Disclaimer: I don't own any of the animes mentioned in this story.

AN: This story is based on how I met my muses. All names have been changed to protect the people mentioned.

Prologue:

I remember the day well. It was almost like it was yesterday. Heck, it's been years really, but to me time has no meaning. I guess when you look back on the dark times in your life they seem like they all pass in a blur. For me, though, it is the one shining ray of light in all this darkness that makes the time even worth mentioning. What am I prattling on about? Well...I'll tell you.

There is a world that exists right along side ours. It is a world of strange creatures and even stranger rules. It is a world where anything can exist, anything can happen. Normal people don't even realize the existence of this special world. To those of us who believe that anything is possible, it shows itself to us through the people who live there.

You see, there are people that we cannot see around us all the time. Call them guardian angels if you want, but really they are what give inspiration to the world. Only those people who find their invisible muse in this great world ever meet one of these special people. Me, I met mine during a hellish time in my life on a day that was more or less ordinary.

Chapter One: The first muse

'Ugh! What a terrible day I've had! I swear my high school is out to kill me! Nothing could make this day any worse.' I thought as I started slowly down the ramp towards the parking lot.

My day had been bad since first bell and it had steadily gotten worse. Too much crap for a ninth grader to handle. Well, at least it was over and I could go home and complain at my mom about it. She'd probably think it was funny, but at least I could unload on her. I love my mom. :-)

I guess I was preoccupied with my thoughts or something, because a minute later I heard the sound of squealing tires and a honking horn. This red Chevy had come out of nowhere and it was bearing down on me!

"AHHHHHH!" I yelled as I literally leapt over the front of the car and to safety. Later I would wonder how I got my body to do just that.

I was just calming my racing heart when I heard the sound of someone cracking up. I felt tears sting my eyes as I turned to face whoever was amused by my misfortune. As soon as I did I had to do a double take. There, standing just a little ways from me was a character from the anime I had started watching three days prior. He was bent double at the waist trying to reign in his laughter.

"What the heck is going on here?" I screeched when I finally found my voice again.

The guy jumped then turned his eyes to look at me briefly before searching around to see who I was talking to. A moment later his black eyes came back to my brown ones and he stared at me. He straightened to his full height, then took a few slow steps towards me, and turned his head to one side.

"Were you talking to me?"

I gripped the strap on my back pack before I said, "Uh, huh."

"Then you can see me?"

I nodded.

"Do you even know who I am, little girl?"

Again I nodded, but this time I followed the motion with, "You're Piccolo from Dragonball Z."

His dark eyes went wide for a full three minutes before he shook his head in disbelief and said, "This can't be happening, not to me. Kami doesn't hate me that much. Certainly he wouldn't do this to me. Not to a young girl."

I felt the tears brimming in my eyes again as he spoke to himself some more. I still needed to get home and away from this hell forsaken school before it tries to murder me again. Tomorrow I'd talk to the school cop about the stupid senior that nearly ran me over. With this decision made I turned sharply on my heel and started to walk quickly away from the scene of my near squishing.

I hadn't even cleared the parking lot when I heard the distinct sound of someone else's rapid footsteps closing in behind me. I started panicking then. I slung my straps completely onto my shoulders and took off across the parking lot. The footsteps became quicker. I was moving at a dead run, but it didn't seem like I could shake my pursuer. I can't maintain this speed long. Already my lungs were burning, signaling the need for me to stop.

I came to an abrupt stop as my body collided into another person. I was gasping for air and could barely stand, but the person I had run into had a hold of my shoulders and was helping keep me upright. Right now I'm just glad that I got to someone other than the hallucination of the anime character in the parking lot.

The person holding my shoulders stiffened then said, "I am not a hallucination, kid."

My eyes nearly popped out of my head as I jerked my head up to look at the person I'd run into. The hands that held me upright were a dark green and had long claw like nails on the ends. I opened my mouth then started shaking where I stood. A moment later I used a little trick my friend Alyssa taught me in middle school.

I started sobbing and wailing at the top of my lungs."WAHHHHHHHHH! Gasping breath WAHHHHHHH!"

Immediately Piccolo let go of my shoulders and backed away from me clutching his ears. "Arg! Stop that infernal racket!"

I simply took a deep breath and started wailing even louder. I wasn't really even upset anymore, but as long as big and green stood near me I wouldn't let up. Eventually he'd have to get away or risk the sound rupturing his ear drums. My plan was full proof. At least, I thought it was until I felt a hand cover my mouth.

His breathing was ragged as he hissed his words into my ear. "Don't you ever do that again, you little brat."

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(Piccolo)

Gods, what have I done to deserve someone as annoying as this girl? Surely I haven't done anything that bad while I was a wild muse. We wild ones usually don't fight with one another unless it's in practice.

Hell, I haven't even been near another muse from my world in quite a while. I can't think of a single thing that I could have done to deserve this torture. At least the girl is quiet now.

Still holding my hand firmly over her mouth I said, "Now, I'm going to let you go now. If you so much as squeak I'll have to gag you. You understand?"

"Mmmpphhmmmmm."

"Good." I released her.

And immediately wished I hadn't. As soon as I was physically away from her she sank to the ground and drew her knees against her body. She was trying to make herself as small as possible, but why? I felt a wave of concern hit me all at once. It looks like I'm stuck with her. That's the only thing I can think of that would make me worry about someone I just met.

I have to do something to make her trust me or this will only get worse. She can't possibly be oblivious to what it means to be able to see one of my kind, could she? One way to find out.

"Do you know what it means for the two of us that you can see me?"

She looked up at me with these huge brown eyes and shook her head no. Oh, lord, not the puppy dog colored eyes. She already has a weapon to use against me right there. Well, I guess I'll get used to it with time.

I slowly knelt down next to the girl's steadily trembling form and said, "Look, I'm not going to hurt you, kid. I actually couldn't even if I wanted to."

I was glad we were somewhere where no one could see her. If anyone saw her just sitting there like this...Well, it would be really bad. People would think she had been mugged or something.

She sure seems small for someone in high school. I wonder if she was moved up or something. In any case, she's under my protection now until she either abandons me or I die. I hope she's not one of those people that just leave behind their muse when they tire of them.

I silently noted where her backpack had fallen and rose to retrieve it for her. Her trust needed to be gained, but I wasn't exactly sure how to go about gaining it. I had been expecting to find myself playing muse to a young male not this little female.

I was shaken from my thoughts when her soft voice drifted over to me.

"So...You're not just an illusion then?"

I took a deep breath then said, "No, I'm not an illusion. I'm as real as you are; I just exist on a different plane of existence than you do."

She slowly uncurled her body as she spoke. "Can everyone see you?"

This was going to take awhile, I just knew it would. "Nope, only you and those that you choose to allow to see me."

Now she was just sitting in the dirt. "Why did you appear to me? Of all the people in the world, why me?"

I sat down next to her before I continued. "Well...We can't actually choose who sees us the first time. It just happens when we find the person who we're supposed to inspire."

"Inspire?"

I nodded. "Do you know what a muse is?"

"Yeah. My friend Margie told me about her muse once."

Okay, now we're getting somewhere. At least she had some clue as to what exactly I was. I wonder what sort of muse her friend has. Well, I'll find out sooner or later. For now I need to find out what I'm supposed to inspire in her.

"Are you an artist?"

"Sorta, I'm not very good. I only draw when the mood strikes me."

One down. "Are you a singer?"

"I'm in the chorus if that's what you mean."

"Well, then, that's not what I'm here for..." I murmured as I tried to remember what I had been told about why a muse was sent to a specific person.

Then it hit me. If she wasn't an artist or a singer then she had to be... "Do you write?"

Her eyes lit up at my words. Hit the nail on the head that time. Now I could work from there.

"What sort of things do you write about?"

She fidgeted with the ends of her long brown hair as she spoke to me. "I'm a fan fiction writer mostly. I just started thinking about writing a DBZ fan fiction today."

"Bingo. That's why I was sent to you today. I've been watching you for awhile with no clue as to the why of it. I saw you today when that Chevy almost hit you."

Immediately she stood up and glared down at me. Fury emanated from everywhere around her. Even her aura showed how angry she was.

"Now I remember! You were laughing at me! You...You...You...JERK! I could have really been hurt today! I can't believe you! You're no better than the people at school! Ah, oops!" She covered her mouth at the end of her rant.

"You know, I deserved that. It was funny though. You jumping over the front of the car, not you almost getting squished."

She was still standing next to my sitting form, but her head was bowed in embarrassment. I guess she doesn't let loose like that often. Women change moods so quickly. It's actually kinda scary.

I finally stood to be more of an eye level with her, but I realized quickly that she was much shorter than I was. Talk about looking down on someone. Not much to be done for that.

"Look, kid, I think you need to just get over it. Getting upset or angry about something bad that happens to you doesn't stop it from happening again. Only action will get the person that tried to run you down today brought to justice."

Good lord, I sound like Goku! I guess that means I'm already taking on some of her hidden attributes. She must have a very strong sense of right and wrong buried somewhere in that little body of hers. It seems like something has just about beaten out every little ounce of confidence and courage this kid has. It makes me wonder why she hasn't been gifted with one of us sooner.

Again her soft voice brought my attention back to her. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Piccolo. I don't normally loose my temper like that. And, you're right about what happened today. I'm just not strong like you are. I used to be, but not any more."

I felt my temper flare at her words. Somebody had hurt her before I was around to prevent it. Unacceptable! I would have to find out exactly what happened and try to correct the problem. Later though. Now I just wanted to see where I was to be living from now on.

"Are we going to stand out here all day, or are you going to show me the way home?"

She looked so confused at that moment that I almost laughed. Instead I sighed and said, "I'm your muse now, kid. I go where you go."

Understanding dawned on her then. A minute later a smile spread across her face. She seemed like there was this burden lifted from her shoulders. I guess she's needed a muse for quite awhile.

"Hey, kid?"

She looked up at me then said, "Kaetlynn."

"Huh?"

"My name is Kaetlynn. Use it."

"Oh." I was quiet for a minute. "You know you don't have to be scared of being hurt again. I'm here to protect you as well as be your muse. My purpose is to inspire you in whatever you choose to do."

That smile grew larger as she said, "I'm glad I found you...Or, you found me... I need all the friends I can get. Maybe, someday, you'll call yourself my friend. I'd like that."

I found myself unable to speak at this. Here was this kind, compassionate individual with next to nothing good in her life and all she wanted was for me to be her friend. I have much to learn about this girl. There is definitely more to her than what she lets me see. It seems that I'm not the only one who will learn from our association. I hope I can help this kid. I don't think I've ever met someone so deserving of one of my kind.

This must be what it truly means to be someone's muse. This unexplainable need to take care of her. Wanting to see that shy smile of hers. Feeling angry for things people had done to her both physically and emotionally in the past. I have to earn her trust. I get the feeling that won't be too hard.

At the time I had no idea this meeting would prove to be the makings of a friendship that would span all distances and problems of the next few years. It had begun.

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