Chapter 4
Before the three laid a paved path surrounded by lush green grass and skyscraper tall trees with bottles of baby powder where there should have been leaves. Beyond the trees, they could see city buildings and a huge lake filled with boats and birds of all various sizes and colors.
"Hoo, what a lovely park," Owl commented as he appreciated the beautiful landscape of the third Nightopia.
"It's very linear," Nights said as she followed the trail that rested dead center in the park. "I can only imagine what's at the end of this path," she said knowing full well it could only be danger. She and the Dualized baby flew upwards to get a better aerial view only to knock into one of the baby powder bottle leaves. The sweet smelling particles fell like snow to the ground leaving white circles.
The baby gleefully laughed. "Did you like that?" Nights asked. The baby made their hands clap. "I guess it's okay. Go on, show those bottles a thing or two," she joked as she let the baby continue to knock into them.
"Oh dear. Oh dear," Owl said as he perched on a nearby bench, away from them and their antics, and dusted himself off. He looked at the mess the two left behind. Nightopians had already gathered and played in the falling powder. Many started sneezing which kicked up more powder. Owl chuckled at the sight until something else caught his interest. A few patches of powder were sitting stationary in the air. Underneath these small patches were footprints.
"Why don't you come here and sit by me, m'dear?" Owl called out to the invisible creature who gasped when she realized she had been spotted by him and the powder. Owl saw the patches quickly being brushed off . "Hoo. Stop being so shy." The brushing had stopped.
"Mm." She walked over and dusted off the bench before sitting down. Owl smiled and looked back up at Nights and the Visitor.
"They certainly are having fun, aren't they?
"Mm. I'm glad Nights isn't sad now."
"Hoo. Don't worry about before. I would venture to say Nights feels quite relieved to have finally talked about that dreadful ordeal. Also, I might add, having the baby around is helping her deal with those bitter memories rather than repressed them."
"Mm." The invisible creature agreed but had to add. "That's if the baby survives tonight." Owl cleared his throat, not responding to that comment. "Owl, doesn't it bother you Nights is spending most of the time with the baby?"
"Hmm? That? I am fine watching Visitors enjoy their trip to the Dream Gate and Nightopia. Besides," Owl held out his wings for the invisible creature to inspect closer, "these wings aren't exactly made for holding baby Visitors."
"Mm." They both turned their attention back on the landscape. The once lush green lawn now looked like a snow covered field. "I'm surprised more powder hasn't fallen on us, Owl." Without missing a beat, a blanket of powder descended upon the two. It scattered about and created a fog around them. They could hear Nights' and the baby's laughter.
"Nights!" Owl yelled at her.
"Sorry, Owl." Her tone indicated she wasn't. "Just teaching the Visitor how to Drill Dash, so that we could hit more bottles. I think we'll practice some more." With that, the Dualized two took off in a fast corkscrew like maneuver forward getting away from the victims of their prank.
When the cloud had finally dispersed, and he could see a beyond six inches from his beck, Owl shook himself clean of the powder. "Those rascals," he declared and he started to smooth his ruffled feathers back.
"Mm," the invisible creature went as she started to brush off the powder that covered her entire body.
Nights and the Visitor had left the baby powdered forest and continued down the trail. They flew circles around bushes trimmed to look like animals. Chased and frighten the birds that flew near the water. Caught random balloons that floated in the sky and tied them to tree branches. Doing this, the two had inhaled some of the baby powder, causing them to sneezed. This confused Nights as she didn't even have a nose.
The two continued till they reached the end of the trail. Before them was a towering hedge. Not much of a barrier, thought Nights. She looked around and could not see the top of the hedge, that stretched beyond the clouds, or the sides that seemed to extend past the borders of the Nightopia. Nights prepared to Drill Dash through the hedge until the baby spotted Nightopians going through an opening in the hedge. They two flew over and looked inside. It wasn't a barrier; it was a maze.
The baby made gibberish he wanted to go inside where the Nightopians were and Night obliged. Most Nightopians they passed were having fun exploring, some were so upset that they were lost, they started crying. Nights played her flute for them till their tears stopped. Nights and the baby continued lazily through the labyrinth, hatching Nightopian eggs, catching a few of the suns rays and enjoying what could very well be their last time together.
"This is it," Nights said as they turned the final corner. "This is the end." The two looked at the wide open center with its small pond filled with frogs. Dragonflies darted around them before resting on the wildflowers that grew in the center of the maze. The peaceful scenery did not stay long. Nights could already feel an evil presence beginning to warp the space around them. She knew what was coming next.
A Nightmaren boss had turn the once idyllic and sunny garden into a dark, chilly, and barren forest. The bottom of the lair filled up with a thick, green and revolting looking substance. Nights felt it wasn't fair for a baby to have to fight a Nightmaren boss. Nights looked to the baby, hoping her words would reach him. "You have to do this yourself. If you don't defeat this Nightmaren, he'll come back." Nights held out her hand and pushed it forward. "Just like you did with those balls." She repeated the actions of her Touch Dash. "Just like that." The baby felt unsure but copied Night's movements. "Good. Don't worry. I'm here to help you face your fears."
The two heard a nose from above and saw something hanging off one of the black tree branches. The Nightmaren boss let go of his perch and began the descend down. He landed near them with a spin and strong gust of wind. This bat-like Nightmaren was bigger then normal second level Nightmarens. He smacked his lips and drool dripped down his face. The baby sounded as if he as going to cry. "Come on now!" Nights yelled in protest at the boss's size as the timer started. They only had five minutes to defeat this monstrous beast. If the baby couldn't face his fears, it would be night over for both of them.
Nights wanted to fly forward and take care of the bat as soon as they could but the baby held back; he was too petrified to move. The bat flew right at them. "Move!" Nights tried to tell the baby but the huge bat crashed into them. "Wotcha!" Nights cried as she and the baby were sent into the green lake at the bottom of the lair. They surfaced and Nights spat out the muck that filled her mouth. Because of the baby she had an idea what the disgusting green sludge was.
"Strained peas?" she asked. "You've got to be kidding me." Wait, Nights thought, that was it. Nights took control and flew them upward. As the bat flew along the rail of his lair, Nights had already formed a plan of how to move the baby into action.
She yelled loud enough for the bat to hear them. "You think THAT'S scary?" she asked the baby and made circles with both her hands. "It's just a balloon with polka dots." The baby looked at Nights' hands and then at the bat. Sure enough the body of the bat was a large balloon with yellow polka dots.
The bat had reached them but this time Nights dodged and continued to set her plan in action. "And look! He doesn't even have any arms." Nights pulled her arms back so her hands rested under her shoulders. She waved them around. The gesture amused the baby and he laughed.
The Nightmaren boss had heard them this time. Were they making fun of him?
Nights brought her hands to her head. "Oooo, look at the scary wary lacy ears on that one."
The bat took offense to this.
The baby took control and made his and Nights' arms flap. "Yes!" Nights said. "His wings! They are so silly looking!"
He liked his wings...
"And really, a pool of strained peas? Ha! That's not scary. That's just like the this Nightmaren; in bad taste!"
That was the last straw for the Nightmaren boss. Once he reached them, he would going to rip their heads off, chew on their limbs and, and...
His lair seemed bigger now. A moment ago he towered over the edges and now it had more then tripled its size. When had it grown? The Nightmaren bat looked at himself. His lair had not grown, he had shrunk from Nights' and the baby's belittling. He looked back up and the two had already made contact with him. Nights had a wicked grin on her face. The baby, now able to face this once fearsome foe, used Nights' strength to send the bat crashing into his own lair and defeating him.
White light began to surround Nights and the baby.
The baby was back in his own body in an area of endless light. He looked around, but Night was nowhere to be found. A red light above him caught his eye. The red sphere, that was bigger than him, floated down in front of him. The baby looked at it, unsure what it was. It was similar to the other energies he processed in himself, but this was the first time he actually saw its form.
"That's the Ideya of Courage." Nights had appeared next to the baby. "You're going to need it to live a full life," she told the baby as she kissed his small head. "I know you're going to be very happy because you have the strength to."
"Na-Na" the baby said.
"Go on." Nights pointed to the Ideya. "It's yours. Take it" she said, knowing this would send him back home.
The baby looked forward at his last and final Ideya and took hold it of.
Epilogue
Back at the Dream Gate, Owl was flying around. He felt Nights' presence here and soon found her floating around the plaza, lost in her thoughts.
"The baby is back in his world?" Owl asked.
Nights nodded. "It's strange. I keep looking over to the entrance hoping to see him crawl through."
"I don't find that strange at all, Nights."
"I'm going to miss him."
"If you do feel a bit lonely, there is that other Visitor tonight whom you have not yet met."
"The other Visitor isn't awake yet? It's already morning in her world."
"Is seems as that Visitor is what they refer to as a 'night owl'." Owl wasn't sure what to make of that expression.
"Hmm." Nights felt her mood pick up. "I wonder how she feels about flying." Nights moved over to where the other Visitor was at. She saw the Visitor talking to the invisible creature, or at least Nights hoped she was talking to the invisible creature and not the empty space in front of her.
Nights dashed in front of the two startling them. She looped back in a circle and performed a gentleman's bow in front of the Visitor.
"Hello. My name is NiGHTS."
The end.