I do not own Ib, or anything else I may reference or use in this chapter.

1

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

-Walt Disney

Leslie sat in the back seat of her parent's car, staring out the window as they drove to an art gallery.

"So, Leslie." Her little sister, Maria, began. "What do you want to look at first?"

"Well," Leslie paused and shrugged. "I guess I'll look at the first thing I see. What do you want to look at first?"

"Whatever you're looking at!" Maria smiled. Maria had almost always followed Leslie around like a puppy ever since she was little.

"We're here!" The sisters' mother said.

"Hooray!" Maria cheered as her father helped her unbuckle. The family of four walked to the gallery entrance as Maria rode on her father's shoulders. As they approached the reception desk, Maria spoke up.

"Daddy?" She began. "Can I walk with Leslie?"

"Alright, Maria." Her father smiled as he put down Maria. Maria dashed over to her older sister and looked up at her.

"It's so big here!" Maria exclaimed. Leslie smiled.

"I know Maria." Leslie said as they reached the reception desk and their parents paid the admittance fee. Maria gently tugged on her mother's skirt.

"Yes, Maria?" Her asked, looking down.

"Can Leslie and I go on ahead?" Maria asked.

"Really, Maria?" Her mother paused. "Alright. Just make sure you two are quiet in the gallery."

"OK, Mommy!" Maria smiled. "Come on, Leslie." The sisters walked to their right and saw a large group of people looking at an exhibit on the floor. As Maria speed-walked over to the painting, Leslie read a sign on the wall.

Welcome to the World of Guertena. We truly thank you for attending today. We're currently holding an exhibition for the great artist, Weiss Guertena.

We hope you deeply enjoy the art of the late Guertena, whose creations carry such mystery and beauty both. XX/XX/XX.

"Leslie." Maria tugged on the leg of Leslie's jeans. "What's this word?" Maria pointed to a painting on the wall that depicted what looked like a mother teaching her child to play piano.

"A Well-Meaning Hell." Leslie read aloud to Maria.

"What does 'hell' mean?" Maria asked, being only seven years old.

"It's not a very enjoyable place." Leslie explained, being twelve years old, and knowing more than Maria did. "But that's all I'm going to tell you."

"Aw..." Maria said, disappointedly. As they went through the various paintings, Leslie had to tell Maria, what most of the words were and what they meant.

"Oh, Leslie!" Maria exclaimed.

"What is it, Maria?" Leslie sighed. "And don't be too loud here."

"I'm sorry." Maria said, looking down. "But look at this painting! It's huge!" Leslie turned her head to the large mural on the wall and read the title underneath it.

"Fabricated World." Leslie read aloud. "Well, it's pretty nice. Maybe we should get back to Mom and Dad."

"OK!" Maria smiled, holding Leslie's hand as they walked back. As they walked back, they noticed that there was no one else there. "Leslie," Maria began. "Where did all the people go?"

"I-I'm not sure." Leslie stuttered. "Come on! Let's just go." The sister's walked downstairs and the lights flickered until the gallery was dim. Maria hid behind Leslie.

"Leslie," She whimpered. "I'm scared."

"It's alright Maria." Leslie comforted, trying hide her own fear. "It's probably just closing time. Let's leave." Leslie tried to open the doors, but found them locked.

"What if Mommy and Daddy forgot about us!" Maria exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Maria." Leslie said, starting to panic. "At least we can still see the paintings." Leslie took her little sister's hand. "Come on." They walked back upstairs and Maria squeaked as they saw a shadow figure move past the window.

"Leslie!" Maria exclaimed from fright.

"Don't worry, Maria." Leslie said, trying to open the window. "The window's locked. They can't get in." The girl's continued on south and heard banging.

"Leslie!" Maria screamed, almost in tears.

"They won't get in and hurt you!" Leslie said. "I won't let them." They went back to the large mural and found some blue liquid leaking from behind the painting.

"Um, Leslie..." Maria stuttered. Leslie looked to where her sister was pointing and saw red letters on the floor.

COME

Leslie turned back around and saw a sentence made from the liquid.

come down below, i'll show you two someplace secret.

"Are we gonna go?" Maria asked.

"I guess we have no other choice," Leslie shrugged. "Unless you want to stay here." Maria furiously shook her head.

"It's scary here!" She exclaimed.

"Then I guess we're going." Leslie held Mari's hand as the two walked back downstairs. Seeing nothing new near the reception desk, they head to the left. They saw blue footprints leading to the painting on the floor, where part of the rope that blocked the painting had vanished.

"You first." Maria demanded.

"OK." Leslie sighed and walked over to the painting. She placed her hand on the painting and her hand went through the painting. It felt cool, almost like water. "Woah..." Leslie said in awe as Maria walked over.

"Do you think we can go in?" Maria asked.

"It's worth a shot." Leslie shrugged, holding Maria's hand and standing up. "We go in together."

"Alright." Maria hesitantly agreed.

"Ready?" Leslie asked. Maria nodded. "OK. One. Two Three!" The girls jumped into the painting and landed on some stairs in an area where the walls and floors were blue.

"Woah!" Maria exclaimed. "This is cool!" she ran down the stairs and looked side to side. "Leslie! Come down here!" Leslie took cautious steps down and looked side to side as well, and saw that there were two ways to go.

"Which way do you want to go?" Leslie asked.

"This way!" Maris said darting to the area where a blue painting stood.

"Alright." Leslie sighed. The sisters walked over and saw 'Come' along the wall. They continued on until they reached a door that was black by a red rose, and a white rose, sitting in a vase, the red one smaller than the white.

"Roses!" Maria exclaimed, taking the red one and admiring it. "I love red."

"Guess I get the white one." Leslie sighed, taking the white rose from the vase. "Step back, Maria. I'm going to try to move this table." Maria stepped back as her sister pushed the vase to the side, allowing the sisters access to the door. "Come on."

Inside, they found a painting of a smiling, blue-haired, woman, with a blue key on the floor in front of her. "Stand back, Maria." Leslie said. "There might be something else here." Leslie cautiously walked to the key and picked it up. As soon as Leslie picked up the key, the face on the painting changed.

"Leslie!" Maria cried.

"Crap!" Leslie exclaimed, not daring to swear in front of her little sister. "Come on, Maria. Let's get out of here." When they had left the room, the word 'come' was replaced by 'THEVIES'.

"What did we take?" Maria asked.

"I'm assuming the roses." Leslie guess. Maria went to put her rose back, but Leslie stopped her. "Hold up, Maria." She spotted a sign on the wall next to the table. "You and the rose are intertwined." She read aloud. "Know the weight of your own life. I think we're supposed to keep the roses."

"If you say so..." Maria said. The girls walked back, but found the stairs gone. "Where do you think this key goes?"

"I'd say there could be a door around somewhere." Leslie shrugged. No sooner than she had said that, a blue door had come into view.

"I think it goes there!" Maria said.

"Let's give it a shot." Leslie smiled, and put the key into the lock. she turned the key and the lock clicked. "Guess it worked!" Maria smiled as they walked through the door and shut it behind them.

Writer's Comments

This was my first Ib fanfiction so I hope it was alright. :)