The Rusty Ghoul Catchers:Part Four

     Rusty slowly snuck out of the store, being careful to not been seen by the terrible ghouls. If they saw him, they'd capture him as well. Then only Caliidora would be left to save the wonderful world of Neopia. Rusty couldn't do that to her. He needed to save Big Horner and get rid of the treacherous ghouls, once and for all. The fate of thousands of Neopians rested in their hands...er...paws...flippers? The kind of hands they had didn’t matter that much, all that mattered was getting rid of the monsters. Rusty needed a game plan, and he needed one fast.

     The jetsam thought for a moment, and an idea popped into his head. He’d follow them to where they was going, and at the right time he’d save Big Horner. He preferred waiting until the ghouls left to torment another poor unfortunate soul, but any time would be fine by him.

     Once the creatures were a considerable distance away, the jetsam followed them. He crouched through the tall grass and brush, trying not to make a sound. The ghouls stopped near the graveyard, in the middle of some dead trees. Cages were hanging from the branches, holding nothing but dust. The metal chains creaked as they swayed in the wind.

     The entire area gave off bad vibes. If it hadn't been for his friend getting captured, Rusty wouldn't be there. Altador with its sunny skies and bright faces felt like a much better place to be.

     The big ghoul tossed Big Horner in the cage, slamming the metal door shut and securely locking it. The Korbat didn’t know what to do, and could only sit there. He was terrified out of his mind. He didn’t know if his friends or parents were okay. Did the ghouls capture them too?

     “We better get going, boss says we gonna find more Neopets for his big plan.” The smallest ghoul gave out an order to the others. He appeared to be incredibly bossy and meaner of the three.

     “Alright alright, you don't have to be so bossy Jimmy.” The larger ghoul grunted.

     The ghouls then appeared to leave the area, off to find another victim for their twisted game. Rusty didn't know what kind of plan they had, but whatever it was, it sounded awful. Other Neopians would suffer if he didn't do something.

     “Don’t worry buddy, I’ll save you.” Rusty whispered to no one but himself.

     The jetsam then ran out of the bushes, rushing over to save his dear pal. Sadly, it proved to be a trap. The ghouls flew out from behind the trees, surrounding the poor jetsam. He was trapped with nowhere to go.

     ‘Well well...if it isn’t our favorite little jetsam!” One ghoul laughed maniacally.

     “Let my friend go!” Rusty held up his flipper in a fist, prepared to fight.

     “And if we don't?” Another ghoul floated over, mocking the jetsam. “You're gonna do what? Cry? You gonna go cry to your little jetsam mommy?”

     That only infuried Rusty more. No one talked to him like that. The jetsam prepared for a long battle, throwing punching at the ghouls. He fought with all his might, slowly wearing himself down.

     Fighting back proved to do nothing. The ghouls easily overpowered him. Rusty was humiliated and thrown in a cage as well. Big Horner shyly smiled, wanting to apologize for getting them in this mess.

     Rusty said nothing, he was embarrassed he couldn't fight against the ghouls. He sat there in silence, hoping someone out there would hear their pleas and save them.

     Back in Neovia, Caliidora was pacing around the empty store, worried over her dear friends. “What are we going to do? Rusty and Big Horner are missing and need my help!”

     “I’m sure they’re just fine Cali.” The abandoned attic shop Aisha tried to reassure the young Neopet.

     The island Aisha shook her head back and forth. “We need to search for them! I just know they’re in trouble!”

     ‘Right now?” The ghost Aisha blink, with her hair floating in the air.

     Caliidora nodded. “Right now.”

     The ghost nodded, and Aishas left the store, making their way out of Neovia. They knew the two Neopets must still be in the Haunted Woods somewhere. It was only a matter of finding out where exactly. They could be in the deserted fairground, the battledome area, or even in the castle of Nox. Caliidora hoped they were safe in a store or something, waiting for her.

     “We’re never getting out of here.” Big Horner sniffed, almost crying. He wanted his mom and to be back in Altador. This entire ‘ghoul stole my parents’ theory was absolutely ridiculous. He regretted not listening to Rusty in the first place.

     “Yes we are.” Rusty shushed him as he tried swinging the cage. “We’re gonna get out of here, find your parents, and go home.”

     “Really?” The Korbat wiped his eyes and smiled.

     “Yes really.”

     A large ghoul laughed as he walked over to the cage. “It’s just adorable how you two think you’ll be getting free. Who’s gonna save you huh? Your big hero?”

     The abandoned attic Aisha, who Caliidora recently nicknamed Asa, came to their rescue. “Hey! Leave those poor kids alone!”

     The ghouls glanced at one another, and they all laughed. They couldn’t believe the trio had gotten a ghost to fight their battle for them. It was pretty pathetic. She was small and utterly powerless. All she did was sell items in an abandoned attic, not that she had many customers anyway.

     An even larger ghoul floated out of the bushes. It snarled, looking down at the small Neopets. It was ten times the size of the other ghouls. It must have been the boss they were referring to. It gave off a dark aura, sending terror through the hearts of the Neopians.

     “What puny Neopians dare enter my domain?” Its voiced boomed throughout the forest.

     The abandoned attic Aisha shouted up at him. “This is a sorry excuse for a domain!”

     “You're a sorry excuse for a storekeeper!” The ghoul shot back, earning the applause of his fellow monsters.

     Asa opened her mouth to let out a reply, but Big Horner quickly beat her to it.

     “Oh yeah? Well you're a sorry excuse for a ghoul!” The small Korbat shouted at the top of his lungs.

     The ghouls were distracted by the shouting of the Korbat, hurt from his words. Rusty broke out of his cage, turned on the vacuum, capturing the creatures.

     The ghouls were sucked into the vacuum, trapped there until someone would release them. Caliidora unlocked Big Horner’s cage, and the Korbat fell out of it, face planting into the cold hard ground.

     The team started to congratulate one another. They all exchanged hugs, making sure none of them were severely injured. Thankfully they were all okay, besides Big Horner’s scratched up face. The amount of pain it endured the last few days was an unhealthy amount.

     Caliidora then turned to the abandoned attic Aisha who saved their life. “And we couldn’t do it without you, Asa!”

     The abandoned attic Aisha smiled. “My pleasure. You kids stay out of trouble now, you hear?”

     She floated back to Neovia, to her precious store. Once she arrived she had noticed that Spyders had overthrown her precious store. The inside was covered in cobwebs, making it hard to see anything. There's no way she could let in customers with the store looking like this.

     The Aisha sighed, regretting leaving it in the first place. It would take hours to clean up the cobwebs and round up the Spyders.

     Rusty and his friends were relieved to be leaving the Haunted Woods. Going back to Altador would take some time, but least the worst was over with.

     “Hey wait, we supposed to be looking for my parents!” Big Horner mentioned as he walked by his friends’ side. He was still shook up from the event, but was now worried over the wellbeing of his family. They still hadn't found his parents, and they clearly weren't in the Haunted Woods.

     Rusty and Caliidora exchanged a glance, and laughed. They had forgotten all about their quest to find the parents of their Korbat friend. Hopefully, they would be able to find Mr. and Mrs. Horner. Only time could tell where the Korbats may be. Was the ghoul’s responsible for their sudden disappearance? Or was an even bigger villain hiding out, keeping the Neopians hostage?

     That was a new mystery for the ghoul catchers to solve.

     The Esophagor played a smooth jazz melody on a saxophone as the trio exited the Haunted Woods. It filled the forest with sweet sounds, making the eerie land feel at peace for once. No one knows where he got the instrument or why. As long as it kept the creature happy, it didn’t seem to matter.

     The ghoul catchers now had to find their friend’s parents. It could lead to another ghoul or a bigger quest.

     Who knows where their next adventure may lead them?

     The End.