Chapter 3: Outside the Barrier
Lying on her bed, Adriel listened to Woodland lecture her. She put her face in her pillow and tried to drown out the loud noise coming from such a small creature.
"Do you know what would of happened if Glariano found you out there?" Woodland screeched. "She would have fried me for sure and you would have to have an escort everywhere you went not to mention the shame of not being trusted by a Dragon following you everywhere you happened to go. Are you listening to m," Woodland glanced at Adriel who had fallen asleep. Woodland smiled for once and covered Adriel with the downy goose feather quilt, blew out the candle and closed her door. An hour later Ariel woke up with a start. She wasn't dreaming. Something was tapping at her window. Rubbing her eyes, Adriel went to the window. Flying outside her window was Woodland.
"What are you doing?" Adriel asked not quite awake yet opening the stained glass window.
"If you really want to see the outside world, then come with me. I'm going on one of my expeditions and we can say that you accidentally got caught in the time war. What do you think?" Woodland whispered. Adriel smiled and hugged Woodland until he felt like he would pop.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" exclaimed Adriel almost throwing Woodland down.
"What should I pack?"
"You don't need anything. I will provide everything, you'll see," Woodland said slyly but surely. Reaching into one of his shirt pockets, Woodland took out a bottle of what looked like red sand. He popped the lid off and poured some into his hand. Woodland looked at it closely and then threw it on Adriel.
"What was that for?" Adriel exclaimed angrily.
"It's a powder that allows you to Time Travel," Woodland said. He continued to speak as wind began to swirl in circles around them. "Now hold on to my hand and whatever you do, don't let go. Now I must warn you that outside the barrier things are a lot different. Technology has evolved drastically so don't be alarmed. In Human Time it is now the year 2005."
"What?" Adriel yelled. Her comment was lost in the wind for the sound of it speeding by flooded her ears. Adriel felt as if she was becoming blind and deaf from the force of the wind. Her world went black.
When Adriel awoke she was lying in what looked like a wooded room. Several leaves of orange and gold littered the floor. Getting up, she saw Woodland sleeping peacefully against the large, brown tree that ran through the middle of the room. As is sensing her awakening, Woodland's eyes opened. Woodland yawned.
"Good morning Adriel," Woodland said sleepily.
"Where are we?" Adriel asked.
"We are in a tree house which is basically just that," Woodland answered. "Now in order to fit in around here you have to dress like the people who live in this area. This tree house will be your home until we can find something better. I'm 99.9 sure that this tree house is abandoned so that will save us a few worries,"
"Stand up please," Woodland commanded. Adriel did so without complaint. Woodland circled her, thinking.
"I'd say that green is your color," he said finally. With that said he took from his pocket a bottle containing what looked like gold sand. He opened the bottle, poured some on his hand and mumbled something under his breath. Then throwing it on Adriel he yelled: "Sands of time, work your magic to help one fit in."
Adriel was lifted into the air and the dust circled around her going faster and faster and faster until they stopped all together. Adriel floated to the leave littered floor of the tree house. Woodland came out of the tree house as well, spinning in circles stating a job well done. Adriel didn't feel any different since this odd event occurred but she looked different. From his pocket Woodland pulled out a small yellow mirror with a metal red rose bordering the mirrors edges. Adriel was shocked and happy at what she saw in the mirror. According to her reflection, her red hair was pulled behind her in a braid and her bangs laid almost curled in front of her face. She wore a light green long sleeved sweatshirt with a brass zipper down the middle and under that she wore a pink short sleeved shirt that read 'Pretty in Pink' in black letters. A pair of blue gene Capri's covered her legs. Adriel was fascinated by all of these new clothes and was wondering how someone could put writing on a shirt without actually writing on it. However the thing she was most fascinated by were the pair of dark blue flip flops that exposed her toes which some how were painted pink along with her finger nails.
"So what do you think?" Woodland asked hinting at a thank you from Adriel.
"I think you are wonderful!" exclaimed Adriel hugging Woodland again.
"You can let go now!" Woodland struggled to say under the crushing force of Adriel's hug. Adriel finally let go of Woodland and placed him on the yellow wood floor of the tree house.
"I can fly you know!" Woodland complained. Adriel only laughed. "To fit in you also need this." Woodland handed her a sky blue backpack with several books in it. "You're going to school Kid-o."