A/N: I did have a bunch of other horror fics planned for the season, but a combination of limited time, urge to write spooky smut and so on eventually left me shelving those ideas for later. Though this is one that's been on my mind for about a month and a half.

Do enjoy~


Cleave

Bristol was excited for Halloween.

Frankly it was her favourite time of the year; second only to Christmas. While some might indulge themselves in the candy and sweets, she instead lavished in the atmosphere; in the spookiness of the woods, the haunting stillness of the base late into the night, the countless legends and myths that arose around the season from all corners of the world.

This year was shaping up to be no different. The entire base had been done up in the seasonal trimmings, from the dormitory hallways now being dotted with cut-out bats to the communal area on the ground floor that was filled with pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns. The basement of the building was also renovated for the yearly haunted house affair, utilising some creative illusions and tricks to make it seem bigger than it really was, connected as well to the old underground storage facilities too.

Making things even spookier was the fact that a light fog had rolled in through the base. Not too harsh and not affecting the usual sorties, but it did add a pleasantly-spooky vibe to the days leading up to Halloween.

Bristol herself appreciated that fact quite acutely as she walked down the second floor corridor, peering out through the row of windows at the fog-covered base. She could just barely make out Akashi's workshop but not see the cafeteria nor the command building; the limited visibility making her shiver with excitement. What if there was a monster out there? Or a ghost? Or even some massive sea creature that loomed just beyond the veil? So many possibilities!

Admittedly none were even remotely likely, but there was no harm in indulging in her fondness for mysteries.

Banishing the thought Bristol carried on down the hallway. The grey walls and dark blue carpet did little to brighten it; the overcast sky outside carrying a dim grey light through the windows. Coupled with the fact that a lot of ships were currently out on patrol at this time of day and the dormitory was hauntingly quiet. So quiet in fact that when she heard footsteps softly padding across the carpet she practically heard it from a mile away; glancing ahead as a familiar figure turned the corner.

Cleveland. The bombastic blonde of the namesake Cleveland-class cruisers. A familiar sight on base due to how popular and energetic she was. Bristol didn't really know her that well – they were friends but not overly close – but still, she was a nice girl and Bristol was always excited to chat with her peers, especially when she was so hyped about the upcoming Halloween event in just a few days.

''Hey Cleveland~!'' Bristol chirped as she got within comfortable talking distance. ''Nice work on the dorms, I really like what you did with the stuff in the halls!''

Cleveland looked at her and smiled, dipping her head in a nod – though a slight pinched expression marred her usual bright visage, as if she was deep in thought about something.

Bristol didn't let that put her down though. ''Say, did you hear about Wichita's haunted house thing they'll be doing this year? I hear she and others managed to get some expensive audio equipment, so it'll be all surround-sound and stuff! Pretty cool, right?''

Again, another mute nod and smile, though this time her gaze was tinged with curiosity.

'Okay... that's weird.' Bristol thought. ''Hey, you alright? You look a lil... off.''

Now that she thought about it Cleveland did look a little pale, her eyes also a bit dull, though that could just be the lighting. Whatever the reason Cleveland responded by reaching up and touching her throat twice, making the gears in Bristol's head turn until she figured out the meaning.

''Oh! You lost your voice?'' Bristol blinked in surprise as Cleveland nodded. ''Darn, that's a shame. Hope you get it back soon.''

Cleveland nodded and gave her another smile, slowly edging past her – the implication that she needed to go somewhere.

''Ah, right, sorry for holding you up!'' Bristol apologised sheepishly, earning a silent smile from Cleveland before the blonde carried on past her, gradually descending the stairs and out of sight.

In the silence that followed, Bristol's words echoed all the louder.

''Huh... how'd she lose her voice, though...''

X-x-X

Later that same day Bristol found herself in the cafeteria, carrying her tray of food over to her table.

The building too had been dressed up for the upcoming event. Rows of bats, pumpkins and ghosts hung from string on the ceiling, accompanied by webs and fake-spiders in the corners of the room and some jack-o'-lanterns sitting by the serving aisle. However today many of the people who visited the cafeteria didn't seem to be partaking in the festivities as much as they would normally, something that Bristol couldn't help but notice.

It was that befuddlement that made her sit down at one table across from Montpelier. Her sisters Columbia and Denver were sat next to her alongside a couple of other Eagle Union cruisers, all of them speaking in quiet tones or poking their food without much energy to them. The oddity nagged at Bristol's mind, remembering how off Cleveland looked earlier. Had she gotten injured on a sortie and one of them felt bad? Was something worse happening and Cleveland couldn't, or didn't want to talk about it?

After a minute of quietly eating her lunch, Bristol had to speak up. ''Um, Montpelier, are you alright?''

The stoic cruiser glanced up at her. ''What makes you ask?''

''You look kinda down.'' Bristol responded simply. ''Did something happen?''

Pain flashed in Montpelier's eyes and she bowed her head, speaking in a quiet, sombre voice. ''...Cleveland is dead.''

Bristol made the mistake of taking a bite of her salad just as Montpelier spoke; nearly choking in surprise had she not hurriedly swallowed, coughing a couple times as it went down. ''W-What...?!''

''She's dead.'' Montpelier repeated in a lifeless tone, prodding her own lunch. ''She died yesterday.''

Bristol's face scrunched up with confusion; disbelief written across her face. ''T-That's impossible! I saw her just earlier today!''

Montpelier's head snapped up, her surprised gaze locking onto her, but a moment later her expression twisted – torn between futile hope and bitter despair. In the end neither emotion took root; instead anger rose within her, fuelled by grief and making her expression morph into a frightening, glaring visage.

Columbia chose that moment to speak up, eyeing her with disapproval. ''Cleve was found murdered in the forest. Investigation is ongoing and being led by Enterprise.''

''Yeah.'' Denver added softly, mechanically shovelling food into her mouth and chewing, the effort needed for such a simple act self-evident.

Sensing hostility from the grieving sisters – namely Montpelier – Bristol whispered an apology and hurriedly finished her own lunch, vacating the cafeteria hall as soon as she could. It was then like a weight off of her shoulders when she finally stepped out into the crisp afternoon air; the doors of the cafeteria swinging shut behind her and allowing her to truly breathe again. With the fog reigning over the base and nobody else around the whole place felt distinctly isolated, but in that moment Bristol couldn't bring herself to care.

Instead her thoughts took a different turn. 'I wasn't daydreaming was I? I was sure I talked to Cleveland! But then again she didn't speak... wait, maybe she's a ghost?!'

The thought struck Bristol like a lightning bolt. 'She died, and her ghost came back because of unfinished business! That must be it! There's no other way! But, even if it was, how will I find her...?'

Bristol frowned, crossing her arms and pacing back and forth. 'I need to investigate. Asking Montpelier and the others is probably a one-way trip to the hospital, and Enterprise is probably too busy with the investigation to spare time for me. Plus, if Montpelier's reaction is anything to go by, then bringing up Cleveland might make her upset...'

The Destroyer stood there for a moment, coming to a stop next to the cafeteria and gazing up at the overcast sky. It provided her no answers, but one came to her regardless. 'The hospital. If Cleveland really is dead then her body will have been moved to there so Vestal can do the usual stuff done to dead bodies. I can ask her.'

Mulling it over Bristol decided that was the wisest course of action; a spark in her eyes as she started heading towards the base hospital; her slow pace swiftly escalating into a run that carried her through the fog. The sound of her shoes hitting the hard ground echoed through the silence, the cawing of seagulls and lapping of waves the only other sounds to haunt the base. That, and her own worried thoughts that refused to fall silent in her mind.

Someone had killed Cleveland. Not just accidentally, but apparently murdered her – implying intent. Who though was the big question; Cleveland was a well-liked girl and so positive that it was hard to think of anyone who did dislike her. Even those that weren't on good terms with her were, at worst, non-committal about her – they didn't like nor dislike her. Not the type of person who would be pushed to murder. Cleveland also wasn't the type of person to be aggressive towards someone, so it was unlikely she tried to intervene in an argument and got accidentally killed; she was the sort of person to try and defuse things.

Bristol tried to think of a culprit but chased the thought off after just a few moments. She couldn't come to a reasonable conclusion with so little information.

Thankfully she had arrived at the hospital by now; the front doors slightly fogged up from the moisture in the air. Pulling one door open Bristol meandered on inside, the sterile air of the hospital contrasting the crispiness of the outside world. The front desk was predictably unmanned so she just wandered over to the hospital map over on the left wall, tracing the route from the entranceway to the morgue.

Nodding to herself Bristol marched onwards, the quick tap of her shoes against the polished floor echoing. Not a sound came from the other rooms as she passed, like the entire hospital was completely empty; unnerving Bristol more than she wanted to admit. It was like in her horror novels where the victim wandered into a pocket dimension or something, or even like she was in Mirror Seas; though mercifully any such comparisons were disrupted as she heard movement up ahead.

And then, from the mortuary door, Vestal walked out with a grimace.

''Vestal!'' Bristol earnestly called out, hurrying over to the resident doctor. ''Um, I have some questions if it's not a bad time.''

''About Cleveland?'' Vestal's response made her blink; earning a weak smile from Vestal. ''You're not the first to ask. I had to drag Montpelier herself away just yesterday.''

''O-Oh.'' The memory of Cleveland's sisters made her wince. She really should learn not to open her mouth so much. ''Can I see the body, or...?''

''...I don't think that would be wise. The sight isn't one I want many to see.'' Vestal said softly, going as far as turning and locking the door right in front of her. ''But I can still answer your questions.''

Disappointed but not disheartened Bristol complied, pulling a notepad out of her coat pocket. ''What happened?''

A slow inhale came in response. ''It was at about seven o'clock yesterday evening when Jenkins came running in telling me about the body. Poor girl had been on a walk and probably scarred by the sight. I had Enterprise help me move her body into cold storage and have been keeping an eye on it since. She was dead for easily twelve hours; the last anyone had seen of Cleveland was her sisters who saw her go on her morning run around the base. Considering how independent Cleveland is none of them found it strange that she didn't immediately come back, nor that they didn't see her until the end of the day.''

''I see...'' Bristol hurriedly scribbled it all down onto her trusty notepad. ''What were her injuries? I heard from Columbia that she was murdered.''

Vestal's expression became grave; conflicted, even, as she spoke. ''Yes, she was... skinned alive, from what I could tell.''

Bristol's pencil stopped mid-stroke. ''S-Skinned?''

''Indeed. Completely, alongside a thin layer of flesh and muscle near the surface of the skin.'' Vestal confirmed heavily. ''That is why I do not wish you, or anyone else, to see it unless absolutely necessary. The image is not one I would wish upon anyone.''

Bristol shuddered; having watched enough gruesome movies and documentaries to figure out what such a body would look like; all red and raw and... just thinking about it was starting to make her sick, so she banished the thought. Still, that just brought up all manner of questions. This wasn't a simple murder, and she could reasonably rule out getting into a fight with a fellow Ship-Girl. Murder was one thing, but skinning a person? That wasn't the work of a murdering colleague or a crime of passion; it was something darker, more violent.

''Do we, um... know how it was done, or who?'' Bristol timidly asked, before clarifying. ''I mean, like do we know if a Ship-Girl did it, or if it was like a wild animal, or...?''

Vestal shook her head; silver hair tickling her cheeks until she tucked it to one side. ''Not to my knowledge. Enterprise is leading the investigation so she might know more, though I doubt it. Whoever did this was long gone by the time the body was found. We also don't have many wild animals near the base anyway; the sound of the naval exercises chases them away.''

Bristol's frowned. ''I see... do we know the cause of death, though...? I'm not that good at medical stuff, sorry.''

Vestal dipped her head in a nod. ''Most likely blood loss, or from the shock. She does however have a head wound near the rear of her skull, implying she was struck from behind and caught unawares. Considering her durability, though, whatever struck her must've had some weight behind it to successfully damage her skull.''

The petite Destroyer nodded and wrote that down. 'She was ambushed. Makes sense; best way to take down a stronger opponent... but again, who, or what, would do this?'

No answer came, and after discussing a little more with Vestal she politely excused herself, heading off to investigate the matter further.

X-x-X

Enterprise unfortunately wasn't available for an interview, so Bristol shelved that task for another day. Instead she took up the next best option: finding Cleveland.

She was sure that she'd seen her in the dorms. As such, Bristol had procured a number of cameras from storage and set them up around the base, done so in such a manner that she had maximum sight-line throughout. She had a view in all the dormitory hallways, the basement, around the building, in and around the cafeteria and all the other buildings. The only ones spared was the aboveground warehouses, the command building and some other smaller storage huts nearer the seawall, mostly because she ran out of cameras by that point.

Thus, even as the clock ticked over to one in the morning, Bristol found herself awake in her room. Her desk had been retrofitted with a computer screen and keyboard, the former displaying all the camera's perspectives at once. Unfortunately there wasn't much to actually look at; while the view was illuminated by nearby lights or jack-o'-lanterns, the combination of darkness and light fog meant that there wasn't really anything to see.

''Come on...'' Bristol whined as she stared at the screen, popping the tab on an energy drink and chugging it back. It tasted bitter but she heard it helped with staying awake. ''Guh... maybe I should ask Allen for some of her soda instead...''

The Destroyer's voice carried easily, the dormitory building completely silent – everyone asleep given the late hour. The base too was silent, not even the wind blowing and leaving it hauntingly quiet when she stood still; the lack of noise prompting Bristol to constantly make some of her own. Tapping her fingers, moving in her chair, humming a tune; anything to keep the infernal silence at bay.

Staring at the screen Bristol glanced through each of the small square boxes. The dormitory halls were empty. The basement was lifeless, though some props made creepy shadows in the dim light. The area around the dormitory was equally as still, and the-

'Wait.' Bristol's thoughts halted as she caught movement on one camera – a quick tap of her finger enlarging it. 'That's on the east side, so they should be going past the north-side camera any second now...'

True to her expectations a mere few seconds later a familiar figure walked past the north camera, completely unaware they were being filmed; Cleveland. She walked with a stiff gait and her eyes were laser-focused ahead, not even scanning her surroundings despite the ominous atmosphere with all the fog about. For a moment Bristol just watched as the blonde left the screen, half-tempted to just keep the recording and show the others.

But her curiosity was too strong. Thus with haste Bristol rushed over to her dorm door and yanked it open, not even bothering to lock it as she hurriedly ran along the corridor and down the stairs – shoving the front doors of the dormitory open. The cold nigh greeted her, nipping her cheeks and nose, but Bristol just looked about for a second before gaining her bearings and running left, hugging the dormitory wall as much as possible.

'She was heading left, so she must be going towards the warehouses.' Bristol thought to herself, a note of confusion rising up within her. 'But why? Wasn't she killed on her morning jog? Why would she go to the warehouses, if she was killed elsewhere?'

No answer came but Bristol merely shook her head and kept running, determined to get to the bottom of things like a true investigator. Her shoes tapped loudly against the hard ground as she ran in the direction of the warehouses, able to vaguely make out their shapes in the dark, aided by the pumpkin lanterns near them – illuminating her way and luring the petite Destroyer over to the front entrance.

Bristol stopped as she reached it. The door was pulled wide open, some stray boxes still left about from an earlier delivery; but with the inside lights all turned off the entire warehouse was pitch-black, not even the faint moonlight spilling inside. Something about the darkness made Bristol's shoulders stiffen, the hairs of her neck standing on end, but she pushed down her instinctive fear of the dark and instead took her lantern out; activating it with naught but her will and bathing her surroundings in a warm amber light.

'Alright, you can do this.' Bristol told herself, slowly walking into the warehouse. 'Just gotta find Cleveland, get some answers, then hopefully help her ghost find her killer...'

Despite her encouraging thoughts she couldn't suppress the thread of unease that wound itself ever-tighter around her heart, the thumping of the organ palpable in her chest. Rows of metal shelving units lined either side of the main corridor, stuffed full with boxes of all shapes and sizes; carrying everything from ammunition to spare piping or other materials needed to keep the base in order. She scanned the individual aisles anxiously, finding no trace of Cleveland.

Then her light caught something further down the warehouse. Bristol stopped in her tracks, befuddlement turning into fright as she saw her target crumpled down on the floor. ''C-Cleveland, are you-!''

Bristol's voice died in her throat as she took a couple steps closer, her light finally shining over the crumpled mess of what she thought was Cleveland. Horror dawned across Bristol's face as she realised it wasn't Cleveland at all, but rather the peach-coloured lump was a suit of Cleveland's skin. Crumpled and bundled up on the floor, with gaping black holes where her eyes and mouth should be; her skin folding in on itself like a bundled-up bed sheet.

Shadows danced across the far wall of the warehouse and Bristol jerked her head up. The amber glow of her lantern made shadows dance across the far wall, the wavering darkness doing little to obscure the creature that stood there, peering back at her with eyes as dark as the abyss itself. Slender, naked and gangly it squatted, with horribly long arms that ended in large hands with slim, sharp-nailed fingers. It didn't even seem to breathe, simply staring at her with its dark eyes as she stared back, her breath caught in her throat.

How long the moment lasted, she did not know.

Only that the second it opened its maw, revealing rows of horribly crooked, rotting teeth, Bristol screamed and ran.

The terror-filled sound would echo and escape the warehouse, but Bristol herself would not – the only evidence of her presence being the shattered lantern strewn across the floor.

Drops of crimson ichor clinging to its cold, metal frame.

X-x-X

''Hey... has Bristol been acting weird, or is it just me?''

The comment came from Cooper, just under a week after Halloween.

Sat at the cafeteria table with her sisters Cooper looked around at Ingraham and Allen, befuddlement on her face. ''Because something feels off about her, y'know?''

Allen sipped some of her soda. ''What'cha mean?''

''Well for one she doesn't drink soda now anymore, she only drinks water.'' Cooper raised a finger. ''Two, she barely even talks to us anymore. Always quiet, always just smiles and then leaves. I'm pretty sure it's a prank, but I'm kinda getting worried. She's been like that for almost a week.''

''She probably saw something in a horror movie and is trying to emulate it.'' Ingraham remarked idly, picking at her beef stew before taking a mouthful.

''Yeah, and as for the soda thing.'' Allen scrunched her brow in thought. ''Maybe she's on a diet?''

''Bristol is pretty skinny anyway, so I think that's a no to that one.'' Ingraham countered, earning a thoughtful hum from Allen.

Cooper just frowned at her sisters and looked back at Bristol. She was in the cafeteria line, that same weirdly plastic smile on her face as she got a second helping of beef stew from the counter. She'd been eating a lot more meat lately too, and despite apparently asking about Cleveland's murder, she apparently dropped the subject altogether out of nowhere, which was unlike her ever-adventurous sister.

Cooper bit her bottom lip. Something didn't feel right... but, she trusted Bristol would stop acting weird when she got over her current horror phase.

Nodding slightly to herself Cooper turned back to her sisters, all of them discussing it for only a little longer before brushing it off as Bristol being quirky.

Though none could truly absolve themselves of the creeping apprehension when they saw Bristol's dull eyes stare into their own, feeling acutely like prey.

[END]


A/N: I hope the ending was sufficiently unnerving, heheh.