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Maison LaGhede, New Gorleans
Fangsiving Morning



Marceline lay bundled in the damask blankets of her own bed for the first time since the scaremester began, and if she had her way she'd stay there all day. But today was Fangsgiving and her family would be arriving soon, and so she dug herself from her blankets and touched her feet to the cold marble floors of her room. She opened her window and breathed deep the musky air from the swamp adjacent to her cemetery home... Home. It felt great to be there.

Her caiman Philippe chittered in his terrarium when he saw his owner rise, and he scratched at the glass begging to be let out. Marceline groggily opened the lid of his tank and he wasted no time clambering out and onto her shoulders, burying himself in her coiled locks. He wasn't a particularly large lizard but required a lot of space for an enclosure, of which Marceline wasn't sure would be accommodated in the doomitories... Now that she knew what to expect and how badly she missed him, she was making plans to bring him back with her after Cryptmas Break.

Perhaps she could have Rory help her transport him through the Mirrorverse, she thought... and her thoughts stuck on her boofriend. She hadn't heard from Rory since the boos embarked on their bro-ad trip to Auntie Scarie's place, and she was certain they'd have arrived by now. Grabbing her iCoffin... and rapping it on the table a few times when the screen came on in a jumbled heap of color... she tapped out a message to Rory, not aware of the peril he was in...

To: Rorrim Rory Bludworth

Happy Fangsgiving, Silverboo! How's your trip goin?

Here? Marceline assumed Rory meant Scarie LaVeau's Beauté Féroce, Auntie Scarie's salon, and sighed with relief. That means they made it down safely after all! And with it being Fangsgiving, she figured some monsters would be coming in for a touch-up on their scarestyles... that must be what he meant. She fed Philippe a treat and tapped out another hext.

To: Rorrim Rory Bludworth

Well, watch out for that scare-spray! wink Dinner is @ 4, and Maman would like you here earlier! She's lookin forward to meeting you!

Well, this wasn't going well. Rory and Kai were basically stuck behind the brush as Scarie did her best to slow down the Murks, who were understandably quite eager to begin filming her cleansing.

"Now hold on here just one second!" Scarie declared. "Everymonster - and every normie know that the beast reality shows feature inset side interviews gettin' th' perspective of th' ones involved! Where's my talkin' head segment?"

Pa leaned back and scratched his beard. Cletus nodded his head.

"She's a-right, paw! An' she won't be in no condition tuh give no interviews AFTER th' cleansin'."

"Dat's true, dat's true." Pa agreed, flicking a couple of fleas out of his beard. "All righty den. You takes her off'n to the side, Cletus, an' git us a couple'a good sound bytes. I'll go an' revs up the motor for the Cleansin'."

Rory looked at Kai. Scarie had just bought them a few more minutes of time. If only they could think of something...SOME way to get Glen's attention.

Just then, Rory's iCoffin buzzed again.

"Brutha, don't answer that!" Kai whispered, warningly.

"I have to!" Rory explained in his quietest voice. "It's my ghoulfriend!"

"I have a ghoulfriend too, I don't text her in the middle of a daring rescue."

Rory looked down at his iCoffin and quickly typed a response. Kai just didn't understand, ghoulfriend or not. He HAD to reply to his spookybee.



Marceline texted back right away.



Rory looked at his phone. He looked at the can of Red Ghoul in his other hand. He looked at Kai. He shrugged, and put one finger on the pop top.

Glen's ears perked up.

Rory arced his finger, pulling up on the tab. An audible 'FSSSSSH' rang out from the brush. Pa Murk dismissed it as a bug. Cletus Murk figured it was Ma Murk's digestion acting up again. But Glen da West's eyes slipped wide open and he zeroed in exactly where Kai and Rory were standing. A huge grin broke out over his face. He whispered excitedly to his cousin and pal.

"Guys! You're here to save me! And you brought refreshments!!!"

Glen wasn't quite certain which had him more hexcited: the fact that his cousin and best boos were actually here to rescue him from those unwashed normies, or the fact Rory was hexcellent enough to bring a little something to quench the average boo witch's thirst! The rescue, he supposed -- but just by a hair mind you!

All sleepliness barely banished from his system by the immediate circumstances, Glen hextended his hand through the bars of the cage, reaching but as he summoned what little magic he could accomplish without his wand, he started to lower down toward the wet raft with his bare feet. That alone caused him to rocket back up and almost smack his noggin' on the top of the cage. He rubbed his bean and looked out to Rory and Kai imploringly.

"I can't levitate that and stay afloat, too!" He whispered with much urgency. He was thirsty! (And kind of anxious to be rescued, too.)

"You're up Quackford!" Kai said and he held the duck in his claws up to Rory who slipped Glen's wand, tied to a string, to their feathered bluddy's webbed foot. Kai then gave Quackford a light toss into the air and the duck pal of Nero's flew over the dingy swamp water and right toward the cage, as if he knew exactly what was needed of him.

If this worked, Glen would have no trouble blasting open that cage and freeing himself -- or better still, teleporting himself from the cage to the shore with them ala a poof of green smoke. Then they could help Nero get Scarie away from the Murks and beat a hasty retreat!

Of course, Glen isn't hexactly known for doing what's hexpected of him.

Quackford lowered just enough over the cage for Glen to reach up and triumphantly retrieve his wand! Rory and Kai high-fived one another on the success of their plan, until they heard the churning of the water. They turned and their eyes opened wide as they saw Glen enchant the cage into a magical 'speedboat', soaring right for them! The water splashed backward, safely away from him as he raced for the shore, and his bluddies -- and the Red Ghoul!

"Uh, Glen?" Rory raised a finger just in time to dive out of the way, Kai doing the same, as the cage smashed heavily into the ground, shattering itself to splinters and Glen went tumbling across the ground like a... well a tumbleweed.

Glen landed upright on his backside and looked around eagerly.

"Where is it!? Where's my beverage!?"

*crunch*

The heavy foot of Cletus Murk stepped down on that shiny silver and red can, causing the contents to spray out everywhere! Glen looked horrified, pointing at the 'massacre' with wide eyes and even wider mouth.

"Pa!" Cletus shrieked. "The witch freed her nephew somehow!" Cletus then spotted Rory and Kai. "An' she summoned a buncha li'l demons to help her too!"

Nero stood up from his hiding spot behind the shrubbery with a frown.

"Who are you calling 'little' half pint!?"

Cletus grabbed Scarie and hoisted her over his head. She pulled at her ropes but they weren't quite ready to give way just yet.

"You put me down this minute," she commanded, "or I'll place such a hex on you with my final spell..."

"You t'aint hexin' no one no more!" he replied.

Nero ran up the ladder and grabbed the nearest thing he could...the Cleansing Contraption itself. He raised it high above his head, his muscles bulging. He grimaced as the base of the machine tore free of the platform, rusty nails pinging off into the swamp below. A couple of nails snagged Ma Murk's dress and she went with the machine. Finally he stood up fully. Ma dangled from the side like an old coat, cursing (non-magically) at Quackford.

Nero and Cletus faced one another, eyes narrowed. More or less faced each other at least. Cletus had a good view of Nero's neck.

"Quick boy, throw her in!" Pa shouted.

Cletus hefted Scarie and shuffled to the left...then to the right, stood on the tips of his toes and strained upwards.

"It's no use, Pa, I cain't reach!"

"You put Scarie down now," Nero demanded.

"Not afore you put the machine down!"

"If I do that you'll just put her down inside it."

"I will not!"

"Don't listen to him," Glen shouted, "He's got all his fingers crossed!"

"I ain't...I mean, I'm not listening to him anyway!"

Cletus tried to fake to the left and toss Scarie up but Nero dodged to the right.

"You watch your hands!" Scarie squawked.

"ARG! I shoulda married that Clampett feller!" cried Ma, as she swung from the edge of the machine.

Everyone held their breaths. Except Glen, who was deliriously craddling the crushed can of Red Ghoul.

Man and boo glared at each other.

"I'll throw her into the swamp!" Cletus hissed.

"I'll throw YOUR MA into the swamp!"

"Cletus dern't you dare let him do that, I'm wearin' my Sunday best!"

One of Clestus' arms began to shake and Scarie lowered a few inches.

"Ohhhh, getting heavy isn't she? You need to work out more," Nero grinned, flexing nonchalantly.

Cletus gritted his teeth.

"I work out plenty, I go to them Mold's Gym and werk out wit the wrasslers," Cletus lied, having never worked up the nerve to even enter.

"Really? Gee, must be a trick of the light that your arm is twitching."

Cletus groaned as his knees began to buckle.

"I'm jus' catchin' my breath," he wheezed.

"Sure you are, I'll just be waiting here."

"Quit it!"

"Oooooh, is that your other arm twitching too?"

"QUIT IT!"

"You must be getting soooooo tired."

"ARG!"

Cletus threw Scarie down and lunged at Nero. The sphinx tossed the machine into the swamp just as Cletus battering-rammed into him. The two went tumbling down the ladder, landing with Cletus getting Nero into a nelson.

"I gots yer now!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" chanted Pa.

"NO! NO! NO!" Kai shouted.

"Watchu gonna do?" Cletus cackled.

Scarie found herself tangled in a bush and struggled upright. She found a loose nail on the ground and started sawing through the last of her rope.

Nero broke free and threw Cletus in front of him.

"THIS!"

And with that, suplexed Cletus into the mud.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOO! You got him, brutha!" Kai cheered.

Scarie's rope finally snapped and she she stood up.

"Finally!"

Marceline opened the oven door again, peering inside at the casserole dish within. This was the fourth time she had done so in the last five minutes, as Maman Brigitte had been counting as she mashed the potatoes. When the oven door creaked open for the sixth time, Brigitte let out a sigh.

"Ma'celine, dear." She said firmly. "If y'keep openin' that door, those sweet potatoes won't ever cook!"

"Oh, they're already cooked to pe'fection, Maman." Marceline said as she gently turned the casserole dish with a mitted hand. "It's just... when it comes to scaramelizin' the martianmallow toppin', it's a fine line between scaramelized and... well, burnt. An' I wanna make sure everything is perfect today!"

As she said this, Marceline looked down at her clothes. She was still in her pajamas, still without a stitch to wear for dinner. She bit her bottom lip.

"That reminds me... I need t'go get dressed! I still haven't even decided what to wear!"

"Say no more, ma petite. I found you the perfect ensemble at that veintage store in New Salem Maul... it's up on y'bed, waitin' for ya." Brigitte kissed her only daughter on her cheek and swiped the oven mitt from her hand. "I know how to scaramelize martianmallows, darlin'. Leave it all to me and go get dressed before y'boofriend shows up and sees you in your frightie!"

"Thank you, Maman!" Marceline grinned as she dashed upstairs.

Fangsgiving.

Mid-Afternoon.

At last, everything was settled, everyone was dressed in their beast, and the limoscream pulled up in front of Maison LaGhede, the LaGhede family mausoleum.

It was a massive structure, looming over the graveyard it was built in like a sentinel. There was nothing about it that was bleak or shadowy, though. The Maison LaGhede was exactly like the sort of home Rory hexpected Marceline to live in - colorful, classy and busy. Dead boo-quets of flowers adorned the rot-iron fence that surrounded the Mausoleum. Marble pillars supported the front porch, wound all over with gore-geous blooms of deadly nightshade.

"Go ahead, chromebro." Nero lightly pushed Rory ahead of the group. "She's your ghoulfriend. Knock!"

Rory wanted to fire back at Nero by asking when hexactly he'd been nominated as their official door-knocker, but instead he just gulped, reached out one fractured hand and tapped on the door.

*tap tap tap*