Chapter 2:

The Maren with a Mantle

*Min's point of view*

"So...Ideya is emotional energy or something like that?" I spoke to NiGHTS who floated next to me as we walked around this strange bouncy... place.

"Just about, and you have all of them." She gleamed as she was now lying down in thin air, cross-armed. "Which is very strange, all dreamers at least lose 3 ideya on the way here.

"This...Dream dimension has all sorts of wacky logic."

NiGHTS chuckled softly. "Ha, you're not the first to say that min..."

I gave her a strange look. "You mean... You met others?"

Her eyes now had a certain gleam in them. "Oh, tons of people, but a certain four actually remember me and come here often."

"Who are they?"

"Oh let's see… there's Elliot, Will, Claris, and Helen."

"Huh, have they been to...where is this?"

"The Soft Museum." she said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah...there."

"Only two of them, Elliot and Claris, Elliot wasn't there for long though."

"Hey…Elliot and Claris? That sounds familiar…" I say trying to recall a distant memory. "Are they from my school?

"Is your school in Twin Seeds?"

I nodded my head, slightly surprised that NiGHTS even knew what Twin Seeds was.

"Then yes, they are from your school." She chuckled as she twirled around. "Now I know what Claris means by that 'one dark haired girl."

"She talks about me?"

"Not very much..But…-"

I interrupted her train of thought as a colorful object was seen far out in the distance.

"Hey NiGHTS, what is that?"

NiGHTS was now floating Standing upright as she floated and peered at what I was pointing at. It was an orange and yellow circus tent. It seemed to have some sort of music coming from it, it was hard to make out from where we stood here.

"That's his tent." NiGHTS stated.

"Really? I thought it would look more.. You know...intimidating."

We walked cautiously toward the brightly colored tent. I stopped before entering to look at NiGHTS, who gave me a nod, motioning for me to go in. I did so, flapping open the entrance.

Inside was very gigantic compared to the outside. It had blue and yellow designed floor tiles, red and purple cloth like roof. There were giant, murderous versions of well known toys scattered around the room, like colorful balls and a creepy jack-in-the-box. The toys were very unsettling, a guillotine being the most out of place.

"…I take it back…this place is an asylum with colors."

"Be careful Min, Jackle can be very unpredictable." NiGHTS warned.

Different colored lights were hanging from the ceiling. The lights acted like spotlights, following anything that moved, including NiGHTS and I. We went cautiously to the center of the room, where an announcer's voice was heard.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer's voice echoed. "We proudly introduce... The caped catastrophe, the Maren with a mantle, the king of cards! Jackle the Mantle!"

All the spotlights pointed toward a red curtain that flung open, revealing a caped jester, without a head! He had, as the announcer said, a mantle, and two orange horns that bent forward over his head unlike Reala or NiGHTS. His cape and inside his hat were pitch black, aside Jackle's floating eyes and mouth. His sharp diamond blue eyes peirced throught the darkness of his hat along with his white shark like teeth. His hat/horns were orange and decorated as the outside of his mantle was sporting oranges, yellows, and reds. but one of the more notable factors is that he hand no arms or legs! jus floating orange glove like ands and shoes. The nightmaren flung his mantle open and he let out a maniacal, borderline insane cackle of a laugh. Followed with cards that seemed to fly in several random directions.

"HAHAHAHAHA! That introduction always me laugh!"

Jackle's floating eyes gazed upon us in the center of the room, and his pupils grew fierce.

"NiGHTS! Well well, who did you bring this time? Another playmate?"

The caped maren, still illuminated by the spotlight, flew toward us. He stopped about two feet away from me, eyes locked into mine.

"Oh, it's you!" he seemed to become less fierce looking and more... Plotting. He leaned toward me, cape forming a hunch as he did so. His face was now half a foot from my face.

"Your even more amusing up close!" he cackled like a hyena.

"Get out of my face!" I growled at him.

Jackle's eyes glittered at the sight of my anger and giggled. twirling his mantle around, he floated slowly over to his guillotine. I can just feel the insanity in this room. perhaps this place IS an asylum...for this guy.

"You haven't said a word nighty NiGHTS." the cultured voice of Jackle echoed. "I thought you would have more to say to the king of catastrophe."

Jackle's dagger sharp fingers traced every detail to the guillotine as his back was still toward NiGHTS and I.

"For is that not why you are here?"

NiGHTS paused, trying to gather its words, almost as if she was trying to put them carefully.

"You're right Jack, there is a reason why i'm here."

Bored already, Jackle lazily turned his head toward some other disturbing 'toy' of his. "Oh Really? i would NEVER of suspected.…" his voice drenched in sarcasm.

I pushed NiGHTS aside, to her silent surprise, and announced to the insane orange figure. "YO! Jackle right? you better start coughing up some-"

This made Jackle really excited as his pupils became fierce once again as he sprinted toward me, or he would of been if he had legs. he stopped inches from me with that trademark toothy grin. "The only thing coughing here is you on your own fluids, heheh."

I froze in place, this guy is a wild card, What could I do or say to make him do something? if i said something wrong...I don't doubt that he would kill me!

"Min!" NiGHTS shouted as she dove between me and Jackle, shoving Jackle a few feet away as she took up a protective stance right in front of me.

"Awww...NiGHTS you are ruining all the fun. Its no wonder why I don't invite you to any of my parties."

"You're not getting to Min, lets make that clear right now."

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that NiGHTS, i can think if many ways i can."

"Enough of that Jackle..." NiGHTS pleaded.

"Enough of what? be more specific."

"Being a psychopath!"

Jackle turned away from us again. "What you call being a psychopath, I call true genius!"

"Then if you are a genius..then maybe you could tell me." NiGHTS said, trying a different approach. "What does Wiseman want?"

"Old wise guy wants…. let's see... The world, ideya, obedience, you dead..." Jackle mocked.

NiGHTS tried to ignore that remark and tried to clarify more. "Jackle, tell me, what does Wiseman want with her?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what he'll do afterwards." His tone seemed very deceptive and uncaring toward the purple jester.

"That's not what I asked!"

"Oh, then you might want to be more clear next time." Jackle wound his head up to NiGHTS's face. "Your ignorance drowns out your voice."

"This guy is truly insane..." I sigh. "I doubt he'll do much good to us NiGHTS."

"Jackle..." NiGHTS growled. "Tell me what I want to know or I'll...do something about you!

Jackle waved his finger inches away from NiGHTS's face. "Tsk Tsk, NiGHTS You're starting to sound just like your twin." His finger poked the spot where NiGHTS's nose would be in a demeaning way.

Wait...twin?

NiGHTS seemed less tense at this, obviously forcing herself to ignore him and bite her tongue for now. "Then...could you show me to Wiseman?" NiGHTS muttered.

"Well of course!" Jackle exclaimed.

Nothing happened for about five seconds. NiGHTS put her fists on her hip and looked

the caped figure in the eye.

"Your not going to show him to me, are you?"

"Nope."

NiGHTS sighed, I couldn't blame her, this guy is very irritating.

"Oh, come now NiGHTS, don't act so irritated." Came the devious voice of the orange jester. "You know I'm always open to a deal..."

NiGHTS cringed and was hesitant to ask. "What... Sort of deal Jack?"

Jackle's pupils went to the left corner of his eyes. "Oh, nothing much my dear NiGHTS..." Jackle said slyly. He seemed to grab something in his sleeve.

"Just..."

Jackle lunged at NiGHTS with a playing card that had a blade on the end of it that was aimed at her neck, or where her neck would be, before stopping centimeters away. "A championship Poker game the Maren way!"

NiGHTS growled. "No way! I would never! Only a idiot would-"

"I'll do it." I say to the crazed nightmaren.

Jackle and NiGHTS looked in my direction.

"Min!" NiGHTS protested. "Have you realized what you've done?!"

Jackle ignored NiGHTS and flew toward me. "Ah! The visitor has some spirit! I like the feisty ones!"

I look at NiGHTS. "One game couldn't hurt, plus, in the mean time, you can get to Wiseman!"

"No!" NiGHTS shouted full of worry. "I will stay here to make sure something doesn't happen to you!"

She seemed to really worried about these card games of Jackle's... They really can't be that bad, could they?

"So lets get this game started shall we?" Jackle chuckled, as he floated high up in the air, spotlights following.

"The stage is set, the curtain is up, now it's time for the first act!"

A flurry of cards was thrust out from his floating hands, flying in a high circle above Jackle and myself, like a hurricane of games."Now visitor, let the games-"

"Jackle!"

Jackle was silent in shock, all of the floating cards fell motionlessly to the ground at once. The spotlights rushed towards the voice. They illuminated a red and black jester standing through the opening of the tent. It was Reala!

"What in Wiseman's name are you doing?!"

Jackle, NiGHTS, and I were all thinking the same thing.

"Oh crud."