After the... strange chaos that overtook the stage a short while ago, the eight students attempted to push their absurd performances to the back of their minds and continue on with their lives. Ash, for one, had a perfect way to forget the whole experience before someone inevitably brought it back up in conversation. What's that, you may ask? A sleepover!

Already in his pajamas, Ash prepared his room for a night of fun. Rotom floated around him, offering words upon words of caution and boundaries.

"You reallyzzzz shouldn't be too loud Ash! You don't wantzz to interrupt Kukui's studies!" Rotom warned. "And make surezzz nothing breakz tonight! Andzz roughhousing is a major no-no!"

"Relax!" Ash dismissed, pushing away the buzzing Pokédex. "Your man Ash will have everything under control! Now go ahead and help Kukui record his data, I'll be back here with my friends! And I assure you, we will cause ruckus of no kind!"

Rotom narrowed its eyes, before nodding its head in agreement. "Alright Ashzz, I'll trust you on this one. You are the manzzz... but I will be scanning for damage tomorrow morningzzz!"

Zooming out of the room, Rotom left Ash to his preparation. It didn't take long for the first visitors to arrive, the doorbell alerting the boy with its ring. Running to the door and opening it wide, Ash welcomed Kiawe and Sophocles.

"Hey! Hope you got room in the fridge for all this stuff!" Sophocles's chubby arms were wrapped around five bottles of soda, each different brands and flavors. Looking past the soft drinks, Ash noticed the Electabuzz jammies Sophocles sported as he struggled to maintain his grip.

Kiawe looked down to his short friend, possessing a mature countenance and composure. It was ironic really, considering he acted his usual stern self while wearing an infernape onesie. "Sophocles, seriously man. Just give me some of the bottles already, quit the act."

"What act? I'm totally fine, Kiawe. I got this, my brain isn't the only thing that's strong," Sophocles insisted, his hands trembling with the load. Ash felt embarrassed for him, as he gestured for both of the boys to come in.

"Come on in, guys," Ash said. "And Sophocles... feel free to, um, drop those sodas in my room."

"I will..." Sophocles agreed.

As the two guests headed inside, Ash spotted another figure in the distance. He recognized the silhouette, as he raised his hand and waved to it.

"Hurry up, Bob!" Ash called out with a playful laugh. "Quit being a slowpoke! Don't make me shut the door on you!"

"Ash, you jerk!" Bob called out in response, running as fast as he could. It was a struggle, considering he had a lay's variety pack slung over his shoulder.  "Don't close that door on me! You'll regret it!"

The two shared a laugh as Bob speed through the house's entrance, as Ash double checked to make sure no one else was arriving. Soon after, he shut the door, and the boys gathered in Ash's room.

"Alright!" Ash cheered, pumping his fists into the air. "Let's get this party started!"

Sophocles raised a single fist, his other hand already preoccupied with a bag of classic chips. "Yeah! Party time!"

"And I know exactly how to get this party started," Bob spoke with the ringing sound of mischief. He reached into his pocket, gripped his phone, and shoved out towards his friends. "Prank calls!"

"Prank calls? Can't we technically get in trouble for that?" Kiawe questioned, before Sophocles began to jab at his side with his shoulder.

"Don't be too much of a goodie-goodie, Kiawe. As long as we don't call 911 or anything, we should be set! Live a little," Sophocles teased with a smirk. Kiawe simply responded with the rolling of his eyes.

"Prank calls? I'm in!" Ash declared, swiping the phone from Bob's hand. "And I know who I'm callin' first!"

Ash dialed a number and placed the phone on speaker. The other three leaned in with intrigue, unsure of what to anticipate. Success or disaster, they could only hope that the results would be gut bustingly hilarious.

The line was picked up, and a meek voice of Lillie was heard greeting the caller. "Hello? Who is this?"

Ash cleared his throat in preparation, and proceeded to do an incredibly hoarse, raspy impression of Mallow. "Good evening, friend! Just checking in on ya, Lillie!"

The impression, though rough and far from perfection, sounded close enough to Mallow's speech for Lillie to recognize the similarity. "...Mallow?" She questioned with shaking uncertainty. "That... that can't be you, is it?"

"Oh, but it is," Ash continued, wearing a look of prideful mischief. "It is I, Mallow!"

"Well, not to be rude... but you sound quite... different. Is there a reason for that, might I ask?" Lillie asked, her timid nature causing her to speak slowly and unsurely.

"Well, uh!" Ash began to sweat, not expecting his weak impression to be addressed so soon in the conversation. He had to improvise. "I got punched in the throat repeatedly by a hooligan!"

The boys heard Lillie gasp, her concern for her friend's well-being immediate. "A hooligan? Oh no... Mallow. Your voice must have taken some awful damage, you sound hurt! You need to go and get yourself checked by a doctor... unless... the hooligan didn't break your legs too, did they?!"

The three observing boys began to hold their chuckles, as Ash proceeded with his prank. "Uh, actually yes. The hooligan did break my legs," he answered.

"Oh no! Not your legs too..." Lillie whimpered, her high-pitched words brimming with worry. "Don't... don't tell me... that you are dying in the middle of the street! D-don't say that the hooligan left you for dead!"

The exaggerated scenario made it difficult for the boys not to laugh, Ash's cheeks beginning to puff as he held his breath. Once his urge to laugh began to calm, Ash exhaled and answered the panicking girl.

"I'm sorry Lillie... but I'm afraid so. I'm melting! Melting! Oh, what a world! What a world!" Ash cried into the phone, his impression not faltering. His words broke the other three, as they fell to their backs and laughed wildly. Laughter is a contagious thing, as Ash himself soon began to join. Lillie however, hearing the commotion of boys, became quiet in her puzzlement.

"I'm sorry Lillie, but you've been pranked!" Ash revealed through his cackles.

"... Wait, what?-"

Those were the last words Lillie was able to say before Ash hung up the phone, the group continuing to laugh at their own shenanigan.

"That was completely and utterly ridiculous!" Kiawe laughed. "I can't believe she bought your act!"

"'I got punched in the throat by a hooligan!'" Sophocles quoted, his side split. "'I'm melting!'"

"That was pretty top tier, Ash! But your impression, well, it's lacking to say the least," Bob chuckled, amused by the entire ordeal. Ash turned his head towards him, and placed his hands on his hips.

"Like you could do any better?" Ash remarked.

Bob grinned a toothy, cheeky grin, and grabbed his phone back from Ash's hand. "Watch and learn."

Bob dialed a number, and once again placed the phone on speaker. The boys all perked up with excitement, expecting pure hilarity as they listened to the phone ring. The line was soon picked up by their newest prank victim.

"Hello?" The true voice of the actual Mallow spoke, as Bob placed a hand to his throat. After an moment of quiet, the boy opened his mouth, and something unexpected sounded from within it.

"Hey Mallow, hope I'm not bothering you. I couldn't help but to call, I have a question for you." When Bob spoke, he sounded nothing like himself. Opposed to his usual, neutrally pitched voice, Bob produced a near perfect imitation of the soft, high pitched, though soothing voice that belonged exclusively to Lana.

Ash, Kiawe, and Sophocles all had their jaws drop to the ground, as Mallow simply giggled at the other end of the line. "Oh Lana, you could never bother me! Ask me anything you'd like," Mallow chimed.

"Well, if you insist," Bob continued, maintaining the imitation. "I was wondering... do you think you have a crush on anyone in class? Be honest with me, you know I won't tell a soul."

Though none of the boys could see, Mallow's face reddened as she hesitated to answer. Her mouth opened and closed, as she slowly tried to process and create an answer.

The silence lasted seconds upon seconds, causing Bob to call the girl's name. "Mallow?"

"Sorry! Sorry, Lana! I'm just... not sure," Mallow confessed. Then, the tone of her voice changed to tongue in cheek playfulness. "Besides... what would a woman be without her secrets?"

"Oh? But some secrets were just meant to be shared," Bob insisted. "Besides, if you tell me your crush, I'll tell you mine."

There was a short pause, before Mallow released a hefty laugh. "Oh Lana! You know that I'm well aware of your crush!"

Bob's eyes darted to the ground below him, his voice shaking, but still preserving his impersonation of Lana. "Ah! Yes, yes of course..."

"You are a good catch Lana. He's got you right on the hook, pun intended. That Bob, he just doesn't realize how lucky he is yet. I might just have to... you know... poke him into the right direction. He needs to just ask you out already! He can't just keep you waiting around," Mallow asserted, using a solid yet chipper tone. Her words prodded at Bob's hesitance, causing him to tense and become flustered.

"Uh... uh... uh... but..." Bob was left almost speechless, breaking character and scrambling to find a response for Mallow's claims. Through his stutters, Mallow recognized the boy's voice, and her attitude quickly shifted.

"Wait a second... Bob? Is that you? What's going on here-" Mallow began to question.

"Please insert another quarter to continue this call! Oh, you have none? Welp that's too bad your call has been discontinued!" Bob quickly blurted, before hanging up with an exaggerated, unnerved motion. He took a elongated sigh of relief, before realizing he had the eyes of the other three boys glued onto him. His face turned the bright red of a cherry. He attempted to 'play it cool', as he forced a smile and puffed out his chest.

"And that my friends, was an amazing impression done by yours truly," he bragged. "The result of a ton of practice and water gurgling."

"Think Juliet will like your impression, Romeo?" Kiawe quipped. Sophocles and Ash chuckled, as Bob struggled to maintain composure. Interrupting the four was the sound of the doorbell, which Bob found luckily timed.

"Oh wowie! Look at that! If only we could continue this conversation but it looks like we need to get the door! Oh well," Bob blurted. He jumped up onto his feet, and dashed to the door, leaving the others in the dust. Reaching the front door, Bob carelessly threw it open, and was greeted by the sight of two unfamiliar boys.

The two stood outside in the chilly night air, the taller boy wearing a comfy pair of Lightning Mcqueen pajamas, the other wearing a baggy tee-shirt with an image of an extremely buffed up Spongebob. Attempting to avoid direct eye contact with Bob, the taller boy attempted to hide behind the shorter boy.

The shorter boy shook his head. "Uh...Are you okay there... what's your name again? Denny?"

"...Er... you could call me that if you'd like, Mr. Scales," the taller boy answered.

Bob only looked back at them, wondering if they had happened to have arrived at the wrong place. However, Ash soon popped into the room, trailed by Kiawe and Sophocles. He brushed past Bob and grinned at the newcomers.

"Scales! Len! So glad you guys could make it! Come in, come in please!" Ash welcomed them both, allowing them both inside. He quickly proceeded to grant the two with introductions to his classmates.

"Alright, see, these are all my pals from class! Meet Sophocles, Bob, and Kiawe! Guys, this is Scales, and this is Len. They're two friends I recently made! Hope you don't mind them joining us tonight," Ash spoke.

Sophocles grinned, immediately accepting the unexpected company. "It's cool, Ash! You know what they say, the more the merrier. Though, the blonde seems to be having a bit of a nervous breakdown."

"Uh... uh! Me?! No... no no. I would never behave so nervously in front of gentlemen I've just met... oh geez. Am I being rude? I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry,"  Len repeated, beginning to repeatedly bow his head in apology. He was shaking in his slippers, as Bob, Kiawe and Sophocles store at the boy with a sense of embarrassment for the boy. Scales shook his head, and scratched at his cheek.

"You guys better get used to this. Crossed by him on my way here, and he already apologized to me about twenty times. Probably more, actually. But Ash, I'm sure you're well aware of this kid's apologetic nature," Scales assumed. Ash confirmed that assumption with a nod of his head.

"He probably just needs to get comfortable," Bob suggested. He roughly patted Len's back in an attempt of consolation, making the boy cough. "Welcome to the Alola club, guys! You could get your official merchandise at your local Walmart."

Bob chuckled, and Len wrung his hands. He smiled with the edges of his mouth twitching. "T...thanks," he softly said.

"Alright, now, anyone ready for some scary movies? I have a whole bag full!" Scales held out his red backpack, which at first glance already appeared to be stuffed to brim. "You know what they say! That fastest way to get to know a person is to get traumatized with um'!"

Sophocles slowly raised his hand. "Excuse me, Scales? I hate to mention that literally no one has ever said that-"

"Until now!" Ash declared, clapping his hands together. "I'm with Scales here! Let's get traumatized together!"

"Onward!" Scales chimed.

For the next few hours, as the sky became a pitch black, the boys had a mini horror movie marathon. The final scene of "The Haunted House 13: The Reckoning" beginning to play, Scales began to nudge at Len's side.

"Hey, Lenny, could you reach into my bag and grab 'The Haunted House 14: The Return'? Just so we'll be ready to switch the movies out once this one finishes," Scales requested.

"Of course! R-right away," Len answered. He grabbed onto Scale's bag, unzipping it and digging through the inside. Before Len was able to find the desired movie, he found his hand grasping on a bag of sugary sweets. Peering at the bright pink packaging, the boy couldn't help but feel a tad bit of excitement.

"Hey! Mr. Scales! If... it's no bother, could I have a couple of these? I've been craving something sweet," Len asked, raising up a bag of 'Fairy Bites.' The sweet treats were specifically small frosted cookies, baked into shapes of fairy type Pokémon. Scales turned his head, and his cheeks immediately flushed a bright red. The other four noticed the shift in Scale's behavior, as Len's cheeks began to redden as well.

"Um...did I offend you, Mr. Scales? I'm sorry... I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to! Forgive me!" Len pleaded, dropping the snack package and folding his hands together. Staring right into Len's wide, glimmering eyes, Scales forced himself to come back to his senses.

"It's whatever! You're fine!" Scales insisted, snatching both his backpack and the cookies. Shoving the cookies back into the concealment of his bag, he looked back at the others with a cold sweat. The boys continued to stare at him, and his flustered expression. Scales attempted to turn away, but his eyes remained fixated on the glares directed straight at him.

"W-what?" Scales snapped, crossing his arms in an attempt to avoid a pathetic appearance.

"Dude... you should see your face. It's, like, total gold right now," Sophocles noted.

"Gonna have to agree. Scales, your face is solid gold," Bob mentioned.

Scales pulled up the collar of his shirt to his face, attempting to hide his reddened cheeks. If he could crawl into a shell at that moment, like a timid little Squirtle trying to mask itself from the world's view, he probably would.

"And it was at that moment, Scales was revealed to have a liking for girly snacks," Sophocles teased, making a taunting little snicker. Scales immediately dropped the collar of his shirt, and his cheeks began to feel burning hot.

"I-I do not! They just... uh... accidentally fell into my backpack!" Scales claimed in defense.

"Yeah! Right!" Sophocles laughed.

"Come on. Enough. They're just cookies," Kiawe scoffed, having little patience for the
unfolding scene.    

"Good cookies, at that! I love em'! But... it is kinda ironic since Scales is partners with a dragon type..." Ash mentioned.

"You still gotta admit it though, those cookies still pretty girly," Sophocles said. He continued to laugh, fueling Scales's embarrassment, as well as his annoyance.

"Oh, you just think your the man, don't you Sophocles?" Scales huffed.

"Why, yes I do. I'm a big man!" Sophocles proclaimed.

"Prove it to me," Scales dared.

Sophocles stopped, and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I said to prove it," Scales repeated.

"Prove it how?" Sophocles asked.

"Hmm... I... haven't thought that far forward..." Scales confessed.

There was a long pause following Scales's confession, as the boy stood up and paced a finger to his chin, deep in thought. The other boys observed as Scales's face began to scrunch up, presumably stumped.

Surprisingly, a timid hand was raised, shattering the quiet.

"How about... spending the entire night in that abandoned, creepy house nearby Tompkins Road?" Len suggested, looking to the rug as he nervously shared the idea which had popped into his mind. Most of the boys tilted their heads, previously unaware of that location. Scales, however, knew exactly what house Len was talking about. He chuckled mischievously.

"...Lenny... that's a perfect idea! That spooky place is perfect for a man to prove his manhood! And after watching those horror films, it's perfect!" Scales clapped his hands together in approval, before pointing his finger at Sophocles. "Alright, big man! I dare you to spend the night in the creepy house nearby Tompkins Road!"

Sophocles's eyes widened, his body going stiff as sweat built on his forehead. "Wait... wait... a creepy house? You don't think it's... haunted, do you?"

"Err... it always looked kinda haunted to me..." Len responded.    

"Oh... uh... uh... I think I'll pass..." Sophocles stuttered, only for Scales to interject.

"Too big of a torchic, big man?" Scales taunted. "I thought so!"

Sophocles's pale face flooded with color, as he stood up with a stomp of his foot. "No! I am not a torchic! I am a man! I'll stay in that haunted house all night long to prove it!"

Before Sophocles had time to process what he has just agreed too, and what he has just set himself up to face, Ash jumped up beside him. "Can I come along, too?" Ash asked. "A night in a haunted house sounds fun! A real adventure!"

"Don't leave me out!" Bob shouted, standing up alongside the two. "If you guys are having a party at a spooky house, I am coming along!"

"Frankly, I don't know why you guys would want to go sleep in some weird house. But if it's what you guys want to do, then I'll come along," Kiawe said, standing up as well.

"If that's the case, all of us should go then! Like Ash said, it does sound like a real adventure! And you know, I ain't afraid of no ghosts!" Scales cheered.

Sophocles stood silently, regretting his life decisions. Len, however, panicked.

"Wait!" Len shrieked. "I did not agree to this!"

The house was old and worn, showing its age with every chipped piece of paint and every creaking piece of wood. Shattered glass rested on the floor, chairs laid on their sides, curtains hung crooked and fell to the floor. It was dark, with little moonlight shining through the cracks of the ceilings. The place certainly didn't have a comforting vibe, but the eerie surroundings suited the ghosts just fine.

In the home's attic, three ghosts resided. Specifically, a Gengar, a Haunter, and a Gastly occupied the space, making goofy faces to entertain each other. A girl was with them, a routine visitor of the ghost-type Pokémon. She giggled, enjoying the silly antics, her laughs carrying a light sound. It was weightless, created from pure enjoyment. She loved the company of her spooky friends.

But the playing of the Pokémon was unexpectedly interrupted by the sudden sound of a door swinging open, the creek echoing throughout the empty home. The four heard the sound of chatter, which happened to be coming from the six boys who have decided to spend the night within the forgotten place.

"Really, we could leave at any time..." Sophocles whimpered. "N-not that I'm scared, or anything!'

"Nah, we're not backing out now! Get comfy, we're spending all night here!" Ash playfully chimed.

"Lenny boy! Would you quit shaking like a leaf and get yourself in here?" Scales called out, looking back at Len standing at the entrance. He was unable to take that first step inside, which began to cause frustration within the other boys.

Bickering began, as the girl continued to giggle. She looked to her ghostly friends, and smirked. The three ghosts, all their eyes were wide and glistening, lit with a yearning.

"I know, I know. You guys want to play a game with our sudden guests," the girl acknowledged. "They look pretty fun to mess with, I can't lie. Put away the puppy dog eyes, have your fun little cuties! Only for a little while, though, we don't need a repeat of last week."

With the girl's blessing, the ghost Pokémon began to laugh vigorously. They lowered themselves and phased through the attic's floorboard, ready to cause their mischief.

Left on her own, the girl began to walk towards the attic's exit, wishing to be an observer. She said to herself, "Well. This should be really fun to watch."

Meanwhile, the unknowing boys pulled Len inside, and shut the door behind them. With that, their night at the abandoned house began.

Len continued to shudder while feeling the chill of the open air, blowing in through the partially cracked windows. Sophocles was close by him, hugging himself with his arms, incredibly unsettled. Ash and Scales, in contrast, were highly curious and inquisitive. They waltzed around their surroundings, as if they were on some sort of hunt for treasure, observing every nook and cranny.

"You were right, Scales! This place is pretty creepy," Ash commented. "And super quiet too..."

"At least it was," Kiawe chuckled, nonchalantly leaning against the wall. "But then we came along. Specifically, you came along, Ash."

"Well, you know I'm quiet's polar opposite," Ash shrugged.

"And that's fine by me!" Bob added. "I think this place could use a little energy to it, anyway. Looks like it's been barren for a while."

"Y-you could say that again..." Sophocles stammered. "Anyone... think they could find a light switch?"

Without any prior warning, just as Sophocles asked his question, the few remaining operating lights flickered on. The boys grew silent, confused by the sudden spark of light that surrounded them. They were all in each other's sight, and none of them noticed anyone flicking a switch. If no one in the group did it... then how...?

"That was weird..." Bob spoke.

"Nope. Nope. And nope. I'm... really sorry everyone but... I can't do this! I... I gotta go!" Len exclaimed. He made a dash for the entrance, hoping to push the door open and escape to the outdoors. His hopes were squashed when he slammed into the door, which didn't budge in the slightest. The terrified boy began to fiddle with the doorknob, which revealed itself to be a fruitless effort.

Len looked back at the others, his face pale and long. His body stopped shaking, but in its stead was a tense, frozen state. "It... it won't open."

"Maybe the door's just jammed. Let me take a crack at it." Kiawe approached the door and lightly pushed Len out of his way. Shoving and pulling at the door with all his strength, Kiawe was barely able to move it an inch. He eventually ceased his struggles, and slowly shook his head.

"Yeah... that thing isn't budging. I'm sure there is some practical explanation-" Kiawe began to say.

"Yeah, and right now, that practical explanation is freaking ghosts! Not... not that I'm scared or anything like that!" Sophocles insisted, his breath heavy with worry. His eyes darted around the room, looking for anything odd or paranormal.

Kiawe squinted his eyes at Sophocles, a bit surprised by the boy's claims of a ghost's presence. "You know, since you're into science and all that, I thought you'd be the last person to believe in ghosts."

Sophocles, for an instant, forgot his anxiousness. He turned to Kiawe with a pout. "Just because a man is a scientist, doesn't mean he can't be in touch with his spiritual side," he clarified.

"Does that even matter?!" Ash exclaimed. "We're locked inside!"

"How on earth did this happen?! Man oh man, what if we're toast?! I... I bet we are toast!" Bob screeched.

"W-what he said!" Scales added.

The mostly relaxed, though admittedly nerve-wracking atmosphere erupted into chaos. The sudden entrapment caused a panic to spread through the boys, even the calmest of the group beginning to feel terror. The single exception was Kiawe, who's breath remained steady and who's back remained straight.

"Listen, listen!" Kiawe attempted to grab his friends' attention, but failed as the lights began to flicker. The panic of the boys grew stronger, as soon after the flickering stopped and the light switched off. The house returned to its usual, eerily dark state, not helping the situation at hand.

There were continuous shrieks and questions, until Kiawe lost all of his patience.

"QUIET!"

Everyone stopped, overpowered by Kiawe's shout. The boy took charge, slamming his
hands onto his hips and speaking with strength in his voice.

"Flipping out isn't going to get any of us anywhere! Calm down! All of you!" Kiawe instructed. Everyone now dead silent, the boy continued to speak. "Look, we can't get out through the front door. It's fine. We'll split up and find another exit."

"Split up!?" Bob gasped. "Are you serious?! Kiawe, have you never seen a horror movie in your life!? Splitting up is a terrible idea!"

"Y-yeah!" Len agreed. "Don't you remember what happened in 'The Haunted House 13: The Reckoning'?!"

Kiawe furrowed his brow, clearly annoyed by both of the boy's statement. "Bob, Len, we are not in a horror movie. We're especially not in a horror movie as terrible as the Haunted House sequels, for the record. Trust me, splitting up is one of the best things we could do in this situation."

Not waiting for an agreement, Kiawe turned away from the group and headed up the stairwell. The other boys looked to each other, and silently accepted what Kiawe has suggested. They weren't all completely on board, but what else was there to do? Especially after Kiawe went his own way.

"Ash, how about we go and search for the kitchen?" Scales suggested. "Maybe there's some sort of back door? Or an opening?"

"Good idea, Scales! C'mon! Let's go get ourselves out of here!" Ash exclaimed.

The two boys rushed towards the rear of the house. Bob looked up the stairs, and then back at Sophocles and Len.

"I'm going to follow Kiawe, in case he ends up needing a little help. Be safe guys, please," Bob requested. He soon walked up the stairs, leaving both Sophocles and Len on their own.

Sophocles peered over at the frightened Len, who once again was shaking in terror. His face was still pale, whiter than chalk, as he began to look almost ill. Sophocles felt worried for the boy, but was also worried about his own well being. He could have gone out searching like the others, but the mere thought of running into a ghost made him want to puke. Besides, it wasn't like he had anybody prepared to tag along with him. Len was in no condition to go anywhere.

So he remained still, hoping the other four would discover a hidden exit, and that all of those alarming events earlier were just coincidences. Sophocles doubted that, regardless of what he hoped. He had so many doubts.

The doubts ran through his head, over and over again. Or rather, the doubts ran through his head until a scream forced the boy to pull himself out of his own mind.

"Sophocles! Help! Help me! Help me! Mr. Sophocles!"

Sophocles's turned his head towards the screams, and came across a nasty surprise. Floating upside down, appearing as if some invisible force has grasped his leg and lifted him up, Len dangled in midair. The boy flailed his arms, his eyes were gleaming with fearful tears, as he desperately called out for help. The color drained from Sophocles's face, watching apparent paranormal activity happen right before his eyes.

"L-Len..." Sophocles could barley mutter the boy's name, his body becoming still. His muscles tightened, robbing his body of all it's movement. His face was twisted and his jaw hung open, as he was stricken with pure, unadulterated horror.

"Mr. Sophocles! Please!" Len cried out, reaching out to the round boy. "Don't... don't just stand there! Sophocles!"

The strange force that clinged onto Len suddenly swung him forward, and released its grip. Its aim was impeccable, as the previously floating bow dropped right on top of the frozen Sophocles. The two collided with one another, both releasing high-pitched shrieks right before collapsing on top of one another.

Observing from the air, invisible to the naked eye, a Gengar laughed gleefully. The chuckles were raspy, and frightening.

Meanwhile, having heard the screams of Len, Scales tried to kick down the kitchen door. Like the entrance beforehand, this door mysteriously locked tight, and refused to move an inch.

Ash and Scales were now confined within the kitchen, a fact that Scales wouldn't accept. He continued to throw himself against the door with all of his might, only to meet harsh failure.

"Dammit!" Scales shouted, banging his fist against the wall. "Why won't this thing budge?!"

"Scales...Scales..." Ash whimpered, poking Scales's back in an attempt to grab his attention. "Scales... you really need to see this..."

Scales turned back towards Ash, and caught the sight of something quite frightening. The two boys watched as old,  dusty, mold-covered utensils flew through the air. Forks, spoons, knifes, torn napkins, among other things danced in the air as if this were all a magical spectacle. They were speechless, breathless, witnessing the art of a haunting performance.

Time stood still for just an instant, the utensils continuing to float. This bizarre display soon proved itself to be a reality, as the objects began to hurl themselves towards the boys, as if they were being thrown straight at them. Scales and Ash both raised their arms in an effort to defend themselves from the onslaught.

"Gah!" Ash shrieked. "I didn't wake up this morning expecting to be assaulted with spoons!"

"Ack! Me either! Ow!" Scales cried.

Their own voices, and the sound of aerial kitchen items hitting against the walls, blocked the subtle sound of chuckling. That chuckling belonged to a Haunter, enjoying an enormous amount of amusement.

Oblivious to the struggles of the others on the floor below, Kiawe ventured down the hallway, spotting abundant cobwebs and clumps of dust. A modest tingle of fright shot down his spine, a fright which existence he rejected. He remained even-tempered, searching for something that could be useful for an escape.

At the end of the long hallway was a door that lead into the master bedroom, which caught Kiawe's eye. Peeping inside, the only thing he noticed was an unmade, oversized bed surrounded by layers of forgotten trash. It wasn't exactly appealing to the boy, but nothing about that house was appealing to him in the first place.

Entering the room, Kiawe's eyes scanned his environment. Nothing appeared useful to him, which was disappointing to say the least. He went to leave the room, investigate another area, but he ran into a problem.

"Huh?" Rustling with the doorknob, Kiawe ran into a familiar issue. Try as hard as he might, the just wouldn't open.

Kiawe grew tense, but he attempted to keep a calm manner. He backed away from the door, understanding his confinement, feeling a slight bit helpless. Trying to restore his own confidence, Kiawe began to speak to himself.

"Come on man... be a man! You aren't afraid! Put on your warface! Warface! Warface!" He chanted. "Warface! Warface! Warface! Warface! Warface!"

"Mom... mommy?"

A small tiny voiced echoed through the room, sounding like that of a small child. Kiawe stopped, slowly looking towards the source of the sound. He discovered the sight of a shadow, small in size and bizarre in shape, popping from the ground. It was in reaching distance, emanating a cold air.

"You're... you're not mommy..."

The small voice continued to speak. Kiawe was frozen, his legs finally beginning to shake, and the sweat beginning to drop from the sides of his face.

"I... I don't like you. I'm gonna... be rid of you..."

With that statement from the voice, Kiawe lost all control of himself. He dashed towards the sealed off exit, and banged his fists against the door.

"Let me out! Let me out of here!" Kiawe desperately shouted. "Let me out! Let me out! Open the door! Let me out! Let me out!"

Watching the scene unfold, the Gastly began to laugh with zero remorse.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the house, Bob continued to look for Kiawe. His search resulted in nothing, only more aimless wandering through the creepy atmosphere.

"Kiawe? Kiawe?" Bob called. "Come on man! I know this is a big house, but how far could you have possibly gone? Gosh... what if something went wrong. Oh gosh..."

Bob worried about his friend, as he continued step after step, regretting leaving the professor's place. Were they all going to die? Were they going to end up like those kids in 'The Haunted House 13: The Reckoning'? Those questions shook his very core.

When he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind, the paranoid boy jumped back. He looked for the cause of the sound, but the shadows of the hallway made it a struggle to see. "Kiawe," the boy called out. "That... that better be you! Don't scare me like this, dude!"

"Kiawe? Sorry, but you are mistaken." The disembodied, sweet voice of a girl responded to Bob's words, which caught him off guard. He immediately assumed the worst case scenario.

"You... you are the ghost that trapped us in here?! Aren't you?! Answer me!" Bob demanded. He puffed out his chest, attempting to put on a brave front, which he struggled with due to the fear pressing on his back.

"Me? A ghost? Such a silly thing to say, silly boy," the girl answered, giggling with a ring of innocence. She took a couple steps forwards, removing herself from the shadows. She had a unique style to her, an intriguing attire. The dress she wore appeared to be seperate pieces of cloth all stitched together, making for a cute homemade look. Her hair was poofy and vibrant, glimmering in the modest light. Her eyes were bright, her smile was sunny. Bob couldn't help but bit his lip as he cheeks blushed. She was kinda cute... and she does think he's silly...

With a playful grin, the girl stepped closer and closer to Bob. She looked up at him with zealous curiosity. "There are ghosts around, though," the girl admitted, not losing her bright smile.

Bob snapped back into the issue at hand, and was startled by the girl's words. "W-what?!"

"Yes, ghosts," the girl repeated. "My little cuties, to be exact. A cute little Gastly, a cute little Haunter, and the funniest little Gengar you ever did see! Ah, they're all so lovely!"

Bob glared directly into the girl's eyes, with shimmered with adoration for her ghostly friends. He paused for a moment and wrapped his head around the explanation he was just given, realizing the events that have just transpired.

"Wait... a Gastly? Haunter? Gengar? Are... are we being pranked?!" Bob questioned, quickly growing quite annoyed. The girl's head tilted to the side, and her face softened into something sweet. Although the boy was growing upset, the girl found something endearing about his behavior.

"Well, yes. Those three rascals, they're playing games with those friends of yours. It's quite funny, to be honest. Though... I'm not to sure your friends will think the same thing." The girl smirked, turning her head slightly to the side and snickering. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It really is quite funny."

Bob's face began to scrunch up as his fists tightened. He began to bear his teeth, anger clouding his judgement. "No! It's not funny! It's not funny at all! You scared the crap out of us! You!... you!..."

The girl's smile slowly faded, as Bob struggled to force out another statement. "You!... I'll... get you back for this! I'll... dump a bucket of water on you! Ice cold water! Yeah, that'll teach ya!"

It didn't take long for the girl's upbeat smile to return, as she folded her hands together and cheered. "Really? That'd be great! Could you do it on a hot day? It'd be really refreshing, considering we're in Alola and all!"

The girl almost glittered with happiness, which both confused and angered Bob. His face grew redder, and his cheeks puffed out. "No! I won't! I'll... I'll... dump a bucket of olive oil all over you! Yeah! Straight from the Olive Garden! That'll be nice revenge!"

"Oh! I love the Olive Garden!" The girl began to twirl, showing great enthusiasm. "Could you dump some lettuce on me, too? How many people get to say they've taken a Salad shower?"

Bob blinked with his jaw to the floor, flabbergasted. What the heck was up with this girl? She seemed bright to a fault... but boy. She really did behave rather girly... and boy... that was really cute of her.

She had a sweet and delightful vibe, one that Bob already was beginning to grow fond of. With that being the case, he couldn't maintain his anger. He released his frustration with a hefty sigh, and the redness in his cheeks flushed away.

"Heh... you are really positive, aren't you?" Bob asked. "Must be the Alolan spirit."

"Yessiree!" The girl answered. "You've got to live day by day, you know?"

Bob lightly chuckled. "Yeah. Hey listen, sorry if I just got a little too upset..."

The girl's expression shifted, as she appeared to become flustered. Her large eyes almost looked like that of an innocent puppy. "Why are you saying sorry? Most people would want to through me out a window."

"Well, throwing someone out the window is a little much. A prank is a just a prank, after all," Bob said.

"Unless you're Sam Pepper," Acerola added.

"Yeah, but no one remembers that guy anymore," Bob mentioned. "Anyways, I bet that if I were the one watching this all go down opposed to being caught in the middle of it, I would be laughing my ass off!"

The girl eyes widened,  and began to sparkle. "You would?... Well, then you would have died of laughter if you saw what my little cuties did last week. I had to intervene, since two people already ended up pissing their pants! Poor dudes!"

Bob began to chuckle at the thought. "Oh man! You've got to tell me about it sometime! I bet it's a really crazy story!"

The girl suddenly stopped, and grasped onto Bob's hands. She playfully hopped. "So you're saying we're going to get to see each other again?"

Bob looked down at the peppy girl, and her sweet little face. He averted his gaze, looking away to the side as his blush returned. "I mean... I wouldn't mind. You are quite adorable..."

"You... think I'm adorable?!" The girl gasped and her grip on his hands tightened. Bob flinched, the blush on his face growing brighter.

"Oh geez... I said that out loud-" Bob began to mutter.

"Do you think my dress is cute?! How about my hair? Is it nice?!" The girl blurted out. "I mean, I like it but everyone else says it's super weird!"

"Huh? Oh..." Bob recollected himself, staring at his own hands being clenched by the girl. "Y... yeah! It's not your usual thing, but it's unique! And I think it's a really... nice type of unique!"

The boy nervously smiled, sweat sliding down the side of his face. The girl's smile was large, her eyes were wide and bright. His words, they brought a major display of happiness to the girl's face. She looked as if she were about to cheer and squeal in excitement.

That moment was interrupted with the sound of a major thump. The girl remembered the ghost Pokémon that were currently playing pranks unsupervised. She knew they had a tendency to go too far, and she knew she had to act quickly.

She released Bob's hands, and stepped back. She gave him a final smile. "It's official. You've officially won yourself a date with Alola's best ghost girl, Acerola! A haunted house extraordinaire! I love hanging around in them... this one happens to be one of my favorites!"

Bob scratched the back of his head. "That's super cool... your name's Acerola? That's a really nice name! I'm Robert, but everyone calls me Bob. I...wait. Hold up," he said as he had a realization. "Did you just say we're going on a date-"
"Yup!" Acerola interrupted. "No take backs! We'll decide the date and time later. For now, I need to give your friends a hand! I'll be back, Bobbie!"

The girl skipped away, leaving Bob to digest what has just happened. After everything, somehow the boy had only one question on his mind:

"... Did she just call me Bobbie?"