Chapter 21 - The Haunted Mansion on Bakre Street

One day, while they were walking together down the concrete street, Rico said to Raymond, "Man, it's Saturday again." Raymond, who owned a Pikipek, then responded, "Yeah, another day of fun and no homework."

"So, what are you doing today?" Rico asked while thinking.

"Well," Raymond replied, "We can go to the amusement park."

"We already done that a week ago," Rico replied, "How about somewhere else?" They think for a while, until they came across a haunted Renaissance-style house next to a family and store house. That haunted house, however, was 2 stories high, had worn off paint, creaking window shutters, and had a creepy look, as it came out of a horror movie.

"What is that place?" Rico asked in stunning.

"That's a haunted house," Raymond replied in stunning, '"Some people call it "The Shuppet Mansion," due to Shuppets and other Ghost-type Pokèmon occupying that house."

"Oh, I understand," Rico replied as he calms down, "Now that's scary and real."

"Hey, let's go there," Raymond suggested as an idea pops to his head like a light bulb, "Let's check out what's inside."

"Uh, are you sure, dude," Rico replied in hesitation, "I mean, walking to that house is like being in a horror movie."

"Come on, Rico," Raymond replied, "Just once, okay? And we'll be out of that place as soon as possible." Sighing in annoyance, Rico responded, "Alright, fine. At least, I had my Pokèmon." He and Raymond then entered the haunted house's scary front porch, and knocked on the front door.

"Anyone home?" Raymond asked.

"Open the door," Rico added. After these responses, no one answered, but moments later, the door creaked open, as like in horror movies. Rico and Raymond looked at each other in uneasy, and looked back towards the interior of the house. They then entered in. Once they were inside the house, the door shut closed, frightening the kids. There's no turning back for them, and had no choice but to continue. Walking through the barely-lit, dirty hallway, the two boys pulled their flashlights and turn them on, but Rico used his smartphone, fully charged, as a flashlight. Minutes later, they spotted a Shuppet, a Ghost-type Pokèmon, hovering around the corridor.

"Who's that Pokèmon?" Rico asked. He then pointed his Pokedex towards it; the Pokedex then responded, "Shuppet, the Puppet Pokèmon, and Ghost-type Pokèmon. Shuppet grows by feeding on dark emotions, such as vengefulness and envy, in the hearts of people, it roams through cities in search of grudges that taint people." After hearing this, Rico commented, "Oh, that's... that's scary. I'm not gonna catch that."

"Me neither," Raymond added. The Shuppet then spotted them, and tried to search for dark emotions in their hearts, but failed. Rico, though suffered a trauma of the death of his brother, moved on in life, and decided to become a Pokèmon trainer. Raymond, however, was innocent at any way, so the wild Shuppet gave up, and hovered away. Once it was gone, the two kids sighed in relief, and continued their trek through that haunted house.

Later, they arrived at the house's dining room. Everything is well-arranged and clean, with the large, long table had a tablecloth, ceramic plates, iron and silver utensils and ceramic cups neatly arranged, as if there's a dinner party. There's also candleholders that hold red candles. And a crystal chandelier lighting through the tall room.

"What is this?" Rico asked, "A dining table well arranged? Is there any special occasion today?"

"Yeah right," Raymond added. He and Rico then called all of their Pokèmon out. They and their trainers then checked out the big, elaborate room, checking on expensive and lavish ware, plates, and clocks. Pikipek then flew over a silver spoon, Riolu hold an iron teacup, and Litleo looked at a brass-framed mirror on a wall.

"What's all these?" Rico asked while holding a silver fork, "Why there's a dinner party even no one is here?"

"Yeah, I don't know," Raymond responded. Their Pokèmon then responded in plain. And then, suddenly, the doors shut closed, and Banettes entered the room and start circling around while levitating above the kids and their Pokèmon.

"Ah! Who's those Pokèmon?" Rico asked as he become terrified and scared.

"Those are Banettes!" Raymond responded while being scared. In response, Rico checked his Pokedex; the Pokedex then responded, "Banette, the Marionette Pokèmon, and evolved form of Shuppet. A Ghost-type Pokèmon. A cursed energy permeated the stuffing of a discarded and forgotten plush doll, giving it new life as Banette. The Pokèmon's energy would escape if it were to ever open its mouth."

"Okay, that's much worse than a Shuppet," Rico commented in mild surprise upon hearing this. The three hovering Banettes then used Physic, levitating everything and the group from the floor. The group was terrified, hugging their Pokèmon in embrace and despair.

Meanwhile, Rico's mother was worried about her son not coming back after she told him to buy some ingredients for an egg pie recipe.

Back at the mansion, the Banettes then released all of the them, including the things, and left the room by going through the walls like ghosts. The group was lying on the white tile floor while the stuff are scattered on the floor. They stayed on the floor for over 10 minutes, before getting up, and rush to the door in order to escape.

"Ah! It's locked!" Raymond exclaimed in desperate as he struggles to open the dark oak door, "Let's us out!" Getting up, Rico just watched him, struggling while all of their Pokèmon are watching too. After Raymond failed, Riolu tried to use Focus Blast, but the door is too thick. Pikipek, however, had no vents nor holes to go through. It was hopeless, and they had no choice but to sit around and wait.

They have been sitting and waiting for almost two hours, with Rico playing in his smartphone, and Raymond lying on the floor in desperate and boredom. Their Pokèmon, however, are looking around the room. Then, suddenly, after much waiting, someone, or something, unlocked and opened the door. In response for escape, the group snapped out from their doing and finally went out of the room. But the one who free them turns out to be a Shuppet, the exact same Pokèmon they had encountered earlier.

"It's you that Shuppet again," Rico responded to it, "Why did you free us?" The Shuppet then responded briefly, "Shuppet, Shu-Shuppet-pet."

"Why it's trying to say?" Raymond asked while pointing his finger towards it. Understanding what Shuppet was saying, Rico responded, "I think it's saying that it's not with those Banettes. And also, as an apology for locking us up." Then to that Shuppet, "Well, it's okay. We forgive you." The Shuppet then responded in happiness, and went off, telling them to follow it. The group then followed it through the hallways. Later, when they are about to reach the exit, the three Banettes blocked their way, becaming hostile and aggressive. In response, the Shuppet and the group, stopped running and looked at them in mild scare. But the Banettes are angry not to the group, but to the Shuppet actually.

"Uh, Shuppet," Rico nervously asked, "Are they looking at you in anger?" The Shuppet then responded briefly, telling them that it betrayed its Banette friends by releasing the trespassers.

"Oh, so you're saying that you betrayed them by releasing us. Right?" Raymond replied. In response, the Shuppet responded honestly, and then hover in front of its Banette friends and sacrificed itself as a form of punishment for betrayal. The group was terrified at this. But when the Banettes are about to use Shadow Ball, their attacks are intercepted by Litleo and Pikipek, who immediately used Ember and Peck, hitting them effectively. Shuppet then snapped out from its sacrificing position. Before the Banettes would attack, Rico and Raymond immediately commanded them to use Ember and Peck. Their Pokèmon then used the same moves as before, striking the Banettes effectively. But Riolu did not respond, due to a fact that it was a Fighting-type Pokèmon, not affecting a Ghost-type Pokèmon. In response of desperation, the Banettes fled in fear through the hallways. After that, the group, their Pokèmon, and the Shuppet then managed to escaped that haunted house.

Outside, the group said thank you to the Shuppet for helping them to escape, and offered it to join them.

"Shuppet, Shu," the Shuppet responded while shaking its head in response.

"Why?" Rico asked in response. The Shuppet then responded that it want to rejoin with the other Ghost-type Pokèmon, before heading back to the haunted house.

"Okay, now that's weird," Rico commented about the Shuppet's departure.

"Yeah, right," Raymond replied. Later, after healing their Pokèmon and calling them back to their Pokeballs, the two kids split paths: Raymond will go home straight while Rico will go to a grocery store to buy the ingredients his mom asked. They then wavered goodbye to each other.

Later before lunch time, at her home, Rosario was pacing in the living room back and forth, thinking about her son while Lucas, in a long-sleeved polo, tried to calm her down. Moments later, Rico came home, with a paper bag of groceries.

"Mom, dad, I'm home," Rico greeted them. Upon seeing him home, the couple ran to him and hugged him in embrace.

"Rico! You're finally home!" Rosario exclaimed as she hugged Rico with tears of joy, "Where you had been?"

"We're so worried about you," Lucas added.

"Mom, dad, I'm sorry for making you two worry," Rico responded with tears of sadness. Later Rico told his parents everything that happened. Lucas was stunned at his story, and then commented, "Wow, that happened? Well, at least you're safe. That matters."

"Yeah, it's okay, we forgive you for that," Rosario added while mixing the egg pie base.

Shedding a few tears, Rico responded, "Thanks, mom and dad."

Later, Lucas set the plates and utensils, Rico cooked Yellow Curry for lunch, and Rosario baked the Egg Pie for dessert.

Minutes later, they ate with joy and happiness, as if there's a feast of celebration.