Alice smiled and set aside her municipally approved textbook as the radio fell silent and the news began.
"The sun is shining and lightning never strikes the same place ten times. Welcome to Night Vale. Well, listeners, a lot has happened in the last week but I'm sure you have all found it to be ultimately beneficial. The new curfew may take some getting used to but just remember that it's a game… and to wear armor if you really must leave the house at night."
She glanced across the room where three sets of armor hung for emergencies. It wasn't comfortable but between that and her weapons she really wasn't concerned about the feral dogs.
"The Night Vale Elementary School released a notice this morning apologizing for any inconvenience but the school board was very concerned about the dwindling enrollment numbers so the Glow Cloud - ALL HAIL THE GLOW CLOUD - arranged to have more children brought in rather than waiting for numbers to rise through more natural means. The doors opened to fictional worlds and none of the children qualify to play sports as they are not 'real' but the school board wishes to remind people that this means a probable boost to the overall test scores which will raise us above the schools in Desert Bluffs."
Alice could hardly see herself getting used to having a sentient cloud on the school board but had learned to simply play along. The people here were a bit strange but they adapted easily to new situations and there was always a new situation.
As much as it hurt to think of her entire life up to the point of walking through that door as being fictional - just words in a book that now no longer had her in it - she was glad her mother wouldn't be worried. It made it a lot easier to settle into her new life in Night Vale.
She had been adopted by Papa Carlos and Papa Cecil as soon as they learned the truth about the doors. Most of the rest of the children had been adopted as well and all were enrolled in the school, though they still had trouble getting Mowgli to wear proper clothing much of the time. Wednesday and Damien had both been adopted by the Sheriff and since even he could not get close, he simply made sure furniture, food and clothing were moved into the subway station while the kids and their pets were on the other side of town at night.
She was kidnapped three times a week to train with Tamika's army. Pippi had only reluctantly agreed to attend school after being adopted by Old Woman Josie. The beings who called themselves angels insisted she go but she much preferred to be kidnapped with Alice so she could play with the kids. Though she was not fond of actual fighting, she was excellent with guns and gleefully learning to pilot a helicopter.
Her favorite part of the day was still Papa Carlos' secret science lessons as they prepared dinner together and waited for Papa Cecil's show to start. Though she found she also enjoyed talking to the Faceless Old Woman at night even though she never did hear a response. It helped just having someone to listen to her.
Alice's life had completely changed in two weeks but there was one thing she was certain of - however strange Night Vale may be, she was happy in her new home.
A/N : Endings are a little depressing sometimes, aren't they? Even if they end in a nice way. I'm gonna miss my weird little version of Night Vale… Hope you enjoyed visiting!
All characters taken from non-Night Vale sources in order of appearance:
Alice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, 1865)
Mowgli (The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, 1894)
Pollyanna (Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter, 1913)
John Napoleon Darling (Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie, 1904)
Little Red Riding Hood (-17th Century Folk Tale)
Damien Thorn (The Omen by David Seltzer, 1976)
Christopher Robin (Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne, 1926)
Pippi Longstocking (Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, 1945)
Charlie Bucket (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, 1964)
Wednesday Addams (The Addams Family concept and comics by Charles Addams, novelization by Jack Sharkey 1965)
All characters can be found not only in their original books and sequels but also multiple movies and television shows. All use has been entirely unauthorized and done with appreciation for the characters (even when that does not seem to be the case) and elements used may have been pulled from a combination of sources where necessary and most fun.
Today's proverb: Close your eyes and wish upon a star - then run because the hunt is on.