Izzie/History

## Trials of the Dream Chasers

### Awakening

In the Candy Realm, Izzie found herself among the other students. While enjoying a pickle, she caught sight of the Masked Hero fleeing from the Grimspawn. When Mateo awoke from the shockwave caused by a broken hourglass, he approached Izzie to wake her up. Izzie, still half asleep, mumbled about eating pickles. Mateo called her name, prompting her to fully wake up. Izzie then mentioned having a strange dream. Intrigued, they both went to the window and noticed Cooper opening his window as well. Mateo decided to send Cooper a text message, but Cooper disregarded it and returned to bed, closing the window. Izzie asked if Cooper was still ignoring Mateo, to which Mateo replied that Cooper simply wasn't speaking to him. They both decided to go back to sleep. After several hours, Izzie rose from bed as Mateo was awakened by the sound of his phone playing K-Pop. Mateo told Izzie to stop tampering with his phone, but Izzie pointed out that it had at least succeeded in getting him out of bed.

As Izzie and Mateo prepared for school, Izzie approached José to inquire about her sign-up sheet for Sheep Week. José promptly handed it over to her. José then asked Mateo about his own sign-up sheet, to which Mateo dismissed activities like dodgeball, stating that it was not a sport but rather a form of torture. Izzie emphasized that Sheep Week included more than just dodgeball, mentioning Sudden Death Tetherball as another activity. José, in an attempt to encourage Mateo's participation, suggested that he sign up with Cooper. However, Izzie quickly interjected, reminding José that Cooper and Mateo were no longer friends. José quickly caught on and changed his approach, acknowledging that Sheep Week could be an opportunity for Mateo to make new friends. Izzie added that Mateo would find genuine friends during the event. With that, Izzie grabbed her backpack and headed out for school. However, Mateo's attention was quickly diverted when he noticed the hourglass from the previous night. Izzie caught up to Mateo. Mateo asked Izzie about her recollection of last night's dream, and Izzie proceeded to recount her experience of waking up with a craving for pickles. As they stood there, Mrs. Castillo's voice called out. Just as Izzie was about to step onto a crossing, Mateo quickly stopped her, preventing her from being hit by a passing car. Once they safely crossed the street, they went in front of Mrs. Castillo's food truck van, ready to order. Izzie made a special order for a breakfast burrito with mahi-mahi and a cobra-style sandwich with extra pickles. Mrs. Castillo then turned to Mateo to take his order, but he was indecisive. Izzie suggested that he shouldn't overthink it.

After the school day ended, Izzie was engrossed in watching *Ninjago*, while Mateo caught her attention by drawing on his desk. Izzie responded by playfully throwing a plushie at him. Mateo told her to stop, to which Izzie remarked that he needed to socialize more. In return, Mateo pointed out that Izzie was watching anime alone. Izzie defended herself by mentioning that Nova had recommended it, and she believed in trying new things unlike Mateo, who she jokingly claimed would end up alone and sad in a cave. Although Mateo denied their dad saying such things, Izzie thought he should have.

### The Bigger Picture

Mateo showed his latest comic book to Izzie, who was captivated by the artwork. She can't help but wonder if they truly achieved such remarkable victories in their battles. As she continued flipping through the pages, Izzie noticed Mateo trying to catch Zoey's attention, but Zoey remained oblivious to his presence. Sensing Mateo's longing to speak with Zoey, Izzie encourages him to approach her and express his feelings. However, Mateo confesses his insecurities, fearing that he will come across as awkward or foolish. Izzie playfully suggests that perhaps Zoey appreciates the charm of a dork, trying to boost Mateo's confidence. Despite his heroic feats in the Dream World, Mateo believed that his capabilities and confidence in the Waking World were entirely different. Izzie proposed that even if Mateo doesn't share the comic with Zoey, he should consider showing it to Logan or Cooper. Mateo swiftly took the comic from Izzie's hands, refusing to let anyone else see it as he left for class.

After being instructed to head back to class, Izzie discovered the existence of the Insomniacs Club. In an attempt to share this newfound information, Izzie showed it to Mateo and the others, catching their attention. Cooper, intrigued, questioned whether the club was a joke, while Izzie insisted that Nova, the leader of the club, believed otherwise.Izzie then took the poster and drew attention to the yellow eyes depicted on it, showing that the nightmare creatures were involved. Mateo dismissed it as a mere coincidence, but before he could elaborate further, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. The Wolves once again cautioned Izzie and the others about The Destroyers. While Izzie watched Oz and Julie talking, Logan unexpectedly devised a scheme to obtain the math test answers from the Dream World, allowing them to spend the afternoon getting ready for Sheep Week. Cooper pondered how they would locate Julie, and Izzie came up with the idea of using the Locator to find her.

During their search for Julie in the Dream World, Izzie shows empathy towards her and advises her to take some time to relax. As they arrive at the school, Izzie and the rest of the group are taken aback by its peculiarities, leading Izzie to remark that her dreams about school were even more peculiar. Mateo proposes the idea of splitting up to find Julie. Izzie then notices Mateo's gaze directed elsewhere, unaware that he had spotted Zoey. Curious, Izzie inquires about Mateo's destination, and he explains that he intends to do something that he cannot do in the Waking World.

While scouring Julie's classroom for her, Izzie's efforts to locate her or the test answers proved futile. Nevertheless, her attention was caught by Nova, who was making her way towards a different room. Intrigued, Izzie decided to discreetly tail Nova. Along the way, Izzie caught sight of numerous posters advertising the Insomniacs Club. She made her way to the classroom where Nova and the Insomniacs congregated. Izzie and Mateo crossed paths and witnessed Logan and Cooper hastily fleeing from a colossal Julie. As chaos ensued throughout New York City due to Julie's actions, Izzie and her friends sought refuge behind Señor Tortuga. Mrs. Callisto astutely observed that people yearned to be something they were not, in Julie's case, it was a desperate desire for attention. Despite Mateo and Logan's initial attempt to calm Julie proving unsuccessful, Izzie and the rest of the group enticed Julie towards a Walking Piano. Once there, they showered Julie with praise for her remarkable piano skills.

The following day marked the beginning of Sheep Week. Izzie was engaged in a series of stretching exercises to prepare. Meanwhile, Mateo couldn't shake off the feeling of remorse for invading Ms. Putnam's dream. However, Izzie comforted Mateo, assuring him that they had gained a valuable lesson from the experience. Team Dream Chasers were all set to take on The Destroyers in a match of Sudden Death Tetherball. Izzie and the rest of the team were amused when they found out that The Destroyers were actually inexperienced teenagers. Team Dream Chasers emerged triumphant in the face-off against The Destroyers. Reflecting on the victory, Izzie acknowledges that everyone carries some regrets about the choices they've made in life. However, Logan statement about stopping his mistakes in the near future leaves both Izzie and Mateo puzzled.