Hello! I know, big surprise to hear from me. -sweats- This whole month has been one big blur, one thing after another, and I'm sorry this isn't an update for either 'Waiting Game' or 'Artist's Patron'! I wasn't even sure I would be able to write this and didn't make any promises to a friend when they announced an awesome project on tumblr! This is very short, the shortest thing I've ever posted actually but I've been frazzled and was pressed for time!

Well, this story has been semi-plotted out and is beta'd by the wonderful 'Aerle', with advice taken from 'SilverEternity' and 'Niji Hitomi Kabra'!

-flails- This story is my own little experiment with some genres and ideas that will later be revealed as I update every few days (I'm writing as I go!).

This story is dedicated to the wonderful 'One Piece Halloween Fanfiction' challenge hosted by Stirling Phoenix! :D Hope you all enjoy!

Fire suddenly blazed high as a ring of robed figures gathered together in the center of a vast and forested area. Miles out, surrounding them in five places were celebrations full of souls in high spirits. Tonight, the robed figures swore, would be a night of many new beginnings and the ending of a long suffering era.

Tonight marked when magic returned to the world.

In another place in the forest, there was a soft sound of feet on moist grass as a figure looked out over the bright clearing. Eyes gazed with interest as they critically assessed the hundreds of people moving in and out of the mansion and about its grounds. The place was full of bonfires, people dressed outlandishly, and most were 'misbehaving' in a wonderful fashion.

A thin smirk lined his face. "This will do quite nicely."

Kid looked around as he walked the grounds, having left the warmth of the house to get some fresh air, away from the stifling crowds inside. He planned to go back in once he cooled off enough and made sure he wouldn't fly off the handle at the next person who bumped into him.

'Not that they'll notice I'm even gone.' He thought with amusement. The redhead had said he was heading outside, but doubted anyone had heard him, Killer having been halfway into a bottle of Jack along with Wire as Heat and the others mingled on the dance-floor.

Kid took another drink from the bottle of rum he'd swiped from the open bar, listening to quiet crackling of the bonfires close by to the deserted pathway he was walking. He was just about to move closer to one of the fires when he felt a sudden chill, but he just wrote it off to being outside at this time of year, though the night had been relatively warm so far and he was now able to see his breath.

He pulled his fur coat a bit tighter around him in response to the cold, now irritated with himself for foregoing a shirt in favor of a more authentic look.

"Nice costume, Mr. Pirate.~"

The red haired man looked to the side and was surprised to see someone there as he hadn't heard anyone approach. The fair-skinned woman in front of him smiled, though it was more predatory than any smile he'd ever seen.

She looked like she wanted to eat him alive.

Kid mentally shrugged and decided to play along. "Thanks, so, what are you?"

As costumes were required for the party, Kid had come as a pirate captain, an inside joke among his group due to his nickname, and they had taken it a step further by dressing as his pirate crew. He'd ignored the jibs from the others when the only thing Kid had to actually buy for his 'costume' were the boots and shoulder spikes for his coat, everything else had been laying around his apartment, even the dagger.

"I'm whatever you want me to be."

One hairless brow rose with startled amusement. "Is that so?"

The green haired woman's smile was sensual, but somehow had a touch of something almost cruel. "That's so."

Kid wasn't too thrown by the woman's behavior, he knew despite his 'exotic' qualities he was good looking enough, and it tended to attract people of certain tastes. But as it usually got the redhead laid, he couldn't say it bothered him.

He wondered if that would be the case tonight.

The red haired man took another swallow of his drink, the bottle almost empty now. "Got a name?"

"I do." Again, her expression was flirtatious but closed.

Kid contemplated sticking around; the woman was drop dead gorgeous, with soft full curves in all the right places and skin like untouched snow, and she seemed to know she was beautiful too, confidence was admittedly a trait he had a weakness for, but...

He couldn't help feeling something was off.

"You can call me Monet, Mr. Kid.~" As if sensing his indecision, she seemed to turn up the charm.

Which led her right back to creepy.

"How do you know my name?" He almost frowned, feeling slightly put off. "Well, anyway, I better get ba-"

There was suddenly a cool, near freezing, hand on his arm. The cold almost burned and it caused his mind to stall.

Monet smiled sweetly. "Why don't you stay? We could have a lot fun..."

The hand moved from his arm to his face and Kid's mind suddenly felt fogged. He faintly wondered if he had drank more than he thought, but right now the only thing he seemed able to concentrate on was how beautiful this woman was.

He tried blinking a few times very quickly, not liking the fact he couldn't focus. He knew he wasn't drunk, he'd drank nowhere near his limit for that so why- "Fun?... Uh.."

He pulled back a little, something in him was sending the smallest of warnings that all the same gave him a sense of foreboding.

Two hands were on his face, framing his features delicately and she wore an expression of keen interest. "Oh? You're very strong, aren't you? You'll do wonderfully. I may even keep you around."

Kid didn't know what she said as his mind fogged once again, then almost completely blanked as cold lips placed themselves over his own.

He gasped and that same burning coldness entered his mouth, searing his tongue as arms wrapped around his waist tightly, almost trapping him.

Somehow, as the green haired woman's bare arms brushed the skin of his sides, he could have sworn he felt something like feathers.

Abruptly, the kiss ended and Monet's expression turned guarded before it melted back into that sweet smile. "Why don't you get us some drinks? It looks like you've dropped yours."

The redhead gave a slightly bewildered look at the bottle by their feet. He hadn't even noticed letting it go, hadn't heard the sound of the glass hitting a rock and cracking it. Again, there was that feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I should g-"

Lips were on his cheek and he forgot what he was going to say when she pulled back, staring into his eyes until they were all he could see.

"You're strong and I'm beginning to like you, however, I do not like to repeat myself, but I'll make this one exception for you." Again that cold sweet smile. "Go grab some drinks from the house, then come back."

Kid didn't remember moving, or walking towards the house, but he suddenly snapped back to himself with a bottle of some kind of alcohol in each hand, just a few feet from where he had been.

He was about to turn back around and just walk away when a smooth deep voice reached his ears.

"Monet left, in case you were wondering." Kid looked up and stared. "Hello."

Lips were upturned in a winsome smile. "I'm Law."

To Be Continued