Lightshard returns to the Realm of Dreams, but it was much darker then she remembered it being. The plants around her looked like they were either dead or dying, and the sky was shrouded in dark clouds. The only place that felt safe was her nest which now had a single gemlike pillar stretching upward toward the clouds. She snuggles up next to the pillar moments before a flash of purple lightning streaks across the sky making her shudder. Lightning crashes all around her and thunder roars across the Realm of Dreams as the Dark Drake reappears. The dark Draken figure rises out of the darkness around her nest but dare not enter the light as it said, "you survived. I was sure that my assault would be enough to end you. Considering how weak you were at the time."
Lightshard growls at the Dark Drake, and says, "So you underestimated me. Even as weakened as I was, I've still survived worse then you."
The Dark Drake laughed as a bolt of lightning struck the ground behind him, and he said, "such a bold statement. Despite you being no more then a trembling hatchling your courage is inspiring. So, when we finally meet face to face, I won't kill you. No, I have something far more fitting for you." The Dark Drake lets out a bone chilling chuckle that frightens Lightshard to the point that it woke her.
Tabbitha cries out as she wakes unable to stop trembling, her body cold with sweat from her frightful experience. She quickly realized that she was in her Medical Pod and in a bit of a panic she forced herself out of it. She collapses to the floor moments before hearing Tinami Deathlight say, "oh Mother of Fire. Tabby!" She was beside Tabbitha soon after wrapping her up in the warmest Emberen embrace she's ever had. "I've got you Tabby."
Tinami. Thought Tabbitha as tears start streaming down her face while the rest of the team enters the room with Floria. Each one of them hurried over to her side when they saw the look on her face as she sat there with Tinami Deathlight. Jewel, Yoshi, Jon. "Sorry if I worried you. I just had a nightmare. The worst one I've had in years."
"I've never seen you so scared before." Said Tinami Deathlight pulling her wings around Tabbitha who'd closed her eyes and was still trembling.
"I have." Said Starlight as she studies Tabbitha wanting to know the source of her nightmare, and what to do about it. "But only once, and it was during the Raid on Trillim. Back then the only thing I could do was make sure that she survived the experience. I gave her a safe place to rest and regain her senses. It's the very place where you all had your dream training. The fact that she let you into her sanctuary shows that she trusts you."
Jewel, you said that there's still traces of Void Toxin in my system, right. Thought Tabbitha, catching everyone's attention as she pulls herself out of Tinami Deathlight's embrace and tries to stand. How much?
Enough to kill everyone here at least twice. Thought Starlight, helping Tabbitha Katt to her feet and turning to Floria for a moment. "Master Floria, would you help me give my sister a quick check up?"
"Of course." Floria said, as they helped Tabbitha Katt to the medical bed so that she could be examined. Floria used her vines to examine Tabbitha in ways that no Drake could possibly do with their large claws. She spots a slight purple glow coming from the wound on Tabbitha's head after removing the gauze rap. "Ah yes. It looks like it's time to clean your head wound again. I need everyone except Starlight to leave the room and seal the door. No one is allowed in here while we're treating her."
"Right." Said the entire team at once before they all started to leave with Tinami Deathlight being the last to the door. Tinami Deathlight seals the door behind her leaving Tabbitha, Floria and Starlight alone together.
"Star, time for your Safety Mask." Starlight puts on a medical helmet that she'd crafted herself and heads over to Floria and Tabbitha. "I need to clean and treat Lightshard's head wound. I can easily secure her, but I need you to get everything that's needed to make her medicine." Starlight nods and starts collecting everything from Sun Berries to a Mortar & Pestle to combine everything with. In the meantime Floria used her vines to secure Tabbitha so that she couldn't move as Starlight returned with most of the necessary ingredients. The only thing missing was the Lussari leaves, and Floria provided those herself. They quickly ground up the leaves, and berries before mixing in the mineral water and filtering out the pulp. Floria then used the fresh undistilled Nova Potion to scrub Tabbitha's head wound to the best of her ability. She then cleaned the cloth in water that was infused with Nova Energy and repeated the process until Floria was satisfied. Tabbitha's head was then wrapped in fresh bandages and starlight picked her and took her to her medical pod to get some more rest.
It wasn't long before Lightshard found herself lost in endless darkness within the realm of dream with the Dark Drake's voice as her only company. "Come now. Stop resisting. After all, you're only fighting the inevitable. Even if you're able to cleanse yourself of my toxin you will never escape me. You are mine, and there's nothing that you or anyone else can do about it."
"That's what you think!" Called Shadowspark from the darkness, and moments later there were sounds of a Draken battle. There were flashes of purple flames and lightning all around Lightshard for quite awhile. When it finally stopped she felt a cold, but loving presence at her side as the darkness around her lifted. This restored the Realm of Dream to the Sanctuary that she knew, and had felt safe in up until the Dark Drake invaded. "You owe me one, Sunheart."
"Yeah." Said Lightshard placing a clawed hand on the lone golden Sun Stone Pillar she'd been curled up next to. "I know, Nebula. Thank you, for saving me from that Dark Drake. Though I'm not sure how to repay you for it."
Shadowspark chuckles a little as she gets up saying, "hey, I get it. You're exhausted from resisting his mental assault. So get some rest. We can talk later. Ok?"
"Why?" Lightshard asked as her hand slid down the dimly glowing Pillar settling on the Lava Rock beneath it. "Why did you call me Sunheart?" The question caught Shadowspark by surprise causing her smile to disappear for a moment.
Shadowspark then smiles once more before saying, "think about it. The Sun Shards are part of you, and yet you're not one of them yourself. That makes you the Heart of the Sun Soul. That is why I call you, Sunheart. At least I think that's the reason."
"Thank you." Said Lightshard with a smile as she rested there in her nest, warming herself on the lava rocks. "I needed that. Jewel will probably be feeding me Sun berries soon. That is if she has any left. You should rest at the heart of the lava rock. You'll be safe there." Shadowspark nods and heads over to the center of the lava rock laying down when she gets there. Nova energy erupts from the pillar causing Shadowspark to look away for a moment as Lightshard draws it into herself. She gains her adult Draken appearance as she soaks it all in, but once the flow stops she returns to her hatchling state.
Lightshard lays back down as Shadowspark asks, "what was that? I wasn't expecting to experience anything like it. Maybe I should do a little digging to be safe."
"That's a good idea." Said Lightshard with a smile as she lifts up her head, looking much better then she did a moment ago. "What you experienced was a Draken Energy Surge. Jewel discovered it the first time she gave me a bottle of the Nova Potion that she brews for me. She must have found one that was ready to drink." The two of them talk for a while and at one point Shadowspark starts talking about everything she knows. One of the topics was the original Draken Homeworld, and another was of a world Lightshard hadn't even heard of before.
After a while Tabbitha wakes up with a pounding headache and when she lays a hand on her temple she feels a gauze wrap. Looking at her reflection in the metal of the medical pod she saw that some of her own blood had seeped through. Wow. Thought Tabbitha as she examined the wrap via her own reflection trying to size up the severity of her injury. I must have hit my head pretty hard for it to still be as bad as this.
Her reflection suddenly changes showing Shadowspark's human face rather then her own who says, "It was worse then you think. I was really bad, Sunheart, and no I'm not just saying that."
Alright, I get it. Thought Tabbitha Katt, turning her gaze from one reflection only to see another on the other side of the pod glaring at her. "Stop glaring at me. That injury wasn't my fault."
"That may be true, but you still need to be more careful." Shadowspark said as Tabbitha Katt opens the Medical Pod and sits up rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Damn it. Thought Tabbitha Katt when she feels a sudden itch causing her to scratch it out of pure reflex. She feels a few scales flake off and land in her palm, which makes her stop and look at them a little surprised. I'm molting? Now? How long was I out?
"You were out for a total of eight days since you were rescued, Shard." Said Starlight catching Tabbitha's attention and causing her to look. Starlight was mixing up more Nova Potion for future use while Tabbitha pulled herself out of the Medical Pod.
I was out for close to two Al'Harrian weeks? Thought Tabbitha with her hand on the side of the Medical Pod not sure if getting up was a good idea.
"Shard, you were on that planet for two months." Said Starlight with a solemn voice as she set down her mortar & pestle so that she could grab a bottle of mineral water.
"WHAT!" Tabbitha exclaimed, shocked by what Starlight had told her, not sure how to respond to it. "T-two months? In the company of those… those horrible…" A sharp, icy pain erupts from her head injury shorting out most of the senses for a moment causing everything around her to go dark.
"Shard!" Cries Starlight, but even Tabbitha's sense of hearing fades for a moment before restoring themselves moments later.
"You can relax, Star." Said Floria as Tabbitha finds herself in the Laussari's Drake-like hands as she places Tabbitha back in the Medical Pod. "I've got her. You can get back to the potion."
I spent two months with those damned Pirates? Tabbitha thought, trying to regain some sense of what's happened to her since she'd stayed behind on the Draken Pirate's Planet. I don't even know how much of that time I spent running from them. Floria removes the old bandage and gets a closer look at the wound to make sure that it was healing properly. I suppose it doesn't really matter. I was in their hands before I even came close to escaping. Tabbitha flinches when one of Floria's vines touches her tender head wound. "That hurts."
"Of course it hurts." Said Floria using her vines to hold Tabbitha still while she cleaned and dressed the head injury again. "There's exposed flesh there. I'm just making sure that it's healing like it should be. I know what I'm doing young Drake. This isn't the first time I've dealt with an infected wound. Though you are the first drake to survive Void Toxin. You're also the first Sun Drake I've treated."
That's right. Tabbitha thought, remembering what she'd heard while she was being held by the Draken Pirates. Hearing Tabbitha's thoughts Starlight stops working on the potion again and looks at her sensing that something was bothering her.
"What's on your mind, Shard?" Said Starlight, walking over to her as Floria finished cleaning Tabbitha's head wound. "I know that something is troubling you. You can't hide it from me. You know that as well as I do." Floria on the other hand had begun wrapping Tabbitha's head to make sure that nothing would find its way into the wound.
"It's just…" Tabbitha began not sure how to say what was on her mind, fidgeting with her Draken claws still not used to them being there. "How?" She shakes her head for a moment trying to get her own words to cooperate with her. "I mean. While I was imprisoned by the Pirates, I heard their Medical Drake talking to their Leader. He said that I'm from a lost Tribe of Drakes. Thought to be long dead."
"Oh dear." Starlight said with a sigh clearly knowing where this was headed and gently wrapped one of her hands around Tabbitha's shoulders. "I understand your confusion, and I was hoping to tell you about it when you came of age." Floria finished wrapping Tabbitha's head and withdrew her vines before leaving the room to let them talk. "Yes, Shard. You come from the Star Scale Draken Tribe, but no matter what. You will always be my sister. Just like how Mr and Mrs Katt will always be our parents." Tears start streaming down Tabbitha's face and Starlight pulls her into a warm embrace as she begins sobbing, unable to stop. "That's it my dear sister. Just let it all out. You've had it rough these past few months."
Next thing Tabbitha knew she was awoken by a jolt of pain which made her flinch and lay a hand on her left temple. Seeing that she was in the Medical Pod and that it was open she turned her head to see Yoshi Swiftpaw standing there. She sits up as she says, "Yoshi? Why are you here?"
"We all heard you talking to Jewel." Jonathan Teufelshund said, catching Tabbitha's attention and revealing that they were all there.
"Oh." Tabbitha Katt said a little nervously, not sure if it was good or bad that her friends were confronting her. "How much did you hear?"
"From the point when she asked what was on your mind." Said Tinami Deathlight bluntly, clearly wanting to get this conversation over with.
"Then you heard everything." Tabbitha Katt said with a sigh closing her eyes having already realized that she's got some explaining to do.
"I never heard you have so much trouble finding your words before." Yoshi Swiftpaw said, causing Tinami Deathlight to glare at him for getting off topic.
"Well…" Tabbitha Katt began trying to get her words in order before actually saying anything to them. "It's not the first time that's happened, Yoshi." She hears the sound of Draken claws hitting the floor and feels everything tremble realizing that Starlight had entered the room.
"Tabbitha Lightshard Katt of the Talon, you're supposed to be fast asleep in your Medical Pod!" Roared Starlight causing Tabbitha to flinch when she heard Starlight use her full Draken name. She was unable to hide the fact that some part of her was scared of her sister. "The rest of you should go and let her recover."
"Sorry guys." Said Tabbitha Katt, followed by a gulp knowing that she was going to get an ear full at any moment if she didn't send them on their way. "I'll meet up with you later. I'll be able to explain everything then. Alright?" They all nod and leave as quickly as they could not wanting to get mixed up in whatever trouble Tabbitha Katt now had. She pushes a few buttons on the outside of the Medical Pod to ensure that she gets the rest Starlight wants her to get. "Jewel. You've always been such a wonderful sister. I'm sorry for giving you so much trouble in the past."
Starlight pushed Tabbitha down in the Medical Pod with her snout and said, "that's alright, Shard. I know that it's been hard for you. Knowing all your life that you're a Drake, but not having power to manifest your true form. However, it's time for you to get some rest." The collar around Starlight's neck makes subtle beeping sounds catching both of their attention. She pushed a button bringing up a holographic image of what was happening outside their ship to see a team of Pirate Hunters. The Hunter Team consisted of a Canidra aka dog man, a Noctuptera aka bat woman, two humans and a Lussarri. The Canidra looked like a wolf that stood like a human and his name was Andrew Direhide. He stayed quiet waiting for orders patiently as they approached the ship. The Noctuptera, aside from being a bat, wasn't much different in appearance to the Canidra. She stood like a human and her wings were tucked against her back, but she also had a pair of arms independent from her wings. Her name was Amber Foxhide and she held a computer tablet in one hand as she went through a range of data with the others. The Lussarri had a very human appearance, but had green skin, golden eyes and vine-like hair adorned with living roses. Her name was Rossa and she was clearly the Medic of the team as she was carrying a Med Kit in one hand. She was talking to the human named Trevor Mathews as they followed the obvious leader of the Team, Victor Neko. "What's the Azure Team doing here of all places? They should be going to their own ship, not ours."
"Just let them come aboard, Jewel." Tabbitha says feeling just as curious about their arrival as Starlight seemed to be. "The least we can do is hear what they have to say." Starlight nods and presses a button to let Victor Neko and his team of hunters aboard the ship before heading off to meet with them.
"Rest, Shard." Said Starlight as she leaves the med bay causing Tabbitha to let out a slight chuckle right after.
"Alright." Said Tabbitha as she closes the Medical Pod and tries to get some rest like Starlight wanted her too. Relax already. I'll get some sleep. She closes her eyes feeling the soothing Medicinal Vapor fill the Medical Pod, and helping her relax. However, before she could even doze off it was being opened again, causing her to open her eyes once more. "Oh, come on. I just want to get some sleep." She sits back up and looks right at Rossa, completely avoiding eye contact with Amber Foxhide. "It's obvious why you're here Rossa. So just get on with it. I need to get some sleep if I'm ever going to get back to hunting Pirates."
"Very well." Said Rossa as she ran her fingers along the fresh bandage that had been wrapped around Tabbitha's head. "I'll make this as quick and easy as possible, Miss Katt." The moment she finds the wound Tabbitha flinches a little causing her to stop and secure Tabbitha's head to keep her from moving. She then slips a couple small vines under the bandage to better examine the wound. The experience was extremely painful for Tabbitha, but it was over quickly enough.
"Did you really have to dig your vines into my head?" Tabbitha asked in annoyance, holding a hand over the wound while still only looking at Rossa. She notices her vision distorting a little, causing her to realize that something wasn't right. "Wait. What did you…"
Tabbitha blacks out, but when she came to she was in a Medical Pod that was unfamiliar to her with no way to open it from the inside. It was big enough for her to sit up in, and there was a slot in the side that opened up revealing a compartment big enough for a plate of food. The upper half of the pod was composed of energy shielding allowing her to see what was happening outside of it. Upon further examination she realized that the Pod was constructed to keep even liquid contained within it. I've been quarantined. She thought, slowly realizing just how bad things could be for her, and trying to keep herself calm so that she doesn't use her Nova Burst unintentionally. I'm in a Containment Pod. There's no escaping it. Not even with my Soul Walk ability. Relax Shard. Deep breaths. This isn't like being with those damn Pirates.
"You're awake." Came Rossa's voice catching Tabbitha's attention causing her to growl as she looks at Rossa. "I understand that you're upset, Miss Katt, but you mustn't take it personally."
Tabbitha raised a tense, energy charged hand and as calmly as she possibly could said, "you drugged me with your barbs. How am I supposed to take it?"
"In her defense, Huntress Katt." Said Victor Neko as he walks into the room and heads over to the Containment Pod stopping at Rossa's side. "We didn't have time to explain what was happening." The charged energy around Tabbitha's hand dissipates as she relaxes, listening to what he had to say. "Gray Wing met with me in secret and asked that my Team move yours off world. I was told that since your return the Draken Pirates had been encroaching farther and farther into Alliance Territory." The news both surprised and worried Tabbitha Katt so much that she placed a hand over her mouth as she ran various scenarios through her head. "So you didn't know about it."
"I didn't." Said Tabbitha Katt with a slight growl before slamming her fist into the bed of the Containment Pod. "But I should have at least suspected that they'd come after me. The way those two were talking about me. It made me sound like some irreplaceable trophy."
"M-miss Katt." Said Rossa, causing Tabbitha to look at her as she hid behind Victor Neko, pointing at the Crystal Spines on her back. Tabbitha looked and saw that they were sticking straight out and charged with energy that gave them the appearance of being on fire. She takes a deep breath and with a swift motion folded them against her back dispersing the charge in the process.
"Sorry, Rossa." Said Tabbitha Katt feeling bad about letting her emotions get the better of her. "I didn't mean to frighten you. "It's just that I'm not used to this form. It's a lot harder to keep my Draken energy in check. Jewel's been saying that I'll shed it soon though."
"But aren't you going to miss it?" Asked Rossa as she came out of hiding and placed a hand on the energy shield of the Containment Pod.
"Of course I will." Said Tabbitha Katt looking into her gentle, golden eyes, and seeing the vibrant spark hiding at the other end. "It's a taste of who I could become, but even this form is taxing what little strength I have." She looks away, holding her right hand in her left and massaging her wrist with her thumb for a bit, catching Victor Neko's attention. "Besides, if I shed my hide cleanly enough Jewel can make me some new armor out of it."
"You said that this form is taxing your strength." Said Victor Neko, causing Tabbitha to stop for a moment as she listened to what he was saying. "Is the soreness in your wrist part of the strain you were talking about?" Tabbitha closed her eyes for a moment knowing for sure that she'd been caught, but nods in admittance of the fact. "I see. So this form is part of the reason why your not recovering as quickly as you normally would." Tabbitha Katt bites her lip confirming that his suspicions were correct about what she was going through. "Your skills were very impressive during the Hunter Trials. However, if you can't deliver a single blow without harming yourself in the process…" Tears stream down her face as she feels her heart aching with every word he speaks, unable to calm herself.
Lightshard finds herself tumbling down the black scaled legs of Shadowspark's humanoid form who roared, "SHUT UP!" She punches the Energy Shield where Victor Neko was standing with a charged punch causing it to flicker for a moment. He takes a step back knowing just how strong someone would have to be for such a feat. "Not another word you human worm. No one makes Sunheart cry without answering to me."
Nebula, stop. Thought Lightshard, wanting Shadowspark to calm down so that she doesn't do something that both of them will end up regretting. He didn't mean anything by it.
"If he didn't mean anything by it he wouldn't have brought it up, sis." Shadowspark mutters in Draken, refusing to take her eyes off of Victor Neko even as Lightshard picks herself up. "He's just another worm that needs to be taught a lesson."
Lightshard took a page from Starlight by taking a deep breath and roaring in draken, "Shadowspark of the Talon, back off." The sudden use of her Draken name startled Shadowspark, making her look at Lightshard before turning her gaze down. "I know you mean well sis, but what you're doing right now isn't worth what'll come next." Shadowspark huffs void energy at Victor Neko and she starts glaring at him again wanting to be out there where he is. "Nebula!"
"Fine." Shadowspark said, rolling her eyes and flopping down on the bed of the Containment Pod with a thump. "I won't hurt him… much."
"Nebula!" Lightshard roars before releasing a small puff of Nova Energy in Shadowspark's direction. Feeling the warmth of the Nova Energy Shadowspark jumped to the opposite end of the Containment Pod.
Pressing her back against the Energy Shield of the Containment Pod Shadowspark says, "Ok, I won't!" She looked extremely nervous despite the fact that she was considerably more powerful than Lightshard. "I swear by the spines on my back that I won't intentionally cause him harm. Directly or indirectly. Happy?"
"Very." Lightshard said as she settled in, allowing Shadowspark to relax a bit and let out a sigh of relief.
"So that's your darker half." Said Victor Neko as Shadowspark examined her spines to make sure that none of them cracked while she was against the Energy Shield.
"Yeah, she's a bit of a wildcard." Said Lightshard before heading over to Shadowspark in order to help inspect her spines. "They look fine, Nebula. I don't see a single crack."
"Nebula..." Began Victor Neko but was quickly interrupted by Shadowspark who clearly wasn't afraid of him.
"I don't know you well enough to let you call me that." Shadowspark said, placing an arm on her raised left knee with her eyes fixed on Victor Neko again. Lightshard on the other hand went back to the other side of the Containment Pod before sitting down and watching Shadowspark.
"Fine." Said Victor Neko, glancing at Shadowspark before returning his attention back to Lightshard. "Your sister is very Powerful, and yet she seems to be scared of you. Why is that?"
"I can answer that one." Said Shadowspark with a grin on her face, making Lightshard realize that she was planning a bit of mischief.
"Nebula…" Lightshard begins as she stands to her feet hoping to keep Shadowspark from doing anything to mess with Victor Neko. However, before she could say, or do anything Shadowspark hit her heart scale with a jolt of Void Energy.
Lightshard collapsed, trembling from the sudden shock as Shadowspark says, "here's what happened, Neko. When I gained my own consciousness I challenged the little Sunheart to a Draken Test of Might. The winner would be the one to control this body. Since her energy and mine are complete opposites a single direct hit to the Heart Scale would result in… Well that…" She pointed a clawed finger at Lightshard who was still in a state of complete paralysis. "And it doesn't take much. Especially if the one that's hit is in a weakened state. Like she is now. I must admit she was a worthy opponent, but I was able to best her. At least I thought I did. However, in my moment of victory she surprised me with her Nova Burst Ability. You see, I wasn't expecting it because it needs a certain amount of energy to even be used. As far as I knew she'd exhausted all of hers." Shadowspark noticed that Victor Neko was watching Lightshard with a worried look on his face. "You don't need to worry. She'll be back on her claws in an hour or so. She's much too stubborn to stay down long. Anyway, when she hit me with her Nova Burst she could have easily finished me off, but she didn't. She spared me, and instead gave me a promise. She said that she'd be willing to share this body with me until I'm able to have one of my own. So you see, Neko. I'm not actually scared of my little Sunheart. Just her Nova Energy. A single Spark of it packs a massive punch."
Lightshard coughs a little, takes a deep breath and growls saying, "that was a really cheap shot Nebula." She couldn't even lift her head let alone move the rest of her golden sunstone body, and she had a look of annoyance on her Draken face.
"Sounds like you found your voice again, Sunheart." Said Shadowspark as she looks at Lightshard leaning forward a little and reaching toward her.
"What are you up to?" Asked Victor Neko as Shadowspark hooks one of Lightshard's horns with a claw and pulls her closer.
"Relax Neko." Said Shadowspark letting go of Lightshard's horn and scratching between her gem-like spines making her chirp a little.
"What was that?" Asked Victor Neko, getting a little closer and kneeling down next to the Containment Pod.
"That was a Draken chirp." Shadowspark said as she continued scratching Lightshard's back for her. "It's normally used to convey excitement, but in her case it's more a sound of relief. She's had a nasty itch between her shoulders since she woke up, but she can't reach it herself. So I'm scratching it for her. Not much is worse than an itch you can't scratch." A scale flakes off Lightshard's back causing Shadowspark to chuckle a little. "Well there goes another scale, but that's ok. This little Draken soul will have a fresh set after she sheds her old skin. She's finally growing again."
"She's going to get bigger?" Said Victor Neko in surprise as Shadowspark continued to scratch Lightshard's back.
Of course she's going to get bigger." Said Shadowspark looking back at Victor Neko and noticing just how close he was to the Containment Pod. "Contrary to Alliance Records, Drakes do get bigger then this. Starlight's not supposed to be the only one her size. If a drake doesn't grow past this size it means that something's stunted their growth. I say that because only Draken Yearlings are supposed to be this size." Lightshard starts giving off a slight cooing sound which was almost like a purr making Shadowspark smile. "That's it. Just relax. After all, you won't be able to move for a while. Not while my Void Energy is arcing through that tiny body of yours." Shadowspark then slams her other hand into the Energy Shield where Victor Neko was causing him to fall back in surprise. She laughs loudly and brushes a tear from her eye before looking at him again with a big grin. "I really got you good that time. The look on your face was priceless."
Leave him alone, Nebula. Thought Lightshard, feeling much too relaxed from getting her back scratched to speak her mind aloud. She feels herself drift off closing her eyes for a moment seeing Shadowheart holding the Sun Shard she couldn't get from him.
The Sun Shard begins to glow a brilliant gold, causing Shadowheart to grin and say, "I found you." Lightshard releases a small Nova Burst to dispel her crippling paralysis and takes off with him in hot pursuit dodging every attempt at capturing her.
Next thing Lightshard knows she's pinned to the floor hearing Starlight's voice say, "calm yourself, Shard. Your safe." The vision that had grabbed onto her disappeared and she found herself inside the hallway of a Galactic Hunter Ship. She was still in her Draken Form and the Drake that had her pinned was actually Floria. Looking around she saw her entire team as well as Trevor Mathews, Amber Foxhide, and Andrew Direhide.
All of them had a look of worry on their faces, causing Lightshard to think, I'm sorry. She whimpers a little curling herself up into a little Draken ball as she feels tears streaming down her face. I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't hurt anyone.
What was up with that, Sunheart? Thought Shadowspark, sounding aggressively irritated toward Lightshard. I watched you fall asleep, and out of nowhere you hit me with that damn Nova Burst of yours. What happened to freak you out?
I saw him. Thought Lightshard, feeling herself being picked up by a gentle Draken hand causing her to tense up at first. As real as the first time I met him. I can still feel his presence. He's coming, and he's been using my own soul fragment to track me down.
"NEKO!" Called Tinami Deathlight as Lightshard feels herself being enveloped by a mess of Lussari Vines and carried off. "We have a Problem!"
Lightshard hears Victor Neko hurrying past her saying, "What's the problem, Huntress Deathlight?" His voice was slightly muffled by the vines but she was still able to hear him clearly enough to know that both his and her teams were working together.
Lightshard feels herself being pulled from the mess of vines and hears Rossa's voice say, "Wow. She looks like a tiny sun when she's balled up like that." She shifts her tail a little when she hears Floria chuckle as she's gently placed back in the Containment Pod. She opens her eyes and lets herself relax, making the ball she'd rolled herself into collapse. She watches as the energy shield raises and walks back over to her body pulling herself through the Heart Scale. This caused her Nova Energy to return to her and dispel Shadowspark's Paralysis in the process.
As Lightshard enters the Realm of Dream she says, "I'm so sorry Nebula. I didn't mean to paralyze you like that. It's just that… What I saw felt so real."
"Relax." Said Shadowspark as she pulled herself out of a hole she'd dug in the lava rock. "I probably would have done the same if I saw something that terrified me."
"Even so." Said Lightshard as she lays down next to the Sunstone Pillar snuggling up to it in the hopes of feeling safe. "I'm going to give you full control of this body until I'm fully recovered. I won't get in your way until then."
"And you're sure about that?" Ask Shadowspark wanting to be sure that this wasn't some cruel joke to get back at her for scaring Victor Neko earlier. "You're not going to change your mind?"
"Yes I'm sure, Nebula." Said Lightshard, closing her eyes to get some rest, and hoping that the vision of Shadowheart doesn't come back to haunt her. "And I'm not going to change my mind. I just want to get some sleep." Shadowspark quietly celebrates before disappearing to the waking world for whatever she had planned.