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It was a normal day at the Neopian Ghost Investigators
headquarters. Sailor_Ami_Chan read the Neomail in hopes it would be a new case.
She found one promising Neomail and after she took down the information, enclosed
in the Neomail, she called the team together. "Okay, we have a new case,"Ami
announced to the team.
The team gathered around a big round table ready
to hear what Ami had to say. The Neopian Ghost Investigators are a team of Neopets
who go around investigating paranormal experiences. They mostly hope to catch
ghosts and rid Neopia of these creatures. Their main target was the Ghost Lupe,
who they had yet to even find.
The team consisted of all Spookyx7's pets. The
leader of the group, a fire Nimmo named JLcool, wore a classic black suit, white
shirt, and black tie. The secretary, a striped Acara named, Sailor_Ami_Chan
wore round glasses, a blue dress, and blue bows on her head spikes. Next the
fighter of the team, a Faerie Moehog named Punkystar, who wore a black T-shirt,
a ripped up pair of jeans, lots of earrings and rings on her tusks. Lastly sat
Dues the baby Lupe. He is considered the "ghost sniffer" because his nose can
smell if a ghost is near or was near at one time. Dues wore a regular red and
white spotted bandana, but hidden underneath is a Lupe Moon Charm for protection.
(It was given to him by someone special, but that’s another story.)
"An owner wrote in and said her NeoHome is being
haunted," Ami told the assembled team.
"Lets check it out. First I need the owner’s
information such as her pets, when she bought her NeoHome, her habits..." JLcool
kept going on and on until Punky interrupted.
"Let’s just go and find that ghost! Who knows
what it could be doing with us just sitting on our tails!"
"Maybe it’s not haunted and we can just stay
home," Dues replied in a hushed manner, knowing full well they were going. He
was always nervous about this kinda of thing. Why was he part of the NGI, anyway?
"I have some info. Her name’s Sandy*, and she
only owns one pet called Rocky*. Her NeoHome is a year old and the disturbances
started a week ago."Ami put down her notebook with a wide grin, knowing JLcool
would be pleased.
"Very good! Set up a meeting time with Sandy
and we’ll investigate." JLcool sounded excited. Maybe it was the Ghost Lupe!
"I already did; she’s expecting us this afternoon,"
Ami answered. Ami was always making sure to get all the information needed whenever
they started a new case. She knew that preparation always made it easier for
the rest of the team to get started.
"Let’s go then! I’m ready to kick some ghost
tail!" Punky jumped up and stuck her hoof out.
The rest of the team put their paws on top, with
a little hesitation from Dues, and shouted, "Let’s get that ghost!"
****
Once they were at Sandy’s NeoHome the team split up. JLcool and Ami went to
interview Sandy and Rocky, while Punky and Dues went to investigate the area
around the house.
Sandy gave little helpful information. All she
knew was that she heard loud pounding at night. One night she saw a blue-gray
blur with red eyes. "It had the biggest red eyes! I ran and hid with Rocky,
my pet Lupe. He is a really good protector," Sandy said while glancing at Rocky
the green Lupe. "I was scared, I didn’t know what it would do or what it wanted!"
While Sandy told her story Ami took notes and
JLcool looked around the livingroom. Sitting on a table was a picture frame
lying face down. JLcool picked it up and saw that it was a picture of yellow
JubJub. "Who’s this?" he asked Rocky in a whisper.
Rocky turned a shade greener and turned to Sandy
with a worried look. "That’s just a pet of my friends! Not really any of your
concern!" Sandy was obviously anxious when seeing the picture, JLcool and Ami
looked at each other with interested glances. Ami made sure to take note of
this. Sandy then asked if they could hurry and get rid of the ghost. It was
causing too many problems. "I mean, I can’t ever get a good night’s sleep anymore!"
****
Punky had Dues sniffing all over the backyard. He didn’t find much other than
big footprints. "I really don’t smell a ghost around." Dues breathed a loud
sigh of relief while holding his Lupe Moon Charm, "But what are all these footprints??"
"I don’t know, nor do I care," Punky stated,
"just find that ghost and we’ll see who scares who!" Punky then found a JubJub
gnome and kicked it over in frustration. After it fell over, they noticed that
it had a small compartment, with a small NeoHome key. "What’s that about?" Punky
asked looking over at Dues.
"I don’t know, but things are pointing away
from the ghost idea," Dues stated. "Let’s see what JLcool and Ami have found."
Before leaving he placed the key back and stood the gnome in place. He looked
at Punky with a little grin. He was mostly happy there wasn’t a ghost. Finally,
he let go of his Lupe Moon Charm knowing he was safe.
****
Once the team was back together, at their headquarters, they shared information.
JLcool and Ami told Sandy’s story while also mentioning the photo that got her
so upset. Punky and Dues brought up the footprint and gnome news. They got a
pretty good picture together of what was going on, they just had some information
that was lacking. They decided to go back to Sandy’s and stay through the night
since this was when all the disturbances took place, and to prove their theory.
****
They set up a trap in the backyard, having seen signs that this was where
the activity happened; like all the footprints. The trap was some ghost marshmallows
set in a net. They knew this was a great treat, ghost or not. If the "ghost"
stepped into the net Punky, Dues and Ami would pull on a rope to trap the "ghost"
inside. JLcool would be watching and ready to question whoever they caught.
He had his "just-in-case" Nimmo boxing gloves on.
"Why don’t you pull the rope and let me get
the ghost?" Punky asked JLcool hoping that he would change spots with her.
"Well, I’m the leader right? Plus you’re strong,"
JLcool explained as they started the hopefully-not too-long wait.
Around midnight the stomping started. Dues clasped
his charm firmly in his paw hoping he was right. "Here we go," he whispered
to no one in particular.
Next, they saw a ghostly blue-gray figure coming
toward them. It stopped at the JubJub gnome and got the key out and started
toward the backdoor. "Just what I thought," JLcool calmly said to himself.
It then noticed the ghost marshmallows. It went
over to them and once it stepped in the middle of net JLcool cried, "NOW!" and
the rest of the team pulled the rope. Quickly, the net wrapped around the "ghost"
causing a frightened moan to come up out of the darkness.
"Let’s see what we got!" JLcool pronounced as
he walked toward the net.
"Hurry up then, it’s heavy!" Punky grumbled
as she held on to the rope. She then, with the help of Ami and Dues, tied up
their "ghost".
After the "ghost" was tied up they all looked
a little closer and everyone could plainly see that the "ghost" was actually
a ghost painted JubJub. "Looks like you were right, JLcool." Ami announced,
"Now to find Sandy and show her the ‘ghost’!" Ami and Dues left to find Sandy
while JLcool and Punky were left to question the Jubjub.
"Now, who are you and what are you doing here
at night?" JLcool got close to the Jubjub and peered between the holes in the
net. The Jubjub explained part of his story while struggling to get free.
Once Sandy and Rocky arrived she exclaimed,
"Did you get it?" There were nods all around. "Great, now for the payment. I
don’t have much..." She was taken aback as she saw her "ghost". "Pebbles*?"
Sandy looked toward the team and asked, "Are you going to tell me what’s going
on"
"Sure, after you explain to us about Pebbles!"
Ami proposed.
"He was my second pet after Rocky. I didn’t
have enough Neopoints to take care of both so I abandoned him in the pound.
It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I always had hope that if I could
raise more Neopoints I could get him back." As she said this tears formed in
her eyes.
JLcool gave her a handkerchief and began the
story, "Pebbles was adopted by a really nice woman who painted him ghost. He
then escaped. He was very sad that you gave him away and thought you deserved
to be tricked. He remembered you kept a key in the JubJub gnome and used it
to get into the house. Because he looked like a ghost he thought he would ‘play
ghost’ on you."
"It was working too, until you all came!" Pebbles
exclaimed!
"I’m so sorry Pebbles!" Sandy tried running
to him, but he stepped away. Sandy fell to her knees and cried.
"It’s back to the pound with you! This time
we’ll make sure Dr_Death gives you a more watchful owner." Punky grabbed the
rope that was tied around the net and walked away with him as he grumbled about
escaping and getting away with it. Dues followed wearing a triumphant smile.
"You’ll get our bill through Neomail!" Ami shouted
as they all walked toward the pound. This was a successful case, although not
a real ghost, it still showed that the NIG was a good detective agency. Next,
they went back to headquarters and back to wait for a new case.
The End
*Names have been changed to protect the identities of the pets and their
owners.
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