Irina held the second to last plastic bag and was about to reach into the bowl of candies when she faintly heard the laughter, at which she froze. She felt her ears twitching and chills going down her spine, not to mention queasiness in her stomach. 'Who on earth was that? Could it be a member of Maestro's family? I certainly hope not, since he seems to hold them in high esteem. Speaking of, I wonder if he heard it.'

The red-head shook her head to rid it of the unsettling moment. She inhaled a deep breath and then exhaled it before taking another glance at her watch. 'Four thirty- five. I'd better make haste. It's a good thing I'm almost done.' Reaching into the bowl, she grabbed a handful of candies and goodies, dropped them into the bag, then rested it on the table with the others. She picked up the final plastic bag and filled it before releasing a light sigh of satisfaction. 'There. All done...and in good time, too.' Just as she was resting it on the table with the other filled bags, Maestro re-entered the ballroom. Her lips curled into a tiny smile. "You're back."

Maestro returned the smile. "Yes. I see you've finished filling the goody bags. Excellent. Once again, thank you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Irina then looked serious as she debated within herself whether she should ask the maestro what business he had to take care of, or even about the sinister laughter she had heard. Not that the former really mattered to her, but the curiosity began to show in her eyes. 'As for the latter, I'd hate to mention it when the children will be arriving any minute, but I just can't shake it.'

Luckily, Arisa entered at that moment, holding the container of cupcakes. She gave the couple a slight nod of acknowledgment, smiling slightly when they returned the gesture, before carrying the tray over to the refreshment table and carefully setting it down. "I'll be back with the bowl of fruit punch," she said.

Maestro nodded. "That's fine."

Irina managed a grateful smile at the henchwoman, trying not to let her anxiety show. "Thank you very much."

"Of course." Arisa gave a deep curtsy, then exited the ballroom.

Irina watched as Arisa took her leave, giving a small smile of relief at how the younger woman provided a brief moment of distraction before the silence could become too uncomfortable. Her smile faded to be replaced by a wistful expression when her mind landed back on her previous concern. 'Perhaps I'm overthinking this, but I'm just worried the party will be interrupted.'

Maestro did a quick glance around the room to see what else needed to be done, then turned back to Irina, frowning at her change in demeanor. "Irina, are you all right? You seem troubled."

"Oh!" Irina's facial expression became neutral as Maestro's voice filled her ears. She looked sheepish at having been caught spacing out and gave a nervous laugh. "It's not me. It's just that shortly before you returned, I heard the sound of diabolical laughter." She barely held back a shudder. "Have you heard it as well? And do you sense any evil nearby?"

Maestro's frown deepened considerably, accompanied by suspicion and a hint of anger in his eyes. He clearly didn't like the idea of trouble arising when he was about to enjoy an evening of fun. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I had, and something about it sounded familiar. As far as sensing evil, I can't say that I have, but we should keep our guards up."

Irina nodded. "I agree." She paused to take another glance at her watch, then scrunched up her brow. "We have twenty minutes. What do you suggest we do now?"

"We should go to the living room and keep watch. We have to do a bit more setting up and welcome the children."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go. "

Maestro placed an arm around Irina's shoulders, guiding her out of the ballroom down the hallway. Her heart raced, a swarm of butterflies fluttered around in her stomach, and her skin tingled. She had to pinch herself to keep from swooning or becoming dazed. 'Good heavens, I'm going to be such a train wreck by the time the party begins. I wonder if he feels the same sensations I do. Probably not, as he is more dignified than I am---most of the time, anyway.'

Arisa passed the couple on the way, carrying a tray with the fruit punch, napkins, plates and utensils, saying, "Excuse me." They stepped to the side so she would have more room, then continued on their way.

Irina and Maestro were soon in the living room, at which the red head mentally heaved a sigh of relief. Maestro removed his arm from around her, although he hated to. 'Her warmth is like a flame igniting my heart and soul. Alas, there is very little time left.' He planted a quick peck on her temple, making her blush. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

Irina hesitated, contemplating whether to ask if he was sure he wanted to go alone, but then nodded as an idea of a fair compromise came to her. "No problem. However, if I feel something is amiss, I'll be joining you." Her tone was amicable, yet firm, and left no room for questioning. 'Rumor has it he can be very proud. While I can accept it under normal circumstances, now is not the time for that.'

Maestro quirked an eyebrow at how no-nonsense the red-head was, but knew better than to argue. "Fair enough." He wandered over to the sofa, retrieving his cloak and skeleton mask. Putting on the cloak, he clutched the mask, then walked over to the front door. Cracking it open a bit, he poked his head outside, checking for unexpected or unwelcome guests. 'Hmm...just as I thought, no evil force...so it must have been the mayor.' A look between a scowl and a sneer formed on his features, relaxing into a tiny smile when he spotted a massive group of children approaching the mansion, accompanied by their parents. 'Excellent. I hope they're ready for the thrill of a lifetime.' With a mischievous glint in his eye, his smile became devilish, and he placed the skeleton mask on his face, releasing a quiet chuckle.

'Hmm?' A curious frown crossed Irina's features upon hearing the maestro's chuckle, which produced a mixture of feelings she couldn't quite explain. While she couldn't exactly say she was unsettled, it took everything she had not to choke from the suspense. 'I know curiosity kills the cat, but I never liked being left in the dark on important matters. I'm going to see what's going on, whether he likes it or not.' Inhaling a deep breath, she released it, then wandered over to the front door, stopping several feet behind Maestro. "What's going on? I heard you laughing."

Not wanting to scare the red-head, Maestro removed the mask before turning to face Irina with a rather sheepish smile. "It's nothing to worry about. However, our party guests are arriving."

Irina knitted her brows together and drew her lips in a line, unsure whether to buy Maestro's explanation or not. She was about to press him harder for details, but then spotted the children and parents approaching the mansion as he had pointed out. 'I guess it can wait.' She nodded. "Well, all right, then."

Maestro put on his best pokerface, although he was mentally sighing in relief that she left well enough alone. 'Something tells me she will rehash it later and I may have to prepare for a severe rebuke.' Tossing the mask back on the sofa, he turned away from her, opening the door a bit wider as the guests walked up the steps. He stepped to the side to allow them room to enter, and Irina followed suit. She and Maestro gave each guest a welcoming smile as they walked inside the mansion, wiping their feet.

Once all of the guests were inside, Maestro shut the door. He gave the children's costumes a quick glance over, smiling in approval at the variety shown before him-characters from different movies, books, anime series, TV shows, cartoons, video games and books of mythology. "Well...I must say we have quite the assortment. I like it. On a more serious note, welcome and Happy Halloween. I'm so glad you could join me and my companion." He winked at Irina, whose face turned different shades of red, then focused his attention on the parents. "Thank you for allowing your children to come and also for accompanying them." He went over to the sofa where he rested the mask and grabbed it, slipping it inside his pocket.

"You're welcome," several of the mothers mumbled, whilst the others just nodded. Their eyes darted around the living room as if they were trying to assess the home their children had been invited to.

Irina, having recovered from her brief moment of embarrassment, stepped forward with a warm smile on her face. "I'm Irina. As the maestro said, I'm a close companion of his." She stooped down in front of a young boy clad in a royal-blue cloak, boots, holding a cane in his hands. "Wow, I love your costume. Who are you dressed as?"

The young boy gave a small grin before responding, "Xavier Pendragon from the video game Eternal Champions. He's my favorite character...so is Midknight."

Irina chuckled lightly. "You're adorable." She scrunched up her brow whilst rising to her full height. "Hmm, I don't think I'm familiar with that game or those characters, but they sound interesting. You'll have to tell me more."

The boy's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "You bet!"

"Good."

Maestro couldn't help but smile at the interaction between Irina and the boy, how they talked as if they were friends at first glance. He felt his heart soaring at the thought. 'She's a woman after my own heart. Of course, it's too early to consider the topic of having children, but I hope to in the future.' A dreamy look threatened to escape, but he succeeded in keeping it at bay as he directed his gaze at his guests.

"Is everyone ready for a thrilling, but fun time?"

"Yeah!!!" the children shouted.

"Well then, let's go. Follow me." Maestro walked ahead of the children, prompting them and the parents to form a rather messy line. Irina stood at the end behind a little girl wearing a flowing white gown and a long wavy blonde wig with a tiara resting atop it. A look of awe crossed the woman's features. 'Very simple, but I like it. I'll have to ask her about it once we're in the ballroom.'

Everyone followed the maestro as he led them down the halls, passing the different rooms containing the scary signs. Some of the children and parents appeared unfazed, whilst the remainder of them felt goosebumps popping up on their arms, making them barely able to hold back shivers.

Irina's shoulders felt lightened as if a large weight had been lifted from them, relief appearing on her features that the parents took the spooky signs well enough. A tiny part of her had prepared herself to hear them bite Maestro's head off for traumatizing the children. 'Then again, I've seen worse.'

Maestro soon stopped in front of the open doorway of the ballroom, making the guests and Irina stop as well. He stepped aside and gestured for them to enter first, saying, "After you."

Irina tilted her head slightly at his chivalry, ignoring her racing heartbeat. 'Quite the gentleman he is.' She nearly said it out loud, but bit her lip, instead shooting him a coy smile. "Why thank you." She waited for the party guests to enter before following them.

Releasing a quiet, amused chuckle, Maestro walked in behind the red-head.

Arisa finished setting up the refreshment table, humming softly to herself. She was setting down the coasters when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She glanced up, her lips spreading into a warm smile upon seeing Irina, Maestro and the party guests. "Well, hello there, children and parents," she greeted.

"Good evening, Ms. Arisa," the children chorused in unison, as if they were students in a classroom. They broke out of their formed line and gazed around the room, absorbing the images of all the decorations. The papier-mâché ghouls, mummy and Frankenstein doll made the girls rub their arms whilst the boys muttered, "Ooo, spooky" under their breaths. They allowed their eyes to drift toward the refreshment table and their mouths started watering at the sight of the cupcakes. 'Oooh, yummy.'

"And a good evening to you, too," each of the parents responded as they gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. They felt their eyes twitching at all the spooky stuff, but otherwise remained pokerfaced.

Arisa smiled at the warmth from the children, then her smile faltered slightly upon sensing the uneasiness from their parents despite the polite greeting. 'Oh dear...I sense things will be extremely tense.' It was all she could do not to wring her hands. She shook her head, recalling everything Maestro had told her about his encounters with the adults. 'I should have expected it. I trust that the master will show them there is nothing to fear.' Putting on a neutral expression, she continued, "I'm so glad you all have made it here safely. I hope you enjoy the party." She then turned to Maestro. "Is there anything else you need me to do? Like assistance with the games you have planned? Refreshments?"

Maestro couldn't help but smile at how eager his maidservant was to make herself useful. He wrinkled his brow in thought before shaking his head. "Irina and I have those under control." He paused, his expression becoming firm as his mind switched to his and Irina's prior suspicion. "However, if you can keep watch for any signs of trouble, I would appreciate it." He spoke in a hushed tone, not wanting to worry the children and their parents.

Arisa nodded, knowing the trouble Maestro was referring to. "Consider it done. Thank you for entrusting the task to me."

"My pleasure."

Arisa gave a slight bow, and then walked out of the ballroom, closing the door behind her.

Maestro allowed a smile to escape whilst he watched the younger woman take her leave, before directing his attention back to Irina and the guests. His smile grew upon noticing the children fidgeting and watching him with expectant eyes whilst the parents wore blank expressions. Even so, he could see in their eyes that they were anxious. 'I see they have yet to become completely comfortable. Well, no matter. Time for me to try to change that.' He cleared his throat, prompting the children to stand still and give him their undivided attention. Their parents faced him with an "I'm all ears" kind of look. His eyes lit up with excitement and his voice grew a bit loud as he announced, "First things first, we're gonna play a game!"

The children instantly looked at the maestro with curious eyes filled with a touch of intrigue. Several of them went, "Oooo," and a girl asked, "What game are we playing?"

"Yes, I would like to know that as well," piped up one of the parents, a woman named Joyce. "It had better not be anything perverted." The last statement was made in an accusatory tone. She heard one of her sons protest, "Mo-om!" in a loud whisper, but she merely ignored him.

Irina felt her nerves twitching at the implication. She drew in a deep breath, ready to deliver a stinging jab in turn, but Maestro put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head lightly. "I'll handle it," he reassured her before she could protest. She let out a light sigh of resignation.

Maestro removed his hand from Irina's shoulder and turned to face Joyce, whose facial expression made him feel as if he were in Antarctica. He released an amused chuckle before clicking his tongue, which elicited a scowl from the woman. He quickly put on a nonchalant expression. "Relax. It's nothing like that. It's just a fun game. If you would just be silent and let me finish, I will tell you." He heard snickering from his female companion, which made him grin.

Joyce flinched as if she were in pain, but then fell silent. "All right, fine," she conceded with clenched teeth.

"Good. " Maestro inwardly smirked at the woman's reluctance, all the while hoping she wouldn't spoil the evening. 'Then again, I can always cast her into the Dungeon of Doom if she continues with the disrespect, and I would hope it doesn't come to that.' He felt a smirk threatening to escape for real, which he camouflaged with a serious expression. "The game we're about to play is a fun little guessing game, in which each child must guess the costume their peers are wearing. I will call forth a child in costume and whoever knows the answer will have to guess it. You'll have three chances. If you guess correctly, you get to be the next volunteer. If you guess incorrectly, then the person must tell everyone the correct answer. The player with the most correct answers will win a prize. Okay?"

"Okay!" several girls and boys yelled out.

Relief crossed the features of the parents, Joyce looking as if she wanted to die of shame. The overwhelming guilt tore at her insides, leaving her with mild queasiness. 'I know, open mouth, insert foot. However, one can never be too careful.'

Irina got a smug look on her face upon seeing the look of shame etched on Joyce's face. She had to purse her lips to keep from doubling over in laughter. 'That'll teach her not to disrespect Maestro.' She turned to give Maestro a thumbs up sign.

Maestro shot a grin at Irina before cracking a smile at the excitement shown by his young guests. He then put his game face on and did a handclap, making some of the children jump a little. Cursing mentally, he let out a rueful chuckle. "Oops, sorry if I startled you. Now let's begin, shall we?" He scanned the group of children, tapping his chin as he pondered which child to call on first. A look of intrigue crossed his features when his eyes landed on the young boy Irina briefly spoke with earlier. 'If I recall correctly, his name is Derek.' Focusing his attention on the young lad with a fixated gaze, Derek gazed back with a questioning look in his eyes. "Derek, you're first. Come forward."

Giving a bashful smile laced with uncertainty, Derek stepped forward as instructed, standing next to Maestro. The immortal being gently turned Derek around to face the parents and his young peers, then dropped his arms to his sides. "Now...can you guess Derek's costume?"

"A boy witch! "

"An old man!"

"Nuh-uh! He looks like the grim reaper!"

The children had shouted their guesses all at once, causing a small racket to ensue. Derek cringed from the loudness before covering his ears. Irina brought up a hand to rub at her temples, feeling a slight headache forming. 'Oh dear.'

The parents remained silent, but had conflicted expressions on their faces as if they were internally debating whether to intervene or not.

Maestro did a loud hand clap whilst Irina stuck several fingers in her mouth and let out a shrill whistle, which made the yelling children nearly jump a mile. Instantly, they fell silent. Derek uncovered his ears, heaving a massive sigh of relief. He turned to the party hosts with a grateful smile on his face. "Thanks a lot."

Maestro gave Derek a warm smile. "Absolutely." He then focused his attention on the remainder of the children with a gracious but firm look. "Please, one at a time. I can't hear you when you're all speaking at once. Besides, I will acknowledge anyone who raises his or her hand, so there's no need for the confusion."

"That's right," chimed Irina. "Remember, we can all sing together, but we can't speak together unless uttering the same words."

The children peered down at their feet, looking deeply ashamed as if they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar after they were instructed not to touch it. They glanced back up at Maestro and Irina with deep remorse in their eyes. "Sorry," they chorused in meek sounding voices.

Maestro held back a wince at seeing the children's shift in mood. While his aim was to calm them down, he didn't want them to think the situation was as bad as they found it to be. 'The last thing I want is for them to fear me.' He gave a reassuring smile. "All forgiven. Now, let's try again. Raise your hand if you think you can guess Derek's costume."

Several hands shot up. A girl dressed in a blue unitard, high top boots, a blue tiara, clutching a Japanese paper fan started waving her arm so fast it soon felt like it would fall off. 'Ohhh please let him pick me...let him pick me....'

Maestro held back a light chuckle that was threatening to escape, not wanting the young girl to think he was laughing at her. Putting back on his serious expression, he pointed to her. "Yes, Sarah?"

Sarah let out a massive sigh and a small grin of excitement formed on her lips. Her face then turned bright red as she gave a bashful smile at the fact that her peers were awaiting her response. 'I hope I get this right...but I remember what he told me.' She glanced at Derek, then at Maestro. "Um...is it Xavier from Eternal Champions?" She put on a modest look, as if bracing herself to be told she was incorrect.

Maestro furrowed his brow whilst making a "hmm" sound before turning to Derek for confirmation. "Is it the character you're dressed as?"

Derek was silent for a moment, then his face relaxed into a grin. "Yup," he quipped, popping the p. He directed his gaze at Sarah, grinning at her, which made the little girl blush.

Maestro turned away from Derek, facing Sarah with a congratulatory smile. "You were correct, Sarah. Well done."

"You're terrific at this game," added Irina.

At that, Sarah's face lit up like a lantern and she started jumping up and down, making everyone chuckle. "Yay!" she cheered as the other children clapped until their hands ached. Sarah's expression became serious and she stood still, giving her legs a much-needed rest. "Now what? I know the game is far from over."

Maestro gave a mysterious smile before winking at the young girl. "You're right, we're not through by a long shot. To answer your question, it's now your turn to be "It." So I'm going to need you to come forward."

"Okaay." Looking a bit nervous, Sarah slowly wandered over to the maestro and stood next to Derek, shivering slightly when she felt Maestro place an arm around her shoulders, positioning her so she was facing her audience.

Derek shot the young girl another smile, then turned to face Maestro. "What about me? What should I do now?"

"You can remain next to me or you can go join your friends. It's entirely up to you."

Derek scrunched up his brow in thought, tapping his chin. "Hmm, okay. I think I'll stay here so Sarah won't have to be alone. Thank you for letting me be It first." He paused, looking worried as a question nagged at him. "I can still play along, right?"

Maestro did a side-ways glance at Sarah's nervous demeanor and then gave a nod of understanding. "Of course you'll still be able to play. And the pleasure is mine."

Derek breathed a light sigh of relief, then his eyes brightened. "Okay!" He glanced over at Sarah, giving her a "You got this" look.

Blushing a little, Sarah gave the young boy a shy smile. "Thank you. I owe you one," she whispered to him. She then turned to Maestro, who had a wry smile on his lips at the exchange between the two youngsters. "Okay, sorry about that. I'm ready now."

"Oh no, you're fine," Maestro reassured the young girl, smiling down at her. His smile faded as he turned to face the children. "All right, who can tell me what costume Sarah is wearing? Remember, no shouting. Wait for me to call on you before giving your answer." He mentally cursed himself for not making the rule from the outset.

The children nodded to show their understanding, then several of them raised their hands, wiggling them in the air. It was all they could do not to go, "Oooo, Oooo, Oooo", due to them knowing the answer. However, the last thing they wanted was to endure another lecture, from either Maestro, Irina or their parents. Sarah had to bite her lip to keep from bursting into giggles. 'I hope Mr. Maestro does pick someone, though.'

Maestro pointed to a young boy dressed in a tuxedo, cape, top hat, accompanied by a masquerade mask on his face, causing him to become so giddy with excitement that he nearly dropped his plastic rose. "Josh? Let's hear your answer."

Josh put on a shy face whilst shuffling his feet. "Princess Kitana from Mortal Kombat!!!" he yelled, allowing his lips to stretch into a small, proud-of-himself grin at recognizing the getup so easily.

Maestro tilted his head as the corner of his lips quirked up. He directed a gaze at Sarah, who looked like she was trying not to smile but failing miserably. "Sarah? Is he correct?"

Sarah's face broke into a big grin. "Yep! He got it right."

'Yes!' It took everything Josh had not to do a happy dance, instead settling for grinning so hard his cheeks hurt. He did a fist pump in the air, making sure his grip on the plastic rose was tight so he wouldn't drop it.

Maestro chuckled lightly at the young boy's exuberance before giving him a lopsided smile. "Congratulations. It's now your turn."

The maestro had just barely finished his statement when the other youngsters erupted into loud cheers for Josh, causing their friend to grin harder. "You go, Josh!" Nathan and Gabe yelled, placing their hands up for the boy to slap their palms.

Giggling, Josh gave his two best friends a high-five before stepping forward to stand next to Sarah. He shot his friends a smirk that read, "Let's see if you can guess my costume," then glanced up at Maestro. "Okay. I'm ready."

"I'm glad." Maestro turned to face the crowd, his gaze silencing them. He mentally smiled at the fact that his chastisement only had to be done once for them to learn to settle down on their own. 'It's not what I enjoy, but sometimes it is necessary.' After his inner voice faded, he inquired, "Who can tell me what Josh's costume is?"

The children proceeded to murmur amongst themselves, keeping their tones to a whisper, as if to prevent their words from being heard. All it took to silence them was the sound of Irina loudly clearing her throat and wagging her finger, eliciting a smile of gratitude from Maestro. The children gulped, then raised their hands, one by one.

Maestro twisted his mouth to the side as he gazed at the group of children, then pointed to a girl dressed in a red cloak with a hood, holding a basket. "Kathy? Let's hear your answer."

Kathy squirmed a bit and fidgeted before placing a pinky finger in her mouth. She gave her nail a little nibble, yanking it out when she felt a light elbow jab to her ribs, which made her wince. Rubbing her side, she glanced over at her friend Lori, who was shaking her head. She leaned over and whispered, "Maestro is waiting." The young girl then opened her eyes wide as she snapped out of her partial daze. "Oops...sorry, Mr. Maestro, I didn't mean to do that. Uhm, I think he's dressed as a groom." She peered down at her hands, looking diffident.

Several of the boys bit their lips to keep from bursting into giggles whilst Josh stood there pokerfaced, mentally going, 'Nope, nope, nope.'

Maestro drew his lips in a line, going, "Hmmm." He couldn't say the costume didn't bear a resemblance to a groom, but at the same time it seemed to have a slight embellishment. 'However, it's not my place to tell her she's wrong...not yet.' He turned to Josh, whose eyes seemed to hold a flicker of pity. "Josh? Did Kathy guess correctly?"

"Nope, sorry," came the response. The young boy dared himself to give Kathy eye contact, feeling a painful jolt in his heart at the disappointment crossing her features.

Maestro nodded knowingly as his gut feeling had told him the same thing. He faced Kathy with a look of sympathy etched on his features, hating to be the bearer of bad news. "Unfortunately, you guessed incorrectly. However, it was a good attempt, and what's most important is you tried."

Kathy released a dejected sigh before giving Maestro what she hoped was a genuine smile. She knew it probably looked pitiful, but she wanted to show she was a good sport. 'After all, it's just a game for fun...and Mr. Maestro is being so nice.' With that reminder, her smile grew ever so slightly. "Like you said, I'm happy I tried. Thanks, Mr. Maestro."

Maestro gave the young girl a warm smile in turn. "You're more than welcome." His smile faded as he faced her peers. "Does anyone else want to take a stab at it?"

After a bit of hesitating, a group of boys raised their hands. "Me, me, me!" they called out, jumping up and down like someone in desperate need of the restroom.

The antsy behavior from the boys caused the girls, inclusive of Sarah and Kathy to burst into giggles. Josh had been trying to hold in his laughter, but he felt a tickle deep in his abdomen traveling up his chest cavity. It exploded out of him like a bomb and he laughed so hard he nearly keeled over.

Maestro set his mouth in a line in an attempt to look stern, but could only shake his head in amusement. "All right, time to calm down, everyone," he said with as much firmness as he could muster.

Josh and the girls instantly fell silent, and they exhaled long deep breaths. Josh rubbed his tummy a little, then his aching sides whilst the jumping boys stood still, keeping their hands raised in the air.

Maestro brought up a finger to rub the bridge of his nose, then focused his attention on the group of kids. His gaze intensified on a boy whose face was concealed by a mask with feline features, and a crimson-coloured wig that looked as untamable as an afro. "Reiko?"

Reiko gave Josh's costume a good glance over whilst scrunching up his brow and twisting his mouth to the side. He removed a paw-shaped glove from one of his hands to scratch at an itchy spot on his upper wrist. Slipping back on the glove, he rubbed his chin. "Count Dracula?" he guessed, bracing himself for the guffawing that was sure to follow.

Just as expected, the young boy's peers broke into a light ripple of laughter. Josh's eyes looked as if they would roll out of their sockets onto the floor. He wanted to say, "Seriously?" but swallowed the word, knowing it would earn him a severe scolding.

Reiko's face turned as red as an apple and felt hot. He squeezed his eyes shut as the "Please kill me now" feeling manifested on what little could be seen of his features. 'I know my answer was dumb, but it was the only one I could think of. I mean, if Kathy gave a good guess and it turned out to be wrong, then I can't help but wonder what the correct one is.' He reopened his eyes, exhaling through his nostrils and gazed down at his feet, avoiding his peers' eyes.

Irina shot a quick glance at Reiko, feeling a deep pain in her heart at his demeanor. 'He must wish he can evaporate. Poor thing.' She turned back to the children and gave them a reproachful look, making them quiet down. Her brow was creased, which signified her waning patience. "You should be ashamed of yourselves, making sport of Reiko's honest attempt. Now look at the humiliation you've dealt him."

Several of the children gulped and turned to glance at their friend to see what the woman was referring to. Guilt and shame instantly washed over them, bathing and penetrating their hearts. "We're sorry," they mumbled.

Reiko glanced back up, facing his friends and giving a good-natured wave at them. "Oh, it's okay. It was a pretty dumb answer. But I really wanted to try and it was the first thing that popped into my head." He squirmed while letting out an embarrassed giggle.

The group of children heaved loud sighs of relief, Josh looking thoughtful. While the guilt didn't manifest itself within him quite as strongly since he didn't actually laugh, he knew he was in danger of succumbing to the pressure. "I'm glad. I hope you know we would never hurt your feelings on purpose."

Reiko managed a tiny smile. "I know."

Maestro looked pleased at how the children were able to talk amongst themselves amicably and the fact that they saw the need to apologize on their own. 'Even so, I hope there won't be any more incidents.' He gave his temples a light massage before directing his attention on Josh. "All right, now that everything has been settled, did he guess right, Josh?"

"Nope, that's not it."

Maestro turned to face Reiko with a glint of pity in his eyes as his mind briefly drifted back to how embarrassed the young boy was before. "Sorry, I'm afraid your answer is also incorrect."

Chagrin appeared on Reiko's features for a split second, and then he nodded as if it were something he had been expecting to hear. "I figured."

"On the other hand, you made a good effort, so don't be so hard on yourself," continued Maestro, before turning to address the entire group of kids once again. "I want all of you to remember that with this one last chance. Which one of you would like to take the final guess?"
Two little girls raised their hands, wiggling their fingers as if they were pressing keys on an invisible piano. 'If this answer isn't right, then I'll be as lost as all get out.' Maestro bit his lip to keep from bursting into laughter at the girls' gesture. 'Too adorable.' He placed a finger on his chin before fixing his eyes on the girl dressed in a light pink unitard jumpsuit, royal blue tutu, ballet slippers and a deep purple wig with cat shaped ears on top that covered her actual hair. "Arlene?"

Arlene's face lit up like a child in a toy store. She stared at Josh's costume, letting it burn in her memory. A confident smile slowly crept upon her lips as she rubbed her hands together. "Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon!!!" Her smile faded, turning into a look that said, 'This has to be the right answer. I can feel it in my gut.' She glanced up at Josh, feeling excitement bubble up inside her when she saw him grinning at her and giving her a thumbs up sign. 'Bingo!'

Two boys standing behind Arlene exchanged a glance of utter amazement. They didn't sense any signs of fear or nervousness from the young girl whatsoever. Her confident air was so infectious that they started to grin like idiots.

Maestro gave a slight eyebrow raise at the glow in Arlene's eyes and the grin Josh wore. He could tell the entire group was eager to know if the young girl's answer was right and he hated to torment them with the suspense. He looked over at Josh. "Is she correct?"

Josh aimed his grin at the maestro as he responded with much exhilaration, "Yes, she's got it!"

Gabe let out a whistle, and Nathan yelled, "Way to go!" The other children broke into a round of applause, being joined by the two boys. There was also a touch of relief on their faces at the fact that Arlene's confident demeanor was justified.

Arlene blushed at the attention she received whilst a small proud-of-herself smile graced her lips. It was also a liberating experience as well, as she knew what would have happened if she had guessed wrong. 'They would have laughed at me, even after what Miss Irina had said.'

Maestro stood still, waiting for the moment of glory to end before refocusing his gaze on Arlene. He gave her an "I'm happy for you" smile. "You are correct. Well done. " He was about to have her step forward when all of a sudden he heard angry voices belonging to a man and a woman coming from the living room, at which his smile turned into a frown. 'What the hell??'

Arlene got a confused look on her face at Maestro's sudden change in expression. Irina frowned, noticing it, too. "Maestro, what-" she began to ask, but he placed a finger on his lips, making her go silent and shoot him a questioning look.

"Listen. I think there's trouble," Maestro explained in a whisper.

Looking mystified, Irina nodded, opting to trust Maestro's word. However, her stomach proceeded to turn and a substance resembling cyanide bubbled inside of her, causing her to feel queasy. 'I have a feeling things are about to get particularly ugly.'

Despite not being addressed, the group of children and their parents knew to keep quiet as well, but it didn't stop them from appearing lost, as if wondering what was going on. The ballroom became so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

Maestro wandered over to the door and cracked it open. Just as he did that, Arisa blew into the room huffing and puffing. Her face flushed as she nodded to the occupants before wandering over to the immortal, who faced her with concern-filled eyes. "Arisa, what's the matter?"

Arisa brought up a hand to massage her temples, trying to alleviate the headache that had begun to form. She exhaled a long breath before giving her master eye contact. "The mayor barged into the mansion yelling unspeakable things about you and demanded to know where you were. I told him to leave, but he wouldn't. I've stunned him with a speck of pixy dust so I could come to warn you, but I don't expect it'll hold for much longer." She lowered her head with regret in her eyes. " I did my best, Master," she mumbled, preparing herself to be severely berated for being inefficient.

Maestro wore an impassive look whilst absorbing his henchwoman's words. Frowning slightly at her sudden despondence, he reached out and placed a finger under her chin so her eyes were meeting his again. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You did all you could, and I appreciate you being forthright." A scowl then found its way onto his features at the intrusion, followed by fleeting amusement at the insults. 'I don't have to ask what he said. I've heard them all.'

Arisa plastered on a weak smile of relief. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate that." She paused, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "So, what will you do?"

"Not to worry. I'll take care of it," Maestro reassured the henchwoman. A roguish smirk formed on his lips as he thought of possible "punishments" for the mayor.

Arisa nodded. "All right. You got this."

Maestro let out a slight chuckle whilst pulling the skeleton mask out of his pocket. "Thank you for your confidence." He placed the mask on his face, just barely managing to hold back a devilish chuckle. 'Mayor Tom Sneddon, you have disrespected me for the last time.' Glancing over his shoulder, he was about to tell the children he would be right back and ask Irina to continue the game until then, but footsteps thundered into the ballroom. The ferocity of the steps made the walls shake and the hearts of his guests skip several beats, causing them to nearly fell over.

Everyone but Maestro, Irina and Arisa froze when they saw that the footsteps belonged to none other than the mayor. The parents stood still with apprehensive expressions painted on their faces whilst the children let out a collective gulp. Kathy and Lori held each other, shivering from the chills going down their spines induced by the mayor's imposing presence.

Mayor Sneddon shot a quick glance at the party guests before facing the three immortals with a sneer on his lips. The two women glared daggers at him, resisting the urge to throw up in their mouths.

Maestro removed the mask, reciprocating the look he received from the mayor. "What can I do for you? Do you have a particular reason for creating such a scene and interrupting the party?" He spoke as if he were reproving a small child.

The mayor let out a grunt in response, then did a quick gaze around the room. Distaste formed on his features at all the decorations. 'Just as I thought. The freak's been luring children here to prey on their vulnerability and torture them with his sorcery.'

Maestro appeared undaunted by Mayor Sneddon's grumpy attitude before letting out a snicker. He more or less expected it, given his previous encounters with him. He shot the mayor an amused look. "Well, well, it appears someone is jealous about not being invited. Why didn't you say something? I would have allowed you to attend if you had asked nicely."

Arisa and Irina burst into laughter at the maestro's taunting, covering their mouths to muffle it. The children giggled as well, and Joyce shot her two sons a disapproving look, which only served to make them laugh harder. Joyce threw up her hands and heaved a heavy sigh as if to say, "What am I going to do with these two??"

Mayor Sneddon scowled before letting out a disdainful huff. "Me? Jealous about not being invited to a circus side show run by some freak? Ridiculous. No, I came to investigate your little gathering with the children, despite a minor setback I had with a hocus pocus trick done by one of your cronies. However, that won't stop me."

Maestro threw the mayor a quizzical look. "What's to investigate? I simply invited the children and their parents here to celebrate Halloween with me. We were in the middle of a game before you so rudely interrupted us."

Mayor Sneddon let out another huff to show he didn't buy the immortal's explanation for a second. "Yeah, I just saw your version of a game. More like traumatizing children and giving them scarring nightmares with all your magic tricks, ghost stories and the monstrosities you call decorations. And you invited the parents here so they could watch the children suffer under your evil clutches."

Irina felt massive rage building up within her, and she clenched her fists to control it. She drew in a deep breath, ready to deliver a stinging zinger, but Arisa put up a hand. "It's all right. The master has it under control," causing the red-head to reluctantly clamp her mouth shut.

Maestro flinched at the harshness of the mayor's accusations. The color drained from his already pale face, making it as white as a sheet. A sharp pain tore through his abdomen, travelling up his chest. 'Where does he get these ridiculous ideas? I would never harm these children in any way!'

Mayor Sneddon smirked at Maestro's silence, then let out a menacing chuckle. "I notice you're not denying it, although it would be futile, because I've witnessed it first-hand. Well, your reign of terror is over! It's time for me to get rid of you forever, because I despise your guts. You're a weirdo, and there's no place in this town for weirdoes."

Maestro looked as if he had been punched in the gut. He had grown somewhat immune to the name calling, but the mayor had never flat out told him he was unwelcome in the town before. He pressed his thumbs together while gathering his thoughts. "There's no need to be rude."

"Yeah, there's no need to be rude," several of the mothers echoed in quiet voices. Their eyes were full of compassion for the maestro.

Maestro turned to give the mothers a grateful smile before directing his attention back to the mayor with a purposeful look on his face. "You're right, I have scared the children in the past. But it's only for fun, not to harm them. " He gave the children a sideways glance. "Don't you guys like my magic tricks? And haven't you been enjoying the party thus far?"

"Yeah!"

Nathan rubbed his tummy as he heard it rumbling loudly. "I'm getting hungry! When are we gonna go eat?" he blurted out.

"Na-than!" Gabe protested. He slapped the younger boy in the bicep, eliciting a pain-filled yelp.

Joyce got an angry look on her face as she bopped Gabe on the head, causing him to yelp. "Don't hit your brother!" she scolded in a sharp tone.

Gabe glanced over at his elder brother whilst rubbing the sore spot on his head."Sorry," he mumbled.

Maestro attempted to address the two boys with a gaze of admonition, but inwardly he was trying not to laugh. 'They remind me of some members of my family.' He cleared his throat, which was starting to feel like sandpaper. "Refreshments will be served very soon. There will be a special treat."

The maestro had just barely finished his statement when the children erupted into another loud cheer. He placed up a hand, silencing all of them instantly. "That's better. As much as I hate to do it, the current game must be cut short, but not to worry, we'll play another one."

Several of the children let out groans of disappointment, but with the mayor still standing several feet away with a sour expression on his features, they nodded in understanding.

Sarah stuck her half-asleep left foot to the side, rolling it around a little to wake it up. She looked at Maestro with curious eyes. "What game will we be playing, Mr. Maestro?"

Maestro shot the young girl a small grin and then aimed his grin at her peers. His eyes became shifty as he shot a quick glance at the mayor. "Well, this game will involve our uninvited guest. The first one to become scared will have to leave."

"Ooooo," chorused the children in both approval and trepidation.

"Very creative. I like it," Irina spoke up. A look of concern then appeared on her features as her mind switched back to her first encounter with Maestro. 'I certainly hope he has brushed up on his scare tactics since then. He can't expect to scare someone like the mayor with such goofiness.'

Maestro smiled at the children, then at Irina, clearly pleased that they liked his idea. His smile faded as the magnitude of the situation suddenly hit him. 'If I'm to teach the mayor a lesson I will need to step up my game. Perhaps the children will be able to help. Their imaginations have the tendency to be quite vivacious.'

Half of the mothers looked fairly nonchalant, whilst the remainder of them blanched. Joyce looked as if smoke would come out of her ears, but she knew to keep her mouth shut.

Mayor Sneddon shot Maestro a look of disgust, his nostrils flaring at being included in the game. "I don't play games with freaks!" he scoffed.

Maestro lifted a finger, wagging it at the mayor with a devious smirk on his lips. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice. If you don't play along, then I'll win by default. What fun would that be, considering how badly you want to get rid of me? Besides, it's the price you pray for inviting yourself into my home."

"Amen," Irina muttered under her breath, which was only heard by Arisa, who nodded her agreement.

The mayor gritted his teeth whilst letting out a growl, partly because of the maestro's taunting and also because he was backed into a corner. 'As much as I hate to admit it, he's got a point. However, I refuse to give him the satisfaction. I'll do anything to wipe that smirk off his ugly face.' He released a frustrated sigh. "Fine. I accept your ridiculous challenge," he conceded through clenched teeth.

Maestro released a quiet, predatory chuckle. "Of course you do. As the challenger, I get to go first."

"Huh...you'll need it. However, I'll still win in the end."

"We'll see about that." Maestro then stuck his fingers in his mouth, stretched the ends and pulled off his head, leaving in place a skull. He unleashed a demonic laugh, sending chills up the spines of the kids and their parents. "Welcome to your doom!!!!" he boomed in a dark tone.

"Eek!" several of the girls shrieked, trembling, as the boys mumbled, "Oooo, spooky." Once they had gotten over their fright, an impish look appeared in their eyes, and they huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.

The parents' faces turned pale and their eyes went as wide as saucers, bulging out of their sockets. Joyce cupped her mouth as she whispered to a cocoa-skinned woman standing next to her, who shrugged her shoulders.

Irina blinked in surprise, then a look of liberation crossed her features before a small grin formed on her lips. She gave Maestro a thumbs up sign and a look that read, "Great going."

Maestro felt his heart racing at the red-head's gesture. Her stare nearly caused him to revert to his original self, but he quickly shook his head. 'There is work to be done,' he reminded himself. He directed his attention back to the mayor, who looked like he had bitten into sweetbreads and rotten cheese. "Did I scare you?"

Mayor Sneddon shot Maestro a nasty sneer, resisting the urge to regurgitate. "Like hell you did! It's nothing compared to what I have in store for you."

Maestro's skeleton head faded, morphing back to normal. He quirked an eyebrow whilst returning the sneer, then released an evil chuckle. "Oh, is that so? Well, that was merely a test, and now I'm about to make you regret underestimating me. "

"Go ahead. I'd like to see you try."

"You should be careful what you ask for. It may come true." With a glow in his eyes, Maestro thrust forward an arm in a mystic gesture, emitting a clear burst of energy.

The mayor opened his mouth to give another snide remark, but clamped it shut when his legs became paralyzed, causing him to remain rooted in place. His eyes widened with shock, then a scowl materialized on his features. He glared daggers at the maestro, mentally releasing a string of curse words. The energy beam struck him in the gut, at which he gave a shout of agony. His entire body then shifted about from side to side, his arms and legs flailing as if he were a puppet on strings.

The children broke from their huddle upon hearing the mayor's cry, inwardly smirking to themselves as their minds landed on the scheme they had concocted. They shrieked with laughter at Mayor Sneddon's flailing form, eliciting withering glances from their parents, which only made them laugh harder. "Look at Mayor Sneddon!!" they yelled through their laughter, pointing and giggling some more. Lori had to rest a hand on Kathy's shoulder to keep from keeling over.

Arisa and Irina had been trying to keep straight faces, but a tickling sensation formed in their guts and erupted out of them like a volcano in the form of raucous cackling. Tears ran down their cheeks, which they wiped with the back of their hands, smearing their makeup in the process. Irina frowned upon realizing what had happened. 'Oh dear...my face must be a mess now. ' She reached into her pocket and pulled out a kerchief, using it to mop up her face as best as she could. She shot Maestro a deep frown, as if to say, "Now look what you've caused."

Maestro fought a smile as he purposely avoided the red-head's eyes, keeping his attention on the mayor. He let out a chuckle of delight before placing up a hand, ceasing the elderly man's jerking movements. "That's enough punishment. Do you still wish to test me? Or must I deal with you more harshly?"

Mayor Sneddon released a pain-filled grunt whilst lazily rising to his full height and rubbing at his aching back. He shot Maestro a death glare powerful enough to burn holes in him. "Curse you and your stupid magic tricks."

The group of children had stopped laughing by then, and were trying to catch their breaths. Reiko exhaled one last deep breath before a sly smile formed on his lips. "Get him!" he then yelled.

Wasting no time at all, the little boy's peers rushed forward as if they were marching into battle, throwing their costume props at the mayor. Derek whacked him several times with the cane, and Reiko lunged at the old man, giving him a sharp punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of him for a moment.

Mayor Sneddon let out an asthmatic wheeze, then gave a loud scream. "Monsters!!!" he belted at the top of his lungs before breaking into a run as fast as his legs would carry him. He nearly knocked over the life-sized Frankenstein papier-mâché doll as he raced out of the ballroom.

"And don't come back!" Arlene yelled after the mayor, whilst Reiko blew a raspberry at him. The children went over to the spot where Mayor Sneddon formerly stood, and picked up their props, rubbing them as if trying to get rid of the germs.

Irina released a slight whistle as she tilted her head. She fanned herself to rid her surroundings of the proverbial heat. "Wow. Who knew you children had it in you?"
Sarah placed the tiara back on her head, then met Irina's gaze with a perplexed frown. "That's good, right?"

Irina furrowed her brow in thought before responding, "Aye, it's a good thing."

"Good." Sarah gave a sigh of relief, then worry filled her eyes when she shot a glance at the parents, whose faces looked like a rain-cloud would appear. 'I hope I don't get in trouble.'

Maestro laughed lightly before closing the ballroom door with a flick of his hand. He turned to the children with a content smile forming on his lips. "You children were wonderful. You saved me the trouble of having to truly make the mayor regret the day he was born. Thanks so much for your help."

"Don't sweat it! We love you very much, Mr. Maestro!" All the children ran over to the immortal being, enveloping him in a big group hug.

Maestro felt his heart turning into mush at the heartfelt words. "Awww, I love you more." He returned the children's embrace, patting them on their backs. It was then he knew they truly enjoyed being around him, regardless of what Mayor Sneddon or their parents had said. 'Something tells me Mayor Sneddon will be back, but when that happens, I'll be ready.'