Night of Fright, Chapter 65

It was hard, but I managed to arrange an escape of sorts from Nancy's house the following day. During breakfast, all she could go on about was the preparations for the party tomorrow, and how she was planning on inviting practically the whole of Lilycove. I was against this, naturally, as I was just a small town girl from the mainland. No one truly worthy of all these festivities. What hurt me most was that Mom couldn't be there with me for my special day.

A simple request on my part was all that I needed to have her brought to Lilycove in time for my birthday, but I went against it. Not that I didn't want to see her, just that it felt wrong to continue to leech off of Nancy yet again. So with that in mind, I needed an escape from all of Nancy's planning, to which I appealed my case to Sebastian, the kindly butler from the day before.

"I will do all in my power to distract the Lady Nancy," he told me. "But when the Lady sets her mind to something, it can be difficult to dissuade her."

"I just need her busy for one minute, so I can sneak out into town," I said, the both of us ignoring Nancy's plans for my party just a few feet away. "I want to explore the city on my own."

"Oh Star, be a dear and come over here," I heard her call out to me. "I want your opinion on these treats for the party."

As I was getting up to see what Nancy wanted, Sebastian stood in my way, signaling for me to get out of there that instant. Swooping Vulpix into my arms, I ran towards the front door, while Sebastian took my place at Nancy's side. A long elevator ride down to the ground floor, and I was free for the day.

"I hope Sebastian didn't get in trouble for helping me," I told Vulpix. She barked, as she usually did, but it sounded like she agreed with me.

"Well, what should we do today? We have the entire day to ourselves... Hey! Why don't we hit the beach?" Vulpix looked at me like I was crazy, which served as a reminder.

"Oh, right. I left my swimsuit at Nancy's place. Plus it's a bit chilly, anyway." I sighed, kicking the ground at my feet.

For such a large and vibrant town, there wasn't much to actually do. I ended up sitting down near the building, watching people come and go in silence. Vulpix, ever the lazy fox, fell asleep after a few minutes.

One thing I noticed while staring at the passersby was the lack of excitement for the coming day. Birthday or no, it was Halloween, the day of tricks and treats and ghouly ghost Pokemon. Or was Hoenn so far away from the Kanto region that they didn't celebrate it as we did? The very train of thought sparked an idea in my head. After waking Vulpix, I skipped along down the street, now in my new winter attire, towards the city's museum. If anything, they'd know about Hoenn's celebrations.

Along the way, however, I came upon something strange that caught my attention. It was a group of people shuffling into a small house in the middle of the city. I took a slight detour to read the sign of the place.

"'Cove Lily Motel'? That's originally lazy naming," I said to myself. The small house had one window by the door, which I used to peek into the place. Inside were a few people, all lounging around the table in the center of the room. The reason I went snooping in the first place was because I thought they looked suspicious, as in Team Aqua or Magma suspicious. Yet there they were, drinking merrily and celebrating some great new accomplishment. I shrugged my shoulders, curiosity satisfied, and moved on.

I'd later learn that those people were actually quite famous: Game Freak staff members, vacationing in Lilycove. I wasn't a big fan of their digital Pokemon games, but I had a feeling that an autograph or two would've made great souvenirs.

~o~

"Welcome to the Lilycove Museum."

"Good morning," I greeted in return to the receptionist. "I'd like to know if there's any information on Hoenn's holidays I can learn here?"

"Certainly! Just search the museum for one of our scholars, and they'd be more than happy to share their wisdom and knowledge. I hope you enjoy your stay!"

"Thanks!" I set foot into the museum proper, and was instantly wowed by what it had to offer.

The walls were covered almost entirely by vibrant paintings of Pokemon. Many of them were strange to me, rare critters from different regions I didn't recognize. There was one or two that I did, such as Articuno, and even a painting of Groudon. Each painting was done with broad and powerful brushstrokes, and I could tell more than a few of them were artists' interpretations rather than exact detail. After all, far as I remembered, Articuno didn't leave behind rain and rainbows in its wake.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" An elderly gentleman said as he walked up beside me. I stepped aside slightly, so that he could enjoy the painting equally.

"It's a pretty picture, but it's just a picture." I commented, never fancying myself the art critic.

"True, but this may be as close as many people will ever get to these legendary Pokemon. Note the use of color in the wings of this Articuno, and the attention to detail behind the bird as it flies off."

"I've seen Articuno before, and it doesn't rain wherever it flies, sir." I said, giggling at his exaggerations. He was left awestruck at my claim.

"You've seen this bird with your own eyes? Tell me, where?"

"The Seafoam Islands, in Kanto. I was passing through when I stopped on the islands. Team Rocket was there, trying to capture Articuno for some reason. I helped him escape." A proud memory from my first journey. The man was taken further aback.

"What a tale! If only I had the courage to become a Pokemon trainer myself, I could've seen such wonders with my own eyes," lamented the man. I almost felt bad for him.

"It's okay, the painting is still very good! Like you said, not everyone can see these Pokemon, trainers or not!"

"You're too kind, dear. I'm Andres, a curator of this museum." I shook the man's hand with a smile.

"I'm Star, a Pokemon trainer. And this is Vulpix." She barked at him, which startled the man slightly.

"Lively creature, isn't she?"

"She's also really nice. You work here, right? Can you tell me if Halloween is celebrated here in Hoenn?"

"Why, I believe so, Star. In recent years, Hoenn citizens have been paying more and more attention to the television set than their customs and traditions. Even something as involving as Halloween seems to be forgotten in more than a few cities." It was like a curse, all the publicity. Or actually...

"Hey! Do you know if there'll be any reporters in Lilycove today?" Andres was perplexed at the sudden shift in topic.

"Well, I can't be certain, but there's always some reporter floating about. If you look around the city I'm certain you'd run into one."

"Thank you, sir! It was fun talking to you!" I snapped my fingers, and ran back out of the museum. An idea had struck, and what better way to make tomorrow all the more memorable? All I needed now was a reporter willing to interview me. And I knew just the pair to get the job done.

~o~

"Gaby!"

"Well, if it isn't Star! Fancy seeing you here in Lilycove City. We just keep running into each other, don't we?" Gaby, as well as her cameraman Ty, were parked just outside the city, no doubt looking for their next big story. For once, I wanted to be interviewed by her.

"Have any new stories to report?" I asked her.

"I'm tailing this new one, something about Team Aqua. Can't say anymore than that, Star." I smiled at her, ready to work my plan into her schedule.

"Well, if you've got nothing else to do, I wouldn't mind doing another interview?"

"That's okay, I think I have enough interest stories saved up to hold me for a while. Thanks for offering, though." My expression went blank. She was denying an interview?

"Oh, I see," I said, trying to come up with another approach. "If you don't want to, that's fine. I mean, it's only going to be my birthday tomorrow."

"That so? Congratulations, Star." She still wasn't biting. I had one more chance.

"Yeah, thanks! I'll be having a big party here, thanks to Nancy. The Lady Nancy, that is!" Suddenly, Gaby's eyes widened.

"Wait, you mean...?" She pointed up, towards the roof of one of the buildings in the city. I nodded.

"Yeah, that Nancy. She'll be having a big party for me, because we're friends!"

"Ty, start recording!" Gaby got off her butt and positioned herself beside me. Once Ty gave her the signal, she took a deep breath and smiled at the camera.

"Welcome back to a special event edition of 'Eyes on Hoenn'. I'm here in Lilycove City, where I've just been informed of a spectacular event being planned for tomorrow, the thirty-first of October. Joining me for yet another interview is Star, the adorable trainer all of Hoenn seems to be talking about!" I gave a quick wave to the camera before Gaby turned to prepare the interview proper. "Star, tell us: what's this event?"

"Well, tomorrow is my birthday," I started with a smile, "and my friend Nancy, who lives here in Lilycove, is planning a huge party for me! She's inviting the entire city to attend!"

"Well congratulations, Star. How old will you be tomorrow?"

"Eleven."

"They grow up so fast, don't they? Now, if the Lady Nancy is going to be hosting this party, and all of Lilycove is supposedly invited, where will it be held, exactly?" When the microphone returned to me, I went dead silent. My plan was to spread the word about Halloween through Gaby, not invite people to my party.

"Um, here?"

"You mean she's holding the party right on the streets of the city? How very unorthodox is that for a party?" Bingo, Gaby had given me my opening.

"Well, tomorrow is also Halloween," I said, "so Nancy was looking forward to making me happy by celebrating both my birthday and Halloween tomorrow!"

"Interesting," commented Gaby. "It looks like the whole of Hoenn will have their eyes on the TV tomorrow for this event. You heard it here, folks! We'll be back tomorrow afternoon for the festivities. This is Gaby for 'Eyes on Hoenn', signing off!"

Ty gave her the signal that the camera was off, and instantly her smile vanished. It was like watching one of those illusion pictures that showed a different thing depending on your angle.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Star. I'm sure it'll be a great piece for me, and there's not another reporter anywhere in the area. I'm all set!"

Gaby took her cameraman and equipment, heading off into the city to do who knows what. Content with my actions, I decided to return to Nancy's place. After all, whatever she was planning now would probably be changed to fit with the expectations to follow the news report.

~o~

When I returned, I found the house empty. This shocked me, but I wasn't about to argue. Nancy could get a bit clingy, especially with the party planning on her mind. As I wandered the house freely, I noticed a large telephone in the kitchen. Tomorrow was my birthday, so the least I could do was call Mom and say hi. After all, she couldn't contact me as easily.

I dialed her number, and waited for a moment. It rang a few times, and I feared she may have been out of the house. Suddenly, the screen switched on, and I saw her looking right back at me.

"Star? Star is that really you?"

"Yeah, Mom," I said, trying my best to contain my tears. I hadn't seen her in a while, and she was just as overjoyed at seeing me. With it being my birthday tomorrow, I wanted to at least give her the pleasure of seeing me. At least over the phone.

"I've been so worried! You never called, I thought something might've happened!"

"No, it's just that it took me a while to get the Pokegear fixed. Actually, I got a new one entirely! It's called the Pokenav, from someone in Rustboro City." I showed her the device, since I was calling from Nancy's house phone.

"Rustboro? You mean you're in Hoenn right now?"

"Yeah, I came here by ship a few weeks ago. I'm in Lilycove City, staying at a friend's house."

"Goodness, you're so far! You have no idea how much I miss you, dear! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to talk to you for your own birthday!"

"Yeah, that's why I decided to call, now that I had some free time. My friend Nancy is planning on throwing me a birthday party, you know." I chose to leave out the details of the party on purpose.

"That's so sweet of her! Be sure to give her my thanks, as well as thank her yourself for everything, you hear?"

"Yes, Mom," I groaned.

"Oh Star, I can't believe you're already turning eleven! Oh, my baby's growing up so fast!"

"Mom! I'm-"

"Not a baby, I know, sweetie," she cut me off. "But you'll always be my baby! Listen, I hate to be the one doing this to you, but I have to go now."

"Really? Where're you off to?"

"A dinner party. Someone in town's celebrating something, and I was invited. It gets so lonely here without you."

"I'm sorry, Mom," I said, feeling bad about leaving her all alone.

"No, it's all right, dear. You be careful at that party, and be sure to call back again as soon as you can, you understand?"

"Yes, Mom."

"By the way, where's Vulpix?" At the mention of her name, Vulpix jumped up on my lap, scratching at the monitor.

"Hi there, girl! You be sure to take good care of Star for me, okay?" Vulpix barked at the screen. "Atta girl. Star, I've got to go. Be safe, okay?"

"I will, Mom. Have fun at that party."

"Same to you, dear. I love you!"

"Love you too, Mom. Bye."

The monitor went dark. I felt my heart grow heavy in my chest, but a quick lick from Vulpix raised my spirits again. This was no time to be down, and even she realized that. I hugged Vulpix before returning to the living room to wait for Nancy.

~o~

I scratched behind Vulpix's ears, enjoying the unusual silence. Nancy still wasn't back, despite it being 5:12 in the afternoon, according to the clock in the living room. News usually began to air on TV after 4, so if Gaby had made the deadline, my interview would've already aired. And that meant Nancy would've already heard it.

"Think my plan'll work, Vulpix?" The small fox licked my hand. As if on cue, I heard the elevator doors opening down the hall. I wasn't sure what to expect from Nancy, but I sure wouldn't be waiting long to find out. The pitter-patter of a dozen pairs of feet rushed down the hall and entered the living room.

"Hello, Nancy!" I greeted her, smiling from ear to ear.

"Good afternoon, Star," she said in a monotone. "Please ready dinner, Sebastian. I'm certain Star is hungry, as am I."

"At once, my Lady." Sebastian and the other servants dispersed, leaving us alone in the room. I felt my heart begin to race ever so slightly.

"I saw your interview by that newswoman on TV," Nancy said, keeping her monotone intact.

"Oh really? She's so nice, you know? I felt bad not sharing all the wonderful things you were doing just for me!" Perhaps if I played it cool and gleeful, she wouldn't erupt?

"Yes, well, what I was planning was nothing like what you promised during the interview." I felt my mouth go dry at those words.

"R-Really? I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No no, quite alright, Star. I'm not ashamed to admit when I'm wrong." My heart skipped a beat.

"You mean...?" Nancy's stern expression warped into a smile.

"Your idea was fantastic! Better than anything I'd have ever come up with! Why, as soon as I heard it, I quickly sent Sebastian to set everything up with the mayor. From what he told me in the elevator, the mayor was just as eager to start planning for the big event tomorrow!"

"Oh really? Glad I was able to help!"

"Yes, indeed. Now, you might see this as unfair, but tomorrow I will be keeping you locked in your room until the festivities."

"What?" That last statement hit me like a train.

"I noticed you managed to sneak out today. Can't have you wandering the city while we prepare for your big party, can we? It'd ruin the fun." Makes sense, I guess.

"Well, if you say so, Nancy..."

"Splendid! Now, you're free to use the bath before dinner is served." Just as she got up to leave, I remembered a question I had been meaning to ask since I got here.

"Nancy, how is it you're so rich?"

"You didn't know? My grandfather invented the modern Pokeball, while my father marketed the idea to Silph Co. and the Devon Corporation." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Wait, so every Pokeball I've ever seen...?"

"That's right, Star! My family's invention."

~o~

I had all of my birthday, practically, to ponder what Nancy had shared yesterday. Every single Pokeball, used by hundreds of thousands of trainers worldwide, came from her family's idea. No doubt that meant with every sale of a Pokeball, they get a small profit. No wonder she has no problems buying things for people. She could spend money like that everyday and probably never run out.

Well, my thoughts aside, I was finally released from my cage at the end of my birthday. Before my imprisonment, Nancy made sure to ask me what I wanted to dress up as for the party that night. Being based around Halloween, it'd be a costume party. Again it was on her tab, but I went with a simple, if traditional, witch outfit. When I was finally let out of my room, I found the costume waiting for me out in the hallway.

I got dressed, though rather than put the steepled hat on my own head, I popped it on Vulpix. She looked beyond adorable, though her first instinct was to take the silly thing off. Nothing a bit of scolding couldn't convince her otherwise. I went into the living room, where Sebastian was waiting for me.

"Miss Star, I apologize on behalf of the staff and Lady Nancy. Perhaps it was cruel to have you locked away on this most special day." He gave me a bow, but I wasn't particularly hurt.

"It's okay. Where is everyone?"

"They're already in town. The final preparations were completed recently, so they sent me the signal to escort you into town."

"Thanks, Sebastian. Oh! Wait, I forgot something!" I ran back to my room quickly, jumping for my belt. I pulled out Gastly's Pokeball, and released the ghostly critter. What better 'prop' for this night than an actual ghost Pokemon? I joined Sebastian and Vulpix again in the living room.

"All set!"

We took the long elevator ride down, the entire time my heart racing faster and faster. Just what kind of party awaited me? Would it be a traditional thing, with cake and snacks and a Halloween motif? Or would Nancy have gone the extra mile, and created something unique? Needless to say I was itching with excitement.

The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and I was let out into the city. It was dark and silent, almost like any other city in the middle of the night. Too dark, though: not even the streetlights were switched on. I knew this was part of the decorations. I turned around, but noticed that Sebastian hadn't gotten off the elevator with me. Alone in the middle of the street, I froze on the spot, hiding behind Vulpix and Gastly.

"I know you're there, Nancy," I said to the darkness ahead of me. "You can come out now. I-It's not funny anymore."

A loud click followed, and the lights all around me turned on. A mass of people were standing all around me, and in unison they all shouted 'surprise'! Each and every one of them were in costume, so it was hard to tell which person was Nancy, until she walked up to me. Naturally, she was dressed as a princess of some sort.

"Happy Birthday, Star! And welcome to your party!" Another loud round of applause and cheer came from the crowd. Both my Pokemon were equally excited, and though Gastly flew off into the crowd to join the festivities, Vulpix chose not to leave my side. Once the applause and cheer died down, the crowd began to disperse throughout the city.

"So, what'd you think?" Nancy walked up to me, offering me a cup with something in it. I took a sip, tasting a sweet fruit punch.

"Thank you so much, Nancy! This has to be the best birthday party ever!"

"I'm glad you liked it! It was your own idea, after all! Oh! And before I forget..." She reached into her costume pocket, producing a small box with a big bow on it. "Happy Birthday!"

"Nancy, after everything you've already done for me? This is too much!" I took the gift from her.

"One last gift, I swear! Go on, open it." I smiled at her, and undid the bow. Inside the box was a small rock, which confused me at first. When I brought it out into slightly better lighting, I saw the stone glitter in the moonlight.

"Nancy, is this...? A moonstone?"

"Indeed it is! I had it shipped here from Pewter City in Kanto yesterday. I was afraid it wouldn't arrive in time, actually."

"Thank you, Nancy!" I gave her a big hug, overjoyed at the gift. Of everything she had done for me, this was the most thoughtful of all.

"You're most welcome, Star. Now come on, the party is all around town, so let's take a stroll."

Everything was as it should be for this special day. However, it wouldn't last into the night. Just as the two of us made our way down the street, Vulpix began barking uncontrollably at something in the darkness. Fear was the first thing to strike in that moment, for all of us. Especially when the creature's eyes lit up in the black void. It was a Pokemon of some sort, a large head with a horn floating in the dark. I didn't have my Pokedex handy, so I couldn't quite scan the critter.

"My word, it's a Shuppet!" Nancy exclaimed, drawing the Pokemon's attention. Without thinking twice, the Pokemon rushed her, and just the same, I pushed her out of the way to protect her from the attack. The Shuppet latched onto me instead, and the sensation to follow would be burned into my memory forever.

It only took Vulpix mere seconds to intervene and remove the Shuppet, but in that short time, I felt an intense agony and sorrow wash over my thoughts. Mixed in with these feelings were my own memories, specifically those where my spirits were at their lowest points. All these emotions and sensations bombarded me at once, and all I could do was scream out in pain. When relief finally came, I was left dazed and unfocused. I felt Nancy at my side, her voice distorted in my ears. Vulpix stood her ground ahead of me, barking fiercely at the Shuppet.

I didn't have to issue any orders, either. She immediately blasted Shuppet with a Flamethrower attack, driving the Pokemon back. As my vision cleared up, I saw Gastly return, and join Vulpix in her attack. Gastly used the seemingly harmless Lick to paralyze Shuppet, while Vulpix, still enraged, began to emit an aura of intense heat. Before the Shuppet could recover, Vulpix released that stored energy in a single, concentrated blast. Shuppet was engulfed in flames, followed by a few small but powerful explosions that sent small sparks and embers flying outward.

The Pokemon fell to the ground, thoroughly defeated and burned to a crisp. By this point, several of the other partygoers had arrived on the scene, and looked upon the crispy critter with awe. That is, until someone threw a Pokeball at him and locked it away. Of course, the Shuppet could not resist capture, so the Pokeball went silent instantly. The young lady in the princess costume walked over to collect her prize.

"Show's over, ladies and gentlemen! Star, are you alright? That Shuppet was latched onto your face for a few seconds." Nancy put her hand on my forehead and cheeks, making sure I was alright.

"I'm fine, really. What was a wild Pokemon doing in town, anyway?"

"It's a Shuppet," Nancy answered, bouncing the Pokeball with the critter inside in front of me. "It's a ghost that wanders the streets of cities looking for people with negative emotions. Guess we were unlucky, and it chose to attack, right?"

"Yeah," I said, thinking carefully about what Nancy had said. "Real unlucky."

"But my goodness, what valiant Pokemon you have, Star! Without a second to waste, Vulpix jumped to your defense, and Gastly here came flying as fast as he possibly could! Color me envious." A small round of applause followed Nancy's statement, mainly for the two Pokemon who had a hand (or paw) in saving me. Vulpix ran over to me, rubbing up close. Gastly hovered around my head, keeping a lookout for any other dangers. He was indeed the spirit of Primeape through and through.

~o~

After that, I thought it would be better to retire early. It was my party, so I did feel a bit guilty about being the first to go, but after everything that had happened no one dared suggest otherwise. Nancy chose to stay behind and oversee the rest of the night, as well as keep Gaby and Ty away from me. Once word got out about the attack they swooped in to get another interview. As I rode the elevator up to the penthouse alone, I sat down in a corner and curled up.

"What did that Pokemon do to me...?" The mere thought brought back painful flashes of the attack. Vulpix licked my face, hoping to calm me down. I smiled at her, and scratched behind her ears.

"It's okay, I'm fine. Thanks to you, girl."

That seemed to put her at ease, but I was far from it. I put it out of my mind for the night, and I'd eventually come to forget it almost entirely. But I felt something was missing, deep down in the darkest parts of my memories.

What had Shuppet stolen from me...?