That being said, there were a few people on the staff (besides Nathan) that enjoyed the fox's company. One of their newest waitresses, Karissa, who just graduated from high school, adored Foxy, and would flock to him whenever he was wandering around. Foxy didn't seem to mind, and enjoyed the attention. The other staff members were concerned, seeing romantic undertones in the waitress's actions and knowing very well Foxy's aversion to physical contact. But nothing happened. Yet.
About halfway through the month of October, Freddy and the others noticed that decorations were starting to be put up. Things like cotton cobwebs and pumpkins soon sat in corners or on tables, which had their usual rainbow tablecloths replaced with orange and black ones, with little pumpkins with odd grins.
"What's all this stuff for?" Chica asked Nathan one night, picking up a pumpkin. Nathan looked up from his notes.
"Halloween," he answered simply, looking back down.
"And this orange thing?" Chica continued. This time, Nathan didn't even look up.
"That's a pumpkin. We carve shapes in them for the holiday," he explained.
This caught Bonnie's interest.
"Carving? Like faces and stuff?" she asked, picking up a pumpkin as well and turning it around in her paws.
"Yeah, or pictures, or whatever. Then you put a candle or light inside, and it turns into a lantern. A Jack o' Lantern," Nathan replied, scribbling something down on his notepad.
"And who's Jack? A pumpkin?" Chica asked. Nathan laughed.
"No. I don't know, it's just a name for it. Maybe some guy named Jack invented it," Nathan said.
"Can we make one?" Bonnie asked. Nathan rubbed the back of his neck.
"No offense, but I don't want you guys handling knives," Nathan told her.
"Please?" Bonnie asked again. Nathan shook his head.
"No," he replied.
Bonnie pouted, and tried to give puppy dog eyes.
"Doesn't work when you're bigger than me," Nathan told her, crossing his arms.
By now, Freddy and Foxy had overheard the discussion, and walked over to where the mechanic was seated in the Dining Hall.
"Wha's all this abou' pu'pkins?" Foxy asked, "Also, wha's a pu'pkin?"
Nathan pointed to a small pumpkin sitting on the middle of the table he sat at.
"That's a pu'pkin," Nathan replied, copying Foxy's accent.
"I always thought those be some sort o' odd cannonball. Never could figure out why they be orange," Foxy observed, picking the gourd up with his good hand.
Nathan leaned back and sighed, already guessing the fox's next question.
"Before you ask, they're for Halloween. We carve shapes and faces on them, and put a candle in it, and make it a light," Nathan explained once Foxy opened his mouth to speak again.
"Well, can we make one?" Foxy asked, tossing the small pumpkin into the air and catching it.
"I don't want you guys using knives," Nathan said.
Freddy nodded.
"I agree. Those are dangerous," Freddy said.
"Thank you!" Nathan said, throwing his hands up in the air.
Foxy, meanwhile, began staring at the pumpkin and his hook, noting its sharp point. Putting two and two together, he stabbed his hook into the pumpkin, and began trying to carve it. He succeeded in annihilating the small gourd, sending pumpkin guts flying everywhere.
chapter 2
Start from the beginning
