AN: Hello everyone who happens to run into this story. I haven't posted anything new up for awhile, or really done much writing for that matter. However, I had this thought, and I thought that it would be fun to just do a leisurely fanfic.

It is indeed an Uglies fanfic, or at least a spin-off of it. I didn't want to entirely copy the original plot, or the original characters, because I didn't want to plagiarize, or taint either one. I don't own Uglies, Scott Westerfield does, and I'll just say that now. However, I do own the characters and the storyline that I've come up with. I also haven't read the entire series, so forgive me if anything seems off; it's going to be different anyways.

Anyhow, that's enough babbling from me for now. Enjoy the first chapter and review if you want. I'll post up another chapter as soon as I can.

Creatures

Chapter 1 – Sneaks and Snitches

The world has shifted once again, really shifted. Or at least, that's what I've been told. Apparently, other cities have started to ban the transformations. Honestly, that's hard to believe. Our society hasn't changed for years, except to improve the life-changing operations and make the easy life of a pretty even easier. After all, that's what our lives are, easy and fun. We don't have to worry our pretty heads about a thing, right?

Well, that's another thing that I've been told. You see, I'm not a pretty yet, but my time is coming up, and then I'll find that out for myself…

"Hey, Jazzy", Zac said while reaching over and waving his hand in front of the girl's face. "Are you in there?"

Jazzy broke from her thoughts and looked at him, blinking her large blue eyes. "What were you saying, Zac?"

"I was saying we should go down and join the others at the hide-out after lights out", he repeated while looking at her with steady brown eyes. A grin passed over his face, "What were you daydreaming about?"

She shrugged. "Nothing much, was just thinking about what the teachers told us…do you think it's real?"

Zac took his turn to shrug, "I don't know, Jazz, not that it really matters, either."

"Mm, I guess so." She looked around the small room. This was Zac's dorm; he had his own since he was the son of one of the teachers at the Ugly school. It was their usual meeting place since she had to share her dorm with another ugly girl.

Zac watched her for a moment before glancing around his room. He looked back at her and smiled. "Guess what story I'm going to tell the kiddos tonight." His brown eyes sparked mischievously.

Jazzy looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you came up with a sequel to the Possessed Hovercraft."

His smile widened into a grin. "Nope, it's something entirely new."

"Good, we almost got into trouble last time because the littlies wouldn't sleep."

Zac laughed before pausing as the room spoke out, announcing the bedtime signal. All please go to your rooms for the night, lights- out will be in ten minutes.

Jazzy smiled while looking at him. "I'll see you in fifteen", she said while getting to her feet.

Zac nodded, "Don't get caught."

"When do I ever get caught?" She smirked while turning and walking out of the room.

The hallway was quiet; already the uglies had raced to their bedrooms before the lights were turned out. Jazzy glanced both ways before slipping out into the hallway. She walked with practiced silence towards the girls' dorms. She wasn't scared of getting caught, the officials never really did anything, but it was a habit she perfected just for those special occasions when she and Zac would sneak over to the new-pretty town.

Jazzy finally reached her hallway, and crept to her dorm door. Quietly she turned the doorknob and eased the door open. She took a moment to listen. Silence.

She took a breath and slipped inside, turning to silently shut the door. Jazzy peeked over her shoulder to her roommate and was relieved to see her already sprawled on her stomach on her bed, fast asleep.

"Long day, Shasta?" Jazzy murmured under her breath while walking over to her own bed on her own side, picking her way past piles of clothing thrown from her roommate's closet.

She sighed, there were many things she was going to be happy for once she turned sixteen and was able to switch over. At this point, though, she was looking forward to not having a snoring, snitching roommate who always slobbed all over her side of the room.

The ring on her finger beeped quietly, reminding her that it was bedtime. Jazzy glanced at it and slipped it off, setting it on her nightstand. She then glanced over at the snoring Shasta before pulling off her clothing, replacing them with a black sweatshirt and black cargo pants; her "sneak-wear".

Jazzy froze suddenly when she heard Shasta mumble and roll over. She looked over quickly, and then exhaled with relief. I'm getting jumpy… To complete the trick, she fluffed up her pillows and shoved one underneath the blanket, along with some clothes she scooped up from the floor.

She stepped back and surveyed her work, then glanced at her watch. The fifteen minutes were almost up. She turned and headed back towards the door, but froze once again at a sleepy voice.

"…What are you doin', Jazzy?"

Jazzy sighed and looked over at the girl staring at her hazily while half-sitting up. "Um…I'm going to the bathroom."

Shasta narrowed her hazel eyes, "Then why aren't you in your pajamas? Why are you sneaking?" She was awake now, and suspicious.

Jazzy laughed, "Like I want anyone in the hallway to see my pajamas, and I'm not sneaking. I just didn't want to wake you up." She turned to open the door.

"You're going to get into trouble."

"No, I'm not doing anything wrong."

Shasta smirked, "If you're going to the 'hide-out', you'll have to take me along."

Jazzy growled under her breath. "You wouldn't."

Shasta's smirk widened.

Jazzy sighed, "Alright, hurry up."

The hide-out was a small cave hidden in one of the corners of the forest behind UglyVille, which separated the town from the Suburbs. The trees were thicker, and the bushes less tamed in this area of the woods, which kept the little cave comfortably hidden from all those who didn't know it was there.

However, after a few adventurous uglies had discovered it, the spot had turned into a common meeting place for everyone who had the courage to sneak out at night. This was also the place where Zac and Jazzy felt the most at home, taking on the role as the oldest, and 'wisest' uglies, awing the younger littlies with their stories and tricks.

Jazzy shifted her feet on the hoverboard's smooth surface, her grippy shoes squeaked quietly from the movements. She glanced down briefly before focusing her gaze forward, directing the board easily around the trees. The wind rushed around her, whistling in her ears, blocking out all the other sounds.

Except one. Shasta squealed occasionally in her ear, especially around any sharp corners. Jazzy flinched at a shrill scream, "Shasta!"

Shasta laughed nervously while clinging to her tightly. "What?!"

"Shush!"

"You shush!" She closed her eyes tightly.

"Are you two alright?" Zac asked as he cruised up beside them. He stood relaxed, and looked completely comfortable on his board, in fact, he had customized it himself.

Jazzy looked over at him, sending him a pleading look. He returned it with a sympathetic smile. "Don't get too far behind, alright? I'm going to check on a group of younger ones up ahead." He said before shifting his foot forward, sending his hoverboard shooting ahead.

"Sure, I'll just lose some extra baggage on my way there", Jazzy muttered between her teeth as Shasta gave another squeal.

"Oh my, this is so scary, how do you ride these things all of the time?!" Shasta exclaimed while clinging to the girl in front of her.

Jazzy shifted, keeping control of the board. "Very easily", she muttered. She sighed in relief when the cave came into view.

AN: Okay, that's the first blurb of a chapter. I was going to make it longer, but thought I'd cut it off at this point. Thanks for reading. Until chapter 2.