Disclaimer: I own nothing but the Vedaras and this idea itself; yes, it is mine, cause no one has done it so far as I know. The other respective characters that slowly come in are also not owned by me; they are the 'possessions' of their creators. ^_~

I'm sorry if this doesn't turn out quite the way you want it to, but I am my own writer and I really do adore my readers. I would like to apologise if it seems as if I am not researching overmuch, but this is just for fun for you and for me. I refuse to kill myself on getting every detail right... I will research to some degree, though, no worries! Have fun with this, it's your story!!

Two more things... Mairiana: Do you mind if I move Careena over to the Czech Republic? The Vedaras never really end up going over to Australia, but a small side trip over to the aforementioned place would really help me out. Plus, then you'd be one who stepped out of the box {albeit at my request} and went somewhere unknown. Please get back to me soon, I need to know before I start my next chapter. Could everyone please possibly send me a copy of their character's bio, cause the Shadow kinda can't get into her reviews and so can't be sure to get everything quite right. And NOW I will get to the story...


Hamberg Germany

"Listen, Aven! Just because you've researched Hamberg before, when we actually had books, does not mean you know everything, or anything about it! I know nothing about it either, but at least I know enough not to pretend I know everything." Jaques glared at his younger sister as she frowned agrily at him. "I know that you think you know more than me, but for now, we're just gonna say that I'm in charge. You know that's the way Dad always had it worked out." The frown deepened as her marblized eyes flashed from forest and emerald to pure black and back to the greens. A small fern hanging in the room they had rented for a night or two slowly began twitching before turning it's fronds to flick menacingly at the taller teen.

"Why do you bother her with trivalties? Did you know that there are more important things going on right under your noses here that not even some of the residents care to speak of?" For a moment, Jaques looked at the plant, stunned, before turning back to his triumphant sister. "No, she did not intend to give me speech, but it is a good thing she did. For, if she hadn't, you wouldn't know about the girl that is continuously being chased about. Of course, you could always just let me return to my state of pacifism so that the argueing can continue." Somehow, the convulsing plant sounded rather casual even as it used words such as trivalties, a fact that did not get by the duo waiting to ask the questions the fern must have been expecting.

Agitated with the words used, Aventree turned to the expectant plant, requesting the answers it had been hoping to supply. "Sir Fern, just what girl are you talking about? And how youngs is the poor thing? I hate it-" The words froze in her throat as the hotel door was thrown open, revealing a triad of uniformed men standing armed and rather crowded in the doorway.

Both of the teens spun to face the entrance, Jaques calmly placing his arms behind his back and concentrating just so... Slowly, far too slowly for his preferences, a pair of small throwing daggers made of what seemed to be aged heartwood exitted through the tender flesh where palm and wrist meet. As he did so, the men gathered before them swaggered in, eagerly brandishing a small array of handguns and even a switchblade or two. They merely stood there for a moment or so, hoping to see some sense of panic; as they did so, Jaques spared a glance for his sister, wondering just where the third member of the family might be just then. Especially considering her intense fear of being the least bit alone... The sister who WAS there, though, had casually leaned back towards the sole plant in the room, most likely conversing about how best to get at least one of the men into the domain of the swaying fern.

"Well, that was slightly surprising. And you are?" Aventree cocked an eyebrow at the intruders, hoping that the extra voice of the collection of live fronds hadn't clued them into something they shouldn't have heard. Feigning to be slightly more nervous than she let on, she reached a shaking hand out to her brother's back, gingerly removing the sai that had just come into existence.

"Well, little miss," the shortest fellow sneered, "We are the community members of the clean-up crew. It appears that someone who is staying in this room recently came across a child we have been attempting to exterminate. Or at least get her out of our community. A nuisance, she is." His eyes raked over the form of the teenage girl until she calmly displayed the sai of dark, aged cherrywood that gleamed and would pierce skin with just as swift a pop as a blade of the hardest steel. Taking her cue, Jaques also flipped his daggers out of hiding, pinning one of the men by his shirt to the edge of the door.

"I do believe you've angered some rather ordinary people, Mr. Clean-up crew." Stalking fluidly across the room, he grasped the blades and pulled them out of the wood they so closely resembled. "Please leave now. I do not feel like dealing with scum right now. Kindly get out of the room we are paying for and do not expect us to be here in the morning, I do not want to deal with you later." So doing, he scornfully turned his back to the triad of uniformed men and walked back to his sister's side.

~ ~ ~

"Well, dear, I suppose you don't know many people, do you?" Somewhat hesitantly, the girl of the raven and blood hair crouched on the street, peering into the darkness of a narrow alley. A small semblance of a child made quiet mewling sounds as it tried to find some manner of escape from the tiny area of shadow in which it thought itself held captive. A voice somewhat lower than normal flowed to the shivering form. "Poor baby! What could have happened to leave you like this. Come out, dear, I won't hurt you. Please. I have a feeling you need my help, and maybe you can help me..." The mewling stopped for a moment, and then another. Holla-Morgan smiled; she had struck a chord. "I have to be alone sometimes, little one, and I can't handle it. Maybe if you come out, then I won't have to be lonely so much. And maybe you won't have to be scared so much, either."

All movement and sound stopped as the small darkness within the shadow pondered the request of the gentlest of the Vedaras, who smiled in hope. After a good minute had passed, she heard a soft voice gently appeal for her silence once she, for it was obviously a she from the voice, emerged from the alleyway. On the tale of the almost-unheard words, a small girlchild appeared, shaking and quite emanciated with hunger. Yet, this girl was obviously no normal adolescent, for fur covered her in all entirety. Pointed ears flicked in agitation through fine hair and she hung her head, apparentally awaiting curses and maybe even thrown fruit or rotten vegetables.

"Oh, you poor child! Come with me, I will give you food, if you will take nothing else. On the way, if we find anyone who irritates me enough, maybe I'll even show you something rather unbelievable. Of course, I won't do it if anyone doesn't annoy me, but I can be somewhat irritable." Smiling mischevously at the tiny girl huddled on the floor, she looked solemnly at her and then, just as solemnly, wrinkled her nose. "By-the-by. I'm Holla-Morgan Vedara. My brother and twin have been traveling for a while, and sometimes I get stuck alone. Will you maybe come with us and keep me from being alone?" Her marbilized brown eyes sparkled as she awaited the crucial answer- this young girl had obviously been living in terro for some time and was in great need of a caring group of people. As an after-thought, her hand extended slowly, so as not to alarm the child, and a heart-shaped face tilted inquistively. {I apologize if that isn't a real word, but I kinda like it}

It took what seemed hours {how cliched, right?} for an ear to finally flick about in agitation at stillness, showing the cat-girl's readiness to give her decision. Hesitantly, a small paw with claws that seemed somewhat filed down reached over and placed itself, shaking, into the barely larger hand of Holla-Morgan. Both smiled tentatively at the other as the older girl led the way to a small motel that seemed almost done with its life-span.

~ ~ ~

"Hey, honeys, I'm hoo-ooooome!" Holla-Morgan's low voice echoed through the small sitting room of the suite-ish thing the three had rented. When no answer was forcoming, her brow furrowed and her steps quickened. A few moments later, she found herself grasping firmly her twin sister in apparent relief before she turned to her brother, embracing him rather violently as well. "Dear God, what happened? I come across the most unusual find as I was looking for a restaurant, and then suddenly, all forms of life other than the inherent roach are invisible and incapable of being found." Her eyes quickly scanned the room. "We have to leave again? What happened?" The two who had remained behind glanced at each other, obviously wondering whether to tell her or not; a small nod was given by Jaques and Aventree drew Holla to the side, hurriedly whispering the occurrence of the afternoon to her.

"We thought you knew. What were they talking about?" Jaques paused. "Or should I say, who?" Looking angered and somewhat surprised, Holla-Morgan nodded.

"I found a young girl who needs our help. We're taking her with us. From now on, we'll say she's our sister, that way people don't think we're evil child molestors or something. I'd like her to be company for me when you two have to be all gung-ho. Besides, this way she isn't on the streets anymore and in danger of those who came earlier. Well, we might as well go ahead and leave, right?" Her eyes showed the regret that colored her mind- Hamberg was rather beautiful.

Comfortingly, Aventree placed her arms around her sister and turned to the new addition to the traveling family. All she could think at that moment was along the lines of, Thank God Dad was a rich author and had worked hard to make sure his money was well-placed and left to us alone with no other choices...



Well, you guys, that was it... The very first REAL chapter of Traveling With The Vedaras where a new character was introduced and such. I'm am apologizing so abundantly as I type this about the lateness, but what can you do. To tell the truth, it's kinda hard to concentrate on typing when you have syrup drying on your eyelashes; or already dried... But that is besides the point... I require feedback or else this won't continue. And now the Shadow has found that her incoherent ramblings have been completed and will now sign off and let you read what has been written.

~The Alciontae Shadow~