Chapter 4 - Epilogue

Mandy strode through the mall, intent on her destination.

She had an idea of what she was going to find, after the events of the night before, so she was not surprised to find an empty storefront where the costume store had been. The door was closed, the windows were empty, and the 'Spectacular Halloween!' banner was gone from its place above the door.

Walking up do the door and peering inside revealed only a dark, empty store. It seemed like a dead end, but she had a feeling...

She raised a hand and put it against the door, concentrating. It wouldn't have helped a day ago, but now...

She pushed, and the door opened easily. She stepped into store.

"Well, this is most unexpected!"

Mandy blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim room, lit only by the lights of the mall outside. The store was indeed empty, but there was a figure by the cash register, lounging against the counter. It looked like a tall man, wearing a well-tailored dark green suit. He had black hair, a smugly amused expression, and his eyes were startlingly, almost luminously green.

Mandy had a moment of trepidation, but she pushed it aside. She had reason to be confident now.

"I assume we have you to thank for what happened yesterday?" she asked, striding toward him and stopping a foot or two away to lean against an empty shelving unit.

"Certainly. The beginning, at least."

"They're calling it the Peterson House Orgy, you know. People don't really remember what happened, but when most of the partygoers wake up on the floor, half of them partly-naked, they're going to assume things."

He laughed, loudly.

"*That* part wasn't my doing. *Someone* decided to take advantage of the situation, didn't they?"

Mandy smiled as well. There wasn't much point in being coy now.

"It was the costume's, wasn't it? They changed people?" A nod. "But why?"

The man sighed and waved an arm expansively.

"It wasn't always like this, you know. Things used to be more exciting. There were more of us, then. But it all faded, after a while."

Mandy waited, but he didn't seem about to continue. He looked pensive.

"The magic, you mean? It went away?"

Then he was smiling again, abruptly.

"You *are* a clever one, aren't you. Yes, the magic. It used to be all around, enough to sustain those like, and others as well. But it faded, and everyone went away. I stayed, but most of the time it's just enough to sustain me."

"Except for Halloween, right?"

"Exactly!" He gestured widely. "Sometimes, on some of the days in the year, there is a little more of it around, and I can use it to have some fun!"

"But why? Just to cause some chaos?" This was the part she hadn't really been able to figure out.

"Yes! That's my nature! Long ago, I could play with people whenever and however I wanted. Now, I need to save up all year, prepare, so that the can be one night of fun!" He moved toward the front of the store, almost dancing, and waved a hand at the people outside. "Everything is all regimented and organized, like a boring beehive, and sometimes you just have to throw a rock at it to see what happens!"

"So, every year, you sell these costumes that turn people into... creatures?"

"Oh, it's not just costumes!" He giggled. "Those are a pretty new idea, but they worked out very well the last few times I tried." He frowned down at her, but there was still a twinkle in his eyes. "If *someone* doesn't hijack my efforts."

Mandy shrugged unapologetically.

"Well, when you cause chaos you need to be prepared for someone to take advantage."

Another laugh. "Hey, I'm a good sport!" He took her hand and pulled her back toward the register, where he lay back sprawling over the counter. "Just give me the details, and we'll call it even!"

Mandy considered for a few moments, then shrugged. She had come here for answers, and it was only fair the give some of her own.

She concentrated for a second. The jeans and sweater she was wearing melted away. Her legs lengthened, her skin changed color, and her tailbone extended into a long, spade-tipped tail. She spun around, showing off body, with the horns, the hooved feet, and all the devil-like details.

"You sold me this costume," she said.

"And it was some of my finest work!"

"Yesterday, at the party, when I changed... I suddenly had all these new instincts, and I knew new things."

"Yes, people need to know about their new forms so they can act properly. Otherwise everyone just freaks out and runs around. Still chaos, but far less interesting."

Mandy smirked. "Well, *my* costume came with all this knowledge of my own powers, including knowledge of magic. And I realized pretty quickly what was going on."

"*That* was all you. The knowledge came with the costume, but you must be a smart one to put it all together so quickly."

"Thanks. So, I was different, but it didn't take long for me to realize that I *liked* myself like this. Only I knew that it couldn't be permanent."

"Unfortunately not," he sighed. "Only a couple of hours before the magic would go away again."

"Yeah, well, I had no idea of the time frame, but I *did* realize that even if the power of the spell faded, *I* could get power myself, because of what I am, now."

"So, you used all the power you had to influence everyone at the party, so that they would-"

"So that they would get really horny, yeah. And as soon as everyone started fucking, I took all that power and funneled into the spell on myself, so that I could take control and keep it going."

"Clever!"

The man had changed while they had been talking. The suit had faded, replaced by an old-fashioned, brightly-colored outfit of tunic, pants, and pointed shoes. His hair was wilder, and his eyes really were glowing now.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Mandy asked. She had a bunch of saved-up power, and was ready to defend herself, but she had no idea what the being in front of her was capable of."

"Me? Nothing, really. There wasn't quite as much chaos as I was planning for, since you kept everyone together and focused on... 'fucking', but that's the chance I take." He smirked. "There are going to be plenty of aftereffects of this, anyhow. An 'orgy' near campus? Even if people don't remember it, it's going to be interesting what people do next."

"So, you're just going to let me go?"

 He looked at her, his head to one side. "No-one managed anything like what you did, either. I'm going to keep an eye on you, too. You might be able to keep the spell going, if you can get enough energy. Just make sure you don't let people find out!"

 He chuckled.

 Mandy thought for a moment. That seemed to be it. She had all this new power now, in her new form. She was going to hold on to it.

 "Well, have fun, I guess," she said. "Maybe we'll meet again?"

 "Perhaps. *You* have fun, as well."

 He waved her off, and Mandy turned toward the exit without looking back. Before she stepped outside, she concentrated again, and her form shifted back to that of dowdy old Mandy Green.

 Once outside, she took out her phone and dialed.

 "Hey John! Yeah, it's been a while. Say, are you still on the swim team? You are? Great! We should meet up sometime."

 She walked away, dodging shoppers. She was in college. She was going to have no trouble finding energy to keep this spell going forever!

 From a darkened shop window, an old trickster watcher her go. This was going to be interesting.