Makalah IPA "DNA dan RNA"

Bab 1

Pendahuluan

1.     Latar belakang

Asam nukleat adalah polinukleotida yang terdiri dari unit-unit mononukleotida, jika unit-unit pembangunnya dioksinukleotida maka asam nukleat itu disebut dioksiribonukleat (DNA), dan jika terdiri dari unit-unit mononukleotida disebut asam ribonukleat (RNA).

DNA dan RNA mempunyai sejumlah sifat kimia dan fisika yang sama sebab antara unit-unit mononukleotida terdapat ikatan yang sama yaitu melalui jembatan fosfodiester antara posisi 3 suatu mononukleotida dan posisi 5 pada mononukleotida lainnya.

Asam-asam nukleat seperti asam dioksiribosa nukleat (DNA) dan asam ribonukleat (RNA) memberikan dasar kimia bagi pemindahan keterangan di dalam semua sel. Asam nukleat merupakan molekul makro yang memberi keterangan tiap asam nukleat mempunyai urutan nukleotida yang unik sama seperti urutan asam amino yang unik dari suatu protein tertentu karena asam nukleat merupakan rantai polimer yang tersusun dari satuan monomer yang disebut nukleotida.

Dua tipe utama asam nukleat adalah asam dioksiribonukleat(DNA) dan asam ribonukleat (RNA). DNA terutama ditemui dalam inti sel, asam ini merupakan pengemban kode genetik dan dapat memproduksi atau mereplikasi dirinya dengan tujuan membentuk sel-sel baru untuk memproduksi organisme itu dalam sebagian besar organisme, DNA suatu sel mengerahkan sintesis molekul RNA, satu tipe RNA, yaitu messenger RNA(mRNA), meninggalkan inti sel dan mengarahkan tiosintesis dari berbagai tipe protein dalam organisme itu sesuai dengan kode DNA-nya.

2.     Tujuan Penulisan

Makalah ini bertujuan agar pembaca dapat memahami tentang Defenisi  DNA dan RNA, Perbedaan DNA dan RNA, Ukuran DNA dan RNA, Struktur DNA dan RNA, Lokasi DNA dan RNA, Fungsi DNA dan RNA, Bagaimana Cara Menentukan DNA dan RNA.

BAB 2

PEMBAHASAN

1.      Defenisi  DNA dan RNA

DNA adalah rantai doble heliks belipin yang terdiri atas polunikleotida. Yang berfungsi sebagai perawis sifat dan sintesis protein.

Ada 2 kelompok basa nitrogen yang berikatan pada DNA yaitu:
1. Purin.
Purin terdiri dari basa nitrogen, adenin dan guanin.
2. Pirimidin
Pirimidin terdiri dari basa nitrogen sitosin dan timin.
Basa purin selalu berpasangan dengan basa pirimidin melalui ikatan hidrogen. Sedangkan adenin selalu berpasangan dengan hymine melalui 2 ikatan hidrogen sedangkan Chytosine berpasangan dengan guanine melalui 3 ikatan hidrogen.

RNA adalah polimer ribonukleotida. Pita tersebut dapat berbentuk pita tunggal atau pita ganda tidak berpilin. Terdapat beberapa perbedaan RNA dibandingkan DNA Berdasarkan sifatnya, RNA dapat dibedakan menjadi R A genetik dan R A nongenetik. RNA genetik umumnya terdapat pada virus dan berfungsi layaknya DNA bagi virus, bertanggung jawab dalam membawa unsur genetik (genom virus). Adapun RNA nongenetik tidak berfungsi layaknya DNA. Mahkluk hidup umumnya memiliki DNA maupun RNA.

2.      Perbedaan DNA dan RNA

Bentuk penuh DNA adalah asam deoksiribonukleat, dan dianggap sebagai blok bangunan dari segala bentuk kehidupan. Semua organisme hidup memiliki DNA dan RNA. DNA dan RNA yang berbeda satu sama lain dalam ukuran, bentuk, struktur, fungsi dan lokasi. DNA dan RNA bersama-sama membentuk struktur spiral ganda.

DNA memiliki struktur heliks ganda, yang panjang dan berisi rantai panjang nukleotida. DNA ketika mengulurkan bisa sepanjang enam meter. Padahal, RNA merupakan rantai nukleotida lebih pendek dan juga merupakan struktur heliks. Nukleotida yang menyusun DNA Adenin, Guanin, Timin, dan Sitosina. Mereka diwakili dengan huruf seperti A, G, T dan C yang merupakan huruf pertama dari nama-nama nucleobases. Sekuens DNA tipikal digambarkan dalam bentuk ATTGCTGAAGGTGCGG.

DNA diukur berdasarkan jumlah pasangan basa itu. Dalam satu tubuh manusia, jika struktur DNA semua ditulis dengan menggunakan huruf-huruf dalam format tersebut, maka akan mengisi 4 ribu buku, masing-masing 500 halaman. Hal ini karena struktur DNA dari masing-masing begitu lama.

Meskipun banyak memiliki persamaan dengan DNA, RNA memiliki perbedaan dengan DNA, antara lain yaitu:

1.     Bagian pentosa RNA adalah ribosa, sedangkan bagian pentosa DNA adalah dioksiribosa.

2.     Bentuk molekul DNA adalah heliks ganda, bentuk molekul RNA berupa rantai tunggal yang terlipat, sehingga menyerupai rantai ganda.

3.     RNA mengandung basa adenin, guanin dan sitosin seperti DNA tetapi tidak mengandung timin, sebagai gantinya RNA mengandung urasil.

4.     Jumlah guanin dalam molekul RNA tidak perlu sama dengan sitosin, demikian pula jumlah adenin, tidak perlu sama dengan urasil.

Berdasarkan penjelasan sebelumnya kita dapat menyimpulkan beberapa perbedaan antara DNA dengan RNA sebagai berikut :

Komponen :

Gula pada DNA deoksiribosa , sedangkan RNA adalah ribosa Basa nitrogen :

·        purin — DNA adalah Adenin dan Guanin, pada RNA adalah Adenin dan Guanin

·        Pirimidin — DNA adalah Timin dan sitosin, pada RNA adalah Urasil dan sitosin

Bentuk :

·        DNA berbentuk rantai panjang , ganda, dan berpilin (double heliks)

·        RNA berbentuk rantai pendek, tunggal, dan tidak berpilin

Letak :

·        DNA terletak di dalam nukleus, kloroplas, mitokondria

·         RNA terletak di dalam nukleus, sitoplasma, kloroplas, mitokondria

Kadar:

·        DNA tetap

·        RNA tidak tetap.

3.       Ukuran DNA dan RNA

Pada umumnya molekul RNA lebih pendek dari molekul DNA. DNA berbentuk double helix, sedangkan RNA berbentuk pita tunggal. Meskipun demikian pada beberapa virus tanaman, RNA merupakan pita double namun tidak terpilih sebagai spiral.

4.       Struktur DNA dan RNA

Baik purin ataupun pirimidin yang berkaitan dengan deoksiribosa membentuk suatu molekul yang dinamakan nukleosida atau deoksiribonukleosida yang merupakan prekursor elementer untuk sintesis DNA.Prekursor merupakan suatu unsur awal pembentukan senyawa deoksiribonukleosida yang berkaitan dengan gugus fosfat.DNA tersusun dari empat jenis monomer nukleotida. Keempat basa nitrogen nukleotida di dalam DNA tidak berjumlah sama rata.Akan tetapi, pada setiap molekul DNA, jumlah adenin (A) selalu sama dengan jumlah timin (T).Demikian pula jumlah guanin (G) dengan sitisin(C) selalu sama.Fenomena ini dinamakan ketentuan Chargaff.Adenin (A) selalu berpasangan dengan timin (T) dan membentuk dua ikatan hidrogen (A=T), sedagkan sitosin (C) selalu berpasangan dengan guanin (G) dan membentuk 3 ikatan hirogen (C = G).

Pada tahun 1953, Frances Crick dan James Watson menemukan model molekul DNA sebagai suatu struktur heliks beruntai ganda, atau yang lebih dikenal dengan heliks ganda Watson-Crick.DNA merupakan makromolekul polinukleotida yang tersusun atas polimer nukleotida yang berulang-ulang, tersusun rangkap, membentuk DNA haliks ganda dan berpilin ke kanan.Setiap nukleotida terdiri dari tiga gugus molekul, yaitu :

1.      Gula 5 karbon (2-deoksiribosa)

Gula yang menyusunnya bukan dioksiribosa, melainkan ribosa.

2.      basa nitrogen yang terdiri golongan purin yaitu adenin (Adenin = A) dan guanin (guanine =  G ), serta golongan pirimidin, yaitu sitosin (cytosine = C) dan timin (thymine= T)

Basa pirimidin yang menyusunnya bukan timin seperti DNA, tetapi urasil.

3.      gugus fosfat

5.       Lokasi DNA dan RNA

DNA pada umumnya terdapat di kromosom, sedangkan RNA tergantung dari macamnya, yaitu:

1.      RNA d(RNA duta), terdapat dalam nukleus, RNA d dicetak oleh salah satu pita DNA yang berlangsung didalam nukleus.

2.      RNA p(RNA pemindah) atau RNA t(RNA transfer), terdapat di sitoplasma.

3.      RNA r(RNA ribosom), terdapat didalam ribosom.

6.       Fungsi DNA dan RNA

DNA berfungsi memberikan informasi atau keterangan genetik, sedangkan fungsi RNA tergantung dari macamnya, yaitu:

1.      RNA d, menerima informasi genetik dari DNA, prosesnya dinamakan transkripsi, berlangsung didalam inti sel.

2.      RNA t, mengikat asam amino yang ada di sitoplasma.

3.      RNA t, mensintesa protein dengan menggunakan bahan asam amino, proses ini berlangsung di ribosom dan hasil akhir berupa polipeptida.

Pada sekelompok virus (misalnya bakteriofag), RNA merupakan bahan genetik. Ia berfungsi sebagai penyimpan informasi genetik, sebagaimana DNA pada organisme hidup lain. Ketika virus ini menyerang sel hidup, RNA yang dibawanya masuk ke sitoplasma sel korban, yang kemudian ditranslasi oleh sel inang untuk menghasilkan virus-virus baru.

Namun demikian, peran penting RNA terletak pada fungsinya sebagai perantara antara DNA dan protein dalam proses ekspresi genetik karena ini berlaku untuk semua organisme hidup. Dalam peran ini, RNA diproduksi sebagai salinan kode urutan basa nitrogen DNA dalam proses transkripsi. Kode urutan basa ini tersusun dalam bentuk 'triplet', tiga urutan basa N, yang dikenal dengan nama kodon. Setiap kodon berelasi dengan satu asam amino (atau kode untuk berhenti), monomer yang menyusun protein. Lihat ekspresi genetik untuk keterangan lebih lanjut.

Penelitian mutakhir atas fungsi RNA menunjukkan bukti yang mendukung atas teori 'dunia RNA', yang menyatakan bahwa pada awal proses evolusi, RNA merupakan bahan genetik universal sebelum organisme hidup memakai DNA.

7.       Cara Menentukan DNA dan RNA

Ada beberapa cara untuk menentukan DNA dan RNA, yaitu:

1.      Jaringan hewan dan alkali hangat

RNA akan terpecah menjadi komponen-komponen nukleotida yang larut dalam asam. DNA sulit dipecah atau dirusak oleh alkali.

2.      Metode Schnider

Jaringan dan asam trikloro asetat panas dan diperkirakan DNA dapat diuji oleh reaksi kalorimetri dengan difenilanin, yang mana akan bereaksi dengan purin dioksiribosa dan tidak bereaksi dengan purin ribosa.

3.      Metode Feligen

Fuchsin sulfurous acid akan berwarna merah dengan DNA, dan tidak dengan RNA. Reaksi ini diterapkan untuk mempelajari distribusi RNA dan DNA didalam bagian-bagian sel.

4.      Secara Spektroskopi

Pengaukuran absorbsi cahaya oleh RNA dan DNA pada 260nm dimana spektra cincin purin dan pirimidin asam nukleat menunjukkan maksimal.

Tiga bentuk utama RNA yang terdapat didalam sel adalah mRNA(messenger RNA), rRNA  (ribosa RNA), dan tRNA (transfer RNA). Tiap bentuk RNA ini mempunyai berat molekul dan komposisi yang berlainan, tetapi khas untuk tiap macam bentuk RNA.
Semua RNA terdiri dari rantai tunggal poliribonukleotida. Pada sel bakteri, hampir semua RNA ada di dalam sitoplasma. Disel hati kira-kira 11% terdapat dalam nukleus(terutama mRNA), sekitar 15% dalam mitokondria, lebih dari 50% dalam ribosom, dan kira-kira 24% dalam strosol.

BAB 3

PENUTUP

1.     Kesimpulan

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) atau asam deoksiribosa nukleat (ADN) merupakan tempat penyimpanan informasi genetik

Asam nukleat adalah polinukleotida yang terdiri dari unit-unit mononukleotida, jika unit-unit pembangunnya dioksinukleotida maka asam nukleat itu disebut dioksiribonukleat(DNA) dan jika terdiri dari unit-unit mononukleotida disebut asam ribonukleat(RNA).

Bentuk penuh DNA adalah asam deoksiribonukleat, dan dianggap sebagai blok bangunan dari segala bentuk kehidupan. Semua organisme hidup memiliki DNA dan RNA

Pada umumnya molekul RNA lebih pendek dari molekul DNA. DNA berbentuk double helix, sedangkan RNA berbentuk pita tunggal.

DNA berfungsi memberikan informasi atau keterangan genetik, sedangkan fungsi RNA tergantung dari :

·        RNA d, menerima informasi genetik dari DNA, prosesnya dinamakan transkripsi, berlangsung didalam inti sel.

·        RNA t, mengikat asam amino yang ada di sitoplasma.

·        RNA t, mensintesa protein dengan menggunakan bahan asam amino, proses ini berlangsung di ribosom dan hasil akhir berupa polipeptida.

Ada beberapa cara untuk menentukan DNA dan RNA, yaitu:

ü  Jaringan hewan dan alkali hangat.

ü  Metode Schnider.

ü  Metode Feligen.

ü  Secara Spektroskopi.

2.     Saran-saran

Materi tentang DNA dan RNA ini masih perlu dilengkapi, didalamnya masih banyak terdapat kekurangan disebabkan keterbatasan yang dimiliki oleh penyusun. Kepada guru mata pelajaran yang bersangkutan serta semua pihak yang membaca makalah ini agar memberi masukan sehingga makalah ini dapat lebih bermanfaat serta mudah di mengerti.

Daftar Pustaka

Buku biologi 3, kelas XII SMA, 2006.

Modul SMP terbuka, kelas IX, Semester 2, 2009.

Blogger Theme by Lasantha -  http://www.artidefinisi.com/2012/07/rna-ribonucleic-acid-pengertian-fungsi.html#ixzz2IhqfLkpI.

www.google.co.id/search/definisirna.

http://marskrip.blogspot.com/2009/12/dna.html.

http://makalahcentre.blogspot.com/2011/01/dna-dan-rna.html.

http://rantypebriantika.blogspot.com/2011/12/makalah-biologi.

Hadianti, Afiyah. 2013

Difference between Life and Death

Kirsty’s body went cold. Her grip was there no more. The life support machine went dead. Kirsty’s body started shaking, her life was flashing before her, she saw the happy days of her childhood, her junior years and finally her teenage years, which weren’t extremely the best days of her life.
Her family surrounded Kirsty’s cold lifeless body. Tears were flowing down their cheeks like a never ending river. Kirsty’s mother wouldn’t let go of her daughter. The colour in Kirsty’s face got paler and paler.
“You need to leave now Mrs. Kite.” Said a nurse walking into Kirsty’s private room. The walls covered in posters of her favorite bands.
“OK.” Her mother said as she kissed her daughter goodbye and walked out. Before she went, she turned to the nurse.
“Thanks for looking after her.”
“Its ok.” The nurse replied as Mrs. Kite walked of in floods of tears, hugging her other daughter Crystal. They all walked out into the horizon, all joining arms. The nurse in Kirsty’s room started to take down all the posters that filled her little room. She unclipped the life support machine and rolled it away, out of her room, leaving Kirsty’s lifeless body lying there peacefully.
The Kite family finally made it home; it was about an hour and a half drive from the hospital where Kirsty lay.
“Mummy, isn’t Kirsty coming home yet?” Her youngest son asked.
“No baby, go to bed, I bet you’re tired.” Mrs. Kite said as she took him upstairs and put him to bed.
“Goodnight Johnny.” She said to her son.
“Goodnight mummy.” He replied as he hid under his duvet.
Mrs. Kite has 5 children. Only 3 live with her though. It takes her ages to get them to bed. Johnny was the last one to go to bed. After she left Johnny’s bedroom she went into Kirsty’s room. Even her walls at home were covered in posters of bands and actors. Also pictures of herself at concerts, with her friends and with her family. Every single one of the pictures tells a story. Her mother sat on Kirsty’s bed, holding a letter which Kirsty had wrote just a couple of days before she passed away. Mrs. Kite opened up the letter and read it over in her head.

Mum, Johnny, Crystal, Howard, Sapphire

Well, life is running away from me. I didn’t mean any of this to happen. But after I’ve gone carry on the same, as if I was still there. I will still be there with you. You see, the difference between life and death is – nothing. I will be living a new and different life. I will be all your guardian angels. Tell Johnny he can have my guitar, but make him look after it. Tell Crystal that I’m proud of her for getting into the athletics team, she’ll do great. Howard, well tell him not to worry what people say about him or his partner Tony. Also if they have a civil ceremony tell him not to dance, you know what happened last time. Lastly tell Sapphire that I’m really sorry that I won’t make it to her wedding. I’m really upset that I can’t be her maid of honor. Mum, you know I love you. But I’ll still be very much alive, everywhere you go and look.
Yours faithfully
Kirsty
X
Your guardian angel

Mrs. Kite’s tears spotted the page. How could she tell Johnny that he’s never going to see his sister again? What would life be like without Kirsty, her smile lit up the room. Never a frown on her beautiful pale face. Her long black hair tinted with red highlights, fringe covering her eyes. She had beautiful piercing blue eyes. Mrs. Kite couldn’t believe that something like this could happen to her little girl, even though she is 18, she was too young to die.
Mrs. Kite finally left Kirsty’s room and made her way to bed. She wouldn’t get any sleep though.
“Mummy.” Shouted Johnny at 6 o clock in the morning.
Mrs. Kite heard him because she was awake still. She got out of bed, still fully clothed and made her way into Johnny’s room.
“What’s up darling?” She said as she sat down on his bed looking extremely tired.
“Mummy, Kirsty, She’s died.”
“What do you mean Hun?” Mrs. Kite said putting her arm around Johnny.
“I had a nightmare. She was lying in a hospital bed and a thing kept beeping, then she started shaking.” He said looking at his mum, tears in his eyes. He may be young but he isn’t dumb.
“Johnny, Kirsty was very ill. They couldn’t do anything for her.”
“So, she’s dead.” Johnny asked.
Mrs. Kite couldn’t reply, she just nodded. Johnny burst into tears. He reached out to his mum and she embraced him in a hug. Mrs. Kite tried to hold the tears back, for Johnny.
“I want to see her mummy.” He said as he pulled away from his mum.
Mrs. Kite didn’t know what to do. Should she let him see Kirsty? Is he too young? All these questions swimming around in her head.
“Ok.” She said as she got up of his bed and walked out of the room. She walked down the stairs to the kitchen to make breakfast before they left to go to the hospital again, this time everyone of Kirsty’s brothers and sisters were going. They all had breakfast. Well Johnny, mum and crystal did. Howard and Sapphire were making there own way to the hospital.
“In the car now!” Shouted Mrs. Kite trying to sort everything out. Johnny and Crystal ran out to the car, Mrs. Kite followed closely behind them.
It took them 2 hours to get to the hospital because of roadworks. When they got there, Howard and sapphire were already there.
“Mrs. Kite, please could I speak to you.” A doctor said to her as soon as she’d got through the door.

“Ok, Kids go through to see Kirsty, Sapphire look after Johnny.” She said as she followed the doctor to his room.
“Sit down.” He said as he pointed to a chair. Silence filled the room. The doctor looked like he was trying to think of what to say.
“So what did you want?” She said in a rushed voice, wanting to get of and see Kirsty.
“Well this might shock you.” He said in a disturbing tone.

from: www.booksie.com

Enchanted to meet You

"Maggy, why is it back at the village you have every man that you want in your hands and I don't," I asked," I mean I never had one even glance my way. They never notice me! I am seriously wondering that they don't like about me."

"Abcde, you have asked me this a thousand times already. It just that you haven't been able to find the right guy for yourself. You know how it is. I may have everyone flinging themselves at me but I am not interested. Just wait for mister right to come along. All you have to do is be patient." She replied while looking straight into my eyes with her own hazel eyes.

I couldn't wait. I was never a patient person and never would be. The right guy could be out there but how long would it be until he found me or I found him? It seemed like forever.

"You have silky, brown hair and those eyes of yours. You could get any guy. I, on the other hand, have curly, red hair and plain, brown eyes. No man would look at me at all. Most think that I have a bad attitude. No guy wants me." I explained while fiddling with my hand me down dress.

Maggy-Marie's was a dress that put mine to shame. It was a light red that somehow made her eyes pop and was down to her knees.  The patched dress that hung loosely look as if it ate me whole. It nearly went down to my shins as we walked.

"Don't be such a drag! You are the most beautiful person I know. Someday you will find a special someone for you that likes that hair of yours," she argued.

"Alright. I won't bug you anymore today about it. Shall we get going to WickaDola? I know Grayson has stuff to tell me like he always does. Isa and Grayson always seem to be hanging out together more and more. Maybe they like each other," I stated.

"I noticed that too. Let’s get going before we forget. When we get there, let’s meet up in the usual spot."

I nodded my head yes and looked for my plump gray cat. He was strolling behind us with Maggy's dog Isa. Isa was a huge, black and white Newfoundland. Gray looked like a little ant next to Isa but they did not care one bit. Back in WickaDola they are the same species anyways.

"Grayson. Come on already, you know how important it is to get there on time. Kratos will literally tan our behinds if we don't. You can tell her why we were late too. I am not getting in trouble for your little romance with Isa." I shouted back at them.

Grayson puffed out his chest and gave me the evil eye. Isa just licked his head and nudge him forward as she caught up to us easily.

When we reached our hide out Maggy and I took out our much needed writing materials. Isa and Grayson settled down next to each other as the watched us get set to go to WickaDola.

There I was just wishing to be...

I landed with a thud on my bum. Looking around I found that I was back in my favorite place to be. I sighed with relief. Finally I was where I was noticed.

"We best be going if we want to meet up with Maggy and Isa. If we are late now it is because of you. I am not telling Kratos it was my fault. It was not my fault that you guys went a head of us." commented Grayson as he hopped by me.

"Looks like you are in love with Isa. Every time Maggy and I get together, you guys are sucking up to each other. You love her don't you? Just admit it," I grinned.

Instead of answering me, Grayson hopped off know exactly where to go.  I scrambled onto my feet and chased after him. He always goes mute when the conversation had to do with him and Isa.

"Grayson! Don't be like this, you know I was just kidding around. I mean Isa is just a friend and nothing more," I shouted, "I'm sorry to make you mad you know you're my buddy right?"

"Isa and I are not a thing. She is beautiful but we can't be together. We are just friends. I know you were just kidding but please, I don't want to hear anymore about it. Do you understand?"

Why does he always have to be so picky about a relationship with her? It was a joke....

"Yes, I do understand. I just don't understand why you can't be together. I understand why back home but why not here? It just so confusing," I confessed. 

"This will be the last time you ask me of this anymore. The reason we can not and will not be together is because of the rules. Each puff is assigned to one of you guys while you just beginning to become a messenger, therefore we have no time to look out for love. At your age now, it is important to us to make sure you stay on the right track so we do not loose any more messengers as we did in the pass. Until you get old and Maggy gets older, there will be no thing between us. Once you are older, we would still have gain permission to as you would call it get married and have other pufflings that would help other messengers just like you.  Now that is the end of it. We have to hurry if we want to meet them on time."

By the time we met up with Maggy-Marie and Isa, we were late. Once we got into the main office we went our separate ways and headed to our own guides. Kratos was tapping her foot impatiently as our elevator reached her floor.

"Where have you been? Do you think just because you are older that you can just ditch and do want ever you want to do? Well do you?" She practically shouted. Her hair was a raging storm and her eyes turned from friendly to vicious within seconds.

"No ma'am. We were just late because we got side tracked on a discussion. We were debating that if people could be come messengers but never come here what would happen. I am sorry that we are late. I didn't mean too. Next time we will be early." I bowed my head in shame.

"It is okay. Hard times like this make me think that you will leave and never comeback. I have grown to love you, Abcde, don't forget that. I do not wish to lose my best messenger."

Kratos over the years of knowing me became my second mother. No matter what I did or who I did it with I could always rely on her. My own mother still treated me as if I was a little girl. Making me do things that were ridiculous no matter whose view you looked at it in.

"It must be hard when you lose messengers, young and old. I love this place and would never, ever leave you. Kratos, you like my mother and will always be. If I lost you, I would not know what to do. Being a messenger is nothing with out you to help me on the way. WickaDola is my second home. This is the place I grew up the most in. Please don't you ever feel like I would leave you."

I hugged her just then. She was shocked, but eventually she came to hug me back. I could sense what ever stress that Grayson and I caused her melt away.  She was the one who ended our hug. She grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes. Her eyes had a gleam to the corner of them, which I suspected were tears.

"Well, you only have a while here and there are stories to be told. I want you, Grayson, to take her to the west side of the realm. There I think she will meet new friends. WickaDola is so huge, one person never can get enough of it! Now shoo before your time is up. Remember to," She started.

"Always be back on time so I can gather all my new information in to one area before I leave," I said automatically, "I know the rules."

I was heading out the doors of the Office when Maggy-Marie came up besides me.

"So, where are you headed to? I headed toward the Southern WickaDola. Andratos said it would me be in my benefit to get out more then the regular areas I go to. Isa agreed but I still think I should stay in Northern WickaDola. I like it there but they teamed up on me and demanded, well just told me really, to go and explore WickaDola. So difficult! I swear it is just getting to be more harder then when we first came here. She expects me to write more details that will appeal to the senses and she wants me to be the greatest writer I can be. I do write fast and that but she wants me to be better, to learn how to do certain things better then what I can do. All I can do is try. It is amazing how I can just ramble on and on like I am right now," Maggy admitted.

"First, I'm going to Western WickaDola. Southern WickaDola is awesome. I must admit that when I first came I ended up over there. There are a lot of residents that will be thrilled to meet you. Kip is the sluegood I met. He was really big and orange with a little bit of scary. He was the first of my story characters!  Kratos told me that WickaDola is a place to huge to know for one person. I guess that is why there are so many messengers. Anyways, I understand.  I know that is tough to better talents but it can be done! Sensory detail is important in everything you write. I know this cause Kratos trained me for a good year on it before she called it expert work. Try having Kratos as a Guide. She reminds me of my old teacher Mrs. Cherry always repetition and the need to better yourself. Rambling is good, if there was no rambling then there would be no sense in the world or WickaDola realm. We would all go mad if it weren't for rambling. Look, I'm rambling now! I can not just stop myself for the life of me. I am crazy and so are you. We are crazy! Rambling, crazy idiots. Oh that is how the village has seen us for the last 8 years," I exclaimed, "but they don't know that we are crazy, we are just one of many kinds of messengers. We write to let them know that even though we ramble there is a truth behind our rambling!"

"Okay, I get the point. Rambling is good and writing is even better. Did you know how far we got just by rambling? I think we got half way to our parts. Pretty soon I will have to let you go again, which will devastate my little heart! I will be no longer the Maggy-Marie whose best friend is Abcde but I will be Maggy-Marie with her best friend half way across WickaDola Realm. I Ouch! You have a really good punch there." She was smiling and rubbing where I hit her on the shoulder.

"Then I shall be Abcde the redheaded, rambling idiot whose best friend left her to go and write about sluegoods and other characters.  Oh how terrible it is! I won't see you most of the time we are here. Goodness I do think I feel like fainting now.  Please do make sure you catch me as I fall.  I wouldn't dare want to hurt Isa or Grayson if I fall."

"I do imply that we hurry and that you don't fall on Isa or me. That would be deadly awful. Don't you say Isa," Grayson asked. He was trying to hide his laughter as he talked all proper.

"Bumbling fools. If you ever fall on me, the princess of being the princess then I shall have you behead. Yes I did say behead! It is the only punishment that is suitable for the death of a princess like me. I agree we shall be walking and not shuffling our way along. Princesses do not like to be late and nor are we ever late," she ordered. Her white stripe made her look like a princess. Her coloring was so rare in puffs that indeed she acted like she was all that and a bag of chips.

"Isa! Why would you say such a thing? You would never last that long with out me and you know it. Beheading is never the answer. It seems like it always is. Besides the time is not really going that fast, and well we are always here when we need to come. We have all the time in the world it seems Princess Isa. Don't forget that once we are done, which is why you want us to hurry up, you and Grayson get some time together. I know how it is now. Want to abandon us for some chat time to yourselves. Shall we hurry along so the royalty and her friend can hang out together?" Maggy-Marie questioned.

"Thy royalty is a pain in thy foot at times but I suppose that she needs to see her friend as well. We shall quicken our walk, so that we will depart even faster then we wish to. Her royal highness and Grayson need the time to themselves also." I giggled.

It did not take long until we went our own ways. It felt awkward with the silence thick in the air. There was no more giggling or even the enjoyment of walking. Grayson was in his own thoughts and I in my own. Thoughts haunted me as I continued to gnaw at my very soul.

"Gray, do you ever think that I will find someone for me like you did with Isa? It seems impossible since I am now seventeen yet no one dares to look twice. I might as well wear a sign that says don't like me I will bite off your head. I know you heard what Maggy said to me but I really want your honest to god opinion."

"I did hear your little conversation while I was walking behind. Maybe it just because the right guy is not there yet. You have to fit perfectly together and not just be people who are smashed together.  Don't worry he, who ever he is, will come along," Grayson reassured me.

There was a noise that was hard to tell what it was. It sounded as if it were a pony neighing but walking through the forest made it sound like it was coming from every which way.

"What was that," I whispered as quiet as I could.

Grayson made a shush sound and head to the right into the dense woods. I was dumbfounded whether or not I should follow him. I quickly decided that it was something that I could not miss. There was that sound again but more closely. I continued to follow Grayson as best as I could.  He was weaving between the trees rushing towards the sound as if the whole forest was on fire. I suddenly saw why. In the middle of an open patch was a pure midnight black pony. It was trapped. It was hang up in a net as it struggled to get free. Every movement it mad the net tangled it up more.

"That is an unipony, the most rarest of creatures in WickaDola. It is a cousin to the unicorn and the regular pony. It seems poachers were out here to get a prize like him. This may sound stupid and unlike me but do you have that pocket knife that you carry even though I insist that you never carry it?" predicted Grayson.

I felt around my patched dress looking for the secret pocket I had attached. I felt the usual lump of cold metal in against my hand and pulled it out. The silver knife gleamed in the little sunlight the beamed through the dense canopy of the colorful trees. It was a small knife that came in handy when I needed but most people who knew I had it insisted that I get rid of it.  It was not lady like to carry a pocket knife or any type of knife. I just shrugged it off and now I am glad I did.

"Yep. I always will carry it and now you see why it comes in handy. What to do you want me to do? I can cut it down if you want. If it is the rarest of creatures then we need to cut it down.”

            “Well we have to do it a certain way or else we could in danger both of us. It is going to be risky. Damn poachers don’t know when to stop. Some day karma is going come back and bite them on their booty. So here is how we do it,” he explained.

            It took fifteen minutes to