paixaorpg | Things You Don't Often See in Books [Complete]

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Things You Don't Often See in Books [Complete]

Character(s): NiGHTS and Belle.
Content: Belle meets a different sort of beast than she's used to.
Setting: The library.
Time: Sunset, week six.
Warnings: None.

NiGHTS had spent the past few weeks rather idly, for what she was used to. It had given her time to clear her head, what with the Heartless around and the new discoveries that had been made. She hadn't had any trouble, though, which was fine by her - at least for the moment. Soon enough, she'd get bored and start trouble. That Jafar seemed particularly in need of a good prank, for one...

Musing over thoughts of mischief, NiGHTS found herself flying towards the library. She'd never been inside, being who she was (and anyway, libraries were more of Owl's expertise, and he wasn't here anyway), but maybe she could find something - or someone - interesting to discover.

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The doors Dias Sao a Noite opened and Belle stepped out into the warm dusk air, her face partially obscured by a book, a medium sized basket full of more books over one arm. As she turned a page, her foot lifted behind her and firmly pushed the door shut behind her.

Since first coming to Paixao's library, she'd nearly forgotten her original goal of research and investigation, lost to the temptation of so many stories that she'd never even heard of. How could she possibly resist the urge to carry as many home as she could and devour them in a night, filling her head with tales of romance and adventure and impossible odds overcome?

She was so distracted by her current book that she not only failed to notice the figure floating towards her but missed a step on the stairs...and promptly started to tumble down them.

NiGHTS wasn't so absorbed by the amusing thought of various pranks she could pull that she wasn't paying attention to Belle and the way she was falling. Quickly, the Nightmaren flew towards the girl and scooped her up in her arms, books and all. "Careful!" she giggled, setting the stranger down on her feet. "You should really watch where you're going."

Which was a bit odd, coming from NiGHTS. Not that she didn't watch where she was going, of course - she just got easily distracted.

Belle had prepared herself for a hearty scream as her world tilted violently on its axis and gravity pulled her forward, but the scream was turned into a gasp by the sudden feel of arms around her. She gulped as she was set on her feet, dizzy but otherwise unhurt, her books scattered over the steps of the library.

"Th-thank you," she said breathlessly, brushing her hair from her eyes and turning toward her savior...only to gasp again as she got a good look at the deceptively delicate-looking, colorful character in front of her. "Oh, my!" she exclaimed softly. "Who are you?"

NiGHTS gave a tinkling, almost bell-like laugh in response to the girl's fleeting scare, harmlessly amused. She could sense the aura of purity and bravery around the human and smiled. There were so many interesting people here...

"You're welcome," the creature smiled, giving a graceful and theatrical bow. "My name is NiGHTS. What's your name, young lady?" Oddly formal for the Nightmaren, but she didn't care; NiGHTS was not exactly a creature of habit to begin with.

Belle sat slowly on the steps, eyes wide as she watched NiGHTS introduce...himself? Herself? It was hard to pinpoint. At first, she had just assumed it was female, perhaps due to the feminine eyes or lithe movements. And what a strange name! It's melodious laughter and voice seemed more than human.

"My name is Belle," she quickly replied when she realized NiGHTS was waiting for a response. "I've never seen anyone like you before," she added, smiling sheepishly. "Forgive my staring. I mean, I have seen harlequins in illustrations and there was a traveling troupe of actors who wore clothes somewhat similar to yours, but..." She trailed off.

NiGHTS didn't care how others saw her. Sometimes she was a girl; other times he was a boy. Humanity's constant need to quantify things and people they didn't understand was amusing; at least Owl generally went with the flow where NiGHTS was concerned (though he would lecture and flit between definitions, depending on how NiGHTS was acting). But NiGHTS wasn't about to give away what she was; more often than not, the knowledge that the bright, graceful creature was a living nightmare often sent mortals running, and she didn't want that.

"It's nice to meet you, Belle," NiGHTS replied happily, smiling at the young woman. She laughed again and rose up in the air, a glittering dust trailing from her gloved fingertips. "That's alright. There's no one like me here." Not since Jackle and Reala had disappeared, anyway.

Belle clasped her hands in front of her and watched NiGHTS rise up with no small amount of wonder. "You're amazing!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly. "How are you doing that? Is it magic?" Since coming to Paixao only a short while ago, she had come across amazing things already but her awe and joy at seeing such fantastical things hadn't ceased.

Edited 2009-05-24 02:39 (UTC)

NiGHTS grinned and did a few acrobatic tricks in midair, just to show she could, and bowed again. "Well, thanks!" she giggled, lowering to the ground. "I've always been able to do that." She wasn't in the mood to carry someone right now, otherwise she'd have offered Belle a flying lesson of her own. As it was, for the moment, NiGHTS was content to engage in pleasant conversation - it had been awhile since she'd made a friend, or spoken to the ones she'd made in the city.

Belle went to a kneeling position, demurely arranging her skirt around her legs and proceeded to pick up the books she had dropped, occasionally casting wondering glances at NiGHTS. "I don't mean to be rude, but what are you...? You seem so much more than human. And I've found that this world attracts all kinds of magical creatures..."

NiGHTS dropped to help her, keeping a few inches off the ground even as she handed Belle her books. "Me?" NiGHTS responded innocently. "I'm a dream spirit, of course!" She said that as though it were the only thing she could possibly be - even though it was a complete lie. Well, not quite a complete lie; nightmares were technically a sort of dream, but it tended to turn people off to the idea of friendship (or even the idea of being a friendly acquaintance) when they learned that NiGHTS was the sort of creature who theoretically could scare people to death.

Belle smiled gratefully as NiGHTS handed her another book. "A dream spirit?" She placed the books neatly back in her basket, quirking a quizzical eyebrow. "I've never heard of that before. Do you help people in dreams, then?" She gasped suddenly and leaned towards her new friend, eyes bright with excitement. "Do you create dreams? Are you made of dreams?"

NiGHTS kept her usual knowing and mysterious half-smile on her face as she continued to hand Belle her books, giving another cheerful laugh. "It's closer to my being made of dreams," came the answer; even L, who NiGHTS had considered a friend, had never asked so many questions about her. "The Visitors to the dream world - mortals who dream - are the ones who create their own dreams. They make their own worlds out of their minds." Secretly, NiGHTS kind of envied that about Visitors - but then again, Visitors couldn't fly or go through the dream worlds freely.

The last of the books safely in the basket, Belle sat back on her heels, mouth slightly parted in an "O." Suddenly, she blushed, one hand pressed against her cheek. "So...so you do you see our dreams? Mortals, I mean?" She bowed her head, eyeing NiGHTS with a mix of embarrassment and consternation. "You haven't seen my dreams, have you...?"

NiGHTS tilted her head to the side. "No, I don't think I have," she chuckled, "otherwise, I'm sure I would have recognized you." She grinned at the blush on Belle's face. "And I haven't been in people's dreams in a while - I've been here instead." No doubt that Owl would be worried - or thought NiGHTS was dead, considering the Nightmaren herself had fully expected to die at the end of the battle with Wizeman.

Belle quietly sighed with relief, eyes drifting closed. All the stories she read coupled with her active imagination gave her some pretty strange dreams and many were the embarrassing, private sort she wouldn't want anyone to know.

She opened her eyes and adjusted her legs so that she was sitting more comfortably, the basket of books in her lap. "So this world can even bring in a being of dreams...amazing." She gazed out to the street and surrounding buildings and up to the domed, artificial sky. "What do you think of this place, NiGHTS? I'm just a mortal peasant girl, but maybe someone as mysterious and magical as you can see it in ways I can't."

NiGHTS never bothered to peek into dreams that were embarrassing. As funny as it could potentially be, that seemed pretty boring to her, and time wasted in doing that could just as easily be spent exploring something truly interesting, perhaps a new dream world or the skies of the Night Dimension.

NiGHTS nodded. "It's pretty weird," she mused, "but I think it's fun, too. There are a lot of things to do here." All things considered, the maren had been taking this rather well; there were, after all, people to meet and new troubles to get into - not that NiGHTS had done any of that in a while.

Belle continued to look out over Paixao, the last vestiges of "sunlight" playing with the shadows around them. "There's something out there, something powerful and old. There has to be. Some power that brought us from our worlds for a reason..." She blinked out of her reverie and turned her head to smile sheepishly at NiGHTS.

"Well, that's what I think, anyway. I want to find out what's behind the veil, so to speak, but I am enjoying meeting so many interesting people."

NiGHTS nodded. "Oh, I know there is," she replied casually, "but I haven't found it yet. I will, though." Or she would if she didn't get pulled away like Reala and Jackle had been. "And there are lots of interesting people here!" She liked meeting new people, too, and wandering around this place, she had met quite a few...

"If you do go and find out, watch out for the Organization and HAdes, Jafar, and Maleficent. I've heard quite a lot about them, and it's all unpleasant," the being advised.

There it was, another warning about unpleasant people she had yet to come across. But Belle wasn't so naive to think evil didn't exist simply because she hadn't seen it yet. She nodded, smiling gently. "Thank you. I'll be sure to be careful."

She stood, brushing off her skirt and adjusting the basket over her arm. "I should head back to my apartment before it gets too late. Thank you once again for rescuing me," she said, curtsying.

The creature grinned and rose effortlessly into the air, nodding. "If you ever need help," she replied, "let me know over the journals, okay?" She had seen the effects of Nina's kidnapping; she would not allow it to happen again, not if she could help it.

"No problem!" NiGHTS replied, bowing once more. "I'll see you later!" With that, the maren raised her fingers up and allowed the soft tones of a flute to echo in the evening - even though she carried no instruments at all.

Belle lifted her hand and waved, grinning. "Thank you!" she called. "I will! Farewell!" As the last lingering notes of the creature's enchanting music faded, she turned and walked down the steps and onto the cobblestone road, eager to tell Yuna about NiGHTS.

And to read her books, of course.

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Things You Don't Often See in Books [Complete]

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