Last Pasta Standing 2: Union and Reunion

Chapter 2: And to Your Left...

I went through the door, and found myself standing on a gothically decorated balcony overlooking a vast foyer. It was slightly dilapidated, but that made it even cooler. Left of me was a big staircase leading to the ground floor. A crowd of what I could only assume to be other creepypastas were downstairs just...talking.  Going about their days like they were normal people. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I realized that I had judged these monsters far too harshly. I heard a light giggle behind me.

"Taking in the view, art-man?" Hope asked. I had always been a nerd for landscapes...

She led me down the stairs, and I saw a green clad ghost playing video games on the biggest television screen I had ever seen. He swiftly turned his head to me in perplexity, eyes wide.

Hope turned to me, "To your left, you'll see the elusive ectoplasmic trashbag we call Ben.

The ghost boy looked about 13 or so, but he acted just a few years older. He looked at Hope.

"Oh hey, Violeteyes!" he said, "Hey, - uh...."

"He doesn't have a pasta-name just yet." Hope replied, "We're going to the big man for that, now."

I stared at Hope in confusion. "Pasta-name?" I asked reluctantly, not sure if I should know what that means.

"A pasta-name," she explained, "Is the new name that we give you after you become a creepypasta. We don't have one for you yet because you haven't gone through the trial of skill."

"Trial?" I asked, with an air of fear. I always hated tests of any kind. If I had to get my name from a test, I might just suffice with being called no-name, or even "untitled pasta 001."

"What's the matter, big explosion man?" Hope teased as we continued through the foyer, "Afraid of filling too many bubbles?" She laughed. "Don't worry about that. It's a different type of test. I think you'll like it. It involves combat, and problem-solving."

I pondered that. A combat test? With practical problem-solving? I was starting to enjoy this idea.

Hope continued with the tour. "And directly behind you," she said, "you'll see one of the best, and sneakiest cheesecake addicts ever. He's Tim."

"Violeteyes," said Tim, "You know how I feel about my old name."

Hope chuckled. "Alright, pal. His name is Masky. He's been here longer than any of us."

I greeted Masky. His mask seemed to he more than just a paper mask from the store. It was like it was infused with some sort of magic. He told me that he knew the Slenderman before he was a good guy. "It was some crazy stuff. A lot of people I knew died because of him, but... I realized that it wasn't his fault." he said.

He bid us adieu, and I got a fright from a much taller creature grabbing my shoulders from behind me. Hope grimaced at whatever it was.

"New kid!  You're awake!" it said jovially.

I regained my composure, turning around to see what had startled me. It was a rather tall clown. He was lanky with long arms that stretched down to his knees. His horizontally striped shirt sat under a set of pure white overalls.  His sleeves went down to his hands, only exposing a set of five thick clawed fingers for each hand. His grin was wide with pointed teeth, and his eyes were even sharper. He waved, and introduced himself as-

"Laughing Jack," Hope said behind me. "The useful nuisance. What do you want, overalls?"

Laughing Jack chuckled, and spoke in a voice that was both amusing and spine chilling. "Well, I just wanted to see the new recruit, now that he's awake." He examined me closely. "Hmm... I don't think he's chosen one material. Oh well..."

I stammered a response as fast as I could. "C-chosen one?" I asked.

Laughing Jack grinned wider than I thought possible, and told me "Oh I've said too much." On his leave he looked at Hope and said "I'll leave you to explain this one, lilac."

I turned to her, expecting an answer or something. Instead I got a "I'll tell you later..." and she moved on with her tour.

I met a lot of other interesting characters. An eyeless kid in a mask was by far the most normal one. I met the tutor of the creepypastas, a nice, tall witch named Ms. Pencilneck. She was nice. A bit too nice.  I also met Masky's partner, Hoodie.  He had apparently been on a long mission and just got back.  Hope didn't seem to like his new weapons he brought back, a katana and throwing knives.  "You were only supposed to carry a butterfly knife, dummy." she said with contempt.

As I looked around during a break in the tour, I came to a realization. "I feel like Toby and Jeff should be here."

Hope stopped dead in her tracks. I just said something bad didn't I? She turned around to look at me, her eyes puffed.

"Jeff...is different." she said reluctantly.

"Wait. Different, how?" I asked.

She paused for a moment. "We brought him to the Manor to cleanse him, just as he did with you and me, but..." she hesitated. "I didn't work. All that's left of his sanity is a savage animal. Slenderman threw him into the woods."

This hit me like a brick. It made sense that the darkness would have had more time to do more damage, but an animal? I wasn't prepared to find out my friend since freshman year was reduced to an animal.

"And Toby?" I asked.

Hope's eyes puffed and moistened. "I...I don't know. I never know where he is." She collapsed into me, unable to keep herself upright anymore. I wasn't expecting that.

After a minute or two, she regained her composure through a series of breathing and growling exercises. She apologized, but I didn't mind.  I was just worried for her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked her.

"I'll be fine," she told me, "It happens all the time." She smiled.At that moment, a loud ringing sound was heard. It seemed like it was coming from the chandelier.

"Oh! That must be for the naming ritual." Hope said.

"Naming ritual?" I repeated. I gulped. It seems that I wasn't going to be ready for that test even if I could study.