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"Alice, what was that?! You completely lost it when Madeline called your story stupid." Jane said in astonishment, her friend had been let out of school early for getting into a fight with a classmate.

Alice sat on the bed frustrated before she answered her new school friend, "Soul is not stupid, he's a hero and deserves the respect of one." Jane sat next to Alice. Alice had been told she was pretty and petit for a third grader. She had russet brown hair that was fashioned in a flawless French braid that she kept over her right shoulder, and deep blue eyes that would look almost purple at times. She dressed professionally in a navy blue, belted military coat, black suede boots and pure white gloves. She loved to dress like this, her adopted father served in the air force and this was how she showed him respect, sometimes she even wore his squadrons' beret.

Jane put a hand on Alice's shoulder trying to cheer Alice up, "I liked your show and tell today. Your story was a lot better than my records." Alice chuckled amused and argued, "You have a vinyl record of Franz Liszt playing classical. I think that's way cooler than a badly made doll and a dream."

The third grader tilted her head confused, "Franz who? I just thought his piano music was pretty. You're really smart you know that? You talked about things that Miss Ava hardly knew. You know a lot about math, music and constle- Um, constul." Jane struggled to form the word and Alice smiled to herself, "Do you mean constellations?" Jane nodded enthusiastically, "Yes! Those things see you are smart."

Alice shrugged while rubbing the back of her neck modestly, "I don't mean to be. This was all just prior knowledge." Jane brushed her untied hair behind her ear, "No one ever said it was a bad thing." Alice didn't agree, "But everyone in class thinks I'm weird." Jane patted her friend's shoulder again, "I don't think you're weird. I think you're an intelligent girl that was put in a class with kids that are jealous of her brains." Alice smiled and looked down feeling modest again. Jane wanted to keep her happy so she changed the subject, "So do you have any brothers or sisters?" Alice shook her head no, "No, I'm adopted."

Jane felt stupid for putting her back in a bad mood, "Oh, I'm sorry... can I hear the rest of your story?" Alice was in a better mood, "Sure, I actually have a picture of him." She searched through her messenger bag for her drawings. She handed them to Alice once she found one, "Oh wow, this looks great. He looks like a furry dinosaur or a lizard wolf that can walk. He has a beautiful white coat and a nice long tail... why does he look so lonely?"

Alice didn't have an answer, she knew so little about it, "I don't know. In my dreams he always looks lonely. In some of my dreams we have lots of adventures and in other ones he's saving me or something. I remember one where, I was at a doorstep. He said he'd miss me and will always look out for me but every time, my dream ends when the door opens." Jane looks at the picture, "Do you know why he's lonely?" Alice hugged her knees and pondered for a while, "He's not really supposed to exist, he was created. See that number right there on his shoulder, 347. That's his product number; he's lonely because he's the only one of his kind. I think that's why. He can't remember anything past being in the labs." Jane studied the artwork more, spotting his oddities, "He's handsome... why does he have a scythe? It makes him look kind of scary."

Alice examined her drawing; she loved his scythe, "That's just his weapon. He can make it vanish and appear at will, like he summons it." Jane looked in awe; her own imagination was being tested by Alice's, "He spends his life saving others because that's all he knows. In my dreams I always get to follow him and be his companion. I keep him out of trouble and he keeps me safe. He fights monsters you know." Jane was even more interested, "Oh wow." Alice nodded smiling, she finally had someone to open up to, "He's like a guardian. He fights creatures that aren't supposed to be here. He either guides them out or ends the ones that only bring harm. The strange thing is that they're creatures from scary stories, so whenever a child has a bad dream it spawns one and Soul says they leak from dreams if the nightmare gets too bad. You know the story of the Wendigo? That was a leak a long time ago."

Jane was completely sucked in, "Wow, he is a hero... is he real?" Alice shakes her head uncertain; all her dreams were so vivid that she believed he was but then again, they were just dreams, "I don't think anyone like that could live outside of a dream but there's this nagging feeling I have. Like he is real and keeping his promise. Every time I try to think past the day I met my parents it gets fuzzy." Jane nods, "He exists in your dreams. That's all that matters." She looked back to the picture, "What's with the scarf? He's only wearing shorts and that around his neck." Jane handed her the picture careful not to wrinkle it, "It was given to him by someone important. I don't know if it was his creator maybe or a friend but for someone like Soul to keep something like that, it must be important." Jane reached and took the picture back, "Why is he called Soul?"

Alice's eyes lit up, this was her favorite pat but at the same time it was the saddest, "He was only known by his number and he hated it. He wanted to be more than a number, so when his reputation built up he was known as Soul. Because they thought emotions fazed right through him but they were wrong, he always felt lonely. He kept the name, because he thought he looked like one and felt like one... he always feels like he's a soul because he doesn't think he has a heart. He's checked for a beat or pulse time and time again but it was always the same, nothing. I know he has one though, he just doesn't see it. I think that's why he's sad too; it reminds him how he was created."

Jane hands the drawing back to Alice before she tucked it back in her bag, "I feel bad for him." Alice waved her hand and shook her head no, "Don't... he's just a dream after all right?" Jane rubbed her head, "I guess. What sorts of adventures do you two go on?" Her dreams were filled with the adventures Alice and Soul went on but there was one in particular that she loved, "All kinds. We explored, we discovered, we fought. My favorite is the shadow beast." Jane was now hooked, "What was that one like? I love stories." Alice was more than happy to tell the story, "We'd heard of all these rumors of little kids just like us disappearing around town. But there was never a trace of them, no signs of struggle or anything, just a small black circle. Soul wanted me to sit this one out but I said no. We would ask around and always get the same thing, they heard a scream and a growling sound, and that same sound was heard at night in the forest." Jane was on the edge of her seat as Alice continued to weave the tale, "Soul wanted me to sit out but I always said no, 'What kind of comrade would I be if I let you go off on your own and get killed?' He'd always laugh, 'Glad to know you have my back.' He was like a brother to me."

Jane was confused, "Comrade? That's a funny word, what does it mean?" Alice tried to think of a simpler word, "It means close friend or companion." Jane nodded in understanding, "Oh okay. What happened next? Did you go after the monster?" Alice nodded, "We did, but we didn't find it until the following night." Alice laughed, "Soul was carrying me because my legs were tired. Anyways, we chased after it, running as fast as we could to the sound of the growling. It was very cold and I was wearing shorts, his fur radiated heat. It was like hugging a really soft teddy bear." Jane understood the feeling, "We finally found him, finally found the identity of the monster. It was a black beast as black as shadows."

Jane had reached the peak of her interest, "What did the monster look like?" Alice acted out the scenes with her explanation of the foul beast, "He had the sharpest claws and the darkest skin. His eyes glowed white but they held no pupils, his razor teeth dripped blood and he stood at nearly ten feet tall. Soul put me down and told me, 'Keep your distance Alice. This isn't another lost creature, it's a murderer.' I shook my head, 'No, I want to stay with you!' He wasn't playing this time, 'Do not argue with me Allison, I don't want you getting hurt.' He summoned his scythe and went after it. I hid behind a tree and watched him fight. He'd slash it and beat the daylights out of it but he was at a size and strength disadvantage. Soul is very strong but the beast was stronger. It had him in a crushing bear hug."

Jane gasped as Alice continued, "It didn't feel right for me to leave him like that so I tried to help. I ran up and started throwing rocks while Soul screamed, 'Alice! No get out of here!' He was dropped and crashed to the ground with a heavy grunt and a thud, 'Soul!' The beast roared and it was after me now. I backed away from it but there was no place I could run. I was backed up into a tree, 'SOUL!' I screamed before the beast lunged at me with it massive jaws open and hungry. I closed my eyes and flinched but nothing happened. When I opened my eyes again, Soul was standing there holding it back with the pole of his scythe. He held the pole in its maw, keeping it from biting. The demon was crushing him against the tree, 'Now would be a good time to leave Alice, this isn't as easy as it looks.' I crawled out from under him and watched as he finished the fight. He shoved the monster away and jumped onto its back, he held the scythe to his neck and sliced his head clean off. He grabbed me and jumped away as the monster exploded in a puff of black smoke. When the smoke cleared all that lied there was a small red dragon."

Jane looked at the drawings of the demon, "This monster was just a baby dragon?" Alice nodded smiling; she still found the whole situation humorous, "Soul had the same reaction. He picked it up by its tail and said, 'Really? This is the thing that was causing so much trouble?' It coughed some black smoke from its lungs; I walked over and cradled it, 'Aw. Poor guy was just sick.' Soul rolled his eyes and sent it back home through a space rift, 'You got your butt handed to you by an oversized salamander.' I laughed and Soul nudged me playfully, 'Bugger was ten feet oversized.' We had both been laughing at that time, 'I'm glad you're here Alice.' He hugged me and this is why it's my favorite adventure, 'I love you kid.' I hugged him and said the same thing. That's when the dream ended."

Jane was touched; she now wanted a companion just like Alice, "I wish I had dreams like that. Soul sounds like an imaginary friend if you think about it." Alice huffed, "He's not, and I know he's real... well at least I think. It all seemed too real for it all to be just dreams."

Jane looked at her curiously, "Do you think they could be memories that are reenacted in your dreams?" Alice shrugged confused and hugged her knees, "I don't know. I just want him to be real." Jane tried to think of something to help, "You want to listen to more Frank? I have an old record player." Alice sprawled cross the bed laughing, "Do you mean Franz? I'd love to." Jane set up her record player and played the disc. They listened to the bad quality of the record, "There's something wrong with your record player. It looks like there's something interfering with the needle and a couple circuits are loose. I think I can fix it."

Alice gave it a look but when she tried to fix it she knocked it off the table, the record was fine but the player had a couple pieces break off, "Oh no! I'm so sorry Jane. I-I'll get your pieces." Alice was in tears as she collected the separated bits but Jane wasn't bothered, "It's okay Alice it was an accident."

Jane's doorbell rang, "I'll get it." Alice was too focused and stressed about the record player to notice. Jane ran down the stairs and to her front door; the door opened with a creek, a tall figure in a black leather jacket and a blue and black scarf stood in the doorway, it was tied in a twice around knot, "Hello, are you Miss Jane Hancock?" Jane nodded and studied the man. He had a white furry face and when she looked down, he had a tail that quickly hid behind his back, "Uh yes I'm Jane."

He handed her two small boxes, "I have a package for you." She took them and looked at him confused, "But I didn't order anything." The stranger lifted a hand to his muzzle and looked at her in a fake surprised expression, "Oh, you didn't? Well have them anyways. I think you'll like it. You have a good evening Miss Jane." He turned to leave but Jane caught his sleeve, "Wait, what's your name?" He turned his head to look at her, "Raigho." Jane wasn't convinced, "Is that really your name?" The stranger shook his head, "No." He tried to pull away and leave but Jane kept her grip on his sleeve, "Wait, you can come in and look at the stars with us. Alice would like that."

He sighed and thought about it, "She would wouldn't she." He smiled at the thought of making her that happy, "But I can't, I belong in her dreams. Glad to see that she finally has a friend... be good to her alright? Enjoy the presents and don't let her know that I was here okay?" She loosened her grip and he pulled away from her before he walked into the back woods. Jane shut the door befuddled before she ran upstairs; she was sad to find Alice in tears, "I'm so sorry Jane. When I knocked it off, the needle snapped and I cracked it open." Jane kneeled beside her and helped clean up, "It's okay, and the player was old anyways. I don't care about that as long as I have a good friend to enjoy it with."

Alice was beside herself, "Really? I'm glad. What's in the package?" Jane shrugged, "I don't know but let's open them." They opened the packages together. The two girls gasped when they opened the parcel and found a brand new record player, "Jane, that's a sound cloud five with high definition sound quality. It must have cost a fortune, where'd you get it?" Jane wanted desperately to tell Alice that Soul gave it to her but he said not to, "Someone came and dropped it off... Open yours!"

Alice slowly opened her package and about screamed. Her present was an 800 page, black, hard cover sketch book, "This is a NeoGaf! I've wanted a good sketchbook but they're so expensive." The two spent hours with their presents, listening to classical music and some other records while Alice drew in her new sketchbook. In that time Alice got chills when she heard a voice that she'd only heard in her dreams say, "Love you kiddo." Her hair stood on end once she knew who the voice belonged to. She ran to the window to see if she could catch him but there was no one outside.

She didn't find him but she did hear a familiar lullaby sung by the same voice in the woods, "There little bird in the orange sky, over the silver peaks so high, oh where do you wander, where do you roam? And when will you come home?" Alice sang the lullaby from memory with him, "Oh when will you come home? Oh little bird where will you fly? Above the world as time passes by, can't I come with you, can't you just stay? Or doesn't it work that way? Or doesn't it work that way? Oh little bird, you're far away. Perhaps some where's night or else its day. So I shall stay here and I shall not mourn and hope for the day you return... and hope for the day you'll return."

Alice hummed the rest with tears in her eyes, they stung her but she didn't care, she knew now that Soul was real. Her tears turned sad once she knew he wouldn't be coming back soon but at last she could say he's real. Jane put a hand on her shoulder and asked, "Alice, what's wrong?" Alice wiped her tears away sloppily with her sleeve, "Nothing. It's nothing." She sniffled and put on a smile for Jane who was still concerned, "I liked your song. It was beautiful." Alice laughed and sniffled again as she wiped more tears away, "Thank you. I just remembered it and the person that sang it to me." Alice and Jane played the rest of the night until they went to bed where Alice had new dreams with Soul.

This wasn't an adventurous or dangerous dream. Alice and Soul just talked like old friends atop a rolling green hill in New Zealand, "Hey Soul?" His head perked up before he looked at her, "Yeah kiddo?" He leaned back on his elbows while Alice hugged her knees, "That was you wasn't it? The one singing in the woods." Soul sighed and nodded, "Yeah, there's no getting past you is there kiddo?" He laughed and pounced her making them both laugh, "No there isn't. But why couldn't you come and see me?"

He smiled and rubbed her head, "Because I belong here in your magnificent dreams. You're such a big girl now, you don't need me there." She looked away from him sadly, "I do need you though." He lied back hugging her. They rested on the hill and watched the orange sun set, "You might not always see me kiddo but I've always been there for you. It took a lot for me to sit back and listen to that Madeline girl pick on you." Alice's eyes lit up, "You were there?" He nodded, "Of course I was. I scared her senseless after school though, she thought I was a monster and booked it home."

The duo laughed, Alice could picture the whole scene and what Madeline's reaction would be tomorrow. Alice gathered herself and took a deep breath, "Soul, why are you so lonely?" He looked at her, "You don't remember do you?" She looked at him curiously, "I thought it was because you were the only one of your kind." He looked down at her, "You don't remember... Well that's half of it but I have you, I'm not lonely." He didn't dare try to remind her that she came from the same place he did.

Alice smiled and put her head back on his chest, "I can hear it." He raised an eyebrow, "Hear what kiddo?" She smiled more, "Your heartbeat." Soul hugged her tighter, "Can you really hear it?" She nodded, "Yes. It's the clearest thing I've heard." He tried to feel it for himself, his face changed to a more sad expression, "I still can't feel it."

Alice held his furry hand placed it over her chest, "Well here's what mine feels like." Soul blushed but Alice was perfectly content with her best friend holding her like this, "Will you come visit me outside of my dreams? Just once." Soul pondered the question before he could answer, "Yes, I don't know how soon but I will." Alice held her hand up with her pinkie finger out, "Pinkie promise?" Soul chuckled and wrapped his larger pinkie finger around hers, "I promise that I will come visit you outside of your dreams one day." She smiled and held his hand as the sun set behind the green hills. The grass dancing as the wind blew through them.

Alice didn't want this to end, she finally had confirmation that her guardian was real and she wanted to spend every moment with him but all dreams had an end and this one would end when the sun set. She held onto his paw desperately as the sun was at the final stretch, "I don't want to go. I'm scared Soul, you're not out there with me." He held her hand tenderly, "You may not see me but I am there. I can't tell you why but I just can't be seen... I will visit you if a chance like tonight ever happens again."

She turned her head as her dream was ending and kissed his cheek softly, "I love you Soul." He placed a paw on his cheek where she kissed him and reached out for her as she faded from the dream, "I love you too."

Alice sat up from her bed when her alarm went off. She sighed and fumbled out of bed sad and tired, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and had her mom braid her auburn hair over her left shoulder before she looked at her reflection. Her blue eyes staring back at her. She sighed and walked to her wardrobe putting on a black skirt that touched her knees, white knee socks, a white long sleeved cotton shirt and her denim jacket. The sleeves of her shirt were too long but she loved how comfortable it was and how the fabric felt, she didn't want her parents to take it back so she cut perfect holes for her thumbs to go through.

She grabbed her royal blue messenger bag and started loading her school stuff when her sketchbook caught her eye. She put some of her other drawings in it and started a new sketch in pencil, she drew her and Soul holding hands. Soul was looking at her smiling and she was smiling just as big. She stopped when she realized this was the first time she'd seen him or drew him smiling.

She smiled and closed her sketchbook before she put it in her bag and she ran downstairs. Jane was waiting for her at Alice's doorstep, "You ready to go?" Alice nodded and the pair headed off to school.