Okay, next episode is "The Very Hungry Ghost." Overall, I liked this one better than "Goat Your Own Way," though the song wasn't as catchy. It was nice seeing Molly meet the Ghost Council for the first time even though they didn't really interact much. Fun fact: I wanted to name this chapter "Sart Duan Siblings," but decided against it since Molly and Darryl's sibling rivalry was a subplot at best. I still think it's a better title than what I ended up calling it.
The most fun part about this chapter for me, though, was writing Fatso. If there's one thing that's comedy gold to me, it's seeing a character who is normally so calm and unbothered go insane. Fatso's already hilarious to me a majority of the time, so him being angry is guaranteed laughs. This may also serve as catharsis for all the times the poor guy's been picked on in the past. Without further ado, please enjoy.
Stretch, Stinkie, & Fatso: Muahahahahahaaaa!
Molly: Can't believe you're all mine
Fatso: Uh, what?
Molly: You and me for all time
Stretch: No way!
Molly: I'm never, ever, EVER gonna be alone again
Stinkie: This stinks!
Molly: It's just you three and me
Fatso: For all eternity?!
Molly: For all ETERNITY!
Stretch, Stinkie, & Fatso: NOOOO!
Molly & Ghostly Trio: It's the Ghost-Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee
Fatso: We've been cursed!
Stinkie: It's the worst!
Molly: Now you're stuck with me
Molly & Ghostly Trio: We're never gonna be apart
Stretch: Is there a way to hit 'restart'?
Molly: Nope!
Molly & Ghostly Trio: We're the Ghost-Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee
Molly: That's me!
Stinkie: Well, that's she. Hee, hee, hee!
Molly & Ghostly Trio: Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee!
Fatso: Oh yeah!
Chapter 28
A Gathering of Old Ghosts
It was a special day in the McGee household. Pete and Sharon had gone on a private camping trip, leaving Molly and Darryl to be looked after by Grandma Nin. And Grandma Nin had big plans for the family. Specifically, plans that involved a ton of cooking. However, there were so many dishes that needed preparing, there was no way one elderly woman could do it on her own. Luckily, she had the help of her two generous grandkids, Molly and Darryl.
Molly scooped up the last bit of curry into the bowl she was holding.
"Where do you want this, Grandma Nin?"
Grandma Nin had just set down a stuffed durian fruit on the counter.
"Over here with the others, Molly." she answered.
Darryl went to go check on the eggs he was frying, when suddenly, the Ghostly Trio popped out of the pan.
"Nin!" they all shouted before wrapping themselves around their favorite relative.
"What are you doin' here?" Stretch asked.
"What is that perfume you're wearin'?" Stinkie mentioned.
"What does the fox say?" Fatso blurted out randomly.
"Well, ya already know what a seal says…" Stretch whacked Fatso on the head.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Grandma Nin giggled at their shenanigans.
"Sharon and Peter are off on a camping trip, so I'm in charge."
"Campin' again?" Stretch snorted. "Ya think they would've learned from the last time after that bear invaded our campsite."
"Yeah, he ate all the food before Fatso got the chance." Stinkie added.
"Show-off…" Fatso grumbled. He then sniffed the air. "Speakin' of food, where's that delicious smell comin' from?"
His eyes darted toward the counter where the various plates of food were.
"Aww, Nin! Ya made me an all-you-can-eat buffet for breakfast! Or as I like to call it, 'an all-you-will-eat.' Look out!"
Grandma Nin held Fatso back with a pair of chopsticks.
"Uh, uh, uh! That's for sart duan sim."
"Is that Thai for 'in my mouth'?"
Molly wrapped an arm around Fatso. "No, silly! It's a traditional Thai festival where we honor our ancestors and other hungry spirits with extra, super yummy food offerings!"
She presented a dish covered in stir-fry, making Fatso drool.
"A holiday about givin' food to ghosts? Hey, I'm a ghost! Don't mind if I do!"
He stuck his hand out to grab some noodles, only for Molly to slam a lid onto his hand.
"YOOOOOWWWW!"
Grandma Nin took the plate from Molly. "Sorry, Fatso. You have to wait until tonight. And also, the food is not just for you; you have to share it with your brothers."
"Yeah, we gotta eat too, ya know." Stretch glared at Fatso.
"I call dibs on that durian!" Stinkie claimed.
Fatso crossed his arms stubbornly. "All right, all right…they can have a little, I guess. Hmph. Sharin'. The one time equality bites…"
"But there is still much work to be done." Grandma Nin informed Molly and Darryl. "Which is why I'll need my best kitchen helper!"
She held out a pair of aprons and gave one each to Molly and Darryl.
"Obviously, you're talking about me." Darryl boasted. "But you can't say it due to…familiar obligations."
Molly let out a long gasp. "If this is about that time I put salt in the sticky rice, I was only five!"
"Excuses, excuses." Darryl quipped.
The brother and sister stared daggers at each other, looking as if they were ready to duke it out.
"So, you're still playin' this game, huh?" Stretch commented to Nin, recalling how she had caused his brothers to fight over who was her favorite ghost.
Nin shrugged. "It gets them motivated, doesn't it?"
Fatso got in between Molly and Darryl.
"C'mon kiddos, no need to fight. You're forgettin' the spirit of the holiday. Servin' tons of delicious food to me!"
"Ahem!" Stretch and Stinkie glared.
"Yeah, yeah. Them, too…But mostly me."
"Actually Fatso, this holiday is about giving." Grandma Nin corrected "And not just to your brothers. You need to invite all your other ghost friends as well."
Fatso scratched his chin. "Hm…friends, friends…nope! Don't got any of those! Oh well!"
He swiped a plate and prepared to dump the contents into his mouth. But Molly snatched it from him.
"Nice try, Fatso. You do too have friends. What about Poil?"
"Poil? Never heard of 'em."
"Yes you have. She's the sweet little blonde ghost who idolizes you. Always going on about how to spell her name? P-O-I-"
"Oh great, now she's got you spellin' it too?" Stretch pinched his forehead.
"Still not ringin' a bell." Fatso fibbed. "What kinda dumb name is 'Poil,' anyway?"
"Says the ghost named 'Fatso.'" Darryl remarked.
"Hey! Mine's a family name! At least I think it is…"
Fatso reached out his hand to try to grab a dumpling off the plate Molly was holding, only for her to eat it before he got the chance.
"Hey! I coulda eaten that!"
"Well, if you don't invite Poil, you won't be eating any of this! So make a decision."
"Ugh! Fine! We'll invite Poil! Are ya happy now?"
"Very." Nin nodded.
"I'm not!" Stretch insisted. "That gal is the most obnoxious phantom in the Ghost World! And invitin' her over ain't worth nothin'! Not even some big, fancy dinner!"
Fatso grabbed Stretch by the throat.
"Listen here, pal! This meal is the most important part of my afterlife! So I don't care how much it inconveniences you! I'm gettin' my food tonight no matter what! 'Cause if I don't, you don't wanna know what I'll do! Capiche?!"
Stretch didn't respond, too stunned from Fatso's sudden outburst. Fatso then opened a portal to the Ghost World and pushed Stretch and Stinkie in.
"Now let's go! Move it!"
Molly, Darryl, and Nin stood blankly for a few seconds after the portal closed.
"Wow…I didn't know Fatso had it in him." Darryl said.
"I bet he learn it from your mother." Nin informed him.
Later on, the Trio met up with Poil at the Ghost Café.
"Really? You want me to have dinner at your place?" Poil exclaimed after the Trio explained things to her.
"Not exactly." Stretch replied nonchalantly, earning an intimidating growl from Fatso. "But we kinda have to."
"Gee, thanks fellas!" Poil hugged Stretch. "I feel so special! So loved! So appreciated! And this whole time my boofriend has always told me: 'They don't really like ya at all, ya ditz. Nobody can put up with you. Not even me!'"
"Wow, can't imagine why he would say that." Stinkie remarked sarcastically. "Who doesn't like you?"
"Exactly!" Poil released Stretch. "He says the dumbest thing sometimes."
"I can see why ya like 'im so much." Stretch snorted. "By the way, yer not too keen on Thai food, are ya Poil?"
Poil giggled. "Stretch, you big silly! Ties are for wearin', not eatin'!"
"No, that's not what he-" Stinkie facepalmed. "Look, ya don't like spicy food, right?"
Poil shook her head. "Not really."
"So you're sayin' yer delicate constitution can't handle it?" Stretch clarified.
"No, I'm sayin' I can't handle it. I don't got no copy of the U.S. Constitution."
Stretch ignored her ignorant comment. "Ooh, that might be a bit of an issue. See, this is a Thai festival."
"That's okay. I may not own any ties, but I'm sure I can borrow one to wear. Geez, didn't expect yous guys to host such a formal event."
Stretch rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, this 'formal event' is gonna have a ton of spicy food. I guarantee there won't be anythin' there that your sensitive stomach can digest properly. So, maybe it's better if ya don't come after a-"
Fatso snarled and broke the coffee cup he was holding with his fist.
"…Er, on second thought, I'm sure we'll have some plain white rice for ya. Tell ya what. How's about you just pop by, say hello, and we'll give ya a bowl to take home?"
"Sounds great!" Poil floated out of her seat. "Well, I better get goin'! I got a lot of preppin' to do for this party! Startin' with findin' someone who can lend me a tie. See ya!"
Stretch held her back. "Not so fast, short sheet! We forgot to tell ya the most important thing: whatever ya do…Don't. Tell. Nobody! Got it?"
"Don't tell nobody?" Poil repeated and shrugged. "Okay…whatever you say, Stretch."
With that, she flew out of the café.
Stretch breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that went better than I anticipated."
Fatso stared at his broken cup and coffee-stained hand.
"Uh…can someone get me another latte?"
Meanwhile, Grandma Nin and the kids were still hard at work preparing dinner for the ghosts. Nin was in the middle of demonstrating how to properly fold a dumpling.
"And lastly, pinch the center to make it a tiny pouch. Like this!" she held out her finished dumpling.
Molly and Darryl gave each other competitive stares.
"No problem!"
"So easy!"
The siblings grabbed their ingredients and immediately began the folding process, both wanting to be the first to complete their dumpling.
"Done!" Molly handed Grandma Nin her creation.
"Excellent, Molly!" Nin complimented. "What perfect pleating!"
"Why, thank you…" Molly raised her eyebrows smugly at Darryl.
"However," Nin continued. "We're going to need more than this. You know how much Fatso eats. I'd say another 50 will be sufficient."
"Oh, don't worry." Darryl pushed a whole plateful of the dumplings he had completed toward his grandmother. "I got you covered."
"Oh my! You work fast, Darryl! I'm impressed!"
Darryl stuck his tongue out at his sister.
"But you know, there is such a thing as working too fast. Being precise is just as important as being speedy, if not more. You may have the quantity, but the quality?" Grandma Nin poked the stack of dumplings and they deflated. "Uh-uh."
Molly bit her lip, trying to hold back laughter.
The McGees continued to cook many more Thai-inspired dishes for the next several hours. Throughout that time, Molly and Darryl kept fighting for Grandma Nin's approval. Eventually, it got dark and it was time for the festival. Molly and Darryl brought all of the food out to the table that was set up outside, pushing and shoving each other to try to get there before the other.
Fatso was seated at the end of the table, a napkin tied around his neck.
"Oh boy, oh boy!" he clapped his hands. "Just look at that smorgasbord! What a sight! Only thing that would make it better is if the utensils started singin' and dancin'. But whatever! I'll still be your guest."
Fatso reached out a hand to serve himself, only for Grandma Nin to come out of nowhere and slap it.
"Fatso! You have to wait until everyone gets here first. Where's Poil?"
"Beats me." Fatso shrugged. "Maybe she got stuck in traffic."
"She don't even own a car." Stretch pointed out.
"Knowin' Poil, she probably would find a way to get stuck in traffic anyway." Stinkie joked.
"C'mon, let me have just a teensy, weensy little taste?" Fatso begged Nin. "I'm sure Poil won't mind."
"No." Nin stayed firm. "We're waiting and that's that."
"Fine." Fatso grumbled. "But if I starve to death, it'll be your fault."
"You can't starve to death." Nin chuckled. "You're already dead."
"Well…I'll starve to life then!"
"Pretty sure that's not a thing." Stinkie told him.
Suddenly, Poil poofed into the backyard.
"Hi, everyone! Sorry I'm late. Had to iron this." she showed off the tie she was wearing around her neck. "Ya like it? It wasn't easy to get, but the last thing I want is to insult anyone's heritage by not wearin' a tie to a 'tie festival.'"
"Poil!" Fatso zipped up to her and hugged her tight. "You made it! What took ya so long? I was gettin' worried!"
"Aww…" Poil was flattered. "You was worried about me, Fatso?"
Fatso let her go. "No, my stomach. If you had come a minute later, it would've imploded on me. Well, as promised! Here ya go!" he stuffed a plate of plain rice into Poil's mouth. "Go on, hurry up! Swallow it! Down the hatch! There ya go!"
Poil gulped it down. "Mmm! Bland yet enjoyable!"
"Perfect!" Fatso took his seat once more. "And now that Poil's had her food, I can have mine, right?"
Nin shook her head. "Not yet. Your brothers need to eat, too."
"What?!" Fatso slammed his fist on the table. "Why should they get to go first?!"
Molly and Darryl served Stretch and Stinkie a plate of food each.
"It's the only way to ensure we actually get to eat anythin'." Stretch responded to Fatso's question.
"And we're gonna take our sweet, sweet time savorin' every single morsel." Stinkie teased. "How much time, you ask? Who knows? Could be an hour. Maybe two. Maybe-"
In response to this, Fatso snatched the plates and poured the food into his brothers' mouths. He then squished their cheeks together to help them chew and bopped them on the heads, forcing them to swallow. After which, Stinkie let out a powerful belch onto Stretch.
"Okay!" Fatso sat down again. "Poil's done. Stretch and Stinkie are done. No one else is here, so it's my turn!"
But just as Fatso was about to dig in, to everyone's surprise, several portals opened up around the backyard. And out of each portal came a different ghost that Molly and the Trio had encountered in the past. There was Ezekiel Tugbottom and his Auntie Maimed, Abraham Lincoln, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra…even Franklin D. Roosevelt had shown up in his ghostly wheelchair.
Fatso looked on in horror as the spirits began eating what was supposed to be his food.
"Huh? W-W-What's goin' on?"
Ezekiel Tugbottom swiped a dumpling.
"Well, if it isn't my old friend, Fatty? Thanks for inviting me!"
"I did what?"
Auntie Maimed soon joined them, riding atop her ghost bear.
"Indeed! I'm glad to be here as well! By the way, where am I? And what am I doing here! Oh, that's right! I was invited to this sensational soiree! This is normally the part where I would sing about the joys of gathering for a meal, but why would I waste time singing about my food when I can just eat it instead?" she grabbed a plate of noodles and took a bite, offering some to her bear as well.
Fatso went over to Stretch and Stinkie.
"Okay, what's happening? Why are all these ghosts here? I didn't invite 'em! Did you guys invite 'em?"
"Are you kiddin'?" Stretch denied. "It's bad enough we had to bring Poil." his eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute…POIL!"
Poil popped up between Stretch and Stinkie.
"Yes?"
"Did you invite all these ghosts to the party?" Stretch interrogated furiously.
"Sure did!" Poil confirmed. "All except 'Nobody'! Whoever that is."
"What?"
"Well, ya said specifically not to tell 'Nobody.' And I ain't never met anyone with the name 'Nobody' in the Ghost World before. But just in case, I made sure to ask the name of every ghoul I saw. And well, since none of them was named 'Nobody,' I knew it was okay to go ahead and tell 'em about tonight."
The Trio were all flabbergasted. Especially Fatso.
"You did…WHAT?!"
Poil remained clueless even as Fatso lifted her up by her bow in a threatening way.
"Yeah, I knew you'd be happy. But if I'm bein' honest, I feel a little bad for this 'Nobody' fella. What do ya got against him anyway? Poor guy must be real lonesome right now."
Fatso wanted to give Poil a piece of his mind, but upon glancing at the table and seeing a few empty plates, he knew he had bigger problems to worry about.
"Hey! Stop that!" he dove through the crowd of hungry ghosts. "This is my special feast, do ya hear me? So, cut it out! Oh no ya don't! Those pancakes are mine! Give 'em back, you pigs!"
Grandma Nin was watching from the window.
"Goodness! More guests? We'd better get cooking again if we're going to feed them all!" she retrieved her apron.
"Sure thing, Grandma!" Molly stepped forward, pushing Darryl back. "I'll be happy-"
"We'll be happy to help." Darryl corrected her.
"Aw, you both are so thoughtful. Thank you." Nin grinned. "I hope you know that even with what I'm about to put you through, I still love you both very much. Don't take it personally."
Molly and Darryl grew nervous.
"Uh…take what personally, Grandma?" Molly questioned.
"What are you going to put us through?" Darryl worried.
Grandma Nin didn't answer either of them. Instead, she turned around and discreetly grabbed something off the kitchen counter. When she turned back to the kids, she had a wicked smile on her face and a knife in each of her hands.
"MWAHAHAHAHAHA!" she laughed evilly, making her grandchildren cringe with fear.
What happened next, however, scared them even more. Grandma Nin used the knives she was holding to slice a stack of vegetables to pieces. After that, she proceeded to jump up and drop a huge pile of empty dumplings in between Molly and Darryl, making their jaws drop. Finally, she landed and did an epic ninja-like pose on the kitchen floor.
"What are you just standing around for?" she scolded. "GET TO WORK!"
Terrified, Molly and Darryl began stuffing as many dumplings as they could.
"Is that the best you can do?" she shouted at Molly. "I've seen snails move faster!"
"I thought you cared more about quality than speed!" Molly reminded her.
"That was before we had 100 ghosts outside! Now pick up the pace!"
Nin moved to Darryl. "Come on, Chef Boy! You made two dozen of those dumplings in just ten minutes before, so now I want double that in half the time!"
"I can't!" Darryl whined. "These things are too delicate."
"YOU'RE TOO DELICATE!" Nin screamed.
The McGee kids kept working hard under their grandmother's harsh supervision, growing more and more exhausted by the minute. They were beginning to understand why Sharon was so triggered by the idea of cooking. Most likely, she had had to deal with this same kind of pressure as a child. Nevertheless, Molly and Darryl still wanted to be the one to impress Nin the most, so no matter how tired they were, they kept going. At one point, they were so desperate to win, they even started to sabotage each other. It was truly a frustrating situation. But they weren't the only ones struggling. Fatso was still outside, desperate to get some food. But every time he came close to eating something as simple as a dumpling, one of the uninvited ghosts would swipe it from him.
Singer: I'm working hard
But it ain't working
'Cause there's always something getting in my way
I get no traction
No satisfaction
And I don't know how much more I can take
Molly, Darryl, & Fatso: Frustration!
Singer: I'm not having any fun
Moly, Darryl, & Fatso: Frustration!
Fatso: That was touching my tongue!
Molly, Darryl, & Fatso: Frustration!
Singer: But I won't, I can't get it
Nin: I love you both…but this crimping is pathetic!
Molly, Darryl, & Fatso: Frustration!
Singer: Why you treating me rude?
Molly, Darryl, & Fatso: Frustration!
Fatso: Stop takin' my food!
Molly, Darryl, & Fatso: Frustration!
Singer: I just keep falling behind
Fatso ducked under the table and stuck out his hand, trying to steal whatever food was left. He brightened up when his fingers felt something.
Fatso: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
As it turns out, he had touched Auntie Maimed's bear and it growled at him in annoyance.
Fatso: Oops! Never mind! AAAAHHH!
Singer: Can't keep pace
I'm losing the race
Fatso: I just want some food in my face!
All: Frustration!
After losing the bear and snatching a plate from Abraham Lincoln, Fatso settled under a tree, away from everyone.
"The last time I had a dumpling this good, I was alive!" Julius Caesar joked, prompting laughter from Auntie Maimed and Cleopatra.
"Try one of these!" Poil offered a skewer to a ghost with freckles and a black nose. "They're to die for!"
Fatso covered his plate in desperation.
"Don't worry, babies. I'll protect ya. Nobody's gonna eat ya as long as I'm around. Well…except me! Heh, heh, heh!"
He was about to chow down, when a voice from behind him made him jump.
"Well, this is a whole new level of pitiful."
Fatso quickly hid his plate. "Back off! Or I'll-"
When he turned around, he saw Stretch and Stinkie giving him unimpressed looks.
"Oh. It's just you." he relaxed. "You scared me there.""What are ya doin' over here by yourself?" Stinkie inquired. "You reach yer social interaction limit, too?"
"Uh, not exact-"
"Ya got nothin' to be ashamed of." Stretch interrupted. "There's only so many times you can hear the same conversation starters until ya fly off the handle."
"Right?" Stinkie agreed. "It's always 'how are you' this and 'nice weather we're having' that. Yeah, I know the weather's been nice, ya don't have to tell me what I can plainly see!"
"No, it's not any of that!" Fatso explained. "I'm hidin' from the other ghosts so they don't steal any more of my food. Those guys are animals, I tell ya! Every time I get this close to takin' a bite…bam! They swoop in and my chance is gone! Why are they doin' this to me?"
"Maybe as payback for all the times ya stole their food?" Stinkie pointed out.
"Well…it doesn't matter! Can you guys just be on the lookout for me and let me know if anyone comes by?"
"Why should we?" Stretch scoffed. "What's in it for us?"
The tallest of the Trio once again felt himself being forcefully lifted up by his youngest brother.
"Let me shed some light for ya. I have not had a single nibble, not one bite, not even the tiniest of crumbs all day! You're familiar with the term 'hangry,' right? Hungry and angry at the same time? Well, that's how I'm feelin' right now, bucko! And when I'm hangry, I tend to do things without thinkin'! Specifically things that have a negative impact on everyone around me! So I'm warnin' you now, that if I don't get to eat tonight, I will personally spend the rest of this week givin' you the most painful, miserable experience of yer afterlife! Is that understood?!"
Stretch winced as he noticed fire in Fatso's eyes. "Okay! Okay! Understood! Just let me go already! Sheesh."
Fatso released Stretch upon his request.
"Nice effect with the fire eyes, by the way." Stretch commented.
"He definitely learned that from Sharon." Stinkie guessed.
Satisfied, Fatso returned to his food.
"Sorry about that, babies. I promise there won't be any more interruptions."
But right as he said that, another portal opened above him. This time, however, instead of letting out another ghost that wanted to join the party, it sucked the Trio up. The next thing they knew, they were in front of the Ghost Council.
"Ah, there you three are." J. Edgar Boover said upon their arrival.
Stretch got up and dusted himself off.
"Oh, hey there, Ghost Council."
"Hey there, Ms. B." Stinkie winked.
Fatso didn't say anything, too busy picking up the food he had dropped.
"Well?" Stretch crossed his arms impatiently.
"Oh! Sorry." Fatso hid the plate and cleared his throat. "Hey there, Delilah! How was that?"
"Perfectly stupid as always." Stretch replied before smacking him.
"I suppose you know why we've summoned you here." J. Edgar Boover went on.
"Pfft, sure we do!" Stretch fibbed. "But uh, why don't ya tell us anyway so we can confirm we were right?"
A copy of the Trio's monthly scare report appeared in front of Ms. Banshee.
"There's been a certain inconsistency in your scare report."
"Or as you wrote it, your 'scar report.'" Ms. Stifflips turned the paper around, showing the Trio the error.
Stretch and Stinkie shot accusatory glances at Fatso, who was still hiding his food.
"What? We were in a rush that week!"
Ms. Banshee snapped her fingers and the report vanished.
"Do you think this is funny? Is this a game to you? Were you under the impression that spelling doesn't count around here?"
Stretch gulped. "Well, uh…ya never mentioned it before and it didn't seem like a-"
"Because as a former school teacher, I can promise you…IT DOOOOOEEEEES!"
Ms. Banshee screamed so loud that Fatso's plate flew out of his hands and smashed onto the floor.
"Gah! No, no, no, no!" Fatso attempted to salvage what was left.
"What are you hiding over there?" J. Edgar Boover interrogated.
Stretch and Stinkie blocked Fatso from view.
"Oh, don't worry about that!"
"Yeah, Fatso's just havin' a little snack! You know how he is. Hee, hee!"
The Ghost Council floated out of their seats and surrounded the Trio. They got a good look at the spilled food.
"Hm. Strange." J. Edgar Boover noted. "This looks far more sophisticated than the garbage he usually eats. Where did he get it?"
"Well, this is gonna sound crazy," Stretch began. "But he actually got it from a fleshie. A family of fleshies, more specifically."
"Is that so?" Ms. Banshee raised an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah!" Stretch bragged. "Get this; they're so terrified of us, that we got 'em to prepare our very own feast! Some Thai festival called…uh…what is it again?"
"A sart duan sib?" Professor Frankenstein answered.
"Right, right. Ya know, if ya let us come to more parties, we'd probably know that." Stretch mentioned bitterly.
"So that's what Poil was blabbering on about earlier." J. Edgar Boover deduced. "To be honest, we weren't really listening to her. We've learned to tune her out."
"I think we all have, pal." Stinkie concurred.
"Well, either way, this feast of yours sounds delightfully frightful!" Ms. Stifflips exclaimed.
"We accept your invitation!" J. Edgar Boover stated.
"What?!" Fatso intervened. "Hold on, we didn't say nothin' about no invitation!"
Stretch covered Fatso's mouth. "What Fatso means is, it's sort of a…private event, ya know? No outsiders allowed."
"Not even me?"
Ms. Banshee came forward, batting her eyelashes, and Stretch and Stinkie literally melted from her beauty. She approached Fatso with a flirty grin.
"Come on, Fatso," she persuaded. "You wouldn't turn me down for a date, would you?"
Fatso turned red. "A d-d-d-date? With you? Uh…n-n-n-no! Course not! I wouldn't dare!"
Ms. Banshee tickled his chin. "Good. So, that means we can go to your feast?"
A big, dopey smile spread across Fatso's face.
"W-W-Well, I-I-I-I guess…maybe…you can come for a little bit. H-H-H-Heck, you can stay all night if ya want to…heh, heh…"
"That's my big, strong specter. I'm sure it will be a lovely feast. And if it isn't…I WILL NOT BE HAAAPPPYYYYY!"
Fatso was blown backward from Ms. Banshee's scream and he hit the Chairman's podium. Looking up, he noticed the cloaked terror rising from his seat, showing that he also intended on attending the feast. He held up one of his bony fingers, creating a portal for him and the Ghost Council, and then the five of them took their leave.
Once Stretch and Stinkie recovered from Ms. Banshee's advances, they flew over to Fatso.
"Ya seriously just let her walk all over you like that?" Stretch reprimanded.
"Yeah, what happened to bein' hangry?" Stinkie reminded him.
Fatso sat up, still smiling. "When it comes to anger of any type, there ain't nobody who can come close to Ms. B's."
Stretch only facepalmed.
Back at the feast, the ghosts were still chatting, eating, and having a good time. However, they soon felt a chill through the air and the candles on the table went out. If that wasn't enough, thunder began to boom and lightning struck. Finally, a portal opened on the ground and the Chairman emerged from it, looking just as intimidating as ever. The Ghost Council soon followed. The other guests were terrified by their presence.
"The…The Chairman?"
"I didn't know he was invited."
"You know what? I think I left my stove on."
In a matter of seconds, the table cleared out and all of the ghosts exited through portals. All except one.
"Hiya, Mr. Chairman!" Poil waved. "Glad ya could make it! You're a little late, but hey! Only the best partygoers show up that way! I know I did!"
Ms. Banshee approached her. "Poil? Do you know what time it is?"
"Dunno. I don't got no watch."
"It's…TIME-TO-GO-O-CLOOOOOOOCK!"
Ms. Banshee's voice blew Poil into a portal and it closed her in. After that, the council members took their seats.
"Wow." Stretch whistled. "You guys really know how to make an entrance, huh?"
"Worthless fleshies!" J. Edgar Boover clapped his hands. "We demand our offering! Now!"
"Uh…yeah, bone bags!" Stretch played along. "Bring us our food!"
Molly came outside with a towel around her arm like a waiter.
"You called? Oh! Hi, Stretch! Didn't know that was you. Well, what can I get for my bestest buddies?"
"Shh! Moll!" Stinkie shushed.
"Moll?" Boover repeated. "What is that? Is that some sort of cutesy nickname?"
"Uh…no!" Stinkie denied. "I was tryin' to say…uh…mollusk! That's what I want for my offerin'!" he shook his fist at Molly. "Got it, skin sack?"
"Is that even a Thai dish?" Ms. Stifflips asked Professor Frankenstein.
"How would I know? I'm German!" Frankenstein responded.
"And why did she address you three as her 'bestest buddies'?" Ms. Banshee demanded.
"'Cause that's what we are! Duh!" Molly hugged the Trio. "Friends to the end, right fellas?"
Stretch slapped a hand over Molly's mouth and shoved her toward the door.
"Wrong! Obviously, what she meant to say was 'bestest biddees.'"
"Yeah, yeah!" Stinkie nodded. "See, she does our biddin' which makes her the 'bidder.'"
"And that makes us the 'biddees'!" Fatso finished.
"Exactly! Get it now? Totally real words." Stretch insisted. "But enough about that. How's about we scare up some offerings for ya?" he whispered into Molly's ear. "Act scared and run back in the house!"
Suddenly, Stretch grew larger and creepier.
"Okay, fleshie…gimme. My. MEEAAAALLL!" he screamed.
Molly ran back inside, pretending to be scared. "Oh no! Ghosts!"
Once she was gone, Stretch reverted to normal size.
"See? She's petrified. Anywho, we'd better go in and make sure she does the job right, know what I'm sayin'?"
The Trio phased through the door, leaving the Ghost Council looking suspicious.
"Boy, that was a close one!" Stinkie noted. "We really need to get Molly to some theater classes. Her actin' stinks worse than her dancin'."
"Hey! I'm a great dancer!" Molly argued. "And who are those guys anyway?"
"The Ghost Council!" Stretch explained. "Ya know how we're required to do a scare report every month? They're the ones who make us do 'em!"
"They're the ones who monitor every ghost in the Ghost World to make sure they're livin' up to their standards!" Stinkie added.
"They're the ones…" Fatso blanked. "Aw, I'm too hungry to think of a witty, unrelated remark."
Molly thought for a moment. "Wait…I remember now! They're like your bosses, right? Yeah, you've talked about them before. Ms. Banshee is one of them, right? The same one you three are totally obsessed with?" she looked out the window. "Which one is her, by the way? Is it the one with green skin? Because if it is, I do not see the appeal."
"Never mind that!" Stretch snapped Molly back into focus. "The point is we gotta get rid of 'em before they find out the truth about us!"
"Aww…" Molly pinched Stretch's cheeks. "Whatsa matter, Stretchy? Don't wanna embarrass yourself in front of your crush?"
"Moll, this is serious!" Stretch got in her face. "If the council finds out the three of us are friends with ya, we'll be sent to the Flow of Failed Phantoms! That means you'll never see us again! Ever!"
Molly gasped. "Never ever?" her expression suddenly turned serious. "Board up the windows and prepare to fight! I'm not losing my best friends!"
Grandma Nin took out a chainsaw and revved it up.
"I know!" Molly suggested. "Let's barricade the door! That should keep 'em out!"
"Uh…I doubt that'll-" Stretch started, but Molly was already trying to push a table toward the door.
"C'mon…grr…mmph…I got it…nnnggh…" she collapsed. "Is this thing bolted to the floor or something?"
Stretch lifted her up. "Like I was tryin' to say, ghosts can phase through walls, genius. A blocked door won't matter."
"Oh. Right." Molly chuckled sheepishly. "I knew that."
"I have an idea." Nin spoke up. "Why don't we feed them? Isn't that why they came here?"
"Yeah!" Stretch beamed. "It is! If we can get enough food out to 'em, they'll be gone in no time!"
"Sounds good to me." Fatso commented. "As long as there's leftovers!"
"We'll have to do it fast, though." Stinkie mentioned.
"If you want fast, then I'm the one for the job!" Darryl claimed.
"No, I am!" Molly snarled.
Nin pushed Molly toward Darryl. "Perhaps if you work together, you'll not only get things done faster, but you may be able to do twice the work."
The siblings looked away from each other, still a little bitter about their squabble from earlier. But in the end, they both decided the situation was too dire to keep fighting over who was the best. So, the two each held out a hand for the other to shake.
"For the greater good…"
"It's the only way…"
With their differences set aside, the brother-and-sister team started making dumplings, except this time with each other instead of against each other. Darryl handled the stuffing, as he proved to be quick about it, and Molly did the crimping, making sure the dough was smooth and didn't leave any openings. With Darryl's speed and Molly's efficiency, they had a whole stack of dumplings ready in under ten minutes. When they were finished, Grandma Nin went over to check their results. She smiled and gave them a nod of approval, prompting the siblings to high-five. The Trio then stacked the dumplings onto plates and took them outside to serve them to the Ghost Council. At one point, Fatso tried to sneak a snack from the Chairman, but he got spooked by his cold, empty stare.
"Uh…don't mind me! Enjoy!" he backed away nervously.
With everyone served, the Trio returned to their seats, anticipation spread across their faces. Each of the council members picked up a dumpling and ate it. The Trio awaited their reactions.
"…Mmm!" Ms. Stifflips grinned.
"Wunderbar!" Professor Frankenstein exclaimed, eating another dumpling.
The Trio sighed with relief and then noticed the Chairman not eating his food.
"Aw c'mon!" Fatso whined. "Is he just gonna sit there and not eat anything? I could've had those!"
The Chairman glared at him once again and Fatso hid under the table.
Eventually, the Ghost Council finished eating and rose from their chairs.
"A truly satisfying meal." J. Edgar Boover stated.
"I never thought I'd say this to you three," Ms. Banshee addressed the Trio. "But I'm very impressed."
Stretch gulped. "Y-Ya are?"
"Aw, geez…" Stinkie turned red.
"Is it gettin' hot out here?" Fatso started to sweat.
Stretch approached Ms. Banshee.
"Well, glad everythin' was to yer likin', Ms. B. Maybe we can do this again sometime. Just the two of us?"
"Hm. I suppose we could arrange that." Ms. Banshee agreed. "On one condition."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Before you turn in your next scare report, make sure it's a 'scare report' and not a 'scar report.' OR I'LL GIVE YOU A SCAR OF YOUR OWN, ECTO-BRAAAAAINNN!"
Stretch slammed into his brothers and they fell over like bowling pins. And with that, the Ghost Council and the Chairman exited through a portal. As soon as they were gone, Molly, Darryl, and Grandma Nin came outside.
"Well, at least that's over." Molly griped. "I'm exhausted."
"Me too." Darryl concurred.
"At least you didn't have to spend the whole night without a single bite to eat!" Fatso argued.
"Well, maybe if you hadn't been so selfish and shared your food with Poil and your brothers, there would have been enough for all of you." Molly reminded him.
Fatso was stunned by this response. "Wha? I…that…that don't make no sense! I did share with them and that's the reason I didn't get anything! But whatever…" he reached for a dish on the table. "Even though it's probably cold, I'll just have what's left. It's better than nothin'."
Stinkie sucked in a breath. "Uh…yeah, about that…"
Fatso lifted the lid, only to find there was nothing underneath it.
"What the-? It's…all gone?!"
Stretch scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah…the Ghost Council loved those dumplings so much, they took some to go."
"I don't blame 'em." Stinkie shrugged. "They were exceptionally tasty. But I guess you wouldn't know that, would ya?"
The next thing everyone knew, Fatso had grown to twice the size of the house and he had flames in his eyes once again. He towered over the family and spoke in a booming voice.
"IMPUDENT FOOLS! YOU DARE MOCK MY MALNOURISHED STATE?! I WARNED YOU THERE WOULD BE CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT SUSTAINING MY HUNGER! NOW YOU ALL WILL SUFFER MY EVER GROWING WRATH AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL PACIFY ME! NOTHING!"
"…Er, how about we order a pizza?" Nin suggested.
Fatso shrunk down to normal size. "Okay, that works for me."
Ghostly Trio and Molly McGee!
Seriously though, that one line Scratch said about "sharing his food with Geoff" at the end was confusing. Scratch acted like the fact he didn't get any food was his own fault, even though Geoff was the one who invited all those ghosts and they outright stole everything. I really don't see how Scratch was responsible for his own starvation.
Also, the ghost with the black nose that was mentioned? He's an important character who will become relevant in Season 2...
As always, leave a review telling me your thoughts and also let me know if this chapter goes missing. See you next time!