Boogeyman

The girl stood in the window as the light seemed to shimmer around her. "The doll is mine, I apologize for its mischievous acts." The girl said, as two other dolls rushed to her.

Maruchi sat the doll she had on the ground. "Who are you?" Maruchi asked, hoping for an answer this time.

The doll rushed to the girl, she put her hand to the ground, and as all three dolls climbed ontop her palm, she rose it from the ground to hold them. "My name is Porcelain, these are my Dolls." Porcelain said, as sge observed the girls.

"Alright, Porcelain." Peni said, as she walked in front of Maruchi. "Where are we?" Peni asked, hoping to learn some information.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's a dimensional garbage dumb." Porcelain said, as she looked out of the window.

"And what is that?" Kuream asked, having never heard of one before.

"Well, it's a place where people throw away unwanted items and objects, but somewhere that doesn't destroy the environment." Porcelain explained, as she stepped away from the window.

"Why are you here?" Maruchi asked, finding it strange to see a person in a place for trash.

"Isn't it obvious?" Porcelain asked, feeling like they should have known why she's there from her explanation. "I was unwanted." Porcelain continued, as she let her dolls off of her hand and onto the window's edge.

"Well, if you're tired of being here, then you're welcome to come with us when we get out of here." Peni said, offering assistance to Porcelain.

"Thank you." Porcelain said, as she closed her eyes. "But that won't happen." Porcelain said, as she opened her eyes and looked into Peni's eyes seriously.

"Why?" Tenshi asked, as she came closer to Peni.

"Because of the things out there, if they find you, they'll kill you." Porcelain said, as she looked out of the window again.

"There's more people in here?" Maruchi asked, finding it rather odd.

"They aren't people." Porcelain said. "Whatever they are, they feel evil and look scary." Porcelain continued.

"Where are they?" Peni asked, as she took Tenshi's hand.

"There's one outside the window right now." Porcelain said, as she signaled for Peni to come look. "I don't think they can see through glass." Porcelain continued.

Peni stood next to Porcelain along with Tenshi and looked out of the window. "It reminds me of the Phantom." Peni said to herself, quietly.

"That's a Boogeyman..." Tenshi said, as she looked out of the window with an expression of worry.

"You've seen that thing before?" Peni asked, as she looked at Tenshi.

"No, but Zeus made me read a lot about it from his books." Tenshi said, as she shook her head.

"Do you know how to avoid them?" Porcelain asked, thinking there may be hope in this situation.

"I don't think we'd want to avoid them." Tenshi said, as she began thinking.

"Why wouldn't we?" Peni asked, wanting Tenshi to explain more.

"So, what's going on?" Maruchi asked, as her and the rest of the group walked over.

"There's these things outside, they're called Boogeymen." Tenshi said, as she began explaining the plan. "We don't want them to see us, but we'll need to follow them." Tenshi continued.

"Why would we do that?" C-Ku asked, as she tilted her head slightly. "Aren't they dangerous." C-Ku continued.

"Yes, they very much are." Tenshi said, as she turned around to look through the window. "Hades made them to find any lost souls that might not have made it to the Underworld." Tenshi said, explaining what the Boogeymen are. "But for some reason they create random portals that none of the Gods nor Angels could go through." Tenshi continued, as she turned to look at everyone.

"So, we just need to go through one of the portals it'll make?" Kuream asked, hoping she's following.

"Exactly." Tenshi said, with a smile.

"But wait..." Kumetsu said, as she foated upside down. "Wouldn't that mean we'd have to leave youuuu behind?" Kumetsu asked, as she poked Tenshi's nose.

"Indeed..." Tenshi said, as she looked sad.

"Then we'll figure something else out." Maruchi said quickly, as she threw away the idea.

"But there is no other way out." Porcelain said, as she tried to think of any other way.

"There's always a second way!" C-Ku said, trying to inspire some hope.

"We coullllld..." Kumetsu said, as she began to think out loud. "Oh!" Kumetsu said, as she hit her fist on her palm. "We could kill ourselves!" Kumetsu continued, with a bright smile.

"Maybe something less painful..." Tetsu said, as she scratched her head.

"Tenshi." Peni said, as she looked toward Tenshi.

"Um... Yeah?" Tenshi asked, feeling like she might be yelled out for suggesting to leave her behind.

"You said that Angels couldn't go through the portals that those Boogeyman things create, right?" Peni asked, as she made sure she heard correctly.

"Yes, that's what I said." Tenshi said, confirming to Peni.

"But you're also a female pepper, would it still apply to you?" Peni asked, wondering if Tenshi knew.

"I mean, maybe not... Though I'm not sure if even a female pepper can go through the portal." Tenshi said, feeling like she's no longer useful.

"I say that we try." Peni said, as she took both of Tenshi's hands. Tenshi looked up at Peni and blushed in surprise. "Trust me, it'll work." Peni said, with a small smile.

"Alright!" Maruchi said, as she sounded excited.

"But-!" Tenshi said, as she was cut off by Kuream.

"We'll all get out together!" Kuream said, as she joined Maruchi in excitement.

"But what if it doesn't work?" Tenshi asked, feeling worried.

"Don't you trust me, Tenshi?" Peni asked, as she pulled Tenshi closer.

"I-I do!" Tenshi said, as she felt flustered.

Peni hugged Tenshi. "Then that's how we know it'll work." Peni said, as she held Tenshi tightly.

"That doesn't make any sense..." Tetsu said, as she looked confused.

"Doesn't matter how much sense it makes." Maruchi said, as she shook her head. "All that matters is that we trust each other." Maruchi continued.

"Oh!" Tetsu said, as she felt she understood. "I see..." Tetsu continued, as she began to think to herself.

"Then, let's wait for a Boogeyman to make a portal, they stay open for a little while." Tenshi said, as her and Peni let go of each other.

The girls sat in a circle on the dusty, wooden floor, other than C-Ku who was watching the window.

"You got any fours?" Maruchi asked, as she held a hand of cards.

"Go fish." Kuream said, after looking at the cards that she held.

"Damn..." Maruchi said, as she reached into the pile of cards that was in the middle of the girls.

"Um... Maruchiiii, do you have any fourrrs?" Kumetsu said, with a smirk. Maruchi gave an annoyed look and handed Kumetsu two cards. "Hehehe!" Kumetsu chuckled.

"You suck." Maruchi said, as the annoyed expression stayed on her face.

"Where did the other two go?" Porcelain asked, as she also held cards.

"Peni and Tenshi? I'm not sure." Tetsu said, as she took a card from the pile.

"Hey!" Kuream shouted, as she looked at Tetsu. "Why'd you take a card, you never asked anyone for any card first!" Kuream continued, feeling like Tetsu's trying to cheat.

"Am I playing wrong?" Tetsu asked, as she sat the card back down.

"You don't even know how to play?" Maruchi asked, looking confused.

"...Nope!" Tetsu said, with a smile.

"This our fifth game... and you just now tell us..." Maruchi said slowly, not sure if she should be confused about why Tetsu didn't ask how to play, or how none of them noticed until now.

"Hey! One of those thingies is doing something!" C-Ku said, hoping it's creating a portal.

"Sorry to ruin the moment, you two, but we need Tenshi right now!" Maruchi yelled, hoping that Tenshi or Peni would hear her. After a small moment Tenshi and Peni walked over to everyone. Peni stopped to pick up the cards and give them back to the Phantom.

Tenshi was blushing and seemed out of focus. "What? What happened?" Tenshi said, as she made her way to everyone.

"Is that the portal you mentioned?" Maruchi asked, as she looked out of the window.

"Yes, that's how I remember it looking in the book." Tenshi said, as she began to focus more.

"Alright! I have a plan!" Kumetsu said, sounding excited.

"Oh boy..." Maruchi said, as she felt like Kumetsu's ideas might not be the best.

"Hehehehe!" Kumetsu giggled.

"Go!" Tenshi shouted, as the Boogeyman went behind some floating boxes. Tenshi flew over the void below them, as she watched the others jump from box to couch, couch to chair, chair to box, box to bed, etc. Kumetsu and C-Ku became clear as they floated through the air, to distract the Boogeyman. The Boogeyman saw them and made a loud screech, causing other Boogeymen to come over.

"Right when I'm thinking it wasn't a bad idea..." Maruchi said to herself, as she regretted following the plan.

"Uh oh! Hahaha!" Kumetsu laughed, as her and C-Ku were chased around by a Boogeyman, very soon encountering another one to chase them.

"Peni!" Tenshi shouted, as she flew over to Peni. Peni opened her arms and Tenshi grabbed Peni and flew with her.

"I thought you couldn't carry anyone." Peni asked, as she thought back to when Tenshi fell after carrying Kuream.

"I can, I just didn't have a good grip on Kuream." Tenshi said, as she held Peni tighter than she needed to.

Maruchi, Kuream, Porcelain, and Tetsu all stood on a floating dinner table in front of the portal, waiting for the signal to go through. Tenshi slowly flew closer to everyone waiting, so that she could let Peni onto the table.

"Watch out!" C-Ku shouted, as she flew straight into everyone, causing them all to be thrown into the portal.

"Ow..." Tenshi said, as she rubbed her head.

"Is everyone alright?" Peni asked, as she stood up.

"I think so." Kuream said, as she also stood up.

"Looks like we all made it." Maruchi said, as she too stood up.

"Not all of us." C-Ku said, as she looked outside of the portal to where the came from to see Kumetsu giggling as she flew to them.

"That was fuuuun!" Kumetsu shouted, in excitement.

"Yeah..." Maruchi said, sarcastically.

"Aren't you two, like... not physical while you look clear?" Kuream asked, thinking she might be wrong.

"Yeah, it's the only way we can zoom through the air!" Kumetsu said, confirming what Kuream said. "Why?" Kumetsu asked, wondering why that question is relevant.

"How come we got pushed in by C-Ku?" Kuream asked, as she got to the point.

"Oh, sorry..." C-Ku said, as she felt bad. "I got startled and lost my focus..." C-Ku continued, hoping that they wouldn't be angry.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter." Peni said, wanting everyone to stop worrying about what happened.

"Where are we?" Maruchi asked, feeling unsure about what she's seeing.

"It looks like some black tunnel." Peni said, as she looked around.

"Should we keep going through it?" Porcelain asked, feeling a bit worried about their choice to come here.

"Well, it's either that, or we go back to those monsters." Maruchi said, showing Porcelain their options.

"Uh... I'd rather find out where the eerie portal goes..." Porcelain said, as she made up her mind.

"That's what I thought." Maruchi said, as she began to walk forward while everyone followed her.

"Sooooo..." Kumetsu said, as she floated around Peni and Tenshi who walked next to each other. "What were you two dooooing?" Kumetsu asked, giving them a weird smirk.

"What do you mean?" Peni asked, as she wanted Kumetsu to elaborate more.

"Y'knowww... When you gave us the cards and walked away with Tenshi." Kumetsu said, explaining more of her question.

"U-Uh... Nothing!" Tenshi shouted, as her face became red.

"Tenshi, what did I tell you about lying?" Peni asked, wanting Tenshi to tell the truth.

"B-But... it's embarrassing..." Tenshi said, as she looked away from Peni.

"Then I'll say it." Peni said, as she looked at Kumetsu. "We were kissing." Peni said, as her voice stayed monotone.

"Ooooo!" Kumetsu said, as she spun around.

"Happy?" Peni asked, hoping that they can move on.

"Hehe! Yep!" Kumetsu giggled.

As they continued to walk the seemingly endless void, Tenshi at the front of everyone, with Peni not far behind her, noticing a light.

"I see a light!" Tenshi said, as she pointed ahead of everyone.

"I see it too." Peni said, as everyone began to run to the light.

"Yeah, looks like the end of this weird portal." Maruchi said, as they all ran.

They all finally made it to the light, but they didn't expect to see what it is they saw. The first thing they saw was a bench on their left, slightly in front of that was a fence that was left open, and a path that lead into the forest behind them. Past the fence was an old house that looked extremely run down, and to left of the house was a stump that a girl at on, she looked angry or annoyed. But what confused everyone, was the fact that everything was just different shades of gray, the grass, the fence, the trees, the bench, everything, even the sky. "Where the hell are we?" Kuream said, as they all stopped running to look around.

"I'm... not sure." Tenshi said, as she grabbed Peni's hand to feel safe.

"Maybe she'll know." Peni said, as she used her other hand to point at the girl on the stump.

"Let's go ask her, I guess." Maruchi said, as they all walked over to the girl.

"Excuse me... could you help us?" Tenshi said, as both her and Peni stood in front of the girl while everyone stayed a little bit back. The girl's skin was as pale as C-Ku and Kumetsu's, her hair was blue like all of their's. Both of the girl's eyes were blue, and she had pink braids that fell in front of her ears. She wore a white sweatshirt and black pants too. The girl barely looked up at Tenshi and Peni and said nothing.

"Please, we don't know where we are." Peni said, as she asked again.

"I... don't know any terminology..." The girl said, as she decided to answer them. "But this is a place... for the dead." The girl continued, as she looked back at the ground.

"For the dead?" Tenshi asked herself quietly, finding the sentence peculiar.

"What does that mean?" Peni asked, feeling confused.

"Specifically for our kind, but only females." The girl said, as she looked back up at the two.

"So... you're a ghost?" Tenshi asked, feeling confused.

"I don't think so." The girl said, as she closed her eyes to think for a moment. "I believe we're called... Spirits." The girl continued.

"Remember, C-Ku and Kumetsu are Ghosts, which means Ghosts aren't dead people." Peni whispered to Tenshi. Tenshi nodded as she understood.

"But you were killed?" Tenshi asked, wanting to know more.

"...Yes, but I really wouldn't like to talk about that." The girl said, as she looked seriously at them.

"Okay, no problem! I don't mean to make you upset!" Tenshi said quickly, worried she might have offended the girl.

"Why do you sit here?" Peni asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'm not a fan... of talking, please go away." The girl said, trying to have Tenshi and Peni leave her alone.

"Just talk with us, what harm could it cause?" Peni asked, trying to reason with the girl.

The girl sighed. "I have nothing else to do." The girl said, as she decided to conversate.

"Does anyone else live here?" Peni asked, trying to learn as much as she can. "I see a house, but ut doesn't seem to be yours." Peni continued.

"It was a male pepper's house, he wasn't dead like me." The girl said, as she looked toward the house. "He came one day, the same way you did." The girl continued.

"Through one of those portals?" Peni asked, as she looked back at the portal they'd all came through, only to see it was gone.

Peni looked back at the girl, as she began to speak. "Yes, and he wasn't the only one to do it." The girl said, as she began to think again.

"Why did he appear?" Peni asked, wondering if she knew.

"I'm unsure, but he acted as if he knew the other dead girl, the one that'd talk with me." The girl said, as she looked to her left, as if reminiscing her conversations with the other girl.

"Who was this girl?" Peni asked, wondering if she's relevant.

"She isn't here anymore, some male pepper saved her from this nightmare of a place..." The girl said, as she looked back toward Peni. "Her name was Polly, and that guys name was... pepper, I believe." The girl continued.

"pepper?" Tenshi asked, wondering if it's the same pepper.

"Did he have a white suit with a red bow and black dress pants?" Peni asked, feeling like pepper's been everywhere.

"I think, I didn't pay much attention to him... But there was something..." The girl said, as she began to lose herself in her own thoughts.

"Something...?" Tenshi asked, feeling confused.

"I don't know..." The girl said, as she put her right hand on her forehead. "There was something different about him, different than any male pepper I've met before..." The girl said, as she tried to remember.

"Yes, he is different." Maruchu said, as she walked up to join the conversation. "I've met him too, I know what you felt." Maruchi continued.

"That's actually what we're running around for." Peni said, as she began to speak. "pepper died, and we need to save him." Peni continued.

"But, he's dead... how could you save him?" The girl asked.

"We can explain it all later." Tenshi said, putting the details to the side. "We need ten female pepper's to save him, and right now, we have eight..." Tenshi said, asking the girl to help them.

"We'll even repay you however you'd like." Peni said, as she added more to what Tenshi said.

"Who's pepper?" Porcelain whispered to C-Ku.

"I think he's a corpse or something..." C-Ku said, as she began to think. "I dunno, I'm just helping my friends!" C-Ku said, with a proud smile.

"Oh... Then I'll do the same." Porcelain said, as she decided to help them.

"Anything I want?" The girl asked, making sure she knew understood.

"Anything." Peni said, confirming the girl was correct.

"If I assist you, I expect you to assist me afterward." The girl said, as she looked into Peni's eyes.

"I will." Peni said, as she accepted the girl's price.

"Alright then, where to next." The girl said, as she stood up from the stump.

"I'm not really sure how to get out of this place..." Tenshi said, as she felt like coming here was a stupid idea.

"Right... You didn't know where this even led to..." Maruchi said, feeling disappointed in herself for deciding to come to another place they're trapped in.

"No problem." The girl said, as she walked toward the house. "I found this." The girl continued as she went inside the house.

"Should we... follow her...?" Maruchi asked, as they all looked at each other.

The girl came out and walked back to the group. "It was from the first male pepper I mentioned." The girl said, as she held a ring.

"Was it a gift?" Tenshi asked, thinking that he must have been thoughtful.

"No, I stole it from his dead body." The girl said, as she turned around and walked a little bit ahead of them. Tenshi looked a little sad about her response.

"What's the ring gonna do?" Kuream asked, feeling curious.

"I'm not sure how it works, but it should make a portal out of here." The girl said, as she messed with the ring.

"Wait, is that...?" Tenshi asked, as she rushed over to the girl. "It is!" Tenshi said, with excitement.

"What?" The girl asked, feeling confused about Tenshi's sudden excitement.

"Just press the green stone in the middle down, it should activate." Tenshi said, as she pointed at it.

"Oh." The girl said, as she did what Tenshi said to do. As soon as the stone was pressed down, a portal opened not far from them.

"Tenshi, how did you know that?" Peni asked, wondering if Tenshi had seen this ring before.

"Zeus had Hephaestus make these for Angels, it's so the Angels could get to the mortal realm easier." Tenshi said, explaining her knowledge on the ring. "It's a portal that will only ever go somewhere in the mortal realm." Tenshi continued.

"Then, why don't you have one?" Maruchi asked, feeling like this could have been a lot easier if Tenshi had a ring.

"Well, they always make a portal in a random spot, which wasn't that useful." Tenshi said, feeling bad that the ring couldn't be more useful.

"Great, now we're going in another portal blindly..." Maruchi said sarcastically, becoming annoyed with their pattern.

"Sorry..." Tenshi said, trying to apologize.

"Well, let's just go." Peni said, as she walked to the portal.

"Yeah, not much choice..." Maruchi said, with a sigh as she followed Peni, and the rest followed her through the portal.