Stellaris and the Lollypop M.D. burst into the room, with Stellaris shoving the doctor aside. He flopped over the bed as she shuffled right to Mena. "Oh thank the stars that you're still alive, Mena! We'd truly be lost without you!"

Mena scratched her scraggly bedhead of brunette hair. She was feeling kind of sorry for the doctor. "I hope he got the license of that shooting star!" she quipped.

Stellaris regained her composure and carefully arrayed her spikey blond hair. "I'm surprised you have time for levity, Mena. Especially after what happened..."

Mena straightened her fabric tanktop as she sat up. "Well you know what they say," she said with a bracey grin. "If you don't wake up, you'll wake down!"

Nobody laughed except for the doctor, who was greeted with such a hostile glare from May and Stellaris, he tried to hide himself in his white coat.

"Mena," May said, shaking her hard. "Do you have water in your brain after being in the deep dark sea?!"

The doctor waddled over to her bedside. "My round girl," the M.D. said. "That's not how metaphysical water works! You cannot drown from it. But your mind can be lost in it for all eternity!"

Stellaris glared at the doctor. The MD immediately leaped up and down. "How about we give her a metaphysical physical just in case!"

"A Metaphysical physical," Mena exclaimed. "I'm only fourteen!"

"Just chant these words," the doctor said, holding his hand to his head. "The only place I'm present is the present. The only now I'm in now is the now now. The only world I'm in is this world!"

When the doctor said those words, a silver glow enveloped his body. "This is the sign my being is where it should be!"

Mena placed her hands to her head. Much to everyone's relief, she chanted the words perfectly and a silver glow surrounded her.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Wowie zowie!" Mena said, "Guess there's a silver lining to this situation...literally."

Despite the good news, Stellaris' eyes resembled two suns that looked like they would incinerate Mena. She almost wished she was back in the deep dark dream. "W-why are you so angry, Stella?"

"Because Mena," the headmistress said. "You were almost lost forever in your dream and you are doing nothing but making puns and cheap jokes!"

"Well," Mena said, crossing her arms. "Of course, I'm in a good mood!"

"Why?" Stellaris and May both asked.

"Because," Mena said, biting her lip with her brace lined teeth. "I've decided something. I'm not going to look for the Dreamfish anymore!"

The room was so silent that the Mena could have sworn she could hear Sir Rocksworth in the basement, singing baritone rockera in his lava tub. "And not only that," Mena added. "This whole chosen one biz is overrated! I think I'm gonna give that up too..."

"But Mena..." Stellaris stammered. "Don't you realize....giving up the role of chosen one is..."

Mena reclined in her bed, pulling the covers up high over her shoulders.

"I've read enough books to know that things never end well for 'chosen ones'! They either end up dead or traumatized out of their mind and so far, I'm excelling at the second thing to the max. I'm surprised I don't have premature wrinkles and white hair with all I've seen!"

Stellaris was stupified into silence. She turned to the MD. "You know," he said in his high voice. "She's right about stress. There is a time for self care and..."

"No..." Mena said, coldly. "I'm giving it up forever. After Tal died and Sunny left, I can't take this kind of pressure."

Stellaris was still silent and she closed her eyes. "As a headmistress Mena, I really wish you'd not be so hasty about this and think of everyone else ...but...as the Dream Divination teacher, I know the importance of mental wellness. For the time being, you can take a break."

Mena shook her head. "Not for the time being. Forever."

Stellaris sighed. "Very well, Mena. But I expect you to attend class tomorrow like everyone else. Somehow, we'll manage without you."

Mena offered a head nod in agreement. "A permanant vacation, it is."

Stellaris balled up her fist, but merely turned around. "I'm glad you're well after your ordeal. But now if you excuse me, Ms. Willow, I have a lot of arrangements to make in order to find the Dreamfish and this forsaken sage."

She closed the door in a huff, leaving Mena and May alone. But as the door closed, Mena could have sworn she saw Caligari standing in the hallway.

The two teachers walked off together, leaving Mena to wonder what that was all about. But as she leaned back and put her hands behind her, she relaxed her posture. Now she no longer has to worry about losing any more friends and loves. She could be a regular girl in the Dream Academy and she could focus on the next matter at hand: Finding a replacement for Janus in her Super Pal circle!