Happy Halloween Ib fans~

Why did I think this was a good idea?

Ib frowned ever so slightly at her reflection in the mirror.

Why had she chosen this particular Halloween costume? It certainly wasn't for lack of choices. The party store that her mother had taken her to earlier that day had been bursting with all sorts of superheroes, princess, fairies, vampires, and even some other costumes that made her uneasy to look at. She could have picked anything she wanted (within reason). So why did she have this? It wasn't even really a costume, for goodness sake. Or at the very least not one that most people would understand. She certainly looked different from her everyday self, that much was true. But she didn't particularly look magical or interesting or scary, or even cute. Weren't Halloween costume supposed to be at least one of the above?

Ib sighed and frowned more deeply. Despite all her misgivings about the outfit's merits as a proper Halloween costume, it certainly did bear a rather striking resemblance to what it had been inspired by. The only problem was her eyes. Her crimson irises made the reflection in the mirror more eerie than it really should be. But then again, maybe my opinion is just biased, Ib thought grimly.

She spun around elegantly and the dress swirled around her legs. When was the last time she wore a dress? She wore a skirt almost every day, but it had been some time since she last wore a dress, and something about it seemed to feel distinctly different. Shrugging the feeling off Ib turned from the mirror, finally ungluing her gaze from its image. It was too late for her to get a new costume now, anyways. Garry would be here soon.

Mustering up some much needed courage, Ib ventured from her room in the kitchen. Her stomach was filled with flittering butterflies and a nervousness that she knew was stemmed from the nature of her outfit. What would Garry think of it? He hadn't been able to come with her when she picked it out (she had wanted him to, but he had to work until late because it was a Wednesday, not a weekend), so he hadn't seen it as of yet. Ib highly doubted she would have bought this at all if he had been with her. She would have glanced at it, gotten maybe a tiny idea, and then Garry would say something silly about one of the costumes and the idea would have completely slipped her mind, forgotten like it should be. Why had she let herself entertain the idea at all? It was awful, truly awful, and what would Garry think when he saw it?

Surely he'd say- "You look cute."

Ib turns slightly to face her father, face flushed almost as red as her eyes. She tried for a little smile.

"Thanks, Dad. Do you really think so?" Ib says. She doesn't think the costume is cute. Not at all. Oh why did she have to do this to herself?

"Of course." And then he smiles and goes back to sipping at his after-dinner coffee.

"You just be careful out there," he adds, almost like an afterthought.

Ib hides a small smile, this one more genuine. She lives in a very safe neighborhood, not the type where children, even ones wandering around after dark, have anything to fear. But Ib knows what really bothers her father, and that's Garry. She doesn't blame him, really. Garry is so much older than her, bigger and stronger too. At first her parents didn't trust him at all, but it was especially evident at times like this (where dad almost forgot that he was supposed to mistrust Garry) that he was beginning to work his way into her parent's light of approval.

"I will, and Garry won't let anything happen to me."

Her father sighs and Ib has to hide a rather triumphant smile.

At that moment there is a knock on the door, and Ib rushes to answer it, a grin spreading across her face. . .

/

Garry had to admit that his costume wasn't exactly all the creative. Or really much of a costume. But hey, when you live on a budget the way he does, you don't have the extra money to spend on expensive costumes made out of cheap fabric that you will only wear once. So instead you end up with a pair of black cat ears and a tail, looking a lot like your usual self except a bit sillier.

In the end though, Garry was happy to be going trick-or-treating with Ib. When the ten-year-old had told him that she hadn't gone out on Halloween since she was six Garry had decided that he had to intervene. School night or not, Ib had a child's right to trick-or-treating, and nothing was going to take that away from her! Not as long as he was around, at least!

Grinning slightly at the idea of the usually stoic Ib dressed up as some fairy princess, Garry knocked on the pristine wooden door to her family's house. He'd been here quite a few times, as Ib's parents had completely refused to let their first few "play dates" be held anywhere but right under their watchful eyes.

After a moment of waiting the door swung open, and what Garry saw almost made his heart sop.

Mary. Mary?

No, wait, Ib dressed as Mary.

Ib frowned slightly at Garry's reaction, eyes traveling down to the floor. Really, other than her downcast expression and crimson irises the likeness was eerily uncanny. . .

"I knew you wouldn't like it."

It was a stupid thing to say, and Ib knew it. Of course Garry wouldn't like it; Ib didn't like it much herself. But he didn't have to seem so. . .

"No, you look very scary," Garry says jokingly, a smile lighting his face again. "In fact, I couldn't possibly think of anything scarier."

Ib looks back up at Garry, happy to have the tense situation broken. Thank you, the look in her eyes says.

"Well, let's get going then! We want to hit as many houses as we can!" Garry proclaims, and then takes Ib's hand. In the other she clutches an orange pumpkin pale that flaps in the wind as Garry spirits her away into the Halloween night.