Dream 2: Crescent Carnival... the Recollection
"Good night Molly." Claris kissed her daughter good night.
"Wait!" the little girl cried, still fully awake even after hearing the Velveteen Rabbit three times tonight, it was her favorite story.
"Hmm?" Claris said, sitting in a tiny chair by her daughter's bed. The whole room was decorated with a sky motif starting with a rising sun at the door and its many orange hues around it, and faded to midnight blue with many twinkling stars painted around her bed. The bed itself had a cozy star covered quilt, and a stuffed Harlequin was the little girl's favorite toy, always at her side.
"Mommy? Would you tell me about NiGHTs again."
Claris laughed, "You really want to dream about him don't you?"
"Oh yes Mommy!" The girl smiled brightly. She had pink hair like her mom, but she had Elliot's clear blue in her eyes. Claris and Elliot had hoped for a long time, that if they ever returned to Nightopia, or if Molly made it there, that their red ideya would attract their favorite hero. Molly had not so secretly wished to go there, and every morning she was very careful to remember her dreams before she went downstairs for breakfast, although she'd been rather disappointed she hadn't seen NiGHTs yet.
"Well... long ago... there was a very powerful, very scary being called Wize Man."
"ooo!" Molly shivered and beat a hand down on the cover of her blankets, "I hate Wize Man! He's baaaaad!"
Claris laughed. "Yes... very bad Molly. Well... Wize Man wasn't content to just rule over his inky bad Nightmares... he wanted to rule over all Nightopia as well, and Nightopia is the land of good dreams!" No mother could be more proud than when they're the center of their child's world, and this was no different. "Wize Man made many evil henchmen called 'Nightmaren' to terrorize the peaceful little Saturn headed Nightopians. And to guard the dreams that he corrupted into Nightmares - he sent very powerful Boss maren. There was Gulpo, Puffy, Gillwing, Clawz, and the most powerful ones Jackle and Reala."
"oooooo...." the girl was sitting up and staring directly at her mother, completely hanging on her every word.
"But... the most dangerous thing he ever created... was NiGHTs."
"NiGHTs? But Mommy! You're telling this all wrong! Isn't NiGHTs a good guys?"
"Yes, just be patient dear." Claris gently guided her daughter back down to her pillow before she continued. "NiGHTs saw that Wize man was a very bad guy, and so he rebelled! Wize man tried to stop NiGHTs and trapped him in an Ideya Palace. But to unlock an Ideya Palace... you need Dream Energy."
"Wow!" Molly began to yawn, snuggling close to her pillow and holding her dolly.
"Mm hmm..." Claris smiled softly. "Well, because Elliot and I had strong red Ideya, we could talk to NiGHTs and he lead us into Nightopia. There... we freed NiGHTs from the Ideya Palace and took flight with him...." At this point she could tell her daughter had drifted into sleep, and gently wrapped the blankets around her. She gave her little girl a kiss and then turned to the door. Elliot had been waiting outside for her and slipped an arm around her.
"That was sweet." he smiled.
"Well, you and I know it's true."
"Mm hmm..." He looked over at their little girl before closing the door. "Who knows, maybe she will meet NiGHTs.."
****
The Nightopian, Mepian, NiGHTs and Lumina reached the new dream. It was more wonderful up close than any of them had imagined. "Wow!"
Before the gang was a bustling carnival of non stop laughs. Fun Houses had waiting lines of Nightopians, while some helped themselves to cotton candy so thick and fluffy it was nearly the size of their heads. Even more humanoid creatures walked among the fair going masses trying their hands at tests of strength and will. They had everything from darts to water guns, and everyone was smiling or laughing.
It was enough for once, to deter NiGHTs from the perpetual gloom he'd been feeling the past few human nights. 'Maybe I was wrong about this place.' he thought, a smile crossing his face.
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Lumina flew down, swooping low over the crowd and then gently set down, a pink glow lighting under her feet. She'd found a patch of tiles which made sounds and lights when someone stepped on them. She giggled when she stepped on another square which chimed a sweet note for her.
The Nightopian and Mepian looked at each other, nodded, then raced down for the carnival's games. NiGHTs smiled softly then wondered why he was hesitating. "Hey! Wait!" He zipped down into the fair after them.
*****
"Amazing..." Reala commented to himself, looking in a silver rimmed mirror shaped like an eye. It hung neatly on a pillar with a checkerboard motif, which in turn, hung neatly in the air. In the center of the mirror was not Reala's reflection, but the image of NiGHTs happily exploring the Crescent Carnival.
Reala floated away from the mirror on his back, rather wrapped in a pose like someone laying on a psychiatrist's couch with his hand to his forehead. "Hmm... Whatever will I do? This new Dream must be rich in Dream Energies... but to harness them." He grumbled twisting around so his arms were folded, his black lips were turned into a frown and the diamond shape of his mask turned into a cynical expression. "Wize Man..." He rumbled.
Then again, what was it to him? Reala wanted to destroy NiGHTs, and didn't he want to prove that Dream Energies weren't needed? No, it was Dreamers. They were the cause of this world and to eliminate their dream energies would tear them apart too! Reala cackled evilly. Dream energies huh? They could be useful... building power and Night Maren... but where to start? Reala wasn't quite sure, she'd been created by Wize Man yes, but he was the lord of Nightmares and Reala was a relatively young Night Maren, even if he was the most powerful Boss Maren to boot.
"Curses... My dreams... smashed to pieces." Reala again cackled at the irony. "Dreams? That's what this world of Nightopia is all about. So why can't I dream?" A sly grin invaded his face. The Maren's eyes closed and he tried to envision his victory over NiGHTs. Much to his dismay however, he remembered the total loss in being flung helplessly into the floating checkerboard rocks. He gave a fierce growl and clenched his clawed hands into fists.
"Curses! Thousands of them on you NiGHTS!" He suddenly lunged at the mirror and swatted at it with his clawed hands. A sickening nails-on- chalkboard sound ensued, enough to split a normal person's eardrums. His cross face was split and off center in the now reflective broken mirror. The sneer only seemed to deepen. "There is one NiGHTs." he repeated again to himself. He had always said that since NiGHTs betrayed Wize Man, and since he himself returned to the Nightmare's service... why? It was so important to him to be the top brass, the ultimate of his kind, and he was.... but the fact NiGHTs defeated him stung badly. "If Only I could entrap you in that Ideya Palace once more NiGHTs... you have no dreamers now. And even if they come... I would be hunting their energies so they're too weak to help you." He hissed acidly. "What can they do without it after all?" Red Ideya... he loved it, it was his favorite, the rarest, and it was something only he and NiGHTs were able to touch freely unlike any other maren. Even a Mepian had trouble gathering the rare dream energy. Reala sighed, would he really have to go after it himself?
As Reala hung there floating, thinking, drifting off into his tortured web of a mind, something else entered on the breeze. It was accompanied by a sinister high pitched laugh. Instantly Reala Stiffened and turned to the newcomer. "Hehe hehe hehe! Reala! All alone and nobody else to gloat to about your power? How sad!"
"JACKLE!" Reala hissed and immediately went for his invisible throat. That didn't calm him really, even after slam dunking the Boss Maren into the jagged floor, his prized cape flying off the invisible bunny form. He was stronger than that paltry sap, but it didn't matter if he couldn't defeat NiGHTs.
The Magic tricks reject went straight to his cape, then looked up at Reala with wide, knowing eyes. "My my, you're particularly hostile today. Might I ask why?"
"Don't Patronize me you capped coward." Reala's eyes narrowed. "you know well what I want. Unless you know how to get that which I desire, leave me."
"Dream Energy of course." Jackle put up his cane just in time to block Reala's claws from slashing him, but the powerful Maren shoved him into the ground on his back, and those yellow claws were just inches from his face.
"Tell me something I don't know you fool! I've never liked your games..." he hissed.
Jackle cackled. "Don't worry. Ideya is coming... The Captures, the palaces... It's all coming back..."
Reala gracefully floated away from the Maren, crossing his legs and hunching over in a thinker's position. "What's coming?" He said in a much more muted and reflective tone.
"Why Reala... you don't think we were resurrected on our own do you?" If he could smile he would have, but the bunny creature would have to be content with the expressive eyes it had and folded it's cape mysteriously around itself. Like Reala, if less graceful, he floated on into the air to meet the maren eye to eye. Reala graced him with silence rather than a few new bruises. "We're not Nightmaren anymore." He whispered. "We're Memories."
*****
~In a dream we can do, everything we want to. There's nowhere I'd Rather be but here with you!~ Music. A theme. Something that caught NiGHT's ears immediately.
The Purple suited Nightopian, as NiGHTs considered himself one since leaving Wize Man, jolted and turned his head to the source of the noise. The Music was floating gently from a big dome shaped building with many musical notes on its billboard. Crescent Theater. 'Claris!?' Nights thought and swiftly descended on he building.
"Excuse me!" he said, pushing passed several Nightopians. "Pardon me!" He squeezed through a few more and pushed into an even more narrowed passage. He tried to fly, but hit his head on the ceiling and decided to walk it. "Coming through!" He stepped over the Nightopians, groaning as the song was nearing its end. 'Please don't stop Claris! Please!'
"Hey!" One Nightopian called. "No cuts!" another rang. "You're pushing me!" another complained.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Nights sighed and tried collecting himself as he neared the door. A sudden crying sound met NiGHT's ears and he froze dead in his tracks. He looked back behind him at a Nightopian comforting her crying baby. 'Why now?' The music was still going on... if he could hurry. He turned from the doorway and knelt by the Nightopians. "Awww it's okay little one."
The Baby blinked a few times and looked at the smiling jester like being looking down at him. The baby considered it a few moments then burst out in new tears.
NiGHT's expression went queer and his hat seemed to twitch like an animal's ear when it detects an unpleasant tone. NiGHTs took in a deep breath then barraged the child with a series of wild faces and giggles. The baby responded to the faces with laughter and the Nightopian's job was done at last.
~In the nights... Delight... I found someone who truly cares...~ The sound faded.
"OH no!" NiGHTs groaned and twisted around, bolting to the door. A roarous round of applause sprang up as he entered the theater's main hall. In fact, not only was the cheering and clapping raised but Nightopian beings of every size and shape stood up or flew up just level enough to block the Dream Guardian's view. "No!" he cried again, trying to lift off, but in his panic it seemed that he couldn't fly, or something about this room kept him from taking Flight. "Claris!!!" He yelled and bolted for the center isle.
As NiGHTs got to the isle, he tripped over a fold in the rug and landed on the ground face first. After letting out a grunt, he looked up, only to have a Nightopian foot impressed upon his face. "HEY watch it!" Mph.... What goes around comes around. Every Nightopian and their uncle seemed to tread over the ex-maren's face causing more than a few groans from him. Everyone was stampeding out of the building, and each one of them was treating NiGHTs as their personal doormat. "Clar-----~"
As soon as NiGHTs could pull himself off the ground, he did, and tried desperately to push passed the crowd still pouring out of the theater. He could see a pink hared girl walking back stage and he called out for his friend once again, only to have his voice itself trampled against the thunderous sounds of the masses.
The more he tried to push ahead of the crowd, the more he seemed to be pushed closer and closer to the exit. "I don't have time for this!" He complained and then sighed. He finally saw his chance and bolted for the back of one of the theater chairs. Using his balancing talents - not that he generally walked anywhere, reliant on his flying abilities - he went from chair back to chair back, hopping over the general ruckus.
Eventually he made his way to the stage and scrambled passed the mike... yet he was too late. The door the girl had vanished into had disappeared. "Claris! NO..." NiGHTs snorted and kicked the door angrily.
"And now for the Comic Stylings of NiGHTs!!" A little Nightopian called into the mike. Applause flooded the room.
NiGHTs froze a moment, then whirled around on tip toe only to find that in the time it took him to turn around, every row had been refilled with Nightopians and ex Maren, Mepians, and humanoids, some of them perhaps Dreamers. Another Nightopian shoved NiGHTs forward into the mike. It made a high pitched squealing noise and with a loud CLICK, bright spotlights shown down on him. The silence was deafening, and for a few very awkward moments there was no sound. It was interrupted by some random person coughing or clearing his throat. The Nightopian felt completely Paralyzed and dumbfounded.
"Uhh...." squeal.... This wasn't good - sweatdrop. NiGHTs understood perfectly well now what had happened to Claris when she went to try out her singing talents at the Twin Seeds Centennial Fair. All those people staring at her... now at NiGHTs... and the talent scouts in the front glaring, tapping their pencils on the table or drumming their fingers. The red Ideya on his chest glowed a moment and he closed his eyes to think. His eyes opened wide and thoughtful, and he finally spoke out, "So did you hear the one about the Mepian with the---"
About a half hour Later, the Nightopian who'd introduced him came back. Wearing a sparkly black sequin jacket and flashy zigzag tie he made it back onto the stage. "-You've been a great audience all! Thank you and have a good NiGHTs!" NiGHTs waved and handed over the microphone. He walked off the stage, immediately collapsing into an infinitely more relaxed state. 'Phew oh that was bad...' He thought. 'Oh well, it could have gone much worse...'
"And now... Karaoke NiGHTs!" The little flashy Nightopian announced.
'It just got worse.' he rolled his purple eyes. 'Much worse...'
"...First up tonight, Sonic the Hedgehog singing 'It doesn't matter'!" Whistles and applause sprang up from the audience louder than anything they gave NiGHTs.
"Hey! What's that blue pin cushion got that I aint!?" NiGHTs retorted, then rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be in the limelight anyway.
"Oh NiGHTs that was sooo Cool!" Lumina beamed. It took NiGHTs a moment to find her, and looking up, he saw her flying above him, flapping her sweet little teal wings.
His Jaw dropped. "How come you can fly here but I can't!?"
"Hmm?" She replied blankly as a valley girl.
"Oh that's easy!" The Mepian smiled knowingly. He and the original Nightopian NiGHTs had come with were behind Lumina. The Mepian flew up ahead of them and then pointed to a Plaque on the wall. It read as follows - No NiGHTs Fly Zone. (Maginary creatures and Nightopians exempt)
"..."
~...Well I don't show off, don't criticize....~ the Hedgehog on stage started singing.
****
"Good night Molly." Claris kissed her daughter good night.
"Wait!" the little girl cried, still fully awake even after hearing the Velveteen Rabbit three times tonight, it was her favorite story.
"Hmm?" Claris said, sitting in a tiny chair by her daughter's bed. The whole room was decorated with a sky motif starting with a rising sun at the door and its many orange hues around it, and faded to midnight blue with many twinkling stars painted around her bed. The bed itself had a cozy star covered quilt, and a stuffed Harlequin was the little girl's favorite toy, always at her side.
"Mommy? Would you tell me about NiGHTs again."
Claris laughed, "You really want to dream about him don't you?"
"Oh yes Mommy!" The girl smiled brightly. She had pink hair like her mom, but she had Elliot's clear blue in her eyes. Claris and Elliot had hoped for a long time, that if they ever returned to Nightopia, or if Molly made it there, that their red ideya would attract their favorite hero. Molly had not so secretly wished to go there, and every morning she was very careful to remember her dreams before she went downstairs for breakfast, although she'd been rather disappointed she hadn't seen NiGHTs yet.
"Well... long ago... there was a very powerful, very scary being called Wize Man."
"ooo!" Molly shivered and beat a hand down on the cover of her blankets, "I hate Wize Man! He's baaaaad!"
Claris laughed. "Yes... very bad Molly. Well... Wize Man wasn't content to just rule over his inky bad Nightmares... he wanted to rule over all Nightopia as well, and Nightopia is the land of good dreams!" No mother could be more proud than when they're the center of their child's world, and this was no different. "Wize Man made many evil henchmen called 'Nightmaren' to terrorize the peaceful little Saturn headed Nightopians. And to guard the dreams that he corrupted into Nightmares - he sent very powerful Boss maren. There was Gulpo, Puffy, Gillwing, Clawz, and the most powerful ones Jackle and Reala."
"oooooo...." the girl was sitting up and staring directly at her mother, completely hanging on her every word.
"But... the most dangerous thing he ever created... was NiGHTs."
"NiGHTs? But Mommy! You're telling this all wrong! Isn't NiGHTs a good guys?"
"Yes, just be patient dear." Claris gently guided her daughter back down to her pillow before she continued. "NiGHTs saw that Wize man was a very bad guy, and so he rebelled! Wize man tried to stop NiGHTs and trapped him in an Ideya Palace. But to unlock an Ideya Palace... you need Dream Energy."
"Wow!" Molly began to yawn, snuggling close to her pillow and holding her dolly.
"Mm hmm..." Claris smiled softly. "Well, because Elliot and I had strong red Ideya, we could talk to NiGHTs and he lead us into Nightopia. There... we freed NiGHTs from the Ideya Palace and took flight with him...." At this point she could tell her daughter had drifted into sleep, and gently wrapped the blankets around her. She gave her little girl a kiss and then turned to the door. Elliot had been waiting outside for her and slipped an arm around her.
"That was sweet." he smiled.
"Well, you and I know it's true."
"Mm hmm..." He looked over at their little girl before closing the door. "Who knows, maybe she will meet NiGHTs.."
****
The Nightopian, Mepian, NiGHTs and Lumina reached the new dream. It was more wonderful up close than any of them had imagined. "Wow!"
Before the gang was a bustling carnival of non stop laughs. Fun Houses had waiting lines of Nightopians, while some helped themselves to cotton candy so thick and fluffy it was nearly the size of their heads. Even more humanoid creatures walked among the fair going masses trying their hands at tests of strength and will. They had everything from darts to water guns, and everyone was smiling or laughing.
It was enough for once, to deter NiGHTs from the perpetual gloom he'd been feeling the past few human nights. 'Maybe I was wrong about this place.' he thought, a smile crossing his face.
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Lumina flew down, swooping low over the crowd and then gently set down, a pink glow lighting under her feet. She'd found a patch of tiles which made sounds and lights when someone stepped on them. She giggled when she stepped on another square which chimed a sweet note for her.
The Nightopian and Mepian looked at each other, nodded, then raced down for the carnival's games. NiGHTs smiled softly then wondered why he was hesitating. "Hey! Wait!" He zipped down into the fair after them.
*****
"Amazing..." Reala commented to himself, looking in a silver rimmed mirror shaped like an eye. It hung neatly on a pillar with a checkerboard motif, which in turn, hung neatly in the air. In the center of the mirror was not Reala's reflection, but the image of NiGHTs happily exploring the Crescent Carnival.
Reala floated away from the mirror on his back, rather wrapped in a pose like someone laying on a psychiatrist's couch with his hand to his forehead. "Hmm... Whatever will I do? This new Dream must be rich in Dream Energies... but to harness them." He grumbled twisting around so his arms were folded, his black lips were turned into a frown and the diamond shape of his mask turned into a cynical expression. "Wize Man..." He rumbled.
Then again, what was it to him? Reala wanted to destroy NiGHTs, and didn't he want to prove that Dream Energies weren't needed? No, it was Dreamers. They were the cause of this world and to eliminate their dream energies would tear them apart too! Reala cackled evilly. Dream energies huh? They could be useful... building power and Night Maren... but where to start? Reala wasn't quite sure, she'd been created by Wize Man yes, but he was the lord of Nightmares and Reala was a relatively young Night Maren, even if he was the most powerful Boss Maren to boot.
"Curses... My dreams... smashed to pieces." Reala again cackled at the irony. "Dreams? That's what this world of Nightopia is all about. So why can't I dream?" A sly grin invaded his face. The Maren's eyes closed and he tried to envision his victory over NiGHTs. Much to his dismay however, he remembered the total loss in being flung helplessly into the floating checkerboard rocks. He gave a fierce growl and clenched his clawed hands into fists.
"Curses! Thousands of them on you NiGHTS!" He suddenly lunged at the mirror and swatted at it with his clawed hands. A sickening nails-on- chalkboard sound ensued, enough to split a normal person's eardrums. His cross face was split and off center in the now reflective broken mirror. The sneer only seemed to deepen. "There is one NiGHTs." he repeated again to himself. He had always said that since NiGHTs betrayed Wize Man, and since he himself returned to the Nightmare's service... why? It was so important to him to be the top brass, the ultimate of his kind, and he was.... but the fact NiGHTs defeated him stung badly. "If Only I could entrap you in that Ideya Palace once more NiGHTs... you have no dreamers now. And even if they come... I would be hunting their energies so they're too weak to help you." He hissed acidly. "What can they do without it after all?" Red Ideya... he loved it, it was his favorite, the rarest, and it was something only he and NiGHTs were able to touch freely unlike any other maren. Even a Mepian had trouble gathering the rare dream energy. Reala sighed, would he really have to go after it himself?
As Reala hung there floating, thinking, drifting off into his tortured web of a mind, something else entered on the breeze. It was accompanied by a sinister high pitched laugh. Instantly Reala Stiffened and turned to the newcomer. "Hehe hehe hehe! Reala! All alone and nobody else to gloat to about your power? How sad!"
"JACKLE!" Reala hissed and immediately went for his invisible throat. That didn't calm him really, even after slam dunking the Boss Maren into the jagged floor, his prized cape flying off the invisible bunny form. He was stronger than that paltry sap, but it didn't matter if he couldn't defeat NiGHTs.
The Magic tricks reject went straight to his cape, then looked up at Reala with wide, knowing eyes. "My my, you're particularly hostile today. Might I ask why?"
"Don't Patronize me you capped coward." Reala's eyes narrowed. "you know well what I want. Unless you know how to get that which I desire, leave me."
"Dream Energy of course." Jackle put up his cane just in time to block Reala's claws from slashing him, but the powerful Maren shoved him into the ground on his back, and those yellow claws were just inches from his face.
"Tell me something I don't know you fool! I've never liked your games..." he hissed.
Jackle cackled. "Don't worry. Ideya is coming... The Captures, the palaces... It's all coming back..."
Reala gracefully floated away from the Maren, crossing his legs and hunching over in a thinker's position. "What's coming?" He said in a much more muted and reflective tone.
"Why Reala... you don't think we were resurrected on our own do you?" If he could smile he would have, but the bunny creature would have to be content with the expressive eyes it had and folded it's cape mysteriously around itself. Like Reala, if less graceful, he floated on into the air to meet the maren eye to eye. Reala graced him with silence rather than a few new bruises. "We're not Nightmaren anymore." He whispered. "We're Memories."
*****
~In a dream we can do, everything we want to. There's nowhere I'd Rather be but here with you!~ Music. A theme. Something that caught NiGHT's ears immediately.
The Purple suited Nightopian, as NiGHTs considered himself one since leaving Wize Man, jolted and turned his head to the source of the noise. The Music was floating gently from a big dome shaped building with many musical notes on its billboard. Crescent Theater. 'Claris!?' Nights thought and swiftly descended on he building.
"Excuse me!" he said, pushing passed several Nightopians. "Pardon me!" He squeezed through a few more and pushed into an even more narrowed passage. He tried to fly, but hit his head on the ceiling and decided to walk it. "Coming through!" He stepped over the Nightopians, groaning as the song was nearing its end. 'Please don't stop Claris! Please!'
"Hey!" One Nightopian called. "No cuts!" another rang. "You're pushing me!" another complained.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Nights sighed and tried collecting himself as he neared the door. A sudden crying sound met NiGHT's ears and he froze dead in his tracks. He looked back behind him at a Nightopian comforting her crying baby. 'Why now?' The music was still going on... if he could hurry. He turned from the doorway and knelt by the Nightopians. "Awww it's okay little one."
The Baby blinked a few times and looked at the smiling jester like being looking down at him. The baby considered it a few moments then burst out in new tears.
NiGHT's expression went queer and his hat seemed to twitch like an animal's ear when it detects an unpleasant tone. NiGHTs took in a deep breath then barraged the child with a series of wild faces and giggles. The baby responded to the faces with laughter and the Nightopian's job was done at last.
~In the nights... Delight... I found someone who truly cares...~ The sound faded.
"OH no!" NiGHTs groaned and twisted around, bolting to the door. A roarous round of applause sprang up as he entered the theater's main hall. In fact, not only was the cheering and clapping raised but Nightopian beings of every size and shape stood up or flew up just level enough to block the Dream Guardian's view. "No!" he cried again, trying to lift off, but in his panic it seemed that he couldn't fly, or something about this room kept him from taking Flight. "Claris!!!" He yelled and bolted for the center isle.
As NiGHTs got to the isle, he tripped over a fold in the rug and landed on the ground face first. After letting out a grunt, he looked up, only to have a Nightopian foot impressed upon his face. "HEY watch it!" Mph.... What goes around comes around. Every Nightopian and their uncle seemed to tread over the ex-maren's face causing more than a few groans from him. Everyone was stampeding out of the building, and each one of them was treating NiGHTs as their personal doormat. "Clar-----~"
As soon as NiGHTs could pull himself off the ground, he did, and tried desperately to push passed the crowd still pouring out of the theater. He could see a pink hared girl walking back stage and he called out for his friend once again, only to have his voice itself trampled against the thunderous sounds of the masses.
The more he tried to push ahead of the crowd, the more he seemed to be pushed closer and closer to the exit. "I don't have time for this!" He complained and then sighed. He finally saw his chance and bolted for the back of one of the theater chairs. Using his balancing talents - not that he generally walked anywhere, reliant on his flying abilities - he went from chair back to chair back, hopping over the general ruckus.
Eventually he made his way to the stage and scrambled passed the mike... yet he was too late. The door the girl had vanished into had disappeared. "Claris! NO..." NiGHTs snorted and kicked the door angrily.
"And now for the Comic Stylings of NiGHTs!!" A little Nightopian called into the mike. Applause flooded the room.
NiGHTs froze a moment, then whirled around on tip toe only to find that in the time it took him to turn around, every row had been refilled with Nightopians and ex Maren, Mepians, and humanoids, some of them perhaps Dreamers. Another Nightopian shoved NiGHTs forward into the mike. It made a high pitched squealing noise and with a loud CLICK, bright spotlights shown down on him. The silence was deafening, and for a few very awkward moments there was no sound. It was interrupted by some random person coughing or clearing his throat. The Nightopian felt completely Paralyzed and dumbfounded.
"Uhh...." squeal.... This wasn't good - sweatdrop. NiGHTs understood perfectly well now what had happened to Claris when she went to try out her singing talents at the Twin Seeds Centennial Fair. All those people staring at her... now at NiGHTs... and the talent scouts in the front glaring, tapping their pencils on the table or drumming their fingers. The red Ideya on his chest glowed a moment and he closed his eyes to think. His eyes opened wide and thoughtful, and he finally spoke out, "So did you hear the one about the Mepian with the---"
About a half hour Later, the Nightopian who'd introduced him came back. Wearing a sparkly black sequin jacket and flashy zigzag tie he made it back onto the stage. "-You've been a great audience all! Thank you and have a good NiGHTs!" NiGHTs waved and handed over the microphone. He walked off the stage, immediately collapsing into an infinitely more relaxed state. 'Phew oh that was bad...' He thought. 'Oh well, it could have gone much worse...'
"And now... Karaoke NiGHTs!" The little flashy Nightopian announced.
'It just got worse.' he rolled his purple eyes. 'Much worse...'
"...First up tonight, Sonic the Hedgehog singing 'It doesn't matter'!" Whistles and applause sprang up from the audience louder than anything they gave NiGHTs.
"Hey! What's that blue pin cushion got that I aint!?" NiGHTs retorted, then rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be in the limelight anyway.
"Oh NiGHTs that was sooo Cool!" Lumina beamed. It took NiGHTs a moment to find her, and looking up, he saw her flying above him, flapping her sweet little teal wings.
His Jaw dropped. "How come you can fly here but I can't!?"
"Hmm?" She replied blankly as a valley girl.
"Oh that's easy!" The Mepian smiled knowingly. He and the original Nightopian NiGHTs had come with were behind Lumina. The Mepian flew up ahead of them and then pointed to a Plaque on the wall. It read as follows - No NiGHTs Fly Zone. (Maginary creatures and Nightopians exempt)
"..."
~...Well I don't show off, don't criticize....~ the Hedgehog on stage started singing.
****