VI
Dymond

After Dymond and Kayl told Jacob where and when to meet them the next day, they left Jacob and went to the place where they had received the pearl to talk to Meka.  
At first, they couldn’t see her.  Then, she appeared on top of the stump in her wolf form, eyes closed.  Since her form was so light and she was lying in the direct path of the sun, Meka had been invisible to their eyes.  

Dymond slowly walked up to the she-wolf, not wanting to disturb her.  Meka seemed to sense her coming, so she opened her eyes and jumped off the stump.  “Good afternoon, Dymond,” Meka smiled.  “I suppose you’re here to tell me…”

“We think we found him,” Dymond finished.  “But I don’t think he is who he says he is.”  Dymond explained their chance meeting with Jacob and how he explained knowing about the pearl and the Triangle.  When she told Meka about the pearl glowing black, the wolf’s face darkened.

“He is definitely no friend of ours,” Meka agreed.  “But we cannot let this Jacob know that we are on to him,”

“We also can’t tell him how to use his power properly,” Kayl said.  “That will make him more powerful…”

“I have an idea,” Meka said.  “Tomorrow after the group session, you two will stay and learn real lessons.  While Jacob is here, I will create fake lessons so he won’t learn to harness the power of the pearl and transform.  What’d you think?”

“I think that’s a really good idea.”  Dymond said.  “At least, it is for now.  It’s a temporary solution to a relatively permanent problem.”

Meka nodded.  “But,” Kayl said, “in between lessons, Dymond and I could keep looking for the real last member of the Triangle.”

“But that could take forever,” Dymond responded, shaking her head.  “We’ve been searching for a week and the closest we’ve come to finding the last member is Jacob.”

“Think back, Dymond,” Meka said.  “I sense that you are closer to the answer then you think.”

“There hasn’t been any sign of another person…” But even as she was saying it, Dymond seemed to remember something from their first time out searching.  “Wait… for some reason, I keep seeing something… A memory of someone… A boy, all in black…”

“Think, Dymond,” Meka urged.

Dymond closed her eyes and saw that day once again.  She and Kayl were sitting at the bus stop, waiting.  There was someone across the street… He had long, wavy black hair and was wearing a black suit.  His face was harsh and cold, almost cruel.

She opened her eyes and saw Meka and Kayl looking at her.  “Well?”  Kayl asked his eyes wide with curiosity.

Dymond described the boy to them.  “I know nothing of this boy,” Meka responded.

Dymond stared at Meka with a well-no-duh kind of look.  Kayl shook his head and said the same thing.  She gave him the same look.  “You’re from 1312, Meka, and you just moved here Kayl, of course neither of you know him.”  

Together, Meka and Kayl asked, “Do you?”

“Well… I can honestly say that I have never once seen him before… At least, not before that day…” Dymond said sheepishly.

“Then you’re no help either,” Kayl responded.

“We can do nothing more today,” Meka said.  “I will see what I can find out about this boy, if anything.  You two should do the same.  However, for now, you should both return to your homes.  Be here tomorrow for the beginning of your lessons.”

***

The fake lesson with Jacob was spent meditating.  Meka promised them that the first few lessons would be spent on meditation so the three of them could link with the pearl.  Jacob didn’t really believe her, Dymond could tell, but he did what she told them either way.  When the lesson was finished, Jacob left the clearing, but Dymond and Kayl stayed.  That was when the real work began for them both.

“First of all, we must report on the search for the boy.”  Meka started.  “So far, I’ve turned up three occasions going on in town that would require you be in a tux.  The first was a wedding, the second a funeral, and the third some kind of ceremony for a thirteen-year-old girl.  I don’t see why you’d need to be wearing a tux that day though…”

Kayl picked up the story, “I asked around the school campus today if anyone knew a boy that matched his description.  Nobody seemed to know his first name, though I did get a last name; Cline.”

“Kayl told me that and I took over,” Dymond said.  “I went to city hall and asked to see some records – you’ll never believe how easy it is to access those – and looked up the name Cline.  Lucky us, there are nearly six families in the area with that name.”

“Tomorrow you two shall see if any of these families are going to any of the events that I’ve listed.”  Meka said.  “Now, we begin.  First, we must truly link you to the pearl.  Come, Dymond.”  Dymond came forward and knelt in front of Meka.  “Take the pearl in your hand.”  Dymond did as she was told.  “Now, sit on the stump, cross-legged.”  When Dymond was sitting, Meka told her, “Now, picture the red wolf in your mind.  See its fur color, its fur length, the size of its body.”

Dymond closed her eyes.  She saw a medium-sized wolf with red fur and big, brown eyes.  “Focus on what it might smell like, what it would feel like,” Meka’s voice said, sounding far away.  

Dymond felt herself shrinking, her body and face elongating.  She felt her legs grow longer, and move into a wolf’s position under her stomach.  When she opened her eyes, she was still sitting on the stump, but she wasn’t cross-legged.  She was sitting like a wolf.  And everything was in black and white.  

“So, that answers that question,” she said.  She could hear her voice, but she didn’t feel her mouth move.  The pearl was sitting on the stump in front of her.  Meka was nodding appreciatively.  

“Cool!”  Kayl said.  “Can I give it a try?”

“Of course; but Dymond should change back first.  This is the first time either of you have linked with pearl.  If we have both of you transform at the same time, it might overload the pearl.  That’s the last thing we need.  The only thing you have to do to transform back is focus on what you look like.”

Dymond did as she was told, and soon, she felt the transformation working in reverse.  When she opened her eyes, everything back in color; the pearl was still sitting in front of her, a red light fading from it.  “That was cool,” she said.

“Kayl, you may take your turn,” Meka said.

Kayl sat up on the stump and closed his eyes, the pearl in his hand.  Meka watched closely.  The pearl in his hand began to glow red.  It got brighter and brighter, but nothing happened.  Kayl opened his eyes, a look of disappointment on his face.  “What went wrong?”

Meka smiled, nodding.  “The maned wolf always has difficulty the first time he transforms.  The red wolf and arctic wolf can usually transform on their first try, but the maned wolf takes a couple lessons.”

“Aw man!”  Kayl exclaimed, putting the pearl down on the stump.  

“I think this is where we will end the lesson,” Meka said.  “Tomorrow we’ll start looking for this Cline boy.”  

Glad the computer is up and running and it looks like your story is, too.    I liked how you made the transformation difficult for one and not the other.  Nice touch.  

This was a good chapter. I also like that it wasn't so easy for Kayl to transform. Perhaps his will be the strongest of the three. Can't wait to see what happens next!

awesome chapter, i too like how you did the transformations. i cant wait to read more

I just read all lf these chapters and I have come to 1 conclusion...(dramatic silence) You... should... be a writer. seriosly could not stop reading it.

Hey guys.  Sorry I haven't been active the past few days.  With the domain host switch, I haven't been able to get to ACC at all until about ten minutes ago.  In other news, I do believe that Computerfan has opened the voting for his compitition.  So, if you'd like to vote for Canis, read the voting rules on the compitition thread and PT Computerfan with your vote!  This is totally optional of course; you don't have to vote at all if you don't want to!  I really appreciate all the assistance in getting Canis further into the compitition.

I hope to have the next chapter up sometime this weekend!

Looking forward to it.  Nice to see you're able to connect again.

VII
Maryanne

“How far you’ve progressed,” the voice whispered in her ear.  “When we found you, you were weak, small, insecure… Now, you’re strong, brave, and dangerous.  You have the power in you to find it… and use it.”

Maryanne was bowed in a dark room, she couldn’t see the man’s face, but she knew who he was; Master, her leader, her teacher, her guardian.  “I am ready to do whatever you ask of me, Master,” she told him, her head bowed, eyes closed.

Many things had changed since that day when she had first dreamed of Master.  She didn’t remember leaving Ronan’s house, but when she came to, she was kneeling in this very spot, head bowed, eyes closed, in front of Master.  She never saw his face.  She only knew his voice; and though it was cold and rough, it had become more familiar, more comforting than her own fathers.  Now she wasn’t afraid of anything.  She had trained under Master, learned to fight and to defend herself.  She learned the faces of her enemies, and she prepared herself for the task Master had in store for her.

“You know what I want,” Master responded.  “You know what I’m after.  You know why you have been training for so long.  You will get it for me; let no one stop you.”

“What of…?”

“He has failed me,” Master hissed.  “He has not gotten what he was sent to get.  Therefore, if he falls, he is just the first casualty in the line of many.”

Maryanne nodded.  “When can I fetch it for you, Master?  When can I take on this task?”

“Before you can get it,” Master said, “you must first gain their trust.  The teacher will be the hardest to trick.  After him, she will be wary.  She won’t be ready to trust you, and if she isn’t willing to trust you neither will the other girl.”  Maryanne could hear Master pacing.  “The only weakness that I can see is through the youngest.  Gain his trust, his respect, his love – but only if you must – and then, it will be yours.”

“I will do as you ask, Master,” Maryanne told him.

“I know you will, Maryanne.  You have progressed faster than any other student I have trained.  You will be the one thing that they will not see coming.  You will be their downfall.”  Master said.  Maryanne was pleased to detect pride in Master’s voice.  “Go now, my child.  Return to me once it is in your possession.”

Maryanne stood, keeping her head bowed.  She turned and walked out of the room.  When she lifted her head again, she flinched away from the unexpected sunlight.  She turned around, and she saw the building; a normal one-floor house.  In the next instant, the house disappeared.  

“I will not fail you, Master,” she promised.  

She walked to the street and soon reached the town.  Maryanne went to the nearest phone booth and picked up the yellow pages once she had securely locked herself in.  She flipped to a page and ran her finger down the list.  So many Sanders’… She thought.  But, she smiled, only three Kayl Sanders.  She studied the addresses next to each of the Kayl Sanders’ names, and once she was sure she had all of them memorized, she snapped the yellow pages shut.  

She walked out of the phone booth and looked into the sun.  “Get ready, Kayl Sanders; I’m coming for you.”

***

In an hour, Maryanne scratched the first two Kayl Sanders’ off her list.  One was ancient, the other was new born.  That left only one more.  He lived in the suburbs, go figure.  Everyone did in this town.  Within the first hour and a half, Maryanne was standing outside his house.

Her orders were clear; “You are not to give the boy your real name; use Tyra for now.  You must pretend you are new to this town and that you are trying to find somewhere difficult to locate.  You will make small talk, and no matter what, by the time this first encounter is over, you must be friends at the very least.”  

It took only five minutes before Kayl exited his house.  She waited until he was a safe distance away and then called, “Excuse, sir!”  He turned around and looked curiously at her.

“Can I help you?”  Kayl asked.  He had hair the color of spun gold, and eyes the color of the sky on a crystal clear day.  He was wearing a blue shirt and blue jeans.

“My name is Tyra.  I’m new here and I’m a little lost.  I’m trying to find the post office; do you know where it is?”  She flashed the envelope that she was holding in front of him.

“Uh, I think I do.” Kayl responded.  “I just moved here, too, so I’m still getting to know the place… My name’s Kayl, by the way.”  

“Nice to meet you,” Maryanne said.  “So… I have a really bad memory,” she lied, “if you could just lead me to the post office that’d be great.”

“Sure, follow me.”  Kayl smiled at her and turned to lead her.

Maryanne’s kind smile melted into an evil one.  Like putty in my hand; she thought, Master will be so happy to hear that this was such an easy mission.

In her head, she heard his voice: Don’t get too excited yet, child.  You still have much left to do.  This is only the first phase of a long plan.

I know Master, Maryanne reassured him.  But like I said, this boy is putty in the palm of my hand.

Master left one thought in Maryanne’s head before his voice faded: Are you so sure that Kayl is the putty, and that it is not you?

good chapter.

awesome chapter, i was wondering when wed be getting back to maryanne and i had a feeling from the first chapter she was in that she was on the other side. i cant wait for more.

Very good chapter, Shella.  A fly in the ointment, huh?  Reads like you're definitely setting up a struggle of some sort to come.  Will be looking to see how it all unfolds.

Computerfan's competition voting is still open!

---

VIII
Rodolfo

For what felt like the millionth time, Rodolfo shook his head.  Whoever she was, she couldn’t track very well.  She was the same girl from a few days earlier, the one with long, purple hair and tan skin; the girl who had been sitting at the bus stop.  

She had been following him all morning.  He had first noticed her in his neighborhood; she pretended to be waiting for someone in front of his house driveway.  The next time he noticed her, she was standing in front of a store window, a few feet away from him.  Then, when he had been walking, he turned and saw she was following him.  That was when he first shook his head.  

Now, he was leading her down an alleyway so he could confront her.  Once they were deep inside the alley, he turned and said, “If you’re going to follow someone, you need to do it a bit more discreetly.”  

The girl, knowing she had been found out, came forward to face him.  “Are you Rodolfo Cline?”  

“That’s me,” Rodolfo said, smiling at her face.  He wasn’t the nicest looking person, and obviously she was expecting somebody with a softer appearance.  Rodolfo was wearing a black tux with a red collar.  He had cold, black eyes and his jet black hair was long and had a windswept look to it.  “How can I help you?”

“My name is Dymond Mae,” the girl said.  “I want to see something,” She reached her hand into her pocket and pulled it out.  Sitting on the palm of her hand was a small pearl; it was glowing bright white.  “So it is you,” Dymond whispered.

“So it is me what?”  Rodolfo asked.  He cringed at how bad that sentence sounded.

Without hesitation Dymond launched into the story of the pearl, from its crafting to it being sent here by Marcus, Meka, and Tycan to Jacob pretending to be the arctic wolf.  Rodolfo listened to the whole story, looking at Dymond.  By the time she was done, she was out of breath and Rodolfo was wondering if she was trying to play a prank on him or if she was just plain crazy.  

“What makes you think I’m the arctic wolf?”  He asked, his eyes not leaving her face.

“Well, it’s just that, the pearl glows white whenever a member of the Triangle is found.”  Dymond explained.  “And we’ve already found the maned wolf – that’s Kayl – and the red wolf – that’s me.  So all that’s left is the arctic wolf, and that has to be you.”

Rodolfo started to laugh.  “How crazy do you think I am?  I’m going to kill Josh, but tell him that he owes you all the money he offered you.  I almost believed you, too.  It was a very good performance.”

Dymond crossed her arms.  “Alright then; I guess I have to show you.”  She closed her hand around the pearl and shut her eyes.  She took two deep breaths, and the next thing Rodolfo knew, she was shrinking down until she was about feral-wolf size.  Her arms and legs moved into a dogs’ position and she grew red fur as her nose elongated.  When she opened her eyes again, they were amber instead of the violet they were before.  “I told you,” Dymond said.  He heard her voice, but her mouth didn’t move.

“Okay, this is getting a little strange,” Rodolfo said.  He usually had a very cool composer, but seeing this girl turn into a red wolf in a matter of seconds right in front of him cracked it.  “I’m dreaming or I’m crazy,” he said.

The wolf shook its head.  “No, Rodolfo.  You aren’t.  You can tell yourself you’re going crazy, or you’re dreaming, but you’re not.  The Triangle is real.  This pearl is real.  The Borrowers are real.  And now that they know you’ve been claimed by the pearl, they’re going to track you down.  And if you don’t learn how to transform and protect yourself, they will kill you.

“Come with me, Rodolfo,” the wolf said.  “Meet Meka.  Learn to hone you skills.  Learn to use the power that’s inside you.  Embrace you’re inner canis lupus arctos.”

Rodolfo stood in front of the girl who had become a wolf, and although his mind was denying what he was seeing, he knew in his heart that it was true.  He knew that she was right.  So, going against his better judgment, Rodolfo nodded and told Dymond, “Take me to Meka.”

***

Dymond turned back into a human and led Rodolfo to a clearing in the middle of a forest-like park.  An old oak stump with a red triangle carved in the top was in the middle of the clearing and sitting next to it was another red wolf, this one looking like the Milky Way, starry and transparent.  The wolf turned and studied Rodolfo.  “Canis lupus arctos,” she whispered.  “You found him,”

“I had to transform to make him believe,” Dymond told the wolf.  “Rodolfo, this is Meka, our teacher.  Meka, this is Rodolfo Cline, leader of the Triangle.”

“He must connect with the pearl, and soon.  That way, when Jacob tries, the pearl won’t accept his DNA and he won’t be able to transform.”  Meka told them.  “Rodolfo, come.  Sit on the stump, and take the pearl in your hand.”

Rodolfo could see the uncertainty in Dymond’s eyes as she placed the pearl into his hand.  When he had it, he sat on the stump and closed his eyes.  He didn’t feel anything, and felt dumb just sitting there on a tree stump.  “I don’t think it’s working,” he said.  He gasped.  His mouth hadn’t moved.  

He opened his eyes.

“Why can’t I see in color?”  He asked; again surprised that his mouth hadn’t moved when he spoke.

“You have successfully transformed.”  Meka said.  “You have taken the form of the arctic wolf.”

“Effortlessly,” Dymond mused.  

“Dymond, you transformed almost instantly, Kayl didn’t transform at all, and Rodolfo transformed without seeming to spend any energy,” Meka said.  “Why do you think that is?”

“Is it because of the wolf we’re linking to?”  Dymond asked.  “Is it because the arctic wolf, being the leader, has the most experience, making it easier for him to transform, the red wolf is the second in charge, so it’s still easy to transform but it needs a little practice, and the maned wolf, being the youngest and most immature, it takes a couple tries to finally get it right?”

Meka nodded.  “Spoken like a true Triangle member,” she smiled.

Rodolfo followed what Dymond said easily.  “So, who else is part of the Triangle?”  He asked, transforming back into his human form.  He handed Dymond the pearl.

“Kayl Sanders; he’s the maned wolf.”  Dymond said.  

“Kayl Sanders,” Rodolfo repeated.  

“Tomorrow, Rodolfo, you will arrive at this clearing at two in the afternoon,” Meka said.  “We must first do the fake lesson with Jacob, and you cannot be here.  He must believe that we think he is the arctic wolf.”

Rodolfo nodded, remembering what Dymond had told him about Jacob.  “Two on the dot,” he said.

“If you hear a red wolf’s howl, stay back.  It will mean that Jacob is still here.  If you hear a maned wolf’s howl, it means it is safe to approach.”  Meka instructed.  “You know the difference between the howls?”

“Of course,” Rodolfo nodded.  “Who doesn’t?”

“Good.  Then at two tomorrow, you shall arrived and wait for the howl.  Once it’s been sounded, either approach or back off.”  Meka recapped.  “Now, you both need rest, so, you will return home and sleep.”

“Should I hand off the pearl, Meka?”  Dymond asked.  Rodolfo could see by the way she closed her hand around it that she didn’t want to give it up.

Meka saw it, too.  “Not tonight.  Once you can all transform without having to hold it or have it near you, you will give it to Rodolfo.”

Dymond nodded.  She and Rodolfo said good night to Meka before turning and leaving the clearing.  Without a word, Dymond turned and walked towards her house.  Rodolfo whispered after her, “Good night, Dymond Mae.”  Then, he turned and disappeared into the darkness.  

awesome chapter, cant wait for the next

Great chapter! Can't wait for the next installment.

Another great chapter, Shella.  I like how you are introducing these characters to us and keeping the storyline flowing.  Keep up the good work!

School's back in session today.  However I'll still try to keep working on the next chapter.  School takes precedence over all other things so try and be pacient with me!

i understand take as long as you need ill still be here to read it when ever you get up

^ Me, too! I'll be here when you can post again.

*Revive Post

I'm SO sorry.  A Hour is taking a lot more out of me than I initally thought... I'll try and write a new chapter sometime this weekend.

Just bumping this a little bit. This is still safe in Computerfan's competition. I'm the host now, so if you want this to move forward, PT votes to me. =D

Oh my gosh it's still here!  YES!  

School has been HECTIC!  But, I am gonna write more, I swear!  Tomorrow is a short day so after my rehersal for my drama class I'll get the next chapter up!  My October Break is also next week so that will give me more time!  

I'm still safe in the contest, too?  Double YES!  Totally gonna stay in!  

Thanks to all my readers!  You are amazing for helping stay in the contest!

il still be here. ive had this thread flaged this whole time.

Thanks for the support even in my abscence, Golden777.  I promise I'll have a chapter up in the next 48 hours!

Congratulations on still being in the competition, Shella!  I'm sure I speak for all your readers that we are definitely looking forward to when you can post another new chapter (or two).

ive still been here too shella glad to see your back