Huxloween: The Thirty Night Trial

Day 5: Halloween Fashion

Their 'campsite' for the night was an old, abandoned castle. Exercising appropriate caution, Hux insisted on only occupying only a small sitting room. Kylo had then insisted on hunting for a working bathroom. Hux indulged him until the third with no running water, then dragged him back to their little lair.

Then Kylo tried to convince Hux to find a kitchen to do something more exciting than making stew out of rations. Hux eventually got Kylo settled by suggesting he roast protein bars over the fire on the end of the poker.

It was only the fourth night of thirty, and already they were getting on each other's nerves. Hopefully it was more teething troubles than losing patience with each other.

Kylo set the latest toasted protein bar on one of the plates from the two cook kits and pulled away the small kettle he'd been suspending with the Force over the fire. Hux had set out their mugs with powdered caf and spice tea respectively, and the pot with carbohydrate soup was still floating, just starting to bubble. It wasn't much of a meal, but they'd had to prioritize ensuring they had enough supplies for the whole journey. Sixty carb pouches, ninety protein bars, three jars of multivitamin supplements, ninety drink sachets each. Kylo had suggested hunting just for some variety to their diet, but Hux didn't want to risk not reaching their designated campsites before sunset.

It would be a long trial.

Kylo was divvying up the soup when Hux heard it. He stood and went to the door, listening carefully. "Kylo? Can you hear music?"

The Master of the Knights of Ren looked up and cocked his head. "I think so," he said slowly. "Do you think this might be the trial?"

Hux frowned. "Whatever it is will be over by sunrise, correct?"

"According to the records."

"And it can't actually affect reality?"

"Except by provoking us into acting."

"So we don't have much to lose by going to see what's happening."

Kylo threw up his hands. "Then why didn't you let me explore earlier?"

"In a castle that has been derelict for who-knows-how-long, and could be dangerously in disrepair in places?"

Kylo pouted, but didn't protest. He carefully moved their dinners away from the fire and stood. "I'm doing this because I want to," he clarified. "Not because you told me to."

"Of course you want to," Hux mumbled. "That's why I feel safe telling you to do it."

"And is that why you make me do the cooking?"

"We don't need to cook the rations. They're ready to eat."

"And the hot water for your caf?"

"If you're going to insist on cooking the rations, you might as well boil some water while you're at it."

"I hate you."

"I know, but you still asked me to accompany you."

"I must have been mad."

Hux snorted. They sauntered through the castle, following the sound of music. It sounded like a waltz, played on old-fashioned but traditional instruments. They tracked it down to the ballroom and went in.

The only word that could adequately describe the scene inside was macabre. Creepy would be close, as would spooky, and disturbing wouldn't be too far from the truth.

There were dancing skeletons in evening dress or ball gowns, or very skimpy outfits. There were reanimated corpses. There were people covered in hair with fangs and claws. There were strange, eldritch creatures.

"This is…something else," Hux murmured.

"Yeah," Kylo echoed. The dancing skeletons waltzed. The other beings bustled about.

"Should we join them?" Hux suggested. He glanced at his companion and started.

Kylo had somehow acquired makeup across his face to resemble a skull. His usual black robes had been replaced with a black gown resplendent with black feathers and shimmering black gems. His bare arms and what was visible of his chest had been marked to shown bones of pale, unpainted flesh.

"Woah," Kylo murmured. "You're certainly dressed the part."

Hurriedly, Hux looked down at himself. His Covert Ops uniform had been replaced with a three piece suit and his hands had the same skeletal treatment as Kylo's. It didn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to guess his face now looked stripped of flesh.

"We both are," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. This was an illusion. A very creepy illusion, but just a test.

Kylo seemed to be examining his gown. "My grandmother used to wear these sorts of outfits," he commented, apropos of nothing. "Always with full sleeves though, and with less weird makeup. I always wondered what it would feel like."

Hux offered his hand. "Well, Milady, would you like to find out what it feels like to dance in it?"

Kylo cracked a smile, and took his hand.