Halloween

Missy, wearing a costume modeled on Miss Militia's, looked at Ashley with the most incredulous expression.

"Seriously?"

Ashley was dressed in normal tied tennis shoes and what appeared to be a one-piece Cuddlebug costume made of cheap pajama cloth. A cheap children's Halloween costume down to the zipper in the back and the eyeholes punched out of the solid cloth mask through which the youngest Ward's bright green eyes could only barely be made out.

"What?" the younger girl said defensively with her arms crossed. "You've never gone trick or treating dressed up as yourself before?"

"No," Missy replied bluntly. "They don't even make Halloween costumes based on the Wards. Only Protectorate members that are known nationwide or have been around long enough to attract a lot of fans," case in point, Missy's own Halloween costume. Miss Militia was a member of the first-ever Wards team, there had been plenty of time for her attract a following big enough that a profit could be made on Miss Militia Halloween costumes. "Actually, where did you even get that?"

And suddenly Ashley's mask took on the shiny, metallic, organic sheen of the actual Cuddlebug mask. A wide toothy grin of sharp fangs split it wide open and the fanged maw pulled back to show Ashley's face with a big cheesy smile.

Missy blinked. "That is incredibly unfair." This prompted Ashley to giggle. Then a thought occurred to Missy. "Do... Do you actually wear normal clothes, or...?"

"Of course I do," Ashley said with a blink. Part of her symbiote pulled away to show a white t-shirt. "I'm wearing normal clothes right now. You've literally never seen me when I wasn't wearing normal clothes."

"Sorry," Missy said, "It's just, I had to ask."

"You ask weird questions," Ashley said with a shrug as her symbiote returned to a cheap facsimile of Cuddlebug's costume. "So is there anything else we need to do before we can go?"

"Well, it doesn't officially start for another twenty minutes," Missy said while checking her watch.

"Oh."

Ten minutes later, Ashley was fidgeting like crazy. Missy rolled her eyes. "Come on, you're acting as if you've never done it before."

"I haven't," Ashley replied flatly. "I've always been too sick to do anything like this, or there'd be too big a risk I'd catch something if I went out even if I had the strength, or that my strength might give out. I've only ever left the house for doctor's appointments and my Grandpa's funeral before... Well, " Ashley finished with a shrug.

Missy looked down. "You know... I was gonna sneak back out when we were done-I know a couple of houses off the "approved route" that always have the good stuff, but if you can keep it a secret I think I might be able to smuggle you with me..."

Ashley made a zipping motion across her hidden lips and then giggled and soon enough it was time to head out.