"Hello?" Marie called as she stepped down a couple stairs, each creaking, covered in mold and decay. Her calls echoed throughout the mansion of old, cursed by its own mysteries.
"Hmmm..." she thought to herself "There's no way out... I think... I'll just have to press on..."
She did so, remaining ever vigilant, periodically calling here and there until she heard something suspicious.
"Eeeee hee hee hee" an inhuman laugh filled the halls, surrounding her.
"Wh- who's there?" she stuttered "Show yourself now!"
"Ahhh... she is lost in the haunted house" it said to itself "Terror and danger awaits the little girl, who knows? Maybe she'll DIE!"
The monstrous voice insanely cackled, then revealed itslef as the long, lost ghost of... a butler? His body, darkened from the shadows, floated in mid-air, putting himself face-to-face with the child. He beared a huge grin on his face, as well as the faces coming from the sleeves of his uniform, both his eyes and mouth were bright, glowing yellow. Realizing he was nothing more than a ghost, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, it's only a ghost." she said casually, a rather insulting remark.
"HEY!" he bellowed, slightly agitated "What do you mean 'Just a ghost'?"
"Puh-lease" she said "I've had demons for roomates, a ghost can't be as bad."
"Yes it can!" he protested.
"What are ya gonna do?" she mocked "Summon up your friends and fly through me? You can't even punch me, you'll just fly right through me."
"I'll do much worse!" he said, grin widening "I'll err... ummm... wait, you're right... I can't do anything to you. My afterlife was a lie!"
"Well... probably not a lie" she said "But if word leaks then you'll be outta the job"
Saying that, she continued down the hallway, but the ghost protested once again.
"WAIT!" he said, trying to grab her arm "You can't go down there!"
His attempts were useless, his hand phased through her body as she continued on her way.
"That's okay, ya can't scare 'em all" she remarked.
"But you can't go down there!" he plead "The ghost party's down there!"
"That's okay, they can't hurt me." she said.
"But they'll know I didn't scare you off, imagine what that'll do to my reputation, I'll be the laughing stock of the afterlife" he said, getting on his knees "Please, please, pllleeeassse!"
Marie gazed at the odd site, pitying him slightly.
"Fine, I'll make a deal" she said "Point me in the direction outta here, and I'll keep this thing our little secret."
"Sure thing" he said, grin wider than ever "Just go that way, and it'll eventually lead you to the exit, but it's a long and treachorous path."
He pointed with his ghostly hands to the west.
"That's okay" she said, starting off in that direction "It was nice talking to you."
"One more thing!" he said "If you happen to die here, you can always share the mansion with me."
" Er..." she paused "Sure, I'll keep that in mind."
She continued on, only to find her first, and possibly only obstacle; a fiery path with depthless pits, dimly illuminated by the blue embers. Peering over, she nervously gulped and stepped back.
"Eeeeeeeee..." she whined " that's a very long fall... what to do? What to do?"
Upon a brief observation, she figured that the bottomless abyss stretched all away across the room, but she was too scared of heights to cross.
"I'll just find another way around" she told herself, turning back to the entrance, only to find the giant, musty door shut behind her.
"Okay..." she said, "I don't remember closing that door, or hearing it close... oh well, I'll just grab the handle and-"
She tugged her hardest, but the door refused to budge. Applying more strength, she placed her foot on the door and pulled even harder.
"Open Up!" she yelled "Ya stupid door!"
She pulled and pulled with all her might until she heard a loud snap causing her to fly backwards with the door handle in her hand.
"Grrrr..." she growled, chucking the handle at the door "Fine, be that way, I'll show ya!"
She pointed at the door, expecting some kind of response, but soon gave up and approached the pit once again.
"What to do?" she asked herself "It's either fall down the pit, burn in the flames, or starve and be lonely... not very good choices..."
Though, at times, Marie seemed to not be so bright, she fully understood this situation; face complete isolation, or die. She shivered a bit, the dank air brought coldness upon her, so she went to a corner and huddled up, a very miserable child. Soft weeping echoed across the room, slowly diing away.
"How am I gonna get out?" she asked herself "I may never see Klonoa or my friends again..."
"I might be able to help..." a cheery male voice said, revealing itself suddenly. A white cat-like person with a frizzy tail and violet-tipped ears manifested himself in fron of the child, bearing a happy grin. He was clad in jester clothes, much like hers, with the exception of the colors alternating between red, orange and yellow, and he too had a collar, but this one had a scarf too. Crosses were face painted over his eyes, and clutched in his hand was a magical scepter which illuminated the room. Marie looked up at him, her cheek fur matted with tears, then looked away.
"Another ghost..." she softly muttered.
"Oh, I'm no ghost" he said, tapping his scepter "I'm the king of Joy, and no one in my kingdom can be sad."
"Sure, that's easy for you to say..." she uttered, ears drooping down more than usual. He tapped the scepter and it produced some velvety roses.
"How about some flowers to cheer the little lady?" he suggested, handing them to her.
"No thanks" she muttered "I just want to see my friends again... and get out of this place..."
"Well, that's silly" he remarked "The exit's over there, across that treachorous, deadly pit of flames."
"Er..." she paused "How will I cross?"
"Oh, that's a toughie" he said, rubbing his fuzzy chin " Unless you learn to fly, you'll be stuck here for a very long time..."
"Myuuu..." she whined, crying "I'll be stuck here forever!"
Marie turned back to the dank, stone corner, consumed in her sadness.
"Please don't cry!" he plead " I think there's something that'll help."
He once again tapped his scepter and it produced a vial of sparkling liquid, and handed it to her.
"What's this?" she asked, closley inspecting it.
"Tears of Claire!" he said " It's said to cause miracles to those who drink it, only if they're pure of heart."
"What if I'm not pure" she said, sniffing the bottle to determine if it was poison.
"Something DREADFUL" he said with a hint of excitement " but I always wondered what would happen if it worked."
"Well, I don't have much choice" she said, popping the cork off the bottle "Bottoms up!"
She chugged down half the bottle and said "Hey, it tastes like cherry!" and swigged down the rest, then paused.
"...nothin's happenin' " she said.
"Wait for it!" he said giddily, curious about the outcome.
In a matter of moments, her breathing quickened as she stood up. The entire room swayed before her, as she stumbled awkwardly, then clucthed the sides of her head, eyes squinted in pain. She collapsed to the ground, letting out a horrific shriek as she writhed in pain. The king instantly rushed to her side, but he himself knew the potion would determine whether or not she'd survive, therefor he couldn't help her in any way. Though brief, those moments were the most painful in her life, causing her to black out, undergoing some kind of change. The screaming ceased, but she still appeared to suffer, even in unconsciousness.