Fan art made by IzwizWriting !

~Vikk's P.O.V.~

I catch sight of Lachlan's terrified eyes as the vehicle jerks. A second later, and it's rolling away. Sighing heavily, a mixture of sadness, anxiety, angry, and regret flooding my mind, I drag a hand slowly down my face.

"Here we go..." I mutter, drawing myself up into my full height. "This trial is going to come sooner than later, and Lachlan is depending on me to get him out. If I want to stand any sort of chance, I need to act now."

Glancing around my surroundings, I lay out a rough game plan in my head. First I wanna head back to Lachlan's house, and take another listen to those recordings. I decide, facing the general direction of his house. Then I'll figure out where to go from there. Now... The only question is: how to I get back?

      The thought lingers in my head for a moment. I know for a fact his house isn't too far away, but I'm still unfamiliar with the layout of this town, and I don't really fancy getting lost. I consider the idea of calling up an Uber, but the thought is quickly snuffed out when I remember I don't have any money on me. Hitchhiking is an option too, but it seems too risky at the moment. I furrow my brow, tapping my lips in thought. I wonder if I can turn back into a fairy and fly back there? People will probably just mistake me for a dragonfly, and that way I can cover more ground easily and get a better view of the town. Yeah... That's seems like a good idea. Now the only question is, how? Hmm.... Maybe if I just.... Will myself to do it.

Once I'm hidden behind a nearby tree, I close my eyes tight, I wish with all my being to transform into my fragile little fairy form. And to my utter surprise, it actually works. The world around me seems to rapidly increase in size, and I watch as wonder as I begin to take a new perspective on things. It's actually quite an interesting sight, and this is the first time I've really experienced it considering the first time I transformed I was caught in a prison of my own clothes and it was apparently the middle of the night. Now, however, they seem to shrink with me. I assume it has something to do with the fact that Heather made them. There's a slight tug at my ears as they lengthen into points, and an odd sensation of having two new appendages to control, and with that my morph completes. I twist around, flapping my wings experimentally.

"Well... Here goes nothing." I mutter in the squeaky voice I'll never get used to.

Digesting the butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, I gently beat my wings, and sail into the air.

"Next stop: Little Lachy's" (and thank you for flying with Vikklan airlines and now we will continue with our regularly scheduled story [I'm so sorry! I could help it]).

~~~

"Oh, hello Vikk! I'm so glad to see you. Please, come in! It's cold!"

"Thank you Mrs. Power." I gratify, steeping through the door.

       "I'm just relieved you're alright. When I realized you gone by the time the rest of us were up yesterday, I simply thought of the worst. Anyways, how's Lachlan doing?" She asks with the first spark of hope I've seen in her this entire visit. Why do I always get placed in the kill joy position?

"We left the forest this morning, but a police officer took him already." I sigh, shame and guilt feeding off of me, knowing I could have done better.

"Oh..." She mutters, that spark dimming from her eyes. "Well... you did what you could."

      "I'm sorry this is happening to you. It must be hard."

She smiles sadly, shutting the door quietly. "It's alright, Vikk. I can imagine it's just as painful for you, too. And you must be nervous as well."

I laugh softly. "That I am. And advocating for him is going to be tuff with the small amount of experience I have."

"Well, I won't stop you dear. If you need anything, just let me know."

I nod my thanks to her, and watch as she hastily shuffles away into a different room. As she leaves, I catch the faint glint of tears in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, I slide off my shoes, and start making my way to Lachlan's bed room. As I do, it becomes apparent to me Mr. Power isn't home. And for some strange reason, it makes me feel a little better.

I must say, flying isn't as scary as I first thought. It's actually really exciting! As long as you don't look down, that is. I was right in my assumption that turning into a fairy and soaring above the city would give me an advantage. I found Lachlan's house within minutes. There was one close call where a small girl had pointed at me, as I was flying by, and telling her mom to 'look at the fairy!'. But thankfully the mom just laughed, passing it off as her daughter pointing out a butterfly or dragonfly, and then urging her along. Now upon arriving, I'm ready to get down to business.

As I stride into Lachlan's room, I notice his brother, Mitchell, curiously peek his head out. But he thankfully keeps to his own business, only nodding as a gesture of greeting, before ducking back into his room. I only allow a moment to appreciate the beauty of his room, before making a straight line to his drawer, and fishing out the dozens of cassette tapes held there. I don't feel the need to listen to them again. Once is enough. But then, all of a sudden, I hit a block in the road. I have the tapes... But... Now what? They count as something, but there's not nearly enough evidence here to get Lachlan out. In fact, there's little to no way to prove anything about these tapes. Sure, he's crying in some of them. So what? It won't do any good without evidence. Which is another thing that stumps me as I realize, I'm really not sure what I'm looking for.

"Vikky? Are your nervous?"

I jump at the small feminine voice, whirling around. But when I see it's only my little spirit pixie friend, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't scare me like that!" I exclaim.

She giggles, flittering around. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. But I can sense your nervous."

I nod slowly. "And right you'd be."

I watch silently as she flutters over, hovering near my chest and pointing a tiny hand at the wooden box of cassettes in my arms.

"What are those?"

I shrug. "Evidence I suppose. But I'm kinda stuck... I really don't know what else to do. And if I don't think of something soon, this could end up very badly."

She stares at me, a look of shock on her face. "You haven't used your powers yet?"

"My what?" How was I supposed to know that I even had the option?

"Powers! Psychic ones! Don't tell me you didn't know that! Not only can you use it in the form of telekinesis, but by simply thinking about it, you'll have your answer in no time! Try!"

I stare at her, thinking she's lost her mind. But then I remember how back when I was confronting Lachlan, a blue aura had surrounded him to keep him still. When I thought about it releasing him, it stopped. I had wondered about it, and now here's my answer. So who am I to question it? Deciding to give it a go, although not really sure about what I'm doing, I nod at her and shut my eyes.

Okay, how do I do this? Um. Evidence. I need to find... Evidence. Anything. Maybe something someone knows, that's related to Lachlan. Or maybe he has a diary. Or maybe... A video? Suddenly I get a feeling. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it just feels right. And it happens whenever I think about a video. A video then? Is that what I'm supposed to be looking for? The feeling stays. Alright... Let's see. I don't think it's one Lachlan took but... One... Online. There's a video online somewhere. One that'll give me evidence. My eyes snap open, and I turn towards my 63, seeing her wide and approving smile.

"I've got it! I know what I'm looking for!"

She smiles, giggling. "Then I guess my job here is done. Good luck!"

"Thanks, and before you go, I've just got one question."

"Sure!"

"Does rule 63 apply to names? Just asking because I've never got yours."

"Yup, and before you guess, yes my name is Victoria, but now everyone who knows me calls me Crystal because I'm compared to a very good writer."

"Alrighty then Crystal, I'll see you around."

She waves, and with that, she vanishes into me again.

~~~

I'm left horrified and speechless as the video ends, stopping at a frame showing some of the teenage boys bruised and beaten, fleeing the scene. And I know, this is what I'm looking for.

After a quick search on my laptop, I came across a video with Lachlan in the thumbnail, looking none to happy. To sum it up, the video displayed a few teenage boys, looking around Lachlan's age, walking up to him. One person, who seemed to be a bystander, who was never visible, held a camera that seemed no more than a normal phone camera. There's was talking. Which quickly turned into arguing. Yelling. And then the unthinkable happened-Lachlan attacked them. He attacked them with everything he had. Nothing but rage etched into his features. The end shows the boys running away, bloody and bruised. I watch the video over and over, and yet, I still can't believe my eyes. Lachlan would never do something like that! He's always so kind, caring, and gentle. To attack them out of the blue, it's just so odd that I refuse to believe it. But this must have been where the arrest came from.

This can't be legit! I try to convince myself, watching the video for the millionth time. This isn't Lachlan. He wouldn't do this. And I know he didn't. There's no way. The video ends once more, and I rub my worn out eyes-dry from watching it on repeat. It's almost like it was intentionally made to look like that. But why? No one would do that. And plus, there's no evidence the video was edited in any way. I click play again. So why is there something telling me that there's more to this? And there it is. The answer. It's only for a second. And it would be unnoticeable to practically anyone... But for some reason, I just so happen to catch it this time around.

There's one frame, where Sir Lithi, Lachlan's child hood stuffy, is sitting at the base of a tree. It's only in the corner, and most people wouldn't notice him anyways. But then, only a few seconds later, the camera pans down as if the person holding it was readjusting. When it raises, Sir Lithi is no longer against the tree. And as the camera jerks to the side-most likely as a result of the cameraman reacting to the sight-there's a brief flash of something off to the side of the screen. My senses alight, and through my newly discovered powers, the video pauses. There, off st the very side of the screen, is Sir Lithi. But he's burnt and torn, and seemingly thrown carelessly to the side. Which means that the video was edited, and there's more to it.

"Aha!" I exclaim in delight. "I knew it!"

Rewinding the video, I take a good long look at the other boys. And I guess it must be my powers, but I can instantly tell that they provoked the fight, and then edited it to make Lachlan look like the bad guy. Why, I don't know. All I know is that, if my suspicions are right, this is all I need. There's a very high chance they'll be there during the trial, and this video will serve as my trump card. I'll let them show it to the judge, but then I can get right back at them by pointing out the easily missable clue that gives away the fact it was tampered with. When the judge sees that...

The bullies will have no choice but to reveal the unedited video.

~?????'s P.O.V.~

"I've just received word that your target has been taken into to captivity. You'll receive your pay in a few days as promised." My client huffs in relief, though there's a twinkle of guilt in his soft yet vibrant red eyes that would shine even through a picture of the lowest resolution.

      "Thank you Sir." I reply staring blankly at him.

"Kid, will you stop staring at me with like that? It's creepy." He requests shivering.

      "I'm sorry Sir, but I don't have any emotions so I can't do any better than this." I tell the half baked truth, just wanting our contract to be finished so I can leave this stuffy country. The temperature has been over heating my camera's battery pack lately and standing out here in the open isn't helping.

      "Well you're going to have to fake some emotions for your next assignment, because if this person finds you, you need to befriend them." He pulls a slip of paper out of his back pocket and hands it over to me once it's unfolded.

      It's a picture obviously poorly taken with a cellphone camera. The background is blurry, small details in the foreground are pixelated, and the whole picture itself is crooked. Pushing aside my critiquing mindset, the picture contains the image of my target that's about two years younger than they are now, sitting next to a much shorter boy though they are still a year older, on a park bench. The boy I don't know of has raven black hair, light mocha skin, and had dark chocolate brown blobs for eyes due to the image not being focused before being taken. And he's wearing a hoodie with the letters SDMN printed in big, bold and white.

      They have their arms hanging over each other's shoulders, and are smiling. They look happy. I can't remember the last time I felt happy, or anything for that matter.

"I must say, I've seen your video and I'm very impressed with your camera work. You made it look so realistic especially with that fancy camera of yours. Where'd you get it anyways? For someone who excepts minimal pay, I don't see how you're able to afford one like that." He smirks, reaching out to try to touch my Camon Rebel camera that sits around my neck. I softly slap away his hand before it gets too close to get his fingerprints all it.

"My ser- colleague gave it to me almost ten years ago. And for your information, the video recorded was as real as it could be while falling within your guidelines, my colleague only informed those delinquents that the target was in their location at the time and the rest was all done by them. The only editing required to remove a few small sections." I explain and receive a nod of a approval from my client, every though the whole display went against the contract, I'm going to discuss this matter with my slave in the near future.

      "Very good, and now on to your assignment. You'll more than likely be put on trial as a witness so I need you to get on good terms with this friend of your target so you can find anything about the target you can use against them during the trial." He instructs handing me a rolled up piece of paper, my new contract.

Without any hesitation I fold up the picture, shove it into my hoodie pocket, remove the pen I kept clipped on my camera's strap and sign the contract before handing it back to him.

"Pleasure doing business with you." I mutter before walking away.

~Lachlan's P.O.V.~

      I'M GOING TO GO INSANE IN HERE!!

I've been stuck in the same, cold, dark solid cell for the past five days and it's driving me mad. This place isn't any better then the temporary place they kept me for the first couple of days, if anything, it's much worse. At least I was left alone and the lights were on at night.

On my first day, they stuck me in with some crazy person who broke into someone's home and shot at the home's owner. Literally within the first five minutes of the guards leaving, he tried to hit me on the head, but cut his hand my horns which are thankfully still hidden. Thinking it was my fault he tried to punch me in the gut, luckily I was able to block something for first time and ended punching where my scale marking is, so I was left unharmed while he held his fist in pain. Though, he made a quick recovery and punched me in the face before I could react, knocking me out cold.

      I woke up a day later, in a different, much darker cell, with a black eye and a broken ankle. For once, I regret becoming so good at hiding my pain, because they were nice enough to give me an ice pack for my eye, but one one will believe me whenever I tell them that my ankle is broken. I was basically forced to tear of a sleeve to my hoodie off just so I could brace my foot before the damage got worse.

I haven't eaten anything, and I haven't slept other than being knocked out since getting here. Why? I get really queasy just looking at the garbage they call food I mean it looks they just are reusing the stuff they threw in the dumpster a week ago, don't even get me started on the smell, and I'm too terrified at night to sleep. Terrified of the dark and of how my kids are holding up. They could be dead for all I know.

Since being placed in the new cell, I've made multiple attempts to turn back into a dragon to blow the roof off this popsicle stand. But every time I do, it's so slow and painful that I have stop and revert the progress I've made, because it hurts too much that I can't take it anymore or someone comes by to check on me. Besides, Vikk said he would get me out. Right?

     As of right now, it's the middle of the night, all the lights are off, but luckily I found a new power that I'm easily able to keep hidden from security cameras and guards. I'm able to summon this little ball of light that floats in my hand and dances like a flame, but it doesn't seem to do anything else. I've tested. No matter, it's a night light that will have to until I'm out.

~~~

Blinding white lights cut through the darkness waking me from my sleepless night. A female officer giddily walks, practically skips over to my cell. Oh boy, it's Alex. I mentally groan as she approaches with a sweet smile. One of the reasons why I don't like being tall, it makes you look older than you actually are. And apparently I've been blessed with the perfect boy body according to her. Blond hair, blue eyes, tall, moderately tone muscles, and slightly pale skin makes the perfect dream boy to young women. I'm sorry that is not true.

At least she was nicer than basically anyone else here.

"Ready to go Lachy?~" She asks using her flirty voice, making me mentally shake my head in disappointment and disapproval.

      "Wh-where?" My voice is dry, the word coming off my tongue like sandpaper, faintly transversing to the other side of the cell from the back wall where I sat. A hopeful spark returns half of the color to my dulled eyes from the thought of leaving this prison.

"To your trial! And once you win I can legally give you my phone number~." Alex giggles, her wink reminds me that phone is still back in the clearing and is probably dead, far beyond revival due to the freezing conditions it's been through. I decide not to comment to save myself from straining my sore vocal cords. She removes her walkie-talkie off her belt and mutters something inaudible into the microphone imbedded within it.

A moment later the bars screeched as the bars slid out of the way to my freedom. I'm so tempted to get out and run away right now. I know I can do it. I know the way out. I can out run them, I've been running away my whole life. Dodging should be my only problem, but it's nothing I can't handle. I swear I'm about to do it as I approach the exist to my freedom. I will my body to move, to go to my real home, to be with my real family, to be with Vikk, but it refuses. All my muscles clam up, keeping me from sprinting down the cold and dangerous halls.

Deep down I can feel that what I want to do is wrong and the best option is patience. Alex begins to talk again as she cuffs my wrist behind my back, but I don't hear her over the yelling in my own head. She leads me don't the noisy hall with real criminals cursing left and right, making me very uncomfortable saying how I've never sworn a day in my life.

      Alex guides me out to her black suburban and opens the passenger door much to my surprise. I stare at with my head tilted to one side in confusion. I want to ask her why is she doing this, but I feel that I know part of the answer and my throat is just too sore to do so.

"There's no law saying I can't be nice, now get in so I can take your cuffs." My eyes widen slightly in wonder, why would someone that I barely know be so nice to me? I thought everyone hated me. It has to be because she doesn't know what I'm really like, all she knows is what she sees, which is me sitting in a cell corner crying for a week straight. Probably just pity. I do as she says anyways, knowing it's a little better than sitting alone in the backseat.

I'm curious for a moment if she was telling the truth about taking off the hand cuffs, since she closes the door and gets in the drivers side first. She starts up the engine then pulls out the key to the cuffs and unlocks them. I give each wrist a turn to be rubbed by the other hand once the metal shackles fall in my lap, clanking against each other.

Half way through the drive and neither of us has said a word, and I refuse to look outside to face the world. Alex has given me occasional worried glances and sometimes she would open her mouth to speak, but it would immediately clamp up and she would back back at the road. A brief flash of white flickers in my eyes bringing my attention up my full alert. My eyes dart around, trying to find the source of the flash, doing my best to seem the least suspicious as possible. I see the flash again when I glance down at the cuffs that are still sitting on my lap. I play around with them until I could see the flash again, but instead of a flash, I noticed a familiar white object in my reflection in the cool metal.

      I use one hand to keep the cuff still as possible to keep my reflection balanced as I use the other hand to reach up to the base of my neck. My eyes fall softly shut as I place my hand against my collar bone, and they snap back open when my fingertips brush against a cool, smooth, familiar surface. I quickly readjust the collar of my hood to hide the collection of three white scales that have recently formed without me noticing. Most likely because I haven't seen a reflection of mine until just now.

My nose begins to tickle without anything touching it. Oh crap... My face scrunches up to the oncoming sneeze I can't keep from holding back.

"Ahh... ahh... AHCHOO!" I blow out one of the loudest sneezes I've ever had. I'm able to get my face into my elbow in time so don't make a mess, but I can't stop myself from banging my forehead on the dashboard.

      "Ow..." I groan rubbing my now red and soon to be swollen forehead with my wrist.

"Bless you, and are you alright?" Alex asks looking at me with deep jade eyes for a moment, in a voice I can't tell if it's real concern or pity. "You hit your head pretty hard, I'm surprised the seatbelt didn't stop you. And there's a tissue box in the glove compartment if you need it."

I silently nod, feeling a little light headed and open up the glove compartment to pull out a small blue box of clean tissues. Removing the flimsy piece of paper from its container, I press it again my running nose and blow out the rest of what remained. I roll up the disgusting tissue in my hand and toss it into the convenient little waste bin that is attached next to where the cardboard box used to be. Not long after I break into a nasty coughing fit that just left me drowsy beyond belief once the five minutes of torture were up.

"Sweetie, I think you're coming down with something. Would you like to stop at the pharmacy to pick up something for it? We have time for one stop." I tiredly glare at Alex, slumping down in in my seat, as she's about to reach out and touch my shoulder, but recoils like I'm contagious or something. Okay, I might be, don't want to get anyone else sick with whatever I have now. I still shake my head to decline her offer.

      "You sure? I-I don't want your condition to get worse, and not just for me. If this gets worse, you could be too sick to go on trial which means you'll be stuck in jail for at most another week, while they set a date for a new trial." She tries warning but I still can't accept, I just can't. Alex continues to be persistent in trying to convince me to have some medicine, and every time I refuse she pushes harder. It's time to speak, despite my aching throat that's even worse now from the occasional coughing fits.

"I'm immunocompromised." I force out, almost chocking over my own voice, and coughing a few times after, followed up by another loud sneeze.

"Excuse me?" Alex questions with a bewildered expression as she stared at me when we came to a stop at a red light. I groan in slight pain, not wanting to repeat anything or talk at all for matter a fact. But I have to, or else she's going end up killing me with some fake medicine.

"I'm allergic to medicine. I basically can't take any medicine that's been made inside a lab or something like that, if I do, it only makes my condition worse and could potentially place me in a near death situation." I cough, leaving me very light headed. "It's like I'm allergic to medicine made by people, but if it's like a combination of healing herbs found in the wild, then they work and I'm fine."

       "That must be tough, I can hardly imagine what it was like when you were a child and couldn't take any sort medicine to help you get better. Even to think about what it was like the first you realized you were allergic to that sort of stuff, is scary to think about." Alex shivers at the thought, as she begins to drive again. Luckily, my parents found out about my condition when I received my first and only tetanus shot. Since I was an infant at the time, the dosage was rather small so it wouldn't kill like the dosage size for someone my age would have. Though according to stories I was hospitalized for a month.

      "Well in that case, there's a really nice café on the way, so maybe we can pick a herbal tea to help with your cough." She suggests. "And that sore throat." She adds on basing off of me gripping my own burning throat. I sigh as I give a defeated nod. If I'm going to hide this illness from everyone then I'm going to need to at least be able to talk.

      About fifteen minutes later, we're sitting in in the car, in the parking lot of the café Alex has brought us too with a name I cannot pronounce for the life of me. She's downing some coffee and munching on a doughnut, while I occasionally take a sip of the herbal tea she convinced me to get. I have to admit, it's kinda good, but it's nothing compared to what my Mom would make whenever I was sick.

      You know, I kind of miss her... Wait? Lachlan snap out of it, your whole so called "family" hates you. Besides you're a dragon now, you can't be with them anymore anyways. Speaking of which, I'm beginning to believe that this illness is what's causing more scales to appear. Reason, I noticed the first patch just before I realized I was sick, and now they keep showing up in these patches of three to five. Thankfully, they're only appearing in spots that are already covered like the ones I feel on my back, front, and left arm, or can easily be hidden like the ones on my hands and neck.

      "I know those cells aren't the most sanitary placeholders in the world, but I've never seen anyone get this sick in my three months of working there." Alex finally breaks the silence between us, and I gave her the confusion look for once. "What I'm asking is, what do you do beforehand that caused you to get this sick?"

"I ran away from home after the incident, and I wasn't fully prepared for the weather." I spill out as if it was just a normal conversation, I don't even know where it came from. "I-I was hiding myself deep within a forest near my house. I was warned about last week's snowfall, but I didn't take it very seriously."

      "That's amazing, you actually get snow where you are. Especially in early August. We never get any snow in the city." Alex chuckles swirling around coffee that was left in her cup. "Anyways, feeling any better?"

All I do is shrug in response. I really don't feel like talking again, I don't want to destroy my voice before the trial.

      I just hope Vikk is ready.

Hey guys! Sorry this took so long to come out. There's the whole life existing thing and this is the longest chapter I've ever wrote for anything. Over 5000 words! So it's out now, and I've got two questions and the first one is really important because it will majorly effect the story.

1) Do you think Vikk will get to the trial on time?
2) Who do you think those mystery people were?

Anyways, as always thanks to DarkDisco7 for helping out.

Till next time;

Stay strong my cookie lovers!

~Dolphin