The store had accepted many strange jobs before.
Fighting Oni.
Handling Karens.
Cleaning Vario's disasters.
But this was new.
"Why are we dressed like this?" Bella asked flatly.
Everyone stood in the back room wearing oversized clown costumes. Bright wigs. Huge shoes. Face paint. Squeaky noses.
Nyx adjusted her red wig and tried not to laugh. "The owner rented us out for a birthday party promotion."
Seraphine looked at herself in the mirror, confused. "This outfit feels… spiritually incorrect."
Garruk bounced in place with giant clown shoes. "I like it."
Vario stared at himself in the mirror. Giant rainbow wig. Red nose. Suspenders.
"…I look powerful."
Bella sighed. "You look like a walking lawsuit."
Ten minutes later they arrived at the birthday party.
Children were everywhere.
Cake. Balloons. Sugar-filled chaos.
The moment the clowns walked in, the kids erupted with excitement.
"CLOWNS!"
Vario waved proudly. "Hello small huma—"
WHAM.
A small kid ran up and kicked him directly in the groin.
Vario froze.
The entire world paused.
Then—
"AAAAAAAAAAAA—"
He collapsed onto the floor like a falling building.
Nyx blinked. "Did… did that kid just—"
The child grinned.
"AGAIN!"
WHAM.
This time Garruk got hit.
Garruk dropped like a statue being unplugged.
Bella's eyes widened slightly. "…Oh no."
The kid had discovered something.
He ran around the room like a tiny warrior seeking targets.
Seraphine tried to dodge.
Too late.
WHAM.
"Dear heavens—!" she gasped before collapsing dramatically.
Nyx backed away slowly. "Nope. Absolutely not."
The kid pointed at her.
"You're next!"
Nyx immediately climbed onto a table. "I refuse!"
Meanwhile Vario was still on the ground wheezing.
"Why… why does he aim so accurately…"
Bella stepped forward, arms crossed.
"Alright kid. Game over."
The child charged her.
WHAM.
Bella didn't move.
The kid bounced backward like he kicked a wall.
Bella looked down calmly.
"…Nice try."
The kid stared in shock.
Then he slowly turned toward the easiest target still rolling on the ground.
Vario.
Nyx shouted, "NO—"
WHAM.
Vario's soul temporarily left his body.
The other kids laughed like it was the funniest thing they had ever seen.
Garruk whispered from the floor, "We fought demons… but this kid…"
Seraphine nodded weakly. "He is unstoppable."
Bella pinched the bridge of her nose.
"…We are never doing clown work again."
Across the room the kid proudly declared:
"I defeated the clowns!"
And on the floor, Vario whispered into the void,
"…I miss the Oni."