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More from jazzfoxrules
PCA Halloween: The Night of the Trickster's Tail
Well, the picture might not be in time, but it can always be added in later ^^
In the meantime, I'll let you all enjoy the story and wait to see what comes
Since I came to hospital, my laptop didn't have the original file, and no-one could find my notebook with the hard copy I wrote down, so basically, I spent my time re-writing this from scratch XD
So, after a few tweaks and proofs, here it is, my first event story ever made on time, lol
All characters C their owners where applicable of course ^^
Heh, and I got a giggle that I wasn't the only one to choose a particular costume... x3
I felt at times this was a little rushed, but I'm finally happy to post it up for you and your enjoyment
Also to let you know, this takes place after Everybody Changes, which I need to finish the final chapter, so you'll be happy to know, complete lack of angst here! ^^
Happy Halloween~!
In the meantime, I'll let you all enjoy the story and wait to see what comes
Since I came to hospital, my laptop didn't have the original file, and no-one could find my notebook with the hard copy I wrote down, so basically, I spent my time re-writing this from scratch XD
So, after a few tweaks and proofs, here it is, my first event story ever made on time, lol
All characters C their owners where applicable of course ^^
Heh, and I got a giggle that I wasn't the only one to choose a particular costume... x3
I felt at times this was a little rushed, but I'm finally happy to post it up for you and your enjoyment
Also to let you know, this takes place after Everybody Changes, which I need to finish the final chapter, so you'll be happy to know, complete lack of angst here! ^^
Happy Halloween~!
Category Story / Pokemon
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 115 x 120px
File Size 61.5 kB
The Night of the Trickster’s Tale.
“Who do you suppose I am?”
“I will move towards tomorrow!”
“Well met, everyone!”
Jingle-chan was becoming very concerned.
It wasn’t that she had injured herself of late, in fact, since the bandages had came off from her most recent adventure with an electric razor, she’d been perfectly fine there!
This time however, it was the way she’d been acting of late: it was very, very peculiar.
He hung there in the window frame by his suction cup, the feral Chimecho listing lazily in the breeze as he watched with a painted expression of content, chiming gently as she twirled in front of the mirror and examined her own handiwork.
“Perfect!” The girl giggled as she clapped her hands.
Jingle-chan would have blinked if he could at her chosen apparel: it was very unsuited for a cold October night, a very short pink dress going down to her knees, with a little red tie dangled in front, with a small pink cape draped behind her, held up by a mantle that looked suspiciously made of cardboard.
Add to that the collection of plastic jewellery collected on her wrists and around her neck, or the untamed hair she’d let grow out for the last few weeks, and it was easy to see the albino Vulpix looked nothing like herself of late, or the random outbursts she’d come out with while wearing the new outfit!
“Princess Nia, first daughter of the Spiral King awaits!” Faith cried out again, playing with her cape.
He’d became so concerned in fact, he had already submitted her activities to the Network - the psychic system that connected he and every other medical aide pokémon assigned to cases like his Mistress’, so that in the event of an emergency, medical services were easily alerted and summoned – but when he received their reply, it simply said this was a common occurrence for this time of year!
What was it about the end of October that made children dress in the most inefficient clothing and dance around like mad little things, as if they were a kid in a candy store even!
“Jingle-chan?”
The Chimecho halted his thoughts of the moment, the painted smile brim as she gave him the attention, unplugging himself from the window frame and floating down into the perch she made with her cupped hands. “Well, how do I look?”
Jingle-chan just looked up at her, she really didn’t want to know the answer… although she did look an awful lot like one of the girls on her metal circles…
“You look varry pretty, Feeth…” A pair of clawed hands laid gently on her shoulders, as a female Scyther’s head leaned in beside her.
“Thanks, Mom,” Faith smiled as she looked back at the reflection of the three of them.
Maile Cartego stood there with a fang filled little grin, the normally business-like Scyther with her bob of black hair smarted her own – store-bought – wicked witch costume. “You know Feeth, Ee’m steell ghetting used to seeeeng you weeth long hair leeke theese?”
Faith grinned back, after growing back all her fur from that unfortunate sleepover, she’d left her hair alone for a bit, just for this costume, as Maile added the final touch for her, a single lotus-like flower, a blossomed pink gem among her long white hair.
“And I’m still not used to seeing you both in the same room!” Faith giggled back as she took a step aside to see the fourth figure who’d appeared in the mirror, “Hi, mom!”
“Aren’t you just a princess?” Su-Lin Sumisu stood in all her shrine robe finery, the bright-eyed Ninetales was fully decorated with sashes of fiery red material and polished jewellery across the robes that was both definitely not fake and definitely not plastic.
To any person previously not introduced, they’d have been forgiven for thinking that Faith’s real mother was wearing a costume, but for most days, this was one of the fire types more conservative dresses, the woman a vast fanatic of the shiny and glittery!
“Thanks, Mom,” Faith laughed as she looked to her birth mother, then her adoptive mother, both of whom turned to one another with their own secretive grin. “But not just a princess, I’m Princess Nia!”
“Well, Princess Nia,” Su-Lin held a playful tone as she went along, “I guess it’s time to make your appearance!”
*********
Faith Titannia Sumisu couldn’t be happier; for tonight indeed was a special night: Halloween night to be precise, or, if you followed the Time Flower Calendar, the Night of the Trickster’s Tale.
It wasn’t her first Viridian Halloween experience, no, that was last year when Pike, Penny and Sarah had introduced her to the custom of tricking and-or treating. It had certainly been a fun and plentiful night, but also very educational after an understandable mix-up upon being invited to Sarah’s house to watch ‘that Mike Myers movie’.
But now she was ready, this year she’d promised her friends a Halloween night to remember!
*********
“Now, look at you!” Jeremiah Cartego called up as the Butterfree stood in his own Tin Man’s costume – store bought much like Maile’s – along with one more Ninetales. The taller, more foreboding fox stood dressed in traditional robes like Su-Lin, far plainer and less decorative, as he offered at least a nod to the girl.
“Thanks, dad,” Faith smiled, not even sure which father figure she was speaking to as she curtsied with her cape, Jingles perched around her shoulders like a scarf, “You and Maile both look great too!”
The Scyther in question made her way round beside the Butterfree, taking back her camera, “You know… we should do these more offen?”
A voice spoke up by the punch bowl, “I don’t think this family can take more expansion, guys!”
A familiar Scizor girl doled herself a cup, dressed in a heavily starched toga, with an equally stiffened set of pipe cleaner for a wig, her usual red body color painted over a marble grey, “I’m still coming to terms with the fact that having Faith as family means I’m related to Rene.”
“Awwww, welcome to the clan, Penny!” the excited Vulpix’s voice came as he clung round her mid-section in a Peter Pan outfit.
“…so you’ve said, Browser.”
“Heh, I think you’d better not tell Nigel that; he might move for a separation if he finds out that’d happen if we ever, well-“ Josh Garkirl was a little more occupied with keeping his toga on, stuck entertaining a tiny Cyndaquil in a fairy Butterfree outfit at his feet.
Faith shot him a sympathetic smile, tapping Jingle-chan lightly on the dome, ushering him off to play with Candace, Rene’s sister certainly loved playing with him… although… the other member of this little ‘family’…
One hyperactive Magnezone bounced around on moonshoes with a costume that looked like it was a boiler wrapped around her middle, with a visor over her single eye… and at least several dozen yards of duct-tape over her arms and legs! “Bite my shiny metal ass!!”
“Preesm!” Maile shook her head at their daughter’s handiwork, “You shood know betterh!”
“Um… Technically, mom?” Penny tapped a claw under her chin thoughtfully as she shuffled up closer to Josh, the Gallade grinning slightly past a blush, “Since I made Prism in the lab like, only a few months ago?
“Technically she’s younger than Princess Pampers here.” She jabbed a claw to gesture at the tiny Cyndaquil kicking her legs as she tried to hold onto the Chimecho’s tail dangling over her.
“I’m a ‘precocious little scamp’, aren’t I, mommy?”
“Gah-ba!” Candace giggled in agreement with her magic wand.
“She’s just impressionable! Me and Josh are working on it anyway,” Penny held a claw up passively, “If you’d just let me grab my tools, I could probably open her up and increase her mental age by a teen or two?”
“Not going to happen,” Jeremiah chipped in with a smirk, “No more access to that workshop until you hit University, little lady.”
“C’mon, dad, what’s the worst that could happen?!”
“Well… there WAS that modification you did to the computer?”
“Freedom to Google is the right of all sentient beings!” Declared the desktop in the corner in a very Peter Cullen styled voice.
“…Okay, so sue me, I got bored after they cancelled Animated!”
“Uh-huh? And building ha robot girl in our basement doesn’t count?”
“Oh, come now, isn’t curiosity healthy for a growing girl?” Aunt Vera slipped in from the kitchen, the Ninetales dressed as Wendy in a beautiful blue gown.
“Thank you, dear.” She gave Josh a quick smile as she plucked the eagerly waiting Candace up into her arms, “Aren’t you having such fun, Tinkerbell?”
“Ah-da!”
“Wow, Penny, you really can make anything, can’t you?” Rene blinked as he let go of the Scizor, sidling up beside Penny.
“Now eef onlee she could work on makeeng a better college application?”
“Stupid fleshie mentality!” Prism shook her head before Penny shoved a bubblegum cigar in her mouth.
“…Working on it?” She shrugged an apology to the glares of her mother.
*******
Anyone who was seeing the Cartegos, the Sumisus and the Kitsunegaris for the first time would be more forgiven for being confused, nay even lost among it all. It was strange to think how easily the arrangement had been accepted, or even how it had ever came about that the three clans became one whole unofficial family.
When had it been Faith had gone from being a guest in the Cartego’s house to becoming part of their home? Or when had it been that she and Rene had discovered that his mother’s uniform was taken from Faith’s family shrine, that only so long ago, they too had been family?
And so ‘Maile’ had become ‘Mom’, Rene and Penny became ‘cousins’ – much to her annoyance – and three families became one.
Strange perhaps, but did that really matter?
Somehow the extended family just worked: many people had aunts and uncles who were no relation, many people had step parents or even foster brothers and sisters.
Faith had a family, who said families ever had to make sense?
Faith just stood back and watched it all with a brim smile on her face at the many goings on, the conversations and the banter that struck back and forth about the room as their little part came to life.
“You’ve done very well, youngest flower.”
Faith blinked, only one member of the party had stood back as she had and been so silent; only one she knew would call her that. She turned her head only slightly to see the figure of her real father, Lee Sumisu as he’d appeared beside her.
“…Respected father?”
The foreboding figure of Lee Sumisu turned and simply nodded his head slowly.
For a moment, Faith didn’t even know what to do, what to make of the gesture or how to respond, but in a sudden double take, realising she was just standing there, she bowed in return, far more deeply, “T-thank you, sir.”
A hand clapped on her head to interrupt anything further; blinking, scarcely believing what she saw as Lee Sumisu, Aura Guardian and Shrinekeeper of the Sumisu Shrine smiling.
Smiling!
His hands, normally forever folded in his long sleeves in pensive thought, now one lightly ruffled through her hair.
“I think…” Su-Lin sidled back by Faith’s other side, cherry soda in hand, “…what your father is TRYING to say, dear… is that it’s thanks to you that we have all these wonderful people to celebrate with, all these… this new family!”
“…Mother, how many cherry sodas have you had?”
The Ninetales tried counting on her free fingers and her tails, “Twelve, whycome?”
Again, Lee Sumisu’s hand patted Faith on the shoulder, coughing as he cleared his throat, “Well, that is approximately my words… Now then-”
A glint of blue passed his eyes as he stared at a wall, “-I believe your friends are coming up the drive way as we speak. Why don’t you go see them while I see to your Respected Mother?”
Faith hardly needed asked twice, hollering back a garbled thanks as she rushed for the door!
A quick stop to straighten her skirt and finally, she pulled open the door, just in time to try and avoid being impaled as a massive stinger nearly got her!
“…Hi, Faith?” Pike blinked as he floated halfway in the doorway, buzzing in thin air from where he’d attempted to knock on the door as she’d opened it, his painted sunglasses sliding down his snout.
Faith said nothing of the awkward position, just grinning as she got into character instead, “Well met, young Beedrill!”
“Huh…” Pike hung there without moving, his eyes following up and down Faith’s costume… not to say that the Vulpix herself wasn’t pretty, but, what a sight! It was hard to say if the blush he had was to do with her, or his embarrassment at the efforts of his own costume!
An overly large blue jacket hung over his shoulders with a blazing red skull and shades on its back, and he’d used each of his stingers to draw long black spirals down each others length to resemble drills, topped off with a tiny toy drill dangled around his neck like a pendant.
At least he looked grubby enough for his role!
He tried to search for a good line when their other companions decided before him!
“Trick or treat!” The duo called out, an arm around each of the Beedrill’s shoulders and nearly grounding him with their weight as he let out a strangled buzz! The quirky Kanghaskhan dressed in a cop-cum-commando uniform, with a crudely sewn on ‘S.T.A.R.S.’ logo and curiously enough, Ness’ beret on her head?
That left Ness wearing… approximately nothing.
The Dragonair dragoness grinned a ‘come hither’ look, her red hair let loose behind her, a blue blodypaint erased all of her white markings and only a fuzzy blue felt material kept her decent, stuck along her body at all the most important areas, hand on hip, or coils, it was hard to tell with that snake-like form…
“So… who are you two dressed as?”
“We shouldnae say the same tae ye?” Ness gave a guttural Scottish chuckle, giving a slow, slithering dance “Why, I am Lady Mystique!
“…Ye ken, fae th’ X-Mon movies?”
“Jill Valentine!” Sarah jabbed at her home-made logo, a roll of her eyes, “And you two?”
Pike pushed his way up from his two team-mates, trying to poke his way into view again, “Well… Faith and me, we’re both-“
“Ah!! Come een everee-one!” Maile pushed her way forward to the doorway, Faith standing aside to let her see the whole team, “You all look-“ Maile halted on Ness, “-wonderfel?”
The Dragonair only gave the most innocent grin possible as she folded arms behind her back.
Maile shook her head and just looked at the others, “Come een, come een!”
The others bustled in, but Faith waited for Pike with a smile.
“Heh… I think you did a much better job than me with your costume,” Pike shrugged nervously as he watched Ness and Sarah being guided in by Maile and being introduced to the group.
“Well, I don’t know…” Faith kept smiling, a tail was bobbing; one of the tell-tale signs Pike had come to notice the girl was excited about something, causing him to blush further when Faith slipped her way into holding one of his arms, “I think you look perfect as Simon!”
“H- heh… you mean I look like I belong in the dirt?”
Faith just shook her head, “Don’t forget, you’re Simon! Badass leader of Team Dai Gurren!”
“…Well, that’s all very well, but mind if I borrow your princess?”
They both turned round just in time to see Penny there, a wry smirk and a raised brow there on her face as she tapped a clawed toe down, “Penny?”
“Me and Faith have business to talk.”
“Nuh-uh, Penny, Mom and Dad-“ Maile and Jeremiah, “-made me promise I wouldn’t let you into your room. Plus I already promised you the toaster from the insurance company if I break another bone!”
“Oh, c’mon, the only time I WANT you to break something is the time you actually take care not to? You’re holding out on me here-“
Pike didn’t voice the obvious things wrong with Penny’s statement yet, just blinking at her costume, “Penny, what’re you supposed to be?”
“…well, duh, Josh is Pygmalion and I’m Venus De Milo, just without the lack of arms.” Penny waved a claw about before looking back at their blank expressions. “…Philistines.”
“Technically, if ye’re Venus, disnae thit mean ye should be topless too?!” Ness laughed from the other side of the room.
“Disney? What does Disney have to do with this?” Pike raised a brow.
“Huh… I thought you were a weeping angel and Josh was going to be Doctor Who...?” Faith continued speaking at the same time.
“I’m a Dalek!” Prism hollered, waving a plunger about on the other side of the room.
A sharp whistle cut through the random chatter as Jeremiah waved, “Alright everyone, if we’re all here, why don’t we get started? Come on through to the kitchen!”
Pike, Penny and Faith just looked at each other and made their way through, closing the door behind them.
“…Still, I could just like, stomp your toe and that’d count for the insurance company, right?”
“Not gonna happen for a while,” Faith giggled as she took hold of Pike’s arm again.
“So… you said you had a surprise for us Faith?” Pike took hold of her arm finally as he floated alongside her, following after the others.
“Wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you now, would it?”
*******
The evening passed quickly enough with all the traditional Halloween fare and fun: bobbing for leppa berries, a strange game of capture the pumpkin. the usual pass the torch scary story, mummy wrap with toilet paper game and even a Halloween murder mystery. All of it captured in Maile Cartego’s camera as the night wore on!
It was certainly a little childish for their ages, but no-one voiced any complaints, after all, Halloween was an excuse to have fun like that! Childish or not, it was just an excuse to let loose and enjoy it!
But finally, as it all began to wind down, Aunt Vera came back downstairs quietly.
“Everything okay, mom?” Rene peeked up, a jello brain wobbling in his hands.
“Yes,” She made a small hushing motion with her hands, grinning to the gathered kids before turning to the other adults, “Candace is down for the moment, so, I think now is the time to get on with the main event?”
“Yes, I believe it is.”
Once again, it came to the silent figure of the night, as another Ninetales stood at the patio doors, illuminated in an eerie blue light that crackled behind the curtains, Lee Sumisu looked at them, and smiled a smile that could have made a Gengar gasp. “I believe we’re ready with all the necessary preparations… if you children would follow us into the garden.”
Penny shot an eye back to Faith, she had to wonder what the surprise would be if it was outside… her dad was kind enough to let people in the garden, but his botanist pride hardly ever let anyone else set anything big there…
Still… a scientist prided themselves on curiosity, so up she got, looking at Josh with a smirk, “Will we go take a peek?”
“Faith?” Sarah leaned in against the smaller Vulpix as they began to get up toward the door, “What the heck is this all about?”
Faith couldn’t help letting her tails bob back and forth, “Well, I could tell you, but…”
“You wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise now, would you?”
Sarah didn’t bother to turn round, a shiver ran up her spine as she felt the presence behind her of Lee Sumisu, the towering Ninetales apparating there behind her, she didn’t even move until she felt him leave, straightening slowly with her jaw hanging open, before jerking a thumb backward and looking at Faith, “Okay. HOW does your dad do that?”
Faith just smiled. And shrugged.
They were all lead out past the conservatory pool to the back yard, a somewhat tamer path ever since Goldenrod the Huntail had left. (The inflatable Dialga in the pool looked nowhere near as intimidating!) And there the real treat was waiting outside, where an ethereal blue glow thrummed, rising and falling.
Dozen upon dozen of tiny blue crystals hung, suspended freely in mid-air, scattered back and forth all across the property! The pulsing light from them lit the garden entirely, the floating crystals gaining more than a few awe struck gasps and whispers about what was going on!
“Aura crystals?” Sarah raised a brow, looking to Faith, recognising the jewels well enough, having seen them many a time on her last visit to the foxgirl’s shrine, even on Faith’s very own gloves.
“Aye… n’ a lot o’ em…” Ness whistled appreciatively at the sight as everyone fanned out alongside them to see the spectacle.
“Aura crystals?” Josh looked to the others for explanation, glancing around, a bit unawares of anything of Faith’s family religion other than the girl’s long gone tendency of hugging any Lucario in sight!
“Tell you later,” Penny just smirked and yanked him by the toga, looking towards the middle of it all, where two Ninetales stood.
“Good evening one and all!” Su-Lin Sumisu bowed.
“Welcome to this, the Hallowed Night of the Trickster’s Tale.” Lee continued as he swept his arm out around all the display, blue lightning crackling back once more between the floating crystals.
“In our calendar there is no night of pumpkins or treats. However…” Su-Lin found her own vulpine grin, removing a mask from her robes “…there are certainly costumed fiends… and many a Trick to be wary of.”
The lights began to shine brighter and brighter, speeding up between the crystal circuit, until all the building was hidden by blinding blue light and all around, each stone began to smoulder a deep blue flame.
“Penny…” Josh looked uneasily around, more than sensitive to what was beginning to manifest itself as many even smaller flames burst into life in mid-air, his arms held ready as if to fight, but the Scizor just shook her head and lightly pushed an arm down to calm him, nodding ahead.
“You don’t want to miss this, do you?” She whispered gently, as everyone else would have their own gasps or yelps or cry to the ghostly goings on, as she suddenly whipped out a set of goggles from behind her.
“We thought it was better left our spectacle until the youngest member of our group was asleep,” Su-Lin chuckled with an echoed touch of delight, as Lee Sumisu pulled out his own mask, plain white as hers, in the shape of a vulpine face, with nothing but strange red markings upon it.
Rene let out a sudden cry as one the smouldering flame began to manifest further, a ghastly face with gaping mouth and ensnaring claws reached out toward him, sending him more than running behind Vera’s tails!!
“Ladies.” Su-Lin placed on her mask.
“Gentlemon.” Lee placed on his mask.
“And all the spirits of the night.” They spoke in unison, moving slowly away in symmetrical movement, the blue spirits rising, ethereal fireballs igniting in mid-air above them all, swimming around each and every one of them as demonic howls and laughter pierced the air!
“Let our story begin!”
******
“That was so unreal!!!” Josh gasped for breath, holding his hand against the wall, gasping for breath and shaking his head, even though ten minutes had passed. Now all the aura crystals lay dormant once more, being carefully collected and stored away by the Sumisu clan, but still he tried to grasp what he’d just seen.
“No, it was SO real!” Penny grinned triumphantly, yanking her goggles back to her forehead, “Real virtualisation, real dimension projection visualising the story as it is read!
“If I could get a sample of those crystals, imagine what I could do!”
Josh just stared at his girlfriend, shaking his head as his face turned an even further green color, “…I’d rather not.”
“Now THAT was something,” Sarah whistled as she looked back at the unsuspecting garden, “I thought Rene was gonna wet himself when he saw all those ghosts reaching for us!”
“Now that’s just mean…” Rene mumbled, all the while clinging to the Kanghaskhan’s back.
“Yuh-huh… sorry foxy, no pouch for you to hide here.”
Faith just kept brimly smiling as they all moved back inside, “Well… how did you guys enjoy a traditional Sumisu Shrine Hallow’s Eve?”
“Ye celebrate THIT every year?!”
“Mmm-hmm!” Faith giggled, looking back at her parents, both the Sumisus giving her a nod as she continued on, “As Shrinekeepers, it’s our duty to keep the stories alive for the future generation.
“So every year, we’re told the story, so that we can remember it and share it ourselves.
“Since you showed me what Halloween was like here last year, I thought I’d share a little piece of the Trickster’s Tale with you too!”
Pike just shook his head, a nervous laugh there as his wings still shivered, “Well… it definitely puts Sarah’s horror DVD’s in their place…”
“Hey!” Sarah laughed with a mock anger, “I resent that!”
Faith just relaxed into it all, when Pike lay an arm over her shoulder, “Well, I think first thing’s first, Faith, this was definitely a great party.”
And then, he laid a single kiss on her cheek.
The girl was certainly glad for the fur to hide the mad blush that went across her cheeks, especially when Ness whooped aloud, “Ach, I’d thank ye tae, but I dinnae ken Pike’d wannae see me kiss ye tae!”
Sarah gave her girlfriend a slight nudge, “Well, maybe not, but there’s a trick I’d love to show you when we get home…
“Thanks as well Faith, that was a pretty cool light show out there.”
“Trick!!” Faith suddenly blinked, looking at the time.
“Huh?”
“Trick! Well… I mean… It’s 8:30… we still have time to go Trick or Treating!!” The little Vulpix laughed nervously as she slowly looked back to the group, “…I mean… if you want to?”
Wry grins and raised brows went all around, but Sarah crossed her arms, “Well, seeing as you beat any of my DVD selection for the night with that spectacle out there, it’s a bit kiddy, but, I wouldn’t mind.”
“Can I come?!” Rene went puppy-eyed, looking up at the ‘Khan.
Sarah grimaced, looking away slowly. “Ehhh…”
Well, family came first, as Faith suddenly leaned in aside him, the white Vulpix mimicking her cousin as they both looked up together, “Please?”
Ness leaned in beside Sarah’s ear, and whispered something slowly, the Kanghaskhan’s expression flying into a grin that held NOTHING but naughty intentions, “Alright, he can come!”
“Mom, dad, can we-“ Faith didn’t even get to finish her sentence, as the gathered adults had stood together, and Maile, Jeremiah, Lee, Su-Lin, all of them nodded in turn to the group, the girl throwing herself at them in a hug, “Thanks, guys!”
“Just take caere and have fun, alreeght?”
“We’ll keep her in one piece, don’t worry.” Sarah nodded reassuringly, looking back to Ness and the others.
“Oh, Feeth!” Maile suddenly called up as Faith was already halfway running back to her group, the Scyther clasping for her camera, more than full of the evening exploits, yet she grinned again, “How about one for your friends? All of you togetheer?”
The girl barely had time to look back and ask before they’d all gathered around, Pike by her side, blushing like mad, but laughing just the same, the larger Sarah and Ness shooting secretive looks at one another, sidling up behind them and pulling the four of them closer together.
“Hey, it’d be nice to hang something up of us together at the base, right?” Sarah grinned down at the front row Vulpix.
“Alreeght,” Maile brought the trusty camera up, readying it with a critical eye, “Everee-one, say cheeeese!”
And so they did.
There would be many pictures from the party caught on camera, many more moments would be kept in everyone’s memory of a Halloween get together, but this one was by far Faith’s favourite as the team headed out, hastily acquired bags at the ready.
Faith had to muse that all things considered, she’d survived a holiday without a single broken bone or injury; that everyone had got along so well, and enjoyed it more than enough to call the night a success!
Not to mention, after having all the families together, it felt good to know that they could get along so well that she didn’t have to worry about anything embarrassing-
“Oh, eet was adorable…” Maile giggled, causing Faith’s ears to perk as she was leaving, “Eee saw her een bed, Pike asleep too, just on top of thee covers, huggeeng, they were so cute Eee had to snap it!”
Faith flushed an absolute red as a collection of ‘awww’s’ and laughs came as Maile held up the forbidden photo!
Well… as Faith blushed to her eartips, at least she knew ONE part of the family would be fine without any embarrassing incidents-
“Wait wait wait!” Penny suddenly spoke up, looking to Su-Lin. “I’ve waited forever to ask you about this, and now I gotta know…”
“Hmmm?” The Ninetales had a cherry soda in hand again.
“WHY does Faith always wear those granny panties anyway?”
Faith stared back in horror, mouth gaping as she watched in almost slow motion, seeing the words as they tumbled out of her mother’s mouth.
“Oh, that’s easy one!!!” Su-Lin waved a paw with a chuckle, “When Faith was younger, they were the only thing that fit over her diapers! Why, she was wearing those up until she was five-“
“Mom!?!”
Families were strange, it’s a fact that’s true no matter what size of family or type of relations you have; they were always a little stranger than others. But as long as there’s love, they work.
Even if it means a little tough love now and then too!
“Who do you suppose I am?”
“I will move towards tomorrow!”
“Well met, everyone!”
Jingle-chan was becoming very concerned.
It wasn’t that she had injured herself of late, in fact, since the bandages had came off from her most recent adventure with an electric razor, she’d been perfectly fine there!
This time however, it was the way she’d been acting of late: it was very, very peculiar.
He hung there in the window frame by his suction cup, the feral Chimecho listing lazily in the breeze as he watched with a painted expression of content, chiming gently as she twirled in front of the mirror and examined her own handiwork.
“Perfect!” The girl giggled as she clapped her hands.
Jingle-chan would have blinked if he could at her chosen apparel: it was very unsuited for a cold October night, a very short pink dress going down to her knees, with a little red tie dangled in front, with a small pink cape draped behind her, held up by a mantle that looked suspiciously made of cardboard.
Add to that the collection of plastic jewellery collected on her wrists and around her neck, or the untamed hair she’d let grow out for the last few weeks, and it was easy to see the albino Vulpix looked nothing like herself of late, or the random outbursts she’d come out with while wearing the new outfit!
“Princess Nia, first daughter of the Spiral King awaits!” Faith cried out again, playing with her cape.
He’d became so concerned in fact, he had already submitted her activities to the Network - the psychic system that connected he and every other medical aide pokémon assigned to cases like his Mistress’, so that in the event of an emergency, medical services were easily alerted and summoned – but when he received their reply, it simply said this was a common occurrence for this time of year!
What was it about the end of October that made children dress in the most inefficient clothing and dance around like mad little things, as if they were a kid in a candy store even!
“Jingle-chan?”
The Chimecho halted his thoughts of the moment, the painted smile brim as she gave him the attention, unplugging himself from the window frame and floating down into the perch she made with her cupped hands. “Well, how do I look?”
Jingle-chan just looked up at her, she really didn’t want to know the answer… although she did look an awful lot like one of the girls on her metal circles…
“You look varry pretty, Feeth…” A pair of clawed hands laid gently on her shoulders, as a female Scyther’s head leaned in beside her.
“Thanks, Mom,” Faith smiled as she looked back at the reflection of the three of them.
Maile Cartego stood there with a fang filled little grin, the normally business-like Scyther with her bob of black hair smarted her own – store-bought – wicked witch costume. “You know Feeth, Ee’m steell ghetting used to seeeeng you weeth long hair leeke theese?”
Faith grinned back, after growing back all her fur from that unfortunate sleepover, she’d left her hair alone for a bit, just for this costume, as Maile added the final touch for her, a single lotus-like flower, a blossomed pink gem among her long white hair.
“And I’m still not used to seeing you both in the same room!” Faith giggled back as she took a step aside to see the fourth figure who’d appeared in the mirror, “Hi, mom!”
“Aren’t you just a princess?” Su-Lin Sumisu stood in all her shrine robe finery, the bright-eyed Ninetales was fully decorated with sashes of fiery red material and polished jewellery across the robes that was both definitely not fake and definitely not plastic.
To any person previously not introduced, they’d have been forgiven for thinking that Faith’s real mother was wearing a costume, but for most days, this was one of the fire types more conservative dresses, the woman a vast fanatic of the shiny and glittery!
“Thanks, Mom,” Faith laughed as she looked to her birth mother, then her adoptive mother, both of whom turned to one another with their own secretive grin. “But not just a princess, I’m Princess Nia!”
“Well, Princess Nia,” Su-Lin held a playful tone as she went along, “I guess it’s time to make your appearance!”
*********
Faith Titannia Sumisu couldn’t be happier; for tonight indeed was a special night: Halloween night to be precise, or, if you followed the Time Flower Calendar, the Night of the Trickster’s Tale.
It wasn’t her first Viridian Halloween experience, no, that was last year when Pike, Penny and Sarah had introduced her to the custom of tricking and-or treating. It had certainly been a fun and plentiful night, but also very educational after an understandable mix-up upon being invited to Sarah’s house to watch ‘that Mike Myers movie’.
But now she was ready, this year she’d promised her friends a Halloween night to remember!
*********
“Now, look at you!” Jeremiah Cartego called up as the Butterfree stood in his own Tin Man’s costume – store bought much like Maile’s – along with one more Ninetales. The taller, more foreboding fox stood dressed in traditional robes like Su-Lin, far plainer and less decorative, as he offered at least a nod to the girl.
“Thanks, dad,” Faith smiled, not even sure which father figure she was speaking to as she curtsied with her cape, Jingles perched around her shoulders like a scarf, “You and Maile both look great too!”
The Scyther in question made her way round beside the Butterfree, taking back her camera, “You know… we should do these more offen?”
A voice spoke up by the punch bowl, “I don’t think this family can take more expansion, guys!”
A familiar Scizor girl doled herself a cup, dressed in a heavily starched toga, with an equally stiffened set of pipe cleaner for a wig, her usual red body color painted over a marble grey, “I’m still coming to terms with the fact that having Faith as family means I’m related to Rene.”
“Awwww, welcome to the clan, Penny!” the excited Vulpix’s voice came as he clung round her mid-section in a Peter Pan outfit.
“…so you’ve said, Browser.”
“Heh, I think you’d better not tell Nigel that; he might move for a separation if he finds out that’d happen if we ever, well-“ Josh Garkirl was a little more occupied with keeping his toga on, stuck entertaining a tiny Cyndaquil in a fairy Butterfree outfit at his feet.
Faith shot him a sympathetic smile, tapping Jingle-chan lightly on the dome, ushering him off to play with Candace, Rene’s sister certainly loved playing with him… although… the other member of this little ‘family’…
One hyperactive Magnezone bounced around on moonshoes with a costume that looked like it was a boiler wrapped around her middle, with a visor over her single eye… and at least several dozen yards of duct-tape over her arms and legs! “Bite my shiny metal ass!!”
“Preesm!” Maile shook her head at their daughter’s handiwork, “You shood know betterh!”
“Um… Technically, mom?” Penny tapped a claw under her chin thoughtfully as she shuffled up closer to Josh, the Gallade grinning slightly past a blush, “Since I made Prism in the lab like, only a few months ago?
“Technically she’s younger than Princess Pampers here.” She jabbed a claw to gesture at the tiny Cyndaquil kicking her legs as she tried to hold onto the Chimecho’s tail dangling over her.
“I’m a ‘precocious little scamp’, aren’t I, mommy?”
“Gah-ba!” Candace giggled in agreement with her magic wand.
“She’s just impressionable! Me and Josh are working on it anyway,” Penny held a claw up passively, “If you’d just let me grab my tools, I could probably open her up and increase her mental age by a teen or two?”
“Not going to happen,” Jeremiah chipped in with a smirk, “No more access to that workshop until you hit University, little lady.”
“C’mon, dad, what’s the worst that could happen?!”
“Well… there WAS that modification you did to the computer?”
“Freedom to Google is the right of all sentient beings!” Declared the desktop in the corner in a very Peter Cullen styled voice.
“…Okay, so sue me, I got bored after they cancelled Animated!”
“Uh-huh? And building ha robot girl in our basement doesn’t count?”
“Oh, come now, isn’t curiosity healthy for a growing girl?” Aunt Vera slipped in from the kitchen, the Ninetales dressed as Wendy in a beautiful blue gown.
“Thank you, dear.” She gave Josh a quick smile as she plucked the eagerly waiting Candace up into her arms, “Aren’t you having such fun, Tinkerbell?”
“Ah-da!”
“Wow, Penny, you really can make anything, can’t you?” Rene blinked as he let go of the Scizor, sidling up beside Penny.
“Now eef onlee she could work on makeeng a better college application?”
“Stupid fleshie mentality!” Prism shook her head before Penny shoved a bubblegum cigar in her mouth.
“…Working on it?” She shrugged an apology to the glares of her mother.
*******
Anyone who was seeing the Cartegos, the Sumisus and the Kitsunegaris for the first time would be more forgiven for being confused, nay even lost among it all. It was strange to think how easily the arrangement had been accepted, or even how it had ever came about that the three clans became one whole unofficial family.
When had it been Faith had gone from being a guest in the Cartego’s house to becoming part of their home? Or when had it been that she and Rene had discovered that his mother’s uniform was taken from Faith’s family shrine, that only so long ago, they too had been family?
And so ‘Maile’ had become ‘Mom’, Rene and Penny became ‘cousins’ – much to her annoyance – and three families became one.
Strange perhaps, but did that really matter?
Somehow the extended family just worked: many people had aunts and uncles who were no relation, many people had step parents or even foster brothers and sisters.
Faith had a family, who said families ever had to make sense?
Faith just stood back and watched it all with a brim smile on her face at the many goings on, the conversations and the banter that struck back and forth about the room as their little part came to life.
“You’ve done very well, youngest flower.”
Faith blinked, only one member of the party had stood back as she had and been so silent; only one she knew would call her that. She turned her head only slightly to see the figure of her real father, Lee Sumisu as he’d appeared beside her.
“…Respected father?”
The foreboding figure of Lee Sumisu turned and simply nodded his head slowly.
For a moment, Faith didn’t even know what to do, what to make of the gesture or how to respond, but in a sudden double take, realising she was just standing there, she bowed in return, far more deeply, “T-thank you, sir.”
A hand clapped on her head to interrupt anything further; blinking, scarcely believing what she saw as Lee Sumisu, Aura Guardian and Shrinekeeper of the Sumisu Shrine smiling.
Smiling!
His hands, normally forever folded in his long sleeves in pensive thought, now one lightly ruffled through her hair.
“I think…” Su-Lin sidled back by Faith’s other side, cherry soda in hand, “…what your father is TRYING to say, dear… is that it’s thanks to you that we have all these wonderful people to celebrate with, all these… this new family!”
“…Mother, how many cherry sodas have you had?”
The Ninetales tried counting on her free fingers and her tails, “Twelve, whycome?”
Again, Lee Sumisu’s hand patted Faith on the shoulder, coughing as he cleared his throat, “Well, that is approximately my words… Now then-”
A glint of blue passed his eyes as he stared at a wall, “-I believe your friends are coming up the drive way as we speak. Why don’t you go see them while I see to your Respected Mother?”
Faith hardly needed asked twice, hollering back a garbled thanks as she rushed for the door!
A quick stop to straighten her skirt and finally, she pulled open the door, just in time to try and avoid being impaled as a massive stinger nearly got her!
“…Hi, Faith?” Pike blinked as he floated halfway in the doorway, buzzing in thin air from where he’d attempted to knock on the door as she’d opened it, his painted sunglasses sliding down his snout.
Faith said nothing of the awkward position, just grinning as she got into character instead, “Well met, young Beedrill!”
“Huh…” Pike hung there without moving, his eyes following up and down Faith’s costume… not to say that the Vulpix herself wasn’t pretty, but, what a sight! It was hard to say if the blush he had was to do with her, or his embarrassment at the efforts of his own costume!
An overly large blue jacket hung over his shoulders with a blazing red skull and shades on its back, and he’d used each of his stingers to draw long black spirals down each others length to resemble drills, topped off with a tiny toy drill dangled around his neck like a pendant.
At least he looked grubby enough for his role!
He tried to search for a good line when their other companions decided before him!
“Trick or treat!” The duo called out, an arm around each of the Beedrill’s shoulders and nearly grounding him with their weight as he let out a strangled buzz! The quirky Kanghaskhan dressed in a cop-cum-commando uniform, with a crudely sewn on ‘S.T.A.R.S.’ logo and curiously enough, Ness’ beret on her head?
That left Ness wearing… approximately nothing.
The Dragonair dragoness grinned a ‘come hither’ look, her red hair let loose behind her, a blue blodypaint erased all of her white markings and only a fuzzy blue felt material kept her decent, stuck along her body at all the most important areas, hand on hip, or coils, it was hard to tell with that snake-like form…
“So… who are you two dressed as?”
“We shouldnae say the same tae ye?” Ness gave a guttural Scottish chuckle, giving a slow, slithering dance “Why, I am Lady Mystique!
“…Ye ken, fae th’ X-Mon movies?”
“Jill Valentine!” Sarah jabbed at her home-made logo, a roll of her eyes, “And you two?”
Pike pushed his way up from his two team-mates, trying to poke his way into view again, “Well… Faith and me, we’re both-“
“Ah!! Come een everee-one!” Maile pushed her way forward to the doorway, Faith standing aside to let her see the whole team, “You all look-“ Maile halted on Ness, “-wonderfel?”
The Dragonair only gave the most innocent grin possible as she folded arms behind her back.
Maile shook her head and just looked at the others, “Come een, come een!”
The others bustled in, but Faith waited for Pike with a smile.
“Heh… I think you did a much better job than me with your costume,” Pike shrugged nervously as he watched Ness and Sarah being guided in by Maile and being introduced to the group.
“Well, I don’t know…” Faith kept smiling, a tail was bobbing; one of the tell-tale signs Pike had come to notice the girl was excited about something, causing him to blush further when Faith slipped her way into holding one of his arms, “I think you look perfect as Simon!”
“H- heh… you mean I look like I belong in the dirt?”
Faith just shook her head, “Don’t forget, you’re Simon! Badass leader of Team Dai Gurren!”
“…Well, that’s all very well, but mind if I borrow your princess?”
They both turned round just in time to see Penny there, a wry smirk and a raised brow there on her face as she tapped a clawed toe down, “Penny?”
“Me and Faith have business to talk.”
“Nuh-uh, Penny, Mom and Dad-“ Maile and Jeremiah, “-made me promise I wouldn’t let you into your room. Plus I already promised you the toaster from the insurance company if I break another bone!”
“Oh, c’mon, the only time I WANT you to break something is the time you actually take care not to? You’re holding out on me here-“
Pike didn’t voice the obvious things wrong with Penny’s statement yet, just blinking at her costume, “Penny, what’re you supposed to be?”
“…well, duh, Josh is Pygmalion and I’m Venus De Milo, just without the lack of arms.” Penny waved a claw about before looking back at their blank expressions. “…Philistines.”
“Technically, if ye’re Venus, disnae thit mean ye should be topless too?!” Ness laughed from the other side of the room.
“Disney? What does Disney have to do with this?” Pike raised a brow.
“Huh… I thought you were a weeping angel and Josh was going to be Doctor Who...?” Faith continued speaking at the same time.
“I’m a Dalek!” Prism hollered, waving a plunger about on the other side of the room.
A sharp whistle cut through the random chatter as Jeremiah waved, “Alright everyone, if we’re all here, why don’t we get started? Come on through to the kitchen!”
Pike, Penny and Faith just looked at each other and made their way through, closing the door behind them.
“…Still, I could just like, stomp your toe and that’d count for the insurance company, right?”
“Not gonna happen for a while,” Faith giggled as she took hold of Pike’s arm again.
“So… you said you had a surprise for us Faith?” Pike took hold of her arm finally as he floated alongside her, following after the others.
“Wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you now, would it?”
*******
The evening passed quickly enough with all the traditional Halloween fare and fun: bobbing for leppa berries, a strange game of capture the pumpkin. the usual pass the torch scary story, mummy wrap with toilet paper game and even a Halloween murder mystery. All of it captured in Maile Cartego’s camera as the night wore on!
It was certainly a little childish for their ages, but no-one voiced any complaints, after all, Halloween was an excuse to have fun like that! Childish or not, it was just an excuse to let loose and enjoy it!
But finally, as it all began to wind down, Aunt Vera came back downstairs quietly.
“Everything okay, mom?” Rene peeked up, a jello brain wobbling in his hands.
“Yes,” She made a small hushing motion with her hands, grinning to the gathered kids before turning to the other adults, “Candace is down for the moment, so, I think now is the time to get on with the main event?”
“Yes, I believe it is.”
Once again, it came to the silent figure of the night, as another Ninetales stood at the patio doors, illuminated in an eerie blue light that crackled behind the curtains, Lee Sumisu looked at them, and smiled a smile that could have made a Gengar gasp. “I believe we’re ready with all the necessary preparations… if you children would follow us into the garden.”
Penny shot an eye back to Faith, she had to wonder what the surprise would be if it was outside… her dad was kind enough to let people in the garden, but his botanist pride hardly ever let anyone else set anything big there…
Still… a scientist prided themselves on curiosity, so up she got, looking at Josh with a smirk, “Will we go take a peek?”
“Faith?” Sarah leaned in against the smaller Vulpix as they began to get up toward the door, “What the heck is this all about?”
Faith couldn’t help letting her tails bob back and forth, “Well, I could tell you, but…”
“You wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise now, would you?”
Sarah didn’t bother to turn round, a shiver ran up her spine as she felt the presence behind her of Lee Sumisu, the towering Ninetales apparating there behind her, she didn’t even move until she felt him leave, straightening slowly with her jaw hanging open, before jerking a thumb backward and looking at Faith, “Okay. HOW does your dad do that?”
Faith just smiled. And shrugged.
They were all lead out past the conservatory pool to the back yard, a somewhat tamer path ever since Goldenrod the Huntail had left. (The inflatable Dialga in the pool looked nowhere near as intimidating!) And there the real treat was waiting outside, where an ethereal blue glow thrummed, rising and falling.
Dozen upon dozen of tiny blue crystals hung, suspended freely in mid-air, scattered back and forth all across the property! The pulsing light from them lit the garden entirely, the floating crystals gaining more than a few awe struck gasps and whispers about what was going on!
“Aura crystals?” Sarah raised a brow, looking to Faith, recognising the jewels well enough, having seen them many a time on her last visit to the foxgirl’s shrine, even on Faith’s very own gloves.
“Aye… n’ a lot o’ em…” Ness whistled appreciatively at the sight as everyone fanned out alongside them to see the spectacle.
“Aura crystals?” Josh looked to the others for explanation, glancing around, a bit unawares of anything of Faith’s family religion other than the girl’s long gone tendency of hugging any Lucario in sight!
“Tell you later,” Penny just smirked and yanked him by the toga, looking towards the middle of it all, where two Ninetales stood.
“Good evening one and all!” Su-Lin Sumisu bowed.
“Welcome to this, the Hallowed Night of the Trickster’s Tale.” Lee continued as he swept his arm out around all the display, blue lightning crackling back once more between the floating crystals.
“In our calendar there is no night of pumpkins or treats. However…” Su-Lin found her own vulpine grin, removing a mask from her robes “…there are certainly costumed fiends… and many a Trick to be wary of.”
The lights began to shine brighter and brighter, speeding up between the crystal circuit, until all the building was hidden by blinding blue light and all around, each stone began to smoulder a deep blue flame.
“Penny…” Josh looked uneasily around, more than sensitive to what was beginning to manifest itself as many even smaller flames burst into life in mid-air, his arms held ready as if to fight, but the Scizor just shook her head and lightly pushed an arm down to calm him, nodding ahead.
“You don’t want to miss this, do you?” She whispered gently, as everyone else would have their own gasps or yelps or cry to the ghostly goings on, as she suddenly whipped out a set of goggles from behind her.
“We thought it was better left our spectacle until the youngest member of our group was asleep,” Su-Lin chuckled with an echoed touch of delight, as Lee Sumisu pulled out his own mask, plain white as hers, in the shape of a vulpine face, with nothing but strange red markings upon it.
Rene let out a sudden cry as one the smouldering flame began to manifest further, a ghastly face with gaping mouth and ensnaring claws reached out toward him, sending him more than running behind Vera’s tails!!
“Ladies.” Su-Lin placed on her mask.
“Gentlemon.” Lee placed on his mask.
“And all the spirits of the night.” They spoke in unison, moving slowly away in symmetrical movement, the blue spirits rising, ethereal fireballs igniting in mid-air above them all, swimming around each and every one of them as demonic howls and laughter pierced the air!
“Let our story begin!”
******
“That was so unreal!!!” Josh gasped for breath, holding his hand against the wall, gasping for breath and shaking his head, even though ten minutes had passed. Now all the aura crystals lay dormant once more, being carefully collected and stored away by the Sumisu clan, but still he tried to grasp what he’d just seen.
“No, it was SO real!” Penny grinned triumphantly, yanking her goggles back to her forehead, “Real virtualisation, real dimension projection visualising the story as it is read!
“If I could get a sample of those crystals, imagine what I could do!”
Josh just stared at his girlfriend, shaking his head as his face turned an even further green color, “…I’d rather not.”
“Now THAT was something,” Sarah whistled as she looked back at the unsuspecting garden, “I thought Rene was gonna wet himself when he saw all those ghosts reaching for us!”
“Now that’s just mean…” Rene mumbled, all the while clinging to the Kanghaskhan’s back.
“Yuh-huh… sorry foxy, no pouch for you to hide here.”
Faith just kept brimly smiling as they all moved back inside, “Well… how did you guys enjoy a traditional Sumisu Shrine Hallow’s Eve?”
“Ye celebrate THIT every year?!”
“Mmm-hmm!” Faith giggled, looking back at her parents, both the Sumisus giving her a nod as she continued on, “As Shrinekeepers, it’s our duty to keep the stories alive for the future generation.
“So every year, we’re told the story, so that we can remember it and share it ourselves.
“Since you showed me what Halloween was like here last year, I thought I’d share a little piece of the Trickster’s Tale with you too!”
Pike just shook his head, a nervous laugh there as his wings still shivered, “Well… it definitely puts Sarah’s horror DVD’s in their place…”
“Hey!” Sarah laughed with a mock anger, “I resent that!”
Faith just relaxed into it all, when Pike lay an arm over her shoulder, “Well, I think first thing’s first, Faith, this was definitely a great party.”
And then, he laid a single kiss on her cheek.
The girl was certainly glad for the fur to hide the mad blush that went across her cheeks, especially when Ness whooped aloud, “Ach, I’d thank ye tae, but I dinnae ken Pike’d wannae see me kiss ye tae!”
Sarah gave her girlfriend a slight nudge, “Well, maybe not, but there’s a trick I’d love to show you when we get home…
“Thanks as well Faith, that was a pretty cool light show out there.”
“Trick!!” Faith suddenly blinked, looking at the time.
“Huh?”
“Trick! Well… I mean… It’s 8:30… we still have time to go Trick or Treating!!” The little Vulpix laughed nervously as she slowly looked back to the group, “…I mean… if you want to?”
Wry grins and raised brows went all around, but Sarah crossed her arms, “Well, seeing as you beat any of my DVD selection for the night with that spectacle out there, it’s a bit kiddy, but, I wouldn’t mind.”
“Can I come?!” Rene went puppy-eyed, looking up at the ‘Khan.
Sarah grimaced, looking away slowly. “Ehhh…”
Well, family came first, as Faith suddenly leaned in aside him, the white Vulpix mimicking her cousin as they both looked up together, “Please?”
Ness leaned in beside Sarah’s ear, and whispered something slowly, the Kanghaskhan’s expression flying into a grin that held NOTHING but naughty intentions, “Alright, he can come!”
“Mom, dad, can we-“ Faith didn’t even get to finish her sentence, as the gathered adults had stood together, and Maile, Jeremiah, Lee, Su-Lin, all of them nodded in turn to the group, the girl throwing herself at them in a hug, “Thanks, guys!”
“Just take caere and have fun, alreeght?”
“We’ll keep her in one piece, don’t worry.” Sarah nodded reassuringly, looking back to Ness and the others.
“Oh, Feeth!” Maile suddenly called up as Faith was already halfway running back to her group, the Scyther clasping for her camera, more than full of the evening exploits, yet she grinned again, “How about one for your friends? All of you togetheer?”
The girl barely had time to look back and ask before they’d all gathered around, Pike by her side, blushing like mad, but laughing just the same, the larger Sarah and Ness shooting secretive looks at one another, sidling up behind them and pulling the four of them closer together.
“Hey, it’d be nice to hang something up of us together at the base, right?” Sarah grinned down at the front row Vulpix.
“Alreeght,” Maile brought the trusty camera up, readying it with a critical eye, “Everee-one, say cheeeese!”
And so they did.
There would be many pictures from the party caught on camera, many more moments would be kept in everyone’s memory of a Halloween get together, but this one was by far Faith’s favourite as the team headed out, hastily acquired bags at the ready.
Faith had to muse that all things considered, she’d survived a holiday without a single broken bone or injury; that everyone had got along so well, and enjoyed it more than enough to call the night a success!
Not to mention, after having all the families together, it felt good to know that they could get along so well that she didn’t have to worry about anything embarrassing-
“Oh, eet was adorable…” Maile giggled, causing Faith’s ears to perk as she was leaving, “Eee saw her een bed, Pike asleep too, just on top of thee covers, huggeeng, they were so cute Eee had to snap it!”
Faith flushed an absolute red as a collection of ‘awww’s’ and laughs came as Maile held up the forbidden photo!
Well… as Faith blushed to her eartips, at least she knew ONE part of the family would be fine without any embarrassing incidents-
“Wait wait wait!” Penny suddenly spoke up, looking to Su-Lin. “I’ve waited forever to ask you about this, and now I gotta know…”
“Hmmm?” The Ninetales had a cherry soda in hand again.
“WHY does Faith always wear those granny panties anyway?”
Faith stared back in horror, mouth gaping as she watched in almost slow motion, seeing the words as they tumbled out of her mother’s mouth.
“Oh, that’s easy one!!!” Su-Lin waved a paw with a chuckle, “When Faith was younger, they were the only thing that fit over her diapers! Why, she was wearing those up until she was five-“
“Mom!?!”
Families were strange, it’s a fact that’s true no matter what size of family or type of relations you have; they were always a little stranger than others. But as long as there’s love, they work.
Even if it means a little tough love now and then too!
Oh my goodness!! Faith this was the best PCA Halloween story ever! Thank you so much for including the Kitsunegaris! Hee, they--and everyone else--were adorable!
I loved the Trickster's Tale and everything else in your story! The characters were all spot on, it was funny, it was cute....HEEE! *Hugs Faith* I'm gonna be in the city most of today but when I get back I'm gonna try writing something for Halloween. Couldn't touch this though!
MWAH! Love it and you!!! XD
I loved the Trickster's Tale and everything else in your story! The characters were all spot on, it was funny, it was cute....HEEE! *Hugs Faith* I'm gonna be in the city most of today but when I get back I'm gonna try writing something for Halloween. Couldn't touch this though!
MWAH! Love it and you!!! XD
Heh heh XD
Figured Rene would need a party coming back to Viridian, then when I saw Ludu's Halloween pic for him and Candy, I had to, lol, Vera's costume for Wendy just clicked into place nicely :3
Not to mention, couldn't have a gathering of the clans without them!
Really happy you enjoyed it so muh, but I'm even more excited to hear this might have spurred you to make something too! ^^
I look forward to seeing your stories again, definitely be something I'd enjoy while I'm stuck here!
Figured Rene would need a party coming back to Viridian, then when I saw Ludu's Halloween pic for him and Candy, I had to, lol, Vera's costume for Wendy just clicked into place nicely :3
Not to mention, couldn't have a gathering of the clans without them!
Really happy you enjoyed it so muh, but I'm even more excited to hear this might have spurred you to make something too! ^^
I look forward to seeing your stories again, definitely be something I'd enjoy while I'm stuck here!
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