Quite a while, isn't it? Well, I'm back with a new chapter and things are about to go awry...

Thank you, Lillian Smith for the review! As such, the setting is pretty much like the manga and anime, though it will get pretty ugly soon after (probably in the next two chapters).

It was quiet. Very much so. Then voices began to echo around, invading the silent void of his dream realm:

"Such fine marksmanship."

"Run for your life!!!"

A tall, lean human dressed in a long tattered cloak slowly turned around, his face was under the hood.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Nobita."

"Let her go!!!"

A flash of round light shone in the never-ending darkness, which was then tainted by large red blotches.

"...Your name would now be 'N-0'."

~000~

In the city of Tokyo, a young boy woke up from his sleep with a start.

He panted as if he had run a mile with beads of sweat trickled from his forehead. Clutching his chest, he then took deep breaths to ease his frantic heartbeat.

W...what was that?! he thought with eyes closed. It seems...so real...

After a few minutes, he began to calm down and squinted at the blue alarm clock nearby his mattress.

It was about 4 o' clock in the morning.

He stared at it with bleary eyes before letting out a wide yawn. It's too early...he mused and grabbed his blue blanket.

That was just a bad dream, he continued as he lay down and covered himself with the blanket.

Yeah, that must be it... His eyes slowly went shut.

Three seconds later, he snored quietly, though as a minute passed, he re-opened his eyes, now feeling worried.

That doesn't seem like a regular dream, he thought, for he was still shocked with what happened earlier. Rising up and putting on his round glasses, he held his pillow in one hand and silently stood, walking toward his wardrobe when he instinctively turned to the window of his room.

Now that he noticed it, he had to admit the room was rather too dark to his liking. And so, he slid the red curtains away and looked outside.

Every house in the neighborhood was showered with the moonlight, and he smiled as he gazed up in the sky.

His smile vanished when a particular memory flashed before his eyes, and he shrieked in surprise. Taking a few step backwards, he then stumbled across his own foot and fell down.

"Ouch!" he winced upon the impact and turned his gaze back to his wardrobe. Remembering what he wanted to do just then, he scurried to it, shivering in fright.

His right hand hovered near the sliding door, and he had bit his lower lip before gulping out of fear.

It only lasted a short while, since he then sighed and lowered his hand. I don't want to wake him up over a stupid thing, he said to himself, eyes were downcast. And it's still too early to dress up...

I wonder if someone is awake...

He wasn't feeling drowsy anymore, and he was afraid with the fact that he was the only one who couldn't sleep. Glancing again at the wardrobe, he then tiptoed to the red door and quietly swung it open.

I need to wash my face, he told himself as he went downstairs, the pillow was still in his clutches.

When he reached the last step, the sliding door that led to the living room suddenly was pushed aside. Seeing it, he froze.

His body trembled all over as he could only stood there, petrified with fear. A shadow slowly made its way toward the door, which increased his dread over the situation.

He snapped his eyes shut and was about to make a mad dash back to his room when a female voice spoke, "Nobi-chan?"

He stopped in his tracks and timidly turned around; behind him was a tall woman with round glasses, and was now rubbing her eyes.

"I heard a shout just then, was that you?" she asked sleepily while adjusting her spectacles.

The boy lowered his head before nodding, gripping hard on his pillow. "Sorry for waking you up," he muttered.

"It's alright." With a smile, she approached her son and gently ruffled his black hair. "Did you have a bad dream?" she started, which was answered by a "hmm".

"It's still too early to get ready for the day...How about you grab some winks with us?"

"Is that OK?" the boy ventured. "Don't worry, Papa slept like a log," she snickered and led him into the living room.

True to her words, the head of the family was snoring at the corner of the room, while both of them made the silent gesture to each other.

"Let's go to the veranda; I would like to see the moon," she suggested and he nodded.

She slid open the door and sat, followed by her son. They stayed in silence for a long time, until the mother couldn't contain her curiosity and asked in concern, "Do you want to talk about it?"

The boy lifted up his head toward her as in disbelief and held the eye contact before he finally nodded.

He began to tell her the strange dream he had earlier, which was still vivid in his mind.

"N-0?" She repeated as he finished his story. Folding her arms, she looked upward and voiced her thoughts, "That seems like a code to me."

"I thought the same," he said before stifling a yawn. Seeing it, she smiled and patted beside her. "Have some sleep, Nobi-chan. I will wake you up when it's time."

"But..." he began, which she quickly cut off, "No can do. I don't want you to fall asleep in class."

The boy cowered slightly and sighed before lying down next to his mother and rested his head on her lap. She then softly ran her fingers over his hair, singing:

Sleep, oh dear child

As the night falls

For you will find your dreams there

Where everything belongs to you~

~000~

"Nobi-chan," spoke a voice in the darkness. "Nobi-chan," it repeated with a much firmer tone.

The boy imwardly groaned in displeasure; how could time pass by so quick?! He turned to his side, snuggling over the warmth.

He could hear the person took a deep breath and his eyes flung open just as she started, "Nobi-"

He quickly got up and smiled sheepishly at his mother, who was staring at him in suspicion.

"Thank you, Mama," he scratched the back of his head and took his pillow.

"Really, though," the woman placed her hands at her hips. "Are you sure you can go to school today? I will-"

"Y-You don't have to; I'm fine now!" he replied with his face was red. "It's just a bad dream; don't worry too much."

"If you say so..." She then walked out of the living room and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

He stood in silence, gazing at the still sleeping man and smiled before he rushed upstairs.

~000~

"You're early today," the man began as he took his place at the dining table along with his wife and his son later on. He was now in his business suit and adjusted his black necktie before sitting down.

"The alarm clock somehow managed to wake me up this time," the boy laughed, currently dressed in a long-sleeved yellow polo shirt and dark blue shorts as he took the plate of bread and eggs from his mother. "Thank you for the food."

"He isn't awake yet?" the father asked while staring upward. "He will miss a quite interesting sight, you know."

"Let him be. He probably jumped out of his skin if he were here," said the housewife nonchalantly. The three then ate their breakfast in silence.

"Well, Nobita. Do your best in school," the man patted his son's shoulder before leaving; he needed to catch the train.

"You too, Papa." The other two then waved him goodbye.

"I'm going," said Nobita, carrying his backpack when his father's figure had disappeared from sight. "Take care," the mother replied, now bidding goodbye to him.

Now that both of them had gone for the day, she went back into the house and closed the front door.

Just then, a voice echoed all over the place, grumbling, "Man, that Nobita-kun. He could have keep all those and yet, he was now heading to school. Good thing he was early today; otherwise..."

She smiled upon hearing the ramblings from the person, for it was the truth. That person had been Nobita's best friend and brother as far as she could remember. In fact, she couldn't think what would happen to her son if he wasn't around.

Soon enough, a short, round, blue-and-white figure appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Dora-chan," she started, which caused him to turn to her.

He, as it happened, turned out to be a cat-model robot, without ears. His body was blue all over, with the white parts were his face, abdomen, hands and feet. A yellow bell was hung over his unseen neck by a red collar.

"Yes, Mama?" he asked.

They both held their gaze; one in puzzlement while the other had her hopes high.

"...Could you please look after Nobita for me?"