Chapter Text
Heh, Susie...you've really outdone yourself today.
The girl thought to herself with a proud smile as she finished putting on her worn-out, weathered dark coat—a gift from Noelle's father, Rudy, for the occasion. The fabric was faded and frayed, but compared to literally anything in her room, it was a luxury the girl never even imagined of having. Besides, that worn-out outfit would do a neat job with the costume she was going to wear that night.
Hometown School decided to throw a Halloween costume party to reward the students for their hard work so far. Well, technically, Noelle was the only one with high grades, but considering her mom was the mayor, it was easy to guess that she'd played a role in convincing the principal to make this event happen as a form to reward her daughter. Whatever the reason behind it, Susie wasn’t really bothered about the party itself. What did catch her attention, though, was the costume contest that would happen—because the winner would walk away with a massive stash of candy! And Susie was determined that she and Ralsei would win, especially since pairs were allowed in the competition. The catch was that both parties needed to have matching fantasies, which wasn't a problem at all. Well, at least it wasn't now.
Susie never knew what it was like to celebrate Halloween—or any holiday, for that matter. To her family, holidays were nothing more than distant fantasies and regular days. Easter eggs? The best she got were normal eggs, and that if they weren’t already gone bad as well. Thanksgiving? A turkey was too much to dream of, and there was no gratitude in her home to speak of. Christmas? The only 'tree' she ever had was a crude pile of dead branches she scavenged when she was six, which resulted in her parents to beat her for tracking dirt inside—the memory made Susie growl as she clamped the metal buckle on her beige pants. And Halloween was no different. It was merely a reminder of what she couldn’t ever have, as every single year of her miserable life, she had to watch other children revel in trick-or-treating, their costumes bright and their laughter echoing in the streets as they roamed in groups, knocking on doors together.
She never had that; no costume—not even the most shabby ones—and no friends to share the holiday with, either. There were times she tried to join in, to feel the simple joy every child deserved, but she was always turned away—either rejected from a group or denied candy for "not having a costume". She knew, though, that the real reason wasn’t about the costume at all. It was fear. Fear of her, of what kind of monster she was and her "scary appearance". Ironically, Halloween was literally supposed to be about being scary. Susie saw it as an opportunity; the one night she could at least pretend to fit in, to be "who she was" in the eyes of others—but even that was denied from her. Eventually, she stopped caring about these holidays altogether. In fact, she started to dread them and everyone who had the privilege of celebrating them with their friends and family.
That being said, the idea that she, of all people, was about to go to a Halloween party—with her friends and her fluffy little boyfriend, no less—almost made her want to jump out her apartment window just to see if she’d wake up. The Susie from a few months/years ago would’ve called her insane for even imagining such an absurd scenario. Yet here she was, sitting on the edge of her tattered bed while wearing her leather boots (also borrowed from Rudy), putting the finishing touches on her costume for the first holiday she might actually enjoy. The realization that this was actually happening—that she was finally about to experience the joy that had always been denied her as a child—brought a soft, almost unconscious smile to her lips.
'...Aaaaand done!' She thought to herself with a satisfied hum as she finished tying the boot laces, securing them to her feet. The girl jumped from her bed's edge so abruptly from the animosity she was feeling that her bed creaked and her boots thudded against the floor, but she paid it no mind. Her father’s indifference to her actions was something she had long since accepted—so long as she didn’t disturb him or irritate him, she was free to do as she pleased behind the closed door of her room.
Susie walked over to the partially cracked and stained mirror in the corner of her room to see how she looked—and honestly, it looked pretty good, albeit simple for a costume, but still pretty good for someone who'd never owned anything. The matching costumes she and Ralsei had agreed on were "Hunter & Witch," and Susie thought she'd played her part decently. Her "witch hunter" costume was thrown together, but it still worked. The old, worn leather coat, a little tight since it was Rudy’s—someone thinner than her—gave off the vibe of a seasoned, no-nonsense hunter. It was a bit of a stretch to call it battle-ready, but the tattered edges and faded color made it look like she'd been on a fair amount of experiences. She unzipped it a bit to make it more comfortable and let the plain white shirt underneath peek through, giving a nice contrast. She had also added some "witch-hunting" gear to her buckle, such as a long kitchen knife—which she would have to watch over so Kris wouldn't steal it—and some small vials with tap water (which was supposed to be holy water) and some dried herbs (that were actually just grass she picked from a random bush earlier).
As the girl examined her costume more closely, she couldn't shake the feeling that she looked more like a cliché punk straight out of an old movie than a "witch's hunter"—especially with that jacket. Yet, there was one detail that still caught her eye: the silver spikes embedded into the shoulders. A chuckle escaped her lips, as the fleeting image of what Rudy must have been like as a teenager suddenly flashed through her mind. She started to picture him as just that cheesy '80s punk stereotype, all leather and attitude—he must have been a really cool guy to be around, and it started to make her question how he managed to win over such a straight-laced woman like Carol. She could ask him about his teenage years some other day, though. Right now, she needed to meet up with her friends so they could go to the party, which was just around the corner—half an hour, she'd guess.
The girl gave her reflection a quick, approving nod, a fleeting smile tugging at her lips before she turned and made her way toward the door. As she neared the old wooden frame, the static crackle of a nearby television came through the walls, followed by the harsh, grating voice of a man—loud, rough, and dripping with aggression as he shouted the play-by-play of a football game. Susie’s smile wavered, her face falling into a mask of annoyance as her expression darkened in an instant. The familiar stench of alcohol hit her nostrils before she even stepped out the door, and she recoiled inwardly, hating that smell more than anything. It doesn't matter, she told herself, drawing a steadying breath, her composure quickly returning. That old fuck won’t even notice I’m gone.
She pushed open her bedroom door and flicked off the light, stepping into the dim, oppressive quiet of the apartment’s tired living room. The air felt heavy with stillness, broken only by the faint flicker of the monochrome television tucked away on a small, rickety table in the corner. Its sporadic bursts of static deepened the shadows, swallowing the room whole for a moment before the screen flickered back to life, showing the football game again. Seated in an old, worn armchair was a towering figure—an immense, hulking creature far larger than herself and even Kris's father. The monster seemed almost too calm as it watched the football game, a cheap bottle of beer clutched in his massive hands. His eyes never left the game, but the moment a player made a misstep or a bad play, a low grunt would quickly escape, breaking his seemingly calm mask.
Susie’s lips twisted into a quiet, involuntary “tsch” of disgust, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. Her jaw clenched at the sight of him, that stupid figure in the chair, the flickering television reflecting off his beer-soaked face. She exhaled sharply, forcing herself to breathe through the irritation as she started walked toward the apartment's door. Thankfully, it was rather quick, as the living room was little more than a cramped, suffocating cubicle, barely big enough for a few poorly arranged shelves along the gray, peeling walls–the armchair and television table alone took up almost 70% of the width of the room.
As she walked by, her father remained completely oblivious, not even sparing her a glance. The heavy thud of her boots echoed in the room, but still, he didn’t budge. The faint rustle of her jacket as she shifted her weight, the creak of the floorboards beneath her—none of it was enough to catch his attention. Susie could feel her jaw tightening, a low growl rising in her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it down. She’d known for years that he didn’t care, but the fact that even the metallic jingle of the knife at her belt, the soft clink of vials against one another, and the persistent groan of the floorboards couldn’t make him look up still gnawed at her. She exhaled irritably, her fingers brushing the doorknob, already irritated by the whole thing—she just wanted to get out of there at once to meet her friends and get away from that old drunk. Just as she was about to turn it, however, a hoarse, demanding voice came from behind her.
"Where the fuck are ya going?"
Susie stopped in her tracks at the demand; her father's drunken and annoyed tone reaching her ears like a slap. The frustration burned inside her, and for a moment, she wanted to tell him to go fuck himself and walk out the door. But she knew better—it would only make everything worse later anyway. She turned her head just enough to catch a glimpse of him, her cold and distant gaze hidden beneath the messy aubergine hair. Susie then spat dryly, doing her best not to let her own irritation show.
"Out."
"I asked where," he demanded again, his tone even more annoyed by his daughter's half-assed, dry response. "And look at me straight when I'm talkin' to ya. I ain't one of your little friends."
Susie’s hand trembled slightly on the doorknob, her grip tightening as she fought to control the surge of anger threatening to crush it. Keep it together, she told herself between a shallow breath, before turning almost mechanically toward her father. He was staring at her now, his gaze momentarily moving away from the flickering television screen—and in his eyes, there was only irritation. A brief glance at the monochrome TV revealed his team was losing—to a human team, no less. It was a tough blow, especially since monsters were usually far more physically formidable than humans. This meant that, for some monsters, losing in physical competitions to humans was simply shameful and a disgrace to their race—and Susie's father was one who firmly believed in this idea.
"...To a party." Susie said quietly, her voice barely coming out of her mouth as she continued to meet her father's withering gaze.
His daughter’s response seemed to catch him off guard, as he immediately shot up from the chair so abruptly that the old springs shrieked in protest. The sound echoed loudly in the small apartment, followed by a sharp creak as the armchair lurched dangerously forward, before creaking back with the shift in weight—the narrator's aggressive voice was even lost in that moment, before returning after a brief moment. His gaze sharpened even further as he studied her with narrow eyes.
Susie didn't flinch at the sudden movement or his glare. She'd learned not to; showing fear to him only made things worse. But even as she kept her face still, a small shiver ran down her spine, betraying her. That made her heartbeat race, as her father was a monster who seemed to be able to detect fear the way a shark scents blood. It didn't seem to matter if you hid the physical signs, because even if one perfectly camouflaged the tremors or muffled the quiver in the voice behind a strong posture, he somehow knew—as if instinct alone guided him to someone's true feelings and weakness. And when he found it...well, it was like being a little rabbit caught in a lion’s stare.
Luckily, her father was so drunk that the alcohol apparently dulled that "sixth sense", or whatever it was like magic. This was shown as he still seemed to be analyzing her but not seeing anything abnormal, as his expression did not change. Not to mention that the only light came from the crappy television, its grainy glow barely reaching the corner where the girl was, helping to hide the shiver from his drunken sight too. This almost made her sigh in relief, but the feeling didn’t last. Her father’s gaze shift toward her in a strange way, making the girl uncomfortable, before he began to walk towards her.
The footsteps were heavy as lead, each one making the delicate shelves tremble, yet there was a strange calm in his movement—slow, deliberate, almost tender—that terrified Susie far more than an enraged walk; he no longer seemed the hulking monster who could shatter the room with his hands, but something colder, smoother, a serpent gliding through the dim light toward its prey, and as he came closer, his eyes fixed on her with that sharp, strange stare—gray, hard and shining like a beast's in the darkness. Susie felt the fear rising inside her, cold and electric, paralyzing her limbs, but she locked her face in stillness, forcing herself not to flinch.
His movements were so gentle that Susie hardly noticed when her father was suddenly standing before her, his shadow swallowing her as he blocked the little light that the television offered. Susie's face barely reached his chest, yet she forced herself to meet his eyes as he’d asked, though the effort made her skin prickle. His attention, however, wasn’t on her gaze—it was on the worn, dark jacket she wore. His large hand rose, almost tenderly, to touch the collar, and the light brush of his fingers made Susie flinch, a nervous flutter sparking in her stomach that she prayed he wouldn’t see. And he didn’t. The old man seemed lost in the texture beneath his fingertips, rubbing the faded fabric as though it were something strange and otherworldly, before his gaze returned to hers, steady and unreadable.
"Where did you get that?" His voice was calm but demanding. Susie had to concentrate not to turn away or vomit from the strong smell of alcohol that, even with the considerable height difference between them, reached and assaulted her nostrils. "I never bought you this. Did ya stole it?"
The question was strangely tender, as if he wasn't exactly upset by the idea of his daughter stealing, though he wasn't particularly happy either. It could bring problems later.
"N-No..." Susie replied quietly, making her clench her fists. She hated it when she stuttered to him; when she was afraid of him. It made her feel weak. "It was b-borrowed from Noelle's fat—"
Susie was cut off mid-sentence when her father’s hand shot out and clamped around her arm, his grip iron-hard through the expensive fabric of her jacket. It wasn’t enough to break anything—he’d learned that lesson once before. That hospital bills, after all, didn’t come cheap. It would still leave a dark, purple bruise that would linger long after the pain faded.
“BORROWED?!” He roared, almost spitting in her face with the process. “So let me get this straight...I bust my ass every damn day, out there sweating under a fucking sun with my elbow killing me so we can have something to eat...” His hand clamped harder around her arm, shaking it like he could rattle the truth out of her. “...FOR YOU TO GO CRAWLING TO THAT RICHIE RED-NOSE FUCK LIKE A STRAY DOG FOR SOME CLOTHES?! IS THIS WHAT I'M WORKING LIKE A SLAVE FOR?!!"
Susie didn't respond at first, clenching her jaw as her breath came in short gasps from what she was feeling, but she wouldn't show anything more than that. She wouldn't cry or break down; not anymore, but the girl couldn't help but feel the lump in her throat, making it difficult for something to escape her chest.
"...I'm sorry." Susie managed to get these words out. It was merely a weak, hollow attempt to patch the air between them. She didn’t mean it—not really. She never did. But an apology was all she had left. It was the only way to show how "sorry" she was for whatever wrong she had supposedly done. Whether it was fair or not didn’t matter. It never did.
She remembered the last time she tried to confront her father. The argument had spiraled and escalated into violence so quickly she hadn't had time to process it. His father nearly killed her—and he would have, if her mother hadn't been there. The worse is that It hadn’t been about anything important; just a stupid, trivial thing she couldn’t even recall now. What she did remember, however, was the terror she had felt that day. The raw panic as she fled, her father's thunderous footsteps behind her as he tried to reach her throat. The fear.
Her mind was still tangled of that memory, before a voice yanked her back to the present, startling the girl.
"...AND WHAT IN ANGEL'S NAME ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT KNIFE?!"
Her father's drunken voice exclaimed angrily, making her turn her attention to him again. His face somehow had contorted even more in anger, and she noticed how his gaze had fallen on the kitchen knife and the small vials awkwardly attached to her belt. Susie recoiled herself, worried that he wouldn't let her take practically the only thing that made her identity clear, or simply not letting her go to the party at all. Why did that fucking drunk suddenly start caring so much about what she did outta nowhere?!
"...It's for my halloween costume." She replied quietly.
Susie’s words hung in the air for a moment or so, plunging the room into an uncomfortable silence. The only sound that dared to break it was the faint, disheartened play-by-play of the football game, now void of any real energy. The narrator was probably a fan of the losing team. Her father grunted, clearly irritated, before his hands found their way to his face—rough, grotesque fingers pressing against his skin, as if massaging away the frustration. He sighed deeply, a sound heavy with something darker than just annoyance. It almost felt like disappointment, and it made the girl grit her teeth. That monster had no right to be the one to feel disappointment when he was nothing more than a drunk fuck, but Susie remained silent.
"Susie, for the love of—ya haven't celebrated this stupid festival in years. WHY are you back with that shit again?" His voice was weary, all the previous anger evaporating as if it had never been there in the first place. The massage seemed to have helped calm his mind, or he simply didn't want to deal with it anymore.
"I just...want to enjoy the festival. Really enjoy it," She wanted to say that wish with more enthusiasm, but her voice came out awkwardly shy. "and my friends will...be there, too."
Susie didn't mention that she was going with her little boyfriend—because her father didn't even know she was dating, and she didn't plan on telling him either. If that piece of shit met Ralsei, she could only imagine how disgusted he would be with his "femininity" and would say a lot of shit to him. Just thinking about it made her want to pull the long knife from her belt and plunge it into her father's neck (a thought she's been having for a while to be honest), but she controlled herself. The truth was, Susie might be afraid of him, but if he dared say even a word or, worse, touch a single hair on Ralsei's fluffy fur, she wouldn't stand still.
Her father listened in silence, one hand dropping from his face to meet his daughter’s gaze, irritation flickering in his eyes. She met his stare, her expression resolute and tinged with defiance, a stark contrast to the fragile tone she had just used. The tension between them lingered for a moment, before he finally growled and looked away, his frustration evident.
"You know what? Go to this stupid party, I don't give a shit." The huge monster huffed, throwing one arm in the air in frustration before walking back to his chair with heavy strides. Susie almost let out a breath she didn't even know was trapped in her chest, before her father stopped in his tracks and turned around, pointing a finger at her. "But I'm warning you, girl," He said, voice low and even threatening. "That knife is from a limited edition cutlery set, so if ya lose it, you're going to pay for another one, even if you have to turn tricks in the streets to do so. Got it?"
Susie felt the previous, almost uncontrollable urge surge within her—the desire to rip the knife from her belt and drive it deep into her father, especially since that damn thing seemed to mean so much to him. But once again, she fought the impulse. Biting her lip, she swallowed the venomous thought, a hiss of frustration escaping her as she clenched her fists.
"...Yes."
Her father’s finger remained pointed at her, his gaze cold and unyielding, as if he were extending his words in silence. Susie's frail, trembling response seemed to calm his nerves—she'd probably already gotten the message. The towering monster then slowly made his way back to the old armchair; each step reverberated through the room, shaking it like an earthquake once again.
"If you got the idea, then get the fuck outta here already." Her father’s hoarse voice rasped as he stood in front of the old tube television, then sank back into the worn chair, its springs groaning violently under his weight—it was a wonder the thing hadn’t given out yet. The monster grabbed the patched-up remote that he had left in the seat, fumbling for a moment before cranking the volume up to full blast. The commentator’s voice now roared into the cramped apartment, his tone suddenly more animated, a clear sign that his team was likely pulling off a comeback.
She opened the door and closed it quietly behind her—though, in truth, all she wanted was to slam it hard enough to make the damn thing fall off its hinges. Her hand trembled as it gripped the doorknob, but she forced herself to steady it. Forget about him, just like he’s forgotten about you and mom. Don’t let him get to you. The thought echoed in her mind as she took a deep breath, grounding herself. Gradually, her tension eased, replaced by the vision of Ralsei in his witch’s costume, the idea of heading to a party with friends sparking a glimmer of warmth. That simple thought was enough to settle her like a spell, and once again she felt a flicker of excitement through her. The best part? She wasn’t stuck with that old bastard on the other side of the door anymore, and soon would be eating a ton of candies with her friends. Yeah, that's right! This was the first holiday she would ever celebrate properly. She wouldn't let anyone ruin it, not even him.
She stormed down the stairs, practically leaping over entire flights, her boots slamming into the steps with a force that echoed through the building. She couldn't help but feel a bit of her bitter irritation clinging to her, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the sound of her boots and the thought of the night ahead. It's going to be fun, she repeated it in her mind to calm down. But if anyone dared to complain about the noise, the girl thought with a twisted smile as she jumped down the stairs, she'd offer them a “helpful hand” with her costume—after all, a little blood on her clothes would only add to the effect.
It didn’t take long before she reached the exit door of the apartment block, and unfortunately no one disturbed her throughout her path, but whatever. She could already hear the distant sound of children’s laughter and joyous screams floating through the air, a reminder of the world outside that cold, lifeless apartment. The thought of finally getting to actually celebrate the holiday for the first time made her pulse quicken, her nerves and excitement mingling together. She would enjoy the night, like anyone else.
Susie inhaled deeply, steeling herself before pushing open the rusted metal door of her apartment and stepping into the night. The town around her pulsed with the Halloween spirit—homes glittering with strings of lights, pumpkins grinning from every doorstep that her eyes managed to see, and children in wild costumes darting through the streets, their giggles and shouts filling the air. But as she stood at the stairs of her own building, Susie felt an eerie contrast. Her apartment block, run-down and seemingly abandoned with the silence, seemed immune to the celebration. The lights in the windows were mostly off, and there were no Halloween decorations whatsoever, not even the simplest ones. The other tenants, indifferent to the holiday in the same way she once was, had left the building as lifeless as it had always been—a shadow among the town’s glow. But tonight, Susie refused to remain in the dark. This time, she would step out of the shadows, let the festive spirit touch her, and finally take part in the world she’d always watched from the sidelines. There was just one last thing she needed to do before leaving this backwater and meeting her friends at the Holiday Mansion so they could go to the party together.
She approached the grove of streets to her left and crouched down, careful to not get any dirt in her pants. Reaching for the small vial of tap holy water tucked at her belt, she unscrewed the cap with a quick flick of her wrist. A few drops landed on her index, middle, and ring fingers, cold against her skin. She smeared the drops into the dirt, forming a dark paste, then pressed it to her right cheek, drawing three lines. The smudge of mud gave her the edge she was looking for. With a steady hand, she repeated the process on her left cheek, ensuring both sides were even. That should do it, she thought with a smirk. Now she should have more of a "hunter" vibe than just an ordinary punk.
As Susie stood up and screwed the cap back onto the small vial, she couldn't help but notice how shadows began to grow behind her. The town lights, once bright and lively, seemed to fade where she stood, leaving her in a sudden and eerie gloom. Frowning in confusion, she turned, instinctively looking to understand what had happened. At the beginning of the narrow alley between her apartment and the neighboring building, three small figures stood in the dim light, their costumes barely visible in the shadows. A devil, a pepper shaker, and a scarecrow—each one holding a small jar of candy. The two boys dressed as the devil and pepper stared at her, their faces tight with fear, their eyes wide and uncertain. But the girl dressed as the scarecrow—her costume the most tattered and ridiculous among the three—watched Susie with an odd, almost admiring look. The problem was, for Susie, who had always been looked at like a creep by everyone, the only looks she noticed were those of the boys. Her brow furrowed and she snarled her lip as the kids continued to stare at her as if she were some kind of abomination there in the dark.
"What are you brats lookin' at?" She growled, her gaze fixed on the children as she clenched her jaw. With a sharp breath, she turned her attention back to carefully securing the vial on its metal buckle. As she did, the sound of hurried footsteps reached her ears—footsteps that grew louder by the second. The oppressive shadows around her slowly receded, replaced by the high-pitched shouts of the children: "HELP!" and "THERE'S A FREAK IN THE FOREST!" The words stung, each one a reminder. She frowned, her lips curling into a bitter line. That…that was never going to change, was it?
Susie let out a sharp, frustrated hiss as she finished securing the vial to her belt, her fingers pressing the glass into place with more force than necessary. She turned, expecting the kids to be long gone by now—probably running off to find and tell their friends about the "horrible monster" they encountered, as usual. But to her surprise, the scarecrow girl was still there, lying on the ground, her eyes fixed on Susie with that same unnerving, weird gaze. Even as Susie stared back, confused and increasingly uneasy, the girl didn't flinch or look away. The two remained frozen in a strange, silent standoff. Why hadn't she run off like the others, Susie asked internally, as her confusion only grew. Why is she just...lying there, like some kind of statue? The look on the little girl's face, that unusual shine...was it admiration? No, it had to be something else. Why would that child be in awe of someone like her? It was something else. Fear, maybe? Yeah, that's it. That’s why she was frozen—too scared to move, too frightened to run with the others. But as Susie stood there, the girl’s unwavering gaze began to gnaw at her, like a silent challenge she wasn’t sure how to face. The longer the girl stared without blinking, the more it irked her, like some quiet, unspoken judgment. She didn’t liked it.
Susie held the girl’s gaze until her patience thinned to a wire and she got tired of that bullshit, starting to walk toward her with slow, deliberate steps—part theater, part threat. She leaned down until her face was close enough that the scarecrow girl could even feel her breath. "Keep lookin' at me like that, brat...and I will devour your soul." It sounded ridiculous and mean, exactly the kind of empty menace that sent most kids scrambling, and even many of her classmates despite being in high school. She straightened, waiting for the flinch, already picturing the girl running away in fear and-
"Your costume is really pretty, miss."
Susie’s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the girl. She waited for some sign that this was all a joke, a trick, but the girl’s expression remained the same—those wide eyes full of nothing but pure, unwavering admiration. The little girl's voice was calm, in contrast to her gaze, but her calmness indicated the genuine tone many children possessed, rather than mockery. “What are you dressing up as? A hunter?”
Susie continued to stare at the little girl, momentarily frozen as if she'd seen a ghost—which wasn’t that far from the truth, given her history with that particular police officer. The silence stretched for a few seconds before the scarecrow girl awkwardly coughed, pulling Susie from her trance. She blinked, refocusing on the little girl still lying on the ground. "H-Huh? What? O-Oh... erm...y-yeah, and...thanks," she mumbled, still struggling to find her words. This was rare for her—being lost for words wasn’t exactly in her wheelhouse, as she learned to be independent and not take shit and insults from others from a young age. The problem was, it wasn't an insult or anything like that, but an actual compliment.
This wasn’t something Susie was used to. Most people were scared of her, and if she ever received any compliment from a stranger, it was usually only to mock her. The few who looked at her differently—who weren't afraid of her and saw her for who she really was, were Kris, Ralsei, Noelle and even Berdly sometimes, so this particular event left her speechless. Someone she’d just met—a kid, no less, who should’ve been more terrified than anyone, like the assholes at school or even adults—was looking at her like she had the coolest costume in the world. And on Halloween, a day that usually left her with bitter memories, hearing a genuine compliment about her costume...it really touched her. That made Susie deeply regret trying to scare the little girl away.
"Are you...erm, are you okay down there?" Susie asked awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head. Come to think of it, how did that kid fall to the ground if she wasn't afraid of me, Susie thought to herself, now finding it confusing. The scarecrow girl, on the other hand, offered a soft smile at Susie's concern. "Yep, I'm fine! It's just that...my friends accidentally pushed me to the ground when they were running away." She said as she calmly picked up the few candies she had dropped from her humble little plastic container she was carrying.
Accidentally, huh? Susie thought, unamused as she looked closely at the scratches on the little girl's hands as she picked up the dropped candy. These scratches were not the result of an accident, Susie realized while also paying more attention to the girl in general.
She assumed the little girl also came from a poor home. She had received an almost ridiculous amount of candy—presumably because of her ridiculous attempt at a scarecrow that was literally just the mop of an old broom on her head and rumpled clothes. Her dark eye makeup, clumsily applied in a sad attempt to create a deep, shadowy look, instead seemed as if it had been hastily smeared with charcoal, and it was. Her hat was a crummy imitation of a scarecrow’s—patched burlap and fraying twine, its crooked brim barely holding together. Despite not having a proper costume, she was out on the streets, going from door to door for candy just like everyone else. The kid was simply trying to enjoy the holiday, even though the odds were clearly stacked against her.
She reminded Susie so much of herself back then.
The sight of the little girl crawling toward the few meager candies she'd managed to scrounge back to her battered plastic container, softened the dragon monster's gaze. Susie let out a quiet huff, frustration bubbling up inside her as she realized she had nothing to offer the girl. The kid had come all the way to this forgotten corner of town, and that in itself showed how desperate she must have been for just a little more candy. There wasn't a single candy in her apartment, and there was no way she was going back to that place anytime soon, anyway.
Susie watched the girl in silence, unsure whether she should say or do anything—what could she possibly do, anyway? All she could manage was to retrieve the kid some candy near her feet as the scarecrow girl crawled toward another piece, precariously close to a puddle by the alley’s edge. It was almost comical, in an awkward way, but Susie didn’t have the heart to laugh. The girl was on her hands and knees, scrabbling at the filthy ground for some cheap candy. The old Susie probably would have laughed her ass off, but now it was just..sad. Especially since that little girl looked so much like herself in the past.
With a quiet sigh, Susie crouched down; her large fingers brushed the ground until they closed around the candy. It was a cheap, generic candy, wrapped in a flimsy layer that offered little protection against the exterior. Susie didn’t even have to check the brand to know it was something you’d find at a corner store, the kind that came in a pack of dozens for a few cents. This reminded her of the few candies she had somehow managed to get as a child on past Halloweens, which were all cheap and some even spoiled—which wasn't really a problem for her, but an adult offering rotten candy to a child simply because they didn't have a good costume was still fucked up. She let out a muffled hiss while her fingers tightened around the little treat, lifting it slowly, her hand swallowing it almost entirely. But as she did, something caught her eye from farther down the street.
The pavement was scattered with something small, a handful of objects glinting faintly in the glow from the town’s festive lights. At first, Susie thought they were just pebbles, nothing out of the ordinary. But as she squinted to see better, she realized that those little things weren't pebbles or anything like that. They were candy—and not like those cheap candies Susie had in her hand. These were from famous brands known for being delicious, nestled inside extravagant shimmering packaging.
Susie stared at the expensive candies in street, her brow furrowed before she remembered those other brats from before. It must have fallen from those idiots when they ran away, she thought. Her eyes flicked over to the scarecrow girl, who was crawling toward a lollipop that had shattered when it hit the ground, its colorful wrapper crumpled and torn. The girl hadn't noticed the little gleaming sweets scattered on the street yet, as she was too busy picking another tiny candy bar near the filthy puddle at the entrance to the alley. A slow gin spread across the dragon girl's face before she stealthily stood up and started walking towards the candies scattered there, unwrapping the one in her hand and swallowing it in one gulp—the kid would forgive her afterward anyway, and Susie was a little hungry too.
"Sorry about the mess, hehe" The scarecrow girl said with an awkward giggle as she gathered the last candy into her little plastic container. "But erm...trick or treat?" She asked in the same awkward tone as she stood up, turning toward where Susie was and forcing a strained smile, as if she were tired of putting on that expression over and over again only to get nothing in the end. But there was no one there. No one in front of her, no one beside her, no giant purple monster nearby. In an instant, the smile slipped entirely, and her shoulders slumped in sadness as another person let her down again and gave her nothing.
"Or maybe not, huh..." She murmured sadly before slowly turning to go to some other house in the town. Who knows, maybe there would be another house she hadn't been to yet, and at least she could get just another candy.
As she turned to leave that corner of town, she suddenly collided with an imposing figure, her feet almost giving way beneath her. The candies in her little container jolted from the impact, teetering dangerously on the verge of spilling onto the ground again. She let out a soft hiss, rubbing her forehead where the shock had hit, then looked up—only to find a certain dragon-like monster grinning down at her with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. The scarecrow girl blinked, momentarily thrown off by the surprise. But before she could find her words, Susie spoke, her voice laced with irony as she lightly grasped the arm holding the small plastic container.
"Don't you think you're forgetting something, brat?" She said with a low, almost threatening laugh, as she slowly moved her other hand toward the little girl's plastic container.
The scarecrow girl shuddered, her body stiff with fear as the terrifying voice echoed around her. Her wide eyes watched in helpless terror as the massive purple dragon's clawed hand loomed closer to the small container clutched in her trembling fingers. Her heart hammered painfully in her chest, sinking with dread. Not only had she collected so little candy, but now even that was about to be taken from her. The thought of escaping crossed her mind, but she knew it was pointless. The most convincing part of her scarecrow costume wasn’t the worn, ragged clothes—it was her gaunt frame. Her thinness, almost painfully so, would never allow her to run or fight back. She squeezed her eyes shut, defeated, as tears pricked at her lids. Her “makeup” would streak down her face, but at that moment, it didn’t matter. She was about to lose everything anyway. She just wanted to run home, to curl up somewhere quiet and cry until there was nothing left to cry about.
Halloween had never been for someone like her, the girl thought. It never had been.
The girl, however, didn’t hear the rustle of candy wrappers being picked up or the abrupt shift in weight that usually signaled her candy was being stolen. This left her feeling a bit confused, but she didn’t dare open her eyes yet to face the scene of her being robbed. A moment passed, and then she heard a noise—but it wasn’t the expected sound of something being taken. Instead, it was the soft sound of something being dropped. She felt the light tap of small objects falling into her container, a faint rustle of candy wrappers shifting with the new...additions?
That deepened her confusion even more, making her cautiously open of her eyes as a thin, wet trail of her charcoal makeup ran down. There, hovering above her container, was the dragon girl’s open hand. She had a smile and a calm expression on her face, in contrast to her previous tone, before letting go of the girl's arm. The little scarecrow stepped back slightly, her breathing quickening a little as she carefully observed Susie, who simply remained standing there watching her with that same tranquil smile—her hands now in her jacket pockets. The girl held the gaze for a moment, before quickly peeking inside her contain as exasperation formed in her face. There, she found a completely unexpected sight that made her eyes widen in surprise.
Among the dull, chipped candies—some even cracked from the earlier "accident"—were a few prized treats from well-known brands. The stark contrast was impossible to ignore: the faded, simple wrappers of the candies she’d gathered stood in sharp opposition to the sleek, brightly colored packaging of the branded ones, their logos elegantly embossed into the shiny plastic. Not only that, but the size of the additional candies also easily surpassed her own. A single piece of chewing gum was the same size as a chocolate candy she had been given earlier.
The girl continued to stare in disbelief at her rickety container, before looking up in surprise at Susie, who offered a mischievous, toothy grin when she looked at her.
"Happy Halloween, twerp." She said playfully, before laughing at the prank she had just pulled. She couldn't help but admit that she felt a little bad when the little girl started to tremble slightly and tear up, but the expression she was making now—that pure, growing smile while tears, previously of fear and sadness, now of happiness, fell? It made it all worth it.
The scarecrow girl shifted her gaze back and forth between Susie and the plastic container, her smile stretching wider with each passing moment. Her animosity was palpable, so intense that her hands trembled, causing the candies inside the jar to rattle ominously. The sound was sharp enough that it almost seemed as if they would tumble out again. Susie watched warily, knowing that some of the treats—like the giant, colorful lollipop teetering precariously on the edge—would shatter if they hit the floor, and if that happened she wouldn't have anything left to give.
"O-Oi," Susie called out, slightly worried. "Be careful with them because I ain't got any more left. So, if you let them fall—"
Susie was interrupted when a little girl suddenly dashed toward her and wrapped her arms around her waist, holding the container tightly even in the midst of the hug. Miraculously, not a single piece of candy fell, despite the speed of the girl’s approach and the force of the embrace. But honestly, Susie didn’t mind. She stood frozen, the girl clinging to her side, her small arms hugging Susie’s hip, even though her frame felt almost skeletal. The moment stretched on for a few more seconds, Susie unsure of what to do, caught by surprise. That was when she could hear the little girl's thin voice, full of happiness as she lifted her face to meet Susie's. Her 'makeup' was now completely ruined, but she didn't care one bit.
"Thank you...thank you, really...!" She whimpered before burying her face in the surprised monster's hip, who remained stood there.
"Y-Yeah, sure...no biggie." Susie said with an awkward smile on her face as she turned away her gaze.
The hug lingered for a few moments longer before the scarecrow girl gently pulled away, stepping back just enough to meet the hunter girl’s gaze with a wide, excited smile. Susie's face was cast in darkness by the poor lighting, but she still offered a warm, less awkward smile that seemed to have blown all the darkness away. Her eyes then drifted to the girl's costume, which had become a little disorganized because of the moment. The charcoal makeup smeared from the tears, and the old mop the girl was using as a wig had shifted, revealing some strands of curly, brown hair—tousled, but still undeniably beautiful. Susie couldn’t let her costume stay that way, however.
"Hold on a sec, kid." She said, as she walked back into the bushes, leaving the little girl a bit confused. The dragon girl then crouched near the dirt, her massive frame blocking the scarecrow girl’s view. She barely heard the faint sound of something being uncapped before the large purple-skinned girl ran her hand slowly across the ground, her movements deliberate. The scarecrow girl’s brow furrowed in confusion, but she held her tongue, not wanting to appear rude or intrusive, and stayed silent, waiting to see what would happen next.
Susie stood up and walked over to the little girl, who was still watching her with a mix of curiosity and confusion. Without a word, Susie crouched down to the girl’s level, her right hand lifting just enough to bring it close to her face. As she did, the little scarecrow saw some mud caked generously across Susie's large hand—dark, damp earth that had once been loose dirt but now clung to her skin in a messy, wet tangle. The little girl looked at the mud with a raised eyebrow before turning her gaze back to the punk hunter girl.
"Close your eyes for me, will ya?" Susie asked politely.
The girl hesitated for a moment, slightly taken aback, but ultimately nodded and closed her eyes, trusting Susie. As soon as she did, she felt a cool, wet texture gently rubbing in slow, circular motions across her left eye. The sensation made her giggle, the ticklish feeling making her squirm a little. Susie continued the movement for a beat longer, as if making sure the mud stuck properly, before repeating the same on her right eye, drawing more laughter from the girl. If the kid had opened her eyes right then, she would have obviously gone blind lol—but before she could, she would’ve seen the soft smile on Susie’s lips, her expression warmed by the sound of the girl’s giggles.
"...Aaaaand done!" Susie hummed, finishing applying the mud over the girl's eyes and taking her hands away. "Now you can open your eyes, kid. Just don't be stupid and let that dirty dirt get into your eyes." She said it half ironically, half seriously. It would be a problem if that mud got into the girl's eyes now, because all the water in her vials had run out.
The girl cautiously fluttered her eyes open, taking care not to let any of the mud Susie had mentioned get into them. She held her gaze steady for a moment, feeling the cool, damp sensation of the mud against her eyelids and the skin around her eyes and not dangerously close to them. When she felt confident it wasn’t going to seep in, she opened her eyes wider, the wet texture still faintly pressing against her. Looking at Susie, she furrowed her brow in mild confusion, her expression asking silently why she had put mud on her eyes in the first place.
"Your makeup had smudged when you, uh...cried. Sooooo, I redid it, but with mud this time. And brat, you look terrifying!" Susie said, pleased with the good job she had done. The old charcoal makeup was terrible and conveyed more of a strange feeling than a frightening one, anyway. She just hoped the girl would like what she did, too.
The answer seemed to catch the girl off guard, but she continued to feel the cold, damp texture of the mud against her skin. She...redid my makeup? The thought lingered in her mind as she stood there, still staring at Susie with confusion and surprise. Without saying a word, she started walking toward the puddle of water where one of her stray candies had fallen nearby earlier. Kneeling beside it, she peered down at her reflection. It was hard to see clearly in the darkness, but the faint lighting from the distant houses was enough for her to make out a blurry image. Her eyes were ringed with dark mud, the circular smudge giving her a far more intense, almost menacing look than the charcoal had. The charcoal, after all, hadn’t blended well with her skin and had been a faint, almost washed-out black.
A smile formed as she admired her own figure. The big purple girl was right, she thought excitedly. She was scary!
She stood up, stepping out of the darkness of the alley and walking over to Susie, looking at her with a grateful gaze that sincerely spoke louder than a thousand words. Susie met her eyes with a gentle, approving smile, pleased to see that the girl seemed to like her emergency "makeup," before placing a hand on the girl's shoulder in a friendly, reassuring gesture.
"It doesn't matter if your costume is good or not," Susie said, adjusting the girl's wig on her head. "As long as you have fun, that's all that matters, kay? Besides, your costume was way scarier than those brats' costumes before. Like, seriously—one of them was dressed as a pepper. Who the hell is that supposed to scare?? People with allergies???"
The little girl chuckled slightly at the girl's irony, but listened attentively to Susie's words with a now confident and determined look on her face. Susie continued, now standing up and placing her hands on her hips.
"There's going to be a party at Hometown school, did ya know?" The little girl nodded; probably studying there too in another period. "The prize for best costume is going to be a TON of candy. You should go too! I know the costumes of the people in my class are going to be absolute trash, and if the kids' costumes are as bad as your...'friends', I say you got this in the bag!"
The girl appeared taken aback by the invitation, her surprise quickly giving way to a shy, almost self-conscious demeanor. Susie raised her eyebrow, finding the girl's reaction strange.
"I wasn't really...planning on participating, haha..." She chuckled awkwardly, probably because she believed she would be embarrassed if she went. The poor soul barely gained anything from her costume, let alone compete with several other people with much better costumes than hers. "I would just...try to get some candy with trick-or-treat if possible and—"
"Nonsense!" Susie interrupted her abruptly with a waver and a bright smile. "I'm sure you'll rock it!" She exclaimed excitedly, before her voice softened. "Besides...if you're worried about your costume, remember that Halloween is about being scary! Not about who has the best, fanciest costume, and I can tell you for sure: You're much scarier than these brats who were with you just now."
"T-Thanks..." She replied as a blush formed on her cheeks. "Y-You're right, giant purple girl!" She exclaimed, completely confident while Susie awkwardly corrected her, saying her real name. "I-I think I'd better get going then. The party's in a little while, isn't it? I'm just going back home to return my..."basket" of sweets first, haha..." She gave an awkward little laugh, looking at the plastic container and giving it a light tap, making the candies inside rattle. The sound made her excited, happy that she had won so much even though she didn't deserve it, and all thanks to—
"Susie," The scarecrow girl called, with an adorable smile on her face. "Your name is Susie, isn't it?"
The dragon girl looked at her, a little surprised that she had heard her correction, especially when she had been so caught up in the excitement of the moment.
"Erm... yeah," Susie replied, her brow furrowing slightly as she tried to make sense of the sudden shift in the conversation. "Why do you ask—?"
Before she could finish her sentence, the scarecrow girl wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into another tight hug, just as strong—if not stronger—than the first one. This surprised Susie, but honestly not so much now. The hug was oddly comforting, and she found herself relaxing into it, despite her initial surprise. This time, she hugged the girl back.
The scarecrow girl pulled back just enough to look at her with bright, earnest eyes. "My name is Nathaly." She said softly, her tone carrying an innocence that seemed almost too pure for words.
As she spoke, Nathaly slowly pulled away from the embrace, her small hands lingering for a moment as if reluctant to let go. She turned toward the street, where the soft glow of orange and yellow LED lights cast a warm, golden hue over the festive town. Just as she was about to take her first step forward, Nathaly paused and glanced back over her shoulder. Her gaze lingered on Susie for a moment longer, before saying with a smile.
"Happy Halloween, Susie!"
And just like that, she was gone, her small figure fading into the distance, swallowed by the soft glow of the festival and getting lost among the other children who were in their way of asking for candy. Susie stood there for a moment, staring at the spot where she had been, as if trying to hold onto the warmth of the moment. It took one moment, then two—until the stillness was broken by a quiet, almost hesitant smile that formed at the corners of Susie’s lips. She could feel a warm tear forming in the corner of her eye, then another. For the first time in her life, someone had wished her a happy Halloween—a simple, but perfect gesture that made her heart melt in her chest.
She quickly brushed the tears from the corner of her eye, however. If she started crying there, she would be the one with her "makeup" ruined. Nathaly was right, too—the party was about to begin, and time was running out. She needed to hurry, but more than that, her friends had probably been waiting long enough. And she just wanted to see how Ralsei would look in his little witch costume. The idea made her tail start wagging, but she quickly reprimanded it with a slap, which recoiled slightly downwards like a kicked puppy.
With one last judgmental glance at it, she started walking out of that backwater as well. The only real issue with the upcoming party was that, now that Nathaly was presumably joining in, they’d be competing against each other. Not that it bothered Susie much. If she and Ralsei won, she’d split the prize in half and offer Nathaly her share. And if someone other than her, Nathaly or her friends wins…well, Susie would just have a little chat with the winner about sharing some of those candies. The thought made her chuckle out loud, startling a few children as she strode toward the town.
That night was going to be fun!