It was, as usual, a very fine day in Shokushu. It was about 80, but the constant sea breeze penetrated everywhere, even to the very bottom of the huge trees in the forest. At the base of one of these Anemone Zyerkovia had sat down to rest while on an idle walk, and now drowsed fitfully as one of her strange dreams began to take over her mind. She remembered a boy in a white uniform and a little thrill shot through her lithe body. She sighed, and one of her hands moved into the small gap between her silk school blouse and the short skirt she wore to lay on the smoothness of her flat tummy, while the other wandered up her leg as she bent it, caressing the smoothness of her slender thigh as the hem of her lower garment fell back, nearly exposing the bikini panties she wore underneath it.

He had been louging in his favorite tree as per nrom. His mind cast out, sensing the minds of those around him and it was no excption that he had felt hers. Such a young girl, so vulnerable and about to drift off. Vitali must have beem out hunting to not take advantage, and he pondered a few things deciding that he was going to reach out into her mind as she fell asleep. He pondered for a moment if he were going to draw her off to Llynoria but decided against it. It was he and Alynia's special place so he quickly generated it's Shadow …

When se woke it would be to a pixie with a spear threatening it at her.

“Don't move,” he cried as he pointed the little weapon at her. “I found you now witch! Were is she, where is my sister?” Golssamer wings flapped behind him though he was stationary on her chest for the moment.

Anemone's eyes went wide with shock as she awoke to find that what seemed at first glance a rather large insect had settled on her chest. She automatically batted at it as she screamed and turned her body to throw it off her. She HATED insects, they scared her to death

The back of her hand felt as if it was bitten as the pixie instinctively sank his spear into the back of her hand before being brushed off of her chest.

“OFT!” He tumbled into the ground, his spear clattering to the ground as the wind was driven his lungs that being the sole reason why he had remained as close as he did right now.

Anemone shrieked again. She grabbed her hand as she came to her feet. Just before she ran away, she instinctively looked down to see what it was that had stung her. And froze stock still.

It was a...little...MAN??

Oh my god, it's poisoned me, I'm having hallucinations, she thought desperately, but then dismissed the idea as the thought came to her that it was far more likely that she was still dreaming. She had, in fact, awoke from one dream into another several times before in her life.

She looked down at the little man. "Excuse me, I'm very sorry, I thought you were...a bug," she said sincerely. She knew that the best way to wake up from a dream was to try and interact with it in some manner, at least that had always worked before.

He groaned, still recovering from his fall as she made her apologies but something seemed to awaken him as he snapped up to his, seizing his spear and holding it out threateningly.

He spat on the ground as if showing his distaste for her. “WHERE IS SHE WITCH!” his voice boomed, he obviously wanted to know something though she had little clue as to what the little winged man was talking about as he flew up to her eye level.

Anemone jumped back in alarm as the little man flew up to her face. She thought of running again but then realised he had spoken to her, and this was just a dream.

"Where is who?" she replied, "and please don't address me with such profanity. I'm a young lady, not a female dog"

“Female dog?” the pixie looked as flustered as he was angry, confused. “No, I said witch! Not Bi -”

He spat to the side again. “Enough of your games! Where is she and I'll give you the antidote. Your big so the poison, as powerful as it is won't hit you until the morning, that better be enough time! Now wher is my sister?”

"Poison? What poison? And what sister? What are you talking about?" And why am I not awake yet?, Anemone was beginning to become alarmed. She was trying desperately to wake up but the forest and the little man stubbornly remained, seemingly very real and not even slightly dreamlike

“Arcanist Rot,” the pixie retorted with a cruel grin. “Slowly it will start to impair your arcane powers until either the antidote is used or twenty four hours have elapsed after which the effects would be permanent! There is only one known antidote but you can kill for all I care I won't tell you until you give me Iris back! She's more than just a means to aquire more pixie dust!”

"Look, I have no idea who Iris is, I don't want any pixie dust and I haven't any arcane powers. I just want to wake up." Anemone folded her slender legs under her, sat down very suddenly and began to cry. She looked up at the little man, who continued to hover above her. "PLEASE, let me wake up" she sobbed.

“You're … you're not the witch? I thought because of the funny clothes, oh boy.”

He landed and sat shaking his head slightly. “There, there. Don't cry. I don't know how you got to this Shadow but I assure you this is real. Our goals maybe the same though, the witch has imprisoned Naramis, the wizard would know better than I how you can get home but getting him means dealing with the witch and I only had one dose of the poison, if I weren't so impulsive ...” He sighed.

“My name is Harn, and yours?”

Anemone sniffed. "Anemone", she replied. "Anemone Zerekovia, and my clothes aren't funny. This is a school uniform." She regarded the little man as she removed a pocket handkerchief and began to dry her eyes. "It's certainly better than what you have on."

“School uniform? So you're an apprentice … in your case I would still have to give you the antidote least you won't be able to learn magic. And what is wrong with my attire? Kning Phineus wore something like this at last year's ball I might add! Your Shadow obviously lacks good sense.

“So, you go to a magical academy but haven't learned any spells yet? Hm, that is going to be real hard to deal with … the with that is ...”

"I don't go to a magical academy. This is a girl's finishing school, and I don't know any spells because there's no such thing as magic anyway." And why am I explaining myself to my own dream she thought.

"Since I don't have arcane powers, will the poison hurt me?" Anemone fought down a surge of panic as she remembered hearing somewhere that if you die in a dream you actually die.