Chapter 7: The Haunted Mansion
Gumball and Nicky landed back on Rosalina's ship. He groaned, stroking his tail in pain. "I hate that planet…" he said, having suffered multiple injuries on his tail. Nicky nodded, flying out from his front pocket. "Let's go show mama the stars!" she reminded him of the two golden stars floating behind him. He nodded, grabbing them and following the little Blue Luma to find Rosalina.
Very soon, they found Rosalina sitting at a table with Alan having a conversation over a cup of tea, though the fact that Alan was a handless balloon felt somewhat mocking. The most he could do was just float there, though the Lumas would lift the cup to his mouth for him when he asked. "Mama! We're back!" Nicky said happily, Gumball carrying the two stars under his arms. "I see you have more stars. And I was informed that you left during a black comet. You are certainly brave for someone your age," Rosalina commented. A few Lumas came and took the stars from the young feline to put them away in the ship's power core.
"So what's the next galaxies planet?" Gumball curiously asked Rosalina. "It mainly consists of rocks floating around, but there is a haunted mansion on one of them. However, I don't know who the inhabitants are," she responded while drinking from her cup. "I'm gonna go rest. Nicky, wake me up when we arrive," he said. Nicky nodded, letting him get some rest, knowing that he was extremely tired from everything.
Gumball had gone to sleep on another part of their ship that was closer to the center. It was a nice fountain that sprayed water from the top into the water below. He was asleep by the fountain, since it was peaceful, and the most noise it had was from a few Lumas playing in it. His sleep only lasted for a few hours until he felt something tugging on his ears again. He groaned, rubbing his eyes while waking up and seeing Nicky behind his ears, tugging him just like he wanted. "The launch star's ready," she said. Gumball nodded and got up. "I doubt this haunted mansion will be scary," Gumball claimed while making his way through the ship to the launch star.
The launch star was now purple. Gumball was confused by this while climbing inside. Nicky landed on his head again and hung onto his ears. Gumball was used to this by this point. He spun around and launched into the sky, making his way for the Haunted Mansion Galaxy. While soaring through space, Gumball was finding the scenery hard to get bored of. Nicky always enjoyed riding him, though the thought of a haunted mansion scared the little Luma without end.
Gumball found a cloud of rocks floating together closely. They landed on one rock in particular that had a wilted tree on it. He looked at the path of rocks that lead to the mansion that certainly looked creepy. It was old and had multiple planks dangling from one nail each. "C-can I hide in your pocket?" Nicky questioned, shivering in fear. "Sure…" Gumball sighed. Without delay, Nicky hid in his shirt pocket.
Gumball just was taking in the view of the area. The old but nonetheless huge mansion, the porch that looked ready to fall apart out of old age, and lifeless trees around some of the rocks that floated in the air. "Oh hey, who are you?" he looked over his shoulder. To his surprise, he saw a red ghost floating behind him with an orange helmet that was strapped to his chin, and a green stripe on the center of it. "Oh, uh… I'm Gumball. Are you the owner of this mansion?" Gumball responded. The red ghost was young, but he noticed the yellow eyes that were somewhat creepy to him.
"No, but I live here. It's waaaay bigger on the inside than on the outside. I'm Sam, the fastest ghost in all the cosmos," Sam introduced himself, shaking Gumball's hand. He seemed at least kind towards him. "It's nice to meet you. Oh, and this is Nicky" Gumball said, slightly opening his shirt pocket to show the terrified Luma that was hiding away. "Uh... she'll get used to the atmosphere eventually. Can you show me to the owner of the mansion? I need to ask him some things," Gumball claimed, doubting that a young ghost like him would have the answers to his questions.
"You mean grandpa? Well we already have a new ghost here. But okay, you have to do something for me though," Sam hummed. His childish voice made Gumball a little more freaked out, but he tried to ignore it. "W-what's that?" he hesitantly asked. "A race to the mansion," Sam pointed his fingerless hand to the nearby distance. The mansion was a good length away, about as long as an average football field. Gumball noticed a few weird blue stars with strange bubbles around them, and they were just staying in place. "If you beat me, I'll give you a reward," the ghostly child added. "Alright… let's go," Gumball finally agreed. They both set up beside the numb, leafless tree and got ready.
"Those blue stars work with the starbit glove… but you get pulled to them instead…" Nicky said with her shaky voice before diving back into the pocket of his shirt to hide. "Three... two... one... GO!" Sam shouted, immediately flying off. Gumball jumped off the side of the floating rock and aimed the palm of his hand at the floating blue star. It shot out a weird light that made a bubble appear around Gumball. He threw his arm in a violent matter that felt like he was trying to dislocate it, hoping that may do something. Just then, it did. The blue star threw him ahead in the bubble, sending him flying. Gumball was letting out a scream of fear while racing against Sam side by side, the bubble going even faster than his arm throw was meant to.
Gumball could see Sam starting to get ahead, but he had an idea when he saw another blue star in a bubble. He aimed the palm of his hand at his ghostly opponent. The blue star shot out a beam of light that instantly trapped Sam in a bubble and yanked him back. Gumball may have felt bad for cheating, but he doubted that he will get in trouble over it. He made it to the front porch of the mansion, and the bubble popped on one of the sharp planks that were sticking out. Gumball landed in front of the entrance panting. "Whoo! I won!" Gumball cheered himself. A panting Sam caught just after that.
"I don't know what got me, but oh well... here," Sam said, lifting up his helmet and pulling out a white transparent rose, giving it to Gumball. "See you inside," he bid him farewell before floating through the house. Gumball tried to open the door, but he had a raised eyebrow since it wouldn't open. "O-only ghosts are allowed in..." Nicky claimed, finally not hiding away like a scared toddler.
"But I'm not a ghost," Gumball realized the answer to the situation, but he wondered what the clear white rose did, so he attached it to his shirt uncaringly. Suddenly, thorny vines shot out from it and entangled him. He gasped in pain, he and Nicky getting stuck together by the vines. The vines tightened and he began to black out, losing his breath more and more by the second.
End of Chapter 7
