Ahatake and co.'s special Halloween

Trick-or-Treat
The young girl yawned as she awoke. Next to her was a small mass of grey.

"Haiiro's here?" She looked at her cat and got up gently over it. "Might as well let him sleep." She began her long descent down the stairs. Even after living here for twelve years she was still not used to the mansion. It was huge and easy to get lost in. Midoriko walked down the hall.

"I wonder if Father is awake?"

"Mornin, sis!"

Her brother's voice called out from the far side of the hall. He gave a wide wave over towards her, one of his hands in his pockets.

"Hello Taiki." Midoriko replied. "You are awfully loud for so early in the morning."

Taiki smirked. "And you sure are very quiet. It's the start of a new day, perk up!" He encouraged.

"Yeah Happy Halloween, Onii-san." She said with sarcasm.

"That's better! Now let's get downstairs before Mom and Dad get worried."

Midoriko sighed. "You act too much like Father."

"Thanks..." Taiki replied jokingly, putting an arm on her shoulder as they walked down to the lower levels. "If it helps, you act too much like Mom, too."

"Thank you." She replied, pushing his arm off her, her eyes glowing red.

That caused him to chuckle nervously. "Same temper, too..." He commended, putting both hands in his pockets and taking a few steps away, a sweatdrop coming down from his forehead.

Midoriko walked ahead of him. "I will never understand why Father has a mansion this big."

For a moment, the boy looked around in wonder at the large space that surrounded them. "His dad or someone gave it to 'em when they kicked the bucket..." He said, putting his hands into his pockets. "I'd be glad to have a house like this..."

"Father likes me best, so I'll probably get it. And MAYBE I'll be nice enough to let you live in the cellar."

"Oh... I'm so honored..." Taiki rolled his eyes, the familiar tone of Tereya's own dry tone filling his mouth.

When they entered the dining room, they were chocked at what they saw. The whole room was orange. Pumpkins (real or fake) were hanging from the ceiling, there were orange frills on the table, and the wallpaper was orange.

"What....happened here?" Midori muttered, her eyes slightly wide.

"Happy Halloween kids!" Ahatake called from across the room.

"Dad, you mutilated the dining room!" Taiki complained, eyeing the large mass of decorations surrounding them. "Why is there a pumpkin grinning at me?!"

"That's the idea son." Ahatake replied. "Your mother didn't much care for it either, but since Akiko, Shunsatsu and I liked it, her opinion didn't really matter."

"That's kinda harsh, Dad..."

"Well it's the vote of the Majority that matters. It's called democracy. Don't you pay attention in school?" Ahatake replied.

A wide smile was set across his face, and his eyes squinted shut. "Nope! I was the one that got detention all the time!" He chirped.

Ahatake sighed. "I'll remember that this Christmas."

"Thanks." Taiki's eyes drifted over towards his sister wonderously. "Well? Aren't you gonna say somethin'?"

Midoriko ignored her brother. "Good Morning Father."

"Morning Midori." He looked an twice. "It's odd to see you without Haiiro. Where is he?"

"Haiiro's sleeping Father. Where's mother?"

"I'm not quite sure."

A tap by a slender finger resounded on Ahatake's shoulder. "Oh. I was just getting myself ready." Tereya's lazy voice came to their ears.

Ahatake turned around. "Nice costume Princess." Ahatake said eyeing it.

A long white coat decked nearly her entire torso, some parts of it stained in a reddish color. Her skin was paler, and her hair had been dyed neatly to the color of grey. She wore a white hat to match, a red ribbon tied to it, and black clothing under the white robe. "Thanks, sweetie." She replied, smirking.

"Anyti- WHOA!" Ahatake yelled, falling off of his latter.

WHOOSH!

With a Flash Step, and an outstretching of the arms, the woman was able to easily catch the falling man. "Jeez..." She grumbled, scowling down at his fallen form. "Don't kill yourself yet!"

"Thank's Princess." Ahatake said getting up.

"So what are you to gonna be for Halloween?" Ahatake asked turning to his kids.

Taiki raised his hand to his chin, putting on a thoughtful look. "Eh.... I'm not sure yet..." He muttered.

"I'm gonna be a cat-girl Father." Midoriko replied, moving to help him up.

"Nice."

"Cat-girl?" Taiki repeated disbelievingly. "With your looks, you'd be most suited for something goth."

Midori decided to ignore that hand helped her father back onto the latter.

"Hey, Black." Tereya called up, folding her arms across her chest and looking back up at her husband. "What're you gonna dress up as? And don't say yourself..." She rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly.

"I'm not quite sure. Maybe an Akatsuki."

"Ah!" Taiki snapped his fingers immediately. "That's it! I'll dress up as an Arrancar-Shinigami!"

"And how would you do that?" Cam a voice. Everyone turned to see Akiko dressed in a black and purple flowing coat with a pointed hat on her head.

"I've got ideas..." Taiki retorted, looking over at his aunt and eyeing her costume. "I just...have to plan them out somehow..."

Tereya cocked an eyebrow. "What're you supposed to be?" She asked skeptically.

"What I am everyday...a witch." Akiko replied.

"You look pretty good for a witch, Auntie!" Taiki complemented.

"Thank you." Akiko replied, slightly red. "Echo should be dropping by soon."

"Will he be wearing a costume?" Midori asked.

"Knowing him... probably not." Akiko replied.

"He doesn't need one!" Tereya added, shrugging her shoulders. "Already intimidating to look at..."

"True." Akiko replied. "And if he doesn't have one, I'll make him wear this." She formed a Hollow mask in her hand.

A skeptical eye was raised in return, and Tereya stared at it for a minute. "You sure he'd like that he's being made to wear something?" She asked.

"Probably not." Akiko replied. "Which is the main reason I'm gonna do it."

"I'm getting bored." Midoriko replied. "And hungry."

Taiki sighed heavily, but he put on a mock hurt expression. "We're too boring for Mido-chan?" He teased.

"Yes." Midoriko replied, her eyes glowing red, telling him to back off.

He raised his hands up in defense, grinning widely but a clearly panicked expression on his face. "Hey, hey, no need to get mad! I was just kidding!"

"I wish I had a sister, not a brother." Midoriko muttered, walking off. "Aunt Akiko, when's Kyashi coming to visit?"

Taiki could only stare through his squinted eyes at her retreating form, putting his hands in his pockets once more and frowning. "Jeez... everyone's out to get me today..." He muttered, taking a seat at one of the nearby chairs.

"I'm not sure." Akiko replied. "She said she'd drop by today, but not guarantees. There's someone she wants to meet today, so I don't know."

"O.K." Midoriko replied. "I'm going to change into my costume."

Just at that moment the air chilled, and in walked a careless looking, muscular, black haired man. The bright orange room almost became oblivious compared to the calm glow of his blue eyes. "Hey." He said, not hiding his lack of amusement.

"Pleased to see you here..." Tereya muttered, looking up from her leaning position she had taken on the wall.

"Heya Echo!" Akiko greeted him with a kiss. "Like my costume?"

"Oh yes." said Echo, looking at her. "Please hex me." Said Echo, a tinge of amusement in his dry tone.

Akiko laughed a fake laugh. "I'm surprised you got her without getting lost."

"I trailed a suspicious looking man in a tux here and when he didn't answer my questions immediately I killed him...Then I noticed he was butler." said Echo, slightly embarassed.

"Oh my God, you didn't!" Akiko gasped. "Why?"

Echo shrugged. "Could've been an assassin I suppose." He sighed. "I guess it doesn't matter, the Soul king will sort it out in his next life."

"I was wondering why Gustav wasn't here." Ahatake muttered.

"Who the hell is Gustav?" Tereya piped up, pushing herself off of the wall and looking over at him quizically.

"The eldest butler." Ahatake replied.

If you'd like I could raise him from the dead." commented Echo, meaning it.

"No." Ahatake replied. "He was getting on in years and he smoked like a chimney."

"Alright, what are your children dressing up as?" he suggested, making conversation.

"Midori is going to be a cat-girl, and Taiki is going to be an Arrancar-Shinigami. Don't ask me how he intends to pull it off."

"Heh, I usally dress up as myself, but I've gotten a bit more festive this year." Echo said poudly.

"What do you mean?" Akiko asked. "You look the same as ever."

"Oh really?" Echo asked, opening his already unbuttoned overcoat to show that his under tank top had spelled across it in orange letters the word: 'costume'. He let a smirk slip out at his own lack of creativity.

Akiko laughed and the pushed a mask onto Echo's face. "There we go." She giggled. "I told everyone if you didn't have a costume I'd make you wear a Hollow mask."

A muffled sigh could be heard from under the mask. "You'd better enjoy this while it lasts." Echo's eyes could be seen rolling in the mask's eye holes.

"I figured he'd be mad about that." Tereya muttered.

"He'll do about anything for Akiko." Ahatake replied.

"You don't have to wear it now." Akiko replied removing it. "Just when we go trick or treating with the kids. THEN you have to wear it."

"Fine, but I am not being Santa for Christmas again." Echo stated, folding his arms sternly.

"Yes you will." Akiko replied, looking sad.

Echo's lip quivered pathetically. "...Alright, okay, but you're Mrs. Santa." he cracked. "And no sending the fat kids to sit on my lap last again."

Akiko giggled. "It's so easy to manipulate you."

"Only for you." said Echo as he shook his head, knowing she was right.

Akiko laughed again. "I'd say it's about time to eat no?"

"Just about." Ahatake replied folding up the latter he was sitting on and throwing it out of the dining room. Everyone began to sit down at the table.

Midoriko entered wearing her costume.

Echo sighed. "You realize it's outfits like that that inspire pedophilism."

"Stuff it Uncle Echo." Midori replied.

Taiki stared. "Fine, I guess things OTHER than Goth suit you."

"I still don't see why I can't just kill her and you two can create a less spoiled child, if needed it would be painless." Echo was still getting used to the fact that in a family you didn't kill one another.