"Yuya! Yuya!" Cried a shrill, childish voice. The thirteen-year-old tomato-headed boy looked up from his work to see who was calling him. He smiled when he saw it was Ali, one of his closest, and only friends. She wasn't your typical friend though; she wasn't even human. Ali was a small kitten with ginger fur, covered in pink stripes. She was one of three magical talking animals that lived in Don Thousand's castle. The others were a blue puppy named Tate and a yellow rabbit called Fredrick. The three of them had once been ordinary human children who lived in the lower areas of the kingdom of GX. One day when they'd been playing in the forest, they had accidently wandered into Don Thousand's garden. The evil sorcerer was furious with them for trespassing, and turned them into animals. He then forbade them from leaving and kept them within the walls of his castle for years. Yuya had been six at the time and was horrified to discover what his master had done. Don Thousand had been raising him as his servant, and tried to teach Yuya to be cruel and hateful like himself; but the more he tried to corrupt Yuya, the purer his heart became. He even tried to beg with Don Thousand to let Ali, Tate and Fredrick go and punish him instead, but Don Thousand wouldn't hear of it. It hurt Yuya to think these innocent children would be trapped here forever like himself and did his best to make them feel welcome. The four grew very fond of each other over the years and Yuya was happy to finally have some real friends.

"Good morning Ali." Yuya greeted, putting down the brush he was using to scrub the floors to give her head a soft pat. Ali purred affectionately and leaned into his touch as he stroked her kindly. She was so content she almost forgot why she was there, but as the memory returned she snapped out of her daze looking frantic.

"Oh Yuya you must come quick, Fredrick's in trouble!"

"He is?" Yuya cried, sounding worried.

"Yes, follow me." She replied, rushing off down the hall. Yuya ran after her as fast as possible.

"Help! Help!" A terrified, German-accented, voice cried out as the two made it to the garden.

"Over here," Ali said, rushing over to where Yuya could see Tate sat on the edge of a fountain.

"Oh thank goodness you've come," He said.

"Where is he?" Yuya asked.

"I'm up here." Came the sound of a small whimper. The three hybrids looked up to see their friend clinging to a tree branch with his paws, long ears pressed flat against his head in fear.

"How did you manage to get up there?" asked Yuya.

"I got hungry and tried to grab one of the apples." Fredrick squeaked, pointing at the large ripe fruit growing on the tree's higher branches. Yuya sighed, half in exasperation, half in fondness. Fredrick was often hungry and his attempts at getting his hands on food were frequently amusing, but they did tend to get him in some tough situations.

"Don't worry, I'll get you down," Yuya assured, flapping his wings a bit before taking off into the sky. He lowered himself till he was hovering just beside the frightened rabbit and scooped him up in his arms. He also flew a bit higher and plucked an apple from the tree while he was at it. "There you go," He said, placing Fredrick on the ground and placing the apple in his hands.

"Oh thank you Yuya," He said, bursting into tears of relief. Ali and Tate both laughed and nuzzled him playfully. Yuya smiled fondly at his friends, just enjoying the lightheartedness of the situation. Until it was broken by an angry, yet all too familiar, voice.

"Yuya!"

The young hybrid gasped and whirled around to face his master, the evil sorcerer Don Thousand, looking at him with a scowl on his face.

"I told you to clean the floors while I was out, and when I return not only do I find them half finished but you playing in the garden with these little freaks." He gestured to Ali, Tate and Fredrick. The three of them squealed and scampered off, not wanting to face Don Thousand's wrath. Yuya would have done the same if he didn't know running away would only make his punishment more severe.

"I'm very sorry, master, I promise it won't happen again," Yuya said, dropping to his knees, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the ground. Don Thousand sighed tiredly and grabbed the shoulder of Yuya's shirt. He pulled the boy to his feet and dragged him forwards slightly as an indication to follow him. Yuya stumbled for a second, then followed obediently behind his master once he'd regained his balance.

"Yuya, Yuya, Yuya." Don Thousand said as they walked, shaking his head with each 'Yuya'. "Such a free spirit you have, and yet." He stopped abruptly, causing Yuya to almost trip himself up in an attempt to stop also, Don Thousand turned to face him with a serious look plastered on his face. "You cannot leave this place; you know full well what will happen if you do."

"Yes master," Yuya mumbled, dropping his head, sadly.

"And still I can see in your eyes, you want to leave me, always running off to play when you should be working, can you not accept things as they are?" His tone suddenly grew very angry. He grabbed Yuya's collar and pulled his face close. "To think I took you in after you were abandoned, a freak, a hybrid monster, are you not grateful?!"

"Yes, yes of course I am!"

"Well then stop all this nonsense and do as you are told."

"Of course."

Yuya broke away from his master's hold and bowed respectfully. Don Thousand shook his head again. He continued walking until he reached the door to the castle's high tower, otherwise known as Yuya's room.

"You will remain in your room until tomorrow." Don Thousand said, opening the door. "As punishment for not doing your chores you will not get dinner, and extra work will be issued tomorrow, am I making myself clear?"

"Yes master," Yuya replied. He bowed one last time and began the ascent to his room.

Don Thousand retreated to his secret lab beneath the castle.

"That child is far too annoying; the sooner I am rid of him the better."

He went over to the mystic looking glass he kept on his wall, to ask it of Yuya's progress. He raised his hand to the symbol above the mirror, a purple spiked emblem with red jewels carved into it. The emblem glowed a soft red colour which overtook the entire mirror.

"Tell me." He commanded. "How strong are the boy's powers?"

"Far more so than any other in the united lands my lord." The mystic mirror replied.

"How long before they are powerful enough for my purpose?"

"The child shall be ready on his fourteenth birthday my lord."

"His fourteenth birthday… That's only a week away!"

"You are correct my lord."

"Finally! At last, after all these years I shall gain the infinite power I seek."

"Yes my lord."

Don Thousand lowered his hand, having finished with the mirror for now. He suddenly became overcome with laughter, a nasty sadistic type of laughter. After thirteen years of raising the annoying pest, he would finally be able to use him for the very purpose he kidnapped him. To become the most powerful being in the united lands…

Meanwhile, up in his room, Yuya was blissfully unaware of his master's plot to steal his powers. He was gazing longingly out of his window as the sun began to set, something he did most nights. His wings fluttered around, desperate to just take off and sail across the horizon. Yuya stroked them gently, as if telling them to calm down, they wouldn't be going anywhere tonight.

"Yuya?" A small voice said. The thirteen-year-old hybrid looked in the direction of the voice to see Tate, Ali, and Fredrick. He smiled at them and patted his palm on the windowsill. The three animals jumped up and each accepted a stroking from their friend.

"Listen Yuya." Tate said. "We're sorry you got in trouble today because of us."

"Yeah, I swear I'll never go climbing trees again, even if I'm really hungry." Said Fredrick.

"Oh, don't you worry about that." Said Yuya, giving them both an affectionate pat. "I'll always help you out when you need, and it was my choice to leave my work for it."

"The way Don Thousand treats you really stinks." Ali grumbled, pouting.

"Oh now don't say that." Yuya said, "it was good enough of him to take me in and look after me, even though I'm a monster…"

"You're not a monster Yuya!" Ali cried.

"Yeah." Tate added. "You're the nicest person we know."

"Thanks guys."

"You mustn't believe what Don thousand says about you Yuya, you're not a freak, or a monster." Ali insisted.

Yuya smiled at her, but didn't respond to her comment.

"It's getting late; we should be getting some rest." He said instead. He picked Ali up in his arms while Fredrick and Tate both jumped down themselves. He placed Ali in the basket the three of them slept in and the others hopped in beside her.

"Goodnight." They chirped.

"Goodnight." Yuya replied, settling himself in his own bed. He didn't fall asleep for quite some time, as his mind was far too laden with thoughts to even consider it.

I appreciate that my friends were trying to make me feel better. But look at me, how could I be anything but a monster? I really am grateful to my master for taking care of me, but I can't help wishing I could see what the rest of the world is like, to see other people smiling, to make them happy, what I wouldn't give to do that. But I must remember what my master told me. That I'm a monster and no one would smile for me, they would run away screaming…