Guldrin’s Gluttony: Family Bound by Speed & Food

While Guldrin slept, a massive unseen eye peered in through the fabric of space, "My son… You haven't gone to school, won't socialize with other kids… and only interact with the adults and Emily… That isn't healthy and will stunt your development… Plus, you're going to need companions if you are to survive in this world… So to that end… I will weave some strings of fate to arrange your destiny… I can at least do this much." Following her ethereal words, lights shot out across the world and beyond. "Fate knows when you will unlock your interdimensional travel function in the coming years… So let your hands-off mother do this for you." With that, the eye retracted as if it were never there.

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In the hazy landscape of his dreams, Guldrin found himself in a world of strange, shifting lights, and colors that twisted and spiraled, reaching for him like ribbons of energy. Shadows moved in the edges of his vision, but he couldn't focus on them. He looked down at himself, finding his familiar ten-year-old form, yet somehow he felt… different. It felt lighter, as if he was slipping between worlds.

"Who are you?" a voice whispered, soft yet clear, cutting through the dreamy haze like a knife. It was feminine, curious, and unmistakably youthful, but with a strange maturity that felt foreign. Guldrin spun around, searching for the source, and there, standing a few feet away, was a girl around his age. She looked just as out of place as he felt. Her stark white-blue, purple, pink iridescent hair, adorned with a messy phantasmal crown on the right of her head, glimmered under an unseen light, and her striking red and gold eyes studied him with piercing intensity.

"Uh... Guldrin," he managed to say, stumbling over his words as he tried to comprehend her strange appearance. Her oversized hoodie and striped thigh-high socks made her look like she'd stepped right out of an anime, yet she seemed almost… real. 'Wait, what is an anime? And why did I think she came from one?' Shaking his head, he focused on the girl in front of him. "Who are you?"

The girl tilted her head, her gaze unflinching. This action made Guldrin's heart stop for a moment, and he registered it as nothing but adorable. "Shiro," she answered softly, her tone almost devoid of emotion. But those eyes were different, sharp, aware, like she was calculating a thousand things simultaneously. "I was... looking for my brother. But… this doesn't look like home."

Guldrin blinked, his mind trying to process what she was saying. "Your brother? You mean… you're lost too?"

She nodded, her expression unchanging. "I was supposed to be somewhere else. A place where I was… needed… I think?" She tilted her head with a finger on her chin, "But I woke up somewhere else, alone, and the world was too loud, too real." Her gaze shifted, and for a moment, Guldrin caught a flash of vulnerability in those intense eyes. "Now I am in this place… it's strange. Not like any game I've ever played."

Guldrin felt a rush of sympathy. She didn't look like she belonged in his world any more than he did in hers. "Well, you're not alone anymore," he said softly, "I don't know how or why you're here; but if you need a friend…" He paused, really considering this before he spoke with a determined tone, "Maybe I can help."

She looked at him, studying his face as if evaluating every aspect of his being. For a moment, he wondered if she'd say no, if she'd vanish into the dream as quickly as she had appeared. But then, Shiro reached out, her tiny hand clasping his with surprising strength.

"Alright," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's… be allies."

Then without warning the dream began to blur, but Shiro's image lingered, her gaze unwavering as she looked at him, a silent promise forming between them. The world faded around them, the colors melting into darkness, but her presence remained, a single, unwavering point of connection that burned in his mind even as he felt himself being pulled away.

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Guldrin woke up with a start, his heart racing, and his body sweating as if he had just been through a massive ordeal. The garage was quiet, the familiar surroundings grounding him, but his mind was still buzzing with the memory of the dream. Shiro. That was her name. He could still feel her small, cold hand in his own. For a moment, he wondered if he'd simply conjured her up in his imagination. But something told him it was more than that. 

'Could that have been a cry to find a friend? Do I crave a connection? Mom said I need friends, but I don't think I do… Should I go out and find a friend? But she was so real… It can't have been… Could it?'

He sat up, rubbing his eyes, Emily shifting beside him with a sleepy meow. She lifted her head, blinking at him. 'Another weird dream?' she asked, her tone mildly amused.

"It… it was different this time," he whispered, still processing. "I met someone. A girl named Shiro."

Emily's ears perked up, and she stretched out her paws, tilting her head in that feline way of hers. "A girl? And what makes you think she was real, and not just another part of your subconscious processing all the crazy stuff going on here?" Having seen the entire meeting inside Guldrin's dream, she couldn't understand. She knew 'MOTHER' could do some weird things, but to make Guldrin dream of her… What was she thinking? 

"I don't know," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But I just… I feel like she's out there somewhere. Like she's lost and… maybe… looking for help."

Emily flicked her tail thoughtfully. "Well, if she's real, maybe you'll meet her one day. Until then, focus on what's in front of you. Race Wars is just around the corner, and Dom and the others will be counting on you to help them prepare the cars. It is just a few days away after all." Ever dutiful. Emily took his mind from useless thoughts, he was a kid; how would he find a lost child in this massive world?

Guldrin nodded, but his mind drifted back to Shiro's intense eyes, that calculating stare that seemed to see right through him. The memory stayed with him as he got ready for the day, like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit but held an undeniable significance.

Later that morning, as Guldrin worked with Dom and Vince in the garage, the familiar roar of engines filled the air. But for Guldrin, every sound seemed a little sharper, a little clearer, like he was waiting for something. Maybe he was.

As the day wore on, Guldrin found himself glancing at the garage entrance every few minutes, half-expecting that strange girl, Shiro, to just walk in. He couldn't shake the feeling she was somewhere nearby. Her eyes, with their strange but captivating, mismatched colors, stayed at the front of his mind, making it hard to focus. He found himself distracted, accidentally spilling oil on his hands while tightening a bolt, much to Vince's irritation.

"Kid, focus!" Vince growled, grabbing a rag and tossing it at him. "We don't have time for daydreaming when we're this close to Race Wars."

Guldrin blinked and muttered an apology, wiping his hands, but his mind remained distant. "Yeah, yeah… sorry."

The sun was beginning to set when they wrapped up the day's work. The garage fell quiet as Dom leaned back, crossing his arms as he looked over at Guldrin. "You've been off all day, little man. Everything okay?"

Guldrin hesitated, his mind racing for an answer. Could he really tell Dom about the strange dream he'd had? About Shiro? It seemed too crazy, even to him. But he trusted Dom, Dom was his family now, his Father, his safe place.

"I… I had a weird dream last night," he admitted finally, shifting his weight as he spoke. "I met someone. A girl named Shiro. I don't know why, but it felt so real, like she was actually there. Like… like she's out there somewhere, maybe even here in LA."

Dom raised an eyebrow, but he didn't laugh or brush it off. While it may not make sense, Dom had seen many things that didn't follow common sense. "Sometimes, dreams have a way of showing us things we need to see," he said, his voice thoughtful. "Maybe it's a sign. Or maybe you're just anxious about Race Wars. Whatever it is, trust your gut, it will lead you in the right direction."

"Maybe," Guldrin muttered, though he felt there was more to it than just nerves.

Just then, the low hum of an approaching engine caught their attention. Everyone turned as a sleek black luxury car pulled up outside the garage, headlights cutting through the dusk. The car came to a stop, and for a moment, silence hung in the air. Then, the door swung open, and out stepped a small figure, a girl, with pale blue and pink iridescent hair that glimmered when it caught the dim light, and a gaze that seemed to pierce through the shadows. 

Stepping out, she walked casually to the window of the driver seat and spoke, "Okay uncle, now you can have your picture back… No more looking at little girls anymore… Or the rest of these will find their way to the police." She handed him a single photo as she held what looked to be 5 more.

"But you said you would give them to me… If these get out into the public, I will be ruined." The man panicked, but didn't even consider forcing the girl, after all, seeing the well-built men staring at him like a disgusting bug, he would have been an idiot to try anything else.

"I said I would give this one back. But I said nothing about the others. Be good, and they won't see the light of day. Go on now, shoo, shoo" She urged the man to leave and not to come back. She had found this bad man taking pictures of little girls at a playground, and she took photos of him taking photos. She then blackmailed the man to bring her to this garage. She didn't know why she wanted to go here, it just felt right…?

Guldrin's heart skipped a beat. He'd recognize that face anywhere.

"Shiro?" he whispered, disbelief coloring his tone.

The girl looked around, her red-gold eyes scanning the space with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. She was out of place here, her pale skin and delicate features contrasting starkly with the gritty atmosphere of the garage. Slowly, her gaze fell on Guldrin, and for a moment, she looked just as surprised as he felt.

"It's you," she murmured, her voice as soft and calm as in his dream.

Dom and Vince exchanged bewildered glances, clearly unsure of what to make of this strange arrival. Letty crossed her arms, studying the girl with narrowed eyes. But Guldrin's focus was entirely on Shiro. Without thinking, he stepped forward, his mind racing to process what he was seeing.

"How… how did you get here?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Shiro tilted her head, her expression as unreadable as ever. "I don't know. I was… somewhere else. And then… I was here." She didn't answer the obvious question, since she thought he understood that she was driven, but instead answered the question as to how she ended up in LA. She spoke slowly, each word carefully measured. "It's loud here. And the lights are strange. But…" Her gaze softened as she looked at him. "I remember you."

Dom stepped forward, clearing his throat to break the tense silence. "Alright, kid. So, who's this?"

Guldrin's mind scrambled for an explanation, but how could he explain any of this when he didn't understand it himself? "Uh… this is Shiro. We… met in the dream I told you about. And now she's… here."

Vince snorted, rolling his eyes. "Great. Now we got ghost girls appearing in the garage."

But Dom shot Vince a look, silencing him, before turning back to Shiro. "You got a place to stay, kid?"

Shiro looked at him blankly, then shook her head. "No. I don't… know where I am." Her voice was soft, almost emotionless, but there was a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes. Instinctively, she knew this wasn't her world, it was too primitive and gritty, it wasn't just the country she was in, but the time period.

Dom sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. "Alright. Well, until we figure out what's going on, you can stay here. We've got a spare room in the shop. Mia, Letty; can you help her get settled?"

Mia nodded, smiling warmly at Shiro. "Of course. Come on, Shiro. Let's get you something to eat."

As Mia and Letty led her toward the house, Shiro glanced back at Guldrin, her expression unreadable. But he could see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. He felt a strange sense of relief wash over him. She was real. She was here.

Once they disappeared into the house, Vince let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "That's some freaky stuff, kid. Meeting someone in a dream, and then she just shows up like that? What, you some kind of psychic now?"

Guldrin shrugged, his mind still reeling. "I… I don't know. I just… felt like I needed to help her."

Dom clapped a hand on his shoulder, his expression serious but kind. "What's another strange kid showing up out of the blue for us? We met you and now her… I think weirdness will follow you for all your life, Son, so you may as well get used to it… Well, looks like she's part of all this now. And if she's a friend of yours, she's family to us."

Guldrin nodded, grateful for Dom's acceptance, even if he couldn't explain any of it. He looked back toward the shop, a surge of protectiveness swelling in his chest. Whatever brought Shiro here, he was going to make sure she was safe.

After Shiro had a shower, she was given a spare set of Mia's childhood clothes, a sweater a few sizes too big, and sweatpants. She followed closely behind Mia and Letty as they brought her to the café counter. Looking at the counter, she saw three open seats and sat down next to Guldrin with practiced ease, speaking very little as she was given a plate of food. 

Guldrin feeling awkward, even hesitantly gave her a few pieces of his food making the ladies gush while Letty burst out laughing, "Kid is trying to woo the girl by sharing his guarded food. Shiro, you should feel honored, he doesn't share his food with anyone." Guldrin blushed as Shiro turned her blank gaze toward him. "You don't share?" Guldrin shook his head, his face a deep shade of red, "Thank you." She felt that was enough and began eating as Guldrin nearly fainted from embarrassment. Guldrin had never interacted with someone his age and this felt like too much for him, so he just quietly nodded and ate as well.

That night, after Shiro was led to her room, Guldrin lay awake, staring up at the ceiling, his mind racing with questions. Shiro's sudden appearance raised a thousand questions he didn't know how to answer. How did she end up here? What happened to her brother? And why did he feel this intense connection to her?

Emily purred beside him, sensing his restlessness. "You know, for a kid who just met his 'dream girl,' you look awfully worried," she teased, her tone playful. She knew this was MOTHER'S doing and didn't want Guldrin to dwell on it, as it wouldn't be something he could figure out.

"It's not like that," he muttered, though he could feel his cheeks warming. "She's… different. Like she doesn't belong here, and I don't know how to help her."

Emily flicked her tail thoughtfully. "Maybe just being her friend is enough for now. She's lost, like you were. And you've found a home here. Maybe she can, too. Be her friend, help her adjust, and don't worry about anything else."

Guldrin sighed, running a hand over Emily's soft fur. "I hope you're right. She deserves to feel safe."

The night was quiet, and Guldrin had just started to drift off when he heard the soft creak of his bedroom door. He opened his eyes to see Shiro standing in the doorway, her eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. She looked small and uncertain, a stark contrast to the confident way she had carried herself earlier in the garage.

"Can I… stay here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Guldrin sat up, surprised, but not exactly shocked. Somehow, he'd expected this. The connection they shared, however strange and inexplicable, felt almost like that of siblings who had known each other forever… Well, 'siblings' wasn't quite right, it was something more… Personal, but Guldrin didn't understand the feeling, "Sure," he replied, scooting over to make space on the bed.

Without hesitation, Shiro climbed in beside him, curling up with her back against the wall. She kept herself close, her shoulder brushing against his. He could feel her body relax as she settled in, and for a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, listening to the soft hum of the house around them.

"Thank you," she whispered after a while, her voice so quiet he almost missed it. "I… don't like being alone."

Guldrin turned his head to look at her. In the soft light from the streetlamp outside his window, she seemed vulnerable, younger somehow. "You don't have to be alone here. We're family now, at least that is what Dad always says" he said, echoing Dom's words. He felt an unexpected sense of responsibility toward her, a desire to protect her, like she was something precious he'd been entrusted with.

She gave a small nod, her eyes drifting closed, and he watched as her breathing slowly evened out. Despite all the questions spinning in his mind, he felt a sense of calm settle over him, as though having her there beside him had somehow filled a missing part he hadn't even realized was empty.

(Give me your POWER, Please, and Thank You! Leave reviews and comments, they motivate me to continue.)