LePouvantail

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock carefully kept the other witch in her sight as she worked on getting more glue freed from the rafter. She caught the surprised blink. Good. It seemed she had the old bat's interest, and that she could get this overwith quickly. One jar of scorpion tails wasn't too much work to make up for, as they were the easiest to procure, and if it kept Aggie from prying, it was a pittance to keep her secret safe and let the old bat simply assume she was hiding a different prank. It was also a decent starting point in case Aggie wanted to haggle, which she expected as a possibility. And best of all, it would throw off the true worth of the secret - that it was big enough to hide, but not quite worth the venom.

Because if Aggie knew what she was actually being bribed for, Shock wasn't sure there was a price that could satisfy her - or guarantee she wouldn't just tell Jack anyway.

"Fine," Shock said, as she reached to take the wedding broom. "I'll bring it tomorrow."

She readied herself for a counter-offer.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock grabbed the acetone and started another round of softening the remaining glue fragments. Fine. If it kept the old bat away from figuring out her magic, she'd run with it.

"I will bring you a jar of scorpion tails if it'll get you to shut up," she said.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock managed to pry a particularly large chunk of glue from the rafter.

"Maybe, since it's close to Halloween, I figured it was best to return it sooner than later when I'm already in trouble," she said, irritably.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

She lifted the chisel to get another glue fragment loose. Shock was prepared to simply ignore the other witch and just keep working, but the chisel slid and scratched the rafter as Aggie mentioned further investigation. The older witch already got too close to her secret. And if Jack asked around, her story about hovering above the well wouldn't hold up when all anyone could confirm about her presence in the square was her smoking near the gate right before the fog started. And if there was nothing in her hands but a cigarette...

Shock didn't want to ponder much further, especially because if any monster did actually recall seeing her flying, it wouldn't take much deduction from there to confirm how the rest of the trick was done.

"...Do you ever stop talking?" she asked, in a final attempt to keep Aggie from prying. "I already told you: I needed you three off my back so you wouldn't notice it missing so I could drop the fog juice. That's it."

It was a gamble to try to get the older witch to drop it, to assume she didn't give a damn what any of them might find. But she was already pondering what it would take to keep the old bat quiet if it came to that.

"The only reason to switch them back is Agnes would notice her broom wouldn't fly if I didn't."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock got a few glue bits freed and set some more acetone on the bigger chunks of glue.

"It was all one trick," she said, "and you've already got your retribution."

She glared down at Aggie. The other witches were always looking for a bargain of some sort, and she was far from in the mood.

"It took me longer to get the brooms down than it did to take it and fly it, and I returned it undamaged."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock glared at her. That...actually wouldn't have been a bad idea. She then returned to her work. Now that the broom was gone, the residual glue bits were easier to reach and chip away.

"You'd be surprised the lengths mortals go to, to protect their stuff," she said, "but why are you trying to give me ideas?"

Banding Together in Halloween Town

"I didn't pour it," Shock said. "I dropped the open bottle."

Which actually was true, sort of.

"Easier to make sure I hit the target, and get out of range, since I was already up."

She glared at Aggie.

"Like I said: simple task, difficult execution."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock kept Aggie's movements in her line of sight. When the older witch pulled the wedding broom from where she hid it, she grimaced, but was relieved her gamble paid off. For a moment, she was quiet.

"...I needed it to drop the fog juice," Shock muttered, mostly to get Aggie off her back. "That's all."

Banding Together in Halloween Town

She climbed up the ladder to get back to her task, but kept Aggie in the corner of her eye.

"Or what, she'll turn me into a toad?"

Shock actually looked a little uncomfortable at Aggie's cackle, but once more, she quickly regained composure. She started to wipe some acetone on the residual glue pieces.

"Lesson learned," she said, making sure to match her tone with just as much ice.

More than Aggie knew. If any monster saw her flying, and flying well, it wouldn't take much for any of the witches to put two and two together. While Shock could probably feign ignorance of her magic if caught, knowing she was capable of it at all would have every monster in Halloween Town concerned and seeking counters - and that would hinder their trouble greatly. The levitation spell alone let them get away with a lot more than they could have when left to their own devices.

Shock was suddenly more grateful for Lock's forget-me-lot mishap, and how it forced her to be more careful when flying. It kept her most precious secret safe.

Banding Together in Halloween Town

Shock narrowed her eyes.

"It doesn't matter," she said, "because it's done."

She headed back for the ladder so she could get the rest of the glue bits off the ceiling and finally be done with this task.

"Your brooms are more trouble than they're worth."