Digital Wreck (OC Background story).

Reunited

I hugged Laurel and walked over to Rage. I sat down beside him and put my hand on his shoulder He flinched away from me, shocking me. "I- Rage, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you didn't want a companion..." "I already have you. I don't need anyone else." I put my head between my knees. "I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I just thought that you'd be better off with someone with you when I leave." "You're... leaving? Why? Why would you just leave..." I wiped my eyes. "I didn't know how to tell you. Bye Rage. I hope you and Laurel get along. Don't forget me." I got up and walked to the edge of the clearing. That was as far as I got before I felt a hand on my arm. I turned around and was pulled into Rage's chest. He hugged me before pushing me away slightly and bending down towards me and kissing me. I froze. Rage? He pulled away. Do you not feel the same way about me? I was puzzled. Yes... but why did you do that? He hugged me again. I'll miss you, he said. He didn't question why I was not going to take him with me. Goodbye... I love you. I will never forget you. I pulled him closer and kissed him before running out of the clearing. Lyric... I won't forget you either.

I ran towards the edge of the forest where the cliff dropped off. I was already in my winged form, so I simply jumped off of it. Falling, I snapped my wings open, and soared up and towards the clouds. As soon as if grew too hard to breath, I dove towards the ground again, stopping before anyone could recognize me as anything else than a large bird. I saw Rage running through the forest in his wolf form and Laurel not far behind him. I love you Rage. I turned and flew south. That was the last time I'd see him for years.

One of the forests that I relocated to was also home to much wildlife. It was huge. It was called Yellowstone. Many people went to visit parts of it, and I lived in one of the most secluded areas. Once, I could have sworn that I saw Rage in a group of tourists, but it was only someone who looked like him. However, the park rangers decided to investigate into what was killing off the deer, and I had to relocate again. The forest I now lived in was a nondescript dense woodland next to a town in the middle of nowhere. It was on top of a mountain. Hikers ventured into it on trails, and some of them were killed when I attacked them. I only killed when I was thinking about Rage. This meant that quite a few hikers went missing along these trails.

During one of my trips, I made a companion like Laurel. One of the hikers had caught my attention. When I caught him, he was not scared of me. So I changed him. He was a giant ice wolf with a scythe of rock for a tail. His name was Ryuki. He was a very loyal companion. I thought that he would make a good friend for Laurel. I never wished to see either Rage or Laurel again. They brought back memories that I would rather just forget.

I soared along the trail, searching for hikers. Suddenly, a scent reached my nose. I dropped into a tree, retracting my wings as I did. As soon as my feet touched the branch, I jumped forward into the next tree. The trees started to thin out ahead of me, and I slowed down. As I reached the clearing, I froze. In the clearing was a very familiar looking man. He didn't wear the same clothes as he had before, but his boots were the same, and his hair was too. "Rage?" I whispered to myself. He heard it though, and turned around. I gasped quietly, it really was Rage. I jumped to another tree as he stared at each tree branch. "I thought I heard something," he mumbled. I sniffed the air, and caught the scent of earth and lichen behind me. Something heavy jumped onto me, and I fell out of the tree, landing on the ground, hard. My head narrowly missed a big rock, and I rolled over, realizing that this was exactly what had happened in my dream. I stared up into yellow eyes. Well, not exactly.

Lyric? I was released as the towering wooden beast recognized me. Hi Laurel. Guess you found me. I needed a different forest. I needed to learn more. I needed something else. I didn't think that I could train enough by myself. Oh yeah, I want you to meet someone, I told her as Rage came running over. He stared down at me in shock and disbelief. "Hi Rage." He yanked me up and pulled me into a hug. "Do you know how long it's been since you left?" He pushed me away and glared at me, still holding my shoulders. "It's been four years. Four years since you decided that you didn't want to stay in the forest with me. Do you know how hard I've been looking for you? I missed you so much..." I shrugged off his hands, tears streaming from my eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to keep all my anger in. I failed. Miserably. My wings burst out behind me. My hair and skin changed color along with my eyes. A black tail sprouted from my tailbone. Glowing red horns grew from my head. The entire clearing darkened.

Ryuki's howl answered my mental call. He soon jumped into the clearing and ran to my side, facing off against Laurel as I did to Rage. Please come back with me, he pleaded. "No way. You two bring back too many painful memories. I just want it all to end. My family was slaughtered before I lived there. You guys remind me of the forest, and that reminds me of my parents." I flew up into the air, placing a hand on Ryuki's head. The trail of light that flew to my wing was no longer silver. It was crimson. I soared higher, Ryuki floating behind me. I flew to the cave I had found and set Ryuki down. We walked into the tunnel, and when we got the cavern, Ryuki lay down as I climbed the stairs I had carved into the side of the cave wall to get to the ledge. I lay down just as Rage burst in through the tunnel entrance. He spotted me almost as soon as he looked around the cave.

"Rage! What are you doing here?!" I gasped. He ignored me and dodged around Ryuki, who slashed at him. I sat up just as he raced up the stairs and threw himself at me, knocking me back down onto the bed. He pushed himself up and stared at me. I blushed and turned my head away. "Why do I bring back painful memories? I know that I met you after your parents died, but..." He sighed, and mumbled something about being an idiot. "I love you," he blurted. "I don't want you to feel sad every time you see me. I just want you to be happy. So give me a reason why I should leave and I will." My face looked like a tomato by now. "I-" I realized at that moment that I didn't want Rage to leave. I loved him too. When did that happen? "I don't want you to leave..." I whispered. Rage hugged me. "Then I won't. I love you." We stayed together and chatted, catching up on things that we'd missed.

"So," I said eventually. "I guess Laurel and Ryuki are getting along well..." We both looked at Laurel and Ryuki sprawled on the cave floor below the ledge together. They were grooming themselves and Ryuki was chatting about what life was like in the mountains here. He looked completely entranced by Laurel. I looked over at Rage, who was staring at me. I blushed and looked away. I folded and unfolded my wings nervously behind me. "What?" I could feel my face heating up. Suddenly, a piercing pain shot through my head. My wings started to glow and elongate. I clutched my head as the pain grew more intense. Rage was holding my arm and asking what was wrong, but his voice seemed far away.

Soon all I saw was a vast black landscape. I gasped as I approached myself. Literally. My other self turned around. "Hi Lyric. I'm Jackie." I frowned. "Aren't we both Lyric?" "No," Jackie said. "I am your devil form." I have a devil form? I frowned again. "You don't believe me, do you," Jackie said as she approached me. She started to morph, still walking towards me. She had a huge grin and her wings were large. Her body became covered with scales and her wings with feathers. She had a dragon's head and body configuration, but the tail of a wolf. The tip of her tail ended in a sharp scythe. The scythe swished dangerously in the air. I heard a voice echo in my head. I know where to find those killers. I stared at her, eyes wide. My devil form is so cool... I am, aren't I? She swished her tail once more. Jackie? Yes? "I understand about the devil form, but how do I summon you?"

Just ask me to help you. Say, Jackie, I need some help here, or something along the lines of that. You'll still have control of your body, but you will hear me in your head, along with tips or suggestions that I might have. You can also ask me to just chat with you if you are lonely, or just want to talk to me. She held out her clawed paw to me and I grabbed it. She pulled me into an unexpected hug. You can go introduce me to your boyfriend now. I blushed. The black landscape faded away. I opened my eyes to see that I was in a completely different place than I was before I blacked out. Rage was nowhere to be seen. I was inside of a tomb. Had I died?