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Chapter Four - Dreaming

When she opened her eyes, Jenny found herself lying on the sofa in Marco's living room. She wondered briefly how she had got there, eventually recalling that she had fallen out of the tree, but not why. She was good a climbing trees, albeit not as good as Marco, so why had she fallen out? Her internal questioning was interrupted when Kathy noticed she was awake.
“Oh, thank goodness you're awake, Jenny!” She hurried over from the window she'd been cleaning, knocking her bottle of cleaning spray off the window ledge.
“Where's Marco?” Jenny murmured sleepily.
“He's clearing the tea things away – don't worry, I've saved you some. It's quite late, you know. You were asleep for a while.”
“Ah...” Jenny glanced towards the window where the sun was dipping lower in the sky, touching the tops of the trees.
“Don't worry,” Kathy assured her, “We're just glad you're all right!” Marco appeared in the doorway.
“Jenny!” he sighed, “You're OK!”
“Yes,” said Kathy, “Now keep quiet. The girl just fell out of a tree. She needs some rest.”
“I'm fine,” Jenny protested weakly. Kathy took no notice.
“Go on Marco, go and get your homework done.”
“I've finished it.”
“Well surely there's something to be getting on with.” When Marco didn't move, Kathy looked at him sternly. “Marco, Jenny needs to be left alone. Go and make yourself useful.” Marco reluctantly slunk out of the room, leaving Jenny and Kathy alone.
“Right,” said Kathy, “I'll get you your tea – we've had soup tonight: home made of course. That'll make you feel better.”
“Oooh, what kind of soup?” Jenny sat up slowly, feeling a little dizzy.
“Tomato soup,” Kathy replied, “I was going to do chicken, but Marco doesn't eat chicken. Or any meat for that matter. Sometimes it limits my cooking options...”
“I like tomato soup.”
“I'll go and fetch it for you.” Kathy bustled out of the room to fetch the soup, leaving Jenny a short moment to herself. It was soon interrupted.

“You fell out of a tree.” It wasn't a question; it was a statement of exasperation. Ophelia had appeared on the coffee table next to the couch where Jenny sat.
“Yup,” said Jenny, not bothered by Ophelia's sarcastic comment, “Herpa derp derp.”
“This is what happens when I leave you alone for an hour?”
“This is what happens when anyone leaves me alone for an hour.” Jenny waved her hand dismissively. “It's not a big deal. Really.” Ophelia sighed.
“I've got my hands full then,” she muttered.
“Yeah, kind of,” Jenny admitted.
“Who are you talking to?” Alice had appeared in the doorway, still clutching her makeshift Clow cards..
“Oh, uh, nobody.” Jenny shifted uncomfortably. “I was just... wondering what would be on Cardcaptors tomorrow.”
“Yay!” cried Alice, “I can't wait for tomorrow's episode!” Alice then launched into a long monologue on the subject of Cardcaptors until Kathy came to drag Alice away to have her bath and bring Jenny's tomato soup.
“Mmm, it smells great!” Jenny took the spoon eagerly as Kathy placed the tray on her lap. She'd have to be careful not to spill anything. “Thanks you!”
“Careful,” Kathy warned, “It's hot.” She then noticed Alice hanging around in the doorway. “Alice! Bath! Now!”
“Ugh, do I have to?” Alice complained.
“If you don't go,” warned Kathy, “You can't watch Cardcaptors tomorrow.” Alice was upstairs in seconds. “That works,” mused Kathy, “I'm going to go help Alice with her bath now.” Jenny nodded, unable to speak with a mouthful of soup. After Kathy had left, Jenny searched the room for Ophelia, eventually discovering her hovering by the window.
“Hey, Ophelia!” Jenny kept her voice quite low, but Ophelia managed to hear her anyway.
“What?” she hissed, looking annoyed. Jenny regretted saying anything, hoping she hadn't interrupted any important thinking.
“I was just curious...” Jenny began, wondering if she ought to give up.
“What?” Ophelia repeated, glaring across the room.
“Could you tell me more about fairies?” Jenny couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.
“Like what?” snapped Ophelia, turning away from the window.
“Well, just... anything really. Like why you have different sized wings. Is that just random or-”
“Wing size corresponds to your position in society,” Ophelia explained, sounding bored, “It doesn't mean as much as it used to; it's more of a formality now. It also corresponds to colour: it goes red to purple from lowest to highest, and red wings are the smallest, purple the largest.”
“So.. does the Empress have purple wings?”
“No, the Empress has pink wings. She is the only one who does.”
“And are they the biggest wings?”
“They can change size depending on the occasion.” Ophelia was obviously tiring of the topic, and her sharp tone of voice indicated to Jenny that to ask many more questions would not be a good idea.
“Interesting,” she murmured, spooning the last of the soup into her mouth. She knew she should stop now, but she had one more question. “Will we meet the Empress?”
“That,” said Ophelia coldly, “Is up to her. And I'm not answering any more of your questions.” Ophelia glared. “The sooner you go to bed, the better. Then I won't have to stay here...”
“It's only half past seven,” muttered Jenny, picking up her plate to carry it into the kitchen, “And what's wrong with here?” Ophelia didn't answer, turning back to stare at the window again. “Suit yourself,” shrugged Jenny, making a swift exit to avoid any further snarky comments.

On her way to the kitchen, she bumped into Marco.
“Oh, hey there Jenny.” He smiled. “You look better now.”
“Put it down to Kathy's tomato soup,” laughed Jenny, “It's yummy.”
“You can't resist the power of the tomato soup,” Marco agreed, grinning, “Do you want to watch Doctor Who? I recorded last Saturday's episode.”
“Yeah! Doctor Who!” Jenny jumped up and down joyfully.
“Come on then, we'll have to get to the telly before Alice, or she'll want to watch that awful Barbie film.”

After Doctor Who and a couple of episodes of Phineas and Ferb, Kathy made Marco and Jenny go up and get ready for bed.
“Your pyjamas are in Marco's room,” Kathy told Jenny, “You can take them in the bathroom to get changed.”
“Thank you Kathy. Hey Marco! I challenge you to a getting changed race!”
“You're on.” The two friends raced up the stairs.
“No running in the house!” Kathy called after them. They took no notice, eager to start the getting changed race, which Marco won, rather unsurprisingly. Jenny was clumsy and tended to misplace things; she'd lost one of her socks, which she eventually found in the bathtub of all places. All too soon it was time for bed, and Jenny had to creep into Alice's room, taking care not to wake the sleeping girl sprawled across the bed, and find her way to the camp bed where she would sleep that night.
“Night Jenny,” called Marco from the doorway, “Oh, and by the way?”
“Yeah?”
“Happy birthday.”
“Thanks Marco.” After Marco had left, Jenny wrapped herself in the spare duvet, which wore a cover, no doubt one of Alice's, patterned with My Little Pony. As she lay there in the darkness of Alice's bedroom, she replayed the events of the day in her mind. Within minutes she was asleep.

That night she dreamed the same dream she had dreamed the night before, about the colossal wave that threatened to obliterate her. This time, however, just before the wave hit her, it fell back into the sea. Confused, Jenny looked behind her, noticing how everything was now lit with pink light. Standing behind her was a fairy, but not a small one like Ophelia. This fairy was slightly taller than Jenny herself, with curly red hair and pink eyes that matched the magnificent wings unfolding from her back, reaching far above the fairy's head. Embedded in her tangle of hair rested a golden crown. From what Ophelia had told her during that day, Jenny knew that there was only one fairy who could be the one standing before her on the beach. This was the fairy Empress.

“Hello there!” The Empress smiled widely. “You must be Jenny! I am Empress Lia Maria Nina Olivia Pia Quinena Rhea Saria Tia Una Viola Welma Yolanda Zarina Aradia Bella Carla Dora Emilia Fionna Gianna Helena Isla Jonina Kiara, last of the L Line. But that's a bit of a tongue twister – I can barely remember it myself! No, you may just call me Empress. Aren't you all so lucky, you and your friends, to have such simple names!” Jenny did not answer, although she felt she ought to say something. She had no idea what to say.
“Uh, hello Empress. Um, I'm confused. What's... happening?”
“Oh, you mean here?” The Empress gestured around her to the rest of the beach, “This is your dream, Jenny. Entering people's dreams is one of the powers you gain by becoming Empress – is that not amazing?”
“So this is just a dream, Your Highness?”
“That is true, but do not let that confuse you – this conversation is real enough except for the fact that it is taking place inside your head.”
“Wow,” Jenny breathed, “You're in my dream!”
“Yes,” the Empress replied, “Yes I am. It is quite a pleasant dream too.”
“Except for that wave,” Jenny shuddered, “I'm glad you got rid of it, Empress. Thank you.”
“It would not have caused you any harm,” reasoned the Empress, “But it would have woken you up, which would render my job impossible!” The Empress laughed. “At least, until you fell asleep again.”
“This is weird,” Jenny mused, “But also kind of cool.”
“I hear that rather a lot. Your friend Lewis was rather... amusing about it.”
“You've been in Lewis's dreams?”
“Yes, and Marco and Sandy's as well. You were the only one I had yet to visit. And here I am.”
“Wow,” said Jenny, although she was sure she had already said that, “I've never met an Empress before, let alone a fairy one.”
“And I have never met a Jenny before,” smiled the Empress, “And I must say, it has been a pleasure.”
“Well, thank you,” said Jenny lamely, running out of things to say. She still couldn't believe that she was meeting a fairy Empress who could enter people's dreams, when just two days ago she'd never have believed that fairies even existed. After all, the only person at her school that believed in fairies had been Alfie, and nobody wanted to be like Alfie.
“As I mentioned, it has been a pleasure.” The Empress smiled again; she seemed in a good mood. “But now I must leave – there is so much to be done! It's very exciting! But also rather worrying sometimes...” Jenny was about to ask what the problem was, but it was probably none of her business, so she decided to leave it.
“Goodbye, Empress,” Jenny made her best attempt at a curtsy, which seemed to amuse the Empress greatly.
“Humans are most intriguing!” she laughed, “Well, farewell, Jenny. However, I must warn you, before I leave, that the task you and your friends must undertake will not be an easy one. You must be prepared, for we are all relying on you. There is no other option.” The Empress saw that Jenny was looking worried. “You needn't worry so much; you will have us to guide you and protect you. It will be difficult, but by no means impossible. Good luck, Jenny!” And with those final words, the Empress disappeared, shrinking into a tiny speck of pink light before finally vanishing.
“Wait! What are you talking about?” Jenny called after her. But it was no use; the Empress had gone, and now Jenny's dream was dissolving into blackness around her. She found herself once more in Alice's room, the old Mickey Mouse clock now reading two fifteen.

Despite thinking she could never fall asleep again after such a dream, the weight of tiredness was wearing Jenny down, and it wasn't long until she was dreaming peacefully again, this time with no interruption.

Description
Chapter Four - Dreaming

When she opened her eyes, Jenny found herself lying on the sofa in Marco's living room. She wondered briefly how she had got there, eventually recalling that she had fallen out of the tree, but not why. She was good a climbing trees, albeit not as good as Marco, so why had she fallen out? Her internal questioning was interrupted when Kathy noticed she was awake.
“Oh, thank goodness you're awake, Jenny!” She hurried over from the window she'd been cleaning, knocking her bottle of cleaning spray off the window ledge.
“Where's Marco?” Jenny murmured sleepily.
“He's clearing the tea things away – don't worry, I've saved you some. It's quite late, you know. You were asleep for a while.”
“Ah...” Jenny glanced towards the window where the sun was dipping lower in the sky, touching the tops of the trees.
“Don't worry,” Kathy assured her, “We're just glad you're all right!” Marco appeared in the doorway.
“Jenny!” he sighed, “You're OK!”
“Yes,” said Kathy, “Now keep quiet. The girl just fell out of a tree. She needs some rest.”
“I'm fine,” Jenny protested weakly. Kathy took no notice.
“Go on Marco, go and get your homework done.”
“I've finished it.”
“Well surely there's something to be getting on with.” When Marco didn't move, Kathy looked at him sternly. “Marco, Jenny needs to be left alone. Go and make yourself useful.” Marco reluctantly slunk out of the room, leaving Jenny and Kathy alone.
“Right,” said Kathy, “I'll get you your tea – we've had soup tonight: home made of course. That'll make you feel better.”
“Oooh, what kind of soup?” Jenny sat up slowly, feeling a little dizzy.
“Tomato soup,” Kathy replied, “I was going to do chicken, but Marco doesn't eat chicken. Or any meat for that matter. Sometimes it limits my cooking options...”
“I like tomato soup.”
“I'll go and fetch it for you.” Kathy bustled out of the room to fetch the soup, leaving Jenny a short moment to herself. It was soon interrupted.

“You fell out of a tree.” It wasn't a question; it was a statement of exasperation. Ophelia had appeared on the coffee table next to the couch where Jenny sat.
“Yup,” said Jenny, not bothered by Ophelia's sarcastic comment, “Herpa derp derp.”
“This is what happens when I leave you alone for an hour?”
“This is what happens when anyone leaves me alone for an hour.” Jenny waved her hand dismissively. “It's not a big deal. Really.” Ophelia sighed.
“I've got my hands full then,” she muttered.
“Yeah, kind of,” Jenny admitted.
“Who are you talking to?” Alice had appeared in the doorway, still clutching her makeshift Clow cards..
“Oh, uh, nobody.” Jenny shifted uncomfortably. “I was just... wondering what would be on Cardcaptors tomorrow.”
“Yay!” cried Alice, “I can't wait for tomorrow's episode!” Alice then launched into a long monologue on the subject of Cardcaptors until Kathy came to drag Alice away to have her bath and bring Jenny's tomato soup.
“Mmm, it smells great!” Jenny took the spoon eagerly as Kathy placed the tray on her lap. She'd have to be careful not to spill anything. “Thanks you!”
“Careful,” Kathy warned, “It's hot.” She then noticed Alice hanging around in the doorway. “Alice! Bath! Now!”
“Ugh, do I have to?” Alice complained.
“If you don't go,” warned Kathy, “You can't watch Cardcaptors tomorrow.” Alice was upstairs in seconds. “That works,” mused Kathy, “I'm going to go help Alice with her bath now.” Jenny nodded, unable to speak with a mouthful of soup. After Kathy had left, Jenny searched the room for Ophelia, eventually discovering her hovering by the window.
“Hey, Ophelia!” Jenny kept her voice quite low, but Ophelia managed to hear her anyway.
“What?” she hissed, looking annoyed. Jenny regretted saying anything, hoping she hadn't interrupted any important thinking.
“I was just curious...” Jenny began, wondering if she ought to give up.
“What?” Ophelia repeated, glaring across the room.
“Could you tell me more about fairies?” Jenny couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.
“Like what?” snapped Ophelia, turning away from the window.
“Well, just... anything really. Like why you have different sized wings. Is that just random or-”
“Wing size corresponds to your position in society,” Ophelia explained, sounding bored, “It doesn't mean as much as it used to; it's more of a formality now. It also corresponds to colour: it goes red to purple from lowest to highest, and red wings are the smallest, purple the largest.”
“So.. does the Empress have purple wings?”
“No, the Empress has pink wings. She is the only one who does.”
“And are they the biggest wings?”
“They can change size depending on the occasion.” Ophelia was obviously tiring of the topic, and her sharp tone of voice indicated to Jenny that to ask many more questions would not be a good idea.
“Interesting,” she murmured, spooning the last of the soup into her mouth. She knew she should stop now, but she had one more question. “Will we meet the Empress?”
“That,” said Ophelia coldly, “Is up to her. And I'm not answering any more of your questions.” Ophelia glared. “The sooner you go to bed, the better. Then I won't have to stay here...”
“It's only half past seven,” muttered Jenny, picking up her plate to carry it into the kitchen, “And what's wrong with here?” Ophelia didn't answer, turning back to stare at the window again. “Suit yourself,” shrugged Jenny, making a swift exit to avoid any further snarky comments.

On her way to the kitchen, she bumped into Marco.
“Oh, hey there Jenny.” He smiled. “You look better now.”
“Put it down to Kathy's tomato soup,” laughed Jenny, “It's yummy.”
“You can't resist the power of the tomato soup,” Marco agreed, grinning, “Do you want to watch Doctor Who? I recorded last Saturday's episode.”
“Yeah! Doctor Who!” Jenny jumped up and down joyfully.
“Come on then, we'll have to get to the telly before Alice, or she'll want to watch that awful Barbie film.”

After Doctor Who and a couple of episodes of Phineas and Ferb, Kathy made Marco and Jenny go up and get ready for bed.
“Your pyjamas are in Marco's room,” Kathy told Jenny, “You can take them in the bathroom to get changed.”
“Thank you Kathy. Hey Marco! I challenge you to a getting changed race!”
“You're on.” The two friends raced up the stairs.
“No running in the house!” Kathy called after them. They took no notice, eager to start the getting changed race, which Marco won, rather unsurprisingly. Jenny was clumsy and tended to misplace things; she'd lost one of her socks, which she eventually found in the bathtub of all places. All too soon it was time for bed, and Jenny had to creep into Alice's room, taking care not to wake the sleeping girl sprawled across the bed, and find her way to the camp bed where she would sleep that night.
“Night Jenny,” called Marco from the doorway, “Oh, and by the way?”
“Yeah?”
“Happy birthday.”
“Thanks Marco.” After Marco had left, Jenny wrapped herself in the spare duvet, which wore a cover, no doubt one of Alice's, patterned with My Little Pony. As she lay there in the darkness of Alice's bedroom, she replayed the events of the day in her mind. Within minutes she was asleep.

That night she dreamed the same dream she had dreamed the night before, about the colossal wave that threatened to obliterate her. This time, however, just before the wave hit her, it fell back into the sea. Confused, Jenny looked behind her, noticing how everything was now lit with pink light. Standing behind her was a fairy, but not a small one like Ophelia. This fairy was slightly taller than Jenny herself, with curly red hair and pink eyes that matched the magnificent wings unfolding from her back, reaching far above the fairy's head. Embedded in her tangle of hair rested a golden crown. From what Ophelia had told her during that day, Jenny knew that there was only one fairy who could be the one standing before her on the beach. This was the fairy Empress.

“Hello there!” The Empress smiled widely. “You must be Jenny! I am Empress Lia Maria Nina Olivia Pia Quinena Rhea Saria Tia Una Viola Welma Yolanda Zarina Aradia Bella Carla Dora Emilia Fionna Gianna Helena Isla Jonina Kiara, last of the L Line. But that's a bit of a tongue twister – I can barely remember it myself! No, you may just call me Empress. Aren't you all so lucky, you and your friends, to have such simple names!” Jenny did not answer, although she felt she ought to say something. She had no idea what to say.
“Uh, hello Empress. Um, I'm confused. What's... happening?”
“Oh, you mean here?” The Empress gestured around her to the rest of the beach, “This is your dream, Jenny. Entering people's dreams is one of the powers you gain by becoming Empress – is that not amazing?”
“So this is just a dream, Your Highness?”
“That is true, but do not let that confuse you – this conversation is real enough except for the fact that it is taking place inside your head.”
“Wow,” Jenny breathed, “You're in my dream!”
“Yes,” the Empress replied, “Yes I am. It is quite a pleasant dream too.”
“Except for that wave,” Jenny shuddered, “I'm glad you got rid of it, Empress. Thank you.”
“It would not have caused you any harm,” reasoned the Empress, “But it would have woken you up, which would render my job impossible!” The Empress laughed. “At least, until you fell asleep again.”
“This is weird,” Jenny mused, “But also kind of cool.”
“I hear that rather a lot. Your friend Lewis was rather... amusing about it.”
“You've been in Lewis's dreams?”
“Yes, and Marco and Sandy's as well. You were the only one I had yet to visit. And here I am.”
“Wow,” said Jenny, although she was sure she had already said that, “I've never met an Empress before, let alone a fairy one.”
“And I have never met a Jenny before,” smiled the Empress, “And I must say, it has been a pleasure.”
“Well, thank you,” said Jenny lamely, running out of things to say. She still couldn't believe that she was meeting a fairy Empress who could enter people's dreams, when just two days ago she'd never have believed that fairies even existed. After all, the only person at her school that believed in fairies had been Alfie, and nobody wanted to be like Alfie.
“As I mentioned, it has been a pleasure.” The Empress smiled again; she seemed in a good mood. “But now I must leave – there is so much to be done! It's very exciting! But also rather worrying sometimes...” Jenny was about to ask what the problem was, but it was probably none of her business, so she decided to leave it.
“Goodbye, Empress,” Jenny made her best attempt at a curtsy, which seemed to amuse the Empress greatly.
“Humans are most intriguing!” she laughed, “Well, farewell, Jenny. However, I must warn you, before I leave, that the task you and your friends must undertake will not be an easy one. You must be prepared, for we are all relying on you. There is no other option.” The Empress saw that Jenny was looking worried. “You needn't worry so much; you will have us to guide you and protect you. It will be difficult, but by no means impossible. Good luck, Jenny!” And with those final words, the Empress disappeared, shrinking into a tiny speck of pink light before finally vanishing.
“Wait! What are you talking about?” Jenny called after her. But it was no use; the Empress had gone, and now Jenny's dream was dissolving into blackness around her. She found herself once more in Alice's room, the old Mickey Mouse clock now reading two fifteen.

Despite thinking she could never fall asleep again after such a dream, the weight of tiredness was wearing Jenny down, and it wasn't long until she was dreaming peacefully again, this time with no interruption.