Path to Starry Pool (MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter Three: Insane

Astoria looked around in shock. Piper was laying next to her, staring up at the sky. Piper sat up slowly and shook her head.

"What's going on? Am I still dreaming?" Piper asked herself in wonder, then turned to look at Astoria in confusion. "I don't know why you're in my dream, though. I would have only met you today!"

"This can't be a dream!" Astoria wailed collapsing to her knees. "Why, why?!"

Astoria hopped up onto her feet and began pacing around, clutching her hair and muttering to herself. Piper jumped up and looked around, taking in her surroundings.

"I wonder why I'm here in my dream," Piper muttered, sitting down on a gnarled stump. "And why you're here, going insane."

Astoria was still pacing, muttering stuff like 'Why? Why, Piper, why? I need Mr. Whiskers.'

"Why, Piper, WHY?" Astoria whined, taking Piper's hands and pulling Piper along with her in her pacing.

"Yeah, why?" Piper repeated wearily as Astoria continued dragging her along. "This dream is super weird. Maybe I should jump off a cliff to wake myself up."

"NO! You need to help me get back home! My Mom will be furious if I don't go to dinner! She's supposed to have her director over, and I cannot miss it, no matter what!" Astoria said, tightening her grip on Piper's hands, her eyes wide with fear.

Piper struggled to get out of Astoria's grip, but Astoria's hand just tightened around her wrists.

"Okay, fine! I'll help you! Sheesh!" Piper muttered, stopping her struggle and sighing.

Astoria smiled and let go of Piper's hands and hummed to herself. What?! She went from insane to the most chill girl ever! Piper thought, narrowing her eyes in awe.

"So, what's the plan?" Astoria asked simply.

"I don't have one!" Piper sighed, putting her hands in the air. "Sorry!"

Astoria immediately panicked again and grabbed Piper's shoulders, shaking her. "Why, Piper, WHY!?"

"Calm down!" Piper said, grabbing hold of Astoria's shoulders and holding her still. "It's okay, it's okay! Why don't I just jump off that cliff, huh?"

"NO! This isn't a dream! If it was, I would be having it too! And I didn't even know you until a while ago! If I am dreaming, this would be from last night, and I didn't know you then!"

"That's true... what are we gonna do?" Piper murmured, realizing the fact. "Wait! Gimme the locket!"

"Why? I have it! Why, Piper, WHY!?" Astoria narrowed her eyes, reaching her hand into the air with the locket clasped in her palm.

Piper reached up on her tiptoes but still couldn't reach. She hissed under her breath and began jumping up and down. Astoria just held the locket up higher.

"Please, please, please, please, please!" Piper squeaked, jumping up and down.

"Why?" Astoria asked, looking down at her with a smirk.

"Get back to reality! No being... um... insane!" Piper wailed, straining to be as tall as possible.

Piper stopped jumping and collapsed to the ground, patting the grass next to her. "Sit. I give up trying to get it."

Astoria nodded and sat down. The second Astoria sat down, Piper bowled her over and snatched the locket from her hand. Piper stood up with a fire in her eyes and laughed noisily.

"Give up? Ha! Piper isn't going down, no way in a million years!" Piper laughed insanely, putting her hand on her hip and holding the locket.

Who's insane now? Astoria thought with raised eyebrows then suddenly wrapped her arms around her knees tightly. Why, Piper, WHY!?

"Whyyyyyyy?" Astoria whined to herself, while Piper continued laughing to herself like a maniac.

It was a sight to behold. Astoria began rocking herself shakily on the grass, muttering to herself again. Piper was now on her knees, wheezing from laughing so much. The forest around the meadow had grown silent as night fell. The sky was growing pale, and Astoria noticed. Astoria became shakier and Piper grew more hysterical.

"Okay, we gotta go now!" Astoria wheezed, standing up and rushing to a nearby tree for support.

"Alright, and there is no getting tired, though!" Piper exclaimed, pointing a finger at the sky energetically and dashing into the trees.

"Wait! Where are you going!?" Astoria called after her, jogging to catch up.

She's fast for being so little! Astoria panted as she ran after Piper, who was zooming away like she was a high-tech rocket. But where are we going? 

"Piper!" Astoria gasped as Piper narrowly missed tripping over a thick tree root.

"What?" Piper yelled back, looking over her shoulder at Astoria.

"Wait! For... A... minute..." Astoria choked out, sitting down on the ground in defeat. 

Piper ran back to Astoria with a sour expression. "I told you not to get tired!"

"I can't run fast like you!" Astoria said, shaking her head with a small smile. "Anyways, where are you going? I'm pretty sure there isn't anywhere to go."

Piper paused and considered what she said; it was true, but Piper wanted to go with her gut.

"I just want to do what I want to when I'm nervous," Piper said, plopping down on the ground.

"What do you do?" Astoria asked, perking up with slight interest.

"I run," Piper answered simply, shrugging her shoulders. "It's the simplest thing to do."

"Great idea, maybe we'll starve while running," Astoria said sarcastically, shaking her head in wonder. "What we should be doing is thinking about why we are here and how we got here."

"What we should be thinking about is when?"Piper excitedly announced. 

Astoria looked down at her watch. It was frozen in place, the hands still standing still in place. Broken, She thought in irritation. Of all the times in the world, it had to be now! When Astoria looked up, Piper was no longer in front of her.

"Well, that's a bummer," Astoria jumped in shock as Piper peered over her shoulder and down at the watch.

"You gave me a heart attack!" Astoria gasped, clutching her heart and breathing heavily. 

"Sorry 'bout that!" Piper snickered, standing up behind Astoria (Which wasn't much of a height difference.) "Anyway, I think I have an idea!"

"What is it this time?" Astoria muttered, feeling rather tired of just plain talking and sitting in the same place.

Astoria was scared, cold, and confused. Piper was somewhat bright and curious, with a desire to explore the new area. They stared into each other's eyes, Astoria's deep blue diving into Piper's warm brown eyes. Astoria nodded for Piper to continue.

"This will probably sound stupid, but I think it might have been the locket!"

"The locket?" 

"Yes!"

"This thing?" Astoria held up the locket with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think so."

"Just listen!" Piper groaned, swiping for the locket.