She Doesn't Exist

"Is that the last of it?" Chelsea asked Skye. Skye nodded, then curled up into a circle to rest. With all that concentrating he had to do earlier, he had missed a dozen cat naps. It was time to make up for lost sleep.

Chelsea firmly capped the bottle, and placed it into her magic pocket to dispose of at a later date. Then she slumped into the chair by the bed.

"Robiin, when are you going to wake up?" She asked, poking the sleeping girl's cheeks. Then a vision came to her.

'Robin's eyes flicked open as she grabbed Chelsea's hand and sat up.

"What time is it?" Robin asked.

"Hold on there! You've slept for a week, so you'll be a bit dizzy. Lie down and let me finish up the treatment I did to prevent the muscles from the weakness of atrophy." Chelsea said.

Robin looked at her, slightly disoriented.'

The vision ended as Chelsea came back to the present, where Robin still lay on the bed, asleep.

"A week, huh?" Chelsea smiled. "I think we can wait for a week."

-----

The flashing police lights ahead, reminded her of something important. Hero Robin looked down at her hero's blade. If she came out like this, her weapon would be confiscated. Finally, she made a decision.

"Little Robin, you go ahead. Even if you can't see me, I'll be right behind you, okay?" Hero Robin told her. Then she stepped out of sight of the girl, to test a theory of hers.

"Huh?" Robin looked around. "Where did he go?" She then saw her brother outside with the police. He hadn't even changed out of his office clothes, having come here straight from his work. Pinned against one of the cars, being handcuffed, was the girl's uncle.

"Brother!" Little Robin called as she ran outside, and tackled Her brother. He hugged her tightly.

"Robin, thank God! I came as soon as I could. Are you all right? Your uncle didn't hurt you, did he?" Her Brother looked back towards the school, scanning around for a sight of the person who had saved his little sister.

Hero Robin was actually right next to him, in something she was beginning to call ghost mode. Soon enough, the siblings had their statements taken down and were free to go. As they climbed into her brother's car, Robin slipped through the door into the back seat.

When they arrived home, Robin was surprised. It looked different than how it looked in her previous dreams, but then again, it was surprisingly accurate. Even certain details Robin had forgotten about were present. She followed them into the house, looking around and nodding to herself. Yes, this was exactly how it looked at that time.

Her brother checked something on his phone and asked Little Robin. "You're certain that he disappeared?"

Little Robin nodded. "Mmmn! It was like magic!" She smiled.

Hero Robin blinked and stared blankly. She did not remember smiling at all during the time period up until the trial. In fact, she could not remember smiling like that for at least two years after the fact.

"And he said that he'd be right behind you?" Her brother asked again.

"Mmmhmm!"

"Then, is he right behind you now?"

Little Robin turned to look. "I can't see him if he is."

Robin waited until Little Robin had settled down that night in bed.

"Are you really here?" Little Robin whispered.

Hero Robin smiled mischievously.

"Nope~!" She spoke from the direction of the closet.

Little Robin giggled and turned over, relieved enough to finally get some sleep. Hero Robin waited until she was sure Lil Robin was truly asleep, then she phased through the bedroom door and sought out the older brother.

Her older brother sat at the desk in their father's office, watching something on his computer. As Hero Robin phased through the door, he spoke up.

"I'm not too certain exactly who or what you are. Because you saved my sister, I am thankful. But, don't you think that intruding on our privacy is going a bit too far?"

Robin was taken aback. She asked.

"How did you know I was here?"

"It's really strange. People can't really see you at all. But for some reason..." He turned his computer around, showing a video feed.

"The cameras picks you up just fine. What I can't understand is why the dna scanner can't pick you up."

Robin sighed and eased out of ghost mode.

"You always were good at the technical stuff, weren't you?"

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am one who should not exist here. Let's just say that my identity is a problem." Robin replied.

"Who do you work for? What is your objective?" He asked.

"Funny you should ask that. I'm a firm believer in the phrase 'God helps those who help themselves.' But...you could say that I knew your father. I was in combat training to protect you in the future. When I recognized little Robin, and saw what was about to happen, I had no choice but to interfere." Robin replied.

"So you heard?" he sighed.

"A year is enough time to reach even the most remote places, especially if it's a person of your father's fame." Robin replied. "...he...was a good man."

"Hmmm....Let's just say that I believe you, for now. What are you going to do?" He asked.

"I have no place to go." Robin replied. "Your father housed me for a time, but there is no record of my existence. If I were to be revealed as I am, I might be hunted down by scientists, authorities, villains...If possible, I'd rather spend my time here fulfilling what I trained for: protecting you, and your sister."

"How did you meet my father?"

"Believe it or not, we are related by blood." Robin replied. "He was there the day I was born."

"So, if I die, will I end up like you?" he asked.

"I never said I am dead. Just...not awake." Robin replied.

"So you want me to believe you are some sort of astral projection or living spirit?" He asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

Robin remained silent. She did not know what she was, here.

He sighed. "The sad thing is that, that's probably the closest thing to an answer that I can get out of this. The police are looking for you, to try and get a statement. While I gave them the video footage, as evidence, they are still going to want to meet you."

Robin nodded. "That is certainly a problem."

"Can't you meet them?"

"I told you. I don't exist. No papers, no identity. Do you think they would let me go once I met with them? The worse thing is that, once they know I am protecting you two, they might go after you in order to get to me."

"What if I could give you an identity?" He asked.

---------

"So, you're saying that Robin will wake up in a week? How is that possible?" Jasmine asked.

"Regardless of how, my brother's visions never fail." Chelsea asserted. "We can figure out the how afterwards. Skye who is bound by blood contract helped me to filter out a bit more of the poison earlier, but by now, the remainder has fully integrated into the bloodstream."

"And, where did you put the extract?" Jasmine asked.

"Flushed down the toilet, where it belongs." Chelsea told Jasmine coldly.

"A shame...I could have tried reverse-engineering a cure for that." Jasmine sighed.

"You've got the remains of Ayva's beer for that." Chelsea said.

"No I don't. It's been over 24 hours. There's no trace left in there. You think I haven't tried?" Jasmine waved a dismissive hand.

"I guess you'll have to wait until we can get a fresh supply then." Chelsea smiled.

"Um...if it's Klargun's Brew....then Ah have some." Ayva said softly from the doorway. "Remember tha vial Ah took from those four? Ah kept et safe as evidence. Are ye in need of et?" She asked. She had just arrived, and wanted to do anything she could to help.

"Ah! Yes! Now we are getting somewhere!" Jasmine smiled.

"So many have tried before you to discover an antidote. Why do you think you'll succeed?" Chelsea asked.

"Because, dear Chelsea, those were doctors and Alchemists, while I am a Magi." Jasmine replied, taking Chelsea's words as an open challenge. "Or have you forgotten?