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 Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 6:40 pm
Familiar Faces (2): As you walk around town, you start to notice that people seem different. Faces you used to remember have been swallowed by shadows; you may 'know' the person by a feeling, but their face is completely masked in deep black shadow. Their voice is unfamiliar, and it's clear to you that something is wrong, but no sense of logic can explain this. Shadows seem to be replacing people around you--associates, neighbors, maybe even friends or family members. Even if they act completely normal, you are left with an unsettling feeling. The shadow impostors seem to come and go and are always just convincing enough to pass for someone in your life. It’s hard to feel safe anymore. Maybe you’ve just come down with something – or maybe something from the shadows is just watching you.Dani was not having such a great day. She had woken up later than usual; had no time for morning training, without her parents finding out; all that they had in the house for breakfast was dried oatmeal. To make matters even worse, it seemed that she had come down with what her older brother called the Halloween Flu of Destiny City - Everyone around her seemed an enemy - a shadow, with no face. Their voices were like Dari's claws on a Chalk Board. Worse she had no one to lean one. Her brother Drew had taken Dari on vacation to rest, after his major battle - on Etamin: his Homeworld. Dria was on a College Trip. Any of their friends she wouldn't even know on sight, not even Rini. She just had to go through her day like usual like nothing was wrong. She didn't want to hurt Rini's feelings, but in her condition, would she even know Rini... so on the way to school that day, instead of stopping by Rini's parents' hotel, she just trudged on by. "I'm sorry Rini." She whispered.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 3:38 pm
 Rini had just woken up after falling asleep on her computer's keyboard last night. She had spent all night researching ways to make her best friend Dani smile. None of which in her opinion felt good enough. Even though she had a notebook full of ideas, none reached out to her.
As she let out a sigh she quickly checked the time on her computer and realized she was going to be late for school. Not only that but Dani had probably been waiting all this time.
She quickly ran to her closet, threw on her clothes, grabbed her backpack, and ran out her door as quickly as she could. She reached the steps and raced down them like lightning. As she reached the bottom she looked around the ground floor thinking she would see Dani, but yet she was nowhere to be found. Had things gotten worse than she expected? Was she out of time to make her smile?
Pulling out her phone she sent her a quick text asking where she was. Then right after that, she raced out the door of her family's hotel trying to figure out which way to go. "If I was Dani which way would I go," she thought as she looked around outside the door.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:05 pm
Dani's phone chimed. She wanted to cry for Rini was looking for her and looking out for her as a friend would. But today, Dani wouldn't do her bestie much good. She sent a text back. Rini,
I'm already almost to school. I apologize. Today, I'm not doing anyone much good. I have caught what Drew calls the 'Halloween Flu". If I see you, I will not know you. If I hear your voice, I will not know that it is you. I'm scared and alone - and all I see is shadows. I do not know friend from foe, not by sight nor by sound.
Drew said that it goes away in a few days at the most.... but most adults don't believe in it... so I must hide it. I am sorry.
Your bestie,
Dani[/i[
Dani was crying as she typed the message.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:37 pm
Rini looked for her friend but to no avail, she could not find her anywhere. That was when she heard her phone go off. As she read the message she was in disbelief. The Halloween flu? sounds insane and there was no way she was letting her go through this alone.
That was when she came up with an idea, a kinda childish idea but still an idea.
She quickly texted Dani back,
Dani
So sorry you're sick! That sounds awful, but don't worry I've got you covered. I'm going to be a little late for school. I have an idea though that might get you to at least know me. So hold tight I will be there soon, and you won't be stuck in the shadows for long if I can help it!
-Rini
After she sent that she rushed off in the direction of the stores nearby her family's hotel. Her first stop was close by and she would begin operation Make Dani Feel Better!
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:59 pm
Dani read Rini's next text and let out a sound of confusion. "What is she up to now?" She wondered with a small grin, that disappeared when she got to school and saw all the shadow kids and people. She wondered in. A (presumably) teacher asked in a voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard how she was feeling and where Rini was. She mumbled that she was kinda alright and that Rini would be along soon. (Hopefully, soon.) Dani wandered off towards her classroom, before the (presumable) teacher could ask her anymore questions. There were 10 minutes before the bell rang, so she sat on the bench outside the front door to wait for Rini.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 6:30 pm
Rini quickly arrived at the store and smiled at the shopkeeper as she entered. She quickly grabbed a wicker basket she saw up front that was super cute and a bright red ribbon that she tied on top. Next, she headed to the toy department first where she grabbed a cheetah cub stuffed animal. Then she grabbed some chocolate since she read on the internet chocolate is always a way to cheer someone up. She also filled the basket with some of Dani's favorite snacks. Then last but not least she headed up front and grabbed some of Dani's favorite food fresh Lasagna. This was the only shop in town that had fresh slices and had lots of odds and ends so she could make the perfect gift basket.
Her idea was that maybe if she had a basket of all of Dani's favorite things it would not only cheer her up a bit but also help her see who she was. Since what shadow face other than hers would know all this about her? She thought with a smile. She quickly texted Dani, I'll be there very soon!
She quickly had everything rung up and she arranged it neatly in the basket. As she paid the cashier with her debit card, the cashier tried to talk to her but she was too lost in thought. As soon as the transaction was finished she raced towards the schoolyard as quickly as she could. She was determined to make it before the bell. She had to! After all, Dani needed to smile and get over this weird flu somehow. Maybe her way would work at least she hoped it would.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 7:30 pm
Just minutes before the bell was to ring, another shadow ran through the school gate with a basket full of things and ignoring the teacher and student shadows. Leaena was surprised to see the shadow come straight to her and stop. She looked warily at the shadow, then stood up and looked in the basket and her jaw dropped. Her eyes went straight to the stuffed cheetah, and to the lasagna. And there were also chocolate and other things that she liked. In shock, she looked from the basket to the Shadow, and back, and finally started crying in joy with a smile. The shadow melted away and there was Rini. The other shadows remained though. "Rini! Thank you!" And Dani wrapped her arms around Rini in a big hug.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 7:53 pm
Hearing her name she smiled so brightly and wrapped her arms around Dani, "Yay! Dani, you can see me!" She saw her tears and realized they were tears of joy. She couldn't imagine how scary what she was going through with this flu was and she felt tears of joy roll down her face too.
She was just so happy that her idea had worked and her friend seemed to be a little bit happier than the message she wrote this morning.
"I'm so happy it worked - I was so worried about you," she said before continuing with a huge smile, "Now you're not alone and you have nothing to be scared of since I'm right here." As soon as she finished her words she heard the bell ring, welcoming all the students to school. As she looked at her friend she held out her hand and said, "shall we?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 7:59 pm
Dani started to but pulled her friend aside for a moment. "I realize now how strong a friend you are and that when I suffer you do also, and the same for you for me. So, you deserve to know what is going on with me." Dani then explained what had been going through her mind, ever since they had done some restoring of her planet, and she had seen the Mural.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 8:51 pm
Rini stopped and listened to what her friend had to say. She was glad to know her friend felt the same way she did, but hearing what was wrong she was a little concerned.
"I'm so sorry you've been going through all that by yourself, but thank you for telling me," she said really relieved she finally knew what was wrong with her friend. She knew she wasn't alright like she had said. As she thought about it she understood her concern, but she also knew how important she was to that planet. She also knew when she visited hers she expected to not fit in at first. After all, her's is land for mummies - the dead, and it is probably not very lively there.
"So I totally get it, I mean my planet is the land of the dead. So I'm definitely not going to fit in and it's probably not too lively there," she said with a little laugh before she continued, "but they just have different views on things. You know you can change their views to make them understand you. Being you is the best thing for that planet, without your help, it might cease to exist. So who are they to judge the person helping them, right?"
She really hoped her words didn't come off too strong but she wanted her friend to know there was nothing wrong with her. She didn't need to change who she was, she was great just being her!
Plus she saw all the people who helped her family remodel their hotel, every one of them came from a different background that she didn't understand but without them, the hotel wouldn't be half as beautiful as it was.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 8:58 pm
Dani smiled. Rini always knew what do say. "Come on, we're going to be late for class!"
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