Who would have guessed my death would be such a hilarious joke? I woke up early, as with every other day, except today was the day of my death. I would wake up to take a shower, grab my lunch, watch the news and start walking to school. I do this everyday, except for today I didn't choose to watch the news. If I had, I would have known about the donut truck speeding down mainstreet being chased by the police. It wove in between traffic like a pro teasing the police. suddenly going through an alley, I go through everyday to take care of this stray cat, it wasn't able to see me in time and likely didn't care. As it tripped up on me the police were able to surround him. I was killed instantly, and thankfully it was quick enough to only hit that "OMG I'M DYINNNNGGG!! WHAT IS THIS FEELING!??" level of things.

The Grand Court was scary as hell, Red banners with a black gavel hitting a soul to fire, braziers in every corner, and three judges that were as tall as skyscrapers and impossible not to curl away from. I somehow made it safely past and came upon two doors. One was laden in gold, the other had vines obscuring many strange symbols. I reach for the overgrown door as I was always interested in new languages.

"Hold your horses!" The man appeared between the two doors, wearing white robes and a golden laurel wreath atop his balding head. "That path leads to a treacherous land filled with many strong creatures lurking around every corner to claim your soul. You would start over from scratch: memories lost and entirely different body. Even though you are allowed one wish, I cannot guarantee a good life.

"I-I just want to live. This isn't living... O-Oh! Not to offend you or anything, your highness!?" I say hoping that will work for my one wish. I reach for the door and as soon as my fingertips touch the strange wood the vine envelope my hand and reaching for my body I black out. 'That $&@% stupid man! He tricked me! He just wanted me to go to HIS door!' I think before waking up in a small very incapable body.

As there is nothing to do, I recall those symbols from the door and one particular symbol stands out, a ball of fire suddenly appears above the palms of my hands. I let out a giggle it's magic! Then it shoots incredibly fast to my ceiling exploding and setting my house ablaze.

"Autumn-Autumn! Wake up! the house, it's on fire!"I hear my father say with panic chilling him to the very bone while still shaking mother.

"W-Wha... The baby!" Mother cries, rushing over to my crib the whole while, I'm smiling as if I'd done nothing. A pain in my hand shows me a sign, glowing and swirling it then stops and points up my arm to my elbow. Father starts climbing out the window, seeing as all other paths had collapsed from the fire. He stands in a bed of Nightingales as mother passes me over the threshold right before the ceiling collapses.

That is my only memory of mother, father later caved in from grief and the hardship of raising a son alone. No one knows the truth behind my mother's death, I plan on keeping it that way.

I now live in a great orphanage that goes by the name of "The Gray Ducklings". Everyong here supports me the best they can: raising money for my tuition to become a white knight; sparring with me even though it's only for muscle memory by now. A few can use magic, but I try not to hate them, they don't know my secret after all. They can't even help with household chores either.

The last ophanage I was at I tried to connect with people there, making friends and living a life of careless fun. The "friends"ended up just prying into the death of my mom. they assumed that my father went crazy and killed her cold-blooded then killed himself. when I protested the just started abusing the title of being a friend, using it to steal the only things I have to remember the stories of mother my dad would always tell me. If I resisted they would promptly beat me to a pulp. That is the truth behind why I can't make friends here, I lie by telling them that I get transferred too often to make connections. All I have left to remember my mother by is a simple pendant, silver and oval, a key hole in the side.

Well anyway, now that I've told you my backstory, now it's about time to get to the present.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh! Help! Somebody please!"Some girl cries out. It came from my right and sounded like it came from open air. there's only building to my right. climbing from windowsill to windowsill.... 5 stories high, if I fall from this height I'll surely break something."GULLLP"

"Gotchya!" I below while standing on a pipe about eight feet off the ground. "Three sketchy perverts against a little beauty? That's unfair if you ask____!!" The pipe broke....

"Oh, a mouthy one aren't ya?" Thug one says brandishing an awefully heavy looking pipe for how scrawny he is.

"What shall we do? Sell em? Maybe we should play with her a little bit first? What'll it be boy?"Thug two says crouching, tail swishing behind ears perked towards the girl.

I jump for him pounding him in the gut with the pipe, stepping back I upper cut the pipe into the lungs of thug one. Thug three, standing at least three feet taller then me, tries to grab me. Ducking I try to sweep his legs but he's too big.

"Tch. Run!" I say, upper cutting him as well and bolting to the girl. When she's slow to move I pick her up, slinging her over my shoulders military style. When we finally find our way out of the alleyway I put her down as we blend into the crowd. It's not over yet, grabbing her hand I jog through, weaving in between bodies and stalls. We finally make it to the school.

"What did you have planned today? This place should be safe enough, but you might wanna stay a while until they forget about us." I say while she gasps for air.

"What.... in... Rosemary's hell was that for!?" She says taking a step further into my face with each word, hands planted on her hips, furious glare prying deep into my inner soul. Only then did I realize how cute she was: her strawberry red hair put into a ponytail at the back covering the rest of her hair. Green eyes blazing with energy, puffy cheeks filled with amazement. What was that smell called? Sakura Cherry Blossoms? Realizing what I had been thinking, I blushed and turned away.

"S-sorry!..." I try yelling but only a wisper escapes my lips.

"And by the way, I am NOT a little girl! I am turning 14 in two days time! .... wait... what was that?" It was then that she went from fuming volcano sulfer to cherry blossom sweet, "Who is this person?" I ask myself.

"I didn't introduce myself properly. I'm Arlinn. Arlinn Maraleaf." I say holding my hand out, smile wide and still blushing a little, feet tapping together in salute.

"Pffffftt! Bahahahhahahaha!" She clutches her stomach keeling over from laughter.

"What?" I say slightly confused.

"I'm sorry I blew up on you. That was rude of me." She says wiping a tear. "I'm May. May Bloom." She says grabbing my hand. At that moment a spark flew through our hands and throughout our bodies.

"This" She says while she looks around at all the Nightingales. "is actually where I was headed before..." May then walks past me before stopping in sync with her sentence.

"Are you an aspiring mage?" I ask as there's not many knighted girls. She then pivots around on her heels and looks me in the eye.

"No. I'll be a knight," She pokes her cheek "with magic potential." My eyes widen.

"Are you sure!? I mean, I'm only barely passing as average!"

"Oh, I'm sure. Besides I have you for moral support, and maybe even training?" She then gets real close and looking up with puppy dog eyes "Plzzzz?" Why the puppy dog eyes? I step away, blush, and kick the air.

"Fine." I turn, feet click and jab my thumb into my rib cage. "You can count on me! Just don't think it'll be easy!" I start walking, as I walk past I grab her hand and pull her just a little. "Come on, we'll be late!"

Running through the halls we bump into nobody, meaning that class is about to start.

"THREE!!! TWO!!! ONE!!!" The class starts counting down as I'm frequently late.

"You can't be late on your first day!" I grind out as I'm throwing May into the classroom.

Stopping just inside the doorway I slump over, hands on my knees. I look up to a variety of expressions while teacher Rian marks on the board my fourth time not late in a row. Some expressions were congratulatory and others smuck. Most expressions were pointed not at me but at May and this other guy laying in a pile.

"Please take your seats.." Rian assumes his spot at the podium "We've got.. two new students as of today."

"Chrome Maetrixs is the name, and if you want any more information you're gonna have to beat me in a duel for it." The new guy states standing up, dusting himself off. I help May up and apologize for throwing her so suddenly.

"You can sit up there Chrome." Rian points to the top left seat.

"Looks like it's my turn then.." May says poking her cheek. "May Bloom, came from a small town in the middle of nowhere, and I always shoot for the stars!"

Glancing at me Rian says, "You can sit to the right of Arlinn, since you tow somehow know eachother."

We head to our seats as Rian pulls out his lecture and some chalk.

"Now, there are three intelligent races of this world." Rian begins drawing on the chalkboard. "Humans, Hybrids, and Deamos... Humans, being the weakest sought after the help of our God, many of us try to give our deity a name and appearance, but all we know about it is that it sends a "chosen one" once every hundred years. Each hero holds a marking or tattoo of sorts, differing in design for each hero but each has a mark from around their birth." Hearing this I cover my hand hoping no one has seen it up until now. "Any questions? No? The Hybrids are simply Human but with a few added perks. For example, the Cat Hybrid has ears wiskers and a tail generally, they also have great balance and excellent reflexes, but cut off one of their wiskers and they are helplessly vulnerable. Questions?"

"Sir?" The boy in front of me raised his hand so abruptly I had to dodge a blow to the face.

"Yes, Almin?" Rian concedes.

"If a Cat Hybrid gets their wiskers cut, will they eventually grow back?"

"Ah, yes. Although they do grow back, the Cat Hybrid race has found a more permanent way as punishment, exile for example. Now the Deamos race is the disgrace to all intelligent life, using their seductive or otherwise charming powers to destroy even the purest of families." Rian, glaring at his toes, slams his fist against the Deamos drawing he drew. "They generally have more horrific features: tusks, horns, longer canines than humanly possible; but most have the ability to disguise themselves as human beings or that of a Hybrid race. Once under one's charm your will is henceforth no longer yours, it generally takes an extreme amount of willpower to fight their charm off and they can simply reapply the charm as well. Deamos generally get more powerful by seducing one to invite them to bed only to be found the next day consumed or drained of a lifeforce." Everything went silent and before I noticed Rian was crying the bell clanged. "Now hurry up and get to Combat Training!"

"Soooo, do you want to show me where the girl's changing room is?" May says leaning into me. I blush.

"Let me get my stuf real quick." I quickly grab my gear and lead May through the halls to the other side of the school where the girl's changing room was.

"W-wait here.." May said slightly embarrassed. "and NO peeking!" she shouts with a bit of emergency in her tone.

"Okay-Okay.." I yeild with arms raised in surrender. Feeling astonished by how much emotion she put into that last sentence, and slightly disappointed that she didn't trust me yet, I put my half-mask, and gauntlet on.

It didn't take her long to come out in tight black shorts and tank top, with a leather half-plate and bracer all to her left: she must be right-handed. Her shortsword was at her left as well, knife was in the back. She was blushing a little.

"Let's go." She wispers before she darts past me.

"Uuummm.. The Combat Training is the other way.." I say.

She turns around beet red and races back at me. Once she reaches me, she stops and puts out her hand, somehow getting even brighter red than before. I simply smile and take her hand. I lead her to the door of the Training Yard.

"This is far enough. We don't want them thinking you're a little girl, do we?"

When I get through the door everyone is encircled around Chrome.

"I challenge the next person to ckme through this door!"

I immediately stop May from moving forward.

"What? Whay are you stopping?" May protests.

"I'll be your opponent!" I yell, "Move. May."

"I'll be the ref!" the trainer of the day anounces. "Start!"

With that Chrome lunges at me with incredible speed. I block for a moment only to hop over him, hoping May had moved.

Busting through the door, he finds may on the ground surprised.

"I see." Chrome analyzes.

He presses a button and the head of his joust shoots at me, barely missing I say, "Missed me." Just as I notice the cord attached he is flying fast at me, I've got to evade that or I'll be in the infirmary for a week! I hop onto the head of the joust and wait, once he gets within ten feet I jump high enough to somersault and landing on his back I boost off of that. He retrieves his head. Running at what looks like full speed he jumps and shoots the ground retracting it so fast it clangs so loudly I can hardly focus enough to block a few kicks to the face. I reposition a good twenty feet away and wait. When he shoots the head at me again I sidestep and grab hold of the head tightly, turning it around and throwing it at him then running around to attack him from the side.

"Tch." Chrome sidesteps and starts retracting his head, "This battle is over."

"As Chrome surrenders Arlinn is the victor!" the Teacher anounces raising my arm high. Relieved I look at May and smile until I notice she was so worried she was crying?

Here's some concept art!