Once Again, It's Jackle

Chapter 2

Claris wore some black pants, a black blouse and a red blazer. She seemed overdressed for the job, but she really wanted to get started working before she ended high school. She sat at a table with a few lockers next to her. Everything seemed empty and lonely.

A man with a black tie and a polo shirt with an, "M" on the breast walked into the room, "Ah, you're Claris Sinclaire! I like your hair!"

Claris was wearing a wig. There was no way Claris will dye her hair back to red just to satisfy society's norms. Claris liked her pink hair and she's keeping it that way. She had a red wig which showed great amount of volume. She nodded her head, "thank you."

"My name is Miles, it's a pleasure to meet you," he shook Claris' hand in a firm way.

"Now, you don't really have much in your resume rather than teaching at church," Miled looked at a sheet of paper, "but this is McDonalds, we usually take people without much experience."

Claris chuckled maybe working at McDonalds won't be bad after all, "And I'll have experience if I get the job."

Miles gave Claris a wink, "I like that attitude. Now, are you good at multitasking?"

"I could make a soup and a salad at the same time," Claris explained, "I'm also good at cooking if that helps."

"Not really, the food we make is pretty simple." Miles explained, "But that may get you at a diner, but not here."

"Well, I did apply to a pretty nifty diner but didn't get an answer back; I guess I'll need more experience in the industry."

Miles shook Claris' hand, "and you will. Welcome to the team."

The only job that Claris could get was at McDonalds. Great. At least the expectation was that she wasn't going to work there for the rest of her life. She drove to Elliot's house to see if they can play video games together. Elliot was able to get a Dreamcast when it first came out so he is probably playing video games. Elliot is pretty good at video games; he has beaten Sonic Adventure in a weekend. Claris heard that Elliot got a new game, but she couldn't tell what kind of game it was from the title. Elliot claimed it was a music game, but Claris couldn't decipher what that would mean. Claris rang the doorbell to Elliot's house. Claris heard some excessive cursing then saw Elliot answer the door with a glare.

"Hi Elliot, I got a job," Claris exclaimed.

Elliot's glare turned into a smile, "awesome! Is it at that cool diner?"

"No, it's at McDonalds."

Elliot showed Claris inside, "well, let me show you my new game."

"Yeah, I was kind of curious about it," Claris exclaimed, "I don't know 'Music' can be a genre of video game."

"It's kind of like Simon," was Elliot's exclamation, "I also think you'll like the protagonist, she has pink hair like..." Elliot looked at Claris' red haired wig, which was still on her head, "wait, did you dye it again for the job?"

Claris took the wig off, "No, it isn't presentable at interviews to have pink hair," she also took the wig cap off, "it's a persona, I know, but I need work."

For the first time in Claris' relationship with Elliot, Claris was better at a game than him. Claris had a good sense with rhythm, so of course Claris would be good at a music game. After Claris beat her level, Elliot released some news:

"I got into Twin Seeds University."

Claris quickly grabbed her attention to Elliot, "you should go." Elliot had to go. The last thing Claris wanted was a long distance relationship. Twin Seeds University was in the city. Elliot could even live at his home and not much would change.

But Elliot put up his hands, "wow," he took a deep breath, "there's a lot of decisions to make. Of course you're part of the list of good things about Twin Seeds University, but I may want to go to a quieter small school."

"You know Wooster is in the middle of nowhere in Ohio? It will probably take hours to go to a city like Cleveland. TSU is right at a city that you're familiar with." Claris had to show that Elliot should stay in their city, "also, you won't have any culture shock of the Midwest."

"I don't think I'll have a 'Midwest culture shock,'" Elliot looked down, "and who knows, we might see each other in our dreams."

Claris looked up, "yeah, how does this whole dream thing work anyway? It's not like our minds are linked."

"Don't think about it," Elliot yelled out, "knowing NiGHTS, nothing is logical."

Claris pressed the, "A" button to the next level then laughed, "I think there are less logical Nightmaren than NiGHTS."

Elliot stared at Claris, "Nightmaren can't give you nightmares, remember? How would you know any are less logical than NiGHTS?"

"Just a hunch?" Claris guessed.

Claris had a dream that night. She was in a hallway with many doors. She felt a poke on her back and she screeched.

"Hah," Jackle laughed, "I scared you without using my powers."

"Are you sure the authority of the rules of this world would go after you for that?" Claris stuck her tongue out, "or is that okay?"

Jackle stuck hir tongue out, "Wizeman says its fine. I can scream, surprise you, throw a card at your head or have you look at me, but I can't use my illusions."

"So Nightmaren use illusion magic?" Claris asked.

"Yeah, second ranks can use their appearance, first rankers and illusions to scare Dreamers."

Claris guessed she knew something about that. Dreamers were what Dream folk called humans, but NiGHTS said other animals like hedgehogs were included as Dreamers. NiGHTS would often claim ze created the locations where Claris and Elliot dreamed. NiGHTS said that ze had ultimate control of Elliot and Claris since the Nightmaren can't scare them; hence the word, 'scare,' as a key word since Claris is talking to a Nightmaren who properly did hir job. "I got a job."

"Oh! Are you going to sing with that, 'Brittany Spears,' lady? I did a job with her! I had her boyfriend turn into a monster then break up with her."

"What's the point of turning Justin into a monster if he's just going to break up with her?" Claris cocked her head, then shook it, "no, it's at a restaurant!"

"A Supper Club?"

Claris raised an eyebrow. Do all Nightmaren believe that all kids will grow up and do what their ridiculous dreams are? Claris would have thought that Nightmaren had a better touch with reality, since you know, reality is freaking scary. "It's called McDonalds."

"Oh, does it have haggis?"

What's haggis? Jackle seems to know what kind of exotic foods exist, but not what a McDonalds is. "No, it serves burgers and fries. There millions of them in the real world."

Jackle looked around. Claris could have seen beads of sweat on hir face, "so, you aren't going to be a singer? Aren't you going to try?" Does Jackle really want Claris to sing? Does ze actually care about the outcome of Claris' life? After all of the discouragement ze has given her in the years before she was fourteen? This was stupid.

Claris woke up. It was four o'clock in the morning. Maybe this frightening creature has a point. Claris knew how to sing. She needed to do something that she liked. Claris got on her computer and searched for auditions. It was mostly for community theatre.

Then Claris found a website for rock bands. "Hey, that might be worth a try." Claris loved rock and roll as much as she liked musicals. Claris never sung for rock before, but she suddenly really desired for it. Claris emailed a few bands looking for a spunky female singer. She looked at her watch to see it was five. Claris might as well make coffee to get ready for school. Claris was about done with high school, but a diploma was still needed.