Okay, no time to really chat, so I'll give you a quick once-over:

This story was inspired by a nightmare I had a couple nights ago. For the most part, it is accurate to my dream. It has descriptive mentions of blood and death, so you're warned.

Also, I wanted to let y'all know I'm going on vacation from the 5th to the 10th, and I'm not bringing my computer, since I'll be so busy going to amusement parks! Disneyland, Legoland, and Worship Night in America all in the same time span?! YAAAAAAAASSSSS!

And yeah, this is one of my rare "first person POV" stories, for the most part coming from Jay's point of view.

Hope you like!

1. It All Started With A Movie (Kinda)

(Jay's P.O.V.)

It all started with a movie . . . kinda. The whole thing goes back a lot farther than that one summer day the guys were watching that movie, but I don't wanna get to that yet.

Anyway, I came into the media den after a scorching bout on patrol duty. Patrolling should sure as heck be illegal in 90° weather like this, but Sensei insists that even though Nadakhan and the Sky Pirates may have been taken care of, we've still gotta be on our A-game with keeping an eye out for trouble. I'm just so glad that that police officer guy - what was his name - Tommy, let me know Sensei was calling me back to the Bounty, since I did the stupid thing and forgot to take either my phone or walkie-talkie with me and I could not have survived another thirty seconds out in that blazing heat.

Lessee, where was I . . . oh, yeah, I had just gotten back from patrol and I headed straight into the den, hoping the Wii U was free. Lego Dimensions is the perfect way to relax on a sweltering day like this. But unfortunately, the other guys were watching a movie, and judging by the way their eyebulbs were glued to the screen, there was no sweet-talking them into a round of Dimensions. Even Zane seemed to be riveted to whatever movie was playing (I couldn't see from my current standing spot), and that was something.

From the two-seater loveseat that was just blocking my view of the TV, a pair of gorgeous amber eyes noticed me standing a little awkwardly in the doorway. Nya smiled at me in that dazzling way that always makes my knees melt into hot butter. I grinned nervously back and I mouthed a shaky "Whatcha watchin'?" Gosh, she's so beautiful it makes me a little dizzy. . .

I couldn't really tell what she mouthed back, it looked like she was saying my name, and then she gestured to the empty spot on the loveseat next to her, inviting me to sit down. Tiptoeing into the den as quietly as I could, I slipped in next to Nya. She snuggled her head into my shoulder, wrapping her arms around my waist in an unexpected cuddle. "How was patrol?" she whispered in my ear, nuzzling my cheek with her head.

I was so unused to this sorta display of affection from Nya that the only thing I could reply that wouldn't make me sound like a complete idiot was "Hot." Hopefully she knew what I meant. . .

Yep, she wasn't blushing. Whew, I probably would have died if she thought I had misheard her and called her "hot." Not that that wouldn't be accurate, but the guys really hate it when we start making out in the middle of a movie. Speaking of which, I still didn't know what it was. Gah, I gotta work on my lip-reading. . .

I tore my gaze away from the angel at my side to look at the TV screen. All right, movie geek brain, get to analyzing: the quality of the movie suggested it was a bit on the oldish side, probably 1970s. . . That was as far as I got before my mind froze.

I was literally paralyzed, unable to look away from the huge gray-and-white monster swimming across the screen. The rows of serrated fangs, the eyes rolled back in the head so its eyes were blank black orbs, the blood trailing behind its waving tail. . .

Old memories flashed through my head, with this terrifying leviathan as the centerpiece of them all. I had to get out of here before I could either scream or burst into tears. The memories were just too painful for me to just sit there and stare at the cause of them.

I squirmed out of Nya's arms and ran out of the room, not caring that the others had paused the movie and were staring at me in bewilderment. I won't relive those frightening memories again. I can't. That . . . that creature had scarred me for life.