EPISODE 1

THREE FRIENDS

The sun shone brightly through Sean's bedroom window. Sean slowly opened his eyes, blinked a few times, and looked around, still perplexed by his dream. I wonder what time it is, he groggily thought to himself, looking around his narrow bedroom. He noticed the messy closet and the large pile of dirty clothes sitting in the corner. Sean groaned, thinking, Great. Don't tell me I've got some laundry to do today…

Looking up, he got a good startle from the red wolf face that was right up in his. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, jolting up from bed.

"About time you got up, lazy ass!," the wild-haired red wolf said. "Very funny, Blood," Sean responded quite exasperatingly. Blood's bright red fur and magenta-ish feet, forearms, underside, and snout made him stand out in the morning sun. His long, brownish-orange mane draped down past his dark collar and shoulder plates. On his back and sides were markings that resembled a dark cloud and drops of blood. The tip of his tail was the same dark red color as his markings and the circles around his eyes.

"Come on!," Blood barked back at his friend, "It's 10 o'clock, and you were supposed to help get ready for our big trip! Jeez…What'd we do, wear you out from yesterday??"

"No, that's not it at all!" Sean snapped. "Look…I was swallowed up by this dark…thing, and this weird voice coming out of nowhere, and…" Blood slapped him with his paw before Sean could say another word. "Wake up already!," Blood said, "You were just dreaming again!"

"Man…," Sean sighed, "Sure didn't seem like a dream. Everything about it…Just so bizarre…"

"Yeah, yeah," Blood responded, jumping off the bed. "Well, you'd better come down sometime within the next decade. Me and Rain wouldn't get anywhere with you up here lazing away!" "Gee, thanks," Sean chuckled as Blood headed out into the hallway and down the stairs. Sean then proceeded to get out of bed and put on his clothes. Before getting dressed, though, he checked his hair in the mirror. The two big spikes in the front were nestled between forward-pointing smaller spikes on both sides which converged slightly behind them. The hair made a curved triangle in the back, while in the back most of it draped over his forehead. Overall, Sean's hair was only slightly messed up, but he fixed it quite easily, applying smaller spikes here and there. Afterwards, he dressed himself in his favorite navy blue and white short sweat jacket, blue shorts and shirt, and long yellow shoes. And of course, he also put on his lucky crown necklace.

Grabbing his trusty baseball bat for a playful little tussle with Blood, Sean left his bedroom, headed down the stairs and went on outside where Rain and Blood waited next to his silver sedan. "Hey, look who's finally come out, sis," said Blood to Rain, "It's good ol' Sleeping Beauty." The delicate, bluish-furred Rain just gave a small chuckle and smiled. "Hey, guys," Sean greeted, "Sorry I slept in so late."

Rain's fur was a very light shade of blue, but she had a brighter, more saturated blue in the same areas where Blood's color was magenta. Her pinkish mane curled slightly in the front and formed pointy dreadlocks in the back, the latter in thanks to her braids. Pink and white crystal bracelets rested on her ankles and front knees, and a striking blue crystal pendant was strung around her neck. Like her brother, she had markings on her back as well, but hers resembled a rain cloud and raindrops. Some of those markings were on her tail as well.

"It's okay," Rain responded to Sean's apology, "We would've gotten some work done already, but it just wouldn't be the same without you." Blood added, "Yeah, and besides, you're the only one with opposable thumbs, so of course it wouldn't be the same without you!" "Thanks," said Sean with a smirk, "It's good to know you're looking out for everyone."

"Did you at least have a good rest last night?," Rain asked coyly. "Well, I…" Sean started before Blood cut in with, "He said he had more weird dreams."

"Oh," said Rain as Sean walked towards her and Blood. "Ah, don't worry about me," Sean reassured. "Let's just go ahead and get some work done." Rain just chuckled coyly, "Okay."

The three friends went ahead and started loading up the sedan with items for the long road trip they were going to take. They loaded up lawn chairs, blankets, and a cooler from the garage, as well as various snacks and food items from the local forest and convenience store. Some of the junk got riled up and scattered by the some of the local kids, but Sean managed to grab them up and put them in the vehicle.

When they were ready to take a break, Sean volunteered to go up to the local convenience store to get some hot dogs.

The providence of Forest Hill was much like any other small suburban neighborhood complex: Quaint, humble, and somewhat isolated. It had a little country club-type place which was home to a dodgeball court, a few swimming pools, a nice walking path, and an arcade. The convenience store had a wide range of snacks and items for sale, despite its size. Nearby the houses was also a big forest preserve where Sean, Rain, and Blood always played and hung out in. It was also where Sean first found Rain and Blood, young, injured, and scared. Since he nursed them back to health they had pretty much been inseparable, the best of friends.

But they wouldn't be staying there for long. Having just completed high school and on the verge of his 18th birthday, Sean decided that they should leave Forest Hill and take a road trip to the outside world. Well, actually it was Blood's idea; Sean and Rain just decided to go along with it, mostly because Sean always loved a good adventure. But Blood had his own reasons for wanting to go…

On the outskirts of the forest preserve, the three friends ate their hot dogs as they watched the sunset from atop their favorite hill. Having four legs, Rain and Blood just ate their dogs bare and from the ground.

Just as they were halfway finished, Rain looked over to Sean, who was eating a bit more slowly than usual. "You've been quiet today, Sean," Rain said, noticing that he was in a strange mood. "You nervous?" "Huh?," Sean asked as he turned his attention to Rain. "About the trip," Rain assured him, "It's only two days ahead."

"Oh," Sean said. "Sorry about that. I've just had a lot on my mind." "Hehe…Okay," Rain responded.

After a short pause, Sean shared his thoughts with his friends. "If we go far enough down the road," he wondered out loud, "will we really find another world?" Blood gulped down a piece of hot dog, and responded, "We'll know when we get there. Besides, it's the only way to find out what kind of world Rain and I came from." Rain looked at her brother and asked him, "So, suppose we do get to another world. What would we do there?"

Blood hesitated for a second, thinking, then responded with a flat expression, "Well…To be honest, I haven't really thought about it." He looked out at the sunset and continued, "It's just…I've always wondered why we're here, in these human suburbs. Out of all the worlds out there, if there even are any, why'd we end up on this one?"

"And suppose there are other worlds. Then this one is just a little piece of something a lot bigger. So, we could've just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?" Looking at Rain and Sean, the only reactions he got were the shrugs of their shoulders. "See, that's it. That's why we need to get out there and find out!" Blood said as he stood up. "Just sitting here won't change a thing. So let's go."

"Whoa," said Sean, "Seems like I'm not the only one thinking out loud. That's pretty deep, Blood." "And in part," Blood responded as he turned to face Sean with a smirk on his face, "I have you to thank. If you hadn't found me and Rain that day, I probably never would've considered any of this. Sean, thanks." "You're welcome," Sean said as he turned back to the fiery sky. Blood soon joined him.

"It's getting late, you guys," Rain assured the two males, "We should finish up and rest up. We have a big day tomorrow." With that said, the three friends finished up their hot dogs and headed back to Sean's house.

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The morning sun fell brightly upon the Kingdom of Canis and its brilliant craggy mountain castle. The castle revealed itself in a bright, almost solid bluish hue as it overlooked the forested town below.

Hobbes the polar bear, Captain of the Royal Knights, patrolled the open ramparts of the castle as he headed toward the chamber of Lord Storm and Lady River, the rulers of the Kingdom. Dressed in striped green pants, a white and red armored shirt, and two crystal bracelets, it was normally his duty to patrol the castle and greet the Lord and his Lady.

Up ahead Hobbes spotted Fawkes, the small blue griffin, flying toward him real fast. He was holding a piece of paper in his front claws.

"Oh, Captain Hobbes! Captain Hobbes!," the beast squeaked as he noticed Hobbes. After he landed, Hobbes said in a concerned tone, "What is it, Fawkes? Is something wrong?" "Captain Hobbes!," Fawkes squeaked, "Terrible, terrible news! Lord Storm is gone!"

"What?," Hobbes expressed, "But how?" "H-He left this note," the griffin stated. "P-Perhaps you should read it." Hobbes picked the piece of paper out of Fawkes' claws, unfolded it, and read it. As he read, his expression turned grave. Upon finishing, he said to Fawkes, "This is pretty serious. Does Lady River know about this?" "Y-Yes, sir," Fawkes responded. "She wants us all to meet in the audience chamber to discuss it in further detail."

"All right," said Hobbes. "Fawkes, go and find Rob and Cody, and have them meet me and the ladies at the audience chamber right away." "Y-Y-Yessir!," Fawkes squawked as he took off into the air. With Lord Storm's note in hand, Hobbes quickly headed off for the audience chamber.

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Meanwhile, Cody the husky, Captain of the Royal Rangers, was in the training field practicing with his Transform Blade while Rob the snake, the Royal Court Magician, snoozed on the side. As Cody sliced through the combat dummies with deadly swiftness and precision, Fawkes spotted them and headed for their location. "Captain Cody! Magician Rob!," he squeaked as he came in for a landing right towards Rob.

Rob woke up to see the griffin coming right for him. "AAAUGGHH!!" he shouted as he jolted awake and zipped right flat to the ground. Cody noticed Fawkes gliding right over Rob and onto the ground. Springing up off the ground, Rob turned toward Fawkes and yelled, "Why don't ya pick a landing spot OTHER THAN right on my head! You almost wiped it clean off!"

"Oh, s-s-so sorry, Magician Rob!," Fawkes squeaked. "But I have some distressing news!" "What is it?," Cody asked as he rushed toward the snake and the griffin. "Is it about Lord Storm?" "Yes it is, Captain Cody!," Fawkes said. "Hobbes and Lady River need to meet you at the audience chamber! It…It's urgent!"

"Man…Your perception never ceases to amaze me, Cody," Rob said, disgruntled. "I wonder what kind of trouble is coming this way this time?"

"I don't know," Cody said, "but it must be pretty serious…"