Zelda took in her surroundings as she walked into town, she was impressed to say the least. Tonight was Spirits eve, a night dedicated to things that went bump in the night. Zelda was surprised to hear that Pelican Town took spirits eve very seriously and always held a big event in town during the occasion. There was a large feast spread out in the town square and Zelda could see decorations in every direction, it was hard to believe the fair had been there only a week ago.
"Wow it's weird to think to think that this is still Pelican town." Zelda said
"Yea it's pretty crazy right?" Abigail said. "This has to be my favourite time of year."
"Of course the girl who spends the most time in the graveyard, would love spirits eve the most." Zelda teased.
The two girls walked up to the large feast that was spread around four large tables. Jack O'lanterns were scattered around the square each one with either a scary or humorous face carved into tables were filled with sweet foods, and treats. Pies and cakes were on display, some decorated with fake spiders and cartoonish monsters. Zelda helped herself to a slice of pumpkin pie as Abigail bit into a candy apple.
"Come on I want to check out the monster cage." Abigail said nodding to a large metal cage that had been set up.
Inside the cage there were two skeletons walking around mindlessly, without a real purpose. Abigail walked up to the large metal prison and grabbed the bars, Zelda followed intrigued at the creatures inside.
"Are those… real?" Zelda asked as one turned its head to look at her.
"Yes." Said an old man who was standing next to the cage. "And best not stand too close." He said to Abigail.
The man had white hair and a black eye patch over his left eye. He was wearing a strange outfit and a cloak that was draped over the right half of his body. Zelda at first thought he was just in costume and joking but reading his serious face she thought otherwise.
"Zelda this is Marlon, he runs the Adventurer's guild." Abigail explained.
"Nice to meet you." Zelda said trying not ignore the fact that one of the skeletons had started to slowly walk towards their side of the cage.
"Yes, Rasmodius mentioned you before, said you were naturally gifted in magic." Marlon said
"Well… uh… I don't know about that." Zelda said taking a small step back from the cage as the skeleton reached the edge.
"I would suggest being careful." Marlon said watching the skeleton stare directly at the blonde. "Dark creatures are often attracted to those with powerful aura."
Zelda just stared worriedly at the skeleton, knowing that the adventurer's were the ones who had captured the creature's she wasn't too scared of it breaking loose but the way it staired continuously at her made the blonde feel uneasy.
"Best leave creatures like these to your friend." Marlon said gesturing at Abigail before walking off.
"He's pretty cool right?" Abigail said happily. "And did you hear what he said? He thinks I can handle myself!"
"Yea well glad you're happy, I'll probably be having nightmares tonight of skeletons attacking me in my sleep." Zelda said trying not to look at the skeleton that was trying to stare her down.
"Don't worry Zelda, monsters like these usually don't like to come out in the open, and besides they would burn up in the morning sun if they tried."
"I'll try and remember that." Zelda said giving a weak smile.
The two girls turned to see Sam and Sebastian walking towards them. Zelda noticed Abigail's smile widened slightly as she locked eyes with Sebastian. Zelda made sure to take a mental snapshot for future teasing material.
"Hey you guys." Sebastian greeted as he approached. "Checking out the monster cage?"
"Pretty crazy animatronics right?" Sam said checking out the skeleton that was staring down Zelda.
"How do you know they're not real?" Abigail said raising an eyebrow.
"Pffft as if, nice try Abby but I'm as stupid as you think." Sam said rolling his eyes.
"Well if they are mechanical I can't figure out how they work." Sebastian said with a shrug.
"Well maybe this is one puzzle you just can't solve." Sam said
"And maybe you're just naive." Abigail scoffed.
"Seb and I were going to check out the haunted maze you girls want to come?" Sam asked.
"Haunted maze?" Zelda said curiously.
"Yea there's a giant maze uphill that's different every year, they say in the centre there's a prize." Sam explained excitedly. "We thought that maybe you guys might be up for the challenge?"
"Sure we'd love too!" Abigail said looking more at Sebastian then anyone else.
Zelda only let out a small sigh and followed along, she didn't do too well around scary things but if she tried to back out now Abigail would no doubt drag her along anyway, although she'd never admit it was to be her wingman. The four gathered in front of the massive hedge maze, its thick walls reached high above any of their heads stopping them from seeing anything other than the first branching corridor that laid before them.
"I say we make this more interesting." Sam said giving Sebastian a sideways glance, his friend rolled his eyes in response. "Let's split into teams of two and see who can reach the middle first?"
"So you mean boys against girls? Zelda asked.
"Na let's mix it up a bit, how about Seb and Abigail you team up and Zelda and I will go… together." Sam said with a small smirk.
"Ok that sounds fun!" Zelda said pushing Abigail closer to Sebastian.
Abigail looked back and gave Zelda something between a glare and a pleading look. It's almost as if Abigail was trying to say 'please don't leave me!'. Zelda only gave her friend a cheeky wink as she walked over beside Sam. Sam had a big smile on his face which Sebastian only rolled his eyes at. Sam and Zelda gave the two a head start and waited to make sure that neither team could follow each other.
"Hey by the way, I might not be the best partner." Zelda said apologetically "I'm a pretty big chicken."
"No worries, you'll be safe with me." Sam said with smile.
"Just don't be surprised if I have to hold your hand." Zelda unaware that internally Sam was celebrating.
Abigail quickly realised that she wasn't in as much trouble as she thought, that talking to Sebastian was really easy. The two were getting along great and Abigail tried to stay relaxed. Abigail didn't know why she thought this would be hard, they had been friends for years. They liked the same geeky things so finding a topic of conversation wasn't hard.
"So what was with Sam? He was kinda acting weird before we left. Well weirder" Abigail asked her taller friend.
"Oh that, yea he's an idiot." Sebastian said sharing a laugh with the purple haired girl. "Yea this was all apart of his so called 'master plan' to get some alone time with Zelda." Sebastian explained.
"Uh…. why?" Abigail asked worried she already new the answer.
"He likes her and he wanted to make his move tonight." Sebastian sighed.
"Uh oh." Abigail said.
Leah watched the two blonde's enter the maze from a distance making sure she wouldn't be noticed. The artist had been searching for Zelda for a while but when she had spotted the farmer she was already heading off with her friends. Unable to help herself she followed the group and watched them make plans to split off into pairs. Something about how the way Sam acted around Zelda rubbed Leah the wrong way. She could see the boy's flirtatious actions coming from a mile away, yet somehow poor Zelda was oblivious. Leah followed from a distance as the two walked through maze, using the shadows to her advantage.
"So how's your band coming?" Zelda asked the boy.
"It's going great, Seb is going to ask Abigail if she would be our drummer then we'll be all set." Sam replied happily.
"I'm sure Abigail would love to, she's quite musical."
"Yea, I was going to ask an old friend of mine who lives in another town but Sebastian really wanted Abigail in the band."
"Really?" Zelda said smiling, imagining what her friends reaction would be when she told her.
The two came across a long pathway that seemed slightly different than the rest, the dirt on the path looked softer somehow like it had been turned over recently. Zelda was unfortunately the first to find out why as a hand sprung out of the ground and grabbed her foot. Zelda screamed in shock and grabbed hold of Sam who helped pull her out of the hands grasp. The two ran down the hallway as more hands sprung up from the ground as they passed.
"W..w..what was that?" Zelda said shakily trying to calm herself.
"There's a bunch of traps in the maze designed to scare people, don't worry none of them can hurt you." Sam explained laughing a little.
"Fun." Zelda said sarcastically.
"Let's keep going." Sam said putting an arm around Zelda. "We'll be fine."
The two walked on not noticing Leah scowling behind them.
"So I wanted to ask you something?" Sebastian said, his hands in his pockets as he walked.
"Oh ya? What is it?" Abigail said blushing.
"Sam and I are starting a band. It's kinda dumb but I was wondering if you'd be our drummer?"
"M..me?" Abigail said surprised. "You thought of me?"
"I know you play the drums and I know you're really musical."
"How'd you figure I was musical?"
"Well I've heard you play your flute." Sebastian said looking up at the night sky. "On rainy days I sometimes take walks around the house and sometimes I hear your flute from across the lake. It's very… relaxing."
Abigail went completely red, she did like to practice her flute but she didn't think anyone could hear her, especially not Sebastian.
"Th..thanks" Abigail said after a while. "I'd love to be your drummer, it sounds like fun."
The two smiled at each other and continued, Abigail's smile being the bigger of the two. The smile didn't last too long though because as soon as the two turned a corner Abigail stopped dead in her tracks. A large hallway with giant spiders blocked their path. Black and hairy, they were everywhere, some were even moving. Although subconsciously she new they were fake, Abigail's spine shivered as she stared down the hallway.
"What's wrong?" Sebastian asked noticing the girl had stopped.
"I can't." Was all Abigail could say. "Spiders" she said sadly looking down at her feet.
"Oh." Sebastian said releasing the girl's dalema.
Sebastian walked behind the girl and covered her eyes with one hand, and placed his other on her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Abigail asked confused, blushing heavily at how close the taller boy was to her.
"You won't be afraid if you can't see them." He said calmly, slowly pushing her forward making sure he was careful to guide her.
"What? Wait!" Abigail protested trying to stop herself from moving, but Sebastian didn't budge and gently forced her forwards.
The taller boy carefully led the girl through the hallway, making sure she didn't get too close to any of the spiders that were on display. By the end they had made it through and Abigail had only yelped once when a leaf had brushed against her leg.
"That wasn't so bad now was it?" Sebastian said letting go of the girl and taking out a cigarette.
"N..no" Abigail said weakly. "It wasn't that bad."
Leah watched carefully as the two friends sat down at the large park fountain to take a rest. Sam sat next to Zelda with a nervous smile.
"So Zelda, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out with me and grab a drink sometime." Sam asked trying to act as cool as possible.
Leah felt like she couldn't breath, as if all the air out of her lungs had been stolen. This was it, she was right. Sam was asking Zelda on a date, and if she said yes… It meant that small hope that Leah had was gone.
"Uh… you mean like a date?" Zelda asked nervously. Leah could tell the girl had finally started to understand Sam's actions that night.
"Yeah." Sam said eagerly.
"Listen Sam… I'm really sorry but… I only like you as a friend."
"Oh." Sam said looking down at his feet.
"Sam you're a great guy and a lot of fun." Zelda said placing a hand one his shoulder. "You're going to make a girl really happy some day."
"Yeah, no sweat. Thanks for being so cool about it." Sam said smiling. "Still friends?"
"Of course." The girl said punching him in the arm playfully.
Leah probably would have been surprised that Sam took his rejection so well but she was too busy trying to fight the urge to dance in happiness.
After a long time of wandering around the maze the two groups unfortunately ended up together again, meeting at a cross road the two groups started laughing at their predicament.
"Hey guys" Abigail laughed. "Is it just me or is that the entrance?"
"Looks like it." Sebastian said. "Guess it's a tie."
The group of friends walked out of the maze together laughing and joking around.
"So anything interesting happen to you guys." Abigail asked Zelda.
"Sam asked me out and I said no. We're cool." Zelda said happily. "How about you?"
"Nothing much." Abigail responded with a shrug.
"Really? Because Sam said something about Sebastian asking you to join their band." Zelda said with a smirk. " Apparently Sebastian really wanted you. Something about you being the only one he would let in the band."
"Shut up."