Dreamworlds 2: Journeys and Homes

Journeys and Homes

Dreamworlds 2

One boy was taken by force without warning,

One girl crept in fear through a foreign land,

One Traveler sought a brother in the desert north,

All the while yearning for the forest.

One kitten given away would not eat,

A gift who did not delight in the giving.

One Dreamer is about to find in Dreams

A layer beneath a layer

Some kids go through Nakama World

Without ever seeing more than a playland

Some go through it as a course,

a learning experience.

And then there are those kids

Those who find that it could be more

So very, very much more

Journeys and Homes

Dreamworlds 2

Victory Low

Copyright 2011 by Victory Low

KDP/Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Table of Contents

(Tap links below for shortcut to chapter, tap chapter headers to return here)

Prologue

Phase 11: Reunion with Rita

Phase 12: West Road

Phase 13: Forest Edge

Phase 14: Hot Sands

Phase 15: Dam and Damsel

Phase 16: Flood

Phase 17: About Henry

Interlude

Phase 18: Plans For A Rescue

Phase 19: The Third Tab

Phase 20: Playing on the Farm

Phase 21: Farm Wars 1

Phase 22: After Farm Wars 1

Phase 23: Sunshine Town Duos Tournament

Phase 24: Scarlet Trail

Phase 25: Thoughts and voices

Phase 26: Offers

Epilogue

Glossary 1: The Third Tab

Glossary 2: After Farm Wars 1

Prologue

Princess Darna! Do you have any comments on this new Dreamworld for children called Nakama World, the one that was opened to the public just last month? A lot of parents are concerned that giving children that much power could be dangerous, not only to the Dreamworlds Psionic Network, but to the growth and maturity of their children.

The Princess answered. That’s interesting, because growth and maturity is the point of Nakama World. It teaches children truth and reality in a safe environment.

How is that possible, since everyone’s Dreaming and reports suggest that the children simply go around fighting and taming animals all night?

If that’s truly all you think they are doing, you are sadly mistaken. That sort of activity can only take a Dreamer so far in Nakama World. There is far more to the Dreamworld than that; you would have to experience it to understand.

The Cult of Gaia accuses this new project of yours to be a front to give certain Dreamers added advantages and power in Dreamworlds, especially your own relatives and friends.

What are you talking about?

Just repeating their words, Princess.

Even the Gaians should know the rules of Dreamworlds by now. Anyone who seeks power there has to earn it… and pay the price.

Phase 11: Reunion with Rita

Colin? a soft voice called.

Eleven years old and halfway between completing a stack of missions for the Sunshine Town Comrade Home and Gym, Colin didn’t notice it at first. Skinny, with short brown hair and a very noticeable frown when he was thinking, he had a Traveler’s Watch projecting time and town map over his wrist and a yellow badge with a black ‘T’ on it. On his head was a straw hat, and he had a silver-blue visor resting above his eyebrows.

Colin! the voice called again, louder.

Colin turned then, to look for the person who called.

It was Rita. Green-haired and tall for her age (taller than Colin, in fact), she was looking around, scared.

Are you all right? Colin asked. What happened to you?

I’ve been… keeping an eye out for the Green Men. Rita said. Colin, they took Henry.

It had happened just last night. Men in green armor had been all over the towns and rounded up everyone. They were looking for White Badge Travelers, for the Eight kids who started there that night. Henry had been taken.

I know. You told me. Colin said. I’m going to Hot Sands to find Henry’s brother and tell him what happened.

Aren’t you afraid they’ll come and catch you? she asked, eyes wide.

I’ve got a yellow badge now. They won’t know that I was one of the eight who started yesterday. Colin said. He glanced at Rita’s badge, still white. You should get a yellow badge too. Then you’ll be safe for a while.

How? Rita jumped.

Three Comrades, and a total of 25 levels. Colin remembered. How strong are your Comrades now?

Rita shook her head. My Arachnid is at 11, and my Venuspot is at 7. I’ll need to get more…

Colin paused. Need some help? I can…

No! Rita shook her head. We mustn’t be seen together, or they’ll suspect you too!

I don’t think they’re even around today. Colin mentioned. I haven’t seen anyone in green armor.

Colin! Armor can be taken off! Rita said. They could be anywhere, and we wouldn’t know!

Colin felt a chill when he realized she was right. But you’re still not captured.

I’ve been… careful. Rita said. I have to go. I have to keep moving. Stay safe, Colin!

Uh… okay… Colin said, but she was already gone.

Rita… she had been a lively chatterbox last night, but tonight, she looked scared into her wits.

She managed to get away last night because Jonah, Alicia and Larry had run off. They, too, were White Badges.

Had they really managed to escape? Those three were experts at getting away from grown-ups, but… those men…

Colin shook his head. If I could get away from those Green Men, the three of them would have had no trouble at all.

But… he got away because of Katrin, another of the Eight who made a great sacrifice to save Colin. Those three…

Those three always had each other and that was all they ever needed. They never needed me… never wanted me around. There’s no reason for that to change now.

Still, Colin kept an eye out, hoping to see some sign of them, that they had made it safely last night after all.

All he saw was Rita, crouching around trying to sneak into an alley without being seen. From where he stood, Colin could already see that her alley was a dead-end.

What was she doing…?

Yip. Shiro said warningly. Colin’s First Comrade was a fast white wolfcat cub who was a lot smarter than you’d expect.

A trap? Colin blinked. You mean, she wants to be seen so that anyone following her would fall into her trap?

Shiro sighed.

That’s so dangerous. Colin said. We better…

Shiro shook his head.

Right… we’d fall into that trap ourselves. Colin frowned. We can’t just leave her like that. Who knows what she’ll get herself into?

Shiro twisted his head at Colin.

"Katrin saved me by giving me a Comrade. Maybe if we caught something and give them to her before they are bonded… we might be able to save her." Colin said.

Shiro shrugged. But he glanced at Raiki, the blue kitten Katrin had given Colin last night. Raiki sat very still, very quiet, and did not look back.

Or we can give her Meek. Colin realized.

Mik! Meek protested. She was an orange Lynxmouse with a good nose. Lynxmice were very common but not usually popular because although they grew very quickly, they usually weren’t much help in a fight. Meek was great at treasure-hunting though.

Just kidding. Colin said, petting her. Let’s go to the riverside. Watergulls may be hard to find, but Rainducks are everywhere.

Catching a Wild One required three steps. First, he had to defeat it with his Comrades. Once defeated, the Wild would be unable to move until he touched it.

Second, he had to Tame it. To do that, he’d have to touch it. When he did touch it, it could either run away or stay. If it stayed, it was Tame - he could carry it or tell it to follow him.

Third, if he wanted to bond that Tame as a Comrade, he would have to bring it to a Comrade Home to be registered. They would need to go to the registration room, and put their feet (or flippers or paws or such) down next to each other on the black registration plate. After that, it would officially be his Comrade.

Colin’s plan was simple; fight and defeat one of the many Rainducks at the river, then while it was still a Tame, let Rita take it to the Comrade Home to be bonded.

Not anyone could tame just any Wild. There were all sorts of questions involved, from what the Wild liked, to the kind of Comrades he already had to the way they had fought to goodness knows what else. But Colin had been able to Tame Rainducks before, while he was still a white badge; he should still be able to now. Besides… while fighting Rainducks, he just might meet another Wild Watergull.

But there were no Watergulls around today. All Colin found was a Rainduck. Shiro…

Yip. Shiro said, and dashed forward.

Wuark! the duck flapped its wings hard as Shiro approached. Colin saw ripples in the wind as it flapped, and Shiro dodged aside.

Yip! Shiro said, lunging in with his tail.

Wuark! the duck tried to peck Shiro with its beak. Wuark, wuark!

Yiyip! Shiro answered, closing his teeth around the duck’s foot, and slapping its face with his tail again. Grrrr.

Wuark! the duck protested, trying to kick Shiro away. It flapped its wings again.

One more slap from Shiro’s tail ended it. The duck dropped down and stayed very still, looking at Shiro as if in protest.

Yip. Shiro said apologetically. Yip.

Colin shook his head. I’m impressed. This Rainduck is a lot stronger than the ones we fought before.

He scanned it.

Another ‘independent’? Colin shook his head. I keep finding these types for some reason. I wonder if that ‘stubborn’ trait is the reason why it was harder to catch.

Yip. Shiro told Colin.

Colin frowned. We wanted one for Rita… but why don’t we let this one join us? We can catch a second one for Rita.

Yip. Shiro agreed.

Colin hesitated before touching the Wild Rainduck they just caught, but for some reason, now that he intended to bond her, he felt more confident that she’d be willing to stay with him rather than fly off.

He was right. When he touched her, she got to her feet and said, Wuark! at him a bit rudely, but she stayed.

I should feed you. Your HP is totally gone. Colin pulled out four cans of tuna. Shiro, Meek, Raiki… you too.

That left him seven cans in his backpack. Colin realized another reason why Dreamers couldn’t go around with so many Comrades; carrying food for everyone was heavy. Not just that; buying food for everyone would be expensive.

Raiki still didn’t eat much.

Colin turned to her. Are you all right, Raiki?

Raiki shifted and turned away.

Colin took that as a bad sign. Raiki… I’m sorry.

Raiki didn’t move.

It’s not your fault, really. It’s mine. If I hadn’t been so careless… you might still be with Katrin.

Raiki said nothing.

It must be hard, being given away by your Traveler. Colin tried. But… well…

What could he say? Cheer up? After what just happened to her, Colin felt that she had every right to be upset.

Sorry. He said again, but it didn’t seem enough.

Yip. Shiro went over and nudged Raiki. Yip.

Raiki turned to Shiro. Mew.

Yip. Shiro nudged her one more time, then turned to Colin. Yip.

What can I do? Colin asked.

Shiro shook his head. He sat down next to Raiki, and put his head over hers. They had both been bred by Michi and were already friends before they bonded Colin and Katrin. It was them, in fact, that started Colin and Katrin on their first real adventure together.

They spent their last hour on Dreamworlds with Farmer Edward and his farm Comrades last night. Ed had offered them both a place to leave their Comrades for the day when they Woke Up, and they had made his farm their Home Base.

Wark. The Rainduck had finished up her tuna. She eyed Raiki’s share, but Shiro stepped in and very firmly shook his head.