Costume Changes

Of course Marie knew what trick or treating was. Any kid, no matter how old they were (or no matter how much they controlled an ancient cursed artifact) had some experience in the act of dressing up and going house to house for candy.

She just hadn’t done in a really long time was all.

So, she was surprised when of all people, Sienna Contiello, (or Squigly, as she preferred to be called, Marie didn’t get an answer why) had offered to take her out trick-or-treating.

Squigly and Marie, you would think, would have an awkward relationship. One was wielder of the all-dreaded Skullheart, and the other the supposed minion who would obey her master’s every command. But, as it turned out, the two had a lot in common they had thought. Both were fans of classical music, both had some knowledge in the piano (Marie from her days working to calm the younger kids down at the orphanage, and Squigly had picked up a few notes from a personal tutor Selene and Roberto hired), both enjoyed a nice cup of afternoon tea, both like classic movies, and they both loved the autumn season.

Oh, and there was also the seething hatred for the Medicis and the desire to see them and that tower of theirs screaming for mercy, but that was a whole other story.

“Sie...I mean, Squigly?” Marie asked, watching as the opera singer poured another cup of tea for her. “Are you...really sure about this?”

Squigly, who finished off her own biscotti, nodded in response as she wiped her chin. Or, more accurately, Leviathan did it for her. She gave a reaffirming smile, but had to see where Marie would be nervous.

“Of course I am, Marie. If I could go out and be fine, then surely you can as well! But....I, um, do see where you’re coming from.”

Squigly felt thankful for Leviathan, he was able to prevent most of the normal things you’d associate with the undead- decay, rot, smells, etc. All she had to do was cover her missing eye and put on a bit of make-up such as a healthy rub of rouge or a splash of perfume. And to her and Lev’s surprise, blue skin wasn’t seen as totally out of the ordinary. After all, if you could have dinner with a fish guy who smelled like sea salt and had scales, a woman with blue skin would seem pretty normal.

But for Marie, being a half-skeletal maid surrounded by skulls and a giant flaming hole in her back would probably draw some attention.

“Well....we are going out in disguise, so perhaps we could do our best to conceal you?”

“But, madam, are you certain we could even do that?” Leviathan chimed in, inspecting Marie all over as if he was measuring her up. “I mean, anything is possible, but this is not so simple as your case!

“Leviathan, if we could manage myself, then surely we can manage our friend here!’

Marie stifled a small smile. It wasn’t because she didn’t consider Squigly a good person, far from it. It was just the only time anyone had ever called her friend was back in Rommelgrad, even before the War. It wasn’t because she felt Squigly was trying to be rude, it was just...awkward to hear that from someone else.

“I...suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try. I mean, Halloween is about people dressing up as terrifying things, right? We would just need time...and perhaps a lot of fabric.”

Squigly smiled a bit more, glad to see Marie was at least considering the offer. Then, setting her drink down, the opera singer stood up and walked over to a large trunk, reaching in and grabbing what Marie could describe as a bundle of neatly assorted clothes.

“Ah, here we are! Thank goodness Filia and Carol took me costume shopping last year! I admit there were plenty of fascinating options. Let’s see....the wedding gown, the witch costume, the clown costume...”

“Madam, I still don’t know why you kept THAT one...” Leviathan shook his head in disgust, although he seemed more unnerved by it than anything else.

“Leviathan, I told you, it’s supposed to be a reference to the famous opera! The one about the clown, they used to do for Halloween at the Strand Theater House? You said you had seen it before plenty of times with Father!”

“Yes, but...well, you know how I feel about clowns. Their red noses, their ghoulish white faces, and that atrocity they call fashion! It is enough to terrify any man!”

“Oh, please, Leviathan! I for one think clowns are funny, very...”

“Um...excuse me?” Marie piped up, looking at the duo in a mixture of confusion and surprise. “Can we get back to the costumes you have?”

“Oh, uh....yes, of course!” Squigly and Leviathan both blushed and waved the situation away with an air of drama they picked up from years of gallant and glamorous galas. “Surely we can find something for you in this pile of costumes.”

Marie was a bit doubtful, but the only other thing she had to do was sit around in the catacombs and clean that damn spot on the rug for the umpteenth time so this was better than nothing.

…........................................

She had to reconsider that thought later when she walked out of the closet of old opera records and older dresses, wearing her costume.

“I feel ridiculous, Squigly”

“Nonsense, Marie! You look great! Don’t you agree Leviathan?”

“I’m not looking until she takes off that awful wig and nose...ugh...”

Marie stood, dressed in what could only be described as a puffy shirt and puffier pants, all striped in red, green, yellow, and white like a garish abstract art piece. She wore a puffy green wig that covered her white hair, and spread out in all directions, topped with a big red top hat that reminded her of an old friend. A large red nose sat on her face, marked with the words “SQUEEZE ME” on them in vividly painful yellow. She held an oversized fake balloon in one hand and a bike horn in the other. A pair of massive boots made her stand a bit taller than she was used to.

“A clown? Really? If I wanted to dress up as something so vapid, I’d dress up as a Medici showgirl”.

Squigly stifled a laugh, hiding it behind a quick wave of her hand. Okay, maybe Marie did look a bit...colorful, but it fit! Right?

“Come on, Marie! Spooky clowns are all the rage these days! And you can barely tell you’re a Skullgirl!”

As soon as Squigly said that, a giant burst of blue flame ripped through the back of the shirt, igniting a bit of the poofy green wig.

Squigly sighed.

“Fine...go take it off. At least, just use the flower full of water on your shirt to put out the wig...”

And with a deadpan face, Marie walked back into the closet. Big red boots squeaking all the way.”

…...............................................

The closet door opened, still smelling of burnt fake hair and the overpowering scent of rubber. Squigly and Leviathan looked up from the magazine they were reading to see Marie step awkwardly out of the closet.

She wore a long red and white varsity shirt, that traveled all the way down to a frilly white skirt with a poodle drawing sketched onto the left hem. Her normal maid stocking were replaced by silvery fishnets which seemed to pour into a pair of white flats. Her hair was done up as the costume instructional book told her in one long pigtail in the back. In her hands she held two big fluffy pom-poms. Two heart stickers- ironic considering Marie’s situation- were placed on her pale cheeks.

Squigly gasped in delight, making a squee noise that made Marie jump.

“Oh my gosh....you look so adorable!” Squigly cooed, swooning as the maid, er, cheerleader stepped out. “It’s so precious! The little heart stickers and the pom-poms! Eeee! You’ll be a hit!”

Marie blushed. It wasn’t that someone called her adorable aside from her parents. And the compliment she did take as genuine- this was Squigly she was talking about- but she didn’t feel right being called adorable all dressed up like this. It felt fake, in a way, like it wasn’t her they were complimenting but how she looked just in the costume.

That, and this varsity sweater itched like crazy.

“Squigly, I...don’t think this one is for me. I mean, I’m glad you appreciate it, but it’s just not my taste.”

“Oh, but Marie! You look so sweet in it!”

“Would you wear this, Squigly?”

“Yes! Except I don’t think it’s mine. It’s actually Filia’s. She left it here last Halloween.”

Ah. That explained the bit of space around the costume. If it hadn’t been for that belt she found this costume would have probably fallen right off her.

“I’m going to change.”

“Ooh! Do a cheer, please! I’d bet you look so good at doing a cheer! It’d be so funny...!”

The door slammed shut.

And a floating skull, wearing a matching football helmet, drifted by.

….................................

Once Squigly had stopped laughing enough for Marie to come out, the maid finally stepped out of the closet.

She wore a black nun outfit, complete with neatly pressed habit and a shining golden cross.

Both stared at each other for a few moments, as if considering something- or someone.

“Nah.”

“Yeah, I thought so.”

And with that, back into the closet she went.

…...................................

Squigly stared at the clock on the wall. Nearly 6 pm. Trick-or-treated started when the sun went down, and by now, the sky outside above the crypt was nearly a beautiful shade of indigo as the final streaks of orange burned away in the stars.

If Marie wouldn’t be ready soon, they’d probably miss Halloween all together. And they had such a night planned out!

Trick-or-treating from 6-8. Then, back here for cocoa and to catch the Meridian Studios’ Malevolent Movie Marathon, when they showed all the old black and white vampire and gothic movies for 9. Then, spend the night eating candy and talking about old times until they fell asleep. Just because they were a bit different from other girls couldn’t mean they could still have fun right?

But, Squigly felt like that wouldn’t happen. She felt guilty, almost a bit ashamed. She really wanted Marie to have a normal Halloween for once in her life again. Sure, she talked about Halloweens with her old friend Patricia, but it had been so long since she had ever even considered the idea of it. To be unable to do so was one thing, but to be so close to having a normal life again and by sheer circumstance damning you from ever having it was a torture to great to know.

And to think, Squigly had such a surprise waiting for Marie when they went out.

As Leviathan attempted to cheer Squigly up with words such as “No one can shame you for your good intentions” and “I’m sure Miss Marie will understand!”, the closet door swung open.

And out stepped Marie.

Back in her normal maid outfit.

And she was...smiling?

“Marie? I thought you were getting changed? Are you going home for the night?’

“I was getting changed” Marie said, giving a small proud smile, gesturing to her floating skulls around her. “I noticed we kept trying to wear outfits that tried to hide my....abilities. But, we’ve been going over it all wrong!”

“All wrong?”

“It is Halloween, right? Why would I need to dress up, if I could just go as myself? No one would suspect the real Skullgirl, right?”

Huh. That...actually made a lot of sense. Squigly had to give Marie this- she was pretty clever.

“But what about the floating skulls? I mean, wouldn’t people be a tad suspicious?”

Marie jerked her arm forward, revealing a sewing string tied to the jaw of one of the skulls to her sleeve.

“See? People will just assume they are nothing but balloons.”

“Marie, that’s genius! I could never have thought of it myself!”

“Indeed!” chimed Leviathan with an air of impressed surprise. “One would never expect a Skull...I mean, it is a fine idea! Madam has been worried so that you two wouldn’t be able to enjoy tonight’s festivities.”

“L..Leviathan!” Squigly blushed brightly, hiding her face in long candy-cane sleeves.

Marie stifled a giggle- now she was the one to enjoy a laugh at Squigly being so flustered. But, still, she was rather touched that someone had been so longing to spend time with her.

“Well...I must admit, Sienna, I am looking forward to tonight as well.”

The maid offered her friend a gentle smile, which made Squigly feel a bit less embarrassed at the idea of sounding so sappy.

“That’s wonderful to hear, Miss Marie. Hehe, I didn’t want you to miss tonight because I had a bit of a surprise for you when we would go into the city”.

“A surprise?”

“Yes. You see, there was this cartoonish girl who I had met before who was ever so excited to meet you! She said her name was Peacock...”

“You...you invited Patricia?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? She is your friend after all!”

Marie’s smile found itself breaking wider. A feeling of warmth- and not just the fire from the Skullheart lodged in her back- rose in her chest, and she let out a soft sweet giggle. One that reminded Squigly of piano keys being lightly tapped.

Then, Squigly would feel Marie launch herself into her, pulling her into a rather comfortable, warm hug.

“Thank you, Si...Squigly. Thank you so very much.”

A pair of arms returned the hug most gratefully, as did a long serpentine tail.

“It’s no problem, Marie. That’s just what friends do.”

The two stayed like that for a bit, before Marie looked up at Squigly.

“Aren’t you ready yet?”

“Oh! I completely forgot! My own outfit is ready and waiting. I’m sure I could get ready in only a few minutes, if I could find those little plastic fangs. Could you please wait for us, Marie? We shan’t be long!”

Marie gave a subtle nod and a curtsey, almost as Squigly would do.

“Please, take your time. I’ll be ready and waiting.”

And with that, Squigly disappeared into her room to get changed, leaving Marie to sit on the couch.

But, Marie didn’t mind waiting. She thought of how wonderful it would be to spend a Halloween night with Patricia again- and Squigly as well.

If waiting a bit longer was the price for it, so be it.

After all, isn’t that what friends do?