#silasxfrank

[cryptid-killjoy]

Delta was projecting. She was judging herself for giving a shit at all when logic told her she shouldn't. Frank was right. Thus was the burden of family. At least she had a partner who could follow whether he was in alignment or not. She needed understanding on this one while she wasn't understanding herself.

Delta did enjoy that tower the weasel made. It came in handy. It became one of her favorite rooms. Frank seemed so himself there. She liked that. So free.

Silas tilted his head like a curious dog at the word Splatterpunk. "Am I supposed to know what that is? Sounds festive."

But what kind of art did he usually make? "The intricate kind. Delicate."

Those were his words, but his thoughts would flash visions of pieces of his own work inspired by his father. Moments of his surgeon father teaching him anatomy in the most sterile of environments, IV's dripping, monitors beeping, large blue prints on a table of the stages of procedures to fully form insane body modifications that no state would ever approve. Implants, disfurments, to full amputations and reattachements elsewhere, inside organs made to be visible on the outside of the body, and still manage to sustain life. Chernabog and his son kept these people on display like living surreal art in their home or as long as they survived until the next art installation. They'd be integrated into backgrounds and other sculptures to create whole scenes. It was for VIP eyes only. This was why Delta said to not mess up his surgical hands. It was her only request. She didn't know for sure of Silas's work, but she knew her Uncle Jenner's.

"Surrealism with corpses. I like the sound of that." He imagined Frank had fine tastes by first impression. He was also taking it quite literally. He wasn't picturing paintings.

A team. "Oh, I see." Silas couldn't help but see that image and parallel it to his life. "Like when father and I callaborate."

Silas put up some fuss when he realized he was going to be left alone, far more about being alone than being hung. He was treating that act like a game. The body bag however was a nice touch. He couldn't help but ask, "This isn't one of those Walmart body bags is it? You spring for the good stuff right? And what it with the hideous yellow of Walmart's bags? Are they trying to ruin great art?" Clearly Silas had been affected by Walmart body bags in the past. "I really should have known buying body bags from Walmart was a bad idea. Coffins however, pretty good deals."

He respected the team concept. He mostly just didn't want to be left alone. Frank would get the sound of his prisoner's screams till the moment he was far enough away because Silas thought something was going to happen now. He'd also spent so much time alone in the forests. He was enjoying the company for a change. He wanted to hear more about exquisite corpses.

"Come on! You can't just drop that and walk away! Come back!" He'd yell, but Frank did not come back. "Tell me more! Please! Don't leave me alone after that! Come on man!"

Frank went to find Delta. Delta had been watching the party, getting updates from her fae, and watching the ones that left from the rooftop. That's where where Frank would eventually find her. She had watched King Triton's ship be sailed away by Babyface and Ellie.

It was difficult to settle all her thoughts on Silas and Chernabog with so much going on, but no one promised that guy she was getting back to him tonight. She'd get back to him in her own damn due time. The moment she saw Frank she walked out to the roof to greet him. It would always be her favorite spot in the castle. The place he jumped after her was the most romantic space in all of Heaven, Hell, and Earth. No matter how many times she runs to Christmas Town to get away from things this spot is better. Hell only wins because it's a place he risked going when he jumped and they owned that damn place, but that jump zone was the unknown. All he knew was going after her no matter the consequences. She could sit on the edge of that roof and feel the wind in her hair for hours and feel complete peace. So that's where she wanted to be.

Seeing his image in this space while she was feeling unsettled inside was needed. She was still dressed to the nines for the party, holding the trident/staff. She went up to him and held him around the middle which only landed mid belly due to height differences. Her whole person was practually the length of one of his legs. Then she looked out at the white water trail the ship was leaving behind and pointed at it with her tri-staff. "Can you sense them that far? Where do they think they're going?" Delta, an actual fisherman's daughter, unlike the two who rushed out to seas's first thought wasn't about the theivery, "I haven't fueled those ships up since we lived here."

"Fools."

Maybe she got a few things from her mother after all.

-

Willem really thought Figaro would give a silly send off of some sort for a polite you do you type of thing. He did, he saw all the fun and all the ghost friends he could be mingling with. But, everyone's return didn't have the same effect on him it had on the others. He didn't have the same attachments. If he would have seen Medusa's daughter/ward, maybe. But, she was hardly going to show up to this castle if she walked the earth tonight. She'd go visit her mother. If Taryn was walking around Feral it was probably in her old trailer park, certainly not this castle where everyone hated her. His mother maybe? Why in the world would Tinker Bell be in this castle even if did come back for a night? Old ship mates he'd seen walk the plank? Nah. They wouldn't come here. In his mind there wasn't a soul he cared for that would come to this castle. Seeing everyone else reunite put him in a weird head space. Of course he'd long for the one thing left he could reach from his past with any emotional attachment with Livvy's dolls.

Then low and behold. Blow him down. Shiver his damn timbers.

He saw Geppetto and sank to his knees. His hands covered his face. He was smiling. He was laughing. He was crying. It would take a minute for Willem to compose on that one, but it was finally someone that evoked a serious emotional response out of him. He managed to stand up and his face started to glow in ways it hadn't since his apprenticeship days. Master and pupil back together again.

"Sir!" He ran up. "I'm not going anywhere. Not yet. Not now. But I will take care of those dolls later on." After Geppetto. Yeah. After Geppetto. Then he started rambling like the student he always was only over excited to fit way too much in after too much time past. "I made my own dolls since you were gone all by myself. I have a client with a whole family of dolls that trusts me. I've been keeping your orders filled. I've respectfully informed all your clientele when an order has come in that I'm here in your stead. Several have trusted me to complete their orders. There's some that are so used to you they haven't decided yet. I always tell them that's understandable. You were the best, but I was taught by the best and I can only hope to live up to their expectations."

He spoke so fast and it was a lot at once. He had been trying so hard. His heart was rapid fire.

"I love your sweater. I wear it all the time. Figaro lets me wear it."

Once he got all that out he finally let out a normal breath. "I miss you. Hansel misses you."

Then he looked at Figaro. "How are you standing there right now like a normal person? I can barely function over this."

“Is it?” Frank said, as the boy brought up the obvious. They were probably all around the same age, but there was something just so juvenile about this guy, it really made him think that he was a stupid fucking kid. “Then I should hit it harder next time.”

It was a wonder this guy was able to go on for this long without being murdered. Perhaps it was Chernabog’s protection from the other side, but Frank could not imagine how anyone, not even Oogie fuckin’ Boogie, could put up with this sort of whininess for very long. He could feel the erosion at his patience. It was going to be real bad for Silas if he kept it up. Neither Delta nor himself had long fuses.

He was serious about not judging her. Everyone else in the world, fucking right, they were laid bare to him. He knew their thoughts, he could judge them better than most. But he had finished his judgment of Delta right when he realized he liked her. That was the only judgment that had been needed.

Even if she was better trained in patience than he was, as was demonstrated now.

Such was the curse of family though, one proud member talking about you with everyone else. Chernabog seemed to be that one, letting his son be privy to his devotion to Delta. Frank understood. Though he didn’t have much of a family outside of his mother at one time, she spoke about him to the ladies in her tailor shop. It was no mere annoyance. It was a large one.

But a thought from Delta took him away from that and he smirked over at her. Oh, those blessed memories. Delta helping him in securing the hooks, proving that he was the authority in taking pain, and she was in giving it. She was the only person to which he would ever belong, he knew that in his heart, whether it was beating or not.

He’d bring Silas to the construct that Chip had made for them, their torture tower, which also doubled as his pleasure rooms. Pulleys and ropes still hung from on high, and a few books scattered around showed his literary pursuits, even going as far as to reading while he was suspended sometimes. He found it helped him concentrate better.

“And what kind of art do you usually make?” Frank said, seeing Silas as a blank canvas. “Something modern like splatterpunk?” He chuckled as it it was cheap. He was hard-frozen into his own aesthetics. Blood and gore was fun, but that was more … Oogie’s direction. Violence for violence sake. Can’t see the forest for the trees, but deforestation is her passion. Frank - he had his own style, closer to Silas’s fathers, though he wouldn’t really know it. “I prefer surrealism. Exquisite corpses. You see, my girl and I - we work best as a team."

He would just suspend Silas for now, wrap him up in a body bag and let it hang from the ceiling, giving Silas time to think, to whine, to hope, to simper, whatever he wanted to do, but it was secure for now. Then he’d go back to Delta because being by her side was where he belonged the most.

--

There were many departed who were not in attendance. Iain - sure, he had friends up top but he was united with his daughter, he wasn’t going anywhere. Esmeralda wasn’t showing face - thank fuck for that, she was probably one of the most unwanted. She’d been trying to keep Frollo away from the living, keeping him down there rather than up there. Sally - she was always watching but she wasn’t approaching. Her son was all grown up. Delta too. As much as her heart ached for them, she knew - she didn’t have much choice but to let them go. They didn’t need her. They didn’t even want her. This next life - she was happier in it. She’d hopefully see them along in their own journey through life and death.

Figaro had been making rounds before seeing Lance. Willem might have been their person but he had brought a date and she wasn’t going to get in the way of their flirting and longing looks and tender touches, yeck. So bounce, bounce bounce until their eyes settled upon Lance and now they were in the big group that was the growing band.

They turned their head and saw Willem and grinned even more. “You sure you don’t wanna join the …” then their eyes went wide, looking behind him. Another ghost, perhaps? Another someone that they knew? Better.

“Not leaving without saying hello, are you, my boy?”

Somehow, he had wandered here. He’d always wanted to see the inside of this castle, and the tug from his loved ones being here had somehow got him to trundle up and inside. Figaro took a minute to try to grasp this, eyes actually filling up with tears and emotion, and then combined the three of them in a hug.

[cryptid-killjoy]

The flesh and blood intruder got a smack at the back of his head.

"HEY NOW! That's my head." As if Frank didn't know. That childish side was rearing. His left arm and even his foot stomped as he pouted about it. He couldn't move much else without actually trying to fight himself free of Frank's clutch.

Delta had to admit it helped her keep her cool when Frank said he wasn't judging her between their minds' link. She assumed so she was judging herself so harshly. If she was, why shouldn't he? That was her logic. It was hard to keep this dragon's fiery side cool once flared. If she knew Frank at all that was hardly his goal. She was sure he'd have loved to see her have at Silas, but she couldn't help but hold back. Silas knew her a little too well for her liking considering she didn't really know him at all other than who he was or where he'd been.

God damn Chernabog.

Delta gave Frank the look of thank you because she really had needed a moment to step back and think. In their minds' eye she'd clutch them together pulling him down from Spider Man's upside kiss, but this was no Marvel kiss. This was their kiss. FrankenLurch and his acid girl. The magic of their mind was she would pull from memories, Frank dangling from a suspension just out of her reach and she'd pull him tugging that hooked skin a little harder to flush full lips proper against his all while putting out smoke against the underside of his jaw. An added sweet kiss of Frank's beloved pain. It was the sort of kiss that could make her wet, drenched in fact, ready to put on quite show of self love below him as he dangled in the air. But this moment wasn't for that. This moment's mind kiss held a need of their strong connection, a firm hold before she stepped away.

Delta trusted Frank to do whatever needed to be done from there. She'd come back to him when she'd composed her thoughts on this. She wasn't even sure if Frank was going to just throw Silas aside for now and come back to the party or start having his way with him, but as she stepped away she felt confident Frank had everything under control.

So, she took her time to reconfigure. She held her head high and walked back out to take a peak at her party. She'd gather reports from her fae soldiers to see if anything important was going on. She'd take note of attendance. It was hard to tell anyone left when there were so many new and uninvited arrivals. She watched closely on the unhinged like her Hunch, the unpredictable sort. She noted the new band at play. Whatever. The Cheshire Cat Dj had gotten on her nerves anyway.

She did love the unpredictable sort, but the problem with them was they didn't always do things your way. Good thing she wasn't the Queen of Hearts or these people would be in bigger trouble. Delta just kept tabs watching them all not for order, but for knowing. If chaos was happening on her watch, in her castle, she wanted to be in the know. The band had something to do with the Reaper's family it seemed by the looks of it, so Delta was all the more approving. The more Merry Men she saw she couldn't be too upset by these ghostly comings considering they were all loyal to her. The castle seemed fairly safe so far considering the untimely realization that the castle was unprotected on this night.

As for Silas being drug away he kept his shoulders hunched up this time as opposed to how easily he walked the first time. This time he felt more like he was being dragged instead of escorted like a VIP. At least at first that's how it felt. Then the closer they got, so up against the other that way, so bold in his confidence to lure Silas in his clutches, that quite Frollo romantism kicked in, that poetry is classism, in how the heart beats for Poe and there's a knocking at his door kind of way.

Silas would say quite idealistically, almost sensually, and softly like he'd had an epiphany. "Oh... oh... I see. You want me to be the art now."

"I'm usually the artist, you see."

There was intrigue in his face. Curiosity sparked more at the idea of meeting a fellow artist than worried about whatever this man thought he was about to inflict upon him.

---

Outside at the party that Delta was taking a step back in, dressed to the nines, and trying to shake off how Silas getting under her skin, Willem had been spending most of his time with Nutmeg and the fae population. However, much of the fae population dispearsed when Delta needed extra security to figure out what was going on there.

Willem would notice a lot of his usual friends went barreling out the door. They looked like they were having fun. He peeked out and noticed Babyface and Ellie on the beachfront property side, not enough to notice what they were doing, but the water had a way of taking his mind other places too. There he was with Nutmeg, finally, in a date-ish situation, and he couldn't help but have similar thoughts as Babyface. The past was washing up in those waters. He didn't see Ian among the ghosts. He touched the spot of his curly headed memorial tattoo. He sure didn't see her either. He wasn't sure what he'd say if he did ever see her again.

Figaro seemed to be having a blast in the middle of the Theme Song Guy Band hullaballoo. He almost didn't want to disturb them, but being their person he felt the need to say something if he was leaving and Nutmeg would just have to understand. If she didn't, she wasn't the one anyway. So, he walked up to Figaro and said, "Hey uh, I think I'm going to head out for a bit. I have some dolls to check up on. I have to take care of them tonight. It's a weird night. Probably a good night to check in on them."

Yes, he meant Livvy's dolls, legendary female pirate, true form forever. His heart couldn't let them be and something about seeing that shore line felt like the breeze blowing his sails. It was a reminder of her. Hook's son always trusted the wind. Time to give those dolls a check in. He felt like their caretaker now that she wasn't around to love them like he knew she did. He thought too much like Geppetto now. They were all little people to him whether they'd been brought to life or not. Each one deserved significant care.

Go-Go didn’t know who hip coins was but hey, it sounded like a fun demolition derby type of thing. That was the American dream right there. That was something she wanted to try while she was in this country, and it looked like there might be the possibility of that tonight. Feral was the land of opportunity, it seemed.

“Fuck calendars,” She agreed with a nod of her head, the long hair extensions creating a more dramatic effect with this. She’d almost forgotten for a minute that she was dressed up, and not in comfortable speed gear. That made it all the more thrilling.

Goddamn that was a roar. She could have never met Jetsam, never seen him, and would know that he was a Laveau just from that call alone. She exchanged an excited look with Scout. Oh hell yeah, this was going to be a night to remember.

More and more people were joining them, which was completely fine, the more the merrier. And was she a little excited that the twins were coming? Yeah. She hadn’t seen much of the chaos that she heard that Chip and Dale could cause, not with Chip running his family and creating his own little village. Dale - she knew from first meeting him that he could cause a ruckus, ever since she had seen Anton move.

She was out of the castle with Scout, Halloween party be damned.

--

Bingo! Score! Win 100 tickets!

Ellie suddenly found herself trapped in a box, and without really thinking, she breathed her fire onto it, setting it in flame and stepped out the burning cardboard wreckage, looking around at the culprit, though Babyface had already pinpointed exactly who it was. Goddamn Dale.

“Yeah, let’s go,” She agreed, putting her hand on Babyface’s back to give him a little extra push as they gave chase to find out what excitement they were up to beyond the castle, red hair blending with the blue sparkles of her costume, creating a brightly-colored blur outta there.

They were out and she was ready to go and chase down the Laveaus some more, already pouting, feeling again like a little sister that was left out of something cool with the older kids. But Babyface’s sudden stop and looking out at the water had her slowing her roll, her feet coming to a slow stop, and then she trailed back up to him curiously.

They couldn’t see the island from where they were right then. But then again - with the island not getting in fresh shipments of boys, would it even still be running? Would it still have it’s magic? She tilted her head and looked out at how the moon reflected off of the water, hiding so much both above and below it’s depths.

And then she looked at Babyface, the way that he was looking out and she nodded, determination setting in her face. “Should we see if we can steal a boat, or should we skate it?”

--

Seems like Thomas and Valerie were the only ones. Everyone else was greeting the dead, or dealing with an intruder, or running off to do something crazy. Jetsam had barely looked at them, they were were homefree, they could do as they liked, and what Thomas wanted to do, more than anything in the world right now, was to hold his wife and have a good ol’ dance with her while Ches was still playing the music.

A full on waltz, one hand in hers, the other around that thin waist that made it hard to believe that she had birthed triplets. She looked damn good. Her body had bounced back incredibly, and oh, he missed that stomach of her sometimes but then there were times like this when they could be close because it wasn’t in the way anymore…

No matter what happened with this body, he adored it, plain and simple.

--

Honestly - Pierre had thought that Piper would hate him too. Shit, seemed like everyone did up top, and they had their reasons. It was valid. It took him over a year in Hell to realize that. Even Zero had hesitated on coming up to him and that was his goddamn pup, so Piper - yeah, he had figured she was pissed.

So Pierre was feeling VERY pleased at his reception right now, a little smug, even.

“And I for yours,” Pierre said, his eyes flickering over her face, and how it had not changed much since he had been gone. Those violet eyes, ever so striking, her rich dark hair, so black it was almost blue, the natural dusky tone of her skin. He had a habit of telling those that he was in love with that they were Gods and Goddesses but - Piper stood above the rest.

And even more cocky as she touched him like that, right here, right out in the open. He wasn’t shy about it, didn’t try pushing her hand away, instead greeted her with a half-chub that started to grow harder. Yes, even the dead can grow, apparently. He closed his eyes into the kiss, his first in what felt like eternity, and the sweetest one he could have imagined. “Missed you too, girl.”

Then things started to get intense. He wasn’t opposed to being choked though he wasn’t super into violence in the bedroom, but this was getting real. He could feel it, even though he knew that he could not die again. His eyes opened with confusion and hurt, not with anger, not with fear, just - almost looking like a kicked puppy himself.

The information was hard to take in, not with the distraction of being choked and how achingly hard he was getting under his touch. Oh, aching indeed, it was causing a sweat droplet on Pierre’s brow and all. The Belleroses though - at the mention of him, he flickered his eyes over to his sister, who had her back turned to him, talking to the ghosts of the Merry Men. Wulf, he recognized, from Hog Fest.

And then, his eyes would look around the room again and not find the second person he was looking for, because Frank was out of the room with their flesh and blood intruder and Delta. Then back into Piper’s eyes. “- one question,” He said, his voice hoarse, choking. “Can you only bring back me or-?”

He motioned his head towards Seven. Because that was his boy right there. They went through Hell together - and a lot of Hell’s influences. Pierre was not the same boy that he had been when he went under. But he still stuck to that loyalty to Seven, despite what else might be going on in his mind. He had to at least ask. If there was any chance…

--

Maddy also did a quick look around for Frank and Delta, and found them gone too. But those that were in the castle, she noticed, were friends. Save for maybe Pierre, but regardless, they were people who were not here to hurt them. Still, they shouldn’t give anyone the chance.

She nodded to Bastien as he wanted to go and get Frankie. That made her feel a lot better too. “Go, I’ll be right here, I’ll keep an eye out,” She promised Bastien, lightly brushing her hand against his lower waist, and then turned her attention to her friends, her face brightening up once more.

“Just Agnes missed me?” She asked Wulf with both eyebrows raised, but she would pet the little ghost pig that had served as flower girl at her wedding, her eyes full of delight. “I missed you too, girl.”

-

Lance caught Figaro’s attention though. “LANCY PANTSY!!!” They yelled loudly and ran over to them. After all, they had been quite friendly when they went to the high school together, as all of their friends seemed to have the main character stuff going on. They snapped their fingers loudly, almost imitating Kuzco, expecting people to come out of nowhere and get shit done. “Someone get this man a Geee-Tar!”

--

Elsa wouldn’t have minded if this was the rest of the night. Not a touchy-feely sort usually, but this was River. This was the son that she had for such a brief time. That she had missed so many years with and tried to get those back, tried to be there for him, tried to be the mother he didn’t need once he was an adult.

She also watched as they all went off together, and she didn’t mind at all if Koda went off with them. He deserved to have some fun out there. She was perfectly content to stay here, with the stragglers and the ghosts. But she did look towards Valerie and Thomas too, and found herself pleased that they weren’t being bothered by what was going on. Those two, always in their own little world. Dancing like they were in a music box.

“Absolutely,” She said with a nod, not acknowledging the way that he had corrected himself. Mother - it suited her much more than Ma, anyway.

So she would take his hand and they would have a dance and even Elsa would have a genuine smile on her face, seeing past all the rot, the dessication, to the boy that was underneath. She’d always see the boy. Even when he was a man.

And when he would break off to ask Valerie to dance, of course Thomas would allow this to happen with a bow of his head and a grin on his face, and would stand back and watch, even try to take some pictures with his phone so that this would seem less dreamlike.

--

Frank bit back a laugh. The nerve of this guy. The fuckin’ BALLS, coming in and just demanding that Delta release his father, as if Chernabog was just a house-guest rather than her prisoner around her pretty neck. Despite wanting to laugh, his face remained in that neutral, almost ghastly expression of his.

He listened, staying silent, staying cool for now, as Delta laughed for the both of them. But he couldn’t help the corner of his mouth going up ever so slightly.

“Oh, he’s being quite serious,” Frank said, holding Delta steady, allowing the leather fabric of his shirt to wear her tears, his mind connected to Silas’s. “He has no idea he’s sniffing around the wrong lamppost.”

He let Delta take the lead on the conversation, as per usual. She was a better talker than he was anyway. He kept himself holding onto Silas, one hand clenched on his, standing just behind. Trapping Silas between himself and Delta as he pled his case.

But when he brought up Uncle issues, he raised up his hand and gave Silas a smack on the back of his head - hard.

‘I’m not judging you. I’m judging him,’ Frank thought back towards Delta. And he was judging this guy hard. Was this foolishness, or was it bravery? Or was it just a desperate act of cowardice, because he couldn’t handle life without his daddy doing things for him. He got cut off from Oogie when he got stuck inside of Feral, so he was trying to find the next big thing, the next big Sugar Mama.

“We’ve got a special place for a thing for you,” Frank said, pulling Silas in closer to him, so that the clown’s back was up against his chest. Might even have seemed romantic, in a ‘Frollo’ type of way. “Where I’m going to cut you up, but I’m going to keep you alive. Yes, I’m going to cut you up, and I’ll see what makes you tick, makes you sick. We’ll find out exactly who you are.”

[cryptid-killjoy]

GoGo didn't pull any sensitive offenses. Jetsam checked that off in his mind. CHECK. He was right about her. CHECK. Then she offered a possible dress swap at some point. DOUBLE CHECK. Then her suggestion was to go on a joyride? TRIPLE DOG CHECK YA. Hello. Jetsam just earthly approved of Scout's friend that fast.

"I haven't been behind the wheel of a car since I smashed up old coin hips' car. Do you know how many years ago that was? Me either. I don't keep track. Fuck calendars."

Then he reared back and roared a gutteral metal scream while beating his chest. It seemed like it shouldn't be able to be done without a mic and some petals but there he was like he had a natural reverb box in his belly.

"Let's go bitches!" He sounded off like he was commanding a chaotic army of anarchy even though he was basically only addressing Scout and GoGo.

That loudness got two more people's attention though. Chip and Dale. Jetsam's actual biological sons. Fire lit behind both their eyes. It was the thrill seekers' flame ingited in the both of them. Dale was loudest when he hollered back. He didn't get to see glimpses of his father like Chip did. Chip had a secret world with him in the middle-worlds with Savvy, but not Dale.

"Regulators!" Dale called out, an ol' thing his dad used to do when they were young to gather everyone up.

So Scout called out, "Mount up!"

It was a Young Guns thing when they got on their horses, but they always said it when they'd scramble for their atv's and go out in the wilds of Laveau Estate back in the day. Today they were being joyriders and finding something out there to ride in the wilds of Feral. Chip heard about all the zombies. It made him start to feel like a little piece of home was in him. He turned and gave his wives a signal he was outtie and went running after his brother and sister... and god damn dad. The dad he killed, yeah, this was going to be a good fucking night.

Dale jumped on a table and threw his Barbie Doll box over his head and tried to ring it around Ellie's whole body like a last party game as the group went running out to cause havoc in the Feral streets.

Babyface would turn in his cop outfit ready to smack a bitch down for fucking with Ellie when he realized it was Dale.

"That fucker." His eyes tried to keep up with the crew weaving around dancers jamming out to the exit.

"We should go see what the Hell they're doing." He suggested before taking off looking more like a cop after someone with his billyclub out than a criminal for once in his life. Halloween wonders.

The young Laveau crowd with GoGo had gotten the drop on him though. He was lagging behind when he got outside. His excitement was banking on a thrill himself with all the hussle he was seeing, but what he didn't expect was for his feet to stop when he saw the beach at the bottom of the castle. He stopped running.

"Ells?" Something about fresh water had a way of taking him back to the island. It became that moment where Babyface Beagle didn't follow the crowd and instead stood in his unhealed feelings. He hadn't meant to be a party downer, but it caught him right in the chest.

"We're in Feral." The reality of where they were started to truly dawn on him for the first time. They'd come for a costume ball, but how often were they really allowed in this place? It had access to Pleasure Island.

"I have to go there. We have to go. I'm going before Delta tries to put us back on that bus out. I have to see it."

It. He didn't say the words, but it ached inside him. Maybe she wasn't the same, but it's all he could think of now. To him she had to know.

---

Valerie said it like Thomas was special and the reason why because he absolutely was. He confirmed. She was fucking with him tonight. "I'm a house. It's my god damn house." She grinned. Not a box. Never in the box again. "I'm with you." She needed all those words tonight. Moreso she needed the expression on her husband's face, the way he paid attention. That's why she was with him. Never ignored. Never brushed off. This was where she felt like she mattered. She mattered.

She felt the rush of her family racing off for different fun. They all became a blur behind the order of her eyes. That was okay. Thomas was still front and center.

"I would love to dance."

She held her hand out to be swept off to the dance floor. It looked like someone was going to have a traditional night at this ball after all.

--

Then there was Pierre. Zero and Seven did step aside. If Zero was a long time coming, Piper was a whole other level. Pierre altered her forever. Paramour yes, but it was more. They were supposed to be family. No one cut this thread.

There was a literal inferno beneath her skin that only existed in her eyes because of him. It burned through doors to open magics inside her she could dream of controlling. But, that was the thing about fire wasn't it? Fire was dangerous and hard to contain. It ignited other worlds within her. Sleeping worlds were now awake in her veins.

"Nope. I should have known better." There was a smile. "I'm glad. I always had a soft spot for your face." She took the hug in and used it to her advantage. She was anything but appropriate. Piper didn't skirt anything after that. She slipped a hand down his front, soothed right over his cock with one hand and kissed him clean on the lips in front of everyone. "I really, really missed you." She'd say ever so sensually. But, she didn't let go of his cock when it was over.

"Shhh. Don't move. Don't try a time loop. You're already in one. You don't want to cross magics like that. They think we're still kissing."

She held not a knife, but her curled hand to his throat, like Vader began to squeeze his throat without even touching him. "That's all they see. But, you listen to me. I don't care if you think you're here for all Hallow's thin veil. I've been pouring the purple sands for a long time waiting for your grain to drop. Wishing. Manifesting. Summoning you. I think I know a way for you to come back here, but you have to vow to leave the Bellerose's in peace. Can you do that? For me? For fucking once, do right by me?"

Contradictory much? A little confusing. Probably. But Piper wasn't fucking around. She never did anymore. She wanted him to know he was wanted here, but it didn't matter, she'd fuck him the fuck up in this world or the next if he fucked with her sister's head again if she gave him this chance and it actually worked. Hell, maybe he didn't want to come back? Maybe he'd disappoint her all over again.

----

When Maddy explained to him Pierre was definitely still dead and reminded him of Frollo Bastien's heart sank. He didn't care about Pierre anymore. It showed deep down to Bastien Pierre wasn't a real threat, more a pest.

"If Pierre and the Merry Men got in the castle then... Frollo." Bastien's hands actually started to tremble along with the side of his jaw when his mouth wasn't closed. This was a true Halloween fright to him and it was only a mere thought. "Let's stay close to Frankie tonight. It's a shields up night, Maddy." Bastien didn't even know if Frollo was really there, but he wasn't taking any chances, not with his little girl.

It was about then the Merry Men started to gather around one of their favorite castle couples.

It was Wulf who brought Agnes the piggie up to Maddy. "Someone misses you." To Bastien he'd say, "After all the times I've hooked you up I know you got something for me now."

Bastien would give him the, "Just let me get Frankie first and then I got you covered."

The whole crowd would start to distract them. Lance would ask people thought he could play music too. He wanted to hold a real guitar again in his real hands. All sorts of hub bub was going on.

-

River had needed that hug from Elsa. It went on so long it was like a Disney World character hug where the mascot refuses to let go until the patron did. River nearly didn't let go.

As much as River enjoyed Koda he was happy enough to sit with Elsa. It didn't even dawn on him to go running off with the others of his family yet because he'd been so attached to the house in New Zealand. He followed Flotsam/Valerie nearly everywhere they went watching out for entities that might try and slip into her necro-magnetic field.

He'd meant to spend a little more time with his siblings, but it seemed his other dad got to them first and had them on exit. "I uh... I already climbed that moutain once today. I'm not doing it again. I think I'll stay here." He said as he watched them all fleeing on some kind of excited high.

No. River would stay and dance with his parents. Elsa first. Then he might try to cut in on Thomas if they hadn't finished by then. He looked over at his mother-form Valerie and Thomas dancing. River hadn't gotten to see her in a big gown like that in real life dancing so happily before. Thomas always made her happy, but this was different. He could see she was living her fantasies in real life with him. Now if only Elsa would say yes to a dance with him.

"Ma. Er. I mean... Mother. We should dance. Will you dance with me?"

--

Back in the throne room. "School. Ew." Silas looked annoyed by the thought and blew it off. That was the thing though wasn't it? Silas had so much going on. Halloweentown High. He never wanted to do that. He did it to make his father happy. Oogie happy? He was following a lead that didn't exist for him. His real parent was gone. He was cut off from Oogie when he got trapped in Feral. He'd found out too much along the way. He knew who his biological mother was now. There were a lot of ways to feel, but he wasnt sure he felt any. What Silas did thrive in was his routines. When his way was thrown out of wack meltdowns would happen. He'd been in Feral a long time now and his new routines were in place. He still couldn't help but feel life was easier when he had a Jenner Chernabog to do things for him.

"You should give me my father back, and let us move in the castle, give us a room, each of us of course."

Delta's face couldn't have been further from contorted. Her hunch's whole body might have twisted into every line her face had. "Why would I do that?"

"I can't get out of Feral. I've tried. You have the best castle and it'll make my life a whole lot easier if I just have him back. He does things for me I don't like to do."

Delta looked over at Frank and she couldn't take it. She sort of wanted to do the expressionless thing, but she couldn't. She upchucked some real laughter deep from within. It jostled her so much her curls bounced upward on her sproingy head.

Then the face Silas started making due to her mocking him only made her laugh more. She couldn't breathe.

She had to hold onto the side of Frank's arm to catch her breath before she finally said, "So let me get this straight. You want us to give a shit what makes your life easier?" She even wiped her face on Frank's sleeve. They were actually watering it made her laugh so hard.

"Is this really happening right now?" Delta thought he might be mentally challenged.

Then Silas responded, "So you're saying I need to earn my keep to help you here?" He still tried to explain it to Delta. "That's what my dad is for. He's the one that does things for other people. Me too. He can't do them from in there. Just let him out and we can both get things."

"I've had him this whole time. If I wanted him out don't you think I would have?" Delta wasn't even sure why she was arguing with him. There was something about him that made her want to engage.

"No. He must have made you mad to put him in there. He loves me. If he has me here he'll do what you say because he'll be happy. It's a win-win, Delta, Frank. I can control him. I always do. I'm the joy of his life, his reason for going on without madness. He said so. Besides you, Delta. He always said that. There's Delta and there's me. His boy. We're the only thing that keeps his head above board after Hades. You know it's true."

Ok, now Delta's face was changing. She knew anything could go wrong with a plan like that. She thought of about a dozen ways it could go south in a matter of a minute. Still, she'd been trying to figure out how to safely handle him if she dared eject him from the vessel. Uncle Jenner. Delta was more sentimental about it than Silas was. Silas had attachments, but Delta actually cared in her depths. They weren't the same kind of emotions Delta had which was why this was walking a fence and Frank could probably feel it by all the sudden involuntary imagery in her head of her past.

"You think you can walk in here and get me all stirred up for Uncle Jenner because you have Daddy issues?"

"Uncle issues much? Pot. Black."

Her eyes narrowed in on him. Then without moving her head she told Frank on their private frequency "I want him alive. But he's yours until further notice. Tower. Dungeon. I don't care. I don't care what you do as long as he survives it with enough surgeon's fingers left to surg. I have to think. Don't judge me right now, Lurch. I can't think. I need to think."

She shivered as she dared let her head test the waters of what Jenner once insinuated. That she had a brother. A cousin? Like family? Delta hated this shit. Right when she thought she was out a thread with a grapple hook would pull her back in. This was why she liked Hell. It was silent. Just her and Frank. All that longing for family always disappeared there. She suddenly felt like blaming her father for this.

Then she remembered Oogie. "Get this Oogie lover out of my face."

"Heyyyy, guys. There's no Oogie in Feral." He tried to reason.

Then she held up a hand for Frank to wait.

"You are seriously trying to tell me you don't care about Oogie and expect us to just forgive and forget you were with her before? Yeah, right."

"No. I expect you to understand I'm not what you think I am."

Delta was too fuming to understand it because he was getting under her skin. It was hard to do but he was close enough to know her triggers. But what he meant was he wasn't like others. He didn't feel inside like others. Nothing counted to him because in his mind nothing was real. In his mind all he did was walk up and offer his control services of his father in exchange for accomidations. But, that's because he couldn't feel what Delta did. His attachments always came with a use for him not an actual sentiment. He didn't like staying out where he had to keep figuring out his own food, doing his own cleaning. Life was annoying without a father to delegate tasks.

“Later,” Go-Go said to Nebby, much more distracted by this dead dad. He didn’t look dead, not like River over by the piano did. That made this a lot more interesting. Jetsam had a big grin on his face so Go-Go grinned too at seeing her best friend happy, and this crazy looking guy happy too.

“Yeah, that sounds accurate,” Go-Go nodded at the description of her. Beanpole, check. Computer chip? Check. Ready to go ludicrous speed? Double check. Call her a black 1970 Dodge Charger R/T because she was fast and furious, baby. She looked down at her dress, smoothing it over her small frame. “Yeah? Maybe we could do a swap sometime.”

She started to laugh at Scout’s joke too - she followed Koda on instagram after meeting him, even though they’ve never really spoken. So she knew who the horse was. And knew that there was one man in this room who would very much disagree that a horse would look good, ever. Which made her chuckle a little harder.

Think fast? Yeah, she was.

“I was thinking we could go o a joy ride with some of the cars that I saw down in town, have some fun with no speed limits and no annoying pedestrians?”

She was thinking she wanted to try car surfing too, even if it was extremely dangerous but the wind whipping through her hair? The adrenaline? Fuck, it seemed like it would be a real trip.

--

Thomas found it hard to concentrate on his own vision at times but he did practice a lot, especially while he was working on his projects at home. The little details in carvings from the bed frames to the statuettes he made, he had to have a precise eye. But he was’t looking at Valerie the same way that he looked at a project. He was looking at her like she was the finished product, and he was admiring it. She was more gorgeous and awe-worthy than the Statue of David, had more strength than the terracotta army, and more elegant than the Bust of Nefertiti.

More than her song - Thomas wanted her here for everything.

And he was pretty sure everyone else did too. Delta didn’t invite her here just to perform. She wasn’t here to provide the entertainment, Valerie wanted to do that. And now she could take a step back, relax, and enjoy the party, even with Jetsam here. He seemed preoccupied for now, anyhow. And when he would, invariably, make his way over, Thomas was going to be right there.

A smile widened on his face when she said those fucking powerful words.

“You’re goddamn right,” He said with a stiff nod. She had more right to be here than a lot of these people. Than these ghosts. But man his heart was touched and his cock was growing hard. She said that like he was special too. Like she was special because she was HIS fucking wife, when she had always had the capacity to glow on her own.

“And I’ll remind you every single time. You’re not a box. You’re a whole goddamn house,” He told her. Because there were bits of Valerie all over their home, from her loaded closet in the bedroom to the Nutella always kept in the cupboard in their kitchen. No one puts baby in a corner. No one puts Valerie in a box.

He squeezed her hand once hers had reached his. Her strength was incomparable. “Yeah - you’re here with me tonight, love, and I’m going to make sure that we have the best time.”

Though the main show was over, Valerie’s singing, Black Arts’ playing, the dancers gone to their dates or frieds, Cheshire was still playing music over the speakers. He brought Valerie’s hand up to his mouth with a small smile making the corners turn upwards. “Care to dance with me?”

--

“Thank you,” Elsa said with a small bow of her head. The dress was quite dramatic, but it seemed to fit the theme. Normally she wouldn’t go through such rigamole for a single event but - this felt different. She was REALLY here with Koda, and everyone was seeing it this time around. Everyone, all together. So she allowed her credit card to get a little wear and tear.

And then River told them that he had been working on this, and he had been around and Koda’s amazement. It made her take a step out of herself for a moment and think about what River must have been up to. She had put herself in isolation for a large portion of her life, and it had been uncomfortable. River was a social being, and he had been forced into it, into being this invisible ghost that can only be seen during rare occurrences. Of course he had been practicing for this. It made her tighten that hug up once more.

The two boys - the two most important in her life, finished each other’s sentence in a different way and it even had her laughing a little. Seeing them together was just - good. Just like how she was going to be feeling good to watch this River interact with the rest of his family tonight.

“Yes, of course,” She said, nodding towards Koda. And then a small little smile at his double-meaning. She was always cool, wasn’t she? Though not as cold. “I’ll be alright.”

There was no ‘Tell him I say hello’ because Elsa just didn’t. She had nothing to say to Jetsam.

"You're still a charmer, River."

--

Stiffness - but not resistance. A part of him had expected a tantrum - but that was going off of the young man’s face rather than his mind. He just - very much looked the type. Spoiled soft. Rotten. But he didn’t resist, he walked without causing a scene. Another interesting thing to notice.

“I didn’t ask for a history lesson,” Frank said, lowly. “I’m out of school now, don’t need lectures.”

He wasn’t the only one with imagination. Delta had it in hoardes too. Turning the horse from a metaphorical thing into something real that their uninvited guest could be shoved into, he liked that. His mind went through the old gypsy-torturing technique of cutting open a horse’s stomach, shoving the owner inside, and then putting it over a burning flame to suffocate and heat to death at the same time? He’d like to do something like that. He didn’t have a great love for animals.

Oogie had been too pre-occupied to think about Delta. The Horned King’s spell had taken some of her best and brightest from her school, and she had to reassure many grieving parents that if their kids had any sense in their goddamn heads, they would have just stayed at her school instead of venturing out into NOLA. It was their own faults for leaving Halloweentown in the first place. There was a lot of victim blaming there. And then trying to groom the ones that were leftover. She had given Silas space in her new torture rooms to do as he wished, order what he wished, play with whoever he wished. But didn’t have the proper time to actually spend with him and share her own wicked imagination.

And then his acid girl spit through the shit, getting right to the point and he focused his eyes on Silas, waiting for a lie. He didn’t find one.

Well, it wasnt exactly the most exciting reason. But it wasn’t the stupidest either.

--

Pierre had been looking at Piper over Zero’s shoulder for a full minute now. Did a part of him love her, the way that it loved few other of his paramours? Yes. She lingered. She lingered hard, like lipstick on his skin, like perfume after she left the room.

And Seven and Zero stepped back like this was some kind of a movie and this was the presentation of the hot female actress. Perfectly centered between the two men and heading straight for him, like something out of a dream.

“You think anything could completely get rid of this beautiful face?” Pierre said, closing his eyes as he hugged Piper, taking in the rich smell of her hair, her perfume. Did this girl even sweat? Seemed unlikely.

She smelled of their burning tree.

And in true Pierre fashion, his hands didn’t just go around her shoulders or back in that hug. They trailed down past her waist, to where back turned into ass, just skirting being inappropriate.

Maddy wasn’t paying attention to Pierre anymore. She had been walking towards their group of friends, Wulf, Arthur, Little John, Lance, having already called the first two’s names but they were looking around the room rather than focusing on individual people, apparently. Then Bastien returned to her and laid out that question.

She put her hand on his arm. “Oh, he’s still dead, Bastien,” She said, slowly. “Some ghosts can gather their strength and come back during the year, the way that Frollo did. But most others have to wait until Halloween to take on any sort of form. He’ll leave. He has to leave. And I’m not wasting another thought on him until I have to.”

It did show her one thing though. It was possible to hug the dead. And there were people here she definitely wanted to hug.

[cryptid-killjoy]

"I'm sure. Um, excuse me for a minute." Nebby said having heard a few things of the Laveaus herself, but never have had experience with them herself. She went gunning off looking for Black Arts. She was the one wishing she'd packed extra panties and not for the same reason GoGo had been teasing Scout about earlier.

Scout sounding so proud he was dead and just announcing it like that with no shame stoked Jetsam up. Then he got the intro of GoGo on top of it.

"I know who you are. You're that friend of Scout's that's basiclly a human beanpole shaped computer chip that seems constantly pumped up on liquid schwartz ready to go ludicrous speed at any moment. I like your dress. I think we're the same size. I'm beanpole size too." Then because he's Jet he'd off-handedly say, "I bet that'd look hot on Floppy." And no he didn't mean Koda's horse. He meant Flotsam. They were all skinny lanky people and all Jetsam saw was how they could share outfits the moment he saw her, not that Jetsam was much of a dress wearer, but two seconds on this plain and there he was trying to dress his twin again.

Scout just laughed. "I think Floppy's good in the stable tonight, Dad. But that horse would look sexy in anything." She knew how to turn it into a joke.

Then Jet said, "Well girls, I have one night on earth in my own body. That's not long. Think fast." He lifted his brow at GoGo like it was a challenge. "What should we do with it?"

--

Valerie looked into Thomas's eyes, trying so hard to focus directly on them and nowhere else. The visual lines of focus could be dizzying of one didn't have their coordination down, completely practiced with the windows. It took a long time to become natural. The triplets added a new vision field to tune into and blink through. There was a lot to shut down and hold closed. She gained it though. She held Thomas's eyes, his face, his safety. It was strange because it was only in a moment like this they realized there was very little they ever feared and one of things they feared the most was one of things they loved the most. Jetsam. It was their lack of control over Jet.

She saw what she felt there. She saw the same joy she felt when she first saw Jet making Scout happy. It was such a relief. Such a finally. It was even nice just to see him again for herself. They had such happy memories all their own. They were brothers. Then that feeling of Valerie's skin started crawl and reason's Chip grew up way too fast all rushed back. That's where Thomas's barricade was needed.

She was wanted for more than her song. Damn. Weirdly, it made her think back to Ariel's voice still stuck in that seashell Delta likes to keep. Valerie definitely didn't want to be reduced to her voice. It made it sound like her song was something that could be put away like the necklace. This made her remember Valerie being hidden under the bed. She liked being able to change when she wanted from Flotsam to Valerie now with the new magic, but the way Thomas worded it, it made her feel reminded she wasn't something that had to hide under the bed anymore. She could wasn't a parlor trick for entertainment. She was his wife and no matter what was going on around them she was wanted here. He said she could change if she wanted, but she was wanted for more than her song.

That was all she needed, that moment of Thomas having her back. His voice being her reminder helped straighten hers. She was wanted. She was Valerie fucking Laveau. "I'm your fucking wife and I deserve to be here."

"Every now and then the box under the bed likes to creep up on me. Thanks for the reminder, my love."

She kept pushing her forehead against his to keep that connection. "Plus, fuck that. I don't want to give anyone the satisfaction of me running. I'm here to stay and I'm yours. I don't want to send the wrong signals if I change." Then she slid her hand down his hand and took his hand in hers. She gave him a kiss, a nod that she'd be alright, then started to back her head up, but she did not let go of his hand.

--

As for River when he and Elsa's embrace finally started to loosen the familiar way she messed with his curl brought a smile to his face.

"And you look amazing." River replied loving her costume. It was up his alley.

But rough?

"Oh. Right." He looked down at himself. "Yeah. That happens. It always starts out so good. By the end of the night I'm rotten again. I should have waited to manifest till right when I got here. I messed it up. I've been practicing. My tangible time's been getting longer and longer. I think I wore myself out doing it too much this week wanting to surprise everyone this week too. Ah well."

Koda was amazed though, "So, you're telling us you've been around more than tonight? AND YOU'VE TOLD NO ONE. Dude. Bruh."

"I know. I know. Surprise. I'm the new-"

Koda yelled out Patrick Swayze right as River finished his sentence with Sparky. He was the new Sparky. Then the two guys laughed thinking they were going to finish each others' sentence, but finishing it so different made them laugh so hard.

Koda was all grins just behind him until he noticed Jetsam. That was his buddy. With all due respect to Elsa and River's relation's his emotions went on overdrive when he caught sight of Jet. He slapped his hand on River's back.

"I'm gonna leave you two to it for a minute. I see your ol' man over there. I'm going to go catch him before he disappears. You cool, Elsa?"

--

Silas felt the pull and didn't didn't resist. He walked like he was being escorted like a gentleman making no fuss to the partygoers. That's what's Delta wanted. Frank would be able to feel a slight stiffness in his body since he wasn't the one in complete control. This was unnerving even to a narcissistic psychopath. A loss of any amount of control is always a red flag in their mind even if regular person can't detect them feeling bothered.

The comment however amused Silas. "How very Ed Gein of you. Quite inspiring. I never did think he went far enough. So much potential there. His creativity was cut short. Your mind is far more innovative."

What he didn't say out loud were thoughts of how he'd like to work with a mind like that. Why didn't his partners ever have ideas like that? Wastes of skin, all of them. Then the random flashes of actual human skinnings would cycle through his head. He made better uses of their skin than their wastes of lives did. There was a superiority and matter of factness to his thoughts that only someone with a certain lack of understanding of true empathy has.

When Silas called Frank innovative Delta said, "Innovative? Oh honey. You have no idea. Whatever high horse you think you rode in on, I won't just knock you off the horse. I'll cut the horse off at the knees, shove those knees down your throat, and shove you up that horse's ass. That's just what I'll do. You don't even want to get in Frank's head. So, why don't we just cut the bullshit right now and you tell us what you want here? Now. Before you find out the hard way."

What a feisty, little, spunky, girl. He was finding her personality so far very acidic and inviting. No wonder his father adored this child. Memories of how many times his father left his own side telling him he had to go "take care of Delta" or he was on "Uncle Jenner duty" and that took priority over him. Memory flashes of Chernabog's face telling him he was a big boy and he had to handle himself while he carried out Maleficent's order's. Coven always came first. Time was strange because this became a simple matter of fact these facets of Silas's hidden childhood despite never having met Delta in person the whole time. Delta always to priority. Jenner was late for dinner. Oh, he was doing something with Delta and Maleficent again. Sure, he'd seen her before now. But, now they were here truly face to face.

Then of course there was the Oogie Boogie layer to his life. This came later. She never truly pushed any agenda in his head to feel one way or another about these two. Jenner tried to give the boy some stability a little too late. Silas has always had his own personal agendas and was thrown in the middle of whatever he was born into. It was difficult to navigate what he felt especially for a person who didn't feel a lot other than the urge to satisfy his own curiosities.

Silas pointed at Delta's necklace.

"I want to see my father. I know he's alive. I can feel him."

---

Then there was Bastien who picked up his hammer as he said he said he was going to. When he got it he didn't go over to Pierre. He got stuck again. He still felt like he was supposed to go rushing up to the situation and to go lay down the law on the guy or even smash smash smash. He still hadn't gotten any orders from Delta. Maybe she really did want all these ghosts here. Maybe she even invited them. So many thoughts raced through his head. He was loyal to Frank and Delta. He didn't want to fuck up, but his emotions were getting the better of him.

But by this point he was starting to reevaluate the whole situation. "Maddy?" His voice was soft. Seeing Zero and Seven with him was one thing, but what he was seeing now caused him to rethink everything.

It was Piper, the Reaper's daughter. She wasn't in her eyeball costume anymore because she'd just done the dance with Maddy and the rest of the girls. She'd caught sight of Pierre.

"Pierre?" She called his name. "The hourglass flipped over for you." She sighed like it was the most relieving news she could ever recieve. "The hourglass flipped." Then she reached out to give him a hug like all their past disagreements were wiped away with that hourglass turn. As far as she was concerned, at least for Halloween if that's what was happening, they were good until the sands ran out again. She wasn't wasting what time she had with him.

Bastien would look back at his wife. "We have to rethink this. I'm confused. Is he dead or alive?"

“You kinda get used to it overtime,” Go-Go said to Nebby, keeping her cool. The Laveaus had been shocking her since Dale had made Anton come to life. She could be shocked - but hardly ever surprised.

It really did look like a young Flotsam, though maybe a bit more wild in the eyes. The resemblance was uncanny. “Hi Dead Dad, I’m Go-Go,” She introduced.

--

Thomas was fine tuned to the word Daddy now coming from Scout’s lips. So of course, for a moment there, he thought that she was calling for him and his head turned as well, only to see the jet black hair of Jet, it couldn’t have been anyone else. He saw Scout’s smile, and he couldn’t help but smile back - he did love to see her happy like that, her cheeks looking like they could become sore at any moment from the smiling. And then he felt his wife hold onto his arm a little heavier, and he looked up at her. The storm behind her eyes. Not a raging storm, no, but a conflicted one. A storm holding castaways on the shoreline rather than being the reason they were being castaways in the first place.

Thomas turned around, turning his back to everything that was going on. Scout hugging Jet. River hugging Elsa. He put all of his attention on his wife just then, standing a touch taller on his toes so that he could rest his forehead against hers, looking one another eye to eye. He wanted to protect her from Jet. He remembered how Jet had wated to fuck Valerie, to take her, but Valerie had always said no. He was going to stand as that barrier, protect her right then.

“You can change if you want to, but you don’t have to,” He said, gently. “I like having you here with me, Valerie. You’re wanted for more than just your song.”

Even while everyone was looking over the newcomers, he was looking at her. His lips brushed against hers in a gentle kiss, giving her every inch of his attention, not even watching through the eyes, just her.

--

Elsa’s heart had leaped into her throat. It was stuck there. Frozen there though her feet kept on moving. The moniker of mom, she had missed it. She hadn’t realized that she had missed it exactly this much. And then touching him, the flesh, even if it was’t the best looking, even if he looked like the corpse that he was while everyone looked like the day that they died, it was a relief, it was a beautiful thing, it meant everything.

Elsa hugged him back, head in his messy dark hair, the curls towards the end, always with the handsome curls. She kissed his cheek affectionately, and then backed up to look at him, her lips pursed, looking over his face. And then the smallest of grins as she said honestly, “You look rough.”

--

Frank wasn’t going to give Silas any satisfaction in saying his name. It wasn’t going to come out of his mouth, no, he came as a clown, and so as a clown, he would be referred. Weak ass creepy clown shit. What did he think this was, a Stephen King novel?

He held Silas in place, his grip strong, his gaze still on Delta as she laid down the law, which made him smirk again. Really, it seemed like everything they did turned each other on. The way they dealt with this situation was no different. That defiant little ‘how dare you’ expression on her cute face, he loved. He even loved it when she turned it towards him.

He wasn’t gentle about pulling the clown towards the special room in which they would find out exactly why he was here. It could have been as simple as looking for his father, or spying for Oogie or some shit like that, but one never knows with people like them. Could be nefarious, could be innocent.

“He’s got nice skin,” Frank said aloud, wanting the clown to hear him. “If we tan his hide, we could make new seat covers for the car.”

He wanted Silas to know exactly who was in charge here, and it wasn’t going to be him.

[cryptid-killjoy]

Zero couldn't take it after that. Pierre was right. He wanted to. He zipped right up to him. He filled in those open arms with a full embrace for the ages, head tucked in. He rocked back and forth. Seven might have gotten the first, but Pierre got the longest. Maybe because it was the longest time coming. The tighter and longer he held the other the more memories came to mind. They all seemed to be good ones too. Zero always was a reflexive fella, followed his instincts. All buried in that neck he knew too well, breathing the other in, he whispered, "My after care guy." Then he just clung... just clung.

"Awww. Look at you two."

Even Seven felt like he was playing middle man for too long. He was looking for his clever comment then he couldn't take it either. No. Screw that. Not just look at them all patched back up. This was better than that.

"Look at us three!" Then Seven slapped his arms over the other two's hug and was hugging around it. "The gang's all back." He jumped up and down a few times outside of them which only got Zero laughing. It did feel like old times instantly. They were practically inseparable.

Bastien really had been paying attention to Maddy's dance. He just got side tracked on giving her the compliments afterwards. His protective instinct took over his need for praise. He might get there yet, but his whole peaceful world view was being taken over.

Maddy had the reaper eye on Pierre. Bastien put his hand in front of her and even though it was his protective instinct on first sight of him to keep them apart he started to wonder why the fuck he'd stop her. He slowly put his arm down. He was breathing heavy as the thought of him near Frankie was introduced. It seems like they both wanted to stop each other right at first. He was trying so hard not to act on impulse himself.

"He's not going anywhere near her."

He was also trying to figure them out. They looked so alive. "Where's Frankenstein? I don't care if he delivered Frankie. I'm hammering him for this." Bastien's next instinct was to blame the doctor. "I never trusted that-" But when he caught sight of Victor he saw the absolute devastation on his face and dropped that idea as quick as it came to him. "Maddy, he didn't do it."

Bastien's eyes panned over from Victor to Pierre again. Seven and Zero were hugging the guy. Everything looked so celebratory. It was confusing when his instinct was to hammer the guy. The confused feeling is the only reason he took his eyes off them to look around. Something had to give him answers. That's when he saw River. He missed the feeling of Jetsam completely being extra saturated with party favors tonight. It was that or the fact Jetsam was truly and completely out of him, but he saw Jetsam.

Frank was right. Jetsam wasn't there to cause a problem, at least not on purpose. It wasn't planned anyhow. He was there because he could be. He was there because he knew he let someone down several Day's of the Dead's before. For all the times he'd come to earth whether through possession or Halloween thin veil loopholes he always had a way of missing Scout. That wasn't going to happen this year. He made her cry too many times.

When he finally spotted her laughing with the girls he made his way over like a ninja in the dark until he jumped down. That's when Bastien saw him. That's when the new girl screamed and Scout turned around from giggling it up with GoGo. The chick she was getting a crush on nearly jumped out of her skin being startled by the jump scare right as Scout was laughing it up telling GoGo if she ever breaks her jaw to just tell people she was in a fight when she turned and saw her, "DADDY!" It came out of her mouth in the girliest squeal GoGo could have possibly ever heard come out of her mouth.

Then she jumped. Scout was a jump-hugger and Jetsam was getting the treatment. Nebby however was confused. She was trying to regain her composure. She whispered, "I think I peed a little." She looked mortified.

Scout didn't pay attention to any of that. It was Scout's voice calling Daddy that had Valerie's head turn. It didn't matter what form they were in. They knew their kid's voice in a crowd. She'd just walked over to Thomas and was getting her praise for the singing when nothing could have stopped her from turning to that sound. The sight she saw should have been more expected than it was, but after all the disappointments it certainly was not. Then she could do nothing but melt against Thomas's arm. "Finally." It made her want to cry. She wouldn't be drying Scout's tears again this year. She gave a nod, one of those hard nods that emotional debt weighs hard to give credit for after all the pain. She didn't want to approach. She wanted to stay back with Thomas and let Scout and Jet have their time. But, it felt okay. Everything was going to be okay. She glanced at Thomas with all those mixed emotions hugging his arm, her safe space. She really did not want to be anywhere near Jet in Valerie form. A really big part of her wanted to put her Flotsam-form voodoo necklace on. She kept inching closer in to Thomas. "He finally did something right."

Then as soon as Scout loosened her grip, but didn't let go, stayed attached to Jet's side, she said, "GoGo! This is him. My other Dad. The dead one."

It was so casual like it wasn't an abnormal thing to say at all. The dead one.

Then there was another kid calling for a parent. This time it was. "Mom. Mom!" River caught sight of Koda making a bee line towards him with Elsa. The state of himself hadn't entered his mind like everyone else looking on him. He'd practiced a few times and this keeps happening to him.

He slung a hug right around Elsa as he called out for his mom and had run right passed Koda. Just the same Valerie knew her child's voice anywhere, in a crowd, even from beyond the grave after years. She looked beyond Jet and Scout to see River and Elsa hugging after hearing what she assumed was her name called.

Okay, that one took her aback a little. Her grip on Thomas's arm tightened trying to stay strong in herself. The moniker had never been an issue in the past, Valerie had just never actually been a woman with a real tangible River like this before. River had been practicing trying to make this a surprise for the big day.

"Everything's fine." She said to Thomas even though he didn't ask. "M-maybe I'm supposed to be Flotsam tonight? My song's over." She was starting to feel seriously uncomfortable in her own skin and it was unnerving.

Bastien taking in this bigger view of everyone reacting to dead people finally got something to click. "This is some fucked up Halloween bullshit. It has to be. Look."

Then he pointed Maddy in another direction. It was less unpleasant dead person by Bastien's standards. Fucking Wulf. There was even a god damn piggie at his feet. He was already mingling and having the time of his after life. Being dead wasn't going to ruin the party for Wulf. Hell, the more Bastien looked around the more Merry Men he started to see. Little John and a few others lost in time.

Then Bastien pointed in another direction. "THERE!"

Bastien stared at Arthur the longest. It was so weird. It was like he had cancer again. He was looking around with a more concerned face on. Bastien might not realize it, but of course he was worried. He was taking a big chance here coming back to see Delta. He didn't know how Frank was going to react to that. Apparently time nor death changed a thing. Old habits die hard. Frank was intimidating okay!

Bastien turned to Maddy and shrugged just baffled. "Did Delta send invitations to Heaven or Hell?"

Then it started to dawn on him the moment he said Delta that this might not be a wanted thing. His eyes kept scanning. "The fae are on the move." He meant the gaurds. These were his people as were the Merry Men so he wasn't sure what to think. As one of Delta's loyals he decided he better stay on alert in case he's called in. "Consider me on call, baby." As if he's never not on call, but it was a party, a technical day off. Still, he felt the need to warn Maddy, just in case. He had no idea what was going on. Merry Men in Delta Castle, okay, but Pierre?

Bastien's brain wouldn't settle. "Excuse me while I get my hammer." He'd set it down to dance around either with his wife. If he was going to talk to Pierre, dead or not, whatever he was, he was going to be holding it as a reminder.

Delta kept getting updates from the fae about other entities. Merry Men. Yeah, like Frank she wasn't phased. She wasn't even phased by Pierre for as much as she knew it would ruffle the feathers of her Hunch and his wife. He'd still been a good tool. She didn't really care if a used tool was laying around the house. She could always put it away later if became a mess or a bother.

Silas on the other hand she had more of an issue with. Unpredictable outcomes here. She didn't like that. Frank got a hold of him. Dear nether regions just that move was hot. She'd keep that thought to herself but none of her thoughts ever were. Frank was always dreamiest when he handled business.

Silas did not move when first touched. He didn't cringe nor startle the way an average person might. His eyes moved first to the large human that snared his appendage. His head moved second. Silas could not read minds, but if ever it was possible darkness could recognize darkness, that's what met Frank's gaze. Silas could tell something was different here.

"Hello Frank."

Because of course he knew his name. Silas continued.

"If you wanted to dance all you had to do was ask."

Delta caught up not taking her dragon's stare off the both of them watching for the slightest movement not trusting the guy for anything. "You didn't get a ticket to this dance." Delta interrupted.

"If you want one you'll have to buy one like everyone else."

"Since when does anyone use money in Feral? That's the best part of living here. That and all the dead people. I don't think I ever want to leave." He seemed too pleased with himself.

Answer confirmed. This annoyed Delta to no end he'd been here for who knows how long undetected.

"Who said you pay with money? Come on, transaction is paid in the other room." She gave Frank a nod. It was time to escort him back there and get him out of the party before she made a scene. Delta was usually not one to care what people think, but Silas was a subject of a need to know basis. She wanted him out of here before who knows what happened if they were really going to confront him.

Thomas didn’t have to try, and was already being the best spouse that Valerie and Flotsam had, something that he took satisfaction in. He was barely trying right now, he was doing what felt right, and cheering for his wife, wolf-whistling, being her number one fan? That was as natural as breathing. He might as well be seeing his favorite stripper performing with his favorite rock band, that’s how thrilled and turned on he was.

Frank savored every single glance that he was getting from his girl up there. The best dancer of the bunch. He didn’t see that as his opinion, he said it as a bone-hard fact. She choreographed those moves and she fucking owned it. When they caught eyes, something that wasn’t necessary for their connection but it still sent a shiver down his spine, he licked his lips with his forked tongue, blowing smoke out through his nose afterwards. Fucking dragons.

Then these party-crashers did indeed crash the party, bringing eyes off of the dancers, two by two, and onto them. These two did always enjoy attention. This wasn’t surprising. They chose a moment that stole someone else’s thunder.

Pierre and River did have their differences, big time. They both seemed to fight over the title of cutest guy at school - at least, they did in Pierre’s mind, back at the Magisterium. And then there was the whole disaster of that Valentine’s Day dance where he had basically become River’s little bitch - ahh, that wasn’t forgotten. And yet - ugliness wasn’t exactly something that Pierre would wish on anyone. Other things, more ruthless things, sure, but that?

“Yeesh,” Pierre recoiled after taking a better look at him. “He looks even worse than the Grudge dude.” By which he meant Chernobog, whose name he never was able to remember. “I can smell the maggots.”

The last time that Pierre had laid eyes on Zero on earth, they’d been managing to work things out. He’d been in Ronno’s body - ick. He was putting that whole Leo thing behind him. Just let it be forgotten once he was in Hell and found that he had his own nipples - very important. His were better than Ronno’s. He had his spice back. But yes, his mind did go over how he had admitted to Zero that he had been going to his shows, sitting in the very back in a hoodie and leaving once it was over because he didn’t think Zero had wanted to see him. Their last talk had been good.

As good as watching Seven and Zero hug, though it brought a strong wave of jealousy through him. He missed being the first, though he knew that he wasn’t actually going to be welcomed anywhere tonight. And then as good as seeing that smile. If he had a heartbeat, it might have skipped.

“Come on, pup,” He said, holding his own arms out for a hug. “You know you want one from me too.”

Maddy had been having a damn good time. She knew the choreography. She’d been practicing constantly, doing some of the footwork while she did dishes or held Frankie or was just walking around. She had it down pat. And now she was up there, one of the girls. The powerful girls. And Zero, but he might as well have been one of the girls at this point. And she felt like she belonged, oh fucking right she did. No meekness. No anxiety. Throwing that ass into each of the movements, catching her husband’s eye and feeling them on her with every step that she took. She was in her element. She felt like a goddamn star.

And she came off that stage feeling good too. She was on a beeline for her husband to get his opinion, to get his praise. And hopefully he hadn’t been too distracted during the performance. It was hard to tell with him sometimes.

But it all went to shit when she laid eyes upon the ghost of her brother. Her real brother. Not the Leo thing. Not Ronno. The spirit of the blood that she had murdered with the tap of a single piece of paper, and she hadn’t looked back since. She froze in place, Bastien’s words coming in one ear and out the other. Her brother wasn’t looking at her right then, he was talking to Zero but she knew - she knew that he could feel that she was there. That they were both in the same goddamn room for the first time in years.

“I swear to God,” Maddy said, his arms going around Bastien’s arm. It wasn’t like she was trying to restrain him. No, she was trying to restrain herself. “- if he goes anywhere near Frankie, I’m going to kill him again.”

Her eyes were as sharp as a Scythe’s blade as she stared at the happy face of the one who should not be here. The concern was not for herself. It was for making sure that her little girl, her Frankie, the one that she was changing for, atoning for, consciously trying not to be like either of her parents at all, didn’t ever look upon that face.

Other than for the reasons of intrusion - Frank didn’t see Pierre or Seven as a problem. They came to be dramatic little shits and cause a reaction, and Frank wasn’t going to give them one. Flotsam too - he COULD be a threat if he wanted to be, but Frank didn’t think that was his intention in the slightest. No, the one that he couldn’t quite wrap his head around right now was Silas. The living intruder.

“You read my mind,” Frank smirked, making his way towards the little Chernobog, slipping through their guests like a shadow. He wasn’t going to kindly take Silas, no, he came right up behind him, and wrapped one of his large hands around Silas’s arm, holding him there until Delta would catch up. “Evening, clown,” He said, smoothly, hand tightening.

And then there were people who weren’t really paying attention to all of the new-comers. Clopin had gone right to his daughter after the dance was finished and pulled a whole Wayne’s world ‘We are not worthy’, bowing multiple times and then tried to see if he could do the dance moves, looking like Andy Poehler in Mean Girls. Ellie was over by the treats, enjoying them while also trying to get Babyface to put some of them into his pockets. And GoGo was with Scout, still slightly teasing her over her crush and then making fun of herself, how she would have for sure crashed down on the stage and broke her jaw or something. There was still a lot of happiness in the room.

Elsa was still in a jovial mood, even smiling once in a while. It only faded a little when she saw River. It’s not that she wasn’t happy to see him, his ghost was always a pleasant thing. But the way that he was looking, so run down, so - decayed. It made her heart soft to see him like that. Made her want to walk on over and force him into the bath like he was a child again, always coming in muddy from his adventures with Flotsam.

“Of course,” She nodded, and followed him, the red dress flitting around her quickly moving feet as they went up towards the stage. Her hands were ready to try to tuck back River’s growing hair - or more so, his skin was probably tightened up so it looked longer. Regardless. He was going to get more than a scrap of motherly affection.