There was an old legend I heard as a child.

 

It was about a girl and a rock. The girl was only about fourteen when her brother gave her a small stone in the shape of a heart. He told her that if she loved the rock and gave it affection enough that he would return from the war.

 

So for years she treated the rock as her child... And her brother came home... or his body did.

 

Her brother had died in battle but his friends brought his body back to give him a proper burial.

 

The girl was so broken and upset that she threw the rock down and cursed it. As she turned to leave, the little stone called out to her. "Why do you hate me, Umma?" It asked. "What did I do wrong?"

 

Legend says that she loved the stone so much that it developed its own soul There are many different endings to the story, so I don't know which happened next...

 

What I do know is every legend has to have some basis of truth....

 

If I love you enough, will you become real as well?

 

I snuggled down into my pillow with my life long companion and best friend, Phoenix. He was a hand painted, ball joint doll that had been given to my older half sister, who sadly was taken away from us when I was four. The story her grandmother -who died two years ago, rest her soul- had assigned the doll was one that I greatly admired. 

 

The Phoenix was a man at one time. He was a brave warrior who watched after his kingdom. No, he was not a king, but he was the king's personal body guard. After the king's father was assassinated, the king felt the warrior was the only one he could trust as he had brought the murderer to justice. So the warrior watched over the kingdom by night, jumping from the shadows and never being caught.

 

But all would not be well. An enemy King lead his army in the dead of night to destroy the warrior's kingdom. They set fire to it from every place they could, surrounding and moving in towards the city's heart -where the King's castle lay in wait. 

 

The Phoenix knew that above all, his duty was to the king, but he also had a family to look after. He was torn. But he knew that something had to be done. So he went to the palace knowing his family resided there as well. It was how the king repaid the warrior for his services -giving his family a wealthy life style. 

 

He hid the King and his wife with his own family, somewhere he knew they would never be discovered. There was a well hidden room in the king's private quarters that also had a tunnel beneath that lead out to the nearby river. He told them not to leave the room unless they really needed to and then they had to run to the river and not to stop until they were out of harm's way. 

 

He could not protect them how he wanted. The King could smell the smoke strongly now. The enemy drew in close though and the warrior could only tell his family that he loved them and good-bye. He helped them into the tunnel and hid it before the enemy invaded the palace. He made it out of the hidden room and into the king's private quarters as men burst through the doors. 

 

The enemy mistook him for the king, so he was attacked -brutally stabbed in the stomach and the back... But they didn't kill him. His attackers looked towards the door. Slowly entered the mastermind behind this rampage -a council man. One of the king's advisers. He glared down at the warrior and cursed the attackers as he shouted that the king was not present. Then, he asked where the king was.

 

The warrior refused to answer. Even under the threat of death. So the jealous adviser took one of the men's swords and slit his stomach before telling them to burn the place down. As fire was being set to the room, one of the men found the hidden room -and even more impressively, the hidden tunnel. Too wounded to move, the warrior watched as the men disappeared into the tunnel and flames devoured the room.

 

Knowing he was soon to die, the warrior made one final request to the fire. He promised the fire that if it would allow him to protect his family, he would never allow them danger ever again. He offered up his soul to the flames so that he could save them. The fire was moved by this request, having given up on the kindness of humanity long ago, and granted this last wish -but with a cost.

 

Fire consumed him and the warrior was no more... But from his ashes rose an even stronger warrior with large bird-like wings. Thus he was renamed for what he now was: The Phoenix.

 

And he protected his family that night...

 

But he could not return to them. The fire had allowed him to protect his family, but he could not return to them without a proper body. He had proven his love for his family, but in order to return, his family had to prove their love in return. When they proved their love for the Phoenix, his proper body would be returned to him. 

 

The king survived easily, being in good health and all, but his wife -who was with child- died from the cold that night... The warrior already felt as if he'd failed by letting the queen die... 

 

Not knowing of the deal made between the fire and the warrior, his wife -years later- remarried and his young daughter who was merely an infant at the time, forgot him. The Phoenix was so distraught that he collapsed in on himself. He vowed never to protect anyone but his daughter and her descendants because it was not her fault she could not remember him... He blamed her mother for not telling the child about him. Soon the fire matched his rage with humanity easily.

 

In time the story was forgotten and no one remembered the warrior. Some say his soul had moved on after the death of his daughter's son -who sadly bore no children. Others say he is still alive. When houses catch fire and there is no cause, people say that's the Phoenix taking revenge on humanity for destorying his life, which he so kindly devoted to protecting them.

 

I had always admired Phoenix, even if the story was some load of BS Heejin's, my sister, grandmother made up to make the doll more likeable. Even now, at age sixteen, I can't wait to get home and crawl into bed with the little doll I've never spent a night without and unleash all my worries to him. He has always listened, as he had no choice and no way to respond, and it always made pain lessen a bit.

 

I wasn't a tough guy. I couldn't exactly fend for myself. I was small with a pretty face -which made me an easy candidate for bullies who were bigger than me. This wasn't the first night I'd come home with scrapes and bruises, possibly crying and wishing things would just get better.

 

I would tell the little doll of all my troubles and then tell him about how one day things are going to be better. One day I'll be able to take care of myself. I'll be some one important and no one will want to bully me. Then I'd thank the little doll for listening and for always giving me strength. I don't know why but whenever I think of the toy I feel a little better -like I can be stronger. 

 

I found myself shivering, as usual, and curling down deeper into the blanket. Pulling my blanket over the doll, I settled into my bed for a comfy night's sleep. Heaving a sigh, I thanked the stars for shining so bright and lighting my room so well. I could easily see them through my window off in the distance. Then I noticed a trail of light across the sky -a shooting star. Closing my eyes, I made a small wish. Really small. 

 

I wish things will be better when I wake up.

 

It was a simple wish and coincidentally would happen. Tomorrow would be a normal Saturday -calling my friend to see if he was busy and if not, we'd be hanging out together undoutably. If he was busy, I'd lounge around the house and probably work on that essay that was due some time next week. It was all going to be relaxing and normal... Or so I thought when I fell asleep.

 

However, I woke up with a strange warmth washing over me. I have never woken up warm. Even with the curtains drawn open and the door closed, I wake up cold. Its just how my room is. But this morning was different and I wanted it to last. My bed was heated like the sun, so I squeezed my pillow tighter while pushing my face into it. 

 

But then something unexpeted happened. My pillow... moved. Thinking I was half dreaming, I growled and pulled it closer. Then my senses slowly began to return to me. My pillow was strangely firm. Not uncomfortable, just firm. Closing my eyes tighter, I moved my legs up, trying to curl into a ball as best I could, but something stopped me. My knees were met with the source of the warmth. 

 

Faintly, I could hear a light thumping sound. It sounded like... a heartbeat? I opened my eyes and looked at the pill... That's not my pillow.

 

My eyes were met with a soft silk the color of ashes. It contrasted greatly with my white pillows and sheets. Slowly, I felt the warmth wrapping around me, resting on my back. Eyes wide, I slowly followed the silky traditional garmet up to see I was lying on someone. My eyes met with deep golden orbs...  And the very unmanly squeak that left my mouth couldn't be helped as I scrambled off of my bed.

 

My adrenaline spiked as I looked at the intruder in my bed. Where the hell did he come from? Why the hell was he IN MY BED? Picking up the first thing my hand came in contact with, I snatched up my lamped and pointed it at him. "Who are you?!" I shouted, panic evident in my voice.

 

He sat up and looked at me emotionlessly. "Shouldn't you know? I've been with you for years."

 

What the is this lunatic talking about?! "Who are you?" I repeated.

 

He sighed and sat up, leaning his elbows on his knees. He was dressed in fine traditional clothing -something a king might wear. His hair was long and half of it was tied back, but the color was a warm brown, very light. "My name is Chanyeol." 

 

"What are you doing in my room?" I asked, still pointing the lamp, in which the lampshade had fallen off, at him. 

 

He shook his head, "You brought me in here."

 

"Oh, no I didn't!" I didn't, right? I'd remember bringing a guy into my room, wouldn't I? There's no way he came up here with me! "Why are you in my bed?! What gives you the right to sleep with me? Oh my God! Did you me?!" A million other horrible things went through my mind as I hysterically tried to think of when this man had climbed into my bed. 

 

"You brought me here, Baekhyun-"

 

"How the hell do you know my name?!" 

 

He lazily stretched his arms and leaned back onto my bed. "I've been with you for years, Baekhyun. I listen to your problems almost every night and sometimes you tell them to me in your sleep when you have nightmares." He rolled over and touched the pillows with his hand, looking at them as if lost in a memory. Tell him my problems every night? "I protect you as best I can, never leaving so that you will always have something familiar to come home to... I'm actually suprised you haven't grown bored of me yet. Afterall, I'm just a doll."

 

A doll? "Ph-Phoenix?" I asked, my eyes going wide again. It would explain why his appearence resembled the toy, but as he'd said, Phoenix was A DOLL. NOT A FULL GROWN ING MAN LAYING IN MY BED! "That's not possible!"

 

"Why not? I was human once. Why's it so hard to believe I could be again?"

 

I shook my head and dropped the lamp dramatically. This was most certainly NOT possible. He wasn't human once, he's always been a doll! This stranger has crawled into my bed because he's some crazy person who decided to stalk me for some ungodly reason. "No no no no no... That's not possible. How the hell could you be a doll last night but human now?!"

 

"A wish from the heart is a powerful thing, Baekhyun." 

 

"What are you talking about?" I asked quickly, slowly inching towards my door. The psycho stood up, resting his bare feet on the floor and clutching his sword to his side. Wait, when the hell'd that get there?! Why did he have a sword?! He slowly looked around with narrow eyes. "What-"

 

"Shush!" 

 

The psycho just shushed me. IN MY OWN ROOM. "Don't tell me to shush!" I hissed angrily, pulling open my door, "Get the hell-"

 

Suddenly he lunged out the door. There were quite a few thuds before I could bring myself to look. My eyes widened when I saw the creep with his sword drawn into the face of a familiar raven haired boy, who was already down into a defensive stance -clearly willing to fight. I darted out and shoved his sword down, snatching my friend up. "What the hell?!" I shouted at him. 

 

"Baekhyun, get aw-"

 

"Tao, what are you doing here?" I announced, ignoring the insane man behind me. Tao glared over my shoulder. "I was coming over to check on you because you looked upset when you left school yesterday and you weren't answering your phone." He picked his bag up off the floor and tossed it over his shoulder. "Now that I know you're fine and willing to have your other friends attack me, I think I'll leave before I give you something to regret."

 

Thus he turned and began stalking away, fist clenched by his side and the other squeezing the strap of his back to death. "Tao, wait! I didn't ask him to attack you!" I called grabbing his bag and pulling him back. The chinese boy shoved me against the wall and held me there.

 

"I'm not in the mood for this, Baekhyun. Don't make me hurt you." I had always known Tao had a short temper, but I'd never been on the receiving end. I'd seen what he could do with his martial arts and quite frankly I was afraid. But then Tao was knocked to the side and the psycho-doll guy had him on the ground.

 

Tao tossed himself up easily and grabbed the psycho's shirt. "Don't mess with me."

 

The intruder knocked his hands away and put his sword to his throat. "Don't threaten, Baekhyun." 

 

I shoved them both apart. "Put the damn sword up! You could hurt some body with that thing!" I hissed. Psycho-boy glared at Tao, watching him carefully as he slid the sword back into its case. Looking back at Tao, I said "I didn't ask him to attack you, but I would be really ing grateful if you could help me for a few minutes."

 

My friend huffed out a breath and glared under his dark bangs before giving me a slight nod. "Back to my room." I growled at the man in his weird clothing. He shook his head, "You go first... I'll make sure he doesn't-"

 

"He won't do anything to me. He's my best friend. Go back to my room." He grabbed my arm and pushed me ahead of him before walking into the room as well. 

 

I rolled my eyes and closed the door behind Tao, who instantly went to sit on my bed, cross legged and glaring daggers at the intruder. "Tao, this is... Chanyeol?"

 

The other nodded. "Chanyeol, this is Tao. MY BEST FRIEND who would never do ANYTHING to HURT me... Now explain to me who the hell you are and why you were in my bed when I woke up this morning?!" I growled.

 

Chanyeol looked at me with a blank expression. "I told you. I am Chanyeol -or if you simply must- Phoenix. You wished for things to be better and the stars gave me this body so that your wish would be granted." 

 

I shook my head, "See, that isn't possible. How did you know what I wished for last night? I didn't say it out loud." 

 

"The stars told me."

 

Tao shook his head head, "What are you two talking about? And why do you look familiar, Chanyeol? Have we met before?" The panda stood up and looked at Chanyeol's face closely, poking his cheek slightly. The taller leaned away from his finger while staring with his brows drawn together. "I don't recall meeting you." He replied. He seemed confused by Tao's actions at this point and it was, in some insane way, amusing.

 

"He claims he was my doll." I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned against the door. Tao blinked and took in Chanyeol's full appearence before nodding. "The little warrior doll that was your sister's?" He asked, looking at me and then back at him. "I could see that."

 

I shook my head, "But how the hell could he be human now?!" 

 

Tao shrugged and prodded the warrior's neck with his fingers. "Don't you remember the story about the girl who loved the rock? My grandmother told it to us when we were kids." I nodded, remembering Tao's grandmother. She had been old and only spoke Chinese so Tao's mother translated for me when she told us the story. We were only about five so hearing the story before bed was basically the high light of the night. I nodded to him. "Well, the girl loved the rock so much it gained a soul. How much did you like your doll?" 

 

I rolled my eyes, "I didn't love the doll like she loved the rock." 

 

Chanyeol moved back and sighed. "No, you didn't. Listen here, you made the wish so I'm here to protect you. Its what your sister wanted."

 

I stood frozen, gaping at his stern expression. "My sister?" I asked. Anger grew inside me and I punched him as hard as I ing could. "How dare you speak of her!" Chanyeol looked back at me and snatched my fists in his hands, moving to glare down at me. 

 

"She worried for you, Baekhyun. I'm here as her last wish as well. Don't you even remember the day I found you?" Chanyeol hissed in my face. His expression was viscious, but his eyes begged me to remember. 

 

Honestly... No. I could not remember how I acquired Phoenix. I just knew he belonged to Heejin a long time ago. I forced him back with all my strength and turned so my back faced him. "No. I don't. How do you know Heejin was worried for me, huh? She was 10 when she was taken. Wouldn't a 10 year old beg to see their parents?"

 

"She knew you, Baekhyun. She loved you. Heejin knew your parents weren't very good ones, even at the age of 10, but she worried the most for you." 

"How do you know?" I growled, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. I never thought about Heejin. It always made me sad. I couldn't even remember the day she was taken. Umma always told me that she'd left my sister home while she went to the store and when she came back, my sister was gone... The door had been broken. It meant someone forced their way in and took her. But I always felt responsible. I don't know why... I just did. I know I was only six at the time so it'd make no sense for me to feel as horribly as I do. "She told me. Every night." Chanyeol shook, fist clenched by his side as he looked down to the side with tears slipping down his cheek. "Down to her last breath."

 

Tao stood up looked at me, "Baekhyun... I think he's telling the truth." I shook my head angrily. "If you heard her last breath why didn't you help her?! She was a defenseless little girl!"

 

"You think I didn't want to!?" He shouted back, his eyes swirling with fiery gold and orange. "Because of my damned king, I have watched as my entire family line died and I was trapped in the body of a doll so I couldn't help them!" He shook his head furiously. 

 

I looked back up at him. He was filled with so much rage that his body was trembling. I could feel the temperature in the room rising as sweat beads began to form on my neck. "What do you mean?" I asked, noticing Tao moving to open the window.

 

Chanyeol growled, a terrifying sound to be honest, and snarled down at the floor. "When my wife thought me dead, she married my friend -my king. He had the doll made and gave it to my daughter who forgot who I was. I was just a story to her... But I was there to see her grow up and eventually I was given to her child, then to her child, and so on... Down to Heejin. Dear Heejin... My family ended with her and I loved her like my own child." I watched as tears slipped down his face and fell to the carpet, slowly eating it down to its base anywhere the droplets touched. Even his tears were heated... 

 

He suddenly looked up at me... I've never seen some one so broken. Not Umma or Appa when Heejin was taken, not her friends when they held a funeral ceremony to pronounce her dead, and not even Tao when his father died. "You may not want me here... but I will not go back to being a doll until I find Heejin's killer." 

 

I looked at Tao, biting my lip as he watched on in awe. Looking back up at Chanyeol, I nodded. "I'll help you. No matter what. You can trust me."

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bansha's note: So... What are your thoughts? Should this become its own full fanfiction? Or is your curiosoity settled here? Totally up to you guys.