Chapter 7

The explosions continued after they got Jeremy's dead body back inside, but Johnathan still stood out there. He watched the explosions continue and the smoke dancing in the air. He begun to think for a moment why Jeremy saved him like that, and he could have just stayed there to watch John get stabbed. Johnathan knew he had about eight lives to spare, but he didn't mind getting rid of most of them. He could just regenerate back at the blood fountain or if the Doctor was even here. Johnathan shook his head and looked up at the sky, wondering if it was actually true. Do ghouls who pass actually go up there? Or do they regenerate into someone new?

Johnathan started to bang his head against the metal wall, not even going to care if the black goo grabs him or not. It didn't matter now. Otto's dead, Jeremy's dead.. Who's next? If they're being cut down one by one, he would expect it to be him now. But he was way wrong. He was about to turn away, but he was stopped when he felt someone touch his shoulder.

"GAH! Who's there?!" Johnathan screeched, going into a karate mode as he turned around. But he then gasped in shock as who stood in front of him.

It was Otto. I was really him. He stood back up normally and fixed his tie, then to his hair. Otto giggled at his little mistake and went up to him so they could be face to face. John looked at him, and took a small challenge to actually feel Otto. People would play tricks on him like this, so he wanted to see if he was real or not. He put his hand up to Otto's cheek and he was real as he felt his skin.

"Um.. What are you doing..?" Otto gently grabbed his hand and put it back down to John's side. "You missed me?" He chuckled quietly as John still stood there in shock.

"But you.. You-"

"Died.. I know.. That's why you think I'm real and I feel like it, too.. But I'm not.. John, I've came to warn you that something is coming your way.. And it's going to hurt all of you. Just like Jeremy.. He protected you from the harm and sacrificed himself for you from that stabber beast.. If it wasn't for him, you would be lying dead on the ground right now.. Protect yourself John.. Or it's too late.." Otto sighed, shutting his eyes tightly as he begun to feel pain again. "Besides that I'm here, I do continue to feel pain from my death.. But carry on, John.. Protect your own.."

"But.. Otto.. You came back for me like this? You may be a, you know, ghost now.. But that won't stop me from trying to bring you back.. You know that.. And I have so many questions! Where are these explosions coming from? Why are those creatures roaming around our park?.. Otto, I have so-"

"Not now, John.. Listen.. I don't have much time to inform you, but Ghoulmaster is not the cause of this! It is one of his servants.. The oldest one I presume.." Otto sighed and looked around, even though nobody could actually see him. "With my little time to spare, the servant is Shadoww Falcon.. He stole Ghoulmaster's immortality chain and power started to take over him.. He almost died because of so much power, but he succeeded and banished Ghoulmaster somewhere… We've looked everywhere to find him, but it's been a lost search.. You have to stop Mr. Falcon, or if that power carries on inside of him.. He might just go on the other side of good, and control us all.. You have to get the chain out from his hands!" Otto informed him, but he soon started to feel him fading away. He looked down to see a light blue orb that started to form veins around him. "I sent a great ghoul explorer for you! She'll be by your side for the years to protect and travel with you.. Learn the secrets of this park before it's too late! Get the power from Shadoww, John.. Goodbye, good friend.." Otto then closed his eyes, fading away completely.

"Otto!" Johnathan tried to grab him, but he already faded off. Johnathan looked away and shook his head. "Shadoww being a controller? And why would he steal Ghoulmaster's chain.. That isn't normal for a young ghost like him.." John begun to pace around in circles, thinking to himself. "And Otto said Shadoww banished Ghoulmaster somewhere.. If he banished him, it wouldn't be in the park.. Right?" John stopped for a minute, then shrugged and went back to pacing. "Hm.. If I was Shadoww, where would I banish Ghoulmaster..? If I was Shadoww, where would I.. Wait.. His name is Shadoww.. And he would- Oh god.. He banished him in the Shadow Lands!" Johnathan finally got a clue and looked back at the stage. "Or the Crow Fields since his last name is based on a bird.. Falcon.. Or Falc.. Falcoin.. Falcrish.. Facrypte! That's it!" Johnathan snapped his fingers. "It must be the Shadow Lands or Facrypte! He had to do something based on his name of course, but.. Wait, how in the world did I just figure that out?" Johnathan looked up and shrugged, then remembered another thing Otto had mentioned. "A ghoul explorer? Never heard of such a thing, but sounds boring.. Buuut I guess I'll have to live with it.. Now where would this ghoul explorer be-"

"Hey! Dude!" A female, but cracky, voice interrupted his thoughts and he begun to hear footsteps run towards him.

"Wha?" Johnathan looked to his left where the voice came from, but flinched when he noticed she was right by his side. "Who.. Are you?"

The young teen girl looked up at him, resembling her light blue eyes. She had black marks on her neck and on her cheeks, along with what looked like a black cat scratch on her right eye. She had blue purplish bangs that hung over the right side of her face and her hair was black that went down almost to her waistline. Her coat was a black leather kind with silver gems that went down in a pattern, and besides all that; she had a black metal gun with her that looked exactly like Raven's.

"Why does that look exactly like-"

"Raven's? I know.. I steal those kinds of things so I can defend myself.. He didn't even notice me when I took it. Just slipped in right out of the gun holder and ran out." The girl interrupted him once again, flipping the gun in her hands a couple of times.

Johnathan watched her as she played with the gun carefully, and then aimed it at a flag pole. She was about to pull the trigger but John yelled at her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?! That bullet could bounce off a flag pole and hurt somebody! Be careful with that thing.." John ran up to her and grabbed her arm so she could put it back in her pocket.

"You may be right, but it's for protection.. A bird's gotta protect itself from the eagle's eye.." She winked at him and leaned up against the metal wall like he did. "I gotta say, this is a nice park.. And a quick question.. Why are there explosions everywhere? Is that normal?" She went to go check out the explosions and black goo beasts that were pretty far away now. Since no ghouls or clowns weren't out, they weren't attracted that much. "Must be going to feast.. At least it's all clear.." She took the gun back out of her pocket and aimed at one of the creatures. But John didn't stop her this time, he let her do her goods in it.

The girl aimed directly at the black goo beast's chest and pulled the trigger forcefully, hitting the beast straight in the chest. "Strriiiikke! Hit it right damn good in the chest like a player card's end!" She flipped the gun once again before placing it right back in her pocket. "Good one, eh?" She looked back at John.

"Oh what? I didn't see anything.." Johnathan joked and laughed at her reaction. She looked in shock at first, but hit his arm in a playful manner.

"Oh quit it.. Sit down with me.." The girl sat down, along with John. "Say, what's your name anyway? Otto didn't get to tell me.." She looked up at him.

"My names Johnathan.. Johnathan Teeling.." John smiled warmly and held out his hand, which she did shake. "And yours?"

"Violet Riptide Tylon.. I've been a ghoul adventurer for years before I ever came here.. Going here all the time was the the best childhood, but after my death it wasn't the same.." Violet sighed and let go of his hand.

Johnathan glanced at her and sighed, looking up at the blue clouded sky. He wanted to start a new conversation, so he tried. "You said your name is Violet, huh? You know the ghoul Rob, right? Rob Lyon?" Johnathan smiled as he started to remember this girl.

Violet looked at him and scooted up. "Yea, I know him.. I've known him for years after I died until I was actually let- Oh my god.. Wait.." Violet started to stutter as Johnathan's personality and looks became into focus. "Wait.. Johnny? Oh my gosh, it's Johnny!" Violet squeaked and pounced on him. "You have no idea how long I was searching for you again! We've been seperated for, well, I don't know how long! But it felt like forever!" Violet hugged him tightly, not letting him go. "I-I missed you so much.." Violet sighed in relief that she could actually hug him once again. She remembered the last time she made contact with him before leaving the stage for good, and she wanted to finally see him again. And now she has.

"I missed you too, Purple.." Johnathan joked around with the name he had called her all the time when she was a young ghoul here.

Violet separated the hug and used her fist to pound his chest, making him wince. "How many times have I told you to not call me that name?" Violet began to act serious, getting off of him as she watched him hold his chest in a slight pain.

"Enough times to see if a pelican can talk to a elephant.." Johnathan tried to make one of his jokes out of it, which did make Violet start to cheer up. She shook her head, helping him from the ground and onto his feet again.

"There ya go.. Now we just have to-" Violet begun talking to him when a eardrum breaking explosion bombed over from Ghoulmaster's castle and in seconds almost to the stage. A large dark smoke wave headed straight towards them, and about to hit them in three seconds or so. "Run! Quickly!' Violet managed to say before they could even move a single step, and soon the smoke overtook them.

The two's coughs were barely heard as static and workers or guests screams begun to take place again. Violet, nor Johnathan could see a thing but only smoke. John felt deep cuts all around his body and his flesh that begun to burn. It smelt awful as well, trying to not get involved in that. On the other hand, Violet was a bit the same. She had less cuts, but she still felt severe pain in her body including her forehead which had a straight cut across.

"V-Violet.. Vi, where are you..?" Johnathan finally got to say, but the smoke got into his lungs to make him start coughing and gagging again. "V-Vi.."

"Don't worry, John.. I'm right here.." Violet begun to see his shadow and grabbed the collar of his suit quickly before collapsing on his lap. "Too.. Too much smoke.. I can't breath.." She whimpered, beginning to feel his hand resting on her forehead. She winced a few times from the pain, but she soon noticed he was trying to put pressure on the wound.

"Hold on, Vi.. I know i-it hurts.. But after it gets clear, we'll be alright.. Just hold your.. Your breath for a while.." Johnathan started coughing again, but he didn't care. He just wanted Violet to be alright. "C-Call for help.. P-Please.. Please Vi.." Johnathan tried to speak out as he begun to cough again. Violet looked up at him, struggling to grab the gun out of her pocket.

Violet was successful in getting out of her pocket, but not in her hand. She winced a bit more from the cuts and bruises that were planted on her arm, but grabbed it quickly so she wouldn't hurt her arm so much anymore. When she got the bullet back in her hand, she could barely see it but it was good enough to take out the first pack of gone bullets and placing in a new set. Violet aimed at the sky, almost dropping the gun out of her hand but she managed to keep it up. She pulled the trigger with a weak wince and the bullet shot in the air with a small but loud enough bang. Violet rested the gun on her chest before going up to shoot another one, and another after another before the set of bullets were gone. She sighed in relief, throwing it on the ground to hear it slide across the concrete ground.

"I-It's done.." Violet muttered, leaning up against his chest. "If someone heard it, they'll be coming.. Even if it's a g-gun or not.. We have a c-chance.." She ignored the pain that continued to surge through her, holding Johnathan's hand. "We'll make it.." She said finally when the two both heard a group of footsteps running towards them.

"They're over here, Kevin! Injured badly!" A young man's voice yelled at a few of his members, which started to make Violet close her eyes.

"Were they the ones that shot those bullets off?" A raspy voice replied.

"You may be right, Kev.. Who else would have been caught in that? They're breathing, thank goodness.. But they are losing bits of blood every second.." The young man continued again.

"Kevin! Derek! Stop messing around and help stop those wounds! We better get them to our place immediately.. It might be too late for them, but we can try our best.. Let's go!" A older voice replied to both of them.

"Yes sir, Ben.. Come on, Derek.." They finally admitted to a plan, helping the two fainted ghouls back to their home base.

"Oh, yes.. Bring your little ghoul fellows back to your home.. You know I'll still be here.. Listening.. Watching.. Spying on your every move.." The figure spun his chain around as he watched the mirror. Three ghouls were helping to bring Johnathan and Violet back to their home so they could help, but it wouldn't be for long. "You two pathetic souls should have watched out from the start so you wouldn't have gotten into that mess.. That Otto was even smarter then you two.." The figure looked away at the box where he first picked up the chain, remembering the feeling of its power that took over him. "They think I'm not so great and power as the Ghoulmaster?.. Watch me.." The ghost snarled and smashed the mirror, letting all the tiny sharp pieces fall. In each tiny piece, Shadoww laughed evilly to his plan. "Here I come, my fellow ghoulies.. Your party is out of time.."