Holiday Specials
Author's Notes: I decided that instead of regular OoP chapters on holidays, I would do a new story to hold my holiday specials, where the cast are teenagers in an different universe to the events in OoP. This is the first and it's for Halloweeeeen! W00t I can't wait for my free sweets! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and don't worry, tune in tomorrow for your regular fix of Origin of Porygon.
SushiJaguar, AWAY!
(I'm dressing up in the same way Reece is, by the way, as the hero from the Evil Dead series.)
#1 : Tricky Treating
The thin beam of a flashlight illuminated the darkened kitchen. Various utensils and an island set-up in the center of the kitchen cast crazy shadows across the walls. The beam slid gently over the cupboards hanging on the white-washed wall, and the holder of the flashlight moved closer to the wooden constructions. Closer and closer the shadow crept, a hand reaching out for the shining steel handle...
Suddenly, the light clicked on, chasing away all the shadows in a much more effective manner than the flashlight. The shadow jumped, whirling round to see a girl with dark blue hair in a ponytail leaning against the wall, one finger pushing down on the lightswitch. The shadow started, then clicked off the flashlight, dropping it onto the island and grumbling quietly.
"Jeez, Reece! We're about to go and you're hungry already?" The girl asked in an exasperated way. She took a seat next to her male counterpart, nudging him playfully with her elbow. Reece grunted incomprehensibly and looked at the girl sitting next to him.
She was wearing a long black robe that had a hood sewn onto it, bunching up around her thighs as she shifted awkwardly. Looking down, Reece rolled his eyes as he spotted her bright blue trainers with black laces, drawing another nudge from the girl.
"Hey, don't start. At least I wear sensible shoes, not those...things!" She said defensively, gesturing with a gloved hand to Reece's dark brown boots. He snorted, holding back an amused chuckle.
"They go with my costume at least. What kind of Grim Reaper wears Naikee trainers, Jenny?" He asked. She folded her arms, letting out a "hmph" and turned away from him. He grinned and got down from the island, rolling up the sleeves of the navy-blue button down T-shirt he wore. His canvas trousers were the same colour as his boots, and on his left arm, a fake chainsaw made of cardboard was taped on. In his other hand, Reece held a small metal bucket. He headed out of the kitchen, calling over his shoulder to Jenny as he left the room.
"C'mon, Jenny. Tyrone and Lucas'll be waiting for us." Jenny nodded, following the older boy out of the kitchen, and out of the house. Fishing under her robe, she took her keys out of the pocket of the jeans she was wearing under her pitch-black robe, and locked the house behind her.
The street was quiet, the silence only broken by the breathing of the two teens as they made their way along the pavement. It was a fairly warm night, so Jenny left her hood down for the time being. She'd fetched her plastic scythe from the hallway when they'd left, so her outfit was complete. Well, except for the trainers. The pair headed across the T-junction that led out of Jenny's neighbourhood and into the park. There were a lot of families and groups of friends in the park, it was a popular meeting point all year round, not least because of how clean and peaceful it was. The grass was cut every week, and it had been done especially for Halloween night. The smell reminded Jenny of long, lazy summers spent getting up to all kinds of shenanigans, and studying on the grass during the hottest days. Now, however, was the season for practical jokes and such, all in anticipation for tonight.
Jenny and Reece wove their way in between throngs of people, making their way to the Lapras fountain they were supposed to meet Tyrone and Lucas at. The buzz of chatter filled their ears as they passed scores of gathered people, eventually breaking through the crowd to find themselves by the bronzed statue perched in the centre of the fountain's pool. Reece sat heavily down on the low, knee-high wall while they waited, whereas Jenny stayed standing, stretching up onto her tip-toes, trying to scan the massed bodies for any sign of their friends.
"Rrraaaagh!" Came a yell from behind Jenny, as a young boy with red skin leapt out of the crowd at Jenny, grabbing her shoulders. Shrieking, Jenny shook the boy off and kicked him in the shin, drawing a satisfying yelp from the costumed teen.
"Heheh, you still shriek like Annabelle!" He laughed, then turned as a second, taller boy emerged from the crowd, sporting raven hair and a similarly-coloured trenchcoat. The new arrival was standing next to a girl just barely into her teens with auburn, curly hair who waved at Jenny excitedly. The trio were all dressed as devils or demons of some description, with varying degrees of success. The raven-haired boy, obviously Tyrone, was simply wearing a red hoodie and a pair of fake, plastic horns.
The shorter blonde boy, Lucas was still grinning at Tyrone, his outfit more flamboyant. He was sporting red face paint and the same plastic horns as Tyrone, but he completed his ensemble with a jumpsuit the colour of brickdust, a plastic pitchfork, and a foam rubber tail. The girl, Annabelle, was wearing a red skirt, black leggings and boots, and a tank top/hoodie combo in black and crimson respectively.
Lucas grabbed Annabelle around the shoulders playfully, dragging her further out of the crowd.
"Look who decided to come with us this year! Maybe she's not such a kid after all!" He chuckled, ducking the slap Annabelle sent his way. Tyron nodded at Reece as he stood, adjusting his shirt again. The pair stood closer to each other, mumbling in low tones, and pointing at different places in the crowd, occasionally laughing quietly and high-fiving each other.
Jenny frowned at Lucas, who merely winked and leaned on his little sister's shoulder.
"You can't blame them, they are guys..." He trailed off, sneaking a glance at Tyrone. "Definately guys." He said with a evil grin that suited his get-up. Hefting a jack-o-lantern shaped bucket, Lucas slipped back into the crowd. "Time to get started then!" He called.
Tyrone and Reece straightened up, a light flush crossing both their cheeks as they hurried after Lucas, closely followed by Jenny and Annabelle. Tonight was going to be great fun, or so they hoped.
Together, the five friends strolled the streets of Jenny's neighbourhood, approaching random doors that looked like good spots to haul in some goodies, knocking and then shouting "Trick or Treat" as enthusiastically as they could muster, holding out their buckets at arm's reach towards the occupants of the houses they picked. Eventually, their individual pockets and containers were stuffed to the literal brim with sweets, chocolates, mints, and snacks of all kinds. Reece was eyeing his haul longingly as they passed by another group of teens, who were all dressed up as vampire hunters.
Tyrone examined a chocolate ball wrapped in pumpkin-coloured wrapping with a "scary face" on it. After a second or two, he unwrapped it and was about to toss it lazily into his mouth, when Reece grabbed his arm nearly causing the boy to drop his prize.
"Hold it! This year, it's my turn to have the first sweet! You can go after." He said, holding up a finger and wagging it slowly as he scolded Tyrone, who rolled his eyes and dropped the ball into Reece's waiting palm.
"Fine, but you gotta give me one from yours now." He reminded, walking on. The younger trio of Lucas, Jenny, and Annabelle giggled at the antics of the eldest boys, as they arrived back at Jenny's house. They trooped inside and hurled themselves down on the sofa, turning on the lights as they came in. Hunched up on one of the two sofas were Lucas, Reece, and Annabelle, while Jenny and Tyrone made do with the other.
Reece and Lucas were arguing over who would turn on the TV, until Reece just tipped the blonde off the sofa with his cardboard chainsaw. Lucas grumbled as he shuffled over to the TV and turned it on, taking the remote from the stand and tossing at Reece, who caught it and grinned.
"Aww, kiddo in a huff?" He teased, while Lucas flopped back into his seat and ignored him. The TV came to life in a swirl of colour and noise as the picture displayed the news channel. Annabelle seized the remote, calling out "Boring!" as she switched channels.
Eventually she stopped on EmTV, the living room filled with shrieking guitar riifs. Tyrone and Reece joined in instantly, forming air guitars while Annabelle just shook her head back and forth like a Spearow looking for a Wurmple.
Lucas rolled his eyes, tucking a stray lock back into place. Jenny caught his eye and grinned, until he was obscured from sight by Reece trying to slide across the baby-blue carpet on his knees.
When the song ended, Tyrone pushed a hand through his hair, high-fived Reece again while they both laughed giddily. Annabelle stepped out in front of everyone and spread her arms wide.
"Who wants to play Singstar?" She asked, producing a microphone with a red band on it from nowhere. The other four yelled their consent and Annabelle turned on the console underneath the TV with a flourish, handing out the other microphone to Jenny, while the three boys groaned and grumbled.
For the rest of the night, the house echoed with the voices of five teenagers, who believed that nothing could tear them apart. And then Jenny's parents came home, practically deafened when they opened the door. Jenny's mum screamed the house down to be heard, while her dad turned off the console and chivvied the teens out of the house, with Jenny waving and giggling from her bedroom window.
When her four friends disappeared into the deepening night, Jenny hopped onto her bed with a happy sigh, reaching for the Arcanine plush toy that Reece had bought her last year. It had most certainly been a night to remember. They would have to dress up tomorrow in their costumes and snap some pictures.
With that thought in her head, Jenny drifted off into sleep.
