Dream-Hunters - Chapter Nineteen

She was still holding his hand when they got back, traipsing up the stairs, smiling and joking. John strode confidently up to his apartment and thrust open the door. “We’re back,” he announced.

“What’s up, Princess?”

Tessa froze. There, lounging on the couch in front of her, was a blond, muscled man, the same one she had seen exiting the hospital. And now she realized that he had been in her dream too.

John seemed equally shocked. “Chaser?!?”

The man smirked. “What I would give to be greeted any other way...but yes, Johnny. It’s me.”

Tessa’s jaw was still hanging open. “What...how…?”

“Apparently he thought it’d be fun to have a sleepover,” Sophie said, entering the room. “Drawing on his face, anyone?”

“Oh, come on, Sophie!” Chaser protested with a chuckle. “You wouldn’t want your own father to sleep out on the streets, would you?”

“You’re no father of ours,” Matthew retorted, coming up behind Sophie. “We’re going to end you, tonight.” He snarled, his voice disfigured with wild hatred.

“Oh, that’s rich. Tell me, will you be the fated hero to save the worlds?” Chaser drawled. He turned to John, smirking. “He really is a mess, you know.”

John shrugged. Tessa glanced at Matthew worriedly. His face was white as a sheet, and his hands trembled so much he shoved them into his pockets, grimacing.

“So,” John began, “are we just going to-”

“Of course, Johnny. We’re going to sleep.” Chaser stood up and clapped his hands raptly. “Now, I’m going to take responsibility as your father. Kids,” he said, looking sternly at each one in turn, “it’s bedtime.”

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“Remember to brush your teeth, kiddies!” Chaser sang as he disappeared into the bathroom.

The Dream-Hunters sat on the floor and stared at each other blankly for three long seconds.

John heaved himself to his feet. “He’s right,” he said bluntly, dragging himself to the restroom as well.

Matthew exhaled heavily, gripping the floor with white knuckles. The brown-haired girl, Tessa, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He brushed it away, muttering an apology.

“Besides stopping Chaser,” Sophie said evenly, leaning back against the couch, “what else do we have to accomplish tonight?”

The other girl put on a thoughtful look, while Matthew continued staring down. He knew what Sophie was doing: eliminating emotions, and replacing them with cold logic. No fear involved whatsoever.

“W-we don’t have much to go on,” he eventually stammered, breaking the silence. “I mean, Phobos didn’t even tell us what we’re looking for, or how to get it, or even if it’ll work!” His words came tumbling from his mouth, tripping over each other in their stampede. “Who’s to say that we can get everyone back? What do we do after we find it? We don’t know! We can’t possibly-”

“Stop.” Matthew broke off, staring at Sophie, who let her single word hang in the air. Tessa was glancing worriedly between them, her emotions clear as daylight.

Sophie clasped her fingers, relaxing backwards. “Do you feel better now?”

“I...I guess so,” Matthew breathed. He grinned despite himself. No matter what the situation, Sophie always knew what to do.

“Yeah!” Tessa burst, a bit too loudly. She covered her mouth in embarrassment before continuing sheepishly. “Even if we don’t know what to do right now, we’ll figure it out, right? We’re the Dream-Hunters!” Reaching beneath her shirt, she pulled out an ornate emerald pendant, displaying it proudly.

Matthew reached into his pocket, withdrawing a ruby. “I guess we are,” he smiled, looking into the crimson gemstone.

Sophie’s mouth twisted in a wry grin. “Right...on to the next order of business.”

“John.” The word leaped unbidden to his lips.

“John?” Tessa stared at him uneasily, as though he were speaking a different language. “What’s wrong with John?”

“John is...unpredictable,” Sophie said slowly. “I don’t really know how to describe it, but he’s definitely different somehow.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that!” Tessa protested. “Just because he’s not like you, that doesn’t mean-”

Sophie held up a finger, cutting her off with a single shake of the head. “That’s not what I’m saying. John’s different from who he was before. I can’t quite place it, but the Mask has changed him.”

Matthew watched Tessa’s face contort in anger. “How would you know? What gives you the right to just judge him like that!”

Sophie’s blue eyes grew steely, piercing Tessa’s confidence with her stare. “What gives you the right?”

She pressed her point as Tessa’s gaze dropped. “Face the facts, Tessa. By the time you met John, the Mask had already taken hold. Which means,” Sophie added, clasping her hands behind her head, “you never even knew him.”

Tessa’s eyes flew open, whipping back up to glare furiously at Sophie. “You...you!” Fury choked the words in her throat, her body trembling with rage.

“Hey, hey!” Matthew leaned forward, placing his hands between the girls. “That’s not the issue here. What’s important right now is helping John!”

“Wrong,” Sophie replied. “What’s important right now is saving the world, which may or may not include John Dureal.”

Tears seemed to form in Tessa’s eyes before her head hung down in bitter silence, gritted teeth restraining a sob. “It’s not fair,” she muttered.

Sophie, seeing this, seemed to lose her vigor as well, coldly staring off into space. A hint of a sigh escaped her lips as she gazed blankly at the wall.

“R-right,” Matthew mediated, the words sinking into the dense air. “Well, is there anything else?”

Sophie shifted her head slightly, eyes closed. “No, that’s it,” she murmured. “That’s all.”