Page 105 of Barbie: Dreamscape

But they all ricochet off our combined magic.

She grips my hands. I grit my teeth. My armor begins to shine, adding its own unique glimmer to our combined pink.

My mother’s magic.

The darkness doesn’t stand a chance.

The next time it launches forward, it doesn’t just retreat. It burns away in a flash of screaming smoke.

Our pink magic—my mom’s, Robin’s, mine—keeps growing, building like a tidal wave, filling the armory, traveling up the spiral staircase—until, in a flash, I feel it spill right through the walls of built-up bricks, through the entire school, destroying the shadows still tormenting the rooms and the vicious storm roaring through our land, turning everything that had been twisted and mangled back into what it once was.

Until only pink remains. This new shade of pink, one we created. Together.

With a final, pitiful hiss of darkness, the last of the shadows are vanquished.

Our magic rushes back, receding into our hearts. Mine glows fiercely.

And my armor… it’s changed color, too… from light pink to that bold magenta hue.

Our feet touch the ground, and I’m in her arms in a moment.

“Barbie,” Robin says. “I’m—I’m so sorry.”

“I know,” I say, throat thick with emotion. And when I pull back, I can see the regret and pain in her expression. “Things can’t go back to the way they were, Robin. It was wrong. Heartland is going to change.”

Robin looks wary. But she doesn’t say a word before pulling me into her arms again.

Above, doors start to open, the locks falling away. Light shines into the stairwell from windows that are no longer smothered by oppressive stone. The control of magic, a vise around us all, is lifted, like a veil burning away, turning into a pile of cinder.

And a new world is born from its ashes.

Perfectly Imperfect

I lean against the open gates of Swancrest, glancing at the paper in my hands.

“So. Turns out, I’m not sure I have a future in Great Pastry Chef, Figure Skater, or Pet Vet,” I say, checking them off the list. I’ve spent the past several weeks shadowing different Careers among the people of Heartland, seeing if they might have a place in my Career path. They don’t, but I loved the freedom of learning new things just because I wanted to.

Callie smiles. “You know you can just become a Painter, right?”

“I know,” I say, and the fact that those words are true… “I like to have options, though,” I continue. “If I painted all day, maybe I wouldn’t love it as much.”

“Or maybe you would love it more,” Sunny calls down from above, and we both crane our necks to see him sitting in his new flying boat.

“True. I guess I won’t know until I try,” I say.

Trying is scary, of course.

There’s always the chance I’ll fail and disappoint myself. Or the people around me.

But now I realize that failing just means living without fear. It means putting yourself into the game. And I’d prefer that over living on the sidelines any day.

“Ready?” Sunny asks.

I nod. “I—”

“Where are you going?” a voice says.

I pause. Turn.