An excited burst of chittering and clicking erupted from behind a pack of trick-or-treaters as the large, insectoid alien barreled down the street. Before the crowds could reform, a very stressed-looking dog in a lab coat bounded after them, yelling.
"K'estherki, please stop running away from me! You know you need my help to properly complete this Earth tradition you're so excited about!"
The alien -- K'estherki according to the dog -- stopped and turned to see the damage they had wrought in their excitement. Costumes were out of place, candy bags were on the ground, and some had even been trampled in their mad dash to the nearest house. "Apologies, Miss Teague. I am so very happy to be as one of the Earth children who participate in this event. Look at all the fantastical garb!"
"Yes, those are the costumes."
"A-and look at MY fantastical garb! It is so very clever, for I appear to be as one of the Earth 'horses!' But I am in fact not an Earth horse!"
Dr. Teague smiled and shook her head at K'estherki. It'd been over a year since they'd come to this planet from their home world of Luminis, and though they missed the first Halloween they had been here (they were still learning to speak in something other than chirring and chittering noises at the time), they jumped at the chance to participate in an "Earth ritual." Literally, they jumped about 20 feet in the air and broke the ceiling. You learn something new about Luminians every day.
K'estherki was clearly annoyed with Dr. Teague's reminiscing, and nudged her to come along.
"Come! We must gather sweet globules of densely packed sugars! Oh, they are so lovely and colorful!"
They skipped forward on their six legs, scrambling up the stairs to the house they had been running toward earlier.
They rapped at the door with one of their claws, and eagerly awaited a response. Dr. Teague nudged them.
"You have to say the thing, remember?"
"AH YES! The ritual phrase! It summons the bringer of treats from the home! How could I have forgotten?"
K'estherki smiled -- as much as they could with a bridle jammed in their mandibles -- and let out a clicking rendition of the familiar phrase.
"Trrick or treat!"
"K'estherki, please stop running away from me! You know you need my help to properly complete this Earth tradition you're so excited about!"
The alien -- K'estherki according to the dog -- stopped and turned to see the damage they had wrought in their excitement. Costumes were out of place, candy bags were on the ground, and some had even been trampled in their mad dash to the nearest house. "Apologies, Miss Teague. I am so very happy to be as one of the Earth children who participate in this event. Look at all the fantastical garb!"
"Yes, those are the costumes."
"A-and look at MY fantastical garb! It is so very clever, for I appear to be as one of the Earth 'horses!' But I am in fact not an Earth horse!"
Dr. Teague smiled and shook her head at K'estherki. It'd been over a year since they'd come to this planet from their home world of Luminis, and though they missed the first Halloween they had been here (they were still learning to speak in something other than chirring and chittering noises at the time), they jumped at the chance to participate in an "Earth ritual." Literally, they jumped about 20 feet in the air and broke the ceiling. You learn something new about Luminians every day.
K'estherki was clearly annoyed with Dr. Teague's reminiscing, and nudged her to come along.
"Come! We must gather sweet globules of densely packed sugars! Oh, they are so lovely and colorful!"
They skipped forward on their six legs, scrambling up the stairs to the house they had been running toward earlier.
They rapped at the door with one of their claws, and eagerly awaited a response. Dr. Teague nudged them.
"You have to say the thing, remember?"
"AH YES! The ritual phrase! It summons the bringer of treats from the home! How could I have forgotten?"
K'estherki smiled -- as much as they could with a bridle jammed in their mandibles -- and let out a clicking rendition of the familiar phrase.
"Trrick or treat!"
