Crystal Deschain was the middle child in five, easily overlooked in her family she was the odd one in the bunch, the one that marched to her own drummer at times and other times she shied away from things. Her nearly complete albinism didn't help her fit in any and her family was very protective of her. In school she got very good grades but was always the shy quiet one off in a corner reading a book instead of socializing with her classmates, she was the quiet geek type. Maybe it was because she'd been picked on in elementary school that she then chose to be by herself rather then be a social butterfly, or maybe it was just that she was so different, only she knew the answer to that. Being creative she took to art like a fish to water and when she couldn't be seen reading a book in the corner she could be found off somewhere quiet by herself drawing and doodling or painting.
She graduated High School with high honors and put herself through college choosing to major in fine art, not surprising, with a minor in design at a college in Chicago. Working part time at a store called Silk and Lace she modeled lingerie for customers, nothing sexual or anything, just showing the customers what the outfits looked like before they bought them, but it paid well and got her enough to pay for all her expenses. Working hard her freshman year she enjoyed her classes with enthusiasm and it payed off as she was selected to study abroad in Europe, a chance which she jumped at. She immersed herself in the culture and studied hard overseas. Seeing the sights and taking in local theatre and going to many a museum. Her head was spinning and she was very happy, studying abroad was all she had dreamed, but her dream quickly became a nightmare.
One fateful night when she was strolling campus enjoying the warm night air and beautiful sights she heard footsteps behind her. She walked to one side of the path hoping the person was just on their way to their dorm but she the person behind her moved to the side of the path too. She moved to the otherside in her pace and they matched her, now it was getting creepy and her pulse quickened, she held the strap of her bookbag in a white knuckled grip and walked faster. The person behind her picked up their pace as well but they were catching up to her, she looked over her shoulder and saw them grin coldly as they passed under a light. Crystal gasped and started running, hitting the button on every emergency alert pole she saw on her way. Finally she thought they'd given up but she wasn't about to stop running not until she was safely inside her dorm room. She was looking behind her as she was running when suddenly she heard a rustle and looked forward just in time to see the youngman snicker and throw up his hand open palmed in front of him. It was like he'd popped out of know where and she didn't have time to slow down or stop, she ran right into his hand, her feet flying forward as his hand knocked the wind out of her, flipping her backward she landed on her back on the ground as if thrown, her head bouncing off the pavement of the pathway. Then he was on top of her and they were struggling, he leaned down close to her neck and she grabbed one of her pencils jabbing it as hard as she could for his neck. It sank in deep and the sound of pain and rage he let out chilled her to the bone, part scream part yowling part a growling roar. Suddenly she had a huge snow leopard on top of her and it bit down on her shoulder, her vision blurring with the pain of her shoulder joint crushing in its powerful jaws. It bit and gnawed, its fangs tearing and slicing into her muscle as it bit down on her shoulder and part of her neck.
Police came running from both ends of the path, campus and local, they tazered the animal and roared letting go of her and stumbling, but it didn't fall. The police opened fire and kept shooting until it fell onto the ground. Crystal was trembling and gasping for breath, she tried fighting anyone who touched her, even the medical team. She was given a heavy sedative and rushed to the hospital. When the doctors at the hospital found out the whole story and it was clear she wasn't going to die, they'd done that much for her, grateful that she'd arrived when she did; almost dead, she was put on the next flight to the US. Sent to the best hospital with a shifter care unit she was flown to Chicago's Memorial Hospital, under sedation that would keep her down for another few days, giving her a coma for a week. With any luck she would wake up calm and groggy in the best of care.
Chicago would not be what she was told pard was supposed to be. Pard was supposed to be family. She would spend the next 2 years in chicago among the pard and see atleast six nimirs come and go. She would believe pard was family many times and each time her belief would be crushed. She would see outsiders join and kill pard, she saw them lie and be believed. She would see her own pard tear itself apart from the inside and then turn on her. Chicago became a nightmare and she became a danger to her friends who wanted to protect her.
One friend had an idea, he knew Julian in boston and had heard stories of the pad there. He asked Julian a favor when he found out that another friend of his from Boston, Peter, was in town. Peter agreed and took Crystal and Ahi with a few posessions in what would be a four day car drive. Crystal said her tearful goodbye to her friend in chicago that had arranged it and trusted him to know what he was doing. She also knew that her pard would kill him to get to her and her mate, without remorse. She had to leave her friends and family, and run from her own pard so her friends could be safe. She got to know peter well as she curled up with Ahikam in the back seat. Peter wasn't pard but he had a quality that made him easy to trust. They spoke several times with Julian on the phone and soon arrived with chips and soda for a welcome party in Boston at Julian's apartment in their honor. The energy and feel of the pard in Boston put Crystal at ease quicker then it did Ahikam. She felt safe and welcomed, like she was valued. It was the holy grail of pards, everything she'd been told pard was supposed to be. All the stories she'd been raised from a kitten as become reality. She kept in regular contact with Auranna and after a short while even she came over to Boston. Johnothan too came, with the kittens crystal and ahi owned and had to leave behind. Chuckles came too on the heels of Ahikam and Crystal, out of his own grizzly necessity. Julian welcomed them all in and Crystal had a chance to grow.