"Let's review one more time."
Within the contest hall, the festivities had already begun. Eerie music and sound effects trailed out through the windows, traveling along the chilly nighttime breeze. A soft orange glow emitted from within. Coordinators and Pokémon shuffled in and out of the front doors, decked from head to toe in breath-taking costumes. Coordinators were known for their artistry, after all, and Halloween was the perfect occasion for them to exercise their skills.
However, one young couple stood off to the side of the building, whispering fervently as they hid within the shadow of a large oak tree.
"We only have three rules." May raised her hand as if she meant to hold up three fingers, but she then remembered that her large costume paws hid her hands from her boyfriend's sight. "Rule number 1!" she began, trying to hide her embarrassment as Drew chuckled at her mistake.
"Enter separately," the boy recited obediently, as if he had memorized answers for a test. Small fangs poked out from behind his lips as he spoke. "Rule number 2…" He trailed off, leaving an opening for May to answer this time.
"We can spend time together as long as we're in a group, but we can't wander off by ourselves." Any time alone would probably come off as suggestive to any paparazzi lurking about the event, and May had no doubt in her mind that they would be slinking around every corner. After all, this was the most popular party of the year, second in attendance only to the Grand Festival itself! The thought of someone snapping a picture of her and Drew alone together sent a shiver up her spine. "Finally, the most important rule."
In unison, both coordinators whispered, "Avoid Harley at all costs."
After sounding so solemn, they broke out into quiet laughter. "I can't believe we synchronized that," May said, lifting her paws to her mouth to try and stifle her giggles.
"Well, we are coordinators. We should be good at syncing with our Pokémon… or anyone we're close to." Drew tried to pull off a smug smile, acting as if he were simply trying to tease May, but even in the dim light the brunette could tell that her boyfriend was blushing.
"I'll go in first," May announced, trying to get the flustered pair back on track. "Wait a moment or two before entering, so that nobody gets suspicious." The werewolf took a deep breath and strode off towards the entrance. Suddenly she stopped and turned to look back at him. With a wink, she murmured, "Besides, vampires can't enter unless they're invited inside, right?"