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Dark walked in, determined to not procrastinate anymore. For months upon months he had meant to take his permit test. But something was always in his way. The first time he went, he didn't have his form filled out, the second time, Dark's doctor had put a restraint on his ID -- and was given another form for his doctor to fill out-- and by that time his mother was tired of waiting, and gave up on her sons permit test.

But Dark had returned triumphantly! With all the proper forms and everything he needed. Dark was so happy, that his 'partner in crime' Azerim was playing soundly in his pocket as they walked in.

Dark stopped as a woman in line suddenly pointed a knife at him. He stared at the shiny, pointy blade for a few seconds.

"In my.. pockets?" He said nervously. Azereim crawled around inside his pocket enjoying the movement of the pants, when suddenly everything stopped.

"Hmmmm?" Azerim jumped out onto the side of his pants, hanging off the pocket's edge.

"Er..." Dark said, still looking at the knife. "A demon that I got at a shop... He's just a baby now though..." He said with a hint of pride.

"Eh, well sorta..." Dark looked at the ground a bit embarassed. Thinking for quite some time, he finally put the words together. "It's a mix of money and luck, if that makes sense." He said hesitantly.

Azerim looked up at this new face, and smiled widely; un-able to stop giggling. He caught a glimps of something crawling on her shoulder, and he cocked his head to one side like a bird's. "hidden?" He asked in confusion. Azerim crawled back into the pocket and began to make a 'gimme' motion with his arms.

Still looking at the ground, Dark noticed Azerim's behavior. "Oh! You wanna say 'ello Azerim?" He said happily picking up the Earth Demon.

"Oh, what's that on your shoulder?" Dark leand in a little to check it out.

Azerim on the other hand, did not enjoy this stranger getting very uncomfortably close to him. "Too close!" He yelped out of fear and jumped. He clawed his way up Dark's back whimpering.


"Aahhh! Azerim!" Bending backwards from cringing, Dark tried to catch his sporatic pet. People in line began to look at the disgruntled teenager trying to itch his back. Or at least that's what they thought. Azerim popped out of the inside of his shirt, and sat on his shoulder; somewhat farther away from the stranger than before. Azerim let out a sigh and nuzzled himself into Dark's neck.

"Hehe... Like I said, just a kid." Dark blushed slightly out of embarassment. "Er -- sorry about that, what's that on your shoulder again?" He asked.

Dark was a bit disgruntled by the girls behavior. If it was one thing he hated most, it was people who were stuck-up a** holes. At least, that was the first thing that came into his head, and he hesitated for a bit, not knowing what to say next as many thoughts suddenly blossomed in his head.

Just then, the tiny creature revealed itself from her red hair. Dark's eyes widened, as he was simply beautiful, he looked like a tough little guy, as he was covered from head to toe in what seemed like scars. Dark's thoughs were killed off by this, and he couldn't help it. "Aww, hey there Hotr! How are you?" Dark then looked at Indu and said flatly, "Nice to meet you Indu, I'm Dark, and this is Azerim," He patted his companion. Dark figured he wasn't making a very good impression with Indu and Hotr, and tried to kind of shuffle the conversation a bit. "Soo... What brings you down to the DMV?"

"Oh cool, I'm here for my permit test!" Dark nodded happily. "I've had a lot of problems come up ever since I tried to take the test a couple of months ago, but now I think I have everything and can finally take it." Dark was so relieved he only had to come in two times before. He thought to himself that if it doesn't work up this time, he wouldn't be back to the DMV for a long time.

Hotr spoke, and Dark blinked trying to figure out exactly what it was that Hotr was delpleted from. "From energy? Would you like some food or wateror something to help? I'm a diabetic, so I carry around lotsa snack foods just in case. And if you'd like something too Indu, I've got more." He said sticking his hand into his other pocket searching for something to eat.

As Indu spoke the word 'Earth', Azerim blinked awake from his slight nap on Dark's shoulder. The tiny demon stood up and stretched, yawning rather loudly. He then looked at Hotr and spoke with an energetic laugh "Yeah. Dark says it's the planet we all live on! And it's what we're standing on right now! The Golden Warrior also tells me that I must protect it some day! Isn't that right Dark?" Azerim looked at him expecting a 'yes'.

Dark's thoughts suddenly began to race again, sweeping up his mind. he's bringing up the Golden Warrior again? So he isn't just coming up with this stuff for games... Azerim poked him in the ear. "Hello! Isn't that right, Dark?" He asked again. The poke brought Dark back into the real world again, and he blurted out. "Uh yeah... Like the Golden Warrior says. Hey Azerim, why don't you show them what you can do with your wrists?" Dark tried to switch the subject quickly.

"Oh, you bet I will!" Azerim piped up. He clapped his hands together and held out his arm. In a bright light the tiny rock formations on his arms suddenly shot out, and turned into rocky spikes. "Cool huh! I can't do anything else like that though..." He said with a sigh. "Hey, umm Hotr! Can you do anything like that? That would be so cool!" Azerim leaned over in excitement. He stopped suddenly, realizing something. "Hotr, why do you have all those scars on your body? Did you fight some ginourmous foul beast or something?! Aw that would be so cool!" Azerim's mind raced, and everyone else could tell by the way he just moved from one question to the next.

Dark laughed a little. "Talkative little fellow." Trailing off, he wasn't that great at starting conversations either. Azerim gave Dark a quick dirty look.

Azerim stood up, realizing the burden on Hotr's shoulders. He was no longer playful -- a serious tone reaching his face.

"I see... You have been fighting something... the burden of others..." Azerim looked down at the ground. Dark stood there quietly -- he would have spoken if Azerim hadn't taken the words right out of his mouth.

Azerim looked up at Hotr. "You don't have to face it alone. You have friends now. Indu, Dark, and me -- even if you have a thousand and one burdens put onto you, it does not mean that you have to face them all on your own. you don't have to ask, or keep quiet, as a friend I won't let you have it all to yourself. We know just the place to go, but the place to start, is friendship..." The demon then lept off of Darks shoulder onto Indu's, and then craddled Hotr in his arms.

Dark was almost in tears. Azerim had grown up so much faster than he'd thought, and knew just how to help Indu and Hotr.

"There's a shop not too far from here, and we can all help you down there. My permit test can wait -- this is so much more than a card saying I can drive."