Author's Note: The Halloween arc is finally here! I've been looking forward to this one! I mean, obviously I'm looking forward to the whole story but the Halloween event (the first one, at least) holds a really special place in my heart. Having said that…

SPOILER WARNING: As of this writing, the Halloween even has NOT dropped on the English server yet, so please be aware of that if you're an English only player and don't want it spoiled. It should hopefully be released within the next month or so, though, so with any luck we'll get to play it ourselves soon (That's part of why I'm throwing in some filler chapters so I can develop Devon's relationships with her boys while also stall for a little time.). If you want to see it beforehand, Otome Ayui and Ekala have both done some wonderful fan translations of both Halloween events on their respective YouTube channels. I'd also like to say that the Halloween arc in this story will only be covering the first Halloween event; I will not be covering Endless Halloween Night. I'm not going to go into detail as to why I decided not to cover it because I don't want my own personal opinions to sour someone else's who hasn't had the chance to play it yet, but I really think this decision is the best course of action for me as a writer so I don't burn myself out.

"DJ's a big, dumb, stupid jerk and that's all there is to it!" a seven year old Devon huffed from her place underneath her bed. This had been something of a habit of hers since she was a toddler and she would hide whenever she needed to decompress. Why was baby Devon so upset, you ask? Because her dear older brother had committed the unforgivable sin…of eating her favorite candies from her Halloween stash. She'd gotten into the habit of squirreling them away after she went trick-or-treating and eating them throughout the year when she needed a pick-me-up. Today, however, she found that DJ had pilfered the candies from her hiding place when she went to get one herself. "Big, dumb, stupid butt-face. Didn't even ask if he could have any, either…," Devon continued to fume. Granted, there was no guarantee she would've shared her candy even if DJ had asked her, but it was about common courtesy, dang it!

Devon was so busy stewing in her anger that she didn't hear the approaching footsteps. "Dev?"

Devon rolled her eyes at the voice but didn't actually say a word, opting to puff up her cheeks instead.

"Dev, I know you're under there," DJ told her, his socks visible just below the bed skirt. He sighed when Devon still didn't respond, puffing up his cheeks in frustration before sitting down on the bed and gently tossing a family-sized bag of candy-the same kind he'd taken from Devon, in fact- in his hands. He slowly lowered it to the floor and shook it just enough so Devon could hear the candies inside. "Well, I guess you must not want these yummy-" He jumped when the bag was quickly snatched out his hand, but his surprised expression quickly changed to one of amusement. "Can I come under there now?"

There was a pause. "…Fine," Devon answered.

DJ smiled before rolling himself under the bed next to his sister, who was now curled into a ball with her back to him as she clutched the candy to her chest. "Hey," he said as he poked her in the back. "I picked up some of those candies you like to replace the ones I ate."

"I noticed," Devon remarked dryly, the bag crinkling as she pulled it closer.

"Look," DJ began. "I'm sorry I ate your candy before. I only meant to eat a piece or two at first but once I got going I just couldn't stop. How do you manage to hang onto them for so long after Halloween?"

"It helps to know they'll be there when I need 'em if I've had a bad day, buttmunch," Devon replied. "Ya know, I don't get why you didn't just ask me if you could have some."

"Would you have let me have any if I did ask you?" DJ asked, only to backpedal when Devon glared at him over her shoulder. "Okay, okay, you're right. Either way, it wasn't cool of me to just take 'em. I'm sorry, Dev, really." He poked her in the back again. "Now will you please stop being mad at me? I promise I won't do it again."

Devon was silent for a moment before heaving a quiet sigh and finally turning over fully to face her brother. "I guess there's no point in staying mad. You did apologize and now I've got more candy than I had before you ate it all." She smiled, opening the bag and offering DJ a candy before pulling one out for herself. "Okay, I forgive you."

DJ gave Devon a relieved smile back as he took the candy. As much as he loved messing with both of his siblings, he couldn't stand the thought of hurting either of them-physically or emotionally-for real.

"Umm, I don't remember being invited to this party," said a familiar voice from nearby. A few seconds later, Dominic rolled under the bed on Devon's other side and sent his siblings a playful glare. "Oh sure, let's have a sibling bonding moment without Dom. It's not like he's bored or anything."

Devon couldn't help but giggle as DJ rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Dom." She held out the candy bag. "Want some?"

Dominic eyed the bag for a moment before pulling out a candy. "I guess I can forgive you this time." He popped the candy into his mouth. "Mmm, dang these things are good. You've got good taste, sis."

"Yep, bought that bag with my own allowance money," DJ said proudly as he tried to put his hands behind his head without accidentally elbowing Devon in the face.

"I don't know why you sound so smug," Dominic said matter-of-factly. "All you did was replace what you stole from Dev to begin with. There's no reason to go pattin' yourself on the back."

"Hey, hey, guys. It's the thought that counts," Devon interjected. "I appreciate the gesture, DJ, really."

Dominic shrugged. "Well, as long as you're happy, I guess." He glanced down at the bag again. "By the way, DJ, where did you get that? The only place within walking distance that sells those family-size bags is that sketchy-lookin' convenience store and Mama and Papa said we're not supposed to go there by ourselves."

"Yeah, but…I made Devon upset and…you guys are worth breakin' the rules for. Lopez triplets forever, right?" He could feel his brother and sister's stares burning a hole into him and he hastily cleared his throat. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen? There's no kidnapper alive that stands a chance against me. We all know I'd fight 'em off."

"Pfft, please," Dominic snorted. "More like they'd give you back after about ten minutes because you annoyed the crap outta them!"

"Hey!" DJ protested as Devon started laughing, her anger from earlier long forgotten. The triplets continued to banter with each other and all was once again right with the world.

The class dismissal bell pulled Devon back to reality. 'Huh. Wonder what brought that memory on? I guess it is getting pretty close to Halloween. I wonder how my brothers are doing, anyway. Normally, we'd be in the thick of Halloween party prep. I wonder if they'll still hold it if I'm still not able to get home…' A feeling of homesickness began to bubble up inside Devon, but she quickly squashed it down. 'Hey now, none of that. Gotta stay positive. I mean, sure, the headmaster just brushes me off whenever I ask him about getting me back home, but I'm sure it'll work out somehow. It'll be fine. I'm fine. I am totally fine.'

Grim sighed and stretched from his seat next to her, a tired look on his face. "Geez. We're finally finished with those boring old classes." He tapped Devon on the arm and smiled. "Hey, Dev. Let's get back to Ramshackle and finish playing that game Ortho let you borrow the other day."

"I swear, I'm gonna clear that dang map this time," Devon declared. She considered herself more of a social gamer, someone who preferred multi-player games that could be enjoyed with friends, but Ortho had insisted she try a fantasy tactical role-playing game the he and Idia enjoyed: Wind Crest: Trail of Brilliance. Despite her initial hesitation, she found herself greatly enjoying the game and testing out different strategies with the various types of combat characters, though she could've done without Grim's backseat playing.

After parting ways with Ace and Deuce, Devon and Grim made their way toward their own dorm with Grim perched in his usual spot on Devon's shoulder. "Ya know, I think this almost every day, but the distance between Ramshackle and the main building is waaaay too far. Can't you just have Flapjack warp us to class and back?" Grim asked.

"I would, but it's good exercise," Devon replied. "Besides, I wanna enjoy this fall weather while we can. It'll be winter before you know it." She gave Grim a look. "I'm not sure what you're complaining about, anyway. Nine times outta ten, you're just riding on my shoulder."

Grim grumbled, but didn't contest her point. The pair walked in comfortable silence until they stood in front of the Ramshackle gates. Grim immediately brightened. "We're finally home! Now we can re-" He and Devon looked out at the dorm's yard, Devon with one hand on the gate. –lax…?"

The yard was not at all how they'd left it that morning. Instead of just drab-looking grass and nearly dead trees, the yard was decorated with what appeared to be pinkish-purple lotus flowers. Red and gold lanterns were floating in the air nearby, presumably with magic, while several students in P.E. uniforms were working on what appeared to be a large arch, not unlike one found at an East Asian temple or shrine. What took up most of the space, though, was a replica of a large red serpentine dragon, its jaws open as if letting out a fierce roar. Devon couldn't help but think that it looked a little like Mushu from the movie Mulan, but far more intimidating.

Apparently Grim was in agreement as to the dragon's intimidation factor because once the shock wore off, he immediately let out a scream. "GAAAAAAAHHHH! IT'S A MONSTER! Don't just stand there, Dev! We gotta go!"

"I don't think that's a-" Devon began.

"Ah. You're finally back, I see," said a voice from directly behind them, startling both Devon and Grim into screaming this time.

"OH CRAP! THERE'S ANOTHER MONSTER BEHIND US TOO!" Grim shouted. "THIS IS THE END FOR US, DEV! IT'S BEEN AN HONOR KNOWIN' YA!"

"You too, man!" Devon exclaimed, screwing her eyes shut as she braced herself to be eaten.

The voice behind them let out a familiar chuckle. "Keh heh. My, those were some splendid reactions!" Devon whirled around to see Lilia floating upside-down in his P.E. uniform and smiling as if he hadn't just shaved about a decade off their lives. "You've arrived home earlier than I thought you would, my dears."

"Y-Y-You're that guy from Diasomnia! The one who always appears upside-down!" Grim exclaimed as he pointed at Lilia accusingly.

Lilia nodded, the smile still on his face. "Indeed. Mysterious beauty, Lilia Vanrouge, at your service." He bowed to them playfully.

"Wh-What are you even doing here?" Grim asked before shaking his head. "Wait, that doesn't matter! This isn't the time for a chat!" He pointed back at the dragon. "We need to get away from that monster!"

Lilia chuckled again. "Now, now. There's no need to fret so. That isn't a real dragon. Take a closer look and you'll see that it's merely a prop."

Devon pushed the gate open and stepped into the yard with Lilia following behind her. When she got close enough, Grim reached out a paw and cautiously tapped the side of the dragon's head. "He's right! This thing isn't even real."

"But of course. It's but simple papier-mâché stuck onto a wooden frame," Lilia explained, a proud look in his eyes. "Our Diasomnia students have crafted a true work of art, wouldn't you agree?"

Devon glanced around the yard and finally noticed that all the students in P.E. uniforms were wearing Diasomnia colors.

"And, naturally, we're putting our all into crafting the lanterns and the arch as well," Lilia continued as he gestured toward the students working on the arch.

"Alright. Watch your heads, everyone! We're about to use our magic to get this arch standing," one of the Diasomnia students called out. There was a flash of light and the arch rose until it was standing upright at the top of the stone staircase leading to Ramshackle.

"I bet if we run the dragon's tail along the garden, it'll really stand out," another student working in a different group suggested. "Let's try it out and see how it looks."

Lilia nodded happily. "Yes, yes, perfect. Don't hold back, everyone! Go hard, as the youths say these days!"

"Yes, sir!" the students replied in unison.

"What is happening here?!" Grim asked. "Why is our dorm becoming a monster mansion?" He turned to give Lilia an irritated look. "And who said you guys could just waltz on in and set all this up without permission?"

"Ah, but we do have permission, as it happens," Lilia countered. "The headmaster himself said it was perfectly fine."

"WHAT?!" Grim shouted before glaring in the direction of the main school building. "That no-good, bird-brained…"

"Okay, so why exactly are you all decorating Ramshackle?" Devon asked, ignoring Grim's rant.

"Isn't it obvious? It's because Halloween is almost upon us!" Lilia answered. "I believe Malleus' exact words were: "I want to spend this year's Halloween at Ramshackle dorm."" He gave Devon a knowing smile. "He was rather insistent about it too."

'Why are you lookin' at me like that, dude? I barely even know who Malleus is or why he'd wanna spend Halloween here,' Devon thought.

Lilia gestured out at the decorations. "Doesn't it all look wonderful? I mean no offense, but there was simply no way you'd be able to manage such a decorative feat with just the two of you. There's no need to thank us, though. Halloween is a time for everyone to enjoy, after all!"

"Uh-huh…," Devon replied.

"Heeheehee. You certainly aren't holding back, are you?" commented the short Ramshackle ghost as the trio materialized next to the group.

"Oh, I see our ghost friends have decided to pay us a visit. Here to see the fruits of Diasomnia's labor, I take it?" Lilia asked.

"My, what bold decorations these are!" exclaimed the skinny ghost as he took everything in. "Feel free to decorate our Devon and Grim just as boldly, if you'd like."

"Ay/Oi!" Devon and Grim protested in unison.

"Diasomnia really is on a different level when it comes to this kind of thing! This year's Halloween is shaping up to be a promising one!" the chubby ghost exclaimed happily.

Lilia chuckled. "Oh come now, there's no need to flatter us so!"

Grim tapped Devon's shoulder. "Hey, I've been wonderin'… Everyone keeps talkin' about this "Halloween" thing… You got any idea what that's all about?"

A piercing, deafening silence fell over the group as everyone, Devon included, stared at Grim in shock. Devon recovered the quickest but all she managed to get out was a disbelieving "What?"

"G-Grim…," the short ghost chimed in. "You can't be saying that you don't know what Halloween is, can you?"

Grim shook his head, not sure why everyone was looking at him so strangely. "Haven't got a clue."

"WHAT?!" Lilia and the ghosts exclaimed.

"This is certainly a surprise…," Lilia added. "I never would have imagined that there was someone in Twisted Wonderland with no knowledge of Halloween!"

"Is it really that big a deal?" Grim asked.

"Of course!" the chubby ghost replied. "Halloween is one of Twisted Wonderland's most important holidays! To put it simply…" He paused for dramatic effect. "It's our festival!"

"Your festival?" Grim repeated. "As in, a ghost festival?"

Lilia nodded. "Indeed. Halloween occurs every year on October 31st. It's the one day a year that ghosts who passed on to the afterlife are able to return to the world of the living." He gestured toward the Ramshackle ghosts. "This ability is not limited to ghosts such as these fine fellows who have remained in our world, but to all ghosts. The living prepare feasts and decorations to entertain the ghosts that decide to make the journey back to our world. It's also important to dress up as fearsome ghosts and monsters ourselves."

"What? Why is that?" Grim asked.

"Because "all" means "all". Not every ghost is as well behaved as we are," the short ghost warned.

"You might be sitting down and find that your shoelaces have been tied together when you go to stand up or that the salt and sugar have been swapped in the kitchen," the chubby ghost continued.

"Or that your t-shirts are all inside out or your pen has mysteriously run out of ink," the skinny ghost added.

"As Halloween draws closer, pranks like those tend to become much more frequent," the short ghost said.

"As you might imagine, ghosts that cross to the other side don't get to play around much with the living, so they just can't help themselves when they come back to this side," the chubby ghost elaborated.

The short ghost nodded. "Can't really blame them, though. Getting to come back to the world of the living after so long would make anyone excited!"

"Those pathetic little tricks sound pretty lame, though," Grim commented as he folded his arms across his chest.

Lilia reached over to pat Grim on the head. "It's rather endearing though, isn't it? And all it takes is a few treats and the naughty little things will scamper right away." His expression suddenly turned more serious. "Having said that, there's always the chance that an evil spirit or two could cross to our world as well, ones that do far worse than those simple, harmless tricks. The costumes we wear are meant to scare off such malevolent beings."

'Well geez, he's makin' me paranoid,' Devon thought as Grim slunk down behind her, hanging onto her shoulder with his front paws.

"At least, that's how it used to be centuries ago~!" Lilia continued, a bright smile back on his face. "Nowadays, we just dress up because it's fun."

"Fyaa! Talk about tonal whiplash!" Grim exclaimed. "What was even the point of all that build-up?!"

"There's no need to think too hard about it," the short ghost assured them.

"Halloween has been a much lighter and softer holiday since well before we became ghosts," the skinny ghost added.

"The living typically can't see ghosts, but they still come out to celebrate on Halloween each year," the chubby ghost said. "The most important thing to remember is Halloween is supposed to be a fun day to spend with everyone."

"A day of fun, huh…," Grim repeated.

"Wait, hold on," Devon interjected. "What do you mean the living can't typically see ghosts? I thought you just said they all cross over to this world on Halloween. Besides, I don't think anyone's ever had any trouble seeing you three."

"All ghosts really should be residing in the afterlife once they leave their physical forms behind. Those who remain in the living world are typically tied here due to a lingering sense of regret or some kind of unfinished business. As a result, ghosts residing in the living world tend to have a rather…unstable existence, shall we say, that makes it difficult for living people to perceive them most of the time," Lilia explained. "Night Raven College is unique in that there is a much higher concentration of magical energy on the campus than most other places, which is why we have no trouble seeing and interacting with the campus ghosts, but if you were to leave the campus, you'd see nary hide nor hair of one."

"What? I figured there'd be ghosts wanderin' around all over the place, even off the school grounds," Grim commented.

"Now that you mention it, though, I've been off campus a couple times, and I don't think I saw even one ghost out there," Devon recalled.

The short ghost chuckled. "Heheheh. We're actually a pretty rare find."

"But we don't really care if living people can see us or not," the chubby ghost told them. "There are always exceptions, of course, but most ghosts typically don't."

"That's true," the short ghost agreed. "It doesn't matter if people can see us or not. So long as everyone is having a fun Halloween, that's the most important."

Lilia nodded with a smile. "They speak the truth. Whenever this time of year is upon us, even I find myself becoming rather excited in a way that's quite unbecoming for someone my age."

Devon blinked, her gaze fixed on Lilia. 'Which just begs the question of how old you actually are, my guy. Wish I knew how to ask ya without sounding rude…'

"Alright! Everyone together now!" the chubby ghost called, pulling Devon out of her thoughts. She and Grim looked at one another in confusion as Lilia and the ghosts let out a cheery "Happy Halloween!" before laughing amongst themselves.

"They seem pretty pumped for this, huh?" Grim observed. "Hey, Dev. Have you ever heard of this Halloween thing before?"

Devon nodded. "Of course! It's a pretty big deal where I'm from too, though maybe not quite as big as it is here."

"Halloween exists in your world as well, Devon?" the chubby ghost asked.

Devon nodded again. "Yeah. It sounds like the origins and traditions are pretty similar to the way you guys celebrate it here too."

"What a wonderful coincidence!" the short ghost commented.

"There are slight differences, of course, but all races, from humans to fae to ghosts, have some form of Halloween tradition. Maybe it's not so strange to think that Halloween is celebrated in Devon's world as well," Lilia said.

"So Halloween's a really special day, huh?" Grim said as a smile spread over his face. "I'm not gonna lie, hearing how pumped everyone is for it is getting me pretty excited too!"

"I know the feeling all too well!" Lilia agreed. "And Night Raven College holds its own special Halloween even to really amp up the excitement!"

"A special event? This is the first we've heard of it," Devon said.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Lilia asked. "No wonder you two were so confused by us decorating your dorm. Well, don't worry about it too much. There's still the better part of a month before it begins. Your homeroom teacher will likely be giving you a detailed explanation soon enough."

"So all these decorations are for this…Halloween event thingy?" Devon asked. "Are you going to leave them up for the whole month? I mean, they look great and we certainly don't mind having them here, but aren't you worried they might get wrecked by weather or something before the event even starts?"

"Oh no, little bat, there's no need to worry!" Lilia chirped. "We're merely conducting a dry run, if you will, to get a sense of how we want to set everything up at the end of the month. I'd imagine most of the other dorms will be doing the same thing soon, if they aren't already." Devon and Grim looked at him questioningly, so he elaborated. "The seven official NRC dorms each choose one location on the main campus to decorate for the event. As such, a number of the places selected are facilities used for classes or studying, such as the library or the alchemy lab. We can't very well close those places down for an entire month while we get everything prepared, now can we? And as you mentioned, a number of potential venues are outdoors, meaning anything set up in those areas will be exposed to the elements and at risk of being damaged or destroyed in inclement weather. To that end, most dorms opt to do a trial run to see how their venues will look and if any adjustments need to be made before the big event. Everything will get set up for real just before Halloween Week, the week before Halloween."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense," Devon replied.

The snapping of a camera lens pulled everyone's attention back toward the Ramshackle ghosts. The trio had were floating near the dragon prop, the short and skinny ghosts gathered around and looking at something in the chubby one's hand.

"Not a bad shot, if I do say so myself," the chubby ghost said. "You can really feel the dragon's power."

"Let's try a low angle next. We might be able to get all of Ramshackle dorm in the picture that way," the skinny ghost suggested.

Grim leaned over to get a closer look at what the ghosts were holding. His eyes widened when they landed on a small rectangular device in the chubby ghost's hands. "H-Hey… Those things you guys are holding… Don't tell me those are smartphones?!"

"Heheheheh, caught us red-handed, eh?" the chubby ghost asked with an amused look on his face.

"Eheheheheh! We were looking for to this year's Halloween so much that we went and bought ourselves phones to snap plenty of pictures to remember it!" the short ghost elaborated.

"But how did you even set up the phone contracts?!" Grim demanded.

The short ghost shrugged. "It's easy enough to do online these days."

"The headmaster agreed to act as our guarantor and we listed the college as our address. We were approved almost immediately!" the chubby ghost added.

"Grrr…," Grim growled in frustration as he hopped off Devon shoulder. "That's not fair! Me and Devon only get one phone to share between us!"

"The three of us are independent adults, after all," the short ghost reasoned. "That said, almost everyone I'd even want to contact left this world a long time ago, anyway!"

The ghosts and Lilia burst into laughter. "Very nice ghost joke," Lilia praised. "Smartphones are used for far more these days than just making calls, though."

"Exactly! That's why we all signed up for Magicam as soon as our phones arrived!" the chubby ghost told them. "We plan on taking full advantage of this year's Halloween! …Though we only have about five followers each: each other and a few other ghost friends that are still in the living world."

"True, but it's still a great way to leave some memories behind, right?" the skinny ghost asked.

"That's right! And speaking of which…" The short ghost held out his phone. "Hey Grim, could you look this way for a minute?"

"Hmm?" Grim hummed, looking toward the short ghost as the other two floated over to 'stand' just behind him. He blinked when the short ghost snapped a picture. "Fgnya?!"

"There we are," the short ghost said as he looked over the picture he'd just taken, holding out his phone so Grim and the other ghosts could see too. "Now we've got our first fun Halloween picture with you!"

Grim's looked shocked as he looked at the picture. "Wait, what?! You guys are showin' up so clearly in this picture! I thought you could only be seen in the pictures Devon takes with her Ghost Camera!"

"It is almost Halloween, after all," the short ghost reminded them.

"Ah, I understand now. That's why you all bought yourselves smartphones then, is it?" Lilia asked.

"Wait a second, hold up! I'm totally lost!" Grim exclaimed.

"Same. What does Halloween have to do with you guys being able to appear in normal, non-Ghost Camera pictures?" Devon asked.

"Halloween is the one time of year when the world of the living and the world of the dead are most closely aligned. That means a ghost's power is at its peak at this time of year," Lilia explained. "Though, like I said earlier, this is likely a phenomenon exclusive to places like Night Raven College."

"Heheheheh," chuckled the short ghost as he and the other remained crowed around his phone. "This filter makes it look like our translucent bodies are positively glistening!"

"And Grim's fur looks so sleek and shiny!" the chubby ghost gushed. "An excellent Halloween photo, I'd say!"

"Hohohohoh!" the skinny ghost laughed. "And the decorations in the background are nothing short of superb!"

The short ghost thought for a moment before typing something on his phone. "And now… "Happy Halloween from everyone at Ramshackle dorm! #NRCHalloween" …Add caption and then…" He tapped his phone screen. "There! Uploaded to Magicam!"

"If you're going to use the majestic Grim as the star of your photos, I demand a modeling fee of one tuna can per picture!" Grim said.

"Oh, don't such a spoilsport," the chubby ghost dismissed. "Let's just have as much fun as we can until the end of Halloween."

"I can't wait to hear more about this big, special event," Devon said.

"That's the spirit, little bat," Lilia replied. "You'll start seeing more decorations set up in plenty of places on campus beyond just Ramshackle dorm soon enough. I hope you'll be looking forward to it, my dears!"

"This is already shaping up to be our best Halloween yet! Heheheh!" the short ghost laughed.

"One, two, three…," Crewel counted the next morning as Class 1-A filed into their seats the next morning. "Okay, that's everyone. Now that all you pups are accounted for, we'll be starting homeroom. I have something very important to discuss with you all this morning. As I'm sure you're all well aware, there is just less than a month until Halloween."

Instantly, the room filled with excited whispers and chatter from the students. Most of it was indistinct, but Devon and Grim were able to catch snippets of a conversation taking place in the row behind them.

"Halloween's finally here! I've been waiting for this since we enrolled!" one student whispered excitedly.

"I know, right!" agreed the student sitting next to him. "It's been my dream since forever to spend at least one Halloween at Night Raven College!"

"All it took was Crewel mentioning Halloween and everyone's all excited!" Grim commented to Devon. "I guess Lilia and the ghosts weren't lying when they said it was a special day around here."

"No kidding," Devon agreed. "There are plenty of Halloween enthusiasts in my world, myself and my family included, but I don't think I've ever seen a whole classroom of people get this pumped."

"Hey guys," Ace said as he poked Devon in the shoulder. "I caught a quick glimpse on the way to the Hall of Mirrors yesterday, but what the heck is goin' on at Ramshackle?"

"Looks like Malleus and Lilia are going all out this year," Deuce added.

Devon laughed. "Apparently, this Malleus guy picked Ramshackle as Diasomnia's venue for whatever this big Halloween event's all about. Lilia almost made it sound like he picked it because of me, but I'm sure why he would've. I've never even met Malleus, after all." Deuce let out a strange choking noise, but waved Devon off when she looked over at him in concern. Devon shrugged before continuing. "Those decorations looked really awesome, though! I can't wait to see what it looks after they make their adjustments."

"Alright, I'm diggin' the enthusiasm!" Ace said as he slung an arm around Devon's shoulder. "The most important thing is that you're havin' fun. When it comes to Halloween, it's go big or go home!"

"Speaking of, have you already bought pumpkins to decorate your dorm with, Dev?" Deuce asked.

Devon shook her head. "Not yet."

"I noticed there was already a pretty big line outside the Mystery Shop. Pumpkins always sell out quick, so you gotta get over there as soon as you can," Deuce warned.

"But won't the pumpkins be rotten by Halloween if we carve them now?" Devon asked.

Ace and Deuce stared at Devon in confusion for a moment before it clicked for them. "No need to worry about that Dev," Deuce assured her. "The pumpkins here are enchanted so that they won't rot until after Halloween. Sorry I didn't lead with that; I keep forgetting you're from a world without magic."

"Ah, I gotcha," Devon replied. "Guess I'll have to get me some pumpkins, then." Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Ooh, maybe we could have a pumpkin carving party at Ramshackle! We can invite Jack and Ortho and Epel-"

"Who's Epel?" Deuce interjected. "The name sounds kinda familiar but I can't quite place it."

"He's a Pomefiore first year I met a while back. Helped teach me to fly using the Ramshackle staff," Devon explained quickly. "My point is, we can make it a whole first year thing! I can cook for it and everything!"

"Ortho isn't a first year, though," Ace pointed out.

"He told me he technically isn't a student here at all," Devon said. "Dunno what the exact circumstances are there, but they're none of my business so I don't care. Ortho's my friend and he's our age, so if we get this off the ground, I'm gonna invite him."

"Hey, you know I'm down!" Ace replied enthusiastically. "Sometimes a jack-o-lantern's all you need to bring the Halloween vibes and havin' a party to carve 'em just screams "Halloween's comin' to town!". Besides, I'm not about to turn down your cookin', New York."

"I think it sounds like an awesome idea!" Deuce agreed. "Just let me know when it's gonna happen and I'll be there."

"Man, I knew Halloween day itself was gonna be a big deal, but I didn't think you guys would get so jazzed up about the days leading up to it," Grim commented.

"I mean, yeah. Why wouldn't we be?" Ace replied. "Ignihyde's practically a dorm full of introverts but sure we'll even see them out and about more often around this time." He shot a teasing look at Deuce. "And I get the feeling our ever-diligent Loosey-Deucey's gonna let loose too."

"W-Well, it's Halloween, after all. Nothing wrong with going a bit wild just for one day," Deuce reasoned. "Especially when you get to dress up all cool. I doubt there's anyone in Twisted Wonderland, young or old, that doesn't like Halloween."

Crewel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as the conversations continued around him. "This time of year always tends to bring out the worst in these pups." He pulled out his signature red pointer and brought it down sharply through the air, resulting in a loud whip-like cracking sound that caused the room to fall silent instantly. "Stay! Quiet down!" He paused to make sure there were no further conversations before he continued. "This might be your first Halloween at this school, but that does not give you license to misbehave. I will not have anyone calling my training into question." He cleared his throat. "Listen closely, pups. Halloween is an especially important time of year for Night Raven College. We will be holding a special event during "Halloween Week", the week leading up to Halloween itself, where the students take center stage and hold a stamp rally for visitors arriving from outside the school. Each dorm chooses a location on the main campus to decorate and use as a stamp rally venue. Now, it's important to keep in mind that absolutely anyone from outside the school is allowed to participate in the event. This, of course, means that visitors will be walking all around the main campus during Halloween Week. Do any of you know why we bother to put on such an exhausting event each year?"

Grim raised his paw. "Mememe! I know the answer! It's so we can make a huge profit off the entry fees, right?"

"Wrong!" Crewel chided. "Taking money from our guests is out of the question! Entry to the school is free of charge. Open those ears and listen, pups. The reason NRC has managed to weave such a long and storied history is due, in large part, to our positive relationship with the people living on Sage Isle. They look upon this establishment with warmth and cooperate with us so that we may continue to cultivate generations of powerful mages. Halloween Week is a precious opportunity to show them the results of our students training. To that end, every student must take special care not to embarrass themselves or bring disgrace to the school's name!"

"A stamp rally, huh?" Devon repeated.

"It really is startin' to feel like a great big celebration! I'm already excited too!" Grim exclaimed.

Ace quirked an eyebrow. "Why are you acting so surprised? The Halloween Committee already went over this with you, didn't they?"

Grim blinked and shared a confused look with Devon. "What? What committee?"

"In order to ensure that everything runs smoothly during Halloween Week, students are selected from each dorm to oversee and assist in the proceedings. Didn't the headmaster meet with you to talk about this?"

Grim shook his head. "Nope. Sure didn't."

"What?!" Crewel exclaimed, looking at Grim in disbelief before turning his gaze toward Devon. "Lopez, please tell me you were informed about this, at least."

"Sir, with all due respect, the headmaster only seeks me out whenever he wants me to do something for him," Devon replied dryly. "Lilia Vanrouge of Diasomnia told us a little bit about the event yesterday, but he didn't get into the details. That was the first Grim and I heard of any of this."

Crewel sighed. "I can't believe he didn't mention this to either of you, especially considering your circumstances, Lopez. Rest assured, I will be speaking to him about this."

"Seriously, how could he have not said anything?!" Ace added. "Ramshackle's right on the main campus too; it's not like you guys are too out of the way to get too or anything."

"Hey, don't worry too much, you guys," Deuce chimed in. "If there's anything Halloween Week-related that either of you have questions about, you can just ask me. After all…" He paused for dramatic effect. "I'm on the Halloween Committee this year!"

"Are you serious?! Dude, that's awesome!" Devon exclaimed, exchanging a quick high-five with Deuce.

"Why're you actin' like such a big shot? You only got picked because of a lottery," Ace grumbled as he crossed his arms. He'd noticed recently that an unpleasant feeling had begun pooling in his chest whenever Deuce managed to earn Devon's praise for something, though he wasn't entirely sure why. He noticed it felt similar, though not quite as sharp, as the feeling he got when he watched Devon talking with Jamil and Leona after the latter's Overblot. He tried not to think too much about what either feeling meant. If he just ignored them, they'd go away, right? Right.

"C'mon, Ace. Why you gotta be like that?" Devon chided as she gently flicked Ace's forehead.

"I may have been picked by random chance, but dorm leader Rosehearts still encouraged me to do my best! I can't let him or the rest of the school down. I'm going to give everything I have to make this Halloween Week the best one yet!" Deuce declared.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, Spade, but make sure you don't let your committee duties become an excuse for you to slack off on your studies," Crewel warned.

"Y-Yessir! Of course I won't!" Deuce promised.

Crewel turned his attention to the rest of the class. "That goes for all of you. Us teachers will be cutting back on the amount of work you'll be given to ensure everyone has enough time to prepare for and participate in the stamp rally, but those who choose to slack on the work you are given will not be permitted to attend the party on the 31st."

Grim's ears perked up with interest. "What?! Did you say there's gonna be a party?!"

Crewel nodded. "Mmm. At the end of the stamp rally on Halloween Night itself, Night Raven College holds a party on campus. The visitors are our guests of honor, but the party is a very large affair that the students and ghosts are invited to participate in as well."

"D-Does… Does that mean there'll be delicious food, amazing food, and the best food ever served there?!" Grim asked eagerly.

"You've really got a one-track mind when it comes to food, don't ya?" Devon asked as she smiled at Grim playfully.

"I've heard they order catering from famous chefs every year so the cafeteria ghosts can enjoy the party as well," Deuce said.

"Apparently, there's always so much food that they've never been able to polish it all off," Ace added. "My bro showed me some pics from the Halloween parties they had when he was a student here and all the food looked incredible. It's a pretty fancy event, from what I understand. Kinda like our school's prom, in a way."

"Fgnya! A big fancy party?!" Grim began bouncing excitedly in his seat. "Can Halloween just hurry up and get here already?!"

"Settle down, Grim," Crewel said. "Now, I'm sure the next month will a frantic one what with preparing all the costumes and decorations but I trust that you'll all come together to make this the best Halloween possible."

Ending Notes: Alright! There's our introduction to the event and what's gonna be goin' on for Halloween Week. This is also the perfect spot to add some filler chapters since from this point in the game itself, the event cuts to the day before the stamp rally is set to start and the Halloween Committee (and Crowley) hold a meeting to go over how the rally is going to work. I'm going to include that meeting because I think it's important but I'm not going to show the committee going around to see all the venues and costumes the dorms have set up since I'm going to have Devon and Grim go around to see everything (we're told Grim and MC go around to see everything but we don't actually get to see their reactions to any of it since by that point we've already seen the committee going around to everything).

I've gotta be honest: the whole 'Deuce knows that Devon and Malleus know each other except Devon doesn't know that Malleus is Malleus' thing was a last minute addition but I'm so glad I included it! The idea of poor Deuce tripping over himself to keep that secret just makes me laugh. There's a part of him that desperately wants to tell someone, but the one person he trusts to keep a secret more than anyone else on campus is the one he absolutely cannot breathe a word of it to. It doesn't help that Devon's so staggeringly oblivious about it, either.

Devon: *hanging out with Deuce at Ramshackle* Ya know, Lilia said Malleus picked Ramshackle as Diasomnia's stamp rally venue, but I haven't seen the guy even once. *shrugs* In other news, I saw my buddy Horns today-

Deuce: *grabs one of the throw pillows on the couch and screams into it* *lowers the pillow to see that Devon is staring at him, concerned and a little freaked out* Sorry about that. Please continue.

Someone else does end up finding out that Malleus and Devon are buds in this arc, though. He finds out completely on his own and is both amused at the fact that the great Malleus Draconia is actually almost nervous about someone finding out who he is, especially someone with next to no magical power, and irked at how close that lizard's getting to his herbivore… He's not sure why he feels compelled to add 'his' to that, but it feels right so whatever.

Thank you all so much for reading! As always, feedback and constructive criticism are welcome. Geekinthepink, out!