For Rosso, October was a mundane month that was brightened up only by the stress accompanying mid-terms and Halloween, her favorite holiday. Even then, midterms were only so brightening and Halloween was fairly uneventful for her anyway. As a high school student, it had consisted mainly of answering the door to terrify trick-or-treaters and dressing up for costume parties. In college, she was mostly in the same situation without having to answer the door. This is all to say one thing: Rosso had not expected to do anything remotely interesting on October 30th.

Sitting down with her English textbook, Rosso contemplated when she was going to be able to go home and retrieve warmer clothes. It would need to be soon, because the weather was slowly growing more and more frigid. She had no problem with frigidity, but…

"R-Rosso…"

Rosso looked up to the sound of her name, only to see Weiss leaning heavily on her doorway, doused in blood. The red substance had completely doused the front of his T-shirt and the jeans had long lines running down it as well. She sprung to her feet as he staggered into his room. Not really concerned for him, so much as her carpet.

"Weiss, what is this?"

"N-Nero's finally s-snapped…" Weiss wavered a bit at her door, indicating an imminent collapse. Rosso threw a towel underneath his body before he collapsed. Rosso knelt down next to him, wondering if she should call Campus Security or just deal with Nero herself. The brat had it coming in spades. "He's lost it."

Looming out of nowhere, Nero practically glided into view, clutching a knife. He gave a high giggle before intoning, "You're next."

Rosso felt almost paralyzed as she sat next to Weiss, keeping her eyes firmly on the knife in Nero's hand. She had a switchblade in her bottom desk drawer and her father was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do who had taught his daughter a few things. Still, and Rosso knew this from experience, crazy people were capable of the inhuman.

Weiss reached up and tugged her down. "Rosso… There's something you need to know…"

"W-Wh-What?"

He took a deep, shaky breath, then sang:

"Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around
And desert you."

With a screech of indignation, Rosso stood up immediately and clocked Weiss over the head. Twice, because it felt good, but he blocked the second blow. "Weiss!"

Perfectly unharmed, Weiss sat up laughing. "Come on, you really should have expected this. It's Devil's Night. Prank time."

Rosso went for her desk drawer, tugging at the stalling thing. "You-You…"

"Quintessence of masculinity? Prank mastermind? Why, Rosso, you shouldn't have…"

"Weiss, you're aware that she has an actual knife in there," Nero reminded.

"Does her boyfriend know?"

"Of course he does," Rosso hissed as she finally got the drawer open. Typical Rosso, the switchblade was buried but the top of her desk had some little things that would make decent projectiles. Rosso picked up the stapler and flung it at Weiss, satisfied when he ducked. Nero fled first, with Weiss following quickly behind him.

Satisfied, Rosso picked up the stapler, slammed it back into place on her desk surface and picked up her phone. She dialed the second number on her speed dial and settled into her chair.

"Weiss has come in, claiming that Nero stabbed him, only for it to be all a prank. I think they might have shaved several precious years off my life. I told you they would attempt something sooner or later. You just never believed me."

"I didn't think you were serious. But you have mine and Genesis' full support."

"Sephiroth as well?"

"I can't promise anything. You also might have Zack, if that's any consolation."

Zack was a sweet boy, who could easily act as a mole for her purposes. Rosso put her feet up on her desk as she stared at her fingernails. "I shall call Azul for confirmation of his loyalties as well."

"Loyalties?" Angeal chuckled. "You make this sound like war."

"It is war. And all is fair in this and love."

"Of course. Just play fair. An eye for an eye."

"I would have gladly taken an eye if I could have found my knife in time. Now I need to call Azul. Shall I see you tomorrow, my love? I need to work off some stress."

Angeal chuckled. "Yes. Of course. Good night."

Weiss, you Rick-Rolling bastard. X3 TBC