Halloween Event Prologue: Party Prep and Places to Go

--- Maya ---

“Ugh, do you have to go out like that?” She grimaced, upon seeing Tommy’s costume.

“What’s wrong with my costume?” Tommy frowned looking down at himself as everyone else busied about getting ready for their various halloween plans.

“Nothing, if you ignore the fact that you look like a gang member.” She told him, even though it was more specifically which gang member he was dressed as that was bothering her.

“Maybe, but I think people will recognize who I’m supposed to be.” Tommy argued as he adjusted his glasses. “And come on, I've got to represent the town’s Musical Mask.”

“But do you have to dress as DJ Decker?” She asked, just barely holding back her groan. “I mean Vi is at least dressed like Terraform.”

“Yes but that’s because she has an Arcane fetish rather than any personal connection.” Tommy pointed out.

“It’s not my fault Arcane have the best costumes of all Deviants.” Vi defended, as she finished drawing dark markings on her arms. “Definitely better than that neon eyesore you’re wearing.”

“Hypocritical given how you're using glow in the dark paint.” Tommy noted.

“And debatable with all of the M.A.D.s out there.” She added, earning an eye roll from her sister.

“Herminita, all M.A.D.s either wear lab coats or metal suits of armor, they don’t have the same pizzazz that Arcane have with their hundreds of themes.” Vi told her. “I mean how many knight themed M.A.D.s are there?”

“Too many.” Tommy(‘s backstabbing ass) agreed with their elder sister.

“That’s because they’re the good guys and everyone knows knights are the good guys.” She tried to defend while mentally cursing her (uncreative, unimaginative, stupid pendejo, lesser) M.A.D. peers.

“Sure it does.” Vi nodded with the amount of condescension that only an elder sibling could pull off.

She frowned but let the point go as she watched Tommy for a moment. “Hey, uh, are you really sure you’re okay to go out?”

Tommy paused for a moment before letting out a sigh and giving her a soft smile. “I’m doing fine My. It’s been a few weeks and my head’s pretty much clear at this point.”

“Still you know how hectic Halloween can get. I mean the town has this whole curfew thing going on.” She reminded him, unable to explain that Decker -a leader of one of the town’s Deviant gangs- had told her it would be best to stay home the next few days because of the things going on in town.

“Which is why I’m going to be his chaperone.” Vi told her

“You need a chaperone as much as I do.” Tommy scoffed.

“The difference is I’m in college.” Vi pointed out as she stuck out her tongue.

“You know if you both need a chaperone Maya could go with you.” Her mamá volunteered her, getting a grimace from both of the older teens.

(Wow you can just feel their love.)

“I don’t know, I mean this crowd is a bit… older for her.” Tommy admitted.

“Meaning all the more reason for her to go with you!” Her mamá grinned. “After all, you’d both be twice as careful with your little sister tagging along.”

“Well, uh, what about her going with you guys to that community party at the police station?” Vi wondered. “I mean there’s bound to be more people her age at that kind of thing.”

“True.” Her mamá nodded.

“Uh, don’t I get a say in this?” She frowned. “Because I was planning on just staying home, playing some horror games, and handing out some candy to anyone trick or treating.”

What she didn’t say was that plan was mostly so that she could rest up after the beating she’d taken at the hospital when clearing out the Bloodhounds.

(Honestly, it’s been a miracle you’ve been able to hide all of your bruises for this long.) Her inner logic told her.

(Yeah, we are really lucky ADHD runs in the family.) Her inner madness agreed.

“I know mija, but I just feel bad leaving you here by yourself while we’re all going out to these parties.” Her mamá sighed. “Are you really sure you want to stay home by yourself? I mean it is a holiday.”

(I get why mamá wants us to go but at the same time I really would like to just lay down and call it a night…)

(Yeah, but think about it, you're basically being invited to one of Vi and Tommy’s cool kid parties.) In her passion pointed out. (That’s something we’ve wanted since we were like twelve.)

(Well less invited and more having them told to take us.) Her inner reason argued. (And we’ve never been the most sociable of sorts so we’d probably just spend the night hanging around the walls.)

(Still who know what secrets the cool kids hold!)

(Truthfully if we must go somewhere, I’d be more partial to staying near the younger members of our family.) Her inner logic admitted. (If something does go wrong we’d be there to keep them safe.)

(If we’re going off that point, then they’d be more than safe hanging around the police station with the rents at a community kids’ party.) Her inner madness countered. (Vi and Tommy on the other hand will be all on their own at a party that’s probably going to have alcohol and stuff. Do you really want to leave them unattended?)

(We both know they’re far more responsible than that.) Her inner reason scoffed.

(And we know the rest of the family will be safe at the station.) Her inner passion -metaphorically- nodded.

“Maya?” Her mamá asked, breaking her out of her thoughts, and causing her to reflexively answer.