Dreams Are Reality

Felli didn't even bother to take care of her injuries as the night went on. She just let them slowly heal on their own without worrying. She had more important things to care about then something that wasn't life threatening anymore. Flipping pages of the book in her hand she absorbed all the information she could fit in her brain as time went on. Eventually though the soft comfort of her bed called out to her to sleep. Feeling drowsy she had trouble keeping her eyes open as the book she carried fell on top of her stomach.

"Just...a little nap."

She had studied for hours so taking a small break wouldn't be the end of the world. Resting her body she huddled herself in a small ball as she stopped resisting the weight of her eyes and slept. Once she was asleep Felli dreamed of a world that was long lost to her. "This time is over." Sitting in her mother's lap she saw her Grandfather working on something with a smile on his face showing it off to them. This was a memory of her past that she had seen many times except this time something was different. There was a silver haired woman she recognized that was beside her.

"Althea...?"

"That's me, the only one...well maybe not only."

Staring deeply into her blood red eyes, this was the woman she had met back in the Astral Zone who had tried to attack their group. "Why am I thinking of her?" Confused as to why such a terrifying beauty was in her dreams she looked to see if her parents noticed her. They seemed unphased for the most part as they carried on like before in her memory. With a long pause Althea looked at the child in front of her with a sly smile as she put her hand on her chin. It seemed the mark she left on this girl was truly deep to appear in her dreams.

"What are you doing here and what do you want?"

"Eh? you called me here so why are you getting snippy with me. I'm the one that's supposed to be asking questions here. There's clearly something you want so go ahead and ask me. I'm sure I can help you in exchange for something else. It seems you have struggles of your own going on and the boy is nowhere to be seen. A mother you can't decide if you love or hate and a crippling feeling of loneliness you refuse to face head on. Instead you hide from excuses as you push everyone close to you away out of fear that's behind a mask of coldness."

"Wha-how!?"

"Who cares? In dreams I'm always in control, This is my domain and it'll never be different even if when I'm awake I'll forget most of it. You might know me as Althea but the one you met is vastly different to the current me and honestly...me and you aren't that different from each other. Which is why I latched a part of my power onto you when I first saw you. I didn't expect to get called so soon though. Now what is it you want? In dreams anything can become a reality you know, all you have to do is ask me."

"Shut it, I didn't call you nor do I want anything from you, I was just tired and fell asleep. Besides, I highly doubt you're capable of anything here. It's just a dream after all, it's not real. Just an overactive imagination."

Not listening to the words of Althea, Felli shut her off before she could be swayed by the temptress but she was too late.

"Normally you're not wrong, however my Astral Ability is a little bit different then most others. Even if the awake me hasn't realized it. If you don't believe me why not just try and wake up? Such a simple thing should be easy for you, regardless of how tired you are."

Althea's grin grew wider as she leaned her head on her hands and knees while staring holes through Felli. "She's too arrogant." Different from the other Althea she met that radiated power and pride, this one screamed a cold and wild arrogance that would never falter. She seemed like an even more extreme version of Althea and that frightened her but also stirred on her instincts to prove her wrong. "You're no God, no one is." In a futile attempt Felli tried to force her body awake like countless other times but was met with no results. Struggling, she couldn't even move out of her Mother's arms as she tried to wake up. She was utterly powerless, like a lost child that had no more strength to run.

"What did you do?"

Anger rising in her voice, Felli tried to control her emotions.

"I didn't do anything but follow the wants of your heart. I'm not some evil or vicious person, I'm just trying to help you. Is that so hard to believe?"

With each and every word that entered her mind Felli felt the will to resist fade from her body. Each word was full of incredible power that attacked her soul, eating away at any resistance she had left. Felli was in a losing battle that she couldn't wake up from. It was no longer just a happy memory of the past, it was a nightmare now. One that she couldn't wake up from no matter what she tried. All because of the demon in front of her that never moved an inch. Still though she struggled with all she had.

"It's very hard to believe. I know exactly what you did to Xilo and us. You're a horrible person who has no one in their heart but yourself. I'm not an idiot and I'd appreciate it if you realized that."

"Still holding a grudge over that? I'm just trying to take what's mine. He belongs to me after all and especially not you. You abandoned them, remember? Why would you care about those useless people? Why not join me instead. That way you can get your mother's approval and I can obtain Xilo again."

"I said it before and I'll say it again. Shut it, demon."

Ignoring those tempting words, Felli tried to choose her own path.

"Ha...Looks like tonight might have failed then..oh well, Don't worry I'll be back again. For now I'll give you some time to think about it."

Sitting in her mother's lap Felli watched as Althea disappeared from her dream world. "Did she really give up, so easily?" Confused about her sudden retreat, Felli scratched her head in confusion now that she could finally move again. In the next moment though she felt a hand touch her head as she looked up to see her Grandfather standing over her with a smile on his face. Confused this wasn't how her memory went but she didn't pay it much mind. Enjoying the softness of his hand Felli melted in joy as tried to find some peace.

"Good job, Felli. You're strong..I know you are."

"Grandfather?"

Hearing that voice her vision faded as sunlight entered her eyes.