Finally leaving Iyrilia behind, the three adventurers continue their journey through imagination along with their newest traveling companion, Alex Wavers. Just as it happened when they had left Fillidore a while back, the Dreamfinder drives the Dream Machine straight through the same black tunnel of sparkling blue stars they have crossed before. It swiftly speeds through the realms in between to their next world. There is no telling where their imaginations will take them next. Their only tactic is to put aside their mission in finding Spaceship Earth for the time being, return to Earth and help Alex apply for the Academy Scientifica-Lucidus. The force of the Dream Machine gliding through the portal very fast has caught on to everybody onboard pushing them backwards from where they stood or sat.

          As the Dream Machine streams through the portal, Alex looks behind him sadly and watches Iyrilia turning into a tiny green dot. Of course Rachel had taken notice of Alex's new behavior. She had just felt this feeling not too long ago when she and the others left Flora the Woosette. She understands what Alex is going through now. Trying her best to reach Alex without letting go of the rail, Rachel inches her way toward him safely fearing that if she were to let go her body would be forced off the Dream Machine and be lost in the realms in between forever. Her feet moved forward every six inches, as she got closer. After three minutes of creeping her feet by the side of the airship, she finally stands beside Alex safely.

"I know that look, Alex." Rachel said. "You're sad about leaving home along with the friends and family you love, right?"

"Yeah, I am." said Alex. "But I'm not worried. So long as I think about them, Iyrilia isn't going anywhere."

"That's good you have a positive attitude, dude."

"How did you feel when you left your home?"

"I didn't get a chance to feel how I would have felt leaving Earth. When I started going along with Dreamfinder and Figment, I was just too plum tired to watch it fall behind me. But when we all left the last world we came across before coming to Iyrilia I did feel a little down."

"You had a friend there?" he asked.

"Yeah." said Rachel. "She was a princess who had been abused and hidden away by her father so he would have continued his reign over his people, but we took care of him. Now she's the new queen of her people. I do hope she's doing alright."

"I'm sure she is. What was her name?"

"She was born with the name Coaxoch, which means serpent flower. But we renamed her Flora. Queen Flora of Fillidore."

"Nice!"

"I started missing her the minute we left that world. I'm sure we'll probably see her again someday, but at the moment I kinda feel a bit out of place from reality."

"I bet you miss Earth a lot." Alex guessed.

"Well yeah, of course I do!" said Rachel. "I wanna go back home someday, but something like this doesn't happen so often. Not on Earth or anywhere. I'll bet Iyrilia never had something like this happen either."

"Guess we're both just lucky."

"Sure. Lucky."

          Rachel then leaves Alex slowly and enters the cabin. She finds the portraits lifted up due to the speed the Dream Machine is trudging through. But at least there is more material to hold onto. Rachel pushes her hands onto the walls and struggles through the hallway. Arriving to her room, she sees her door is still open. Perhaps Howard Fitz forgot to close the door when he finished cleaning up after fixing the Dream Machine in Iyrilia. However, all the other doors are closed. So why is Rachel's bedroom opened still?

          Everything in Rachel's bedroom is all topsy-turvy. The heavier furniture from the bed to the dresser and the desk are all backed against the wall from the fast force along with the smaller objects on top. This sort of thing didn't happen back when Dreamfinder piloted this thing to Iyrilia or even Fillidore. Either they did not notice happening before or that this new force is very powerful enough to move anything it blows at. Rachel climbs into her room and sits on top of the large pile that had been collected. There is really not much to do but wait until she and her friends are finally out of the portal.

                                             Be careful, Rachel...

          Once again, that same weird voice speaks into the atmosphere for no unexplained reason. Maybe the Dream Machine is haunted. And what's even more weird is that it is only haunting Rachel. Still, that is a matter that can looked into later.

          A great light brightens up just ahead of Dream Machine. It is another gateway into the next world. The other side is a new world bound to have a variety of wonderful curiosities to uncover. Maybe there is another variety of people living in those worlds like fuzzy little Mome Raths like in Alice in Wonderland or perhaps a garden of flowers that all sing together as a choir. It's anybody's guess to imagine what is on the other side of a mind portal.

          Dreamfinder shifts his gears and makes the Dream Machine fly faster. His excitement exceeds him of his senses believing each world is a lot better than the last. Figment sits behind Dreamfinder holding tightly onto the golden rail on the pilot's seat. Through the force his small purple body starts flying behind as he grabs onto that rail. His grip loosens as Dreamfinder speeds the Dream Machine even faster. Just as Figment finally lets go of the rail, his creator swiftly catches him by the arm and pulls him onto his lap.

          As the light on the other side grows brighter and brighter, the Dream Machine shoots out of the portal unharmed. A new breath of wind blows at everyone's faces as the sun shines greatly down onto them. There is just one odd twist about this place...it's a desert.

          It is a vast desert with sand dunes, sandy winds and a scorching sun. The air is hot and dry. The skies are blue with no clouds for miles. And there is no sign of vegetation anywhere in the area, or any source of life for that matter.

          At least the force from the portal has ceased. Everyone's faces fell heavy in the relief of no more stress blasting at them. They are in a new world now, but somehow and for some reason they should not be there.

"We made it!" Figment exclaims.

"Made it where exactly?" Dreamfinder asked.

"It looks like a dessert."

"Desert, Figment. We couldn't possibly be in the Sahara Desert back on Earth, could we?"

"I don't know. I never got to read any maps from your books in London."

"What is this place?" Alex stepped in. "It looks a lot like the desert areas in one of my sister countries from back home."

"There's nothing here but sand, sand, sand!" Figment shouts.

"And us." Dreamfinder confirms. "Hey, where's Rachel?"

"I saw her going into the cabin a few minutes ago." Alex said.

"Figment, can you go see if she's alright and bring her here?"

"Sure thing!" said Figment.

******************************************************************************************

          The weight of her furniture has caught itself back up as the Dream Machine exited out of the portal. With Rachel falling back down to the floor, all of her stuff just fell right on top of her. She gained a few bumps on her head from some of the smaller items constantly hitting onto her. As she pulled herself out of the pile, she's hears the voice speaking again.

"Are you alright, child?" the voice asked.

"Ack, yeah. Yeah, I'm alright." Rachel said. "Jeez, this didn't happen last time we were-"

          But Rachel pauses for a moment. As soon as she lifted her head from the floor she spots an aura-like sprite floating before her. The sprite glows in four different colors: light blue, sky blue, lavender and pink. The colors all swayed in motion with each passing movement it makes. Rachel could not help but stare at the sprite in awe. One way or another she feels to have known who this is.

"You..." Rachel gasped.

"Me?" the sprite said in confusion.

"You! You were in one of my dreams a couple days ago. The one who encouraged me to sing!"

"And a lovely singing voice you have, I must say."

"Who are you?"

"You don't remember me?"

"You're saying we've met?"

"Of course." The sprite then replies sarcastically, "We've met in your dreams a couples nights ago just as you said."

"Oh ha ha. You're funny." Rachel replied with the same tone. "Seriously, who are you?"

"I am Yuna."

"Where did you come from? No, let me guess! The natural way or from the sky?"

"We seemed to be starting this conversation well just before you've made that remark. Though I'm not that surprised."

"Not surprised? Wh- oh, you've probably seen how I've been talking with Dreamfinder and Figment then. Wait. You weren't spying on me, were you?"

"I may just as well have been. And it's a good thing I did, otherwise I wouldn't have had the Iyrilian god come and save you from falling down that tower."

"You summoned Álvaro?" Rachel assumed.

"I had to." Yuna replied. "It may have been against the regulations of that curse he was under, but you and your friends were in danger and I didn't want to see you dead. And just when your journey was just about to really begin."

"Didn't want to see us dead. Yeah sure, that really worked out just fine until Crizwalke came in and killed Ron Wavers. Did you see that happen?"

"Yes, I did, which isn't to say I am not sorry for all of your loss. Especially Alex's."

"Whatever you say. How did you even get into the Dream Machine in the first place? You didn't sneak in while we were going places, were you?"

"Sneak? Why would I even do that? I just walked on into the cabin while Dreamfinder and Figment were talking about how sorry they were for getting you fired from your job."

"That's sneaking."

"What difference does it make now?" Yuna asked. "I'm here now."

"I'm telling Dreamfinder." Rachel said as she started walking off.

But as Rachel reaches up to the doors, it instantly shuts up tight and locks itself. She shakes the doorknob vigorously, but it won't open. As if being tricked, she's locked inside with Yuna.

"Dude!" Rachel shouted. "What the heck? Open the door!"

"I'm not the one who closed it."

"You know, I'm starting to think that you coming into my dreams is a way of you trying to hold me up for something you want."

"The only thing I want out of you, Rachel, is to know you more than I have had a long time ago."

"Wait. How do you know my name?"

"I've known you since before you were born, Rachel. Before any mortal human on Earth has been born."

"Uhh...."

          Rachel just stood there dumbfounded. Her face scrunched slightly as she groaned continuously. Before Rachel was born? Is Yuna serious? She couldn't be. Nobody could possibly know who is who until he or she is born. Not unless you're a god like God. This is just too puzzling to take in, even for Rachel. Perhaps not even Dreamfinder or Figment could understand that very unlikely possibility. The thought of this is starting to melt the young women's mind.

"Uhh...before I was born?" Rachel groans. "That's not...Yuna, I don't think that's possible."

"It most certainly is possible, Rachel." Yuna countered. "You of all people should know it as well as I do. You were there yourself. Don't you remember?"

"Nnnnnnnnnnno-o-o-o?"

"That's okay. You were probably too young to remember anyway. You were only just a tiny little sprite as I was once. Perhaps the tiniest one I have ever seen in my life."

"Sprite? Me? Like you? No!"

"You were! Just as every human creation made has come by as quickly as they have passed on."

"I think I'm gonna be sick. Feint at the least."

"Oh here! Let me get your bed back in order."

          Just as she said, Yuna swirls around the tossed-up furniture and magically levitates them back to original estate. The desk is back onto the 5ft deck along with her chair and her logbook. The books she had have all flown back into the shelves. The dresser is placed beside the wall where next to it sat Rachel's bed with the nightstand on the other side. Whatever broken pieces have been leftover from the crash have all been wondrously repaired. Not a single crack or leak that has been made is anymore visible to the naked eye.

"Whoa!" Rachel exclaimed. "Now I'm really feeling feint."

"Well then, sit down and collect yourself Rachel." said Yuna as she helped Rachel down for a seat on her bed. "We wouldn't want you to lose your head."

"Whew. Is it hot in here, or is it just me?"

"It's gotten warmer considering how Dreamfinder has brought us all into a desert."

"What?! A desert?"

          Rachel then jumped off of her bed and ran to one of the pothole windows. She looks outside where all she could see are blue skies and endless sand. This must be the new world the Dream Machine has traveled them to. And since the Dreamfinder has insisted on returning to Earth, this place could either be one of the better-known deserts in the world or just a side stop into a strip of the imagination. Whichever way it goes, the question is which way to go.

"Seriously? A desert?" Rachel asked frantically. "Why did it have to be a desert?"

"Do you not like deserts?" Rachel asked.

"Sort of. Palm Springs, I can handle. But not much for everywhere else."

"Doesn't California have many deserts?"

"First of all, you'd better tell me how you also know where I live. And second, California is considered to be 'the Entire World in One State.' " You should probably know. We've got deserts, cities, coastlines, mountains, valleys and plains, pine forests. The only thing we don't have are rain forests unless you count having water rain onto the pine forests."

"Who are you talking to?" Figment asked.

          Rachel screams. She turns around and finds Figment fluttering his tiny orange wings at the arch of her bedroom door. How did the door get open? And how long he's been standing, or flapping, there? His yellow eyes stared at Rachel's frightened expression. Apparently, the sudden appearance of the tiny purple dragon has spooked her quite a bit, which has left Rachel clutching her heart from popping out.

"Dude! Figment, you could have knocked." said Rachel.

"Oh sorry!" Figment apologized. "I didn't mean to interrupt your...uh...who were you talking to?"

"I was talking to this sprite right...here."

          But Yuna was nowhere to be seen. She has disappeared! Where did she go?

"What sprite?" Figment asked.

"That-that sprite!" Rachel spoke in a frantically fast pace. "She was right here! I saw it! She was all blue and purplely and somewhat a little pink, and she was in my dreams a few nights ago who got me to sing and then she was floating around here, she rearranged my room and told me she knew me since before I was born and...and...you didn't see that?"

          Her only response was Figment shaking his head no. Could this really have been real? Or could this be an illusion from the new desert air temperature? What is going on here?

"Wha...What the heck?" Rachel gasped to herself as felt her arm over her forehead for any sweat.

"Rachel, are you okay?" Figment asked.

"I don't...I don't know. Am I? I think I am. But am I really? I just...I don't...what's going on?"

"Uhh...I think you might need to take a step outside for a little bit. Get some fresh, but very hot air."

"You're probably right. But I don't really want to go out in the heat."

"So walk in the shade. Maybe you can imagine us an umbrella to appear."

"I suppose I could do that." Rachel said as she slowly walks towards the dragon. "That's not a bad idea at all."

"Right." Figment said awkwardly. "Anyway, I came because Dreamfinder wanted to see if you were alright and that he wanted you to come outside and see him."

"Yeah, sure. I'll be right there. And Figment!"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you didn't see anything? Or at least hear anything?"

"I'm sure. Was I supposed to?"

"Well, not exactly. Sort of. It would have helped proved my point if you were here."

"Sorry I came too late then. Now come on! Alex and Dreamfinder are waiting for us."

          Figment flies ahead of Rachel and leaves the bedroom. Following him, Rachel is just about to leave before she was stopped by a firm grip on her shoulder. The touch again spooked the girl to a quivering shrug. Her hands shook below, her left eye started twitching, her blood turned cold and both of her eyes dilated with fear. She barely turned her head slightly to the left with her eyes darted at the tip end of Yuna's sprite form. Rachel gulped silently as Yuna spoke solemnly.

"Don't think this is the end of our talk, Rachel." Yuna said gravely. "There is much that we need to discuss and you are the only person I can trust out of everyone in this universe. And that includes your new friends."

"What the hell?" Rachel whispered a gasp as her body shook.

"There is a great danger here in this desert. I will accompany you on this new quest of escape. Should you ever need me, I will be residing in your necklace for your safekeeping."

"What? No! Wait! Not the nec-"

          But before Rachel could finish, Yuna has already attained herself into the sapphire necklace Dreamfinder had made for her. The pressure of Yuna's entrance pressed against Rachel's chest. This is a wish-making necklace, not a refuge, she thought to herself. But it's too late to tell Yuna that now. The necklace then started glowing in a crystallized blue reflection. The girl shielded away her eyes preventing a blindness to overcome her. When the light ceased, that was the end of it. There is no way out of it. Rachel has a new unlikely companion to haunt her for who knows how long.

          But Rachel did want to let this happen. Her breathes quickened into gasps of terror. She could not feel her arms or her legs yet her legs begin to move hastily as if they are being controlled by their own free will. That was at the time where Rachel started to scream.

"Dreamfinder!" Rachel screamed. "Dreamfinder! Dreamfinder! Dreamfinder! Dreamfinder! Dreamfinder!"

          She screamed all the way out of her bedroom, out of the cabin and right where Dreamfinder sat on his pilot seat alongside Alex and Figment. Her shrieks have echoed far out across the ocean of sand, yet there is no one else out there who can hear her but the gang. Hearing Rachel coming along, Dreamfinder quickly turns himself towards Rachel's direction only to find her sweating and panting and quivering. He could not tell if this is her reacting to the heat or a kind of fear. The most important thing is his concern for her. After all, he is the host and Rachel isthe guest of honor. All hosts must heed to their guests situations when needed. This would be no exception for Dreamfinder to handle.

"Dreamfinder! Dreamfinder!" Rachel shouted.

"Rachel? What's wrong?" Dreamfinder asked.

"I was in...and then I was...and she...and then he...and THEN she-"

"Whoa, Rachel! Slow down!