I scrapped my previous idea and replaced it with a two part Halloween chapter. Maybe I'll post part two before Halloween itself.
Chapter 16: Screwy Halloween Pt.1
The leaves are falling, the days are shorter, the air is getting colder…. but not in the Badlands. It does cool down a little but it is always hot, no matter what time of year it is. Right now is a battle on Sunshine, with RED trying to capture the last point to win the battle. RED Medic and RED Strategist were discussing a possible way to break BLU's defences, when a rambling Soldier walked by the two. He seemed to have a fake beard on with a wizard's hat and a robe of sorts.
RED Strategist: Um, Soldier honey, what are you wearing?
Soldier: It's my anti-wizard outfit in case that wizard comes out this year!
RED Strategist: Wizard? Soldier are we in Alaska right now?
Soldier: YES!
RED Strategist just passed it off as Soldier being crazy again, so she walked off the RED Engineer to relay the plan to him. On the other side of the battle, BLUs was busy holding off REDs as much as they could. Scientist was talking to Spy on making a surprise attack to push RED out, when Demo spawned in.
Scientist: Hey Demo! Holding off RED?
Demo: Aye, I'm trying ta. Got a lot on me mind currently.
Spy: Is it because it is nearing the end of October?
Demo: Yeah, Halloween's approachin' and I don't know if he will come back again.
Scientist: He? Who's he?
Spy: Let's just say, an old "friend" that comes around the same time every year to visit during the team Halloween party.
Scientist: Well, maybe he won't come this year.
Demo: The only time he hasn't come was when he got da cold. He's here every year.
Scientist: We'll just hope. The team's party isn't till a few days from now, so we'll be fine. What's the worst that can happen?
Administrator: You failed!
Scientist: Crap.
Those were Scientist's last words as a charging Soldier fired a crit rocket at the three BLUs standing in spawn.
A few days of battles later was Halloween. Both teams celebrated it with a together party that would leave tensions high or break out into a fight. The teams were walking into a fairly new Mann Co. facility in a corn field for this year's party, but for some reason, they couldn't remember the night before. It was like they all forgot about it. Oh well.
The mercs were dressed in various costumes and masks, enjoying the company and the food. Out of all of the costumes, Scout's was the oddest one out of all of them. For some reason or another, he was dressed as a girl version of himself. He looked the part, but he sure didn't talk and walk the part.
Heavy: Why has little Scout proven to Heavy he is also little baby girl?
Scout: Excuse me, tubo! This is ta get Miss Pauling's attention at how awesome I am as a girl! I mean look at me! She's sure to have attention on me!
Heavy: Da, Miss Pauling has attention on you.
Scout turned to see a half-surprised half-creeped out Miss Pauling staring at him from across the room. Scout just ran up to her and started to talk to Pauling and smooth out the "date" he think's he'll get.
Demo, Scientist and Spy were talking in the corner of the room, Spy looking like the Phantom of the Opera, Demo a lake monster, and Scientist as an alien.
Scientist: So, your friend hasn't showed up yet.
Demo: Maybe he forgot dis year.
Spy: I hope. It's always this time of year that we get assignments like years past.
After more talking, Scientist felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Pyro not in her usual astronaut suit, mask and rubber glove, but in fact in knight's armor.
Scientist: Ah, Sir Pyro. What an honor!
Pyro gave a still muffled giggle at the statement. She grabbed Scientist and pulled im across the room to talk to him, leaving a confused Demo and Spy at the corner.
Demo: Dat was odd.
Spy: Yes. Quite odd.
Demo: Should we worry about da lad?
Spy: No. Let the doctor and freak have fun. We are not fighting and if the Soldier stays calm, we will no have one.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. The party stopped and the mercs looked at the door confused. A loud voice came from the other side, one that everyone didn't expect to hear.
Voice: Gentlemen, it is the Administrator. I must speak with the original mercanaries outside immediately.
Demo: Huh?
Engineer: Perhaps some business issues.
Both team's originals filed out of the building and to the front of it, the administrator nowhere to be seen.
Engineer: What in sam hill?
Strategist: I'm as confused as you right now, Engie.
Decoy: Maybe she is in her car.
Just as Decoy finished her statement, A flash of light and puff of green smoke sent the teams away to another Halloween adventure.
The teams were teleported to a map similar to Upward, but turned twisted and spooky. Both teams were still in costume and were as confused as ever, standing in front of what was BLU spawn.
Medic: Vhat has happened?
Voice: Why I am glad you asked, doctor!
In a puff of smoke, a floating man appeared in front of the teams. He wore a black robe and a goat skull hat, with an aged face and holding some sort of book.
Demo: Merasmus!
Sniper: Aw, bugger me!
Soldier: Merasmus get down here and fight, you hippie canadian!
Merasmus: My dear Soldier. As much as I want to kill you right now, I need your team's help collecting souls.
Soldier: Never mind that wizard! I'm gonna strangle you myself!
Merasmus turned his head to see the Recruits frozen in wonder and fear.
Merasmus: Well now! What has Merasmus found here?
Engineer: Our new recruits, so leave them out of this. They don't need to be sucked into your roll of spells!
Merasmus: On the contrary, hard hatted one, Merasmus sees new lambs for the slaughter.
Merasmus floated up in the air more and opened his book to find a special spell.
Decoy: I know of you, wizard. My family has always spoke of a magic user that almost destroyed them.
Merasmus: Huh? Oh yes, I see the Fanng in you. Your family was in Merasmus' way so I just pushed them a little. Now…
Merasmus began to glow green, while reading the spell he found. With many hand gestures, he cast a spell upon both teams to give them some… push.
Merasmus: COSTMUNOSI TRANSPHOTUM!
Another flash of smoke and a weird feeling past through both teams. When the smoke cleared, Pyro tried to look around, but was stopped by an alien in front of her. It had green skin with big, black eyes and brown hair, almost dressed like Scientist. Pyro got scared by the sudden appearance of the alien and hit it with her Maul.
Alien: OW! Hey mac, what was that for?!
Pyro: Scmmpht?
Scientist: Pyro?
From Pyro's perspective, Scientist had turned into an alien, while from Scientist perspective he saw Pyro had become a knight with a shield and the Maul in her hands.
Demo: What the bloody 'ell!?
The two turned around to see a Lake monster in Demo's uniform, but one eye was whited out while the other was normal.
By the looks of it, all of the originals had been turned into what their costume were. Soldier looked like a zombie version of himself, Pyro was a knight, Scientist was an alien, Demo was a fish like lake monster, Heavy was a Frankenstein's monster, Engie was some sort of chimp, Strategist was a vampire, Medic was a mummy, Sniper was a skeleton version of himself, Spy was the Phantom of the Opera, and Decoy was a Japanese demon.
Soldier: I have a craving for brains! Scientist, lean over so I can taste your brain!
Scientist: Uh no.
Decoy: I feel odd. More… evil and powerful.
Engineer: Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. I got a hankering fer some bananas.
Heavy: Huh, where is little Scout?
As Heavy said this, a loud, high pitched shriek was heard. The mercs turned to see what looked like Scout, but a girl version of him wearing his Backwards Ballcap and Airborne Attire. When Scout spoke, his voice was a little higher than his normal voice. (Imagine the fan-made Femscout model and voice).
Scout: Oh my stupid holy freaking crap! What happened to me?!
Merasmus: Fools! I have turned your costumes into your actual selves! I will reverse the spell when you complete my tasks.
Decoy: You are, as americans say, a sick person.
Merasmus: Merasmus is not a sick person! He is as well as that man right there.
Merasmus accidentally pointed to Soldier, who was fiddling with his inner organs that were outside his body.
Merasmus: Oh, not him. I despise him!
Engineer: OK, wizard, we'll play yer game, but y'all better reverse the spell when we're done.
Merasmus: Deal! The task is simple, kill each other so my Amulet of Darkness can get the souls it needs. I also have a brew that needs to be pushed on the tracks to the bigger brew. It is as it has always been, the RED vs. the BLU. You will start at your regular spawns. Now go!
Mersamus disappeared in a plume of smoke, leaving the mercs standing in front of BLU spawn.
Scout: Man, can't believe I'm a girl!
Heavy: You are now little baby girl. Is funny.
Scout: Zip it, fatty!
Engineer: *Sigh* We better get this done and over with. The sooner we get done with Merasmus, the better.
Strategist: Wait, is there anything we should know about these Halloweens of yours?
Demo: We got some tough monsters ta fight sometimes. Like one year me eye was one.
Medic: Also, you vill need some spell books as vell.
Decoy: Spell books?
Spy: We've used them in the past. You three can borrow some spell books we have. This isn't the first time we've done this sort of thing.
Strategist: No, of course it isn't. I must say this wizard is making me miffed.
Sniper: He's been doing that for years now, sheila. he's makin' us all miffed
Merasmus: Mission begins in 3 minutes!
The two teams went their separate ways, going to their spawn and getting ready for another Halloween catastrophe.
I did post that new story already. If you want to check it out, take a shortcut through the profile.