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Well it's been forever and a half ago since I last worked on D.U. I'm glad to say that I finished Chapter 3 after months of fighting my writers block... I've had some inspiration with the story a little bit from comments that people have made of how they're looking for it again. I'm debating on whether or not to work on my Guided From the Closet series next, but I'm just not sure where to go with it. I'm only taking one writer's block at a time here. So with that said... Enjoy.

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Worthless

_ _

"He's a runt Astrid!" Dakota launched his voice up to the stand where the High Master sat. The High Master seemed to pay no attention to the bear, eyes fixated on the experiment before him. The two were in Astrid's quarter. "The boys a damn runt, I don't see why you've partnered him up with me! He fell frantic to the first test woke up almost crying like a baby! He's worthless!"

Old hands fiddled with some of the notches and degrees of the temperature that lit the boiling water, Astrid continued to pay no heed to Dakota. Grumbling to the reaction he didn't receive the bear continued. "Give him to someone else! Not to a paladin that has better things to do than to watch a new comer fall flat on his face!"

With no avail to draw attention, Dakota took a chance and rounded the front of the pedestal to the stairs, taking one step. Immediately Astrid took his attention to Dakota. "Off." He said clearly and firmly. When Dakota didn't listen he stood up straight. "I said off." The bear retreated back down.

"I want that boy away from me. I don't need a mutt destroying what we're working for." Astrid returned to his work and Dakota tested again.

"Are you trying to defy me bear? Take another step and I'll make sure Dominus Randall hears of this."

"Then listen to what I have to say!"

Outside Leander stood before the locked door. That damn boy will make a mockery of the entire University Astrid! No one's ever failed on the first test, not once! I don't see anything in him! What do you see in him? How can someone who can't fight off something in there imagination possibly perform well in reality?

_ "There's always history for something. It's only been one test Dakota, the boys never engaged in something like this. You have to understand the situation he's under."_

_ Then you deal with him! Give him to another human, someone he can relate to! We bears don't fear the undead! Have the instinct to overcome fear as infants!_ Dakota's voice was devastating to hear. Leander had never felt so worthless in his life. _ I don't have time to engage in something like this when we have something much more chaotic at hand Astrid. You of all the teachers at D.U should understand this the most!_

_ "He's not being reassigned, he is yours to protect for the two weeks."_

_ Two weeks and the undead could be at our gates pushing down what we stand for! Do you want Hell to break into the most holy of places?_

_ "He is not being reassigned Dakota and that is final! Now leave me I am very busy."_

_ _ The bear roared inside. Two weeks Astrid! After that, I'm done with the boy... that's if he isn't killed after the first contract.

_ "He is your burden! Let him fall and I will make it very clear that you let down a new recruit. I know you very well here and your ego is something that you don't want to lose! You already have a hard enough time making a companion here. Your rank is all you have to appear superior."_

_ _ From the other end of the door, the bear could be heard growling and Leander backed away, seating himself at the other end of the hall. The doors burst open and Dakotas face was trying to hide its anger, but while he stared at Leander, his brows couldn't help but slant in disgust. Not to mention the short breathed panting making it all the harder to hide.

"I don't want to see your face until nightfall! And only when you plan on falling asleep! I don't want to hear your voice, or see any part of you until then do you understand me?" The furious bear was growling between words.

Leander could only mutter gibberish out of both fear and embarrassment.

Dakota stormed off after that disappearing down the hall leaving Leander alone to stand. I'm an idiot. He thought. Pathetic really... Just like Dakota said... worthless. Why am I even here... I've never fought something like this ever seen something so horrifying as that... His eyes felt wet again.

_ You really are pathetic._ The voice from last night appeared.

Leander looked around frightened but found no one around him. "Hello?"

Putting yourself down like this isn't going to change anything. You've never experienced anything like this you can't simply give up on the first try. Just like you heard Astrid say, it was your first test, you've never faced those fleshies or whatever they call them.

_ _ "What's the point if I just freak out?"

He almost felt himself shrug to his own question. _ Why don't you try the test again? You didn't experience any real pain the first time... it was all in your mind. We can go back to the arena and try it out again. If you fail so what... no one's going to judge you, they'll think you're training._

_ _ "Yeah right, everyone knows who I am now... Like Dakota said, no one in the history of this school has ever failed the first test... I just don't belong here."

_Drop the self pity... it's not going to get you anywhere and you already know you're not going to be leaving this school anytime soon. Just give it a little more time go train at the arena for now. Don't piss off Dakota anymore and train until the sun goes down. _

"...Fine." Leander sighed to himself and looked around once more. "Where are you?" For a second there was no response and again Leander asked.

...I'm... I'm inside you... I'm you.

_ _ He looked around in disbelief. "How are you... me?"

Just think of me as like... your conscious... a second you... sort of... almost like to watch your back.

_ _ "Then why are you just showing up now?"

I dunno... you've never been in any real danger before... I guess I'm sort of that instinct that's been hiding inside waiting to feel the moment of death.

_ _ "That's dark sounding."

My body shrugged again. Not that it matters anyway... I'm up and out of you now... there's no getting rid of me anymore... Oh and you might want to think of your thoughts, instead of talking to yourself... Helps keep you from looking insane you know.

_ "Like... this?"_

_ Perfect... Now why don't we take a few tries back at the arena?_

_ "This feels silly... thinking to myself."_

_ "Just go to the arena."_ Inside Leander, something grumbled, but to all of the new things being introduced to him he just let it happen and did what he said.

Dakota slid into one of the wood tables in the grand hall of the Ursus. As if expecting him, a mug slid down the table side, stopping at his awaiting paw. Dakota gave a glance to the bartender and faked a smile before gulping the drink down. Slamming it onto the counter he turned to the grizzly bear on his right.

The bears name was Corbin, one of Dakota's few companions, though not a paladin. Dakota had saved the bear one time during a contract. Corbin never let it down and fell faithfull to the bear, however Dakota always found the bear slightly annoying. Sitting at a good seven feet, at full height he reached eight and was a beefy character. With the extra fuzz around his face looking like a beard and the large belly that could hide a dwarf if standing side by side. His fur color consisted of a brown and a golden honey color along with deep brown eyes to match. He too was enjoying the meal of lunch gibbering back and forth to some others who surrounded him.

"I really think Astrid is starting to hate me." Dakota laughed into another swish of his drink.

"Why," Corbin chuckled. "Because you marched into his office to tell him that the boy he gave you is a complete amateur?"

"Eh... yeah something like that." He gulped the rest of his mug and lied back gesturing with the slab of his cup to the waiter to bring him some more. "He should understand my reason behind it though."

"In all honesty Dakota... You only gave him one chance." Dakota's eyes found Corbins from behind the mug. "I mean... just a thought... the humans always had trouble with the first round."

"You're starting to sound a lot like Astrid now you know?" The polar bear growled, drinking to the bottom.

"Just trying to be reasonable... word's been around that the boys never seen an undead in his life... I mean how would you react to one of those if you saw one for the first time?"

"The kids a chicken." Dakota immediately retaliated. "He awoke with a fright, meaning he cornered himself and didn't fight for his life. I'm not looking to be a mentor here Corbin; I just want to get rid of the evil that cursed my life. I can do that without the kid."

Corbin shrugged and took his own drink to snout and drank. "Then why don't you do something about it? Why don't you give the kid some pointers? You of the hundred students here have the most experience with any of the monsters."

"Did you not just hear me? I don't want to teach anyone." The drink went down again to be filled up.

Corbin shook his head and leaned down folding his paws between his legs. "You're going to have a miserable two weeks man."

"Everyone has to deal with it."

"No... not everyone... just the people that think they do... There's got to be a reason Astrid paired him up with you... You might not see it yet but there's got to be a reason."

"Astrid's just trying to change me into something I'm not. I'm sick of him giving me things I don't want to do... pairing me up with people who are worthless... I could have taken the last contract without Runt."

"That's a stupid excuse." Corbin growled. "Everyone knows being paired with someone is one of the strict rules here at D.U. You know that dummy."

"Hey Dakota." The bear turned to the call of his name, spotting the female boar at the entrance. Her body was slim with black and pink spots of skin, thin blades of hair covering her body. The way she walked conveyed her as a snobbish character, having the tendency to overly sway her hips while she walked. She had brown curls that dropped to her shoulders and wore a leather looking suit but halfway down her abdomen it changed into a low skirt. Beneath that were some tight black leather pants, a revolver strapped to her right side and two blades for her calves. Dakota knew her as Sal-- it was short for Sally or something--she was a paladin as well, one of the representatives for the Aper Dorms, or Boars. She slid in next to Dakota and welcomed the bear with a warm touch of her hand.

Dakota only growled at her attempt for seduction, Sal was interested in him he already experienced that, but females were never something he admired.

"You know your little friends back down at the arena, cub?" That was another thing she managed to do, resize him. He wanted to be big and proud all the time, but with her he was small, an infant, child, cub.

"Yeah?" Dakota slobbered a little with his drink feeling the bubbling warmth and slight buzz.

"See, the boys got potential, not giving up on his first try." Corbin announced showing a little pride for Leander.

Dakota only raised a brow behind the mouth of his drink. "Good... he's listened to what I said."

Both Corbin and Sal looked at one another. "What did you tell him?"

"That I didn't want to see him until night fall."

"Dakota!" Corbin shouted with an upset look. "You practically kicked a newcomer out from his dorms!"

"These are not his dorms!" Dakota roared leaving his drink at the counter and standing from his stool drawing attention. "After the two week is up I'm through with the little bastard!"

She shook her head and got to her feet. "... I just came by to let you know that he's there alone." Corbins eyes went wide. When she found no reaction from Dakota she shrugged and departed.

Corbin grumbled. "You have to talk to him Dakota... at least stay with him while he trains."

"He can train on his own. He doesn't need my help." He said returning to his stool and slamming the remainder of his drink. He hunched his body to push Corbins face away from him.

"You have to; you don't have any other choice. He'll trap himself in the glooms void... He'll be half insane unless you watch over him! If Astrid finds out you let that happen to him."

Dakota swished his empty mug and sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll talk to the runt."

"It's only two weeks after all." Corbin added. "He is a human after all." Then to try and comfort him further he gave the bear a gentle pat.

With a little smirk and a peer down to the bottom of the cup, Dakota stood from the bar and left.

They've got us cornered! I told you to go left!

"I'm not starting to like you anymore." The flesh walkers were cracking toward Leander who had cornered himself for the third time inside the gloom.

You'd like me more if you listened. The nasally voice of his owned nagged in his head.

"I want to have a few choices of my own still you know!"

_ Turn left!_ Leander deliberately made a right ignoring his other now, sprinting down a clouded hallway of green maze shrub. I said left you--

_ "I'm done; we've lost this already, the moment we started arguing we lost! Might as well just drop to the floor and start over again!"_

_ You would give up to death this easily?_ The voice seemed surprised.

"I thought you would have realized by now... I'm worthless."

You're not!

_ "Yes, I am!"_ Forced right again he came to a dead end and stood straight. "I am." He sighed, hearing the heavy feet behind him come closer and pounce over his body.

Seconds after, he awoke, not as startled as the first time, but still shaking by the experience. "I've had enough of this!" Leander yelled getting up to his feet and starring toward the gated maze. "I may as well walk straight into there and get myself killed for real!"

"That's an easy way to end it all." He jumped expecting the voice of his other.

Turning, Leander met eyes with the jerk Dakota and frowned. "...I thought you didn't want to see me until night fall."

Dakota looked around and then back to Leander. "Hmph... you're lucky I have to keep my eye on you... because the maze here can make you go insane if you try too hard."

"Wouldn't that be an easy way to end it all?" Dakota frowned at Leander twisting his words. "Save you a hell of a lot of time instead of having to deal with a runt... why don't you leave me alone?" Turning his back on the bear he sat and waited for the embrace of the gloom to take him again.

"Because I can't have you screwing up when I take you on a contract with me." The bear stood in front of him blocking the glooms path and Leander opened his eyes as the feeling washed away.

"Why do you care if I screw up, I don't seem to mean anything to you anyway... maybe because of your ego."

"You watch your mouth boy." A heavy growl protruded from the white snout.

"I will when you leave me alone and let me train."

"I'm not leaving."

"What did I do to you?" Leander yelled. "Why do you hate me so much just because I failed on the first test?" He felt heavy and the tears climbing. "You stand there looking all superb in your outfit. Dakota the Paladin huh? Shouldn't you be helping others become those too?"

The bear chuckled. "You can't help someone to be a paladin. They're born into it."

"Then can't you at least give pointers? Give some kind of tip to help me defeat it?"

"I already gave you a tip... I told you to push away your fear and not think of death while you fight against the undead. You weren't able to do that so you failed. It's as simple as that." He folded his arms.

"Not much of a tip."

"Yeah well easier said then done."

Leander dropped his shoulders and sighed. "Just go away."

Dakota sniffed and gave a scowl before allowing the gloom to pass. The event hit Leander again and once more he came to a dead end returning to reality to grumble to himself. He attempted several more times until finally dropped to the dirt exhausted and slammed a heavy fist against it sending puffs of dust up.

"About finished their boy?" Dakota taunted from behind. "It's getting near curfew. If Dominus Randall finds us out here we'll be spending demeanors class with him. His class isn't exactly focused on manner... he's more of a military ursus. I don't see you being able to push out a few hundred pushups for a few hours... not to mention he'll make me wait for you."

Reluctantly Leander sighed and got up from the dirt. "Fine... I'm done... I can't figure it out..."

The bear ignored Leander and made his way to the exit.

Leander dragged himself behind Dakota the entire way, eyes down, mind in dismay while he tortured himself inside. He hadn't been able to overcome the gloom and he'd been working on it all day. He knew what he would do, tomorrow he would talk to Astrid to try and resign from school, he just wanted to go home now and that was it. There wasn't a single person here that acknowledged any of him. He was sick of all of the things thrown at him to make him feel worse about himself. Dakota was a major part of that. The stupid bear didn't even help him, didn't even give him a chance or second try to prove himself. The entire time at the arena all the bear did was watch and sit silently impatiently waiting for him to get over with his training.

His fist tightened up and his eyes lifted to see the white furry back of his partner. "I hate him!" He thought to his other.

I'm not very fond of him either... he's to egotistical... you don't have to make friends with him, just do your best when he takes on the contract. You don't have much to lose when you haven't been taught anything.

_ "How about my life? If he doesn't care about me now, what will change that when we go out for an actual battle?"_ Stepping into his room behind Dakota, Leander followed to the bath house and got himself ready for bed. "Why does he hate me so much?"

_ Maybe it's not you... maybe it's all of us humans?_

_ _ Leander nodded. "That bear did say something about finding a new toy do you think... Dakota had something happen to his mate?"

_ _ Inside he shrugged. I wouldn't ask him right now... we should just leave him alone.

Clean and half nude, he leaned against the bathroom counter and stared at himself in the mirror. He didn't look any different than what he usually saw himself as. He didn't feel any different, yet somehow something inside him was changing... for better or worse he couldn't tell yet. It wasn't just the voice that now accompanied him all the time... there was something more too that... something much more wildly. Catching his eyes, he stared; they bared this strange look to them that he had never seen before. They looked almost crazed, like there was something inside of him that was trying to get out. He stood there for many seconds studying himself, searching the dark lines and dirty face for more.

A knock came to the door. "Hey there!" Dakotas grumpy voice came from behind the door. "Hurry up I need to clean myself off too human!"

Leander sighed and continued to analyze himself for a few more moments then reluctantly turned to the door. Opening the door gently, Dakota swung it the rest of the way open and forced himself in, shoving Leander against the wall.

"There's only one bathroom in this dorm, boy. You furless humans don't need to be spending so much time in here. I still have an hour worth of work to go on just from a shower." Dakota leaned forward in the mirror flashing his fangs and tongue. The bear was right though, he had an odor... it wasn't exactly sweat, but it was musky kind of tickled the nose a little bit.

He didn't dwell on the smell too long, he wanted some sleep. Clearly he was tired if he couldn't figure himself out, thinking that there was something new about him was ridiculous. He was nineteen he should have been able to figure everything about him out already. At least all the important things anyways.

Now standing before the large maroon bed he felt mesmerized by the rich colors of the sheets. His stuff was placed on the right side but he didn't feel welcomed in this room. "The couch would just be a better place for me tonight..."

_ You might be right this time..._

_ _ Leander was surprised to the reaction of his other. He wasn't expecting the voice to agree with him. "No argument?"

_ No... If you want to keep downing yourself go right ahead. I'm just going to watch. I tried to tell you you're not worthless, but I'm done, I'm tired, and I want to sleep just as much as you do._

_ _ Eyes surfing the bed once more, he turned and took his place in the living room, making dues with one of the couches and turning out the light. He lied there motionless, lost in his thoughts about what had happened in a span of a day. Never in his entire life had he felt so useless, to anyone. So misplaced in the world, the school was so culturally different with all the species, and even then he couldn't find a spot to feel comfortable.

He reached for one of the pillows and tucked it under his head, holding it tightly and shutting his eyes. "Tomorrow... we're resigning with Astrid."

_ ... It's your decision. _ He felt the presence burry itself back into him, as if going to sleep and then he felt alone again.

After a long while, the door to the bath house finally creaked open and Dakotas outline appeared. Only briefly before the light was shut off, but he didn't move from the door way. Leander could feel those turquoise eyes staring at him, glaring in disgust. Then the heavy paws moved and the doors to the bedroom closed shut leaving Leander alone.