scary monsters ~endless halloween night~ 2-1 "the lack of manners"

[mandytl]

 

 

Location: The Other Dimension - Hollow Graveyard

Riddle: TREEEY! AAACE! 

… It’s no use. There’s no answer. 

We, the members of the Wrap Up Halloween Squad, dove into the mirror to retrieve the abducted students and put a stop to Halloween… 

Only to get separated right from the get go!

Ruggie: Don’t tell me you’re gonna call us that religiously, Riddle-kun.

Riddle: Is that a problem? The Headmaster settled on this name, after all.

Ruggie: Aside from being the lamest, most embarrassing thing ev—… well, nevermind. Guess it doesn’t matter to you much.

Man, if only Trey-san or Ace-kun were here to be the straight man right now!

Ortho: I’m not detecting anyone within a distance of up to 10,000 square meters. Where did everybody go?

Ruggie: Ah! We got one of those enchanted mirror devices from Sam-san, right? 

Two necklace holders might not be able to reach each other, but we can at least get in touch with our professors.

Let’s try talking to them about what to do. You never know, they could’ve heard from someone else already.

Riddle: About that…

I’ve been trying to reach them for a while now, but the silence is deafening. 

Ruggie: Huh?! You mean it already broke?! What a piece of worthless junk!

So it really was just some antique Trein-sensei used back in the day… and here I got my hopes up.

If we actually knew where we were, we could at least find a better vantage point.

Ortho-kun, can’t you survey the area all easy-peasy-like?

Ortho: Mmnh… There’s no way to work my GPS or start an image search without any reception.

But I can tell you this place doesn’t exist in my memory bank.

Riddle: I’ve never seen a place like this myself. The dense fog, big, bright moon, and that endless row of gravestones…

There’s no signs of life: no cawing crows, no chirping insects. It’s as if we’re frozen in time.

Ruggie: Not even a whisper of a breeze. There’s something a little odd ‘bout all this quiet.

It’s enough to send a shiver down a guy’s spine.

Ortho: A shiver? But the temperature difference between here and Night Raven College’s only 0.3 degrees… 

Ruggie: No, I mean… not that kinda shiver. More like, it’s just a bit spooky out here…

Ortho: Oh! You mean this graveyard’s got an eerie feel to it?

They do say the living find these places pretty uncomfortable.

Riddle: It’s said that graveyards are a breeding ground for ghosts.

Not that we can see them, given most places have such a low concentration of mana.

If they’re here, then they’re invisible. There’s no way to tell. It’s no wonder people have an aversion to them, what with their presence being so imperceptible. 

… Anyhow, my point is, it’s just your imagination.

Ruggie: Yeeeah, I wonder…

Riddle: You’re still nervous? I never took you as someone who’d find a cemetery frightening.

For starters, we students of Night Raven College see the ghosts that reside there every day.

Aren’t you accustomed to them by now?

Even if a ghost were actually here…

It wouldn’t faze me unless it were to suddenly pop out right in front of me!

Ghost: BOO!!!

Riddle: WAAAGH!!!

The lack of manners in that ghost! That scared me!

Ruggie: Well, your scream is what scared me!

Ortho: It’s different from the ones on campus, with that super old fashioned hairstyle.

Ruggie: Long as it can give us directions. Hey, ‘scuse me!

Ghost: ……

Ruggie: So, you live nearby? Or, err… unlive, nearby, I guess? Can you tell us where we are?

Ghost: Are you… one of the living? 

Ruggie: Huh? I guess you could say that… 

Ghost: The living! I finally found them!

Ruggie: Whoa! He just attacked me!

Riddle: Now, see here! First you frighten us, then you attack us… what’s the meaning of this?!

Ghost: Our Esteemed Host ordered us to haul away every single member of the living that we find. 

Ortho: “Our Esteemed Host”? Who’s that?

Ghost: Hoh hoh hoh! Now, that would be a secret. It’s not as if any of you need to know.

Refuse all you want, but you will come with me!

Riddle: You’ve a lot of nerve to pull these threatening antics after rushing out in front of us.

I’ll make you regret ever challenging me to a duel!

Battle commences.