Halloween Fun
a sequel to last years Halloween story
Desmond Hawthorne traversed the neighborhood with clear purpose. A little while before Desmond had been taking his godson, Casper along with some of his friends trick or treating. Everything was great for the first hour and thirty minutes. However,a pair of teenage miscreants would change all of that.
Desmond shook his head, trying to rid himself of the look of fear on Casper's face. It was enough to make Desmond's blood boil. He would however show restraint and let the parents decide the correct punishment.
In front of the house the polar bears in question were tearing down their Halloween decorations. A third polar bear in his thirties was overseeing the deconstruction with a look of great scorn on his face. He was dressed in an Army uniform that just barely covered over the bears prosthetic leg.
"This is such bull crap Alan." One of the polar bears griped loudly.
" That is Sergeant Quartermane to you. And what about this exactly is bull crap? I told you not to scare little cubs and you did not listen RJ." The army polar bear rebuttals. "Now you have lost your right to pass out candy on Halloween along with your computer,TV,and video game privileges ."
"No they are my video games and you cannot touch them." The young defiantly shouted.
"Reginald Johnson Quartermain you calm down and get back to work." Was the military veterans sharp response.
"No, because you are threatening to steal my stuff. I ought to call the police on you." The younger brother, Rj, threatened.
"Yeah and I can help testify against you thief." RJ's friend decided to speak up at last.
"Then how are you going to pay the bills while I am serving time?" Sergeant Quartermane challenged the pair of rebellious teens.
"I can go and live with Aunt Nadine. She will take care of me." RJ smugly replied.
"Is that so? Well I am pretty sure the police are going to take my side when they hear my reasoning for grounding you RJ." Sergeant Quartermane returned the barb.
"Excuse me sir, may I speak to the head of this household please." Desmond finally announced his presence.
" Were you eavesdropping on us?" RJ spat venomously as Desmond walked up the driveway.
"Good evening sir, I am glad you returned." Sergeant Quartermane extented his paw.
"Officer Desmond Hawthorne." Desmond shook the bears paw and presented his badge.
"Sergeant Alan B Quartermane. US Army and head of this household." Sergeant Quartermane introduced himself. , "so you are a real policeman."
"I am, just did not have time to purchase a costume this year." Desmond chuckled.
"Well I take it you are here to inform me about what these knuckleheads did?" Sergeant Quartermane inquired shooting his little brother a dirty look.
"Indeed I am, but from the looks of things you already know." Desmond responded eyeing the deconstruction.
"Heard the little tykes screams from my bedroom. I had warned the boys not to scare little cubs, so I was not very happy." Sergeant Quartermane grumbled.
"Come on Alan, it was a joke. You don't have to get all worked up about it. RJ moaned loudly.
"You think making three toddlers cry is a joke? Because I am not laughing and neither were those cubs." Sergeant Quartermane growled daring his brother to rebuttal.
"And if you would indulge me I might have another idea to ground their lesson in." Desmond
Sergeant Quartermane smiled making a gesture towards the door of his house. "Let's discuss this inside. I am sure Maggie can keep an eye on the boys while we talk."
The teenage boys looked at one another in fear.
Casper picked nervously at the spinach lasagna that was on his plate. It was Halloween night once more, a day that use to fill Casper's heart with excitement at the very thought. That was until last year when a pair of teens decided it was funny to scare Casper and his friends. The teens were punished harshly for this, but the damage could not be undone.
Casper sighed heavily wishing Quincy was still here. Casper's raccoon companion had moved away three months after last Halloween. The raccoons father was reassigned to a new company branch in England following his job promotion and new assignment. It was hard for Casper to say good bye, but Casper and Quincy were able to stay in touch on Buzz.
"What's wrong champ." Casper's godfather Desmond asked placing his paw on Casper's shoulder.
"I'm scared." Casper admitted softly.
"Don't worry kiddo I am going to be there with you this time." The light red skunk assured his godson.
"Desmond maybe we both should go this year." Desmond's sky blue mate suggested once more.
"Caleb there is no need to worry." Desmond chuckled and kissed his hermaphrodite mate. "Besides Casper will not be alone remember?"
"Oh yeah Jericho and Zoey are coming over soon." Caleb mused happily.
"So is RJ and Kyle. I do hope you have their costumes ready my love." Desmond said with a large evil grin.
"Well it took a little bit to finish some of the details but the costumes are finished." Caleb reported with pride.
"Good, I would hate to have our guests to miss out on the nights festivities. " Desmond cheerfully responded.
The doorbell rang sending Casper into a frenzy of high pitched chirps. Desmond ruffled Caspers head fur and made his way to the door. Caleb meanwhile took out another batch of the spinach lasagna and began to prepare it for their guests.
"Hello there and welcome to our humble abode." Desmond said gesturing the guest into the house.
Two cubs around the same age as Casper rushed in with a squeal of delight. A purple puma by the name of Zoey rushed into the kitchen with a large smile. Behind her came a great white shark with black skin, white underbelly, and visible orange markings on his body. His name was Jericho, and he had just recently moved into the city near the end of summer.
"Hey guys" Caleb exclaimed happily.
"Hi Caleb" The newcomers chirped happily.
"You guys hungry? I made spinach lasagna with a tomato and cheese sauce." Caleb offered the cubs.
"Yucky vegetables." Jericho made a sour face.
"How do you know if you never tried it Jericho?" Casper asked curiously.
"Cause they yucky." Jericho muttered as Caleb gave Zoey some of the lasagna.
"Ah hello again Maggie. How are you tonight." Desmond asked a rather plump beaver with brown fur.
"Oh very well, how about yourself?" The beaver smiled as she forcibly propelled RJ and Kyle into the house.
Casper immediately dove under the table with Zoey not far behind. Jericho bared his teeth intimidatingly. A short growl later sent Jericho cowering with his friends who were now sobbing in fear.
"Alright that is the last straw." Maggie hissed as she grabbed the pair of adolescents by their ears.
"Owwwww cut it out Maggie. We were only joking." RJ howled as he was forcibly dragged towards the stair along with his friend.
"Desmond would you....." Caleb began to say.
"I got them darling, you take care of dweedle dumb and dweedle dee." Desmond smiled as he walked towards the wailing cubs.
With an equally large smile Caleb escorted Maggie up the stairs. Desmond meanwhile immediately began to pacify the cubs and got them eating once more. There was a few loud bangs along with raised voices that slowly began to grow higher in pitch.
Casper was just finishing the last bite of his spinach lasagna when Caleb returned. He was closely followed by Maggie who was holding a pair of struggling bear cubs. Both were dressed in jack-o-lantern outfits.
"Don't laugh." RJ growled as he sat down at the table begrudgingly.
"Come off it you two," Maggie snapped as she pulled up a chair for herself. "Now you are going to sit here quietly while Mr. Caleb gets the little ones ready."
"But Maggie!" Kyle whined loudly.
"The only butts here is a spanklied one." Maggie gave the bears a rather harsh look.
"Alright time to put on your costumes." Caleb exclaimed from the .
"Diaper change first love. You know how cubs are when they are scared." Desmond chuckled as he egged his charges up the stairs.
"Nuu my diaper is clean." Casper protested
"I beg to differ." Desmond replied as he picked up Casper under his armpits. "Caleb get the changing table ready."
"Already on it." Caleb sang out.
After a long twenty minutes Casper and his friends were out the door, enjoying the cold October air. The sound of Halloween music echoed through the neighborhood giving it a slightly eerie atmosphere.
"Finally we are getting underway. I thought I would die of old age before these wimps were ready." Kyle loudly proclaimed though his body was said otherwise.
"Alright everyone take you caretakers paw and no running off." Desmond instructed as he stepped out of the house.
"But Desmond me scared." Casper muttered as he clung to Desmond tightly.
Desmond picked Casper up and hugged him. "It is OK to be scared. But you need to remember that none of this is real."
"It look real." Casper whimpered.
"I know champ, but you are a ghostbuster. If anyone tries to scare you just pull out your proton gun." Desmond said indicating Casper's obviously fake proton pack. "Now come on lets go have some fun."
The first house on the block was a owned by a large grizzly bear who was dressed as Cedric Von Fluffbear from Six Nights at Cedric's. The bear in question stood up beckoning the cubs to come closer.
"Nuuuu I can't do it Desmond." Casper whimpered fearfully.
"Come on lets just go without him." RJ moaned and tried to go around Casper.
Desmond immediately cut the bear cub off saying, "No, either we go up together or not at all."
"Don't forget it was because of you two that Casper is like this." Maggie added.
"It's alright champ. You can do it." Desmond whispered encouragingly
Casper gulped nervously as he walked ever so cautiously up to the driveway. Zoey, Jericho, Kyle, and RJ followed closely behind. Cedric Von Fluffbear extended his bowl to Casper giving it a shake for encouragement. Casper grabbed a piece of candy then fled down the driveway as fast as his little legs could carry him.
It was the same routine for the next few hours with little signs of improving. Several times Casper nearly begged Desmond to go home, but the skunk continually refused. He did however, stop Casper as they came to RJ's house.
"Why don't you let Kyle and RJ go. I think Casper wants to rest for a bit." Desmond stated in a much too friendly tone.
"Good idea Desmond. Besides I need to run in for a few items very fast." Maggie added giving Desmond a suspicious wink.
"Can't we just go home Desmond. Me scared." Casper whimpered loudly.
"Shhhhh." Desmond hushed the cub quietly. "Just sit back and watch."
"Watch what?" Jericho asked suspiciously. Casper also looked at his godfather with a matching look of suspicion.
"You will see." said Desmond crypticly. Not long after there was a loud pair of screams
"Help he gonna kill us." RJ wailed as he rushed to hid behind Desmond.
"I don't know RJ...." Desmond said indifferently.
"Please we will do anything." Kyle pleaded
"Promise you will never scare little cubs ever again and that you will behave from now on." Desmond sternly.
"We promise," RJ and Kyle screamed in unison.
"Good and I will be holding you to that promise," Sergeant Quartermane stated as he removed his hockey mask. "So think that lttle prank of yours is still funny?"
"You tricked us." RJ spat venomously.
"Of course how else were you suppose to learn your lesson?" Captain Quatermane grinned. "Now come on let's get you changed before you continue your route."
After another quick diaper change the cubs were back on the road again. Only this time Casper felt confident enough to actually go up to a house by himself. Desmond was quite proud and Maggie was happy for the little puppy.
That night turned out to be one of the best Casper had ever experienced. Not only had he regained his confidence, but the cubs also managed to gather a lot of candy. As for RJ and Kyle, as punishment for their earlier misbehavior they were not allowed to keep their candy. Not only that, but Sergeant Quartermane had the pair of bear cubs remain in this form for the remainder of the weekend. The Sergeant borrowed some of Casper's old belongings as well. It was going to be a long night and weekend for some, but for Casper it would never be forgotten.