To whom it may concern

The moon was fat and round, yellow as buttermilk. It hung in the sky as though strung between the great antlers of the King of the Wild Hunt, and it's silvery light was shot through with blackness where it lay upon the ground.

"Sorry," said the King of the Wild Hunt, for the second time that night and perhaps the fifth time in a millennia. He cleared his throat, decided to go for a third. "Sorry, what?"

"A blacksmith," said Simon, his voice strained from having to tilt his head all the way back. The King was a whole lot taller than he'd expected. He should have climbed onto a barn or something before trying this. "Ideally a farrier, obviously, but a blacksmith will do fine."

The massed riders, gathered at the Kings' back like a looming thundercloud, exchanged confused glances. Whispered consternation drifted on the autumn breeze.

Simon gestured at the Night Mare tethered to a spectral hitching post some yards away.

"She lost a shoe," he explained.

The King gazed down upon the tiny human with eyes blacker than the surrounding night, and blinked.

"You brought the Wild Hunt down upon yourself to re-shoe your pony?" he asked. In the crowded ranks behind him, somebody tittered, the sound high and nervous.

"She's allergic to steel," said Simon. "And the only guy I could find who fits aluminium shoes has a strict policy against working on faerie beasts. Because of all the child-eating and the leaving of changeling babies everywhere, he said."

The King searched his entire long life history for an appropriate response to this, and finding none, settled on the ever-dependable "Oh."

"Yeah," said Simon. A brief silence fell in which Simon tried not to stare up at the King's many nose hairs, and the King contemplated squashing him like a bug in order to escape the awkward pause.

Simon coughed.

"So," he said. "A farrier?"

"We have one," the King allowed, "But his talents are sworn to aid only those of the Wild Hunt. If you wish to transact with him, there will be a price."

"I know," said Simon. "Either agree to join the Hunt and chase some poor human down to be torn apart by spectral hounds, or end up the one running for his life through the Eerie woods."

He glanced down at his tattered Sky Monsters, now mostly two lumps of duct tape with the familiar skull logo peering through the silver strips.

"You'll need better running shoes," said the King, either reading his mind or just familiar with the brands' poor quality control.

Simon nodded.

The King scratched absently at one branching horn. He doubted the little redhead would make much of a hunter, doubted even more that having him killed and eaten would go over well with certain infernal factions in the nearby town. It wasn't so much that he feared the combined wrath of a Hellhound and an up-and-coming Antichrist - he didn't even really believe in the Antichrist, being a pagan God himself - it was just that he didn't fancy his riders being menaced by an army of tricycle-riding pre-teens or soundly abused in canid-inflected Latin whenever they passed through the Midwest.

And then there were the other two, the investigator and whatever that kid with the grey hair was, and the Mayor... Jesus it's-not-blasphemy-if-you're-a-deity-too Christ, he did not need that kind of trouble on a night out.

Remembering the coal-black dog with three heads and a startlingly vulgar vocabulary brought something else to mind. He smiled, his teeth long and pointed and gleaming in the fractured moonlight.

"I have another idea," he said, turning to the Hunt. "Summon the blacksmith," he ordered. "And bring forth the Yellow Beast."

He looked back down at Simon.

"We will re-shoe your horse," he said. "And in exchange, you will take charge of one of my hunting dogs. For one full cycle of the seasons, he will be under your stewardship. When the year is up, I will return for him."

"Oh," said Simon. "I already have a dog... two sometimes, if Sprite isn't being a puddle of ooze... I don't know if I can..."

"Do you want your Night Mare to be lamed?" asked the King. "Perhaps you don't care if she is no longer able to walk the sleeping lands. Perhaps you would like her to sicken and fade away to nothing, as a dream upon waking?"

"Can't you just have the dogs chase me around for a bit?" Simon pleaded. "I'm a pretty fast sprinter, and I'm real good at hiding.. I honestly think that'd be a better deal for you..."

The King of the Wild Hunt shook his horned head. Behind him a flash of brightness stirred in the murk of his army. A great impact shook the earth as the fairy blacksmith emerged, a leather bag under one arm, a chain clutched in his other hand.

The Yellow Beast whined, paws scrabbling at the earth. It's ears were flat against it's skull and it's eyes rolled wildly. A fluorescent jacket swamped it, the legend "Please don't pet me, I'm nervous" emblazoned across it in bold black type.

"One year," said the King, taking the leash from the unsmiling blacksmith and passing it to Simon. "If he can chase a thrown ball or wear a flea collar without hiding behind a sofa or piddling himself in fear, you may consider your debt paid."

The Yellow Beast whimpered, tried to hide inside it's waterproof coat.

"Your horse will be returned to you three nights hence," the King went on. "It will take you most of the night to lead the Beast back to your home; I suggest you start now, while there is less traffic on the roads." From within his green cloak he produced a spit-stained tartan rag. "He likes to sleep with this," he added.

* * *

"A year?" said Marshall, examining the red-checked lump under the kitchen table. The Beast shivered beneath the blanket, sensing his regard. "A whole year? Simon, we can't even get it to eat unless we all leave the room first! What were you thinking?"

"You got the full set of shoes though, right?" asked Dash. "All eight feet, newly shod? We're not gonna have to do this again in a few months?"

"Oh," said Simon. "Oops. No, I just had them replace the missing one. Sorry."

Marshall sighed, slid a chew toy shaped like a damned soul screaming in torment towards the trembling shape. Over in the corner Sparky whined in protest at the loss of his favourite toy.

"Next time, you take Dash," he said. "No more negotiating with supernatural entities unless you bring him along."

Simon rummaged through a plastic storage box, pulled out a grubby Marsicorn, missing an eye. He knelt on the faded linoleum floor, his outstretched hand low to the ground.

A great black nose appeared beneath the fringed edges of the fabric. Simon waggled the Marsicorn encouragingly.

"That's mine!" said Dash, but Marshall shushed him.

Dash scowled as the wet drippy nose investigated the woollen doll.

"One shoe," he said. "Seriously. I'm embarrassed just to know you."





Preliminary sketch for a custom Sparky plush by Pixelkei

Finished Sparky plush by Pixelkei

Sparky 2 plush by Erik237

Sparky versus Manticore sketch by Kari L Korthals

The Bridge, in which there is not a troll, and Mars is very sad

Garden Warfare, in which the age-old rivalry between garden gnomes and lawn flamingoes finally boils over

Bonfire by froodle, in which Pinocchio is ruined forever

Lost and Found, in which the Unkind Ones honour one of their own

Chicken, in which something has made it's den in Eerie

Ruminant, in which there are witches, and also a goat

Good to Eat, in which Marshall investigates the Chickeniest Chicken Palace

Underwhelming, in which a cursed book fails to deliver

Virtual Reality, in which Things Incorporated branches out into the world of home entertainment

Mystery Box, in which Syndi helps the boys out

Numeracy, in which Marshall is not believed

Statistically Possible, in which Marshall is still not believed

Rules of War, in which there is a waterfight

Family Business, in which Marshall and Syndi help their dad out

Castle, in which there is unexpected architecture in Eerie

Budget Restraints, in which Simon and Marshall's disguises are somewhat lacklustre.

Concealment, in which there is a costume party

Party Guests, in which the costume party is attended

Targeted Marketing, in which Radford has a new advertising campaign, and Marshall has doubts

Controversial, in which Poplio's wrath is invoked

Film Festival, in which Poplio and Holly Golightly battle it out

Competing Traditions, in which there's nothing worse than an Easter weekend

Gingerbread by froodle, in which there is a witch in the Eerie Woods

Leaves by froodle, in which plantlife finds Marshall entirely too enticing

Defacement, in which the Eerie PD investigates a terrible crime

Foreseeable, in which an Eerie parade goes exactly as usual

Obvious, in which, in Dash's opinion, some people aren't worth saving

Loss Prevention, in which the boys investigate strange goings on at the Eerie Mall

Disco, in which there are ghouls, and disco balls

Pop Culture, in which Marshall dresses for Halloween

Offspring by froodle, in which there are dragons

Message in a Bottle, in which something is bugging Marshall

And Introducing... in which Dash X makes some powerful allies

Untouchable, in which the boys are dismayed by Eerie's fauna

Shattered Dreams, in which there are cosmic whales

Ewww... in which Simon makes poor choices

Divergent, in which Harley and Dash have a conversation

The Worst Christmas Ever, in which Marshall buys a pie from a food stall, and is very disappointed

The Off Season, in which a stakeout at Lake Eerie proves disappointing

Observations, in which there is suspicious activity on Wolf Mountain

Wildlife by froodle, in which Simon and Marshall go to the beach

Dinner Conversation, in which Syndi and Marshall revive an old argument

Don't Cross the Streams, in which Dash commits the cardinal sin

Sub-Aquatic, in which there are suspicious stains in the fountain

Aesthetics/Practicalities, in which Dash and Marshall clash over outerwear

Desired Effect, in which Simon and Marshall shop for decorations

Based on Your Previous Purchases by froodle, in which Mars should really pay attention to Amazon's reccomendations

Community Service, in which Dash refuses to quietly do his time

Technicalities, in which Simon is both disappointed, and mad

Golf Course, in which the re-seeding does not take as well as hoped

Housework by froodle, in which a rota cannot be agreed upon

Division of Labour, in which the eventually-agreed-upon rota may have overlooked a few things

Misleading, in which Grungy Bill struggles with the concept of French Toast

Breakfast by froodle, in which Dash's attempts at cookery do not go well

Ghost in the Machine by froodle, in which a new laptop opens an old wound

Consequences by froodle, in which an encounter with leprechauns leaves the boys very tired indeed

The Microwave by froodle, in which Andrea Fantucci returns to Eerie after a considerable absense

The Eldritch Abomination in the Room by froodle, in which the microwave is most definitely not discussed

Basic Household Maintenance by froodle, in which manticores are inconsiderate houseguests

The Lift, in which Marshall is not fooled

Torrential by froodle, in which there is a storm, and the boys eat ice-cream

Shortest Day, in which the lack of daylight takes effect

Neighbourly, in which Marshall tries to help out a person who might not even be there

Saturday Brunch, in which some eggs go awry

Upgrade?, in which the possibility of a new sofa is mooted

Linens by froodle, in which Dash X makes a bed

Bedtime, in which Marshall brushes his teeth

Bathtub, in which there is something in the pipes

Product Testing, in which there is something distressing on the breakfast table

Multiplicity, in which there are milkmen

Hound by froodle, in which Simon makes a friend

Night Music by froodle, in which Simon is woken by a nocturnal visitor

Houseshare, in which Sparky learns an important life lesson regarding Manticores

Sabotage, in which Marshall also learns an important life lesson regarding Manticores

Event Appropriate, in which Simon is startled

Inherent, in which evidence is destroyed and Marshall suspects a conspiracy

Inevitable, in which the weather is spiteful and the manticore is indifferent

In For The Night by froodle, in which Dash refuses to leave the house

Errands by froodle, in which Simon has a to-do list

Dinner Theatre, in which Marshall has trouble finishing his meal

Walkies, in which Simon takes his dog for a walk

Tractable, in which Sparky's new lead does not go well

Obedience, in which Sparky misbehaves and an ancient nature god is displeased

Play Date, in which Sparky mades some friends

The Bad News List, in which Dash makes an upsetting announcement

Stable, in which there is a Night Mare

Children Are Strange, in which there is a visitor

Morning Routine, in which Marshall brews coffee

Waterlogged by froodle, in which Eerie experiences heavy rainfall

A Form You Are Comfortable With, in which Marshall has car drama

Parking Spot, in which Marshall is particular

Antiquing, in which Marshall offers a helping hand to Mary C. Carter, and she's not that into it

Arboretum, in which Simon keeps the home fires burning

Belfast Disco, in which it is St. Patrick's Day in Eerie

Bulk Buy, in which Dash's rivalry with the leprechauns quite literally spills over to a shared office space

Incendiary, in which Marshall gets the wrong end of the shillelagh

Bright Lights, in which there is glitter

Explicit Lyrics, in which Sparky is a cheeky boy

Woozy, in which Marshall isn't well

Leisurewear, in which Dash has some time off

Tempest, in which the Sea Hag makes an appearance

Rescue, in which there are jackalope kittens

Turnip, in which Marshall dispenses some interesting facts

Plausible, in which there is damage to Marshall's car

Parking, in which Marshall struggles to parallel park and Dash is less than helpful

Rainbow by froodle, in which Dash fails to properly appreciate Michael Flatley

Premature, in which Simon is festive at exactly the wrong time

Too Far, in which Simon is once again thwarted

Jackolantern by froodle, in which the local pumpkin patch has a problem

Pest Control, in which Mayor Chisel is a dissatisfied customer

Pressure Tactics, in which the Mayor goes up against Eerie's ravens

Absent Friends, in which Wally and Simon share a moment

Reconnaissance, in which Dash is unhappy with his assignment

Changeable Conditions, in which the weather still hates Marshall

Trash Day, in which the bins need emptying

Cleanup, in which Dash is... himself.

Alternative Version, in which there is another Sparky

Shared Facilties, in which there is bathroom drama

The Fir Tree, in which there is further feline misbehaviour

Costumed Hero, in which Marshall is way too excited about left-over party trash

Clear Out, where the post-Christmas leftovers meet their doom

Project Research, in which there's something wrong with the tap water

Pixie Paste, in which Dash uses a garlic paste

Civic Duty, in which the Ladies Society for the Beautification of Eerie take up their positions

At The Dinner Table, in which an invitation is extended

Workaday, in which Simon heads to his job and encounters one of Harley's old foes

Moon Rabbit, in which Simon performs surgery

Presentation, in which Chisel has an edict, and Simon has a plan

Early Finish, in which there is a disturbance outside Simon's office






MLP Custom My Little Marsicorn sneak peak from LipstickCat

Finished MLP My Little Marsicorn custom by LipstickCat

Crochet Marsicorn by EviinsaneMonkey

Crochet Marsicorn makes it all the way across the Atlantic!

The Dance Contest, in which werewolves and unicorns hold a dance-off in order to prevent a war. Podfic by EviinsaneMonkey here.

Day of the Marsicorns, in which there are stuffed animals and Dash is unhelpful. Podfic by EviinsaneMonkey here.

Cleanup, in which Simon and Mars deal with the aftermath of a werewolf-unicorn-hybrid transformation

Full Moon, in which Marshall must deal with another side-effect of his curse

Scratches, in which there are werecats and cutie marks

Phases, in which the werecat returns

Aftermath, in which we bid farewell to the Old Hitchcock Mill once and for all

Basic Household Maintenance, in which there may be a haunted carport, and Dash doesn't care

Rescue, in which Marshall must be wary of jackalope kittens

The Craft, in which the wolf girls return

A Time for Giving, in which it is Christmas, and Danielle has something for Syndi





Castle, in which there is unexpected architecture in Eerie

The End by froodle, in which Simon reads Harley a bedtime story

Drains by froodle, in which clowns are evil, murderous sacks of shit, and Simon is having none of it

Bathtub, in which the Holmes' have further problems with their plumbing

Communication Difficulties, in which there are barriers to understanding

Playground, in which Simon and Harley should maybe come back another day

Dish of the Day, in which Simon and Marshall return to the playground

Stonewall, Mud Walls, in which Harley is an implacable foe

Biters, in which there is screaming

Riverbank, in which Simon encounters a kelpie

Kaleidoscope by froodle, in which Simon has cause to regret buying cheap toys at the World o' Stuff

Festival by froodle, in which Eerie's local businesses celebrate the summer

Strawberry by froodle, in which there is unauthorised hubbub in Eerie

Drive In, in which there is a movie screening

Staged, in which Harley visits a building site

Distractions, in which Simon and Marshall walk home from school

Class of '89, in which they collect Harley

Unsuitable Substitute, in which there is a changeling

Anticipation by froodle, in which Simon and Harley look forward to the Equinox

Informed Shopper, in which Simon contemplates a purchase

Infestation, in which there are pixies

BBQ, in which the Tellers hold a BBQ

Door-to-Door, in which it is Halloween and there are trick-or-treaters

Sentinel, in which it is Halloween and there is hot chocolate

The Stand, in which it is Halloween and there is a war

Dark Messiah, in which there are witches

Ruminant, in which a rescue is mounted

Good to Eat, in which Dash and Simon fill Marshall in

Gridlock, in which Harley encounters one of Eerie's many cults

Common Ground, in which one of Eerie's local youth organisations would like Harley to join them

Persuasion Tactics, in which the recruitment drive becomes aggressive

A Kings' Ransom, in which Harley goes to the beach

Competing Traditions, in which Dash and Marshall wait out the Easter weekend

Advent Calendar, in which Marilyn is making Christmas treats for all her children

Window Paint, in which Harley helps decorate his elementary school for Christmas

Pantomime, in which the Tellers enjoy some traditional Christmas entertainment

Visiting Santa, in which Marshall and Simon take Harley on a trip

The Tree, in which Harley helps Simon decorate for Christmas

KrampusNacht, in which the Holmes household has a visitor

Cygnet, in which Harley and Lillian go to the park

Tagged, in which the Bob brothers go to the park

Defacement, in which the Eerie PD investigates a terrible crime

Read the Sign, in which the city council was serious about that fountain

Salvage Rights, in which Harley and Lillian return to the lake

To Serve Birds (Right), in which Marshall and Harley bond

Sneakers by froodle, in which the latest Sky Monsters are released

Hangover, in which Marshall has a little too much to drink, and an innocent sandcastle pays the price

Brand Loyalty, in which MArshall's new shoes are a disappointment

The Hut by froodle, in which Simon takes on the forces of Eerie solo

Shattered Dreams, in which there is a space whale

They, in which Marshall leaves for college and Simon is left behind

Good Secrets Are Hard To Keep, in which Marshall submits a story to his college newspaper

Reception by froodle, in which Simon has problems with his mobile phone

Bulk Buy, in which Simon's desk tidy isn't suited for the job, but he's still better off than his office mates

Incendiary, in which Marshall reads a situation and reaches completely the wrong conclusion

Divergent, in which Dash and Harley talk

Workaday, in which Simon encounters one of Harley's old enemies

Presentation, in which Simon has a plan

Children Are Strange, in which Eerie's local Black Eyed Kids take an interest in Simon's dog