Chapter 1
"Man…I had the weirdest dream last night." the girl with shoulder length black hair narrowed her lime green eyes in annoyance at her sister.
"Oh sure, rub it in, Katie." the girl with short choppy black hair laughed at the annoyed look her twin was giving her.
"Come on, Lorelei, don't give me that look. It's not my fault you can't dream. What was so bad about that nightmare you had, anyway?" she asked. Lorelei looked down.
"I told you before, something was chasing me, I can't remember the rest. All I remember is waking up screaming, I was so scared." she said. Katie sighed.
"Yeah…I remember that part too." she said. Lorelei smiled apologetically and pulled a box of Cocoa Puffs and two bowls out of the kitchen cupboard.
"Again, it's not like I meant to wake you up that night. Geez. So, any idea where Mom and Dad are? They're usually out here by this time." she said. Katie looked at the clock then back at her sister.
"Mom is over at Aunt Gina's and Dad is at work." she explained.
"So we're walking to school, I take it?" Lorelei said somewhat reluctantly.
"Come on, it's not that far. Suck it up, lazy bones." Katie teased.
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(Lorelei's PoV)
"In a dream I could see
You are not far away."
I stopped and turned around. Other students were passing through the hall, but none of them were singing. Was I hearing things or something? I sighed and shook my head in disregard and kept walking. I couldn't be late for class on my first day of high school.
"Any time, any place.
I can see your face.
You're that special one
That I've been waiting for.
And I hope you're looking for someone like me."
Seriously, who the heck was singing? Well…whoever it was had a good set of pipes, I'd give them that. But where was it coming from, and why couldn't anyone else hear it, too? Sighing, I looked around to make sure I was unnoticed by the rest of the student body. When I was certain I was being ignored by everyone else, I began singing softly along with the mystery person. Loud enough for only myself to hear, of course.
"In my dreams
I can hear you calling me.
In the night,
Everything's so sweet.
In your eyes
I feel there's so much inside."
Funny, somehow….this song…..this strange duet with the unseen person…it reminded me of something. I felt as though I heard the song before.
"In the nights, dream delight;
I want to see you standing there."
"In the nights, dream delight;
I found someone who really cares"
"In the nights, dream delight
I want to see you smile again"
"In the nights, dream delight
You're the one I've waited for"
A few people were glancing, but no one said anything. And to be honest, I didn't care. I wanted to keep singing, so I did.
"In a dream we can do
Everything we want to.
There's no where I'd rather be
But here with you.
The stars above light the way
Only for you and I.
I'm so glad I found the one
I've been looking for."
"Keep the dream"
"Keep the dream"
"Of the one you're hoping for
Love can come through an open door.
Just be strong."
"Just be strong."
"…Lorelei…" Katie's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I couldn't hear the mystery voice singing anymore.
"Uhm…wh-what?" I stammered. Katie laughed.
"You've got a great voice and all, but you should really pay attention to where you're going. You almost passed your first class." she said, pointing behind me. I winced in embarrassment.
"Right…thanks."
"No prob. See you at lunch."
"Kay."
All during class, I couldn't concentrate. I kept thinking about that song….and the voice that was singing it. It seemed like I'd heard both of them before, but I didn't know where or when. There was this….this bittersweet feeling of nostalgia I could neither shake nor place.
(NiGHTS' PoV)
I stopped singing. Someone else had been singing with me. At first I figured it had been a Dreamer. But when the girl stopped singing, I did too. And when I looked around, there was no one at the Dream Gate but me. I gave a somewhat bitter laugh. There had been no Visitors to the Dream Gate for some time now. Of course, it didn't really surprise me. I was sort of used to it by now, but it would have been nice to have someone to play and go on adventures with, like back with Clair and Elliot, and Will and Helen. Of course, both of those times, the Night Dimension was in danger. Looking down at my purple form reflected in the fountain, I sighed. The Dream World had gotten to be so boring!
"….Nngh….N-NiGHTS….h-help me….p-please…" I gasped and turned around.
"You?!"
(Lorelei's PoV)
I absentmindedly hummed the song from before as I ate my lunch. At first, Katie just gave me a few annoyed looks and ate in silence, but after a certain point, she couldn't keep her mouth shut about how much I was annoying her.
"Lori, could you please stop humming to yourself? It's driving me crazy…" she grumbled, taking a bite of her sandwich. I exhaled and picked at my salad with my fork.
"Sorry, Katie. I just…well….no, never mind." I said, shaking my head. She didn't take relationships seriously, why would she take me seriously?
"What's up, Sis? Something bugging you?" she asked. I shook my head.
"Like I said, forget it." I said. She kicked me lightly under the table.
"Ow!"
"Don't give me that, Lorelei. You can't lie to a lying expert. Tell me what's up." she pressed. I glared up at her for kicking me and rolled my eyes.
"You really wanna know?" she nodded and I continued.
"That song I was singing earlier….it felt like I'd heard it before. A long time ago. I just…I don't remember where I heard it or who taught it to me. I feel bad for it though, because it seems like I've forgotten someone or something important." I explained. And…cue the mocking….
"Well….maybe….just maybe you really did forget something important. I'm sure you'll remember eventually, as long as you try. Just….don't go trying too hard, unless you wanna give yourself a migraine." Katie replied. I was surprised. Sure, when she said the migraine thing there was a little teasing in her voice, but other than that…it sounded like she was actually giving me advice.
"You…you really think so?" I asked. She shrugged.
"You know what they say, Lori. Only time will tell." she replied, taking a drink out of her water bottle. I took a bite of my lunch and mulled this over. She kind of had a point. But seriously, why couldn't I remember where I heard the song before?
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(Reg. PoV)
The purple jester being sighed and looked down at the red and black creature of his kind, laying in his bed.
"Reala…" upon hearing his name, the black and red jester looked up at the purple one.
"What is it, NiGHTS?" he asked. NiGHTS sighed.
"What….that is….how…. Err…what exactly happened?" he asked with some difficulty.
"…You're wondering how I'm still alive and how and why I'm on your side…or if I'm even telling the truth?" Reala asked. NiGHTS nodded and Reala propped himself up on his elbows.
"After our last encounter….unfortunately…Wizeman was not destroyed; not completely. Most of him was, true enough….but as long as there are fears in the Waking World, so too shall Wizeman exist. He is weak, but he will not stay so for long. I am unsure how I am still alive. It is possible he felt as though he still had use of me, but I finally see for myself how blind and ignorant my loyalty to him was." he said. NiGHTS seemed skeptical, but nodded.
"I'm glad you're finally on my side. After all….we are more or less brothers, right?" Reala nodded and NiGHTS smiled.
"Well…welcome to the Maren life. Hey…I um….hate to be a bother, but….do you know how we can beat Wizeman if he comes after us?" he asked, his smile fading into a troubled expression. Reala laid back down and looked up at the ceiling.
"Well…it's difficult to say. We'll be difficult for him to locate since I'm not wearing my Persona, which is a start. I have a theory. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be able to seek the help of the person we need…and I am to blame." NiGHTS was confused.
"Who are you talking about, Reala?" he asked. Reala sighed and took something out of one of the pockets inside his vest and handed it to NiGHTS. It was a small bamboo pan flute decorated in beads and feathers.
"…..I see….Well…you know what they say, gone but not lost….or was it lost but not gone? Anyway, before you called out to me, I was singing Dreams Dreams, and I heard someone singing along with me." Reala arched an eyebrow.
"And you think it could have been that particular Dreamer?" he asked skeptically. NiGHTS frowned slightly.
"Well….maybe. I'm not really sure to be honest. I suppose it could have been anyone, but…"
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"Lori, come on, stop beating yourself up over this. I told you not to try too hard to remember whatever it is you forgot about!" Katie scolded. Lorelei ignored her twin and flipped through her dream journal in frustration.
"Gah! Why did I even keep this stupid thing?! I was like, six! I should've known that I wouldn't be able to read my own handwriting from back then!" she growled, slamming the book shut and throwing it across the bedroom. Giving a groan of exasperation, she flopped down on her bed.
"This sucks…." she muttered. Katie sighed and sat down on her own bed. Turning on her laptop so she could complete her essay, she said,
"Like I said, stop trying so hard and don't rush things. You'll remember if you just be patient." she said. Lorelei scoffed.
"Easy for you to say…." she muttered. Katie ignored her.
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"NiGHTS, I swear, I am going to kill you if you don't shut up."
NiGHTS pouted at his 'brother'.
"But Reala! I'm so bored! You said you were feeling better! Won't you come flying with me?" Reala glared at NiGHTS in irritation.
"Not on your life. I've got things I want to do tonight. Why not go back to the Dream Gate and cause mischief with a Visitor?" he snapped.
". . . .I don't think there will be any Visitors, Reala. There haven't been for almost a year now. Maybe. . .no one dreams anymore." NiGHTS said quietly. Reala nearly choked on his tea.
"What? NiGHTS, don't be foolish! We wouldn't be here unless people dreamed! Tell you what, go to the Gate, see if there's a Visitor there. If not, then I'll go with you on one of your silly adventures." NiGHTs nodded and took off flying towards the Dream Gate.
{PLEASE let there be a Visitor….} both he and Reala thought hopefully.
(Lorelei's PoV)
I looked around at the strange, yet beautiful….and somehow familiar place. Where was I? Was I…was I really dreaming?
"Where...where am I?" I murmured, looking around. There was a gate leading out into pitch black nothing. And in the middle of the area I was standing in, there was a big fountain. Looking past it, I could see a small pond and a forest like area.
"Hoo! Welcome, Visitor, to the Dream Gate." I jumped in slight surprise and turned to see an owl hovering next to me. Did that owl just talk? Well….if I am dreaming, I guess there's no reason why I should be surprised, right?
". . .The. . .Dream Gate?" I asked. The owl nodded.
"Hoo! That's right. The place Visitors from the Waking World. . .such as yourself, come when they sleep. I am Owl." I backed away slightly.
"Uhm...err..."
"Hello, there!"
"WHAH!" I cried out in surprise and stumbled backward into the fountain.
(NiGHTS' PoV)
I burst into laughter.
"My, aren't you a klutz!" I teased. The girl with the long raven hair glared up at me, her light green eyes burning angrily.
"You jerk! Don't sneak up on people! You'll never change!" she snapped. I blinked in surprise at the last sentence, and so did she.
"Do I. . .know you?" I asked.
(Lorelei's PoV)
I blinked in surprise. 'You'll never change?' Why in the world did I say that?
"Do I...know you?" the purple jester asked. I shook my head in confusion.
"I. . .I don't know. You seem familiar, but. . .I think I would remember someone like you,
wouldn't I?" the jester shrugged.
"Not sure. But it doesn't matter. Want to Duelize?" I stepped back.
"Duelize? What's that? And anyway, I don't even know your name!"
(Reg. PoV)
The jester bowed.
"My name is NiGHTS. And you are...?"
"Lorelei."
"Well, Lorelei, Duelizing is when we become one person, and fly together. Of course, only one of us can control the body at a time, but don't worry. I'll walk you through it. It'll be a lot more fun than talking to this old bird all night. What do you say? Care to give it a try?" Lorelei looked at NiGHTS' outstretched hand doubtfully.
". . .Well, I don't know. Is it safe?" NiGHTS smirked teasingly.
"What, you're scared?" he asked. Lorelei scowled.
"I am NOT scared." she said, touching her hand to his.
"So what do you think?" she heard NiGHTS ask.
"I think this is amazing, NiGHTS! I. . .I never thought I would be able to experience something like this. I feel so. . ."
"Free?" NiGHTS asked, smirking. Lorelei nodded and NiGHTS continued.
"Well if you like flying, you'll love where I'm about to take you."
"NiGHTS, no! she isn't ready, don't take her up so high!" Owl scolded. NiGHTS sighed and rolled his dark blue eyes.
"Fine…"
"Aww…." Lorelei said with a slight pout as NiGHTS landed. After de-duelizing with her, he smiled.
"Don't worry. There're other things we can do to pass the time until it's time for you to wake up. Want to go exploring? Who knows what we'll find?" he said optimistically. Lorelei thought a moment. She didn't know this guy (or was it a girl?... now that she thought about it….), and she didn't know what he (or she?) was like. On the other hand, she hadn't had a dream in so long, and she really did want to enjoy it while it lasted.
"Well…sure. Alright. But uh….first….I hope I don't offend you by asking this, but uh…." she trailed off, unsure of how to go about her question. Knowing what she was trying to say, NiGHTS giggled.
"Oh wow. I haven't heard that question in some time. Most people give up wondering and assume one thing or the other. I know I may seem a bit…feminine, but right now I'm a boy." Lorelei blinked in confusion.
"What do you mean right now?" she asked.
"Well, I'm technically "genderless"." NiGHTS explained, using air quotes, " I can be whichever gender the dreamer is or wants me to be. If you want me to be a girl, I can be a girl, but if you prefer me as I am, then I'll stay a boy. Which would you be more comfortable with?"
"Honestly….I'd rather you stay as you are. My experiences with other girls…my own sister included sometimes….have not been the most pleasant. All my friends back at my old school were guys." Lorelei replied. NiGHTS sighed in relief.
"That's kind of a relief. Usually, I check out which gender the Visitor is and change mine accordingly, but this time, I was so eager to see if there WERE any Visitors tonight that I forgot. And let me tell ya, sometimes being a girl isn't very fun for me, especially when Reala's around…he teases me about it every time it's just us..." he said. Lorelei blinked.
"Reala?"
"He's my brother….sort of. It's kind of a long story."
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(Katie's PoV)
I smiled to myself as I pulled back my comforter and crawled into bed. Lori was talking in her sleep. It was inaudible, but it meant only one thing: She was finally dreaming again. I wasn't a hundred percent sure why she stopped dreaming when we were little, but I was glad that whatever the problem was, she'd gotten past it. Closing my eyes, I laid down.
~"Kate…."~ Upon the deep, creepy voice saying my name, my eyes shot open and I sat up. I looked around. No creepy shadows or silhouettes, so I knew the house wasn't haunted. And nothing supernatural could be heard saying the word "Kate" in the Paranormal Activities movies, so I knew my parents weren't watching any of those in their room. Shaking off my paranoia, I laid back down.
~"Kate…."~ Sitting up again, I shakily reached up and turned on my lamp. Lorelei was still sound asleep, and no one was in the room with us. Hmm….
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(Lorelei's PoV)
We re-Duelized and had explored almost all of the Dream Gate before NiGHTS stopped in the clearing in the woods and we de-Duelized again.
"What's up?" I asked. NiGHTS plopped down in the grass and I did the same.
"Nothing, really. I just wanted to rest a minute, is all. I guess it's been too long since I Duelized with someone. I'm a little out of practice." he replied with a laugh. I laughed softly and laid back. Closing my eyes, I started humming the song I'd heard at school this afternoon. NiGHTS seemed surprised.
"That song…." I opened my eyes and turned to him.
"You know it?" I asked. NiGHTS nodded.
"Know it? ….Lorelei….you said you don't think you know me….and you've never been here before. Are you really sure?" he asked. I thought a moment.
"Well….it's possible, I guess, but….I don't…I don't think that I have. I mean, it's been so long since I had a dream…" I mumbled. NiGHTS blinked at me in surprise.
"You haven't dreamed in a long time? How long?" he asked. I sat up and shrugged.
"About….about nine years." I replied disinterestedly. NiGHTS stood up.
"I've got to go do something really quick. I'll be right back, okay?" he said, turning to me. I wasn't sure what was up, but I nodded all the same and he flew off. Was it something I said that made him want to fly off like that?
(Reg. PoV)
I'm telling you, Reala! It's true! This girl…Lorelei…first she said something that suggested that we'd met before even though she says we haven't, then she was humming Dreams Dreams. Only someone who'd been a Visitor here before would have ever heard it." NiGHTS insisted. Reala scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"NiGHTS, I highly doubt that-"
"Well think about her name! Her full name is Lorelei, so don't you think it's possible her nickname could be Lori?" NiGHTS interrupted insistently. Reala sighed in defeat.
"Well….there's only one way to find out it would seem. Show her that flute. If she is who you think she is, it's quite possible seeing her flute will trigger at least a small memory, if nothing else." he said.
"Got it. You'll see Reala. It's really her." he said, flying off. When NiGHTS was gone, Reala took a golden mask out of his vest and placed it over his eyes.
(Lorelei's PoV)
I paced back and forth. How long was NiGHTS gone? What was it he had to do that was so important?
"Lorelei, I'm back!" I turned and crossed my arms at NiGHTS as he flew over to me.
"Took you long enough. So what was it you had to do anyway?" I asked. NiGHTS took something out of his sleeve.
"I had to go get something. This is yours, isn't it?" he asked, holding it out. I let him place the object in my hand and examined it. It looked like a bamboo pan flute. It was decorated with a few dark blue and purple glass beads and small black feathers.
"….I thought I lost this when I was little. How…how did you end up with it?" I asked in confusion.
"Sometimes…when Dreamers come here, they imagine some of their items into the dream with them such as dolls, wooden swords, and as you can see by your pan flute, musical instruments. And sometimes, if the Visitor doesn't have the item in their hand when they wake up, it gets left here."
"So…what you're saying is…" I trailed off and NiGHTS nodded.
"You've been here before." he said.
(mewtwofangirl: And that concludes the Chapter 1 re-write. So what do you think so far?
NiGHTS: Well….
mewtwofangirl: When I said that, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to the readers.
NiGHTS: So? I'm throwing in my two cents anyway. I think it needs a little more drama, like SongBird88's work. Which, she's moved to DeviantART for those of you SongBird88 fic fans who didn't know. ^_^
mewtwofangirl: Okay, first of all, this is only the first chapter….second counting the prologue, and secondly-
Lorelei: Come on you two, don't start... -_-;; *to the readers* ^^; Sorry about them. . . Um… feel free to review!
mewtwofangirl: Hey, that's my line!)