Maisie and Marnie were back in the chandelier ring thing right before the Council. Marnie looked around, "Uh, wow. You guys should do one of those home makeover shows. You know, the bed..." Maisie looked at Marnie's bed, "I really like what you did with my bedroom."

The Councillors looked at them with extreme disapproval.

Yes, Maisie really should've let it go, but she had nothing to do with the Foreign Exchange Student thing. She guessed that in Halloweentown, twins were also a package deal.

"Um, would now be a good time to beg for mercy?" asked Marnie.

"I don't think getting on knees, crying, and begging for forgiveness would work," Maisie told Marnie.

"Now, Marnie, Maisie," started Councillor Dalloway, "I'm so sorry..."

"No, no, no," interrupted the multi-hand creature, "Crying and begging for mercy is exactly what they should be doing. It was their callous disregard for our children's safety—"

"Order!" said Dalloway.

Maisie saw the mummy hold up a sign that said, 'yea' on it.

"Honestly, Dalloway," the jack o lantern Councillor said. The ring thing turned to him, "Your own son was attacked, so—"

"I'll ask the questions," Dalloway interrupted.

Maisie wondered what it was like growing up with a council member for a father.

How frustrating it must be to accidentally stay out past curfew and have your own dad treat you like you're on trial.

"Marnie, Maisie," Dalloway started, "Why didn't you contact us at the school? After the first threat? Perhaps we could've done something."

"They thought we were going to take their precious magic away," the multi-handed man said.

Marnie tried, "We did not."

"They care more about the Cromwell magic than our own children's lives!" the pumpkin man spoke over Marnie.

Marnie said, "No!"

"Untrue!" Maisie said, "There weren't any Knights, just your couple average, run of the mill jerks being jerks." 

"I thought the threat came from Halloweentown," Marnie said. The mummy held up a sign that said 'Nay' on it. "That someone here was trying to scare us into getting what they wanted – our magic and the portal sealed."

"I offer a compromise," the multi-handed man said. "We end the program, shut down the portal."

"No, you can't do that!" said Marnie.

"And you and your sister and your family can keep your precious magic," the multi-handed man said.

"Marnie, Maisie," Dalloway started, "I think that's a very generous offer."

Marnie started, "We may never get this opportunity again."

"Listen, you little halfling!" The multi-handed man snapped, "Just because your father was a wretched human—"

"Humans never change!" said the pumpkin man.

Maisie would believe that they people were the ones who sent the threat because of how much they wanted the program and to close the portal, but she couldn't say that in fear of being sent to Halloweentown jail. It seemed like these people just wanted them to fail.

"Order! Order!" said Dalloway, hitting a gavel. 

"I'm beginning to agree," the woman said.

"Enough!" yelled Dalloway, slamming the gavel.

"Marine? Maisie?" started Dalloway.

Maisie looked at Dalloway. "I refuse."

"You said we have our magic until midnight on Halloween, right?" Marnie cleared her throat, "Well, we intend to use every once of our power and every second of time to prove to you that you are wrong about humans."

"I say this meeting is adjourned," Maisie said, doing a hand motion to see the Council away. 

They were suddenly back in Marnie's bedroom. Marnie took off her hat and sat on her bed. She groaned and fell backwards.

"They just want us to fail to get what they want," Maisie told Marnie. 

"I know," replied Marnie. "Your friend, Kim, accepted them. That's got to count for something."

"I think they would want more than one human to change their mind," Maisie replied. "If they ever would even if humans accept the creatures."

Maisie went downstairs wearing her pajamas: a black band shirt and purple-and-gold plaid flannel pajama pants. She was going after some cookies to have with her hot chocolate.

Marnie was downstairs with Aggie. She started, "Grandma, I—"

"It wasn't yours to bet in the first place." Aggie said, "And then they offered to let us keep it." Marnie was going to say something, but Aggie said, "Ooh. Ooh." She went upstairs.

Marnie looked at Maisie and exhaled. 

Maisie went into the living room where Ethan, Cassie, Chester, Natalie, and Pete were sitting. 

"Hey," Marnie greeted.

"Hey," Natalie replied back.

"Thought you guys would've had the good enough sense to go home," Marnie said.

Ethan started, "Yeah, I tried, but my dad—" Cassie smacked his arm. "We'd never abandon you."

"We were there," Cassie added. "There weren't any Knights."

"Yeah, there were just a couple of punks," Pete agreed. 

"And most of it was our fault," Chester agreed.

Ethan grabbed the dagger from the coffee table and held it up, "This...this wasn't my fault."

"We know that," Maisie said, mentally urging Ethan to put the dagger before he hurts himself.

Marnie sat down on the chair and Maisie sat on the chair arm. Ethan, thankfully, set the dagger down.

"Look," Marnie started, "If we all just stick together, we'll figure out what's going on."

"Yeah, good luck. We only have 'til next week," Ethan muttered. Cassie smacked him on the head. He forced an optimistic tone, "We are so gonna do this."

Maisie couldn't help but chuckle at that.