Disclaimer: I don't own Urusei Yatsura.
"This is ingenious of me!" Ataru said. "I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner! I guess it was Halloween approaching that promoted this idea to spring to my super smart mind!"
The teenage boy gave a snicker - which was muffled by the werewolf mask he had covering over his head. He had picked it up it at the store earlier that day. Having seen how vicious it looked with its ragged fur and glistening fangs, he had decided it was the best of all the Halloween accessories that were for sale and had purchased it right away.
It was the perfect thing for him to wear - to scare Lum.
Now with the mask on, Ataru was kneeling at his bedroom window, looking out into the dark night for any sign of his 'wife'. He paid no mind to all the attention he was grabbing from all the people passing his house. Upon noticing the teenager wearing the Halloween mask, they couldn't help but pass bemused comments among themselves.
"Is that the Moroboshi kid in that tacky mask?"
"Fancy dressing up for Halloween at his age!"
"It's no wonder his parents are ashamed of him!"
"You have to wonder how someone as childish as him picked up that beautiful alien girl."
"She could have anyone she wanted in the entire universe - so why'd she pick a loser like him?"
Ataru didn't pick up the degrading remarks that were being made about him. He didn't bat an eyelid to any of the countless people which were passing his house. He was too busy looking for one figure in particular, who would manage to stand out even on a dark night like this. He was always running for the hills whenever he saw her approaching. This time, however, it would be her who would flee in terror at the sight of him.
"All I have to do is wait for Lum to come home - then I'll scare her away with this mask I have on! She'll be so afraid out of her wits, she'll leave this planet and never come back! Then I'll be free to pick up all the girls I want!"
Ataru cackled to himself - before his eyes widened upon noticing through the eye-holes of his mask that a figure approaching the house. He was able to recognise her straight away with her turquoise hair which seemed to glow in the dark - and he was astonished to see she had two more people following her.
"Lum's here - and she's got Mendō and Shinobu with her!"
As he watched the beautiful alien lead his rival and his ex-girlfriend through the front door, Ataru grinned devilishly under his mask.
"I may as well scare Mendō as well while I'm at it. I'll be sure to make that wuss run in terror like a dog with his tail between his legs. If I happen to freak out Shinobu too, I'll just grab her hand and stop her from leaving. Then the two of us will be all alone as Lum and Mendō will both be gone - forever!"
Ataru chuckled to himself, confident that his plan was going to work without a hitch - when he heard footsteps coming from outside his door. Quickly, he switched off the bedroom light and scuffled away from the moonlight creeping through the window, hiding himself within the shadows.
"This is it," he murmured to himself. "Prepare to get the fright of your life, Lum…"
The bedroom door swung open. Ataru braced himself as he saw the unsuspecting target for his plan standing in the light of the hallway. His rival and ex-girlfriend stood behind her, equally oblivious to what they were in for.
"Darling?" Lum called out into the dark room. "Are you in here?"
Ataru didn't answer. He remained concealed in his hiding place, bracing himself to leap out and frighten his wife.
"Could we turn on the light please, Miss Lum?" Mendō asked, getting slightly nervous at the idea of entering a dark room, yet trying to keep his cool in front of the girls.
With a nod, Lum jumped up from her feet and soared into the room. She took hold of the cord dangling from the ceiling lamp and pulled on it.
"ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!"
The moment light had filled the bedroom, Ataru leapt out of his hiding place. He raised his arms over his head as he roared at Lum as loudly and menacingly as he could. He tried to sound utterly terrifying as he yelled at the top of his lungs, waiting for the alien girl to scream and fly away, never to be seen again.
Lum blinked and stared.
So did Mendō and Shinobu.
Not one of them showed the slightest sign of fear over what they were seeing.
Ataru stopped roaring. He stared in bewilderment through his mask at Lum. This ingenious plan of his wasn't going as he expected. Why wasn't the alien girl afraid of him? Why wasn't she flying away for her life?
Not fazed in the slightest, Lum smiled and floated towards the baffled figure in front of her before removing the werewolf mask from his head.
"What are you doing, Darling?" she asked sweetly. "Dressing up for Halloween?"
"You weren't scared?" Ataru's jaw hung open, his eyes widening in dismay. "You knew it was me?"
"Of course, silly!" Lum giggled and threw her arms around her husband. "I'll always be able to recognise my husband like the loving wife I am!"
Ataru groaned. He was distraught that his plan was failed and Lum was still clinging onto him. As he tried to free himself from her tight embrace, he gazed towards Mendō and Shinobū. Both were looking at him with unamused glares, having seen through his scheme just as easily.
"Dressing up for Halloween and trying to scare people?" Mendō muttered, his tone filled with jealousy over seeing Lum getting affectionate with his rival. "How pathetic and juvenile of you, Moroboshi."
"You needn't have bothered putting that lame mask on, Ataru," Shinobu huffed. "You manage to scare girls away just by being yourself."
Ataru clenched his teeth. This was not the outcome to his scheme he'd been expecting. He continued trying unsuccessfully to free himself from Lum's hood. He felt her hold on him tighten, a clear sign she was not going anywhere.
"Silly Darling!" Lum laughed. "You really thought you could scare your wife?"
"What's that?! You've been trying to scare Lum?!"
Everyone froze upon hearing an unexpected voice suddenly speak. They turned to see a small figure hovering at the window. He was dressed in a devil costume, carrying a plastic pumpkin bucket filled with candy.
"Ten!" Lum cried happily upon seeing her little costume. "You look so adorable in your Halloween costume! Have you been getting plenty of candy while trick-or-treating?"
Ten didn't answer. He was fixing a fierce stare at Ataru. The glare on the younger alien's face was as red as the costume he was wearing.
"So you think you can go scaring my big cousin, do you?"
"Hey, Halloween is all about scaring people, ya little punk!" Ataru huffed, making no effort to hide how much he disliked Ten. "Even a rugrat like you should know that!"
"I'm that case, I'll give you something to scare you…"
With that, Ten inhaled as much air as he could take into his tiny body - before blasting a huge shower of scorching golden flames straight towards Ataru.
"Arrrrrggggghhhhh!" The young man wailed as he was engulfed in the fire that was being blown at him by the child in the devil outside. "It burns! It burns!"
"Wow, Ten!" Lum clapped her hands, making no effort to protect her 'husband' from the attacks of her younger cousin. "That trick of yours really goes well with your costume!"
The compliment he'd received drove Ten to shoot more fire at Ataru. He was determined to teach the obnoxious young man a lesson fro trying to scare his relative. More flames erupted from the child's petite body. They completely consuming their teenager target, causing him to scream in terror as well as pain.
"Well, Ataru," Shinobu giggled. "You sure did get all fired up for this Halloween!"
"Shame on you, Moroboshi!" Mendō sniffed snootily. "Trying to terrify poor Miss Lum!"
"Oh, that will never happen!" Lum smiled proudly. "Nobody can scare me away! Not my Darling! Not anyone!"
"Oh, hey! Are we having a Halloween party here?"
The fiery attacks on Ataru stopped as everyone heard another sudden voice filled the room. They turned towards the window to see who it belonged to - before all screaming loudly upon finding out what had just arrived.
"Oh my God!" Ataru cried. "It's horrible!"
"It's terrifying!" Lum shrieked as she ducked in fear behind her husband's behind. "Save me, Darling!"
"That's so scary!" Shinobu wailed as she went white with fear. "Get rid of it, Mendō!"
"I'm not going near that thing!" Mendō squealed like the coward he was. "That's the scariest thing ever!"
"Let's run for it!" Ten yelled.
All howling and screeching in fear, the five youngsters darted away as fast as they could. They quickly made their frantic escape as they fled for their lives, leaving the intruder that had freaked them out alone in Ataru's bedroom.
"Wow, I sure am succeeding to scare everyone I meet this Halloween," Cherry said to himself. "And that's real impressive considering I'm not even wearing a costume!"
THE END
