Chapter Twelve:

A Ghostly Pool Party

Breathing in the chilly and fresh relieving air, the trio headed past the stairs down the hallway, looking around for the back door that led out into the garden. The house had gone silent after the Dark Phantom was defeated, save for a few ghostly howls and some booming from upstairs.

Despite feeling safe, Amy, Tails and Sticks could still feel a sense of dread, suspense and terror.

After all, the Dark Phantom had not been working alone; he had said that he served a mistress. To judge by what he was saying about 'The Mistress', it sounded like she was the dark master of the mansion and there was a chance she'd lured Sonic and Knuckles into a trap and caught them.

Nervous and concerned for Sonic more than ever, Amy hoped she could find them sooner than keep looking around the mansion instead of just probably going upstairs to confront The Mistress.

Whatever had happened to those two, their lives weren't over. The pink hedgehog had a feeling that 'The Mistress' had placed them in suspended animation and was probably torturing them for fun and amusement, being the cruel and evil witch that she probably had been for a long time now.

Amy, Tails and Sticks shone their flash-lights as they looked for the back door, feeling around for a knob.

A couple candles turned on by themselves, more ghostly laughter and Sticks thought that her shadow had suddenly come alive on its own and started doing strange stuff. Shadows really gave Sticks the creeps, especially her own shadow.

However, Amy and Tails weren't scared of their own shadows at all. They loved to shadow box or make shadow puppets from time to time.

The only shadow they had issues with was Shadow the Hedgehog himself, that black shadowy anti-hero. Even though it had been ages since they last saw Shadow; Amy was struggling to find out why the black hedgehog preferred to be his broody, edgy, antihero self.

If she ever came face to face with the black hedgehog again, Amy would try to invite him over to her house for some tea and they would talk. Maybe one of those days, the pink heroine would give it a go.

Luckily for the trio, it didn't take long to find a door with a glass window in it. Peaking outside, the trio saw an incredible garden surrounded by a black, metal fence. The bushes were neatly trimmed and there were a few nice-looking trees perfectly planted, even the lawn looked nicely taken care of.

Trying the doorknob, Sticks saw that it was unlocked and nodded at Amy and Tails.

Opening the door slowly, the trio stepped outside into the dark and chilly back yard, sniffing the fresh air. As if there was a chance they could get attacked by something anytime, be it a ghost or maybe a living plant or tree, the trio raised their guard and prepared themselves just in case.

Amy and her friends walked around the area, watching their step and staying on guard. Despite trying their best to watch their step, Tails' foot hit a beach ball at one point.

He looked down, examining the beach ball with curiosity, then the twin-tailed fox tossed it away. The fox watched as the ball bounced toward in a nearby 6-meter swimming pool, full of clean water and complete with a diving board.

The ball landed in the water with a sploosh, causing Amy and Sticks to take notice. The girls became struck with curiosity, surprised to see that the abandoned mansion had a pool at all.

"What a surprise," Sticks said, "The mansion does have a swimming pool here."

Cold chills went up her spine and the badger looked up, gasping in shock. Just up above, a cloaked figure was standing at a window on one of the mansion's high floors, observing Sticks, Tails and Amy with glowing yellow eyes before pulling back the curtains and vanishing from view.

"Hey, you ok, Sticks?" Tails asked, "You looked surprised about somethin'."

"Just now," Sticks said with a shudder in her voice, "I saw somebody watching us."

"Take it easy, sweetie." Amy hugged the badger, "We're going to be ok."

Giving Amy her thanks, Sticks put aside her ghost vacuum and removed her shoes, deciding to check out the pool. She walked over to the edge and sat down by the pool, kicking her feet in the water and closing her eyes as she smelled the misty air.

Tails and Amy took a look around, searching for anything fishy or interesting they could find. The two tailed fox almost felt tempted to go for a swim, but his concern about Sonic and Knuckles and sense of justice kept him focused on exploration, mystery solving and villain fighting.

Yet, he still felt a bit tired from the earlier fight as well as the last fight with those three ghosts. Tails was also feeling sweaty, maybe he could use a nice swim just to cool down before he got back to ghost fighting.

A chilly breeze cut through the air and the fox made his decision, he removed his shoes and gloves, set aside his Ghost Vacuum next to Sticks' Ghost Vac and jumped in the pool with a splash that was a bit loud enough to make Amy notice as she rolled her eyes.

The two tailed fox swam in the pool and Sticks sat on the edge, deep in thought as she continued to kick her feet in the water, until Tails splashed her playfully.

"Hey!" Sticks protested, "I could get chlorine germs in my fur and in my eyes!"

"C'mon, Sticks!" Laughed Tails, "I was just playing, why don't you join me in the pool? Besides, we just had some intense battles today with Eggman, a group of ghosts and a freaky phantom. We could use a bit of cooling off in the water before we get back to serious stuff."

"Are we planning a pool party over there?" Amy asked sarcastically, "I dunno if that would be a good idea, especially after Sticks said she saw somebody watching us."

The pink hedgehog sat down upon a lawn chair, curious as to if it was possessed and could suddenly come to life at any moment. Just then, a windy howling carried across the air and the temperature started to drop, sending chills along the furs of the trio.

Seconds later, a ghostly, female voice spoke up, "What's wrong with hanging out at a pool like this? There's nothing wrong with doing that."

Amy, Tails and Sticks all watched as two female specters appeared; a lavender hedgehog wearing a flowing ghostly white-purple dress and a brown cat clad in a green sleeveless shirt, brown jacket, tan-colored boots and simple grey shorts.

"Uh, hi there, ghost girls." Sticks said, waving with a cautious look on her face, "Just who might you two be. I hope you're not here cause a zombie ghost apocalypse."

The lavender ghost hedgehog, a tall and shapely one, giggled, "No, orange one. We are very friendly, wandering fun-seeking spirits. My name is Loiseana Monatiá and this is my sister Ghoulynx."

"Hi there." Ghoulynx said with a wave, she was an inch shorter than her sister was,"Nice to meet you two, you're very nice."

Tails giggled, "Um, thanks? I think you two are very nice as well, even though I have a girlfriend and her name is Zooey and she lives in Hedgehog Village."

Loiseana smiled, "I'm not worried, young fox. My sister and I aren't trying to hit on you, we will respect your relationship status with your current special someone. It's been a while since people came by this area, we haven't seen anyone in ages as well."

"What kind of parties do you like?" Amy asked, "What's your favorite activity?"

"Well, to be fair," Ghoulynx remarked, "We like having birthdays, get-togethers and swim parties wherever we go now and again. It's been too long since we last went swimming, it's one of our hobbies, and we haven't had a swim party in ages."

"So, how long have you girls been here?" Tails questioned, "Did you just show up or have you been at the mansion for a very, very long time? Are you really wandering spirits or is there something that you're actually hiding from us at this time?"

The sisters looked at each other, then they glanced back at Tails, Amy and Sticks, thinking about it for a while.

Then, the two ghosts began telling their story; they'd come here a few years ago, somebody had sent a letter, inviting them to a pool party. But, when they'd arrived at the mansion, Loiseana and Ghoulynx been greeted by a tall, shadowy figure with a magic staff.

The dark figure had led them to a dark room, locked the door and disintegrated their physical bodies until nothing but their spiritual essence remained. Ever since that day, the two sisters had wandered around, trying to be happy.

Rarely did they leave the mansion to see the outside world, mostly because they were bound to the mansion by the dark power projected by the dark witch which also fed off their own regrets.

"You two received letters?" Amy was amazed, "Wow, our friends, Sonic and Knuckles, got a similar invite from somebody who invited them here and they never left. Tails got an invite too, in fact, me and Sticks received letters saying we're lucky beauty contest contestants."

"Really?" Loiseana remarked with amazement, "That's so wild! We actually participated in a beauty contest once a long time ago, I got first prize and my sister got second."

"I'll never forget that one either." Ghoulynx said, "Getting second prize was better than not getting ANY prize at all. I'm so happy I prevailed too; my sister and I were very lucky back in the day. Oh, it's too bad the day our lives came to an end was the day we had bad luck."

"Sorry that you met with a terrible, unfitting end, girls." Tails said with sympathy in his voice, "But, you don't have to worry any longer. We'll defeat that nasty sorceress who took your life away, then you two can rest in peace. But since there's no ticking clock until the end of the world, perhaps we can help ease your spirits."

"Are you suggesting what I think you're about to suggest, Tails?" Sticks asked.

"How can you ease our spirits, Tails?" Loiseana asked.

"Well, you said you enjoy a swim, so maybe we could have a spooky pool party since you two are ghosts and this is a haunted house?"

"Um, Tails, are you sure that's a good idea?" Amy questioned warily, "I don't even have my bathing suit."

"Ya kidding?" Sticks exclaimed, she kicked up some water in the pool and lay back, "It's perfect! We'll have a ghost pool party, swim with the girls, talk with 'em and then, when we're done, we could put 'em in our Ghost Vacs until we've beaten the evil sorceress and they can move on to the afterlife!"

"Oh my goodness, you actually mean it?!" Loiseana exclaimed excitedly, "My sister and I couldn't possibly thank you enough, kind ones."

"Well, why not?" Tails quipped, "The sorceress is busy upstairs and isn't too concerned about what we're doing downstairs, we're not in any danger. I agree with Sticks on that, so what are we waiting for..." He splashed the pool, "Let's have some fun while we have all the time in the world!"

"Thank you, Tails." Ghoulynx said excitedly, "Give us a minute to change and… here we go."

Loiseana discarded her ghostly dress, revealing a ghostly scarlet swimsuit that highlighted her figure, and Ghoulynx changed out of her spooky traveling clothes, wearing a crimson bathing suit in its place.

The ghosts floated up into the air and howled before diving into the pool with a light splash; Tails looked at Sticks and threw water at her, grabbing the badger's attention and she splashed him back.

Sticks stood up and jumped over the edge, tucking in her body cannonball-style and dove into the pool with a splash. Loiseana and Ghoulynx surfaced with spectral giggles right as Sticks bobbed up, the girls splashed one another and Tails then splashed them.

From the lawn chair, Amy watched the scene and rolled her eyes with a sarcastic smile on her face. She recalled the Ghost Vac that was at her side, resting on her back, and pat it gently.

'When we're done, depending on how well the party is going.' Amy thought.

She was almost tempted to get in the water, but since she didn't have a swimsuit, the pink hedgehog decided to sit it out. She would still be present; at least for Tails and Sticks. The heroic pink hedgehog brought out her whistle and let it rest around her neck, just in case if she had to fill in for the role of pool lifeguard.

"Tag!" Sticks cried, tagging Ghoulynx playfully while splashing her at one point.

"PEEK-A-BOO!" Loiseana yelled, popping up behind Tails.

Nearly startled, the two-tailed fox playfully tagged Loiseana before she went back underwater. Right before Loiseana surfaced, Tails dove underwater and snuck up behind the bikini-clad ghost hedgehog, eager to play with her. He surfaced behind Loiseana and tickled her shoulder, prompting a startled shriek from the ghost.

"Peek-a-boo."

"MARCO..."

Tails and Loiseana turned to see Ghoulynx just before she went back under the pool. "Polo!" The two of them called out, they dove under and Sticks emerged, now joining in the game.

"Marco..."

Splash! "Polo!"

The two heroes played with the ghosts and enjoyed themselves for who knew how long, splashing around and playing other games all throughout the party.

Eventually, Tails and Sticks got a little winded and climbed out of the swimming pool, kicking their legs in the water and sitting back on the edge while watching the two sisters play with one another.

"Well, I say we enjoyed ourselves as long as we could..." Sticks quipped.

"Yeah, agreed..." Tails nodded.

"I guess you two are calling it quits...?" Ghoulynx asked, she and her sister swam over to where the two heroes were sitting, looking at Tails and Sticks with playful smiles on their faces.

"Hey, girls!" Amy called, "Would you mind a little if we, uh, absorbed you into a vacuum cleaner designed to suck up ghosts since it looks like Tails and Sticks are done?"

"It's for safety reasons." Tails explained, "Ghosts are spirits who can't move on to the afterlife thanks to a dark power, so we're putting you in a safe place until you're ready to pass into the next world, helps to avoid a big mess."

"Huh, I guess that makes sense..." Ghoulynx remarked.

"You did explain your reasons..." Loiseana said, "My sister and I understand why your Ghost Vacuuming efforts are important to your journey and we grant you permission, offering ourselves as willing spirit sacrifices to ensure your success in breaking the dark power threatening both realms."

Amy stood up and activated her Ghost Vacuum, Tails and Sticks moved aside and cleaned themselves off before putting their shoes back on. The ghostly sisters exited the pool, dripping just a little bit; then they stood in front of Amy with their arms out as if they were offering themselves in a surrendering gesture.

Tails and Sticks grabbed their Ghost Vacuums, reactivated them and joined Amy's side. The trio aimed at the ghosts and pressed the 'On' switch.

The devices turned on full blast, sucking in the air and the sisters howled as they vanished inside the Vacuums, joining the other spirits trapped inside and all was quiet again, leaving the trio by the swimming pool with nobody but themselves.

However, they weren't alone again for long...