Chapter 1

I opened my eyes to the familiar grey ceiling I've seen for as long as I could remember. Everything was quiet and peaceful, as it has been for years. Nothing stirred. Even the sounds of Atran pacing around in the next room were absent. For a long time I laid in my bed, deciding on whether I should get up or fall back asleep. Finally, after what seemed like an hour, I made my decision.

Twisting around and throwing off my blankets, I stood and made my way towards my wardrobe. From within I pulled out a black cloak and fitted it around my shoulders, setting it with a firm tug backwards, ensuring that the small hooks on the inside had caught hold on my black and green Grid apparel.

Content with my apparel, I moved on to taming my wild, bed-head hair in front of the mirror that hung right next to my wardrobe. My hair, might I add, is the darkest black color you could possibly imagine, and is extremely smooth and soft. A characteristic I strive to keep. Normally, if I didn't have the life I did now, I'd probably let it grow to the longest length it would possibly reach. I do have the life I do now unfortunately, and have needed to keep it cut short. The longest I remember having it was eight inches, and that was around ten years ago, not long after the incident.

As I looked in the mirror I suppressed a smile that greatly wanted to spread across my face. Tomboy or not, I couldn't help but praise my looks. I had a round face, but not that of a child's. It was smooth and refined, a face of a woman, with blushed cheeks and darker, more tanned looking, skin. My eyes however, greatly gave away my youthful, sixteen years of age. They were round, this time exactly like that of a child's, and had an unusually bright color of dark green with bright, golden flecks.

A strange combination, I know. An adult face with child-like eyes… a year ago I went into that faze that all teenagers go into, worrying about my looks and such. At that time, the combo bugged me to the point where I only looked in the mirror when I had to. Now, I find it unique and pretty.

With my hair finally looking presentable – being fashionably left to stick up a little—I walked out of my room, tiptoeing as to not bother Atran, who I guessed was still asleep. Silently, I made my way to the door and went outside; sighing with relief when the door was shut behind me and no one came to stop my exit.

Feeling sure that I hadn't woken my mentor, I turned to face the never-changing scene of city lights and black sky and cupped my hands to my mouth as I let a low whistle out to echo among the rocks. A moment passed and nothing happened. Just as I was going to whistle again, a black shape rose over the rock outcropping at my left and came bounding towards me.

The shape was a familiar one; that of an old friend's.

"Hey Trez. How's my boy doin', huh? How's my boy doin'?"

I bent down and rubbed my fingers along the creature's head and back, getting a low grumble of pleasure from the deep chest.

Trez is what programs call an Outland Mokk. Or, to make it easier on you, it looks like a slightly larger version of a Wolf. The creatures here on the grid can be matched with many of the animals in the real world, mainly snakes, dogs, and cats. There's one exception however, there are tales, rumors more like, of a large, gleaming creature with flashing orange and blue circuits, gnashing claws and teeth, a long, whip-like tail, and horribly powerful eyes that could derezz a program just by looking at it. The name is rarely spoken, for the stories say if its name is said out loud, then it would come in search of the one who dishonored it. Malkurr, the most feared animal in any story, would, to you, resemble a dragon.

I got off the point… Trez, along with most other animals on the grid, have a mostly black hide with different colored circuits that vary on the creature. His has a vibrant deep blue color of circuits that zigzagged around his body in a very—and this is my opinion—unique way. The eyes of course was what struck me when I first found him; dazzlingly white with no trace of grey or any other color in them. Just a plain, blindingly, pure white.

"Sorry I haven't been out recently." I apologized to my four-legged friend, "Atran has kept me inside with that fussy manner of his."

Trez cocked his head in a gesture of which I guessed said:

Does he know I'm here?

"I haven't told him yet… I've been meaning too, but it's a difficult topic to bring up with him." I sighed, letting my hands glide off of Trez's neck down onto my lap. "He would never understand if I did tell him. Your programming is usually very aggressive and dangerous… There'd be no way he'd let me come out to see you."

Again, Trez looked at me with unspoken words.

Me, dangerous? You've got to be kidding…

A smile spread across my face and my hands went back up to continue petting the Mokk. A deep purring sound like that of a cat's emitted from Trez's throat, and he encouragingly pushed against my fingers to guide where to scratch next. My eyes then caught on the sight of the city below the cliff where I knelt. It was all so pretty with the different colored lights that glowed miles into the air, making an ever present rainbow that filled the sky and space around everything in the city. It all seemed so beautiful… The constant nagging temptation at the back of my mind pushed harder than I've felt for a long time… and I quickly gave into it.

"Trez… how do you feel about a visit to the city? Just the outskirts so you won't be too noticed. We could run down there, me in my light cycle with you running right next to me, just the two of us for ten minutes. Sound like fun?"

There came an irritated twitch from Trez's ears and tail, but the look in his eyes held nothing but excitement.

You're finally asking NOW? I'm surprised it took so long.

"Then stay here and I'll be right back." I told him, going back inside for a light cycle baton. It only took me a moment to choose the color I liked –green—before I was outside again.

Positioning myself on the start of the pathway down the cliff, I glanced at Trez who stood ready to go, and nodded in a ready signal. With no hesitation I threw the baton in front of me and rezzed the light cycle. Seconds later, Trez and I were speeding down the trail towards the city. A doubtful thought entered my mind but I quickly dismissed it.

"If Atran does wake up soon, he'll just assume I'm still asleep. No danger there considering today was my day off of early training." I told myself. Still needing reassurance I glanced at Trez who was galloping easily next to me In the Outland Mokk fashion, and received what assurance I needed. That morning was for me and Trez to spend time together one-on-one, and nothing was going to stop me.