Dai Sonzai
By Dragon of Courage
Real and Unreal
Faster and faster galloped the chestnut thoroughbred as it raced across the Arizona desert. On its back was a female rider, a simple brunette clothed in a khaki outfit.
The rider leaned forwards as she squinted at the distance. A dark lean speck was seen through her hazel eyes.
"Hyah!" She lashed the reins on the horse and the muscles screamed.
Time is precious. Time must not be wasted.
Then the speck grew bigger and bigger until it was several feet away from the woman.
Grinding the wheat stalk nosily in his mouth, the man peered through his cowboy hat and saw his arrival.
The horse slowed down a little and finally halted in front of his pale blue eyes. He looked at his friend and tipped his hat forward.
"Howdy, partner."
The rider dismounted the tired horse and glared at him.
"You've got the talismans?"
The man looked at the woman with such interest.
"Have you got the souls?"
She nodded, loosening a bag from the horse's cargo. She handed them to the man. The man looked down and brought out seven glowing colored particles encased in live wires. Each of them was the size of a marble as he rolled them around his hand.
"Authentic, Rachel. You are swell. Just like your father."
He produced from his pocket seven clear blue disk-like spheres.
Rachel peered into the flawless work.
"Seven is a lucky number."
They both looked at each other. They had just taken a step from reality to the unreal.
"For him…"
"Yes. For him…"
Mission Accomplished.