Stars, scattering across the skies blacker than ink. Their cores vibrated as they gave off their glimmering; but rather than shades of gold, they wore dresses of sapphires and violets, as if fragments of rainbow had escaped into the dusk.

And it was beneath that field of beauty that I strolled. My feet sauntered atop the sidewalk of onyx cement, my skin caressed by a loving zephyr. On either side of me, homes modest and extravagant stood tall, their styles a flawless gothic. Some even had iron-bar fences and gates whose heights rivaled minute mountains.

For the most part, the occupancy of the magenta grass lawns kept slim, with the only sign of residency being the lights that shone through the windows. Sometimes, though, the inhabitants would breathe the open air with me: a woman with spider legs, crafting an awe-inspiring artwork of silk; a colossal beast of black symbiote and sharpened teeth roaring into the great skies; a circle of Frankenstein-like children tossing something pink and squishy between them like a hacky sack. (Side note: I think I know what that is, but I'm not gonna ask.)

And the reaction was always the same at my presence: curiosity at the sole human trudging through this sinister dimension. Very seldom did genuine malice spill from their visages (except for that creepy doll idling atop a window sill; he gave me one hell of a glare).

However, I did little to repay the attention. Instead, I stuck my eyes to the tiny compass nested in the palm of my hand. Its body a crimson metal, it had an exotic skull attached to the center of the face, with an arrow extending from it, pointing South, opposite of where I walked.

Come on, I thought, hopeful that the needle would stay directly South. Please don't change on me.

I could remember when Malak had handed me the device, along with some screwy instructions.

"This will always lead you back to my home," he had said. "Just always follow the direction opposite of the arrowhead and you should always end up here."

"Opposite?" I asked. "Wouldn't I want to follow the direction of the arrow?"

"If that were a mortal compass, yes. However, this compass was forged by the Mage of Chaos, and, therefore, it holds with it a chaotic nature. Since I programmed it to track this house, it will always try to lead you away."

I remember the straightened eyes I gave him. "And you thought a compass like this was a good idea?"

"Why not? We of this universe are creatures of chaos! It is only natural that we seek all things of that same breed!" He'd then do his maniacal laugh, which had me cringing from shoulder to shoulder.

And now, I had to essentially walk backwards just to find my workplace, as if babysitting a little demon girl wasn't hard enough.

To make matters worse, as I reached the end of the street, I found myself gazing into nothingness. Not metaphorical, but literally nothing.

Allow me to explain:

Each neighborhood existed in its own space, as if each owned a chunk of reality all to itself. At each end, there would be a wide circle of swirls floating midair; gateways, as I had come to call them. Each had their own set of exotic symbols. Take one step into the gateway and boop! I had a punched ticket into a new neighborhood.

Sounds cool, right?

I would agree, if only the damn things were consistent!

No two gateways held the same path, not even the same gateway. The number of times I'd walk through the same one and end up in a different space than before surpassed the limits of mathematics!

So, in a nutshell, I had to walk backwards to my workplace while not knowing with certainty the way to get to said workplace.

Blasphemy.

Blasphemy, I say!

In any case, after taking a much-needed deep breath, I dragged myself through the floating swirls, teleporting to a fresh neighborhood.

But as I looked to my compass, the needle pointed forward, meaning I had to backtrack.

I raised an eyebrow.

That usually doesn't happen.

Once more, I slid through the gateway, and shattering my understanding, I emerged at the row of houses I had just left.

Wait, what?

I studied my compass: the needle aimed ahead.

Um . . . Uh . . .

Again,

and again,

and again.

A madman in the making, I stepped through the gateway, always emerging at the same two neighborhoods. At one point, I even had only half of my body sticking through, as if my problem lay in my going through too fast.

Eventually, I settled back in the first neighborhood, scratching my head as the compass pointed forward.

I am so lost.

Slowly, but surely, the gravity of the situation sank into me like leadened sand.

Why watch anime when I can just be trapped in a universe of monsters?

"Um, are you okay?"

A voice—a sweet voice—right behind me, just as my heart could quiver like mad.

I jumped.

"I'm not delicious! I swear!"

Then came a giggle.

"I didn't think you were."

I turned around, and much to my amazement, I found myself staring at . . . another human. A teenage girl, she appeared as, with skin light and a figure elegantly slim. Her hair brown, she had it fitted into a ponytail that fell down to her waist, tied by a pristine white ribbon. A pure green washed over her irises, rivaling the beauty of pure emeralds. For an outfit, she wore a brown blazer jacket with a white undershirt and a blue skirt. Black kneesocks covered her legs, paired with white dress shoes.

I gawked.

She smiled.

"Hello, there," she said.

I gawked.

She stroked her chin. "Hm . . . How about 'Konichiwa'? 'Hola'? 'Bonjour'!"

I had my senses come back.

"Oh, um, sorry," I said. "Kinda lost myself there."

"So you can talk," the girl noted. "Was starting to think I found myself a mute."

I nearly lost myself in her alluring gaze.

"No mute here!" I blurted out. "Only a top-notch speaker!"

Oh, social awkwardness, you never let me down.

The girl just giggled again.

"Well, top-notch speaker, what seems to be the problem? You looked like you were having some issues."

I planted myself back in the here and now.

"Right." I gestured to the gateway beside us. "I think there's something wrong with this gateway. I keep getting looped back to this neighborhood."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "'Gateway'?" she asked. "That's an interesting way to name them."

"What do you normally call them?"

"Portals."

Portals, gateways. One way or another, you're leaping across dimensions, so let's just leave technicalities aside.

The girl ushered me aside, then went about studying the gateway—excuse me, portal.

"Hmm," she hummed. Her fingers dragged across the floating circles, causing exotic symbols to emerge around the shapes.

Never seen that before.

Realization struck my mystery helper.

"Ah," she said, "I see your problem. It looks like someone cast a loop on the portal."

"A loop?" I asked.

"Meaning whenever you tried to leave, you'd be led right back."

That would explain the janky compass.

"Here," the girl said, "let me fix it for you." She swiped her fingers, erasing several of the letters that I assumed "coded" the portal. She then reverted said portal back to its original state.

"There, that should do it."

"Would you mind showing me how you did that?" I asked. "You know, in case I get caught again in an eternal loop of doom?"

Again with the giggles.

"I think the only doom you'd experience is having to judge Ms. Rachnera's mandrakes," she noted.

"The spider lady?" I asked.

The girl nodded. "Be careful with the word 'spider,' though. She prefers the term 'arachnid.'"

"I'll, um, keep that in mind."

Just then, a high-pitched screech boomed from down the street.

"MONIKA!" it bellowed.

We both turned our heads to spot another girl, much shorter, waving at us from another home. Her hair pink, she wore more or less the same outfit as my helpful companion.

"YOU PROMISED YOU'D HELP ME WITH THIS NEXT BATCH OF COOKIES!" she roared. "SO FORGET ABOUT MC AND GET OVER HERE!"

"I'm coming, Natsuki!" the stranger assured. "I'm coming. Just gimme a sec."

The pink-haired girl folded her arms and puffed up her cheeks as she narrowed her eyes at us.

The stranger turned to me for one last smile.

"As you can see, duty calls," she said. "You should come over sometime. Believe it or not, Natsuki's sweets are actually really good. When they're not tests, that is."

"Tests? You know what, I don't even wanna know."

"You're a smart cookie."

With that, she began to head back to her home.

I sent my voice after her. "Thanks for the help, um . . ."

"Monika," she said. "And you're very welcome." Then came a sly smile. "Be seeing you, MC."

At her departure, only one thought struck me: How does she know my name?

But as I remembered why I was here in the first place, that question quickly fell apart in the back of my mind.

I'd better hurry.

Back to the routine. I fished out my compass once more, and luckily, after stepping through the portal, the needle didn't point back.

So, thankfully, it only took a few more jumps across reality before I made it to the home of my favorite little monster girl. Rich lights glowed through the windows, contrasting the blacker-than-black that painted the gothic-like exterior.

I stepped forward, across the slim stone walkway, to the towering wooden door. When I reached, I gave the hulk of a door a trio of knocks.

Instantly, the entrance swung open, and before I could even glimpse into the house, something slim wrapped around my body, yanking me inside.

Behind, the door closed once again.

Before I knew it, I found myself face to face with a . . . well . . . face—a featureless canvas of paleness, mere inches from my own.

I gaped, my skin draining to a shade that'd give ghosts a run for their money.

"H-Hey, Uncle Slenderman," I uttered. "D-Didn't expect to see you here."

Dressed in his ideal suit, the tall man oozed a menacing air, his dark tentacles holding me in place as we stood in the kitchen.

But that sinistry that nearly smothered me lasted but a moment, until the slim man released me, even dusting gingerly my shoulder with his tentacle.

"Th-Thanks . . ." I said. "No hard feelings."

He gave me a nod.

A second later and the voices of familiarity echoed from atop the staircase.

"Daddy!" one of them, a little girl's, called. "Are you sure I don't look weird?"

"You look magnificent, my dear!" another, a man's, assured her. "Absolutely stunning."

With their syllables flowed the rummaging of materials, like a teenager digging through the dump of his bedroom.

I raised an eyebrow.

Then came the tug, dragging my attention back to the bottom of the stairs. I turned my head to my sleeve, where I found another little girl gripping it with her fingers. Much like Uncle Slendy's, her face bore no features, with the upper portion concealed slightly by her bangs shaded like shadows. Her frame slender, she wore a dress similar to that of a ballerina's.

Another blank canvas gazing at me, only this one carried a stronger curiosity.

I gave a small smile.

"Um, hello there," I said. "You look adorable."

To my surprise, redness quickly blossomed where her cheeks were supposed to be, petals of roses blooming to existence.

I looked to Uncle Slendy.

"Is this your daughter?" I asked.

He nodded.

At this point, the sudden stray from the usual engulfed my mind, itching it, and I longed for the scratch to satisfy.

"All right," I said, "I'll be honest: I have no clue what's happening right now. Would you care to fill me in, Uncle Slenderman, 'cause I thought tonight was gonna be business as usual?"

In compliance, Uncle Slendy stretched a tentacle to the counter nearby, where he grabbed a piece of paper lying around. He then kindly handed it to me.

"What is this?" I mumbled as I studied the gift.

A flyer. An image of a skull adorned with flowers occupied most of the space, with the words "Little Beast Beauty Bash" stretching across the top, the font elegant and cursive-like. Towards the bottom, a single-lined message showed: "Come one, come all, little beasts of this dimension! Time to show the shadows of your heart!"

I don't know if that's a compliment or not.

"I am so confused." But as I glued the pieces together—Agatha's assurance of her cuteness, Uncle Slendy's daughter dressed all-out—the puzzle became complete.

I looked back to the man with the tentacles and asked, "Beauty pageant?"

Again with the standard nod, only this time, I also received another tug from the blank-faced ballerina.

Slenderman sent a tentacle to his daughter, stroking lightly the top of her head. In return, she blushed once more.

I gave a face, unsure of which emotion should own it.

They have beauty pageants here? Like, that's a thing? Really? Then again, we did go to Wal Mart that one time, so I can't really be that surprised. But still! A beauty pageant? Next, you're gonna tell me they have their own NBA.

. . .

Don't tell me . . .

"Hey, Uncle Slende—"

"Why, if it isn't my feeble little hire!"

Right as I could snag the spice, I spotted Malak and Agatha cruising down the staircase.

Shoot. Guess I'll have to solve that mystery another day.

And what does he mean by "feeble?" I drink my milk everyday, thank ya very much.

As soon as Agatha passed the last step, she lunged at me to wrap her arms around my waist.

"MC~!" she sang.

I smiled and kindly pat her head. "Why, aren't you a little aggressive tonight?"

Upon a closer look, I saw the adorable little dress she wore, black of course, making her look like your run-of-the-mill gothic princess. To tie the outfit, a rose as dark as night nested in her hair.

"I see you're looking lovely tonight," I told her.

Agatha grinned, her cheeks reddening.

I looked to my employer and raised the pageant flyer.

"So, you mind telling me what this is?" I asked. "'Cause you didn't, exactly, mention it last time I was here."

Then again, I was busy playing hide-and-seek, or whatever that chase counted as.

Malak stroked his chin. "Did I not? I could've sworn . . ." He snapped his fingers. "But I did mention it! Don't you remember? I said that your next visit will be filled with grand chaos!"

I had never wanted to smack a demon so hard in my life.

How the hell is that different from any other visit?

"Riiiight," I said. "How could I miss such a clue?"

"Exactly. You need to pay better attention, MC. I'm not paying you to just look somewhat intelligent."

One would argue you're not paying me at all.

And did I already mention that smack?

I gave a sigh. "In any case, it doesn't look like you'll be needing a babysitter tonight."

"But of course not!" Malak said. "I'd be a fool to miss my baby girl in her big moment!"

Uncle Slendy nodded his own head.

A pair of doting daddies.

"If that's the situation," I said, "then I'm gonna head back. Got a paper due in a few hours and I have yet to start."

'Cause apparently, I just can't seem to learn my lesson.

I readied myself for my departure.

But before I could take even a single step, I felt a tug at my sleeve. And as I tilted my head down, I found my favorite little monster girl looking up at me, the frowniest of frowns tainting her face.

"MC," she said, "you're not gonna come with us?"

A punch to the gut, the guilt violated me in ways I couldn't imagine.

"W-Well," I began, "your dad will be with you. And Uncle Slend—"

A tighter hold, with the demon girl giving me puppy dog eyes, despite the hollowness her sockets showed. (Pretty impressive, I had to admit.)

"B-But . . . my paper . . ."

Suddenly, I felt another tug of my other sleeve, and much like with Agatha, Uncle Slendy's daughter, too, fired at me the ultimate shame.

Damn it, I thought, my heart tensing at the situation. Why are monster girls just so damn adorable?

Admitting defeat, I gave a small sigh, followed by a light smile.

"I guess I can't miss this, huh?" I asked.

Agatha quickly shined a bright grin.

"Yay!" she cheered. "MC's coming with us! Yay! Yay!"

Both she and Little Slendy clung to my arms with more love, only Little Slendy took a step up and bounced up and down from the excitement.

Lord, if I don't do my next paper early, please don't hesitate to strike me with lightning.

With that, Malak opened the front door for the rest of us.

"Off we go!" he bellowed. "To the battle of the beauties!"

Welp, when he said "battle," he wasn't kidding. At least, in the size department. You know, 'cause battles are big. Er, they're supposed to be. Can you have small battles? Family battles, right? Are those a thing? Ant wars?

You know what.

Let me start over.

After riding across dimensions in a carriage led by a headless horse (which I wondered whether or not meant Malak was pimpin'), the five of us arrived at where the pageant was going to take place. To my immense surprise, the building didn't take on that gothic feel, much like ninety-nine percent of this dimension. Instead, the structure appeared more like a stadium, stretching up to the very stars as it took the shape of a pentagon. The walls showed a variety of colors (albeit the shades were pretty dark), and the massive windows had bright lights glowing from each corner.

I gawked at the sight.

"Are you sure we're in the same universe?" I asked.

"Mm-hm!" Agatha hummed, still clinging to my arm. "This is where daddy had his award ceremony."

"Award ceremony?" I looked to the (maybe) pimpin', red-faced demon. "You know, that has me thinking: What exactly is it that you do, Malak?"

As if all the evils of the worlds had concentrated to this point, a sinisterness pooled into the air, with chills racing down my spine like arachnids. Malak tilted his head down, apparently ready to smother me with dread, and, looking me dead in the eyes, asked, "Do you really wanna know?"

Nope.

Nah.

Hell to the no.

"Y-You know what," I said, "ignorance is bliss."

The snap back

as the jovialness returned to the space.

"Smart answer," Malak told me.

In not-so-surprising news, I'm pretty sure I need a new pair of underwear.

Little Slendy tugged at her father's hand, which she held quite adorably, actually. In return, Uncle Slendy turned his head to Malak.

"Right, right," Malak said, "let's get a move on, folks. We need to give Agatha and Meredith here time to prep."

(I'm still gonna call her Little Slendy.)

"Onward!" Agatha cheered as she began yanking me towards the entrance. Everyone else followed close behind.

And it was as we approached those mountain-like double doors that nervousness sank into my bones. Sure, I had been in this dimension of monsters and demons for some time now, but even so, I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't what'd you call a connoisseur of social etiquette. Heck, even the social gatherings of the human world drained me faster than my laptop battery. So just thinking about a crowd of otherworldly beasts was enough to send my heart on a speed race.

And Malak did mention that it was a battle of beauties. What if I fall for a monster lady? A monster man? What was the law on dating creatures from another universe? Was that possible? Or was I not even seen as a potential mating partner? What was my level in this space?

Was I thinking too hard about this?

You bet your sweet buns.

As the trains in my mind raced around their rails, Agatha led me through the doors, and as if I had been transported once more, I found myself in a completely different space: no darkness creeping around the corners; no shadows waiting to leap out and grab on; not even the imminent fear of being taken alive! (Woo!) Instead, we found ourselves in what looked like a massive lobby. Pristine tiles of various colors lay beneath our feet, while orbs of brilliant illumination grinned near the ceiling. Various booths made themselves home along the walls, from the normal (juice stands) to the not-so-normal (charms made of literal bone dust).

Of course, though, all of that, all of it, was overlooked by the beings that idled across the floor. Much like our trip to Wal-Mart, creatures of all shapes and sizes basked in the light. However, this time around, a greater portion of the individuals appeared as children.

We had the ballerina over there, her face's typical features replaced by layers of mouths with bloodied teeth.

Then there was the girl with long, black hair and skin paler than Uncle Slendy's. She just glared at everyone, which would've been fine, except for the fact that her bangs covered parts of her eyes, giving her a creepy vibe. Maybe that was what she was going for.

One thing was for sure: I most definitely was not going to be diving into any romance here.

Minus all the monsters, I thought, this looks like a place you'd find in Pokémon.

"MC, you stay with the girls," Malak told me. "Slenderman and I will go check in."

"You got it," I replied.

And thus, the two demons who could shield me from the sea of beasts blended into the crowd, making their way towards the long table near the back of the room.

"There sure are a lot of people here," I said, studying the area.

"Of course there are!" Agatha chimed in. "This is only the biggest beauty pageant of the year!"

"You mean, this isn't the only one?"

"Of course not! There's the Comet Queen pageant. The Wicked Whistler. The Mayhem Master. Meredith, here, won that one."

To that, Little Slendy hugged my hand kindly, blushing her blush.

"Heh~? Is that so?" I gently stroked her hair. "Nice going."

Even redder cheeks.

"What about you, Agatha?" I asked. "Have you won any?"

Agatha gave a small frown.

"No," she said, defeated. "Not yet." But that defeat quickly turned into determination as she balled up her claws. "But this pageant is mine! I can feel it in my stomach!"

I think that's the liver cane you had in the carriage talking, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

I offered a reassuring smile.

"You got this," I told her.

Agatha grinned. "You bet your buns!"

Little Slendy tugged at my fingers, and once more, I rubbed her hair.

"You got this too," I said.

The response: one of the warmest hugs I had ever experienced.

I wonder if Uncle Slendy needs a babysitter too?

Just then, a voice emerged beside us, soft and adorable-sounding.

"Agta," it said.

The three of us rolled our attention its way, where we found two individuals standing beside us. (Well, sort of.)

One was a little girl, appearing no older than the age of five. Her frame tiny, she had short, raven-black hair that stuck close to her skin, complemented by irises glowing with brilliant azure. She had skin shaded like sand, most of which had been covered by the white sailor suit she wore.

The other, well . . . it was just clothes. Of course, there was someone wearing that clothes, but the person in question just so happened to be invisible. Through her outfit, however, which consisted of an elegant blouse and skirt, I could tell she was slim. About the same height as me? Same age, maybe? Furthermore, she seemed to be holding a handheld whiteboard along with a blue marker.

"Lucy! Maddy!" Agatha cheered, excited as she stepped to the pair, giving them each a hug. "I'm happy you could make it!"

In response, the invisible girl had her marker's cap removed, and she began to write on her board. To me, though, it just looked like a poltergeist who had given up on the ouija board.

Likewise! :D the invisible girl wrote.

I stood awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed with this social encounter.

It's not rude to stare at something you can't see, right?

Thankfully, Agatha took the initiative and gave introductions.

"MC, I'd like you to meet Lucy Lethereal," she said. "Lucy, this is my babysitter MC."

The marker drifted across the white board:

So you're the MC I've heard so much about. It's nice to meet you! :D

"It's, um, nice to meet you too," I said. "You've heard of me?"

Oh yes. Agatha speaks of you very much in the classroom.

I raised an eyebrow. "Classroom? Are you a classmate?"

Close. I'm her teacher's assistant! ;)

I raised my other eyebrow.

"Teacher's assistant?" I repeated.

"She's the best of the best!" Agatha chimed in. "She always hands out Grave Pops when we get an answer right!"

Part of me wants to know what the heck a Grave Pop is; a bigger part of me wants to ignore that first part; and a bigger, BIGGER part of me wants to know why this universe is so similar to my own. Teacher's assistants? Treats for right answers? The more I think about it, the more I realize just how many parallels run between the human dimension and this one. Shoot, if it wasn't for the bone-cracking fear that we mortals have for these creatures, I'm sure that we'd all be able to live as one. Then again, the monsters here are all about devouring souls, and I'd rather not be in the part of history where the Great Interspecies War took place.

Because we'd lose.

Big time.

"I see you're using a colored pen today, Lucy," Agatha noted.

The marker scribbled: Not a serious event, so I thought I'd keep it playful! :D

Curiosity, piqued.

"Excuse me," I said. "I don't mean to be rude, but why are you using the whiteboard to speak? Can invisible people not talk?"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Agatha chimed in, raising her hand like an excited student. "I've got this one, Lucy." Then, to me: "Lucy here doesn't want people to think she's a ghost. She thinks that if she doesn't use her voice, people will recognize her as invisible, not paranormal."

I take pride in who I am! Lucy added, adding a proud-face emoji to the board.

I mean, I think you look pretty ghostly either way. Anyone back home would be freaked out by the moving marker or the voice with no mouth. No way I'm gonna tell her that, though. Not when she's being so nice.

I brought my attention over to the little girl beside Lucy. (Her name was Maddy, I think?)

She met my eyes and soon gave me an adorable smile.

But rather than having squishy feeling in my heart, I felt something . . . dark. It was as if every negative force in the galaxy convened at this singular point, clawing their way into my very veins. Anger. Disgust. Envy.

But most prominent, hatred.

Acrimony towards the little girl who did nothing more than smile sweetly.

I wanted to bash her head in. Tear off her limbs. Take a knife and dig it through her flesh till her blood stained my palms. I—

"I wouldn't be near that little one for too long if I were you." A voice, from behind. "You may just find yourself going mad."

I'm not gonna—

The more I gazed, the more I wanted to take her eyes and—

Yup.

F*ck that.

I looked away, pointing myself towards the helpful voice rather than the literal embodiment of madness. And as I turned, I found myself facing a familiar figure: a humanoid wolf with circular spectacles settled upon his snout.

"Mr. Man?" I asked. "Is that you?"

The wolfman grinned.

"My, if it isn't my beloved student!" he bellowed. "How have you been? I take it you've been exploring the secrets of our universe? Discovering the points which allow balance to reside across all?"

"Um . . . s-sure."

I'm actually learning about Shakespeare's Othello at the moment, but they're about the same, right?

"Didn't expect to see you here," I added. "Here to satisfy some curiosity?"

On second thought, as I looked closer, I noticed the lab coat he wore, or rather, the lack of one. Instead, the wolfman wore a fancy brown vest with a crimson tie.

Mr. Man chuckled. "Not today. Tonight, I live not as a professor but as an exuberant father!"

He stepped a little to his side, revealing the mini version of himself—a tiny wolf girl. Like her father, she, too, adorned the brown, unkempt fur, although hers was a bit on the short side. Furthermore, she had wavy hair falling gracefully to her neck, its shade the same as the rest of her body. Circular glasses rested upon her snout, shielding her golden eyes with thinly slit pupils. For an outfit, she wore denim overalls with a white undershirt, and for the complement, a tiny, pink bow smiled beside her left ear.

The wolf girl grinned.

"How ya doin'?" she asked. "'Cause I'm doing grrrrrrreat!"

I'm pretty sure the tiger's supposed to say that line.

"I didn't know you had a daughter, Mr. Man," I said.

"Well, a teacher cannot just let his personal life spill out," Mr. Man said. "I had to keep my wits about me."

But in an instant, he wrapped his arms around his daughter and rubbed his face against her cheek.

"Tonight, however, I can be as free as a bird! I love you so much, my little munchkin!"

The wolf girl giggled. "I love you too, Daddy!"

And just like that, the cool and collected wolfman, a sturdy professor, became reduced to a magnet attracted to all things kawaii.

I had just one thought:

Ah, another doting daddy.

Suddenly, gasps broke through the air, like blue jays gliding into the air. All around, looks of awe sprouted, jaws hung as if the creator of the universe had descended upon us.

Even Agatha gave a reaction, although hers was less than favorable.

My curiosity flourished.

"What's everyone looking at?" I wondered.

I matched my line of sight with everyone else's, and it was then that I found the point of interest: a group of girls bunched up near the entrance. They appeared human like me, their ages those of teenagers. Three of them wore identical outfits—brown blazer jackets with white undershirts and blue skirts. Black knee-socks decorated their legs, while white dress shoes covered their feet. However, the last of the bunch took on a more sophisticated approach, wearing a brilliant gray dress with golden bracelets and earrings. Strands of her hair had been tied into twintails, while a main ponytail fell down to her waist, tied by that familiar white bow.

I, too, had to take an extra breath.

Pretty, I thought.

And as her character became more clear, I stumbled upon another conclusion:

I know her.

It was the girl from before, the one who had fixed that portal for me. What was her name again? Monique? Mandy? Marguerite? No, that last one's only for old people.

"She's here too, huh," Agatha hissed.

Little Slendy clung to my arm more tightly.

"You know her?" I asked Agatha.

"Not personally," she answered. "But she's a big shot at these pageants. Whenever she joins, she's pretty much guaranteed a win. Who knew someone with the name 'Monika' could be so terrifying?"

That's her name! Monika!

It appeared that Monika had remembered me, for as our eyes met, she split off from her group of friends to head towards me. With every step she took, her black heels clicked.

"Hey there, MC," she said once she reached. Her cheeks melted to red as she smiled. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Well, you know," I answered shyly, "I wasn't expecting to be here myself."

From Little Slendy, a nearly crushing hold.

I gave her a reassuring smile. "Not that I mind."

The grip loosened, but not by much.

Even Agatha played the game, grabbing my other arm to stop me from being taken away. She eyed the teenage girl warily, whereas Monika gave the little demon girl a curious gaze.

"And who might these little ones be?" she wondered.

"Agatha," Agatha hissed. "The one that MC is watching over. They're my babysitter."

Monika only looked surprised.

"I didn't know you babysat, MC," she noted. "Not to mention, you get to watch over some very adorable girls."

Agatha stayed on her toes, while Little Slendy blushed.

"That's kind of the main reason I come to this place," I explained. "Either babysit or have my soul torn to shreds."

Monika giggled. "I'll bet Malak shows no mercy."

I chuckled.

Yeah, he—wait, how does she . . . ?

Suddenly, the speakers around the room came alive.

"Attention," they announced. "In a few moments, we will commence the one-hundred-and-thirty-seventh annual Little Beast Beauty Bash. We ask that all audience members make their way to their seats and all contestants head to the back room for last-minute preparations."

Monika grinned.

"Looks like we're up," she said. "I hope we can make this a night to remember. See you in the crowd, MC."

With that, Monika began to step away, but not before turning her head to give me one final look—a sly smile and narrowed eyes.

"I do hope you enjoy the show," she said.

She then melted from the scene, heading back to her friends.

I couldn't help but get chills scurrying across my skin.

That is one weird girl, I thought.

A low growl, and as I looked down, I found Agatha glaring at me.

"What's up?" I asked.

No answer; only a tightened hold.

Just then, Malak and Uncle Slendy returned to us.

"All right, girls, it's showtime!" Malak cheered. "Break a soul out there!"

The two then stroked their respective daughters' heads.

"Daddy'll be watching you real close, sweetheart!" Malak said. "You can do this!"

"Mm," Agatha hummed, though her expression was less than jovial. To add on, she never stopped gluing her gaze to me.

"You got this," I told her.

Her face livened a little as she gave me a determined nod.

And so, after finally releasing me, Agatha and Little Slendy, along with the little wolf girl, joined the rest of the contestants to march towards the back of the building.

"Give 'em all the rage, sweetum!" Mr. Man called out, waving at his daughter.

I could only keep a straight face, watching these sinister killers blush at their pride and joy.

Maybe we wouldn't lose that war, after all.

Malak turned his attention to the rest of us.

"Shall we head out ourselves?" he suggested.

Uncle Slendy nodded, and along with Mr. Man, Lucy, and Maddy, the six of us sauntered towards an entrance decorated with scarlet curtains. On the other side showed a grand auditorium, complete with row after row of cushioned seats and a vast oak stage near the front. Orbs of light drifted near the ceiling, but their shine kept dim.

"Let's take our seats around there," Malak suggested, pointing to a row of chairs near the center.

The group agreed, and when we reached, we plopped down on our seats; I set myself beside Malak and Uncle Slendy, who had Mr. Man next to him. Beside Malak was Lucy, then Maddy (which was far enough away, I figured, since I didn't get the overwhelming urge to stab a child in the face).

I scanned the auditorium, curious as to which beasts had marched their way over to this here pageant. (Truth be told, I was actually just wondering which monsters I should quit being terrified of. I mean, I already had the wolfman and Uncle Slendy on the list.)

"Cookies?" I soon heard someone whisper near the back. "Would you like some cookies?"

I sent my attention that way to find Monika's friend situated near the corner. One of them, the one with pink hair, offered treats from a ziplock bag to those around her. The treats—chocolate chip cookies—looked just like that—chocolate chip cookies. No horned worms poking through the dough or an eerie blackness swarming the crumbs. Just cookies. Which, of course, meant that no way in hell were those just cookies.

There's something wrong with them, I decided. There has to be.

My focus then shuffled to the girls themselves. Human, teenage girls, existing with apparent ease near these monsters of the night. Some even smiled at the pink-haired girl as she made her offer. In contrast, the one with reddish hair simply waited patiently for the show to start, whereas the one with purple hair kept her nose buried in a book.

There's something to those girls.

Like a metallic taste writhing on my tongue. I tried and tried to shake it off, but the invader persisted, snatching my attention.

Sadly, though, before my train of theories could depart, the orbs of light dimmed even further, leaving the crowd in near darkness. On the other hand, the lights near the stage brightened, hopeful that the sun would become envious.

Then came the voice.

That voice.

The one that made quick work of my patience, slapping me upside the head with an annoyance unrivaled.

"Upupupu!"

Before I could clench my fists in frustration, he emerged—that black-and-white bear that could apparently summon drumsticks from thin air. This time around, he had a monocle covering his ominous crimson eye.

"Hello there, ladies and gentlefish!" he called out, speaking into the microphone in his hand (which he didn't need, that little sh*t). "I am your host, Monokuma! And I welcome you to another rendition of the Little Beauty Beast Bash!"

From the audience, a light applause.

I had a less-than-favorable response.

You're a c*nt.

Apparently able to read minds (which I wouldn't doubt), Monokuma flicked his gaze to me, if only for a second. But in that second, I could see the malice of his soul, sneering through that devilish glowing eye.

But before I knew it, his host mentality returned.

"We have quite the treat for you tonight!" he announced. "These little beasts have gathered from across the town to show just what they're made of! But who will be crowned the best of the best? Who will reign victorious as the loveliest little beauty? Those are the answers we will discover tonight!"

"A foolish question," Malak said softly. "We all know our girls are the best in the house. This contest itself is just a waste of time."

This was followed by both Uncle Slendy and Mr. Man nodding their heads in agreement.

I only sighed.

I feel bad for the saps that try to marry these girls.

Monokuma continued.

"Now, without further ado," he said, "let's get this party started and give these girls their time to shine!"

He stepped to the side of the stage, where he began flipping through a stack of index cards (which he now magically had).

"We will first begin with introductions," he announced. "Eh-hm. First off, let's give a shout to the daughter of Slenderman, Miss Meredith!"

The crowd gave an applause, whereas Uncle Slendy had his tentacles wriggle like dancing worms.

From the side of the stage arrived Little Slendy, who strolled to the center, her cheeks a light scarlet. When she reached, she stood still to face the audience.

"Now, then, Miss Meredith," Monokuma said, "let us know just who you are!"

Still, Little Slendy said nothing, and as she held her hands at her lap, her tiny tentacles wriggled just like her father's,

"Upupupu! A bit on the quiet side. But that's just what makes her adorable!"

With one final bow, Little Slendy sauntered off the stage, the crowd's applause following her.

I guess less is more, I thought.

"That was the daughter of a legend," Monokuma said. "Now, let's give it up for the daughter of everyone's favorite brainiac! Can I get a round of applause for Miss Wolfette!"

From the onlookers, compliance, while Mr. Man's daughter approached the center of the stage, just as Little Slendy had. When she reached, she grinned, pumping her fist into the air.

"Hello, everyone!" she sang. "My name's Wolfette, and I'm feeling grrrrreat!"

"Ah, Wolfette!" Mr. Man cheered. "Papa loves you!"

Wolfette waved at her father, and several heads turned our way, forcing me to cover my face a little. Embarrassment, shooting to the sky, even though I wasn't the one in the spotlight.

The teddy bear beamed. "And we're feeling great to have you here, Wolfette!"

Another one down as the little wolf girl sauntered off the stage.

Another look through the index cards.

"Eh-hm. Oh! Here's a biggie!" Monokuma raised his voice. "Please welcome to the stage the lovely high-school girl, Miss Monika!"

"WHOO!" a voice erupted from the back of the crowd. "YOU GET 'EM, MONIKA! SHOW THEM THAT THE LITERATURE CLUB DOESN'T MESS AROUND! AND WOULD ANYONE LIKE ANYMORE COOKIES?"

Those are some supportive friends, I thought.

The natural human of this monstrous dimension strolled to the stage's center, flaunting a beautiful elegance with each step taken.

"Hello, everyone," she said once in position. "My name is Monika, and it is an honor to make your acquaintance. As president of our school's literature club, I take pride in the creativity of the individual, and I hope that someday, we may be able to stand hand-in-hand, despite our differences."

She stared me dead in the eyes, a sly smile that only I would notice.

The high-school girl then bowed.

"Thank you."

"No, thank you, Monika," Monokuma said. "A very eloquent introduction if I do say so myself."

The spotlight empty once more, the announcer went back to his notes.

"Upupupu," he chuckled. "Here comes another biggie. Ladies and gentlebeasts, please welcome the daughter of Malak and a very good friend of mine, Miss Agatha!"

There she is, I thought, watching my favorite little demon girl make her way to the spotlight. She seemed stiff, her movements almost robotic. And when she finally faced the audience, I could spot a light quivering scurrying across her claws.

"H-Hello, everyone," she managed. "M-My name is Agatha, and I am very excited to be here."

She set her focus on me, where I gave an assuring smile.

Thankfully, just that was enough to ease her muscles a bit.

Agatha grinned. "I do hope you enjoy what I have in store for you today!"

With that, the little demon girl sauntered away from the scene.

"I'm sure we'll be in for a real treat, Agatha!" Monokuma promised.

From there, he went on to introduce a bevy of little monsters, each vastly different from the next. There was the animatronic chick waving around a cupcake, dubbed "Toy Chica" for some reason. Then there was the girl dressed in a brown kimono who hummed through a bamboo muzzle.

In time, however, the entire lineup of little monsters had been revealed, and it was then that Monokuma swapped out his white index cards for some red ones.

"Alrighty, all you demons!" he said. "You've had the chance to meet each one of these adorable beauties. But I wouldn't choose a favorite just yet! We still have more of this contest to roll through! Now, without further ado, let's switch it up to the talent portion, where each of our contestants will show you just what makes them so gosh darn special!"

Talent portion? I thought. Don't tell me, I'm gonna have a front-row seat to all the horrors I can think of. Someone's gonna have their chest eaten out, or their nostrils ripped to the size of potholes.

The more my imagination rampaged, the shakier my knees became.

But of course, my expectations were split down the middle, erased by the plot-twist-esque nature of this universe.

Again, like with the introductions, Little Slendy was up first, albeit she didn't try any stalking techniques like her dad had done to me at Wal-Mart. Instead, she opted to executing fancy tricks with moon balls using her tentacles. She spun them around like basketballs, juggled them through the air, even had them ricocheting off the walls to soar back to her.

Needless to say, the oohs and ahs were well warranted, and Uncle Slendy couldn't have been more proud (even without, you know, a face).

Next up was Wolfette, who also made use of a ball, although hers leaned more towards kickball than throwing towards the hundred-dollar hole. (Only, like, fifteen of people will actually get that reference ;) .) For her talent, the little wolf girl balanced the ball on her nose, then kept it up in the air with her paws, foreshadowing that she could be one hell of a FIFA player.

Again, the audience gave their approval, in addition to Mr. Man, who literally cried tears of joy at his daughter's performance.

It doesn't get old, I decided.

Then came Monika, the one assumed to win the whole show. As such a golden contestant, I had somewhat high expectations, and let me just say, those expectations were met, full freakin' force. For her talent, Monika sang a song she titled "Your Reality." Providing the tune via piano was one of her friends, the one with the violet hair and a vigorous case of bibliophilia. Her Beethoven-like performance, paired with Monika's angelic vocals, made for a solo-song concert that rivaled artists of the human world. As the lyrics gushed from her lips, I could feel the syllables flutter to my own soul, purifying the shades that swirled within. At some point, I even assumed I had been transported to a place of angels, where doves and golden halos existed in unity.

At the end of her performance, the crowd erupted with applause, with a good number of folks even giving a well-deserved standing ovation.

Now I see why she's a strong contender for first place.

Malak, on the other hand, remained unimpressed.

"Just wait till you see my baby girl," he said under his breath. "She's gonna blow the roof off this building."

I didn't know if he meant metaphorically or literally, and I was really hoping for the former.

"Upupupu!" Monokuma chuckled as Monika gave her bow and left the stage. "Now that was quite the singing. Excellent job, Miss Monika!" To the index cards. "Next up on our list, we have Miss Agatha! I wonder just what she has in store for us!"

Before long, my favorite little demon girl emerged on the stage once again, this time accompanied by a trio of monkeys wearing bellhop suits. Their heads abnormally large, they appeared as bobbleheads, with blood dripping lightly from their sharpened fangs.

"H-Hello, everyone," Agatha said, her body stiff. "I will now perform a dance for you. Please, enjoy."

And thankfully, she did just that, with classical music flooding the auditorium as Agatha and the fancy monkeys made their moves. Luckily, her body's tensity vanished, allowing the monster girl to swirl and twirl like a gifted ballerina. The monkeys kept in the background, giving gentle movements that only enhanced Agatha's movements.

Without my realizing, Malak had whipped out a camcorder, which he promptly used to record his daughter.

"I know what I'll be watching for the next few days," he noted. "You get 'em, sweetheart! Show 'em what you're made of!"

Okay, now you're just getting a little creepy.

Through it all, Agatha smiled like crazy, and I could only imagine what ran through her mind: the peace swallowing her whole; the notion that she was the only one in existence, experiencing every piece of bliss that ever came to fruition.

I couldn't help but feel happy myself.

When finished, both she and the monkeys gave their bows, followed by the thunderous clapping of the audience.

"Well, that sure was something, Miss Agatha!" Monokuma said. "If this were a dance competition, you'd sure as heck have my vote!"

As the little demon girl sauntered off the stage, she glanced my way, and for a tiny gift, I gave her a warm smile. In turn, she did the same.

With that, we moved on to the rest of the (relatively) talented contestants, which ranged from a cat girl who swallowed a cow-sized spider using just the tentacles spewing from her mouth, to another human-esque girl who dedicated a poem of hers to someone named "Yuki". (By the way, if I were Yuki, I'd be a little concerned, because this girl was waving around a bloodied pair of scissors like it was business as usual.)

"Thank you for the heartwarming poem, Yuno," Monokuma said. "I'm sure Yuki will be happy to hear what you think about him!

"And with that, ladies and gentlefish, we move on to the final portion of the pageant! The night has been long, and so far, we've seen enough from these girls to think that they should all be winners! But alas, only one can reign victorious; only one can truly be the best little beauty! So, the question is, who should get the crown. That's something that the girls will decide for themselves. For this final section, all the contestants hafta do is let us know why they should be called the greatest little beauty. Sounds easy enough, right? I hope you agree, because with no more loligagging from me, let's get this last act cleaned up!"

The endgame, except no Titans threatened to snap their fingers. Instead, we got the little monsters appearing back on the stage, one by one. By now, the lights of the auditorium had brightened, making the scene look less like a movie showing and more like a speech in progress.

I heard answers of all varieties, from the undoubtedly vain (cat girl = "Because I'm just the best) to the odd but charming (Little Slendy = saying nothing but receiving nods of acknowledgement).

When Monika stepped up, she dressed her message with many petals of sincerity.

"I believe I should be called the best little beauty because I always give it my all," she said. "No matter what, I never give up, and I believe that that's what we should all strive for—a tenacious spirit."

Not bad.

If it wasn't for the eerie glances you keep giving me, I'd actually be drawn in.

Then came Agatha, who faced the masses with her hands held shyly at her waist.

"I think I should be crowned the best little beauty because it's my dream," she said. "I want the worlds to know that I'm here, that I can bring something to the table.

"I can be more than what I am."

Hell yeah.

That's what I'm talkin' about.

After the final girl had given her answer, Monokuma announced an intermission so that the judges could decide on a winner. Ergo, the auditorium quickly became flooded with noise as chatter here and there sprung forth.

"I don't know why they bother thinking," Malak said. "Isn't it obvious?"

"My little girl is the best!"

My employer and Mr. Man stared at one another, wide-eyed at their matched claim.

"I believe you may be mistaken, Wolf," Malak said. "Everyone knows that my little Agatha is irrefutably the best."

"I wouldn't be so bold, Malak," Mr. Man retorted. "While Agatha is most definitely adorable, my Wolfette is one of a kind. A pioneer of cuteness for the next generation."

"Say what now!?"

As the two doting daddies butted heads, Uncle Slendy waited patiently; although, I was pretty sure that if he could talk, he'd be all up in the argument.

Sadly, my prediction couldn't be tested, for Monokuma had returned to the stage, his excitement rumbling through the roof.

"And now is the time, my fellow monsters!" he cheered. "The results are in, and we have, with great confidence, determined who the best little beast is!"

Agatha awaited backstage, Wolfette and Meredith nearby, and as the teddy bear's announcement swirled through her ears, she felt her guts twist and turn like a pretzel.

I want to win, she thought.

Like a daisy blooming, MC blossomed into her mind.

I need to win.

Wolfette clutched her stomach.

"I can't take anymore of this," she said. "I feel like I'm about to explode."

Meredith nodded, her tentacles giving off light twirls.

"Don't worry," a voice said behind them. "I'm sure it'll be over soon enough."

The three girls turned to find Big Sister Monika nearby.

"Ah! The song lady," Wolfette noted.

Agatha, on the other hand, merely eyed Monika carefully.

"Very good job on your performances," Monika told them. "I never knew this town had so much talent. Your parents must be very proud."

"Just tryin' our best!" Wolfette said.

Agatha, still, said nothing.

Monika flicked her focus to the little demon girl.

"That dance of yours was very cool, Agatha," she said. "I think it would match well with my song."

Here's hoping it doesn't, Agatha thought.

Monika noticed her unease.

"You don't have to be so nervous," she assured. "This is just a competition. Not the end of the worlds if you don't win."

"Easy for you to say," Agatha hissed back. "You have nothing to lose if you don't get first."

The girl of the white bow rubbed her finger against her cheek, her innocence emanating.

"I suppose you're right," she said. "There's really only something I can gain." A sly smile, her gaze darkening. "That babysitter of yours, they look awfully cute."

Agatha flinched a little, narrowing her eyes, while Meredith took aim with her tentacles.

"I wonder what they'd think if they were babysitting a loser. Surely, they wouldn't like that."

Agatha's breathing heavied.

Monika giggled.

"Don't worry," she told the little demon girl. "Even if you don't win, I'm sure they'll still be by your side.

"For now, anyways."

With that, the high school girl left the trio, leaving Agatha to deal with the quivering in her chest.

Meredith rubbed her back, while Wolfette snarled and clenched her fist.

"Why I oughta!" she barked. "The nerve of that fleshy witch!"

Nearby, Monkuma's voice broke through the air.

"We will now announce the top three winners of this year's Little Beast Beauty Bash!" he said."Hold on to your seats!"

Despite their overwhelming confidence, both Malak and Mr. Man cupped their hands together, hoping that their daughters' names would be announced.

"Drum roll please!" Monokuma requested, followed by what sounded like rolling thunder. "In third place, we have . . ."

Silence.

"Meredith! Come on to the stage!"

The audience clapping, Little Slendy appeared on the stage, where helpers of the pageant decorated her neck with a bronze medal. She stared out, her tentacles slithering like joyful snakes.

Uncle Slenderman kept his applause tame, but his tentacles, too, wiggled like crazy.

Understandable.

The auditorium came to a hush once more, and Monokuma continued.

"In second place, we have . . ."

The little demon girl held her breath.

"Agatha!"

A tense sensation, as if her heart had sunk to her waist. She skipped a breath or two, her grip on reality loosened by a few screws. When she did return, she let the situation sink in, Lady Defeat caressing her cheek with love and care.

"Come on out!" Monokuma pressed.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Malak bellowed, rising from his seat. "That's my girl! You may not be number one, but you're still a star!"

He settled for second place, huh?

At least he exploded with excitement, unlike Agatha, who, stepping slowly onto the stage, could do nothing more than give a weak smile.

She stood beside Little Slendy, where the helpers awarded her her silver medal.

And when she looked at me, she gave me a face that whispered only two words: "I'm sorry."

Monokuma rubbed his paws together.

"And in first place, we have . . ." He threw his arms up. ". . . Monika! Make yourself known, girlfriend!"

Pride surrounding her like electricity, the president of the literature club waltzed into the light, gifting the audience a princess's wave.

'WOOHOO!" I heard the cookie girl cheer behind me. "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT! WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!"

Mr. Man, on the other hand, was less than impressed.

"Impossible!" he uttered. "How could you ignore my little girl? My little Wolfette! The nerve of this contest!"

Malak pressed his hand against his fellow father's shoulder.

"You can't win them all," he said, smug as a rug.

Mr. Man grimaced.

"Thank you, everyone," Monika said, now wearing her dazzling gold medal. "I appreciate all the love and support, and I can assure you, this is not the end but a lovely beginning!"

More cheers from the spectators (minus an annoyed wolfman).

"And just like that, the one-hundred-and-thirty-seventh annual Little Beast Beauty Bash comes to a close!" Monokuma announced. "Please be sure to exit the stadium in an orderly fashion. Booths will be open after the show, so feel free to spend your hard-earned bucks on some useless junk— I mean, priceless souvenirs."

The closure upon us, audience members lifted themselves from their seats to exit the auditorium.

But as I studied Agatha, I found her expression to be . . . persistent, as if she wanted to remain, to try just one more time at flipping the coin.

"Who would've thought we'd have the same talent!"

The seven of us—me, the doting daddies, and the little monsters—strolled down the sidewalk, the stars glimmering nicely across the night sky. (Don't ask me why we didn't take that carriage again.)

"We should've done a collab performance, Meredith" Wolfette suggested, riding on her father's shoulders. "Maybe then, we could've both won first place!"

Little Slendy gave a nod, clutching her bronze medal with glee.

"Those officials wouldn't know beauty if it hit them on the head," Mr. Man hissed. "Not choosing my baby girl as a runner-up, let alone a winner. The blasphemy!"

Malak gave them the eye.

"Got something to say about my Agatha?" he challenged.

The wolf stood his ground.

"Of course not. I'm merely stating that my Wolfette should've gotten the gold."

From my employer, a sigh.

"And to think I invited you to the after-party," he groaned.

"Which I humbly appreciate," Mr. Man replied.

Through it all, Agatha uttered not a single word, keeping her stare to the ground as she dragged her feet.

Before long, we had arrived back at Malak's place, and upon entering, we found a lavish feast awaiting us atop the dining room table. Everything, from platters of exotic meats (with red eyes) to normal-looking (doubt it) cupcakes, presented itself.

Wolfette's mouth watered with awe as she climbed down her father's shoulders.

"There's so much!" she exclaimed.

"I had some servers whip this much while we were at the event," Malak explained. "You girls did well out there, and I think that a reward is in order."

"Yay!" Wolfette cheered, heading straight for the cupcakes before Mr. Man halted her.

"Wolfette," he said, "we must not forget our manners."

The little wolf girl shyly rubbed the back of her head.

"Ah, sorry."

Agatha, still drifting in her blues, merely began to head upstairs.

"I'm gonna go to bed early," she groaned. "Thank you for coming, everyone. I had fun."

As she dragged herself up the stairs, Malak and I looked to one another, and, with expressions of understanding, I told him, "I got this."

Thus, I headed up to Agatha's bedroom, where I found her staring somberly at her second-place medal.

I knocked on the door.

"Mortal babysitter here," I said. "Everything all right?"

"Oh, um, sure," Agatha answered awkwardly. "Just, um, just tired."

I sighed. "Agatha, I've been alive long enough to see the phrase 'I'm tired' be invented." I stepped over and took a seat on her bed, gesturing towards the spot next to me. "Why don't you have a seat and tell me what's up?"

The little demon girl complied, plopping herself down next to me. For a moment, she said nothing, just staring at her silver medal—her trophy marking "second-rate".

"I really wanted first place, MC," she finally said.

"I know," I told her. "But winning isn't everything."

"I know that. I do. But this was more than just winning. I wanted to be the best of the best. I wanted to make daddy proud. I wanted to stuff it to Monika. And . . ."

She twiddled her claws. ". . . I wanted you to think I was cool."

She lowered her head. "But all I did was show you just how big of a loser I am."

"Agatha," I said, "you are the first demon girl I have ever met. For starters, you didn't try to eat my face when we met, which I still appreciate. And, you've introduced me to so many things, like a mythological creature that plays Fortnite and animatronics that like hanging out at supermarkets. Because of you, I got to outplay a weirdo teddy bear and get taught a lesson by a freakin' werewolf. You've added so much color to my otherwise dull, college life. Why would I think you're a loser?"

Lady Hope stroked Agatha's cheek.

"You mean that?" she asked.

I smiled. "Of course. Besides, just by virtue of being a demon, I think you're a pretty cool cat. And besides, besides, it shouldn't matter what other people think about you; the only opinion that should matter is your own. And what does Agatha think about herself?"

"Well . . ." A small smile. "I think I'm a pretty cool cat."

I stroked her hair. "That's my little demon girl." I then rose to my feet. "Come on. Wolfette was eyeing those cupcakes, and if they really are real, I'd like to snag one."

Taking Agatha's hand, the two of us proceeded towards the door. But right before reaching, she stopped.

"MC," she said.

"Yeah?"

"I love you. Please don't leave me."

Another stroke of the hair as I grinned a knucklehead grin.

"Wouldn't do it for the world."