleep.

Also happening at the same time...

Wind rushed past huge, fire-patterned wings. The beautiful, mesmerizing colors on them simply accented them, and the large, bulky body didn't seem as pleasing to the eye as the dragon's wings.

A horn sat atop her snout, her large yellow eyes trained on the ground, searching for something to snack on, on her flight to... Somewhere.

Using her tailfin as a rudder, she twisted it slightly and went into a lazy glide to the left, following a train in hopes that the noise would startle some animal big enough to fill her stomach. She came up empty yet again.

Stomach still growling, she landed, claws and talons raking the grass and dirt, wings making small flaps to support her until she got her footing. She sniffed the grass for even the smallest shrew or mouse to eat... Nothing had been there since this morning.

Snorting, she left the area in search of a lake for even a small fish. She hadn't eaten a thing for three days and was willing to eat another Dinaurian if she didn't find food soon.

A lake shimmered in the moonlight. Instant food if it had fish. She dove down and snatched the first fish she could get and swallowed it whole. It felt nice to eat something again.

She soon had stuffed herself with fish and a few berries that didn't exactly agree with her, being a carnivore, but she managed. She went into a lazy glide again, staring at the passing train, calculating its destination, and headed there in front of it.

She managed to crawl under the platform that it would end up at and fell asleep silently, wings curled around herself, drifting into a deep sleep.

Earlier that day...

VROOM VROOOM!

"Alright baby, I'm trusting you ta get me from here ta there, got it?"

An answering Vrrroooom! came from the shiny silver motorcycle with the dark, blood-red accents. The girl sitting on top of it grinned, nodding once before securing her helmet on tightly. She was about nineteen years of age, with flaming hair made up of many shades of red. Her eyes, gleaming from underneath her silver and black helmet, were a murky shade of silver. She pulled her black boot cut jeans down over the tops of her tall 'cow-girl' boots, and zipped up her leather jacket over her black and gray plaid shirt. She pressed her hand to the gun holster looped around her waist, checking that the safety was on.

"Alright! Everythin' in order! Let's do it!" Revving up her motorcycle again, Adira Coleman sped out of the garage of her eldest brother and hit the road.

"There's a reason I can understand all them dinos...Some big ol' plot Imma part of. Now I just gotta sniff it out, force it inta the open. And it all starts...With Ceratopia." Adira thought as she weaved between of cars, sliding through with a few close calls. "Ugh. Stupid death traps...how can people stand ta own 'em? I can hardly stand ta be around 'em!" Someone blasted their horn at her as she cut between their car and another, and without turning around she gave them a nasty hand sign.

Also earlier that day...

Chain knife, sword, gun, sword, sword, gun, chain fire, book, gun, more chain weapons, more guns, more swords, other books, MORE swords, throwing knives, grappling hook, bows and arrows, cannon, uh...weapons.

Shouldering the pack was a boy with bright blue eyes and blonde hair cut to his ear lobes, with shaggy bangs that covered his forehead. He wore a light blue shirt tied at his side, his shoulders showing, while same color fabric covered the middle of his upper arms. He as well wore a white tank top, dark blue pants, blue belt, black boots with small belts at the top, dark blue bands covered most of his arms, and black fingerless gloves on his hands. His skin was fair and chin pointed.

Well, I have everything I need. Change of clothes, rations, canteen, and all my weapons. Time to go.

He started down the road, patting the black pouch at his hip.

Sometime that night...

"Annnd...there!" Caiden Forrester exclaimed as he tightened the last knot on his bed sheet rope. "I'll show them...Thinking they can control me..." Standing at roughly six feet, with tanned skin, shaggy black hair that hung level with his eyes in front and was shorter on the sides and back, and bright, almost neon, purple eyes, nineteen year old Caiden was by no means normal in any way.

He stood up and walked over to his window, pushing it open all the way and throwing out one end of the bed sheet rope. "Ok...I can do this...I can. I won't die...I hope..." Caiden peeked out of the window and squeaked. "Oh dear dinos...Here goes nothing!" And with that, he jumped.

"I forgot to tie the other end to something, didn't I?" THUD! "OWWWW!"

Caiden sat up, rubbing a bump on his head.

"RAWR! YOU HAVE A MESSAGE!" Letting out a sigh, he reached back and grabbed his phone out of his back pocket.

Unlocking it, he stared at the text before shifting his eyes to his sister's window, where she was leaning against the glass laughing so hard there were tears streaming down her face.

"You could have just walked out the front door, idiot. They aren't home."

The next morning...

The train jerked to a halt, Red falling off his seat to the floor.

BING!-BONG!-BING!

"Attention passengers, we have arrived at Ceratopia Station. Please exit the train in an orderly fashion, and do not forget your luggage. Have a nice day!"

BING!-BONG!-BING!

'Ow.' Red thought, standing up and stretching, then twisting sideways, making his spine crack and fell relieved. He then reached above and took down his belongings, then picking up his duffle bag and exiting the train. He walked back, coming to the cargo car, where people were gathered around. Red made his way through the crowd, repeating 'excuse me, pardon me,' until he got to what everyone was looking at: two dinosaur-like creatures. They turned white, disappearing, medals in their place. Red picked them up, pocketing them, then walking back through the crowd. Everyone watched as he walked, which was easy since he was taller than everyone.

The commotion of the train awoke the Dinaurian sleeping beneath the station platform and yawned. She instantly smelled something interesting to her. She could see it with her nose, even though her eyes were closed. Tall, grey hair, a duffle bag with a Vivosuar in it. And food. Something she could sink her teeth into.

Following the scent, she tracked the mysterious human she thought was another animal to be eaten and digested. Her forepaw snapped a twig in half, giving away her position.

Thinking fast, she attacked her prey, tackling it to the ground and fitting her jaws around its head so she could bite it off, awaiting the fresh taste of blood and meat.

Red had no idea what had attacked him and had no desire to, as he struck his fist to its throat and crashed his knee into the belly, then using his other leg to kick it off. He rolled to his stomach and grabbed his suit case, running as fast as his legs allowed. Hopefully, he would put enough distance between himself and what ever that was before it could breath properly.

Thanks to her armoured hide and throat, she basically felt nothing. But the retaliation caught her off guard and SERIOUSLY ticked her off.

She gave chase, stalking the human at a very slow pace, chasing him to a nice little edge where he could not escape.

Once there, she knocked him onto his back and snarled, placing her foot on his chest, killing claw over his throat and digging it in enough to draw just a bit of blood, just enough to choke him. Her prey was now trapped.

She licked her fangs, drooling at the thought of blood in her mouth.

WHAT DOES THIS THING WANT WITH ME?! Red shouts, pain in his neck from the claw piercing it. There was a white flash, a purple armored vivosaur next to him, swinging its tail, striking the creature off him, making it fly a few feet.

'You okay?' it asked.

'Aside from my neck, yeah...' Red tells him, sitting up, placing his hand over the prick. 'It should heal quick. Mom said I'm a fast healer.' He heard a roar, making him look back at the creature, which was running toward him, when his vivosaur blasted it with water.

She screamed as water as sprayed all over her, burning her scales. She spread her wings and folded them around her head to protect it from the lethal spray of frigid water. Once the attack seized, she charged her own attack.

Gathering heat from the city thermals around her, she overcharged her Core Fire and contained said charge, building energy. Eventually, she had too much of it and released it, literally frying everything in a large, flaming sphere that expanded outward from her Core Fire. It did nothing to her, but it instantly turned the trees and concrete walls around her to ashes.

The Vivosaur that had attacked her and kept her from her prey was weakened badly, as it had shielded its master from the full force of the attack at point blank range. She quickly turned and swatted it with her tail, striking it across the face.

Not so tough after all, little furry scorpion lizard? She taunted it, snorting out black ash and smoke. I thought the blades your protect you, but my teeth can crush you in half! So, unless you wish to be a nice little snack, I suggest you get away from my food right now, or you shall become food yourself.

She bit down on its back and flung it into a tree, making it snap instantly.

No longer having anything between her and dinner, she advanced.

"Typhoon!" Red yelled, getting mad. "ALRIGHT, what's your problem?! You just attack me out of the blue in the middle of a city for no reason, and know you've hurt Typhoon!" He threw his arms in the air. "Could you AT LEAST tell me WHY you're attacking me?!"

You are prey. Prey has only one function: To be eaten and digested as swiftly as possible.

Drooling, she spread her colorful wings to try to mesmerize her prey into coming to her. She even made the colors shift and turn, an even more dazzling display.

Prey is meant to be killed, to be burned, to be eaten. I haven't eaten a decent meal in a long while. A few measly fish and deer. That's all I ate last night. I need something other than minnows to fill my stomach, and bucks get to be tiring when you've had to resort to them for several nights...

She was almost on top of him, claws twitching in anticipation of the kill.

I'd say that even the flesh of my pure kind would do...

"..." Red stood there, slightly disturbed. "Uh...all...right then, but I'm not the food."

Opening his duffle bag, he took out a sack lunch bag filled with homemade jerky.

"This probably what you're smelling. I've already eaten half, but you can have the rest if you're really hungry."

She stared intently at the offered gift. The scent was intoxicating, but she didn't know if she really wanted it.

Eventually, she cautiously approached and sniffed. Instantly she snatched it in her teeth and swallowed it whole.

Is there more? It only just gave satisfaction to me. She glanced down at the open bag, more smells tempting her to steal it away and eat the bag itself.

"Sure, you can have all of it if you like." Red told her, holding out the bag. "I know how to make more, so it's no big deal."

She drooled and swallowed it whole, licking her lips. More? You can make more? She sat down almost like a lost dog, looking hopefully into his eyes with her peircing yellow gaze. Make more! She pawed at the ground softly, her claws making gashes in the concrete, licking her teeth.

"...Uhm..." Red stood there, looking down at the - what he now believed to be - Dinaurian. "Well...I...I'd have to get the ingredients first, and...well, I'm a bit busy right now, looking for the research lab here. Do you know where it is?"

Yes! I do! Make more food first, then I tell you.

She licked her fangs, drooling. Hungry. Haven't eaten in days.

Claws clacking on the ground, she dragged the boy behind her and led him to a small corner store with what she thought would give the necessary ingredients. This way, then you make me more meat sticks.

Later that day

Terra sighed and squirmed, banging her head on the wall.

"Chuchip, remind me to never run away again," she said. "These are the most uncomfortable clothes I've ever had the misfortune of wearing. And what on earth have those people done to my hair?" She grabbed a fistful of her dark hair and waved it around in front of her dog's nose. "It has a stretchy...a stretchy thing in it! And it hurts!"

Well, you look nice, at least.

The brunette stood up in front of the shop window and sized herself up. She supposed she liked the contrast between the off-white of her T-shirt and her light brown skin (and of course the "Save Khan Forests" logo it bore was a win), but she suspected her blue camouflage cargo pants were a bit too large, and her calves were especially itchy where the rough fabric was tucked into her zori boots.

And her hair hurt.

"Right. I look nice. And stuff." She closed a fist around the deerskin pouch on her leather necklace and turned towards her Anklyosaurus. "To somewhere!" she told it, jumping on. It turned its massive head around to glare at her.

I'm getting sick of your orders, it grumbled. You're in no place to boss me around.

"I am too," she said.

You're thirteen. I'm over a hundred.

"I'm a Khan. You're just a dinosaur." She kicked her steed in its armored side, hurting herself much more than she hurt it. "To somewhere," she told the dinosaur again, with an edge in her voice.

No.

"Jerkwad," she grumbled. "I'll walk myself."

Hm. Sarid looked up, at the buildings that surrounded him. He now had a blue baseball hat on his head - he had bought it in the store where he had bought the map he held - and was looking for the research lab.

This is not a good map. He thought, wadding it up, and tossing it in a trash can as he walked by.

"Okay," muttered Terra as she, Chuchip, and the Anklyosaurus (who she'd put on Chuchip's leash) walked down the back streets of Ceratopia, "what in the world is that thing?"

She jabbed her finger towards a tall, gray-haired boy (who was not the weird part) and a small fire-patterned thing with large rainbow wings and stripy hair, who were both walking towards a small shop and making idle chitchat about food.

"Do I even want to know?" she went on. "Like, the soothsayer always told me that knowledge was dangerous when it came to demons and things, but..."

I think you definitely want to know, said Chuchip. Maybe you can all be friends.

"Friends," murmured Terra, trying to sound dry and indifferent, but sadness creeping into her voice anyhow. "Who would want to be friends with me?" She stared at the two retreating figures and wrinkled her nose. "Besides," she said loftily, in a much stronger tone, "the ugly one smells funny."

To her dismay, it looked like "the ugly one" heard her, and the two of them whirled around to stare at her.

Oh boy, said the Anklyosaurus, you've done it now, Lark.

"I so have, right?" She cupped her hands around her mouth and called, "That was not a compliment. There is no need to thank me."

Chuchip shook his head at her. They weren't going to thank you.

She snorted black smoke, red, lava-patterned scales glowing as anger welled up inside her.

WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY.

She snarled, spreading her wings to make herself look bigger, her bright yellow eyes flashing red.

And then the smell of fish caught her attention. A sushi cart went by, and she followed it, attacking the salesman and stealing some of the fish. Eventually she scared the poor man off and feasted on the fish, enjoying every bite. In exactly ten seconds, she had forgotten what she was mad about. All for food.

Once she had her fill, she moved back to her new friend and coughed up half of the very first fish she had downed and offered it to him. In order to prove he would protect her, he would have to eat it.

She left him in search of more food, and her nose lead her back to the one who called her ugly. She instant their eyes met, she hissed, tail thrashing. And then she retreated to her friend, still snarling.

Go away. I bite you if you not go away. To prove her threat, she bared her teeth, lava starting to drip from her maw. She awaited an answer from her, growling.

"Go away?" Terra echoed, blinking slowly. "Excuse me?" She placed her hands on her hips and strode towards the creature (one of the few humanoids on the planet she was sure she was taller than, making her feel slightly better). "Oh," she said, feigning being hurt, "sweetie, I don't think you understand. As a member of the Khan clan, everywhere I go, I face prejudice. People are always saying they don't want 'our filthy kind' spoiling their land and stuff; calling us monkeys or trash or worse. And here you are, not even human and clearly in no place to tell me anything, you're telling me to leave this here curb and...and not even that, you threatened me. Rude! And all because I voiced the honest truth. Like, is it my fault my sense of smell rivals my dog's? Is it my fault you smell like week-old meat? No. No it is not. And so I will not go away." Terra replayed her argument in her head, frowning at its haphazardness. "So there." And with that she plopped down on the curb and stuck her tongue out at the creature.

She was sure she looked very mature.

She snarled yet again. Leaning forward, she looked almost as if to bite, but decided against it. She turned away instead, but gave a satisfying smack across the face with her tail fin.

Fine. Stay. See what I care. Not like anyone like me, anyway...

She huffed and spit magma at the concrete to get out her anger. And then she spat up another fish, nudging it to the stranger.

Truce? She tilted her head. She was too tired to even try to lift a claw against her, and her digesting meal weighing her down wasn't going to help her in a fight.

Not tell you to go away... Not feeling good... Not eated in a while... Suddenly her eyes were hopeful. You has food?

Terra stared from the fish to the creature, the fish to the creature. And slowly but surely, she felt itchiness spread over her skin and her tongue begin to gradually swell up in her mouth.

Oh, telek, she thought as she doubled over and her vision grew blurry. Telek, telek, telek.

"No food," she managed to wheeze out before dissolving into a fit of coughing. "Especially not after you slapped me."

Instantly the child felt horrible and swallowed the offered fish up. She could smell the reaction to it, and if she had not done what she did next, she would have no doubt her new friend would have died.

She took the girl's hand and spat up a bit of the lining from her lung into it. She didn't tell her what it was, but she did tell her to eat it.

It get rid of the effect. Make you not sick.

Curled up at her feet, she warmed herself up and purred, trying to make it a bit easier.

"Ew," mumbled Terra when she began to function again. The sticky substance the creature had made her eat now lined her mouth and made her teeth stick together. Yet her throat was dry, which somehow made her headache worse. "Why was there slime? Or fish?" She looked down at the creature, who was curled up at her feet and purring away, like a cat after it caught itself a pheasant. "What are you doing here? You...you did this! This is your fault! You unbelievable anụọhịa!"

Instantly she was on her feet. Actually, she was on the roof of the nearest building, looking absolutely terrified.

Tried to help! Didn't mean it! Promise! Didn't mean it! She tried to dig through the tiles on the roof, but her claws couldn't find a good catch, so she jumped down and dug into the concrete. Her tail was the last thing going into the ground, before she started to bury herself. Digging even deeper, she gathered heat from the ground, and the upcoming magma, and overheated her Core Fire yet again.

A mental monster suddenly consumed her, forcing her out of control of her own body. Her once bright yellow eyes turned a deep, blood red, and she felt much more powerful. She resurfaced, ready to kill whatever had threatened her.

Beams of red light searched for her assailant, searched for blood and flesh.

Her eyes landed on the girl, and she instantly filled with hate; her necklace glowed as she activated it telekinetically. Small, frail tail became a thick wrecking ball of muscle. Her once small killing claws became twice their size, her arms bulged in thick muscle, mouth becoming lethal jaws. Her horn was now a spear.

Once in Battle Form, she absorbed even more heat from the thermals around her, giant, colorful wings spreading to confuse her new prey.

Terra instinctively dove to the ground to avoid falling victim to the creature's wings, which probably had some sort of hypnotizing powers (because in her world, everything did).The creature's tail, which had grown, like, a million times in size, fell in her general direction and she rolled aside and into the street, then darted between the dragon-girl's legs. Years of beating the daylights out of things larger than her had taught her that nobody ever really attacked their own feet.

"Help me, you useless kūṇṭillāta nattai!" she screeched to the gray-haired boy, who stood still, looking dumbstruck. "This omugọ ḍāyana is trying to kill me!"

"Ah...uhm..." Red's mind raced, when he ran over and jumped in front of the large creature - which he was positive was a Dinaurian now. "You want more of that food? Stop attacking! And if this doesn't work, I'll release my water-based team! I don't want to hurt anyone, but you can't attack people out of nowhere!"

She turned to him, blood red eyes focused.

Food will convince my other, but it will not soothe a Xinorak! She was now attempting to eat him instead.

Gliding over city thermals, wind ruffling purple feathers, and long spines along the back slicing through the wind.

And then his sister below, trying to eat a human.

He rolled his eyes, gliding closer to the ground. He started to sing, the Xinorak in her head falling to sleep into her head.

Feeling tired now, she started to hum, leaning forward, the red glow to her eyes fading rapidly.

Looking around helplessly, breathing ragged and body shaking, Terra scrambled backwards, clinging to her dinosaur. "What in the world is going on?" she demanded.

He swooped down and landed on a rooftop, still singing to the Xinorak to calm it. The older stumbled back, talons scratching up the pavement, unable to keep her balance.

Her tail swept just over the girl's head. A foot lower and she wouldn't have one.

Now fast asleep, she leaned back, about to crush the Ankylosaurus.

Misconducts... Sarid thought to himself, scowling slightly at the fight he had watched. Seeing at the large creature was about to land on a smaller one, he sighed and pulled a Sun Fury from his pack. From observation, the fire-based chain weapon would have no effect on the larger creature.

Sarid threw the end at the creature, which wrapped around it neatly, then pulled as hard as possible, making it fall next to the smaller creature, not harming a soul.

Impetuous ignoramuses.

"Telek," Terra muttered, surveying the damage that the dragon-girl-creature-thing had done to the street as she stood up slowly and promptly fell down, feeling dizzy. "Naraka kē bha'irahēkō cha? Luu baidag. Mattu...beṅki." She shook her head, stood up again, and dusted herself off. "Okay, people," she called. "This was all fun, but can anyone tell me where I can find the research lab?"

"Hey! I'm headed there!" Red replied, his face lighting up. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a map, holding it up. "I know where it is! It's not too far!"

"Lead the way." Sarid told him, he putting the chain weapon back into his back pack. Finally, someone who isn't insane.

Terra frowned at the blond boy before turning away and facing in the same direction as the gray-haired one.

I don't like you, blondie, she thought.

You don't like anyone, said the Anklyosaurus.

Shut up. I do too.

No you don't.

Okay, maybe I don't.

Almost two seconds after the conversation, Dunal was up again, but her eyes were back to their bright yellow color again. She looked up, then jumped onto Red's back, her claws digging into the flesh.

Going with you!

Red yelled in pain, taking off into a panic run, attempting to get the Dinaurian off his back.

Sarid sighed, before grabbing the grey-headed boy's arm, slipping thick leather pads between the creature and the human, stopping the claws from hurting him anymore.

I take it back. Everyone here is insane.

She purred and licked the back of the grey-haired boys' neck, putting a tiny amount of teeth into it, claws digging in deeper.

She looked at the other boy and licked his hand, purring louder.

Thanku!

Red no longer felt pain from the Dinaurian's claws, but the teeth also hurt.

"Please stop biting me..." He then remembered the lab. "Follow me to the lab!"

Sarid said nothing, just stared at the creature that licked his hand.

He blinked, then followed the grey-haired boy down the side walk.

She licked Red again, still purring.

Friend take me to lab?

"YES!" He told the Dinaurian. "I'm Red by the way."

She crawled up his neck and into his hair, disappearing into it, then her head popped out of the front of the wild mane. She looked into his eyes, tongue hanging out of her mouth.

I'm Dunal. Dunal Pyro Nichs. Hungry.

"I can make some more of that jerky later." Red tells her.

She bit his nose and retreated into his hair. Feed NOW.

"We have to get to the lab." Red tells her, rubbing his nose. "Then I can make the food. You need to learn to wait."

Not wait. Hungry NOW! She pulled a small piece of his hair as hard as she could, tearing out a small amount of grey hairs. FEED!

"OW!" Red yelled, dropping his suitcase and pulling Dunal from his hair. "Don't do that!"

I should have stayed at the island. Sarid thought, pulling an armored glove on, then taking the creature from Red.

"He said no, and to wait. Stop acting like a spoiled child."

She bit her captor and tried to slash him with her killing claws. Let go! Another bite, then she absorbed the thermals and heated up her body. She heated up her body to melt the gloves.

"Your tantrum won't work." Sarid told Dunal, his voice level. "These are Molten Gauntlets. Insulated to protect my flesh, and armored to withstand heat."

She growled and spat into his eyes, blinding him with the chemical reaction of her saliva and cleaning fluid in his eyes. Not like you. Like Red more. She tried to squirm free of his grasp, wings beating into his face to make it harder for him to hold onto her.

Sarid stood there, using his free hand to wipe his eye.

"A few more blocks and we'll arrive at the lab." Red told everyone, having picked up his suit case and walking again.

That not do anything. You blind it out now. She stuck out her tongue and finally got out of his grasp, flying back onto Red's back, sharp little claws digging in.

Red kept walking, the leather on his back preventing the claws from hurting him, while Sarid, who closed his eyes at the last minute, kept following him.

She purred now, drooling on his shoulder. Her stomach growled loudly, and she nibbled idly on his shirt.

For once in her life, Terra was nearly silent as she followed her newfound gang of idiots through the streets. It wasn't that she didn't have anything to say – on the contrary, she had many things to say, not a single one of them pleasant – it was just that she really rather hated her newfound gang of idiots, especially the way the reminded her of home.

The blond-haired one was as June Wren-like as they came, she figured, even though June Wren was a girl, because they both had an air of superiority about them and vast vocabularies of boringness. That reasoning would make the dragon-girl-creature-thing a bit like her ex-friend Indigo's little sister Acacia, who always acted childish and simple one second and spitting mad the next, with no warning signs or indications of her feelings. And the gray-haired boy was probably a Wynter Towhee deep down inside, under his vaguely-Wynter-esque demeanor. A stupid, arrogant, double-crossing turncoat, that's what they both were; she was sure of it.

Terra didn't like Wynter Towhee.

And she didn't like the gray-haired boy, either.

"Is someone following us?" she asked the animals flanking her after a while, all three of them sniffing the air uncertainly. She didn't get an answer.

"People," she called to her gang of idiots, "it feels...um...do you guys think someone's following us?"

Not tell you if I smell something if I an idiot. She stuck out her tongue and turned away, wings making sure she wasn't seen.

The monster in her mind awoke, but it held back from taking control, which only made her nervous. She would've failed miserably at playing poker with her face. Her claws dug in past the leather and into flesh again, and she buried her face into Red's back, shivering in fright and trying to scare away the monster.

Red winced some under the pain, but still felt Dunal's shivers. It was probably best to say nothing; he didn't want to upset her.

'How much farther to the lab?' Typhoon asked him.

'Just around this corner.' He replied. He didn't know why, but he felt bad inside, as if someone disliked him for some reason.

I do feel as though someone is following us. Sarid thought, putting his hands into his pockets, feeling the shuriken in them. It's best to stay silent. They'll flee if they know we're aware.

He looked over at the grey-haired boy. He showed concern in his eyes; whether it was what the acrimonious girl said, or for Dunal, he was unsure. Dunal hid behind her wings, which shook ever so slightly - something bothered her.

And then the acrimonious girl. She looked annoyed at all of them, especially at the grey-haired boy, Red.

When this ordeal was over, he was NEVER leaving the island again.

The creature in her mind now moved closer. She whimpered pathetically in response, though it wasn't meant to be out-loud.

"Okaaaaaay," Terra muttered, jamming her hands in her back pockets and kicking it the ground. "Thanks for all your support, people."

Casting wary glances over her shoulders to make sure there was nobody behind her, she knelt down and placed an ear to the ground, and closed her eyes. The footsteps of the idiots were thunderous and they echoed in her head, but she ignored them. Biting her tongue and sniffing deeply again, she tried to see if she could sense anything, but there was nothing. Well, actually, there were just too many distractions.

"Quit your whimpering," she snapped to the dragon-girl, getting to her feet and brushing the dirt off her pants. "You're not dying. Besides, now I can't hear anything."

And then she did hear something. It was somewhere in the throng of people a block behind them, it was the sound of a very bad word in Ancient Khan yelled in a voice that implied that something had just gone horribly wrong.

It sounded like Wynter Towhee.

Maybe she was going crazy.

She buried her face into Red's back now, squeaking loudly. She had now blocked out everything around her, focusing on just the monster within her. Her eyes flashed red for a moment. She felt it in control of her. It made her examine the people around her, choosing which would be the best to consume, then it went away.

"You okay?" Red asked, looking over his shoulder at the girl who had been fighting with Dunal. She just seemed annoyed at him and kept walking, making him frown.

What did I do? He wondered. Though he was concerned for Dunal, the whimpering and such. He reached behind his head and picked her up from his back, and held her against his chest with his free arm. Hopefully, that would help her.

Scary monster... She nuzzled him gratefully and shivered.

Red hugged Dunal a bit more, when the group turned a corner, Red's eyes seeing a sign that read:

CERATOPIA RESEARCH LAB

It hung from a wall, which behind it was a large building.

"We're here!"

Where?! She accidentally rammed her horn into his belly and beneath his ribs, but she didn't break skin. Where monster?!

"Ow..." Red groaned from the impact.

"We're at the lab. There's no monster." Sarid said, voice void of any emotion.

She shivered, glancing around her anyways. Monster here... He here, he want me! She hugged Red tightly and dug in her claws.

"Ow." Red winced, Sarid blinking.

Strange.

"Dunal," Red began, "don't worry. You're a fierce fighter; I'm sure what ever is scaring you is no match for you. And should anything happen, know I'll help fight. There's no need to worry."

Terra rolled her eyes at her merry band of idiots and their sentimental crap and tied her Anklyosaurus's leash to a tall metal pole, giving it a terse "Move and I'll kill you" before marching through the doors with Chuchip by her side and her head held high.

The receptionist eyed her coldly as she strode in, but Terra glared right back at her and haughtily announced, "I'm here to talk to someone who actually graduated college. Do you know where I can find a person like that?"

"Sheesh," muttered the young woman, tucking her blue curls behind her ears and fiddling with her glasses, "no need to be so awful."

"Well?"

"There are a lot of smart people here," said the receptionist. "Who exactly are you looking for?"

Terra stared at the black-clad redhead and the purple-eyed boy sitting on some of the couches in the lobby and at the idiots as they pushed open the doors, still deep in discussion. Then she took a deep breath.

"I need someone who can help me with a...um...sort of quirk I've got," she said, biting her lip and absentmindedly twisting one of her legs around the other. "I can...um...communicate with dinosaurs?"

She'd been expecting some big dramatic gasping or to be forced out of the lab at spearpoint, but instead the receptionist simply adjusted her glasses and gestured towards the people on the couches.

"They're here for the same reason," she said softly. "You can sit with them."

So Terra did.

Dunal quickly jumped off of Red and curled up under a chair, shivering in fright. She had her eyes covered with her hands, tail tucked around her, making herself as compact as possible.

Red frowned, and sat in the chair that Dunal hid under. It seemed strange how she had gotten scared all of a sudden.

"Ma'am." Sarid said to the receptionist. "Is there an estimated waiting time you can give me?"

"From thirty minutes to an hour, young man." She told him, watching a computer monitor.

"..." Sarid's eyes closed, and he let his breath out through his nose. "Very well. Thank you."

He turned and started back towards the door.

"Where're you going?" Red asked, Sarid turning head.

"I can wait better outside." He answered, leaving the room.

Thirty minutes to an hour? thought Terra with a groan. Who wants to wait that long? I certainly don't; do you, Chuchip?

Uh...I don't actually ca-

So it's settled, let's get outta here.

Terra abruptly stood up and began marching out towards the doors again, but when her dog opted to curl up and fall asleep, she marched back to her seat and plunked down with a huff. She grew more and more irritated as the seconds ticked by, constantly sighing angrily and shooting death glares (as opposed to only normal ones) to anyone who looked at her. After about five minutes she began pacing back and forth, muttering profanities under her breath. After ten minutes she seized a stack of magazines from a nearby shelf and began shredding (or "flipping," or "reading," which she decided were her cover stories) through them, pretending each page was the head of a lazy doctor or Wynter Towhee or the dragon-girl-creature-thing who'd tried to kill her twice. When fifteen minutes had passed, her impatient, ill-tempered self was a wreck: she'd bitten all her nails down to the quick, there wasn't a single paged magazine left in the room, and she was ready to actually kill someone. Finally she hooked her fingers under Chuchip's collar and dragged her dog out the door, if for nothing except a spot of fresh air and sunshine before she had to sit for hours on end in the Ceratopian equivalent of a medicine tent, keep her anger in check, pretend she didn't despise everyone in the room, and possibly have her brain poked with a stick. If absolutely nothing else, she figured, at least there was room outside to run in a couple hundred circles to pass the time.

(Terra was bad at waiting.)

Dunal slowly calmed down over time. She occasionally chewed on Red's pant leg and tore pieces off of it. Her teeth occasionally grazed his skin or bit deep into flesh. She even ripped out small chunks of his leg as a substitute for the fish she thought she was eating.

Red sat with his legs pulled up to his chest, watching Dunal eat the wrapped sushi he had brought with him.

I hope this means she's feeling better.

Sarid hung upside down from a tree, doing curl-ups, hands behind head and still carrying his backpack. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and despite the upside view of the world, he recognized the acrimonious girl exiting the lab, her dog with her. Her nails had been chewed, and a piece of shredded paper clung to her pants leg.

Irascible.

Dunal swallowed the chunk of fish offered to her and downed it in less than ten seconds.

She crawled out from under the chair and jumped up on Red's lap, tail thumping against his legs.

More? She tilted her head in question.

"That's all the food I had." Red told her. "I can make more later, though."

She pouted and nipped his nose, jumping into his hair and curling up in the tangled mess.

Ow. Red thought, rubbing his nose and taking off his traveling hat. His hair was going to be a nightmare of tangles, but at least Dunal felt better now. The waiting he didn't mind, but it was strange that they had to wait considering what they were here for.

Honestly, he had expected to be hauled off and asked questions the second they were notified of the group's ability to speak with dinosaurs.

Dunal pulled a coin from Red's hair.

You has money in your hair. It messy enough that coins run to its for covers. She sniggered.

Terra quickly grew bored running in circles and pointedly avoiding looking at the blond boy, who gave off the vibe that he disliked her almost as much as she disliked him. So she yanked the stretchy thing out of her hair and shook it out and made a beeline for the doors of the lab (and then veered off to the side to butt into a conversation between her Anklylosaurus and a runaway Microraptor named Sassafras).

Sarid watched as the acrimonious girl took some thing from her hair then ran off to two conversing dinosaurs. He could feel she disliked him for some reason, though he felt nothing back.

He never could.

"Good afternoon, boys and girls," said a middle-aged woman in a long coat as she stepped into the lobby. Terra, tired from her running, merely arched an eyebrow at the woman as she took a clipboard from the receptionist's desk and read, "Dunal P. Nichs, Red Ranger, Adira Coleman, Caiden Forrester, Sarid, and...Terra Lark? I think that's what that says. Anyway, if you six could follow me, we can start the investigation. I believe it's high time you all get to the root of this problem."

A/N: And that's that! Over eight thousand words and we're only at chapter one. I applaud you if you read the whole thing, I really do. Also I don't think the next chapter will be as long. (*pointed glare at other girls*) Yeahnyway, please review!

- reegreeg

P.S.: OOH! Guess which character belongs to who, people! It's pretty obvious, but still!