I woke in a strange bed dressed in my clothing from the previous day. With consciousness came remembrance. Someone had transported me from the room with the lovely-smelling candles to my new bedroom. On the bed was a black and white maid's outfit which, thankfully, had a long skirt. It wasn't one of those skimpy French maid outfits.

I momentarily contemplated wearing my clothes from yesterday, but decided it would be fun to dress up in something I didn't wear every day…or at all, even if it was a maid's outfit. Oh, how my friends in the States would have loved to get a picture of me dressed in this to give to any future boyfriends of mine. Fortunately, they weren't here so I didn't have to worry about incriminating pictures.

I was smoothing down the wrinkles when a blonde head poked through my door.

"Finally, you're awake," Kirimi cheered as she ran over to me and disappeared in the folds of my skirt when she hugged my leg.

"Excuse me for not waking up in the indecent hours of the morning before eleven," I snorted, picking her up.

"Your breath stinks," the blonde midget complained.

I used my Jack Sparrow pirate accent. "It's called morning breath, luv."

"Eew!" She squirmed free of my grasp and took off running when her feet hit the wooden flooring. I chuckled to myself because my foul morning breath was my secret weapon if some unfortunate soul decided I needed to wake up when I didn't want to. My flawless plan was to act as if I were in deep slumber when the person shook me until I suddenly blew a blast of rotten breath at them. It allowed five minutes of extra sleep before the person decided upon another tactic; usually it involved a bright light such as throwing open curtains or switching on a light.

I hated it at night or in the morning when I was trying to sleep and there was a glimmer of light visible. That glimmer would drive me crazy unless I got rid of it. For sleeping, certain requirements needed to be fulfilled—one of them was complete, utter darkness.

Of course, complete, utter darkness is only found under mountains at night so I guess that's how I developed insomnia.

"Tee hee hee," a small girlish voice giggled.

"Ah ha!" I roared, suddenly spinning around to face the door with my finger pointing at Kirimi. "I found you! You lose and now you're It, midget."

"I'm not a midget," the adorable thing protested, "and that's Miss Kirimi to you now. You're in uniform."

"Screw the rules," I muttered under my breath in English before telling my tiny mistress in Japanese. "I'm going to get some chow before playing, okay? Then I have to clean and study."

"Onii-san is studying too," Kirimi said sadly, glancing hopefully at corners for a peek of her elder brother. "Is there a test?"

I nodded. "The mock exams. Eh, which way is the kitchen? I'm so lost in this huge house, I mean, mansion-place-castle-thing..." Kirimi led me to the kitchen which was empty because it was no longer lunch. I told Kirimi to go bother her brother while I ate, but she stuck to me like glue.

It was going to be a long day and an even longer weekend.

Exams were going to be tough.

But my extra-special plan was going to be even tougher.

The plan to help save the Black Magic Club.

O-o-O-o-O

"Well that was bogus," I huffed in English after the exams had been collected. "All that studying and it was easier than I'd expected…almost a disappointment really." Everyone split into their own special group while I sat alone in my desk, until the class president identified himself. I went to confront him.

"Do you think I could skip out the class event to help the Host Club?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Go ahead."

"Arigatou gozaimasu," I grinned. One down and one to go; this was easy, almost too easy, but then again, I was good at getting what I wanted. I did what I was told and asked few favors so I was usually granted these favors. Kyouya was right—I was an excellent manipulator. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not but I didn't dwell on it.

I hid in my old home, the third chemistry lab, to change into my disguise before heading to the main office. I entered the office nervously and was spotted immediately in my bizarre attire.

"Ah, Umehito Nekozawa," the snooty secretary said politely. "May I inquire as to your unusual visit?"

Psh, the witch was never this polite when ever I came into the office, I thought bitterly. Instead, I kept the disguise going. If this worked, it would save the Black Magic Club from being disbanded. "Fufufufufu," I chuckled in his whispery voice. Being his maid allowed me to hear his voice more than I would have liked because usually it meant orders. "I have a special…surprise for Halloween this year."

She arched her eyebrows. "Nekozawa, your club is running out of options. This 'surprise' better be very successful or else your club's expiration date might be moved to Christmas." Oh boy, no pressure.

"I assure you it will be quite fruitful," I told the secretary as my Bereznoff doll nodded. "I would like to reserve the central ballroom on this date." I set my finger on a date on a calendar which was taped to the desk. The secretary dutifully recorded this on her computer.

"Whose name would you like this to be under?"

"Mine."

"Time period?"

"Just that night," I told her in Nekozawa's voice, "from eight to eleven at night, but no one is allowed to enter it from today until then or else a terrible curse shall befall them."

"Alright, it's yours." My lips curled into a creepy imitation of Nekozawa's smile.

O-o-O-o-O

"Kyouya."

The grim reaper raised his hood and I saw myself reflected in his glasses from the depths of the hood. "Kyouya-sempai, I'm going to split my time with the Host Club and the class. My class is doing a special event, but I would like some money to buy my own costume."

"Why not borrow one from the Host Club?"

"You would charge me for renting it and then there is the interest," I told him, glaring. "Not to mention you would make me clean it too."

"Thank you for informing me beforehand." The reaper marked this on his clipboard which was eerily in character as if he were scratching out my name on his hit list. "It can't be helped." I flashed Kyouya a genuinely thankful smile before turning around to change into my costume for Host duties.

It was the second time my lips curled into an imitation of Nekozawa's grin before a smile of eager anticipation replaced it. I couldn't wait to get started! Everything was going according to plan.

Kyouya Ohtori and Artemis Fowl weren't the only geniuses.

So at three o'clock, when school was done for the day and I was given 7,200 yen, I was one happy, paid, devious schemer ready to begin Phase Two of the Plan to save the Black Magic Club. Before I left, I warned Kyouya that tomorrow I would be helping with the class event but that I would be at the Host Club the day after. The Shadow King gave his approval for the arrangement.

It became my new schedule and double life until Friday the 28th: one day at the Host Club, the next working on the Plan, and over again. I enlisted the assistance of Kuretake and Kadomatsu especially on the days I was with the Host Club, but swore them to secrecy and strictly told them not to tell anyone—especially Master Umehito.

O-o-O-o-O

Dark, stylish and catchy gothic-looking posters and bulletins magically appeared everywhere before the lunch period thanks to Kuretake and Kadomatsu's speed and my strategic placement. Everyone saw them—on the classroom doors, on every locker, in the bathrooms, everywhere clusters of students hung out, the flyers were there.

I wandered over to one of them, acting casually curious and observing reactions.

"Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble"!

The Black Magic Club presents to you, student body a ball in the central ballroom on Hallow's Eve from eight o'clock to eleven.

There will be food, beverages, paraphernalia, music, and games including a kissing coffin. Choose the kissing coffin of a slumbering vampire of the opposite sex and be rewarded with the kiss of death. To assure the general audience that our ball is not too frightening, we, the Black Magic Club, hereby invite the student council and the Host Club.

Come with me All Hallow's night

We'll frighten everyone in sight

Such pranks for once, are justified

And fun and frolic amplified

"No way am I going," one student said with a shiver. "Those guys are too spooky for me."

"Those posters are everywhere…"

"Hey, Alexis, are you going to go to this?"

I suddenly found dozens of eyes on me expectantly and my anthropophobia kicked in. My cheeks turned red as my eyes wandered to the ground, sometimes flickering up at the people. My tongue tied itself in a knot as a feeling of uneasiness and awkwardness grew in my throat while my brain began to freeze. I finally found my voice. "I-It seems like a f-fun idea. I mean, w-what else d-do we have to-" My voice suddenly gave out, but I swallowed. "-to do. Why not give it a try?"

I noticed after everyone looked away, murmuring their agreement, that I was shaking; it wasn't noticeable but the shaking was like shivering in the cold. I sighed when everyone began dissipating and the spotlight was no longer on me. I felt slightly drained as if I'd undergone a grueling ordeal and survived relatively unscathed.

The word got out quickly that the American transfer was going to the ball.

I loved how quickly rumor spread its black wings.

"'Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing/ Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before'," I whispered to myself in English, watching more and more people agree to go because I had.

O-o-O-o-O

The Black Magic Club wasn't nearly as pleased.

"What the hell," hissed one of the guys, seething. "Someone has set this up. We can't risk something this big because the student council will definitely shut us down immediately if they don't like what they see!"

"This could be our greatest opportunity so far," Kanazuki Reiko-Hime pointed out. "We should stick through this gamble until the end because the omens bode well."

"Mr. President, how did we get a hold of the main ballroom?" one of the other guys asked.

"I inquired about that and the office secretary said I personally requested the ballroom for Hallow's Eve," Nekozawa frowned. Bereznoff twitched and waved his arms. "Yes, Bereznoff. It appears I have an imposter posing as me."

"Who ever is mocking the Black Magic Club shall be jinxed with my worst curse," Kanazuki said softly and the rest of the Black Magic Club shivered at the ice in the mistress of curse's tone.

"But are they trying to save the Black Magic Club?" the medicine man spoke up suddenly. "There intentions could be either one but we will never find that out unless the culprit is discovered."

"Who is it?" they all murmured.

"Perhaps we should investigate this," one of the males suggested.

"How can we investigate after school when most of the students have gone home? Or find one perpetrator in a haystack of students at Ouran?" argued another male.

"Enough," Nekozawa ordered and everyone in the club waited for what he had to say. "The rest of you may gather the Bereznoff paraphernalia we will need prepared for Halloween. I will personally look into this matter and find out who has set us up. Only time will tell if they will be joyous or if they will be damned."

O-o-O-o-O

"Oooh!," Alexis squealed with excitement, unusually exuberant. She pumped a fist into the air. "Woot! Halloween party! Nice going Nekozawa! Knowing you, this party is going to be off the chi-zang!"

"Arigatou," he replied politely, "but the Black Magic Club did not set up the celebration on Monday."

"Nani?" Alexis stared at him in surprise, pausing. "What do you mean? The flyers said-"

"Someone set up the Black Magic Club," Nekozawa interrupted. "We believe that a student or students are mocking us or attempting to shut down our club more quickly."

Alexis arched one dark brown eyebrow. "What are you going to do about that?"

"That depends on the outcome of Halloween," the prince of darkness admitted. "However, if the set up does not turn out successful, be sure that the Black Magic Club will everything in its power to make that person utterly miserable."

"Whoa, intense," she whistled. They walked in silence for a while before reaching the front of the school. Nekozawa leaned against a tree, shaded from the sun while he watched Alexis glance around with a bored expression, fingers plucking at her backpack straps. She sighed a handful of times, gray eyes unfocused before noticing his stare.

Alexis flashed him a smile. "You know, if it makes you feel any better, I'll show up at this set up thing on Hallow's Eve to draw some support. Perhaps the student council and Host Club will deign to show themselves too."

"I severely doubt the Host Club would bother showing," Nekozawa sighed. Bereznoff slumped with a sad, anxious expression on his puppet face.

"What should be my costume?" Alexis suddenly asked to anyone within listening range, but with how quiet she normally spoke, only Nekozawa heard. A smile appeared on his face and he gave his mysterious, eerie chuckle of "fufufufufufufu" and Bereznoff perked up.

Alexis eyed him with a mixture of amusement and alarm. "Should I be concerned for my welfare?"

"Fufufufufufufufu," the prince of darkness cackled eagerly. "You will definitely enjoy my closet of costumes, Alexis-chan."

"You can drop the 'chan' part."

"Why?"

The American shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just used to people calling me by my name without a title attached. It sounds weird to my ears."

"You say weird like it's a bad thing," Nekozawa smirked and Alexis laughed.

"Are you sure you aren't pulling my leg about you not setting up the party?" Alexis grinned.

"Hai."

"Suuuure."

"I am not!"

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"I refuse to participate further in this childish argument," Nekozawa scowled.

"You're just mad I won," Alexis giggled.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not. What's taking Kadomatsu so long?" the prince of darkness mused aloud.

"Are too. I have no clue…usually he's early…"

"Am not."

"Are too and you know it," Alexis smiled. Neither spoke for a while. "And don't even think about trying to curse me, Master Umehito Nekozawa. Bereznoff, I can see you rubbing your paws together."

O-o-O-o-O

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack Sparrow or his pirate accent, Artemis Fowl, the "double, double toil and trouble" quote from Shakespeare's Macbeth, or the 'come with me All Hallow's night' quote from a 19th Century Halloween postcard, or Edgar Allen Poe's Raven,

As for the Sméagol reference, that's for later. I accidentally forgot to edit that part when I changed part of the chapter; a bad error on my part, but there will be a Sméagol reference.

Anthropophobia- social phobia; fear of people or being in a company