Chapter four: Captured

Here's chapter four! Thanks to all the readers so far, i'll try not to drag this story out. Hold on to your hats boys and girls, it's about to be a bumpy ride...


Departing a little while after their twins, Kira and Reala made their way into the last of Kira's dream worlds. Kira's heart wrenched in pain. Her last dream world was also Destiny Island. Unlike Sora, who had fond memories of the place, she hated the play island.

"Kira, is something wrong?" Reala asked, noticing that she hadn't moved or even gave an expression about the final dream. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and nodded, forcing a smile of elation.

"I'm just a little...shocked. This is my...home..." She forced out, trying to seem normal. Reala didn't press her further on the subject, instead asking her to show him around, both unaware that their counterparts had entered from the opposite side of the island. As they explored all the hidden nooks and crannies the small islet offered, they eventually came to the Secret Place. Kira, while Reala wasn't looking, winced a bit. Her head was throbbing and her vision was a little blurry. She wanted to get away from here, her common sense all but screaming for her to run or wake up so she wouldn't have to go in there. Her body ignored her brain and she followed Reala into the small cave, her headache growing with each step. When they came to the center, Reala looked around before spotting the door. Kira could barely see now and a voice was creeping into her head.

'This world...has been...connected...' it said slowly, teasingly coaxing her into a state of numbness. Reala turned around to ask her about the door when he saw the glassy look in her eyes. He quickly went to her, extremely concerned about her but failing to notice the two figures entering the cave. He shook her, trying to snap her out of whatever she snapped into. 'This heart has been connected...' the voice continued.

"Reala?" He looked up to see NiGHTS and a male visitor identical to Kira standing at the cave mouth. "What's going on?"

"I have no idea NiGHTS. Kira was fine before-" Sora growled and clenched his fists.

"Kira! What are you doing here!" She turned to him, an angry look in her eye. 'Tied...to the darkness.' In a flash the two had drawn their keyblades and were ready to charge. Kira moved to strike when her headache increased and her heart skipped a beat. She cried out, clenching her head and screaming, stunning the cave's other occupants. 'Destroy the keybearer...' the voice ordered. 'Only then can you avenge them...your family and friends...'

"No! I won't! I can't! I-" She screamed again, darkness pouring from her body. She took off, running out of the Secret Place and tearing open the dream door, Reala too far behind to stop her. He noticed a red orb laying in the white sand and his eyes widened as he realized it was a red Ideya, Kira's red Ideya. Before NiGHTS and Sora could catch up, he too was gone, leaving the two dumbfounded and utterly confused.


As soon as he reached the Dream Gate, he began to frantically call for Kira. Owl, who had been napping nearby, heard the commotion and woke up.

"Reala? What's the matter? And where is Kira?" He asked before staring accusingly at the Ideya in the red 'Maren's hand.

"Before you jump to conclusions, I found this. And I don't know where Kira is. She started acting weird and ran off." He held up the Ideya. "I think this is hers..."

"Oh dear...well she isn't here. Without that she could possibly be in Nightmare." the old bird said, sounding more concerned now. "You have to find her Reala. Nightmare is still teeming with third levels and she could be in serious danger." He nodded, swallowing the slight fear associated with facing his past. But then he remembered his promise to Kira while they were in her second world.

"I won't let the nightmares hurt you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Owl, don't tell NiGHTS where I've gone. And keep an eye on the other visitor, there's something off about his interactions with Kira." before waiting for a response he opened a portal and headed to Nightmare.


Kira panted a bit as she sank to her knees in exhaustion. Her whole body felt numb and her head felt like she'd been body slammed by thirty Large Body Heartless. She felt sick, and her courage to continue into the frightening looking and unfamiliar area was gone. She curled up under a dying tree and wrapped her arms around herself, just wishing the pain would go away and that someone would wake her up.

Reala wasn't too far away now, sensing the dimming lights that were Kira's remaining Ideya a few miles away. When he reached her, she was nearly comatose and curled on her side in a fetal position. He quickly lifted her up, and headed for Castle Nightmare instead of Nightopia. Upon entering the castle, he could sense an unusually immediate change in Kira's condition. He had returned her red Ideya and laid her on the throne of his former master, glancing back at her before wandering to the kitchen to get her a drink. While he was heading back, he could feel an uncomfortable presence, as if the shadows were whispering of his return; the prodigal son, home to rule Nightmare. He shook his head as he contiued. 'That will never be me...' he thought as he rounded another corner. As he approached the throne room he could hear voices, real voices, one of which he knew all too well. His lip curled back in a snarl and he rounded the last corner, his eyes widening in disbelief at the sight before him. Jackle, along with an unfamiliar 'Maren, were perched on the arms of the throne, hovering over Kira. The psycho second level turned to him and gave a wide, Cheshire Cat grin along with his trademark cackle.

"Keekeekeee! Well, well, well. If it isn't 'Prince' ReeRee!" He snickered, running the edge of a razor sharp card along Kira's cheek, licking away the blood and smiling at Reala's angry reaction.

"Get away from her Jackle..." He growled, resisting the urge to rip off his persona and demolish his former subordinate. Jackle grinned and laughed.

"How about I just slice her pretty little throat." He growled back, eyes glazed with blood lust. "If she dies here, she dies for real y'know..." he inched closer, card drawn as if ready to prove his point. Before he could get any closer, the other 'Maren raised his hand.

"Easy, Jackle. There will be plenty of time for you to kill." He said with his butter-smooth and dangerously deadly voice. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, grinning when she snuggled closer and nuzzled his hand, believing it was Reala that was touching her. "Besides, the prince is right." His honey gold eyes sparkled with bloodlust as well behind his shiny silver persona; Wizeman's symbol of loyalty. "Master Wizeman wants to personally 'deal' with the girl..." Reala snapped then, firing off a dark sphere. The mystery 'Maren held up a staff, which looked strangely mirrored, and fired the attack right back at him. Reala dodged, gritting his teeth and seething with anger when he saw a green orb in his hands. Kira's growth Ideya. "I'll just hold onto this for now..." His hand twitched and it was all he could do not to just lose it. He had to do something, but what? Then it hit him. He dashed forward, charging the 'Maren, smirking when the latter held up his staff, thinking the blitz attack was meant for him. Instead, Reala turned right at the last second, latching onto Jackle's cape and ripping it away, the recoil sending the psycho flying into the cold marble ground. He quickly backflipped once the other struck, pulling Jackle's cape over his face before grabbing Kira and flying away. The silver masked 'Maren ripped the cape off, growling at Reala's back and tossing the cape to the downed second level. "Get up you idiot! They're getting away!" Jackle hopped up and they gave chase.


NiGHTS was anxiously flitting around the Dream Gate. Reala was nowhere to be seen, as well as Kira, and Sora was fuming somewhere. Another day in Nightopia time had passed meaning it was around two am in the Waking World. Owl was trying to calm the jester, as well as Sora, down.

"This is all her fault!" Sora shouted, fists clenched tight enough to draw blood.

"Sora..."

"No! It's the truth! None of this would have happened if she had just left Riku alone...if she had just stayed in the darkness..." NiGHTS' concerned look turned into one of pure anger and he tackled Sora to the ground.

"If you think that that would have fixed anything you are dead wrong!" He shouted, Sora staring up at him in utter shock. "Since when has thinking like that fixed anything ever?! Since when did turning on your family become okay?!" NiGHTS turned his head away, as if disgusted with himself. "I know I have no room to talk...but for me it was different. I didn't have a choice then. But you, Sora you have a choice. You don't have to fight her." He let Sora up and flew off to think. Sora just turned and walked in the opposite direction.


Kira was slowly coming to as Reala tried to shake their pursuers.

"Oh my head..." she moaned weakly. "Reala?"

"Thank Nightmare you're alright." he sighed in relief as he touched down, believing he had lost them. "We need to get you back into Nightopia. It isn't safe here." He glanced around, not even a shleep in earshot. "Wait for me in the garden. I'll be there as soon as I can." She nodded once and he sent her in the direction of Nightopia. He watched as she disappeared and turned to lead away his enemies when six cards struck him, luckily missing his vital organs, but making him feel drowsy and weak all of a sudden. "Damn...it..." He seethed as he could see the pair approaching him, praying that they hadn't over heard his plan and that Kira had safely gotten away.

"Well would you look at what the Jackle brought in..."murmured the silver mask clad 'Maren. He pressed the heel of his blue and gold boot into Reala's chest, knocking him back. He picked Reala back up by the collar of his vest, the latter growling at him. "Why do you still fight, big brother?" he asked, his voice oozing with a sickly sweet poison. "You and I are cut from the same cloth, Master Wizeman's loyal first levels. And yet you and that traitor NiGHTS still would rather help the humans than kill them." He reached up, stroking the red 'Maren's cheek before reaching for the other's persona. "You don't deserve to wear this..." In a sudden burst of adrenaline, Reala ripped away, if the mask came off now...

"You...and I...are nothing alike..." he seethed "I answer to no one...and I sure as hell don't answer to you ..."

"Pity, and here I thought we could come to an agreement..." He snapped his fingers and Jackle lept into action, moving much too fast for Reala to stop him, pinning the latter to the ground and cackling madly. "Keep an eye on him Jackle." He ordered, sliding off his persona and assuming Reala's form. "I'm going to deal with the traitor and those two dreamers." He flew off for Nightopia, leaving Reala to growl at Jackle.

"Let me go this instant you pathetic excuse for a second level." he hissed. Struggling against the other's grip. Jackle drew a card, it's edge sharp and ready to slice it's foe into ribbons.

"Sorry ReeRee old pal, but I don't take orders from you anymore." he giggled evily. "Besides Master Wizeman was looking forward to seeing you again. Seeing you die that is." Reala growled and with all his strength, pushed Jackle off of him and went to strike. Suddenly, a searing pain, like he was being ripped apart from the inside out, filled his body. He gave a scream, his limbs twisting in odd ways against his will and that voice could be heard. Only this time, it was real.

"Now Reala...is that anyway to treat your brother?" he said, Reala's body forced to bow before his former master; Wizeman the Wicked.

"N-no...you can't be real..." he gasped in utter disbelief. "NiGHTS destroyed you..."

"And you were supposed to destroy NiGHTS, instead you failed me."

"N-no...I..." Wizeman sighed.

"I've given you one too many chances to correct your behavior...maybe I should just destroy you..." He said as he twisted Reala's body again, relishing in the pained screams of his former heir and favorite. Reala continued to scream, his vision starting to turn black...


Annnd scene! there's the end of chapter four. yeah its a little dark...okay a lot dark. I think I got Jackle's personality right. If I didn't sorry. If I did, yay for me! Also, some explaining, NiGHTS and Sora's fight will be explained a bit more in depth in the next chapter, the conversation about Reala's promise as well, and Wizeman isn't blood bending, although that would be cool... send in your thoughts on our mystery 'maren and and what you think Reala's fate will be and look out for chapter 5: Losing Faith, hitting this website soon. Sayonara! ~Kira