Day 15: The Conclusion [ Web / Forest ]

After Hailey had managed to recover herself from having eaten more pies than a normal elf would reasonably eat in a week, she headed back to Benjamin to set things right.
"Here you go," Hailey handed her basket of candy over to Benjamin, which immediately sank to the ground the moment it was left to be suspended by Benjamin's arms.
"Uh... thanks?" Benjamin said, "But... isn't this your candy? You are the one who collected it; the monster girls gave it to you."
"Benjamin, I exploited you in order to get the candy. You are the one who suffered for it, you're the one who had to pay for it... if that doesn't make it yours I evidently don't know left from right. You should take it."
"Yeah, I see what you mean..." Benjamin scratched his head, "But... are you sure? Maybe you should hold on to it?"
"Nuh-uh. I couldn't... not in a million years."
"Because you already filled up on pie?"
"No... well, that's the reason I couldn't in a thousand years. No, It's because that's ill-gotten gains for me. You trusted me, and I betrayed you. I don't deserve this. If I ate this candy it'd twist in my stomach for the rest of my life!"
"Well... I appreciate that, Hailey. I really do... but I've already forgiven you, so... you know, you don't have to do anything more to earn my forgiveness."
"It's... not as simple as that. It's one thing to give away forgiveness, it's another thing to be ready to accept the forgiveness... you know?"
"I guess I do... If it was up to me though we'd just skip that step. I don't want you to"
"Y-yeah... maybe?" Hailey cleared her throat.
Benjamin chuckled, "How about we share the candy? Would that be okay?"
"That is acceptable..." Hailey agreed.

Ever since they left the monster girls however, Hailey had been worried they had done something to him. There seemed to be something different about Benjamin's appearance now that Hailey couldn't put her finger on. He was looking... good. Not that she would describe him as hideous before, but Hailey had a good idea about what a hot guy looked like and Benjamin wouldn't fit the description unprompted. But now.. Hailey didn't mind looking at him at all.

" I guess that's our next house?" Benjamin asked as he looked towards a cottage in the forest, "Right after those trick or treaters?"
"Wait.." Hailey said and pointed to the window. A familiar looking figure was inside, namely the slaver from before, "Remember that guy? Yeah, looks like he's been busy this evening."
"Oh god..." Benjamin covered his mouth.
"Sssh... he hasn't seen us yet. Let's make ourselves scarce before he does."
"Hailey, wait..." She pointed towards the trick or treaters at the doors, "Isn't that Rob and Jess?"
"Shit!" Haley hissed in an attempt to hide her screaming that while the two elves knocked on the door, "They're getting themselves caught!"
Through the window, Hailey and Benjamin could see the slaver looking back over his shoulder as he heard the knock, grabbed his rifle and closed the blinds.
Hailey dashed towards the door as fast as she could, "Hey wait!" Benjamin yelled as he ran after her.

"All right..." Jess said "remember to smile, and with as much energy you can muster say 'trick or treat. Just like we practiced."
"I know, Jess. Don't you worry about me..." Rob said as the door opened up, "Trick or... gleeahh!!"
He was interrupted by Hailey and Benjamin darting by, "Quick! " Hailey yelled.
"Get out of here! Quickly!" Benjamin yelled.
"Wh-what? Who... how..?" Jess stumbled over her own words, but was grabbed and dragged away by Hailey and Benjamin, "Uwuaaaah!"¨"
"Wait... huh?" Rob looked around himself in confusion, stunned by this development, until he saw himself looking into the barrel of a gun.
"Get in..." The slaver said, and Rob had **** but to obey.

"Let go of me this instance!" Jess had already been carried a good bit into the vegetation by her colleagues, "You'll now have to explain exactly what you think you're doing right now!"
"Shit..." Hailey said, "He got Rob!"
"Ah..." Benjamin said, "Goddammnit..."
"He did WHAT!?"
"Sssh..." Hailey said, "Look, that guy? He's a slaver! He captures mythological creatures and makes them fight each other."
"How... how did you figure all of this out?! And how did he find out about us? We're supposed to be posing as kids!"
"...yeah, about that..." Hailey gulped, "We... kinda had a run-in with him earlier... sort of."
"Damnit! I knew this whole endeavour was a bad idea! At least none of you got yourself captured."
Hailey and Benjamin exchanged looks.
"...none of you were captured, right?"
"...none of us were captured for long..." Hailey chuckled.
"Ugh... Hailey, goddamnit!" Jess looked like she was about to explode, "I can't believe you almost got yourself captured by slavers... and by extension got Rob captured as well!"
"Yeah, well... at least we saved you, right? That's something, right?" Hailey said.
"Oh god... Jess is right... Rob's missing now... kidnapped by slavers, and it's our fault!"
Jess took a deep breath, "Calm down everyone. Getting into a panic is not going to solve anything. We will be able to get Rob out of there, do not worry."
"I assume you have a plan," Hailey said, "Cause I sure as hell am not going in there."
"Yes... there is someone who will be able to help us..."

"Hands behind your head, little fellow." The slaver kept the firearm pointed at the elf at all times, "Now don't try anything funny, or you'll be coughing out lead for the rest of your short life."
"Wh-what do you want with me, mister? I'm just a kid out trick or treating..."
"Nice try, boy. Your friends might have pulled that off on me for a second or two, but that's not gonna fly this time, elf."
"My... my friends...? Oh, goddamnit, Ben and Hailey..."
"You two. Get him ready in his cage. We'll drive him out tomorrow."
"Yes, boss." One of the slaver's henchmen quit leaning against the wall and poked the elf with the tip of his foot, "Hurry it up, freak." The other henchman followed while laughing. They slammed the door behind them...
One of the henchmen kicked Rob in the face, sending him to the floor. He laughed uproariously, "What the hell kind of freak dresses up like children and begs for candy? God you fairy tale creatures make me sick!"
The henchman kicked Rob in his ribs while he was trying to get up.
Rob shot the henchmen a defiant, condescending smile that hid his contempt and anger, "Hehehe, anything not to be a limp-dick, small-time thug who can only get it off beating those smaller than himself...
"Watch your mouth!" The other henchman kicked him in the face, and Rob covered his nose.
"Gahhh... you know I don't think your boss will appreciate how you treat your merchandise.
The first henchman stomped on Rob's face, "Who cares? Your face is gonna end up refurnished in the arena anyway, might as well..."
At that moment the room turned completely pitch black.
"Harry? The power's off."
"Yeah, I can see that. Must be a burned fuse or something..."
"I don't care what you think it must be! Get it fixed for god's sake!"
"Calm the fuck down, Owen! Just hold on to the elf and I'll... MMMMPH!!!
"Harry? Harry! What the fuck did you do to him, you little freak! When I get my hands on you I'm gonna.... MMMMMPH!!"

Without a moment's warning, Owen was snatched up from a creature above and hoisted towards the ceiling, swiftly tied into a bundle of soft, silken threads by what he now realized was an arachnid monster girl. Not one of the ones they had caged up for this night either, but someone who must have snuck inside.
"My apologies, gentlemen." The arachne chuckled as she beheld her catch dangling upside down from the ceiling in sticky threads, mummified to the point of being gagged with only their face from their nose up, "Now if I can't lay my fingers on this little sweethearts here, then I most certainly won't let you either." The arachne ran her pointy, glove fingers along Owen's cheek.
"I do hope you understand, after all this one has..." The arachne interrupted herself as her eyes, which pierced the darkness, focused themselves on the bruised and bleeding form of Rob lying on the floor, struggling to get up.
"Annica..." Rob coughed, "Is that you? Boy it's nice to see you!"
"...did these little precious bugs do this to you?" Annica said in a gentle, almost singing, voice.
"...uhhhh..." Rob had to consider the consequences of his actions before replying.
"Rob, my angel... Did these... bugs... do this to you?"
The two henchmen were looking increasingly panicked as the spider girl climbed over their silky cocoon, struggling with all their might to escape their prison but to no avail.
"...please go easy on them." Rob said.
"Go easy on them? Hah! Oh, Rob! I simply want to play a fun little game with these... upstanding gentlemen. The two of you like games, don't you? Everyone likes games!"
The henchmen tried to scream in their gag as the monstrous claws of the arachne pointed toward them as the face of the monster girl warped into a hideous, evil grin...

The boss tried to get the door to the cages open, but it was as if it was webbed stuck somehow.
Those elves... he knew it was their doing. He grabbed his rifle and rushed outside, turning every which way and automatically aiming the firearm in the direction of the most immediate threat. He saw something moving in the bushes... and pursued.
He fired a warning shot as he ran towards them, so as to get them out of hiding. One of them, with blonde pigtails and dressed in a frilly pink dress with wings, had climbed the power lines. No doubt she was responsible for the power going out. She jumped down from the top of the power lines... landing in a trampoline of spider web, then ran off as fast as she could between the trees.
"Shit!" Hailey said as she ran between the trees, "This was a terrible idea! Now, should I choose **** or slavery? Because I'm thinking **** might be preferable!"
Just as this was said, a hand emerged from behind a tree, yanking it from the hands of the slaver. It was the orc leader that Hailey had run into earlier, snapping the rifle over her knee.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!" The orc leader rubbed her hands together, "Well, ain't we the lucky ducks? The lot of ya got yer keaster saved by the cavalry..." As she spoke, more orc girls appeared from behind the trees, surrounding the slaver, "And we got to catch ourselves our very own **** the first night we leave our old territory!
"You... you... ah..." Hailey said, stuttering between her breaths.
"Hailey..." Jess said, "Just how many slavers have you run into actually?"
"To be fair..." Hailey smiled in spite of her exasperation, "I don't think our little friend here is gonna remain a slaver for long... or anything other than a ****. Right, ladies?"
As the orcs moved closer and closer, the boss looked around desperately for a way out. He dashed for the one opening he saw, but the orcs quickly covered that making him halt in his tracks.
The leader of the orcs took this opportunity to bear hug him from behind and lift him up from the ground.
"Get your damn hands off me, you filthy boar!" The boss kicked and screamed and thrashed around, but the leader orc was strong, and much bigger than him.
"This guy¨s got such spirit! Whatcha say, lass?" The orc leader looked towards Hailey, "This one's a keeper?"
"Why, I'd have to say that he is." Hailey said, "Honestly I'd say you will have to look long and hard until you find a human who's this accustomed to working with monster girls. Might want to keep him on a short leash though."
"Wouldn't have it any other way!" The orc leader held him firmly in her grip while the rest of the orcs gathered around him and fitted manacles around his wrists.
The leader of the orcs took the chain and led him away like on a leash, leading him off to their nest followed by the other orcs.
"Well... that certainly happened." Jess said.
"Hold on..." Hailey said, "Where's Benjamin? I can't see him anywhere!" Hailey looked around in every direction but couldn't spot her Benjamin.
"I'm over here..." A tiny hand protruded from the bushes, and Hailey ran over, pulling Benjamin out from the bushes and giving him a hug.
"...is there something going on between the two of you?" Jess asked.
"It's... it's a long story." Hailey said.
"Fine... fine. Now let's go find Rob. Who knows what that spider girl has in store for him." Jess said, though she couldn't help but to notice the lip-mark of pie filling on Benjamin's cheek.