Dysfunctional Family

Skittles, Taeda, Fulmen, and Martia all stood dumbfounded at the entrance way of the former church. Why, oh why, did it have to be a day care center?

A woman, the perfect vision of beauty, stood up from the group of little children. She chocked her head to one side questioningly, "How may I help you?"

"Ah.... um..." Skittle could not seem to collect himself. It was (more then likely) the shock of seeing so a pretty woman in such an "awful" place. With a prod from Martia's tail he woke up, realizing what he was looking at the whole time. "Right! You wouldn't happen to have a sword around here?"

"I'm sorry...what?"

"You wouldn't--" he was cut off by a small child who tugged on his coat. An annoyed Skittles looked down at the little boy. "What do you want?"

"Hey Mister! Do you really have a tail?"

"What does it look like squirt?"

Unfortunately that was the wrong thing to say to a child who was about five years of age. The child, regrettably pulled on Skittles tail. Do I really need to say that Skittles had a very hard time restraining himself from ripping the silly little child's head off? If it was not for the extremely pretty daycare center manger the child would have been dead.

The daycare manager slowly made her way up to Skittles and smiled, "If you bite, I have to ask you to leave."

"I only bite if you want me to."

The daycare manager blushed. Then she watched as the little boy, once again, tugged on Skittles tail.

*Skittles! DON'T DO IT!* Martia shrieked, but it was too late. The poor little boy was just a pile of ashes on the floor.

"Oh I shouldn't have done that!"

*You really shouldn't have done that* Martia tightened her tail around his neck fearing the worst would come from Sprite.

In fact, at that moment, Skittles felt a horrible throbbing pain on his chest. It felt like someone decided to smack him with a two ton sledge hammer. Skittles descended to the ground with a loud thunk.

After a few dazed moments Skittles sat up only to find himself face to face with a very small Sprite. In fact, she was very small and sudden had a set of wings. Why did everyone else in his party have wings except for Martia and him?

Sprite tapped her foot on his chest, "You killed an innocent child!"

"He was stupid enough to pull my tail! Even a dog defends itself if its tail is pulled! It was a reflex!"

"Reflex my--"

"E-e-excuse me," said the frightened daycare manager.

Both Sprite and Skittles glared at the woman, waiting for her to say something remotely intelligent.

*OH! Gai-chan started talking again!* Martia suddenly yelled in the mind of Skittles.

"Well, what does he say Martia? Where can I find this stupid sword so I can get out of this nightmare?"

*He says it's behind a painting of the follower of the god of Life and the follower of the preserver. I really hope that means something to you.*

"It means I have to find a painting the Knight of Life and the Battle Priestess of Preservation when I have no idea what they look like." Skittles sighed. It could have been worse in the long run.

"The mural! What do you want with it?" the daycare manager had finally found her voice once again.

Skittles raised both his eyebrows, one for Sprite and one for the daycare manager. Catching his drift Sprite fluttered of his chest and fluttered onto the daycare manager's shoulder.

With a smile Sprite nudged the girl's earring. "If you behave we'll go easy on you and the children."

"I'd never give away the greatest treasure of the High Church!"

Fulmen leapt down from his perch, and Taeda flew down from hers. Taeda, severely annoyed at this point, huffed, "We're going to go search for the mural while you two deal with this stupid woman!"

Skittles gave an evil and toothy grin true to any villain. "You won't have to go far, after all this dear, sweet woman will tell us everything."

*Skittles, what makes you think she'll say anything to you?*

"W-w-w-wait!"

Skittles never thought that he could be intimidating by sitting on the floor and giving an evil smile, and yet some how he was. Shaking his head he stood up and brushed himself off automatically. Taking his sweet time he made his way face to face with the woman.

"I'll tell you! Just don't kill me!"

Skittles choked back some laughter, "Show the way sweet lady."

The woman turned her back to Skittles and walked to a wall covered with pictures drawn by the children. She began to take them off slowly revealing a very disturbing picture that sent Skittles head spinning.

*Skittles! Skittles! What's wrong?* Martia cried.

"My parents..." he whispered.

It was true that they had died when he was rather young, but he did remember them well enough to cringe at the sight of their picture. But... were they really?

***

"Mommy! Mommy! Where are you?" a little boy called through out an seemingly empty house. He was only about four years old and, was normal except for his golden colored eyes.

A woman, with long dark black hair appeared in the door way to comfort the little boy. "What's wrong Skittles? Did you have a nightmare?" She picked up the little boy and smiled softly.

"Mommy, I miss daddy and you a lot when you leave on your trip. What happens if you don't come back?"

His mother stared at him with a bit of shock. "Why wouldn't we come back?"

"The Priestess lady said that you might not come back when you go away tomorrow!" Tears began to flood the child's eyes.

"Shhh, don't listen to such nonsense! I'll always be with you sweet heart and so will Daddy." The woman looked to the man who was sitting in a plush chair waiting. She smiled weakly at her husband, and looked once again to her child. "Now, Let's tuck you into bed sweet heart."

Skittles had already fallen asleep in his mother's arms. She carefully set him down on the near by sofa. Her husband whispered, "You know we might never see him again?"

"I know..."

"I hope he never figures out what we really are. If he does then he'll have to face the same fate as us." The man, who had soft blonde hair, carefully brushed the hair out of the little boy's face. "Let the Gods bless him."

"Let's leave now. I don't want him to see what happens if something goes wrong." The mother, now began to sound frantic.

"Yes... Mary is already in the kitchen, so he's safe for now." 

With that the couple left only to be seen on last time by their child. They never knew that he had heard every word they had said, and never knew that the sight of that painting would bring every nightmare back.

***

Skittles growled under his breath, "Ask the the scythe what I have to do now."

*Skittles,* Martia whispered to him alone. Even though he hadn't changed his outside expression or mannerism she knew what had really happened. He was her bondmate after all. *You are all right, aren't you?*

 'Fine.' Skittles reassured his bondmate silently.

*Right. Right. Gai-chan says that we should... set it on fire.*

"NO!" the daycare manager screamed.

"Relax! You'll be fine," Sprite waved a hand as if that dismissed the matter.

"Who are you to tell me what to do you flat chested little--"

"What did you call me?"

"I didn't even finish."

"Children, or anyone for that matter, please avert your eyes," said Sprite has she lifted her tiny sledge hammer over her head.

Everyone looked away, and the children huddled in a corner, as the sprite beat the daycare manager to near death.

***

Skittles sighed as he lit he picture, which burned rather quickly. When the last bit of charred paper fell to the ground something beautiful and gleaming was revealed. 

This was the sword given to the fabled Knight of Life who only appeared once every few hundred years. The sword was simple in appearance and gave off unnatural light. A small engraved marking in the shape of the letter "V" combined with the letter "D." This represented the Goddess of Life, and no other.

*This was your father's sword?* Martia gawked at the new play thing.

"Apparently so."

 "Grab the sword and let's go!" Sprite hissed.

Skittles careful pried the sword and its sheath out of place. Swiftly they all left the church knowing that all the parents would come to pick up their children, well, almost all of the children would be picked up anyway.

Carefully they made it to their next destination, to the fabled city that welcomed all.