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A Mystical Halloween


by aisha_enchantress110

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Happy Autumn, everyone!

Little paper ghostkerchiefs hung from the trees, dancing in the autumn wind. Carved jack-o-lanterns of silly and angry faces decorated the front porch. A banner in a corridor, dubbed the Spooky Hallway, said Happy Halloween. And somewhere in the distance a Werelupe howled and a witch cackled. Yes, it was that time of year again, for kids to dress up and ask strangers for candy.

      Halloween was a week away, and the four residents of 42468 Illusen's Forest Drive were busy preparing for the day.

      "I'm gonna be Illusen!" Char, a green Acara, announced to her friends. She showcased her Earth Faerie wings and flung a green dress out.

      "Big surprise," Arpheo, a yellow Xweetok, muttered to Orpheus Draco, a blue Shoyru.

      Orpheus snickered.

      "What do you think, Mermaid-Isca?" Char turned to a blue Aisha, sitting in a corner working on her own costume.

      "Weren't you Illusen last year?" Isca asked.

      "Yeah, but now I have the wings to go with it!" Char beamed happily. "What are you going to be for Halloween, Arpheo? Draco?"

      Arpheo stood up and revealed a bundle of folded clothes. "Garin, of the Black Pawkeet."

      Orpheus jumped up. "What!? But I was going to be Garin! We can't BOTH be Garin!"

      "Well, Isca is always dressing me up as Garin with she plays as, well, Isca; so I thought why not be him for Halloween?" Arpheo said back. "You can go as a normal pirate."

      "But I do that every day," Orpheus said. "It's only once a year you can be someone else."

      Char glanced over at Isca. Though Char was the oldest, Mermaid-Isca was the mother-figure of the four friends.

      Isca stopped her sewing for a minute. "Why don't you be Jacques them, Orpheus?"

      "Yeah! Jacques is cool," Char piped in. "You like him just as much as Garin, right?"

      "Yeah... but, he's a red Kyrii, I'm not so sure I can pull that costume off... Ah! I know, I'll be Jake the Explorer! We're both blue. And I have just the right clothes." He ran to his room, coming back seconds later holding up a fedora and jacket.

      Now that THAT was settled...

      "So what will you be, Mermaid-Isca?" Char asked.

      Isca smiled. "It's a secret."

      ***

October 31:

      "All right!" Orpheus punched the air. "Let's get out there and get our treats!"

      "Hold your wild Uni," Arpheo said. "Isca isn't ready yet."

      "Ooh!" Char wiggled with excitement. "I can't wait to see her costume, and snorkle-out on candy."

      "Those two are completely unrelated," Orpheus said.

      Char shrugged. She was a somewhat silly Acara.

      Mermaid-Isca joined her friends then. "Well? What do you think?"

      "You're Caylis!" Char said.

      "I figured you'd be Isca of Maraqua," Orpheus said.

      "Pah! I was her last year. Besides, Caylis is perfect for Halloween, don't you think?"

      The others agreed.

      "Let's go visit Illusen's Glade first," Char said.

      Illusen the Earth Faerie's home was decked out for Harvest Time. She didn't care much for scary Jack-O-lanterns, but she welcomed pumpkin patches--and Trick-or-Treaters.

      "Did you see how she smiled at me?" Char said. "Illusen liked my costume. And look! She gave me a novel about herself!"

      "I got a Rose Shake," Orpheus said. "Anyone wanna trade?" He liked to think he was a manly Shoyru (though he really wasn't.)

      "Nah, I like my Illusens Cream Cookies," Arpheo said.

      "Here, you can have my Illusens Potion," Isca told Orpheus. "I know how you like to fight in the Battledome."

      It was on to town then, as the four ran down the path from Illusen's Glade; each one carrying an Apple Lantern. Other kids, dressed up as their favorite heroes and heroines, dashed from one house to the next. There was much laughing and cries of joy.

      The first house the four friends came to, a Lenny witch was out in her front yard, stirring a bubbling cauldron.

      "Welcome, children," the Lenny cackled. "Hee, hee; would you like some candy?"

      "Um, l-let's skip this one," Arpheo said.

      Though Arpheo was easily frightened, the others readily agreed.

      As they went to the next house, a giant... thing skipped by. It had paper wings attached to its back, carried a pretty flower, and was throwing bags of jelly Sloths to anyone it passed.

      "Wasn't that..." Char started.

      "...the Happiness Faerie?" Orpheus finished. "Yup."

      They all shuddered.

      ***

      "Trick or treat!" chorused the four friends for the twentieth time that night.

      "Oh my!" a Uni said. "Such wonderful Neopian Heroes I see." She gave each a generous amount of treats.

      "Cool!" Orpheus said. "I got bars of Neochoco."

      "She gave me series 2 charms," Char said. "They're so cute!"

      They came into Soup Alley, knocking on 131's door first.

      A scream answered it. "Squeaky! We've got to get out of here! Aaahh!" A Chia ran around inside the house; his petpet, a tigermouse, hid under a table.

      Then...

      "Boo!"

      "Aahhh! It's the Ghost Lupe!" all four friends yelled.

      "Here! Have all my candy," the Chia said, "I'm out of here!"

      "Aaahhh!" They picked up as much goodies as they could, and then ran for it.

      Suddenly evil villains were everywhere! Hubrid jumped out there, Vira flew in their face here, and Count Von Roo stepped out of the shadows.

      Ten minutes later, five blocks away, and after much huffing and catching of breaths:

      "And here I thought I defeated the Ghost Lupe in the Battledome," Orpheus said.

      "He's much cuter in a painting than real life," Char said.

      "Let's just get on with our trick-or-treating," Isca said. "Arpheo? Are you all right?"

      The Xweetok was pale, and he was trying to still his rapidly beating heart. "Huh? Oh, s-sure, yeah, I-I'm okay--A-okay!" His voice shook, and it was uncharacteristically high.

      "Halloween just isn't his holiday," Orpheus said.

      Next up was a house owned by a Gelert. "Blah! I vant to drink your blood." He was dressed up as a vampire. After throwing something in each one's bag, the Gelert vanished into his house.

      "Ah man, what's this?" Orpheus said. "I got a pile of dung."

      "At least it's Rainbow," Isca said. "I got a rock."

      "Oh, cool, look at this everyone!" Arpheo exclaimed. "I got a Rod of Supernova!"

      "No way!" Orpheus went to get a closer look, when WHOOSH! a blue blur shot by.

      "Ah man, the Pant Devil just stole it!" Arpheo said.

      "What rotten luck," Isca said.

      Char looked from Arpheo, to the now gone Pant Devil. "Is it just me, or did the Pant Devil look a lot like that Halloween Gelert?"

      A moment of silence.

      "I blame Draco's mutant meowclops pail," Arpheo said then.

      Orpheus looked at his bucket of candy. "It's a Black Gathow!"

      "Whatever the reason," Isca said, "going to that house was definitely not productive."

      Char sang out suddenly. "He gave me an Illusen Plushie! Aw, it's so adorable."

      The others stared at the Acara.

      "She's so lucky," Arpheo said.

      ***

      It was around 8:00 p.m. when the four decided it was time to start for home.

      "Let's stop by Neovia," Orpheus suggested. "I bet they're having a one year anniversary for being freed from both Mr. Krawley's and the Spirit of Slumber's spell. They're probably giving out special goodies."

      The three agreed.

      "Halloween in Neovia?" Isca said. "Now THAT'S the ultimate All Hallow's Eve."

      They first went to Edna's Tower, but the Zafara witch wouldn't give anything unless they went in search of some items for a spell.

      The town of Neovia was, indeed, in the act of celebrating. The Crumpetmonger was giving out free pumpkin-shaped muffins; the Neovian Printing Press was selling a limited edition anniversary book titled 'How Neovia Rose from the Dead'; and Prigpants & Swolthy had special costumes made in the likeness of Sophie, Gilly, and Bruno.

      "This is great..." Orpheus voiced, impressed at the festive mood of the little town.

      "The little pumpkin lights are cute," Char remarked, looking up at the many strings of them crisscrossing from one roof top to another.

      "Ooh! I want a pumpkin-spiced cookie!" Arpheo ran to a stall selling bags of treats.

      "Just don't buy any Hissi Oil," Char warned; half jokingly, half serious.

      "Everybody sure is happy," Isca observed.

      "Hey, do you wish to purchase Neovia's anniversary book?" the Pteri of Neovian Printing Press asked. "It's a limited edition."

      Isca shook her head; her costume didn't have any pockets to keep money. When she turned to leave, she saw a woebegone Kau, crying her eyes out. "Hm? I wonder what is wrong with her?" But the Aisha had no time to think on it, for she caught sight of something even more fascinating: a stray meowclops. Mermaid-Isca was about the biggest fan of meowclopses; she had a clock, table, pillow, pen, statue, etc. in the likeness of the rare petpet; but she had never seen one in person--and without an owner.

      So of course she had to follow it.

      "Hey Isca, where are you?" Orpheus glanced around. "Isca?" He glimpsed a departing Aisha in a tattered Caylis costume. "Isca! Mermaid-Isca! Where are you going?" He immediately told Arpheo and Char, and the three followed after their friend.

      ***

      The meowclops lead the four out of Neovia, and to the steps of a shack. Oh the porch, rocking on its own, was a olive-green-backed chair.

      "Oh my gosh..." Isca breathed out. "Do you know where we are?"

      "Sophie's..." Char murmured. "The Swamp Witch."

      And lo and behold! there the fabled Ixi was, just as she appeared to Gilly the Usul more than a year ago. "What do you kids want? Come to get treats from old Sophie, eh? Well--" she cackled --"I'm not so sure you want what I have."

      "Um..." The four backed away.

      "More trick-or-treaters, Sophie?" a voice within the shack asked. A Zafara appeared beside Sophie.

      "Edna!?" the four exclaimed.

      "Oh, it's you kids," Edna said. "They refused to fetch me some items to make an Aisha Wings Charm."

      "Hmph!" Sophie went back into her home, came out again with a bowl, and tossed the four a bunch of Spooky Food.

      Char got a Spooky Shake; Orpheus, a Pumpkin Pie; Isca, Peanut Butter Spiders; and Arpheo, Eye of Techo.

      "Cool, I got a rare item," Arpheo said. "I never knew a potion called Eye of Techo existed."

      Suddenly a flash of blue blinded the Xweetok, and the potion was gone.

      Stupid Pant Devil.

      Arpheo put a hand to his hip and made a face. "That's getting old now."

      Char, Orpheus, and Mermaid-Isca couldn't stop laughing, however.

      ***

      It was definitely time to go back home; the night was getting late, and the candles in their Apple Lanterns were just thread-bare wicks.

      "Which way do we go?" Arpheo asked.

      "Er... this way, I think," Isca said.

      "That doesn't sound very reassuring," Orpheus remarked.

      Arpheo's light finally winked out. "Ah geez..."

      "Nor is that," Orpheus said.

      "Let's not worry," Char said. "Mermaid-Isca is rarely wrong."

      But 'rarely' doesn't mean 'always'.

      The four traveled deeper into the Haunted Woods, where they stumbled into a fog-covered graveyard, long forgotten. Here, the trees never grew leaves in spring; the damp earth never dried out; and the moss only got thicker and thicker.

      "We're lost," Char said mournfully.

      "We're DOOMED," Arpheo moaned. He grabbed Isca's arm. "Wh-what do we do?"

      "How should I know? I'm the one that got us into this mess!"

      "At least we have a lot of candy to ration with," Orpheus said.

      Arpheo cried.

      "Huh? What's that?" Char asked. "Do you hear that? It sounds like... moaning."

      Arpheo wailed. "It's a ghost! We're dead! We're dead!"

      "I'm quite alive, thank you very much," Orpheus retorted. "Everyone, give me your lamps." He set his down. His was the only one now flickering; Char's and Isca's had gone out thirty minutes ago. With the wax from the others' candles, as well as his own, the Shoyru made a new candle. It was still small, but it would last four times as longer. "Follow me."

      "Wha? We-we're going TOWARDS the ghost?" Arpheo asked.

      Orpheus nodded. "You can't judge a book by its cover. It's just the same as 'Not all who wander are lost.' Maybe this 'ghost' is not really a 'ghost'."

      "Yeah, it's probably a lot worse." Arpheo clung to Isca.

      By the pale light, Char swore she saw an Earth Faerie hidden in the shadows. But not the friendly Illusen; more like Ilere. And no one knew if that faerie was good--or bad. Char ended up clinging to Mermaid-Isca too.

      The moaning got louder. And then, there she was--"Aaahhh!"--a wisp of a female Kyrii. She looked every bit a ghost. But was she? Orpheus immediately noticed the Kyrii's clothes; they were distinctively Neovian.

      "Who... who are you?" the girl asked. She hugged herself.

      "Don't worry, we won't hurt you," Orpheus assured her.

      "You wear... such funny clothes," the Kyrii said.

      "The day calls for it," Orpheus said. "Now, may I ask your name? Where do you come from?"

      "I'm Deirdre. I had once lived in Neovia, but I have lost my way. I don't know how to get back..."

      "She's still under the curse," Char said in awe. "Only... she's under the Spirit of Slumber's spell, but she's not acting, you know, like she can't see us, because she does, um..."

      "That is right," Deirdre said. "I was too far away for the Spirit of Slumber's spell to completely dissolve. I am awake, but I am still asleep."

      "We got to help her," Isca said.

      "But HOW?" Arpheo asked. "The potion is all gone. And even if it wasn't, it wouldn't work. She's been under the curse too long. Just like Sophie's brother, Bruno."

      "That's it! Sophie!" Isca declared.

      "Sure, but we're lost, remember?" Arpheo pointed out.

      There was a swishing and rustling of leaves, and then, "To find your way, you must become completely lost." It was Ilere.

      ***

      "Sophie! Sophie!" Mermaid-Isca burst into the Swamp Witch's shack, where the Ixi was having tea with Edna.

      Sophie grabbed her staff, and was planning to turn the Aisha into a slorg or something, for disturbing her, but Edna stayed her hand.

      Isca, joined by her friends, told the witches all about Deirdre and her dilemma.

      Sophie stood. "Really, hm? Darn, if only Bruno was here; he was a good test subject. Oh well, I guess I'll have to go for second best..." She turned to her meowclops.

      The meowclops scrambled under a cot.

      "So, you mean you'll help her?" Orpheus asked.

      "Why of course," Sophie said. "I'm not heartless. But first, I'm going to need some ingredients."

      A list was made, and a portion of the night was used up gathering rare and exotic plants. Then the testing began. Sophie's poor meowclops turned into a hairless wonder, a pink meepit, a black worm, a fluffy white thing, a green-spotted-orange-and-blue-striped masterpiece, and finally a winged meowclops.

      "Ah, here we are," Sophie said.

      Ilere ushered Deirdre in.

      "This should do the trick." Sophie handed the Kyrii the bottle. "Drink it all up, dear."

      Deirdre did so. Char, Isca, Orpheus, and Arpheo hugged each other, waiting for a positive response. Suddenly she turned into one hideous monster after another; yet in the end, she was her true self once again, after sixteen years.

      The four friends cheered.

      Back in Neovia, Deirdre sought out the very same Kau Isca had seen crying.

      "Mother?" Deirdre said.

      "De... Deirdre?" the Kau leaped up and embraced her daughter.

      "Awww, isn't that sweet?" Char said.

      Isca nodded.

      "This has been one wild Halloween, huh?" Orpheus remarked.

      Char laughed. "More like a mystical Halloween!"

The End

 
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