A/N: WELL, chapter 2 in one day! This is an improvement for me, for sure. XD It's still short, though.

The only thing I own is Arika-chan, nya...

Flames.

Dancing specks of fire here and there, spreading slowly.

I was afraid, I think.

I wanted my Mom, I think.

I cried, I know I did, as they reached my bed.

I...was screaming as they first touched me...it was hot.

It hurt.

I just kept thinking it would stop.

And...it did.

When...when the fire had surrounded me, I felt...kinda woozy.

Then, it all...stopped.

The pain, everything.

I think...I think I died that night.

–

Rima's eyes snapped open. She dreamed again. This time, however, it had a new student in it. Arika, she thought her name was? Anyway, it was just a dream.

At least it was a break from the usual death scene.

She turned to her mirror, and gasped.

She was crying tears of blood.

–

"Rima? Riiima. RIMA!" Amu waved her hands in front of Rima's face. Rima gazed up at Amu. Yes...that's right. Amu was at Rima's house for a sleep-over. But...was this but a dream, too? Rima was unable to tell whether this was reality, or not. After all, she had dreamed of dreaming of dreaming. She had dreamed of the strangest things.

"Can you pinch me, Amu?" she asked suddenly, sitting up. Amu looked startled.

"Uh...why?" she quietly asked, slowly pinching the girl.

Rima sighed, feeling the pain. "I thought I was stuck in a dream. Hah, maybe I still am."

Amu looked up at the ceiling. "Have you ever thought that you might just have dreamed your life? Or...that maybe you, yourself, are another person's dream? What if..."

Rima rolled her eyes. "You think too much, Amu. C'mon, let's get ready for school.

Amu nodded slowly, stretching as she suppressed a yawn. "This house has always smelled like smoke to me," she said suddenly. "But...here in your room it gets stronger."

"Smoke?" Rima rolled her eyes as she brushed through her long hair. "You smell too much, Amu."

Amu whacked Rima lightly, before the two friends headed out to school.

–

"QUIET, class!"

"Why should we?"

"Yeah!"

"Because I'm your teacher!"

Blah, blah, blah. Rima sighed as she listened to the ongoing argument between the class, and their teacher.

She looked over at Amu, who was happily conversing with Tadase about Amu's new relationship. Tadase and Amu HAD once gone out, however, Tadase soon broke up with her, commenting on how he could tell she loved Ikuto. Now they were nothing more than good friends.

Oh, and you must be wondering why no mention of charas. Well, they had gone into their eggs. Vanished. Poof. The guardians didn't know.

Rima turned to Nagihiko. "What are you writing?" she asked him, spotting the paper he was so focused on.

"Talking sheep."

"Ha, ha, ha. No, really. What is that?"

"A story about talking sheep."

Rima sighed, and snatched the paper from him, despite his several protests.

"Give that back, please, Rima-chan!" he whispered as Rima's eyes scanned the paper. "It's not done yet, and I don't like it when people read my unfinished work!

Rima cocked an eyebrow as she looked at him with a puzzled look. It WAS about talking sheep. "Sheep demons, Nagi? Really?"

Nagi blushed a little. "It...it was a gifted assignment, Rima-chan. We were each given a two word thing-a-ma-bober which we had to write a story about. I was lost for ideas. Now can I have my paper back?"

Rima shoved the paper back to him. "It was weird, but...good work so far."

Nagihiko smiled. "Thank you, Ri-"

"ATTENTION, CLASS!" the teacher bellowed. The students' heads snapped back over to him. He was SCARY when he yelled like this. "Um...we're having a transfer student today, so could you please give her a warm welcome?"

Rima sighed. "Yes!" she called out with the rest of the class.

"Alright, then, come on in, Farrow-san!" Rima's eyes widened. Farrow?! But...that was the girl in her...!!!

A girl strikingly similar to Arika walked into the room. "Hello, everybody! My name is Arika Farrows. I was raised in Canada, but came to live here. Please take care of me," she bowed.

Rima nudged Nagihiko. "Nagi, that girl...she...she was in my dream!" she spoke a little too loudly. Arika looked over.

"Y-you!" she gasped. "But...YOU were in MY dream! And...and..."

Rima stood up, walking towards the girl. "Who...who ARE you?" The girl smiled, winking.

"I'm just who I say I am. Arika. Now, I want to try something," she frowned, staring at Rima's hand as she stuck out her own.

Rima froze. "Deja vu, much?" she muttered, but she took the girl's hand. Arika relaxed.

"Oh, good!" she released her breath. "I thought that my dream might have been..." she gulped. "Real!"

Rima looked the smaller girl in the eyes. "I need to talk to you after class," she whispered, and went back to her seats.

"Uh...do you two know each other?" the confused teacher asked. Arika smiled brightly.

"Hmmm...I think...we've met each other before. In dreams, that is! Hey, teacher, can I sit next to Rima-chan?" Arika did the same face that had appeared in Rima's face the other dream. However, that was not what concerned Rima. The fact that this girl knew her NAME scared her more.

She opened her mouth to ask, however, the girl cut her off, smiling. "We've met in dreams, remember? I find I meet a lot of people that way..."

Rima shook her head, blinking. This was probably another dream. She would wake up, she knew. If she waited long enough.

–

But alas, Rima did not awaken. She "dreamed" all day. She "dreamed" she went over to Arika after class. At that point, however, she had begun to doubt the fact that she was dreaming.

"So...you...me...we've met in dreams, you say? But...that's impossible! Dreams are our own, there can't be...it's impossible!" Rima blurted out, taking a step forward. Arika just smiled secretively.

"Dreams have a world of their own, you know. The Dream World," she said matter-of-factly. "And, you know...Ghosts have a place there, too. They take the form of people you know. Angels make good dreams, and demons make bad ones."

"There's no such thing as demons, or angels, Arika, or ghosts. Get to the-"

"Devil's proof," Arika interrupted, her eyes glittering. "People say there's no such thing, but where is the PROOF? I want proof, show me proof! Nobody has ever tried to prove it, that's why!"

"You're passionate about this, aren't you?" Rima said dryly, sighing. "Fine. I cannot think of any possible proof. Happy now?"

Arika frowned. "Not until you tell me that they exist!"

"I do not believe in such childish matters."

"LIVE a little, Rima-chan, pleeeease? You've gotta believe in SOMETHING!"

"Who said you can address me like that?" Rima snapped. "And yes, I DO believe in something. I believe that you're annoying me...and...and..."

Arika stepped back, a little hurt. "I...sorry," she admitted. "I didn't know. But still, Rima-san. One: You DO know you've never told me your full name, right? Oh, and two: You have to tell me one out-of the ordinary thing that you believe in. Like...flying pigs!"

Rima sighed, and rolled her eyes. "I don't know, talking sheep. And it's Mashiro. Don't forget it."

Arika grinned. "Talking sheep? Um...ah, well. Devil's proof. Did that boy have something to do with your belief in them? He was in our dream, too. Do you liiiike him?"

Rima glared at the girl. "NO!" she yelled. She moved her fist towards Arika, about to punch the girl. However, she found herself falling, instead. And as her head met the ground, she looked up at Arika, and down at herself. Arika was still there, unmoving. Rima had fallen through her.

Rima's dreams were playing out in reality, only....a little warped.

–

Flames.

–

Where was she? What had happened? Questions ran through Rima's mind as she opened her eyes, immediately engulfed in bright light.

–

Dancing specks of fire here and there, spreading slowly.

–

Oh, yeah. She had fallen, and was probably at the hospital. After all, she had fallen unconcious.

–

I was afraid, I think.

–

But what was this scene, playing in her head? Rima didn't know. But...it seemed familiar. Was it...

–

I wanted my Mom, I think.

–

Yes, it was. It was the dream that had haunted the blonde. Rima would know that voice anywhere.

–

I cried, I know I did, as they reached my bed.

–

But...this time it was different. This time, she was watching the dream, like somebody would watch a movie. It was no longer in her perspective.

–

I...was screaming as they first touched me...it was hot.

–

For the first time ever, she saw the girl whose voice spoke so clearly, so sadly.

–

It hurt.

–

It was a blonde, with...wait...that was...

–

I just kept thinking it would stop.

–

That was Rima!

–

And...it did.

–

But at the end of the dream...the girl...she'd ALWAYS...

–

When...when the fire had surrounded me, I felt...kinda woozy.

–

Well, it was a dream, right? Rima chuckled nervously. Then, she remembered what Arika said about ghosts being in dreams. If...if Rima was in this dream, then...no...Part of Rima didn't understand. Nagihiko wasn't dead, he was in her dreams. But part of her knew. Part of her knew the truth.

–

Then, it all...stopped.

–

What if she was a ghost? She had always not believed in them, but...devil's proof, as Arika said.

–

The pain, everything.

–

Was this HER death she was watching?

–

I think...I think I died that night.

–

Then Rima remembered.

She was born in May, not February. May 6.

February 6 was her death date.

She wasn't dreaming all those nights. Her mind was not making things up.

It was remembering the last night she had ever lived.

Rima screamed.

Well, what would you do?

A/N:

Okay, really, that IS all for today. It was longer this time, seeeeee? I'll work on making it even better! ^_^

If there are any confusions, I'll try to clear them up in the next few chapters, kay?

Review! =)

--Laura--