It seemed like a normal day in Lyngarth. Rosemary Cassowary, Sage Passel, Parsley Barleysteel, Thyme Teaberry, Amaryllis McMoneybags, and Snapdragon Hawthorne were all hanging out together on spring break. They were in Mallowbay Market, shopping.
"Guys, guys!" Look what I found!" Rosemary said, passing out strange skull pins to each of her friends.
"Those aren't very fashionable, but they are skulls and skulls are cool, so I'll take it. Thanks or whatever." Amaryllis said.
"Thanks Rosemary, now where should we head to next?" Parsley asked.
"Well, we could go to Lornhall Park. Some of the upper classmen are practicing at the grandstand." Sage said.
"I'd really like to see them practice." Snapdragon said nervously, blushing.
When they arrived, they saw that the band while it had two upperclassmen, also had two friends from year one. Parnell excitedly struck his tambourine in rhythm to Floss's drumbeat, while Menth used a bow to strum a banjo as Slime Boy, the band's leader sang and strummed his own banjo in the same manner.
It was then that things got strange. Giant frogs and what they recognized as a giant slashyr, a creature with sharp points everywhere, thin spindly legs and huge pincers ran or hopped around the audience and the grandstand. People came into view, chasing after and shooting multi colored beams of light at the creatures.
"Oh no! Scatter everyone!" A voice called.
Scatter they did, running in pairs, Rosemary's fluffy pink twin tails like a beacon to the creatures while Amaryllis fell in step close behind. When a frog got too close, Rosemary tried to reach for Flowering Thorn at her back, but it was suddenly gone, same with Amaryllis with both her axe and terrasphere, which wouldn't turn into its wand form, she ran a hand through her purple locks nervously, "Looks like we're in big trouble."
Meanwhile Thyme and Parsley were being chased by the slashyr and both noticed at the same time that they also had no weapons to draw, at last they were cornered. The slashyr's clawed pincer lunged dangerously close to Thyme's long red hair and almost nicked an ear, while Parsley was a blur of blonde, trying to tackle the creature, but phased through it somehow.
While Sage and Snapdragon ran omnibuses crashed to the ground around them, Snapdragon grabbed Sage's hand, leading them out of the way of the falling omnibuses.
And just as suddenly as it all began, with the loud, echoing snap of fingers, all of the creatures were gone and three shrouded men of varying ages stood in the center of the grandstand. The scene was still strange to say the least, as there were people just going about their business like nothing even happened, while many more were able to see and were reacting to the three in the center stage of the grandstand.
"Welcome new and old players! It's great to see so many new and old faces here today." Said the youngest.
"We have back our wonderful Wicked Twisters, Wise Words, Undeath, Executioners, and Fantasticans. As one week comes to a close, a new week begins! Sadly, we must say goodbye to our last place team, Fantasticans. You played your best, but your best was not enough." The middle aged man said in mock sadness.
"But before we say goodbye to The Fantasticans, we must find out about our newcomers and help them decide their teams and team names." Said the eldest shrouded man.
A young woman with blonde hair and the lightest blue eyes that were almost white eyes gathered all of the new players together to give them their beginner pins, also showing them how to set up their teams and team names. Soon they had The Lucky Strings, The Timeless Heliotrope, and The Jollie Timbermoor.
"Alright, Oleander Colvin here, are you six all one team? Seeing as I think we're all full up for players, it would probably be for the best you do, there's strength in numbers."
"Yes, I would like to be part of their team!" Snap chimed in.
"Ugh. I guess that's fine with me too." Amaryllis said.
"Good. And your team name?"
"High Guardian Spic-!"
"We are not naming it that dumb name! Your names are herbs, not spices, and that would leave Snap and me out. How about The Murder Squad?"
"What about The Blazing Stars instead?" Sage suggested.
"It certainly matches some of the other team names." Snap said.
"Um, if you'd excuse me, in the language of flowers, blazing star flowers can mean happiness." A girl from Slime Boy's group said shyly.
"We'll give it a brand new meaning, think of us as trailblazing stars, we'll discover new paths to victory!" Parsley said.
"Oooh that's SOOO cool! Blazing Stars it is!" Rosemary cheered.
"Congratulations are in order, welcome Blazing Stars to the Reaper's Game."
"Wait, Reaper's Game? Like Grim Reaper?" Rosemary asked, suddenly confused and a little scared.
"That's right. The Reaper's Game as in you're not living anymore." Oleander condescendingly said.
"Now that you've all been situated, the moment you've all been waiting for. Let's send our last place team off in style!"
In that moment, no one could move, no one could blink, no one could even cry out, no one but The Fantasticans anyway, as they disappeared into balls of light.
"And that takes care of that. Now if you want to survive the game, you have to shine brighter, be even better, win! Or you'll be erased, just like those Fantasticans."
