Chapter Four

Firno Fors

Reo sat in the library, silent as the grave, as his teacher Jade explained and taught him about the most feared creatures in the Atmos, from the poison toothed sloth's to the Murk raiders, the boy found it all fascinating, and for maybe once in his young life did he relax and enjoy the lesson, yet he never spoke unless asked a question, which was most unlike him, for he would usually interrupt and ask his own little enquiries. Jade stopped mid-sentence and paused as the shadow boy didn't seem to noticed she'd stopped talking, so she dropped her professional-like attitude.

"Reo...what's wrong?" She asked gently, she would reach for his hand for comfort, or to even just get his attention, but didn't want to risk Reo snapping at her like he had done before. He looked up at her for a second or two before looking back down at the dusty covers and scrolls.

"Nothing, Jade...nothing..." The lilac haired talong blinked in surprised before she practically beamed as she heard her name coming from his mouth for the very first time; usually he just called her human if anything at all so it made her fell warm that he was at least calling her by her name now.

"Come on Reo...I know something is bothering you..." She lent in closer and spoke at a whisper close to his ear "I'm here for you...you can tell me anything you know" Reo was silent for a moment and said nothing and Jade's heart thudded a little faster in her chest from excitement, he was hesitating...maybe there was hope after all. Eventually the shadow actually opened his mouth but nothing came out as a Talon approached. Jade sighed in exasperation and annoyance and mentally cursed to herself; she'd been so close!

"Jade, your on kitchen duty-" The talon started with a slight amused sneer; he was obviously one fo those talons who liked kicking her around.

"No she's not." Reo said simply, looking at a partially old and damaged map scroll not even acknowledging the talons with a glance; needless to say the Talon looked taken aback at this.

"B-but, Masters orders-" The talon stuttered.

"Master can put those orders where the shadows fear to crawl, Jade is currently busy teaching me, you got that?" Reo said before he looked up shot a deadly glare that even gave Jade the goosebumps, the poor Talon swallowed and nodded before he almost fell over his own feet as he ran out the library.

Jade then stood there wide-eyed and mouth ajar as it slowly sunk into her brain that...Reo had just defended her! He had gone against Cyclonis' orders, Cyclonis who's orders had always been so absolute to Reo, he'd denied them…and he didn't care! That in Jades eyes was pretty incredible for Reo's standards. The lilac haired talons had to sit down or her knees would buckle so she sunk into the nearest chair still no believing that Reo had just done that, she glanced at him to see a...a smile!? Jade was almost tempted to slap herself to see if he's was in some weird dream not nope, there it was, a small smile; of course it was out of triumph and there was a hint of evil to it, but that was to be expected of him.

When it DID sink in Jade finally tired to speak "Reo! You just...for me and...she's going to-" Jade stuttered out.

"Deal with it." Reo said softly as he looked over the dirty scrap of a scroll not looking up at Jade. "She's going to deal with it."

Jade blinked at that before she felt herself blushing despite herself; no on had ever defended her before"...Reo...If didn't know and how you'd react you I'd give you a hug..." she said with a slight laugh.

"One step at a time, please." Reo said as he looked up and smiled weakly. "Now, please, tell me more about the Murk Raiders"

*

Life with the Shadow Boy, was starting to become more and more enjoyable much to Jade's excitement; Reo finally began to act average enough around her and there were no more escapes via shadows and excuses or arguments. Only problem was his timidness to interact or talk with her, let alone anyone else. Jade was thinking about this dilemma as she changed into nightclothes and sighed; he spoke to no one unless he had to and even though he interacted with her a little more she figured she was not the sort of company he needed, no he needed someone of his own kind to talk to, another shadow. But where was she meant to get one of THOSE? Its not like she could buy one or find one, you don't walk by them everyday after all...so, she decided to be the pupil for once.

"Can I ask how you were created Reo? If you remember of course." Jade asked curiously as she sat crossed legs on the end of Reo's bed, the boy getting ready to curl up and read. He placed the book down the side of him with a slight raised eyebrow at the question.

"Why do you ask?"

"You're always interested in what I have to say, it's my turn to get to know you better." She said honestly and with a slight smile.

"...Only thing I can remember is when Master gave me my name...but she told me she had to use crystals." He rubbed his neck, cold fingers curling around the green pendant on his chain around his neck. "And I did the rest..."

"Hmmm…do you think we could do it again?" She asked, leaning forward a little with new hope. "If we found the crystals I mean" she said with a smile.

"I know what you're thinking Jade...but we can't make another shadow...we're not skilled-"

"I'm sure Cyclonis wrote it down somewhere...c'mon...you bent one rule, let's break another. You can't admit that you don't want another shadow around. Please Reo, this is for you're benefit."

"But what if Master finds him...or her?" Reo asked with a slight frown; surely they would get punished for the shadows creation as well as the theft of the crystals.

"...We'll teach him...or her...to hide, mould in the shadows. You guys are always two steps ahead, and intelligent. We'll get by." She said softly knowing that she could indeed get punished for this but if it made Reo happy she'd do it, gingerly she slowly reached out and touched his hand. Reo blinked a few times, about to drag his hand away when he stopped as he got lost in thought; he was thinking too much to care about being touched...another shadow around? He looked up at Jade who was smiling reassuringly.

"Okay then...tomorrow we leave for the Masters crystal chamber." he smiled slightly for the second time that day, maybe it was the thought of having a friend of the same as him around...or maybe unknown to him, it was the fact Jade was holding his hand properly now.

*

Reo War and Jade Rotaski must have been breaking about forty rules as the snuck there way through Cyclonia; Reo felt the crystal burn him constantly, he never felt pain, but somehow he felt this crystal. He tried to ignore it as much as possible as they crept to Cyclonis' Chamber in the early hours. The atmosphere was heavy and tense. Both hardly dared to breath as they came around the corner.

"Remember the plan?" Jade whispered in his ear liking the fact she was so close to Reo despite the fact he was freezing and clod was coming off him in waves; Reo nodded and Jade clung to his shirt like an innocent child. Reo walked through a shadowed corner of the hallway, with a human attached, it seemed to drag on forever, but he managed to find the opening and stepped through.

"Never, do that, again." Jade shuddered as she let him go she was shivering not from Reo's cold but from the shadows as well and rubbed her arms to warm herself. The shadow boy smiled again, she was rather comical...

Something attracted his eye; a glass case, with a hovering purple crystal inside, for some reason Reo felt attracted to is as much as a Elephant Ant to lava...he walked slowly up towards it while Jade shifted through files on Cyclonis' desk as quickly and quietly as she could. Reo reached out a hand and stroked the glass, he couldn't sense any small things that would trigger an alarm, but it was locked. No problem. Making sure Jade was busy and preoccupied with reading, he took off his gloves, bit his tongue as he also peeled back some skin off his hand. He was in agony, he hated it as the pain pulsed through his entire body as his matter burned away the glass. He quickly absorbed it and replaced the skin, gave a few minutes to redeem himself before snatching the crystal out of its cage. The plan was now half complete.

Jade came back to him with a smile on her face, waving around a tiny journal around in triumph "All the instructions are in here, you think Cyclonis would organized her stuff better." She whispered with a slight gleam of mischief in her eyes. Reo took the book as Jade offered it to him and he flipped through it before he found the correct page.

"DNA...we didn't think of that..." Jade muttered as she read over his shoulder. Reo glanced up then looked on his shoulder and picked a loose hair off his uniform. "...good idea I guess that will work better than anything" she said with a smile "Okay, are you going to do this?"

"Yes, it would be safer…here goes nothing." Going to the corner he was once 'born' into, he placed the hair in the centre, shrouding it in the dark and read the instructions thoroughly before starting the tiring and exhausting ritual. Reo never felt so weak, the strength in him draining fast.

Just as Reo was about to collapse, something began to happen, a figure began to form; Reo stepped back with Jade as the Shadow took care of its self, forming a head, arms and legs. Then it screeched, to Jade, it was almost torture, nails dragging down a mile long chalkboard and she soon had to use her palms as earmuffs to block out the awful sound, but to Reo, it was the sweetest thing he'd ever heard.

Both glanced at each other when a young man, the same age as Reo, maybe younger, was panting on the floor. Jade sighed in relief and smiled at Reo, who smiled back. The young feminine Talon suddenly looked rosy in the face, Reo blinked and looked slightly confused but didn't ask as she shyly looked away.

Reo bent down by the newly 'born' shadow. He looked much like Reo in the face, but not a lot in the eyes and hair. The new shadow had dark navy blue eyes, so dark that they were almost black, his pupils were fogged white, which was a sign of a bad creation or a mistake. But as long as he could live, neither cared. The Shadows hair was very spiky, black as night itself save for the very tips, which were as bright as the sun at high noon, purest of blonds. Extremely rare for a shadow to have blonde hair, yet it was possible here.

Reo helped the Shadow up, he was dressed in a Talon uniform as they were, in greens, browns, blacks and navy's. The boy rubbed the back of his head.

"Ugh, I feel like I've been whacked on the head so many times..." He said. Reo grinned; he recognized that voice alright...

"Wait, you can feel?" Jade asked surprised; she just presumed this shadow would be the same as Reo

"Of course...who are you?" The Shadow asked.

"Oh! Sorry, my names Jade I kinda helped you get here" The young woman smiled and held out a hand. The Shadow hesitated before taking it and Jade shook his hand with a grin "Wow! You're not like Reo at all." She smiled even more.

"Reo..." The boy's eyes widened as he turned to Reo at his side. "...I thought..."

"Yes, Firno...it did happen." Jade looked in between them with a dumbstruck expression.

"His name is Firno?" She asked with a raised eyebrow at the strange name.

"Firno Fors." Reo said proudly and faced Jade.

"He's my brother."

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And THAT'S the end of that chapter! We finally get to meet Finro, Reo's nicer brother! For more info on Firno and for fan art look for totalsh or Jadertoaski on Deviant at! Hope you guys enjoyed it ^^