Terrified Molly ran through her once serene Nightopia. All the flowers from the trees had fallen off, leaving them brown and bare. The soft colors of the skies blurred together creating a grayish, garbled glob of a mixture. Even the ground, once covered in lovely petals, was now a thick layer of mud with the few remaining, discarded petals sticking out like victims in quicksand. So much light had been drained from this land.
Not that Molly saw the full effect her fear-filled heart had on the now errie land. Hoping to escape the "Beast", she darted toward the bank of one of the many rivers. It was a mistake. The mud there ran thick and her legs sank deeper and deeper into it. She dredged through. "No..." She wanted to run. She had no more Blue Chips to defend herself if the Beast showed up. With each step, she went slower. Then one step plunged her forward waist deep in the mud. A surge of panic overcame her as she struggled in vain to lift her legs. "No..." she murmured with a soft cry.
"Hoo! Hoo! This is awful."
Molly lifted her head and she felt relief. "Owl!" She smiled at the familiar face.
"Oh dear, this literally quite a mess you've gotten yourself into, Visitor. Here." He flew over her and flexed his feet. "Grab on and I shall get you out of this."
Molly took hold and, with some considerable effort on Owl's part, was lifted out. After Owl carried her over to dryer ground, they both sat with Owl slightly out of breath.
"Thank you so much, Owl," Molly said.
"It was nothing." He waved a wing dismissively, though his breathing said otherwise.
Molly went to wipe the mud off her clothes, but not a single drop was on her. Another strange thing in her world of dreams.
"So," Owl began once he caught breath. "I take it the Nightmarens have been here." He gestured to the bleak world.
It was only then Molly realized the damage caused. She held her hand over her heart as she took in the sight: Molly's once beautiful world, beautiful like...that one, now an ugly land, just like that one was an ugly monstrosity.
Owl shook his head. "Nightmarens can be such nasty brutes."
"Liars!" Molly blurted out.
"Huh?" Owl sharply turned his head towards the girl.
"They're liars! No good rotten liars." Molly wrapped her arms around herself. "She tricked me. She said she was my friend but she's really the Beast who came after me when I was little! Dirty liar!" Molly hung her head low.
Owl gazed upon the girl with sympathetic eyes. "I see. No wonder your Ideya of Purity is suffering." Placing a wing on the girl's shoulder, Owl continued. "But do not worry, Visitor." Molly looked up at him. "For you see, this world still has some light." He gestured towards the skies, white as winter. "As long as there is light, there is hope your world can yet be saved."
Molly peeped at the sky before closing her eyes. It hurt, like her eyes had been in darkness for a long time.
She shuffled back and felt something sharp rubbing against her. She reached around and pulled out the Dolphin Persona. She stared at it as she remembered the surge of cool water rushing past her as she swam through the crystal caverns.
"Why," Owl began, "that's one of NiGHTS' Persona. Have you seen NiGHTS?"
NiGHTS? Oh, right. That's what she called herself. "She's the Beast..."
Owl made an uneasy face. "Well, NiGHTS can be a tad grumpy sometimes, I must admit, but I'd hardly call, wait," Owl stopped himself. "You mean to say NiGHTS is the Nightmaren...from your past?"
Molly nodded. "Oh..." Realization dawned. "...Oooooh." Owl uncomfortable nodded his own head. "I now fully understand your predicament, Visitor."
"So, you've met the Beast, too, huh?"
"NiGHTS, the one you refer to as the Beast, has been coming by the Dream Gate for quite some time now."
Molly furrowed her brow. "How could you allow a monster like that to stay around there?"
"Allow? M'dear, I don't think you realize just how powerful she is. I certainly didn't take it into account when NiGHTS first started showing up. Why, I foolishly tried to chase her off, but she wouldn't budge. She just held me off, with ease, at arm's length," Owl imitated the action, with holding one wing out in front of him, while another rested on his side, "and then she told me," he raised his voice to a higher pitch, "'If I want to stay here, I will. After all, what can you do about it?'" His voice returned to normal. "Hoo!" Owl shook his head and flapped his wings. "That really burnt my feathers!" Composing himself, Owl continued. "When Visitors came, NiGHTS pushed me aside and greeted them. She then offer to Dualize and take them flying."
The girl briefly looked down.
"At the end of the flight, she then informed the Visitor needed to paid a toll...with their Ideya."
Molly's eyes went wide as she looked at Owl.
"The Visitor, not knowing the importance of their Ideya, because someone pushed me aside and didn't let me explain, allowed NiGHTS to take them. And do you know what NiGHTS did with those Ideya?" He stared Molly straight in the eye. The girl shook her head, terrified of the answer.
Owl smiled. "NiGHTS gave their Ideya right back to them."
She tilted her head in confusion.
Owl smiled. "You see, NiGHTS went through a change of heart. Even before she came to the Dream Gate, NiGHTS felt guilty over taking Ideya from Visitors. She even tried that 'toll' service to justify stealing the light of their hearts, yet,"Owl glanced to side, "the guilt remained." He turned back to the girl who now had a pitiful look on her face. "And so, one day, NiGHTS stopped asking for their Ideya and took the Visitors flying, playing, having fun, just because she wanted to bring the Visitors joy."
Molly looked back at the Persona and thought about all the fun she had in Nightopia with her.
"Since then, NiGHTS has never returned to Nightmare."
Closing her eyes, she gently held the Persona close to her.
Owl gave a sigh but smile warmly at the girl. "I am sorry to hear NiGHTS' past caught up to her. It is hard to escape one's history."
Molly could only see that one's bright, happy smile in her mind and hear the echo of her words: "Of course, we're friends!"
"Walevu!" came a voice and it made Molly jump back. She felt relief as soon as she saw the voice came from a group of Nightopians.
"Ah, how reassuring," Owl commented. "I am glad these little fellows are okay."
A couple of them flew over to the water and started passing a beach ball between them. Others stayed at the bank to make mud pies. While a few came up to Molly to smile at her.
Molly couldn't help but smile weakly back at them.
Owl also smiled at the scene. He also noticed new buds were sprouting on the trees. "Still hope...Hmm?"
"What is it, Owl?" Molly asked.
"I am being summoned...yet again," he sighed "I think I need limit the number of Perches I have in that world."
"Oh, those things to call you with."
Owl nodded. "That is does." He teleported away, but returned within a minute.
"Hoo, this one is a doozy. Will you be alright for awhile?"
"I think..." Molly looked around at the Nightopians playing. "I think I'll be okay."
Owl went to attend to the 'doozy' and Molly went to help the Nightopians decorate their mud pies with some discarded flower petals. A few returned from over the river to sing and Molly recognized the melody. Sitting back, she began to wonder did that one teach the Nightopians this song or did that one learn it from the Nightopians who existed in every Nightopia?
She didn't have long to wonder as a deep masculine-sounding voice spoke: "So, this is where you ran off to." Upon hearing this voice, the Nightopians fled.
Molly turned around to get a view of the newcomer, but had to shield her eyes as the sky was still too bright for her. She couldn't make out the dark figure in front of her.
The dark figure gave a chuckle full of malicious glee. "Ah, poor little Visitor. Did the "Beast" scare you?" he feigned concerned.
"Who are you?"
The dark figure moved downwards and Molly could finally see him. He was also a jester, only his outfit was red and black. Under his gold mask, his face was gray. Face paint? His arms were crossed in front of him, also the same color as his face. So, his skin was gray. Molly then saw his legs were of the same gray color. Oh my gosh, Molly thought. Was he wearing any pants? Molly covered her mouth, suppressing a laugh. She didn't think he did. He was like one of those cartoon characters walking around with nothing on their bottoms.
The dark figure believed the girl clasped her mouth in fear, and certainly not to be polite and not laugh at him. "I," he gave a dramatic pause, "am a Nightmaren." He held in hand out in a grand gesture as his voice dripped with poisoned honey.
Molly then saw the pretty pink fingernails on him and kept her hand in front of her mouth to hide her smile. "Like...those Shleep?" Wasn't she told there were stupider-looking Nightmarens than that yellow-clouded ram? Well, this guy in front of her certainly took the cake.
The figure blinked back in surprise. "Ha! I am nothing like those third-levels. I am the most powerful Nightmaren you'll ever meet."
"Oh," Molly said unimpressed and looked at the shiny feathers around his collar. "Can you turn into a monster?"
The figure scoffed. "I don't need to. I already am one."
"Mmmhmm..." Her smile got bigger.
"Why, you could very well say you've gotten yourself a monster of a problem!" The figure started to laugh at his own joke.
Oh no, his laugh! His crazy little laugh. It was too much! Molly tried to hold back the laughter but it came out in little fits. Her hands covering her mouth, stifling them as best as possible.
The figure saw the tears forming at the girl's eyes and smiled darkly at the reaction he caused. Only... they weren't tears of fear, he realized. And those sounds coming from her weren't sobs but laughter. She was laughing at him! He tensed up at the offense and realized the time for talk was over.
In her hilarity, Molly didn't see him floating over to her. Didn't see him pull back his hand to strike, didn't see just how sharp and deadly those pink nails were.
He struck.
His hand caught by another.
"Don't you dare, Reala!"
Molly gasped at the voice and looked up. There, holding the dark figure's hand back, was that one.
"Molly, you need to ru," NiGHTS was cut off by the girl's scream. The girl didn't need to be told, she took off running at the sight of NiGHTS.
"Molly..." NiGHTS' grip on Reala fell as she slowly reached out in vain to the girl who was already out of sight.
While NiGHTS hung her head low, Reala rubbed his hand. The girl was gone but his anger remained. "You should have stayed away, NiGHTS."
"Huh?" The strike meant for the Visitor now landed on her.
Molly didn't get very far before she heard the shriek of pain. She stopped and looked back in the direction she came. Her eyes then went to the ground. What should she do? She heard more yelling and she griped her arms. "No, no..." Molly knew what she had to do, but frankly, "I don't want to. I can't. I'm too scared. Why?" She shook her head. "Why am I still scared?"
Another outcry of pain and Molly stopped questioning herself. The Beast was her greatest fear, but NiGHTS was her friend. She ran back to her.
Back near the banks, NiGHTS was laying on the ground, clutching her head. "Why are you doing this to me, Reala?" she asked with a strain of pain.
"This," indicating the attack, "is because you stepped between me and that Visitor. Everything else," Reala smirked, "well, that was because I thought it would be funny." He down leaned and chuckled next to her. "And it was!" He floated upright and continued to laugh. When he finished, he hummed like a cat content with its prey. "I must say you hardly put up a fight. Why, is something distracting you?" he asked knowing what it was.
NiGHTS winced. "You're sick..."
"And you're all alone."
Gritting her teeth, She twisted her head away and closed her eyes. She could almost feel despair coming on until she heard her name.
"NiGHTS!"
NiGHTS' eyes shot open and she forced herself up a little. "Molly...?"
"So, the little Visitor came back, hmm?" Reala crossed his arms and glared down at the girl. "And what exactly are you doing to do?"
"Uh..." Molly hadn't thought that far ahead. Oops.
"Typical, stupid Visitor. No wonder you're drawn to them, NiGHTS." He gave her a quick glance before turning his attention back to the girl. NiGHTS knew what Reala had in mind and went to grab hi.m She missed and fell forward. Reala ignored NiGHTS' feeble attack."Now don't you worry, Visitor." He flashed a toothy smile. "I'll make this quick," he said in whisper.
She didn't look worried. "You're not scary," she said with a half a frown and a lifted eyebrow.
"What?" Reala stopped in his tracks with a jolt.
"Compared to," unable to look at NiGHTS, Molly just gestured towards her, "that one, you're a joke."
And she struck the deepest nerve. Reala was heaving with anger. He looked back down at NiGHTS, defeated and pathetic looking. "This is scary?!" He grabbed NiGHTS by the collar, making NiGHTS cry out as she was roughly lifted off the ground. "You laugh at me while this buffoon," he gave NiGHTS a few violent shakes, "petrifies you? Look!" His harsh shakes now had such force it started to spin both of them around. "Look at this half-witted dolt, you simple-minded fool!" They continued to spin in the air and he turned his attention back to NiGHTS. "A Nightmaren who feels remorse over stealing Ideya. Ha! You're the joke, NiGHTS."
And NiGHTS grinned.
"Huh?" Something was wrong. He darted his eyes and from the corner saw why NiGHTS looked so smug. While his shakes spun them around, NiGHTS started to release her Twinkle Dust and, in just a second, the Dust was about to connect in its imperfect circle. One. The vortex formed and engulfed Reala; he had Paralooped himself.
"No!" he shouted as he disappeared in the portal.
NiGHTS caught herself and remained upright, as she stared at the spot where Reala just was. "Joke's on you...Idiot."
Molly laughed at the quip.
The sad look on NiGHTS vanished and she smiled brightly at the girl. She then started to float over.
The girl's laughter stopped with a huge gasp.
NiGHTS froze in place.
They both looked away uneasy.
NiGHTS rubbed one of her arms. "...Thank you...for coming back," she said with a sad note on her voice. "You saved me."
"I didn't do anything." Molly took a step back.
NiGHTS's bottom lip quiver. "Yes, you did." A short silence passed between them before NiGHTS spoke up again. "I guess...I'll be leaving now." Molly said nothing. "I'm so sorry for everything, Molly. I truly am."
Molly slowly nodded her head. Feeling a soft wind on her face, she looked up to see if NiGHTS was gone.
NiGHTS hadn't floated very far at all.
Molly stood there, in a daze, watching NiGHTS leave. Soon she heard feathers rustle. She turned and saw Owl had appeared.
"How sad," he said looking at NiGHTS. "Also, I'm surprised your Ideya hasn't been recovered, yet. You defeated a Nightmaren boss, inadvertently I must admit, but that victory should have returned the light to this land."
Molly gazed at her still desolated land. She placed her hand over her heart. "Because..." her hand started to glow white. "Because that wasn't the Nightmaren I had to overcome." Molly looked back up and started running. "NiGHTS!" she called out to her.
NiGHTS turned around just in time to receive the hug from Molly. Only this time, NiGHTS had time to return the gesture.
The pair were then engulfed by a white light that spread out and covered the land in its luminance. When the light subsided, Owl smiled at the once again glorious landscape filled with its blue rivers and colorful flowers. He also noticed those two weren't there anymore. It didn't take him long to find them; he just followed the sounds of play and laughter.
In the playground, NiGHTS was pushing Molly on a swingset. The girl's hand now glowed green with her Ideya of Growth. Owl sat on a perch and continued to watch the two friends play.
Meanwhile, the dark figure, I mean Reala, was busy banging his head against a wall. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." And it was unclear whether he was referring to himself, or NiGHTS and the Visitor, or all three of them.
The End.