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Haunted Suite

Part I - Nocturne Promenade

Episode 2 - Down Beat

Later that day Niko, Tamagi, and Razzle had finally reached the Main Office of The Last Apostle Puppetshow, which was located right in the heart of East Coast City and only minutes away from the Capitol District. For the convenience of anyone looking to meet The Presenter - or Tara Myazee when official names were required - the Main Office was located right next to the main studios. Not only that, his multi-level office had his personal office situated on the bottom floor so visitors (and The Presenter) never had to walk far or travel multiple stories to get to his office.

The building itself was painted blue and purple with a dash of orange here and there and was four stories high. The parking lot in front of it was of decent size, being just enough for the employees who worked there to park in with a small miniature lot for visitors. Emergency pillars dotted the parking lot which could be used to call on security for emergency situations, and many of the lights and even vegetation hid security cameras. Some of these cameras were in plain sight, but often overlooked due to their placement.

Niko, Tamagi, and Razzle made their way through the front door of the Main Office, glancing over at the massive studio lot to their right where all the magic of Puppetshow happened. The reception area of the Main Office continued the color motif of blues, purples, and oranges, and a rather cute human girl was working as the day's receptionist.

"Hello there guys! Welcome back to the Puppetshow," she said, her voice rather cheery.

"Hello there Sqiggles." Replied Niko with a smile, "How have you been today?"

"I've been doing well, thanks! What brings you over to the Main Office?"

Niko gave Tamagi a friendly pat on the back, "This lil' fella here."

"Oh yes! The Presenter's Errand Boy."

"I thought it was 'Personal Errand Boy'?" Said Razzle with a smirk. Tamagi looked over to the fennec with a rather unamused look on his face.

Squiggles giggled, "So he needs to see The Presenter I take it? Will you and Razzle be going with him?"

Niko smiled, "Oh you know it."

Squiggles pushed a button on her desk that buzzed the door behind her and to the right open, and the trio proceeded through it. As they walked down the hall to The Presenter's office a small conversation about how cute Sqiggles was looking sprang up, with Niko complementing her makeup. Before Tamagi had a chance to voice his own opinions on Sqiggles' looks (He thought she was adorable) they had reached the large wooden doors of The Presenter's office. The doors themselves were not painted, instead being decorated with a myriad of cosmic symbols that were painted and etched on it, with stars, moons, and suns being one of the more recurring symbols. Niko reached out his hand and gave the door a nice, firm knock.

"Who goes there?" Called a male voice from inside.

"It's us, Presenter; Niko, Tamagi, and Razzle. Are you busy at the moment?"

"Somewhat...actually you know what? Come right on in."

Niko gave the heavy doors a strong, good push and opened the doors to the office. Inside the purple and blue color motif of course continued, though this time there was no orange to be found. The floor had a rather elaborate carpet on it, with the ceiling painted a dark midnight-colored blue with yellow and white stars, moons, and suns. There were a few large bookcases situated throughout the office, and a desk situated in front of a widow that currently had its blinds down. A Denebian albino rabbit wearing wizard-like robes was sorting through a wealth of books that were strewn about the desk, and there were more stacks of books here and there throughout the room.

"...I'd say you're actually quite busy, Presenter. Perhaps even...booked." Said Razzle.

The Presenter chuckled, "Yes, yes I am. But you see...now I have companions that can be booked with me."

"I uh...take it that my, um...my assignment has to do with these books and stuff?" Asked Tamagi.

The Presenter smiled, "Well, not just you my rounded chum; the others shall help out as well! That's right fellows, you get to help me re-organize my book collections. They have needed it for quite some time."

Niko and Razzle exchanged looks with each other that quite clearly conveyed that they were not looking forward to such a task.

"But don't worry my friends! I of course will be helping to comb this vast variation of valuable books! We shall have four times the amount of brains working on this!"

"Say, Presenter, did you hear that Laurren had been robbed?" Asked Razzle as he started going through a nearby stack of books that seemed to pertain mostly to various types of gambling.

"I'd read a short report on it this morning about it on Eastern Times' online site. The writer seemed all too eager to push in his little old opinion that Laurren was committing fraud, noting that he heard word that he had taken on some pretty big buck loans. Ugh...I have no idea how reporters find things out like this so fast. Kids and their mobile phones, probably."

"Ahkin called it 'a small loan'." Razzle said, giving his best mockery of Ahkin's Wesserxian accent that got a chuckle out of Niko, "...but it looks like that writer was right. Me, Niko and Tamagi saw the whole thing unfold on our way over there. Sheesh, all we wanted was some Cozi Cola, and what we got instead was an investigation that seemed like some kinda fragment from a crime show."

The Presenter looked over to Razzle, a serious look on his face, "This...this Ahkin? Why was he there? And what did he look of?"

"Him? He was a short black little rabbit, had his hair combed down all fancy like, and always kept his ears drooped downwards. And a nice black suit too, with black gloves. He'd hired some PI named Niam to help him investigate Laurren. Niam told us to keep away from him."

The Presenter thought for a moment, and then nodded, "Yes...yes Niam was right in telling you so. And you would be wise to not go about searching for information on this fellow. He is evil. He is dangerous. And he is ruthless.

"What...what will happen to Laurren, then?" Asked Niko in a concerned voice.

"It all depends on Ahkin. Some of these loan sharks...they aren't...really known for being above a violent payback. If they feel like it they may do more than just rough you around."

Niko looked down at the floor.

"Though...if I know who Ahkin works for...Laurren should be alright. He'll be knocked around for sure, but he shall escape with his life. Nostalgia and sentimentality are powerful weapons."

Niko looked up and sighed, "Well...thank Omoyari."

The Presenter's demeanor suddenly changed as he clapped his hands together, "Now! Let us say we focus on the daunting task at hand, hm? There are plenty of books to get through, and if we wish to finish before the sunlight burns out we must work quickly! If we finish fast enough I might even give you a magazine full of pretty bunny ladies, Tamagi. You too Niko. And...I hope you don't mind bunny ladies, Razzle? Though I do have one issue that has a policewoman bunny with quite the hips..."

"...Presenter, what are you doing with dirty magazines full of bunny women?" Asked Razzle.

The Presenter feigned a shocked expression, "Ah! Joestar I'm utterly ashamed! Who said they were dirty!?"

*****

"Yes, yes, yes. I have him in the back room now. And before you ask...yes, I am only asking the questions. Any physical aspects are being handled by Jikan."

Ahkin leaned back in his chair as he spoke on the phone with the Lender that he worked for. He was in a rather rundown looking wooden office with a door behind him, and the sounds of someone being beaten could be heard from the other side. A white male goat in a green hooded cloak with a yellow trim was sitting next to the window on the opposite side of the room which had its blinds closed. He had a small book open in front of him.

"I still do not understand why you chose to have your little street urchin handle the beating. I take it you do not trust your accountant with a simple roughing up?" Ahkin said, speaking into his cell phone.

"Not after the last 'roughing up' you performed." Came a deep male voice from the other side of the phone, "I had only wanted them shaken up. When you were done they had three cracked!"

"I found out they had information that was pivotal to our operations, and they would not cooperate with me. Therefore, I felt some extra force was necessary."

"Well...this time we shall only inflict a beating. No interrogations. I can only imagine what you would do to him."

"But you were still interested in Richie and Friends, were you not?"

"...I was. Mainly to find out why he was putting so much money into it. After looking over the information you sent me it seems quite a bit of his borrowed money went into the category of 'FNF'."

"Which means..." Ahkin grinned, "...an interrogation would be needed."

"...yes, it does. Do try to injure him less than you feel necessary. Perhaps...perhaps you should rely on that interrogator you told me about."

"Will do," said Ahkin as he hung up the phone and stood up from his creaky wooden chair, looking over to the door where the sounds were coming from. He walked over, opened the door and surveyed what was going on.

A green and black Denebian fennec, who looked to be a young adult, was beating up on Laurren, who was tied to a chair. The fennec had a rather interesting outfit, wearing a red open cloth vest with no undershirt and purple pants. Laurren had suffered quite a bit at the fennec's hands, having bruises and cuts that were visible through his fur. The fennec paused for a moment, catching a breather as sweat under his fur glistened in the light. Laurren looked up at the fennec, "I don't get it...You know what it's like to be thrust into a situation where you desperately need money. Why are you working on someone who preys on the impoverished?"

The fennec smirked, "Truth be told, you're the one took on those loans, and on top of it, you didn't need 'em. And that's exactly the kinda people that Mongurai hunts down. Lil' people who don't know any better and who try to ah...how should I say it? Take on more than they can chew? Ol' Mongurai leaves preyin' on the poor to other loan sharks, like the cruds from New Angel. Mongurai just preys on the idiots...like you."

"Jikan, you know that in this situation Mongurai prefers to be referred to as 'The Loaner'." Ahkin said, the annoyance in his voice obvious.

Laurren spit blood out of his mouth, "What does it matter? You have me locked here, Gods know where, with your little cretin here beating me senseless. Who cares if we name the one who holds your leash?"

Ahkin walked over to Laurren and delivered a backhanded slap to the face, "How dare you refer to me with such lowly terms!"

Laurren glared at Ahkin, "I'll refer to you however I want! You crooks don't scare me. You think some roughing up will get me to talk? I can take whatever your henchfur can dish out!"

Jikan surveyed Laurren for a quick second, and then raised his leg and delivered a heel first kick to Laurren's crotch, causing the moose to scream out in pain.

"Yea? Well take that!" Jikan said as he watched Laurren recline in pain, much to his satisfaction.

"I shall give you one last chance Fanne Laurren. Talk, or else." Said Ahkin, his eyes narrowing at the non-compliant moose.

"You can go straight to Hell."

Ahkin growled and reached into his suit jacket, pulled out a pearl colored handgun, and jammed it into Laurren's jaw.

"Now you listen to me, you bloody oaf! If this keeps up? Well...perhaps I will have to find someone else of more...better use. Someone that I know I could get through to...let's say...oh, your daughter, Adriana?"

Laurren stared down Ahkin, "No, Ahkin, she won't talk either! I know her; if there's nothing you can do to break me, there's nothing you can do to break her, either! We will protect this secret with our lives!"

"We could just shoot the bastard, then check out the place ourselves, really." Said Jikan, with a shrug, "I mean, it'd kinda save us some trouble."

Ahkin turned to Jikan, "You think I will let myself be bested by some third-rate fraudster!? Perish such thoughts, Jikan!" The rabbit returned his attention to Laurren, removing the pistol from his jaw.

"You sure are driven to bust this guy's balls, Ahkin." Said Jikan.

"Yes. Though perhaps you are right, Jikan; this is taking far too long. I should expedite the process."

"There is nothing physical you can do to me to make me talk, Ahkin!" Spat Laurren.

"On the contrary Laurren." Ahkin snapped his fingers, and within a few moments the white goat in the green and yellow cloak stepped into the room. Laurren took note of a rather large sunflower-sized flower that appeared to be poking out of the goat's cloak on the right side around his right hip, along with what looked like tendrils drooping out of the flower.

"Laurren, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Fendau...Or, as they call him in Majii, 'Fenadu the Feared'. He shall be taking over the interrogation from here." The black rabbit then straightened his tie.

"Your creeps don't scare me Ahkin!" Said Laurren.

"Oh, I think you'll find that you will be...quite scared of me. Frightened, even." Replied Fenadu, who spoke in a low, almost raspy voice, "I should warn you that you will find what I can do...unpleasant. It's within your best interest to give me what I want."

"Y-you can go to hell along with them!" Shouted Laurren.

"Oh...big mistake. Jikan, cut him loose."

Jikan looked at Fenadu incredulously, "Let him loose!? Are you serious, Flower Boy?! This is a beaten, desperate man! Who knows what the hell he'd do?"

"I think you should do what Fenadu wants, Jikan." Said Ahkin.

Jikan sighed as he pulled out a knife and cut the restraints off of Laurren, and quickly retreated from him. Before the moose could do anything tendrils shot out of the flower on Fenadu's side and grabbed Laurren's wrists, ankles, neck, and waist. The moose tried his best to keep himself together, but there were trace amounts of fear on his face.

"Are you frightened yet?" Fenadu asked as his face remained relatively emotionless.

"N-no! Your plants don't frighten me!"

Fenadu chuckled, "Liar. When Rosebud gets a hold of someone emotions become an open book to me. I only need look onto the pages and read. And right now, I read that you are very frightened..." The goat extended a hand towards Laurren, and the plant's tendrils began to slowly tighten their grip on Laurren. The plant extended another tendril and used it to whip Laurren across the chest with full force, causing an audible crack to be heard as Laurren's shirt ripped, the force of the hit slicing into him. The moose cried out in pain and would have slouched forward if not for the tendril that held him up straight by his neck.

"Flower Boy...that kinda stuff is outta the question..." Said Jikan, who had taken a couple steps back from Fenadu, while Ahkin was looking on with great amusement.

Fenadu looked back at the fennec, "Why is that? The goal here is to get him to talk, correct?"

Ahkin spoke up, "Well, keep in mind that even though I called you in, it is Mongurai who is in control of this entire operation. And he did specifically request that we do not injure him. Therefore if you wish to be paid in full you will do well to abide by those rules...as much as I bloody despise them."

Fenadu looked over to Ahkin and nodded, "Very well then. I have other ways."

The goat looked back to Laurren, and waved his still-outstretched hand, causing Rosebud to bend the moose's arms and legs behind him in a rather uncomfortable fashion, with the tendrils around his neck shifting so his head was tilted back.

"I can feel your fear, moose." Said Fenadu with a satisfied grin, "I would advise you tell us what we wish to know. I would be pained to have to go to anything more extreme."

Jikan looked on the scene with horror, "Man, can you imagine gettin' stuck up by that thing? I don't want it anywhere near me!"

"I know...it's brilliant, is it not?" Replied Ahkin with an evil smile as Rosebud forced Laurren into several more painful positions, "Laurren is sure to crack soon."

"Moose. Please, give me what I desire. Do not force my hand," Fenadu said rather calmly. Laurren once again gave the goat the silent treatment, which caused him to sigh disappointingly. Rosebud pulled in Laurren so he was face to face with Fenadu, who gave him one last warning. Just as before Laurren declined to say anything.

"Very well then. Goodbye." Said Fenadu as he took his right hand, opened it, and pressed it firmly against Laurren's temple. The goat closed his eyes and focused as his hand began to glow green, and Laurren soon felt a sharp pain in his head. The pain worked slowly into the deepest reaches of his mind, and it felt as if Fenadu were somehow reaching into his mind and soul, tearing through whatever thought was in his way. Pure horror began to grip him as Fenadu inflicted more indescribable mental tortures, and the moose soon found himself crying out in fear.

Rosebud, meanwhile, kept her grip firmly on Laurren as her tendrils began to slowly tense up and her pedals began to slowly wave as if some invisible breeze was blowing in the room. Fenadu then opened his eyes, looking at Laurren with intense eyes.

Jikan stepped as far back as he could from the scene, going so far as to put his back up against the wall, "I...I ain't never seen anything like this before! I kinda almost feel sorry for the poor bastard now."

"Never feel sorry for your prey, Brando." Said Ahkin, looking back at the terrified fennec, "Sympathy is a weakness that others will exploit to their advantage. Creatures who cling to such ideals as 'morals' and 'righteousness' are only limiting themselves when it comes to achieving their desires. And I will not be limited. I will achieve what I desire, no matter the cost."

"Even if it breaks ol' Laurren over there?"

"So be it. After all...Mongurai never said anything about mental torture."

The green glow around Fenadu's hand suddenly began to dissipate, and Laurren's cries soon subsided into submissive whimpering which gave way to the moose going limp in Rosebud's grasp. Rosebud, too, relaxed her tendrils and her pedals had stilled themselves.

"I would apologize to you but...you brought this upon yourself." Said Fenadu as Rosebud placed Laurren back on the wooden chair and released him.

Ahkin walked over to the goat, "I take it you found what I was looking for."

"I did." Replied the goat, "I know everything he knows about Richie and Friends. It is...rather intriguing, if I do say so myself."

"Alright, what did he know then? Out with it."

Fenadu looked at Ahkin with cold eyes, "You know how I do business. Check first. Get it from Mongurai, and in the meantime I will conjure a report on what I now know. Would you prefer us to meet at my cabin, or Mongurai's corporate headquarters?"

"I feel Mongurai's should be sufficient. He's far past due for getting to know you. I feel he could benefit in being in regular contact with someone of your stature."

"Very well. Give me but a few hours." The goat proceeded to walk out of the room before stopping in front of Jikan.

"We are the same, you and I. We both do what we must to survive. I use my talents for my own ends, and you use your talents for your's. Even if we may severely disagree with those we work for. And today we have grown even more similar, for you...you have a new found fear and respect for nature, just as I do," Fenadu looked into Jikan's eyes, "Now...is that not quaint?"

"I don't know what'cha did to him, Flower Boy, just don' do it to me, got it?" Said Jikan, who seemed more concerned with what Fenadu was capable of to pay attention to his words.

"As long as you tell me what I need to know, I will never have to," he leaned in closer to Jikan, who attempted to lean back away from the creature, but forgot he was up against the wall.

Ahkin looked on, curious as to what Fenadu was saying to the fennec, but he was out of earshot. Not that he rabbit cared, as he was more concerned with the fact that Laurren's mind had been pried for his pursued prize. He looked at the moose's unconscious body and smirked. He was determined to defeat him, and now he had.

*****

After what seemed like an eternity Niko, Razzle, and Tamagi were almost finished with The Presenter's seemingly interminable task of sorting through all of his books. The group had put a new system in place that first organized books by their subject, then their author's name. There was also a small pile of books next to the door that were to be donated to one of the libraries over in Little Lunaria. Tamagi was carrying a small stack of books to the donation pile when a small shoe box on the top slipped and crashed to the ground, and the lid fell off and a small palm sized yellow gem spilled out.

The Presenter's ears perked straight up as he peered over to the curious little gem, "Oh my! I had completely forgotten about that small little fellow!"

"What is it?" Said Tamagi as he put the stack of books down, "It, um, just looks like a normal gemstone."

"It may very well be, but alas, looks can be deceiving Stardust! This is what is known as a Starstone. If you look carefully into it you can see the dim light of a star. There are other Starstones out there, usually in a set, and bringing them together will cause the light to glow brighter. A full set will look like a small miniature collection of bright stars!"

"That actually sounds really cool!"

The Presenter nodded, "Yes! It sure is. It's from a specific flower-themed set if I remember it right...oh I think it was...the Starstone Primrose. And you can have it, if you so want it."

Tamagi's ears perked, "R-really? I can, um, have it? Don't you um, don't you want to finish the collection?"

The Presenter shook his head, "I have no intention of finishing any kind of Starstone collection. That one was merely a thank you gift from someone else. Though I'm thankful for the thought, it just isn't going to see much light if it stays here with me."

"How'd you end up with a Starstone as a thank you gift?" Asked Niko.

"Well you see, it's very simple. Once upon a time I was over in Little Lunaria, looking at what kind of exotic flowers they had...and oh boy oh boy were they ever so overpriced! And by chance I happened to spot a rather peculiar goat looking at some Midnight Purples (really beautiful things) with some great intent. He wore a yellow and green outfit, and a rather large sunflower sized plant seemed to hang over his left hip. I found it pretty strange, but if one thing was clear, it was that this white fellow loved the botanical creatures.

"So, I made my way over and asked if he had an interest in Midnight Purples (which as you know, I keep at my home garden. And if you didn't, now you know). Obviously, he did, and was about to pay way more than he should have for them. So I offered to let him have some of my own Midnight Purples, to which he was extremely delighted over. As payment he gave me the Starstone Primrose as a thank you gift. According to him a good friend of his gave it to him."

"Do you always let prized possessions given as gifts get forgotten?" Asked Razzle.

The Presenter gave Razzle a mock offended look, "Well! I am quite a busy little lagomorph! Can't be expected to keep track of every little thing, now can I?"

"What I'm more interested in is the price of that thing." Said Niko as he looked at Tamagi holding the stone, "Midnight Purples aren't at all cheap, and surely a common little magical trinket like a Starstone wouldn't be anywhere near the price of even just one of those plants."

"It might not be worth a lot to you, but it could've been worth thousands to that goat...now if I could only remember his name? Fen...Fennish? Finnick? Fenton? Ah well, I'm sure I shall see him again sometime, and then I can ask the name. Anyways, there's also more to it than sentimental value. It's been modified to hold more of a magical charge than most Starstones; almost double, if FenFen was correct when he handed me it."

"Starstones can hold magic and stuff?" Asked Tamagi.

"Why yes Stardust, they can. Usually it's a small amount, just enough to hold something like say...a glowing spell or something to help increase focus. Niko and Razzle can help train you on its use. I would myself but...alas I am a busy morphball, as you all know."

"Well, looks like we'll definitely have the rest of the day to help him out with that." Said Razzle as he added some books to a pile on The Presenter's desk, "looks like we're just about finished here."

The Presenter looked around his office with a look of satisfaction on his face, "Indeed you three have! I thank you all for your work, as it would have taken me literal ages to get all of this done alone!"

"You're very welcome, Presenter. Anything else you need from any of us today?" Said Niko, who stood next to Razzle.

"No, none at all! The remainder of the day is all of yours to spend as you see fit!"

Tamagi sighed, "I just, like, hope that if we decided to go to any shops there won't be, like, some kinda black malicious rabbit or something again."

The Presenter chuckled, "I hope so too! Gods know none of you need to be getting mixed up with those sorts of creatures! Also, don't forget the pretty bunny girl magazines I set aside for you."