Hey again! I'm glad I was able to update sooner - I'm not sure if I can manage updates this fast in the future. I know you are all wondering what in heck all this may have to do with DragonFable. Sorry, but I really need to build up the plot a little bit and introduce all the characters and make sure they aren't Mary Sues like they are turning out to be in my other stories D: Anyway, I expect the action to pick up much more quickly in the next few chapters, so stay tuned!

Ahah this chapter is much shorter I know, I'll see if I can make subsequent ones a bit longer! :D Thanks to all you readers! You are what makes my stories possible!

BELLADONNA

Belladonna Rivers made her way across the school courtyard, which was swarming with students even though it had been ten minutes since the bell rang. Oh yeah, that's right, the sports people have practice today. Belladonna gave a nearly inaudible sigh as she glanced at her own skinny, lanky self. She certainly was in no state to play any sports. In fact, she'd have to be careful not to lose to much weight. Belladonna was always the weakest, both at home and at school, which was especially strange in her sports-oriented family. Her mother, for instance, could have made it to the Olympics playing tennis if she hadn't decided to settle down and become a pharmacist to start a family.

I'm just like the flower I'm named after - all willowy and slender. That's just appearance. Hope I'm not poisonous, though ...

Belladonna almost smiled to herself at that. Poisonous she certainly could not (and did not want to) be, but being a little tougher and more resilient was certainly in order for her. It would definitely help her push through the dense crowds of students blocking her way to her locker, for one thing. Strength was something she desperately needed right now - both emotionally and physically. Belladonna had been fortunate to have a whole, united and stable family, but who knew what challenges tomorrow might bring, and she wasn't sure she could hold up against any major difficulties that might choose to present themselves sooner or later.

The one thing she was good at, though, was school in general. Many people, especially the sporty people who often practiced till late at night before getting to do homework - those people envied Belladonna her stellar grades. What they didn't know, though, was that Belladonna secretly envied them right back. What she wouldn't give to have a nice, active life like them, instead of constantly being cooped up at home because she was too weak to even run half a mile without being utterly exhausted.

After five minutes of "Excuse me"s (gosh, she even needed a stronger voice) and "Sorry"s Belladonna managed to get past a particularly loud throng - the popular kids' clique - and once she'd passed them into quieter territory, she was surprised to hear her phone ringing softly to announce an incoming text message. Who could be texting her at this hour, when she was still at school? Oh - it was just Arianna, summoning her. Odd - Arianna didn't usually text while at school. That girl was just drop dead funny, and an all around (secret) rulebreaker, but for some reason she never pulled out her phone during school hours. (Oh wait - that was because the school blocked phones from Internet.) Unlike today.

Reluctantly, Belladonna turned around to go back through all the crowds she'd taken so long to shove through, meeting Juliette on the way. They found Arianna standing in front of the library along with the twins, who looked so worried and just plain terrified that Belladonna wondered what was going on. Arianna looked equally clueless, but didn't seem to want to pry. Belladonna decided not to ask either - for the time being, at least. She meant to help the twins as best as possible, no matter what the situation they might be in - just as they had helped her, once before. Belladonna was sure they would tell her if she asked, but she wasn't sure if they wanted to tell Arianna and the others, too.

Belladonna decided to address the present (though not most pressing) issue first, and cleared her throat. "Was there something you needed, Arianna?"

Arianna suddenly seemed to snap out of a trance, and jumped slightly. "What? Uh .. oh, I just wanted to discuss the project that's due in three days - three days, can you believe it?" Belladonna was also rather surprised, but she thought she understood - after all, Ms. Donnell must have been running short on time to grade things and plan out lessons for everyone ...

"Nonsense," Arianna scoffed when Belladonna told her, then realized what she'd just said and quickly tried to make amends. "I mean, she's most definitely trying to torture us to death!"

"So how are we going to do this?" Juliette piped up. Straight to the point as always. People might look at the five friends and say Belladonna was the calmest and coolest of them all, but in reality it was Juliette. Belladonna simply could not compare to her while under any amount of physical or emotional stress.

Arianna offered her house as a meeting place, and Belladonna noticed that upon hearing this, the twins visibly sagged with relief. So was this about finding a place to stay? What if it had something to do with their family ...

"Are we walking there?" Juliette asked then, and the twins tensed up ever so slightly - they'd hid it better this time. That could only mean - someone might be following them if they left the school. And for that, Belladonna had a solution.

"Wait a second," she said. "If there's a problem with walking ... You all know cousin James. Let me call him ..."

I hope you liked this chapter, even if it was a bit short :P Please review and tell me what you think! :D