Disclaimer: I don't own Azure Dreams. If owned the rights to Azure Dreams, I'd be really happy.



Great Dreams

by Jon Cook



Sounds of feet hitting the smoothed cobblestone streets of Monsbaiya was all the could be heard during the unusually cool night. The pace was rapid, as if the person was running. The sounds came to an abrupt stop when the maker reached their destination.

"KOH! KOH! Please let me in! KOH!" was the decidedly feminine voice that was now pounding on Koh's front door.

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Koh, now 25, was up late that night, no particular reason, just couldn't sleep. He was remembering his mother, who passed away, just over 8 months ago. Wreath's last words to him were to take care of Weedy for her. Koh was hit hard by his mother's death, but Weedy was hit the hardest. She just sat there, crying silently. Koh sat there holding her hand, sitting there stoically. Nico sat on Koh's other side. She had often thought of Wreath as her mother, having lost her own since before she could remember. All the other girls were there; Selfi, Mia, Cherryl, Fur, Patty, and Vivian.

After the funeral, Koh told his sister that their mother wouldn't want them to be sad and that seemed to perk Weedy's spirit's up a bit. After Weedy went to bed, Nico started to bawl her eyes out. Koh held her and gave her a shoulder to cry on. When her tears subsided, Koh walked her home and bade her good-night. When Koh arrived home he changed out of his mourning clothes, and into his sleep wear. He checked around the house to make sure that everything was sound, before crying even harder than Nico. Koh was only as strong as he needed to be for those he cared about. It may have been only 8 years, but it still hurt deeply.

Koh was knocked out of his reverie by the pounding on the door.

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Koh opened the door only to be swamped by a mass of dark blue hair with a body attached. He could only blink at her as she started to stammer.

"Kohoyugottahelpme!Ghoshfinallylosthismind!Hewasdrinkingandhestartedhittingm e...and...and..." was all she got out before sobbing uncontrollably.

"S.Selfi." was all Koh said before he closed the door and led her to a seat. "Selphi, what were you saying?" asked Koh.

He could hardly hear what Sefie was saying, she was crying so bad.

"Shhhhh, Selfie. Just cry, let it all out." he said soothingly. She wrapped her arms around himand sobbed into his chest for a good hour. When her tears had subsided, Koh spoke again. "Are you finished crying?" Selfi nodded her head in the affirmative. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Well, before I came here, I was thinking about you a lot, and when I think about you, I kinda think out loud. Ghosh was drunk when he heard me thinking out loud, so he came into my room and he started to beat me," Selfi let out a few more tears at this point. "He had been beating me for a while before I grabbed a chair and clubbed him with it. After that, I ran here."

At was then that Koh got a good look at Selfi. She had the beginnings of a really bad black eye, severe welts on her cheeks, and large bruises along her neck. "Dear God. What did he do to you?" was all Koh could say.

"Ghosh just got angry." Selfi said, starting to tear a little bit.

"Sefi, why don't I show you the bath and you can take a long, hot bath."

"I-I'd like that." she said. Koh stood up and took her by the hand to the bath. Selfi stood there marveling at the exotic bath. "Wow, this is huge."

"I think it's a bit much, personally, but it is very nice. Wait here, I'll find you something to wear when you get out." he said before he left. When Koh left the bath, Selfi undressed and immersed herself in the steaming water. She left her hair out of the water, since it weighed a ton when wet and took forever to dry. The bath was very relaxing. Selfi was tempted to stay in there all night. She was so relaxed that by the time Koh came back, she was almost asleep.

"Selfi, are you in there?" was all it took to bring her back from near-sleep, to full consiousness.

"Yes, Koh. I'm in here. Your bath is wonderful."

"Thank you. I couldn't find any women's clothing, so I brought you a large t-shirt and a pair of shorts for when you're ready to come out."

"Okay. I'm ready to come out now." called Selfi. She rose out of the water and removed herself from the tub. The towels in the bath were very soft and absorbent. Selfi looked for the clothes, only to find them folded in a neat pile near the door. The t-shirt was white and the shorts were grey. Selfi put on the clothes and emerged from the bathroom, feeling like a new woman. "Thank you for letting me use your bath. I'm feeling a lot better." she said to Koh.

"You don't have to thank me, Selfi. You're my friend. I was glad to help." Koh said in his usual, self-depreciating manner.

"Well, thank you anyway." she replied.

"Are you hungry?" Koh asked.

"No, I'm not hungry"

"Okay. I'll show you where you can sleep tonight." he said, leading her to the bedrooms. He led her to a medium-sized bedroom. It was a rather plain room, with not much more decoration than the 'Peaceful'-style wallpaper he bought from Fur a while back. "I'm sorry, but it's a little bare. I don't really use this room much, I only have it like this, you know, just in case."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine. This is your house, and I'm a guest." she replied.

"I know, I wish I could offer you better. Well, um, goodnight Selfi." Koh said before turning to go to his own room.

"Wait, Koh." was all Selfi said before getting Koh in a hug. He was surprised for a moment before returning the hug. "Goodnight, Koh." she said before retreating to the room Koh gave her. Koh lingered outside her door for a moment, before turning and going the the monster hut.

Upon eraching the monster hut, Koh reached for his Death, Dragon, and Ashura. He took them out of their spots, and placed them into his pockets. Leaving the hut, Koh went to the main room of his house where he unloaded his monsters.

"Okay, listen, there's a man called Ghosh. He may try to break into the house tonight. If he tries, I want you to beat him up, and throw him out into the street." The Dragon grunted like he was unsure of something.

"No, I won't blame any of you if you break his arms and legs. I will, though, if you kill him. Do all of you understand?" They nodded, and in the case of the Ashura, it did what passed for nodding.

"Good. Now, I am off to bed." Koh stated before turning around and retreating to his bedroom.

Upon entering, Koh looked upon his room. His large bed with the mesh canopy, the tiger fur rug, the bookcase. It wasn't that Koh didn't appreciate what he had; it was that he didn't have anyone to share it with. Soon after his head hit the pillow, Koh was fast asleep.



Tell me what you think? Should I continue, or leave it like this?