*Chapter 6: This World and Its Beings*

A fortnight has passed since the half-breed fiasco and in Lima; Artie Abrams lowered himself down from his carriage and onto his wheelchair. It was a primitive and simple device and usually always gave him problems but then again, being a legless carriage driver has always given him problems. Pushing himself forward he went to tie his horses to the posts before them. He made it easier on himself by tying a rope between the horses' bridles that he tied onto one of the harness when he was driving but in such an occasion as tying them up, he just simply unties the rope from the harness and ties it onto the post. His horses were so well trained that he never has to be rough with them and are really the best friends he has ever had which is a sad truth and a shame. Sure Mr. Hudson, Mr. Chang, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Montgomery, and even Mr. Puckerman when he comes to town with ladies Fabray and Cohen-Chang, are all really great men who help him and treat them the best way they know how, it still does not help the fact that he feels extremely lonely upon people. With no one to relate to in the whole Royal State of Ohio it tends to be as such. Seeing that his horses are tied up he wheeled himself into the Lime Pub and Café, it may not be a creative name but it was a well known place.

There has not been one person who has not visited the pub. Miss Lopez always has a full house, except of course when there is a Gala or a ball of sorts in one of the counties, mainly Lima. A gentleman was kind enough to hold the door open as he existed for Artie and he nodded this thanks to the man as he entered the building and into the pub. The pub itself was a dark color, as all things are in this time. The walls were a burgundy color, the tables made out of a dark oak, the lighting was always kept low to create a calm and mysterious feel to the eatery and it was very simple. The kitchen was in the back through a door, the bar coming straight out from the door. There was a section in bar where the wood could be lifted up to allow the people behind the bar and in the kitchen to leave but during working hours that hardly happened. There were waiters and waitresses working that did the job of delivering their customers' food and drinks. The tables were arranged throughout the room in a way that if you were walking through from one end of the room to the other you would be constantly zigzagging through the tables and chairs. Finally in the back right corner of the building was the staircase that led up to Santana's home upstairs.

Santana describes it to him as one big room with no kitchen; she saw no need since there was a full kitchen downstairs, a bathroom, a sitting area, a bed, and a corner reserved for her shifter Brittany. Right where the staircase was at its highest point was the eatery's only public bathroom, a one stall room that was kept clean since it was the only bathroom and not at all hard to upkeep. Artie sighed and turned immediately to the right where there was a table that was always left empty for him, simply because it was the easiest to get too. It caused problems a lot seeing the popularity of the eatery and people desired to sit but Miss Lopez simply will not allow it. One of her few acts of kindness.

Santana spotted Artie the moment he wheeled in, how could you not? She smiled in his direction as she finished cleaning out a beer mug. "Artie! Hello! Would it be the usual?" She yelled across the pub. Artie only nodded. He was not in the talking mood today. His last customer had been an extremely rude one. He and his other buddies where constantly making cracks at him and his condition. It was not something he has not heard before but the remarks still hurt, no matter how many times he has heard them. Santana personally delivered Artie his coffee and set it down before him. "Here you go." Seeing his mood she sighed. "What happened this time?"

"Just some customers with some remarks Santana." Artie answered. He simply did not want to talk about it.

"You should stand up to them Artie."

Artie scoffed once. "I would if I could stand up."

Santana rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant Stubbles." She turned and without another word walked back behind the bar where she belonged.

Artie sighed deeply at Santana's nickname. She had plenty others but that one was the one she used quite often and was the most appropriate of them all. Artie took a sip of his hot coffee grounded from beans in the State of Georgia with some from the Royal State of Costa Rica on the eastern coast. The blend itself was quite calming but today it just did not seem to work at all. Artie began to think to himself as he looked out the window beside him, the curtains were drawn over it but the material was nearly see-through offering a bit of natural light into the eatery but not enough to really do much in the dark room. He could see his horses faintly, as well as those who walked by and he became so lost in thought that he did not notice the woman that sat in the empty seat in front of him.

She sat there quietly staring at him until he finally felt her stare and turned his head to see her. Artie jumped back slightly, not at her sudden presence there but her appearance. She wore a purple and black lace dress with a sweetheart neckline and even as she sat Artie could tell it was a burlesque style dress with the fabric continuing on in the back as it stopped in the front at her calves. A black feather boa around her shoulders did not hid the thin straps went over her shoulders giving her burlesque style dress a more modern edge. Her hands were covered with a black lace, fingerless gloves with ruffled writs and in her blonde, wavy and loose, mid-back length hair; she had a purple flower with black feathers sitting at the top of her head. She smiled sweetly at him. Then Artie noticed it. Her choker was black but clearly had a strip of magic repellent running directly in the half of it. This woman before him is a Mystic. "I heard what Santana called you." She said softly, and sounding a bit disappointed. "I think it was really mean and rude and I'm sorry she called you Stubbles. Either way you don't look like a Stubbles, you look more like a Jason or a Harry."

"Um…" Artie sounded, confused slightly by her statement. "Well I'm not called Jason or Harry. My name is Artie Abrams."

Her smile fell slightly. "Oh… I thought you would at least would have been called Harry." Artie suddenly felt guilty for making the woman disappointed but she soon giggled and grinned at him. "My name is Brittany."

"As in Brittany Pierce?" Artie asked shocked. If this Mystic before him was Brittany, then he suddenly understood the rumors of Santana with her shifter. She was completely beautiful.

She nodded enthusiastically. "You know who I am!" She giggled. Artie looked down at his coffee. Mentally he told her that he knowing her was not a good thing, especially since she is in the circuit. Which speaking of which, he could not believe that the Mystic, Brittany he mentally corrected himself, had such a nice disposition even when she is in the circuit. "You look sad." She said suddenly bringing his gaze back to her. "Is it because Santana called you Stubbles? I apologized for her so you should be better."

"No." Artie said softly. "No it's not because of that. My day has…" He sighed. "It hasn't been a good day."

"I'm sorry." She said her smile completely gone now and Artie found himself thinking that she looks more beautiful with a smile upon her face. "I'm going to have to ask the fairies of happiness to come to you tonight to give you a kiss."

Now Artie may not know all of the Mystic breeds but he was sure there was no such thing as fairies of happiness. Fairies yes; of wood, water, fire and air, but of happiness? No. "Brittany, there's no such thing—"

She gasped and clapped her hands together. "You used my name! No one uses my name! All they call me is Mystic or shifter but not my name! Only Santana uses my name! And now you! Artie!"

Artie blinked. He had completely lost his train of thought. He was about to say something when Santana materialized at the table. "Brittany!" She scolded. "You are supposed to stay upstairs!"

"I was hungry so I came downstairs." Brittany replied, looking at her. "But then I heard what you called Artie and I felt bad so I sat with him."

"Brittany, go back upstairs and stay there. I'll bring you something in a moment."

"But… I don't want to leave Artie. He used my name Santana!"

"No Brittany. Go upstairs, now."

"Oh come on Santana." Artie cut in. "Let her stay until I leave. I'm enjoying her company."

"No." Santana answered quickly and sharply showing she did not leave one microsecond of thought on the matter. She did not even look at Artie when she said it. "Upstairs." She commanded at Brittany and the human shifter sighed.

"Goodbye Artie." Brittany got up and pushed the chair in before making her way silently to the stairs. That is when Artie noticed that a black bow was on her back, right where the small of her back is.

Santana finally looked at Artie. "What do you think you were doing?" Artie looked at Santana in confusion. He was about to speak but she interrupted him. "She may be in the circuit but here on my property she is nothing of the sorts."

"What?" Artie sounded. He was astonished. He never once thought about bedding the shifter, not until Santana brought it up. "Santana, I was just talking to her—"

"Don't, you hear me? She's not yours nor will she be interested in a legless stump like you Four-Eyes Loser." She then turned on her heals and walked back to the bar. Artie groaned and downed the slightly cooler coffee before placing the money on the table and wheeling himself out. After some trouble with the door he wheeled out, glancing back at the stairs where Brittany had went up just moments ago. Smiling to himself he wheeled himself out and went to untie his horses to go back to work.

*Chronicle of the Mystics*

At the Anderson estate Kurt crossed his arms and chuckled at his perfect calligraphy. "This… This is amazing!" Wes gushed on the writing. "It-it it's like he's had a lifetime of calligraphy practice! He's… His penmanship is better than Master Blaine's!"

"I hardly doubt that." Blaine grumbled. He has yet to see this 'perfect calligraphy' since Wes, Mercedes and Rachel have been hogging the papers and fawning over it.

"This is amazing!" Rachel giggled. "Take a look Master Blaine!"

"I would if you would allow me." Blaine grumbled again.

Mercedes snatched the papers from Wes and Blaine thought she would show the papers to him but instead she squealed and hugged Kurt from behind. "This is amazing honey! You're done with this lame writing skill! And you've been getting better at walking and hell you're even starting to speak a few words now and then."

Kurt chuckled arrogantly and moved a hand up to brush his bangs off his forehead. "Doubt it?" Kurt managed to say.

"No one dares to doubt you now Kurt buddy." Wes said patting the shifter on the back as Mercedes handed his papers to him.

Kurt turned and looked at Blaine. Blaine smiled and expected that now he would finally see this shifter's penmanship when Kurt ran passed him and straight to the unicorn across the way. Blaine breathed out in annoyance and turned to watch Kurt interact with the unicorn. "See?" He asked the unicorn as he showed her the work. Blaine was afraid the glorified horse would eat the paper but instead the unicorn seemed to really look at the writing and then seemed to nod its apparent appreciation. Blaine rolled his eyes. He has had enough. He walked, more like stomped really, over to Kurt and ripped the papers out from the shifter's hands. "Hey!" The shifter scolded as he crossed his arms and glared at the human.

Blaine ignored the glare and looked at the papers, his eyes widening. "By God… It is better than my penmanship." Kurt dropped his glare and smiled at Blaine. Blaine looked at Kurt. "And only in a few weeks. This is miraculous. Now if only your speaking could improve as such." Kurt scowled at him. Blaine shrugged it off. "Let's not forget your walking and the fact that you still need to learn how to dance for the Gala itself." Kurt exhaled heavily and ripped his writing out from Blaine's hand, sending a glare in his direction as he marched back to his stall where the humans were chuckling at the interaction that Master Blaine and Kurt had just experienced. Even Scarlota chuckled to herself, in her horse-like way of course.

The fact of the matter was that in his few weeks there at the estate Kurt had gotten remarkably close to these four particular humans, Blaine in particular. The man had set it as his own personally duty to teach Kurt everything he knew, he had made the bet; he will do what needs to be done. It had gotten to the point where the man found himself thinking about things he could do for Kurt to make his life as a passable human more enjoyable or better in his free time. He considered giving Kurt lessons to play every popular instrument known to man and have him actually become a musician, and a good one at that. Already Blaine had looked for potential instructors. Blaine also thought about moving the shifter into his own home when the time came. Obviously he would have to do it at some point to make Kurt passable as a human because a human does not sleep in a barn none-the-less a Mystic barn. But then Blaine thought about what is to happen afterwards, after the bet is done.

He is confident, now more than ever, that he has the bet already won but the aftermath is what leaves him puzzled. Does he continue to let Kurt live like a human with the exception that he would have to wear some sort of collar or bracelet to restrict his powers, which thankfully the man he hired to make the said bracelet sent him a message saying that it was nearly completed, or was he to force Kurt back into being treated like a caged up Mystic? Blaine was hardly the sort to do such a thing but at the Gala Karofsky informed him that he would reveal Kurt as a Mystic, that is, if he wins the bet which as mentioned before Blaine knew he was going to win it. That would mean that everyone would know Kurt to me a Mystic and he will never receive the same treatment as a human does. But Blaine simply could not picture caging Kurt back up again. The two have become really close, may he even say it, closer than he is with Wesley.

Kurt on the other hand did not think much of the future which was not like him at all. But in this place he found himself living in the moment and he has been so focused on the writing and the walking and the lessons that he could not find the time to think of anything else. He had promised Blaine not to overwork himself but Kurt found himself forcing himself to walk flat on his feet during those few restless nights as he circled the stall over and over. Not to mention he would practice his letters and sounding them out and Blaine had given him some books to read, again children's books, but he found the fairytales amusing at least, that is when he can read them. He especially enjoyed the one that was about Mystics. It was a mix between a pro-Mystic and a anti-Mystic story that recalled the age of peace and told the story of the Lady Brooke Dionne and the Mystic God of Light and his jealous brother the God of Darkness and the fight the brothers had, resulting in the unlawful and nature unbalancing death of the God of Darkness. Of course Kurt knew the whole story by heart even before reading it out of the children's fairytale book, and he knew the real version and not the edited and less enchanting human version but it was a nice change from what he knew, he supposes. When he read he would read it aloud, except at night so he would not bother the other Mystics with his horrible reading skills.

Kurt entered his stall when the barn door opened and a guard came in with a man. Blaine instantly recognized him. The man he hired to make the bracelet. Blaine met the man halfway as the guard turned and left the barn. "Why Mr. Martin, to what do I owe this visit?"

Wes, Mercedes and Rachel left Kurt's stall, Wes walking to join Blaine while the women flanked both sides of Kurt as he stood in the doorway of his stall, listening in to the human men's conversation. Mr. Martin, a middle aged and already balding man wore a stripped white shirt, black elastic y-back suspenders and black vigilante pants and he also wore silver framed clear spectacles. He pushed the said spectacles up to rest on the bridge of his nose as he dug into his pocket. He pulled out a small box and showed it to Blaine. "It seems to me that I have finished the bracelet you requested earlier than expected Mr. Anderson."

Kurt's ears perked up as Mr. Martin opened the box. Kurt stood on his toes and tried to see into the box with obvious fail. Blaine on the other hand saw the black fabric with the single strip of magic repellent down the center. Blaine marveled at how little magic repellent is needed to restrain a Mystic's magic as he lifted the cloth out of the box. "I fail to see how this could have taken over two weeks to complete Mr. Martin."

"Understand this Mr. Anderson; it is quite difficult to get the metal repellent sown into fabric, even with my experienced hands and eyes. If you believe that you could do better at a much faster pace that I did, then perhaps I should take this with me and you can work on a new bracelet. I doubt you would be able to reach such a quality like this." Kurt felt himself become disappointed, then sad, then annoyed, then angered and then just disgusted as Mr. Martin spoke. How dare Blaine believe that he still needs some sort of collar to ensure he would not run away? Kurt has not once thought about running away since he did on his first day here. An idiot would run away from a kind enough place like this and Kurt Anderson, he mentally spit at the surname for he was too disgusted with Blaine right now to even accept the last name, was no idiot. Kurt exhaled through his nose in anger as Blaine started to speak, beside him the women slowly started to feel Kurt's rising anger and were staring to be concerned, not really for Kurt but the fact that Kurt was not wearing his collar.

"I understand Mr. Martin. I suspect that you believe that you deserve a bit of extra money for putting such effort and quality into this thing?"

"Why yes Mr. Anderson." Mr. Martin answered honestly.

Blaine half sighed half groaned. Of course he would ask for more money. "Well I am sorry Mr. Martin. I will only pay you what we agreed on."

"But the quality—"

"Yes, yes the quality, it is really cheaply made I can see that." Blaine snapped back. Mr. Martin fell silent as Blaine continued. "Really Martin, if you really wanted extra money you could have put in the effort to make this bracelet look somewhat delectable to the most lowest of human beings. I am sure you have heard of the bet Mr. Karofsky and I have made concerning the wearer of this bracelet and I can assure you this is not at all delectable."

Mr. Martin stared at Blaine. He smirked faintly and bowed his head. "I am sorry that this did not appeal to you Anderson. Perhaps you would give me a second chance at making a new and improved bracelet for your Mystic."

Kurt held his breath and Blaine stood silent, contemplating this offer. "If a new and improved bracelet mean a much longer than a few weeks…"

"Of course it would sir."

"Then I am allowing you to do just that. As long as I receive it before the Gala."

Kurt sighed and closed his eyes. That was just it. The growl came from the back on his throat and the women beside him moved away in shock. They have never once seen Kurt react violently to anything. Playfully glare and snap his teeth but never actually growl. The growl became increasingly louder and Scarlota neighed nervously as she backed up into her stall. The other Mystics slowly, and then suddenly, became quiet as the growl reached the human men's ears. The three men looked back at Kurt whose hands soon became fists at his sides. His teeth were bared now as the growl reached the inside of his mouth and sounding more and more like a rabid dog's than that of a human growl. All in one moment Kurt's eyes snapped open revealing a glowing bright green-grey color and the growl shifted into a bloodcurdling neigh as Kurt's body bended backwards slightly and he shifted into his spirit animal.

To define an animal shifter's spirit animal, it is what you would expect, the animal the bests represents that shifter's spirit and personality but to a shifter it is another Mystic but unlike the shifter's other Mystic forms, it is not like the other Mystics natural colors, it is in the color of the shifter's appearance. Kurt's spirit animal, or spirit Mystic if you would rather prefer, was a Pegasus. While most pegasi are usually any one solid color Kurt's Pegasus was brown and tan. It was mostly brown, the mane, the tail, most of the body and wings, but the soft and fleece like top part of the wings, the feathering on the hoof, and the semi-spiral semi-jagged markings on the body were tan. The markings came up from the legs, more specifically the hooves, and the underbelly, which was also tan, and they came onto the rump from the tail, and on the face snaked on the body. His facial markings were somewhat different as the markings spiraled from the top of the check, to the eyes where they spiraled around it and down to the muzzle on both sides, completely identical. The mane and tail, which were long and flowing, revealed a few to have two magically braided areas, one in the upper part of the main and the other in the tail.

Kurt in his Pegasus form was rearing and neighing furiously before he fell onto his fours, snorting loudly as he glared at Blaine and Mr. Marin. He neighed again, swinging his head in a circle angrily as he slowly clopped down the barn, extending his wings out as he did so, a natural act to make himself bigger. The humans, as well as the other Mystics, were far too astonished to react. Kurt snorted and started to canter towards the men. The guards were the first to react as they moved forward to try and capture Kurt. Kurt merely broke out into a gallop and out ran them. Finally snapping back to reality the three men moved out of the way just as Kurt was about to run into them. Kurt continued to gallop until he ran outside the barn before flapping his large wings and jumping up into the sky. Blaine, still completely shocked at Kurt's sudden shift, ran outside immediately and watched as Kurt flew higher and higher into the sky and another loud neigh reached his ears. He was soon joined but the guards and the others as they stared up into the sky, their eyes watching the now brown blob in the air.

"Is he running away?" Wes asked.

"Why would he?" Rachel answered with another question.

Blaine silently watched Kurt fly around in circles above them. "He's not running away." He answered suddenly. "He's just releasing his anger in flight."

"How can you be so sure Master Blaine?" Mercedes asked.

"If I were Kurt," Blaine started, "I would have already been gone by now if I were running away."

The humans continued watching in silence and Mr. Martin turned to Blaine. "Um… I will put you to the top of the list. Your shifter is much too rowdy. Perhaps I'll give you this bracelet for now, free of charge until the new one can be delivered?"

"It won't be necessary." Blaine said tearing his eyes from the sky to look Mr. Martin in the eyes. "He has a collar. It just wasn't on."

"Might I suggest you leave it on?" Mr. Martin said thickly. Blaine did not reply. He just looked back up at the sky. Mr. Martin sighed. "Suit yourself Mr. Anderson. I will see you in a month or so." The man then turned and walked himself off the Anderson estate.

*Chronicle of the Mystics*

Kurt circled in the air, his front legs tucked close to his body and his back legs extended out. His legs shook with anger and sadness and utter betrayal as the wing passed through his wings and rushed past his head. Kurt's body shook then and tears formed in his eyes, making the green-grey color turn to a more blue-grey. He blinked hard and the tears fell down to the earth below and Kurt decided to not think about the humans in that moment. He has not been like this ever, free and in his spirit animal form. He was not about to let some loss in trust ruin this moment. Kurt smiled on the inside. If he was going to enjoy this moment, he would stop flying in circles. Kurt untucked his front legs and push them forward and together allowing the air to pass over him and make it easier for him to drop down closer to the earth and to literally get his head out of the clouds for if he was going to fly around a bit he was not going to fly at such a high altitude that made it harder for him to turn. After reaching an adequate altitude he tucked his legs back in and turned his wings away from the barn and towards the manor. He wanted to get another look at the grand house. He slowed his flying down by once again extending all of his legs and started to trot in the air around the manor. He wished to go slower but if he did he would be grounded and ultimately caught by the guards and he did not want to risk that.

He looked at the manor and yet kept an eye out for any guards. Remarkably there was not any to be seen but he did not drop his guard down one bit. He flew around for approximately a half hour before reluctantly returning back to the barn. Before he reached the barn he dropped himself down on the ground and walked towards the barn, his wings tucking onto his back. He snorted softly, his horse-like way of a sigh, and walked with his head hung low, not in sadness for returning back to the barn though the feeling did exist but in guilt. That stunt he pulled off might have ruined all the trust the humans have with him, especially in Blaine. When he finally reached the barn he raised his head and saw that Blaine, Wes, Mercedes and Rachel, along with some pissed off guards, stood waiting for him. Kurt dropped his head again and reluctantly shifted back. When he did his shirt and pants were badly torn because of the shifts but he did not care. He walked before Blaine, eyes glued to the ground.

Blaine sighed. "Care to sign why you ran and flew out of the barn Kurt Anderson?" Kurt blinked and forced himself to look up once more and to force himself to look straight into Blaine's hazel eyes. Kurt raised both his hands and took one hand and started to slap his other wrist signifying the bracelet. Blaine nodded. "I understand. You felt hurt because you thought I do not trust you enough because I commissioned a bracelet to be made to restrict your magic. Is that it?" Kurt nodded. Blaine sighed once more. "Listen Kurt, it isn't because I don't trust you, I do, well… Maybe not as much as I did now but… I had that commissioned when I first got you and I know now that you won't run away. You didn't run away now when you clearly could have." Kurt blinked and looked back at the ground.

"But master," Wes started, "if you don't believe that a bracelet is needed, then why wait for the new one to come?"

"Think about it Wes," Blaine said looking straight at Kurt, hoping he was listening which the shifter was, "Karofsky said that he will reveal that he's a Mystic and if he appears to not have some sort of restraint what will that look like?"

Mercedes groaned slightly. "That you refuse to put any type of restraint on your Mystic because there is a chance you have feelings for it."

"Exactly Mercedes." Blaine said tearing his eyes from Kurt to look at her. "I can't afford that. If people thought that of me I would surely lose more than half my business and that would be disastrous." Blaine looked back at Kurt which by now was looking back up at him. "For all of us." He added.

"That is so stupid." Rachel said. "Kurt is a wondrous being. He's a person and the way some people treat their Mystics or think of Mystics is just wrong. Unethical."

"But…" Wes sighed. "There is a very slim chance for this time to return that to peace. We humans are just so stubborn with our reign over the earth."

"This world belongs to all of us." Mercedes said reaching out to Kurt to hold his hand. Kurt felt himself start to cry again and he made no attempt to wipe away his tears or to stop them. "To the humans to the Mystics, we all live in the world and we should all take care of it, and not abuse the magic that's all around us."

Blaine felt his feet move forward and without any thought what-so-ever his hand came up and wiped the tears that fell from Kurt's eyes, Kurt beginning to blush faintly from the touch. His hand lingered on the Mystic's cheek much longer than necessary before dropping numbly to his side. "All seriousness aside…" Blaine paused, his voice low and deep. "Kurt, that Pegasus form of yours was beautiful." Kurt smiled faintly and blushed and soon the Wes, Mercedes and Rachel agreed with Blaine and gushed on the Pegasus form while Kurt's blush increased with every passing moment.

Check out my DA page (http:/ naragal95. deviantart. com/) for the official teaser/cover poster for this story. Question: Was Kurt's spirit animal okay? I just thought that he was a free spirit like a bird, strong spirited like a horse and I kind of combined the two to equal Pegasus.

Plus here's the link to my inspiration for Kurt's Pegasus form. http:/ i525. photobucket. com/ albums/ cc336/ Phenelape/ pegasas. jpg

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