The Phantom Nightmaren

Chapter 2

Helen was in her bed playing with her phone. She was checking through Twitter, looking at what her other YouTubing friends are up to. Most of them were getting ready to go to Anaheim California for Vidcon, while other were complaining that they didn't get to go to Vidcon for the year. One thing to understand that Vidcon is THE event for Youtubers, it's an opportunity to meet many fans and other Youtubers. The phone Helen was holding suddenly slipped onto her face. Guess it's time to go to bed.

Helen hadn't had a coherent dream in a while. Helen had a lot of Nightmaren to thank for her success, but she hadn't met any as of recent. That time, she was in a room of mirrors.

"My lady, it is time for your full devotion."

The mirrors shattered and there was Jackle who took out his hand, "come, we have a lot of discuss."

Helen didn't really question it, since she knew she could trust a Nightmaren like Jackle. She took Jackle's hand.

Jackle went flying. They flew at high speeds across a dark river, all the way to an island. On the island there was a cave where they flew inside to find a high tech area light with many candles. On the center of the area was an organ.

Helen had never seen this area before. She had seen the more playroom like space, but never there. This space reminded Helen of the Batcave of a Batman musical.

Helen looked around the area. It seemed like a place where one would live. It had a bed, a kitchen, a few couches. Jackle followed Helen, "do you approve?"

Helen turned back to Jackle, "it's a pretty cool. Is this where you live?"

"It's where I will live." Jackle explained, "Once we're married."

Helen looked at Jackle, looked away, then looked at Jackle again. Married? Like being together for eternity kind of thing? How the bloody hell would that work? Helen only sees Jackle every so often when she sleeps. Even then, Helen doesn't really get that much sleep since she's composing and practicing for her videos and albums. Also, there was Will! Helen really liked Will when she saw him in her dreams, and now she knows that he exists; she would like to date him. This would totally botch up any plans of dating the boy of her literal dreams. "What do you mean married?"

"Oh, when I said that I would teach you the ways of the music, that you will have your full devotion to me. What else would you think that would mean?"

Helen opened her mouth, and then she closed it, "I don't know that I would have your undivided attention? That I would have no other teachers? It seemed like a good deal since I couldn't afford lessons, and I wasn't skilled enough for any of mum's connections."

"Oh. Well, you still owe me for your current success! You're going to marry me!"

This was when Helen went into feminist mode, "I don't owe you anything! Just because you gave me lessons, and was open ended about my end of the deal, doesn't mean that I have to be your bride! You are a jerk to even think that you can marry a girl that easily!"

"Fine, if you're going to play 'hard to get,' I'll play, 'hard to let go.' I'll see you at VidCon then."

Helen woke up from her sleep. That was very weird. Not what Helen excepted at all. Helen went to the kitchen for water, and then went back to bed. Helen was not ready for this stuff.

Helen woke up early, then took a shuttle to the airport. Helen checked her baggage, only bringing a purse and her violin with her. Security will probably think that there's a gun in there again, that's for sure.

Helen waiting in line at security when she felt a tap on her shoulder, Helen freaked the hell out, "Leave me alone Jackle!"

"Who's Jackle?" The young man asked. It was Will. It was logical that Helen would meet Will at the airport. He did mention that he would go to VidCon as well. They do both live in Bellbridge after all. Lucy was already in Anaheim helping with the set up. Natalie was going to take a later plane.

The three were sharing a hotel room, but they were doing different things. Helen had a lot of panels to host, like one on performing music on Youtube, and a concert at midnight. Natalie was going to talk to a few producers about Helen's albums, and see about a record deal. Lucy was hosting some editing and camera work panels. The three had it divided up that they would take over the Helen Cartwright booth throughout the convention when no one had anything important planned.

"So we're in the same plane?" Helen asked, "That's an awfully convenient quinkydink!"

"Isn't it?" Will laughed, "It's enough of one that we were both going to Vidcon, but now this?"

They two went through security with no issues. Helen and Will grabbed breakfast sandwiches from a McDonalds at the terminal, and ate them until they boarded. Although the coincidence didn't end there.

They were sitting next to each other on the plane, looked like they'll be together for many hours.

Will began to ask about Helen's life, "So I you probably don't make a living doing these YouTube videos and making albums, what else do you do?"

"Oh, I work at a used vinyl shop downtown. That's how I began having interest in electronic music. It's very different from my original genre, classical, which is why they mix very well."

"But you also do music from video games. Like the one from Skyrim."

"The Elder Scrolls always had an old timey feel to it." Helen observed, "Yet people have asked me to do Fallout, but it's more of a jazzy game. I'd need to take the time to study the genre."

Will laughed, "I guess so! I bet you wouldn't do Parappa the Rapper either."

Helen thought for a moment, "A music game would be a good one to do, since music and all. Yet if I would do one, I'd be Space Channel 5."

"You'd look good in a Ulala Cosplay," Will complimented.

"Ever seen Claris Sinclair's cosplay of Ulala way back? This was way back in 2002 when she was in college. Someone found the picture recently and posted it on Twitter. Claris said that Ulala was kind of an influence on her as well as a friend of hers from high school."

"Must have been a very special lady," Will noted.

"Actually, Claris never specified a gender. Someone asked about them once in an AMA asking if she was a special girlfriend of hers. Claris said that she didn't know this person's real gender, and hasn't seen them recently because they live really far away."

"Maybe they're genderfluid?" Will asked, "Elliot told me about a friend he had that was what gender they felt like being at the time. Elliot says that gender is a state of mind, and there are much more than just two of them."

Helen giggled, "You know, I never knew the gender of NiGHTS. I thought it was just rude to ask, since it's always a touchy subject. Maybe NiGHTS is one of the genders that weren't male or female."

"No, I'm pretty sure NiGHTS is male." Will said, "he just had a touch of femininity."

"Oh, so he is male?" Helen looked up, "you think he's gay?"

"Do Nightmaren even have attraction to others?" Will asked, "I mean, I guess there's Reala."

Helen gagged, "No way, Reala is such a douche. They do look similar. For all I know, they could have been siblings."

"All Nightmaren are created by Wizeman, so I don't really see where siblings would exist," Will shrugged, "unless if Nightmaren are made in litters."

Helen just laughed, "Like dogs?"

"We should have asked more questions. When I started university, I had more questions. I look a lot of psychology electives just to get answers. It ended up that psychologists have little knowledge of the Night Dimension. The professor just thought I was very creative.

"Then how would they explain us meeting in Nightopia?" Helen asked, "I guess we haven't met in real life until now."

Will shook his head, "I had my doubts until I saw you on YouTube. I tried to comment to tell you that I exist, but you never answered."

Helen rolled her eyes, "when you're popular, you have way too many YouTube comments."

"That's what I supposed. I gave up until I was visiting my parents, and saw you at the Bellbridge Clocktower. I took the opportunity and talked to you. Thank goodness that you remembered me."

"How could I forget?" Helen asked, "You're the boy of my dreams."

At that point Will just blushed, "wait, you don't mean that in a romantic way!"

Helen blushed right back and lied, "of course not! I should catch some Zs, it is night at this point in England."

Will took out a rest pillow, "yeah, good idea!"

Helen didn't dream of Jackle that time. She dreamed of… Reala?

Reala was in a fancier and frillier garb. Something that NiGHTS would wear on herself. Either way, it was more fitting with the Persona he wore. "You've become…. Tall…."

Helen sat on a black couch in what seemed to be a library. Reala sat on a table with one leg crossed over the other looking at Helen. "So you know a nightmaren."

"Yeah, I know you, I know NiGHTS." Helen shrugged, "Haven't seen NiGHTS in a while though."

Reala sighed, "Yeah, that's what she does to her kids. Once they get taller, she stops seeing them. It's like NiGHTS was a kid herself."

So that was why Helen hadn't seen NiGHTS in a while. Helen was twenty, which was very well into adult territory. "You're not going to take my Ideya, are you?"

Reala sneered, "I don't take on tasks that are too difficult. Young adults with one or two Ideya are much easier to get. With their questions on the meaning of life, and they're realizations of no longer being successful? Yeah, I would steal that in a heartbeat. You? You fought Wizeman head on, and were almost successful at it. Even before your success, nightmares just go through you. It's the same with the boy. We can scare you all we want, but we just can't take your Ideya. You're invincible at this point. No. I'm here for a warning."

"Warning?" Helen asked, "If I'm invincible in this world, why do I need a warning?"

"There is a woman going to the same convention as you who has been the foundation of a particular nightmaren. He is so powerful, that he meets beyond first and second level nightmaren. Her fears were so great, that this Nightmaren was set loose to go to any dreamer. He is loyal to Wizeman, but wasn't used for any purpose due to Wizeman's fears. It's a surprise that she too has become as invincible as you thanks to a particular power. Her mind has become a point of power that it can transfer the physical body from the Dream World to the Waking World. She used it every so often, and became a resident Visitor of Nightmare. This Nightmaren is trying to find his way to this woman to find his way to the waking world.

"Do you want me to do something about this? I'm going to California as we speak, so I can't really help you," Helen inclined. Really, this is a business trip for her, so there is nothing she can do.

"I'm not asking for help, I am warning you to stay away from this woman. She is also going to this convention you're attending, and this nightmaren is after you. You apparently upset him last night."

"Upset him?" Helen knew who Reala was talking about, and she felt as though she did the right thing. "He really had no right to force me to marry him! Can Visitors and Nigthmaren even have a relationship?"

Reala just frowned, then he sighed, "This again?"

"It happened before?" Helen asked.

Reala took off his persona and rubbed his eyes, "yeah, to that very woman I mentioned. She shot him down as well, and he went nuts. Never to the point of wanted to get to the waking world. I feel sorry for the poor woman. She took pity on the nightmaren that traumatized her as a child, and he just harassed her back. NiGHTS had to step in and stand up for her. Sadly, she won't take that stand again against the likes of Jackle."

"Could you ask NiGHTS is she can help?" Helen asked, "Please?"

Reala placed his persona back onto his face and sighed, "Have you forgotten that NiGHTS doesn't like me? Am I going to capture him, and be like, 'oh, by the way, Helen needs your help!' That isn't how any world works you naïve brat."

Helen looked down, "okay, then I'll try to avoid this woman, what does she looks like?"

"Now you're asking the right questions," Reala laughed, "you may know her for her cult musicals: The Divine Opera. Her name is Claris Sinclair."

Well, that's a connection that Helen can't make now. This majorly sucks. Guess Helen needs to meet other people to help her grow as a musician.

When I met you, I fell in love.

But when he met me, he lusted for me.

He has power beyond belief.

You are kind of heart.

I know who I'd choose,

But for that, I need to run.