TWST'D: Keys to the Future

Welcome to the New Normal pt 3

Grim smiled ingeniously as he rattled on.

"I've been waiting for the day the black carriage would pick me up..."

Then he went uncharacteristically serious.

"And yet...and yet..." his voice broke for a second before rage filled his large blue eyes.

"Hmph! What does that Dark Mirror know? Clearly doesn't have an eye for talent. So that's why I came on my own."

He gave another signature smirk.

"Not lettin' me in would be a loss for the world, ya know?"

Camila giggled, earning her a look from Grim.

"Indeed," she said with a smile, "you are an intriguing person, Grim."

She went to pet him between his ears when he yelped and jumped back from a large droplet that almost got his ear.

She looked up at the roof and noticed the various holes in the tiles, some even threatening to fall between the candelabra that hung from the ceiling.

"Right," was all she said.

"Nyaa! So cold! At this rate, my charming little ear fire's gonna go out!" he squeaked.

"That would be unacceptable," she stated robotically as she grabbed the planks of wood, hammer and nails to put under either arm.

"Ya know, magic could fix this right up-" he then stopped himself as a condescending smirk morphed into his furry face.

"Wait a minute...you can't use magic!"

He laughed meanly.

"You're useless!"

Camila ignored his laugher and climbed up the walls like a spider monkey.

She placed the nails and planks into her stomach once she was on the ceiling and nailed each plank on the holes with quick precision.

Down below, Grim's laughter was swallowed abruptly.

"What?! How the heck are you doin' that?" She couldn't see his face, but she could hear the surprise in his voice.

Without answering (both because she was too focused and due to a few nails being held by her teeth) she simply continued to patch up each hole in earnest until the leaks stopped, and climbed down the other side.

"I may have almost lost my footing due to the missing tiles and whatnot, but I got it done," she said plainly after she climbed down, the box of nails and hammer in her pants pocket.

Grim's eyes were as big as saucers.

"Lost your footing?! When??"

Camila opened her mouth to say something but turned her attention to the chill coming from the hallway.

"It's cold," was all she said.

"Well, duh," Grim said as if talking to a child, "it's raining. You losin' it or somethin'?"

She ignored him and went closer towards the colder air.

As she got close, she noticed her body shivered weakly.

Camila stared at her shaking hands for a moment before delving deeper into the cold, a light fog coming from the hallway.

"Hee hee hee," a giggle erupted from somewhere, though she couldn't discern where.

As she surveyed the hallway, something fell just in front of her feet- one of the candelabra.

The lights went out once it crashed into the floor.

Soon after a fit of giggles erupted all around the halls, causing the lights to flicker and the furniture and pictures to float gingerly through the air.

Camila watched all of this unfold without so much as a twist in her eye.

"What a shame," a voice spoke with mirth, "it missed!"

"Who's there?" Camila asked calmly.

In response, something white floated between her, the cold chill eating her bones and caused involuntary shivering.

As the shivering stopped, the white thing stopped in front of her, and she was able to get a good look at it:

In front of her was a small bluish white humanoid wearing a top hat and a scarf, his wisp-like tail dancing leisurely as it floated.

"Welcome to our humble abode," it greeted as it tipped its hat to her.

Instead of returning his greeting, she examined the place where he phased through her, patting her stomach dumbly.

What is this thing?

She definitely wanted to know more, but wasn't sure if the strange creature would take well with being touched.

"Hey, guys!" It held a four-fingered hand to its face as it called out to the fog.

"It's been sooo long since we had guests," a light voice creaked out.

"Ah, I'm itching for some action," a deeper voice said excitedly.

Two more pale creatures similar in appearance and dress appeared in front of her, one big and round, while the other inhumanly skinny.

They giggled as the three of them encircled her.

"What should we do to make our guests feel the most welcome?"

"Oh, I know," the short one spoke excitedly, "why don't we have them join us as ghosts?"

The heavy one floated up to her eagerly.

"Oh yes! We've been looking for new friends! How bout it?!"

Their giggles turned into howls as they crowded around her.

"The afterlife's a blast! You won't even feel any pain or suffering!"

"...no thanks," she spoke calmly as ever, completely missing the underlying threat of "becoming" a ghost, "is that what you guys are?"

The laughter stopped as the trio of ghosts looked at her with dumbfounded stares.

"Uh..." The small one uttered.

"That's, uh," the big one sputtered.

"You aren't scared...?" The thin one asked.

Camila cocked her head.

"Why would I be afraid. None of you possess any ill intent."

Upon her reaction, the all huddled away from her, their backs towards her as they whispered nervously amongst themselves.

Camila was trying to hear what they were whispering about but when she got close they floated further away.

"What's the big idea?!" Grim demanded, his paws on his hips, "ya don't just leave a guy and-"

His eyes trailed to the floating entities behind Camila and he froze.

"G...g..." he sputtered.

She cocked her head at him.

"GHHHOOOOSSSTTTTSSSSS?!??" He yelled out, quivering like a leaf shaken up in a storm.