Hey, Nukia here!
This fanfiction is a side story to Beyond This Love.
I don't know if any of my old readers are reading my rewrites anymore, but I'm going to keep going. This chapter is random, I just keep getting random ideas. I'll get to the serious stuff at some point, but I call random chapters character building.
But thank you for the reviews, favorites and the alerts! Also to the unknown people who read my fanfictions, I promise it will pick up at some point! If you don't like it, then don't read it.
Chapter 26!
Another 8 months had gone by and still no sign of A, I'm really beginning to worry about him now. I've approached Mr Ruvie several times with Nonie and asked if he could tell us if he his okay, but Mr Ruvie just sent us away with a few harsh words. Nonie even broke into his office to try and find a phone number for Watari, but there is no records of their location or contact details on file. It's like they have all disappeared of the face of the earth, I just want him to come back home.
It was now the 31st of October and a few of the students wanted to celebrate Halloween with a fancy dress party this year, I'm surprised that Mr Ruvie had even said yes to their idea. I'm not in the mood for parties right now, I don't feel like celebrating any kind of holiday without A being around to join in with the fun. But I got talked into helping a few of the younger students to get dressed into their costumes that Mr Ruvie's niece May had made for them and paint their faces with costume makeup. Nonie had volunteered to help out with the younger students as well, she had gotten close with two of the younger students and took them under her wing.
I must have spent at least an hour painting cat whiskers, fake cuts, skeleton faces and butterflies on student's faces. When I had finished painting the last student's face, I begin to put all of the face paints back into the box on the table and noticed Nonie messing with a few costumes on one of the rails. May had left us to put away the last bits of unused items and costumes, she wanted to check up on the event's hall before the party began.
" So, what costume are you going to wear for the Halloween party?" She asked.
" I'm wearing no costume, I'm going to stay in my room tonight and read a book..." I replied and continued to put the face paints back into the box. " I'm not in the mood for Halloween parties or dressing up in costumes, I just want a quiet night with no screaming children or frights or spooky ghostly happenings... "
" Don't be a stick in the mud, come and have some fun with us!" She said as she quickly turned me around to face her and held a little red riding hood costume towards me. " Put this on now or I'll be forced to dress you, you're not going to spend another night in your room alone again! Do you hear me? Stop moping about my brother, I miss him too and I'm getting on with my life without him around!"
" Okay, I'll come if it means that much to you..." I sighed. " Just let me finish packing away the costume makeup first, then I'll get changed into that costume in my room..."
" Great, you'll need this too!" She smirked and took a wicker basket from behind her back. " Don't be late, it begins at 5pm. There's been loads of Halloween games organized by May like bobbing for apples and pin the tail on the werewolf. Also there will be many treats and probably a lot of tricks will be pulled tonight, it will be so much fun!"
" It seems like May as put a lot of thought into arranging the Halloween party, I guess I could go for a few hours and then retire to my room before the party ends..." I said with a slight smile as I took the costume from Nonie's hand and held it against me. " I've actually never wore a Halloween costume before, so this will be a first for me. May I ask what costume you are planning to wear for the Halloween party? Even more, will Backup be going?"
" I'm not sure if Backup will turn up, he told me he had something to do this evening that involved him not being around people..." She replied, she rushed over to one of the rails and took a black bag from a coat-hanger. " My costume is a surprise, I asked May to design something unique for me. Something modern, yet fun at the same time..."
" I see, that sounds intriguing..." I smiled.
" I better go, I need at least 30 minutes to get changed and then do my makeup..." She said as she rushed back over to me and took some white costume makeup from the box. " I'll bring this back later, I'll see you in the event's hall in an hours time!"
I took the wicker basket from Nonie's hand, I watched her leave the room and I placed the basket down on the table top. I placed my costume inside the basket, I packed away the rest of the costume makeup and placed the box back on a shelf near a dress mannequin. I picked the basket up from the table and left the design and crafts room, I guess this party could be fun after all.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror as I put the red hood up on my cape, trust Nonie to choose me something childish. I got up from my chair at the dressing table, I brushed down the blue checked puffy dress I was wearing and walked over to my bed. I picked my wicker basket up from my bed, I left my room and quickly made my way to the event's hall. I could hear the song Flesh 'n Blood by Oingo Boingo playing loudly from the event's hall as I walked along the corridor, I stopped by the wall near the entrance of the event's hall and peeped my head around the door frame.
The event's hall was decorated with orange and black paper streamers, there was also a few paper bats hanging from the ceiling. There were black balloons, flashing orange lights and bowls of sweets on every table. I walked through the doorway of the hall and walked over to one the tables as I fanned myself with my hand, it's very warm in here. I placed my basket down on the table, I took a ghost shaped chocolate lollipop from the bowl and bit its head off. I looked around the hall and watched a few of the students dancing, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
" SJ, you're here at least!" I heard Nonie yell from behind me. " Come on, I want you to play some of the games with me! Everyone else is just interested in eating candy and dancing around pumpkins, but I know you're always up for games!"
I quickly turned around to face her and laughed when I saw her costume, she was right when she said something unique. She was dressed as Princess Peach from The Super Mario Bros with a twist, her pink dress was torn and it had blood stains all down the front of it. She had painted her face white with fake cuts and fake blood around her mouth, she even wore a little crown on her head.
" Wow Nonie, your costume is interesting!" I smiled and picked my basket up from the table. " I was about to get something eat though, I'm starving!"
" Please!" She pouted.
" Okay, just one game then!" I sighed.
Nonie grabbed hold of my wrist, she began to partly drag me across the hall and pushed a few of the students out of her way as she walked. I'm glad she didn't notice a few of the angry glances we were getting from the other students, she could be very rude at times. I took another bite of my chocolate ghost lollipop, I felt someone tug at the back of my cape and looked over my shoulder. I felt someone yank my lollipop from my hand, I let out a small squeal and saw a student wearing a rubber werewolf mask running away with my lollipop.
" Someone just stole my ghost lollipop!" I yelled.
" I'll get you another one later, come and bob for apples with me now!" She yelled as she pushed a boy out of her way and stopped me next to a barrel full of water. " No one seems to want to get their face paint smudged, but I on the other hand think it's the best part of Halloween! You can go first, I'll count how long it takes you to get an apple..."
I nodded at Nonie and gave her my basket to hold, this will be a challenge. I placed my hands on the rim of the barrel, I chose an apple to bob for and tucked some of my hair behind my ear. It took me a few tries to get one, but I managed to get one in the end. I took a bite of the apple and wiped some water away from my mouth with the back of my hand, apparently it took me 55 seconds to get an apple from the barrel.
" Your go Nonie, let's see if you can beat my time..." I smiled.
" I don't want to bob for apples anymore, I'm going to help Mello and Matt carve their pumpkins to put in the cemetery later..." She said as she gave me my basket back." But you win, I'll find you later!"
I watched Nonie barge through a group of dancing students, I hate when she changes her mind about stuff. I sighed to myself as I ate my apple, I looked over at an open door that led to the outer corridor of the building and decided to go outside for a while. I left the hall and wrapped my red cape around myself as I walked outside, it's cold this evening. I finished eating my apple as I walked along the corridor, I placed the apple core in my basket and stopped next to a statue of a rearing horse. I rested my hands on a low wall as I looked over it at some flowerbeds and smiled, sometimes the gardens of The Wammy House reminded me of the back garden of my Aunt's cottage. I looked up from the flowerbed at the sky and sighed as I stepped away from the wall, I better get back to the party. I put my hood up on my cape, I made a popping sound with my mouth and swayed my hips to the music coming from the event's hall.
I quietly laughed to myself, I quickly turned around to be greet by person wearing a werewolf mask. I jumped backwards as I squealed, the person covered up my mouth with their hand and laughed loudly. I frowned when I recognized the person's laugh, it was Backup. I pushed him away from me and hit him with my basket. He laughed again and removed his werewolf mask, he clearly didn't care that he just scared me half to death.
" Backup!" I yelled. " What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
" Did you just say a curse word?" He asked.
" Shut up!" I frowned as I hit him with my basket again. " It was you who stole my chocolate ghost lollipop in the event's hall, why did you do that?"
" Your anger amuses me, but I confess to the crime. I stole your chocolate ghost lollipop, I devoured the rest of it and disposed of the evidence. I plead guilty, it was a crime of hunger... " He replied with a chuckle. " Do you want play a game with me? It's the night of tricks after all, everything that happens tonight will be forgotten by tomorrow..."
" No, go away!" I frowned and pushed him away from me. " Go and play your silly little games with someone else and leave me alone, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"
" I couldn't resist, you looked so vulnerable standing all alone in the outer corridor. I'm the big bad wolf after all, I believe this is the part where you ask me about my teeth and ears..." He chuckled. " Maybe I should have brought a chainsaw or knife with me, I believe that may have more of an effect on your lifespan. Even a fright will not unfreeze it, I need to gather more ideas and continue with my experiments..."
" Just go away, I'm not your experiment..." I sighed, I took my apple core from my basket it and threw it at him. " Now scat, go and pester someone else!"
I watched Backup put his werewolf mask back on, he walked back along the corridor and disappeared back into the event's hall. I sighed to myself as I picked my apple core up from the floor, I placed it back in my basket and put my hood up on my cape. I slowly walked back along the corridor, I stopped when I heard someone clear their throat and tightened my grip around the handle of my wicker basket. I could feel the presence of someone standing behind me, I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder and I heard a male's voice say my name quietly to me. I didn't recognize the voice, but I've got one idea who the person may be.
" I said go away Backup, just leave me alone!" I yelled.
I quickly turned around, I hit him repeatedly with the basket over his head and stopped when I noticed blonde hair. I dropped my basket to the floor and covered up my mouth with both of my hands, it wasn't Backup after all. I placed my hand on the crouched boy's back as I apologized to him, I slightly bend over next to him and took a look at his face. I asked him if he was okay, but he didn't answer me. I brushed his blonde shaggy hair away from his face and froze, I must be seeing things. I cupped his cheek with my hand, I gently turned his head to face me and smiled. I was greeted with a goofy smile and wink, it was A.
" Oh my god, you're home!" I smiled.
" So is this how you greet people now?" He asked as he rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. " That wasn't the welcoming home I was hoping for from you, but I guess it's better than nothing. But let me guess, Backup as been annoying you tonight?"
I quickly wrapped my arms around him and laughed, I can't believe he's back home. I helped him up onto his feet, I gave him another hug and pulled myself away from him. I watched him glance both ways down the outer corridor, he gently took hold of my arm and led me behind the statue of the rearing horse. He let go of my arm, he leant back against the statue as he crossed his arms and smiled at me.
" So, how have you been?" He asked.
" Okay I guess, but I've been so worried about you though!" I replied and rested my hands on his crossed arms. " You wouldn't believe what me and Nonie have done over the past year to try and find you. We broke into Mr Ruvie's office and searched through all of his private documents,we could have gotten into a lot of trouble if we got caught. Just one word that you were okay would have brought some relief to the both of us, but besides that how are you?"
" It sounds like you and Nonie have become a team well I was away, but I'm fine..." He replied as he uncrossed his arms and stood up straight. " I'm sorry if I worried you both, but I told you before I left that I wouldn't be able to contact you or anyone else at The Wammy House. But I'm back now, so the worrying part is over..."
" That's easier said than done, I'll always worry about you when you're away with Watari and L. I know the cases they solve can be dangerous, but I hate that you're always away for so long..." I sighed. " But look at you, you've changed so much since the last time I saw you. I would hardly have recognized you if it wasn't for your smile, you have grown up and gotten so tall!"
" Well I've had two birthdays since I last saw you, I'm now 16 and a year away from escaping this place..." He smiled as he tiled his head and checked out my Halloween costume. " But I could say the same about you too, you're different as well! You're not a girl anymore, you've turned into little red riding hood..."
" Your jokes are still terrible as always, I've missed them..." I giggled.
" What I really meant to say was you've become a young woman, your hair as even got longer too..." He smiled and took hold of my hands as he softy kissed my cheek. " I should go and find Nonie, I've not seen her or Backup yet. You were the first person I came to find when I got back, it was hard to find you though with everyone dressed in Halloween costumes and running around like mad men. I've forgotten what this place can be like at Halloween, nothing ever changes around here..."
" I know what you mean, but I'm happy that you're back home now..." I smiled. " I'm going to get something to eat well you look for them, but if it helps Nonie is dressed as a zombie Princess Peach and Backup is wearing a rubber werewolf mask. You can't miss them, but promise me you will come and join the party later or at least visit me before lights out..."
" Thanks for the tips, but I will come and find you later..." He smiled. " We've got so much to catch up on, I've got loads to tell you and I've also got my eye on some of those toffee apples I noticed when I entered the event's hall. But I'm going to be honest about one thing, I've kind of missed the food they serve at the orphanage..."
" You never change, I will see you later!" I laughed.
I let go of A's hands and kissed him goodbye. I hurried over to my basket, I picked it up from the floor and looked over my shoulder when I heard A clear his throat. He gave me a quick wave before he walked down the other way of the outer corridor and disappeared through a side door. I hurried back along the corridor to the event's hall, I walked through the doorway of the hall and rejoined the other students at the Halloween party.