Dreamland

White Flower eventually had her fill of jesting and flirting.

It might have taken them about fifteen minutes, but for me, it felt like hours. As we finally reached the area behind my house, she bid farewell to Matt.

He paused and gazed at the towering tree with a puzzled expression.

In the end, he quipped, "Don't tell me you're a woodland fairy living inside that...?"

She burst into hearty laughter. "Good one! You have no idea how close you are. Well, now I'm going to vanish! See you!"

He observed me, taken aback, but a smile of comprehension crossed his face as I retrieved my sports shoes from the hollow in the tree.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, then chuckled and waved as I began ascending the tree.

Once she returned control of my body to me, I swiftly climbed under his inquisitive gaze, with the other shoes hanging in a pouch on my belt. I had never climbed the tree that quickly before. I entered my room through the window and immediately rushed to the bathroom to wash my face and mouth:

"How could you kiss him?" I questioned, my anger evident.

She brushed off my criticism and offered her own complaint.

"Hey, you didn't wave to him from the window! I told you to wave to him! I owed those kisses to him!"

Seems like she wasn't pleased with me either.

I stood above the toilet, ready to puke.

"Bleeh!! Ugh!!"

She retorted, growing increasingly frustrated.

"What are you trying to say? Express yourself with words!"

Her response only fueled my irritation.

"I feel nauseous... You... you... you kissed him on purpose because you know how much I dislike him!! I'm going crazy here!! You don't owe him kisses; maybe thanks, but not kisses!! I feel violated! This is not your body!"

Instead of apologizing, she asserted her 'rights' even more.

"That's not true. I can kiss whoever I want!... and no, I didn't do it just to annoy you. I genuinely like him. What's not to like about him? He's gentle, kind..."

The conversation left me even more exhausted.

"While the warlock was trying to kill me, you were busy with flirting? Is that all that's on your mind?"

"He wasn't trying to kill you; he was trying to subdue you! Once he realized I wasn't an easy target, he left. You're physically too weak; that's the problem!"

"Subdue? This isn't Mephisto's world! What kind of abnormal behavior was that?"

"He was an orc warlock! What do you expect from them?"

"An orc warlock? This doesn't make sense! And you're still kissing Matt because of that?"

"Not just because of that! I like him, and he helped me. He was like a white knight in shining armor who saved me, not like your foolish friend. What's not to like about Matt?"

I sighed. She had some valid points, but I just couldn't stand Matthew.

I continued to wash my face. Maybe I should take a shower to clean myself up. Yes, a shower is a good idea!

"I dislike everything about him, the way he moves, the way he acts, the way he kisses, and even how he smells. He gives me goosebumps, but not in a good way!"

"True, he's not the best kisser, but what's wrong with the way he does it? He's gentle, warm, kind, and he's young; he can learn."

"He doesn't do anything. He just sticks his flat tongue in my mouth, hugs me like a bear, and then puts his hands everywhere. Ugh! Forget it, and don't kiss him again!"

She protested once more, "I'll kiss whomever I want whenever I want! At least he didn't run away like your so-called hero!"

I closed my eyes and let the shower water wash over my skin. I covered my face with my hands. How could I make her understand that she can't just kiss anyone she pleases? She should be kissing the ones I want!

"Joe didn't run away; he brought reinforcements, he called the police, which was a smart move, the right thing to do. You don't go fighting a crazy person that's armed with a knife, right?"

"I guess you're right; he must have been the idiot that called the police. By the way, it wasn't a knife but a bottle. And yes, leaving your girlfriend to fight the lunatic, hiding, and calling the police, meanwhile having a glass of wine, and then picking up what's left of your girlfriend from the floor. It was smart of him but not good for you; he left you behind. You might have been dead or worse, a warlock's toy..."

I sighed once more. Could I even become a warlock's toy? Is that really possible? Well, at least the shower felt good and soothing.

"A warlock's toy? Joe told you to come; why didn't you follow him?"

"He didn't say 'come'; he said 'run,' and I couldn't. The warlock was blocking the way, and how could I run when he was holding me by the hair? And after he saw that he had you, why didn't he come back to help you?"

"Risk his life because you were too stupid to follow his advice?"

"Stop it! You're being blind; you're talking nonsense!"

I'm arguing with my other self about boys, but is this all there is? Leaving emotions aside, I need to try to think logically about my situation.

The problem was the warlock. I can't see the forest for the trees.

How is it that he was a warlock? Why a warlock? A Mephi warlock with Mephi spells?! I knew I couldn't possibly be the only witch in the world; that much was clear to me, even if Flo thought she was unique. But I would have never expected to meet a Mephi game character.

How can I make sense of this? Is it a dream? Am I still dreaming? Even the logout could be part of the dream! Is this just a continuation of the dream I had inside?

No, no, no. It doesn't work like that. This world doesn't exist in the virtual world. I could possibly have such a dream, but it's much too detailed and long to be only a dream. A dream interface-supported story needs an environment.

Alright, it's not a dream.

Am I losing my mind? I mean, really losing it?

If I'm going crazy, sooner or later, I'll end up in a hospital, and I'm in no hurry to go there. Maybe some medication would help, but I won't go to a doctor until I'm convinced I'm crazy. I hate the idea of someone poking around in my brain with chemical experiments. But then Matt didn't call me crazy. He saw what I saw... unless I just imagined what he said. But then... Then I'm definitely lost.

So yes, I hope I'm not losing my mind, at least not to the point where I'm imagining everything.

Then what could it be? If I'm not going crazy and I'm not dreaming, then... I am, or rather, I became a witch, and I just met a guy who probably became a warlock.

How did this happen? What could have caused me to become a witch and him to become a warlock? Specifically, a Mephi warlock and a Mephi witch? This can't be a mere coincidence!

I believe the dream interface played a role.

Under the dream interface, I first incorporated Flo into me and probably triggered something that enabled me to cast the same spells in reality.

Genes might have played a role, or else everyone playing Mephi would become some bizarre character. But was it just random? I specifically wanted to incorporate that character into myself. What happened to him? How did he become a warlock?

Without that fight, I could have asked him gently. At least the warlock incident confirmed that I'm not the only one who gained these abilities. Why did he have to behave so aggressively? Could Flo be right with her orc warlock theory?

Well, the other trait that we had in common was Mephisto's game. The question becomes, why the Mephisto game? What sets this game apart? Is it mere coincidence, or is there something specific to the game that triggers these abilities? Could I gain such abilities from car driving simulations, extreme skiing, or a shooter game? Unlikely, right? Perhaps swift reflexes are the most I'd gain from those.

I can't draw conclusions from just two cases, but it seems the dream interface and the Mephi game might work together as a catalyst for learning how to materialize thoughts.

If there are two people, like me, who materialized Mephi characters so closely, then there must be more like us in the world. Let's see how this unfolds. I don't want to become a lab experiment. When people start examining you, you end up as a lab mouse.

Historically, witches haven't fared well once they're discovered. Even those falsely accused of witchcraft often suffered.

As I contemplated all of this, Flo asked for the lead once more, and soon, my face and hand appeared wounded and burned. Is this real? I stared at my altered reflection in the mirror, struggling to believe what I saw as she handed me back the lead.

"Almost forgot about your wounds!" she said with a grin.

Even though I should be getting used to this, every small spell she performs still astonishes me. It's difficult to accept, even when you witness it with your own eyes.

If we're on the verge of entering a new era where we can materialize our thoughts, there are bound to be numerous opportunities but also potential pitfalls and dangers. I recalled a story about the Krell and the forbidden planet that I had seen some time ago – a tale of a civilization millions of years older that ultimately destroyed itself when they learned to materialize their thoughts.

I stepped out of the bathroom and headed towards my room. I was about to enter when I heard some noise coming from Lola's room. It was like a repeated whining. My initial instinct was to ignore it and go to bed, as I was tired and desperately needed rest. But I hesitated and decided to stay, listening carefully. It was indeed whining, and someone was crying in there.

Then I heard voices – Clara and Lola were talking. I knew that the sisters often had their problems, but I couldn't help but eavesdrop. I was again contemplating going into my room when I heard Clara's angry voice:

"You've ruined us! The insurance won't pay because you were driving without me! Our parents will have to sell their house!"

Lola's voice responded, "But I have my driver's license!"

"It only becomes valid after you turn eighteen! You were supposed to wait for just two more weeks. Until then, you're only allowed to drive if there's someone with a valid driver's license accompanying you. That's me! How many times do I have to tell you?"

In a choked voice, Lola replied, "I want to die…"

Clara's tone shifted, "Oh, cut the nonsense!"

I retreated to my room, feeling a sense of panic. I had no idea about the driver's license requirement. I hurriedly checked the information online, and to my dismay, I found that Clara was right. The insurance was justified in refusing to pay the bill. I muttered a frustrated expletive under my breath.

Amid my growing frustration, I noticed an email in my inbox. The sender's address caught my attention – it was from Helenofdarkrealms.

"Another spam mail that passed through my spam filter?" I wondered. I almost deleted it when I remembered: this was the email address of Helen, the gamer girl!

I was about to open the email when Flo interjected, "Why don't you try to fix Lola's problem?"

"Fix Lola's problem? How can I do that?" I responded, puzzled.

My alter-ego seemed to have a solution for Lola's issue. "If you had that piece of paper in your pocket, that driver's license, she wouldn't have a problem, right?"

Reluctantly, I admitted, "Yes, that's true, but I don't have it."

Flo countered, "You could have it."

I snorted. Her statement irritated me. It was true; I could have it. But why was she reminding me of this? I hadn't done it yet.

"Yes, I could have it if I learned and took the test. I do plan to do it eventually, but I haven't done it yet," I explained to Flo, using all my remaining patience.

Flo persisted, "You're of the right age to get it. If you did, Lola wouldn't have any problems."

I let out a sigh, realizing that the conversation was going in circles, but as I started to know her, she must have been onto something. "What do you mean?"

Flo confidently responded, "I wouldn't be much of a fairy if I couldn't make a simple license, would I?"

I was skeptical. "Maybe you can create the physical license, but it's not that simple. For it to be valid, it needs to be recorded in the official database. Otherwise, it would be easily proven as a fake."

Flo remained undeterred. "I bet I can make a perfect one, and Lola will have no problems."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You'd probably just fry their computers, and I'd get into trouble. That's all you'd achieve."

Flo countered, "I've tested it with some mobile phones. If I'm careful, I won't fry them."

I was so shocked that I spoke out loud: "What? You've been messing with mobile phones again?"

I sighed. I hadn't even realized when she conducted that testing. That was a bit troubling. Her reply was not as straightforward as the rest.

"Alright, true, too much mana can fry them, but with careful and gentle mana infusions, one can examine them."

"Next time you decide to do something like this, please let me know beforehand. I don't appreciate you taking action without my awareness. How many did you accidentally fry?"

"It's possible that I may have fried one or two at that party," she admitted.

I sighed and rested my head in my palm. I hoped no one suspected me, but she needed to stop frying mobile phones. She continued, "I could even make some modifications. Take a look at your mobile phone!"

Panic gripped my heart. "If you've fried my mobile phone again, I'm gonna kill you!"

"You can't do that over a mobile phone, can you?" she retorted, a bit bewildered by my harsh answer.

I grabbed my mobile phone and checked it. "It's just a figure of speech; I don't mean it literally. Stop damaging mobile phones; people might connect it to me, and then I'm the one who'll be in trouble, understand?"

I had Matt's and Joe's numbers in my contacts, along with chat histories where they had both expressed their love for me. I sighed in relief. She hadn't fried my new phone this time, but she had still manipulated it, which was worrisome enough.

"You can tamper with my phone; that's fine, but Joe didn't send me this. He knows he didn't send it to me, and he can show me that it's not in his chat history. Each message has a record with the service provider, so it can be verified that it didn't come from them."

She answered victoriously, "True. I did it as a fun thing for you. I could have sent it from their phones, too, but I preferred not to. It was just a joke for you. What I want to say with this is that I am confident I can do good work for Lola."

I shrugged, realizing that arguing was getting me nowhere. "You can? Then go ahead and do it!"

Her answer was surprisingly well-considered.

"It doesn't work that way. I need your help. I need to learn where those records are and what all of that looks like. We don't have much time; if you want to give it a try, we need to do it now, during this night. Is Lola really your friend? Do you care for her? Do you want to try it? It's a way for me to pay for your help if you're interested."

I pondered the situation, watching the two love declarations on my mobile phone: "To stay in contact, here is my number: xxx. Love, Joe!" and "Love, Matt!"

With a sigh, I looked at myself in the mirror and muttered, "Fuck! We'll do it."