Trials and Tribulations.
Sparky sat at the dinner table, finishing off his dinner. Clip watched him carefully, she had noticed how funny he had been acting lately, and she was worried. He looked haggard from lack of sleep, she would wake and find him already up, staring out the window. Clip had been keeping a close eye on her husband. What was even stranger was that Sparky would never go out at night, and whenever Clip went out after the sun had set, Sparky always insisted on going with her, and he never left her side.
Sparky slurped up the last of the sauce, and grinned at his wife, "Wow Clip! That was amazing!"
Clip smiled at him, "Thanks dear, there's more if you..."
Sparky patted his stomach, "Oh no, I'm full, come on, let's watch some TV."
Sparky got up and put his and Clip's plates in the sink. Then he walked over to Clip and picked her up, she laughed, "Sparky! What are you-."
"I will not have you walking to the TV in your condition. Your too sweet to have blisters on your delicate feet."
Clip smiled at him, "Well, I won't argue to not walking, just don't strain yourself."
Sparky grinned wryly, "Mwah? Haha, baby, Stitch can't lift more than me! Though he doesn't know it yet."
Clip grinned at her liar of a husband, "My hero."
Sparky carried her into their living room, where he sat her down beside him, and then joined his wife on the couch to watch their favorite shows. They sat there a little while, holding each other in their arms. Yet after awhile, Sparky's head began to droop, the nights without sleep began to take their toll. Clip nudged him, and he awoke, all smiles.
"I'm sorry Clip, little drowsy I guess."
"Sparky, why haven't you been sleeping?"
Sparky's smile disappeared, he hadn't wanted her to notice. 'I can't tell her, I just can't...I will not have Clip hunted by that...thing...'
Sparky smiled at her, "Oh, I've just been getting up earlier this week. Nothing out of the ordinary."
Clip stood and pointed for the bedroom, "Come on, your going to bed. And tonight I'm making sure that you are sleeping."
Sparky shook his head, though his eyelids were drooping, he was not about to go to bed, "Clip...I'm fine...don't you worry."
Clip shook her head, "Your not fine, you look horrible, please Sparky?"
Clip kneeled in front of her husband, and looked at him with wide beautiful eyes, "For me?"
Sparky was lost in those deep blue eyes, his biggest weakness was those eyes, "Errr, okay Clip...for you..."
Clip hugged him close, "I love you Sparky!"
Sparky hugger her back, "I love you too Clip, more than anything...I love you."
They walked to the bedroom, and crawled into bed. Clip snuggled close to Sparky and was fast asleep. Sparky fought off the slumber, he had to keep a constant vigil. Then Sparky began to think about it, 'Wait, what can he do? I'm here, with Clip, and he hasn't disturbed me in awhile...it should be alright...'
Sparky smiled, and said softly, "Yeah, I don't have anything to worry about, and I do need some sleep."
Sparky closed his eyes and slept, and the dreams followed..
Sparky was standing in a wonderful field, flower were in bloom, colors were vibrant everywhere. He looked around, felt the wind on his face, and breathed deep, truly this was the best dream he had ever had.
Sparky heard a voice, he turned to see Clip standing beside him. He laughed and held her in his arms, and they tumbled through the grass laughing without a care in the world. Sparky and Clip lay there together watching the clouds go by.
Sparky smiled, and closed his eyes to preserve the image. Yet when Sparky opened his eyes, the sky was overclouded with black clouds. Lightning streaked through them, thunder crackled in the distance. Sparky sat up, and turned to find Clip gone. He was scared, 'Where's Clip? And just what's happening?'
The once serene field now was desolated. The green grass had turned a horrid black, and the flowers were replaced with ugly twisting thorns. Sparky stared at the scene in horror, "What? What has happened?"
"Oh Sparky, does your naivety know no ends?"
Sparky winced at the voice, the voice of nightmares, the voice of pain and suffering, and he turned to face the cloaked figure once more.
The man sat on the hillside, his cloaked head turned around looking at the scene. Sparky could hear the figure chuckle, a sound as horrid as fingernails scraping the chalk board.
"Oh my," the figure began, "this is the most beautiful site I've ever seen, don't you agree?"
Sparky stood, "How are you here! How are you in my dream!"
The figure looked at Sparky, "My boy, you should have realized something was wrong as soon as you yourself understood this to be a dream."
Sparky flinched, he knew the figure was right.
The cloaked man continued, "Just how stupid are you my boy? Do you think my power is limited to the physical realm? FOOL! How dare you underestimate me! You, little worm, I could destroy you, understand? DESTROY YOU!"
Sparky began to draw in his power, but the cloaked man waved his hand aside, "Now now Sparky, there is no need for violence. After all, I did not come here to fight you."
Sparky stared at him, "Then why are you here? Why not leave me alone?"
The figure chuckled, "Hmhm, I'm here to punish you Sparky. You've been a bad experiment, a naughty little monster, and since you're in the realm of dreams, it's easier than ever..."
Sparky flinched, he drew up his hand, lightning filled his hand, "You'll do no such-."
The figure threw up his hand, and darkness washed over the hillside and over Sparky. Sparky struggled, afraid in the darkness. The more he struggled, the more the darkness tightened it's grip, it felt like quicksand. Soon the darkness overpowered him, and Sparky was washed away to face his first nightmare...his first 'punishment'...
Sparky stared in front of him, he was on a barren planet. He recognized it as Toulo, one of the war ravaged planets the Dark Hand inhabited. Sparky heard thunder, yet he looked up to find the sky clear. He looked behind him, and saw the army of the Republic charging across the battlefield. Sparky was in awe of their brilliant white outfits, their courage, their candor...
Sparky heard a similar sound from the other direction, and he turned to see the army of the Dark Hand rushing to meet the Republic. He scowled at them, they wore black armor, with their trademark bleeding hand on their dark helmets. He tried to fill his hand with lightning, yet he could gather no current, he stared at his hands in awe, this was the first time he had never been able channel. Fear gripped him, he stood there in the middle of the battle field, the two armies rushing each other, and he stood there, without any weapon to defend himself.
Sparky leapt behind a rocky overlook, and witnessed the battle to end all. The two armies clashed, bullets and artillery flew overhead. The two armies fought bravely, when two warriors ran out of ammunition, they fought with hands and teeth, swords and spears, or anything they could find. Every kind of species imaginable was fighting on the battle field, each bravely battling for their side, each bleeding for a cause unknown to most soldiers.
Sparky saw an experiment, on closer investigation, Sparky saw it was Stitch. Stitch was surrounded by Dark Hand soldiers, fighting them off bravely with his officer's beam sword. Sparky watched in amazement as Stitch seemed to dance with the enemy soldiers, killing them for the Republic, protecting Earth...the ultimate embodiment of the hero...
Then Sparky saw a soldier appear behind Stitch, the soldier's sword was raised. Sparky tried to call out to his best friend, to warn him, yet nothing came from Sparky's lips, no sound, only air escaping. Sparky watched as his best friend was ran through, and Stitch fell to the ground, dying on the battle field. It pained Sparky as he heard his friends dying words, "Lilo, to see you once more..."
Sparky felt tears well up in his eyes, he wept openly on the field of battle. A Dark Hand grunt noticed him in the rocks, it was the same one that had killed Stitch, just a nameless soldier who had no remorse to how many lives he took. The soldier walked to where Sparky hid, and raised his sword. Sparky watched through tear stained eyes as the sword fell...
Another punch rocked Sparky's face. He fell and hit the concrete. He looked around, he was on main street in Kokau Town. Sparky looked to face his attacker, and was shocked to see the red sashes of those against alien settlement on Earth. An icy fear gripped his stomach, he had heard terrible stories about these people, these monsters...
The leader of the gang stepped up, and picked Sparky up by his shirt collar, and spat into Sparky's face, "You freak..."
He sent another punch rocketing into Sparky's gut. The air rushed from Sparky as he fell to his knees. The leader, a squat bull of a man, turned and said, "Bring it hear..."
Sparky watched in horror as they brought forth a brand, searing hot with the mark of the devil on the tip. The leader grabbed Sparky, and held him down. Sparky began to scream, "HELP! SOMEONE, ANYONE HELP ME!"
The gang tore open his shirt, and pressed the hot iron on Sparky's exposed chest. Sparky screamed with the pain, it burned, set his fur on fire. As the brand tore into Sparky's flesh, he blacked out...
Sparky ran beside Clip in the hospital. She was in labor, and due to complications, she was to be moved to intensive care. Sparky gripped her hand as they ran, terror filled his heart, he didn't know how to feel, he was so scared...
The doctors told him to wait outside, and they raced inside, to help Clip in any way they could. Sparky was so scared, he had been nervous since Clip told him that she was having the baby, but now this...what would he do if?...no...that won't happen...
The minutes turned to hours as he waited, each one weighing into his own fears. He sat down, listening to the clock, hearing every second as it beat by, it seemed to synchronize with his heart. He watched the door, almost afraid for the door to open, to tell him the news he dreaded...
After three hours of antagonizing waiting, the door opened. A single doctor walked towards Sparky, Sparky stood, anxious to hear news. Yet when the doctor looked at Sparky, Sparky saw the look on the doctors face, and immediately understood.
The words of the doctor mainly eluded Sparky, "Complications...tried everything...stillborn...she died of complications...I'm so sorry..."
Sparky fell to his knees, "NO! No that can't be! NO!"
He wept on the floor, cried openly. The doctor walked away, Sparky barely saw him leave. The hospital began to blur, and Sparky passed out...
Sparky was surrounded by the darkness, it swirled around him, threatening to engulf him. The memories of the dreams came back to him, his eyes blurred with tears. Sparky looked to see the cloaked man facing him, staring at him in a sort of pleased fashion.
Sparky's rage boiled, "You...what have I done to you?"
The figure was quiet, Sparky continued, enraged, "WHAT! ANSWER ME! WHAT THE HELL HAVE I DONE! I SAW MY BEST FRIEND DIE! I WAS HUMILIATED IN THE STREETS! GOD! I WASN'T THERE...I didn't say goodbye to my wife...my child..."
Sparky sunk down on his knees, tears ran down his face. The figure began to move forward. Sparky didn't notice him, yet he did hear...another voice...
"Sparky! Sparky rise! Face him! Do not submit!"
Sparky recognized the melodious voice, it still spoke, "You must rise Sparky! Hold him off! I will free you from this prison!"
Energy fueled Sparky. He rose, he knew he had to get out, he had to see Clip again. He had to be there for his child's birth...he had to be...
The figure spoke, "Did you enjoy yourself Sparky? Did you see? Haha, such pain you felt, it was...exhilarating..."
Sparky wasted no words, he had none left. He filled his hands with lightning, so much it felt it would overwhelm him. He stared at his opponent, studying his moves, getting ready...
The figure stopped just before him, "Do you wish to fight me, once more?"
Sparky lashed out with lightning, it whipped across the figure, slicing his cloak open. Sparky watched to see what the figure hid, yet his cloak merely re-materialized before Sparky could see, and with that, the battle began.
The figure pulled the darkness in, and sent a wave of lances towards Sparky. Sparky dodged them, and unleashed his stored up energy into a wave of electricity at the figure. The figure held up his arms in a guard position, and blocked the wave almost effortlessly. Sparky was taken aback, 'That was almost all of my power...'
The figure dive-bombed Sparky, and they fought hand to hand. The figure was fast, and it was difficult to fight within the void where there seemed to be no ground. Sparky received many blows, yet continued to block and retaliate. The figure reached out a clawed hand and raked it against Sparky's chest.
Sparky recoiled, he could feel the warm blood on his fur. He only thought for a second before continuing the attack, feigning a blow to the figure's head to kick him squarely in the gut. The figure doubled over, and Sparky sent the electricity to his hands, and gave the doubled over man a deadly uppercut.
Yet the figure flipped in the air, and came about to Sparky, kicking Sparky in the head. Sparky fell, hanging in the darkness, he knew he had lost. Sparky felt the coppery taste in his mouth, and he looked up to see the darkness gathering around the figure. Sparky watched in horror as the darkness gathered around Sparky's feet, and begin to wind up his body. The figure watched, never saying a word.
All of a sudden, a blinding light entered the void. It was pure white, Sparky had to cover his eyes, yet he saw a silhouette attack the figure, punching the cloaked man hard in the face. Sparky watched as the cloaked man fell into the void, shouting curses as he disappeared. Sparky looked to the silhouette, to see his savior, yet all was gone, then Sparky...
...awoke in his bed. He sat up, wet with sweat and breathing heavily. He remembered his last dream, and turned to where he hoped Clip lay. She lay beside him, slumbering peacefully, snoring gently beside him. Sparky sighed, 'What a relief...'
Still the dream haunted him, and he turned and put his arms around Clip, holding her close through the night...protecting her, from whatever may come...his Clip, his angel...