After a surprisingly delicious breakfast cooked by Hitsu, Nox found herself standing in the lounge area on the first floor. Hitsu had pulled back a rug on the floor to show a wooden hatch. Nox, Hitsu, and Juno all stood looking down at the hatch. The hidden entrance made Nox feel uneasy despite there being no apparent reason she should.
"Why do we have to go down there?" Nox asked as she tried to hide the nervousness in her voice.
"You can't do hero stuff if you don't have a hero suit," Hitsu explained.
"Hero suit?" Nox asked.
"Yeah, like what I was wearing back at Twindawn," Hitsu said.
"That was your hero suit?" Nox questioned remembering the all-black hoodie and pants Hitsu wore.
"I wanted something comfy," Hitsu justified, "besides I don't think you're remembering how it lights up when I use my power."
Hitsu was right. Nox thought back on how Hitsu's black clothes became covered in various pink designs whenever he used his neon.
"You can make that stuff her?" Nox asked.
"Yep," Hitsu said, "right down there." Hitsu pointed at the hatch on the floor causing the uneasy feeling to return to Nox.
"Fine," Nox sighed, "but you are going down first."
"Sure," Hitsu said in a carefree manner. Hitsu crouched down and pulled open the hatch. Nox could see a ladder that descended into nothing but darkness causing a shiver to make its way down her spine.
"Don't worry," Hitsu said, "there's nothing to be scared of."
"If you say so," Nox replied.
Hitsu started down the ladder. Only a few rungs down Juno ran towards the hatch. She leaped down onto Hitsu's shoulder where she sat comfortably.
"The cat is braver than me," Nox thought as she started down the ladder as well. The three descended into the darkness until Nox eventually felt solid ground beneath her feet. Before she had time to speak the darkness was pushed back by a dim pink light. Nox immediately recognized the light as Hitsu's neon. A small neon crystal floated above Hitsu's palm. With a flick of his wrist, Hitsu sent the crystal into the darkness. It flew for a moment before colliding with the wall and dissipating.
"What did you do that for?" Nox asked.
She received an answer as a dim light turned on from the ceiling. Nox was blinded for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the light. Soon she could make out her surroundings. They stood in a small room no larger than an average bedroom. The walls and floor were covered in various supplies, all of them appeared to be materials and tools to make clothes with. The messy room looked more like a storage area than a workshop. Nox's eyes searched the room but stopped when she noticed the spot where Hitsu's neon had hit was a plain wooden wall.
"How did you turn the light on?" Nox asked, "There's no switch on that wall."
"I didn't turn the light on," Hitsu answered, "Tristram did."
"Who's Tristram," Nox asked.
Movement out of the corner of her eye caused Nox to turn her head back towards the wall. Those eyes widen in surprise and fear as she saw the wall was different than it was just moments ago. A square portion of the wooden boards was swung open in the middle of the wall like a door. But what scared Nox the most was the man climbing out of the opening.
The man was tall, terrifyingly tall, as he stepped out of the wall and stood his head bent at a ninety-degree angle to avoid the ceiling. He wore a dusty and old business suit complete with a red tie that hung from his neck. The man's skin was a ghostly pale white while his eyes glowed a sinister red. The man's fading white hair tipped towards the ground as the man's head remained tilted. Two long sharp fangs leaked out from the man's upper lip as his eyes locked onto Nox.
"AHH!" Nox screamed as she stumbled backward frightened at the ominous man's sudden appearance.
"Chill," Hitsu said calmly as he stopped Nox's retreat by placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Who is that?" Nox asked still shaken from the pale man.
"Oh pardon me," the man said as he closed the wall behind him, "I don't believe we've met."
Instantly all the fear in Nox's body left and was replaced with confusion.
"Huh?" she said puzzled.
"Nox this is Tristram, our clothes maker," Hitsu introduced.
"Excuse me," Tristram said annoyed, "I am not a 'clothes maker' I am a wardrobe artist."
"Right," Hitsu said with a sneaky rolling of his eyes, "our 'wardrobe artist'. Tristram this is Nox, our newest member."
"New members? I did not know we got those anymore," Tristram joked as he walked around the room looking at various fabrics.
"Well, we have one now," Hitsu snapped back, "so how about you stop being so stuck up and help us get her a hero outfit."
Upon hearing those words Tristram dropped the fabric in his hands. He turned towards the pair dramatically with a big smile.
"Dear Hitsu, you should have said something sooner," Tristram said with a grin. Tristram crossed the room in only two long steps, a process made easy by his lanky body. Hitsu took a step back as Tristram began to circle around Nox and began mumbling to himself.
"Uh, hello," Nox said awkwardly, "I'm Nox, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Yes yes, a sentiment I return and all that," Tristram responded as he barley listened to the girl.
"What is he doing?" Nox whispered to Hitsu.
"Whatever it is 'artist' do," Hitsu responded with a shrug.
"YES!" Tristram said loudly causing Nox to jump. "I shall make you the finest hero attire."
"You will?" Nox asked excitedly.
"Yes indeed," Tristram said as he started to rummage through a nearby pile of fabric, "but I will require something from you."
"What is it?" Nox asked, "I don't have a lot of money."
"Don't worry," Hitsu assured, "he doesn't need money."
Nox sighed in relief. "Thank goodness, I would have had to pay him back."
"He wants your blood," Hitsu responded casually.
"Oh, oka... WHAT!?" Nox shouted as the fear returned to her body in an instant.
"Yeah," Hitsu said, "he is a vampire after all."
The pale skin, the dim light, the fangs, it all made sense to Nox. She watched terrified as Tristram turned back to her with a devilish grin.
"There is no need to worry my dear..." Tristram said as he approached Nox.
"...I don't bite."
...
End of Episode 26