[D#$e&?!s&^*a#%?i%!r?*]
[[]]
Ruby found herself launched out of a tree stump and tumbled across the ground until she slammed into another tree.
"I hate that already…" Ruby groaned as she stood up and looked around her new location, immediately noticing several gravestones in the area, one of which was far larger and grander looking as it stood atop a small raised section of earth with two torches on either side of the set of stairs leading up to it.
"Okay, the graveyard of a haunted mansion." Ruby said, failing horribly to mask the terror in her voice as her eye had gone pure white from her fear, "Nothing to worry about, nothing can go wrong in a graveyard, especially in a haunted mansion…"
Ruby slowly walked to the large gravestone, only to pause in the middle of the other graves.
"EVERYTHING CAN GO WRONG! THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE PLACE TO BE!" Ruby cried out in pure terror.
Her shouts of terror did indeed wake the dead… Or at least three very unhappy skeleton ghosts.
"YAAAH!" Ruby cried out in surprise before turning to the nearest ghost and turning her flashlight onto it, however when Ruby did blind it the ghost vanished almost immediately.
"Huh?" Ruby asked in confusion, right before she was hit in the back of the head by a pair of bones. "Hey!" Ruby cried out before getting closer to the other two skeleton ghosts that had moved closer together, stunning the two of them with her light before turning the Poltergust on and after a brief struggle, caught the two ghosts at the same time.
It was then the skeleton that had vanished chose to reappear, this time Ruby was successful in stunning the ghost. However while Ruby was attempting to capture the ghost, it dragged Ruby over the gutter's drain pipe, causing the Huntress-In-Training to trip and let the skeleton go, while also shaking a gem out of the pipe, which Ruby pocketed barely looking at it before returning to and successfully capturing the last ghost.
"Done." Ruby said with a smirk before she looked at the large gravestone once and that caused her smirk to vanish and be replaced by a confused frown. "What the?"
The large gravestone was now covered in an odd blue glow that seemed to beckon Ruby over to it.
Ruby slowly walked up to the grave and stopped at the steps of the little hill looking at the grave
It was then a bolt of lightning struck directly in front of the gravestone and impossibly remained there, causing Ruby to jump back in shock, which quickly turned to fright as she looked at the lightning's impact site.
A pinkish-purple translucent puddle began to appear where the lightning struck and quickly began to expand.
The lightning and the expansion stopped at the same time, followed quickly by the puddle beginning to rise into a small pillar that stopped at around 6 feet tall. The slime stretched out to the sides for a brief moment and some of the slime sagged, giving it the appearance of wings. A gap appeared in the middle with slime dripping both up and down to give the rough appearance of teeth in a mouth followed by two glowing yellow dots.
This ghost, soon to be known as Bogmire, stared at the frozen girl in front of it, before suddenly crossing its arms and spreading them out again as lighting struck several times once, creating a bright light that blinded Ruby.
[]
When Ruby could see again, she found herself in an empty space, hard gray stone beneath her feet with iron bars surrounding her in a perfect circle, it made Ruby feel she was in a small graveyard itself.
A bolt of lightning struck again, prolonging as it did before with Bogmire appearing much faster this time. However now a shadow of Bogmire stretched out in front of it toward Ruby.
Ruby took a step back right before the shadow stopped, but from the point it stopped the darkness quickly spread and another, larger, black tinted version of Bogmire rose up.
"Oh god…" Ruby said in fear.
[OST: Bogmire Battle]
The original Bogmire vanished as the Shadow Bogmire began to slowly inch toward Ruby.
"Flashlight isn't working on it." Ruby muttered as she pulled out the Poltergust, "I'll just try and get rid of it until I can figure out something.
Obviously the Shadow Bogmire did not like the suction effect of the Poltergust and was quickly trying to make it's escape. Naturally it could not escape due to its horribly slow movement speed and soon it sunk back down into its puddle, the entirety of which formed a ball and was stuck on the nozzle of the Poltergust.
"WHAT!?" Ruby cried out as she stared at the shadow slime for a moment, "That's not fair!" Ruby then released the suction, causing the orb of goo to be shot free… Right toward where the original Bogmire was rising up at.
The black slime hit the ghost, to which Bogmire began to struggle and panic as it tried to shake the slime off of it.
"Nevermind." Ruby said as she ran up to Bogmire and started up the suction. This time the black ooze scattered in an instant, leaving Bogmire with no protection from the Poltergust as it began to shimmey away at speeds that surprised Ruby.
Ruby noticed that despite the speed at which Bogmire was moving, it wasn't resisting the Poltergust all that much, Ruby smirked, thinking that unlike Chauncey, Bogmire didn't have the strength to break free from the Poltergust.
Bogmire however was aware of this as well, as once it realized it couldn't escape, called forth a bolt of lighting, which struck between the ghost and teen, causing Ruby to release her grasp on the Poltergust and releasing Bogmire.
As Bogmire vanished, several more bolts of lightning rained down, and each bolt of lightning left behind a Shadow Bogmire in its place, the Shadows varying in size, but each one no more or less a threat… Save for their numbers.
"I don't think the Poltergust can hold multiple." Ruby muttered as she looked at the numerous shadows. Ruby then made a decision, she began to vacuum up the Shadows as fast as she could, when each one was a orb on the Poltergust, she took a moment to look around for the original Bogmire, releasing the orb of shadow slime randomly when she couldn't see the original ghost.
When Bogmire did appear, Ruby was ready, firing off a small orb of slime at Bogmire, right as its shadow stretched out in front of her, creating another of its shadow clones.
Covered in slime once more, Ruby took advantage of Bogmire's weakness and began the routine of suction once more.
This time Ruby noticed that despite his lack of strength, Bogmire tried to drag Ruby into its shadow clones throughout the attempt.
However Bogmire quickly realized it wasn't working and soon another bolt of lightning separated the two.
"Alright, that's getting annoying." Ruby muttered as she looked around at the growing number of Shadows. It was then Ruby had an idea. A risky one, but should be enough to stop the Shadows.
Ruby quickly turned around and jumped at the wall, planting her feet on the metal bars before activating her Semblance and the Poltergust.
Using her Semblance, Ruby began to run along the ringed walls around her, causing the Shadows to pause, and with the Poltergust aimed toward the middle of the arena, causing all the shadows to slowly get dragged together.
When all the shadows were stuck together Ruby jumped off the bars and landed in front of the shadows all grouped together, with all of them melting down into their puddles and being sucked into a single massive orb that Ruby grinned at.
Bogmire appeared once more, this time it noticed what Ruby had done and was surprised by it, stunning it long enough for Ruby to launch the massive ball of slime at the ghost.
Baffled by Ruby's actions and caught up in the slime, Bogmire could no longer put up any kind of fight against the Poltergust and was quickly captured.
[OST end]
Ruby held the nozzle of the Poltergust tightly as she grinned, "Ho YEAH!" Ruby cheered as she jumped into the air, the world fading to white around her.
[]
Ruby found herself back in the Mansions graveyard as she landed, and noticed a large golden chest in front of the large gravestone.
Smiling as the area around the graveyard seemed to brighten from the shine of the chest alone, Ruby approached the chest and carefully pried it open. Revealing another key, this one with a pattern of a clover on it, which Ruby quickly pocketed.
The next, more important of which, that Ruby pulled from the chest was a large portrait, this one of Blake, the Faunus had her eyes closed as he exposed ears twitched randomly.
"Let's get back to the professor Blake." Ruby said smiling as she looked at the stump she had been shot out of, "Oh this is gonna suck."
[]
Ruby stood with Weiss in front of E. Gadd and his portrait machine, with Blake's painting still asleep in Weiss's arms.
"Are you sure the Poltergust is fine from that lightning?" Ruby asked the professor.
"Perfecty, I've tested the Poltergust in many extreme situations." E. Gadd said, "Granted I never tested it against magma, but I don't think you would survive the magma in the first place."
"True." Weiss said as she held Blake's Painting under one arm, while the other was tightly gripping a cane.
"Now then, the Ghost's." E. Gadd said, "Then we'll get Blake out of there."
Ruby nodded as she stuck the Poltergust nozzle into the grate, the ghost's within getting sucked out and several teardrop shapes appearing in the large teapot shaped section of the machine, which began to process the ghost.
The trio made their way to the end of the line where the first to come out was the portrait of Bogmire, which caused E. Gadd to jump, "What the heck!?" E. Gadd called out as he quickly tapped on the keyboard below the portrait, causing a claw to grab the portrait before it could complete the journey. And the portrait of the Floating Whirlindas coming in afterwards, to which it was ignored.
E. Gadd grabbed the portrait of Bogmire as he looked at it in concern, "Ruby, where did you find this Ghost?" E. Gadd asked.
"The graveyard where I found Blake and the key. Why?" Ruby asked.
E. Gadd frowned, "Because I've never seen this one before, and the fact it became a portrait means it's not one of Van Ghoul's artworks."
"Wait, you mean I caught a ghost you never saw before?" Ruby asked, going wide eyed.
"Exactly." E. Gadd said, "But the thing is, no ghost has ever left that mansion or went into it."
"You mean this… thing just appeared in the mansion for no reason?" Weiss asked, looking at Bogmire's portrait.
"Yes… Well, not for 'no reason' at least." E. Gadd said, as the last portrait went through before idly hitting a few keys on the keyboard, "It is ready for Blake." E. Gadd muttered before wandering off.
"Okay…" Ruby said as she undid the grate while Weiss placed Blake's Portrait on the line.
"Huh?" Blake muttered as she woke up, "Weiss? Weiss!" Blake cried out as she began to bang on the portrait.
"I'm fine Blake." Weiss said as Ruby walked over, "Ruby saved us… But…"
"But?" Blake asked, "I'm still in a painting!"
"I know." Weiss said, "This is going to really suck. I'm sorry."
"Weiss?" Blake asked as the machine started up, "YAAAAAA-"
[]
Blake was not a happy kitty as she sat in the wheelchair Weiss used to occupy, "Couldn't you have woken me up when you first found me?" Blake asked as she looked at Ruby.
"Honestly I felt you could use the rest." Ruby said poking her fingers together, "Besides I don't think I'm going to be getting some sleep anytime soon."
Blake was still upset, but now she wasn't so upset at Ruby. Her team leader was going up an entire mansion of ghosts for the sake of her whole team, Blake made a silent vow to repay Ruby for all this.
"Ruff."
Blake's eye narrowed as she looked down at her lap, where Zwei was now sitting, and Blake physically couldn't move her body enough to chase the nightmare creature off.
Ruby however was slightly concerned for Weiss, when Blake came out of her painting she had her weapon, Weiss however was still unarmed, meaning Myrtenaster was still in the Mansion no doubt.
Eventually E. Gadd walked up to the three girls as he was looking at a few sheets of paper, "Well Ruby, I've got some news about this new Ghost." E. Gadd said, "It's very interesting."
"What about it?" Ruby asked as she and Weiss pulled up some chairs to sit on.
"Well, you know how the common ghost is created, roughly at the least." E. Gadd said, "Someone dies and the don't move on to the afterlife for one reason or another. But this ghost, whom I've taken to calling Bogmire, is very different. I don't think it's actually appropriate to call it a Ghost."
"I beg you pardon?" Blake asked as even Zwei tilted his head.
"Bogmire is, simply put, an ectoplasmic entity manifested and animated by emotion." E. Gadd said.
"Wait… What do you mean by that?" Weiss said.
"What I mean is that the paranormal energies within that Mansion are powerful enough to create ghost's from emotion." E. Gadd said, "But that's just the start of it, Bogmire is the emotion of, strangely enough, the Mansion itself."
"How!?" The three girls cried out.
"I suspect it's due to King Boo's influence." E. Gadd said, noticing Weiss and Blake flinch, "He created almost every part of the mansion, his power is quite literally coating every inch of the mansion, effectively making the mansion a low class paranormal entity itself. This means that the mansion is absorbing the emotions generated by everything within it, which resulted in Bogmire being created, likely as an outlet for the emotions- To which the ones that make up Bogmire are Fear and Despair."
The three girls sat in shock, "That's… Terrifying." Blake said.
"How come the Grimm haven't been swarming this place then?" Weiss asked.
"Well from what I've noticed, simple instinct." E. Gadd said, "Grimm come close, feel the unnatural energies given off by ghosts, and decide whatever is going on is not worth it."
"The fact it created its own pocket dimension…" Ruby muttered, "Just how much of those emotions formed Bogmire?"
"I don't know." E. Gadd said, "But, it would explain why Chauncey, a ghost baby, was able to create a pocket dimension and why Van Ghoul is able to create so many of his painted ghosts. The mansion absorbs the energies naturally, or unnaturally given off by ghosts, the Portrait Ghost then proceed to absorb and are empowered by these energies, which increases their power so they give off even more energy."
"It's completely autonomous." Weiss said, "And these Ghosts have been here for over a decade?"
"Yes." E. Gadd said, "And I suspect with your friend Yang still captive, the house is absorbing her emotions as well so we may risk more ghosts like Bogmire appearing if we don't take care of this soon."
Ruby stood up quickly, "Right, I'm on it." Ruby said as she made her way to the elevator and activated it…
Only for her to lose her nerve the moment she did so, "Please someone take over for me! I don't wanna go back in!"
The other three watched slowly as the elevator vanished, "Hmm…" E. Gadd said, "Well, Miss Schnee, are feeling-" E. Gadd cut himself off as Weiss stumbled as she tried to stand up out of the chair, "I suppose not."
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Sorry for the delay folks, but trying to write when the internet is constantly losing connection, cutting me off from Google Docs where I write these, pisses me off to no end.
Thankfully that should be fixed soon enough so… Yay.
Now I'm gonna be honest, I felt the sheer need to do this for Bogmire, due to the fact he was created within the Mansion, and the reason I felt the need to do this is out of respect for Bogmire, and although the other ghosts always did startle me as a child, I found them too funny looking to actually be scared.
When Bogmire showed up he scared the ever living shit out of me. I've always held some respect to the ghost ever since… Unlike the next Boss.
Anyway, I'll see you all relatively soon as I plan to work on this story as much as possible because I want to get to the Luigi's Mansion 2 plot before Chuggaaconroy starts up Luigi's Mansion 3 for… Reasons.
Speaking of Luigi's Mansion 2, I'd like to thank Timeless and Swift for helping me figure out what I'm going to be doing with that story.
Speaking of Timeless Dreamer Neo, he's got a story called Pokemon Retold that he has posted recently, I've actually enjoyed it a bit because it's not the typical 'Pokemon anime plot retold with a smarter Ash.' and if anything I like things that change up a trope a bit.
Anyway I'll see you all again real soon, because I'm gonna be blowing through these chapters daily.