Chapter Four - Teague

Ashka Silver : Yes, I do see that. I happen to forget the age difference sometimes, but I'd ship them if they were closer in age.

Evx : Whaaaat? You seem perfectly sane! c:

Guest : I'm glad you like Dark Mina! She is quite fun to write about.

"Concentrate harder." I instruct, watching her struggle. The pent up anger inside her is distracting her. She needs to focus!

"I am!" She protests.

"Then focus harder!" I shoot back.

We're standing in the Royal woods, and Mina is in front of me, trying her best to shapeshift into something. I'm not sure what she's attempting to become. She refused to tell me.

Then, it happens. She begins to change, and slowly morphs into a griffin? I can't help but chuckle. I morphed into a griffin to save her life once. Back when I didn't have a poisoned heart. But that poisoned heart was a good thing. Just like Mina's.

Don't think that. Ugh. Jared again? Seriously.

Don't tell me what to think. I scowl inwardly.

She's actually a beautiful griffin. She's a chocolately brown, with white speckles here and there, and her wings are white-tipped. She tilts her head, looking at me for a moment, before shutting her eyes and morphing back. She's out of breathe, a nastier side effect to the first few times you shift. I probably should've warned her, but it honestly slipped my mind.

"Well, how was it?" I ask, watching her.

She takes a moment to catch her breathe before responding. "It was...Amazing." Her eyes sparkle slightly with excitement. "I could feel the power filling me, and it was exhilerating, Teague. I want to do it again."

"Calm down, Mina. You'll get yourself killed, doing it again so soon. That was your first time, and the first few times are going to be rough on the system. You could get seriously injured if you did it again so soon."

She sighs. "Fine."

Well, at least she's being agreeable. But I see her eyes darken again as she focuses on what's behind me. Curious, I turn around, and I scowl. There's the pathetic human boy, running up.

He skids to a halt, panting. "We've devised a plan."

"Because a plan made by an idiot will be oh so helpful." Mina mutters the words darkly, but Brody doesn't hear them. Or tries to ignore them. If he is ignoring them, he does a good job of it.

"What exactly is it?"

"We need the cloak of the goat man." He explains. "If we can get it, we can send someone through and rescue Ever."

"The goat man seems to be the only man who can jump through like that, idiot!" Mina spits the words, louder this time. "Ever may be an awful creature, but she's not as stupid as you are. She would've gotten away if it was possible to just jump through."

"That's because she can't tether herself to the goat man. We did some research, and..." He pauses at the next words, "Only a Royal can actually pull a person through. Anyone that owns the cloak that isn't a Royal can pull stuff out, and travel to other places with it, but they can't pull other humans out. We'd have to send one of you in."

"I'm not jumping into some cloak to save a stupid pixie's life."

"I have to admit, I'm not sure I believe this is the best plan." I state slowly. "It's risky. How do you expect us to get the cloak from the goat man? You were supposed to devise a plan."

"We did! We have to steal the cloak!"

"But that's a half-thought plan! You didn't think of any way to get it, or anything!" I shout at him.

"We're doing our best!"

"Maybe your best is not enough!" I snarl. "You're an idiot, just as she said!" I gesture to Mina. "It's your's and Nan's fault that a lot of this happened! If you watched her closer, her memory wouldn't have been taken! You were a horrible excuse for a boyfriend!"

"I still am her boyfriend!"

"No, you're not!" Mina's angry voice rises above both of our's. "I hate your guts, and tell Nan I hate her's too! You can both forget talking to me! The next time I see you, I'll strangle you!" He glares at me. "Now go!"

He looks very upset by this, and turns. "Fine." His voice is flat as he walks off. "I'll go back and work with Nan on the details of the plan."

That fire. It was brilliant. I want to see that more than ever. I watch Mina carefully, and can see small sparks of stray Fae magic sparking off her hands.

Sorry, Jared. But I don't think I plan on fixing Mina any time soon. This darker side of Mina...It's very attractive.

No, Teague, no! Don't subject her to a life of darkness! He screams the words at me.

I'm afraid part of it is your fault. If you hadn't left her to fend on the Fae plane by herself - in fact, if you had even stopped her from coming - this could've been avoided. So, if anything? Blame yourself.

You're the one that stole her brother!

And yet, you could've stopped that too, if you had just been a better guardian.

Ooh, Teague likes the dark side, but Jared likes the light side. Which side will Mina end up as? Dark, or light? Any opinions on which you'd rather see?

Remember, if I get three reviews on this chapter, I'll get the next one up!

~ Dagger