The Neverending Story

Bastian looked out the window to see the bullies run past him. He sighed with relief,but was startled by a rough sounding voice.

"Get outta here. I don't like kids," the voice said. Bastian walked over to where he heard the voice and saw an old man reading a book much larger than most books were. It was the shopkeeper, Coreander.

Coreander said," You still here, boy? Didn't you hear what I said?"

Bastian tried to defend himself," Um, I was..." He couldn't think of anything as he just motioned helplessly at the door.

"You're hiding, aren't you?," Coreander asked, figuring it out.

Bastion stuttered," No, I was just.."

Coreander cut him off," The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects that are called books. Require a little effort on your part and make no b-b-b-beeps. On your way, please."

Bastian yelled," I KNOW books. I have 186 of them at home!"

Coreander scoffed," Bah. Comic books."

Bastian defiantly stated," No, I've read Treasure Island, Last of the Mohicans, W izard of Oz, Lord of the Rings, 20,000 Leaues Under the Sea, Tarzan..."

Coreander one again cut him off," Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who are you running away from?"

Bastian said glumly," Just some kids from school."

Coreander asked," Why?"

Bastian mumbeled," They wanna throw me in the garbage."

Coreander questioned," Why don't you give them a good punch in the nose, eh?"

Bastian whispered," Oh, I don't know." He knew full well why. It was because he wasn't brave enough. Coreander turned back to his book, intruinging Bastian.

He asked," What's that book about?"

Coreander turned to him again and responded," Oh, this is something special."

Bastian came closer as he questioned," Well, what is it?"

Coreander said," Look. Your books are safe. While you're reading them, you get to become Tarzan or Robin Crusoe."

Bastian exclaimed," But that's what I like about them."

Coreander said," Yes, but afterwards you get to be a litte boy again."

Bastian asked confusedly," What do you mean?"

Coreander said," Listen. Have you ever been Captin Nemo, trapped inside your submarine while the giant squid was attacking you?"

Bastian answered," Yes."

Coreander asked," Weren't you afraid you couldn't escape?"

Bastian exclaimed," But it's only a story!"

Coreander stated," That's what I'm talking about. The ones you read are safe."

Bastian asked," And that one isn't?"

Coreander said," Don't worry about it."

Bastian stuttered," But, you just said it was..." The phone rang and Coreander but the book under some newspaper.

"Forget about it. This book is not for you," he said. He got up to answer the phone.

Bastian quickly took the book and left a note reading," Don't worry, I'll return your book." Ashe ran off, Coreander looked out, smiling at the sight.

(WhyaretheyremakingtheNeverendingStory?)

Bastian ran into the school and saw that class had already started. He looked into the window to see that his class was taking a math test.

"The math test, oh no," he exclaimed. He ran up to the attic, where he begain to read.

(Fantaisa! Finally!)

It was midnight in the Howling Forest. The wind whistled through the tops of the ancient trees. Suddenly, something enormous crashed and rumbled through the eerie woods.

A strange creature called a Nighthob asked," What's that?" The ground shook with what force the cause had. It was a giant tricycle made of rock appeared in front of them, bearing the enormous, but kind-hearted Rockbiter.

He asked," Excuse, me, would it be alright if I joined you this evening?"

A man named Tiny answered warily," Uh, huh."

Rockbiter explained," You see, I've been travelling all day. Ah, hah! Now I know why you picked this camp! A delicious looking limestone rock. Nice bouquet, must be a real vintage year."

Nighthob replied," Yes, you're right. Those delicious rocks are the reason we camped here, alright."

Turning to Tiny, he asked," Is he a nutcase?"

Tiny replied," No, he's a Rockbiter."

Nighthob exclaimed," A Rockbiter!" As the Rockbiter was eating the rocks, the leftover crumbs almost crushed Tiny and Nighthob.

Rockbiter apologized," Oops, sorry." He then finished the rock.

"That was good limestone, with a dash of quartz. Very tasty. Where I come from in the north we used to hve exquisue gourmet rocks, only now... now they're all gone," he explained.

Nighthob replied snidely," Huh, I know how it happened."

The Rockbiter defended," I swear it wasn't me."

Tiny exclaimed," I think I know what it was. Tell us more."

The Rockbiter said," Near my home there was to be a beautiful lake, but then it was gone."

Tiny asked," Did the lake dry up?"

Rockbiter responded," Now, it just wasn't there anymore. Nothing was there anymore. Not even a dried up lake."

Tiny questioned," A hole?"

Rockbiter replied," No, a hole would be something. Nah, it was noting. And it got bigger, and bigger. First there was no lake anymore, and finally, no rocks."

Nighthob spoke up," If he keeps stuffing his face like that, soon there won't be any rocks here, either."

Tiny grabbed Nighthob and said," Nighthob, this could be serious! Rockbiter, what you have told us is also occuring where I live in the west! A strange sort of Nothing is destroying everything!"

Niighthob agreed," Yes, we Nighthobs live in the South. And it's there, too."

Rockbiter exclaimed," So, it's not just in our part of Fantasia?"

Nighthob whispered," Maybe, it's already everywhere... Maybe our whole land is in danger! What can we do?"

Rockbiter informed," My people are sending me to the Ivory Tower, to the Empress for help."

Tiny said," We are on the same mission. After all, if the Empress can't save us, who could?"

Nighthob yelled," Then why are we just standing around here instead of taking off for the Ivory Tower?"

Tiny agreed," Right, what are we waiting for?"

And off they went in search of the Ivory Tower. They traveled for a day untill they say the heart of Fantasia gleaming in the sun's falling rays. They went inside to find out what could be done about the strange Nothing, and hoped that the Empress would have a way to save them all.

And so we have it! Finally Fantasia! Next chapter Atreyu and Axerena! Finally you get to meet her! Also, Thank you to Dan man who reviewed and favored this story. I'm currently listening to the Ivory Tower from the Neverending Story Soundtrack. Perfect, huh? Don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Neverending Story. If I did, the last two movies would be better and Atreyu would be in the third one. Seriously, WHERE WAS HE?!