Random Barnaby Oneshots (A Wattpad Fanfiction)

Friday the 13th

Mild blood warning. Reader discretion is advised.

I was walking around Barnaby's mansion helping with the decorating. It was daytime as I set up the decorations. I decided to go outside and enjoy the crisp weather. It was chilly but not unbearable.

I slip on a blazer and peek into Barnaby's room. Everything is dark. The owl of death himself was sleeping upside down, his orange eyes closed. His tongue was hanging out as he snored. I softly close the door so as to not awaken him. Then I sneaked outside. I felt like I forgot something important. I shrug it off, then I shift into my living human form. I stride through the forest.

I was treading carefully around Barnaby with my shapeshifting secret. I didn't want to be killed, so I'm very careful to hold my form. I sometimes lose touch with what it felt like to be alive. I skip through the forest, breathing in the crisp autumn air. I spot some blackberries so I picked a lot and put them in a container. "I hope Barnaby likes blackberry pie." I muttered to myself. Headmaster Sonic knows of my situation. When Barnaby is not looking, I complete my homework. I glance at my watch to see the time. 13:00. I grin, standing up. Then I hear something crash overhead.

I glance around, finally gazing up. I froze. I can clearly make out a dark, bird shaped shadow. I quickly shifted into ghost human form, hiding. The bird stepped out of the shadows, and I bit back a gasp of terror. There was no denying the orange, swirling eyes, the pink tweed jacket and bowtie, or even the black feathers. His ear tufts are a little ruffled and he appeared to be annoyed. "Alison! Where are you!?" His fruity voice called out, his swirling eyes darting everywhere. I glance at my watch and noticed the date. It was Friday the 13th. I hold still as he moved on, calling my name with a stern voice similar to a parent.

When he left, I whipped out my smartphone and looked up bad omens. One particular segment in the article caught my attention, raising the hairs on my arm in alarm. "Seeing an owl in the daytime is bad luck." The article stated. I froze, my stomach twisting in knots. Barnaby is a ghost owl... And he was out in the daytime!

I grab my blackberries and took off running back to his house. I decided it was best not to look at Barnaby for the rest of the day. I kept running until... CRASH! I face planted into something. My blackberries fell to the ground and I fell on my face. I glance up to see one of Barnaby's lackeys... This is bad! I crashed into one of his Barnaboos! I realized. I look carefully. It was Timothy, the ghost who danced hard enough to break his spleen. "Alison. Barnaby is looking for you. And what's that? Blackberries? He is going to be quite pleased." Timothy commented. "I still have to get the host to let him know you're safe."

I pick up my blackberry score and continued running. I tripped on a thorn vine, getting scratched up. I yanked my foot loose just as I heard something whooshing in the trees. I picked myself up and kept running. I made it just before Barnaby arrived.

I scurry to the kitchen, wincing. I will check that later! I decided. I place the blackberries on the table in the kitchen and hurriedly finished decorating. I accidentally cut my hand on a particularly sharp decoration, and I bit back several swears. I was done in ten minutes. I hurried to the kitchen and patched myself up. I put some latex gloves on and started working. I began making the crust when I felt something grab my shoulder firmly. "There you are!" I hear a fruity male voice sharply call. I flinch. I don't dare turn around. "Where have you been? Turn around and face me!" I hear the voice order. I trembled. I could see Barnaby in the reflection of the window.

I didn't have an excuse ready. His orange eyes darted from my project, to the blackberries, to me. Then he turned me around almost harshly. I squeeze my eyes shut. I didn't want any more bad luck. "Grampy Barnaby. I can't look at you again until sundown." I whimpered nervously.

"And why not?" Barnaby's voice was sharper than knives as he asked this.

"It's daytime. You should be resting and getting ready for the party tonight." I tried to evade the questions. Nobody told me Barnaby is smarter than that.

"Alison. Look at me!" His voice screeched. I could feel his talons try to pry my eyes open. I back away, nervous as hell. "Why can't you look at ME!?" His voice screeched the last part.

I perform a sign of the cross, something I observed the more religious humans at STH Academy to do if they're terrified of Sonic. "Grampy Barnaby. You're an owl. A ghost owl at that. And you are out during the day." I reply.

"What does that have to do with anything, little Barnaboo?" He asked, his voice still sharp. His talon tapped the table out of annoyance. He didn't  notice my injuries, thankfully. He hooted and flapped his wings as he waited. Wait. Is Barnaby... Stimming!? I realized. He hooted, waiting. I could feel the tension.

"It's really bad luck to see an owl awake during the day! And I don't want to ruin your party because of the bad luck I just got!" I finally snapped. He stopped hooting and flapping his wings. I think his jaw dropped a little.

It got silent. I realized that I might have offended Barnaby. I cower, trying to make myself smaller. "Alison. You actually believe in superstitious things like that?" Barnaby asked, his fruity voice quieter. "Oh-hoo-hoo-hoo-ha-ha!" He burst out into hooting laughter. He banged his talon against the table. I peek. Barnaby was hooting and flapping his wings. His black body trembled as his roaring laugh echoed. I see an orange liquid pour from his eyes. He used a talon to wipe a tear. "Alison! I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laughing, but it is hilarious!" He managed to choke out between hoots. I twisted a lock of hair and threw some salt on my shoulder. Then he slowly stopped laughing, gazing at me. He could clearly see my scared expression. He sighed. "Follow me." He gestured for me to follow. I obey. He lead me upstairs and into his room.

His room had many books, and he picked one out. He thumbed through it, glancing at me. He hooted as he read. I finally cannot contain myself. "Are you... Autistic by any chance?" I blurted out. Then I cover my mouth, scared that I may have offended him.

Barnaby turned his head slowly and stared at me. "Yes. I am indeed autistic, little Barnaboo." He replied, flapping his wings. "Why? Would you run away from the party if I was?" He asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"No. If I did, I would have never called you Grampy Barnaby. I guess you can say I have an autism radar." I replied. "I noticed that you only hoot and flap your wings when you are really happy or enjoying yourself. The flapping gets more aggressive when you're trying to calm down."

Barnaby placed his face close to mine. Really close. Like, his swirling eyes filled my vision close. "Oh-hoo-hoo-hoo-ha-ha... You saw me stimming." He said, hooting happily. Then he asked, "How did you know I was stimming?"

"Because I am autistic too... I stim on the paranormal." This was mostly the truth. I don't dare clue him in on my little secret.

He hooted, ruffling my hair with a wing. Then he kept reading. "Oh-hoo-hoo! I know how to counter your bad luck!" He hooted. Then he shut his book with a satisfying thud and he beckoned for me to follow.

I obey, stunned as he lead me to his dungeon. Then he lead me to an area that looks like witchcraft. He started working on something. I couldn't see what. He grabbed what looked like mustard seeds and poured the seeds into a bauble. He placed a red rose inside of the bauble and a lotus next to it. Then he made a black choker, fastening the bauble to it, hooting as he finished his little project. Then he placed the bauble on my neck. He hooted as he fastened it to my neck. "I made you a little something to counter your bad luck." He joyfully told me.

I touched the bauble delicately. I started relaxing. "All I know is that mustard seeds represent faith. So you have faith in this party and in me?" I asked, feeling very lightheaded from joy.

"Yes, and the lotus represents beauty, enlightenment, eternity, and prosperity. The rose represents good luck. You are protected from this bad luck." Barnaby hooted, using his wings to hug me. "So, why did you flap your wings like that?" He asked, his fruity voice concerned.

"It's Friday the 13th." I replied, snuggling.

"Little Barnaboo, this necklace will protect you from bad luck." He hooted. "And you're basically immune to bad luck as long as you wear it."

I realized that Barnaby has put his faith in his party going well on me.

Happy Friday the 13th!