Chapter 3: Come Out and Play:
Jackie's POV:
Jade and I were at Uncle's antique shop dealing with a... little problem. It was Jonathan Kraskell, the CEO of Mega Corp.
"Listen, my good man," says Mr. Kraskell, "just sign here and we'll make sure your business goes sky high!"
"You cannot fool Uncle, Businessman. Uncle signs, and you replace Uncle's Rare Finds with Mega Corp's owned store. Do you even care about antiques?"
"I assure you, I... think these... things are interesting."
"Does Uncle look born yesterday?"
"Not really," I said.
"65 million years ago, to be exact," says Jade.
Uncle glares at us. "Uncle will not sell. Now go. One more thing: Jackie and Jade just volunteered to clean up."
"What," Jade and I both said.
"The 65-million-year-old man said so."
"Sorry." I said.
"My bad." says Jade.
"Good day, Chans." Mr. Kraskell then walked away.
. . .
Jade and I were then cleaning things up, but as we were doing it, I realized something. I was the only one. Jade disappeared.
Jade's POV:
I was watching Super Moose, but then there was a shadow over me. I looked and saw it was Jackie. I knew I was in trouble.
Jackie's POV:
"Jade," I said, "we both have to take responsibilities for our actions."
"Yeah, yeah," says Jade.
"Good."
Tommy's POV:
I was just sitting on my bed when Dil came in.
"T, actual aliens want to talk to us. They want to meet me at the park. You have to come with me! Please!"
"Dil, it's most likely someone we can't trust."
"Well, if you're not coming, I guess I'll go myself."
"I better come along in case I have to save you."
"Good call. I didn't think about how they might want to serve me. And by that, I mean for dinner."
. . .
We were waiting for the creeps posing as aliens. Dil was getting excited. Then something was in the bush.
"It's them," says Dil excitedly.
Then something jumped out of the bush and scared us. It was Jade.
"Jade," I said.
"Woah, Jade's an alien," then Dil thinks. "Oh, I get it now."
"Sorry, but after cleaning up at the antique shop, I needed some fun." Jade then walks away.
"She could still be an alien," says Dil.
"I'm starting to think that," I said.
Jade's POV:
It was late at night. I was in my bed. Then I heard a weird tap on the window. I got up and looked and saw the weirdest face.
"Come out and play Child," it said, "come out and play!"
Jackie's POV:
At Section Thirteen, Angelica was telling me about Kraskell.
"He used to work for my mom, and now he has my mom's job. Can you believe it?"
"It sounds like your mom didn't show him much respect."
We both saw Kimi walking through the halls looking for something.
"Anything alright," I asked.
"Fine! Everything's fine! It's not like I'm looking for my diary or anything!" Kimi then gives a nervous smile.
Dil then came in. "I didn't get to meet aliens," he said, "but someone or something gave me this book. Whoever wrote it seems to really like Tommy..."
Kimi then tackles Dil.
Angelica and I both stared.
"Dil read it wrong," says Kimi, "it's not about Tommy Pickles, it's about... Timmy Pickit! I gotta go." Kimi then runs away.
"Well, that happened," says Angelica.
I then noticed Jade walking by, looking smug for some reason.
Jade's POV:
That night, I was in my bed again, and that's when he showed up again.
"Come out and play Child," he said, "come out and play!"
Jackie's POV:
I was walking down the halls when I saw someone I didn't recognize. Then I took another look and saw it was Chuckie with green hair.
"What happened to you," I asked.
"Someone dyes my hair green," says Chuckie.
I looked and saw Jade looking smug again. But here's what's really strange. She was looking a little pale.
Jade's POV:
I was in my bed, when my new friend showed up. Guess what he says?
"Come out and play Child," he said, "come out and play!"
Jackie's POV:
I was in the cafeteria when I saw Phil entering.
"Anyone seen Lil," he asks.
"PHILLIP!"
Lil was blue all over.
"Did you replace my shampoo with blue dye?"
"Huh? No... wait... nope, I'm innocent."
"Don't you guys see," asks Dil, "first, Kimi's diary, then Chuckie's hair, and now, Lil's skin. Section Thirteen is haunted!"
I had my own theory.
. . .
Later that night, I was waiting outside Jade's door. I was listening in, and I heard a strange voice.
"Come out and play Child," it said, "come out and play!"
Some older man has been sneaking into Jade's room... but wait, how did he find Section Thirteen? I then opened the door and found she was gone.
. . .
The next morning, I kept an eye on Jade. She was getting paler. Then Angelica came in, looking puffy.
"Had to be dragon fruit," says Susie, "Angelica's super allergic. It... well, does this."
"Maybe we can use the Monkey Talisman to help her," suggests Harold.
"It'll just turn her to an animal," says Susie.
"Exactly, then she wouldn't look like this."
It's time I figured out what was going on, but I have a feeling Jade wouldn't tell me.
. . .
Looking at the Section Thirteen security monitors, I learned some things. For starters, I apparently pick my nose in my sleep. That explains a lot. Also, there's Jade and her new friend. But... he doesn't look human.
. . .
I showed the image to Uncle.
"Ha! Jackie picks nose!"
"Wrong image. Look at this guy."
"Aiiee-yaaaahh! That is a Grundel!"
"A what?"
"A malicious ghost who is always looking for a willing child to manipulate into doing bad things. However, in order for his power to work, the child has to willingly let him into their house or accept a handshake from him in person. Should the child continue to do bad things under his influence, then he or she will turn into a Grundel after a while. Once the child has made a full transformation, the Grundel will then leave that child to find another."
"Could Jade really be willing to..."
Uncle and I both nod our heads.
"We better save her."
. . .
Uncle and I were at Section Thirteen at night. We were both waiting outside Jade's room.
"Normally, I wouldn't believe in ghosts," I said, "but considering the magic talisman and the shadow monsters, this is just a thing."
"Wait for it," says Uncle.
"Come out and play Child..."
"Now," says Uncle as he and I both broke in. Jade and the Grundel were gone.
"Can you keep down the racket," says Angelica, who's room is next door.
"Angelica, Jade is being manipulated by the Grundel," I said.
"I... think I might know who you're talking about," says Angelica, "when I was 3, this weird ghoulish guy came to me. I... kind of scared him off."
"Well, if we don't find him, Jade will become just like him. Let's go."
. . .
We were at the Gym. I saw something.
"Jade," I asked.
Jade comes out of the shadows, looking more like the Grundel.
"In the flesh!"
"Jade, the Grundel is using you," I said.
"The Grundel is helping me have some real fun."
"I remember you," says the Grundel to Angelica, "years ago. Your voice kept me away."
Angelica was embarrassed and Uncle started to snicker.
"Susie is the bad singer, not me." says Angelica but I don't believe it.
The Grundel was about to attack, but then an energy blast hit him. We all looked to the left and saw that it was Uncle.
"But... how..." I started.
"Captain Black is not the only man with secrets."
The Grundel flies away.
"Angelica, you deal with Jade. Uncle and I will go after the Grundel." Uncle and I leave.
. . .
Uncle and I were looking for the Grundel.
"Come out and play, Grundel," I said, mocking him, "come out and play!"
"Funny man," says the Grundel, who then attacks me.
"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao," Uncle started saying, "Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao, Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!" Uncle then traps the Grundel in an energy field. "We may have the Grundel, but as long as he's bonded with Jade, we cannot get rid of him."
"Great, so now what do we do?"
"You can let him go," says Jade as she holds Angelica by the neck.
"Jade, you don't want to do this," I said.
"Let my friend go or she gets it!"
"I hate Section Thirteen," says Angelica.
Uncle then releases the Grundel, who then grabs me by the neck. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Chan."
"Woah, woah, he is my Uncle," says Jade.
"So, you have another one. This one will also meet an unfortunate ending."
"I don't want any part of this," and as Jade was saying that she was starting to look more like herself and let's go of Angelica, "I'm sorry, but I'm done. Oh, and by the way, I wasn't really going to kill her, I was just trying to scare you guys into freeing him."
"What?" The Grundel lets go of me, and Uncle does his spell again.
"Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao," Uncle started saying, "Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao, Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao!" The Grundel then disappears.
"Uncle, how..."
"Uncle knew Jade would renounce Grundel if you were in danger... and Uncle also knew that Jade wasn't really going to hurt Angelica but was trying to scare us into freeing him."
"No, I mean, how did you do any of that magic stuff?"
"Oh, that. Funny story. Uncle is a chi wizard."
"I always thought you were cheesy," says Angelica.
"CHI! Chi is life force."
"Okay, now back to your plan," I said.
"The best way to deal with bad influences is to have the child see they're bad."
. . .
The next day, Jade was making up for the pranks she'd been pulling on everyone. I think she really learned a lesson.
"By the way, Kimi," says Dil, "you really should talk to this Timmy Pickit guy."
"Whose Timmy Pickit," asks Tommy.
"That's what I'd like to know," says Chuckie.
In the next chapter, Jackie will be looking for the Rat Talisman and it brings a statue of Arimanius to life.