Disclaimer: If you recognise anything, chances are, it's not mine. Lyrics at beginning are from Kamelot's 'Season's End'.
Author's Notes: Okay, so this is my first delve into the NiGHTS fandom, so be as horrible as you want! Seriously, constructive criticism is appreciated – especially with keeping everyone in character! Oh, and I'll refer to both NiGHTS and Reala as male, just to avoid any confusion/awkwardness. (and it saves writing 's/he' everywhere!) I am aware they're both genderless, though. Also, each chapter will be named after a song, and that song's lyrics will be at the beginning of every chapter.
Warnings: Fluff alert! I blame NiGHTS – he's always so mushy!
Don't say goodbye
Like we'd never meet again
Leave me a lie
At the season's end
~Kamelot, Season's End
It was a vast, serene meadow, filled with long grass, wild flowers and plenty of sunshine, not to mention happily playing Nightopians. A beautiful melody floated over the scene, as NiGHTS played his signature tune to his audience. But when the simple creatures scattered suddenly, NiGHTS stopped, knowing that some Nightmaren must be around to inspire such panic in the little 'pians.
Slowly, he looked around for any signs of the usual havoc, but nothing seemed to be wrong. Perhaps the Nightopians were, for once, wrong? NiGHTS resumed playing, hoping that they would eventually gather round again.
But it was not a Nightopian who appeared first. A pair of muscled arms wrapped NiGHTS in a firm headlock, before a deep, masculine voice whispered: "Did you miss me, NiGHTS?"
The constant little glimpses of red and black assured NiGHTS that his captor was indeed Reala, and that did not seem to phase NiGHTS quite as much as it should do. In fact, NiGHTS' honest answer to Reala's question would have been 'yes', but sensing that this could be another way to capture him, instead, NiGHTS struggled against the headlock.
To his surprise, Reala released him with a smirk – and instinctively, NiGHTS knew the meaning: Reala 1 – NiGHTS 0. NiGHTS could not just allow Reala to score a point like that, and subconsciously began scheming to get the other 'maren back.
Out loud though, NiGHTS asked, with a small note of suspicion, "What are you doing here?"
"I just happened to be around and heard you playing," Reala said, nonchalant.
Inwardly, he berated himself – what had happened to the 'tough' image he had built up around himself? What kind of Nightmaren just happens to "be around" in Nightopia? His composure cracked by just a few careless words; NiGHTS always managed to do this to him.
"There aren't any Ideya here," NiGHTS informed the moodier 'maren. "The Visitor woke up a few minutes ago."
"I was not sent here by Master Wiseman," Reala said quietly.
NiGHTS noticed that the persona mask on Reala's face, while normally polished and clean, seemed dull and had small flecks of dust on it.
"So, you came to see me?" NiGHTS said excitedly, breaking into a grin.
Reala barely managed to mutter out a reluctant 'yes', before being engulfed in a bone-crushing, flying hug by the lithe 'maren. NiGHTS was a lot stronger than he looked, and Reala could not prise him off. After a moment, he realised he did not want to.
"Ree?" NiGHTS murmured happily into his chest. "I did miss you."
"Ree?" Reala repeated. It had been so long since anyone had called him by that name, and it felt…nice, like an old, familiar blanket wrapping around him. Not that Reala would have ever admitted to it, of course.
They stayed in that tight hug for a long time, until a bewildered Nightopian came across them, too scared by Reala's presence to come too close, yet wanting to play with NiGHTS. Reluctantly, NiGHTS let go of Reala, already missing the closeness. In the relatively short time that they have been hugging, the sun had weakened in this Nightopia, and the grass had paled from it's vibrant green, to a straw-yellow. Far off, they could see trees shedding their brown leaves – obviously, this Nightopia's seasons changed in minutes.
Reala sighed, feeling the weak tug of Wizeman's summons. Of course, NiGHTS could feel it too, but he had not answered that summons in so long...
"I really should be going."
Somehow, NiGHTS had known that Reala would, though. Just because he missed NiGHTS did not mean he would disobey Wizeman to be with him. If anything, he would try and get NiGHTS to go back to them again. But to his surprise, Reala did not say anything, but just flew off.
NiGHTS wanted to call after him, or chase him down, but he just floated there, watching the frost creep over the ground in Reala's absence. After a while, a slow smile crossed his face. Ree had come to see him! And maybe, maybe sometime soon, he would come again…
I wrote two different versions of this first chapter, but the first one was far too serious, contained half the plot of the whole fanfic in three pages and did not relate to the song lyric at all! (Not that this version is much better at following the song...) So this fluffy cloud is the calm before the storm…
Just thought of something – how come NiGHTS' sex is very debatable, but no one ever portrays Reala as female? (Although my step-niece made my day by pointing at Reala in a fan vid and said "Who's she?"!) Now, as I leave you with that image, please review!