I believe that people get what they really want. It's part of my philosophy: you can accomplish all of your dreams if you really REACH for them! And dreams cannot be ignored, because they define what a person is, what a person wants, what he or she used to be or what they will become.

But there's one question that people wonder. Is it always a good thing to have grand dreams at all? After all, the world is harsh and filled with danger, and EVERYONE is out to fulfill their own dreams.

So really…in a way…every single day you're up against the world, competing to fulfill your dream and hoping nobody steals it from you. What chance do you have, you might wonder to yourself…what chance do you have to accomplishing what seems impossible, what chance do you have of making your dreams come true?

Well the end result depends on you. The journey as well…but the basic idea stays the same: the world is far more magical and wonderful than you could ever believe if you know where to look for it…and yes, you can accomplish your dreams. It just takes some help, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little…

I want to see people fulfill the best dreams they have, I want to make a legacy and help them become better people. And although I know have to endure a lot of responsibility to make that dream come true, I think I can do it…

I admit it: I'm flying by the seat of my pants…I've never heard of this strange jester until now…yet something about him resonates with me…something about THEM resonates with me…

I'm gonna do everything I can to help them…I've got a big responsibility to fulfill if I'm to return to the ones I love…

Now…let's…DO THIS THING!

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams

WILL'S STORY

PROLOGUE

The sun shone brightly over Bellbridge, the jewel of Europe. Established in the year 1320, it had grown from a small little hamlet to a beautiful and lush metropolis. The city had a large river running through its center and a tall bridge that carried those in need across it. The buildings seemed packed together on either side of the city, yet despite this…as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky, changing it from purple and yellow to the familiar bright blue that people so loved, the people of the Bellbridge began to awake and start their days.

Large train tracks ran high above the city on large tracks, and located a short distance beneath one, on the right side of the river, was a large park that many children played different kinds of ball, usually soccer…or as the British would say, "Football".

Bouncing the ball up and down on his knee a few times, the boy then let it settle down onto the ground and began kicking it around green traffic cones with a two white stripes upon them. He twirled the ball around as he leapt into the air, capturing it between his feet, and then he let loose a mighty spinning kick that sent the ball flying through the air at top speed.

The man guarding the goal lunged for it but in vain, in vain, it soared too fast past his outstretched hand, straight into the goal. He smiled and picked it up from the ground, looking proudly at his son. "Great shot, Will." His father told him, tossing the ball back.

William Taylor beamed and bounced the ball on his knee a few times, then let it back down, resting one foot upon it, a joyful smile upon his face as the familiar blue of the sky beamed over his head, matching his eyes. His dirty blond hair fell down just over his forehead, impossible to muss up. He was wearing a teal and orange vest with two large pockets on the front and a red t-shirt with a khaki longsleeve undershirt underneath. He wore a dark khaki pair of cargo shorts and blue sneakers with yellow waves on the sides and He continued to smile…until suddenly the world around him became cloudy and dark, and a dark mist filled his senses. He felt a chill run through him…what was going on?

Then he turned around and saw his father, all dressed up in a business suit, suitcase packed and ready to enter his car that would take him away…to the airport, the airport, how could he have forgotten?

Will ran over to him instantly. "No, no, don't go, dad!"

His father rumpled his hair and smiled warmly. "I promise, I'll come back for your game. I wouldn't miss it for the world, Will." He told his son gently…

And then he was flying away on the plane…and then…he was gone, leaving Will alone, hand still outstretched, a look of longing on his face. "Dad…"

Will hung his head as the world turned pitch black around him and his lips quivered slightly and his arms hung by his side. Then…he heard laughter…

He looked up and saw it…he was surrounded by his team mates and…and they were all chuckling, giggling, laughing at him, but something wasn't right. Their eyes were…were all black with red pupils.

Suddenly Will felt fear grip him hard. He began to gasp…and he gasped even more when his "friends" turned into horrible smoky wisps of darkness, with leering mouths and eyes of red that lunged to claim him. He screamed and ran, stumbling for a brief moment before he continued to bolt for it, he was a soccer player he could do this he could-he wasn't outrunning them! He wasn't outrunning them and they were gaining on him!

Or at least…they were…until he saw it. The beautiful white light shining before him. He spread his arms wide and welcomed it's warmth as it banished the dark clouds that were chasing him into nothingness…

Falling, falling gently…and stars whizzed all around him. Occasionally one hit him and he felt a tickling sensation that made him laugh before finally he landed on a white path of stone. He looked at his surroundings…the path was in the middle of a grassy clearing surrounded by forest, and before him was a great gate that had two decapitated Greek statues "guarding" it. There was a fountain that appeared dried up far ahead, an empty abyss that led into darkness behind him and right before him was…

Was a bunch of strange, glowing blue orbs…how odd they looked. They appeared to be swirling around, like somebody had taken crystal balls and sloshed them full of blue water. Will couldn't help it, he approached the blue balls and they whizzed around him before vanishing with little "plop" sounds as little blue sparks sailed into the air.

Slowly but surely he made his way towards the fountain, looking around. And then a voice spoke up, wise and experienced.

"Visitor from another world, welcome!"

Will looked around. What?

"I take it that this is your first time here!"

Will turned around and let out a "WOAH" in surprise at what he saw…a brown owl wearing golden glasses, a dark purple jacket and a blue shirt. He was quite portly and fat, yet seemed friendly enough.

"I…am Owl. I've lived here since…well, since before you were born! And I'll bet you're wondering just where "here" is, eh?" He asked politely.

Will nodded.

"Well tell me…have the things you've felt while you were asleep ever felt particularly…real to you? Have you ever thought for sure that it all had to be something more? Well, that's because what your people think of as dreams is really THIS world!" The owl explained.

Will blinked as he lay on his rump. "A world…of dreams?" Will asked softly.

"Yes, precisely! This…is the Night Dimension, the place where people who dream make their way to!" Owl said happily, rising into the air. "This area here is known as The Dream Gate, my boy!"

Then, as Will rose up and dusted himself off he heard something, and Owl did as well. A beautiful, enchanting melody that made Will feel…happy and joyful. He felt more at home already, almost. And as they looked up, they saw the source of it…

Sitting on the air was a jester-like being, wearing a purple, two-pronged cap that had dark purple rings. The jester was wearing a red and pink vest with a sparkling red crystal on the front as a clasp and gold trimmings. The jester had purple pants that appeared to be quite tight and smooth, and wore white gloves. This jester had on pink boots with purple tips and big, large, cat-like eyes that were the color of the sky.

"Oh, if it isn't that carefree little rascal again!" Owl remarked, amused.

The jester was playing some sort of invisible flute and it was very good at what it was doing. When it noticed the owl and the boy, it flew around in the air, sending beautiful sparkles of light flickering behind it before it hovered down to look at Will, hands upon its hips.

"Hey, now THIS one looks interesting!" It remarked, flying around Will with a curious expression on its face. It finally returned to face Will and smiled gently. Its voice sounded quite English, yet Will couldn't honestly tell if the jester was a boy or a girl…the voice could have gone either way, and it didn't seem to have breasts…

"My name is NiGHTS. What's yours?" NiGHTS asked.

"I…I'm Will." Will said.

"Will, huh?" NiGHTS asked, tilting his head…and Will was fairly sure NiGHTS was a boy…to the side a little. "Say, Will…have you ever thought about flying?" NiGHTS asked, putting his hands on hips and looking straight at Will's eyes with his own. He then held out his hand. "If you Dualize with me, you can check it out for yourself? Want to give it a shot?"

Will looked puzzled. "Dual?"

"DU-AL-LIZE?" NiGHTS said, almost poking Will in the face in desperation. "What, did I not say it clearly enough?"

"Oh-oooh!" Owl hooted. "Dualizing allows your body to assimilate with one another!"

Will's blank look told Owl all he needed to know, which was that Will knew NOTHING about the process.

"It's probably much easier to understand if you just try it yourself. Go and touch NiGHTS…you'll see what I mean." Owl said, flying back a little.

The jester held his hand up again, smiling. Will hesitated at first, then reached out and placed his hand on the jester's…

A moment later their eyes closed simultaneously as a brilliant light surrounded them, rising up between them and spreading out to send sparks flying into the night sky. A moment later…

"I'm…I'm…"

Will looked down at his hands and realized it. He...was the jester! He was NiGHTS…and he…was…FLYING!

"Allow me to explain. You're now sharing NiGHTS's body, my boy!" Owl said happily. "You've combined. Now, why not take a spin around?"

Will was amazed. He felt so light…so free! He swirled through the air, looping around as a golden trail of light emitted from his gold and purple wristbands on his…or rather, the jester's…no, THEIR wrists. They flew around a tree branch, looping over it, and suddenly it vanished in a puff of sparkling light.

"Wh-what was that?" Will asked.

"Ah, that's called the paraloop technique! Using it on things that your heart is attracted to will bring them into your body so that your heart can hold onto them…right now your heart is holding onto Blue Chips, correct?" Owl asked, sitting on top of the fountain.

Will blinked. "Those…those blue orbs? Yes, I…I feel them, in…in the back of me, almost…"

"Don't worry, they're meant to revitalize your spirit! And if you collected all of them, something very special would happen, I'm sure." Owl laughed. "Now if you paraloop around an enemy, well, it will send it packing out into the abyss! You'll be able to teach rapscallions a lesson, my boy!" Owl explained. "Sometimes you can even paraloop and hold onto objects with NiGHTS's twinkle dust and send them flying through the air…he tried that on me, once…"

Will chuckled madly.

"Now, now, let's move on…let me tell you about a more advanced flying technique. It's called the Drill Dash." Owl said, raising a feathered wing. "Aim for those floating rings over there." Owl said, gesturing at strange rings that were floating in the air, made up of golden orbs. Will was puzzled, but soared at them. "Now spin around, spin your body rapidly!"

Will was unsure at first, but he gave it a try, and surprised himself as he spun around and around like a top, whizzing at high speed through the rings and making the golden orbs fly around him before he absorbed them into his body. He felt powerful and free…it was amazing!

"That's the Drill Dash, dear visitor." Owl explained. "Just remember, although it gives you quite the boost of speed and power, it eventually wears out unless you fly through more of those Link rings! They give you more power so you can continue to perform the Drill Dash. Now then…" Owl adjusted his glasses slightly. "It's time to-oh!" He suddenly heard shouts coming from behind them and gasped at what they were…

"Nightmarens! Oh dear, oh dear! Quick, quick, use the paraloop on them!" Owl said. "How dare they come to the Dream Gate…such barbarians!"

Will saw the approaching monsters and got a good look at them. They were strange-looking creatures with tentacle-like legs underneath bodies that resembled a snail at the top, and had large eyes. The tentacles floated in the breeze as they came closer and closer…

"Paraloop…alright, I can do this!" Will said, flying forward at them. "Just do a loop around them, just do a loop around them…"

-Yeah, you can do it!-He heard NiGHTS voice say inside of him. -One big loop will send them packing!-

Will traced a large circle around the nightmarish creatures and in an explosion of twinkling sparks, they vanished into nothingness. "Woohoo!" Will said happily, soaring through the air, heading past the forest to the edge of the island area they were on…

Suddenly NiGHTS took over, stopping him. "Hey, hold it! You see that black sea down there? Make sure you stay away from it!" He told Will, pointing down.

"Ah, yes…you must never go near the Dark Ocean." Owl said, flapping to be next to them. "It is a world of darkness and chaos! If you should slip in…HOO!" He shivered. "You may never return…"

The dark abyss beneath them churned slowly, making no sound, yet filling Will with a sense of sorrow and slowly increasing horror. He rose back up away from it and the feeling vanished. NiGHTS then smiled.

"That wasn't bad for your first time flying, Will!" He said. "Let's head back to the Dream Gate!"

The three of them flew back to the gate area, and as NiGHTS and Will separated into two different entities again…an experience that made Will slightly dizzy…Owl suddenly let out a "hoo-hoo" and adjusted his glasses. "How curious…the door to Nightopia has appeared!" He exclaimed, pointing at a large wooden door that had appeared to the side, with a small set of white steps leading up to it.

"Nightopia?" Will asked. "What's that?" He asked, a curious, happy feeling filling him as he stepped towards the door.

"Oh, it's…" Owl was about to explain when suddenly he stopped. "That…that red light! It's the Ideya of Courage!"

"Ideya?" Will asked, looking down at his hands and seeing them glow with a brilliant crimson light…it was amazing. "Woah!"

"Ah, yes, here in the Night Dimension, there's a world called Nightopia, created by the light of Ideya! Your Ideya must have called this world into being!"

"That's AMAZING, Will!" NiGHTS said, flying in front of Will and pushing him aside. "Most visitors end up losing all of their Ideya on their way here when the Nightmarens try and take it from them!"

Will thought back to the cloudy, smoky beasts that had been leering as they chased him. From the way they spoke, there was more than one kind of Ideya…what was so special about THIS strange red light?

"The Red Ideya is capable of creating a paradise!" The jester laughed happily.

"A PARADISE?" Will asked, his eyes lighting up.

Oh, Paradise!

"Yes, a paradise! Let's check it out! I'll see you in there!" NiGHTS said happily, going up to the door and simply vanishing straight through it.

Owl sighed. "Ooh, I DO wish that he would sit still for once…ah well." Owl smiled in a grudging fashion. "I shall finish telling you the rest in Nightopia! See you there, dear visitor!" Owl said, nodding before he too vanished like a bubble bursting.

Will didn't waste any time. He went right up to the door and opened it up, heading through into the warm light…

Author's note:

And so the story begins! By all means, read, review!