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[RhapsodyDusk]

This is a NiGHTS fanfic I started a day ago. It's a bit darker than the actual games, but I hope that won't stop you from reading.

For this fic, NiGHTS and other Nightmarens will be referred to as "its" as the creators of the franchise said that they have no gender. But visitor characters will refer to them as a "he" or "she" on occasion. If you don't like OCs, swearing and/or violence then please kindly hit the back button.

Summary: Due to a seal that prevents humans from entering the Night Dimension, no one has been able to dream for the past seven years. But when a girl ends up revisiting Nightopia when the seal weakens, she reunites with friends and must confront her past.

NiGHTS

Rebirth of Dreams

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Prologue

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"Jesse, please don't do this," muttered a weakened and injured NiGHTS. "Think about your sister."

"I'm sorry, NiGHTS..." said Jesse, quietly. "But this is the way it must be."

It couldn't believe that this was happening. Never before had NiGHTS felt the sting of betrayal... and it had hurt it more than than than its injuries. It struggled to stand up, clutching the wound on its side. What could have possibly gone wrong? Why would Jesse turn himself over to Wizeman? Reala, standing by the boy, the one who NiGHTS once called its "friend", merely laughed.

"Hurts, doesn't it, NiGHTS?" it said. "Now you know what it's like to have someone turn their back on you. Now you know our master's pai-"

"Shut up, Reala!" snapped NiGHTS. "Wizeman is not my master! He never was!"

"Ah, NiGHTS," said a booming voice. "Even after learning that Visitors cannot be trusted, you still haven't learned your place."

Appearing behind Reala and Jesse in the Dark Ocean, came a giant cloaked being with six floating hands and a menacing aura... someone NiGHTS knew all too well.

"But it matters not," said Wizeman. "I have finally acquired all but one Ideya from this boy."

The god of nightmare then looked to a young girl that was standing with Owl on the sidelines.

"All that is left is the Ideya that his dear sister posseses."

"What?" asked a shocked NiGHTS, looking at the girl.

The little girl clinged to Owl in fear, who in return, shielded her protectively with his wings. NiGHTS' blue eyes widened with horror. Not only was the girl a dear friend, but if her Ideya was stolen, it could mean the end of the Night Dimension; the end of the world of dreams as everyone knew it. It had to act, and fast. As if on cue, Reala floated towards them, hoping to pull the girl away from Owl. Using what strength it had left, NiGHTS took flight and flew quickly enough to reach and grab the two.

As it flew off with its two friends wrapped in its arms, NiGHTS dodged the incoming meteors that its sibling summoned. It had to get its friends away from the Dark Ocean; it was too dangerous for them. The chase continued until Reala suddenly appeared in front of NiGHTS and punched it in the face, causing it to drop both Owl and the girl, Alex. NiGHTS fell to the "floor" of the Dark Ocean, nearly losing consciousness. However, upon hearing Alex whimper, it immediately regained consciousness. Reala was descending upon her.

"Alexandra!" shouted Owl. "Wake up! You must wake up!"

That's right. If Alex woke up, she would disappear from the Night Dimension and return to her world. NiGHTS struggled to get up, but it simply didn't have the strength.

"Alex!" added NiGHTS. "Owl's right! You have to wake up!"

"I don't know how!" Alex said, panicking.

"Just focus! You can do it!" said Owl, encouraging her.

But Reala grabbed Alex before she could "disappear". She screamed and struggled, but to no avail.

"Stop struggling!" barked Reala. "You're coming with me!"

NiGHTS and Owl's voices could be heard overlapping each other, begging Alex to wake up. The girl squinted, as if she had a headache.

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"...Looks like she's pulling through!" shouted a voice.

"Quick! Grab the doctor!" said another voice.

"Alex! Sweetie! Please wake up!" said the third voice.

Alex managed to let out a small moan. Light filled her eyes, causing her to squint. But soon after, her vision cleared and she found herself staring at a plain white ceiling. Where was she, she thought. She looked to her side to see her mother and father sitting by her bedside with tears in their eyes.

"Mum? Daddy?" asked Alex weakly as she sat up.

"Oh Alex!" sobbed Alex's mother, hugging her daughter. "You're alright!"

The girl still felt disoriented. How did she get there in the first place? Alex then noticed her father had a long scar running across his face, which made her wonder how he got it. And that was when she remembered... the car crash. Her father, Jesse and herself were driving on a rainy night on their way home from a movie their father promised he would take them to see. Someone then turned around the corner and slammed their car into them. But that wasn't what concerned Alex. She was more concerned about her friends.

"Mummy... where's NiGHTS?" asked Alex.

Her mother, drying her tears, looked at her also teary husband in confusion.

"Honey?" asked Alex's father. "Who's NiGHTS?"

"NiGHTS is my friend," responded Alex. "So are Owl and the Nightopians. Jesse and I met them when we fell asleep and..."

Alex's attention then went over to the person in the bed next to hers. It was Jesse, who was in a death-like sleep and attached to a life support machine. She gasped. A sense of fear resonated through her. What happened to her friends in Nightopia? What happened to Jesse? She looked over to her parents, hoping for an explanation.

"Dad? Mum?" asked Alex. "What happened to NiGHTS? And Owl? And the Nightopians?"

"Sweetie," said Alex's mother gently. "You've been asleep for three months now... I'm sure it was all just a dream."

"No! It wasn't a dream! It was real!" shouted Alex, on the verge of tears. "I know it was real! I... I..."

"Alex, calm down." said Alex's mother.

"She must be traumatized from the crash." muttered Alex's father quietly.

"But... but..." Alex said.

At that moment, Alex began to bawl like the small child she was. She was confused, scared and upset. Why wouldn't her parents believe her? And what did happen to her friends and brother? She could only hope that they were okay and that Wizeman didn't hurt them or worse. Alex's parents tried to calm her down, but to no avail. Never before had the girl felt so alone.

But things changed as she grew up.