NES

INTRODUCTION

In this episode of a favorite child story, the one that never ends, Our young adventurer travels through a land parallel to that which we have grown comfortable. She goes in search of a solution for her her own troubles and in the attempt at saving what can be saved from a future void of existence for the characters of a fantasy world.

TYREAN PUT HER BOOKS AWAY after leaving the cafeteria's heated discussion with other girls, her classmates who were all in glee club and on the cheerleaders squad. She was repeatedly reminded of her upcoming tryouts by more than half the girls dining on today's lunch hur. As she removed her gym bag from the locker and proceeded down the hall toward the tryouts area, she was half thinking of her prepared cheer and half thinking about next weeks science test. Other girls around her in the girl's locker room hurriedly toss off their day's decor and tear into the preordered gym outfit allocated by the school. To be a member of the cheerleading squad was one of the highest honors of peer society at Wenona Day School. Even in fifth grade, the sports teams received high rating not only for their performance during a game; but also for the motivation presented by the cheer section and class support. As the girls poured through their practiced stunts and rhymes, Tyrean sat against the wall in anticipation of her turn. Two tryouts before her name would be called, she stood to warm her muscles. "Carla Jean," take center stage, please; and perform your cheer," the instructor called one person to the stage. Tyrean peeked from behind the heavy drapes now to watch her competition. The girls seemed to glide through the three minute routine without a second thought. "That's pretty good, hmmm." "Tyrean..." her own name pulled her from the shadows of the backstage area. Her own was the last in line of twelve girls all trying for the new vacancies on the cheer and pompom squads. Centering herself on the stage, Tyrean started her routine. A quick shimmy to each side then a lunging leap to either side, she was doing fine. Then a repeat of the same steps backed by different words caught her mid tongue in pronunciation and enunciation. Her feet blocked her action and she was history. "Can I do it again?" she called out to the instructor. She had lost her sequencing in spite of all her practice and current concentration. As she looked up and about for the instructor's merciful face, she noticed the audience of parents and other hopefuls who were watching her demonstrate. Her own father was in the audience in company of a friend he had cajoled into attending his daughter's first tryouts. "It's just the preliminary, they get the real thing in another week, but this seems to be important to her... come along with me and we'll get a bite to eat afterward." They had arrived some time during the earlier trials. Tyrean shrunk back that much further after realizing her father had seen her fumble. "Tyrean, that's okay... you will have to perform a group cheer with three other girls this tryout as well." Then to all the attendees, "Okay, split into groups of four for group cheers." This is where you'll demonstrate cooperation and team effort... five minutes 'til start." The girls assembled into pre selected groups. Each was scheduled to do a unison cheer and stack routine. Five minutes later Mrs. Botkie called the first group. "Okay girls, group one." Four girls whirled out into the floor in somersaults and began a routine of leaps that ended in a three level stack. "Okay, ... group two." Four more girls tipped onto the stage and into a bouncing arm flinging routine that landed them in an interlocked circle of arms with heads flung back to face their viewers. Group three concluded a "switching cups routine" full of loud yells and flopping legs with a three girl based stack. The fourth opened with a twirling entrance that staggered each girl in her stopped position then after a series of leaps and yells, they also went into a stack of three base with one standing on top. Each routine went smoothly. Finals would depend upon individual presentations after the weekend. Tyrean was embarrassed about the stumble she had made on her single and that much more nervous about making good on the finals. "Butterflies can kill y, huh?" her father approached the stage to signal his presence. Smiling, he whispered another line to her, "Let's go to lunch."

That evening, after dinner, she asked his permission to spend the weekend at her grandfather's home. Study for her science test and the pressure of performing for the squad well deserved a timely escape to the bookshop. The book shop was one her father had lived his childhood fantasies through. Because of that, his father purchased the building from an old Mr. Coriander, reconditioned a section as a loft and restored the bookshop. After pouring over several old and new books on the shelves and tables throughout her grandfather's store, Tyrean soon tired of the hunt for a good book to read. "What would you suggest?"she asked him, "What do you like to read, or better yet... what are your interests today" There are many good books... rarely any bad books and most have plenty to say," her grandfather stopped talking long enough to take in the view of his grand daughter's face of expressions. Tyrean looked at him and smiled. He was his usual complexed self. He never answered a question directly. Mr Faadi tapped his meerschaum pipe to the corner of his mouth before he spoke again. "This book you brought with you, what is that?" She ollked at the binding on her text book. "Oh, this is just my science book. I have a test on Monday, a test on the elements." Hr grandfather returned, "And everything is of the elements, aren't they? This world and everything init revolve around the condition of the elements. If the elements disappear... depending upon which one is missing, it could mean all life disappears." She looked at him, then back to her science book. It hadn't seemed so final until now. He continued, "What do you breathe my dear?" ... and what do you drink? ...eat? What are you standing on? And what are you made of? You don't have to think very hard or look very far to know that the elements are all around you... The very substance of you life." He pulled a large leatherette bound book from behind his back. He had been re arranging older books on the high shelves. Try this book... if you can stand it. It's no more complex than the one you have with you. Try this one." He turned back to his work. Tyrean went back through the hall to his residential quarters at the other end of the building. The light of day was beginning to fail, but Faadi was dedicated to his books, he rarely closed shop at any given hour. She contented herself with the good book and a mug of hot tea. He had stoked up a fire in the fireplace earlier and by now the entire den of his loft was cozy warm. With tea in hand, she placed her school books on the hearth and planted herself in front of the fireplace to begin a new adventure. Sprawled there in front of the fire, by the light of the arched brass lamp, Tyrean stumbles into the first chapter of the thick leather book. The shadows cast back upon her face from the skittering flames threw animated expressions upon her features making her a viable character by any observer's glance. She read along placing herself in the story before her. The child princess... no longer a child or appearing as such, seemed to beckon from within her ivory tower as before. In every incident of danger, the princess called out to those who would listen. She called now. Called out to the girl with the glowering face. Called her into the never ending tale of FANTASIA. This time, as always, there was a tremor in her voice. A tremor which relayed near doom of a society. Just then, the fire in the fireplace died out. As Tyrean worked to rekindle the warming flames, she wondered what new trauma had befallen the fantasy world and the princess who lived inside.

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