In the busy streets merchants yelled to make known their products while people walked past, most uninterested, some stopping at certain stalls to buy goods. A young man, who could be no older than seventeen summers, walked amongst the crowd. There was nothing special about him, nothing to attract attention. His clothes were slightly tattered, but so was the current fashion. His wispy brown hair did not stand out in any way. Neither did his tall, skinny body. Yet there was something in his gray eyes, something that reflected that this particular boy was perhaps more than one would think. 

As he walked he bumped into a woman wearing rich attire. She cursed him, using fowl words. The boy apologized humbly before continuing on his way. As soon as he reached the entrance into an ally he slipped into it. He walked a couple of paces down it. Only when he was sure that he was a good distance away from the crowd of people in the market, did he stop. 

He shot a glance behind him. Satisfied that there was no one there he pulled his hand forth from a pocket in his trousers and opened his palm to stare at the contents. He squinted at the objects that he held before a smile spread over his face. In his hand he held a few dracos and a silk handkerchief, yet his eyes were fixed on the one gold coin that lay smack in the middle of it all. 

"Jack pot," he grinned. 

"Still up to your bad habits?" a voice asked from behind. 

The boy whirled around his eyes wide as they landed on a shadowy figure covered by a cloak from head to toe. 

"I'm sure the poor woman whose pockets you picked won't be too pleased when she figures it out," the cloaked figure told him sternly. 

The boy sprang into action. He whirled around and ran. His legs spurring him on down the alleyway. On the way he slipped the contents in his hand back into his pocket. He heard footsteps some way behind him, yet they weren't hurried. Seeing the exit of the ally the boy increased his pace, reaching for the end. Yet it was as though moments before he reached it a brown wall suddenly appeared in his way of escape. Going too fast the boy wasn't able to stop and he ran smack into it. He had just enough time to wonder that it wasn't as hard as he had expected, before he fell backwards and went sprawling on the ground. His head spun and his vision was blurred for a moment. When it cleared he found himself staring into the face of a brown dragon who was giving him a death glare. Slowly the boy swallowed the last bit of saliva in his mouth before it went dry. 

"Why do you always run?" the same voice from before asked behind him. 

The boy slowly turned his head to face the clocked figure who was calmly approaching him at a walk. The boy's heart raced as ideas flashed through his head of what to do next. He didn't usually find himself getting caught in these situations. He watched as the clocked figure reached for the hood of the clock and threw it back to reveal a head of messy blond hair and a pair of green eyes. 

"Hello Anibal," he spoke. 

"D....Dominique!" the boy on the ground, named Anibal, stuttered, his eyes showing both a brief flash of alarm and yet then suddenly relief, "Boy am I glad it's you!" 

Dominique raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. He watched as Anibal scrambled to his feet, shooting Breeze, who was still glaring at him, a look before taking a cautious step away from the dragon, seeming to prefer to face Dominique over his dragon. 

"So, what brings you to my part of the city?" Anibal asked Dominique, his eyes darting past him nervously, as though trying to find a way of escape. 

"By his part does he mean the part where he robs anyone and everyone?" Breeze asked Dominique dryly in his mind. 

"He may be a common thief but we need his help," Dominique thought in reply. 

"A thief? That's a light way to put it," Breeze snorted, still glaring at Anibal. "The guy would sell his own mother for a draco! Don't you remember what he did last time?" 

"Thus the favor," Dominique thought calmly. "I didn't appreciate you running out on me like that last time," Dominique told Anibal in a voice that lacked any emotion while his face remained blank. 

"Yeah, about that," Anibal's eyes darted to Dominique and away again. "I got a message that I was suddenly needed at home..." 

"Right," Dominique replied sarcastically. "Then tell me this Anibal," he took a menacing step forward while Anibal took one back, yet seeming to realize that it took him one step closer to Breeze he froze, looking like a trapped rabbit. "How was it that Watcher's turned up right after you left?" Dominique watched Anibal closely. 

"Watchers?" Anibal asked trying to look surprised, yet he failed miserably, "I swear I didn't know that there were..." 

"Cut the crap Anibal," Dominique told him fiercely making Anibal flinch, "You sold me out!" 

"I didn't..." 

Behind him Breeze growled and Anibal jumped. 

"Tell me the truth and I might just keep my dragon from tearing you to bits," Dominique told him in a cold voice. 

"But I don't know anything!" Anibal whimpered. 

Dominique sighed and looked up at Breeze. "Start with his feet," he told his dragon. 

"W....Wait!" Anibal yelled, his eyes bulging in terror. "Wait!" he held up his hands pleadingly. "I gave them a tip, alright! Nothing more, just a tip that someone was there!" he squealed. 

"Just a tip?" Dominique asked looking like he didn't believe Anibal for a second, "Nothing more, no identity, no name?" 

"No! Of course not, I'm not that stupid!" Anibal told him. 

"Think he's telling the truth?" Breeze asked. 

"Most likely. He's a lot of things but he's right on one thing. He isn't that stupid," Dominique thought in reply as he seemed to be assessing Anibal. 

He closed the gap between him and the terrified boy and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. Anibal flinched at the touch making Dominique grin. For someone who had robbed almost every person in the city Anibal sure lacked courage. 

"Anibal," Dominique told him, his grin widening, "The way I see it, you owe me a favor."

Dominique and Breeze walked from the ally minutes later, with Dominique feeling more than satisfied. 

"Too easy," he told his dragon with a grin, "Intimidation, it works every time." 

"Start with his feet?" Breeze asked in disbelief as they walked onto the busy streets and Dominique pulled himself onto his dragon's back. 

"Hey, it worked, didn't it," Dominique replied. Breeze just shook his head as he walked down the street with the flow of dragons. He followed Dominique's mental directions and soon they came to a less crowded street. 

"This it?" Breeze asked coming to a stop. 

"I think so," Dominique replied as he looked at the building before him, a decent sized one. Yet it was unusual as it only had one story and was made completely of bricks giving a red tinge to it. It looked well kept and had glass windows with bars across them as though to prevent anyone from breaking in and helping themselves to anything within. 

"Stay here," Dominique told Breeze as he slipped from his back. 

"But this is a no stop area!" Breeze thought as Dominique began to walk towards the building. "I could get confined and you'll have to pay!" Breeze tried again, looking around to see if there were any Watcher's nearby. 

"If anyone comes just stand and pretend to be dumb, I'll be right out," Dominique assured him. 

"Dumb? And how am I supposed to do that?" Breeze asked. 

"Just be yourself," Dominique smirked as he reached the brown oak door. Ignoring Breeze's raging reply to his last comment he pushed the door open. No sooner had he stepped into the threshold than he was greeted with a cheerful, "Good day." 

Dominique turned his head to look at the tall, lean man that stood behind the counter. His white hair was thinning out and his nut brown eyes showed much wisdom in them. Although he was obviously older he still looked in good shape. 

"What can I do for you young man?" the man asked as Dominique approached the counter. 

"I want to speak to Izaac," Dominique said casually, giving the name Anibal had given him. 

The old man seemed to pause, his eyes narrowed somewhat as he looked Dominique over before he suddenly turned. "Izaac!" he bellowed through a door that stood behind him. 

There was a moments silence before a man ducked through the door. He had brown hair and eyes just like the old man and was almost the same height. It was easy to see by one look that they were related with each. 

"What is it?" the young man asked, looking somewhat annoyed. 

"You have a customer," the old man told him curtly before he turned and walked, disappearing through the door Izaac had just come from. 

Izaac turned his eyes onto Dominique and frowned, "Is there something that I can do for you?" he asked. 

"Why yes there is," Dominique replied leaning forward with one hand on the counter. 

Izaac looked at him expectantly. 

"I need information," Dominique told him. 

Narrowing his eyes Izaac looked Dominique up and down. "Information, huh?" he asked. 

Dominique nodded. 

"On what?" 

"The academy," Dominique replied smoothly. 

"Go to the public libraries," Izaac said waving Dominique off. He turned to leave. 

"I don't think I'll find the information I want there," Dominique's words stopped him. 

Izaac narrowed his eyes, "The academy? What makes you think I know anything about the academy, boy?" 

"Because," Dominique leaned forward, "I hear that when it comes to information about certain things, you're the man to ask." 

Izaac stared blankly at Dominique. 

"Besides," Dominique decided that it was time to use a different method and slowly reached a hand into his pocket. "I heard about the time you tried to break in...." he pulled out a silver coin and flipped it into the air, causing it to spin, before he placed it on the table with a smack, his palm covering it from view. 

Izaac's eyes were glued on where the coin was hidden underneath Dominique's palm and he licked his lips. His eyes darted up to meet Dominique's. "Those are just rumors," he said. 

Dominique leaned even further forward. "You and I both know that that's not true," he removed his hand from on top of the coin and dropped a second silver coin on the counter, cringing inwardly at the amount of money he was spending. Yet he knew that this was the only way he might get the information he needed. 

Izaac's hand twitched as his eyes went back to the silver coins. He paused for a moment before he snatched them off the counter and pocketed them. "What do you want to know?" he asked. 

Dominique smiled. Now they were getting somewhere. "The entrance, is it always guarded?" he asked. 

"Twenty four seven," Izaac nodded, "Like the rest of the academy." 

"How often do they change guards?" Dominique asked. 

Izaac studied him for a moment before he spoke, "You're wasting your time if you're trying to find a way in. Believe me, from the ground level that building is impenetrable. At night the number of guards are upped, and no one is stupid enough to try during the broad daylight." 

Dominique sighed, he had guessed as much. 

"There are guards all around. There are Watchers on hand to take action at a given notice..." Izaac shook his head. 

"How high up does that guard go?" Dominique asked. 

Izaac wrinkled his forehead. "I'm not sure," he scratched his head. 

Sighing Dominique laid another silver piece on the table and Izaac's face lit up. 

"As high as the tallest building in the city goes, maybe one or two floors higher even. They have one or two guards on the roof, but I think they've left a section from the middle till the top," Izaac spoke without hesitation as he pocketed the next silver piece. 

"And why would they do that?" Dominique murmured, wondering why if the academy was guarded so well they left out one small section. 

"I'm guessing because there's no one stupid enough to try and get into the building, especially from that high up," Izaac said. 

"No one, huh?" Dominique asked raising his eyebrows. 

Izaac narrowed his eyes before they widened. "You're not planning to....?" he trailed off into laughter, laughing as though he had just heard the funniest joke ever. "I mean come on," he choked, "What are you going to do? Fly in through a window?" he burst into fresh laughter yet Dominique stood, staring at him as an idea began to form in his head. 

Abruptly he turned and walked from the room, his footsteps hurried. 

"Hey!" Izaac called after him in protest. "Hey! Was that it?" yet Dominique did not reply as he walked out onto the streets. 

"Breeze?" he thought. 

"Yeah," was the reply. 

"We need to do another fly by the academy," Dominique told him. 

"Dominique, we already tried that, there's nothing to see." 

"No, we'll be searching much higher up. I just need a look, even from a distance. There's just something I want to check," Dominique's mind was already racing with a plan.

Dominique sat on Breeze's back, his eyes glued on the academy that rose up before them. Breeze was sitting on the top of a tall building, shifting nervously with the knowledge that sitting on top of buildings wasn't exactly legal. Yet as they could not fly too close to the academy the top of this building was the best they could do. And right now Dominique was using Breeze's enhanced eyesight to look the academy walls up and down. 

"See anything?" Breeze asked impatiently. He wanted to get out of there before any Watchers were alerted to their presence. 

A smile spread across Dominique's face as he found what he was looking for. "Perfect," he breathed.  

"What is?" Breeze thought, trying to figure out what exactly Dominique was looking at. 

Dominique didn't reply but scanned the side once more, as though to make sure that he saw correctly. Smiling in satisfaction he pulled out of Breeze's mind. "I think I just found our way in," he said with a triumphant look in his eyes. 

Breeze entered Dominique's eyes, reading what he was planning with ease. 

"Oh boy," the dragon muttered, "That is one crazy plan." 

"The good ones always are," Dominique grinned.