Brothers by Blood, Brothers in Arms

Chapter 1: Unspoken

Douxie slipped his shoes on as quietly as he could, not wanting to disturb the sleeping cat next to him. They'd had a long day and he wouldn't ask Archie to come with him tonight. Besides, he wasn't doing any monster hunting. He was just going to go check something. He'd be in and out.

Holding his breath, Douxie quietly slipped out of his room, feet silent as he expertly avoided the squeaky parts of the wooden floorboard. He caught a glimpse of his mother's door cracked slightly open and he could just see her sound asleep on her bed. Good, she needed the rest.

Hisirdoux paused at the top of the stairs, knowing he'd wake someone if he tried to make it down those god awful squeaky stairs. He let out a breath as he flicked a finger over his vambrace, creating a solid blue slide out of his magic. He stepped forward and slid down it on his feet, coming to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. Not a peep. With a smile he willed the magic back into his brace and quietly slunk out the door.

He locked the door again using magic, having left his phone and his keys in his room in his hurry to get outside. He mentally berated himself as he started walking down the street, casting a glance at the neighbor's house. Their little cul-de-sac was quiet as could be, seeing as how it was the middle of the night. He started walking faster down the sidewalk, in a hurry to get to the museum. If he was right... this could spell disaster for all of Arcadia.

*~*

Douxie tread quietly as he slipped down the halls of the museum, going unnoticed by the night guards. His gut was telling him to go to a certain room, one that was being supposedly renovated for a new exhibit.

When he got in there, his stomach dropped. There it was... he was right.

The Gumm-gumms were rebuilding Killahead Bridge.

Flashes of that day sparked in his memory and he shuddered, taking a step backwards. He turned to take his leave when he ran into a... changeling.

Douxie reeled back, eyes widening. Immediately he summoned magic to his hands, glaring at the beast challengingly.

"Hisirdoux Casperan Lake." The changeling said in a familiar voice, regarding him with an odd look in his eyes, like he knew him.

"You know me?" Douxie asked curiously, not so foolish as to let his guard down.

"Yes I do." The changeling said, glancing behind him at an approaching person.

Fuzzbuckets there were two of them.

"I had my suspicions about you, but I'd truly hoped they weren't true. After all," With a flash of yellow he transformed into his human form and Douxie gaped at the sight. "I was always so fond of you and your brother."

"Mr. Strickler?" The teen gasped with disbelief, backing away again, keeping an eye on the purple changeling who, so far, was simply watching with an amused smile.

"Surprised little wizard?" Strickler asked with a quirked brow and a smug smirk. "I have to say, you've been quite good at hiding this part of yourself. You were right under my nose the entire time."

Douxie felt sick. His history teacher was a changeling? "So... you're trying to bring back Gunmar then?"

"That's been our goal for the last nine-hundred years." Strickler informed him. "We've been rebuilding the bridge piece by piece. Of course it hasn't been easy. You wizards never make it easy."

"I'll stop you." Douxie hissed, magic tingling in his fingers. "I was there for Gunmar's defeat and I'll be here to make sure he never escapes his prison."

The purple changeling's eyes widened with shock. "You are..." she looked at Strickler with a sickening grin. "I believe we've found the missing piece to our puzzle."