---
"Covert Operation, this is Shuriken. Blondie, Neon, come in."
"Neon, reading you loud and clear. But, you know calling her Blondie's mean."
"Whatever," Shuriken mumbled. "She wanted to be called that."
"Heeyy! That's soo not cool, starting the mission without me!"
Neon laughed. "It's not our fault you're slow."
"Quiet Selphie, my batteries are dying."
Don't use my real name," Selphie 'Neon' Tilmitt wailed. "We're on a mission!"
"We're just on walkie-talkies," Blondie countered, rolling her eyes. "Say, Yuffie, why don't we use cell phones like normal people?"
"Stop using our real names, Rikku." Selphie hissed.
"Quiet, both of you," Yuffie 'Shuriken' Kisaragi muttered. "I've got the plan, I fine tuned it for this year, so meet at the –"
"Shh!"
Yuffie sighed, rolling her eyes. "What is it, Neon?"
"Xemnas is close to me!"
Rikku snickered, the laugh echoing through the small speaker. "Awe, how sweet! He likes you!"
Selphie curled her nose up, a loud 'ew' running through the speaker. "How could you say that, Blondie!?"
"Simple," Rikku shrugged. "I open my mouth."
"Anyways," Yuffie cut in. "What's the big deal? Just walk away from him."
Selphie sighed. "That's easier said then done, Shuriken," Selphie wailed. "The big deal? The big deal! Oh – its because –"
"Xemnas talks too much!"
"Blondie – that was my news!"
"Who cares," Yuffie shot out, glaring at her walkie-talkie. Rikku and Selphie went silent on their ends. "Just meet you-know-where – oh, and ditch Xemnas, Selphie."
"Oh, oh! Call him Xemy . . . he'll hate that."
"Really?" Selphie chirped, a plan forming in her mind. "See you guys there! Oh, Xemy . . ."
Click.
Rikku broke out laughing. "Poor sucker, that's such a pet name! Tehe, meet you there!"
Click.
Yuffie sighed, staring at the blue walkie-talkie in her hand. Rikku and Selphie . . . as crazy as they were, they were her best friends. Three of a kind, birds of a feather, now and forever, Yuffie shook her head; she had to stop watching 'the Nightmare before Christmas', no matter how much the three of them were like those tricksters.
Yuffie clicked off her walkie-talkie, pushing the small device into her shorts' pocket. She glanced down at her backpack that rested at her feet, a small smirk gracing her features. Yuffie gazed around her, her storm grey eyes narrowing – no one was watching her, good! Nodding, she quickly picked up her backpack, hefting it onto her back.
"This'll be great," she whispered to herself, casting a traitorous look around the school yard and slipped out of the gate.
---
"Hey, thanks for letting up use your back room, Aeris!" Yuffie's voice called from the storage area.
"Yeah, thanks Aeris, we so couldn't do this without you!" Selphie hollered, swinging her feet back and forth on the box she sat on top of.
"Oh, we'll get them good! I'll show them I'm not gullible – but man, Selphie – you're gullible."
"Huh?" Selphie furled her eyebrows together. "You! 'Xemy'!? 'Oh, call him Xemy and he'll go away!' He started talking to me about love, the heart and poetry! Augh, he talks way to much!"
Rikku brought a hand to her mouth trying to stifle a laugh, but failed miserably. Yuffie rolled her eyes. "You are too gullible, but anyways," Yuffie dramatically got down from the table, moving a cardboard box to reveal her backpack. With a wink at the two, she opened up her backpack. "I give you . . . the plan."
"Whatcha got?"
"Is it good? I hope it is, this is going to rock!"
Yuffie nodded, pulling out a list of their possible targets. "I've got the list; how about Rai–"
"Rai?" Rikku scoffed. "He's so easy to fool, how dense."
"Leon."
"He won't fall for it," Selphie shook her head. "His heads too level."
"But it'd be cool to see him lose his cool." Rikku countered, sticking her tongue out.
Yuffie shrugged it off; she had a good plan for Leon. "I agree with you both . . . it'll have to be a good plan."
"Is that all?" Rikku curled her nose. "What a dull Halloween."
"Well . . . I thought of Seifer, Cloud and Riku –"
"What about me?"
"Not you Rikku, silver haired Riku."
"Ohh, sorry."
"Okay, but I realized they'd be too hard to prank."
"Especially Cloud!" Selphie chirped.
"Seifer too!" Rikku nodded in agreement.
"Riku's the same . . ." Yuffie shook her head.
"Wait, Riku wasn't at school today!" Selphie.
"He went away for the weekend with his parents. Some concert, he won't be back till Halloween." Yuffie.
"When?" Rikku.
"I dunno." Yuffie.
"What're you planning, Rikku?" Selphie.
"Riku's gone and coming back tomorrow, right? I've got a plan, not for Riku though – for Sora." Rikku.
"Sora?" Yuffie.
"He can be gullible . . ." Selphie.
"Just like you." Rikku.
"Shut up." Selphie.
"Anyways, what's your plan?" Yuffie.
Rikku shrugged, winking at them. "That's a secret; you'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Selphie whined, jumping down from her cardboard box to stand in front of Rikku, hands on her hips. "That's not fair!"
Rikku shrugged, pushing past Selphie. "If I told you now, it'd be no surprise tomorrow."
Selphie pouted, turning to Yuffie. "Make her tell us! I don't like suspense."
Yuffie laughed, but shook her head. "None of my business, Rikku's crazy . . . do you really want to know what she'll do?"
Selphie paused, curling her nose up to cast a look over at Rikku. "No, probably not, you'll do something weird . . . poor Sora."
Rikku shrugged. "Sora's too innocent to everything. I can't wait to see his face."
Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Should I bring a camera?"
"Evidence!" Rikku screeched, springing up off the floor. "That's an awesome idea! I never thought of that!"
Selphie sighed, flopping back onto her cardboard box. "Great, add to her ego."
Yuffie shrugged. "I totally forgot about Sora – he's like Rai, so naïve, maybe a bit more actually – I can't wait to see what you'll do."
Rikku winked at the two, turning on her heel, hands clasped behind her. "Be at school early – have your walkie-talkie's on. I need your help in finding Sora."
Yuffie nodded, flashing her blue walkie-talkie. Selphie smiled, eyes narrowed slightly at not being in on the plan, but nodded anyways.
"Oh, and it has to be in a public place," Rikku grinned brightly, waving at the two, pushing the back rooms' door open. "Bye guys, hey Aeris, thanks for letting us use your back room."
Selphie rolled her eyes, looking over at Yuffie. "What is she planning?"
Yuffie shrugged, leaning back against the wall. "So, I guess we have Sora looked after, I've got Leon and that leaves Rai . . ."
Selphie pouted. "No fair, Rikku has someone; you have someone . . . and have no one!"
"You can have Rai."
"Rai?! Wait – can I have Xemnas?"
Yuffie smirked. "Making out doesn't count as a prank."
Selphie's head shot up – her curls bouncing with the movement – and flashed Yuffie a wicked smile. "That's my prank! I shot gun Xemnas, someone else can do Rai."
Yuffie shrugged. "Whatever, sounds good," Yuffie pulled a pen out of her pocket, scribbling on the sheet she held. "Rikku's got Sora, I've got Leon and you've got Xemnas – don't do anything rash."
Selphie glared at her. "Shut up, that's Rikku's fault," Selphie smirked. "Ohh, he'll wish he never met me."
"You know, you guys seem real out of place here," Aeris called, leaning on the door frame of the back room. "Making Halloween plans in the back room of a flower shop. Original, you get points for that."
Yuffie laughed at Aeris' words, pushing herself off the wall. "Awe, Aeris, would you like to join us? You can have Cloud, no, no; I don't think you could do that . . . want Rai?"
Aeris shook her head. "Nah, I'll leave that too you." Aeris winked, casting a glance over her shoulder. "Get them extra good for me. Have fun getting Leon though . . . good luck might be in order."
"Thanks Aeris," Yuffie mumbled, pushing everything back into her backpack. "Selphie, remember to be at the school early tomorrow – say eight o'clock?" Selphie nodded, picking up her backpack. "I'll call Rikku and tell her the time frame. We've got to get together and strategize our attacks!"
Selphie nodded, standing up and waving at Yuffie. "Sounds good, I'll see you tomorrow."
Yuffie nodded as Selphie left the small room. "See you bright and early!" she sighed, closing the door to the room behind her. "Tomorrow is going to be awesome!"
She heard Aeris chuckle from the front of the store.
---
"I'm here," Selphie called, waving her hand wildly as she entered the school ground. "Don't start without me."
Yuffie waved at her, sitting up from the small porch on the back of a portable. "Hey Selphie – don't worry, we still have to wait for Rikku."
"She's not here?" Selphie shrugged, flopping on the wooden staircase. "She has no sense of time anyways."
"Ah well, what can you do?" Yuffie mumbled, resting her chin against the railing. "Say, what's your plan for Xemnas? I don't see any supplies."
"I don't need any," Selphie said with confidence. "What about you – I don't see any supplies."
"It's in my backpack."
"What is it?"
"A costume." Selphie raised an eyebrow at Yuffie. "You remember that movie from a few months ago, Invasion of Darkness?
"You mean that creepy one with everyone losing their hearts and being eaten by those black heartless creatures, and those silly little kids had to stop the dark from engulfing them?"
Yuffie nodded. ". . . and the ending?"
"'What happened before you is true to an extent, the balance is ready to be undone at the next curve in your street . . . watch your step . . .'" Selphie recited, spookily. "In that really spooky voice, and then that ear piercing scream as that Twilight actress went around the corner – oh, what was her name?"
"Olette Kane?"
"That's it!" Selphie screeched, nodding.
"But you should have seen Leon," Yuffie held back a laugh as her eyes lit up. "He took the movie seriously. "So, I had Lenne create a White Knight costume for me! I'm going to ambush him on the way home."
Selphie nodded, it was ingenious. "Sounds good – real good . . . but doesn't Leon drive home?"
"I'm hiding in his car."
"Cool, good luck. Tell me his reaction tomorrow." Selphie cast her green eyes around her again. "Where's Rikku?"
"Here I am!" A singsong voice called. "Don't forget me!"
"Hey Rikku," Yuffie called at the blonde.
Selphie raised an eyebrow. "What's with the outfit?" Rikku stood in front of the two of them, a cloak draped around her shoulders, the hood pulled up over her head, the cloak rustling the grass below her. "Is that supposed to scare Sora?"
Rikku shook her head, bouncing on her feet. "No, it's what's under it."
"Okay," Selphie drawled out as Rikku sat down beside her, her cloak dropping a bit. Selphie raised an eyebrow at the skin she saw. "Rikku . . . are you . . .?"
Rikku curled up her nose. "No, Selphie – I guess we know where her mind is Yuffie. It's a tank top, geez."
"No one else is here, can we see?" Yuffie asked, popping her bubblegum.
Rikku nodded, standing up with her back to the deserted school grounds. "Don't tell anyone."
Selphie and Yuffie nodded. Rikku smiled, reaching her hands through the material she held tightly together, to throw back her hood. When the material fell backwards, Selphie went wide eyed; her mouth falling open while Yuffie bit her lip as the pieces fell together, trying not to laugh.
Silver.
Where Rikku's long blonde hair had been had been dyed silver, and had been cut to her shoulders, the bangs falling moodily over her eyes. She looked exactly like . . .
"Riku!" Yuffie called through her laughter, Selphie shaking with silent laughs.
"You like?"
"Are you dressed like him too?" Selphie asked through her laughs.
Rikku nodded, letting go of the cloak material, the grey material fluttering to her sides. Selphie and Yuffie broke into a harder laugh; they would definitely need the camera today. Rikku grinned brightly, striking a pose in her newly acquired outfit. She smiled at her outfit – Lenne had a gift for sewing. Lenne had managed to create a thin, mini skirt; showing off the majority of her legs to onlookers, and a yellow top, complete with the black X on the front. Rikku loved the shirt . . . it was strapless – a band sewed into the material, keeping the shirt on her figure – and ended a few inches above her navel. To complete her outfit she wore black fingerless gloves and a pair of blue eyes heels that tied up her calves.
"I feel sorry for Sora," Selphie said through her laughs. "He's going to have a heart attack."
"What made you do this?" Yuffie asked as Rikku closed the cloak across her outfit. "A cross dressing Riku . . . I'm glad you didn't tell us yesterday."
"You guys helped me," Rikku said, sitting beside Selphie. "When you were rattling off who you were going to prank . . . you said Riku, and well, I thought you meant me."
"Your blondeness paid off for once," Rikku shot Selphie a glare. "I want to be there when you prank Sora."
"Keep your walkie-talkie on; we need to stay in touch. I've already got everything set up."
"Already set up? How long have you been here?" Yuffie asked.
"Since seven. I had to find out which one was Sora's locker and get his locker combination – good thing for my co-op in the guidance office, eh? – And I dropped a letter off in his locker 'from Riku'. The letter – well, it isn't a letter – says to meet him outside the cafeteria at lunch . . . I wrote Riku had a surprise for him –"
"It's a surprise all right," Selphie mused.
"Anyways, I will wait in the hallway that leads to the cafeteria – I'm cutting second period so I can get there before him. I need you guys though . . . someone needs to tell me when Sora's coming. I don't want to miss him! The other needs to come with me, to take the pictures," Rikku paused, letting them understand her words. "Yuffie – it's your camera, so I suppose you should be with me, which leaves you with the lookout duty Selphie. How fast can you get down to the first floor?"
"Spare," Yuffie shrugged.
"Second Floor computer lab," Selphie chirped. "Sora's in my class . . . he usually meets up with Kairi before he comes down."
"Excellent," Rikku nodded, smirking widely. "I get to prank Kairi too!"
Yuffie laughed. "Meet at twelve?"
"Meet at twelve." Rikku confirmed.
---
Rikku looked at her watch, twelve o'clock, and on cue, the school bell rang.
Lunch time.
Rikku held the cloak tight to figure, flipping the hood up to hide her new silver locks, pacing back and forth. She smiled awkwardly as the other students filled the hallway, throwing awkward looks in her direction. Rikku rolled her eyes; they were giving her weird looks, she was only wearing a cloak! They were the ones dressed up as the cliché devils, angels and witches.
Moving her hands around so her one hand held her cloak together, Rikku reached for her walkie-talkie that – due to not having any pockets – had placed in the waistband for her skirt. Grabbing the device, she clicked it on, static filling the speaker.
"Neon, Shuriken, where are you?"
"You're calling us by our undercover names . . . you're serious now," Selphie's voice crackled with a laugh. "Target has ascended to the third floor to rendezvous with Red. Is Shuriken not with you?"
"Not yet," Rikku sighed.
"Okay, over and out; will reply when we descend."
Rikku nodded, hearing Selphie click her walkie-talkie off. "Yuffie, where are you?" Rikku whispered, rocking on her heels.
"Right here," Yuffie's voice sounded from behind Rikku, her voice muffled by a burger. "I had to get food! You need some – you look too thin in that."
Rikku shrugged. "You've never had Yuna's cooking . . . eat that and you don't need anything else. Do you have the camera?"
"Right here," Yuffie said, holding out her arm, the camera swaying from the movement. "I just need to turn it on when Selphie replies."
Rikku nodded, opening up a section in her cloak, pushing out her small yellow walkie-talkie. "Take Selphie's call for me, okay? It's hard to answer and be discrete."
Yuffie nodded, taking the device and clicking it on. Rikku leaned against the wall's edge, listening to Yuffie's side of the conversation.
"Uhuh. I see. Really? Right now? Just two? Okay, I'll tell her," Yuffie clicked it off, smiling at Rikku. "Second Floor and counting."
"Great," Rikku let go of the cloaks' edges, the material naturally fluttering apart. "I can't wait."
"Me either," Yuffie said, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she turned her camera on. The camera whirled, the picture screen lighting up. "Ready."
"Target is approaching." Selphie's voice crackled.
Rikku took a deep breath and undid the cloaks' clasp. The material stayed on her shoulders for mere moments before fluttering to her feet. Yuffie grinned, snapping a quick picture of Rikku and the stares of those that had been passing by. Now, that was a costume.
Nodding to herself with a large sigh, Rikku stepped out from around the corner, her blue heels clicking against the tiles under her feet. More stares. Rikku grinned. She looked through the crowd; she could see Sora and Kairi's head, Selphie's curly hair bouncing a few feet behind them.
Another flash from Yuffie's camera as she got into position to capture Sora and Kairi's reactions.
"Hey Sora! Kairi!" Rikku called out, waving her hand rapidly over her head.
"That's not very Riku like." Yuffie said shaking her head.
Rikku coughed. "I mean, over here guys."
Sora and Kairi looked up from their conversation to look at who called them. Sora and Kairi stopped dead as they saw Rik(k)u. Kairi blinked at what she saw in front of her . . . was that Riku? That was the news Riku wanted to share with them . . . it was definitely a surprise. Sora's response was hilarious, Yuffie holding back a laughter as the camera's flash came to life again. Sora's eyes were wide, his mouth open . . . his hands staring at something Riku shouldn't have, his binder having fallen to the ground.
"Hey Sora, Kairi, did I miss anything?"
". . . no, not much," Sora said slowly. "Did we miss anything?"
Rikku shrugged. "Nope!"
"Okay . . ."
"What's for lunch, I'm hungry."
Selphie straightened suddenly in her laughter, paling slightly. Yuffie caught Selphie's actions from over Kairi's unbelieving head, her eyebrows raised. Selphie shook her head, pointing behind them. Yuffie paused in mid click, looking over her shoulder at what caught her off guard. Yuffie's mind went blank as she saw him stalking across the hallway, making a beeline for the three standing in the hall. Yuffie swore in her mind – curse it, there wasn't as many people in the hallway like there had been before hand . . . why now?!
"Hey, Riku," Yuffie hissed, wandering over to Rikku's side, draping an arm around Rikku's shoulders. "I think we should go – now."
"Now?"
Kairi smirked slightly, looking past Yuffie to the silver haired male coming in their direction. "Hey Riku."
"Hi," Rikku replied, casting a weird look at Kairi over Yuffie's head. "I thought we already did this."
Kairi shook her head, pointing past Rikku. "Look over there, Rikkkkku."
Rikku shrugged, looking over her shoulder to see what Kairi saw. Rikku paled at what was coming down the hall. "Shoot," Rikku muttered under her breath, her eyes rolling. "Why now? I thought you said he'd be back later today."
Yuffie shrugged, letting go of Rikku and backing away. "Abandon ship, you're going down."
Rikku glared at her as she walked away. The footsteps got louder behind them as they slowed down. "Sora . . . Kairi . . . Rikku."
Rikku laughed awkwardly, turning around slightly. "RIKU!" she shouted in disbelief. "You're back early; do you like my Halloween costume? And here I was thinking I wouldn't get to show you."
Riku rolled his eyes as the once blonde haired girl ran at him, locking him in a hug. "Tell Selphie and Yuffie to come out – you're not very good hiders, girls!"
Yuffie peeked out from the doorway she was hiding in, while Selphie peeked out from the stairway. Rikku sighed, letting her arms drop from Riku's side. "Okay, so you caught me," Rikku shrugged, whirling around to face Sora and Kairi. Clasping her hands behind her back, she waltzed up to Sora, and placing one hand on her waist she poked Sora's nose.
"Sora, you're strange – how could you think Riku got a . . . well; that he could ever look like me?" Rikku shook her head, smiling at Kairi. "You're not too bad girl, you saw through it."
Kairi nodded. "You're not muscular enough for Riku."
Rikku shrugged. "Hey, I tried. What're you guys dressed up as? Yourselves . . .? How scary."
Kairi shrugged. "Rikku – you're eighteen. You're a bit old for dress-up, aren't you?" Kairi rolled her eyes, grabbing Sora's arm. "Come on Sora, I'm hungry. We need lunch."
Rikku rolled her eyes as Kairi past her, flicking her hair over her shoulder. Rikku grumbled under her breath, she and Kairi never got along; leave it to her to ruin the fun! Yuffie cast Selphie a look, who rolled her eyes; they didn't get along with Kairi that well either. Rikku sighed loudly, and reaching into her glove, pulled out her hair elastic. Holding onto the small circle were her teeth, she scooped up her silver hair.
"Sorry Riku, you might hear some weird rumors now," Rikku mumbled, her voice muffled by the elastic. "We got some good photos though."
Riku laughed, reaching hand out and grasping Rikku's hand. "Let's just call it even – I want a copy of those photos."
Rikku grinned wildly, tightening the hair elastic. "You drive a good bargain, Riku. The pictures will be here tomorrow."
Riku nodded, turning on his heel to start after his two friends. At the curve in the hallway, Riku paused, looking over his shoulder. "Oh and Rikku – please change your clothes."
Rikku nodded with a laugh as Riku turned the corner and out of view. Rikku cast a glance over at Yuffie and Selphie, a smirk gracing her features. "Nah,"
Yuffie shook her head. "So, onto Xemnas, Selphie?"
"Yeah Selphie, what's on the menu for Xemy?"
Selphie frowned at Rikku. "I already did it – between first and second period. You should have seen it, it was hilarious."
". . . and?" Rikku pressed.
"I gave him what he wanted . . . rejection!"
Rikku and Yuffie cast each other a look, their eyebrows raised. Selphie pointed down to her outfit – a light tan cowboy hat sat on her head, a matching pair of boots on her feet and she wore a dress of the same colour that reached her knees, the straps of the dress similar to that of her bright yellow dress. "Well, I went up to him, told him I was serious about what I said yesterday that I did like him. He believed it." Selphie scoffed, rolling her eyes.
". . . and then what?" Yuffie mumbled, waving her hand for him to continue.
Selphie shrugged. "And nothing."
Rikku and Yuffie let out a collective sigh – Selphie was . . .
"You're dumb, you know that, right?" Rikku blurted out, dancing out of Selphie's reach as the brunette lunged at her.
---
Leon sighed as he opened his car door, tossing his backpack onto the passenger seat. He ran a hand over his face as he sat down in the drivers' seat, finally school was over. Not that he minded . . . but he hated Halloween with a passion. It was just another stupid day to excuse the antics of the younger grades as they act immature. His plan for tonight? Turn the lights off, close the blinds and go to bed early. He'd do his homework in the morning, that'd be a good plan. He was an early riser anyways. Shaking his head, he started the car up, the engine revving loudly as he pulled out of the parking lot, drumming on the steering wheel as he waited for a break in the traffic.
Yuffie smirked from her position behind the drivers' seat as she heard Leon drum his fingers against the steering wheel in impatience. Her plan was too wait till he got closer to his house – his street was always deserted this time of day – before scaring him senseless. In her bandaged covered hand, she held a small device, and when pointed at the cars' radio, ragged breathing would come out of his surround sound system. Yuffie made a mental note to get Zexion a better Christmas present this year – that guy was a genius with car stuff.
Yuffie felt the engine rev again as Leon turned another corner quickly, almost dislodging her from her current position. Yuffie braced herself – she was glad that she had dropped her bag off at Aeris' flower shop. Yuffie resisted the urge to hum to herself as she tried to pass the time, her leg muscles straining under her weight – she had been hiding here for a whole ten minutes before school ended.
Yuffie was so into her thoughts, that she didn't feel a slight dip in the pavement as Leon drove head first into his driveway. Yuffie's head shot up, and pointing her compact remote towards the radio, pressed the button Zexion had told her at least ten times to press.
The radio came to life, whirling away.
Leon looked over at it, his eyebrows raised.
The button turned red, the CD spinning.
Then it started;
The chinks of chains, the sounds of ghosts and werewolves, followed by the sound of a creaking door
Yuffie bit her lip, she wished she had someone to take a picture of Leon's face – she'd love to see him in a state of panic for once.
Creak, Yuffie heard the drivers' door open, followed by a; Slam!
Yuffie let out a small laugh, Leon had been so freaked out he ran away from his own car. That was priceless – just wait till Selphie and Rikku found out tomorrow!
The door opened again.
A shadow fell across Yuffie.
Yuffie froze, slowly turning her head to look up.
Leon – looking calm – looked down at Yuffie, a frown appearing on his face as he glared down at her.
Yuffie laughed awkwardly. "Awoooo!"
Leon just looked at her. "Hello Yuffie."
"Yuffie's not in – it's the White Knight!"
"Whatever." Leon shrugged, beckoning to her to get out of the backseat.
"Did I scare you?" Yuffie asked, climbing out of the backseat, her bandages drooping slightly.
Leon shook his head. "Better luck next year."
---
A/N: Yeah, Halloween's wayyyy over but oh well! I found this on my computer a few days ago, ha ha.