Meh. This is one of my first High School Musical fanfictions I've ever written- of two- and the only one so far I've posted on here. Note, I write about the minor characters not so much the main. Anyways this is a technical 'crossover' that I've been playing with in my mind for the last few weeks. It's not AU- an alternate universe- quite different actually, it's just an original fantasy story. Note- I'm placing it at the end of Junior Year summer for a reason.XD Enjoy.

The Red Kings Children

A brunette haired girl stepped out of the Woman's Locker Room the Lava Springs emblem evident on the door. Her eyes were reading the sheet of music, much like as if it were a book, in her hands. While her eyes sweeped over the measures quickly, she was still able to picture the melody in correct time and rythem. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear she yawned widely.

"Kels!" a voice hailed her, making her look up quickly a smile flooding across her face. "Hey J," she replied quickly watching as the brown haired boy approached. "Still need a ride home?" he questioned with raised brow. "Mm yeah," she started quietly, tucking the music carefully away, before looking at Jason,"'less of course it's too much trouble for you." The boy grinned, entwining his fingers with her chuckling some at her faint blush at that. Jason always loved he could make her do that- even if the two were more or less dating. "I don't know-- it cuts into my playing Crash Burn Out III time," he stated jokingly.

Kelsi rolled her eyes, "Right, I forgot it's tragic to do that." Kelsi grinned at him playfully. She always seemed to be like that when it was just the two of them, playful and joking- more lighthearted, she didn't even need music for that.

"You're right, it is!" he started watching her pretend to pout,"but.. I suppose I can let it slide, this time that is." Kelsi laughed. "And what will happen next time, then?" she questioned. "Reprimand," he replied artfully earning a raise of a brow from the girl that made him grin,"well you'll get to see next time- don't worry, I think you might like that reprimand."

With that, Jason let go of her hand and started off leaving a momentarily dazed Kelsi behind.

Kelsi shook her head quickly, before starting off grabbing his arm quickly to make him turn. "What do you mean?" she asked earnestly, earning a grin and a shake of the head from Jason. "As I said, you'll have to wait until next time," he replied tauntingly,"it's fun.. seeing you flustered like this!"

Kelsi frowned at him, yawning once more feeling sleep roll of her like a bulldozer as she found herself closing her eyes. Jason's soft laughter brought her back to reality. "Tired?" he probed teasingly. Insteading of denying it, Kelsi yawned. "Extremely," she mumbled softly,"I haven't exactly been sleeping well.."

Kelsi didn't notice the frown of worry pass of Jason's lips as her eyes closed once more.

Next thing she knew, she was scooped up in his arms and being carried out of the kitchen. Kelsi's eyes shot open. "Jase!" she started, nearly shouting,"what are you doing? Put me down!" He grinned shaking his head. "Sorry, Kels, friends don't let friends walk to trip," he said jokingly earning a roll of the eyes. "Put me down, Jason. I can walk on my own two feet." she started quickly stopped,"You can hardly stand keeping your eyes open-- I'm fairly sure if I let you walk to the car you will fall asleep and run into a wall or trip--or something."

Kelsi muttered something under her breath, but had no more willpower to disagree- lack of sleep causing a bigger factor in her normally already small resolve. She was thankful when he let her get into the passenger seat by herself, though paranoidly she swore he was watching her. When the two were finally situated and driving off, Kelsi leaned her head against the cool pane of window watching the canyon scenery passby.

"So why aren't you sleeping well, Kels?" Jason questioned in a worried air,"I know you-- you're only sometimes extremely tired, and you've been like this for weeks." Kelsi frowned biting her lip. Most people saw Jason as slow- dimwitted almost, he wasn't though he was just slow on the outtake, and could be very observant.

She shrugged lightly, closing her eyes. "It's summer- I stay up late to write songs," she stated casually but noticed the 'I-don't-quite-believe-that' look pass Jason's face and sighed. She hated when he was observant, well..most of the time anyway. Biting the inside of her lip for a moment she contemplated what to say before the reasoning dawned on her, it was truthful, but not the whole truth. "Beyond that.." she started watching Jason's eyes flash towards her,"I guess I just haven't been sleeping well-- insomnia or something. It'll pass, it happens when I'm working on a new composition." Jason nodded, seemingly now taking her excuse.

The rest of the car trip was in silence, only the faint sound of Green Day could be heard. When they had arrived, Jason insisted on walking Kelsi to the door- much to Kelsi's dismay, it wasn't like she was going to falls asleep, but still it wasn't the most surprising thing. When they had reached the doorstep, and Kelsi had unlocked the door to the house, he called her back momentarily.

"Aren't you the one who said I couldn't walk without sleeping--? What are you doing, going back on what you said?" she questioned jokingly with a small yawn. He grinned some, holding back a small laugh. "No, I was just going to say sleep well," he said and before she could do anymore- sweeped down and given her a small peck on the lips before turning away, and leaving a momentarily dazed Kelsi.

She trudged up the stairs, a faint blush on her cheeks. For some reason, she momentarily believed the dreams wouldn't set in tonight.

oXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

The sound off a piano filled the quiet air of the music room, a simple middle C scale was played. Under her breath a certain brunette haird girl hummed. It wasn't a familiar melody, nor the scale she was playing now, it was new and pestering- something blowing in for weeks in the night time air. This melody, made her stay up well into the night and spend every free second rewriting the notes for sounding off or a new part would be added.

She yawned some, shaking her head to ward off the wave of sleep that overtook her. She heard a small, faint chuckle in the corner and straightening she eyed the man. He was there sometimes, never speaking and she was too observed in her work to pay much mind, but he chuckled this was different- like an approach to speak. He shifted, the red cloak draped over him swaying some making her catch something of a memory- a melody- something she couldn't quite grasp.

He approached, smiling at her in a kindly way. "Do not be afraid, doth kinsman of mine. Be warned, however, of a fellow kin whose ultimate goal who seek to alure the and destroy the balance," he started making a chill run down her back,"be warned, my dear, for when he of evil eyes appears, a fate unlike any other will befal you- and stand far from his evil burn." She opened her mouth to say something- to question him, but he was gone.

oXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

Kelsi Nielsen shot up from her bed, her breath haggard sweat dripping from what seemed every pore in her body. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them tempting to slow her breathing to no avail. She'd been having the dreams for weeks, and it scared her now more then ever. The message just now-- seemed so will, but how could it? It was a dream wasn't it--? She'd never seen the man and knew her family-- they didn't fit the description.

The melody though.. that was it -- the melody! It pieced together in her mind now-- and in her mind it sounded like it said 'The Red King' if vocalized, but how? And why now, so suddenly after that dream? Frowning, she stood up- swaying some as her legs woke up- before glancing at the clock that read four a.m. It was early, shaking her head she ignored that, booting up her computer.

She waited impatiently as it loaded, watching with irritation as the new updates alert popped up and the computer slowed some to load MSN. Quickly closing the messenger she brought up a search engine and swiftly typed in 'The Red King'. Yawning, she watched the list appear, over two thousand sites on the subject, and each similar. Noticing one entitled. 'The Children of the Red King: Our History' she clicked on it in curiousity. Her eyes grew wide at the site of a now very familiar looking crimson red cloak. Swallowing uneasily, she continued on.

The city began nine hundrad years ago with a castle, it was built by the Red King, so called because of his red cloak and the burning sun emblazoned on his shield. The Red King was african; he was also a magician.

When the king's beloved queen, Berenice, died, he went to grieve in the forest. He believe his ten children were save in the hands of wise councilloes and kind nurses. Besides, each child had been endowed with an extraordinary power.

At that time, the country was a violent and lawless place; murder and robbery were wife. On his way ome, the king found that his considerable powers were needed to help the poor and oppressed. He donned a suit of chain mail and a helmet with a plume of red flowers. Then conjuring up an inviciblle sword, he rode out to defend the troubled and helpless people.

For five years the Red King fought tyrants, muderers, and plundering nobles. When he finally returned home to his castle, he found that five of his children were gone and the other five were using their endowments to wreak havoc on the surrounding countryside. It was these children and their heirs who began the city's history of dreadful magic and wickedness. Unable to fight his own children, the brokenhearted king left his castle forever.

Kelsi's mind raced in thought. Ten children-- and five evil..? She felt momentarily sorry for the King, before another question overtook her. What did all this have to do with her? His coulds would be dead now.. unless of course they were their descendants, but these powers couldn't still exsist- could they? Heredity took that away, it would get weaker until it faded away. She frowned in thought uneasy, her thoughts racing on those ideas- unsure, and uncertain. It wasn't possible was it?

She daze-dozed, not quite falling asleep, like how she often did on the piano- this time her mind racing. She was unsure her mother was calling her until she heard her shout. Jumping slightly Kelsi noticed the sunlight, and look at the clock, it was seven thirty am. Eyes wide, and now awake, she pulled herself up changed and rushed downstairs-- Gabriella's mom was supposed to pick her up in ten minutes.

"Kelsi," her mother called not quite grabbing her attention until she took her by the shoulder and turned her to face her. "Kelsi, I already called Gabriella and Lava Springs, you're not going to work today," her mother started making Kelsi stop with a doubletake. "Wh-why?" she stuttered the soft melody playing in her head. "Well there's someone I want you to meet, he came by today. He's offering you a scholarship to a fantastic arts school in England for the year--" she said swiftly.

Kelsi nodded, not liking the idea. It was her senior year, she wanted to stay here in Albuquerque with her friends- and namely Jason, but her mother was always looking out for her future so she had to be grateful. "Alright.." she started uneasily falling her mother into the living room before stopping. Peering at her from the couch was a pair of cold, dark-icy blue eyes. It was terrifying, and seemed to have a piercing hypnotic edge.