Spectral Soiree - Tumblr Posts
A Twisted Halloween: Spectral Soiree Book III ✧ Alternate Route Idea
Angsty-ish? Maybe? Hurt/Comfort? IDK what constitutes as angst at this point in my fanfic career honestly. This didn't turn out as angsty as I hoped tbh.
Note: I gotta be real, I've read all through book three of this new event (I'm only on the EN server) and I have no idea what's going on, but based on what I've read this idea came to me and self-indulgence dictates I should write it.
So basically... imagine if Shrimpy (and maybe Grim, or perhaps Grim didn't get possessed at all) got possessed by a super-cowardly ghost or something, and at the first big sound or flash of light the ghost(s) got scared away, leaving MC and Grim to wake up in the spectral realm alone and confused. I'm kinda digging the idea of MC having to put on a brave face and survive on their own until they finally see a friendly face and just... break down.
Later note - I was going to do around half of the boys who are featured in the book - Riddle, Floyd, Leona, Ruggie, Jamil, Sebek - but I ran out of steam and ended up only doing the first four. Still, I want to get it published before the event ends so... much love and I hope you enjoy! ♡
Intro:
"Human... henchhuman! Wake up!"
You've heard Grim's deserate, frightened tone many times in your life, but never with this much urgency.
Your eyes flutter open to the sensation of Grim nuzzling his warm little head into the crook of your neck, and out of instinct you lift your hand to give him a comforting pat. He was already trembling, but upon the contact he jumps in the air and scrambles to get a look at your face.
"Hey, you're awake!"
"Mhm..." you grunt, lifting him and settling him on your lap before sitting up. It's only then that you get a good look at your surroundings. "Woah... where are we?"
"I don't know..."
Grim's ears are flattened against his head, and you're starting to be impressed by how vulnerable he's being with you. Where's his usual bravado? If anything, his uncharacteristic meekness is twice as scary as the ghost town around you.
"You... you were acting weird," he sniffs. "You were crying and screaming and... and I've never seen you act like that before! And then I told you to get it together, and this... this big white thing flew out of you and you passed out! What's going on with you?!"
You what? Well, that sounded a bit out of character. After all, by this point in your NRC therapist career, you had mastered the art of a brave face. Even if you were scared out of your mind, you always found it within yourself to hide it for Grim's sake, since he was basically family at this point--you were his prefect and you took it upon yourself to act like it whether you were scared or not.
Speaking of family, it's thanks to the rest of the Ramshackle crew that you figure out what was going on--the ghosts, to be specific. You'd befriended them enough that you have a strong suspicion as to what's going on, including an explanation for your behavior. You had been possessed.
"Alright sweet pea-"
"Huh? Don't call me that!"
There's his usual fire. You offer him a smile, and he seems to calm down instantly.
"Okay Grim, here's my theory--remember those conversations we had with our ghost friends about the spectral realm?"
"Uh, no? I don't listen to their boring old ghost stories."
"Ah, well... I do. Look, I think that's where we are. I mean, look at the moon..."
You point to the sky. A large white moon--something that seems astrologically impossible--glows in the sky, and yet the environment around you seems dismally dark.
"Not to mention the lack of color here. It's like, the most cliche artistic interpretation of a fantasy underworld ever," you tell him. "Plus, if my theory is right, the reason I was acting so strange is because I had been possessed. Given the time of year... if ghosts are more powerful during Halloween or something, it would make sense. At least, the last thing I remember is getting ready for bed last night after the party, so..."
"So we're dead?!"
"I wouldn't say that. Do I seem like a ghost to you? Whatever possessed me probably brought us here."
Of course, you don't have any certainty behind your statement, but you act like it anyways. Grim seems to find comfort in your confidence, so it's well worth it.
"Fine," he huffs. "Then let's go back. What do we do?"
"I... don't know that," you admit. "But we do have some things to consider. If we encounter ghosts here, they could be mischievous like our Ramshackle crew, or hostile. Perhaps we were brought here for not-so-kind reasons, so we need to treat any potential interaction with caution. We could go find some ghosts and ask around, but who's to say they won't attack us? I won't be much help for you then--they're incorporeal and I'm magicless, so even if I can fight it's not gonna do much. I don't want you to be in that position."
Grim doesn't say anything, but his ears lower--he obviously doesn't want to be in that position either, not that he's gonna admit it.
"We can also try to find a way back ourselves, but the ghosts at Ramshackle never told me anything beyond what things are like here. It's gonna be confusing, probably--illogical, since we're not used to the way reality works here. I can't guarantee we'll have a direction."
"Pfft. Fine. Guess I'll have to be the leader then."
You grin at his attitude. He's clearly putting on a brave face as well.
"Our final option is to lay low and hope our NRC friends come to find us. I'll be honest--I don't like that idea, but I do think it's important to plan for the long term down here. That means if we can find shelter, food, water--we should take it. I don't know if we're the only ones at NRC who have been brought here or if our NRC friends can even follow after us for that matter, but I'll let you decide. Fear is how you get possessed down here, so I want you to be confident in what we do, okay?"
"Psh--why do you sound like a parent? Do you need me to lead you that bad?" Grim huffs dramatically. "Fine--let's just look around I guess. Fear not, henchhuman--you've got me around, so no ones gonna mess with us!"
"Oh, I have no doubt," you amuse him, finally standing up and lifting him in your arms. "Either way sweet pea, you just rest here on my shoulders, okay? If I'm gonna need a knight in shining fur I want you to conserve your energy."
"You don't hear me complaining..."
The spectral realm is just as confusing as it had been described to you. Each step either takes you an inch or a mile, and you have no way of knowing whether it's your sense of direction or the world around you that's constantly being warped. There's a fog in your vision and a pressure in your ears, plus a mysterious heaviness pressing in on every angle as if you're being sealed up in a vaccum bag. It's terrifying.
"Ugh, we're getting nowhere!" Grim complains. "There's no way we're ever getting out of here. I feel like I'm turning into a ghost."
"Oh please--like this is any worse than doing a shift at the Mostro Lounge," you joke. "Actually, compared to that customer service nonsense, I'm kind of enjoying the quiet."
"Well, your enjoyment is dumb. What if I never eat tuna again..."
"Hey..."
You pry Grim off your shoulder and hold him in the air facing you, lion-king style. He gives you an annoyed look, meanwhile you grace him with a huge smirk.
"You know what this means, right? We can talk crap about whoever we want. Say anything--who's gonna hear us, the dead? I'll go first--Leona dresses like a homeless man, don't you think? I mean, what he wore to that camp thing with Vargas..."
"Eep! You're really gonna slander Leona?! Do you want to die?"
"Hey, maybe he'll actually put in the effort to come help us if he senses the insult. Don't worry--I'll be the one who dies, not you. I'm already in the spectral realm and everything."
"Not funny!"
"Oh, I'm hilarious," you say. "Lighten up sweetheart. I'll make sure you eat tuna again, okay?" You place him back on your shoulder, hoping he can't sense your heart pounding in your ears from your own masked fear. "I promise."
"Hmph... fine. Just hurry up."
At some point in your adventure, you find a strange mirror shard on the ground, accompanied by an invitation. You pick up the mirror first, thinking that it might suffice as a weapon if things truly came to a ghostly brawl (not that you know if it would work--still, it's worth a shot).
"What does it say?" Grim asks, pointing to the invitation. You pick that up next and open it up.
"A party invitation..." you deduce upon reading the contents. You pull the mirror shard back out of your pocket. "Looks like we'll need this mirror shard to get in."
"A party?! You think they'll have tuna?!"
"I think they'll also have security, so let's consider this carefully..." you advise. "But still, maybe this has to do with why we were brought here. Think it's worth investigating?"
"Absolutely! I'm always down for a party!"
You laugh. "Alright then. Let's find you a mirror shard too--I don't wanna risk the two of us being separated."
And so you wander even more.
Just when your feet are starting to hurt, you hear voices. There's no where to hide where you are--the gravestones around you are small and scattered, but they are just close enough that you're able to throw Grim behind one before three goofy ghosts appear in front of you.
They're dressed like classical composer stereotypes--part of you wants to ask what business Ghosts Mozart, Bach and Beethoven have with you, but that's probably not the most appropriate question, especially when aforementioned figures are from your world, not Twisted Wonderland.
"What's this?" One laughs, flashing his big ghostly teeth at you. "A living, are you?"
"Oooh, we must bring them to the boss immediately!"
From the corner of your eye, you see Grim ready to jump out from behind the gravestone. You keep your back to him, making sharp gestures behind your back that command him to stay put. With your face, however, you stare down the ghosts, quickly coming up with a lie to avoid what seems to be imminent capture.
"How rude. Don't you know a possession when you see one?"
The three ghosts in front of you look startled.
"Possession?" One asks. You nod, putting a hand on your hip and huffing.
"You won't believe how easily I possessed this living too. For a human wandering around the spectral realm, they were surprisingly cowardly... I swear, they were in tears when I found them. Made taking over this body real easy though."
Your heart was thundering. You muster a grin.
"I gotta admit, it feels nice being back in a body though. So what's this about the boss? Was he looking for this living in particular?"
"The boss has orders to bring all living to them," a ghost replies.
"Sounds like you've got lucky--a lot of the other living have given us a hard time." says another.
Wait a minute...
"Oh wow, other living? How many?"
"I haven't seen them personally, but it sounds like there have been a lot of encounters tonight. You know, through the grapevine."
"They're stealing mirrors!" Another shrills. "All of them! How are we going to get enough for the party if they keep stealing them?! Not to mention the boss is expecting them!"
"You're right... that sounds like a problem..." you pretend to muse. "Well, it sounds like these living are dangerous. I'm guessing no one has been able to give them a proper scare either."
"I know someone who tried to scare one," one of the ghosts laments. "Some obnoxious redhead traveling with two terrifying living... but they beat them out of the body."
"It's terrifying!" One wails.
Ah... redhead? Two terrifying livings? Okay... redheads. Could be Ace or Riddle, or maybe Cater... and you knew way too many NRC students who fit the 'terrifying' profile. Maybe a teacher too? Goodness, you could hope.
You come up with a plan quickly. Of course, you're not going to execute it without Grim, so you walk over to his hiding spot and lift him out.
"I'm glad we've encountered you guys then. This living came to the spectral realm with a familiar--my friend is possessing him right now, isn't that right?" you ask Grim. He gives you a wide-eyed look, but catches on to your act quickly.
"Of course! These stupid living are so easy to possess, haha!"
"You two just got lucky," a ghost pouts sourly.
"I suppose so," you say. "Anyways, we've been looking for mirror shards too. We have the invitation right here." You remove said invitation from your pocket, suddenly thankful for your accidental discovery. "I have an idea--if you guys can find these... living, let me join them. I'll go in undercover, get the mirror shards and then take the living to the boss. They shouldn't be able to tell this body is possessed."
The ghosts seem to consider your idea. Grim--impatient with the tense moment--speaks up.
"Hey! You heard the ghost! Move out! Find the huma--the living! You want mirrors, don't you?"
"I guess so..." one ghost mumbles. "Sheesh, no wonder you were able to possess those bodies... scary..."
You flash Grim a bright grin. He seems to have more hope than he did prior, because he plays right along with your act.
"I'll look too, but I'll stay in the area. If you guys see some humans, come find me," you order the ghosts. They don't suspect a thing--in fact, they give you a mock salute and floated off.
"You got it!"
"Aye-aye!"
"Sure thing!"
You watch them disperse. Once you have a moment with no one else around, you bring Grim close and whisper in his ear.
"Don't quit the act. Once we find out who else is here... sounds like they can handle the ghosts better than we can. If it's someone we know we can join their party. We'll regroup and find a way home from there, okay?"
Grim nods. His smile doesn't leave.
"You're a pretty awesome henchhuman, you know?"
A genuine compliment from Grim? Wow...
"Only as good as my great leader Grim," you reply affectionately. Before you can move on, you hear a ghostly voice shout behind you.
"Hey! We've found some living! Come quick!"
Riddle:
The ghosts lead you to a trio standing in the middle of who-knows-where.
You recognize them immediately. More specifically, you recognize him--the person you most wanted to see, and yet the last person you would want to have to endure this awful experience. Even from a distance, you can see Riddle staring at you with an expression that matches your feelings, both relief in seeing that you're okay and horror at your surroundings (which, at the moment, includes a crew of ghosts hovering behind your back).
"You should go look for more living," you tell the ghosts, refusing to drop your act just yet. "Since these guys are dangerous, it's best that I go undercover alone--well, my friend here and I. Pretend to be scared and run away from me so they're not suspicious, and I'll collect their mirror shards and take them to the boss, okay? You'll find me on the way there. Be sure to let me know if you find more living."
The ghosts--to your relief--listen. They disappear quickly, and with a quickly crumping facade you turn your attention back to the trio, Riddle in particular.
"Oh thank seven, it's the teapot tyrant!" Grim exclaims. You don't have the heart to hush him--you feel the same.
You lift Grim in your arms and approach the trio slowly. Grim immediately gives you a look of confusion, because well... you're shaking. Trembling, honestly, like a leaf in the wind. You feel frozen, and yet seeing Riddle gives you just enough sense to move forward, closing the distance that Riddle, Ruggie and Ortho are already making quick strides to eliminate. Once you're close, you settle Grim on the ground and wrap your arms around yourself, trying to keep yourself together.
You're just so relieved.
"Hey--it's you two!' Ruggie grins. "Glad to have you. What was with the ghost entourage?"
You can't speak. Riddle searches your expression, taking note of the way your lip starts to tremble.
Grim, however, is at no loss for words. "It was genius! We found those ghosts, and the prefect pretended to be possessed--they told the ghosts to find other 'living' and that they'd take you guys to the boss and collect your mirror shards--apparently that's something they're after--and they believed us. So now we have all these ghosts looking for more of us! How... how many of you are there, by the way?"
Ruggie shrugs. "About half the school, probably. Deuce, Cater, Trey, Vil, Epel, Jack, Malleus, Lilia, Jade..."
"M-Malleus?" Grim stammers.
"And then a whole bunch of us came in after you guys. We got separated though--I've been kickin' it with these two since."
Ruggie finally spares you a glance. His grin falters.
"Hey, you... are you okay?"
You choose to be honest--you shake your head. Riddle knits his eyebrows, stepping closer.
"Are you hurt?"
You shake your head again.
"Are you scared?"
You pause, and then slowly, you nod. You're not sure who steps forward first, but suddenly Riddle's holding you in your arms, and you break down into heartwrenching sobs.
"I'm so sick of it..." you whisper shakily, balling his costume in your hands. "This... this surviving without magic and... and Grim and I were all alone..."
Ruggie, Ortho and Grim all exchange wide-eyed glances. Riddle, however, is entirely distracted by the tears he feels seeping into his shirt--he holds you tightly, a little alarmed to see the oh-so-brave Prefect breaking down in front of him.
What's worse? He doesn't know what he can do about it--he can't just give some of his magic to you, nor is he able to erase the trauma of waking up lost and confused in the spectral realm with nothing but a monster-cat with an inflated ego. Still...
"I'm here now," he tells you comfortingly, rubbing your back. "You're safe, okay? Nothing can hurt you now..."
That doesn't stop your tears, but it does provide you a little bit of peace. Riddle holds you for as long as you need without interruption--sometimes whispering whatever comforting nothings he can come up with, otherwise just sitting in silence and tracing random shapes into your back. Ruggie, Ortho and Grim don't bother you either--you can hear Ruggie quietly recapping everything that's happened to Grim, but otherwise, it seems like all five of you are taking a much-needed break.
"Hoho--what do we have here?"
You jump up and spin around to see a large group of ghosts--none that you had deceived earlier, but all of whom seem to recognize Riddle, Ruggie and Ortho.
"We must put a stop to these living!" One declares. From the corner of your eye, you see Riddle, Ruggie, Grim and Ortho preparing to fight--and though you're still weary from your unplanned breakdown, you do what you have to do.
"Wait, friends!"
You jump in the middle. The ghosts eye you with curiosity.
"These living are no longer a cause for concern. They've been possessed. It's the easiest way to get them to the boss," you explain, and then turn to look at your friends, hoping they'd play along. "We're now looking for other living so we can trick them into complying with us as well. Have you heard any news?"
"Are they really possessed?" One of the ghosts asks warily. You nod before you really think about it.
"Of course! See for yourself..."
You step aside. Riddle gives you a look, grins, and steps forward.
"These pathetic living had no idea what hit them!" He proclaims in a grand voice. "Now, if you care so much about what the boss wants, you'll go and find more living for us to wrangle in--do not engage, for those who are wandering the spectral realm are dangerous."
The ghosts hesitate.
"You heard the ghost! Go!" Ruggie barks. The ghosts nod and scatter, leaving the hyena cackling at their fear.
"That was genius, Prefect!" He exclaims.
Ortho tilts his head. "I'm confused. You are not possessed?"
"No, but it's a perfectly placed lie," Riddle smiles. "Now we have the ghosts on our side, and hopefully we can use this lie to meet up with the others." He turns to you. "You're brilliant, you know. I'm glad we found you."
You grin.
"All in the job description, sweetheart. I'm glad you found me too."
Ruggie:
Your first instinct upon seeing Ruggie is to run up to him, latch on and never let go.
After all, who knew survival better than the mischievous hyena himself? Everything about him--from the grin he's giving you know to the witty gleam in his eye--it feels safe.
"Okay," you tell the ghosts, eager to get them out of the way as soon as possible. You're so mentally focused on the familiar faces that you almost don't pay attention to what you're saying. "I'll get the ghos--the um, the mirror shards... I'll get the mirrors and... uh..."
"Are you sure you can do this?"
"What? Of course! I'm just thinking of a strategy," you bluff. "Look--come find me if you see other living. I've got this. Don't follow me so they don't get suspicious, okay? Bye-bye now."
You don't even wait to see if they disappear. Grim hops off to run to Riddle (no doubt finding solace in the unexpected power of the Teapot Tyrant™), leaving you entirely free to run straight into Ruggie's open arms.
"Well would you look at that," Ruggie snickers. "I came here to find treasure, but it looks like the treasure came to me."
You don't say anything. Ruggie holds you tightly, sure, but if it were a competition you'd no-doubt have him beat. You cling to him for dear life, finally feeling free to express the fear that's been suffocating you from the moment you woke up. Ruggie initially dismissed your shivering as a result of the cold Spectral Realm air, but since you've yet to speak he's starting to reconsider.
"Prefect?"
He's met with a soft sniffle. His heart drops.
"Hey... what's wrong?"
Ruggie gently steps away to get a look at you, eyes going wide at the way you immediately hide your face and start to tremble. Unwilling to watch this go on, he pulls you back into a hug, holding you even tighter. "Awe, hey--there there, you're safe now, I've got you. I'm right here..."
"What happened?" Riddle asks Grim. Grim--much like the rest of the group--is staring at you with a stunned expression.
"I don't know..."
"Scanning..." you hear Ortho hovering around you, a sound akin to a laptop fan whirring. "Scan complete. The prefect is experiencing extreme levels of fear accompanied by minor dehydration, an accelerated heart rate, a swelling glottis, acetylcholine production, simulated lachrymal glands..."
"Layman's?" Ruggie asks.
"Judging by the lachrymal glands, the prefect is crying," Riddle suggests. Ruggie scowls at them.
"Buncha know-it-alls..." He grumbles, running his fingers through your hair. He's suddenly aware of the feeling of tears, accompanied by muffled sniffles being muted by his shirt. "Awe, prefect..."
"Could your fear be on account of those ghosts that were following you?" Ortho asks. Upon the question, Riddle brightens.
"Oh yes!" He says, smacking a fist into his open palm. "You were talking with ghosts earlier! Ah... Grim, what happened?"
Obviously you aren't in the mood for questions. Still, upon hearing the chatter of your other two friends, you reluctantly pull away from Ruggie and wrap your arms tightly around yourself.
"I pretended to be possessed so they wouldn't attack us..." You mutter, feeling ashamed for your breakdown. "Grim, uh... Grim's a wonderful, powerful mage but... I didn't want him to have to fight off a bunch of those ghosts. Who knows how many would show up, so... and I... I'm magicless... I would have been useless..."
Ah.
"You must have been so afraid," Riddle sympathizes. You nod meekly.
"But man--who's surprised?" Ruggie says. Both you and Riddle look at him, not sure where he's going with this. "You know Prefect, there are some pretty brave punks back at the Sunset Savana--myself included--but I don't think I've met anyone with the courage and nerve that you have. I mean, you mouth off to Leona Kingscholar of all people! You not only got by, you got those ghosts to work for you!"
"Your point?" Riddle inquires. Ruggie rolls his eyes.
"Look Prefect--now that you're here, we've got your back. We're going to get out of this and we're gonna do it quickly. Sure we can handle a little ghost fight, but frankly I'm probably more relieved to have you here than you are. Not just because I missed you like crazy--though I did--but there's only one person I know who could've pulled a lie like that off, and that's you. You're amazing!"
You give Ruggie a reluctant smile. He pulls you in for one last hug.
"I don't blame you for being afraid--you did good, you got yourself and Grim here without even having to fight. You're amazing like that. But now... relax. We'll keep you safe, whether we have to use magic, violence or some good old-fashioned deceit to do it. Take all the time you need, and then we're gonna get out of here, okay?"
For the first time since you've woke up... everything does seem okay.
Ruggie holds you as long as you need. When you finally pull away he flashes you his signature grin, and you return it with just as much vigor. Finally you had yourself together again.
"Okay," you say. "Thank you Ruggie--thanks all of you. Now let's get the rest of our friends and get out of here. I'm not sure what's going on here, but I've got those ghosts looking for other living around here, so here's my plan..."
Floyd:
"Shrimpy!"
You flinch at the voice--not because Floyd is an unwelcome presence, but because the ghosts around you... they're giving you suspicious looks.
"Looks like they recognize this body..." you bluff. "Look--I'll figure this out. You go and find other living for me to trick. In the meanwhile, I'll lead these guys to the boss."
"You sure? If they recognize you then-"
"-then you better get out of here soon, lest they get suspicious," you tell the ghosts. "Go on--my friend and I got this."
The second the ghosts disappear, you feel long arms wrap around you and lift you in the air, squeezing tight.
"No fair!" Floyd complains. "I was hoping to have a little fun with your ghostie friends, Shrimpy!"
"Prefect!"
You turn your head. Ace runs up to you, looking incredibly relieved. Leona follows nonchalantly behind, grinning.
"Who's surprised the herbivore's still kickin'?" He grins. "What'd you do--annoy the ghosts out of attacking you?"
You feel yourself being placed back on the ground, and suddenly Floyd's spinning you around to face him, smiling brightly.
"I'm so happy you're here! These two suck--they're so boring and don't want to have any fun."
"To be fair," you mutter. "I'm not really wanting to have fun either..."
"What'd you say?"
You avoid eye contact. Floyd may not catch on right away, but your best friend does. Ace steps in front of you and tilts his head.
"Hey, what happened?"
You fully intend to explain everything as quickly and calmly as possible--after all, the last people you'd want to show weakness in front of are Leona and Floyd, the latter especially. As much as you care what they think, you can't help but let a single tear slip down your cheek, and it all comes flooding forward from there.
"Ace!"
You latch onto him, hoping to muffle your sobs from the two intimidating upperclassman. Ace pats you on the back, though to Grim he gives a look that screams 'help'.
"Oi dishrag," Leona nudges Grim with his foot. "What's the meaning of this?"
"What? Why are you asking me?"
"Y-You're not possessed, are you Prefect?" Ace asks, trying to pull you away long enough to look in your eye. Floyd huffs.
"Obviously not. A ghost wouldn't know who we are, Crabby."
As he says it, Floyd wraps his arms around you again, essentially stealing you from Ace and holding you tight.
"Poor little Shrimpy has probably been through sooooo much, haven't you? You poor, tiny, magicless little thing, all alone in the big scary spectral realm..."
"Yeah, maybe don't bring that up." Leona drawles. Floyd ignores the suggestion.
"Why not? They're here with us now. You know what that means, right Shrimpy? No ghost is gonna mess with you anymore, not unless they wanna die twice~"
"Tch. Duh." Leona huffs. Clearly the sight of you loosing your cool is getting to him.
Still... Floyd's right. You doubt any army of ghosts stands a chance against either Floyd or Leona, much less the two of them plus Ace and Grim. You relax a little, holding Floyd back just as tightly.
"I was just so scared..."
"That's a good thing Shrimpy! It means you're not an idiot," says Floyd.
"I wanna go home..."
"Why do that? You have me now--let's have lots of fun while we're here, okay?"
It's not the most sensitive sentence in the world, but... coming from Floyd, it makes a lot of sense. You are pretty safe in this group, and besides, you have one of your best friends and two of the most powerful mages in school right here with you. And a fire-cat.
Speaking of best friends...
"Wait, where's Deuce? Is he okay?" you ask suddenly, looking at Ace. Ace shakes his head, looking exhausted.
"He disappeared in the middle of the night. A lot happened prior to us coming here, you know. Students just vanished, and time froze--you were one of the disappearances too, Prefect. We were all really worried."
"But Deuce?"
"No sign of him so far."
"Well we have to find him!" You say determinedly. "When I woke up here, we figured out I had been possessed--maybe it's the same case for Deuce. Last I remember is getting ready for bed last night, I'm assuming I was possessed during my journey to this... Spectral Realm."
"So you know where we are?" Leona says, sounding impressed. "Shouldn't be surprised you figured it out, herbivore. You'll be a real thorn in the side of whoever decided to mess with us."
"You're right--I will," you decide. Fear dwindling, you're suddenly taken over by a strong sense of leadership--and even though you're surrounded by big personalities, you have no hesitation in telling them what to do. "We're getting Deuce back--and everyone else, for that matter. I'm glad it's you guys that I've found--there's no group that would be more capable of carrying this out. Listen, here's the plan..."
As you spell it out, Leona starts to laugh. You give him a look.
"Oh, don't mind me. The less I have to play the leader the better--there's no controlling Floyd here, he's been a pain since all this started."
"You guys are mean." Floyd says, though he doesn't seem the least bit guilty about his actions. "Why wouldn't I listen to Shrimpy?"
"You don't listen to anyone," Leona scoffs.
"Nah, I'll listen when it's interesting for me." Floyd grins. "Tell me your plan Shrimpy--I've got your back, just don't be boring, m'kay~?"
You feel him lean down and place a kiss on your cheek. You grin, now filled with newfound confidence.
"That's right. Let Operation Ghost Manipulation commence!"
Leona:
"Get away from the herbivore. Now."
There's no point in keeping up the act--the second he sees you, Leona's already among the circle of ghosts, magic blazing in his hands.
To Leona's surprise, the ghosts cackle, wish you luck and disappear. His magic fades away as Floyd and Ace catch up to you, but neither of them get to say hi before you have your arms wrapped around Leona, clinging for dear life.
"You're safe..."
"You were worried about me?" He smirks, running his hands through your hair. "Should I be insulted or flattered?"
"Whatever. I missed you."
Judging by the softness of your voice, something's definitely up with you. Leona doesn't mind holding you for a while, but he does tell Floyd and Ace to go away.
"Shove off. We'll catch up."
"Ha? Aha? No way. That's my best friend. I wanna know what's up," Ace demands. As if on cue, you let out a heartbreaking sob.
Leona raises an eyebrow. "Well Trappola?"
"Fine..." Ace mutters. "I'll give you a minute... C'mon Floyd."
"Nah~ this is more interesting! What's wrong little Shrimpy? You scared?"
You let out another sob, and Leona growls in Floyd's direction. The eel's attitude immediately sours, and he hunches his back as he skulks away.
"Whatever. Sea Lion's no fun..."
"Hmph," Leona huffs Once Floyd and Ace back up, you feel his hand on the top of your head. "Alright herbivore, you wanna talk about it?"
You sniff pitifully. "I wanna stop being thrown into dangerous situations with no magic, no help and no idea what's going on."
"Yeah, that's a drag..." You can hear the smirk in his voice. "You know what though? You're with us now. Most importantly, you're with me. The only 'danger' is the wrath that's gonna be directed at whoever think they can land a hand on you. Just stick with us and don't be scared, alright?"
You sniff again. He pats your head.
"There there herbivore..."
You let it all out. You're almost impressed that Floyd, Grim and Ace don't come back around to disturb you... and yet every time you glance around for them, you find them goofing off in the distance like a basketball club reunion. In the middle of the spectral realm. You're truly in the safest possible group, aren't you? Absolutely no fear...
"I'm impressed you're not taking a nap right now..." you joke pitifully. Leona laughs.
"Now that I've got my pillow back? Don't tempt me."
"It is pretty quiet in the Spectral Realm," you say lightheartedly. "Not too hot here either. I guess the only danger is the fact that all the undead are trying to take us to a mysterious boss."
"I wish they would. I've got a few things to say to the brat that had the audacity to kidnap my herbivore..."
"And Grim?"
He rolls his eyes. "And Grim. I guess."
"And probably others as well?"
"You know what? I can live with that."
"No you can't!" You laugh. Leona's grinning, and suddenly you're forgetting all your initial fear. You come back from your breakdown stronger than ever, and so with a rejuvenated mindset you pry yourself away from Leona and turn to Floyd, Ace and Grim, beckoning them over.
"You're alright!"
Ace pulls you into a hug, and Floyd groans behind you.
"Seriously? The longer Shrimpy's away from me, the harder I'm gonna squeeze 'em."
"Dude..." Ace pulls away, looks at Floyd with wide eyes, then turns to you. "Good luck."
Floyd gives you a hug too. Finally Grim gets comfortable back on your shoulders, and you turn to the three boys in front of you.
"Alright you three, here's my plan..."
"Who elected you leader?" Ace crosses his arms. You grin.
"Me."
Behind you, Leona grins as well. Floyd bounces on his feet, clearly excited by the prospect of you taking leadership. Finally, your best friend caves.
"Fair enough."
"The plan, then?"
"Right. So I was thinking..."