CHAPTER SIX: The Light Eater

The following Friday morning, CJ was standing along the side of a small road at a crosswalk on the local community college campus. He wore black pants, a black heavy jacket, a black stocking cap, and a fluorescent yellow vest with the words "Public Safety" written on it. He was directing traffic, and frequently stopping cars to help students and faculty safely cross the street. Not long after his shift started, a car pulled into the lot behind him and Jennette stepped out.

"Hey Jennette." CJ said. "What brings you here?"

"My sister." Jennette said.

"Is she ok?" CJ asked.

"She's been coming home from school extra tired these past couple of days." Jennette said. "I'm worried about her. I was wondering if maybe there was any way you could possibly check on her."

"You're in luck." CJ said. "I can manifest a... kind of projection of myself using my magic, which I can use to scout things. Like for example, I can use it to check on her in school."

"Awesome." Jennette said. "Please do that. With all this weird stuff that's been going on, I'm worried that something... or someone may be hurting her."

"Not a problem." CJ said. He focused his energy for a moment, and gave off a faint purple glow, unnoticed by everyone around him except Jennette. "I'm in. I'm trying to focus in on her magic energy."

"She was grumbling about having to sit through English class first when she left for the bus this morning." Jennette remarked.

"Let's see... so, that would be English III class... How well do you know her schedule?" CJ questioned. "Do you know her teacher? What room she's in? What wing?"

"Um... F-12, I think." Jennette answered.

"Hm... Okay, I'll see if I can focus in on her energy signature and track her that way." CJ stated. He focused for a moment, as visions of the local high school's hallway flooded his mind. He traveled the halls via his magic projection, scanning for Shaylene. He turned down a hallway, passed a pair of bathrooms and stopped as he came to a classroom.

"Anything? Where is she? Is she okay?" Jennette trembled.

"I've got her. You were right." CJ stated, trying to calm her. "She's in F-12."

"How is she?" Jennette questioned.

"She seems..." He stopped.

"CJ? What's wrong? What's going on with my sister?" Jennette gulped.

"I'm not sure." CJ said. "But she looks visibly sick. I don't know how her teacher doesn't see it." He focused for a moment, clutching his Triforce Amulet. "Something's draining her magic." He moved his Shadow Scout closer to her, invisible to everyone else in the class. As he neared her, he visibly flinched.

"Shit! CJ, are you okay?" Jennette quaked.

"I can feel it." CJ explained. "Whatever's... draining her... It's... It's hitting me too." He paused between words, struggling with his energy. "I'm going to... try to connect with her telepathically." He focused for a brief moment, concentrating his energy.

Meanwhile, Shaylene sat in her English class, struggling with the energy loss. She gasped when she heard CJ's voice in her mind.

Shay, can you hear me? CJ's voice echoed.

"CJ?" Shaylene wondered.

Listen, I've established a telepathic communication with you using my magic. CJ explained.

"I don't feel good..." Shaylene groaned.

I know. CJ said. Something, or someone, is draining your energy. I need you to ask to go to the nurse. Tell the teacher you're sick. After that, head to the nearest bathroom.

"Why? What's going on?" Shaylene questioned.

I'm going to try to use my magic to teleport you out of school. CJ responded. There's a good chance that whatever's draining your magic will follow you once I teleport you out. It's focused in on you specifically. I used a magic projection of myself, a Shadow Scout, to protect you so I could communicate with you. Even now, as I'm shielding you, I can feel it prying its way into my energy, draining me.

"Where... where are you going to teleport me to?" Shaylene inquired.

I'm working right now, so I'm going to bring you here with me. Your sister's here as well. CJ replied.

Shaylene raised her hand to get the teacher's attention.

"Yes Miss Johnson?" The teacher asked.

"I'm not feeling well." Shaylene stated. "May I be excused to the nurse's office?"

"Of course." The teacher replied. Shaylene packed up her belongings, grabbed her backpack, walked out of the class and into the nearest girls' bathroom, still maintaining her telepathic connection with CJ.

"I'm in the girls' room... In one of the stalls." Shaylene stated.

Good. CJ responded. I'm teleporting you to me now.

Within moments, Shaylene's body surged with energy and everything around her was enveloped in a purple haze. Moments later, she found herself in a different bathroom than she was in before.

"I'm in a different bathroom." Shaylene remarked.

Yeah, I know. I've teleported you into one of the girls' bathrooms at my work. Just head outside to the nearest parking lot. Your sister and I are both there. CJ informed her. Shaylene walked out of the bathroom and found herself in a small lobby-like area with walls made of red brick. The wall to her left was replace with large windows and two doors, as was the wall behind her and a bit to the left, making a "L" shape wit the other set of windows. She walked out the doors to her left, down a walkway, up some stairs and across a small street into the parking lot, where CJ and Jennette were both standing. At the corner of the parking lot and the small street was a small wooden saw horse with a sign nailed to it that read "One Way: Do Not Enter". Sticking out of the ground on the side of the road was a large yellow tower-like sign about 7 feet tall. Built into the top of it was a blue shield bearing another "One Way" sign.

"Are you okay?" Jennette questioned.

"I'm fine." Shaylene responded. "At least, I feel okay now."

"Good." Jennette sighed.

"What are we gonna say when Mom and Dad find out I left school early?" Shaylene wondered.

"They're both at work until 5." Jennette stated. "They don't need to know."

"Yeah, but what if they find out?" Shaylene inquired.

"I'll come up with something." Jennette responded. "Don't worry about it."

"Ok. So... what now?" Shaylene wondered.

"You'll stay here with me for the day." CJ replied. "Like I said, since whatever was draining you seems to be targeting you specifically, there's a decent chance it will follow you. If you're with me, I can protect you." He looked at Jennette. "No offense, Jennette. I'm not saying that you can't protect her-"

Jennette chimed in, interrupting him. "But these powers are based on your stories. You instinctively have a better handle on them than the rest of us."

"Ok." Shaylene said.

Later that day…

CJ's car pulled into his driveway. He and Shaylene stepped out.

"I thought you said whatever was after me would follow me?" Shaylene questioned.

"Are you complaining?" CJ replied.

"No…" Shaylene responded.

"If it's one of your classmates, or at least someone at your school, they wouldn't have been able to just slip out unnoticed." CJ stated.

"No, but they could have faked being sick." Shaylene responded.

"That's true." CJ said. "But depending on what kind of a student… or teacher they are, they may not have felt right skipping out on any kind of work."

"A student who doesn't want to miss schoolwork but is okay with draining the energy of someone?" Shaylene questioned. "Think about what you just said."

"Just because someone or something is draining your energy, it doesn't mean they're doing it on purpose." CJ stated. "They could be someone just like us. They woke up one morning with abilities they can't explain, and they're have difficulties controlling their newfound abilities."

"I guess." Shaylene acknowledged. "Would it be an issue if I spent the weekend?"

"The whole weekend?" CJ inquired. "Including Sunday night into MLK Day?"

"Yeah...?" Shaylene responded, somewhat confused.

"Why?" CJ questioned.

"Because…" Shaylene stammered.

"Because why?" CJ asked.

"Because I'm…" Shaylene mumbled.

"Come on, kiddo. Spit it out." CJ insisted.

"I'm scared…" Shaylene quaked.

"You don't have anything to worry about." CJ reassured her. "But if it makes you feel better, and your parents are okay with it, you can spend the weekend."

"Yay!" Shaylene cheered. "Thank you!" She then pulled out her cell phone and called her mother. "Hi Mommy, could I possibly spend the weekend at CJ's?"

"Let me speak to him, sweetie." Brenda responded from the other end.

"Mom wants to talk to you." Shaylene stated.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Johnson." CJ greeted.

"Hi CJ. Did Shaylene invite herself over for the weekend?"

"No, I invited her." CJ remarked, quickly catching what Shaylene's mom was asking.

"Very well. Let me talk to her, please." CJ handed the phone back to Shaylene.

"Hi Mommy." Shaylene chirped.

"You can spend the weekend. But next time, don't invite yourself over. It's rude." Brenda stated.

"Sorry Mom..." Shaylene apologized, before her mom hung up.

"She still caught you, huh?" CJ chuckled.

"Yeah..." Shaylene trailed off. "But she said it was okay if I spend the weekend."

"Want to head back to your house and grab some stuff then?" CJ questioned.

"Sure." Shaylene replied.

A short time later, CJ and Shaylene walked back into his house. She had her backpack slung over her shoulder and was also carrying a small luggage case. They walked into CJ's room and she tossed the stuff on his mattress.

"So... Where am I sleeping?" Shaylene inquired.

"Not in my bed." CJ responded somewhat sternly. "You can lay your sleeping bag wherever you feel like."

"Okay." Shaylene chimed. She rolled out her sleeping bag, letting it fall just next to CJ's mattress.

"Somehow, I should have known you were going to do that." CJ sighed.

Shaylene frowned. "I want to feel safe." CJ couldn't help but chuckle.

"I told you: You don't have anything to worry about." He stated. "Feel like walking down to CVS with me?"

"Walk?" Shaylene questioned. "We aren't gonna take the car?"

"It's like 2 minutes down the road." CJ replied. "I'm not gonna use gas for that short of a trip."

"Okay." Shaylene said.

About 15 minutes later, they were walking back from the store with bags in hand. A short while into the trip, CJ turned and saw that Shaylene was walking sluggishly.

"Are you okay?" CJ asked.

"N-no..." Shaylene struggled. "It... It feels like something is... draining me again. Like today in... in school."

"Shit." CJ said. "One sec." He snapped his fingers and the two briefly glowed purple, unnoticed by anyone who may have been in the area.

"I feel better... What did you do?" Shaylene questioned.

"I created an energy field around us." CJ stated. "One that will slow down the effects of whatever's draining you."

"You can do that?" Shaylene questioned.

"Yeah." CJ replied. "I also shielded us from anyone who can sense magic, so if they were sensing our magic energy and using that to track us, they can't."

"That's cool." Shaylene chirped. They kept walking and as they walked into the driveway, Shaylene felt the shadow energy vanish. "Why did you remove the shield?"

"When I was writing my stories, I devised an idea for a magical cloak of sorts. One that could shield an entire house." CJ explained. "I guess when our powers became real, so did that cloak."

"Wow. That's awesome." Shaylene said, as the two walked into the house and back into CJ's room.

"No kidding. Though I can't say I ever thought it would become real."

"Hey you want to have a quick game of Yu-Gi-Oh?" CJ asked.

"Sure." Shaylene responded. "Fake decks?"

"Are you asking because you want to or don't want to?" CJ questioned.

"I wanna use fakes." Shaylene replied.

"Cool. Let's do this." CJ said, grabbing his deck.

"I'll start us off." Shaylene said, drawing 6 cards from her deck. "I play the Silent Realm Field Spell and summon Silent Realm – Flying Guardian." She laid a green card and an orange card on the bed in front of her. "And I'll throw a card face down. Your move."

"I'll place a monster in defense mode and throw a card face down." CJ said, laying two cards facedown in front of him. One he laid horizontally, and the other was vertical, parallel to his deck. "You're up."

Shaylene placed another orange card on the bed in front of her. "I summon Silent Realm – Mace Guardian. And thanks to my Field Spell, as you know, all my Light monsters gain 500 attack points, so my Flying Guardian has 2100 attack points and my Mace Guardian has 2300 attack points. So, I'll use my Flying Guardian to attack your face down."

"I'll activate my face down trap: Battle of the Stealthy." CJ smiled.

"Crap... That's the one that negates my attack and lets you summon a monster, isn't it?"

"It is." CJ said with a smirk. "And I'll use it to summon my Sheikah Whip Master."

"Fine." Shaylene said. "I'll use my Mace Guardian to attack your Whip Master. And with 1700 attack points, you'll take 600 points of damage."

"Fine. So I have 7400 Life Points." CJ stated.

"Yup." Shaylene smiled. "Your move."

"I'll Flip Summon my Sheikah Spy." CJ stated, flipping his face down card face up, laying it vertically on the board, revealing an orange card. "And thanks to its effect, I can destroy a spell or trap card on the field, and I'll choose your Silent Realm."

"Damn." Shaylene swore, placing the green card into a pile above her deck. "Which means my monsters lose their effects."

"Yup. No destroying my monsters without battle calculation for you." CJ smirked. "Next, I summon Sheikah Whip Master. And I'll overlay my two monsters..." CJ then laid two orange cards on top of each other and placed a black card on top of them. "...to Xyz Summon Sheikah Guardian of Time's Gate."

"Yeah, no." Shaylene said. "I activate Torrential Tribute."

"Which means every monster on the field is destroyed. " CJ stated. "Good move. Your turn."

"I summon Guardian Dragon Eldin." Shaylene stated, laying another orange card on the bed. "And I'll attack you directly for 2000."

"So... I'm down to 5400." CJ stated.

"Yup. Your move."

CJ placed a card face-down horizontally. "I'll lay a monster in defense mode. Go."

"I summon Guardian Dragon Lanayru." Shaylene stated, placing an orange card down on the field. "Eldin will attack your face down."

CJ smirked as his flipped his card face up, showed it to Shaylene and placed it into his discard pile, known as the Graveyard.

"You destroyed my Sheikah Spy." He stated. "So, thanks to its Flip Effect, I could destroy one Spell or Trap Card on the field, but you don't have any. However, since Sheikah Spy was destroyed in battle, the monster that destroyed it is also destroyed."

"Well that sucks." Shaylene stated, placing her Eldin in the Graveyard. "But my Lanayru can still attack you directly for 1900."

"Bringing me down to 3500." CJ said.

"Go." Shaylene directed.

"I summon Sheikah Soldier." CJ stated. "And I'll attack Lanayru with 1900, causing them both to be destroyed. And then I'll lay a card face down. Go."

"I summon Guardian Dragon Faron." Shaylene stated. "And then I'll attack your Life Points directly for 1800."

"I'll activate my face down card: We Are the Sheikah." CJ stated, flipping up a pink card. "Now, I can Special Summon a Sheikah from my graveyard, but its effects are negated. And I'll choose my 2500 attack point Sheikah Guardian of Time's Gate."

"Crap..." Shaylene said. "I end my turn."

"I equip my Guardian with Sheikah Studies, boosting his attack points by 500." CJ stated. "And I'll send it to attack Faron."

"So, I'll take 1200 points of damage, putting me at... 6800." Shaylene stated.

"Go." CJ said.

"I throw a monster in defense mode." Shaylene stated. "Go."

"I activate the Field Spell, Shadow Temple." CJ stated. "And thanks to this, all my Sheikah monsters gain 500 attack and defense. Now, I'll send my Sheikah Guardian to attack your defense, with 3500 attack points."

"Sorry dude, but you attacked my Marshmallon." Shaylene smiled, flipping up an orange card.

"Which means I lose 1000 Life Points, putting me at 2500." CJ stated. "And Marshmallon can't be destroyed in battle. Your move."

"I play Terraforming to add Silent Realm to my hand, which I'll activate, destroying your Shadow Temple." Shaylene stated. "Next, I'll summon Silent Realm – Flying Guardian, and I'll attack your Sheikah Guardian."

"And thanks to Silent Realm and your Guardian, my monster with be destroyed without damage calculation." CJ said.

"Yup. Your move." Shaylene smiled.

"I'll lay a card face down." CJ stated. "Go."

"I summon Silent Realm – Sky Watcher." Shaylene said. "And I'll send Flying Guardian and Sky Watcher to attack you directly for 3500."

"That's game." CJ said, scooping up his cards. "Good game."

The following afternoon, CJ and Shaylene were walking out of one of the buildings at his work. He was wearing a snow camouflage jacket over his uniform shirt.

"I guess whoever's after me isn't going to follow me..." Shaylene stated. "I haven't felt anything draining me since yesterday in school."

"Maybe you're right." CJ said. "But it's too soon to celebrate. Let's at least give it until Tuesday after you've gone back to school."

The following Monday evening...

Shaylene was sitting with CJ in his room, talking on the phone.

"Hi Mommy. Do you want me to come home tonight?" Shaylene questioned.

"Yes sweetie." Brenda replied from the other line. "I'm sure CJ would be fine driving you to school in the morning, but I would prefer you come home."

"Ok. I'll be home in a bit." Shaylene stated. "Love you Mom."

"Love you too, sweetie." Brenda replied. "See you in a bit." Shaylene then hung up.

"Do I have to go to school tomorrow?" Shaylene questioned.

"Do your parents know about your powers?" CJ responded.

"No..." Shaylene answered.

"Then yes, you have to go to school tomorrow." CJ replied. "Besides, if whatever or whoever is draining your power is a classmate, then an easy way to find out if they're still around is for you to be in school."

"Easy for you, maybe." Shaylene whined.

"I know you're scared, but if we want to figure out who's doing this, we're going to have an easier time with it if you do things as normal." CJ stated. "If they're targeting you on purpose, then changing your routine is going to throw them off, and lead to them potentially escaping."

"I guess..." Shaylene sighed.

CJ checked his cell phone. "Come on, it's getting kinda late. Let's get you home."

"It's not that late." Shaylene stated. "Can I stay for a little while longer? We could have a duel... or a Pokemon battle... or something."

"Ok fine." CJ gave in. "But only for another hour."

"Yay!" Shaylene cheered. "Wanna duel? Real decks this time."

CJ chuckled. "Okay, let's do it."

A short time later...

"All right, try this on. By banishing Agent of Mystery – Earth from my graveyard, I can Special Summon Master Hyperion." Shaylene stated. "And," she pointed to a green card off to the side of her other cards. "Since I have Sanctuary in the Sky on the field, he can activate his effect twice. By banishing a Light attribute Fairy type monster from my graveyard, I can destroy a card on the field. So, I'll banish both of my Mystical Shine Balls using Hyperion's effect to destroy your Azure Eyes Silver Dragon and your face down spell or trap card." Shaylene pointed to a white card and a face down card on CJ's field.

"Kunai with Chain." CJ stated, placing a pink card into his discard pile.

"And, since your field is now empty of monsters, I can attack your life points directly with Master Hyperion." Shaylene smiled.

"And with 2700 attack points, that's more than enough to wipe out my 2300 life points." CJ stated. "Good game, Shay."

"Thanks." Shaylene replied.

"Come on, get your stuff together. I have to take you home." CJ remarked.

"Okay..." Shaylene groaned.

The next day...

CJ waited on a street corner outside a brick nursing home on a busy main road. He watched as a school bus pulled up and the doors opened. One by one the students stepped off. Shaylene stepped off the bus and smiled when she saw CJ.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" She questioned, running over and hugging him. A familiar brunette girl shot her and CJ a dirty glare.

"I wanted to check up on you." CJ stated, as the two started walking down the street, heading toward Shaylene's house. He kept somewhat silent until they were far enough away from her classmates. "Any more sign of whatever was draining you the other day?"

"No." Shaylene stated. "Nothing. Things were fine today."

"Hm... It's possible then that whoever was draining you either doesn't have control over their powers, or they needed light energy, and you just happened to be the strongest source in the area." CJ explained.

"That doesn't exactly fill me with glee, dude." Shaylene said.

"I know." CJ responded. "But, I don't think they were intentionally targeting you specifically. I mean... yeah, they might have been targeting you as the strongest source of light energy, but not you as you. Know what I mean?"

"Uhh... no." Shaylene stated, confusion present in her voice.

"If someone else had been a stronger source of light energy, they would have gone after that person instead of you." CJ stated.

"Ah, okay. I guess that makes some kind of sense." Shaylene responded. She stopped as they reached her house and she saw CJ's car parked in the driveway. "Pleeease tell me you're staying for a bit."

CJ chuckled. "Of course I am."

"Yay!"Shaylene cheered.