The Ways You Love Me

For my Ubisoft forum friends, all residents of the A&C Hotel Thread and fellow Mad Libbers. Forever your Class Swan.

Toztabud

What happened to Wave's uneaten cookie? Well, rumor has it someone from Staffwood found it and ate it. Thus the Moonheart clan was formed, or so they say.

USA - Summer, 2008

The night air was cool and crisp as the campers settled down for the evening -- all except Peter and Michael who were up reminiscing about local rumors. Apparently, Tiger Hills, named for the strange, striped bark of the trees, was supposedly home to a monster. They called it the Hidden Tiger, as no human had ever officially seen it. Suddenly, there was a noise, like distant howling.

"What was that?" Michael asked his best friend.

"Let's check it out," said Peter.

The pair left the safety of their tent and ventured out into the evening woods. They found a dead rabbit not too far that had obviously been hunted. It was about 9o'clock when something jumped out of the woods and attacked. It bit Peter on the arm. Michael fought it off, but was also bitten. On the heel. The two boys ran back to the camp in a fritz and begged the camp-leader to sleep in his tent, tonight.

"Oh boys! You know better than to be skulking about in the dark like that," said Mr White, the camp-leader. "Let me take a look at your wounds. My, that looks bad!" There was a long pause. "Here's some antiseptic-cream. Put it on and go get your sleeping-bags."

That was the night everything changed for them.

The boys soon came home and returned to their daily lives. Peter was a jock and Michael was an avant-garde. They were similar in age, about 18, and went to the same college in Texas. Their favorite anime was Legeneasts, a show about teenagers who turned into monsters called "Legeneasts" in order to save the day. Both boys were committed Christians and loved each-other like the best of brothers.

A new girl arrived in their town, one day. She introduced herself as Betty Moonheart. "My family's a bit eccentric," she admitted. Her hair was blonde and wild and she had the same aura about her. Her clothes were dark like a rebel. The guys agreed that their lives had become deeply entwined with hers from the moment they laid their eyes on her.

"We need to pray for her," whispered Michael.

"Hello," she said. "You two must be the cool kids round here. I could hang."

"I'm Michael Valley, and this is Peter Jones."

"Your folks Square or something?"

"Something like that," Peter said.

"Oh? I see. So that's the sitch?" She practically spat at them, but not physically. "Look. I like you, but I ain't no Square." She paused. "But I need your help. Remember the thing that bit you? That was me. I didn't mean it at the time. I was just hungry, but..."

"Woah, woah woah!" Peter said. "That was you? What are you? Some kind of werewolf or something?"

"It's ok," Michael said, compassionately. "You look desperate. How can we help?"

"Someone's after me. It all started back when... you know. That night I was out hunting at Tiger Hills? Well, someone saw me. Since then, I've constantly felt like I'm being watched. Usually, I wouldn't be scared, but this is different."

"Slow down," said Michael. "Take a deep breath. Who saw you? Are you sure it's not just your imagination?"

"It's probably the police," said Peter.

Michael gave a cold stare. "Not helping!"

"It was a Werewolf Hunter," said Betty. "I could smell the wolf's-bane."

"Someone needs to see the Doctor," Peter said. "The Good Doctor."

"While most lycans are evil," Michael replied, "I have heard of a werewolf superhero from Australia who's a devout believer. He swears he's not into witchcraft, but practices miracle martial-arts."

"Interesting," Peter said.

"Anyway, why do you need our help?" Michael asked.

"Because I bit you. Duh!"

"Oh, of course!" Peter said. "Wait, what?"

"Don't worry," Michael said. "We'll help you."

A few days later, Tia Coffee was in town, so Betty decided to go to her concert. It was a cloudy night, but that didn't seem to matter, as Tia was the best UK pop singer to ever hit the charts, and she was currently doing her US tour. Her manager was a bit on the grumpy side, though. He kept eyeing Betty like there was something wrong with her and refusing to let her be near the front. As the song played on and on, Betty's mind turned to the two boys she had turned in a fit of hangry rage. She was always losing control like that.

She also thought about what Michael had said about an Australian werewolf superhero and did a quick search on her phone. An article came up about a certain 'Blaze Knight & Jackhammer': a dynamic, crime-fighting duo from Port Diamond, Australia. Betty had never really met another werewolf – at least, not since her pack had abandoned her – and she never knew she could use her gifts to help people. She felt tears well up in her eyes. She had never been overseas before - heck, she knew nothing of this planet - but, she felt, she just had to meet these heroes. There was nothing left for her in Texas, not with the Hunter after her.

Just as the song finished, the sky cleared to reveal the beautiful full moon in the sky. Wait...full moon?!!! Betty panicked and ran to find the boys. Her werewolf form took over and she noticed someone again was chasing her. A Werewolf Hunter.

Suddenly, another werewolf appeared and commanded the Hunter to stop and go away: "Stop chasing the girl and leave!"

"Mike?"

"Hi Betty! How are you?" he asked, boldly.

"Aren't you scared?"

"At first I was," he admitted, "but then I thought: God didn't give me a spirit of fear."

"If you say so, Square... By the way, I've decided I want to go to Australia."

"Really?" said a third werewolf. "Michael and I are moving to Australia to meet an online friend: Toztabud...Or at least we were, before this happened."

"No! It's alright, Pete," Michael said. "I talked to him about it and he said he was fine with it."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely!"

Betty smiled. This was the first time in ages since she'd felt at home with anybody besides herself. Like it or not, these two knuckleheads were her pack now. She was stuck with them. Plus, they were already planning on going to Australia, where the werewolf superhero, Blaze Knight lived. This seemed too good to be true!

Port Diamond, Australia - Winter, 2008

"Time stands still when I'm with You

Time will heal all wounds

Here in this moment I see it

Here everything is new

"Heartbeats strong when I'm with You

Heartbeats filled with Your Love

Here in Your Presence I see it

Here in the Light above"

17 year old Wave sang his song in church that Sunday morning with all he had, tears streaming down his face. Then came the chorus:

"You are here

Casting out every fear

Lifting me from the grave

Raised me from death to Life

"How many

How many

How many are the ways you love me*"

*The Ways You Love Me

King Wave finished writing this song during his first year as king in Klazziah.

Diamond Grace Church was a wonderful church. Wave had been baptized in that church, just days before his episode at the dentist, when it all began. Pastor Jerry had led him through it. Pastor Jerry was such an anointed man of God. Wave was grateful that he had a pastor who was not afraid to pray for people, like Esther, who was born blind and had received her sight, or Daisy, who had been healed of stage four liver cancer. And who could forget Oscar's new heart and kidneys?

As the service came to a close, Wave looked up and there was Toby Baxter - his sidekick, Jackhammer. Wave and Toby were Port Diamond's superheroes over the last two years, now that they had found themselves unable to return to Klazziah, and had resorted to protecting their home town. For some strange reason, Arthur Voss's door had run out of magic and Wave hadn't heard from Diamond Foxley either. (The last time he'd seen him, Diamond said something about investigating trouble in the east.)

The service closed with these words sung:

"You walk through fire

Be lifted higher

Lord my Desire

It is You, it is You**"

**The ways You Love Me (Bridge)

Many Klazzians would come to cherish this hymn as the dawning of the Era of Werewolf Kings. This era would be the longest era in Klazzian history, thus far. The hymn was taught in every city, town and village and sung in every church and tavern. Wave brought this song to his birth-world where it became a worldwide anthem.

After church, Wave headed home and logged onto the forums online. Since coming back, he'd become good friends with Live4theLafs and Milleiske5, who were also Christians AND newly turned werewolves. Wave was going to meet them face to face soon, as they would be moving to Port Diamond. This was all very exciting.

"You're going to love Australia," Wave typed. We're right on the water here. I love the sea. It's always so peaceful. Now don't forget, my church is Diamond Grace Church. I'm the half-elf. Can't wait to meet you!"

A few days later, Peter, Michael and Betty were just about to arrive from their long flight and touch down in Australia. For Betty, Australia was very different from what she had imagined. Someone had once told her all Australians lived in the outback, in rundown shacks raised on stilts, but Port Diamond was nothing like that. For one thing, it had proper roads with proper cars going too and fro, though on the opposite sides. It had several grand buildings, including the largest docks and shipping terminals she'd ever seen, skyscrapers, a great big stadium and a train station.

"So, they're not as primitive as I thought," she said to herself, from her plane seat several kilometers in the air. "Still, they're not at all like the U.S."

She was interrupted by a loud roar from Peter as his team scored their first goal of the match on the big TV screen. Michael, on the other hand, was reading the latest fantasy novel from his favorite author.

"Could you keep it down, Pete?" Michael asked. "Rose is just about to find out that Marvin's a merman."

"Sounds like a girl's book," Betty said with a chuckle.

"It is not! I'll have you know that 'Kraken by the Leagues' is very popular among youth and young adults, regardless of gender."

Soon they landed and were greeted by Wave and his best friend David Voss.

"Lafs and Millei?" Wave said excitedly, as they entered the airport. "It's me, Toz! You can call me Wave now. This is David."

"Wave and Dave, eh?" said Betty. "What can you guys tell me about Blaze Knight and Jackhammer?"

"Oh, them?" Wave said. "Well, they're the heroes of Port Diamond. Apparently, Blaze has ties to Sea Deep Dan."

"Is that all?" Betty pressed. "Nothing about what werewolf line they're from?"

"I heard Sea Deep caught lycanthropy while on a top-secret mission and passed it on to his proteges," Mike said. "Why are you so interested in this?"

"I need their protection," Betty said.

"Big Bad Betty's got a crush!" Pete egged.

"I have not!" she blushed. "I'm just looking for someone experienced enough to help me with stalker issues."

"So you have got a crush," Pete said.

"It's a stalker!"

"Same thing."

This went on for some time, so David decided to hurry up and move them along. They got in the car (still arguing) and headed of to Arthur's house where the trio would be staying. Arthur was David Voss' Grandfather. He lived an eccentric life of collecting and had a curious house out in the country. It would be a long drive.

On the way, they passed by the shops, and Michael asked if they could stop by the pet store. He had read in a book somewhere that werewolves supposedly could talk to animals and secretly wanted to buy a dog to try it out. At the mention of 'pet store', Wave got all teary, missing his old family sea-dog Flipso, who had passed away , as well as Flipso the 2nd, his friend Brooke's sea-dog who he didn't know was alive or dead, because of the time difference between the two worlds.

It took them an hour or two to finalize everything, but eventually, in spite of Peter's insistence on a reptile, and the pet shop lady explaining that they didn't sell any – 17 times – Michael finally settled for a nice labradoodle and named him Jordan. While Pete got himself a parrot and called her Spiky.

"You know you're gonna make me look after her," Michael said, bemoaning.

"Thanks, Mike," Peter said with a beaming smile.

"Thanks, Mike!" Spiky agreed.

Eventually, they arrived at Arthur's. It was so much later than they'd intended that even Wave and Dave had to stay the night. Wave was getting quite teary by now, thinking of how blessed his life was. Yet he assumed Betty was a girlfriend and he wished he had a girlfriend. As everyone else settled down for the night, Wave went down Arthur's familiar hallway and to his magic painted door from Klazziah. He wanted to speak with Kyrie the Great Wonder, so telling the door this, he opened it and went through, unintentionally leaving it ajar.