On Halloween Night
"Um Wheeljack... the flames are green." Fade frowned at the jack-o-lanterns Ruth and Jan carried as they jogged toward the rec room. Their guardian waved a calming hand, trying to get around the crowd of costumed folk as they all congregated toward the party.
Optimus dressed as a lumberjack conversed with Batman (aka Prowl) by the flavored energon bowl. The normal lights were toned down and tinted orange to create a slightly gloomy atmosphere. Across the room, Hound played a recorded howl to go with his werewolf costume, fake furry ears perched on his helm. Black and orange streamers with pumpkin and bat motifs hung from the ceiling and caught on the taller bot's helms. Many people sat in chairs and showed off their costumes in an attempt to say theirs was the best while others strolled around to hang out with their friends. A whoop and cackle bounced just louder than the chatter as Sideswipe finally found the song he wanted and hit the play button.
The ghostbuster's theme song started to blast from the speakers in the corner while the inventor's helm finials lit up orange, "Don't worry. It's only concentrated sodium and water."
Not reassured in the least, the pickup-truck skirted the party-goers and scanned for his captain. By the door, the Joker waltzed in, bowing to the cheers and lifting a short grim reaper up. The little mech in the costume squirmed, "Jaaaaazzzzz. Put me down!"
"Aw come on kid, you look adorable." Laughter floated around as the larger bots cooed over the plastic scythe. Mimic scowled, big yellow optics glaring, "I'm not cute! Reapers are scary!" Instead of arguing, the visored Porsche just carried the youngling toward the center of the party where human candy and energon goodies were being passed out.
Over in the corner, the song switched to a cowboy theme and something to do with ghost towns. Yelling happily, the sisters struggled to get Ironhide out onto the floor and dance. The big red mech was wearing a cowboy hat and pistols at each hip. Over the music, talking and cackles of laughter, the last of the newcomers stalked in. Bedecked in neon bangles and with skull painted faceplates, Lights Out surveyed the celebration with joyful burning purple optics. On her shoulder crouched a human with metal bat-like wings.
"You're late!" Jazz bellowed from the other side of the room. Flashing razor sharp denta in a cheerful smile, the femme hollered back over the music, "Am Not! I'M FASHIONABLY LATE!"
The female at her shoulders disagreed with a scowl "We are late captain."
"Whatever. Didn't miss anything good yet!" Rolling her eyes, the darker skinned human watched the noisy festivities warily. Red and gold glitter dusted her face and bare arms while the rest of her was clothed in ragged black and maroon cloth. Her right wing twitched, feeling itchy with the glittery orange spray paint on it but Fledgling refrained from stretching them.
Chatting with the others, the black femme weaved her way through the crowd until she was closer to one wall where her second in command was sitting with Snake. The thin androgynous bot wasn't wearing much of a costume save for splashes of very real looking blood and energon here and there. Not that Snake needed it, being already scary enough with dark blue armor, a white full face mask and glittering green optics. Everyone on base had already agreed that the flier should just come as themself. Fade himself was wearing a cape and had a Jedi saber strapped to his hip plates. The captain grinned and held her arms open for a hug.
"How's my crew this evening!? You lot having fun?" Snake nodded while Fade gave a faint grin and accepted the affection, careful for the human hanging on. "Well enough captain. The ferret sisters seem to be having fun." The girls doing a choreographed dance and were now trying to get their guardian into it. Wheeljack was a surprisingly good dancer, even though the giant stained lab coat he wore kept getting in the way.
Blaster switched the tune to Michael Jackson's Thriller much to everyone's enjoyment. Fledgling hopped off Lights' shoulder pad and kept near Snake as more bots moved to the dance floor. Onyx and neon armor shining under the dim and tinted lights, the captain snagged Jazz and they started the dance routine, others joining in. The minibots stacked themselves on each other's shoulders, two a pair, as they whooped and shrieked in laughter while running about the room. Even Gears wasn't complaining too much except for how loud the music was. Ratchet in a nurses costume almost went down as Bumblebee on Cliffjumper's shoulders reached over to snag a cube from the tray the medic was carrying. Finally the ruckus slowed as Optimus climbed onto the small stage by the far wall and lowered the volume, calling for order.
"I trust you are all enjoying the Halloween party?" A chorus of cheers answered the Autobot leader as he retracted the mask and smiled at them, "First, I would like to thank Aaron for helping many of us find materials to make our costumes."
The military commander dressed as a Halo warrior saluted, "Second, we may thank the Ferrets for... introducing us to the holiday. As well as the twins for their enthusiastic embracing of it." Another round of cackles as the identical sisters threw their arms up and banged the tambourines, gypsy costumes nearly catching on plating as Wheeljack picked them up. 'Introduced' wasn't quite the word that many bots were thinking. The holiday rampage the girls had gone on practically dragged each and every bot on base into the festivities. By the highgrade, a red devil lambo and gold angel lamborghini fist pumped.
"Now, I believe Jazz has a song for us." With that, Optimus stepped down from the stage and the saboteur jumped up gleefully.
"READY EVERYBODY?!" Affirmative yells. "Alright then! Happy Halloween!
Pumpkins and ghouls, skeletons and full moons;
Lets all sing our spooky tunes!
Crooning cheerfully into the enlarged microphone, the black and white spy was joined by most everyone, while anyone not singing at least stomped their feet and clapped to the beat.
Nightmares under your bed,
Madness in your head;
Stories come to life,
On Halloween Night!
Through haunted glades and silent woods,
Up in the pitch sky on skeletal wings we fly!
Gnashing teeth and sharpened claws,
In the dark, hear our haunting cry!
Nightmares under your bed,
Madness in your head;
Stories come to life,
On Halloween Night!
Around the room, every person swayed to the tune. Lilting notes interwove with an upbeat drumming as servos banged on tables and the bots clapped. Inferno lifted a cube in a toast followed swiftly by Janx, others soon joining in and adding more voices to the chorus. Several people howled with their helms thrown back.
Vale is thin, ghosts stalking our steps,
Corpses dancing on graveyard stones!
Hear the howls and shrieks,
Come on now, get up lazy bones!
Nightmares under your bed,
Madness in your head;
Stories come to life;
ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT!"
Everyone shouted the last line and cheered, raising drinks to the brief enjoyment of the night. Forgetting the war, ignoring the coming of tomorrow and toasting the dead that had gone before them. Only then mattered, and everyone around them as they celebrated life and death, their comrades and family. One final shout rent the air as they raised fists and drinks.
"HAPPY HALLOWEEN!"
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Set in Sparks and Stars Universe (my own). Canon characters do not belong to me.
Ruth and Jan (ferret sisters), Mimic, Fledgling, Lights Out, Aaron, Snake, Janx, and Fade belong to me.
Mimic is not Jazz's kid, the youngling was just adopted by Jazz.
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Have a happy Halloween!