Hello! I'm back! I'm super sorry for taking so long to update this. I am back on track and things should start moving along again. I hope you enjoy!
Real World Verse
Carlos dreamed of puppies. Short ones...big ones. Little dogs so furry you could barely make out their eyes, and others with fur so soft they felt like clouds when you ran your fingers along their backs.
He laid on the floor, cold but not uncomfortable, and laughed as all the puppies jumped all over him, yelping and lapping up his face. Their tiny legs tickling his stomach and leaving gentle scratches on his arms.
"Good doggies!" Carlos exclaimed, "Yes you are. Yes you are!" He laughed as one nuzzled under his chin before he looked up to see more dogs heading for him to join the snuggle fest.
Suddenly a little wiener dog jumped up on his lap. "Well hello there little guy!" He said, then held the puppy close to his face, "Who's the cutest doggie in the world?"
As he nuzzled the dog cheek to cheek, he was surprised to hear, "Carlos!"
Stopping short, Carlos frowned and looked back at the wiener dog, who was staring back at him with blank beady eyes and a long pink tongue dancing with each breath.
"Um..." Carlos began, then, "Who is the cutest dog in the world?"
"Carlos!" A voice exclaimed, but it didn't come from the dogs mouth. Carlos looked around, but all he saw were dogs jumping and playing...and darkness everywhere else. He hadn't noticed that before. Gulping nervously, he looked back at the dog. "How am I the cutest dog in the world?"
"Carlos!" He heard once more, which was followed by a growl. Carlos looked down at the dog, who was now bearing it's teeth at him.
"Um...good doggie. Nice doggie." Carlos put the dog down, but not before the wiener dog barked loudly. Once it was on the ground, it crouched and waggled it's tail.
"No boy..sit...stay...heel...pause!" Carlos scrambled to stand. The dog let out another bark...then lunged.
"Carlos!"
The Latino landed on his back, blinking up at the ceiling.
"Stay..." he panted groggily as he came out of his dream, "Pause..."
Suddenly a face that was not the wiener dog entered into his view above him.
"Finally dude. I was worried I'd have to dump water on you." James said, looking down at his friend. He held out a hand and grabbed Carlos, then hauled him up to stand. But Carlos was still a bit unstable, so James pulled him close before leading him to sit down.
"Where are we?" Carlos asked, looking up at James as he tried to get his head to stop spinning.
James lowered his friend onto the closed toilet seat then answered, "In the bathroom in the apartment. Don't worry it took me a minute to get my head straight to. I have no clue what happened."
Carlos shook his head a bit then looked up at James...then down. Then at himself. Then...down.
"Oh my God!" Carlos exclaimed, quickly shoving his hands between his legs before closing them. "Why are we naked?" He looked to his side, away from James, but not before a deep blush caressed his cheeks.
"Got me dude. I just woke up and we were like this." James answered, smirking at his friends unease. He, on the other hand, had no problem with it. He was hot, and he knew it.
"Then...go get some pants!" Carlos looked back at James angrily, soon realizing the boy was smiling. He looked away again quickly, "And get me some too!"
"Can't." James said, leaning against the opposite wall, totally comfortable with his exposure, "The lock's jammed. We're stuck in here until someone let's us out."
"That could take hours!" Carlos groaned.
Suddenly there was a knocking at the door, "Hey who's in there?"
"Or not." James said as he pushed himself off the wall and headed to the door. "Katie! Me and Carlos are stuck in here. Can you get us out?"
"Dude." Carlos hissed, "We're still naked!"
Smirking, James looked around before finding the plunger, then tossing it to Carlos, who caught it with a sneer. "Here. Use this."
"Not funny." Carlos yelled.
The door knob began to jerk violently and Katie called out, "Almost there!"
Yelping, Carlos jumped up and grabbed the shower curtain, wrapping it around his waist. James snickered then bent down and opened the cabinet under the sink. He reached in and grabbed two towels, tossing one at Carlos and then wrapping the other one around his waist.
"You're a jerk." Carlos said before following his friends actions.
Suddenly the door burst open, hitting the wall violently before revealing their little surrogate sister wielding a giant sledgehammer.
"My normal lock picks wouldn't work." She explained at their dubious glances at the hammer in her hands. She tossed it on the ground then asked, "Why are you naked?"
"Good question!" Carlos yelled and stormed out of the room, heading for his bedroom.
Katie watched him go, then turned back to James, "Do I even want to know?"
"No. But I do. I have no idea what happened. One minute I'm talking to Carlos and Logan and..." James paused, a thoughtful expression on his face, "And you."
He regarded the girl, no longer dressed in a frilly dress and pig tails. Instead she was in her usual attire of jeans, t-shirt and chucks.
"Me?" Katie said, interrupting his thoughts, "I just woke up from a nap."
"No." James said, "You, Carlos, Logan and me were down in the lobby." He began to pace as bits of memory fell back into their desired slots, "We were talking, and you were looking at the ceiling..."
"Did you hit your head or something?" Katie asked, crossing her arms. "Whatever happened to you, I wasn't there."
"Then...then...I said something about dogs..." James continued, ignoring her, "And then...nothing."
"Are you sure you weren't just dreaming?" Katie said.
Sighing, James ran his free hand through his hair and said, "No!" He shook his head and turned back to Katie, "Look, go find Logan...he might know what happened-"
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?" James shot back, confused.
"I mean I can't find him anywhere. Or Kendall. I went looking for them as soon as I got up. I've looked everywhere! At first I thought all four of you were missing, but then I found you two goons. But no Kendall or Logan. They haven't left the hotel cause their wallet's and phones are still here and mom took the car anyways. But I've literally searched every inch. I even checked out Bitter's security cameras! Nothing."
James huffed, "That's impossible. They have to be here somewhere." He shifted then continued, "Look, let me get dressed and then we can go look at Bitter's security cameras again. See if we can check out what happened earlier in that hallway with Logan-"
Jame's plan was interrupted by a frantic Carlos suddenly yelling, "Guys! Guys come quick!"
Katie and James shared a worried look before they took off towards Carlos's voice. When they found him standing in the living room, they both skidded to a stop.
"Okay..." James began after a few moments with his mouth hanging open in surprise, "How did you miss this?"
"I...I just ran by. I didn't see Kendall's ridiculously tall head so I just kept going. I-I didn't even-" Katie stumbled over her words, but blinked in surprise at what she saw.
The living room was a mess. The couch was overturned, pillows, papers torn to shreds, and glass from pictures and the broken windows scattered everywhere.
And in the middle of the floor was a giant Pentagram...but it's middle bore a large black scar so deep it cracked the floor.
Halloweenverse
"Do you know where we're going?" Kendall asked Katie, who was walking on his left side. On his right he kept a tight arm around Logan's waist, desperate to not let the boy out of his sights again. Logan seemed fine with that plan, since he was grasping onto Kendall's shirt and kept looking around nervously.
They were still the Pirates hostages, with the roughneck seamen on all their sides as they walked through the forest. Kendall was desperate for some answers, but every time one of them opened their mouths...
"Oi! Shut yer yapper's till we arrive." One of the pirates yelled, poking Kendall gently with his sword.
That happened.
Katie rolled her eyes and let out a sigh before turning to her...sorta...brother. She knew she needed to explain...something. "We're going to meet their queen-"
"Jo?" Logan gasped from beside Kendall.
The tall blond frowned and said, "Jo? What do you mean-?"
"No." Katie quickly whispered, since one of the Pirates turned to give her another sneer. She indicated for the boy's to whisper as well, "A Pirate queen. I've never met her before, but I've heard stories." She paused, "Bad ones."
"What do they want with us?" Logan shot back, his nerves building again. He felt better that Kendall and Katie were here, but at the same time he was worried. It was one thing for him to get hurt in this world, but he would never wish it on these people that he loved.
"My magic...and I think I know why." Katie answered.
"Why?" Kendall asked.
Katie remained quiet for a moment, but the answer quickly dawned on Logan, "Jo."
"What do you mean Jo?" Kendall asked again, annoyed at being left out of the loop.
Logan sighed and took Kendall's hand, "Remember when Jo disappeared a few months ago?"
Nodding, Kendall shot Logan a confused glance. He did remember. He felt bad when it happened, and was worried, and since they had left each other on such bad terms he had hopped that whatever happened to her, she was okay. No one knew what went down, and there was a whole investigation. But eventually they had to accept that Jo was missing, and not coming back anytime soon.
"Well...apparently she didn't just disappear." Logan began, remembering what Katie had told him back home. Said witch quickly took over for him, "She came here."
"What?" Kendall exclaimed, then shot the Pirates a nervous glance before whispering, "What do you mean?"
"I mean I can't explain everything yet...but from what I understand now our Jo's ghost took the body of your Jo. She stole it from your universe and brought it here."
"How-?" Logan and Kendall began, but Katie held up a hand.
"Like I said. I can't explain everything now." She sighed and nodded towards the distance, "Anyways it looks like we're here."
Both Kendall and Logan followed her glance and saw what she was looking at. Across the large valley they had come to, a large and old abandoned looking pirate ship stood tall in the distance. It looked strange in a sea of grass, but was still impressive in it's large size and intimidating strength. Holes from cannons littered the sides, and the large, once white sails were now a ghostly gray and tattered. The wood from the ship was old and worn down, broken and ragged where the wood twisted and splintered.
The Pirates pushed them on, and as they got closer they could see several large bonfires with men and woman standing around them. They heard jaunty sea music coming from someone's violin, and shouts of "Hey Ho!" and "Aye" and other typical pirate speak mingling among the crowd. Some danced, some stood, many sat and drank from long wooden tables. Barrels of food that looked like fish and at times fruit were scattered around the area, but many were more interested in the giant kegs pouring ale out of the spouts.
Soon the group was upon the Pirate horde, and as they got closer someone noticed them. With a shout, "Get the Queen!" to another Pirate, all of the Pirates began walking towards the smaller party.
"What'ave we hear?" One female Pirate said, walking over with a swagger of someone who wielded sharp blades and wasn't afraid to use them in any creative manner she chose, "You find us'a witch?"
The Pirate who led the group snarled and said, "See fer yerself wench." Then grabbed Katie by the neck and pushed her forward to show off his capture. Katie let out a surprised squeak, but it was drowned out by Kendall shouting, "Let go of her!" He lunged for the Pirate holding his sister but the other Pirates grabbed him and pulled him back.
Logan's heart nearly burst when one man held a dagger to Kendall's throat. He jerked forward to help, but the other Pirates anticipated that he would, and were already starting to drag him back.
Katie squirmed against the mans hold on her neck as she was dragged towards the taller woman. She glared up at the Pirate, who regarded her with a snarl. "This the magickin' witch at's been causing so much misbehavin'? She's so...mini. Mistress might'en not reckon it verity."
"Ought to reckon your own place Serenity." Came a voice from behind the pirate. Serenity stilled, then turned and bowed her head gently at the girl behind her.
"M'pologies highness." Serenity said as she took a step back. Kendall and Logan both saw that many of the Pirates had parted their crowed, and were all murmuring various words of apologies to their queen as their heads were bowed low.
"Logan..." Kendall began, his eyes wide as he stared at the Pirate Queen. He couldn't believe what he was seeing...he just...couldn't.
But Logan could. He had already been through this; experienced this surreal realization before. "I know." Were the only words he could muster.
She stood tall, with dusty tan skin and long dark hair as straight as the scabbard that held her sword by her thin hips. Dark kohl lined her sharp eyes, and her outfit consisted of a black vest over black pants, separated by a bright white coral belt with a buckle made of gold. Upon her head she wore a large Pirate hat, adorned with colorful beads.
But it was her voice that made them realize...
"Lucy..." Logan breathed out.
She smiled, a devious grin that neither boy had ever seen upon her handsome features, "Welcome...prisoners."
Real World Verse
"You distract Bitters while Katie and I look at the footage." James explained to Carlos as the elevator doors opened. He, Katie and Carlos walked out into the hallway, regarding the angry man at his station in the Lobby scowling at everyone.
With a whine, Carlos answered, "Ugh...why do I have to do it?"
"Cause Katie knows how to work the security camera's and cause I said so!" James snapped at his friend, and pushed him towards their hotel manager. Carlos rolled his eyes and glared at the boy, then turned and walked up to Bitters.
Katie and James crouched low behind a couch, peering over the edge as Carlos began talking to the man.
"James." Katie whispered to her friend.
"Mm?" James answered distractedly.
"I-I'm nervous." She confessed.
James turned to the girl, frowning as he realized she was telling the truth. He could see it in her eyes, and it was a look he had rarely, if ever, seen on her before.
"I mean...I don't remember anything about what you told me. Hiding with you, talking to Kendall and Logan...I swear I hadn't seen them since breakfast!" Katie exclaimed in a rush, "But..."
"But what?" James asked, not allowing himself to admit that he was getting worried as well.
"I just...I know it's crazy. But for a second...before...before I fell asleep..." She sighed, then turned to James, "I swear I thought I saw...myself."
"...Yourself?" James asked, but jumped when he heard a loud screeching.
Both Katie and James stood up to see Carlos dashing out of the lobby with a Bitters covered in mud chasing after him.
"How did he-?" Katie began, but James grabbed her hand and yelled, "Never mind let's go!"
They dashed into the back office and raced to the security cameras. Katie jumped into the seat and immediately began working the controls like a pro. James hovered above her giving directions.
"Okay. It's 2pm now, we had breakfast around what...8? So find the hallway...fast forward to couple of hours."
"Okay..." Katie mumbled as she worked. They were both silent for a minute until James yelled, "There!"
Both watched as Logan and Katie dashed into the hallway, soon followed by Carlos and James.
"James..." Katie said, "James I don't remember any of it." He could hear the trembling in her voice as she watched herself. "And oh my God what am I wearing!" She peered closer to the screen, then with a sickening realization...it was the dress she was thinking about wearing that day. James placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but continued to watch.
"There...that's when I made the dogs comment." James said, leaning forward, unable to breathe.
And then...
"Whoa!" James and Katie both jumped back, watching the two transform before their eyes.
"That did not..." Katie began.
"...Just happen." James finished.
As Logan fell onto the floor in the screen in front of them, silence descended on the room.
Eventually James said, "We gotta find them...and fast."
Halloweenverse
"H-how-?" Kendall whispered to Logan as the Pirates began dragging them towards the giant ship. He had a protective arm around Katie after the pirate let her go. "How is this possible?"
Lucy hadn't said anything else to them, just crooked a gloved finger covered in leather and beckoned the group to follow...along with their Pirate entourage.
"Remember when I told you about Carlos's ex...Muffy? Why I was so freaked out because I met her doppelganger here? Well...it's like that here. Everyone from our world is here...but...different..."
Kendall thought for a moment, then answered,"Like I'm that werewolf...and you're a Zombie-" but Logan cut him off quickly.
"Was a Zombie. As in not anymore remember?"
"Right." Kendall said, trying to remember Logan's story from when he first came...wherever they were. It had been almost six months since Logan had finally told him, and while he remembered most of it, there were still some details he was fuzzy on. And Logan hadn't repeated the story since, so he was just going on a first draft of what he knew.
"I'm still super confused." Kendall admitted, turning to his boyfriend with a small, apologetic smile. Logan smiled back sympathetically.
"I know. I'm not entirely sure about anything here either." He sighed and turned to Katie, who was currently sticking her tongue out at one of the Pirates back. "She's really the only person who can answer most of our questions." He looked back up at Kendall, "But not now. Now, we've gotta figure out how to get out of this mess first."
Nodding, Kendall looked up at the giant pirate ship they were walking towards, "Right." He sighed, "That might be a problem."
In another part of Halloween Town
Jo smiled and ran a pale hand along the orb hovering in front of her. It glowed a sickly yellow, but the image it showed her was clear and sharp.
Logan, the werewolf's lover, clutched the tattered and burnt collar that once held its forest green color bright as life. The tears falling in rivers down his face only made her smile more.
"Oh darling." She whispered, evil dripping with every word, "Save those tears. We have much...much more in store for you."
Suddenly the sound of her chamber door swinging open alerted her to a new presence. She spun around, scowling and ready to tear out the throat of the person interrupting her without being summoned.
But when she saw who it was, she knew it was useless.
Ghosts hardly have throats, or anything really, that could be torn out.
"Ugh. Bitters. What?" She asked, annoyed as she turned back to the orb. Logan was now laying back down on the cold ground, curled up into a ball and trembling. Smiling, she ran a finger across the glass, then opened her hand and waved it, causing the image to dissipate.
"My highness," Bitter began with a tremble, hovering above the ground, "I-I-I have s-s-some news." He let out a small whimper when she turned back to him, glaring at his floating form with deep black eyes before she walked across her chamber to a large chair made of dark granite and glass at the other end of the room.
She loved her lair. It was cold from the stone walls that towered above her. Nothing hung on the walls besides large windows, but she needed nothing except the scepter that hovered in the middle the room, it's large orb alerting her to all that went on in Halloween Town...her kingdom.
She sat regally in her chair, letting out a sigh, "Spit it out Bitters." Waving her hand, she indicated that the ghost hover closer to her.
"It's about your pets, my liege." He said, keeping a good distance from her, but close enough to not look like he was scared...even if he was.
"Mm?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, "What? Are they not getting enough to eat?"
"N-no.." Bitters began. He cleared his throat, braced himself, then, "Two of them...are gone."
"What?" Jo screeched, jumping up to stalk back towards the scepter. Bitters quickly floated out of her path. She swiped her hand through the air, causing the orb to light back up again.
"Who. Where?" She demanded of Bitters.
The man began to stumble over his words with fear, but one sharp look from her and he quickly spat out, "The lagoon creature at the hotel...a-and your arachnid who guards the captives."
"How is that possible?" She screamed, scanning with wide eyes the places her pets used to be as the orb quickly shifted to each place he spoke of.
But there was nothing. The swamp pool was still, but she could see traces from the battle that had occurred. Another wave and she saw the forest. Her captives still nestled safely in their cocoons, but the burnt ground and blackened trees showed that this precious one had fallen as well.
"Ah!" She screamed, waving her hand once more in anger while ignoring the windows shattering behind her from her magical rage. Swinging around, she stalked up the Bitters. Holding out her hand, two blue shinning dots swirled out of it, then began to circle around the ghost.
"No. My liege. Please!" He begged, watching the orbs as they grew brighter and brighter, and he began to fade...
"How. Is. That. Possible?" She asked again, breathing heavily with rage.
"I-I-" Bitters began, "Magic. There was a strong sense of magic all around both places-."
"Impossible!" Jo screamed...then paused. "Unless-unless it was...her"
"That's what I thought as well." Bitters said, then bent over as in pain, "Please-"
Opening back up her palm, the blue dots quickly swirled across the room and back into her hand, leaving Bitters to sag as his form became heavier again.
Walking back towards the scepter, Jo waved her hand once more, smiling as the sickly yellow glow embraced her sight once again, "Alright little witch. Let's see what you have planned."
Okay! I know things might be a bit confusing now, but a lot of what is going on will be explained in the next chapter. I wanted to set some more of these scenes set up, but things will start coming together soon before our hero's move onto their next task to save Halloween Town!
xoxo BA