Warning: I have not edited this except for spelling, at least I don't think I have, but I have decided to upload this anyway, because I will not get around to editing this for months at the least, knowing me, and I wanted it to be read. Also, I thought I'd warn now that there are some spiritual undertones to this story, but I don't think it's too major, mostly the level that was in the Chronicles of Narnia, which is why this is labled sci-fi/fantasy...that and I didn't know if it was sci-fi or fantasy, it's either borderline or both.

And also, I thought I'd say that all things in this story are products of my imagination and my imagination alone (except the religious stuff, obviously) therefore I'll allow people to use anything below (if they want to use it, that is) as long as it's properly noted in their stories (although it would be nice if they'd e-mail me so I could go read it :D )

-Prologue-

“Almost done, Telk.” The elven priest gave me one of his rare smiles as he picked up the needle and started on the last tattoo, the one that would make me one of them at last, the one that would make me elven. I had been looking forward to this day for over six years, and it was finally here, it felt so surreal, to think that I would finally have the permanency, the community, the wholeness, all that I had ever desired in this moment. True, they had accepted me, but I knew that I would not know their full hospitality until I was one of them, pointed ears and all.

I grinned at the priest and looked down at my left forearm to see that he had already started on it. This one looked more purple, not blue, green, red or orange like the various other tattoos that already graced my body. Five minutes and I would never be forced to leave by anybody, not the government who thought that the runaways who stayed here had been kidnaped by the elves, not run away as was the truth of the matter, not my parents with their persuasion, not anybody. Once this was done I could tell my parents I was here and they wouldn’t be able to do anything to get me home to the outside world where I didn’t belong.

“They’re coming!” I heard someone yell behind me, and I looked down at my arm, knowing what the yeller meant with a sinking feeling. They’d be here before the ritual was complete, and they’d rip me away, only if I was an elf would they even listen a moment-

I heard yelling and screaming behind me as the elves tried to keep the soldiers from me, at least long enough for the ritual to be complete. They already viewed me as one of them.

The soldiers got past them and tore me from the priest who looked shocked. The tattoo was nearly complete, the priest tried to get to me, but the soldiers got to him first. I heard them talking to me as I screamed and tried to get to the priest, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying, and then as my struggling got more frantic as they started pulling the white-robed priest from me, I felt them put something in my arm, and I don’t remember anything else after that.