A bit early, or insanely late. Still, here's another chapter! A big thank you to everyone still reading this.
"... I like the dressing up part of Halloween," Paige Guthrie was saying to Hisako, who was listening intently. They were in the kitchen, snacking on a bowl of trail mix that they'd helped Miss Munroe prepare earlier. The Japanese girl had only formally moved into the Institute last month and was getting along with her peers just fine. She was pretty informed about Western culture thanks to media exposure but seemed to absorb new experiences like a sponge.
"We din't get to dress up in those fancy costumes you get at stores much," Paige continued, "but Ma always helped us scrounge somethin pretty for all of us! That was always fun."
"I like dressing up, too." Hisako agreed, smiling. "Dressing up in costumes is always fun, but we didn't really celebrate Halloween in Japan like you do here, not until recently." There were a lot of holidays in Japan that involved spirits and ghosts or even sweet treats, but this seemed different, somehow. America just liked having excuses to do things in excess, she'd learned.
"The best part's gotta be the candy haul," Jaime says, gesturing wildly with his arms. "It's the biggest load of candy you'll ever get at one time, in the whole year!"
Hisako grinned. "I like the sound of that, too."
"Ye'd love it," Teresa piped up, by Jaime's side. "I have'n trick-or-treated here in America, but even I've heard that the candy here is somethin' else!"
"Too bad there's no way we'd get ta do it this year," Paige sighed. "We can't even leave of the mansion anymore with how bad it is out there for us."
"... We tried to do it last year," Jaime offered, after a few beats of silence. "Ms. Munroe even chaperoned us! But, there were these guys from Bayville High who recognized the older guys. We had to go home pretty early since a lot of them were starting to get kinda rowdy right there in the middle of the street... And some of the houses wouldn't even answer the door when we'd ring the doorbell..."
"I must admit, I was sorely tempted to make it rain that day, just to cut everyone else's trick or treating short as well."
The four young mutants looked up to see Storm standing at the kitchen door. Hisako smiled up at the older woman. "Ms. Munroe, hello."
Ororo smiled back. She was just passing by the kitchen when she overheard them discussing Halloween plans that may never come to be. Trick or Treating wasn't something she knew as a child, but she recognized that it was a part of childhood that was important to her young charges.
She stepped into the room to sit next to little Layla Miller, who is staring up at her as if expecting something. Ororo smoothed her hair down, idly wondering what she knew. She had a habit of claiming to "know stuff,", implying some sort of precognitive ability, but when the Professor checked her mutant powers, it only showed an ability to animate and reanimate certain objects. It was a disconcerting power all on its own.
"Now," she began, "I know you are all excited to go trick or treating this Halloween. But you know as well as I do that it's not easy for us to go out on the streets in big groups, if at all..." Ororo trailed off as their faces fell, one by one. Jamie made an effort to keep a straight face, but there was no fooling Ororo. Layla, on the other hand, just kept looking up at their Ms. Munroe.
"... But," she continued, smiling at the way Layla grinned up at her, "That is no reason for you not to have fun, is it? Let me talk to the Professor and see if we cannot figure some kind of alternative, alright?" She gave Jamie a fond pat on the head, and the young boy flushed while the girls' faces lit up with excitement.
As she left the rec room, she could hear Paige and Teresa Cassidy rapidly chattering about themed costumes, specifically Disney-inspired ones.
The plan was simple, she'd told Charles the next day (a Thursday) just before their weekly staff meeting. With so many students and rooms in the mansion, there would be quite a large number of doors that the children could knock at and get candy from for trick or treating. It's how some condominium complexes do it, she explained. Instead of going house to house, they would go from door to door in a single building. Why can't they do the same? A few of the older ones could elect to join the kids and trick or treat, but most of them would claim to be too old anyway.
And in the evening, they could even have a small get together, a little costume party, perhaps? In the spirit of the season.
The Professor had chuckled a little.
"Another party, Ororo?"
"The last gathering we had was in July, Professor. I merely thought it wasn't too soon, but if you think it is..."
"No, no. It's quite all right. I do not want to give the students the idea that we can be so free with expenses. But some things are worth spending a little for." He smiled. Preserving what little innocence their students have - especially the youngest of them - was just as important as teaching them how to control the gifts that ostracized them from the rest of humanity...
By this time, Hank had joined them. Curious, since he'd only caught the tail end of their conversation, he asked Ororo if she might elaborate. But once Storm finished catching him up with a summarized version of the idea, Hank could only chuckle heartily in amusement.
"I suppose it's a shame I never acquired a degree in dentistry!"
The Professor noted that perhaps they should order in new stock of dental floss for every bathroom in the mansion as a precaution.
She was out shopping when she received his call.
"You out doing errands, darlin? Don'cha ever take a break?"
"I am out doing errands for myself, Logan," she reassured him unhurriedly, passing a hand over some lovely black velvet. She then begins to tell him about the budding Halloween plans they were finalizing for the students.
His chuckle was wry after she finished. "Sounds like a hell of a sugar rush to deal with. Glad I'm missing out on that one."
"Are you, Logan? You know, Laura seemed particularly interested when we informed the rest of the students..."
"What, X? Dressing up?"
"Indeed. I believe Dani and Rahne have convinced her to dress up with them..."
He can't imagine it.
Ororo laughs, imagning the look on his face perfectly.
"It really is a shame you are missing out on it," she continued, and goes on to tell him how the the older students want an excuse to dress up too, and have decided to arrange a small impromptu costume party.
"Right," he sighed, and Ororo can see him rolling his eyes. "Like they don't have enough dressing up in costumes as it is..."
"So says the man whose first uniform was in orange spandex..."
There was a strangled sort of huff on his end of the line. "Whatever, 'Ro."
She grinned. "In any case, missing this really will be your loss. After all, you won't be seeing my own costume either, as a result..." she said almost suggestively, in a tone that makes him think of backless gowns and sweeping necklines that manage to tease without losing an ounce of modesty-
"... Go on, I'm listening."
"No, no. If you won't be here, then there is no point in telling you..."
Heels, always with the heels that made her long legs longer when she had to dress up, he knew.
"Come on, 'Ro! Not even a clue?"
"Why don't you come home and find out?"
He chuckled wryly. He knew how much she hated it when he was gone long. She understood his need to get away, but it didn't mean she liked it.
"Fine, fine," he said, before his voice dropped to a husky growl, "But since you won't tell me what you'll be wearin' then, how's about you tell me what yer wearin now?"
"Logan!" Her tone was admonishing, but she can't quite keep her amused grin from seeping into her voice. Logan wonders if she's blushing. He imagines she is.
Maybe he'll be home in time for the holiday.
Halloween. The older teens went all out and spent the previous night decorating the halls with cobwebs and hanging spiders and, courtesy of Bobby and Jubilee, closets rigged to spring a ghoul at you at random, if you weren't careful. The front hall was littered with jack-o-lanterns, and someone had made it so that the sound of a ghostly wail of a breeze was piped into the hallways at random intervals. Ororo had raised her hands in innocence.
The younger teenagers spent the afternoon going from room to room, their own version of trick or treating, and consequently surprised by the costumes that the older ones were wearing. They'd started from the lower levels and were now making their way up to the teachers' rooms.
"I really liked Scott and Jean's matching costumes," Hisako said, smiling at the memory of the two as Danny and Sandy. "Couple outfits... they're cute."
Jaime snickered. "Jean probably bullied him into wearing matching clothes. Their candy's great though, I'll give them that!" Hisako was busy admiring it, thinking that she couldn't possibly eat something that obviously had a lot of effort put into its preparation.
"Speaking of couple outfits, I didn't know there was something going on between Tabitha and Roberto," whispered Paige. The two had dressed as a spice girl and a football player respectively which, given the two in question, shouldn't be surprising separately. It implied curious things, however.
"I don't think there is," said Hisako. "Jubilee told me that Tabitha wanted to be Britney Spears, but when she heard Roberto would be going as Mr. Beckham, she decided it would be funny if she went as Posh Spice."
"But Kitty's costume was nice," Layla added as she unwrapped one of the Reese's cups she got from her door. "We watched the movie last week. I thought she'd wear the pretty princess dress, but the hat and coat looked really cute..."
"Can she be any more obvious, though..." whispered Paige to a giggling Terry. "And Peter wasn't even around to see it today!" Layla just smiled around her peanut butter cup.
"Plus, it's not even Disney!" protested Paige. "Fox made Anastacia." Beside her, Jamie had to roll his eyes. She was one of those fans.
"Not ev'ryone decided ta do the Disney theme, Paige," Terry reminded her. "Y'just bullied your older brother to do it with us. Though I hav'ta say, he did make a very fetchin' Hercules." She giggled, and Paige made a face. ("That's my brother yer talkin' about!")
"And Amara looked really pretty as Megara!" Piped up Layla, smiling. "I think she was my favorite." Not in the least because the imported chocolates she'd given them looked delicious.
"Hey, can we quit it with the gossip already?" Jaime complained. It was nice to be around girls all the time, but it got kind of tiring too. "And if you ask me, Bobby, Jubes and Ray were the coolest." They all sat down at a corner, coming to the silent agreement for a candy pitstop. "Can't go wrong with Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman!"
"Rogue had a very cool costume too, Jaime." Hisako said. She had really liked Rogue's MIB costume, it was smart and sharp looking, very classy. But Paige had said it was a cop out and lazy choice ("Coat and tie and slacks; it looked like a last minute costume to me...")
"I guess. Kurt didn't do a bad job, either. Though I thought he'd be a pirate!" Considering his love for pirate things, the kids had been rather surprised when he answered his door as a ninja. "It's ironic," says Layla, going through her candy stash. "That he decided to be a ninja, I mean."
Eventually they made it to Mr. McCoy's door. A Jaime dupe was waiting for them at the door and knocked as soon as they were all gathered around him. The real Jamie straightened his Peter Pan hat just as Hank came out.
"Trick or treat, Dr. McCoy!" they said in chorus, Jaime and Paige holding out their bags of candy for Hank to fill up. Layla grinned wide when she saw what he was wearing. A rich blue waist coat with gold trimming, a lovely burgundy cumberbund, crisp and clean trousers and his hair pulled back into a low, nobleman's ponytail...
"You're Beast!" Layla laughed.
"I am a prince," he corrected, bowing grandly, "Missing a princess, and I am saddened to see that none of you fine young ladies elected to dress up as one," He said, looking over their costumes smiling. "Who will save me from my curse now?"
"Hey, I'm a princess, technically!" Terry protested. She'd chosen to go as Ariel - Jean had been the mermaid enough times in her childhood that she proved to be quite helpful in putting her outfit together for her.
"Yeah, but you're in her peasant clothes." Paige pointed out, referring to the lovely black and blue ensemble Terry was in. "Not that there's anything wrong with 'em! A lotta the princess dresses are hard to get around in!" She added, smoothing down the apron of her simple but iconic Alice in Wonderland dress.
"These were easier to put together," Hisako agreed, gesturing to her own clothes. She was dressed as Mulan, and even had a mock sword at her side. Easier and cooler, at least.
"Tinkerbell's much cooler than all the other princesses," Layla informed Hank seriously, and if he wasn't mistaken her gossamer wings scattered a smattering of glitter at her every move.
Jaime, he saw, didn't seem to have an opinion and simply held out his bag of candy. Something told him that he'd heard these explanations a thousand times over the past few weeks. Hank chuckled.
"Well, royalty or not, I am obliged to treat you with a sweet of my choice," he said, reaching behind him breifly for a basket full of Twinkies. He decided not to comment on the five dollars Paige grudgingly passed over to Jaime while he gave the youngest of his students several Twinkies each.
That evening, the students got together for a brief costume party. It wasn't anything too fancy - some music, some finger food (most of the kids had no appetite after all the candy) and, of course, a dance floor.
Logan came in fashionably late, well into the night. The "damn kids" were still milling about - he could see Remy and Piotr (as Robin Hood and Little John) talking to Danielle and Kitty over by the buffet table nearby. Kitty was animatedly explaining the movie she'd taken her costume from to Piotr ("Look, I know it's as far away from historically accurate as you can get, but it was gorgeous! St. Peterburg's totally on my list of places to go before I die." Piotr could only chuckle. "You need only ask, Katya. There is no need to die.") and Remy was flirting carelessly with Dani.
Logan made his way over just as Dani was telling him where he could stuff his requests for exchanging 'archery tips'.
"I never miss, chere!" he called to her as she turned away with a huff. Kitty was quick to follow her, but not before giving Logan a cheery "Zdravstvuj, Mr. Logan! Welcome back! Love the costume!"
Remy glanced at him as Kitty bounced away, peering at the eyepatch Logan wore over one eye. "... Y'steal dat from Fury, mon ami?"
Logan chose to ignore the question completely (he did.) "You seen 'Ro anywhere, Gumbo?"
Remy grinned, but it was Piotr who answered for him. "You just missed her, Wolverine. She is taking the younger ones to bed."
He was hard-pressed to keep the scowl off his face. And to think, he really only made it a point to be back by tonight to surprise her. "Hnn. Guess I'll see her tomorrow."
"She be back soon, homme. Night's still young!"
In reply, he waved a cigar over his shoulder as he turned away to head back out the door. After the long bike ride and the even longer month he'd had on that glorified SHIELD field trip, he could really use the smoke. If anything, Remy could understand at least that.
He was just sitting down at the back porch steps when he heard a rustle of cloth come up behind him.
"Someone told me I'd find you here."
He looked over his shoulder to answer, but whatever words he had die before he can even think them. His eyebrows rose in appreciation and he fumbled his cigar.
It was some kind of strapless dress - floorlength, with a sweetheart neckline. Black, of course, and it fell right to her feet in wicked, inky black swirls that was cleverly tailored to resemble tentacles. She'd styled her white hair up into an updo, and between her collarbones rested a tiny shell-pendant that gleamed bronze in the moonlight.
"... I'm just glad I made it." The cigar forgotten and shoved into a jacket pocket, he rose to stand and meet her. "Nice costume, darlin'."
"So am I. It's just a shame, though not entirely surprising, that you're underdressed." She traced a hand down the familiar thread of his worn leather jacket. Half a point for effort, though, she thought, smiling at the memory of Remy informing her where exactly Logan had acquired his eye-patch.
Logan, meanwhile, just gave her a look: somewhere between deadpan and smoky. He let his palms rest over her hips, drawing her close. She was barefoot, he noticed. He'd expected heels, but this seemed worlds better.
"... If you ask me, I think we're both way too overdressed, 'Ro."
Ororo chuckled, reaching up to draw his eye patch aside before leaning down to give him a proper welcome home.
"Then let's get inside so we can fix that..."
Credit where it's due: Ororo as Ursula totally came from Chellerbelle's The X-Men Present: The Little Mermaid.
Hope you enjoyed!
