Chapter 16: Pumpkin Screams
Happy Fourth of July to all of my Americans! Home of fried chicken, fried oreos, and freedom! And... um... happy Saturday to the rest of you...? Naturally this is why I am two hours late. "Absol what the hell are you doing?" 2 fantastic reviews (That ill reply to later) and this is my thanks?! Im repeating myself. Oh well. This chapter is going to give you the spooks. Though writing just isnt as bad with no jump scares. Purely the atmosphere. STILL ITS PRETTY SPOOPY, DONT FORGET IT! *Sigh* Ill stop now...
Drake opens the door to 4 small children. One had on a vampire costume, one was a princess, one was a skeleton, and the last was a character from his masters' video games, Link he believed.
"Trick or Treat!" Drake chuckles.
"While treat is customary, I prefer trick." He flashes his jagged teeth and lashes out at the children. They scream and run down the road, crying. Drake shakes his head and walks back inside. "Young master, I finished your cloak."
"Ah, thanks Drake." Gamelus walks downstairs and picks up the cloth. "Looks great this costume is gonna be amazing. Think those pathetic humans remember The Headless Horseman?"
"The better," Drake replies. "Otherwise I will have lost faith in the holiday." The two were going to act as a double costume: Gamelus as the Headless Horseman and Drake as a skeletal horse. Xertic was sitting with Asuna in the living room on the couch. He was listening to something through headphones while Asuna watched him closely. He takes the ear buds out.
"So? How was it?" Asuna asks with puppy eyes. Xertic shakes his head.
"Even more autotuned than the last one. Sorry Asuna, you lost. Every last boy band was awful." She sulks and Xertic snaps his fingers. DVDs appear in his hand. "These are for tonight." He clicks his glasses and Asuna whimpers. Gamelus looks into the room.
"Earth to love birds. We're leaving." Xertic turns his head.
"Got it. And don't call us lovebirds. I'm not done birdy demon that tweets or quacks. I hiss." The two stick out forked tongues and Xertic leaps off of the couch. "What to wear... Oh! I'll be Lord Death!" He walks in front of a mirror and his Drake appears next to him. A black cloak is draped on Xertic's back and a hood that covers his eyes is pulled over his head. His hands turn white and bony and a brown staff materializes on them. A long scythe blade is attached to the end and Drake bows.
"Lord Death would be proud. My lady, I will assist you at once." Xertic runs his finger along the blade and Asuna breaks from her trance.
"OK." Asuna gets up from the couch and follows Drake to the dressing room.
-Agil's Bar, 7 p.m.-
Xertic shoulders his scythe and looks down at the witch girlfriend standing next to him. She catches his gaze and blushes, knowing the costume was a little tight on her body.
"Xertic, Asuna, c'mon in," Klein says, interrupting the awkward moment. He was dressed as a zombie with blood on his face. His clothes were tattered and exposed rotten ribs.
"Nice costume, Klein. Though zombies do look a little different," Xertic replies, letting down his hood as he walks in. Klein pats his back.
"I already know you're going to give me a history lesson. Let's at least go to the bar, eh?" They walk to the bar and Asuna finds Liz and Silica sitting at a table.
"Hey Asuna. That costume is so cute!" Silica says, waving. Liz smiles slyly.
"Seems a little tight, don't you think?" Asuna waves her arms.
"Its not supposed to be like that, I swear!" Silica giggles and a black blade goes against Liz's throat.
"If you are going to tease my mistress, you should at least have a decent costume..." Xertic says, lightly putting bony fingers on her neck.
"My costume is better than yours. I'm a serial killer." Xertic leans back and taps his chin.
"Nah, you look like your normal self." He dodges a punch and appears back at the bar. Kirito, dressed as Jason, the villain from Friday the 13th, fist bumps Xertic. Agil pours him the bottle of blood. He sported a Dracula costume, which fit him well.
"Where's your brother, wasn't he coming?" Xertic nods and sips the cup.
"He's making a grand entrance. I think you're all going to like his costume." Xertic turns and snaps his fingers. Faintly in the distance, the sound of a horse fills the air. All of the lights turn off, making Klein spit out his beer in surprise. The sound of laughter gets closer and Xertic puts his fingers together. "Here he is."
The door bursts open to a man in a black cloak riding a demonic horse with beaming red eyes. The horse stands on its hind legs and whines while the pumpkin that replaced the man's head laughs loudly. He pulls out the dislodged head of Gamelus and throws it at the table Asuna, Silica, and Liz sat. It gnashes its teeth at Liz and rolls off towards the man. He gets off the horse, takes the pumpkin off his shoulders, and fits the head back on. All of the lights turn off and Xertic falls on the floor in a fit of laughter.
"Woo!" The horse turns into Drake, who was also doubling over.
"We got them good." Liz breaks the silence.
"What was that?!" Gamelus looks over.
"Don't you read folklore? The headless horseman, obviously. And he probably made you scared to death." Kirito shrugs.
"Well, it worked on me." Silica bounds up to Gamelus.
"That was so cool!" Klein had followed suit, awing the costume. Xertic looks at the table and notices someone was missing. He walks over and gets down on his knees. He finds Asuna under the table with her eyes closed and teeth clenched.
"You alright under there?" Asuna opens her eyes and shakes her head. "He didn't mean to scare you that much." He reaches a normal hand out to her and Asuna takes it.
"I know, I'm not in spirit. But you know how I am with horror..." She climbs out and hides her face in his chest.
"That's the worst you're going to see. Unless I plan on taking my head off, but I'll think twice. You good now?" Asuba nods her head and kisses his cheek. "Aww, now I need your soul, I can't get drunk without covering a soul with blood." Asuna smiles and crosses her arms.
"You know the answer." He shrugs.
"Worth a shot." Xertic materializes back to the bar and Asuna sits back down. Sinon wakes up from her nap and sips her bottle of wine.
"Wha... I miss?" Gamelus sits down next to her.
"My grand entrance. It was magical." She rubs her eyes.
"Oh, hey Gamelus..." The two began a conversation and Xertic smiles.
"Think they'll hit it off?" Kirito asks, also watching them.
"They really liked each other when I took him to meet you all. I say why not, he needs it. After three months of jail and three billion years of rejection, this is good for Gamelus." Klein was already drunk by the time the party was in full swing. Drake had even brought Yui in her pixie form, so she got to see everyone in real life. She switched between her pixie and human form while bouncing around to people.
"This is so much fun!" Xertic ruffles his daughter's hair and gets up.
"Gamelus, look after Yui! I'll be leaving, my little soul. Your uncles and aunts will take care of you." Yui nods.
"OK, bye Daddy. Are you and Mommy leaving?" Xertic nods and she rubs over to Asuna. He turn back towards the bar and takes the bottle.
"I'll restock for you, Agil." The bartender nods.
"You got it. Have a good night, Xertic." He walks over to Asuna.
"Ready for your punishment?" She sighs.
"I guess so..." The two of them leave the party and walk into the night.
-November 1st, 1 a.m., Xertic's House-
Xertic was laying on Asuna's shoulder, sleeping peacefully. Asuna, on the other hand, was wide awake and staring at the screen. She hugged a pillow with a death grip and looks at the pile of DVDs.
"That's all... I'm alive." Xertic stirs and his fangs gnash together. Asuna looks down and smiles. "Nightmare. Or dream, in his case." She strokes his brown hair soothingly. Xertic's fist clenches and he wake up.
"What... Did I fall asleep?" Asuna giggles.
"Around Saw ll, I believe." He smiles and sits up.
"So you watched them all. I'm impressed." He looks at the clock. "It's not too late to sneak you back into your house..." Asuna blushes.
"Can... Can I sleep here? W-With you...?" Xertic looks back at her and smiles slyly.
"I would like that." He stands up and Asuna holds her arms out. He sighs and picks Asuna up in a bridal position. He walks upstairs and places her on his bed.
"Did I ever tell you I hated Halloween?" Asuna asks, snuggling into Xertic after he instantly changes into a green t-shirt and black pajama bottoms.
"Many times, and I heard you all eleventeen of them. Yet here you are, just going through the trauma of watching Jigsaw slay his 'game contestants'." The two close their eyes and fall asleep. Outside, The sound of Gamelus's Horseman laugh echoes throughout the neighborhood as he rides through the night, ready to scare ever poor soul in his path.
Alright, spooky enough? Well I cant get your opinion, Im not next to you... Well I am going to leave before I say anything stupid. How you liked the chapter with the little fluffiness, but spooky ending. Just be glad these two demons aren't real, or else your house might be their next spot... or are the real? Heh heh heh... Good night...