Gage held his little sister, Maria's, hand as they walked down a sidewalk on Halloween night. He knew the seven year old was dressed as a white deer, but the image of that, or the color white meant nothing to him. Gage's family came from a long line of shapeshifters that lived in hiding amongst normal humans, changing at will or whenever the animal in them became too much to be ignored. Maria was a small white deer. Gage had pulled the shorter stick and turned up as a bat though, or at least, he usually thought of it as the short stick except on wondrous flights where the world was painted clearly in a bat's form of vision. For some reason, everyone in the family always took to their own animal and there was no logic anyone knew of that a person's animal was based on.

There was a childish cry from in front of Gage and a pull on his hand. He sighed and walked after his sister, but he was a little slow to react and someone bumped into him. The smaller hand pulled out of his. He grit his teeth and cursed himself in his head. He should have been more observant, more able to notice the people around him. But then, this was a holiday and the neighborhood streets were more crowded than usual and the noise and cars made it impossible for Gage to rely on his usual methods of hearing to locate himself.

"Maria!" he called loudly, but his own voice was not one that easily carried. The sound got swallowed up by a passing car. Being a child, Maria would not see the significance of leaving her brother behind like this. She was used to his self sufficient ways. He walked slowly forward, one hand slightly in front of him to catch himself before he ran into something. Calling Maria did no good. She was off getting candy all by her lonesome and now Gage was wondering why he had volunteered to watch over his sister tonight. Right, it was because he liked to pretend he wasn't impaired. That he could actually see. Rather than his sister getting lost or in any kind of Halloween trouble, Gage was the one who had gotten lost. He could probably retrace his steps back home, but he didn't want the shame of returning without Maria. With no other choice, Gage stopped in the middle of the sidewalk (or he assumed that's where he was), and waited for his sister to come look for him.

Two little children were dressed up as twin witches looking almost exactly alike appearing of the age of twelve. "Kia, Zia get back here. How many times have I told you to stay with me, sheesh" an older boy with blonde hair matching the twins sighed as his sisters ran off. Kia had the same hair length as well as her sister, Zia. Having long light blonde hair to their waist and mwatching purple eyes shown amongst the the moonlight. Turning around, he looked up at the moon, his eyes a bit of silver blue color unlike his sisters, and walked towards the cemetery. He knew they could walk around on their own, but, if his parents caught him without them, oh that would be trouble.

Davir was tired from chasing his sisters around the place, but, when he turned around he bumped into someone "Whoops, sorry, my bad, I wasn't looking where I was going" which was true, he wasn't looking around to where he was going. This year he dressed up as a vampire even though he wasn't one to begin with. Though mostly everyone around them were human and tonight was just a night to be like something they wanted to believe in. Be a kid again, in short. Zia and Kia's screams could be heard from the cemetery as if something was wrong. "What did you guys do now?" he sighed not realizing some older boys were cornering them along with another smaller girl in the cemetery. "Excuse me" he said walking towards the cemetery seeing a group of boys ganging up on some children.

Gage was too busy listening for any sign of his sister to notice that others were coming toward him. The noise of two girls reached him first. They made similar noises, so sisters then? But he had noticed that friends who spent time together often developed similar laughs and speech patterns, even more so than families did. His attention was so on the girls that he did not notice the must softer footsteps of someone else until they knocked into him. Gage stumbled, only just managing to catch himself before he fell completely. He felt the light cape around his shoulders swing forward and tangle on his arm. He pushed it back. It was silly enough that his mother dressed him as a vampire in some kind of bat joke, but now his costume was in his way.

"No, it's fine. I'm sure I was just in the way," Gage said, or more of mumbled. He tilted his head, moving slightly to locate sound better. He wasn't sure if the strange male had walked away or not. Nervously, Gage tapped the heavy metal bracelet he wore against the metal fasteners on his belt. Echoes came back to him--ground, a figure not so near, and the fuzz of objects too far away to see away to 'see' clearly. He took a step toward the figure, about to ask him for help, when he heard a high squeal.

His heart froze for a second, then started to thud heavy and led-like. "Maria!" Gage called out. He tapped his bracelet furiously as he walked in a straight line, slow but steady. The area he was in was strange, filled with little obstacles ahead. He knew the city well from mapping it out in bat form, but he hadn't walked here as a human. What was this place? He was hesitant to traverse the strange terrain, but he was sure he heard fear in Maria's voice.

Davir walked up to the group "Hey, idiots, get away from my sisters" Davir took note of his sisters along with another girl as the group ganged up more on them. He ran jumping in the air over the group and blocking the way between the girls. "Zia, Kia, keep her safe" Davir didn't need his sisters powers activating tonight and defiantly not right now in front of a lot of people. The boys laughed "We just want their candy" and they really did, but, torturing girls seemed to be something else for them to be satisfied with.

"Riiight, like I am going believe that" Davir rolled his eyes as one of them attacked from behind him grabbing his arms to pin him down 'Crap' he focused too much on those in front of him and not those behind him. At least the girls were safe behind a big tombstone, but, one of the other boys caught eye of them. "You are so mine" the boy said to three girls as Kia screamed, she was the nicer one of the sisters "Damnit" his eyes changed from blue to silver creating the boys to back off away from him. Another boy had teamed up with the one by the girls to create less of a reason for them to run off.

Davir could feel the earth shifting under his feet as the trees moved knocking the boys out of the way. The other one let go of him and they took off screaming, running away. There was only two left now and he surely didn't have the energy to take the other two out with. His eyes stopped glowing, but, he was still connected to the cemetery around him.

Gage picked his way through the area a little faster now. He felt the soft earth with its unpleasant rotted leaf scent beneath him. It had rained recently. It finally hit him that this was the cemetery and he had to wonder how he got near it, being a decent walk from his home. It was probably Maria's fault and Gage just hadn't noticed where exactly she was dragging him. He should have paid more attention and stopped her before they got to this area. Maybe then he wouldn't be wandering blindly between headstones in the direction of scared girl noises.

Maria grabbed his leg when he reached the girls' hiding place. He grabbed hold of the rough stone for a second, but he knew he wasn't alone. "What kind of coward steals from a kid?!" he snapped and threw his arms in front of him. He was surprised when his hands connected with someone else. He felt that person stumbled back, but the shock of actually hitting someone had Gage stumbling back too. He recovered by crouching down between the girls and the person he had just hit. He didn't even know who he had hit, but he did know if they came back looking for a fight, he would lose in a second.

A high male scream increased Gage's fear. "Stay close," he muttered to the girls. Would this situation be scarier with sight? Or was his imagination doing a better job of it? He could truly smell the fear in the air, as if he were an animal. He just felt the ground shifting as if from an earthquake, but the creak of trees and the screams didn't fit with that situation. They were too far away from fault lines anyway. Finally, the noise stopped and Gage looked around as if that would help. He must have looked directly at someone with his pale brown eyes because some guy yelped something about about a scary face and ran off, followed by another. That's what Gage could interpret anyway. He had no idea what was happening.

Davir ran over to his sisters just as they took each other's hands and scared off anyone else around. "Kia, Zia, stop it" Davir scolded them as he noticed the person he bumped into earlier. Not knowing anything, helped out the other "Here, let me help you" oh he was so going to kill his sisters for this one. For dragging not only himself into this, but, also a stranger and their kid sister. "Are you two alright?" Davir asked as the ground moved slightly with the steps he made as his powers dwindled down and disappeared.

(one reply before work)

Gage stiffened as he heard someone walk toward them, the ground trembling in tempo with footsteps. But it didn't really sound like a person walking closer. He picked up breathing, but what kind of person moved the ground with their steps. He was very determined not to look scared though, not in front of his sister, so he schooled his face into something like irritation. It was his usual mask when he didn't want to show what he was really feeling.

"No help is needed, but thank you for doing...whatever you did," Gage said as he stood. He tapped his bracelet a few times to get oriented before he stared in the direction of the male voice. He was talking to the same person as a minute earlier, so best look like he recognized the man.

"Thanksie for saving me mister!!" Maria squealed as she leaped forward to give the stranger a hug. Typical of her. Gage managed to grab her by an antler and pulled her back. "Don't be friendly with strangers," he scolded quietly. He didn't know who or what this person he was talking to was after all.

Zia and Kia hugged the girl instead "Hehe, our big brother doesn't like hugs. Don't worry we do though" Kia smiled being all cheerful as Zia just went along with it. "Oh oh let's finish trick or treating together" Zia and Kia smiled brightly hearing their big brother sigh at what they just said. "You still have another hour before time is up, just don't get yourselves in trouble" he rolled his eyes "Oh oh big brother, can you make me a rose so I can wear it in my hair?" Kia asked knowing Zia would get a matching rose "You're kidding me right? Tch, fine" he bent down the ground facing the other way as he grew two red roses and plucked them, it was almost like a warming light sensation to him. Putting one in each of his sister's hair he looked at the boy asking "Does your sister want one too?"

Gage really wanted to just leave, but his sister was enjoying herself around these others. He decided to use her comfort level as a judge and he started to relax some. He just needed to put out of mind the strangeness from before and focus on the face that he seemed to only be in the company of a male and his younger sisters who sounded much older than Maria. He slipped his eyes closed, not really caring if he seemed strange, like he was sleeping standing up as he'd heard others say. "Did you just say trick or treating...together?" he echoed, not sure if he was in a nightmare or not. He just wanted to go home.

Maria hugged the older girls who looked exactly alike. "Wow, that sounds great!" she exclaimed, then gasped as she watched the other guy turn around and suddenly he had roses. She tried to see where he was pulling them out from and her eyes were wide with wonder. "Pretty, I'd love one," she giggled. Gage shrugged a shoulder. He couldn't stop her.

"Well they can trick or treat together, I don't tend to follow my sisters" Davir glanced to the side, he hated having sisters, and hated being the oldest for that matter. Zia and Kia took each of Maria's arms and said "TRICK OR TREAT, HERE WE GO" in unison as they ran off to another house ready to have fun. "Besides, looks like they're happy now" he stated aloud and whispered mostly to himself "Gives me a break" realizing another was still with him he said "I'm Davir, you are?" he knew the sister's name, but, not the boy's name as he sat against a tombstone on the ground.

Gage sighed as his sister ran off again, or was pulled off. He wasn't sure which at this point. So much for returning home quickly. He really hoped he didn't have to go and find her again. He would just have to trust that the other girls would bring Maria back to him when they were done and Gage was stuck outside until then. He heard a rustling of cloth and figured the other was still there and sat down. Gage sat down too, though he wasn't entirely sure where he was sitting. He hoped it wasn't right on top of a grave.

"I'm Gage. Nice to meet you," he said quietly. He wasn't really one for speaking much, though, if they were going to stick around each other while the girls trick or treated, now would probably be a good time to say he was blind. Surely he must seem like he was acting strange. Still, Gage hesitated to reveal the fact. Maybe just a little longer, he would pretend to be a normal person.

Davir leaned his head back until the other boy answered "Oh, the name seems to compliment your appearance" Davir replied back sitting a few moments in silence "You know I love about Halloween? You don't have to hide who you truly are" Davir stated yawning a bit while stretching, he would so love to go to sleep right now if he could, but, his sisters would just get in trouble anyways if he did. Waiting awhile he blinked, "How come we have similar outfits?" he asked adding "Were you trying to be a vampire?"

The moon was full and above them in a beautiful, bright, orange color with very few clouds. The graveyard was silent as everyone outside of it seemed so distant away from them and it was quite peaceful. The trees sadly were all dead along with the plants and sometimes he wondered why.

Gage wasn't sure how his name matched him. He never had any particular connection to his name, but it interested him that another person thought it suited him. He listened to the slight wind and the sounds of the earth more than Davir's words. There was so much noise, even if it was soft and distant.

Chuckling softly to himself, he poked a finger at the cheap fake fangs in his mouth. He'd gotten so used to wearing them, that they didn't seem to be there anymore. So the other buy was dressed the same? "I didn't notice. My costume is a joke...but I don't think it's funny," he said before going back to listening to the night. He found it interesting that Davir mentioned not having to hide on Halloween. Gage wished that were true. Navigating was always easier as a bat, but with so many people around, it wasn't a safe place for him.

(this will be short now, since my laptop went BACK and I have to retype it again)

"Are you only outside to babysit your sister too?" he was only outside because he agreed to dress up and take the two terrible sisters of his trick or treating. He didn't want to, but, his parents wouldn't let him out of the house unless he had agreed to do it. They wanted to sit at home and relax knowing they could count on their oldest son to take care of the two. "I didn't think it was a joke, then again I don't know the inside joke either I guess" Davir stated.

Gage had no intention of explaining the vampire/bat joke, so he just stayed silent for a minute. He didn't really want to talk, but he felt obligated to as long as questions were thrown his way. There was no point in pretending he was deaf too and it wasn't like he could walk off to avoid conversation. "Well yes...I'm watching over my sister. But I wanted to, though I'm starting to forget why," he muttered. There was hardly any benefit in this adventure. "I'm not the person best fit to watch over anyone." He chuckled slightly at himself.

Davir curiously looked at the other "Hm, why is that?" before he could get an answer as time seemed to pass by, the girls came back happy as ever with their bags filled "You know you owe me for coming out here right, Kia, Zia?" he joked as they just rolled their eyes "Oh sure whatever you say, then we get to tell mother you used magic out in the open" they chimed together making Davir's smile fade instantly "That's it, you've been out too long" he sighed "It was nice to meet you, Gage, Maria. Now brats" talking towards Zia and Kia "Say goodbye" the girls hugged Maria quickly saying goodbyes as Davir turned to walk them back home "See you" he waved slightly scolding his sisters about talking of what he did in order to help them out and not activate their abilities.

Gage was saved from having to answer by the girls returning. He could hear that coming from a ways off because of their happy giggles and he was relieved to hear Maria's distinct voice. He could feel safer knowing there was someone around who could help him out, even if that person was a little girl with the common sense and attention span of a puppy.

Really, this other guy was a bit unobservant. Normally Gage couldn't get through a whole conversation without being discovered as different. Or perhaps it was that Davir was staying silent about his opinions. It wasn't like Gage was able to see it on the other's face. Finally he sighed and let Maria pull him to his feet. "Good bye. It was nice to meet you too," he said politely. He paused at the mention of magic, but didn't say anything. He just shook his head, figuring it was a Halloween related phrase. The chances of meeting another magical person on one of the few nights he went outside seemed too impossible, so he walked home, putting his curiosity out of mind.

A week had passed since the Halloween incident where Davir wound up meeting Gage and his sister, Maria. He was curious about the boy, however, he didn't wonder about it too long since it didn't create that much of an interest to him. Finally. He was able to get away from his twin, brat sisters, and off to the mall by himself. He would have hung out with his friends, but, they were either working or busy with their boyfriends/girlfriends. Davir yawned as he walked into booksamillion, it was a large bookstore that had rows and rows of different kinds of books. Picking a section off to the left where the fiction section to find a few new books to read. He always liked reading fiction books verses any other kinds and mysterious just didn't leave enough mystery to them anymore.

After Halloween, Gage was glad to be confined to the house for a week. Maria was a smart kid and fond of keeping secrets, so she never told that Gage had lost track of her. If the fact that he had gotten anything close to lost had gotten out, he had no doubt that he would be grounded indefinitely. He was young though and even if he had no friends and very little interaction with the outside world, he was glad when the weekend rolled around and thus the bi-weekly trip to the mall that his family had been doing since Maria was old enough to walk.

Not long after arriving at the mall, he parted ways with his sister and parents. After having come here so many times, he had the layout memorized down to the smallest details. How many steps between each store, how many restrooms there were, which water fountain had the best flow. He could use echolocation to navigate between the people and the rest his feet already know.

As always, he visited the music store first. He listened to demos and asked a store keeper about what was new. Shortly thereafter, he had three new cds and he headed his his second stop--the bookstore. He moved carefully into the quiet store and worked his way toward the quietest corner before sitting down and pulling out his cd player. He put in one of the new cds and sat back to let the intricate sounds of symphonic metal swell over him.

Davir found a couple books that he was looking for, he actually picked out six good thick size books. One of them being a boxed sex on Nicholas Flamel: The Alchemist which was one of his favorite that he had been wanting to buy for some time. He already had picked out some clothes at another store and a few extra things on the side he hadn't really planned on buying. Walking towards the journal section that he always loved to look at the ancient books, he walked by a person sitting in the corner... 'Wait...wasn't that?' Davir thought to himself turning slightly and noticed it was the boy from the night of Halloween that he had met. 'What was his name...oh come on...' he thought to himself again as he knew he was quite bad with names, however, he finally remembered it "Hey, Gage" Davir said realizing that Gage couldn't hear him since he had music in, he should leave him be to the music, but, he just wanted to say hi. Sitting down across from him he placed his hand gently on the boy's shoulder trying 'not' to scare him.

Gage had his eyes closed since he wasn't intending to interact with anyone else. It wasn't like his vision impaired his ability to listen after all. Suddenly he felt something touch his shoulder and he jumped, reflexively pulling himself further into the corner. His eyes flew open on instinct like he always kept them when people might be around. He pulled off his headphones and brushed at his shoulder. "Is someone there?" he asked, staring blankly ahead. He hated the thought that someone had snuck up on him, but even more he hated the idea that it was just a random object landing on him and he was making a fool out of himself talking to no one.

"Ah, sorry didn't mean to startle you" Davir smiled a bit "We met on Halloween" he added wondering why the boy asked if someone was there instead of automatically seeing him. Now this brought interest to his mind as his curiosity began to tug at his thoughts. He had already bought the books he chose to take home and read, what was left to do was just to walk back, and he was kind of not wanting to leave so soon. Sort of glad he met the boy from Halloween again.

"Halloween? Oh...then you're Davir," Gage said as he focused on the voice so that he was looking at the other person. Or hopefully he was. He was glad that Davir had mentioned Halloween or else he would have been playing a guessing game and pretending he knew he was talking to. Although he was better at recognizing a person by their voice than most, it didn't mean he was infallible at it. Gage turned off the music with reluctance. "I wasn't expecting to meet you again."

"I wasn't expecting to walk by you in a bookstore" Davir stated bluntly "What are you doing here, besides listening to music?" curious to wonder why he wasn't with his younger sister "Not here to get books?" he asked adding to his curiosity to see what he could do to limit it to a smaller amount. Davir sat on the ground, one knee up and the other leg under that one as he waited for the answer.

Besides listening to music? Gage chuckled slightly. "There is no besides. I come here because I can get away with listening to music in the corner," he explained. Should he say that he couldn't read? If he said it that way, he'd sound like an uneducated moron. "I don't read," is what he settled on. At first he didn't notice that David had sat down, but he quickly adjusted his line of 'sight' when he noticed the voice was coming from closer to the ground. "But I guess you like to read, huh?"