In Phantasma's room, the girls were finishing up the circle and runes for their second attempt at the dream spell.
"I noticed in the book, creating an attractive dream can help increase the chance of success," explained Phantasma, showing Elsa and Winnie the appropriate page in her book.
"So? We already knew that," Winnie said.
"Elsa, what kind of dream, did you try to create?" Phantasma asked.
"Just the Calloway Academy on a nice gray day with the other cadets around. Why?"
"I think we can do better, the dream has to be something specific that'll interest him enough to stay," Phantasma began rummaging about in one of her suitcases until she pulled out a soft cover book which she handed to Elsa. The slightly worn book was a romance novel titled "The Passion of the Vampire".
"What exactly is this plan?" Elsa frowned at the phantom.
"We just have a scene where a girl flirts in an interesting setting, and I know just the scene and setting to use."
"Ok, so why isn't Sibella here?" asked Winnie, just as the answer to that question hit Elsa.
"Because she's gonna be in the dream, a mix of attractive and familiar elements makes the target of the spell more likely to connect with the created dream," Elsa sighed, looking up at Phantasma who nodded and smiled.
"How bad is this gonna be?" Winnie scowled up at Phantasma.
"She says a couple sexy lines, once he's entrenched in the dream, we jump in and ask him to get the cadets to pick us up."
The girls again stood in the circle and closed their eyes, as Phantasma read the spell aloud and mentally prepared her dream. Again, the room outside the circle fell away and they found themselves returning to Calloway Academy and then Tug's sleeping mind. As in their first attempt, they were plunged into a chaotic sea of random dream images, but suddenly found themselves floating in a luxurious ballroom. As before they had no substance and were only observers, except Phantasma mentally guiding events.
People chatted lounging on the fine leather furniture placed about the lavish surroundings, except for Tug Roper. Frowning Tug stood in the center of the room looking awkwardly about. Pieces of his surroundings felt vaguely familiar, but looking down at himself he instantly recognized most of his attire. He was wearing a very formal upgrade of his usual blue Calloway uniform, complete with more brass buttons and a large military dagger hanging from the front of his waist. Many of the male guests were dressed in uniforms similar to his own and bore resemblances to his fellow cadets, while the ladies wore large colourful evening gowns.
From across the room, standing in a partially obscured corner, he spied Sibella watching him with bedroom eyes. Unlike the other ladies present she stood out with her light purple skin and dark dress. Upon his notice she gave him a subtle smile and waited while Tug picked his way across the room toward her.
"What are you doing here?" he asked scratching the side of his head.
"Waiting for your fangtastic company," she said stepping forward and closing the distance between them slightly.
"...right, but then why am I here?"
"I think the boredom of this little soirée would have caused me to die all over again, if you hadn't shown up," Tug was backed against the wall as she stepped towards him again.
"Allow me express my gratitude for your company," placing her hands at the top of his chest, she moved closer and gently pressed against him. Looking up at him, she locked onto him with a stare both pleading and sultry as her let the tips of her fingers slowly trail down his chest.
"Tug, can I touch it? It's so...big," her stare smouldered as her fingers daringly traced down his stomach. Tug froze in place, letting Sibella take her time working her fingers down to his belt before gently, but firmly grasping the hilt of the knife hanging off his waist.
"It's a little larger than I was expecting," she smoothly drew and held the blade, smiling enough to reveal the points of her fangs. Tug's face held a bizarre expression of both disappointment and relief, as he stood there stiffly.
"My kind doesn't really worry about such things, but I doubt my little body could take the whole length. Maybe if you worked it in nice and slow," she said lightly tracing her fingers up and down the edge.
"It's very sharp, I'm sure it could easily cut through a great many things: wood, rope...clothing, but until you're sure about its use, it's probably best to keep it properly sheathed," without breaking eye contact, she guided the tip of his knife back into the sheath on his waist, and slowly slid it back inside.
Elsa and Winnie could only stare in shock, the way Phantasma had directed the dream had obviously caused Tug's brain to strip a gear. He seemed to be struggling to reconcile her seduction with the girl who never showed any interest in him. Just as he reached to put his hands on her shoulders she vanished and he saw the three other Grimwood girls standing nearby.
"Sorry about setting up the dream, but we're hoping you'll give us a lift home tomorrow," Winnie said.
"Wait, what? How are you in my dream?" Tug asked.
"Magic, silly, so can you give us a lift?" Phantasma giggled.
"You could've just asked, you didn't have to mess with me," Tug said frowning and blushing as the embarrassment of the situation hit home.
"We needed to give you something to really lift your spirit, or the spell wouldn't have worked. Sorry about that, will you help us?" Phantasma said.
"Grimwood girls..." Tug quietly grumbled to himself, shaking his head.
"Calloway Cadets aren't a taxi service," he replied bluntly.
"C'mon, doesn't your code say you can't leave ladies in distress? Well, were ladies and we're in distress, we're stuck out here at this sucky party for three more days," Winnie said.
"I think your stretching the definition of "distress"," Tug frowned crossing his arms.
"We'd be glad to pay for the trip," Phantasma said.
"How long will it take that helicopter thing of yours to go 145 miles?" Winnie asked.
"Our helicopter can't cover 160 miles, especially carrying you."
"Look, none of the cadets have a regular license," the girls faces fell at the news.
",but we are certified on a military cargo vehicle, we'll "borrow" it tomorrow morning. Give me the directions, make sure you've got plenty of gas money and you owe us for this one."
After they provided Tug with where and when to pick them up, Phantasma brought the spell to an end and they were again standing in her room. Elsa and Winnie both spent a few minutes letting Phantasma know they weren't happy with how Sibella had been represented. Despite not being pleased, they both quickly agreed Sibella really didn't need to know the full details of the little escapade Phantasma had conjured for Tug.
