Mafia Row:
Omake D: Scardy-cats' Stroll
Someone asked for a Halloween chapter so here one is…
For obvious reasons we're going back to a date closer to Tsuna's birthday and before the last chapter happened.
The October air was cold as Skull and Tsunayoshi got back from one of Skull's gigs. Even now, hours later, Skull was still going on about how awesome he had been today. With the occasional comments about how awesome Tsunayoshi was too, of course. Tsunayoshi let him parade on, smiling over the fact that Skull was proud of himself for once. It was a nice change to see him like this rather than the meek person that was kicked into submission at home. Not that Tsunayoshi would change Skull, but it was still nice to see this side of him. He reckons that he's going to have to steal Skull's helmet and see if it had any special qualities… Or maybe it was the motorcycle? He wouldn't be able to test that theory out for a long time yet, he couldn't even reach the handle bars yet let alone the footrests.
When they arrived home, no one was there, not even Luce. Skull seemed to accept this and took Tsunayoshi upstairs and into his room. There on the bed were lots of items of clothing along with some paint and other things.
"Skull, what's this for?" asks Tsunayoshi, holding up a set of manacles with chains dangling down from them.
"They are for our Halloween costumes." Skull replies, placing his helmet down on the dresser before unzipping the leather jacket.
"What's Halloween? Did Luce invent it so she could dress up?" asks Tsunayoshi, noticing that there were some clothes that were his size too.
Skull freezes for a moment, truly considering the question. Then his brain catches up and he realises how stupid that thought was. All Hallows Eve had been around longer than Luce had, of course it had. How silly was he to think Luce invented it just for the purpose of having a viable reason to dress everyone up. Yeah, silly him. So he explains the history of the day to the small boy whilst they get changed.
"It sounds scary." Tsunayoshi comments, pulling on a boot.
"HAHAHA! Halloween isn't scary!" Laughs Skull in an obnoxious manner. "It's fun, not scary at all. Don't worry, The Immortal Skull from Hell shall protect you!"
To be honest Skull's outfit didn't change much. It was actually one of his old suits that was covered in rips and blood due to an accident he had had in it a few years back. He kept it just for Halloween so that he didn't have to destroy a perfectly good suit. Add in some chains and a good covering of dirt and it gave new meaning to being someone the Reaper rejected. At least here the Reaper rejected him whilst he was alive, if he was rejected when dead then he'd really be a zombie.
Once finished getting changed, he turnes to look at what Tsunayoshi had been given to wear. Luce had continued her love of animal themes (or just an unhealthy obsession with fake fur, she'd never use the real stuff) and had chosen a werewolf costume for Tsunayoshi. He was currently in the middle of paining his face brown, and his hands as a result of not using a brush, in Skull's dresser mirror. In addition to the paint, Tsunayoshi had on fluffy ears, a dog collar with a chain hanging off of it, fluffy shirt and trousers and even boots made out of the same fur. Still on the bed were some gloves with red painted claws and a small set of fangs. Whilst Tsunayoshi was busy painting his face, Skull knelt down behind him and attached the fur tail where it was supposed to go.
If it wasn't for the fact that the fur was matted or missing in some areas, Tsunayoshi would have looked more like a dog than a werewolf, but he would suffice. Once the pair are finished they head down stairs and lock the front door. As they walk down the garden path, Tsunayoshi keeps on tripping up, but not due to the boots.
"Why did Luce make this chain so long?" huffs Tsunayoshi, trying to decide whether to wrap it around his waist or neck.
Skull had been wondering the same thing too actually. "Here, let me hold it." He had an idea what it was for. It was quite literally a leash so that Tsunayoshi wouldn't run off and get lost at the party. It was kindly being held at the Vendicare, but there were still things in that place that Tsunayoshi shouldn't see. Plus, he suspected that Luce liked the idea of a zombie and werewolf combo.
Now that Tsunayoshi could walk without tripping every few steps, the pair open the Arcobaleno House Gate. As the gate booms closed behind them, the moon disappears behind a cloud, casting the world around them into shadow. Skull, having remembered the torch (the many postit notes around the house wouldn't let him forget it) he flicks it on so they can see where they are going. It was amazing how dark it could get in just half an hour. It was a complete contrast to when they had arrived back on the island.
The wind rushed through the trees with dried leaves, creating a rustling sound that urge the pair onwards.
"HEEII! W-w-what was that?" asks Tsunayoshi, voice quivering just as much as his pointing finger. Skull flashed the light in that direction, but nothing was there. "I was, I was sure that something m-moved." Assures Tsunayoshi, still clinging tightly to Skull's trouser leg.
Placing a comforting hand on the boy's back, Skull starts to walk again. All the houses' lights are turned off, and there is barely any lights from the odd streetlamps. Even those street lamps that are working flicker as if they are about to die out.
They arrive at the intersection with Mafia Row Central, and the pair take an absent look around in boredom. As they look towards the docks, they can see the sea, a lighter colour than the surrounding darkness, reflecting what little light the hidden moon was providing. And providing the prefect background to the dripping shadow that was climbing out of the sea.
It looks up and spots them, reaching out one large deformed arm that was quickly spilling muscle onto the docks. It moans out a groan that sounds like their names.
"HEEEIII!" "YAAAAAAHH!" The pair scream before running even quicker towards the Vendicare. That shadow hadn't even looked human! Lots of people died at sea, maybe it was one of them coming to haunt! Vengeful spirits weren't always picky on who they took revenge on!
When the lights of the Vendicare were a lot closer than before, the pair stop running and take in some deep breaths. A quick look behind shows that the monster wasn't following them. In fact there probably wasn't even a monster, it was most likely just their imagination playing tricks on them. That's what Halloween did to the mind, play tricks.
Until they hear a blood curdling scream coming from the Estraneo house.
Screaming once more they run for the safety of the Vendicare. What? Safety and Vendicare didn't EVER go in the same sentence. A trip there was anything but safe.
Once in the garden with the gate firmly shut behind them, they stop and catch their breath once more. Taking a look around isn't comforting. When Tsunayoshi had first come into this garden over a year ago, he had thought that the trees looked like Skeleton hands reaching for the sky and that had never been truer than tonight. But what was even worse was that the lanterns lighting the path weren't nice pretty metal once. They were decapitated heads with open mouths and empty eye sockets. And they looked real too. Skull wouldn't put it past the Vindice to use real heads either.
They pluck up the courage to walk the path to the front door. It opens before Skull's outstretched hand. Tsunayoshi pulls Skull inside, more then used to that. It was how the Vendicare door always opened if Tsunayoshi wasn't transported inside. There is no one to greet them at the entrance. The house is decorated in more cobwebs, chains and black drapes than usual. Also the candles had changed from white ones to blood red ones, throwing red light and black shadows around the room.
Skull and Tsunayoshi stumble forwards when someone pushed them from behind. Looking over their shoulders shows that no one is there. The carpet jerks under their feet, dragging them forwards no matter how many steps backwards they take. The eyes of the portraits follow them on their paths, causing Tsunayoshi to whimper and duck closer to Skull. Skull wishes he had someone to do the same with. He couldn't exactly hide behind Tsunayoshi.
"Ha-ha. Don't worry Tsunayoshi. It's just the others p-playing tricks on us, he-he." Skull attempts to reassure, but the quiver in his voice betrays him.
Knives come out of the gloom, striking the paintings all along the hallway. Blood slowly slips and drips from the paintings as moans and screams resonate through the corridor. Tsunayoshi was too busy staring at the blood to recognise the knives.
A figure steps out of the gloom, blood spilling from his neck. "Vvv-rrr-ooo-iii…" comes the groan, said so differently from it's usual intonation that it was unrecognisable. "Who has stolen my head?" Their eyes widen in shock as the figure points a sword at them. "Was it… you?"
The pair scream once more. Forget the moving carpet, they were taking the turning away from the talking body without a head. With a loud clatter chains come from the ceiling, the walls and the floor to create a web blocking their path.
"Those who pass beyond here shall face Hell's Demons." A ghostly voice booms deeply. With the headless man coming up behind them, Skull and Tsunayoshi decide to take their chances with Hell's Demons. Ducking between the chains, the pair run down the dark hallway that was quickly filling up with mist the further down it they went. They pass a few turnings, but fear dictated that they keep on running straight.
But that was a mistake.
Out of the opaque mist comes some black worm like blobs, their gaping maws filled with row after row of sharp pointed teeth. Fear resonates twice through Tsunayoshi, once from his own fear and once from the fear of his intuition. He knew what these were, they were Ouroboros, truly Hell's Demons. They backpedal, scurrying to turn around and head back down the corridor. As they come to an intersection, two cream bone masks appear in the gloom, along with a nailed club and a chain-scythe. That left only one direction to head in.
The mist thins out, only to be replaced by floating sand particles. In their haste they tread on some bandages, pulling a small yet fat mummy towards them. They dodge before they can be squashed only to trip and slide on some… ice? Another push from phantom hands sends them flying at speed down the ice pathway. Burst after burst of different coloured smoke puffs in their faces. But that's not the scary bit. For inside each cloud of smoke were black cloaks ad top hats. But no bandages. Instead there are zombie like faces, flesh falling off of cheek bones, lips sewn shut, tongues sticking out of mouths, eyes dangling out of sockets.
Skull is screaming his head off, scared by the realness of all these images. But Tsunayoshi isn't scared at all. A little jolt maybe but no screams. His intuition says he doesn't need to be scared of these people. Respectful of their power, certainly, but not scared.
They bang through the large double doors where there is a whole array of monsters waiting for them. They skid to a halt at the centre of this circle, surrounded and ready to be eaten. As one, the group hungrily lean forwards.
"BOO!"
Tsunayoshi screams.
Skull faints.
Everyone laughs.
"Haahaa, Skull fainted again this year. What happened to his promise from last year?" asks a zombie that looked strangely like the Nuevo Boss.
A skeleton that had Mr. Sasagawa's head continues to laugh heartily. "He's never not going to faint on Halloween."
A sopping wet bed-sheet ghost walks over and holds a hand out to Tsunayoshi. "C'mon, we should get some food before the others eat it all."
Tsunayoshi takes the hand and lets the teen haul him up. "Dino, is that you? Why are you wet?"
The ghost rubs the back of its neck in embarrassment. "Haahaa, well I kind of got lost and ended up walking off the docks and into the sea. I called out for you to wait for me but you ran off."
Tsunayoshi laughs nervously too before looking at who was at the buffet table. At the end closest to him was a Mummy and an Ice Queen. The Mummy was stuffing his face as the Ice Queen was ordering discipline around the food. "Rauji, Adelheid, is that you?" asks Tsunayoshi, leaning forwards to get a better look at them.
"Yeah, it's us. Have you tried the eyeballs yet, they're delicious." confirms Rauji before holding out a meatball. Adelheid was too busy defending herself from Julie to make a comment
Tsunayoshi grimaces before moving on and seeing who else was at the party. He quickly spots a Demonic Prince and a Headless Horseman.
"Shishishi~ Did the Kitty enjoy the walk?" asks Belphegor, twirling a knife in his fingers.
Tsunayoshi nods. "It was really scary!" says Tsunayoshi, almost at tears from remembering it all. "I really like your costume, your Highness." Belphegor straightens up in his seat and polishes a knife on his lapel.
"Of course you would. The Prince always has the best attire."
Tsunayoshi turns from Belphegor to Squalo. "Wow! That must have taken ages Big Bro Squalo!" gapes Tsunayoshi, looking at how Squalo had made himself headless.
Squalo grins a shark's grin. "It was worth it."
Quickly moving on since there were lots of other people to see, he spots the Giegue leaning against the wall with glasses of red liquid in their hands. Their cream masks were the same ones that they usually wore, with a few alternations to their clothing to make them look like un-dead soldiers. He waves at them and they wave back. As he passes some of the Bovino, all going for a Frankenstein Scientist/Experiment look, he overhears them congratulating themselves on making a treadmill long enough to span the entrance hallway and how one of them was a genius for figuring out how to use the carpet instead of the usual rubber.
Suddenly there is a yank on the chair around his neck- Skull had let go of it when he had fainted earlier.
"Ahum-hum-hum. How do you like the party, Tsunayoshi?" asks a Devil dressed in white, eating skeleton shaped marshmallows.
"It's amazing Byakuran. Everyone's costumes are so cool!" replies Tsunayoshi, pointing around the room. There were a few… questionable outfits such as Elena dressed up as a Nun with a chainsaw. Tsunayoshi was also worried about the spanner sticking out of either side of Spanner's head, and the antenna sticking out of Shoichi's head where he'd dressed up as a robot.
A chain wrapps itself around Tsunayoshi's waist, stealing him away from the conversation and towards a corner of the room where the Vindice- now fully bandaged- and the Arcobaleno were sitting with drinks. Bermuda sets Tsunayoshi down on his lap, but Tsunayoshi is quickly stolen by Luce as soon as the chains are removed.
"Kyaa! Aren't you just the cutest werewolf in existence!" she cooed, hugging the life out of him.
Once he's out of the hug he glares at Viper. "Naughty Viper, scaring us like that!" he pouts. "Those Ouroboros were really really scary!" Viper shrugs and continues to count the cash in her hands.
Skull leans over and whispers into Tsunayoshi's ears. "That had better not be 100 Euro for every scream we made. She'd be a billionaire by now." Tsunayoshi nodded his head emphatically. Did they ever stop screaming?
"Scaring you's not that hard, even the children managed it." Says Reborn with his usual uppity smirk, chucking a thumb in the direction of Adelheid, Julie and Rauji.
Skull crosses his arms and pouts. "I'd used by my stores of manliness and courage earlier on at the Gig. I had nothing left!" he defends. He'd have to remember not to do a show on Halloween ever again.
"Maybe the Reaper rejects you from hell so he doesn't have to listen to you squealing every 5 seconds." Laughs Colonnello. The rest of the Arcobaleno laugh at the comment since it could be true.
"But Skull wouldn't be seeing all the monsters if he kept on fainting." Points out Tsunayoshi innocently, thinking he was defending Skull. The others just laugh harder, Colonnello having to hold his stomach to stop from laughing too much. Lal kicks him in the shin to make him stop, but it doesn't work, especially when she's hiding a laugh too. Tsunayoshi looks confused and goes to sit on Fon, who was politely hiding his smile behind his sleeve.
"I truly do not see why you were scared Skull. You knew it was just us the whole time, so reason dictates that there is nothing to be fearful of." Verde explains, pushing his glasses up. Verde didn't look any different from usual. Luce might have put some gel in his hair to make it more spiky than normal, and there was blood all over his lab coat, but to be honest, it wasn't the first time and surely not the last; Verde liked his dissections.
Skull wanted to argue, but Verde was fearless. Whether his cold hard reasoning left no room for illogical fear, or whether Verde had just experimented one too many times and removed the emotion altogether, Verde wasn't scared of anything. He would laugh at horror movies, stating how unscientific they were- apparently blood didn't splatter like that when that specific artery was cut- and he was always focused during Viper's Illusion Shooting games. Skull couldn't argue about fear with a man who didn't feel it, so he didn't even try.
"I think that maybe you should be praising Viper for the quality of her illusions instead of arguing over body functions." Comments Fon. Skull begrudgingly nods, Vipers illusions were very good. He'd be having nightmares for a week he swore. "However, I do believe that we should be keeping our voices down." They all look at Fon, who currently had a sleeping puppy in his lap. "He must have worn himself out." Fon smiles, stroking Tsunayoshi's hair calmingly. The Arcobaleno and Vindice nod before dispersing around the room instead of leaving the party early. Fon was quite content to sit here and watch instead.
By the end of the night, Fon is surrounded by a gaggle of sleeping children snoring loudly enough to wake the dead. It made Fon glad that Tsunayoshi didn't snore like some of the children did. He'd never get any peace otherwise.
There we go, as promised, one Halloween chapter. Is it bad that I really got into writing this chapter? I quite enjoyed it.
See you next time!
Phantom Hitman 1412
First published 28 October 2012