A/N: Hey everyone! This is the first installment of "Something Fun and Creative" and the first fanfic I've written that isn't Inuyasha. Hope you enjoy, this was pretty fun to make and it won't be as long as my other stories 'cause it goes along with the movie.
Something Fun and Creative
Prologue
I woke up in the dead of night. Darkness was all I could see, but I wasn't as scared as I felt I should have been. The forest floor was hard, but I felt no temperature. Then, I looked up and saw the moon, the blinding light chasing away the darkness for a moment. Standing up, I tried to walking in the direction I faced, but tripped over something. Looking at the offending object, the shape of a broom handle revealed itself in my clenched hand. Following the length of the wooden handle, six sticks protruded from the other end, creating crooked bristles tied in place by a long piece of white string.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed my clothes. I wore a plain, long, brown, wool dress that was torn and brown boots. I don't remember anything from before I woke up, so I guessed I must have been running from something before and caught it on branches. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now, it's not like I can feel the cold anyway.
I got back to my feet, careful not to get tangled with my broom this time, and continued on my way, having no clue where I was going. On my short journey, the broom dragging behind me, I came across a small, old, broken-down shed. Knowing I wasn't going to find anyone here, but enjoying the slight creepiness emanating from the crooked half-door, I turned to go back and decided I'd return later.
Finding someone seemed like something I needed to do, I had no desire to encounter anyone, maybe I was fine being alone. In the middle of my thoughts, I suddenly was jerked upward by my hand toward the sky. The sensation of the wind surrounding me and whipping everything around everywhere was refreshing. This surge of energy and magic came from my broom, I discovered. So I could fly as long as I had it, then? Cool.
I began to fall as the power disappeared momentarily, but sopped and hovered in mid air before I hit the ground as it returned. I'll have to practice this eventually. Why not try flying to find somewhere easier, as if that'll go well but I don't care, let's do this.
So that's exactly what I did, attempt to sit on my "new" broom and rockily steer it through the night sky. a small village came into view a little later and I still hadn't quite gotten the hang of flying, but my skill rose the tiniest bit in the sense that I could now stay sitting on the handle. My bumpy excuse for a landing ended up in me crashing into the side of a well... oops.
Peeling myself from the bricks, I shook off the pounding in my head and tried to ask where I was. However, the first person I encountered walked straight through me? As if I wasn't even there? I felt this emptiness and uneasiness grip my heart, but I couldn't bring myself to care enough to be upset. I don't mind being alone and unseen, but once in a while, someone to talk to would be nice.
Finding nobody able to see me, I flew back to that small shack and sat on the roof, wondering what I'd do next.
My name is Raven Hollow and I'm the Spirit of Halloween. How did I know? The moon told me, and that was a long time ago.
283 Years Later... Halloween Day
"Alright! I want those Jack-o-lanterns out by the door! And the purple-and-black candles in the front windows with black drapes hanging!" I directed my many spiders and Frankensteins as we were doing some last minute decorating for our shack. I may have all year to prepare for my holiday, but I'm a bit of a procrastinator and tend to leave everything for the beginning of the month, preferring to go out and draw instead of work. It's the morning of Halloween, also the 283rd anniversary of the day I woke up in this forest to find I was a spirit. I don't only look after Halloween, I'm also in charge of Day of the Dead in Mexico, or Dia de los Muertos.
I have done a little bit of renovating my shed over the rears, so now most of the flooring is gone, creating an enormous hole leading down into my actual home beneath the tiny building. As soon as you walk through the still crooked door, there's two feet of untouched floor boards left before it drops down. It's also pitch black inside (no pun intended) so you can't see the hole.
Falling or jumping into the hole, it's like a vortex slide of magic taking you straight into my spacious "factory" where I experiment with different ways to decorate things throughout the year. Right now, it's just littered with dead trees I use for mannequins and failed or broken accessories that I left laying around. There's a hidden door in the back revealing my workshop, the room I use to come up with new ideas for decorations and pumpkin carving. Currently, it's overrun by neglected tools and discarded materials that will be a pain to clean up later, but I won't dwell on that for now.
On the back wall is a door to a small hallway with one room, this is my studio where I draw random things and pain. The left wall contains a door with a long hallway, doors on the left for my spiders and the right for my Fankensteins, those are their rooms. They sleep there until I need them for Halloween. Throughout my home, black lanterns and purple and orange colored jars with vanilla and pumpkin spice scented candles float in the air, shedding light in my otherwise dark hallways and rooms.
My clothes have changed from the plain brown dress I woke up in all those years ago to a strapless black corset with purple lace spider webs, a black, semi-poufy skirt that goes just below mid-thigh with orange lace hemming, black leggings with the right leg striped purple and the left striped orange, black four-inch ankle boots with buckles on the outsides and a second belt design below the buckles with bows in the front, a black wide-brimmed witch's hat with purple cloth hanging over the edges, and a black cloak reaching to just above my ankles. I decided the witch getup would go with my broom perfectly, even if no one can see me.
One of my favorite parts about this holiday is that my home town wears their costumes all day and holds a contest for the best homemade costume. I just love seeing what people come up with!
If you're wondering, we decorate our shack because every year there are a few teenagers who wander the woods late on Halloween night. So, after I finish watching over the kids in Burgess when they go home and Trick-or-Treating ends, I come back and give them a "show". They always end up finding my shack but never go in 'cause it's too creepy. It's pretty entertaining to watch them freak out when spooky sounds like snapping twigs and rustling leaves catch them off guard, sometimes I even throw in some howling wolves, a rat or spider run across their feet, or a Frankenstein moving in the shadows. Some teens come back each year because they enjoyed their previous experience, so I have up my game a bit.
Anyway, it's almost noon, so we should probably "wrap up decorating" (see what I did there? I'm teasing North) and I'll send my friends out. Oh, one thing I left out, my spiders and Frankensteins travel to every city celebrating Halloween to watch over everyone and report back to me when they return while I stay in Burgess and keep an eye on them.
Just then, I hear the beating of wings and sigh. Every year, can't she give it a rest already? "I know you're there, Tooth, no use in hiding, again," I sounded bored, but wouldn't you? The last 264 years, she has come to me on my holiday to complain about the candy being given out.
"I can't help it, Raven, you know candy causes cavities and gum disease! Remember 1932?" she counters and reminds as she flies into my line of sight. I shiver at the mention of the year 1932 when an outbreak of cavities and gum disease, as Tooth so helpfully brought up, started after people decided to add candy to the mix of everything already going on with Halloween. Yeah, you can guess how Tooth reacted.
"I've told you time and again, Halloween is not about the candy, and I'm not even the one who started that tradition," I half-explained.
"Then what is it about?" she huffed exasperatedly, half-expecting a real answer, she asks this question each time she "visits", but she didn't add in the part about the outbreak the last two times.
I turn my back to her, "I don't really know, I just know it's not about the candy." That's the truth, but this is the first time I've admitted it to anybody, and to the Tooth Fairy no less. What's wrong with me? Usually I wouldn't answer that question at all and ignore her until she left, why did I tell her that?
"I see, " she sounded the slightest bit pleased, but more disappointed than anything else. The disappointment stung a little, like when a mother scolds her child for getting a bad grade or getting in a fight. "I'll go home and let you think that over," there it was, she's trying to act like my mother again. Why does she always do that? Before I could ask her, she was gone.
Oh well, look forward to nest year's visit I guess. Shaking off the confusion, frustration, and annoyance, I fling open the door in front of me and shout inside, "Okay! Time to head out everyone! Let's to!" With that, my friends flooded out of the shed and headed to their destinations. I, on the other hand, flew the short distance to Burgess, riding my broom like a surfboard. Yes, I have definitely gotten much better at flying, and my broom hasn't changed save for the black ribbon I replaced the white string with a long time ago, tying a small bow on the side.
Smoothly landing to hover above the sidewalk, I hopped off and grabbed the handle. I walked through town toward city all, where they held the costume contest, and admired people's outfits as they passed. I saw witches and warlocks, zombies and pirates, candy corns and m&m's, spiders and Frankensteins, anime and video game characters, ghosts and goblins, and many more. My personal favorites were little girls dressed as princesses, they were just precious and adorable!
Reaching city hall, I saw the stage and table set up for the participants and judges. The contestants started filing in backstage, so I followed to take a look before it started. On girl in particular caught my interest, she had entered the previous two years and won both times. She had short brown hair, green eyes, and was tall for her age. Her parents and younger sister were there as well, probably for moral support. Since it was Halloween and she was in the contest, she wasn't in her usual attire which consisted of a cream colored beanie, a long-sleeved green sweater over a white t-shirt, jeans, and converse. I knew her name was Pippa Conway and her sister's name is Jenna from watching them play in late Summer and all through Autumn.
Pippa's costume was obviously homemade, just minor mistakes here and there, but that's okay because she's still young and learning. Her mom probably tried to help her daughter but she insisted on doing everything herself. Looking closer, I didn't quite understand what she was dressed as, I didn't recognize this character. She had made a wig of short white hair styled in a boy's haircut (I think she based it off of her brunet friend's hair), a royal blue vest with sloppily sewn snowflakes over a white long-sleeved shirt, crookedly stitched brown capris covered most of her legs, and her everyday converse on her feet as if to symbolize her character wore no shoes. I had to applaud the creativity of her costume, but I didn't know where it came from and it frustrated me. I'll figure it out when she goes onstage and announced her title.
By now, her friends have come over the encourage Pippa, exclaiming that they were excited to see her with the third year in a row. When they asked what her title was, I perked up a little that maybe she'd tell them, but all she said was they had to wait and see like everyone else. They whined and my tiny smidgen of hope was dashed. Oh well, I'll find out later.
I followed the kids and Pippa's family back out to the chairs set up for the audience and I sat on top of the judges' table. You see, I kind of help judge this contest... I swear I try to be as fair as possible, I pick the best homemade costume. Some of the contestants cheat, the judges may not be able to see that, but I do. Actually, I'm not really sure why or how I can tell, I just get this feeling and I see right through their lies. It's so aggravating to me when people are dishonest like that, I mean come on, don't take credit for someone else's work.
This year, I'm going to change things up a little. You'll see what I mean in a minute. The judges came out, introduced themselves, sat down with me still on the table so I could glance at their papers, and the contest began as the first participant stepped onstage. He was a teenager with blond hair and blue eyes, I recognized him from the forest last year, wonder if he'll go back tonight 'cause he got pretty scared. His costume was the Mad Hatter from the most recent version with Jonny Depp, but it wasn't all that good, he most likely made it last minute and rushed everything. By his expression, I could tell he wasn't very proud of his creation and I pitied him, so I was a little lenient about his score. Yes, I strongly believe in following my heart, and sometimes I get carried away, but I remember to use my head from time to time as well.
Pippa was the sixth one to come on, and two of the previous people, and boy and a girl, had bought their costumes from the store. Remember I said I was going to change things this time around? Well, I exposed them for the frauds they are by using some of my magic to give one of the judges the idea to ask them about how they made the costume and what materials they used. Safe to say they couldn't answer the questions and were disqualified.
So when Pippa stepped up, the judges asked her what she called hers, and she responded with, "I named it after the expression 'Jack Frost nipping at your nose'."
That's why it wasn't familiar to me, I hadn't met Jack Frost before, and I knew nobody knew who Jack Frost was but people made that saying in the winter when it got really cold. I'd heard his name from Tooth once or twice, but all she said about him was how badly she wanted to see his teeth, typical Tooth. As I just said, Jack and I never met before so I don't know where he lives, what he's like, what he really looks like, but I know he controls winter because of his name. I mean, come on, frost only appears during the winter, how could you not know? He definitely comes to Burgess in the winter, there's snow everywhere that time of year, but I haven't seen him. That might be because I stay inside most of the time. Don't get me wrong, I love winter and all the other seasons, but winter is when I clean up after Halloween. Remember, I'm a procrastinator, I like to take a break from doing work right after my holiday and it ends up taking a month before I start picking up. Then it takes a while to clean because by friends go into "hibernation" a couple days after Day of the Dead and I have to do everything myself. However, I sometimes take a break to travel somewhere to draw or paint a place with snow, I do that with every season, except without the snow. I just love the colors of all the seasons, they're so beautiful.
Sorry, I was rambling, back to the contest. the last participant came onstage wearing a boring white sheet with holes for eyes as a ghost. There's one of those every year and I'm tired of it. Pippa still had the best costume, and I didn't even have to do anything this time, all four judges voted for her without me.
The contest is now over and I decide to follow Pippa and her friends around town for the rest of the day, after I giver her some extra candy in her bag to start her off for the night as a reward for winning. As the kids start their aimless trek across town to pass the time, giggling and laughing at their conversation, I float behind them laying along the length of my broom. Their laughter was so contagious I couldn't help joining in.
As the dark curtain of night drew closer, I left the kids to their families and headed for the highest point in town to watch over everyone. I looked on as parents took their children to friends' and strangers' houses alike, teens pranked each other and random passersby, and spotted a few of my own friends. You may have notice I call my spiders and Frankensteins "friends", well we prefer that term over minions, mostly because I don't treat them as such. Anyway, back to observations.
Everything went pretty smoothly for Trick-or-Treating, which is good. Sometimes the teens get out of hand with their pranks and I have to step in. Don't worry, I don't scare them out of their minds, even though I totally could, I just teach them a lesson the best I can without the ability to be seen, heard, or touched.
Forest haunting time! Woo! I felt a bit lazy, so I sat on my broom and floated through town, admiring all the decorations. I arrived at the edge of the forest just as two groups decided to go different ways, and I noticed the blond boy from the contest in one group, looks like this'll be interesting. There have never been two groups at the same time before, so I'll have to go back and fourth between them.
I flew high above the forest so I could see both groups. Let's see, what could I do this time? The classic twig snap and wolf howl are a given, but I have to add more. Maybe the wolf sounds could go farther than just the howl, like make them growl and bark at the kids, too, but something else is missing. Getting my friends to run around is a good touch, they should make some of their own noises!
I called one of my spiders and met her at the forest entrance, asking my favor. Of course she agreed and gathered some of the others. Going back to my spot in the sky, I kept the teens busy with the wolf sounds while waiting for everyone by pointing where I wanted the noise to come from and mimicking a wolf.
By the time my friends arrived, the groups were nervous and slightly panicking. At the end of my haunting, it was about two twenty-five and the kids had just found their way out of the forest, screaming and running. They had each come across my shed and freaked out at some of the new creepier decorations, which pleased me very much.
Now it's time for me to head to Mexico for Day of the Dead. It was a few hours flight, and when I got there, the sun was peaking over the horizon. The parade would start in about two and a half hours so I had some time to kill. This year, I wanted to get into the spirit of the Hispanic holiday and paint a candy scull on my face, I've always loved those.
I walked around for a few minutes marveling at the beautiful, colorful decorations, looking for some make-up I could use and magically sent my witch's hat home. Finally, I came across some discarded make-up and discovered a cracked mirror nearby. I finished painting my face and combed through my long, wavy, black hair with my fingers just as the parade began.
The performances were absolutely amazing, and I enjoyed every second of my time here, just like every year. There were a lot more things to do after the parade, and I watched the crowds below partake in various activities. I'm not a big fan of crowds, and although I'm not bothered by the fact no one can see or hear me, feeling people walk through me isn't exactly pleasant. However, I do like seeing people enjoying themselves, especially during my holidays.
As night drew nearer, I followed the hoards of people to the cemetery and watched them decorate their families' tombs with bright colors, let candles, pictures, and their favorite foods. I giggled as kids played games with their friends, the ghosts of the dead smiled as they spent time with their families once more, even though the living couldn't see them. Yeah, ghosts exist too, but they can't see me either.
The second day of Dia de los Muertos was just as festive as the first, and I loved seeing families together even if some members couldn't be seen. They looked content and happy just to be with them for a few hours.
I'm back home now, and I've decided to relax a little by sitting on the roof of my small shed and sketching the night sky from this view. This is honestly one of my favorite places to be, it's so peaceful and pretty in it's own creepy way since all the leaves have fallen off the trees and they dead and disfigured.
A/N: Alright! First installment of Something Fun and Creative! I'm excited to be writing something other than Inuyasha, not that I don't still love the anime, but it's a change from what I'm used to writing right now. Please let me know what you think, I love feedback and it gives me motivation to write faster.
I love you all!
StoryNinja101