Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read aloud .txt) 📕

her to shake. She took it, looking at him strangely. A small shock passed through their hands, and she quickly saw his real self. "Hello. My name's Derrick James Reading, to be exact."
Ariana had to laugh. "Nice to meet you, Derrick. I'm called Ariana Moon, since I have no surname."
Derrick was confused. "What about Sister?"
Ariana shook her head. "That's just a name Shannon came up with for me. I don't even know where it came from."
"I think it suits you." Derrick smiled, and Ariana blushed.
After they had eaten, Derrick led her back to Shannon's office. Within a few hours, she was examined for eyeglasses and a pair of golden frames accented her bright, silver-blue eyes.
"I think they look good on you," Derrick replied softly as they walked back to their quarters afterward. He walked closer to her.
"Thanks, and I can see perfectly." Ariana blushed. She wanted so much to hold his hand, and as he walked closer to her, she could feel the warmth of his body. "How did they know?"
“A little bird told them." Derrick teased and smiled.
Ariana giggled. "I bet that little bird was you?"
Derrick shrugged. "You could say that." He smiled with her.
Her smile radiates, he thought to himself. She heard it and smiled.
"Thank you." Ariana replied.
"For what?"
"You said my smile radiates." Ariana explained.
He shook his head, embarrassed. Clearing his throat, he asked her. "So, how do you like the System so far?"
"It has a better Feel to it than most of the new homes I've been in before." Ariana remarked. Not to mention, the people here are nicer. She added silently.
"You understand you're here for a reason, right?" Derrick asked.
"What's that?" Ariana asked him, confused. To herself, she thought. Does it have anything to do with what Shannon told me?
He waited until they entered their room to answer. He slid his card through a slot and punched in his five-digit code. This time, he didn't cover it, trusting her.
Once they were safely in their room, he told her. "It has to do with your Ancient Mystic powers. I'm here because of you." He told her, unsure what she knew.
"Really?" Ariana asked. "I thought Shannon told me I was here to live, away from abuse and pain."
He drew a breath at the admission.
She stared into space, a tear escaping her eye.
“It'll be okay. I promise." He said softly. Sighing, he put his night clothes on and headed to bed.
Ariana went to the bathroom and took a hot shower.
It was late, and she was exhausted. She thought back on the day's adventurous events as the hot water and steam relaxed her throbbing muscles. It was so refreshing to be clean. It was almost like starting over in a new place, a new world, a new life.
When she left the bathroom after cleaning up after herself, Ariana noticed Derrick was already fast asleep. She smiled.
So far, she liked the System. Sure, it was confusing, but it was a challenge. And so was Derrick Reading.
Both she and Katherine Hawk knew how much she loved a challenge.

Chapter Eight:
Beauty and the Beast

In the middle of the night, Ariana Moon woke up screaming. Derrick, though silent, woke up with her. He wanted so badly to run and comfort her, but he was afraid. Afraid of her rejecting him as her unknown twin Luna had. Afraid of opening his heart to the sad beauty of his partner. Afraid of trusting his true feelings with her.
Derrick’s eyes squinted at the clock, visions of his dreams fresh in his mind. He recalled how he could feel her hurting, and he was powerless to stop it. He lay in bed, facing her back on her own bed. He stared, watching as she curled into a ball.
That’s when she began to cry.
With a depressed sigh, he closed his eyes to return to sleep. He felt guilty for not doing what he should have done.
The Dream Girl’s image returned to his mind.
Please, Romeo. The girl pleaded, arms outstretched to him. Rescue me from this pain.
The mysterious pendant he saw only in his dreams glowed, warming on his chest. His eyes went from it to her, but when they reached her again, she was gone.
Her image was gone, but Derrick could still feel the intense feelings of love she had for him. How could a girl he didn’t even know love him that deeply? How could he love her back if he didn’t even know if she was real?
He hoped to learn the answers soon. He feared his Dream Girl would soon die if he didn’t.

II

The next morning, Ariana awoke to find Derrick already gone. She quietly made her bed and dressed, ready to explore her new home. Before she could leave the room, the phone rang from the night stand in between the two beds.
“Hello?” Ariana sat on her bed and answered it.
“Ariana, it’s Shannon.” The boss announced. “Your orientation is this afternoon in the Commons Room. Have Derrick show you where it is.”
“Okay, but,” Ariana started.
“But what?”
“I haven’t seen him since we turned in last night.” Ariana told her. “Do you know where he might be?”
“Use your Empathy to find out.” Shannon suggested.
“Usually, I’d agree, but I don’t know if I should. Somehow, it’s different with him.” Ariana explained. “If I used it, I’d only feel I was invading his privacy. I don’t want to push him away, you know?”
Shannon let out a soft giggle, just loud enough for her to hear. “Oddly enough, I know what you mean.” She replied. “I wouldn’t worry about him too much, okay? Listen, don’t be late.”
“I won’t.” Ariana replied before hanging up.
She headed out, running into an agent coming out of the room across the hall.
“Hello there.” The agent said. “You must be new.”
“That’s right.” She said. “My name is Ariana Moon. I arrived just last night.”
“I’m Shane Morehouse, only call me Shadow.” Shadow supplied, holding his hand out for her to shake.
When she did, she got an eerie feeling, and an image of a girl, identical to herself came to mind. When she gasped, closing her eyes, he let go of her hand quickly. She reopened her eyes and studied him for a second. He was apprehensive, and quick to change the subject before she could ask questions. Shadow nodded to the door she’d come out of.
“I see you have Derrick for a partner.” Shadow’s voice interrupted her confused thoughts. “How are you getting along with him?”
“He was uneasy when I first met him yesterday.” She explained, now out of her vision trance. “Has he always been like that?”
“Nah, you just don’t know him, yet.” Shadow replied. “In the meantime, I’m heading over to the Café for breakfast. Would you like to join me?”
“Sure. I’d like that.” Ariana smiled.
She followed Shadow to the Café.
“I’ve only known him for a short time, but I know Derrick hates getting up this early.” Shadow explained to her. “I wonder what made him decide to change?”
Ariana shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s me?”
“Maybe.” Shadow said.
She followed close behind, marveling at the mere wonder of this strange new place. They stopped at a pair of double doors, and Shadow opened it for them.
“M’Lady.” Shane bowed, gesturing for her to go first.
“Why, thank thee, M’Lord.” Ariana replied with a giggle, curtseying like a princess. “You’re ever so kind.”
Shadow looked around the Café, seeing a lone figure sitting in the corner. “Don’t look now, but there’s your partner.”
Ariana looked, watching Derrick. She tapped Shadow’s arm. “Thanks for walking with me, Shane, I mean, Shadow. ‘Bye.”
Shadow grinned, saluting as he went his own way. “See you around.”
Ariana took a deep breath before tiptoeing up to the table. Derrick looked solemn and depressed, almost sad as he stared into an empty coffee cup. She wanted so badly to read his thoughts, but felt guilty. Instead, she used a trace of Empathy to see what he was feeling.
Lonely, yet confused.
She closed her Empathy to talk to him. “Good morning, Derrick.” She said softly, making him turn to her. “What are you doing up so early?”
“I...uh...couldn’t sleep.” He announced, not looking at her.
She sat down across from him. “You could’ve let me know where you were going. I was worried about you.”
Derrick gave her a skeptical look. “Why? You don’t even know me.”
I’ve known you longer than you think, my Romeo. She thought to herself. “I don’t have to know you to be worried about you. If Shannon put us together as partners, you could be a little more considerate of my feelings.”
He grunted. “Sorry, but it’s your fault.”
“How is it my fault?”
“You kept me up all night.”
Ariana looked at him curiously, holding her breath. Had he heard her screams in the night? If so, why didn’t he wake her? “Really?” She dared to ask. “How?”
He was silent as he stared into her eyes. He’d heard her screams in the night, but was too afraid to touch her. He didn’t want to tell her that, so he smiled. “You happen to snore.”
He made a snoring noise, making her blush and giggle. They both smiled at each other, starting their day.

III

It had been two weeks of fun, two weeks of hard work, and two weeks of intense training in order to make Ariana a Junior Officer, slightly behind Derrick.
Shannon had remarked early that she might be developing her photographic memory, but Ariana just shrugged it off as being a quick learner. Shannon's response was an I-know-something-you-don't smile, of which Ariana thought nothing.
One night, the terror continued. Her private Dream Realm was in shambles. Everything was dark, with little light to see by. She searched for the comfort of Katherine, but couldn't find her beloved Balinese friend.

Sudden fear crept in her soul, and she could sense danger coming from a mile away. Confused, she yelled into the air. "Hello! Is anybody here?"
An echo of her own voice seemed to bounce of the barriers, slowly followed an array of ghostly voices. This signaled much fear in the Dream Realm, and Ariana didn't know how to react. She did all she could to stop the voices, and ran.
Ariana heard a broad monotone as she ran.
"Be Banished from the Dream Realm for all eternity, Katherine and Kitten's Claw Hawk! The Master will have his revenge!"
Ariana covered her ears and shut her eyes, but she still heard the voice, loud and clear. "No-no-no-no-no-no-no! Leave them alone!" Ariana screamed repeatedly. Many times, she felt someone -- or something -- following her at an intense speed. “Go away!” She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, yet the eerie feeling wouldn't go away.
She looked ahead as she ran.
A light. I see a light. She thought to herself. She ran toward the light and passed through.

"NO!" Ariana woke up in a cold sweat, screaming. She kept trying to convince herself it had been all just a dream, but it wasn’t. It was a reoccurring nightmare that had no end and no beginning.
Derrick heard her this time, and quickly awoke. He sat on her bed beside Ariana to comfort her. "What's wrong? Another bad dream?"
She looked at him. It was all so hard to explain! She nodded.
After two weeks of the same thing, Derrick seemed nicer, more caring, and closer to her. This made him more trust-worthy. But would he believe her strange nightmares?
"It was nothing. Please, go