Disclaimer: Neither Victorious or Halloween belong to me, nor do any of Victorious's characters. I just used them because it saved me from having to describe everyone.
:}
Tori smiled as she skipped down the street, heading towards that old Victorian home just down the way from her own. Life was good. Even with her adjusting to a few new changes in her life, it was all good. That thought caused her to smile again as as she made her way towards the place the "Halloween Club" was renting for their Halloween party. She felt good about all the work that had gone into renting the place, to the point where the club had done multiple fundraisers, just for this party. 'If only it wasn't at that old, haunted house.'
Of course, that was the reason they'd chosen that house. Cat had heard the rumors, even as Jade shot them down. Cat, sweet, trusting, innocent Cat had been the motivation behind the Halloween Club, the choice of locations, everything that went with the impending party. 'No worry, Gary will be there. He's in charge of the security we're hiring, the handful of off duty police officers we were required to have in order to use the school funds, and to sell candy at school, and everything that went into this party. Gary will be there, watching out for me. Gary, and Jade...' That thought temporarily dispelled the fear as she closed in on the old house that everyone ion the neighborhood had heard stories about.
The house grew closer as the Latina found herself smiling. 'Jade… She's going to be there, and I'm almost positive that even the monsters that live under beds check above to make sure she's no where near by before they make so much as a sound. Yea, she's that scary, but she's on my side. I mean, I'm her girlfriend, so naturally she'll be there to protect little old me...' Her smile froze, as Tori realized what she just thought. 'Jame it, now I'm starting to think like that bad impression she does of me. She'd better be ready to make that up to me, cause I shouldn't have to face thoughts like that. Not tonight. Not on Halloween, at this house, where we're holding out senior Halloween party. Our SENIOR Halloween party! So Jade, you'd better look hot in that costume you told me you'd be wearing...'
The two of them had become a couple around the end of summer, and when asked, neither of them could tell anyone, not even themselves, how it happened. Trina, and both their mothers, seemed to see it coming, making them the only ones who did. Everyone else in their social group, even at school, had been floored, caught off guard by the change. That was one of the reasons Tori had worked so hard on helping earn money for this party, because it was the first one where her and Jade would be going as a couple. Yes, they were a couple at the kickback, but they didn't go together, they met up, and kept their relationship muted around their friends. Now, however, they were in their full glory, wearing supposedly supporting costumes and everything.
However, the Victorian house still creeped Tori out. Even now, Standing at the edge of the yard, there was nothing implicitly sinister about the place, other then the fact that it had always been that creepy house towards the edge of the neighborhood. But childhood fears dug deep, and to the singer, the old house, not quite a mansion, but still impressively large, represented all the ghost stories she's shared with friends and family in her youth. 'Th-they haven't decorated the outside yet...' She told herself as she approached the darkened front door. The day was fading, and while evening was still hours away, the late afternoon sun was towards the rear, casting the front yard in shadow. Even the trees seemed to be reaching out, ready to grab the unwary. Swallowing her fear, and thinking of the promised costume Jade was supposed to be wearing, Tori once again cursed her needing to head home to collect her costume, which had just been delivered, and thus not riding over with her sister.
'Just get through that door.' Tori told herself. 'Your very soft yet tough girlfriend is waiting just inside, and she'll make everything all right...' Her hand, almost noticeably trembling, reached for the door handle…
"Locked?" Tori exclaimed. "Oh come on. Andre, if this is an excuse to make me use the door bell..." She pushed the button, and hard the synthesized music, reminiscent of the screeching sounds of the music played in the background when the killer struck, mostly in your better slasher films. Tori would later remember how Dre had promised the music would be "Epic."
However, there was the slightest sound behind Tori, plus a flash of movement, enough to draw Tori's eyes back to the yard behind her. A yard still void of people, but now also inhabited by a large gorilla that had materialized just steps behind her. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
In response to Tori's panicked scream and folding in upon herself, given the ape had left her with precious little space to run, said ape tried to reason with her. "Tori, it's just me." Trina's voice said from within the furry head. "Tori, calm the fudge down, before you wet yourself. Again!" The ape pulled it's head off, revealing the elder Vega sister. "Tori, calm the chiz down. I was testing the bungy drop system. Works great too. A two story drop, and hardly a sound." Trina smiled at her sister. "Gonna be so much fun, scaring the chiz outta our guests, trick or treaters, everyone." However, as she noticed her sister not calming down, but holding her own legs, concern returned to Trtina's face. "Tori, are you calm yet?"
"WHAT THE FUCK, TRINA!" Tori screamed, not yet in control of her volume.
"Just testing the bungy drop." The elder girl argued again. "Works great, too."
"Well, did you have to test it on me?" Tori asked, still shaking, but more in control now. She was managing to pull herself up to her feet, but was using the doorknob as support.
"We were just testing it on the first person to ring the doorbell, once we had the system all set up." Trina explained. "Look, I'm gonna test the return feature. You, they should have opened the door by now, so knock, and see whats going on."
At that cue, a laughing Andre opened the front door, even as Trina, with a quick leap, disappeared up into the darkened upper stories. "Kinda funny, right?" Andre asked, catching the Latina to keep her from falling, since she was still using the door for support.
"Why is my sister even doing that?" Tori demanded, pulling away from her best friend. They were inside now, but Tori hadn't looked around at the decorations yet.
"Cause we're all taking a shift." Beck replied from deeper inside. "But don't worry, Jade said she picked a different costume for you, so you won't have to be the monkey." He was busy helping set up the DJ station. They'd hired a professional DJ, but still, they wanted to save money by setting the guys equipment. Their only rule, Robbie was to keep his hands away from the rig.
"You should head up and get checked out." Robbie chimed in. "I mean, Sinjin said they only need to do a preliminary weight in, and then, when your shift comes, they'll have a range, and the computer can adjust, in case you've been gorging yourself on candy." Robbie added. He was busy putting up decorations. "So, you're not gonna be the monkey?"
/
"First off, thats an ape." Rex corrected. "And second off, she can go as anything she wants, just as long as she's all sexy, and I get to watch."
"And everyone is doing this bungy drop thingy?" Tori asked, still a little skeptical.
"Got us a lot of ground to cover." Beck replied. "What with us scaring the holy chiz outta the trick or treaters, as well as the party guests..."
"We're really gonna be scaring the kids?" Tori asked. "I gotta talk to my girl, let her know we need limits on what kinds of pranks we play on Halloween."
"You do that." Robbie agreed. "Just, the bungy drop thingy, that was Cat's idea. She had us set up a bunch of costumes and everything, each taking a shift, just so we can scare as many people as possible."
"Are you sure, cause it sounds a lot more like the kind of thing Jade would come up with." Tori argued.
"Nope, one of Cat's many ideas she pitched to the school." Beck said. "I'm gonna be wearing the monkey costume."
"Ape." Rex corrected.
"It's just feels more like the kind of thing that would drop down behind someone." The actor continued, ignoring the small, wooden man.
"I'm gonna be batman." Robbie said.
"Really?" Tori asked. "Batman?"
"Rob, who the holy chiz would be afraid of Batmen?" Rex asked.
"Bad kids." Robbie guessed.
"Just wear the damn monkey costume." Rex scolded, causing Andre to break out in a chuckle.
"I thought you said it was an ape." Beck teased.
"On Rob, it's gonna be more of a monkey." Rex replied.
"Tori, hurry up, I wanna get you weighed and fitted for your harness, so we won't have a long turnover time swapping out frighteners." Trina said from part way up the stairs.
"And your gonna be a gorilla?" Tori asked.
"Only for the bungy drop." Trina corrected. "Otherwise, I'm dressing as Elvira, mistress of the night."
"Okay, I got most of the unused rooms upstairs locked, with the chaperons agreeing to check the other rooms." Jade said as she headed down the stairs. "Oh, Tori, that was YOU'RE scream I heard."
"Speaking of Elvira, look, it's what I'm guessing is her granddaughter." Trina said, smirking at the pale girl. Both Jade and her girlfriend ignored her.
"So glad you remembered what I sound like when I'm screaming." Tori drolled. "How'd you get Cat to agree to that?"
"Didn't even suggest it." The goth said. "Cat came up with it, as well as using this house, all on her own. Personally, I think it's all the babysitting. She's spent a lot of time around small children, and now she wants revenge." The pale woman smiled.
"So, what're you dressing up as?" Tori asked. "I mean, for the drop. I know what you said you'd be wearing tonight..."
"Tori, it's okay." Jade tried to sooth her girlfriend. "I'm taking second shift on the drop, and dressing up as a demon. I have first shift on snacks and refreshments. After, I'll be free to spend the evening with you. That is, assuming you don't mind taking the first shift on the drop?"
"Wearing what?" Tori asked. "I'm to understand that superhero's aren't that scary."
"We have costumes just for the drop." Jade pointed out. "Sheesh, we go to a performing arts school, of course we have the chiz. I think you should go as the ghost. Not some fricking sheet, but white makeup, semi-translucent in the darkness, oh my fudge it's a ghost. If you do first shift, you'll be all cleaned up and ready to party by the time I'm done with second."
"So, Jade, what kind of costume we gonna be seeing you in?" Rex chimed in.
"Let me guess." Beck jumped in. "Tawny Walker Black. I mean, come on, we all know you have the bloodied wedding dress, and the scissors, and the bloodlust..." He smirked.
"Not to mention the girlfriend." Jade shot back.
"Guys, stop." Tori said. "Besides, Jade told me she'd go as something a bit different."
"Oh really?" Beck asked. "What?"
"An S&M icon." Jade announced, a proud grin on her face.
"WHAT!" Tori roared. "Jade, you'd better be joking, cause we were coordinating our costumes, and I'm not wearing anything kinky or leather."
"Relax, I'm still going as Wonder Woman." Jade explained.
"Oh, yea, William Marston, under the pen name Charles Moulton, created the Wonder Woman character back in the early forties." Beck said, nodding in understanding. "I heard he was into some kinky stuff, a little S&M…."
"It's one of the reasons she dressed the way she did, as well as her having a special vulnerability to her own magic rope." Robbie filled in. "I heard, she'd get tied up in that rope almost regularly..."
"Tell me, Jade, will you lose your powers if we tie you up?" Rex asked.
"Doesn't mater, cause if you keep talking like that, I'll take you out." Trina warned.
"So, where can I get changed?" Tori asked. "I'd like to store my Supergirl costume."
"Got us a couple of rooms we're using as changing rooms." Jade said. "We'll keep 'em locked to the guests, only for those of us working the party. Also, I snagged the master bedroom for us, since we're doing cleanup, and will probably be here pretty late."
"Oh, really?" Andre asked, drawing a glare from the pale girl.
"No snoodling." Jade snapped. "There's an attached room, once a nursery, but it has a full size bed in it ow, and Trina's probably gonna be sleeping it off there, so no snoodling tonight."
"Snuggle bunnies?" Tori asked hopefully.
"Sure, snuggle bunnies. We can do that." Jade replied, smiling. Then her face shifted to a more business, less dreamy smile. "I set up one of the downstairs rooms as a movie room, so we'll be showing horror films all night long. Was gonna go slasher heavy, but then Andre pointed out we may have some kids, so I changed it to monster movies. Still plenty scary, and probably not for kiddies, but fewer blood curling screams."
"And people won't just be using it to make out?" Beck asked.
"They might, but we'll have the chaperons wandering about, and that should keep hormones in check." Jade affirmed.
"Good." Cat said, letting everyone know she'd arrived. "I made it very clear to the school that we weren't making it easy for kids to hook up during this party. No love nesting, not for anyone who hasn't been together long enough to know better."
"Jade's sharing a room with Tori." Rex protested.
"I know, but it's okay." Cat said, even as Sam carried in a large amount of supplies they'd brought for the party. "But Jade promised me she'd be good, and they would avoid anything inappropriate for a couple who've only been going together for almost two months to be doing."
"And Trina will be in the next room." Beck added.
"Like she'd be able to stop them if they really wanted to..." Andre's voice faded as he saw the girls glaring at him.
"Snoodling, not snoodling, I don't care either way." Trina said. "I'm only here, like Sam, to handle the door, give out candy to the little kiddies, and maybe get some party on as I have time. Not my sisters keeper."
"So you want Jade taking advantage?" Robbie asked.
"Sigh..." Trina smiled the kind of smile one gives a small child before trying to explain ow weather works to them. "I know Jade won't start anything. Tori, however, this may be new to her, but it's also safe sex, and Tori's been dying to see how this new stuff works."
"But why would she?" Cat asked, "I mean, yea, she cares about Jade, but we all know how dark Jade can be. It's not like, once you get past the very real possibility she could really, really hurt you, it's not like people would realize she has soft skin, large, blue bedroom eyes that pierce right through you while pulling you in, or those breasts, or that ass, or those dangerous curves… My god, what have I done? Quick, Trina, swap out with Jade, let her sleep wherever you're planning on sleeping."
"Wait, are you telling me you forgot what Jade looks like?" Robbie asked.
"No, it's not that." Cat said, blushing just a touch. "I'm just so into guys, I don't think about things like that. To me, she's still the shy, terrifying girl I met all those years ago. Hell, I don't think of her as the man killer she's grown into. And by man killer, I mean, seductress, cause yea, she probably could kill a man, leave him laying in the street in a pool of his own blood, but she wouldn't do that, cause then they'd arrest her and send her away, and she wouldn't be free to snuggle. And I would do that, cuddling with her, I'd do that if I were into girls. I would so snuggle with her, snoodlie her, assuming I could find a way to live through the experience, and were into girls..."
"Only she's more like a sister to you, and we don't often think of our sisters as sex machines." Sam said. "I'm not talking about Melody, cause hello, identical, so if I'm hot, she's hot. No, I'm talking about Carly. She's practically my sister, and when I hear about people shipping us together, it makes my skin crawl. Both because I love her, and because I would rip my own eyes out before I shacked up with a nauseatingly sweet girl like her." The blonds blue eyes bore into Jade, accusingly. "Of course, some people find it a draw, so I do kinda understand."
"Wait, sweet nauseates you?" Cat asked. "I mean, I'm sweet..."
"No, you're innocent, and time will take care of that." Sam said. "Sweet, helpful types, those are the kinds of girls who will drag you into the most off the wall adventures, just because their trying to do whats right."
"I get it, you're talking about me." Tori huffed. "Too bad for you, you're part of my social group now. Guessing you should have thought twice before hooking up with Robbie."
"I did, and I still did." Sam said, flashing a brief smile at her boyfriend. "Rex was almost enough to keep my away. Almost. But hay, I have a type."
"Yea, but at least you have someone." Andre groaned.
"Oh yea, come here, boyfriend." Cat said, motioning for Beck. The Canadian slipped over to give his girlfriend a quick kiss. "And remember, thats about as much as we're allowing in this party, so everyone, keep it PG." Brown eyes found a target, sending her message very clearly.
"You done judging me yet?" Jade asked.
"Nope." Cat replied. "My god, if I were gay, I'd totally hate myself for not realizing how hot you two are."
"Different judging." Trina sighed. "Come, Tori, lets get you into costume and weighed."
"Do I really have to scare the kids?" Tori asked.
"Try aiming for the adults." Jade advised. "Just be ready to jump, and activate the retrieval system, in case one of them reacts violently."
"Are you sure Cat came up with this prank?' Tori asked Beck.
"Whats that supposed to mean?" Cat asked
"Relax, babe." Beck said, using a diplomacy he seemed to have developed once he realized that Cat took things personally, and unlike Jade, wouldn't just get over it. Also, he was scared of the amount of candy she was eating as is, and didn't want to keep bribing her to be happy. "All Tori is claiming is she's dating the known mean girl, while you're more sweet."
Cat stuck her tongue out at Sam. "Told you."
"Um, is Melody gonna be here tonight?" Sinjin called from upstairs.
Sam sighed. "My sister HAS to be dating a bigger nerd then I am." She told Cat, before screaming up her response. "YES, LATER!" Then the blond looked over at the gang. "Please, whomever is doing the drop when she gets here, scare the living crap outta her."
"And thats why I came up with the bungy drop." Cat said. "That, and I saw the stuff in our effects closet, and thought, why the hell not. But I also wanted to prove to everyone that I'm more then capable of pulling off a prank, or a party, or holding my own with my friends." She blinked several times a she smiled. "Except Jade. God, she's so scary sometimes. In the kill you as you sleep kind of way that no one else I know quite gets to. I mean, Sams scary, and probably more dangerous and violent. But for pure intimidation, scary and lets be honest, most likely to become a master criminal, we have Jade."
"Really?" Jade asked.
"Jadey, when that nice mister Bond comes to stop you from blotting out the sun, cause you know, you're not it's biggest fan, please go gentle on him. That, and remember, an unwatched death trap never works." Cat advised.
"I think we're currently at a mean James Bond." Robbie pointed out.
"Um, guys, I'd like for us to get done so I can call around, maybe find me a date for the party." Andre chimed in.
"Relax, we're almost done." Beck pointed out. "Plus, we have plenty of sleeping bags, and a couple of rooms set aside for those who are unable to make it home after the party."
"Is that in addition tot he rooms we and Trina have?" Tori asked Jade.
"Yep." The pale girl replied. "Two rooms, one for the boys, one for the girls. We'll do what we can to clean up tonight, you, me, and Trina, then we crash here, thus us having a room."
"Not helping me find a girl." Dre said.
"You know, Trina's single, Andre's single..." Beck started.
"And Andre may well be a serial killer." Tori finished. "Sorry, dude. You're like my best friend and all, but some of the girls you date, we never see them again."
"Nhaa, he's just fickle." Trina said. "No commitment. Girls, we like commitment. Thats one of the reasons why mom and I were willing to forgive Jade here when she and Tori started dating."
"Just you and your mom?" Dre asked.
"Officer Vega had me followed for like a month." Jade said, looking around. "So, Cat, what're you gonna be wearing for the bungy drop?"
"I'm gonna be wearing just one costume the entire evening." Cat said. "Got me a vampire costume. Looks a bit like the Elvira costume Trina has, only my plunging neckline doesn't show off as much, cause she has bosoms, and I don't. I was going to borrow some, but then my handsome and understanding boyfriend mentioned how that was, what was the term he used? Oh yea, insane."
"I said you're perfect just the way you are." Beck defended himself. "And you have such a nice figure, even if your chest isn't as intrusive as some girls."
"Intrusive?" Jade asked.
"Let it go." Trina said, and while she was talking to Jade, she was looking at Sam.
"Now I'm thankful I missed that boat." Dre said, unaware how loud he'd said it.
"Dude, as your friend, I should warn you, if you keep insulting Cat like that, my girlfriend will feel honor bound to avenge her." Robbie warned.
"Right, meeting some senorita's." The musician announced, turning back to finishing his work.
"So, Trina, you planning on meeting up with someone tonight?" Tori asked.
"Get in your ghost costume, and get weighted, and I'll tell you." Trina said, pushing her sister up the stairs.
Jade smiled. "So, Jade, do I need to put more chaperons around you and Tori?" Cat asked.
"You can trust me not to do anything inappropriate." Jade promised her friend. "Why you so interested in what we do after the party, anyways?"
"Simple, your my friend, and your chiz at dating." Cat said, checking around to see that everything was coming along. "This way, maybe I won't have to worry about setting you up. I mean, you with Tori equals safe. You alone, I'd be required to set you up with someone, and we both know how dangerous that can be. So, take your time, fall in love, get married, and be with her, for all our sake's."
Jade stopped, staring off into space, as Cat continued to check that everything was getting finished. Beck smiled at her, whispering in her ear. "Congratulations, I think you terrified her. Not an easy thing to do."
"Don't care about scaring her, just making sure she and Tori work out." Cat snapped back. "So tonight, you're gonna sneak into their room for me. I know Tori isn't going to want to wait, not after all the fear and fun we're gonna have tonight. So you sneak in and steal whatever birth control their using..."
"Their both girls." Beck pointed out.
Cat sighed. "Damn. Okay, probably for the best. I wouldn't want Tori noticeably pregnant at graduation. So, boyfriend, figure out how to get her maybe three months pregnant by then, and we'll make it happen. Jade has to be the father..."
Jade, meanwhile, shot up the stairs, hoping to find Tori before anyone told her about how smitten Jade might be. 'Cat may be right, which means this could be it. No room for mistakes….'
"So anyways, we're keeping it causal for now..." Trina's voice was heard coming from the third story, where both the bungy drop, and the costumes for it, were set up.
Jade bound onto the third floor and towards the small room set up for quick change and makeup. Burf was there, along with Clare, and both were busy setting up the makeup chair for Tori. "Jade, we're almost ready for Tori..." Clare tried to say, but the pale girl bound right past her, and to the changing room. Tori was behind the curtain, with Trina explaining something.
"Jade, Trina was telling me about her new boyfriend." Tori said. "Guy actually sounds like a winner." She flashed that smile of hers. "Yea, I'm trying to figure out how Trina met someone like that too."
"Easy, his name is Trent Ryan, he's tall, good looking, has been a little gun shy about dating since that harpy he'd been with tore his heart out and fed it to her ego, and oh yea, and he's my cousin.." Jade said. "I figured, as I got to know Trina here, she was far better then most of the she devils he was meeting at that school his dad has him going too. Plus, and this is extra rich, now he owes me one."
"You set her up?" Tori asked, almost stepping out from behind the changing curtain.
"I talked her up." Jade corrected. "Trent needed someone, and once he knew he had a good chance of getting a really good girl, who just needed someone to see past her exterior, he was emboldened to seek her out and try dating again. Then I told him where to find her."
"Did you just say emboldened?" Tori asked. "I thought that was one of those words only people in government and the news used. You know, emboldened terrorists and the like."
"It's a perfectly usable word." Jade argued.
"And Trent told me about Jade." Trina added. "I just didn't think it was worth mentioning since we're still kinda new, and as I said, keeping it causal for a bit, until we know one another better."
"So, you ready for tonight?" Jade asked.
"Just one question." Tori asked. "Why don't I see who's taking shifts opening the front door?"
"Because Sam and I are doing that." Trina said. 'We're not students at Hollywood Arts, or any high school, so we had to buy our way into the party. Sam and I have broken up the shifts at the front door. She's not doing the bungy drop, but thats because it takes a minimal amount of training, which we've all had. Any other questions?"
"Do you really not care if Jade..." Tori started.
"For the love of god, Tori, it's not happening." Jade snapped. "We can snuggle, make out, everything with cloths on. Just, I want this to last a long, long time, so we can't rush anything. And believe me, I'll swap beds with Trina if thats what it's gonna take for us to have a future."
The older girl laughed. "Sounds like we have a winner." Trina said to her sister. "Now finish up and get weighted. Jade, head down and help finish getting everything ready, then get into that costume of yours. Tori will join you later, after her shift. And tell Andre I don't think he's a bad person, just not yet ready to be someones one and only. I expect it's just a mater of time for him. Got that?"
"Um, could you write a note…?" Jade glanced out the door. "Not sure I'm gonna remember all of that."
"Just send him up to wire the upstairs for some of the games we're gonna be playing." Trina huffed.
Jade sighed, bounding down the stairs. Trina then looked at her sister, almost hysterical. "My god, Jade's so smitten…!"
"I know!" Tori replied, doing her happy dance.
"Now finish getting changed, so we can weight you." Trina ordered.
That evening, Tori would for the first time, make a grown man scream. Karma, being the bitch it was, made that man Ryder Daniels, who'd been asked by his parents to take his nephew out trick or treating. As the small boy was at he door, Tori slid down silently, and whispered in Ryders ear "Boo." When he jumped, she proclaimed that was for all the girls he'd conned into doing his work since the last time they'd met.
"Tori Vega?" He asked, still recovering from having the ghost appear right behind him.
"Yep." She replied. "Look, your kid..."
"He's my nephew." Ryder said. "My sister got pregnant young, and I'm trying to help out as much as I can."
"Well, he looks ready to go, so why don't you take him to the next house." Tori said. "And would you know the phone number for a Steven Carson? I'm kinda hoping he gets his ass down here from Seattle and comes to this house, for reasons… You know?"
"For whatever he did to you, I and all men are truly sorry." Ryder said, guiding the little man dressed as a ninja turtle away from the ghost of his past mistakes.
:}
Well, that was a bit of meaningless fun. Hope you enjoyed the trip through the last preparations before the party. Also, let me know what you liked, didn't like, anything.
Sorry, this story's over, right there, so make your own assumptions about what happened later that night.
And review.