What was supposed to be a routine Halloween evening on the Venture compound goes awry as the products of one of Dr. Venture's old experiments decide to drop in unexpectedly. The result? Chaos!

Hank THE BAT Venture
Dean Venture

Dr. Byron Orpheus
Enzeru Tomoshibi
(yes I know I use this name for everything but it's easy to remember >_< and I linked to the profile)

It was a normal Halloween evening on the Venture compound. The not-so-fearsome foursome had returned home from their annual costume contest party, their Star Trek ensemble losing out once again thanks to Hank's insistence to once again be THE BAT. Fuming over having lost once again to the Impossibles, Dr. Venture had, for the moment, stormed off huffily from the small gathering of family and friends to sulk.

Lecturing Hank would obviously do no good. It never had, and everyone knew they were looking forward for at least a whole week trying to convince Hank to change out of his costume. After, all, he was... THE BAT. Though, the Bat didn't seem to be as perky as he typically was, sulking around after his brother.

"Aw," he moaned, only half talking to his brother. "Pop's really mad this time, isn't he?"

"Ssh!" Dean, still stuck in his Uhura costume (poor boy always had the misfortune of landing the girl role), was obviously more interested in keeping himself as scarce from the rest of the party as possible. It wasn't the dress that was making him nervous- few could live up to last year's slave Leia costume. That was another tale. However, unlike last year, Triana was floating around the complex somewhere, and Dean was ready to just roll over and die of embarrassment if she caught him dressed the way he did.

Hank's expression was obscured by the Batman mask, but Dean didn't even have to look to know that his twin brother was unhappy with the shushing. Of course, Dean didn't have to attempt to think up an excuse or elaboration. Hank was perfectly good enough with making up his own.. even if they were absolutely wrong 100% of the time. "What?" Hank asked, lowering his voice to match Dean's call for quiet. "Have you spotted a nefarious villain in our midst?"

"...uh..."

But Hank was already off, sprinting from their makeshift hiding spot beneath the kitchen table, running off with reckless abandon towards the living room to leave his brother cowering beneath the relative safety of the table. "FEAR NOT. I AM THE BAT, AND I SHALL DISPENSE JUSTICE!"

Enzeru straightened her fluffy white collar as she approached the gate to the residence where Dr. Orpheus had been staying. She had not been to see her friend in some time, well, since before she was placed in charge of the paladin wing at the alliance home.

The young woman tried to hide her nervousness as she buzzed the intercom to be let into the gates.

This is just a friendly visit with an old friend. He will not judge your decision.

She waited for a few minutes before buzzing the intercom again. Several more minutes later there would still be no answer.

Where is everyone?

The woman looked around a moment before approaching the gate. She studied it a moment and smirked.

You'd think a world famous scientist would have better security.

Enzeru cracked her knuckles and laughed before grabbing onto the gate and beginning to climb it.
______________
Dr. Orpheus sat in the middle of the compound, which just so happened to be the Venture family's lounge. He sipped coffee while he waited for his daughter to finish powdering her nose.

For a moment he relaxed, taking in the moment of quiet before the Ventures returned. After all, a good house sitter waits until the owners return before leaving.

Suddenly a familiar aura caught his interest. It had been a long time since this presence was felt. He didn't go to that part of the alliance, always keeping to the necromancer wing in the opposite direction.

However, he knew he was not to leave until the Ventures returned. Once they did he could go and look for her. He knew she was here, his old childhood friend. His senses never lied.

"HI-YAAAAAAAH!"

Dean was right! there was some nefarious villain in their midst! With a wild yell, THE BAT launched himself at the back of the head of he terrible fiend who had taken up residence in their very lounge! Of course, considering it was Hank in he Batman mask, he nevr seven stopped to recognize that the back of the head he saw through the eye holes of his mask was one other than their tenant Dr. Orpheus.

WHUD!!!

With a loud thud, Hank's sailing form missed the good Doctor spectacularly, and with a noisy thud he manged to shatter a particularly chintzy coffee table whose construction was long out of fashion before Hank was even born. After the terrible display, one would have thought that Hank would be down for the count, but the blonde shot back upward almost instantly, glancing about the room.

"What? Who-- Oh." it was then hat he noticed Dr. Orpheus. "Hiya Doc. You had best be careful. there's a fiend running loose!"

"What? Hank? What's all this about a fiend?" Dr. Orpheus was completely caught off guard.

Byron's thoughts were immediately back on his friend. "On the contrary, I feel the person you speak of is quite to opposite. Now that you are back I must let your father know the homestead remains safe another day!" His dramatic side took over for a moment.

He returned to normal and looked around, "Where might I find your father?"

_________________

Enzeru was nearing the front doors of the compound with great speed. So far she blasted two ground mounted guns, snuck past a camera, and was now dodging a laser.

She rolled this way and that before firing a ball of light at the eyes of the statue of the fountain. The eyes busted, leaving them dark hollow holes.

The paladin was now free to approach the front doors, which she did, and she rang the door bell.

Now where is everyone?

This was the part she hated, waiting on other people. She smoothed her hair, ruffled her collar, and checked her makeup with a compact mirror.

Hank opened his mouth to speak, but Dr. Orpheus cut him off before Hank could explain out Dean's premonition. What? Was it a good person disguised as an archfiend to play the role of a spy? AWESOME. "I didn't know a friend was over..." of course he didn't. They'd been home for a grand total of fifteen minutes, if that.

Ignoring Dr. Orpheus' beginning of a dramatic rant, Hank shrugged at the inquiry. "Dunno. He's off being sore from losing the costume contest. I dunno where Brock is, either." Probably off playing with his... what was it... bat-whiff? That cool sword thign from his Klingon costume. hank wanted one, since it had bat in the name and he was Batman, but Brock had said no.

"Dean's under the kitchen table, though. He's hiding from Triana because he's dressed like a girl."

"Haaaank!" Dean half-glared at his brother as he peered around the door frame. Having decided that the best defense was to keep mobile, the freckled brother had come to investigate the voices. From the factt hat his cheeks were the same shade of red as his outfit, it was obvious that Dean was none too pleased that Hank was spurting his predicament to Triana's father!

"What?"

Just then, the doorbell rang. This surprised both the boys, who stared at one another in confusion before peering questioningly at the older man. To have someone politely ring the doorbell was... new...

Dr. Orpheus laughed, "That is a rather nice costume, Star Trek, I do believe it is called." The older man stood up, "Rest easy, Triana is powdering her nose. You have plenty of time to run upstairs and change."

He heard the doorbell ring. This strange circumstance was uncommon at the Venture compound, even for him. Most people just came and went as they pleased.

"I shall get it," Byron declared as he straightened his cape and made his way to the door.

He opened it slowly and found himself face to face with an old friend.

"Hello Byron," Enzeru whispered.

"Enzeru, my, this is a pleasant surprise."

"Glad I got the right door. I was worried for a moment," She tried to block the view of the demolished security system. The eyes from the statue were still smoking.

Byron stood a moment, speechless before he answered, "Actually, you got lucky, my door is around the back. I was just house sitting until the Venture family returned. How long has it been?"

"I'm guessing five or ten years give or take." Enzeru smirked and then spotted the boys, "I assume these boys are not your sons, they look too old to be Triana's younger brothers assuming she has any."

"No, no she doesn't." He stared, speechless again. Where had she been? How many times had she risked her life? How often had he thought her dead? The girl he read books with in the library long ago had become a killing machine and then faded into seclusion, coming out only for business, rarely for meeting with old friends.

If anything, Dr. Orpheus' comment only caused Dean to flush a deeper red, slinking farther back from the door frame to hide on the opposite side of the wall. Yet he did not heed the Necromancer's advice, instead only moving out to follow the older man as he went to answer the doorbell. Hank trailed along as well.

When Orpheus opened the door to reveal Enzeru standing there, both boys stood agape, glancing at one another before peering around at the woman. Hank elbowed Dean, casting a questioning look at his brother. Dean just shrugged. She wasn't a familiar face.

"Ooooo..." Hank lifted his mask to grin cheekily at Dr. Orpheus. "Dr. Orpheus has a giiirl~friiiiiiend~"

Dean, ever the follower, snickered in unison with his brother.

Byron turned bright red as he stood to face the boys, "If you mean to imply she is female and she is my friend yes. But no more." He turned to face Enzeru, "I imagine this is no mere visit."

"As always, old friend," She made sure to emphasize the word 'friend', "You are correct. I have had reports of zombie activity in the area. This place was noted as being the center." She cast a sideways glance at the boys, "Their father is a scientist. Perhaps I should speak with him."

"Are you investigating Dr. Venture?" Byron asked, his voice indignant.

"No, only his property. The man himself, although he is the resident scientist, is not. You however, could be."

"Me? Why would the alliance investigate me? I have been against the misuse of magic from the beginning."

"Well, they seem to believe you are covering something up here. After all, this is the center and you have not reported anything unusual."

"I see. Then allow me to assist you. Together we will rid the area of the fiends and lay their souls to rest."

"I wish it was that easy. I can not sense a single bit of magical involvement. That leads me to believe it is science made." Enzeru paused and sighed.

"The two do tend to cross paths quite often." She glanced at the boys again, "We'll need all the help we can get. Anyone with at least one eye and the ability to tell the living from the dead should be temporally enlisted in the search."

"Zombies?" Hank repeated the word, round face gleaming with excitement. Wow, really? ZOMBIES. Cool! Hey, wonder how fast Brock could kill a zombie. Probably really fast, 'cause it was Brock and all. "Wow, cool! Didja hear that Dean? ZOMBIES."

Sliding down his Batman mask, Hank stood out in the opening, chest puffed with importance. "We're on the case ma'am!"

Dean, at least, had the decently to look downcast when the embarrassed pair corrected hank's assumption. When the topic came around to the zombies, however, Dean looked far less enthused. "Zombies?" he also repeated, sounding much more tentative than Hank did.

"What'sa matter Dean? Chicken?"

"Am NOT!" the brunette protested, face flushing once more. "I was just... maybe we should ask dad about it first."

"Yes, I think we should talk to their dad first. After all, his zombies if I'm not mistaken." Enzeru agreed with Dean.

"I'm not sure. How do you know they were his?" Dr. Orpheus clearly suspected Dr. Venture, but he wasn't going to give in and think that his friend and landlord was breaking magical law.

"Byron, open your eyes. You yourself filed a claim that he used a haunted orphan heart in one of his inventions."

"You read that?"

"It's my duty to be up to date. So let's go talk to the doctor and get me further up to date."

"I'm still not sure if that is a good idea. Dr. Venture can be difficult to talk to."

"No worries." Enzeru turned to the boys and smiled, "Don't try to take down any zombies alone, you need one of us with you to banish them. In fact, I think it would be safer if you came with us."

"My daughter is still in the bathroom." Byron whined.

I do not want to disturb her while she's in there, she gets moody.

"Knock on the door and tell her to stay in there and keep the door locked." Enzeru rolled her eyes.

You'd think the man is scared of his own daughter.