32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Black Cats and Goblins"
Chapter One
HIVE Tower: Main Room
Krystal squeezed Gizmo tighter and bit her finger nervously as the group watched the movie. On a personal note, I love October. In October, all these horror movies come on. AMC's Monster Fest is just an example. Back to the story, Krystal didn't care for horror movies, but it was Halloween. On Halloween you scare yourself. After all, everyone is entitled to one good scare. This is what she had learned from asking around. Gizmo was more then a little uncomfortable with being squeezed like a plush toy. Mostly because he, unlike a plush toy, had bones and organs. Red X tried to hide her fear by shoving popcorn piece after popcorn piece into her mouth, her mask lifted up to her nose. Blackfire frowned, all the problems with the movie piling up in her mind. Like why they always went to see what that weird noise was all by themselves. Logic would denote that, in a scary situation, it would be best to investigate such things in groups. Sonic and Jinx were in the reverse of the typically expected situation for a boyfriend and girlfriend to be at a scary movie.
Sonic: Ooo…she's going to get killed…she's going to get killed…
Sonic squeezed Jinx's hand. Jinx sighed. She found horror movies to be fun to watch, but never actually SCARY. This one was a typical slasher flick, though its suspense build up was note worthy. Besides, she could never enjoy it…not this month. See, Jinx was afraid of Halloween. To everyone else, it was just all about costumes and candy, but Jinx knew the truth. She knew the truth and it scared her. All the stuff you were told about Halloween as a kid? That all the spooky things came out to play? You know, the stuff you decided was a bunch of crap? Jinx knew…that was wrong.
::CUE THEME::
Main Room
Jinx put up with the movie, the hand squeezing, and the constant sound of popcorn munching for another three minutes. After that, she stood up.
Jinx: I can't take this anymore.
With that vague comment, she headed for the door.
Jinx: If anyone needs me, I'll be in the training room.
The others watched her go for a moment. When the door shut, they turned back to the movie.
Gizmo: …what was that about?
Sonic: I dunno. I thought she liked scary movies. OH JEEZ!
Blackfire tilted her head.
Blackfire: That's not where the human kidney is…
Krystal: Don't over analyze! Enjoy the movie!
Blackfire: But that's even the wrong kidney. That's clearly the left kidney being removed from the right si…
Mammoth: SHHH!
Red X slurped her soda. Popcorn was salty.
Training Room
Jinx took a deep breath and began the obstacle course. It was the newest part of the training program. They had to knock out a wall to make room for it. She sprinted down the course, dodging laser fire. Running up a ramp, she jumped for the poles and started flipping herself off them, moving forward as fast as she could. Time mattered almost as much as successfully completing the course in the first place. She reached solid ground and kept moving. Sections of the course, the floor and the walls specifically, started moving, thrusting forward and back again. Jinx dodged around it. The upward momentum from the floor parts would be enough to launch her into the air. It would be a painful landing. The forward momentum from the walls would send her off course as well as hurting her. Once off course, she'd have to start over. Once past that, she had to go through a precise series of gymnastic maneuvers to avoid laser beams. It would sting terribly to be hit and leave a burn on her skin (not to mention a hole in her costume). She almost made it through when her hand slipped. She swore as her shoulder was burned, but quickly recovered. She crossed the finish, rubbing her shoulder.
Jinx: Damn! It was because of Sonic holding my hand. My palm was sweaty. I'm lucky I didn't slip off the bars.
Red X: …you're missing the movie.
Jinx turned to see Red X at the door. Red X was still holding her soda in her hand, mask still above her nose.
Red X: Something's bothering you. You never train when we're doing something together. In fact, you made it a rule.
Jinx: I made the rule, I can change it.
Jinx sighed. She shouldn't snap. It wasn't Red X's fault.
Red X: Tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help.
Jinx: You can't help. It's unavoidable. Happens every year. Don't worry about it. It's unpleasant for me, but I'll live.
Red X sipped her soda, her eyebrow raised under her mask. Jinx offered no further information.
Red X: …if you're sure you're okay…
Jinx: I am. You're missing the movie.
Red X: Hmm. I'll tell the others you want to be alone for a while.
Jinx: Thanks.
Red X turned and left. Jinx sighed and rubbed her burnt shoulder some more. Kind of stupid since that only made it hurt worse. She felt a familiar chill. Great. It was starting already and it wasn't even the 30th yet. The only question was, who had come to visit Jinx this time? The answer stunned her. Her body covered with cracks, she was still unmistakably Selinda Flinders. Shimmer.
Shimmer: I…where am I?
Jinx sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Jinx: Hi, Shimmer.
Shimmer looked up, blinking. It was obvious the girl was confused.
Shimmer: Jinx? How'd I get here? Last I remember, we was fightin' that guy in the streets, right? What happened after that?
Not feeling like being subtle, Jinx got straight to the point.
Jinx: You died.
Shimmer: I'm serious, Jinx. I don't remember a thing after that.
Jinx shrugged.
Jinx: Fine, don't believe me. I tried. Look, the others are in the main room. Go there if you don't believe me.
Shimmer walked off in a huff. She didn't seem to notice that she had walked through the door rather then it opening for her. Jinx shook her head.
Jinx: I utterly detest Halloween. …and speaking with the dead is only part one of this nightmare.
Jinx had no idea how right she was. This time was going to be different. Very different indeed.
Main Room
Shimmer walked through the door, still not noticing her intangibility. Her friends and brother were watching some horror movie or another. Normally, she turn away…she got horrible nightmares…but right now she needed answers.
Shimmer: Hey, mates! I need a question answered and…
No response from anyone. They didn't even jump at her sudden entry. Shimmer frowned and crossed her arms.
Shimmer: Oh I see. Tryin' to pull a fast one on ol' Shimmer are you? Jinx plan this or was it one of you?
Shimmer understood now. They were pulling a prank on her. Jinx must have told them to do this ahead of time. They were ignoring her. Like that would work. Let's see how they liked it when they couldn't see their movie. She walked in front of the TV. They didn't react. Shimmer was starting to get annoyed. Alright. Maybe is she turned the TV off. She turned and pressed the button. Her finger didn't press it really. It passed through it, but somehow managed to trigger it as though the button HAD been pressed. The TV clicked off.
Krystal: GAAAH!
Gizmo: Stop squeezing me, I'm gonna pop!
Sonic calmed his pounding heart and picked up the remote. The TV came back on just as Red X entered. Shimmer frowned. Something was wrong. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that she shouldn't have gotten there before Red X did. …wait a second…Red X was a girl?! What the hell?!
Shimmer: Alright, you got me. I'm freakin' out. Just stop it and say somethin' to me!
Still nothing. Shimmer had enough.
Shimmer: You wanna play games with me? Fine. See how you blokes like it when your couch turns into goo!
She held up her hands. Nothing happened. Now Shimmer was afraid. With a shaking hand she reached out to touch her brother. Her hand passed through his chest.
Mammoth: Whoa! Did it just get cold in here all the sudden?
Blackfire: You're imagining things. …oh come on now. Is it really appropriate behavior for people on duty to be DOING that?
Red X: You've got a lot to learn about slasher films, Blackfire. …oh, Jinx is feeling a bit ill. She wants to be left alone for a while.
Red X leaned forward, looking at Sonic.
Red X: She specifically told me to mention this to YOU, Sonic. She's not in the mood for ANYTHING. The best thing you can do for her right now is to leave her be.
While Red X was delivering this lie, Shimmer was screaming. She pulled her hand back, clutching it.
Shimmer: Oh god, oh god, oh god…wait…maybe they're holograms. Yeah, that's why they're not reactin'. It was prerecorded. No, they noticed the TV. ARGH! It doesn't make any sense!
Shimmer left. Only one person could help her now.
Jinx's Room
Jinx sighed as Shimmer entered through her door. She finished putting her other arm into the sleeve of her costume.
Jinx: Right on time. I just finished patching up my wounds. Got a nasty cut from a robot.
Shimmer: What's HAPPENIN' to me?! They don't see me, don't hear me, and I put my hand right through Mammoth's chest!
Jinx: Don't do that. You could stop his heart that way.
Shimmer's eyes widened.
Shimmer: What?!
Jinx: If you just stick your hand in, you can stop his heart. People who die of sudden heart attacks and the like and have no history of heart trouble or bad cholesterol levels usually died from a curious ghost.
Shimmer: I'm NOT a ghost! I can't be!
Jinx sighed. She knew Shimmer would be difficult. The girl was a pain when she was alive too. Jinx stood up and walked out the door.
Jinx: Follow me.
Shimmer walked right behind her. She was led to a room she had never been in before. Stepping inside, Shimmer gasped. Before her was a statue of herself. Around the statue were pictures of herself and some of her belongings.
Shimmer: What…what is this?
Jinx: A memorial. You died in the line of duty. We never had a chance to really swear you in or anything, but we felt you deserved this.
Shimmer walked up to the statue and tried to touch it. Her hand passed through it.
Shimmer: …I'm really dead, aren't I?
Jinx: Yeah.
Shimmer: …how?
Jinx: Jericho possessed your body. He forced you to turn yourself into glass then leapt out and shattered you.
Shimmer shuddered. It came back to her. Being pushed into the back of her own mind. Forced to watch as her legs became transparent. She started crying.
Shimmer: I don't want to be dead…
Jinx: Nobody does.
Shimmer: Why…why am I still here?
Jinx shrugged. She didn't have the answer to everything.
Jinx: Who can say? Doubt in faith maybe? You didn't accomplish all you wanted? I don't know.
Shimmer cried a little more before calming down.
Shimmer: How long have I been…?
Jinx: A few months.
Shimmer: Bloody hell. Why am I only aware of this NOW?
Jinx: It's October. Trust me, that means something.
They were silent for a moment. Shimmer turned back to the statue and wiped her eyes.
Shimmer: A frickin' statue for me, eh? Ain't that a kick in the bum? Lord, am I really that skinny? I should have ate a little more.
Jinx: You had a better figure then me.
Shimmer: Yet I croaked with no boyfriend. Seein' the problem, Jinx?
More silence.
Shimmer: …bein' dead really sucks. Try not to die any time soon.
Jinx: …I'll keep that in mind. …I'm going to bed, Shimmer. It's getting late. Don't leave the tower, PLEASE. Time and space are messed up for you. If you leave the tower, you could be in Tokyo before you know it.
Shimmer: But what do I do until morning?
Jinx: I don't know. As long as it doesn't destroy the tower, do whatever you want.
Jinx yawned and walked off. Shimmer sighed. This was terrible. Now she was dead and all alone…
Shimmer: …alone…and…free to do whatever I want. Heh…
Shimmer wrung her hands fiendishly. It was time to test the limit of her abilities.
Bathroom
Sonic brushed his teeth. Nothing really special about it. In fact, I wouldn't even mention it if Shimmer didn't slide through the wall at that moment.
Shimmer: Well, well. Mr. Pretty Boy getting' ready for bed.
Shimmer saw no reason to not talk to herself. Not like anyone would hear her. Jinx said not to touch his chest because it might stop the heart. What about…the arm? Shimmer put her hand through his arm. Suddenly Sonic's arm went numb, dropping his toothbrush in the sink. As soon as Shimmer pulled back, his arm regained feeling. He shook his head and rubbed his arm before picking his toothbrush back up.
Sonic: (muttering) That was weird.
Shimmer rubbed her chin. What ELSE could she do? She seemed capable of triggering electronic devices, if the TV was any indication. But what about solid objects? In the movies, ghost could move things. Why couldn't she? She desperately wanted to give him a wedgie. How funny would that be? She giggled just thinking about him brushing his teeth and suddenly finding his underwear yanked over his head. Suddenly Sonic cried out slightly. His boxers had just been yanked up. Not over his head, but they had been yanked. Shimmer's eyes widened. How had she done that? Telekinesis? Cool! She tried something else. She imagined lifting up the handle for the cold water on the faucet. It happened a second later. Sonic frowned and hit the thing back down. Snickering to herself, she did it again.
Sonic: (muttering) Damn plumbing.
Shimmer laughed as he pushed it back down. While she could easily have more fun with him, it was best that she didn't spook him too much. He'd get suspicious. Best to let him think things were being weird. …though how he had explained the boxers to himself was beyond her. Time to visit someone else.
Blackfire's Room
Shimmer entered, whistling to herself. Blackfire was either asleep or trying to get there. She was on her side, eyes closed and arms wrapped around her pillow. Well, there was one way to test whether or not she was awake. With a thought, Shimmer removed the covers. No reaction. The alien was asleep. She put the covers back on her. Still didn't want to spook too much.
Shimmer: …aliens…wonder what kind of wacky alien junk she's got lyin' around.
Looking around she found…pretty much nothing. There was a funny looking crown, some funny shaped rocks, and some sort of twisted pipe thing. Shimmer huffed in disappointment.
Shimmer: That's it? No laser guns? No briefcases that are actually flyin' cars?
Shimmer sighed. There had to be something she could do. Bored, she tried something else. She leaned over and started whispering into Blackfire's ear.
Shimmer: Blackfire…can you hear me? Hello?
Blackfire: (sleep talking) Yes…
Shimmer bit her hand, giggling. Oh this was too good. How far could she take this?
Shimmer: Do you know who this is?
Blackfire: …no…
Shimmer: I am your subconscious mind. You must listen to me. Understand?
Blackfire nodded in her sleep. Shimmer bit back another giggle. She never had this much fun when she was alive. What to do…what to do…?
Shimmer: When you wake up, you are to take some of your strongest hair gel and spike your hair. Large spikes. Four of them, one for each direction. North, south, east, and west. Got it?
Blackfire: …spike…my hair…yes…
Shimmer left the room, laughing out loud. There was no need to stop now. She didn't need sleep, food, or even to use the bathroom. Where to now?
END PART ONE