Chapter 12: Fortune Smiles
Simon and Theodore followed Alvin through the front lobby of the museum. Dave was at the front desk, paying for the tickets the three held in their hands as they looked around the room. The crowd for the event was modest, but large enough to where a degree of chatter had begun, and filled the room as if it were completely occupied by each square inch. The sky grew darker that evening, and the Tetrad - the coming of the red moon - would occur in less than 15 minutes. Guards were already ushering people towards the balcony for the event.
"Where's Brittany, Eleanor, and Jeanette? I thought they were supposed to be here by now." Simon adjusted his glasses as he looked around the room.
"About time you boys decided to show up." Brittany marched toward them, with Jeanette and Eleanor close behind her. "So what now? Find the statue, right?"
"That's what Alvin just said a few minutes ago." Theodore said aloud, but his voice wasn't very confident.
"Well, lucky for you guys, we actually found it - the gargoyle statue." Brittany continued. "But we can't go down that way; there's a lot of people and guards down there and we couldn't get close to the statue."
"Distraction is my middle name." Alvin winked, while Simon rolled his eyes.
"Uh-huh. Usually when you say that, you get someone else to act as the distracter. Or just find someone you can distract for your own amusement."
"I've got the perfect person in mind." Alvin looked over towards Dave's way as he approached them.
***
Melina sat in one of the rooms of the grand chateau on the third floor. The fortuneteller knew that her powers were bound in the beautifully crafted room, but it still felt like a prison to her. The warm red of the long armchair blended with her nails and robe attire. Even the light from the flames flames danced in her dark eyes and spilled over her seated frame. But it was of little warmth to her. Her magic was bound in this place.
Master Grol entered the room, the glare of the flickering hearth reflecting in his mask.
"Are you ready to watch the rite with us, dear Melina? Surely you can't miss the festivities." His tone finally seemed to match the sly grin that he had on his mask, but Melina wasn't convinced by his expression.
"Melina wasn't invited, and didn't want to be." She looked away bitterly.
"Now, you have me all wrong. Of course I want you to be a part of the party. Matter of fact, I want you to be right in the middle of it." He placed one of his gloved hands under her chin, lifting her face to his, but she shoved his hand away.
"Melina will not, nor ever will be, a part of your plan. Melina knows you erased her from the mortal world for now, but it won't be for long." Her brows lowered.
"Really? You seriously thought you could stop my plan, let alone by sending a group of insignificant brats and one of your own to this world?"
"Melina knows you lost most of your spirit captives, so she thinks they did well, very well. They'll stop you in the mortal realm too." Her expression turned into a mischievous smile, but as Master Grol pulled her to her feet her, frown returned.
"You don't fool me, witch. You, and the rest of the Ilreita will meet your due fate tonight by the end of the red moon, when we capture enough souls to pay due to the ceremony. Once we acquire enough souls with the powers we'll harness from your kind in these spirit orbs, we'll be able to steal spirits from the still living and dead alike - regaining our own spirits and roaming the earth as the strongest tribe of the ages! And your measly powers won't be able to save any of them. Guards, take her to the bridge!"
Melina felt the strong arms of the guards grab and usher her from the room, as Master Grol laughed heartily.
***
The Chipmunks and Chipettes stood on the balcony looking at the sky, the Tetrad almost about to occur.
"You guys ready and know the plan?" Alvin asked, while Simon adjusted the telescope.
"I guess I'm ready for what we're gonna do, but I'm not ready for what's about to happen..." Theodore said in a low voice. "How long is it gonna last, Simon?"
"Well, Theodore - eclipses of this kind can last either a few minutes or several hours. It depends on the angle of the sun and the moon. Of course, complete eclipses only last a minute, if that, but partial eclipses can last for several hours. Judging by the position of the moon right now, we should be seeing the full eclipse in the next 5 minutes. So whatever you guys have to do, you'd better do it now. Though I still don't know why you're suggesting Theodore and Eleanor go with you, Alvin."
"There's a method to my madness." Alvin said wiggling his eyebrows.
"Whatever." Simon noted tersely. "Maybe I should..."
"I bought snacks for you guys for the big event. They were selling them downstairs." Dave handed each of them some snack bars, looking up into the sky where the other adults, teens, and some kids around the Chipmunks' ages were gathered.
"Thanks, Dave." The Chipmunks and Chipettes said in unison.
"Um, Dave, I'm gonna go for a short bathroom break. Could you take pictures of the eclipse if it happens while we're gone?"
"Well, even if I took a picture of the actual eclipse, Alvin, it wouldn't show up on the camera, but I can take pictures of it before and after for you."
"Great!" Alvin started walking quickly from the balcony, as Dave started to take pictures of the moon, which was partially covered, with only a rim of silver showing. Dave seemed to like the over look of the city from the balcony as well, so he started taking pictures.
"You've got the walkie talkie, Simon?"
"Yeah. We'll call you if we see anything happen from this side, and you'd better tell us if anything happens down there."
"Trust me, Simon, you guys will be the first to know. Well, um...second technically."
Alvin, Theodore, and Eleanor slipped through the crowd and inched past the guards to head towards the East Wing of the museum. The three made their way downstairs into the central hall, where barely anyone stood other than those attending the snack stand, or the guards on rotation at the entrances to the wing. Alvin saw an opportunity to slip into the East Wing when a couple started to verbally argue with the manager of the food stand, and the guard went to quell the scuffle. They slipped by undetected, as the brief shouting match called the attention of the other guards, who rushed past them without noting their presence.
"That's what I would call a 'lucky break'." Alvin said. "Now where's that statue, Eleanor?"
"It's this way, follow me. It's...kinda big though..."
When they entered the single room where the statue was held, both Theodore and Alvin looked upward at the statue in awe.
"Wow...were the statues in the Hanti world this big, Alvin?"
"I don't know. We saw them from far away, so I think the real ones could have been this big too. How are we supposed to tear this down?"
"I don't think that's a good idea." Eleanor said. "Not right away, anyway. If this really is the bridge between their world and ours, we should wait until the red moon appears and opens the way. Because Anilie might be there, and so might Miss Melina."
"Okay, that's a good idea, but it still doesn't tell us what we should do when they get here."
When the eyes of the statue started to glow and a loud, bellowing growl emerged from the stony lips of the gargoyle, Theodore swallowed audibly.
"I think they're here..."
***
"That's the signal...they definitely saw something if Alvin isn't talking through the speaker." Simon noted as he saw the walkie talkie's light pulse three times. The moon had just passed in the full eclipse and started to turn crimson at a steady pace, like a brush swerving over a pallid canvas. There was a chorus of "oohs and ahhs" from the crowd around them.
"But nothing's happening here...at least from what I can see."
"Let's hope it doesn't, Jeanette. If the Hanti are coming, we need to get down there to help them." Brittany added, and the three of them eased through the crowd that stared in awe of the reddening moon
Dave continued to take pictures of the moon for some time before lowering the lens. He'd seen Simon, Brittany, and Jeanette looking through the telescope one moment, but the next, he noticed that they were gone.
"I guess they must have went down for more snacks. Well, whenever they're ready, there will be enough pictures to save as memoirs for it. I wonder where Alvin and the others are..." His expression turned into a frown as he considered that Alvin, Theodore and Eleanor hadn't been there to witness the eclipse.
"I'd better go check on them and make sure they're all right."
But first, Dave had the daunting task of trying to ease by the spectators - and on the collective balcony, it was a task that made him exhale with some annoyance.
***
Alvin, Theodore and Eleanor managed to climb and hide behind a part of the gargoyle statue, and looked downward as a golden portal opened into the room, light radiating to the golden walls and tiled floors of the area. Several of the Hanti emerged, carrying glass orbs in one hand - some their left, others their right. The Hanti stood to attention, facing each other in parallel lines, while Master Grol walked between them with his familiar snarled grin. An orb was in his hands as well Two Hanti soldiers held a woman back by her bound arms, struggling to get free.
"That's - That's Melina!" Eleanor said in subdued alarm.
Alvin strained his eyes to see a familiar form floating in Master Grol's orb.
"And the girl in that orb is Anilie! I think there are spirits held captive in all of those orbs they're carrying."
"The Ilreita?" Eleanor asked.
"Definitely. So not all the spirits who were captured last night were free - they must have been held in those orbs. But what does Miss Melina have to do with all this?"
"My friends!" Master Grol's voice boomed through the room at that moment, reducing the room to a still silence that, if either of the Chipmunks had spoken, it would have been a pin drop streaking through the room.
"I welcome you to our new home - to the lands and skies, to the planets and space beyond with which we've been denied for centuries. And the vengeance that we've since sought against the Ilreita is now to be appeased. So join me, and raise your orbs - as we capture the souls of this night - the crimson night of the Hanti!"
"Melina's...an Ilreita?!" Alvin said, almost forgetting to silence his voice. But cheers erupted in the room, drowning out his statement effectively. Theodore looked between Alvin and Eleanor with fear and confusion.
"What do we do now? We've gotta help them somehow!"
"There has to be some way we can break this statue." Eleanor mused. "Wait, Alvin, if we can push it to where it falls to the ground, it should be old enough that it cracks and can keep them from going back!"
"Great idea, Eleanor!"
"But Alvin...That's a really long way down from where we are...it's too dangerous."
"I don't think we have much of a choice." Alvin's voice went low as he saw the Hanti suddenly grow quiet at the sound of a door opening quickly...As Simon, Jeanette, and Brittany ran into the room full of Hanti soldiers in their line of sight.
***
Simon nervously laughed and looked around at the Hanti soldiers, who seemed to growl at their entrance.
"Ahaha, I think we just entered the wrong room; we'll be leaving in two shakes."
"Yeah, he said it. We'll be leaving you gentlemen to your conquest of the world, souls or whatever."
"Brittany..!" Simon scolded.
"Oh, oops."
"Silence! You're the same intruders that invaded our prison yestereve. But no matter. You'll be a suitable lot to try our newfound powers on. Your souls will make a great use to us conquering the mortals." Master Grol's voice went from a bitter to an amused growl as he spoke the latter words.
Simon, Jeanette and Brittany gasped as the group of Hanti started to advance toward them, their orbs raised.
"Young ones, you must run!" Melina called out.
"Guys, we have to push this thing over now, dangerous or not!" Alvin said pushing forward against the frame of the statue as hard as they could.
The gargoyle statue was weaker than any of them thought as it fell over when they pushed at the same time. Alvin, Theodore, and Eleanor fell safely atop three Hanti soldiers, causing them to drop and break the orbs they were carrying. The distraction was all Melina needed to wrestle free from the two that held her back.
The broken orbs allowed the spirits inside them to wrestle free, and since they were no longer in a world where their magic was bound, as it was in the Hanti realm, they used their magic to free their companions, surprising all of the Hanti, including Master Grol who nearly used his orb against the spirits, but found that the orb broke with a swift wave of magic, and Anilie stuck out a tongue at him before flying away.
"No! This can't be...!"
The Ilreita spirits circled the Hanti, cornering them collectively, while the freed Melina joined them.
"Come, ancestors of yore! All shall vanish who disrupt the balance of our ages yet again!" Like the spokes of a wheel, energy radiated from the spirits' and Melina's hands, focused on Master Grol and his minions, as they vanished in the heart of the light, disappearing.
"We came so close...and yet again...!"
"Sir...I knew it was a bad idea to bother with those children...."
Master Grol's and Pell's voice vanished with the light, until the figures were no more.
"All right!" Alvin shouted, and the Chipmunks and Chipettes were greeted with handshakes and the dances of the Ilreita ghosts.
"You all did so well! Melina is very, very proud." Melina hugged the Chipettes and Chipmunks collectively.
"It kinda happened so fast...so, I guess we were...really lucky. Thanks you guys; we couldn't have done it without you." Jeanette said meekly.
"So, let me get this straight - you're a part of the Ilreita? How did you..." Simon inquired.
"Yes, as you suspect, Melina is one of the few survivors, and the only one who knew of the events that would pass for tonight. Melina knew you all would be the ones to do it, because Melina has her third eye." She winked at them, then turned to the spirits that hovered and stood in the room at attention, bowing to each of the Chipmunks. "All of these spirits are those who once belonged to our tribe, and if we had not bound the Hanti once again...well...It would have been a danger to all mortality. My magic only comes more potent, as you saw, during the light of the red moon. But with your help, the Hanti will no longer bother us. They have no other world to go back to - so they're gone for good." Her smile faded slightly after the latter note. "But...Melina believes it's time for these spirits to rest - they're all in need of it."
Anilie hugged the lady ghost who knew her tightly a distance away from where Melina spoke. But she turned to Alvin and the others with a sad expression, recognizing the validity of Melina's words.
"I guess...that means you have to go Anilie, huh?" Theodore said sadly.
She nodded.
"Who's the other ghost with you Anilie? Your mom?" Eleanor asked.
Anilie's sad expression turned to one where she started to laugh uncontrollably, though no sound came from her mouth. The lady ghost bopped Anilie lightly on the head with a fist, causing the girl ghost to stop laughing and rub her head, while having an apologetic expression.
"Judging from that reaction, I would say that's more like her older sister." Simon confirmed.
"But this can't be goodbye forever...could it?" Alvin asked sadly. "You know...you're a really cool friend, Anilie."
"Yeah, I didn't get a chance to really know you that well." Brittany admitted. "And you did help us out a lot."
Anilie blushed at the recognition, but shook her head as if to take the flustered feeling out of her head, and gestured in a series of motions.
"Anilie says that she will never be gone from any of you, that while she can't walk the mortal world much after this night, she will exist in the days before another red moon. This is true, as our power is reborn close to such nights." Melina explained, her expression with a small smile. "I can tell you it is not a goodbye forever." Anilie nodded in agreement.
"So...I guess it's just goodbye until the next red moon, huh?"
Anilie hugged Alvin and Brittany at the same time in response. Both of them were shocked, but when they looked at each other, they tried not to look upset. Much to Simon's shock and chagrin, she hugged Simon individually, then hugged Jeanette, Theodore and Eleanor before rejoining her sister.
As the spirits started to fade from the room one by one, The Chipmunks and Chipettes waved goodbyes to the groups of spirits that had helped them that night, with Anilie and her sister being the last to go.
"I'm...really gonna miss them, though."
"Me, too, Theodore. Me too." Alvin agreed.
"What is this? What happened to my display room?!" One of the mangers, who heard the commotion from the fallen statue burst into the room and ran to the statue, past Melina, the Chipmunks and Chipettes - to yell in melancholy. "Why?! Why does this always happen?!"
"Kids! Are you alright?!" Dave entered the room and they all ran to him in a hurry. Melina followed them, with not much of a word in edgewise.
"Seville, how many times have I told you to keep your kids out of my valuable display rooms?! Especially unattended?! This is the 3rd time..."
"I don't know what happened here, but you can't blame them for this, sir..."
"It wasn't their fault." Melina agreed.
"Oh! I don't care! Everyone out, out, out! Let me grieve in peace...this is the 5th priceless artefact I've found that's been ruined! And all by meddling kids...!"
Dave, Melina, and The Chipmunks and Chipettes made well to get out of the room as quick as possible, though Alvin saw Melina wink at him as they left the museum.
***
Miss Miller had picked up the Chipettes that night in her usual sedan while Dave opted to drive home with the boys. Miss Miller wondered what had happened, but realized from Dave's expression that she'd be better off hearing the story later. Brittany, Eleanor, and Jeanette all said their goodbyes to The Chipmunks before leaving - tired, but glad that it was over. Somehow, they were even satisfied with how the evening ended with snacks as they waited for Miss Miller before she drove them home.
"Well, the only thing I can say is that I'm glad you boys are all right, but you three have a lot of explaining to do. Until you can tell me the truth, I don't want to hear a word out of you." Dave groaned on the drive home, all while thinking about how he was going to pay back the money for the damaged gargoyle statue, said to have been many centuries old.
"But Dave...it's not what you think..."
"Simon, I mean it."
"Miss Melina was such a nice person. You even saw that too, didn't you Dave? She really was telling the truth!"
"Yes, Theodore, she was very nice. I didn't get a chance to talk to her much, but she did stick up for you boys. But what she said was just so...unbelievable - spirits? Ghosts? Nice or not, it's just a farfetched story. Anyway, I mean it, not another word or I'll..."
"Does this mean we can't go back to the museum for a while?"
"ALVIN!"
Alvin winced, but as the three chipmunks looked at each other, they were glad that the whole situation had resolved itself. Dave would probably forgive them eventually, but they were trying to tell him that Melina had mentioned the statue itself was worthless without its set, so they wouldn't really owe anything to the museum if they did their research.
As they watched the skyline from the car window, they saw several shooting stars in the sky along the light of the red moon, which slowly turned back to it's regular milky color. The spirits of the Ilreita were finally free to roam among the stars. And somewhere was a girl who smiled at them, while holding her sisters's hand as their spirits brightened the clear sky.
For a moment, they all felt that fortune had smiled on them.
The End