55. Midnight

This chapter is also called "Happy Ending."

Plankton's Crab Craft

"Uck, these Kelp Shakes are the worst." Anthony stated, throwing another cup of the substance away. "How long are you gonna keep us on this dumb thing?"

"Until you're convinced to get on our side and stay there." Plankton replied, filling a cup with chocolate substance from a machine. "But if you're tired of kelp, you can try a chocolate chumshake for only a dollar and ten cents."

The ship rumbled, causing Plankton to drop the shake. "Plankton, we've got company." Karen reported.

"AAAH!" The group yelped when two sets of metal blades gripped the edge of the hatch and yanked it open. Artie and Haylee were seen flying in their C.O.O.L.-B.O.T..

"Someone call for a rescue party?" Artie remarked. "No? Must've been a wrong number. All aboard the Freedom Train!" They flew away as the R.O.C.K.E.T.-T.R.A.I.N. appeared.

"JUMP IN, April-chan!" Chimney shouted.

"OUCH!" Plankton was struck by Fybi's B.O.W.. The kids jumped into the open doors on the sideways train, with Fybi carrying Spongebob's snoozing body.

As they were fleeing the Crab Craft, Jessie found a bottle of Sleepytime Suds in Spongebob's pocket. "Good thing Spongebob has a spare. Sheila, I'll go into the Dream World and find a way to rescue you."

"Okay!" Sheila fist-palmed. "I think the place Ah'm in is Olden West."

"Put me to sleep, too." April said. "I should finish painting that brain for Rayman."

"Sigh, this will be one hell of a slumber party." Jessie blew pink bubbles at Sheila and April, then rubbed the Sleepytime on his own eyes. They fainted on the spot.

Madotsuki's Room

Madotsuki woke up for the third time today. She stepped onto the balcony to check the time of day. It was night. About 9:50pm. Madotsuki looked at the stairs leading over the railing. They looked really good about now. She was actually thinking about it. Mado returned inside and sat at her desk. She wrote in the Yume Nikki.

Dear Diary… I saw that boy again. He talked to me. He seemed nice at first… but then he started going crazy. It's like how I felt before my family died. I think it means happiness doesn't last. …Diary… I might just do it tonight. I wanna kill myself. I'm just too afraid to leave this house. I'm afraid of the world now. I'm afraid people will hate me for killing someone. …I'm going to sleep one more time. If I don't find a different answer… I will do it. I will kill myself. Good-bye… Diary.

Madotsuki put the pen down and climbed in her bed. She let her mind drift like bubbles. 3… 2… 1…

Mado no Nikki

Harvey ended up in a sewer after leaving the piano room. The only sewer hatch he could find led him into a world with Aztec murals painted on large, blue and red blocks. "There he is!" Spongebob's voice yelled. "Hey, Harvey!"

"Spongebob!" The boy looked and saw Spongebob run over, carrying Mesprit's body in his arms. He was joined by a green, bug-like creature with a big grin, whom was walking a doglike thing with separate body parts. "Who're you?"

"Name's Murfy, wise guy. This is Rayman. And I'm guessing you're the kid that's tryin' to save Mado."

"Yes, but I got separated from her. Hopefully, Mesprit will be able to help us. What's wrong with her?"

"I dunno." Spongebob said. "She's been moving like this ever since we rescued her."

Harvey took Mesprit in his arms. The Firstborn was squirming and moaning lightly, as though from a nightmare. Harvey put a hand over her forehead gem. He saw visions of flying heads, the spinning four-armed girl, a flashing FACE, and the mountain-size behemoth gripping white hills. "Nnn!" Harvey pulled his hand back. "She's seeing all this weird stuff, too!"

"She was sleeping in a bubble all this time." Murfy said. "I'm guessing it was a bubble Madotsuki created. Sleep Bubbles are made of the feelings Bubble Dreamers have at the time. And Mesprit wasn't the only one she Bubbled."

"HOW MANY times you gonna say the word 'Bubble', Smiley?" André remarked from above. "'Cause I ain't the only one getting sick of it! Friends and acquaintances, say hello to… THE NIGHTMARES!" He threw his arms up, directing at the sky when legions of horrible abominations rained onto Dream Land's surface.

A swarm of Darktoons landed in the Land of Toads and began munching the behinds of the amphibians. An icicle monster with a face and giant mustache landed in the Olden West and started making a trail of ice over the desert. A sun monster with sunglasses flew around the Christmas Dream and blew fire everywhere. A monster with a stick body, consisting of an enormous mouth and eyes, started making a "GACK GACK GACK GACK GACK GACK!" sound, ruining the serenity of Fly High Tower.

"I knew it!" Murfy panicked. "Mansay's been using Mesprit to absorb the emotional energy from Madotsuki's dreamscape! He condensed the energy into a mega cannon so he could use it to destroy the Sea of Bubbles!"

"CORRECT you are!" André declared. "Bubble Dreamer bubbles ain't easy to pop, at least without hurting the monsters inside. Emotion Chi does the job beautifully! And best of all, all these monsters are infected with Madotsuki's fears, so good luck Bubbling them again! And they ain't the only ones you need ta deal with. MUTANT LUMS!" From the distance, a cloud of bugs was swarming in, red and yellow Lums that had white legs, arms, and faces growing from their bodies in awkward places. "I'd love to stick around, but the night's getting old. In a few hours, the real world will be welcoming a NEW ruler! HEH HEH HEH haaaaa!" The Black Lum flew away.

Spongebob made bubbles from his head and Bubbled the head of a spider with tap-dance shoes, a flying nose with eyes in its nostrils, and a math textbook with teeth. The monsters grew sleepy and floated to the sky. "It'll take forever to catch all these things!" Murfy exclaimed. "We have no choice. We have to get Rayman a new brain!"

"Whaddyou mean a new brain?" Harvey questioned as Rayman was scratching his ear with his shoe like a dog.

"He's got issues, okay? Look, I'm going to Picture City to find him one, you kids stay here and try to handle the mess. Augh, come on, boy!" Murfy impatiently tugged Rayman's leash to lead him along. "Come on, I'll give ya a Ray Snack! No, TWO Ray Snacks! A HUNDRED Ray Snacks, just PLEASE hurry up!!"

Sky Altar

"MONSTERS OF DREAM WORLD!" Mr. Dark's voice echoed from the top of a towering altar in the desert. He held the Protoon high as it shone a purple beacon and flickered lightning. "I AM THADDEUS DARK! I hold the Great Protoon! I am the most powerful of ALL Dream Spirits! GO FORTH! Destroy ALL dreams, and terrorize the mortals who are so ignorant to the plights of others! No one will EVER want to sleep again! Let them ALL know the pain my creator has felt, and let them TREMBLLLLE!"

"Hee hee hee heeeeeee!" Ales Mansay waved two glow sticks to direct the Mutant Lums. "FLY, my prettiiieees! BRING ME the ruby slipperrrrs!" A Lum with a long white tongue licked him as it flew by. "WHOA! Huhuhu, that…that kinda made me uncomfortable."

Globox exited the mall in Mado no Nikki, watching a team of Evil Instruments charge by. "Ooo, a parade! I want in!" He excitedly followed them, beating his belly like a drum.

Nexus

Harvey and Spongebob located the Nexus, which was currently empty of any monsters and a good chance for them to rest. "I won't be able to fight these monsters without my bubble wand." The sponge said. "Although I can still grab them from the air…" He waved his arms around and formed a bubble spatula.

Harvey was knelt on the ground with a hand over Mesprit's head. "I don't know enough emotionbending to fix her… Sigh, what'm I gonna do, Spongebob? Anthony and Fybi got so much better at their powers, why didn't I practice?!" He spoke with a mix of anger and sadness.

"This reminds me of the episode where my alarm clock didn't go off until 10 minutes later and I started doing everything 10 minutes after I should."

"WORST 10 minutes of my life." Harvey stated. He heard a door open and saw Madotsuki enter the Nexus. "Madotsuki!" He ran up to her. "Madotsuki, look!" He held Mesprit up. "This is Mesprit, the Emotion Goddess! She's the funnest person you could ever meet! I remember when I was four years old, Mesprit made us laugh all day. She can make you laugh too, Mado!"

Mesprit was still moaning and shaking. Madotsuki stared with a blank expression. "Okay, maybe not at the moment. But she was trapped in your bubble, she was seeing all your fears. She knows how you're feeling, Madotsuki, and so do I! But I promise we can help you get through it. The Kids Next Door will help you!"

They heard another door BURST open; a Nightmare broke out of it. It was a skull-headed monster wearing a red shirt with a star, had two orange horns, a purple ponytail, and a bear nose. "…That is literally the funniest thing I've seen in a while." Spongebob said.

"Madotsuki, get behind me!" Harvey whipped out his bladed yo-yos and tossed them at the Nightmare. They phased straight through. "What?! You mean I can't hurt Dream People, either?"

The monster screeched and charged at its assaulter. Madotsuki reached in her window and grabbed a knife. When the monster was at her, Mado stabbed it in the chest, and it screamed before dispersing into bubbles. Madotsuki held the knife down as Harvey looked impressed. He touched the knife.

Madotsuki repeatedly stabbed the man who kidnapped her, pure fear burning in her eyes.

Harvey let go, staring at his empty hand as though he were the one that did it. His fear subsided as Mado headed to a door. "Madotsuki, don't listen to Mr. Dark! He's going to convince you to kill yourself."

Mado turned to him. "Dark-san wants me to kill myself?"

"Yes, but you can't. It won't solve anything, it'll just make a lot of people upset."

"…Who?"

"Well… I'll be upset. Mesprit will be upset when she hears what happened."

"I don't know you."

"No, but I know you. I really do. I know what happened to you, and I wanna help. And there's a lot of other people who'll help, too. Madotsuki?"

The girl was staring at empty space. Dark-san wants her to die… this boy wants her to live… but they were figments of her dream. They were embodiments of her conflicting thoughts. She should… she shouldn't…

"I want to see Dark-san." Madotsuki de-Bubbled her bike and pedaled off.

"MADOTSUKI!" Harvey carried Mesprit and chased her across the dreamscape. Madotsuki used her knife to kill more large Nightmares on the way. Harvey had to commend her, she was good at using it.

Hall of Doors

"There's Picture City!" Murfy said quickly, getting ready to push Rayman into the portal. "I really hope Sheila got a brain started…" He looked further down. "Wait! You're Jessie!" He dropped Rayman's leash and flew over to the Indian boy.

"What the f**k are you?" Jessie asked.

"Stick a soap bar in it! Jessie, you're a Bubble Dreamer, aren't ya? We need your help, what the hell are ya doing?"

"This raccoon girl wants me to save her from that Olden West." Jessie pointed at the label floating over the empty spot of river. "But how the hell do I go there if there isn't a portal?!"

"Oh, I think that's one of your powers! Just stir your wand in the water and it'll make one!"

"Thanks for the tip, bug with giant denchers." Jessie bent over the river and stirred it with his wand. That area of water morphed blue and yellow, and began to glow as a portal appeared.

"YEEEEHH!" Sheila immediately flew out, scaring Jessie. "BLIMEY, I get tired of the same dream for too long."

"Sheila, did you get a brain ready for Rayman?" Murfy asked hurriedly.

"Yeh, I told April to get on it."

"Great, but you two gotta get over to Mado no Nikki. Spongebob and Harvey are there, they'll tell you what's up. Hurry, or Mr. Dark will be able to enter the real world!"

"Over my numb fists!" Sheila fist-palmed before running to jump in the portal to Mado's world, followed by Jessie.

Rayman was licking the underside of his belly at the time. "Uck, do that in your house!" Murfy scolded before shoving Rayman in the Picture City portal, then going in himself.

Mado Nikki

Minutes after arriving, Sheila and Jessie were ambushed by Nightmares left and right, but the expert dreamscapers fought back with no trouble. "Where the hell are we supposed to find them?" Jessie asked.

Sheila saw a purple beacon in the distant sky. "That beauty's worth checking out."

"Then get on." Jessie created a bubble boat, which the two leapt onto. "We can sightsee from the air."

Harvey and Spongebob chased Madotsuki to a desert region with swirly vine plants. The girl killed more Nightmares in her wake, and Spongebob Bubbled as many as he could, but the Nightmares kept breaking free of his bubbles. Harvey was still immune to their attacks, but he still dodged them in case Mesprit could be injured. "Mesprit, please wake up!" He waved his hand over her face, switching focuses between her and Madotsuki. "I could really use a brief emotionbending lesson. I mean, if Anthony got better after one lavabending and gembending class, it shouldn't be that hard. A Firstborn power boost wouldn't hurt either- AAH!" He tripped on a small vine.

Harvey looked up at the sky while recovering. There was an extremely tall, Mayan stone altar with an equally tall stairway. A purple beacon shone from the top of it, created by Mr. Dark. Madotsuki was pedaling toward the stairway in her mission to confront him. "Well, it should take her a while to get up those stairs." Harvey said. "I have time to catch up."

But instead of get off her bike like Harvey expected, Madotsuki pedaled up the sky-high stairway, as though it were flat ground and no gravity weighed on her. "WOW, I wish I had a bike like that!!" Harvey held Mesprit tight and sprinted toward the stairway. Madotsuki got very far ahead, but when Harvey tried to run up the stairs, his young legs were already exhausted. "Huff… Madotsuki… come back… huff… I feel like Kung-Fu Panda…"

Madotsuki made it to the top of the stairs in a minute. From below, one would expect the altar to look as Mayan on top as the rest of it did. However, the top of the altar was designed like a city park, with grass, benches, and lamp posts. Madotsuki approached the opposite side of the park. A group of green-skinned humans were overlooking a city, and a star was flying around the night sky (now clear of other stars).

"You saw a shooting star and thought it was a UFO." Mr. Dark said, floating down onto the ground behind her. "Perhaps it was a UFO. A child's imagination is beautiful like that."

Madotsuki turned to him. "Dark-san… do you want me to die?"

Mr. Dark knelt to her eye level and put a hand on her shoulder. "Madotsuki… it is the only way. The only way to be free of your pain, free of your nightmares. It is the most peaceful slumber."

"But what if I don't like death? If I never wake up… I'll have nightmares forever."

"You do not have to worry… because I will stand by you as you sleep. I will play your lullaby all day… I will put all your favorite things beside you… I will remorse, but as long as you do not have to live in the darkness of reality… I will be at ease. Madotsuki… you must set yourself free-"

"Waaaaiiiit!…" a weak cry was heard. They looked to the entrance of the park. Harvey Harper made it up… He was panting, hunched over, and his tongue dangled out. He struggled to hold Mesprit in his arms, which felt like sticks. "HUFF… Stairs… So many stairs…" He limped over to a bench. "I'm just gonna… lay Mesprit here." He lay Mesprit on one side. "And maybe lay down myself." He climbed on the other side. His knees bent up and with his hands folded like a pillow, he closed his eyes. "Wake me up in five." And with that, Harvey began to snore.

Mr. Dark, Madotsuki, and André stared with confusion. "Snooooore…" Harvey slept like a baby.

"He can't fall asleep in the Dream World." André said. "Won't that, like, destroy the Space-Time Continuum or something?"

"It would certainly be inconvenient if his dreamself were here." With that, Mr. Dark shot lightning at Harvey.

"YAAAH!" He startled awake and fell off the bench. "Madotsuki, they're using you! If you die in the Dream World, Mr. Dark will enter the real world and destroy everyone! You can't let that happen!"

"This boy is nothing more than another cursed nightmare!" Mr. Dark argued.

"What, you mean all the Nightmares you just woke up?! Mr. Dark, you're as bad as any other bad guy out there! Just because bad things happened to Madotsuki, you don't have to ruin everyone ELSE'S lives!"

"The fools of this universe need to understand that happiness doesn't last! They are so ignorant to the misfortunes of others! You Kids Next Door, and the Council of Teensies, ignored Madotsuki's plight, ignore the idea of adults who would do things that young children would not imagine! I will erase that cold fact by flooding both worlds with misery!"

"You're right, the Kids Next Door didn't help Mado when they should have. Maybe they were busy stopping an alien overlord from destroying the cosmos! The Kids Next Door CAN'T save every kid who screams, because there's so many! But it's NOT too late to help Madotsuki NOW. Mado, we helped tons of people with their troubles, we made them all feel better. We'll help you, too!"

"And WHO'S going to help YOU?!" Mr. Dark announced, spinning his cloak into a vortex. "I'll suck you back to the real world and drop you over a volcano!"

"AAAAHH!" Harvey clutched the bench when the vacuum began sucking.

"HUUUAAAH!" Sheila Frantic flew up and PUNCHED Thaddeus with a golden fist, sending him flying against a lamp post. The raccoon set foot on the ground and flexed her fingers. "That ain't a fair way to fight! …" She glanced at Madotsuki. "Who're you, Window Sheila?"

"Sheila, that's Madotsuki!" Spongebob shouted, standing with Jessie at the stairs. "The one I told you about!"

"André, stop them!" Dark ordered.

"On it!" The Black Lum buzzed over and used both hands to rapidly poke Jessie and Spongebob's faces. "Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!" they yelped. André enlarged his hands and SMACKED the two over the stairs, watching them continue their yelps as they bounced a great distance down.

"HOODLUMS, ASSEMBLE!" André called a swarm of his kind to chase them.

"Strewth, what the hell is that thing??" Sheila pointed at Mesprit. "Blimey, hanging out with Jessie gets ya in some bad habits."

"It's Mesprit." Harvey responded. "She's stuck in some nightmare with Madotsuki's fears."

"'ey, my mom helped me with that once! Like this!" Sheila punched a Light Sphere at Mesprit's head.

"YAAAAAAHH!" Mesprit jumped awake and began zipping around the air. "DON'T TAKE MY HEAD, My Queen! I'm sorry I missed the tea party! I saw this cat standing on its head, so I tried to do it myself—DAH, that's defeating the purpose of my words!!"

"WOW, you actually did it!" Harvey beamed.

"Of course, Mate! Lightbending kills nightmares." Sheila smiled proudly.

"Hey… Sheila, use your lightbending on Madotsuki!"

"NO!" Mr. Dark flew over and kicked Mado away. He created a cup shape with his hands and aimed them at Sheila, sucking her in like a vacuum.

"Whoooooaaaa!" The half-Mobian shrunk and was slurped into the suction. Sheila found herself trapped inside a crystal ball, tapping the glass confusedly.

"Hah hah hah hah!" Thaddeus laughed, holding her like a mini hamster in its ball. "That glass is impenetrable, Rodent!"

"TELL THAT TO THE BLOKES IN ZORDOOM! AAAAAAAAAAHH!" Sheila ran up and around the ball, loop after loop, but it was perfectly sealed.

"Now I shall-" However, Mr. Dark was hit by some Bubble Bowls. "WHAT?!" He whipped to face Spongebob.

"Jessie can handle those bugs! He learned by watching the episode where I become a nematode exterminator and gas the Krusty Krab! Speaking of which, order UP!" Spongebob used his bubble wand (a new one Jessie created for him) to create a cannon that blasted buns, lettuce, patties, and other burger segments at the cloaked nightmare. Mr. Dark stumbled and nearly dropped Sheila's ball, but recomposed and projected a barrier around himself.

"Wait a sec… HARVEY?!" Mesprit beamed. "HARVEEEEY!" She gripped the boy in a hug and spun them around as she flew up. "It's been such a long time! Look how much you've GROWN, you strong little man!" She dropped Harvey from six feet above the ground. "So whatcha been doin', going on adventures, fighting baddies, huh huh huh??"

"Mesprit, don't you remember what you've been doing?"

"Uh, I think so! I've been real hazy ever since…" She examined her surroundings, noticed the fight between Spongebob and Thaddeus, then Madotsuki. "THAT GIRL!"

"That girl is in danger!" Harvey stated. "Mesprit, I need to stop Mr. Dark! I need to learn more emotionbending so I can fight better!"

"Well, how much have you trained since we last met?"

"NOT VERY MUCH!"

"Weeeeell, that's gonna be a problem. It'll take me at least a month to teach you even the basics of combat-based emotionbending!"

"IS THERE A CHEAT SHEET?!" Harvey screamed while Mr. Dark struck Spongebob with lightning.

"Well, if we were in the Dream World, I could probably maybe do something." Mesprit said with her silly smile. "Me and Uxie are two of the creators of the Dream World. Our chi make up its bubbles. Hehe, I dunno what we were thinking, we just wanted to make the Dream World outta bubbles! So fun."

"But THIS is the Dream World!"

"It is? Oh, I thought it felt familiar. You don't notice these things right away after such a good sleep! But Harvey, it seems like you're still awake. I'll only be able to give you a good power boost to your dreamself."

"Fair enough. I can't hurt him like this, anyway."

"All right! Sweet dreams, Harvey!" Mesprit flashed the gems on her tails and put him to sleep.

Mr. Dark whipped twin fire-whips at Spongebob, which he defended from by blowing quick huge bubbles. He had to catch his breath after Thaddeus stopped. "Mr. Dark!" Ales Mansay flew above on a winged carriage-bike. "Dark-senpai! How may I be of service to you?"

"Take this brat far away!" Thaddeus threw Sheila's crystal ball up to him.

Mansay caught it. "Will do, Future Lord of Dream Land!" He stuffed Sheila's ball under his hat before pedaling away.

"SHEILA!" Spongebob tried to chase.

Mr. Dark sent magic ropes to bind Sponge's limbs. "The less nuisances, the better!"

"TOO BAD! You just got one more!" An energy blast struck Mr. Dark from behind. It came from Harvey Harper, who was shining a faint pink. Mesprit was behind him, making a heart shape with her tails. Harvey's true body was asleep on the ground.

"I linked my chi with yours, Harvey." Mesprit told him quietly. "You work on dodging and making moves, and I'll send the bending attacks from your body. This wouldn't be a safe move for your waking body, and you won't wanna sleep for a while. Try to defeat him quick."

Harvey nodded, eyes locked on his enemy. "Mister Dark… you're done messing with Madotsuki's mind. I'll destroy you so you'll never be able to take over the real world! And once you're out of the way, I'll take out the rest of her nightmares!"

"Very well! Then before I liberate your world, I will show you the full power of the Great Protoon!" He had the Protoon levitate above him. The electrical sphere shined with power, fueling its master. Mr. Dark made a bar-shaped flash, spawning an instrument in his hands. It was a blue guitar with an electric piano, some light drums on the underside, and it was also a saxophone: the reed on top, and the horn at the bottom. (Play Mr. Dark's Theme from Rayman!)

Boss fight: Thaddeus Dark

He started the battle by pounding the drums. They seemed to do nothing, so Harvey ran to lay the first blow, but with a sudden strum of the guitar, Thaddeus blew Harvey back with a fire spire that exploded from the ground. The boy recovered and shot smiley faces from his hands, only for Thaddeus to block with another fire, then he wiggled his fingers to send tiny energy balls to pelt Harvey from all sides. Harvey lashed a yo-yo at Thaddeus, but he dodged, then he blew in his saxophone with a slow but sudden rhythm, which sent a spotlight to Harvey that would electrify him should he not avoid. He sent a wave of energy fists with some faster horns, then Thaddeus danced up to Harvey while doing a guitar solo.

The guitar solo made flames sprout behind Thaddeus, and the final note exploded a wall of fire that Harvey jumped back to avoid. Thaddeus tried to slam Harvey with the guitar, but he dodged, tried again, still dodged, then Mr. Dark slashed the instrument like a sword before slamming the ground and knocking Harvey back with a shockwave. The Dream Spirit did another solo, rocketing skyward with the final note as a ring of fire sprouted around Harvey.

Mr. Dark tapped the piano keys as the ring slowly closed in on his enemy. Harvey looked around frantically, but there was no escape from the inferno. "Harvey!" Mesprit called. "Your emotions! Hate is fire! But what is water?"

Harvey felt very bad for Madotsuki. He let this feeling climb to the top of his emotions and cried. His body turned blue, and the fire turned into steam when it touched him. Mr. Dark grunted when the steam clouded his vision. Harvey spat upward, sending giant tear-shaped droplets that sent Mr. Dark away. He landed several feet, looking up to see Harvey run at him with large tear-whips. He dodged the whips and sprouted fire to destroy them, then sent the fire walls along the ground while Harvey dodged.

"S-So I can bend any ele-ment th-that matches my emotion?" Harvey stuttered, still saddened.

"No, your chi is just taking forms. But they still conflict with each other the same way!"

"What a ridiculous way to fight!" Mr. Dark blew his horn and surrounded Harvey with spotlights. The Protoon glowed as purple lightning appeared in the lights, which circled around Harvey as some of them crossed the circle in attempt to shock him. Harvey nimbly dodged, but took zaps from a few of the lights. They blinked away—Thaddeus shot over with a sudden strum with a fire trail burned, but Harvey dodged in that split second and threw a bladed yo-yo to cut Dark's cloak.

"Graaah!" Mr. Dark flew away and played his piano, making the Protoon shine brighter and electrify. He then strummed his guitar to send sudden shockwaves through the air, blowing Harvey several yards back.

"Harvey, use your anger to gain power." Mesprit instructed. "Or else he'll take you to a dark place. After all, his name IS Mister Dark."

The anger sparked in Harvey's mind. "I DON'T LIKE THE DARK!" He turned red, his teeth sharp, and his eyes demonic. Harvey moved so fast, he dodged the shockwaves, zipped behind Thaddeus, and kicked him into a park tree. Before he could recover, Harvey zipped up and laid a storm of punches on his eyes, but Thaddeus popped a bubble shield and bounced Harvey back. The hate-filled boy threw his yo-yos the moment the shield dropped, catching and swinging Mr. Dark around before slamming him on the ground.

"Don't stay angry too long, you'll get tired more quickly! Wait, can we even get tired in the Dream Realm?" Mesprit queried. "My own rules stump me, silly Mesprit."

"Then I'll act CHEERY!" Harvey turned yellow and put on a bubbly expression. He hummed a little "La la la!" as he danced up to swing his glowing fists on Thaddeus, but the nightmare strummed up a fire wall that knocked him away. Harvey landed on a long, wavy piano path, Thaddeus playing the instrument to wave the path up and down.

"You cannot possibly have reason to be happy!" Dark retorted. "You did not beat me and Madotsuki will still kill herself! The Nightmares will ransack her dreamscape and our violent battle will be a final spectacle." He tapped the piano keys faster, Harvey screaming as the path furiously waved up and down with him stuck on it. The piano path rolled up and caught Harvey in its loop, spinning around and 'round so the boy would get dizzy.

"BLAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Harvey broke free by screaming and blasting an Emotion Beam, striking Mr. Dark in the chest. Madotsuki looked up when he flew overhead and off the edge of the Sky Garden.

"Harvey, that was a really dangerous move!" Mesprit yelled in worry. "You could already do that on your own!"

"Yeah, and your Firstborn power boost kinda hurts my throat- ack." Harvey gagged. "That shoulda knocked him out clean."

"Guess again." They looked as Mr. Dark rose up in the distance beyond the ledge.

Dark flipped his instrument over and enlarged the drums on the bottom. "The Protoon's power will not be crushed so easily! But it will pound you into rubble!" He spawned two drumsticks and began a wild drum solo. The beat of the drums caused giant round boulders to fall from the sky and bowl over the garden from every direction. Harvey had to keep eyes out for all of them and think fast while dodging. Every boulder missed by an inch, they were so fast, and they just kept coming. Harvey felt a jump in his heart each time, he grew more and more nervous, and this nervousness transformed into fear.

With each successful dodge, the jolt in his heart spat out a Fear Sphere, which would home in and strike Mr. Dark. The fifth sphere hit him from the bottom and bounced him up, losing the rhythm as the boulders stopped coming. "Try to beat this beat!" Mr. Dark sliced an electric blade across the Protoon, and all the lamp posts grew into electric towers. Thaddeus meteored down at Harvey and blew him up with a guitar strum.

Harvey began bouncing around the towers. Upon each impact, the respective tower flashed and made its own booming note. Harvey bounced between them like a pinball machine. Whenever he went astray, Mr. Dark would block and bat him back. He made a catchy rhythm from the towers. And of course, Harvey took a zap when he hit them. He made faster notes for a few seconds, and Mr. Dark ended the song by flying above and bashing Harvey against the ground with his guitar. (End song.)

"Ooooohh…" Harvey lay on his back, dizzy after the endeavor.

"You would not even be standing right now if you did not have a Firstborn giving you power." Thaddeus landed on the ground near Harvey. "I could end this battle easily by attacking Mesprit. However, I was curious. How does a child think he can fight me as though he were a master bender? You're still in first grade, how do you expect to fight well?"

"Hey, Anthony and Fybi kick butt!"

"True, but they are different. Anthony, Sheila, Cheren, that Maddy child based on Nefarious's videos; they are admittedly strong children. But you, Harvard, I never saw that type of spark in you. Even though you have unveiled your emotionbending and have a Firstborn's aid, I am stronger than you. Why do you try to fight me?"

He rolled onto his front. "Because I'm on a MISSION!" he yelled with tears pouring down. "I'm not gonna let you do this! I can't believe you would want to! Madotsuki gave you life, she's like your mom! Why would you kill the person that made you?"

"What if your mother had an incurable cancer, and she were suffering for days gone into weeks? Seeing her in such a horrid, unsightly state, would you not wish the sweet release of death?"

"NO! I mean… I DON'T KNOW! That's different! That's an illness, but what Madotsuki has is emotional. She can get over it."

"THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE! Whether the condition is physical or mental, no life is worth living through such pain! The only way Madotsuki will be rid of her pain is DEATH!"

"NO IT ISN'T!" Harvey jumped to his feet. "I would never want my mom to die, NO PERSON SHOULD! You call yourself Madotsuki's friend?! YOU should be trying to help her! You should be hugging her and telling her it's okay! Even if you hate everyone else in the world, you should always stick by her side!"

"I refuse to let Madotsuki live in a world of cruel beings! I will admit to myself being an evil person, so my decent act will be to liberate her! Do you understand, Madotsuki?!" He turned to his creator. "This world is cruel, and happy times will not last! You have no choice but to free yourself. Let death's sweet embrace TAKE YOU!" He struck Madotsuki with lightning. She gasped, and her body dispersed into bubbles, for she started awake.

"But if she kills herself in the real world, your plan won't even work!" Harvey shouted.

"Correct! Which is why I transported her real body HERE!" Mr. Dark directed up to his left. Harvey gasped: over the edge of the Sky Garden was a building he hadn't noticed before. It was an apartment building.

Madotsuki gasped awake in her bed. That was the most frightening nightmare, yet. She saw herself stabbing those monsters, and again remembered the dead man in the house's kitchen. She got out of bed. She looked at the balcony. She heard their two voices yelling inside her head. Her emotions were greatly conflicting. She didn't know how to make it stop or what to do. …Only one way to find out.

"I'm going up there!" Mesprit declared, flying to the nearest balcony of the building. "AAAAAAAH!" An invisible barrier electrocuted her and bounced her forcefully to the Sky Garden.

"MESPRIT!" Harvey yelped, his power boost vanishing.

"I created that barrier to block out all beings." Mr. Dark explained. "The inside of the barrier projects an illusion of Madotsuki's city, and blocks us from her view. Now no one will interfere-" An energy ball hit him in the back of the head. "Ugh, I am about SICK OF THAT… hu!" He gasped when he turned and saw his assaulter. "It can't be…"

The hero of the Dream Realm, Rayman smirked as his fists shone gold. "Long time, no see, Thaddeus."

"RAYMAN?!"

"Looks like I finished his brain just in time." April Goldenweek said, standing by Murfy. "Murfy told us what's been going on."

"And we're here to put a stop to it." Rayman fist-palmed. "I beat you before, Mr. Dark, and I'll beat you again."

"You idiotic excuse for a HERO!" Dark shouted. "You and all those Teensie scum ignored this dream! You ignored my creator's pain!"

"I didn't know why they didn't want me coming here!" Rayman argued. "But you're terrorizing the Dream Realm, that's why I need to stop you. And we won't let you hurt this girl!"

"You're too late! There she is now!" They looked up at the balcony. Madotsuki looked over the railing, but all she saw was Karakura under the dead of midnight. She looked at the small, movable stairs. She would finally do it. She walked to stand on the first step.

"WE GOTTA SAVE HER!" Murfy was about to fly up.

"NO, there's a barrier, remember?!" April shouted.

"Wait!" Harvey perked. "If people can't be hurt in the Dream Realm…" Harvey bit his finger, and the shock turned his body into bubbles as his real body awoke. Harvey ran for the edge, twirled his yo-yos, and tossed them through the barrier to wrap around the railing on the balcony. Harvey swung off and planted his feet against the building's side. "It worked!"

"Hurry Harvey, you're the only chance we got!" Murfy yelled.

"Let's settle this, Mr. Dark!" Rayman balled his fists. "Once and for all!"

"I will GLADLY!" Thaddeus dodged Rayman's Gold Fists and lit his cloak aflame, spinning like a fiery tornado in attempt to burn his adversary.

Down below

"What's wrong, Spongebreath?!" Mansay taunted as he continued to evade Spongebob's grasp. "Your show hit a bump in the road? A really BIG bump? 'Cause you aren't catching me with the speed you're going! HEH HEH HEH HEEEEH! Boy, this is too much fun! And hey, this raccoon sheila's kinda cute!" He reached up his hat, fishing around for the crystal ball. "I wouldn't mind keeping her as a pet- What the-?" The ball he retrieved was bright gold and shining. "I don't remember having this. …Ow-ow-ow, it's a little hot." He bounced it around in his hands. "Really hot, REALLY hot, ouch-ouch-ouch, I—WHOOOOA!"

Mansay crashed his bike into a red monkey statue and dropped the crystal ball. It shattered on the ground as Sheila grew back to normal. "HOO-WEE!" Sheila flexed her legs. "Who says you can't lightspeed-run a jillion miles in a hamster ball? Me legs feel strong enough to kick ten Gorons at once! Would ya like ta see?" She smirked devilishly at Mansay, spinning her left leg rapidly.

"N-No no, th-that's okay." Mansay stuttered in fear. "I was just kidding about the whole pet thing, and did I mention I'm a real big fan of yours?, if you want, I can be your-"

"YUH!!!" Sheila hit Mansay with a kick that could crack a mountain. The Teensie Magician flew high, high, high into the sky. Sheila watched to see how high he would go. "…Oi, I think he landed on Mars."

Sky Garden

Madotsuki put both feet on one step at a time. Every step led her closer to her demise. The very thought that she was going to commit suicide gave her chills. If she wanted to live… she would be too afraid and back out. And if she wanted to die… she would walk off and take the fall. Now she was on the final step. Her toes hung over the edge of the hundred-foot drop. The only way was down. Falling down to her death. Her dreams and nightmares would be over. At 13 years old, her miserable life, over. No one would miss her. She had no friends, no family, nowhere else to go. All she had to do was fall-

"MADOTSUKI!" She turned around with a start. Harvey had climbed up the building's side using the little string of his yo-yos. He made it to the balcony and was tired. He limped up to the stairs and sank to his knees. Mr. Dark and Rayman ceased their fight to watch. April, Murfy, Mesprit, and even Jessie and André arrived just in time to view the climax.

"I'm sorry!" Harvey cried once again. "I'm sorry for what happened to you! I'm sorry the Kids Next Door didn't help you, I'm sorry for not being born back then so I could help you! But this isn't the only way! Me and all my friends can help you, we really can! This isn't just a dream anymore, Madotsuki. You're real… and I'm real… and no matter what happens, everyone deserves to live. Everyone deserves to be happy. But I won't be happy if you're gone. And when I tell the Kids Next Door about you, they'll be upset, too. Madotsuki…"

She said nothing. She remained on the final step for several minutes. She had waken up… but the boy from her dreams was here. Was any of it a dream? Was she still dreaming? …Or was it real. Maybe she was having second thoughts. Maybe… he was right. Madotsuki lifted her foot over the second-to-last step.

Seeing this, Mr. Dark snapped his fingers. The final step slanted back. Madotsuki lost her balance and flailed her arms.

All of the viewers gaped in horror. Harvey jumped up to grab her hand… Missed by inches. Madotsuki fell. Harvey saw the despair and regret in her eyes. He left his yo-yos tied to the fence. She fell… and fell… quickly shrinking in his vision.

Madotsuki felt the wind brush her, falling faster and faster. She turned to look down. Before long, she would hit the ground. Death was here. It would claim her. It was the end. "…I guess we'll see what happens." She closed her eyes one final time. She would accept her fate. Perhaps it was meant to be. It was nice, at least… to think there was someone that cared about her.

Her body broke like a glass of milk on the kitchen floor. Blood splattered in a puddle. Her limbs lay scattered. Madotsuki was dead.

Mr. Dark turned off the barrier. Everyone made it down to see her remains. They couldn't find the words. Madotsuki was dead before their eyes. A girl they didn't know existed until yesterday. A girl who no one bothered to help, a girl left forgotten. Now she would only exist in their memory. …

Mr. Dark approached his creator's remains. Tears flowed down his cloak, thinking of how much she suffered… Now, she would suffer no more. The dead remains glowed a faint blue. A small spire of light rose up from it. It was a portal into the real world. "Finally…" The light glinted in his eyes. "I… will enter reality… and take my revenge."

A laser pierced Mr. Dark from the side, taking everyone by surprise. A searing pain coursed through his clothing. A little sapphire fire brimmed in the holes. Mr. Dark fell and dropped the Protoon. The pain was too great for him to move.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…" A laugh echoed from the sky. A giddy and maniacal laugh that sent chills down their spines. "HAH HA HA HA ha ha ha ha ha ha!…" He appeared before the column of light. Everybody gaped, horrified in his presence. The madness and excitement burned in Bill Cipher's eye, and there was so much joy in his laughter. "HAH HAH HAH HA ha ha ha hahahahaha!" He turned around and faced the spire.

"At LAST! At LONG, LONG LAST! After ONE TRILLION years, SWEET FREEDOM IS FINALLY MINE!!" He flew into the spire, and the Dream World trembled from the power. A kind of power that would only result from transcending dimensions. "Physical form?! HELL YEAH!!"

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Harvey screamed.

"It. . can't be. ." Murfy gazed at the rising light. "It's… the end…"

Madotsuki's Room

A ball of light filled the space where Madotsuki was pulled into the Dream World. It morphed into various blob-like shapes. "Hahahahahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Madotsuki's form was seen within the light. Bill's maniacal laughter rang from it. Mado's body was swallowed by a golden glob, which grew bigger. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Two young arms in gold sleeves burst from the light. Two legs in black pants and curl-toed shoes. The body wore a black bowtie, a thin top-hat with a triangle eye. Finally, Bill's head popped into being: he had smooth blonde hair, demonic yellow eyes surrounded by black sclera, and sharp teeth that shone brightly as he grinned. "HAH HAH HAH HAH HA HA HA HA!"

The Human Bill, whose body looked seven years old, flew around the room. "I don't believe it! FINALLY, I have a real body! And what a SIGHT! Two EYES??" He put a hand over each individual eye. "How deluxe! MAN, Ah'm lovin' this! I feel like KILLING someone!" He burst out of the balcony door and faced the apartment that gave Madotsuki grief. "MAYBE I'll just blow this up!" He pointed his little finger and pierced a little laser through the building. The skyscraper exploded on the spot.

"AAAAAAH HA HA HA HA HA!" Bill flew all around Karakura Town, shooting lasers and destroying many buildings. "HEY, SUPERMAN, wanna go for a race?!" Bill flew circles around the planet, about a hundred times in one minute. "YOU CAN'T MATCH THIS!"

Bill flew down to Washington and stared at the Sidney Monument. "WOW, Jessie, that's pretty big! HOW ABOUT THIS?!" He blasted heat vision at the tip of the brown tower, melting it to the base. He flew to the Lincoln Memorial. "Say, I could use a new throne!" He blew up Lincoln and sat himself on the huge stone chair. "Ahhhh… roomy!" He POOFED, leaving a scorch mark with a triangle eye.

Mado no Nikki

"W-What's happening now?!" Harvey and everyone wobbled in place under a powerful earthquake. The sky above Madotsuki's dreamscape turned a brownish orange, storm clouds creating lightning. A black pyramid with an eye, four arms with flames, and two of its segments spinning opposite ways, spoke with a voice that all of Dream Land heard.

"Oh, I'M sorry. Did I forget to mention that I needed to switch places with a Bubble Dreamer to attain supreme power in the Dream World and Waking World? Must've slipped my mind. HA HA ha haaaa! I will NO LONGER be bound by the laws of your worlds! As of this day, Bill Cipher is the SUPREME being!

"Mister Dark!" Said man glared at the demon. "I could not have done this without you. You have fulfilled your duty as a member of Team Gnik! And thus, I shall grant your reward: LIBERATION!!" Bill snapped one of his fingers, and his eye shot a golden beam that burned Mr. Dark where he lay. "AHH HAHAHAHA HA HA!"

Moonbase

Bill reappeared before Moonbase just when Cheren and Mom's ships were flying back. "Hey, who's that??" Carol asked in shock.

"SO, Kids Next Door! An all-kid organization bent on saving the world? MAYBE I CAN JOIN!" Bill threw both hands open, blasting a devastating beam that destroyed many areas of Moonbase, shaking and slanting it as all the operatives screamed. His grinning face whipped toward Cheren's ship—Bill zipped behind and KICKED the shabby camper into the Moonbase. Cheren, Sugar, and Carol felt dizzy from the impact. When Azelf flew out, Bill came up, slapped the Firstborn, and cackled as he flew away.

"And if you think I'M fun to be around, WAIT'LL you see my master!! As soon as he gets back, we'll throw the ultimate party, the likes of which the universe has never seen! THE APOCALYPSE IS FIFTEEN DAYS AWAY! SAY YOUR FINAL FAREWELLS! AH HAHAHAHAHA, HAHAHAHAHA!" Bill flew beyond the stars, faster than light, his cackle heard for light-years.

Azelf touched her tails to her head and analyzed. "His Power Level is… 100,000."

Dun dun duuun! The screen cap of gaping Goku displayed again.

"Stop that, Carol!" Cheren scolded.

"Sorry."

In Moonbase's destruction, the Gray Shadow, Shaydes escaped from her T.H.E.R.M.O.S. prison. She flew down to Earth.

KND Arctic Base

Shaydes flew through Arctic Base fast as the wind. She sensed her master's location, found her cell, and reunited with Daphne Anderson. "Oh. Hello, Shaydes." She spoke in her downtrodden tone. "I almost forgot about you. Sigh… well, time to escape, I guess." She uttered some words under her breath. The chi-cuffs that were locking her arms lost their keen touch. She Veiled out of the cuffs and escaped the cell.

With her superior bending, she controlled all the shadows in the prison. She broke the cells containing Li'l Gideon and the Teen Ninjas, and they hurried off to free Sector DR as she ordered. Meanwhile, the ghost-skinned World Leader headed to the farthest cell in the darkest wing of the prison. "It's time to come back home, Abram."

"NO! I'll never come back! I'll never let him use me!" The teenager squirmed on his seat.

"Your faith is misplaced, Child. You must understand that there is nothing you can do, and nothing they can do. I am taking you home to your father now." She stretched her shadows to grab him.

"No! NOOOOO!"

Dream Realm

Mr. Dark was black with soot, his yellow eyes twitching. He lay next to Madotsuki's remains. The dark sky filled them with dread. "What's gonna happen now?" asked Harvey.

"…I don't know." Murfy replied glumly.

Mesprit was sad. Mansay was sad. Everyone was sad. They gained nothing from this venture. Madotsuki was dead. Her happy ending was lost. Stolen by Bill Cipher. And Nightmares ran about the Dream Realm, free to rampage. Their problems would only increase from here.

"Ah, well." Sheila shrugged casually. She smirked and cracked her knuckles. "We'll just beat the snot out of Billy in the real world."

"…Hm." Mesprit smiled. "You've always been one of the people I admired most, Sheila. I just feel so bad for… Madotsuki."

"But she couldn't be dead." April mentioned. "She should be revived as a Dream Spirit now. Just like Mary was."

"But she's in one hell of a mess." Murfy noted. "Gonna take a lot of duct tape."

"So we can still save her?!" Harvey exclaimed.

"Well yeah, we can put 'er back together, but she'll be stuck in the Dream World! Unless she switches realities with someone else. …Any volunteers?"

They were silent for a moment before April spoke. "Bill's the one who took her existence, so we need to make him give it back."

"How are we going to do that?" Rayman asked.

"Like Sheila said." Jessie replied. "We'll kick Bill's ass."

"But now Madotsuki doesn't have to be alone." April said. "We'll help her recover."

Harvey looked at the girl's dead body. Her remains glowed as the bubbles were slowly reattaching her. "Yeah… we will."

Two red jellyfish from Mado's dreamscape floated beside her. They made gentle ringing sounds and played a familiar tune. (Play "14th Song" from D.Gray-Man.)

Great Clock; Chamber of 20 Keys

The chamber was empty. The chamber was dark. The twenty thrones had yet to welcome the chosen ones. The Time Gate was still sealed. Below the chamber, there was a golden piano. Bill Cipher was playing a song that echoed throughout the station. It was a very big piano, so Bill had magic hands reaching the distant keys. The notes were calming his mind. He felt at ease playing them.

"No wonder why she liked to hear this song." Bill spoke. "It's the same one I used to play for you. Hm hm hm… And this was the only music you would listen to. Sigh… What else is this chapter missing? Ah, of course: and Bill Cipher lived happily ever after…"

Bill played the piano for hours without end. He passed the time with the song. He awaited the day they would open the door… and he would get to see his face again.