Whee, so glad to hear from you guys! I even got a glomp! (thnx Coconut123 :-)) I really missed this site.

Hummph, when I looked back just now, I realized that I really whined a lot. But now that I know where I am, there will be minimal moaning, so don't worry about having to deal with it again! I will behave.

(Grrr, how come the site won't let me put up a line like before? How annoying and petty! I always knew it was out to get me!)

(Ahh, here's one that works:)

***0.0***

I was walking down the very empty street, surroundings dim with the pressing darkness. It was quiet. It was cloudy. Not exactly a "dark and stormy night" on the surface, but the tension roiled under the façade, silently following me like a shadow. My heart thudded louder every time I acknowledged the growing unrest.

I quickened my pace.

Suddenly, a huge shadow appeared before me and screeched out, yelling words that fell on my ear but did not meld into language, at least none that I'd ever heard of. I cried out and hurried backwards, intending on gradually turning so that I could run flat out from this strange being, for it could not be human. But after only two back steps, my searching foot suddenly flailed, finding not cobblestone but…emptiness.

And I fell.

I can not say how long I fell, only that it was both hours and split-second. I could sense nothing. I didn't see the night sky that should be above me. I felt no rush of air. I did not even hear my own scream.

It was as if I had been swallowed by the Earth itself. Except that I smelled no soil either.

Then there was light. Bright, blinding light that bleached everything it contacted.

Shapes swirled in it, swirls and colors and…faces. I squinted at these last ones, afraid, but I felt that these I must see. At first, I could hardly make out features, then expressions and minute details became clear. I saw smiles, laughter, bright cheeks that could only belong to children.

Then suddenly confusion. Fear. Anger.

The very last one snatched my heartbeats from me:

Hopelessness.

Was this the past? The present?

…The future?

I awoke crying.

...

When I opened my eyes, they were unfocused with sleep and blurry with tears. But as soon as I wiped both from them, my surroundings became clear and I relaxed, sinking into my pillow. I was just in my room. My nice, normal, homey home. Memories of the night before started trickling back, taking their sweet time. Didn't do too good for my mood when they reasserted themselves in my mind.

…Was it possible to go through all that drama in one night? If I didn't experience it myself, I wouldn't have believed so.

"Hmmg-g-g-g-g…" I heard a tiny throaty grumble in my ear. I tilted my head to the right to see a blurry orange blob in the corner of my vision. He wasn't awake yet, but it was obvious that that wouldn't be for long. So I forced myself up and yanked open the fridge. When I realized that I had no more of what I was looking for, I ran out to the coop.

Finn was rubbing his tiny eyes when I returned. "Whaa-" he mumbled. "Wha hap'ned?" He squinted over at me as I pulled open my drawers. "Wha're you..doin'?"

I quickly changed into my blue work clothes, grabbed my money and picked him up, cradling him in the crook of my arm. "Well, I was going to cook an omelet for us, but since my fridge's basically barren and I didn't let the animals in last night, it looks like we're eating out! What do you want before I go to the Inn and sound crazy, asking the thin air what it wants?"

He stuck his pink tongue out and gagged. "No food, please. I feel horrible, I'll just…what is it you call it?"

"…Barf?"

He nodded miserably as his stomach growled, obviously at ends with itself.

I chewed the inside of my cheek. "You were very heroic last night, Finn. I'm very glad that you found me."

He considered this, then crawled up my arm so he could gloat higher. Already tired from just that, he slumped against my neck. "I was pretty cool, wasn't I?"

"The coolest." I smiled as I walked across the bridge.

The morning was relatively chilly, but I knew what an oven it could become in just a few short hours. That's why I usually did my chores in this wonderful frame of time. And when I finally remembered that the Inn didn't open for a few more hours, I realized that that was exactly what I should've done.

I crept around the streets, feeling a faraway sense of déjà vu. Suddenly, I remembered my nightmare, bits and pieces. Walking down a quiet street – this exact one, actually – some…monster. Was it speaking Latin? I wasn't sure. Falling…Darkness…Blindness…Emotions…Expressions…

What were those faces trying to say? Who did they belong to? I remember recognition while I stared…

I racked my brain, but came up with only a thoroughly scrambled mind.

Finn tapped my ear lobe. "Molly. Hey, Molly. Hey, space cadet, wake up. There's someone behind you."

"Huh?" I turned around. "Oh! Um, hi."

"Good morning, Starshine, the earth says hellooooo." he said in a voice that can only be construed as mocking. I nodded and twirled back around. "Hey! Where're you going?"

"W-well, I figured that since we had exchanged the mandatory pleasantries, I could leave."

He blinked at me, violet eyes wide. "No…freaking way." He snorted, then started out-right laughing. "You sound…ju-just…like…him! Hahahahahahahaha!"

I frowned. "Who, Chase?" I already knew the answer.

He kneaded his stomach. "Hahahaha…I haven't laughed that hard in forever…and, you know, G-man. Thought you'd know that, Starshine."

I nodded and started walking away again, sorry to hear his sandals slapping next to mine. "Quit calling me 'Starshine'. It's stupid."

"It's completely true. Fits you perfectly. When G-man even hears your name, his eyes light up even more than when he's watching the skies. I should know, I grew up with the guy after all..."

"Oh, really." Crap, here comes the blush. Why can I not act? "And how do you know that?"

He stretched and yawned. "Nyah, not awake yet. H'num…Well, I mentioned you in passing at some point, and he started looking around eagerly…as eager as that guy can look, that is. So then I started adding in your name at random times while I talked. Stuff like, 'Do you want me to Molly get you some new books, because it has got to get boring after Molly reading all those you already have over and over and Molly and over.'" He chuckled, then frowned, "When he finally figured out I was yanking his braid, he calmly asked me to stop. No fun, that guy, no fun at all." I shook my head and started power walking. Too bad his legs were a mile long. And just as I was starting to think he was getting the message, my stomach hissed out in protest at the same time as Finn's screamed. Chase rose an eyebrow. "Hungry much?"

I shrugged. Finn was practically bouncing up and down with his nod.

He tugged twice at my shirt sleeve and walked over to the Ocarina Inn. "Hey," I said, "That doesn't open until…" He pulled out a ring of three keys and, selecting the silvery one, opened it up. He gestured inside and bowed. I didn't give him the satisfaction of retorting, I wasn't even going to go inside. But Finn saw the possibility of breakfast and took off, landing with a thud at Chase's feet.

He blinked and stared right at the sprite, a shadow of curiosity on his face, but shook his head and righted himself. "Suit yourself. If you want some food, feel free to come in."

I waited until he was in the kitchen before rushing over and picking up Finn. "Don't do that again." I whispered, depositing him back onto my shoulder.

Chase didn't even look up when I sat at the table nearest the kitchen. "So, I was thinking…" he started, whisking eggs in a big yellow bowl as he walked over, "About that friend of ours, maybe we could work together to help him with the potion-"

"Maya!" I waved at the pajama-clad girl before Chase could say anything else damaging. "Good morning!" She regarded us, obviously thinking. I remembered how Kathy had lied to her last night, saying that I was after Chase. It saddened me to see that she had even taken her words into consideration. As if it would help things, I scooted ever-so-slightly away from him in my chair. "Still not awake?"

She shook her head and plopped down across from me, rubbing her eyes with both fists like a child. "Noooo, I had a very scary nightmare...Chaaaase I'm hungry!"

"When are you not?" he muttered, pouring some of the eggs onto the frying pan.

She pouted. I used to think that that face was annoying on her, but now it seemed pretty cute. I didn't know why Chase was so cold. Hoping that she was too groggy to have heard him, I gently asked what her nightmare was about. "Oh it was absolutely terrifying (!) for one thing the only food left in the world was this gigantic thing that I've heard about something like a "deburgy" or "hambag" or "humburger" but anyway it was very scary and then I just hid from it for most of the dream but suddenly I got so hungry that I couldn't run anymore so I ripped a piece off of it and it "rawr"-ed did I mention it was huge (?) so anyway I ate that piece and it tasted both delicious and nasty at the same time but suddenly something told me that it was made of my Moo-Moo you know that cow at Renee's farm well she's not actually mine but still Renee said that I could visit her whenever I wanted and I thinks she loves me but Mum says I can't keep her in my room no matter how much I promise to take her out for potty walks but anyway I was EATING HER in the nightmare so now I'm scared and what should I do?"

"Ah…Um…"

"Breakfast!" Chase briskly came to the table, setting down two omelets before leaning against the counter with his own. Finn fluttered down to my plate and started pulling off huge chunks, obviously too hungry and sick to be discreet. I poked him with my pinky when I cut off my first bite, and he pouted up at me. "But I'm hungry…"

"Hey, Molly, you know that one friend?" Chase started, cutting up his food into perfect cubes. I stared at him, begging him to stop talking before Maya became suspicious. But he plowed on. "He's leaving on a trip soon. Tonight, actually."

My annoyance was quickly replaced with horror for one second before I managed to mask it. I didn't want Maya asking questions, and no matter how horribly that information ate at my heart and mind, I couldn't let it affect my behavior and expressions. So I tried my best to lock away that thought, struggling to hold it back. It was like trying to shove a vicious lion into a doggy carrier. What would possess that ingrate to drop the bomb now?

Realizing his mistake, Chase decided to direct Maya's attention to something else. "Nice pink pajamas, Maya. I'm very jealous."

She seemed to instantly forget our "friend", looking over at the cook, hurt. I intervened, glaring at him and trying to convey some message like 'Really? That was the first distraction that came to your orange-filled head?' with a little less venom than he deserved. "I'm jealous, too." I smiled at her. "I mean, they're absolutely adorable! You say you doodled all those designs onto it?" I took another bite of omelet, grudgingly thinking it was delicious.

She grinned, chest puffing up with pride and her next monologue. But before she could start, her parents and grandmother came in, fully dressed. "Dearie, I want some eggs too. Could you make mine with some broccoli and cheese?" Yolanda walked by, patting Chase before walking over to start getting things ready for business. "We've missed having you working here, but it's good that you're helping out Haydon." Her son and daughter-in-law nodded and went off to start setting up shop as well.

Chase smiled and went to cook three more omelets. There was something foreign in his face. Maybe it was contentment, maybe even happiness. Whatever it was, it leeched the mean-ness from his expression, and I couldn't tell if that gladdened or scared me.

Was Wizard really leaving? To where? For how long? For forever? I couldn't imagine the island without him. He didn't think he was protecting me again, was he? That crazy notion had completely backfired on both of us. I didn't want to lose him again, I couldn't bear it. I realized that my complete horror was starting to transform my face again, and that anyone who decided to look would see that I was ready to die. So I anxiously stowed the lion away again and manufactured a smile.

I looked down to see that my plate was almost completely empty. I had only taken a few bites, maybe eaten a third of it. I looked over to see Finn rushing to the closest garbage can.

Good thing I'm the only one who can hear him. His dramatic succumbing severely destroyed any appetite I had.

Just as the Inn officially opened, several people rushed in and plagued Chase and Yolanda. I saw Toby with his uncle and cousin, handing Yolanda some fish to grill and complaining that they didn't open early enough, that it'd be much more convenient if it was at least two or three hours earlier. That explorer who helped me rejuvenate the Yellow Bell was simultaneously ordering breakfast for himself and his fiancée – Phoebe, I think – and asking if Chase knew anything about some moldy old treasure map that he kept shoving in the cook's face. By the look on his face, I had an idea of what Chase was going to do to the poor couple if they didn't back off, and quick.

That's when a pair of hands came down hard on my shoulders.

"AAAH!" I whirled around in my seat. "Julius! Don't do that!"

He laughed, the sound jolly tolling bells. "Couldn't help myself, Darlin'!" He plopped down in a seat, pulling Candace down next to him. She blushed, shot a sideways glance at Maya beside her, then trained her eyes on the table. I didn't think it was my imagination that there was something new in her face. "Candy and I decided to come in and get some French toast! Would you be a dear and tell your grandmother? Oh, how I do love her food!"

Maya got up slowly and walked over to the kitchen. I hoped that her destination was to tell Yolanda, not make it herself. The same thought seemed to occur to Julius, because he suddenly got up and went to be clear on who the cook would be.

"Hey, Candace…what's going on between you and Julius?" She instantly blushed and stared at her wringing hands. I felt bad for making her uncomfortable, but I just simply didn't feel like mincing words today. She whispered something under her breath. "…Huh?" I breathed, leaning towards her.

"I'll…I'll t-tell you l-lat-t-t-ter…"

"Ah." I sat back and grinned. While her voice was scared and hushed as usual, it was happy. That meant good news, which was…good, I suppose.

That was when Julius came back, so I immediately shut my mouth and opened my ears, because he obviously had a lot pressing at his voice box.

It was only much later that me and Candace escaped the Inn and Julius. As we came to the Tailor Shop, woman's intuition told me to go in before them. Candace soon followed, eyes bright under her blue bangs. I immediately started the interrogation, grabbing her hands. "Spill! Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me!"

She shook, and I didn't know if it was anxiety or joy. Probably anxiety. "I-I…He…W-well, at the f-f-fest-tival…He asked m-me t-to g-g-g-go stead-dy…"

I jumped up and down, heart in throat with elation. No matter what crap happened to me, I was still a normal young woman and my quiet BFF just said that she snagged a guy! Wrapping her up in a big hug, I barely suppressed a squeal as I continued bouncing. Who wouldn't be happy for her? She was glowing, a subtle sparkle that hovered all around her! Go Candace!

Luna grumbled behind the counter, a look of utter distaste tugging at her mouth. "Great, does this mean I'm gonna have to endure his face more than usual?"

"You're a lot like him, more than you'd care to acknowledge, I figure." I retorted quietly. Candy giggled, but thankfully Luna remained obtuse.

"I mean, next thing you know he's gonna be handing you a blue feather. YUCK!"

I froze, remembering something from last night. "Wait. What exactly is a blue feather?"

"Well, usually it's this soft, ticklish thing, hopefully blue since it's a blue feather from a blue bird, so any other color is just stup-"

"Yes, yes, I know what it is!" She gave me a 'you asked' face and shrugged. "But why do you hate the fact that Julius might give Candy one?"

"You mean besides the fact that he'd probably pretty it up with some overly-romantic stuff like a rose and ribbon and hearts? The implications."

"…Implications?"

I heard a small cough behind me. "Um…" Candace played with her hands, hunched over. "It's…Th-that is, i-it's a mmm-marriage proposal."

I stopped breathing, head feeling so high above the clouds that it hurt. Almost mechanically, I sat on the display of work shirts behind me. I vaguely heard Luna's protests and felt Candace's reassuring hand on my forehead, but all I could do was hold my head and try to slow my heart, which was beating harder than a prized thoroughbred's after the Kentucky Derby.

That floaty thing Wizard had, was that a blue feather? Did that mean he…no. It had to be something else. I sifted through my sleep-hazy memories, finally paying attention to details.

He said that it was connected to a powerful ritual…that wasn't magical.

He said he "never wanted to let" me "go". That he wanted to "protect" me.

Good Goddess, he even got down on one knee.

...

How could I be so stupid?

I suddenly jerked back up to my feet. "Oh Goddess, s-sorry! I have t-to go!"

"B-b-but…"

"Hey, I'm not done with you, Missy!"

"I h-have to go now! Bye, goodbye, sorry!"

I sprinted up the streets, boots slapping cobbles without inhibitions. I didn't slow even when I reached his house, I reached out and twisted the knob in one fluid-ish motion, stumbling inside.

He was waiting for me just inside the door, worry pushing his white eyebrows close. "Miss Molly…?…Are you alright…?"

I stood there, eyes watery and chest heaving from confusing emotions and exertion. But I couldn't stand still for long, it was simply impossible for me with him so close, getting ready to leave me for Goddess-knew how long. So I rushed into his outstretched arms and held him as close as I could, burrowing my head into his chest and giving a sigh of relief when I was sure that he was still here, still able to wrap his arms around me, still able to run his lithe fingers through my hair.

This moment was all I needed to satisfy me for the rest of my life.

***-.-***

Sigh...

Loony's not here! She's off at camp. I don't miss her yet, but I know I will sometime. Always do. It's so wonderfully quiet now, and now I can actually sing and hum around the house without her telling me to shut up. But then again, the night before she left, there was a really vocal thunder storm, and she crawled into my bed to huddle and cuddle. She's so cute when she's scared and/or half-asleep. That I do miss… :/ And when we dropped her off, I expected that they'd be in these beaten up cabins that are little more than graffiti-ed wood and bunk-beds and thin mattresses like before! But no, they just built these buildings that resemble tricked-out dorms! They even had a shower in each room.

I tell you, we're spoiling our kids.

On a different note…Arrgh! Doncha hate having to wait a whole week for each episode of your favorite shows? It sucks! But I'll get to watch Huge tomorrow, so for a short time I don't mind the wait. What shows do you have to endure waiting for? Clickety-click the button and do tell. Review too if you feel like it, I'm just satisfied that people read this :3

I'll post the very next chapter tomorrow or the day after, I've already written it but I want to make sure it's absolutely perfect, since Loony isn't here to dissect it for me. It's really really short (no, really really really short), but I think it's my favorite so far.

Haffa nawce dae! :D