Alright before you start, I want to apologize to all the people that were watching me for the next chapter of this story. I did not realize until now that it has almost been a year since I last updated this. I have NOT forgotten this story. Everything in real life has just been keeping me so busy I was not able to write. But now being summer I can finally begin to write more again. I hope you guys like this chapter, and I again apologize for the long delay.

Beyond The Page

Chapter 12: Life Source

The sky was blue as I looked up into the afternoon sky. For a moment it was very peaceful, and I was glad to be here.

Then I remembered where I was.

I realized that I had fallen asleep thinking of home. The forest was quiet today, but it was not a sort of quiet that foretells of bad things. The quiet was more of a peaceful, non-threating silence that eases the body and mind.

"Finally! It took you forever to wake up!"

My eyes opened again to see a little girl's face staring down at mine's.

I yawned stretching my arms over my head, "Vanellope? What are you doing on me?"

"I had to wake you up somehow." She retorted.

"Alright, alright I'm up!" I replied getting onto my bare feet. Sleepily I looked around for my shoes, but they were nowhere to be found to my surprise.

"My shoes! Where did I put them?!" I panicked looking around the ground.

"Are you looking for these?"

I turned back to Vanellope, who was holding my shoes in her hands. She looked at me with a devilish grin.

I walked up to her, not sure if she would play a trick on me or not, and held out my hand for the shoes. To my expectations Vanellope jerked the shoes away before I could grab them. I sighed in frustration and tried again. This time Vanellope smiled and quickly teleported away farther than before. I became more frustrated as I chased her and my shoes.

It has been a long time since I was rescued and had last seen another human being. Well, Vanellope was another human being that I've seen, but this was the first time I met her face to face. She was just like any other little girl, though she did have a sort of boyish side to her. I really didn't mind at all, except for the fact that she plays pranks on me.

"Come back with my shoes!" I shouted at her as she zipped away out of sight.

I sighed and kept running after her. She was surprisingly fast for a little girl, unusually fast. I found that out the hard way a few days ago, when she had taken my sketchbook away. I grabbed for it and Vanellope just simply smiled and teleported away a few feet. I stared dumbfounded at her sudden 'big jump.' Vanellope explained to me later that she had the power to 'glitch,' meaning that she could get anywhere faster by just simply 'jumping' there. I didn't understand it, but I dealt with it.

Vanellope was nowhere to be found as I kept running, worried that I somehow got lost. Though I wanted my shoes back, I loved walking barefoot on the ground, where I could feel everything. As I was running I suddenly felt something sharp on my feet.

"OW!" I shouted in pain. I looked down at my feet to see brambles of briar thorns scattered around me.

"LUCY! DON'T…MOVE!"

I turned to see Vanellope wide-eyed, her hands held up for me to stop moving. I stood completely still, not knowing what I had gotten myself into. The thorns were still pricking my bare feet, now making them bleed a little. I looked at Vanellope wide-eyed, "What should I do? I don't know what will happen!"

It was then I heard snaps underneath me, then everything moved very fast. For a moment I did not know what was happening. Thorns were pricking at me from all over: my arms, legs, feet, and hands were all cut and bleeding from the sharp thorns. Finally I found myself slamming into the ground below all the brambles of thorns. I felt blood run down one of my cheek as I lay there still. Then I heard a muffled noise that grew fainter when I found myself losing consciousness. Everything went black when I felt stinging pain all over that became unbearable by the minute.

0 - 0 - 0 - 0

"Miss…..wa….up!"

"Nngh!" I moaned in pain.

"Wake up miss! PLEASE wake up!"

My eyes fluttered open but my vision was still blurry. "W-Who's…?" I croaked in a quiet voice.

"Oh thank goodness! Are you alright miss?"

I blinked and found that I could move. I rubbed the blurriness from my eyes and squinted to see who it was. A little girl with deep green eyes stared right back at me. I lay there dumbfounded to see a little girl here. Curious I slowly sat up, with pain still flowing through me.

"U-Um, who…who are you? Are you lost?" I asked her curiously.

The girl shook her head, "No, I'm not lost. Actually I came to find you."

I blinked at her, "What do you mean, you were looking for me?"

The little girl did not reply but only held out her hand. I looked at the hand, unsure if I should take it. Taking a deep breath from the pain I still felt, I took the girl's hand. Suddenly I did not feel any unbearable pain, and instead felt rejuvenated and refreshed. I gasped as I now realized that the little girl was not ordinary. Her skin was all green, including her very long hair, and her hands emitted a strange power that made me feel curious and confused.

"Feel better?" the girl asked, letting go of my hand.

I stayed silent, to shocked and awed by what she had done.

"I should probably explain." She said noticing my shock, "I'm a forest sprite. I take care of the forest and make sure it is well and happy. Well, I'm actually what you humans say 'in training.'"

"A…forest sprite." I finally managed to say.

"That's right miss." The girl replied smiling, "I've been looking for you, the human that lives in the forest."

"You know about me?" I said shocked.

"Everyone in this forest knows about you. There are more spirits in this forest than you know." The girl whispered with a smile.

I remained silent and looked around, fearing that the spirits mentioned were watching me. I looked back at the girl, who suddenly seemed to not look very well. I smiled down at her, taking her hand in mine.

"Thank you for looking after me. What's your name?"

The girl blinked unmoving and silent. I sighed, "I guess you guys don't have names. I can give you a name if you like."

Almost immediately the girl nodded, "Yes please! I always wanted a human name!" she exclaimed.

I laughed, somehow reminded of my friend's daughter Natalie back home. "Alright let's see, how about….Fiona."

The girl's eyes widened in joy, "Oh what a wonderful name!"

I smiled, "Alright, then I will call you Fiona."

"HOORAY!" she shouted through the brambles.

I laughed at her joy, but was cut short when she suddenly turned all blue and stopped smiling.

"What's the matter?!" I asked worriedly.

"I don't feel so well." Fiona whispered softly.

She reached out with her little hands, her frailness apparent through her movements. Quickly I carefully lifted the sprite off the ground and into my arms. I stood up slowly trying not to startle her and looked around to see any pathway out.

"Let's get out of this briar patch." I said warmly to Fiona.

"Okay." She replied with a very soft voice.

I walked a few feet before stopping at a dead end. I turned to walk in another direction, but every time I was faced with dead ends.

"This isn't good. At this rate Fiona might get more unwell. I have to do something."

Fiona held onto me tighter, making me grow more worried. Her frailness was alarming to me, and I suddenly felt something else as well. The forest's peaceful day turned into a peculiar uneasiness, and seemed to foretell that something bad would happen to the forest.

I knew I had to get out right away.

"Hold on tight, I'm going to try and climb out." I told her.

"No, don't! The thorns are too sharp for you! You'll get really hurt again!" she tried to exclaim.

"Don't worry, I won't drop you. And I won't get hurt, I promise."

Carefully I placed a hand onto one of the branches and started to climb. To my surprise the thorns were large enough that I could stand on them without hurting myself. Fiona cling onto me as I climbed, going as fast as I could. Finally for what seemed like hours we both made it out of the brambles. I walked as far away from them as possible before I put Fiona down.

She looked up at me with curious and hopeful eyes. I smiled down at her, showing signs of warmness and caring.

"Are you still unwell?" I asked her.

She nodded, "A little but…" she suddenly stopped looking around her.

The uneasiness I felt before suddenly increased as I looked around as well. I then felt a grip from Fiona's small hands tugging at me.

"This way! You're in danger here." She whispered with urgency.

I immediately followed the little forest sprite in the direction she was running. But I had to blink back twice when I saw her floating a little off the ground, almost as if she was flying.

"Where are we going?" I shouted after her.

Fiona say nothing to me but still kept flying ahead. Being curious as to what we were running from, I decided to look behind me. I realized that she was right: I was in danger.

Which only made me run faster.

"You should hold on tightly." Fiona suddenly said taking my hand.

"Wha-?!" I gasped as I felt myself being lifted off the ground completely. I grabbed onto Fiona's hands tighter as we floated up higher from the ground until we were right above the trees. The danger below us was all but gone now as I stared in awe at the amazing scenery before me.

"O-Oh my Gosh! I'm flying!" I gasped looking all around me.

Fiona smiled at me making me notice that she looked a lot better, having turned back into her usual green color.

"Do you always fly when you travel?" I asked her over the wind in my face.

"Most of the time, but sometimes I like to explore below the trees."

Feeling the wind blowing back my hair was a very good feeling. All of my worries went away as I felt myself loosen and fly free with the wind. I could not help but smile, drowning in the moment of pure fun and excitement. My thoughts suddenly went to Vanellope and my other friends who were worried about me.

"Don't worry Miss Lucy, I'll get you back to your friends safely." Fiona said as if she had read my mind.

"Thank you." I simply replied dumbfounded.

We flew above the forest for a while, then finally came to a familiar tree that was Ralph's home. We hovered in mid-air for a few seconds before slowly floating downwards a bit.

"I hope I can see you again Miss Lucy." Fiona smiled.

"I hope so too." I replied returning the smile with my own.

We landed onto a branch of the tree where it would be easy for me to climb down. It was then Fiona let go of my hand and floated in front of me. I looked in wonder at her, observing her tiny figure that had some berries and flowers in her hair and her small, long green dress.

"Why does she remind me of someone I met?" I wondered to myself.

She is under my care.

I took a double take as I suddenly came to face the mysterious lady I had met when I had met Eris and Arren. Fiona smiled as she embraced the lady in a small hug at her legs.

"Miss Lucy this is the Lady of the Wood, the one who is training me." Fiona explained.

I said nothing but stood there confused and dumbfounded. The lady smiled at me warmly.

I understand your confusion young lady. It has been a while since we last saw each other.

"I-It has been a while." I stammered shyly, not knowing what to say or what to do.

She then placed a warm hand on my shoulder, suddenly making me think that everything was alright. I looked at Fiona to see the same reassuring smile that the lady was giving me.

"Ms. Lady of the Wood…I-I have so many questions to ask…."

I understand Lucy. You want to know who I am.

I nodded slowly but unsurely.

I watch over the forest and protect it from anything dangerous, whether human or spirit. The sole life source of this forest comes from the one who watches over and takes care of the well-being of this forest.

"A-And you are? I mean the life source." I asked listening closely.

In a way I am. Yet I grow old and soon will not be around to care for it to survive.

"That's why she is training me, to become the life source of this forest." Fiona chipped in with a smile.

I stayed silent, still not understanding what I had been told.

"Why me though? Why am I here?" I asked softly, almost in a whisper.

Before the Lady could answer there were voices below that I heard calling my name. I looked down below knowing the voices well, and could tell they were my friends trying to find me.

You must learn on your own why you are here, and what purpose you hold for this forest.

I looked up but before I could ask how she was gone, and only Fiona was left floating beside me. She smiled and quickly gave me a warm hug.

"I hope I can see you again Miss Lucy." Fiona said joyfully.

I squeezed her with the same warmness, "I hope so too." I replied with a smile.

We both let go and stared with joyful eyes before Fiona flew away and into the deep forest below. I watched from where she disappeared for a long time before finally looking down again. Seeing it was a long way down, I became very nervous about climbing down. With a gulp I slowly sat on the branch and let my foot feel for the branch below me.

For the next while I carefully made my way down, becoming more nervous every moment I felt that I was going to fall. Though for some reason without my shoes the branches seemed to be easier to grab onto. Getting near the bottom I could now hear the voices more clearly. I stopped on a low branch to listen.

"I don't know where she is! All I know was that she had fallen through a thorn bramble patch, and that was the last I saw of her!" Vanellope's small voice shouted.

"Would you two please calm down?" Eris's voice said sternly.

"Do not tell me to calm down!" the booming voice of Ralph shouted, making me flinch.

In fact I felt myself tip over the branch, losing my balance. I quickly grabbed with my hand onto the branch I fell from and hung there. Down below I heard the voices grow quiet as I heard Arren's voice shush the others. I hung there terrified, wondering what I would face when I dropped below. I could feel my hands slipping as I was thinking this, and the next thing I knew I felt myself land on top of someone.

In an instant I felt around to see if I was hurt, but luckily I was not hurt in any way. Opening my eyes I saw that I had landed on Arren's head and had rolled downward to the ground, where everyone else was staring at me.

"Hi guys." I squeaked softly.

There was silence in between all of us, though I was confused as to if they were shocked to see me or they could not believe that I was here.

"Thank goodness you are safe." Eris said breaking the silence. She smiled at me which made me a little better.

But Ralph's look told me otherwise that I was not going to get out of this easily.

"How did you get back?" Vanellope asked breaking the tension between us.

"W-Well I got lost and…was not able to find my way back until-" I paused realizing that I did not explain the part of getting stuck in the thorns.

"Until what?"

I barely controlled the urge to flinch when I heard Ralph's low voice.

"Until I climbed a nearby tree and found my way back." I finished softly.

Another silence filled the gap, making me feel a bit uncomfortable. I knew that Ralph only wanted to keep me safe, telling me it was a bad idea to go wandering off on my own. Despite that I somehow managed to wander off out of curiosity.

"You can't blame her for getting lost, surely she was not alone at the time." Eris chipped in.

"I was with her the whole time, if anyone should be blamed for what happened it should be me." Vanellope added.

I looked at her and Eris in total surprise, and was a little guilty for letting her take the blame and not giving it to me. Ralph stayed silent, looking away from all of us. It was a good time to turn and see what happened to Arren. I crept over to him without anyone noticing to see if he was hurt.

"Sorry about landing on your head." I said apologetically.

He looked up at me in surprise as if he was startled. I could see clearly now that he had really bumped his head, because he had red over one side of his face.

"Are you hurt? Let me see…" I said with concern, reaching towards him.

He coward away just a little bit like he was a tiny puppy. I smiled in reassurance grabbing his hand in mine. In the time I had been here I had discovered and was able to use my unusual new powers. One of them was to heal small injuries like Arren's, that I used once on Vanellope's scratched knee in her many schemes. Silently I placed a hand on his head, closed my eyes, and let my powers flow out into his wound. After a few seconds I felt that his head was healed and I slowly removed my hand and opened my eyes again.

"Feel better?" I asked with uncertainty.

"Much better!" Arren exclaimed making me laugh.

I turned knowing the others were still supposedly mad at me being missing but now showing up out of nowhere. I was right, but for a moment I saw that Ralph's expression was not of anger but of amazement. But it disappeared as soon as I noticed it.

"Guys, she back and safe. Isn't that enough to ease your consciousness?" Arren asked standing up behind me.

There was another tense silence, but it did not last long as Ralph finally expressed relief but with a certain sternness behind it.

"Thank goodness it's over, this could have been worse if the others were not here." I thought to myself.

I slowly stood up and faced everyone with a look of relief. Deep inside I felt that this was going to bite me back, because I knew Ralph was going to confront me sooner or later about it. But I did not let that thought worry me too much for the moment.

"Here, I have your shoes." Vanellope said walking up and holding the shoes that I was so desperately chasing a few hours ago.

I took them gingerly in my hands, but hesitated to put them back on.

"You know…I think I'll keep them off for now. I kinda like running without my shoes on. Makes me feel…good feeling the earth beneath my feet." I smiled with both relief and uncertainty of what I would be confronting next.