Chapter Text
5. Kumori
It had been one of the oddest edicts of the many odd edicts that her master required her to accept without question. Although she'd wondered about his edict on more than one occasion, she'd never contested it because he'd been so fiercely insistent that she obey him. She'd even sworn a solemn promise on her magic that on November 10th, no matter where she was and or what she was doing, she was to arrive promptly and early in the morning to Night Vale, a small city in the desert of the southwestern United States. This vow meant that not showing up would bring down such horrible consequences as her losing her magic entirely.
When she had first learned what she had risked her magic for she'd been livid.
A parade. She's sworn on her magic for a parade.
It was all completely ridiculous. At least, that's what she'd thought until after her first trip to Night Vale and participated in the parade. By the end of the day she'd been left with an increased power boost, and she'd been convinced of the value of returning the following year.
And now, once again, she was in Night Vale.
It was a strange parade, but considering that it was held in a strange town, she thought the whole affair was surprisingly appropriate.
The parade was always full of people dressed like her, in robes with deep cowls that obscured their bodies and their faces so that little remained to identify them, not even their gender. She was one of only a few wearing black in the parade. Most of the participates wore robes in colors of gray or brown or a red like faded, crusting blood or a dirty white like cobwebs spun over prey, trapping it with their sticky, suffocating threads.
During the parade, Kumori was, as always, careful to follow the rules her master had once explained to her. She was never to talk to the citizens of Night Vale. She was never to so much as acknowledge any of the residents, other than the City Council. Yet she was also never to talk to the City Council without him. Considering the Council's disturbing synchronicity, she was more than willing to let him handle those negotiations.
This year, she couldn't help but appreciate that the town of Night Vale had given them the use of their newly constructed stadium.
The sight of a stadium full of people, nearly 50,000, all with solemn, terrified faces holding oddly cheerful signs saying such things as: 'Yay! Mysterious Hooded Figures!', 'We Tremble –with awe– Before You, Oh Hooded Figure that Lives In the Elementary School Playground!' (held by what looked like an entire classroom of children with assault rifles), 'We're Happily Staying Out of the Dog Park!, and 'What Dog Park?', written in what she thought was blood which was still unusual even after all these years.
Yet being here made her happy.
She never normally got to enjoy the sight of others waving at her and cheering her on, even though she suspected that the Night Vale residents had no choice about being spectators. Coming to Night Vale was always such a delight. She didn't have to hide away, or suppress her powers. She never had to pretend to be anything other than what she'd chosen to become. Even the crushing weight of Death seemed lighter, easier to fight, in the town.
As the parade wound down, coming to a slow, whimpering end, Kumori left Night Vale with a grab bag of small gifts (given to her by various trembling townspeople) and an ice cream cone of mint and caviar.
She looked forward to next year's parade.
*-*-*-*
A brief fragment taken from Night Vale Community Radio as hosted by Cecil, the Voice of Night Vale:
“Listeners, I believe that I can speak for everyone when I say that yesterday's Parade of the Mysterious Hooded Figures was especially stunning this year. Literally. The stun batons used by the Sheriff's Secret Police to hold back everyone's excitement and fear were, of course, necessary for the safety of our city's residents, I'm sure you all agree. Remember to express your gratitude by saying 'thank you' aloud, for no matter where you are or what you're doing the Sheriff's Secret Police are always listening.
During the parade, it was so lovely to get to see the Night Vale stadium actually put to use, as it's normally empty for 364 days out of the year. And seeing so many residents show up for the mandatory parade – oh Night Vale, you fill me with such civic pride! I can't wait for next year! Well, I suppose technically I can... time being what it is, the next parade will be upon us before we know it. Like a predator preparing to sink its razor fangs into our hot, supple flesh, ripping out our throat in a hot spray of crimson blood before devouring our viscera like a rare treat.
I look forward to it!
Now, for a word from our sponsors.”