Side Story The Devil's Carnival

[Yun Lee]

"..Huh?"

Well, that was an interesting change of pace! Most dogs got one whiff of Sam and either ran for the hills or attacked. If it were the former than Sam usually let them be. He may have been mischievous but he only punished those who deserved it. Not going out of his way unless it was a really blatant rule breaker or Sam himself was being threatened. Which tied into the latter. If a dog wished to attack him? Then that was all well and good. But the owner of the dog would have to accept the consequences. Which were usually that the dog was disemboweled and it's blood used to paint cryptic messages on their bedroom walls. But this dog seemed capable of not only detecting that Sam wasn't human but he didn't seem to really care?

What a curious little mutt.

But even Sam for all the power he commanded, he still chose to have the mentality of a child. It helped him fit in better with the other trick r treaters that roamed the night. Which is why he'd hop up and down in glee as Iggy made his way off. Like a child who was overzealous about seeing the adorable puppy/kitten they wanted in the pet shop window. Clasping his hands together, Sam tilted his head to the side. Maybe once this carnival was all over Sam could take Iggy home with him! They could be best friends and Sam could have someone to keep him company at the pumpkin patch!

What a heartwarming thought.

"Heheheehehe..."

Sam had been around the block long enough to know a fake smile when he saw it.

They were the same kind of smiles single parents wore when handing out candy. They didn't really want to be here when they had more important stuff to worry about like taking care of their own kids. So either they put on a facade of caring about the holiday and tossed candy at the children to keep them at bay. They weren't their own kids so who cared about being friendly to them? Sam wasn't quite fond of those people. But he supposed he couldn't quite blame Kuroko.

She didn't seem like the type who'd enjoy a place like this! To Sam a carnival was like a wonderland! He could run around, push people, maybe even smack the snacks out of people's hands! Or play games like that man mentioned and get tickets! Or even see people punished! As long as it wasn't that poor dog that got punished. Sam wanted Iggy to be in perfect condition when he took him home.

"Hehe.."

Sam pointed excitedly at Iggy and then at himself when Daisuke popped the question. Of course it was a dog, silly! That and this dog would soon belong to the Pagan Spirit of Halloween if Sam had any say about it.​

 

[Yun Lee]

"Not any more than you." Kuroko turned to face Takeru. "Who are you anyway?" She asked wearily. Hopefully he wasn't a pervert or anything weird like that.​

 

[Yun Lee]

The muffled sound of a clenched fist hitting home. The louder thud of a body knocked into the floor. With that, the last shadowy figure in her way was taken care of. Her path stood clear. There, atop a grassy hill...the man she came to idolize. The old stories, a childhood spent immersed in them. Cú Chulainn, tied to the rock. Her goal to save him from his inevitable fate. She had become a strong Magus, would not settle for anything less than taking fate into her own hands and changing it for the better. Bazett dashed forward, rapidly closing the distance. Right as she stretched a hand out, close enough to smell the sweat on his brow...she woke up.

The dream shattered in an instant, replaced with the even more strange reality. It was not Ireland long ago...but somewhere else. With a strange...Monsieur Loyal. "A Frenchman?" She muttered in thought, rising up and listening. "And an important ticket. Perhaps magical, but definitely crucial." She frowned, turning to judge some of the others.

"...Hurm." Truth really could be stranger than fiction. Now what to do...​

 

[Yun Lee]

"I'm just a Kamen Rider passing through, don't forget that!"

Wait a second.

With a few coughs, Takeru spoke once more.

"Sorry about that. My name is Tenkuuji Takeru. I'm a Ghost Hunter working at a shrine. How about you?" The lad Takeru questions the pig-tailed, obaa-san-voiced lass.

He looks around to look at others. Quite a crowd. Were they Kaijin?



Those familiar with the concepts of the Holy Grail and Noble Phantasms might be able to feel that Takeru has a similiar air to a Servant. It appeared that someone who fulfilled that was nearby.​

 

[Yun Lee]

"Um... if my mommy and daddy don't find me... I guess we can... be friends. You don't sound like... a bad person..."

Again, there didn't seem to be much options for little Aika. It's only been a few minutes upon waking up, and she felt so alone without her parents here. Is this how growing up would feel like for her? If it hit her like a rushing train... if she were suddenly left aside somewhere without her parents? These thoughts seemed rather... lonesome for a type of girl like her to be thinking about, but it wasn't so much to the point that she would be absolutely alone.

It reminded her of those days at school, her first day in kindergarten. The boys were grouped up into their cool bike gangs, and the girls would get together to play house and with the dolls. Everyone back then, they had places to go to, assumed occupations, and she didn't. She was the odd one out. She was the one that didn't know how to use the bathroom on her own, she was the one that didn't know how it was like being with friends with similar interests. She soon got her own friends as the weeks went by, but Aika felt like they were only being friends with her out of pity. Maybe if she got home after this new experience, Aika could finally relate to her friends, now that she had her own Dolly.

"M... My name is Aika... and... and this is Dolly. I got her yesterday... for my birthday... my mommy made Dolly for me."

Unable to keep eye contact with Luso out of pure timidness, Aika kept her eyes down, looking at her Dolly as if it were some sort of security blanket to her. Ever since she got that doll not too long ago...

While Aika didn't see anything that she would immediately understand, the little girl in red did catch something that sparked interest in her. Almost forgetting that she was in a situation without her parents, she walked over to Iggy, having a liking towards dogs.

"Awww... it's a cute little doggy..."

Holding her Dolly in one arm, Aika would reach over to pet the dog, but immediately stopped herself. It was like she was mentally reminding herself of some manners.

"U-Um... does this doggy belong to someone? I... I... was wondering if it was okay to pet it."​

 

[Yun Lee]

More and more interesting people seemed to be popping up. Maybe this carnival would have a better turnabout than the Halloween Sam had overseen this year. That'd certainly be a welcome change. But he could tell by the way this woman looked at him, Sam must have come off looking quite pecuilar. Which given his attire wasn't quite all that farfetched. Even among trick r treaters, most people at the door usually gave Sam a look over. Not to mention the fact that Sam was always seen walking by himself. On account of not really having any 'parental figures' due to being a thousand years old and the only 'parents' he had having died out years ago back in Ireland.

Approaching Bazett, Sam held his lolipop close to him as he glanced up at the woman. The contours of his mask pushed outwardly once again. Signifying that he was smiling, a sign that he was certainly pleased to possibly make yet another friend! Couldn't have too many of those now.

"Hi..Hehehe.."

...Hm? What was this now? Was this girl trying to take his doggy away from him? Sam had made it very clear Iggy was to be his! Once he had his fun at this carnival, he'd take the dog with him and they'd play together in the pumpkin patch for days on end! Or at least until the next Halloween dawned. A low growling could have been heard coming out from behind Sam's mask. But as Aika explained herself, the growl lessened into more of a curious coo. Waddling over to the girl who from appearances alone seemed to be around the same 'age-range' as Sam(although that certainly wasn't the case at all but only Sam and Hisoka really knew that) he'd pat her on the back to get her attention.

"Mhm..?" He'd point over to Iggy and then pointed back to himself. "Mhmm! Hehehehe!" The gesture was meant to indicate that Sam felt he had ownership of the dog. Whether or not Iggy got a say in this wasn't even a thought in Sam's head. But a following nod from Sam showed that it was indeed okay for Aika to pet her.

That was of course if Sam got to hold her dolly. Gesturing to the the doll in Aika's hands with his lolipop, he brought the lolipop back to himself while holding an expectant hand out. It was only fair, right?​

 

[Yun Lee]

"W-Weirdo?! Me?! Look, there's a man who's in a pink frilly dress! If there's anyone weird around here, it would be him!"

Monsieur Loyal rubbed his temples as if he was trying to calm down. He knew that several of these individuals weren't from around, so he had to deal with the comments. Releasing a huge sigh, he seemed to be less tense. "Here in the carnival, we receive many individuals from different places, or universes. I don't know why you all are here; however, I do know my job. And that's to get you all inside the carnival!"

He pointed at the man who called his actions inhumane as he slightly raised his voice. "Don't you dare say that anything is inhumane! Without rules, this carnival would be reigned in chaos!" Monsieur Loyal then looked at the boy with greenish hair as he tried his best to answer the question.

"There are no rewards," he said in a serious tone. "Unless you follow me until the end."​

 

[Yun Lee]

Iggy would suddenly tune in to the voice of a man, speaking with the voice of a ringmaster, but with an underlying hint of madness underneath. Iggy initally stopped listening when he said something about "tickets", which seem to be important. In the absence of any food or coffee-flavored gum, Iggy had a set of options set for him.

1. Chew some hair and fart in some faces to pass the time
2. Sleep
3. Get a ticket

Well, Iggy wasn't feeling very light-hearted at the moment, still somewhat rattled at the fact that he died, yet he is somehow alive in what looked like the afterlife. Besides, these shitheads don't have half the amount of hair that Polnareff had--

Ah, right, Polnareff. Those guys.

Iggy would be sad for a split second before shaking his head and growling at nothing in particular. <"What a shitty day; first I get killed by that vampire bastard, now I have to start getting tickets or something? There isn't even anywhere to sleep, or any food to eat! I'll have to make this work, somehow, or else I'll get myself killed.">

<"....Killed again, anyway.">

With no further thought, Iggy leapt up to the ticket booth and snatched a golden ticket within his mouth, leaping off the table before anyone could react. Shoving the ticket underneath his matted, greasy and unbathed fur.

<"Dogs don't need baths, heh.">

Iggy turned around and stared at Aika, his face contorting into a greatly unamused face.

<"Fuck off, lady.">

Of course, that was just Iggy's inner thought. In reality, the dog would growl and snort, staring at the girl. It was obviously not wanting to be pet.​

 

[Yun Lee]

Deciding to play along with Aika's game, Luso nodded and smiled as he was introduced to her 'friend', "Cool, it's nice to meet both of you! And don't worry, I'm not a bad person... I try to help whoever I can, Aika, because that's what a good person does," It wasn't the real reason, but he didn't mean to introduce her to a darker side of reality and his desire to protect the weaker people in life. Besides, she seemed focused on the nearby dog now and not on his motivations.

"Doesn't look like it, there's no collar on him. Might want to be careful, in case he's a wild stray and mean," His muscles relaxed in the moments of her hand reaching out, preparing to quickly grab it and pull it out of harm's way in case the dog tried to bite her, "Probably better to just leave him alone... He doesn't seem to want to be messed. Maybe we should go say wait o-"

Whatever the high schooler had planned to say had vanished from his mind as he looked at Sam. He seemed to be dressed up for something like Halloween, though if such a creepy costume was good for a young kid was up to questioning. Not like he had time to ask because soon, the dog made clear that he wanted nothing to do with Aika.

"Aika, I wouldn't try to pet him. How about we just go on to the entrance and talk to Loyal?"​

 

[Yun Lee]

"I don't believe so, but even if that is not the case, you should take care, little girl. I imagine this pooch has a bark that is just as fearsome as its bite," Hisoka would respond to Aika, offering an overly nice smile to the young girl. Perhaps to some, the sight of a jester providing such an almost deceivingly benign smile would come off as creepy. But Hisoka paid that no mind.

After all, if he did, the worries of being unsettling would occupy his thoughts every day.

The girl didn't interest Hisoka that much, at least not compared to everyone else here. Everyone... that exhibited their own strange power. Sam was one thing, but everyone was... almost as powerful here as the Phantom Troupe. The girl with the pigtails let off some strange energy field, like a... personal reality. The magenta-haired young woman also seemed quite powerful, as did the strange squinty-eyed fellow, and of course, even the very dog before everyone came off as... strange to Hisoka. Of course, it was more than likely that the others were thinking the same of him. The strange part, that is. The power part, Hisoka intended to hide well. After all, if he just let his Ren spray all over the place, that'd just leave all the time out for foreplay, wouldn't it?

While Sam seemed to play around with Aika, the two of them reminiscent of playground children, Hisoka blankly stared at Bazett, Kuroko, Takeru, and Iggy, not just looking atthem, but almost trying to look... insidethem, looking for something. Something hidden deep within.

Sorry, dear Gon... Looks like unless you pull off something spectacular the next time I meet you, you're yesterday's news compared to these lovely people. Mmhmm~

To think that of all times, his thoughts were shifted to that little boy.

But then... The way others knew him, one would think that the notion of that being surprising was wrong.

"Still... What a deliciously pleasant situation I've found myself in... Just like a child in a candy store," he giggled to himself, visibly shaking from how much he was trying to contain himself.​

 

[Yun Lee]

"Uh..."

Luso couldn't help but be creeped out by the strange clown-like figure. The man was clearly touched in the head, making weird comments and giggling to himself for no apparent reason. In fact, he seemed to be staring at Sam and Aika, the two little kids in the group, whenever he giggled. What a creep...

"Hey, are you one of the carnies, mister? Shouldn't you be getting ready for your part in the events?" Luso didn't care if the man was a worker or not. He just wanted to spook him and get him to leave the kids alone long enough for the police to arrive in case of an emergency.​

 

[Yun Lee]

"Oh... okay. If you think that the doggy isn't so nice... That doggy looks sorta like mine... and my doggy always waited for me to come home from school, sitting by the pouch..."

Even by her words, it was possible to tell that Aika was beginning to feel homesick, thinking of her home through the various sights and events that occurred in this dream-like place. She was starting to consider this "dream" a "nightmare," but it had only been the first impressions. Maybe she fell asleep at some random point in time where her parents were taking her to this carnival, and she happened to be left uncounted for? Would her parents find her soon?

Considering Luso's words on meeting up with Monsieur Loyal, Aika was about to follow along, but soon felt someone give her a pat on the back. She felt a bit spooked upon seeing Sam, but then realized that this could be a kid wearing a Halloween costume. An old one at that. Weird, if she recalled correctly, it wouldn't be Halloween until a few more months, but knowing how it's a big wide world from just her little neighborhood, Aika considered that maybe some places in the world had Halloween at this time of year instead.

So while Luso happened to share some words with a peculiar individual that looked like one of those carnival workers, Aika didn't see any reason to get to know this other supposed child. Iggy didn't have a collar on, but she supposed that Sam was the owner by how he was acting. Maybe Sam was a bit younger than her... considering that he wasn't exactly speaking in sentences or even words? Even so, Sam gave her the notion that it was fine that she could pet Iggy, despite the dog being rather standoffish to her interests to pet him. But in return...

"Um... you want to... hold onto Dolly?"

Aika tilted her head in curiosity, holding her Dolly to where it would be facing towards her.

"Is it okay if I let him hold onto you, Dolly?"

Clearing her throat, Aika would begin to move her Dolly around as if it were it's own being, speaking for the Dolly's behalf.

~"It'll be fine, Aika. If you remember the things you learned in kindergarten and in elementary school, it's always nice to share with others!"~

"Oh, if you think that's fine, then I think it's fine, Dolly."

After having that brief conversation with her Dolly, she held it out for Sam to hold.

"Dolly says it's fine, because sharing is nice. I-It's what I learned in school... Just be careful with Dolly, please... because my mommy made Dolly for my birthday... and Dolly's special... oh! And I don't think I know your name..."​

 

[Yun Lee]

As Sam waited eagerly for Aika to hand over her dolly in exchange for a free pet of Iggy, the spirit caught a fist coming towards him. Slowly turning to face it, Sam let out a curious 'ooh?' before the fist impacted with his face. Blood wasn't split however and Bazett's fist would have been coated to the brim with what appeared to be..

Pumpkin seeds??? Sam's body laid prone on the ground and the back of his mask was torn open. Revealing what seemed to be oodles of pumpkin seeds and gunk flowing out of the back of his head as blood would in almost any other creature. But for his part Sam didn't seem too perturbed by what had just occurred. Calmly pushing himself onto his rear, Sam reached back bad patted down the flap on his mask that had been torn open by Bazett punching him so ferociously. Pushing himself back up to his feet however, Sam glanced up at the woman and his giggle was gone. Replaced with a far more menacing sound.

"Hisss..."

But this wasn't the place to fight Bazett or even to fight at all. Sam had no real intentions of doing so. The blow this woman had dealt him would heal quickly enough in any regard. Which is why he'd seemingly vanish from Bazett's point of view only to reappear behind Aika as Sam trembled and clutched at the other 'child's shoulder with his lolipop still in hand.

"Heh..."

It was obvious enough that Sam didn't need to hide behind anybody. But this helped the guise of him just being a creepy little boy going and that's what suited the Pagan Spirit. Besides, even if they had gotten off on the wrong foot who's to say that this woman and him wouldn't be good friends by the end of this?​

 

[Yun Lee]

Iggy would look at Hisoka, noticing his intense stare. Iggy would snort and stick his canine tongue out at the Jester, giving him a mocking raspberry.

However, when Hisoka began to look deep within Iggy...he found something very, very peculiar. There was something else inside of him; an extension of his very soul, but manifested as something...separate. For a split second, when Hisoka gleamed deeper and deeper into the supernatural aspect of Iggy...

A being appeared to him. No one could see it, no one but Hisoka. The being looked like something out of a garage; a massive, dog-like creature made from mechanical bits and car parts smashed together with no real effort or attention to detail. It was made lazily, but the pure simplicity of its design was what made it frightening, even for a second.

Before Hisoka could even open his mouth or raise his arm, the being vanished without a trace. Iggy was still staring at him...yet, the dogs face contorted into a knowing smirk; it was completely aware of what just happened.

<"Prick.">​

 

[Yun Lee]

"HEY! I'm not even wearing it yet!" Ayumu protests, glancing down to find his clothes shimmering as for whatever reason, his own clothes began to fade away, replaced by the uniform of the Masou Shoujo

"M-Mystletainn, what are you doing?!" the chainsaw revved loudly in his hand and Ayumu glanced between the chainsaw and Monsieur Loyal "I can't fight him! He's probably some kind of ghost"
His eyes focused on the areas between Loyal's gloves and sleeves, and he muttered "And I doubt you can kill a ghost with a chainsaw"

He sighs and moves closer "Fine, let's get this thing over with, I'll play nice and come inside. Just promise there'ls not going to be any Megalos to fight"​

 

[Yun Lee]

More importantly, Sam had other matters to attend to than getting into a round of fisticuffs. Stepping back from Aika as she seemed to 'speak' to her dolly, Sam gently cradled the doll as it was handed off to him. He never had a doll before! But then he never really explored the idea of giving out gifts himself. He'd share his candy if some kid had a treat that Sam wanted or just to trade in general. But something like this was fueled by the spirit's need to keep to the child mentality that he had while in this form. So with lolipop in one hand and dolly in the other, Sam wasn't left with too many options on how to get his name across.

"Hmm..."

Aha! Setting Dolly on the ground, Sam didn't seem to make any gestures. But the doll would soon rise to it's feet and taking Sam's lolipop from him, it began to carve out a name on the ground while Sam gestured for Aika to look down. In reality the doll wasn't moving of it's own accord but more Sam manipulating it with his telekinesis.

Once the 'message' was finished, the doll went limp and Sam gently picked it up once more and nodded.

[MY NAME'S SAMHAIN OR SAM FOR SHORT. WHAT'S YOURS? ]​

 

[Yun Lee]

Before the undead Kamen Rider could continue in the most Kamen Rider-like manner possible, Yurusen pops up again.

"I know Kamen Riders think too much with their heart and not their brain, kid, but that isn't an excuse to act too rash right now."

"But-" Takeru was about to say something.

"Respect your elders kid. The carnival hasn't even started. Oh and... get some takoyaki if they sell some."

"What do you-"

"Aaahh~ don't look~" Yurusen teases as it vanishes again.

Must as well.

Takeru bows in apology. "My apologies."

Turning towards the group he encountered, he said, "Let's go. You all ready?"​

 

[Yun Lee]

His eyes widened in horror as Sam was pounded mercilessly in the ground by the woman. First workers experimenting on visitors who broke the rules instead of kicking them out, now people were beating the snot out of little kids? What the heck was wrong with the people around here?

"Hey, what the heck are y-!" His cry for explanation died as he saw what spewed out of the boy's head. Where there should have been blood, there was only pumpkin seeds, as if his brain was simply a miniature version of the orange vegetable (Fruit? Vegetable? Not like it mattered at the moment.) W-What is this kid...? Already, this carnival was turning into a weirder experience than his short time in Ivalice. At least there, he would have a sword and shield to protect himself from the monsters that roamed the lands.

Whatever Sam was, Luso was as defenseless as a baby, and he had a feeling he would regret being so if he allowed it to continue.

"K-Kid... Can you not do that again, please? You scared a lot of us with that stunt," For now, he would try to be friends with the creature, hopefully staying on his good side. His eyes turned to the woman who had punched Sam, a critical look in his eye, "Can you not punch kids anymore, or do you enjoy it? Because if you do, then you're not going find any friends around."

With those last words, he tapped Aika on the shoulder, "I'm going to wait by the entrance for Loyal, okay? You and your friends should stick with me, I'm sure we can find your parents if we look long enough....If you want, Sam, you can come with Aika and meet me at the entrance."​

 

[Yun Lee]

"What the devil is a Megalos?!" Monsieur Loyal responded to the frilly cross dresser as he then began to chuckle at the sight. He then noticed the tension between an odd looking child and another individual as Loyal would have yelled at them. "Do not start quarreling! I'll have to get Cordis again, and that man would probably remind me of his raise! I can't handle the talk of money when my pockets aren't filled with it!" If the physical actions between the two continued, Loyal would have no choice but to consider calling for someone who could separate the two.​

 

[Yun Lee]

The Once and Future Queen:

"My name is Amalia." Is what Ashe said to herself when she stood at this mysterious place. "That's what it is." She looked around. The crowd was made up of some strange people, but it reminded her of Rabanastre in a way. The different people mingling and messing around. She listened to Monsieur Loyal in what he had to say. She straightened her skirt and shirt, and shifted her sword.​