The white haired young man strode confidently down the street, wings of silver-white stretching from his back. Robes that had once been tattered were pristine, now, and his eyes had lost the wild look they had once had. Still, there was a unusual aura about him, a sense of dangerous potential. Beside him a golden lion padded along, it's own golden wings shimmering as he easily kept pace. "Well," Keroberos rumbled, "at least we can walk about unnoticed, today." "True," Yue found himself smiling slightly, taking in the crowds of costumed revelers. People were dressed in the oddest costumes, such as knights, witches, monsters and many other variations. Yue and Keroberos still stood out, but at least people seemed to thing they just had good costumes, rather than being supernatural themselves. "Do you think he's Balmung from .Hack?" a adoring young woman asked. "Or maybe from Angel Sanctuary," another murmured, looking at Yue intently. "Whoever he is," both girls said nearly together, "he's GORGEOUS!" "You seem to have acquired fans," Keroberos teased as they walked by. "Yes, well...." Yue trailed off uncomfortably. "Can you sense our quarry?" taking pity on him Keroberos changed the subject, raising his golden lion's head to sniff slightly at the evening breeze. "Yes," Yue nodded, "and even better I can sense Sakura and her allies close by. It could be they'll find the card without out help." "Possibly," Keroberos agreed. They passed a cake shop, the sweet scents wafting out then the lion's stomach rumbled softly. "Sorry," he actually blushed. Yue laughed, remembering his companion's legendary appetite from when they had first served Clow Reed. "I'll get you some later," he promised, "after we finish tonight's task." "Thank you,." Keroberos rumbled with as much dignity as possible. Yue chuckled, glad to see the shoe was on the other foot. Before Keroberos could say anything more a scream echoed off in the distance, ringing against the buildings. "Lets go," he was off, four legs eating up the ground with remarkable speed. Yue was tempted to stretch out his wings and fly but restrained himself. They were trying to be discrete, if possible, especially with this rare opportunity to travel out in the open. Still he was puffing a bit as they raced around the corner... only to skid to a stop in disgust. "Haunted house!" the sign declared, "Thrills and chills for all ages!" "I can't believe you screamed like that, Usagi," the black haired girl complained as she and her blonde companion left the building. "It was scary, Rei," she said, golden hair falling in twin streams from her head. She kept a firm grin on Rei's arm as she softly added, "I'm glad you were there to protect me." Rei put her hand on Usagi's, squeezing slightly as they walked by Yue and Keroberos, "I'll always be here for you." "Well that was a waste of time," Yue growled out. Keroberos didn't answer, instead he looked at the building with a frown. "There's something...." he paused, searing for the best word then just had to settle for, "wrong here." Yue opened his mouth to say something sarcastic about the hokey decorations around the house, then closed it again. For he, too, could feel the presence of some unknown something within the house, a power that made his skin prickle oddly. "Should we direct Sakura here somehow?" he asked after a moment's thought. "It doesn't feel like any of Clow Reed's work," Keroberos murmured softly. He smiled just slightly, "Besides, I'm curious." "You know the old saying about cats and curiosity?" Yue asked. "I haven't died yet," was Keroberos dry answer. The young lady at the door took the money, looking at Yue and Keroberos in awe. "Those are incredible costumes," she gushed. "Thank you," Yue flashed a smile, instantly charming her. "Could you hold on a few moments before you let anyone else in?" he dropped his voice, "I want to have a chance to give my friend a good scare in there." She laughed, slapping his arm, "You bad boy." She looked up at him with a almost predatory look, "If you want to go in there with me so that we can be all alone, I'm here till midnight." "Looks like you've made another conquest," Keroberos laughed once they went into the gloomy interior of the building. "Oh shut up," Yue growled, blushing. Various skeletons, ghosts and other special effects popped out at them, but both ignored them as they moved deeper into the building. There was an increasing chill in the air, along with an odd electricity that seemed to jump from nerve to nerve. "....help me...." Yue frowned, looking about trying to find the voice. Unlike the sound effects that echoed through the halls this sounded genuine, from someone who was really in distress. "Did you hear that?" he asked Keroberos. "Yes," he agreed grimly. The great cat tilted his head to the side, listening, then Keroberos nodded, "Up ahead, I think." "I could have told you that," Yue said dryly as they walked on. While the stage lights were still on, the area ahead seemed dimmer, almost as if something was eating the light cast into the darkness. The two walked on into the chill and dark, finally finding a closed door that was locked. Yue grabbed the handle, muscles beneath his shirt bulging slightly as he twisted and the lock broke easily. "I could have magicked it open," Keroberos complained mildly. "My way was faster," Yue said as he pushed open the door, a burst of stale air whooshing by them before they headed inside. The room was stuffed with boxes and knickknacks, odd items draped over every available surface. Much of it was props, likely sorted through before this Halloween show had begun, then stowed away here until they needed to pack it all up again. The air was charged with electricity, the oppressive sense of the supernatural weighing down on both beings as they looked around warily. "Where...?" Keroberos started to ask when she appeared. The dust and air swirled together, mist swiftly pulling together to reveal the spirit's form. Her eyes flashed red, her almost skeletal form handing there in midair as she wailed, "Why won't someone HELP ME?!" With that painful cry the wave of power washed over them, buffeting both with supernatural force but surprisingly they held fast, the energies splitting around them. "How do you want us to help?" Keroberos asked. She looked startled, gazing at both of them in surprise, her form shifting to a much more normal woman. "You can hear me?" she asked, "No one seemed to before!" "We aren't exactly normal," Yue said dryly. "Speak for yourself," Keroberos muttered. The ghost giggled softly, then she grew serious. "I want to move on," she said softly, "but something holds me here...." Keroberos nodded seriously, looking at her thoughtfully, his eyes glowing faintly for a few seconds. "I think I can help," he offered, then began to chant softly. The words grew louder as he continued, filling the room with a odd sort of music, then with a relieved sigh the spirit was gone. Yue smiled as he and Keroberos walked back out of the building, "Disappointed there wasn't as monster or something?" Keroberos shrugged slightly, "It's nice to simply help someone for a change, you know." A pause, "I think it's what Clow Reed would have wanted." "A point," he conceded as Yue led the way out into the deepening twilight. Thankfully the amorous young woman seemed to be gone, "Let's go before..." "There you are!" the girl's happy voice squealed. "Oh no," Yue whimpered as she rushed up to them. Keroberos just chuckled at the pained look on his face.
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