Chapter Text
Pabu's moon glowed large over the agricultural district. Dressed in the costume Omega and Wrecker had put together, a wizard's cape and pointed hat with moon and stars on it of purple velvet, Tech had left the island's Halloween festivities for the small pumpkin patch. There was a theory he wanted to disprove.
Little did he know, although he should have, was that Phee had followed him.
“What are you doing out here all by yourself? Bobbing for apples not your thing?” she asked with a smirk.
“Not when Batcher's tongue was spied lapping at the very same water, no.” Tech adjusted his goggles with a disagreeable expression. “Here is something that will interest you, however, Phee.”
“And what's that, Brown Eyes?” She stood beside him.
Tech looked down at his datapad as he talked. “As you know, modern day Halloween was celebrated much differently historically. Over the centuries, the traditions of yore have become our modern day traditions such as the carving of turnips becoming the jack o' lantern carving tradition of today. There have also been many stories that have evolved. There is a legend that if you wait in a pumpkin patch, you will see a mythical figure, the Great Pumpkin.”
“I never heard that one. It reminds me of the legend of the Yanaway Tuduk, the harvest God of the ancient Fardwallum people.” Phee looked off in the distance wistfully.
“Yes," Tech agreed. "One could draw comparisons of a harvest God and a Pumpkin Patch deity.”
“Is that what you're doing out here? Waiting for the Great Pumpkin? I didn't think you believed in hocus pocus.” Phee wiggled her arms and hands about like some sort of magic spell or Jedi mind trick.
“I do not. And waiting in this pumpkin patch for a mythical figure that will never come is the most common sense method of disproving the theory and legend as being nothing more than just that, a story.”
“Mind if I wait out here with you?”
“Not at all, Phee. Your company is always welcome.”
“Is it now?” Phee smiled, her eyes twinkling just as much as the sparkles on her sky blue fairy gown costume.
Tech returned the smile.
They stood there in the pumpkin patch, Phee gazing up at the stars and turning her attention to any little noise she heard in case it be the Great Pumpkin. Tech, meanwhile, continued to address his datapad for readings of the surrounding area.
A ruffling of leaves in the patch caused Tech and Phee to tense and glance at each other.
“According to my display, there is in fact a large heat signature in that direction.”
The ruffling of leaves grew louder and a large dark figure began to rise from the ground.
“The Great Pumpkin,” Phee said with wonder.
Tech reached for his torch and shone the light towards it. “As suspected. The legend is disproved.”
"Batcher?" Phee chuckled. “You don't think the Great Pumpkin can take the shape of mortal beings?” she teased Tech. She grabbed the lurca hound's attention. “Come here, Batcher. What are you doing up here? I thought you were having fun bobbing for apples with the others.” Phee leaned down and patted Batcher adoringly.
While Batcher got love from Phee, she got nothing but an examination from Tech. He held his datapad close to her, looking for any evidence that the Great Pumpkin might be using Batcher's body as a clone or vessel of spiritual possession.
Tech stood straight, and with just the slightest disappointment. “I have concluded that this is indeed Batcher.”
Batcher pranced about, shook her tail, and then hopped off back to the party.
Phee nudged Tech with her elbow. “I think she might want us to follow her."
"It would appear so."
"But I'm having a nice time right here under the stars with you." Phee booped Tech's chest with the starry tip of her fairy magic wand.
"Well," Tech fumbled to push his goggles up embarrassingly. "There is still a chance that the Great Pumpkin could appear. The holiday is not over until midnight."
Phee took that as Tech's way of saying that he would like to stay there with her, too. She linked her arm with his. "Who needs the Great Pumpkin, when I've got the Great Tech.”
