Disclaimer: Just a short little jaunt into the Black Cat Song universe, since it may be a colder Halloween for some.
Energy and excitement thrummed through Halloween Town as everyone gathered in the square. Many had already slipped over to the mortal plane a time or two in the run up to their holiday but they traditionally ventured together on All Hallow's Eve when the sun set. It meant waking earlier than normal for the denizens of Halloween Town but, honestly, most couldn't sleep before the sojourn anyway. Stepping through the gates as one mass of creatures eager to start their night of scaring remained one of the best parts of the holiday and they would be led by none other than the Black Cat Queen herself.
Blake, however, found her attention fixated on the sky above the cemetery rather their impending departure. Lightly, she reached up to touch the black snowflake broach that still sat affixed to her ascot. A smile curled her lips.
"What if she doesn't come?"
"She'll come." For a moment, she allowed her gaze to deviate to her side, where the new Shade stood. Just hardly coming to her shoulders, the shadows and smoke curling around his feet and long black coat. He'd taken the name 'Eric' and had grown into his powers considerably since Adam's downfall. He still had much to learn, however, and would remain close to her until he'd fully matured. She didn't mind- it actually amused her a little, because she now had an understanding of that look she'd see on the faces of parents as they sent their children to doors asking for candy- and allowed a chuckle to slip past her lips. "If there's one thing to know about the Snow Spirit, it's this: she will keep her word, even when others try to stop her."
Eric nodded solemnly; although growing accustomed to Weiss, he remained wary of her- and for good reason. While her beloved paramour had grown more comfortable with scares and tricks, she had the tendency to… overreact on occasion. More than once, Halloween Town found itself buried in a thick blanket of snow- accidentally, of course- as a result of threading King Cold's magic with their own. "Can I visit Christmas Town this year?"
"I'm not sure," she replied, ears falling slightly as she straightened out the lapels of her pinstripe suit. While some- like Roman and Neo- steadfastly refused to venture into any other plane outside of emergencies, others had made the journey to Christmas Town alongside her. However, her last trip with Ruby and Yang in tow hadn't… quite gone the way any of them expected. She hadn't seen Weiss since in order to properly determine the fallout from that little disaster but she hoped her beloved had managed to smooth things over. Hoped being the operative word. "We can ask her before she leaves."
"Okay." Unlike his predecessor, Eric seemed to take every development in stride; he wasn't quick to anger or take offense, which she could only consider to be a good sign. "Is she going to wear a costume this year?"
But… he did ask a lot of questions. "She might. We'll just have to wait and see."
As the words left her lips, a cool breeze picked up and swept over Halloween Town, causing Blake's ears to perk while nearly everyone else began to cheer. They recognized this wind that brought with it the faint smell of cookies and pine needles and it filled her with a warm feeling to have it enveloping her again. Opening her arms, she waited with anticipation prickling at her skin, and wasn't disappointed.
She rocked back onto her heels as Weiss materialized from a flurry of snowflakes, launching herself directly into the Black Cat's chest. Blake chuckled, unable to smother the smile that curled her lips as she nuzzled into white locks while using the momentum to spin them around.
"Welcome back, my love." She pulled back enough to accept a kiss, relishing the blast of chilled air that swirled around them. Although pale as ever, the Snow Spirit positively shone with teeming energy, a brightness to her eyes and smile that almost made Blake forget what day it was. The familiar sight of her love's white cat necklace brought it to the forefront of her mind, though, and absently she noted that the shape of her earrings had changed, looking like both a snowflake and a spider web. "Are you ready? It's almost time."
"Ah, about that." Weiss looked away a moment, overcome by one of her rare bouts of uncertainty. "I realize it's… last minute but would we be able to accommodate one more?"
"Oh?" Blake tilted her head, regarding the Snow Spirit curiously. She didn't have any objections on the principle alone but the question begged asking. "Who wants to join us?"
"I do." They both turned to regard the North Wind, standing just as tall as she remembered. Although considerably more relaxed than the first time they'd met, Winter still seemed… uncomfortable and stiff, the glittering tails of her coat undisturbed by her own wind, and Blake had a sneaking suspicion as to why.
"I'd like to formally apologize for the… misunderstanding last time I visited," she said, a little droop to her ears as she separated enough from Weiss to convey the sincerity of her words. "Yang and Ruby didn't mean anything by it-"
"We really didn't!" The Clown herself came bounding up to them, leaving behind her unicycle for the moment and presenting the North Wind with a simple box, wrapped in spiderwebs and topped with a bit of moss fashioned into a bow. With a bit more coaxing- and a lot of examples- Yang had finally managed to perfect the art of making a properly present. Well, as 'perfect' as one could really expect from someone not born to the joy of Christmas Town. Her make-up changed also, matching the earnest pleading in her voice as she presented the gift. Ruby appeared behind her, skeletal visage falling away for a moment to show the nervous smile on her lips. "We, uh, made you a present to say we're sorry. Um… Merry Christmas?"
Yang shot the Black Cat a concerned, questioning look- to which she nodded. While the 'Merry Christmas' bit may be premature, the denizens of Halloween Town often used it as a manner of greeting or bidding farewell to Weiss. Surely, her sister would be similarly gaining silent encouragement from the Snow Spirit, Winter opened the present, pulling from the box a series of bones tied together by thin strings. In the process of drawing it out, the bones tinked and clinked as if hollow, which sparked recognition in their guests' expressions.
"It's a wind chime." The North Wind smiled- well, as much of a curl to her lips as Blake had ever seen- and nodded. "Thank you. It's a very thoughtful gift." Sitting it back in the box, she allowed a strong wind to take it away, back to Christmas Town. "I realize I, perhaps… overreacted during your visit. Weiss suggested I partake in your holiday to become… better adjusted to your customs."
"That sounds like a great idea!" Yang beamed, smile stretching from ear to ear. "The more the merrier! I'll teach you how to scare; I'm pretty good at it, if I do say so myself."
"Winter, why don't you try what we practiced?" The Snow Spirit suggested, one hand nonchalantly brushing off her skirt while the other slipped into Blake's, their fingers intertwining. "Mortals may not be ready for your brand of scary, but I'm certain a denizen of Halloween Town could handle it."
"Are you kidding?" The Clown laughed, setting her hands on her hips. "Hit me with your best shot!"
Blake's ears perked, eager to see what sort of tricks her beloved helped create. She'd always adored the way Weiss embraced the traditions of her realm, even when she couldn't quite understand them. It led to a sort of creativity that she absolutely loved.
After receiving an encouraging nod from her sister, Winter drew in a deep breath. When she released it, something changed- perhaps it was the curl to her lips or the subtle dip in her chin- for when the wind returned, it blew far harder than she'd ever felt. Were she not the Black Cat, she might very well have been whipped away, and several creatures called out in surprise and alarm as they clung to whatever- or whoever- they could as it swept up from the ground. The first of them to succumb, of course, happened to be Yang as she was bodily thrown into the air, high above the rooftops of Halloween Town. The others awed as the Clown soared up, completely at the North Wind's mercy, and she let out a scream of both surprise and fear while tumbling through the sky.
"Oh, wow!" Ruby laughed, watching Yang's flight.
"Impressive," Blake said, hearing the Clown's distant screaming begin to grow louder as she reached the zenith and started coming back down. To soften her landing, Winter summoned a strong gust that cushioned her and allowed Yang to get her feet under her rather than hitting the ground face felt the hand in hers squeeze a little tighter and couldn't help but lean closer to whisper. "You came up with that?"
"Personal experience is a fabulous teacher," Weiss replied and they both softly chuckled as the Clown finally recovered, throwing her head back and laughing hard. It seemed to surprise Winter, concern pinching her brow, but there was nothing wrong and Yang's cheer shined brightly when she began to speak.
"That was great!" Her voice held a deeper edge, a clear sign she'd been more than a littleshaken up despite her amusement. "That's definitely a scare that only one of us could handle, though!"
For a moment more, the North Wind's expression pinched together. "I tried-"
"Hey, relax!" Yang threw an arm around her shoulders, smiling wide. "Halloween is all about having fun and being scared! You're doing great!" A bit of jostling- not enough to take Winter off her feet but clearly upsetting her balance. "Loosen up and you'll get the hang of it!"
"Yeah!" Pumping her fist into the air, the Reaper smiled before reclaiming her trademark look, skull returning as her cloak came alive, her scythe catching the moonlight. "I've already got some great ideas!"
Blake chuckled as the two encouraged- in their own unique ways- the North Wind to follow them, eagerly exchanging ideas. While Winter didn't look quite at ease with the situation, throwing a pleading look back at her sister which the Snow Spirit simply met with a smile, she didn't make any move to escape the duo's hold.
"Are you sure she'll be alright?" Although the Black Cat had no doubt that every creature in Halloween Town would treat anyone from Christmas Town with nothing less than utmost respect… she also acknowledged that some of them went overboard with their antics from time to time.
"Oh, she's fine." Weiss laughed, leaning into her side a bit. "Frankly, she could use Halloween Town's… unique brand of holiday cheer." Then her gaze shifted, offering a smile to her counterpart. "It's good to see you, Shade."
"Eric," he replied, though he didn't quite look her in the eye. "I, uh, picked it a few months ago…"
"It's a very fine name." Unfortunately, the Snow Spirit seemed at a loss; despite obviously not holding the previous Shade in much favor, she bore no ill will for the newest incarnation, but some habits in Halloween Town persisted long after the need for them had passed.
The shadows and smoke rippled, red eyes darting up to meet hers for a moment before he looked away. "You… like it?"
"Yes, I do." Weiss looked at her but she couldn't do more than shrug; as much as the Shade confessed to being interested in the other realms and even the Snow Spirit herself, he always shied away from her whenever she appeared. Likely a lingering sensation from Adam. The ones who came before always left some manner of mark on their successors; she wondered how her own would react, if the time ever came for her to enter the deep sleep. "Happy Halloween, Eric."
"Merry Christmas, Weiss," he replied, nodding his head slightly.
Although she'd rather the two be on easier terms, if nothing else, Blake acknowledged it would take a bit more time, so she turned her attention to the myriad of creatures amassed in the square. However, it wouldn't be a true tradition if there weren't a few caveats, and she called forth her fangs and claws, her voice becoming a roar as she addressed those before her.
"It's time, everyone! Halloween is here and the mortal plane awaits! Happy hunting to all!"
With that, she strode forward, Weiss' hand still in hers as they paraded through the center of the square, everyone else falling behind Eric as the Queen of Halloween lead the way. Cecil, having disappeared about a week before, opted to make his return now, nestling on the Snow Spirit's shoulder after presenting her with a beautiful blood ruby he must've found down in the caves, the rest of the bats content to roost wherever they could to await the creatures' return. The Crow and Raven even swooped down to join the procession and Ozpin gave way to Salem, the Grimm shuffling out from the alleyways to join the massing horde heading towards the town gates. Skeletons and the undead, newly risen from the catacombs, also joined in, and before long Blake could honestly say she'd lost count of just who all had returned to partake in the transition.
"This is going to be the best Halloween ever," she said, lowering her voice though she couldn't drop her terrifying visage quite yet. "And I think I know why."
Weiss preened a bit, expression brightening. "Oh, and that reminds me." With a flick of her wrist, her ensemble shifted, the snowflakes swirling about her skirt to turn it into an ornate, flowing dress. A crown settled across her temples and she offered a little smirk. "A costume fit for the occasion."
"I'm not sure how that's supposed to be scary." She rumbled, though a smile curled her lips. "But you look marvelous regardless."
"I opted to celebrate the mortal way this year." Her love shrugged, lips curling. "Seeing as I have no doubts you'll try to spook me at some point during the night."Granted, she could get especially mischievous on the holiday, though she truly didn't plan on giving her beloved any frights. However, if the mood took her…
"There's truly no one I'd rather spend the night with, my love." She bent down for a kiss as they approached the gates, the road beyond shimmering with the open portal to the mortal realm.
"Believe me when I say I feel the same." The cold wind whipped at them, following by a yelp from Mercury and Yang's laughter.
It may not be something they could indulge in every year, considering how smaller mortals didn't always handle the colder weather well, but tonight, they could enjoy and indulge, surrounded by friends and their chosen family.
Author's Note: Happy Halloween, y'all. Stay safe, get scared, and have fun!