Chapter Four: SPARKLE, GLITTER, and SHINE!
Clarissa, Java, Martin, and Marvin were waiting in the lobby for Diana to come down. Clarissa was all done up in a silvery dress and high bunned hair. She was wearing silver earrings and looked like a brown haired Cinderella. Martin, Java, and Marvin looked handsome in black tuxes with different coloured ties. Marvin began chatting politely to Java and Clarissa while Martin threw scowls at him. All of a sudden, Clarissa cried "OOOH!" and pointed to the staircase. Coming down the stairs was a girl in a beautiful green dress. Almost like Clarissa's. Her hair was in corkscrews and she was wearing green chandelier earrings. The only thing familiar about the maiden was her necklace, which was a small purple locket. The girl didn't seem to notice all the people starring admiringly at her as she walked down to the lobby.
"That Diana!" Java said.
"Hey, it is!" Martin said with some sort of shock. Diana looked around until she saw the gang waiting in front of the doors. As soon as she saw them she smiled and waved, and walked hurriedly over to them.
"Hey guys ready to go?" she asked.
"Yeah, here, the Cente...I mean, I rented a limo for us." Martin said quickly.
"Wow Diana," Marvin said offering her his arm. "You look stunning."
"Oh thanks," she said blushing. "I like the suit."
"Oh yeah." Marvin said as they got into the white limo.
When they got to the ball, they said goodbye to Java as he headed towards the kitchens. They walked into a huge chandelier lit ballroom. A stage was set up and some couples were already waltzing to a violinist. The group of 4 however, took a nearby table and sat down. Clarissa and Diana began chatting about how pretty the other one looked. Until a man walked onto a small stage in the middle of the room and introduced Sparkle. Everyone oohed and aahed as she came on stage. She started with a waltzy slow song.
Marvin and Diana followed Martin and Clarissa onto the dance floor. After a few hours dancing, Sparkle took an intermission. The group of 4 headed back to their table.
"Can you see Java Di?" Martin asked when they sat down.
"Nope...no wait, there he is!" Diana exclaimed pointing over to the other side of the room. Java was clearing plates and taking orders of some of the other guests.
After awhile, Sparkle returned and they continued dancing till Sparkle left the stage. Another band came on to play until closing.
"Come on Diana, let's dance!" Marvin said dashingly. Diana looked across the table at Martin. He jerked his head over to the stage. Diana nodded.
"Lets go backstage and meet Sparkle." Diana half asked-half told.
"You sure you wouldn't just like to keep dancing?" Marvin asked.
"Uh yeah, It's just...that...I...uh..." Diana stuttered.
"Sorry about that Marv..." Martin finished for Diana, "It's just that my sister is a huge fan of Sparkle and she's been wanting to meet her for ages." Martin explained.
"Yeah...I'm a huge fan." Diana said.
"Oh...that's cool." Marvin said, "Who am I to deprive you of such an awesome experience. I mean, meeting you're hero. That's a big opportunity for you. Lets go."
"Thanks Marvin," Diana said blushing "That's really big of you." The group of four got up and started to walk towards the back stage door. They showed the bouncer their passes and headed down a large hallway. They spoke to Sparkle's manager and stood waiting outside her dressing room for a while.
"I can't get over what a beautiful dress that is." Clarissa said to Diana as they waited. "I especially love that greenish sparkle around it that matches you're eyes."
"What are you talking about?" Diana asked looking concerned, "There's never been a greenish sparkle on my dress before."
Diana looked down. Sure enough, there was a greenish sparkle around her dress.
"It must he the lighting" Diana thought to herself. She looked at the others clothes. Her dress was the only one with sparkles. Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach.
"Martin," Diana said faintly. He turned around and yelled Diana!
He ran up and grabbed her by the shoulders as she fainted. Marvin rushed to help.
Martin couldn't hold Diana anymore so he tried to carefully lay her on the floor. She lay still for a moment then began to rise slowly off the ground, still surrounded in the mysterious glow.
"Diana?" Martin asked shakily to his levitating sister. "Can you hear me?"
Diana let out a sort of sigh of relief and a black vapor rose out of her mouth and vanished.
"What was that? Marvin asked as Java burst into the room. Java began running at Diana. A gigantic flash of light coming somehow from Diana knocked everyone to the floor. Martin was the first to recover. He jumped to his feet and looked at his sister. He outfit had completely changed. She was now wearing a violet evening gown and purple slippers. Diana hung in mid air for a moment then fell into Java's outstretched arms. Java carefully laid her on the ground.
"What just happened here?" Clarissa asked quietly.
"I don't know." Martin said shakily.
"Java sad for Diana." Java said soberly.
"Me too." Marvin said.
"What just happened here?" Sparkle said as she ran out of her dressing room. "I heard a scream and saw a blinding flash of light. Is everyone okay?"
"No...not everyone." Martin said quietly. "My sister was attacked by some thing. May I see you're locket for a moment?" Martin asked.
"Sorry, I can't let you." Sparkle stated, "It was my grandmothers. It's my most prized possession."
"Miss, my name Martin Mystery...paranormal investigator." Martin said sternly flashing his badge. "Now look at my sister. She was attacked and she's not the 1st person to have been. All of the victims have had one thing in common, possessing one of your lockets. Now either you give me your locket for me to examine or you'll spend the night in jail."
"Sorry Sir. I didn't know it was that serious." Sparkle said unclipping her locket and handing it to Martin.
"Thank you." He replied. He scanned the locket and sent it to Billy. "Now can you tell me everything you know about this locket?" he asked.
"Ok. I was given this locket when I was seven. Before my Grandmother handed it to me, she told me that it was a family heirloom and that I should treasure it always. She also told me never open it."
"Did she say why?" Martin asked.
"No. Anyways, my mother took it for me and put it in a box in the attic so I wouldn't lose it. I found it about a month ago. I wasn't thinking straight so I opened it. Nothing happened. So, I shrugged and put it on. That's all." Sparkle said finishing her story.
"Fascinating..." Martin replied, lost in thought. He looked at the locket. "I suppose it's time to fire up the Legendex."
"Whoa..." Marvin exclaimed. "You're like...a secret agent?"
"Yeah, didn't you know?" Clarissa asked.
"No...does that mean Diana's one too?" He asked.
"There's no point in telling you." Martin plainly stated.
"Why not?"
"Because you'll just get your memory wiped again." Martin answered coolly.
"I knew before hand?' Marvin asked. "Wait a minute...I remember! I remember helping you guys in the Amazon."
"Wow...that must have been a weak memory wiping." Martin stated. "I suppose M.O.M thought we'd be more careful. Meh, oh well I guess you're going to be helping me and Java now that Diana's unconscious." Martin continued turning the locket over his hands. He fired up the Legendex. "Here, the legend of the Sparkling Phantom. Once captured in a locket, the Phantom preys on human shadows. It dates back to around the 18th century. It also tells about how a powerful wizard banished the Phantom into a gold locket. Before the Phantom was sucked into the necklace's chamber, he swore revenge on anyone who wears the necklace or is in the wizard's bloodline. That explains how innocent people became senselessly attacked. There's also a spell here. It seems eligible. "
"So...there's a ghost floating around the area attacking people who wear my merchandise?" Sparkle asked faintly.
"In a nutshell...yes." Martin replied flatly.
"How do we get rid of it?" Marvin asked slowly.
"And how come I haven't been attacked yet?" Sparkle asked
"Probably because the original locket is too dangerous for the phantom." Martin stated with a devious look in his eyes. "And to get rid to it...I have an idea."
