Spoilers: nothing much......

Disclaimer: Bizzare Saga is copyright of Jordan and Calvin. All art, characters and scenario are joint projects by Jordan-chan and Calvin-sama ~ (Project Alternate Reality)

Author`s Note: Hello there, it`s Calvin here again :D
I would definately like to thank my beta, Isla, for countlessly reading this thing over and over, and her helpful seuggestions x . x ...... so if there is a mistake, it`s her fault [ big grin ] otherwise, uh, yah, enjoy!

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` Thy friendship has made my heart to ache ; do be my enemy - for friendship`s sake!` ~ William Blake

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Chapter 5 - Dreams, Storms and My Friend Shota

Karyuu sat awake, the cold breeze whistling through the trees, reducing the camp fire to a cinder. He looked up to the red sky and thought about the Lord of the Rings-like tree that walked past a few hours ago. He completely ignored them.

He looked at Leah and then to Rosu and finally fixing his gaze on Calvin. Like the others, he was asleep his brown hair drooping over his slightly tanned face. Karyuu noticed that Calvin`s top lip was quivering and then almost instantaniously, his whole body did the same, shaking as if he was having a seizure.

"Cally! You Ok?" Karyuu said as he shot up and walked towards the older boy.

Now Calvin was shaking violently. Karyuu placed his hand on the vampire`s body.

There was a huge burst of white.

Silence.

Karyuu opened his eyes. He could hardly believe what was happening.

He was standing in the archway of a large building covered with ancient carvings.

Karyuu walked froward and noticed a boy, a little older than himself standing watching something. Karyuu lifted an arm to his forehead to block out the glistening sun and squinted his eyes.

"Cally?" he said walking forwards towards the figure standing there ominously.

He was right. It was Calvin. He ran closer to his friend.

"Calvin?" he repeated.

No answer.

"Um, are you Ok? ........ where are we?" Karyuu questioned.

Silence.

"What`s wrong?" Karyuu enquired.

Still no answer.

Karyuu figured that Calvin could not hear him, so he turned to watch whatever his friend was staring at.

Two young boys around the age of 7 or 10, stand amongst the long blades of grass in the vast field below.

"Shota?" the cute younger one asked. He wad brown hair, like Calvin.

"Yes, Calvin" the slightly older white haired boy replyed, placing a hand on Calvin`s shoulder.

"One day, I`m gonna fly away from here" Calvin grinned.

"You can`t do that" replied the taller boy.

"How?" the happy smile faded and was replaced by a look of upmost digust.

"You`re the Prince, and the Prince`s place is in the castle, not amongst the peasants elsewhere!" Shota quickly answered.

Karyuu realiesed he was in Calvin`s dream. It seemed so real and life-like. The older Calvin, standing beside him, watching his younger-self had a tear in his eye.

A fluster of red petals burst out of nowhere. Karyuu felt like he was falling into an endless abyss of nothing.

+

"Uh, morning already?" Karyuu said as he stood up and looked around the small camp in the middle of the forest. He ran his fingers through his short blond hair.

"Hey! Karyuu! Over here!" it was Calvin. He was jumping up and down waving his over. He looked so happy and carefree. Not at all like his dream form Karyuu had seen last night.

Karyuu walked over slowly to his friends. The morning snow was falling lightly.

"Howdy!" Leah said grinning. She was in her human-form and was wearing a short mini-skirt.

"Mornin`" Rosu siad patting the space next to him on the log he was sitting on, as a gesture to sit down next to him. Karyuu did so.

"Good morning Karyuu!" Calvin beamed "Did you sleep well?" Karyuu already knew the answer to that.

"Leah`s making something called Pan...cakes I think for breakfast" Cally continued. He gave a hearty smile and sat down next to Karyuu.

"Yeah" Rosu said. He had a frying pan and some ingredients "Thought we would make something nice!" Leah was shoving pancakes into four plates and handing them out. She had obviously got Kiru`s death out of her mind.

The four ate in silence which suited Karyuu fine. He did not feel like talking at all.

"Mmmmmm. These are divine!" Calvin exclaimed "What did you say they were called again?"

"Pancakes!" Rosu and Leah shouted in unison. Karyuu giggled.

"Yes, yes. I`ll have to remember that" Cally grinned.

"So..." Rosu said standing up. His cute brown eyes were happy and excited "Let`s talk through today`s plans"

"Sure" Karyuu said. He was now polishing his sword.

"Well, it`s quite a journey to Ezembark, you see so I thought we should set off from this forest as soon as possible, if we want to retrieve the Earth Wonder!" Rosu explained knowledgably.

"Sounds good to me!" Karyuu said yawning, he looked at Cally. Would he ever tell him about last night? He had so much in his mind. His sister Saiai could possibly be here, all his friends seemed to be here but they didn`t seem to know anything about their normal selves and now this. He really wondered what was keeping him sane, he really did.

"Ok, now that`s settled. We leave at noon" Rosu said, turning away to sit and scribble in a small metal bound notebook.

+

~ 3 Hours Later ~

The morning snow had been replaced by rain. It lashed down on the faces of the gang and they were all soaked to the bone. The sky was grey.

"How far is it to Ezembark from here, Rosu?" Leah asked shivering.

"It`s not too far. If we keep on walking we should be there by tomorrow!" he replyed, trying not to let the rain dampen his spirits.

"But the storm`s getting worse. Could we not stop somewhere?" Cally asked poking his cheek.

"I could fly up to see if there is anywhere we could stop at" Karyuu suggested.

"Ok. On you go. Don`t stay up to long though. The winds are strong!" said Rosu.

Karyuu spread his wings and lunged into the air. Rosu was right, the winds were dangerously strong.

"I won`t stay up too long" he thought.

He looked around. The sky was now black and the heavy grey clouds smothered the surroundings, making it hard to see. Karyuu jumped as a clash of thunder sounded through the air. Karyuu only caught a glimpse of another vast forest and another tall mountain ahead before a gust of wind burst straight at him, making him loose his balance. He heard the faint call of Leah shouting his name before he was swept away.

+

"You boy.Wake up!" a voice said.

Karyuu opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. A tall boy around 17 years old stood over him. The sky had calmed and the rain had stopped. The twin suns were even trying to break through.

"I am General Shota of the Imperial Knights of the Kingdom of X" the boy said. He was tall and pale. He had short white hair and wore a black body suit with armour cased on his right shoulder and arm.

"Yeah, so what?" Karyuu said pushing himself up.

"I`ll tell you what" General Shota replyed glaring at Karyuu with his stone cold grey eyes "You little birdie have been spotted with Prince Calvin till Alexandross the 12th Kikumaru. I would wish for you to tell us his whereabouts"

Karyuu stared at him. This was the boy from Calvin`s dream. He remembered him saying to Calvin that he was never supposed to leave the castle. He did not want Cally to go back to a life of solitude like that.

"Never!" he said. The word seemed to be as if someone else said them. Someone full of courage.

"Well, if that`s the way you want to put it, you`re better off dead!" Shota said. Shota`s eyes narrowed until they resembled that of a snake`s "Guards, kill him!"

An army of armed vampire soldiers rushed towards Karyuu. He drew his sword and hoped for the best.

KABOOM!

An explosion sounded and Karyuu turned to see a pile of dead guards lying in a heap on the field floor.

"Rosu! Leah! Cally! It`s you!" he shouted running over towards the explosion where he could see the outline of his friends standing there.

"Karyuu! What happened?" Leah said hugging him tightly "I was so worried!"

Karyuu explained everything to them.

"Calvin" a voice said.

"Huh?" Calvin said turning round "Shota?"

"Long time no see" the pale boy said.

"I don`t think this is the right time for words like that" Calvin shouted.

"I guess so" Shota smirked "Your father wishes you to come home"

"Well I don`t want to Shota. I don`t want to!" Cally shouted.

"What happened to us?" Calvin said, a small tear trickled down his cheek "We used to be such good friends"

"And we`re not now?" Shota asked looking puzzled.

"No, now we are enemies..." Calvin said looking more shocked that what Shota did.

Shota stared at him and turned to Karyuu. "Could I talk with you for a second?" he said.

"Sure" replied Karyuu.

"Some people are like a light to fireflies. They just draw folk into them, and these people change the world" Shota said.

"Are you saying I`m one of them people?" Karyuu asked, under the glance of his friends.

"Hell, no!" Shota said looking surprised at the question "You`re more repulsive than a toad!" Shota had always had a repulsive nature himself, thus making him say this.

Karyuu pouted. What did Shota mean by that?

Shota turned back round again to face Calvin.

"Well........ I guess you can continue with your little escapade just now then. But next time we meet don`t expect the same welcome" Shota said.

Calvin nodded and turned away.

"Oh, one more thing" Shota said running over to his ex-friend.

"What?"

"Take this" the knight said. He handed Calvin a crystal cross on a chain. He placed it in his palm "For old time`s sake" Calvin looked extremely surprised.

"Your cross.......but you....." Calvin said examining the cross with pride "So you`re not angry with me then. Are you?"

"I could never be angry with you" Shota said and turned away "Farewell"

The gang watched as his figure faded into the distance of the blue sky.

+

~ 1 hour later ~

The gang walked along the dry, grassy plain in silence. The sky was still bright blue and the two suns shone brightly. Calvin was still looking at the cross that Shota had given him. Karyuu glanced up and realised how far they had traveled. They were now walking up to the other huge forest that Karyuu had seen during the storm.

Rosu gasped suddenly as a huge walking tree lumbered by them. They recognised it as the tree they had seen that morning as they came out of Amelian.

"Hello" it boomed in a voice similar to Kiru`s. This time it had decided to talk to them.

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Music for this chapter ~ Pure Soul / Glay

I`m (and Selkie) really unhappy with the way this chapter turned out :( Because it`s slow and it has no fight scenes, but this was a vital chapter in the story!

Well anyway, next chapter Karyuu and his fellow band of merry adventurers take up a request by a tribe of Ents (the trees from LOTR) who need help because the Ent village is under attack. Along with the help of another new character (or two). But from whom?

Find out next time in Bizzare SaGa!!

comments and critisism welcome