End of the Holiday

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.

Kilnorc: I needed to get this done ASAP before the deadline, because I sure as hell ain't gonna wait another year to try and finish this!

--

"Man, that was fun!"

"You guys got most of the good stuff,"

"That's what you get when you run off to torment others, Shidyk,"

"Eh...,"

Axe's and Rayo's groups returned to the Tomahawk, most of them carrying sacks filled with treats, and a certain few carrying nearly empty sacks due to a late start. Pingu's sack, however, was the most filled sack of them all, considering the large bulges that were seen as he carried it over his head.

Shidyk and Rayo stared at the penguin and his loot.

"How the hell did he get that much out of all of us?!"

"I don't know...I do not know...,"

"Can someone cut me-?"

"I'm on it," Devon walked over to Axe, pulling out his katana, "Lengthwise or width-wise?"

"Uhm...width?"

Moments later, after a quick slash of Devon's sword, Axe was able to breath and move his torso around easier without the bulky top half of the Pochi costume weighing him down. Good thing about the costume though, if it were damaged, it could always be repaired sometime after. After dividing up the loot, they all noticed that time was running out on their special day and decided to end it with a contest to see who could come up with the scariest story.

"So, who goes first?"

Chizuru raised her hand, "I suggest that we pick one person from the crews and the one who tells the scariest story will win, since we're probably low on time and can't do anyone,"

Rayo nodded, "Good idea," he looked around his nakama, "Any takers?"

Nick grinned and raised his hand, "I got one, Rayo...,"

"Okay, so he's our rep," Rayo looked at the Axe-Heads, "Who's yours?"

"Hmm," Axe turned to his nakama, "I don't know...Chizuru, you read alot, you know anything good?"

The navigator smiled, "Oh, I know a few,"

"Great, now who goes first?"

Chizuru turned to Nick, "May I go first, Nick-kun?"

"Anything for a lady," the red-haired swordsman grinned.

Devon turned to DJ, "He's like you, except...you know...not gay,"

"Yeah, just like me, except not-," DJ stopped, then snapped his head to his nakama, "HEY!"

--

"Okay, this is NOT what I had in mind...,"

"At least we're getting free stuff without the hassle of killing,"

Kairi and Toby stood in the middle of the village, both of them looking into their sacks. Toby had transformed earlier, but instead of striking fear into the hearts of Samhain inhabitants, they actually cheered him on for having such a great "costume".

"I got chocolate pocky, a comic book, and some kind of toys...," Kairi looked up from her bag, "What'd you get?"

Toby's canine eyes twitched and he pulled out a large gray object, "I got a rock...,"

(Author's Note: Ha ha...reference)

--

"This is the legend of a man of science who mocked stories of a killer that would take the heads of travelers who did not pay heed," Chizuru began, "It all began, long ago, in a small village in one of the Four Blue Seas. There was a schoolteacher there who had his eyes on a young woman. However, an arrogant, big-headed man had his eyes on her as well and tried to get rid of the competition. One night, during a town festival, the second man told a tale of a pirate captain who once raided the island long ago. He killed many with his gleaming sword, until he was decapitated by a Marine. They buried the pirate's body in the woods, but legend went that if one ventured out the village limits at night, you would hear the sound of a galloping horse and if you looked behind you, you would see the spirit of that pirate captain, missing his head even in death and his sword held high, coming for you. Anyone who could not make it across an important boundary would fall victim and lose their head, giving the pirate's ghost a replacement for awhile,"

Dusty gulped and scooted close to DJ, "Hold me...,"

"The schoolteacher laughed it off, and later that night, as he walked home, he found himself being followed by the sound of hooves hitting the ground. Remembering the story and becoming very scared, very quickly, the teacher ran at full speed, but he was so spooked, he failed to see where he was going until he stopped and discovered he was well outside the town's limits," Chizuru continued, "Hearing demonic cries, the teacher looked back just in time to see the headless pirate captain running at him, sword held high in the air,"

Kirsty cleared her throat, "W-What happened to him?"

Chizuru looked at her and gave an eerie smile, "No one knows for sure. They never found him the next morning or any morning after that. No body, no head, and no proof that he was gone except for his bootprints,"

"And the horse's shoes, right?!"

She shook her head, "No, they found nothing by his footprints and a cold trail. To this day still, people avoid being out of the village at night, not wanting to have the headless spirit come after their own heads. The end,"

--

"This place sucks...can't scare anybody, and I don't feel like killing anybody either...,"

Kairi and Toby sighed, sitting on a large block of cement, watching the festival keep going.

"Any idea what we should do?"

"Nope...you?"

"Nuh-uh...,"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Wanna go light bags of crap on fire?"

"Sure why not, it can be the highlight of this thing,"

--

"Okay, Nick-teme, what's your story?" Devon asked, getting comfortable, "Because I really don't think it can top our girl's story," he shot a glance at Chizuru, who smiled.

Nick cracked his knuckles and leaned forward, "This is a story of a man and his family who had to look after a hotel in the mountains for months and-,"

"The kid has powers and evil spirits are in the hotel," Azu nodded, "We all know this one, Olas,"

Nick glared at him, "You know nothing of The Shinining!"

"Don't you mean The Shining?"

"Or the differently named by very similar The Shinning?"

"SHH!" Nick waved his hands frantically, "You wanna get sued or something?!"

Everyone in the room sweatdropped.

(Author's Note: Another reference! This time from an old Simpsons special)

Chizuru checked the time, "Last few moments, everyone...any last words before this interesting day ends?"

"I have one!" Azu rose to his feet and turned on Chizuru, "How's about you and me find a little privacy and see what happens there?"

Everyone fell over, except Chizuru. She just gave him a look that sent chills up his spine, forcing him to freeze up as she went by. As she passed, Nick couldn't help but look at her swaying rear end, but like Azu, he was punished. He was looking at her walk away one moment, then the next moment, he was picked up and flung against the nearest wall.

Rayo winced and turned to Shidyk, "Never piss off a psychic,"

Shidyk only nodded in silence.

A loud, dull, popping sound was heard outside moments later and after plowing through the doorway, the combined group of people watched in amazement as a beautiful display of fireworks were shot off from the island, decorating the sky with beautiful lights and designs ranging from jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and other figures in the sky.

On another part of the island, Kairi and her group of psychopaths watched the fireworks, their necks craned upward to look at the beautiful colors above them. They were all entranced with it until Kairi smelled something burning and turned to Toby.

"You idiot, you're supposed to light the bag of crap and drop it!"

"Oh shit, I forgot about it!"

"How can you forget about a bag of burning crap?!"

On yet another part, the Straw Hat Pirates were watching the fireworks. Like the others, they were amazed to see the display in the glory that Samhain made, but unlike the others, at least one member of their crew was doing something mischevious.

Nami was trying to stuff nearby stashes of candy into her own bag.

Don't call me the Cat Burglar for nothing!

Even Kagura and her bunch was enjoying the view...although the commentary from Kagura's hand puppet made it slightly less enjoyable.

In different places, different people were watching and enjoying the whole mess of festivities Samhain Island had to offer. They got to dress up, see a show, get free stuff, learn about different cultural things, and see amazing things all in one night.

For their first one...

This was indeed a Happy Halloween.

--

Kilnorc: -collapses into a chair- You know, when I first started this last year, I had high hopes for it, and great ideas. Unfortuantely, my bad case of menigitis came and ruined it. I waited a year to get back on this, but now that I did, it's not up to what I imagined back then.

-sighs-

I suppose that this fic had it's chance and it's passed. Oh well, at least I'll be able to rest easier knowing that it's done (though not exactly up to my usual standards). I would like to thank everyone who has had ideas, OCs and other things in this fic over the past year.

I DO have good news tho. I WILL be doing a Halloween special thing this year, however, it will be a oneshot and a OP (maybe OC cast) version of a famous tale...

THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW

(YES, the story Chiz told, so sue me...no, wait, on second thought, don't!)

Thanks again folks, and I'm sorry that it's not my usual work.

-bows-

Hopefully, this next one will make up for it.