The Masquerader and the Jester [Rascal x Female Reader]

Chapter 1: New In Town

Chapter Song: "Fairground Terror" -Robert Austin

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The first thing you notice is the lack of stars in the night sky. Not even Sirius, the brightest and most brilliant star, can be seen in Earth's atmosphere. Only the golden glow of the full moon keeps you company on this dark and lonesome night. Flashing lights and vivid colors emanate from the surrounding carnival game booths, concession stands, and amusement park rides. From afar, the sound of calliope music can be heard playing loudly. This eerie, otherworldly melody causes your heartbeat to quicken its pace. Hot tears prick out of the corner of your eyes, making it all the more difficult to find an escape in this maze of madness.

After many unsuccessful attempts at finding an exit, you collapse onto your hands and knees from exhaustion. Cold wind brushes against your damp face, leading you to wipe any sticky moisture off your skin. It's uncertain as to whether this dampness came from sweating, or crying. Regardless, any hope of leaving this carnival soon diminishes. You stand up and stagger towards the neighboring bumper car attraction to rest, only to stop when a peculiar sound reaches your ears.

Pivoting towards the direction of the noise, you spot another person in the distance. You smile at the thought of finally getting help and leaving this place behind for good. Without hesitation, you begin sprinting towards the stranger. The closer you approach, the better you can make out the his physical appearance. He turns out to be a tall jester, with purple hair and what appears to be a tri-colored fool's cap on his head. A long-sleeved colorful jumpsuit adorns his slim figure, coupled together with a plum-colored cape, and black pointed-toe boots. His unique and clownish style, along with his ability to ride a unicycle in the dark, was a spectacular feat. You didn't expect to run into one of the carnival performers this late at night. Still, his apparent familiarity with the fairgrounds was all the reassurance you needed.

"Excuse me!" you shouted, drawing closer to his moving form.

The jester stops pedaling his unicycle, turning to face you with an amused expression. "Oh my, what is a little girl such as yourself doing at a carnival so late at night? It's after hours!"

Now standing directly in front of him, you notice his pointy elfin ears and white half-mask. What catches your attention the most, however, are the black eye-slits of his mask. You remain transfixed on these eyes of his, almost forgetting the reason why you approached him in the first place. "I'm lost, and I can't find my way back. I don't know where my parents are either. Could you please help me?" You fidget with your hands, awaiting his response. The jester's tight-lipped grin widens, displaying his razor-sharp teeth. During this brief moment, you notice the eye-slits of his mask move...

You bolt upright in your bed, gasping for air. The heavy pounding of your heart makes it hard to breathe, prompting you to place a shaking hand over it. After taking several minutes to ease your rapid heart rate, you start inspecting your surroundings. A relieved sigh leaves you upon being back in your bedroom, and not at the carnival with that creepy jester. It had been another bad dream, one that you hope to never relive again. Even so, you can't shake off the sense of dread that lay dormant in the pit of your stomach. Strangely enough, you still feel like you're trapped inside that maze at the carnival. It was only a dream. It's not real. He's not real! Pushing these troublesome thoughts back, you try to focus on something other than that dreadful nightmare. You glance over at the nearby alarm clock, only to jump out of bed after perceiving the time.

For the duration it takes you to get ready, you internally scold yourself for not waking up earlier. The thought of how your parents might react to finding out you overslept causes you to tense. Thankfully, they left for work hours ago, and you didn't plan on telling them about this anytime soon. Just as you're about ready to leave the bedroom, you make the mistake of peering at your reflection in the full-length mirror. That's as good as it's going to get for now. As much as you prefer to further enhance your appearance, you can't afford to miss the first day of school.