Night 01
How did I end up wandering through this forest? I remember going through the streets of Trost, helping to clean up after the recent attack. Why did I walk all the way out here?
The young man walked unthinkingly down the faded dirt road. The surrounding crowd of trees was more lifeless than the town he had come from. The shape of a large building then manifested farther down the path. The closer he got to it, the more he could see. Tombstones jutted out of its front lawn, thick shutters of dozens of windows were closed tight, and no light came from the house, save for the front steps; on either side of the heavy, wooden, double-door, there was a dim candle, which gave off an alluring glow. Over the entrance were the words "Gregory House". With a loud, ear-grating creak, the doors opened, allowing eerie light to pour over him as he walked in. Somewhere, a distant scream could be heard.
He stepped inside a surprisingly quiet and colorful room; the floorboards, wall moldings and gleaming armchairs were all a purple wine color; the walls were turquoise and all other wooden pieces of furniture and fixtures were traditional shades of brown. Though the hall beyond the lobby was dark, candlelight lit the front room from either high up the walls, the low tabletop surrounded by waiting armchairs, or the corner of the unoccupied front desk. On the other side of the desk, there were cubbies, some of which held pure white, picked-clean bones of indeterminate origin. The young man stared at them for a long moment.
"Oh, is that someone new?" came a voice of an old man from around the corner, causing the young man's heart to skip. He called out, "I'll be there in just a moment!"
The young man nervously waited, listening for footsteps. However, there was no further noise. Curious, he walked over to the doorway and peered into the impossibly dark hall, where there was no movement.
"My apologies, my friend," the same voice spoke up suddenly from behind the young man. He turned quickly to face the old man, and, when met with a grey and furry face, he jumped back with a cry. The creature was a stout, human-like mouse half his size, with colorful clothes and matted grey fur. The rodent hardly seemed surprised by the reaction, talking in an oily and almost casual tone, "Oh my, you seem quite on edge."
The young man backed up steadily, eyes searching around the mouse for an exit. But the creature happened to be standing in the way of the door. The young man bumped against something behind him, causing him to jolt with fright. He looked, and it was just an armchair. He threw his gaze back at the creature.
The mouse's wine-colored eyes, despite turning outward, seemed to peer at the young man, while the creature added, "And tired too."
With a shrug, the mouse walked past the desk and pulled a ring of keys from a hook on the wall. The young man focused back on the door and started towards it. However, the mouse turned back to him, and the young man froze in place; he and the creature were now a stride away from each other.
"Come along, my friend." The mouse urged, "I'll take you to your room."
The young man shook his head, edging towards the door. "I-I can't stay…"
"Huh? Going so soon?" The creature blinked in confusion and inquired, "Here, there are warm beds and food. What exactly do you have to go back to out there?"
At this, the young man paused, eyes on the shut door. His gaze then fell to the ground and slid back over to the mouse. He had mangy, dirty blonde hair hanging off the sides of his head, behind his large ears. He wore a pink coat over a red-black striped shirt. His large incisors were the centerpiece to the knowing smile on his face, which was covered with wrinkles and a handful of moles.
Without needing an answer, the mouse nodded. He took up the chamberstick from the desk and turned towards the dark hall, directing, "Allow me to show you to your room, my friend."
"…What are you?"
The mouse paused and looked back at the young man. "Hm? What am I?" he repeated. With an oily smile, he replied, "Oh, I'm just an old mouse. He, he, he."
With that, the mouse turned back around and led the young man into the dark hallway, away from the exit.
Moon's Meow:
WARNING: I DO NOT RECOMMEND READING THIS STORY UNLESS HAVING WATCHED "GREGORY HORROR SHOW", EPISODE 13 OF SHINGEKI NO KYOJIN (ATTACK ON TITAN) OR READ AT LEAST CHAPTER 18 (VOL. 4) OF SHINGEKI NO KYOJIN (ATTACK ON TITAN). OTHERWISE, THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE OF SPOILERS.
Here we are! The second installment to the Gregory Horror Show and Attack on Titan crossover "Psychological Warfare".
Just to be clear, this isn't a sequel to the Secretive Guest, so much a separate story with the same set up. For GHS fans, consider it the difference between Season 1 and Season 2.
The next chapter will be posted Thursday!
Hope you guys enjoy!