A month after Lawrence had met (without meaning to, mind you) the Fenton children, the whole town was getting ready for Halloween.
After more than a full year with ghosts living among them, and the disaster that day had been last time, the school and mayor had decided to equip the school, and every other public institution like the hospital and the city hall, of a Fenton Anti-Ectoplasmic-Entity Dome Shield - or Fenton Shield as a raccourci.
Lancer, despite the scowl he wore through the whole presentation of the project and its installation, was actually glad that his students would finally be given the protection they should have had since the beginning of the attacks.
As such, he was just a little less worried than he had first been with the prospect of another Halloween with actual ghosts roaming around.
A little.
That worry, however, hadn't kept him from sharing the excitement of the school, as Halloween fell on a school day and the educative team had decided to organize a little party through the afternoon.
What they hadn't thought about in their planning for the event, was the usual troublemakers - that was to say, the strange trio of Manson, Foley and younger Fenton (if he didn't count the strange child from earlier that year) - inviting ghosts to the afternoon.
Ghosts.
Actual, living (dying ?) ghosts, simply roaming through the gym and chatting away with their students.
Students who seemed perfectly okay with those unexpected guests, once they pushed through the initial surprise and anxiety.
Lawrence doesn't know whether he should be proud of his students to try and include every inhabitant of Amity Park, be they living or dead, impressed that they went this far to help add to the scare factor of the party, or thoroughly terrified of the spirits that ate currently taking over the school, despite the shield.
(He will not question how they made it through. It would be a stupid question, since the Fenton children (and their friends) are clearly to thank, and to blame for this.)
Indecisive as he was, the teacher could only watch as Mickey bowed clumsily to what seemed like a giggling noble woman, Dash was sharing bass tips with the musical artist that had once hypnotized the greatest part of the student body and Star was teaching a scientist-like ghost actual teenage slang.
Mr Foley seemed to be having an heated argument in an ancient language (was that Esperanto ? His lazy, uninterested student that couldn't speak another language that English for more than a minute, fluent in Esperanto ?) with a gigantic, sharp-clawed werewolf, and Ms Manson herself was apparently discussing the usefulness of eternal youthfulness with a tiny child dressed as a fantasy adventurer (and despite having never seen him before, Lawrence couldn't help but think it fitted him more than a pirate).
Jasmine was apparently perfectly happy sitting in a corner with Spike, two young adults sitting on a motorcycle with a shadow drapped over their shoulders like a scarf, and a bulky ghost in pajamas, sharing a hug and laughing at something Lancer hadn't heard.
He glanced once at Daniel, before turning his back on him and swearing to himself he would not watch in this direction again.
The giant, bear-like creature sporting a crystalized version of an arm, bone apparent, and a ghost who's appearance seemed to be fluctuating between different times were not his business.
Neither was the giant blue woman with four arms that was crouching besides them, Daniel sitting on her knee.
No. Not his business at all.
(When had he last been in control of what happened in that school ?)
Lawrence was already exhausted, and the party had only begun half an hour ago.
It was going to be endless.
"Ah… I hope… I wish for a calm, tranquil, happy day, just once, just today. Safety and fun."
He would never admit it, but he did almost jump out of his own skin when a voice answered in his ear.
"So you have wished…"
The genie smiled at him, a magenta spark flying from her hand up through the ceiling, before she wandered away to join the party without another word or glance.
Lawrence began to breathe again only after he had completely lost sight of her.