Everyone’s Dreams, Coming True!? Chapter 3 - Un-Ordinary Days

I woke up to the light shining through the window.

"Yawn...Good morning!"

I stretched myself out of bed, and turned to greet my trademark Red Puyo Hat. When there's school, I always have to get up on time, but I usually sleep in. But when I can wake up on a day off, why do I wake up feeling refreshed? I got out of bed to open the window. Ah~, nice and wide open. The sun is shining, and I feel cheerfully 100%! There's a fish flying in the sky too!

Then I realized it at that moment.

"Yeah! Yeah! Come on baby!"

...w-what the? Am I imagining things? There was a big 'ol fish soaring across the blue sky, flapping its fins like wings...I rubbed my eyes and backed away from the window, then put on my Red Puyo Hat. For some reason, whenever I grab my hat, I feel a lot calmer. Hmm-haa, deep breaths. I went back to the window to to look out at the sky one more time. There were just birds peacefully flying around the blue sky. Uhh... M-maybe I was imagining the flying fish from earlier!

Wasn't yesterday a little chaotic with the strange little chest and all? Oh, that's right. We're resuming the little chest's investigation today! I quickly washed my face, ate breakfast, and headed to the park!

I got to the park, but Arle and Ringo aren't there. Did I come too early? What to do to spend time...While I thought about it, I looked around nearby, I saw what appears to be Sig, hanging around under a tree at the edge of the park. He must be looking for something up the tree.

"Good morning Sig!"

When I called him, he turned around and scratched his head. He has this spaced-out look like usual, but upon a closer look, his eyebrows are scrunched up. Is something bothering him?

"What's up? What'cha doing?"
"...Bug."
"A bug?"
"I found a bug. It's up there."

Sig pointed at the tree. Up there was a shiny, black, radiant, big beetle. Sig really loves bugs. While he is a bit spacey, he really gets into bugs. And since it's a day off, he can get super enthusiastic.

"It's so high up!"
"Yep."
"And you can't reach it?"
"Yep."

I more or less tiptoed to try and reach for it too, but it wasn't good enough. Sig's a bit taller than me too. If he can't reach for it, then I can't.

"I can't reach for it, it's too hard to get such a unique bug..."
"Oh..."

Sig isn't giving up. He's never gonna leave that bug. I calmly joked "If Sig was taller, he can definitely reach it! He should go at getting taller!" to myself. Then, Sig's eyes went wide and looked over here.

"Okay."
"Huh? O...kay?"
"Let's go."
"Wha?"

I was just joking, right? But now I saw him get taller from behind! And he continued growing...just like that! Then Sig carefully reached for it.

"!?"

Eh? Huh? What just happened!? I was too shocked to even say a thing. He's still the classmate I know so well, but now he looks like a man. He's still got that spacey expression and the cyan hair. But his facial looks are sharper, and now he's taller!

"There."

And his voice is still low and monotone.

"S...Sig!?"

My mouth dropped wide open, and Sig(?) calmly got the bug he was reaching for. Then he happily placed the bug on his shoulder.

"Yep. I caught it now. Thanks, Amitie."
"Huh!? Uhh ehm, w-w-w-what did I do!?"
"Bye-bye."
"Hey, wait...!!"

I stayed dumbfounded, watching Sig walk away from behind.

"Wh...what was that? Sig, did you just use a super transformation spell that I didn't know about!? But but you didn't say the magic words, so it might be stored as part of your red arm. But isn't a transformation spell a hard spell to use!? Are my eyes going nuts!?"

I'm still in a panic even after he left. Is this a dream or something!? Do I need to pinch myself!? With that in mind, I pinched my cheek. Then I hear a voice from behind.

"Oh la-ti-da! How do you do, Amitie!"

That voice...Raffine! That's right, I can meet with Raffine to see if I woke up just now. With that said, I sped on over to her.

"Hey Raffine! I got a question! Did you see Sig...WHAAAT!?"

Then, my eyes got to that point. Right there, Raffine is riding on an extravagant, white horse-drawn carriage. On top of that, she even has a princess-like dress! There's tons of gems on it, layers and layers of lace, it can't be anything else other than gorgeous.

"Raffine! H-H-H-...How did you get that look!?"
"This look? Why, I've always been this way."
"It's that easy!?"
"Ufufu. Naturally, it is suited to someone such as myself. As a lady, I require clothing befitting of my status."

Raffine, still in the carriage, let out the "Oh, la-ti-da!". Whoah, she looks ultra content... Geez, my head's not in the game! And right when I tried to ask her a question, some guy I don't know came calling behind her.

"Raffine!"

I looked thataway...and felt a little dazed. They obviously look like pretty strong men and they're standing there in line. I've never seen any of them before.

"Oh my~, so you've come."

Yet Raffine manages to keep her cool.

"Wh-...who...?"
"My beautiful and lovey-dovey suitors. They are quite insistent and bothersome though..."
"..."

Raffine's face. Her face. She looks super happy and has a huge grin. I hesitated on butting in, and the mystery men called out to her.

"Lady Raffine! You're so beautiful today!"
"Allow us to demonstrate our strength!"
"Please let me be your friend today!"

And then to Raffine's surprise, they all really ran after her!

"Ah-Aaaaah!?"

I unintentionally screamed too. As for Raffine, she just jumped from the carriage unfazed, even with the dress.

"Fufufu. So heartfelt and kind! I accept each and every one of you! ...as if!"

With that outcry, she got into a fighting stance, and rushed towards the men. One by one, the men were jumping at Raffine, and even with the dress, she can still move so swiftly in a fight. After deflecting the attacks, she delivered a counter punch beatdown, grabbed hold of them and spun them off-course, and then kicked them from behind...wham-bam, she took them down!

"Oh la-ti-da! If this is really your ability to try and court me...It's lacking! So incompetent!"
"Whoah! You're so strong, Raffine!"
"Strong, beautiful, and noble, I'm Raffine, the ideal lady!"

...Uh, wait a minute. Doesn't that sound weird if you put it that way? I turned around and dragged myself to a park bench. I just need to calm down! I definitely need to do that! I sat down on the bench at the center of the park, looking up at the sky. Ahahahaha...The blue sky sure is pretty and vast...Almost like I'm running away from reality, but then someone called my name.

"Amitie!"
"Gu gugu!"
"Good morning!"

Those voices...It's Arle and Ringo!

I turned to the voice's direction, Carbuncle's too, and I ran over to them.

"..."
"We've been looking for you! Hey, Amitie...Uh?
"Amitie, please listen....Er, what's wrong?"

I couldn't say a thing and I went stiff, just staring at them and making them confused. I usually greet them by returning a smile. But but...!

"Arle...Ringo...Are you two normal today?"
"Eh? Wh-what are you talking about..."
"Amitie? What's got you on edge!?"
"There was a thing in the sky, someone got taller, and someone brawling a bunch of people in a dress, wasn't there!?"
"Hold on Amitie!"
"Please calm down!"

But still, something weird really happened this morning and my head's not spinning! What can I even do if it's just going over their heads! I almost broke into tears, and met their eyes like this.

"You're always like that Amitie..."
"Yes, such strange moments from that morning have happened."
"Whaa!? You two saw it!?"

My eyes went wide, knowing they had the same feelings.

"This morning, I came across a 'curry fairy' and I discovered a strange animal no one's seen before waking before my eyes."
"As for me, I witnessed my dessert breakfast running about. In a panic, I chased after it before it got away."
"On the way here, Carby chased a spicy scent from about ten restaurants, which he didn't see yesterday..."
"And I discovered unknown creatures such as the Tsuchinoko, Kappa, Mothman, and even aliens, all one after another!"
"What the heck is this turning into!"
“It’s some ridiculous emergency!”

Uhmm...anyway, good to see I'm not the only one experiencing weird stuff! And these two are pretty honest about it!

"Arle, Ringo, that's a relief!"

I suddenly jumped at them.

"Me too, me too! I saw a fish flying in the sky, and Sig and Raffine just did the impossible...!"
"Whoahwhoah, Amitie!"
"You're pretty tense...there there, calm down."

And then they gave me calming words.

"Hey, Arle, Ringo. Did I do anything wrong!?"
"Nah. I'm relieved too...And Carby doesn't understand any of it."
"Guuguu..."
"Strange occurrences have happened today, but there is no harm. What do we have here, however..."

The three of us and Carbuncle turned our heads to the incoming footsteps. They were a clink-clank sound from some metal boots. When we turned around, there was a tall, good-looking, silver-haired man standing there.

"Schezo!" Arle called out.

This guy here is another one of Arle's acquaintances, Schezo. He calls himself...the Dark Wizard. He's always accompanied with the sword in his hand, has this rather cool air to him, and his eyes are pretty sharp. Doesn't his blunt way of talking make him a bit scary though? That's what I think. Though, according to Arle, he's not very social, not all that scary, and surprisingly careless at first impressions.

Schezo approached us with no introductions to ask "Hey, you three. Have you seen a little chest? It's white and decorated with stars, quite a cute chest." We just glanced around.

He said what I think he did! I forgot the mystery chest was the one that caused all the crazy things this morning!

"Is it this thing?"

I showed him the little chest to him, and then he shouted "That's it...and why do you have it!?" and with such a piercing glare. AAH! He's so intimidating!

"Schezo! Drop the glare. Amitie picked up the small chest you dropped. At any rate, it's right here."

Arle's interruption backed me up. Still, I don't think he's going to leave the little chest I have alone.

"Hey, confirm my belief that the little chest has not opened...yet- AAARGH!"

Schezo stopped himself mid-sentence to show that the lid can open and close freely.

"But we didn't know who the owner is, so we thought opening it up and looking inside would..."

Then it trailed off to nonsense mumbling.

"If I must be so forward, the Dream Mist inside has been released!"
"Dream Mist?" The three of us asked him.
"The seven-colored light grains that comprise the smoke you witnessed. Every person has a dream they hold to, burdened by troubles. This little chest is the very chest with the Dream Mist sealed within. Once the seal is undone, it releases the mist, materializing one's desires on one's misfortune."

Woow. Releasing the Dream Mist...he really, really knows a lot about it!

"I see I see. To sum up the current situation at hand, that is, the shining smoke that forced itself out from the small box yesterday is the Dream Mist, huh..."

Ringo said, with a serious tone. Then Schezo lowered his head.

"Schezo, why do you know about it? Is the small chest yours?"

Schezo shook his head at her question.

"No...As a practitioner of dark arts, I only have it for safekeeping. I carelessly dropped it en route to returning it. When I had found it again, it had already been opened, however..."
"S-sorry..."

I got nervous at my mistake, but Schezo answered "No, dropping it was my fault." and with a sigh.

"However, you knew naught how to open it...I presumed it was sealed with a complex process."
"A complex spell?"
"Hmph, since it is already opened, perchance you already discovered how? A Red, Blue, and Yellow Puyo striking it followed with three rubs certainly couldn't open it, and neither would its destruction. I am not a reader of minds, however...sigh."

"Ah, ahahahaha," The three of gave a dry laugh.
"Gugu~?" Carbuncle tilted his head.

The Puyo that hit it were the ones Carbuncle was playing with. And the three rubs were from the time it fell and I had to swipe off the dirt....In other words, the chest opening was a total coincidence! But then why do I feel I can't say a thing...

"Uhm...this Dream Mist? Since it's released and all, what troubles come with it?"

I panicked when I brought up the subject. Schezo put his hand to his chin and answered.

"The Dream Mist materializes the desires that lie in the heart...rather, it awakens them. It mainly clings onto those that come in contact with the little chest prior to its opening. The dreams that awaken within the material world disregard the magic of the world, creating chaos and bringing forth disorder around us. Which dreams come to exist from the being is something I do not know."

...Uhh? I can't follow his complex way of speaking. I then turned over to Ringo.

"In other words, whoever touched the box will have their dreams come true, but the world will fall into chaos...I think that's he said."

Ringo put Schezo's words into something easier to understand. I get it! That's why Sig and Raffine were so weird that morning! Schezo plainly continued on.

"Thus, we would become pleasure-seeking slaves to the dreams in this world, never to open our eyes and wake."
"Wha..." Arle said.
"Schezo, tell me you didn't calmly say the unthinkable just now? Never to open our eyes and wake...we would be wandering in our dreams forever!?"
"Yes, that's it."
"Eeeeeeh!?" The three of us shouted.

But then Arle went up to Schezo.

"Y...You knew dropping it is dangerous in some way!!"
"S-Silence! At least you were the ones to find it!"
"We didn’t find it for you! Clumsy Schezo! Geez, you're always missing the important stuff!"
"Wh...Arle! I am far from foolish. I...am unleashing it!"
"And you suddenly unleashed nothing, you pervert!"
"Aagh, noooo! 'I am unleashing my seriousness!!' is what I meant to say!"

Schezo lost his cool when he realized he suddenly said something wrong. He usually gets called a "pervert" from that.

"Uhm, hello? Please calm down, Sir Dark Wizard..."

Ringo seems a bit shaken while calling Schezo.

"Is there a spell to revert the senses of those affected by the Dream Mist?"

Seems Schezo calmed down a bit. After his chat with Arle, he looked over this way.

"Ah yes...Telling 'This is a dream.' to the ensnared should recall their senses."
"Ohh, that's easy! So just telling them it's a dream will do the trick!"

What a relief. Though...

"Alas...that is but only one method. For you see, if your own desires come true, you will fall victim to the dreamy condition. You would be unable to sense what is illusion."
"R-Really now...?"
"Are you currently enveloped in the dreams' magic, however? I know of the little chest's true intentions beforehand, for I have its opposing spells. Even though I am aware of the dreams...In particular, I believe your optimism weakened its power, allowing you to combat it.
"Wha? M-Me?" I got nervous when Schezo looked at me.
"Well excuse you."

Arle's all huffed up, at, uh, whatever Schezo said. I always flop on my tests, and I don't have many spells to use...

"But how? Am I just lucky?"

I tilted my head and stared at Schezo, who was eyeing my Red Puyo Hat.

"Hmm...I see. When the Dream Mist was released, you three...were somehow protected."
"What was that?"

I don't understand a thing he said. Protected? By who? I took off my Red Puyo Hat for a bit to take a look...Huh. Nothing's changed, it's the same old Red Puyo Hat. And back it goes.

"Nay, merely talking to myself. If I do not know, then I simply do not know."

Looks like Schezo is just like us too for some reason. Gee, now I'm curious...

"Well then, once we spot anyone seeing dreams, we do whatever means necessary to bring them back to reality." Ringo said, putting a hand to her chin.

Okay! Time to get started!

"Alrighty, let's give it our best!"

I raised my arm up and Arle and Ringo agreed. But then...

"I'll be going then."

Schezo suddenly turned the other way.

"Whaa!? But why!?"

I know opening the chest was my fault, but he can really help out with this!

"I'll be preparing to seal the Dream Mist once more. I'll leave returning the affected's senses to you three. I've already explained the general objective."

Schezo ended it with a "Hmph." And then an annoyed Arle butted in with "You're not cooperative."

"Well, that's to be expected from someone with no friends, Schezo."
"Wh-! Arle, I...just love you!"
"Sure, whatever you say, pervert! What other blunders will you spit out?"
"Argh, confound it! 'I just love solitude, not Arle!" is what I meant to saaay!"

....well then. Carrying our heads high and leaving Schezo behind, we're off to search for anyone lost in dreams.