Unravel

by ChiioUnicorn

Megaton is overrun by monsters with its last two chevaliers slaughtered. The Chevalerie are forced to assign their weakest unit, Shimoda Rin, to keep the city safe. Struggling to discern friend and foe alike, all she wants is a quiet life. An enemy alliance threatens humanity's survival. Will Rin rise up and become what the world needs her to be?

6. Midnight Vengeance

A/N: And finally, a wild update reappears. Enjoy. I own nothing and probably never will. I'm sorry if this chapter is too long. Forgive me and god bless.

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Unravel

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Chapter Five

Midnight Vengeance

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General POV

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Throughout the neighborhoods, spooky decorations ranging from cackling witches to ghastly jack-o-lanterns lit paths to front doors. Mist swept Megaton in a maze of the unknown. Monstrous automatons haunted the premises, coming to life with erratic movements and glassy eyes. There were clowns sporting rictus grins, child-sized dolls looking on helplessly as though prisoners from the inside, and weeping tombstones that turned lawns into desolate graveyards - bones and all.

Businesses were setting up for the holiday, as well. In the Pomegranate Plaza, cobwebs hung from storefront awnings in gloomy, haunted fashion. Water cascaded in an autumn palette, courtesy of the fountain lights. The promenade was ignited with eerie lanterns strung across the shopping district. Skeletons spied from around corners, ready to scare unsuspecting pedestrians. In lieu of all this, posters across shop windows highlighted the annual Joker Jamboree. The festivities would take place in the heart of the plaza - including the popular Death Parade.

This was the time for Oktoberjagd - a beloved holiday that celebrated high-jinks and thrills. It was the time of year to enjoy a good scare - to feast and dance at bonfires - to attend homilies and ward away demons by dressing up as monsters and throw candy at each other.

But…

The monsters to be wary of weren't costumed capers or tricksters…

Following the journey of a single jack-o'-lantern affectionately dubbed, "Caramelita", the familiar stalked the streets in search of misconduct. Caramelita didn't have to search for very long.

Automaton spiders scuttled across the Bay's shore as an ominous fog settled over the dark waters. Hundreds of scarlet letters were carried on their backs, their gears clicking with every jump. Maple foliage glowed fierce hues of orange and red, falling into an autumn waltz as a sharp gust blustered through the streets. Strange umbra crept the night as the lamplights began to die out, one by one. There was no life to be found. Stray animals hid in bristling fear, yelping and growling at the jumping movements from the alleyway.

Caramelita watched from a safe distance after dimming her own embers, waiting for the inevitable.

A feline silhouette darted across a brick wall, having been chased into a corner as a bizarre shape grew in a large, skittering hive - lumbering over the hissing kitty as it backed away in fear. The light died just as the creature descended on the small creature - revealing hundreds of salivating teeth. Horrible wet noises overlapped the sound of flesh tearing apart, followed by cries so terror-stricken and agonizing it tormented the other animals who were forced to watch the feeding in mute horror. A futile struggle ensued with slurping noises drowning out the yowling until… silence.

After what seemed like an eternity, the hive finally scattered in black dots - crawling over the desiccated corpse with its dry bones jutting out. The body was dragged away by tens of hairy, elongated limbs - leaving not even a drop of blood behind.

Having seen enough, Caramelita followed the flock close behind. Fire burned to life as a maniacal grin carved into her face. She was already on the prowl to hunt what her master desired.

It was like this every other night. When the sun went down, an evil so palpable and sinister would emerge and prowl the streets in search of prey. Be it animal or human, the umbra fed on any living being no matter the size. Their voracious appetite seemed bottomless, for no matter how much it ate - it was never satisfied. And so, the strays came to dread the night - locked in a terrifying chase with midnight visit the hive made.

Past the wild blue yonder of the Glacier Forest stood the Lunar Estate owned by Major Otanashi Lola, longtime Second Plight veteran as well as the operations director at Raven Rock. Trouble was brewing, awakening the waters of justice that called her for an immediate counter strike.

All was quiet in the purple mansion save for the boudoir behind closed doors. Inside the biggest private chambers Lola sat at her study with crossed legs. Behind her was a corkboard with the latest newspaper clippings depicting numerous missing children as Oktoberjagd approached - which could only be the work of Trickster Treater, a serial killer who left treats behind the remains of their victims once found. Every year around this holiday, animals and children would go missing for weeks with no leads… save for traces of dark magic that could only be uncovered by magic-sensitive users. It was always the same type of evidence left at every scene of the crime.

Outside the window, unbeknownst to her - a couple of jack-o'-lanterns floated past, but not before making ugly faces at the distracted woman's back.

"And so, you've decided to strike again… whoever you are, Trickster Treater." Lola murmured to herself. She was in the middle of connecting the red strings to whose cases matched those from the past. Yet the culprit was always two steps ahead of them - elusive and able to clean up after themselves. This was no tenderfoot they were dealing with. No, this one knew exactly what they were doing.

"No… perhaps there isn't just one criminal responsible - there must be accomplices. Some of these children disappeared on the same nights within a limited timeframe… all at different sections. This is something only an organized leader can coordinate." Eyes narrowed in antipathy, Lola announced her thoughts. She felt it in her gut. She knew that the leader was a sly one, more than likely possessing the advantage of having many eyes collect intel throughout Megaton. They knew this city and all its inhabitants. With their kidnappings going back as early as six generations, there was no doubt that they had knowledge of the Chevalerie Order.

A stressed sigh escaped Lola's lips as she cursed softly.

This was frustrating - two days at this, and still her investigation was going anywhere.

Two maids flanked her on each side. One of them sporting a facial towel to occasionally dab at the beads of perspiration forming at Lola's forehead. The other maid waited on her, keeping a submissive downward gaze. Their faces were similar - which served as proof that they were indeed triplets. As for their missing third…?"

Both maids perked up, well-aware of a presence they knew since birth. Their eyes rested on the door long before a soft, inquiring knock was heard. The mistress didn't bother to look up from her corkboard as she asked who was at the door.

"It is I - Dina, madam. May I enter?"

"Yes. Come in." As soon as the door opened, the eldest triplet curtsied before them balancing a tea tray in one palm and a garbed bundle under her other arm. She served her mistress a hot cup of tea, prompting her to take a sip. Peppermint? Lola mused. How appropriate for the season.

"Do you have any leads on my niece's whereabouts?"

"I'm afraid not, madam." The maid sounded apologetic. "But the analysis scan of miss Rin's soul weapon may provide us with valuable hints as to who may be responsible for her disappearance."

"So I see." Remarkably composed, Lola folded away her paperwork in her file cabinets and sat back poised in her leather chair. She took slow, purposeful sips to clear her mind before finally giving Dina her undivided attention. "And what of these findings?"

"Demolished, dismantled, and utterly disintegrated." Dina answered in a quiet voice as she laid a bundle garbed in red velvet on the table. Due to its weight, it landed with a resonating thunk. As Lola leaned over to examine it, the grey-haired maid unfolded the fabric to reveal its contents. "This is the state we found Noitcelfer in, madam. We can also confirm these lupine teeth indentations and dried saliva on the blade pieces belong to a wolfskin - a young one at that." Hearing this, Lola sat up in surprise.

"A wolfskin, you say? Aren't they known for their reclusion within icy mountains instead of populated cities? To have one here in Megaton… or more… what reason would they have to migrate from the North and settle here?" The woman questioned, placing a hand on her chin in puzzlement. "I, myself, know little about their kind as anyone else… but from what I remember, they certainly aren't fond of diversity."

"Indeed. Wolfskin are a homogeneous society at best. They are among the primordial races in monster history." Dina emphasized with a solemn nod. "Known for their fierce pride and bestial strength - they value loyalty and tradition. As close-knit tribes, their home lies far beyond the isolated winds of the north - away from monsters and humans alike."

Lola listened as she turned her gaze to the exhibition presented before her. As poorly maintained as Noitcelfer was, there was no denying Noitcelfer was forged by the order's finest blacksmiths - a troll enchanter at that. Soul weapons were built for the purpose of fighting monsters and absorbing their souls ; they were designed to withstand mountains of abuse, and destroying one was no small feat. Yet the metal splinters and traces of magic showed testament to Lola just how powerful the monster -threat truly was...

"I am no weapons expert by any means, but for a wolfskin pup to gnash Noitcelfer to smithereens…" Her manicured hands emphasized the extent of damage done to the enchanted scissor blades. "I can't imagine what other misdeeds this one is capable of…" Her voice grew colder. "It chills me to even think about what could be happening to Rin at this very moment..."

"Though they are to be feared, please don't misunderstand." Dina interjected, her sudden bout of earnestness astonishing Lola. "Wolfskin are contrary from the depraved beasts folklore depict them as. They are a sacred race - devout to the earth and heavens who were longtime guardians of monsterkind. Monsters have revered them for their loyalty and guardianship, as their hearts aren't naturally driven by material pursuits - only a desire to protect." She said. "The 'Way of the Hunt' is their code of honor as hunters and warriors - to revere all creation and die through natural means. In their culture, contact with humanity is forbidden within their society - especially considering that many elders believe hunting humans is profane - as they are beings whose essences are tainted. Thus, consuming human meat is punishable by exile or even death."

Under Lola's scrutiny, Dina's eyes fell.

"... That is to say… this is a very old world philosophy of theirs. It remains unknown as to whether they have reformed their beliefs or they still follow the Way of the Hunt to this very day." Dina conceded as she bowed her head. "They very well could have changed throughout countless millennia. But there are no doubts as to why my own kind holds them in high regard despite what other monsters may think of them… even to this day." Her eyes widened in shock at her own speech as she bowed before Lola over and over. "I hope my words didn't offend you, madam. I fear I may have presented myself as overbearing just now."

"Not at all. They say the wisdom and knowledge a unicorn possesses is tremendously coveted by mage scholars and mavericks alike." Impressed, Lola gave the center maid an approving nod. Her gaze softened as she looked over the triplets. "Please continue to speak your mind more often, Dina. If not for you and your sisters, I would continue to be culturally ignorant of monster society and history."

"... Sharing my knowledge is the least we can do." The young woman bowed her head, to which the other maids followed her example. She went on to add. "Years ago, you remember myself and my sisters lost our home. Many of us were hunted for our magic. We were certain our extinction were on the nigh…" Then she raised her head. "And then madam intervened. Our survival would not have been possible if not for you. Since we have been sheltered in this estate in secret for many years now, we are eternally in madam's debt."

"Truly, we are grateful to you… and for you to remain strong even though you must be torn with anxiety from miss Rin's absence… your strength compels me, madam!" The snow-haired maid on the left as well as the most emotional of the triplets - Josephine - voiced her emotions on the matter. Her pearl eyes glimmered with unshed tears she attempted to hold back. "We promise to find your niece and bring her home to you safely!"

"Thank you, Josephine. Thank you, ladies. But as I've said many times before - you owe me nothing." Lola's features hardened as her eyes roamed back to Noitcelfer. "Back to the matter at hand. It's highly unusual behavior for wolfskin to be… social, or rather seeking out aggressive conflicts considering their reclusive nature." Her fingers hovered over the bite marks on the shattered scissors. "This is just speculation on my part… but perhaps these wolfskin here are different?"

"Madam is correct. This one is an anomaly - acting independently without the guidance of a tribe. They hunt and survive on their own - though a lack of hierarchy may result in a far more violent and unstable wolfskin." Viola, the raven-haired maid on the right, chimed in. Her expression serious as her eyes pierced into Lola's. "Misfortune frowns on miss Rin to have encountered such an aberration."

"Whether by self-exile or banishment, these deserters are labelled as 'tramps' by their fellow kin. Thus they are forever excommunicated from their tribes." Dina clarified. "The tramp who assaulted miss Rin poses an even more dangerous threat."

"So there is no doubt that the perpetrator behind Rin's disappearance is a tramp?" Lola asked, straightforward as an arrow. A dark lock brushed against her high cheekbone, causing her to unconsciously tuck it behind her ear.

"No. There was something else that points to another suspect." With careful hands, Dina presented a swath of wispy webbing. "We found this not far from where we recovered Noitcelfer. This is the handiwork of a jorogumo, no doubt. After careful analysis, my sisters and I have confirmed this to be spidersilk." With a frown, she turned a pensive gaze to the ceiling. "In hindsight, it seems more likely for a jorogumo to abduct many children and pets within a limited timeframe of a single night… they act like opportunistic vultures, more than happy to go after helpless prey or scrap the leftovers of another monster's hunt."

"Is that so?" Lola took another cautious sip of tea as she listened. The peppermint proved to be a revitalizing spell, as it aided the train of thought brewing in her mind.

"Wolfskin prefer to take on tougher challenges when it comes to hunting. Going after small prey is usually not aligned with their interest unless it's for survival. It's in their instinct to prove dominance over equal adversaries."

"I see… so what you're saying is the tramp may have challenged Rin and disarmed her, but the one behind her disappearance is a jorogumo?"

"Indeed," Viola chimed in. "Jorogumo - arachnid monster queen who can shapeshift into humanoid forms. They nest hundreds if not thousands of eggs each year. Autumn is when offspring emerge hungry and deadly… and their favorite choice of food happens to be..."

"Children and livestock." Lola uttered, the situation dawning on her. Then she rubbed her temple in aggravation. "First an unregistered wolfskin appears in the city, and now there's a jorogumo involved?" She furrowed her brows, deep in thought. Then the gears started to turn as the realization hit her. "... Hah. A bold move." She scoffed. "By leaving her soul weapon in the clearing... whoever's behind this wanted us to know that they know Chevalerie Order, that is - are. This is a clear threat from whoever's responsible for this." Standing from her chair, she went to her wardrobe and proceeded to change. "No matter. I will find them, and they will answer for this."

"I will see to it that we have all the jorogumo suspects from the official monster registry for interrogation, madam." Dina offered as she held the uniform coat for her mistress to slip into. "And shall I alert our sisters to collect them for you?"

"That would be most appreciated, Dina." Lola answered, her eyes bore steely straight ahead as she slipped on her company hat and leather gloves. She was already out the door by the time the unicorn maids prepared her ride outside. Jade earrings jingled with each step as her hair and uniform stole rippled behind her. The female chauffeur opened the door for her with a slight bow as she approached.

"Madam, if I may…?" Lola turned to meet Josephine's concerned opal eyes.

"What's on your mind, Josephine?"

"Would… it be possible to request a transfer for miss Lily to be stationed here...?" The snow-haired asked in a hesitant voice, much to the other sisters' astonishment. Lola, for her part, didn't react - allowing the youngest maid to continue. "I-I realize she is already busy in the East. But considering Noitcelfer's unusable state, no chevalier can last long without their soul weapon…" A sharp nudge from Viola and a harsh glare from Dina caused Josephine to realize what her statement implied. Flustered, she attempted to make amends. "M-My apologies! I only meant to say a high-ranking chevalier mentoring miss Rin during errantries would surely aid her in gaining experience! R-Replacing miss Rin is out of the question!" Seeing Lola's unreadable expression, the most sensitive triplet swallowed - her face hot with shame at her own poor communication. "W-Who better to teach her than m-miss Rin's elder sister? T-That is to say, they haven't seen each other in person for so long, a-and-!" A short chortle cut off the rest of her statement.

"It's alright, Josephine. I understand your good intentions." Lola placed a reassuring hand on the maid's stiff shoulder, coaxing her to relax. "I agree with your idea. I was actually just thinking of asking Lily to come here myself. Along with him. After all, he's the one who smithed Noitcelfer specially for Rin - and he's the only one who can reforge her soul weapon." She stepped inside the awaiting vehicle and rolled down the window so the triplets could approach. "I suppose I'll be making many phone calls this evening. My home is under your watch for the time being, ladies."

"Understood. Please be safe, madam." Dina curtsied lowly, and her younger sisters following suit.

Once the car pulled out of the driveway and onto the private road, Lola asked the driver for privacy. Once she made sure the divider was up only then did she allow her true emotions to show. Her crestfallen face reflected her churning thoughts as she glared out the window. Moonlight stretched over her hunched form, casting a shadow that separated the composed, calculating Major Lola and her true feelings as a mere woman.

"Damn it…!" Burying her face in her palm, she slammed her fist against the window and let all her frustration out. "Damn it all! Does the bloodshed over the treaty mean to these monsters?!" To them, this was all a twisted game of cat and mouse. They were playing her, eliciting amusement out of driving her insane - of snatching the very people she was supposed to protect right out from under her nose.

Lola's hands trembled in her lap as she remembered countless faces of the missing children and pets. Her fingers clenched onto her lengthy velvet skirt, causing wrinkles that matched those of her stressed grimace. This holiday tortured her every year, her heart fracturing with every heartbreak - every failure. Whoever did this wanted to see her break. But no, she wouldn't give them that satisfaction. Never to a monster. With the Veil tears at an alarming high, she couldn't afford any breakdowns. They were already at a compromising disadvantage.

This time, she would not lose. One monster at a time, she would gamble everything she had to exterminate the Veil threat… even at the cost of using others. Just as this thought passed, her troubled eyes clouded with guilt as she remembered her youngest niece. But she knew she didn't have the right to be feeling sorry for herself, not when she made the choice to dirty her own hands.

"Rin, it's already been two days since I last saw your face. Were you ensnared by that monster too?" Her expression changed into one of solemness as her eyes wandered to the harvest moon that appeared so close. It was as she could simply reach out and touch it. Her voice took on a world-weary tone as she stared at her own reflection - her face wearing the queenly mask as always. "If so, I hope you remember what to do. Even if you do not possess your soul weapon, you must survive no matter what."

The last time they spoke, Lola had given her clear orders to gather evidence on the Oktoberjagd killer, Trickster Treater. Lola had told her to avoid distractions if her own life meant anything to her. If the girl had vanished like this, then Lola could only assume she had gotten too close for comfort with the perpetrator… or she was already dead. With that thought implanted in her mind, a dull glaze settled over the woman's gaze.

"If that's the case… then I have failed you once again, brother…" That whisper left her lips faster than she could stop herself. She forced herself to sit up.

There was no room for sentiment. What had to be done would be done. Lola's heart hardened once more. A shell formed around her mind as she buried her doubts. After all, her niece was not a baby girl anymore, but a capable Dueler - one of the five classes of the Chevalier units - whether the girl would admit it or not.

Lola knew as lazy Rin was, she would not come home until her bounty was done - even if she had to chase the monster to her last dying breath. If not because of pride, because she was simply an annoying perfectionist like that.

Yes, Lola had to have faith in her niece. Who else would when no one believed in the girl? After all, was she not the one who fought so desperately to have Rin brought her in the first place? It would be hypocritical to doubt her decision now.

Rin would come home.

Unbeknownst to her a turquoise gaze followed the limo. A macabre presence swayed in tandem with the dead trees. Resting atop a branch, a ragged scarecrow stretched his arm out to allow a jack-o'-lantern to twine vine around him before whispering in its master's ear.

"Well done, Caramelita." the young man praised, stroking the pumpkin until she crooned. "Show me what you have." The familiar obeyed the command and stretched open her mouth to reveal numerous burnt spiders still twitching in death. Wordlessly, the scarecrow grabbed a fistful of the remains, examining the magic traces left behind by the one responsible.

That was when the scarecrow stopped smiling.

A dreadful silence fell over the forest. Clouds shrouded the moon and enveloped everything in oblivion. A murder of crows flew overhead, casting a long shadow depicting a monster where the scarecrow sat - hinting at his true nature.

"... So, I'm not invited this year. Even though I waited so patiently up until this night… and even though her spiders make their hunting no secret, did little miss Muffet not think about how I would react?" A chill settled over as the boy spoke in a low, calm voice. Beside him his jack-o'-lanterns shifted about in distress, not having seen their master appear so deathly serious in centuries. His foul mood made them aware of the premonition of oncoming disaster.

"Come, my pretty girls." Hearing his nonchalant order, the pumpkins clamored to join his descent. "If there's one thing I'm better at than being the life of the party…" Mikuo intoned, his eyes glowing a sinister green. "It's being the death of one."

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Kaito's POV

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They say in late autumn when the clock strikes midnight, a giant skeleton walks the earth in search of weary travelers. If they come across his path, they get eaten alive. But his true form is that of an ember within a pumpkin.

Rich aromas consisting of candied pecans and roasted chestnuts wafted into my nostrils as I rushed through downtown Poppy District. I let out a groan as my stomach growled in protest, convincing me to stop by one of the street vendors and buy a hearty heaping of roasted yams. While I was at it, I purchased a bag of candied pecans tied off by a cute red ribbon. Both potatoes were still piping hot as I unwrapped the foil, immediately hit with a rush of cinnamon and maple sugar as I devoured them, leaving one for the friend I would soon visit.

I consider myself blessed that street food was way cheaper compared to restaurants with prices I couldn't even look at without fainting. I did enough odd jobs around the city to earn a barely there allowance. Not to mention I was more than happy to stay out of the slums as much as possible. The tricky part was getting home without running into muggers and gangsters. I've lived here long enough to know how to not get killed at the wrong place at the wrong time. I've memorized the fastest shortcuts and best hiding places to outmaneuver most small fry felons - but the smarter ones who knew the streets like the back of their hands… well, let's just say shaking them loose literally gave me a run for my money.

Because you know, I'd be running to, you know, keep my money? Also for my life? Isn't that punny? Haha. Ha.

...

Ahem.

The sun was up bright and early, but today was Oktoberjagd - the night otherworldly spirits, beasts, and the souls of the dead entered our world and were appeased with offerings of sweets or money. The story behind Oktoberjagd was a famous folktale across Rorrim. I grew up hearing the stories all about the patron spirit himself, the Pumpkin Prince of Foolery.

Passing through downtown, I caught sight of street artists finishing up their murals depicting the infamous tale. From the painted grins to the shadowy Devil, this was the story of the man who became the Pumpkin Prince.

Once there existed a greedy traveler who wreaked havoc wherever he went, leaving large tabs unpaid in taverns he frequented and playing nasty tricks on people. He was a deceiver, manipulator, and an infamous dreg of society who used his charms and looks to get whatever he wanted from lesser fools. He courted countless rich nobles - men and women - into eloping with him, only to leave them heartbroken and humiliated once he drained their savings. He was a wanted convict across Rorrim, and he was always on the run from the law. Everyone despised him, and no one - not even his family wanted anything to do with a man like him - someone who always exercised cruelty with a smile. Rumor has it his most favorite pastime of all was creating strife. Nothing made him laugh more than the foolery of humans.

When it was time for him to die, Lucifer himself came to collect him after hearing of his exploits. Unconvinced and envious of the rumors, he went to find out for himself whether or not the man lived up to his vile reputation - and if his name was indeed the one all the sinful souls Hell screamed for. The traveler realized because of all his accumulated sins he wouldn't be able to enter heaven and instead spend eternity slaving to the sentence he never served. Typical of the traveler, he decided to play out one trick - his grandest trick of all.

The traveler made one last request to the devil. He asked the evil deity to let him drink all the rum and ale until he had his fill. With no reason not to acquiescence, Lucifer took the traveler to the local pub and supplied him with alcohol. Upon having quenched his thirst, the man asked the Devil to pay the tab - which surprised everyone, including the Devil himself, in the bar. He was able to convince the unholy god to transform into a gold coin to pay the bartender. The Devil did so, and the traveler pocketed him alongside a crucifix he had prepared beforehand.

With the crucifix binding the devil to the form of a gold coin, the traveler held the evil deity prisoner. This coerced Lucifer to agree to the traveler's demand - in exchange for his freedom, he would have to spare the traveler's soul for another fifty years. Impressed at the traveler's nefarious tactics, the deity agreed - for not many mortal men could outwit Lucifer himself. And because all gods were bound to their promises - the traveler could live in safety that the devil would never lay a hand on him.

I came across the final murals drawn out in a cornered alleyway squeezed between two shops. They interconnected what happened fifty years after the traveler made his deal with the devil.

The traveler happened upon the devil once again, and this time he seemed to accept that it was his time to depart for Hell for good. As the Lucifer prepared to ferry him to Hell, the traveler asked if he could have one last fish to feed his starving belly. Foolishly Lucifer once again agreed to bring in the haul as the traveler was too old and frail for the harsh labor. As the devil swam into the deepest waters of the bay, the traveler revealed he had carved crucifixes into the stone shore. The incarnation of evil, frustrated at being trapped yet again, demanded his freedom. As the traveler did before, he made a demand that his soul would never be ferried into Hell. And so, the Devil agreed and was set free.

Eventually the drinking and diseases caught up to the traveled, and he finally died - laughing until his last breath. The traveler's fickle soul prepared to enter Heaven but was stopped at the gates by the seven archangels. The highest of the order, Archangel Michael, forbade him and delivered a message from God himself - that because of the traveler's debauchery and hedonism, he would never be allowed to enter Heaven. And as punishment - the traveler's name would forever be lost to history - including to himself. The nameless traveler then went down to the Door of Hell and begged Lucifer for admission. The unholy god, fulfilling his oath to the one who managed to outwit him twice, could not take his soul. And so, the traveler was cursed to forever wander the world - endlessly searching for a home to lay his spirit to rest.

To warn others, Lucifer gave the traveler an ember - marking the traveler a denizen of the netherworld. Ashamed, the traveler wore a carved pumpkin to hide his face from the other spirits who laughed at his demise. From that night on until eternity's end, the traveler was doomed to roam the world between the planes of good and evil - with only an ember inside a hollowed pumpkin to light his way. From then on, he was called the Pumpkin Prince of Foolery.

To this day, people still say they can hear his dry, ghastly laughter whenever tragedy strikes. When he's hungry he takes the form of a giant skeleton at midnight - feeding his insatiable appetite for souls.

Children were warned to be good - never to lie or cheat or stay out after midnight - or else the Pumpkin Prince would devour their souls - either sending them to Lucifer or cursing them as jack-'o-lanterns to follow him wherever he went. If they encountered him, they had one chance to get away by offering him the soul cakes they collected. They say he couldn't tell the difference between the cakes and souls because to him, they appeared as white balls of light. That was why soul cakes were baked that way.

That was how Oktoberjagd was born. But well - it's just a fairytale like any other. I have an unpopular opinion, but I'll say it anyway.

"Oktoberjagd is the best! I love the Pumpkin Prince!" Dancing a jig right in the middle of the streets, I shouted my adulation for the villainous legendary figure. Consequently, I ended up on the receiving end of baffled, disgusted looks from the masses, but I didn't care.

The Pumpkin Prince was just so incomprehensible. Calling him "evil" was oversimplifying his complex character - since even the Devil himself couldn't understand him. He was many things - a thief, a manipulator, and even a warmonger. He had no friends, and he was remorselessly cruel and insane. All while laughing about it.

But no one knew why!

History said he had no redeeming qualities, or anyone who loved him. There were many hot debates surrounding the controversy of his origins. The only thing historians could agree on was his unpredictability.

The prince was just so hilariously full of himself he ended up getting pretty much everything he wanted - which proved to be his undoing, but still! If he really existed, he would be a psychologist's ultimate challenge come true! Unraveling the man behind the pumpkin mastermind would be the greatest purpose in life. Aghhh! His horrible, nihilistic actions that scarred history was exactly why he was a fascinating subject.

"Fates above, I'd die a happy man if I can just to catch a glimpse of his highness!" I bemoaned, hugging a nearby pole for support - further exacerbating negative attention from the public. "Prince of the Pumpkin Patch, have mercy on me! Let me see you at least once! Please… your highness!"

According to folklore, people dressed up as otherworldly beings and received offerings on their behalf in order to personify the old spirits of the winter - especially the Pumpkin Prince - who demanded entertainment in exchange for good fortune. Impersonating these spirits or souls was also believed to protect oneself from them.

If you don't revere the Pumpkin Prince on this night, he'll feed you to his jack-o'-lanterns and send your soul to Hell.

Well… I had my doubts on how gorging on sweets and dressing up was supposed to somehow "appease" an evil spirit like the prince, but I had to appreciate the effort put into these festivities. Also, no one in their right mind would ever scoff at free food!

Everyone was bustling to get ready for tonight. Bonfires were being set up, and flocks of guised children were running after hobby horses to visit houses in exchange for treats. The Joker Jamboree was the real knot-weed of Fall festivities. Now in its thirtieth year, complete with giant puppets, floats, and performances - it was the biggest spectacle of the year. As the largest public Oktoberjagd event in Chesteros, it attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists who drove from all over the country just to attend. People who didn't feel like watching from the sidelines could either get a great view from vantage points or even participate themselves in the twenty mile march. All you had to do was sign a waiver, pay an insurance fee, and bring your own costume. All of this was possible through the city budget, which was sponsored by high-ranking nobles from Rorrim Empire.

Megaton receives a lot of flak for having most of its population impoverished and making it to the top ten most dangerous cities in Chesteros. Still, the city's crown jewel was, in my opinion, the diversity in culture around here. Each district was unique and variable in its own right - and the richer areas had enough hotspots that would convince tourists to stay weeks on end. All the rivers and waterways were interconnected to the Bay itself. There was always something new to explore. There were no shortage of immigrants and their manifold festivities - which played a hand in boosting the local economy.

"Though if I become a millionaire, the first thing I would do is construct my own secret laboratory and develop the best soft-serve ice cream formula in the entire universe!" I declared atop a park bench as I brandished my sociology books as though carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I then puffed my chest out as I belted out in laughter. My uproar earned myself baffled stares from passersby who veered clear of my radius.

And so, as an avid Megaton dweller - I wouldn't hesitate to defend the city's reputation in earnest debate. I, of all people, understood better than anyone that Megaton had room to improve.

As I jogged past a string of stores decorated with pumpkin balloons, I couldn't help noticing all the missing people flyers plastered everywhere on glass windows. I slowed to a halt as my eyes ran over numerous faces depicting lost children and pets. Frowning, I felt an unease settle over me.

"So, my bones are telling me the Trickster Treater will be back tonight." Whispers came from behind me. "But no one knows how he's able to spirit away so many victims within a span of short nights." An elderly couple walked down the street as crow's feet wrinkled their worried brows. Trickster Treater. That very name sent chills down my spine.

"No matter what people say, that killer is real. There exists a hungry, dangerous menace whose presence has been prowling the streets ever since I was but a child. So many of my childhood friends disappeared, one by one - invited to secret parties with promises of sweet treats… only to disappear the following week with candy wrappers found in the last place they were seen." An old woman murmured, grasping onto her husband's arm. "But how can such a criminal thrive for this long…? To think no bodies have ever been found..."

"What you say is true, my dear. It'd be impossible for the killer to be the same person who haunted our streets back in our time. He'd have to be as old as we are, or immortal!" The man wheezed, hobbling down the road with his cane. "You and I have never been invited to such deathly parties. And I keep telling that foolish son of ours not to let his children go out this time of year, but he never listens… all because we 'deprived' him of enjoying the festivities as a child."

"He was too young to understand, Honey. He thought us too strict and superstitious…" The woman answered. "Don't worry. I'll talk to him into letting our grandchildren stay the night at our home baking candied apples. Though I fear for those who get lead astray by Trickster Treater's promises of poisoned sweets and treats…"

"Right you are, my dear… right you are…"

Secret parties… huh.

Laughing children rushed past me, dressed as little monsters crowding the sidewalk. Their candy bags bounced against their hips while they skipped around in circles. I almost stumbled holding both my books and food when we nearly collided against each other. They were too caught up in their excitement to notice me, though.

"Hey, wait for me!" A girl dressed up as a cat squealed after her friends. "I wanna see the air balloons for the parade!"

"No way, slowpoke! I'm not missing out on the biggest candy bars the rich misters are handing out in Rogue Distract!" One boy wearing a goblin mask shouted over his shoulder as he ran. "Better stop by Kasane Patisserie while we're there! Miss Muffet will show us a special surprise!"

"Hurry up! Last one's a rotten egg!" Another boy in a cowboy costume tugged on the cat girl's hand to pull her into a sprint. I caught sight of them carrying rosy cards bordered with lace and lettered inscription. Even the goblin boy had one crinkled in his closed fingers.

"Those cards look a tad bit gaudy for a casual kiddie gathering…" I mumbled aloud, still taking big bites of my yam. "How dubious." I had half a mind to stop them and ask about this party, but frankly - I didn't want to.

"Kasane Patisserie… urgh." Just thinking about it makes me queasy, just like my motion sickness.

I had known about the place but never ventured inside. I would never say this to anyone out loud, but there was something sickly saccharine it - and I wasn't just talking about the confections. Whenever I had passed by the shop, I would get nauseated from smelling their freshly baked goodies. My stomach was sensitive, so maybe that was why… but whatever the reason, I'd always lose my appetite. I made a point to steer clear of that place.

"Huh? Ack! I'm already late!" One quick glance at my watch made the hairs on my neck stand - jostling me into a mad dash for the church. Before long, the crucifix atop the quaint bell tower came into view as I vaulted over the iron fencing using my height to my advantage - mindful of removing my shoes beforehand so I wouldn't dirty the brick foundation. I knew I looked like an idiot, judging by the bewildered glances from the church workers. A bespectacled fool running barefoot on sanctus premises with wild hair and limbs flailing about? I might as well have streaked instead, but I don't think I've fallen that low yet.

Instead of using the front entrance like any self-respecting normie would, I climbed up a jacaranda tree until I was high enough to reach a window on the second floor. It was always left unlocked by the gravedigger himself. Unsurprisingly, the sanctuary was empty. No one came in here unless there were services and whatnot - leaving me to my own devices whenever I visited. Now, I was never particularly religious, nor was I actually part of the congregation here.

There were millions of gods revered around the world. To me, however, the idea of worshiping transcendent beings that I've yet to discern with my own eyes - well, it was difficult for me to wrap my mind around. Anything to be learned was from dogmas rather than reliable memoirs - which had their own branches and adaptations on how they ought to live to serve - or was it serves to live?

Are creations bound to their creators through fear or faith? Love or enslavement?

Are human lives given autonomy to weave our own history, or are we bound to the strings of fate already decided for us?

"Argh." Taking off my glasses, I rubbed my temple to rid the oncoming headache. Again, I was thinking too much. It was maddening. When it came to thinking about the meaning of life, I always ended up in one existential crisis or another.

Still… I couldn't help it. I couldn't not question the matter of life and death. I was so curious!

Of course, I find myself in awe of those who dedicate their lives in spiritual wholeness - to them, this was their own way of life. The pastor here called this a "labor of love". It takes real character to be able to prostrate themselves like that before their gods.

Perhaps, one day, I too - would meet my maker and live the rest of my days in holy servitude.

"But… if there truly are gods, then why is the world like this? Full of violence and black-hearted greed?" I asked aloud, raising my gaze skyward as my outstretched hand reached for the heavens. I found myself engulfed in a rainbow of colors. This was why I loved coming here - it was moments like these I truly felt like I was inside a kaleidoscope. But at the same time, it reminded me of living in a gilded cage - to remain ignorant until the day I die. Closing my eyes, I retracted my hand with a withering sigh. "Either the deities are silent, or they have left this world a long time ago…"

"Or perhaps the world remains as it is to serve a greater lesson to those who are created." Someone rumbled behind me in a voice gravelly as thunder. I recognized who it was before I even turned around. A titan of a man sauntered forward carrying a shovel across his broad shoulders. The cesious length of his trench coat brushed against the red carpet. His signature stockman hat cast a shadow over his face, only revealing the pipe lodged in his mouth.

I was so caught up in my reverie I hadn't heard him approach.

"Spooky soulings, Dell! Off the clock already? Here I thought more burials were at work this evening." I greeted him with a lopsided grin, sitting in one of the front benches as I watched him. After he put aside his shovel in its resting case, he crouched behind the altar and came out with a foldable chess board. The shine on his buckled leather boots caught the sunlight, emitting a glare that made me squint.

"The dead deserve their rest, son." He answered dryly. "I toiled all night digging their earthen beds." After an afterthought, he went on to humor me. "...Spooky soulings to you too. At least, I hope monsters won't be planning to feast on your soul tonight." With a flick of his lighter, he brought his pipe close and took a deep drag. Only then did I catch his chiseled, hard-angled features. His expression was grave, and his red eyes glowed like rubies. In lieu of it all, a long white scar ran diagonal across his left eye and to the opposite side of his neck - hidden under the high collar of his coat. Despite his aged and rugged appearance, he was still very handsome. He must have been a lady-killer during the youth of his prime.

Standing well over seven feet tall and built with herculean brawn was Dell Honne - the gravedigger to this humble church. Had I not known him as long as I had, my knees would be rattling every time I did so much as meet his eyes. A quiet guy well into his mid-forties and golly gee, was he intimidating!

"And so you planted poppies around the headstones. How thoughtful." I mused while nodding towards the churchyard. I took a moment to admire the floral stretch of red and purple flowers. During fall, the jacarandas surrounding the church were bare - which was a real shame considering how beautiful their rich, bell-like blossoms were. They were imported here as seedlings from a faraway land - apparently given as a gift from some rich patron who was a regular visitor here. Come spring the churchyard would make for a breathless sight to behold. I couldn't think of a better way to revere the dead with the sacred garden Dell spent years landscaping. I could imagine the overarching blossoms cocooning the church now…

I glanced at Dell as we set up our next game. Without him, I don't think my sanctuary here would exist. He took immense care of this place, and if not for that I don't think my mind would be intact. He would argue that this place was not for escaping, but it was only here I could truly find myself.

Ironic, isn't it?

"You have a penchant for groundskeeping, Dell." When I caught his attention, I passed the still-piping hot yam I'd been saving for him. He nodded his thanks and unwrapped the foil. "I hardly recognize this place now. I'm no expert on aesthetics, but even I know how barren and dreary the church used to be… that is, until you came along." As we sorted the pieces across the board, I held up two rook pieces of different colors. "Black or white today?"

"White, if you please." He answered before taking slow bites of the yam, prompting me to turn the board clockwise so we had our respective armies. Once we finished our snacks, we started our game.

"About what you were saying before...that 'the world remains as it is to serve a greater lesson to those who are created." I echoed before shooting him a peculiar look. "What do you mean by that?"

"There are many valuable lessons to be learned, young man." After a beat, Dell made his move. Training my eyes on the board, I kept my ears open for him. "If you stop and listen, you can hear the planet's whispers. Feel its heartbeat… its pain." He said. "The language of flowers is one of many ways the earth speaks to us all. Once the heavens and earth were one and the same… connected through creation. But now, a bridge divides us."

Minutes lapsed into silence as we took turns. I repeated his words over and over in my head like a broken record, trying to comprehend what he meant. Finally, I gave up in frustration.

"That's… very mystical and all, Dell…" I began slowly, making no effort to hide my skepticism. "But that doesn't really answer my question about whether there really are divine creators."

"As I said, the earth and heavens were once one world." Dell answered patiently. "There exists more than one answer to the truth you seek. Instead of frantically looking elsewhere - it's where home is that you will find your own validation that will appease your curiosity. In due time."

"Sounds like you're just telling me to be patient."

"Indeed, your hastiness and impulsive nature blinds you from everything except for what lies ahead. Live in the here and now, Kaito - enrich yourself in experience and people around you. That's why we call it 'present." Dell quipped, eliciting a wry chuckle from me. He maneuvered his knight in deft execution - offing my last bishop. He showed me no mercy as he took my queen. With a resonating clack, the game was over. "Checkmate."

"That makes twenty-two to one!" I groaned, banging my head against the wood. I threw him a half-hearted glower. "I'm certain the only reason I beat you one time was because you went easy on me."

"Twas our first game then. It would've been rude to defeat someone who was just learning to play then."

"Ugh… I just can't win against you. But I'm not giving up." I declared with a grin, unable to stay a sore loser when it came to this guy.

"You pups - so impatient to acquire everything at once… knowledge, success… power." There was something rather pointed in the last word he said, as though he was thinking of someone close in mind. Given his exasperated scowl, I could guess who he was thinking of. "When will you learn that the point of youth is to enjoy yourselves while you can?" Smoke unfurled from Dell's downturned mouth as he took another puff of his pipe. "Soon, you'll be slow and achy all over like me. Don't be so eager to catch up."

I laughed in reply. He was so cool. I vocally pointed out that he wasn't that old - which he gave me a long, unreadable stare before offering another game - which I accepted.

There was a funny story behind our first meeting. I was in my last year in middle school when I got lost in Poppy District after wandering around to avoid going home. Somehow, I ended up in the churchyard - but it had been so dark I didn't realize I had been trampling over the flower buds Dell first planted. When the lantern light he held casted a sinister underlighting on his shadowy face, my bones nearly jumped out of my own skin. I was terrified and about to dig my own grave right then and there. His jagged facial scar was all the proof I needed to believe he was Death incarnate ready to behead me for my sins. I ran out of there like a bat out of hell.

Come next morning, I somehow gathered my wits enough to revisit the church. When he caught me poking around, I was sure that was it for me. Imagine my surprise when all he did was reprimand me not to step on the flowers and had me replant them.

Good old Dell.

It took me a long time to get used to him enough to get around talking with him. As soon as I learned he was only quiet and not the holy terror who I had nightmares about, our friendship progressed from there. It felt like I could talk about anything with him, which was surprisingly easy to do. No matter how trivial my rants, he always listened and never once interrupted until I asked for his feedback.

Gruff appearance aside, he was a solemn and frank-minded gentleman… which made the fact that he was also the Lone Wolf's guardian even more astonishing. I wasn't afraid to admit that I was jealous - after all, I'd do anything to have Dell as my guardian.

But well, if Len didn't want him - that surely meant I could have him, right?

Jokes aside, I mentioned before how rich Megaton was in diversity. Spiritual beliefs were no exception. I often asked Dell where he came from, to which he would simply answer that it was somewhere very far north. He claimed that I wouldn't it there, which only invoked my curiosity even more. His culture was an interesting thing - which probably explained Len's… interesting character, or rather, his penchant for solitude. From what little insight Dell offered me about his homeland, I only knew that their people thrived in where they called the "Throat of the World". It was where almost no life existed, only silence.

In that silence, Dell would tell me, the earth's voice was loudest because it was where the bridge between earth and heaven remained. It was where the first seams were woven to divide humanity from the mysteries beyond this realm.

If the congregation heard all this, there was no doubt Dell would lose his job for "preaching heresy". He would be forced to live in ostracization, as though living in poverty didn't already do that for us both.

Still, he was dead set on believing the planet was a sapient being who holds all the secrets to unlocking hidden truths. Now, I could argue how that concept sounded too fantastical to grasp - but then, when proof did I have?

Which begs the question - would I ever meet these "gods"?

That remained to be seen. Still, I took Dell's advice to heart and decided to try living in the here and now, aside from the fact I despised my current living arrangements.

"Spooky soulings! Souls, souls - for a soul-cake! Come on, Sissy, give us a soul cake!" Children's clamoring voices overlapped as a multitude of footsteps hastened to where we were playing. It was none other than miss Prez followed by a gaggle of guttersnipes dressed up in colorful costumes. The smaller ones clung to the brunette by the hem of her softball uniform, pleading in whiny voices.

"Sissy! Sissy! You're so strong I bet even the Pumpkin Prince wouldn't eat us if you went souling with us!"

"Yeah!"

"Uh-huh!"

They erupted in a chorus of agreement.

"Come with us to the tea party! It's okay if we invite another guest, Sissy! You can pretend to be a kid like us!" One pirate boy shouted, waving a black card. The others cried out in agreement, shoving their cards into Meiko's face.

"Only kids are allowed into the special place, but since Sissy's always nice to us - we want you to come with us!" A giggling redheaded girl clung to Meiko's arm, dressed as a bunny. "Come on~ there's supposed to be a tower of pudding and everything! 'A dining to die for'! That's what the letter says!"

Aww… it was a cute sight to see, watching the usually stiff and stern Prez making nice with a bunch of adorable kids. It was like watching a bunch of ducklings following their mama. Anyone could tell how well they got along with her.

"As I've said before, I don't have time to go anywhere. Besides, " My troubled classmate explained, looking apologetic. "You're better off searching for sweets elsewhere. Now, please stop following me!"

"Aww!" A chorus of disappointed groans echoed throughout the sanctuary.

At least as far back as medieval times, among the saints, there exists a custom called souling - which was sharing soul cakes on the last day of Autumn. Children visit houses and take soul-cakes, either as representatives of the dead, or in return for praying for their souls. Later, people went from parish to parish during Oktoberjagd, begging soul-cakes by singing under the windows.

Of course, it was a very old tradition but some families still practiced the custom. In today's world most kids were happy just dressing up and receiving candy.

"Take your mischief elsewhere, you misbegotten mudlarks! You're tracking mud everywhere again!" Dell's outburst sent the children scurrying behind Meiko like rats leaping from one sunken ship to another. "How many times has the preacher asked you to show some respect in the church? Serves you right if your teeth rot from cavities. I ought to teach the lot of you some manners!" His harsh reprimanding worked like a lash - scaring the white-faced kids into a frenzy as they scattered. I covered my mouth to suppress a surge of oncoming snickers.

It wasn't hard to see who Kagamine takes after.

"Eeek! We made the grey giant mad!"

"Someone save us!"

"Run for your lives!"

The half-shrieking, half-laughing kids made a dash for the exit. They made faces at Dell as they ran out, save for a small girl dressed in an apple ensemble. She hid behind Meiko with teary eyes, pulling at her hand.

"Sissy, why do always talk to that scary big man? Come souling with us instead, and then we can go see the Joker Jamboree!"

"I can't, Yuki. I'm going home soon." Meiko soothed as she knelt to the girl's level. She stroked her head. "Besides, Mr. Dell means no harm. His bark is worse than his bite. He only gets cranky like this when the church gets messy. You wouldn't like it if someone did that to your room, would you?"

The red ribbons in the girl's pigtails swished back and forth as she mutely shook her head.

"Now, run along. Wouldn't want your friends to leave you behind, would you?"

"No way!"

"Better hurry then. Be safe." Meiko called after Yuki as the latter hurried out, but not before frantically waving goodbye. Once the girl was gone, she turned to face Dell with a long-suffering sigh. "I'm sorry, Mr. Dell. I know it's difficult, but it can't be helped that they're rowdy that way." She gave him a meaningful look. "They are foster children, after all. Please try to understand."

"No, I apologize. I keep reminding myself not to shout at them, but I lost my head as soon as I saw the mud." Dell rued as he performed a cross, bowing his head in repentance. "This old dog could learn a few things from your patience, Meiko."

"Please, if anything - I'm the one who needs to learn from you." Meiko shook her head modestly. "Those children live in my neighborhood, so I'm used to handling them. It is annoying when they don't listen, though…" She trailed off before her eyes landed on me. "Oh, Shion. It's good I ran into you here." She said as she pulled something out of her sports bag, presenting my scarf neatly folded and washed. "I've been meaning to find you sooner. Thank you for lending for this."

"Spooky soulings, Prez!" Ecstatic, I shot up from the pew and eagerly clasped my hands over outstretched palm, greeting her with a nonstop handshake. "How've you been? Wow, just look at you! With that form, you're ready to lead your team to the championship and bring back the gold!" Compared to when I last saw her, she seemed more energetic. It took a load off my shoulders just seeing her today. I remembered how shaken up she got the day Kagamine picked a fight with Rin, so I knew bringing it up would only humiliate her. She was more intimidated by the Lone Wolf more than she was willing to admit. She would sooner eat dirt than confess that challenging the volatile boy might be a sore case of biting off more than she can chew.

That said, it was certainly odd seeing Kagamine of all people losing his nerve against a girl. But then, Rin was far from an ordinary schoolgirl. I just knew she wasn't. Also, I was aware that I didn't help matters by teasing Kagamine prior to their scuffle.

As much as I enjoy invoking colorful reactions from people, I really shouldn't dangle meat in front of a hungry beast. So to speak...

"I see. What are you, a puppy? I can see your wagging tail sticking out." Meiko huffed. "Just take your scarf already." Straightforward as always, she slipped her hand from mine and took a step back.

"Arf!" I barked, playing along with pawful enthusiasm. She raised her brows at me as I bopped my knuckles against my head as added comic relief. Reminded by Rin's passionate outake on fashion, I followed her example by tying my scarf into a big bow and fluffed it out like a movie star's feather boa. Now I felt primped enough to ask Meiko to see the parade with me. Seeing her cold expression, however, I remembered she thought of me as an oddball. Sob!

"Your suspicions are confirmed." Dell interjected with an exasperated sigh, turning around so he could face Meiko. "Have a seat, young lady. I'd offer you some tea but unfortunately, there's none. I take it you didn't come here for an idle chat in the first place. So, let's hear it."

"Sir. I wanted to speak to you about your son..." Meiko did as he requested, sitting on a pew adjacent to him. She stole a hesitant glance at me, which Dell nodded for her to continue - signalling it was alright for me to stay while they talked. Understanding his gesture, she went on to continue. "I was hoping I could have you both attend an intervention with the school counselor next week. We need to talk to him about his behavior… it doesn't look like he's learned anything from last year. He might listen to what we have to say if you're around."

Dell took one last drag of his pipe before putting it out. He tilted his head back all the way as he let out a long exhale, a cloud of smoke seeping from his lips.

"That won't be possible."

"Why not?" Meiko asked in a tentative voice. By her tense jaw I could tell she was less than pleased about not getting her way, but of course she was too well bred to show any distaste.

"The pup's on a sojourn up north. When the counselor called me about his behavior, you can guarantee I was mad as a hornet when I learned he lashed out and mishandled a young lady." Dell dragged his eyes to the chandelier, shaking his head in disapproval. "I done stung him and hounded his ears off, and he took it as well as you'd expect. Threw a fit and hightailed it out of the city faster than a hare being hunted."

"So he left the city. Again?" Meiko rubbed her temple as though she felt a headache coming on. I found myself sympathizing with her plight. She was working so hard to try and reform the school violence, and so far all her attempts have been blowing up in her face.

"Come the holidays 'round here, he skips town when it gets noisy and festive. Likely he's training up in the mountains where he can't be bothered." Dell said, staring at the chess pieces still standing on the board from our delayed game. "Len has always been independent, ever since he learned how to walk on all f-... er, on both feet, I mean." Dell coughed sharply, arousing my interest. That was awfully suspicious just now. "Stubborn, that he is - but at least he listened to me better when he was a pup. Any lectures I give him now goes in one ear and out the other. It isn't easy, raising children. You'll be lucky if you end up raising one half as obstinate as he is."

"You really have a lot of work cut out for you, Dell." I piped up with a grin. "Even though you're raising him like he's your own son, didn't you mention you knew his real mother? That you knew them around the time he just learned to walk?"

"Indeed, and losing a mother around that age scars a child like that. I'll never forget the look in his eyes when I found him - starved and beaten - a miserable soul. Though the moment he sensed my pity he fought me tooth and nail - as the only thing left he had left to fight for was his pride." Dell stated in a solemn voice. "Perhaps he was once a happy child. During the years I've looked after him, a man such as I can only do so much to quell the rage within a wounded heart. Now he's grown suspicious, proudful, dour, prematurely cynical, and even a touch tyrannical . . . but Len's an honorable heart. I wouldn't house him in my care if he was otherwise."

Meiko remained silent. This new insight shed light on Len's troubling behavior. I leaned back against the bench, getting comfy as I processed this information. It sounded like Kagamine's case was that of childhood trauma. The experiences children between infancy to kindergarten were critical - as these events laid out the foundation for their psychological development. Prepubescent victims of trauma could develop misconceptions of reality, which made the negative impacts of traumatic events all the more damaging to their still developing psyche.

It wasn't just him. I've known many of the students here since the middle school years, taking the time to learn their names and stories - Many of the delinquents at our school exhibited similar behavioral patterns that implied they've gone through traumatic experiences - whether from community violence or abuse, I couldn't say for sure. But their backgrounds always shared one important factor - living in poverty.

Early childhood trauma has been associated with reduced size of the cerebral cortex. Now, this area was what made human beings unique - it was responsible for many complex functions including memory, attention, perceptual awareness, consciousness, and the ability to think and reason. These changes may affect IQ and the ability to regulate their emotions. As such, this results in major changes in children's defense mechanisms.

Traumatic events had a profound sensory impact on young children. Exposure to physical or psychological abuse resulted them into exhibiting long-term physiological and behavioral problems. I closed my eyes, reading down a list in my mind's pictograph. Certain symptoms in these children arose in lashing out in self-harm or physical violence when triggered by reminders of their respective traumas , imitating an abuser's behavior, being unable to build rapport with others, believing they are to blame for traumatic events, lacking positive self-esteem or self-image, and but not limited to experiencing vivid flashbacks or hallucinations.

They say time heals wounds. But with the troubles kids like Len go through everyday, the scars will always remain. It wasn't unusual for powerful incidents to grip our hearts long after the hurt numbs. Sometimes, people keep their wounds open so they never forget the pain - so they had reason to fight. To live.

"There are two kinds of people in the world when they go through hell like that. We call them victims and survivors." Dell rumbled, having sensed our pity. There was no mistaking the pride that touched his voice as he spoke about Len. "And this pup is a survivor who learned how to bite and bark before he could walk." Then his face sagged as he hunched over in woe. "...Though at this rate, he'll never find himself a woman who'll put up with him. Not with that temper of his - devil take him." Dell drooped his head with a long sigh. "The lady would have to have the patience of an angel and steel made of spine."

"I highly doubt such a girl even exists." Meiko remarked, furrowing her brow. Her skeptical tone was sharp enough to cut down any man's forbidden fantasies. "She would have to come out of a fairytale. In any case, I don't think anyone should have to compromise an ounce of their self-worth just to be someone's emotional crutch."

I had to stop myself from grinning when I heard those words.

Heh. It's like Prez to say something like that. She's one of those capable, self-reliant girls who live as though they aren't concerned with matters of the heart. Women like her tended to be proud as peacocks. Ironically, it's usually girls like her who happened to be most starry-eyed, die-hard romantics. It's rare to see such gems settle for potential partners when they have such impossibly high standards. As such, it's their pickiness that breeds the misunderstanding of "cold-hearted women".

It goes without saying that no woman alive is born cold-hearted. Scorn births these vengeful entities, and nothing burns hotter than the wrath of a scorned woman.

Heh… and if any of Meiko's secret stash of rom-com comics are any indication of her secret character...

"You may be onto something, my dear. However, I wouldn't scoff at love if I were you. There's nothing more beautiful than a union that brings out the best of both parties while being able to accept the other's faults." Hearing Dell's retort, Meiko fell silent though she didn't look so convinced.

"As wise as you are, Dell - one would assume your son would take after you in temperament and composure." I spoke up, purposely changing the topic so none of us would mull over our own nonexistent love lives. It was just downright depressing. Besides, no one could resist the calling of juicy gossip. "After all, you're the only one he actually respects."

"Yes… if I recall, he even copies the way you do your hair." Meiko motioned to the back of her head, creating an imaginary ponytail. "It's amazing to think there's someone Kagamine looks up to."

"The truth is far from what you imagine it to be." Dell shook his head with a heavy sigh. "Some days it's a battle even being under the same roof as that boy. Ridiculous, I know. We've had nothing but arguments since he entered manhood… that mouth of his has grown smarter over the years." Meiko and I shared exasperated glances, knowing full well what Dell meant by that. "Logic and Len don't mix well. It's a mistake to believe he always listens to me. He's intelligent but stubbornly obstinate - that boy has a rampaging mind of his own."

"A mind that's constantly roiling in senseless rage…" Meiko grumbled before realizing she spoke her thoughts aloud. She looked horrified as Dell arched a brow at her. She was surprised to see him amused.

"That's certainly one way to describe my son, love." Dell chortled with a self-depreciating chuckle. Then he appeared thoughtful before nodding as though coming to an important decision. "I'll let both of you in one a secret of mine. Since I like you two, and you're always going out of your way to visit me." He lowered his voice in a conspiratorial manner, piquing my interest as well as Meiko's. He beckoned us closer. "Len doesn't know this, but when I was his age - I was a damn hellraiser, yessir." He paused to gauge our disbelieving reactions before smirking. "Hmph. I can't fault you for doubting me, but I'm not lying. I was every bit of the brash, belligerent berserker you see in Len today. Except... my temper was much worse."

"You? Possessing a temper worse than your son's?" I parroted in bewilderment. "No way. I can't even picture you throwing a tantrum." I stated with utmost solemnity. Meiko nodded in agreement.

"I speak nothing but the truth." He replied. "As a boy, I was constantly restless and agitated. Len's a quiet boy when he's not angry, but back then I was never one for silence."

"Like father, like son! I'm tempted to say the beast's temper runs in your family!" I crowed, laughing at my own joke even though Dell looked anything but amused. "I must say. There aren't a lot of people who can't stand up against powerhouses like your son. I was wrong - he's the spitting image of you! Things have gone so horribly right!" I applauded, smiling as Meiko and Dell shared weary looks with one another. "Still… I never thought I'd live to see the day someone forcing the Lone Wolf to his knees. Shimoda sure is gutsy, isn't she, Prez?"

"I… Yes…" Meiko answered, probably not expecting me to ask her opinion on the girl two years our junior. She tried not to appear dubious as she carefully voiced her next words, but I could tell she was still aggravated about Rin refusing to follow the dress code - and that sour first impression made their relations tense. "She lacks nothing in frankness, though we do share some disagreements. Still, she certainly is… eccentric."

"Shimoda?" Dell echoed, a pensive expression forming his face. Familiarity sparked in those ruby irises of his. "A girl? Could it be his…?" Curious about his reaction, I looked at Meiko - who appeared as vexed as I was.

"Shimoda Rin is an underclassman of ours, sir." Meiko spoke up. "She's in the same grade as your son. They've spoken several times, but it doesn't look like they're friends. Now that I think about it - they're complete opposites." She remarked, catching the gleam of interest in his eyes.

"Oh? And how might that be so?"

Heh. So much for the saying that "opposites attract". More like their first encounter didn't last five minutes without them going for each other's throats. I guess there is a such thing as "hate at first sight".

"Whereas Len is cold and rough around the edges, Rin is elegant and intrepid through and through. I would know since I've talked with her several times! She's fun to hang out with!" I piped up, not wanting to be left out. Dell hummed in thought, nodding for me to continue. "She's a bit vain, but I suspect there's more to her than appearances. Her sassiness also puts her at odds with Len." I shot a sly wink at Meiko, who appeared taken aback as I went on to add. "Reminds me of another girl who isn't afraid of standing up to Kagamine." I stopped speaking once I heard Dell mumbling.

"Must be his second child… other girl… too old to be in high school…"

"Uh, Dell…?" I raised my hand, trying to get Dell's attention.

"Rin… must've been what he named her…."

"Sir?" A puzzled Meiko cleared her throat this time, only to be unheard.

"A younger daughter then…"

"HEY DELL!" I spoke up, causing him to snap back to reality as he turned to me. "You were off in your own world. Do you happen to know Rin or something?"

"Ahh, sorry. These old ears aren't what they used to be. In answer to your question, I've never met this Shimoda Rin. She sounds very charming though." A deep chuckle rumbled in his throat as he stood, turning his back on us as he craned his head towards the altar. "Her name just reminded me of an old friend is all." A draft from the open window whistled in, causing the tulles to sway against the pews. He began wiping the brass columns that mounted the candlesticks - not stopping until they shone like diamonds - reflecting his nostalgic expression. "Yes… he was a good man - noble and firm. I wouldn't trust any other man to guard my back." He fell silent, and since he didn't divulge any further details I didn't pry. He looked like he wanted to change the subject anyhow. "Now, how goes your investigation, Meiko? Has the police found the culprit responsible for the murders of those young boys at your school?"

"In the end we weren't able to find anything." Meiko answered quietly, her face downcast. "It's strange. It's like the criminal just up and disappeared altogether. I should be happy there haven't been any more homicides, but I just can't shake the feeling that danger has passed over our school." She furrowed her brows as she rubbed her temple. "With miss Ann disappearing at a time like this, there's been more discord among the faculty. More teachers have resigned because they don't feel safe there anymore, and the students are catching wind of this. If this keeps on, it's only a matter of time until parents start pulling them from school."

"That's terrible, Prez…" I didn't know what else to say.

"I hate this. I hate that I'm so powerless when so many people are blaming my father for all this." Meiko bit out, her fists clenched in bone-white fury. "He's been receiving criticism from the board and parents all around - even threats and accusations of having to do something with all this! What gall!" She reached her breaking point as she stood up, visibly trembling. "What right do they have to criticize him when he's doing his best trying to make changes? What are they even doing? Nothing! They just sit and wait and complain - expecting him to fix everything!"

I was rattled to silence, having never seen her lose her composure like this. It only made me more aware of how bad our situation was, and the worst outcome was closer than ever. The threat of our school possibly being shut down meant hundreds of students would become drop-outs - as many impoverished families couldn't afford paying tuition elsewhere. Not only that, but people would lose their jobs.

I - no, everyone in our city couldn't just ignore these problems like it was none of their business. Not when it affects everyone. And like Meiko said - one party couldn't be blamed and expected to fix what's wrong.

"And it isn't just the school! It's our city - no, it's society that's the root of all these problems! Inequality, poverty, unemployment, and crime! Everyone treats me like I'm special, but how can I be when I haven't even made a difference?" Meiko cried, her fists shaking as she covered her face. "I'm not special! Growing up in this city makes me question if I even want to have a family in the future! Should I even bring children into this world? Just to have them clean up the problems I could never face?" Her voice cracked. The weight of her despair caused her entire body to curl inward as though creating a shell. "Even those kids who are able to enjoy Oktoberjagd now… once the novelty fades, what are they going to look forward to living in Megaton?"

The reality of these consequences finally sank in, causing me to rise to my feet. Dread settled at the bottom of my stomach, swallowing me from the inside out. I was only now anticipating the brunt of the upcoming assault that would obliterate my future.

"No…" My ensuing horror manifested in a weak whisper. I wasn't even able to voice myself properly. I shook my head, denying the possibility of being trapped inside the trashy duplex I refused to call home. With no school to go to, I didn't even want to imagine what horrendous schemes my money-grubbing uncle would have me do. His debt would never let us leave this city. He would sooner have me sell my backside to "pay what's due" than waste what little resources we had sending me to another school.

No way I'm letting that happen. I swore there would never be a second having my life shut away. I'm never going back into dark storage. Never again!

"Shion?!" Meiko's panicked voice snapped me out of my trance. I hadn't noticed how hard I was shaking until she grabbed my shoulders. Her eyes weren't as guarded as usual. Her burnished gaze softened with worry and concern, her irises resembling a rare toffee I was honored to witness. Seldom did I get to see this other side of her, and any other day I would be thrilled being on the receiving end of this attention. Alas, I was beside myself with mortification playing the victimizing fool in front of the girl I liked.

An itch spread like a rash across my nose, and I rubbed it.

"S-Sorry, I don't know what came over me." I tried to laugh off my panicked episode. My neck flushed hot with shame as I stretched my collar, fanning myself. Stop shaking, damn it. Get ahold of yourself, Kaito. "I must've eaten something bad this morning. Don't worry your pretty little head about anything."

"Shion… thanks, but you don't have to lie to spare my own feelings. I should've considered how my words would affect you. For that, you have my sincerest apologies." Meiko gave a bitter smile, seeing through my ruse. "I've been losing my head over these incidents day and night trying to figure out how so many things went wrong so quickly. It's only the first quarter, and I'm already worrying about foreclosure." She sighed, letting me go. "Everyone at school has questions for me - answers I can't give them. Everyone wants change. So I have to constantly assure them everything is under control and that there's nothing wrong when it's just the opposite." She slumped against the wall, her hair hanging over her self-loathing gaze. "But if I say what I really feel, it'll only make things worse. I'm useless."

"Now hold on a damn minute." I cut off her rant with a stern interruption. Something had to be done about that helplessness on her face. It didn't match her likeness at all. She was never one who just took a beating lying down. "I'm not about to let you tear yourself down like this. All this doom and gloom isn't like you, Prez. Where's your fire?" The echoes of my firm, uncompromising tone sounded foreign, even to my ears. I was in serious Kaito mode. "Your enemy isn't some divine force. It's just society being what it is! Society isn't God or even the Devil." I proclaimed.

"Society…" Meiko repeated in astonishment.

"You're blaming yourself for situations that were already way out of your control. You're missing the big picture!" At this point, I stepped behind the podium like an activist leader. I adjusted the frame of my glasses before continuing. "Society is made up of everyone. Blaming the corrupt capitalists or invasive foreigners for poverty, inequality, or economic depression is what frightened people do - they make a scapegoat instead of uniting together!" I shook my head, clutching at the heaviness in my breast. "It kills me inside. Beyond our own interests, haven't we stopped to think that maybe - just maybe - society can only change when everyone pulls their weight?"

"I see..." Dell exhaled, crossing his arms. "I never thought much of politics, but even your words have taught me a lesson. That change is possible when everyone bands together to make changes."

"People have different solutions to how things will change. People will argue, compromise, and then - social movements will be born." I nodded before turning to Meiko as I continued. "Society will always social problems, but with each civilization - we continue to evolve from simple creatures. That's why you, of all people, Prez - shouldn't give up on your beautiful ideals!"

"Ah…" Bit by bit, I saw the light returning to the president's eyes. There it was - her hunger to change lives for the better. Atta girl. I beamed with pride before cheering.

"You're never alone. Me and Dell are behind you all the way! We believe in your ability to lead others and inspire them to spread your cause." I rushed over, grinning from ear to ear. "Let's take action - starting with improving our school. Then we can move onto demanding better policies for the poor, and then we can take on the world!"

Confusion bloomed on Meiko's countenance as she eyed me in bewilderment. A chuckle rumbled from Dell's throat as he glanced at me knowingly.

"Well spoken, Kaito." I nearly choked as Dell clapped my back with a friendly, almost parental affection. Like I said, he needed to watch that titan strength of him sometimes. Putting that aside, he regarded Meiko with much gentler touch. He wiped away an tear from her eye as he gave her shoulder a tender squeeze. It was never weird or awkward when Dell went out of his way to comfort girls like this. Between his towering height and Meiko's smaller size, he almost looked grandfatherly. It was no secret how hard he was on guys like his colleagues and especially Len. But he had a soft spot when it came to girls and women alike. He once told me that every female was a lady who deserved to be treated with respect no matter the age. In the years I've known him, I've never seen him disrespect a woman. Every girl he came across he treated like a princess - with utmost care as though taking care of his flowers.

Watching Dell soothe Meiko brought me back to a time last year when Dell and Len were arguing. The memory took place right where Dell and Meiko were standing. This was sometime before he got expelled.

"So tell me, Len. What's this I heard about you punching a girl at school today? The counselor told me she needs surgery for the split upper lip you gave her." Dell had confronted my underclassman as soon as he appeared. We were playing chess at the front pew, and Dell paused to regard a glowering Len. At the time, I had been frantically trying to pretend I was thinking about my next move while eavesdropping. "Now the poor girl needs stitches." Despite his tranquil tone, it didn't take a mastermind to sense the cold fury brewing in his chilling gaze. "I'm waiting. Aren't you going to explain yourself?"

For a moment, Len had wavered - not quite meeting his eyes. I couldn't tell what he had been thinking at the time, but at present I can say with certainty he must have regretted committing the offense when it resulted in rousing his guardian's temper - which was even more terrifying to behold. Had it been anyone else Len wouldn't have even flinched.

A silence lapsed in the room. The anticipation had all but murdered me, but Dell had waited patiently until he finally had his answer.

"That wench put her hands all over me." Len had finally seethed through clenched teeth. "She touched me without my permission. Then she had the nerve to put her wet mouth on my face - staining my cheek with that foul-smelling lip paint of hers. It wouldn't wash off unless I scrubbed with scalding water!" He had held his cheek and shuddered as though reliving the moment, as though a slimy creature had tried to lock lips with his. And perhaps that wasn't so far from the truth, but even so. Even now, he looked like he wanted to burn away a part of his face where the girl kissed him if it meant erasing the sensation.

The pew screeched back on its legs as Dell threw his weight over and flew over Len with such tremendous speed I hadn't even caught his movements. The blow he delivered was so sharp the sound cracked like thunder. Dell hunched over the teenager, who hadn't so much as yelped when Dell slapped his palm against the wall right next to his ear.

"You dishonor me with that wild, animalistic reasoning of yours! This proves you're still wet behind the ears!" Dell barked, his face mere inches from Len's. "Mark my words, Len. That temper of yours will land you in waters hotter than hellfire someday! Understand I'm getting old, so I won't always be around to reign you back in if calamity finds you!"

Dell looked enraged. His red eyes glazed over with the temptation to strike Len - and it took every ounce of his own self-discipline not to do so. As hard headed as Len was, I hadn't missed the slight tremble of his lips, quick but present. But that momentary fear passed into cornered aggression. Any hit closer to his face, and the younger boy would've likely bitten Dell in retaliation.

"Who the hell asked for your help in the first place!?" Len snapped his teeth at Dell before pushing himself off the wall. "I never did! If you want to play the good godfather, why don't you lecture that acolyte of yours instead?" He pointed me out with a baleful glare before turning on his guardian. "You're wasting your time, especially mine. Just stay out of my affairs and mind your own business, you stubborn coot!"

"Mind my own business, you say! And who was it who fed you, clothed you, and nourished you to this day?" The older man had rebuked, his cold fury igniting with Len's. Crimson red eyes had sparked against icy blue pools - their glares radiating intense waves of wrath so palpable I had felt it hitting me in waves. The scene was similar to witnessing a clash of storms - a hurricane meeting a tornado. I remembered thinking that the aftermath was going to be a hell of a mess to clean up after. And that would get them nowhere.

Contrary to my belief, however, Dell's temper had started to fizzle out before a worst outcome could occur.

Realization had dawned on Dell then as he had watched Len bristling and staring back at him with the whites of his eyes - like a wounded animal cornered and ready to lash out. Then his red eyes cleared.

If Len could be described as the anvil, then Dell had to be the hammer that dealt the forging with an iron fist - no pun intended.

"I… Listen here, Pup." The gravedigger had taken a calmer approach. He had sat down on the steps of the altar, patting the spot next to him in an attempt to extend an olive branch to Len. Unsurprisingly, the boy had just crossed his arms and turned away. Undeterred, Dell had continued to speak. "Men must never raise a hand against women. That has been the foundation of civilizations since the prehistoric age." He went on to add in a somber voice. "You can afford to make as many mistakes need be while you're still young. But if you betray the honor of manhood, you betray your pride as well as mine. I'll be forced to lop off your own manhood and severe my own head as well."

"Hmph. Not that it concerns me in the slightest…" Len had started, sparing Dell a disdainful glance over his shoulder. There was no denying the reluctant curiosity that had flickered in his gaze. "But why would you kill yourself after making a eunuch out of me?"

"Need you even ask? That is the price a parent pays for his son's failings. Raising ill-bred tramps is a sin that can only be forgiven by death." Dell answered, fixing his eyes on Len's. "Don't become someone I despise, foolish pup."

To this day, it remains a mystery whether Len heeded Dell's advice on treating women - if you don't count all the threats he made towards Rin and their scuffle - then he deserves some credit for going out of his way to avoid women in general. One thing for certain was that Dell would sooner put Len's well-being over his own.

"...All you can do is be patient with yourself, my dear girl. That goes for you as well, Kaito." Dell's deep voice summoned me from my thoughts. "There are some obstacles that can be dealt with using logic, and then there are obstacles that require… imagination, so to speak." He advised, pressing a black king piece against his lips. "If one solution fails, then that means there are other ways to succeed. That is the undeniable truth."

We soaked up his counsel as though our very lives depended on his words. Even when things seemed hopeless and despair insurmountable - it was this man who gave hope back to us. His eyes were always clear and focused - telling me of countless hardships he must have ventured to become the pillar of strength he was today. Never had I once seen those eyes of his clouded with doubt. To me, he was a paragon of virtues. I really looked up to him. Without him, I don't think I would've been able to find my way during all the times I felt lost. Watching the unease melting away from Meiko's eyes, it occurred to me that I wasn't the only one who'd been saved by Dell time and time again.

He was just… so manly!

I all but swooned witnessing his chivalrous visage as he handed Meiko a handkerchief as she blinked repeatedly to stop herself from tearing up. Feeling strangely left out, I couldn't stop myself from sighing. In this situation, I didn't even know who I was jealous of.

Oops, careful now, Kaito. Your man crush is showing. It's so embarrassing I could blush!

"Thank you, Mr. Honne. I feel a little better now." Meiko perked up like a revived daisy. Her eyes caught mine, and she suddenly grew flustered. She turned away but not before gracing me with a sideways glance. She was trying to hide behind her mask, but that bashfulness of hers warmed me more than sunshine ever could. "And… thank you, Shion. For the pep talk, I mean. I didn't expect to see that side of you."

I blinked in surprise.

Whoa… she's actually thanking me? All I did was just blab and so on. Still, it felt pretty good knowing I was able to lift her spirits, even just a little bit.

"No problem…" I answered softly. I watched in confusion as her smile fell away to incredulity. It wasn't until her eyes rounded that I noticed my expression reflecting from her brown irises. My face held an embarrassingly tender expression - no coy grin or a polite quirk of my lips, but a gentle smile. Feeling self-conscious by her gawking, I proceeded to fake the most awkward coughing fit ever - desperate to break the weird tension between us.

Was she that repulsed by the way I smiled earlier? I didn't even mean to creep her out! It's not like I wasn't used to receiving odd looks from her, so why did her reaction bother me just now?

"A-Aw, you're making me blush!" I winked at her, trying to bring back the status quo. I forced laughter from my throat. "D-Don't worry - I won't tell anyone I saw you cry!"

"I did no such thing!"

"No? But your face looked just like this…" I imitated her expression from earlier, staring her down with big sad puppy eyes accompanied with a quivering pout. I watched her face explode into a fiery red, and I broke into a fit of laughter. "Just like that! You were so cute. The memory is forever etched into my mind..."

"Why, you…! I most certainly did not look like that!" The brunette screeched, looking downright murderous at this point. I broke into a cold sweat, fearing for my safety. She made a show of rolling up her sleeves as she sauntered towards me. "To think I was starting to see you in a better light. I was wrong to think you could actually be serious for once. You really are a blabbering clown!"

"Ahaha, n-now, let's not get angry, Prez! I was just joking…!" I squeaked, seeking refuge behind Dell's lumbering body. I used him as a shield to protect myself from a very scary amazon who looked like she wanted to roast me alive. I stumbled around trying to escape her wrath as she lunged for me several times. Dell was caught in the middle as she chased me around in circles.

"Enough. Tsk… kids these days..." Tired of our noisy roundabout, Dell took it upon himself to pry us apart and have us sit together. "Kaito, apologize to Meiko. Your flirting is making things more difficult." He rebuked me before softening his tone when addressing Meiko. "And you, dear girl - don't pay any mind to a boy who doesn't know how to woo a girl he likes. At his age, boys like him have plenty of growing up to do."

"Flirting?!"

"Wooing a girl I like?!"

That was supposed to be a secret!

Shock electrified a new tension as Meiko and I simultaneously broke into flustered outbursts. I felt so exposed - and mortified. Not even being stabbed in the back could outdo how betrayed I felt at this very moment. Hell - Dell went for a full frontal assault! I never even saw it coming!

I suddenly regretted all the times I gush-, I mean, rambled about Meiko to Dell. I never even mentioned her name, but from the way I described her before and him being a frequent spectator of our banters it was only a matter of time until he lined up the pieces. To think I once believed I did a good job of hiding my feelings. I should've known a chess master like Dell would've had me all figured out.

This was unprecedented! From him of all people!

I caught him staring at me and grimaced. I could feel the smugness oozing behind his mask of nonchalance. I let him know with my eyes that he wasn't fooling me one bit. In response, a ghost of a smirk touched his lips right before vanishing.

I dared to steal a glance at Meiko, who was already staring at me in mute disbelief. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes were big as saucers. Whoa, if her face looked that red - just how bad did I look right now? Probably much worse. I could tell by the volcanic heat radiating off my face in waves. Hot with shame and embarrassment, I felt as though I could melt a hole through the ground any minute now.

This was not how I expected my first confession to go! Not like this! I couldn't stand the way her eyes kept searching me like that! She was obviously expecting the punchline any moment now, but my tongue laid limp in my mouth - and my impending silence was starting to convince her that just maybe I l-liked her? I could see the flustered realization dawning on her face! Aghh!

I seared my gaze into Dell's, willing my inner betrayal to channel through the depths of his traitorous soul.

How could you sell me out like this, Dell?

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Meiko and I cried out at the same time, flustered faces and all. Our sputtering denials were met with Dell's raucous laughter. A horrible itch on my nose flared up right as I sputtered my denials.

"Ahahaha! Forgive me! I didn't mean anything I said just now..." The gravedigger snickered, flashing us a wolfish grin - canines and all. He suddenly looked much younger with that boyish expression. It was very out-of-character for him. If he had blue eyes and blond hair, he would look exactly like Len. I found myself wondering if the aforementioned boy ever smiled in his life. It would definitely make for a heart-stopping spectacle, for certain. In fact, I bet the effect would give people heart attacks in more ways than one.

Hence the name "killer smiles". Heheheh.

… I'll just shut my mouth now.

Just as that thought passed, Dell's laughter subdued. He reverted to his mellow self.

"Ahem. I know it's a sin to make light of such sensitive matters. Still, it's difficult to refrain from teasing when you two bicker like an old married couple." Despite his serious expression, a mischievous twinkle in his eye caused the hairs on my neck to stand.

Not funny, Dell. That was cruel mercy - he knew exactly what he was doing - the sly dog!

That's twice I've been hoodwinked by the likes of him!

"U-Ugh. It serves me right for being so gullible! No surprise you played me like a fiddle, both of you!" Irritated, Meiko huffed as she grabbed her sports bag on the way to the door. As she passed me, I noticed her avoiding my gaze. Her lips turned downward in dismay. "I'm going! Goodbye!"

"Wait!" Without thinking, I caught her by the wrist. I was met with a scowl as she turned to face me. Noticing her sharp stare on where I held her, I immediately lurched my hand back as though I touched a hot griddle. "S-Sorry! I did that without thinking!" Her impatient glare made my head reel. A fog settled over my vision as the heat emanated from my face. Frantically, I took them off and wiped the lenses trying to play cool.

If I let her leave, I won't get another chance like this again.

"So… I-I know I a-annoy you a lot, but I-I, u-u-um…!" My rambling slowed as I forced myself to take a deep breath before continuing. "W-Will you, ah…" My voice was wavering as was my courage, but I still pressed on. "I was wondering if you'd like t-to…" I looked everywhere but her face as I stumbled over what to say. Fates above, I had a speech memorized for this moment and everything! My mind was drawing a blank.

Spit it out already, Kaitool!

"Shion." Meiko spoke, her eyes narrowing in wariness. She was tapping her foot - a subconscious habit of hers when people she talked to beat around the bush instead of getting to the point. "If you have something to say, I suggest you come out with it. I don't have time to stand here all day."

Tap, tap, tap.

I broke into a cold sweat. The sound reminded me of a timer running out.

"Willyougotothedeathparadewithme?" I blurted out in a single sentence, almost wheezing at the last part.

"... Come again?" Meiko's confusion told me she didn't understand a word I said. Dread overwhelmed me as I took a deep breath to sustain myself. You can do this, Kaito. This is your moment.

"I said…" I began slowly, making a point to meet her eyes like a real man would. "If it pleases you, miss Sakine… I'd like to go to the Joker Jamboree with you." Haha, oh boy - that was totally not what I said earlier. The cringe was strong with this one. Damn it! I sounded like a stuffy, pretentious poser.

As the slummers would put it: you done messed up now, Kaito!

Prepare for the fist of rejection! May the blow be swift and painless just like your first heartbreak was!

"Absolutely not. Never in a hundred years." Meiko's dismissal sent a knife through my heart. Her voice was a steel kiss of death - sharp and cold. I couldn't shake myself out of the paralysis inflicted on me.

I mean, a part of me was expecting a 'no'. Still, that was downright ruthless... even for Meiko! She didn't even hesitate, let alone consider it!

I… Wow. I can't believe how much she hates me...

All breath left my lungs as I felt my spirit leaving my body. Ah… rejection really was soul-crushing no matter how many times I went through it. Man, is this what a slow death felt like? I felt myself slipping away...

"... ion? Shion, didn't you hear me?"

"Huh?" Reality came rushing back in the form of Meiko flickering my forehead. Hard. "OW!" I saw stars in that instant. Befuddled, all I could manage were nonsensical words until Meiko sighed and proceeded to repeat herself.

"I said, 'I won't go because I absolutely cannot stand this holiday!" Meiko bit out, causing me to blink. "And it's not because I think Oktoberjagd is childish or a waste of time! Don't bother asking me why I hate it. I just do, and the sooner I get home the better!"

Oh. So it's not because she didn't want to go out with me? Relief flooded my senses, only to be replaced by bewilderment soon enough.

"Hold on. Don't tell me you're one of those people who never open an umbrella indoors, or never step on cracks. Right? " My inquiry caused Meiko to flinch, arousing my suspicion as she pointedly refused to meet my eyes. At her silence, I rose a brow before questioning further. "It can't be that you'd take the long way if a black cat crosses your cat… or avoid walking near cemeteries at night?"

Still, there was no response.

"...You're totally superstitious." I deadpanned. Meiko opened her mouth to interject, only to be beaten to the chase by Dell's nonchalant interruption.

"Wrong. It's evident she's afraid of ghosts, monsters - or anything of the like."

"Mr. Honne!" She cried out as she dropped her sports bag, growing more mortified by the minute. She began sputtering denials. "I-I am no child! Of course I don't believe in such-!"

"There's no need to be ashamed, child. Everyone has their own fears." Dell did his best to smooth out her ruffled feathers, but the damage was already done. "Unlike science, the supernatural can't be explained through logic or reasoning. What we don't understand ends up becoming what we naturally fear." He trailed off with a glaze over his eyes, failing to notice her trembling.

"Hey, Dell-" I attempted to cut in, only for my attempts to fall on deaf ears. He was utterly absorbed in his own thoughts again.

"Your mind understands your fears are unfounded while you're walking home alone at night, but even still…" His voice grew husky. "Your survival instinct convinces you to take another look over your shoulder - just to make sure nothing is behind you… waiting… watching..."

"Stop!" Her scream reached a pitch I never thought she was capable of mustering. In fact, I'd never even thought I'd live to see the day that she did indeed have a deep fear or something. Indeed, she was far from the stoic, robotic president she acted at school. Right now, she looked and sounded like a frightened little girl. I would usually be teasing her at this point, but her genuine terror only made me feel sorry for her.

"Oh… I apologize, my dear. I've gone and said too much." Dell whispered, bowing his head in remorse. "I'm ashamed of myself for upsetting you so."

"No, I-I'm the one who should be sorry. I just overreacted." Meiko attempted to reassure him with an empathetic shake of her head, but it came out shakier than intended. "I-It seems I've made nothing but a spectacle of myself today! W-Well then, I'll be leaving…"

"Do you want me to walk you home?" I offered, keeping a straight face on purpose so she wouldn't have to worry about me making fun of her. Though if I'm being honest I had to stop myself from suggesting I'd be her knight in shining armor, knowing she wouldn't take kindly to that. She fixed her wary gaze on mine before forcing herself to relax once she sensed my sincerity.

"N-No thank you. That won't be necessary." She gruffed, turning quickly on her heel. "I don't live very far." Her footfalls were light and hasty. "Goodbye, Mr. Honne. Until next time. Please let your son know the counselor wants to schedule an intervention with you and him together."

"I will, dear girl. Thank you." Dell affirmed. "Come visit again anytime. You're always welcome here." His kind words earned him a small but genuine smile from Meiko.

"Hey… Prez?" I tried to call after her, but this time she wouldn't let me catch her on her way out. She paused for a moment, lingering by the door before turning to give me a mixed look of exasperation and amusement. Her face softened just a bit.

"...We've known each other for years now, but today's the first time our conversation went beyond small talk." Her statement left me astonished, and I ended up realizing just now that she was on the dot about our relationship. Watching her struggle to maintain her composure was entertaining. Almost shyly, she glanced at me before averting her gaze. Her features hardened into a stubborn expression once more.

I could tell she was trying her hardest to hide how embarrassed she felt on the spot.

"H-Hearing you call me 'Prez' all the time is annoying. You… can just call me 'Meiko." Her insistent tone and withering glare left me no room for argument. "In return, I'll start calling you Kaito."

"Wha…" Was all I could manage. Needless to say, I was shook.

"Okay?! K-K-!" It took her not once, but two hurried fumbles before she finally managed to say what she wanted. "I'll see you when school starts again... Kaito! Spookysoulings!" She rushed the last part before dashing off. She didn't wait for my reaction or reply - most likely to save what little dignity she felt like she had left.

"...Bye, Meiko." I whispered after she was long gone, but it didn't matter. I felt warm all over. A bubble of glee traveled up my throat and escaped my mouth in a giddy laugh. I was on cloud nine.

I was made aware of how casual her speech became around me. The walls around her were starting to fall - proven by she began acting like an ordinary school-girl instead of a perfuntionary robot. Before today she was always uptight and formal to me - basically treating me like a stranger. And yet… each time we interacted, things changed - slowly but surely.

"You have a habit of scratching your nose right before you tell a lie. Did you know that?" Dell's lazy inquiry burst my bubble as I gawked at him.

"Huh? No, I don't."

His pointed look proved me otherwise, and it was then that I realized my hand was doing exactly as he described. I averted my gaze, embarrassed.

"I won't deny the pleasure of teasing girls you like is an irreplaceable entertainment, but there are better ways to demonstrate your affection." Dell drawled. I turned to find him lighting his pipe near the open window. He sat on the windowsill while observing the cirrus clouds that wisped the sky in feathers.

"I don't really want to hear this from someone who nearly let the cat about the bag." I retorted, feeling rather indignant.

"I did that to prove a point. You get nowhere by leading girls on and then dropping them like flies. It confuses and hurts them." He answered. "Soon enough, they'll doubt your sincerity by the time you find the courage to confess."

A pang of guilt hit me as I remembered Meiko's shifting expressions between distrust and curiosity during all the times we spoke. I hated to admit it, but Dell made a point. I had a bad habit of bringing out the worst in others for my own amusement, and up until now I thought my antics as harmless. It was no wonder Meiko gawked at me when I showed my true grave self. I feared she would keep me at a distance eventually because she couldn't figure out the times I was really serious or just being careless. When it came down to it, I really was just a coward. Everything was push and pull with me, wanting to draw her close but at the same time pushing her away.

Maybe I was just afraid.

"And what do you think I should do?" I sought Dell's eyes with mine, voicing my biggest question.

"For a man, it's hard to allow his true feelings to show. But anything less than that is a great disservice to a lady love." A caterpillar of smoke ascended as Dell spoke. Red eyes peered in mine, exposing me. "As Meiko is a very straightforward girl - I can't imagine her wasting time trying to pick apart someone's feelings. A girl like that values outspoken honesty above all else." A fondness touched his voice as he described her. It was clear how highly he thought of her. "I can see why you like her. She's lovely, and her passion burns like fire. She's the one you've pledged your heart to since your days in middle school, correct?"

"...Yeah." I answered, my eyes went downcast as I leaned against the banister. "She is. But, you know. A coward like me can't help being insincere. So I act like I'm never serious before things can get serious." I broke into a bitter smile, shrugging. "Still, I'll think about what you said!"

But I already thought about it before.

A guy like me can't offer Meiko anything. There's a better place out there for people like her.

No matter how much I longed for change, there was a part of me that whispered that I would never leave this city. I would never escape the massive debt that held my family under its thumb. I worked day in and day out trying to exterminate what we owed the casino, but once Uncle found my hard-earned savings - he gambled everything away - making it worse for us.

I didn't come from a good background, and that lessened my opportunities for where I could go and how high I could climb.

I ran away several times since I was young, but I never got far. Me - being a minor - couldn't live off the streets. I also hated not going to school more than I hated my life at home.

Even when I graduate, would I truly become "independent"?

Would I be able to find it in me to leave that family? And if that happened, would I be able to create a new family when my last one was a failure? Wouldn't I be abandoned just as my parents did to me?

Everything I ever held dear has either died or left me. Over and over. So I shouldn't let myself get too close to anyone, or it'll hurt even more when I lose them.

That's what I kept telling myself, but what am I even doing now? Trying to ask Meiko out to the parade and snooping around that Rin girl? Not to mention all the times I kept coming to this place. Everything I've done up until now has contradicted everything I believed.

Heh. I have a lot of nerve calling myself a psychology expert when I couldn't even understand myself. Even though I knew in my mind how my actions were just wasting Meiko's time and mine - deep down, I knew why I kept doing this. I was pretending to be ignorant when my real intentions were as clear as glass - at least to me.

I just wanted to keep being around her for as long as I could.

Dell's silence stirred unrest in me as he watched me. It was as though his eyes saw right through my lies. Even so, he turned away to watch the world from the windowsill.

"The sun is making its descent. Must be about time for the parade to start." He remarked, another plume of smoke wafting into the orange sky. "You should get going if you don't want to be late."

"Oh, right! I'll see you next time!" I gasped, hurrying to put on my costume and gather my stuff before heading out. This year I was dressed up as a reaper. Of course, I made the costume myself using scissors to cut up an old sheet for my black cape. In art class, I was able to construct a skull mask from paper mache. Lucky me I was able to get a good grade.

Caw. Caw, caw.

"Huh?" I looked overhead to find a flock of black birds shrouding the sky. I lifted my mask to get a better look. "A murder of crows all at once?" I muttered to myself, looking back to where they were coming from. They were fleeing from the heart of the city. It would've been easy to assume they were migrating for the winter if not for an eerie foreboding that overwhelmed me.

There existed an old superstition about crows, that being visited by a forty flock of them serves as a warning of an omen of death.

"Huh… no doubt if Meiko saw this, she'd lose her head." I let out a chuckle, envisioning her reaction before realizing just how mindlessly scared she would be. When people were struck with fear, they tended to behave recklessly. This could be blamed on the "flight or fight" response in the mind. Since Meiko went home alone, I couldn't help worrying about her.

"... I'm overthinking it. She's a smart girl." I muttered, trying to dissuade my suspicions. Great, now her paranoia was affecting me all because of the holiday. "Well, I hope she's made it home by now." Sirens wailed as police cars zoomed past, and then I remembered all the missing persons posters I passed on my way here. Realization hit me as I recalled just how dangerous it was during this time of year.

"No matter what people say, that killer is real. There exists a hungry, dangerous menace whose presence has been prowling the streets ever since I was but a child." The old woman's warning reverberated in my mind. "So many of my childhood friends disappeared, one by one - invited to secret parties with promises of sweet treats… and they were never heard from again."

Those invitations I saw the street kids holding earlier… they said something about a special party being held at Kasane Patisserie. But it couldn't be… I knew Kasane from school, and she was a nice girl. Aside from the fact the bakery her family owned received top reviews from food critics, it was right in the middle of Rogue District where all the popular shopping districts intersected. From what little I knew about the Kasane girl, she and her family had their living arrangements just a floor above their bakery. The building itself was lodged within a fancy plaza surrounded by coffee shops and bookstores. I've only been to Kasane Patisserie once, and I could tell how small of a space it was.

With all those missing children and pets… just where would they even keep so many people enclosed without anyone noticing?

"Psh, stop it, Kaitool. Quit making out your fellow students as unwarranted suspects." I tried to laugh it off, pulling my mask over my face. "I better hurry up, or I won't be able to walk in the Joker Jamboree. The Best Costume prize is gonna be mine! Fifty dollars is enough for me to afford a la carte items for a week!"

Motivated by the promise of food, I hurried downtown as trumpets blared in the distance.

Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The omen of crows haunted me, and I worried no matter how much candy I stuffed myself - it wouldn't be a stomachache that would be on my mind tonight…

---

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Meiko's POV

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In the poorest communities of Megaton, the typical household earns barely twenty thousand dollars per year. In the richer districts, however, well-off families bring home eight times the income compared to a middle class family.

My walk home had required me to pass through the Rain Causeway that had connected the Bay to the mainland. The condos in Megaton weren't worth a million dollars, but the view was priceless. Even so - there were some people who didn't see the view as a blessing. For example. Over yonder down by the bank existed a sparse population of homeless pariahs setting up camp. The scruffy encampment had consisted of older men who had looked like they hadn't showered in days.

I had made a point to avoid direct eye contact with them as I stood there on the hill, looking down on them for their parasitic existence. As far as I was concerned, they were better off dead. They shouldn't even be allowed to live an inch near our community. As soon as I grew up, I'd see to it that these filthy criminals would be chemically castrated before they could even walk the streets again. Every last one of them.

The Rain Encampment, as my father called them: a makeshift colony of sex offenders living under the bridge because the law forbade them to live anywhere near schools, parks, playgrounds, and other places where children congregated. The ordinance forced these unfortunate fools to live in tents as long as the residency restrictions applied. The stench reflected the consequences of their abhorrent actions. There was no sanitation there - a suffocating miasma of sewage and trash.

Serves them right, I had sneered in my mind. Even dogs lived in better conditions than those filth. This is what happens to those who are punished by the law.

These had been my last thoughts going through my mind before something hard had struck the back of my head. I remembered hearing metal clinking that sounded like scurrying feet. At first I felt nothing. By the time my body hit the ground an explosive pain had rippled through my head until I had succumbed to unconsciousness.

And now…

Drip. Drip. Drip…

"Ugh…" Something wet rained down on my cheek, stirring my senses as I blearily opened my eyes. Water dripped from a series of rusty pipes overhead, and I moved out of the way. My throat was dry, and as soon as I crawled on my elbows a head splitting pain threatened to down me. I bit back the urge to scream as a bitter chill engulfed my senses. My teeth chattered as I desperately tried to warm myself, rubbing my hands together.

"Ow… my head. W-Where… where am I?" My voice came out scratchy as though I'd swallowed nails. Shivering, I stood up on wobbly legs and tried to look for a source of light in the surrounding darkness. I squinted my eyes to no avail. It was pitch black. "Where is this place?"

"You might regret asking that question, darling president. The best way to describe this place is a meat locker among the riff raff." A snobbish huff sounded behind me. It sounded like a girl.

"W-Who's there?" I demanded to know, instinctively backtracking until I hit something hard and cold. My foot was chained to a weighted ball, preventing me from moving as freely as I'd like. With a gasp, I sat down and tried to unclasp the padlock, but it was locked tight.

"Perhaps you ought to remove that blindfold first. Then you can see for yourself the eyesore we are in." I heard the dry sarcasm in the girl's voice. The pun itself made my stomach roil. Suddenly, I felt very stupid and embarrassed. I hadn't even realized…

Just as I unbound the cloth around my vision, I was met with a blonde's humorless visage. She appeared worse for wear, and her movements were just as restricted if not more so. Her wrists were held captive by a suspended chain. Her hair resembled a bird's nest. Dark circles rounded beneath her red-rimmed eyes. Rips and tears in her mermaid dress exposed more skin than fabric - leaving her shivering like a bird caught in winter. Even her en pointe shoes were a mangled mess of hardened paper and satin - proving useless to walk in.

"Shimoda… Rin?" I tried in a tentative voice. I could barely recognize her in such a sorry state.

Just what happened to her?

I found myself bewildered, outraged and horrified at the same time. Shimoda's current state reflected our dreary surroundings as well as our shared circumstances. I took a step back, which caused the floor to tilt and rock. Startled, I was thrown off my feet and hit the ground.

"AH!" One downward glance made my heart leap to my throat. We were trapped in an iron birdcage that hung several feet off the ground. The chains that held our suspended prison were hammered in diagonal points. There were other cages around us hanging mid-air and down below. From outside all I could see were purple walls and checkered floors. I swallowed thickly, covering my mouth to repress a shriek.

Too high… if one of the chains were to snap, so would our necks!

I stared back at Shimoda, who scowled at me.

"Am I such a beauty to behold that you're left speechless?" Her biting voice cut into my trance. No smiles, no sweet talk - nothing. She was in a horrible mood and even more sarky than usual - no surprise. I would be just as cranky if not more so if I stayed in this place as long as she had. She looked exhausted, as the length of the chain didn't even allow her to sit down and rest. A pang of sympathy within me reached out for her. Her intense glare forced me to focus, however. "Well? I know you aren't deaf, so why don't you use that sharp tongue of yours to speak?"

"The last thing I expected was to find myself locked in here with you, Shimoda. You'll have to forgive me if I'm more than a bit taken aback." I retorted, dusting down my softball uniform. But it was thanks to her I was able to calm down and assert myself. "More importantly, you didn't answer me from before. Where are we?"

"Kasane Bolangerie-Patisserie." She replied, causing me to blink.

Huh. Kasane…? I remembered hearing the name before. Oh, yes. It belonged to that foreign second-year girl at school. She was in the baking club, and then I remembered her family owned this bakery. During the few times we talked she proved to be an earnest, perky young lady who took her education seriously. I've never known her to be a troublemaker since she had perfect grades and attendance. The idea that she had anything to do with this mess was quickly swept out of my mind.

"Well… whoever's responsible for this mess we're in, they won't get away scot-free for mistreating students from Megaton High School."

"... You're slow to catch onto things, aren't you." Shimoda remarked before huffing. "But indeed. I have it out for that lying arachnid. She really shouldn't chase down women and children. It's rude." The blonde hissed, rattling her chains in anger. "I don't expect the pampering treatment, but she could at least allow me to bathe or have a chair! Is that so much to ask? And worse yet - it's thanks to her stuffing me with hot pastries that I've gained four pounds. Four." She let out a mortified sound before wrinkling her nose in disgust. "How dare she do this to me! Cattle fattening of all things! If she intends to eat us, at least I'd rather die as a light appetizer - not a stuffed pig entree! Oooh!"

I blinked in shock, watching her throw a tantrum as she spat expletives and threats towards our captor. Whoever this "she" was. I opened my mouth to question her, only to be cut off.

"But then this is exactly what she wants! She knew reducing me to… to this is the lowest of lows to ever have existed in the history of humiliating torture!" Rin wailed. "And it's all Kagamine Len's fault! This never would've happened if he hadn't dragged me off for that stupid rematch! Men be damned for their pride and brutish strength!" I was thrown off seeing her behave like this, but what surprised me more was hearing the wolf boy was caused her imprisonment. Whatever he and our captor did to her reduced her into a child throwing a tantrum. The dark, elegant Gothic Lolita was nowhere to be found.

But then again, maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Everyone had their limits, and Rin was pushed way beyond her boundaries.

"And… snfff... the worst thing is I-I'm going to die ugly!" Her voice grew thick with emotion. "I n-never even had a chance to wear the wedding gown of my dreams! Now...snnf... Ryuto will never marry me! Waaah!"

"S-Shimoda?! D-Don't cry!" Panicking, I tried my best to soothe her but to no avail. While I was never particularly fond of the freshman fashionista, it was within my instinct to comfort younger girls. But I found the more she cried, the sillier her reasons became. Exasperation weighed in my mind as I internally scoffed. Still it looked like the one thing that didn't have limits was her impossible vanity.

After five agonizing minutes of trying to dissuade her pitying sobs, my patience finally snapped.

"Quit yer whinin' or do I gotta wreck some sense into ya before ya crack like a hard-boiled egg? Where's that hoity-toity snottiness you're always flaunting at school?" I screeched, reverting back to a hard headed gangster in my flustered state. Watching her lose her mind was taking a toll on my own sanity. As such I did the only thing I knew how when it came to rousing people back to their senses - by screaming their ears off until they finally pulled themselves together.

"Don't ya think I'm petrified as stone? I'm hella scared but I ain't sniveling like ya! Now quit yer bawlin' and help me find a way to get down from here! Y-Ya pretentious prima donna, you!"

Shimoda was so stunned by my transformation she stopped bawling altogether. She gave me a long once over before doing an about-face. It took her a moment to realize I was still the same strict class president, and it took another to finally calm down.

"... So, you think I'm pretentious, do you?" Shimoda asked, narrowing her eyes at me between sniffles. Mascara pooled down her cheeks from her meltdown, leaving ink trails. Caught between panic and bemusement, I tried not to laugh at how ridiculous she looked, but I knew that if I did - she would throw another fit. Still, if she was able to snark at a time like this she was managing just fine.

"Phffft…" I forced myself not to smile or laugh for before reaffirming my statement, knowing it was too late to recant my opinion of her - not when I threw the words right in her face. "Yes. You are a stubborn, snippy little girl who snubs everyone who isn't good enough for her." I paused before adding. "And high-maintenance beyond belief."

Shimoda stared at me taking my criticism into stride before jutting her chest out defiantly.

"Well!" Hearing her fume, I braced myself for a long-winded lecture. "As it so happens - I believe you are an incorrigible priss! If your outbursts were even half as frightening as Beastie's, the entire school would've vacated by yesterday!" Her shout was accompanied by a vengeful rocking of her weight. "Even your vigilant mask can't hide your fluctuating discomposure! You're not fooling anyone with that horrendous acting! Do us both a favor and drop dead this instant!" Her actions caused the cage to rattle and rock as my balance was thrown off once more. I flung myself to the other side in desperation to level out the violent tremors.

"Stop! W-We're going to fall! Shimoda- Shimoda stahp!" Frightened, I let out a high-pitched scream and clung to the bars. "I-I mean it, Shimoda! T-The chains will break if you keep moving-! Pleeasse! EEEEK!" I knew I wasn't making things any better by freaking out, but we were so high up. If she didn't stop rocking right now I wouldn't be the only one who'd be dropping dead!

One look at the ground told me it would be a very long drop…

"Your brutal honesty - though admirable - tells me you make a poor liar. That, and your intolerable sense in fashion is horrendous!"

"Hurkk!" My stomach was churning, and my head was spinning. Bile rose up my throat as I gagged. I decked it as soon as I covered my mouth. That was when the rocking finally stopped, much to my immense relief.

"... My, oh my. Who knew the undaunted madam president could squeal like that?" Her smug gaze told me my emotions and intentions weren't as unreadable as I'd like to believe, causing my blood to boil. She was so nasty I wanted to wring that thin neck of hers. "I would even call it adorable if not for the fact you made horrendous noises like a dying pig." Magma erupted to my face as she made snorting noises to mock me even further.

Why, that spoiled little…! She did that on purpose!

Her tongue was sharper than a tack. Her pointing out my weak spots left me more ruffled than I cared to admit. But what was more humiliating was her rubbing salt in my wounds. Two could play at that game.

"Horrendous?" I repeated her insult with a sharp smile. "Oh, you mean like how your face looks right now? Like a drowned raccoon through the wringer?" I couldn't help myself flinging it right back in her face - immature as it was. I've shrugged off my fair of backtalkers, but it was high time this one had a taste of her own medicine. I couldn't help feeling smug watching the color drain from her cheeks as her mouth gaped in horror.

"Noo! Don't look at me!" The last part ended with a shrill lament as she faced the other way, unable to hide her expression with her hands bound.

"Aesthetics should be the least of your worries when there are more practical things to prioritize, such as getting out of here." I scolded her with a wagging finger. With an audible huff, she shot daggers at me in response. So stubborn. I turned around, rolling my eyes at her theatrics. So be it - it looked like I would have to do all the work. "Enough arguing. First things first. We have to get these-" I shook my shackles for emphasis before sighing. "Off. Then we find the exit."

Acting quickly, I undid my shirt to trace the outline of my current bra. I was met with disappointment when I couldn't find what I was looking for. Refusing to give up, I turned to a baffled Rin instead.

"Are you actually stripping, or am I having another nightmare? I'm not certain which is scarier - this or being suffocated by dolls inside an old toybox."

Ignoring her verbal jab as well as my growing irritation, I forced myself to explain.

"I need something sturdy enough to pick our padlocks. Are you wearing an underwire bra?" I got right to the point, remaining unabashed as Shimoda's face began to pinken in a surprising bout of shyness.

"... I-I just happen to be wearing one today. I'll have you know I almost always don the demi and balconette bras! M-My mounds that lie beneath deserve nothing short of shapely support!"

I cocked a brow at her oddly specific explanation before realization dawned on me. Underwire bras were designed to bring a woman's breasts closer to the front while giving them a nice push-up. Though not as obvious as push-up bras were, underwire bras were keen on encompassing bra tissue - particularly towards girls with more petite builds. It gave their chests a desirable lift as well as a pronounced curves...

"Ahem." The girl two years my junior cleared her throat with a small, indignant frown. "May I ask why you keep scrutinizing my assets like that?" Envy flared up her irises as her gaze flitted downward. "... Or are you by any chance comparing our respective sizes? No need to flaunt just because you happen to be a little more than topsized."

"Wha-! I-! That's the most ridiculous I've ever heard!" I sputtered, becoming self-conscious as I instinctively shielded my torso from view. "Really! All you girls senselessly poke fun of my chest, but honestly I hate them! They get in the way of exercise, and button-up shirts are a no-go, and- wait, enough getting off-topic!" I huffed, shaking my head for getting caught up in the moment. "I need your underwire, but it's going to require invading personal boundaries. Are you going to let me have it or not?"

"... Very well. Do what you must." Shimoda relented, making no secret of her discomfiture. As soon as I unzipped her top I heard her murmur. "I suppose I should be thankful you're not a man." On that note, I silently agreed. This situation was awkward enough without us being opposite genders. Once I unwound the wires from her orange brassiere, I went to pick the lock chaining my ankle.

"Wiggle, jiggle… twist… and… like so." My mantra worked like a charm. Soon my efforts were rewarded with a resonating click. Once free, I massaged my reddened ankle before turning to work on Rin's padlocks. The wire I used was bent out of shape, so I switched to the second.

"Hm. This one's a bit tricky… yours are stuck tight." I muttered, knitting my brows in concentration. Sweat dotted the base of my forehead as I jimmied my makeshift lockpick. If I wasn't careful I'd end up snapping the wire. It took longer than I'd like, but eventually the locks gave way one by one. Rin breathed a sigh of relief as she flexed and massaged her bruised wrists. She rolled her neck to and fro before standing to her feet.

"Deft feet, nimble hands…" Shimoda echoed Kaito's words from before. She turned to me with an inquisitive expression. Her eyes were scrutinizing me from head to toe as though she were drawing out the depths within me. "I had my suspicions about you before, but it's clear you are no stranger to being held captive. Not to mention your cutthroat dialect and unexpected talent for lockpicking is astounding." She remarked, circling me with an appraising gaze. Then she emitted a sharp, haughty laugh. "What a clear display of criminal deviance! I take it you've had more than one run-in with the law? Oh, no need to answer that one, Madam President~"

"Boop~" Making a cutesy noise, she tapped my nose playfully. "I thought your iron-fisted dominion was strange - especially for a mere girl to be given so much influence and authority over the school when the adults prove useless at keeping miscreants in line." She paused, tapping her finger against her chin before . "And yet… to think a previous deviant like yourself has been forcing norms on deviants this whole time!" She gave a faint smile, veering past me as she flashed me a sidelong glance. "Truth is stranger than fiction, is it not? That the world can't be seen through black and white lenses. Doesn't it bother you that you are far from the virtuous paragon everyone deems you to be?"

Infuriated by her mockery, I gritted my teeth in response. I opened my mouth to respond until I remembered Kagamine's piercing words.

"And what of you? Are you not the same for bending others to your will using your fists instead of words, She-gorilla?"

That's…

"I've seen the way you fight. You condemn me for being the way I am when it's obvious you're no stranger to violence either. The only difference between us is that you're the one who never holds back."

I thought I understood those delinquents better than anyone else because I was them. That was why I was so hard on them… to make them see the error of their ways. But all along, was I just making everything worse?

I remembered the hatred and fear in their eyes whenever I so much as walked past. They looked like wild animals ready to tear me apart, but the rules I enforced with the board kept them on short leashes. I was never blind to their rage, never lashing back when they blamed me for their misery at school.

And yet...

In the student's eyes, was I… even worse than Kagamine? All this time had I been inflicting more harm than good?

"Selfish naysayers like you are all the same. You're all slaves to that narrow-minded hypocrisy of yours and idealize your own reasons for convenience at best." I could still hear the wolf sneering at me. "Your society alone proves why you're all so blind. You use younger generations as assets to centralize power and security. For the outliers who fail to exceed your lofty expectations you trample underfoot - punishing them until they break. And you…?" His casual disregard unnerved me - making me feel like an insignificant bug. "You're just making it worse."

No…

"How are you helping our troubled classmates by fighting and hurting them whenever they act out? You force them into submission and then suspend them expecting they'll return as well-behaved kids! It doesn't work like that, Prez!" A memory of a 15-year-old Kaito calling me out during our younger days came to mind. I remembered ignoring him the whole time while trying to finish my homework. I was always busy back then. For some reason, I never bothered looking at him in the eye. But now that I thought about it - those early years was the time he was the most earnest. He never annoyed or teased me back then… he just wanted me to listen.

But I never took him seriously. I thought among the lines of not this guy again while going about my life. After all, he was the "outlier" at school - just another face at school. He had no assets or noticeable aspects that made him stand out. At the time, he wasn't worth taking notice of… so why should his opinion matter to me?

"Can't you see you're only making the violence worse?! You can't expect them to change if you keep incriminating them like this! It doesn't make them feel human!"

It was only now did I finally consider the bullshit they were calling me out on after all these years.

"Oh my god. W-What have I done?" This revelation trapped me - just like this cage. There was no escape. My legs nearly gave way until someone caught me by the shoulders. A harsh pull to my cheek forced me to come to.

"O-Ow, fuck!" The explicative left my mouth before I could stop it. "Shimoda, that hella hurt!"

"Who's the one who told me to stop bawling earlier? You look you're about to burst into tears at any moment." Rin said to me, her expression blank. "No mundy I know would be willing to take on a job nobody wants. The more people expect out of you - the harder you take it when you fail. You should've known that before you decided to bite off more than you can chew." Turning around, she removed her shoes and tossed them aside. "When you're the leader, everyone looks to you for strength when the rest are too weak to stand on their own. You make the hard decisions, you make the rules. Sadly - no one is ever satisfied for long."

Her tirade stopped as she removed a long hairpin, causing her messy chignon to come undone. She ended up removing bobby pins and even the hairnet that was supposed to hold her flyaways together - making me appreciate my own decision to always keep my hair short. Considering her own hair's already wrecked state, however, she decided tidying it up was a lost cause.

"The reality is that nobody can have it all, but that won't do. So instead - they make someone else the scapegoat for slip ups that affects the entire group." Empathy touched her voice at that moment, and for a brief moment pain flashed across her face. But then her smile returned - but it was one that didn't reach her eyes. "Either the one who always comes out on top, or the one who drags everyone down… it doesn't matter. Even if you give your all for everyone you love… sometimes, it just isn't good enough."

Why was she saying such cynical things?

"Anything less than perfection… is wholly unsatisfying, is it not?" Beneath her blithe voice existed what sounded like… regret? Or was it just nostalgia? She held a faraway look as though searching for memories left in the dust.

But why? This girl… just who was she? And how is that my troubles seemed to be echoing her own? It's almost as though she went through a similar situation… for better or worse.

"Accepting a leader's responsibility to take care of everyone is a fool's decision." Voicing her opinion, she turned to me and batted her dewy eyelashes in a way that definitely didn't make my heart flutter. "But then, you're not just any fool - are you?" She asked rhetorically. "You're a steadfast, noble fool who spends all her time parading a blind sense of justice for everyone else to follow." She huffed, shaking her head. "People like you infuriate me the most! You would sooner die for your ideals than betray them to save your own skin!" The anger in her eyes were clear, but there was also pain. "Perfect people don't exist, no matter how genuine your kindness is. That's what makes you the worst hypocrites because you never want to acknowledge the things you hate about yourself. Really, you're just like Ryuto!" Her scolding left me too stupefied to reply. "Both are of you are too afraid to show the ugly, selfish side of yourself… even though seeing it would make others feel more at ease."

"W-What…?" Was all I could mutter. I didn't understand what she was saying, but… something in her words was twanging at my nerves. But why did it feel so personal… I didn't like it...

"But what frustrates me the most is how chivalrous fools like you turn out to be the most dependable, after all. Because of how far you're willing to go to alleviate someone else's burdens, even for me… how can I despise you after that?" Shimoda trailed off, her expression softening with fond exasperation. For the first time ever, there was genuine affection warming her eyes. I never saw her smile like that before. For a moment she looked like a maiden in love, and I was taken in by her charm. Then that moment disappeared as she threw me a scowl. "It annoys me how I always end up finding such enthusiasm endearing, no matter how I try to think otherwise."

"Thank you… I think?" My voice wavered in uncertainty. How weird. One moment she's cruel the next moment she's being… nice? I couldn't tell if she was patronizing or complimenting me.

She didn't answer. Instead she began picking the lock to the gate until it jilted free. Without saying another word, she made a jump onto the pulley and began to climb down the chain. Hanging onto the bars for support, I could only watch in speechlessness as she swung herself down like an acrobat before landing like a cat - without a sound. Once she pulled the lever, I felt the cage rattle as it began its slow descent.

I was beside myself with shock even as I climbed out of the cage. A hot shame enveloped me as I resisted the need to hang my head. To think I was the one who was all talk about getting us out of here, but in the end it was Shimoda who did the work.

Still, I was impressed with her handiwork. I was already curious about her background, but watching her just now and hearing about her rematch with Kagamine confirmed my suspicions. She was definitely not an ordinary schoolgirl.

I had so many questions to ask her I didn't even know where to begin. I wasn't given the chance to ask, however, as she vanished from where I last saw her.

"S-Shimoda?"

"Shh!" I heard her hiss at me. The barefoot blonde was already at the door with her long steel hairpin in hand - wielding it like a knife. It was rather disturbing, to be honest, how she was carrying it with casual ease. She was peeking outside the door, looking this way and that before her head snapped in my direction.

"Quickly! To me!" Urging me in a hushed demand, she motioned me over impatiently until I followed. I stayed quiet as she led us through the empty corridor - even though I didn't have the foggiest as to where we were going. I assumed she was at least more familiar with the layout than I was.

My heart was beating so loud it was deafening. I wondered if Shimoda could hear it, too. My palms were sweaty, and my throat was getting dry the longer we kept walking. I don't usually mind silence, but this was just suffocating. Just how long were we supposed to keep going until we could find a staircase or… something?!

Impatience gnawed at me from inside, but I held my tongue to refrain myself from barraging Shimoda with endless questions. Once I opened my mouth - there would be no stopping it. The last thing we needed right now was to be distracted. Our captor could close by. Judging from the grave alertness I saw in her earlier, it seemed safe to assume she thought the same. Never mind my own violent history as well as her own questionable past, right now we were just two high school girls unarmed and vulnerable to attacks.

Priority one, we needed to find a way out. I soldiered on, pursuing the barely visible outline of the smaller girl in front of me.

I clenched my teeth, feeling a headache coming on. Goosebumps shook me to the core, and the little hairs on my neck were standing erect.

Damn it… of all the holidays, why did I have to be kidnapped on Oktoberjagd? Not that I wanted to be kidnapped in the first place.

We proceeded with caution as we made our way down the purple hall. Everything was quiet, save for Rin's hushed grumbling.

"Ruined… all for naught… the hours and aches I put into this outfit... Hmph! If I ever see that bovine bimbo again, I'll wring that hairy neck of hers and-...!"

"Um, Sh-Shimoda?" My teeth chattered as I spoke up, rubbing my arms in an attempt to warm myself. My breath continued to escape in hot puffs, escaping into the frigid air. "Earlier you described this place as a meat locker. What did you mean by that?" A beat of silence passed before she went on to answer.

"It's exactly as it sounds. Kasane Teto intended to fatten us up like livestock before throwing us in the oven. We were to be served as a prime rib entree for an upcoming banquet - to her monster clients, no less." I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and at first I thought she was joking in her usual macabre mannerisms - but the anger in her voice told me she couldn't have been more serious. "I was investigating Rogue District, attempting to uncover leads about the Trickster Treater who terrorizes the streets every year on this holiday…" I could hear the bitter frustration rising in her voice. "But then that Kagamine beast had to go and interfere with my work. He dragged me off in public to rectify his wounded pride. He challenged me to another dogfight of all things - the nerve of him."

My mind was racing. I was trying to take in what she was saying, trying to keep up.

"- Tore apart my beloved Ossa - the one Ryuto gave me for my second birthday! I was left to fend for myself..."

Kasane Teto? The foreign second-year student was a monster? I was going to be fattened up and eaten to… to monsters?

I felt the color draining from my face.

"- Lost so much blood, I must've lost consciousness because the time I came to - Kasane was tending to my wounds and crooning over me while I was bedridden." My focus returned to Shimoda as she continued grumbling. "The next thing I knew, her spider automatons threw me in her. And she kept feeding me every chance that passed. If I refused, she'd force it down my throat." The anger in her voice was palpable enough to burn logs to cinders. "I never thought the day would come I'd become sick of even looking at sweets."

"That can't be true! Monsters aren't real, so if this is your ideal of a practical joke… y-you're not fooling me one bit!" I interjected. Her pace was calm and undeterred, yet my legs grew heavier with each step.

I had to call her out on this bullshit. I had to.

If I didn't prove her wrong, that would mean all of this was really happening - and I didn't think I'd be able to take it. But her impending silenced unnerved me, so I went on to add frantically.

"I-I have to hand it to your creativity, Shimoda… you… coming up with the idea of a monster cooking us alive for a banquet… it's almost appropriate for this time of year!" I tried to laugh but my voice trembled. My throat flashed as I broke into a cold sweat. "H-haha… isn't this the part you get to the punchline? N-Not only are you talented, but you make a good comedian. Not to mention you've got a penchant for l-lying!"

"..."

The tension grew taut like a bowstring ready to snap. I couldn't bear it any longer. Fear gnawed at my nerves - nearly paralyzing me. Hugging myself, I fought back oncoming tears that burned my vision. After what seemed like an eternity I finally had enough and snapped - trying to mask my terror with anger.

"I-I just want to go home! Will you please say something already-!"

She stopped so suddenly I nearly ran into her. I hesitated on calling out to her, but she saved me the trouble of doing so.

"Since you're so adamant on remaining willfully blind to our situation, I won't waste my breath trying to convince you otherwise." Shimoda replied, sparing me a pitiless glance. "Ahead lies true horror. Soon you'll realize evil has many faces. A word of advice if I may..." Turning back, her voice dropped to a whisper. "When we reach the first door, cover your eyes and plug your nose. Don't look no matter what. For even someone as stalwart as you, there are some sights that are too much to bear."

Hearing all this made my heart drop to my stomach. Dreadful anticipation loomed over like an omen. I didn't want to know what she was talking about, but at the same time curiosity burned within me. Telling someone not to do something almost always triggered the opposite - especially in rebels.

Soon I would realize exactly what she meant.

We ascended through a spiral of stairs leading up to the light. Steam whistled from perforated grates above - causing the surrounding air to grow humid and sweltering. I dabbed at the sweat forming on my brow, panting from the heat. Rich aromas mixed with sugary spices lingered so strongly I could taste them. Yet as we got closer to twin purple doors - there was another smell that differentiated. It was strong and pungent like raw meat… it made my stomach lurch. My nausea only grew with every step, as did my increasing dread. I plugged my nose like Rin advised, but my burning curiosity kept me from shielding my gaze.

The doors were unlocked as they swung open, revealing the source of my revulsion. A choked gasp escaped me as my nostrils were assaulted by a revolting stench. Tears burned my eyes as I took what would forever be etched in my mind - haunting me in nightmares yet to come.

Someone was wailing in a voice so harrowing and torn with grief it sounded painful. Their heartbreak was so palpable anyone could hear its shattering impact. It wasn't until I caught wind of Shimoda's staggered visage directed at me did I realize those awful noises were coming from me.

A dull pain throbbed through my knees when I realized my legs gave out, but that was an echo compared to the horrific scene before me. I heard Shimoda whispering into my ear in an attempt to calm me but to no avail. I latched myself onto her, begging her that none of this was real.

I was grabbing her arms so tightly my knuckles turned bone-white. She was allowing me to cling to her as she held me without resistance. Even if she tried to push me off I couldn't let go lest I lost myself completely in a downward spiral of insanity.

Jarring bloodshed stained the prep tables with the knives having been recently used. A pile of treat bags and costumes made to fit children were thrown in a bus tub below. On both sides of the walls were small bodies were strung up on hooks - stripped down to the flesh and bone that they were almost unrecognizable. But I knew. Oh gods I wish I didn't, but I knew some of their faces beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"Mari, Ikki, Yoru!" Their names left my lips in hoarse cries. "NOOO!"

Countless faces of dead children filled my vision - some of which who were from my neighborhood and some who I saw earlier. Their throats were slit open, which was dissonant to how their undisturbed expressions made them appear like they were just sleeping. That only made my horror all the worse. Dismembered limbs hung in separate sections, cut with surgical precision with the whites of their bones presented in a sickening presentation. But my horror didn't end there.

Through the soundproof glass I witnessed an eight-legged teapot shaped automaton with a giant glass eye prepping a demonstration. Its audience consisted of grotesque creatures of many shapes and sizes. At first I believed they were just people in costumes. To my horror, I took ill notice of their unnatural, erratic movements as well as their slimy appendages. And the way they bared hundreds of teeth and eyes…!

I wanted to scream but my voice remained lodged in my throat. Instead I watched with frozen terror.

Wearing a chef's hat and apron, the automaton proceeded to hack away at a child's torso with eight different knives before presenting the rack of limbs with professional ease. The monsters erupted into a delighted applause as they took pictures with their phones.

In another room I saw another automaton serving a cooked rack of ribs to its audience. The most jarring thing was how the serving plate was garnished and beautified like any other fancy cuisine at a three star restaurant. It was even more appalling when dessert arrived - served by none other than Kasane herself. It was a cake made from baked flesh. Red sauce thick as cranberry oozed from the cake pieces she cut for her guests, giving out slices on porcelain plates. I nearly hurled watching a guest chew on a human foot like a drumstick.

Kasane was all smiles and laughter, just like any good host should be. Watching everyone eat at what looked like a regular party was a disgusting caricature of my own world.

I wanted so badly to look away from what I was seeing, but at the same time it was impossible. The weight of the ugly truth hit me all at once, along with the realization of what would've become of me if I hadn't been rescued by Shimoda…

The carnage… the unspeakable horror the children must have felt when they died… did they cry for help? Did they try to fight back before the inevitable end...?

My throat scalding with hot tears, I crawled on my knees and vomited all over the floor. Disgusting - this was so disgusting I wanted to die. I kept crying and holding my stomach while lurching myself sick. Never did I ever want to look or smell meat again. The same went for cake. What was I going to tell the parents when they realized their children never came home after souling the streets? How would I ever be able to look at them in the eye ever again?

Lifting me from under my arms, Shimoda quietly helped me to the nearest sick. In my shock I just allowed her to do as she pleased. My legs were wobbly as a newborn fawn taking their first steps. Not bothering to accept the offered cup, I swallowed running water by the mouthfuls. I was desperate to get rid of the foul taste in my mouth, not just the bile but the guilt as well.

"U-Urgh… aghh! I… why didn't I go with them like they asked? I… I could've done something!" Bitter regret welled up in my throat, seeping through my cracked voice. The smiling faces of the foster children flashed before my eyes, and I remembered waving goodbye when they left… saying something about a party. Was this what they meant?

"What about my dream? I promised them to make this world a better place to live in! They were the first ones who believed in me! That I was already a heroine of justice!" I kept saying, over and over - blubbering at this point. "I'm so sorry! I failed, I failed..."

Feeling Rin's watchful gaze settle on my back, I frantically ducked my head to wash away the snot mixed with my tears. There was nothing more humiliating than being seen like this right after putting up a bravado. Now I was the one who needed to be helped - I was just a burden.

"Kasane isn't human - she's a monster. A shapeshifting jorogumo, to be exact. From the evidence I was able to gather early on, it's clear she's the Trickster Treater." Her words struck a chord in me as I turned to her in speechless disbelief.

What… what did she say?

But that was impossible… the murders have been going on since my grandfather was a child. Kasane was… was… then it hit me. A raspy laugh escaped from me.

"A monster?" I repeated in a trembling voice I no longer recognized. "Then… this entire time children and pets have been suffering because of her? She..." My nails dug into my palms, rending the flesh. Everything I witnessed tonight lined up like puzzle pieces until I reached my conclusion. "She butchered innocent children and animals just to fulfill her own devices? Feeding them to those… those freaks?! Unforgivable!" My rage was uncontainable. "How she dare show her face at school after all these years my father and grandfather have been desperately trying to save students from monsters like her!"

"I see. I take it you knew these children personally… that's why I warned you." Shimoda's soft voice cut in, making me bristle in retaliation. "You won't forget their faces, not when you've seen what became of them."

I clenched my teeth with a stifled scream, shaking with rage and heartbreak as I turned on her.

"Shut up!" I screeched in her impassive face, growing angrier when she didn't even flinch. "Damn it, stop mocking me! You don't know what they meant to me! I watched them grow up…! They didn't deserve this!" Sobbing, my voice broke off at the end as I buried my face in my hands.

More than that, they weren't just children who happened to be my friends. To me - they had been like little brothers and sisters. And now… they were gone forever. That painful truth was hard to swallow.

"Of course I'm not mocking you. So throw away that foolish pride." Shimoda rectified, her tone still composed - only this time carrying a twinge of sympathy. "Your grief for them is humane, and you've proved to be more compassionate than most mundies I know. If I saw someone who could look on all of this and still remain unmoved, I would gouge their eyes out so they could understand the agony these children went through before they died."

"Gouge their eyes out? What the hell are you even saying?!" I repeated in a shrill, my tears overflowing as I glared at her. "What about you? You look fine to me! Like none of this even bothers you! Just like… just like you always act! Like you're not even human or something?!" I blurted everything on my mind without aforethought, not considering how she would react.

"That's because I've already seen countless things like this before. All resulted from meaningless violence." She confessed, her voice bordering on a hush. "Would if I could cry for them, but I no longer have tears left to shed."

Out of my peripheral vision I saw the haunted look in her eyes - one that could only belong to someone who witnessed humanity's darkness. I was left stupefied by her expression until her gaze suddenly sharpened.

"That, and our lives are in mortal peril!" Her shout accompanied a metallic clang as she parried a sharp knife thrown at us. She threw me aside at the last second, causing me to stumble. More blades seared the air like silverfish, cutting through as they rained down on us. I could only hold my breath as I helplessly watched. Yanking me alongside her, she parried each thrown projectile using her steel hairpin. Several blades managed to nick her, causing blood to trickle down her skin. She ignored the blood dripping near her cheekbone and onto her neck. Instead she started calling out to the unknown assailant.

"Even without my Hollow Yves, I can still feel your snooping gaze. Your eyes may as well be needles." Shimoda informed. "You make a horrid spy, Mikuo."

"And your attitude hasn't improved since our first meeting, fraulein."An insidious chuckle answered as the clattering of knives hit the ground. "But your sharp wits have kept you alive, so I suppose there's some merit to that."

"AHH! What is that?! Kill it!" I shrieked as a ragged boy with stitches patched on his face materialized before us, levitating upside down with a bone chilling grin. Straw poked out of his sleeves and cuffs as he tipped his pointy hat. He looked human, true enough, but there was something off about him that made my skin crawl. Everything about him screamed unnatural.

"Spooky souling, ladies~" He greeted with a jovial laugh before turning right side up. "But you're missing the festivities! There's a banquet outside that's just to die for. Won't you join?"

"Blasted scarecrow. Don't try to bully us! We're very much on edge." Shimoda huffed, annoyed instead of frightened. Which was more than I could say for myself. "Clearly you must have bran and pine for brains, otherwise you wouldn't spend so much time thinking up poor excuses for jokes. Do be careful, or the pins holding you together will fall apart, fool."

"Fool? Rin dear, that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all night!" The scarecrow laughed with delight. "After gorging yourself full of Muffet's sweets you couldn't even sense the impending danger of being stuffed like a roasted turkey… then you must be twice the fool I am!" He clapped his hands, levitating. "Between gluttony and sloth, I can't decide which is your greater vice. I love it!" Despite the scarecrow's cheery demeanor, there was a mean spark in his eyes as he cut one into Shimoda.

"So you were watching all that…" The first-year grumbled, having the grace to at least look guilty. Then she glared at him once more. "And you didn't even once try to aid me or stop Teto's machinations? For someone who claims to be my friend, so far you've only proven yourself the least helpful." She went on to criticize him further. "So yes - you are a rotting, revolting fool whose jokes aren't even funny!"

"Not funny? Why, I never! You've gone too far." Came the ruffian's aghast reply. "You're mean! No wonder Lenny calls you a heartless witch - his words, not mine."

Of all the insults she threw at him, that was the one he took offense to? But more importantly, this thing just tried to skewer us. Now he was being friendly? Shimoda was taking this into stride as though it were natural. Was being sabotaged a regular occurrence for her?

"Mikuo, poor Mikuo." Looking at him beneath thick lashes, she sent him a dainty smile that looked positively diabolical. "I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone who cares."

"I was right! You and that little wolf are a match made in Hell. Akin to a pair of magnets - denying your inevitable attraction by repelling each other, only to be drawn back precisely because of those insatiable differences! Left begging for more!" He gushed. "Wait until Delly-kins hears this-!"

"Do not assume my heart is to be trifled with, fool! Who I choose to love is not decided by anyone else but myself!" It was Rin's turn to snap, not appearing amused in the slightest. "Even if Beastie were the last male on the planet, I would never disgrace myself by falling for him. No self-respecting lady would reduce herself for a man's fleeting attention." She declared with a huff. "That Kagamine Len has done nothing but mistreat me! And he's so entitled, not to mention rude. He almost murdered me thrice for Fate's sake…"

My mind couldn't catch up with all this. Heart racing, I swallowed - reading myself to either fight if the scarecrow tried anything again.

"No matter. Matchmaking aside - I came here to employ your services, little chevalier." With a snap of his fingers, bowls of pumpkin puree and seeds appeared. He looked grave as he addressed us. "You and your friend have it out for our mutual enemy. Two months ago, I specifically asked Muffet not to harvest pumpkins from my territory. And what does she do?" With a shrug of his shoulders, he threw aside the bowls as the contents spilled all over the floor. "She goes and slaughters them all! Raking their insides for her wretched baked goods! Them! My adorable babies I toiled all summer raising them to become full-fledged jack-'o-lanterns!" He raved before dabbing at his eyes in mock distress. "I could forgive her for picking them, they are indeed the finest in all of Chesteros. I could also forgive her for having her greasy, gear-turning arachnids spilling oil all over my pumpkin patches!" He paused before adding. "And mind you, Rin dear, I didn't perfect that fertilizer formula for nothing. "You've no idea what I have to do to gather all the bat wings. Let's just say I'm not exactly in good graces with certain vampiric princess. She's had her knight cut me down more times than I can count..." He pondered, using his fingers to count. "What was the score now? Ten thousand to nine thousand ninety one? No wonder the stitches on my neck are getting frayed! I've lost my head so many times now!"

As a cheery laugh escaped the thing, Shimoda exchanged an eye-roll with me, one I wholly returned twice fold.

"... Faster than the wind ze commands, the Knight of Cirrus indeed. It's been a while since I was forced to take a fight seriously." The thing let out an impressed whistle before returning to the main subject at hand. He seemed to have a persistent habit of falling off-topic. It annoyed me.

"Where was I? Oh yes. However!" With a violent slam against the table, he glared where the demonstrations were taking place. His mood rapidly switched from aggravated to to dumbfounded and finally setting on displeasure.

"I can never forgive Muffet for neglecting my invitation. Never mind her boring parties are full of pompitous, self-serving stiffs. Without me, they wouldn't even be able to enjoy Oktoberjagd's festivities!" Turning to Shimoda, he shook his head with a depraved sigh. "For generations, Muffet's family line has held their annual banquet with each new Trickster Treater who takes up the torch. Their parties haven't earned their notoriety for nothing… and their personal opinions of the invitees has never interfered with the guest list."

"So what you're saying is that you've always been invited to these parties up until now? Before Teto became in charge of her spider family?" Shimoda rephrased in bewilderment. "You just said you found those parties boring."

"Boring or not, it doesn't matter. It's monster etiquette to invite a patron spirit to celebrations of their holiday, and yes - before you look at me like that, it is indeed all about me." The scarecrow clarified. "Exchanging verbal barbs has always been a favorite pastime of mine, no matter how thorny the insults. But inviting all monstrous residents except me? Especially during my favorite night of the year? Every monster knows my love for Oktoberjagd is unparalleled - considering I am the reason it exists. " He broke into a dark smile, his expression cold. "Ignoring that fact is a blatant discourtesy. One that must be repaid tenfold. I don't mind being despised or feared - but I will not be forgotten."

This deadly promise sent chills up my spine, along with the revelation that he was… oh.

"Then… you're the Pumpkin Prince from the stories?" Realization dawned on Shimoda as she voiced her disbelief. This confirmation would have staggered me with terror if I wasn't already numb with grief. I had enough of these "surprises".

"Hmph." Rin shook her head at the prince, fluffing her curly locks. "Serves you right being sentenced to wander forevermore. You're so pitiful I could almost feel sorry for you. Shame you turned out to be such a wretch. Unpopular in death as you were in life."

Cringing at the blatant honesty of her insults, I huddled close to her while keeping wary eyes on the stranger. For some reason he wasn't infuriated. If anything, Shimoda's crude remarks ended up pleasing him all the more.

"How merciless! You are indeed your mother's daughter - bleeding hearts alike!" The Pumpkin Prince howled with uproarious laughter. "Splendid, fraulein! Feed that hatred of yours even more until the mirror cracks as it beholds your true reflection!"

"Hold your tongue, scarecrow. I'm not dim as to miss your implication just now." Shimoda's gaze darkened as she spoke slowly and carefully. "Just because you knew my mother before doesn't mean you're on chummy terms with me." She warned, her expression icy. "Bloody Mary is not my mother. Encourage me to become like that monster again, and I shall snuff out your soul's flame myself."

Bloody Mary…?

"My apologies. The last thing I want is to ruin your night with anymore foolish prattling on my part." Chuckling, Mikuo humored her with a humble bow. "Your indomitable spirit is exactly why I picked you to avenge me. Tonight, you and your pretty friend shall become my guests of honor - if only for one night! Rejoice, my adorable mortals! Take heart in the fact that I, the Pumpkin Prince, have chosen you to be my minions!"

"Your minion? I beg to differ. I cannot believe I used to enjoy this holiday..." Shimoda complained. "But I suppose you're not giving me any choice. If I refuse, you'd alert Muffet to our escape and leave me and Meiko to our fate."

"Perceptive girl. You catch on quickly." Came the scarecrow's nefarious reply. His grin made my skin crawl. I didn't like him one bit.

"Fine." Shimoda huffed, obviously even more aggravated. "But in return you better ensure our safe escape and testify to Muffet's crimes. This is a temporary alliance… for now."

"Of course. I always treat my friends well!"

If skewing Shimoda with knives the moment he saw her was his idea of treating friends well, then I shudder to imagine how he treated his enemies...

With a wry smile, he tapped Rin's steel hairpin. Magic unfolded before our eyes as the small object bloomed into a pagoda parasol fit for a queen.

"Behold the pumpkin parasol! Consider it a token of my friendship as well as an apology for attacking you earlier. I had to test your skills, you see - despite the rude welcoming."

Bright as marmalade, the pumpkin parasol was shaped to fit its namesake. Its sloping arc featured an eerie grin as black as midnight. The handle curved in a sharp hook, designed to rip throats out. The canopy's rims were flossed with elevated razors - thin enough to miss at first glass but fatal enough to deliver swift punishment. Even the ruffled gores were foldable flaps built to conceal a deadly arsenal from poison gas to deadly projectiles. Shimoda demonstrated by ejecting a rain of combustive candy corn against the wall - firing from the open ferrule.

They all hit the wall with a desecrating bang! When the smoke cleared there were sizeable holes in the drywall still sizzling from the explosion.

"...Not terrible, I suppose. It's about time you gave me something to compensate for your troublemaking. It's not a soul weapon, but this will have to do for now." The unimpressed look she gave to the stranger spoke volumes of what she thought of his "token". She delicately ghosted her fingers across the shaft, appearing neither pleased or dissatisfied. With a full body twirl, she looked to me for a second opinion.

"Your thoughts, Meimei?"

Meimei? I inwardly winced at the pet name. When did she start calling me that? It was so childish.

"Yes, fine. It's better than nothing. If you're done, I'd like it if we get going now." I answered brusquely, crossing my arms and averting my gaze. I didn't even want to be part of this conversation - especially not with the likes of that other creature - the Pumpkin Prince, that was. Fear and disgust welled up in me as the said stranger pinned his attention on me.

"Your friend doesn't seem to like me very much, Rin dear." Instead of being offended, the boy was genuinely curious. "She hasn't spoken to me once, and whenever she looks my way, it's like she's seeing a cockroach. I don't remember doing anything to warrant her ire… at least, not on purpose."

"One, that's because you're the Pumpkin Prince. Two, you've been prattling on about not being invited to a Muffet's disgusting party while dismembered dead children are being served as the main entree." With an eye-roll, she gestured to our surroundings - looking as disgusted as I felt at his blind tactlessness. "They were her friends. Considering she was about to share their same fate, it's no wonder she hates you already. You and Muffet."

I didn't realize I'd been glaring at him with such resentment and fury the entire time until Rin pointed it out. Hearing all this made the feverish heat in my body return. It was exactly like she said. I had nothing to say to this terror.

Who… just who the hell did these creatures think they were? This one was giving out orders to avenge his ego when the limbs of children were strung up and hung everywhere like macabre decorations. And then Kasane Teto... or Muffet - whoever the hell she was - dared to run a bakery in Megaton all smiles at school while murdering helpless innocents for own gain.

I don't know which infuriated me more - his egomania or the fact that Shimoda was even bothering to acknowledge this… this monster, this devilspawn! I wanted to get away from him as soon as possible and forget all this.

"Heh… so I see." With a grin, he took off his hat and bowed to me. "It's times like these I believe human women are more interesting than your monster counterparts. I don't hate that spiteful expression of yours… Meiko, was it?"

"Don't ya do me dirty with cursing my name like that, ya goddamn devilspawn!" I lashed out in rough dialect as soon as he tried to get close. I gave him what I hoped was a threatening death glare. I grabbed a nearby salt shaker and rained white flakes on his blinking countenance.

"B-BEGONE SHITHEAD! Go back from whence ya came!" Engulfed in terror, I screeched to keep him away from me. "Pumpkin Prince or the Devil 'imself - come any closer and I'll punch yer lights out including the one that's yer soul!"

"Pfffft...ahahah! Interesting! You've got quite the potty mouth on you despite being beautiful!" With a deft flick of his wrist, he sent the salt shaker flying out of my grip and shattering to the floor. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his burning gaze. "But I find your defiance captivating. You're beautiful, gutsy - especially when you're wracked with angry, violent grief. You remind me of the reason why I adore humans in the first place." He practically purred, causing me to jerk out of his grip in disgust.

"Don't ever touch me!" I furiously scrubbed at where he touched me, ridding any evil trace he might have left.

"Other monsters would beg to differ, but it's true." A wicked laugh erupted near my ear as I jolted in squeamish fear - swinging around to punch him by instinct. He avoided my blow, of course, and proceeded to circle me. His face was taken with fascination. I kept turning around to face him, not trusting to leave my back open. "I have never understood feelings such as loss or love, so watching you humans struggle endlessly with your emotions throughout life… whether in happiness or torture - it never fails to amuse me. Your suffering never ends, never to be won or defeated. You're never one thing for very long." A shadow fell over his face as his grin broadened. "Because of that constant change, humans will never bore me for as long as I'm cursed to remain here. That said…"

"U-Ugnnh!" My trembling worsened the closer he approached, making my head spin. He smelled like old rum and soil, but at the same time death. It wasn't from this world. When he grabbed me by the chin his fingers were ice-cold like a ghost's - draining the life from me. Tears sprang to my eyes once more. I wanted to scream, kick, bite him - anything. But the evil in his murky eyes left me petrified.

"... Boo." He whispered in my ear, evoking a violent reaction from me.

Just as I was about to strangle him right there he snapped his fingers. With a blinding flash of light, I felt the sensation of falling before I realized Rin and I were floating alongside the scarecrow. What proved more shocking was the fact that he somehow managed to teleport us directly over the festivities taking place in a grand chamber. Below us stood a large crowd of monsters pointing and gaping at us. Screams of alarm, fear, and displeasure overlapped.

The scarecrow spread his arms out wide as a shadow grew and spread to the corners of the room, transforming into a murder of crows that swarmed the room - cawing and terrorizing the guests. With an elegant sweep of his wispy hand, his rags melted away to a wraithlike ensemble fit for dark royalty. Gone was the scarecrow and in its place was the haunting apparition of the Pumpkin Prince. Black as midnight, his tattered cape grew in length and moved to life on its own. Instead of a crown he wore a jack-'o-lantern inspired from his story. Green embers burned brightly behind the ghost's malevolent grin before it consumed him in a raging inferno - blinding everyone including myself. The scorching heat emanating from him in vibrant waves, and I thought I would pass out from roasting near him.

The floating chandeliers swung in tandem with his deep, dark chortling that echoed throughout the premises.

"MIKUO?! What is that fool prince doing here?"

"This is an outrage! I was told he wouldn't be invited!"

"He ruins these parties every year! Is Muffet responsible for this?"

"Well, well! What a glittering assemblage we have here!" The thunderous voice didn't belong to the humanoid boy I saw before. Instead I heard the rage of a legion seething with the voices of many in one - personifying a vengeance left unfulfilled. The fire flared as the phantom spoke. "Royalty… of the vampiric heiress herself." He gestured to a pale beauty dressed in finery suited for a princess, who, unlike the others who were afraid - met his attention with a defiant glare and hostile bare of her fangs.

"You!" She seethed in a voice so malevolent it marred her angelic grace. It was frightening. Teal hair fluttered behind her like a pair of butterflies, her double updo curling upwards. She was accompanied by her ilk who were equally frightening and almost as beautiful as their leader. An androgynous bodyguard, possessing high cheekbones with their verdant hair drawn out in a low ponytail, moved in front of her protectively. They reached for the hilt of their sword - their gloved hand hovering over the sheathe.

"He won't lay a hand on you, my lady." the chivalrous bodyguard assured their charge in a soothing timbre, training their eyes on the prince. "But please stay behind me just in case."

"Gumi…" the lady uttered in turn.

"Ah, and here's the Nobility. The Knight of Cirrus once again proves their homage as the Hatsune clan's loyal lapdog." A crooked smile from the prince was all it took for the vampires to react in hostility save for the knight. "Aren't you fortunate so many are willing to cast their lives to protect you, Miku-mii~?"

"Mikuo, on my honor as a knight, I will not allow you to address my lady so disrespectfully!"

"Fiend! I shall behead you myself to save them the trouble! You killing all my bats will spoken for!" Her queenly fury was accompanied with a confrontative step forward, only to be stopped by her knight. With a sardonic chuckle, the prince ignored them in favor of continuing his previous speech.

"Now where were we? The gentry… ah yes, with your money and resources." Each acknowledgement brought the monsters hissing in hatred or cowering in fear. "And how delightful. Even the rabble has come to partake in my holiday." A nasty sneer directed at the ugliest and feeblest of monsters such as goblins and deformed hybrids. "I really quite felt perturbed when I didn't receive an RSVP."

"Allow me to lay it out for you on the line since you can't take a hint, Mikuo. You weren't wanted." A woman dressed in a provocative cocktail dress as red as her eyes spat at him, flipping her snowy hair as she turned the other way with a scoff. "Nobody in their right mind would invite you to a party even if their lives depended on it. You ruin everything fun about this holiday… never mind you ruin everyone's day on a daily basis." A clamor of agreement resonated. "For once we wanted to enjoy one night without you poisoning it."

"Tei is right - though I loathe to agree with the vulgar flytrap." This barb went unchecked as the aforementioned woman snarled at a masked man who spoke up. You are an utter nuisance, bothering us day-today with your stupid pranks and homulilies. Between disrupting my legal cases and ruminating my beautiful doll collection - you are as friendless and sad as a toad in a small pond." Like her, he appeared classy and noble - sporting white hair, but his sunken eyes and ashen complexion indicated he was just as inhuman as the rest. The only difference was he was oozing snobbery and status. "This one night I decided to humor Muffet's invitation - you end up ruining what was supposed to be a festive evening." A sniff. "Such utter nonsense. I should have had Coppelia book me a flight to the tropics instead."

A brief silence passed as jack-'o-lanterns appeared out of thin air, floating about and laughing to their heart's delight. I was beside myself with horror seeing so many monsters everywhere. I was trapped in the room with them and hanging mid-air at the mercy of the Pumpkin Prince. If he wanted to, he could drop me right into their drooling mouths. I pressed my lips together in a desperate attempt to stifle an oncoming scream. Contrary to my panic, Rin seemed unconcerned. If anything, her mood was that of distaste.

"... Well, isn't this awkward?" A sinister cackle rumbled from the prince, his cruel smile evolving into a crescent grin. "But as I am the patron of Oktoberjagd, I will forgive this slight by extending my graciousness to you all." With a flick of his wrist, he showered me and Rin in a dark mist - transforming our clothes to match his pumpkin minions. Dressed in autumn foliage and puffy shorts, we surrounded the prince in a grand entourage. I wore an eyepatch while Rin adorned a plumed mini hat. "I have brought guests of my own to celebrate my death… by delivering your souls to the Devil himself!" Roaring laughter boomed throughout the premises. "Let us make this a night to remember!"

Covering my ears, I let out a blood curdling scream threatening to rip my vocal chords apart, only for my cry to be drowned out by the uproar around me.

I must be tripping - for once in my life I wish it were ecstasy or hookah making up a horrible hallucination! Then at least I could wake up from this nightmare! I didn't care if a trip to hangover city awaited me - anything would be better than this!

"Music, maestro! Play me some ragtime, Boneman! I wanna dance!" Insane with ecstasy, the prince sent his frenzied fledglings to carry out his reckoning. He showered the band of skeletons with an endless rain of silver coins pouring out from his pointed hat, causing them to pick up their fallen instruments and burst into a frenzy upbeat.

Amid the organ playing, the prince went laughing mad as the crowd dispersed in screams of terror. Half of them were rushing to escape while the other stayed to fight. That was when me and Rin were dropped unceremoniously to the ground below right into the heart of the mob.

I landed on my back with a resonant thump. Gasping with pain, I struggled to get up and rubbed my aching shoulders. Before I could regain my footing a seven-foot tall reptile charged at me in a full-frontal body slam. The attack winded me knocking me off my feet. Left breathless, I struggled against my assailant.

"Hsss… What pretty, round cheeks - ripe like plums and mine for the picking~" A long, slimy tongue slithered out a cavern of sharp teeth. I shuddered as the creature licked my face with perverse pleasure, its caresses leaving me feeling violated. The torment went on in a scratchy voice. "Lips, ears, and your voluptuous assets will make tasty treatssss for weeksss…"

No… no… don't touch me. Get off me!

"Urgh… a-ahh…!" Paralyzed with terror, I could do nothing but lay there staring at the huge beast. My inner voice screamed at me to move - find Rin - anything. Just do something!

"Halt! Unhand that lady or suffer my wrath!" The verdant knight came running to my help with their silver saber drawn. They managed to knock several monsters aside before leaping into the air and thrusting down their blade into the lizard's shoulder blade.

"OGAAHHH!" The reptile howled in agony as he wrestled with the knight, trying to buck them off. A struggle ensued, ending with the knight being ensnared by the reptile's scaly bind before unceremoniously thrown to the other side of the room.

"AAAGH!" The strike sent the knight careening through the air, crashing into chandeliers before getting swallowed up in the panicking crowd likely to be trampled on. A high pitched scream resonated over my own.

"GNNGH! LADY MIKU!" The verdant knight reappeared, appearing distraught as they looked torn between helping me and coming to their lady's rescue. Duty-bound, however, the knight shot me a regretful glance before rushing off.

Crusted nails dug into my skin, drawing blood. I was in too much of a shock to feel any pain. Then my mind went numb. Instinct to survive took over me as my body went into overdrive. All noises fell deaf on my ears as I fought the thing struggling to keep me pinned down. Having experienced violent encounters against stronger opponents, I put up a tougher fight than my assailant expected. The knight's interfering with the earlier scuffle also weakened him - giving me an advantage.

I punched, hit, and bit wherever I saw green. The reptile loosened its hold on me with a strangled cry when I dug my elbow into its throat. Pouncing on the opportunity, I followed up by using the momentum of my weight to turn the tables. Time was moving slower for me as my fighter's adrenaline kicked in. I could barely hear the wailing coming from the monsters. Rin's skirting movements caught my notice several times as she took down several monsters of her own. I remained focused on the flailing reptile below me.

Several times I was nearly bucked off but held tight. Finding a fork beside the punch table beside me, I grabbed a hold of it and raised it over the monster's yellow eyes. Terror registered in the monster before I brought it down over and over and over.

I finally came back to my senses when something wet splattered across my face. That was when I registered the flesh squelching beneath me as well as the red, black, slimy gore in place of where yellow eyes once were.

"MY EEEYESSSSS!"

The agony in the creature's howl shook me to the core, bringing home the realization of what I had just done. My horrified gaze dropped to my hands covered in slime, and with a shriek I dropped the fork.

Staggering to my feet, I made my way through the crowd in search of an exit. I couldn't breathe. I needed to leave. My feet took me through the chaos of jack-'o-lanterns chasing down spiders and biting their legs clean off. They grew bigger with each head count, terrorizing the party guests. I felt very cold - my mind separated from my body. Even as gore splattered against my face, I kept walking through the carnage until black blanketed my vision - it was the Pumpkin Prince. His worn, trailing cape spiraled around me like a web. With an outstretched hand, he presented me with a sports bag. One glance at the nametag reminded me that it was mine.

"Leaving so soon? The party just started, my Red Delilah." The nickname made me flinch. Did he know…? It seemed too close for a coincidence.

"Master Mikuo is prince of the pumpkin patch! All hail the Pumpkin Prince of Foolery!" The pumpkins chanted in tandem, dooming everyone to suffer his horrific reign. Teeth bared sharp and eyes glowing green, more of them sprang out of their hiding places from beneath the tables and even popping out of the cakes.

The scarecrow doffed his glowing pumpkin head, revealing the mischievous boy beneath. It gave me the vague impression of a misbehaving teenager playing a prank - even though I knew that wasn't the case. He unzipped my bag, presenting my treasured softball bat. "I found this among the belongings of the deceased. Are you just going to let sleeping dogs lie?"

"N-No… I have to… have to leave." Came my shaky reply, but I couldn't quite meet his eyes. Instead I kept staring at my filthy hands. "I-I hate being here… this party makes me… sick."

"Oh? Here I thought you were having a good time. After all, you're smiling."

...What?

With trembling hands, I touched my face and realized what he was saying was true.

"Your desire to avenge those poor, tender lumplings is only natural. That's why they call it 'justice." With a derisive smile, he used his magic to turn my bat into a bigger, heavier weapon: an obsidian club spiked with stony knobs. It shone brilliantly, but judging by the ethereal glow - it was a weapon meant for killing monsters. I knew what he wanted from me. A war waged inside my mind, the rational part of me screaming not to be tricked by him - slowly being swallowed up by a sea of desire to hurt, destroy, avenge.

Go on. Inflict the punishment they deserve. Get angry. Don't let them get away with their sick crimes, the Red Delilah within me urged. With a sharp gasp, I tried to resist.

"Catch." The prince called me out of my trance before tossing me the club. It was heavier than a German Shepherd. "Batter up." The soft spoken order was accompanied by a jerk of his head, directing my attention to horrific sight. Monsters whose heads resembled apples were bobbing for the heads of children… a boy pirate…

"Come with us to the tea party! It's okay if we invite another guest, Sissy! You can pretend to be a kid like us!"

A pigtailed fairy princess...

"Only kids are allowed into the special place, but since Sissy's always nice to us - we want you to come with us!"

And a little drummer boy...

"Come on~ there's supposed to be a tower of pudding and everything! 'A dining to die for'! That's what the letter says!"

Seeing those monsters bob for those children like it was a sport was more than enough to set me off. Rage clouded my senses. My breathing harshened, and my vision clouded over in a scarlet haze. That was when I stopped thinking altogether. A painstaking scream scraped my throat as I charged towards them like a boar. I would unleash my wrath starting with them.

Bones split and cracked like noisemakers. Flesh torn off, eyeballs being squashed - streamers and confetti. Fire blazed and consumed everyone in an inferno like the candles above and on the cakes. All of it mashed together in a cacophony of noise.

All the while, I forgot about everything else around me - reveling in bludgeoning wherever I saw anyone taking apart what looked like my former friends. Blood spattered across my face every time I brought down the club. I felt trippy. I was no longer class president but the Red Delilah, the violent side of me buried beneath my ugliest parts. The side of me I wanted to forget.

It was true. I denied it for so long, but I couldn't lie to myself anymore. The fact was I enjoyed hurting others because it gave me a sense of control. All my life I felt like I never had any control… and that was the reason why I became a gangster. Having a group to control, being able to shape those around me to whatever I pleased… it felt nice.

Before my reform, my violence showed no favoritism. But afterwards I haven't actually changed deep down. The only difference was that I used my societal role in school to enforce what I thought was "right". I directed my violence on those who I believed were in the wrong. Justice was never a pretense for me as I adored heroic ideals that inspired me to become a better person in the first place just like my mother was. Wanting good for mankind was an honest dream of mine, but at the same time - I could no longer deny my actions were also driven by a darker desire to control. When things went out of my control, my pride reared its ugly head to retaliate. Tonight cemented that.

Before long, a violent quake splintered the floor apart. Its power knocked me to the ground. I watched in dumbfounded shock as a giant spider emerged from underground. By the time it stood to full height it took up a quarter of the entire room. It let out a horrible, deafening roar that left my eardrums ringing. I dropped my bat to cover my ears, the excruciating pain rippling through my head. Venom dripped from its obscene fangs as it bellowed, melting wherever it landed. Its acid left casualties screaming and writhing in agony up until their last moments.

Eight huge eyes blinked - reflecting my terrified, shaking self in a red backdrop.

"Quelle horreur! All my hard work ruined! Tonight's reception is beyond salvageable!" Kasane bemoaned atop the giant spider, her mink coat swaying behind her. She posed the back of her hand against her forehead melodramatically as she opted to melt into a mauve tuffet. "I feel myself getting faint...! Quick, someone bring me tea! And curds and whey - my bakery for some cheese!"

Her plea didn't go unheard. An endless hive climbed the giant spider's elongated legs with a table and cutlery. They were different sizes, and the biggest ones were as large as dogs. Even as the queen spider stomped and smashed the screaming pumpkins to mush, the arachnids hurried to prepare the settings of a tea party for the second-year. One creature in particular was an eight-legged teapot with a single red eye that moved about. Once the table was set, the eyepot poured Kasane a steaming hot cup of tea. Another spider brought her a bowl of curds and whey.

"Ah~ merci. That's much better." Kasane sighed in pleasure, enjoying another sip as her giant pet spider snatched up the scarecrow trying to flee. I didn't have time to react when a spider net caught me and dragged me undertow, muffling my cries.

I was tumbling into darkness for so long by the time the lights came on I was nearly blinded. My fall was broken by a wet splat, and I found myself submerged in what felt like quicksand. Panicking, I flailed to keep my head above the surface. Warm, sticky liquid encased me in a cocoon, but it wasn't the web I was expecting. The choking sweetness of maple butter and sugar kept flooding my mouth every time I gasped for air. I was engulfed in a sea of peppermint, my eyes somehow burning yet chilling at the same time. It was painful.

"Why so blue, cher ami? I think peppermint cake batter makes a better color for you!" Scornful laughter echoed. Peering up from the giant baking pan I was trapped in, I saw Kasane watching me drown with sadistic glee. She stood atop an operations bridge with the queen spider, manning a control panel.

"Tonight you'll join us for dessert. Tell me, how do you like sweets? A touch tarty or mouth meltingly sweet?" Spoon in hand, she used it to operate a sequence of buttons. Behind me, I heard machinery roaring to life. It was then I realized I was on a conveyor belt heading straight for an open oven blazing with heat. This one was specifically made to bake dishes as big as houses. My face paled as I realized it was where humans ended up!

Squirming violently, I openly stared at Kasane in unadulterated horror.

She and her spiders were going to eat me!

"Better for you to die now than endure being roasted alive like this royal pain will soon." Tossing away her spoon, she had her pet show me a writhing cocoon- someone was imprisoned inside, desperately trying to break free. The green glow of a pumpkin made me realize it was the scarecrow - his carved face wrought with dread.

"THROW HIM IN, GRANDMOTHER! TONIGHT WE'LL BE HAVING PUMPKIN STEW!" Kasane screamed at the top of her lungs before the scarecrow could get a word in. With another horrid screech, the queen spider did as she commanded. One violent fling sent the prince catapulting into the heart of the fire. The oven slammed shut as muffled screams reverberated inside the oven. All I could do was watch in dread as his soul was extinguished right before my eyes.

In a sense, it was a fitting end. The Pumpkin Prince finally got what he wanted - to finally be accepted by the flames of Hell.

"Tut tut. I leave the premises for one hour to restock the punch… and not only have my prisoners escaped, but they also managed to ruin a party that took a year's worth of planning?" Kasane drawled, her smile was cold as she turned to regard the shuddering mass of spiders skulking in the shadows. "What's wrong? The fault is clearly mine, dear family of mine. Clearly I'm the one who needs to be responsible for every little thing, or else the family business will fall apart!" She giggled. Her expression grew sweeter with every word, causing them to shrink back further in terror. "It seems you all were so greedy to partake in the party's long awaited buffet that the one job I left you in charge with slipped your puny little minds and ruined this night for everyone!" She ended with a bloodcurdling scream that echoed throughout the underground factory. Her pretty face twisted in pure rage as she towered over them, her human guise melting away as her spine snapped in half. Eight legs sprang out of her back, and eight red eyes marred her face. Magenta hair covered her from head to legs, and venomous fangs protruded from her mouth obscenely, revealing her to be a hideous monstrosity. She was nowhere near as big as her grandmother, but she had still grown in size. Her appearance alone was more than intimidating.

"No way… Oh my god." A gasp left my throat after watching her horrible transformation.

"ALL THE NIGHTS I HUNTED FEEDING YOUR STARVING BELLIES AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?" Her voice was no longer human, having become more of a garbled snarl akin to a wild animal. "WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELVES?! WELL MUMMY AND DADDY?!"

Two spiders whose hides matched her color were thrust forward by their traitorous kin. They were slightly smaller than her. Frightened of their own daughter, they prostrated themselves in the face of her wrath. Dwindling noises came from them in squeaks - speaking in a language I couldn't understand.

"No excuses! To think your powers have dwindled to the point even glamours won't turn you human anymore! Nowadays all you care about is stuffing yourselves fat! I thought you raised me with more dignity than that." She scoffed in disgust, her harsh words taking the wind out of their sails. "Grandmother was right - you're all useless!" She snapped at them, silencing the last of their protests. "Forget leftovers! There will be no food for all of you for at least three days! Daddy, stop pouting - you've delivered worse punishments when I was still a babe!"

While she was distracted, I tried everything I could to escape. From swimming to the edge of the baking pan to searching for Shimoda - but she was nowhere to be seen. Moving around was easier said than done. It took all my energy just to keep my head above the batter. I was in a sinkhole. And even if I managed to get to the other side, what then? The walls were too high for me to climb, and I didn't even have any rope.

Whatever hope I had of surviving was flickering like a candle drowning in a pool of wax.

"No matter." Kasane's temper cooled as she rounded on me, giggling once more. "Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust. That takes care of mister pumpkin. Maybe this night isn't a total loss after all!" She let out a wistful sigh. "Oh~ I'm feeling weak… with hunger!"

"Ka… Kasane Teto, you m-monster!" I managed to raise my voice after coughing out excess batter, wiping my eyes and mouth in disgust. "You killed Mari, Ikki, Yoru… and all the other children!" My tirade wasn't only to satisfy my anger, but also to buy time and get answers at the same time. "Why?! They were innocent!"

"Chacun voit midi à sa porte*," Kasane emphasized with a shrug of her shoulders. "The Kasane clan is, as you can see, larger than life. All my relatives sleep most of the year save for this month, and that leaves me with hundreds of hungry mouths to feed." She stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Children are the prime source of nourishment. They make more filling meals than haggard adults who don't know how to care for themselves."

"What about you?" I gasped between gulps of air, managing to grab onto a stray peppermint bark to keep myself afloat - allowing me to live for now.

"Oh, that's a good question." Her grotesque mouth twisted into a wicked grin. Twirling down on her spinnerets, she landed on a lever that slowed everything down. postponing my death for the moment. As I hoped, she couldn't resist the urge to gloat. "Food is scarce to come by compared to the golden years when humans were far more oblivious and stupid than they are today. Jorogumo have bottomless appetites." She said. "In this millennia my family provides enough food for one hatched egg once a century, in turn that babe protects the entire nest from harm. I am that babe." She informed with pride. "But the rest of the nest is left vulnerable from malnourishment. To keep themselves alive, they must sleep to slow their starvation. Only in this month do they awaken, eating as much as they can before sinking back into slumber."

"Then why did you come after me and Shimoda? We're not children - what did we ever do to you?!"

"Non non~ you weren't my first choice either." Kasane snorted. "Do you honestly think I wouldn't notice you nosing around in my district these past few months? Really, I could've easily silenced you but watching you fruitlessly work proved more entertaining than I thought." With a smug smile, she spun to and fro. "Shimoda's fate was inevitable - but you, miss president, could've lived a long life if only you and your father stopped meddling in monster affairs."

I stared at her in bewilderment.

Just what was she talking about?

"I came after you because your father was getting too close to the truth of our existence… attracting the wrong crowd that drives my loyal customers away, and well, we couldn't have that." Her family chittered in response. She cocked her head at me, all her eyes glittering with malice. "Killing you makes the perfect distraction. Imagine the shock rippling across the school - how it will affect your father. With both his wife and daughter dead - what reason would he have to go on living?" Her snide guffawing caused me to bristle with rage. "Imagine him spending the rest of his life searching for your dead body - only to die never knowing there will be nothing left of you to find!"

"You dare toy with my father's emotions?!" I screamed, my struggling caused me to break the peppermint and flail in panic once more. I decided if I was going to die, I might as well do so cursing Kasane until my final breath. "Monster! Demon! Burn in Hell where you belong!"

"But no~ you had to keep looking into Medusa's case… oh wait, her human alias goes by miss Ann, doesn't it?"

I stopped rambling long enough to realize what she just said. My eyes widened hearing the missing teacher being brought up.

"What do you know about miss Ann? What happened to her?! Answer me!"

"The real 'miss Ann' has likely been dead for months now. The one who enrolled as this year's PE teacher was just a gorgon that stole her identity to live among you humans - playing sweet teacher and saint while devouring the boys at school." Teto callously informed, gauging my reaction. "True to their snakish origins, gorgons have the ability to shed their skin. They can take forms of whoever they please. Us monsters knew her as Medusa."

What… so what we suspected about miss Ann was only half-true? Those five boys that died at school were murdered by a monster all along?

"As for what became of Medusa herself… well, you have Rin to thank for that."

"What are you going on about now ?" I snapped, having had enough of hearing her nonsense.

Kasane sniffed, extending an arm to allow a spider automaton shaped like a teapot to crawl onto her shoulder.

"This pet of mine is one of many. Their eyes are mine, and so I can see everything they see. They lack the bloodlust monsters exude, so they're much harder to detect." Her smile faded into a frown. "Everything that happens in the city never escapes my notice. When I heard a new chevalier was deployed, it didn't take long for me to discover it was Rin. Chevaliers like her are what you call bounty hunters. They are deployed to hunt down monsters like me with high kill counts." She said. "Her Major ordered her to capture the Trickster Treater. I had to act sooner or later, or else my family line would be extinguished."

Like bounty hunters?

Shimoda was a monster hunter?

Wait...

"There isn't one Trickster Treater…" I realized, my ire increasing as I glared up at Kasane - the monstrosity she was. "It's been your family all along! All of you have been terrorizing people on Oktoberjagd since Megaton was founded! You're the ones responsible for luring all those children to their deaths!"

"Oui! Oui! You've solved the mystery!" The arachnid affirmed, showering me with mock applause using six of her legs. "It starts out as a whisper. One child will receive a special invitation to my secret parties - as they need them to enter!" Drifting about in her web, Teto descended until she met me face-to-face, all eight of her eyes reflecting my outrage. To rub it in my face, she poofed a scarlet letter in a web she spun and showed me the contents. "The more friends they tell, the bigger the surprise their reward will be. Of course, if they show up at the door with anyone who isn't a child then their invitation goes poof and we deny there's any party of the sort no matter how much the insist!" With that exclamation, the RSVP card vanished in a puff of pink smoke. "Like none of it never existed!"

"You murdered them! You butchered them like animals!" Blind with rage, I lunged for her - only to fall out of reach as she laughed at my failed attempts. "They were just children, damn you! Children I've watched growing up! And you… you…!"

You cooked them up as dishes to serve. A banquet for monsters.

I couldn't even say that last part. Heat blasted against my back, and I realized my time was up. Firelight towered over me in a wall of flames, sealing my fate. My life flashed before my eyes in a collage of memories as the distance between me and the oven closed.

Father… Kaito…

I'm sorry, but I guess this is it...

"Revolting is what she is." Someone else finished for me. Kasane and I craned our heads skyward to see who it was. Sitting crossed-legged on a valve was Shimoda. Parasol in hand, she was glaring down at Kasane in disdain. "Even now looking at her makes my stomach roil."

Before anyone could react, she aimed her parasol at Kasane and ejected a barrage of combustive candy corn. Her grandmother swept her away before the fiery explosion could consume them both. Taking advantage of their withdrawal, she leaped down where I was and fished me out with a line - just in time before the baking pan was swallowed up by the oven. She had me hold onto her waist as she rode the pipe valves blasting cold air upwards.

"Are you alright?" Shimoda asked me as soon as we landed.

No, not really. I've had better days... was what I wanted to say, but the snarky retort stayed on the tip of my tongue. Instead I stared at her in complete awe, likely looking ridiculous in these god awful clothes swathed in blood and cake batter. My hair was saturated with egg whites, and the only spot that remained dry was where my eyepatch shielded the left side of my vision Instead of the apathy I was expecting to hear, her face and voice held nothing but genuine concern.

Shimoda… she saved my life. She didn't have to, but she did. This opened my eyes to how wrong I was about many things. Including her.

"Meimei, are you hurt anywhere?" Shimoda repeated, remaining patient and serious despite the childish addressment. But this time I couldn't find it in me to be annoyed. Her eyes didn't leave Kasane or spiders, but it was clear she wouldn't engage them until I gave her a proper answer.

"I-I'm…" Fates above, I've been a stuttering mess all night. Exasperated at myself, I wet my throat to find my voice. "Yes, I'm fine now. Achy, exhausted, pissed beyond belief - and in desperate need of a shower, but fine." She acknowledged my answer with a nod. Hesitating for a moment, I decided to test the waters. "...Thank you, Rin."

She hadn't expected that - I could tell from her body's movements. Her blue eyes flashed to mine in mild astonishment. Then her face softened into a small but heartfelt smile that made me feel as though I reached the finish line of a marathon. It wasn't disparaging or a faint simper as usual, but a full-on smile. She looked so touched I was starting to understand why Kaito invested so much time and energy trying to befriend her. Unable to think of anything else to say, I simply returned her smile - trying not to feel awkward.

Satisfied, she turned back to confront Muffet who stood several yards away.

"You have something of mine, Muffet. Give it back."

"Oh, you mean this?" Kasane waved Rin's stuffed rabbit back and forth by the arm. It looked more stitched up than I remembered. The monocle looked cracked, and there patches on the vest that definitely weren't there before. This didn't sit well with Rin either, but the spider's mockery didn't end there.

"Or perhaps you're talking about this?" She presented her iconic skull bow that was broken beyond repair - its jaw was wired shut with webbing and spiders crawled out of its eye sockets. "Je suis désolé~ it seems my family doesn't know how to be gentle when playing with toys." With a sardonic shrug, she crushed it to smithereens.

Narrowing her eyes, Rin didn't dignify her with a response. Instead she began tapping her foot impatiently.

"But what's more surprising is this thing of yours..." Teto sighed in mock disappointment before drawing something out of the bunny's stuffing. I saw Rin flinch as she displayed it for all to see.

It was heart-framed picture of boy I'd never seen before. He looked around eleven, maybe ten years old. I was clued in on his bashfulness given his aversion towards the camera as he tended to a patch of blooming goldenrods. Dressed in an elegant black ensemble similar to Rin's style, he possessed the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. His jade hair was cropped short - just shy of reaching his upper neck. Baby fat stubbornly clung to his red cheeks as his lips were pursed downward in a slight pout.

Awwww!

Despite myself, my heart skipped a beat as I suppressed the squeal that bubbled up in my throat. I always thought children were cute, but that precocious boy looked absolutely adorable. It baffled me, wanting to squish those cheeks all of a sudden… they looked like marshmallows!

But then I heard something snap - like a final thread that held everything together.

"Take your filthy hands off Ryuto and Ossa this instant." It was Rin's cold voice that made me hyper aware just how terrible her temper could truly be. "I will have my belongings now, you repulsive insect!"

"I refuse. I will give you nothing. These adorable things belong to me now." The spider baker blew a raspberry at her. "Poor little human. All you have left of your past are these trinkets." She crooned. "You had such a promising future to become the country's prima ballerina, being your mother's best pupil after all. I can't imagine your baby self grueling night and day on a schedule that left you no time to be a child. You lived a sheltered life locked away in mommy dearest's studio. But for you to put up with all that… you must have truly loved dancing above all else. It was your passion, was it not?"

"That's none of your business, so stop right there!" Rin raced to silence her, but Kasane ignored her and continued.

"I've spent a fair bit of my expenses digging into your personal records. Your files are locked tight under heavy surveillance - with good reason, I say! Still I thought the Chevalerie Database was supposed to be uncrackable." Kasane mused with a nasty leer. "From the intel my spiders gathered, it seems you were a child prodigy when it came to ballet. Your mother was already widely renowned as Rorrim Capitol's prima ballerina… even going so far as to open a private studio. It was expected you would surpass her in talent and beauty - and perhaps even go onto dance with the world as your audience." She said. "The media adored you, dubbing you an angel. As young as age four, you already captured the hearts of many whomever saw you dance. Even nobles from faraway enrolled their little girls into your mummy's studio - hoping to make them rising stars like you." She said before her voice shifted with fiendish delight. "How unfortunate all of it was a waste. Your mummy's studio caught fire and set ablaze your entire hometown. It happened so quickly, people say, that there was no controlling it. All the residents died along with your friends… even your mother."

Staring daggers into Kasane's eyes, Rin remained silent and still as a statue. I would've thought her unperturbed if it wasn't for the slight tremble in her jawline.

"Curious how you just so happened to be the sole survivor. It makes me wonder if that fire truly was an accident." This pointed remark caused Rin to bristle visibly, and her arms began to tremble with anger. Having elicited the reaction she wanted, Kasane chuckled before changing the subject. "And in the end, you were so broken they had to confine you within a sanatorium to stop you from harming yourself any further. That is, until your relatives came to collect you. Sadly, it seems even they found you undesirable and sent you away to boarding school not long after." Her shoulders shook with mirth as she sent Rin a disparaging look. "But by then it was useless. Even though you were enrolled in the most prestigious ballet program, you no longer danced for anyone on stage ever again."

"What…?" I voiced my disbelief, glancing at Rin, who was refusing to meet my gaze. Hearing all this increased my shock value. I heard from Rin herself she used to be a dancer, but this was on another scale. Not only did she survive a horrible tragedy, but she was sent to a sanatorium? Those details should have been on her background check to alert the counselor as well as my father and her teachers.

I remembered that haunting expression she wore earlier - a fleeting glimpse into how deep her pain truly was. I couldn't even imagine what she must have gone through, what she had to endure for so many years.

"What a perfect, picturesque tragedy for a poor, broken heroine who's lost everything - including her passion for dancing! For the Chevalerie Order to employ someone as young as yourself to kill monsters… you really are one disturbed little girl." Kasane crowed, the spiders behind her tittering in a malicious chorus. "To think a slothful, vain, spoiled child like you would have such a tarnishing past." Cackling, she spun in a waltz and offered all eight legs towards her in an inviting embrace. "Come here, my dear. I'll put you out of your misery soon enough. Properly seasoned, you'll make a sweet dish. Not a full meal, but you'll do for a lovely snack~"

"I'm not edible." Rin retorted, stepping forward with her shoulders thrown back and head held high. Each clack of her heels trumpeted her newfound rebellion as a fierce resolve burned in her eyes. She stood before all her enemies without fear, even daring to gift them with a faint, disparaging smile. "And I won't eat you any of you. But you'll wish I did. I can tell you right now that none of you will be killed gently."

This was no threat. She was simply making them a promise - which for some reason - was even more frightening than I could imagine. In return this made Kasane hiss at her.

"Throwing shade at my backstory won't make you any less revolting, my dear Teto." Rin continued, turning her nose up at the baker. "When I first met you I thought you kind and lovely. You took me in when I was worse for wear after that scuffle with Kagamine Len, the hellraiser." She muttered under her breath before continuing. "You nursed my wounds, listened to my complaints, and you even stitched up Ossa… only to drug my tea and lock me away in that freezing meat locker so you could feed me to your vile family!" I could only stand back and watch with my mouth agape. She was truly on a roll. "You wretched, lying, cheating little insect! I'll crush you beneath my heel and force you to watch as I burn your family bakery to the ground! You won't even recognize what's left of it!" She let out a dissolved into scornful laughter, taunting her like the viper she proved to be. "I'll squander your reputation so badly you'll wish I only killed you sooner!"

"Over my dead body!" Teto's temper flared as Rin took a blow at her pride. Taking out a large purple teapot, she readied it like a cannon as the pressure valve rocketed to the boiling point - causing steam to whistle from the top.

"I'll try to accommodate you, dear!" Rin called back as she grabbed me and made another jump. I shrieked as we propelled through the air, volcanic jets of tea that nearly scalded us alive. It was sticky with honey, oozing and burning whatever it touched.

"Some like it hot! But you won't like it this hot! AHAHAHA!" Teto harped at us, unconcerned with reloading as her eyepots continued preparing hot tea by the batches.

"Hmph! So persistent..." Rin swung our combined weights to control the umbrella's direction, riding the cold drafts that billowed us up and down. She seemed a bit restless, however, as she kept checking on the clock from time to time. That distraction nearly cost us our lives if I hadn't maneuvered us away in time. Sadly, my parasol piloting proved to be mediocre.

"Rin! Pay attention- aughgh?!"

"What are you doing?! No, wait - don't touch that- yeeeek!"

One sharp jerk sent us careening wildly through the air. We both shrieked as we clung to each other, trying to be the other's anchor during the turbulent ride. One hot splash managed to skim us, singeing our clothes and more alarmingly, Rin's long locks. I didn't feel the pain of being burnt as a shocking sight stole my attention.

"Your hair's on fire!" My panicked warning caused Rin to pale in alarm. Small embers took residence in my clothes, but that was nowhere the threat of the bonfire blazing at the ends of her curls.

"Nooo! I'll be hideous!"

"How can you worry about that at a time like this?!" I squawked, torn between indignation and astonishment at the limitless bounds of her vanity. Unbelievable. I had to do something quickly, or the flames would reach her roots and damage her cerebral system. Not to mention the danger of being burned to death by Teto's tea cannon still threatened us.

Amid the hot liquid splashes and Rin's bawling, it was difficult for me to concentrate. Once my eyes landed on a cooling duct I wasted no time seizing control of the umbrella and parasailed us directly beneath it. Cold air blasted us from every direction, snuffing out the flames that would've razed us to ashes. The length of her hair was chopped just shy of her neckline, the ends still sizzling. Lips quivering and eyes watering, she looked so pitiful holding handfuls of burnt curls I found myself feeling sorry for her. But there was no time to comfort her.

Spiders scattered across my vision as they spun silk nets throughout the production line until everyone met at the middle, trapping us in a gigantic web crawling with red-eyed, tittering spiders wherever we looked. Every exit was blocked, and the mass of black spiders were closing in on us.

"MY HAAAIR! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MY HAIR!" An infernal scream reverberated as Rin threw her strands aside, howling like a mother who'd lost her children. She wasn't angry. She was brewing in murderous fury. Panting and shaking, she sought out Kasane with relentless attacks. Uncaring of the spiders that attempted to bind us with their web, she struck them down like flies. If they so much as got near us, she severed their legs with a vengeance. Not even the silken barrier they formed around Kasane and her grandmother would last long against her hellbent wrath.

Razors sliced away at the webbing the monsters tried to reconstruct with every hit. When we finally managed to land at a safe distance away from them, Rin glared at me with a ferocity I'd never seen in her before. This was the first time I've ever seen her on the offensive, her face drawn in harsh concentration.

"Listen. I need you to open the oven again quickly. The control panel should be up there." She said, gesturing to a lift that led up to an operations bridge. It was connected with the giant roaster, which was being guarded by a flock of spiders. "I'll draw them away so you can do it. Hurry! Kasane and her spiders are coming!"

"You can't take them all on your own! You're going up against hundreds - maybe thousands - of them! They'll tear you apart as soon as they trap you in their web!" I protested, trying to stop her from running off. There was no way I would abandon her at their mercy. Monster hunter or not, fighting with a parasol would only do so much. It might be enchanted but that alone wouldn't be enough to stop the hungry horde.

"Oh my, are you concerned for me, Meimei?" She tittered. "I'm so flattered you're thinking of me even now."

"Cut that out! I'm serious!" I barked, my anger borne out of worry and fear she would get herself killed. "For someone who's apparently been fighting monsters all your life, you of all people should know that you can't win when the odds are stacked against you! You can't possibly defeat all of them!"

"Who said anything about defeating all of them?" Rin asked, regarding me with mild bemusement. "I'm too fragile for a suicidal charge. I'm just going to keep them busy for a while longer." Then her expression turned serious. "If the story of the Pumpkin Prince is true, Mikuo's magic should be strongest at midnight. And since Oktoberjacht is the last night of this month… soon the spiders will go back to sleep. It's almost time."

"But... Kasane threw him in the oven! I saw him burning before my eyes!"

"Oh, please. I can't believe you thought that killed him." Rin giggled derisively. "Kasane only managed to bind him. His very essence is a coal, Meimei. Feeding an ember only makes a fire stronger."

SPLOOSHH!

Steam hissed as a tea pot whistled reaching its boiling point. Earl grey tea splattered all over the floor in persistent waves, almost scalding us on the spot.

"No more talk. Get going." Pushing me behind her, she opened her parasol just in time to deflect a hot jet of tea. It sizzled against the pumpkin canopy but held fast, remaining unscathed. Each close call caused several spiders in our vicinity to screech as they were burned once tea bounced off the parasol. Each every twirl, she shielded us from blow after blow and accompanied me as far as she could go. By the time we reached the lift, she hit the switch as we sailed out of their range.

The guards were already waiting for us when we reached the operations bridge. Once I made it to the other side, Rin stopped them from following me with a blast of candy corn - severing the bridge. Quickly, I hid before right before they turned the corner to spot me.

"Catch me if you can, itsy bitsy spiders!" Rin blew them a saucy kiss atop the railing before jumping, riding the updraft as it carried her over the other side. "You'll never get a taste of me, only a licking when I give Muffet what's coming to her!" Her cackling taunt worked like a charm the moment they heard her threatening bodily harm to their leader.

Once I was sure they were gone I jumped out from beneath the desk and searched for the right controls. My discouragement grew the more panels I saw. There existed every kind of switch for what seemed like anything.

"Hold on… which one opens the oven?" I asked aloud as if someone would give me the answer. None came, of course. Beads of perspiration formed at the base my forehead, and I quickly wiped away the salty residue that trickled into my brows. My frustration rose into panic. I tried to remember which controls Kasane used earlier, but I'd been busy drowning at the time I didn't exactly think to memorize that beforehand.

Argh! I should've been planning for this several steps ahead! Cursing my negligence, my gaze kept falling between the chaos in the background to the dizzying assortment of panels that mocked my uselessness.

"Damn it, damn it! Which one is it?!" I searched frantically at each compartment for whatever looked plausible. With no indication of where to begin, I resigned myself to the stupidest of tactics. I would just have to try operating all these panels until finding the one that controlled the giant furnace.

"You can do this, Meiko. Just… stay calm." With that muttered self-encouragement, I started with what laid before me. Taking a deep breath, I flicked on several switches and observed the affects. The factory lights turned on with every action. Okay, so that controlled the lighting.

I grabbed a remote-controlled joystick, turning it on and marvelling as a large claw hook descended at my command. While toying around with it, I pressed a glowing set of buttons below. That was when the entire production line roared to life. Spider automatons left their resting ports to sanitize and don baking aprons. Giant mixers and steamers began to operate, kneading and stretching out dough before placing them onto sheet trays that the spiders themselves carved into festive shapes such as ghosts or witches. The setting that controlled the holiday them was currently set on Oktoberjagd. The others were skittering to the storerooms and coolers carrying ingredients on their back large enough to feed armies.

I watched in mute fascination and shock as they threw butter sticks and eggs into the kneading machines. It took a large unit to carefully pour flour into the mixing bowl while managing the manual settings such as speed and power. Meanwhile, the spiders manning the other ovens, throwing the cookie trays into open flames and timing them. Once they were done, the baked goods were sent directly to the area where gargantuan pastry bags decorated them with whipped cream. As they were rolled out to the packaging section, the automatons rained sprinkles and sparkles as a finishing touch. The rest of the spiders scattered to the packaging section, boxing the finished goods and putting them out for delivery.

So this was the true heart of Kasane Patissiere. Cinnamon and pumpkin spices filled the air in rich aromas, causing my traitorous stomach to growl.

"Remarkable…" I uttered before remembering that this was the same place that butchered my friends and defenseless animals. These were all products founded on bloodshed and suffering! This place had to be shut down at all costs!

My ire returned as I was left trembling with newfound rage. Holding the remote aside, I turned my attention back to the controls. In a frenzy I tried everything from levers to buttons to switches. None of them had anything to do with the main furnace.

"Who keeps messing with the controls?!" Kasane harped in the distance, causing me to panic. "This is no time for baking! Find whoever's responsible and bring them to me! Whoever's playing around at a time like this will be punished!" That shrill threat turned my knees to jelly. Before I realized it, dog-sized spiders spun down right before me - glaring down at me with infuriated sets of eyes.

I screamed as they lunged down to bite me, and I barely managed to dodge in time. Their fangs landed on the control panel instead. Electricity crackled as the lights flashed before their eyes, blinding them.

With a screech, they retreated temporarily before returning to detain me.

"No! I won't let you eat me, you disgusting abominations!" Throwing a nearby chair at them, I ran across the grated bridge with my feet pounding every step of the way. One backward glance had me racing for my life. They were pursuing me, hot on my heels. Jets of sticky fluid pelted where I once stood, netting the railing and preventing me from going back. In my distraction, I ended up tripping over something and shot my arms out to avoid falling on my face.

An obsidian club rolled right under my nose, revealing itself to be the culprit. I couldn't believe my luck as a draft howled from above. There was a large hole where the party took place. My club must've fallen down here during the chaos.

Just as I thought then, I felt hot stinking breath hit my neck with each squelching gasp the perpetrator made - erecting the little hairs on my skin. Each wheeze I heard made my skin crawl with bone chilling revulsion.

"EW! GET AWAY AND STAY AWAY!" My defensive attack was accompanied with caterwaul - not unlike a cat lashing out with sharp claws. I clubbed the spider that almost managed to take me down, bashing its head in until its eyes caved into its skull. Another tried to pin me down with its hairy legs, but I managed to avoid in time by rolling right under its body and clobbering its head.

"BACK!" I snarled in warning as I warded away the rest of the spiders who tried to get close. They didn't have time to aim as I quickly closed the distance and hacked away at their legs and spinnerets, They yelped like wounded kittens before their bodies stiffened up, leaving them dead husks with slime discharged from their bulbous abdomens.

I slammed a boot into one of their legs, yanking my club free from the clutches of its thorax, causing spurts of foul black slime to gush like a leaky fountain. Its muscles still spasmed on occasion, twitching like cockroaches.

"Ha...hagh… exactly why I hate spiders." I panted from the exertion of fighting. Disgusted, I wiped the slime from my clothes as best as I could. A deafening explosion nearby stole my attention.

Unlike me, Rin's luck wasn't faring well. Even from this distance I could see she was getting spent maneuvering the giant web and cutting down countless spiders who tried to impede her. With each one she killed, three more took its place. She was fast but her dancer's stamina wasn't meant for death defying obstacle courses. A swift cut of her razor-sharp parasol gave her a momentary escape, but spiders were already pursuing her with hungry vigor.

"How annoying!" Her outcry was met with Kasane's heinous laughter.

"What's wrong, cher ami? Getting tired when things are finally heating up? I could do this all night!" Kasane mocked, snapping her fangs and directing her spiders to form a triangular web from below to resemble a funnel. This forced Rin to take higher ground, resulting in her nearly careening against the awaiting mass of spiders that lunged at her. She would've lost her head if she hadn't flung herself sideways. She flattened herself against the web as a writhing black mass came pouring down.

Judging by Kasane's eight-eyed leer, however, I realized with dread that she already anticipated her to do that. I was proved right seeing Rin struggling like a butterfly caught in a web. The harder she lashed out, the denser the adhesive grew - constricting all her movements.

"EYAHAHAHA! I HAVE YOU NOW! NOW FEED ON HER MY BRETHREN!"

Rin arched her spine in desperation, her ceaseless thrashing causing the entire web to bounce with every movement. The threads were flexible as they were strong and sticky with no sign of breakage. Spiders from all directions came crawling down the web, surrounding her with no way out. They were moving slowly as though to prolong her torment - like they wanted to revel in her last painful moments until the very end.

"Damn it, those sadistic cowards!" I spat. My eyes flitted about for something to help her with. An escape route? No, she couldn't even move her limbs. A weapon? No, she was too far away for me to get to her on time. The imaginary list kept shrinking with each cross out. Then my eyes fell on the remote that I found earlier. The tracks the robot hook moved on extended over where the web was.

That's it!

Acting quickly, I used the joystick to control the gigantic silver hook - sending it crashing into the web and causing the silken ropes to fray and break. Screeching spiders spilled into the mixers below, drowning in dough. With the web ruminated beyond repair, Rin was finally able to wrench herself free and retreat.

"What? WHO-?!" Kasane swiveled around with a snarl. Once her eyes landed on mine, I knew it was time to escape the hell her glare promised me. "You again?! You Sakines always meddle in my affairs! It's about time I wipe your line out! Starting with you!" Kasane directed the queen spider to come after me as she readied her tea cannon. It burbled and boiled under the hot pressure, about to burst. "Ugh! Everything I want done I suppose I'll just have to do myself!"

"Yoo-hoo~! Eyes up here, Muffet!" Rin called out in a teasing voice. With a sweet smile, she waved at them from atop the hook - directing me with her eyes to pierce the giant bag of powdered sugar chained directly above where the giant spider was. One quick look at her parasol and her explosive motions made me realize what she was planning. Malicious glee flooded me as I happily obliged, watching with vengeful satisfaction as the bag tore open with an ear crackling rip.

"AYAHHH?! I can't see! G-GRANDMOTHER!" Kasane kept coughing as she and her grandmother were swallowed up in a smokescreen. Powdered sugar came pouring down in a dust bowl, hitting them in torrents that left them immobilized. The queen spider was blinded as she stumbled into the machinery, wreaking havoc on the equipment and surrounding spiders who clambered to avoid being crushed.

As though performing stunts on a flying trapeze, Rin dangled upside down off the hook and pointed her parasol towards the giant spider. The pumpkin opened in full bloom as the finial opened, sending one last barrage of combustive candy corn that connected with the sugared powder - triggering a chemical reaction.

"IT BURNS! GRANDMOTHER WHERE ARE YOU?! HELP ME!"

"GYOOOOORAGHHH!"

Shielding my eyes, I watched in horrified awe as fire burning brighter than stars consumed the spider family. Earth-shattering wails erupted from Kasane and her grandmother, their shadows writhing in agony.

"Hurry, Meimei! The smoke will clear soon! Five minutes till midnight!" Rin's urging snapped out of my stupor. Instead of going back whence I came, I ran full speed ahead where another operations compartment awaited. In almost no time at all I found what I'd been searching all night.

IGNIS FURNACE

The purple hatch read in big, bold lettering. Right now, the level was set at off. It didn't stop there.

WARNING: MIND THE TEMPERATURE AT ALL TIMES!

"Agh!" I wasted no time grabbing the switch, trying with all my strength to pull in down to the on. It was stuck tighter than a vice, forcing me to prop both feet against the wall so I could use my body weight to wrench it down. Blisters were forming on my hands each time my skin rubbed against the metal. My arms felt like they were about to pop out of my sockets, and I thought my back would snap at any given moment. Still, I didn't give up.

"Move, damn you! I refuse to die in a hellhole like this!" Expletives left my mouth between clenched teeth as I forced myself to endure the pain of straining my body in unnatural directions. Adrenaline drowned out my exhaustion as I redoubled my efforts. "I don't care if it means losing my arms or legs! This place is going down... if it's the last... thing I do!"

Just when I thought my arms would fall apart, the switch finally slammed down to its on setting. I ended up slipping with a yelp. Losing my balance, the force of inertia sent me tumbling to the ground. But the deed was done.

HSSSSST….

The furnace roared to life as its door began to open with the chained pulleys groaning under the weight. A ferocious blast of hot air surged out of the inferno as it pounded against my body in waves, threatening to scorch me alive. The atmosphere changed as a phantom's presence made itself known.

"AAHAHAHAHA!" Mad laughter erupted as a giant skeletal hand dove out of the flames, followed by a ribbed torso and a flaming green skull. In a bone dry garble, it went to rasp with ecstasy. "FREEE! Come, my jack-o'-lanterns! This is no time to play dead! THE TIME FOR SPOOKY SOULING IS NOW!" At his command, the squandered pumpkins were reconstructed with green magic and sent to devour the remaining spiders.

"That's the pumpkin prince's true form? The skeleton that devours lost wanderers… it's really him." My voice quavered as I clutched the wall for support. "Unbelievable… monsters and all this really exist…" My eyes fell on Rin, who already recovered her bunny and sheathed her parasol within its vacuum before zipping it shut.

Uprooting a nearby baluster, the giant skeleton swathed it with the remaining cobwebs - spinning it until it looked like cotton candy. One fell swoop, and he managed to capture the fleeing spiders - including Kasane's grandmother. He used his other fist to set the factory ablaze, lifting the floorboards to reveal thousands of pearly eggs slumbering within a silken nest.

"WELL WELL! SOULS FIT FOR A ROYAL FEAST!" The phantom prince vaunted in beatific otherworldliness, his mandible stretching into a wide, bony grin. "TIME TO PARTAKE!"

"NOOO! PLEASE, YOUR HIGHNESS! I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING JUST PLEASE LET THEM GO!" Kasane was the only spider he spared on purpose, forcing her to watch in tear stricken horror as he began to feed on her family. "I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY! IT'S ALL MY FAULT I DIDN'T MEAN TO DISRESPECT YOU! PLEASE DON'T EAT MY FAMILY! I DON'T WANT TO BE ALL ALONE! PLEASE! HAVE MERCY!"

Kasane's anguish went ignored, her pleas unanswered - drowned out by hellfire burning down everything she loved. No matter how much she bargained, begged, or even cursed at him - there was no stopping the Pumpkin Prince from carrying out his vengeance. She disgraced him and his holiday, after all.

With the bakery coming down in flames, that tonight marked the end of the Trickster Treater's horrible reign. And more importantly, I was certain of one thing that needed to change.

Next year, I think I'll skip this holiday out of town…

With that in mind, my body finally succumbed to the fatigue that caught up to me. I slumped to the floor even as everything collapsed around me. Too exhausted to move, I felt my body freefalling in the blustering air right before something cushioned my fall - firm yet supportive, rocking me to sleep with each lift. For a moment I thought of my own mother, who used to hold me while cradling me to sleep.

Tears welled up in my eyes at the memory before falling below. White horns and beautiful manes filled my vision as I was carried into the open night sky. Distantly, I heard the sound of horses neighing… and then everything went black.

---

The mixed smells of potpourri and lavender stirred me awake, calming me with each breath I took. Cushioned beneath my body was what felt like the most luxurious bed I ever slept in - it was as though I were sinking into clouds. The sensation of warm yet professional hands ghosted over my skin and relieved the aching pain from the injuries I sustained. It was like magic.

I heard a door being opened and shut, followed by a clack of heels.

"Meimei… alright?" Whoever was speaking sounded so far away. Was I dreaming?

Several hands pulled away as a calm voice spoke up.

"... your friend… a few light bruises and blisters here and there… several burns… but should be fine in a few days." A pause. "As for miss Rin… shouldn't be walking around. Your injuries… not to be taken lightly, either."

"... be fine." A huff. "Sick of… after tonight, I'd rather not sit or lie down for awhile…"

"We are thankful… seeing you safe and sound… Madam Lola will be so relieved… Praise be to the Moon and Stars…"

"Pumpkin Prince… If not for his grand scale magia… wouldn't have found you and brought you back home as we did…"

"Muffet… be brought to Raven's Rock for interrogation… didn't even struggle during her arrest…"

Who… what's going on? Female voices talked quietly amongst themselves, their voices so soft I could barely hear what they were saying. I was dimly aware that they were talking about what transpired in the bakery. My body was heavy and stiff like lead, and I couldn't even move my fingers.

"No surprise… the Kasane clan is finished… only she remains its last member…"

"Truly… even the silliest of smiles… beware of what lies beneath their cheer…"

"Disappeared… the prince… must have escaped before we arrived… not even a trace of his pumpkins…"

My eyelids fluttered once, taking in blurry shapes and colors. I was so thirsty I couldn't speak, my exhaustion forcing me to lie still as the grave.

"Is she awake?" Clarity returned to me as soon as I recognized Rin's voice. "I think I saw her blink." A small hand rested against my forehead, soothing my feverish stupor with her cool touch.

"Rapid eye movements occur during deep sleep." A mature woman's voice, low and soothing, explained. "The extent of her injuries would leave any mundy unconscious. Let her sleep, miss Rin. She needs rest for our healing magic to work at its greatest effect."

"... Very well." I felt the coolness of Rin's touch withdraw, leaving me feel overheated again. "But to think all along none of you were never ordinary maids. I was shocked when I found out about you and your sisters, Dina. To think Auntie was housing a secret race history believed to have died out." An exasperated sigh. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. She is, after all, Lux Lunae - guardian of the moon. Considering unicorns fall under the moon's protection, it should've been obvious from the start. Though come to think of it, there isn't much I really know about her despite us being family..."

"A-Ah… um, w-we do hope you aren't too angry." A meek voice wavered, wilting under the pressure of even speaking up for herself. "Do forgive her, miss Rin. It's not as though she meant to keep things from you, but anyone knowing about us risks our exposure…"

"No, I understand, Josephine." Rin replied, her tone remaining placid as still waters. "Centuries ago your kind was nearly wiped to extinction when magi coveted your magic and wisdom. The less anyone knows, the better. Not even the Chevalerie Order should know. Those paranoid old men would only take selfish extremes during a time like this." She sniffed. "One would think they would've learned by now, considering their controversial history."

"Bless you, miss Rin. Bless you, dear child. We are eternally in your debt." The women were thanking her over and over again. "We cannot possibly even begin to repay you for agreeing to your silence…"

"Think nothing of it. All of you have been nothing but kind to me since my arrival." Rin hurried to stop their incessant prostration. "It's the least I can do. So, please stop that already. Unicorns are esteemed for being one of the divine races to exist. If anything, I should be bowing to you. It's such an honor..."

"You will do no such thing. We are not as nearly as powerful as our ancestors once were." A firm but respectful voice interjected. "We are but humble maids serving under Major Lola Otonashi and by proxy, her family. We are but masters of housework and providing service."

"Indeed… Viola." Rin resigned herself to agree. "On another matter, I'll have to come up with a story to explain to Meimei once she comes to. I'm amazed she was unconscious the entire night this fiasco happened. I'm rather jealous. I didn't receive a wink of sleep."

I felt my whole body tense, unable to believe what I was hearing. I knew she knew that wasn't true. Why was she not telling them the truth?

"It's for the best she remembers nothing of what happened tonight." Dina soothed. "If she did, we would have to call in the magi department to erase her memories. No civilian under any circumstances is allowed to know about the society of monsters. The threat of the tears opening in the Veil must be kept secret at all costs." She said. "With Chesteros already on the brink of civil war, the last thing that needs to be added to the brew is causing a world-wide panic with everyone knowing that monsters are falling out of the sky."

What now?

Furrowing my brow, I tried to move my mouth to speak - only to have Rin beat me to the chase.

"Shh! I think she's waking up. Someone please bring her some water and explain where she is. And add a new log to the fire! She's colder than death!" Rin claimed, her tone leaving no room for argument. "And could someone please fix this horrid haircut of mine? I'm a walking disaster! I refuse to go out in public until these charred ends are trimmed."

If I hadn't known about Rin's previous living arrangements, I would've easily assumed she was an heiress to a noble family - or maybe a daughter of some well-off family whose riches stemmed from old money. Despite her passivity, she could be willful when she wanted to be.

"I-I shall oblige you, m-miss Rin. If you'll have me." A timid voice offered. "Still, I must say short hair frames your face quite nicely. Pretty as a picture."

"Thank you, Josephine. That's very sweet."

Footfalls filed out of the room as the maids voiced their departure. It wasn't long until the door closed shut that I felt someone come to my bedside. It was Rin. She was the only one left in the room. This time, I managed to open my eyes and blink at her. I tried to speak, only to be silenced with her finger pressed against her lips.

"I knew you were awake the entire time. I'm sure you have many questions to ask me, and I promise to tell you everything I know. But not now. We mustn't let the others overhear us." Falling silent, she waited until I understood the gravity of the situation. My initial reaction was to protest but knowing she would be back had me nodding instead. Satisfied, she made for the door, but not before adding. "I'll ask Dina or one of the other girls to phone your father and let him know you're staying here tonight. I'll explain everything… so just try to rest until I return."

Once she left, I tried to do as she asked. Surprisingly, it wasn't too difficult falling asleep despite the horrific events that took place earlier. Perhaps I can accredit that to my exhaustion - emotional and physical. It was a quarter till three when Rin roused me awake. She helped me get up as she opened the door to her balcony. The view was breathtaking - overlooking landscaped acres of fruit orchards and flower topiaries shaped like animals. Moonlight poured over the Glacier Forest in its prime, illuminating the birch trees in a snowy glow.

Bone chimes hummed as the wind blustered overhead. A knock at the door was answered by Rin as a maid brought us heated blankets and steaming mugs of cider.

It was then I realized this balcony was connected to her bedchamber. I had been sleeping in her room the entire time. Taken aback, I did a double take of the interior.

If the satin black canopy and gothic decor were anything to go by, there was no mistaking this was indeed Rin's room. Damask panels painted the walls in royal purple and black regalia, its finished texture resembling what you would find on fairytale book covers. Luxe velvet furniture surrounded a private fireplace. Between her vanity and walk-in wardrobe was what looked to be her workshop. The table was messy, consisting of a sewing machine controlled by a pedal. There were fabric rolls and a rainbow of threaded spindles locked inside a clear box. Purple candles lit the haunting ambience of the room, and her bookshelf contained a morbid collection ranging from medieval torture methods to alchemy.

What I saw next made me swallow.

Carved on her vanity was a lit pentagram surrounded by faux skulls and straw voodoo dolls.

"It's only for decoration." Earlier she told me with a quirk of her lips upon noticing my open stare, but the mischievous twinkle in her eyes left me shuddering in doubt. I decided right then to stay in her good graces for indefinitely. I imagined it shouldn't be too hard, seeing how she's taken an odd shine to me. Awkward as it was, I decided not to look a gift in a horse's mouth.

Everything about this room screamed witchcraft. I never believed in the supernatural before tonight, and now I was sitting on pins and needles every time I heard so much as an odd sound.

I was sitting at the outdoor tea table waiting for Rin. She left me with the explanation of needing to brief the maids on her mission, or rather her experience with Muffet so it could be recorded for future reference. From what little I understood, those maids seemed to be messengers. They acted as correspondence between Rin and her supervisor… who just so happened to be her aunt. Rin told me her aunt held a high-ranking position in this Chevalerie Order - this, and I quote, "secret monster hunting organization".

I was still wrapping my head around the fact that monsters really existed. It was like something out of a fantasy, probably a movie or novel series. Even now, I still wondered if I was dreaming. Each hard pinch to my elbow sobered me to reality, however. The blisters on my hands also forced me to face the music.

"You're going to get bruises if you keep abusing yourself like that." Rin returned with a quip. She took her seat next to me with the blanket draped over her shoulders. Too nervous to say anything, I focused on draining my mug instead. Frothy and sweet, drinking the apple cider warmed me to my bones. I didn't stop until I finished every last drop.

She began talking about what would become of the children and their parents. According to the correspondence between the maids and her aunt superior, I learned the Chevalerie Order would take control of the situation. The remains of the children would be autopsied by mages specialized in forensics. An informant from the order would tip off an anonymous source connected to the media. News of the Trickster Treater's vanquish would spread like wildfire. Of course the details involving that she and her family were a jorogumo clan that had been committing these crimes would be swept under the rug. Anything having to do with monsters was completely off the record.

The media would print a story that was closest to the truth - a watered down version if anything. The main points would be largely unchanged with Kasane and her family having lured countless children to be eaten. They would forever be stained as cannibals who once reigned in the baking business. With Kasane remaining as the sole survivor of her family, she would be taking a lifetime's worth of punishment. Everyone would know about the sins her family committed.

Her life would be forever ruined. No one in society, human or monster, would want anything to do with her.

I doubted I would ever run into her again.

After closing the glass doors and making certain no one was within our vicinity, Rin went on to address my standing on all this.

"...What you saw tonight was only a glimpse of monster society. You only peeked through the keyhole, but you didn't open the doors themselves." Rin began in a nonchalant voice, directing her gaze to the forest.

I pursed my lips, thinking.

So. She was telling me I could keep what I saw a secret, that since I wasn't in deep like she was, I could still go on living my normal life. Why she was even giving me the option to walk away with such delicate information I couldn't even guess. Though I doubted anyone would believe me if I said anything.

Which begged the question...

"Why did you lie to your maids? You know I was with you the entire time Kasa-... Muffet and the prince swept us up in their machinations. I remember everything." My inquiry was left hanging. Furrowing my brows, I sat up properly to face her. Her cider was getting cold laying in her palms, and she was still watching out for life moving in the forest. So I took this as a sign to continue. "All those monsters, the fact that they exist… and this 'Veil' and 'tears' that they come from. Isn't it your duty to keep that a secret from people like me?"

"...You mentioned before your dream was to change this world." She finally spoke after the wind stopped howling. "How can anyone do that if they remain ignorant of what lies beneath the underneath? If they don't even know who their people really are?" Turning to me, her eyes bore into mine. "Pretty homilies aren't enough to change the world. For every action, there is a reaction." She quoted the third law of motion. "Heroes are a constant example of action. That is why they are revered."

Oh, she was referring to my wanting to become a heroine… I was surprised she even bothered to remember that.

"I… I don't know if I have a right to pursue that dream anymore." Deflating, I emitted a long sigh. A chill settled over me even though I was swaddled in blankets. "Not when there was so much evil in the city I didn't even know about until tonight. I… I was full of hot air, spouting whatever I believed when the whole time I was ignorant-"

"You shouldn't feel responsible for the casualties. Or for what happened to those children." Rin smoothly cut in, making me snap my head up.

"...What?"

"Mikuo - if that is even his real name - took advantage of your grief - your fury. He used you to carry out his vengeance." Rin told me flat out. "You're letting toxic guilt confuse you." Leaning over the table, she held my gaze with unflinching resolve. "It's not your fault."

Those words hit me like a slap to the face. I jerked back, shaking my head.

"No…"

"It's not your fault, Meiko."

"That's…! No, I-I-!"

"It's not your fault, Meiko."

"Stop saying that!" Realizing how harsh I sounded, I forced myself to control my voice before murmuring. "Please. You saw what I did. I… I agreed to the prince's terms. I let myself go in over my head. I let him use me for his vengeance!"

Because I wanted to be a part of it too.

"It's no one's fault but mine. Monsters or not, I still made my choice to… to kill them. They were still members of society!" Thorns brambled up my throat as I forced myself to continue. "I could've walked away but I didn't. What I did was a crime - no, it was murder! Worst yet - I enjoyed it! I enjoyed beating them just like I used hurt others back then! I'm beyond help!" Holding my head, I resisted the urge to scream my lungs out until I could no longer speak. I was trying desperately not to cry. Not again. Not when I wasn't even able to stop my friends from going to that damn party.

How could I face anyone ever again?

Memories of being the vindictive Red Delilah came back to haunt me - mocking me for what I did tonight - for giving into the temptation.

"Mari, Yoru, and Ikki! Those kids looked up to me like their sister! They used to call me their hero! They thought the world of me when I haven't changed at all!" I cried softly, burying my head into my arms as I melted onto the table. "I failed them. I failed them and then murdered for my own satisfaction! And the worst thing is… I hate how I don't even feel sorry for how much I enjoyed it!"

A silence passed. There. I poured out the ugly truth about myself bare and for all to see. Maybe now Rin would finally stop making herself trying to help me. Couldn't she see I didn't want her pity?

No… I know it wasn't pity she felt. I was just making my own assumptions… again. Bitter self-loathing welled up in my stomach, making me feel sick.

"Then do you want to forget?"

I raised my head in surprise.

"Forget…?" I uttered.

"You wouldn't have to remember the pain you felt tonight, or the horror. I don't think you did anything wrong by punishing the monsters who killed your friends." Rin expounded in a careful, deliberate manner. She rested her chin beneath her folded hands, causing her short curls to press against rosy cheeks. "I witnessed your actions at the party. You only went after pigs who kept partaking the banquet table, or pretentiously discuss how the children affected their palettes." She said. "That proves you don't think like a murderer - just an extremist acting on misguided judgment." Her blunt criticism impaled me where it really hurt. She really didn't mince words.

"Neither of those are a good thing." Mortified, I pointed out. "If you're trying to console me, it's not really working…"

"Console you?" Rin repeated before smiling. "Oh, I'm doing nothing of the sort. You certainly have issues, Meimei!" Gnngh. Hearing that made my heart drop to my stomach. How was she able to say all that while still looking innocent?

"If you saw me doing all that, why didn't you stop me?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

"I suppose you wouldn't remember being the meltdown you were in - but you stopped yourself right before dealing them the final blow. I saw it for myself - the ones you beat were still breathing."

Hearing this lifted a fog from my gaze, and it felt like I was seeing things for the first time.

"And that's the difference between you and Beastie." Seeing my incredulity she tittered. "Don't look so surprised. I've watched you around school. Whenever someone brings how violent he is within your vicinity, you get this look of conflict on your face."

"That's because I… don't exactly think highly of him." Because of how much he reminded me of how I used to be - selfish, angry, and lashing out whenever I got hurt. Our circumstances were vastly different, but that didn't change how I felt.

How strange. It wasn't like me to admit freely about what I thought of other people - it made me feel like a gossiper. But with Rin, I felt like I could say anything on my mind and know she wouldn't judge me for it or spread what I said to others.

"Antipathy or not, it's clear you compare yourself to him when it comes to strong-arming." Rin responded, taking a dainty sip of her mug. "You may be alike, but your reasons are different. That beastie thrives on fighting. You don't." She turned to me. "As long as he gets whatever he wants, he doesn't care if he has to kill. But you do. He's entitled; you're humble." She went on to sniff. "You suffer moral dilemmas on a daily basis; I doubt he even has a conscience."

"You could be wrong. Maybe he does…" I tried to amend just because in case we ended up being wrong about him. I was wrong about Rin before, and hearing what Dell said about Kagamine had me thinking that, well, just maybe I could give Kagamine the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps I could even come to tolerate him. But that was a long way off.

"Oh, defending him now - are we? Here I thought you were on my side."

Her habit of complaining wasn't as grating like it was before. In fact, it was almost endearing. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. My unease melted away as I laughed away the stress.

Strange… somehow this feels like we're talking like friends. It feels like we've gotten a bit closer. I didn't really mind it at all.

"In any case, you didn't kill those monsters." Rin took on a serious tone. "You may have maimed their bodies, but you didn't extinguish their souls. The club Mikuo gave you isn't a soul weapon, after all. In the end, it was him and his jack-'o-lanterns who devoured the casualties." Rin assured me. She glanced at me over her shoulder. "It's not too late. I can ask Dina or one of the others to erase your memories for you." The wind swayed as she said these next words. "You don't have to carry that guilt with you if you don't remember. We'll become strangers again like before, and we can forget any of this ever happened."

I hesitated for the longest time, unable to voice my thoughts. I would be a bald-faced liar if I said I didn't even consider accepting her offer. God, forgetting everything I saw tonight sounded like a deal beyond my wildest imagination. The lure of going back to a clean slate and worrying about stupid things like homework and the next fight at school? I never imagined how blissful it sounded - going back to wishing how much I wanted to know the truth but now that I knew - I wanted to throw it all away.

But… did I want to forget?

Did I want to forget about the injustice dealt to those poor children and go back to living my life revolving around Megaton Public High School? Did I want to forget about the world that existed outside that building?

I…

Deep down, I knew the answers. I just needed to right push to project my voice. Looking into Rin's clear gaze and remembering how hard she fought to keep us both alive in the bakery, however, I found my courage to hold fast.

"I'm not forgetting!" My voice was stronger than I ever heard it tonight. Standing up straight, I pushed myself out of my chair. "Even if I chose to forget, the truth about what happened tonight won't change! I… I'm not going to take the easy way out!" The blanket on my shoulders fell as I stood tall on my decision. The biting cold whipped me back into shape, sharpening my focus on Rin. "If I abandon these memories, I'd be spitting on those children's bodies! I'd be betrayed the promise I made to them that I'd become a heroine of justice!"

My bold proclamation was being carried out by the wind to wherever I hoped their souls were resting. If they were watching me right now, then there was no way I could turn tail and run. Even if it burned my eyes - I wouldn't look away from the heart of the truth that laid out before me.

"It's true I can't do what you do as a chevalier. Even if I was given the choice to become what you are, I know that's not my path." I told her, my voice regaining momentum from my growing confidence. "But I'm not going to ignore what happened tonight. I'm not going to live in ignorance anymore." I said, clenching my fists at my sides. "It's clear there's a threat bigger than the city itself. This is my home. I don't want to stand by being idle while the rest of you break your backs protecting us from monsters like Kasane."

The way I am now, I couldn't be the heroine of justice I wanted to be. But surprising as it was to admit it - I could accept that. Hope reignited my resolve to stand up and live. To fight for the peaceful world I wanted my loved ones to live in.

"Meimei…" Rin murmured, sounding astonished. Turning to her, I made a promise.

"Rin, right now all I can be is an ally of justice. But even still, I want to fight to protect what's important to me. That said, I realize I possess none of the abilities you do… and even now, I don't know what dangers lie ahead..." Offering my hand to her, I braced myself for her next answer. "Still. Will you have me on your side?"

Rin stared at me in open astonishment before cupping her mouth to suppress an oncoming surge of giggles. Face burning, I began to voice my distress.

"W-What's so funny? I'm being serious!"

"No… I'm not laughing at you. I'm just surprised." Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, she beamed up at me. "My first impression of you was that of a dictating control freak, Meimei." She said, unconcerned with mincing words when the truth was what really mattered. "At school - you micromanage the students, you refuse to delegate disciplinary action to the staff, and to be frank… you're too obsessed with everything meeting your expectations exactly the way you envision. Anything less, and you snap and become a maniac."

I couldn't refute what she was saying. It was the truth, after all.

It's not like I've suddenly become a better person overnight. I still had my demons to face. And still, my body kept trembling not knowing what will come.

But maybe now I can finally acknowledge this ugly side of me. This ugly side that wanted to hurt people when I got hurt, that wanted to lash out when my loved ones or I, myself, was humiliated and trampled on. This was the me who always wanted to be in control.

This ugliness of mine was part of what made me "Meiko". It would never be something I liked about myself. Even now I feared the day I ended up exposing this nasty side of me, but as long as I could accept that I could finally move forward.

"But your dream… I don't hate that sort of dream. People might laugh and call it foolishly ideal, but…" Her face seemed to glow under the moonlight as she regarded me with a gentle expression. One that transformed her into a completely different person.

Or… maybe this was just the real her all along?

Either way, she went on to continue.

"People who live devoting their lives for others, to make them happy. When you all work so hard for your dreams, I could never scoff at the audacity of your noble hearts even if I tried." With a chuckle, she rose to shake my offered hand. "Fine. I'll accept you, my 'ally of justice." Her teasing tone made me realize just how cringingly cliche that sounded. I was blushing so hard I saw red. If anything, this made Rin laugh even harder.

"Don't be embarrassed. Your dream is adorable." At this point, I couldn't tell if she was mocking or comforting me. "I can attest I am a spoiled, selfish little brat who cares about nobody or nothing except for my own pleasure." The admission fell freely from her lips like butterflies. "Mundies like you are so darling. You have a genuine desire to help others and improve the lives of many… just like my darling Ryuto~!" For a moment she swooned while hugging her bunny before coming back to her senses. I tried not to oogle at how quickly she was able to don different faces. It was bizarre, but then again this was Rin.

"It's because of such magnomosity I'm almost inspired to be like you… a kind, selfless saint - pure beyond heaven." Clasping her hands together, she gazed up at me through baby doll eyes before tittering with a sharp turn of her heel. "But I'm not, so that's that!"

"...Liar."

"Excuse you?" She stopped, sounding somewhere between offended and confused. She didn't turn around to face me, but she didn't have to for me to tell how thrown off she was by my response.

"God forbid I'll ever let you walk around violating the dress code." I made it clear that was the one thing I would never accept. "But it seems I have poorly misjudged your character, Rin. You have my respect."

Gloomy, vain, and constantly complaining over superficial things such as the slightest inconvenience or her looks - she was someone who did whatever she pleased, uncaring about conventions and tradition. Even so. Deep down, she was really quite a sweetheart. Tonight proved that. Her risking her neck saving me over and over marked that. And she did all that without expecting me to thank her like I did.

I still remembered that tentative surprise of hers when I sincerely thanked her for saving me.

I think… it actually made her happy.

"I see. Is… is that right?" Spinning around, Rin faced me with a bashful but happy smile. She looked embarrassed but also very pleased. It was a rare surprise I found myself appreciating. "Well… even if you take that back later, I won't forget what you said. This is my blackmail against you - if you deny it, I'll get back at you." Her lightly spoken threat was playful. I said nothing in reply, only nodding my acquiescence with a smile.

As we headed inside to retire for the night side by side, I decided to add one last thing.

"Spooky soulings, Rin."

Her eyes were startled as they flashed to mine. It was as though she never heard the phrase before, or rather - it had been a long time since someone, even from her family, gave her a seasons greetings. It made me wonder. I thought I saw a bittersweet expression flash across her face, but when I blinked it was gone - along with the loneliness that would have revealed a vulnerability in her I never would've guessed. Even so, I pretended not to notice. There were some things that weren't meant to be brought up until the other party was ready to share their demons.

I knew that all too well.

"Yes! And a very spooky soulings to you, too, Meimei~" She chirped in reply, shutting the doors behind us.

---

A/N: A year ago a couple days earlier my sister's battle with bone cancer finally ended. That left me in a place darker than I could ever imagine where no light or sound could reach. Even though the world went on living, I truly felt dead inside. Anxiety. Depression. Wanting to die. Pushing people away so they wouldn't see this ugly me. Those were always things I struggled with everyday. Even now, I don't know what will happen to me. And that's a frightening thought.

I can best describe my battle with depression as a swimmer lost at a misty sea. I can't see anything in front of me or behind me, but I'm searching for an island we all call "Happiness". The tides I fight against represent my insecurities, the bad memories I want to forget, and the despair that tries to lull me to sleep everyday. I've been swimming for years, and my body and mind are succumbing to exhaustion. I just want to stop fighting the tide and let go - even if it means everything will end. But occasionally I find other swimmers or sailors encouraging me not to give up - to keep going just a little longer. One of those swimmers was my sister, who fought harder to live more than anyone else. Her fighting spirit made me want to live to become a better person.

And to this day, I'm still swimming in search of my island. Before I couldn't imagine making it to the island without my sister there. And I'm not certain I'll ever get there, but if I do I'll find out whether it was all really worth it or not.

One thing for certain is my memories of my sister, and the memories I have that proved I used to be a happy person. For now, that is enough reason for me to keep staying alive. Between me and depression, I don't really know who will come out on top - but for as long as I'm here, I promised my loved ones to keep fighting.

And for everyone out there who struggles with similar issues and has to live with disorders that make our lives a pain in the ass - I want you to know you're never alone. You're a survivor.

This story is about love and how my depictions of your beloved fairy tale characters will completely ruin your childhoods. Lmao /shot. But it's also about those who suffer from the same problems that people in our world battle with everyday - and finding it in them to accept they have the right to be happy.

This story also reflects my ongoing journey to recovery. To let go of my sister, and everything in the past that made me a prisoner in my own flesh. The guilt, the self-hatred, the desire to disappear… all of it. I want to love who I am again. I want to love others again. I want to be alive again - to remember how beautiful life really is. Saying all these sounds like a pipe dream from an inspirational pamphlet, but it's true.

And my greatest hope is that this story can be of some use to you guys - that it can give you comfort in your time of need. As someone who's consumed with her own problems and issues, I don't know any other way to help others who are suffering conditions even worse than mine. All I can do is write stories I don't have much confidence in, but even if it helps a little - I want these stories to be there for you - since, physically and emotionally - I can't be.

And thank you all - for being there for me. You are my heroes.

A/N 2: On a side note, the origins behind jack-'o-lanterns inspired Mikuo's depiction. His character is loosely based off of Stingy Jack who tricked the Devil and became an ember cursed to wander within a hollow turnip. Stingy Jack was the ultimate troll before trolls took over the internet. Also, Tim Burton's works have really upped my ability to imagine what I want to write as far as I can go.

A/N 3: another irrelevant opinion. Yay for relationship upgrades. Everyone needs a best friend, even gothic gloomy monster hunters. As for romance? Well... that's for another chapter. With this, the Halloween arc is done.

*Oktoberjagd - the literal translation is "October hunting" in German. A fictional holiday in this universe that is inspired by Halloween and other unique autumn traditions.

*Chacun voit midi à sa porte"- a popular french expression that literally means "everyone sees noon at their doorstep". It means everyone is occupied, first and foremost, with their own personal interests - and that each feels their subjective opinions as objective truths.