#yes I did a Funamusea OC crossover!!

[faydingrain]

Effie Rose Gracely

Cherry carefully blew out her flame, then met the somber gazes of the alumni. “And that’s my story!”

Several seconds passed before Effie said, “That’s so…”

“Frightening,” Bast finished for her.

The sandy-blonde’s joy faded. “Ah, I’m sorry! Was it too scary?”

Ginger spoke up before long. “Nah. It fits the setting.”

Many nodded in agreement.

“Do you…still see those shadows?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah.” She gave a resigned smile. “But it’s okay. I’m used to it! At least I’m never alone when I’m not home.”

Cedric inclined his head. “When we’re finished here, you may not see those shadows again for quite some time.”

“That’s okay! When they come back, I’ll be sure to greet them like I always do.”

“...Yes, do that.”

She smiled brightly. “Anyways, now it’s your turn, Effie!”

The smaller girl straightened her back. “Okay, thank you!”

***

Effie’s cerulean eyes traced the condensation sliding down the glass cup. Then, she scooped it up for a sip, savoring the taste along with a straw-ful of whipped cream.

Her friends from school, sitting beside her, burst into laughter, and she joined them. They were having delightful conversations about the weather and some of their schoolwork, and now segued into the new episode of the magical girl anime she’d just binged. “What did you think of Asteria’s Ultimate Attack?”

“It was amazing!” she replied. “The animation was so pretty and sparkly!”

“Yeah, it was!”

The chatter continued. Soft beeps passed through the air, along with footsteps and the occasional low rumbling. A prominent voice would rise above the sounds briefly, livening the atmosphere outside of the friend group.

Cheerfully, Effie took another sip and creamy slurp.

“What do you think, Effie?”

“Hm?” Beaming, she peered up at her friend.

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“What do you think?”

“...Um…I'm sorry, I don’t understand what you mean.”

“What do you think, Effie?” Without changing their position, droplets formed on their skin. No…their very skin itself began dripping from their face.

“Ah—...huh?”

“What do you think, Effie?”

“What do I think of what?!”

As if made of cream themselves, their bodies sunk onto the seat, heads tilting as they melted further and further. “What do you think?”

“I—” She gasped as the muck of the girl beside her pooled up on her leg.

“What do you think, Effie?”

She wriggled and squirmed. Try as she might, for some reason, she couldn’t escape her seat, let alone move her limbs very far. She cried out as the muck flooded into her lap.

“Wh at…thiNk…EFfie?”

Tears poured down her face and, unable to scream for help, she whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut.

A disturbance sent waves over her body. With it, the feeling of the muck had vanished.

She peeped open one eye, then opened them wide. An unfamiliar figure was setting his feet in the inky ground, as if uncurling from a floating position. His swirly pink hair covered one of his pale eyes, burdened by dark bags beneath them. “...Mm? You are unfamiliar to me.”

An abyss of blackness surrounded the two. The white-haired girl gazed in awe, eyes tracing along the objects atop the man’s head—two purple horns with warpy patterns on them. And behind him, a matching tail gently swayed. “...Are you…the devil?”

“...Akin to one, yes.”

“Oh…” She relaxed her arms in her lap, still resting in a stall blended with the void as tears streamed down her face. “Does…does that mean I died already? Are you coming to take me away because I’ve been a bad girl?”

His brow cocked. “No. You’ve not died; you’re only dreaming.”

“...Oh! Oh…that’s right, I think…I fainted again….” Sniffling, she wiped her face with her sweater sleeve, “Then, are you gonna make me have more scary dreams, Mr. Devil?”

“No. I must have been attracted here by the severity of your previous one.”

“Oh…”

“...Do you always have nightmares such as this?”

“Yeah. Well…sometimes I have really wild and crazy dreams! But most of the time, I have nightmares…”

He scrutinized her form. “I see.”

“Yeah…” As she sulked, he stepped closer and offered the hand not gripping a small parasol. “Oh, thank you!”

“...Would you like me to take away this nightmare?” He asked as she hopped to her feet.

“You can do that?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I convert them into energy.”

“Oh! Then, if it can help you, I’d really like it if you did make it go away.”

“Thank you. Then, I’ll reap it.” He swung the parasol around, baring the pointed tip towards her. A shining spark burst into a complex circular design, spinning wildly as a different kind of shine appeared in the center, as if the inverse of light.

“...It looks like…a black star.”

The bright glow faded as the spinning ceased. After he plucked the small star, the circle dissipated. “Yes. This is your nightmare.”

“Scary…”

“It won’t bother you anymore.” He lightly tossed it into his mouth, swishing it around and seemingly chewing on it.

That awed gaze fell over him again. “...That’s…really kind of you, Mr. Devil.”

“...Mare.”

“Huh?”

“You may refer to me as such. And,” he brought a hand to his mouth, as if pondering the flavour, “if you ever have a nightmare again, you may call on me, and I’ll return to claim it.”

“...Why?”

He hesitated. “Because your suffering is an excellent source of energy for me.”

She blinked, tossing his words around her mind. “...Then…if it helps Mr. Devil, then I’m okay with it!”

“...Good.”

A smile spread across her face. “And, if you think about it, it’s like we’re a magical duo! You’re the titular magical girl, er, I guess, the magical boy, and I’m like your magical sidekick!”

As she continued chattering about “Mr. Tuxedo Devil”, he replied, “...Yes.”

“Then, I’ll make sure to call you as soon as I have another nightmare!”

“...Good.”

She radiated excitement.

“...Farewell, then.” With a dramatic wave of his parasol, a twister gusted from beneath his feet. Then, a separate wind wrapped around her. “Your nurse is calling your name. Awaken.”

Effie’s cerulean eyes popped open, met with a sterile room, array of invasive tubes, and her nurse’s relieved smile.

Scaretober 2023

Brisk Wind on a Dark Trail

Midnight Moon

Gargoyle's Watch

Cold Stones in the Fog

Spirits Rising

Haunted House

Witching Hour

Bubbling Cauldron

Candy

Eyes

Spider Silk

Feathers

Tail

Scales

Fangs or Talons

An Offering of Blood

Dark Ritual

Spook Scary Skeletons

Carnivàle Morte

Still-Beating Heart

Sharpened Blade

Mask

Looming Shadows

The Devil's Hand

Monster

Reflection in the Mirror

Rusted Chains

Stitches

Precious Jewels

Incantation

Halloween

Epilogue