First of all, I must say to those of you who finished DTL 2: The Next Chapter... What the hell was up with the ending??? It was weird!!! And those of you who didn't... SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!!!
Here's how DTL 2 should have ended...
Our hero, sent to us by the Creator walked out of Wilfre's castle, smile stretched from ear to ear.
"He is destroyed."
Cheers erupted from the gathered Raposa.
Choirs from Watersong sang in rejoice, for the Creator had saved them. Rose picked up her son, and swung him around in joy.
Shouts from Lavastream began; mining tools were thrown down, as they praised the Creator and his hero for bringing back color. Moe pulled Miney into a hug.
Cheers from citizens from Galactic Jungle seemed to ring loudest of all; they had taken off their helmets. "The Creator!" They cheered. "He saved us!" The children raced around, enjoying their new freedom.
Only Jowee and I were silent. He looked at me, something like fear in his blue eyes.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered. Jowee only shook his head.
"You're doing what's right."
Blue, our hero stood behind us now, a look of panic on his usually peaceful face. His sword fell from his hands, onto the rock ground. He gave me a questioning glance. I could only shake my head.
"Jowee!"
Such a sweet little voice.
"Jowee!" Heather ran down the steps of the now crumbling castle. She collided with him, sending them both to the paved road. She was laughing. "Jowee! I'm so sorry! I missed you so much! I wanted to talk to you, really! But Wilfre, he wouldn't let me!"
"It's alright," Jowee murmured, forcing a smile. "I missed you too." His voice was barely above a whisper. Heather's face fell. She could tell something was wrong.
"Jowee, what's wrong?"
I gently stroked her hair. "Nothing Heather. It's alright."
"Don't lie. Something's not right." She was glaring at us now, her tiny forehead wrinkled up. She looked adorable.
A sob hitched in my throat, and I turned away.
"Mari!" The voice was happy, loud. "Mari?!"
I turned to see Mike running up to me, jumping past groups and groups of hugging Raposa. He stuck out from the crowd, due to his ears, or should I say lack of ears. He skidded to a stop in front of me. Mike. I would miss him...
"Mari, what's wrong? We won! Wilfre is dead, we can bring color back to our village!" Despite the fear in his voice, his happiness shone through his eyes. "Mari?"
I found my voice. "We need to go back to our village." I could barely stop my voice from breaking. "Now."
He backed away, eyes widening at the tone of my voice. He turned to go find Pirate Beard, most likely.
I felt Jowee put a hand on my shoulder. "Mari..."
"We need to go back to where all of this started," I responded, pulling away from him, drawing into myself. "One last time..."
They stood around the Eternal Flame, talking. "It's time to restore color to the world," Mari announced in a shaky voice.
I shook with her; a breeze began to blow in the village below. Colorless leaves tumbled in the air.
"Not until you tell us what he showed you!" Isaac yelled out.
"Yeah!" Indee replied. "I've got a bad feeling about this!"
"Why did you join Wilfre anyway?! Traitor!" This voice was swallowed up in many other voices.
I watched as they argued among themselves. Heather clung to Jowee's legs, fear on her small face.
Mari frantically tried to calm everyone down. "You guys! Hey, listen to me!"
"Quiet!" It was Blue, the hero I sent down to them. His voice was low but loud.
The shouting was replaced with a thick silence. I could only watch in anticipation, although I knew what was to come.
Mari took a deep breath. "I joined Wilfre because by returning color to the world, we will all die."
Gasps cut through the pause of silence, as did screams of fear and doubt.
"That's impossible!" Cricket shouted. "I won't allow it!"
Cindy clutched her parents in fear; her mother sobbing, her father in shock.
Heather grabbed Jowee's hand, but he refused to meet her eyes.
"Why?" Mike shouted out. "The Creator won't allow it! Neither will Blue!"
In response my hero nodded. I felt a tear slide from my eye.
A drop of rain splashed on the hard, rocky ground.
"Shut up!" Jowee yelled out, anger in his eyes. "Let her talk!"
Mari hung her head. "The Creator will do nothing."
Shouts of outrage resumed.
"I don't believe you!"
"Why not?! What did we ever do to the Creator?!"
"CRAZYBARKSDOESNOTWANTTODIE!"
Another tear slid from my eye.
It began to rain harder in the village.
"Mari, why are we going to die?!" Mike yelled out, grabbing her hand. "What did we do?! What did Wilfre show you?!"
She took a deep breath. "He showed me you Mike... He showed me... You."
Silence. Heavy silence, seeming to choke everyone.
Mike gaped at Mari. "Me?! What did I do?! I don't get it!"
Jowee walked up, Heather in his grasp. She had her head buried in his shoulder. "You didn't do anything on purpose. It's just because of what you are."
"What I am? Is it because I'm not a Raposa?!" Mike's lower lip was trembling. "How is that my fault?!"
"It's not what you're not Mike," Mari responded. She brushed a wet strand of hair from his forehead. "You're human."
Choruses of "Human?!" rang from the citizens of the village.
I could almost taste the tension filling the air.
"Yes," Mari muttered. "Mike, you're a human. You don't belong here."
Mike shook his head. "No! I want to stay! I do belong here! This is my home!"
Jowee shook his head, and Mari smiled sadly. "No Mike, you belong in the Real World. What you see here, well..."
She trailed off.
My tears fell harder.
The rain increased down below, but the Raposa paid no attention to it.
"We're just a dream."
"What?!"
Outrage. Pure outrage.
Raposa's weren't dreams. They were real... Right?
"That's not true!" Mike yelled out, fists clenched. "You're as real as I am! It doesn't matter what you are!"
Tears and raindrops ran down Mari's face. "I'm sorry Mike. But you're real. We're just in your dream." She made her way to the Eternal Flame. "And it's time for you to wake up."
"No, Mari!" Isaac yelled. "We don't have to do this!"
"Yes we do," Mari shot back. Jowee's hand closed on hers. "We have to do what's right." That was a lesson her father had taught her a long time ago, when she was a little girl. Maybe she would get to see him now...
Samuel nodded solemnly. "The Creator will take care of us, no matter what."
Blue looked up towards me and smiled.
My breath caught in my throat.
The Raposa stood, waiting, as Mari's hand drew closer to the flame. A bright light began to shine through, even through the storm clouds.
They began to cry.
I was sobbing now, sobbing with the Raposa down below me. After Mari touches the flame... I don't know what could come. Because whatever the Raposa's fate would be is also mine. They are my people, and I shall stick with them no matter what.
The pouring rain is making it hard to see; claps of thunder drown out the sobbing.
"Mari, no!" Mike was screaming. "I belong with you, dammit! I belong here!"
Holding on even tighter to Jowee, Heather cried louder. "Jowee, I'm scared!"
"Me too Heather. It'll be okay, I promise." He held on to Mari's hand. She looked at him, scared.
"I need to tell you something."
Jowee nodded. "Me too. You first."
"Jowee... I... I love you."
He grinned. "Me too."
Mari smiled back, despite the tears on her face. "Your turn.
"Remember... It's not the end. It's never the end."
Very gently he kissed her cheek.
It gave her enough strength to do what was right.
With a determined smile, Mari touched the flame, and a supernova of brilliance lit up the sky, like a flash of lightening.
The rain was still falling, as the Raposa began to vanish.
"Bye Mike," Mari murmured, as she dissolved into the light.
"No!" Mike ran around, trying to grab onto one of them. "Come back! I belong with you! I belong here!"
"Don't forget us 'kay?" Jowee dissolved next, hand still outstretched as if he was still holding on to Mari's.
Slowly, even as I began to sob louder, Mike's voice was being drowned out.
I was fading now too.
Blue was the next to go; with a salute of his sword he left Mike as well.
"I belong here! Please don't leave me! I love you!"
Heather was the last to go, and she smiled. "I love you Mikey."
There were no Raposas, no world, no need for a Creator. My time and my people's time was up.
"Don't go..."
Our Father who art in Heaven.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day.
Our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.
Lead us not into temptation.
And deliver us from evil.
Amen...
Slowly I opened my eyes. I came face to face with bright lights, and winced. "What... Where am I?"
"MIKE!!!"
I yelled out, startled. What was going on?
A small blonde figure attached herself to my stomach. "Ouch!"
My eyes widened, and soon I was aware that besides the small girl clinging to me I wasn't alone.
"Heather, get off of him!"
Was that... Jowee?
"Heather, I mean it! Right now!"
I shook my head, grimacing at the pain it brought.
Heather still wouldn't let go of me.
"Morning sunshine."
I looked up towards the voice to see a beautiful girl staring at me. Her eyes were a deep chocolate brown, full of warmth. They looked so familiar...
I must have looked pretty confused because she laughed and tossed her curly brown hair over her shoulder. Her earrings shook back and forth. "It's Mary Anne... Remember?"
Mary? As in Mari?
The blonde boy next to her snickered, nose curling up. He sounded just like Jowee.
But I didn't have time to wonder because his laughter was abruptly cut short when Mari (Er... Mary?) smacked his arm.
"Knock it off Joseph." She glared at him, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips.
"Whatever you say... Mary Anne."
"It's Mari now. Muh-ar-ee."
"Well to good old Mikey it seems you're still Mary Anne."
"Shut up Joey. I was only saying that so he would remember us."
I watched, enthralled.
My friends... They were... Here. But where was here?
"Ooooof!"
Suddenly I gasped as the short blonde one began to hop up and down on my hospital bed. Well, at least she let go of my stomach.
"Mikey, Mikey! You're okay!"
"Heather! Get down!" Joey yelled. He grabbed her by the waist and set her on his lap. He fixed her a stern warning glance. "Do you want me to tell Aunt Jane?"
"No! Don't tell my mommy, Joey!" Heather begged. She clasped her hands together. "I promise I'll be good, I promise Big Cousin!" Cousin?
Suddenly I noticed through the sharp pain at my temple that she had stitches running down the left side of her face.
"Heather? What happened to your face?" I murmured. Ouch. It hurt to talk. I moved my tongue around in my mouth. What the...
I was missing a tooth!
Mari stared at me, worried. "Don't you remember?" She exchanged a glance with Joey.
"Remember what?" What were they talking about? Ow. God my head hurts.
"The accident."
And suddenly I did. Images of stormy night filled my battered head.
The baseball game had ended, and the four of us were walking home, but not before it began to rain, making it hard to see. Heather was running and jumping through puddles.
"Rain rain rain! I love the rain!" She sang happily.
I can remember following her, laughing as she danced. I laughed even harder when she slipped and landed on the muddy grass, ruining her green jumper. I nearly fell myself when she looked at me in shock.
"Uh oh..." She had muttered. "I'm all dirty."
Behind us Mari walked with Joey. It was pretty dark, but I knew both were probably blushing. I sighed. Leave it to me to be best friends with a bunch of lovebirds. Ah well. They were my best friends anyway.
"Hey!" I yelled suddenly as a mudball smacked the back of my head.
"Three strikes, you're out!" Heather screamed in delight. My hair was plastered to my forehead and the rain was starting to soak through my jacket, though I didn't care.
Growling like a lion, I began to chase her. "Grrr... I'm gonna get you!"
"No Mikey, no!" She shrieked. Running in circles she looped back behind Jowee and Mari. "Can't catch me Jowee!" She stuck her tongue out and continued her sprint.
Jowee joined the race, red scarf whipping in the wet air behind him. "Oh yeah? Bet I can!"
From behind us Mari yelled at us to slow down. "I don't want you guys getting hurt!"
Funny how she's a year younger than Jowee and me, but still feels like she's in charge. Maybe she gets it from her dad. He is the mayor...
"We won't!" I yelled back over my shoulder. "We'll be-"
I was cut off by a scream.
"MIKE! GET HEATHER!" It was Jowee.
I turned back to see Heather running in the middle of a street. The only light was from the houses on the other side. "HEATHER!" She turned and laughed.
"Mikey!" She hopped up and down. "Come get me!"
"Heather! Get out of the street! NOW!"
I raced to try and grab her, before a car came. I grabbed her around the waist.
And when I felt what seemed a million tons of metal knock me and Heather to the pavement ground, I knew I was too late. Luckily Heather was in my grasp and didn't seem to have gotten hit.
Myself on the other hand... I could feel something other than rain seep through my clothes.
"MIKE! NO!"
It was Joey. I think. There was so much pain...
"Jesus, don't just stand there Joseph! Call an ambulance! Do something!"
Mari was sobbing.
"I lost my phone at the hill! Oh God... Help! Somebody! Please help!"
Don't worry guys, I wanted to say. But my head... It hurt.
The last thing I remembered was two strong hands picking me up, and Heather's screams.
I blinked, as if I had just woken up again. The accident.
"Mike?" Mari was looking at me, frantically wringing her hands. "Mike, are you okay?"
Heather was silent.
"M'fine."
I was tired. So tired.
"Joey, I think we better call Dr. Cure."
Dr. Cure? Wasn't that the Raposa that always asked about my ears?
"No! I'm fine!"
There wasn't a shot in hell I was talking to her.
Joey sighed. "Mike..."
"Please Joe? I don't want to go back to sleep." Actually, anything to escape this pain would be nice, but I wanted to be with my friends.
Mari put her hand on my cast.
Cast?
Dammit. I broke my leg...
And my arm.
"Mike, calm down. We can't stay if you get all worked up."
I kept my mouth shut. Calm. I could be calm.
Heather got off of Joey's lap and walked over towards the table by my bed.
"I drawed you a picture," she stated happily. Grasped in her little hand was a piece of blue construction paper, and some childish scribbles.
"Hey, that's pretty Heather," I croaked out. I winced. How hard did that car hit me?
I looked closer. There was a person.
Me... I think. And I was holding hands with a little blonde girl. Heather.
Standing next to her was...
Blue?
No... Impossible. But it was. His blue hair was shaggy, eyes wide but brave.
It was the Creator's hero.
"Heather," I whispered. "Who's that?" I pointed Blue.
"He saved us, remember?" Heather answered, smiling. "He picked you up after the car hit you. Silly, don't you remember? He's our hero."
Hero...
"Our hero!" Heather repeated.
I nodded, smiling. Joey and Mari grinned as well, hands intertwined, something I had failed to notice earlier.
"Well it's about damn time you two hooked up," I muttered, chuckling.
They blushed, but smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment," Mari replied.
"Oh it is."
"Soooo...." Jowee quickly tried to change the subject. "Have any good dreams?"
I smiled. "Yep. You guys were in it."
"What about me?!"
"You too Heather... You too..."
As soon as the flash of light began, it was already stopping.
Time picked up, and the sun came out.
Time passed.
Time passed quickly. Maybe it was an hour, maybe a day. Maybe it was ten days. Ten years.
But they began to wake up.
Heather was the first open her eyes. Looking around, she saw her village. It looked the same as always, and full of...
Color?
They had done it! Jowee and Mari and Blue had saved them all!
But where were they?
Looking to her right Heather saw Jowee laying on his back, snoring. As usual.
Giggling, Heather found more of her friends. There was Mari. She and Jowee were still holding hands.
And was that Crazybarks? He was hugging his rock.
But they were still asleep.
"Wake up," she muttered, trying to shake Jowee awake. "I mean it."
He groaned and sat up. "Whadda ya want Heather? I'm trying to sleep."
"Jowee..." Heather waited.
He just blinked grumpily at her.
"We made it."
Jowee sighed. "Heather, please. Tell me later. I'm so tired..."
"We. Made. It."
Suddenly Jowee's eyes widened. "What do you..... We're alive?! But, but how?!"
Heather smiled."The Creator loves."
Beside Jowee, Mari stirred.
"Mari!" Jowee yelled. "We made it!"
"Made what?" Mari replied, rubbing her eyes. "Oh my... We're alive." Her voice was full of wonder. "Jowee, the Creator didn't forget about us after all!"
Left and right Raposa were slowly beginning to wake up. Cheers broke out.
"Hurray for the Creator!" They cheered. "He saved us!"
"And Blue!" Tubba sang out. "Don't forget about Blue!"
Parties broke out long into the night, as fireworks went off.
Navy J sang, his groupies dancing along with him.
Chef Cookie had managed to whip up dozens and dozens of cookies. A trail of crumbs followed Crazybarks to his rock, where he and Heather sat. Barking loudly to each other.
Everyone was happy.
And Mari and Jowee weren't a part of the celebration, but important just the same.
They had their own celebration, talking about everything. Anything.
But sometimes they ran out of words, so just sat. It was just past three when very quickly Jowee leaned over and gave Mari a peck on the lips.
There was no longer a need for words.
I watched, amazed as my world continued thriving, even after Mike woke up.
Maybe we weren't just a dream after all.
Because what kind of world would we live in if there was no such thing as the imaginary?
For I was a Creator, correct?
And what I made was real.
No matter who could see it...
wow... first DTL story ever.
!!!!
lol...
~LeiaOrganicSolo