"Here's some allowance. Make your girlfriend happy, buy her something nice, the fact she's rich doesn't matter, Sil is the type of girl to recognize that it's the thought that counts. Oh, buy her a snack, I know her door is wide open to you but still, the key to a woman's heart is through her stomach." Sig's uncle stopped for a second think if that saying was correct. Even Sig vaguely didn't know. "Anyway, keep being lovers, if anything you have proven that that works."
"We're not a couple." Space cadet Sig said.
"Keep saying that and it'll come true, Sig." The uncle said, a little annoyed. Sig flinched a little. "Oo… I'm sorry, boy." He said patting his nephew's shoulder. "Didn't mean to hurt you, but you're barely aware of what's going on around you. You're lucky to have a keeper like her to begin with. She truly loves you. Everyone knows this. She's like your anchor to this world. It's fine that you like bugs, but you need to be here too, you know? I know you have a lot of fans and admirers. She's just the right girl for you."
"…"
"Are you asleep?" He can usually tell.
Sig moaned.
"Hah…" His uncle gave an aspirated sigh. "Here's some flowers."
"Huh?"
"Did you think I bought these for myself? You're dating today, Sig. Sil might like them."
Sig scanned the bouquet in his hands. "I dunno."
"Hey, that's her coming, Sig!"
Sig turned his neck at normal speeds. That's fast for him. "Where?" Sig looked as hard as he could. "I don't see her."
"Really? She's on the path over there." The uncle pointed. "She lacks her striped tights today."
"Oh, I think I see her now?" It helped that she waved and ran toward him through the Autumn struck park.
Chapter 71: Autumn Date, Autumn Appreciate
"Have fun, m'boy." He gave his nephew a quick hug. "You too, Niece." He gave her the same. "'Bye. Seeya later."
"'Bye, Uncle."
"'Bye, Uncle. You too."
And the friends were alone in the park. Sil wore a closed plaid jacket, long green pants, and a green scarf. Because it's chilly outside. Sig wore his jacket.
They smiled at each other.
"So~ Date time again."
"Yeah~"
"So…" Sil gently took the bouquet out of cyan-haired boy's hands. "Are these pretty flowers for me?" She rhetorically asked.
"Yeah."
"They're pretty." The clown giggled. "So… Did Uncle pick these?" Sil figured that was a foregone conclusion.
"Uh… Yeah. Sorry."
"Ah, silly." She rubbed cheeks. "You know me better than that. You would give me flowers if you looked up for once and happened to see at a flower shop, right?"
"Uh… Would I?" Sig scratched his head.
"Eh." Sil shrugged. "Love you, anyways. You've given me plenty of gifts to show you care." She placed place her mask's lips on his cheek and made a kissing noise. Sig's face didn't change but it did blush. "I wonder what kinda flowers we are?"
"Don't think Uncle thought very hard about which one he bought. Those are Anemone hupehensis. That's… uh… what the word? Uhh… literally(?) the worst one he could've picked. It means losing hope, feeling of being left alone with nobody caring about you and anticipation." Sig spoke matter of factly and somewhat even professionally.
Sil wanted to awkwardly stare at her metaphorically soured bouquet but was too compelled to stare at her date. She whistled. "Wow, I didn't take you for a botanist."
"Bot-tah-nist?"
"Flower expert." Sil simplified, partly answering her own question.
"Oh. No."
"Then why the detailed explanation?"
"Oh, bumblebees tell me about all the flowers they've pollinated."
"Oh. Huh, that makes a lot of sense."
"But you do know a lot about what flowers mean, right?"
"I guess."
"What would you give me?"
"Uuuuuhm… I don't know, a lot of flowers mean the same thing."
"Hm… Makes sense based on what little I know, all too on the uplifting side. Gotta sell'm, girls eat this flowery romantic symbolism nonsense up. Fufufu~" She had a good at chuckle at her pun. "Myself included." Sil took another look at her bad omen. "At least I got some flowers with a root in reality."
"Don't say that, Sil." The boy hugged her, the girl muzzled him.
"I mean this is an honest bunch, dummy." She made the bouquet jump to emphasize the other pun that'd fly over his head.
"Oh."
Sil casted the Go Home spell on it.
"AH! FLOWERS!" Mr. Amitie's dad got a scare cleaning Sil's room. "Oh, phew… Flowers, haha. Oh no, THEY'RE ANEMONES!"
I digress. Back to the not-couple.
"What do you wanna do?" Sig asked about their date.
"Uh… A little bit of clothes shopping at Oshare's and of course, if possible, a cozy lunch and/or dinner with you somewhere of course ❤. But other than I got nothing special planned."
"So, couch cuddling?"
"We're couch cuddling, yeah." The two smiled.
"Yay~ My place, please."
"Your place, yeah, Ammy's dad isn't moving anytime soon."
The two locked arms and walked to the city.
"Still got nightmares?" Sig asked out of the blue.
"Uh-hmm." Sil replied non-plussed about it. "I stopped having them then I started practicing again, started having them, I stopped having them again when I stopped practicing for that show. It is what it is." She shrugged it off with her shoulders.
"Are you nervous?"
Sil nodded. "Unusually so. Don't tell anyone, but I am kinda bummed, I did really wanna perform. Don't have the heart to tell her, this'll be a highlight of her life."
"Okay." Sig held her closer.
They entered the part of town where the shops are. Sig was being quiet as usual. Sil wanted a conversation piece.
"I miss skirts."
"Huh?"
"I miss wearing skirts. I like shorts, they're comfy and they're ideal if wanna show off my training. But I just miss it from my Arle days. The only skirts I've worn since are costumes or are straight-up dresses. I got no casual skirts besides the clashing Raffine orange one. And she'll punch and/or Puyo me on sight if she catches me wearing it. That's why I'm going to Oshare's."
"Ah…"
…
…
…
…
…
…
"I'm sorry, any girl [pause] friends would make fun of me… You won't."
"What's the point?"
"What?"
"Don't see the point of skirts."
"Oh, eheh, take a guess."
"So Waffine has an excuse to kick someone's face in?"
"Pffffffwahahahaha! Wouldn't put it past her. Hahaha."
"I wouldn't wanna wear them, I can't see my bug friends if they hid under there."
"HAHAHAHAHAA! My gut!"
"Unless I lift the skirt up, I guess."
"HAAAAA! P-Please, Sig! Stop! Hahaha!"
At the Oshare Shoppe, Sil bought Sig some possible tools for bug-catching and for herself the harlequin ordered a few skirt versions of her green shorts in Autumn. Okay.
She also had Oshare reapply her makeup in his office because she laughed too hard.
"Sig?"
"Yeah?"
"Have I became vain?"
"I don't think I'm one to notice?"
"Yes, you would."
"You are by definition vain, Silvana." Oshare unwantedly interrupted. "The fact I'm here doing your makeup proves your vanity on one level. And that's the least of it, you were very proud of your magic and you still are of your athleticism. And let's not get into all the dresses of all stripes you've bought I never get to see outside."
"Gee, thanks, Oshare…"
"I don't care."
"Aw, thanks, Sig."
"Neither should you." Oshare said to Silvana. "They're nothing wrong with being vain, it's a so-called vice."
"Hm… I don't know if I would go that far." Sil mumbled. She felt like vanity didn't suit her. It would get her unwanted attention. Which would be bad.
But she would kinda like to be as trendy as her fashion role model Raffine and then laugh when she exceeds her.
Back on the streets of Primp, Sil and Sig discussed what they should do now. "No clue."
"Yeah, me neither, Sig. I'm done with my shopping, and you're not the needy type. Plus we reached the usual problem, you don't want much, and I can basically buy what I want."
"You can't get something from another country."
"Yeah, but of us two I'm more likely to get them, baby. I love you." Sil held his bulky arm.
Sig put his cheek on Sil's head. "You too." He said in his usual unemotive tone.
"I don't need much from you. 'Sides your support." Sig grunted affirmatively. "I just wish I could do something meaningful to you. You're marching to your easy-going drum."
Sig was confused. "You… want me to have a bad time?"
"Nononononono! That's not what I meant!" The jester was flustered, holding her bug catcher tighter. Her warm face got even warmer in this autumn cold. "You don't deserve any ill will coming your way…"
"You don't either."
Silvana pouted. "I disagree. But whatever."
They kept walking around town. Making everybody think something like: 'What a cute(?) couple.' And for the two that was all well and good. Sil lost track of time on Sig's shoulder. And Sig didn't keep the time. That more than every other day for him.
So who knows when Sil came to, she happened to the see the back of a familiar face with a cape. "Hey, is that who I think it is?" She was a little excited to see him. Sil gently broke off of Sig's arm and sneaked upon him. "Boo!"
"Hrng. Very funny, Miss Silvana." The possessed Klug sighed, eyes firmly on his history book.
"Well, I am a clown." She joked further from behind the bench. Even if the demon didn't find it funny, he did find it charming. "Hiya, Stanley, how've you been? I barely get to see you anymore." Sig stepped closer to the two, and both boys felt a little uneasy.
"My vessel's parents want me to read outside more." He scoffed. "Can you believe it? This humidity will ruin perfectly good books!"
"So you'd rather you want that Klug leaves you alone at home on days like these?"
"Hmmm… Good question." The guest kept his eyes on the book.
"Uhm. Does Klug seem different to you?" Asked Sig.
"More than it does to you. I see his body being redder all over." Sil saw it even with her drained mana.
"Huh. I think I see it too."
"Oh. How, Sig? You aren't that powerful to sense it."
"Iunno."
"Silvana?"
"Yes?"
"May I say something to you without him."
"Uhhm. Why?"
"Just trust me on this one."
Silvana didn't know what to expect. "Sig, can you wait over there, for a bit? It won't take long."
"Okay." So he waited over there.
Silvana jumped over the bench and sat on it next to the demon-in-human-body. "So, whaddya wanna tell me?" The possessor kept reading, his eyes didn't leave from his book.
"What do you see in him?" He simply asked.
"Are you jealous he's got me?~" Sil teased. Chuckling at her own joke. The demon sighed.
"I mean that there's nothing to him. He barely has a semblance of a personality."
"Oh, that's not true, he's got plenty. He's gentle and supportive of his friends, and that alone is all I need."
"I don't see it lasting long, Silvana." He voiced his concern. "I have a feeling something horrible will happen to you two. And it won't end well for either of you."
"Are… you clairvoyant, trying to break us up, or both?" Sil tried to figure the possible motivation behind his statement. He's more obsessed with books than Sig was with bugs, which has lessened over time.
"Neither. Call it a hunch."
"Sorry, Stanley, I'm not gonna give him up, ever been in love?"
"…Once…"
'Ooooo, sounds like I reopened a wound…'
"Quite, we loved each other and then I suddenly was sealed away from her without so much as a warning, without so much of a chance of a farewell."
"Yikes…"
"She has to be dead by now, and if not my chances of finding her are ludicrously slim."
"Sorry to hear that." The clown patted him on the back.
"Just be prepared, your blooming relationship can come crashing down."
"Ehm." She stood up. "Don't think that'll hurt any less when it happens. No offense."
"Be careful. And sorry about your love!" Sil ran back to her date.
"At least I still have a body running around." He said out of the clown's earshot. "Curse this book, it's so engaging!"
"I'm not cheating on you." Was the first thing Sil said to Sig.
"That's a given." Sig said flatly. Making Sil think that Sig would take it horribly if she was actually cheating and he only figured it out after months of obliviousness. She hugged him, seemingly unprompted. That's also a given.
Silvana heard his stomach growl.
"I'm hungry." Sig said.
"Me too." Sil pulled out her pocket watch. "It's about lunchtime too." And back in it goes. "Something fat, if possible. I want my waist to be a centimeter or two thicker." To closely match Arle's waist, she did legitimately think it was too thin. Dieted a bit too much.
"What's high on fat again?"
"At this hour? Good question." Sil had an idea though. "How about the bakery around the corner? It's not what I'm looking for but the bread's delishous~~ 'S nice place too, they let you eat there as if it's a restaurant."
"Sounds good."
The two sat across from each other at the table in the bakery. They found it very homely, it was nice and warm here thanks to the oven, it smelled great there too. The two entrusted their jackets with the staff.
"Oh, it's you, Pierrot." The waiter/baker said with a smile. "The usual? Or…"
"No, not this time. I want one of each croissant, but not the chocolate ones, an apple fritter, no raisins please, a pistolet, two pretzels, a sausage roll, and a pudding sandwich."
"Oh my, is that all?"
"Yes. That's all?" The harlequin nodded. She couldn't wait to take a bite out of any of these. "Okay, we'll warm some up for you." She went to the counter.
"Wait, Sig hasn't ordered anything yet!"
"You mean all of that was meant for you?"
"Yes."
"Just you?"
"Yes."
"I thought it was a bit much for the both of you, yipes."
"I have my reasons. And your bread's delicious!"
"Thank you. And I'll appreciate the Credits we'll receive." The waiter/baker was honest.
"So, Mister." He addressed the bug enthusiast. "What do you want?"
Sig had his eyes on something behind the glass. He pointed at it.
"You want a muffin?"
*Nods*
"Which flavor?"
"Chocolate."
"Cho. Co. Late. Got it. What kinda frosting do you want?"
"Cyan."
The waiter/baker looked at him funny. "Don't you wanna have the muffin decorated to look like her face?" Silvana got pointed at with a thumb. She widened her arms as if she's in the spotlight.
"Huh." Was the noise Sig made.
"Pierrot decoration. It only costs a little more."
"I licensed out my likeness here. And my employees get discounts here." Sil explained. "I heard nobody complain."
"That Donguri Gaeru is a good negotiator."
"Isn't he?" She smiled thinking about the circus' manager.
"The muffin have her colours. Didn't see it there…"
"Tell you what, you can have two muffins, one on the house. One cyan, the other girlfriend white, hahahahaha."
"Thank you." He politely(?) thanked the waiter.
"We're not a couple…" Sil mumbled. "The usual tea, please! And blueberry for him."
"Will do." A few minutes later he came back with their fresh and/or warmed up treats. Sil couldn't wait to dig in.
"It is your mask." Sig noted when he looked at his first muffin. It had the right colours.
"Fufufufu…" Sil suddenly chuckled in the middle of her lunch. For reference, Sig was almost done with his first muffin.
"?"
"Sig, I got a funny story, I wanna try and make you laugh with it. Interested?"
"Not really."
"Well too bad."
Sil chuckled some more. Sig wasn't annoyed. She knew he wouldn't be. She pulls this all the time.
"Back in kindergarten, back when I was clad in blue and still pure." That perked his interests. Is he gonna learn something new about this girl he already learned a lot about?
'Is it gonna be sad?' She pulls that all of the time too, Sig minded a little. It lead to hugs, but these moments made him feel sad too. No matter how much Sil said it doesn't matter and she knows what he means with his body language he'd still feel guilty for not being to cry with her. 'Wait, didn't she say it was gonna be funny? I forgot.' Same principle, the boy has a hard time laughing, or getting a joke. But Sil's gonna try.
Back in kindergarten, back when I was clad in blue and still pure. My teacher took everyone on a camping trip. We stopped along the way to sightsee. Honestly, I don't remember much of this trip, only one thing sticks with me to this day.
That day I got cursed.
"Is it b…"
"Lemme finish, baby."
We passed through this valley of springs. Hundreds of tragic stories of anything that can drown in it had drowned in it. They didn't sugarcoat it.
If you fall in any of those springs then anytime you get covered in cold water then you transform into whatever thing drowned in it until you get covered by warm water.
One kindergartener didn't listen and became a cat when he got wet.
The second one lost her balance and became a girl with lycanthropy.
The third kindergartener took on a dare to do something stupid and fell in…
And Sil started on a croissant leaving Sig in suspense. Visibly is suspense. She savors the moments where she can get an emotion out of him. She smirked, threw a winky blow kiss too.
'What did she turn into?' Sig turned his gears. "Wait, I've seen you get punched into a river and come back from a warm shower afterward."
Sil was happy he had a good lead. She gulped down a piece of bread. "Ufufufu~ What changed about me, Sig?" She challenged him.
"Uh… It changes… not… thing?"
"Oh, allllllmooost. Good try." She raised her cup of tea before she took a sip out of it. "Any more guesses?"
"I have no clue."
"Brace yourself, Sig. For I fell into the spring of the drowned girl." Sil held in her laughter.
"Huh? But you're a girl. Isn't tha-"
"Hilariously redundant? Fufufufu. Yes. I got lucky." She shrugged.
"That wasn't funny." Sig said bluntly.
"That wasn't the funny bit, Sig. My body does change a bit in cold water. When I get hit with cold water I lose a bone in my nose." Sil cracked up.
"Um, sorry, I didn't find it funny."
"It's fine, Sig, I didn't expect you to. I'm sorry, that sounded awful. Do you know what I meant though?"
"Yeah, I think. Is your nose okay?"
"You should've had that biology lesson by now."
"Really?"
"Looks like a tutor session is in order."
"Good idea."
…
"So, does Arle miss nose bone too?"
"Unless she accidentally found a way to lift the curse she should. I don't even know if Arle nose how or why if she does at all. I only pieced it together a few days ago. Heh."
"I see. Shall I tell her?"
"DON'T! You weren't there, how would you have known is she doesn't?"
"Oh yeah…"
"I wasn't there either, technically… How would I? That'll give me away."
Sig suddenly did feel Sil's good mood falter a bit. And that's before she shoved her plate to his side and taking a seat next to him with a gentle embrace.
"Is it okay to think of myself of Arle?" She whispered in his ear. "Before the exam I mean? Before I emerged. I know I'm not supposed to think as myself as Arle. Despite me sharing her face, having the urge to take her place, and having her past and memories. But I even if my hardwired need to want her dead is gone, it doesn't change much you know." Silvana lost her train of thought, she got back on point. "Without having Arle's kindergarten days I have had no happy childhood." The jester pulled out a Joker card from a deck she had on her. "But that's not me." She ripped the card up. "I haven't experienced that. Except that I have…" She crumpled one of the ripped halves. "Tell me, Sig. Am I allowed to think of myself as Arle the time I actually was her?"
"I… don't know…" He patted her back.
Doppel sighed. "That makes two of us. It's not fair…"
"Thanks for all the bread." Sil waved the bakery good-bye with a smile. Her mood had come back slowly. "It was great as always!"
"You really like bread, huh." Sig noted.
"Yup." Sil could eat a few more but she decided against it. It took a little will power not to do so when she depressed herself.
"Okay. Wanna open the fortune cookies now?"
"We had fortune cookies?" Sil took a one out of Sig's red palm. "Must be new then."
*Crack*
"Your story is over when you die." It garnered no reaction from the performer. "Well, duh. That should go without saying. What does yours say, Sig?"
"You'll probably live through your next accident."
…
"Either they suck at writing these or we're got some unlucky ones."
"Mine's not unlucky."
"You call getting hit lucky?"
Meanwhile, about 50 meters around the corner, somewhere in the crowd. A cloaked figure sensed something.
"What's this? A fair amount of Amethyst magic mingling with that unknown throbbing magic source? Could it be? That spoony jester, and the handy Sig? Excellent, I shall procure what I desire from those two by force!" The infamous dark mage monologued out loud. "And do I sense a third? Could it be? Arle as well? This day's mine!"
He grabbed the nearest lone pre-teen. "Hey, what're you doing?!" He cried upside down, held by the leg.
"I'm draining your resources for all you're worth so some fertile magic sources come closer!"
"Help! This man's is robbing me of my allowance and he's using big words!" The boy screamed getting even more eyeballs on the thief. Said thief unhooded himself while drawing his sword. The crowd gasped.
"It's the creeper!"
"It's Schezo!"
"Run lest you wanna be drained of what power you have!"
"Keep the children and the powerful magic users out of his way!"
"Mommy!"
The crowd got in a frenzy. Running away for their lives from the most feared man present-day Primp Town had. Schezo Wegey had a reputation and it preceded him.
"I don't wanna be stripped naked!"
For better or worse.
He's not that bothersome. Leave him alone, he'll leave you alone. If you're near somebody who has or is someone he desires… RUN! There are public service announcements warning about this guy for a reason.
After enough shaking the kid dropped his pocket sack of money which Schezo made float into his pocket. "Haha~" He was a bit short on Credits.
"Help! Police?! HEEEEELP!"
Back at around the corner with the dating demons. Mass panic. Sil frowned.
"I'm gonna do Gramps' work, Sig. Follow me in case he wants to play Puyo Puyo instead."
"Okay." So the two ran to the source of the commotion.
"Schezo! Should've figured it was you!" She was more annoyed to see him than angry.
"It seems like I was correct! Silvana, Sig and…" Schezo paused to sense the surrounding high and/or unique magic users in the surrounding area. "And soon Arle." Schezo smirked. His mana based avarice made him blind that while a three-vs-Schezo is perfectly fair, Arle/Silvana and often Sig is also perfectly fair in a 1-on-1.
Then again, even Onion Pixies can defeat the mightiest in Puyo Puyo.
"Heeeeeeelp! Pierrot! Help!" The kid flailed dangling by his leg.
"Let that kid go and go to your cave, mage! Whatever mana that kid has isn't… I have no real speech. I can't reason with you! Just let go and go home!" Sil silently revved up a not inconsiderate Mind Blast to turn the dark mage more harmless than his words.
"Joke's on you. I have no interest in children." Schezo let the kid fall onto the ground.
The child speed crawled and hid behind Silvana. "That guy stole my allowance, Pierrot!"
"He did what?" She still said while charging a Mind Blast. "Schezo!"
"I only intend to beat you threesome, and drain your power!"
"Did… he say he wants to bed us?" Sig mumbled.
Silvana snorted, and she snorted hard. "Pfffffwaaaaahahahaha!" She lost the concentration on the spell and it fizzled out. Cursing the timing of her date's comment.
"Stop laughing and fight me!" Schezo's fuse had been lit.
"Sig! Hahahahaaaaa! Puyo him! Fufufufu~ Please! I'm dying here!"
"Stop mocking me! Your magic will be mine!"
"Can you not attack her and attack me?" Sig politely asked.
"How about you both! LET US PUYO PU-" *Conk!* And the wizard goes! Cause: Arle happened to sneak up from behind and conked him in the back with the new frying pan she happened to have bought earlier today. Conveniently speeding up the process of battling.
"Thanks, Arle." Sig said with a smile. The kid did too.
"You're welcome, Sig! Kid. …Silvana…" Arle gave an unfriendly stare. "We'll catch up later, Sig! Gotta go!" She lifted up Schezo and took him to the authorities. And she did it quick.
"Wait!" The kid cried out. Arle didn't hear. "That sword guy still has my allowance! Mom and Dad are gonna kill me!"
"Yikes." Silvana held her Schezo related laughter in for the moment. 'Has those kinda parents… Glad I can't relate…' "Buck up, kid." Sil opened up her purse. "How much did you lose?"
"Uh… 100 credits?"
"Hm… That is a bit high…" Sil suspected that a kid might be lying about the amount. "But okay…" She shrugged.
"Here's my allowance." Sig held out the money his uncle gave him. "I don't know how much it is."
"Sig."
The kid counted the money. "5. 10. 15. 20. 21. 22. 27… 96. 98. 99. 100! Gee, thanks, mister!" He shook his human hand. "I like the red arm."
"Ditto." Sil said. "Here, Kid." Sil wowed him by stage magicking three Halloween show premier tickets.
"Wow!" The tickets were taken out of her hands. "For real, Pierrot?"
"Yup." Sil nodded with a smile. "Seeya, in a week."
"I will! Bye, Pierrot, bye Mister." The kid ran off.
…
"That kid asked for more than he had?"
"Oh, so it's not just me?" Sil shrugged. "I would've done the same as a kid. Who wouldn't have?" Sig wasn't sure if he should answer that. "Plus, it'll give him a story to tell how he swindled Pierrot as a kid."
Sig wasn't good with kids. He's glad for her she was good with kids. She totally got them. It wasn't the career path she wanted at all, but it was a good one.
"Hey, that money was planned by Uncle, wasn't it." It wasn't even a question.
"Yeah." Sig didn't even pretend.
"Fufufu~ You're a hero in my book, you know that? You give a 100 Credits to that kid and stood up to Schezo." She held her wrist behind her back and leaned forward a bit.
"You asked nicely."
"Pfft. So humble." Even if she knew otherwise. She shifted her mask upward and planted a kiss.
It took Sig two days to realize that he had lipstick on his cheek again.
"Couch?"
"Couch."
Later that evening, Stan came back home. He walked past his couch and saw the two cuddling in their sleep on it.
"Silvie." Sig sleep talked with a smile.
"Aw." The adult's heart melted. "There's that cute pet name again." 'I wonder if he actually called her that when awake.' "Hey, what's this?" The uncle leaned in closer. Sil's mask had slipped off to the side more than halfway. "Oh. Cute face. Looks liiiiike, Arle? Huh. Oh, well. Guess he has a type." He shrugged it off. "G'night. Keep'm safe."
…
'HANG ON!' He took one more look at the clown's real face. 'Why does she bother with eyeshadow if she wears a mask all the time? Geez, Silvana.'
"The show is almost starting, Sig."
"Are you sure you have no regrets?" Sig asked the girl in his monster arm sitting on the benches in her circus.
"Yes." Sig's heart sunk for Sil and expressed it as hard as he could with tighter hold. Silvana held Sig's hand. "I regret Silvana." Sig held her tighter. The clown smirked. "It's a syllable too long. Fufufu. Maybe a new nickname is in order that's not 'Silly' and sounds more girlish that 'Sil' while we're at it."
"Oh." Sig reacted.
Sil giggled. "Got a reaction out of ya. ❤ I know, I know what you mean… And for the last time, no. I regret not being able to perform for this show but nothing else. My crew won't mess tonight up, I know they won't. So let's just sit back and enjoy it shall we? Amitie'd love it if you paid attention to her tonight."
"Okay."
The lights dimmed. The spotlights shone on the curtains. "Spook-a-doodle-doo folks!" Amitie yelled. The spotlights went out, readjusted to encompass the whole ring. Almost the crew in Trick-or-Treat bedsheet ghost costumes chaotically ran around in circles.
*One show later…*
Sil happy with her crew as usual. It was a spirited show, spooky, but not scary. It made a complete joke of Primp Town's most recent folklore while letting know he was a serious threat during intermissions. Plus performances were more playful than usual. Helped to clear what they still could of Yu, Rei and Silly's names. Sil smiled. The papers will give some good reviews she's sure based on the reactions of the crowd.
She's so glad she held Sig tighter.
"Didn't the amazing Donguri Gaeru knock it out of the park once again, folks?"
"Yeeeeeaaaaah!"
"Good! Now, as I said. That was the last act for today. But this show will run for two more weeks! Have a great Halloween, hope you get losta candy!"
*Crowd talking, some standing up to leave.*
"BUT I MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE, PLEASE?!"
*The collective sound of people shutting up and sitting down.*
"What's Ammy doing?"
"Huh?"
"She's going off script."
"There is someone I wanna show you that is feeling a bit down. Okay, guys. Shine the spotlight!" The light blinded Sil. "Please come here, Silvana!"
"Uh?" Sil looked at everyone looking at her. "OKAY!" She shouted back. "Thanks, Sig. I'll meet back up with you later if I can."
"Cool."
The spotlight followed Sil to Amitie Pierrot. Who wrapped her arm around the other's waist. "Come on out guys!" Donguri Gaeru, Oshare Bones, Hohow Bird, Vento and the rest stood by them.
'What's going on?' Sil thought.
"This girl here is my big sister!" The audience reacted. "She's the usual Pierrot." Amitie one-handedly took off her hood and mask, to put her Pierrose mask over her head.
Some of the crowd (namely kids that didn't listen to what Amitie just said) gasped.
"If you enjoyed tonight's show you have her to thank! She planned this out ever since last year's horror. So I've been told. _ knocked out me out cold that night. She wanted to perform for you, but she got nightmares, so she couldn't. I wanna make her feel appreciated."
"Ammy…"
"She's the one brave enough to have stopped him! She's the reason we're not fearing that ghosts will break our bones just because! She's human like a lot of people and she deserves a reminder that she's a hero. She stood up against one of her dads an- mupff!"
"They don't need to know that last part, Ammy." Amitie had her mouth covered. "Bad PR." Sil whispered.
"Oh, sorry."
"Whatever, thanks for the surprise guys! But next time don't scare me by going off-script at the last second like that."
"Okay, and you deserve it, Sis!" Then the understudy Pierrot started addressing the audience again. "Without her, we wouldn't be enjoying anything today, let alone Halloween."
"Eh, I didn't do it all alone. Professor Accord, Raffine Fielding, and Vento Verde deserve some praise too."
Author's Notes:
Schezo's been around before in this fic, mainly left to off-screen battles. But I felt like reinventing him a bit. He's more feared by the town, more cunning and a bit more overtly thuggish. So basically, I did what I did with Raffine. Downplay their likability revert to their basics.
So hope you liked him and don't expect this kinda role for him in the future. He is kinda a guilty pleasure to write. Kinda like the Joker, it's kinda fun to write him. Now I'm gonna invoke false equivalency, and unlike the Joker I'm not gonna overEXPOSE him! HAHA! Didn't even mean that one.
I foreshadowed stuff. I also made a ton of red herrings. Happy Halloween.
Next up: Letters of wish fulfillment and surprise visit.
