NiGHTS was flying around the dream gate, enjoying her freedom. The old bird was out in a new dream world created by a bookworm. It was some kind of huge library. She herself couldn't care much about reading old history and science books. She would much rather fly around in the night skies.

NiGHTS stopped and began playing her flute peacefully. All of the sudden she was tackled from the back. She fell down and landed hard on the ground. NiGHTS jumped up, ready for a fight. She pounced back up into the air to meet her opponent.

Reala.

Her old best friend.

"Go away Reala!" NiGHTS shouted. "There are no visitors here, sorry to waste your time."

Reala chuckled darkly. "I did not come here after a visitor. It is time you returned to Nightmare. Master Wiseman is growing very tired of your impudence."

NiGHTS frowned and drill dashed at Reala. "I'm never coming back to Nightmare! And you can't make me!"

Reala dodged her drill dash and hit her with one of his own. NiGHTS managed to catch herself before making contact with the ground. She looked up to see Reala hovering over her, looking very proud of himself. "If you will not return to Nightmare by your own free will... I will drag you there to face the Master."

Dark magic formed around Reala's hand as a NiGHTS capture encased NiGHTS, preventing escape.

"Is there a specific reason why you never face me in combat?" NiGHTS asked, angry at being trapped again. "Or are you just afraid I will beat you like at Stick Canyon."

Reala growled. "You should be afraid NiGHTS. The Master is very displeased at you."

NiGHTS scoffed. "I'm not afraid of that old geezer! I'm not afraid of death, or pain."

"Oh don't worry." Reala taunted. "He has something different in mind for you."

Reala's smile widened as NiGHTS shivered.

"Hey!"

Reala turned to see Jackle fly up to him.

"What is it second level?" Reala barked.

"Master sent me to find you!" Jackle explained. "He said it was more important than capturing NiGHTS."

Reala's eyes widened.

"More important than capturing NiGHTS?" Reala inquired

"That's what he said." Jackle finished. "Puffy is coming along behind me. She could watch NiGHTS since you've already done all the work."

Reala nodded as Puffy came around the corner.

"Jackle you need to slow down!" Puffy panted as she came up to the two nightmaren.

"Puffy." Reala commanded. "Stay and watch NiGHTS. We will return when we can."

Puffy sighed and hopped over to the imprisoned Nightmaren. Reala took off for Nightmare castle, with Jackle at his heels.

NiGHTS sighed as Reala and Jackle disappeared. Why did Reala always have to be so mean? Well... he was a nightmaren. That explains it all. The harshness, the moods, the anger, his looks. Wait... where did that come from?

NiGHTS shock her head to clear her thoughts. She would not think about Reala that way. He was her enemy, maybe if they were on the same side she might consider him, but until then she would have to suck up her feeling and take care of him and Wiseman.

NiGHTS snuck a glance at Puffy, who was currently massaging her aching feet. NiGHTS looked around very quickly. This was a new kind of NiGHTS capture that Wiseman had designed. She didn't need an ideya to get out of it; there was a lock and key. NiGHTS took another quick look at Puffy, who was now practicing her vocals. NiGHTS reached through the bars of her prison towards some debris. She pulled out a few pieces of metal and flew to the lock. After another quick glance at her warden she pushed the metal into the lock. After fiddling with it for a minute or so, the lock clicked open.

Puffy heard the click and turned her head to see NiGHTS escape her prison.

"Hey!" Puffy screamed. "Get back in there!"

NiGHTS quickly drill dashed into the large, rabbit like nightmaren. The blast sent Puffy flying backwards. NiGHTS took this opportunity to escape.

Puffy groaned as she got up. Reala was going to kill her! Puffy quickly bounced off to find the general of Nightmare and inform him of his prisoners escape.

XXXX

NiGHTS had flown for short time until she came upon the courtyard of the dream gate. There didn't seem to be any visitors around, yet a door had appeared. The stain glass on top showed several glass containers filled with different color liquids. NiGHTS figured that this would be as good a place as any to hide and she quickly entered the doorway.

NiGHTS came out in a large room, completely filled with beakers with strange liquids. Labels were in front of many containers. NiGHTS flew up to one row and began to read the labels.

'For those who do not want to be alone.' Was written on the first one.

NiGHTS continued on.

'Everlasting sleep.' Was written down on the one after that.

They went on like that until the end of the row. NiGHTS moved on from row to row, reading the different labels until she came across one that interested her. It was purple with silver wisps of smoke moving around over top of it.

'Time to make a new start'

"Wonder what that means?" NiGHTS asked herself.

She went on to explore the rest of the libratory, for that was what she called it. But she always found herself drawn back towards the purple one.

After a long time of just sitting in front of the strange potion, NiGHTS decided to give it a shot. NiGHTS picked up the container and gave it a quick sniff. It smelled sweet and pleasant.

"Here goes nothing" NiGHTS said to herself as she took a sip.

Suddenly the room began to spin. NiGHTS lost her balance and fell forwards, dropping the beaker. NiGHTS was unconscious before she hit the ground. Her last thought was:

"Who am I?"