A.N.: I finally got the strength to finish this chapter! Yay! It was fun to write once I got the general idea for the atmosphere. More filler stuff, I hope you like it anyway!

Vlad Masters, mayor of Amity Park, was a man of many faces; but peeling away all the layers he build up for himself on his way in life…. He liked to think that deep down he was pretty simple and straightforward.

He was a wealthy, highly successful man. Vlad was not ashamed to admit his own selfishness. Perhaps not every specific desire of his, at least not in the open (such as having Maddy Fenton for himself, killing Jack and adopting Daniel as his son.) But nonetheless…

He was actually pretty picky when it came to things he chose to care about. And when he wanted something, he wanted it pretty badly enough to do anything to have it. He was smart enough to pick his battles wisely. He knew not everything was for the taking and he didn't intend to be needlessly greedy when it came to having possessions. So far, so good…

Vlad Masters didn't plan to get so hung up over a pop-star's wardrobe which accidentally ended up in his town.

But when he witnessed the opening of one of the crates the cargo came in, he felt something odd to say the least. As the nails were removed from the crates and the first lid removed, a shudder crackled down his spine and his breath showed up. It was like his ghost sense had gone off, but it lasted only for a split second, so he couldn't be sure.

As his staff cautiously unfurled the bubble wrap and plastic sheets, a colorful display shone in front of his eyes and his heart seemed to flatline, like he was in front of Pariah Dark all over again.

And he knew he had something worth looking into.

It was ridiculous how excited his family was at the prospect of fame. Even after they moved into the Cobra mansion they didn't really let go of what Billy himself called "the commoner's flow".

Perhaps because they never grasped the implications that came with having any of the things they now had… (They were now living in a world-known luxurious mansion in Hollywood for goodness sake!)

"Oh oh, look, we're almost there!" Jane piped up excitedly from the front seat.

Which is most likely why they so readily agreed to drive across the country to a little town at the promise of fame and publicity. In their family car. While they had high class limos, airplanes and BJC tour busses as part of their inheritance from their multi-billionaire distant relative.

They probably wouldn't even know what to do with any fame they would've gained. Spencer was pretty certain of that.

"Finally!" the ghost in the car exclaimed, head popping up from between the couch cushions. He had been constantly migrating from one part of the vehicle to the other halfway during the trip, sometimes out of Spencer's sight for hours, probably sleeping on top of the hood, braiding Hugh's scarves and making knots in Jane's wigs or having a private party along with their spare tire in the car trunk.

At one point he heard the ghost practically screaming the Flinstones' theme song as the car suddenly leaped ahead in the air a few times, propelled by Billy's invisible legs. One time the ghost had been plastered to the car's windshield making faces at his dad, who had been completely clueless to the whole stressful (for Spencer) ordeal. Hugh kept humming serenely along with the song on the radio and his son had never been so glad he was the only one who could see Billy; considering his usual luck, they might've otherwise ended up in a messy car crash and one step away from multiple heart attacks (not just him, as it usually was the case).

He couldn't talk nor make any gestures to tell him to stay put during the trip, at the risk of being seen or heard by his parents. "Special effects" or not, talking to himself couldn't possibly be explained using his usual excuse.

(At least his little sister wasn't coming with them. Jessica already left for some karate training camp and would stay there for the rest of the month. Small blessings as they were, Spencer cherished them. )

"Yeah… finally." he grimaced as he pushed Billy's head back under the cushions. He heard a muffled indignant "Hey!" but he paid it no mind.

Field trips shouldn't be so stressful.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Wright, I presume!" a grey-haired man in a dark suit exclaimed pleasantly enough as they exited the car. He shook Hugh's hand and then bowed, back straight as he kissed Jane's hand.

"Oh my!" she giggled like the little girl she was.

"Such a pleasure." He practically purred, oozing confidence and poise from every pore as he distanced himself from the family. His eyes looked like they had examined them from the inside out and he knew something they didn't.

"Hoo hoo, the pleasure's all ours. You must be Mayor Masters!" Hugh piped up, jolly and obvious as always. "Thanks for the invitation to your lovely town!" Spencer eyed the large cracks practically everywhere on the sidewalk, the dented light posts, practically twisted into ribbons. He didn't miss the large billboard as they entered the town, holes burned into the cheery-looking image of a happy family and an optimistic slogan. And he knew his folks weren't as obvious as not to notice the damage as well. Hugh did mutter something in bewilderment but he quickly went back to his chipper mood, like he didn't just drive them into such a questionable place. It seemed a reoccurring theme here, at least in the area they were in.

The entire place looked like a chunk of concrete Swiss cheese - with metal noodles on top.

"Ah, and who is this young man?" Spencer's musings were interrupted by the steady, low voice. "You must be Spencer Wright." The mayor had this weird look up close, like one of those paintings whose eyes seem to follow you wherever you go.

"Uh-yeah. I'm Spencer. Nice to meet you, sir…" He shook his hand and the touch felt normal enough.

"I am so glad you've all managed to get here safely. Although I would've expected you had the resources for a more ah- glamorous way of transport." He eyed their family vehicle with something left unsaid out loud.

"Actually, we do." Spencer crossed his arms, still a bit put off by the whole topic. His parents, sometimes, honestly…

"Oh no, Mister Masters sir!" Hugh exclaimed, waving his hands around in a negative gesture. "The Wrights always take the family car when going on a family trip! It's a part of the whole experience!"

A moment of silence was left after the declaration, Spencer and Mayor Masters both with a deadpan expression on their faces – the older man's more politely subtle. (The boy, on the other hand, had no qualms – and neither the patience right now – to try and hide it.)

"I'm sure." Masters finally concluded in a voice which suggested mere agreement for the sake of diplomacy. (Spencer kinda wished he could have that much self-control when it came to his quirky family…)

"This baby has been with us through thick and thin. Why, it's practically part of the family!" Hugh continued as he affectionately rubbed his fingerprints over the windshield, clearly enjoying the topic and willing to talk about it in detail.

"Daaaad!" Spencer whined; he couldn't take it anymore, damn it! "We have stuff to do, remember? The exhibition? At least let's get to the hotel first, I'm starving; and I swear that if you're gonna stay here and talk about the car's baby pictures I'm gonna curl up in one of these holes in the ground and sleep right here."

Hugh paused for a moment and then straightened up with his hands on his hips. "You're right, son!" He was beaming; Spencer's dad was a literal ray of sunshine and no amount of science could make that less of a fact.

"YEAH, food! I'm starving!" Billy piped up, his head now sticking out of the car's exhaust pipe. "I can see the family resemblance here…" Spencer thought glumly. Never mind the fact that the family relation was from his mother's side. The ghost started coughing violently right after his joyful exclamation and he slinked back from where he came from, coughs echoing through the entire car frame. (Billy didn't even need to breathe… Did nothing ever make sense with any of the people Spencer knew?)

And so they moved on.

More action in the next chapter, promise! :)

Please tell what you think of the whole thing so far! And have a lovely day, dear readers! ^u^