Dream Catcher: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Kazumi entered her apartment. Hers. It sounded so weird, no matter how much she said it in her head. It sounded wonderful to her. She never thought that this would happen to her. To move away, so far away from home, and to begin a new life. A new life, in a new country. She stepped into the living room, attached to her kitchen, found just on the left to the entrance. She moved to her couch, sitting down on the old and worn cushions. The seat wasn't that comfortable, but she thought that it was better then nothing at all. She was lucky to have found it at such a good price.

She just began to settle into the couch, when she heard a door click close.

Her eyes just caught the door to her balcony, closing on its own. She yelped and jumped off the couch, her eyes, staring, unsure what to make of what she had seen. Fearful, she crept toward the door, staring at the balcony through the clear door. She didn't see anyone, but someone had to have been there. The door couldn't have opened and closed on its own. Doors didn't just do that. Speaking of which, windows didn't do that either.

The last few weeks had been the worse for Kazumi nerves. Windows' were opening and closing on their own, right in front of her. And twice during the night she even heard her kitchen sink turn on and off. She ran out once with a heavy prop sword, to protect herself, but there was nothing there. Just her feeling like she was going insane.

Kazumi stopped at the glass door, glancing outside for only a moment, then she turned an away, glancing back at the rest of her apartment. She didn't like the feeling this place gave her sometimes. She felt like she wasn't alone. She was not scared, only that someone else was there with her. Someone who didn't want their presence to be known. She glanced around once more, looking for something out of place. Something to explain what was going on. Everything was in its place.

`Sleep will do me some good,' she thought.

Taking in a deep breath she entered her room, turning on the lamp beside her bed as she entered inside. Closing her bedroom door behind her, she began to undress out of her clothing. First she removed her white lacy blouse, carefully folding it and placing it on a chair. Then she slowly removed her dress pants, also folding them and putting them on the chair. She reached under her pillow next, taking out a pair of pajamas. She took them, and put them on, starting with the pants on her chilled legs, then quickly putting on the tank top to stop the chills running up her spine. Once dressed she yawned wide, realizing just how tired she actually was. It had been a long day at work. She had gotten a job as a receptionist for calls from Japan. Perfect for her since her first language was Japanese. Once she did her job, she'd do her best to translate it into English and give the messages to her boss. Then she'd call them back. It was fairly simple, and it was a job that she was able to do.

Kazumi curled on her soft bed, the softness of the blanket warming Kazumi's body. Rolling onto her back she began to glance at the ceiling, a small hook was inserted right into the ceiling, and hanging from it was the dream catcher she had gotten from the pervious tenant. It looked very beautiful as it hung from the ceiling. It felt like ti was protecting her in a strange way. She use to have nightmares back home all the time, but since she had moved she didn't once have a nightmare, only strange experiences. She yawned again, her body telling her it was more then ready for bed. It needed sleep, and Kazumi knew it. She moved slightly, tugging at the blankets as she lifted her body, and shifting her body under the blanket, rather then on top. Once settled she reached out to her lamp and turned the light off. Once in darkness she felt better as her body relaxed and she slowly began to drift off into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Kazumi awoke with a start after some strange noises had awoken her. She kept her eyes down, just listening to the noises, hoping it was just her imagination.

“Dammit! Come on, let go of me!,” A tiny voice swore. She could hear soft noises of something creaking, and the sound of plastic hitting plastic. The noises were close by, coming from up above, between her and the ceiling. He heart began to race heavily as she slowly turned her head, looking up at the dream catcher. Her eyes widened as se stared at her head, looking up at the dream catcher. Her eyes widened as she stared at a tiny little man with the tiniest of wings, struggling with all is might to get free. His body was struggling to get free from the dream catcher, that Kazumi realized was glowing white around the whole thing, stretching out and taking hold of the tiny man, like a spider in a web. His body flailing about, his turquoise blue hair was going in all directions. Kazumi's mouth hung open, unsure if she was dreaming or not.

“Who are you?”

The tiny man stopped struggling , his eyes stopping to look at he. Panic ensued, and he began to struggle harder to get free, clawing at the white light. Kazumi jumped up, still unsure if she was dreaming this or not. She took hold of the tiny man on one hand, the dream catcher in the other. He was a small man, no bigger then the size of a Barbie doll, but he didn't resemble that of a doll. Just a man, a very small man with the lightest shade of pink wings. Once her hand touched the dream catcher however, the white aura disappeared. The little man was fee, and once he was, he took off, flying off out of the room. Her eyes widened, unsure what had just happened.

“Chotto matte kudasai!,”(Wait a minute) Kazumi stood from her bed, tripping once, but continued out into her living room where the little man had gone.

“Where are you? Are you alright?” She felt so odd running around her apartment, looking for a tiny man with wings and blue hair. She ran around, frantic, knowing she had to find some sort of evidence that there was a little man, to ensure her sanity. She paused when she was sure that she had heard some voices. She listened carefully.

“Robyn, please calm down. This isn't as serious as you are making it out to be,” a female voice was heard, forcing Kazumi to leap around, trying to find the voices origin.

“It is serious. She saw me! A human girl saw me, this is the worse thing that can happen to a dream herder!” the same male voice was heard, Kazumi listening in, still trying to figure out where the voices were coming from.

“Calm down, you said she was pretty calm when she saw you. She probably thinks it was a dream. Maybe she won't even notice us.”

Kazumi slowly headed over to her island in the kitchen area. She closed in, taking her time so that she wouldn't be found out. She didn't want to startle anyone else. She came in closer, stopping and staring down at two people, the man she had seen, and a young woman, a little shorter then him. She had long curly tan shaded hair, and yellow wings to match her yellow eyes. She wore a olive green sleeveless dress, with a matching pair of pants, but no shoes.

Both were floating in mid air, both their wings were flapping hard to keep them up. Kazumi gasped. Both of the small beings turned, the man looking rather angry as he looked up at her, while the young woman covered her mouth, unsure how to react. Kazumi stood still, unsure if she should dare move or not. She didn't know what to do, the three of them were frozen in place, staring at the other. The female being, flew forward, pushing the male forward. He glared at her quickly before he glanced back at Kazumi, continuing to stare her down.

“Robyn, explain things to her.”

“Why should I?” he asked, not impressed by the other.

“You're the one she saw, you're going to be together for a while, that's why.”

He sighed, lifting himself up to her eye level, his wings still flapping away to keep him up. She watched him, unsure what was going to happen. He still didn't look please one bit, but he did finally speak to her.

“I'm Robyn, and I am a dream fairy.”

“Fairy?” Kazumi questioned. She did not understand the word. She still had quiet a bit of English to learn yet. She searched for a moment, looking fo the book she had boughten. She found it on the kitchen table and started to flip through it.

“What the hell is she doing?” Robyn asked.

“It's a Japanese to English Dictionary. She doesn't understand what the word fairy means. So she's looking it up,” the female fairy replied. “She probably just immigrated here. Poor girl, she looks so young.”

“Yo'sei,”(fairy) she told herself. She closed the book, but kept it in hand as she returned to her place. “Fairy, you're a fairy then?”

The female fairy flew over, joining the two. “Both of us are. I'm Goldwin.”

Kazumi felt strange talking to little beings, who were saying they were fairies, but she felt this couldn't get any stranger, so she bowed low.

“I am Kazumi Nakamura,” she said, staying low in her bow.

“Its nice to meet you Kazumi. Now I think we need to discus a little problem we have here,” Goldwin started. “There is a law among us fairies you see. That humans can't see fairies, and if they do, well the fairy the human see's will have to stay with the human until the day the human dies, to make sure they don't tell anyone about the fairies. Do you understand?”

Kazumi carefully thought about the words the fairy had spoken, and nodded. “Understand yes.”

Goldwin continued, “Robyn is the one who you saw. So Robyn is going to have to live with you. For more then likely the rest of your life.”

Kazumi did not understand. “Rest of life?”

“Forever,” Goldwin reworded.

Kazumi's eyes widened, understanding what that word meant completely. “Live with fairy forever! I need to live alone.”

“I don't want to live with you either,” Robyn mumbled.

“I know it sounds terrible to you both, but I assure you, I lived with a woman her entire life, and it wasn't as bad as you may think. We got along just fine once we got to know the other.”

Kazumi took a seat on one of the chairs at the island, her mind racing with thoughts. Her mind screaming with many questions she wasn't sure how to ask.

“What is dream fairy?”

“A dream fairy protects all dreams, from dream catchers,” Goldwin explained.

“Dream catcher, what I have?”

Godwin peered into Kazumi's room, seeing the dream catcher from the island. “Yes, a dream catcher. You see, humans need their dreams. Good or bad. And bad dreams aren't bad like people think. You need the good and bad, and the dream catcher captures the bad dreams. So, dream fairies help free these bad dreams. However, dream catchers are very powerful, and sometimes if dream fairies aren't careful we ourselves will get caught in the dream catchers.”

“Like Robyn-san did?”

“Yes, like Robyn did.”

“I wouldn't have if it wasn't so full of trapped dreams,” Robyn shouted. “Seriously, I have never seen so many trapped dreams in one catcher before!”

Goldwin ignored Robyn's outburst and simply smiled as she looked up at Kazumi. “There are a few things that will need to change before Robyn can move in. Nothing big, but the first being, the dream catcher will have to come down.”

“A gift from last person living here.” Kazumi cried.

“A gift, well you can keep it, but you can't let it hang free like that. What if you frame it on the wall. The dreams wouldn't go near something on the walls.”

Kazumi nodded, a smile planted on her face as she nodded, getting off he chair and entering her room, unhooking the dream catcher and bringing it back out to the kitchen.

“I will get fame soon as possible,” Kazumi exclaimed

“Fantastic Kazumi!” Goldwin smiled. “See Robyn, things will be great. You and Kazumi can compromise things. You two will be great room mates.” .

“Compromise?”

“Talk things through,” Goldwin answered.

“She can hardy understand English,” Robyn growled. “Its like talking to a kid.”

Goldwin raised he eyebrow, “Then you'll get along even better.”

“What you say?” he yelled.

“Anyway, Kazumi, I must go, but I'll check on you regular bases. So I want you and Robyn to be on your best behaviors while I'm away. Robyn keep your temper in check. If her English bothers you so much, why don't you teach her yourself?”

With that Goldwin waved good-bye, flying towards Kazumi's window, waving her hand, the window opened. She flew through the window, and once on the other side, then waved her hand again, and the window closed on its own again. Then she was gone.

Now that left Kazumi and Robyn alone. Robyn was still hovering beside Kazumi, watching where Goldwin disappeared. Kazumi had her eyes on Robyn, his body floating in mid air. His blue hair was tied back in a pony tail, with some bits of hair hanging loose, dropping to both sides of his head.

His clothing was brown. Brown pants, loosely fit his body, and a brown sleeveless shirt. Brown work like boots to match. Very plain, but it wasn't her place to judge what he wore. Kazumi was unsure if she should say anything or not. It would be rude to ignore him, but he didn't seem interested to even acknowledge her existence

A yawn escaped her lips, telling her that she was still very sleepy. Robyn turned to her, studying her for a moment, then turned away once again.

“Get some sleep,” he said.

She was surprised by him saying that, but her body began to tell her that it was the perfect request, so she listened. She bowed.

“Oyasuminasai,”(Good-night) she said, turning around and going back to her bedroom. Robyn stayed put, tolling his eyes as she left the room.

“I can't understand you,” he mumbled.