Chapter One~~~

The accounts of how Archimi, Bone, and Sejka met.

Archimi Tetsuya sat on the wwoden floor of the the Sikano Dojo, listening to her master explain a complicated sword technique.  "Are you paying attention, Arch?"  Yume said.  "You must feel the flow of the worlds energy, it's very life force flow through you.  Let itenter your sword and control it's path.  Control your movements, your very mind,

and--"  Yume swung her sword at a practice dummy, and a ray of green light shot out of her sword, causing the dummy to explode.

Arch stood up.  "That was amazing, Master Yume!!!"

Yume sat down, exhausted.  "Tis' very foolish to use this technique more then once.  It is very draining of your energy.  Especially on an old woman such as myself.  Do you think you could do this?"

"No."  Arch said.  "Way to awesome.  And besides.  Daddy wants me home in a few minutes."

"I thought he was visiting a friend?"

"He is."  she said.  "But he doesn't want me to stay the the dojo too late.  He says I need my sleep."

Yume nodded.  "Yes.  You are young.  Seven years old.  But...he left you by yourself?"

Arch nodded

Yume shook her head.  "Ryo is so irresponsible.  Tis' not right to leave a child by herself.  Archimi.  I would like you to stay with me until your parents come home.  All right?  Tyrus and Eirena live by me."

"Okay!  First I wanna get some of my stuff."

"Alright.  I shall walk with you."

Arch and Yume walked through Peak Town.  Yume was being strangely quiet.  She glanced at Arch.  "Why didn't you put that training sword with all the others?"

"Hmm?  Oh.  I dunno.  Well, I AM going to new territory.  I must be prepared for anything."

"Right."  She paused.  Should I tell her this?  It could put her in danger.  But the sooner she knows, the better off she'll be...  "Arch.  Have you heard rumors of time travel?"

"Yup!  The kids in Ski School talk about it all the time!"

"Well, do you believe them?"

"Yup!  They said they've been to another world!"

"Well, they're right.  Time and space travel is possible."

"How?"

"The same way the technique I showed you.  Except you connect the energy of this world, with the time or place you want to be.  The further you go, the more of your life force it drains.  Therefore, it would be wiser to go with a friend.  The common term being "Partner"."

"Do you have a partner?"

"...I did.  He was my husband, Kyon.  We came here on our honeymoon.  We loved it here, so we decided to stay.  About ten years ago, he went 500 years into the past. He wanted to get me an aniversary present.  But, in doing so, he drained all his life.  In other words, he is dead."

Arch didn't say anything.

"Do not be upset, Miss Tetsuya.  Everyone has their time.  My husband may have died foolishly, but I love him for it.  Kyon has always been so sweet.  Now I know he is with the Creator.  That thought sends joy to the very depths of my soul.  Ah, we are here."  Yume and Arch stopped at a huge, old mansion.  The mansion was creaky, and by many was thought as haunted.  All who thought that, were correct.

Arch ran in the house to get her things.  She ran out with a bright green backpack stuffed full of ...stuff.

"What'd you get?"

"Uhm..."  Arch said.  "I got clothes, some colored pencils, and a squash."

"...I have food at my house you know."

"Yeah, I know.  I brought the squash just in case you're a bad cook."

Yume sighed.  "...Alright, then.  Let us go."
"Okay!"

She's so naiive...

Yume and Arch walked through the bustling Peak Town.  Ten minutes later, they arrivd at the Mountain Pass, also know as the Ice Path.  Arch clung to Yume.  "We're going though here?"

Yume nodded.

"But, I'm scared!"

Yume chuckled.  She grabed Arch's hand and led her through the pass.

The walls were frozen, covered in ice.  It was very cold.  For once, Arch could see her breath.  She stopped, zipped up her jacket, tightened her scarf, and continued walking with her master.  About twenty minutes later, then exited the pass and came out on the other side of Mt. Endeavor.  Arch looked around.  She saw a bunch of tents, only a few small houses.  However, the place felt different from Peak Town.  Was it more lively?  Magical?  Enchanted?  She couldn't put her finger on it.

Yume smiled.  "This is where I live.  Would you like to meet my friend Dirigo?"

"Sure." 

"Alright then.  Follow me."  Yume led Arch to a small tent.  She pulled the child through the flap.

Arch gasped at what she saw.  On the outside, the tent looked old, beat, and rugged.  One the inside, it was amazing.  The walls were made of Yilc Stone.  Everything was luxurious.  The inside was bigger than the outside.  "Woah..."

"And thus, the blessing of Sejka."  A man walked into the room.  But he didn't seem normal.  He grinned, showing sharp, shark-like teeth.

Arch stared at him.  "What...?"

The creature smiled.  "My name is Dirigo.  I am a Fary.  The same as you...except this sharp mutation. And my miniscule size..."

Yume shook her head.  "Such a pessimist...You're five feet tall.  You could be much shorter.  And you are quite blessed."

Dirigo nodded.  "And who is your little friend?"

"This is Arch.  Midnight and Ryo's daughter."

"Ah.  Arch.  A pleasure to meet you."  He bowed.

Arch bobbed her head.

"Arch. Why don't we head to my house?  It's nine.  You need to sleep."

Arch yawned.  "Okay."

Yume took Arch to her house, where they both fell asleep without any problem.

Arch woke up at eight the next morning, only to hear someone yelling.  "Hey!  HEEEEEEY!!!  YUME!!!  HAY!!!"

"WHAT?!"  It was Yume's voice.

"You said Arch was gonna be here!  Where is she?!"

"Sleeping!!!  Go AWAY, Tyrus!!!"

Arch sat up, still in her clothes from the day before.  She got dressed in a red long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.  She tightened her black scarf around her neck and put her jacket on.  She said "Hi!" to her master as she ran by and bumped into Tyrus, who was standing right next to the tent's exit. 

"THERE you are!  God, you're slow!  Me and Eirena have been waiting FOREVER!"

Eirena ran up to the two.  "EEEEEEEEEE!!!!  Hi Arch and Tyrus!"

"SHUT UP!!!"  Yume yelled from inside the tent.  "I'm old!  I need my sleep!"

Arch giggled.  "Okay.  Let's leave Master Yume alone."

As they were walking away from the tent, Tyrus turned to Arch.  "Why do ya' call her 'Master' Yume?"

"Cuz' she's my master!"

"...Did your mom tell you to say that?"

"No!"  Arch put her hands on her hips and glared at Tyrus.  "I mean it!  I respect her and-- Ooh!!  What's the that?!"  She pointed to an old stone structure to their right.

"That's the Temple of Eternity.  Rumor says it's been around sice the beginning of time.  People say it's haunted though."

"Ooh!  Let's go in there!  I wanna expore!"  Arch said.

"No!"  Tyrus said.  "It's scary!  There are ghosts in there!"

Arch showed Tyrus Yume's bamboo sword she took from the dojo.  "Don't worry.  I'll protect you."

"But it's a STICK!!!  That can't protect us from ghosts!"

"Fine.  You can stay out here.  C'mo--"

"Hey!  I didn't say I wasn't gonna go!  But if I see a ghost, we're leaving!"

"Okay!"  Eirena said.  "Let's go now! La la la la la la la la!"  Eirena skipped into the temple.  Tyrus and Arch followed from behind.

The temple was dark.  There were very few paths.  It had some sort of feeling.  As if it were enchanted.  The path was very narrow.  Or so it seemed to be.  Tyrus shuddered in the darkness.  "This is creepy.  I don't like it here.  Let's go back!"

"No!"  Arch yelled, a little suprised her voice echoed of the walls.

"HI ARCH AND TYRUS!!!"  Eirena yelled.

Arch laughed.  "HI EIRENA!!!"

"Stop!!"  Tyrus yelled, unintentionally.  He laughed.  "OR I KILL YOU!"  He paused.  "Hey~!"

"NO!"  Arch shrieked.  "HEY GHOSTS!  COME EAT US!!!  I DARE YOU!!!"  She did a crazy dance, flailing her arms all over the place.

Eirena laughed so hard no noise came out.

Tyrus shook his head.  "Arch!  Don't!  I don't want--"

"WHO DARES ENTER MY HOME?!"  a voice bellowed.

"WAH!!  I'm gonna tell Yume!" Tyrus ran out of the temple.

Eirena stepped back.  "Don't EAT us!"

"Hi!"  Arch yelled.  "I'm Arch!  And this is my friend Eirena!  I think my friend Tyrus is going to get my master!"

"...Yume is your master?"  a large white and purple head suddenly appeared in front of Arch, staring directly into her hazel eyes.

"Yup!  Who're you?"

"My name is Sejka.  I am known as the Infinate Dragon.  If you are an apprentice of Yume Sikano, then perhaps you can help me.  Arch, follow me.  And Eirena, I would much appreciate it if you went and told Yume and Dirigo of Arch's whereabouts, and that she is with me."

"Uhm...Okay!"  Eirena smiled at the dragon.  "Bye Arch!  Bye creepy dragon thing!"  She ran back out of the temple, careful to stay on the path.

Sejka gave a little snort.  "Come with me, Archimi."  The dragon shrunk down to the same size as Arch.  This time, however, the dragon stood on two legs.

"How do you do that?"  Arch asked the dragon as they walked down the ancient path.

"I generate my life force to make myself appear smaller."

"Oh!  So once I get stronger, I can do that?"

"No.  My life force is ancient.  Sadly, you will never live to be as old as me.  But that is beside the point.  Look now, we're here!"  Sejka moved her arm to show Arch a pedastal where a milk-white stone sat.  By the altar was a boy who seemed only a little older then Arch.  But someting was weird about the boy.  He had a strange aura about him.  A lot like Dirigo's... 

Arch eyed him suspiciously.  "Is he...a Fary?"

Sejka bobbed her head.  "Yes.  Take that stone there and hold it over the Fary."

Arch nodded and picked up the stone.  It was warm, as if it were alive.  It startedto glow a faint purple color and got stronger and stronger.  After a few seconds, it was a dark purple, almost black even.

"Hold it over the Fary."  Sejka instructed.

Arch did so, and the purple glow transferred from the stone to the Fary.  The glow faded, and the stone was a lighter purple.  The Fary's eyes fluttered open.  His blue eyes seemed stared into her very soul.  "Hi.  Who're you?"  He sat up.  "I'm Bone."  "I'm Arch!"

"Nice to meet you Arch.  Do you know where I live?"

"No..."

"Arch,"  Sejka said.  "Take him to meet Dirigo and Yume."

"Okay!  C'mon, Bone!"

"M'kay!  What?  Wait!"

"What?!"

"Why should I go with you?!"

Arch leaned toward his face.  "It's your civil duty."

"...Okay!"

Arch and Bone ran out of the temple, as if they had known each other for years. 

Author's Note

I was inspired to write this story by Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky. And Arch's full name is pronounced Arch-ih-may.

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[Master Gargoyle]

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