Purpose in Fear [WIP]

Over the course of the past month, Anon had been racking his brain while pursuing leads to rescue Penny's sister from her confinement. The number of dead ends and poor response on behalf of the Hogwarts' faculty members had been an endless source of frustration, and he couldn't imagine how much worse Penny and Beatrice must have felt.

His tunnel vision had narrowed so much, that he had barely noticed the various decorations placed throughout the castle, in preparation for Hallowe'en night. As the end of the month approached, and excitement over the upcoming Hallowe'en festivities rose amongst the other students, he felt torn between maintaining his focus or allowing himself a single night to relax.

"You know, you should take a break every now and then." As if she had been listening in on his internal debate, Penny claimed a seat next to him in the Great Hall during the midday meal, resting her hand on his shoulder. "You've had that look on your face since you walked in here, and I know exactly what's going through your head."

"Yeah, how's that?" The distraction from his thoughts startled him, but he had enough control over himself to avoid an embarrassing jolt.

"Because it's the same look I keep seeing in the mirror. And I'd warrant it's the same thing that's been tugging at my mind."

"Really? I didn't take you for one to break focus, especially over... this." Anon struggled to complete the sentence, wary that his words came out as insensitive.

"Neither did I. But it was something you - of all people - said, that brought these doubts," She bit her lower lip and huffed, as if she was trying to hold back a tide of emotions. "I know we're going to find a way to free Bea, and I know she's going to be safe eventually. It just hurts every day that she's not sharing stories about classes and the friends she should be making." Another deep breath, "But if I spend every waking moment - and another long sleepless night - worrying about the 'how'..." She trailed off, and then turned to Anon, meeting his eyes, "I'm going to lose it."

"So the doubts are...?"

"Can I let myself relax for one moment? Is it fair to her to just go and have fun, even for a single night?" Penny lowered her hand to the table and looked down at the meal in front of her, or perhaps through it.

Anon chuckled halfheartedly, "Maybe that Legilimency potion did work, just on the wrong target. We're on the same page. Just - what's the answer?"

"I don't know. Maybe? Is one night going to hurt, when we're stuck in a rut now?" She shuddered and grasped at her stomach, "Even saying that out loud brings a twinge to my stomach. It feels so selfish and wrong. But...
I keep thinking about how much she loves Hallowe'en. Dressing up, acting the part, seeing all of the other costumes, and especially the treats. She's going to miss this one, no matter what we do, and I wish she didn't have to."

"So, what are we meant to do?" A thought began forming in his mind, "Could we celebrate it for her? You know, not 'in spite of her missing it', but - what if we do all the things she loves to do, and we make sure to save plenty of treats for when she gets out."

"And then tell her all about the fun she didn't get to have?"  The frown on Penny's face deepened, but she quickly straightened it.

"N-no. Not like that, I mean-" He hurriedly tried to salvage the mess his words had put him in.

"I'm joking. I get it. She loved the stories I brought back about Hallowe'en here before she came, and if we were to avoid having fun, just to wallow in misery, she'd never let me live it down." A half-smile began to take form.

"So it's settled? We all get a night off for some dumb fun, and make sure to save every memory of it, to share with her when we get her out. And we -will- get her out." In an effort to comfort her, he moved his hand over Penny's.

She gasped at the sudden contact, but then took a deep breath and met his eyes once more, "I know we will. It's a deal." The smile fully formed, a gentle look now painted across her face, for possibly the first time in months.

---

A short while later, the two found themselves joined by Rowan,  Barnaby, Charlie, and Ben. The topic had taken on a much lighter tone, as the group discussed costumes and the things they looked forward to seeing when the festivities kicked off.

"I heard they were going to bring a Troll in to dance for us!" Barnaby chimed as they discussed the surprise guests that had been rumored.

"That's not a good idea. There's no way they would do that." Rowan answered after adjusting his glasses.

"Well, yeah. I know. You have to train it to dance first, but I think they can pull it off. They're probably hiding it somewhere in the dungeons just waiting to jump out!"

Rowan simply shook his head and spread his hand over his forehead.

"No way. I bet it's going to be a swarm of dragons. From all over the world!" Charlie let out a hearty laugh and sighed in amusement, no doubt already imagining the sight.

"That's even worse! And I think it's called a 'flock'."

"Pretty sure it's swarm, Rowan. I think I would know."

"There's no way that's right. 'Swarms' are for pests, 'flock' fits better."

Anon quickly turned his attention away from the argument, knowing well that it could go long into the night. "I guess you're not really interested in all this - costumes and such - are you Ben?"

Ben's surprise at the question washed away as he frowned and looked sullenly at his food, drooping his shoulders. "Y-yeah, you're right."

"Figur-"

"But I used to." Ben's voice was almost a whisper as let out a deep sigh.

"-ed. Wait, really? You used to like Hallowe'en?" This piqued Anon's curiosity - even the most trivial of things frightened Ben. To think that he would enjoy the sole night when horror was the only flavor was truly bizarre.

"Yeah. Years ago, when I wasn't any different from any other Muggle." He began gently nudging his food with his fork.

"That's specific. What changed?"

"I got the letter inviting me here."

"I don't get it, what did the letter have to do with anything?"

"I guess you wouldn't really understand. Don't get me wrong, I was still just as scared back then as I am now. It's just - Muggle Hallowe'en is so different."

"Well, we do have a lot more at our disposal for costumes and scares. I can see how much worse it would be for you when things seem much more real." Anon felt that he began to understand his friend's woes.

"It's not just that they 'seem' much more real. It's that they 'are' real. The monsters, I mean. When I was just a Muggle, the monsters were just costumes. My parents would tell me, 'Don't worry, it's not real', 'It's just a costume, they can't hurt you', and 'We're right here, we'll protect you.' When I read that letter..."

Anon began feeling uncomfortable, realizing he had bitten off more than he could chew in what was previously a lighthearted conversation. However, he felt responsible for the sudden shift, and there was no chance that he would abandon his friend at such a vulnerable moment. Clearly there were things he didn't understand about Ben's past life.

"So, you're saying that coming here made you realize that those things were real?" He tried catching a glance at Ben's face, despite its downcast state.

"Right. After I started attending Hogwarts, all of those comforting lines became meaningless. Lies. Unintentional lies, but still..." He glanced up, but quickly shifted his eyes downwards once more, "They didn't know, of course. And they still don't.
I can't tell them. They can't know that those terrible monsters are real, and there are ones Muggles don't even know about. My parents? They don't stand a chance against anything we've dealt with. Acromantulas? Ice Knights? Wherever th-that Chimera is hiding? Not a chance. They can't protect me." Ben struggled to raise his face, but couldn't cast his gaze anywhere but downwards.

"I-I'm sorry Ben, I didn't look at things like that. Coming from a wizarding family - I guess I took it for granted." Anon suddenly felt terrible, like he had never truly appreciated the safety net his parents had provided for him.

"I can sympathize a little. There's things that my mum won't share with my dad. Things she thinks would horrify him if she knew they existed." Penny piped in with her experiences, reminding them both that her father was a Muggle too. "But when I started bringing stories home, there was only so much she could censor."

"That just makes the problem worse. You can tell your mum. I can't begin to explain to my parents why I've become even more terrified since attending Hogwarts." He softly jabbed the steak on his plate, "How do you think they'd react when they find out there are hidden creatures that prey on Muggles without their knowledge?" Another jab, "I'm alone against this world of terrifying monsters that can hurt me in unimaginable ways at any time." The fork pierced the meat and scraped along the plate underneath.
"That's why I miss Muggle Hallowe'en - because the next morning, the only that things that were real were the treats."

Both Penny and Anon were taken aback, and struggled to find the words to respond. Neither could remember Ben opening up in such a manner before, and they thought back to his absences from previous Hallowe'en festivities - how he must have felt the same way every year before, and they had never thought to ask.

"But - you're not alone. Not anymore." Penny finally broke the silence amongst the three, though conversations outside of their own had carried on in their collective absence. "You've got us."

"She's right. We've had your back since becoming friends, and you've helped us along the way as well." Anon reinforced Penny's inspirational words.

"How have I helped? I've just been a useless coward." Ben shot back while sulking, though his head raised slightly.

"You've been helping us find answers to save my sister. We need all the help we can get, and I know you've been there researching with Rowan."

"And don't forget the Cursed Ice. You were there with us." Anon continued strengthening her arguments.

"But we're still stuck with Bea. And I haven't forgotten the Cursed Ice. M-maybe you've forgotten that I was frozen almost immediately and completely useless." Ben fought back, but it seemed as if his heart wasn't fully behind him. He started to feel cornered - caught in an argument with his friends, and against himself.

"Bea is a work in progress. We'll get her out. We'll succeed. Just like with everything before." Anon shot a reassuring glance towards Penny. "And the point I was making with the Cursed Ice was - you were 'there'. Despite how terrified you were, you came and helped. And why did you come?" Anon continued his attempts to encourage his Gryffindor friend.

"I'm still terrified. And I don't know, I think - you asked me, maybe?"

"So, if I ask you to do anything, you'll do it at the drop of a hat?"

"N-no." Ben fiddled with his fingers nervously.

"I don't think you came just because I asked. You experienced firsthand what the Cursed Ice could do. And I think you didn't want anyone else to go through the same thing. I think you came because you wanted to protect the rest of the school. It doesn't matter if you're still afraid - you faced down your fear for a cause, and you had the tools to counter that fear." Anon started feeling less uncomfortable, and more confident in his words.

"But not every fear has a counter." Ben's eyes had lifted to meet Anon's chin.

A sudden worry crossed Anon's mind. Perhaps his words wouldn't make a difference. And then the words just spilled out, "Not that you know of, and that's not your fault. We've only just started learning from a proper instructor with Rakepick in Defense Against the Dark Arts. There's still a lot out there we don't know about, so maybe there's an answer for each of your fears, just waiting for us to find them."

"You really think so?" A glimmer of something other than sadness faintly showed on Ben's face.

He paused briefly, unsure of himself, "There's only one way to find out. Press onwards."

"And come to us whenever you have doubts. You know we're all here to support each other." Penny rejoined the conversation with wisdom befitting a true Hufflepuff.

"And I think there's something else about what you were explaining earlier. The only thing that changed between 'Muggle Hallowe'ens' and coming here was that you -realized- that the monsters were real. But think about it - they were always real."

"Th-that's not really helping, Anon." Ben's voice cracked as his sullen expression returned.

"Let me finish - you didn't know, but everything was fine. Monsters didn't suddenly appear when you realized 'oh they're real'," He shook his hands to emphasize the word 'monsters', "They didn't suddenly become a threat then either. Generations of wizards have dealt with monsters. They've protected themselves and others, including Muggles, for centuries. The things we learn here are proof of that - all passed down to us. Even if you didn't realize it, wizards and their allies have been protecting you and everyone you know and love for long before any of us were born."
Pressing the issue may have been a mistake, especially when he felt he had made so much progress. But there was something driving him - some fire within that he stoked with every sentence.

"So, you're saying -" Ben finally raised his reddened eyes to meet Anon's, "You're saying that I didn't know about monsters - and all the other dangers, but I also didn't know about wizards - the ones who have been protecting us?"

Surprise, awe, and joy mixed together as a smile crept across Anon's face, "Exactly! See? You keep looking at the negatives, but there's always a positive hidden in there if you can fight off that fear."

"But my parents -" Ben pursed his lips and shook his head in frustration.

"You're still worried that they can't protect you? Or that you can't protect them? You just said it a moment ago 'wizards have been protecting us'. Well, what are you?"

Ben looked down and grasped his robes, "A w-wizard." The simplest of thoughts cleared his face of frustration and brought a wide-eyed thoughtful look.

"You're damn right. You're a wizard, Ben. Not just any wizard either. Think of all the praise Flitwick has given you - 'one of the most talented students in Charms that I've ever seen.'" Anon's impression was unflattering, but elicited a giggle out of Penny. "Think of all the spells in Charms that deal with protecting from danger and preventing harm. Somehow, that just ends up being the thing you're incredibly talented with? I don't know about 'signs' or anything like that, but you've got to realize how well that lines up." Anon began feeling proud of himself once more. His words carried a passion that rarely came up. It wasn't often that he could he make so many connections so quickly. He only hoped that he delivered his feelings well enough.

"You're right? You... I can use all of that to protect them, and maybe myself too." Ben began nodding slowly.

"And maybe even others! You can be one of the wizards that saves Muggles from unseen dangers! Just think of your strengths and accomplishments, not weaknesses or fears. Do that, and you'll be an amazing wizard. I'm sure of it, Ben!" Penny began beaming at both of her friends.

She felt pride and admiration for both: one for expressing such consideration and passion, and the other for allowing himself to be helped out of the hole he had trapped himself in and to think positively for once. But something far back - deep inside - caused that smile to begin to droop.

"She's got a point. There's a proper Gryffindor inside of you. You just have to give it a chance."

Ben smiled at the two, for the first time since before their conversation-turned-argument-turned-intervention started. "I'll do my best.
You know... it's strange, but all of that reminded me of someone I used to read about. Before this whole wizard business. Someone my father introduced me to, from his own childhood. Someone who did everything he could to protect the people he cared about from the evils of the world, despite his fears."

"Oh?" The pair of friends voiced their interest in unison.

"He sounds pretty interesting. Who is he?" Anon was eager to find out who this mysterious figure was, and why Ben had been reminded of him.

"I think it'd be better if I showed you," Ben smile grew with confidence, "Maybe during the Hallowe'en feast."

---

The hallowed night finally arrived, and with it, the peak of celebratory fervor. Animated carved pumpkins and flitting bat decorations adorned the lower halls, which had become packed with costumed students. While the festivities were planned to continue through the night, the Hallowe'en Feast was the headline event.

Anon had ascended from the Dungeons, fully dressed in a hand-crafted costume. Upon reaching the Great Hall, the drone of hundreds of chattering students felt like a welcome reprieve. Tonight, he would draw no attention to himself. Tonight, he would find give in to the spirit of the holiday, and enjoy himself alongside his closest friends. He reached an unclaimed spot midway down the Slytherin table, and collected a small portion of the evening's banquet, before sternly analyzing the crowds for any signs of his hidden friends.

His eyes proved poorer than one such friend, as a figure approached from his side, unnoticed, "Anon!"

He cursed under his breath - to be the first to be found was a great hit to his pride. He turned to the source of the voice, and could not recognize the boy who stood before him, though the voice was a dead giveaway. "Ben! You actually came?! That's amazing!" He stowed his frustration, as elation took over.

"I was just as surprised as you are. But, after what you and Penny said the other day, I couldn't get the words out of my head. And I couldn't get the memory of this guy out of my head either." He pointed to his costume, "What do you think?"

Anon studied the costume, obviously high in quality. Ben had donned a grey leotard, over which he wore a light blue cape, a cowl with pointed ears and white slits for eyes, blue gloves and boots, and - "Underwear?" He pointed to Ben's midsection.

"Nope! They're shorts. And they're quite comfortable too." Ben beamed proudly - the only part of his face that remained clearly visible underneath the cowl was his mouth.

"Ah... I see." Unconvinced, he continued his inspection. Just above the 'shorts', a golden belt with multiple pouches had settled. And finally, displayed prominently in the center of Ben's chest - a gold oval with a black symbol resembling a bat. "It certainly looks impressive, but I don't get it. You're like a bat or something?"

Ben's smile faded, as his shoulder drooped in disappointment, "Not 'like a bat or something'. I'm a hero. I'm-"

"Hey buddy, your-"

"AH!" Ben yelped and jumped in fright as a hand was placed on his shoulder and someone attempted to whisper to him.

"Ohhoho, Ben! I didn't recognize you, buddy! But I was about to say-" His voice returned to a whisper, as Ben clutched at his own chest, "You're supposed to wear your underwear -under- your clothes. Don't worry, I forget a lot too. But if you think about it; underwear, -under-. Get it?" He patted Ben on the back, eliciting another nearly-silent yelp. "It's like a nuh- a nee- uh... neemonia? Rowan taught me."

Struggling to decipher Barnaby's mistake, the pair stared at him in confusion for a moment, before Anon finally piped up, "Do you mean mnemonic, Barns?"

Unfortunately, he was answered only by Barnaby's signature slack-jaw and raised-brow look of utter confusion.

Ben broke the second silence, after calming himself somewhat, "N-no, Barnaby. That's part of the costume, it's not underwear. They're short pants."

"But it sure looks like underwear. But I guess if it's outside, then it's not under. So it's probably all fine. Anyway, what are you supposed to be?" The gears in Barnaby's head had clearly shifted, thankfully.

"Yeah, you didn't mention the name, just that it's a hero. From the Muggle world, right?" Anon was eager to finally solve the mystery.

Ben quickly forgot the 'underwear' slight, and his smile returned. "Yeah! He goes by -Batman- when he's in this outfit-"

"I guess I could see it with the cape and cowl, and that insignia on your chest. Still, sort of - seems like a silly name." He was careful not to insult someone clearly important to Ben.

Luckily, Ben was more eager to share information than he was hurt by any accidental insult, "Oh, you know how a lot of people feel fear with bats?" He motioned to the bat decorations hanging around the Hall, "They wouldn't be strung up and associated with Hallowe'en if people weren't afraid. Well, he decided to use that - to strike fear into the baddies."

"Oh I get it, so The Bat Man fights batties. Pretty cool." Despite his misunderstanding, Barnaby was clearly impressed.

"Just 'Batman', and he doesn't fight bats. I meant, you know - bad guys, criminals, and monsters. All because he couldn't help his family when he was a kid."

"Now, that's a lot cooler than fighting bats. Sounds like a lot of work, but he seems pretty brave. That's a good fit for you!"

Ben tilted his head back in surprise, his white eyes reflecting his intrigue, "It is?"

"Yeah! Especially with all the stuff about monsters and... oh no. Monsters! Liz is going to win if I don't get back to counting." Barnaby looked around the Hall rapidly.

Barnaby's sudden shift in topics threw his friends off guard once more, and both could respond with nothing more than an echoed, "Huh?"

The eager muscle head turned back to them and clenched his fists in excitement, "It's a contest! Whoever finds the most types of magical beasts and monsters wins! Gotta go, have fun guys!" And just as rapidly as he had joined the conversation, he left, holding his fingers out in front of him as he looked around the crowd.

Anon and Ben once more found themselves alone, in each other's company.

"He might have been right about the costume being a good fit. You can be pretty brave sometimes - just think about the fact that you're not holed up somewhere. The fact that you're out here enjoying yourself on Hallowe'en night is a great sign." Anon turned back to blue- and gray-clad friend at his side.

"But I'm still afraid."

"Yeah? So what? You're afraid, -but- you're here. I think that's a strong argument for fear and bravery going hand in hand."

"Really?"

"Definitely. You'd have to be pretty empty-headed not to be afraid of some things. I didn't exactly walk up to that Acromantula all full of myself... I think bravery might just be acting in spite of that fear. Which is exactly what you did tonight, and what you're done before." A deep and proud smile spread across Anon's face as he gazed upon the friend he had previously taken for a mere coward.

Ben fiddled with his gloved fingers, "Maybe... You know, I was thinking about some things when I was putting the outfit together with Andre-"

"Andre helped out?"

"Yeah! The materials, the colors, everything. It seemed like he didn't like the color scheme or something, but it didn't stop him from helping."

"What a guy. I really should have thought to go to him for help with mine."

"I wasn't going to say anything..."

Anon glared at Ben, but laughed and shrugged it off.

"Anyway, when we were putting it together, I thought back to my memories of first reading about Batman. I always sort of felt that he had fears of his own, maybe even bats - like when he was growing up. But, in spite of that, he used the suit to overcome his own fears." Ben stretched out the insignia while looking down upon it, "Maybe it was in my head, but it's something that stuck with me."

"That sounds like a good part of his character. Even if it's in your head, you should hang on to that." Anon himself felt comforted at the thought.

"And then I remembered what you said about witches and wizards handling monsters for centuries. And the Muggles don't know about it at all! They're being helped by these silent protectors. Just like Batman. No one knows who he is. Not many people even knew they were in danger, because he stopped the danger. And all the gadgets he has?" He opened the pouches on his belt to reveal some strange contraptions, "Those are the spells we learn. Maybe if I pull myself together, that's something I can do. I can protect my parents and friends, and anyone else who might be in danger."

The rising passion in Ben's voice was evident and infectious, and a refreshing sight to behold for Anon. "That's a pretty big undertaking, you know. But I think you can manage. I won't forget you catching that spell to protect me from the Red Cloak."

"I owed you that." Ben shuffled his feet.

"However you want to see it - you protected me. And I think that, if you can remember how you felt then, you can protect other people despite your fears." He reached out his hand.

"I think I'd like that." And Ben responded with a firm handshake.

---

The pair continued their conversation, as Ben explained his favorite exploits of the caped crusader, when an oddly recognizable Hufflepuff arrived. Tonks sat in between the two, placing an arm on each of their shoulders.

"That's a bloody good costume, Tonks, but-"

"Like it? Yes! It's all me, too! No morphing or anything." Immense satisfaction and pride carried her smile from ear to ear. "One hundred percent pure craftsmanship!"

"Oh, really? Why? I'm not knocking the effort - it's great - but you could be anything with your talents." Anon had yet another mystery to unravel.

"And don't you forget it! Buuut, Tulip issued me a challenge. One I couldn't turn down, but she had one condition..." Tonks' face suddenly morphed into Tulip's, and in the Ravenclaw's voice stated, "And no using your Metamorphmagus powers! That's cheating!"

Ben felt deeply disturbed at the sudden change. Seeing Tulip's face on anyone that wasn't Tulip was wholly unsettling.

Tonks' mockery finished, she returned to her own visage, stuck out her tongue and rolled her eyes, "And I'm not one to turn down a challenge like that. And maybe she had a point about cheating. But it's also kind of nice to be something you're not for a change, without relying on some trick."

Thankful that she had returned to her normal look, Ben showed his appreciation of her outfit, "You'll definitely beat her, there's no way her costume stands up to yours."

"Agreed." Anon inserted.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, boys. And yours aren't too bad either, though... I'm not sure about the underwear, Ben." She struggled to stifle her laughter, which only resulted in a snort.

"They're shorts!"

"If you say so. I just can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes I beat her fair and square." She adopted a haughty stance and expression, "Riddle me this, little miss Ravenclaw: what's red in the face and a sore loser?"

"You're going to need to work on that one, I think." Anon shook his head and gave a pained expression.

"Yeah, riddles aren't my thing, anyway. That's all her. But jokes... jokes I can do." She took a long wandering look around the Great Hall.

"Yea- wait, did you do something?" A sudden sense of dread fell over Anon, while Ben remained silent.

Tonks shot him a wry smile and in a sing-song voice, stated "Everyone loves the treats on Hallowe'en, but they're missing the best part..." She leaned over and whispered into Anon's ear, "Tricks."

Across the Great Hall, sparklers began to erupt from drinks, various foods began walking or flying around, and students began sneezing and burping uncontrollably.

Anon was aghast, but couldn't help but laugh, "What happened to 'being something you're not for a change'?"

Tonks adopted a fake pout, "Oh come one, I'm a joker at heart. You wouldn't deny me my true calling, would you? Now, I should probably make myself scarce or people will start blaming little ol' me. Maybe Penny would help make a good cover story."

"If you can find her. I haven't seen her all night. Good luck." Anon pat his friend's back as she got up.

"Oh, I have the best of luck. See you, boys. And Ben - it's underwear!" Having said her piece, Tonks skipped off through the crowd, towards the Entrance Hall.

Ben did not answer this time. He had become focused on the chaos ensuing throughout the Hall.

"I'd avoid your plate if I were you. I'm pretty sure she snuck something into our food." Anon found his friend still distracted, "Ben? You there?"

A look of shock and concern faded into a stern grimace as Ben turned and firmly informed Anon, "We should probably help."

"Come on, it's just harmless pranks, you know her. It's nothing serious." He tried to laugh it off.

"Maybe. But what if they don't know that? Maybe someone will get scared that they've been poisoned, or that they're being attacked. If I were them-"

"I really don't think-" Anon struggled to reason with the boy in the suit, but to no avail. Ben rose from his seat and began to stride away. "For real?" The only thing Anon could manage was a startled question.

Ben stopped and turned back to his dear friend, "If I can help someone out, I should."

"Why?"

"Because... I'm the Batman." His lack of certainty was apparent in his voice, but he maintained his facade. Ben turned swiftly, causing his cape to swish and billow, and strode towards the nearest incident.

"Alright, have fun." Anon gave a heart chuckle before turning back to his food. As he began to inspect the food for any suspicious additional 'ingredients', the bang of a firecracker erupted in the distance, followed shortly after by a familiar yelp. Anon nodded knowingly and continued laughing to himself.

Confident that there was no wrongdoing committed against his meal, Anon finally grasped his utensils and was set to dig in, until another familiar voice interrupted him.

"Nice costume there, vault boy. But - mine is much better." The smug tone preceded a cackle from the same figure, as Anon turned around.

Intrigued, he assessed the costume, and spoke after a long pause. "For once, you might be right, Snyde."