Lucia's eyes looked over at a small group of kids who were traveling up to one of the many lit houses of the neighborhood. The small group of three came to a rest before the front door and rang the door bell to summon whoever was inside. Their reward for braving the perilous night was a handful of candy, dumped in their awaiting buckets. It seemed so simple when put so simply like this!

"Let's do that then! C'mon, Hero!" Lucia began to hurry down to where the group before her had been with her trusty companion, the Dunsparce slithering away behind her. Her speed was only slightly faster than Yuina, but she did wait for the other woman before ringing the door bell. A few seconds later, the girl dressed as a Chandelure smiled up at waiting couple before them. "Uh, trick-or-treat!" The older couple beamed at the pair, with Lucia receiving A handful of delicious candy for her efforts.

"Such an adorable looking ghost! Are you having a good Halloween?"
Lucia smiled, nodding her head up and down. "Yeah, this is our first house tonight. I haven't ever done this before!"
"You haven't?" The pair looked up to Yuina, perhaps with a hint of judging in their eyes.
"Usually I was busy with schoolwork to try trick or treating before!"

With a few more passes of conversation, the couple bid the two and goodnight as Lucia pumped her fist with the widest of grins. "Yes! We did it! Let's go to the next house!" In an effort to encourage Yuina to match her excitement, the girl gently tugged on the other woman's hand in the direction of the next house. Her heels took her up towards the driveway, just as before. "Some other kids in class were talking about the costumes they were going as. Can you remember if you ever trick or treated before, yuina?" The kid asked while pressing the button for the doorbell once again. "Or is this your first like mine!"

Yuina Higashi

☉

"I'm not your-" The child looked back up at the older couple and how troubled they looked before she caught on that something was up. "Not your cousin. Yeah, I'm her niece! My Mom sent me to stay with her while she's busy working!"

Lucia's brows lowered themselves at Yuina's sudden hesitation to answer the elderly couple's looks. Did she say something bad just then? Are kids supposed to have been trick-or-treating for a while? There had been some kind of strange disconnect that Lucia couldn't really understand what the issue was. It wasn't until they were walking away that Yuina had explained what the problem was.

"I'm sorry for embarrassing you, Yuina. I didn't mean to." Lucia apologized, while Hero slithered beside the girl, carrying her bucket filled with Halloween candy thus far. The air was still crisp with the stench of mischief and pumpkin spice while the two continued their romp through the autumn air. It was a lovely night, all things considered, though the younger trainer continued to walk along with her. But the news at this being Yuina's first Halloween as well had shocked the smaller girl.

No way! She had never gone trick-or-treating in her life? Well, as far as she could remember. Lucia frowned at the revelation and looked troubled at the news from her. "Really? I didn't know that this is your first time as well! I should have picked a costume out for you!" Her lips pursed together into a pout at the lapse of information. If only she had known earlier, then Yuina could be enjoying things with her. Hero stuck his head to taste the air around them, and shuffle off into another house whose porch light was on, with a candy bowl in the open.

"Let's enjoy trick-or-treating together, then. Next year, I'll try and help you get a costume too!" Lucia's hand squeezed Yuina's a little, the child doing her best to give the other woman a smile that Doug could have given. "And if it helps, I'd love to be your niece. You guys have helped me with a lot, and I can't even begin to pay you back. But that just means I have to try harder!"

Yuina Higashi

☉

Lucia had to start thinking of what costumes would be good for Doug so that he could join them next year! She wasn't one to judge, but maybe dressing up as Tapu Lele wasn't in his list of "Most Ideal Costumes". Plus, maybe he'd look better as something cooler or more wise, like a Slowking or a Blissey! They seemed super smart and did healing stuff! Her mind was lit with possibilities for the next year, though enjoying her time with Yuina regardless.

When the pair came to a stop before the next stop of trick-or-treating, the child looked up to Yuina as she dropped to her level with such comfort. Her words made her feel all weird...but the good kind of weird. She felt wanted for the first time in her life since her brother left all those years ago. Her gaze fled from the other woman's for a moment out of uncertainty. She wanted to believe that they enjoyed her company and didn't think that awful of her...

But did they though? Lucia was still just some runaway whose parents were likely furious at her leaving. One recurring nightmare was her opening the front door one day to reveal her mother and father, who proceeded to drag her back into that jail cell from when those people were abducted into that prison. Despite nearly a year having passed, the weight of that mask felt so familiar to her.

The hand squeeze solidified these warm thoughts, parting the wave of despair that had overcome her once again. Doug had always said that she tended to overthink things, whatever that meant. Lucia moved her eyes back at Yuina and matched her smile while moving closer to the woman. Her arms wrapped around the other woman and squeezed back just as hard. Sure they weren't related by blood, but Lucia considered the two family. "You're the best family I could have asked for." Lucia said during the little hug.

She broke away in better spirits and made her way up the stairs to go to the bucket full of Halloween candy. The lights inside weren't on, so maybe they were absent or something? She looked down at the bucket and decided to help herself to some of the candy inside. Not a whole lot, maybe 2 or 3 handfuls before returning to Yuina. She led the way back towards the main street as the pair returned to the growing crowd.

A pair of twins dressed as Plusle and Minun walking along with the father, who was dressed as a Pikachu and a mother who was a Raichu. The family passed the two by while Lucia and Yuina walked down the street. Hero slithered behind the girls, his Druddigon costume making him look so ferocious! Lucia looked up at two guests in the crowd who she had recognized, her face lighting up. Judging by how theirs did in return, it was a chance meeting.

A woman seemingly in her mid 30s or so with short brown hair waved at Yuina and Lucia, her lips spread into a gleeful smile. While not in a costume, her dress contained artistic depictions of various ghost types, swirling and smeared in a style reminiscent of graffiti. Behind her was another girl with glasses and blone hair in a ponytail whose costume was of a an Audino. She hid behind the other woman as Lucia waved back at the pair.

"Fancy seeing you out, Lucy."
"Hi, Mrs. Cliff!" Lucia greeted in return, then glancing over at the other child. "You too, Sadie!"
Sadie didn't say anything, but would peek her head out from Mrs. Cliff's leg in greeting.
"Are you guys trick-or-treating too?"
"Yep! Sadie's been killing it this year! And you must be Yuina. It's nice to meet you in person, finally!"

The teacher extended a hand to her, while looking at the house closest to them. The lights were on, decorations were on, and it was the perfect little opportunity. A playful glimmer crossed the teacher's eyes as she motioned to the open house. "Why don't you kids go on up to that house on the hill up there? We'll be here."

"Okay! C'mon, Sadie!" The timid girl hesitated but slowly walked behind the eager Lucia as the children went to go hike up the hill towards the house. Mrs. Cliff walked a bit behind, going beside Yuina.

"Lucia's been such a treat to have in class! I was a bit worried when she started, given how antisocial she was, but she's made amazing progress so far."

Yuina Higashi

☉