Archive of Our Own

“Halloween is a very special day. Filled with tricks and treats. But the most favorite would have to be the tricks. Why you may ask? Why it’s simple. Because a certain school is about to be ambushed with the most devious trick yet. But what will they get in the end if they survive? That’s what I would like to know? So gather around my honored guests, as we begin this special untold tale of tricks and treats…”

-Hachimitsu-

Halloween (Oct. 31st)

10:00am

Hachimitsu, the prestigious school that was once a female school, now turns co-ed as it now invites males to the school. Despite the still large number of female students over the amount of male students. 

The school grounds were decorated with Halloween aesthetics. From carved pumpkins placed on the grounds, either near the stands across the schoolyards or at the front entrances. A string stretched across the yard with paper cutted out in pumpkin shapes, a makeshift lamp post stood up on the ground. 

The inside of the school was also pretty busy as well with students either in the process of making decorations, painting cardboards, decorating the walls with posters and setting up classrooms for activities.

Walking around the school hall, Kate, the student council president, looks amongst the students who were chatting with each other while preparing for the special day. 

Kate wore a smile on her face as she continued observing the students. Her eyes spotted a familiar figure who was chatting with a student. The familiar long black hair and the way she stood gracefully and imposingly, was a dead give away of who it was. 

Kate approaches her from behind as the student leaves and hurries somewhere else.

“As expected of the Underground Council to be monitoring the school grounds, even in broad daylight.” Kate said with a smile and somewhat teasing tone. “But that is to be expected from you, Mari.” 

“Ah, Kate.” 

As Mari turns her head around, Kate nearly jumped when she looked at Mari’s face. She was wearing makeup with a mixture of black and white and three thin lines around her nose on both sides. 

Kate blinked twice rapidly as she was completely caught off guard by the makeup on her face.

Mari tilted her head. “Is…something wrong?”

“Um…I know it’s Halloween, but don’t you think your getting into the spirit of the holiday a little too much…” Kate asked.

Mari blinked, still confused. “What are you saying?”

“Just how dense are you?” Kate thought to herself.

The orange-haired council president rolled her eyes and gestured to her face and pointed at Mari. The crow mistress blinked before realizing. 

“Ah. You must mean the make-up I have on.” Mari said.

Kate could only look at her with a blank look. “Took you long enough. For someone of high social status, you sure do have your moments, do you?”

“Don’t give me that.” Mari rolled her eyes. “As for the make-up, Chiyo wanted me to match with her and take a picture before tonight. Seeing how Meiko, Hana and Anzu would be guarding the school.”

Kate closed her eyes as she thought to herself. “I mean, true. But do we really need any guarding? If anything you guys can also enjoy the holiday. It’s supposed to be a day for everyone to enjoy.”

“I appreciate the offer, but we still need to look after the school in case something does happen.”

“Very well then, but either way, thank you for your continued support.” Kate with a grin. “By the way, where are your other guard dogs?”

“If you mean Meiko, Hana and Anzu, they are off seeing the other students and how they are progressing with their activities and contribution to the festival.”

Kate had a look on her face as she stared at Mari. 

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just that, when you say that, I would imagine your ‘oh so Juliet’ would have run off to go find her man who's possibly also busy with his contribution to the school festival.” Kate said with a roll of her eyes. 

“Don’t be like that. If Meiko wishes to see Matsuri, then she is allowed to. Just as long she doesn’t neglect her duties as well. I don’t see the problem with it. And besides, aren’t Risa and Mitsuko not similar in vain?” 

Kate flushed for a moment before coughing into her hand and crossing them under her chest. “I…I don’t know what you mean?”

Mari gave her a raised brow. 

“...fine, they may have. But why stop them. So, what?”

“Nothing. It just took you a while to admit that you can’t stop someone from seeing their loved ones.” Mari said with a smile. “Either way, I’m gonna continue my routine, since you're here, would you care to join me?”

Kate flips her hair with an annoyed look. “O-Of course. I was gonna join you either way. I got bored just walking alone…then again walking with someone like you is also gonna be boring as well…”

“Oh…if your afraid that I will bore you, then please, by all means, please continue with your duty on your own then.” 

Mari was about to walk off, only to feel a tug on her sleeves. She released a small smile before looking over her shoulders. Seeing the arm belonging to Kate who held a flushed look on her face. 

“Changed your mind?”

“Shut up. I-I was only joking. I mean, seriously, learn to take a hint will ya.” Kate said with a blush. 

“Then shall we?” 

Kate could only let out a growl but was heavily blushing. She shook her head as she walked alongside Mari who couldn’t help but chuckle at her friend.

-Track Field-

Out on the track field, there was a rather large construction project going on the field. A connecting tent that stretched across and filled almost the entire field. 

In front of the entrance within the maze were just the two boys, (Kiyoshi and Joe). Alongside with Chiyo, Mayumi and Satou who were watching the entrance way. Hana with her hand over face as she could hear Kiyoshi bickering with Gakuto over the walkie-talkie. 

“Gakuto, how are things going inside there?” He asked.

Gakuto: [Ah…not exactly going smoothly here, Kiyoshi-dono. In fact, we have a situation here? Indeed, the time of trouble is upon us!]

“H-Hold on, what do you mean? Is everything good inside?”

???: [EEEEK!] 

Kiyoshi and Joe reacted as they covered their ears. 

“Geez, Gakuto. I know *cough* it’s supposed to be scary, but you don’t have to scream like that.”

Gakuto: [Nay! That wasn’t me! That was Mitsuko-dono! She got frightened by one of our props! Pray, d-do calm down, Mitsuko-dono. T-There is nothing to be a-afraid of. T-These are merely just props.]

Mitsuko: [I-It still scared me though!]

Gakuto: [P-Pray, do calm yourself. There’s nothing in here that can-INDEED!] 

Mitsuko: [EEEEEK!] 

*Thwack!*

???: [OWWW!] 

Kiyoshi and the others could only listen to the sound that was happening inside. 

“W-Was that Anzu-kun?” Chiyo asked. 

Anzu: [MITSUKO! IT’S ME!] 

Mitsuko: [Don’t scare me like that!] 

???: [Hey! Gakuto! Finally found you!] 

Gakuto: [Shingo-dono! And Anzu-dono!]

Anzu: [It’s like a maze in here! I was trying to find you guys before we got separated. Shingo keeps getting scared by the props he setted up.] 

Shingo: [N-No I wasn’t! You were the one who got scared! You even clung onto my arms!]

Gakuto: [Shingo-dono…why is there a wet spot on your-]

Shingo: [DON’T SHINE THE LIGHT THERE IDIOT!] 

Kiyoshi and the others couldn’t help but listen to the entire conversation outside. Hana's face palmed herself, with Chiyo keeping her laughter in check and Mayumi and Satou could only sigh to herself. Kiyoshi and Joe look at each other with blank looks.

“Um…Gakuto, you do know we can hear you all?” Kiyoshi said. 

Shingo: [YOU DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING! H-HEY! ANZU! I SAW THAT FLASH!] 

Anzu could be heard chuckling in the background. 

Gakuto: [Indeed, have you guys found Andre-dono and-]

???: [KYAAAAA! HELP ME! IT’S CHASING AFTER ME!]

Chiyo blinked. “Oh! That’s…Risa-chan?”

Mitsuko: [Risa-chan! What’s-EEEEEK!] 

???: [MPPPPHHHHHH!] 

A rather loud muffled noise could be heard from the device. 

All: [WAAAAAAAAAH/INDEEEEEED!] 

“H-Hey guys! What’s going on!?”

Gakuto: [WE ARE INDEED BEING CHASED BY A LARGE GHOST! INSIDE THE ATTRACTION! QUICK, KIYOSHI-DONO! WHERE’S THE EXIT!?] 

Kiyoshi blinked for a moment. “Exit? Aren’t you guys following the arrows?”

Shingo: [WHAT ARROWS!? THERE AREN’T ANY ARROWS IN HERE!] 

Kiyoshi stopped for a moment as all eyes were on him. Hana gives him the most glare out of them all. The boy could only sweat on the spot as he soon realized something.

“I…um…”

Gakuto: [KIYOSHI-DONO! DID YOU FORGET TO PUT THE ARROWS ON THE FLOOR!?] 

“............”

Kiyoshi could only stay silent as he looked at the ground next to him, inside the small box were indeed arrows.

Risa: [KIYOSHI YOU BASTARD! IF I EVER GET OUT OF HERE YOU ARE-] 

Risa didn’t finish as Kiyoshi turned off the radio and stood there with a thousand yard stare. Kiyoshi looked at the group with a nervous smile.

“Well…at least we know the attraction is gonna be a hit…” 

“Oh Kiyoshi-kun…” Chiyo said with a sigh.

Hana smacked him on the side of the head. “Idiot! Only you would screw something like this up!” 

“Sorry, sorry, my bad.” Kiyoshi said.

“Maybe building *cough* a big and long haunted attraction wasn’t the wisest idea. Hell, even I got lost in there. I only managed to find myself back at the entrance.” Joe said.

“I-I mean, if we’re lucky enough, they could find they’re way towards the exit…”

“And risk Risa beating you up.” Mayumi clarified.

“........right.” 

“And what is going on over here?”

The group turns to find Meiko standing tall with her hands crossed under her bosom. 

“Oh, Meiko-chan.”

“Nothing much, aside that this dumbass over here forgot to slap down the arrows leading to the exit of the haunted maze.” 

Meiko blinked as she could hear screaming inside the maze and looked towards Kiyoshi who was sweating on the spot. 

“I’m not surprised.” Meiko said. 

“I-I mean, it still proves to be a success right, I mean, you can hear them screaming inside right?” 

Kiyoshi only received blank looks.

“...I promise to put down the arrows that lead towards the exit…”

Hana thought to herself as she crossed her arms. “How come you didn’t put them down earlier…”

“...I got scared of the maze.” Kiyoshi admitted. 

“EVEN THOUGH IT’S YOUR MAZE! GEEZ! AND AREN’T YOU A BOY! MAN UP!” 

“I got scared doing it alone and they dared me to go inside! I just lied to them that I put up the arrows when I got out…through the entrance way at least.” 

“Ugh! You're so…fine! I’ll come along and help you! But you're leading!” Hana said.

“Me!?”

“You know the way, right!?”

“I-I think…”

“Then we’re doing it! Come on, chop, chop.”

“Wait! Now!”

“Today is Halloween! We’re getting done before tonight!” 

“R-Right…”

As Hana and Kiyoshi gathered the arrows inside a box, they went inside to put down the arrows. 

Chiyo leaned near Mayumi. “Chance they’ll run into the others?”

“Most likely…” Mayumi said as she could still hear the screaming from inside.

Chiyo chuckled at her answer. She felt a tap on her shoulders, looking over she sees Meiko with a light blush on her face. “Chiyo…by any chance have you seen Matsuri…”

“Matsuri-kun…oh! You just missed him. Apparently Etsuko ran out of ingredients to make some cookies for tonight. I think they rushed off to the store.”

“Ah. So that’s why I couldn’t find him…” Meiko couldn’t help but to wear a disappointed look. 

“Well, it would make sense since he is busy as well helping the others, I was hoping to spend some time with him tonight…oh well. I shall ask him when he gets back.”

-Nemiru, Downtown-

Matsuri and the others walk along down the street, with Etsuko singing to herself in a familiar tone. 

“Well now, someone sure is happy…” Yukina said with a flip of her hair. “Hope that means something good for us in the long run…”

Tsubaki sighs to herself. “Relax, Yukina. She won’t do anything out of the ordinary for us. At least for now.”

“Hey!” Etsuko stops her singing as she looks at the group with her hands on her hips. “You make it sound like I’m just some ticking time bomb!”

Matsuri and the others stopped as they just looked at her mixed expressions. Matsuri looked at her with a nervous expression, Tsubaki and Yukina wore blank expressions and Megumi could not muster anything at all as she just stared at her.

All: She literally says so herself….

Etsuko notices their expressions. “What are you guys thinking?”

All: Nothing.

Etsuko pouts at them as she looks at them with an innocent look. “Do I not look like a sweet and innocent, cute little girl to you all?”

“No. Your innocent little ticking time bomb gremlin who causes us trouble more so than you can count.” Tsubaki said with a blunt expression. 

“You can’t deny that I bring you joy and thrills to your life!” Etsuko said with sparkles in her eyes. 

“I would rather my life be casual and chill.” Megumi said as she pushed her finger against her forehead. 

“Hmph! Well either way, I’m just happy because I love Halloween! One of my favorite holidays! It’s when my creativity reaches its peak! Telling scary stories, making costumes that will terrify anyone, oh! And also gathering a whole lot of treats as well!” Etsuko's mind was filled with many of the things she just spoke out.

Her friends, however, could only know for sure that Etsuko was gonna be a problem for the school.

Yukina lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, I can hardly wait…”

Etsuko's expression slowly changed from sparkles of glee to an innocent pout. “Too bad that Kate didn’t pick me to set up the haunted attraction, I would’ve come up with a way more terrifying experience for the school.” 

“I’m afraid to ask, but how so?” Tsubaki asked. 

Etsuko practically teleported in front of Tsubaki. She grabbed onto her shoulders with her foot planted on Tsubaki’s stomach as she pushed up against her face.

“I can already imagine it! The school suddenly transformed into a terrifying experience! It’s like this! Students trapped within the school, looking all normal at first, but later only to find out the school is haunted by all sorts of anomalies! The students must find all of them before midnight or the school and the students inside will be lost forever!” 

Nothing was said between the group. All were looking at the small girl. 

“Um…that’s…actually pretty creative…it could be a great attraction.” Matsuri said.

“True…but I feel something like that will be hard to pull off.” Yukina pointed.

Etsuko thought to herself as she jumped off of Tsubaki. “Hmm…yeah maybe you're right. How about…a zombie invasion?”

“Going with the most grounded one, huh?” Megumi said.

“Yeah, yeah…I can picture it now. Hachimitsu students suddenly turn into zombies, only the remaining survivors who are not zombies must survive and turn everyone back into humans before midnight…”

Her friends stared at her with anticipation. Only for her to remain silent.

“Yeah…and?” Yukina asked.

“...I can’t come up with anything else.” Etsuko said with her expression not changing.

“Seriously now…” Tsubaki said with a blank expression. 

“So much for the build up…” Matsuri said with a sigh. 

Etsuko groaned. “Can’t exactly come up with anything else after that. I mean, zombies are usually just a post-apocalyptic world or something. I never really had a story where everyone turns into zombies and you must change them back. Kind of low on creative juice from that point on.”

Yukina: You only came up with two ideas…well, those and that other one you muttered to yourself while inside the mall.

“Well too bad, Kiyoshi and those four idiots are already coming up with their attraction, so there’s no helping it.” Megumi said.

Etsuko groans with pout before throwing her hands up in the air. “Man, it would be so cool and terrifying if something like that were to happen. I could easily make that into some stage play or something like that! Oh well, guess there’s no helping with that-(Thud) OW!” 

Etsuko groans in pain as she accidentally kicks something that was in front of her. A reasonably sized sign post in front of her spelled out: “Come Inside!” 

“Owww…where’d this sign come from!?” Etsuko pouted. 

The others look at the sign with curious expressions. 

“Strange. That sign certainly wasn’t there before…” Yukina said with a curious expression as she leaned forward. 

“Did it just suddenly appear like that while we weren’t paying attention?” Matsuri asked.

“No way! That definitely wasn’t there!” Tsubaki pointed out. 

Etsuko pouted, only to look up at the store. The store itself seemed like any other ordinary store, but only this one seemed to be fashioned in an old style with bricks decorated on the wall. The window held mannequins up front with rather expensive looking clothes and old antiques that they have not seen before. 

Etsuko looks at the sign that was hanging in front of the store.

“Mystic Emporium?” Etsuko said with a head tilt. “Has this store always been here?”

“Never heard of it.” Megumi answered. “Also I don’t think this store has been here either, I think.”

“What type of store is it, anyways?”

Yukina held a furrowed brow as she looked at the store. “Hmph. Possibly one of those old antique stores…then again, if judging by the name…I’m certain this store does hold many varieties of goods…”

Matsuri through the window, however he couldn’t look inside as the store with the curtains closed. Something about it rubbed him the wrong way. “How about we go ahead and head to the school. Otherwise we’ll be late to make the sweets…”

“Yeah, we got what we came for and we’re on the clock. So let’s-”

*Ding. Ding.*

Tsubaki stopped when she heard the chime bells hitting against the door. Opening her eyes to find Etsuko already going inside the store. 

“GAH! ETSUKO!” Tsubaki screamed.

Etsuko leans back as she looks at her friends. “I wanna take a peek!” 

“Y-You! We don’t even know this store!” Yukina pointed out.

“Too late!” Etsuko said before going inside. 

Leaving her friends outside with dumbfounded looks. 

Yukina smacks herself in the face with a sigh. “Ugh! That child.”

*Ding. Ding*

Yukina opens her eyes and notices Matsuri, Tsubaki and Megumi following. 

“NOT YOU THREE AS WELL!” 

“I know, Yukina. But we can’t leave without Etsuko. Just a little peek for her and we’re out of here.” Matsuri said as he followed the others. 

Yukina could only sigh to herself as she followed the others.

-Mystic Emporium-

Inside the store was as she suspected. A small store with a wide variety of products. Some she has seen before and others…she has not. 

The room itself was dark, as if the store wasn’t open yet and she easily was able to get inside. The store had a variety of isles to look through, ranging from toys, furniture, books and even foods. Some of the foods were more sweets related than ordinary foods. The ceiling was decorated with a glass window which was a mural of some sorts. Couldn’t exactly make out how dark it was. 

“Is it…open?” Matsuri asked. 

“If it is not, then how come we could enter inside so easily…” Tsubaki asked. “Not sure I like this…”

“Sooo….” Yukina spoke from behind. Giving her friends a blank look. “Why are we inside?”

Etsuko didn’t respond as her interest was inside the store. Her eyes look ahead and notice what appears to be the front desk. Walking up to it, she finds it completely empty, with only the cash register and the lights off inside the glass case. 

Curiously, she looks at the bell and smacks against it, ringing the bell. 

“Hello! Is anyone here!” Etsuko yelled. 

…………

But there was no sound. Just the cars outside. 

“Guess…no one here?” Matsuri said with a cautious tone.

“Almost too scary. As if this place is haunted.” Yukina said as she hugs herself.

Unaware of them. Tsubaki flinched. 

“Hmm…I don’t know if we should be here, how about we leave.” Megumi said not like the atmosphere.

“Y-Yeah! Yeah! You’re right! Good suggestion there, Megumi! Let’s get on out of here!” Tsubaki agreed as she was shivering and scared stiff. 

Yukina notices her behavior. “Tsubaki? Are you okay? Are you coming down with a cold?”

“Y-Yeah! It’s just really c-cold here!” Tsubaki tries to play it off. 

“Or you're just scared.” Megumi pointed out. 

“NO I’M NOT!” 

As the three were speaking amongst each other. Etsuko was more looking at what was in front of her with Matsuri by her side. 

“What’s wrong, Etsuko?”

The small girl didn’t reply as she picked up a notecard from the desk. Something written on it. Reading closely it says a set of instruction:

Bow Twice

Clap Twice

Bow Once

“...what in the world?” Matsuri said. “Isn’t this something you do in front of a shrine?” 

Etsuko pondered for a moment before looking at the boy. “Let’s do it!” 

“Huh!?” 

“Come on! I wanna see what happens! You think a god might appear in front of us?” Etsuko said with sparkles in her eyes. 

Matsuri blinked, he noticed the innocent and anticipating look in her eyes as she was hoping he would agree to do it with her. He sighs to himself. “If nothing happens, we’re back to school?”

“Sure! Just don’t half ass it!” 

“I won’t…”

Etsuko bounced as she stood in place with Matsuri next to her. “Right! Let’s do it!”

So they followed the instructions as told. They bowed twice, clapped their hands twice and bowed once more. 

???: WELCOME HONORED GUESTS !

All of them jumped from the floor as the voice suddenly ranged out, echoing around the store. The lights suddenly turned on, flashing on, scaring Tsubaki as she clung onto Megumi a bit too tight. 

“T-The lights are on!” Matsuri said.

“But whose voice was that!?” Etsuko said as she clung onto Matsuri. 

???: Right in front of you, Honored Guests!

The five look at the same front counter. What was empty and absent is now being occupied by a strange man. The man is a strange mix of black and pink hair. Wearing a black and white, looking professional businessman. But his appearance gives a mischievous aura to it. 

The man looks at the five with a smile with his chin resting on his folded hands. 

“Welcome special guests! To my Mystic Emporium~!” He said as he gestured with his one hand over his heart and his other stretched out. 

The students did not know what to say as they stared at the man. 

“You know, silence can be taken into two forms. One is admitting I’m right and the other is a hurtful quiet of criticism.” He said with each body gesture of his words.

“Oh! S-Sorry! We were just…a little taken back.” Matsuri spoke for the group. “We found your store and…well, our friend here was curious…”

“Oh I know all too well, my friend. I was watching the whole time.” The shop owner said.

“HAH!? WHERE!?” Tsubaki says now on defense as she rushes up to the shop owner with her fist ready. 

The shop owner points downward on the seat he was on right now. “Here. Up at the front desk of course.”

The five were once again met with silence. Unsure of what to say. 

“I…I don’t…wha?” Megumi asked.

The shop owner could only smile at their reaction and laugh under his breath. 

Yukina took notice of this. “I don’t exactly appreciate how you find this amusing. You could’ve said something. Who knows, we could’ve just broken in and been caught by the cops.”

“Terribly sorry, my lady. But it’s just that it would kill the anticipation. I mean, think about it, going inside a store, you believe it is empty. But as your curiosity takes hold of you, you continue onward and behold!” He said as he threw his hands in the air with a smile. “I will make my grand appearance!" 

Etsuko had sparkles in her eyes. “I know exactly what you mean! It makes a character introduction so much cooler!” 

“See, this young miss gets it!” The shop owner said. 

Yukina could only let out an exaggerated sigh. “This child…”

“But where are my manners, I have yet to state my name. My name is Ginchiru. Ginchiru at your service.” He said as he bows. 

While Megumi, Tsubaki and Yukina were not exactly too keen with the mysterious Ginchiru, Matsuri however spoke for the group. 

“Oh…um…thank you for having us, Ginchiru. My name is-”

“Oh no need.” Ginchiru stops him. “I know who you five are. You’re Matsuri Hitoyoshi. Etsuko Kamishoya. Tsubaki Kumajo. Megumi Kawagumi. And Yukina Shido.”

………….

Now Matsuri joined the cautiousness along with the four, minus Etsuko whose eyes sparkled. “YOU KNOW OUR NAMES!” 

“Of course~! It’s just a little quirk I have, nothing to be afraid of.”

Matsuri, Tsubaki, Yukina & Megumi: He says that but…

Ginchiru claps his hands. “Now then, my honored guests! What can I do for you all on this rather special day?” 

Yukina coughs in her hand. “Oh, nothing. We were just curious about this store, that's all. We’re not looking for anything in particular, so thank you for your time, Ginchiru. Come friends, time to go no-”

Just as she turns around, nearly letting out a squeak as she finds Ginchiru suddenly in front of them. His hands behind his back as he looks at them with a smile. 

“Oh come now, my honored guests. Don’t tell me that this store piques your interest. I mean, since you're here, you could at least see what you want or perhaps look around the store.”

Yukina was taken back to how he suddenly appeared in front of them. Sending them all on guard. The ojou ninja clears her throat. “T-Thank you for your…euthastistic pitch. But we really must be going. We have a festival to attend and we have the ingredients with us for the sweets. We’re on the clock and we must be going.” 

“Ooh~. What a shame, because it seems your little Misses have already picked out something she wishes to purchase.”

All: HAH!?

They all look to find Etsuko holding a small decorated box. 

“Look what I found!” She said with sparkles in her eyes as she shoved the box in front of them that had a cupcake inside. The cupcake itself was decorated with orange frostings and sprinkles on top of it with a pumpkin decor attached to the frosting. 

“A…cupcake?”

“Ah! An excellent choice there, young miss!” Ginchiru said as he was already beside Etsuko with his hand on her shoulders. “That there is a one of a kind product! Only found in the rarest part of Japan!”

Tsubaki: And…that’s where?

“........only found in the rarest part of Japan!”

Tsubaki: Not gonna answer me, are you?

“And I can guarantee you, young miss. This top of the line product will bring much spice to your life! Like say you're having some sort of festival or party, want to make it interesting! Then just pop this baby open and let the fun commence!” 

Etsuko's eyes sparkled. “Oooh! We’re actually having a Halloween festival at Hachimitsu! This little box would be perfect!” 

While the small girl was excited, her friends however were not too exactly on board with the idea, sharing worried but cautious glances at each other.

“Um…Etsuko?”

“I’ll buy it!”

“EXCELLENT CHOICE YOUNG MISS!” 

Etsuko suddenly found herself in front of the front counter. Ginchiru happily stretched his hand out. “That would be 1600 Yen!” 

Etsuko, without thinking, digs into her pocket and hands him the money. Ginchiru releases a chuckle as he puts the money in his register and brings some change out and hands it to her. 

“Pleasure doing business with you, young miss~!”

Etsuko bowed. “Thank you! This will surely bring spice to this festival!” 

“Ahem.” Yukina cleared her throat. “Are you done yet? Come now, we’re running on the clock.”

“Coming! Thank you again, Ginchiru!” 

“You’re welcome. Oh and one more thing before you go, young miss. Make sure you read the instructions on the back, understand?”

“Huh? Instructions…for this cupcake, why?”

“Can’t be too careful.” Ginchiru said with a smile.

Etsuko smiled as she bowed and followed the others who were ready to leave. Ginchiru waves back at them with his smile. As he was left inside the store. 

“Oh yes…Hachimitsu will surely experience an interesting night, indeed. I wonder how this will play out…”

Ginchiru chuckled to himself as he looked onward with his eyes halfway open. 

“The key players are here, the stage is set and the key piece is ready…let the fun begin.”

-Hachimitsu-

11:30pm

The party was in full swing. Many of the students were dressed in their costumes. Either as their favorite monsters, creatures or even characters from their favorite anime shows they have watched. 

Many of the students, along with their friends and family gathered outside, checking out the many stands that were propped up outside. From foods, minigames and prize stands that held all sorts of prizes and awards for them. 

Out on the field, the boys' haunted maze attraction was garnering the most attention as people gathered in a huge line for them to experience the horror that awaits them. 

Awaiting from the sideline, Kiyoshi (dressed as a vampire), Gakuto (dressed as one of emperors from the Three Kingdom) and Joe (with a small ant antenna on top of his hood) were at the front entrance, greeting the many students and outsiders alike.

“Greetings, young maidens! And welcome to our haunted maze. Please follow the green arrow placed on the floor to safely be escorted out of the maze.”  Gakuto said. 

Kiyoshi and Joe: Have a safe trip and have fun!

After their greetings, the pair enter inside the maze. 

The three boys couldn’t help but chuckle to themselves as they gave each other a grin. 

“This is going perfect! Everyone is recognizing our genius!” Kiyoshi whispered. 

“With this *cough* will be rising in popularity with the girls!” Joe said with a smile.

“Indeed my comrades! Today marks the day that we, the boys who started out as zero, this will mark the day that we take another step into popularity and recognition!” Gakuto exclaimed with an ambitious tone.

“You said it, Gakuto!” 

“Hello boys.” 

Kiyoshi and the two stop to find two familiar figures approaching them. Their school nurse, Takamoto (dressed as a witch) and Kiruyu (not dressed as anything but wore makeup on her, similar markings as a cat). 

“Ah! Greetings, Takamoto-sensei and Kiruyu-sensei! Have you two come to see our attraction as well?” Gakuto asked.

“On the contrary, we’re just observing the festival for the most part,” Kiruyu said as she crossed her arms. “Plus, we wanted to make sure that your attraction wasn’t gonna be a problem. Heard from Hana you ran into a few problems.” 

Kiyoshi flinched at that. 

“I-Indeed. We did run into a FEW minor problems here and there, but not to worry, everything is back up and running. Listen for yourself…” 

The two adult staff members hear the screaming from within the attraction. 

“See, it’s all good.” Kiyoshi said. 

Takamoto chuckled to herself. “Well, hope you don’t mind if things get spiced up around here. Because-”

“MOVE IT OR LOSE IT! OUT OF MY WAY!” 

Before she could even finish, she only sighs to herself muttering lowly to herself ‘too late’ with a small sympathetic smile. 

The boys immediately picked up on the voice and who it belonged to. And lo and behold. Three familiar boys just marched their way up front, ignoring the protest from the girls and others. Marched while dressed as three musketeers. 

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Sousuke said with a smug. 

“Oh great, it's these guys…” Kiyoshi said as his body slumped. 

Gakuto immediately took a stand. “Excuse me, Sousuke-dono and friends! But would you please wait in line like the others if you wish to partake in this attraction.” 

Sousuke huffs out some air through his nostril as he looks at the attraction. “So, this is the haunted attraction that I heard about. Looks mediocre honestly.”

“How the hell would you know? You three haven’t even tried it!” Kiyoshi pointed. 

“We haven’t. But we have tried out many haunted attractions before and we always come out on top victorious.” Riku said. 

“But to hear you dorks doing a haunted attraction, me and the boys were just so eager to look at your fancy haunted attractions.” Sousuke said his smugness was so wide.

Kiyoshi growled. “Did you not see the long ass line on your way here? Plus, we got plenty of positive reviews from the students and outsiders who experienced it first hand!” 

“Yeah! So why don’t you *cough* losers turn into flies and take a hike somewhere-”

“Hold on now, Joe.” 

Takamoto raised her hand in front of Kiyoshi and the others. She looks at Sousuke and the others with a grin. 

“This is supposed to be a festival. You know, the time to enjoy and relax. Plus, its Halloween.”

Sousuke nodded with a grin. “That’s right. We’re not here to cause trouble.”

“Buuut, since you boys claim to be so brave…why not go through the attraction yourselves.” She said with a mischievous grin. 

Sousuke and the others froze for a moment. They looked from Takamoto, Kiruyu, to the boys and the attraction in front of them. Making it worse, they could hear some of the people behind them, daring them to go inside the attraction. 

Ren and Riku nervously glanced at each other and at their leader who was trembling at the moment. 

“Um…Sousuke…” Ren asked. 

“Bring it on!” 

Ren & Riku: HAH!?

Sousuke twists his body around as he faces the boy with a proud look (despite his sweating appearance) he still wore a brave face. 

“WE’RE GOING INSIDE AND SHOW THESE LOSERS WE’RE NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING!” 

“I-I mean, we don’t really need to…” Riku trembled. 

“I don’t wanna…” Ren just straight up said.

“WEAKLINGS! LOOK WHO WE’RE DRESSED UP AS! WE CAN TAKE IT!” 

“Why are you yelling exactly?” Riku asked out of concern and curiosity. 

“IT TO SHOW HOW BRAVE I AM OBVISOULY!” 

Kiyoshi: No it doesn’t.

Sousuke immediately got behind both Riku and Ren. “THREE MUSKTEERS! ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL!” 

Ren: Hold up! How come you're behind us!

Riku: Shouldn’t you be up front!

“LET’S DO THIS!” He said completely ignoring them as he pushed them forward. 

Kiyoshi/ Gakuto/ Joe: Please enjoy our attraction!!!

It wasn’t even a minute and they could hear a familiar girlish scream (a rather high pitch one) coming from within the attraction. 

“It hasn’t even been a minute.” Kiruyu said as she faced herself. 

“I figure as much.” Takamoto chuckled to herself.

-Hachimitsu, Auditorium-

Many of the students within the large room were gathered around, all were doing their own activities. Some of the female students were chatting off to the sidelines, chatting amongst each other. Meanwhile, the other half of the student population were dancing in the middle of the floor with the music playing in the background. 

Off to the sides, Matsuri and his friends were hanging out watching from the side. Each of them dressed into their own costumes. Matsuri dressed as some yakuza member. Etsuko dressed as a sailor princess mixed with a pixie of some sort. Tsubaki is dressed as a cursed monster. Yukina dressed as (ironically enough) a ninja. And Megumi was dressed as a worn out boxing championship person. 

As Matsuri was sitting down amongst one of the tables with Megumi and Yukina. Tsubaki was busy watching over Etsuko who was currently ducking her face into water trying to dig out the apples that were floating inside the bucket. 

The small girl tried very hard to search for one of the apples, but unsuccessfully couldn’t get one. 

“Ugh! Damn it! I couldn’t grab a single one!” Etsuko cried. 

Tsubaki sighs to herself as she rests her hand on the small girl's shoulders. “No one said it was gonna be easy.”

Etsuko pouted as she glared at the apples that just floated there on the waters. She couldn’t help but to feel that they were mocking her. 

“Look, you’ve been at this game for a while now, just-”

“If you're telling me to leave this, forget it! I’m gonna do it again!” 

Etsuko took a deep breath as she ducked her face into the water again, making a splash. Tsubaki grumbled a little with an annoyed look on her face. 

Matsuri and the others watch from the sideline. 

“Is she still at it?” Megumi asked as she looked from her seat. 

“I’m afraid so…” Yukina said with a sigh. “Though, I must admit, I will give her credit for determination….” 

Matsuri noticed how Yukina trailed off from her thoughts, looking back at her who was thinking to herself. 

“Um…Yukina?”

“Hm?”

“You okay? You’ve been off ever since we got here?”

“Ah. Apologies. I was merely just thinking to myself about that man we ran into at the shop.”

“Ginchiru? What about him? Aside from him being suspicious.” 

“I’m not sure…something about that man doesn’t sit with me…” Yukina said as she pondered about it. “Maybe it’s just my imagination, though I wish Etsuko didn’t bring that cupcake that just made me even more tense.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing too serious…at least that's what I hope.”

“Ah. There you are.”

Matsuri hears a familiar voice and looks over his shoulders to find three familiar figures approaching them. All of them dressed in their respective costumes. 

Chiyo, dressed as a princess with a blue dress. Hana dressed some cat with simple cat ears on top of her head and a tail strapped to her waist. Then there was Meiko who was dressed in a yellow suit showing off her cleavage. 

“Hey guys!” Chiyo waved at them with a smile. 

“Hello, Chiyo and companions.” Yukina mustered a smile as she waved at them. 

“You guys enjoying yourself?” 

Before any of them could answer, Etsuko released a steam kettle noise as she lifted her head from the barrel once more with a pout. “DAMN YOU APPLES! MEET YOUR INEVITABLE FATE!” 

She splashes her head into the barrel once more, not knowing she’s attracting a crowd as they record her digging for the apples. 

“Aside from watching the child make a fool of herself, everything is going good.” Yukina said. “How about you guys?” 

“It’s been really fun so far! Everyone is having a good time. And I like how everyone's costumes are…” Chiyo only stopped when she noticed Matsuri’s costume choice. 

The boy took notice of the stare he was receiving. “What?”

“Seriously, out of all the costumes you chose, you chose a yakuza?” Hana said with a raised brow. 

Matsuri blinked. “Oh! Right…um…it uh…sort of came to mind actually…I just thought they were kind of cool…you know when you think about Junichi and all.” He said with a slightly nervous laugh. 

The others couldn’t help but to look at the boy with mixed expressions. Hana pinched between her brows, Chiyo released a nervous laugh. Meanwhile Meiko couldn’t help but to slightly giggle a little at Matsuri’s choice. 

Etsuko comes rushing over as she flings herself onto Chiyo as she hugs the teenager. “Hi, Chiyo! I like your princess costume!” 

“Aww, thanks Etsuko-chan. I like your costume as well.” She complimented earning a grin from the small first year. 

“Did you guys try out my cookies! I think I did a really top notch job with them this time!” Etsuko said as she puffed out her chest.

“We did! They were really good!” Chiyo said as she clapped her hand together. 

“Though, I think you added a little too much cinnamon to them, don’t you think?” Hana suggested with a flat expression. 

“What do you mean? The cinnamon is the best part! It gives it extra spice! Plus, I would’ve gone with strawberries or something else, but they were all out by the time we got to the store.” She pouted a little. 

Meiko thought for a moment. “Ah, that’s right, you all went to the store this morning. That explains why I couldn’t really find either of you.”

Matsuri rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, I know you were looking for me specifically, Meiko, but Etsuko was sort of on a time limit. She just dragged me and the others.”

Yukina: Rather roughly if you ask me…

“It’s not my fault! We needed to get everything done before tonight!” 

Yukina looks back at the small first year. “And yet you find it necessary to stop by that weird emporium shop.”

Chiyo, Hana and Meiko blinked.

“Wait…emporium…” Chiyo tilted her head.

Tsubaki answered for the group. “On our way back from the store, there was this weird shop in town known as Mystic Emporium…”

The three became curious at what they were talking about. 

“Emporium…is there a shop like that here in town?” Hana asked.

“Have you guys not heard of it?” Matsuri asked.

“Not from our memory. What did it look like? Did you know who ran the shop?” Meiko asked out of curiosity. 

Megumi spoke up. “It was like any other emporium shop. Had all sorts of products for anyone to browse through. But it was…weird. The moment we entered, no one was there…”

“That’s right,” Matsuri spoke next. “Me and Etsuko did some sort of ritual you do at a shrine. But the moment we did, the shop suddenly-”

“SPRANG TO LIFE!” Etsuko interrupted as she sprang up between the group, surprising Matsuri in the process. “Then this weird man came out of nowhere, his name was Ginchiru, said we were his honored guests and even allowed me to purchase this weird box from him! Oh! Not only that, but he even knew our names! It was creepy but awesome!” 

Etsuko's eyes sparkled as she practically looked at the three, waiting to hear their response. But what is there to say about that? From their description alone, they could only look at them with curiosity. 

Meiko shook her head as she pondered. “So there was an Emporium shop that none of you had ever heard of and were greeted by some man named Ginchiru and you purchased an item from him?”

“That’s right! You wanna see it!?”

“You have it on you?” Chiyo asked.

“Sure do! I think I left it with me back in the cookie class room…” 

Chiyo was rather curious about the item that the first year had purchased, not letting the opportunity slip from her. “Okay then, let’s go.” 

“I still believe that you should’ve left that box alone.” Yukina mentioned. “Lord knows what sort of trouble that would bring…”

Etsuko could only wave her hands non-chantally. “Oh don’t worry, I'm sure you're just being paranoid.” The small girl latched around Chiyo's arm as she dragged her along. “Come on, come on! I wanna show you!” 

“Okay, okay, Etsuko-chan, don’t pull…” Chiyo said as she was being pulled on by Etsuko.

Hana sighs to herself as she looks at Meiko. “I think I’ll stick with the twerp. Make sure she didn’t purchase anything illegal.”

“Though I think Etsuko is also aware of not purchasing anything illegal wise…I think it would be wise to double check.” Meiko said. 

Tsubaki: I’ll come along…

Yukina: Mind if I do as well? Just for precaution.

Meiko nodded. “The more the better.”

On that note, the group set out. Leaving only Meiko, Matsuri and Megumi. 

“Matsuri…” Meiko spoke, getting his attention. “I was wondering, I heard that Kiyoshi and the others have made a haunted maze outside on the track field…would you…like to explore it with me…” She said with a bit of a blush. 

“Oh, are they done? Sure. Megumi, you’ll be good by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine. You have fun.” Megumi said with a smile. 

Matsuri got up with a stretch as he and Meiko walked side-by-side, exchanging conversation while Megumi minded her own business.

-Hallway-

11:40pm

“Damn assholes!” 

Sousuke was not happy one bit. Stomping down the hall with his face flushed faint red. His friends behind him as they watched their leader brimming mad. 

“Can’t believe that happened! And right in front of the whole population of my future harems as well!” Sousuke said through his gritted teeth.

“I mean, Sousuke,” Riku spoke up. “It’s not the first time that has happened.”

“Yeah, you’ve wet your pants before!” Ren said.

“SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!” Sousuke shouted, his face full of crimson red. “And didn’t we promise to never…EVER! Remembering that stupid memory again!” 

“It happened.” Riku stated.

Sousuke grumbled as he glared at the glasses wearing boy. 

“Oh wow, it already got up to 10k views!” Ren said as he was looking at his phone.

“The hell are you even looking at…wait?” Sousuke stopped himself. “Don’t tell me…is it-”

“You wet yourself at the end of the maze…yeah it is.”

Sousuke grabs the phone from his friend, his face close to the small screen. Then his eyes went wide…looking at the screen almost motionless as he watched the familiar scene unfold before him. And a memory he wished he would forget…but here it was…right before him. 

Sousuke's face turned hot red as steam came out of his ears.

“THOSE DAMN BASTARD!” 

Before Sousuke could throw the phone down, his hand was stopped by Riku as he grabbed his wrist. 

“WHOAWHOAWHOAWHOA! EASY NOW! Sousuke, give me the phone! I can’t have you breaking our property over something out of your control! Look, how about we go to the auditorium and get us some sweets to calm ourselves down.” Riku suggested. 

“Hey, yeah. Eating sweets always calms me down.” Ren added in.

Sousuke was still beyond pissed…but his friends' words did carry some truth. He cooled himself down by breathing through his nose before giving the phone back to Ren who put the phone in his pocket. 

“Ugh, some Halloween this turned out to be…”

Sousuke looked over his shoulders and noticed a classroom door that was still open with the lights on. He smelled a familiar scent of sweet aroma coming from the classroom. Taking the lead as he was followed by the others.

The group pokes their heads inside the room, noticing that it was empty, but the smell of sweets did catch their nose. 

“Hey, what’s that on the counter top?” Ren pointed. 

Sousuke and Riku looked at what he was pointing at, following his line of sight, they spotted what looked to be a decorated box on top of the counter. 

Curious, the red-haired boy led the way as he opened the door and walked inside towards the counter. His companion followed his lead. Approaching the counter, his eyes remained on the box that sat before them. 

Within range, Sousuke looks at the box and examines it as he picks it up. “What the hell is this?” 

“Looks like a decoration by one of the girls…or the boys maybe?” Riku stated. 

Sousuke rolled his eyes. “I doubt this was their doing. Perhaps that four-eyed nerd.” 

He brought the box near his ear, shaking it. Feeling something rumbled within the box and even hearing it. Sousuke looks around. “Welp, no one's around…”

“Hold up, your not planning on-” 

Whatever he was about to say, he was too late as Sousuke opened the box. 

“-nevermind. You would.” Riku said.

“Hey, I had a rough day. At least give me some slacks.” 

Sousuke eyes look back at the opened box, revealing…plain orange cupcake with sprinkles.

“The hell is this!? Just a cupcake?” Sousuke said as he picked up the cupcake, examining it, hoping to find something. “It’s literally a cupcake!” 

“Were you expecting something else?” Riku questioned.

“I don’t know, maybe underwear or a bra!”

“...why would any girl think of putting something like those inside the box?” 

Ren looks at the cupcake, only to look back at the box, finding something else inside. Reaching for it, he takes out a notecard, taking the spotlight. 

The card reads:

-Before midnight, she is in her hideous form. But once the clock strikes 12, under the moonlit night, she is at her purest-

“What does that mean?” Ren asked. 

Sousuke could only roll his eyes. “It’s just the girls trying to scare us. Nothing to be afraid of…”

“I don’t know, Sousuke, something about this cupcake doesn’t sit well with me.” Riku said with a cautious tone.

“It’s just some stupid cupcake. What harm could it do…”

Sousuke took a moment as he looked at the cupcake before bringing it to his mouth. Despite Riku wanting to reach out and stop him from doing so, it was too late as Sousuke had already taken a bite.

And immediately spitting it out. 

“Blegh! Gah! That’s disgusting!”

“Is it bad?” Riku asked.

“Yeah it is! One of the worst cupcakes I had! Like seriously! It didn’t even have a flavor at all! Like talk about…t-talk about…about…” Sousuke trailed off his words suddenly. His body wobbles a little as he quickly puts down the cupcake. 

“Sousuke?” Riku asked out of concern. “H-Hey, you okay?”

Sousuke didn’t say anything as his body flailed forward, but used both his hands to stop himself from falling as he leaned onto the counter top. His vision started to swirl. 

“W-What…what’s happening…to…” Sousuke couldn’t formulate a single word as he began to swerve.

“H-Hey! Sousuke! Come on, wake up, man! You're starting to scare ME!” Ren said.

“Water! You must need water, correct!?” Riku stated, but only got mumbling from Sousuke. “Right then! Ren, watch him!”

“Right!” 

Riku hurried over to the cupboards to find any cups for them to use. Scavenging around until he finally found them. Rushing over to the sink as he turned on the water faucet. 

“Ren! How’s Sousuke’s condition!?” 

He was suspecting an answer of some sort from him…but to his shock. He received nothing. 

“Ren?”

He looked over his shoulders, he took notice that both Ren and Sousuke were nowhere to be found.

“Guys…” 

He turns off the water faucet and sets the cup down. Walking over to the spot where he left them. Once he was within range, he took notice that the cupcake was gone as well. 

“Fellas…are you here?”

He took a step…

*Splech.*

He looks down to find some sort of weird goo on the ground that gave off a weird neon blue color. 

“What in the world…” 

*Thunk*

Riku gives out a small yelp as he takes out a fake sword and points it in the direction of the noise. Only to lower his guard when he finds a familiar garbed wearing boy standing on the opposite end. His back facing Riku.

Riku gave out a sigh of relief as he sheathed his weapon. “Geez, you gave me quite the scare there, Ren. Where were you…actually, no. How long have you been there? And where’s Sousuke? Is he okay?”

He was suspecting an answer of some sort. But once again…nothing.

“Ren? Did you hear me…”

He approached him, hoping to get an answer from him or something. But still nothing.

“Ren? Hello?” 

He was within range. Grabbing onto his shoulders.

“Why are you not-”

He turned him around. Regretting his actions immediately. His breath caught in his throat as what he was looking at in front of him. Was indeed his friend…but his friend was slightly…different. 

His eyes gave the same neon blue color. Oozing from his mouth was a saliva of the same color, moaning as if he was a brainless zombie. Riku trembled as he backed up. 

“R-Ren…w-why are you…”

Ren only moaned as he approached him slowly, stumbling towards him. 

Out of instinct, he grabs the hilt of the rubber sword and points it at his friend. “B-Back off! I-I know how to make a rubber toy hurt!” 

Ren groaned once more, this time aggressively as he launched himself at him. Riku lets out a scream as he leaps to the side, Ren's body goes stumbling as it hurls into one the counters. Riku glances back at Ren. 

“Ren! It’s me! You’re best friends! Remember!?”

Ren's body stumbles a bit as he raises himself up from the floor, his neck cracked as he looks at the terrified Riku. He then runs towards the boy with a snarling scream. Riku's hair stood on the edge as his body reacted on its own. Running away from his friend who was closing in behind him. 

He makes it towards the door. Swinging it open…

Only to release a horrified scream when something or someone greeted him at the door.

His scream carried throughout the quiet halls.

Walking down the hall. Etsuko was exchanging conversation with Chiyo who was particularly interested in their tale from this morning. With Tsubaki, Yukina and Hana following behind listening in.

“Really now? The shop just randomly appeared out of nowhere?” Chiyo asked.

“It was super weird! Like it just randomly sprung up as if we just said the magic word or something.” 

Chiyo blinked with a tilt. “Well, as long as you guys weren’t hurt in the process, then I guess it’s all fine.”

“Is it though?” Yukina spoke up. “I mean, we still don’t know anything about that shop owner who greeted us.”

“Maybe he was just some eccentric dude or something…” Tsubaki said.

“That could be possible,” Hana chimed in. “Though, I’m curious about this shop as well. Where’d you guys find this shop again…”

“We found it downtown.”

“Hmm…I think I should visit this shop myself…” Hana thought to herself.

“Oh! If you're thinking about that, you might want to scratch that off your list.” Etsuko received a questionable stare from the blonde teen. “I was gonna go back and ask him for more on the box, but then the moment I got there, the shop was gone.”

Chiyo & Hana: Huh!?

“She’s right. The shop was there a moment ago. But then as we left, it vanished.” Tsubaki said as she remembered the event, giving her chills. “It was kind of bizarre…if not a little creepy.”

“Hold on!” Hana stopped in her tracks. Prompting the others to stop as well. “You telling me you visit this weird ass shop! You bought a product from there! And the moment you returned, the shop was gone!?” 

“Yup!” Etsuko said with a simple smile.

“WHY ARE YOU ANSWERING LIKE ITS NORMAL!?” 

Yukina: You asking this child the dumbest question?

“I at least expect her to HAVE some sort of common sense!” 

Chiyo nervously laughed as she tried to calm Hana down. “I’m sure it will be alright, Hana-chan. Whatever Etsuko-chan brought with her I’m sure it’s nothing too suspicious.”

Hana wore a skeptical look. “Let’s just hope…”

Etsuko: WHAT THE HELL!?

The group faces in the direction of the voice belonging to their small companion. Spotting her by the front door towards the cooking classroom. They rushed over to her side to find out what she was reacting to.

“Etsuko-chan, what’s wrong!?” Chiyo asked. 

But instead of not answering, the girl rushes inside towards the open box, revealing the half bitten cupcake that was on the counter, but the filling inside was some strange neon green color. With little of it spilled on the counter and dripping onto the floor on the ground. 

“Someone already ate it!” Etsuko whined with a pout.

Chiyo and the others follow in as they look at the scene before them. Chiyo and Hana expressed a grimace expression as they stared at the half eaten cake with the green ooz spilling from it. 

“Eugh! Good thing they did! That cupcake looks like it’s rotten! You brought that!?” Hana said.

“I mean, it looked nice on the outside…didn’t even tasted yet the moment we got back.” Etsuko said. 

Tsubaki took a closer look at the green ooz on the ground. Curious, she sticks her finger in it. 

“GAH! Tsubaki! What on EARTH are you DOING!?” Yukina said.

“What? I’m investigating.”

“Yes I see that, but DON’T STICK YOUR FINGERS INTO SOMETHING YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF! Especially something soo…filthy.”

Tsubaki rolled her eyes. “Oh calm down, it’s not like it’s gonna hurt me.”

“U-Um…T-Tsubaki-chan…” 

Tsubaki looked over her shoulders to find a terrified Chiyo. “Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Y-You’re hand…l-look…”

“My hand? Huh?”

Then the moment she turned, she found the very ooz she was touching was slowly but gradually crawling up her arm. Her expression switched from calm to panic in a second. 

“T-The hell!?” 

Tsubaki shot her body up from the floor and up in the air. But the ooz stretched, with a good chunk of it still crawling up her arm, slowly consuming her. 

“H-Hey! This isn’t funny! What the hell is going on here!?” Tsubaki said as she tried to pry the ooz off of her. But only to have her other hand stuck and the ooz slowly consuming that. “FUCK!” 

“HANG ON!” 

Yukina brandishes out her kunai and tries to cut the ooz that she was stuck to, but only has the kunai stuck to it. As the ninja teen tries to break the kunai from its imprisonment. She eventually let go as the ooz consumed the kunai and attempted to get on her. But she released her weapon just in time. 

But Tsubaki was beyond scared as the ooz this time stopped at her arm, but then later found her veins were glowing green within her body. 

“TSUBAKI ARE YOU OKAY!?” Etsuko screamed. Terrified for her friend.

“T-This isn’t funny anymore! SOMEONE GET THIS THING OFF OF ME!” 

“Hang on!” Chiyo tries to look around for anything to use. 

Until she comes across a fire extinguisher. Breaking the glass as she grabs it. She aimed it at the ooz that stretched from the ground. Spraying it with the extinguisher enough as it became frozen, halting it in the process of consuming Tsubaki. 

As it was frozen, Hana raised her foot in the air and smashed it into pieces. The ooz that was on Tsubaki’s hand was also shattered, freeing her from her imprisonment. Tsubaki released a breath of relief, realizing that she was holding in her breath the moment the event occurred. 

“The hell was that all about…” Tsubaki said as she looked at the shattered remains of the ooz that was frozen solid. 

“You okay?” Hana asked. 

“I-I’m fine…just a little spooked, I’ll admit it…”

Etsuko looks back at the cupcake on the counter. Only to notice a card that was on the table next to it. She picks up and reads the following:

-Before midnight, she is in her hideous form. But once the clock strikes 12, under the moonlit night, she is at her purest- 

Etsuko tilts her head. “What does that mean?”

“Maybe it's a riddle?” Chiyo said as she looked over the small teen's shoulders. 

“Hmm…” Etsuko looks back at the cupcake on the counter. Her eyes looked at the green ooz. “Is it…referring to the cupcake…”

“Um…guys…” The four looked over at Hana who was over by the window. 

The group took notice of the droplet trail of ooz that was leading from their spot and towards the window and out the classroom.

“Soo…whatever or whoever ate Etsuko cupcake is now wandering around the school and may or may not cause a widespread panic at the school.” Hana said with a nervous expression. 

“As if this day couldn’t get any worse…” Yukina said as she face palmed herself. 

“We need to tell my father about this! The school may be in danger!” Chiyo said.

Yukina thought for a moment before looking towards Chiyo and Hana. “I and Tsubaki shall warn Mari and Kate. Meanwhile, Chiyo, Hana and Etsuko, you three go warn the chairman! Whatever is loose will NOT ruin this holiday!” 

All of them nodded in agreement. 

“Come, Tsubaki!” 

Yukina led the way as she jumped out the window and dashed off with Tsubaki following behind. Meanwhile, Hana and Chiyo set off in their own direction to find the chairman. Etsuko stops as she carefully grabs the cupcake and puts it inside the box and follows behind them carrying it with her.

-Hallway, Girls Restroom-

Amongst the quiet hall. Asuna and her friend, Sakura were in the girls restroom, working on their makeup. Dressed in her halloween costume (Asuna dressed as Mai Shiranui from Street Fighter and Sakura dressed as a gyaru nurse).

“Those boys really outdid themselves with the maze. They got us pretty good.” Sakura said with a smile.

“I know right,” Asuna said with a smile. “Wanna go through it again?”

“I was just thinking about that! The night is almost over, so when we go and attempt one last time, we should definitely record ourselves going through the maze!” 

“Sure! Sounds like a plan!” Asuna agreed.

“Hey, you're almost done, if not I can wait outside for you…”

“Yeah, you go on ahead, I’ll meet up with you.” 

“Kay, don’t be too long.” Sakura said as she left with a wave. 

Asuna minded her own business as she was putting on the finishing touches to herself, fixing up her eyelashes. 

All was quiet until she heard a rather close scream that echoed through the bathroom. Making her jump a little, she leans her head to the side and looks towards the exit. Her eyes filled with curiosity and concerns.

“Um…Sakura…you good?”

…………

No answer from the other end of the door. Making Asuna more worried than she already feels. Putting the tools away in her bag, she walks cautiously to the door. 

“Sakura…is everything good out there…”

She was hoping to hear something. But all she got was a moan of some sort. 

Asuna rolls her eyes. “Oh, haha, very funny. If this is you trying to play a trick on me, you're gonna have to try better than that.”

All she got was a moan. 

“Sakura, knock it off. I know-”

*Bang! Bang!* 

Something hard pounded on the door. Causing Asuna to jump in fear. Now trembling, genuinely scared.

“O-Okay…you can stop now…y-you got me…”

*Bang! Bang!*

“S-Sa-!”

Bursting her hand through the door. Asuna gave out a scream. A familiar, yet unfamiliar hand burst through the door. Dark-gray, green veins flowing through the arm. On the other end, Sakura, zombie-fied, tries to get at Asuna who was left screaming in fear. 

*Crack! Burst!*

Another hand burst through. Asuna's body reacted. Running away as she hides away in the stall. Slamming the door shut and locking it for extra security. 

Breathing heavily as she could hear the zombie-students breaking through, making their way inside the restroom. Shutting her mouth as she covered it with both her hands. Her eyes shook as she looked up from the stall, an ominous green glow illuminating the area, causing her heart to race. 

“W-What’s going on…why….” 

She hears the moaning getting closer. Forcing her to stop thinking and try to stay hidden. But they have gotten closer and closer to her presence. 

Only to start banging on the stall she was in. Frantically she looks around, hoping to find an escape route. She got down to the ground, crawling right under the stalls. Successfully escaping from them, she got a good look at them both.

To her horror, one was indeed, Sakura, but the other, the male, she recognized as…

“No way…Sousuke, too?”

Her voice, though quiet, they heard as they cracked their heads in her direction. Causing her to jump as she got up and ran towards the exit. Only to run into someone. Looking up, she recognized another familiar figure. Dressed as another nurse, but was also a zombie as well, Ringo-sensei.

Asuna gives an agonizing scream as she zombie-Ringo lunges at her.

-Track Field-

11:45pm

Gakuto was over by the vending machine, grabbing a drink of water for himself. 

“Ah, this indeed is the perfect night for us.” He said to himself with a smile. “Not only was the haunted maze a success, but we managed to become the most talked about throughout this event. Indeed, your’s truly can guarantee this will make our popularity skyrocket.”

He smiled to himself with a bit of a small laughter. 

“Nothing could possibly ruin this perfect night…”

The moment he says that, he hears distance moaning on his side. Gaining a curious expression he sees two familiar figures approaching him. The musketeer garment was a dead give away. 

“Hm? Isn’t that…Riku-dono and Ren-dono…” 

But…something was off about them. While they were indeed the two boys, they looked rather…off. Their skins were colored out. Now wearing dark gray skin with their veins glowing green. The two stopped in their tracks. 

Gakuto was a little worried and unnerved by their…strange behavior.

His eyes shift from left to right. Unsure of what to say to them. But it was clear that they were up to something. 

Ren and Riku stood there staring blankly at them with their glowing neon eyes with green ooz dripping from their mouths. 

Gakuto looked back at the vending machine, to see his drink was still being pushed out. He then looks back up at the two. Only to see them already took a good few steps. Nearing him. 

Taken aback by their sudden movement without even looking. He looks back at the vending machine. The bottle is still being pushed out. He looks back at the boys. 

Both the boys closed the distance. 

Gakuto looks at the machine. Almost reaching the end. Letting out whine as he grabs his own head. He looks back at the boys.

But met his fate when they closed the distance and attacked him. Gakuto released a scream.

-Somewhere on Campus-

Mari and Kate took a stroll through the front yard of the school. With most of the students still around, chatting amongst each other. 

Kate was eating the remains of her cotton candy. “Well, we searched around the school and it looked like there was nothing to worry about. The festival went rather smoothly.” 

Mari nodded in agreement. “Looks like there truly was nothing to worry about.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Please, admit it. You were worried stiff.”

“And you weren’t?”

“Of course not. I mean, who would dare want to bring trouble to Hachimitsu. At least, if we’re not speaking about the Sleeping Wolves I mean.” 

“Hmm…true. Then again, if you weren’t a little worried then you would’ve spent the majority of the night patrolling with me and just hanging out with your friends.”

Kate blushed a little. “I-I…I just thought you needed company. After all, with Meiko and the others practically having their own activities, you must’ve been bored.”

“Or did you just want an excuse to hang out with me.” 

Kate didn’t respond as she just looked the other way. Hiding her blush away from the crow mistress. But this only confirmed Mari’s answer. 

“You know Kate, your silence speaks louder than words~.” Mari said.

Kate didn’t say anything as she just pushed the cotton candy towards Mari's cheeks. The crow mistress blinked. 

“A-Anyways, with the night almost done, I believe it’s about time we wrap things up here, yes?” Kate said, trying to change the topic.

“Ah, yes. Let us-”

Yukina: MARI! KATE!

Tsubaki: WE GOT TROUBLE! MAJOR TROUBLE!

The two stop to look at the approaching familiar figures. Running at them at alarming speed. Both came to halt, with Tsubaki almost running out of breath.

“Ugh! Finally found ya, been looking for you two!”

“Hm? Tsubaki? Yukina? What happened?” Mari asked out of curiosity.

“We got in trouble! Well, I wouldn’t say trouble YET. But it will be, if it’s not resolved!”

Kate raised his hands in defense. “Hold on, take it easy, what are you talking about?”

Matsuri: MARI! KATE! WE GOT TROUBLE! MAJOR TROUBLE!

They soon get their answer when they hear Matsuri's voice with a panicked tone. The boy ran towards them at alarming speed, similar to how Tsubaki and Yukina were running at them from before. Reaching them as he stops to catch his breath.

“Matsuri? What is it?”

“At the track field…Ren, Riku and Gakuto…they were acting weird…attacking other students and soon they…as if they were all acting like zombies…”

This caught their attention.

“Zombies? You sure it's not just them pretending or something?”

“T-That what I thought too, but-”

His explanation was cut short when he heard more screaming coming from the direction that Matsuri just came from. This came to Mari and Kate’s attention. Perhaps this wasn’t a pretend game after all?

Yukina could only grimace at the thought. “I feel trouble has already reared its head amongst our school.”

-Inside the School, Hallway-

11:49pm

Walking amongst the school, Usano, alongside Asuka (not dressed in a costume but did sport a witch hat on her head). 

The two were exchanging friendly conversation between each other. 

“It was nice of you to come, Asuka. I was almost certain that I was under the impression that you were not…interested.” He said in his usual speech pattern.

“Of course I was thinking of coming,” Asuka said with a smile. “But I believe you should thank Chiyo for that one. If she hadn’t begged me about coming, I would’ve never come.”

Usano chuckled a little. “Ah. Then I should thank her. But I believe she wanted you to come to spend the day with each other. Like how we used to…before.”

Asuka nodded as she remembered how they would spend the day as a family before they got…seperated. Shaking her head from the thoughts. “Ah well, it is all good now. But since I’m still here, how about we find our daughters and spend the day as a family.”

“Yes. Let us-!”

*Ring. Ring.*

He stopped when he received a phone call. 

“Excuse…me.”

Usano reached for his phone. Looking at the caller ID, he sees the name of the person calling: Takamoto.

“Hello, Takamoto…sensei.”

His worries only increase when he hears screaming within the background. 

Takamoto: [USANO! WE GOT TROUBLE! VERY, UNSUAL TROUBLE!] 

Usano blinked as he wore a curious brow. “Takamoto-sensei, please calm down, what are you talking about? And why are you in such a panic? It’s very unusual for someone of your…character.”

Takamoto: [Honestly, I wish it was just a simple problem, but it’s not! The students are under attack!]

“Under…attack!?”

Asuka's eyes widened in shock. Before she could get a word in, she heard some distant moaning coming from behind them. She looks over her shoulders, only for her heart to skip a beat. 

Behind them, a good number of students, their eyes glowing neon green color. Their skin gray as it could be with their veins glowing the same color as their eyes. Leading the pack was Sousuke as he stared ahead at them. 

“What do you say, the students…with gray colored skins, glowing green eyes and veins and drooling ooz…that almost sounds like a…zombie!?”

From the description alone, Asuka looks from Usano to the students behind them. Fitting the image perfectly from what Takamoto described. 

“U-Usano…”

“Takamoto-sensei. Are you certain that these are zombies? Actual zombies and not just students putting on some show? Because I find it hard to believe that-”

Chiyo: FATHER!

Usano stopped speaking after he found Chiyo, Hana and Etsuko running towards them. 

“Ah. Chiyo and friends. Good-”

Etsuko: CHAIRMAN! MRS. KURIHARA! BEHIND YOU! BEHIND YOU!”

“Hm? What do you-”

Before he could even finish. A screeching scream yelled from behind the two. Usano’s heart nearly skipped a beat. Turning his head, he finds a horde of students, as what Takamoto described them. Dark gray skin, glowing green veins and eyes and drooling ooz. 

“Dear…GOD!” 

Out of instinct, he holds Asuka into his hands. Carrying her in a bridal form and dashes towards Chiyo and the others. As he reaches them, Chiyo brings out the fire extinguisher and sprays it on the zombie-fied students, slowing them down a little. 

“Mind filling us in on what is exactly going…ON!?” Usano yelled. 

“It’s sort of a long story! But I’ll make it brief!" Etsuko stated. “Me and the others found this weird shop! I brought this box here! Turns out someone ate the cupcake and now everyone transforms into zombies if they get into contact with them!” 

“That’s rather short and brief! But it still leaves…QUESTIONS!?” 

“Sorry, father and mother! We’ll discuss more when we can! But we need to get somewhere safe!” Chiyo said.

“Let’s go to the rooftop!” Etsuko said.

“Huh!? Why the rooftop!?” Hana asked.

“Because it’s the safest! Plus, I think I have an idea on how to stop this outbreak!” 

Chiyo & Hana: YOU DO!?

Etsuko pondered for a moment as she brought her finger to her chin. “Well, call it more of an educated guess, but I have an idea.”

“This better be you actually having an IDEA and not some hairbrain nonsense!” Hana said with a flat expression. 

The group reached the stairs just in time as another group wave of zombiefied students were approaching from the front. They turned towards the staircase, running upward.

“It’s not nonsense! I maybe a little ticking time bomb, but I also have common sense! It just usually doesn't come to mind!”

Hana: Thank you for being honest with us at least…

“I’ll explain when we’re on the roof! Let’s hurry!” 

Usano pondered to himself. “For now let us put our trust in her. As dangerous as the offer sounds, if it truly will get us out of this mess, then I will take…IT!”

-Courtyard-

11:50pm

“EVERYONE! INTO THE AUDITORIUM!" Meiko yelled. 

“TRY TO REMAIN CALM! DO NOT TRAMPLE OVER EACH OTHER!” Risa barked. 

The Underground Students and the Student Council try to escort everyone off the field and towards the auditorium. Away from the army of zombie-fied students who were chasing after them. Leading the pack were Ren and Riku and an army of zombiefied students. All of them with glowing green eyes and veins. 

“GAKUTO! GAKUTO WHERE ARE YOU!?” Kiyoshi screamed.

Shingo: Kiyoshi! Come on, let's go!

“Gakuto is still out there! We can’t leave him!”

“KYAAA!!!!” 

Kiyoshi and the others hear a familiar scream. 

“Was that…Mitsuko…”

Mitsuko's back was on the ground, on all four, crawling backward as she stared up with horror filling her eyes. Whom she was looking at and was approaching her, was Gakuto. Garbed in his three kingdom’s costume, but his eyes were glowing and she could see the veins glowing across his body.

“G-Gakuto-kun…” Mitsuko said with tears in her eyes. 

Gakuto only responded with a moan as he approached her, as if he was ready to attack. 

“G-Gakuto-kun…it’s me…M-Mitsuko…r-remember me…” 

“Mi…Mitsu…”

“G-Gakuto…Gakuto it’s-”

However, it failed as he launched at her. Throwing his body onto her. Mitsuko pushes his body away, hoping to keep him off of her as he tries to latch onto her. 

“PLEASE! GAKUTO-KUN! DON’T! STOP!” 

Kiyoshi: GET OFF OF HER!

Coming in with a flying kick, Kiyoshi manages to kick Gakuto off of her, sending his body flying. 

“Sorry, Gakuto…” He thought to himself.

Kiyoshi leans towards Mitsuko, extending his hand. 

“You okay?”

Mitsuko didn’t say anything, but her teary eyes were still lingering on Gakuto who was stumbling on getting up. 

“G-Gakuto-kun…w-what happened…”

“Mitsuko-chan! Come on! Let’s go!” 

Kiyoshi set his hand on her shoulders, snapping out of her trance and looks at Kiyoshi. Taking his hand as she got up, but tears were still in her eyes. 

“K-Kiyoshi-kun…what’s going on…why is Gakuto…”

“...I don’t know. But…right now…Gakuto isn’t in the right mindset at the moment…” He said as he looked over at the stumbling body of Gakuto. 

Behind him, another group of female students approached them, similar in appearance to Gakuto. Instinct kicking in, Kiyoshi grabs Mitsuko’s hand and they run towards where the remaining surviving students were going. 

“Come on! Let’s head to the auditorium!” 

“B-But what about Gakuto-kun!?”

“It’s too late…we have to go!” 

Mitsuko wants to talk back, but the moment she looks back at Gakuto and all the other students who caught up and are now chasing after them both. Tears once more filled her eyes, flying from her eye lids as the zombified Gakuto shrank further from her view. 

“Just what’s going on…”

-Auditorum-

Within the auditorium, all of the students gathered around. Terror filled the air. Exchanging the same conversation. 

“You’ve seen them too! They’re eyes were glowing! They were like zombies!”

“I thought zombies were just fiction!? What’s going on!?”

“Did a virus outbreak just occur!?”

Many were the same. Expressing their same feelings and story. 

Shingo couldn’t help but overhear them. Sweating like bullets he goes over to Andre and Joe. 

“Hey! Hey! You guys heard this!?” 

“We *cough* did hear it. And honestly, I still find it hard to believe. This sounds like something straight out of Etsuko’s stories.” Joe said.

“Hold up! Don’t tell me that we’re somehow sucked into that pipsqueak’s story!” Shingo said. 

“Guys…” Andre spoke up. “I’m worried, where’s Kiyoshi and Gakuto…”

“Last time I saw him he headed the way towards the scream.”

Risa: Oi! You three!

Shingo and the other two look over to find Risa (dressed as a swordsman prince). “Risa-chan…”

“Have you seen Mitsuko? I couldn’t find her anywhere during the outbreak…”

“Huh? Mitsuko…I-I thought she was with you…”

*Ring. Ring*

Risa noticed her phone was ringing. Digging it out, she answers the call.

“Mitsuko…”

???: [Risa! Thank god I got a hold on you!]

Risa raised a brow. “Huh? Kiyoshi!? The hell are you on the phone for!? Where’s Mitsuko!?”

Kiyoshi: [She’s with me. But…she’s busy at the moment…]

Risa swore she could at banging on the other end. “What the hell is going on over there? Where are you two!?”

Kiyoshi: [Inside the storage closet! It was the closest we could find! Because all the zombies were crowding the auditorium!]

Mitsuko: [Kiyoshi-kun! They’re trying to break through!]

Kiyoshi: [Damn it!]

“Kiyoshi! Risa! Stay there! Don’t let them through!” Risa yelled.

Kiyoshi: [We’re trying! But-]

His words were cut short as she heard something crashing through the door. She then hears Mitsuko screaming. 

Mitsuko: [Kiyoshi-kun! Help!]

Kiyoshi: [Mitsuko!]

“H-Hey! Kiyoshi! You're still there! What’s going on! What’s happening!?”

The situation got worse when they found that the doors holding the auditorium were trying to be broken through. Panic soared through the air. 

Kate was on the megaphone, standing on the podium. 

Kate: [EVERYONE! KEEP THEM FROM COMING IN! STAY STRONG AND KEEP THOSE DOORS SHUT!] 

Taking action, Mari ordered Meiko and the others to find anything to keep the windows sealed shut. Meiko and Matsuri worked to find a table and sealed the doors shut! Yukina and Tsubaki, along with Megumi and Anzu were working to keep the students calm as they were under stress. 

Mari looked towards Yukina with concern written all over her.

“Yukina? Where’s Chiyo?”

“She’s with Etsuko and Hana. They went to go look for your father…I haven’t received anything yet from them…”

Mari grimaced at the thought. Unsure of what’s going on? How it happened and how will they get out of this mess.

-Rooftop-

11:58pm

Bursting through the door, Usano runs ahead with Etsuko holding the box followed after. Both Hana and Chiyo slam the door shut. 

Finding a nearby beam, Chiyo grabs it and shoves the beam through the hole of the doorknob. From the other side, the zombies slammed on the door, hoping to burst through. 

“That…that should keep them busy for a while…right?” Hana asked with a hesitant voice. 

“Should be…” Chiyo was filled with uncertainty. “But…I’m just wondering how we’re going to get out of this mess…”

Usano sets down Asuka. “This is rather unpredictable. Not the type of night I was…suspecting.”

“So let me understand this, you’re telling me that someone ate that cupcake,” Asuka said as she pointed to the box in Etsuko’s hand. “And all of a sudden a zombie outbreak…”

“I mean, at least that's what I’m guessing…” Etsuko said. “But…I think I found out the cure to this whole mess…”

“Hm? How so?” Chiyo asked with a curious tilt. 

Etsuko reaches into her pockets and finds the card. “The card says; ‘Before midnight, she is in her hideous form. But once the clock strikes 12, under the moonlit night, she is at her purest‘. I was doing some thinking and maybe…it was referring to the cupcake.”

Hana: I forgot that you can be scaringly smart when you want to be…

“Gonna ignore that. But I was just thinking…maybe the cupcake wasn’t supposed to be eaten right away, but was supposed to be eaten by midnight.”

Chiyo thought to herself of Etsuko’s theory. “That could be true, actually.”

“Huh!? You actually get it?” Hana asked. 

“I mean, it’s a far fetch, but that green glow it was giving off. Perhaps it was rotten and put some sort of a curse on the ones who ate it. But that curse spread amongst the school.”

“I see now. So basically it’s rotten and the curse spreaded…I see,” Asuka said as she looks over the edge of the roof. Her nerves got worse when she sees the school flooded with infected students roaming about. Like a sea of glowing green fiends invaded the school. “Hmm…then again, it is also far-fetched. But how do you plan on testing the theory…”

*Bang! Bang!*

They jump at the noise of the zombies trying to burst through the door. Already punching a hole through, making a loud crack noise. 

Hana flinched. “NO TIME! I SAY WE TEST THAT THEORY NOW!” 

Etsuko reached into her pockets to find the phone and looked at the time. “It’s 11:59pm! Only one more minute until midnight!” 

The door continued to give way as the zombies were bursting through. Usano quickly shoved himself in front of the females, using himself as a shield. 

“Usano! What are you doing!?” Asuka asked.

“Etsuko.” He simply said. “Well I’m not entirely sure what is happening, nor will I try to find a way to understand. However, given the circumstances that we are in and how my school is being invaded…I shall believe in your…THEORY!” 

*Crack!*

The zombies burst through! Releasing a screeching sound as they charged at the girls! 

Usano stood his ground. “I SHALL HOLD THEM! YOU FOUR! MAKE A RUN FOR…IT!” 

Asuka: USANO!

“Mom, no!” Chiyo said as she held her back.

“It is alright, Asuka! I shall put all my bets into the theory! And hopefully, this will end this horrid…nightmare!” 

On that note, his body was piled on by the horde. Tackling him to the ground. Asuka watched onward with horror as she watched her husband being attacked. Tears filled her eyes as she watched her husband’s hand slowly being consumed before giving them the thumbs up. Showing them his last effort. 

Etsuko, Chiyo and Asuka both were tear stricken by the display. 

Etsuko, Chiyo & Asuka: We will not let your effort go in vain!

Hana however, couldn’t help but to watch their reaction with a blank expression. 

“Don’t you think this is a little over-the-top.”

Hana sighs to herself as she looks at her phone. The time was still reading 11:59pm, but the clock was still clicking ever so closer.

“It’s getting close to midnight! Etsuko!” Hana yelled.

The small girl wipes the tears from her eyes. “Right! Come on!” 

On that note, Etsuko led the way, with Chiyo aiding her mother and Hana covering from behind. Out from behind, Sousuke rose up, his head cracked in the direction of the small group. With Usano now as a zombie, the zombified Sousuke lets out a screech, pointing in their direction giving chase to the group.

“15 seconds left!” Chiyo said as she checked the time.

“OH COME ON! CAN’T THE DAY GO ANY FASTER THAN IT IS NOW!?” Etsuko said with a frustrated groan. 

Hana looks behind them, the zombie horde chasing them, keeping up with them. Gritting her teeth, Hana stomps on her one foot, skidding to a stop. 

“Huh?” Chiyo looks over her shoulders. “Hana!” 

“Keep going!” Hana said as she got into a fighting stance. “I’ll hold them off!” 

Chiyo quickly looks at the phone. “10 minutes! Hold the fort, Hana-chan!” 

Hana eyes stared at the horde who closed in on her. With Sousuke leading the pack. 

“I have never fought zombies…but better make this count!”

In a swift movement, Hana swings her leg up, her foot connecting right under Sousuke’s chin. Sending him flying. 

Zombie-student(1) comes at her, but she thrusts the palm of her hand into her face, sending the student flying backward, tumbling into the other zombie-students. Zombie-student(2) lunges at her, but Hana sidestep to the left, grabbing onto her costume and sending her flying into more of the zombie-students. The more they came at her, the more she kept on stepping back, giving herself a good distance between her and her opponents. 

“5 minutes left!” Chiyo yelled.

Etsuko looks up at the moon as it shines above them. “Come on! Come on! We can make it! God I hope we can make it so I can give that asshole shop owner a piece of my mind!”

“3 seconds!” 

As Hana tries to keep the zombies at bay, she was having trouble keeping the zombie-Usano down as he was overpowering her. Both of their arms locked as he tries to lunge at her. Hana curses in her mind as she finds the other zombie-students chasing after the others.

“2…1…MIDNIGHT!” Chiyo announced.

The moon above them glowed. Shining brightly in the sky as all the zombies stopped as they looked above them. Their onslaught and chasing came to a halt. Their green glowing eyes looked up at the night sky, the moon hanging above. 

Etsuko, Chiyo and Asuka stopped running, their eyes glued to the moon as it was glowing.

The small first year attention was split as something else glowed. Looking down in her hands. A ray of luminous light peeked through the box. Cautiously opening it, the cupcake within the box, floated in the air, the green color it once had, was now replaced with a beautiful luminous blue color. Glitter dust swirled around it as it sprouted angelic like wings with a small halo above it.

Etsuko's eyes shimmered. “It’s…it’s beautiful…”

“Is that…the cupcake's true form?” Chiyo asked, her eyes not leaving the cupcake.

As all the eyes were on the cupcake, a beam ray shot down from the moon and onto the cupcake. A bright flash exploded, engulfing the entirety of the school within the bright light.

………….

………..

Morning struck the next day. 

Lying upon the rooftop, Etsuko groggily opened her eyes, only to wince at the morning sun above her.

Lifting herself up, she rubbed her eyes with a groan. “Ugh…what happened last night…”

Etsuko looked amongst herself, noticing she was still in her pixie sailor costume. “Why am I…oh! That’s right! The zombies! Chiyo are you…huh?”

The small girl stopped when she found Chiyo fast asleep, next to her mother. She blinked at the sight with a curious tilt. “What in the world…”

Her eyes scanned her surroundings. Looking up she found Hana, Usano, Sousuke (with a sore chin) and all the other female students dressed in Halloween costumes fast asleep. All were not zombies anymore as they now once more carried their pale colors. 

“Was it all…a dream…no, that was way too real to be one…” 

Thinking to herself, she stumbled a little before getting up. Deciding to look at her surroundings. She looked over the hedge of the roof and found many of the female students that surrounded the school were all back to normal. But we were all fast asleep.

Etsuko sighs to herself. “Looks like everything is back to normal…guess my theory was correct, thank god too because I was only making educated guesses…”

The small girl's eyes finally look over and find a familiar box that was still there. Cautiously approaching it, within range, she picks up the box and looks at it. She recalled the event that happened.

“If I recall, it was midnight and this cupcake…transformed…I wonder…”

Etsuko slowly opened the box. Her eyes widened. The cupcake that took the angelic shape was once more inside, still in its angelic form. 

Taking the cupcake out, the half-eaten cupcake glowed and sparkled within her hand. Daring herself, she took a small bite of the cupcake.

Her eyes immediately shot open as they sparkled as she gave out a squeal. 

“OHMYGODTHISISTHEBESTCUPCAKEEVER!” Etsuko splurts out as she takes another bite at it. Being satisfied with the dessert. “I take back everything I said, this is the best cupcake I purchased in years! Curses be damned!” 

Etsuko rose from the ground with newfound energy. She rushes over to the edge of the roof. Cupping her hands over her mouth and giving a shout. 

“THANK YOU MR. GINCHIRUUUU~!” 

She shouted, hoping her words reached the mysterious man.

From a good distance, away from Hachimitsu. Standing on the rooftop, Ginchiru was smiling to himself as he watched from afar.

“Well now, that test went by rather smoothly than I anticipated.” He said to himself with a smile. “Yes…I certainly wasn’t expecting them to pull it off. And here I thought that they were going to be consumed by the chaos…”

Ginchiru's smile never faded as he pondered.

“A good show, my dear honored guests. A very good show. Shame though, I thought they would surely be lost to chaos and darkness…but oh well.”

He steps off the edge of the roof and onto solid ground. His eyes looking over his shoulders at the school. 

“You won this round so go ahead and celebrate. But the game never truly ends. This world is like a giant chessboard and I am, indeed, a…patience player. I’ll be back.”

He gave a small grin before leaving via teleporting off the roof. Leaving the scene unnoticed.

…..

And that’s a wrap!

We’re back into the Prison School stories, but this time it’s a little different. I wanted to attempt a special chapter/a Halloween type theme to it. Taking the opportunity to add supernatural elements to the mix with Prison School.

This idea just sort of sprung to me since it was October and I wanted to write it out. The students of Hachimitsu go up against some curse that spreads amongst the school and they must survive the night before they are all consumed into darkness. It was an idea inspired somewhat from Michale Jackson music known as “Thriller” and you could say I was also inspired from Gravity Falls supernatural elements being added to the mix. At first, this was going to be part of Etsuko’s Chronicles, but I figured this would be more a one-shot of a special theme like story. And the ending was gonna be different as well, but decided against it and had this ending in mind.

Either way, sorry if this chapter got out a bit late, balancing out my school work and social life and all. But this week (to me at least) still counts as Halloween week despite being released afterward. So here’s a belated Halloween story theme for you all to enjoy. Nothing too serious, just a fun little chapter I just thought of at the moment.

This was only a one time thing, so don’t expect an update anytime soon. After this, I’ll be going back to working on “Raiders of the Storm” so this story will be here just for fun and giggles and to pass the time. Plus, it will be a while before I go back to Prison School stories anyways so here you go. XD

Happy Belated Halloween and I hope you stay safe out there!