Chapter 23: Cackle Attack

The boy was gone. Poof. The Gengar disappeared, too, though the Misdreavus remained floating by my side.

Anita looked around the room past Apple. She seemed to have just returned to the real world. "Erin, Liam—" She spoke rapidly. "He's—" Anita calmed. "He's somewhere in the house," she said quietly. "I read his mind before he disappeared."

Apple started growling again.

Suddenly, as everything in this house seemed to happen suddenly, the Gengar appeared out of thin air, holding a small metal cage, his eyes glowing. Apple was lifted into the air above the chandelier and put into the cage, which remained floating by the Gengar.

Apple yowled, but there was nothing we could do. Liam was too far away from Apple to stop the psychic attack.

"Anita, stop him!" I yelled. She was a psychic, too, after all.

Anita frowned. "I can't." She giggled slightly—or coughed—it was hard to tell. "We'd better start looking."

Liam watched Scary and Apple (who was still howling) suspiciously. "You could use your Pokemon," I suggested to Liam, trying not to sound accusing. I didn't want to cause him any personal pain, but in situations like this, sacrifices sometimes had to be made.

"This is not an emergency," Liam replied stoically.

Do not smack Liam, I thought. Do not smack Liam. Slightly more composed, I asked, "What do you call our situation then?"

Liam paused. "A complication."

I turned to Anita for moral support, but she was already heading for the library door. "You're going to leave Apple?" I asked her.

"We must find Mel. We only have fifteen minutes." She left the room. I sighed and bent over to look under the couch. There was nothing—not even a layer of dust.

When I came back up, Liam was sitting on the couch, watching Apple. "What are you doing? We only have fifteen minutes!" I exclaimed.

"I'm thinking."

"About how screwed over we are? The boy freakin disappeared in front of out eyes!"

"Exactly. We are clearly missing some piece of vital information." He glanced at me. "I believe Apple knows. I think she has been trying to get Anita to believe something important. This theory would explain both Apple's and Anita's strange behavior… Apple, is this so?"

Apple nodded and then shook her head.

"Well, that was helpful," I snickered.

Liam closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "A disappearing boy…. It could be an illusion, another ghost Pokemon, teleport, magic…"

"Magic?" I raised my eyebrows. That was the last word I would have expected Liam to use in a serious tone.

"Magic is all that is unexplained. The unexplained remains magic until it is understood."

I rolled my eyes. "Magic is when people wave sticks and stuff happens."

"No, that's baseball." Liam opened his eyes and rose.

"Did you have an epiphany?" I asked hopefully.

"No. I must know what Apple was telling Anita. Perhaps…" Liam shook his head. I got the feeling he was not telling me everything but decided not to pursue the matter. I had learned that Liam liked to do everything himself. If he needed some information or suggestion, he would ask.

We jogged back through the twisted hallways until we arrived in the kitchen. We found Anita looking through a cabinet under the stainless steel sink. How much time did we have left? I did not wear a watch. Maybe eight minutes…

"Anita, we need to know what Apple is growling about," Liam said.

Anita looked up from her search. "It was nothing. Apple is still hungry."

"I didn't think Apple got this upset over food… usually," I commented.

Anita smiled. "Then you don't know Apple."

Liam narrowed his eyes. "Anita, we need to know what is really occurring."

Anita's eyes darted around the room. "Nothing is going on," she answered hastily. Then she got up and quickly walked toward the door leading to the dusty room.

Liam blocked her way. She attempted to dodge around him, but he grabbed her arm.

Anita suddenly froze, staring right at Liam.

I hurried over. "Are you okay?" I asked worriedly. When there was no response, I waved my hand in front of her blank face. "Anita?"

"Help me…" she uttered.

Liam released his grip in shock. Anita stumbled backwards and fled into another tiled room adjacent to the kitchen. She slammed the door.

I made to follow her, but Liam ordered, "Stop!"

"She's going to get away!" I shouted.

Liam shook his head. "It is a dead end. I saw when we walked through here earlier."

I frowned. "Aren't we going to follow her?"

"Yes… but I have to explain what I believe is occurring, without Anita hearing—"

"Why?" I interrupted.

Liam held up his hand, flashing me an annoyed glance to indicate he was not finished speaking. "I believe the boy is gifted—ghost type."

I blinked a few times. "But the odds of that…"

"I know. The odds are against us, but still, consider. Apple has been acting exceedingly peculiar; Apple knows. Apple and Anita communicate regularly through telepathy so she would be the first to realize the problem. In addition, just now…" Liam paused. "You understand how Anita's powers do not affect me, correct?"

I nodded.

"Gift types work exactly like Pokemon types. Consider a ghost type gift. A person with such a gift would likely be able to turn invisible, fade through walls, and possess others… and what would a ghost type be effective against?"

I gasped. "Psychic."

Liam nodded. "As the boy is still young, it is unlikely that his power is strong. I doubt he could possess a normal person for very long, if at all. Anita, however, would be easily possessed."

"Suppose you're right. How could you unpossess Anita and find the boy?"

"Remember when I touched Anita? That's what confirmed my suspicions. By making physical contact with her, I cancelled her powers out, making her more difficult to possess. She managed to mutter a plea…"

"So if you just touch her for a longer time…"

Liam nodded. "That's the theory."

"Well, what are we standing here for?" I twisted the doorknob, revealing a small laundry room.

The room was empty.

I opened a cabinet. Then another. And another—soon every nook Anita could have been hiding in was visible, and she still hadn't been found.

"And you did not chase her because…" I glared at Liam.

"I did not believe the boy was powerful enough to turn invisible or fade through walls while possessing Anita. Clearly, I was mistaken."

"Genius," I muttered. "Maybe you're wrong. The boy could just be a ghost or a ghost Pokemon or something."

"Perhaps, but how would you explain the footprints?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, not wishing to reveal that I secretly thought he made a good point, and tapped my long nails on the slick counter in thought.

Liam watched the purple cloud of smoke that had been following me. When a pair of eyes appeared in the smoke, he asked, "Will you assist us in finding Melvin?"

There was a ghostly chuckle as the cloud faded.

I smiled suddenly.

We didn't have to find Melvin; we could make him come to us.

"Ugh, this game is soooo boring!" I exclaimed. "We should just give up! Don't you think?"

Liam simply stared at me in frustration.

I winked.

"Sure," Liam said warily.

I spoke louder. "I wish Mel would just come out of his hiding spot already. It is so silly to keep playing this boring game when I know so many games that are much more fun. We're wasting valuable time!"

I whirled around as the door swung open and—voila—Anita stood in the doorway.

"Are y—we really giving up?" she asked.

Liam lunged and grabbed her arm, twisting her around so he could grasp both arms behind her back to prevent escape.

"Wha—" Anita started. "Let go!" she demanded.

"Nope," Liam answered, smirking. "We found you, Melvin."

Anita glared at Liam. "Let go! Melvin's in the library! I came to tell you…"

"Give it up Melvin. I know you cannot stay in that body much longer."

"Seriously, check the other room," Anita sputtered.

Liam changed strategies. "Anita, will you take your body back already?"

"I am in my own body, moron!"

"You can do it, Anita!" I cheered. She frowned in response.

"I guess I overestimated your strength," Liam taunted.

Anita's head snapped around angrily, and she attempted to elbow Liam in the gut. This failed, of course. Anita slumped over, her face blank. Liam loosened his grip.

"That's right. Keep fighting," Liam cooed. Yes, I mean he cooed. It was such a bizarre sound coming from Liam's mouth that despite our situation I started laughing.

Suddenly, Anita's eyes snapped open. She twisted out of Liam's grasp and sprinted forward. After about a second of hesitant shock, Liam and I both ran after her. Liam was faster, and soon I could only just see a swish of black shirt as I raced down the twisted halls.

The library doors were sprawled open, and Liam was once again restraining Anita. "Look at the couch," Anita managed to gasp. Liam and I looked.

There was Melvin.

Liam hastily released Anita and took a step back.

"Oh…"

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

What the hell was his problem?

Stupid Liam…

"So tell us how you got rid of Melvin," Erin said.

I struggled wildly to no avail until Apple told me I might be able to regain my body by creating a barrier in my mind and slowly expanding it. I tried, failed, so Apple ended up doing it for me. Good explanation right? Ehh, once again, stupid Liam…

"I made a barrier in my mind. It was a lot harder and less effective on a ghost type, but Melvin's powers aren't as developed as mine," I grumbled. It had been harder (for Apple) to create a barrier to stop the Gengar from helping Melvin. I think the fact that the Pokemon is half poison is the only reason the barrier actually held…

I sat on one of the ridiculously over-plushed couches in the creepy library, silently fuming at Liam because my voice was hoarse from yelling. Melvin was still lying unconscious on a couch directly across from the one I was sitting on. Liam sat next to Melvin, barely touching the boy's skin in an attempt to suppress the boy's powers should he wake up. While I continued to glare angrily at him, he returned a cool, bored gaze.

Liam is stupid. I just couldn't get away from that, could I?

Inadvertently, all this glaring and staring caused us to begin a tacit staring contest. Seconds ticked by… I heard a nearby shuffle. Probably Erin—she was searching the house for a ladder. When my eyes began to water, Liam smirked slightly. Tears streamed down my face, but I refused to blink—

{ANITA!}

My concentration broke. Surprised, I looked up at Apple, who was still stuck in the floating cage above my head, as the Gengar had once again, disappeared. A knot of guilt tightened in my stomach. I was supposed to be psychically searching for the Gengar…

{It took you long enough. Do you know how long I've been trying to get your attention while you and Mr. Intensity have been goggling at each other?}

{Hey, he started it! And I wasn't going to just give in!}

{Then congrats on taking competitive to a ridiculous level. Anyway, I found Scary Face!}

{Erm, scary face is an attack. One I suppose you could use often.}

{No, I meant the Gengar.} I rolled my eyes at Apple. {He's floating right above Melvin, actually, invisible.}

{Then why don't you, the amazing psychic Eevee, tell him to release you. Or better yet, why don't you just psychically get yourself out of the cage.}

{Uh, maybe 'cause you're the only one who knows about the whole psychic thing?}

I scowled and said sarcastically, {I know, I know. It just gets annoying, you know. Always rescuing people, saving the day, doing hero stuff.}

{Snot head!}

{Scary face!} Before Apple could retort, I focused my attention on the Gengar, knowing Apple wouldn't disturb me. I sensed the Pokemon hovering, but instinctively shied away. I tried again. {Yo, Scary?} I felt the Gengar turn toward me in surprise. {Hey, you can hear me! Will you please release Apple? And can we have our Pokeballs back?}

{I will not help those who hurt Melvin.}

{Are you kidding me? The kid got himself hurt!}

{Even if that were the case, I would not take any action without Melvin's permission.}

I broke off the connection with Scary, annoyed. Liam raised a questioning eyebrow at me, but before I could say anything, Erin burst through the doors, screaming loudly. "What the hell! Will you stop bothering me! Go away!" There was nothing behind her. She swatted the air uselessly.

I watched incredulously and Apple burst into laughter.

A purple mist seemed to seep through the floor around Erin's feet. "Eeep!" she screeched, before jumping away and sprinting toward the couches.

Liam stood up, probably to move out of the way, but Erin had other ideas. She jumped into the arms of a wide-eyed Liam, who promptly dropped her on her butt. Erin jumped back up, rubbing her sore butt and flicking her eyes around the room intently.

Curiously, I stretched out my powers, and sensed another Pokemon. {Hello?}

{Jello?} a voice replied.

{Um, who are you?}

{Dumb, poo far too!}

{Right then.}

{Fright ten!} A whispery voice cackled softly, and a cool breeze pricked my neck. I froze standing completely still as the breeze enwrapped my body, and then left. {Boo!} It took me a moment to realize that the sound was not a short "Boo"—the type meant for scaring—but a long "Boo," an irked "Boo." {The girl over there reacts much more funnier.}

I winced at the bad grammar, and looked about for the source of my chills. {I'm sorry—} I started talking, but the creature continued, {Now she's went to the bad-tasting boy. I don't like the tasting-bad boy, but I want to haunt her.} A purple smoke appeared and materialized into the Misdreavus we had seen by Melvin earlier.

{That is a dilemma,} I agreed, coming up with a way to take advantage of the situation. {I know! If you get the Eevee out of the cage above me, I'll get the girl you like away from the yucky boy!}

{Don't, Missy,} Scary said sharply. {She's not your master.}

Missy, apparently the Misdreavus, let out another chilled laugh before swooping towards Apple's cage. {Mel isn't neither. And neither are you. Neither is a funny word. Sounds like I need-fur or need-her or need-to-purr…} Missy stared at me a moment. {You better hold up your end of the deal, or it's you I be haunting.}

The lock on the cage popped open, and Apple was dumped out. I dived forward, catching Apple as I skidded across the floor.

{Wow, you sacrificed Erin's sanity for me! I feel loved!} Apple exclaimed.

{Sanity?}

{Ghosts are known from time to time to drive people completely berserk. What do you expect when someone's constantly invading your mind?}

{I think I know the feeling,} I retorted dryly.

{Hey!}

Knowing I should feel guilty about this, I frantically called as I dusted my pants off, "Hey Erin, come look at this!"

Erin, thinking something was wrong, hurried over. Ha! See, Erin's not the only one with mad acting skills!

{Don't push it,} Apple commented.

The Misdreavus immediately enwrapped Erin in a purple mist and both disappeared, Erin's high pitched squeal clashing with the Missy's cackle. {Um, should I be worried?} I asked mildly.

Apple shrugged as I slumped back on a couch. Not a great sign.

Liam looked at me. "Should I even ask?"

I shook my head.

"Yeah, they'll come back eventually," Mel said. Wait, Mel said?

Melvin, was sitting up, probably woken by the excessive noise. "You, little boy, have some explaining to do," I scolded. The boy struggled against Liam's grip for a few seconds and then sat still. One of his fingers disappeared, and for a second I thought the rest of his body would follow, but the finger reappeared quickly.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell us what your problem is and where our Pokemon are," I told the boy. "Care to get started?"

"Why can't I disappear?" the boy asked, his upper lip trembling.

"Liam's weird that way. Now get on with it, kid," I demanded.

"Stop being so mean!" Mel cried and then burst into tears.

Aw, shit.

{Nice going, Anita.}

{You couldn't have done any better,} I snapped.

{You couldn't have done any worse.}

"Scary, get me out of here!" Mel yelped while Liam shot an angry glare at me.

Before Scary could even move, I created a psychic barrier around the ghost, which was quickly enforced by Apple. Liam's glare turned into a curious gaze.

"Half poison," I reminded him.

"Who-who, are y-you?" the boy stuttered.

I opened my mouth to object to his question when he hadn't even answered ours, but my mouth wouldn't move.

{Anita, do us all a favor and be nice.}

I took a deep breath and Apple unfroze my jaw. I looked down at Melvin, his face all damp and cute…

"Stop crying," I demanded.

{ANITA! NICE!}

"Please, stop crying," I repeated.

{Anita…}

Ugh, this was the type of thing Erin could probably deal with. Why did Erin have to disappear now of all times? Of course, her disappearance was my fault…

I struggled to smile at the boy. "I'm sorry," I said unenthusiastically.

{You're grimacing. Think happy thoughts.}

Kicking Liam's ass, the day Erin tortured Liam, Melvin not existing, peanut butter cookies… I flashed a smile. "We can help you and Scary" get lost.

{Geez, you're in a violent mood today,} Apple commented. {Looks like, as usual, I'll have to do all the dirty work to save your butt.} Apple leapt onto the couch next to Mel and licked his face. The boy patted Apple and let out a sound that sounded like a sick cat purring. {That was a giggle.}

I sighed and sat back down on the couch. Let Apple do her magic, or whatever. After a few minutes, when the boy calmed down, I spoke again. "Melvin, we'd really like to know where our Pokemon are, and what is going on. The Eevee you're petting, Apple, wants to know, too. Will you help us?"

Mel looked hesitantly at Apple and then looked up at me with huge teary, grey eyes. "Do you promise not to leave me?"

"Of course not," I replied uncomfortably.

"Then if you let Scary out of the bubble, he can get your other Pokemon." I tried to probe Mel's mind, but found it impossible to penetrate. Liam and I watched Melvin sharply as Scary was released and given orders to retrieve the Pokeballs. Scary disappeared.

"Tell us about yourself, Mel," I said, trying to lighten the atmosphere (in other words, stop the boy from having a mental break-down).

"I'm eight years old, I like playing games, and I have ten fingers. When I grow up I want to be a profusional ghost."

{I think he meant professional,} Apple suggested.

{Yes, wealthy ghosts are hard to come by.}

{So are professional ghosts…}

"Like Scary?" I asked Mel.

The boy nodded seriously.

"So why are you alone in this house? Where are your parents?"

"This is my home!" Mel exclaimed. "And Scary is my parent. He takes care of me, and feeds me, and sometimes finds me friends like you guys."

"What about before Scary?" I pressed. "Did anyone take care of you before Scary?"

Mel looked at the ground. "No."

{He's lying.}

"Mel, we're trying to help you. We have to know."

"Papa ran away," he whispered. "He was scared. Of me. He's not my parent."

"Oh…"

{You are really bad at this emotional comfort stuff. Why don't you give the boy a hug?}

{He might try to take over my body again! Maybe this is part of an evil scheme to get back inside me!}

{Or maybe Mel's a scared little boy who needs a hug. I'll know if something goes wrong and Liam is touching him so it should be okay.}

{Alright…} I moved next to Melvin, and gave him a hug, awkwardly patting his back.

Abruptly, Scary, Erin, and Missy all faded into reality. Or rather, Scary, holding Erin and Missy by the scruffs of their necks, faded into reality. Erin struggled wildly, and Missy continued to cackle. {I found these two where the Pokeballs were being stored.} Scary lifted Erin higher into the air. {This one somehow convinced this one—} Scary lifted Missy. {that it would be extremely fun to steal back the Pokeballs.} Scary dropped both of the offenders. Missy, of course, continued to float.

Erin, however, hit the couch hard. She rolled into a sitting position. "Hey, guys. I'm just dropping by…" Three Pokeballs hit her head and she collapsed back down onto the couch.

{Lame puns should always be punished with violence.} Apple nodded approvingly at Scary.

Once I had my Pokeballs all safely clipped to my pants, I asked, "Alright, ready to go?"

Liam and Erin exchanged glances. "Anita, we still don't really know where we are," Liam explained.

"And there's Melvin. Does he have actual parents? We can't just leave him," Erin added.

"You promised to stay with me!" Mel yelled accusingly.

"I… er… didn't mean… umm. Of course, we're staying with you," I hastily told Mel.

"Why don't we bring Mel with us?" Erin suggested. "He knows how to get to Cape Caution, probably."

"No!" I shouted. When I got shocked looks I spoke normally. "I mean. Well, no, I do mean no. We can't take care of a kid." I wrinkled my nose. "He seems like a hassle."

"I can take care of myself," Mel replied indignantly. "I don't wanna go."

Erin crouched down next to Melvin. "Mel, you can't keep living like this. You need a safe home, and an education, and someone who can help you use your powers better, and someone to take care of you."

"But I'm a ghost. I don't need an education and Scary can do the rest."

"You're a human with ghost powers, Mel. You need to be around humans. Come with us. It'll be fun—we'll play games with you and you can meet our Pokemon."

"But—"

{Mel, I think they are right,} Scary added.

Uh oh, it looked like the miniature fountain was going to start spouting tears again. "But, you'll come, too. Right, Scary?"

Scary nodded.

Immediately the boy brightened. "Well, okay then."

Everyone started getting up to go. "Now, wait a second! I still don't want—" I objected.

"Anita, shut it. He's coming with us," Erin said.

"But—"

"I think you two will get along. Both of you appear to have the maturity of eight-year-olds," Liam added.

I scowled. "And you have the maturity of an eighty-year-old."

"Nu-uh," Erin argued. "He's not super mature! He spat at Carly, remember?"

"I never said eighty-year-olds were super mature. My grandpa Phil, for one, is eighty-three years old and still making prank phone calls to his hall mates in his nursing home," I recalled.

"I'd love to meet—Ahhh!" Erin jumped up and yelped. When she landed, she spun towards Liam. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Don't you dare touch my ass!"

Liam held up his hands. "I didn't touch you."

Mel tugged my sleeve. "What is a prank phone call? And what's hell? And ass?"

{You guys are going to be a brilliant influence on Mel,} Apple said dryly.

"Ow!" Erin yelped again. She looked around at everyone shiftily, daring anyone to speak.

Silence.

A cricket.

Mel picking his nose.

{Wahahahahahahaha…}