| Mirage - A safe haven |

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| Deep in the forest ~ 20 years ago |

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"Madeline, come see this." A man called, enthusiasm laced in his voice.

"I'll be right there, Hal." Madeline's hands traced the heart shaped locket which hung loosely around her neck, looking out the window, she stared at the sky.

°It is going to rain soon° Madeline predicted, watching the cloud's movement.

"Madeline!" Hal called once more impatiently, "You really need to see this."

"Fine, fine." She closed the window, hurrying out of the room.

"So what was so important that you- Ahhhh!" She screamed looking down at a strange creature which laid down on the floor, taking it's rest.

"Surprise!" Hal spread out his fingers, his hands opened, the palms face forward, shaking them for added effects.

"What the hell is that thing?" Madeline shrieked, her back against the wall.

*eeeeee*

The strange creature shrieked as it opened it's eyes, the first thing in sight being Madeline.

"It's looking at me! It's looking at me!!!" Madeline shrieked.

"Mother, look at what we caught!" Her son hopped in delight, "It can also communicate with us, can you hear what it's saying?" The boy closed his eyes in meditation.

"Why would you bring this thing, home!" Madeline hissed, still freaked out by the monstrous size of the creature.

°This definitely doesn't look like a dragon, or any mythical creature that has been recorded, for that matter. Weren't mythical creatures extinct?° Madeline's thought rambled on as she eyed the creature suspiciously.

*eeeeee* *eeee* *ee*

"Father, do you also agree with Jix?" The little boy pulled on his father's trousers.

"I totally agree," Hal nodded his head in agreement, "So Madeline what do you have to say about what Jix said?"

"You- you two already named it?" Madeline was astounded. "And you are asking my thoughts on what it just said?" Madeline couldn't believe even the words she asked at this point.

"Where is your brother?" She tried to distract herself from the sight before her.

"He'll soon be back, he's bringing back some meat!" The little boy licked his lips, laughing mischievously.

*Slam!*

The wooden door made a hard impact on the wall, "I'm home!" A voice called.

"Curt! Be careful on your way in, you wouldn't believe what your father and brother brought home!" Madeline yelled, shooting daggers at her husband.

"What did you say moth-" Curt yelled, making his way to them, "Oh! Hello Jix!" Curt casually greeted.

Madeline furrowed her brows in confusion, her husband raised his shoulder, shrugging.

°They all know this creature?° Madeline looked at the creature, the strange glowing red eyes captivating her, the tongue somehow making it's way to it's eyes.

"Ewww! Disgusting!" Madeline body trembled slightly.

"So... what did father and Curtis bring home?" Curt asked with curious eyes.

"It... that... ugh!" She sighed in frustration at her inability to make a comprehendable statement.

°Deep breath!° She inhaled and exhaled.

"Why would you all decide to bring that," she pointed accusingly at the creature, who snarled as it considered her accusing finger a threat.

"Madeline dear, please lower your hands gently." Hal cautioned.

Complying, she lowered her hands, the snarling, halting instantly, replaced with a blank expression by the creature.

"What is this?" Madeline fought the urge to point once again.

"This here is the answer to all our problems." Hal beamed, placing his hand on the creature's head, he caressed it's furry body.

"What exactly do you mean?" Madeline crossed her arms, easing her tensed muscles. "Boys, why aren't you remotely scared of this..." Raising her head up, meeting their pleading expression, she gave in. "umm... Jix."

*Ahem*

Clearing his throat, Hal bowed slightly, "I will be taking the lead on this one, so I will go first-" He patted the head of the creature. "Jix fell into one of my traps, a couple of days back, and guess who saved him?"

"Let me guess..." Madeline rolled her eyes, "You?" She queried, narrowing her eyes to the obvious.

"Exactly!" Hal clapped his hands for special effects. "And ever since then we've been friends."

"Curt? Curtis?" Their heads shot up at the mention of their names. "Your turn!" She nodded in their direction.

"Well... " Curtis traced a curve with his feet, looking at his brother.

"... about that." Curt completed, a grin plastered on his face as he shared a glance with his brother who had the same thought running through his head.

°We are not a chicken!° Their thoughts synched.

"We got used to him eventually," Curt shrugged. "And besides, he has a rather nice voice and attitude." Curtis completed.

"Wait, so you two are saying, you can understand it... umm I mean him." She choked on the last part.

"Pretty much..." Curt Nodded, "... yeah!" Curtis concluded.

*eeeeee* *eeee* *ee*

"We'll be done in a few minutes Jix, you'll get your turn." Curt sneered.

"What did he say?" Curiosity getting the best of Madeline.

"He said, please help me." Curtis answered.

"And how am I meant to help? What help could we possibly give?" Madeline scoffed.

"Now that goes to the next stage." Hal looked down, his voice mellowed down. "He needs a home."

"Here?" Madeline couldn't believe what she had just heard. "No!" She shook her head in disagreement.

"Please!" Her husband and children pleaded.

"Oh! Mother, check this out!" Curtis jumped at Jix, scaring him, "Boo!"

*eeeeee!*

A dark aura seethed off Jix body, leaving a trail of sparks, a cloud of thick smoke engulfed the room.

*Cough* *Cough*

"Boys? Hal?" Madeline blew on the smoke, trying to navigate her way through it, "Where are you?" She called out.

°What is this place?° Madeline looked around her, all she could see were thick clouds.

"Is this heaven?" Madeline examined the lush golden hue which settled on the clouds.

"Ahahaha, it caught you also!" Curtis laughed, as the clouds receded, "Ow!" he held his head in pain.

"Didn't father warn you? You shouldn't have done that, what if mother had wandered about in that place?" Curt hit the head of Curtis once more.

"What was that feeling?" Madeline shook her head, still lost in the moment.

"Father calls it a Mirage!" Curtis answered, avoiding the glares from his brother and father.

"Hal? Do you have a moment?" Madeline pulled her husband by the ear to the room.

"Ow! Boys watch over Jix for a moment!" Hal called as he was being pulled away.

"Alright father," Curt yelled back, "Are you going to be alright?" Curtis yelled back in worry.

Shutting the door behind her, Madeline turned her attention solely to her husband, "Spill!" She ordered.

"I know this is alot to take it, but with this creature, we could finally have something to live by." Hal tried explaining.

"Uhuh!" Madeline nodded her head, her lips drawn into a thin line. "So what next? You'd tell me he has powers?"

"..."

The silent treatment for quite sometime, only made her feel uneasy.

"Well, you said it and not me!" Hal raised his hands in surrender.

"You're being serious about this?" Madeline scoffed, pushing on Hal's shoulder. "What did you do Hal? Why does this creature need our help?"

"It's endangered, it's dying!" Hal's hand fell. "I nearly made the process faster."

"Did you hunt it? Did you try to kill it?" Madeline queried.

"Not really, it was caught in one of my traps, if I hadn't found it when I did, it would have been attacked by other animals seeking to also survive in the forest." Hal replied.

"With that monstrous size, it still can't defend itself?" Madeline was beyond wowed.

"No, no, it's surely can, but it's will to survive matters. And the creature knows it's death is imminent and has gradually lost it's will to live." Hal clarified. "It alters it's form as per it's mood."

"So, have you seen it in it's original form?" Madeline searched her husband's green eyes.

"Yes, but only those it's comfortable with can it show it's true form to, so please be nice." Hal pleaded.

"Hmph! So I wasn't being nice?" Madeline argued.

"Well, not exactly, you only saw it's feral form, so that says alot of how you were to it." Hal deapanned.

"So how does that creature solve our problems?" Madeline questioned.

"You know how we were forced to stay secluded here in this forest?" Hal's mood darkened.

"I know, it's been hard for all of us." Madeline placed a hand on Hal's shoulder, pulling him into her embrace. "But we've adapted so well in these past few years."

*Sigh*

"You're right," Hal relaxed, "so that's why Jix can be of help to us."

"How?" Madeline's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Jix could create a safe haven for himself, those who try to enter it will be caught in what I call, a Mirage." Hal proudly said.

"And how does that help us, exactly?" Madeline wasn't seeing any sense in what her husband was saying.

"He got caught in my trap while wandering, I helped it out!" Hal shook his wife slightly in happiness, "Touching it, I gained something you might call a vision, a boy... a boy who could help us gain our freedom. So until we find that boy, we need our safe haven."

"We are still safe here." Madeline countered, "We have been living a quiet and low life, having my family beside me is all I need."

"Y- You don't understand me, Madeline." Hal wiped his face in frustration. "Who knows if we could be found again, where would we run to next?"

"..."

"Exactly as I thought." Hal shook his head in disappointment. "This is why we need the Jix, he could create a Mirage for us, our safe haven, we could-"

"But we don't have anywhere else to hide, and besides the boys love it here." Madeline trembled at the thought of going deeper into hiding.

"You didn't let me finish," Hal chuckled, "If Jix could stay in our home, with the little time he has left, it would create a Mirage on the forest, that way no one can ever find us, so with the forest, here could be our safe haven!" Hal rambled.

"It can really do that?" Madeline golden eyes brightened at the spark of hope for her family.

"Yes, it can," Hal assured, "but first, it needs your help."

"What help could I possibly offer?" Madeline still wasn't certain how she could possibly help the creature.

"Well the boys told Jix, you're the one in charge of our home," Hal laughed at his son's words, "So Jix wanted to ask your permission to stay."

"Those stupid little rascals," Madeline laughed, "Sure he can, I think we could take in one more."

"Great! Let's head out!" Hal pulled his wife by the hand. "They would be so happy!"