C2
On the early day of Halloween in Salem, Massachusett, a female tour guide and her tourist were walking down the dirt walk path leading to an old cottage. She turned to face her customers and smiled.
"This here is the most historic place in all of Salem." She revealed the house. "The home that belonged to the three witches of this town. The Sanderson Sisters."
The tourist, a young woman with a vibrant curiosity in her eyes, nodded eagerly. "Wow, I can't believe I'm actually here!."
Her male friend rolled his eyes. "This is a waste of a good day to spend Halloween. I wanted us to go to the party."
The tour guide chuckled. "Believe me, this is more spooky than any party you'll find. These witches had the power to make your worst nightmares come true."
The tour lady opened the door and showed everyone the old items of the Sanderson Sisters.
The cottage was dimly lit by candles, their flickering shadows dancing on the dusty wooden walls. The scent of old herbs and stale air filled the room, a stark contrast to the vibrant autumn evening outside. The tour guide led them through the cluttered space, pointing out various artifacts that allegedly belonged to the Sanderson Sisters such as a cauldron with a thick layer of residue at the bottom, a collection of twig-bound brooms, and jars filled with unknown.
"They have been hanged and been dead for decades until an unknown virgin lit the special candle to temporarily revive them for one night on Halloween which is today. It happened in 1993." She spoke.
"Is this the candle?." One asked to see an old candle on the candle holder.
The tour guide nodded, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Yes, but legend has it that it's only effective if lit by a virgin."
The dude chuckled and put out his lighter. "Bet."
The tour guide raised an eyebrow. "You shouldn't play with such things," she warned, but the flame was already to the wick.
"C'mon, it's just a legend," the young man said with a smirk.
He lit the candle as the flame became their consequence. Things began to happen. The room grew eerily silent as the candle's flame turned from a warm orange to a deep, inky black. The tour guide's smile froze, her eyes widening in horror. The young woman grabbed her friend's arm, feeling a sudden chill run down her spine. The air grew thick and heavy, as if something ancient and powerful was stirring within the very fabric of the cottage.
As the flame grew stronger, whispers filled the room. The whispers grew into chants, and the chants grew into a cacophony of laughter that seemed to come from all around them. The floorboards began to creak and groan as if the house itself were coming to life. The walls quivered, and the jars on the shelves rattled ominously. The tourists looked around, their initial excitement giving way to fear.
Suddenly, a gust of wind burst through the cottage, extinguishing all the candles except for the one in the young man's hand. The room was plunged into darkness, and the air grew colder still. The laughter grew louder, and out of the corner of their eyes, they saw three figures begin to materialize in the shadows. The tour guide's heart raced as she recognized the silhouettes of the Sanderson Sisters, their outlines becoming more defined with every second that passed.
"We're back, Salem!." spoke the eldest sister.
Meanwhile in the night of San Fransokyo, the city was filled with Halloween decorations as children in costumes were out trick or treating. Team Future have gone all out on decorating their home.
Hiro looked around proudly at their handiwork, the lights from the jack-o'-lanterns casting a warm glow over the living room. "You guys did amazing," he said to Penny who was filling the large bowl of yummy candy.
"Thanks, Hiro," she replied with a smile. "We wanted to make sure we had the best decorations on the block."
Merida, who is sitting on the couch watching horror films, looked at the decorations. "Now, I hope you guys put that same decoration effort on my holiday in March."
Penny laughed, throwing a piece of candy at her. "You know we will, but this is Halloween!. The spookiest night of the year!."
Out of nowhere, Violet, who is dressed up as a witch, popped out and scared Penny. Which made the southern girl super punch Violet in the face and had her hit the wall.
"Ouch!." Violet rubbed her face. "That happens every time on Halloween when someone scares you."
Penny, now laughing, helped her up. "I'm sorry Violet, I couldn't resist. You looked just like one of the witches from those old stories."
Violet, still in shock, touched her nose gently. "Well, I guess I deserve that. But, speaking of which, do you guys know the real story behind the Sanderson Sisters?." She asked, changing the topic.
"Not interested." Miguel walked in his Day of Dead attire. "That is a bunch of Hocus Pocus."
"It's not hocus pocus," Hiro said, his voice serious. "It's part of Salem's dark history."
"Ha!." Wilbur walked in his Halloween costume. "The real history is good old Jack Skellington. Now, he is scary."
Hiro rolled his eyes before eating his pumpkin pie. "We are talking about real people, Wilbur. Not frictional."
"Seeing is believing." Wilbur shoots back. "You guys sure that you guys won't join me, Vi, and Penny?."
Merida opened her candy bar and took a bite before speaking. "Some of us have to give candy out to the kids."
"That, and I want to see if any of them decided to dress up like us. But mostly me." said Hiro, looking at the decorations. "You three enjoy Todayland's Halloween party."
Miguel pulls out a tray of Day of Dead cookies before setting it on the stove. "Exactly. You three want a cookie before you guys go?."
Violet nods eagerly. "Yes, please! They look amazing."
Penny, ever the skeptic, arches an eyebrow. "You're sure it's a good idea to eat those before going to a place where everything's already weird?"
Miguel laughs, the warmth of his smile reaching across the room. "Don't worry, Penny. They're just cookies. Besides, it's all part of the Halloween spirit!" He hands each of them a cookie, and they bite into the sugary goodness, the spicy aroma of cinnamon filling the air.
After eating, Penny got herself dressed in her Halloween costume, which is a scarecrow cowgirl, as she grabbed Violet and Wilbur by their hands and flew right out of San Fransokyo. Hiro decided to wear his Superior Iron X suit as a Halloween costume before waiting for the doorbell to ring from trick or treaters, while Merida puts on a vampire attire and fake top front fangs. They heard the doorbell ring as all three rushed to the door and were the first ones to give out candy, since they decided to make it into a fun game.
The first group of kids that came by were dressed as their favorite cartoon characters, their eyes grew wide when they saw Merida. "Look, it's Queen Arrow!." one of them exclaimed.
Merida chuckled and leaned down to meet his level. "I'm actually a vampire queen for Halloween."
She then puts candies in each of the kids buckets before saying Happy Halloween. The kids squealed with excitement, their plastic pumpkins bobbing as they hurried away.
Hiro couldn't resist the temptation and put on a dramatic bow. "Thank you, my little subjects," he said in a playful accent, which made the children laugh even more.
The night grew colder as the trio handed out candy, each costume growing more impressive than the last. Superheroes, witches, and aliens filled the street, their laughter and excited chatter creating a symphony of spooky delight.
"Tonight is looking quite good, guys." Miguel fills his bowl of candy to pass out.
"It's always good when the community comes together." Merida says, watching the costumed kids playfully scream and run from door to door.
The doorbell rings again, and this time, a group of teenagers dressed as pirates stumble upon them. "Arr matey, I don't believe my eyes!" one says, pointing at Miguel.
Miguel laughs, playing along. "Ahoy there, sailors!. What will be your treasure this eve?."
The teenagers, caught off guard by his quick wit, chuckle and present their candy bags. As he doles out the sugary loot, he notices the leader of the pack eyeing him curiously. "You look familiar, cap'n," the pirate-clad teen says.
"Oh, you probably do. My alter ego." Miguel said, giving him his candy.
Merida playfully bumped him. "Alright, Captain Obvious, don't ruin the fun."
The pirate teen grinned, revealing a mouthful of braces. "No worries, man. Just had to make sure."
They watched them leave in their car and watched them drive off. Miguel looked at his friends. "I don't know why people like Rider more than me."
Merida pats him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you're the hero here. Now, let's keep giving out candy."
As the three entered back in the building, suddenly a colorful portal opened up and out came a beautiful Taiwanese woman with a curvy body and impressive busty chest. She wears a purple and gold attire with a cape and boots. Her hair is short while her lips are pink. Her main jewelry is a long gold chain necklace holding the main piece which is a round object with a capital green A that has lines going forward on top of it which happens to be her main weapon. Her name is Victoria. Victoria Weird aka The Grand Superior Sorcerer. Just like Team Future and all the Supers, Victoria is a Super. Except her work is to keep their world's reality protected and safe from things that no one can see from the naked eye.
"Ah, Victoria." Hiro grabbed his bowl of candy. "I never thought that the Grand Superior Sorcerer would do trick or treating based on their line of work."
Victoria winked, holding out a bag. "A girl's gotta have fun on Halloween too. Besides, I'm not here just for candy. You guys have licious?."
Merida nodded. "Plenty. Take as much as you like." She handed the bag over, and Victoria began filling it up.
"Thanks, I need the energy." Victoria said, glancing around the room. "I've got some... unfinished business to attend to tonight. You know how it is with the mystic arts. And I need your help. It is an utmost emergency."
"Of course," Hiro said, straightening up. "What's the trouble?."
"Let's talk in my home." Victoria used her hand and made a magical wave.
The wave changed to teleport them into the mystic home of the mystical and unknown. Hiro, being all science and technology, hasn't believed in magic since the day he met Victoria through Rider.
"Victoria, what is it this time?. Another rogue sorcerer?" Merida asked, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"No." Victoria shook her head while leading them up the large red carpet steps. "It is much worse."
Her mystic abode was a stark contrast to the vibrant streets of San Fransokyo, a serene sanctum of shimmering crystals and floating books. The air smelled faintly of incense, the scent of ancient wisdom lingering. A cauldron bubbled in the corner, casting eerie shadows on the walls adorned with mystical symbols. The hallway they entered after reaching the end of the steps had items inside glassed cases with square redwood stands on both sides of the room. They approached the one facing them which intrigued the trio when looking through the glass to see a large thick brown animal leather book with a moving eye looking around before looking back at them.
"Tell me, do you guys know about the history of Salem, Massachusetts?." Victoria asked seriously before looking at them.
Hiro nodded. "Yeah, it's where they had the witch trials."
"And do you know the witches that are well known in that town?." Victoria asked while eyeing the book.
"Wait... you're talking about the Sanderson Sisters." Hiro folded his arms. "Aren't they dead?."
Victoria sighed, her expression more serious than ever. "You'd think so, but it seems history has a way of repeating itself." She paused, her eyes darting around the room. "I've been picking up strange energy readings from that area. Something's brewing, and it's not just the Halloween season. Someone, but more specifically a virgin, has lit the candle."
Merida's eyes widened. "The black flame candle?. An actual enchanted candle was lit?."
"It wasn't the first." Victoria looked back at the three. "The original candle was lit back in 1993, by some male teen who was accompanied by another teen who is a woman and a ten year old girl. Now, the second candle is lit but this one is way different to the Sanderson Sisters advantage."
Miguel leaned in with intrigue. "What do you mean by that?."
"What I mean is that this current candle has a special spell. When lit, not only will it resurrect the sisters but it also stops time itself and keeps it that way. Meaning that Halloween of this year is forever." explained Victoria.
Hiro checked the time on his suit hologram screen on his arm and noticed the time. His face had a confused look. "That is strange. It is night time but it reads 7:00 am. It should be in the evening."
Victoria nodded gravely. "That's the spell at work. The first thing those three are going to do is go and find this." She pointed to the book in the case. "The Spell Book. I have been using all my energy to put up an undetection spell around my home to prevent her from sensing it. Unfortunately, I'm too fatigued to keep the barrier to stay strong. That is why I need you guys to help me protect the book from every being back in the hands of the Sanderson Sisters. Wait...where is Penny, Violet and Wilbur?."
Merida looked at her watch, which had also stopped. "They're at Todayland. Besides, we are dealing with centuries old women who never had indoor plumbing. How dangerous can it be?."
Suddenly the whole house began to shake wildly, altering the four. Victoria summoned a portal and exited through it with the others in tow as they were on the roof. They see a couple of large clay-mud -like monsters with a big eye that is made of a boulder. Hiro activated his face helmet and gave a good scan of the creatures who were trying to break through the barrier. His screen gave him four question marks as a result.
"Vanellope?." Hiro called his AI.
Her face popped up on the left side of his hologram screen. Her cheery voice responded through his ears. "Yes, Hiro?."
"Vanellope, can you run a scan on these creatures? I'm not getting anything." Hiro said as the monsters pounded the barrier with a ferocity that made the entire building quake.
"Working on it, Hiro. Stand by." Her digital voice crackled back through the earpiece.
The monsters grew more insistent, the barrier flickering as they pounded against it. The trio looked at each other, adrenaline spiking. Victoria looked at the creatures with a stern facial expression.
"Spell Searchers." Victoria spoke. "They are specifically created to find anything by request no matter if there is a barrier or not. They will be aggressive to get what they were tasked to get. The Sanderson Sisters are here in Metropolis." She looked at the three. "We must keep the book as far away from them as possible."
"You got it." Hiro floated up and started firing mini missiles at those things.
Victoria summoned Merida's bow and quiver from the TF building to the Scottish girl's happiness. She wraps the quiver around her and extends her bow. She got up on the edge and pulled out explosive arrows and began firing.
Miguel transformed into the Rider. His fury skeletal form illuminating the night sky as he ran before jumping straight down and tackled one of the Spell Searchers, his fist wrapped in thick chain made contact into one of the creature's eye-like boulders. The creature shrieked, momentarily distracted from the barrier.
"Time to crumble!." Rider roared and started punching at them.
Merida's explosive arrows hit the Spell Searchers with a fiery blast, sending chunks of them flying in all directions, but they would just pull themselves back together. "These things are tougher than I thought."
Victoria nodded. "They're made from the very essence of dark magic. We need to be strategic." She closed her eyes, her hands moving in intricate patterns. "Let's try to banish them back to where they came from."
Merida and Hiro watched as Victoria began to chant, the air around her crackling with power. The Spell Searchers roared, sensing the threat, and redoubled their efforts to break the barrier. The house groaned and creaked under their onslaught, sending plumes of dust into the air.
Hiro's suit beeped again. "Vanellope, any info?."
Her voice remained calm amidst the chaos. "Scanning... They're not from this dimension. Their composition suggests they're conjured from a dark realm, likely summoned by the Sanderson Sisters to locate the Spell Book. They're not alive, so traditional attacks won't work. You need to disrupt the magical energy holding them together."
Merida took a deep breath, aiming carefully. "What about the eye?. Could that be the source of their power?."
Victoria nodded. "Exactly. We need to hit it hard and fast." She opened her eyes and pointed at the Spell Searchers. "On the count of three, we all attack the eyes simultaneously."
The four heroes readied themselves, their hearts pounding in unison with the monsters' relentless assault. "One... two... three!."
Merida let fly her explosive arrows, each one homing in on the boulder-like eyes of the Spell Searchers with unerring precision. The air was filled with the sound of shattering rock as the arrows exploded, showering the beasts with magical shrapnel.
Rider leaped into the fray, his skeletal fists now charged with a glowing green energy. He targeted the Spell Searcher that was still trying to breach the barrier and landed a series of blows directly on its eye, causing it to recoil and roar in pain. Hiro's suit targeted the other Spell Searcher's eye, and he fired off a concentrated blast of energy from his chest that has the large X symbol. The beam struck true, causing the creature to falter and stumble. The creatures broke down into mushy piles of clay mud.
"Excellent work." Victoria flopped down as her legs gave out. "I'm super drained."
Hiro hovered over to her, concern etched on his features. "Are you okay?."
Victoria nodded, her breathing heavy. "Just... exhausted. The barrier spell is losing it hold all thanks to those things. We need to keep the book away from the Sanderson Sisters and stop them from resuming their old plan."
Merida closed her bow and looked at Victoria before raising her brow. "Exactly what is their old plan?. I'm not that good at knowing my history. Other than Ireland's history of course."
Victoria leaned against the wall, panting heavily. "Their plan is to drain the life essence of the children of Salem to maintain their youth and power. But after reading the second spell of it from that book after temporarily encouraging that darn book to open for me, it will be taking the life essence of all children in the world. The Hurricane of Death. That will do the work of sucking the youth of all and then inhaling it from above."
Merida's eyes grew wide with horror. "We can't let that happen!."
"I know," Victoria agreed. "We need to find a way to reverse the time freeze and get that book to safety before it's too late. I know one person that can defeat them. He did it back in 1693."
"Who?." Merida asked, hope in her eyes.
Before Victoria can say who she was interrupted by a cackling laughter. All four looked up to see three old women on broomsticks.
"Why stop the fun when the night is just getting started out!?." said the one in between the other two women.
Victoria got back to her feet and looked at three in distaste. "Winifred. Mary. Sarah. The Sanderson Sisters."
Sarah throws her arms out. "Surprise!."
The other two cackled with her as they descended towards the rooftop. The oldest one, Winifred, looked at Victoria with a wicked grin. "So, you're the one who's been keeping our book from us, you little witch."
"I'm not a witch." Victoria stood her ground. Having a stern look on her face. "I am the Gran Superior Sorcerer. The protector and soul guardian of keeping our world's reality afloat and keeping the darkness at bay."
"A Grand Superior Sorcerer you say?." Winifred was amazed. "Sisters, we heard about the first Grand Superior Sorcerer. I never thought we would ever encounter one. And here I thought the title of Grand Superior Sorcerer will only be granted to a fortunate one who mastered and understands every spell of magic of light known since the beginning of time, and be able to control and respect the unlimited power of the Amulet of Autumn and destroy the fabric of reality itself."
Victoria nodded. "Indeed. But my power is not to be trifled with." She raised her hands, the air around her crackling with energy.
"Oh, well, you may learn and master the arts of magical light, but we learn the opposite, which is dark magic." Mary said, looking at Victoria with a crooked grin.
"The kind that can control the very fabric of time itself." added Sarah, twirling a lock of her hair.
Merida stepped forward, her eyes narrowed. "We won't let you harm any more children. Whatever it takes, we will stop you."
Winifred tilted her head. Noticing the other three. "And what you three might be?."
"Well, Ma'am, we are Supers." Hiro charged his repulsor blast. "We are better known as Team Future."
The Sanderson Sisters looked at each other, unphased. "Supers, you say?" Winifred leaned closer to inspect them. "I suppose you think your powers can match ours?."
"Wanna belt?." Hiro blasted his beam at them.
The Sanderson Sisters put their hands up and combined their powers to magical air grab the energy in a big ball. Then they shoot it right back at Hiro, causing him to hit his back on the ground of the roof. Hiro sees his hologram go off and so does his armor.
"Oh, damn, that push back had completely dried out the energy cells." Hiro slowly moved up. "My armor is completely out of juice."
Rider cracked his knuckles. Ha, this type of fight is between magic, Hiro. Not technology. Example. Magic vs Supernatural. Observe."
Rider charged at the Sanderson Sisters before jumping right to them readying to lay a blow on them. That is until Winifred restrained him with her magic. Rider tried to break loose but no good
"My, My, My, what witch made you?." Winifred asked in interest.
"La Muerte. And she is not a witch." Rider responded in anger of not getting out of her magic grip.
"Ah, La Muerte, the keeper of the dead. How quaint." Winifred said, amused. "I always wanted to meet her. But unfortunately, fate put me and my sisters straight to the land of Forgotten, despite us being remembered by many."
"She has her standards." Rider smartly said as it enraged Winifred.
Her grip tightened, but Rider just smirked. "I'm not going anywhere, darling."
Merida took the opportunity to act. She raised her bow and shot at her. Unfortunately, Sarah immediately caught it as she magical teleported it into her hand. She quickly shot right back at Merida, who jumped out of the way before the explosion impact made her hit her head up against the edge.
Sarah swayed her finger "Ah-ah-ah, not so fast, my dear. You wouldn't want to miss out on the fun, would you?."
Merida rubbed her forehead, but she wasn't down yet. "Victoria, we need to get that book out of here before they do something terrible. This is a losing battle."
Victoria had studied what was displayed to her. "That candle that was lit not only stopped time itself, but it also enhanced their powers. That is indeed dark magic."
The Sanderson Sisters cackled as they saw the four of them struggling. "You think you can stop us?. We've been waiting for years for this night since the twentieth century!."
"If I break free of this, I'm going to crumble the three of you." Rider dared.
Winifred just smirked at him. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots. Why don't you take a break on All Hallows Eve."
Using her magic she put an aurora around Rider as he yelled out in feeling something happening to him. Something reversal. Hiro, Merida, and Victoria looked on in shock when seeing Rider being transformed back into Miguel before seeing him thrown down. Miguel got back to his feet and tried to change but nothing happened.
"She blocked my connection to the Rider." Miguel looked in shock. "This is not good."
"Oh, man, if they shut off your power to the Rider, then we are so screwed." said Merida, in deep anxiety.
Winifred laughed. "Grand Superior Sorcerer, what you and your companions are doing is fruitless!. Just give me my book, and me and my sisters might just show mercy."
Victoria gritted her teeth. "Mercy from witches like you?. I doubt that very much."
Using what is left of energy she gained from resting, Victoria teleported herself, and the three members of Team Future back inside where they originally went before hearing the attack. Victoria opened the case and grabbed the spell book before giving it to Miguel to hold.
"Where in Todayland is that Halloween party being held?. We need to make a quick distance from them. I need to gather enough energy to do what I'm about to do." said Victoria.
Hiro's mind raced as he tried to recall the exact location. "It's at the amusement park, but I'm not sure which one."
"I believe it was Tomorrowland." said Merida.
"Good, then let's go there." Victoria said as she created a portal that pulled them in just in a nick of time.
The Sanderson Sisters busted inside and dropped down. Mary used her nose to sniff out the scent of them while Sarah looked around to find some spiders to eat. Winifred went over to the open case and can see it was recent.
"They got the book and left." Winifred looked at her sisters. "We need to find them and get that book. That new Grand Superior Sorcerer must know who ended us from the beginning. I can feel it!."
"Can't find a single spider or webs." Sarah frowned. "This house is completely clean. I can settle for a roach."
"Not now, Sarah!." Winifred snapped. "We have to find that Grand Superior Sorcerer and those pesky Supers before they do something with our book."
Mary nodded. "Yes, sister. But how will we find them?."
Winifred jabbed her elbow in her dimwitted sister in the gut. "Use your nose, you idiot!."
Mary nodded and took a deep breath, sniffing around the room. Her eyes grew wide when she picked up the scent. "They went through a portal!." She sniffed up and grinned. "Winifred!. I got their scent!."
"Excellent!." Winifred grabbed her broom. "Let's fly!."
The Sanderson Sisters took off into the night sky, their cackles echoing through the streets of Metropolis as they followed the scent of their prey. Meanwhile, Hiro, Merida, and the now powerless Miguel were teleported into the bustling heart of Tomorrowland's Halloween celebration. The neon lights and flashing decorations only added to the urgency of their mission.
"I need to rest." Victoria let Miguel take her near the food serving area.
"You should go find a way to recharge your armor, Hiro, while I go find the others." Merida was about to go find them and stopped. "Oh, and buy me a candy apple."
"Will do, I'll grab you one." Hiro nodded and took off to the nearest candy cart, his mind racing with ideas on how to recharge his suit.
Meanwhile, Merida navigated through the throngs of costumed revelers, the Spell Book hidden safely in a bag Victoria had conjured before putting it on her shoulder. The energy in the air was electric with excitement and the faint scent of popcorn and cotton candy. Music booming loud and filling up the whole amusement park.
Her eyes scanned the crowded area, looking for any sign of Wilbur, Violet, and Penny. She had to inform them about the Sanderson Sisters and the gravity of their situation. The last thing she wanted was for them to fall into their clutches. She looked over to see three teens wearing familiar costumes and rushed over.
"Merida!." Violet squealed in delight when she saw her. "You look amazing as a vampire!. Are you going to sign up for the best Halloween costume?. We did."
"Yeah!." Penny showed her trophy with a big smile. "I won the dance off competition not too long ago."
Wilbur rolled his eyes. "The only reason why you won is because the theme of the dance is square dancing. You squirrel, raccoon, possum eating country girl. By the way, eating those animals is disgusting, Penny."
Penny stuck her tongue out. "Don't like it until you try it, Wilbur. I know Violet might like it. It's good pure protein."
Violet folded her arms then slanted to the side with a disgusted facial expression. "I rather eat my nails and toenails, and drink my feet sweats than eat those animals that I sometimes see end up on the road."
"Violet, that's gross!" Wilbur said with a grimace.
"It's better than eating squirrels, raccoons and possums." Violet shoots back.
"You guys aren't living the life of an American." Penny defended.
Wilbur and Violet looked at Penny and spoke in unison. "I bet you eat them after getting them off the streets."
Penny blinked. "Well, not exactly from the streets. But yes. That is one way to get them."
Merida raised her hand. "Guys, we have a serious problem. We have to tell you everything."
She took a deep breath and recounted their encounter with Victoria, the Spell Searchers, and the Sanderson Sisters. Their eyes grew wide with each word.
Penny got serious about the situation. "Where is Victoria?."
"By the food serving area." Merida led the way in a hurry. "This Halloween just went up another level."
At the food serving area Victoria is trying to regain her strength while eating something. Miguel was concentrating to summon back the Rider but no luck to his upsetness. Hiro on the other hand is trying to charge his suit without the proper equipment.
"I really hate to ask since I'm not a believer in magic. But could you use your 'Hocus Pocus' to recharge my suit?." Hiro asked after giving up on making a special charger.
Victoria looked at Hiro with a brow raised. "After the times you know me and what we are just dealing with, you still don't believe in magic?."
"Well, I believe in science and technology, but I'm desperate." Hiro replied with a tired smile, his suit's completely powerless.
"I'll give you a portion of what little energy I have left to charge your suit." said Victoria, with a wave of her hand.
Her eyes closed in concentration, a soft glow emanated from her fingertips as she touched Hiro's suit. The once lifeless machine began to whir and pulse with new life. Hiro watched in amazement as the lights on his suit flickered and grew brighter, the energy coursing through it like a revitalized river. The suit's systems beeped back to life, and he felt the familiar sensation of power flowing through his sensors. He looked up at Victoria, who had turned pale from the exertion.
"Thank you," he murmured, with genuine gratitude in his voice.
Victoria's eyes fluttered open, a faint smile on her lips. "Don't mention it. It's not every day we get to save the world from a magical apocalypse. Well, for you guys of course."
"I don't suppose you have enough energy to undo what the Sanderson Sisters did to me?." Miguel asked with hope.
"I don't have enough energy to reverse what Winifred did." Victoria informed him.
"Dang it." Miguel took a bite of his fried ice cream.
"Guys." Merida ran towards them with the others.
"Victoria, do you have a solution to deal with the situation?. Merida mentions that you once said that you know one person that can beat them." said Violet.
"Yes, I do know who. Back in the 17th century there was a young man by the name of Jack Zan Dort. His family owns a fish business in England. He decided to reach his fortune with the family business by setting up shop in America. More precise, in Salem, Massachusetts. Jack is known to be a prankster and an excellent scare master. He is the sole reason why Halloween is today." Victoria explained.
"No kidding?." Wilbur was surprised.
Victoria nodded. "Indeed. He did those things because it was all in good fun for everyone to enjoy. However, he distaste the idea of harming anyone who is innocent, especially children. That is when he encountered the Sanderson Sisters. Winifred, Mary, and Sarah were stealing the youth of every child they can get their hands on so they can look younger and live longer. Sarah, the very dimwitted of the sisters, lures kids with her mesmerizing song. Mary, the woman that has the nose like a bloodhound, can sniff out any kid and can give you the exact details of the child by age, height, and what they are. And Winifred. The eldest of the Sisters is the mastermind of the group. She is an expert in spell casting."
Victoria pulls out the spell book from the bag. "This book is given to them by the devil himself. The book's leather is made from the skin of the freshly born animals. Its pages are made from rotten wood. And the words written in the blood of cute defenseless animals."
Violet dared asked with a look of uneasy facial expression. "What kind of cute defenseless animals?."
Victoria looked at Violet with a sad expression. "The kind that makes you question humanity. But that's the price of power. They've been using this book for centuries to maintain their youth and power. But Jack Zan Dort, he had a heart of gold, couldn't stand for it. He assisted his best friend and employee, Thackery Binx, in helping to save his baby sister from them. Unfortunately, they failed after the Sanderson Sisters had literally sucked the youth out of the poor girl. They punished the two young adults in ways that were inhumane."
Merida gasped. "What did they do to them?."
"They cursed Thackery and turned him into an immortal cat. As for Jack, they horribly boiled him alive in a huge cauldron filled with oil and not water. They boiled him until he died and all of his hair and flesh fell right off his bones. They buried his bones in a pumpkin patch." Victoria looked at her friends. "By fate itself, they buried him in the night on a full new moon on All Hallows Eve. The moon's rays had revived and brought Jack back from the dead and became immortal. He gave the Sanderson Sisters the fear of a lifetime. He struck at them with his powers of the pumpkins and defeated them. The townsfolk of Salem have praised Jack and adopted his pranks, scare tactics and the love of treats into what we now call Halloween. Jack became the pumpkin king and changed his name from Jack Zan Dort to Jack Skellington."
"Jack Skellington!?." Wilbur had the look of surprise and excitement. "So he is real!." He looked at Hiro. "In your face, Hiro!?"
"Well, I never said he wasn't real. Just that he isn't a real person." Hiro rolled his eyes.
"Semantics," Wilbur said with a smug grin.
Merida's mind raced with questions. "So, if Jack Skellington is real, and he's the one who can help us, how do we find him?."
"Since it is still Halloween, he and his loyal subjects of Halloween Town are out giving fright tonight. If I was back at home I can conjure a spell to find Jack Skellington. I'm going to have to make due. I need a fresh pumpkin, a carton of rotten eggs, a fresh roll of toilet paper, and someone dressed up as Jack Skellington." said Victoria, before looking at Wilbur.
"Well, I'm wearing a costume dedicated to the spirit of Halloween itself," said Wilbur.
"Right." Hiro nodded. "Penny you go get a fresh pumpkin. Violet, you go find a carton of rotten eggs. Merida you go find us a fresh roll of toilet paper."
They all dispersed, leaving Victoria to rest for a moment. She watched them go, feeling the weight of their task settling heavily on her shoulders. As the chaos of the party swirled around her, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt. Could they really find Jack Skellington in time to stop the Sanderson Sisters?.
Penny returned first with a pumpkin so fresh it still had vines clinging to it. She placed it on the table with a thud. "I got the biggest one I could find," she said, a little out of breath.
Violet followed closely behind with a carton of rotten eggs that smelled like a forgotten lunchbox in a locker. She held her nose. "Ew, this is going to be gross."
"Huh, how did you manage to find a carton of rotten eggs in an amusement park while the party is going on?." asked Penny.
"Let's just say I have a nose for these things." Violet replied with a smirk before her face turned a frown. "Damn, they stank."
Merida arrived last, her arms cradling a fresh roll of toilet paper as if it were the most precious treasure. "Found it in the janitorial closet. The partygoers hadn't gotten to it yet." She said with a hint of pride.
Victoria's eyes lit up with determination as she took the items from her friends. "Alright, gather around," she instructed, laying the pumpkin in the center of their makeshift circle. Wilbur eagerly stepped forward, already in character with his Jack Skellington costume.
With a nearby knife, she opened the lid of the pumpkin and set it to the side. She opened the carton of rotten eggs and began cracking all twelve of them while the others tried to keep the smells off their nostrils. Then she went to ripping each toilet paper into the pumpkin. Next, she went to magic stir the nasty mix. Victoria started to say a chant and got into a daze.
"It is going to take some time." Miguel looks at them. "I've seen her like this before."
The group waited anxiously as Victoria chanted, her voice rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern that seemed to weave a spell through the very fabric of the air around them. The pumpkin's contents began to bubble and froth, the smell growing even more pungent. Suddenly, the six started hearing commotion and went to investigate it. They didn't like what they saw. There searching around were the Sanderson Sisters.
"This takes forever." Winifred spoke in impatience.
"Young bloods. I can smell it. It's close." Mary said sniffing the air. "Unfortunately, there are all of them."
"Don't worry, Sisters." Sarah smirked. "We shall have our book and our youth back in no time."
Merida grabbed Violet and Hiro, pulling them behind a nearby stand of spooky decorations with the others in tow. "We need to warn Victoria!." she whispered urgently.
"How?. She is in a trance." said Hiro.
"And we can't mess with her when making the spell." said Violet.
"We can't fight out here. There are too many civilians." Penny looked in seriousness. "I may have an idea."
Penny flew over to the stage where the Halloween costume competition was being held. She grabbed the mike from the host. "Everyone listen to me."
The crowd quietened down, surprised to see Mighty Girl in the flesh. Hiro and the five got closer to where she is.
"Have you all noticed how it's been 7:00 am for the past couple hours?." Penny asked.
The crowd looked confused and started whispering among themselves.
"This year's Halloween has become an eternal night." Penny pointed. "All because of them. The real Sanderson Sisters."
The crowd gasped collectively as they turned to see Winifred, Mary, and Sarah standing tall among them. The sisters sneered, unconcerned by the sudden attention. Winifred sensed a dejavu as she recalled being in this particular situation. She knows what has to do. She smirked and acted honored.
"Why thank you, young girl. That is a proper introduction." said Winifred.
The crowd, still in shock, murmured among themselves, their costumed faces a mix of fear and excitement.
"But why should you believe me?" Penny called out, her voice carrying over the murmurs. "Look at them!"
The crowd's gaze swiveled back to the Sanderson Sisters, who had started to advance towards the stage. The sight of the infamous witches in the flesh sent a wave of horror through the crowd, and parents began to usher their children away. The Sisters' costumes looked too real, too detailed to be mere imitations. Penny stepped back when Winifred approached her with a smirk as her buck teeth showed. She took the microphone out of her grips as she looked at the crowd.
"Yes, it is us." Winifred placed a hand on her chest. "I'm Winifred Sanderson."
Sarah and Mary grab the other microphones and speak.
"I'm Mary Sanderson." Mary spoke.
"And I'm Sarah." Sarah spoke cheerfully.
"And so..." Winifred put her arm up before waving it in the rhythm of her singing words. "I put a spell on you. And now... you're mine. I put a spell on you...I ain't lying."
Victoria walked over with bubbling pumpkin. She noticed the crowd went from fright to excitement. Feeling suspicious, she closed her eyes and used her invisible sight magic to see what was going on in the blind eye. She sees dark magic spreading all over the crowd and sees the crowd getting excited.
Victoria turns her attention to Team Future. "Quick, cover your ears and think whatever!. She is casting a spell."
They did as Victoria said, plugging their ears and thinking of something random. Wilbur thought of a kitty playing with a ball of yarn, Violet thought of a rainbow unicorn, while Merida thought of a peaceful Scottish meadow. Hiro is thinking about winning the nobel peace prize, Miguel having a music career, and Penny thinking about shucking corn and peeling potatoes while singing Old McDonald. Victoria was about to stop the Sanderson Sisters from going any further but was too late.
"And now you're...MINE!!!!!." said Winifred in big enthusiasm.
The band started playing and began playing a tune to match the song that the Sanderson Sisters were about to sing. Winifred, Mary, and Sarah started dancing.
"Hello, Todayland!. Tonight you'll get a thrill of a lifetime!." Winifred spoke as began to sing. "I'll put a spell on you, and now you're mine."
"Gone, Gone, Gone!." Mary and Sarah sang in unison and did a wave. "So long!."
"I put a spell on you, and it was strong." Winifred started moving around on stage as the crowd started dancing.
"It is strong, it is strong, it is strong!." Sarah and Mary started running around in a circle.
"We have to get out of here." Victoria tells the six.
Winifred caught the eye of Victoria and the bag on her shoulder. She knows her book is there. "Not so fast, Grand Superior Sorcerer."
She used her magic and zapped Victoria making her drop the pumpkin but only it was saved by Penny, who scooped it up. Victoria was in mid air but then got pulled in towards Winifred who grinned at her. She pulled her beloved book out of the bag and smiled probably.
"Ah, there you are my beauty." Winifred whispered to the book, caressing it like a lover. She looked at Victoria. "You will make a fine trophy."
"Give it back!" Victoria snarled, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and fear.
Penny tightened her grip on the pumpkin, the sticky residue of the egg and toilet paper spell clinging to her fingers. She knew she had to act fast. "Guys, we need a plan!."
"No, you need to go and finish the final chant." Victoria told them while stuck in mid air. " Hold hands and make a circle around the pumpkin after putting it on the ground. Then sing Halloween!."
"We can't just leave you!." Violet spoke before seeing a bunch of Spell Searchers coming out of the ground.
"Uh, we can make an exception." Merida grabbed Violet by the hand and pulled her away.
Team Future ran away as soon as the Spell Searchers started chasing them. As they were about to run for it they noticed the other Supers dancing up a storm with no worries or care on what is going on around them.
"We need to hurry." Hiro urged as they saw the exit.
They ran as fast as they could while Penny was not using her super speed and did not dust them. The Spell Searchers were searching for them and looked high and low. Team Future reached the nearby park and took a good look before relaxing to see they were safe.
"Alright, Victoria says to play the pumpkin on the ground and then hold hands and make a circle. And then sing Halloween." said Penny. She looked at her best friends. "Is she referring to This is Halloween song?."
"Well, she ain't talking singing Thriller." said Merida, holding Wilbur and Miguel's hands.
They quickly formed a circle around the pumpkin, their hearts racing in sync with the rhythm of the distant music in their heads. Violet's hand found Hiro's, her grip tight and reassuring. They took a collective breath and started to sing 'This is Halloween', their voices a mix of determination and hope. The pumpkin began to glow a deep, pulsing orange, the light growing brighter with each word of the song.
As they sang, the air grew colder, a sudden breeze carrying the scent of dead leaves and pumpkin spice. The light from the pumpkin grew stronger, casting eerie shadows across their faces. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and they could feel the very essence of Halloween stirring around them.
"It's working!." Violet exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
The thick smoke from the bubbling pumpkin is getting stronger as a figure emerges from it. The skeleton figure is seven feet tall dressed in a black pin-striped suit and a bow tie that strongly resembles a bat. After singing, the skeleton figure put on a wide smile as he looked at the six. Wilbur was super excited to see his favorite figure of Halloween itself.
"Why hello there, children!." Jack grinned as he looked at the six. "Having a horrifying time on Halloween?."
"Jack Skellington!." Wilbur exclaimed. "You're real!."
Jack's grin widened. "Indeed I am, young man. And it seems you've called upon me for some trick or treat of your own." He stepped out of the smoke, his movements eerily graceful. "But tell me, what is it that you all have to summon me?. I was in the middle of showing my brother and sister in law how to properly scare a group of kids in a cornfield."
"Jack, we need your help. The Sanderson Sisters are back and they've taken over Halloween, trapping everyone in an eternal Halloween nightmare!" Penny blurted out.
Jack's smile faded, replaced by a look of stern determination. "Ah, those three again." He sighed. "I should've known they'd cause trouble. In fact I noticed that tonight has been going on longer than it should."
"They have Victoria!." Hiro added, his voice filled with urgency.
Jack's eyes narrowed at the mention of Victoria. "The Grand Superior Sorcerer is in their clutches? This is indeed a grave situation." He looked at the group, his expression serious. "We must act quickly to set things right. I can sense their dark magic from here. I should have locked those evil sisters in my magical pumpkin. I enhanced the pumpkin."
Miguel swallowed hard, the weight of his transformation heavy on his mind. "What exactly do you want us to do?. We're Supers."
Jack nodded solemnly. "Indeed, you are. And your unique abilities are precisely what we need to stop the Sanderson Sisters. But first, we must devise a plan to infiltrate their lair and retrieve Victoria without alerting them. Knowing them, they have returned back to Salem. Let's go."
With that said he summoned a ground double door from the ground. He opened it up and led the way. They followed the undead skeleton. Meanwhile in Salem, Massachusetts, The Sanderson Sisters were out in the back after leaving Todayland as they were brewing the spell of the Tornado of Death. Victoria, who is tied to a tree, was looking on with hope that Team Future had summoned the spirit of Halloween.
"I can taste that sweet youth!." Winifred said while looking in her book. "Give me a cup of deadman's toes."
"Coming right up, Sister!" Sarah handed her the ingredients while Mary was stirring the cauldron that was twice her size.
"You won't win." Victoria said, getting their attention. "You do know that right?."
Winifred looked at Victoria with a raised brow. "And why wouldn't we?."
"Because Jack Skellington is coming for you three." Victoria said with a smug smile.
The Sisters' laughter echoed through the night. "Jack Skellington?. That old fluff of bones? He's no match for us!" Winifred cackled, tossing a handful of bat wings into the cauldron.
"I defeated you three once and I can do so again."
The Sanderson Sisters looked to see Jack Skellington and Team Future both ready and determined.
"Jack Zan Dort!. Look at you." Winifred spoke cocky. "You're all bones and no skin."
"No thanks to you and your dimwitted sisters." Jack said with a frown.
The Sisters looked surprised. Winifred raised her wand, ready to cast another spell. But before she could utter a word, Merida stepped forward, her bow at the ready and shot it right out of her hand. In rage she summoned the Spell Searchers.
"Attack!." Winifred ordered.
Hiro sees the Spell Searchers charging at them. "Team Future, Future Up!."
Penny swooped and laid punches on them. "Take this!."
The Spell Searchers stumbled back from her might. Meanwhile, Merida had her own battle with her fair share. She shot another arrow, which hit and exploded on one of the heads. Violet and Wilbur formed a tag team and used their powers to create an energy wave. Hiro flew up and activated his laser beams and sliced half of them before firing his missiles. Miguel sneakily went up to untie Victoria while Jack Skellington took his fight against the Sanderson Sisters.
"How dare you hurt children again!?." He said in anger. As he threw his fire pumpkins at them.
The Sisters dodged with ease. "Oh Jack, you're still as predictable as ever." Winifred said with a smirk.
"Well, let's see if you can handle a taste of the future!." Hiro called out, swooping down to join the fray.
The battle between Team Future and the Spell Searchers was intense, but the team worked seamlessly together. Their friendship and trust shone through in the way they protected one another, each one's power complementing the other. The Spell Searchers, though numerous, were no match for their unified strength. Victoria got free and looked at Miguel.
"Time to bring back the Spirit of Justice." Victoria used her magic after finally getting your energy back and used her magic to break the curse.
Miguel can feel his transformation coming and finally turned back into the Rider.
"Finally!." Rider punched his fist in his hand. "Time to crumble!."
Rider charged and tackled the one that was nearby before spinning it around and threw it with another. Then he pulls his chin and sets it on fire and begins striking them on fire. Merida notched another arrow and fired it at a Spell Searcher that was advancing on Hiro. It hit its target with a satisfying thump, and the creature dissolved into a puff of smoke. Meanwhile, Violet and Wilbur combined their powers to create a blast of energy, knocking several Spell Searchers off their feet. Victoria and Jack worked together to fight the Sanderson Sisters.
"You're too late!. Look." Mary pointed to the sky.
They all looked and saw a green tornado forming and gathered green substances that must be the youth of the young.
"It's the Tornado of Death!" Merida exclaimed.
Hiro scanned the thing and saw that it was just like a regular tornado. "Penny, this is just like any tornado you dealt with. Reverse it."
Penny nodded. "Yeah, you're right!."
Penny zipped at the tornado before spinning inside and doing the opposite spin of what the tornado is doing. Jack took the opportunity to use his magical pumpkin that is solidly glowed with light purple energy. He opened the lid and aimed the pumpkin at them. The Sanderson Sisters essence was being pulled into the pumpkin.
"No!." Winifred protested.
Penny's spin was making the tornado wobble. The green substances of youth were getting weaker and reversing back to where it came from.
"Keep it up, Penny!. You're doing great!." Violet shouted, her eyes glowing with encouragement.
Penny nodded, her teeth gritted as she spun faster. The tornado's roar grew louder, but she could feel it losing strength. The green substance started to break apart, swirling around her in a chaotic dance before it was sucked back into the sky. The tornado shrunk and disappeared with a pop, leaving behind only the smell of burnt leaves and a trail of discarded Halloween decorations. Victoria creates a huge blue circle and does inner tracing with her fingers while using the powers of the Amulet of Autumn to help Jack strengthen the pull. The Sanderson Sisters were being sucked right into the pumpkin.
"No, we were so close!." said Winifred.
"Not this time, Sisters!." Victoria yelled with triumph as the pumpkin's light grew brighter, the pull becoming irresistible.
The Sanderson Sisters struggled against the invisible force, their worry turning to screams as they were drawn closer and closer to the gaping maw of the pumpkin. Winifred's grip on the Spell Book tightened, her eyes wide with fear. "No! Not again!."
"Yes, again." Jack watched them get fully sucked into a pumpkin and then closed the seal.
The night sky had become day. Hiro looks at the time on his hologram screen and sees that it is the next day. "Alright, Halloween is over. We did it!."
"Well done, Team Future!" Victoria said, a hint of pride in her voice. She looked at Jack. "Thank you for your help. I know I didn't need to butt in."
Jack chuckled, his skeletal features twitching. "No harm done, Grand Superior Sorcerer. Besides, I've had my eye on those Sisters for a while. It's good to know they won't be causing trouble for at least another year. I think keeping them in your hands." He handed her the pumpkin.
"But what about the book?" Merida asked, her eyes on the Spell Book that lay on the ground, forgotten by Winifred in the chaos.
"I'll take it with me back to Halloween Town." Jack picked up the book. "Thanks, Team Future."
Rider nodded. "Thank you, Jack. We owe you one."
"No, the pleasure is all mine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be getting back to my own realm. Till next Halloween." With a flash of the smoke, Jack vanished, leaving the pumpkin in Victoria's arms.
"Sorry for ruining your Halloween, guys." Victoria looked at her friends.
"It's alright, Victoria," Violet said, dusting herself off. "We saved it in the end."
Victoria made a portal back to the TF building and said with a big smile. "I wanted to make it up to you six."
"Don't worry, Victoria." Hiro said, giving her a reassuring pat on the back. "We had a blast, literally and figuratively speaking."
Penny couldn't help but chuckle at Hiro's quip, her cheeks still flushed from the excitement of the battle. "Yeah, it's been the most epic Halloween ever!."
"Well, there is one thing that you can do." Rider grinned.
Tonight, Victoria and her black boyfriend, Jones, hosted a Halloween after-party as Team Future and the Supers were partying. All six were on the dance floor doing the Thriller dance while listening to Thriller.
"It's the least we could do after all we've been through." Victoria said, handing out candy to the guests.
(A/N): Happy Halloween!.