Infernal Academia

Chapter 18 - Redtile's New Flame: Part 4 (Cordite Perfume)

The Autumn Festival was a sight to behold.  The centre of the Brimstone Nature Park had been converted into a huge fairground, complete with games, stalls and even a ferris wheel bedecked with black and orange lights.  Children ran around, giddy at the prospect of staying up past their bedtimes and hopped up on Golem rock candy, while their parents chatted and tried their hands at the various games on offer.  Over in one stall, a pair of Gluttons were challenging passers-by to try and catch a goldfish with their bare hands.  In another, a Fallen had set up an archery range, though it had been temporarily closed because a young Oni boy had gotten frustrated and accidentally shot his sister in the foot.

The Redtiles - having never seen a proper Hell festival before - were utterly astounded by the entire experience.  People dressed in masks handed out bags of sweets to the festival's attendants, and by the time they made a full pass of all the attractions, Trevor's arms were weighed down with more than a dozen bags of confectionary.  His wife couldn't quite contain herself around the shooting galleries, and judging by the way she handled the air rifle and the amount of stuffed toys she was winning, the woman had deadly aim.

As for Cobalt and Quinn, they had both completely relaxed, secure in the fact that neither of the Imp's parents had seen through the pseudo-Succubus' disguise.  And though Cobalt still felt like he was being watched, he had to admit that the plan had worked.  He had successfully passed himself off as her girlfriend, and her parents were none the wiser.

"If you're still worried about what comes next, don't.  I'll tell them that Copper had to transfer to some other town or something.  What's the closest to Brimstone?" Quinn asked, rattling a lollipop against her teeth.

Cobalt smiled as he delicately nibbled the coating of a toffee apple.

"I take it you haven't been studying for your Geography classes then?"

"You've seen my grades, what do you think?"

He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Technically Slomba is the closest proper town, but they don't have any kind of school there, so you'd be better off saying she moved to Pumice Bay.  That's the next city-state over, just to the southwest."

"Alright, alright, enough with the lessons.  You aren't even my Geography teacher."

Laden with treats and teddy bears, her parents scuttled over to the pair, both tittering like excited schoolchildren.

"When our Quinn invited us to this festival thing, I thought it was just going to be some version of Halloween!  But this is fantastic!  They're giving out free shit!" Trevor cried giddily, staggering beneath the weight of his bounty.

Cobalt smiled.

"Well, Halloween is a time where Earthborne demons can walk freely among humans.  Down here, the Autumn Festival is more about-" Cobalt began, only to be cut off by a massive yawn from Quinn.

She apologised fo her interruption, but a quick glare told him that he was being far too teach-like.  Clearing his throat, he clasped his hands behind his back and turned his gaze to the ground beneath his feet.

"Um, well, in any case, do you think we should maybe walk you to your hotel, Mr. and Mrs. Redtile?  I'm sure you must be tired after all those games," Cobalt suggested, raising the pitch of his voice somewhat.

Susan grinned.

"Cor, aren't you just the sweetest, Copper?  Quinn honey, you really bagged a keeper!" she laughed, looking notably more red-faced than usual.

Eyes wide, Cobalt glanced over at the stall she and Trevor had returned from.  It was selling samples of genuine Oni moonshine, the kind of stuff that doubled as a turpentine alternative.