I wrote this up this week after looking through some of my older fics on the site, and finally decided to write a backbone story for Katze. I haven’t been writing for a while though >.0 So expect mistakes and errors eh ^^;

[ Last major edit : 14 / 10 / 2008 ]

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Found you. Alcaedo Kraynott of the Psychics smiled as he located the small furry creature that had snuggled tightly against a dark but secluded corner of the busy canteen. The sixteen year old teen proceeded to set his tray of ‘Supreme Lunch Combo A’ on the table, joking and chatting with his classmates cum teammates who had already begun digging in.

Just like he had done for the past month, Alcaedo removed the dessert from his tray and set the cup down on the floor under his chair before tucking into his food.

As was always, the orange striped kitten scrutinized the offered treat for a stark moment before sauntering forward, meandering through the crowds about the cafeteria to finally stop underneath his chair. Feeling the soft nudge against his ankle, Alcaedo knew he was being thanked for the food. Another nudge would usually follow when the kitten was about to leave with the emptied dessert container, as though it was saying ‘Goodbye’.

At times, Alcaedo would wonder if the kitten was really feline, given its strangely humane actions, and its unusually strong mental shields that Vengreche, his fellow Psychics member and a telepath, complained about regularly.

The story went that some time during mid October, Vengreche had attempted to test his skills by communicating with the kitten, the first animal they had managed to find within the campus of their headquarters. Apparently, according to his irate complaints, not only was he unable to overcome its stolid mental walls, it had practically shoved him out of the ‘outskirts’ of its mind, complete with feral snarls and unspoken threats.

It was, to say the least, the singularly most astonishing thing that had come to happen to their tight-knit group of Psychics ever since their awakening. And Vengreche has been pursuing various exotic techniques to use against the kitten ever since. Ironically enough, his pursuit spent on the kitten turned out to be the most likely catalyst that had caused his talent’s exponential growth in the recent weeks.

Feeling the second nudge against his pants, Alcaedo watched as the kitten slinked out from beneath his chair with the now empty cup between its teeth and went down the aisle, ignoring surprised stares from the newly recruited members of the Dragon Clan.

“I’ll never understand what that cat is thinking.” Vengreche moaned, downcast, as he followed Alcaedo’s gaze at the retreating animal.

Half-contemplating what the telepath actually meant, Alcaedo replied wryly, “Maybe you could ask the kitten yourself.”

“Yeah, well, maybe it’ll prefer to answer to you, since you feed it all the time.” Judging from his sullen demeanor, Alcaedo guessed that the telepath had just lost yet another contest against the kitten. He wisely chose not to comment about it, and returned to consuming majority of the food on his tray.

“I wonder why you feed it everyday anyway.” Corlerina, one of the three girls in their team, murmured over her bowl of noodles, “It’s not like you own it or anything.”

// Ohoho, landmine alert, Alcaedo. // Vengreche telegraphed Alcaedo in amusement.

“Own what?” a gently surprised voice entered the trio’s conversation just then, and they twisted to their backs to acknowledge its owner.

As the owner of the said voice placed himself across Corlerina, and beside Kyurolide, who was opposite to Vengreche, he repeated his question in his usual calm manner.

“Hello Doc! We’re talking about a little cat that wonders around this area.” Vengreche said.

As the good Doctor cocked his head to one side in mild puzzlement, he continued. “It’s about this big,” he raised his hands about the width of his own noodle bowl, “with orange stripes and green eyes.”

“And it’s probably the only animal that dares to wonder about our cafeteria without risking death.” Kyurolide, their telekinetic of Asian descent and the final male in their team, added.

“Mmm… Oh!” The click was almost audible as the pieces of puzzle slipped into place for Grakimia Ryukaina, 3rd in rank within the Dragon Clan and the head of the scientists responsible for the creation of the entire group of Psychics, more commonly known as Doc amongst his ‘children’.

“Wow. It’s so famous that even Doc here knows about it.” Corlerina muttered sourly.

“Well, I don’t think giving it free food counts as owning it. Besides, it looks like it is being taken good care of by its real owner.” Alcaedo said, remembering the shiny coat of fur on the kitten that no runaway feline could own.

“Why doesn’t its owner feed it then?” the Hydrokinetic griped, relentless.

Dr. Grakimia finally spoke, “Maybe it likes to have second helpings.”

-*-

The next day found one Alcaedo Kraynott summoned to the briefing room. Bewildered was the exact term to describe his thoughts as he entered the cold room.

He had completed a mission only two days ago, which meant that he was still entitled to his week long mandatory post-mission break. He briefly considered the possibility of an emergency, but discarded the idea quickly.

Before he managed to cook up more ideas, however, a soft click and footsteps announced the arrival of one Grakimia Ryukaina and.. A youth clad in high collared black sleeveless button down shirt with a Dragon logo sewn at the front, where the left breast pocket should have been, tucked out over a pair of equally black shorts.

It was not the costume that drew Alcaedo’s attention to him, however, but the bright patch of red, perhaps orangish, hair that clashed deeply against his attire.

As he raised his deep set lime green eyes to meet Alcaedo’s own chocolate ones, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over him and Alcaedo found himself unable to tear his gaze off of him. It was only seconds after that he noticed that the pupils within those eerie green eyes before him were slitted. Just like a cat, Alcaedo thought.

“I believe this is the first time you’ve met my son, Draenaria, Alcaedo.” The doctor began, breaking their staring match, as he rested a hand against the redhead’s shoulder, then he said, “Draenaria, this is Alcaedo Kraynott, leader of Psychics Theta at Tewen.”

The words that rose within him automatically to greet the youth stuck at his throat as their eyes locked together again. Composing himself hastily, he managed a hoarse “Hello” under Draenaria’s piercing stare. The doctor’s son merely jerked his head in a half-nod and murmured a soft “Hello”, his eyes never leaving Alcaedo’s form.

Noticing the awkward situation before him, Grakimia cleared his throat, seated them around the round table in the middle of the room then began talking. “Alcaedo, I believe you have met my daughter, Vondaemia, before.” A nod affirmed his statement. “Most of you Psychics know that she belongs to a sub-quarter of the Clan, which is located at Sorole. She and Draenaria were members of our field agents at Sorole. However, as of October, Draenaria has been transferred to headquarters here, at Tewen.

“After some deliberation, we have decided to assign him in your charge for a month. At the end of which, we shall bring you two in for evaluation.” The doctor ended his well-paced speech then cordially paused for a good half minute to allow Alcaedo to absorb and process the information. At the latter’s affirmative nod, he continued, “I am well aware that you lead the Psychics Theta at the moment, and will not remove you from your current team. It will be yours and your teammate’s choice whether you allow Draenaria to join you. I shall only emphasize that Draenaria is our priority here, and should any crisis arise, we will hold you responsible.”

“I don’t really have a choice in this, do I?” Alcaedo said, rubbing his face as he swallowed the instinctive sigh back down his throat. As if he did not have enough responsibilities back with his team at Psychics…

“No, you do not.” Grakimia Ryukaina agreed, sounding much more optimistic than Alcaedo felt. “Worry not, I know that you will get along well.”

They sat for another quarter of an hour, throwing questions and answers back and forth, until Alcaedo, who had been doing the questioning majority of the time, finally decided that he was done. At which point, the doctor decided that he had more important business than to sit around in a chilly room and watch two teenagers stare their eye sockets off each other.

“He is in your hands, Alcaedo. And I shall leave you two to socialize at your own initiative.” He said as he left.

Without the doctor’s presence around, Alcaedo found himself uncharacteristically nervous around the intensely silent Draenaria. He gave up searching for any form of conversation to engage the redhead in, and chose instead to glance at his watch purposefully.

“Hmm it’s almost teatime now.” He said, careful to prevent his discomfit from showing in his voice, “Come on, I’ll introduce you to the team.”

Draenaria inclined his angular face downward in agreement, and followed him as they made their way down the hallway to the cafeteria. Once out of unfamiliar ‘territory’, so to speak, Alcaedo resumed his usual chatty behaviour, exchanging greetings with several friends in the Clan, introducing various facilities to his companion, and even managing to crack a joke or two.

“Hey you people, guess what the Doc got me for Christmas this year.” He called to his group as he neared them.

As expected, one of them face faulted as he realized that he had forgotten the occasion yet again, three of them appeared to be interested, and the last one muttered darkly under his breath, “Finally someone who prepares his presents ahead of time.”

“Though ten days ahead seems to be a little early for a Christmas present.” He who muttered darkly under his breath, also known as Kyurolide, added as he double checked the date displayed on his watch.

“What is it?” Corlerina asked inquisitively, ignoring the telekinetic entirely.

“Him.” Alcaedo said as he side stepped twice to reveal the youth, who stood silently behind him, to the group. “This is Draenaria Ryukaina, and he is now in with us till mid-January next year.”

A wide diversity of expressions met him as he waited expectantly for their reactions. A minute of silence later, Vengreche exploded into peals of laughter.

Not what Alcaedo had expected.

“So you are the one! No wonder I could never break through those damned shields! And here I was wondering why a cat could be so much stronger than an entire cohort of Psychics!” he managed between choked gasps.

“Uh?” Alcaedo asked intelligently.

“Your little cat has just turned human on you, Alcaedo!” The dirty blonde wheezed as he pointed a shaky finger at the bemused Draenaria and fought to control the laughter that was escaping his mouth.