I don't own This is Halloween or Tsubasa.
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It was a cemetery. Mokona had dropped them off in a cemetery. A lonely scarecrow fluttered in the night breeze and shadows dance across the cracked and leaning tombstones. Sakura snuggled up under Syaoran's cloak for protection. Fai glanced around, but shrugged. There didn't seem to be anything dangerous here. Kurogane demanded why they were here. Suddenly:
Boys and girls of every age
The voices came from everywhere, leering out from the shadows at Syaoran and Sakura. Kurogane whipped his head around in search of the source but found nothing. Fai gathered Mokona and shoved the little creature down in his shirt.
Wouldn't you like to see something strange?
"I've seen enough strange things to last a life time. White pork bun, can we leave?" Kurogane muttered.
Syaoran pressed Sakura close against his side. He wasn't getting a bad feeling about this, but he didn't feel quite safe either. "Mokona, do you sense a feather?"
The little creature poked its head out of the front of Fai's shirt and its eyes were all teary. "Mokona senses a big power. It's very scary."
"Kuro-pong, why don't you be our fearless leader?" Fai asked and made a sweeping motion with one white hand.
"Oh man, why is it always me?" Kurogane demanded and stalked ahead.
"Yay! Kuro-cutie's so manly!"
"And stop with those stupid nicknames!"
Come with us and you will see
Sakura pushed away from Syaoran, peering about in the shadows curiously. He gripped her hand in protest and Fai quickly swooped up on her other side.
"Sakura-chan, we don't know what's going on here. You should stay close to Syaoran-kun."
"Okay."
This! Our town of Halloween!
Something leaped out of the shadows.
Sakura screamed, leaped for the safety of Syaoran's warm arms. He caught her and swept her out of the way just as Kurogane tried to cleave whatever it was in half. The thing darted away, scurrying back into the shadows again.
"What was that?"
This is Halloween, this is Halloween!
Ghosts, pale and shrieking, whispered through the air. One tugged on Syaoran's cloak, another made a grab for Mokona. Kurogane tried to slice one in half and Fai, of course, screamed girlishly. The spirits weaved through the air in obscure patterns, shimmied through the fences and between legs.
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night!
And now things were falling from the sky. Big, bright, orange pumpkins with freakishly carved faces. They hooted and howled as they splattered around the travelers.
"Run!"
Syaoran caught Sakura's hand and pulled her after him. Kurogane didn't really know what to think of this. He couldn't kill things that were either already dead or shouldn't be alive. He paused only long enough to grab the shrieking magician by the back of his shirt. This is Halloween, everybody make a scene!
Oh, yes. There was quite a scene as the travelers tore through the spooky town, dipping under and around anything and everything that crossed their path. Fai was howling. Sakura screamed on occasion and Syaoran often fell with his lack of depth perception. It was up to Kurogane to haul the kid up and continue dragging the magician.
Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright!
Well, someone was going to die. Kurogane just wasn't sure it was going to be the neighbors. Maybe the magician or the next thing that popped out in front of his face and shouted: "Boo!" This was getting ridiculous. He was a warrior and warriors did not run from spooks.
It's our town, everybody scream!
The ghosts wove a path in front of them, illuminating broken windows and hanging shutters and other sunken haunted faces. They hooted and shivered and one dared pass through Sakura. The scream she let out would give a banshee a run for its money and sated the ghosts for a second.
In this town of Halloween!
"Mokona! Where do you sense the feather?"
"We're getting closer!" The creature squealed. I am the one hiding under your bed!
Fai was laughing now, clearly enjoying this. He leaped for Kurogane, but the ninja simply moved out of the way and let the magician fall on his face in some murky water.
"Kurga-lurga, you're so mean!"
"Stop with the nicknames! It's not the time!"
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red!
Syaoran scooped Sakura up in his arms when she tripped and nearly careened into the shadows of an alley where surely something unspeakable lurked. He saw the flash of red eyes and white teeth as he dashed by. She wrapped her arms around his torso and nearly squeezed the breath out of him. I am the one hiding under your stairs!
There was a metal fire escape at the end of the alley Syaoran had mistakenly turned down. Something shifted in the oily shadows, but only God knew what was waiting behind them so he leaped the stairs two at a time. Sakura dress hampered his vision, billowing out at he jumped.
Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair!
Snakes shot up between the metal grates, hissing. One twined around Syaoran's ankles, tripping him and Kurogane barely managed to grab him in time to prevent him from falling on top of the princess.
"Watch your step."
"Right."
Kurogane crushed fat black spider with the heel of his boot. This is Halloween, this is Halloween!
They were making their way across the roof of some building now, rushing as if the devil were on their tail and who knew, maybe he was. Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
Syaoran reached the edge of the building first and leaped without a second thought. Fai stopped abruptly and Kurogane was stuck bottled up behind him.
"Fai-san! Let's go!" Syaoran shouted.
"I was getting ready to!"
"Just jump!" Kurogane kicked him hard to get him moving.
Something was blundering up the fire escape behind them. It was growling and he frankly didn't care to meet whatever it was.
In this town we call home,
From the church, a congregation of dead-pale vampires wandered out. They were dressed in black and bared fangs as the travelers dashed between them. One managed to catch a hold of Fai and was going for his throat. Mokona bit the thing's white hand and it howled.
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song!
A big triangular man with two faces – one smiling and one in hysterics – gave them a painted on grin as they raced past. In this town, don't we love it now?
Mokona decided the sight of the mayor's body spinning round and round while his head remained stationary was a little too much and ducked back down inside Fai's shirt.
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise.
"No, no more surprises, please," Sakura mumbled into Syaoran's chest. "Syaoran-kun, I'm scared."
"It's alright. I'll protect you." Round that corner, man hiding in the trash can!
Listening to a words of this haunting song, Syaoran elected not to go down the alley he had started to turn down. A stray cat yowled in the darkness and its eyes glowed yellow. It was a little tall, sitting on the shining silver trash can.
Something's waiting now to pounce, and how you'll scream!
A thing with striped creatures for hair sprang out of the trash can, rocketing the cat high in the air. A werewolf exploded through the wall and something he didn't care to think about began to lift the grate of the gutter that ran below the street. Scream! This is Halloween!
The creatures were singing, Syaoran realized and that calmed him a little. How frightening could monsters be if they were singing?
Red 'n' black, slimy green!
Kurogane hadn't connected those dots yet and he crashed into Syaoran from behind. "Kid?" Aren't you scared?
The werewolf demanded. A bit more of its plaid shirt tore to reveal a muscular hairy chest. Well, that's just fine.
Some witches swooped overhead and Fai waved vigorously at his cousins.
Say it once, say it twice.
The travelers, now walking, seemed to have reached the spooky town square and paused a moment to watch everything unfold.
Take the chance and roll the dice!
There was a sort of glowing well in the center. A tree with skeletons hanging from its branches lumbered in the shadows. Ghosts still darted overhead, howling and hooting. The werewolf could be heard growling and snarling behind them.
Ride with the moon in the dead of night!
The witches carved patterns between the stars.
Everybody scream, everybody scream!
The tree spoke! Ooh and it had a very big, very black, very scary mouth!
Syaoran's arms had been getting tired but he suddenly elected not to put the princess down.
In our town of Halloween.
The skeletons hanging from the trees branches grinned and clattered together like haunted wind chimes. I am the clown with the tear-away face!
Something big and fat, with very bad fashion sense, was riding on a unicycle.
Here in a flash and gone without a trace!
It ripped its face out and continued to sing in a slightly muffled voice. Then, in a puff of smoke, it was gone. I am the "who" when you call, "Who's there?"
A shiver ran down Syaoran's spine and Kurogane prodded him lightly.
"Kid. I don't think we should be standing around like this."
"Kuro-chan is scared!" Fai teased.
Kurogane took a swipe at the magician.
I am the wind blowing through your hair.
A beautiful woman appeared before Syaoran and blew a fog of icy breath in his face. Then, she was gone. I am the shadow on the moon at night!
Something black passed over the moon. It had a menacing air and Syaoran pressed Sakura even closer in his arms. She whimpered.
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright!
Bugs rained down in alarming numbers. This is Halloween, this is Halloween!
Bats filled the air, dissipating the bright ghosts by flying through them. Their high pitched squeaked were almost worse than the hooting of the ghosts.
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
Corpses and vampires and other motley creatures began to file in from everywhere. Soon, the travelers would be surrounded. Maybe they should have run when they had the chance!
Halloween! Halloween!
Two corpse children, one round and the other very bat-like, were playing near a guillotine. They beheaded jack-o-lanterns with glee. Tender lumplings everywhere.
Despite the fact that they were being surrounded by the singing undead, Kurogane wondered what the hell a 'lumpling' was.
Life's no fun without a good scare.
Fai was giggling again and Syaoran had half a mind to ask Mokona to transport them to the next world – feather or not. It seemed the magician was losing his mind! That's our job, but we're not mean.
A ragdoll with long red hair approached Syaoran. She offered him a smile, but the stitches that took up most of her face kind of ruined it.
In our town of Halloween!
The creatures were all assembling around the well as if they were waiting for something. In this town.
There was a grinding sound in the distance. Don't we love it now?
That mayor with two faces – the perfect politician – was back. Mokona shivered against Fai and Syaoran cradled Sakura tightly. Everyone's waiting for the next surprise!
If Kurogane never had another surprise in his life, it would be too soon. Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back!
That grinding sound was very close and Syaoran caught a glimpse of some kind of trolley with a straw horse on it being pulled by a grim-looking…something.
And scream like a banshee!
There was some kind of scarecrow on the horse's back, just sitting there though Syaoran could see a sort of light way back in its eyes.
Were they going to witness some sort of ritual? What kind of tradition could these…people have?
He had to tap down his historical excitement.
Make you jump out of your skin!
If they were going to witness a live sacrifice, then he would have to stop them or his conscience would eat him alive.
This is Halloween, everyone scream!
Syaoran set Sakura down on her feet, but she gripped his hand for comfort.
Won't ya please make way for a very special guy?
The creatures all began to hoot and stare up at this scarecrow with appreciation and wonder. Our man Jack is king of the pumpkin patch!
The scarecrow grabbed a torch and swallowed the flame. It's entire body burst into flame!
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King now!
Burning, it danced atop that horse.It made a face at the creatures and even they drew back. This is Halloween, this is Halloween!
It spun on one leg.
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
Then, it down into the well, which upon closure inspection turned out to be a sort of green fountain. The fire extinguished with a hiss. In this town we call home.
The kids leaned over the rim of the fountain, singing solo now.
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song!
The scarecrow or whatever it was still hadn't emerged from the fountain. Had it drowned? La la-la la…Halloween! Halloween!
A skinny skeleton rose from the water, dripping and grinning. Its collar moved as if it was alive.
Mokona went boink, but this creature obviously had no feather.
The magic circle came out in an instant and they were swept away to another world.
Fai was still giggling.
"What's your problem, magician?" Kurogane demanded.
Fai had to force out his answer between snorts of laughter. "That was all sorcery! Not mine, but someone's! You guys should have seen the looks on your faces!"
They landed in the next world, in a heap, as usual.
Kurogane took two second to orient himself and then, the magician was as good as dead. That left Sakura and Syaoran to try to calm him down.
Yeah, good luck guys…
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Also, please, check out my first ORIGINAL NOVEL! The Breaking of Poisonwood by Paradise Avenger. (Summary: People were dead. When Skye Davis bought me at a slave auction as a birthday present for his brother, I had no idea what my new life was going to be like, but I had never expected this. It all started when Venus de Luna was killed and I was to take her place, to become the new savior… Then, bad things happened and some people died. In the heart of the earth, we discovered the ancient being that Frank Davis had found and created and used to his advantage. The Poisonwood—)
Reviews please! ^_^
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