Ever since Crowley banned Polli from participating in the Halloween events Night Raven usually has. Some students decided to ditch their original plans to make their own new traditions so Polli won't be so alone. They all decided to have a little campfire in the nearby forest. Even better, everyone can have their own costumes instead of their dorm assigned costumes.
"GAH MALLEUS—" Ruggie backed away slowly from Malleus. Fair to say Malleus' costume was fitting for Halloween. "Oh did I scare you, Ruggie? I wasn't expecting this costume to be scary.."
Malleus' costume was quite interesting. It was a mish-mash of the dorm leaders' outfits. His top was a mixture of Vil and Kalim's uniforms with a small hint of Riddle's as well; his pants were simply half of Idia and Leona's pants. On his head lay Riddle's crown with Azul's small shell which was super glued on. The cherry on top that he even had a fake lion tail on; with his dragon tail making its appearance it seemed like he had two tails. All sewn on a spare uniform that Malleus didn't mind missing. Malleus himself didn't see the scare factor of this costume, Ruggie however just glupped. "S-So huh..what inspired this uh..costume?" Malleus beamed up! "Well I really wanted to join in your festivities! I wanted to go with that old dragon costume but Maeve said it'll be strange to wear that when everyone else will be wearing unique costumes, thankfully Maeve said she'll help me! There were many suggestions but I enjoyed her suggestion for this dorm fusion!" Malleus smiled innocently. "Although when Idia saw the finished product he got all white." Ruggie just shook his head; "I can't blame em…." Ruggie whispered to himself. Malleus shrugged. "I still love this costume though! .. Ah I almost forgot." Malleus took out a small box. "I made cupcakes!" Ruggie screamed and ran to hide behind one of the logs once the dragon fae said that. Malleus' only reaction was confused blinking. If Ruggie didn't like them, then he didn't have to eat them!
Jack just had a poker face, he witnessed that exchange. "Oy.. I'll explain later, Malleus. You can put those cupcakes with the other candies." Malleus nodded as he went to the box where Jack instructed him to. "What are you supposed to be, Jack?" Jack stood proudly! "I liked the ocean theme from Savanaclaw so I decided to be a shark prince!" Jack's oddly shaped tiara turned upside down. "..But this crown is having trouble staying put. I think I chose a heavy feather for it." Malleus fixed his crown for the Wolf Beastman. "You still look great nonetheless, your highness." The dragon fae gestured at Ruggie. "And what's Ruggie supposed to be?" Once Ruggie heard that he pouted. "Really?! I'm a train engineer! I'm all blue! I have my yellow #1 on my uniform!" Malleus tilted his head. He was confused. Ruggie hmphed! "Disgraceful! Disgusting! Despicable!" … Malleus could only look at Jack in confusion.
Cater was looking around at the food that was brought, Cater decided to go as a green plumber, sure he could've gone with red but he wears red everyday! "Hey folks, ya know that I don't like sweet stuff. I thought we were gonna have food for those who didn't like sweets! AKA…me!" Paprika surprised Cater with a sudden cheek smooch, this was normal; the Alpaca Beastwoman/Fairy Godmother-in-training kissed everyone's cheeks so Cater wasn't too surprised at the kiss..but darn he hated how she randomly appears outta nowhere. "Eh Pap, remember what we said about popping out like that! ..Cute costume tho!" Paprika made an alpaca sound and smiled! She was wearing a mint green fursuit with a knitted heart on the center. Paprika shook a box filled with treats, Cater looked inside and lit up! "Oooo!!! All the spicy goodness! .. Why is there chocolate though?" Paprika just mhmed softly which made Cater read again. "World's spiciest chocolate? .. We'll see about that!" Paprika only let out a "wahoo!"
Luster was sewing up her German Shepherd plushie as she sat next to Polli by the fire, she was dressed in a blue and yellow jumpsuit, even brought a gas mask too which sat beside her. "..You know Polli, your Jolly Christmas Ghost of Present Time isn't so bad. I can't believe Crowley banned you just for it." Polli gently hummed as she opened one of the "Nuka Cola" sodas Luster brought. "Ah well. No hard feelings. It probably crossed some lines." Luster scoffed as she bit off the thread. "No lines were crossed. It's Halloween! The point is to be scary!" The other students who were listening nodded in agreement. It was massively unfair. "Polli you're too nice.." Luster sighed. Polli smiled and just shrugged. "Again, it's fine! Besides, you're all here for the holiday. Might as well enjoy it." Nobody could argue with that, everyone else sat around the fire and enjoyed their snacks.
Ruggie was nomming on some candy corn. "Hey we're around a fire, how about we tell some creepy tales?" Everyone seemed pleased with an idea! .. Cater paused on eating his spicy chocolate. "What story though?" Paprika made another sound and made many pointing gestures at Malleus, Jack lit up. "Oh! Good idea!" Malleus raised a brow. "She wants me to tell a story?" Paprika shook her head. "Paprika means that we should tell the story that your costume is based on." Luster, who hadn't gotten a good look, finally had a chance to look. She screamed and fell off of her seat. She quickly got back on her seat. "What the FUCK? You guys know that's an urban legend in my town, right?!" Ruggie shishishis. "Ooooo tell tell! Since it sounds like you know!"
Malleus looked around nervously. "E-Erm..I don't know what I'm supposed to be. All I know is that I'm a baker." Luster mhmed. "Well you're correct on that, a baker..with a taste of flesh." Malleus' eyes widened as everyone leaned in to listen to Luster tell her tale.
"The tale starts with the town's local baker. Now she was a wacky one, town's favorite comedian and party planner. One day, she invited one of her friends over for a tasting of her new recipe; her friend came over and was offered a cupcake…little that friend knew, that cupcake was drugged." Everyone listened closely in morbid curiosity as Luster continued. "The friend woke up all tied down… the baker greeted her with a smile wearing an outfit much like our lovely prince is wearing now. But more pony like.." Malleus glupped in fear.
"The baker told her friend her dark secret…she was using the flesh of the townfolk for her cupcakes!" Loud gasps filled the air. "The friend tried to escape! But alas..it was all but fruitless. The baker tortured her friend, opened her up, and turned her into cupcakes! But the baker missed her friend..so she turned what's left of her friend into a doll! So they can be together forever."
Cater shivered. "Woo! Now I've read this online but it's so much creepier hearing it from someone who's in the same town as that baker..creepy!" Malleus just looked at himself. "..I think I know why Idia was upset now— ..I must ask, did that.. actually happened, Luster?" Luster laughed! "Oh noo! No no no! It's just an urban legend, Malleus! That baker is actually a sweetheart, that story only exists because she got mad with loneliness once and went a little crazy! Talked with a bag of flour and dust bunnies too!" Jack and Polli couldn't help but laugh at that part. Malleus felt better that it was nothing but a mere story, although having context for his costume also felt great. Jack was trying the cupcakes he brought in. "Oy Malleus this is actually good..what's the flavor?" Malleus looked over and gave a smile. "Wolf meat."
…
Jack paused on eating and looked at Malleus. The dragon fae began to laugh. "Just kidding! It's pumpkin spice."
Jack laughed in relief…and nervousness.
Cater kept staring at Ruggie's costume. Thinking about something.
"..Cater, ya good man?"
"Oh! Yea I'm good. Just thinking about a story that your costume reminded me of." Ruggie gave a confused look. "Seriously? I'm based of a flipping train." Malleus leaned in to whisper to Paprika. "... What's a train?" Paprika eees and simply facepalms as she made some alpaca noises. Jack, Polli, and Luster just shook their heads. Cater and Ruggie however, kept on talking. "No really! I know a scary story about it!" Ruggie rolled his eyes. "Well let's hear it, Cater." Ruggie had low expectations. It was a train. How scary can it be..
Cater clapped his hands! "Listen up kids! Let me tell you a tale of a certain shed within a certain island.." Ruggie got cozy, this was gotta be interesting.
"A long time ago, there once lived a boy. This boy loved trains! Absolutely gone wild for them steam engines. Everyone knew this and loved the boy..well not everyone but he was well liked. .. One day, a horrible accident happened. The boy was roaming on the tracks, he was trying to catch a glimpse of a train passing by.. unfortunately he wasn't looking at where he was going and got hit by the same thing he loved so much." Cater used his hands to mimic the accident which caused Luster to slap his hands a bit. "Ow! Okay okay I won't do that again. Anyways!"
"The town was devastated! Some cried out that he was too young! One agreed to the point he decided to do something about it..that person was the boy's grandfather. What did the grandfather do? I hear you all ask! Well the townspeople asked that as well..what they were greeted with was a train with a face on it! The townspeople were in disbelief! No..this couldn't be the boy. It couldn't! But it was. The boy cheerfully greeted his friends as if nothing had ever happened." Malleus couldn't help but mumbled an "ewww" under his breath; even though he had no idea what a train was. Cater continued on.
"It was called bio-fusion. And they didn't stop with the boy, noooo! They kept going…oddly with the consenting participants who wanted to be fused with vehicles." Everyone just stared, Paprika however with her eyes being covered by her hair just gave an aura of "what the heck." Cater was getting into this story. "But one day, one of the trains decided to poke further..he wished he didn't! He didn't like what he saw! He warned the little train to avoid a certain shed.." Polli whispered "..What's in the shed?" She wasn't expecting to be so hooked on this story. Cater dramatically took out a flashlight and turned it on. "The little train was told before that the shed was for mere storage.. they weren't wrong. They just never stated what they were storing."
Everyone leaned in to listen.
Cater looked around at the crowd..
"The shed was filled with testing pods. Of the boy.. The poor little train had found out that he was not the boy who died that fateful day; he was a clone. Not the first. Nor the second. Not even the third. There were dozens of failed clones. When the train finally realized what he truly was; he screamed into the night. Legends say that he screamed so hard his skeleton came out! Legends also say despite this, he was still exploited. After all…he was a useful little engine." Cater turned off the flashlight. "The end!" He grinned!
. . . . .
Paprika removed the hair from her eyes to look at Cater. "Man dude what the fuck was that." Cater choked when he heard Paprika actually speak with words. Malleus bursted into a fit of laughter. "My god! It was so shocking..that you got Paprika to speak!" Ruggie had a look of disappointment. "I don't know if I should be angry or impressed at what I just heard." Luster awkwardly sipped at her cola. "I liked Cater's enthusiasm..even if it was much." Jack and Polli glanced at each other. "Well we liked it.. well I liked it. Dunno how Jack feels." Jack shrugged. "It's okay." Cater happily laughed. "Ah well! At least you guys heard my tale!" Luster raised her hand. "Yes Luster?"
"Is Ruggie a clone?"
"EXCUSE ME?"
That only made Malleus' laughing fit worse.
Jack gently nudged Polli. "And what about you?" .. Polli tilted her head. "What do you mean?" Jack raised a brow. "Really? Aren't ya gotta tell a story?" Ruggie concur! "Yea you're like..a beast, no pun intended, with these things! Unsure why but you are!" Polli looked around nervously; sure she was a magnet for these things but they surely didn't want to hear her tell a story. "I…don't know." Paprika made some alpaca sounds! Malleus nodded ever so proudly; "From my understanding of the Alpaca language..which is nonexistent, I believe she wants to hear one, Polli. I'll have to agree as well." Cater eagerly clapped his hands in excitement. "Ooo! A story from the mistress of macabre? Who can say no?!" Luster cleared her throat. "Well she can tell one if she wants too! No need to pressure her. …Although I'll be interested in hearing one if you're comfortable, Polli." Polli thought about it. .What's the harm? It is Halloween after all.
"Very well. I'll tell you one." The Sheep Beastwoman thought of what story to tell..she then nodded. "I'll tell you a true story of an event that had happened." Ooo, this made everyone come closer, a scary story that's based on true events?! This they all had to hear. Polli nervously gazed at Jack. "..Are you really sure?" Jack was a tad confused at this. "Yeah I'm sure? Go ahead, lambie." Polli continued to gaze a bit before looking at everyone else.
"..There was once a couple. They weren't the perfect couple, but they were happy. They got married and had children."
"What were the couple's names?" Luster innocently asked. Polli just glanced. "Jack and Rosie." Polli was greeted with stunned silence. Ruggie nervously laughed. "You're kidding..right?" Polli only dazed on. She wasn't. … Jack motioned a go on.
"The two were friends with a man who went by Daniel. Now Daniel had his fair share of problems but the couple …rather foolishly looked away from it and treated Daniel as one of the family. One day, Jack and Daniel decided to plan an opening of a children's restaurant. It had the works. Food, games, cute animatronic mascots. It could've been fun. ..until one day."
Unlike the last two stories, nobody spoke. They wanted to hear every last word.
"One day, two months before the opening, Jack asked Daniel to pick up his two children from a party. What Jack didn't know that Daniel was drinking at the time, Daniel..agreed to do so. It was late at night, Daniel was clearly drunk driving and the children could tell. They asked him to stop if he wasn't feeling well. He said he was fine. Before they all knew..Daniel crashed. It was fatal, he was alive but.. the children were killed. He murdered them. Daniel immediately felt guilty and without thinking decided to bury the children. He never told Jack nor Rosie. Despite Jack calling him nonstop. He just couldn't."
"Weeks before the opening, the two finally met. Once again, Daniel drank his heart out..during his drunken state he confessed to everything. He told his friend what he had done. Apologizing nonstop. …I do not know how Jack reacted. Considering that was the last time he was ever seen.." Polli sighed. "There was still a restaurant to be opened so Daniel went along with it. Removing all traces of Jack's involvement as well. ..All was well. The restaurant was doing decently, the customers were enjoying themselves, although it won't last long. Rosie was a loyal wife. Loved Jack more than anything. His disappearance obviously scared her. Who wouldn't be? The poor woman lost her children and now her husband was missing… She went to visit Daniel at his work, hoping that maybe..just maybe.. he knew where Jack was."
Polli took a long pause. A bit too long. It made everyone uneasy.. eventually, Polli continued. "When Rosie arrived.. It was dark. Naturally so; it was closed after all. In the middle of the night no less. ..Rosie heard a noise coming from the storage room. With her curiosity peaked at the sound, she went into the storage. It somehow was darker than the room she just came from. .. She wandered around the storage room..looking for the source of the sound." Polli straightened up for this part. "Rosie froze.. something was behind her. She was too scared to look..but she looked anyway. ..It was..one of the animatronics. It looked like some canine. But it was there..alive…and looking at her."
There was a long pause. Polli slowly spoke again. "The morning workers found Rosie stuffed in a sheep animatronic. They didn't know who..or what did it. ..But legends say..Rosie haunts that storage room. Sometimes people see that animatronic move or blink. As for that canine animatronic, … it disappeared the same day they found Rosie."
As if everyone wasn't already scared out of their wits as it is…suddenly —
"Hello—?"
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH—"
Everyone shrieked into the night.
"W-Whoa hey hey…! It's j-just me and Leona!!"
Everyone immediately snapped their heads at the voices… It was only just Leona and Ratthew! Leona was baffled at the sudden screams as Ratthew was standing there a little shaken up by the noise; the two were wearing matching costumes which resembled astronauts — although they both had whistles. Ruggie immediately spoke up.
"What the FUCK guys?! Giving us a heart attack will ya?!" Ruggie's ears were perked up as he was holding his chest. Luster nervously laughed. "H-Hey you two..! Sorry about that, Polli's story here was a bit too scary and we were all sorta getting way too invested." ..Leona only hmms.
"Well your shrieks scared us too." Leona crossed his arms, he was annoyed.. but when was he never annoyed. "Maybe stop with the scary stories, yea?" Everyone immediately nodded in agreement. Polli's story was too scary! Ratthew laughed nervously. "H-Hey now… let's relax and have some treats. ..Leo and I brought some Halloween cookies for you! …E-Erm granted, we made them look like little plant men.."
Cater immediately stood up. "I request a plant man cookie — ASAP! I don't like sweets but… I desperately need one!"
Both Lion and Rat Beastmen had the classic single sweat drops as they looked at Cater as if he was losing his mind…
As everyone calmed down as they enjoyed their cookies; Jack pulled Polli aside. "..Hey lambie? Random question—"
"Is it about that story..?"
Jack nodded. "Was that really true? Or..?" Polli could only stare a bit. "S-Sorry, maybe I should've left it as a legend or something." Jack immediately reassured her. "Don't worry! It's a good story! Just..well. Okay, I'm a little unsettled but still, it's just a story..right?"
Polli gave a small smile and nodded. "Yea, just a story." Jack then gave a little chuckle. "Ah, let's rejoin the others. We still have some time for Halloween fun!" Polli grinned brightly as she and Jack walked back to the group.
….As their tails wagged while a creaking sound can be faintly heard.