Chapter 9: Dream Dreams Again

"Wow! They really did get that idea from a video game!" Billy said as he and Bantam were playing in the rec room.

"I always wanted to play this game!" Bantam said cheerfully.

The Great Hurricane was heading to yet another destination. Sonic had Billy and his friends introduced to the rest of the team and needless to say, they didn't have any trouble fitting in. The way Serena and Mina cuddled him and Chick was testimony of that. The game that they were playing was Time Crisis 2. Billy and Bantam were playing as Rolly and Chick watched.

"Woo! That was fun!" Bantam said as he set the light gun down.

"Yeah, that last boss was tough! I thought we weren't gonna make it!" Billy nodded

"Well, isn't this cute," said a voice from the doorway. Billy and his friends turned to find Scarlet leaning by the doorway with her usual emotionless face.

"Oh, Scarlet was it?" Chick asked.

"Let's just get something clear," she began as she walked forward, "This isn't lollipop land or the rainbow junction. This is the real thing. You kids best stay out of the way and let us experienced ones handle it."

"I'm sorry?" Billy frowned.

"The hedgehog may know you guys well, but from what I've heard you kids aren't used to something like this. So just back the hell away."

"Hey, just because we're kids it don't mean we're dead wight!" Bantam scolded, "There other guys here who are younger than us! Just how old are you, anyway?"

"That's no concern to you. Isn't it impolite to ask a girl about her age?" Scarlet snapped.

"For an angel, you sure like to talk trash!" Rolly frowned.

"I can talk anyway I damn well want!" Scarlet shouted.

"Hey, cool it!" Hinagiku said as she came in, "Come on, Scarlet. They may be kids but if they're here, then maybe they can do things that we can't."

"Whatever," she sighed as she walked out.

"Don't worry about her," Hinagiku said as she went to one of the game consoles, "She's hard to deal with sometimes but, overall, she's a sweet person. Hey you guys wanna play a game?"

"Sure!" Billy and friends agreed.

(Meanwhile… at Bellbridge, England…)

Somewhere near the Big Ben clocktower, a boy and girl were walking together.

"Helen. It's been a month since our adventures in Nightopia." Will said.

"Yes, but… I missed NIGHTS…" Helen said sadly.

"Yeah, ever since we defeated Wizeman, she died." Will recalled.

"I wonder if she's having a good life in the afterlife…" Helen wondered.

"And to top it all, our parents got kidnapped by the once dead Red Baron…" Will added.

"If only NIGHTS was here…" Helen said sadly.

Meet William "Will" Taylor and Helen Cartwright. One is an aspiring soccer player, while the other is a prodigy violinist. About a month ago, they had nightmares that were caused by non other than the Nightmarans. Through those nightmares, they stumbled on to Nightopia and befriended NiGHTS and Owl. It was also the first place they met each other. After the fight with Wiseman the Wicked, they thought NiGHTS was gone. Since NiGHTS was one of Wiseman's creations, if Wiseman died, NiGHTS would too.

Of course, we all know that Wiseman is good at lying.

Just then, Will heard the noise of crawling bugs.

"Will, what's wrong?" Helen asked. They both turned around and gasped as Terror Bites Mark I crawl after them.

"Run!" Will yelled as he and Helen ran away from the Terror Bites Mark I as they continued to pursed them.

(Back in the Great Hurricane…)

The siren sounded, Sonic quickly typed in some commands and it showed a SOS signal from Bellbridge. Scarlet and NIGHTS walked in.

"Guys, we have emergency from Bellbridge…" Sonic said seriously.

"What?! That's where Will and Helen live!" NIGHTS gasped.

"Manfred has begun his attack there. If we don't stop his army, Bellbridge could be lost."

Scarlet looked down at the ground, she began to shed a tear.

"No… It'll be just like that time…" Scarlet whispered, then looked up with determination.

"Sonic, let me man the wheel!" She asked. Sonic and NIGHTS looked at her before Sonic step aside to let her take the wheel.

"Scarlet?" Sonic asked in concern.

"I… don't want what happened in my world years ago ever happen to the town of BellBridge! So hang on to something!" Scarlet yelled as she piloted the Great Hurricane to its course to BellBridge.

BellBridge...

The Mercenaries reached BellBridge and stepped out to find the whole city under attack.

"What is going on here?" Sango gasped.

"There are Phantaroids everywhere!" Cream cried.

"Hey, anyone seen NiGHTS?" Amy asked.

"I believe she said something about looking for her friends," Fuu said.

"Wait a minute..." Knuckles stiffened, "I sense an Emerald Shard!"

"An Emerald Shard?" Sakura A. gasped, "That must be why the Phantaroids are here! They want the Emerald Shard!"

"Let's go! We need to find that shard and clear out all the robots from the city!" Sonic shouted. Everyone nodded and raced into BellBridge.

The Mercenaries ran into the city as it was under attack. As they continued through BellBridge, they found themselves confronted by Magnum Loaders and Gunslingers.

"Take this! Venus Crescent Beam Shower!" Venus shouted as she released multiple light blasts at the Phantaroids.

"Uranus Space Sword Blaster!" Uranus yelled as she slashed her sword at the last Gunslinger.

"Watch out! More Phantaroids are coming!" Sayo shouted as Glovers and Bladeriders appeared in digital lights.

"Okay! I have them!" Negi yelled as he fired a thunder spell at the Bladeriders.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha yelled as fired his favorite ability at the Glovers.

"All this for one Jewel Shard?" Umi grunted as they continued, "What is he thinking?"

"Who knows what he's trying to do?" Madoka shouted.

They continued through the city and fought of more Phantaroids as they went. While going through the streets, they were met with Heavy Fists. Astro, Hifumi and Akiwo made short work out of them. As they got near Big Ben, they were met by Surveillance Eyes, Prowlers, Heavy Blasters and scorpion mechs known as Scorps. "Out of our way! Dug Haut!" Lina shouted as she slammed a fist into the ground and made stone spears fly out. The spears sliced through the Surveillance Eyes.

"Saint Strahl Stardust!" Lily shouted as she sent a shimmering blast at the Scorps.

"Pluto Deadly Scream!" Pluto shouted as she sent her signature attack on the Heavy Blasters and Prowlers.

"Cyber Kick!" Ziggy shouted as he used a kick on the last Prowler.

"The Emerald Shard should be in the Big Ben clock tower! We have to hurry!" Knuckles told them.

"Wait... that sound!" Kagome stiffened.

"Oh no! The Terror Bites!" Peach screamed as she saw them crawling at them.

"Everyone, inside!" Jr told them. They all nodded and went in. Only those with guns or fire abilities were left.

"We don't have the time for this! Saint Pure Sword Bridal Fire!" Salvia shouted as she released a wave of fire from her Saint Pure Sword and burned all the Terror Bites Mark I. Suddenly, the saw a swarm of wasps coming for them.

"Use a shotgun against that type of enemy!" Sakuya shouted as she, Rozalin and Jr took out shotguns and fired. With all the Terror Bites gone, they went into the tower.

The remainder of the Mercenaries went into Big Ben and found Knuckles digging in a hole.

"Got it!" he grinned as he held up a green shard. "Just ten more to go!"

"Aha!" a thug shouted as he came around the corner. "Gotcha!"

"Get outta here!" Rozalin yelled as she threw out rose pellets at him. He was thrown out of the tower.

The thug got up and pulled out a radio. "The resistance fighters beat us to the shard! Send the Laser Tank! We'll teach these kids how we play!"

Meanwhile...

Will and Helen were still running from the Terror Bites. Their nerves were taking quite the beating. Will was pulling Helen by the hand as she tried to keep up. They found themselves cornered when they reached a dead end. The staggered back, afraid, as the Terror Bites Mark I continued to approach.

"Oh no, the got us..." Helen whimpered.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Will whispered.

Before the Terror Bites Mark I could reach them, the children found themselves being carried up into the sky. They blinked in surprise as they looked down on Bellbridge; it reminded them of the dream they had together. The looked up to find that their savor was non other than...

"NiGHTS?!"

The rebel Nightmarean grinned at their surprised looks, but then the grin was replaced with a look of shock when she heard buzzing noise. She looked back to find Terror Bites Mark III flying after them. "No time to Duelalize!" she said as she turned into a rocket to pick up speed.

Will and Helen held on tight as NiGHTS Rocket Form blasted from the Terror Bites. As the Terror Bites were weak to heat, they disintegrated from the flare of the afterburner. The rocket landed on a roof and changed back as Will and Helen jumped off.

"Phew! Glad to see you two still alright!" NiGHTS smiled.

"NiGHTS..." Will began, "How are you here? We thought you were..."

"Isn't it obvious? Wiseman lied. He did it as a last ditch forward to scare you two. He is the creator of nightmares, so he get's he's power from darkness. As long as darkness exsits, he'll never die."

"And neither would you," Helen understood.

"Now you've got it!" NiGHTS answered.

"So what are you doing here," Will asked.

"I have friends from faraway places, see?" NiGHTS told them. "We're looking into the late incident to see what's going on." Before she could continue, there was a huge flash of light, and a large complex looking cannon with long spider legs appeared. It was walking down the road, right for a palace.

"That thing is going to destroy Buckingham Palace!" Helen gasped.

"We have a problem, mates!" Marine's voice came from the jester hat NiGHTS was wearing. "The bandits made their next move! They're going to take out Buckingham Palace! Standby for the planes!"

"Hey you two! Want to help me save the palace and see more of my powers?" NiGHTS asked grinning.

"Really?" Will asked.

NiGHTS nodded, and in a flash of purple light, she turned into a purple WWII fighter. "Hope on then! Don't worry about the controls! I'll do the flying!"

"OK!" Helen smiled as she and Will got on the plane. The NiGHTS Fighter took off and went after the Laser Tank.

LASER TANK (Theme: Boss Attack 3 from Star Fox Assault)

The Laser Tank fired missiles at the NIGHTS Fighter, but he dodged them. "Launching missiles!" "Uh oh!" Will gulped as the Laser Tank locked on to them. NIGHTS fired purple missiles at the Laser Tank's legs, damaging most of them. The Laser Tank launched mini jets at the NIGHTS Fighter, but then, missiles shot them down. "Whoa!" Will gawked. "Who fired at those missiles?" Helen gasped. NIGHTS looked up and grinned, it was Sonic in the Tornado II, MOMO in the Tornado I, and the Mews in the X Tornado, along them is the Psi Air piloted by Silver and the Moon Jet by Sailor Moon, those two planes were built by Marine. "Sonic!" NIGHTS cheered. "You mean the world famous hero?! You never told us you knew him!" Will gasped in shock. "Alright trash heap! Eat this!" Sonic fired gun shots at the weak points of the Laser Tank, damaging it a little. MOMO and Silver aimed for the legs, they fired 10 missiles at them, when they hit, the legs were destroyed, causing the Laser Tank to collapsed but not out. The Laser Tank aimed its cannon at the Mercenaries and fired a huge blast, but like always, they dodged it. The Moon Jet fired laser guns at the cannon, damaging it a little. The Laser Tank was sparking electricity. Indicating it was about to be destroyed. "Alright! Zoey, we're all gonna fired at the cannon. On my mark. Ready... GO!" Sonic yelled as the Tornado II and X-Tornado fired missiles at the cannon, destroying it. The Laser Tank made some creaking noises before it exploded. It crashed to the ground, defeated.

The planes landed near the destroyed Laser Tank, as everyone hoped out, the purple fighter plane landed and reverted to NiGHTS. "Hey NiGHTS, you find your friends?" Sonic asked.

"Yep!" NiGHTS smiled as she levitated to the side as Will and Helen walked up to them.

"So you're Sonic the Hedgehog... I always wanted to meet you!" Will smiled.

"And... you're the Mew Mews?" Helen asked with a small blush.

"Hi there!" Zoey smiled as she waved.

"Will, Helen..." NiGHTS began as she crossed her arms, "It's dangerous now that ghost is haunting the Wakening World. Not to mention that there's a petafile collecting children for who knows what. What would you're mum and dad say?"

"Um..." Helen said as she looked down, "Our parents were taken by the Baron."

"Oh no!" Sailor Moon gasped, "I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry! We'll get them back!" Sonic said indefinably.

Suddenly, static was heard in NiGHTS' hat again, "Trouble! The Baron's forces have begun to attack Denmark!" Allen's voice shouted. "Trista say's that it's where the Harvester is buried! The military is doing there best to hold their on, but..."

"We have to get going!" Silver said.

"Wait!" Will pleaded. "Let's us come with you!"

"Huh?" Corina gasped.

"But... this isn't Nightopia! You could get hurt!" NiGHTS reasoned.

"We know, but... we want to help save our parents!" Helen told her. "Besides, you helped us in Nightopia. We're just returning the favor."

NiGHTS looked at them for a moment, then she smiled, "Alright then, we're just gonna have to be extra careful now won't we?"

"They sure have grown on you, haven't they NiGHTS?" Sonic smiled. "We'll just introduce them to the others. How do you guys like a trip around the world?"

"Yeah!" Will and Helen nodded in agreement.

The Harvester is about to be taken! Can Sonic and friends stop the Red Baron from taking a dangerous weapon?!

TBC

Next time: Interception in the Sky