“I’ve never been particularly afraid of clowns, I don't care for them but I'm not really scared,” Spike said.

“This one may change your opinion, I have a clown who wanted to start his own circus, but he’s been dodging me as of late, I want you to put a stop to it and get me the contract he’s withholding,” Varek said.

“Fine,” Spike sighed.

“And as for what you can do for me,” Varek said.

“Huh?” Spike said.

“Since I so generously saved you from the shark, you can get me the clowns nose, that will show him to try and stiff me,” Varek said.

“....Is it attached?” Spike asked.

“Yes,” Varek said.

“...How-”

“You ask alot of questions,” Varek waved him off.

“Do I still get invisibility?” Spike asked.

“Yes,” Varek sounded annoyed now.

“Ok,” Spike moved on and opened the door, seeing a new image on the portal.

Instead of a Chipper Ripper or a shark it was of a clown.

“Here goes nothing,” Spike entered.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

A killer joke

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Spike made it to what seemed like a normal carnival, it had an entrance that looked like a clowns mouth, and the park was apparently called-

“Topsy Turvey Land?” Spike said as he entered and he heard the gates squeak as they swung open.

As he wandered in he looked around, there were rides, food booths, and the works.

Spike made his way down the center path amidst the booth and immediately saw shards, so he began collecting them.

As he made his way to the other side of the booth path Spike found himself in the presence of a big realistic statue of what looked like the weirdest clown ever.

Its long limbs looked like blue rubber, he had gloves on the hands and comically big shoes, his body was segmented like a snowman, spherical body segments decorated in clown fashion leading up to his head which was covered in white make-up orange curly hair on both sides of his head but not on top, big eyes and a red nose above a wide grin.

“Ugh,” Spike didn’t like the look of this guy, and so he resumed collecting shards around the statue.

“Heeheehee,” Spike paused and turned towards the statue when he heard it giggle.

“A-are you alive?” Spike asked.

“......BOO!” The clown spun and lunged at Spike.

“AAAHHH!” Spike braced himself… but he didn’t die, when he looked he saw the clown had paused inches from his face and then gave a loud squeaky and frankly annoying laugh.

“Gah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!” He finished and he began walking towards Spike with long steps and he towered over him.

“HIYA FRIEND! Wanna hear a joke?” He asked.

“Whatever you do, don’t laugh,” Varek warned.

“Why?” Spike asked.

“Just don’t,” Varek said.

“O-ok?” Spike said.

“Why’d they burn the bone at the stake?............because he was a blas-femur! HAHAHAHAHA!” The clown laughed.

“Heheheh, that was kinda-” Spike made the mistake of chuckling and suddenly he felt a tightness in his chest.

“I said not to laugh!” Varek said exasperatedly.

“Ok ok,” Spike said as he backed away.

“WELL?! Ain’t ya goin to laugh some more? Laughter is the best medicine! I need some now as a matter-of-fact!” The clown pulled out a pill bottle labeled ‘laughter’ and he ate it, bottle and all before laughing some more, Spike admittedly chuckled again and the tightness in his chest worsened he grunted holding his chest wondering what the strange pain was.

“Why does my chest hurt when I laugh?” Spike asked him.

“Oh don’t worry bout it, probably just hunger, where are mah manners? Hello! I’m Topsy, Topsy the clown!” He introduced himself.

“H-hi?” Spike said grunting as his chest hurt some more.

“Wanna hear another joke?” Topsy asked.

“No, I came here to ask for Vareks contract, he said times up,” Spike said.

“.....” The clown suddenly quieted and just stared at him with a flat look.

“Huh?” Spike said.

“Of course, you are… why else would somebody come here…” Topsy looked sad now.

“Hey are you-” Suddenly Spike was scooped off the ground and thrown “AAAH!” Spike hit a wall.

“Heeheehee… I don’t like that Varek guy, a real downer, who wants to take my circus and expand his real estate… well I won’t letcha! What do you call a three-humped camel?” He asked.

“Why would I-” Spike said before the clowns voice warped.

“WHY?!” Topsy demanded.

“Um… I dunno,” Spike said.

“Really pregnant! HAHAHAHA, GET IT?!” The clown stomped up to him.

“L-look please just hand it-” Spike pleaded.

“LAUGH AT MY JOKE!” Topsy growled.

“Fine! Ha ha ha, there are you-” Spike cried out as it felt like a mini heart attack.

“Doesn’t the joke just make you wanna laugh…. Till you croak…” Topsy asked.

“Wha-what’s happening?” Spike asked.

“It’s my curse… You laugh at me, you die,” Topsy said with a wave before Spike’s vision went dark.

3 lives left “That joke was killer wasn’t it?” Varek taunted.

Spike reappeared at the gate to Topsy Turvy land gasping for air and he got up.

“Realise why you can’t laugh now?” Varek said like he was talking down to him.

“Yes,” Spike sighed and he made his way down the path again and saw Topsy back in the same spot as before, but the clown looked at him in surprise.

“How are you still here?” Topsy asked.

“Varek pulled me out and healed me, now give me the contract,” Spike said.

“....Hahaha….. NO!” Topsy stretched on of his arms forward and Spike ducked the grab and ran for it down the path to his right.

He resumed collecting shards as the clown pursued him on all fours with his stretchy limbs.

“AAAH!” Spike cried as he rounded a corner and the clown followed him.

“HAHAHA! What do you call an athlete on coffee!?” Topsy asked.

“Shut up!” Spike said.

“A person with the RUNS, HAHAHA!” Topsy grabbed a crate and threw it at Spike who avoided it.

Spike collected a shard and tried to run around another corner but the clown swatted him with a hand and sent him flying down the path to the opposite side.

As Spike landed he looked up at the clown climbing over the top of the tents.

“Laugh already!” Topsy demanded.

“NOT A CHANCE!” Spike got up and ran before stopping when he saw what looked like an RC car toy.

“Huh?” Spike said before it drove at him and it was ticking….

“I don’t like this!” Spike said and he kicked it away, as it landed it exploded “HUH?!” Spike said seeing it detonate.

“Heheheheheheheh, if you don’t wanna laugh, then you’ll go out with a bang instead!” Topsy said before he stretched an arm upwards and grabbed a skyline and he climbed onto a tightrope, as he walked across it balancing he was juggling more cars and he threw more explosives that landed and drove at Spike.

“AAAH!” Spike ran from the bombs and he fled down another path as the bombs exploded behind him.

Spike ran up a stairwell to get away from the cars and he jumped onto a swinging ship ride, but before he could get off it started swinging.

“CRAP!” Spike tumbled and held onto a chair as it swung back at forth.

As he was wondering what to do next Topsy jumped on and grabbed Spike by the arm… and Spike was electrocuted.

“AAAAAAAHHHH!” Spike cried as he was shocked.

“What? Don’t like my joybuzzer?” Topsy laughed as he chucked Spike into another tent and several cars drove in after him and blew up.

2 lives left “I’d say stop clowning around, but then this circus would be out of good clowns,” Varek said.

“Spike!” Verak said to get Spike's attention as he got up.

“What?” Spike asked.

“Oh good, I thought you gave up, not as fun for me,” Verak said.

“Ugh,” Spike got up and hurried back into the carnival where the monster was likely waiting for him.

Spike ran into the deeper part of the carnival and searched around, finding more shards in the deeper part of the park.

As Spike made his way in he heard a familiar laugh and he hid behind a cotton candy machine as Topsy walked past.

“Hmm….” Topsy walked over to the cotton candy machine and began scooping himself some cotton candy before moving on.

“Whew,” Spike said before he ran on and collected more shards.

As Spike made his way into the park some more he saw he was in a food court of sorts, as Spike made his way around and collected the shards before making his way to the edge of the circus as he ran around collecting shards on the other side he saw more RC cars rounding a curve and driving towards him.

“Yikes!” Spike ran as they drove after him and blew up around him.

One explosion sent him flying and he rolled on the ground before getting up and continuing running.

As Spike ran he saw Topsy swinging on a trapeze rope overhead.

“FOUND YA!” Topsy yelled as he descended onto Spike and Spike dodged down into a hall of mirrors attraction.

“Heehee!” Topsy followed him in.

Spike ran around feeling his way through the mirror hallways while avoiding the demon clown.

As Spike made his way around he turned and saw the clown staring him in the eye.

“Boogedyboo!” He said.

“AGH!” Spike instinctively threw a punch and broke the mirror, cutting his hand.

“Gotcha!” The clown was behind him and he slammed him against the mirror before slamming him against another and chucking him through another.

“AGH!” Spike grunted, he looked up and Topsy was gone.

Spike went on to get up and for self-defense he grabbed a glass shard and he made his way around.

“Vanish,” Spike said and he disappeared.

“Huh? Whew did ya go?” Topsy asked appearing from the ceiling.

Spike collected all the shards and got out of the mirror house before his vanish wore off.

As he made his way to the rest of the carnival he collected the shards he ran across.

Spike saw the next batch of shards ahead and he used vanish again just in case more of those exploding cars were there.

As Spike made it he saw there were more of the cars, so he snuck around them while they couldn’t see him.

"I-I need a break, I'm out of breath," Spike panted as he made his way into an area with more rides.

Afterwards he made it to a Ferris wheel and he got in to hide and catch his breath, as it went up.

“Whew…” Spike said taking this chance to calm down and catch his breath.

“Really poor choice,” Varek said as Spike suddenly stumbled as the ride suddenly staggered and Spike looked out and saw Topsy at the bottom.

“Wheel wheel, the Ferris eh?” Topsy joked “I can always fix it later,” Topsy then planted several cars at them bottom.

“NONONONONONO-” Spike cried as the cars blew up.

“I was hoping to get a break!” Spike cried as he fell with the ride as the ferris wheel fell over and hit the ground.

As the dust was kicked up Spike crawled out having miraculously survived.

As he did however Topsy climbed across the wheel and grabbed Spike before holding him up.

“Guess your time is up,” Topsy said before squeezing a flower on his chest and it sprayed Spike with acid and he screamed in pain before Topsy dropped Spike into the Ferris car before dropping a bomb in after him.

“Bombs away!” Topsy laughed before the car blew up.

1 life left “You're making it hard not to root for the clown,” Verak said.

Spike got up panting heavily.

“Get back to work,” Verak said.

“Can I have a moment?” Spike asked honestly shaking from the acid experience.

“No,” Verak said and Spike forced himself to move on as he heard more RC car toys in the distance.

Spike ran down another path avoiding them and this time he ran to a merry-go-round and he ran on it collecting shards before making his way to the other food court, and he found more there.

When he collected the last little bit there he heard the intercom go off.

“Attention all parkgoers, the park is closing in ten minutes,” Topsy’s voice said.

“No...” Spike said.

“Anyone still here… heehee, will become locked in and won’t ever leave again…. HAHAHAHAHA!” Topsy laughed.

“I gotta hurry!” Spike ran deeper into the park and he collected more shards.

As he did…

“HIYA!” Topsy said as he appeared in front of Spike.

“No!” Spike cut through an alleyway as a stretchy arm raced after him.

“Imma getcha!” Topsy laughed.

“Not a chance!” Spike said as he appeared on the other side and he ran over to the bumper carts area Spike ran around and collected the shards but as he tried to leave Topsy climbed in after him and sent more RC cars at Spike by producing them from his mouth.

Spike panicked and jumped over the railing of the bumper carts area and he made his way towards the center of the carnival.

“Almost there!” Spike said as he collected the last few shards.

“Finally, the contract is in the platform Topsy was on when you first met him.” Varek said.

“It is?” Spike asked.

“Yes,” Varek said as Spike ran towards the platform and Spike wondered how he was going to get it when he noticed the cars were still chasing him and he got an idea.

“Come on!” Spike said as he ran up to the platform and he stood there as the car toys drove towards him.

“Risky,” Varek said.

“Gotta time it right,” Spike said and when Topsy came around he saw this and his eyes widened.

“NOOOO!” Topsy cried as the cars exploded and at the same time Spike dodged back and the explosions broke open the platform.

Revealing the safe that Varek opened.

Spike grabbed the contract but Topsy grabbed him.

“WHY YOU LITTLE-” Topsy said but Spike though quickly and pulled out the glass shard and slashed Topsy’s nose off.

“AAAAAAAAAGH!” Topsy cried as he fell down.

Spike grabbed the nose and got up but Topsy grabbed him by the leg and swung him around hitting him against walls.

“THAT WAS A MISTAKE YOU LITTLE WRETCH!” a frenzied Topsy said.

“NGH!” Spike stabbed Topsy in the hand and Topsy let him go and Spike gunned it for the exit while the psycho clown pursued him.

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU!” Topsy screeched as he chased after him reaching a stretchy arm out to snag him.

“AAAHH!” Spike ran towards the gate and saw it starting to close.

“Better run faster,” Varek said.

“Ngh!” Spike pushed himself and he jumped as the gate was closing.

And the gap was just wide enough to get through while it closed on Topsy's arm.

Spike tumbled on the ground and Topsy was closed behind the gates.

“NOOOOOOOO!” Topsy cried as Spike fled into the portal.

YOU ESCAPED!

Spike tumbled onto the ground and panted heavily before getting up.

“How was the carnival?” Varek asked sarcastically.

“Ugh…” Spike sighed as he slapped the contract down on the desk.

“Hmm, and the nose?” Varek asked.

Spike put that on the table as well.

“Good good,” Varek tossed the nose to his dogs, “You're doing better than I expected,” Varek said.

“Thanks…” Spike said.

“Hey less for me to do, now you have ten more, and still a day and a half,” Varek said with a grin.

“What?” Spike asked wondering why he was smiling.

“Oh nothing, next I want you to play with someone,” Varek said.

“Oook?” Spike asked not knowing what he meant.

“Did you ever play with dolls?” Varek asked.

Next time: Amidst a red background a shadowy being with long curly hair a dress and a bow.

She seemed to have strings coming out of her fingers and she was giggling as she continued to play around.

And suddenly…. She turned towards you and asks…

“Wanna play with me?...”

Coming soon.

Author's Note

Bit of a shorter one, whew these are getting harder and harder.

Any questions feel free to ask