Earth: March 15, 2011

As an ominous and bone- chilling fog settled over the forest, not a creature stirred, all slumbering peacefully during the winter nights. That is, except for the lone wolf. It wandered through the forest as it had for so many years, searching. For what, it could not remember, but a compulsion, no, an obsession drew the beast to wander to a fro. Suddenly, the dark clouds overhead parted, allowing the silvery light of the moon to filter through. It was then that the most magnificent thing happened. Suddenly, empowered with an ancient energy, the wolf began to change; its onyx fur melting away, revealing pink skin underneath; it's front and hind paws morphing into hands and feet. As the energy began to ebb away, a young girl with hair as black as night was left shivering on the cold forest floor. Then, as if awakening from a dream, the girl opened her eyes, revealing them to be the same stunning silver as the moon. Slowly, she lifted her head and gazed up towards the heavens. The girl was beautiful, with porcelain skin that reflected the moonlight, making her skin glow. Her facial features a perfect combination of youth and innocence with a hint of something darker and more dangerous lurking just beneath the surface. Without warning, an ear-piercing howl was ripped from the maiden's throat, awakening the slumbering critters of the forest. As the girl rose from her feet, another striking feature could be seen. The girl, while seemingly human, had ears and a tail, like that of a dog. Rising from the forest floor, the young girl's ears twitched, hearing the tiniest rustle among the foliage. Quickly turning around, the young girl's silvery eyes grew wide at the sight of a man, bloodied and bruised, appearing behind her. Letting out a startled gasp, the maiden opened her mouth to speak to the man, his name leaving her lips in a faint whisper, "Riddick!"…

Gasping for air, Tsukiko shot up from the tangled bed sheets around her. It was the third night in a row that she had dreamt the same dream. Running hand through her tousled hair, she realized she was shivering. "What the hell was that?" she questioned mentally. "Why does that feel so…real…and haunting?" Attempting to recall the last details of the dream before it was stolen away by consciousness; she remembered the name of the man in the forest. "Riddick". She whispered the words, feeling an unfamiliar pressure in heart. The name belonged to a stranger; a man created in her dreams. Yet, when the passed through her lips, it felt familiar, like she was accustomed calling out his name as if it he were…what? "A friend?" No, they way she felt when speaking his name aloud felt too intimate." A lover then?" No. Again, the word didn't quiet describe the attraction she had felt towards him. "What was he then?" Struggling to focus on the last details of the dream, it proved to a lost cause of the remains of the dream were snatched away as full consciousness took over. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Tsukiko threw off the covers, swung her legs off the bed, and stumbled towards her bathroom a few feet away. Stealing a quick glance at the clock behind her, the dial reported the time to be 7:15. "SHIT! IM LATE! Who the fuck turned off my alarm?" she yelled to no one in particular as the room was current empty of anyone except herself. Spinning on her heels, she slammed the bathroom door behind her with a swift kick to the door. Stripping from her PJs, which consisted of only a pair of shorts, a tank top, and her underwear, she finally noticed the extent of the damage caused by the dream. She was covered in a thin layer of sweat, making her clothes stick to her body as she tried to peal the garments away. Finally, succeeding, she turned the shower on, setting the temperature to scolding hot in an attempt to wash away the remaining feelings the dream left in its wake.

After a quick, 10-minute shower, Tsukiko was dressed and ready for work in record time. Running down the stairs to the kitchen, she called out to her roommate, "Danielle! I'm off to work!" Without waiting for a reply, Tsu grabbed the nearest pop tart and was out the door and running full speed down the hallway of her dorm, praying to God that she would make it on time. It was her senior year as an undergrad in college, and with less than a month to go, Tsu knew that these were the weeks that could make or break her college career. It was at times like this that she thanked the "higher-up" for blessing her with her athletic ability that was second to none. Sprinting to class, the scene would have made any other athlete look like a newborn baby learning to walk for the first time. Pushing off the ground with her powerful legs, Tsu all but soared through crowd, dodging and weaving in-and-out of the surrounding mass of bodies with a grace rarely seen. In humans at least. As it turns out, her mad-dash to make it on time had given her five extra minutes. Still feeling a little off from the dream earlier that morning, a quick trip to the soda machine was just the perfect pick-me-up she needed. Staring at the machine, it took Tsu a little longer than usual in making a decision. Distracted by her reflection, Tsu couldn't help but feel a little envious of the girl in the dream. Both the girl in the dreams and Tsu had midnight black hair, but that's where the similarities ended. The girl in the dream had porcelain skin and slivery eyes. To Tsukiko, her skin had always looked a little pasty, lacking any sort of natural glow whatsoever. In addition, her eyes were a dull gray, lacking the mysterious shine that the girl in the dreams had.

Shaking her head to dispel her musings, Tsu made her decision and rushed into class just as the professor was shutting the door. The digital clock on the wall read 8:07.

"Damnit! How the hell did I STILL end up late?" she mentally shouted.

Cursing under her breath, she settled in for what promised to be a boring, 1 ½ hour lecture over Microbiology. Becoming bored with the class, Tsukiko began to nod-off. Soon, she began to dream. She dreamed of a dead planet and a field of unmarked graves. Struck with an overwhelming sense of grief and despair as she gazed at the headstones, Tsukiko sunk to her knees, allowing her control to break as her sobs began, shaking her whole body. Glancing up again, her eyes settled on the figure of a mysterious woman. Tsu could see her lips move, but could hear no sound, except one; her name. Startled, Tsukiko questioned the woman,

"Who are you?"

Ignoring her answer, the woman continued to speak Tsukiko's name, like a mantra. Over and over again. Growing louder and louder. "Tsukiko. Tsukiko! TSUKIKO!" Jolted from her dream, Tsukiko peered above her, only to come face to face with a very angry professor.

AN: Hello to those who might be reading this. I cant quiet decide if i like the author's note to be at the end or beginning of the chapter so for now, ill just flip flop :P. So to clear some things up...this chapter technially takes place in the past in reference to the Riddick time-line. if i knew the date in which the chronicles of riddick took place, id be glad to add the date to help clear things up. Anyway, per usual. Reviews desired and appreciated :)