Oh my goodness, I'm sorry it took so long to update! I've been loaded with work, school, stress, life, and everything's been such a busy, stressful mess that I haven't had the time/energy to write.
Please review and please enjoy the chapter!
~CWA
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Third Person
Camila, or rather Honey Lemon, can't help but eye her friend with caution, unsure what to make of Hye's/GoGo's new fashion accessories. A silver ring. A black onyx necklace. Another necklace hangs a bit lower than the first with multiple things hanging from it- a few charms, gems, and various silver symbols. Many bracelets of various gems and stones and materials. A small glance around shows she's not the only one whose noticed GoGo's accessories as she locks eyes with Wasabi, who looks a tad freaked out and worried as his hands shake. Fred doesn't seem to notice nor care as he slouches into his normal beanbag chair with a large bag of chips- from his half lidded eyes, Camila could tell he was very close to falling asleep. She briefly eyes the two empty sections of the lab. With Danny being gone, it's a lot quieter through out the lab, especially without his music booming from his phone or the familiar, almost comforting, sound of large metallic pieces clashing together as he would work on his portal. And with Tadashi missing from his private lab, it seems so strange to look over and not see the faint shadow of his form as he works on his projects.
GoGo, however, doesn't seem to notice the curious and cautious looks sent her way as she continues to work as if nothing's different. Camile bites at her bottom lip, knowing that Hye isn't exactly a 'sharing' person nor someone who appreciates being questioned. But she can't help but take a step toward her friend with a hesitant smile,
"Hey GoGo," Camila speaks up softly, "...What's with the uh, I mean, uh… Those are some interesting pieces of jewelry you got there…?"
She gives a forced, strained smile as Hye turns her attention to her with a quirked eyebrow and crossed arms. Her eyes have slight bags under them, but they seem to be fading. She has A.D. to thank for that. With her feeling constantly watched and pretty convinced she's being haunted by some sort of ghost, she hasn't been able to sleep. A.D., however, did giver her some tips on what can ward off ghosts and even harm them. Blank onyx. Silver. Various salts. Jewels. It seems to work as she doesn't feel nearly as exposed and insecure as she did before, thus allowing her a few nights of peaceful rest. Her hip cocks to the side a bit as she shifts weight on her foot, eying Camila up and down before she answers, popping her bubblegum,
"Old school ghost protection," she answers easily, an eyebrow quirked as if to say, I dare you to question me.
Her answer snaps Fred back awake, his eyes wide as he stares at her with an excited grin and stars in his eyes, shaking a bit from pent up energy. Camila, however, just eyes her with caution and uncertainty, unsure of what to make of the answer. Wasabi is at attention, his eyes wide- though unlike Fred, his eyes are wide out of fear and nerves rather than excitement.
"G-Ghost protection," Wasabi wheezes, "I- uh- are you having a ghost problem? Is the lab haunted? Because I swear that I've seen some things and-"
"-Wasabi," Camila cut him off with a soothing tone, ushering him to take deep breaths, "Breathe… The lab's not haunted."
Fred takes a bite of his chips and swings to his feet, an unnerving grin on his face as he hovers by Wasabi,
"She's right, the lab's not haunted… We all are!"
His voice rose enough to startle Wasabi, who jumped with a yelp, raising his hands to protect himself from an unseen danger. Fred laughs, which frankly sounds very alarming and almost a bit evil, loudly, wiggling his fingers around as he dances around the room.
"Think about it," Fred states, "We're all haunted! We have to be! Don't think I haven't noticed how all of you seem on edge. How your hair stands on end, the cold shivers, the feeling someone's always watching you," he trails off with an ominous tone to his voice, "...Almost as if it's after all of us and when we least expect it, BAM! It gets us!"
Camila sighs, rubbing her temples as he begins to rant on one of his crazy ideas (again). She hates it when he goes on like this- she never stops him, oh no that'd be rude- and she never says anything bad about the rants or him, but she hates it when his crazy ideas make the smallest amount of sense somewhere in her mind. She hates it that he can have some truth in his rants. Especially if it's about ghosts. She's admitted there's a possibility for ghosts, but she's never really believed in them. But lately, there's been something that's been setting her on edge and Fred is right about one thing, for sure, and that's that she (and everyone else in their little group that she knows of) has been dealing with stuff she can't fully logically explain. It drives her crazy that she can't explain everything she's felt or seen logically, yet Fred can come up with an easy solution that almost makes sense.
Wasabi gulps and backs away, his eyes wide and frantic as his heart beats rapidly in his chest. The more Fred goes on, the more his adrenaline and fear rises.
Hye, however, is much like Camila- she's half listening to Fred, undecided if she should agree or disagree with them as she stands on the fence. A part of her knows there's some truth in Fred's words- for once. Having seen the ghost herself, or at least partially have seen it, she's certain there's something following her and with him bringing up some (admitted good) points, maybe it isn't just her after all. Maybe there is a ghost that's following all of them.
Fred continues, untethered from their lack of enthusiasm, going on and on about ghosts and how they must be haunted.
"-The real question is why," he rants, "Why is this ghost haunting all of us? Is it just us or is this ghost also following Hiro? Tadashi? Danny?"
He wiggles his fingers in the air as he raves, almost in excitement over the idea of being haunted by a ghost. Well. He is excited. But he'd be even more excited if he knew what the ghost's intents were. Is it just a lonely ghost? A ghost that's taken a liking to them? A ghost just watching over them? Or is it going to possess one of them? Is it going to hurt them? And who is it? Is it someone they knew in real life that passed away? Someone they never even noticed before? Or is it someone whose recently passed and is lost, unsure of why they're stuck here? Or is it a super villain ghost? One that they will have to fight off before it can put its deadly plan into action? One that Danny's fought maybe? His eyes get starry just thinking about becoming a ghost fighter superhero, even if he knows that it will be dangerous like Danny has said. Maybe he'll just be Danny's sidekick if it comes down to it.
"-Which is why it's important to protect ourselves until we know this ghost's intent," he continues, almost logically.
He puffs his chest out, a bit proudly, crossing his arms across his chest in satisfaction and pride. He deflates, however, when he realizes not everyone is on board with him. Wasabi looks as if he's about to faint- he's pale and weak on his feet, swaying back and forth before plopping down into a nearby chair with a woozy expression. Honey Lemon is sighing, rubbing her temples as she tries to figure out what to say to his logic- though there's something in her eyes that tell him that she's at least partly on board with him. Hye/GoGo has her arms crossed and pops her bubblegum with an indifferent expression on her face that makes him falter. He never can tell what she's thinking.
I should just call Danny, he admits to himself, his eyes becoming downcast, he's the smart ghost expert. He'll know what to do and they'll actually listen to him. He sighs deeply, a rare moment of doubt creeping in his chest at the lack of reaction from his friends- not even their usual joking about his outrageous rants were spoken- and looks back toward his friends. Yet a movement in the background gains his attention and he narrows his eyes, peeking over Hye's shoulder to an unfamiliar guy in the back near the wall.
His eyes narrow as the stranger and him lock eyes, allowing Fred to notice the red depths the stranger's irises and the unsettling ease in the air. The stranger looks startled for a moment, as if he didn't expect Fred to notice him. He briefly eyes Hye's strange jewelry with unease, backing away a few steps before he looks back at Fred and smirks. He gives a two finger salute before he disappears into the wall, passing through it as if there's not even a wall, causing Fred to let out a yelp, scrambling backwards before he lands harsh on the floor, his heart pounding in his chest.
Ghost. That was an Honest-to-God ghost. An actual ghost here. I saw him- it. He can't seem to calm his rapidly beating heart as he struggles to catch his breath, his throat growing tight. He's not sure if he should be excited or scared. Danny has said that people with red eyes are likely to be possessed, so does this mean that ghost possessed someone? Or was that actually the ghost itself taking a more humanoid form? If a ghost is possessing someone can they even pass through objects or do other ghostly things?
"Fred," Hye snaps at the outburst, "What's gotten into you?"
Fred snaps his attention back to her, his eyes wide, jaw open, his heart pounding in his chest as the hair on his neck refuse to relax, still standing on edge as if electric. He briefly looks to the others- Honey Lemon looking at him with concern, Wasabi looking concerned and freaked out and Hye looking a bit annoyed, yet there is also concern in her eyes. He swallows thickly, takes a deep breath and stands up, brushing dust off of himself. Danny is a hero and I can be too. I can do this. He stands up a bit taller, straighter, his eyes hard and narrow.
"We have to call Danny," he says firmly, "We need his help and we can't do this on our own."
They all share cautious, uncertain glances at that, yet no one objects. Each of them know that if it really is a ghost problem that Danny would be the best one suited to give them advice. He's the ghost expert. A genius about all things freaky and paranormal really. If Hye's honest, she knows she should have called him about ghosts first, expect she didn't exactly want to disturb him if he's with Tadashi. She knows that with Danny's overly sexual advances on anything that breaths and Tadashi being the flustered mess he is, it's only a matter of time before they get together. And she so does not want to call in the middle of that.
Honey Lemon has to admit that she feels a bit of reluctance to call Danny, knowing that he's never exactly pleased with interruptions when he's busy and that he's likely to be with Tadashi at the hospital. Wasabi, however, agrees quickly as he scrambles to get his phone to call Danny, mumbling a bit under his breath. Before Honey Lemon can stop him from making the call, he already has is on speaker, letting the dial tone be heard within in the group. They huddle together in Wasabi's section of the lab for a more private discussion, knowing that if the conversation gets too much attention it'd be the hit of the rumor mill- with Tadashi still in the hospital and Danny being gone to be with him, they're the two main subjects every rumor going around at the moment. Some speculate that Danny and Tadsahi are going to elope as soon as Tadashi is out of the hospital. Some say that couple is on the verge of breaking up- whose dumping who is an ongoing bet in many circles (people who have been wanting to date either man are more than likely to be the source of that particular rumor). It varies depending on who you talk to.
"Sup Wasabi? Hope it's not too quite without me there," Danny's voice comes on over the speakers, but it sounds distorted over the line and there's wind rushing over it as if he's driving or running.
Wasabi babbles, his voice hitching as he rants about there being a ghost in the lab and how they need Danny's help, but he speaks too quickly for anyone- nevertheless Danny- to make sense of he's saying. Honey Lemon sighs and steps forward, opting to be the speaker of the group as she places a comforting hand on Wasabi's shoulder to help calm his nerves.
"Danny? Can you hear me," Honey questions, unsure if the wind from his side of the line is ruining the signal, "...We have a bit of a problem… Of a ghostly sort? We think…?"
There's a pause on the other side of the line- even the wind stops for a moment as if Danny froze up entirely. After a second, he comes back on again, coughing briefly, before he speaks up, his voice a bit harder, colder, and gains a sort of echo to it- Fred is sure the echo is coming from Danny's voice itself, but Honey Lemon is quick to shush him when he tries to speak, insisting its just from the wind.
"Have you seen it? Has it tried to hurt you? Did it say anything?"
He speaks through clenched teeth, or at least it sounds as if his voice is straining if ever so slightly. The edge to his words cause the group to share uneasy, uncertain looks. Fred twiddles his thumbs, glancing around frantically as if expecting to see the ghost show up again. GoGo leans against Honey Lemon with her arms crossed, popping her bubblegum, but her eyes seem to be shadowed and haunted, deep in thought. Honey Lemon looks troubled, her eyebrows furrowing as she bites at her bottom lip, uncertain of what to make from the underlying anger in Danny's voice- it's hardly noticeable, but she can feel it and it feels wrong. Wasabi looks like on the brink of passing out, hyperventilating slightly as he struggles to control his breathing, his face pale and ashen.
"I saw it," Fred is the first to speak up, his voice uncharacteristically solemn, "He had glasses, red eyes. He didn't say anything, but when I spotted him, he looked surprised before he saluted at me and then just vanished. It was here at the lab, but he didn't say anything and he didn't try to hurt anyone- not that I, we, know of."
"I've seen it too," GoGo admits, "Gives me the creeps, just watching me, us, from the shadows. Doesn't say or do a damn thing, but I think we've all noticed or felt it somehow."
There's a deep sigh from Danny's side of the line, from relief or grief they're unsure, before he speaks up again. This time, Honey Lemon can't hear the anger in his voice, the echo's disappeared, and the wind has returned. He lets out a small string of curses that they can't make out from the line briefly breaking up, it just sounds like a mix of static and broken words, but when he continues to speak, the line seems to have suddenly cleared aside from the wind that blows through the speaker.
"Alright, look, I… I wasn't going to tell you this," he seems a bit conflicted, and a tad annoyed, "But yeah, there's a ghost following of you, he's safe, I promise, and he's just there to watch over you to keep you safe until things have blown over..."
He lets out another long drawn out sigh, muttering a few incoherent words. Honey Lemon falters, her normally optimistic and carefree demeanor collapsing during a brief moment of uncertainty. Wasabi fumbles, losing his balance as his eyes go wide with fright. GoGo quirks an eyebrow as she stands away from Honey Lemon and places a hand on her hip-she knows Danny can't see her, yet it doesn't stop her from giving the phone a particular look. Fred's eyebrows furrow at Danny's words, a small frown on his face as his mind goes into overdrive at the implied meaning of the comment- where they not safe otherwise? Why? What is Danny trying to protect them from- or who? Does this have anything to do with him being a hero/ghost hunter? Does it have to do with the fire of the center?
"...Until what's blown over," Honey Lemon questions cautiously, but there's only more static before the line cuts off completely, leaving them all in a stunned silence.
Fred can't help but bounce in place from his place in the backseat of Wasabi's car. Stars dancing in his eyes as he can't continue himself. Honey Lemon sighs from her place beside him, eying him warily, though her eyes show a bit of amusement from his enthusiasm. GoGo's foot impatiently taps the floor of the car, popping her bubblegum to stop herself from taking control of the car as her nerves became high-strung and tight from Wasabi's slow and painfully correct driving. They had all agreed that a night out would do them so good- though Fred seems convinced that the night out is just a cover. He seems to have it in his head that they're actually investigating whatever it is that Danny's trying to protect them from. Honey doesn't have the heart to correct him- well she does and she's tried, but it doesn't work so she eventually gave up.
"Danny's gonna be mad when he finds out that we're investigating this," Fred sing-songs, "But we're actually being like superheros or something! Trying to uncover the truth! With a ghost on our tails! Oh, maybe he's like our mascot or something!"
Wasabi grips the steering wheel a bit tighter, annoyance showing on his face as he tries to contain himself,
"Fred," he speaks slowly with a bit of strain, "I told you, for the last time, we are not investigating anything! That'd be way too dangerous! Not to mention we can't face ghosts or something! We're, well, us. We're just going to go see a late movie and-"
"-Wasabi," GoGo cuts him off, her eyes narrowing as her arm stretches out across his chest, causing him to stop the car and mildly glare at her, "-Isn't that Hiro?"
Wasabi's eyebrows furrow slightly, but he glances in the direction that she's fixating on- they all do- to see a very familiar teen dash into an alleyway with what seems to be a white robot that's unmistakable as Baymax.
"Hiro," Honey Lemon's voice is laced with concern and worry, "What's he doing out here so late? It's dangerous!"
"Follow him," GoGo orders, popping her bubblegum.
Wasbai briefly seems a bit conflicted before he sighs and turns the car to a sharp left, careful to signal and to look both ways, before he follows the teen down the alley. As much as he would hate to admit, his curiosity about what Hiro is up to is just as high as the others. Whatever it is, Wasabi pleads, please don't let it be dangerous.
