-1Author's Note: Chapter 2 of the story. Enjoy as always, R&R. Except I don't take flames very well, so please refrain from that.

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Senel and Moses went to the fountain plaza to see what was happening. Immediately upon arrival, they could hear a very familiar rhythm...a rhythm that announced the presence of a very odd couple. No matter where this couple showed up, this rhythm always seemed to play in the minds of people around them.

"Moses, do you hear that?" Senel asked.

"Sure do," Moses replied.

They both looked up and spoke in unison. "That can only be..."

The Bantam Bouncers, Curtis and Isabella, hopped down from the fountain. As usual, they announced their presence with a song.

"Hey, yo, you there causin' trouble, don't you know the rules of this town?" Curtis sang.

"Curtis!" Senel cried. "You're singing the wrong song!"

"Hey!" Curtis yelled. "You know there's nothing I hate more than people interrupting my song!"

"But Senel's right!" Moses told him. "We ain't startin' no trouble!"

"Hmm..." Curtis turned to Isabella. "Was I singing the wrong song just now?"

"Yes, Curtis," Isabella responded.

"I see." Curtis turned back to Senel. "So, brother, are you comin' to the Halloween festival tomorrow night?"

"Yeah," Senel said. "We're bringing Harriet with us."

"Oh, you mean Will's kid? That's great!"

"Anyway, we were wondering if we could help with the preparations."

"Why, certainly! We could use all the help we can get! Right, Isabella?"

Isabella nodded. "Yes, Curtis."

"Hey fellas!" Curtis called. "Bring in the supplies!"

The other Bouncers entered the plaza with wooden boards and toolboxes. They shoved the boards into Senel and Moses' arms.

"You boys are going to help turn the fountain plaza into a haunted plaza!" Curtis announced.

Senel and Moses gave him a wide-eyed stare. "Us?"

"Yes, you! Congratulations, brother!"

Senel looked down at the boards in his arms. This was not what he was expecting at all. "Oh brother..."

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Meanwhile, the girls went to the Phalanx shop to browse for costumes. While this shop normally sold armor, they would also sell costumes at this time of year.

"Wow..." Grune picked up a pair of cheerleader pom-poms, then thrust her right arm into the air. "Charge!"

"Hey, listen," Norma told the clerk. "We need a cheerleader costume for G-Girl here."

"Yes, ma'am," the clerk said. "Anything else?"

Norma studied all the costumes again. "Let's see...I am a crystal eren...and I do know a few dark spells. Get me the witch costume, please."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Okay, your turn, Shirl."

"Okay..." Shirley stepped up to the counter and browsed through the costumes, until a particular pink dress caught her eye. "I'll take that pink one up there."

"Yes, ma'am!" the clerk said.

"All right, C, it's your turn," Norma said.

"No thanks," Chloe said. "I already have a costume."

"No way! You have to let me see it!"

"But you've already seen it, Norma."

"You're kidding!"

"No! Do you remember the skull mask I got when we were battling that black mist?"

"The...skull mask?" Shirley stammered.

"No, not the skull mask!" Norma whined.

"Oh, I'd love to see the skull mask sometime," Grune said. "You should show it to us sometime."

"Hello, G-Girl!" Norma called. "We've already seen the skull mask, remember? Or have you been paying attention at all?"

Grune put her finger to her chin. "Hmm...was I paying attention? Or did I just forget?" She smiled now. "Oh well, if I don't remember it, it probably wasn't anything special."

Norma and Shirley only stared at her in disbelief.

"Nothing special?" Chloe exploded. "Just wait, Grune! I shall wear the skull mask to the Halloween festival, and then I'll make sure you remember it."

Norma and Shirley covered their faces. "Oh no..."

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When Jay returned to the Oresoren village, he explained the plans to the three Oresoren brothers.

"A Halloween festival?" Pippo, Quppo, and Poppo asked in unison.

"That's right," Jay told them. "It's a festive where people dress up for the purpose of scaring one another."

"It's just for fun, right?" Quppo asked.

"Of course. It's only a game. I'm very much looking forward to it myself. We would all be grateful if you three would join us."

"Absolutely! We'd love to join the party!" Pippo played a few notes on his harp.

"Yeah, it's so wonderful to be with everyone!" Quppo added.

"I haven't seen Senel and the others in a while," Poppo said. "I want to go, too!"

Jay smiled. "That's great. I feel much happier when you three are with me. Let's head back to Werites Beacon and begin making preparations."

The three Oresoren raised their tiny arms into the air. "Ors, ors!"

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Back at the fountain plaza, Senel was trying to put the wooden boards together any way he could. However, his job as an Alliance Marine did not train him to construct buildings of any kind. He did manage to put the boards together in a cube shape, but he couldn't see any purpose that it would serve.

On the other hand, Moses was only slightly more experienced with building. He had managed to construct a shelf with the wooden boards, but he couldn't see any purpose for a haunted plaza either. Additionally, Moses had an L-shaped bracket in his hand, and he was still trying to decide what to do with it.

Senel gave up on his project and went over to Moses. "So what are you building?"

Moses scoffed. "Damned if I knew."

"What's that in your hand?"

"Hmm...maybe an L-shaped bracket?"

"And where does it go?"

"I have no idea."

Senel and Moses stared at the structure for a moment. Moses looked back and Curtis and Isabella to make sure they weren't looking, then tossed the bracket into the fountain.

"There, done with that part!" Moses yelled with a grin.

"Great. Now could you help me out over here?" Senel walked back over to the wooden cube that he had constructed.

"Oh, that's easy!" Moses picked up the hammer that was on the floor and tapped on the corner. Subsequently, the cube collapsed into a pile of wooden boards.

Senel rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Moses. That only took me three hours to put together."

"Hmm..." Curtis was across the room trying to build the haunted house of sorts. "What the heck? I love that song, so I'll sing it anyway! Hey, yo, you there causin' trouble, don't you know the rules of this town?"

"Ugh..." Senel put his hands on either side of his head, as if to contain an explosion.

"What's up, Senel?" Moses asked.

"That song, I can't take it..."

"Why do you hate that song so much, anyway?"

"Because when I first met the Bouncers, they directed that song towards me. They thought I was causing trouble. Come to think of it, that's when I met Jay as well."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah...he tricked the Bouncers and the townspeople into thinking that I was starting a fight."

"That little punk!" Moses growled.

Senel let out an involuntary chuckle. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking at the time as well."

"Remind me to whoop his ass good next time I see him."

"No, that won't be necessary. We've all come a long way since then. But still...just hearing that stupid song reminds me of that incident."

Curtis continued his song. "Those who break the rules will get to feel the iron hammer of justice and hear its thunderous peal..."

Senel clutched his head even tighter. "That...song..."

"Come on, let's get the hell out of here," Moses said. "We can't build no haunted plaza."

"Okay..." Senel took another look at Curtis and Isabella, who were still embroiled in their work. Then silently, he and Moses snuck out of the plaza.

"Hmm..." Curtis continued to work for a while, then took a pause. "Let's take a break, shall we, brother?"

He and Isabella turned around, but the Alliance Marine and the bandit were nowhere in sight.

"It looks like they left early," Curtis said.

"Yes, Curtis," Isabella said.

"Well, while we're relaxing, let us sing!"

"Yes, Curtis."

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When Jay returned to Werites Beacon, he brought the Oresoren back to Will's house. He headed straight for the kitchen and fixed himself a sandwich. He then sat down on the sofa and began to eat. Pippo and Quppo joined him.

"So Jay, where is everyone?" Quppo asked.

"Let's see if I can remember..." Jay pondered for a moment. "Will is in the lab, studying that rare monster he found in the Quiet Lands. Senel and Moses are in town helping with the festival preparations, and the girls went shopping for costumes."

"I wonder if we should get costumes, too?" Pippo asked.

Jay looked down at himself. "Norma says that the clothes I'm wearing now will be fine. I don't think I want to dress up anyway."

"Yeah, we're just going to party!" Quppo declared. "Where's the party? I love to party!"

Jay looked around now. "By the way, where's Poppo?"

Pippo and Quppo looked around, but the little otter was nowhere in sight.

Just then, Poppo hopped onto the sofa beside Jay with a white wash cloth covering him. He raised both arms and began moaning. "Ooooorrrrrs...I'm a ghooooost...oooorrrrrs..."

"Ors, ors!" Pippo and Quppo shrieked and clung to each other.

Jay reached over and lifted the corner of the cloth to see Poppo underneath.

"Hey!" Poppo yanked the cloth back, then threw his arms up again. "Ors!"

Jay smiled, until a small chuckle escaped him.

Poppo pulled the cloth from his head. "What's so funny? I was trying to scare you, Jay."

"Yes, I know," Jay said.

"Jay doesn't scare easily," Quppo added. "Do you, Jay?"

"Hmm, I suppose I don't."

Senel and Moses entered Will's house now.

"Ugh...I'm bushed," Moses said. "All I want is some food."

"Me too," Senel agreed.

"Senel!" Quppo called.

"Hello, Senel," Jay said. "How did it go?"

"Not so good," Senel said. "We couldn't help at all."

"I see. Just leave it to Moses to screw things up."

"No, it wasn't his fault. I couldn't build anything to save my own life either."

"Senel..." Moses said. "Weren't you supposed to remind me to do something? Something involving Jay?"

"Hmm..." Senel knew what he was talking about, but he played it off anyway. "I...don't think so."

"Oh well then. Let's eat!"

Senel and Moses fixed their own sandwiches, then sat on the sofa on either side of Jay.

"Hello, Senel," the three Oresoren said in unison.

"Hey, guys," Senel replied.

"Hey, don't I get a greetin'?" Moses asked.

"Moses!" Quppo called. "Thank you very much for taking care of Jay when he was sick."

Jay threw him a look. "Quppo!"

Moses grinned. "Well, at least somebody appreciates my deeds. It'd be nice if Jay himself would thank me."

"I have no reason to be grateful to you," Jay told him.

Now the girls entered the house carrying bags with their costumes inside.

"Hey, it's Senny, Red, and JJ," Norma said. "We got our costumes!"

"One, two, three, four, we wanna party some more!" Grune cheered.

"G-Girl, the party isn't until tomorrow night," Norma reminded her.

"It sure took you long enough to get back," Moses said.

"We went for a nice walk after picking up our costumes," Shirley said. "And then we realized it was getting late, so we came back here."

"I see that JJ brought back the otters," Norma said.

"Yeah!" Quppo yelled.

"Good work, Jay," Harriet said.

"Well, it was nothing, really," Jay told her.

"Moses, don't forget about your job," Harriet said.

"I know. My boys are definitely comin' to that party," Moses told her. "The boys love to party as much as I do."

Finally, Will came into the house after working at the lab.

"Good evening, everyone," he said.

"Anything new today, Will?" Senel asked.

Will smiled as he took a deep breath. "Oh, we've learned a magnitude of things about the creature's anatomy." He walked into the kitchen where he began to fix himself a sandwich. "Its scales turn all different colors when exposed to different shades of light. Its tongue rolls up into its mouth, and its talons are as smooth as glass..."

"Oh no...he's in nerd mode again," Norma said.

"I can't take much more of this..." Moses whined.

"Let's sneak out while he's distracted," Jay suggested.

The others nodded. As Will continued his nerd speech, the party slowly began sneaking towards the front door.

"Hey, where are you guys going?" Harriet called.

"Shh!" the group snapped at her.

"Don't tell me to 'shh!' You guys have some nerve to sneak out of Dad's lecture! Hey, come on!"

The group ignored her as they quietly left the house, carefully closing the door behind them.