Halloween 2025 - Day 31

Trick and Treat!

Cael: Don't you mean "Trick or Treat"?

Cael: That's usually customary. In addition to not arriving at 11AM instead of nighttime.

Nope, first the Trick

Then the Treat...

Cael: I ain't afraid ah no DOTS

Is that so?

Perhaps if you saw their true form?

Cael: I ain't afraid ah no Ghost... DOTS

Pity you can't see the reality of your sitation

*Ghost*

*Toast*

Cael: Oh good. We're back to this.

Drago: Only 90s kids remember

Cael: 2009 isn't 90s

Drago: It has a '9' in it. Close enough.

Cael: Enough semantics. Let's try to figure out a solution to this.

Alright, the party begins!

Come Mr. Tallyman
Tell me a banana

Bucket: Those aren't the lyrics, either. You had one job.

Big Pumpy: Is it me, or did we lose the battle against the floor space?

Eduard: Seems so. Flat surfaces are much preferred.

Cael: Hey! Down here.

Eduard: Are those gumdrops talking to me?

Cael: Yes, the backstory was explained a long time ago on a website far away. No time for catchup. We need to get going.

Drago: Fly now. Fly away with meeeeeee....

Oh good. The spider pumpkin gets to make its second debut. Wasn't there a larger one around here too?

Sort of feels like earlier details were just forgotten.

*Poof*

Hey, nice digs. Hope I can get some peace an quiet, so I can finish this splatterpunk book.

Not likley to happen, so might be best to block out the outside world. Works for me.

Or, you know, you could always doom-scroll and day-drink.

Bucket: Yes, all that and more.

Bucket: So much more...

Big Pumpy: This forest is so dark and spooky

Eduard: It's neither dark nor a forest. This seems to be the realm where the gifts are from.

Cael: Indeed, so keep a lookout for trouble. Never know what you might find.

Big Pumpy: Dunno, seems likes there's some things we could have used.

Big Pumpy: Where was this handy shelf all month long?

Eduard: I found a goat. Can I keep him?

Cael: Certainly not. He's not seasonlly appropriate, and their saliva smells like their meat. I'll have none of it.

Ghear: Get me out of here!

Bucket: How'd you end up in there?

Ghear: Never mind that. Just lend a helping hand. I have things to do.

Bucket: Like what?

Ghear: Vengeance...

Big Pumpy: Surely, this is a real forest now?

Big Pumpy: Scuz me. Could you help me with some directions?

Big Pumpy: Umm, hello?

Big Pumpy: Ah! Don't cough on me.

I shall not, as long as you prove yourself worthy

To me and all of my kin

Do you possess such conviction?

Eduard: Wait. I think I have an idea.

Big Pumpy: This is no time for half-baked plans. We're in a dire situation.

Eduard: Trust me. It's foolproof.

Big Pumpy: The goat? I thought we weren't suppose to bring him along.

Eduard: What did I say about trust?

. . .

*kiss*

You have done well. The power of love unites us all. Rejoice.

Big Pumpy: What?

Hedgekin: Oh dear. We're left defenseless. Think we should reconsider joining team evil again?

Ghear: It's too late for that. Time to receive the receiving end of this receiver.

Hogbug: Nonsense. It's common knowledge that hedgehogs can't be squished.

Ghear: Perhaps, but there are other ways.

Tee Hee

Hedgekins: My precious fur!

Cael: There you are. What took you so long?

Big Pumpy: Um, we had to go through the plague doctor's trials. Where were you?

Cael: Oh, we skipped that one. It was optional.

Eduard: Well then, are we any closer to our goal?

Cael: Perhaps. We ran into these knuckleheads again.

Wartlock: Is knucklehead, a term of prestige?

Cael: Sure...

Wartlock: Very good. You must track down the power of the dummies.

Cael: The dummies?

Wartlock: Do not make me repeat myself. I was very clear.

Eduard: Beyond the portal? And what is that? It seems unsavory.

Cael: 'Yes' and 'No idea'. But we much push ahead.

Hey, just woke up. Did I miss anything?

It was hammer time

Cael: There they are... I think. Are you the dummies?

Saap, bro. In the flesh... or Polylactic Acid, anyway.

You need our services. Normally doesn't come cheap, but we're really bored.

Totally. This is bummersville, USA.
Population: Us.

I'm game for whatevs

But the doggy comes along. No exceptions.

Cael: Yea, sure. Whatever. Just follow us back.

Big Pumpy: What about those guiz back there.

'Sup?

Cael: No can do. Looks like a copyright strike waiting to happen.

Eduard: And them?

Cael: I have no idea where they're from, but we can't risk it.

Surely, we pass the test, right?

Yeah, man. After we get done, they'll be hammered and screwed!

Eduard: Some sort of Adult Swim reference?

Big Pumpy: Battlebots, actually.

Cael: Enough. We'll consider it free advertisement and call it a day. Let's get a move on.

Cael: It's worse than I thought.

Drago: Hey, that pumpkin man wasn't a pumpking after all!

Cael: I had a nagging suspision.

Alright, let's do this!

I'll hold down the rear. You take the initial attack.

I'll stay back as well!

Come at me, bro. Whatcha gonna do?

*Woof*

Geronimo!

What's happening?

No idea

ReallyGhost: Defensive positions, everyone!

ReallyGhost: They didn't just give up like we hoped.

NotGhost: Attack my any means necessary.

Not me! I'm out!

Nooo! I've crashed.

Ghear: Crash Test Dummy. I get it now.

Hum, I probably should have brought some weapons with me.

Pumbum: Well, I have my weapon right here!

Pumbum: And one in the rear!

Cael: Okay, we're reaching new levels of stupid. Anyone have a decent plan?

Bucket: I'm afraid plans won't help you now. It's over.

Cael: It's never over. Surely, there's a happy medium we can reach?

Bucket: A game perhaps? Rock, paper, scissors?

Cael: That works for me. Big Pumpy will do the honors on account of having arms at the moment.

Bucket: One... Two... Three..

Big Pumpy: ROCK!

Bucket: Clearly, you were gesturing 'paper'

Big Pumpy: You didn't let me finish. Rock...

...topus

*Rock-em, Sock-em*

Eduard: Wow! Can I get an autograph?

Rocktopus: You can get eight!

Rocktopus: But first, we need to summon the Sentinel.

Yes, yes. The Sentinel!

I concur, but how did I get defeated? I hide in the back the whole time.

No sense, second-guessing. Summon the Sentinel!

Summon!

Eduard: We could have stopped panning a little sooner, if I'm completely honest.

Eduard: That's better.

Sentinel: Scanning... Detecting threat. Your virus definitions are out of date.

Sentinel: Would you like to update?

Ghear: What are you talking about. Let me down.

Sentinel: Patching firmware without backup.

*9600 baud*

*You have mail*

*caw?*

Big Pumpy: Horray, I saved the day!

Cael: Not quite. We're still trapped in carnuba wax.

Big Pumpy: Oh yeah. I can fix that.

*Fix*

Cael: Wow. Could you do that the whole time?

Big Pumpy: Yep

Drago: Steller timing, as always.

Cael: Guess it was too much to hope for another reset, but we'll deal with this mess later.

Cael: And what to do with that hunk of metal taking up half the estate.

Happy Halloween!

*Screech*

Jeeves: Not until this mess is cleaned up. You've all done very unwell!