Luke had always been the calm, rational one among the Teenage Cyber Space Warriors. He could analyze a situation, find the logical path, and keep his cool even when the rest of the team was caught up in chaos. But tonight, as he wandered through the fog-covered outskirts of town, something felt off.
He'd received a strange signal on his watch, a faint blip from what appeared to be an anomaly in the dimensional barrier. The others were busy tracking another one of Lord Skullface’s minions, so Luke decided to investigate solo. As he followed the signal deeper into the misty night, the faint sound of carnival music drifted through the air, growing louder with each step.
"That’s… weird," Luke muttered to himself, frowning.
Suddenly, the fog cleared, revealing an old, rickety circus in the middle of nowhere. The neon lights of the circus sign flickered ominously: "Conkers' Big Top Extravaganza!" A chill ran down Luke’s spine, but something—some strange pull—urged him forward.
Before he knew it, he was inside the gates. The bright colors, the laughter, the carnival games—it all felt strange yet familiar, like a forgotten memory from childhood. A clown on stilts waved at him from afar, his painted smile wide and toothy.
"Hey, hey, young man! Welcome to Conkers' Big Top! You’re just in time for the show!" the clown called out in an unnervingly cheerful voice.
Luke's instincts told him to turn back. Something about this place reeked of trouble, and after all the battles he’d fought, he knew trouble when he saw it. But before he could react, a gust of confetti shot out from the clown's oversized flower on his chest. The tiny, glittering pieces swirled in the air like a colorful mist.
Luke coughed, waving his hands to clear it. "What the—?" But then he breathed it in.
In an instant, his thoughts slowed. The ever-analytical Luke felt something strange shift inside him. His cautious nature, his instincts to fight—gone. Instead, a bubbly excitement welled up in his chest.
"Ooooh, a circus!" Luke suddenly exclaimed, grinning like a child. "This is gonna be so fun!"
The goofy gas had done its job. Luke's eyes widened with awe as he darted toward the Big Top tent, no longer the wary, sharp-minded teen. Instead, he felt like a little boy on his first trip to a carnival—eager to see everything, to play, to laugh.
As he entered the massive tent, the music became louder and more hypnotic. Giant multicolored banners hung from the rafters, and a spotlight beamed down on the center stage. Luke barely noticed the audience—a crowd of shadowy figures sitting in the bleachers, murmuring with excitement.
A voice boomed from the darkness. "Welcome, ladies and gents, boys and ghouls, to tonight's main event!"
Luke clapped enthusiastically, practically bouncing on his feet. "Yay! I love shows!"
From the shadows, a figure emerged—a grotesque clown in a patchwork of oversized, mismatched clothing. His face was a twisted caricature of happiness, with sharp, angular features and a grin that never quite reached his menacing eyes. Conkers the Big Top Clown.
"Ah, we have a volunteer! Step right up, little boy!" Conkers cackled, motioning Luke toward the stage.
Luke giggled and ran toward the center of the ring, oblivious to the trap he was walking into. The audience of monsters leaned forward, their glowing eyes gleaming with anticipation.
As Luke reached the stage, the clown snapped his fingers, and suddenly, thick ropes shot up from the ground, wrapping around Luke's wrists and ankles, hoisting him into the air. The once cheerful teen blinked in confusion, his mind still fogged by the goofy gas.
"H-Hey, what's going on?" Luke asked, his voice tinged with a mix of fear and innocence.
Conkers grinned, his painted face eerily glowing under the spotlight. "Why, you're tonight's star, my boy! And the grand finale? Well, let's just say it's going to be a transformative experience!"
The crowd of monsters cheered wildly as Conkers pulled out a long, twisted wand, its tip glowing with a sickly green light.
Luke struggled, his rational mind slowly starting to break through the haze. "Wait… I need to… get out of here…"
But it was too late. The clown twirled the wand in the air, a crackling energy swirling around it. "Let the transformation begin!"
And with a flash of light, the magic shot straight at Luke, engulfing him as the monsters roared with excitement.