Introduction

"Ani! Now's not the time for that! We need to get out of here while that thing's still asleep!" Caleb stared in horror as his friend dug her camera out of her camera bag.

Ani smiled a brilliant smile. "Just a little picture, Cal, nuthin' big. Imagine what Instructor Trepe will think when she sees this!" She looped the strap over her shoulder and moved forward.

 Cal looked over at the sleeping beast and shuddered. "She'll think you're crazy!"

Ani smiled again. "And rightfully so. You wait here. I'll need you in one piece if anything goes wrong."

Cal winced as she began to crawl closer to the sleeping T-rexaur. He felt his hands grow sweaty as he gripped his rifle. Ani was using only her magic, having left her sai in the dorms, and he was running out of ammo, not to mention energy. They had fought fifteen Grats just to get this far, and they still had another half of the Center to go. Cal had thought for sure that she would bring her sai. She always brought her sai. He sighed and wiped his hands on his uniform pants. Man, if that thing woke up…

Meanwhile, his camera-crazed friend was creeping closer and closer to the huge monster. He watched as she lined up the camera and adjusted the lens. "Dammit Ani, you're right by its tail…"

She was a good five yards away from him, with plenty of short trees and rocks to hinder his rescuing ability. He watched her edge a few feet closer and prayed that she had remembered to turn to flash off.

She hadn't.

Ani, the T-rexaur, and their surroundings were instantly bathed in a fierce white light. Both Cal and Ani froze, waiting for the beast to wake up and devour her in quick, easy chomps.

Nothing happened.

Eyes shining with invincibility, Ani quickly moved back to the hiding place. "See," she whispered, "I told you it was nothing dangerous!"

Cal grunted in reply and watched as she put her camera away. He took one last look at the T-rexaur. "Just don't make a habit of it, you hear?"

Ani smiled again and picked up her bag. "Well come on, Mr. Trepidation. Let's get outta here."

Cal couldn't agree more. The last thing he wanted was for that thing to wake up.

The two students hurried back the way that they had come, trying their best to avoid any more battles. Despite their attempts, Cal had to defeat ten more Grats, causing him to use the last of his ammo.

"Uh… Ani…"

The young woman continued onward, oblivious to his empty gun.

"Ani…you need to see this…"

She waved her hand in dismissal. "We're almost there, Caleb. Just five more minutes. Hurry up."

Caleb tossed his empty shells onto the ground and shrugged, hoping that no more monsters showed up.

Boom.

Caleb froze as he felt the ground vibrate beneath him. Surely this wasn't happening. Surely this was just some invention of his wild imagination.

Boom.

"AAAANNNIIIII!!!!" Caleb raced forward and grabbed Ani by the arm. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what? Cal, what in the hell-"

Boom. Boom.

Ani's amber eyes rounded in fear. "Oh no, oh no, Cal, this is not good! This is SO not good!"

Cal began to look around desperately. "Trust me, it's worse than you think."

"Worse?" She grabbed him by the arm and looked into his eyes. "What do you mean worse, Caleb?"

Caleb found himself lost in her gaze. Yes, if they got out of this alive, he would ask her…

"CALEB!!! STOP DAYDREAMING!! YOU ARE SUCH A SCATTER BRAINED-"

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Without further conversation the two raced for the exit. The large iron door rose before them…only to be blocked by the huge form of a T-rexaur.

Caleb breathed what he believed to be his last breath and looked over at Ani, who was far from defeated.

"What are you doing? Shoot it!" Ani's voice has reached the point of hysteria. Caleb smiled and started to laugh.

"Can't shoot it. No ammo."

Ani looked at him in disbelief. Without a second word she turned around to face the creature, summoned her powers, and attacked.

"FIRA!!"

The fire burst from the ground and enveloped the Triassic creature in a tornado of flame. Cal could no longer see it through the flames, and winced as the temperature rocketed. He watched as the flames cleared to reveal the T-rexaur still standing. Both Ani and Cal waited to see what it would do.

It sneezed.

Caleb instantly decided that he didn't want a big funeral. Just a little mention at the Garden Festival would do. Perhaps a billboard in Galbadia, and a card made in his honor.

Ani was slowly walking backwards from the creature, who was still sneezing madly. "Caleb," she whispered calmly, "run now. Run Cal. Run really, really fast. I'll stay here and do what I can. Please run Cal. Run fast."

Run? And leave her for dino chow? Like hell he would.

Without thinking he searched through his newly drawn magic. He relaxed when he found two Sleeps. Two precious yet unreliable Sleeps.

"Ani! Run!" He charged forward, grabbed her arm and threw her back towards the trees. T-rexaur turned its head to him and roared. Caleb gulped.

'Yes, I want a card in my honor, and I want a mention in Weapons Monthly…'

"Sleep!"

The fuzzy pink haze and stars bounced onto his enemy and missed.

'And a mention at the Garden festival, and my remains to be buried in the mountains…'

Taking a deep breath, Caleb tried again. "SLEEP!"

It missed.

He angrily confronted the creature. "Goddamn you, why won't you sleep!"

He watched at the monster lunged forward, its mouth open.

He heard Ani screaming in the background.

'Please let her be okay! I just want her to be okay, nothing else, just let her be okay…'

A sharp pain burst through his shoulder. He knew that he screamed, and he felt embarrassed that Ani should hear him. Another pain entered through his lower back. All other pains were dulled, and he felt nothing but numbness.

In the background he heard Ani's screams.