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Printed from https://writing.com/main/campfires/item_id/1884325-This-is-Halloween
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by Twiga Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 18+ · Campfire Creative · Fiction · Horror/Scary · #1884325
A wicked spell is cast on our heroes where they see their worst nightmares!
[Introduction]
Bimbolurlina finds the secret to Jonathan Crane's fear toxin, she combines it with a magic gypsy spell that makes the heroes fall asleep and fall into eternal nightmares.

Now Jonathan and Ichabod must save the Humanimals from eternal nightmares.
Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween was very old and yet he was not old, when you're supposed to be an ageless Holiday spirit, it is sometimes a little difficult to know what exact age you are.

Let me clarify, in Halloween Town leadership is not passed from offspring to child like it is in the world of the living, the title of Pumpkin King or Queen is passed down from monarch to apprentice.

Jack himself had inherited his position from a Pumpkin Headed Scarecrow named Zayne Hemlock.

Jack knew until he found a suitable heir to his throne, he and his wife Sally would not be able to move on to the next stage.

I bet you're wondering If they're already dead, where do they go to? Funny thing that. In the world of Holiday Spirits, when it is time for one to move on, they go to the Eternal Ball of Forever, it's kind of like the Viking concept of Valhalla only for Holiday spirits.

Jack sat on his sofa rubbing his sore feet, when he heard something that sounded like a scream.

"Normally I like that sound..." Jack said "But that wasn't a normal scream...It's a sign something is wrong in the Mortal Coil...Someone is going to make a mess of this year's Halloween!"
With a groan, Jack stood up. "Now where did I put that item the Doctor said could see into the Mortal World?" he muttered. "I know he gave me one. Got to find out what's wrong."
Jack found it on one of his bookshelves, it was looked like a small ball made entirely out of glass, but in truth it was a scrying stone, like a crystal ball only so much more powerful.

Jack gazed into the stone and saw, a young woman with long black hair laughing her head off

"At last!" The young woman said "I have obtained the secret of Jonathan Crane's fear gas! That old codger will never know I took it!"
"Oh shit," Jack said, as his eye sockets widened. "I hate it when people mess with that stuff. It just ruins the scares I'd normally get during Halloween- I prefer those with a hint of joy, like at a Haunted House- not those born of pure fear, such a those during an attack."
Sally entered the bedroom.

"Jack." She said softly "Is something wrong?"

"I'm afraid so..." Jack said "Look at this..."

Jack showed Sally the stone together they saw, Bimbo mixing the regular fear gas formula with a strange new fluid

"With this magic potion..." Bimbo said "I'll get those Fellowship Humanimals to fall in an enchanted sleep! Tormented by nightmares they'll never awake from!"

Sally turned to Jack.

"Did she...Did she steal the fear toxin from..."

"Yes I'm afraid she did." Jack said "From Professor Jonathan Crane."
"Why did he come up with that formula again?"

"I'd blame the 60's- those were crazy times. Could of been used by some military."
Jack sighed, rubbed the back of his skull.

"I'm going to have to contact Jonathan...Again." He sighed "It's been so long since I last saw him..."

Meanwhile Jonathan had no idea his formula had been stolen, he had pretty much given up on villainy and right now his only concern was making breakfast he had to make his own breakfast since his wife only made vegan food which annoyed him to no end.
"Let's see," he said, as he looked through the fridge. "We have eggs, that's a good start." He took out the egg carton, and placed it on the counter. "Now, do we have bacon?"
As Jonathan searched for the bacon going deeper and deeper into the fridge, Pamela walked into the room.

"Jonathan." She said

That startled Jonathan he bumped his head on the crisper drawer

"Ouch!" He muttered "Yes Pamela?"

"Don't forget Ichabod and Marzipan are visiting tomorrow."

"Yes of course Dear." Jonathan said "I wouldn't forget that."

"I worry about him." Pamela said

Jonathan knew she had something on her mind so he closed the refrigerator door to save coldness and turned to his wife

"What do you mean Pamela?"

"I know he's chosen to live with his...foster family..." Pamela chose her words very carefully "But...He sleeps in the same bed with that Cat Girl! I know Ichabod told us he only shares his bed, he's not having sex with her but how do we know..."
"Oh don't worry about that," Jonathan chuckled. "I think I scared him away from that with my Sex Ed speech."

"Oh Jonathan!" Pamela said. "You didn't make him afraid of sex, did you?"

Jonathan scratched his head. "I don't get it. I thought you were afraid he might be having sex?"

"But I don't want to warp his personality, Jonathan! I was hoping he would have sex someday and make me a grandmother. Oh Jonathan, what did you do? Did you crush his libido?"

"Huh? I didn't crush anything. I didn't lay a hand on him. He's my son. I love him."

"Libido is sex drive. Poor boy. Now he thinks sex is nasty and disgusting."

"No he doesn't," Jonathan said. "He just thinks it's not quite the right time for it yet."
"Oh." Pamela said

Meanwhile Ichabod and Marzipan were getting ready to meet the parents.

Marzipan was whipping up some kind of breakfast sandwich for Ichabod
"Um, that smells good."

Marzipan chuckled, as she turned her head. "Ichabod, you don't exactly have a sense of smell."

"Um, I'm just saying," Ichabod said, as he looked at the food.

Marzipan pinched his ear. "Put your head back where it was- you're ruining the light."
"What is this?" Ichabod asked.

"It's egg and bacon on a English muffin with some Dijon mustard and fresh ground pepper."

"It's delicious!"
"By the way." Ichabod said after he finished his meal "What the heck did you mean by I don't exactly have a sense of smell?"

He touched his long and pointy nose "I believe I had the best nose on Planet Alderbaren." He said slyly

Marzipan chuckled

"I meant your nose is nothing compared to Humanimal noses!" She said "I mean for a human your sense of smell is pretty decent, but my nose...Whenever you use the bathroom I can always smell it."

Ichabod blushed "Really?" He asked embarrassed

"Yes, And I can always tell what food is being...how you say... Eliminated as you do so...Ichabod you really need to lay off the onions..."

Ichabod became very embarrassed, he sat on the sofa to hide his blushing

"I'm...I'm sorry Marzipan." He said bashfully "I'll try to watch what I eat."

"It's OK." Marzipan purred as she nuzzled Ichabod's cheek "Most of the time I don't mind the smell...You shouldn't be embarrassed by your bodily functions, think how much worse it would be for you if you didn't!"

Ichabod tickled Marzipan's side and they fell together on the sofa giggling like kids. At that moment Pamela walked into the room.

"Ahem!" she said. "I'm sorry if I am interrupting anything."

Ichabod and Marzipan quickly separated and sat up straight. "No," Ichabod said. "We were just playing."

"I just wanted to remind you about your doctor appointment," Pamela said, and left.

Marzipan frowned. "I don't think your mom likes me."
Ichabod sighed

"Sometimes I think she just a bit bitter that her son won't be marrying her best friends daughter."
"What do you mean?" Marzipan asked.

"Well, as you know, Mother and Father were career criminals when they were around our age. They knew plenty of other criminals. Now most of them are now parents, and some want the legacy to continue, and want alliances between others."

Marzipan sighed. "I don't think I will ever get used to you being a criminal."

Ichabod's eyes popped open. "I'm not a criminal! My parents are, I mean were, criminals! They're not anymore. But mom has a friend who has a daughter and..."

"I understand," Marzipan said and patted his shoulder.
Ichabod put his hand and Marzipan paw, he rubbed it soothingly

"Listen." Marzipan said "I feel like I really need to brush my teeth after talking to your Mom...Would you please excuse me for a moment?"

Meanwhile back at Earthport, The Fellowship Humanimals were trying to figure out what to do in Ichabod's absence.

One of them suggested family card games...

"...That's two no trumps." Bill the Bull said

"Fish." Bob the Catfish said

Bob pulled another card from the pile

"Jim." Bob said "Have you got a nine?"

Jim the Squirrel hesitated

"Well, I accuse Colonel Horseradish in the library with the lead pipe."

Matoaka the Unicorn turned and looked at her fellow players

"Um...Are you sure we're all playing the same game here?"




"I doubt it- We're all lost in our own worlds."

"Oh, I see the problem," Jim said. "Somebody mixed all the cards together. So uh... Miss Scarlett isn't really the Old Maid? Then why is she holding that candlestick in the conservatory?"

"Gin!" Bill said.
Ichabod and Marzipan were having a make out session in Ichabod's room.

Ichabod was very careful, he installed a lock on his door, so his parents couldn't barge in whenever they felt like it.

"Why do you need to go to the doctor tomorrow?" Marzipan asked as she rubbed Ichabod's chest with her paw, "You're not sick."

"It's just a check up." Ichabod said "I know I'm as healthy as a horse, but my parents insist these check ups help you stay healthy...Or some nonsense like that..."

"If you want." Marzipan purred as she started fiddling with the zipper to his fly...I could give you a check up, free of charge!"

"Oh Marzipan!" Ichabod chuckled "This is so naughty! If my parents catch us..."

"No one will catch us..." Marzipan said as she unzipped his fly "We'll be as quiet as can be."

Meanwhile, at Earthport, Kong the Gorilla was at his clinic. His patent at the moment was Kate the Zebra Woman

"I've been having this fever." She said "I don't know what's wrong with me."

Kong felt her forehead and took her pulse

"It's nothing to worry about." Kong said "It's just your body craving sex."

"Excuse me?" Kate said

"I'm assuming you did just have a baby right?" Kong said

"Right." Kate said

"Well" Kong said "This fever is just the last few days before your milk runs out, these are the last few days you can have sex without having to worry about getting pregnant again, it's not essential have sex at this time, but it will do your body a lot of good...It will give you strengh and vitality."
"Oh, thanks. I'll have a chat with my daughter's father."

"Or you could have a chat with me," Kong said.

"Excuse me?" Kate said, raising her eyebrows.

Kong winked. "I'm a full service doctor."

Kate hopped off the examining bed. "Well, it's been fun. Must be going now. Send me your bill."
"Aw Crap!" Kong said after she left "No one ever stick around after that part!"
"Oh well, there's next time."

Kong's next patient was Danny the Dung Beetle Boy.

"Whew!" Kong said. "Worse case of body odor I ever smelled. Is that why you're here, son?"

"What body odor? Something must be wrong with your nose, doc. No, I'm here because my mom says I need to get a physical examination because I'm turning from a boy into a man and I should make sure everything is working right."

Kong sighed. "Take off your clothes then and I'll check you out."

The smell became even worse as the clothes came off. "Listen, boy," Kong said. "If I pass out please call for the nurse, okay?"

"Doc! Am I that abnormal?"
(OK enough nonsense back to the plot)

Ichabod shivered in pleasure, as Marzipan gently stroked his member, he was straining, struggling not to become too hard too soon. Just then he heard a sound coming from outside, it sounded like a lock was being picked

"Oh no!" Marzipan whispered "What do we do?"

"Hide!" Ichabod replied he grabbed Marzipan and hid her in his childhood toy box, he quickly searched for something to wear.

He found a pair of shorts, he yelled "Don't come in! I'm dressing!"

"Ichabod!" It was Jonathan's voice "I have something to talk to you about!"

"What about?" Ichabod asked as he put on the pair of shorts

"I was going over some paperwork and I noticed my fear gas formula is now missing!"
"Uh, I don't mess with that stuff- not anymore dad."

"Oh yes, bad experience at that hotel. Still, keep an eye out for it. We don't want it to fall into the wrong hands."

Ichabod was surprised. "Do you think someone stole it, Dad?"

"I don't know. I guess I should have destroyed the formula. I don't know why I kept it around."
Marzipan knocked on the toy box lid "Ichy!" She said "It's getting hard to breathe in here!"

"That's really unfortunate Dad." Ichabod said "Well I better make sure I don't wear my good clothes tonight, Marzipan is making her famous beef stew tonight!"

He then let Marzipan out of the toy box, she was panting for breath.

Meanwhile Bimbo was trying to figure out how to get the fear gas to the Fellowship Humanimals

"How to do it..." She murmured "How to do it?"

Just then, a Rabbit Humanimal slave walked into the kitchen, she didn't see Bimbo, she rummaged through the fridge until she pulled out a bunch of carrots

"Aw Carrots..." She sighed "My one weakness..."

"Food!" Bimbo said giddy "I'll slip it into food! That's how..."

Bimbo turned The Rabbit Girl realized she had been caught
Bimbolurlina chased the Rabbit Girl down the hall, the Rabbit disappeared through a hole in the floor.

"Oh never mind!" Bimbo fumed "Once those Fellowship Humanimals are out of the way I'll be able to get any Humanimal I please!"
"You couldn't catch one if they jumped into your arms," came the rabbit's voice.

The rabbit's voice came from just beneath Bimbolurlina's feet. She jumped as high as she could and when she came down she gave the floor a mighty kick and smashed a hole in it.

"Surprise! Surprise!" she said, for there was the rabbit with her eyes as big as saucers.

"Holy shit!" the rabbit girl said and took off running.

Bimbolurlina just laughed.
"You better run!" Bimbo said "For by tomorrow all the Humanimals in the universe will bow before me!)

(Author's Note Remember Steve, Ichabod and Marzipan are at Planet Alderbaren, the rest are on Planet Earth)

Matoaka found a strange letter in the mail

"Dear Fellowship crew..." She read "Do you like desserts..."

Matoaka snorted "Well that's a stupid question...Of course we do!"

She read some more "If you do come to the all you can eat dessert buffet at Hell Hall."
"Hell Hall? I wonder where that place is," Matoaka said.

"Must be that new place on the other side of town," Zander said as he walked up behind Matoaka, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Do you want to go there?" Matoaka asked.

"As long as they don't serve me eggs or poultry."
"I don't know of any earth deserts that feature poultry," Matoaka said, so we should be good.

"I do have a bit of a sweet tooth today," Zander said. "But I think some nice fresh fruit will satisfy it. Maybe some watermelon accompanied by blueberries and apples." (Author's Edit In case you forgot Steve Strawberries are like cocaine to Aves)

The door slammed open and Frenchy the Skunk skidded to a stop. "What's this I hear about you guys going to Hell Hall?"

"News travels fast," Zander said.

Matoaka was thoughtful. "Frenchy, there is no way you could know that. We just found out ourselves."

Frenchy grinned. "I sent the letter. I didn't WRITE the letter. This guy gave it to me and asked me if I knew the unicorn. Had to be you. So I addressed and mailed it for him."

"I think you better describe that guy," Zander said.
"He was dressed in a tuxedo and tie." The Skunk said "He was short and fat and had a beak like nose...and three of his fingers were fused together forming a flipper like appearance"

"That sounds an awful lot like Gotham's Oswald Cobblepot otherwise known as The Penguin." Matoaka said "But that makes me even more confused."

"I thought he was still in prison."

"Maybe he broke out," Zander said.

"Maybe. I think we better make some phone calls and find out."
But the phone calls went nowhere, Finally Matoaka decided there was no other choice then to bring her crew to Hell Hall, to see what this was all about.

(Remember Steve, Ichabod and Marzipan are not here at the moment there on another planet)

"Let's see what's going on there."
(Got it. I and M are on Planet Aldebaren with Jonathan, Pamela, and Jack Skellington. Everybody else is on Earth.)

As Matoaka and company approached Hell Hall, they noticed it was a very odd building. It looked like a fort or rambling castle but it was painted bright red and all along the top of the walls were statues of little demons with pitchforks. The entrance was built to resemble a huge mouth that you had to walk into while a PA system scratchily played the sounds of demonic laughter.
As soon as Matoaka and her crew got to the kitchen, there eyes grew wide with shock, a wondrous spread of desserts were spread out before them!

"Woo-hoo!": Jim said "Free food!"

Jim started tearing into the desserts, Bill and Bob followed.

Matoaka took a single strawberry from the fruit bowl.
"Honey, we'll do that another day."

"I know,"Matoaka said. "I just wanted a little taste."

"Try some of this pineapple upsidedown cake!" Jim said. "It's delicious!"

"Pies for me!" Bob said, and shoved a slice of blueberry pie in his mouth.

"Hey, listen!" Bill said. "They are playing The Devil Went Down To Georgia by Charlie Daniels on the sound system. And I'm eating Devils Food Cake! Haha!"
Suddenly something changed, the air became much colder, freezing even, everyone started to shiver.

"It's cold in here." Jim said rubbing his furry shoulders

"I feel like I'm about to fall asleep!" Bob said
"Something is wrong with that. I haven't even had a drink."

"We need some hot coffee," Jim said. "But I feel so sleepy. What's happening..." And Jim fell over.

"Holy Blueberry Pie!" Bob said. "Jim passsed out! And I don't feel so good myself." Bob slid to the floor in a limp heap that was soon snoring loudly.

One by one the humanimals fell into a sleep.
That's when the nightmares started, All the Humanimals saw their worst nightmares come to life


Jim dreamed he was suspended by his ankles over a pit of fire.

Bill dreamed he was going to be sent to a slaughterhouse

Bob dreamed he had to fight off angry sharks
"I need to get away," they were all saying.

But in a nightmare you cannot get away. It just goes on and on. Hopefully you wake up. But they just kept sleeping.

Matoaka dreamed she had no horn. She was just an ordinary horse on an ordinary farm doing ordinary things. "But I'm a unicorn!" she told everybofdy she met. "I have special wonderful things I need to go do!" But they all laughed at her and kept her in a bridle and told her to pull a plow.
Marzipan felt a psychic premonition

"We have to go back to Earth!" She told Ichabod "Our friend are in great danger!"
"The ship need some fuel then," Ichabod said. "The trip takes three quarters of a tank, and we don't even have a quarter."

Marzipan glared at Ichabod until finally he said, "Uh... OK... I guess I better go find some fuel."

"I'll pack our things while you get the fuel, my sweet," Marzipan said.
Suddenly as Marzipan was packing her things a shadowy figure approached her.

She felt a bony hand touch her on the shoulder.

"Hello Marzipan" Came a strange whispering voice

Marzipan, being a cat and all, jumped ten feet in the air yowling and landed on the bed with her fur and tail all puffed up.

That's when she saw him...A tall thin skeleton man with a long stitch for a mouth.

"Terribly sorry." The bony man said in a normal voice "Didn't mean to startle you so badly, I wasn't even trying to be scary that time, My name is Jack Skellington, I'm the king of Halloween."
"Um, what are you looking for?" Marzipan asked.

"I'm looking for Jonathan- do you know if he's home? I need to talk to him."

Marzipan wasn't sure if she should say yes or no. It was true Jonathan was home, but she wasn't sure she should tell the King of Halloween. "Uh... I don't know," she said. "If you wait here I will go check on that for you."
Marzipan went outside the room she found Jonathan walking upstairs

"Um...The King of Halloween wants to see you." She said
"Hmm, I hope it's not about something I'm worried about," Jonathan said.

"He says he wants to talk to you."

"Ah, I see," Jonathan muttered. He then took another look at Marzipan, and notice that her fur was messed up. "Anything going on between you and Ichabod?"

"Didn't he tell you we have to leave immediately for earth?" Marzipan said.

Jonathan looked surprised. "No, he didn't. And why the big hurry?"

"I have a premonition."

Jonathan cocked an eyebrow. "And Ichabod agreed to drop everything and rush back to earth just because you have a premonition?"

Marzipan held his gaze. "Yes, he did. What do you want me to tell Jack Skellington?"

'Nothing. I'll walk downstairs with you."
"Hello Jack." Jonathan said almost meekly

"Hello Professor Crane." Jack said firmly "You seem a little grayer since we last met."

"Whoa! You too know each other?" Marzipan asked

"One year Jack had to go on a very important mission." Jonathan said "He asked me to take care of that year's Halloween for him...Of course to be able to exist in Halloween Town I had to go through some...changes first."

"I gave him a potion that would turn him into a real scarecrow." Jack said "Straw and all."

Meanwhile at Hell Hall, the Fellowship Humanimals were squirming and withering from their nightmares.

Only Zander was still awake as he had not eaten any of the desserts, he was panicking not knowing what to do.

From her Spaceship, Bimbo laughed

"Excellent!" She chuckled "The magically enhanced fear toxin works! With the magic added onto the fear toxin, the Humanimals' dreams are powering my newest weapon.

Inside a dark womb chamber, the fear waves being generated by the dreaming Humanimals were creating an evil new life

"Soon I will create the ultimate living weapon!" Bimbo chortled "The black dream demon!"
Zander was trying to figure out what to do.

"There must be a way to wake them up," he said, as he knelt by Matoaka's side. "Please, wake up honey." He tried to shake her awake, but that didn't work. He tried pinching her- nothing. Then, he noticed his hand was near her shapely rump. "I hope this works." He bent her over his knees, and began spanking her shapely rump red.
Unfortunately that caused the Captain's dreams to go from bad to worse, out of reflex her powerful little hoof kicked Zander squarely in the stomach knocking him against the wall.

"Ow." Was all Zander could say

Bimbo was very entertained by all this then she got a red warning on her computer

"Someone's coming!" She said "Who is it?"

She noticed Ichabod and Marzipan's Space Cruiser, Jonathan and Jack were with them (Although Jack being an Immortal Spirit could go anywhere in the universe he wanted by shadow teleportation, he chose to stick around because he had a few more words to say to Jonathan)
"I'm still not pleased with you with how you bungled that year's Halloween." Jack said sternly

"What is he talking about?" Marzipan asked

Jonathan looked embarrassed "Well...I..."

"He tried to get the denizens of Halloween Town to do more then just scare people." jack said "He wanted them to actually HURT people."
"I was younger then," Jonathan said. "I was also a criminal at the time. I didn't have Ichabod giving me the runaround."

"That's no excuse."

"Let me know when you've got kids of your own."

"I've had a few with Sally."

"I hope they didn't take after you in the looks department- you scare spiders to death."

"Why thanks for the compliment- I hope you actually meant it."

"Incoming!" Ichabod yelled.

"Incoming what?" Jack asked as the ship shook from a near miss. "Oh. Weapons fire. Let me handle this."

Jack used shadow teleportation to travel back along the line of fire to it's source where he jammed Bimbolurlina's photon gun with a chicken bone. Then he slipped back to his friends.

"Did you guys know a woman is shooting at us?"

"Bimbolurlina!" Jonathan said.
"This is not good!" Marzipan said

"What do you mean?" Ichabod asked

"Bimbo is getting more unhinged she will stop at nothing until she gets her way!"
"Just who is she?"

"Trouble with a capital 'T', along with all of the other letters in the word."

"So what can she do?" Ichabod asked.

Marzipan began to howl: "T is for the things that she couild do to us. R is for fact it would be rough. O is for our feelings of oppression. U is for how unlucky we would be. B is for Big Bad Bimbolurlina. L is for let's try to get away..."

"Stop!" Ichabod said. "Because E is for our energy and how eventually we will win."

"Will we?" Marzipan said. "Will we?"

Ichabod hugged her tightly. "Of course, my darling. We shall triumph over all."
Jack just extended his teleportation powers to teleport the ship now they were on Earth.

"Wow..." Marzipan said "That was quick."

"OK." Ichabod said "Let's find the Fellowship crew

"I'm not too used to doing this," Jack said.

"Do you know what a unicorn is?" Ichabod asked.

"Of course!" Jack replied.

"Well, Matoaka is the only unicorn on earth. If we find her we've found the rest of the gang."

"I see," Jack said. "So it's look for the unicorn, eh? OK, I'll do what I can with that."
Bimbo however was not through with them yet.

"With all this fear gas at my disposal, I can create fear gas fog and trap them in it forever!"

She started pushing button and typing

"Release Fear Gas fog now!" She said

The Fear Gas fog came rolling down the hillside, trapping our heroes

"Hey!" Marzipan coughed "Where did this strange purple fog come from?"

"If this is what I think it is." Jonathan coughed "We're in deep trouble!"

They fell into deep nightmares, All except Jack who was immune."

Jonathan had nightmares of being surrounded by his worst fear...birds!

Ichabod dreamed he was surrounded by fire
Marzipan dreamed she was being swallowed by darkness
"This puts a damper on things," Jack said. "Hmm, I know what to do. Scare them awake."

"Booga! Booga!" Jack yelled and danced menacingly around the sleeping heroes, but either he was not quite scary enough, or else the sleep was just too deep.

Marzipan mewed pitifully as the darkness enclosed her, surrounded her, and cut off all ways to escape.

Icxhabod tossed and turned as the flames burnt his skin until it began to peel off his body.

Jonathan covered his face with his hands to keep the birds from pecking his eyes out but then they went straight for his nether regions and he curled up in a ball to try to protect himself from the thousands of pecks.
Suddenly Marzipan felt some strong arms wrap around her, she felt a powerful presence calling to her.

"Don't be afraid." She heard a familiar voice say "The darkness is nothing to be afraid of."

"Falco?" Marzipan whispered

"Yes." Falco said "Remember what I've taught you, the darkness is not to be feared."

"You're right!" Marzipan said. She drew forth her magic from within cast away the shadows and woke up.

"I'm awake!" She said.

She looked at Ichabod, he was huddled in fetal position, tears streaming out of his eyes

Marzipan rolled him onto his back and kissed him on the mouth,he woke up

"Was I dreaming?" He asked

Jonathan, well, he suddenly remembered that this was because of the fear gas, the birds weren't real, so he gathered his strengh cast of the birds and woke up!
"Uh, anyone got something to drink?"

There was laughter and relief and the four of them sat at a table drinking black coffee. It was 5 o'clock in the morning. They all had dark shadows under their eyes.

"We're starting to look like you, Jack," Ichabod joked.

Jack held up a bony finger. "I think I know where the unicorn is."
Jack gestured toward a large black building

"Hell Hall." He said "The ancestral home of the evil Crowlys!"
"Just how evil are we talking about?"

"Evil enough I wouldn't give them my crown."

Jack 's eyes grew softer as he looked back down memory lane. "I remember as kids we used to say I may be bad but at least I ain't no Crowly! That's how evil they were, even then, even the Crowly kids. But the whole family had a history of evil that stretched back for centuries. Witches, black magic warlocks, that sort of thing."

"I guess we better go to Hell Hall and rescue our friends," Ichabod said.

They tossed down the last of the coffee, put the cups in the sink, and headed out to do battle.
Bimbolurlina was very angry, she snarled and gritted her teeth.

"So...They think they can resist my fear gas fog do they? I'll have to release my ultimate weapon a little early!"

She hit a big red button and the black dream demon awoke
As Ichabod and company entered the place, they began to get a response on their radio.

"Hello! Anyone reading me?"

"I know that voice a little too well," Ichabod said, as he picked it up. "James- what is an old wolf like you doing here?"

"Problem with Matoaka's squad- Zander's squawking like a chicken with its head cut off, and the others are silent. Dead silent."

"We're in the Grand Hall near the Main Entrance," Ichabod said. "How do we find you?"

"I'm in the crawl space under the west wing," James said, "but stay put. I will come to you and then together we will end this problem."
The black dream demon was... Unpleasant to look at to say the least

You know the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings? Well...multiple that times ten and you'd pretty much have the black dream demon

It was a massive ball of hands, legs, eyes and tentacles, it got around by rolling wherever it wanted to go.

Ichabod found Zander laying down clutching his ribs.

"Zander! What happened?" Ichabod asked

"They...Fell asleep." Zander gasped "I tried to wake Mattie up but...Things didn't go to well."

"Hang on." Ichabod said "Let me heal your ribs with my laser pen."
"I'd recommend a bucket of water," James said, as he came out the kitchen panting for breath. "Might be all the time we have for."

"You do know how fragile a bird's bones are," Marzipan said. "Some could be broken."

"Then pick him, and the others, up and do it on the run," James said, as he looked back. "I just saw something that makes my nightmares seem like pleasant dreams in comparison."

Then they all saw it. The Black Dream Demon was a boiling mass of thick blackness filled with hands, claws, tentacles, and paws of every shape and kind. As it consumed it's victims it acquired their characteristics.

"Run!" Ichabod yelled. "Run like there is no tomorrow!"
They tried as hard as they could to get all the Fellowship Crew members out of the way, but they couldn't move fast enough, Bill, Jim and Bob were still trapped inside the house when the black dream demon came

"We can't move them in time!" Marzipan said "We'll have to use magic!"

Marzipan whipped out the magic necklace that had been given as a gift to her by the Magis

"No!" Ichabod said "No Marzipan, don't do it! You still haven't learned to control your magic!"

"We have no other choice!" Marzipan said
"Get whom you can and get out," James said.

"What?'

"I'm going to buy you some time- I'm going to piss the thing off enough to make it chase me."

"No!" Ichabod yelled. "It will swallow you!"

"Leave this to me!" James said and ran toward the Dream Demon.

Ichabod clenched his fists. "The crazy fool!"

"I'm using my magic!" Marzipan said.
James led the Black Dream Demon on a short chase, it quickly swallowed him up

No sooner the demon had done that, it spit James out, the wolf was covered in slime but none the worse for wear.

"It spit him out!" Jonathan exclaimed amazed

"I guess what they said is true." Ichabod said as he grabbed Bob "James IS scarier then hell!"

Jonathan grabbed Jim, but there was still one left, Bill

Being a big Texas Longhorn neither human could lift him, even when they worked together!

"We have no choice!" Marzipan said "I have to use my magic!"

She whipped out the magic necklace, a purple glow surrounded her, she floated into the air

"Marzipan..." Ichabod whispered he was powerless to stop her now.

"This thing will destroy the whole universe unless stopped!" Marzipan said "I'll have to bring out the big guns and use the black hole spell to make this demon collapse on itself!"
James then ran up and grabbed onto the creature. "I told you to run," he shouted. "Get Bill and drag his hide out of here!"

"But what about you?"

"This thing doesn't like me- I'll be fine."
Marzipan was just about to float back down to Earth when she realized something

"Wait!" She said "If that Demon dies in one piece then all the creatures it absorbed will die as well!"

She put two fingers together and started chanting.

"Sacred Stone, use magic bright, that Evil die in the Sacred Light!"

With that the black dream demon was blown to pieces, all the innocent people and animals that it had absorbed were restored to life, a bit shaken, and probobly needing therapy but other then that fine.

But after using such an intense spell Marzipan had zapped herself with her own magic! She fell from her place in the sky into the deep snow!

"Marzipan!" Ichabod cried, he dropped Bob in the snow and ran to where Marzipan was

Marzipan had fallen into a deep snow bank, she had fallen ten feet deep into the snow!

At that moment, Bob woke up!

"Oh..." The Nerdy Catfish groaned "Sonic interference what a nightmare! I dreamed I was being eaten alive by sharks!"

With the death of the black dream demon they all woke up!

"Oh Gods..." Jim said "My head..." Then Jim noticed where he was

"Um...Professor Crane." Jim said "Why are you wearing me like a stole?"

"Someone! Anyone! Help!" Ichabod said "Marzipan fell into this snow drift! I can't get her out! Get Kong!"

"Um...Ichabod" Bob said "We're currently in Nome Alaska, Kong, is still in England, planes travel faster now but not at the speed of light."

"Marzipan stuck in the snow?" Jim said, He hopped off Jonathan and rushed over

"Allow me." Jim said to Ichabod "No creature can dig through snow quite like a squirrel!"
"You'd better or you'll be digging your own grave," James shouted as he tried to pull himself out of the snow. "Someone lend a hand here."

Jim tunneled down to Marzipan and ran the end of a rope under her and tied it. After that the others were able to haul her up out of the snow.

Ichabod bent over her. "Oh, Marzipan! Please tell me you are going to be alright!"

But no sound came from the lips of his love.
"Marzipan!" Ichabod cried "Marzipan! Speak to me!"

"I'm afraid she can't speak." Bob said as he walked over "She's zapped herself with her own magic, now she is not quite dead....But she is the closest thing to it, right now she's like a computer that needs to reboot, ever organ, every fiber, every cell needs to reboot."

"What do I do?" Ichabod asked

"There is a lodge over there." Jim said "Let's take her there."
"So what do we do?" Ichabod asked when they got to the lodge.
Bob put his flipper on Marzipan's forehead

"Right now, the best thing we can do is keep her warm." Bob said "The guy at the desk is a Bear Man he should be able to help us get a room quickly."

The Bear Man was indeed helpful, in fact he carried Marzipan to the bedroom, he gave them extra blankets and even a hot water bottle.

Once Marzipan was bundled up like a caterpillar in a cocoon Ichabod felt her forehead

"She still feels a bit cold." Ichabod said

Jim said "With Humanimals, one of the easiest ways to warm them up is with body heat."
"How long will it take before she's back to normal?" Ichabod asked

Bob stroked Marzipan's bangs "Normally I'd leave Kong to explain this medical stuff, but since he's not here...I'll have to explain."

Bob took the hot water bottle and put it near the comatose cat "In situations like this it could take two to four days before she is completely 'rebooted' the important thing is to keep her warm, don't get her too warm though, she might get feverish."

Ichabod stroked Marzipan's head fur "Will she need food and water?"

"Not really." Bob said "This state of states is quite unusual, since her homeostasis is in repair at the moment, her need for food and drink is temporally 'offline' if you will. She will probobly be hungry when she wakes up, but we'll deal with that when it happens."

"Marzipan might not need food, but you do." Jim said "Why don't you join us for an early supper."

Ichabod however got into the bed and lay down next to Marzipan

"Sorry guys." he said "I got to stay here and take care of Marzipan, you can bring me a doggy bag of leftovers and I'll eat that."

He noticed Bob, Jim and Bill were still in the room "Um, guys, could I have a little privacy?" He asked "I mean you said the best way to do keep her warm is with body heat, and I'm about to take off my clothes so she can feel my warmth."
"Oh- Have fun then."

Bob, Jim, and Bill sat at a wooden table in a little inn known as The Lazy Daisy and ordered the vegetarian special. The waitress was friendly and the food was good. Afterwards they sat around sipping coffee.

"Too bad about Marzipan," Bill said. "So you think she will be fine?"

Bob sighed. "I didn't want to alarm Ichabod, but there is the chance that she will never recover."
"Ooo Boy" Jim said with a worried look on his face "This is not going to be good. I'll miss that little pink and purple kitty."

"There is a CHANCE she will never recover." Bob said "There is a chance she might."

"That reminds me." Bill said "We got to get something for Ichabod to eat!"

"This place serves only vegetarian food." Bob said "Ichabod doesn't really like vegetarian food, let's go to the Italian place across the way and order something meaty to go for him."

Meanwhile Ichabod had dutifully stayed by Marzipan's only leaving her side to use the bathroom, He made sure to turn her over so her other side could feel his life giving heat.

Ichabod had turned the shade all the way down, not because he thought Marzipan would recover better if the room was completely dark but because Ichabod didn't want to see the snow, of all the seasons, he hated Winter the most, it probobly had something to do with the plant aspect in his DNA but the sight of snow depressed him, He obviously loved the Summertime

Ichabod fluffed up Marzipan's pillow one more time he lay down next to her and stroked her face

"Dear Little Marzipan." He said tearfully "Please live, without you my life has no meaning! I could not go without you! Please Marzipan, please wake up..." Then Ichabod fell into a deep sleep
As he dreamed, he found himself holding a child. "Dad," it said, before disappearing.
Ichabod woke up with a start.

"I was dreaming." He said he looked at Marzipan, she was still unconscious, he looked at the clock on the end table it said 12:00

"Is it that late already?" Ichabod asked himself, he looked at the door, there was a doggy bag of food probobly cold by now.

"Those friends of mine." Ichabod chuckled, hi picked up the bag of food, to his surprise the food inside was still warm!

As he ate, he felt a chill in the air, he shivered

"You can never escape the cold in Alaska." he sighed "I wish it was Spring...But it's October...we have a long winter ahead of us."

As Ichabod continued to eat his thoughts drifted to Spring and the flowers and birds that came with it...He minds drifted to thoughts of butterflies."

"Butterflies." He mused aloud, he took a deep drink of water

Ichabod remembered a book he found in his Father's library when he was six years old, he never forgot the title it was called Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus, Ichabod found it completely by accident, looking for books to read in his Father's library he was drawn to the bright colors on the cover.

He took the book off the shelf and started reading it, it was about two caterpillars, Stripe and Yellow who had difficulty becoming butterflies.

Even when he was little, the book stirred deep emotions in him, emotions that at the time he could not describe, he read the story over and over again, his favorite parts when Yellow was talking with the older caterpillar on how to become a butterfly, when Stripe saw Yellow in her new butterfly form and of course the finale when Stripe finally became a butterfly.

(Author's Note Hope for the Flowers is a real book, when I was in Elementary School the teacher read it to us at story time, even as a little tyke I felt it stir strange emotions in me)

As he reread his old favorite, the idea came to Ichabod that Marzipan was in a cocoon. When she emerged she would be more wonderful than ever. The thought brought a smile to his face and when he climbed back into bed with Marzipan he fell into a deep sleep, still smiling.

Beside him, the deathly still Marzipan trembled slightly, almost like a hibernating caterpillar feeling the first rays of spring sunshine on its cocoon and realizing that soon it must emerge to a new existence.
Ichabod's dreams were filled with butterflies, he remembered when he first saw Marzipan singing her song, how a blue butterfly landed on her paw, how she kissed the wings and the butterfly flew away.

Then Ichabod woke up, he could tell it was morning, he looked at Marzipan her mouth was open but her eyes weren't she was panting.

"Oh dear!" Ichabod said to himself "I've made her too warm! I've made her feverish! I got to cool her down!"

Ichabod looked around and saw a basin, he picked

"There has got to be an ice machine around here somewhere." He said then he looked down and realized he was still naked

"But I can't go out like this!" He said

Jonathan was having breakfast with Ichabod's Humanimal crew, He sipped his coffee while the others drank water, milk or juice. Kong had flown all the way from England when Bob said it was an emergency

"I'm worried about Ichabod." Jonathan said "Locked up in that room for hours with no food."

"I'm pretty sure Ichabod's been eating." Bob said "Every so often I hear a toilet flush."

"I swear that Ichabod was a Mother Hen in a former life." Jonathan muttered

Kong chuckled "There is a slight possibility that's true." Kong grinned "Did we ever tell you about the time Ichabod hatched a baby sea serpent?"

Jonathan just stared

"I'll take that as a sign we didn't tell you." Kong said "It was a good couple of days we had with that sea serpent..."

Just then Ichabod came out of his room, he was wearing nothing but a bathrobe, he quickly ran over to the ice machine, filled the basin then went back into his room.

With the basin full of ice he quickly put cold water in, he took a washcloth soaked it in the ice water, then mopped Marzipan's brow

It seemed to have instant effect, for while Marzipan did not open her eyes or wake up, she did smile in her sleep and even purr a little!

"That surely must be a good sign." Ichabod said

He then washed Marzipan's shoulders neck and arms for Marzipan was hot, once she had cooled off a little Ichabod noticed what a state her head fur was in, so he took his comb and gently teased out the tangles, when he was done he felt really good, he felt peaceful too.
Then he heard his father's voice. "You'd best put some clothes on young man- there are some things you don't show the whole world."

"Hello, Dad. I think Marzipan is feeling better."

Jonathan was at the door of the room with Kong right behind him.

"Kong!" Ichabod said. "I'm glad you're here!"
Marzipan started breathing easier, now that she was cooled off, her eyelids fluttered like bird's breast.

Then she opened her eyes!

"Ichabod?" Marzipan said weakly

"Marzipan!" Ichabod exclaimed "Oh Marzipan I'm so glad to see you!"

Ichabod hugged Marzipan, Marzipan sighed with pleasure.

"How you feeling?" Ichabod asked

"I dreamed I was being eaten by Muppets..." Marzipan said wearily "Can I have something to eat?"
Ichabod chuckled. "I'll let them know you're awake and hungry."

"Did we win?" Marzipan said. "Is the Black Dream Demon dead?"

"Yes! Yes! Everything is fine! And thanks to your magic we recovered his victims."

Marzipan weakly squeezed his hand. "I'm glad."
It was actually 1:00 when Marzipan woke up, way past breakfast time now it was almost past lunch!

Marzipan was glad however, she ordered an enormous tuna sandwich with celery and a bit of sweet onion chopped in.

Marzipan stated eating her sandwich.

"Ichabod aren't you hungry?" She asked "I ordered a big sandwich so we could share?"

"Well I..." Ichabod began to say...Then his stomach rumbled the Humanimals chuckled

"I think I will share that sandwich with you." Ichabod said talking the other half.
"So, what happened while I slept?"

"We've been trying to figure out what to do about Bimbolurlina. She's still out there, you know."

Marzipan shuddered. "She is so evil!"

"Yes," Ichabod said. "Some want to kill her if we can, but some want to try to capture her and convert her to goodness."

"Is that even possible?"
We don't know." Kong said "At this point I'm thinking her evilness has utterly consumed her, There is no goodness left!"

That evening Ichabod and Marzipan lay down in bed, they sighed relaxed, Ichabod hugged Marzipan, and she hugged him in return.

"Ichabod..." Marzipan said

"Yes Marzipan?" Ichabod asked

"Are you going to want a spanking now?"

"What do you mean?" Ichabod asked

"I mean it's been two whole days since I gave you an erotic spanking and..."

"It's OK Marzi." Ichabod said soothingly "For once I don't need a spanking."

"You don't?" Marzipan asked

"These past couple of days have been a real eye opener for me." Ichabod said "I've remembered their is more to love then just physical pleasure, I've remembered just how could it can make you feel to care for another living creature!"

"Wow Ichabod!" Marzipan said "You really mean that?"

"Yes." Ichabod said as he wrapped an arm around Marzipan "Tomorrow morning I'll introduce you to one of my favorite stories."

"What's it about?" Marzipan asked

"It's about butterflies..." Ichabod said before he nodded off

The End!

© Copyright 2012 Twiga, BIG BAD WOLF is Howling, Steev the Friction Wizurd, (known as GROUP).
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