The forgotten Fighter.

Unexpected visitors to the Jailhouse

Chapter one: 

It had been a rather quiet day in the cells of the jailhouse. It was noon, and I hadn't had to break apart any rough-housing from the shadows. It was a relief really, I don't remember the last time I had had any type of break like this.  

I was leaned back in my chair, tapping the silver hilt of my sword on my thigh, my legs stretched onto the my desk, feet crossed and traced the patterns on the ceiling with my eyes, and just sat, not really thinking, just sitting. I never really thought of much, to much thinking led to painful memories, happy memories before I had condemned myself to this dreary place.  

So, most days, I simply sat. 

I sighed. 

So this is what has become of the ShadowFighter, eh? Wasting her days away, hiding in the jail of the forgotten shadows, holding tight to a one sided promise.  

I laughed, getting up and walking up the steel stair case that lead to the cells, feeling like they had been too quiet. 

upon arriving to the cells, they were all full to the brim with the black entities.  

They really weren't shadow PEOPLE. Not really, not anymore. They were more along the lines of ghosts, having been cooped up in their cells so long. 

Turning a corner, heading to the more dangerous shadows, I passed on of their cells and stopped. 

There, in the cell, was a human looking girl. 

Just a girl. She was clad in tight, black and easy to move in clothes, a tan trench coat, a red scarf to cover her face for when the shadows decided to contaminate the air with their body toxins, and goggles for when she had to venture out into the desert of forgotten dreams.  

"So that's what I look like...?" I said, figuring that I was actually looking into a mirror one of the shadows had turned into to trick me. They did that every so often to trip me up, seeing if I would open their cells to investigate.  

I patted my unevenly cut black hair, bangs pinned out of my face, fingered the scar that ran across my nose with my leather gloved hands and touched my lids that had startlingly bright crimson irises behind them. 

I tilted my head back, and spat at the creature that had made me see myself. It hissed in response, swirling and twisting back into it's original form. It glared at me with it's beady acid green eyes. I simply unlatched my sword from its sheath a bit and it cringed back. 

"Hello?" a voice called out. It was a very famine voice, her voice a soprano higher then my own.

I didn't know this voice, and by the confused look the shadow was glaring at me with, I could only assume that none of the others knew this voice either.

"LG, there's obviously no one home, I told you it was a dumb idea" another, deeper voice scowled.

I slowly walked towards the voices, and soon found myself looking at the intruders on the balcony of the second story of cells.

There were two of them. A boy and a girl, both looked like my age I had been given, 12-13 human years. The Girl was dressed in attire that looked like it was created from a volcano, her hair flowing from her head in long pink flames, her face holding a kind, friendly smile, her eyes warm. The boy, ironically enough, was her polar opposite. He was dressed in grey and black chuncky wear that fit his slender form, and a dorsal fin stuck out of his back. His jet black hair was spiked and he looked like a hard natured, cold shoulder, tough guy type.

I could tell they were intimidated, my general appearance unfortunately had that affect on visitors.

"What's your business here?" I asked, my voice holding the harsh authority I had been created with, but a hint of polite curiosity as well. Why scare off the first non-evil company I've had in years, yea?

"We're looking for the ShadowFighter" The flame haired girl said, an excited tone in her voice. I cocked my head to the side. No one's ever actually sought me out. Not personally. Everyone always just assumed I was mere myth.

"Why do you seek ShadowFighter?" I asked

"None of your business" The dorsal finned boy snarled. I laughed at his temper. Oh, he's fun company, I'm sure.

"What're you laughin' at?" He growled, which only made me smile that much bigger.

"Well, I suppose you're right. Why would it be any of my business what you have to do with the ShadowFighter?" I chuckled again at my own joke, leaning on the railing "I mean, I am the ShadowFighter, so~"

Their faces amused me to no end.

"Wait, so you're the ShadowFighter?" Dorsal Boy said incredulously. 

I nodded

"You're the one who trapped all the shadows of old, protected Planet Drool and made it what it was today?" Flame haired girl said, shock in her voice.

Again, I nodded.

"You were Max's first real dream hero? You?" Dorsal boy said, pointing at me.

"Yes, not quite what you were expecting, huh?"

"Nope" They said in unison. I laughed again, my voice chiming through the jail.

The shadows shivered in their cages, agitated.

"Calm yourselves" I said angrily, my voice taking on it's commanding tone once more. They cringed in their cells, quieting. I turned back to the ironic duo, and saw the fearful look on the girl's face, and the unsteady one on the boy's.

"Sorry bout that. The shadows hate happy." I said simply, making my way down the stairs. "So how can I help you two?"

"We need your help!" The girl said taking a step towards me, her voice urgent.

"You're the only dream that's been here long enough to know how to leave." The boy said, sounding almost like he didn't like that I had to be apart of the plan.

"Why would either of you need to leave. You're both dreams, and as such, dreams are strictly prohibited to leave their respective worlds." I stated. Yes, I was, in fact, able to go to the human world. But the laws say no, so I've never really left.

"But the world is dying! Can't you feel it?" The girl said, sorrow forming onto her features.

"What do you mean dying?" I whispered. It made sense. The Shadows had been rather on edge lately, being inactive as they have been, and the outside world has gotten darker, more sinister.

"Look, all we know is that if we don't go to the human world to get Max so he can save all of us, the darkness will destroy Drool." The boy exclaimed

I paused, trying to gather my thoughts. This isn't how it's supposed to go. I wasn't ever supposed to be needed again, especially not by Max. I was a forgotten dream, one step away from being a dead, dream grave yard worthy dream.

But the thing was, nothing in my short existence was supposed to happen. 

I was supposed to be forgotten the second a seven year old Max woke up from his dream.

I was supposed to be a dead dream years ago, yet here I am, in the forgotten desert, but still very much alive.

I looked around the jail, looking from one Shadow to the next. As weird as it is to say, I couldn't bare to see these creatures die by anyone's hands but my own. I've been guarding them since Drool's creation, and I'd be damned if any so called darkness killed them, or this planet.

"What are your names?" I asked

"I'm LavaGirl"

"I'm SharkBoy"

"Well then, SharkBoy, LavaGirl, I'll tell you both how to get to the human world, it's actually quite simple, but I have one simple request."

"What would that be?" SharkBoy asked suspicously

"I need you both to help me tighten security around here before we leave."