25. The Dreamer-Once asleep, one must Dream

There was that door again.  Birds chirped merrily as the sun dropped gold onto the hillside.  The grass bent under the wind's light touch.  The grass all bent towards the top of the hill.  Every emerald blade was bowing before the door.  The sun was at its zenith and centered over it as well.  And the birds circled above.

"Not this time," she said.  The wind grew stronger, insisting she allow herself to be swept upwards.  There was a promise of rest, peace, and flying above the world.

"No," she repeated with more will.  The sky grew cloudy.  The birds left.  And the wind whipped her hair, tugging the locks towards the door.  A scythe ripped through the scene.  Twisted remnants of sunshine were devoured by darkness.  Nothing was left.

"You been enjoying yourself?" Aislinn's voice tinkled from all around.  A dim, red ribbon glow appeared three feet in front of Anna.  Aislinn faded into existence.  Today her highlights and uniform accents were neon green.  Her body was at an angle, ankles crossed, arms folded, and her scythe was leaning as well.

"Enjoying myself?" Anna repeated.  The sounds were familiar, the way they moved across her lips was not new, and she knew what they meant.  However, "enjoyable" was not a word she would have used to describe recent events.  Something in her expression must have given her away.  Aislinn laughed.

"I thought as much.  I would not advise Dreaming for a while," a tree faded in behind her.  She was leaning against and had never moved.  Suddenly, her eyes focused solely on Anna.

"Of course, you already figured out that much.  Ah, but how to stop that thing from finding you again?  Those were your thoughts, right?" a smile glittered over Aislinn's lips.

"And that Nick is a cheating bastard," Anna flashed her teeth in return.  Both women held their expressions for ten seconds before dissolving into laughter.

"I'm here to protect you.  But that doesn't mean you have to make my job harder.  Do you understand?" Aislinn said quietly after the laughter had subsided.  Anna nodded.

"Good.  Let's start the training," and a different, almost feral, grin reflected off the scythe.