Bastian's father: Son, I think it's time you and I had a little talk. I got a call from your math teacher yesterday . She says that you were drawing horses in your math book.
Bastian: Unicorns. They were unicorns.
Bastian's father: What?
Bastian: Nothing.
Bastian's father: She also says that you haven't been turning in your homework on time. And I'm very disappointed that you didn't even try out for the swimming team. As to those riding lessons you wanted, you say you love horses and yet you seem to be afraid to get on a real one. Now Bastian, you're old enough to get your head down out of the clouds, and start keeping both feet on the ground right?
Bastian: Okay.
Bastian's father: Stop daydreaming. Start facing your problems, okay?
Bastian: Okay.
Bastain's father: Okay.

Bookstore owner: Get outta here! I don't like kids. Are you still here? Didn't you hear what I said boy?
Bastian: Ummm...I was...
Bookstore owner: You're hiding, aren't you?
Bastian: No, I was just...
Bookstore owner: The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects, they're called books. They require a little effort on your part and they make no b-b-b-beeps. On your way please.
Bastian: I know books. I have 186 of them at home.
Bookstore owner: Daaaaaah! Comic books.
Bastain: No. I've read Treasure Island, Last of the Mohicans, Wizard of Oz, Lord of The Rings, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Tarzan...
Bookstore owner: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Come. Who are you running away from?
Bastian: I don't know. Just some kids from school.
Bookstore owner: Why?
Bastian: They wanna throw me in the garbage.
Bookstore owner: Why don't you give them a good punch in the nose?
Bastian: Well...I dunno. What's that book about?
Bookstore owner: Oh...this is something special.
Bastian: Well, what is it?
Bookstore owner: Look, your books are safe. By reading them you get to become Tarzan or Robinson Crusoe.
Bastian: That's what I like about them.
Bookstore owner: Ahhhh, but afterwards you get to be a little boy again.
Bastain: Well, what do you mean?
Bookstore owner: Listen. Have you ever been Captain Nemo trapped inside your submarine, while the giant squid is attacking you?
Bastian: Yes.
Bookstore owner: Weren't you afraid you couldn't escape?
Bastian: But it's only a story.
Bookstore owner: That's what I'm talking about. The ones you read are safe.
Bastain: And that one isn't?
Bookstore owner: Don't worry about it.
Bastian: But...but, you just said it was...
Bookstore owner: Forget about it. This book is not for you.

Nighthawk: And nobody gives me a hoot about me and my stupid bat.

Nighthawk: Is he a nutcase?

Bastian: Atreju and Artax had searched the Silver Mountains, the desert of Shattered Hopes and the Crystal Towers without success. And so there was only one chance left, to find Moorla, the ancient one, the wisest being in Fantasia whose home was the Shell Mountain, somewhere in the deadly swamps of Sadness.

Atreju: Are you Moorla, the ancient one?
Moorla: *yawns* Not that it matters. But yes.
Atreju: Please help me Moorla. Do you recognize this?
Moorla: Well, we haven't seen the Orion in a long time.
Atreju: We? Is there someone else here too?
Moorla: We haven't spoken to anyone else for thousands of years so we started talking to ourselves. Ah..ah...CHOO! *sneezes*
Atreju: Moorla! I bring terrible news. Did you know that the Empress is very ill?
Moorla: Not that it matters, but yes. Actually we don't care.
Atreju: If I don't save her she'll die! There's a terrible Nothing sweeping over the land. Don't you care about that?
Moorla: We don't even care whether or not we care. Ah..ah...
Atreju: Do you have a cold?
Moorla: No. We're allergic to you. ACHOO!
Atreju: You know how I can help the Empress, don't you?
Moorla: Not that it matters but yes.
Atreju: If you don't tell me and the Nothing keeps coming, you'll die too, both of you!
Moorla: Die? That at least would be something. Ah...ah...oh....mmmmm.
Atreju: Please help me. You said you knew the answer.
Moorla: ACHOO! We're tired of sneezing, go away! Nothing matters
Atreju: That's not true. If it didn't really matter to you, you could tell me.
Moorla: Ha, ha, ha clever boy.
Atreju: Tell me please!
Moorla: We don't know but you can ask the Southern Oracle.
Atreju: How can I get there?
Moorla: You can't. It's 10,000 miles away.
Atreju: But that's so far.
Moorla: That's right. Forget it. Goodbye.

Falkor: Having a luck dragon with you is the only way to go on a quest. Things will work out fine Atreju. Never give up and luck will find you.

Scientist: The worst one is coming up. Next is the magic mirror gate. Atreju has to face his true self.
Falkor: So what, that won't be too hard for him.
Scientist: Ohhh!!! That's what everyone thinks. Kind people find that they are cruel, brave men discover that they are really cowards. Confronted with their true selves, most men run away screaming!

Scientist wife: There's no fool like an old fool.

The Morque: Fantasia has no boundaries. Ha, ha.
Atreju: That's not true! You're lying!
The Morque: Foolish boy. Don't you know anything about Fantasia? It's the world of human fantasy. Every part, every creature of it is a piece of the dreams and hopes of mankind. Therefore it has no boundaries.
Atreju: But why is Fantasia dying then?
The Morque: Because people have begun to lose their hopes and forget their dreams so the Nothing grows stronger.
Atreju: What is the Nothing?
The Morque: It's the emptiness that's left. It is like a despair destroying this world and I've been trying to help it.

Bastian: Why is it so dark?
Empress: In the beginning, it is always dark.