Nextgen Kids: Legend of the Nine Newborn

The Dreamverse, Night 9: A Dark Cruise

Let's give a shoutout to One Piece, which has currently hit its 1,000th chapter! To think it's been in the triple digits since 1999! Keep writing, Oda!

Night 9: A Dark Cruise

The group returned to Madotsuki's room as the girl held Marshadow in her arms, using him to trace the other Chiptoons. "By the way... I'm sorry for shouting at you before." Madotsuki said. "It wasn't you I was yelling at, it was... my fears."

"I figured that... but as long as you're not afraid of me anymore, then it's alright." He smiled.

"To tell the truth, I...I'm still kind of afraid. That monster is still in my head, and...huhu." She shuddered and felt an unsettling chill on her shoulders.

"Your awful memories came rushing back to you all at once." Mr. Dark said. "Truthfully, it's incredible that you are holding yourself together now. But I wonder... could you truly face Darkrai I with such fears lingering over you?"

"I...I have to try, right? I should be over this fear, so..."

"I've got visual on the other Chiptoons now!" Marshadow announced. "They're in the same places as before."

April saw these places on Mado's window. "One in Wonderland, Moody Lake, Football Land, and Dimension Matrix. I hope I can fit these on the canvas..."

"Hey, guys! We got trouble!" Murfy called, flying into the room. "There's a whole swarm of Hoodlums heading this way!"

The group faced out the window, seeing a fleet of blimps and a mass of thousands of Black Lums in the distance. "Hahahaha! I knew waiting was the right answer!" André cackled. "This place don't look nearly as nasty as before! Let's get that Chiptoon before they ever expect!"

"Well, if it isn't an old friend of mine." Mr. Dark glared. "April, we don't need a painting. We shall travel to those dreamscapes my own way!"

"Your own way? WAAAAH!" Mr. Dark's hands suddenly whooshed around April in circles, stirring a sphere into being as it compressed a shrank April into a holdable size.

"Don't worry." Mr. Dark willed the small glass ball to levitate. "I use this spell to conveniently carry prisoners."

"That's not very assuring!"

"But you, Madotsuki, shall get a front-row seat." He wrapped his cloak around Mado and held her and Marshadow steady as he soared out the window! He raised the red Chiptoon in his free hand.

"EH?!" André gasped, a wave of memories returning to him upon seeing the cloaked figure. "Heh...hahahahaha! No way! It's really you! Mr. Dark!"

"Ah, André... how long has it been?"

"Way too long! I shoulda known the Nightmare King's return would've brought you back, too! And you even got the Chiptoon! Now we can cause chaos just like the old days!"

The Chiptoon crackled like lightning in his grasp. "If you wish!"

"WAAAAAAAHHHHH!" A thousand bolts scattered and struck the Hoodlums before Mr. Dark took off to the sky!

"I'll lead you to the dreamscapes!" Murfy yelled, flying ahead. "Follow me!" (Play "Cruising Together" from NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams!)

Dream 7: Dream Cruise

Mission: Recollect the stolen Chiptoons!

His cloak flapped under the starlit night, made visible only by the crescent moon. Hordes of Hoodstormers flew up from the clouds and shot them, but Mr. Dark swiftly evaded and cast fireballs in return. Three Hoodblimps tried to block him, so Mr. Dark focused fire on the top one's balloon until it exploded. He dodged the others' attacks and attacked the middle blimp until it exploded, but two more blimps approached from behind. Fortunately, the previous kill powered him up enough to strike purple lightning around the surrounding area, eradicating the blimps. There was an increase of wind as he flew faster across the Dream Realm. As the clouds cleared away, a vast field of football lay in their wake, goal posts towering in the horizon.