Stories from the students submission by: VictoriaTetzlaff
Chapter 1
Sasha stared out the window, wondering why she had to sit through this boring half-day. There was no work to keep her busy since it was the last day of her tenth grade school year. As the teacher lectured about the importance of studying during summer to prepare for next year, she daydreamed.
The daydream was similar to a dream she had had last night. The dream was about a brown rat that gave her a magical sword. In the end, she killed one of the seven great shape shifters. The seven great shape shifters caused havoc where ever they went, and yet somehow remained hidden, one on each continent. Sure there are good shape shifters, but they are rare in this world of magical creatures.
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of school until next year. Sasha hurried out of the building with her few belongings from her locker.
“Hi there, Sasha!” said a voice. Sasha looked around, but saw no one.
“Down here,” came the voice again. Sasha looked down.
“Ahhhh!” Sasha shrieked.
“How rude!” said the voice. The voice that kept talking to her was coming from a small, brown rat. “Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?”
“Sorry, I’m just surprised to have a rat talking to me,” said Sasha. “Have I gone crazy?”
“It’s fine. You’re just lucky I can’t hold a grudge and no, you haven’t gone crazy, I can actually talk,” said the rat. “By the way, my name’s Sally, Sally the Mouse.”
“Your name is Sally the Mouse and yet you’re a rat… okay, well you already know my name, which I kind of want to know how,” Sasha said.
“I had to learn as much about you as I could to make sure you were the one,” explained Sally.
“What do you mean by the one?” asked Sasha.
“The one who will help slay the seven great shape shifters, but…”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on a sec! Me?! Slay the seven great shape shifters?! You have got to be kidding,” interrupted Sasha.
“Trust me this is no joke, Sasha. You have been chosen along with three other people to slay the seven great shape shifters, but, before you can even think about taking on the seven great shape shifters, you must first find the other three that have been chosen and train together. Then, you might be able to kill one of the great shape shifters,” said Sally.
“How do I find the other three?” asked Sasha. “It’s not like I have some psychic connection with them.”
“You may not, but I can tell where the other three animals are. They are my friends and they have been assigned to the person they are most like and whom they represent,” said Sally.
“That’s amazing! Wait… how do you represent me? It’s not because I’m so short is it?” asked Sasha.
“No, it’s not based on height. I was assigned to you for your imaginativeness, ambition, charm, generous-heart, criticalness, and hot-temperedness. That is how I represent you,” explained Sally. “Now, let’s see who’s closest… hmm, Nightfall happens to be the closest one. He is very close to. Come on, Sasha. I have to give you something and then I’ll take you to your first companion.”
“You make it sound like I don’t have any friends,” Sasha muttered.
“I heard that! I’m sure you have plenty of friends,” said Sally.
Sasha sighed and followed Sally. The little rat was heading towards the woods. Sally stopped at the edge of the woods.
“Here it is,” Sally said as she pulled something from a thorny bush. “I figured it would be safe here.”
Sasha walked over to help the little rat and saw the object the rat had was a sword.
“Wow, it’s so pretty,” Sasha said as she unsheathed the sword to admire it. The hilt of the sword was encrusted with diamonds and blade seemed to glow in the light.
“It’s a magic sword, be careful with it. We’ll get you a shield later,” said Sally.
Suddenly, a dark, black animal rushed out of the bushes, charging at them.
Chapter 2
Sasha screamed, but Sally looked unconcerned.
The animal was as big as a large dog and it had huge, leathery wings. The animal slowed to a stop.
“I thought that was you, Sally,” said the dragon.
“Hello, Nightfall. You found the one I presume?” Sally asked.
“Yes, he should be just a few steps behind me,” said the dragon, Nightfall.
There was a rustling noise and a boy appeared from behind the bushes. The boy was tall with dark, tan skin and long, black hair that was tied back. He was muscular and he had chocolate brown eyes.
“Nightfall, didn’t you hear me tell you to slow down?” asked the boy.
“Of course I did, Blight. I just ignored you,” Nightfall replied.
Blight glared at Nightfall and then noticed Sasha, “Hey, who’s the Shorty?”
“My name is Sasha and I’ll have you know I’m not short, I’m just petite!” Sasha said angrily.
“Just keep telling yourself that,” said Blight.
“At least I don’t have a weird name,” said Sasha.
“You little… at least I don’t have a rat to help me,” said Blight, looking very annoyed.
“The animals we get represent us,” said Sasha, sticking up for Sally who looked like she was about to bite Blight. “I got a rat for my charming, ambitious, and generous nature; not to mention my imagination.”
“You forgot overly critical and hot-tempered,” put in Sally.
“I can believe all of that except for charming and generous. You seem far from both of those traits,” argued Blight.
“You think you’re better than I am, but I bet you don’t even know what a dragon stands for,” said Sasha. “Besides, you only look like you’re a couple of years older than me.”
“I’m 18,” said Blight, “and I do know what a dragon stands for.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, I’m 16!” said Sasha, “How does a dragon represent you anyway?”
“A dragon represents intelligence, enthusiasm, luck, softheartedness, bossiness, and loudness,” replied Blight with a smirk.
“You aren’t softhearted! I’m not so sure about your intelligence either,” said Sasha.
“Why you!”
Meanwhile, Sally and Nightfall sat back and watched this interesting and very loud exchange in silence.
Finally, Sally broke the silence and asked, “Should we stop them before they get into a fist fight?”
“No,” replied Nightfall. “Blight would never hit a girl and this is very entertaining. Those two look like they’re exhausting themselves from arguing! I find it amusing.”
“Sometimes I don’t get you, Nightfall,” said Sally. Sally sighed as she watched the two teenagers argue. “We should stop them though, they’re going to have a long day of training tomorrow.”
“I guess you’re right,” sighed Nightfall. “Okay you two. Stop your lover’s quarrel.”
“IT IS NOT A LOVER’S QUARREL!” Blight and Sasha yelled in unison. The two looked at each other and quickly looked away.
“Sure it isn’t,” replied Nightfall. “Look, you two need to stop arguing. Tomorrow we well have a long day of training ahead of us. For tonight we should go get some rest.”
“Wait, training?” asked Sasha. Only then did Sasha notice the bow and arrows on Blight’s back. “You mean I have to train with him?!”
“Yes. You two will be training both together and separately. Together, you will train in hand-to-hand combat and you will train with your weapons separately,” said Sally. Sally looked at Nightfall, “Shall we meet here tomorrow around 10?”
“Sounds good. We shall see you both tomorrow,” replied Nightfall as he turned to leave. Blight followed Nightfall down the path to the street and was soon out of sight.
“Let’s go, Sally. My mom is probably worried by now,” said Sasha.
“Well, you argued for quite a while with Blight. I’ve only seen married couples fight the way you two did.” Sasha glared down at the rat. “It’s true.”
“Hmph. The nerve of that guy, calling me short, how dare he?!” said Sasha.
“He didn’t mean it as an insult. You just took it that way,” muttered Sally.
“What? Oh, never mind, let’s just go home,” said Sasha. Sasha and Sally walked in silence until they got to Sasha’s house. “Crap! How am I going to sneak both you and the sword up to my room?”
“I don’t know. Just try your best,” said Sally.
“Bunch of help you are,” said Sasha. Sasha picked up Sally and somehow managed to smuggle both the little rat and the sword to her room.