One Little Spark: Part 1

Chapter 29

          As the sun begins to rise at dawn, the Dreamfinder and his friends wake up and prepare the Dream Machine to float again for home. Dreamfinder has, at last, recovered from the Abiteth's disease thanks to Zahara's remedies. By himself, he was able to lift himself off of his green carpet bad and walk. He had stumbled a step or two at first, but he had gotten the hang of it. Thankfully, he didn't have to worry about falling down. If he did, the sand would break his fall. And even though Dreamfinder's weight is three times his own weight, Figment continues to help his friend get back on his feet.

          Despite the heat, the group begins to work their "creative" magic in attempts to make the Dream Machine come afloat. This is their last day in the desert, which means no more heat strokes or mirages or poisonous creatures that either lure or jump out and attack. Zahara and her clan have offered to replenish the airship's inventory with plenty of food and water to last for a month, much to their gratitude for the Dreamfinder and Figment coming in and defeating the age-old tyrant of the desert.

          Of all people who have not awoken yet, it's Rachel. Alex seems to be already out with Dreamfinder and Figment while also keeping track of their belongings being stolen again by Hashama and Misushi. Her eyes are heavily closed from helping Dreamfinder recover all this time. She lays near Dreamfinder's carpet motionless on her side. Her breathing is quiet, but deep, as it sucks in bits of the scent of sand through her nose. Her arms are closed together as pillow support for her head. The only movement in her sleep she's is a sudden twitch on her leg kicking a jar of water at her feet.

          The necklace around Rachel's glows a very light blue. The aura of Yuna brightens as she awakens and appears out of the necklace and into the musty light within the tent. She lengthens and widens in all directions as if stretching herself. Her yawns are made in a childlike high-pitch voice. Her feint-seen eyes that are covered by her aura wander the inside of the tent learning that it is entirely empty of anything except for Rachel's sleeping presence.

          The sprite taps itself onto Rachel's head. Rachel squirms her head a little but still sleeps. Then Yuna tries tickling Rachel in her weak spots like the armpits and the back of her knees. Though Rachel's reaction is a tiny squirm and a tiny smile, it did not change the results of her waking up. She's still asleep. Yuna starts to get pretty annoyed. Her colors slightly change into a purply-red violet as she shakes in midair. Yuna's next strategy is to bounce rapidly and hard all over Rachel's body. Swishes of sound fill in the tent-like small fireworks streaming across the night sky. Rachel hears the sound but ignores it. She prefers to listen to whatever her dreams are over swishing noises outside. There is only one thing left Yuna can do. She spots the jar of water Rachel kicked and picks it up with only a small, stick-thick string of her aura. There is still some water left in there. Yuna tips the jar over Rachel's head and pours the water. The water splashes into Rachel's hair, waking her up at last. Soaked, snorting, growling, tensing, and red with infuriation, Rachel darts her flaming enraged eyes at Yuna seeing how the sprite is the only thing other than her [Rachel] is in the tent. Below her, Rachel finds the jar she had kicked by accident. She grabs the jar and charges at Yuna.

          Outside, Dreamfinder and Figment are helping the clan stock up the new inventory when they hear a loud and angry scream coming from the camp. They quickly turn and see Rachel charging out of the tent at a terrific speed. What sounds like babbling from a distance, Dreamfinder was able to tell that Rachel is really mad at something. She must be swearing and badmouthing at someone. What is confusing, however, is how Rachel is swearing while running in zigzags and circles. It doesn't look like this is some kind of directed assault, he thought, if it could be called that. It looks as if Rachel is chasing something like a madwoman. Indeed, Rachel is chasing something. As Rachel screams her head off while carrying the jar that splashed her, Yuna tries to escape from her fury. Scared like rabbits, she dodges through every obstacle that has come to her as she flies away quickly. With her speed and the sun's light, it has become hard to see for most people to see the little sprite passing by, but that hasn't stopped Rachel from pursuing.

          As Rachel keeps running, the Dreamfinder and Figment continue watching her with confused looks. Neither one of them could tell what she is chasing, what she is mad about, or why. They stand where they are distracted by the unexpected action, what it could probably be called a hallucination, that has taken over that poor girl.

"What a strange girl she is." Zahara says as she walks up between Dreamfinder and Figment. "It seems the heat has finally gotten control of her senses. This must be why we hardly have any female humans here."

"Figment, could you please go see what's wrong with her?" Dreamfinder asks kindly. "I'll fetch her some water."

"Okay-dokey, Dreamfinder!" Figment responds with a salute. The little flying purple dragon rushes over to Rachel at his average speed. It seems, however, that he might have to pick up the speed if he wants to catch up with her.