At the entrance to the Haunted Woods…
Petra and Remus hesitated. Should they go in or not? "Wh-why don't you go in
first Remus? You're older."
"Ha! By one day only," retorted Remus.
So far, Petra and Remus, dressed as the Light Faerie and Bug Eye McGee respectively,
had gone trick-or-treating almost all over Neopia. The had done the rounds at
Neopia Central, Faerieland, Krawk Island, The Lost Desert, Tyrannia and Mystery
Island. Their bags were filled with Sugar Bunnies, Earth Faerie Brownies, Chocolates,
Jellies and Cookies. It was getting quite late.
"I don't think there's anyone else around," whispered Petra.
"Same here…maybe we should forget it, we've gotten enough. I don't even care
about going to the Brain Tree and asking for a good Battledome weapon," said
Remus.
Petra nodded. They turned to leave. Suddenly a voice called out, "Hey where
are you going? There's plenty of good treats to get here!"
Petra and Remus turned back. There was a strange figure hobbling over towards
them. "It's Punchbag Bob!" yelled Petra.
She and Remus started to laugh. Punchbag Bob paused in his tracks. He wasn't
expecting this.
"It's not Punchbag Bob you… erm, I'm Alloran, a Techo. Like my costume?"
Punchbag Bob smiled in a way what he hoped looked friendly.
"Wow!!" exclaimed Remus, "that's a GREAT costume! I thought you were the real
Punchbag Bob!"
"Yeah," agreed Petra, "We thought you were Punchbag Bob trying to scare us!"
Petra started to laugh again. Punchbag Bob inwardly snarled at the two NeoPets.
That's exactly what he had been planning to do. Or at least, he was hoping they
would have been scared. Oh well, it worked out anyway. So far his plan was going
well. He had waited ages for some NeoPets to come trick-or-treating. He was
to pretend he was a Techo in costume and then ask to join up with the other
NeoPets in going trick-or-treating around the haunted woods while relaying spooky
stories to them. Once they were good and scared, he'd reveal himself as the
REAL Punchbag Bob and grab their bags full of candy and send them running scared
and, hopefully, crying, out of the Haunted Woods. Yep, this would be a story
to remember… Punchbag Bob joined in Petra's laughter, secretly laughing at his
plan rather than with them.
He innocently asked, "Well, aren't you two going to go trick-treating around
the Haunted Woods?"
Remus shook his head, "We were going to go, but we changed our minds. Our owner
thinks it's too dangerous so we decided to listen to her. What were you doing
in their Alloran?"
Punchbag Bob turned to wonder who Alloran was.
"Oh! Erm, what was I doing in there? Well, I went trick-or-treating in there!
I got a bunch of goodies." Punchbag Bob gestured at a bag he was holding
that was clearly filled to bursting point.
"Really?" Petra asked her eyes opening wide. "You got all that from the Haunted
Woods?"
"Yep," lied Punchbag Bob proudly, knowing that the bag was in fact stuffed
with stuffing. "You should see what I got from the Brain Tree too! I got one
of those, erm, Feather Ticklers," said Punchbag Bob, remembering all the times
he had been tickled to the point of defeat by them. "I think because there's
not many NeoPets going to visit him, he's become extra generous."
Remus and Petra looked at each other, they knew Rhianna had said not to go
but… "Let's Go!"
Walking though the woods…
Punchbag Bob huffed and puffed as he tried to keep pace with the Poogle and
Shoyru. They were fast. "Come on Alloran!" called Remus from up ahead. "Let's
hurry, it's getting really dark!"
Indeed it was. The forest was becoming denser by the minute and they could
hardly see. It didn't help that while Punchbag Bob was walking he could hear
ghosts laughing amongst themselves at his expense.
"What do you think Punchbag Bob's doing with those NeoPets," whispered one
old ghost.
"I dunno, m'laddie but I be sure, he looks like he's having some fun time!"
The spirits around him laughed. One thing that came with living in the Haunted
Woods was that you could always see and hear ghosts. Only when they wanted to
be seen by other NeoPets and creatures did they ever show themselves. Hmm…Punchbag
Bob had another idea! He checked to see that Petra and Remus were far enough
away from him and whispered to an ugly looking ghost, "Hey could you do me a
favour and scare one of those two up there?"
The ghost just laughed and faded out of his sight.
"The nerve!" Punchbag Bob stamped his foot.
"Hey Alloran, HURRY UP!!" Petra and Remus had stopped up ahead to wait for
him. Punchbag Bob ran towards them, puffing.
"Your owner doesn't take you to the training school a lot does she?"
"Training School?" Punchbag Bob had never heard of such a thing. He'd never
been out of the Haunted Woods except to go to the Battledome in Neopia Central.
Remus was about to answer when Petra suddenly screamed.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!" Punchbag Bob and Remus both jumped and yelled
"What?!"
"Over there, it's- it's the Brain Tree," whispered Petra.
Punchbag Bob looked over and saw the red eyes of the Brain Tree shining out
into the darkness. He shivered.
Remus spoke, "You know, I don't think the Brain Tree looks too friendly…. Are
you sure he gave you a Feather Tickler, Alloran?"
Indeed the Brain Tree was chanting some horrid rhymes and cackling to himself
while thousands of bats flew around his leaves.
"I'm sure," insisted Punchbag Bob. "But I don't think he likes it when NeoPets
go twice…I'll wait over here while you two go." He couldn't risk being seen
by the Brain Tree. The Brain Tree was more than likely to give his charade away.
Punchbag Bob slapped his forehead. How'd they get to the Brain Tree so fast?
He hadn't even had a chance to scare Petra and Remus.
"Okay," said Petra uncertainly. "I'll go first."
"Are you crazy? I'll go first!" objected Remus.
"No way, I'm going!"
"I'm older!"
"So what!"
"SHUT UP!" yelled Bob, "Or the Brain Tree will hear you!"
But it was too late, a swarm of bats suddenly descended upon them and began
snapping at them. They began running…straight into the Brain Tree itself.
"Muahahahaha! Look what we have here.... Why, if it isn't Punchbag Bob and
two little NeoPets! Come to ask me for some candy have you? It's Halloween if
I do remember."
Petra whispered to Bob, "He thinks you're the real thing Alloran!"
Remus stood shaking, "Er, erm, well sir, Mr., uh, Brain Tree, uh, Sir. W-we
were wondering if-if you'd give us a-a-a-a-a-a-"
"A Battledome weapon!" Petra cut in.
The Brain Tree laughed to himself. "A Battledome weapon?! Hah! What do you
think I am Poogle? I'm not the Easter Bunny, I don't give things out for free!!"
The Brain Tree rubbed a branch under his chin. "And what brings you here Bob?"
the Brain Tree spat out his name.
"Why aren't you sitting all by yourself in your puny cave?"
"He's NOT Punchbag Bob," yelled Petra defiantly. Clearly she wasn't intimidated
by the Tree.
Punchbag Bob could do nothing but stare sheepishly into space with his knees
knocking. He didn't like confrontations with the Brain Tree. They never ended
well.
"NOT PUNCHBAG BOB? Hahahahahahaha! My that's a good one. But, you know what
little Poogle? I don't like little NeoPets who give me false information. I
don't like little NeoPets who lie!" And with that the Brain Tree suddenly shot
out a lightning bolt from one of his branches barely missing Petra. Petra and
Remus both screamed and began running.
"RUN AWAY LITTLE NEOPETS!! RUN!!" cackled the Brain Tree. Suddenly Punchbag
Bob stopped his shaking and realised something. "Hey! I was meant to scare those
pets away. Leave them alone!" Punchbag Bob wasn't going to have his moment of
glory robbed. He slammed into the Brain Tree. "Take that!" Then he started running
after Petra and Remus "Wait!!!" he yelled.
The Brain Tree was furious now. How dare Punchbag Bob think he could possibly
hurt a great tree such as himself. It was an embarrassment to the Brain Tree!
The Brain Tree decided this was a time for action. He pulled his roots out of
the ground and began running after the Punchbag.
Petra and Remus has stopped running and now found themselves in the midst of
forest thicker than ever. They were panting and puffing.
To be continued... | 
