- I -

Each pair of eyes stared up at the blank, desolate ceiling of their confinement. Glimmering, dazzling, and behind each one the lust for the transcendent magic, adventure and beauty of the ephemeral world which they had just recently departed from. The pure exhilarating experience of the exceptional, fantastical fable which echoed within their minds, a pale blossom gliding upon ripples of a luminescent stream. Hearts aglow they continued to stare within the faintly-lit darkness, the only light being "that world".

Final Fantasy IX had been placed on pause due to the carless misplacement of a memory card, and so the vibrant colours of the scenic image on the screen illuminated the room to the best of its ability. The whirring disk gently breaking the constant, and rare, silence that had fallen between the group of friends. Best friends in fact. Friends of the same loves, desires and dreams.

Nick was the host of the only original bed, an un-foldable foam coach which imitates their love of the culture they knew so much of and admired so heavily. The eldest and the most knowledgeable he moved his gaze around the room, his eyes passing the glowing box before him, scanning the untidy chamber of empty drinks glasses, crisp packets and dishes holding popcorn remains. To his side stood the digital clock, the beeping hate of all students, which read 1:20 am. His long, dark brown hair hung slightly over his eyes, which had now returned to staring at the dull, plain ceiling.

To his left was his friend Sam, and to whom this room belongs, lying on a portable sofa-bed of his own, his arms folded behind his dead, his blonde fringe of silky hair partly covering his bright blue eyes, which were now shut, shielding themselves from the darkness into a darkness of their own. A solitude of shimmering a blue river and pure black bringing about the peace of the night. His hair was not a long as his friend's, reaching down to the middle of his neck at the back, and was unusually uncontrollably sticking up in natural layers. The songs of the dream world he had left, and was longing to re-enter, was gliding within his mind as he opened his eyes to greet the night.

To Nick's right, on an identical bed to Sam's, was his younger sister Liana. Usually confusing with her sentences she fiddled with her long hair which spread out over her chest and beside her arms. Her eyes had left the boredom of the ceiling and made their way to the illuminating television screen which had been left to where they had recently undertaken within the epic adventure of magic, love and imagination.

"I want to continue."

Her voice rang silently throughout the grey surroundings of the room, her ears now attuned to picking up the silent 'buzz' from the screen. Both Nick and Sam gently turned their heads to face the youngest of their troupe.

"What?" Nick's weary voice did not match his current feelings, yet it could not be hidden.

"Can we continue? We're all still awake."

Sam turned his head to the screen which held both his love and desires as Nick slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. Sam had been thinking the exact same notion.

"We could," he uttered, "but we won't sleep then."

"We're not asleep now." Liana sat up and stared at both her companions. Nick sighed and let out a husky sentence which confirmed joy for each one in the room.

"We'll need fuel."

Whilst Liana readied the previous seating arrangements and the beloved strategy guide, Nick and Sam departed through the door and bounded excitedly for the kitchen, the floorboards of the old house creaking beneath their feet. In no time at all the duo had raided every noticeable cupboard in sight, returning with great packets of crisps, newly microwaved popcorn and litre bottles of fizzy drinks and fruit juice. When they played games they played games hard. Hardcore gamers – deprived of sleep, granted with fantastic imagination.

The three sat there munching on popcorn, Crunchie bars, Pringles and grapes with accompaniments of coke, lemonade, ginger ale and apple juice, with nothing but the loud slurping noises through plastic, twirly straws. The three were in their own mid-night paradise.

It had now been hours since kick-starting the mesmerising adventure from where they had left off previously. Lovable characters, daring plot twists and exhilarating battles. With their loves and desires being fulfilled through every minute, and through their third two-litre bottle of "fuel", they believed they could play all night and journey all throughout the following day, which was now coming to fruition, beaming its first light through the corners of the blind across the window. But-

"Kupo."

Confusing frowns emerged, the pause button was pressed, and the weary trio scowled the room for where such an unusual sound had come from. It didn't sound again so, returning to their adventure, the delved into fantasy more…

"Kupo!"

"Okay, what the hell is making that noise?" bellowed an aggravated Nick as he reached over and pressed the pause button on the controller, which was currently resting in Liana's hands. None of them knew what it was, yet all recognised its familiarity. And then…

Wind had mystifyingly entered the room and ushered itself around the bewildered trio, ensnaring them within a breeze of confusion and magic. And, no sooner had the wind begun to die down, its entrance completely unknown, a small lump found its way underneath Nick's bed covers. And out from the side popped a curious little red pom-pom.

"Kupo!"

Blasts of wind, circles of light. Violet beauty surrounding the three like gliding water carrying luminous stars, and with them, dreams.

"Oh my god…"

Blinding light.

"Oh my god!"

Beautiful light. Delicate light. Light and feelings of all they desired. Encasing them. Trapping them. And with a flash,

"KUPO!"

The room was left bare. The bed sheets in disarray. The game whirring away, left on pause. And the cushioned floor which were for seating, held just creases of past weight.

"Kupo…"