Demon night (Open)

Boston, Massachusetts


Moldale had been right. Stratus marveled as he stood in the middle of the street in Boston. Just moments ago he had been in Hueco Mundo. And in a matter of seconds he had bridged the gap between the two worlds to arrive here. He grave a grunt of satisfaction at this new development.
No longer did he have to scurry about hitching a ride through portals. Now he would go where he pleased where ever he pleased. He gave a hearty laugh and staggered. He had spoken too soon, it would seem opening such gates was quite draining on him. Moldale has told him he was still unstable after his transformation, but Stratus had never felt stronger. Even as he thought that he fell to the ground on his butt as his knees gave out.
"Perhaps not 100%" Stratus muttered. He looked bright street, it was nighttime and yet everything was aglow. He hadn't noticed, but there were so many people crowding the sidewalks. Homes were covered in lights as well and decorations of bats and pumpkins proudly displayed for all to see. He stood and looked about at the people dressed as witches, vampires, and mummies. He laughed. Humans pretending to be monsters and yet here before them was a true beast. The mere sight of his form was more than enough to send them all running. His laugh was cut short as someone bumped into his side. The hollow turned and roared expecting a shinigami posed to strike. Instead it was only a human running by wearing a red devil mask and a sack filled with candy. "Sorry!" he shouted as the young man continued down the street towards the next house. There was a throng of children following behind him laughing merrily. The group split and shifted around the hollow where he stood as they too went to the next home covered in fake spiderwebs. Stratus was confused; it was strange for humans to see him, even rarer for them to touch him. How could so eight children all happen to avoid him so easily? He opened his senses and found they all possessed so little power; not enough to even wet his appetite, but more than enough to perk his curiosity. Slowly he walked behind the children up to the house. It felt odd not sneaking through the shadows like normal.

Halloween had been a baffling experience for the very much dead, yet entirely alive, Glaswegian. The holiday takes on a new and amusing meaning when you have seen first hand the horrors that lie beyond the veil.

Still, it made the sheep happy. They needed to grab what little happiness they could get before one of the very monsters they were pretending to be slithered from the dark and swallowed them whole.

Sal took a long slow drag of his cigarette and watched the costumed revellers go about their merriment with reckless abandon. To live again, to be coddled in that shield of ignorance...what he wouldn't give.

"Another beer sir?" Asked the waitress, drawing him from his thoughts. He looked up at her through the dark eyes of his gigai and smiled politely.

"Nah, I think I'm done for the night darlin'." He slipped a twenty onto the table and stepped out into the night air.

The world was alive tonight. Humanity, or at least those that celebrated all hallows eve, were joined as one. Living, laughing, hell some might even be loving...jammy gits.

Children roamed the velvet night without a care, driven by their hunger for sugary delight that only came but once a year. Norongachi walked among them, skirting through the throngs of tiny people in garish disguises on his meandering path home.

It never occurred to him that the very next corner he would take would put him face to face with an old friend, one he would rather soon forget.

"Trick or treat!" the children yelled in unison as the reached the lit porch. The door swung open and they all held up their sacks. The person that appeared in the open doorway dressed oddly; a very dated Dracula costume. They wore and old time tuxedo and he had his brown hair slicked back as if that made him look more sinister. The dual sided black and red cape made him look like a failed superhero rather than a monster. The only clue that it was a vampire costume was over sized fangs in his mouth and the panted red blood on the corner of his mouth. I his left hand he balanced the large bowl of candies. There were various goodies mixed together in the pumpkin orange container, the right hand grabbed a handful and held them over the waiting bags. The children pushed and shoved trying to get the first treats that dropped. There was no animosity they were all laughing as they did so joyful of the whole experience. As they obtained some candy they departed from the porch one by one. Once more the gaggle of children avoided Stratus as he stood watching the spectacle. Laughing and giggling they ran towards the next house their excitement growing with each step. As the man gave a final wave and wished them a good night as he watched the run. Stratus moved forward now that the children had departed and stood before the open portal into the man's home. The hollow looked down at the man sternly, but the man made no motion that he saw the monster standing before him. Stratus' hand shot forward and caught the unfortunately soul the the neck. This surprised the man as would any invisible spectre grabbing someone's throat and squeezing. He dropped the bowl of candy and clawed madly at the invisible assailant picked him from the ground and choked him. The candy spread across the porch around Stratus' feet as the man struggled to breath and ultimately live. It was apparent that the man couldn't see him. It was odd to say the least to the hollow. So deep in thought he hardly paid attention as the man gurgled his last breath and his hands went limp. He turned and observed the children moving to the next house. Very interesting. he tossed the man back into the house slamming him into the wall where his body then fell limp like a rag doll. Stratus closed the door gently and left the porch. The candies crunched beneath his feet as he left the yard and once again followed the children.