I just watched Narnia for the first time in about 5ish years, and now I'm sad...  (See video above)

I really want to go to Narnia.  More than all the other book worlds I've read about.  It's a deep memory of my childhood, starting in Kindergarten when my dad would read the books to me and my sibling to when The Voyage of The Dawn Treader came out and we watched it in the movie theater.

Anywaaaaaay, rant over, time to write!   Err, read for you guys.

Fitz

When Fitz entered Esmeralda's mind, he was shocked.  It wasn't exactly an abnormal (Heh.  Abby-Normal.  XD  Young Frankenstein anyone?) mind or anything.  It was just... different.  And Fitz couldn't explain why.  Something was just... off about it.

Fitz sighed.  He wished he had Sophie to back him up. 

Or Sophie so I wouldn't be here in the first place.  Fitz thought wryly.  Laughing sadly to himself, he wandered through Esmeralda's mind.  It wasn't exactly quiet, but not exactly silent either. Sort of in-between. 

In-between good and bad.  Fitz thought, unaware of how correct he actually was.

Memories were floating everywhere, in bubble-like formations.  Each memory was in a bubble, floating about a foot above Fitz's head.

Fitz was so used to Sophie's file-like mind that the haphazard mess of bubbles was a huge difference.

Curious, he jumped up and popped a bubble.  One with a memory of Esmeralda doing push-ups at a Neverseen base, sweat dripping down her face as she struggled to push herself back up.  Her instructor was yelling at her, and Esmeralda's eyes welled up with tears.  Fitz figured it wasn't a particularly good memory, either.

So he touched it.

As soon as his fingers made contact with the slick substance, it popped, sending a spray of clear fluid on him.  Fitz grimaced and wiped it off with the palm of his hand.

And, suddenly he wasn't in Esmeralda's mind.

He was on his hands and feet, struggling to push himself back up.  His arms screamed with the effort, and it was all he could do not to collapse.  His instructor was yelling at him, calling him "useless" and another "mouth to feed".

Something in Fitz's mind told him something was clearly wrong, but he couldn't figure out why. He had always been a vanisher.  Always lived at the Base.  Always struggled at doing Push-ups.  Always thought of himself as a weak link. 

Tears streamed down his face as he realized how weak he was.  Nobody would want him.  He was weighing everyone down.  The Neverseen would get rid of him soon, or "Dispose" as Fintan would say.

Fitz collapsed, and his instructor moved his foot back to kick him.  Fitz didn't have much energy left to do anything except feebly cover the base of his neck with his hands and brace himself for the impact.  And the flare of pain that shortly followed it.

But it never came.

"-itz.  Fitz.  Fitz, look at me.  Please, Fitz.  You're okay.  Fitz, please."  Grady's voice cut through Fitz's mind, and he opened his eyes to see Grady's concerned expression.  He sighed with relief as soon as he saw Fitz's teal eyes.

"Thank god." He murmured.  Fitz wiped his eyes, surprised to find his cheeks damp - with tears.  The memory came back to him, the emotions coming back in torrents of pain and rejection.  Fitz felt his eyes tear again, and he curled into a ball, not feeling anything as Della came and slowly rubbed circles on his back.

"Shh.  Shh, baby.   Everything's all right.  Everything's okay.  Everything's all right."  Della whispered soothingly into his ear.

"Man, that was intense."  Keefe said, his smirk gone as he looked at Fitz with a look he'd never given him - pity.

Fitz ignored him and looked at Esmeralda.  She was unconscious, curled up into a ball with a look of such peace that Fitz wanted to smack her to wake her up from the perfection she had that he wasn't anywhere close to living.

"Dispose of Them."  Fintan's voice came back to Fitz's head, and Fitz collapsed as the world spiraled away as the memory returned.

"Push yourself back up!" The instructor screamed.

"Push yourself back up, you little -"

"Fitz!  Fitz, are you okay?"  Alden asked, as he struggled to keep Fitz from shaking.  Fitz managed a small nod, and put his head in his hands.

"Why, why, why?"  He asked, as Esmeralda started to stir.

"Why, what honey?"  Della asked, her voice quiet and timid.  Fitz just shook his head.  He knew the memory wasn't that big of a deal.  So why did it hurt so much?

"F-Fitz?"  Biana asked as she cautiously stepped towards Fitz.  "Are you okay?"  Her face was white, she looked scared.  More scared than when Alden's mind broke.

"Yeah, Fitzipoo.  You don't look so good."  Keefe added, struggling to keep his signature smirk straight.  His mouth trembled.

"I'm f-fine."  The words were hard to get out.  Fitz knew he wasn't fine.  Not for now, at least.

"Fitz."  Grady's voice was dark.  "Tell us the truth."  The words tumbled out of Fit'z mouth before it even occurred for him to stop them.

"I don't know.  I can't tell.  I don't understand.  What's wrong with me?"  Biana's eyes grew wide and she ran out of the room, vanishing before she even made it out the door.  Amy quickly followed her, tears streaming down her face that she wasn't even trying to contain.  Keefe sighed and ran after Biana, shouting her name over and over and over again.

"Honey, let's just go to your room.  You can tell us later."  Della helped Fitz up and started leading him to his room.  Fitz tried to protest, but he was tired.  So tired.  Just as they were about to leave the room, Esmeralda yawned.  It wasn't one of those short yawns, but one of the long ones that makes a loud noise and leaves you with tears in your eyes.

Fitz whirled around, and she stared back at him.

"What did you do?"  Her voice was shaky, but her eyes were hard and cold.

"I don't know."  What had Fitz done?  He surely didn't know.  Or did he?

"You-you-you- nasty thief!"  Esmeralda cried, flinging herself at Fitz. 

"Stop!"  Grady yelled, and they both stopped mid-fight.  Esmeralda's fist was inches away from Fitz's nose and Fitz had a handful of her hair.

"Esmeralda, control yourself!  Unless you want me to bring over Elwin with a sedative.  Esmeralda's eyes went wide and Fitz saw the fear in her eyes at the word.

"And Fitz, whatever you did, you need to tell us.  Maybe not now, but soon."  Grady sighed.  Fitz would of too, if he could control his breathing.

Grady released them, and Fitz sighed.

"I will.  Tomorrow."  He said earnestly.  Grady nodded.  "You better." He muttered.

"Grady, that's enough.  Leave the boy alone."  Alden said wearily as Della led Fitz out of the room.

Esmeralda

"I-I guess I'll go too."  Esmeralda said as she pulled out a light-leaping crystal.  Alden plucked it out of her fingers.

"Not so fast."  He grabbed Esmeralda by the shoulders and spun her around so she was facing him.

"You're staying here.  Until we know what to do with you.  Until Sophie's back."  Alden's voice cracked a little, but Esmeralda ignored it.

Alden reached into his pocket and was withdrew a headband-like object with intricate designs and a large red jewel set into the center.

Like a tiara. Esmeralda thought. But I'm no princess.

When Grady saw it, his face went white.
"No!" He cried, swatting it out of Alden's hands. "That's barbaric!"
"How else are we supposedly to contain her?" Alden shot back.
"I'll contain her." Grady's voice wavered, and he was swaying a little in his feet. He hadn't used his Mesmer ability for a while, and using it so much now was wearing him out.
"Fine. But only until we get to the cell." Alden let go of Esmeralda just as Grady's smooth voice flowed over her.

"Don't struggle. Keep your hands behind your back. Well do the rest." Esmeralda obeyed, and Alden led her out the door to the sunlight. He pulled a light leaping crystal out of his pocket and Esmeralda glittered away until she was in front of a small cell.

It had a cot with a blanket on it, and a toilet in one corner. Alden led Esmeralda in to the center of the room, then walked out to meet Grady. He shut the black door with a click, and Grady glared at him.

"You're free." Grady said calmly to Esmeralda. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" He asked Alden roughly. Alden opened his mouth to say something, then quickly shut it.

Without another word, Grady pulled out his pathfinder and disappeared leaving her with Alden.

"I'm sorry. I'll be back tomorrow morning. I suggest you get some sleep." He said before glittering away.

Esmeralda sighed. She felt... off. Different, almost. Like she was missing something. Telling herself she was probably just tired, Esmeralda walked over to the cot and immediately drifted off to sleep.

I'm sorry for not updating for a month, but my creative juices were not flowing. Well, it is 12:53 pm for me, and I'm half asleep so I have no idea how good this is. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! I might change a few things in the morning if this doesn't sound good. 1600 words!

YEAH!!! 4 day WEEKEND!!!!

-Pi 😁😁😁😁 😴😴😴😴🤥

WE ARE SOOOOO CLOSE TO 1k READS!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  *blows kisses to imaginary crowd*

8D