//the Happy Voice\

  Something odd happened today. I got a visitor that I wasn't expecting. I mean, ever since Threnody came and left, warning of another visit from someone named 'Sybil', I've been keeping a close eye out from anything weird. I've kept my toy close by, staying near the house, not playing much. I can tell Timothy's a bit worried...He even asked me what was wrong, but didn't persist, since he knows we're all still on edge, no matter how much hasn't happened that we thought already should have.
  I spoke about the voice named Threnody I heard, and also may have seen, sitting out on the tire swing. That was scary...It wasn't the same this time, when I was outside on the edge of where I was pretty sure the wards were set up, looking out into the forest. Just relaxing. I could hear a bit of chatter inside, though I couldn't really tell whose voice was whose. Tim's been keeping himself busy...Although at times I kind of feel guilty for leaving him alone. But anyway...I didn't move much, just zoned out a bit. The calmness of the forest seemed to swipe me away from reality. I was...happy. That's when I heard a voice again. This one was different...sort of off in the distance, yet everywhere at once, just like Threnody's. It was a little girl's voice this time, maybe a couple years younger than me...Still, I wasn't going to let that get my guard down. I stood up and got ready to attack it, or even run, if something came out that I wasn't expecting. But...what was I expecting?


Trinity!~


  Her voice came out somewhat sing-songy...melodic, yet still sounding young. It was slowly getting closer, my arms shaking.


I see a little thatch! Here I come, out from this patch!~


  I jumped as a shrub started rustling. Out from it came a girl, around my age, wearing some sort of silly costume. An odd looking hat was crooked on her head of messy, bright blond hair, with a long curly orange thing hanging down from the top of it. Her garb looked like an old jester's outfit, with jingle bells and everything. Her face...wasn't scarred or anything. In fact, she seemed totally untouched. She even looked a little bit like myself, beside her eyes and skin tone differing from my own.
  I couldn't help but stand and stare as this small thing emerged from the bushes, jingling as each foot stepped forward. We both stood there, looking at each other...My head tilted slightly in confusion, her head mimicking mine, and a bright smile on her tanned face. Suddenly, she jumped up, higher than I've ever seen a child leap before, landing on the other side of me. I made sure to follow her every movement, still ready to defend myself at any moment. But there she was, just skipping and dancing about, plucking away on a lute I never noticed she had before. She turned to me after a moment, took a deep breathe, and starting quickly strumming the strings of her mini instrument.


I came to visit you, as you can see! When I heard it was my turn, I said, 'Whoopie!'~


  I have to admit, she was kind of cute, prancing around and singing in that high voice. Still, some things appearing to be cute can be deadly. Dollmaker, for example. But anyway, she did make me laugh just a bit.


I like to rhyme, as you can see. Truthfully it's quite fun for me! I like to dance and run and play. I also sing instead of say!~


  Alright...By this point, I'd let my toy drop to the ground, as I started jogging after her. She was spinning now, starting down the path, but stopped when she say me still standing near the mansion. So she skipped, twirling, back up, grinning when she saw me smile.


Spinning's fun, and also free! Oh yes, hello, I'm Jubilee!~


  I nodded at her, still following her wherever she would roam, picking up my toy and keeping it halfway in my pocket, just in case. I didn't exactly know what was going on, so when she stopped whirling around, looking more than a bit dizzy, I leaned back on a tree and decided to ask.


"Miss Jubilee...You're very nice. I would like to ask, though, where you came from. And why you're here."


  Jubilee smiled up at me, reaching into her pocket as I readied myself to duck and run. Instead of a weapon, she pulled out another instrument, a flute, and began tooting away on it, hopping up and down in circles around the tree.


I come from somewhere you know well, sometimes a park, sometimes a cell. The reason for me being here...


  She paused to play the flute a little, then beamed up at me and continued.


Your happiness came back, my dear!~


"What do you mean, 'my happiness', though? And...I don't get what you're telling me."


Do you remember Threnody? She was quite sad and unhappy. So what would you call someone like her? Her goals in life all becoming a blur.~


"You know Threnody?!"


  I stood back and frowned, her smile disappearing. She started getting paler...paler...Until she lifted up the lute and did her dance again. I couldn't help but smile and dance with her. She repeated her question.


"She was...Pessimistic, I guess."


Pessimistic? Well, not quite. Her attitude is dark as night. She's lost the point there is to live. Depressing advice she is to give.~


"Then...she's...she acts...she's lost all hope."


Hopelessness! That is the word! As sad as a lost, flightless bird. Now what would you call me, my friend? Your memory we must mend.~


"If she's Hopelessness...Are you...Happiness?"


  Suddenly, Jubilee leaped up and shouted, taking out her flute and loudly blowing one continuous note into my ear. I cringed and backed up, tripping over a branch. She ran over to me and dragged me onto my feet, squeezing my hand as I was pulled behind her.


Happiness, I am, indeed! And joy is something everyone needs. Now that you know what we represent, do you understand our true intent?~


  I was trying to remember what she said earlier. When I asked where she came from, and why...A place I knew well. Sometimes pleasant, sometimes not. My happiness came back...I was starting to get it. Just a little bit.


"Are you my Happiness, Jubilee? Is that why I can hear you in my head?"


Yes, yes, yes, you've got it right! I knew you'd think with all your might. I was there when you were glad! Happy, joyous, but never sad.~


"So then...Threnody must be my Hopelessness?"


  Jubilee nodded at me, finally standing still as she plucked some more on her tiny lute. She was still smiling, tapping her feet in those curled shoes, jingling with each little movement.


"So then who is Sybil?"


Well of course there is not only two! Why, then, you'd only be joyful or blue! Oh no, there are many others. Until they are felt, they hide under the covers!~


  She hopped up again, and kept dancing around, singing some other words I weren't really listening to. I still don't get it...some of it, at least. It was different, not normal, being able to hear someone when their mouths don't move, and everywhere at once, even though you've discovered they're your own emotions. And there are more of them, too. I just wish I knew what they were...Of course there are going to be bad ones. Threnody is bad enough, so now I know whenever I'm sad she'll be hanging around, bugging me again. I can't imagine what anger will be like.
  We spent a while just playing together. I pushed her on the swing for a bit while she played her flute, then we went walking by the garden till we reached a rather large puddle. I didn't see it...I stepped into it by accident, and my sneaker was flooded with muddy, gross, cold water. When I looked for her, starting to cry just a bit, she wasn't there. I didn't hear her or anything. I went around the whole mansion, inside and out, calling for her...If she really is my Happiness, I guess she disappeared when I got my shoe wet. I wasn't happy anymore...I expected to see Threnody there, but nothing happened.


  Did that really happen in my head?
  I'm really starting to doubt whether I'm truly sane.