A/N: Okay, somebody said that Calvin and Hobbes getting older ruined the entire point, but the problem with them just being six of seven is that that means that there are many, many things I cannot do. I cannot set Calvin and Susie up on a (blind) date, I cannot introduce Calvin to Linus Van Pelt, I cannot have Hobbes hit puberty and alter his proportions to more closely resemble human ones (The Weirdness Censors would eventually be forced to "humanize" him, which he would consider a personal insult; is this even a good idea?). So here's what I think. Golden Keyblade just said he didn't want Calvin and Hobbes in college, so what if I ended the story with Calvin graduating high school?

As you might have figured out, I'm sort of winging this. As such, ideas about future chapters would be awesome. I'm still iffy about having Hobbes "humanized". While I'm waiting for you amazing people to tell me what you think, here's another chapter set in the same general time period. Nobody sees Hobbes in this chapter, but Susie is slightly shaken.

"Trick or treat!"

"Oh, hello," said the lady at the door, reaching into her bowl of candy and putting a handful of sweets into the kid on her left's bag. "What are you two dressed as?"

"I'm a tiger!" said the tiger.

The lady chuckled. "I can see that." She turned to the other child, who was just dressed in ordinary street clothes. "And... um... what are you supposed to be?"

The child, obviously reciting a practiced line, said, "I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Madison Avenue and Hollywood, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak!"

The lady stared. She wasn't sure what creeped her out more; the vocabulary of this seven-year-old, or the fact that she now saw young children in a completely new and scary light. Grabbing a handful of candy, she dumped it into the kid's bag and hastily closed the door.

"Am I scary, or what?" said Calvin, turning to Hobbes.

"Absolutely terrifying. I love Halloween. Everybody sees me as more than an inanimate object, because they assume I'm just wearing the best costume ever."

"When in reality, I am!" They were back on the sidewalk by now.

"No. You decided to go as the exact same thing you were last year. You didn't even reword the line. The best costume is... hmmm... her's."

Calvin looked over to where Hobbes was pointing. "Really?! All the costumes around and you go with Susie's? She's... What is she?"

"I have no idea. Let's go ask."

"No."

"Yes," said Hobbes, walking towards her, followed by a reluctant Calvin. "Hi, Susie. What are you dressed as?"

Susie looked at Hobbes, confused. "Um, do I know you?"

Hobbes saw an opportunity, and took it. "No, not directly, but Calvin's told me all about you. Isn't that right, Calvin?"

The look Calvin gave him clearly said I hate you. "Um, yeah, I guess. Sure. So what are you dressed as, anyway?"

Susie looked down at her costume. "A reporter. And you?"

"He," Hobbes said, before Calvin could say anything, "is Calvin. Terrifying, right?"

"Ha! Absolutely. But, um, I don't think you've told me your name."

"Oh! Right. I'm Hobbes." He extended a paw/hand to shake.

"What? I'm being serious."

"So am I. Hobbes."

Susie examined the tiger's face. Holy Moley, that makeup job was great. If she didn't know better, she'd think that he was an actual, bipedal tiger. There were even sharp teeth! "O...kay... nice to meet you, 'Hobbes.' Now, I have to go. Mom wanted me back home by eight, and I want to get as much candy as possible." With that, she pushed Calvin out of the way ("Hey!") and started down the sidewalk.

"Okay, really," she said, turning around. "There is no way your name is Hobbes. That's the name of Calvin's stuffed tiger. Who are you, really?"

Hobbes smirked. One ear twitched.

Susie, taken aback by what was unquestionably a fake ear twitching like a real one, hastily said, "Never mind," turned, and walked away. Somewhat faster than she usually would have. That was...odd. But possible. Completely so. A skilled makeup artist could definitely create cat ears that could do that. Absolutely.

"Hey," said Hobbes, watching Susie go, "I think I shook her."

"Good for you," said Calvin, turning. "Now come on. My bag's only half full, and I want it to be overflowing before the night gets out."

Okay, technically everyone sees Hobbes in this chapter, but no one acknowledges that he's anything more than a kid in a costume.