I felt somewhat nervous as Molly approached me with an obvious smirk on her muzzle. It wasn't so much that I was really opposed to going to this Halloween Party. As Molly and I had tended to have very little in the way of a social life. We did our jobs and did our errands when we had to, and then returned to our cabin where we felt secure. Some of this had certainly come from the way Molly had initially been treated. With few treating her like she had any rights at all, and the same treatment was then leveled at me after my transformation, we had little reason to go many places. Outside of Dave and his family, Frank Rhoer and Molly's cousins, Officers Frederick Barnes, Danielle Jenkins and their daughter Megan, and Mr. Patten there weren't really any people that Molly and I associated with beyond a professional level. And the only time that Molly and I had left our cabin for some sort of "social" function had been our meeting with the unknown man, Honorius, during the early stages of the lawsuit for the distribution of the Animatrix Serum.
Instinctively that wasn't to much of a problem for Molly and I. Being turned into an animal that was largely solitary actually helped a bit in that regard, but it didn't change the fact that Molly and I were born human. We were raised and grew up as humans, a social primate that functioned best in the company of others. And despite becoming large felines that normally functioned best alone, our pasts could not be altered, and there were times when it shows. And that was what made the Halloween Party a nice idea, and I was fairly willing to go in for those reasons alone.
"Are you sure we have to dress up?" I asked nervously as I began to back away.
"It's a Halloween Party, George," Molly teased, "why do you expect people not to wear costumes?"
"We don't have any costumes to wear," I pointed out, "and we don't have time to make an order with Rathik and Mugdha to make costumes for us. Halloween will have come and gone by the time they're finished."
And that was true, and also fueled some of my nervousness. The Hindu couple and their silk shop was doing fairly well, as Molly and I were their primary customers, though they'd also commented on Marcella visiting a couple of times, and some other people coming in with special orders. Their presence was helpful, and had even put together some underwear for Molly and I. However, with Halloween a couple of days away, there was no way they could produce a costume for us to wear to this party. Yet I could tell by Molly's almost playful smirk as she approached me that she had an idea or two. And that is what made me nervous. Something told me that whatever idea Molly had... it wouldn't work out all that well for me.
"I told you I have an idea on what we can use for costumes," Molly smirked again as I backed into the wall behind me. She continued to approach with a look that made it seem like she was having too much fun with this.
"And what sort of idea do you have?" I asked, "take a pair of white bedsheets and go as ghosts?"
"No," Molly shook her head and smirked again, "I was actually thinking we'd go as each other..."
"What?" I gasped.
"Yeah," Molly nodded, "You could squeeze into one of my dresses and I could wear one of your uniforms. I would go as you and you would go as me."
"I'd look ridiculous," I answered.
"No you wouldn't," Molly answered, "remember it's Halloween. You're supposed to be in costume."
"That isn't a costume," I answered.
"Sure it is," Molly answered, "and don't go on about your masculinity. I know you're male... and all the male I need or could ever want. This is for a costume party."
"But..." I began to protest.
"Please," Molly batted her greenish-yellow eyes at me, "For me..."
"I'm gonna look ridiculous," I grumbled.
"No, you won't," Molly said again, and nuzzled me, looking pleased with herself.
Being the sap that I was, I nuzzled her back.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The next few days went quietly with little real action going on. The reporters continued to go about town in attempts to get interviews with students and school staff members outside of school, since the attack on Amy and Marcella got the schools to cut off their privileges to go into the schools for security reasons for the rest of the election. Molly and I half expected them to come out to Bandhavgarh, since Molly's presence in the school system was still the main issue being followed in the election. But so far, no one had done so. It perplexed me a little as to why they hadn't, but I had no guesses that were logical to me.
Molly was still very pleased with her idea for costumes for the Halloween Party. I still thought I'd look ridiculous, but there was a lot that I would do for Molly to make her happy. I only hoped nothing embarrassing would happen.
"Evey kid come in okay?" Officer Barnes asked as I returned to the DARE office at the High School. I was still taking it upon myself to make sure there was no trouble as the students went in.
"Yeah," I nodded, "though everyone seems brightly dressed."
"Well... it IS Halloween," Officer Barnes chuckled.
And it was, and the schools seemed to have fun with holiday. It wasn't one that the kids got a day off from school for, but even the High School allowed the students to dress in some costume for the day. It made for what looked like a bunch of werewolves, zombies, vampires, skeletons, and "Rambo impersonators" coming into school. Though a couple went away from that. Amy came in a "Cat in the Hat" costume with Marcella moving beside her. I didn't recognize Marcella's costume.
"The night of spooks and goblins," I chuckled.
"Yeah," Officer Barnes nodded, "Used to be one of Megan's favorite holidays."
"Used to be?"
"Well... even before Officer Jenkins and I started dating, I'd take her trick or treating so Officer Jenkins could hand out the candy at her house," Officer Barnes sighed, "but since things like candy and chocolate are now bad for her..."
"And in the case of chocolate, potentially poisonous," I nodded.
Officer Barnes nodded in response, "Megan has been depressed that the trick or treating part of the holiday is now lost to her... I doubt anyone would give her steaks if she asked for them."
And I sighed. That was all part of the dietary problems that Animal-People had. People that became herbivores couldn't digest meat, as it would make them sick... carnivores couldn't digest plant matter as that would make them sick. People that became animals that were already omnivorous probably didn't go through the dietary changes that people who became herbivores or carnivores did, as omnivorous animals ate both plants and animals.
"Maybe you could take her to the Elementary School's Halloween Party," I offered, "she may not be able to get any candy out of it, but she'd be able to play some of the games they'll have set up."
"Party..." Officer Barnes spoke and then dove into his desk, pulling out a stack of notes that the previous DARE officer had left for us. After a few moments he sat back looking at one note that had been "left" for us. "We might have to provide security for that."
"Security?" I wondered, "at a party?"
"It's at the school, so technically it's a public function," Officer Barnes answered, "and according to Officer Pyre's notes, he was assigned to provide security for it."
"I see," I nodded, thinking this might allow me to get out of wearing one of Molly's dresses.
"Though, he's has circled "wear costume" at the end of the note," Officer Barnes finished, "so I guess that'd be kinda "cute"."
That killed that idea. Officer Barnes then continued to answer my earlier comment.
"But you did have a good idea," Officer Barnes then turned and nodded, "it'd give Megan an opportunity to have some fun."
"So I guess Molly and I will see her there," I commented.
And to that, Officer Barnes nodded, "Yep."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And that evening, the thing I had been dreading since Molly suggested it arrived.
"I look ridiculous," I said in a fairly sour sounding voice as I looked into the image of myself in one of Molly's dresses.
And I felt I did look ridiculous. Molly's dress fit fairly tight on me, as it had been sewn to fit her, not me. I'd found that because of my greater height and larger physical dimensions, I showed a lot more leg the Molly did, and I could see the shorts that I normally wear when not on duty.
"I'll admit it doesn't fit you like it fits me," Molly commented, "but our costumes will be the most authentic."
I sighed and then turned to Molly. Molly's difficulties with one of my uniforms was the opposite of the problems I had. My uniform was too big for her, and it showed on her, just as the tightness of her dress showed on me. The shirt was a bit loose on her, that looseness in the collar was too obvious, even with the rest of the shirt tucked in. To make sure that trousers of my uniform stayed on, she also had to tighten the belt and rearrange the items that were normally kept on the belt. Though, I think she did better then I did. The only thing I insisted on was that the side arm that I had been used was to be left at our cabin. I didn't anticipate there being a problem and also didn't want to have the risk of someone stealing it off of Molly if something did go wrong.
"It doesn't change the fact that I look ridiculous," I repeated.
"Come on..." Molly replied, "It'll be fun."
I sighed and then nodded.
"Are you ready?" Molly asked me.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I sighed.
"Okay then," Molly smiled and offered me her arm, "shall we go?"
"Sure," I nodded, "after you."
"Hey, I'm wearing the pants tonight," Molly insisted in a teasing voice, "After you, dear."
I gave a low groan and then made my way out. It didn't help to hear Molly giggle behind me. From there we made our way into town. Some kids had started trick or treating already as we made our way into the Elementary School, and they then giggled and pointed as I walked by.
"People are staring," I grumbled.
"Then feel free to strut your stuff," Molly teased again, suppressing her own giggles.
"You don't do that," I pointed out, "You don't flaunt yourself."
"Ohhh acting," Molly smirked again, and then giggled.
I only managed a slight sigh as we continued on. Molly was having way too much fun with all of this. But, I reminded myself that this was for her, and her fun was the point of going to the party. And so we continued on. We ended up running into Officer Barnes and Megan as we arrived at the Elementary School. Megan had a large red blanket or bath towel tied around her neck to hang like a cape along with an adult small cotton shirt with the Superman "S" on it. He costume was finished off with a red skirt. Officer Barnes was dressed as a clown.
Our meeting there began with a bit of surprised stares for a moment or two.
"Well... a real Officer..." Officer Barnes then said to Molly with a slight smirk, "You know that you're allowed to do this in costume, George?"
"I am in costume," I answered, "Molly had the idea that we'd go as each other. Me as her, and her as me."
"I can guess," Officer Barnes gave a chuckle, and then turned to Molly, "you know you should of done something more in secret... get a dress made to fit him better."
I only looked down as it was clear that Officer Barnes was having fun with it too.
"That'll be something for next year, I guess," Molly replied, "I thought that my dresses would fit him well enough to pull off the costume sort of thing... I guess I was a bit wrong there..."
Officer Barnes only snickered at that. Ignoring the humor aimed at my expense, I turned to Megan who was standing there holding her tail at the moment.
"And who are you?" I asked her.
"I'm Super-Tiger," Megan answered, "saving tigers everywhere."
"And you look very cute like that," I told her.
"Thank you," Megan gave a small smile, "do I call you Tiger-Lady tonight?"
That set off another series of giggles from Officer Barnes and Molly. Sighing and deciding to let their fun go on, I managed a slight shrug.
"For tonight and tonight only..." I sighed, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let the joke go on..."
"Okay," Megan answered, and then hugged my leg, "Tiger-Lady."
Molly giggled again. I only sighed again, as tonight would be a long night.