The Dreamlighter
Episode 8
Part one
The wind blew harshly around her as she stood in the deserted plain. Her eyes
were still closed but she knew she didn't have to open them. The answers
would come soon.....
*Three lights......*
She jerked her head towards the voice. It was so familiar! Could it be...?
*Three humans.....*
It was! Wasn't it? So many things had happen. Reality and dream was so
immerged now....
*One that can take sword, one that can weild the sword--*
"And one that can keep the sword" she finished for the voice
*Ahh Dreamheart.....so you *do* remember"
"Faintly"
*And you know what you must do*
"I can't. The last battle drained my power. *She* must do it"
*But do you think she is ready or even strong enough to face this evil??*
"No I don't. But she does have something that will balance the scale to her
advantage"
*And what is that?*
"Friends"
***********************
"Lina, I don't think that's going to work"
"But why not it's a perfect plan!"
"I'll get killed!!"
"No you won't"
"Ok then fine. But if I get my head sliced off. I am never going to play with
you again."
"Deal. Come on Gourry let's go to the house and pop the game in!!"
"Wow look!" Gourry cried pointing across the street
Lina stopped in mid-run and turned twords the direction he was pointing
He was pointing at the large manion-like house across the street. It had
several moving vans parked out front.
"Looks like somebody's moving in" the blond concluded
"Naw ya think?" came the starcastic reply
"Whoo, look at all that stuff!" he said, ignoring her "Ya would think that
they had almost as much money as Amelia!"
"Nobody's got as much money as Amelia, at least not in this town"
"Hmmm...." he sighed as he stared down at the sidewalk "She didn't come to
school today. Do ya think she's sick or somethin'?"
"Naw.....I'm sure she fine. She probly just ditched school. Ya know, took a
break from all that straight A'ing she always does"
"Amelia??"
"Hey you never know. We don't know everything about her and--" she abruptly
stopped talking and looked at the sky. As if the answer was somewhere in the
clouds....
"Things happen..." she finally whispered
**Flashback**
"Lina......Dreamstar is Amelia...."
"Amelia??!!"
Dreamstar looked at them in confusion and ask "Who are you?"
"It's me....." Dreamlighter said, transforming back into human form
"Lina....."
"Lina....?"
Suddenly Dreamstar also transformed into human form and looked at her friends
in amazement.
"What's happening...?" she whispered
But before they could answer her, something on the ground caught her eye
"Kurmuriko!!" she grasped running tword the fallen child
She clutched the little boy in she arms tightly as a tear fell down her cheek
"I....I thought I lost you..." she whispered in his hair
"Amelia....I--"
"I havta to go home now" she said before Lina could finish
"But Amelia--"
"I'll see you tomorrow"
She quickly stood up with her charge in her arms and ran out of the park.
"Amelia!! Wait!! Amelia!!!!"
**End of Flashback**
"Did something happen yesterday? Is that why you didn't come over?"
"Great! *Now* he decides to be sharp" she mumbled under her breath
"What did you--?"
"Oh Gourry-dear!!"
"Saved by the bell....or should I say the heart-stuck teenager"
"Oh Lina" Sylphiel said coming twords them from across the street, "Did you
meet our new neighbors?"
"Why would I want to?"
"Because...." the older girl said with a little mishief in her eye "It's seem
that one of them would like to meet you....."
Lina looked across the street to see that someone *was* looking at her. A
very *handsome* somebody...a very handsome *rich* somebody.....
"I...um...I..don't know what you're talking about" the red-head lied
"You mean you can't see that cute boy over there by the second to the right
moving van who is scoping you out??" Sypheil said, trying not to be too
obvious
"No"
"Who is that dude anyway?" Gourry asked staring at the boy uneasly
"Oh he's just Hallas Ryzu"
"Hallas, huh?" Lina said taking another look at the boy
"Yep, I was just over there, and said he thought you were pretty cute"
"Me?"
"Uh Lina...." Gourry interupted "I though we were going to go to my house and
play on my Playstation"
"But Hallas has a Playstation *2*"Sypheil countered
"A Playstation 2!!!??" both teens exclaimed
Sypheil's smile grew even larger at the others reactions. Honestly she didn't
know difference between a Playstation 2 and a pinball machine! She just knew
that she saw one in one of the Ryzu's moving vans. And isn't alway's a 2
better than a *1*??
"Wow....a PS2...." Gourry whispered. He *knew* he couldn't compete with that!
"Is this kid gonna go to our school?" Lina asked, getting more eager to meet
new kid that she had previously thought.
"Of course!" came the answer "Sailoon High School is one of the best private
schools in the area"
"Hmmmm....maybe I'll see him in school then"
Gourry's face lit up!
"What?! You're not going over there to meet him??"
"Naw Syph', me and Gourry got some busness to 'tend to"
And with that, the red head turned on her heels and started toward the
direction of her companion's house, with Gourry, happily, behind her.
"Oh drat!" the older girl stamped her foot in defeat, "She is so stubborn!
There's got to be away to get her a boyfriend and away from Gourry-Dear!"
Yet unknowing to her, not to far away, a dark figure was watching, and ready
to give her a solution.........
**********
*RING* *RING*
"Hello? Oh hello my dear. Amelia? Well let me see."
Phil gentlely placed the phone on the counter and headed for his daughter's
room.
"Amei?" he whisptered opening the door slightly "Lina's on the phone"
"Tell her I'm in the shower" came a voice from under the covers of the large
pink and blue canopy bed
"But honey..it's not just to lie to her like that."
"I know but...."
"And she is your friend--your *best* friend-- and......"
Suddenly he realized that talking to her like that wasn't going to help. It
was probly a "girl thing" that he wouldn't understand even if he took a four
year class. Maybe he should ask Graisa to talk to her instead....
"........and I guess you know best" he finished in defeat "I'll go tell her"
When her father finally closed the door, Amelia emerged from under the covers
She sat up in the bed and examined the object she had been holding. Her
mother's bracelet.
"What's going on? How did this happen" she whisptered to the star bracelet
"If Mommy hadn't....if she wasn't gone would I still be...what I am?"
She remembered the way her mother used to wear the bracelet everywhere. She
had said it was her "lucky charm". When Amelia had asked her why, she relpied
"Because the day I met your father I was wearing this bracelet"
The reply made Amelia laugh, but now thinking about made her cry. The last
time she wore that bracelet was the night she died......
"No not died" she corrected "Killed. She was killed."
Her family was one of the richest families in the area and that made them a
lot of enemies. Like people who wanted to tear down the school for it's land.
But her mother wouldn't stand for it. She had built that for a reason.
Sailoon High provided scholarships to smart underprivlaged teens and orphans
all around Nightmaretolas, the country in which she lived. From Atlas City
all the way to Slayville. Kids travel everywhere just to get to the school
and stay at one of the four boarding houses, Lodoss, Jurai, Kasito, or
Palate, if they didn't live in Slayville. Rich kids came too, because of the
fine education, but the school was truely for kids who didn't have much, but
needed it.
"Like Zelgadiss...." she mused. He probly lived in one of the boarding
houses.**Sudden Flashblack**
"No! Why should I listen to you Dreamcloud?!"
"Why do you have to be so stubbern??! Just because I'm a Nightmarite?!"
"This is probly your fault!"
"My fault?! Dreamstar open eyes!! Don't you see what is happening here?!"
"All I see is that you Nightmarites have betrade us!!!!"
"No!!!" Amelia screamed holding her head "That can't be me! How could I have
acted so....so cruel?? Especially to someone I...."
She stopped her self in mid-sentence and stared at the bracelet
"Who *am* I??"
********
"This can't be!!!!!!!! How could --I mean--how?? This is ME!! Oh!! Uugg!!!"
"Chill out Zel, it's just detention" Lina mumbled taking another big bite out
her sandwich
It was lunch time at Sailoon High, and Lina was planning on having a nice
quiet(and uninterupted) lunch so she could think about things. Amelia still
hadn't come to school yet and she was getting really worried. But it seemed
like Zel had other plans for lunch. Sulking.
"Just detention?! *Just* DETENTION?! I've never gotten detention all of my
life!"
"Well now you do"
"Hey Zel" Gourry said looking from his macronni "Lina gets detention all of
the time and she not mad"
"Wow thanks Gourry" Lina mumbled starcaticly "Now that makes *everyone* feel
better!"
"It does?" came the reply
"So who gave you the nice present?" Lina asked, ignoring her simple-minded
companion
"Mr. Migasia" answered the sulking teen
"The english teacher? What did ya do?"
"Nothing. Just had a disagreement with the man!"
"What did ya do?"
"Like I said nothing. We were having a debate about something he made the
class read and then Mr. Xellos came in--"
"Oh no!" Lina groaned " When ever *that* crackpot is involed there's bound to
be trouble!"
"I know. I found that out too late. He heard our disagreement, and then
accused *me* of insubordination! Then the nut tells him to give me a
detention! And you know what? He actually does! Can you believe it?!"
"Why would Mr. Migasia listen to a fruitcake like that?"
"Cause he's afraid of him......" Gourry whisptered
"What?!" the two younger teens gasped in suprise
"How do you know that?" Lina inquired
Gourry looked at their suprised faces and chuckled "I may not be the
brightest bulb in the pack(dumb saying huh?) but I've been here longer that
you two." But then his face grew darker "And I've seen the way they acted
around each other. Mr M. is a cool dude, but that Biology teacher....his
creepy. And Mr. M. knows there was something not right about him"
"I know he's creepy, but I didn't know even *teachers* were afraid of him!"
"You're right, Lina" Zel agreed "I'm not even in any of his classes, and
*I've* heard some pretty strange stuff about him"
"Hmm...well Zel, you're gonna get to know him better anyway" Gourry sighed as
him began to gather his trash to throw in the garbage.
"What do you mean??"
"Mr. Xelloss runs detention" Lina answered for him, also reteating for the
trash can
"Oh good god....."
*********
There was silence in the dark castle as the shadowly firgure gazed down at
his seemingly young looking servant. No one uttered a word as if doing so
would break his consetration. Suddenly the child spoke and a monotonious
voice crept from his throat. A voice unbefitting a child of his physical age.
A voice that sounded as if it was posessed....
"*Three Lights.......*" he whisptered. Then louder cried "Three Humans! One
that can take the Sword....One that can weild the Sword.....and One that can
keep the Sword.....*" He raised his bowed head to meet his Master's
gaze....but not actually see at all.....
"*Under the three Lights....*" he continued "*....of the Ruby,the Sapphire,
and the Emerald....they shall use the Light of the Blade to smash the
Nothingness and restore the balance of Birth and Death.....Good and
Evil....*"His Master tensed on his thrown and gripped the armrests in
anger......but the boy was not finish.....
"*BUT.......*" he non-child-like voice rung through the air as the word
rolled off his tongue "*......if the Sword falls in the hands of the
Nothingness.....all shall turn to void.....and the Silent Chaos shall engulf
all things.....forever*"
"Well then....." the Lord of Evil and Nothingness chuckled "...we'll have to
get our *hands* on that sword......now don't we, my little Phibizzo?"
The young boy, now out of his trance, slyly pushed a stran of his jet black
from his bright yellow eyes and replied in a new child-voice " Of course we
will. And the Sword of Light....shall be ours....."
***********
Lina stared at Amelia. Amelia stared at Lina. Red eyes to blue eyes.
And....visa-versa. That is, until the Red One got fed up with the
silence....."Well?! Say something Amelia!!!!"
"What do you want me say?" the younger girl replied, now looking down at the
ground.
Amelia had finally answered the phone(*after* Lina had called her about fifty
times, driving Graisia crazy because she *claimed* she was waiting for her
boyfriend(of the week) to call her. Thereby forcing her younger sister to
reply to the call) and agreed to meet Lina at the Sairragg Park. With MUCH
reluctance.......
"Why didn't you tell me....?"
"Oh girl...." Lina sighed getting up from her seat on the park bench "I
didn't want this to happen. I didn't want you to get involed....get hurt.
*That's* why I didn't tell you"
"So your dreams were....."
"Yes, they were involed in this"
She turned her back to Amelia and began to play with her fingers. She wasn't
good at this sentimental kind of stuff, it made her feel uncomforable.
"So what happens now?"
Lina turn to her friend and smiled her old
Inverse-ya-know-she-gonna-cause-trouble smile
"Now *that's* easy! You and me are gonna use our powers to stop evil and save
the human race! We can do it. We just have to stick together. You will stand
by my side, right?"
"Of course I will Lina. You are my best friend" Amelia smile. But then her
face grew sad again "But what about--"
"Zelgadiss?" Lina finish for her
"Yeah...."
"Well....with Zel it's just...um....he *is* a dream guardian. But somethings
are just *really* difficult and--"
"He doesn't want to be around me, does he?"
"What?! So you remember?"
"Only a little"
"Well good for you!" Lina said bitterly "I don't remember a thing!! And
Zelgadiss, the way he talks, it's like he just left the Dreamscape
yesterday!""Don't worry Lina, I'm sure you'll remember soon. But at
least you're not remembering the bad things...I am. And I--"
She mid-sentence and looked around the park. She suddenly got a *really*
weird feeling in her stomache...
"Lina....do you feel that?"
"Yeah....I do" her friend replied, also starting to look around "It
feels.....evil...."
"Where do you think it's coming from?"
"I don't know, but my gut is say 'Follow that trail'. Come on" Lina replied
heading twords a direction.
Amelia quickly jumped from her seat and followed. To a spectator, the two
looked rather strange as they began to almost involentaryly followed the
"trail". Stop and going, like they were smelling something. As the sence
became stronger, Lina swiftly reveiled the Yume Staff from her bookbag.
Amelia, in turn, pulled the Yume Bracelet from her jacket pocket.
"Be on guard" the older girl warned "I'm smellin' a Hoshi-kin"
"Don't worry, I'm sure we can take it" Amelia replied, still looking around
"Well, it would be easier if there where three of us. Zel's dumb butt is in
detention"
"Detention??" the young girl stopped in her tracks "If *he's* in detention,
aren't *you* suppose to be in detention, also?"
Her friend turned to her and smirked "No Duh. But unlike him, I was smart and
ditched. Besides I have *all* next week to make it up, thanks to Mr.
Xelloss."By then the twosome had arrived at an old clearing at the edge
of the park. Nothing there but a very old and rusting swingset covered by
vines and shubbery.
"This place looks like it's hasn't been used in ages" Lina commented
"It hasn't" the younger girl responed, comfirming the other's guess "About
ten years ago or so they built the plastic swingset and junk over on the
northern end of the park and well...I guess everyone just stopped coming...."
"Not everyone......"
"What??"
Amelia turned her gaze at the direction Lina was pointed. From her tone of
voice she sounded like she had seen a ghost. And when Amelia saw what she was
pointing at.......she wasn't suprised by her friend's reaction. There on one
of the swings was a little boy, probly no older than Kurumiko.
"Lina...." Amelia whisptered with a bit a fear in her voice "I know that
little boy was not the a few minutes ago...."
"Uhhh...." Lina took a few seconds to collect herself before saying firmly
"Of course he was...we...we...just didn't see him because of the shrubs.
Uh yeah that's right! Because of the shrubs!"
"Are you sure?"
"Postive"
"Well.." Amelia sighed in defeat "I think I *have* seen him before..."
"Ya see?"
"Maybe he's a friend of Kurumiko's.....but..."
"But what?"
"This place reaks of bad energy"
"Did you say something smells??" called a small voice
It had become appearent that the little boy had noticed them and was
listening to their covasation.
"Oh it's nothing" Lina giggled nerously "Just talkin' about that dang garbage
around the corner. You know the bannanas, they really can knock a person
out.""Oh"
It wasn't until then that the two girl got a good look at their aquantince.
He was small( but consittering his age that was normal) and had
shoulderlenght black hair. His eye were the things that caught the most
attention. They were a very strange color, almost golden-like. Yet pretty
much in lay-man's terms they were....well....*yellow*.
"Um...do you know a little boy named Kurumiko Hintowashi?" Amelia asked
walking twords the child
"Kurumiko?" the boy resonded "Yeah.....I know him. I meet him about three
days ago"
"See Amelia" Lina whispered to her "*That`s* why you've seen this kid before.
Now come on. There's nothing here, let's try someplace else."
"Ok but--"
*I meet him in a dream, you know. I alway *meet* my food before I *eat* it*
"What??!! What do you say??!!" Amelia shouted at the shock faced boy
"Wha....I...I didn't say anything!!" he restored defencely
"Amelia!!" Lina shouted, pulling the other back "What are you doing??!"
"I...I thought..." the younger girl stammered
Suddenly a percing scream fulled the air, shaking the very souls of the dream
guardians!!! Without saying a word the girls race to the sorce of the scream,
leaving the little boy on the swing who had, without them know, place a smile
on his face as the sceam became louder....
"This will be fun....."
**************
"Luci what's wrong!!?? Luci speak to me!!!!!" the teenaged girl cried as she
held her screaming younger sister.
Just a few minuters ago the hipper 3 year old was sitting alone in the sand
box trying to bury her *Extreem Green Skipper* in the sand, when suddenly for
no reason at all she started to scream. At first she thought Luci was just
playing, but when she saw the look on the child's face, the way she was
holding her thoat as if she was choking, the pain the seemed to reflect in
her eyes.....the older girl knew the she was NOT playing!!"
"Please somebody help us!!"
*************
The scream began to grow louder and higher as if the person's pain was
increasing! The dream guardians knew that they had know time to lose! Soon
they came to the place and the peron the sound was coming from, a small girl
in a nearby sand box. As soon as they was close enough, Lina swiftly hid
behind a nearby tree surounded
bushes, pulling Amelia along with her.
"What are you doing??!" Amelia hissed "We got to get to that girl!"
"Shhhhh....their's nothing we can do" Lina whispered back "Until it comes out
we're useless. Besides we have to transform, and we can't let everyone in the
park see us do it."
"Yeah, I guess you're right" she agreed
Suddenly the scream stopped.
"Uh oh...." Lina breathed
"What? What is it?"
"Usaully when the screamin' stops....the real trouble begins" she answered
peaking from behind the tree the inspect the scene
"Luci!!!" the teen screamed, shaking the child. After the screams of pain
stopped, her panick increased. Her little sister wasn't moving.....at all.
Suddenly she started to tremble violently and her skin grew as cold as ice.
"Luci......" the teen whimpered
Yet because she was so frightened, through her tears she didn't notice a
black mist seeping from her young sister's mouth....... that is......until it
grabbed her....
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"
"I think *that's* our que!"
"Right, Lina!"
DREAM STAFF POWER!!!!!!!!!!
STAR GEM POWER!!!!!!!!!!!
"Hold it right there!!" Dreamlighter cried jumping from behind the tree to
confront the monster. One problem.....there were two of them.
"Oh man" Dreamstar cried, joining her by her side "There's *two* monsters!!"
"I can see that!! Ok we got *Raden* from Mortal Combat" she said indicating
to the human-like monster's clothing and appearence "And we got......"
"Godzila...." Dreamstar finished for her, looking fiecely at the lizard-like
monster that was holding the young teenaged girl by the neck!
"Ah...so it seems that some dream guardians want to join our little party"
*Raden* chuckled as he unshethed his sword "But I must warn you.....we play
*rough*"
To be continued............
Episode 8
Part one
The wind blew harshly around her as she stood in the deserted plain. Her eyes
were still closed but she knew she didn't have to open them. The answers
would come soon.....
*Three lights......*
She jerked her head towards the voice. It was so familiar! Could it be...?
*Three humans.....*
It was! Wasn't it? So many things had happen. Reality and dream was so
immerged now....
*One that can take sword, one that can weild the sword--*
"And one that can keep the sword" she finished for the voice
*Ahh Dreamheart.....so you *do* remember"
"Faintly"
*And you know what you must do*
"I can't. The last battle drained my power. *She* must do it"
*But do you think she is ready or even strong enough to face this evil??*
"No I don't. But she does have something that will balance the scale to her
advantage"
*And what is that?*
"Friends"
***********************
"Lina, I don't think that's going to work"
"But why not it's a perfect plan!"
"I'll get killed!!"
"No you won't"
"Ok then fine. But if I get my head sliced off. I am never going to play with
you again."
"Deal. Come on Gourry let's go to the house and pop the game in!!"
"Wow look!" Gourry cried pointing across the street
Lina stopped in mid-run and turned twords the direction he was pointing
He was pointing at the large manion-like house across the street. It had
several moving vans parked out front.
"Looks like somebody's moving in" the blond concluded
"Naw ya think?" came the starcastic reply
"Whoo, look at all that stuff!" he said, ignoring her "Ya would think that
they had almost as much money as Amelia!"
"Nobody's got as much money as Amelia, at least not in this town"
"Hmmm...." he sighed as he stared down at the sidewalk "She didn't come to
school today. Do ya think she's sick or somethin'?"
"Naw.....I'm sure she fine. She probly just ditched school. Ya know, took a
break from all that straight A'ing she always does"
"Amelia??"
"Hey you never know. We don't know everything about her and--" she abruptly
stopped talking and looked at the sky. As if the answer was somewhere in the
clouds....
"Things happen..." she finally whispered
**Flashback**
"Lina......Dreamstar is Amelia...."
"Amelia??!!"
Dreamstar looked at them in confusion and ask "Who are you?"
"It's me....." Dreamlighter said, transforming back into human form
"Lina....."
"Lina....?"
Suddenly Dreamstar also transformed into human form and looked at her friends
in amazement.
"What's happening...?" she whispered
But before they could answer her, something on the ground caught her eye
"Kurmuriko!!" she grasped running tword the fallen child
She clutched the little boy in she arms tightly as a tear fell down her cheek
"I....I thought I lost you..." she whispered in his hair
"Amelia....I--"
"I havta to go home now" she said before Lina could finish
"But Amelia--"
"I'll see you tomorrow"
She quickly stood up with her charge in her arms and ran out of the park.
"Amelia!! Wait!! Amelia!!!!"
**End of Flashback**
"Did something happen yesterday? Is that why you didn't come over?"
"Great! *Now* he decides to be sharp" she mumbled under her breath
"What did you--?"
"Oh Gourry-dear!!"
"Saved by the bell....or should I say the heart-stuck teenager"
"Oh Lina" Sylphiel said coming twords them from across the street, "Did you
meet our new neighbors?"
"Why would I want to?"
"Because...." the older girl said with a little mishief in her eye "It's seem
that one of them would like to meet you....."
Lina looked across the street to see that someone *was* looking at her. A
very *handsome* somebody...a very handsome *rich* somebody.....
"I...um...I..don't know what you're talking about" the red-head lied
"You mean you can't see that cute boy over there by the second to the right
moving van who is scoping you out??" Sypheil said, trying not to be too
obvious
"No"
"Who is that dude anyway?" Gourry asked staring at the boy uneasly
"Oh he's just Hallas Ryzu"
"Hallas, huh?" Lina said taking another look at the boy
"Yep, I was just over there, and said he thought you were pretty cute"
"Me?"
"Uh Lina...." Gourry interupted "I though we were going to go to my house and
play on my Playstation"
"But Hallas has a Playstation *2*"Sypheil countered
"A Playstation 2!!!??" both teens exclaimed
Sypheil's smile grew even larger at the others reactions. Honestly she didn't
know difference between a Playstation 2 and a pinball machine! She just knew
that she saw one in one of the Ryzu's moving vans. And isn't alway's a 2
better than a *1*??
"Wow....a PS2...." Gourry whispered. He *knew* he couldn't compete with that!
"Is this kid gonna go to our school?" Lina asked, getting more eager to meet
new kid that she had previously thought.
"Of course!" came the answer "Sailoon High School is one of the best private
schools in the area"
"Hmmmm....maybe I'll see him in school then"
Gourry's face lit up!
"What?! You're not going over there to meet him??"
"Naw Syph', me and Gourry got some busness to 'tend to"
And with that, the red head turned on her heels and started toward the
direction of her companion's house, with Gourry, happily, behind her.
"Oh drat!" the older girl stamped her foot in defeat, "She is so stubborn!
There's got to be away to get her a boyfriend and away from Gourry-Dear!"
Yet unknowing to her, not to far away, a dark figure was watching, and ready
to give her a solution.........
**********
*RING* *RING*
"Hello? Oh hello my dear. Amelia? Well let me see."
Phil gentlely placed the phone on the counter and headed for his daughter's
room.
"Amei?" he whisptered opening the door slightly "Lina's on the phone"
"Tell her I'm in the shower" came a voice from under the covers of the large
pink and blue canopy bed
"But honey..it's not just to lie to her like that."
"I know but...."
"And she is your friend--your *best* friend-- and......"
Suddenly he realized that talking to her like that wasn't going to help. It
was probly a "girl thing" that he wouldn't understand even if he took a four
year class. Maybe he should ask Graisa to talk to her instead....
"........and I guess you know best" he finished in defeat "I'll go tell her"
When her father finally closed the door, Amelia emerged from under the covers
She sat up in the bed and examined the object she had been holding. Her
mother's bracelet.
"What's going on? How did this happen" she whisptered to the star bracelet
"If Mommy hadn't....if she wasn't gone would I still be...what I am?"
She remembered the way her mother used to wear the bracelet everywhere. She
had said it was her "lucky charm". When Amelia had asked her why, she relpied
"Because the day I met your father I was wearing this bracelet"
The reply made Amelia laugh, but now thinking about made her cry. The last
time she wore that bracelet was the night she died......
"No not died" she corrected "Killed. She was killed."
Her family was one of the richest families in the area and that made them a
lot of enemies. Like people who wanted to tear down the school for it's land.
But her mother wouldn't stand for it. She had built that for a reason.
Sailoon High provided scholarships to smart underprivlaged teens and orphans
all around Nightmaretolas, the country in which she lived. From Atlas City
all the way to Slayville. Kids travel everywhere just to get to the school
and stay at one of the four boarding houses, Lodoss, Jurai, Kasito, or
Palate, if they didn't live in Slayville. Rich kids came too, because of the
fine education, but the school was truely for kids who didn't have much, but
needed it.
"Like Zelgadiss...." she mused. He probly lived in one of the boarding
houses.**Sudden Flashblack**
"No! Why should I listen to you Dreamcloud?!"
"Why do you have to be so stubbern??! Just because I'm a Nightmarite?!"
"This is probly your fault!"
"My fault?! Dreamstar open eyes!! Don't you see what is happening here?!"
"All I see is that you Nightmarites have betrade us!!!!"
"No!!!" Amelia screamed holding her head "That can't be me! How could I have
acted so....so cruel?? Especially to someone I...."
She stopped her self in mid-sentence and stared at the bracelet
"Who *am* I??"
********
"This can't be!!!!!!!! How could --I mean--how?? This is ME!! Oh!! Uugg!!!"
"Chill out Zel, it's just detention" Lina mumbled taking another big bite out
her sandwich
It was lunch time at Sailoon High, and Lina was planning on having a nice
quiet(and uninterupted) lunch so she could think about things. Amelia still
hadn't come to school yet and she was getting really worried. But it seemed
like Zel had other plans for lunch. Sulking.
"Just detention?! *Just* DETENTION?! I've never gotten detention all of my
life!"
"Well now you do"
"Hey Zel" Gourry said looking from his macronni "Lina gets detention all of
the time and she not mad"
"Wow thanks Gourry" Lina mumbled starcaticly "Now that makes *everyone* feel
better!"
"It does?" came the reply
"So who gave you the nice present?" Lina asked, ignoring her simple-minded
companion
"Mr. Migasia" answered the sulking teen
"The english teacher? What did ya do?"
"Nothing. Just had a disagreement with the man!"
"What did ya do?"
"Like I said nothing. We were having a debate about something he made the
class read and then Mr. Xellos came in--"
"Oh no!" Lina groaned " When ever *that* crackpot is involed there's bound to
be trouble!"
"I know. I found that out too late. He heard our disagreement, and then
accused *me* of insubordination! Then the nut tells him to give me a
detention! And you know what? He actually does! Can you believe it?!"
"Why would Mr. Migasia listen to a fruitcake like that?"
"Cause he's afraid of him......" Gourry whisptered
"What?!" the two younger teens gasped in suprise
"How do you know that?" Lina inquired
Gourry looked at their suprised faces and chuckled "I may not be the
brightest bulb in the pack(dumb saying huh?) but I've been here longer that
you two." But then his face grew darker "And I've seen the way they acted
around each other. Mr M. is a cool dude, but that Biology teacher....his
creepy. And Mr. M. knows there was something not right about him"
"I know he's creepy, but I didn't know even *teachers* were afraid of him!"
"You're right, Lina" Zel agreed "I'm not even in any of his classes, and
*I've* heard some pretty strange stuff about him"
"Hmm...well Zel, you're gonna get to know him better anyway" Gourry sighed as
him began to gather his trash to throw in the garbage.
"What do you mean??"
"Mr. Xelloss runs detention" Lina answered for him, also reteating for the
trash can
"Oh good god....."
*********
There was silence in the dark castle as the shadowly firgure gazed down at
his seemingly young looking servant. No one uttered a word as if doing so
would break his consetration. Suddenly the child spoke and a monotonious
voice crept from his throat. A voice unbefitting a child of his physical age.
A voice that sounded as if it was posessed....
"*Three Lights.......*" he whisptered. Then louder cried "Three Humans! One
that can take the Sword....One that can weild the Sword.....and One that can
keep the Sword.....*" He raised his bowed head to meet his Master's
gaze....but not actually see at all.....
"*Under the three Lights....*" he continued "*....of the Ruby,the Sapphire,
and the Emerald....they shall use the Light of the Blade to smash the
Nothingness and restore the balance of Birth and Death.....Good and
Evil....*"His Master tensed on his thrown and gripped the armrests in
anger......but the boy was not finish.....
"*BUT.......*" he non-child-like voice rung through the air as the word
rolled off his tongue "*......if the Sword falls in the hands of the
Nothingness.....all shall turn to void.....and the Silent Chaos shall engulf
all things.....forever*"
"Well then....." the Lord of Evil and Nothingness chuckled "...we'll have to
get our *hands* on that sword......now don't we, my little Phibizzo?"
The young boy, now out of his trance, slyly pushed a stran of his jet black
from his bright yellow eyes and replied in a new child-voice " Of course we
will. And the Sword of Light....shall be ours....."
***********
Lina stared at Amelia. Amelia stared at Lina. Red eyes to blue eyes.
And....visa-versa. That is, until the Red One got fed up with the
silence....."Well?! Say something Amelia!!!!"
"What do you want me say?" the younger girl replied, now looking down at the
ground.
Amelia had finally answered the phone(*after* Lina had called her about fifty
times, driving Graisia crazy because she *claimed* she was waiting for her
boyfriend(of the week) to call her. Thereby forcing her younger sister to
reply to the call) and agreed to meet Lina at the Sairragg Park. With MUCH
reluctance.......
"Why didn't you tell me....?"
"Oh girl...." Lina sighed getting up from her seat on the park bench "I
didn't want this to happen. I didn't want you to get involed....get hurt.
*That's* why I didn't tell you"
"So your dreams were....."
"Yes, they were involed in this"
She turned her back to Amelia and began to play with her fingers. She wasn't
good at this sentimental kind of stuff, it made her feel uncomforable.
"So what happens now?"
Lina turn to her friend and smiled her old
Inverse-ya-know-she-gonna-cause-trouble smile
"Now *that's* easy! You and me are gonna use our powers to stop evil and save
the human race! We can do it. We just have to stick together. You will stand
by my side, right?"
"Of course I will Lina. You are my best friend" Amelia smile. But then her
face grew sad again "But what about--"
"Zelgadiss?" Lina finish for her
"Yeah...."
"Well....with Zel it's just...um....he *is* a dream guardian. But somethings
are just *really* difficult and--"
"He doesn't want to be around me, does he?"
"What?! So you remember?"
"Only a little"
"Well good for you!" Lina said bitterly "I don't remember a thing!! And
Zelgadiss, the way he talks, it's like he just left the Dreamscape
yesterday!""Don't worry Lina, I'm sure you'll remember soon. But at
least you're not remembering the bad things...I am. And I--"
She mid-sentence and looked around the park. She suddenly got a *really*
weird feeling in her stomache...
"Lina....do you feel that?"
"Yeah....I do" her friend replied, also starting to look around "It
feels.....evil...."
"Where do you think it's coming from?"
"I don't know, but my gut is say 'Follow that trail'. Come on" Lina replied
heading twords a direction.
Amelia quickly jumped from her seat and followed. To a spectator, the two
looked rather strange as they began to almost involentaryly followed the
"trail". Stop and going, like they were smelling something. As the sence
became stronger, Lina swiftly reveiled the Yume Staff from her bookbag.
Amelia, in turn, pulled the Yume Bracelet from her jacket pocket.
"Be on guard" the older girl warned "I'm smellin' a Hoshi-kin"
"Don't worry, I'm sure we can take it" Amelia replied, still looking around
"Well, it would be easier if there where three of us. Zel's dumb butt is in
detention"
"Detention??" the young girl stopped in her tracks "If *he's* in detention,
aren't *you* suppose to be in detention, also?"
Her friend turned to her and smirked "No Duh. But unlike him, I was smart and
ditched. Besides I have *all* next week to make it up, thanks to Mr.
Xelloss."By then the twosome had arrived at an old clearing at the edge
of the park. Nothing there but a very old and rusting swingset covered by
vines and shubbery.
"This place looks like it's hasn't been used in ages" Lina commented
"It hasn't" the younger girl responed, comfirming the other's guess "About
ten years ago or so they built the plastic swingset and junk over on the
northern end of the park and well...I guess everyone just stopped coming...."
"Not everyone......"
"What??"
Amelia turned her gaze at the direction Lina was pointed. From her tone of
voice she sounded like she had seen a ghost. And when Amelia saw what she was
pointing at.......she wasn't suprised by her friend's reaction. There on one
of the swings was a little boy, probly no older than Kurumiko.
"Lina...." Amelia whisptered with a bit a fear in her voice "I know that
little boy was not the a few minutes ago...."
"Uhhh...." Lina took a few seconds to collect herself before saying firmly
"Of course he was...we...we...just didn't see him because of the shrubs.
Uh yeah that's right! Because of the shrubs!"
"Are you sure?"
"Postive"
"Well.." Amelia sighed in defeat "I think I *have* seen him before..."
"Ya see?"
"Maybe he's a friend of Kurumiko's.....but..."
"But what?"
"This place reaks of bad energy"
"Did you say something smells??" called a small voice
It had become appearent that the little boy had noticed them and was
listening to their covasation.
"Oh it's nothing" Lina giggled nerously "Just talkin' about that dang garbage
around the corner. You know the bannanas, they really can knock a person
out.""Oh"
It wasn't until then that the two girl got a good look at their aquantince.
He was small( but consittering his age that was normal) and had
shoulderlenght black hair. His eye were the things that caught the most
attention. They were a very strange color, almost golden-like. Yet pretty
much in lay-man's terms they were....well....*yellow*.
"Um...do you know a little boy named Kurumiko Hintowashi?" Amelia asked
walking twords the child
"Kurumiko?" the boy resonded "Yeah.....I know him. I meet him about three
days ago"
"See Amelia" Lina whispered to her "*That`s* why you've seen this kid before.
Now come on. There's nothing here, let's try someplace else."
"Ok but--"
*I meet him in a dream, you know. I alway *meet* my food before I *eat* it*
"What??!! What do you say??!!" Amelia shouted at the shock faced boy
"Wha....I...I didn't say anything!!" he restored defencely
"Amelia!!" Lina shouted, pulling the other back "What are you doing??!"
"I...I thought..." the younger girl stammered
Suddenly a percing scream fulled the air, shaking the very souls of the dream
guardians!!! Without saying a word the girls race to the sorce of the scream,
leaving the little boy on the swing who had, without them know, place a smile
on his face as the sceam became louder....
"This will be fun....."
**************
"Luci what's wrong!!?? Luci speak to me!!!!!" the teenaged girl cried as she
held her screaming younger sister.
Just a few minuters ago the hipper 3 year old was sitting alone in the sand
box trying to bury her *Extreem Green Skipper* in the sand, when suddenly for
no reason at all she started to scream. At first she thought Luci was just
playing, but when she saw the look on the child's face, the way she was
holding her thoat as if she was choking, the pain the seemed to reflect in
her eyes.....the older girl knew the she was NOT playing!!"
"Please somebody help us!!"
*************
The scream began to grow louder and higher as if the person's pain was
increasing! The dream guardians knew that they had know time to lose! Soon
they came to the place and the peron the sound was coming from, a small girl
in a nearby sand box. As soon as they was close enough, Lina swiftly hid
behind a nearby tree surounded
bushes, pulling Amelia along with her.
"What are you doing??!" Amelia hissed "We got to get to that girl!"
"Shhhhh....their's nothing we can do" Lina whispered back "Until it comes out
we're useless. Besides we have to transform, and we can't let everyone in the
park see us do it."
"Yeah, I guess you're right" she agreed
Suddenly the scream stopped.
"Uh oh...." Lina breathed
"What? What is it?"
"Usaully when the screamin' stops....the real trouble begins" she answered
peaking from behind the tree the inspect the scene
"Luci!!!" the teen screamed, shaking the child. After the screams of pain
stopped, her panick increased. Her little sister wasn't moving.....at all.
Suddenly she started to tremble violently and her skin grew as cold as ice.
"Luci......" the teen whimpered
Yet because she was so frightened, through her tears she didn't notice a
black mist seeping from her young sister's mouth....... that is......until it
grabbed her....
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"
"I think *that's* our que!"
"Right, Lina!"
DREAM STAFF POWER!!!!!!!!!!
STAR GEM POWER!!!!!!!!!!!
"Hold it right there!!" Dreamlighter cried jumping from behind the tree to
confront the monster. One problem.....there were two of them.
"Oh man" Dreamstar cried, joining her by her side "There's *two* monsters!!"
"I can see that!! Ok we got *Raden* from Mortal Combat" she said indicating
to the human-like monster's clothing and appearence "And we got......"
"Godzila...." Dreamstar finished for her, looking fiecely at the lizard-like
monster that was holding the young teenaged girl by the neck!
"Ah...so it seems that some dream guardians want to join our little party"
*Raden* chuckled as he unshethed his sword "But I must warn you.....we play
*rough*"
To be continued............