Note: At one point in this chapter, Haruka emulates a movie that has a Christian (or is it Catholic?) theme to it. And since she is copying a movie, no one should take any offense to any Christian symbols in this chapter. It’s just used to bring the humor of Haruka parodying something to the story.

Also, I’ve put URLs to images throughout the story. I don’t normally like to employ the use of author notes in the middle of the story, but in this case I have in favor of showing everyone what costumes the characters are wearing at what time. I hope it adds to your enjoyment of the chapter and doesn’t take much away! As always, please copy, paste, and take the spaces out of the URLs to view them in your browser.

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"WHAHAHAHA!" I leapt into the kitchen wearing one of those masks from the movie Scream.

Michiru, who was dumping candy out into a basket, jumped a mile. "Haruka, don’t do that! You scared me half to death!"

I spoke in a deep frightening voice. "There is no Haruka. There is only Deaaaaath…" I gave my most convincing death rattle and wiggled my fingers at Michiru.

She chose to ignore me. "You know this is why I’m not fond of Halloween. I have to put up with all of you jumping out at me all day. Hotaru already got me twice in the hallway…with that very same mask."

I pouted. I had wanted to be original.

At about this time, Setsuna showed up in the kitchen. She had her hair in a ponytail and wore the outfit of a swordswoman. "What are you supposed to be?" I asked. Setsuna and Seiya were taking Hotaru trick-or-treating, which usually made for an interesting display.

"I’m Motoko from Love Hina," Setsuna said. "And Hotaru’s going as Shinobu. And I wouldn’t laugh at us, if I were you." She fingered the long wooden sword that hung at her side.

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Setsuna’s Costume: www.angelfire.com / art2 / griddlebone / images / setsuna_motoko.jpg

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"Geeze, point taken! You have her character down really well. And what’s Seiya going as? Keitaro?"

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Seiya’s Costume??: www.angelfire.com / art2 / griddlebone / images / keitaro.jpg

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Setsuna rolled her eyes. "Seiya is going as herself. She refused to behave and dress-up."

Hotaru suddenly bounded into the kitchen. "See?" she chirped. "I’m Shinobu when she dressed up as the little match girl!" She twirled around.

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Hotaru’s Costume: www.angelfire.com / art2 / griddlebone / images / hotaru_shinobu.jpg

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"You did a wonderful job on the costumes, Suna," Michiru praised. "But I should head out to the front room to greet the trick-or-treaters. You two have fun! And Haruka…put the mask away and try to behave yourself?"

I had been in the process of sneaking up behind Michiru, once again wearing the mask. I pouted, stomped my foot, and stalked towards my bedroom. Maybe I could at least figure out a way to really scare Hotaru and Setsuna when they got back.

~*~

When I headed back to the living room to see if I could sneak some candy, Michiru was standing in the middle of the room with a dreamy look on her face, not moving at all. She was also wearing this bizarre pink party dress that a child of eight or nine might have worn, complete with little white socks and black Mary Janes.

"What happened to the trick-or-treaters?" I asked. I then noticed that she had a small clear crystal hanging around her neck on a chain. It was so tiny it was hard to notice unless the light caught it just right. "Hey, where’d you get that? I’ve never seen it before. It’s pretty."

As she suddenly seemed to acknowledge my presence, her head snapped around – a full one hundred eighty degrees, that is – on her neck. She smiled at me.

I jumped backwards and pressed myself against the wall in shock. "Good lord!"

By now her head seemed fully normal and she was still alive, but I swear her head had rotated to that really unnatural angle. Now she ran over to me, planted her feet firmly and shoved her hand towards me to shake. "My name is Michi!" she chirped. "What’s yours?"

"Uhhh…"

"Do you want to play with me?" she pressed.

A lightbulb turned on in my head. "Ohh, I get it. The dress, the little kid innocent voice, those kawaii schoolgirl Mary Janes…this is one of those kinky games, right? But I dunno…if you had dressed up as a High School girl, maybe, but the party dress-WHAA!"

Michiru had just grabbed me by the arm and was now dragging me up the little staircase to the attic. "Hey, wait, I can walk myself, you know!"

In response, Michiru scooped me up in her arms and carried me like a baby doll. "Time to get little Ruka all dressed up for tea!"

It was about this time I realized that we were in trouble. No one had ever carried me as if I weighed nothing, and Michiru would have been the last to do it. I opened up my lungs and started to yell. "HEEELP!"

~*~

When the others returned home, I met them at the door…dressed in an outfit completely identical to one of Cardcaptor Sakura’s.

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Haruka’s Tea Costume: www.angelfire.com / art2 / griddlebone / images / haruka_sakura.jpg

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"Good lord!" exclaimed Setsuna. "I don’t even remember making that. That is scary."

I held out both arms and tried to block the way. "No…go back the way you came! Setsuna, take Hotaru and run! Just get away as fast as you can!"

"What on earth is going on?" asked the perplexed Seiya who had come up behind them with Hotaru’s candy bag.

"Don’t be ridiculous, Haruka. Hotaru and I have every intention of coming in, making dinner, and eating candy all night long. We’re not going to run around in the dark and cold just because you’re being your bizarre self." She pushed past me.

She was the first one that Michiru spotted. "Ooo, a cute little Kendo girl!" She ran at Setsuna, arms outstretched.

Setsuna, horrified at the prospect of being hugged by some pink creature and probably not even comprehending that it was Michiru, drew the wooden sword in alarm.

Michiru, not phased in the slightest, grabbed the sword right out of Setsuna’s hand and started swinging it violently. "Yay, a sword!" she giggled.

Setsuna, completely freaked out, ran for me with Michiru on her heels swinging the weapon. I grabbed Setsuna, and knowing full well that Michiru intended to knock her with the sword, turned my back so that it was exposed instead. As I let Michiru whap on my back with the sword, Setsuna muttered, "Can I change my mind about taking Hotaru and fleeing?"

Speaking of Hotaru, Michiru gave a delighted yell as she spotted her and proceeded to chase her around the house, which gave us a few moments to talk.

"Is that really Michiru?" asked Seiya.

"Actually, that’s Michi. Or so she says."

Setsuna seemed floored. Michiru never referred to herself as Michi, even though she allowed the rest of us to call her that.

"And while we’re on the subject of odd changes, did I forget to mention that Michiru now seems to be possessed by the spirit of a very strong, sadistic little girl?"

Seiya crossed her arms. "Yes, I think you did."

About this time, Hotaru galloped back into the front room and threw herself at Setsuna, who held her. "What happened to Michi?" Hotaru asked, her eyes wide. "Make her stop!"

"Do you want me to stop time?" Setsuna asked me.

"Try to remember that you’ll be punished if you do that," I reminded her.

"Ah, yes…punishment." Setsuna smiled slightly.

I sweatdropped. "I don’t even want to know."

Michiru, who was once again in the room, stomped her foot impatiently. "Play with me!"

We all scattered. The battle was short. Michiru took out Setsuna and Hotaru in the hallway and shut them in the hall closet. She then caught up to Seiya on the front walk outside and dragged her up towards the attic. Meanwhile, I didn’t get very far either, as I wasn’t about to leave the house in the Cardcaptor Sakura outfit.

~*~

"Would you care for some tea?" Michiru tipped imaginary tea into Setsuna’s cup.

"I always wondered what happened to my old tea set," remarked Hotaru as she messed with the little sugar bowl. "But I never imagined I’d be playing with it again, and in a Cardcaptor Sakura outfit to boot."

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Hotaru’s Tea Costume: www.angelfire.com / art2 / griddlebone / images / hotaru_sakura.jpg

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"I want to leave now," Seiya grumbled as she sipped imaginary tea under Michiru’s watchful gaze.

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Seiya’s Tea Costume: www.angelfire.com / art2 / griddlebone / images / seiya_sakura.jpg

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"Me too," said Setsuna.

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Setsuna’s Tea Costume: www.angelfire.com / art2 / griddlebone / images / setsuna_sakura.jpg

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I leaned over towards them and whispered, "I think I may have an idea. I saw a movie about this kind of thing. I should be able to help her."

"What are you going to do?" whispered Setsuna.

"Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. You guys just distract the little princess for a few minutes."

They all looked at each other and shrugged before breaking into the most amusing routine. "Ooo, Michi, let me brush your hair!" cooed Setsuna.

"Yes, and I’ll have some more tea," added Seiya, conveniently blocking Michiru’s view of me.

Hotaru just jumped around like a spaz, which caused even further distraction. The whole thing was so funny I didn’t really want to leave. But I still made for the hallway as fast as I could. I figured Michiru was overwhelmed by the attention for the moment, but my lack of presence wouldn’t go unnoticed forever.

~*~

"Ahem." I cleared my throat. "Michi, I have a new game for you to play."

The others just gawked at me. "You’re dressed as a priest," Seiya finally said. "Where do you get all this wacky stuff?"

I straitened my little stiff collar. "Setsuna has everything you could possibly imagine in her bedroom. Anyway, come here, Michi, and we’ll play the game."

Michiru ran at me, and due to her heightened strength, she hit me like a locomotive and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist.

"UGH! Okay…good girl. You just sit here and you’ll be back to normal in no time."

Michiru scrambled onto the sofa and kicked her legs happily. "Fun."

As the others gathered around to watch, I pulled out an ornate gothic cross and held it in front of Michiru. "Spirit, be gone! Come out of her!" I shook the cross at her. "The power of Christ compels you!"

Setsuna raised her hand.

I looked at her. "Yes?"

She pointed at the cross. "But what if you’re Shinto or Buddhist, or something?"

"Yeah," added Seiya. "What if you celebrate the Kinmokuian Star God?" We all looked at her and she colored. "What?"

I sighed. "All of them would work just as well. But I don’t know how to perform an exorcism in Shinto or any other religion. Besides, this was how they did it in the movie." I went back to it. * "Out, I say, Demon! Back from whence you came!"

Michiru twirled her hair and giggled. "You’re so silly!"

Setsuna narrowed her eyes at me. "This is all very amusing, but…"

"Oh, ye of little faith. I have another idea. This usually works even better." I pulled a little bottle of clear liquid out of my pocket. "This is genuine Holy Water. This will really freak out the demon child and bring Michiru back."

Hotaru stepped forward and dipped her finger into the bottle. Upon licking her finger, she shrugged. "It tastes like tap water."

"But this is hooooly tap water," I insisted.

"Haruka, you buy way too much junk from mail order catalogues."

I shot our cranky Time God a look. I then turned back to Michiru. "Okay, honey, try this on for size!" I dumped the water over her head.

Michiru blinked and looked down at her dress. "Hey…you got my pretty dress all wet! You’re mean!" She swiped a hand out and swatted my arm. What normally would have been a measly pat from a regular child was like a turbo slug from possessed Michiru. I flew several feet through the air and landed on my bum with a thump.

Meanwhile, whether or not the water had actually been Holy, it sure had upset the spirit. But I personally think she was more upset about her dress being ruined than anything. Michiru had now levitated off the sofa and was balling like an angry toddler. Setsuna had cautiously moved forward and was now hugging the wet and distraught ‘Michi’. "There, there…I’m sure your dress will dry soon."

"She’s so MEAN!" Michiru cried.

"Yes, I think she is too."

I rubbed my bum with one hand. "Thanks very much, all of you!"

At this point, Setsuna stared hard at Michiru’s chest, which was right at her eye level due to the levitation aspect, glared, and then looked at me. "What’s that around her neck?"

"I have no idea. She must have put it on when she changed into the dress. But it’s pretty, isn’t it?"

"You mean to tell me that the arrival of this necklace corresponded with Michi’s transformation?" Setsuna shook her head. "Sometimes you’re just so thick." She reached up, pulled the necklace off of Michiru’s head, and tossed it to me. "Was that so hard? Get rid of it somewhere and let’s have dinner." She stalked out of the room.

"Hey, wait…Suna! What about my exorcism!"

Michiru, who had lowered back to earth, was sitting on the sofa rubbing her teary eyes. "Why am I all wet? And what was I crying about?"

Hotaru, Seiya, and I all gawked at each other for a moment before breaking into a jumbled explanation of what had happened, all with various degrees of exaggeration. Once Michiru was firmly convinced that she had breathed fire and went flying around Tokyo, Hotaru finally asked the question we were all wondering: Where had she gotten the necklace to start with?

"A little girl gave it to me when she came to the door for trick-or-treat. I guess it used to be hers, but her mother told her to get rid of it at the first house she went to."

"Some mom," I snorted. "Who would have their kid give such a dangerous piece of equipment to a stranger?"

"A mom who’s tired of her kid hitting her with a wooden sword, I would guess," said Seiya.

"But what are we going to do with it now?" asked Michiru. "It seems like a bad idea to keep it laying around the house. All we need is for Usagi or Chibi-Usa to spot it. Can you imagine what it would be like in their hands?"

Setsuna walked back into the room. "You’re all thick." She took the necklace from me, looked up at the ceiling where a time portal had just whooshed open, and tossed the crystal up into it. "There. I know exactly where it is now and no one can find it but me. Can we eat?"

I threw an arm around her shoulders. "Absolutely. Happy Halloween, you cranky old thing!"

Setsuna and I started to head to the kitchen, Hotaru and Seiya right behind us, when Michiru suddenly started to laugh. "Um, Ruka?" She laughed even harder.

I turned. "Hmm?"

"I’m sorry," she gasped. "But it’s just…what are you all wearing?"…

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FOOTNOTES:

* The movie that Haruka is trying to emulate is, of course, The Exorcist. But I haven’t seen it in ages, so I hope it’s not too incorrect. Not that Haruka knows what she’s doing anyway. lol