I told you guys I would post something so big and awesome! Well wait no more, for I have started the superb sequel to "One Special Thing"! So if you haven't already, you should read that first. I know sequels are nearly never as good as the originals, but I promise this one will be a great sequel! And if it isn't, you all can dangle me over a cliff.

Note: I will say this once and once only: I own Hope, but NiGHTS, Reala, and others are owned by SEGA and Sonic Team. Oh, and if you want to see what Hope looks like (although it's hard to see), check out my avatar picture (up for a limited time only!). I drew it myself! - Yeah, yeah, she looks like Cosmo from the Sonic series, SO WHAT? Ahem. Please read. And sorry for the "really imaginative" title.

Hope Into Dreams

Chapter One: Bedtime Story

The moon had begun to rise in the night sky, bathing the Crystal Castle landscape in a silvery glow. Inside the castle, NiGHTS watched the moon from a window, waiting for her time to go.

"Hey."

NiGHTS recognized the soft voice as Reala, her life-long mate. She turned around and smiled warmly at him. "Hey." she greeted back.

They embraced gently for a moment, then Reala asked, "You getting ready to go to the Dream Gate?"

"Mm-hmm." NiGHTS replied, her head still buried in Reala's chest. She then looked up at him. "You getting ready to tuck Hope in, for me?"

Reala nodded. "Of course, love. But what if she can't sleep? I can't play lullabyes like you do."

"Don't worry, just tell her another story, like you did the other times."

"But what if it doesn't work?"

NiGHTS rolled her eyes but smiled. "You worry too much. Anyway, it's time for me to go greet some Visitors."

"Yay." Reala said without enthusiasm.

NiGHTS laughed. "It's not that bad." She paused to think. "Well, sometimes it is kind of a drag, especially when Owl starts explaining things to them, but somebody's got to do it."

"All right, then." Reala kissed NiGHTS quickly, then called out, "Hope! Come say goodnight to your mother!"

A few seconds later, a girl not-quite-jester-like Nightmaren flew into the room. She hugged NiGHTS tightly. "Goodnight, Mom!"

NiGHTS hugged her daughter just as tightly. "'Night, Hope. See you in the morning, ok, dear?"

Hope nodded and smiled.

"Ready for bed, Hope?" Reala asked.

Hope frowned. "Aw, can't I stay up until Mom gets back?"

NiGHTS gave Reala a wink, signaling for them to do their "Make-Hope-want-to-go-to-bed" plan.

"Of course you can stay up, Hope." Reala said cheerfully. He turned to NiGHTS. "I love you, darling."

"I love you more!" NiGHTS tried not to giggle.

Reala grabbed NiGHTS and brought her into a dip. "Wanna bet?"

Then they started to make out. And when your parents start to make out in front of you...it can make you a bit uncomfortable. Hope didn't mind it when Reala or NiGHTS gave each other a single kiss, but this was too much. "Aah! Ok! Ok! I'm going to bed!" And the 12-year old Nightmaren darted out of the room.

NiGHTS and Reala stopped kissing and chuckled.

"This plan of yours is brilliant." Reala commented, smiling slyly. "We should do it more often."

NiGHTS returned the smile. "We'll have plenty of time when I get back." She gave him one final kiss before flying out of their home.

Reala watched her go, sighing happily. Then he remembered he still had to say goodnight to Hope. He flew to her room and found his daughter sitting up in her bed. He smiled when he saw her. She looked so much like NiGHTS (but more like Cosmo! XD). "Hey, Sunshine." he said her nickname with a grin. He and NiGHTS sometimes called her Sunshine because not only did her Ideya shine whenever light struck it, but also because Hope was bright and cheery. Reala floated over to her bed and sat on the edge.

Hope smiled brightly, as she always did. "Hey, Ree." she leaned over and hugged him.

"And since when were you allowed to nickname your parents?" asked Reala.

Hope giggled. "Well, Mom told me that's what she called you sometimes. I just wanted to try it."

Reala smiled, but continued to gaze at his daughter.

"What?" Hope asked when her father didn't say anything.

"It's just that you remind me of her so much." Reala answered. "Anyway, it's time for you to go to sleep."

Hope looked a little disappointed. "Oh. I was hoping you could tell me a story."

Not wanting to disappoint his daughter, Reala said, "I can tell you a story. Which one?"

Hope pondered some more. "I know! The story about Nancy and Roger!"

Reala nodded. "All right, get comfortable."

Hope snuggled into a lying down position and Reala pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.

Then Reala started the story.

--

Once upon a time, there was an evil ruler named Wizeman. He was the ruler of Nightmare, and he wanted to take over Nightopia with his evil band of Nightmarens. But there was one Nightmaren of his who knew what Wizeman was doing wasn't right. Her name was Nancy. Wizeman tried to kill her, and he almost succeeded, but another one of his Nightmarens, Roger, rescued her when Wizeman thought she was dead. Roger took her to the hospital and helped the Nightopians take care of her.

It wasn't long before Nancy and Roger fell in love. The kind of love only reserved for Fairy Tales. They confessed their love for each other and Roger decided he wasn't going to serve Wizeman anymore.

Wizeman later found out that Nancy was still alive and was very furious. One night when she and Roger were at the Dream Gate, he ambushed them and attacked them. It was a brutal fight to stay alive, and Roger did his best to protect Nancy. He could see Wizeman was getting frustrated and was on the brink of exploding, and it was then that he realized a secret about Wizeman that no one else knew about. Roger tricked him into doing his most powerful attack that was so strong it would actually be killing him himself. Unfortunately, when Wizeman did the attack, Nancy was killed in the process.

She was indeed dead, and Roger thought he had lost her for good. But then he remembered her once telling him that Ideya can make miracles happen if your heart is strong enough. He remembered the Yellow Ideya Nancy gave him the night before this happened. Roger deeply hoped that the Ideya would revive her, which it did. It took all of his love for her to make it work. And with Wizeman gone, they lived happily ever after.

The End

--

Hope sighed in satisfaction. "That was very nice. Thank you, Dad."

"You're very welcome, dear."

"Hey, Dad, I was wondering...what's that mask you always wear?"

Reala took off his Persona. "What, this? Oh, it's nothing, really. Just something I've always liked to wear." He put it back on. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I've just been wondering that for a while but I never got around to asking you. It's very pretty."

"Thank you, I think so too."

"Can I have one?"

"No, I'm afraid they don't make these anymore."

Hope looked puzzled. "Who's 'they'?"

Reala tried not to look nervous. "Uh...you know...they." he answered vaguely.

For some reason, Hope seemed to understand because she nodded and said, "Ok! Hey, Dad, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, dear. Anything."

"Where do babies come from?"

"Anything but that. Goodnight." Reala quickly kissed Hope's cheek, blew out the candle, then hurried out of her room and closed the door.

Hope giggled softly to herself and put her head on her pillow. "Even I have tricks of my own, Daddy."

Tee hee! Hope is just as mischievious as NiGHTS! ;) Long first chapter, huh? So, is it good? Or just ok? Time to start reviewing! As always, constructive critisism is welcome, but no flames! By the way, notice the story Reala tells Hope is his and NiGHTS' story in "One Special Thing", but he changed the names. And there's a logical explination to that which I will reveal later in the story. Or you could just ask me right away, if you want.

PS: If you don't understand something, or you find something confusing, please message me and I'll try to clear things up for you, k?