Dream Again (Skii)

[Zero Zag]

Zero leaned against a palm tree, his eyes closed. He listened to the crash of the waves, trying to forget about everything that day. Not only had it been a hot summer day, but a terrible one at that. He had slept in, and was late for his job. Almost got fired. He had to make up an excuse. In other words, he lied. If there is one thing Zero hates...it's lying. He hated himself for doing it, but he had no choice. Zero needed the job. His parents had never given him a penny to his name. Still, he didn't want their help. Not that they offered it in the first place. He let his body sink to the ground. His boss made him work really hard that day. Well, more then usual. Plus he had to work longer hours, without getting extra pay. His punishment for being late.

"Why don't I just get a job at a local rec center?" asked Zero to himself. But he already knew the answer. His job paid more. Even if he hated it...Zero rubbed his temple and groaned inwardly. It was always about money, wasn't it? Why couldn't he just do what he loved to do? It never seems to work the way he wants it to. Of course. He shook his head, and opened his eyes to the setting sun. Being out here was on of his favorite places to be, especially when he was feeling down.

It was calming for him. Watching the sunset and sunrise reminded him that life would go on, and it would get better. At least that was his hope. Work hard enough, and he would never have to worry about going back to the slums. Ever. He wasn't going to carry on the tradition of his family.

Zero kicked off his brown flip-flops and dug his feet into the sand. A smile played on his lips. Things would get better. He was sure of it. It had to. Zero had to believe that. But, in some ways Zero was lucky. He never killed someone ever. Zero never hung out with the crowd that drank and had low morales. He was doing okay in school. He had good friends...even if most of them were gone for the summer.

Zero let his head fall back against the tree. Life tried to beat him up once and awhile, throw him around. But Zero promised to himself that he would keep standing back up.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

Skii walked down the beach loving the feeling of the sand filling the places between her toes. She had been all over campus and was feeling the pressure of school and grades all ready even though it was summer. Skii had been told the beach was fun and a good place to go.

Skii pulled on the bottom of her swim suit top. She felt a little naked compared to what her usual garb. her stomach showed and her hair was simply pulled back in a French braid. She also had her bag that contained her writing supplies. they were safely placed in a water proof but stylish beach back.

Skii had planned on being in solitude tired of acting like she cared. Not that she didn't care , not that she wasn't happy, but... She was probably better left to her own devices. She dug through her bag as she walked, the ocean spray sticking in her hair as she ventured closer to the waves. She tried to find her Ipod wanting to listen to a musical. Most likely Wicked.

"Ugh!" Skii stomped her foot angry that her Ipod wasn't in it's place. She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. She turned and looked behind her watching the water wash away her foot prints. Skii smiled a genuine smile happy that she was hear away from her father at least.

Skii couldn't resist the ocean and how it called to her. No, she wasn't the strongest swimmer at this school, but she was good at it. She stopped seeing only a tree in the distance . She placed her bag for from where the water lapped at the sand and spread out a towel to lay on later with a good book she had also packed.

Placing her sun glasses on the towel and removing a wrap she had tied over her swimming trunks she ran towards the ocean. She laughed and let her body be taken over by the waves. The water was still cool from the night before but felt good against her sun kissed skin. She walked out of the ocean her body completely wet, wearing the water making the sun dance off her skin. She felt good. Happy like when she was performing.

Skii suddenly had an idea and raced to her bag to find a pencil and and paper. She knelt on the sand letting it stick to her knees as she rustled through her bag.She found a notebook and pulled it out. Just then a gust of wind blew papers and the note book from her bag and hands. Skii cursed. Rage seeping through her.

Skii quickly stood up sand falling from her knees some staying on her sticking from the salt water that still covered her skin. She watched as her papers rolled down the beach towards the palm trees. She saw her notebook rolling over it's self inching it's way towards the water where all her work would be lost. She screamed out of frustration. Then she saw the boy leaning on the palm tree. Hope filtered through Skii's panic.

She put on her smile hoping he would help. "Hey you. Ya you. Hurry can you get that notebook before it hits the----" Skii cut her own self off seeing as her notebook was starting to make it's way towards the wet sand. at least the wind had died down, but her papers kept moving. "NOOOO!"

[Zero Zag]

Zero's eyes flew open upon hearing a girl's voice. He saw the paper instantly, and dove towards it. He grabbed the paper, and just in time. The waves rolled in seconds after, as if trying to snatch the paper and drag it back into the sea. He took a deep breath and tried to refocus his mind, not really sure what just happened. Zero walked back up the beach and towards the girl. She was wet, probably swimming.

Why didn't I notice someone else was here? Zero thought to himself. He felt slightly embarrassed.

"This yours?" He held out the notebook. The girl seemed to look about his age, but it was possible that she was younger. Like her, he also had his swimsuit on. His blue and white trunks were his favorite pair. Blue was Zero's favorite color, and it reminded him of the ocean. It was in his blood, after all. Zero's hair was a bit of a mess, he hardly got the time to comb it.

It was then Zero remembered he wasn't wearing a shirt, and for the second time was a little embarrassed. The feeling past swiftly enough, however. Zero was used to this outfit. He swam all the time, even in the winter. It was just on rare occasion that he was around a girl.

"You'll find the notebook safe and dry, miss," continued Zero, smiling. He frowned when he saw that sand had gotten on it, and brushed it off promptly. "It's sand-free for the most part."

He held it up to the dying sun and squinted, as if trying to analyze it. "Looks a little bent on the corners..." He turned it upside down. "I think it will pass the test, though. Lucky I was there to be of help. The poor notebook would have drowned. No one wants that." He lowered his arm, and turned the notebook in his hands. "It's a nice notebook." He shrugged and handed it back to the girl.

"You go to the Academy, then?" he asked, curious. A lot of shifters still stayed during the summer at SA. Mostly because they had no where else to go. Zero wished he had that excuse. He felt bad for not being able to visit his mother, even though they emailed and wrote letters. They rarely called each other, as neither could afford a cell phone. That would change soon, hopefully. It was partly why Zero was working overtime now, so that he could afford cell phones for both him and his mother. After all, someone had to take care of her. His father being jailed for life turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to the family.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

Skii took deep breaths as she saw the boy grasp her notebook right before the waves could gasp it. She ran towards the boy she could see better now. He stood with her notebook with blue and white swim trunks on and tossled hair. Her hand flew to her wet hair. She tucked back the pieces that had fallen from the braid when she had went into the ocean.

Skii tugged on her swim suit again when she got up to the boy realizing hers matched his. The only difference in the pattern were thin small gold lines separated the blue and white stripes on hers. She smiled as he held out her notebook.

"This yours?" Skii smiled happy that her notebook was safe and not wet. "You'll find the notebook safe and dry, miss." Skii sighed and placed a hand on her cheek , slightly blushing because he called her miss.

"It's sand-free for the most part. Looks a little bent on the corners... I think it will pass the test, though. Lucky I was there to be of help. The poor notebook would have drowned. No one wants that.It's a nice notebook."

Skii watched as the boy brushed the sand from her notebook and Lips parted in a bigger smile when he examined her notebook. Her fingers itched to have it back though. When he held it out to her she snatched it back a little to quickly. Skii looked it over and saw that the writing inside was fine. Only the usual smudges filled the pages and the sand only covered the outside. She snuck a peek at the other papers that had escaped her bag and saw that the wind had stopped them and they were safe from the ocean spray.

You go to the Academy, then?" When the boy spoke again Skii snapped back from her writing realm. She hugged her note book to herchest and smiled.


Thank you sooooooooooo much. And Ya I go to the academy. Well, I will be going there. I just got here a few weeks ago. Skii looked around the boy again at her papers.

"I'm Skii by the way... And if it's not to much trouble will you help me rescue those papers too?" Skii pointed to where her other papers had landed. "You would really be my knight in shining... ummm ," Skii looked at heis swim trunks and smiled, shrugging, 'Swim trunks?"

[Zero Zag]

"Huh?"Zero said, turning around to see five or six papers scattered across the beach. "Oh, right. Sure." Zero walked over and picked up the pieces of paper, flattening them out and stacking them neatly as he went. At last, he had gathered all of them. "Hopefully I got them all."Zero handed the papers back to the girl.
"So you're a newbie, eh?"Zero said more to himself then anything. "I've been going to the Academy since seventh grade. So I know my way around. Most people left for the summer by now, but there are a lot of people who stick around. Me, being one of them. I don't think I've left this island for years."The thought made Zero feel a little sick. The fact was, he had never left the island. Where would he go, even if he did? Nowhere.

Zero had blushed when the girl had called him a knight in shining... swim-trunks. He got over it soon enough, and had managed to regain his composure.

"I came out here to surf," said Zero slowly, running his hand through his messy hair. "I kinda zoned out though." He nodded over to his surf board that was leaning on a nearby tree. It had a few scratches on it, but for the most part it was in good condition. His surf board was one of his most prized possessions. Zero had first seen it the summer before his seventh grade year, so he hadn't yet been to Shifters Academy. At that time Zero was still recovering with his twin's death, and was an insecure and lost boy. He had seen the surf board in a shop off campus, while shopping for clothes at a thrift store with his older sister. Zero was immediately taken to it. He worked hard trying to get as much money as possible that summer, and in a few months had had gathered enough money to buy it. With the help of some library books, and his sister, Zero learned how to surf. It came naturally to Zero, as did everything in water. It took his mind off things that had happened in his life. In a way, swimming, surfing, and his sister Meli had pulled him out of a dark black hole that had threatened to swallow him whole.
"Do you surf?" Zero cocked his head slightly."If you don't you should try. It's really fun."

[Skii Rose Reeve]

Skii watched thankfully as her went and rescued her papers too. She was instantly relived when he brought them back. She hoped all of them were there.

"Hopefully I got them all." Skii took them back and placed them on top of her notebook and hugged them to her chest. Thankful to have them back.

"So you're a newbie, eh? I've been going to the Academy since seventh grade. So I know my way around. Most people left for the summer by now, but there are a lot of people who stick around. Me, being one of them. I don't think I've left this island for years." Skii listened to the boy talk. She saw as he paused and that he seemed far way when he spoke like he was thinking to himself but not quite talking to her. She couldn't believe he had been here since seventh grade and then never leaving to go home. Well, maybe for her it would have been better. She would have been away from her Father a man who wanted her to be a criminal. She shook off the memory of being pushed to become an evil genies and a master of disguise.

Skii also realized that she didn't even know she could shift until a many months ago. She had been told she had shifted later than most though. Shifting at the age of fourteen was odd. She reached up and touched her scar that her father had given her when she had shifted and attacked her. She shivered hoping it wasn't to noticeable.

"I came out here to surf. I kinda zoned out though." Once again the boy's voice made her mind resurface to reality. She watched as his hand an through his hair and then gestured towards his surf boar. It was a little beat up but nothing to bad. She smiled ... loosing her grip on her notebook and papers. She realized she had been squeezing them so tightly to her chest and had left a red line on her arm.

"Do you surf? If you don't you should try. It's really fun." The boy asked her. She never had.really been to to many ocean's in her life time. She was a good swimmer but not the best.

" No," Skii replied shaking her head. "I have never been surfing. I don't know if i'd be good at it because my balance isn't the best..." Skii laughed at that. That's one way she wasn't like her shift. Ocelots had balance and grace when she had non. Skii bit her lip wishing she did have some... Gee that would make her life easier.

"But it does sound like fun. Even though I know I would be terrible." A smile once again graced her lips. This was turning out to be more fun then reading her book.

[Zero Zag]

"The balance should come with practice, but what attitude is that? To say you would be terrible before actually trying it? That's a wreck waiting to happen. I think you'd be better at it it more then you think. Who knows, you might actually like it."said Zero teasingly.

"I could teach you myself, but I'd need a second board to do that I think."He walked over and picked up his board, and carried it back over on the top of his head. He set it in the sand, and looked it up and down. "It's seen better days. I'll admit that. I try to take good care of it, so it lasts longer. Thank god some shark shifter hasn't taken a bite out of it while I was surfing for laughs. That would've been sad day for me."

He patted the red and black surfboard with affection. "It was state-of-the-art when I bought it. Still is pretty good, I believe."He shrugged, and looked back over at the girl. Her black hair was neat, unlike his. It was in a French braid, and was rather pretty. She obviously liked to write. Zero wondered what her shift was. A shift could tell a lot about a person, after all.

"My name's Zero, by the way. I should have introduced myself earlier. Sorry." He felt a bit stupid for forgetting something as simple as that. Then again, the girl hadn't given her name either. Or maybe she had, but Zero had zoned out. He was pretty certain she hadn't, though. Maybe she was freaked out about him. It didn't matter, either way. Right? It wasn't like he was going to see her again. Well, maybe he would. You never know.

"Do you have a name?"asked Zero."Perhaps Angels don't have names. I wouldn't know. I've never met one until now."

Notes: I'm going to be gone for about two weeks, but I'll reply as soon as I can. Just so you know. ;D

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"The balance should come with practice, but what attitude is that? To say you would be terrible before actually trying it? That's a wreck waiting to happen. I think you'd be better at it it more then you think. Who knows, you might actually like it."

Skii figured she would like surfing being so close to the water and only feeling the spray. It sounded nice. The thing was she had no balance. It was one factor that made it so she couldn't dance. Maybe surfing would help that.

"I could teach you myself, but I'd need a second board to do that I think."

Skii watched the boy walk over to get his board it was red with black and a little rough looking... Kinda like him. But Skii knew that she couldn't expect everyone to be as put together as she was all the time. She laughed realizing how much she liked to look good so her first impression on people was a good one. Though this guys first impression of her was that she was a wet klutz that doesn't own any shoes. She looked at the boy again wondering if she should take him up on that offer...

Skii watched him place the surf board over his head then place it next to them in the sand. He looked at it as though it meant a lot to him. Skii liked that he could was proud to have something.

"It's seen better days. I'll admit that. I try to take good care of it, so it lasts longer. Thank god some shark shifter hasn't taken a bite out of it while I was surfing for laughs. That would've been sad day for me."

"It's seen better days. I'll admit that. I try to take good care of it, so it lasts longer. Thank god some shark shifter hasn't taken a bite out of it while I was surfing for laughs. That would've been sad day for me.It was state-of-the-art when I bought it. Still is pretty good, I believe."

Skii nodded in agreement letting a smile play on her lips when he talked about a shark taking a bite out of it. Though she felt he would be pretty mad if it did happen. Plus she still wasn't use to talking about shifting openly though.

Skii realized the sun had been drying her skin and she was almost completely un-wet. She decided to sit letting her toes crawl close to the water's edge she knew she would get all sandy but thats what the waters for. She shook the sand off her hand as she went to brush some of her loose hair behind her ear.

"My name's Zero, by the way. I should have introduced myself earlier. Sorry."

Zero! Wow what an amazing name. Skii had always had this thing for names that had z's in them. She thought z's were so cool. It was funny that she met some one who had a z. She was a little obsessed.

She opened her mouth to tell him her name again and how cool his name was but he had already started talking again.

"Do you have a name? Perhaps Angels don't have names. I wouldn't know. I've never met one until now."

Skii placed a hand on her cheek she was knew she must be blushing she looked over the ocean and laughed a little. She wasn't any angel she never would be... Not after how her father had raised her.

"Trust me you haven't met an angel yet..." Skii bit her lip and patted the sand next to her motioning for him to sit next to her. then she started to pick the sand off the palm of her hand. "But I'm Skii... R" She bit her lip after she started saying rose. She claimed Skii Rose as her stage name. Thats what she usually introduced her self as. "Just Skii or I guess Skii lynn. Plus I think that Zero is the coolest name. I love the letter z."

Skii sat brushing the sand from her body. She itched to get back in the water and to earn more about this boy Zero. OooOooO.... Zero what a cool name. She giggled some finding it funny how much she loved his name.

[Zero Zag]

Zero couldn't help but smile when she commented on his name. It was always interesting seeing how people reacted to it. Some people thought the name Zero was rather demoting and harsh. Those people, in general, seemed to be skeptical of him. They tended to be a little more closed off to him, it seemed, and they could be a bit pessimistic. Though in all fairness not everyone was like that. Then there were those that thought the name was rather unique and exotic, or just liked the name. That would be Skii.

"Not everyone shares the same opinion," said Zero as he sat down next to Skii. "Glad that you like it, though. I think it's a rather unique name. I'm sure there aren't that many Zero's out there in the world, you know? Skii is a nice name to have too, it's pretty."

Zero watched the tide roll in and out for several seconds, enjoying the view. He was relaxed here. He was at home. "I love walking along the shore and watching the sunset and the sunrise. I gives me comfort, even when I've had a terrible day. The beach is my getaway. I don't think I could ever live somewhere that wasn't near the beach."

Zero scooped up a handful of sand in his hand. He tilted his hand slightly, letting the sand crash back down on the earth. He wiped his hands together and laid back, looking up into the sky. He listened to the water lap against the shore, beckoning him to play with it once more. The warm water reached across the beach and touched his toes, then pulled back into the ocean. Zero propped himself up at that point and looked out towards the horizon.

"The beach is usually a quiet place. Usually only aquatic or semi-aquatic shifts come out here. Though there are a few non-aquatic shifts that enjoy coming out here regularly also." Zero furrowed his brow. How could people not like the ocean? It was so peaceful. Even if you didn't like swimming...everyone should at least visit the ocean once in their life. To Zero, the ocean was full of mystery. It held all sorts of amazing and undiscovered creatures in its depths. The ocean was constantly changing, it never stayed the same. Thousands of ships have found their watery grave in the ocean's vast expanse. Perhaps that was why Zero loved the ocean so much. It was mysterious, and untamed.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"Noteveryone shares the same opinion." Zero sat down next to Skii and she watched him as she did it. She chewed on the inside of her cheek wondering how anyone could not like the name Zero. Z was such a wonderful letter. Skii traced the letter Z in the sand using her the hand furthest from Zero.

"Glad that you like it, though. I think it's a rather unique name. I'm sure there aren't that many Zero's out there in the world, you know? Skii is a nice name to have too, it's pretty."

Skii looked over at Zero who was sitting close to her. She smiled. not knowing what else to do. She wrinkled her nose at the thought of her name being pretty.

"I wish I had a unique name. Skii. Ya it's spelled a little weird but it's no where close to Zero."

"I love walking along the shore and watching the sunset and the sunrise. It gives me comfort, even when I've had a terrible day. The beach is my getaway. I don't think I could ever live somewhere that wasn't near the beach."

Skii looked out over the ocean. She nodded not knowing how else to respond to what Zero had said. The ocean was mysterious and comforting. Skii hadn't been many places with an ocean. She was a good swimmer but not the best. Skii loved watching the waves crash on the beach then recede back into the oceans large body of water.

Skii felt Zero move his hand s to the sand. She turned her head and watched what he had picked up fall back into place. She categorized this moment in her head. Making sure she wrote about it in a story. She had to wrap her hands around her knees to keep from grabbing her bag at that moment anyways.

"The beach is usually a quiet place. Usually only aquatic or semi-aquatic shifts come out here. Though there are a few non-aquatic shifts that enjoy coming out here regularly also."

Skii picked at her swim suit dusting the sand off her ocean sprayed skin. She fallowed Zero's gaze to the horizon. The ocean was quiet and beautiful. She sighed.

"Well, really I'm just a cat. an ocelot to be more specific. They can swim... Maybe not the best but still. I like the water but I'm not the best."

Skii hugged her knees in tighter to her chest. She had only shifted once but besides the pain and the scar she had liked the thought of being something besides human.

"What about you... You seem very water intoxicated."

Skii smiled to herself not looking at Zero but her eyes stayed on where the water met with the sky.

[Zero Zag]

Water intoxicated. Zero had never heard it before, but for some odd reason he took a liking to it. It was different. "Just because someone is an aquatic or semi-aquatic shifter doesn't always mean that the shifter is a naturally good swimmer. Some aquatic shifters can't stand the open ocean, though I do admit that is rare. Then again, I've seen a few strong swimmers that are non-aquatic that can beat an aquatic shifter in a race. Although being an aquatic or semi-aquatic shifter does give you an advantage. But an Ocelot, huh? Not bad." Zero cast a glance over at Skii, then turned his head away quickly. "My shift is an American Mink, so I'm a semi-aquatic shifter. I've always loved the water. Used to live in Florida for awhile, right by the beach. Then along comes a hurricane and we have to evacuate. Came back a couple weeks later to everything gone. I suppose it's a risk you take, living by the coast."

Zero cocked his head to one side, as he remembered that day. He was devastated beyond belief. At that time Zero was very young, around eight years old. His entire neighborhood looked like a giant had come along, scooped everything up in his great hands, crushed it, and dropped it all back on the ground in one huge mess.

"You planning on doing any sports, or clubs at school? Since you're new, it would be a great way to meet new people. I can introduce you to some of my friends. Not all of them are guys. I'm on the swim team, if you couldn't guess. I also do theater."

Zero shrugged. He could feel sleep tugging at his sleeve, and he shook his head in an attempt to shake its grip. It would be embarrassing if he feel asleep now. The thought made Zero's cheeks turn a slight red color. Zero got to his feet and brushed the sand off his swim trunks. He walked out to the water, allowing his ankles to be bathed in the saltwater. For several minutes, he stayed like that. It awakened his senses, giving him a little more energy.

Something white in the water caught Zero's eye, and he narrowed his eyes. He bent down and reached into the water, pulling out the object. It was a sand dollar, it's surface frail under his hands. He washed the sand off of it, then turned to the girl.

"Found this,"he said, not quite sure what else to say. Then an idea came to him. He held out the sand dollar. "Here, take it. Think of it as a welcoming gift to Shifter's Academy.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"Just because someone is an aquatic or semi-aquatic shifter doesn't always mean that the shifter is a naturally good swimmer. Some aquatic shifters can't stand the open ocean, though I do admit that is rare. Then again, I've seen a few strong swimmers that are non-aquatic that can beat an aquatic shifter in a race. Although being an aquatic or semi-aquatic shifter does give you an advantage. But an Ocelot, huh? Not bad."


Skii chewed on the inside of her cheek. She smiled at him liking her shift. She liked it to. Skii liked being an animal not everyone thinks about.

"My shift is an American Mink, so I'm a semi-aquatic shifter. I've always loved the water. Used to live in Florida for awhile, right by the beach. Then along comes a hurricane and we have to evacuate. Came back a couple weeks later to everything gone. I suppose it's a risk you take, living by the coast."


Skii turned her head towards Zero. His story was compelling. It was sad but he he knew that. She leaned over and touched his foot. She smiled letting him go on.

"You planning on doing any sports, or clubs at school? Since you're new, it would be a great way to meet new people. I can introduce you to some of my friends. Not all of them are guys. I'm on the swim team, if you couldn't guess. I also do theater."

Skii took back her hand and wiped the sand from her hand. She laughed a little.

]"Maybe not sports. But anything that deals with writing.. I'm on the newspaper committee and well... I am a theater major. I kinda want to act and write for a living.. but I don't know. And ya meeting your friends would be cool."

Ski watched Zero blush some then get up and walk into the water. She smiled at him and watch him get into the water.
The ocean licked at his ankles and the spray stuck to his skin. She could write some thing like this.... Skii tucked the hair behind her ear when Zero came up to her with something in his hands.

"Found this," Zero handed her a sand dollar. She blushed a little. He was standing over her blocking the sun out except for the rays that bent around his body.

"Here, take it. Think of it as a welcoming gift to Shifter's Academy."

She stood up to take it carefully examining it in her hands.

"Wow. Thanks... I .. I love it"

Skii let a slight smile play on her lips. It was a really nice gift, way better then flowers that die.

"W..What's your major?"

[Zero Zag]

"I'm majoring in Law Enforcement," replied Zero to Skii's question. "Gotta catch those bad guys, you know." He winked at her. "I'd like to think that by going into Law Enforcement, I'll make a difference. Sure, I probably won't change the world. But I'll change someone's life, hopefully in a positive way. You know?"

Zero thought back to his own father. He was abusive, there was no doubt about that. After all, his father did kill Zero's twin. Zero always thought it was ironic how he never killed anyone shifting, though his brother did die the day he shifted because of his father. His father wasn't even a shifter. He had no excuse whatsoever. Barry was just a drunk, an idiot everyone was glad to be rid of. Barry. What a stupid name. Zero's grandfather must have been drunk when he named his son. Part of the reason Zero went into Law Enforcement was because of his father. There was no way Zero was going to let anyone else go through his experience that he had during his childhood. He couldn't even stand the though of it.

"My major was sort of a no-duh thing. It just fit. I didn't always want to go into Law Enforcement, but fate has its ways to turn the table. Our experiences in life, I believe, shape us to be the person we are. You can walk away from those experiences with a positive outlook, or a negative one. I took my bad experiences and saw them as a learning experience. I'll never go back down that road ever again. Of course, those weren't always my views." Zero stopped, realizing he was rambling. He grimaced, but masked his face quickly with a small smile. "Sorry. Um...What about you? What are you majoring in?"

If Zero had pockets, he would have put his hands in them. It was a habit, probably not a good one at that. Well, at least he wasn't in habit didn't chew his fingernails or anything along those lines. For that, Zero was thankful.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"I'm majoring in Law Enforcement. Gotta catch those bad guys, you know. I'd like to think that by going into Law Enforcement, I'll make a difference. Sure, I probably won't change the world. But I'll change someone's life, hopefully in a positive way. You know?"

Skii pictured Zero as a cop. Him dressed in blue chasing down bad guys... It wasn't to much of a stretch. At least it was practical.

"That's really cool you know. I have known lots of bad people."

Skii smiled and looked down at the sand dollar she still held in her hands. She Stared into the star shape in the middle of the sand dollar and remembered how she was brought up. Her dad and her brother teaching her to bend peoples wills and lie and plot evil things... She wanted to laugh. She knew it was awful how she was treated and how she was raised to be a thief and break the laws. She wouldn't do that now. She didn't have the time.

Skii chewed the inside of her lip as she thought of home. She wished she had been able to spend more time with her older sisters and younger siblings. She came from a bad place but people didn't have to see that.

"My major was sort of a no-duh thing. It just fit."

Skii looked up away from the sand dollar to Zero she was fighting back tears but she was good at hiding it. She felt stupid throwing a pity party over the past. She wiped under her eye with the back of her hand.

" I didn't always want to go into Law Enforcement, but fate has its ways to turn the table. Our experiences in life, I believe, shape us to be the person we are. You can walk away from those experiences with a positive outlook, or a negative one. I took my bad experiences and saw them as a learning experience. I'll never go back down that road ever again. Of course, those weren't always my views."

Skii smiled it was weird. He was almost saying exactly what she had been thinking. He at least was making good out of whatever bad had happened in his life. Skii's problem was still walking around with her siblings. She ran her thumb across the sand dollar he had given her.

"Sorry. Um...What about you? What are you majoring in?"

"Oh. Well, nothing quite as life changing you know. I'm a theater major. It's one thing I'm good at besides cleaning."

Skii spoke with a little laugh. She really thought of her major as not being very life changing or that hard. She got the really cool major. Not the practical one.

[Zero Zag]

"Theater major, huh?" Zero said, more interested now. "I do theater at the school, though, as you know, it's not my major. I'm more of an improv guy then anything. It's more natural for me. I can sing, but I'm not the best. Usually I like playing characters that make the crowd laugh."

Zero grinned. "One time I learned to juggle, just so I could get this one part. Landed the audition, and I got in. A theater major would be fun. There was a time I seriously thought about going into theater professionally but I'm happy with the choice I've made. I think after awhile I'd get tired of the lights. Besides, I wouldn't want to get paid for something like that. It wouldn't feel right for me." Zero shrugged.

"Here," he said, an idea popping into his head. "Let me show you." He looked around for something to juggle with, and ended up going away from the shore and coming back with a handful or good sized rocks. There four of them, each rounded slightly. Concentrating, Zero threw one rock after another up in the air. He got off on a rocky start, but he began to pick up ground. Before he knew it, the rocks were flying. Zero started to walk around a bit, his eyes never leaving the rocks. At last, when his arms burned till no end, Zero stopped. He caught his breath.

"Took me awhile to learn it," said Zero in short breaths. "But it was worth it. I had the motivation, anyway." He set the rocks down in the sand and rubbed his arm. "Haven't practiced in awhile. It really has been a long time. I believe it was several year ago, when I first came to Shifter's Academy."

"What made you go into theater? As a major I mean." He looked out at the ocean, thinking about the time when he had to make the choice between Theater and Law Enforcement. It was the beginning of a new life for him, the start of his life as a shifter. So many choices had to be made at such a young age, and in so little time. His entire life was directed down an uncertain path by those rushed choices. Zero could only hope that the road he was going down didn't have a dead end.