Rain pelted his skin as the older kids laughed and taunted him. "What's the point of trying to fit in?" one sneered. Another snickered and kicked him in the shin, knocking him to the muddied floor.

"You'll never be like us!"

Those words that had always resonated within him since he was young. Witches young and old had always compared him to the lowly hybrids or cruel humans simply because he didn't have magic.

"Hey dude!" A boy, 16 years old like him, swung down from a nearby tree. His cowboy hat fell into his hands, revealing chocolate locks and a long faded scar crossing his face. The boy sat down next to him on the forest floor. "You okay?"

"Of course Scar," he sighed.

Scar rolled his eyes with a smile. "You only come here when something's bothering you." Scar reached up a hand and brushed some blonde hair from his friend's face. "So... what's on your mind then?"

"The norm, just wishing that I had some kind of magic." The blonde picked at the cream colored feathers on his wings. "Or at least didn't have these stupid wings. They make me look like a freaking hybrid!"

"Like I always say." Tattered wings made of gray-cyan mist burst from his back and Scar floated into the air, more like a ghost than a bird. "Look on the positive side! You can fly 'round with me!"

The feathered blonde smirked and quickly shot himself into the air. "Race ya to the Château Magique!"

The two shot through the air and raced for the tower. Swooping over broomsticks, swerving around magic bubbles, they didn't stop till one reached the tower. He ended up smacking into the wall before he could stop himself and Scar giggled, landing lightly beside his dazed friend.

"Man I've gotta stop going so fast," the blonde chuckled, brushing off bits of stone from his sweater.

"Hi guys!" Scar yelped in surprise and his friend nearly tripped over his own feet. A boy with silvery hair and identical misty wings to Scar floated halfway out the wall, a mischievous grin on his face.

"JESUS CHRIST CUB!" the feathered one exclaimed, stumbling to regain his balance. "Don't scare me like that!"

Cub snickered and stepped out of the wall. "After you pranked me last week with all those eggs? No way am I listening to a gremlin."

"Gosh, what're ya'll doing?" a boy's voice called. He leaped from the roof and shot out a blast of violet swirls, which caught him and let him gracefully twirl done. He shook out his blonde curls and spun to face them, smiling happily. "Could ya'll be any louder?"

"Of course we could!" the blonde yelled. Scar quickly clapped a hand over his mouth. "That was rhetorical, don't answer Zed's question."

Zed giggled and absentmindedly strung some glowing purple string between his fingers. "Have you guys heard the rumors?" he asked while trying to make a cat's cradle.

"Is it the one involving Stress?" Cub sighed, raising an eyebrow. Zed nodded.

The other blonde gaped at them. "You don't actually believe it right?" Scar rolled his eyes. "Why wouldn't we?"

"It-it's just..." He struggled to find the right words. "It doesn't seem like something Stress would do," he finally said. "Normally she's so stick-to-the-rules and wanting everyone to be safe."

"But you've seen her lately," Scar retorted, kicking at a pebble out of boredom. "She keeps talking about the other lands. The humans especially, though she does keep saying about how kind the hybrids could be."

"Could be!" Cub butted in, shaking his head. "You've all heard how hybrids are! They're feral and untamed, making them extremely dangerous to be around. They can turn into actual animals!"

Zed cleared his throat loudly, gaining everyone's attention. "Why don't we just ask her?"

The three glanced at each other. "Yeah, that's probably smart," Scar finally replied.

"Well let's stop waiting around and go!" The feathered blonde shot into the air, not bothering to wait for his friends.

Scar shook his head and sped after him. "Oh for god's sake, slow down Grian!"

   ~*~

after a semi-long wait, the first chapter is out! Hope ya'll enjoy it!