Reala continued to stare at NiGHTS as she bit her lip and her eyes flew to the right. Eventually NiGHTS sighed and flew up to Reala.

"I'm sorry!" NiGHTS cried as she latched onto Reala.

"Sorry? You should be sorry! How could you not tell me?" Reala shouted angrily.

"I-I didn't want to worry you." NiGHTS said, her head hanging down sadly. "I was going to tell you, but then Malice came along and things got crazy."

Reala looked angry as he opened his mouth to yell at NiGHTS some more, but he paused as his face lost all its anger. Reala sighed as he pulled NiGHTS in close for a hug. NiGHTS was fighting back tears at the moment.

"Is he still angry?" NiGHTS asked herself. "I knew he would be upset, I did keep something major from him. But... wait. What if he's not upset that I never told him? What if he's upset because I'm pregnant! Does he even want the baby? Is that why he's mad?"

NiGHTS started crying at this point. Reala squeezed her gently.

"NiGHTS look at me." Reala commanded.

NiGHTS shock her head childishly and continued to look down.

"NiGHTS." Reala said encouragingly.

One of Reala's hands went down and lifted NiGHTS face up. Soon, NiGHTS was staring into Reala's blue eyes. His eyes were normally icy, even to NiGHTS. But right now they were soft and loving as Reala leaned down and kissed her lips.

"You aren't angry?" NiGHTS asked when the kiss ended.

"Why would I be angry? NiGHTS, we're having a baby!" Reala half shouted happily.

"You want the baby?" NiGHTS asked happily.

"Of course I want the baby." Reala said kissing NiGHTS on the lips again. "Why would you think I didn't?"

"I don't know." NiGHTS groaned as she rested her head on Reala's chest. "I don't know why I feel so down."

"I might!" Jackle chirped as he flew to the two jesters. "Preggy ladies always get super emotional. They can freak at anything."

"So I'm crazy until the baby's born?" NiGHTS asked as Reala face went blank.

"Yes... by the way, when was the infant conceived?" Jackle asked inquisitively.

Reala stared at Jackle strangely.

"What did you just say?" Reala asked.

"What do you mean?" Jackle asked.

"Jackle." Reala said pulling NiGHTS behind him. "You don't talk like that... mind control... Oh no!"

With that NiGHTS felt herself get pushed hard until she made contact with the ground. She looked up to see Reala in a fighting stance against Jackle.

"Reala that's Jackle!" NiGHTS shouted. "He's not going to hurt anyo-"

NiGHTS's eyes went wide as Jackle threw one of his many tarot cards at Reala. Reala dodged it and flew at Jackle.

"Jackle lied." NiGHTS thought sadly. "Malice did possess him... his blue ideya base couldn't save him."

NiGHTS watched the battle go back and forth between Reala and Jackle. She wanted to get in and help, but she couldn't let the baby get hurt.

"Ah!" NiGHTS gasped as the child inside of her kicked. Oh that hurt!

"You think you have a chance!" The possessed Jackle taunted. "Malice has taken over Nightmare! Wiseman is on his knees in submission; and you can't do anything!"

Reala growled angrily as he darted at Jackle, who flew to dodge the enraged nightmaren general's claws.

"Malice has all of the nightmarens at his beck and call." Jackle continued. He turned to NiGHTS who glared sadly at her possessed buddy. "Malice is willing to allow them all to live, even you unborn child, if you go to him NiGHTS."

Jackle was slugged in the face by Reala who turned to face NiGHTS.

"NiGHTS the door!" Reala shouted. "Go!"

The handle had appeared. NiGHTS looked up, the full moon had risen. This was her only shot.

"Wait... I can't leave Reala!" NiGHTS thought as she quickly flew towards Reala.

NiGHTS watched as Jackle hurled several cards at Reala, and even though he dodged most of them, one managed to get him in the leg. Reala hissed in annoyance and at the pain his wound brought. He flew a paraloop around Jackle, stopping at the last millisecond and clubbing Jackle hard on the head.

NiGHTS watched as Jackle's body fell down to the ground with a hard thud.

"NiGHTS we don't have time to wait, let's go!" Reala half shouted as he steered her towards the doorway. Reala reached out and opened the door handle, and with a click it opened up to reveal a beautiful dream world. The full moon was glowing brightly in the sky as the perfect green grass waved back and forth in wavy patterns.

NiGHTS sighed as Reala shut the door behind them.

"How did this happen?" NIGHTS asked.

"I don't know." Reala responded thinking. "But we can stop Malice... if we break the curse then Malice has no hold over us, we can get everybody out of this mess and-... are you alright?"

NiGHTS had begun crying.

"Jackle, Puffy, Bubbals, Archer, Wiseman... they are all in trouble because of me. It's all my fault." NiGHTS thought sadly as she cried.

Reala frowned and scooped NiGHTS up in a hug. He nuzzled her lovingly and planted kisses on her face, anything to make her feel better. After a while, NiGHTS stopped crying and dried her face.

"I'm ok now." NiGHTS said as she kissed Reala. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Reala said. "It's my job to keep you safe and happy. Though I haven't been doing the greatest job..."

"You're doing fine Reala." NiGHTS said lovingly. "Like you said, we can fix this."

"You're righ-" Reala said before he abruptly changed the subject. "NiGHTS over there."

NiGHTS whirled around to see the stone pillar. It rose five feet into the air, and resting on top was the Void Rose. The two jesters flew towards it and stopped when the black flower was directly in front of them.

"... Do you know how it works?" NiGHTS asked.

Reala gave her a worried look then shook his head.

"Great, we came all the way here and we don't even know how to work the stupid thing." NiGHTS said smiling to herself.

Suddenly, NiGHTS felt a horrible pain go through her stomach. It was far worse than those kicks had been.

"Are you ok?" Reala asked as NiGHTS went pale.

"Time's up." NiGHTS gasped as she began to fall. Reala reached out and caught her in his arms as the world began to go dark for NiGHTS.

"No! I can't die." NiGHTS thought desperately. "Not with the baby in me! Please!"

The Void Rose suddenly began glowing as golden light emanated from the petals. A single petal fell and blew directly into NiGHTS's gemstone, were Malice had placed his curse, and NiGHTS suddenly felt the world come crashing down around her. She could see clearly, breath clearly, and the pain had gone away.

"It's... gone." Reala said amazed.

"It is gone." NiGHTS said just as amazed. "... well that was easy."