#i know with the announcement of goth opera is very cool and i do hope they do pick up with more novel adaptations

[thebraxiatelcollection]

Is it bad that I've not felt genuine excited about a big finish release for a long time??

[hostess-of-horror]

🎃 Tales of Terror 🎃

[M.B. is my Cadetsona OC, M.J. belongs to @sleepy-heads-blog, Sean and Nyarly belong to @drusb]

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[Sitting inside a large, makeshift tent, decorated with twinkling lights and soft blankets, M.B., Geek, and M.J. are taking turns telling scary stories for a Halloween-themed sleepover party.]

M.J.: "... and then, when the candles flickered out, there in the darkness appeared the skinless man, crying out, 'Flesh! My flesh! Give me my flesh!'"

[Ending his story, M.J. pauses in his dramatic pose. Geek and M.B. applaud and he bows.]

M.B.: "Wow, lil' dude, I'm impressed! Did you make that up all by yourself?"

M.J.: "Eh... sorta."

Geek: "Of course he didn't. He got that from one of his comics."

[M.J. sticks his tongue out mockingly at Geek. Geek does the same back.]

M.B.: "Either way, it was pretty good."

M.J.: "Your illusions helped make it even scarier. It's like watching our own movies!"

[M.B. swirls her hands, playing with the magical aura that surrounds them.]

M.B.: "I figured it would be a lot of interesting. Plus, I'm a bit of a visual person myself."

Geek: "Alright, M.J.'s had his turn. Now, it's yours, M.B."

M.J.: "Oooh, I know she's got something truly awesome to tell!"

M.B.: "Alright, the story I'm going to tell you is actually one of my own works. I wrote it years ago, but I don't know a lot of it. So, I'll be making stuff up as I go. Okay, here it goes."

[M.B. gathers her hands together and raises them up, projecting another "screen" for Geek and M.J. to watch. M.B. begins her tale.]

M.B.: "A long time ago, there was once a beautiful maiden who lived in a far away country. She was not only beautiful, but she was the most gorgeous woman in her town. People would flaunt to her - friends, family, travelers - to visit her. As much as she adored the attention, it was the suitors she could not handle. Every time a man would meet her, she would dismiss them, for she believed that no one could ever deserve her. The maiden was vain and prideful, not just for her looks but also her upper class status. She would mock the suitors, insult them in every way. To her, she deserves the creme de la creme of life's luxuries and privileges, including partners. One day, the country was swept up by a sudden plague and many lives were taken. The people pleaded for aid to the maiden, but she refused, for she realized that six of her suitors were the ones who were suffering. And so, one by one, they all met a grotesque and grisly fate. When the plague passed, a foreign visitor came into the country. The visitor was a very handsome gentleman, dressed in black, from the same upper class as the maiden was. He was a musician - an opera singer - and the maiden immediately became enamored. Soon, the maiden and the musician grew fond of each other and, at long last, a romance had blossomed. They were so in love with each other that they soon got married. But the maiden's joy was short-lived. After their wedding day, the musician had a surprise for his new wife. He told her to wait for him by their wedding bed, for he had planned something very special for her. She complies, and when she does, darkness suddenly surrounded her. Frightened, she went to open the door, but it was locked! She then went to open the balcony door to escape the dark. Instead of an escape, she is met by a tall, white skeleton, serenading a haunting melody. Surrounding him were six, plague-ridden suitors, all staring down at her with empty eye sockets. She soon realized that she had married Death himself. Death, dressed in black, announced to her that he had come to avenge the souls she had left behind. He places her on the wedding bed and allowed each tortured suitor to take what they find most beautiful. The first took her hands, for he loved how they would gracefully weave and play the harp. The second took her scalp and hair, for he loved how golden it would become under the sunlight. The third took her legs, for he loved seeing her dance. The fourth took her flesh, for he loved how soft and flawless it looked. The fifth took her eyes, for he loved how they would glisten like precious diamonds. The sixth took her heart, for he loved to one day cherish her as his bride for all his days. When morning came, all was left was a mutilated corpse, put on display on the balcony for the whole country to see."

[M.B. ends her story with a ghastly image of the maiden's corpse on the projected screen. She lets it stay still for a moment. Geek and M.J. watch silently. Then the corpse jumps at them, letting out an agonizing, blood-curdling scream. Geek and M.J. jolt back with a yelp. Then the lights suddenly go out! Everyone panics until the lights flicker back on. Laughter erupts from outside their tent. M.J. unfolds the entrance to find Sean and Nyarly laughing at them.]

M.J.: *slightly annoyed* "Uncle Sean! Uncle Nyarly!"

Sean: *mockingly* "Ha ha, gotcha!"

Nyarly: "It was his idea!"

Geek: "How long were you two out there?"

Nyarly: "Oh, for a good few minutes."

Sean: "Yeah, we were just listening in on the story. A woman who gets her body parts taken by the dead? That's kinda sick."

M.B.: "It's an old story of mine. Did kinda change a lot of stuff though."

Geek: "How do you come up with stuff like that?"

M.B.: "Mortal Kombat, slasher films, Crypt TV, and also some history lessons. You know, that kind of stuff."

Nyarly: "Well, I hope you guys are finished, because we just made some Rice Krispy S'mores! Don't wanna waste any of them, so help yourselves."

[Geek and M.J. climb out of the tent and M.B. follows behind to the kitchen.]

M.J.: "Hey, Miss M.B.? I don't know if this is intentional, but I've noticed a bit of a theme to your stories."

M.B.: "Hm?"

M.J.: "Well, they're very romantic. Despite having some scary stuff in them, they all have this very... um... well, romantic vibe to them."

M.B.: "Well, admittedly, it is kinda on brand with what I'm into. I mean, hell, I like to watch Dracula films, listening to love songs written by London After Midnight and The Mission, and my favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast."

Geek: "Wow, how very Goth of you, M.B. Does this also mean you like blood red roses too?"

M.B.: "Come on, Geek, I'm not that predictab-- oh fine, yes, I do." *jokingly* "To add to that, I also like long walks in the graveyard."

Geek: "Mm-hm, I thought so."

M.J.: "Sure, it's predictable, but it's pretty cool! It's not every day we get to meet someone like you. And that's coming from someone who has an eldritch being as an uncle."

M.B.: *chuckles and pats his head* "Thanks, lil dude."