*Recommended to be read after the main story of Mecchen House*

[https://i.imgur.com/aeRBINR.jpg]

Halloween at Mecchen House

Tara scampered down the stairs with a special glow in her eyes. She vaulted off the third step with unrestrained energy and dashed down the hall, past Sumi's closed door, past the computer room, and right into the living room.

She flashed her smile in front of those gathered as her clothes braced themselves to finally catch up with her speed. Then, she added a double twirl in place.

With a giggle, she asked, "What do you think?"

Masuyo immediately looked up from his papers and gave a little clap. Keiko and Ami joined in as well. Toki gave a nod of her head, a quiet smile, and spoke, "You look very nice. Who was the character again?"

Tara held a pose that could best be described as 'devious-looking'. It made Masuyo smile brighter. She announced, "I am the nefarious Ada-chan, super space-witch and avowed nemesis of Yumeko!" Her outfit was a rippling, bright pink dress with garish, obsidian adornments along the hips and shoulders.

Dropping the 'devious' tone a moment, Tara added, "I wasn't able to get her scepter ordered in time. So just pretend…"

She mimed her hands clenched on a long rod and held it aloft. Then, she gave a little cackle which became a giggle.

Toki tapped her chin and asked, "Ah yes. Ada-chan. Are Kimi, Arisu, and Hitomi still up in your room?"

Tara nodded with her feet rocking. "Yup! Jamie-kun is thinking about not going to Carolyn's Halloween party because she found out Miki's brother will be there. But she really likes the costume."

Toki sighed. "You may tell her that if she doesn't decide in two minutes then I will be calling Mr. Yamamoto and inviting him here on her behalf." She pointed to the floor for emphasis.

Tara smiled and burst out of the room.

Toki looked up and faced the wall nearest Tara's room. She cupped an ear. She couldn't hear most of the conversation. but she caught the end as Jamie's voice cried out, "I'M GOING!"

Ami frowned and said, "It doesn't seem fair to push the two of them. They are cute together in a semi-boy...with boy sort of way. But still…"

Toki tapped her fingers and pointed out, "They are quite cute. And I know she'll enjoy herself, so I'm going to make the choice for her as a mom. Besides…you do know what she'll be going as…right?"

Ami widened her eyes. "No…why?"

Rushing down the steps, Jamie panted and appeared with her hands waving in front of Toki. "Don't call! I'm going!"

Ami blushed. Jamie had a little glued-on goatee and somehow had bound her chest to make it flat. She also had padding to give herself more of a manly shape. To all appearances, Jamie looked just like a boy.

Toki waved a hand. "Excellent. Be safe."

Jamie's look lingered on Toki till she rolled her eyes and asked, "So, did Katsumi decide if she wanted to go too or not?"

Toki gave a little shrug and brushed her hands through a twinkle of her yellow hair. "She's probably still upstairs fawning over Raiko coming to visit. She looked very nice in her cat outfit."

Jamie snorted and noted, "I told her not to raise the dead and she said she wasn't that kind of cat."

Toki smiled and her hair seemed to glow. "I see my folklore lessons haven't gone unused."

Jamie shrugged and went back the way she came.

Masuyo looked around and asked, "Who all is going?" He looked over at Keiko. "Are you?"

Keiko bowed her head. "It sounds too busy for me. It would be nice to see Carolyn, but it would be too many people and too many ripples around me."

Toki tensed and leaned forward. "Are you keeping to the concentration lessons I've been giving to help with that?" Keiko sat up and nodded diligently. Toki relaxed. She looked to Masuyo with a quiet smile. "The home troop is the two of us, Aneko, Akiko, Hitomi, Ami, and then it's up to Katsumi and Raiko."

Masuyo smiled and asked, "Is…uh…redhead going too? The one Arisu studies with. Money girl."

Toki resisted the urge to narrow her eyes at her husband or smack her forehead. "Mami…"

Masuyo nodded vigorously to make up for it. "Right. Of course. Sorry. Just so many names around this house I sometimes get confused."

Toki shook her head and sighed. "Indeed. Last I heard…Mami would be attending the party. Now, would you like me to turn you into a cute little girl with perfect memory and no more worries about whatever thesis you're poring over there?"

Masuyo bowed his head and blushed. "Uh…speaking of which, are you curious about what I'm working on?"

Toki leaned forward, and her hands glowed a little with quiet warmth. She admitted, "Not particularly. You know…I was just thinking about our honeymoon in Okinawa."

Keiko gave an involuntary blush. Ami looked a little lost but smiled thinking about Officer Yamamoto and Jamie-kun together.

Masuyo smirked and set his papers on the table before him. "I could never forget…"

Miki came over from down the hall with her dog ears headband slipping a little on her head. Aside from the leaning ears, she wore the traditional shrine maiden outfit of a red, divided skirt and a white kimono jacket.

She smiled and asked, "Yo! What's up?"

Toki gave a little smile to her husband but answered for Miki, "Everyone seems to be getting dressed. Have you seen any of the costumes?"

Miki shook her head and noted, "Not really. I figured Tara was doing something cool from Yumeko. I heard about some costumes based on Hitomi's inspirations and sources and stuff but I know Mami got depressed about that."

Toki bowed her head. "I know. It was worked out. She's changing up in her room. And…also…"

Almost in time with a little nod from Toki, Aneko came from the kitchen with a tray of cookies and Akiko hurrying behind her and sniffing at them. She set them on the table and smiled. The aroma granted a little sigh of joy from Masuyo. The cookies were white ghost faces and orange pumpkins.

Toki was first to sample with a bite. "Excellent. Now which film did you have planned for this evening?"

Aneko picked up a DVD case from underneath the TV set. She showed it around. Akiko smiled as she gazed at the terrifying cover-art. "It's a tale about a real-life haunting. Jamie found it. I can't wait to see it."

Toki bent forward. "I see. Ghosts again. Wasn't your costume going to be a ghost?"

Aneko smiled but her eyes didn't linger long on Toki's eyes. "Yup. I was considering a little spirit to hover around me along with white makeup for my face. Then I could haunt the party. But then everyone wanted to go out to a friend's party. That's okay though."

Toki clasped her hands together gently. "You shouldn't give it up. It still could be a bit of fun." Aneko quietly nodded.

Akiko hid around the side of the couch and Toki glanced over at her. Each time Toki looked over, Akiko hid her head around the end of the couch. Her skirted legs were still glaringly-exposed. Toki found she couldn't restrain rays of a pleasant feeling which broke through the usual tension she felt around Akiko.

She wasn't about to hug her. Instead, she gave her a little wave, which made her dart further behind the couch, and asked Aneko, "Did you give any thought to a costume for her?"

Aneko held her chin and noted, "Well, I figured all monster outfits, especially ones with lots of eyes were right out. I considered giving her an old umbrella from storage with a single, large eye glued to it. I'm afraid I'm not very creative when it comes to costumes." She bowed her head to Toki, who tapped her chin and inquired, "Wasn't Tara going to dress her up as a princess?"

Aneko reacted by curling up her lip-line. "Didn't go so well. I think she looks best as she is."

As Akiko hazarded a quick peek, Toki lowered her head and quietly added to herself, "Best disguise of all." Aneko turned her head but Toki waved her hand and dismissed her words as, "Nothing but the meandering thoughts of an old woman. Please…everyone…partake of Aneko's cookies."

After everyone had a cookie, Aneko smiled and noted there were more treats coming along soon. She looked to Keiko and asked, "Did you decide against the mermaid costume?"

Keiko nodded slowly and answered, "It was just one idea. I thought maybe a water snake or something too. But it's been a long week of school. I want to just relax and be with…be with my family." Miki flashed a warm smile.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Masuyo touched Keiko on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and said, "I know and I'm gonna try my best to be happier."

Toki gently clutched her hands. "Just do your best. I love all my girls. Even Hitomi. I offered her an oni mask earlier but she didn't quite grasp the nuance of my intent…" A quiet sense of reflection came over Toki and she looked away from the group.

Miki practiced her best purification motions and gave Akiko a surprise hug.

Masuyo turned to Ami and asked, "What about your costume?"

Ami folded her arms against her knees. "I wish I'd given more thought to it now. I'll have to ask someone to take pictures of Kazu and Jamie…"

Miki swiftly raised a hand to volunteer. "I'll be taking my cellphone so I can send them to you as they're happening." Ami blushed and nodded quietly before continuing, "…while I feel better than I did since…returning….I still have concerns. But I was thinking about a pirate. Like a little game I played with Tara a couple weeks ago."

Masuyo and Keiko's eyes both lit up. They'd been a part of that near the end. Toki had hidden a little smile at discovering Masuyo, with a wooden sword and eye-patch, storming the second-story storage area 'ships' with 'Goldenbeard' Tara.

Miki parried the air in memory and plopped down next to Akiko, who had long ago lost her anxiety around Miki but didn't lean in her direction. With a smirk, Miki practiced some sign words with Akiko she knew.

From down the hall, Reiko and Sumi walked to the assembled group. Toki was the first to compliment Reiko on her costume. It was something Toki had first suggested to her as a coping mechanism.

The left side of Reiko was made up with spiky, silvery-tinted hair secured with copious styling gel. Somehow, Sumi had used an assortment of makeup to make one side of Reiko's face look more boyish and the other side more girlish. Reiko gave half a grin that sat only on her girl side.

"I feel really dumb," was the only substantial reaction Reiko could offer. She looked into a compact and sighed. Her mouth split between thoughts as she added, "But I guess everyone will look dumb." She glanced in Sumi's direction. Sumi leaned her head and grinned.

Sumi's costume took a moment of explanation on her part, "I'm a succubus…"

She held up a long, plastic sea monster tentacle. Secured in the back, she had eight lavender tentacles with suckers exposed. Aside from the plastic tentacles showing across her body, she wore a loose, lavender tank top and snug pants the same color. Her ears looked pointier than usual due to a bit of shadowing and she had a single, pointy fang insert on her left side.

She added, "It was spur of the moment."

Toki's eyes lingered on Sumi's exposed midriff as she sighed and said, "I see. Be safe at the party."

Miki did a little reverse push-up for Akiko and smirked. It took a moment, but Akiko cautiously smiled. Sumi and Reiko both helped themselves to what was left of the cookies before Aneko returned with the next sampling of food, Japanese fudge in small circles.

Tara finally returned with Jamie in tow. Close behind them followed Hitomi with her oni mask in her hands and Nana just behind her, covered in square cardboard boxes. Notches were cut for her circle eyes and triangular mouth. The costume looked rather stiff but Nana was able to move smoothly around the room.

Toki had seen it earlier but she formally asked her, "So…what are you going as Nana?"

Nana remarked only, "Android. From space." Miki complimented her on finding so many "cool boxes". Nana bowed and looked at her with her blank, cut mouth and eyes.

Hitomi slipped her way around the other girls like she was traveling on a small current of air. She tested the end of the couch where Toki sat and pressed at it lightly with her fingers. Softly, she noted, "Thank you for the mask. I'm…sorry."

Jamie resisted making a comment and instead talked with Tara about the forthcoming live-action film, Pretty Yumeko Hime Galaxy: Solar Crisis.

Toki looked at her with a softened gaze. "You don't have to keep it around."

Hitomi shook her head. "No. I'm glad to have it, Arivida. I'm honored by the gift."

Toki sighed and noted, "Mom…"

Hitomi nodded. "Right…mom."

The room was starting to get crowded and little conversations were beginning to merge into a larger roar. Sumi curled a loving tentacle around Reiko's stomach. Aneko laid out some fresh fruit and little rice balls with seaweed and sour centers. She gleefully made her way back to the kitchen for more.

From down the hall, a trio made their way into the area. Katsumi wore a royal purple robe and a pair of cat ears on her head. Toki listened as Katsumi revealed the outfit she had chosen. She unraveled the elegant history of the noble neko woman named, "Queen Nakagawa the Zappy".

Raiko leaned against a wall with dark shades around her eyes. Her blue hair with white streaks was pulled tight in short arcs. Toki had to admit that she was at least dressed in clothes that didn't make her feel embarrassed.

Toki decided she might as well ask, "So, what's with the shades?"

Raiko shrugged. "I like them. What's it to you?" She rubbed at a bit of her hair like she was trying to build up a charge.

Toki fanned her hands and responded, "Just curious. Is it part of a disguise?"

"Just so no one can see me coming when I zap them."

There were many things Toki could imagine saying in response to admonish her or try to curtail Raiko's nature. She offered a quiet smile and replied, "Have fun."

The smile instantly grounded the charge she could sense around Raiko. Toki knew that kind of acceptance wouldn't always work but she figured she might as well use it while she still could. Hunched over and beginning to sulk, Raiko noted to no one in particular, "I'll be outside…"

Katsumi followed after her with "zappy ideas". Toki hoped in a tired sort of way that she wouldn't find any further messes of Raiko's to clean up in the morning.

After avoiding Raiko, Hitomi curled around the couch and sat on the opposite side from Toki.

The last two from upstairs finally made their way down to the living room. Toki felt a rush of warmth as she looked over at her red-headed, eldest daughter standing beside Mami.

Mami was clad in an intricate and shimmering phoenix bird outfit. While it wasn't full body and some of the feathers looked odd, Mami couldn't care less. She flapped her wings with child-like abandon. Her enthusiasm soon prompted Tara to begin flapping with her.

Kelly gave her mom a hug. Toki said, with all peace, "Have a good time." Then, she repeated the same to the costumed group as some began to amble away from the living room.

Toki looked Kelly over and asked, "So what's your costume?"

Kelly shrugged and said, "I never really had any good ideas…aside from the phoenix. And then I realized…I'd been disguising myself for so long. I disguised myself as a boy…for a good cause though…"

Nana raised her box head.

Kelly continued, "And…before…when I first met you, I never really knew the real me. I was never really hurting like Keiko…but it just felt like I was sleeping in my own life. You woke me up with your light. And…I want to live that to its fullest. I want to celebrate myself."

Toki felt a rush of warmth all through her body

Jamie rolled her eyes and groaned. "Can we go before I get a sugar overload without eating a single piece of candy?"

Toki shot Jamie a glance and had one last smile for Kelly before sending them all off.

The boisterous group made their way out, leaving only the weary settling of a house so thoroughly lived in. Toki listened to it. It almost felt like her own home.

As she looked around, she saw Masuyo telling a very very very old joke that still earned giggles from Keiko and Ami.

She looked at the little girl with long black hair peeking over the couch who she thought of less and less like a monster and more like a granddaughter.

She watched Aneko…Ishida Aneko… wipe the sweat of the kitchen from her brow and felt a flush of joy that this girl carried the Ishida name with her from Hitomi.

Aneko popped the DVD in the player and dimmed the lights.

She lingered on the creeping form of her youngest girl with an oni mask at her side. She scooted a little over.

Toki reached a hand over for Hitomi's as the movie started.

So far as home….it was close enough.