Once upon a time, grown-ups told children a story. If they broke promises or did things they shouldn't, then scary fairies would take them away. If you hear strange sounds or feel weird presences inside your house, then they've come for you. Those fairies were called boggarts, bugbears, or boogeymen. Fairies were born as collections of absurdities by humans and given roles as the ones to strike fear into children in place of their parents. And this is the story of a weak fairy who could disappear if you blew on him. He was born with a large frame to intimidate, but he still was a newborn inside.
Boogeyman (unnamed for some reason): Wooo~. That kid got scared again. Are they gonna get scared again if I show myself? And maybe they'll be my friend? I hope so...
But the children always forget about him after they grow up.
Girl A: I don't believe in fairies, I know it's just something adults say to scare children.
Fairies don't age or weaken, but they can die. If a fairy disappears from everyone's memories, they disappear, which is the same as death.
Boogeyman: I don't wanna disappear!
His body faded, and he thought as hard as he could about what he could do about it. He came up with nothing, so his fairy friends gave him an idea.
Boogeyman: Oh! I can just scare people harder so they'll remember me!
The fairy became happy, because now he'll be okay! And then he went on to scare children. If they got used to him, what could he do to escalate things? Thinking about it and seeing how children reacted excited him. Still, children got used to him eventually and he started turning transparent again.
Boogeyman: Nooo!
The fairy recklessly continued scaring children until eventually he stopped looking transparent. Finally he succeeded at planting a deep seated trauma in people's minds.
Boogeyman: Yay, I'm saved!
But the fairy's existence was based on fear, so everyone stayed away from him. By the time he realized this, no one was around anymore.
Boogeyman: But why? I just didn't want to disappear...
The fairy still didn't give up, and he thought about what to do. Then later on he noticed that adults thanked him for his story.
Boogeyman: If I scare children into stopping bad behavior, people will thank me.
And that was the only way for the lonely fairy Boogeyman to connect with other people.
Present
Itzamna and MC reach above the clouds and see a castle in the sky, along with Boogeyman facing off with a giant.
Boogeyman: Itzamna!? MC!? Why are you two here!?
MC: Because we were worried about you! / It's dangerous to go alone / We came to help!
Itzamna: Indeed, we couldn't let you go alone. Aren't they after you to begin with? They seemed to deliberately be provoking you by going after the children you made laugh.
Giant: (smirking as if to confirm) I was after both you and Itzamna actually. You're both in the way of our new king of terror!
More giants appear and surround the three.
Giant: We were made by Boogeyman's Terror and Itzamna's Creation. I'll be honest, I don't want to hurt you guys that much.
Itzamna: I see, that might be how you actually feel. But you don't feel like defying your king either? A creator is in no way the same as a king, something I learned well in my home world.
Giant: I'm glad you understand. Let's get to the point then. If you surrender to our king it'll make things quick. Catch that guy there and bring him to our king, and he'll probably welcome you guys.
Itzamna: No.
MC: Itzamna... / Thanks Sensei!
Giant: Okay I figured as much. What about you, Boogeyman? I know what will happen to you if your power of fear disappears.
Boogeyman: ...if I was how I was back then, I might have considered it. I was jealous about how children would easily smile at Itzamna and the others and never at me.
Those are Boogeyman's true feelings, which he had always looked away from. Itzamna may have noticed before and keeps quiet.
Boogeyman: ....but Itzamna also suffered. When I learned that...I felt a little better. I have Cait Sith, Balor, MC, and so many others. If I can't make children happy on my own, I can do it with everyone. I thought everything about the candy land was naive at first, but thanks to Itzamna I changed my world view. I don't plan on going back to how I was, and that's my answer.
MC: Boogeyman... thank you.
Boogeyman: :(
Boogeyman: ...no, thank you MC.
MC: ...Boogeyman-sensei? (what is this feeling?)
Itzamna: Maybe I was the one to give you the cue to change, but you were the one to decide to change. It's easy to go with the majority when it comes to believing things, but the one who overcame the fear to take a step past that was you, Sensei.
Boogeyman: Haha, I really can't compete with you.
Itzamna: I've received a great deal of things from you as well. Your change gave me courage. You helped me to think about whether I'm fine as I was to get my voice to reach children. If you changed due to my influence, then I changed due to yours of course.
The giants look bored and actually disappointed by Boogeyman's change.
Giant: Wiiimp. Look at you being all happy happy joy joy pretending to get along. You used to be the charisma of terror in fairyland. I kind of feel bad for you now, but I'm gonna crush you all for our new king.
Boogeyman: I won't let you. I only just became someone worth calling a teacher.
The giants roar and charge!
Boogeyman: Itzamna, MC! Please help me!
MC: Right!
Itzamna: This battle is unavoidable. Stay sharp!
BATTLE START (more happens afterwards)
Boogeyman (narrating): ...all I can be is a parental substitute in giving fear. I am a fairy that everyone forgets when they get older. I wanted to leave something of me in people's hearts even if my job was done... even a scar. That was the wretched dream I held onto as I moved forward.
Present
The party is winning even with the numbers against them. The giants decide to change things up and do something different.
Giant: Fine, if a frontal assault doesn't work, let's do this. Bring out the golden goose!
MC: What? / I think I've heard of that before... / No!
The giants bring out a bunch of captured children. Their fear is the golden eggs for the giants who feed on that fear.
Giant: Stop, or we'll beat them!
MC: EVIL! / Dammit... / Agh...
Giant: How about I wring their necks!?
Itzamna: Stop! Take me instead of MC!
Giant: Don't move! We make the demands here!
Boogeyman is more exposed to attacks than Itzamna and MC. The giants revel in attacking someone who used to stand above them. While that happens, Boogeyman somehow thinks about the time he first made the virtual world.
Yellow Giant: Haha, no kid is ever gonna act out again after seeing your face!
Blue Giant: Why won't the kids be afraid? What should I do?
Green Giant: Look at how afraid the kids are today! Boogeyman, in this world I'm the best!
How did this happen?
Boogeyman: I'm sorry you guys. I'm sure it's my fault for being cowardly. But you guys took the children hostage and hurt the people I care about. I am Boogeyman, the personification of fairy tale horror, and you aren't exceptions to being scared.
The giants start getting afraid of the power Boogeyman is releasing.
Giants: A-are you insane!? If you use any more of your artifact's power then...!
Boogeyman puts his bag on his head, either because he wanted to hide his face or thought it was appropriate for showing someone about to die. But instead of how he did it when he was the king of terror, he chooses not to hide his whole face. Is it a farewell to his past, or a display of a change of heart?
Boogeyman: I'll show you true fear! Fear the Darkness, Things that Go Bump in the Night!
The giants become paralyzed at Boogeyman's power.
MC: Nice, Boogeyman! Here I go!
Itzamna and MC take the giants down one by one, and Boogeyman watches without looking away as they give their death cries.
Itzamna: ...whew. I was worried there, but we made it thanks to you, Boogeyman.
MC: We're saved... / You were cool too Grandpa! / Thanks for protecting us, Boogeyman
(B) Itzamna: Hmm. I may have pushed myself in a way unlike myself to work with you. Are you tired? I'll cast a spell to make the pain go away.
(C) Boogeyman: Of course, but I was the one to put you here to begin with. But even if I didn't, you were in some danger. You should rely on people for help when you can, though you might not want to hear it from me.
Despite driving the giants off, Boogeyman still looks unhappy, and he stares sadly at the downed giants.
Green Giant: ...well done. The new king is right to be wary of you.
The three go on guard again, but the giant seems to not have the energy to get back up.
Green Giant: But you can't win against him. There's no other overwhelmingly terrifying king like him. In Tir na Nog there is no need for two kings. You will lose in the end...
Boogeyman: Is Tir na Nog's faith why you guys came after us?
The giant smiles but does not answer.
Boogeyman: That's fine. Let's bring the kids back to the surface.
Itzamna calls to Boogeyman as he turns to leave.
Itzamna: Wait, I want to ask you something first. Are you hiding something important from us...?
Itzamna feels the same feeling he once felt for his fellows in his home world. Boogeyman stays quiet for a moment, then turns around with a false smile.
Boogeyman: ...whatever do you mean, Itzamna? We need to hurry.
Boogeyman (narrating): I'm sure I was thinking I wanted to leave at least a scar that won't fade.
End of Episode
:(
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