NnnngyyyuhHH~ It's time for the night. Bring on the night, people! Places! Formations! Music! Meow! We've got dancing to do, and stuff to eat! Booze to drink, and friends to meet! Teehee~ I was thinking such things as I sprang up out of bed and began to get dressed with a smile. I slept well. I slept like a rock. I probably slept in, but it's fine. I don't care. Why? I want to throw a festival because I feel like it. I'm going on my whims tonight, everyone. A wise Catkin once said, whims are wins or something like that. I think it was Cetilla. She can be smart, sometimes. She can also adapt to mosh pit dancing with specified or unspecified sets of choreography with ease. She's impressive, that Christmas Catkin. It's going to be wild. I was born to be wild~
Grabbing my Broom, my Lantern, and my sauciest attitude… I began to fly through the Throne Room and toward the Dining Hall. I wonder what songs I should pick for my Clansmen. I want them to recklessly learn a whole new bunch of songs last minute, because I like to stress them with last minute enjoyment. The Bandsmen, particularly the Clansmen ones adore a hot minute of rushed song learning. They thrive under the heat of battle. Being on a deadline and having a whole bundle of paperwork tackled onto you the very night of, is an absolute thrill for them. It might have something to do with immortality and generally having a lack of things to spend their time on, but I don't know. They might just be bored, I think. I was thinking such things as I arrived into the Dining Hall. Turns out, I'm not late. Everyone else is eating.
Coming face to face with the Fish platter, I discovered that it was the same as last night. I'm in love... It wasn't just a fluke. She did it with skill~ A true masterpiece. I was thinking such things as I grabbed a serving of pink Fish, not common Fish. I also grabbed a serving of Goldfish. Yesh… You see, tonight is a celebration… Tonight, I don't care about what the others think. I'm going to enjoy myself~ And hopefully, I can enjoy it alongside them. It's better together, I'd say. Taking my seat, Wendel recommenced with her Opera. She's getting better. She's hitting all the right pitches. It really makes it all the more dreamy for me as I almost drool over my plate while Cetilla does the thing. The fan hack.
It smells… Absolutely fantastic. It smells like home... It smells like an old fire place, with a certain three Goblins waiting outside of it; at the crack of sunset… Suddenly, a tear began to fall from my right eye; and slowly, another from my left… But I don't care. This Fish is too good to care. I'm just going to continue wallowing in its scent for a little while longer. After Cetilla started giving me a nudge, I decided to dig in. I'm going to eat the pink Fish first, and save the Goldfish for last. The Goldfish is a delicacy. One mustn't start with desert first. Taking my first bite, I felt like I had just walked into a KF*. I can't with this Chef. Who is this Chef?! Don't stop... Keep it going. Number 6, this bite's on you. I'm going in. Swallowing the now chewed first bite, I looked at the second. Ignoring the rest of the outer parts and trying to get closer to the juicy middle, I threw it in my mouth. Ohhhh... Hunky Beefcake, stop it! No, wait! Don't! This is too much. It tastes so elegant when it's less cooked yet also spiced. I can't even imagine how it's going to be when I get the berry in it. What is this?!
Swallowing the second bite, oh this thing is bad... This thing is so bad! In a good way though! Ugh~ That dastardly thing… Third bite in, let's do this. This part is the least cooked, but it's extremely close to the berry. I don't have enough space on my fork to get it all, so I must wait. Wait… How am I even going to do this with a fork?! This Fish is way too freaking large! It's not like I have a full Fish, but still… I don't remember the pink Fish being this big. Maybe this one was just larger than the average? Whatever~ I guess that I'll just stab. Poke~ Uh… It didn't really explode into the Fish, it exploded into my Face. This is no good… I won't be able to experience the flavor meow. I feel considerably let down. This is like dropping your ice cream at the age of 5, but I'm freaking 2 and a half! This sucks. I guess I'll just go and wipe my face really quick or something. Cetilla's laughing at me. I might have saw Ben, the Pixie, Corocdae, Conrad, Weeping Angel while continuing to sing Opera, and perhaps even a certain Drake doing the same; but it's kind of hard to see right now. Whatever~ I don't even care that much about the face part. It's really just my flavor explosion now not being in my delectable food.
Moving along~ I made my way to the Kitchen and began washing my face off in the sink. Woah! Wait a second! The water from the sink isn't as cold as the Delhn Lake! The hair washing hack?! I apologize for any hair in the drain, Wailing Keep Sama. On second thought, nah. I don't feel sorry. He steals my MP all the time and does absolutely nothing with it. It's fine. I let my hair soak for a good thirty minutes as I ran my hands through it. This is nice. I'm here for the hair washing hack. It's a good hack. I can roll with this, with luscious and clean hair; hopefully. My hair is now kind of soaked, but I don't care. I'm returning to my meal. On arrival, it's cold. I could cry right now, but It's still probably better than just any old Fish. Yeah! I can do it! I'm a Cat! If anyone can do it, I can! I'm the Fish Mongerer! I was thinking such things as I took my next bite, and continued on to eat the meal. It wasn't as good as it could have been, I'll admit that much. I still enjoyed it, though. Looking around, not everyone is here any longer. Hmmm… Prop up festival? No notice? Okay~ It's a surprise!
Returning to the Throne Room, I began by casting a Hallowed Gate. It's shining radiantly, as ever. It knows just what I want. All the bright orange colors, all the purple boulders, and all the flare for dramatics on entering! I'm going to Halloween, baby! Walking in, I was met with that familiar alleged trick blood fountain. It's time to test this thing out. I need to know. I can't handle the anticipation any longer. If it's Blood, I'll probably be fine. I'm a Halloween Cat. I can take it. It was literally in my race description. I need to just man up, and drink the damn mysterious red liquid. Lowering my hands into it, I cupped them together and tried to gather liquid. I don't need a lot. Just a taste. Bringing my hands toward my mouth, I poured the red liquid into it and discovered… It's freaking punch. Oh my gosh... We have punch, people! We need cups meow! I would take some from the Wailing Keep, but he has a no tolerance ban against theft. His security is flawless. You couldn't rob him even if you tried.
You can, however activate his kill switch with ease so long as you make your way directly through the massive Throne Room and into the much smaller Treasure Room before taking a right turn and smashing the tiny, delicate orb on a freaking skeleton pedestal. Or, if the Cat is sleeping on your left, you may instead slay them; though be warned… If the Cat sleeps in clothing or barriers, they may prove ridiculously durable. I, do. I've been doing it for a few weeks now, thought I'd give it a try. I don't do clothing, but I do the barrier. Do you do the barrier? Well, you probably should. It makes sense. It's basically a passive ability with a toggle. It doesn't cost anything unless it's actually used. The toggle, I think is actually intended to allow the Cat to change the barrier type. The more you know. I certainly did not until I came across the second barrier type. That was around the time that I decided to start using it constantly. Ever since then, whenever I used it and actually mentioned it; I was just changing the type of barrier so that it would include a wider size of protection. The first barrier protects me, and only me... In an circular shape. The second barrier protects me, in a skin type manner. The first barrier is generally enough to fit one or maybe two extra people... Or basically, my Broom. Essentially, that's it. It includes my Broom. That's probably what it was intended for, but I like to think of it as a support ability. It's my way of being the shield. I can only do it for so many people, though. The second barrier is lean enough to allow me to fight, or sleep in peace.
There's one other way for me to get around that... Theoretically, if I take on my largest form and carry more than two people as they latch onto my fur; then I can probably fit more people. But then I lose flight. That's the give and take scenario. Even if one of my flying comrades were holding my Lantern, Broom, and me… Their arm strength might give out by needing to take on carrying my massive body. It's hard enough to just be dragged along by me when I'm just running, it seems. I move that fast. If I were flying slowly, I suppose it might be easier; but what's going to happen if whoever is holding me loses their grip? They could literally die. I could theoretically die. If I don't land on my feet, then some of those latched onto me could also theoretically die. If they weren't very well strapped in, I suppose. Hanging off the side or something. I don't know! I'm 8 times the size of an average Cat right now in my largest form, and I'm quite close to going on 16 times the size of an average Cat. I'm freaking twice the size of a rhino back on earth already. I'm probably not very light.
It would require a certain individual. Perhaps… Crowli? I don't know… Goblin Funk?! He might have the STR to do it… If he Evolved another two times; he might outrank Crowli. He's a STR based monster, Conrad is an AGI based monster with a sub stat of STR; so nyah. It makes sense. Goblin Funk just needs a little bit more time to get stronger. Sadly, I haven't seen him around. I believe that Goddin Village Neith Sama is up to something with him. Neither of them have been present. It's rather strange, for the Village Chief to suddenly disappear for nights on end, but I'm sure that he'll be back soon. He must. He simply can not be allowed to miss the festival! I won't have it! I was thinking such things as I had made my way into the Arcade and began to browse the catalog on the Scaraoke machine monster. Benji was already here, practicing his song. He's doing wonderfully, and I'm listening to him as I browse the songs.
You know, I think that I don't give Benji enough credit. He gives it his all on the search for the Forsaken Isles just as much as anyone. So, I decided to give him a new song. It's the 'Ballroom Bl*tz'. He's going to make one hell of an opening into the Bandsmen scene. Up until meow, he's basically been a backup with like one or two cameos in 'This is H*lloween'. He hasn't had his true time to shine, but because he was in that total hit of a song that everyone loves; there's been some anticipation about when he would come out with his debut hit. And boy, is he ever... He's going to come out with freaking two of them. I'm excited for him. And so, I informed him of what's going down and I began to play the song. He's thrilled.
Moving along~ I decided the next song for White Beef Lady, but this one isn't actually intended to be performed in the concert. This is a special song. It's going to be played at my funeral. Literally. I will convince White Beef Lady to sing this for me when I perish. I'm not joking. I want this played at my funeral, and I don't even care if there's no proper instruments for it. We'll make it happen, okay?! I'll freaking have the instruments commissioned, I don't care. There's no price that I won't pay. It's 'Ding Dong The W*tch Is Dead'. White Beef Lady is the best role for the song. She has the best voice for it. I could think of no better Bandsmen to perform it for me. She deserves it. She's the one Clansmen which I might never be able to help Evolve. She's literally just here for the laughs at this point. I'm probably a massive let down to her. It's probably her who is actually stalling all of my summons. I'll need a male Bandsmen to help her, but I can't really decide which one. I'll figure it out.
But, because that song can't be performed right away, I'll also be assigning her to a different song. It's 'She W*lf'. She'll need to have Wendel and the Pixie as back up singers, so this is hellbent on the Pixie deciding to join the Band. I would heavily appreciate it if she did. She has a very high pitched voice, and it's quite monstrous at times. She could seriously benefit the Band. Now, I would like to give Conrad a song; so I think that I'll go with 'Superst*tion'. He can do it. I'm certain. He won't need any help. Moving along, if I'm going to be making opening songs for all of my Clansmen; then I should include the Vampires. I'll give 'Runnin' with the D*vil' to the three male Vampires. It should be fine if it's them.
I'm going to need to force the Pixie into performing. She's way too versatile. She can be a backup, that way I'm not stressing her out too bad by overwhelming her with songs. I was thinking such things as I decided to give 'Heads Will R*ll' to Wendel, in order to commemorate the victory in rescuing those imprisoned within the Lizardmen Pyramid. She'll need the Pixie to support her. I should also give one to Luna. 'M*nster' will be going to her. She'll need Wendel and potentially the Pixie as well. See what I mean? The Pixie opens up a whole new world of song choices. She's a must have. An essential. We can't let her leave. For Mr and Mrs Scarecrow, I'll give them 'Werewolves of L*ndon'. Yeah. I think they can do it.
In order to satiate anyone that I didn't find songs for, I decided to go with a group song. A banger. That's right~ Everyone will be involved. I'll need as many voices as possible to make it all work. I'm going with 'Time W*rp'. The lead roles will be assigned to Cetilla, Conrad, the Pixie, and Benji. Once again, the Pixie is absolutely necessary. Vana could be close to fulfilling the role, but the Pixie truly is the best fit. Vana can definitely do the tap dance for her, though.
I'll need another song to fully satiate Vana. I mean, you can't just give her two different dances and no lead roles. And so, we're going to do yet another group song; this time with her as one of the lead roles. It's 'I'm in Love with a M*nster'. We'll be having Luna, Vana, Betty, White Beef Lady, and Wendel as the lead roles. The Pixie can still be there for backup. It would be appreciated. I'll overwork her to death if I can't capture her. Yikes. She'll need to be hired just to manage perfecting all the songs later. I don't expect these songs to be magical or anything, because it's all on short notice. I still think that the Bandsmen will get better at performing them over time, and so the next festival will be even better. Nyah~
Now, just because I think the song suits her constant thirst for adventure; I've decided to grant Cetilla with a bonus song. She's the main lead, with only Vana as backup. It's 'W*nderland'. I believe she can nail the part. I also believe that I've picked a whole lot of songs, and am probably fine. They'll certainly be stressed and overworked enough. Viva la festival! I was thinking such things as I called my Clansmen, and asked them to bring Cetilla, the Pixie, and themselves here. We don't need to gather the others for 'Time W*rp' until the night is nearly over. It's a bonus song. Around five or so minutes later, they appeared. The Arcade is now considerably crowded, but it can't be helped. I didn't specify to leave the lesser Clansmen out of it. It's my fault.
"Hello everyone~ On this fine evening; we will be hosting a special… Surprise festival! You are all on the 'need to know' list. The other residents of the Wailing Keep will be informed around an hour before we begin… Tonight, I will be bestowing you all with at least one part to play. Pixie, I apologize; but I'm forcing your hand on this one. I need the extra help to ensure that these songs play out smoothly. I don't think that I ever elaborated on festivals for you, but we're performing songs for the Goblin and Harpy Villagers within Halloween tonight. Unfortunately, you have a major part to play in all of this. We have been desperately needing someone with a voice as high pitched as yours for awhile now. You can refuse, but be warned that if you do; all of the other Bandsmen will likely resent you." [Nero] greeted everyone before beginning to explain the situation at paw. To which, everyone in the room anxiously glared at the Pixie.
"...Perform? What do you mean?" [Pixie] asked with a dumbfounded expression.
"We sing songs, and dance to them or act to them as we do so. At first, you'll just need to read off the screen and figure out your parts. After that, you'll actually be performing it without being able to read. You'll be tasked with learning several over the course of the next few hours; but mainly, you'll be a back up singer. Small parts. You will have one song with a lead role, though. It's a group song that will be taught on shorter notice, as it's a song that everyone will need to learn. I would prefer it if we tried to learn it last, as it's a surprise festival. Are you willing?" [Nero] elaborated before begging the question.
"Eh… Sounds like fun; but I might not be able to learn them all..." [Pixie] agreed before admitting as she shrugged.
"That's fine. Just do your best. If you stay at the Wailing Keep, you'll have plenty of time to practice them another time for any upcoming festivals in the future." [Nero] reassured her with a smile and a thumb held high. To which, a loud cheer arose from the room.
"So what are we going to learn?" [Wendel] asked frantically.
"In commemoration of the safe rescue to all those trapped within the Lizardmen Pyramid, I ask that you; Wendel… Learn 'Heads Will R*ll' with the Pixie as your back up." [Nero] announced with a smile. To which, the Weeping Angel giddily began to play the song and practice it as Nero continued the list.
"To White Beef Lady, I ask that you learn 'She W*lf' with Wendel and the Pixie as your back up. To Conrad, I ask that you learn 'Superst*tion'. To the three unnamed Human Vampires, do your best learning 'Runnin with the D*vil. Luna, please try to learn 'M*nster' with the Pixie and Wendel as your backup. Cetilla, this song is specially for you. Vana can help be your backup. If you want to, please learn 'W*nderland'. For Mr and Mrs Scarecrow, I chose 'Werewolves of L*ndon'." [Nero] proclaimed with a smile before continuing. While doing so, numerous reactions were heard.
"This next one is a group song. It's called 'I'm in Love with a M*nster', and I would like for Luna, Vana, Betty, White Sheep Lady, and Wendel to learn it together. The Pixie can also play a role in backup, but it's optional as Vana and Wendel might be able to handle it themselves. The final song, is 'Time W*rp'. I would like for Cetilla, Conrad, the Pixie, and Benji to have lead roles in it; but many individuals can actually help perform this song. If we have enough time, you can all practice 'This is Halloween', and incorporate the newer Bandsmen into the song as best you can." [Nero] exclaimed, finishing with his announcement before removing his Pilot Cap.
The crowd seemed pleased, for the most part. Cetilla felt as though it might be too much of a hassle, but she's going through with it because I informed her that the other option would be joining me in my journey to the Human Kingdom. I can't just let her rejoin the rest of society until the surprise is known. We can't have any leaks. In the long run, they got what they wanted. New songs seems to be in very high demand for the Bandsmen. They love it. The Pixie might be overworked, but they all are. It is what it is. All of the new Halloween Clansmen will be making their debuts tonight, folks. Official Clansmen or not. I don't care. Another night cancelled for finding the Forsaken Isles, I suppose. I feel as though I've been pausing that quest quite often. Perhaps it's my fault that we haven't found it yet. Well, I'm off to find the alcohol. On account of my recent slacking, I doubt that I can afford Goblin Hooch. I'm going to need to make a trip into the Human Kingdom. Their stuff will likely cause me to black out, but it's fine. At the very least, I'll be able to have a good time before I do. I'll take it slow, you know? I'll pace myself.
I was thinking such things as I ditched them. I have alcohol to procure, Harpies to invite, and Goblins to find. I should also let the Chef know what's going on, if she's to prepare a decent feast for us in advance. We get more hungry when we drink. And so, I flew out of the Wailing Keep and towards the fireplace. On arrival, I was met with a rather large ensemble of individuals. They seem suspicious... Of me. They're all glaring at me, as if watching my every move. Are they waiting for an announcement?! I have nothing to say! Not to all of you, anyways. They probably figured out that something was going on because of the lack of Halloween Clansmen currently out and about. Well, I decided to snag Rita aside from the others. She's not intelligent enough to figure it out. I whispered in her ear that I had a game for her to play. It's a game called 'Catch the Chef'. To win the game, she needs to find the Chef Catkin, Number 6 of the Cat Crew and return the Catkin to the Kitchen. If she wins, she'll get extra Goldfish tomorrow. She's all in. There she goes~
Now, I'm off to meet with Georgia. If Rita brings the Chef back into the Kitchen, she'll probably figure it out and just start cooking again. If not, she'll wait there patiently until I return and can explain it to her. It's a sound plan! I have a good feeling about this. I ended up filling two Candy buckets with Silver Coins... They're almost full, anyways. I'm only taking them in the event that I decide to get my pre-drinks on before the festival begins... Not too much, just 135 Silver Coins. I'm expecting a shot to be around 100 Silver Coins, but I don't know precisely. It should be fine, if I'm just ordering a shot or something. My Gold Coins are all on me for the actual purchase, however. Flying to the Human Kingdom, I caught a glimpse of the Rabbit Hole, Bear Cave, and the derelict Bandit Camp. I also got a chance to see several of the Bears, and the Rabbits themselves; being chased by the Bears. Talk about a deadly game of 'tag'. One strike, and you're OUT! Of the park, and your life. Get it? Because it's a game. You get lives. Okay… I'm going meow. Flying over the wall separating the two Kingdoms, I continued on my way over the farms and toward the big City. I heard it was called Nidallia. Pretty fancy name, if you ask me. Nidallia. The actual City itself doesn't really live up to the fanciful name, but I'll do my best to remember it. I was thinking such things as I began to roam the slums, desperately seeking Georgia's Tavern.
I spent around 10 minutes searching, before I finally recognized it. It's towards the northern edge of the town, but there are definitely still more slums following it. The further north that you go, it appears that the buildings become less and less appealing. She's located right around the middle of the slums. After descending to ground level, I swung open the doors. They're the kind that one might expect to see in an old western movie. I could swear that she had regular doors last time, which might be part of the reasoning behind me forgetting where she had set up shop… But these doors really set the vibe. I can't complain. Looking around, sure enough… Georgia is in. No shortage of perverted creeps, either. I'm being whistled at, again! I can't help but twitch an eye as I enter.
"Well, well, well… If it isn't Nero... Back for more?" [Georgia] exclaimed as she took a bandanna out from her hair, letting it all hang out before asking as she turned to see a certain Catkin while beginning to laugh.
"Good evening, Georgia. I simply couldn't stay away... My list of friends has grown larger as well…" [Nero] greeted the burly woman with a grin before confessing as he removed his cap and approached the bar.
"More than last time, ehh? How many people we talkin' here?" [Georgia] asked as she lowered an arm down on the table and began to lean in towards the approaching Catkin. After doing so, she lowered her left eyebrow as she raised her right.
"What can I say, I'm a popular guy. I'll be serving 31 individuals tonight. No clue as to how much they can drink." [Nero] boasted with a carefree attitude as he shrugged before getting into the details and lowered his aviators before letting off a wink as he finished.
"Oi! Can I come?" [Drunkard #1] outwardly attempted to break into the conversation, only to later have some sort of dish whipped at him from across the room.
"...I've got just what you need... Come, take a look." [Georgia] wiped her forehead with a rag before she whispered with a grin and began to gesture for Nero to follow her into the back room.
And so, we're heading to the massive Wine Cellar. On entry, I'm not even surprised. Georgia's always stocked, okay? She's fully loaded, and ready for a massive event at any time. I should really debate pouring drinks for the whole Village, one of these nights. I bet that with Georgia's supplies, and my Coins; we could make it happen. Very rarely. It might not be enough to get the whole Village smashed, but they'd at least get one glass or something. I could definitely afford to have toasts at every festival, but I'd need a whole lot of shot glasses. It wouldn't be a glass deal any longer if I did it that way. If you were a Goblin, would you prefer a glass or rum every now and again or a shot of rum rather often? Personally, I would probably take the rare glass instead; if it meant more to drink. But then again, you probably wouldn't get drunk either way… So it's more of a gesture than anything. I'm at an impasse, so I'll leave that idea for another festival. I definitely don't have the connections to procure that many cups or shot glasses. Not at the moment. Rudou could no doubt help. Georgia could probably help, too... But not on such short notice.
Oh? Georgia led me to full on kegs. In wooden barrels. They even have steel taps. This is a pleasant surprise. It will likely be easier to carry, as well. Bro... We're getting keggers tonight. We just need a hose. Oh?! She has one. No, she has several. They're made of some type of leather. I'm all in. How can I tip you more?! Okay. So, apparently each barrel will cost me 1 Gold Coin. I spent 2 Gold Coins to get 18 individuals smashed last time. I have 31 guests tonight, so I'll be purchasing 5 barrels… What? The math didn't add up? I'm well aware. Tonight is special. It's a surprise festival. We simply must go big. I have 21 of these Gold Coins, okay?! I don't really know what to spend them all on. My charity work expenses with the Lumbermill and the Smelter won't be nearly expensive enough to run me dry; and I'm literally about to be paid again tomorrow. I can always go buy a new Broom from the Hag's Hollow… But they're all overpriced. I would much rather save up for an excessively good Broom than just keep slowly upgrading. I want to get more playing cards for the Safari Card Game Tournament, but I doubt cards will be very expensive either. Even if I throw down 5 Gold Coins on this festival, I'll still be absolutely fine with savings. I suppose that I could invest in better camping equipment… But even that won't be expensive enough to hurt my budget. I'm beginning to feel wealthy. This Cat has Coins. Plural.
And so, Georgia helped me carry the barrels out to the front of the Tavern. I say that, but she's really just guarding them for me as I get the others. It's a sketchy part of town. I could easily get robbed, given my disposition. This time, she got to see my Hallowed Gate. Surprisingly, she didn't bat an eyelash. She really couldn't care less if I'm an excessively rare creature with ridiculously unique and showboaty abilities. Georgia's been around this block before, okay? It's no big deal for her to add another wild ability to the list of those that she's witnessed. That's what I think, anyways. I decided to give Georgia a small tip. It wasn't incredible, but I was feeling lofty. I tossed 1 Gold Coin her way, and even dumped an additional 135 Silver Coins on some creep to get him to stop looking at me. I enjoy having funds to do these things.
When I had finally finished with procuring the alcohol, I left through the Gate and closed it upon arrival into the Wailing Keep. Opening the gate once more from the Throne Room, I began to haul the kegs one by one into the designated storage house within Halloween. It's the most southwestern house within my Halloween Town. I ended up realizing that there was still an extra bottle of Rum from the last festival. I'll take that~ Pre-drinks for yours truly. All as planned. Returning to the Wailing Keep, I began to fly out of the Throne Room before being brutally interrupted by a certain Lamia. It's Lora. She's definitely onto me, and is trying to get me to spill the beans. I'm not letting this Cat out of the bag just yet, Madam. She's displeased with me for flying directly past her and ignoring her questions, but she'll understand soon. Later~
For meow, I decided to search for the two rogue Goblins. We can't throw a festival for the Goblin Villagers if we don't have the Goblin Chief. It would be utter madness, I tell you! I started by getting a large aerial view of the Village. I was hoping that I could play "Where's W*ldo" to find them, but it doesn't seem to be the case. I'll need to get a closer look. Descending, I began to scour the Goblin Village. No hut was safe from my inspection. I checked them all! Every single one that I could find. I actually ended up finding the legendary Goblin Kiln hut while I did so, but I forgot where exactly it was by the time that I finished my search. They aren't here. That much is certain. I'm starting to get worried. I spent like 2 whole freaking hours searching, okay?! I'm fed up. So, I decided to call on Con and Connor and had them find the two missing Goblins.
While I waited, I remembered about the Chef Catkin. Oops. I totally told her to go to the Kitchen and never came to explain a single thing to her. I'll do that right meow. On arrival, I found a very hard working Catkin. She's already cooking. I had nothing to worry about, she's a smart Cat. I still ended up explaining to her that we're going to need a slightly larger feast than normal. She's confused, because we already ate… But she's going along with it, because apparently; she enjoys to cook. I suppose it makes sense. Why else would she suggest becoming the Wailing Keep Chef? She chose this job herself. I thanked her sincerely, and explained that the meal would not be eaten within the Wailing Keep, and that she didn't need to use the berries this time around. It would be inconvenient. We can't use dishes to serve it, so I called on Cosmo and Wanda to fetch us a whole lot of sticks. We're going to stab all of the Fish and then bundle them together, having them stick out from my spare empty glass jars. As if they were lollipops, or something. I told Cosmo and Wanda to also help the Chef by bringing the jars into the Kitchen so that she could make use of the sticks properly. I also informed them to carry the jars to the southwest corner of the Halloween Town after they had been filled with Fish sticks. She warned me that we were running low on Fish, and that we likely would not have enough after tomorrow's meet and feast.
This is a real problem. Tomorrow is my shipment with Clive, which I desperately need a Hallowed Gate in order to accomplish. I suppose, tomorrow; after the shipment… I'll just need to open a Hallowed Gate at the waterfall while I sleep. I'll need to rely on regular Wailing Keep residents to handle guarding it, but it can't be helped. Not unless I abruptly cancel the festival, anyways. I'm not doing that. I've literally made almost all of the preparations already. We're so damn close... I can't give up. Not now!
I decided to go and take a breather at the Delhn Lake. Sitting in the sand, I watched the gently flowing water and sipped on my bottle. This is nice. While I sat there, I remembered that I hadn't really prepared any donations in terms of clothing for the Villagers. I'll do that, right now. I'm making clothes while aiming for level 2. The Goblins for the most part, are fully clothed at this point; but the Harpies are not. This one's for them. The pile that was created from my nearly full MP, was massive. I didn't bother counting the clothes as I conjured them. After finishing with making them, I resumed in my relaxation. I'm waiting for my MP to recover so that I can cast a new [Hallowed Gate] and return these bad boys.
Around halfway through my bottle, I decided to take a peek at the lochness monster. I'm kind of just dipping my face into the water and staring at it. Unsurprisingly, it's staring right back at me. That massive yellow eye is terrifying. Suddenly, something touched my back and I almost died. Figuratively speaking, that is. Turning around, I was face to face with the Corocdae. She's looking for the Pixie and she does not seem pleased. Yikes. I had been trying to not get too close of a view to the Corocdae, because the only thing hiding her indecency is the alleged seaweed hair that adorns her. Now that I'm all up close and personal, it's kind of hard to look away. Oh…? What is this? A freaking net icon?! Are you kidding me?! She's a Clansmen candidate, and I have gone completely unaware of such a matter while she's literally living under my roof. I want to slap myself... So hard.
"Uhm… So, I didn't really want to tell you at first; because it was a surprise… But on further inspection, it would appear that you have every right to know..." [Nero] muttered while placing his cap back onto his head and pulling out his aviators from his collar shirt pocket before rubbing them off with his sleeve.
"Hmph! Where is she?" [Corocdae] asked bitterly while folding her arms.
"She's in Halloween. Actually, I was just about to go there now. Would you be so kind as to help me carry these clothes to the southeastern side of the Halloween Town?" [Nero] admit with a sigh before begging the question with a smile. To which, the Corocdae groaned.
"You aren't going to take me there unless I help you?" [Corocdae] asked with a foul expression.
"No, I can still take you there... But I'd appreciate the help." [Nero] replied coldly before his smile returned as he finished his sentence and glared off to the side at the pile of clothes.
"Please just get on with it." [Corocdae] sighed while she rolled her eyes as Nero took a swig of his bottle.
"[Hallowed Gate]!" [Nero] called out as he shrugged and held his Lantern high.
And so, the Corocdae is helping me carry the clothes. She's a peach. She's a very bitter peach, but a peach nonetheless. Carrying all of the clothes was actually kind of easy with her help. We were able to drape a whole lot of it onto her Crocodile back, and she was even able to carry shoes with her humanoid arms. The Corocdae's voice is kind of raspy, but she can definitely add some sort of vocal effects to it when she wants. She technically has two heads, so that might be part of it. I'm going to need to add a last minute song, just for her. I wonder what I should add?! I was thinking it over as I led her to the Arcade. As we walked, I decided to inform her of her circumstances; being a Halloween Clansmen.
"So, when we were at the Lake; I discovered that you are of the Halloween Clans… Just like the Pixie, and my Clansmen." [Nero] mentioned as the two slowly traveled through Halloween.
"Where is this leading?" [Corocdae] shot back with an attitude.
"Well, we like to hold festivals here in Halloween every so often. When we do so, many of the Halloween Clansmen perform songs for everyone to enjoy. It might just be personal preference, but from what I can tell; all of those within the Halloween Clan seem to have an inherent taste for it. You'll likely enjoy yourself if you participate. Not only that, but every single other higher creature of the Halloween Clan that has recently began to live here has been given at least one song to learn. Because I didn't know that you were of the Halloween Clan, I neglected to offer you a song. Everyone was missing, because they're all currently practicing their songs here. Would you like to learn one? Also, you could always decide to stay here as one of my Clansmen, but I'll leave that discussion for another time." [Nero] explained as the two traveled before he opened the doors to the Arcade and gestured for her to enter.
On entry, we were met with a rather cramped room; with a vast majority of the Bandsmen sitting around or playing the Arcade games. They're waiting for their turns. The song currently being practiced is 'M*nster' by Luna, with the help of Wendel and the Pixie. The Corocdae watched as the Pixie sang alongside them for around a minute before she turned to face me. She's in. She's ALL in. Okay~ After reading through the list on the Scaraoke machine monster, I came across a song that I thought might fit her more unique voice. It's 'B*d Guy'. She'll love it.
"We have one last minute song to add to our list, everyone. As it turns out, the Corocdae is also of the Halloween Clan; and so I've decided to offer her a chance to learn and perform 'B*d Guy'. Please ensure that she has as much time to practice her song as anyone else theirs, and try to fit her into 'This is Halloween' if you still have time to practice it." [Nero]
The Bandsmen are more heated up than ever before. Even the Bandsmen currently practicing all wear happy expressions. It's all about the challenge. Now, if the Bandsmen learn to perfect all of these songs; adding on the previous songs already taught… There will be a total of 25 songs from the Scaraoke machine monster. The Bandsmen also compose their own, original songs; but nyah. That count was also not including my funeral song, which I didn't actually mention to White Beef Lady yet. I don't expect to die in a freaking week, anyways. It can wait. Hunky Beefcake, don't let me die before I've prepared the instruments required for the Bandsmen to perform it; please. That would be an utter nightmare.
I was thinking such things as I watched the Bandsmen practice. They're getting the hang of it, but I can tell that they'll get better with more time. According to Conrad, at this point in time; they have all practiced their songs at least twice each… Aside from the Corocdae who is up next. That makes this the third attempt. Impressive. I sat by and watched them practice for like an hour or two until finally, Connor magically appeared before me. He found the stray Goblins. Lead the way! Exiting Halloween, he continued off to lead me through the Throne Room, out the Foyer, south of the Goblin Village and beyond. Far beyond. I'm flabberghasted that Connor was even able to scout this much distance in the time that I gave him. As it turns out, the Goblins ventured into the Demon Kingdom. Talk about dangerous! I have literally never witnessed Goddin Village Neith Sama leave the Village of his own volition, let alone this entire freaking Kingdom. My worries are only growing as the minutes pass.
Connor led me all the way to Orpia, the capital City of the Demon Kingdom. One of my least favorite places, but it's kind of nice to see the beautiful architecture once more; I suppose. Eventually, I was met with Con as well; who had been apparently keeping a close eye on them while Connor led me here. I'm sorry... Can we just take a moment to appreciate how dedicated Con and Connor have become to this side quest? These two deserve a raise or something. I should start paying my Clansmen. They can have allowances of Silver Coins, or perhaps… Candy? I can probably afford paying them in Candy. If I pay them enough Candy, then they could decide to go off and hold their own friendly duels or something. Yeah! Let's go with that.
I was thinking such things as I descended and followed Con to the Goblins. As it turns out, they're in a Tavern. Stepping inside, I was met with a rowdy atmosphere littered with drunken beasts and creatures of varying kinds. I still heard whistles. I'm getting sick to my stomach. I suppose that only the Beastkin Taverns will accept me without any Cat calls. They just gasped when I entered, the last time. Looking around, I scoured the establishment in search of my companions… And, there they are. Shockingly, there is also a certain Harpy Matriarch and one of her daughter's betrothed. It's the one with blue feathers and yellow eyes. The one intended to become one of the two next Monster Knights representing the Harpy Village? That one. After approaching, they all seemed quite disturbed to see me here. It's like I just caught them red pawed, trying to take the last cookie from the jar. I feel the exact same way. What is this?!
Ah… It would seem that in order to strengthen Goblin Funk's gut… Goddin Village Neith Sama, as intelligent as he is; thought it would be for the best to have Goblin Funk practice with Demon Liqueur. It's apparently extremely hard hitting alcohol. The kind that knocks you down and doesn't let you get back up again if you aren't a Demon. Ever. Goddin Village Neith Sama is literally killing Goblin Funk repeatedly with highly toxic chemicals, and resurrecting him to no end. In order to get here, they needed the help of the Harpies to fly over the Mountain beside the Chasms that separates the two Kingdoms. According to the Harpy Matriarch, she finds that her son in law needs a little bit of extra tough love as well… So she figured that she might as well come along for the journey. She's doing the exact same thing to him as Goddin Village Neith Sama is doing to Goblin Funk. What?! The Harpy Matriarch can resurrect her Harpies?! Racial Leaders are no joke… This is insane! I'm pulling the plug on this psychotic quest of theirs and bringing them all back to the Lost Kingdom. We have a festival to begin. They can get drunk later. Jeez…
Welp… There you have it. We're on our way back to the Lost Kingdom meow. We're blowing this popsicle stand. Fast. I don't want to be caught roaming these streets knowing full well that a disaster Loli lives only a few minutes away, so I'm carrying everyone. I took on my largest form, and they're basically all just gripping onto my fur for dear life. The Demons are all glaring at me, though. I swear, I'm just your every night Cat! As soon as we had reached the edge of Orpia, I cancelled my Hallowed Gate before casting a new one. Continuing to carry the others, I entered Halloween and continued off towards the other gate. As I did so, I was able to catch a glimpse of Wendel practicing her songs without the use of the Scaraoke machine monster. She's standing from atop of the punch fountain. An elegant performance, as always… That Weeping Angel, her. She was singing 'Z*mbie'. Returning to the Throne Room, I cancelled the gate once more before casting it again. Okay. Now that these people are all here, I suppose that I can let the Cat out of the bag. It's time to begin!
"I was searching for you due to the events taking place tonight. On this fine evening, we will be holding a surprise festival. I've taken every precaution to ensure that no one is aware of its occurrence, aside from the Bandsmen, the Chef, and now; yourselves. I want you all to keep your lips sealed. We're going with a ruse to gather all of the Harpy and Goblin Villagers here. I'm going to need your help to do this. Tell all of the Villagers that there will be a very important announcement taking place within Halloween, and to gather surrounding the fountain or as near as they can get to it while still being within Halloween. There will be no 'Hallowed Howls' taking place tonight. Before we gather the Villagers, we need to gather all of the new Wailing Keep residents as well as your daughters and their betrothed. The newcomers. Tonight, they make their appearance to the citizens of the Lost Kingdom. I want them all to be standing around the fountain. We also need to gather all of the other Wailing Keep residents, but they don't need to be perched on top of the fountain for the announcement. We do, however need to teach them a song rather quickly." [Nero] proclaimed as he removed his cap before turning to face the Harpy Matriarch as he mentioned her daughters.
"...Our appearance?" [Male Harpy] asked while tilting his head to the side.
"Yes. Tonight, I will be unofficially naming all of you. To do that, I want you to be as close to the fountain as possible; so that everyone in the crowd can adequately see you. You are free to stand from atop the fountain. That will help you be noticed by more of the crowd." [Nero] explained to the Harpy.
"My daughters will finally be named!" [Harpy Matriarch] exclaimed happily with tears falling down her eyes.
"Unofficially." [Nero] corrected the Matriarch while averting eye contact.
"Even so, I can't help but be filled with excitement." [Harpy Matriarch] remarked as she stared off into the distance.
"Alright, when shall we begin?" [Goddin Village Neith Sama] asked the Cat.
"At midnight is when I want the Villagers to arrive. We should bring all of the Monster Knights in an hour prior, though." [Nero] replied with a smile as he lowered his aviators.
"Then it shall be done! The Villagers are going to love this." [Goddin Village Neith Sama] proclaimed with a determined expression before turning to the Harpy Matriarch as he remarked with joy.
And so, they're continuing to talk. I'm not. I'm going back into Halloween. When I entered, I made sure to tell Wendel to not be standing atop the fountain when the others were to arrive. She didn't understand why, but I led her back to the Arcade regardless. When we entered, I began to explain how we would be beginning the festival. I need the already named Bandsmen to be hiding behind or on top of the houses. Our first song of the night will be 'This is H*lloween'. It's a crowd pleaser. Something to draw them all into the mood, after I make my announcement and name the new Monster Knights. Right before we kick off with the new and exciting songs, revealing that this is a freaking festival. Yosh! Even then, this time... The performance just might have a whole lot of extra individuals. It's going to be unlike it had ever been before. A brand new experience. I told them all as much. After I explained how we would be starting the festival, I inquired as to the progress on learning the songs.
According to the Bandsmen, everyone has practiced each of their songs at least 6 times at this point. It's time to begin practicing for the 'Time W*rp', and 'This is H*lloween'. In my opinion, these two songs will make or break the festival. They're really important, as are they challenging. They need more care towards practicing. And so, we began to practice. I'll be joining in to help fill in as backup with 'Time W*rp' practicing on account of my higher pitched voice. It's the least that I can do. We practiced each of the songs 5 whole times, before it finally began to click together. As they were practicing 'This is H*lloween', I was teaching Vana how to tap dance for 'Time W*rp'. She's a natural. I'm not. I knew she would be. I just have this inherent talent for knowing what others are good at, I suppose. It might have something to do with becoming a Holiday Clan Leader. I don't know.
I should also make sure that all of the new arrivals are properly clothed before I introduce them to the Villagers. We can't go around holding luxurious festivals without looking the part. Jeez. I'll go organize my piles of clothing in the Throne Room, I suppose. Wait! I can't organize them because I don't have any free Clansmen to ask to guard the Throne Room entrance… I suppose that I'll just let them have their pick of the pile. I've been trying to amass a large number of level 30 pieces for a while now. There are a decent number, but not nearly enough to fully clothe them. They will need to dip into Clive's shipment and make do with potentially lower grade clothing. I'll need to produce more clothing to make up for it tomorrow. Tonight is turning out to be a lot more expensive than I thought it would be. Nyah~ I doubt teaching the 'Time W*rp' chorus will require a full hour of time, though. I suppose that it's plausible to have the residents go off and choose outfits as we practice in Halloween. They can pick pieces from the pile of level 1 to 2 clothes in Halloween, or they can pick pieces from the pile of level 1 to 30 clothes in the Throne Room. It's on them.
I ended up spending all of my remaining time before the festival at the Arcade in Halloween. After the Bandsmen had practiced both songs 7 times, I finally felt as though they were fantastic. At that point, I told them that they could resume with practicing the other songs. I asked Robert to go and keep tabs on the Hallowed Gate for any Wailing Keep residents and to fetch me when they had began to arrive. He was just playing Arcade games, anyways. When he finally returned, I asked all of the Bandsmen to join me near the fountain, except for Cosmo and Wanda. I told them to begin playing 'Time W*rp' when they had heard the 'Hallowed Howl'. We arrived at the fountain as a horde, and it felt like quite the dramatic entrance; with, or without music. Looking around, they're all here. Even the Harpies. It's time to begin.
"Greetings everyone~ I'm sure that you're wondering why I called you all here on this fine night. I had been keeping it a secret, but it's time for the reveal. Tonight, we will be holding a surprise festival for the Harpy and Goblin Villagers. The Bandsmen have been working tirelessly to learn a plethora of new songs to go along with it, but there's one problem. One song, in particular. This one song, has a very difficult part to it. In order to properly perform it, we require a lot more people than there are Bandsmen. I'm going to need your help. Not all of you need to learn it, as some of you have rather low pitched voices. That will not work for this part. It would be nice if we could also learn a dance to go along with the song, but I don't think that we have time for that tonight. The festival will begin in one hour. We have one hour to learn the difficult part to the song, which I honestly believe to be more than enough time. There's still one other thing, though. I would like for each of you to be wearing more proper clothing for the festival. You don't need to keep wearing the clothing every night unless you prefer them, and if you genuinely feel uncomfortable with picking clothing; then you may neglect to choose any. It's your choice. As those of us who choose to learn the song practice, I would like for any of you who are not currently clothed to take turns choosing outfits in the Throne Room. There are piles of clothing in the Throne Room for you to pick pieces from, but if you can't seem to find an outfit; feel free to take pieces from the pile at the southwest corner of this Town. Additionally, any of you who have never been given a name by me... I require you to all be here, standing on the fountain immediately before the festival begins." [Nero] explained the situation to the crowd.
The crowd had heavily varying opinions on the matter, and around half of them decided to skip learning the song. Ben was the first to leave. He was grumbling something about having a low pitched voice and not wanting clothes. Wilson soon followed, but he didn't actually leave. He's staying on top of a house to get a good view of White Beef Lady as she practices. The Scarecrows all lack the capability to hit the notes, so they won't be participating. I asked Fred and Daphne to go and replace Robert who had been guarding the Scaraoke machine monster, because the Bats seemed to be in favor of performing the part. Goblin Funk sadly does not have it in him to hit the high notes, nor does he have any need for new clothes; so he's also leaving. Budget Dragon is the same, as is the Corocdae… Apparently. I feel wholeheartedly against her decision, but I suppose that some must simply stay nude. She's beginning to remind me of Conrad in that department. She's staying to participate in the song, though. Mr and Mrs Scarecrow may have chosen to go off and practice other songs without the Scaraoke machine monster, but they neglected to say anything as they left... So, I'll never know. The Frogman and Minotaur decided to go and find clothes, but they're not partaking in the song. The Chef Catkin said that she would go off to finish with preparations for the feast before coming back to watch.
After the crowd dispersed... I was left with Cetilla, Rita, Rustle, Lillian, Kendra, Wendel, Lora, Boris, Benji, Cyclozard, White Beef Lady, Vana, two of the male Human Vampires, Hugo, Betty, the Catkin Pirate, Cloaked Monk, Cloaked Monk's partner, Luna, Vivian, Edward, Robert, the child Catkin, the Corocdae, the Pixie, and four Harpies. Only one of the male Harpies chose to participate, while the other two decided to watch. The Harpy Matriarch and Goddin Village Neith Sama decided to spectate as well. Due to how the crowd dispersed, I quickly realized that I had no capability to let out the 'Hallowed Howl'. Instead, I raised my Lantern and tried to speak with Fred and Daphne in a more manual way. It worked. The Bandsmen and myself are meow singing the song to show the others how it plays out.
After around half an hour, everyone who was looking for clothing had gained their outfits. At this point, the song was going smoothly. I can honestly say that I believe this song will be a massive hit. It's time to do the dance. I'll teach it, so help me Hunky Beefcake! And so, I did. Sadly, Kendra, Cyclozard, Vivian, Edward, Benji, Robert, Lora, and Boris couldn't really learn all of the steps on account of their body shapes… But we tried our best. It's the thought that counts. We were able to spend around 25 minutes on it, and honestly; we didn't do very well. It's not a perfected dance, but it's just going to need to do. I had a good enough time teaching it, and dancing along as we sang; anyways. I managed to finish my bottle of Rum while the main roles were singing their parts. You can't see me. No, not at all. In another dimension~
When there were only 5 minutes remaining, we stopped the music and gathered all of the residents and Clansmen once more. It's time. I sent Goddin Village Neith Sama and the Harpy Matriarch off to go and begin fetching the Villagers. I also moved the Hallowed Gate out to the front of the Wailing Keep, and had the lesser Scarecrows help with moving the fireplace to Halloween; before returning to the Arcade. I made them promise me that at all times, there would be at least two Scarecrows waiting in the Arcade to ensure that the songs were playable. They can take turns, between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Scarecrows. I also told them that they could swap out for Vivian and Edward, or even Con and Connor if they desired. I don't want to send just one Clansmen to handle it alone, so Robert's getting the night to party. It's all going according to plan… At this point, I explained to all of the Bandsmen what the list of songs would be for the night, while raising my lantern to ensure that each of my Clansmen heard me. Then, I began to move all of the people into positions. Named Bandsmen are in hiding, within the houses surrounding the Town Circle until the music begins. Named residents are spread out around the Town Circle, looking towards the fountain. Those being named tonight, are all standing on the edge of the fountain, facing where the crowd will be. I'm standing atop the center of it. I still have one surprise for everyone. Even for those already filled in. I'll be naming the Harpy Matriarch tonight, as well. That's my surprise. I'll be hand picking her from the crowd near the end of my announcement, and leading her back to the fountain before I name her. I was thinking such things as the first Goblins began to emerge from the Hallowed Gate. Around 15 minutes had passed, before everyone had arrived.
"Welcome to everyone who had taken the time to come and meet with us on this momentous night! My name is Nero, the True Halloween Cat. I called upon you all to make an announcement. I have several individuals whom I would like to introduce you to. These creatures surrounding me, are either inhabitants of my wondrous home; the Wailing Keep… My newest of Halloween Clansmen… Or rather special individuals residing in the Lost Kingdom who you may have already met. These creatures all have one thing in common. They lack names, or simply have not yet been introduced to you. And so, I have decided to grant them all unofficial names this evening; and announce them to all those before me." [Nero] proclaimed loudly as he looked around the crowd. To which, those standing on the fountain began to murmur amidst themselves in anticipation.
"I will kick things off with my newest of Clansmen. Here, we have Luna Pratz; the Vampire! Following her, are her loyal retainers… Steve, the Vampire… Andy, the Vampire… And Mick the Vampire. These four creatures all hailed from the Human Kingdom, and fled from it as refugees seeking sanctuary. On encountering us, they have decided to serve Halloween and in turn; protect these lands as Monster Knights!" [Nero] exclaimed with a smile as he gestured to each of the Vampires. To which, the crowd cheered.
"...Following after my new Clansmen, I will move on to a different group. These individuals were all imprisoned within the Lizardmen Tribe's Pyramid until one fateful night in which we rescued them by infiltrating such a Pyramid. I present to you, the Catkin Chef... Mary and her daughter Cindy! Next, we have the Catkin Swashbuckler… Jon. These three have all become a part of my prestigious Cat Crew! Alongside them, we rescued the Minotaur, Lisa… The Corocdae, Christina… The Pixie, Penny… And the Frogman, Frank!" [Nero] continued with a smile as he gestured to each of the creatures after waiting for the cheers to settle… Only to have them return once more.
"...And next, are the Harpies of the Chasms. While we have certainly not rescued the Harpies, nor are they living here; these particular Harpies will play an important role in the future of our Kingdom nonetheless. Some of them, more than others. I would like to introduce you all to the Harpy Matriarch's three daughters... Chartreuse, Scarlet, and Fusciazure! Following after, we have their beloved partners… Prussian, Tuscan, and Pewter-Merlot! While this next individual is not a Harpy, she's been living at the Wailing Keep for awhile now… I present to you, Grenda the Goblina!" [Nero] exclaimed loudly while gesturing to each of the Harpies, and then finally to the Goblina. To which, yet another cheer arose from the crowd. As he waited for the crowd to calm, Nero began to scan it.
"Now, now; everyone… We aren't done just yet. I have one additional, extremely important individual whom I would like to bestow a name... I present to you, the Harpy Matriarch; herself! Come on… I would like to grant you the very special name of Chiffona-Cya-Macaroon!" [Nero] proclaimed as he made his way above the crowd to a certain Harpy and lent her an arm, leading her back to the top of the fountain as he finished. To which, the crowd absolutely roared with happiness.
"...Now, without further ado; I would like to note that there is a special gift awaiting the Harpies on the most southwestern side of this Town. I welcome everyone here to stay as long as they desire and bare witness to… This… Is… H*lloween!" [Nero] exclaimed as he raised his Lantern, while thinking about his Scarecrows.
Moments later, the beat began… And the crowd absolutely lost their minds. They're catching on, meow. Almost 20 seconds later, Mr Scarecrow popped open a door to one of the homes and stepped out while carrying a microphone; beginning the performance and silencing the frenzied crowd. As he did so, those on the fountain joined the crowd and began to enjoy themselves. I was ascending to get an aerial perspective. There's nothing like seeing a happy crowd from above. It's truly a spectacle. After relishing in it and enjoying the show for the entirety of the first song, the second began. It all happened so fast. I know that I listened to them practice for a pretty big chunk of my night, but the Bandsmen performed spectacularly. It's so much more when you get to see them jumping out of the houses when their parts begin. They joined the crowd, and did numerous things as they performed. Betty and Conrad both flew out of their houses, for example. White Beef Lady also flew, before landing on the fountain. Penny, the Pixie flew from her house, but she flew out of the window. It was even more unexpected. Wendel stepped out slowly, with one leg peeking from her door before she actually opened it. Really seductive. The crowd ate it up.
The second song was Wendel's. It was the commemoration song, 'Heads will R*ll'. When she actually began the song, she was stepping up onto the fountain slowly before her actual lyrics started. The song turned out to be a massive hit. Almost every single person that I could see was dancing along to it vigorously. Wendel has a lot of fans. It might be because she practices so much and has all the experience under her wings, but I'd like to think that she's simply one of the more talented of Bandsmen. At this point, I began to gather all of the residents and special guests. I'm leading them all to the southwest edge of Town for the feast and kegs. I found Goblin Funk first, and told him of the kegs in the storage house. He's going to bring them out for me. He's a good guy. Finding all of them took me a couple songs. After Wendel's, was 'Runnin' with the D*vil' by Steve, Andy, and Mick. Around halfway through that song, I managed to finish informing all of the VIP Guests to the joys of Rum and Fish. I must say, Andy really performed with a flare for the dramatics. I couldn't help but take peeks at the performance as I searched. He was invested, and it worked for the best as he was the one with the main role. Their debut was a success. I'm certain.
After their performance, the girls all took the stage and began their performance of 'I'm in Love with a M*nster'. It was Luna, Vana, Betty, White Beef Lady, and Wendel; with Penny as backup. That song grabbed a whole lot of attention from the crowd. It's the femme fatal... Success! I watched the performance for a little while from atop of a house alongside Cloaked Monk, Grenda, and Cyclozard, before I took a break and went to get hammered. On arrival, I found that there was a drinking game going. We're chugging. They're agging me on. I suppose I might as well~ I ended up drinking for around two minutes straight before I finally turned the tap on the barrel. I'm done! I can't any longer! Some seem impressed, but Ben the Bear is not one of them. This guy... He's impossible to please! Oh? Cetilla's beginning her song. It's 'W*nderland', with Vana as backup. I'm not about to miss this. I'm going back to my rooftops!
Ahhh~ I enjoy this song... Cetilla performed admirably. The crowd seems to like her, as well. I think that she's only ever performed for 'I Put a Sp*ll On You', so that's probably where she earned her fame. That's going to change tonight. Not only this song, but she also has a main role in 'Time W*rp'. After her performance, came 'Superst*tion' by Conrad. As far as I recall, we should have 'She W*lf' by White Beef Lady with Penny as backup after… Followed by 'M*nster' by Luna with Wendel and Penny as backup, 'B*d Guy' by Christina, 'Ballroom Bl*tz' by Benji, and finally; 'Werewolves of L*ndon' by Mr and Mrs Scarecrow. After that, we'll have the highly anticipated 'Time W*rp', followed by the equally as anticipated 'Thr*ller' and then we will begin performing songs that we already knew. I didn't split up the old songs with the new songs, because I expect the older songs to be performed much better. The Bandsmen have had a whole lot of time to perfect their craft on the older songs, okay?! The old songs are like fan favorites at this point… Though admittedly, there will be fan favorites among the newer songs as well. I can already tell that much judging by the reactions to them. We either have an incredibly amazing crowd, or we have an incredibly amazing band. I would like to think that it's both.
When White Beef Lady's song came on, I decided to join the crowd and dance. I was surprised to learn that Wilson performed the howls for her. It added a nice little flare to the song. I'm having a great time. Around halfway through the song... I was joined in my dancing by Cindy, Mary, and Mick. As we danced, more and more of the Wailing Keep residents joined us and it turned into a whole thing. We're dancing tonight, ladies and gentlemen! After around 25 minutes of dancing, I took a break to go and sit by the fireplace. With me are Conrad, Robert, Hugo, Vana, Goddin Village Neith Sama, Chiffona-Cya-Macaroon, Chartreuse, Prussian, Luna, Goblin Funk, Frank, Christina, and Penny. Jeez. I totally named the Harpies after their feather colors. It's difficult to name individuals of which you have only met a handful of times, okay?! Even so, they deserved names. Just, I didn't deserve to be the one granting those names. They seemed to appreciate them, but I still feel questionable about the whole idea of it. I was thinking such things as I grabbed myself a Fish stick. They're tasty. Mary really knows how to cook a good Fish. I even went in for seconds before deciding to take another swig of Rum from the kegs. Tasty.
Looking around... Conrad, Robert, Goblin Funk, Frank, and Luna are having their own conversation... Hugo and Vana are getting to know Chartreuse and Prussian... Goddin Village Neith Sama and Chiffona-Cya-Macaroon are getting to know Christina and Penny. This is nice. Chartreuse and Prussian are the Harpies intended to be the next Monster Knights representing the Harpy Den. Chartreuse is the eldest daughter to Chiffona-Cya-Macaroon. Try saying that ten times fast. It's a mouthful. Not necessarily a tongue twister, but you probably can't say it all in one breath without taking a deep one. I suppose the same goes for Goddin Village Neith Sama. His name is also excessively long. Good leaders deserve long names, I think. I'm pretty hammered at this point, I kind of started drinking earlier than everyone else. It's either that, or it's the fact that I chugged from a keg for around 2 minutes. Regardless, my vision is somewhat blurry and I'm definitely not capable of dancing any longer. I was thinking such things, until I heard it. The warning song. It was 'Werewolves of L*ndon', signalling that 'Time W*rp' would begin next. Raising my Lantern, I made an announcement.
"Clansmen! 'Time W*rp' is up next! If you are not currently performing or keeping track of the Scaraoke machine monster, please try to gather as many of the following individuals as you can, and get them into positions near the fountains. Cetilla, Conrad, Penny, Benji, Rita, Rustle, Jon, Lillian, Kendra, Wendel, Lora, Boris, Benji, Cyclozard, White Beef Lady, Vana, Steve, Mick, Hugo, Betty, Jon, Cloaked Monk, Grenda, Luna, Vivian, Edward, Robert, Cindy, Christina, Penny, Chartreuse, Scarlet, Fusciazure, and Pewter-Merlot! Remember, after that song; we will be performing 'Thr*ller', which the following will all need to be reminded of... Benji, Wendel, Betty, Mr and Mrs Scarecrow, Goblin Funk, Lillian, Wilson, Cetilla, Cloaked Monk, Grenda, Fred, Daphne, Cosmo, Wanda, Rita, and Goddin Village Neith Sama. Vivian and Edward will need to swap out with whoever is currently watching the Scaraoke machine monster to allow the Scarecrows their chance to dance for 'Thr*ller'. There is around half a minute of free time after starting 'Thr*ller' to take advantage of. Do your best. If you can't find an individual, it's fine. We have extras for a reason." [Nero] exclaimed loudly as he held his Lantern high. To which, many of those sitting at the fireplace picked up on the urgency and began to help out.
We might have missed a few of the dancers, but we managed to find all of the singers, no problem. The songs went wonderfully, though admittedly… I skipped dancing and singing for both of them. It was difficult enough for me to conjure the brainpower to simply remember all of the dancers. I can't dance like this. I really can't. And so, I was sitting atop one of the houses with Budget Dragon, Frank, and Lisa as they performed. I wasn't able to take my eyes off the performance, but I was able to ask Lisa about the Fae Forest while we spectated. According to her, the Fae Forest is an exceedingly peaceful place. She only happened to be captured by the Lizardmen Tribe because she chose to venture out into the rest of the continent in hopes of going off on an adventure. She learned to regret that decision, but she's glad that it led her to encountering us; at the very least. This is heartwarming stuff and all, but I genuinely wanted to hear more about the Fae Queen. As it turns out, our little Minotaur here had only actually met the Fae Queen a handful of times. Very briefly, and never really exchanged any words with her. What an absolute shame... She did tell me that the Queen seemed to be a very valiant individual, though. There may be hope, after all.