The Dreamers

25: The Kids

Pyro looked at the poster, surprised, "They.....they think I'm a hero?"

He thought about it for a moment as he put the poster in his pocket. He walked down a couple of blocks until he reached his house. He opened the garage to see his motorcycle.

"Baby!" He ran over and got on as he put on his helmet. He looked into his reflection on the motorcycle and sighed. First his job, and now his love. Two things from his life: gone. He would have to find something new to do. He started his motorcycle as he drove out of his garage and down the street.

He drove through the city. He stopped at a light as he heard people scream his name.

"Everyone, look! It's Pyro!"

People cheered for him as he looked around at them. He was confused. He has always been popular with the people, but a hero? What did he do that was so heroic?

The light turned green as he kept driving. The afternoon sun shined in his eyes. He then pulled over by a bench to rest. He got off his motorcycle as he sat down. He stared at the sky and felt the cool breeze sweep over him.

He relaxed his mind. He tried to stand the pain of thousands of nightmares in his ring. It was unbearable, but he felt.........powerful.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a school bell ring.

"Hm?" He looked to see the school him, and Serena saved a while back. Students were leaving school. He got up and walked over when he saw Tammy. The staff member he remembered from the last time he was there.

"Hello Tammy," he smiled as she smiled brightly.

"Oh my god, Pyro! Everyone has been celebrating your return!"

"Thank you, but why?" Pyro looked at the shorter old woman.

"We all found out about Mr. Demetrius's plans. Everyone has despised dreamers since then. Well, except you and Serena."

His eyes widened, "Really?"

"Mhm!"

Suddenly, his attention turned to two teenagers. He saw them walking in a direction that he knew led to a dead end. Why were kids going there?

"Pyro, are you okay?" Tammy looked at him puzzled.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled, but the gears in his brain were turning.

He waved goodbye as he followed the two of them, trying not to make it obvious. He looked closer and recognized the girl. It was Leilani. The girl that Serena visited for her dreamer training.

There was a boy with her. He had black hair about the same length as Pyro and enginer goggles on his head. He kept following them as he saw them go into an alleyway.

The two kids stopped in their tracks. Leilani screamed and got behind the boy as they saw a giant nightmare lurking in the alley.

"Varrick, what we do?" Leilani grabbed his arm and held it tightly.

"Sister, stay behind me!" He clearly looked scared to, but he had no way of defending them. He closed his eyes as the nightmare shrieked a deadly wail.

Suddenly, they saw a blast of black dreamer energy hit the nightmare as it melted and turned to pieces. They looked shocked as they turned around to see a young man with white hair. Leilani looked relieved, but Varrick knew excatly who he was.

"What are you two kids doing here?" Pyro walked with a smile on his face.

"What the hell do you want, stranger?" Varrick got in front of Leilani as he looked at Pyro.

Pyro scoffed in amusement, "Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine."

Varrick scowled at the sight of Pyro, "I'm Antonio Pyro, but you two can call me Antonio if you want."

"Are you a dreamer, Antonio?" Leilani looked at him curiously.

"Indeed I am." He smiled, taking her hands.

"Get away from her, old man!" Varrick looked pissed, "Everyone knows Dreamers are stuck up, obnoxious, and only trying to control people."

"Well, you should look at the news, Derrick."

"Varrick."

"Whatever. If you knew anything, you'd know I've been stuck in the nightmare realm for 3 months, and I just recently got out."

"What's the dream realm like?" Leilani asked, smiling.

"Too dark for your innocent mind, Pumpkin." Pyro patted her on the head, "Now where are your parents?"

"We don't have any." Varrick leaned against the wall.

The three of them went quiet for a minute.

Leilani spoke up, "Everyone heard word that you tried to fight against the boss's plan."

"Did he not release the nightmares?" Pyro asked curiously.

"October 31st." Varrick said, clicking his tongue."

"Hm..."

"Me and my sister are trying to save money to get out out of this damn city." Varrick looked away.

Pyro looked at the two of them sympathetically. Especially Varrick. He could already tell that Varrick was doing his best to protect his sister. Pyro knew what it was like to be living on the streets like them. He didn't want the two of them to experience the hell he lived.

"Come on, you two." Pyro started walking out of the alley.

"Where are we going?" Leilani followed Pyro closely behind.

"To my house. I'm not about to let you two sleep in an alleyway."

He turned around to see Varrick pull her back.

"We can't just go with him, Leilani! He's still a stranger!"

He smiled slightly. He could tell Varrick was smart, "Varrick, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Well Varrick. I'll have you know that you and me are the same."

"Huh?" He looked as Pyro bent over to his height.

"I was an orphan too. The only person I had was my love, Serena. Now, she loves someone else," he looked a little sad as Varrick and Leilani looked at each other.

"The boss of Dreamer HQ fired me for trying to side with the humans. So, the last thing I want is to be part of the Dreamers again."

Varrick's judgy face softened, "Are you lying?"

He smiles, "I don't lie to children."

"We're 15"

"You're still kids."

"Whatever, you're old."

Pyro chuckled as little covering his mouth, "I like you kids. Come on, you guys can crash at my house."

Leilani looked at her older brother as he caved, "Ugh, fine.."

The two of them followed him to his motorcycle.

"Uhm, is that yours?" Leilani asked.

~~~

Pyro drove down the street in his motorcycle with Varrick and Leilani. Pyro winced as Varrick held onto him tightly.

"GAHHH! AHHHHHHHH!!!!" He screamed as Leilani giggled.

"Big brother, enjoy it!" She laughed as she held on tight.

"That's the spirit, Leilani!" Pyro chuckled as he turned right. They finally stopped at a red light as the sky got darker. Varrick breathed, they had finally stopped. The city lights lit up the city as they reflected off his motorcycle, but all he could pay attention to was the two of them. Pyro looked at them smiling. He thought to himself.

"I think I found my second wind."

♡