(CYOA: Human Superstitions) - Bastion

[Nio Love]

It was his second time charging into the human world for a task that did not involve terrorizing. He was starting to get used to seeing humans and fighting down the urges that breeding and training had always attempted to instill in him - perhaps this was because he'd never truly been interested in fighting off humans for pleasure and gain at all (but he could never admit that). So when the class sign up appeared, he managed to pen his flourished signature, and accompanied the class in their adventure. He even felt like he was starting to look the part of a curious student, despite his advanced nature.

He did, however, feel a little traitorous signing a slip that informed him no harm was allowed. He side glanced to make sure no one was looking before putting his name down on such a thing. No one must know.

It was a class on observing superstitions - which would be helpful knowledge for his own ambitions just as it would be for any Fear-reliant creature. He was happy to observe, for the time being, and learn about what made human fears tick.  

[Nio Love]

Down the darkened streets as they walked, Bastion found himself amused at the ability to simply step into an open door and walk inside a house. A woman had opened her door to hand candies out, but even she looked fragile and frayed, as though the spirit of the season was too much for her soul to bear. Once she'd closed the door, Bastion witnessed her circling her entire household backwards a total of three times. Then she knocked on a wooden beam as she passed it, and disappeared into an adjacent room.

He tried not to laugh, because he was invisible, and knew it would probably scare the poor dear to death.

Quote:

10: You watch a human walk around their dwelling three times, backwards and counterclockwise. Then they knock on a nearby piece of wood.

 

[Nio Love]

Inside the house, he heard more of a disturbance. The family seemed focused in the kitchen, hollowing out pumpkins and placing candles inside of their dead, lifeless corpses. They cut faces out to create decorative fright, and placed the carcasses on their doorstep as well as in their windowsill.

Humans were more barbaric than the horsemen gave them credit for.

Quote:

1: Some humans are putting out jack-o-lanterns both in and outside of their homes! They all seem to have candles in them.

 

[Nio Love]

Once the house had been properly decorated, the humans within seemed to disperse into their own private rooms for a time. He waited until each door had closed, before deciding to take a better look around.

The house had an eerie glow from the lit pumpkins, and the silence that came from the sudden departure of any living presence only added to the effect.

Bastion was impressed. Even the house itself seemed to shudder with spirit, as though it knew that the witching hour was at hand.

Quote:

5: It's really quiet in this house all of a sudden. You can hear the floorboards creak under your feet…

 

[Nio Love]

And then it came. It was midnight, and Bastion could hear the humans leave their private dormitories to gather in a room together. They were all young - the older female had decided to stay in bed, it seemed. They, alone, prepared for a night feast to celebrate the day of the spirits. He could see by the glimmering cans and bags filled with crunchy food, that they looked to fuel themselves for an all nighter.

They gathered in a dark room, and lit far more candles than seemed necessary. They did so in a pattern, and even Bastion knew what a summoning circle looked like - or should have looked like, at least. Theirs was a mess - it would summon no creature from the other side, with such lack of care.

They did not seem deterred - they sat together in a circle, held hands, and began to chant nonsense. He bent in to study them, watching each face carefully. How different each one was - some seemed reluctant to keep their eyes closed, while others seemed amused by the whole procedure. And there - was that one asleep? How strange.

They would have no satisfaction this way. What they needed was a little.. push.

Bastion inhaled a deep breath, and blew out the candles in front of them. He could hear them screaming in the dark, and placed both of his hands over his mouth to stop his laughter.

It was too easy.

Quote:

6: You find a group of humans all around a bunch of candles. You decide to blow one out, but - now the humans are screaming?

 

[Nio Love]

When he returned, he'd been 'assigned' an essay - but as he did not formally attend the school, he thought perhaps a paper trail was not the smartest choice to make.