Fred’s whiskers twitched under the rain, and he scratched his long ears, irritating his senses. As the coldness on the street breezed through his white fur, he poured a bottle of whiskey down his throat.

He burped and glanced at his empty bottle. “I need a stronger ale.”

The almond spicy taste barely sent his mind into a blazing buzz. What a waste of his last paycheck. Thank god he still has his crappy job at the recycle center.

He approached a dark alleyway, which appeared to be a good place to take a piss. So what? He has a couple of miles to reach his apartment, and he cannot hold his bladder forever.

Near a dumpster, he unzipped his fly and let loose against the wall.

“Uhhhhhhhhhh…” Not everyone needs a toilet to use the restroom. As a part rabbit, Fred might as well piss wherever he wanted like one.

After he zipped his pants, someone giggled from the darkness close by. Fred glared at the alley. “Who’s… Who’s there!?”

A female figure soon crept toward him in a gothic black dress with a white pinafore. The shadow coated her face, but Fred could see her fluffy white tail behind her skirt. Black striped white stockings covered her legs above her boots, and her blue eyes seemed to glow through her shadowed canine face.

“Why aren’t you running, White Rabbit?” The girl whispered. “You are late.”

“Late for what?” Fred asked. “And what the hell are you wearing? Halloween is tomorrow night, stupid.”

The girl giggled again as she pulled out a thick kitchen knife from behind her back. “You better run!”

Fred’s eyes widened at the girl’s knife, signaling him to run like hell. He sprinted back toward the street, but a force pushed him to the pavement before he knew it. Then a sharp pain danced on his back as he screamed. Soon, the last thing he saw was his own blood flowing around his cold body.

*****

“Are you kidding me!?” Luna slammed her fist onto Fiona’s desk. “We gotta catch a freak on Halloween!?”

Fiona raised her left eyebrow. “I thought you like catching criminals.”

Luna shook her head. “Not on Halloween! It's Christmas for the gays!”

Rei glanced at her partner. “Christmas for the gays?”

Halloween and Christmas were two different things, although some people dressed up as Santa Claus on Halloween. In South Korea, Halloween wasn’t a traditional holiday, but young people enjoyed the horror-themed costumes and spooky decorations. When the holiday arrives, Rei’s former K-pop group would dress up as vampires or demons to play at different parties to raise their stardom. Rei dressed as a succubus once, which made all her male fans cry for her attention. Those were the good old days.

“Yeah! Like instead of presents under the tree, we go out to get our own gifts. And candy is not the only thing I like!” Luna winked at her partner.

Perhaps to Luna, Halloween was just another excuse for her to get laid. How horny could that panther be?

Fiona frowned. “I can't taste sweets. With feline genes, my sweet buds no longer exist. Being half-cat is disheartening sometimes.”

Rei nodded. “Al-ayo…”

Eating candy was like eating play-doh to her. Rei missed her favorite sweet treats.

“So?” Luna shouted. “I don't care about candy! Finding a sexy ass in a fine costume is my treat tonight!”

Rei ran her hand down her face. When will she leave anyone alone in the city?

“I'm sorry, but I am ‌tight tonight,” Fiona explained. “You girls are the only ones I have available.”

Rei leaned forward in her seat. "Who is the target?"

Fiona slid a yellow folder toward Rei. "Since last month, multiple killings have risen. Rabbits specifically are the victims."

In one photo, a fat rabbit lay on a sidewalk with multiple stab wounds on his back. Another photo showed a rabbit girl on a dining table with her stomach gutted like a fish. The rest showed more gruesome images that made Rei’s stomach reach her throat. Observing crime photos was never a piece of cake to Rei.

Luna glared at the photos. "Does someone have a sick mind for rabbit stew?"

Fiona folded her hands together. "White rabbit stew for your correction."

Rei widened her eyes at the photos. "You're right! All the victims are white rabbits!"

"Why them?" Luna asked.

"Remember the Cheshire Cat you finally caught?" Fiona asked.

Rei gulped. The image of the cat's creepy smile and his deathtrap maze still haunted her since she arrested him.

"A year ago, he kidnapped a girl named Rachel Keller." Fiona held up a photo of a white wolf girl with a red bow tie in her long hair. "She was a college student who disappeared for a few months. My best detectives found her inside an abandoned warehouse. But the girl was mentally tortured and seemly brainwashed. She called herself Alice, and she wanted to know where the Cheshire Cat was." Fiona sighed. "Apparently, she was one of the Cheshire Cat’s victims, conditioned to believe she was Alice in Wonderland. Ill and so dangerous, her doctors locked her up at the Mental Reprogram Institute."

"An insane asylum?" Rei asked.

"For the worse. When you caught the Cheshire Cat, she somehow escaped and vanished in the city. That is when the white rabbit killings began to rise."

Luna sat down and crossed her arms. "So this freak is doing this because she is pissed off?"

"Maybe, or the Cheshire Cat mentally told her to do that. But overall, I need you to catch her tonight before she kills again."

Luna snarled. "What a waste of a fantastic holiday… The reward better be worth it."

Fiona smirked. "It will be my treat to you.”

*****

Luna landed her new black muscle hover car in the parking lot, surrounded by tall buildings. There could be many places the White Rabbit Killer could hide at. But the Halloween carnival at the Giant Square Plaza was a good guess to hunt. And it has plenty of cute girls for Luna to check out.

Luna pushed her driver's side door open and stepped out in a brown pirate corset dress. She placed a red durag on her head over the strap connected to her black eye patch on her left eye. Her short, triangular ears popped out, catching the soft electronic music from the carnival. Instead of a sword, she kept her rail gun hidden under her short white skirt. If she was going to blend in at a Halloween event, she might as well dress up as a sexy pirate chick.

While waiting for her partner, Luna glanced at her black muscled car with a small grimace on her face. She missed her interceptor vehicle. Some hacker crashed it into a bank, which cost her the entire paycheck. Fortunately, she caught the asshole and earned a new check to purchase a new car. Muscled cars were strong and fast too. Nobody else will dare try to damage her new precious baby.

"O ileon!" Rei approached Luna from the other side. She wore a white bunny fursuit with a pink bow on her head. "I hate this costume!"

Luna padded Rei’s back. "Chill, kitty. After we catch the psycho, you can remove that stupid costume."

The fake bunny's expressionless face turned toward Luna. "But I'm wearing only underwear beneath this thing!"

Luna giggled. "Then you will make the boys happy if you perform a striptease for them. Hehehehehe."

Rei shuddered. "O jenjang andwae!"

Luna rolled her eyes. They already agreed Rei should be the bait because someone needs to watch her back. If Luna was alone, she would wear the suit instead. But she needed to look good in case she finds a hot girl to flirt with. "Come on. I got some booty to score."

Luna and Rei strolled through the alleyway into the plaza. In the square, entertainment booths spread around a water fountain. Each booth has different games and prizes for lucky winners. Humanimal adults and kids wore colorful costumes based on unique characters they admired. Superheroes, monsters, and sci-fi icons roam around the square. Popcorn and candy sweeten the air as the Halloween-themed techno music played in the background. Not only orange neon lights glimmered through the square, but holographic jack-o'-lanterns also floated above. Indeed, the place looked more impressive than a crammed nightclub.

Are you sure the killer is here? Rei asked through her mind com-link.

Luna gestured her hand around. Look around, kitty. There are plenty of white rabbits here. This place is like a buffet.

Two bunny girls in vampire wedding dresses strolled by. And a fat white rabbit man in a tuxedo chewed on a cotton candy near the food booth.

Luna continued her stroll. "Just keep your eyes open. Remember, the killer looks like-"

A human girl bumped into Luna from the crowd. She wore a black dress cat girl dress with a detachable tail behind her purple skirt. Six black marks coated her tan cheeks that represented her whiskers. "Oops! Sorry!"

Luna stepped back. "My bad."

The girl glanced up and down at Luna. Her red lips smiled a wide grin across her face. "Hey! Cool costume! I love pirate women!" Her cheeks blushed red. "Are you a pirate panther?"

Luna smirked a little. “No, I’m not-”

“Sorry!” The girl held up her hands. “It’s hard to tell who is who here.”

“I understand.” Luna glanced at the human’s slender figure. With long dark hair and smooth caramel skin, the girl might be a Latina from the West. And she smelled like candy corn with a touch of honey.

Mmmmmmmmmh

Beautiful human girls were so rare in Moreau City. This girl could be from a family who ran a corporation, or she was a tourist. Anyone could come to the city and live there by their free will, but the Humanimals must stay from the human world. Scoring this human girl might be Luna’s only chance.

"Your costume is cute," she replied.

The girl stroked her hair. "Thank you."

Luna didn't mind the girl wearing a cat girl costume. Some Humanimals felt offensive to see humans wearing fursuits and fake animal attachments that represented them. So far, no fights broke out at the carnival.

"You wanna get a drink someplace here?" Luna asked.

"Oh, I would love that," said the girl. "There is a small bar close by."

Luna held out her hand with a grin of satisfaction. "Then let’s make this the best night ever."

The girl took Luna’s hand and guided her down the paved path. She must be very interested in chatting with a Humanimal panther. That will work for Luna.

Luna! Rei’s voice shouted inside Luna’s head.

Oh, Luna almost forgot about her partner. Just look around for the target. I will find you if trouble catches your cat tongue.

Rei's tone sighed. Joh-a…

*****

At a booth, Rei tossed a tennis ball at stacked bottles on a stool. The ball flew past the targets and smacked the wall in the background.

"Sorry, bunny." The bear gamekeeper picked up the ball and held it toward Rei. "Again?"

Rei shook her head and walked away. She only has two tickets left for a few more games to play. So far she hasn't been lucky enough to win a single prize. If Rally was with her, he would definitely help her win. Carnival games are a pain in the ass…

Rei paused when a bunny couple strolled through her path. The girl wore a cheerleader outfit, and her boyfriend wore a Frankenstein costume with two screws on his green head. Interesting costumes, but that wasn't what caught Rei’s attention.

Behind the couple, another girl in a black cloak followed the happy pair. Her face might be hidden, but Rei could see her black striped stockings and boots beneath her coat. And her white bushy tail rose behind her. Rei could tell who was a stalker, just by watching one.

She activated her scanner, but the readings only blinked on the target without displaying the stalker's identification.

"Hmmmmmmm." Rei never encountered a scan blocker before on a suspect. It must be the coat that the female wore to avoid detection‌. Not only was the tech illegal, but it also makes the suspect more suspicious in public. No doubt that could be the White Rabbit Killer, stalking the couple. To be sure, Rei must follow her cautiously.

*****

Rei ducked behind an apple barrel and watched the bunny couple enter a tall hotel building. A green neon sign in a creepster font hung above the entrance, called "Hotel of Mystery."

Technically, the hotel was a haunted house contraption for the carnival. If it has no surveillance, it could be a good place for a killer to hunt her prey.

The strange girl crept into the building after the couple entered.

Luna! Luna! I think I found the target! Rei acknowledged through her mind com-link.

Where? Luna asked

She entered the Hotel of Mystery.

Stay where you are. I will catch up.

Rei grimaced. But she is stalking a rabbit couple.

Luna’s voice groaned. Then watch them closely. I will be there soon.

Oki doki. Rei sprinted toward the hotel building. Not only does she have to catch a dangerous criminal. She must also prevent the criminal from murdering more victims.

*****

Through a dark red hallway, Rei strolled as her eyes glanced around. Bone-chilling sounds echoed from the doors. Screams, roars, and painful cries that were strong enough to crawl through Rei’s skin. Indeed, the hotel sounded realistically haunted.

Far ahead, the rabbit couple opened a door and stepped through, giggling. However, the unknown stranger wasn’t behind them.

Since Rei followed the happy Humanimals, she hasn’t spotted the suspect inside the hotel yet. She could hide somewhere else, or she sighted another easy prey inside a room. But Rei was sure the suspect was interested in stalking the couple. No other white Leporidae humanoids entered the hotel, except for the couple.

As soon as Rei entered the room, she gasped at the sight of giant colorful mushrooms, towering over short grass beneath a dark sky. The entire forest glittered like a neon twilight show on LSD. Birds whispered above the trees, and fresh damp moss filtered the cool air.

This must be a theme of the haunted hotel. Each room has different holographic projections that would either surprise you or scare you out of your pants. And so far the couple chose a nice room to walk around.

However, the giant mushroom forest reminded Rei of the contraption in the Cheshire Cat’s Wonderland. The chamber where she had to eat a shroom while the gas polluted her with mind-bending hallucinations. Never again did she want to take drugs after that head trip.

Rei glanced around as she strolled quietly past the green trees and neon mushrooms. Her spine tingled when she couldn’t see the couple. If the suspect walked into this room, it might be the perfect place for her to attack the couple without being seen by the public. Rei hasn’t even seen security cameras around the walls or inside vents. But someone has to be watching the visitors inside the hotel for protection.

Rei switched her vision to x-ray. With relief, she found the couple near the corner in an empty space. So far they were still alone together.

Where is she? Rei switched her vision back and kneeled behind a mushroom. The couple soon walked past her, heading out through the door. Maybe their stalker left them alone for good. Any person with the right mind would know it was creepy to stalk two people.

When Rei stood up, something pushed her to the grass, and a silver knife flashed over her. Rei kicked the attacker and jumped to her feet with her pink railgun out. Her bunny head fell off, but aiming her gun was more important. “Freeze!”

Her attacker rose as her cloak fell to the grassy floor. In the light, she appeared to be a white wolf girl in a gothic dress that matched the White Rabbit Killer’s description. Black make-up dripped down around her blue eyes as if she had been crying for a while.

Rei grinned. “So you are Alice, huh? How does it feel to be tricked by a cat?”

Alice chuckled until she burst into laughter. “You’re the one who is tricked!”

Rei blinked her eyes. “Excuse me?”

The wolf pointed her kitchen knife at Rei. “I knew my killings will draw you out, eventually. Now I can kill you!”

Rei’s heart raced inside her chest. “Why me? I’m not a rabbit!”

“Because you arrested my Cheshire Cat! My Cheshire Cat!”

“You mean the -”

Alice placed her left hand on her chest. Black tears dripped down her cheeks. “I was supposed to be his Alice! His Alice! And now I can never see him again… Because of you!”

This poor girl is insane! Rei held up her other palm. “Alice, listen to me. I know what he put you through. But what he wanted you to do is-”

“Shut up!” Alice screamed. “He didn’t torture me! He opened my eyes and showed me how mad this world is! Then you took him away from me! DIIIIIIIIEEEEE!!!”

Alice charged with her knife raised. Rei fired, but her energy shot flew past the killer.

Up close, Alice knocked Rei’s gun from her hand. She swung her knife and Rei dodged it. She threw a punch, but Alice blocked her fist, then she kicked Rei into a mushroom. Rei barely felt the impact on her suit.

Alice laughed in her high-pitched manic tone. “Off with your head!”

“Off this!” From the shadows, Luna tackled the killer to the floor. While on top of Alice, Luna punched her face, knocking her out.

Rei sighed in relief as her heart calmed down. “Thank you, Luna.”

Luna flipped Alice’s body over and snapped the handcuffs on Alice’s wrists together. “I told ya I was coming.”

Rei glanced at Alice. “You know… I actually felt sorry for her. It was the Cheshire Cat’s fault for turning her into a freak.”

Luna nodded. “Yeah, but not everyone can be cured. You should be lucky the Cheshire Cat didn't break your mind, too.”

Rei grimaced. What horror would she have faced if she had completed the Cheshire Cat’s game?

Luna rose and stepped toward Rei. “Come on. Let's bring this crazy bitch back to the station so we can go trick or treating.”

Rei smiled. “Good, then I want to stop by the store to purchase a better costume. Maybe a succubus outfit.”

Luna laughed. “Works for me. Happy Halloween.”

“Haepi hallowin.”