Adventures with Friends Fanmade (HALLOWEEN! 44-48)

Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

James stood at the edge of the park, his eyes scanning the horizon. The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the playground. His sister, Cristena, stood next to him, tapping her foot impatiently. Jack was on his skateboard, practicing tricks nearby, while Riland leaned against a tree, muttering something gross about a squashed bug he had found earlier.

"We need to get going," Cristena said, her voice cutting through the cool evening air. "Gutter's been spotted near the old factory. We can't let him get away again."

James nodded, his face set with determination. As the unofficial leader of their group, he felt the weight of their mission heavily on his shoulders. Gutter had been causing trouble in their town for weeks now, and it was time someone put a stop to it.

"Jack, are you ready?" James called out.

Jack skated over, flipping his board up into his hands with a practiced ease. "Always," he replied with a grin.

Riland ambled over, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Can we hurry up? I gotta take a dump soon," he said, earning groans from the rest of the group.

"Seriously, Riland?" Cristena rolled her eyes. "We're about to take down a villain, and all you can think about is your bathroom habits."

Riland shrugged. "What can I say? Nature calls."

James shook his head, trying to hide a smile. Despite Riland's crude humor, he was a loyal friend and had proven himself in tough situations more than once.

"Alright, let's move out," James said, leading the way. The group followed, their footsteps echoing on the pavement as they headed towards the old factory on the outskirts of town.

The factory loomed ahead of them, its broken windows and rusting machinery giving it a menacing appearance. James motioned for the group to stop and crouch behind a row of bushes.

"Gutter's gotta be around here somewhere," James whispered. "Stay alert."

They crept forward, their senses heightened. Suddenly, a shadow moved near one of the factory's doors. James held up a hand, signaling for the others to stop. They watched as a figure stepped out into the dim light.

It was Gutter. He was a tall, lanky man with a greasy mop of hair and a sneer permanently etched on his face. He was holding a child's ice cream cone, casually licking it as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"That's our cue," James said, his voice low but firm. "Let's go."

The group sprang into action, rushing towards Gutter. The villain's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the four kids charging at him.

"What the—?" Gutter dropped the ice cream and reached for a stick lying nearby.

James was the first to reach him, launching a punch at Gutter's midsection. Gutter dodged, swinging the stick at James. Jack followed closely behind, his skateboard in hand. He swung it at Gutter, who barely managed to duck in time.

Cristena circled around, looking for an opening. She found it when Gutter turned to fend off Jack. With a swift kick, she knocked the stick out of his hands.

Riland, meanwhile, stood off to the side, shouting encouragement and occasionally making gross comments that only served to distract Gutter further.

The fight was intense but brief. Gutter, realizing he was outnumbered and outmatched, decided to make a run for it. He bolted towards the factory door, disappearing inside.

"We can't let him get away!" Cristena shouted.

James held up a hand. "Not tonight. We've done enough for now. We know where he's hiding. We'll come back and finish this."

The group nodded, panting from the exertion. They had managed to drive Gutter away, at least for the moment. As they turned to leave, Riland spoke up.

"Hey, can we stop somewhere on the way back? I really need to go."

The others groaned, but despite the tension, they couldn't help but laugh. They had a long journey ahead, but they were ready to face whatever came their way—together.