Author's notes: heeheeheehee. These last couple chapters been coming out fairly well, maybe its the effect of having a couple weeks without my computer while moving and unpacking at the new apartment?
Man this one been writing itself practically. Not sure where its going, but it seems that we have at least a couple 'missions' going on here. Hope you enjoy the ride.
Anyway, without further chitchat, chapter 3 which was originally chapter 4.. but I combined the original 3 with 2 and...
I'll shut up now.
*8*
Shattered Dreams Chapter 3 *8*
In the end she and Owl found that they could somewhat position and aim the golem's fist, it took a couple tries, but they got it shot off at Nights' cage, who by this point was looking more than a little worried understandably.
"Watch it!" Nights shouted as the fist came close and rocked the cage again. "What are you trying to do? Hit me?"
"Yes!" Owl and Maia shouted at the same time. The poor Harlequin started to look pale. They aimed once more and the cage went down with a shout from inside. The cage actually bounced a few times before it settled, while not on the ground, it was close to it. And slowly rising up again.
But it was still close enough that Maia was able to get a hold of it and climb in with Nights. Who was floating in the middle of the cage looking a tad stunned. Eyes swirling and stars floating about the harlequin hat. She reached up and poked the harlequin who shook her head and blinked a couple times
before there was a shout from Owl and suddenly the two of them where flung half ways together, the cage going up into the air. Maia got a look down to see that Kitten had been flung against Owl and the two of them where off to the side, Fly on the other hand, looking a touch mangled, had gotten back to Dragon.
They had flung the cage back again into the air and where taking aim.
"Maia! Hurry!" Nights shouted reaching out to take her hand so they could dualize. The two of them barely managed to escape the cage before it was pulverized by a flying fist. "I don't think we'll be getting back into that cage anytime soon." Nights said "Hurry we need to beat these two and find our key!"
"Right." Maia said and prepared for a fight.
*8*
"We need to separate them!" Maia shouted as Nights took another hit and the two of them where nearly flattened against the wall. Maia was just as glad it seemed Nights didn't have bones, or this would have really been painful.
As it was, she knew it was taking away precious time. She could feel the clock ticking down and it scared her worse than the fist.
"Right" Nights said and seeing an opening while Dragonfly where getting their fist ready for another shot she dashed in fast. But the hit they'd taken had waisted valuable time and the other golem hand came up and blocked them, Fly laughing.
"Watch out!" and Maia grabbed control of Nights form dropping them like pebbles in a pond just as the other fist shot over their heads again.
"there!" Nights then managed to dash up and grabbed the annoying little clown off of Dragon's back and give him a good solid pummeling. She was getting ready for another good hit when they both felt the shock through their bodies. Maia had a brief flash of wondering if they had gone transparent like some of the fighting games, showing their bones with little electric bolts all around them. They sagged and Nights shook her head, trying to clear it as Fly went back to Dragon's back and the two synced again.
"lets... not do that again." Maia gasped clenching her chest, Nights mimicking the move.
Nights didn't get a chance to answer as they where once again flattened against the wall, "We.. are seriously not doing well at this are we?" Maia asked, feeling herself fade out. It, was almost like getting tired but different. More like, oh no! She was waking up!
"Stay with me Maia, don't wake up now! We almost have them" Nights called and flew around the giant, waiting for another opening. She knew if she could just get in again and give at least one more good solid wack to the idiot they would win. "Maia, hang on just a little longer." Nights said again, trying to keep up a monolog.
"nights..." Maia's voice was fading and Nights shuddered. The fist shot out, but the other hand was blocking the angle for Nights to be able to get in. She looked around and glancing down saw Maia's Kitten, stretched out on the ground and panting as if it was in pain. Nights looked over and saw Owl.
"Owl! Distraction! Now!"
"Hoo-hoo! But!" Owl flapped panicked that he was being asked to act as a moving target again.
"Do it! Or Maia will wake up!" Nights shouted, her voice angry.
Owl flapped up and gathering his own minuscule courage gave a great screeching shout and dove down at the pair. Fly looked up and shot a bolt at Owl. Knocking the pour old bird out of the air. That gave Nights the opening she needed and with a spiraling dash of speed she shot out at Fly and knocked him off of Dragon, then kept going, dashing right into the wall. The clown went completely limp and began to dissolve into a tingle of energy, leaving in Nights' hands a small bronze stone. Behind her Nights could hear the sound of the golem crumbling to pieces. She took a breath and flew to Owl quickly. "Owl!"
"Hoo... don't.. worry about me.. unseal the cage.. so Maia.. won't.. wake up." Owl panted laying on his side.
Nights gave a gulp, feeling bad about using Owl like that, but with a nod she flew off fast. "Hang on Maia, just a little longer," there had to be somewhere to put the rock, while it didn't look like a key it felt like one. Seeing no other area Nights went back to the cage and looked for a lock. There wasn't one, but Nights felt a tiny nudge and looked up, then saw it. Above, in the middle of the arena was a glowing sphere.
"I wonder why I hadn't seen that before" Nights flew up to it and held out the rock. The rock began to glow brightly and was swallowed by the sphere. Which changed from a buttery glow to a white one.
Energy, Nights closed her eyes and felt the flood of success. Inside Nights could feel Maia coming back to her, staying in the dream. For now they succeeded. "My, that was an easy cage to break. Normally they have multiple locks on it." Nights said chipperly.
"I think this lock is still here," Owl said coming up beside Nights.
"You alright?" Nights asked in concern.
"Hoo, quite alright, a bit tingly from that blast, but I'm fine." Owl blinked at the orb "There should be
more keys for this, I'm not sure what it's meant to unlock, but it does seem to be connected to Maia's missing ideya."
"So, lets find the other keys then!" Nights said cheerfully and flitted down to the ground carefully releasing Maia, who sat down on the ground, Kitten came over, a little cat sized creature and crawled into her lap demanding love and attention. So she gave it to the little beast.
"Were would we look?"
Nights did a lazy loop around "well somewhere around here I should think! We don't have to worry about Dragonfly at least, so lets just take our time and explore a bit! Kitten looks wore out, why don't you let Owl take it back to the dream gate to rest up and you and I can do some flying around?"
Maia found herself smiling "sounds fun, so Kitten, like to go back with Owl to the dream gate?" the
shadow beast gave a little chirp and she smiled hugging it before letting it tottle off to owl, tail high like a banner. It looked, well.. older. Before it had definitely shrunk to a tiny kitten but now it was about the size of a half grown house cat. Owl looked at the creature nervously but after a slight cough nodded and the two left, heading back for the gate.
Nights flipped and gave an extravagant bow and held out her hand, "Shall we?"
Maia found herself smiling "Yes, lets!"
*8*
While they hunted around the area for anything that would point to one of their 'keys' they both just took a bit of time to enjoy the joy of flying. "Hey, Nights, what's that?" Maia pointed their shared arm and Nights blinked then suddenly smiled widely.
"Octopaw!" Nights gave a squeal that made Maia think of some of the fangirls she'd seen at a convention she went to once with her father.
"Octo-what?"
"I have no clue why he's here, but if you chase him he makes rings, we can fly through them. Want to see how many we can go through?" Nights sounded sly.
"We-ell...." Maia trailed off, it kind of sounded fun, but they really should be finding the keys.
"Good! Lets go!" and Nights took off with Maia before she could say no.
Octopaw was floating about minding its own business and Nights gave a shout, Maia saw it's eyes bug out of its head and it took off at a fast speed. Behind it appeared golden rings. Nights gave happy giggles that was sounding just slightly maniacal to Maia, flying through them and the poor thing just ran for its
life. Maia started to almost feel a little sorry for it. But she also had to admit, it was rather fun.
Octopaw was quick and the rings where not always constant, so to keep a steady count of rings they had to be quick on their toes. Fast to paraloop and flipping through and around circles to get through the rings, catch the orbs and in general by the end Maia's voice echoed with Nights in giggles as they caught up to the poor little blue creature, who gave a burst of black ink and Maia blinked then dashed through it catching hold of something.
"Oh look!" Nights laughed "Octopaw left us a present!" she did a spin and held up the stone. This one was a dull copper color. Just slightly green around the edges.
"Must have given him horrible indigestion." Maia laughed "Lets get it back to the orb and see what happens when we pop it in. ⌠
"Of course!" and the pair flew back to the King Tree.