#anyways onto plot

~~~ After separating from the couple Crow spent the night playing pranks and spooking the festival goers. Screams and yelps were a common sound from the crowds as the ghosts had their fun.

Crow stood from where he was watching the fallout of his latest shenanigan of the night. He stretched his arms, trying to shake off the creeping mood. This was a night typically spent with his siblings… “Fuck,” Crow muttered, flicking his tail, “Guess it’s time for a drink huh.”

~~~

It didn’t take long for Crow to weave his way through the crowds of costumed party goers. He’s long since learned how to dance past the rushing paws and duck into pathways that only the smallest of Pokemon could make use of. Sometimes hitching rides off of trailing capes and tails, shortening his trip further as the unsuspecting Pokemon carried him closer to his destination.

He hopped off his latest ride and darted across the street towards an outdoors bar. Festival garlands were strung from the rafters, spooky shaped lights giving the pavilion and comfortable light. The seats were full of Pokemon, chatter and laughter rang through the night almost smothering the sounds of the festival around them. 

Crow made his way to the side of the bar that was built to accommodate shorter Pokemon. Though of course even then it was still far too tall for him. With quick paws he climbed up the side to jump onto the counter top, ignoring the other patrons as he waved down the bar tender.

The pawmot walked over, raising an eyebrow at Crow. “Now why am I not surprised to see you here,” the bartender huffed as they slid a drink to a customer.

“Yeah yeah,” Crow rolled his eyes as he leaned against an abandoned glass, “I know you missed my face but I’m not here for chatter. Give me something strong wontcha?”

“If you weren’t already a ghost I would have stopped serving you ages ago,” they shook their head but prepared the small drink regardless, placing it and a second in front of Crow before turning to help another customer.

Crow tossed back the first drink, barely cringing at the burn of alcohol. He sat on the counter and emptied the glass quickly, dropping it next to him before picking up the second. Crow sipped at it, taking his time with it unlike the first as he stared at the festival going on around him. The sounds of Pokemon talking, laughing, screaming, rides clattering while stall owner tried to sell their wares. It was all just noise that made his antennae twitch and fold back while the glint and shine of lights on the moving crowds costumes kept catching his eyes.

He spent some time just watching the crowds move by, letting the drink drown out the thoughts in his mind until a familiar voice caught his attention. A certain riolu had sat down a few chairs away from him, drinking some sort of pumpkaboo themed drink. Well might as well go say hello to his old ‘teammate’. Standing with only a slight stumble, crow finished off his drink and crossed the counter.

“Yknow, I didn’t really see you as the type to celebrate the mirror moon,” Crow called as he approached.

Lupin jumped in his seat, choking on his drink. Clearly he hadn’t been expecting Crow to show up. “What-ack,” Lupin coughed into his arm, “what are you doing here.”

“Having a fun time like everyone else here,” Crow smirked, “what are you gonna call the guild on me blueberry?”

Shooting the gimmighoul a small glare, Lupin took another sip of his drink. “As long as you’re not hurting people or getting into trouble I don’t have any reason to bring the guild into this.” 

“I’m a ghost on the night of the mirror moon, it should be criminal to ask me not to get up to trouble,” Crow smirked as he leaned on a nearby candy bowl, “but don’t get your fur in a twist I know not to go too far.”

“Of course you’d know all about crimes,” Lupin muttered under his breath, looking away from crow as he took another sip.

Crows eyes narrowed and his grin grew sharper. “Well sorry not all of us could have a nice pampered childhood.”

“You could have left,” the riolu growled, “with your size and the fact that you lot were always left on your own to guard those dungeons I’m sure you could have easily just run away and hidden! Instead you chose to stay with that monster until you couldn’t hide behind him anymore. Only then did you cry for pity!”

“Shut the FUCK up,” crow snarled, his antenna pinned back, shaking with anger. “You have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.”

“Oh? If was so hard to leave then what happened to the sixth one of you? Why couldn’t you just follow her example and get the hell out of there?! My dad spent enough times fighting you and your lot so I know one of you left!”

Silence stretched between the two, each second feeling like an hour. Lupin seemed to shrink in on himself, slouching in in his seat while Crow glared at him.

“Just-“ Crow managed to grit out after a beat and dragged a paw down his face. The anger seemed to leach out of his body as his antenna hung limply. “Just forget it. Fucking forget any of this shit happened, I’m going-“ 

“I’m sorry.”

Crow froze.

“I’m sorry,” Lupin spoke again in a soft voice. His eyes stared into his drink as he traced the rim with a finger. Shame was written across his face when Crow bothered to glance back at him. “I didn’t know… but I still shouldn’t have said that,” he spoke in a stilted and awkward tone like he had know idea how to apologize. Or more likely he had never thought he would be apologizing to someone like Crow. “And I shouldn’t have provoked you about your past. You… haven’t done anything too wrong since the arrest. So it was rude to bring that up and judge you for things I’m not judging other ghosts for on this night.”

Lupin fell silent once more, still refusing to look up at Crow. The silence stretched as Crow stood there, a dull look on his face as he stared at the riolu. No one other than Cherry or his siblings have ever bothered to apologize to him before. It looked and sounded like Lupin was being held at claw point to spit those measly words. Crow looked away from him, staring at the table for a second.

“Tch, I said to forget about it blueberry,” Crow huffed. He crossed his arms and smirked, “but if you really wanna apologize why don’t you buy me another drink and I’ll show you how a ghost has fun at this party.”

“Wha-,” Lupin startled at the change in tone, looking up to meet Crow’s eyes again. “I mean sure, I’ll get you a drink but I’m not sure-“

“Cmon furball! A ghost just invited you to have fun on the night of the mirror moon and you’re just gonna turn that down?” Crow goaded, “I know your a buzzkill but seriously? Have some fun!”