Disclaimer: I am so sorry for the delay; I'm pretty sure my boss low key hates me and that's no excuse but it does screw my schedule up regularly. Ridiculous things ahead.

The tavern's walls creaked and complained as the monsters within huddled around a table, whispering across the table and ignoring the mayhem going on outside. With the Clown running amok, that could mean only one thing: the Black Cat was away. This meant the night could get very interesting, very soon, if Cinder was to be believed, but the remainder of their little group, remained a tad on the reluctant side.

"What's the purpose of inviting him into the picture?" Roman frowned, nervously fiddling with his cane. While the Vampire was willing to stick his neck out in certain situations, this was rapidly devolving into something he wanted no part of, despite being interested at the start. Something about it just rubbed him the wrong way, especially now that Cinder was willing to divulge the next step of her mysterious plan.

The first part was rather easy, surprisingly- Blake had willing sought out the Witches for help with a spell. He doubted the Flame intended that but it was fortuitous nonetheless, they were assured, even as everything else remained cloaked in secretive shadows. For a woman who could burst into flames at the slightest provocation, she was poor at illuminating the way ahead.

"I'm with Roman on this one." The Mummy complained, the shift to her bandages indicating a pout. "Nothing good can come from him being involved."

"We're not exactly aiming to do 'good' now are we, dears?" Cinder smirked, a wicked edge to her expression. "Besides, there's no better person in all of Halloween Town to distract Blake when we need it."

"I'm pretty sure Yang would do it; the Clown's always looking for a laugh." Junior offered, though the look he received had the Butcher hunching his shoulders almost immediately.

"She's too softhearted, at least when it comes to non-mortals." The Flame shook her head, embers flying up from her raven locks. "The moment our beloved Queen begins to spook, she'll spill the plan. No, we need someone who won't have any sympathy for the Black Cat once the plan is in motion."

"I have no sympathy for her now." The group turned, watching as Adam materialized in the corner of the room, a shell of his former self. "Why'd you call me here?"

Although the others regarded him with mild disdain, Cinder smiled, indicating a chair beside her. Bright red eyes scanned the table, the Shade's lips curling into a sour frown as he moved closer, nearly a phantom among them. Whatever the Snow Spirit had done, it had weakened him almost too much; had he been only a few centuries old, he probably wouldn't have survived the ordeal.

"I believe we share some similar objectives. You want revenge on the outsider and to teach Blake a lesson, which I think we can manage with a good enough scare," the Flame said, motioning to the rest of the assembled creatures. "Is that something you might be interested in?"

The Shade's frown turned into a snarl as he lightly sat in the seat, the aged wood not even protesting his light weight. "Very."

"Good. Then, let's begin." Bright eyes landed on the twins as she nodded her head. "The Black Cat came by yesterday for a visit, asking for a specific spell to be crafted. What for?"

"We aren't sure, specifically." Melanie answered, sitting back in her seat. "The spell itself is pretty telling, though."

Miltiades nodded at the spell book sitting at the center of the table. "We bought ourselves some time but she didn't specify the target, just the rest of the parameters."

"Target?" Mercury tilted his head, ears flopping forward. Magic of this sort was the Witches' domain exclusively; very little was ever explained to the other residents of Halloween Town.

"It's a rudimentary transportation spell." The white clad woman indicated the book. "Move a person from one point to another. The target is whoever is being moved by the spell."

"The only caveat she required was a designated destination." Her twin shrugged. "It's simple to do, but extremely limited in use."

"And what destination did she request?" Cinder sat forward, chin perched on her interlaced fingers.

"The graveyard." They answered in tandem.

Adam rolled his eyes. "Her favorite haunt. I'm not surprised."

"I am." Roman, older and sharper than the angry Shade, could see the pieces falling together. "Blake spends most of her time prowling among the crypts. She'd have no use for the spell, if it only works one way." When the Witches nodded, he sighed. "So, it's safe to assume the spell isn't for herself."

Emerald blinked, understanding dawning all too quickly. "She must be trying to give the Snow Spirit an easy way to come and visit from... wherever."

The Shade growled, hands balling into fists on the table. "Then we stake out the graveyard."

"Hush, Adam, we mustn't be too hasty." Cinder laughed, lounging in her chair. "We will need to stake out the graveyard, but not until the spell is complete. Until then, we must first learn a little bit about where our Queen is disappearing to on nights like this."

The moment her gaze landed on him, Roman could feel an invisible noose slip around his neck.

He just had to hope the Executioner would be lenient.

Together, they stood at the edge of the clearing, the snow still falling softly around them. There was no harsh wind- apparently, Winter was holding back her disapproval at her sister's imminent departure- but the stillness of the forest weighed heavily upon them.

"You don't have to go." Blake offered against her will, trying to affect an air of nonchalance. They'd quietly returned to the streets after watching the sky for a few hours but the playfulness from before Old King Cold's interruption hadn't returned and she wasn't quite sure how to lift her companion's spirits. When Weiss became quite adamant about the two returning to Halloween Town despite the early hour, her concern increased, though she did her best not to show it for fear of revealing her growing excitement as well. Over one shoulder was slung a red bag containing the candy canes, box, and paper she'd wanted to keep, the light weight hardly justifying her restless shifting of the strap. "I should be able to return in a few days."

"They won't ask for my assistance again until about that time," the Snow Spirit replied, holding tight to the arm linked with hers. Even if she was speaking evenly, the grip spoke of a tension that refused to relax, born of something not yet named. "I've done what I can for now. I'd rather spend my free time learning about Halloween Town than waiting to be called upon."

Without another word, they journeyed into the clearing and went to the black cat door. Before they opened it, though, the Queen of Halloween looked at Weiss, a fang worrying her lip. Joy was not something she was intimately familiar with instilling in others, no matter how easy her companion made it seem. "We didn't see your home today but... would you like to see mine?"

There was a moment where it seemed the Snow Spirit wasn't pleased with the reminder of the interruption in their evening but she smiled quickly, lightly squeezing the arm she held. "That sounds wonderful. Maybe next time you can see mine."

"There's no rush." She reached out, pulling the door open so the shadows could slip out. "Whenever you're ready."

"Kind, as always," Weiss said, turning so she could face the Black Cat, wrapping her arms around Blake's waist and holding tight as the darkness began to draw them in like the time before. With the woman's face pressed against her chest, it took flicking the ears atop her head forward, straining to hear the muffled words even as she returned the embrace. "How lucky am I, to cross a Black Cat's path without even trying?"

She quickly bent her head just before they were pulled into the space between planes, setting the words next to Weiss' ear. "As lucky as I am, to see the snow for the magic within."

They tumbled through the portal, once again dropped high above the dark forest while the sun was still out, weak rays throwing long shadows beneath them. Blake couldn't help but smirk as she caught sight of her tower looming over Halloween Town, the jagged peak giving her the perfect idea. Golden eyes slid closed as she focused, drawing on the strength she kept stored away, freshly recharged from her time among the mortals. It thrummed just beneath her skin, ready to be used, and she tucked her head more firmly against her companion's to ensure the whipping winds didn't snatch the words away.

"Don't let go." They were the only words of warning she could spare before they sank in a dark shadow in the forest, emerging headfirst much further away than the first time they'd come to Halloween Town together. It was somewhat draining, jumping such a far distance- and something she usually reserved for the mortals' plane, where she could recoup quickly- but well worth it when she opened her eyes to the view. Thankfully, her words were heeded, the vice grip about her middle refusing to abate even as they stood on solid ground once more.

Well, mostly solid, at any rate. A portion of the platform was weaker than the rest, the stones sliding away at the unexpected weight bearing down on it. They skipped against the tower's side once before hitting the ground far, far below.

"Blake." There was a thread of unease in the Snow Spirit's voice, head still tucked in tight against her chest. It was nothing like the fear from the first time but neither was the woman as comfortable as the one she addressed. She was... somewhere between those two points. "What was that?"

Something told the Black Cat that lying would be met with the same amount of displeasure as the truth, so she opted to neatly side step the question, looking down at her companion's pale face. "Open your eyes."

Weiss hesitated briefly, a frown tugging at her lips, but those blue eyes fluttered open as requested, meeting the Queen's gaze evenly. "For future reference, telling someone who had no intention to let go 'don't let go' is generally either insulting or terrifying."

With a smirk, she lightly nudged the woman's temple with her lips. "You don't seem very terrified."

"I'm not really very insulted, either, to be clear." Huffing out a breath, the Snow Spirit chanced leaning back slightly, though she didn't dare release her hold as of yet. "Just thought you should know."

"I'll keep it in mind." She glanced up, lips widening into a full smile as she swept one arm out. "Now, what would you like to see first?"

Slightly surprised, Weiss took a moment to look around, marveling at the vantage point. All of Halloween Town was sprawled out before the broken tower, the glare of the sun making the whole of it look like a cracked scab. No one would be awake at this hour, which meant they'd have more than enough time to explore without being interrupted by one of the curious monsters.

"I believe the agreement was your home, which I suppose we're standing atop." Cautiously, the Snow Spirit leaned over the side of the cracked tower, looking down upon the myriad of homes in similar states of disrepair. Her eyes raked over the landscape of twisted trees in the distance, the darkened mausoleums in the cemetery, and then finally off to the cliff on the other side of the town. A frown touched her lips as she pointed to the dark mansion that sat against the edge, the dark lake serving as a foreboding backdrop. "Who lives out there?"

"Adam."

"Well, that's off the list." She turned her gaze elsewhere. "I wasn't much interested in the lake anyway."

"The Lake of Black Tears is pretty placid." Blake chuckled, stepping up to stand behind her companion. Lightly draping her arms over slim shoulders, she rested her chin on snow white locks once more, smirking at the light huff of feigned annoyance that followed the action. "There's more below Halloween Town, too."

"Like what?"

"Sewers."

"Okay, no."

"Crawl spaces."

"Definitely not."

"Caves?"

Weiss paused. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"What about the catacombs?" She lifted one hand to point out the entrance to them, iron wrought in the shape of hell's gate flanked by two concrete minotaurs. "There are always some skeletons knocking around down there."

"Hmmm, I suppose that could be interesting." It took some obvious effort but, as soon as the words left her mouth, the Snow Spirit seemed to actually believe them, at least in part. "I've never really interacted with skeletons before. A bit macabre but interesting nonetheless."

"There's also the labyrinth behind my home, but it's notoriously difficult." There was a little pride in her voice as she continued, excitement suddenly swelling as she realized that the previous tour of Halloween Town included many of the sights but very few of the traditions. "I've gotten lost twice since I took the crown. That's more than Jaune's cornfield maze can boast, but we could try that too."

Weiss tried and failed to suppress her amusement, perhaps more affected by the enthusiasm that was plainly being shown in the Black Cat's expression. "Is being lost that appealing?"

"Of course it is." She leaned down, pressing her lips against the top of her companion's head. "I'll be lost with you. What could be more appealing to me?"

"Flatterer." The woman tilted her head back, blue meeting golden through her white fringe. "I'd suspect something to do with field mice might catch your fancy."

"Only if they're rabid. Or undead." She admitted playfully. "Speaking of fields, though, have you ever carved a pumpkin?" Smoothly ignoring the lighthearted jab, Blake turned to begin directing her companion down the rickety stairs.

The tour of her home was brief, mainly because all the rooms above the ground floor were unused save for her bedroom. There were four other rooms, doors sealed shut by something Blake couldn't identify, allowing the rooms of her predecessors to remain as they were. She assumed that, when the time was appropriate, she would be able to enter them, and explained as much.

"I'm still curious, though. One day, I just might try to break through it anyway," Blake said as she reached out, dragging her fingertips through the dark purple wisps of somethingemanating from the warped wood. A touch at her elbow drew her gaze away, focusing instead on furrowed white brows.

"I'd rather you didn't." Weiss glanced at the door, shuffling back a little further. She was afraid of the door, eyeing the miasma encasing it with equal parts apprehension and disdain. "I may not be intimately familiar with the magic of Halloween Town, but there's something... not right about that."

"Well, this is outside your usual domain, but I'll refrain nonetheless." The Queen offered a small smile before leading her companion down to the first floor. For whatever reason, most fear coming from Weiss had lost its appeal entirely, a sour taste that lingered on the back of her tongue. There was a brief change, though, when a bat suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere as they entered the large living room, its wings kicking up dust from almost a decade of disuse. The Snow Spirit let out a shrill shriek as she ducked behind Blake, watching the poor creature with wide eyes while the Black Cat did everything in her power to not laugh. The quick scare was child's play but it didn't bring with it the acrid stench from before, seeming just as appealing to her as the terror of any mortal. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" The woman hurriedly defended, brushing off her jacket and skirt pointedly and clearing her throat. "I was just startled, that's all."

"Of course." Golden eyes roved over the room instead of scrutinizing her companion's attempt to fix her appearance, a small frown tugging at her lips. She hadn't hosted a party or even invited a friend over in a long time, usually heading out to the cemetery to lie among the broken headstones and soak in the night air. Perhaps she should freshen the place up; she certainly hadn't enlisted the spiders to spin new cobwebs in a long while. She held out her hand, allowing the bat to land in it, twisting it around until he hung from one finger. "Sorry for disturbing you, Cecil." The bat glowered at her for a moment before its beady black eyes turned towards the newcomer, upturned snout sniffing at her loudly. "This is Weiss, the Snow Spirit. She's from Christmas Town."

Although initially reluctant, Weiss held out her hand, allowing Cecil to use his hooked fingers to crawl up her arm, perching on her shoulder, all the while turning his head to sniff at her. Finally, he seemed satisfied, settling on her shoulder and digging in his tiny claws to remain there.

"He likes you." Blake observed, still trying to contain her amusement at the strange expression her companion wore.

"That's... good." Her confusion and wariness slowly faded as it became apparent that the bat wasn't inclined to move any higher, though neither was he about to fly off. "Does he do this often?"

"Whenever I have company." She reached out, running the tip of her nail between large ears. "I actually don't think he likes me that much." Tiny fangs bit into the air her finger previously occupied. "See what I mean?"

Rather than seem alarmed by Cecil's missed attack, Weiss set her hands on her hips. "Didn't I tell you to let others know before you disappeared again? He was probably worried about you." Although she sincerely doubted it, the Black Cat found herself unable to say as much when the bat immediately nuzzled into his perch, as if begging for sympathy. "See?"

Golden eyes narrowed as a frown touched her lips. She was not jealous of a bat, even if he was looking a bit too smug for her tastes. "Maybe it's his kin he's missing, down in the caves."

The Snow Spirit met her gaze, smile widening. "There's more of them?" At the nod she received in answer, the woman chuckled, scratching beneath Cecil's chin. "Well, we were planning on going down there anyway."

The rest of the tour through Blake's home was forgone as the three of them set out for the caves beneath Halloween Town.

Here, in the pre-twilight hours, all of Halloween Town was theirs. No one was awake to disrupt them, though that didn't mean they were alone, which seemed to bother the Queen of Halloween more than it should've. Not only was Cecil still perched on Weiss' shoulder but Gambol Shroud had joined them as well, weaving its way between the Snow Spirit's feet as they walked, arms linked. It was a comfort that nothing seemed very different from when they were in Christmas Town... aside from the tag-a-longs.

"I can feel you pouting, you know." She could see the amusement sparkling in those blue eyes, though Weiss pretended to be paying more attention to the broken streets, shadows growing deeper as the sun neared the horizon. Although one arm was firmly linked with the Black Cat's, she would occasionally reach up to pet the bat or allow Gambol to pass through her, which was undoubtedly a strange sensation for anyone, much less one not even familiar with the exact nature of the spectral cat. Really, Blake was suitably impressed and pleased with how quickly the Snow Spirit was acclimating to Halloween Town, remaining a bright spot among the darkness without chasing the shadows away. "I'm sure they'll give us some privacy if we ask nicely."

"I doubt it." She looked between the bat and spectral cat. "Cecil, I could send away, but Gambol would probably remain even longer out of spite."

A tail flick practically affirmed her assertion.

Weiss hummed, finally offering a small shrug. "Then, I suppose we just make the best of it."

They continued walking, the dying sunlight illuminating a few things one might overlook when the town was drenched in shadows. Of course, it also highlighted things once couldn't possibly miss. Blake cringed whenever they came across evidence of Yang's night distracting the Mayor; she'd honestly be surprised if the blonde hadn't ended up in the tar pit again, though this time it was more Blake's fault than her friend's. The moment Weiss returned to Christmas Town, she'd have to go about making amends where she could, regardless of how tired she was.

"I don't understand," Weiss said, furrowing her brow as she looked over what was likely a barrage of blood custard pies, dark red stains marring the cobblestones while empty pie tins lay abandoned among them. "Did you miss a party of some sort?"

"It's a long story." The Black Cat sighed, ear twitching at the sounds of shuffling, the clicking of claws following swiftly. "But the overall idea is that I may be in more trouble than I thought."

From the nearest alleyway, sniffling forlornly at the blood stains, walked a two legged creature, black hide providing a stark contrast for the bone white markings all over its body. Immediately, Weiss stiffened, watching it closely while shuffling closer to Blake. There was a wariness wafting from the Snow Spirit but not outright fear, something that sparked a little pride in Blake's chest.

"What is that?" Apprehension gave way to curiosity quickly enough, the woman leaning forward to examine the creep as it continued seeking out any remnants of the spoiled meal.

"It's a creature of Grimm- the bodies of nightmares." At the incredulous look she received, the Black Cat shrugged. "I don't think they 'live' here in the same sense we do. They aren't like your, uh, elves; only Salem can call them away from wherever they dwell."

"Only Salem?" With a slight grin, Blake waved a hand. Instantly, the creep looked up, its blood red eyes focusing on them a moment before it turned and waddled back into the alleyway. "I thought so."

"It's a job I usually leave to her, though."

"Well, delegation is an important leadership skill," Weiss said, looking up at the setting sun, a sickly purple streaking the sky. "Will the others wake soon?"

"They'll wait until the moon is high before coming out." She slipped one hand into the Snow Spirit's, ignoring the smug look both Cecil and Gambol were shooting her. "Where did you want to start?"

Roman frowned at the faint wisps of smoke rising from his shoulders, the pair of dark shades, umbrella, and heavy overcoat doing little to protect him from the weak rays of the sun. He hated being awake so early, forced to endure the truly unpleasant sensation of slowly baking while pressed to the broken shingles of a nearby rooftop as they watched the Queen of Halloween give her favored guest another tour around town. How he'd been chosen to do all the leg work was beyond him, really- Emerald and Mercury could do this much, surely.

A sharp jab to his ribs brought his attention to his cohort, heterochromatic eyes chastising far more effectively than any words could.

"I am paying attention, Neo." He grumbled, pulling his cap more firmly over his head. "I'm also smoking."

She pointedly stared at his lit cigar.

"You know what I meant." How was a woman who couldn't actually speak managing to be so snarky? "I don't see why we have to do this all night. Blake can't possibly be that preoccupied."

They weren't close enough to be overheard- with her regular hearing plus the cat ears, that was quite a feat- but a pair of binoculars borrowed from the Stare fixed the issue of spying on the Queen of Halloween. They weren't interested in her conversation, after all, just where she went and what she did, especially as long as the Snow Spirit was with her. Still, with that blasted bat hanging around, and Gambol on top of that, it was only a matter of time until the pair of spies were found out. Especially if the sun didn't hurry up and go down already.

"What are those two even doing anyway?" He lifted the binoculars again, peering out across the pumpkin patch. "Is she actually carving a pumpkin?" This time, he didn't need to look or be prodded to grumble out a reply. "That was three millennia ago; I don't want to hear it."

Considering her title, Neo's smugness was practically audible as she settled back down to continue their watch.

It was strange. She could barely remember the years she spent excited to partake in the traditions and rituals the mortals commonly associated with the monsters of Halloween Town, some accurate parallels while others were adopted after finding the peculiar sights among the Humans. Perhaps having someone for whom all of this was absolutely new was allowing her to experience that wonder all over again, even if her companion took a little longer to get used to the things she must've found so very peculiar.

"I feel I may have missed the point," Weiss said, frowning ever so slightly down at her newly carved pumpkin. "I don't think anyone would consider this scary."

Curious, the Black Cat walked around to see how her companion had fared, stifling her amusement. "It's very pretty." Rather than drawing a spooky face with the dagger Gambol Shroud has so very helpfully found, the Snow Spirit had lightly etched the outline of Halloween Town, albeit with a very different theme. "And you'd be surprised; three feet of snow would probably terrify half of town."

"You're patronizing me." She pouted, running a slim finger along the outline of the tree standing above the shattered rooftops. A star sat atop it, just like the one at the center of Christmas Town, though this rendition was offset, allowing for the tower of Blake's home to be the focal point.

"Not at all." Using one claw- the same one she'd carved her own pumpkin with- Blake dug into the tower's tip, narrowing her eyes momentarily as she willed the vegetable to disgorge itself, the pulp flowing elsewhere as the light grooves the Snow Spirit had drawn became deeper, layered. In a matter of moments, the pumpkin was fully carved, a portrait of Halloween Town during a calm night, snow falling from the clouds. With a snap of her fingers, a low glow sprung to life inside the hollowed out shell, flickering faintly as it back lit the scene perfectly. "But, even if this doesn't qualify as 'scary', it's still beautiful." When golden eyes met disbelieving blue, she tried again, wrapping an arm around her companion's shoulders. "I'm being serious, Weiss; this is a wonderfully carved pumpkin." She waved to the others, the remnants from a few days ago. Unlike the ones sent to creep after mortals with their hideous expressions, these were made largely for the amusement of it all. Ruby and Yang were especially fond of the practice.

There was still some doubt in her expression, though she covered it quickly enough, redirecting her gaze to the other pumpkin they'd picked out together. "And what does yours look like?"

"It's decent," she replied, putting a little effort into shrugging off the question. "Pretty typical."

"Then I want to see it." Weiss moved away almost before the Black Cat could stop her. She didn't- it would probably be rude and rouse the woman's suspicion even further if she did, anyway- but followed reluctantly until they were side-by-side, staring at the Queen of Halloween's carved pumpkin. "Blake... what am I looking at?"

The words were neutrally spoken, indicating neither amusement nor displeasure. Truthfully, she was expecting the former, but the Black Cat felt her ears droop all the same as golden eyes traces the edges she'd carved with her claw, watching the faint glow give life to the stoic visage. It didn't look bad, objectively speaking, but...

"I tried giving it a hat. One of those... elf hats?" She winced, not entirely sure if that was the correct moniker or not, ears drooping back into her raven mane. "I thought that might make it look... jolly?"

She was trying valiantly, that much was obvious, a subtle shake in the Snow Spirit's shoulders indicated how hard she was fighting to restrain her amusement, reaching out to trace along the jagged line of orange fangs. That was the first thing she'd carved before changing her mind on the design, opting for something that might be a little more recognizable to her companion. The terrifying maw was entirely at odds with the mismatched eyes, which she'd tried to make appear some manner of happy.

Finally the woman could hold back no longer, laughing brightly as she put a hand on Blake's arm and squeezed. "It's adorable."

"You think so?" The corners of her lips lifted into a smile, ears standing tall as Weiss tried to bring herself under control.

"Yes. Although, I'm afraid that means we've both missed the point of a... what are they called again?"

"Jack-o'-lanterns, and they're not always meant to be scary." Blake reached out, hovering a hand over the carved pumpkin until the dead vines gravitated into a suitable handle. "Mortals think they can ward off evil spirits but, here, we just use them to light the way." The Snow Spirit accepted the jack-o'-lantern while she collected the one Weiss had carved. "There. Now, are you sure you want to go down to the caves?"

"Of course; it was your suggestion." The woman reached up, lightly running a finger across Cecil's head, the bat having decided that remaining affixed to Weiss was the best perch available. "Plus, you said something about seeing his family?"

The Black Cat was managing not to frown at the bat, if only just barely. She was the Queen of Halloween and she was not jealous of a damn bat. "Right. It's this way."

She considered it a mark in her favor when Weiss entwined their hands without any prompting, the two walking side-by-side away from the pumpkin patch. There was something nagging at the edge of her mind but, honestly, whatever it was could wait. They only had a few hours before the Snow Spirit would need to return to Christmas Town, after all.

Author's Note: Oh look. Ridiculousness. To everyone who has survived thus far, thank you for reading, faving, following, and reviewing. The support is greatly appreciated. The second half of this chapter will be posted Thursday. It was just too long to do all at once.