Chapter one: Born Different

Reala floated aimlessly down the dark halls of nightmare castle, tracing the shape of the golden mask he wore, he had never taken it off, he had never tried. He floated past master Wizemin's chamber. He hadn't given any orders for at least a week, his creations wondered what had happened to him but were too afraid go in and catch him in a bad mood. Reala Decided to finally find out the reason his master was so silent.

When Reala opened the door into the throne room he looked to the massive figure of the Wizemin, then, something caught his eye, a brightly colored bubble floated at the Wizemin's feet.

"Ah, Reala just the person I wanted to see." The Wizemin said. One of the Wizemin's many hands floated over to inspect Reala. In the palm of Master Wizemin's hand was a giant eye. Reala sank to one knee and bowed to his master.

"May I ask what you have been doing for so long master?"

"I have been creating a new creature."

"It has taken you quite a long time if you don't mind me saying, it only took you three days to create me, what's so different about this being?"

But master Wizemin did not answer, for a blinding light began to emanate from the swirling bubble. Reala guarded his eyes from the light and when he looked again he saw a young boy, not to old but not to young, not unlike himself, dressed in bright clothing bowing to the Wizemin. This being must have come from that bright bubble, 'oh, so that's how it works.' Reala thought, had never been told how he had been created.

The young boy wore a mask like Reala it was silver and ended in three points that curved around his head. The boy looked up at master Wizemin but there was something very different in his eyes, instead of looking at The Wizemin with fear and respect he looked at him differently, Reala couldn't put his finger on it, was it kindness, hope, defiance?

"Now," the Wizemin said not seeming to see what Reala saw, "You must have a name, hmm, what do you think Reala?"

Reala was taken aback, master Wizemin asking for his opinion?

"Well…I…uh…" Reala stuttered.

"Can my name be Nights?"

Reala turned to the young boy. he was standing now rocking on the balls of his feet smiling up at master Wizemin expectantly.

One of the master's creations suggesting a name? It was unheard of, Reala didn't want to admit it but he thought that his master made a mistake when he created this boy.

"Why do you wish to be called that?" Master Wizemin asked.

"I don't know." The boy replied, "It just came to me and I liked it." The boy's eyes twinkled.

'It just came to me and I liked it? This is ridiculous.' Reala shook his head in pure disbelief; his master must know he made a mistake.

"Fine then," the Wizemin said, "you shall be called Nights."

Reala's jaw dropped.

Reala looked at Nights who was staring back at him, smiling and rocking on the balls of his feet.

"Who are you?" Nights asked.

"I'm Reala." Reala said still amazed that master Wizemin had kept this mistake.

Master Wizemin turned all of his eyes on Reala, "Reala you are going to be Nights' mentor teach him everything you know." Then he turned to Nights, "Nights, I want you to listen to Reala, and if you ever have a question ask Reala or me."

"Why?" Nights said in pure curiosity.

"Because some other people around here aren't as trust worthy as me and Reala they might lie to you." Master Wizemin explained.

"Oh, O.K." Nights smiled, satisfied.

"Master, may I speak to you in private." Reala asked eying Nights who was looking around curiously at the vast chamber.

"Yes Reala you may."

Reala looked at Nights who was showing no sign of leaving.

"Nights."

Nights spun around to meet Reala's gaze.

"I'm sorry did you say something to me?"

'How could someone be so oblivious?' Reala thought and then said to Nights.

"When I said I wanted to speak in private I meant without you."

"Oh." Nights' face fell a bit and then he walked out of the room.

As soon as the door shut behind him Reala asked, "What the devil is wrong with him?"

"There is nothing wrong with him; I created him as if he was a child. He is curious and willing to learn."

"And what is that suppose to accomplish?"

"He will learn more and be able to perfectly plan our future attacks of Nightopia."

"I still don't understand how dose being like a child give you the ability to plan battles?"

"His thirst for knowledge will make him want to learn, and his mind can be molded to our cause."

"Oh, I see now, thank you master." Reala bowed and turned to leave but master Wizemin stopped him.

"Don't let him out of your sight Reala he's to important to go astray."

"Yes master."

Nights waited impatiently outside of the Wizemin's camber, twiddling his thumbs. He spotted amazingly reflective part of the black polished stone wall and went to look at his refection.

He first noticed his mask, 'that's strange.' He thought tracing the mask with his index finger. He held the side of it and tried to take it off, it didn't budge. "That's wired."

He took both sides of the mask and tugged lightly then harder. "Ow!" Nights let go and looked at himself and said to his refection. "It seems to be stuck, what do you think I should do?" that's when Reala came out of the Wizemin's chamber.

'Oh yes I could ask Reala.'

"Hey, Reala!"

Reala turned when he heard his name.

"What's this?" Nights pointed at his mask, "and why can't I take it off?"

"It's called a persona," Reala explained, "it is a symbol of your loyalty to Master Wizemin; it also allows you to change shape."

"Change shape!" Nights said excitedly.

"Yes," Reala went on, "and if you take it off it would be a sign of treason."

"So treason is bad?" Nights said.

"Yes of course it's bad!" Reala kneaded his forehead, "Come on, and stay close."

"O.K."

Reala floated down the hall, he felt Nights' hand slip into his, he stopped and looked down at Nights who was looking around in awe.

"Why did you grab my hand?" Reala asked, Nights turned around and smiled warmly at Reala.

"I fell better when I hold someone's hand." He said.

"You can't know that," Reala said exasperatedly, "you've only been alive for, what, five minutes?"

Nights let go of Reala's hand and looked at his feet, "you're mad at me."

Reala let out a groan and put his head in his hands.

He heard a small whimper come from Nights and looked down at him.

"Are you crying?" Reala asked bewildered.

"No." Nights sniffed and wiped his tears off his face.

"You are crying." Reala said in panic he didn't know what to do, what if Nights goes and tells master Wizemin that Reala had hurt his feelings? Reala would be thrown out for sure.

"Look, um, I'm sorry, I uh." Reala looked for something to say to make Nights feel better, but Nights had found something to look at that made him forget what had happened.

"What's in there?" Nights indicated a large opening in the wall.

"I wouldn't look in there if I were you." Reala warned.

"Why not?" Nights inched a little closer to the door.

"That's the hall of mirrors; the mirrors reflect your worst fear."

Nights ignored Reala's warnings and peered into the room. He felt a force throw him back he hit the opposite wall and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Pictures flashed though Nights' head he picked out his and Reala's faces but another face was prominent in his mind; a young girl not much older then him with beautiful green eyes and long brown hair with the kindest smile Nights had ever seen.

As the pictures flashed by he heard the girl screaming his name. "Nights, Nights, Nights!"

"Nights."

Nights' eyes shot open and saw Reala's panic stricken face which quickly turned to relief when he saw Nights open his eyes.

"What happened?" Nights asked dazedly, rubbing his sore head.

"I don't really know." Reala said, "One minute you looked into the hall of mirrors and the next I saw you fly past me and hit the wall."

"I saw a girl." Nights said standing up, he wobbled and then grabbed the wall for support using his free hand to rub his head.

"You saw a what?" Reala asked looking at Nights uncertainly.

"Huh, what I'm sorry I'm just a bit dizzy nothing I can't handle." Nights took a step forward and fell over; Reala caught him before he hit the ground.

"Maybe you should let me take you to your room." Reala put Nights' arm over his shoulder and supported him. "So who is this girl you saw and where did you see her?"

"What, oh I don't know who she is but she was really pretty, I saw her when I passed out."

"You did?"

"Yeah I saw a lot of stuff but it went to fast for me to see much, is everything supposed spin like that." Nights used his free hand to draw lazy circles in the air, he laughed dully and his legs gave out, Reala fell over, surprised by the sudden weight. He looked over at Nights' motionless body, he must have passed out again. Reala got up and hoisted Nights into his arms. He walked down the hall, there was too much weight to fly, and he wondered what had happened to make Nights so out of it.

Reala struggled and managed to open the door of Nights' room. He walked over and dropped Nights onto the bed. Nights let out a soft moan and slowly opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked holding his head.

"You passed out."

"Again?" Nights closed his eyes and groaned.

"What happed to make you so woozy?"

"I don't know, all I remember is all the pictures running though my mind, so much so fast, so much noise…" Nights stared intensely at the ceiling trying to pick out pictures in his mind trying to turn the noise into words but all he could think of was the girl, screaming, "She sounded so scared."

"What?" Reala knew that it was impossible for him to get a straight answer out of Nights at the moment but he asked anyway.

Nights just laid there and stared at the ceiling not seeming to hear Reala's Question. Finally, Reala walked to the door and said to Nights, "You should rest for awhile, if you need any thing my rooms next door, O.k.?"

"O.k. Reala."

Reala, satisfied with Nights' answer, shut the door.

Chapter two: Best Friends

"Reala wake up!"

Reala was pulled from his bed and hit the floor.

"Ow, Nights what are you doing?"

Nights spun around like a top and, when he didn't stop, Reala stopped him. Nights stumbled and laughed.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I'm just so exited, I want you to teach me how to fly and how to add big numbers and spell really long words and maybe, if we have time, you can teach me your grumpy stare." Nights tried to look annoyed but all he looked like was ridiculous.

"Nights, Pleas, I'm tired and I don't really see how having a 'grumpy stare' is important." Reala turned to get back in bed but Nights grabbed his arm.

"Pleas Reala I want you teach me stuff."

"Didn't you hear me the first time I said no."

"But-"

"Leave me alone you little pest, I don't understand why master Wizemin even kept you, you're nothing but a big, annoying, mistake!"

Nights let go of Reala's arm, "You think I'm a mistake?" Tears welled up in Nights' eyes.

"You're such a baby!"

"No I'm not!" Nights screamed at the top of his lungs and ran blindly out of the room and down the hall.

Reala closed his eyes and yelled at himself, he was such an idiot, now Nights is going to tell master Wizemin and Reala will be beat up, thrown out into the middle of no where and left to die. Reala shot out of his room and looked around, Nights was no where in sight, "crud." He said and went to search for Nights before he found master Wizemin's chamber.

Nights ran through the castle blindly not caring where he ended up just as long as it was far away from Reala. He tripped and fell; he stayed on the ground and just sobbed.

"Hello is someone out there?"

Nights lifted his head, he knew he had heard a girl's voice but he didn't know where it had come from.

"Yes," he replied getting into a sitting position on the floor, "I'm here but where are you?"

"I'm in here; I'll knock on the door." Nights heard a knock come from the door next to him; he got up and tried to open the door.

"I can't open the door I think it's stuck." He pulled harder trying to open door.

"It's not stuck," the girl said sadly, "Its lock."

"Why is it locked?" Nights asked.

"I'm a prisoner here," The girl said, "There should be a small covered opening in the door, the guards use it to check on us, if you find it we'll be able to see each other."

Nights found the covered opening she was talking about, slid it open, and peered in.

A young girl sat on the opposite side of the cell blinking in the sudden light.

"Hi" Nights said to the girl.

"Oh, you're a Nightmarin; your not going to hurt me are you?"

"Why would I want to do that?" Nights asked.

"Your not here to hurt me?" The girl asked in puzzlement.

"No," Nights answered, "Actually I don't even know where I am."

"Your lost?" the girl stood up and Nights could see that she had been bruised and scarred in some places, the black dress she wore had been torn in several places, but the thing that caught Nights' eye was the girls eyes; emerald green and sparkling with a hope that Nights didn't think could be there, considering her condition.

"Aren't you scared?" the girl asked.

"I was," Nights replied, "until I met you."

The girl smiled, "What's your name?" She asked.

"Nights." Nights answered.

"I'm Adia." The girl said.

Then Nights realized something. "I've seen you before," He said.

"Really?" Adia said, "I don't think I've seen you."

"I saw you yesterday when I passed out."

"What did you see about me?"

"I don't know it all happened so fast."

"Wow." Adia looked at him in awe.

Nights looked around and saw other doors like the one Adia was behind.

"Are there other people here?" Nights asked Adia.

"Yes," she replied, "but I don't know who they are, but sometimes the guards come in and take a few of them away and, sometimes, they don't come back." Adia shivered a bit and hugged herself.

Nights looked down trying to think of what to say.

"I wish I could go home."

Nights looked into Adia's cell; she was hugging herself and crying, rocking back and forth.

"Here," Nights put his hand though the hole in the door, "I feel better when someone holds my hand."

Adia grabbed Nights' hand and squeezed it.

"Thank you Nights." She said softly through her tears.

"What's your home like?" Nights asked.

"Oh it's beautiful," Adia began, "The sky is an endless blue and the grass is always green and there is a sun that warms everything it touches."

"Wow." Nights said dreamily.

"You're floating!" Adia said, stunned.

"I am?" Nights looked down his feet were a few inches off the ground, "I am!" He did a back flip in midair and laughed with pure joy.

"Adia I found out how to fly, I can fly if I'm happy!" he flew around the room making graceful turns and spinning around, Adia Laughed as he landed in front of the door.

"I would have ever found out without you Adia, thank you." Then an idea popped into Nights' head, "how about I come here every day and I'll tell you about what I'm learning, and in return you tell me more about where you live."

"Deal." Adia put her hand through the door slot and awkwardly shook Nights' hand.

"Lets be best friends." Nights said.

"Why?" Adia asked.

"Because I like you Adia, and I'm going to find a way to get you out of here."

"O.k. Nights I'll be your best friend."

They heard a door open.

"Who is it?" Adia asked a little scared.

"It's Reala." Nights said angrily.

"Nights, there you are!" Reala came into Adia's view, he looked at her and she shrank back in terror; he was the creature that had beat her for making a seen just a few days before. He sneered at her, he remembered.

"Nights you are not allowed down here ever again." Reala said, still looking at Adia, and then he shut the door slot and Adia was cast into darkness.

Chapter three: Felid test

As the days went by Reala taught Nights everything he knew and when he had finished he had to start learning things to teach him. Nights drank it up he was addicted to learning everything. he started to teach himself when Reala couldn't think of anything else. At the end of Nights' forth week of life he could do every form of math in his head, perform every type of marshal arts, spell every word in the dictionary and then some, and knew every nuke and cranny of the Castile, but what he loved most was reading. He would stay up late reading the books Master Wizemin had provided, from Mother Goose to Shakespeare, E.B White to J.R.R Tolkien, fiction or non fiction he wanted to read it, after he read it he would give it to Adia to read leaving the door slot open slightly so she had light to read by, Adia and Nights would talk for hours about anything but mostly Nights wanted Adia to tell him about her home, he especially liked hearing about the sun. As days passed their friendship grew until it was unbreakable.

At the end of the third month master Wizemin called Reala into his chamber.

"Nights is ready for his Virtual field test," The Wizemin said, "Prepare him and choose his victim."

"I agree that he is physically and mentally ready but he is still to fragile emotionally, if you give me permission master I could-"

"No," Wizemin boomed angrily, "when I say he is ready he is ready and if you defy me further you shall be severely punished."

"Y-yes master." Reala got up and headed for the door when his master stopped him.

"I have a suggestion for his victim."

Reala smiled, he knew who his master meant before he even said her name.

The door to Adia's cell opened and she was painfully force to stand and hand cuffed. Adia looked up at the guard with distain that turned to horror when she saw that it was not a guard, but Reala, she began struggling trying to get away but Reala just tightened his grip.

"So you do remember me," he held her in a tight waist hug and lead her casually down the hall, "You know when I first saw you I almost felt sorry about beating you; didn't want to ruin that pretty face of yours," He turned her head to face him with a push of her cheek, "what I like most about you is your eyes," he brushed some hair out of her face, "no wonder Nights hangs around here so much."

"What did you do to Nights?" Adia's eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, you shouldn't worry about him; you should worry more about what's going to happen to you."

Reala opened the door out of the dungeon, pushed Adia through it, floated though the threshold and shut the door behind him.

"Oh, Nights." Reala came into Nights' room smiling excitedly.

"What are you smiling about?" Nights asked turning in his desk chair.

"Oh, what are we working on today?" Reala went to inspect what Nights was doing, taking his time in answering Nights' question.

"Come on quit teasing, what's making you so happy?"

"Well, I just came from master Wizemin's chamber." Reala took a dramatic pause.

"And." Night said; urging Reala to go on.

"Oh, you don't want to know."

"Reala, stop it, what did master say?" Nights was jumping up and down in his chair at this point and pulling on Reala's sleeve impatiently.

'I should do this more often.' Reala thought, and then said to Nights, "He said that you are ready for your virtual field test."

"Hurray!" Nights jumped out of his chair and flew around the room and landed by the door jumping up and down.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

"O.k. O.k." Reala said walking out the door.

Nights flew past and skipped down the hall.

Reala's lips curled into a sinister smile, "this is going to be fun."

Nights and Reala floated through a hall filled with doors. At different points in time a door would open and a creature would come through it, as they floated by they would acknowledge Reala with a tip of their head.

"Reala, which door is mine?" Nights asked impatiently.

"This one." Reala stopped by a door that had a big number 8 on it. he touched the wall beside it, the wall glowed where Reala's hand was, and they heard the door unlock loudly.

"Know," Reala said, "since this is your first time I'm going to give you twenty minutes before I come in after you, and if you need any help before that knock on the door, O.k.?"

"O.k. Reala." Nights took hold of the door handle, took a deep breath and went in.

As soon as Nights was in he closed the door like Reala had told him to ('you don't want your opponent to get away do you?')

Nights looked around; the room looked just like how Adia had described her home.

"Wow." Nights whispered.

"Nights?"

Nights looked for the source of the voice and saw Adia; she had been redressed in a new black dress, brown snow boots, and a ragged cloak.

"Adia!" Nights ran over to her and gave her a hug, she held him in return, tears streaming down her face.

"Better then holding hands huh?" Nights asked.

"Yes," Adia laughed though her tears, "hugs make me feel much better, what are you doing here?"

"I'm taking my virtual field test," Nights said happily, then, realization washed over him, "and you're my opponent." He looked around in horror; did Reala really expect Nights to destroy Adia? She wasn't the enemy, was she?"

"A-Adia are you a Nightopian?"

"I guess I forgot to mention that huh?"

"B-but you can't be," Nights said franticly, "you're nice and pretty, Nightopians are supposed to be mean and ugly."

"Nights," Adia hung her head, "The Wizemin has been taking my people and using them; he wants to destroy my home so he can rebuild it in his image, he's killing my people for his own gain."

Nights shook his head, "But master is-is," he looked at Adia, "has he killed anyone you know?"

Adia nodded.

Nights balled up his fists, "what about Reala?"

"The scars I bare were by his hand."

Nights grit his teeth, "So they both lied to me?"

"I'm sorry," Adia bowed her head.

Nights' anger flared, he wouldn't let them get away with hurting Adia's people, "I'm getting you out of here, know." Nights said, looking for a way out.

"How," Adia said sadly, "The only way out is though the door."

"Then that's how were getting out of here, but first," Nights took his persona in both of his hands, "This has to come off."

"But I thought you couldn't take it off."

"I can't, without hurting myself." He began to pull at his persona, ignoring the pain.

"Nights stop it's not worth it." Adia pleaded. But Nights didn't stop, finally, with one last mighty tug and an earsplitting cry, his persona came off.

Nights fell to his knees, dropped his persona and clutched his face in pain.

"Nights!" Adia fell at Night' side and held his shoulders.

Reala burst into the room.

"Nights are you o.k. I heard you scream." He looked at Nights clutching his face, his shoulders heaving in noiseless sobs. Then he looked at Adia who was rubbing Nights' back to comfort him. Then Reala saw Nights' Persona lying in front of him.

Reala's face contorted in rage.

"Traitor!" He yelled, a whip appeared in his hands and he lashed out at Nights, Nights held up his arms to stop the blow, He looked up at Reala slowly his eyes shining with fury.

"What you're doing here is wrong Reala," Nights said, he pulled on the whip forcing Reala to fall, then he hoisted Adia onto his back and stood up, "and I'm going to stop you."

Nights shot out of the room and down the hall pushing people out of the way as he went, he heard Reala shouting behind him, "After him!"

Nights shot out of the virtual field hall and turned sharply down another.

"Nights," Adia said anxiously, "Their gaining on us."

"Don't worry Adia," Nights said reassuringly, "I know this place like the back of my hand we'll get out before they catch up." And not long after Nights said this they saw the way out, two giant glass doors, 'no guards,' Nights thought, 'good.'

Nights stopped and opened the door. "Go," he said nudging Adia out the door.

"But, what about you?" Adia asked sadly.

"I'm going to hold them off while you escape," Nights hugged her one last time, then, shut the glass door.

"Nights!" Adia beat on the door tears streaming down her face, Reala and the other nightmarens were getting closer to where Nights stood guarding the door.

"Run!" Nights yelled over his shoulder, "Don't look back!"

Adia Ran, whipping her tears and tripping over her feet as she went and, even though she desperately wanted to, she didn't look back.

Chapter four: who you are

Nights was thrown, bruised and bleeding, into the cold snow outside the walls of Nightmare Castile.

He looked up weakly to see Reala floating a few feet above him.

"I wish you wouldn't have done this to yourself Nights," Reala called over the storm, "You were really growing on me." He turned to leave and then remembered something, "And I wish you hadn't of brought Adia into this I would have preferred she lived."

Nights tried to threaten Reala but it hurt to even move his lips.

Reala flung something at the ground and it landed beside Nights, he looked to it, it was his persona. The last thing Nights heard before he pasted out was Reala's sickening laughter.

As the sun rose over Nightmare Castile, Owl flew around edge garden (aptly named for it was at the edge of Nightmare).

As he flew he looked down at the snow covered ground and saw something out of the ordinary. It looked like a person but Owl didn't recognize him, he went to investigate.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" Owl carefully turned the boy's head. "Hoo! A Nightmaren!" He hurriedly flew behind a pillar and looked back to see if it had followed him, it didn't move.

"Shoo, I thought I was a goner." Owl said with relief, then, the Nightmaren gowned, Owl flew back behind the pillar.

"Adia." The Nightmaren said hoarsely.

"Adia?" Owl said hopefully he hadn't seen Adia since the last Nightmaren attack, "You know Adia?" He flew over to the Nightmaren excitedly, Where is she, how is she?"

"I don't know," the Nightmaren looked around blindly not seeming to see Owl. Owl saw The Nightmaren's bruises, "My, what happened to you?" But the Nightmaren wasn't listening he was reaching out his hands, searching for the person that was speaking to him. Owl darted back behind the pillar, to afraid to get more answers from the creature.

Nights groped around blindly his eyes had fogged over last night and all he saw were shadows. He finally gave up and dropped his arms limply back to his sides, they were numb anyway. Then, he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Adia." He smiled weakly, he felt her fall at his side and grab his hand.

"Are you o.k. Nights?" Nights felt her dab at a cut on his lip with her cloak.

"Adia," Nights recognized the voice that had asked him about Adia before, "Your alive Adia, your parents will be thrilled!"

"Go get my father Owl," Adia ordered, "Pleas, and hurry, Nights is hurt badly."

"Adia are you sure?" the person who Nights guessed was Owl asked, "He is, after all, a Nightmaren."

"He's right Adia," Nights said feebly, "I don't deserve help, because of what I am."

"It's not what you are," Adia said confidently, "It's who you are, go Owl!"

Nights heard wings flapping as Owl left.

"Stay with me Nights." Adia's voice broke and Nights knew she was crying.

"Why are you doing this Adia?" Nights asked softly.

"That's a stupid question," Adia laughed through her tears, "You saved my life, I'm returning the favor." Nights felt Adia's tears on his face.

"Thank you Adia." Nights whispered hoarsely.

"Adia!" Nights heard a gruff male voice and guessed it was Adia's father.

"Father, pleas help him he's dieing."

There was a long pause where no one did anything.

"Pleas father," Adia was sobbing now, "He saved my life."

"But he's – he's."

"Pleas father I cant leave him, not after all he's done for me."

Nights herd a sigh then felt himself being lifted up into strong arms that delicately cradled his broken body.

"Thank you father, thank you." Adia said, she sounded so far away.

"Adia?" Nights only saw shadows and the voices meshed into inaudible noise, "Adia." He could barely breath he wanted to give up but he couldn't he had to stay alive, for Adia.

Nights opened his eyes slowly, "Am I dead?" he asked groggily.

"No," A kind female voice answered, "but you almost were."

"Adia is that you?" Nights rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around.

"No," Nights looked over to the bedside and saw a women sitting in a chair next to him, "But she is my daughter, now say awe."

"Awe?"

The women placed a glass object under his tongue.

"Now close your mouth and don't open it till I say so."

Nights did as he was told.

The women did look like Adia but much older, She smiled kindly down at Nights.

"We can't tell you how thankful we are for saving our little Adie."

The door to the room opened and Adia came through the door with a few pillows.

"Mmmm!" Nights tried saying Adia's name without opening his mouth.

Adia laughed and so did her mother, "You can open your mouth now." Adia's mother said. Nights opened his mouth and she the glass instrument out of his mouth.

"Your temperature is fine dear." Adia's mother said shaking the glass instrument.

"That thing can tell?" Nights looked at it with astonishment.

"Yes it can." Adia's mother said.

"Can I see it?" Nights sat up in the bed and held out his hand. Adia's mother hesitated a moment and then gave the glass object to Nights.

Nights inspected it with fascination, "A glass tube filled with mercury, amazing."

Adia's mother looked at Adia who just shrugged.

"Adia," Nights jumped out of the bed and floated over to Adia, "Can I take your temperature?"

"I don't see why not." Adia opened her mouth and Nights put the glass tube under her tongue. Nights watched carefully as the mercury rose in the tiny glass tube.

"Fascinating," he mused, "Simply amazing."

He took the tube out of Adia's mouth and inspected it again.

"Don't you know what a thermometer is?" Adia's mother asked.

"So that's what its called, well that makes sense, threm as in heat, extraordinary, can I keep it?"

Adia's mother looked at Adia for help.

'Let him.' Adia mouthed.

"Sure," Adia's mother said, "Why not."

"Oh thank you." Nights spun around and smiled.

"What's wrong with him?" Adia's mother asked Adia while Nights was distracted.

"There's nothing wrong with him mother," Adia said a little heatedly, "He likes to learn knew things, give him a break, pleas."

Adia's mother sighed and said, "Fine, but I'm not giving him anymore thermometers."

"Thank you mom."

Chapter five: A True Nightmaren

Nights walked around Adia's house. He found that Adia's mothers name was Margret, and met Adia's father and thanked him for saving his life.

"It was the least I could do, I couldn't just leave you out there you saved my Adie."

"Nights, let's go play in the snow," Adia grabbed Nights' hand and lead him outside, "you can meet my sisters."

"You have sisters?" Nights said excitedly.

"Yes," Adia replied, "but their all younger then me."

As they walked through the snow to meet Adia's sisters they heard a scream.

"Let me go!"

"That was Lilly." Adia said in alarm. Then Nights heard a familiar voice.

"Stop squirming you little dust might."

"Reala." Nights grit his teeth and ran up the hill, it was payback time.

"Nights stop." Adia ran after him.

When they got to the top of the hill they saw Reala holding Lilly by her brown pigtails, two other girls huddled together in fear.

"You're going to tell me where your big sister is or I'll destroy your house with your family inside it." He threatened Lilly.

"Never!" Lilly swung her fists trying to hit Reala but he held her at arms length.

"Fine then I'll just have to-" but he was cut off by a snow ball that hit him square in the face.

"What the?" he looked down to the two other girls; the second oldest child held a snowball in her hand the other little girl was hiding behind her sister.

"Why you little!"

Smack! Another snow ball right between the eyes, he dropped Lilly.

"Lilly!" Adia ran and caught Lilly before she hit the icy ground.

"Oh, there you are Adia," Reala said mockingly, "I have some terrible news for you," he whipped a fake tear from his eye, "Because Nights betrayed our master I was forced to beat him till he was close to death and throw him into the snow, I don't think he could live through that awful snow storm that was blowing, don't you think so?"

"Nights is stronger then you give him credit for!" Adia threw a snow ball at Reala who caught it easily.

"Your little sisters only got me because I was caught off guard, and know for the dirty work, I'm sorry Adia but I can not permit you to live, you know too much." Reala charged his black aura ready to blast Adia into oblivion when he was hit by a snowball from behind, he looked behind him.

"Impossible."

Nights stood at the edge of the hill's slope armed with a snowball anger coursing though his veins.
"Leave them alone Reala!" Nights threw the snowball with all his might it flew through the air like a bullet and hit Reala right in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him, He hit the cliff face and slid down into the snow. Nights walked over and picked Reala up by his collar.

"This is impossible, how did you survive the snow storm?" Reala clutched Nights' wrists trying to understand how he was still alive.

Nights shoved Reala into the cliff face, "how dose it feel Reala," Nights pulled Reala away from the cliff and threw him back at it viciously, Reala fell to the ground and whimpered with pain, Nights picked him back up and stared into his frightened eyes, "Being on the receiving end of the abuse."

Nights threw Reala on the ground. Reala tried to get away but Nights stood on his hand, "Doesn't feel good, dose it?" Nights spat in Reala's face and laughed scornfully.

"Nights?" Nights looked over to Adia; she was on her knees holding her three sisters who were whispering anxiously and watching the fight out of the corners of their eyes, "What are you doing?"

"I'm giving Reala what he deserves," Nights dug his foot into Reala's hand, Reala gasped in pain, "He left me half dead in the snow, I'm just returning the favor."

Reala laughed, "Spoken like a true Nightmaren Nights, the master would be proud."

Nights took his foot off of Reala's hand; Reala quickly jumped up and flew away.

Nights stood staring at the place where Reala had been laying and mouthed the words that hit him like a rock filled snow ball; 'a true Nightmaren.'

"Mommy!" one of Adia's sisters ran down the hill fallowed moments later by the two others, Adia stayed kneeling in the snow.

Nights fell to his knees in anguish, tears welling up in his eyes, 'that's all I'm going to be isn't it, a Nightmaren.' A tear fell down his cheek.

"Nights?" Adia crawled over and placed a hand on Nights' shoulder. Nights looked at her and said, "why are you still here, Didn't you here Reala, I'm a Nightmaren."

"It's not what you are it's who are." Adia said soothingly.

"Would you quit saying that?" Nights stood up and turned away from Adia's tear filled, emerald, eyes, "You saw what I did to Reala, that's who I am, that's how I was made, what I was programmed to be."

"Don't beat yourself up Nights." Adia sighed.

"I scared your sisters;" Nights said quietly, "Reala even had fear in his eyes."

"You didn't scare us," Adia's sister Lilly stood in front of him smiling cheerfully, "Hot chocolate?" Lilly held up a mug of hot brown liquid with marshmallows floating in it.

"Elsie wanted to make you feel better," Lilly said indicating the youngest of the sisters, "Because you were mad at your brother."

"Come on daddy's going to read us a story." Elsie grabbed Nights' hand.

"Really?" Nights' face brightened, "Which one?"

"It's a surprise." Elsie giggled and led Nights down the hill.

Chapter six: The Wizemin attacks

Nights was welcomed into Adia's family like a long lost son, the snow melted to revealed the flowers of spring, and, as the weeks pasted, Nights forgot all about what he was until he, Adia, and her sisters, Katie, Elise, and, Lilly, went to the edge garden, (It was the best place to play hide and seek).

"29, 30! Ready or not here I come!" Nights walked around the garden searching for the others when something caught his eye. He walked towards the object glinting in the sunlight, kneeled down, and picked it up. It was his persona.

He pulled his arm back, getting set to throw it, and froze. He stood like that for a few minutes then dropped his arm and looked at his persona, he couldn't throw it. He sat, cross legged, on the grassy floor.

Elsie looked out from behind the pillar she was hiding behind to see if Nights, Who she calls big brother, was coming. She saw him sitting in the grass staring at a shiny silver mask; he looked very sad so Elise decided to give herself up and comfort her big brother.

"What's wrong big brother?" Elsie sat down on the ground and looked at Nights.

"Oh, nothing." Nights scooped Elsie up and put her in his lap.

"What is this big brother?" she touched the silver mask lightly

"It's called a persona; it's a symbol of loyalty to the Wizemin." Nights twirled it around in his fingers.

"Put it on big brother I dare you." Elsie said excitedly.

"I guess," Nights hesitated a bit, "once more won't hurt."

Nights slowly placed his persona back onto his face feeling the cool metal on his skin. It felt so comforting to have it on again and yet it was a reminder of what he used to be.

They heard a rumbling sound coming from the Nightmare Castile and then a voice thundered through all of Nightopia, "I see you Nights."

Nights scrambled up and clutched Elsie protectively in his arms. Black smoke rose up from the Castile.

"It's the Wizemin!" Elise screamed pointing at the black smoke collecting in the sky.

Nights flew though the garden still clutching Elsie. All manner of Nightopians ran with them trying to get away from the darkness.

The wind picked up kicking up dust and forcing Nights to the ground. As he ran he saw Adia running towards him followed closely by her two other sisters.

She yelled something to Nights as they ran through the storm but her words were carried away by the wind. Nights pointed at his ear indicating he couldn't hear her. She pointed to her face and then at his, he touched his face. His persona, he had totally forgotten about it, had putting it on drawn the Wizemin's attention to Nights.

They ran into Adia's house and Nights helped Adia's father bolt the door.

"What happened out there?" Adia's father asked silently.

"We don't know father." Adia replied.

"I do." Nights said bluntly.

"No Nights it wasn't your fault." Adia said forcefully. Nights took his persona off.

"What's that?" Adia's father asked.

"It's a persona," Elsie piped up, "It's a symbol of loyalty to the Wizemin, Nights found it in edge garden, didn't you big brother."

Nights looked down regretfully, and then looked to the door. He walked and unbolted the door.

"No Nights don't go out there." Adia ran over and held Nights' shoulders.

"I'm not," Nights said, "but this is." He handed his persona to Adia.

"What am I supposed to do?" Adia asked.

"Just put it over the threshold and let go." Nights grabbed the door handle and turned it.

"Why don't you do it?" Adia's father asked.

"Because," Nights looked up at him sadly, "I can't. Ready Adia?"

"Ready."

Nights opened the door and Adia threw the Persona out the door. Nights closed the door and slid down to the floor, Adia bolted the door shut.

"Are you going to be o.k.?" Adia put a hand on Nights' shoulder. Nights nodded, biting his lip. Adia sat on the floor next to him.

"What do we do now?" Elsie came over and sat in Nights' lap.

"We wait." Nights said leaning his head against the door.

"I'll start a fire." Adia's father got up and went into the next room.

Chapter seven: Persona

Nights woke with the sun, as always, and looked around. Everyone had slept in the living room last night to afraid to be alone. Nights was the only one awake, as usual.

He slowly lifted Elsie from his lap and put her on the couch, silently unlatched the door, and slipped outside. He took to the skies and scanned for any sign of his persona.

He had thought it over last night while Adia's father had read little red ridding hood (he was going to read the three little pigs but no one wanted to hear about houses being blown over) If Nights had his persona but never put it on there was no danger, right? Something had happed to Nights when he had put his persona on yesterday to make him dependent to it some how, and Adia had noticed.

"Nights are you o.k.?" She had asked last night, "You look pail."

"What, oh, I'm fine."

But he was know where near fine, it took all his mental strength to stop himself from jumping up and chasing after his persona, he was amazed he had been able to get any sleep.

Nights saw something glint on a small island surrounded by an even smaller lake, Nights and Adia had gone swimming in that lake during an abnormally warm day.

Nights flew down to investigate then flew quickly behind a bush; Reala was there guarding Nights' persona.

"Why do I have to guard this stupid thing?" Reala said kicking Nights' persona it slid and stopped a few inches away from Nights' hiding place, "Nights will come back for it." Reala did an impression of the Wizemin.

Nights looked at his persona, 'come on Nights,' he thought, 'its right there and Reala isn't even looking.' He reached for his persona then hesitated. No it was too easy, but. Nights looked at his persona longingly then he looked at Reala, he was raped up in his ranting, maybe it was that simple, Nights slowly reached out and put a hand on his persona.

"Hah!" Reala grabbed Nights' wrist and twisted it, "I can't believe you fell for that," Reala laughed and picked Nights' persona, "Now you and your persona are coming with me." He turned, got ready to shot into the air and fell over.

"Bull's-eye!" Adia was on the hill that surrounded the small lake with her sisters, they were all holding blow guns. Nights looked down at the sleeping Reala and then picked up his persona.

"Who hit him?" Nights asked when he landed on the hill.

"We all did." Katie laughed hysterically and everyone joined in. Adia stopped.

"What's wrong Adia?" Nights chuckled. Adia grabbed Nights' persona out of his hands and chucked it. Nights looked at her in horror.

"Why – but – Adia." Nights shook Adia. "Why did you do that?"

"I did it yesterday."

"Yeah, but, we were in danger then."

"Oh so you can keep it but whenever were in danger you'll make me throw it out?"

"Well I-"

"You don't need it Nights."

Nights wanted to believe Adia but… he started massaging his left hand.

"You don't have to be nerves Nights." Adia took Nights' hand and massaged it instead.

"I'm not nerves."

"Nights, when you're nerves you massage your left hand."

"Is it always my left?"

"Yes." Adia laughed, let go of Nights' hand, and looked at her feet, "Nights I just wish you would put the past behind you and live in the here and now."

"Adie." Katie tugged on Adia's dress.

"What is it Katie?"

"Nights is gone."

Adia looked up. "Nights!" She yelled angrily into oblivion.

Nights knew he shouldn't have left Adia in mid sentence but he needed his persona.

"It should be here somewhere." Nights looked through a grove of bushes and jumped out again, startled by finding, not his persona but Owl.

"Hey Owl are you o.k.?"

"Yes I'm fine I was hit on the head by something it didn't hurt but-"

"Something hit you?" Nights Grabbed Owl and shook him, "What did it look like?"

"I don't know, but it was silver in color-"

"It was?" Nights dove back into the bushes and rummaged through the leaves.

"What exactly are you looking for Nights?" Owl asked, a little concerned about Nights' strange behavior, well stranger then usual behavior.

"Hah," Nights came out of the bush, persona in hand, "Found you."

"What is that?"

"N-nothing, I have to go, goodbye Owl." Nights shot off, leaving Owl completely mystified.

Nights opened the door to Adia's house and peered around the family room, empty. He slipped in and silently shut the door.

"Hello Nights." Adia leaned against the door sill of the kitchen.

"H-hi Adia," Nights stuttered, "I was just-"

"No excuses," Adia held out her hand, "give it to me."

Nights slowly handed his persona to Adia. Adia opened the door and got set to throw it with all her might.

"No pleas," Nights fell to his knees and held on to Adia's skirt, "Don't throw it, not again."

Adia looked down at him and sighed,

"Fine," she gave Nights his persona back to him, "but don't put it on unless you need it to change shape, and only use it as a last resort."

"Thank you Adia."

"Give me your vest."

"Why?"

"I'm going to sew a loop on it so you can have your persona with you."

"Thank you Adia."

Chapter eight: Mistake

Adia's mother helped sew the loop onto Nights' vest and button on so that Nights could take his persona on and off the loop freely. But she began to feel uncomfortable with him being around her children, thinking he might turn on them. So one day she called her husband and Owl to speak in private.

"Nights is and honest young man I don't think he would do something like that." Her husband Said.

"I know he might seem like it, but, let's not forget he's a Nightmaren, Nightmarens are evil and tricky, that might be what he wants you to think."

"Margret," Her husband rubbed the back of his neck, "What do you suggest we do, throw him out?"

"No, I suggest Owl finds him a house all his own."

"You mean live alone?"

Margret nodded numbly, she didn't want to make Nights leave but she was more afraid for her children's lives.

"Owl," Margret's husband finally said, "Can you find Nights a house?"

"I already have one in mind, Lay's old house, poor soul."

"May he rest in peace."

"Then it's settled," Margret clasped her hands, "Nights will move out this evening, no point in dallying."

"But shouldn't we let him stay for Adie's birthday?" Margret's husbanded asked.

"That's a week from now Andrew."

"Yes but Adia and Nights a practically inseparable."

"No he has to leave, aren't you the slightest bit afraid for are children?"

"Yes of cores I am," Andrew said indignantly, "Which is why I think Nights should stay, he's saved our little ones more times then I can count, yes he has made a few mistakes but that's no cause to think he's evil."

"He can't stay here." Margret set her jaw, she was done arguing.

Andrew went out to where Nights and the girls were playing.

"See Elsie," Nights was saying holding three apples in his hands, Elsie hanging on his every word, "If you have three apples and then give one to your Dad," Nights threw one apple behind him Andrew fumbled with the apple but managed to catch it, "how many apples do you have left?"

"Two!" Elsie said holding up two fingers.

"Good, subtracting is easy if you think of it with pictures isn't it?"

Elise nodded energetically, "thank you big brother for teaching me."

"Tomorrow I'll teach you to spell subtraction."

Elsie laughed and went over to Adia to tell her about subtraction.

"Sorry about throwing the apple at you I was teaching Elsie math and tossing it to you was a better picture then just putting it down."

"Yes," Andrew looked at the apple in his hand, it was so shiny he could see Nights' refection; he looked at it as he said, "me and Martha were talking and we decided that it's time for you to go and live by yourself."

"You don't trust me." The reflection of Nights' face turned solemn.

"We do trust you its just…"

"You don't have to lie to make me feel better, I understand."

Andrew looked up, Nights was smiling halfheartedly.

"I am a Nightmaren, you have the right to not trust me, so if you want me to leave I'll leave."

"Owl found a house not far from here that might suit you; the person who owned it last gave it to Owl so you living in it isn't a problem."

"Big brother," Elsie tugged on Nights' sleeve, "why do you look so sad?"

Nights picked Elsie up and hugged her.

"I'm going away for awhile."

"Why?" Elsie looked at Nights questioningly,

"Because," Nights' voice cracked, "I'm all grown up and I can have a house all my own."

"I don't want you to leave," She hugged him trying to convince him to stay; "you need to teach me more, and hide and seek wont be fun without you."

"I know," Nights' eyes fill with tears but he blinked them back, "I don't want to leave ether."

"Then why are you?" Elsie was crying now.

"Come here baby." Andrew took Elsie from Nights' arms.

"Daddy, tell Nights he can't leave." Elsie commanded.

Nights looked away not able to hold his tears back.

"What's going on?" Adia came over with Katie and Lilly.

"Nights is leaving," Elsie said angrily, "and daddy won't tell him to stay."

"No!" Katie and Lilly went and hugged Nights.

"You have to stay," Katie cried, "You're part of our family."

"Yeah," Lilly agreed, "Is this because you're a Nightmaren because that doesn't mater to us, like Adia always says 'it's not what you are it's who you are."

"Leave him be," Adia said coming over to Nights, "Why are you leaving?"

Nights fell to his knees and sobbed, "Ask him." Nights pointed at Andrew.

"What happened father?" Adia asked rubbing Nights' back.

"Well me and your mother were talking and-"

"This was your decision?" Adia sounded furious.

"Were doing what we think is best for you."
"If you want to do what's best for us then let him stay!"

"Adia I, Adia, girls, wait!"

Nights looked up, Adia and her sisters were ran up the hill and disappeared, he went after them.

"Adia, Katie, Lilly, Elise." Nights called out wiping tears from his face.

"Hello Nights."

Nights spun round.

"Go away Reala!"

"What's wrong little Brother, not up for a family reunion?"

"Shut up."

"Tisk, Tisk Nights, that's no way to speak to your elders," Reala put his arm around Nights' shoulders, Nights struggled but was to depressed to do much, "Just imagine it, all of this worthless land will be destroyed and built back up in our master's name."

"He's not my master, and this place is not worthless."

"You only think that because you're not thinking clearly," Reala took Nights' Persona from the loop on Nights' vest, "This beautiful mask is here to clear your head and open your eyes to the truth, this place is here by accident, it's a mistake, not to mention it and all its inhabitants are revolting, except…" Reala let out a dreamy sigh, "That gorgeous friend of your's, Adia right?"

"You keep your greasy hands off of her!" Nights struggled but Reala just held him harder.

"I might spare her, maybe; make her my queen, because, I am going to rule this world, under master Wizemin of course."

Nights struggled harder trying to get away so he could punch Reala in the face but Reala held fast.

"And I might just spare you as well, what's a king without his slaves." Reala laughed cruelly.

"You're scum you know that, worthless!" if Nights couldn't fight him he could at least insult him.

"And you're nothing more then a little mistake the only fault in the Wizemin's plan he even said it himself, and I quote 'Nights was an unexpected error in my plan,' unquote."

"I am not a mistake." Nights said under his breath.

"What was that dearest sibling?"

"I'm not a Mistake!" all the anger that had built up inside of Nights burst out of him with a wave of power, Reala was blown out of sight and everything was ripped apart; trees fell, flowers were torn out of the ground and shingles fell from the roof of Adia's house.

Nights, body relaxed and he fell to the ground breathing heavily, tears pouring down his face. his persona had fallen from Reala's hand and landed not to far away he crawled over to it and lay on his back he put it on and took it off again, nothing was different ether way so what did Reala mean, Nights put his persona on again and closed his eyes, a wave of comfort washed over him and he smiled.

"What did I tell you Andrew he's dangerous look at him, laying there, smiling like nothing happened."

Nights opened his eyes slowly and looked at Margret and Andrew they were arguing but at the moment he didn't care what it was about he just wanted to stay where he was and drift away, he closed his eyes again.

"Big brother?" Elsie's voice sounded distant and slow, he opened his eyes and looked at her something nagged at the back of his mind that told him Elsie's existence was wrong, Nights closed his eyes again.

"Hey Nights, come on." It was Adia, he felt her helping him up he didn't resist she grabbed his hand and lead him down the hill to her house, his eyes still closed.

"You look a little pail are you going to be o.k.?"

Nights nodded his head yes and then shook his head no.

"You're confused." It wasn't a question she knew something was wrong.

"I heard Reala; did he do something to confuse you?"

Nights shook his head.

"Are you hurt?"

Nights nodded.

"Where?"

Nights put his hand over his heart.

"Don't worry Nights whatever Reala said was a lie."

Nights whimpered slightly.

"Are physically hurt?"

Nights shook his head.

"Are you having a hard time talking?"

Nights nodded, he heard a door open.

"Do you want a hug?"

Nights nodded he felt Adia put her arms around him he held her tight, wishing he could tell her everything that had happened; she was always so good at listening.

"Lay down here Nights."

Nights felt the bed and laid down Adia put the covers over him and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"I wish I knew what was wrong." Nights felt her hands on his face, she lifted his persona off his face Nights stopped her hand, she sighed and put his persona back on his face, she took his hand and massaged it.

"Are you thirsty?"

Nights shook his head.

"Are you really going away?"

Nights nodded sadly.

"I wish you wouldn't, I'll miss you to much."

She was silent for a moment.

"I'm going to let you rest for awhile o.k.?"

Nights nodded

"Goodbye."

Nights heard the door close, and he was finally able to drift away.

Chapter nine: Alone

Nights stood outside in the early morning light, taking a last look at what he had called home for about four months, he had already said goodbye to his bed.

He looked down to the moon stone necklace that he had made for Adia as a birthday present, he could still remember Adia's words that day when they had went to the crystal caves just a moth earlier. "You see that up there?" She had said pointing at the crystals hanging from the ceiling, "That's moon stone; it glows in the light of the moon." That night he had gone to the caves to see them glow. He had flown up and picked out a stunning emerald green one, it matched Adia's eyes perfectly. He had carefully curved metal around its edge and put a length of thread through it making it into a necklace. He had wanted to give it to Adia on her birthday but now he didn't know if her mom would let him in, especially what had happened yesterday.

That blast had drained him so much that he could barley think, and Adia's mother thought that Nights was targeting Adia because of how close they were. But she was wrong.

"They all are." Nights grit his teeth, "Margret's wrong, Andrew's wrong, Reala's wrong, and the Wizemin is definitely wrong." Nights whirled around and faced the direction of Nightmare, "you hear that Wizemin!" He yelled, "Your scum, and I'm not going to rest until you and all of your little monsters are destroyed!" Angry tears fell down Nights' face.

"Nights," Adia placed her hand on his shoulder, "you not going to leave without saying goodbye are you?"

"No." Nights turned and hugged her, he wanted to stay with her, with all of them, and he could of to if Margret wasn't so scared of him.

"Adia!" Margret ran down to where Nights and Adia were standing and pulled Adia away.

"He didn't hurt you did he?"

"No mom Nights would never…" Adia fell silent; she had argued with her mother last night, no one could change her mind.

"Haven't you left yet?" Margret asked disdainfully.

"No, I'm sorry, I was just leaving now, here Adia," Nights went over and put the moon stone necklace in Adia's hand, "its moon stone, and it matches your eyes, I was going to give it to you on your birthday but…"

Margret to the necklace from Adia, "I would love to let you keep this but it's from a Nightmaren, you know how tricky they are." Margret put the necklace in her pocket, "I'll dispose of it later, now get out."

Nights looked at Adia and smiled. "Tell everyone I said goodbye."

"O.k." Adia said, "I'll miss you."

Nights nodded, "I'll miss you too." And then he turned his back to them and flew away.

Adia fell to her knees and cried into her hands.

"Adia," Katie, Lilly, and Elise came and hugged Adia, "Nights is gone isn't he?"

Adia nodded. The four of them held each other and wept for their lost brother.

Nights opened the door to his new home.

"It's the slightest bit dusty." Owl said flying around the house. Nights ran his finger across the square table, Owl was under exaggerating, this place was covered with dust and cob webs.

"Never got around to dusting this place did you?" Nights said coming into the living room where Owl was perched on a lamp.

"Well without hands that's not exactly the easiest task."

Nights looked around the dim and dusty living room then he saw something that made him smile.

"Books!" Nights flew over to the dusty bookcase and pulled out some of the books and examined them, "wow, Mark Twain, Grimm Brothers, Shakespeare, the person that lived here had everything."

"And now it's yours." Owl said cheerfully.

"Really?" Nights hugged the Grimm Brothers fairytales and smiled, Grimm fairytales had always been his favorite, Reala had read them to Nights sometimes before he went to sleep, Nights' smile faded.

"Is something wrong Nights?"

"No," Nights said, his smile returning, "Is there something I can use to dust this place?"

"Yes of course I'll be right back." Owl flew out of the room.

Nights sat on the floor and opened the book, the first short story was Thorn Rose, the sleeping beauty he remembered that one so well, a tear fell onto the page.

"Reala…" Nights sniffed, Reala had been so kind those few weeks, when Nights called him brother, and now, Nights closed his eyes and cried, "why Reala why?" Nights wished that Reala would see what Nights saw; use his true eyes, instead of hiding behind the Wizemin and his empty words.

"Nights are you o.k.?" Owl had come in with a rag.

Nights nodded and dried his tears.

"O.k. Nights, I have to leave now you'll be o.k. on your own, right?"

Nights nodded and Owl left Nights sitting on the floor. He had never been alone and now that he was he wanted to open the door and ask Owl to come back. Nights pulled his knees up to his chest and laid his head against the bookcase.

"What do I do now?" He asked himself then looked to the rag Owl had left on the floor next to him, "Well its better then sulking." He picked up the rag and started dusting.

Chapter Ten: Voices' of the Past

"Hey Reala!"

Reala turned; one of the guards from the North Gate ran up to Reala and bowed his head.

"This was at the front gate," the guard held out a brightly wrapped package.

"Why is it my problem," Reala turned to leave, "Burn it or something I don't care."

"But sir it's addressed to you."

Reala froze.

"Do you really want me to burn it?"

"Give it here," Reala grabbed the package from the guard and looked at the tag; low and behold it was addressed to him in neatly curved letters.

"Did you see who left it?"

"No, but I have my suspicions."

"Yeah, me to." Reala said, more to himself then the guard.

"Are you going to be o.k. sir? You look like you're going to be sick."

"I'll be fine, back to your post."

"Yes sir." The guard saluted, turned on his heel, and walked away.

Reala went into his room, closed the door, went over to the waste basket and held the package over it, then pulled it back.

"No harm in seeing what it is right?" He sat on his bed and tore of the wrapping. It was a book.

"What is this some kind of joke?" He turned the book over to look at the cover and froze. "Grimm fairytales." He whispered it. It had to be a joke it just had to be, Reala was afraid of the alternative. He opened the book to the inside cover something was written on it, in the same black curved letters as the tag.

Dear Reala

I found this in my new house. Remember when you read to me? I do. I want you to have this because I know you care about me just as much as you did then, at least I hope you do, because I still care about you, and someday you might see what I see, use your true eyes, and know that Nightopia is no more a mistake then you are.

Your dear brother,

-Nights

A tear fell onto the cover; it took Reala a few seconds to realize it was his. Reala felt anger build up inside of him. He screamed and threw the book at the opposite wall. He sat on his bed and stared at the ground, he felt tears build up in his eyes he tried to blink them back but it was no use, he put his head in his hands and cried, cried like he never had before. Reala got up and grabbed the book from the floor; he wasn't going to let Nights get away with this.

BANG!

Nights looked up from cleaning the floor. Someone had thrown something heavy at his door.

"That's all I need," Nights said to himself, "a broken door on top of all this cleaning." He got up, dusted himself off, and opened the door. Nights looked around, no one was there.

"That's strange," Nights closed the door and inspected it, "No damage so what-" Nights' heel hit something, he spun around ready to fight, still no one, and then looked down, "A book?" Nights picked it up, "Grimm fairytales, didn't I give this to Reala?"

Nights was pushed back and held against his door.

"Yes you did." Reala looked awful, his face was tearstained and he looked like he would start crying again.

"You think you can make fun of me, huh?" Reala slammed Nights harder against the door, "well think again!" Reala threw Nights so hard against the door it fell over and kicked up a tremendous amount of dust.

"So much for an undamaged door." Nights shook his head and stood up; maybe giving the book to Reala wasn't the best idea.

"You'll pay for making a fool out of me!" Reala punched Nights in the face.

"Stop Reala wait you don't get it," Nights held his nose hoping it wasn't broken.

Reala punched Nights in the stomach Nights fell on his knees trying to regain his breath.

"I never cared about you Nights," Reala was crying now, "I just did what our master told me to."

"Reala I…" Nights couldn't breath, there was too much dust, "Reala I can't… can't." He coughed his lungs pleading for air.

"I wasn't your brother I was you're baby sitter."

Nights felt his mind fog over, "No."

"No? Don't deny it Nights…Nights are you o.k.?"

Nights reached out to Reala and blanked out.

Reala caught Nights before he hit the ground.

"Nights?" Reala shook Nights, he didn't responded, "Oh crap I killed him," He pulled Nights' limp body out of the house, "Pleas breath Nights I can't lose you, not again!" What was he saying, isn't this what he wanted? "No, no, I don't want this, I want Nights, I want to hear his stupid little voice again, I want him to ask me another question, I want him to hug me again, Nights I cant lose you, you're my brother, I love you!" Reala hugged Nights' lifeless body and, in that moment, Nightopia didn't seem like such a mistake after all, maybe Nights was right.

"I knew you cared." Nights coughed.

"You're alive!" Reala jumped away from Nights who fell back against the ground.

"Ow." Nights rubbed his head and looked back at Reala but Reala was gone. Nights sighed and dropped his head on the ground, "Reala."

Reala slammed his door shut and sank to the floor, what was wrong with him, he didn't care about Nights, he never did.

"Reala!" Master Wizemin's voice boomed through the castle, "come see me, now!"

Reala got up and went out the door.

Reala floated down the hall that he had floated down with Nights over and over again. Nights hated this hallway, he would always stop just before the hall of mirrors' always open door, reminding all what would happen to them if the disobeyed their master, and Reala would have to float back over and drag Nights past it; Nights trembled the entire time, he was always such an annoying baby.

"I hate him." Reala said floating past the hall of mirrors.

"You know you're lying to yourself right?"

Reala looked back into the hall of mirrors and saw himself except he wasn't wearing his persona.

"What?" His refection's mouth didn't move even though Reala's did.

"You're lying to yourself." His reflection yelled it to Reala as if he was across the room.

Reala went and stood directly in front of the mirror, and there was his reflection, not wearing his persona and smiling like he didn't have a care in the world.

"You're not me." Reala said, perplexed.

"Yes I am," his reflection said happily, "I'm you if you would just listen to Nights."

"I don't care what Nights says."

"Liar." His reflection laughed and did a back flip.

"You're just like Nights." Reala said heatedly.

"Correction," his reflection pointed at Reala, "You're just like Nights."

"No I'm not," Reala screamed at his reflection.

Reala's reflection cupped his hand over his ear, "Listen to that again shall we?"

Reala heard his scream again echoing though the hall, "Remind you of anyone?"

"No!"

But it did; Nights had screamed that same thing the first time Reala had called him a mistake.

"You're afraid of the truth," Reala's reflection smiled mockingly, "And that's why I'm here."

CRASH!

Reala shattered the glass with a whip like form of his aura and screamed, "Where are you know, huh, where are you know?"

"I'm wherever you are Reala." Laughter rang though the hall of mirrors chilling Reala to the bone; is that really how he laughed?

"Reala where are you!" Master Wizemin yelled.

"Coming master." Reala looked at the broken mirror one last time and floated away.

Reala sank to one knee and bowed to his master, "you wanted to see me master?"

"Yes Reala," The Wizemin said, "I have been watching Nights and have decided he is a great threat to our cause."

"Yes master, I agree, but what do you propose we do?"

"I want you to bring him to me so that I may numb his mind."

"Numb his mind sir?"

"Numb his mind; make him utterly loyal to me, I will be all he knows all he understands."

Reala thought about this for a moment; if Nights became brain-dead Reala could clear his mind of these mixed feelings, without the true Nights why would he have to care?

"Yes sir, that is brilliant, I will do everything in my power to make sure Nights will return to our side."

"Be sure you do Reala, I am becoming very impatient with you, failure is not an option."

"Yes my master."