Summary: Eli and Umi make their separate ways back to camp while Maki's night of adventure continues.

Eli was concentrating on holding Vik's hand tightly, but not too tightly as they made their way back to camp, focusing on the flashlight beam, forcing herself not to see out of the tunnel vision, not to hear the noises, focusing on how cute Vik looked, wolf ears bobbing as they happily chattered about how much fun camping was.

And then there was a brighter light ahead and a silhouette Eli would know anywhere. "Nozomi!"

"Mommy!" Vik ran toward Nozomi, who hefted them up easily with one arm. Nozomi might look soft, but Eli had always been impressed by her strength, both physical and emotional.

"Hi!" Nozomi's voice was the warmth and bright Eli needed right now and she hurried to get in on the hug. "Missed you."

A family moment and then Nozomi put Vik back down, "Why don't you go find Teddy and tell her what you and Aunt Nico did."

"Okay."

Vik disappeared through the trees and then Nozomi snapped off the flashlight, causing Eli to freeze like ice had suddenly coalesced around her.

"Nozomi." Eli couldn't keep the whine out of her voice, "Turn that back on."

"But Eli, you're so cute when you're clingy."

"Nozomi!" Eli kept her hands behind her back, she'd learned long ago it was risky to reach for her wife when Nozomi was in this impish, playful mood, "Did you know Nico was going to this?"

Nozomi's response was a giggle as she stepped closer to Eli, her hand reaching for Eli's waist.

"But Maki's having fun isn't she?"

"I'm not." Eli grumbled.

"You could be."

"Nozomi." Eli could feel the thrill, at war with the embarrassment and the fear. In the dark, she couldn't see the dare in Nozomi's eye, but it was a familiar mood. And they'd been busy, and not really had enough time for each other, Nozomi's hands had just found that spot, and Eli could only feel Nozomi and not the tree at her back.

"You're lovely," Nozomi whispered and Eli reached forward to grab the steadiest support in her world.

###

"Caught." Umi stated matter-of-factly as she lifted the net near Maki's shoulder.

"Can you get this off me?"

Umi considered. The wind howled again, sounding even more artificial than 30 seconds ago. Then there was a weighted, expectant silence, long enough for Umi to pull out her clasp knife again and suddenly speakers blasted from everywhere, Maki and Umi and Eli's Soldier Game singles vocal tracks amplified loud enough to make the leaves still clinging fall. But it wasn't right. Maki frowned, her hands pulling at the netting, wanting to rip a hole so she could find the speakers and demolish them.

"That doesn't sound...right."

"It's not...Nico-chan remixed it," Maki's voice was thin with anger, "She took the damn songs and transposed them into a major key. And picked up the tempo."

"Why?"

Maki hissed, "She's making it 'cuter.'"

Umi froze, and then laughter roared out. "Hits you where it hurts."

"My ears?" Maki raised her hands, the netting making the gesture slow.

"Your ego."

"I don't have an ego. This isn't subjective in any way. There's the songs the way I composed them and now, there's the songs Nico's bastardized."

Umi held up her knife, sliding it under a string. And then, as Maki made encouraging sounds, Umi pulled the knife out, stepped back, and flipped it shut with a grand gesture.

"This really seems like a private marital squabble."

"UMI!"

Umi nodded her head, "Yes, I think it's time for the Diamond Princess to be rescued by her Ruby Rogue."

"C'mon, Umi, don't do this."

"Thank Nico for the stimulating evening."

"UMI!"

And with a bow, Umi wandered off, toward the main cabin, whistling "Cutie Panther."

###

Laughter really was the cure for fright, Umi thought as she chuckled at the memory of Nico's antics over the years, from the haunted doll set up in the club room to this. Always impressive attention to details. Nico had just started directing music videos. She was going to be really good at it, Umi realized. Now low drifts of mist rose around Umi from the creek to her left. Umi knelt her keychain flashlight shining on melting chunks of dry ice. Nico was close. Umi turned the light off and waited, listening.

A low groan started, rising in volume. Not Nico. She would have done a better job of disguising her voice and stretching out scary thrills. This was light, fast, silly...definitely Rin. Umi crept forward cautiously, waiting to trigger the opening act for whatever Nico had roped Rin into. With a loud crack, a branch swung, clearing two feet over where Maki's head would have been (she'd gained 2 cm on Eli). Timed to the crack, a short ghost jumped at Umi.

"BOO!"

Umi laughed and put a hand on Rin's shoulder, "Hi, Rin."

"HEY! You're supposed to be scared. You're also supposed to be Maki." Rin crossed her arms over, catching some of the folds of the sheet scattered with flourescents as she did. Nico must have a black light set up.

"Left Maki in the net."

Rin thought about that for a few seconds, and then went to push past Umi, "I have to see that."

Umi shook her head, "She's probably out by now and looking for Nico."

"Shoulda gotten a picture."

"Who says I didn't?"

"Let me see."

"First, we get back to camp." Umi glanced at her watch, also fluorescent under the black light, "It's time for Kaito to go to bed. Kotori will indulge him."

"We're camping, Umi."

"Routines are important."

"Boo. Bedtimes are boring."

"You have a child not a curfew, Rin."

"You've never closed down anything in your life."

"Just this conversation. Let's go." Umi had decoded Nico's trail sign and set off for camp.

###

Maki wanted earplugs. This was the worst thing yet, this loop of Soldier Game and Bibi songs, twisted just enough to be annoying. Not even earplugs, she wanted to be a turtle, and pull her head in her shell, and just sit here and wait it out until Nico was bored or exhausted or out of ideas. But Nico was never out of ideas. That was part of the fascination, how Nico could hop with quicksilver speed from wild thought to weirder inspiration and still stay so solidly grounded as wife, mother, and professional. It was dizzying sometimes, but Nico always made sure they landed safely somewhere, usually bed.

Maki grimaced. It was too early for that thought, she was annoyed at Nico, not hot for Nico. Okay, always hot for Nico but there was definitely going to be a phase where she refused to admit it. Maki pulled at the netting, it still refused to just tear. She dropped to her knee, the edges were slightly weighted, but with careful movements, Maki managed to work it over her head. Shaking it off as she stood, she reoriented herself. Umi had left the camping lantern. There was nothing but trees and woody shadows to be seen as far as its light shone. Unless Nico had decided to impersonate a dryad, she wasn't lingering to see Maki struggle with the net. Leave the music and run, that had been her strategy. Maybe Umi had stumbled over her.

The adrenaline buzz of a challenge was wearing off. If Maki had those speakers within reach, she'd rip them out of the trees. Umi had gone to the left, but Maki knew by the creek that that trail headed back to camp, which left Maki guessing that to the right would bring her to the cabin. But would it bring her to Nico? Or just more nonsense? Maki sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Still sticky. Once she got to the cabin, Maki was going to lock all the doors and windows, blast music Nico couldn't stand, and soak for hours. Everyone else could go back to Tokyo.

###

"There's a whole song called "Autumn In New York", Nico. I added it to my set. People LOVE it."

Honoka's voice carried through the trees as Rin and Umi approached the camp. But why did she sound like she was on a call with Nico? Neither of them should be fireside right now.

Umi stepped into the light of the campfire, ahead of Rin. Nico was sitting, smug, comfortable, on a camp stool, mug in hand, phone propped on a low table. Rin immediately dodged around Umi and ran for the tent she was sharing with Hanayo, Tora, Dia, and Ruby, giving Nico a thumbs up.

Nico was paying no attention to anyone physically present. "Post a video. Nico wants to see. Maybe from Central Park. It's pretty there this time of year."

"Nico." Umi said sternly. Nico looked up, surprised.

"UMI!" Honoka's excited tone brought Kotori out of the tent she had claimed for their family.

"Why are you here, Nico? You are supposed to be in the woods…" Umi searched for a word…"shenaniganing. I left Maki in a net. You were going to rescue her."

"That's not on my schedule." Nico sipped.

"What exactly is on your schedule?" Umi glanced down at the phone, where Honoka, her hair now long, was gleefully watching the exchange. Kotori wrapped Umi in a hug, but Umi refused to allow herself to be soothed.

Nico raised her mug, "Maki rescues herself, tears everything out of the trees, and stomps off her anger while Nico has a warming drink."

Honoka sounded like she was bouncing. "Next year, I want to help you make a haunted house, Nico. How about at the beach? Skeleton mermaids crawling up to the house."

Umi rubbed her forehead, "Can we get Maki back safe this year, first."

"Nico has everything handled."

"What's next?"

"Ooohh, what are you gonna do next?" Honoka sounded like the Ayase twins about to unleash a prank.

Nico grinned, leaning forward, "The best kind of trick."

"And that is?" Umi let herself relax back into Kotori, exasperation winning.

"A treat." Nico winked.

A/N: Have been working on three concurrent Poe projects so only a little time for fanfic. What's your Halloween like this strange year? I'm watching ParaNorman with an open text chat.