Darev: I'd like to thank all of my reviewers but especially koolkame who has reviewed every single chapter. A very Scary Halloween to you, my friend.

Based on my love of haunted houses.

WARNING: This is really scary…I mean REALLY scary. Witches beware!

Darev and Hallowinx tales proudly present the final episode…

HallowTrix

"Hey, guys! Check it!" Stormy barged into their room holding an orange envelope which she waved in the air. "We just got an invite to an exclusive party. Just came in the mail."

Darcy and Stormy, who were busy rummaging through old tomes and spellbooks, looked a bit agitated by Stormy's abrupt entry. What they were doing took time and concentration, but above all it took silence. Being the youngest of the three, Stormy never could quite grasp that concept. Had they been interrupted in the middle of a chant, the repercussions could have been catastrophic. Magic was one thing you did not mess around with; particularly if it dealt in the Dark Arts—witchcraft.

"What are you babbling about?" Icy asked as Stormy walked up and passed the note on to her.

"Look." Stormy was very excited. Perhaps too excited. Her eyes were too wide and bright. Her smile was genuine—without dark intentions. She almost looked like a fairy, which Icy would have made a point of telling her so were she not scrolling through the fine print of the page.

"What does it say, Ice?" Darcy asked.

"You are formally invited to a Halloween Party at Hexus Manor, this Saturday night, at eight o'clock p.m. Located along Dagger Road, off Exit 11 in the Trans-Magix freeway. Costumes are required. Refreshments are to be served at the location. Feel free to bring your own candy." Icy's eyebrow went up as she read the last part. "Oh and be prepared for the fright of your life." She gazed at Stormy. "Is this for real?"

"When's the last time we've been invited to a party?"

"Never. We're the Trix, Stormy. People are afraid of us."

"Not these guys apparently."

She rolled her eyes. "Stormy this is obviously someone's idea of a bad joke. People know who we are. They know what we've done. No one in their right minds would even look for us let alone invite us to a private party."

"What I want to know is," Darcy started. "How did they know where to find us? We just moved here like two weeks ago."

Icy sighed. "One subscription to Teen Witch Magazine and suddenly everyone has your address." She handed the letter back to Stormy. "Throw that out."

The young witch looked at her quizidly. "Why?"

"Because it's a trick. One of the oldest in the book. We used to play pranks like that back when we were in boarding school, remember?"

"Well yeah but we're witches. That's what we do."

"How do we know this wasn't sent by witches? What if some of the girls from Cloud Tower want to get back at us for showing them off when we were at school? Do you know how many enemies we have?"

"Before or after we broke out of Light Haven?" Darcy asked.

"Forget I brought it up."

But Stormy was adamant about it. Practically pleading with Icy, the storm witch grabbed her arm. "Come on, Icy. When's the last time we went out? We've been hiding in the shadows like rats for weeks and now we finally have the chance to wreak some havoc. I thought you'd be thrilled at the chance."

"You thought wrong." She removed her arm from Stormy's grasp. "Now help us get our spells in order. This room is a mess."

"Icy…"

"Be quiet!"

"Don't talk to her that way."

Icy reared on Darcy. "What?!" She menaced.

"I mean a real witch wouldn't speak to her like that. What are you, a teacher?" She turned to Stormy. "You're supposed to say something like, 'Silence, you miserable insect!' Then fire a blast at her feet to make sure she gets the point."

Icy conceded the point with a nod. "You're right. I've really gotten soft."

"That's what eating all that ice cream will do to you."

"Guys!" Both witches turned to Stormy who now looked more determined than ever. "Are we going to spend the rest of our days looking through old books and planning revenge plots against people who either hate us or have continually kicked our butts over and over again?"

"We're witches," Icy said.

"It's what we do," added Darcy.

"But come on! This Saturday is going to be a full moon, right? So let's take advantage of it. Who in their right mind is going to try to mess with three powerful witches on the night of the full moon? I don't know about you two but I'm tired of this place and everyone in it. Err…present company excluded of course."

"Of course." The sisters said in unison.

"Let's do something. What better way to announce the return of the Trix than to spoil someone's Halloween party? Let's have some fun."

Darcy and Icy glanced at one another.

"There will be candy," Stormy pressed. "Icy likes candy doesn't she?" Her comment brought a small smile to Icy's face. "And Darcy…I know you like playing with boys. Playing with their hearts, that is." Now Darcy smiled. "So what do you say?"

"It has been a bit boring around here. Hexus Manor is one of the most exclusive real estates in town. It holds some of the fanciest balls in the realm. A lot of heavy hitters are going to be there. Stormy is right about one thing, Ice. If we make a ruckus there, people are going to know the Trix are back."

Icy silently agreed. Breaking up a shindig like Hexus Manor would put them back on the list of most wanted evildoers. It could be her ego talking but witches did not like to be ignored.

"So?" Stormy asked.

One look at Darcy and Stormy had her answer. "Why not?"

"Yay!" Stormy leaped for joy—and received two angry glares from her siblings.

"Ahem! I mean—" She clasped her hands together and laughed evilly. "—Ha-Ha! It's Witch Up Time!"

Saturday evening and the Trix found themselves on a lonely dirt road deep in the woods. The manor was a landmark established by one of the first great families to settle on Magix. There was no mistaking it. The luxurious building was constructed in magical oak which gave off a reddish tint. The lawn was well manicured but filled with candlelit pumpkins in honor of the season. To add to the ambiance, a thick fog blanketed the estate. Several windows were lit up in yellow, red and orange colors and cobwebs lined the iron gate which was the main entrance. A thick red wall separated the grounds from the road and more webs covered the top. No doubt about it—this was the place.

"Ugh! Tacky!" Icy said upon her first survey. "Our bathroom is gloomier than this."

"Not to mention more stylish. Are we supposed to be scared?" Darcy bit back a laugh. "Please."

"It's not so bad," Stormy said and again received glares. She shrugged. "Hey give 'em a break. Not everyone is a witch, you know."

"They should be so lucky." Icy sighed. "Come on. Let's get this over with." She led them pass the gate and through the courtyard. An owl hooted in the distance as they proceeded to the front door. Their eyes wandered over the pumpkin patch and to the full moon above. The girls searched for silhouettes in the window but saw none. They checked for music too but nothing could be heard over the cries of the night. However, they did see one resident of the manor awaiting them on the front porch…

…a black cat.

It meowed at them and leaped off the banister to the stairs. The Trix stopped to look at the cat who in turn stared back. Its golden eyes were emotionless, as if being in the presence of three dangerous witches did not frighten it in the least.

"What are you looking at?" Icy hmphed. Flexing her hand, the witch sent off a chill of cold air which sent the feline scrambling for cover. It disappeared into the pumpkin patch.

"Aren't we supposed to get along with them?" Stormy asked as she looked for the cat's whereabouts.

"That's a racial stereotype. We're not all cat-lovers." Icy went up the steps and cringed as a loud shriek went up.

"KAW! KAW! Beware! The end is near! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Looking up and to the right, she spotted a mechanical crow squawking and flapping its artificial wings as it repeated its haunting mantra. The eyes shined red as it turned its head back and forth, spelling doom for any who entered. "KAW! KAW! Beware! The end is near! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"Oh PUH-LEASE!" The elder Trix rolled her eyes and strolled on by. Darcy and Stormy took positions on either side of Icy in front of the door. The bird had just silenced itself, obviously awaiting the next unwary visitor, and all was quiet. Icy reached up to rink the doorbell. A deep gong that sounded more like a dirge sounded out and held that note for several seconds. Icy exchanged un-amused looks with her two sisters just before the large wooden door creaked open and…no one was there.

The Trix boldly stepped in. Hand on her hip, Icy took in their surroundings. The main hall was covered by a plush, red rug with golden linings along the edges. The hall was wide enough to accommodate ten witches standing abreast and had a stairway leading up to the second floor. Two golden gargoyles stood vigilant on either banister on the bottom and at the top, their cold stares eying the girls. A bright chandelier adorned with webs hung overhead—studded with jewels and diamonds so fantastic that it was probably more expensive than their house. The hallway was entirely red and old lanterns dotted the side leading toward the stairway. To the left was a wide opening whose interior was beyond their point of view. Just across from it was another entrance to an equally mysterious room. This entire place reeked of lavish expense beyond their attainability.

Darcy whistled. "I could get used to living in a place like this." She looked around. "So where's our welcoming committee?"

"Maybe we're early," Stormy suggested and was immediately shot down by Icy.

"It's eleven o'clock, Stormy. If anything the place should be jumping."

That is exactly what the trio did as the door slammed shut behind them—jumped.

"What in Fralhalla?!"

Darcy cracked up. "You should see the look on your face, Icy."

"What? You jumped too."

"I didn't jump. I did a quick turnaround."

"Like hell!"

"Well I wasn't scared." Stormy brushed by them and toward the stairway. She stopped when she noticed a mirror in the hallway. It was made of gold and the surface was so clear that the image of her own self looked as real as she did. Looking herself up and down, Stormy liked what she saw. "Witchin'!" She said and fixed her pointy hat onto her head.

"I still can't believe you brought that thing," Darcy said as she walked by her.

"What? The letter said we needed a costume."

"That's so racial profiling." Darcy turned to her. "Honestly. Why didn't you just ride in on a broom?"

"Look who's talking Miss 'Ooh. My mask makes me look mysterious.'" She was referring to the small face mask Darcy wore over her eyes. "You look like a bandit."

"Least it's original."

"Uh…no it's not."

"You two look so stupid." At that, both turned to face Icy. Unlike them, Icy wore no mask or hat. Instead she painted her entire face…to look like a white cat. "Everyone knows face-painting is in nowadays. Gotta get with the times, ladies."

Darcy and Stormy looked to each other. They laughed.

"The hell is so funny?"

"Nothing," Darcy chuckled.

She turned to Stormy. "Well?"

"Well it's just…I guess that cat figured you were hot so…"

"Oh shut up!"

Icy moved down the hallway. "Come on!"

Darcy followed and then Stormy. Had she looked back she would have seen that her reflection had not moved. The girl in the mirror watched them leave—its face contorting to that of a grinning skeleton before melting away.

"There's no one here," Icy blatantly announced. She and the girls were standing in a lavish dining room complete with the most exotic china they had ever seen. The table was set for a party of at least twenty and while the plates and cups were set up for an arranged gathering, there were no signs of anyone being here any time recently.

"Maybe they're all upstairs?" Stormy suggested as she studied the intricate designs of a huge grandfather clock.

"I don't hear anyone." Darcy was sitting in one of the dinner chairs, fiddling with a silver spoon. She had her legs propped up and crossed on the table. "You'd think we'd at least hear music."

"This…is the right address?" Stormy asked them.

"Obviously." Icy looked at her reflection in a polished plate before moving on. Her fingers caressed the silk clothe that had been placed on the table. At the end of the table, Icy stopped. She turned. "Maybe they're out back."

"As in the backyard?" Darcy asked.

"This is an estate. There's probably a whole lot of the place we haven't seen from just the front. For we know they could be in the ball room."

"And that would be?"

"I don't know. I didn't design the damn place!"

"Take it easy, Cheetara. No need to bite my head off."

Icy grimaced.

"Maybe we should look around," the suggestion brought all attention on Stormy. She was admiring a teal-colored vase next to the clock and spoke as she walked. "Who knows? We might find something interesting."

"So what? We're common crooks now?"

Stormy shook her head to Icy's commentary. "I'm not saying we should steal stuff. Just look. It's not often we get to visit a place like this without being chased by guards or soldiers or fairies."

"I'm comfortable right here." Darcy used her magic to have several utensils fly in the air in a circle.

"We came all this way," the youngest Trix continued. "Be a shame if we did so for nothing."

"Fine." Icy turned towards the nearest exit. "Let's go." Only one pair of footsteps followed her and she looked back to find Darcy just sitting there. "Coming?"

"I told you I'm fine right where I am." She had the utensils encircling above her head. "Give a holler if you find something interesting."

Icy turned away with Stormy in tow. With them gone, Darcy was finally able to relax. The truth of the matter is she wanted some peace and quiet and that entailed time away from her sisters. It seems everywhere they went they were always connected at the hips. Darcy needed some "me time."

She set the utensils back on the table and reclined on the chair. "Ah." She sighed. "Alone at last."

She was leaning very far and was almost parallel with the floor. Darcy closed her eyes to drink in the silence but could feel something out of the norm when her senses felt the world turning. Her eyes opened at the last second just as the floor sunk away and she fell back into a trap door. The trap swung shut and the seat came back to a standing position.

Upstairs proved as vacant as the bottom and after about forty rooms Icy was downright aggravated. "Well this was a waste of time."

"Why would someone invite us to a Halloween bash and not be here when we came?"

"Because they don't know how to pull off a good prank." Icy clenched her fists. "When I find the ones responsible for this I'm going to," She stopped—noticing the design on one of the teapots. She narrowed in on a pink one and picked it up. Holding it, Icy's hands began to tremble. "That bitch!" She slammed it onto the floor and it shattered into pieces. Icy stomped towards the window, her eyes boring through the glass. She growled.

Concerned, Stormy took a closer look at the remnants of the teapot. In the pieces was the shattered image of a winged woman. A fairy.

"It was Bloom!"

"Huh?"

"She set this up. I'm telling you it was that pixie and her friends!"

Stormy was not convinced. "Why would she go through all this trouble just to fool us?"

"She didn't fool us." Icy turned on her. "She fooled you!"

"Me?"

"You're the one who wanted to come here. You're the one who got all excited when she found out we were invited to a party. You should have seen how stupid you looked. Now here are, wasting a trip to an empty house and the fairies are probably laughing their skinny asses off somewhere nearby."

"This doesn't seem like them, Icy."

"So you're an expert on fairies now?"

"No it's just,"

"You are so damn gullible." Icy strode towards the door. "Come on! Let's get out of here."

"But we haven't even found the ball room."

"Forget about it, Stormy! Now let's go!"

While not appreciating her tone, Stormy knew better than to defy her big sister so she begrudgingly followed. Back in the hall, Icy was a good twenty paces ahead of Stormy and she made no attempt to catch up too soon.

Something caught her eye and caused her to stop. Stormy spotted a cracked-opened door to a room she and Icy had not looked into yet. Pausing, she watched Icy disappear around the corner and peeked in. The room was gorgeous by anyone's standards if a bit too bright and cheery for Stormy's liking. Still, her curiosity won out and she opened the door completely.

It appeared to be a master bedroom filled with cabinets, three mirrors, two nigh tables, a dining table, a writing desk, pink walls, sparkling paintings, a dozen incredible lamps of various sizes, and a bed fit for a queen. A queen might have lived here for the room had a definite feminine feel about it. Stormy walked right in and took a look around. It was real tacky. She had half a mind to redecorate it herself when she saw the mound of stuffed animals stacked neatly beside a large treasure box. Unicorns, princesses, dragons, dogs, cats, pixies, swans, knights, kings, princes, ladies, frogs, soldiers and ballerinas, all sorts of childish collectables stood awaiting the arrival of their master.

Stormy looked it over. A leg swept out from under her and kicked the mound to the floor. Various dolls made squeaking noises as they collided with the ground. "Timber!" Stormy chuckled then stepped over and on the toys as she made way for the chest. It was open and inside she found a single toy: a teddy bear wearing a red ball-plume hat

"Aww." She picked it up and made for the large bed with gold blankets. Slumping down on the mattress, Stormy kicked up her legs and brought up the teddy bear. "Was it you who sent us that invitation letter?" She asked the inanimate object. "The silent type, eh?" She placed her fingers around the bear's neck as if to strangle it. "Talk you!" It said nothing.

Smirking, Stormy reached up and grabbed the bear's hat. With all her strength, she yanked the hat off, tearing the fabric and the cotton off with it. Stormy snickered as she tossed the hat away. "Now start talking before I take your head off next."

Feeling around the back, Stormy felt a string. Turning the bear around, she found a cord connected to its backside. "Ah so you can talk." Turning it back around, the witch looked the bear square in the eye and said, "Talk." She pulled the string.

"I love you very much."

"Ack! Gag me." She pulled again.

"You're so nice. Let's be best friends."

"No thanks." Another pull.

"I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

She smiled at that. "Maybe you're not such a loser afterall." Nestling into the bed, Stormy pulled the cord again.

"You're in trouble."

"Hm?"

"I'm going to kill you."

"What?" Stormy sat up. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm going to kill you."

"I didn't even pull the cord that time."

The bear's head looked up, right into her face. The eyes turned red. "That's right. Kill you." He pointed with a stuffed paw. "You!"

"Shut up!" Stormy threw the bear over the bed and heard it land with a satisfying thunk. "Stupid piece of…" She stopped when she heard someone laughing. It was the bear's voice. A stuffed hand grabbed the side of the bed and the bear's manically smiling face appeared. Stormy gasped.

"Kill you!" said the bear in a less than melodic tone. Its laugh turning guttural, the stuffed animal made a leap for Stormy's throat.

So enraged was she by her premonitions that Icy did not even notice Stormy's absence. Back downstairs, the ice witch promptly made the turn that would take her to the dining room where she last saw Darcy. "Darcy, we're leaving." She then realized she was talking to no one as the room was empty. "Darcy!" She called. When no answer came, Icy turned to Stormy. "Can you believe…" but she wasn't there either.

"Stormy?" Icy could not believe this. "Where are you guys?"

A noise came from the opposite room across the hallway. Icy ran into the lounge that was wide enough to be a lecture room, searching for her missing sisters. She saw nobody. "Quit playing around!" Her voice left no room for humor. "We don't have time for your stupid games! We have more important things to do back home and there's still a lot of cleaning to do!" With no reply forthcoming, Icy prowled about like an irate tigress. When she had enough she bloated, "Fine! Stay here! I'm going!"

But before she could do that, she heard the sound of laughter. She couldn't tell if it was Darcy or Stormy, but the elder Trix figured it had to be them. Icy ran across the room into the adjacent room where there was a fireplace and heads of numerous stuffed animals along the walls. She ignored them. Had she not done so, she would have seen their eyes following her every movement.

The laughter took her on a tour of the entire wing, from meeting rooms, a library, two small kitchens, a greenhouse, and an aviary. It seemed the closer she got, the farther the laughing went. Just when Icy rounded a corner or burst into another room, the voice was just out of sight.

"Dammit!" She cursed. They used to play these stupid games when they were kids back when it was okay for witches to laugh and giggle like fairies. Now it was just demeaning. "Enough is enough!" Icy took flight, homing in on the voice like some vengeful bird of prey. It wasn't long before the chase took her outside into the courtyard.

With no acoustics bouncing off the walls to throw her off it became easier for the witch to follow the voice. Pass a parched fountain and Icy found a large domed building at the far end. It was here, she noted with a bit of irony, where she found the ball room. Back on her feet, the Trix could no longer hear the voice. The entire room, vast and resounding, was empty. Her heels clicked loudly on the polished floor.

"Darcy? Stormy?" She wasn't so sure anymore. When the lights came on and music blared to life, Icy nearly jumped right out of her skin. Eerie white light filled the room and a piano began playing a solemn dirge. Icy loved dirges. The ambiance added by the shifting disco ball on the ceiling made it all seem dark and foreboding—like something terrible was about to happen to the female protagonist.

Icy smiled.

"May I have this dance?" asked a deep, male voice.

Icy turned only to have her eyes fall upon the most handsome man she had ever seen. Dark hair, eyes so black she felt herself drowning in them, tall with skin so alabaster it made her tan by comparison. He was like a vampire. Dark. Mysterious. Sexy.

"Wha…." She drooled for she could not formulate a sentence before this hunk. Dressed in a formal white tuxedo, He bowed low before her. Then as he stood up, the gentleman extended his hand as if to invite her. Icy's hand was in his before she realized it. He guided the Trix to the center of the room where they began to dance. At once a band picked up and shadowy images of dancers surrounded the two. An entire room filled with apparitions and a melody so haunting Icy could feel her cold heart breaking. It could just be the shockingly beautiful man she was with…in that case, her heart was definitely on fire—among other things.

Icy could not recall how long they'd danced, only that she wanted to do this forever. Was she under a spell? How could she have let her guard down like this? A witch would never allow herself to fall for anything much less a man. But every time she would look into those dark orbs of his, she'd consider herself cursed and let him guide her through the steps. Everyone was dressed in their finest and Icy was almost embarrassed she had worn her causal Trix outfit: skin-tight body suit with flowing blue cape. But from the looks her partner was giving her, he liked it just fine.

And so they danced.

Icy placed her head lovingly against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I don't know what's happening…but I'm loving it."

"You've grown soft, Icy," came a voice she all too recognized and her eyes flashed open. "But then again you weren't that much of a witch to begin with."

Pulling herself back, Icy found herself staring into the grinning face of Baltor!

"Baltor!!" She jumped back. "How did you…where?" Suddenly the lights brightened to a blinding yellow and the somber music was replaced by an upbeat tune. "What in Fralhalla is going on?"

"Don't you know?" Baltor pulled a pumpkin from behind his back and placed it on his head, eyes glowing. "It's Halloween!"

Aghast, Icy backed up until she hit somebody. "Hey watch it!"

"You watch it, you…" She was in the process of saying when she saw who it was. "You!"

Bloom flashed her a peace sign. "What's up?" She was dancing with Prince Sky who winked at her.

"I knew it! You planned this!"

"Don't I get some credit?" Riven asked from where he was dancing with Musa. "I do owe you Trix afterall."

They were here. ALL of them. The entire Winx Club, the specialists, students from Red Fountain, Alfea, Cloud Tower, all dancing, all celebrating—all pointing and laughing at Icy. "You call that a costume?" Layla asked next to Nabu.

"Talk about cheap," Musa said from where Riven had her dipped.

"Don't you know face-painting went out of style with that outfit you're wearing?" Princess Stella said.

"Hey everyone!" Riven called. "Look at Icy and laugh. What a loser!"

"Loser! Loser! Loser! Loser!"

"Shut up!" Icy powered up, ice appearing on her face and clothes. "I'll show you all who the real loser is."

"Hey, Icy!" Bloom held a glass of water which she threw into the witch's face when she turned to face her. "Chill out." Her face paint began to run, making her look rather ridiculous.

Everyone broke out laughing.

"Happy Halloween everyone!" Baltor called. Piñatas appeared in the ceiling. Bursting open, they showered the dancers with all sorts of candy. Icy was pushed, shoved, and even groped a couple of times before she fell to the floor. The candy was sweet-smelling—how she wanted to vomit.

Struggling to keep from being trampled upon by the crowd, Icy crawled to where the main entrance was. She stopped when she noticed a pair of polished boots before her. She looked up. Baltor smiled at her. "Let me help you up, Icy." He did so despite her protests and held her by the shoulders. Still wearing the pumpkin head, Baltor's shining eyes leered at her. "My dear, you are shivering." And indeed she was—from all the positive energy around her. Icy was a creature of the night. She could not more find solace in here than fairy would in a dark alley. It was too bright. It was too noisy. It was too happy.

"Let me warm you up." Baltor then did something that caught Icy by complete surprise. Leaning in, the wizard kissed her square in the lips. There was a time when Icy would have relished his sweet taste in her mouth, but now she was completely revolted. When they kissed, Icy felt a wave of warmth pass through her; something nice and shiny. Her stomach turned inside out.

"Gah!" The witch felt her legs stagger and her vision go blurry. She managed just enough of herself to scramble for the door, slamming it wide open and tumble down the short flight of stairs but still getting up to make her escape. Behind her, she could hear the entire ball room chanting "loser" all the way back to the house.

Still gagging, Icy just barely managed to make her way to the manor where she collapsed by a smiling statute of a goddess. She felt so weak. The warmth she felt deep in her soul was enough to want to make her tear it out and stomp it to death. While her vision returned to normal after a fashion, her ears picked up something that made her blood run colder than usual.

"Help!" It was Stormy. Icy looked up at the window where the cry had come from. The lights were on and she could make out the sounds of a struggle.

"Stormy!" She took flight, bursting through the window with energy collected in her hands for an attack. Then she saw her sister. "Stormy?"

"Help me!" She cried. "They're…they're…trying to….kill me!"

She stared at her incredulously. "Really?"

"Hel…" Her voice muffled as the "killer" teddy bear wrapped his body around her face. His eyes beamed and there was a big smile on his face. "I'm going to kill you…with love!" He snuggled her.

Stormy's body was covered with stuffed animals that had her pinned down on the floor. They each were hugging whatever piece of her they could find and kept muttering the phrase "kill you with love" over and over again.

"Okay…this is weird."

Shaking the bear lose, Stormy pleaded with her sister to save her. "Get me out of here!"

"Hold your panty-hoes!" Icy blasted the toys off of Stormy who then scrambled to her feet and ran behind Icy.

"They're trying to kill me!" She whined hysterically. "Don't let them get me! Please! Keep them away from me!" She began to cry. As one, the toys got up and marched toward the witches, arms extended. "Kill you with love! Kill you with love!"

"Time to jet, dear sister." Icy grabbed Stormy and leaped out the window, landing gracefully at the bottom. She watched as she fell to her knees and cried. "Get up! You're safe now."

"Oh, Icy! The horror! The horror! I was so scared. There was just the teddy at first but then all his friends woke up and they and at first I thought they were going to attack me but then they just began hugging and kissing me and saying 'love' over and over again. I couldn't take it! I thought I was going to die!" She grabbed Icy's leg and sobbed. "It was the scariest moment of my life."

"Big deal. Get off me!" She kicked her off. "You should have seen what I just went through. Baltor and Bloom and everyone I ever hated just ran me out of the party."

Wiping her eyes and pulling herself together, Stormy stood up. "Really?"

"Yeah. And right now I think it's time for a little payback." She glanced around. "Have you seen Darcy by any chance?"

As if on cue, Darcy's scream filled the air.

"It's coming from over there!" Stormy pointed to a cellar door over to their left.

"Come on!" Icy pulled the door open and led the way inside. The Trix duo made their way through a stone corridor lit by torches and ending at a large red door with metal bars. "She's in there!"

"Sounds like she's being tortured!" Stormy raised her hand. "I'll blast it!" She did just that and the door was reduced to splinters and scorched metal.

Inside they found their sister laid spread eagle on a vertical table. She was surrounded by rows upon rows of cakes, sweets, and candies of all fragrances, sizes, and designs. Her mouth and shirt were stained by pastries. Her mask was twisted sideways to reveal her watery eyes. Darcy looked on the verge of passing out when she spotted her sisters. "Icy! Stormy! Save me!!"

In all their years they had never heard Darcy scream like that. Her torture must have been unimaginable. Rushing to her side, they pried the constraints off of Darcy's hands and feet and watched her stumble to her feet. She hunched over, spilling out undigested contents onto the floor. Darcy felt so sick. She never wanted to see another cake for as long as she lived.

"He just kept feeding me all that sweet stuff," she garbled. "No matter what I did, I couldn't break free. I threatened, I screamed, I even tried mind control. He was too strong. He was twisted! I pleaded for him to stop. Pleaded! But he wouldn't stop giving me candy." Now she began to wail in much the same way Stormy did. "I feel so fat. Look at my stomach. I must have gained fifty pounds!"

"You're not fat," Icy said before, "Though your waist did expand a bit."

How she cried!

"Nice going, Ice," Stormy scolded.

Before Icy could say anything, a door opened behind them and a very tall and skinny man wearing a baker's outfit and a white hood, stepped in carrying a large cake. "Don't tell me you're leaving already!" His voice resounded. "I just brought the main course. Have ever seen so much cream?"

Darcy cried out. "No! No more! Get away from me!" Like a frightened animal, the girl clawed at the floor as she struggled to get away with her bloated stomach. Darcy was the first out the door with Icy and Stormy in tow.

"So like why are we running?" Stormy had to ask.

"This whole place is crazy! I don't know about you, Storm, but I'm anxious to get as far away from here as I can. Unless you want to return to that sleepover party with your stuffed friends." At that, Stormy ran past Icy, actually catching up with Darcy. "This is humiliating. The Trix running scared by some goody-goody's twisted idea of a haunted house."

They made their way up a flight of stairs and to the main hall where they entered. Thing is, the place looked entirely different. Gone were the spooky decorations and dark interior, replaced by things bright and pink. The colors were such that made the trio cringe in revulsion. It was all so…PINK!

"Oh, Icy!" They all turned to find Baltor wearing the pumpkin head down the hall. "We haven't finished our dance." He waved her over with a finger.

"I love you," came the bouncing teddy bear and his friends down the stairs.

The door they just exited burst open and the insane baker was still holding the cake. "Come on! Just one more bite! I made it just for you!"

Darcy screamed. Stormy screamed. Icy…well she was too busy chattering her teeth. The nightmarish creatures made their way to the witches, each with a loving smile on their face. Pumpkinhead was in the middle. "What say we seal our feelings," he puckered up. "With a kiss?"

That did it. Icy's scream resonated with her sisters and the Trix ran away so fast they didn't bother to open the door. Instead, they just went through it, leaving imprints of themselves along the way, screaming like mad through the pumpkin patch and out the gate. The Trix did not stop screaming until they were home…locked away safely from all those horrors.

After the witches left, Pumpkinhead and the baker stood together by the door. They waited until the screams of the Trix died out before bursting out into laughter.

"That was fun!" The baker said. He stood and pulled his mask off. "I always knew those girls were a bunch of posers. Sure they act tough but put them in a situation that's out of control and they don't know what to do."

Baltor agree and removed the pumpkin from his head. "I have to say it, Darkar; it's been a real pleasure working with you. You really know how to get under a witch's skin."

"Best way to her heart is through her stomach," Darkar said. "Just ask Darcy."

"Still, we cannot forge the mastermind behind it all."

Both men watched as a black cat shadowed out of the mist and took the form of a woman. The smile on her face was as genuine as theirs.

"Griffin, you never cease to amaze me." Baltor tipped his head. "How I miss the days when we used to work together."

"Don't get too attached, Baltor. Witches make terrible allies—and even worse girlfriends."

"A man can dream, can't he?"

Lord Darkar regarded her. "What I still don't understand, Griffin, is why would you go through all the trouble of scaring the hell out of your old students? Not that I did not enjoy any of it." He chuckled.

"A lesson, Lord Darkar. Nothing more."

"A lesson?"

Baltor smiled knowingly.

"Oh," Darkar said. "I see."

The headmistress of Cloud Tower turned to where her former students went running wildly into the night. "Those girls were always too full of themselves. They think they are better than they really are; that they are the masters of fear and all that is evil in this universe." She crossed her arms. "I simply wanted to show them they still have a lot to learn and that no matter how scary they think they are,"

"No one is above a little fear," Baltor finished for her.

"Or a good scare," Darkar added.

"Yes." Griffin smiled. "And what better time to teach them than Halloween?"

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!