Serah watched Lightning as she silently read a book while sitting on her bed. She wanted to ask her sister something, but hadn't got the nerve to do it yet.
"I know you're out there, Serah."
Serah sighed, walking into the doorway of the room.
"What do you want?"
"Well…"
"Spit it out, I don't have all day you know."
"It's just that it's Halloween, and I want you to celebrate it with the rest of us this year."
Lightning dropped the book she was reading onto her bed.
"You want me to celebrate Halloween? That's completely idiotic. I'm not gonna do that."
"But, Light-"
"No buts. I'm twenty-one years old, I'm far to old to be celebrating something so childish."
"It's not childish!"
"Really? It's not? Pfft! It's the day when kids dress up and go around asking for candy. It's very childish."
By this time, Lightning was standing in front of her sister, trying to get Serah to move.
"It is not!"
"Stop being so whiny! I'm going to take a shower! Now get out of my way!"
With her last statement, she pushed Serah from her doorway, and headed to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
"I'm not going to talk about this, Serah."
Serah heard her sister as she opened the door and sat down on the toilet seat.
"I just want us to have some fun is all…"
"It doesn't sound fun."
"That's because you're being stubborn!"
"No! I just don't want to go dress up like an idiot for no reason!"
"So! You played dress up!"
"Serah! I was a little kid! I'm grown now, there's a difference!"
"…obviously." Lightning heard her little sister mumbled as she opened and slammed the bathroom door.
Lightning lied on top of her bed, reading her book.
'At least she finally stopped bothering me…'
Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, Serah appeared in her doorway wearing her pjamas.
'Guess I spoke too soon…'
"What?" Lightning's voice sounded cold and heartless.
"I… Please do this tonight. For me."
"No. I already told you. Anyways, Halloween is pointless."
"It's not pointless! It's the one night you can be someone else!"
Lightning went silent.
'Be someone else…
There had been a time when a young Claire Farron had wanted to be someone else. Someone who was not a fearful child, but a strong fearless leader that could do everything for her sister.
But it was not Halloween. It became her life. And to Serah that marked the day when Claire became Lightning, and her sister had never been the same.
Lightning said nothing, but she jumped up from her bed, and charged through the doorway pushing Serah aside.
"What are you…"
Serah was cut off by the slamming of her closet.
She heard a few ruffles inside, and within ten minutes her sister reemerged.
Lightning wore a pair of tan converse, black stockings, a plaid skirt, a white sleeveless shirt, and a white sweeper over it all. Serah's favorite outfit.
She completed this when she pulled on Serah's many necklaces, and pulled her hair into Serah's signature side ponytail.
"There, you wanted me to dress up. I'll be you."
Serah glared at her as she talked.
"I'm Serah, I have the perfect boyfriend, I'm going to Eden University, and I don't have to WORRY ABOUT A FREAKING THING EVER."
Lightning was screaming in rage by the end of her sentence.
Serah felt the hatred rising up in her, "Shut up! You're such an asshole, Lightning!"
Lightning felt her sister push her to the side, and run into her closet.
Serah loudly slammed the door.
In a half hour, Serah still hadn't opened the door, and Lightning was slightly worried, but fully annoyed.
Lightning took a screwdriver and unlocked the door, letting herself into the closet.
She saw her sister standing there in her boots, miniskirt, and sweater.
She had to try her hardest not to laugh.
Serah had Lightning's vest on, but couldn't understand how the clasps worked.
Lightning rolled her eyes, and pushed her sister's hands aside, and snapped it up in just a few seconds.
"There."
"This doesn't mean that you're not an asshole."
"And it doesn't mean you're not an annoying little brat."
Lightning turned on her heels and left the closet.
Serah felt the anger rise in her again.
She ran out of the closet flailing her arms and yelling.
"Look at me, I'm Lightning! I think I'm perfect in every way, I don't need anyone! I don't even need my little sister! She's just an annoying bra-"
Serah was shocked when Light had turned around and ran at her, pinning her to the wall.
"You little… How could you say that? How? You think that I think I'm perfect? And that I don't need you?"
Serah flailed in her sister's strong grip.
Lightning sighed, dropping her sister on the floor.
"You know, Serah… You can really be a bitch sometimes."
And with that Lightning slammed her door.
And Serah started to cry.
She didn't know how long she'd been crying when she sat on the edge of her bed, and heard the door open.
She turned away, not wanting to see her sister.
"Serah…?"
"Go away! I hate you!"
"No you don't. Don't talk like that."
Serah felt her warm hand on her shoulder. It reminded her of how she had felt Lightning's warmth when she had put on the soldier's clothes.
Serah quickly moved her shoulder, letting the hand drop.
Serah felt the slightly larger form sit down beside her.
Lightning watched as her sister stayed silent.
"Here. If you're going to be me, you'll need it."
Serah looked back at her sister who held her BlazeEdge and its holster in her hand.
Lightning smiled, "Come on now, stand up."
Serah reluctantly complied and stood while Lightning squatted down connecting the holster to her waist.
"There you go. Now you really are Lightning."
Serah knew that this was Lightning's way of apologizing, and wanted to give her a shot.
"Arg, gosh Light, it's frickin heavy."
"Eh, you get used to it."
The doorbell of their apartment rang.
Serah wrapped an arm around her sister's waist and said, "Come on."
As they walked through the hallway Serah spoke.
"You're top is kinda tight on me, Light."
Lightning snickered, "It's because you've got big boobs."
Serah felt the blood rush to her face, and Lightning just laughed.
Serah opened the door and Snow Villers took a step into their apartment.
He was dressed as caveman.
Lightning let out a muffled, "that's fitting…"
Snow ran over to Lightning, hugging her.
"There's my girl!"
Lightning's eyes widened as he leaned in for a kiss, and felt his ape like hand on her breast.
"You idiot!"
Lightning used all of her strength to land a blow to the side of his face.
He fell to the ground with a thud, and slowly opened his eyes.
"…ow…"
He saw Serah lean over him, "That's what you get for trying to cop a feel on my older sister."
Snow stood up, looking back and forth at the two sisters.
"Ooooh, so you're Serah and you're Light… you switched… Seriously, you guys could be twins."
"We look nothing alike, Snow. That just goes to show how much you really know Serah."
"Lig-" Serah was interrupted by the doorbell ringing again.
Snow opened the door, and there Vanille and Fang stood.
"Hey guys!" Vanille wore a cute pirate costume, and ran over hugging Lightning.
"I love you're costume, Light! You look just like Serah!"
Fang slowly entered the door, she wore a witch costume, that the skirt of it flared out after almost immediately passing her waist.
Lightning suppressed a laugh, "Um… Fang…"
"I didn't pick it out! Vanille made me wear it!"
"Yes, and you look adorable, now stop complaining!"
Serah hugged Fang, "Don't sweat it, you look cute."
"I still don't see how you and Lightning can be related…" Fang mumbled.
Sazh and Hope appeared next.
Sazh had come as disco dancer, and Hope as Batman.
"Hey, where'd you get that ridiculous outfit, Sazh?"
"In my closet."
The room erupted in laughter.
Lightning sat away from the group when Hope came over and pulled his mask off.
"Hey Light, I brought something for you," as he produced a small box from behind his back.
Lightning curiously took the box, and opened it. Inside she found her favorite candies which were globs of caramel coated with chocolate. Lightning or not, Claire Farron had always had a sweet tooth.
"Thank you Hope!" she said as she popped on of them in her mouth.
Lightning leaned down at planted a kiss on his cheek as she walked away.
Hope just stood there in utter embarrassment.
Serah felt the comforting warmth of her sister as she lied in the bed beside her.
"Lightning?" She said without turning over.
"Yeah?" Lightning moved closer, their backs touching.
"Why did you dress up as me?"
"Why? You want the truth?"
"Of course I do."
"I did it because I didn't have another person I wanted to be. You said Halloween was for being someone else, yet, I didn't want to be anyone else. I am perfectly content to stay here as Lightning, and take care of you. Because other than that, my life has no purpose."
The sisters rolled over facing each other.
Serah reached out her hand, "You've gotta little something there." As she wiped a mark of stray chocolate off her sister's face.
Lightning smiled as Serah came closer and rested herself on her chest.
She combed her hair, and kissed her head.
"Night, Serah."
"Night, Claire."
Lightning thought about protesting the use of her real name, but by the time she had made the decision, Serah was already fast asleep.
Lightning sighed, and closed her eyes.
-FIN-