DGA: An Unexpected Halloween

"HAPPY HALLOWEEN!"

Akemi and Nanami's joint yelling serves as a shock to the gathered class as they enter the dorm-room lounge. What they were informed was an emergency meeting saw only Nanami and Akemi in pumpkin costumes greeting the class in a lounge filled with decorations recycled from last October.

"... What?" Saki, at the head of the pack asks, raising her eyebrow.

"Yes, that's right!" Akemi exclaims. "The Great Pumpkemi has returned, backed by my spoooooooky friend The Great Pumpkami!"

"It's a work in progress!" Nanami cheerfully admits with a bright smile on her face.

"Uhh..." Akio scratches the back of his head. "Boss, should you tell them or should-"

"It's not Halloween!" Rini exclaims. "It's freakin' January! Halloween was only a few months ago!"

Akemi smiles and shakes her head. "Oh, don't be silly! Halloween isn't a date! It's a feeling, deep in your bones! Whenever you've got a spooky feeling in your heart... that's Halloween!"

"Inspiring!" Chihiro smiles as she clasps her hands together.

"No it wasn't!" Rini fires back. "How could you-oh, I get it. You're just happy to have an excuse to wear revealing outfits!"

"That's right!" Chihiro winks.

"She's not even ashamed of it!" Hikaru cries indignantly.

"Why on earth would I be?" Chihiro asks. "Now come along, my dear Sayeka!"

Before Sayeka can even question it, she's being dragged away by Chihiro.

"So... that's what you've been planning?" Ken asks. "Another Halloween?"

"Well, we haven't had a single Halloween this year yet-" Nanami begins.

"-Because it's less than a week into January..." Hikaru reminds the class.

"HAHA, YES!" Isamu yells, while striking a pose in a costume from an iconic battle manga.

"When did he put that on?!" Akio yells.

"IT WAS ALL AN EXPERTLY TIMED RUSE!" Isamu explains. "A TRICK FILLED WITH TREATS, WOULDN'T YOU SAY?"

Saki sighs. "So, you were in on this as well?"

Rei approaches the group, with a familiar little kid wearing a ghost sheet clinging to her head. "We both were. Isamu wanted to bring his siblings, so I had to know to chaperone them."

While Kin rests atop Rei's head making a low ghost noise from under her sheet, the two larger Iori siblings pop out from behind her. Marise is wearing a smaller version of her older brother's exact costume, and spring out cutting the exact same pose as Isamu by his side, while Kaii holds a plastic gun with a black helmet placed upon his head.

"So... who else was in on this scheme?" Reiji asks.

"Hoshi!" Nanami exclaims, pointing at the panicking member of Class 2. "She provided us with the horror movies we'll be watching tonight!"

"W-wha?"

"Hoshi, you were involved in organising this... tomfoolery?" Reiji asks, adjusting his glasses.

"N-n-no!" Hoshi mutters. "T-they just wanted to know my favourite movies, I didn't know..."

Saki adjust a stray hair away from her face as she turns to address the class as a whole. "Okay, clearly this isn't an important meeting..."

"More important than our usual meetings," Kosuke replies. "As Class President, I'm in favour of relaxing and watching a movie."

"Yeah, come on Kobashi!" Rei exclaims. "The kids are excited! Akemi and Nanami went through a lot of work! Are you really going to stomp on our fun again-"

"No, I agree," Saki explains. "I was just going to say that if we're going to spend this... new Halloween watching movies, we should do it right! Let's invite the other classes!"

"And make popcorn!" Satomi adds.

"There's some great horror shorts in the library," Hikaru smiles. "I'm sure there's something that will scare the heck out of the kids."

Hearing that causes Kin to let out a worried hum and Marise to let out an enthusiastic "COOL!"

The movie party begins in the lounge as the rest of the students pool in.

"A horror film..." Mayu ponders, before turning to Kaz. "Kazuma, I am afraid I do not see the purpose of such a thing. Why would someone choose to watch something designed to frighten them? Perhaps... to trigger their instincts? To feel a rush of adrenaline before moving into combat?"

"Well... that could be it," Kazuma explains. "Or it could give you an excuse to cuddle with your boyfriend..."

Mayu ponders this for a moment, then smiles.

"You look adorable in that costume," Ken smiles as Nanami spins around in her plump pumpkin costume.

"Oh, you like it?" Nanami smirks. "Well, good! Because I've got a spare just for you!"

Ken pauses. "Hmm... I'll pass-GAH! HEY! WHAT THE-NANAMI!"

It's too late for Ken, as Nanami stuffs him into a pumpkin costume of his own.

"Soooo... can you tell what I am?" Chihiro asks Makoto, as she hugs into his arm and presses herself against him tight in a costume that once would have been called inappropriate but at this point is referred to as 'Distinctly Chihiro'.

"Umm... ah..." is all the bright red Makoto is able to mumble out.

"What's the matter, tongue tied?" Chihiro winks. "Oh my dear boy... I'm a succubus!"

"Yeah, but what are you dressed as?" a passing Chuichi jokes.

Sayeka lets out a nervous hum. "Am... an I a succubus...?" she asks.

Chihiro turns around and tuts. "Of course not, Sayeka! You're an angel... but yes, you are dressed as a Succubus."

"Oh, I knew the breeze I felt was worrying..."

"Hey kid..." Roka mutters towards the young Kaii, who looks up towards him. "Nice costume. You're the Death Star Gunner, right?"

"Yeah!" Kaii replies. "From Season 4 of Red Mask!"

"My little brother's a big fan!" Marise explains. "He was Red Mask himself last Halloween!"

Roka pauses. "Huh... why not this year again?"

"Red Mask isn't as cool anymore," Kaii shrugs. "I just think the villains are cooler now."

"No way!" Roka crosses his arms. "Death Star Gunner is just a punk compared to Red Mask! You know... my uncle played Red Mask."

"What? Really?" An excited Kaii asks. Roka and Kaii continue to chat about Red Mask as Kiriko looks on with a surprised smile.

With the movie on, everyone is seated around the tv... a very cramped room, but homely. Saki leans back and rubs shoulders with Akemi, happy to see the students together like this... and silently hopes that Ryoji returns soon. Mayu is perfectly hidden under the shared blanket between herself and Kazuma, buried deep into his chest... surprisingly she's terrified of the movie. Rei rests with her head on Isamu's shoulder, making sure to cover Kin's eyes whenever the horror gets too graphic for the little kid. And Hoshi sits in the chair a shivering mess, yet she never once takes her eyes off the screen. She's clutching Reiji's hand like a vice, but Reiji doesn't seem to mind.

"Thanks for this," Saki whispers to Akemi. "You and Nanami had a great idea here."

"The great Pumpkemi brings joy to all who need it," Akemi explains. "And some days we all need a little injection of joy!"

"Even you?" Saki asks.

"Yep."

Saki smiles as she pulls Akemi in close, hugging her from the side. "This is the best non-Halloween ever."

"Just wait until next week's Christmas!"

END