The world is not the most pleasant place. Eventually you parents leave you and nobody is going to go out if their way to protect you unconditionally. You need to learn to stand up for yourself and what you believe in and sometimes- pardon my language- kick some ass.

~Queen Elizabeth II~
✮.✯*✮.✯*🌟*✯.✮*✯.✮

Everyone was practically holding their breaths, the tension so taunt it could have been severed by a spoon. Thomas was rubbing my back gently, holding me close as I trembled -my mind tortured by the thoughts of what Tyson might want from us, from me.

"Maybe we should read it in the other room..." Amy suggested, her tone of voice unsure about what she was saying, while looking at me shaking with fear. "If you're scared Shimmer we understand... and worrying about this isn't really something you should be doing right now."

I took a deep, shaky breath in and shook my head. "I want to hear it. I-I don't want to be afraid anymore." I replied, trying my best to keep myself from crying. "I don't want to be afraid of Tyson, not anymore."

Thomas put his hand on my shoulder. "You don't have anything to prove to us Shimmer. You shouldn't be worrying about Tyson when you're like this."

"I-I do not want to prove anything. I just- do not want to fear Tyson anymore. I don't what him to be able to hurt me like that again." My voice came out barely above a whisper, everyone heard but no one replied.

Amy finally spoke up. "If she wants to be present, let Shimmer hear it. But if it's anything that could possibly send her into a panic attack again Alyssa, stop reading it."

Alyssa slowly nodded and turned to her phone, she tapped something and took a deep breath in before reading the message allowed. "I'm sure by now you all know what I've done so I won't begin as if we're friends, after all I don't think any of you will think of me as your friend. My reasons for doing what I did are my own and I will leave it to you to figure those reasons out. While Alice's death was unfortunate but could not be helped. I did not have any intention of harming her sister either, not at first, but her knowledge put my plans at risk, so you must understand why I did what I did, after all you owe me one for allowing you all to rescue the girl and don't deny the fact that I could have easily stopped you. I let her go since she was showing obvious signs of illness that I knew best for Amy to take care of. However, I know by this time, she would have heal adequately, so..." Alyssa stopped, looking up at me and frowning. "I don't think you'd want to hear the next part." She said shakily, biting her bottom lip and staring as her phone with a look as if she was trying to kill Tyson though the phone.

(A/N don't deny it, you've all done it before XD)

I slowly nodded, thinking of all the worst-case scenarios it could possibly say without meaning to. I buried my face in Thomas's jacket, wishing I could just be invisible.

"It's quite late anyway... We should go to bed..." Amy spoke up and nodded everyone towards the door. "We can talk about this in the morning. We've all had a... big afternoon and we're all upset and tired." She stood up from her chair and gestured everyone out the door.

"I'll stay with Shimmer for a while." Thomas said quietly, stroking my white hair softly.

Any nodded and left the room, closing the door most the way but leaving a small crack open as she left the room. I wasn't sure if she'd be listening or not, but it was probably out of concern over anything.

Thomas helped me lie back down in a comfortable position. "Are you alright after that?" He questioned, pulling the blanket up to my chest.

"I'm not sure." I replied quietly, pulling Shiver into my arms. My Glaceon was still shaking slightly, I wasn't sure if it was because she was still upset over Alice or angry about Tyson's threat – probably both. "What could Tyson want?" My voice cracked with each word and the tears I'd been holding decided to fall. "What if he comes for me? What if—what if he locks me up again?"

"Hey hey hey, it's alright now. I promise. I won't let Tyson hurt you. Alice was my best friend ever and I loved her very much, you're her sister and I know that she'd want me to take care of you no matter what. So what if you don't have your... or her's memories. You're special and as Dream said, you meant a lot to Alice so I'm going to do what she'd want and protect you with everything I have. Tyson won't touch you ever again."

I looked up at him, teary eyed. "He still scares me. I-I don't... I can't... I don't want to be scared of him anymore. I don't want to feel what I felt again." I explained softly, burying my face in Shiver's soft fur.

"Having fears doesn't make a person any less brave. I'm afraid of stuff but if I have to I'd stand up to them to protect people I care about." Thomas explained softly, brushing my hair with his fingers.

I nodded and stared at my hands. "I don't know how."

Thomas just smiled softly. "You will, I promise. One day, you will learn."

~*💫*~

~Shimmer? Shimmmeeerrr? Shimmer!~ Dream's voice floated into my head.

I opened my eyes to see the Psychic-Type Pixie fluttering above me gracefully. ~It's about time, come on I want to show you something.~

"But I can't..." I replied quietly, noting that Thomas had left the room... When had I even fallen asleep? "I'm not strong enough."

Dream smiled. ~You don't have to get up but at least pay attention silly.~ She said with a giggle.

I pushed myself up a little and leant against the bed board only half sitting up. "What is it?"

Dream lightly picked up my hand, the one that had the ring given to me by my sister on it. She smiled and lightly taped the jewel making it light up with a spark of purple sparkles. The glow filled the room, wisps of soft-purple light swirled around, small silver orbs shining brightly as the light carried them around like berries on a bush. The light seemed to be arranging itself in a pattern of some sort - that's when I figured out what it was; the silver orbs were stars, brightly illuminating the room as that matched the night-time sky in perfect detail.

I watched in what can only be described as star struck. "Wow." I gasped while Dream fluttered among the stars, almost as if that was where she really belonged.

With a joyful squeal, Wish was dancing around the orbs, spinning and twirling around so fast she was a matching flash of purple. Tiara bounced the stars off the break as they drifted past, cooing softly as she did so. Jemima just watched them float past without a care, her ear loped boredly. Shiver sat at the end of my bed looking unsure whether the play with them or stay with me.

~You see your sister always wanted you to have part of her with you, so the jewel in your ring is made from part of her spirt aura that she separated from herself, with my help or course, she turned it into the jewel and had it placed into the ring for your last birthday present.~ Dream explained lightly. ~It's so wonderfully unique isn't it?~

"What was Alice like?" I asked while fiddling with the ring on my finger, searching every inch of my brain for something that would show me the moment I received the ring, even if it was from Alice's memory and not my own.

~Like you, Alice was quite shy, but she lacked the timidness you have, she was brave when the situation required so. She always seemed to see the good in people and if she couldn't, she made it. The only person I can say it didn't work with was...~ Dream cut herself off and once more started fluttering among the glowing stars, although there was an obvious change in her actions. ~We don't need to worry about that right now.~

"Why are you showing me this Dream? What has it got to do with anything?" I inquired, looking around the star-studded room.

Dream smiled what could only be described as the sort of smile a mother would give a young child. ~This.~ She smiled as she spun around in a circle and all the stars followed, rearranging themselves until one star, brighter than the rest, stopped in front of her. The pink star shine brighter than the rest and I recognised it as Dream's Star, the source of her power from the stories I was told.

~This is the Star of Dreams. It holds the essence of every Dream Guardian that has ever lived. It is the guiding point for all the youngest Pixie Born who have ever been and will, right now however, that is you so I want to share some of its magic with you. If I'm right you've been having a hard time getting your strength back, right?~

I nodded and looked at my hands. "Right." I replied shamefully.

~Well... oh look up would you, you are making this so depressing.~ Dream said teasingly.

I looked up at her, my baby-blue eyes meeting her baby-pink ones. ~Better. Now...~ The glow formed between her paws, a pink trail slowly slid from the orb she held, making its way to me as the stars around us faded back tom my ring. It absorbed into my body and almost instantly it turned into strength. The longer the trail glowed, the stronger I felt. It was like a warmth spreading all over my body and filling me with light.

Eventually glow and trail subsided but the strength I had gained did not. I looked up at Dream and smiled. "Thank you Dream."

She beamed with pride. ~It is perfectly alright, I had always wanted to try that little trick anyways.~

"Did you know me... you know... before?" I asked Dream as she landed on my bed, her tail curling up beneath her like a serpentine Pokémon.

Dream smiled. ~Yes, a Pixie Born and her Pixie harbor no secrets from the other. She introduced me to you soon after meeting me, making me swear to keep you a secret. I did so from all but my sisters but they were also sworn to secrecy.~

After staying quite for another moment before speaking again, I looked down at my hands. "Was I always so weak?"

~Yes.~ Dream responded nonlocally. ~However, that's only from your own depiction of weakness. Strength and weakness can only be defined from the individual, for you, being afraid is weakness. You have always had something to fear, your illness, your sister's safety, your own...~ The Pixie sighed slightly with a small smile.

I looked at her in confusion. "Illness?"

Dream tensed slightly, looking away as she fluttered back up. ~That is nothing you no longer need to worry yourself about, okay?~

Sighing softly, I nodded. I felt like I could trust Dream more then the others, perhaps it was because I was I was bonded with her as youngest Pixie Born or maybe she was just more trust worthy or maybe because she was an immortal being who'd lived for centuries... Who knows?

.•*.•*.•*.•*🌟*•.*•.*•.*•.
Word count: 1913

Sorry this took forever to write. II've reached as far as I had planned so it may take me a while to figure out what to make happen from here... Idk this is much harder to think up on the spot then my other books. *shrugs*

Who likes the new cover btw? Best one for the book so far I think. ^_^