Title: "Best Halloween Ever!"
Author: Pirate Turner
Dedicated To: This is the tenth story in my annual 13 days of Halloween series dededicated with endless love to my wonderful, beloved Jack and our darling children.
Rating: PG
Summary: The family of NeoPets are all agreed on one thing: This is the best Halloween ever!
Warnings: Mild Homosexuality and talk of sex changes
Word Count: 3,629
Date Written: 9 October, 2011
Disclaimer: NeoPets, PetPets, Edna, Sophie, Monocerous, all species, and recognizable items, places, and worlds are ᄅ & TM NeoPets and all other respective owners, also not the author. All the actual NeoPets and PetPet characters, other than Edna, Sophie, and the Monocerous, in this story are ᄅ & TM Captain Jack Sparrow, alias Pirate Sparrow, and Pirate Turner and may not be used without permission. Everything else is ᄅ & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: These characters can be discovered at the accounts of MysticalBardKitka, GeminiSpaceman, ElvenBlade13, and SparkleStardust13.

The family of NeoPets was still in high spirits as they headed home late that All Hallow's Eve. The moon was sinking. The sun would soon be up, and yet still they chattered on happily about the Halloween party they had just attended. It had been hosted by two of their favorite allies, Sophie and Edna, and had proven to be the best Samhain party yet.

A proud Pirate Kougra and his loyal right hand NeoPet, a tall blue Eyrie, took the lead of the small group as they passed back through the Haunted Woods to their homes in Meridell. They had other homes in Krawk Island, but they'd spend the next couple of days in Meridell before setting sail again. They talked amiably about the night's events, their tails swishing happily and occasionally glanced at the dashing Christmas Uni who pranced next to them.

Depp bounced as he danced, kicking his hooves and hind quarters up and singing aloud to both the new Halloween songs he'd heard tonight for the first time and his favorite, classic Halloween tunes. He paused in mid-prance and asked, in his best Transylvanian accent, "Vhatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?" He laughed, tossing his braided mane of Christmas green and blood red hair into the air, and answered himself. "It's now the Monster Mash!"

Captain and Legolas shook their heads at Depp's show. Captain was just a little older than the Uni, and Legolas had been born the very same night as Depp. Yet both were far more serious and solemn than the fun-loving Uni would ever be. Neither possessed the same unbridled energy as their brother, but both loved to see him enjoying life at its fullest.

Behind the trio came the youngest of their family, still going over the treats they'd retrieved both trick or treating on the way to the party and throughout the actual party itself. Rebel chewed a new creation Sophie had given her that evening, and the chocolate lover in their group tried to ignore the slurping sounds the Gelert made as she enjoyed her chocolate bone. He glanced at the youngest member of their family, a little Xweetok by the name of Winter Faery. Sliding in beside her, he offered, his tail swishing hopefully, "I'll give you ten Pyramicakes for that Pumpkin Chip Surprise."

"Uh huh." Winter Faery shook her head, and LC's cute and furry face fell. "No way." Her own bushy tail swept through the Autumn air. "I'm not giving up my Pumpkin Chip Surprise! I love the whipped cream!" She paused and rummaged through her pumpkin. "But I will give you a Chocolate Korbat Wings for ten Pyramicakes." She sighed dreamily. "I do so love that golden honey filling!"

She spoke of honey the way LC did of chocolate, and the Christmas Bori smiled and licked his lips. "Five," he offered, thinking to himself that he could use the other five Pyramicakes to bargain for another chocolate treat.

"Uh huh." Winter Faery again shook her head. "Ten like you said for the Pumpkin Chip Surprise or no deal."

"But Chocolate Korbat Wings aren't as big as the Pumpkin Chip Surprise, and they don't have the whipped cream!" LC whined.

"I know," Winter Faery countered, her fluffy, white wings shaking, "but that's my deal." She lifted the Chocolate Korbat Wings out from her pumpkin and passed them underneath LC's eagerly twitching nose. "Take it or leave it," she told him.

"I'll take it!" LC cried and quickly ate the chocolate straight out of her palm. Winter Faery laughed as his pink tongue tickled her brown fur. Her bushy tail swept through the air again, and the silver rays of the setting moon glistened on her streak of red. "Now where's my Pyramicakes?"

"Coming right up," LC assured and started bringing them out of his chocolate pumpkin. The best thing in all the worlds to him was chocolate, and he made everything he could be chocolate. He even had a chocolate bed awaiting him at home with a milk chocolate table right beside it, and the table wore the marks of his teeth from when he'd gotten hungry in his sleep. He'd had to argue with his family to get their approval that he could buy chocolate furniture, but so far, he'd proven them wrong and not eaten everything. The walls of his chocolate room were still in tact, even if he was constantly sneaking away to buy a new chocolate pillow to replace his previous ones that were tucked safely away into his tummy.

The Ogrin walking beside LC and Winter Faery laughed at the sweet and begging expression on his Angelpuss' furry, white face. "All right!" he exclaimed at last, bucking what little mane he possessed. "You can help me eat my candy," he relented, "but no chocolate! Your body can't handle chocolate."

Princess BonBon's face fell. "It's not your fault," Eddie assured her, "but I'm not going to let you be sick." He ran his mighty, pink tongue over her face. Her wings fluttered. Her halo glowed, and she chirruped happily. "There," he assured. "Here." He picked a milk bottle up out of his pumpkin using his teeth and gave it to her. "Start with a Caramel Kougra Milk." He grinned. "They're delicious!"

Legolas' ears twitched back and forth, his blue lion's tail swishing, as he listened to the conversation between Eddie and his Angelpuss. He and his own PetPet had been fussing ever since he'd gotten to pet Sophie's Meowclops, and though Legolas had told his beloved, little Noil time and again that he would never take a Meowclops over him, Aslan was still upset with him. "Here," he said, taking a Toffee Classic out of his pumpkin and handing it to him. The sweet was almost as big as the Noil himself. "Have this."

The Noil gave a happy, little growl and sank his fangs into the toffee. As he set about enjoying the treat, Legolas gently pointed out, "You know I didn't give the Meowclops anything to eat, and I wouldn't have either."

The Noil stopped and, glaring at him over his treat, returned, "Only because he's Sophie's to feed."

Legolas gave a frustrated squawk, and his blue wings fluttered with his aggravation. "I know I always wanted a Meowclops before you! If I could have two PetPets, then, yes, I'd still want one, but I can't! I can only have one, and you're the one I choose!"

Captain Will Sparrow and his Gruslen glanced over at Legolas and Aslan and shook their heads. "Fussing again," the Gruslen commented.

"Aye, Jack," Captain agreed with a smile. "Aren't you glad that we don't have to go through that?"

The Gruslen wrapped his tiny, furry body around Captain's muscular shoulders and rubbed himself against his cheek. He purred. "That's because I know I'm the only one you want!"

Captain laughed, his striped, gray tail lashing delightedly through the air. "That's right," he agreed. "You're the only PetPet for me!"

"And you're the only one for me!" Legolas tried again to tell his Noil.

Aslan folded his little arms before his body and stuck out his tongue at him. "Only because Sophie won't let you Petpetsit for her. I heard you offering."

"And I would have still had you right beside me," Legolas argued with a sigh, "if I had. You could have played with the Meowclops, too, you know."

"I don't want to play with any stinking Meowclops!" Aslan growled, his orange mane fluffing and his tail striking the air. "I only want to play with you!"

"Can't we stop arguing?" Shamus asked, hopping up beside Legolas and Aslan. He stifled a yawn behind his paw and then scratched a long and floppy ear. His fluffy, white Cybunny tail twitched underneath the hem of his dress. "It's been a great Halloween! Let's not spoil it," he pleaded. "Come on. We can talk about the dresses that were worn tonight! There were some great outfits!"

Legolas and Aslan turned to look at him. "No!" they protested together.

"See, guys," Trixi, an Electric Ixi, said, prancing up to join them, "you can still agree on some things. Just get over the whole Meowclops thing already. Yes, Aslan, Legolas loves Meowclops, but he loves you more. Some one could offer him a free Meowclops, and he'd still say no if it meant having to leave you behind."

She turned to Shamus, who was crest fallen from their quick refusal. "And you," she told him, her own, small tail bouncing, "can talk to me about the outfits."

"I thought you didn't like dresses," he commented, his ears twitching.

"I don't," she agreed. Her eyes lit up, and she grinned. "But there were some major cool costumes there tonight!"

"Yeah, tell me about it," Prince Blue Frost cut in, his wings fluttering. "I don't know why the Lab Ray can't zap me into something cool instead of continuously sticking me with Ruki and Ogrin bodies!" He glanced at Eddie, who was busily stuffing both his and his Angelpuss' faces. "No offense."

"None taken," Eddie assured and ran his tongue all over his face to clean himself of the sticky sweetness of his candy. Then he turned and started to bathe his little Princess.

"And if it doesn't give me a lower species," Blue, who had originally been a Shoyru and was dressed as one again this night, "it changes my sex!"

"I wish it was that easy to have a sex change." Shamus sighed wistfully.

"You should try it then," Blue offered. "Come over and take my place at the Lab Ray."

"I dare not," Shamus said, quickly shaking his head. He fluffed up his cheeks. "There's no telling what else it might do this fine body of mine!"

Trixi giggled. Blue gave a soft growl of frustration over his situation. His brother, Ches, came up and patted his hand. "It's gonna be okay," he told him, his bushy tail whisking through the air.

"It's easy for you to say!" Blue argued. "You get to go to Coltzan all the time!"

"Yeah, but look at how much higher your stats are already climbing than mine. You've learned way more than me by going to the Ray, and Coltzan hardly ever gives out anything good! Besides, we already made a deal, remember? We've got my Electirc Paint Brush and your Starry Shoyru Morphing Potion just waiting in the deposit box for when we get really well trained. Then you can stop going to the ray, and we can get the bodies we want."

Shamus gave a soft, dreamy sigh. Every one was talking of getting the bodies they wanted except for him! Trixi reached out and patted his paw. "You're beautiful just the way you are," she whispered reassuringly to him.

"I know, but I'd still like to know what it's like to be a girl for real!"

She nodded. "I understand that," she told him, "but we both know your gender doesn't make you who you are."

Shamus brightened and again fluffed out his fur. "You're right, of course," he said. "It's just - "

"Silence!" one of the three Sorcerers taking up the rear of their family group suddenly called.

The others turned to look back at the winged Xweetok and her companions, a Starry Kau and a Fire Wocky. They had stayed to the rear of the group ever since leaving the party and had been talking about spells and other new things about sorcery they'd learned that night while the rest of them had been busy partying. Questions rang loudly throughout their group as Captain tried to take charge. "What is it, Crystal?" he asked.

The Xweetok's blue eyes were wide. Her fluffy, white wings fluttered on her back. Then, the others, too, began to hear the stomping sounds she'd already heard, and the ground trembled beneath their feet.

Kurt gazed into Crystal's eyes. "Is it who I think?" he asked urgently.

"Yes." Crystal nodded fearfully, her blue eyes still wide with fright. She was always a very prim and proper, almost regal Xweetok, though she was only painted Blue, but now every strand of her fur stood out on end. "Depp," she cried, turning to the musical Uni, "get your trumpet and play it like you've never played it before!" Her wings shook. "Play it like our lives depend on it!"

She took Kurt's right, golden hoof in her paw. "Come on," she told him.

"We need - "

"You know what spell we need," she told him as Depp began to play, "and we've not a second to lose!"

"Every one, circle around," Captain commanded, his own hackles now rose as well. "PetPets and young ones in the middle now!"

His Gruslen shook his head. "I'm not leaving you."

Captain nuzzled him. "I need you to protect the other PetPets, Jack. You may be our last line of defense."

"Okay." Jack gave a heavy sigh, and his tail twitched. "When you put it that way . . . " He had barely climbed off of Captain's shoulder and was making his way to the group huddling fearfully in the middle of their family's circle when a booming voice made an eerie announcement from directly in front of them.

"I once ate 13 Wockys."

The beast was monstrous, and the sight of him sent shivers racing down the spine of every one gathered. Fire blew out of his body, licking the darkness and seeming to make the very shadows themselves melt. Captain and Legolas stood side by side in the lead. "I'm not leaving you," Aslan whispered to Legolas, his tiny claws digging determinedly into the Eyrie's dashing Pirate jacket.

Depp's eyes rounded with fright, but he blew even harder on his trumpet. He'd always had a natural gift for music, and his abilities had grown by leaps and bounds since he'd started actually being able to collect instruments himself and learn from the various musicians scattered all across Neopia's many different worlds. He played regularly with his favorite band, and tonight his music blasted louder than even Jazzmosis'. He closed his eyes, shutting out the Monocerous, and played with all that he possessed, and the sounds of his trumpet, combined with the spell Kurt and Crystal chanted, drowned out the Monocerous' roar.

He roared again and again, and still the little family of NeoPets stood bravely before him. The Fire Wocky cut out from the back of her family, and Eddie slipped from the middle of the circle to stand bravely in the spot she had deserted. Shamus, Ches, Blue, Rebel, LC, Winter Faery, and all of the PetPets save Legolas' Noil all continued to huddle fearfully together behind him. He held himself up high and kept his hooves at the ready should he need to defend them.

Shayna bristled fiercely as she glared down the Monocerous. "You," she seethed, her fangs sparkling dangerously in the shadows, "have always eaten my kind! Tonight I shall eat you!"

"NO!" Legolas squawked for the Monocerous' flames leapt at Shayna as she ran at him. She jumped through them, but the damage was done as Legolas threw himself between her and the Monocerous' second belch of flames. She shook her head as her brother fell with a painful squawk. "I've told you," she complained, "I can't be hurt by fire!"

Captain growled, and the family again shifted, the circle growing smaller but the fighters remaining on the outside as he raced out from before them. His sharp blade jabbed quickly at the Monocerous, and he bellowed. Kurt and Crystal chanted louder, and Depp played on. Captain heard just a faint wisp of the Monocerous' growl, but it wasn't enough to paralyze or even slow him. He kept cutting at the Monocerous, and Shayna charged as Captain slipped in behind her to put himself between the beast and their fallen brother.

"YOU'VE EATEN NEOPETS FOR YEARS," Shayna screeched, racing in at the Monocerous' jugular, "BUT NO MORE! TONIGHT I EAT YOU!" She was as fast as lightning, dashing between his bolts of fire, and her furry ears were steadfastly protected from his magical roars by Depp's trumpet playing and Crystal and Kurt's spell. The Monocerous howled as her fangs sliced into his throat. He stumbled backwards, and then he fell. Shayna released him at the last moment and dashed backwards.

She landed smoothly on the forest ground and licked a paw. "Didn't even touch me." She smirked.

"But where'd he go?" Rebel called in confusion, unconsciously swallowing the last of her chocolate bone in a single gulp. The monster had loomed in front of them one moment. Then Shayna had bit him. He'd fallen through some sort of hole, and now the ground, where the hole had been, was sealed once more. It was as though the Monocerous had never even been there!

Kurt and Crystal began to release their spell, and Eddie laughed. Shamus bounced happily up and down. Blue screeched happily, and Winter Faery and LC turned back to devouring their sweets. "I don't get it," Rebel whined, her long ears hanging down. "He could come back at any minute!"

"He's not going to," Kurt explained proudly after he and Crystal had finished the spell.

"Shayna beat him!" Shamus exclaimed, beaming happily at his wild sister.

"I could have taken him," Trixi commented. "I just let her beat him."

Shayna nodded though she grinned. She knew the truth. Trixi would have been shot down as easily as Legolas had, and Captain would have followed suit almost as quickly. It was her fiery nature that had protected her from the beast's flames. "You could have," she agreed, "but I wanted him." She licked her lips. "Thanks for letting me have him."

"But where'd he go?" Rebel questioned, still not understanding.

"In one of my traps," Shayna explained, her fiery eyes glowing in the darkness.

"You have traps way out here in the Haunted Woods?" Rebel asked in disbelief.

Kurt glowed with his pride for his sister. "Our sister," the Wizard announced, "has traps everywhere!"

Shayna giggled. "Yup," she agreed. Her bushy tail struck through the air. "That's why I've always told you guys how important my traps are."

"Yeah," Eddie commented, "but it's still not fun to fall in them!"

"Not fun," Trixi agreed, "but definitely worth it!" She laughed, her small fluff of a blue tail bobbing. "You kicked his butt!"

"I sure did!" Shayna exclaimed agreeably. "And I'll kick it again for him if he ever thinks he's getting out of my trap!"

Captain prowled over to Legolas, who was groaning as he began to come back around. Shayna sighed and walked over. She bent down and licked Legolas' feathered cheek. "You should have just let me taken him," she told him as his yellow and brown eyes cracked open.

He smiled weakly. His feathers fluttered. "You've already beaten him?"

"Of course," Shayna told him, "and I've got him locked away forever inside one of my lava pits."

Legolas smiled weakly. "That's my little sister." He felt a pink tongue quickly washing his feathered fingers and looked down as his wings again trembled. "You didn't leave me," he commented.

"Nope," Aslan said, shaking his head, "and I wouldn't either!"

"Just as I, sweet one, would never leave you," Legolas assured him, lifting the little Noil carefully in both of his hands and bringing him up to his face, "not for a Meowclops or anything else! I love you!" he assured, ignoring the oohs, aws, and snorts that arose from his various family members.

"And I love you, too!" Aslan agreed, bumping his head against Legolas' beak. Legolas softly kissed him. Some of his family, such as Eddie and BonBon, LC and Cryssie, and Ches and Blue with their Maukets, also took a moment to share a hug and a kiss with their PetPets. Shayna's Tasu and Captain's Gruslen ran to them. Jack barreled into Captain's legs, and he laughed as he picked him up and hugged him.

"That's my girl!" Lorna the Tasu exclaimed as Shayna picked her up and scratched her head. She rolled her eyes at Legolas, who was busily being rolled over by his Noil.

"Come on," she said with a yawn, her pink tongue lolling out of her mouth as the first rays of the sun bathed them in it golden light, "it's time to go home."

"Aye," Captain agreed as Shayna helped Legolas back to his feet, "but I think we've a side trip to make." Though he allowed Shayna to assist Legolas in walking, he was full of concern for his brother, and his eyes shone with it as he watched them. "We'll get you to the Healing Springs, and then go home."

"And I'll play for us the whole while!" Depp exclaimed. Still bouncing up and down, he went back to playing his trumpet, and the joyful noise blasted through the Haunted Woods.

Winter Faery looked toward LC, but he was busily burying his face inside of his chocolate pumpkin. Her eyes met Ches' instead, and they shared a knowing grin. "Best Halloween ever!" the cousins exclaimed in unison and then burst out laughing.

Kurt's small tail swished happily. "That it has been," he agreed.

Crystal nodded, her wings fluttering. "Yet," she prophesied, "as long as we stay together, every new Halloween we share shall become an even better holiday." Every one smiled, nodded, and spoke their agreement, and the family headed home to the sound of Depp's jovial music and haunting tunes. Their Halloween had been a spooktacular night of fun, danger, and Shayna kicking butt, and already they couldn't wait to see what new All Hallow's Eves and the new year would bring! Whatever it was, they knew, it would be . . . "Fabulous!" Shamus cried and jumped ahead, his gay bunny tail bouncing happily in the golden, morning sunlight!

The End