Lainey and the Magicians (First Draft)

Chapter 9 (LONG)

 "We are fighting against dark energy inside us," the first one answered. "Didn't you already know? We had to make it look convincing when we transported you here and that's why I forced my hands to shut your eyes. I was being watched by the dimension's residents," the first figure answered. "If they knew what I was really doing, they might have been reported to Shadow Rider. We didn't have much time to affect this alternate Jopiline's scenery because we have somewhere else to be in five minutes. If we're not there, our superiors will flip." Lainey let go of the first figure's hand during this interaction. 

 She'd never met any creatures with dark energy coarsing in their veins before that struggled in the fight of light vs dark energy. These creatures were powerful, and they could manipulate almost anything to their advantage if they knew how. It was intriguing to finally meet one. "Alright. I will accept, in a few minutes," Lainey responded. This better not have been like a oath or something where she could never get out of it. The figures and Lainey walked out past one of the doors into a surreal green garden of a villa. Jewels hung over the scene, and the first figure paused the scene. A man in a circle shaped mask with blackish green circular eye slits fitted with emeralds and a jeweled frown stood facing toward Lainey, and she recognized who it was. It was Emerald or at least, a projection of him. "Why did you make a scene scattered with all sorts of jewels and even Emerald himself?" She didn't understand why these two Energy beings would take her through people who gave her past trauma. 

 "We want you to move on," the first one said.

 "You want me to move on? I've moved on already," Lainey would give little away just in case they were in league with Pumpkin. Even then, she still wouldn't tell them. Joining the magicians again even as a reformer would prevent her from getting to Mars, and many magicians were smart enough to piece together complex puzzles. All she wanted was to get out of this created alternative reality version of Jopiline, make money, and use that money to buy enough supplies to last her before and after getting to Mars. If she could do that, she could live in peace for the rest of her life and forget that today ever happened. To think, she could have been watching Keeping up with the Redmaces and laughing at it's stupidity by now in the Marriot Hotel on the Roku she brought with her. KUWT Redmace's was a show based off the fictional works of the author Emma Swanson even though it was a joke that she put real people into her books like she did with Lantis of the band Haz, but in a sort of sit-com style even though it was a comedic drama set in space. The entire thing was trashy. 

 Anyways, she didn't want to see a stand-in of Emerald created by these two creatures. The jewels on the trees in the garden close to Lainey glittered in the sunlight, but blood jewels weren't something that she was attracted to. The images of jewels and Emerald faded away at her implied request. "Alright, when you face the demons of your past, and fail in confronting them, don't say I told you so," the first figure grunted. "You have to face them to a find a way to live, to live with yourself, and to conquer the enemies putting you down." 

 "I've confronted them perfectly," Lainey commented. "How about you confront yours, first figure or whatever your name is?" 

 The first figure looked offended. "Headstrong," the second figure muttered. "His name is Pioipold." Lainey was instantly in love with the name. Afterward, Pioipold turned his head to Lainey. The scene shifted to a gray scene with swirling white and black circling around in zigzagging patterns. 

 "I do confront my demons," Pioipold replied. "However, I see nothing wrong with using dark powers and some light powers to my advantage, but your feeble mind is not completely sound since you hadn't completed all your initial training with the right teachers."

 "Whatever," Lainey grunted to herself. "Can we just get this over with?"

 "What is your choice?" Pioipold asked.