Long ago, there has been this exotic planet where magical creatures and humans live harmoniously together.

Among the magical creatures, there are some which are entirely “creatures”, some which are half human half creature, and those are the ones called Vastayan. They could be half human half fox, half human half cat or even half human half bird.

Which is what JR is.

Being a phoenix Vastayan, JR carries magical powers in his blood. He had a happy childhood until the human government decided to clear the Vastayans under secret mission. Vastayans have the intellectuals of a human, agility of creatures and the magic of Vastayans. This gradually brewed the jealously of the government officials and their fears that the Vastayans will overthrow the government one day, and thus they started wiping them out a few years ago.

JR sat on the boulder by the edge of the mountain, taking out his dinner -- a chuck of bread from his backpack. The contrasting colours of sunset reminds him of his childhood life. In his village where all the phoenix Vastayan in their region lived together, there were barely sad memories. Their colourful feathers would always bring them bright mood, their laughter would always echo around their village.

But that was until the day where the bounty hunters came.

He was only 11.

"Guys, there are bounty hunters outside the village gate! Hide!", JR heard their neighbour yelling down the road as he was making a sand castle in their home's garden. His parents ran out and pulled JR back into the house.

"No Somin you are not doing this", his dad looked at his mum with tearful eyes, he has never seen dad like this.

"Matthew you don't understand, there is no way out other than me doing this, you are stronger, you need to fight to protect him.", his mum looked at his dad firmly, then turned to JR, "sweetheart listen, the bounty hunters are finally here and you need to run while you can."

JR tilted his head, "bounty hunters?"

"Yes, the government are trying to wipe us Vastayans out and they hung up bounty posters. For each pair of wings that they bring back they earn 1000 pounds."

"But mum, I don't know how to hide my wings yet!" Being a Vastayan, they have the ability to transform their form, including becoming "more human" and hide their wings and turning their claws into human feet. However, their magic will not be strong enough to do that until they are 16, unless someone gives them their magic...

"No mum! You can't give me your magic!", JR suddenly understood why his dad looks so sad, his mum is going to sacrifice her ability to transform for him.

"Listen JR", his mum held his shoulders as she gives him a tearful smile, "you need to live, and you can achieve so much when you grow up, mommy can already see it."

"But dad!", he turned to Matthew looking for another solution, who only shook his head in despair, "your mum is right, we need you to live."

Before JR knows it, Somin held his head softly and murmurs a spell, JR could feel the stream of magic rushing into his body, light radiating from his temple. Once Somin was done, a drop of tear rolled down her face, "now run into the forest we told you to never go into, transform into human form, and don't come back before sunset!"

His parents quickly kissed him on his forehead and made him run. He ran as fast as he could up the hill and into the forest, transforming and hiding his claws and wings along the way. With him and his mum's magic, he can easily transform into stable human form and hold it for a day, although having to bear the pain of wings trying to burst out of his back. He ran and climbed onto a tree where he can oversee the village. He saw the burning torches held by the bounty hunters. Houses burnt in flames and the village shined in the ugliest orange that JR could ever recall. Cries and yells echo around the village and into the mountain, he could vaguely hear the characteristic sounds of feathers piercing through the bounty hunters. He could only sob and pray that his parents could live through this.

He climbed down the tree after the cries died out. As he wandered around for berries, he heard people coming near him. He panicked as he knew he wouldn’t have time to hide. Then they came right into his sight and their eyes met. He could clearly see the bags of wings they are carrying with them.

"Hey there's a kid there! Should we bring him too?"

"Let him go, Vastayan kids can't transform you dumb head."

"Oh yeh of course, he's probs just one of those abandoned kids then."

As the team of bounty hunters wandered deeper into the mountains, JR carefully walked back into the village, only with the bloodiest but quietest scene he’s ever seen welcoming him.

His friends and their parents' bodies were lying all over, pools of blood forming from the back as their wings had been cut out. He couldn't hold his tears back and cried softly, trying to keeping his voice low. As he checked that the bounty hunters were really gone, he ran back to home only to see his mum lying on the floor unconscious. He ran over to hug her, but shocked at the ice-cold temperature of her body. He couldn’t help but cry harder. He couldn’t see his dad around, who was probably off fighting. He knew he had to leave the village sooner or later, so he packed up everything he need, a photo of his family and a feather of his mum which was on the floor into his backpack. He kissed her on her forehead and bid the last goodbye and left home.

As he walked near the village gate, he saw a familiar body on the ground. He ran and saw his dad lying dead right next to the gate. It feels like his heart has been torn apart twice, he again kissed him on his forehead and took his feather which was on the ground and quickly left.

That day, he told himself he will seek revenge on the government and the bounty hunters one day, one day when he is strong enough.

Coming back from the flashback, he finished off the last bite of the bread. It’s been 5 years since he lost his home, and being a particularly strong Vastayan, he has been travelling around, punishing the Vastayan hunters on his own. He usually doesn’t have to hide his wings and claws as most humans are quite friendly to Vastayans, but even when he meets the unfriendly people, he knows he is strong enough, and he is still growing stronger.

But sometimes, sometimes it gets a bit lonely.

“Hello sir, do you want to go to our carnival? It’s free food granted!”, a shy young boy came up to JR with a leaflet in his hand. He turned around his head, flashing the boy a gentle smile and grabbed the leaflet. Having a quick glance at the leaflet, there was this particular corner that got JR’s attention, “Peacock Vastayan Ren’s Dance”, he raised his eyebrow slightly. The boy caught this and reassured JR, “don’t worry, we are friendly with Vastayans, they often travel via our village and although they don’t usually stay for long, we treat them very well. We all like them very much and so we ban bounty hunters.”

Reassured that the boy is harmless, JR smiled at him, “sure, do you want to show me the way?”

He hasn’t met a fellow bird Vastayan for too long that he feels a bit nervous to meet one. But hey, who can reject the temptation of free food?

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Hey guys! In case you guys wanna visualise things up a bit, here is the pair in game that inspired me:

Oh and Somin and Matthew are my KARD ultimate ship btw:3 just some cheeky KARD reference here heheh

If you like KARD too, feel free to check out my other fanfic!

Would really apprepriate if you guys could leave comments:3 Next update should be coming very soon!