#squarebysquare

Ruggie Bucchi did not pay the class any mind in homeroom. As far as he was concerned, his second year of Night Raven College would be just the same as last year... until the first full day of class, when Professor Lucid floated upside down in front of the room with his usual manic grin on his face.

"Hey, meatsacks! Welcome to another year at the crow's nest! I got a surprise for you all."

"Don't tell me it's a head that's always screaming again," One classmate sighed.

"It's something better! A somewhat new puppet to play with~! Ink-Bug, why don't you come up and introduce yourself to your inmates for a year or so?"

From the shadows of the classroom, a nearly seven-foot-tall boy with dark skin, green eyes with strangely shaped pupils, and black hair lumbered into view. He wore the school uniform, had ink stains around his neck and eyes, and his pen had a purple magestone with black polkadots.

"Whoa, you're tall," Ruggie murmured to himself after he whistled a little, almost impressed,

"Uh... I'm Felix Cavatica of Ramshackle dorm. Salutations?" The boy greeted the class in a smooth, baritone voice before walking over to an empty seat next to Ruggie and sat down, leaning over to the hyena. "Is Professor Lucid... lucid?"

Ruggie scoffed with a laugh. "Ya shoulda been there last year when he once gifted a student with the highest grades deer teeth. Good luck with your classes, big guy. Yer gonna need it. Shehehehehe~!"

A week after the Spelldrive tournament, Ruggie trudged towards the Ramshackle dormitory with a bag full of ingredients and seasonings. A lot had happened in a month and a half. Besides the secret plots and the overblots, Ruggie learned a little more information about his eccentric classmate.

Felix was cursed. No one knew how it worked except that the guy was half-dead, half-blotting, and a little out there. It reminded Ruggie of Malleus's situation with the school more than anything else.

From what Ruggie had heard from other students and Felix, Yuu, the prefect of Ramshackle, felt so bad about the scenario that they decided to form Ramshackle with Felix as Vice Housewarden and centered it under the Creativity of the Boogeyman. The hyena did not know what the Boogeyman was. He certainly was not part of the Great Seven, but Ruggie did not seem to mind or care, thinking that the human was giving a dying boy his last wish. And now, the hyena was about to cash in on said boy's cooking skills. He stopped at the front door and knocked. A tan-skinned human with curly dark brown hair answered.

"Hey, Ruggie! Feeling better?" Yuu smiled warmly.

"Oh yeah, after Leona helped me out of my injuries from the ordeal, I'm right as rain, shehehehhehehe! So, are you guys ready to cook up that huge feast Felix promised us?"

"Sorry. It'll just be you and Felix cooking. Grim and I have Halloween duty. We must come up with outlines and decoration ideas before we go to the used book sale in Foothill Town in a few days. Felix is waiting for you in the kitchen if you'd like to come in."

"Cool! Sounds fun. See ya at lunch!" With that, Ruggie carried the sack into the kitchen, where Felix had a stew boiling. He turned around, grinning at the hyena.

"You've made it!"

"What? And miss your cooking? I have to be here!" Ruggie smirked as he emptied everything from the bag onto the counter. "Mind if I join?"

"I'd thought you'd never ask~"

The two classmates proceeded with meal preparations that filled the entire kitchen and first floor of the building with savory, sweet, and spicy aromas. As the two sliced meat and vegetables, Ruggie piped up.

"Say, can I ask you something that I've been wondering about for a while?"

"I don't mind. Go ahead."

"I mean, I get the hustle of being in charge of your own place, but would it matter in the long run? You're barely making it in a ramshackle dorm. You're cursed in a school with guys who don't care and survive on their own, and the few ones who could save you consist of two playing cards, a pretty farm boy, a little good wolf, a cat, and a human with little to no magic. Is it worth the hassle?"

Felix chuckled, spreading the meat and vegetables onto a pan. "Don't get me wrong. I asked myself the same question a few times. It's win-win for me whether I live or die, and I'm getting benefits from it. It's oddly nice that a stranger who's in a similar boat with me thinks that I deserve a second shot. Plus, I wanna know who I am before I decide what to do with my life, or afterlife."

Ruggie nodded slowly, not getting it, but he respected the sentiment. As a pizza was prepared with toppings and pans sizzled, the rhythm of the kitchen got Felix singing aloud.

"Wouldn't you like a taste of the power? Wouldn't you like to use more than words? Deep in the night, the fight lasts for hours. You can be hurt, or you can beat her."

Ruggie's ears perked up at the unfamiliar tune, his shoulders shimmying while he placed the pizza in the oven.

"Wouldn't you like to have some of the magic? Wouldn't you like your outcome preferred? Deep in the night, the fight can be tragic. I'll help you conquer her."

"Where's that song come from? And who are you talking about?"

"Oh, it's a song that came from a musical that Yuu listens to once in a while. It's about a King who goes on a journey with his crew to get home. The songs are catchy. And I was talking about Lady Luck since I tend to be unlucky. This song gets to me. Makes me feel like a fae, y'know?"

"Hmmm, sounds like my kind of song." The cooking finished sooner than expected, and the two classmates set up the tables with several dishes of food as Felix called Yuu and Grim over. With a loud cheer from the cat, the four sat down at the table. Ruggie sat across from Yuu while Felix and Grim sat on either side of him. It felt different sitting with the Ramshackle students who live in a haunted building by themselves. With Ruggie, he would eat with his grandmother, the neighborhood children, or currently with Leona and Jack. Here, he felt something as he was surrounded by misfits just trying to survive.

"Say, does anybody mind it if I practice my signature spell while we eat?" Felix asked casually while Yuu and Grim nodded in excitement. Felix then leaned over to whisper to Ruggie, shaking the latter out from his thoughts. "I'm teaching Yuu to indulge. They sometimes forget to eat. Maybe our huge appetites will transfer to them."

The hyena shrugged after thinking about it for a moment. "Sure, I'll try it just once. The only freebie yer gettin'!"

Felix closed his eyes, concentrating as he chanted the spell into his mind before calling out, "Hive Jive!" He shook his fist, and purple dice splotched with blot fell out of his hand, revealing three as the result. Shadow bugs then came from his body, giving gentle taps to Yuu, Grim, and Ruggie, their eyes turning hollow for a moment.

Ruggie watched as Yuu and Grim wore a butterfly pin and a flea pin, respectively, then he glanced down at his jacket to see a distinct pin as well.

"A ladybug? Oh, I'm a ladybug because of my spots? How original~" Ruggie laughed a little, the three Ramshackle students sharing the same laugh style as him, almost speaking in unison with him. The hyena then blinked when he suddenly found Felix floating, with purple and black sparkles around him. "How are you doing that?"

"I don't know. Half-fae power? I feel like floating." Felix guessed with a shrug. He waved some sparkles over a plate of food, making it lift to his level as he grabbed it. A thought then came into his mind before everyone began to eat.

"Hey, Ruggie, while we're like this, could you do us a favor? It's only fair since I cooked the feast for you, and witnesses need to be here just in case."

The hyena stared at Felix, skeptical. "What do you have in mind?"

"Look, I don't know what's going to happen to me in a day, week, month, or year. Out of the three of us here, I'm the one with the spell know-how, and honestly, it's a little sad. So here's my favor. I don't know when or how, but the next time this creature set-up happens, I need three things. No harm shall happen to Yuu and Grim. If you could find out anything about who I am or my history, do so. And the third thing is a request of my choice when the moment comes. If you do it, I'll owe you a lot."

Thinking that it would not happen for a long while and it would be simple tasks, Ruggie laughed and nodded in agreement before feasting with the others.

"Sure thing! I could do those three things for ya. You're not like Leona or other troublesome guys, so I can get behind your offer. I expect to be rewarded in the future. Don't kick the bucket until then! Shehehehehehehe!"

"YAY, A NEW BIG BROTHER!" Lock, Shock, and Barrel cheered as they pulled Ruggie into a birdcage that rose towards a decrepit treehouse. The hyena could not believe the events that led up to this moment: a strange book at the library had transported him and a random group of his peers into the Holiday Worlds of Old, where a dangerous and powerful fairy named Swing, along with his group of devious beings, stood in everyone's way of holidays and their way home. After a week or so of Christmas preparations and one plan failing after another, Ruggie decided it would be better to join the winning side... which meant going into the trio's treehouse of horror.

Ruggie grinned sheepishly while glancing around, "A big bro? All right. I can work with that. Since I'm a part of your gang now, I'll get a mask to blend in. Got any spare ones?"

"Sure! Don't take the ones on the wall. Those are the tributes." Shock warned nonchalantly while emptying the walking bathtub of traps and weapons. Ruggie shivered a little.

Barrel climbed onto a worn-down sofa and rummaged through the cushions before pulling out a faded, spotted mask. "I found one you can use until you can make a better one!"

"Gee, thanks." The hyena took the mask and placed it on, making a scary face before moving it to the side to reveal his face. "Not bad." He then tilted his head when a familiar fairy floated into the treehouse with a scowl. "What happened to you, Swing?"

Swing sighed, his ears drooping as he crossed his arms. "Mr. Oogie Boogie's madder than usual. He's killing the mood again. We gotta get him happy, or we'll never get a new holiday running."

"What's gotten the boss moody this time? We got Jack and everyone else. We won Halloween and Christmas." Lock complained.

"Not sure. Mr. Swing came over to bring the good news, but Boogie got grumpy all of a sudden."

Ruggie observed around the room for any abnormalities until he spotted something bright red from a nearby window. Looking out from it, he pointed, "Uh, is that one of yours?"

Swing, Lock, Shock, and Barrel crowded by the window with Ruggie to see a lone figure sitting on a tree branch. They were pale with slick black hair and wore black and red clothes.

"Ah, one of Oogie Boogie's bugs got out. It must be one of the special ones!" Shock concluded.

"Well, is anyone gonna go get it?" Ruggie inquired.

"We don't wanna risk squishin' part of the boss!" The trio exclaimed.

"Mr. Swing would, but Oogie and I have been a little antsy the past few days. Don't wanna ruin the moment while it's good."

Ruggie sucked his teeth. Well, it was either this or being embarrassed at caroling while being chased by killer jack-in-the-boxes and narrowly avoiding untimely demise. He would take his chances with the fairy, boogeyman, and three children. Sighing, he raised his hand. "I'll go get the bug, Boss."

"That's the spirit, boy! Go get 'em!" Swing smacked Ruggie on the back with a grin and waved some black and purple sparkles at the hyena.

"Try not to end up in a stew~!" Lock, Shock, and Barrel sang out mockingly. Then, Ruggie got teleported to the tree branch outside with Swing's magic.

"Gee, thanks." He groaned before approaching the humanoid on the branch. As he got closer to the other, Ruggie noticed that the person had golden eyes, translucent wings, a portly yet flexible figure, their outfit consisting of red with black dots, and that they had a prim look about them at first glance. It reminded him of Pomefiore in style and an older version of Riddle Rosehearts in looks. Regardless, he approached this humanoid ladybug cautiously in greeting. "Excuse me, Miss... ter?"

"Call me Dots. He/They. What do ya want?" The ladybug answered in a light yet rough masculine voice, not moving as he stared off into the Hinterlands nearby.

Ruggie sighed in relief at his presumption, walking over to Dots with a small grin. "Hey, Dots. The name's Ruggie Bucchi. I'm the new guy around here, and I overheard that Oogie's missing a special bug. I was wondering if maybe ya wanna go back to him?"

Dots picked up his head, staring at the hyena with his eyes briefly turning hollow before he scoffed and turned away. "I don't see why I should. This was supposed to be fun, and I was getting what I wanted, but now it's getting too serious. It's time to look out for me for a change!"

Ruggie's eye twitched, feeling a sense of deja vu. He sat down across from the ladybug, keeping his distance as he gave a knowing look.

"Tell me about it. That's the story of my life and why I joined in the first place. Don't they know that there are people way out of my league? Ya do what it takes to win and survive, am I right?"

"Exactly! Finally, someone who knows what I'm saying! Come over, and we can complain together. I got a stash of drinks in that hole over there whenever I come up to breathe." Dots pointed to a nearby hole in the tree. Ruggie leaned over and pulled out two bottles of juice that seemed to have ladybugs inside.

"Isn't this cannibalism?"

"I'm technically a corpse. Expect the unexpected here."

"Some people where I come from eat slimy yet satisfying things. Hakuna Matata." Ruggie shrugged, passing a bottle to Dots before opening his own and taking a swig of it. He smacked his lips a little, surprised at the sweet taste. "Mmmm, not bad. So, what's your story?"

Dots drank from his bottle, his eyes hollowing briefly again as he nodded. "Okay, I'm far away from the boss enough. Get this: I'm the playful side of Oogie. It's a simple afterlife. I don't ask for much. We all thought we'd have fun with Mr. Swing except for Spits. Everything was good for a few days until you guys showed up. We wanted to get Skellington right away with a powerful guy, but Swing's more chaotic than Phobos is, and too laid back! He keeps flipping his coin and causing drama for all of us. Victor's salty, and I'm just done with it."

"Oh yeah? Try getting your tail bitten off. Or being forced to play an instrument off the bat. Or doing laundry and food delivery for a lazy lion while being in a mage academy full of guys that are barks and bites. Can't say anything about my new boss, Swing, but I have had the Lion's share of troubles."

"You see?" Dots laughed knowingly. "We get the short end of the stick. That's why ya can't trust anybody, even the people you know! I'm backing out before it gets worse."

Ruggie scowled. If the ladybug flew off, then both the boogeyman and the fairy would get angry. When an idea popped into his head, he grinned.

"Say, I saw a deck of playing cards in the tree." Ruggie pulled out the deck from his pocket. "Let's play 21 for it. If I lose, I'll leave you alone and cover for you. If I win, you can go back to your hive. If it's a draw, we could run off together. What do ya say? Best two out of three?"

The ladybug swayed his head a little before shrugging. "Eh, why not? I have time, and I was itchin' for a game anyway."

Ruggie used magic to grow a giant leaf to use as a table while Dots shuffled the cards and dealed them. They then proceeded to play, taking turns being the dealer while calls of "Hit me" and "Stay" were casually exchanged. As they played, Ruggie couldn't help but hum before the rhythm in his mind became words.

"Wouldn't you like a taste of the power? Wouldn't you like to use more than words? Deep in the night, the fight lasts for hours. You can be hurt, or you can beat her. Wouldn't you like to have some of the magic? Wouldn't you like your outcome preferred? Deep in the night, the fight can be tragic. I'll help you conquer her."

Dots raised an eyebrow. "What are you singing?"

"Ah!" Ruggie gagged, startled, before he blushed and laughed. "I-It's a song I overheard once. It's about a guy who meets a powerful being and gets a magical power boost. I don't know why it's stuck in my head right now."

"It's catchy. And you're surprisingly good at this game. You kids from Twisted Wonderland can be annoying, but fun. You make a great henchman for any powerful boss."

"Between you and me, the best ones are the people you're willing to work for, no matter what. The big spider guy's one of 'em."

"Big spider guy? You never met Spits... wait. Yer talkin' about that kid from your world who came for Halloween, right? Protective big boss energy? Ink stains on his body? Wearing striped suits and had a pair of dice in his hand? He's cool."

"Yeah, Felix Cavatica. He's my classmate, and I hang out with him sometimes to get a meal. One time, he mentioned a Halloween Town and that he met his hero. I didn't believe any of it until now. It's such a wild ride. 21!" Ruggie grinned, revealing his hand of cards that totaled to 21 while the ladybug had 25.

Dots whistled, giving an impressive smirk. "Damn, kid! Ya got me talking and having fun so much, I forgot to cheat to win. You sure are something~"

"Yeah." Ruggie laughed, then frowned a bit. "I don't want to forget this, even if I don't understand any of what's going on. Now I know how Felix feels...." He then cleared his throat. "Anyway, I don't get this whole giving-and-getting thing, but I got a grandma back home. If anyone deserves gifts or desires, it's her and she's one of the few I could trust. If you can't go back because of Mr. Swing, go back because it's your hive in the afterlife. What you want the most and trust, right?"

"Hmm, maybe." Dots shrugged, then his eyes brightened as a manic grin spread across his face. "Do you wanna fly?

Ruggie shook his head. "What? Nah, I'm a hyena. We're not meant to fly unless it's by broomstick."

"Ah, come on! Live a little~! We don't have strong magic like you and your friends have or Swing's, but you deserve a taste of the magic or whatever you were singin' about." Suddenly, Dots grabbed Ruggie by the collar of his special suit, opened his wings, and flew up, pulling the hyena close to him. Both men sparkled in red as Ruggie yelped and tried holding onto the hybrid for dear life while the other laughed.

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Don't let go, don't let go, don't let go! I'm still alive and I bruise easily!"

"Bwahahahahaha, you're good at this! So funny. I like you. Us ladybugs gotta stick together!"

Back inside the treehouse, Swing scowled and crossed his arms. Jack Skellington had been difficult on the way over in a dazed state, and if Oogie found out that his enemy had tried escaping, Swing would not hear the end of it. The plan needs to work. Oogie would get Halloween, Swing would get Christmas, and other holidays would be up for grabs. If Swing could not get what he desired, he'd settle for the next best thing.

Just then, the hyena and ladybug returned, arm in arm like kindred spirits coming home after a long night of fun. Dots smirked, elbowing Ruggie and whispering into his ear before the two snickered, passing the fairy nonchalantly. Notably, Ruggie had a paler complexion than usual as if the hyena had seen a ghost. Swing also saw red glitter on the boy but thought nothing of it.

"What are you two laughin' about?" Swing raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Dots grinned playfully and leaned to poke Swing's nose before dragging Ruggie towards the gaping maw of a chute surrounded by trick-or-treating masks that would lead into Oogie Boogie's lair.

Ruggie called out with a wave, "I'll be right back, Mr. Swing~! Just have to deliver Dots to Oogie and see what he wants."

"Sure but be quick about it. We gotta prepare Skellington for Mr. Oogie!"

Ruggie gave Swing a thumbs up, then followed Dots into the chute like a twisted slide. Was this what Santa Claus felt when he supposedly slid down chimneys? Dots and Ruggie plopped onto the turning mechanism of a giant roulette wheel, the blacklights turned on to make the surroundings glow a neon color. Ruggie's eyes and the white stitching of his suit glowed a light blue. Ruggie laughed after recovering from the fall, then he grabbed Dots by the hand and raised them while sitting up.

"Hey, did anybody lose a bug?" He half-joked. He heard the rattling of dice in the distance, then gulped when a shadow emerged nearby.

Oogie Boogie loomed over Ruggie in his nearly ten-foot-tall neon green glory as he narrowed his eye sockets, then gasped in multiple voices. "There you are!"

Ruggie glanced back at his hand. In the few seconds that he was focused on Oogie, he did not realize that Dots shifted, so he felt shocked when a real ladybug three times its original size sat in his hand instead. He yelped, cupping his hands together carefully before presenting the ladybug to the boogeyman.

Without a word yet, one of Oogie's stubs unraveled with a few insects spreading out as a couple of insects plus a purple spider came out to greet Dots. The voices cried out at once.

"Dots, we missed you. You've had us worried sick! You're one of us, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know! I came back, didn't I?" Dots laughed in a squeakier voice, but it was still noticeable as he crawled towards the opening. "Next time, I'll let ya know when I need a break. Ya got nothin' to worry about!"

Before the arthropods returned to the sack, Ruggie's eyes widened at the distinct setup: a ladybug, a flea, a butterfly, and a purple spider huddled close. A strange shiver travelled up Ruggie's spine as if fate, irony, or whatever strange magic at play was poking at him. He remembered the words that he promised to uphold while almost imagining Felix's greedy grin plastered on his face.

It was official: the universe hated Ruggie Bucchi. No matter what happened or how greedy he was, he wanted to go back to the Ramshackle family by any means. Ruggie sighed mentally while the stitching merged the stub once more.

Felix, you smug jerk, making me keep your promise at a time like this. This better be worth it. Also, your possible great grandpa is a real piece of work, Ruggie thought almost bitterly, scowling.

Meanwhile, Oogie paused, letting all his components settle inside him before he burst into boisterous laughter.

"Oogie Boogie's back! So, who are you?"

Ruggie saluted with two fingers with a serious frown. "Ruggie Bucchi, new henchman of the premises. Listen up, Boogie Man. Not like I care since I'm on the winning side, but you better prove to me you're just how the stories say you are."

Oogie angled his eye sockets at the small and strange teenager before him. "Huh? What made ya say that?"

The hyena had a ghost of a grin as he shrugged lightly "Let's just say I'm also here on a promise to a friend on the brink of life, y'know? Before I forget, mind if I take a picture?"

The boogeyman was about to react when the teen pulled out a cell phone, got in front of Oogie, and snapped a selfie. He then started typing on his phone, realizing that he did not have cell service to send the picture to Felix, but he could make a note on the picture himself as well as reminders to show it to his classmate. Ruggie doubted this plan would work, but he had to try.

"What was that for?" Oogie growled in confusion.

"Just for a friend. Anyway, I'm here to help before I have to go back to Swing. I have one request before you order me around. Whatever happens, please don't hurt Yuu the Human and Grim the Cat? They ain't worth the trouble."

"Yuu and Grim...?" Oogie trailed in thought, recollecting memories and information when he let out a startled cry. "Ah, the butterfly and flea! I remember! They’re with that kid who asked for my help saving his minions some time ago. Felix, was it? He told me that they all made a house based on me. Is that true?"

Ruggie blinked in awe. "Oh, yeah! We call it Ramshackle. Yuu the Butterfly insisted on creating a dorm based on the Creativity of the Boogeyman since Felix looks up to you as a role model. They're the leader of the dorm and Felix's the vice-leader. Come to think of it, their outfits, food, decorations, and game nights fit your style. No joke!"

The boogeyman stood back, stunned that strangers from another world would think about using his image as inspiration. He pursed his lips, then hummed in thought with a rare smile.

"Huh. I've never been a role model before... yeah, I'll think about sparing such loyal fans."

"Shehehehehehehe, that's all I wanna hear! So, got any jobs for me?" Ruggie laughed, all smiles now that he took care most of the promised favors. He placed his arms behind his head and observed the lair. No sign of Santa Claus or any Halloween Town residents. Perhaps they were in another room. He then guessed, "Those one-armed bandits need a tune-up or something?"

“Kinda. I wanna spruce up the lair before I have fun. I don’t have the energy to do the whole lair and the last time my boys did it, they messed up a few of my toys. Do this before heading to Swing and maybe I’ll give ya Snake and Spider Stew afterwards.” Oogie gave Ruggie a wrench to work with, then pointed to some of the gambling mechanisms in his lair including playing cards, iron maidens, buzzsaws, slots, and other interesting items. Ruggie noticed that some of the items that needed fixing were up high.

“How am I gonna get up there?” The hyena mused when suddenly, red sparkles glowed on his body and he started floating upwards, the catchy tune and Dots’s laugh in his mind as he gasped. "I can fly?! Note to self, be careful with fairies and bugs. Still, convenient."

Ruggie floated by the bandits, using the wrench to tighten any loose bolts while moving chains and skeletons around upon Oogie’s request. He hovered by some skeleton bats sporting primary colors when Oogie hollered at him.

"Hey, Hyena, catch~!" Oogie blew into one of his stubs, then threw something in Ruggie's direction. Ruggie caught the item, bringing it up to his face to find a pair of red dice with skulls crafted on its faces. They were carved by expert hands, or stubs in this case, and had the same red glitter shimmering on the surface. He sensed that the dice were beyond special, imbued with ladybug luck. Ruggie would save that luck for later. He then noticed something else in his hand. A purple web wrapped around his ring finger in a complex braided knot, the words 'Never Forget' woven within the strands.

“Dots told me about you,” Oogie continued with a grin. “Don’t know if the web would work, but it’s worth a shot. The dice are for Felix. Don’t worry, that pair’s a spare! If my fans come here, I’ll give ‘em rewards too! For now, I’ll promise ya a holiday as a gift for following Mister Oogie’s orders. What kind of holiday would ya like?”

"Uh… maybe a holiday where it's really warm?"

"Ahahahaha, Independence Day, it is!"

Ruggie did not know what Independence Day was, but he liked the sound of it. He hovered above Oogie, stunned by the Boogeyman’s generosity and attention to detail. He thought that he would never get along with Oogie Boogie but here he was, getting Boogeyman’s favor. Would Swing act the same way? Regardless, Ruggie smiled and finished up his work, placing his ladybug mask on with luck on his side as he laughed joyfully.