>Sydney, Australia...
>
>   Out of the shadows, brown eyes flashed and glanced around.  
>Quickly, Azel strode down the sidewalk, searching for the fastest 
>way to the airport.  Her brown eyes flashed again as the light from 
>the fading sun caught them.
>   *Only an hour till sunset.  Even riding my Ponyta, that journey 
>took a while.  I need to catch a flight soon.  And more importantly, 
>I need to think.*
>   Azel was weary, tired, hungry, and just simply confused.  It had 
>been hours since she had eaten, and even longer since she had been 
>out of the sun.
>   *Man, I hope I don't get dehydrated...  First thing first, I need 
>to catch a flight.  And then think.  Or maybe sleep, then think. 
>Whatever works is fine with me.*
>   Azel shivered as the hot humid wind snapped down the street.  The 
>tall buildings of gray stone cast shadows down upon the cracked 
>sidewalk.  In the distance, the international airport loomed, the 
>last safe haven.  Pedestrians dirmaced at the heat as cars sped by.
>   *I used to love this place...  I still do.  What happened?  Did 
>over the years, this city loose it's charm?  Or is it just me...*
>   Azel's mind wandered to the past, and the recent incident that 
>just occurred.
>   *All those times...  I never stood up for myself.  How could I, I 
>used to think, they're are so many of them.  My family was so big, I 
>was always the minority, the oddball, the one who couldn't see the 
>wisdom of the family.  Even if half the time I was right...  I 
>should never have given in.  I should never had let them run my 
>life.  I should never have run away from the problem...
>   But isn't that what I'm doing once again?  Running away from the 
>problem?  Not facing up?  No...  I can't run anymore.  I need to 
>stand.  But it will be in the place of my choosing.  And right now, 
>I choose to go and become good at my profession, to become valued 
>for what I do, to run my life my own way in a different place.  
>Maybe then, the city will regain its charm.*
>   Azel's mind having run in a complete circle returned to the 
>thought of were she was going just as she tripped.  Sighing, Azel 
>regained balance, picked up her luggage, and looked up, only to find 
>the international airport doors right in front of her nose.  She 
>quickly moved to get in line for a ticket.
>   Voices flitted past her as Azel became slightly woozy.
>   "...yes, it's true.  Europe's nice this time of year and..."
>   "...not so!  Nerima is in Japan!  Not Russia..."
>   "..and the castles in France are fantastic, but not to..."
>   "No doubt you would think that.  You're a stubborn, ignorant..."
>   "...And what I wouldn't give to see those pyramids, she said..."
>   "...it's Tokyo.  The contest starts soon, or maybe it has 
>already..."
>   "...ding dong, the witch is dead, the wicked witch- momma?  What 
>rhymes with witch?"  "Not now dear..."
>   As Azel reached the counter to buy a ticket, her vision flashed 
>and glowing spots appeared in front of her eyes as she nearly fell.
>   *Must be dehydrated...  Need a ticket...*
>   "...me, excuse me.  Can I help you?  This is the line to get 
>tickets you know.  People are waiting."  The clerk waved at Azel to 
>move forward to the counter and, impatiently, waited for a response.
>   "Yes, I know. In fact, I'd like a ticket.  I want a one way 
>flight tonight to..."  Her mind, stuck on the thought of a ticket, 
>could not think of a single place to go.  Without waiting, the clerk 
>read off a list.
>   "Tonight," droned the clerk in a cross manner, "we have planes to 
>France, Europe, Russia, Egypt, Japan, and Canada."
>   "Oh...  Cana-"
>   "Whoops, the one to Canada already left."
>   "Then, France-"
>   "The one to France is now full."
>   "Egypt then!"
>   "Oh sorry...  That one's full too."
>   Azel could swear the clerk was smirking at her.  For the first 
>time in her entire life, Azel grew dangerously, murderously mad.  
>Her mind gripped at the idea of a ticket now.
>   *No idiot little clerk is going to stop ME!  Ohhhh no.  Not 
>now...  Not when I've just gotten started!  I'm tired of letting 
>others decide for me, I'm tired of being compliant...  THAT'S IT!*
>   The multicolored spots in front of Azel's eyes began spinning 
>faster and faster until they became of a massive ball of lights.  
>Suddenly they burst, and as Azel's head pounded, her eyes began to 
>glow a sickly yellow color.  The clerk drew back in surprise as 
>Azel's glowing eyes bored straight at the clerk.  The people behind 
>Azel didn't notice a thing and began grumbling at the clerk to hurry 
>up.  Azel herself didn't notice the glow or the surge of power that 
>raced through her body.  Her mind was concentrated on one thing, and 
>that thing, was a ticket.
>   "I WANT that ticket.  I want it NOW!  I'm going to...  um...  
>Japan.  And there WILL be a free spot, and the plane WILL not take 
>off for at least fifteen minutes!"  Azel's voice was full of barely 
>contained hostility.  She glared at the clerk with ferocity and 
>carefully lifted her clench hand onto the wood counter.  "I'd like 
>my ticket NOW, I said!"
>   The clerk, avoiding eye contact, quickly typed up the ticket and 
>placed it by Azel's clenched fist.  The clerk coughed nervously and 
>mumbled, "That'll be 200 dollars please."
>   Azel took out her credit card, stuck the luggage in the 
>appropriate place and stared intensely at the clerk until he returned 
>the credit card.  The clerk then made it clear Azel was needed 
>elsewhere.  Shaking slightly, Azel took the ticket and moved away 
>from the counter.  The glow quickly faded, leaving only a yellow 
>glow around her.  Drained, bewildered, and strangely filled with a 
>new conviction that what she was doing was right, Azel made her way 
>towards the door, only barely catching the clerk's last words.
>   "Jeez," muttered the clerk at Azel's departing back.  "Some 
>people have no patience."