Allura was angry and tired. She had looked about the encampment for Batman. He probably had eaten half of Pidge’s bounty by now, she thought warily. She was sure Nanny would ground her and her friends for at least a month.

She spotted him talking to someone dressed as Barney the Dinosaur. Then she saw him entering the Headless Horseman Theater. She lifted her skirts and went after him.

A sheet stretched across an archway between two rooms providing the storyteller the perfect setting for his hair-raising tales. The audience sat in the darkened room on one side, while he and the actors stood on the other side where a spotlight threw their shadows on the sheet.

Her eyes adjusted to the dim light, and she discovered Batman sitting on the last row eating Pidge’s candy. She couldn’t contain her anger any longer and marched toward he sat.

Lotor smirked. He was really enjoying the tales of horror, they were funnier than the ones Hagar told. He reached into the bag, when he heard someone clearing her throat. He glanced up and saw his dancing partner.

"Hello again, witch."

The blue eyes glared back at him. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"Listening to the Headless Horseman while eating chocolates," he replied. "Do you want some? The ones with almonds are the best."

She shook her head. "That bag isn’t yours."

He smiled. "And how do you know? Did you see it in your little crystal ball?"

"That bag belongs to a friend of mine. You must give it back."

He laughed softly. "You’re crazy."

"You’re a thief," she hissed.

"Hush," he said, taking her hand and forcing her to take a seat. "I’m not a thief. It was only a…hostile takeover."

She gave him a questioning look. "A hostile-"

"Yes," he said, unwrapping a piece of bubble gum. "His owner was more interested in something else, so I took the bag from him."

"I don’t care what you call it, you must return it."

He dropped the wrapper on the floor. "I don’t have to do anything, silly witch."

She stared at him. "What you’re doing is wrong, and you know it. You can be good, if you really try."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Go away."

"I’m not leaving until you give me the bag," she said defiantly.

"Then I’ll leave," he said, rising from his seat.

"Wait!"

Lotor marched into the stable, and stopped near a group of empty stalls filled with fresh straw. Who does she think she is? He thought furiously. No one can tell Prince Lotor what to do! The Halloween bag was his and he was going to keep it!

He turned to the doors. "Where’s Morgill? He was supposed to be here by now. Hagar told us that she would be picking us in half an hour."

He had never met a girl like that little witch. She could have gone to her parents and tell him what he had done. But instead she had looked for him to convince him to return the bag. He felt a bit guilty for stealing it, but not so guilty that he would returned it.

He opened the bag and looked inside. He didn’t feel like eating candy anymore. For the first time in his life he wanted to something good for a stranger, even if she was a silly girl dressed as witch.

The Princess glanced around at the neat Halloween crafts the ladies of the village have created. But she wasn’t really interested on their work…she just didn’t have the courage to tell Pidge that she had failed. She sat on a bench, and placed the treasure chest on her lap. Kit and her friends must be looking for her, she thought sadly.

At one point in her silent perusal her eyes accidentally met Batman’s. He still held the bag of goodies in his hand. He no longer seemed annoyed with her, but his yellow eyes were glinting in a very weird manner. He strode toward her and dropped the bag with a dramatic thud. "Here’s the bag, you silly witch."

She felt her face reddened with embarrassment. "Don’t you dare call me a witch," she said. "I’m a princess, not a witch."

He smirked. "You sure don’t look like one, with that green makeup."

Allura checked the impulse to run her palms down the sides of her black dress. She refused to let Batman see how nervous he made her. "You shouldn’t have taken my friend’s bag. He wouldn’t stop crying until my friends promised to give him part of their loot."

He suddenly turned serious. "It’s just that…I didn’t have enough money to buy candy."

"Why didn’t you ask your parents to give you some?"

"They’re not here. I came with my," he caught himself before it was too late. "Friend."

"You mean Barney the Dinosaur?"

"Yes."

"You’re not from this planet, are you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because I always get A’s in Geography. And I’m sure there isn’t a village called Bloom on Arus."

"You’re right, I made that up."

"And another thing- you have yellow eyes, like a cat."

He turned to her and smiled. "You’re pretty smart…for a girl."

She made a face at him. "That’s not funny, Batman!"

"It is for me," he laughed.

"Tell you what," she said. "I will tell my friends that I found the bag here and you were gone, on one condition."

"What?"

She smiled. "That you tell me your name."

"Oh no, Batman never reveals his truth identity."

"But you’re not Batman."

"Yes, I am."

"You’re not."

"I am!"

"Not!"

Allura giggled. She couldn’t help it. Lotor smiled, for he had not heard the sound of laughter from her throat. She wasn’t like the boring princesses he had to sit down with when he accompanies his parents to royal functions. ~When I grow up, I’ll come back and marry her~

"Okay, I’ll tell you my name if you tell me yours."

She nodded. "It’s a deal!"

"You go first," he said.

"My name is-"

At that precise moment, Barney burst into the tent. "We must go! They’re looking for us!"

Lotor rose from his seat. "Are you sure?!"

"Yes! Please, hurry!"

Allura looked up, her lovely green face serious. "Why do you have to leave so soon?"

"I can’t explain," he said. "I must go home. Here, take the bag."

She arose to face him. "I can’t let you go empty-handed. Take my treasure chest. It has golden coins with a chocolate center. They’re delicious."

"But…" he was speechless. Only his mommy had ever done anything nice for him. He was a thief. Yet this girl was parting with what obviously was a special treat.

"I think I shall go out through the main entrance, while you and Barney escape through the back door." She had recognized his surprise, and sought to cover it over and make him comfortable again.

"Okay," he said, "you do that." He cast a sidewise glance at her. Gods! If she was lovely with that green makeup, she must be super beautiful underneath. With a terrible sinking feeling Lotor realized that the impossible had happened. For the first time in his life he liked a girl. He liked this witch. How had it happened? Perhaps he should have done what Morgill had suggested, take the loot and run into the forest to meet Hagar, where he wouldn’t have been exposed to her beauty, intelligence and kindness. But it was too late now. He liked this girl and he didn’t know her name. And he was going to be certain that she didn’t know his.

"Thank you, for the chocolate," he said softly.

She offered him a smile. "You’re welcome. Now go!"

"Goodbye, little witch."

"Goodbye, Batman."