Taaj wondered if the day would ever end. She had things to do, places to be. Her friends were aware that she was supposed to be goihg to visit her family in Japan in a week, and if she didn't get her midterm in for he Fiction Writing, Locals History and Brains classes, she wouldn't forgive herself.

It wasn't like she wasn't going to pass any of those without turing in a midterm. She was in the top 2% in the school, let alone of any of her classes. History was a sore spot. She couldn't keep all the 'white folks' in her mind straight from the 'furry ones' and the rest. Taaj had after all come from what was the Human side, Japan there had its share of weird fur-side meetings, but mostly still relied upon myth and legend to explain such moments.

She knew Kitsune existed, there was one of them attending her Martial Arts class. She knew that dragons and fox women and turtle men all lived... Here. Carramba High was an interesting place, Crescent City was a nice Western town - not at all like she was used to at home in Japan though.

Taaj had spent the early part of her life in Japan, after all. She learned all about Japanese history, plus the history of their family. In fact she wondered, would they think that she was disrespectful if they learned that she abbreviated her name at school? Takahara Jazenane was a little too much for most of her American friends to pronounce. Some of The Ten were better at it, but then again, they just called her Taaj because no one else would know who she was. There were two Takaharas teaching classes at Carramba High, too.

And Taaj wasn't certain, but she felt that they were in fact related to her by blood. She'd have to ask about them, when she went home. Green would be seething with jealousy - how ironic - because of all the things that the Takaharas were, it was "exotic". Taaj was aware that these particular Takaharas were shapeshifters or something odd. And, that they were related to the Sangers, which meant Red would also be seething with jealousy.

They all had their little names for one another, Taaj blandly thought as she wrote out another mediocre paragraph about how the Surf Studios petitioned for the clean beach initiative back in 1877. The names of her friends were far more important than the surfers... Really.

Tan, Green, Red, White, Black. Brown, Pink, Orange, Blond and Peach. The Ten in all their splendor. Taaj was Black - even though Tonja fought for it. She'd want to spell it "blaque" or something.

Taaj was broken from her work by one of the other students waving his hand in front of her face. Normally she'd have clamped her strong fingers around his wrist and broken his arm for that, but the bell had run and she was just totally in another world.

She turned in her paper, and then plodded on to the next class. She would have to pack, she knew that the 'people' that her father had sent to help her were not going to pack the right things.

Of course, getting those things through customs would be a bit hard...

***

>for the next part, imagine that this was translated from Japanese. okay?<

"Welcome home," said Taaj's mother, and her father gave one single nod of approval. There were formalities to go through, introductions to be made, but at least this time, no one was trying to foist a husband on her. Not since last time, and probably never again.

"Thank you, mother, it is very good to see you all again." Taaj bowed low, showing her respect in the traditional way. Her older sister and younger brothers were all there, at the family home. It was on a beautiful isolated hill, overlooking a small industrial park. The family owned that park, plus several like it scattered around the islands, and then a couple in the USA, where Taaj was being groomed to take over the business.

Though they knew, the business she would be in was hardly involving paperwork and meetings with dignitaries. She was being trained to be an assassin. At the very least, a body guard and yakuza arm. She would be her father's eyes and hands, in the United States.

Taaj didn't tell them quite yet, about Alabaster's proposal to her. That they would continue her training on the sly when she'd graduated, but afford her an obvious front for a job in the mean time. Perhaps it was a test - she'd been sworn to secrecy about it by the white-haired man in charge of Alabaster. Had he spoken to her father about it before then? Did they expect her to tell anyone?

She decided to remain quiet, and just observe, and enjoy being home once more. The scent was the first thing that struck her as being 'right'. The endless smoke and sweat and foul smells of America were gone, replaced by the sour milk smell and the fish... The woods and the flowers. Food smelled so much better here, she decided as they had an expensive meal at one of her father's restaurants.

"We got you something, we think you will like it a lot," said her older sister. "When we get back, I'll show it to you."

Taaj thanked her sister, and wondered... What would it be? A sword? Or a jacket, or what?

It turned out to be something significantly different than she could ever have imagined. It was an ... animal, sort of. A half-cybernetic creature with wires sticking out at odd angles and a face visor.

"What is this?" Taaj asked.

"It is called an Ojee, bred offworld," her youngest brother told her. "We wanted to establish a breeding colony here, but this one is neuter and cannot ... help." He blushed and grinned.

The Ojee approached Taaj, and sniffed her with his long snout. He made a quiet humming sound when he moved, like there were parts inside him that weren't organic.

"How could this breed anyway? It's been enhanced." She said.

"No, no, it's born like this," her sister said. "I saw its siblings, and parents. They are all like this, half machine. We liked this one, though. He - it," she corrected herself, "is going to be a good guardian for you."

"I... you think I need a guard?" Taaj said, slightly offended.

"We don't mean it like that," her other brother said, bumping up to her. He was the rebel of the group, the one with the dyed blonde hair, and the blue contact lenses. "You should have someone with you in that place, to remind you of us. Come on, Jizenane, you know we don't think you're a wimp or something."

"Hardly," her sister said. "So you will take him home with you? I think he will guard your home, if not you yourself."

"Of course I'll take it, it's lovely, really. I just didn't expect something... living!" Taaj laughed.

"It's name is Mist of the Burning Cloud," added her youngest brother. "Some of the Zekirans can help take care of it, they have a colony too."

She would return to America two weeks later - bags full of gifts for her friends, clothing and supplies, weapons, and one extremely odd pet...

***

With a calm glance around her, Taaj settled in at the Myrsilk establishment. Magic wasn't her strong suit, but she would learn it. Easily? Perhaps. There was something captivating about it, at least here. Volumes of it, and ... the dragons. The female were of course what she prefered to look at. Their long long tails and their beautiful markings.

If she came home riding one of those, she figured they'd never underestimate her abilities again. In fact, no gang, no form of yakuza, not even Alabaster, would underestimate her...

Taaj had a few books to study while waiting at the Realm. She estimated that only a handful of the people there were really Human as she knew them, otherwise they were daemonic, angelic, draconic, animal... you name it. But that meant access to exotic books and tomes, some of which were ones she could actually read. Taaj took her time with those.

Eventually, though, everyone heard the beautiful crooning song of the dragons upon the sands. The eggs were hatching, weren't they! Everyone was herded in, Taaj dutifully walked in and stood her ground upon the hot grains of beautiful sand. Everything about this place was elegant to some degree - the perfection of the architecture, the colors of the sand grains, even the smell of the food being cooked for their hatching banquet later.

At long last though, the eggs were hatching. One by one the long-tailed dragons emerged. Some popped out, some had a harder time. Taaj had been watching the bonding next to her, and so was caught unaware when a shadowy dragonet tackled her to the gemstone sands – though luckily there were no truly sharp shards under her when she fell – then sat proudly upon her back, smirking down at the teenager who – as yet – couldn't see what had claimed her in such an odd fashion.

You should truly make sure to keep yourself –aware– at all times, Taaj. What if I had been an assassin out to end your life? The Shadow female smiled, her mindvoice smooth and soft, her purplish-silver markings dominant, though here and there were scattered a few of pale opal.

“Well you're not,” came Taaj's muffled response, “So how about letting me up, Tameji?

The Shadow snorted, then glided off of Taaj's back and settled patiently onto the sands at the girl's side, dark green eyes watching as Taaj righted herself and brushed gemstone fragments from her skin and outfit.

“Well?” Taaj looked down at the small Shadow with a puzzled look, “Aren't you going to drag me off to the food like all the rest did?”

Hmm… tempting. But let us wait. And watch.

With a shrug, Taaj complied… making sure to keep an eye about her this time, though! And it was good that she did. While another of the eggs broke open and showed off the only real comedian of the hatching, who rolled head over end around on the sands, there was another dragonet who had hatched.

Mental laughter at Taaj's left side made her look down… and then blink as she felt as second mind wrap around hers as she met the orange eyes of a female Wind-marked Fire.

Sorry for holding you both up, Taaj , Tameji, but I just had to watch my brother be ridiculous.

Tameji nodded a greeting towards the other female, It is all well, Tuless. I would not have missed that show for the world either.

Who ever heard of rolling off the sands in your egg, in any case? Tuless chirruped as she led the way towards the food.

Taaj knew now that her ability with magic would come when it came. She'd have to concentrate on getting these two fed, kept healthy, and finally they'd have to learn how to fly. But all those things would be waiting for them back at Carramba High.

"I'm not going back just right away, though," Taaj told the dragonets as they all drifted off to sleep. Her Ojee was curled up next to her feet, but awake and alert. It did make an excellent guard at that. When a day was as filled with amazement as this, Taaj realized, letting one's own guard down could be a great thing. Did she just dream that she told them they'd be riding out their first few weeks while she did a cram course in all the magic she could swallow while here? Or did they just know it already?

--

Name: Tameji
Gender: Female
Element: Shadow
Bond: Taaj
Powers: Shadow (7), Spirit (5)
Adult Size: 52' long, 26' high at the shoulder

***

Tameji proved to be the difficult one of the pair to master, that is to say that Taaj had to learn more difficult spells and information to have the shadow dragon work most effectively. However, they were growing at a quick clip, and now that Taaj's studies had to come to an end here, she knew that it was time to head back to Carramba.

The pair of dragons and her ojee had bonded nicely together as well. Taaj could give one of them a command and the others would follow through with the next steps. If she asked Tuless to carry some sound to their ears, Tameji would then cloak herself in darkness and move in to see what the noise was about.

Mist remained close by Taaj's side, while they were training. Though it was silent most of the time, occasionally it would let off a sharp bark for warning.

It was like having three extra sets of eyes and ears. And claws, Taaj smiled to herself. Those helped too.

Her family - and Alabaster - would certainly be impressed. They were ported back to Carramba's dragonry area - a newly installed arena style locale where formations and marching orders, as well as flight rankings, would be practiced. She ran into the others of the Ten soon enough, and they all compared notes about their wonderful dragons!

What could be said, when Taaj arrived at Carramba High with not just one but two, and not just hatchling but almost halfway grown dragons? Hollis was a bit distressed, but the girl would have nothing of his fretting.

"Don't be naive," Taaj said, tossing her head and pushing the long black tail of hair behind her shoulders. "I can't learn everything about these dragons here, there aren't any. And," she glanced over the white-haired man's shoulder, toward another white-haired man, Engell, "I've already made plans to continue learning more magic, with the Magic studies program."

"Ah," Hollis said flatly, "well then congratulations." He glanced at Engell, who - on another world - was his half-brother. "You're sponsoring her?"

"Of course I am, look at her. She's obviously one of mine." Engell smiled widely. "Just look at them, magnificent. Two... females, is that it?" He took a closer look at the markings and tails, and the pair of dragons both leaned their large heads near him.

Yesssss? Tameji asked. Without flinching, Engell nodded.

"You're going to fit right in," he announced, and bowed to the pair of dragons, then to their mistress. "I will see you after your graduation."

Taaj just grinned widely.

Lineage

Mates and Descendants

Lineage same as above

Mates and Descendants

. Ojee center on Planet Twenty is found here (no more ojee sorry)