Starring: Dimitri and the Guardians of the Past

Told By: Julie-Su

          In the beginning I didn’t quite know my family that well. I knew one day that I would be a leader like my Grandfather Dimitri wanted me to be, but only I knew what I wanted to be. Not a leader, not a soldier, as a matter a fact I don’t really know what I want to be. Dimitri said one day I would understand things, but when will that day come? I have a handsome boyfriend, even though he is gone at the moment, and anything that I could possibly want! But it still isn’t enough. I’d give up everything just to find what that is. Could it be Hope, Happiness, or it could be Freedom? Still something goads me to move on and find it, and then that’s when the trouble started…It seems like yesterday, he was the same as always except more quiet, then it happened. It changed history in the making. Dimitri had gotten ill somehow or another and he just couldn’t carry on…he just couldn’t. Then he just died, no one knows why, and I was left in the dark with no one to talk to. It was a lonely period in my life, and the closest thing I could get to company was my own grandfather. He is gone now, without any ones say so, so I figured that maybe he just got tired of living and had more important things to do, but why did he leave me behind. He didn’t even say good-bye.
So now I wait patiently until I know the answers, muttering the words “Please Be Ok… Dimitri… Please Be Ok.” It must then have been a year or so before I figured that I was walking in the dark again. Dimitri wouldn’t want that, so one-day I just went out and walked. Where? …To his grave sight, and there I prayed for a few days. I would come back now and then, every week. Then one day I guess he had enough of my praise… A miracle… he had risen from the dead. Now he looks so different, so young, and all I remember was him saying, ”Come With Me”, then I fainted. I lay there on the moist ground thinking of what had just happened, and then I awoke. I found everything totally normal, EXCEPT one small detail I wasn’t in my room or anywhere near home!
I found myself in bed with the sun shining through my window next to me. I turned around and saw him! Dimitri with what seemed to be another echidna. He was red, wore big glasses, and had on an identical outfit like Dimitri’s. Everything didn’t make since and once again I was lost in the dark.
          “It seems like our child is awake”, the other one said.
          I was scared out of my mind before anything else happened so I sat up and cried. Another one then came up to me trying to cheer me up, he said his name was Steppenwolf. I did feel a little bit better after that, and he then invited me to join him for breakfast. I’ve never in my life had so many questions to ask my grandfather. I guess he figured I would learn them in due time.

          I soon learned all their names and found it quite peaceful there until that night.
Steppenwolf told me I could sleep in his room instead of in Dimitri’s, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I soon drifted off to sleep only to be woken by a loud crash.
I got up and slowly walked to the door. Then I heard a horrible scream and figured it was coming from Dimitri’s room. The door was ajar so I walked up to it to see what the problem was, just then I found out I should have stayed in bed. There in the corner was my beaten old grandfather with his brother, Edmund and his son Steppenwolf.
          “Why did you even bother bringing her here when you know she is only going to be more miserable?” Edmund asked outraged. “How are we supposed to tell her the truth?”
          “I’m sorry Edmund I couldn’t just leave her abandoned like that. What was I suppose to do?” my grandfather said in a worried tone.
          “For starters you could have visited her in dreams instead killing her! I think she won’t be happy tomorrow when she finds out, and I know your going to have a more shameful life than it already is,” said Steppenwolf angrily as if he cared for me.
          “She? Is he referring to me?” I fell silent and ran to Steppenwolf’s room. There I scuffled through every drawer I could find. Finally, I found a mirror. When I looked into it I was terrified. There was no reflection. Steppenwolf came into the room looking very upset then he froze. I was yet again simpering on the ground.
          “Julie-Su I can explain this!”
          “GET AWAY FROM ME!”
          I ran out of that room as fast as I could. Away from anyone I knew, to the beach where I found Dimitri.
          “How could you do this to me?” I yelled.
          “Julie-Su I only wanted to make you happy, because you said you wanted to be with family and that nothing else mattered. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
          “Well… Ya’ did!”
          “I only wanted to see you smile, and follow in my footsteps; is that to much to ask for? Julie-Su? … Will you be Ok?”
          “ Yes in do time. I wished for you to return, Not to KILL me! I’m sorry for being so stuck up; it was only because I was sad over you! Though I would love to make you proud I’m sorry to say I was hiding my true self from you all that time. The truth is…”
          “The truth?” he asked.
          “Well it’s… it’s…”
          Dimitri smiled as if he knew exactly what I was going to say. Only I returned with a frown.
          “Is it because you don’t wish to be a leader? I know exactly what you’re feeling. It’s not like I had a choice if I wanted to die. Edmund just showed up one day and I was gone. I didn’t have time to say good-bye. Do you understand?”
          I simply nodded my head for ‘yes’.
          “Ah, see no harm done. Now come here so I can see you one last time before you go,” he said to cause no harm.
          “I go? You mean I’m not dead?”
          “In a way yes and no. I only meant for you to die for one day,” he answered.
          “What do you mean by that?”
          “Remember when you were searching for answers? Well your quest for knowledge isn’t over yet. There are many unanswered questions in this world and yours. Don’t feel left out because you don’t know all of the answers. There are many people just like you. You may not no for now, because I might go into things that you are not ready for; I won’t tell you because I want to protect you, Julie-Su.”
          I didn’t no what to say. All I knew was that Dimitri really did care about me. I was happier than ever, because just by looking at his face I knew I was going home.
          “Take my hand,” Dimitri said softly.
          Before I did I couldn’t help myself I jumped up and gave him a tight hug. I knew he was glad about this, but I didn’t no if he was crying, laughing, or blushing. I took his hand in enjoyment and he led me to my rightful home.
          I woke up the next morning to find myself in the hospital. Why was I here, I have no idea?
          “Julie-Su?” my sister Kommisar said in a questioning whisper. ”You’re alright!” She gave me a big hug to let me know that she did (deep down) care for me. That is because she usually bosses me around in any fashion she can think of.
          “Whoa! What’s with the bear hug Kommisar?”
          “Oh shut up, I’m just happy your Ok. Grandfather Morritori Rex found you at Dimitri’s grave sight not breathing, you could say he almost had a heart attack over it.”
          She slightly smiled.
          Years later, and many more to come, I still can’t exactly explain what had happened. Its just like Dimitri said it would be, as if he could predict the future. I really think it was the greatest thing he could ever do to me. He let me know to stop worrying so much, and get on with life, so I wouldn’t be crying over him so much. Now I know that the rest of my family cares for me. (The reason for this is because Kommisar stopped trying to make fun of me so much.) Now I have a hansom husband, a child, and a life of an honored echidna. So after all that useless worrying everything turned out Ok. I’m telling everyone this so they won’t end up like me in the gloomy part of this story. In other words, STOP being such a worrywart, go outside and have some fun!
          Julie-Su

    Author’s Notes,
The story wasn’t supposed to be like this originally. It was really suppose to be that Dimitri died and went on a bunch of adventures with the dead guardians. Meant to be a comedy first of all, but suddenly the writing didn’t make since, because Julie-Su was telling the story. Well she is not dead! Get my picture? She can’t tell the story because she was not there. Oh, well. I’ll make the original version later with Dimitri telling about it. Believe me it was nothing like this! Dimitri was originally supposed to die and come back to life: it somehow got switched around with Julie-Su! Read on to find out more, later!
Tigergirl Soldier ^------^