CHAPTER TWO - FAIRY MARY MAG

As I fall asleep, I half-expect to have that same dream as earlier. To my surprise, however, I’m at the gates of a very large, very gaudy pink palace. It’s like something out of a Barbie playset. There’s a moat, and the drawbridge has been lowered, seemingly beckoning me inside. I walk across the bridge, pausing for a moment to look down at the water in the moat below. It’s sparkly, like someone poured buckets of glitter into it.

Strange, I think to myself as I enter the palace and look around at the interior, Strange but lovely. I wonder what kind of person lives here? Maybe a princess? Every square inch of this place is decorated, with huge paintings of unicorns and fairies and other lovely creatures adorning the walls. Directly in front of me is a huge stained-glass window that’s projecting rainbows onto the floor and walls around.

Because I’m distracted by all the marvellous objects and furniture in this place, I’m not exactly looking where I’m going and I stumble over something carelessly left out on the floor.

“Oww,” I whine, landing roughly on my hands and knees, “What the hell?”

As I stand back up and brush myself off, I’m able to see what tripped me. I pick it up and turn it over in my hands a few times.

“I tripped over a My Little Pony doll,” I scoff, “How silly.”

The pony doll turns its head towards me and opens its mouth.

“She’s nearby,” it whispers urgently, “And she already knows you’re here! Stay clear!”

I gasp and drop the toy out of fear. I look around, clutching my pounding chest. The doll is right. There’s someone (or something) sneaking around and trying desperately to stay hidden. I catch a flash of shimmery blue as it swiftly disappears into a hallway closer to the big stained-glass window.

Should I follow it? I wonder, unsure whether I should heed the doll’s warning. I mean, it’s just a stupid plastic horse, after all, and this is just a stupid made-up dream.

Naturally, I decide not to let a plastic horse toy dictate my life’s decisions, and I rush towards that hallway.

“Hey!” The plastic pony shouts after me, “At least take me with you for protection!”

I groan, turning back around and placing the doll atop my beret. Strange, I hadn’t really noticed until now, but in this dream I’m wearing my uniform. Ugh! Even in my dreams, I can't escape this stupid crap!

“Thanks,” the toy says, curling up on my head, “My name is Gusty. And yours?”

“Um, my name is Hong,” I reply awkwardly, “Jeez, why the hell am I talking to a My Little Pony?”

“Anything can happen in dreams, Hong,” Gusty offers unhelpfully.

“…Yeah, I guess you're right. Anyway, can you tell me a bit about this place?”

“Well, this palace is owned by a powerful enchantress named Magdalena. She can manipulate and influence other people’s dreams, and she can conjure up almost any object or person so long as she’s in a dream she created. She can also bring inanimate objects to life.”

“Is she the one who brought you to life, Gusty?”

“Mhm.”

“Her abilities sound kinda cool, I’m honestly a little jealous!” I reply as we come upon a spiral staircase, “Should I go up here?”

“We shouldn’t,” I feel Gusty shiver from atop my hat, “Her private quarters are atop that staircase. I wouldn’t get too close to her if I were you. She’s very scary and dangerous, and she’s not a very big fan of people encroaching on her personal space. Since she’s already aware of your presence, it would be best to keep your distance from her.”

“Aww, but I’m curious about her,” I protest, walking up the stairs as quietly and carefully as I can, “We’ll go quickly, just to take a look, and then that will be that.”

“I forbid it! Wh-Why don’t I show you the garden instead? It’s just down th—”

“Nope. Not interested. I just wanna take a quick peek! I promise you, I’ll be quiet as a mouse. It’ll be like I’m not even there.”

“So you’re going to spy on her?” Gusty asks incredulously, “You’re terrible! You’re going to get in deep trouble!”

“So? This is just a dream, isn’t it?”

“But it’s one of Magdalena’s dreams, you dolt! You’re not the one in control! She can make this place hell if you piss her off!”

“I think I’ll be alright. A random lady getting mad at me in my dreams is the least of my worries in life, hehe.”

Gusty pounds her plasticine hoof hard upon my head, although since she’s only a toy it doesn’t hurt very much. Despite her continued warnings and protests, I keep walking up that staircase and find myself at a white door with stars and spirals engraved in its wood. It’s open ajar, and I can hear two distinct voices coming from inside.

Gusty is fully trembling now, so I take her off my head and hold her in my hands so she doesn’t fall off my head.

“You are such an idiot!” She whispers anxiously, still trembling furiously, “Put me down at once! I refuse to take part in this tomfoolery!”

I set her down, and she gallops off, leaping down the spiral stairs and out of sight.

So much for ‘protecting’ me, I think to myself, rolling my eyes, What a worry-wart. Reminds me of Anton. I peek through the partially-open door, and try to make sense of what lies behind it. It looks like an ornately-decorated bedroom, and I see a woman in a blue dress with celestial-themed makeup lounging on a couch. I can only assume that’s the Magdalena that Gusty had been warning me about. A small, trembling girl in a wrinkly-looking school uniform is standing before her, and they seem to be having a very important conversation.

“Hmm, but Lady Mag, I don’t quite understand…” the trembling girl says, “I don’t know anything about this ‘Anton’ guy. Why do you want me to lure him to you? A-Are you going to hurt him?”

Woah, speaking of Anton, I think, my eyes widening, desperately wanting to hear Magdalena’s reply.

“What do you mean you don’t know? You’re a conjuring of my teenage self, are you not? Shouldn’t you have all the same memories as I do?” Magdalena replies angrily, sitting up, “And of course we’re going to hurt him! He ruined my life, I tell you! You should know that at least! Get it through your thick head!”

“I-I’m sorry, I just can’t seem to remember anything about what life was like before you summoned me here!” The girl sobs, “I-I’ll just do as you say! I promise! I won’t ask any more questions!”

Gusty was right, she really is scary! I decide I’ve seen enough, but as badly as I want to run, something keeps my legs locked in place.

“You useless little… Can’t believe I wasted all that energy on conjuring you up just for you to be a completely blank slate,” Magdalena sighs, standing up and walking to the door, “It’s hopeless. I’m going to go on a walk to ease my nerves.”

Shit! I back up, panicking, but by now she’s likely already seen me.

She opens the door, and I stumble backwards and fall.

“A visitor, huh?” Magdalena towers over me, examining me with her heavily made-up eyes, “A peeping tom, more like! How dare you spy on a woman’s private conversation, you little creep!”

“I… I didn’t mean to– I mean, I…” I scoot away from her as far as I can, my back hitting the wall behind me, “I’m sorry! I’ll leave!”

“This is one of my dreams! How dare you intrude! They’re supposed to be private for me only! How did you even get here? Are you some kind of dream mage, too?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know anything about dream magic, I swear!”

She studies me a bit. Then, her jaw drops.

“Wait, I know you! You’re Hong, aren’t you? You’re Anton’s student!”

I remain silent, too terrified to respond. How does she know who I am? How does she know Anton, and why does she want to harm him?

“I’m assuming you came here trying to tear my plot against him to shreds, right? You’re coming to the defense of your poor damsel in distress, right? Hah. How pathetic of him to send a proxy instead of taking me down himself,” she laughs.

“Your plot against him? Look, I have no idea what you’re even talking about!” I wave my hands in front of my face, “I don’t know you and I don’t know why you want to hurt Anton. He’s a good guy! I just want to leave this stupid place already! Please let me!”

“A good guy, you say? Oh, please don’t make me laugh,” she grits her teeth angrily, beginning to shout, “HE RUINED MY ENTIRE LIFE! HE’S NOTHING MORE THAN A SELF-CENTERED, EGOTISTICAL, CONTROL-FREAK BASTARD, AND HE’S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE WE WERE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL TOGETHER, AND–”

“Woah, woah! Jesus Christ, lady! Chill the fuck out!” I frantically interrupt, beginning to feel a bit angry myself, “If you have issues with him, why can’t you just like, I don’t know, summon him to a dream or some shit and talk it out like normal, rational, civil adults?!”

“That ship has long sailed, and now the only thing that will make me happy is his horrible demise,” Magdalena replies, taking a step back and now beginning to grin wickedly, “And I think since you’ve pissed me off, you’re going down with him! You know, I’ve been watching the both of you through your dreams this past year, and I honestly felt kind of bad for you. Seeing how your subconscious interprets him bossing you around and bullying you is quite jarring… but since you’re so willing to defend his honor and come to his aid, well… You’re really no better than he is, scum!”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, you’re insane! He’s my friend! If you leave the both of us alone, everything will be alright, I promise!”

“No. I’ve waited this long for my revenge. I won’t let what he did to me go! The stars have finally aligned and the odds are in my favor! And… actually, I think it’s about time you woke up, little dreamer. By the time you wake up, you’ll have forgotten all about this conversation of ours, so don’t even THINK about trying to warn Anton about this!” Magdalena cackles, very witchlike, as she turns away with a twirl of her ankle-length dress and a click of her heels.

Before I can formulate a response, or even a coherent thought, I jolt awake. As I wake, all my memories of that dream slowly melt away, and I can’t remember exactly why I was so worked up in the first place. All I can remember is that I’ve just had an absolutely horrible dream, but I cannot remember a single thing that took place in it.

I’m feeling parched, so I decide to walk to the kitchen for a glass of water. I pass by the living room, where Anton’s on the couch reading that same book from earlier. He looks up briefly.

“Have a good nap?” He asks, “I hope you’re feeling well-rested.”

“I slept like shit, I can’t lie,” I mutter, “I had the worst nightmare.”

He nods understandingly, then goes back to his book. I feel a pang of anxiety for a second, like I was supposed to tell him something really important, but I can’t remember what it is. I figure it’s probably nothing, and I’m just a bit frazzled from my nightmare.