Devils in Disguise
"Halloween was pretty great back in Philly, cuz of all the free candy and junk food!" Roxy declared, as she leaned in close to the mirror to fix a smudge in her eyeliner. "Me and the Red Aces got some extra costumes so we could go to the same houses TWICE in disguise! Pretty smart, huh?"
"Yeah!" Stormer chirped.
"Pssh. She's a regular Einstein, she is," Jetta scoffed, pushing in front of Stormer to secure a section of mirror for herself.
Pizzazz elbowed Roxy out of the way and checked her own makeup, strikingly different than the vibrant pink and purple she usually wore.
Stormer stood aside in her robe and admired the four costumes that hung on the garment rack nearby. "These costumes are amazing! No one will ever expect—"
"Precisely," interrupted Pizzazz with a catlike grin.
"You did WHAT?" thundered Jerrica.
"Well, I only invited Stormer…" Kimber said emphatically.
Jerrica began pacing around the TV room. "Tell me again what she said."
"She said, 'We'll be there!'"
"WE, Kimber! 'We' means the Misfits! All of them!"
Shana sank into the sofa worriedly. "Our Halloween Shindig is as good as ruined."
"Oh no," added Raya, looking equally concerned.
Aja looked thoughtful. A grin crept across her face. "It's not ruined yet. Not if we're prepared for them."
"Prepared?" Raya asked. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I guess YOU spent Halloween at Buckingham Palace or whatever!" Roxy said with a laugh. She nudged Jetta aside and started removing the hot rollers from her hair. White spiral curls tumbled down, one by one.
"'Alloween was always one of me favorites," Jetta said. "Me mum would 'elp me make the scariest costumes, and I'd frighten all the kids at school…"
"Not very hard if you ask me!" Roxy snapped. "You coulda done that without a costume!"
Jetta spun on her heel, waving a hot curling iron at Roxy. "I 'ave 'alf a mind to shove this up your-!"
"What about you, Pizzazz?" Stormer interrupted. "What did you do on Halloween when you were little?"
"Well, trick–or-treating was the best in this neighborhood. None of that 'fun sized' candy bar crap. They gave out the full sized ones!"
Roxy's eyes grew as big as saucers. "Ooh."
Pizzazz's expression softened in an almost unreadable way. "There was one year when Daddy took me..."
Stormer smiled softly as she waited patiently for her turn to use the mirror. "That must've been nice."
Pizzazz wheeled around sharply. "Stormer! Your makeup's not done, and you haven't even started your hair!"
"But—"
"Get over here!"
As the Starlight Girls decorated the mansion with cobwebs and paper streamers, the Holograms prepared for the Misfits' arrival.
"Now, the first place they'll think of to start trouble is at the gate," Aja stated.
"We've hired an extra security guard to make sure that doesn't happen!" Shana announced.
"And we gave them pictures of the Misfits' van so they can make sure they don't try something funny," added Raya.
Aja continued. "Next, the front door—"
"Isn't this going a bit far?!" interrupted Kimber.
"No!" Jerrica said. "Look at the Misfits' track record for trying to ruin everything we do."
Kimber shrugged. "I guess."
As Aja and Jerrica continued the walkthrough of Starlight Mansion, pinpointing zones where the Misfits were likely to cause mischief, Kimber skirted away to use the phone.
Pizzazz shoved Stormer into a chair and Roxy started powdering her face with near-violent urgency. Jetta attacked Stormer's hair with the curling iron.
"We have to be there in under an hour!" Pizzazz shouted, as she moved to the garment rack and found her costume.
Stormer sneezed from all the powder.
"You've been awful quiet, ducky," Jetta said.
"Yeah. What did YOU do on Halloween as a kid?" Roxy asked.
Stormer smiled. "My brother would take me trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. I remember one year when Craig dressed up all serious as a policeman, and I was a daisy. He was so embarrassed. Then I lost a tooth on a Bit-O-Honey and I almost ruined Halloween. We still laugh about it to this day."
Pizzazz's maid, Matilda, interrupted the hair and makeup session. "Phone call for Stormer," she barked.
Kimber twirled the phone cord between her fingers nervously. "Hey, Stormer?"
"Kimber, hi!"
"Listen. The other Holograms aren't taking it well that I invited Misfits to the Halloween Shindig."
"What are you saying? We-we can't come?"
"That's not what I'm saying. I just need you guys to be… on your best behavior."
Stormer's voice took on a devious tone. "We wouldn't dream of being anything else."
"Why don't I believe you?"
Stormer hung up, leaving Kimber listening to the dial tone.
Meanwhile, in Starlight Mansion, hysteria over the Misfits' arrival continued to escalate.
"Ba Nee will be stationed at the top of the stairs with her water pistol, covering the main entrance and foyer," barked Aja with military precision.
"I'll be near the buffet table and I'll use my walkie talkie to communicate with Jem," Shana said.
"I'll do the same near the pool and patio," Raya added.
"I'll stay close to the Misfits with my walkie," stated Aja.
Jerrica nodded. "Jem will be listening for any issues in other parts of the mansion. In case of emergency, Jem can contact Synergy for reinforcements!"
"I think we've got this covered!" Shana said.
"There's one more thing to consider," Jerrica said thoughtfully. "Come on!"
The Holograms followed Jerrica, and passed through the holographic wall. They all turned to face Synergy.
"Synergy, we need some intimidating Halloween costumes!" Jerrica announced.
"As you wish, Jerrica."
It was 8:30 PM, and Jem couldn't be more nervous. At any minute, the Misfits would be showing up and trying to ruin the Shindig! Jem paced past a mirror and examined her reflection. Synergy had chosen the perfect costume for her. It may not have been glamorous and glittery, but Jem looked intimidating as a tough-as-nails cop!
Other costumed guests began to arrive, and Starlight Mansion was soon filled with lively conversation, but Shana and Raya were so worried they could barely enjoy themselves.
"Testing, one… two…" said Raya into her walkie. Only her eyes peeked out from her all-black ninja outfit.
"Roger that," answered Shana. "You're coming through loud and clear." She clomped over to the refreshments table in her clunky firefighter's costume.
Kimber sighed from behind her Batman cowl. "I hope we're not overreacting. Stormer said they'd be on their best behavior."
"Stormer spoke for herself. It's the others I'm worried about!" Aja responded. She looked more intimidating than anyone, dressed as an Army sergeant in head-to-toe camouflage.
Suddenly, the security guard alerted Jem's walkie talkie that the Misfits van had entered the gates.
Jem sprang into action. "Everyone: prepare! Ba Nee?"
"Ready!" shouted the girl excitedly, and took her place at the top of the stairs.
The doorbell rang. The Holograms crowded around as Jem flung the door open to reveal…
A white light. The Misfits stood in the doorway, the headlights of their van strategically bathing them. Their white gossamer gowns seemed to float on air. Soft, pearly makeup replaced the hard, aggressive look they usually sported, and their hair hung in loose curls. Each Misfit wore a pair of soft, feathery wings and a gold halo atop her head.
"Hello, Jem; Holograms," Pizzazz purred.
Jem and the Holograms stood agape as the four Misfits greeted them politely and filed into the party.
"Outrageous," Kimber whispered.
"What a smashing success!" cried Jetta as the Misfits' van sped home.
"We were perfect angels!" crooned Pizzazz.
"Who knew being so good would make Jem and the Jerks so upset!?" Roxy laughed.
"Maybe… maybe we should do it more often!" offered Stormer. Then she ducked as three halos were thrown in her direction. "Or… maybe not."
The End!
A special thanks to KJEM Radio for selecting "Devils in Disguise" as their 2012 Halloween Fanfic Winner!
Tune in to KJEM here: . ?masterId=93860&cmd=tc
HUGE thanks goes to Zeroninety for being an amazing beta reader!