Fall....YYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS......

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…
Flora was gliding above the rooftops. In her hands was her phone, which she kept after transforming.
“Barbie! Go to the orphanage immediately!” she commanded, after finally getting in touch with the latter. Before Barbie could ask for more, she said, “Whatever you are doing, just leave it, this is an emergency!”
The lizard girl answered with a bumpy “Okay.” She turned it off and focused back on running.
That clown was clearly there, no doubts about it. It was almost too clear, actually. It was as Rose said, it felt like his whole being was asking for her to see him. Like he wanted her to come over, try to attack, then fall into one of his traps, while he sits back and does his awful, annoying laugh.
“There is now way that this is not a trap,” noted Flora, already leaving the area from the centre.
<If I were you, I would think the same,> replied Rose. <And yet…there is something that tells me otherwise.>
“Really?! You do know who we are talking about?”
<You must remember, Flora, that an enemy that follows no pattern is no better than the one who does. Do not assume anything, yet.>
Flora bit her lip. Several people were transformed, left and right, without rhyme or reason. And the last Torque was a difficult one, for sure…but what would’ve happened if he was there too? The more she considered it, the more anxious she felt like getting. Who they were fighting against?
Perhaps that’s a question to think on later. That clown had been spotted by them, very clearly, within the orphanage that Chester was from. Even if the adults were not there, what can happen to the children…
“Just get there in time Chester!”
…
“What is going on there!?” Pierre shouted, leaving the kitchen first. He stomped his way to the main entrance hall, as always, expecting the children to be huddled by the stairs. Instead, the one who stood there was a clown. “It’s you again!” Pierre proclaimed.
“Why, my oh my, if it isn’t an old bag that I shoved into a kiddie sweater earlier,” the clown chuckled. Small sparks flew out from the creases of his smile. “Enjoying being young again, hmm?”
Pierre didn’t try to say anything, just kept his gaze as hard as stone. He tried to see if the kids were around, but none of them were nearby. The police rabbit appeared soon after in, his hand at the belt.
“What’s going on here?” he asked in an overly-deep voice, done by mixing in his own panic with a large dose of false self-assuredness.
“Oooh! We have guests! How…convenient.” The clown gave an even wider smile. The effort he took to stretch it helped to make him look even more threatening.
“Please, stay right there, sir!” Officer Hare said, again. “You’ll be going with me down to the precinct with me, if you don’t mind.”
The officer was trying his hardest to sound authoritative of the situation. The clown found it ridiculous enough to cause him another one of his laughing fits.
“Oi-Hohohohohohohoho!!! My day is finally about to turn around! Now then,” he then raised his hand, which emanated a thick ball of darkness.
The kids, who were watching it all happen from the top of stairs, murmured between themselves.
“Who is this guy?” asked Yuri.
“Is he a magician?” asked Gavin.
“Is he a rock-star?” asked Gawain.
“He is a clown,” corrected Tam. “He must be from a circus.
“That can’t be right…” Tiana whispered. “I mean, there is no circus…I think…”
“I thought clowns are friendly!” Mimmy stated.
“Did you see his hand?” Brian kept elbowing Yuri to notice it too. “So cool!”
“I’m afraid…” muttered Tiana.
“Isn’t he the same guy from before?”
Everyone looked to Bobby. Lily peeked over the old railings to get a better look.
“He is!” she said.
“Huh?” Matthew asked, completely disoriented at everything. This was happening too fast for him. Some man came in a clown suit, and started acting like the eeriest representation of the grotesque in physical form. How could one look so terrifying, while wearing such bright clothes?
“He turned Mr. Gogh into a weird dude who likes to paint a lot,” Bobby said. “We were there when it happened.”
Matthew shook his head a bit.
“By Mister Gogh, would you mean the owner of the ‘Peacock Art Shop’?”
“Yes!” Bobby exclaimed.
Matthew remembered the time Barbie was trying to get inside that store. Was it really trying to show him that? Some weird, creepy looking clown, who is possibly dangerous just on his awful smile alone? Something has told him that she would not be as happy by his reaction back then.
“Now, now, children!”
Matthew looked down, his eyes frozen fearfully towards the clown’s giant smile. It was aimed straight at them.
“How about we all have fun here! What do you all say?” He made a small step forward. “There’s a new game I invented, and it’s called ‘Hostage!’ All you have to do, is everything that I say, no questions asked, or I’ll kill you. It’s really fun!”
No kid dared to say anything. Instead, the officer began moving forward, one hand already moved to the hilt.
“That’s enough, Mister! You are coming with me!” the officer said, making sure to give enough force to every breath he made.
The clown promptly reached into his trousers and took out a spray-bottle with turquoise liquid. The rabbit officer looked at it puzzlingly.
“Slow draw!” The clown then sprayed the officer in the face, bewildering him. “Now, freeze!”
Matthew watched this whole time with his beak open. The clown then picked the officer up, as if he was made from paper mâché, and placed on the side.
“We’ll deal with you later.”
Pierre planted himself between the stairs and the clown. He was looking at him with a stern, firm look, choosing not to budge at all despite the circumstance.
“Oh now,” the latter chuckled. “You are one cute old lady, you know that?”
“Chester is going to take you down, you…clown!”
The clown raised his gaze up. It ended up on Brian, who has moved few steps down and now was looking from above at the “monster.” The smile did not disappear from the clown, but for a moment, some hint of spite dripped from the side.
“All of you, hide in your rooms!” Pierre shouted upwards. “NOW!”
The first one to follow the request was Lily. She ran to Brian, and pulled him back, while telling others to follow suit. Some left faster than others. The last one standing there was Matthew, who seemed to have lost feeling of his legs. It was like a creature from his nightmares was coming to life. And there was a chance, he could get seriously hurt by it. That thought pinned him in place, even as Lily was trying to pull him away.
“Oh please,” the clown chuckled through gritted teeth, showing them fully to the crow in front of him. “I don’t need all of them. Just one or two…or maybe more…”
He took another step. Pierre would not move an inch. Just as it was with Matthew, a thought was keeping him in place. An extremely terrifying thought. And he would rather be run over than witness it happen.
And then out of thin air, a single flame began to levitate.
The clown teetered backwards, aiming his eyes at that single point. His smile disappeared, though he did not show distress from having something like this appear. In fact, he looked more annoyed than anything. Neither Matthew nor Lily had a good look of what was happening, though they had a clear idea regardless.
“If you wish to immolate yourself further, then do so, my jester friend,” said the old, growly voice. Slowly, from the side, light, uneven steps were being made. “But do be warned, what my flames do is unlike of my comrades’ powers. For most of them, they shall hurt for a moment, before returning you to nothing. But mine shall render your very existence as pain, from which you will have no choice but to destroy your container yourself. Do you wish to proceed further still?”
Miss Cheshire came into everyone’s view. In spite of her age, she was standing tall and firm. The clown shook his head, in disappointment, before chuckling again.
“Maybe I should blow off some steam…”
…
The speed that Chester reached was probably the closest to that of Barbie. It was a first for him, that speed that he reached, to be sure. And yet, the kid still wanted to go even faster. The only other time he had something like that to his orphanage, was when he was trying to hide from the police. And he only did that twice, since they eventually learned about it. And yet, he was reaching an impressive speed for what he was capable off.
And that was exactly how scared he felt.
A true terror in his heart. He couldn’t even hear Azure trying to speak to him, in hopes of calming the poor boy down. His legs were moving him faster than his thoughts were coming. It was as if a third driver took over his body. He needed to be there immediately, he had to get there right this instant. And every second wasted was too many.
He hated that feeling. But he couldn’t get rid of it at all. He was getting scared.
So scared, that he crashed through the door, once he finally reached the place.
“Don’t move!” he shouted. He was probably expecting something to happen, not that he would see it. He was moving rather blindly, jumping from one place to another.
But the more he checked, the faster he realized how empty the place was.
The dining room was empty, save for the dirty plates on the table. In the kitchen, there were several pictures, a cut cake and one piece of it, halfway eaten. There was nobody in the yard, as far as his eyes noticed.
He returned to the entrance. Suddenly, he smelled something. He gazed upwards, and saw three distinct black splotches. Lowering his head, he finally noticed several object and articles of clothing. Jackets and boots to be precise. He moved up the stairs, getting a better view of it all, looking to not waste time. When he reached the second floor, he finally began to hear Azure a bit.
<Take time and breathe, Chester!> Azure said. <You need to assess your situation…>
But the boy just ran to the bedroom. His eyes did not glance at either side, but to simply enter that room immediately. If there was one place where they all could be, was there.
And so, he went inside the room, head moving left and right. From first glance, there was nothing inside of it at all. But he picked up a faint gasp. Then, he noticed something move at his eyes corner. He looked at the bed next to him and saw something small scurry back.
Finally, Chester exhaled. What felt like a tight belt around his chest finally loosened itself.
“Is everyone alright here?” he loudly asked.
Nobody dared to answer first. But, he heard someone murmur, only for them to get shut up by someone else.
“Don’t worry I’m here to help!”
“Thank you, Young Azure,” said a growly, old voice. “But I am afraid you were a tad late.”
Chester turned around, and his jaw dropped. There stood Madame Cheshire, right at the door, somehow managing to appear without him noticing. She was also clutching her shoulder. The white shirt had a blood-red stain on where she held it.
“I am quite surprised by the sturdiness that this body managed to maintain, I must say,” she gave a short chuckle. “But, this is perhaps the wrong time for jokes. Do be warned, that I should be taken to a doctor, soon. Now then, if I may, I shall fall down.”
And thus she did.
Chester did not transform back until they were at the hospital.
…
Flora walked down the street.
It was an hour since the whole thing had been dealt with, and she was accompanied by someone she much rather not be with. She had no choice on the matter, though.
“Can’t believe that stupid nurse!” complained Mandy. “You can’t talk to him anymore! How about you talk to my hand! Ugh, where’s Angel when you need her! Next time, I’ll reveal about her cheating to her boyfriend, maybe then she will stop ignoring me!”
Flora blew a strand of her hair, making her best to silently ignore he companion.
Once again, the clown managed to disappear. This time, with a very likely chance of a hostage. Unfortunately, they seemed to be unable to track him down, for the moment. Rose had a good feeling that it won’t be too long though, as they knew of his lair, and Barbie had conveniently destroyed the secret Torque he apparently been having. When the latter describe it to everyone, Tom said that it was likely the same one that trapped them inside a labyrinth, where Russell and his goons chased them. Also, that Torque’s victim was apparently that donkey man camera assistant of the parrot lady.
All things considered, a lot of things just happened. Enough so, that the spirits recommended them to leave it for today.
Not that Chester liked that idea.
Not that she disagreed with him.
“And you…” Mandy looked at Flora. The deer-girl looked back, her face showing little emotion to her “friend’s” ramblings. “How come you never told me you were able to transform? Don’t you know, how many times I needed your help?”
“You…needed my help?” Flora scrunched her eyebrows.
“YES! Do you know how much danger I was in!? During all those monster attacks!?”
Flora tilted her head, and kept one brow high.
“Were you really in constant danger?”
“Are you trying to not understand me!?” Mandy raised her voice.
Flora shook her head and looked away, but bit her lip. She could easily just be done with her. That said, she needed to make sure that Mandy understood exactly why she told her that secret. Specifically, to get more info from her father. If Rose was correct about where that secret hideout was, she can learn more that she needs from her.
She just has to be a bit more careful about it. Things like these will take one step at a time.
“You better hope I keep your secret, because before you know it, I-“
Suddenly, she bumped into a couple of figures.
“Watch where you are-“ Mandy looked up and her jaw dropped. So did Flora’s.
They were very tall man. And they wore some very black business suits. It was almost as if they were looking at a pair of mafiosi. Flora actually felt like shrinking a bit. Rose, I need you here!
“Good evening, girls,” said a voice behind them. From between the two solid men, the goat mayor of their town moved forward. “Enjoying your nightly stroll?”
“Um…” Mandy mumbled and looked at Flora.
“Um, sorry, mister Mayor! We’ll be going out of your way!” Flora quickly tried to excuse themselves.
However, her way got blocked by a mighty hand.
“Actually, before you do…” Mayor LeonHeart said, “There is something I’d like to discuss with you two about.”
…