The endless night made the forest spookier than usual. The rustling of the empty branches and hooting of the night owls seemed to bother Kitty as she and Zero walked deeper through the woods. Soon enough, they spotted a clearing bright with moonlight. As the pair entered, Kitty was amazed to see that the trees here were rather different.
"Wow, I've never seen anything like this before," Kitty said as she touched the knob of the Christmas Door, "It's so pretty."
Zero barked for her attention and nodded his head towards a different door, one that was red and in the shape of a heart.
"You think she went through that one?" Kitty asked as she looked at the flower in her hand and then to the door. "Are you sure?"
Zero answered by floating behind the cat girl and nudging her towards the door.
"Ok, ok. Well, let's go then."
With that, Kitty opened the door, and shrieked when a gust of wind sucked Zero and herself into the mysterious passage before it closed. Mere seconds later, three trick-or-treaters entered the clearing. One was sure he heard something.
"I heard someone scream," Barrel said.
"You chicken!" Shock exclaimed, "There's no one here."
"The wind always screams at home, why should it be any different here?" Lock asked.
"I guess you're right," Barrel said, not very sure of himself.
"Hurry up, we've got a Lobster Man to deal with," Shock told them as she opened the door
"HEY! Me first!" Lock exclaimed.
"Not before me," Barrel said as he jumped ahead.
"Excuse me, but haven't either of you heard of 'ladies first'?"
"Who's the lady?"
"Never mind, you moron," Shock said in a huff as all three were taken into the Christmas realm.
All the while, The Council of Celebrations was in for quite a tale. Venus had taken them and her son into the deepest part of her Temple. The room was circular with chairs arranged in that same form. In the center, Venus forced Cupid to sit down on a bench. She sighed as she watched him gaze into the mirror.
"You may take your seats, Gentlemen. I have just the thing to cure him," Venus said before she walked off to the side.
"About time, I was feelin' an immense pity for the lad," Saint Patrick said to the others.
"You and I both." Santa Claus added.
"I felt more annoyance, actually." Jacob said when Venus returned with a brown feather-tipped arrow.
"Now, can you continue looking at your love?" Venus asked Cupid as she aimed the arrow in her hand.
"Oh, yes. I shall never-AHHH!" Cupid exclaimed as Venus pricked his right arm, causing him to drop the mirror and watch it shatter into pieces.
There was a silence in the room after that. At least, until the pilgrim began to pray in order to counteract any bad luck from the broken mirror. The rest of the Council watched as Cupid blinked his eyes and rubbed them. He stood up and finally removed his cloak, revealing white, glossy wings with a span the same as his height. All he had besides his wings were his quiver, his bow, his sandals, and a loincloth. Though, Cupid seemed used to this attire, as he began to look around the room.
"How did I return here?" Cupid asked, "Mother, why do you look so vexed?"
"Cupid, son," Venus said lovingly before giving him a smack on the head, "How dare you ask why I am vexed! Wretched boy."
"You know I am well over two thousand years old and no boy."
"Yet you act like one. Running away from that mortal wife of yours to go fawning over some mirror."
"Leave Psyche out of this, Mother. And who are these people? Mortals?"
"Do not mind us, we were just leaving," Jacob said as he tried to get up, only to have Tevel pull him down.
"We found you in a city looking into your reflection. We gave you a hand mirror in order to bring you back."
"City? I was never called into any city. I was called into a village."
"Do you remember what happened to you?" Santa Claus asked.
"Let me see. I was called into a village in the real world. Strange place, with houses of all different colors and people just the same."
"Ah, you mean a suburb," corrected the rabbi.
"Right, that. Well, it was raining in this 'suburb' and my wings were getting rather damp when I came across a coated figure under an umbrella. He called to me and asked for me to join him. I was rather surprised, since mortals usually can never see me, but I appreciated the kindness."
"Ha! You claim of a mortal showing kindness to you when your appearance would surely frighten him to death? Have I taught you nothing?" Venus asked disappointedly.
"But, Mother, this was no mortal. I found that out when I got a better look at how he walked. His legs never seemed to follow where the rest of his body was going. By the time my suspicions were proved correct, he had already snatched my quiver. Or, rather, they snatched it."
"They?" Santa Claus asked with a hint of familiarity.
"Yes, it turned out that the 'man' was made up of three children. At least, they seemed like children. Of demons, maybe. The point is that the girl of the group, the one in the middle of the body had snatched one of the arrows of love from my quiver. Before I could do anything, she poked me with it. I forgot to close my eyes. I fell in love with the first thing I saw, a puddle."
"You fell in love with a puddle?" Saint Patrick asked with a hint of a chuckle.
"Not the puddle itself, the reflection. My reflection. Remember Narcissus, Mother?"
"I knew that little prank would get me back one day."
"But how did you get into the city?" Tevel asked.
"I guess when the rain cleared, and my reflection along with it, I traveled to a place where I could find it again. When I reached that place of mirrors, I stayed there and never moved. I apologize for the inconvenience. I am truly sorry."
"At least you're here where you belong. We still have a major crisis on our hands," Santa Claus said.
"What do you mean?"
"I believe your mother can explain."
"Well, Cupid, perhaps I have been too rash with you?" Venus asked sheepishly.
"Mother, what did you do?"
"Oh, nothing. I just replaced you, is all."
"You replaced me! With who?"
"Jack Skellington."
"Who in Hades is Jack Skellington?"
"The one most likely running amok with the arrows of love and hate. Sorry, love."
"Wonderful," Cupid said sarcastically, "I at least hope Valentine has not heard about this."
"Oh, he has no idea of it. I have not seen him in ages. Chances are he is keeping couples together as he always has."
"Which will be even harder for him once this Skellington has done his damage."
"Oh my. I had not thought of that."
"In that case, we have no time to waste," Santa Claus said.
"Right you are. First, there is someone I need to see," Cupid said as he began to lift himself into the air.
"Oh no. You can see that excuse of a goddess when we have finished!"
"Sorry, Mother. I have been away from her for much too long."
Before Venus could say another word, Cupid flew out of the room. He searched high and low for Psyche before spotting her beside the lake with some kind of companion. He lowered himself in back of them and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, Miss. I am seeking the most beautiful lady in all of Valentine Town. Have you seen her?"
"Cupid? Cupid! You are well!" Psyche exclaimed as she hugged him.
"I take it you missed me."
"Oh, I did. More than anything."
"Now, now, do not ignore your guest for me."
"Oh! Sally, I'm terribly sorry. This is my husband, Cupid."
"Pleasure to meet you, fair damsel," Cupid said as he bowed, "You seem distressed."
"I'm sorry. I haven't really been myself lately."
"Well, if there is anything you need here, I will be more than happy to help you."
"Thank you," Sally said before hearing something familiar, "It can't be."
Not too far in the distance, someone was calling Sally's name. Sally walked towards the voice as she saw two figures heading towards her. One was Zero; she couldn't mistake his spectral shape for anything else. The other was Kitty, and she was the one calling her name.
"Kitty? How did you get here?"
"Zero helped me. Listen, things are really bad back at home."
"I know."
"Then you have to do something."
"I can't, Kitty. Everything has gone so wrong."
"But we can't just give up, can we?" Kitty asked as she held the flower close to her.
"You brought it?"
"I figured maybe I could bring you back if I showed it to you."
"Excuse me, but is that a lavender?" Psyche asked.
"A lavender? What's that?" Sally asked, "I never heard of one of those before."
"Never heard of a lavender?" Cupid asked, "They're very soothing flowers, can calm even the wildest of beasts."
As soon as Cupid said that, Psyche's eyes lit up. She snatched the flower away from Sally and grabbed her hand. They began to run to the Temple, followed by Zero, Kitty, and Cupid. Sally was fighting the urge to rip the seam of her arm when she asked Psyche what was going on.
"No time to explain, but I think with the right mixture, we can use this to our advantage."
So, what can that lavender do in the hands of the good guys? And will Saint Valentine figure out any of this before he misses out on the action? As for Lock, Shock, and Barrel, how will they react when they figure out the Lobster Man isn't home? Well, only one way to find out, and that's through the next chapter.