Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When the world is breaking down around you

Taking everything that you know

What you didn't know

Is that we can we can go forever, if we want to

We can live inside of a moment 

The one that we own

You and me, we got this

You and me, we're beautiful, beautiful

"Fran? Honey, can you hear me?"

"Fzzsst!" The girl in question jumped at the sudden touch on her shoulder, quickly turning her head to face the woman in the driver's seat of the car.

"I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to scare you," she said sheepishly. "I know how you like to be in your own personal bubble, especially when you're listening to music."

Taking off her headphones, the girl gave an equally sheepish smile.

"It's okay, Mom," she said as she paused the song on her phone. "I just kinda zoned out a little. What were you saying?" Her mother smiled at this.

"Well, I just got a text from your Uncle. His flight landed not too long ago, and he's already checked in at the hotel."

"Wait, really?!"

"Yep," her mother held up her phone. "Sent photos and everything."

Eagerly taking the phone, she scrolled through the numerous photos. Some were of him leaving the airport, others were of his hotel room, and finally one of the city's skyline.

"He looks so excited to be there," she said. "It kinda reminds me of when Dad went on his trips…" 

"Yeah, it really does," her mom gave a somber smile. "It's been far too long since I've seen him this happy." Clearing her throat to get rid of the growing lump in it, she then added, "Remember, he wanted you to text him."

"Oh, right!" Opening the message app on her own phone, she quickly scrolled to her Uncle's contact and began typing.

- Hey! Mom told me you made it and showed me the photos! They look great! 🤩

After only a moment, she got a reply.

- Thanks, kiddo! I can't wait to explore tomorrow morning! I don't even know where to start! 

- With a city like Tokyo, I don't blame you! 🤣 But you KNOW you gotta hit some of the cafes. The desserts are soooo good from what I've read! 😋

- Oh, you better believe I'm hitting those joints hahaha! You and your mom make it to Brighton yet? 

Looking up, the girl smiled as she noticed the town sign come into view.

- Just arrived. Will probably be at the house in a few minutes. 

- Great! Video call me when you're settled in. 

- I will. Love you! ❤️

- Love you too, Two Tone!

Smiling at the familiar nickname, she exited the message app and looked at her mom.

"This is it, huh?"

"Sure is. A new home, a new start…"

"And a new me. I'm gonna try to not hide as much as I did back in Chicago."

"Please don't put so much pressure on yourself, honey," her mother put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Just take it a step at a time. This is a big change for both of us. But I know for a fact, that if you be that wonderfully wild, creative and loving girl I know you are, you'll be making friends in no time. Who knows? You might even find a best friend today!"

"Let's not jump too far ahead, Mom," the girl chuckled. "I just wanna move in first and help it feel like home. Then I'll focus on making friends. Promise." She held up her pinky, which her mom quickly linked with hers.

"That's my girl."

And with that, she put her headphones back on a resumed listening to the song from before, a hopeful smile on her face.

We are, we are, we're gonna be alright

We got, we got, we always the fight in us

And we are, we are, we're gonna live tonight

Like there's no tomorrow 

'Cause we're the Afterlife

What she didn't know however, was that their car, along with the moving truck trailing not too far behind, had caught the sight of another girl around her age who happened to be taking a walk nearby. 

At the sight of the car pulling into a familiar driveway, this girl's eyes widened. It hadn't even been a month, and a family was already moving in to that house? She thought she'd have more time to prepare for this!

Fumbling in her vest pocket, she pulled out her phone and hurriedly typed down the address into her family group chat, along with two words that only they understood.

- CODE TOPAZ

Chapter Text

"Thanks, again," her mother said gratefully as the movers carried in the last of the heavier furniture. Due to having already picked out their rooms before even moving out of their apartment back in Chicago, it was pretty easy to figure out which furniture was going where, which was going to make moving in that much easier. The girl watched on as the movers were quick to get in their truck now that their work was finished. Once the truck pulled away, the two looked at the various labeled boxes scattered across their new front yard. Her mother rolled up the sleeves of her blouse, green eyes shining.

"Well, the hardest part is over. Now it just leaves getting these boxes in the house. We'll only take out the essentials for now, like bedding and clothes. We can wait to unpack the rest tomorrow." 

The girl nodded, and as she moved to pick up her first box, a sudden noise cut through the air. It sounded like some kind of instrument. A harmonica, maybe? The two turned to see that four people were now standing on the sidewalk before them, a little red wagon loaded with all sorts of things not to far from them. 

The sound they heard had come from the tallest of them; a red-haired man with a 5-o'clock shadow, and the girl could now see that it was a pitch pipe he had used. He was wearing a dark green sweater and blue jeans. Standing next to him was a shorter woman who looked to be of Asian descent. His wife, if they had to guess. She wore a pale mint green cardigan over a white shirt and dark blue jeans. And standing on either side of them were two children, most likely theirs, a boy and a girl who took more after their mother in looks. The boy was the shorter and probably younger of the two, with spiky dark reddish-brown hair and wearing a green jacket over an orange hoodie, navy sweatpants and blue sandals. The girl looked to be her age, with her hair tied in a high ponytail. She was wearing a cropped jean vest over a white and black t-shirt, and a skirt in various shades of pink and purple over form-fitting black shorts. They all gave friendly smiles to the two as they greeted them with a short song and dance.

"Welcome, our new neighbors, to our neighborhood. We brought you lots of goodies, just like a neighbor should, hey!"

The girl and the two adults waved sparklers that seemed to come out of nowhere as boy then hit a button on a small remote in his hand, setting off a small firework display that spelled "WELCOME". She covered her ears slightly as her mother laughed and applauded the display.

"Bravo, bravo!" The man then stepped forward and held out his hand for her to shake.

"Pete McGee," he introduced himself. "City planner and unofficial Welcome Wagoneer." He then motioned to the woman and two kids. "This is my wife, Sharon, and our kids, Molly and Darryl." Her mother smiled as she shook his hand.

"Ginevra Wolfe, but please call me Ginny," she said before adding, "Only my mother calls me "Ginevra", and that's when I'm in trouble." The two adults shared a laugh with her as she then motioned to the girl beside her. "And this is my daughter, Fran. Lovely to meet you all." Fran shyly glanced at them with a slight blush, suddenly feeling very on the spot with the four pairs of eyes on her.

"Hi," she said quietly. The other girl—Molly, was it?—then walked up to them, smiling brightly and holding… vegetables?

"As a token of our new friendship, we present you with the traditional Brighton Turnip," she said as she handed one to each of them. Fran looked at the one in her hands curiously.

"Um… thank you?" The boy, Darryl, then leaned over and whispered to her.

"Don't worry, we also brought chocolate chip cookies." That got a smile out of her, which he returned. She then looked to her mother and held up the turnip to her. 

"Mom, think you could…?"

"Sure, sweetie," Ginny said with a smile as she took the turnip. "While we'll most likely be ordering out tonight, I already have a few ideas on how we can cook these." She shot a wink at the other two adults. "I have an Italian turnip soup recipe from my Nonna that would knock your socks off!"

"We'll have to take you up on that offer, sometime," Pete said with a laugh. "But for now, would you like some help bringing these boxes in?"

"That'd be great!" Ginny exclaimed. "Thank you so much." 

Fran watched as the three adults began picking up various cardboard boxes to carry into their new house. Inwardly she marveled over the fact that she and her mom now had a real house, with a front and backyard, and everything! All she'd really known growing up was their apartment, and if she wanted to go out and play, they would have to go to the local park. Now she could just hang out outside whenever she wanted!

Shuffling her feet a bit, she began to look around at what was to be her new neighborhood. Along the street were your typical one-story houses, much like theirs, in varying colors and with minor differences. Some front yards were adorned with your typical garden decorations and flowers, others were littered with toys from whatever kids lived there. Aside from the occasional barking dog in the distance, and the slight chatter coming from her own yard, it was a relatively quiet area. Nothing like the busy, crowded and overwhelming streets outside their apartment building back in Chicago. She felt the corners of her mouth turn up into a smile as she took a deep breath. 

It was… nice.

"Pretty great, huh?" A voice asked from right next to her. She looked to the source, and mismatched blue-and-green eyes met dark brown mere inches away.

"Fzzsst!" The sudden closeness made her jump and she quickly stepped back, making the owner of the voice jump in surprise herself. It was the girl from earlier, Molly. At her equally startled expression, Fran felt a minor wave of guilt, ducking her head down as she scratched her arm in embarrassment.

"Sorry," she said. Molly's eyes widened slightly at the motion and she gave a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry," she responded. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay. I kinda zone out pretty bad when I'm thinking 'bout something." She gave a brief glance before turning to face her. "It's… Molly, right?" 

"Yep!" Molly's smile returned full force, and she held out her hand. "Molly McGee, pleased to meet you."

"Francez Wolfe, but just call me Fran," Fran shook her hand, returning the smile. "Nice to meet you, too."

"Soooo… do you need help setting up your room?" Molly asked as she picked up one of the smaller boxes with Fran's name written on it in permanent marker. Fran tilted her head at her in surprise. 

"Um… sure. Mom said we only needed to unpack the essentials tonight." 

"Well, I can help with that! That way we can get it done faster, and you can have some time to relax and settle in."

"Oh, um, thanks. But you really don't have to—"

"I want to," Molly insisted. "What better way for new friends to get to know each other than working on something together?"

Fran opened her mouth to answer, only to freeze as her brain finally processed one word in particular.

"Wait… friends?"

"Yeah," Molly confirmed. "I know what it's like to be the new kid in town. And I was lucky enough to make a friend the day I moved here over a year ago. So… I wanna be that for you. If that's okay, I mean."

Fran's eyes were wide at this and her mind raced. Someone actually wanted to be her friend? But… they just met! This girl didn't even know her, but immediately deemed her friend material? Were her mom and Uncle right? Was it really gonna be this easy to make friends? 

She doubted it. But… she at least had to try. She took a deep breath.

New home, new me, she reminded herself before standing a little straighter and giving a genuine smile.

"That… that would be nice." Molly's near-infectious smile returned and her eyes practically sparkled in excitement.

"Yay! We're gonna have so much fun!" She cheered as Fran picked up a another box of her things. 

As the two headed to the door, she couldn't help but notice a strange expression cross Molly's face. It looked almost… bittersweet. Like she was smiling, but trying not to cry at the same time. But as she was about to ask if she was okay, Molly took a deep breath, and just as quickly as the expression crossed her features, it vanished as she adjusted the box so she could hold it one arm, making a grandiose sweeping gesture toward the entrance with the other.

"Lead the way!" Fran grinned as she gave an equally dramatic bow.

"Gladly. To my new room!" The two girls laughed as they made that big first step and crossed the threshold.

Fran wouldn't forget that brief moment of whatever walls Molly had put up cracking, but it would be quite some time before she'd know what was bothering her and why, along with quite a few more secrets that would turn both of their lives upside down.

But for now, she was happy to just have a friend, and they were on a mission; to make her new house a home.

Chapter Text

With the McGees' help, it had taken only a fraction of the time it would have for Ginny and Fran to unpack on their own, which came as a huge relief to them both. So as a thank you, they invited their new friends to stay for dinner. Since their stove and refrigerator wouldn’t be delivered until the next day, they ordered out for pizza. 

They had ordered three different pies; extra cheese, pepperoni and green pepper & onion. Not really wanting to use the kitchen table that night, Ginny, Pete and Sharon all sat on the couch while the kids sat around the coffee table opposite them. 

While they ate and conversed, Fran was happy to learn that she had quite a bit in common with both the McGee children. Molly had been ecstatic to learn that Fran had a rather impressive plushie collection herself, along with a massive pile of art supplies.

"I can't wait to do art projects with you," she had said excitedly. "We can make a scrapbook together!" Fran smiled.

"That actually sounds like fun."

During the time that the two were setting up her room, Fran had gotten a decent read on her new friend's personality. Molly was clearly the outgoing type; impulsive, incredibly friendly and always wanting to make the world a better place, no matter how hard it seemed. She was also clearly a believer in physical touch as a friendship language. Fran could still remember how quickly she had tensed up when Molly unexpectedly hugged her, and rather tightly at that.

"Fzzsst!"

"I am so sorry!" She apologized profusely, letting go the instant she noticed Fran's discomfort. "I should've asked if you were okay with hugs!" She then lightly hit her forehead with the heel of her palm. "Ugh, I did the "too friendly" thing, again!"

"I-It's okay," Fran reassured her. "I don't mind hugs. I just… need a heads up, is all. I'm not used to sudden things like that."

"Okay…" Molly smiled, it not fully reaching her eyes. "Again, I'm sorry." Fran gently put an arm around her shoulders, giving her a slight squeeze in a half hug. That got a genuine smile out of her.

"And again, it's okay."

Her little brother Darryl, on the other hand, was a whole different matter. 

Sharon at point during dinner mentioned to her mom that Darryl was, in her words, "a bit of a handful". That couldn't have been a bigger understatement. Turns out, he was the proud owner of a mile-wide mischievous streak, which had earned him the claim of setting the record for most times sent to the principal's office at his middle school. This had earned a laugh from Ginny.

"Oh, I could tell you stories," she said as she shot a knowing look at her daughter. "Fran was a faculty's worst nightmare in grade school. Any prank you could think of, she pulled it at least once! The messier, the better!"

"Ma!" Fran exclaimed with an embarrassed blush as her mother gave a playful smile. 

"Ya know I'm just playing with ya, sweetie," she said, laughing again. Darryl, however, looked interested.

"What kind of pranks we talking about here?"

"Well…" Fran started bashfully. 

"My favorite was always that chocolate pudding cannon you did," Ginny cackled proudly. Fran's face began to go even redder as Sharon's eyes widened.

"Chocolate pudding cannon?" She repeated.

"Yeah," Fran gave a chuckle, despite her growing blush, and smiled. "There was this time back in first grade that I… rigged a chocolate pudding launcher in the fridge in the Teachers' Lounge during recess. All it took was someone opening the door, and splat."

Darryl's eyes sparkled as he looked at Fran.

"Teach me your ways."

Ginny burst out laughing again and Fran smiled. Growing nervous at the idea of his son getting more ideas, Pete decided to change the subject.

"So Ginny," he started. "What made you decide to move to Brighton, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Well, a few reasons, really," she explained as she calmed herself. "As much as I loved growing up in Chicago, I always felt a small town would be a much better place for Fran to grow up in. She's autistic, and a loud, busy city like that was doing no favors for her sensory-wise. We had always considered moving somewhere more quiet. We were planning on making our move a few years back, but…" 

She trailed off, fiddling with the two gold rings on her necklace and gave a quick glance to Fran, as if silently asking for permission to continue the subject. The rest of the McGees could feel the air grow tense as the girl's shoulders hunched and she took a rather large bite from her slice of pizza. Whatever Ginny was going to say next, it was obviously tough for both of them.

At the sight of her daughter's discomfort, Ginny steeled herself and took a deep breath.

"…But we went through quite a lot, financially and emotionally," she said. Pete and Sharon caught the vagueness of it, but knew better than to pry, especially when they noticed the silent look of gratitude Fran gave her. 

"It took us a while to pick ourselves back up again," Ginny continued. "So when my cousin called and told me he was selling his house so he could go travel, I took it as a sign to finally move."

"Wait…" Molly interjected, eyes widening. "Your cousin?"

"Yeah," Fran answered as she swallowed her latest bite. "My Uncle Todd. He used to live here."

At this, the rest of the McGee family went quiet as a grave, the only sound breaking it being the sound of Darryl dropping his slice of pizza in shock.

Fran looked around at their stunned expressions in confusion, beginning to fear that she said something wrong. She opened her mouth to apologize, only to feel a hand on top of hers. Looking next to her, she was surprised to see Molly giving her a smile that almost looked… sad? Grateful? Relieved? A mix of all emotions at once? She wasn't entirely sure.

Molly's mind was racing, the world around her almost ceasing to exist the moment she heard those two words. 

Uncle Todd.

Fran had called him "Uncle Todd". 

Ginny's his cousin! 

Scratch DID have blood relatives! 

Ever since learning the truth about who he was, Molly had wondered if he still had any family out there, what they were like, and if she'd ever be lucky enough to meet them one day. Tonight, it seemed that fate was more than willing to give her an answer. She now knew that he has a cousin named Ginny, who has a daughter named Fran, who was now her newest friend. And now they were living HERE, in Brighton!

What were the odds?

"I…" she had to stop for a second, almost literally swallowing down the tsunami of emotions crashing through her, before giving a genuine smile. "I didn't know he had relatives." 

"Well, he always tended to keep to himself," Ginny explained with a smirk. "I wasn't aware you all knew him."

"Well, in a sense," Pete said, before hastily adding, "We'd seen him around town a few times since we moved here. Although, out of all of us, Molly saw him the most." Molly's expression turned slightly bittersweet, before her eyes widened again as she remembered something.

"Wait, you said you lived in Chicago," she said. "Is that why he was going there first? To see you?" Fran did a double take.

"How did you know he was going to Chicago?" 

"Oh, I ran into him at the bus stop before he left," Molly explained, a smile forming at the memory. "We got to talking, and I was curious about where he was headed. He mentioned a few other places, too."

"Was Japan one of 'em?" Ginny asked. Molly nodded. 

"Yeah, why?"

"'Cause he landed in Tokyo earlier today," she continued with a smile as she pulled out her phone. "Wanna see the pictures?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Molly's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning as Ginny handed her the phone. Darryl leaned over to get a look, as well. The two siblings beamed at the sight of how excited Todd looked in the selfies he had sent. For the first time in a while, Molly was smiling so big her cheeks started to hurt as she blinked back tears. 

Scratch was living his dream. 

"He looks so happy," she said. "H-He mentioned that he wanted to see the world since he was a kid."

He was living his life to the fullest, just like she had wanted for him.

Despite her best efforts, a few tears did begin to fall.

"You okay, honey?" Ginny looked concerned for her daughter's new friend. Molly nodded as tears continued to fall.

"I'm just… really happy for him."

She truly was.

Even if he didn't remember her.

Suddenly, she felt an arm around her shoulder. She looked over to see Fran, giving her another half-hug with a crooked smile that looked comfortably familiar. She smiled back and leaned into the hug. Both of the girls' parents looked on with smiles of their own, Ginny and Sharon looking relieved, and Pete nearly on the verge of tears himself.

After a few moments of quiet, Molly took a deep breath and wiped her eyes.

"Whew! Didn't mean for our first dinner together to be such a roller coaster of emotions," she apologized. Ginny gave an understanding smile.

"Honey, it's like my Ma's always told me; Life's a roller coaster," she said. "There are highs, there are lows, there are times when you feel like your whole world's turned upside down. But as long as you got family, friends, the people who care about ya along for the ride, it ain't so scary." 

Molly's smile widened as her eyes shined with gratitude.

"Thanks."

"Anytime, sweetie."

The sound of someone clearing their throat cut through the air.

"Now that we've gotten those beautiful words of wisdom from my Mom," Fran said with a playful grin as she held up her slice. "How about we finish off this pizza before it gets cold?" 

Everyone else in the room let out a good laugh at that as they continued eating, but none quite as much as Molly.

This girl was Scratch's relative, all right.

By the time they had finished eating, it had started to get dark. So the McGees knew they had to get home before the sun had completely set. Ginny thanked them all once again as they started to head out. Molly, however, came to a stop at the front door and looked at Fran. 

"Hey, I was wondering… do you wanna hang out tomorrow?" She asked. "We could show you and your mom around town!" Fran looked a little unsure, reaching to scratch at her arm as a spike of anxiety hit.

"I don't know," she said, not fully making eye contact with her. "I get a little anxious in crowded places."

"We can go slow," Molly reassured. "Just stop at a couple places. Like the park, or the library, or the ice cream shop." 

Fran's ears perked up a bit at the last one as her hand lowered from her arm. Curse this sweet tooth of hers. She looked back at her mom, who gave her an encouraging look, mouthing "Go for it!". Looking down at her front step, she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Molly asked. Fran's gaze met her eyes as she smiled.

"Nothing," she said. "Just some words of wisdom I learned recently. I'd love to see more of Brighton, courtesy of the Molly McGee Tour Services." She gave a wink, to which Molly giggled and bounced excitedly.

"Yay! I'll see you first thing tomorrow after breakfast! This is gonna be so much fun!"

And with that, she turned on her heel and bounded over to her family as they headed home.

After helping her mom clean up any leftover trash, and heading to the bathroom to brush her teeth, Fran was now in her PJs as she sat on the foot of her bed, now facing the tablet propped up against her pillow. She typed in a familiar number and hit the face chat button, anxiously waiting as she heard the call begin to ring. After a few rings, her expression lit up once she saw a very familiar face on the screen.

"Hey there, Two-Tone!"

"Hey, Uncle Todd," she giggled. He grinned back at her. "How's Tokyo?"

"It's great so far! There's so much to see and do here," he said excitedly. "And you were right. Some of the desserts are absolutely delicious!" She laughed.

"Good to see you're having fun."

"And it's good to see you and your mom are already settled in," Todd said. "In all honesty, I wasn't sure if I'd hear from you until tomorrow."

"We actually had some help from some of our new neighbors," Fran explained. "We just need to unpack a few things tomorrow and we'll be officially moved in!"

"That's great! So, what do you think of Brighton so far?"

Fran smiled as she thought back to the McGees. How kind and welcoming they all are, the prospect of getting to pull some good old fashioned pranks with Darryl, and the excited smile on Molly's face about getting to hang out tomorrow.

"…I think I'm gonna like it here."

Chapter Text

She was underwater.

It was dark gray, almost black. And it only got darker the more she sank. She struggled and opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out were gray bubbles.

She'd been here before. She knew this feeling better than anyone. She'd known it for quite some time.

The crushing feeling of loneliness, fear and despair. 

The more she tried to struggle, the more she was dragged down into the shadowy depths. And the further down she went, the more the darkness clouded her vision. 

Her struggling slowed, the crushing weight of all these feelings squeezing the fight out of her as raspy voices echoed in her ears. 

"What's the point?" They taunted her. "Why fight?" If she just gave in, it wouldn't hurt anymore. She wouldn't feel all this loneliness and pain anymore.

She wouldn't feel… anything anymore.

She began to close her eyes, her body beginning to feel light and hollow as a pale pink glow faintly surrounded her, the voices cackling as she was about to embrace the inevitable.

It was then that she saw it.

A small splash of color entering her vision. And it was getting bigger.

It was a light, glowing as blue as the sky on a clear summer day. It was kinda bright, but not in a way that hurt her eyes. The closer it got, she could see it taking a form that looked somewhat like a person, but it was smaller than her, and she couldn't make out distinct features, except for two pale yellow circles where its eyes would be. Also, it looked like it didn't have legs. It reached a hand to her, making the voices screech angrily, almost as if in pain. Despite its cool coloring, the light felt warm. Friendly. Safe. Like a tight, comforting hug a child got from a parent, one that could scare all the monsters away. The sight of it made her feel more grounded as the glow around her dimmed. 

It looked to be moving its mouth like it was saying something. She couldn't hear its voice, but she understood it all the same.

"You are not alone."

It was all she needed to hear, in a sense. With what strength she had left, she reached out, taking hold of the hand it offered to her. The voices let out a final screech as they faded away. With the blue light's help, she began to swim back upwards to the surface, slowly regaining her strength with each stroke and kick. Eventually, it let go of her hand but still remained at her side as they swam further and further up. The higher they got, the more she noticed the water lose its gray color, fading into a deep but comforting purple. 

What she didn't notice however, was that the glow was back, now gradually becoming a warm red, like embers in a fireplace. But her body didn't feel hollow this time. In fact, she'd never felt more sure of herself. More confident. More… alive.

As the neared the surface, she could see another light shining down, this time gold. At first glance, she thought it was the sun, but soon saw that it was another vaguely humanoid-shaped being. As it also reached out its hand to her, she nervously looked to the blue light, silently asking it what she should do. It smiled and gave her a nod, encouraging her to go on. 

With all her strength, she kicked her way upwards, reaching her hand up towards the warm golden light, her fingers mere inches from breaching the surface and grabbing it…

Fran shot up in bed in a cold sweat, gasping for air. Glancing around, it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust before she realized that she was in her new bedroom. Taking a deep breath, she ran her fingers through her turquoise-dyed hair before looking down at her hands.

That same dream again, she thought. She'd been having it every night for nearly two weeks now. She'd heard of recurring dreams before, and how it was usually the subconscious's way of trying to tell her something. 

If she could only figure out what it was.

Looking to her bedside table, she could see the pale light coming off her alarm clock. 3 AM. She groaned and put her face in her hands.

"It's too early in the morning for this," she said, grabbing one of her nearby plushies, a bat she named Bruce, and hugging it close as she laid back down to at least try to get somewhat of a good night's sleep. She looked out her window at the night sky, and noticed a nearby tree had an occupant. It was a barn owl, looking curiously at her. She smiled, feeling a sense of comfort at the unexpected company. Closing her eyes, she began to quietly hum a familiar tune to further calm herself, and soon felt herself sink back into slumber.

It was around 10 AM when she had finally awoken to emerge from her room and entered the kitchen for breakfast. She dragged her feet as she sat down at the table, resting her chin on it. 

"Rough night, Sleeping Beauty?" Ginny playfully asked with a sympathetic smile. "The first night in a new house is always hardest. But it will get easier, I promise."

"I know," Fran said. She had half a mind to tell her mom about the dreams she'd been having as of late, but decided against it. She didn't want her to worry over something that was probably harmless. Not until she had a better understanding of it, at least. Ginny patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"If it makes you feel better," she continued. "I managed to order you some breakfast from one of the local diners to celebrate us moving in." She then presented a white to-go box and opened it in front of her. "I got your favorite; Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream."

Fran immediately sat up, her eyes shining as she took in the sweet aroma. She smiled widely as she was handed a plastic fork and knife.

"Mom, you're the best."

"I know," Ginny smugly said as she kissed her on the cheek before taking a seat beside her to dig into her own breakfast. "Oh, and before I forget, Molly's mom called a while before you woke up. Molly's real excited to show you around today."

Fran smiled, but it did little to hide her nervousness. Ginny smiled in understanding.

"Don't worry, I told her I'd call her back once you were finished with breakfast and ready to go."

"Thanks, Mom." She forked her first bite of waffles into her mouth, her smile becoming much more genuine as the delicious sweetness of the waffles and whipped cream combined with the tartness of the strawberries hit her tastebuds. Her eyes closed in pure bliss as her shoulders relaxed. 

If there was one thing that always helped ease her nerves, it was good food.

An hour had passed by the time Ginny heard their doorbell ringing. With a knowing smile, she opened the door to see a very excited girl with a grin that outshone the sun standing on the front step.

"Hi, Molly."

"Hi, Mrs. Wolfe!" Molly greeted enthusiastically. Ginny chuckled.

"Please, sweetie, just call me Ginny," she said. "'Mrs. Wolfe' was my Mother-in-Law." Turning to face inside, she shouted to get her daughter's attention.

"Fran! Molly's here!" Looking back to Molly, she then asked, "You wanna come in and wait for her?"

"Sure," she said, entering the living room as Ginny shut the door behind her. Looking around the room, her eyes landed on the bay window. Until Ginny and Fran had moved here, she had only seen that window from the outside only a few times, the first couple feeling much sadder knowing what she knew now. How many times had he looked out this window, too afraid to go see the world beyond it? 

Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that Scratch wouldn't want her to be too sad about this. She made a mental Molly McGee Guarantee to herself that this window was gonna have happier memories around it from now on. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ginny asked, getting her attention. "You've been staring out the window for a while."

"Oh, sorry," Molly said sheepishly. "I was actually wondering if you had any ideas for this bay window area?"

"Not really," Ginny chuckled. "Was kinda more focused on unpacking first. Do you have something in mind?"

"Oh! Well, I was thinking maybe you could add some cushions," Molly suggested. "It looks like it'd be a nice sitting area if you had company over and there wasn't enough room on the couch." Ginny put a knuckle to her mouth in thought.

"Y'know… that actually isn't a bad idea," she said making a frame with her thumbs and pointer fingers, looking through them like a camera at the bay window. "Some cushions there, maybe a couple throw pillows on each side… yeah, I think that'd look great." Molly looked at her in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Ginny said with a grin. "It'd put a little more life into this living room." She then winked at her. "Thanks for the advice, sweetie!" 

"You're welcome," Molly said as her face lit up with a smile. The sound of approaching footsteps grabbed their attention away from the window. They turned to see Fran enter with a shy smile, all dressed and ready to go. 

She had gone pretty casual and comfortable with her outfit, wearing a dark purple shirt that hung off her shoulders. In the center of the chest was a design of a golden sun with a silver crescent moon and four-pointed star in front of it. Tied around her waist was a red and dark teal plaid shirt. For pants she wore torn black jean shorts. And finally, her high top sneakers were black with a red and yellow paint splatter design and electric blue laces. But what particularly caught Molly's eye was another bit of decor on her sneakers. 

On the inside panels were little ghosts, the same blue as her laces. She couldn't help but smirk to herself a bit at the rather fitting coincidence.

"Hey, Molly," Fran greeted. "Hope Ma wasn't talking your ear off."

"Oh, hardy-har," Ginny rolled her eyes, then gently put her hand on Molly's shoulder. "For your information, she was giving me some vital interior decoration tips!" Both girls giggled a bit at that.

"You ready to start this whole tour thing?" Fran asked.

"Yep," Molly confirmed, then looked to Ginny. "Are you gonna come with us?"

"As much as I'd love to, I need to wait here for our new fridge and stove to be delivered first," Ginny explained. "But don't worry. Your folks told me they were gonna swing by and help me install them. Once that's done, we'll catch up with you."

"Okay. Let's go, Fran!" Molly opened the door and walked onto the front step. Fran tensed up a little as she hesitated. Ginny gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"You got this," she encouraged. Then she reached into her pocket and handed her some money. Fran looked at the money in her hand, and was shocked to see that it was fifty dollars. 

"Ma…"

"Don't worry. I still got more than enough for groceries. This is just in case you wanna treat yourself if you find something you like," she said, then added with a wink, "Just don't spend it all in one place."

Smiling thankfully, Fran pocketed the money. Then taking a slow breath, she readied herself and took that first step out the door with Molly. 

"See you later!" She called over her shoulder. Ginny waved after the two of them.

"I'll call you when we're ready to meet up with ya! Have fun! And Mollypop, make sure she stays outta trouble!"

"MA!" Fran protested as Molly laughed.

"Sure thing, Ginny," she called back before turning to Fran and whispering, "'Mollypop'?"

"Yeah, Mom has a tendency to give people nicknames," Fran explained with a smirk. "But you know, she doesn't just hand them out to everyone. She must really like you." Molly's eyes lit up as she smiled.

"I like her, too."

As the two girls walked down the main road, Fran glanced around her at all the different stores. There was definitely some variety, but a lot of things you'd expect to find in a small town; a grocery store, a bakery, an ice cream shop, a few convenience stores, a book store, a library, a pawn shop, the works. She made a mental note to ask Molly if they could check out either the bakery or the ice cream place later.

"So, where to first?" She asked.

"We're gonna head to the bookstore. There's someone I want you to meet there." 

Fran gave an appreciative smile to Molly, silently thanking her for wanting to stop at somewhere quiet and not too crowded first. As they approached it, she couldn't help but smile at the bookstore's name.

"Book Marks the Spot," she read aloud. "I like that." She could always appreciate a good pun. Molly smiled in agreement as she held the door open, allowing her to enter first.

She looked around the main room, taking in the comfortable silence. There were a few shorter bookshelves as opposed to the ones further into the store, most likely filled with recent book releases or ones the owner recommended. On top of one of them was a terrarium with about four or five turtles inside. The owner's pets, no doubt. In one corner near the front windows was a cozy reading area that consisted of a couple armchairs and a round coffee table. 

And sitting in one of these chairs was a girl about her and Molly's age.

She had long, messy brown hair, her tousled bangs just barely above her downturned dark eyes, which were currently glued to the fantasy novel she was reading. She wore a large green turtleneck sweater over torn olive leggings and dark grey boots. 

Suddenly, the sound of someone clearing their throat caught her attention. Turning in the direction it came from, she saw a woman with shoulder-length brown hair approaching the front desk with a kind smile. She bore a strong resemblance to the girl in the armchair. Her mother, maybe?

"Hello, there," she greeted. "Welcome to Book Marks the Spot! How can we help you today?" Fran suddenly felt very on the spot, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh, um…" she stammered. Thankfully, this was when Molly walked in.

"Hi, Ms. Stein," she greeted happily. The woman, Ms. Stein as Fran now knew, smiled brightly.

"Hey, Molly," she said, then gave a gentle look to Fran. "Who's this?" Molly gestured to Fran.

"This is Fran Wolfe," she introduced her. "She and her mom just moved here yesterday, so I'm showing her around town. Fran, this is Ms. Stein." Fiddling with the hem of her shirt, Fran made eye contact with her, giving a shy smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Stein," she said. The woman smiled.

"It's nice to meet you, too," she said warmly. "And you can just call me Leah if you want."

Fran smiled as her shoulders relaxed. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that their exchange got the attention of the girl in the armchair, as she put a bookmark in her book and stood up to approach them.

"Hi, Molly," she quietly greeted, then gave a small wave to Fran, which she returned. Molly turned to the girl and beamed.

"Libby!" She quickly swooped the girl into a hug, which was returned wholeheartedly. Fran smiled at the sight, hooking her thumbs into her pockets.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that this is who you wanted me to meet," she chuckled. Molly nodded enthusiastically, breaking the hug while still keeping one arm draped around the girl's shoulder.

"Fran, I'd like you to meet Libby. She's one of my best friends," she said. "Libby, this is Fran." Libby smiled and held out her hand.

"Hi," she said softly. "Nice to meet you." Fran shook her hand.

"Likewise."

"I'm showing Fran around town today, and I was wondering if you'd like to join us," Molly explained. "Nobody knows Brighton's history better than you." Libby blushed at this, then looked to her mother.

"Can I, Mom?"

"Sure, sweetie," Leah said, then pulled out a medium sized box. "But before you do that, do you think you could organize this new shipment of books? I already filled out the inventory paperwork, they just need to be put on the shelves."

"Oh, of course," Libby said diligently. 

"I can help, too!" Molly agreed, raising her hand. "That way we'll get it done twice as fast!"

"Is it okay if I just wait here?" Fran asked as she sat in one of the armchairs in the reading area, scratching at her arm nervously. "I wouldn't really know where to put them."

"Oh yeah, that's fine," Molly said with an understanding smile. "Just make yourself comfortable, and me and Libby will be back in a jiff!" And with that, the two girls took the box and headed further into the bookstore.

"So, Fran," Leah said gently as she sat in the armchair across from her. "Where are you and your mom from, if you don't mind me asking?" Fran's scratching slowed to a stop. This lady was definitely a mom. She just gave off those understanding vibes that would put anyone at ease.

"I don't mind at all. My mom and I moved here from Chicago," she explained. "We just thought it'd be better to settle down somewhere smaller and quieter. Plus, since my Uncle used to live here, we were able to get a pretty good deal when he sold us his house."

"Your Uncle's from here? Maybe I know him! What's his name?"

"Oh, uh, Todd Mortenson."

"WHAT?!"

The scream that permeated from the back of the bookstore made both of them jump. 

"Libby?" Leah called in concern. "What happened? You okay, Turtle Dove?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Mom!" Libby called back. "I thought a book was missing, but I found it!"

"Yeah!" Molly added in hastily. "Everything's fine!"

Everything was, in fact, not fine. 

Unbeknownst to her mother and the new girl in town, Libby and Molly had been having a similar conversation regarding the latter while they were organizing the new shipment of books, and her mind was currently reeling from what Molly had just told her. Not only were Fran and her mother now living in Todd's—Scratch's—old house, but they were related?! 

"How is this even possible?! Normally, the odds of something like this happening are incredibly low!"

"Believe me, none of us were expecting it either, yesterday," Molly said. "It took everything for me not to just blurt out everything right there!" Libby looked at her best friend in concern.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Molly sighed as she sat on the floor.

"I… I'm not sure. I'm happy for Scratch, I really am, and it's amazing to finally meet members of his family! But… I just…" Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Libby sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug.

"I miss him, too," she said. Molly leaned her head against her shoulder. The two sat there for a couple minutes before Molly spoke again.

"He wouldn't want me to be sad. I know he wouldn't."

"Molly, it's only been a month," Libby rationalized. "You can't just force yourself to be happy when you're not. He wouldn't want you to be doing that, either. This kind of thing takes time. You need to allow yourself to grieve before you can heal." 

Molly sighed again as tears rolled down her cheeks. In her head, she knew Libby was right. It was just her heart that still needed convincing. 

And that was easier said than done.

Fran glanced up and down the numerous bookshelves as she ventured further into the store. After hearing the girls' outburst, she offered to go into the back to check on them, which Leah greatly appreciated. She was now in the Non-Fiction section, and still no sign of Molly or Libby. As she glanced at title after title, she couldn't help but think back to the night before. Those blue and gold "light beings" were as clear as day in her thoughts. She knows that it was a dream and most likely meant nothing, recurring or not, but still… the feeling of the blue light's hand in hers felt so real. The need to know for sure nagged at the back of her mind.

"I wonder if there's any books on dreams here," she couldn't help but wonder aloud. Suddenly, she felt a chill at the back of her neck, a feeling she hadn't felt since she left Chicago, a feeling she hoped she'd never feel again, when…

THUD!

"Fzzsst!" The sudden loud noise behind her nearly made her jump out of her skin. Turning to look, she saw that somehow, a large navy blue book had fallen off one of the higher shelves, landing cover-side down. Hesitantly stepping towards it, she bent over and picked it up. Turning it over, her eyes widened at the title.

The Big Book of Dreaming: A Guide to Dreams and their Meanings

"Huh…" she mused to herself at the odd coincidence. In that moment, she felt that same chill once again as a small, sea foam green blur passed her peripheral vision. By the time she turned her head in its direction to try to see what it was, however… it was gone.

Despite her flight response going into overdrive, she really wanted to give into her deep impulse to try to follow whatever it was that flew past her. But, she had to focus on finding Molly and Libby, first. Besides, she'd seen enough horror movies to know that if you try to follow something mysterious on your own, it'll no doubt lead to disaster. Like the old saying goes, "Curiosity Killed the Cat".

Tucking the book under her arm, she headed into the next aisle of bookcases to continue her search… but not without a growing feeling in her gut that she was still being watched. 

"Molly? Libby?" She called out. "Where are you guys?"

"Over here!" Libby's voice rang out from a few aisles ahead of her. Heading in that direction, Fran turned the corner of the end bookshelf to find the two girls sitting on the floor, the box beside them two-thirds of the way empty. Her eyes met Molly's, and it didn't take long for her to pick up that despite her best efforts to hide it, she'd had been crying.

"Molly, are you okay?" She asked. "What happened? Did you hurt yourself?" Molly quickly rubbed at her eyes and gave a small smile.

"I'm okay," she assured her. "I just… um…"

"A friend of ours… moved away recently," Libby interjected. "He and Molly were really close, and she misses him." Molly gave her a grateful look at this as Fran nodded in sympathy. 

"I'm sorry, Molly," she said as she sat down with them. "I've been there before, and it sucks royally."

"Yeah, me too," Molly said. "My family used to move around a lot before we made Brighton our Forever Home, so I was usually the friend that had to move away. But at the same time, it never gets easier." Fran looked at her with a frown. 

Oh, boy, how was she gonna do this? Comforting was NOT her strong suit.

"Do you… wanna talk about him? It sometimes helps you feel better if you—" Her question was quickly answered by Molly silently shaking her head. Fran held up her hands in surrender.

"Still a fresh wound, got it," she said. "I won't push or anything, and I have no right to, anyway. I mean, we literally just met!" She gave an anxious chuckle and scratched at her arm, glancing away with a sigh. 

"Sorry. I'm not good at this. I offered to come back here to check on you guys because Libby's mom was kinda worried. I wasn't ready to run into all… this." She only looked back when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Molly was wiping her tears with her free hand, but was smiling at her all the same.

"It's okay, Fran," she said. "The fact that you wanted to check on us at all is enough. And we both appreciate it. Thank you."

"…No problem," Fran was finally able to stutter out with a slightly flattered blush. After a moment, she cleared her throat to try to get rid of any lingering feelings of embarrassment as she changed the subject. "So, um… do you want me to help finish up putting away these books? With me here, we can get it done three times as fast." Molly and Libby giggled, which made her feel better, as well.

"Sure," Libby said as she stood up, Fran quickly following suit. When Molly remained sitting on the floor, Fran offered her hand to her. She looked at it for a moment, before taking it with a smile as she was pulled to her feet.

"Now, how's about we get this done so we can continue with our little tour?" Fran asked with a rather familiar looking smirk. "I wanna see what else this town has to offer!" Molly's smile turned into a full-blown grin as she nodded.

"You got it!"

The afternoon proved to very productive for the three newfound friends. After finishing up shelving what was left of the books, Leah gave Libby the go ahead to join Molly in showing Fran around her new hometown, but not before Fran made her first purchase; the dream book she had found. The fact that it all but literally fell into her lap was too great a coincidence to ignore. It was a sign. She was gonna figure out what her dream was trying to tell her one way or another. 

With her new book bought and bagged, the three girls headed out to see more of Brighton, and with Libby's extensive knowledge of the town's history, it became quite the learning experience. 

The next stop was the local park, where the two showed her it's two biggest landmarks. First was the bandshell, that Molly was able to rally the whole town into rebuilding after a freak tornado tore through it back in the late seventies. And second was the statue of the town hero (and basically founder), Sally Tugbottom, who not only saved the locals from a massive tornado, but was able to lead the charge into rebuilding the town from the ground up. Fran couldn't help but feel that chill again when she had gotten closer to it, so she kept a respectable distance and tried to ignore it.

Another rather interesting fact about this statue was that it wasn't until a little over a year ago that Sally was finally getting recognition for her role in the town's history. For over 150 years, her younger brother Ezekiel had taken the credit for all that she'd done, painting himself as a smart, rugged hero, when in fact he was actually a lazy coward. The town had even built a statue of him, first! But it was Molly and Libby who had uncovered the truth about his so-called legacy, and not long after, that statue had been destroyed by another freak tornado.

"This town really seems to have its issues with tornadoes, huh?" Fran snarked as the three of them walked down the main road once again. Molly giggled a bit at this as Libby shrugged.

"Well, they're not too common, thankfully," she said. 

"That's a relief," Fran said, before playfully elbowing Molly. "But look at you! Bringing the town together to rebuild an old landmark, and revealing a 150-year-old conspiracy? You've clearly been busy since you moved here." Molly blushed a bit at that and gave a nonchalant shrug.

"Aw, thanks. It wasn't really much. Just doing my part to enhappify Brighton!"

At hearing this, Fran paused mid-step. Molly and Libby had walked a couple steps ahead before they realized she was no longer walking with them. Turning back to look at her, they were surprised by her wide-eyed expression. She stared at Molly in confusion, mixed with what one could only describe as awe.

"…What did you say?"

Molly tilted her head in confusion.

"'It wasn't really much'?"

"No, no," Fran shook her head. "The other part. What was that word you just said?" Molly thought for a moment before her eyebrows shot up.

"You mean 'enhappify'?" 

A moment seemed to pass for what felt like an eternity, before Fran suddenly cracked a smile, her shoulders twitching slightly. That smile quickly turned into a chuckle, then a full blown laugh as she shook her head in amusement.

"Oh man," she said with a smile. "You're not gonna believe this, but you sounded so much like my Uncle Todd just then. He used that exact same word when he visited us in Chicago!" Now it was Molly and Libby's turn to be stunned.

"He did?" They both asked, Molly sounding less surprised than Libby. Fran nodded.

"Yeah," she explained, suddenly feeling a little self conscious as she looked at the ground. "It was actually part of a few words of advice he had given me before he left to go traveling. He had said, 'If you wanna enhappify others, you gotta figure out how to enhappify yourself, first.'" After a few seconds, she found her gaze meeting theirs again, and was relieved to see them both smiling. Libby's was soft and understanding. Molly's on the other hand could've easily outshone the sun as her eyes sparkled, looking to be on the verge of tears again. Fran stepped forward a bit in concern, but Molly was quick to reassure her.

"These are happy tears, I promise," she said as she wiped at the corners of her eyes. Fran sighed a bit in relief. "That was really beautiful advice."

"Yeah," Fran agreed, shyly rubbing the back of her neck. "I actually repeat it to myself sometimes, when I feel nervous about doing something out of my comfort zone. It's a pretty good motivator." Molly beamed. 

"I think so, too," she said as the three of them came to a stop. "Oh, City Hall's not too far from here. How about we show you that real quick, maybe introduce you to Mayor Brunson if he's not too busy, and after that we can have an ice cream break at Sweets and Treats?" Fran grinned and she jumped in place a bit in excitement.

"Fzzt! Now you're speaking my language! Race you there!" And with that, she took off running, Molly and Libby laughing as they ran to catch up with her. Fran laughed a bit to herself as she ran, the wind blowing on her face. 

When was the last time she had done this? Just enjoyed the moment and just being a kid? How long had it been? Way too long.

Turning mid step, she laughed again as she now ran backwards, calling back to her new friends as she reached the front steps of City Hall.

"Come on, pick up the pace, slowpokes!"

As soon as those words left her mouth, the back of her heel caught against a crack in the sidewalk, sending her falling backwards. As she fell, she felt that chill again as she felt like she was bumping into something, but nothing at the same time. Along with it came a strange tingling feeling that left her with goosebumps that she felt all the way up to her scalp. As quickly as the feeling came, it passed as she landed on her back, the pavement scuffing up her palms and forearms a little as she caught herself to avoid hitting her head. She heard Molly and Libby call out to her as they ran faster to reach her. She then heard something else.

"Oh, dear! Are you alright?" It was an older woman's voice that got closer to her as she said it. Probably once of the City Council members who saw her little wipeout. Quite a first impression. Sitting up, she brushed at her arms.

"I'm okay. Not my brightest move, there," she said, before playfully adding, "Probably a good thing my mom didn't name me Grace." The woman laughed a little at this, which made her smile as she glanced up at her. "In all seriousness, though, it's just a few scrapes. I'll be fiiiine…"

She trailed off as her dual-colored eyes met a pair of yellow ones. The woman's concerned look turned to one of shock as their eyes met. Not that Fran could blame her. The woman was on the older side, with curly hair that reached her jawline. She wore a blazer, which further fueled Fran's assumption that she worked on the City Council.

Oh, and she was also transparent. Literally.

All the chills she'd been feeling throughout the day now made sense.

Standing, or rather floating in front of her… was an honest to goodness ghost.

"You… you can see me, can't you, dear?" She asked gently. Fran, unable to really form words at the moment, simply nodded, her stunned expression unchanging.

"Ohhhhhhh, sweet baby corn."

Fran and the woman turned to see Molly and Libby, who looked like… well, you get it. Fran found herself looking at the ground again as her brain raced. 

This is it, she thought. It's over. Haven't even been here two days, and I already ruined everything! I thought once I left Chicago, I'd be done with this. A fresh start. New Home, New Me! But I guess the universe is like, "Ha, NOPE! Not a chance for Fran the Freak!" They're gonna get scared, just like everyone else, and want nothing to do with me. I'm gonna be all alone again…

The ghost woman, however, gave the two girls a friendly smile.

"Hello, Molly," she said sweetly. Molly slowly raised a hand and waved it, her expression turning to a nervous smile.

"Heh heh… hi, Mama Brunson," she responded as Libby also waved at her. Fran's head shot up, eyes brimming with tears as they widened even further.

"Wait… Molly… wha…?" Seeing her expression, Molly immediately stepped forward and offered her hand to her.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her expression not fearful at all. There was just… concern. And understanding. Fran stared at her hand, then up at her, and what Molly saw in her eyes made her breath hitch in her throat.

Her eyes were full of sadness, fear, but most of all… a hesitant hope. She'd seen that exact same look in Scratch's eyes about a month ago.

"You guys can see her, too?" She asked. Molly instantly nodded, Libby following suit. Despite Fran's best efforts, tears began to fall as she let out a small sob. 

"You… you don't think I'm a freak?" 

That one question was enough for Molly to feel her heart completely shatter. Dropping to her knees, she slowly moved to pull Fran into a hug, so she wouldn't startle her like she had before. While Fran did tense slightly at the touch, she soon melted into the embrace, returning it full force. Molly rubbed her back gently as Libby kneeled down and also joined the hug. 

Fran hugged them both as tight as she could as she continued to cry, in both heartache and relief.

They weren't afraid of her. 

They understood.

Chapter Text

"So… how long have you been able to see ghosts?"

After the rather emotional moment outside of City Hall, Molly and Libby were eventually able to help Fran feel okay enough to stand back up on her feet. Deciding to save meeting Mayor Brunson for another time, and giving a short but sweet goodbye to his mother's ghost, the two decided to take her to Sweets and Treats to help her calm down. 

That proved to be a good call, as her demeanor considerably improved once she saw on the menu that they had churro sundaes. 

Apparently she had only recently tried churros for the first time thanks to Todd, and it was, as she had put it, "life-changing". Molly could only shake her head in amusement. Leave it to Scratch to get a member of his family to have churros as their new favorite snack. Fran was quick to order the churro sundae, while Molly and Libby went a bit more simple; two scoop cups of strawberry and vanilla respectively.

Once the three of them got their respective ice creams and sat in a far booth so no one would eavesdrop, Molly was the first one to ask the question that was currently on her and Libby's minds. 

Swallowing her latest spoonful, Fran shrugged as she fiddled with one of the churros sticking out of the ice cream.

"Honestly, I think I've always been able to," she explained. "You know how a lot of people say that really little kids are more in tune with the paranormal and can see stuff that others can't, but usually they lose that sense once they turn, like, 5? Well… I kinda never grew out of it. And when you grow up in a major city that's home to numerous disasters with death tolls in the hundreds… yeah, my childhood was spent literally surrounded by ghosts, which did zero favors for me sensory-wise, let me tell ya." Libby winced in sympathy.

"I can only imagine," she said. Fran shrugged once again.

"Eh, it's in the past, now. New Home, New Me. But enough about that, what about you two? How long have you guys been in tune with the supernatural?" The two girls looked at each other for a moment before Molly answered.

"Well, it all started when I first moved here," she said sheepishly. "Turns out, my house was haunted. The ghost living there really wasn't too happy about us moving in, at first." 

"No surprises, there," Fran mused through a mouthful of ice cream and churro. "If some random people barged into my house and told me they were living there now, I'd be mad, too."

"Yeah. But after a while, he got used to having us around," Molly continued. "All I know is that after I met him, I guess that was enough "exposure" that I was able to see him even when he was invisible to everyone else, and other ghosts, too. And eventually, I just couldn't keep it a secret from Libby anymore, and I introduced him to her."

"Although, technically, I was made aware of ghosts before that, but I had originally brushed it off as a really vivid dream," Libby added. "When Molly and I were on a Wilder Scouts camping trip, we came face to face with a local urban legend; Howlin' Harriet." Fran tilted her head in interest.

"Howlin' Harriet?"

"Long story short, she was a woman who broke one of those old-timey laws, and when she was being chased by an angry mob, she fell into the path of a oncoming train," Molly explained. Fran winced at this, but motioned her to continue. "All that was found were the toes of her right foot. Ever since then, she haunted the woods of Brighton, howling in pain and searching for her lost toes, or the toes of some unlucky camper to replace them."

"When she attacked our campsite, Molly and I were able to placate her spirit by crafting replacement toes for her, allowing her to finally move on," Libby said. Fran let out an impressed whistle.

"Not bad," she said. "What'd you use to make them?"

"Oh, um, we used some leftover hotdogs from dinner earlier that night," Libby admitted with a blush.

"Not a bad choice," Fran assured her. "My mom did something like that once for a Halloween party at my school when I was little. She made them look like chopped-off fingers."

"Reminds me of the haunted house we set up for our Halloween festival last year," Molly recalled with a fond smile. "All ticket sales went to charity, of course, and with actual ghosts haunting it, it was a smash hit! Everyone else thought they were just really well-done special effects, anyway." 

"Remind me to have you help set up our house for Halloween this year," Fran responded with a wink. "My family always wanted to go all out when it came to decorating for Halloween, but we couldn't do much because we only lived in an apartment. But now we have an actual house, so we can!" 

"I'll keep that in mind."

"And speaking of which, what about your house? Is it still haunted?" Molly froze mid-bite of her ice cream, suddenly looking sad. 

"Not exactly," she muttered. "Sure, ghosts are more than welcome there, but Sc—the ghost that originally lived there… he had something really important he needed to do. So he had to leave." 

Fran felt something twinge in the back of her mind at that, and shook her head a little. Probably just brain freeze.

"Oh… I'm sorry." Molly looked back at her with a bittersweet smile.

"It's okay. I know wherever he is, he's happy. And that's enough."

A long silence hung in the air as the three of them picked away at their ice cream. Scratching at her arm once again, Fran tried to think of a way to break out of this awkwardness.

"Sooo…" she started. "You mentioned that ghosts are welcome at your house, though. Does that mean you're now running some kind of ghost bed & breakfast?" Molly looked up at her in surprise, before giving an amused smile.

"No," she chuckled. "They're just welcome to come and go as they wish. Besides, they aren't always here in town. They usually spend most of their time in the Ghost World."

"Wait… Ghost World?" Now that got her attention. "That's a thing?"

"Oh, yeah," Molly nodded. "I've even been there a few times. Libby, too." 

She and Libby jumped when Fran suddenly slammed both her hands on the table and leaned towards them, eyes practically sparkling as a whole string of questions sprang from her.

"You've been there?! How? What does it look like? Have you run into any family members? Were any famous people there? What's the architecture like? Is it like the Egyptian idea of the Underworld, where someone's weighing your heart against a feather, or more like the River Styx in Greek mythology, where you have to pay a ferryman to get anywhere? Or is it just a mishmash of all different cultural beliefs of the afterlife, together?" Sitting back in her seat, she began to excitedly shake her hands. "Just… ooooooooh, fzzt fzzt fzzt fzzt! I wanna know everything!" 

Looking back at the two girls across from her, it was only then that she noticed their surprised expressions at her outburst, and began to feel incredibly self-conscious as her hands stopped flapping and she ducked her head in embarrassment.

"Sorry…" she muttered. Molly's expression melted into a kind, understanding smile, which thankfully got a small, shy one in return.

She smiles a bit like Scratch sometimes, especially when she's excited, she thought to herself. And that little "fizz" noise she makes is really cute!

"It's okay, I promise," she reassured. "We just weren't expecting you to be so excited about it."

"You certainly know a lot about different cultures, especially their traditions and beliefs regarding the afterlife," Libby added with an impressed smile. Fran shrugged with a blush.

"Well, that kind of stuff has been a special interest of mine since I was little," she explained. "My dad was an anthropologist. He used to travel all over the world, learning about different places, their people and their cultures and traditions. And when he got back home, he'd tell me all the cool new things he learned. I guess my interest in the afterlife and the supernatural is because of him. When I was 7, he told me about how mummies were made in Egypt and why it was done, and the rest was history."

"I don't think either you or your mom mentioned your dad until now," Molly said. "Is he on another trip?"

Now it was Fran's turn to tense up slightly, the sadness in her eyes evident. 

"No," she muttered. "He…" She trailed off as she slightly teared up. Molly and Libby's eyes went wide in horrified realization.

"Oh, Fran…"

"We're so sorry."

"I'm okay," Fran was able to say after a deep breath as she wiped her eyes. "It was years ago. He'd been sick for a long time." Gently, Molly put a hand on hers.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, yet."

"Thanks." With a sigh, Fran gave a small nostalgic smile. "You know, when Uncle Todd told me he was going out to see the world, it felt… nice. The excitement in his eyes when he talked about all the plans he had gave me the best kind of déjà vu. It was like I got that part of my life with my dad back." 

Molly and Libby smiled at this. It seemed Scratch wasn't the only one being enhappified by the fact that he was finally following his dream. Molly cleared her throat to avoid getting emotional again.

"Well, to answer your earlier questions, what we've seen of the Ghost World kinda reminds me of an old fashioned city," she explained. "There's houses, buildings, stores, restaurants, billboards, night clubs, even video rental shops." Fran tilted her head curiously at the last one, which made her giggle. "A friend of mine explained that the Ghost World doesn't really get more modern things until it's considered "dead". He only just got a flip phone last year."

"So, you're friends with multiple ghosts?" Fran asked. "Anyone I might know of, or…?" 

"Well so far, I only know a few historical figures, personally," Molly answered. "Two of them we've actually told you about today; Sally Tugbottom and her brother, Ezekiel."

"Wait, you met them?"

"Yep. Remember that "freak tornado" we mentioned that destroyed his statue?" Libby asked.

"Yeeeees…?" Fran trailed off before her eyebrows shot up. "Wait… you don't mean…"

"That was actually Ezekiel, himself," Molly confirmed. "He was kinda throwing a tantrum about me exposing the truth about his phony legacy. The statue was just caught in the crossfire."

"Oh, the irony! Oh, the cruel twist of fate!" Fran playfully lamented as she threw her arm over her forehead dramatically, making Molly and Libby laugh. With a smirk, she sat back up straight before reiterating her earlier question. "And the other historical figure?"

"Oh! Um…" Molly blushed sheepishly. "Would you believe Abraham Lincoln?"

"What? For real? How'd you even accomplish that?!"

"Well, it all started when my history class had to do a presentation on a historical figure of our choice…"

A good forty-five minutes had passed since the three girls had long finished their ice cream while sharing some of their ghostly experiences, when Fran's phone went off with a notification. Pulling it out of her pocket, she read the text.

"Oh, Molly, my mom says that she and your parents are done installing the fridge and stove," she said. "She wants to know where we are so we can meet up with them and then get some grocery shopping done."

"Oh, cool. Just text her that we're at Sweets and Treats. My parents know where this is, and can give her directions," Molly said. Giving a thumbs up, Fran texted her mother back their location.

"Where was I?" Fran mused, deciding to continue their conversation while they waited. "Oh yeah, almost 2 years ago, there was a time where my mom and I had gone out for the day, and we kinda eventually found ourselves at the site of the Chicago Fire. While we were there, I saw a family filming something together. I think it was for a web series, or something… I forget what it was called." 

"Molly?" A voice suddenly interrupted them. Turning to look, the girls saw a rather good-looking boy about their age standing in front of their table. He was of Asian decent, like Molly, with shaggy bangs that he had to toss out of his eyes. He wore a blue jacket over a white shirt and blue jeans. Molly and Libby's expressions brightened at the sight of him, while Fran's eyes widened in recognition.

"Well, speak of the Devil…" she muttered.

"Hi, Ollie," Libby said happily.

"What are you doing here?" Molly asked.

"Darryl's hanging out with June at our house today, and he told me you might be here," the boy, Ollie, said. Fran looked at him with a smirk.

"Molly, who's this?"

"Oh, this is my boyfriend, Ollie," Molly said, a blush creeping across her face. Ollie waved at Fran, which she returned, her smirk never leaving.

"Nice to meet you."

"Nice to see you again, Ghost Hunter boy."

Ollie tilted his head in confusion, Molly looking equally so.

"Wait, you know him?" 

"He was one of the people I saw filming the web series I was just talking about!" Ollie's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Have we met before?" He asked. Fran shrugged.

"Kinda," she replied. "Name's Fran Wolfe." She held out her hand, which he shook.

"Ollie Chen. Nice to meet you… again, I guess?"

"It's okay if you don't remember me," Fran chuckled. "It was 2 years ago, we barely even spoke and I didn't have this rockin' hairstyle I do now." Running a hand through her hair, she opened the photo app on the phone, scrolling through them a bit before pulling up an earlier photo of herself and turning the screen towards the three of them so they could see.

"Here's a picture of me from about a month ago, right before my Uncle came to visit."

Recognition dawned on Ollie's face.

"Oh, yeah! You were at the Chicago Fire tour!" 

"Yep."

Libby was quick to ask the two questions about what the tour was like. Molly, meanwhile, continued to stare at the photo. 

It was of Fran and Ginny outside a bus station, most likely right before they picked up Todd. Ginny was beaming, most likely ecstatic to see her cousin again after so long. 

Fran, however, was almost unrecognizable in it. 

She was barely smiling. Her naturally dark brunette hair went a little past her shoulders, thick and curly enough that it was covering her eyes. She wore an old, oversized, faded red sweater over an off-white shirt. Her posture was almost cowering, as if she were trying to hide from the world. 

It almost reminded her of how Libby was when they first met. 

Or even…  

She shook her head, getting that thought out of her mind. She already felt bad enough for not realizing sooner how badly he'd needed her help until it was almost too late. The last thing she wanted was to spiral in front of her new friend. 

That's not what Scratch would've wanted.

"What was that web series called again?" Fran asked, bringing Molly's thoughts back to the present. Ollie blushed in slight embarrassment.

"Oh, um…" he scratched the back of his neck. "Ghost Chaser Chens."

"That was it!"

"Although, we're not really ghost hunters anymore," he further explained. "Paranormal research is now more of a hobby than a career for us, now." 

"That's probably for the best," Fran agreed. "I kinda remember your dad being a bit… intense about the whole thing."

"He… had a bad experience with a ghost when he was a kid," Ollie said. Fran nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, that'll do it."

"Yeah," he then cleared his throat. "So, how do you know Molly and Libby?" 

"Well, I just moved here with my mom yesterday," Fran explained. "Molly was technically the first person I met, since her family kinda pulled out the whole welcome wagon."

"Yeah, they did the exact same thing when we moved in across the street from them," Ollie reminisced with a laugh. Molly blushed a little.

"Libby and I were showing her around town today," she said with a smile. "And you're probably gonna meet her mom soon since she and my parents are gonna pick us up to go grocery shopping."

"Cool," he said. "Mind if I join you guys?" 

Fran smirked, then glanced over to see Molly jokingly shooting her the biggest pair of puppy eyes she'd ever seen. She tried her best to resist, only to roll her eyes with an amused sigh.

"Sure thing," she answered. 

A couple minutes later, the sound of a car horn honking alerted the four of them that Molly's parents and Fran's mother was there to pick them up. Fran introduced Libby and Ollie to her mother, who was over the moon to see that her daughter had already made some more new friends, and was more than happy to allow them to tag along on their grocery run. While the parents shopped, the kids hung back a bit to continue their conversation on the subject of ghosts.

Neither girl knew it, but Molly and Fran were both feeling incredibly relieved. They were so certain that they were gonna have to hide a huge part of their lives from each other, but it turned out to not be the case. They had a solid common ground, so there didn't need to be so many secrets between them.

Fran smiled to herself. Maybe this truly was a new beginning for her. She actually had friends who truly understood her. They didn't think she was weird or a freak. To them, she was just… her. Besides, she wasn't sure how long she would've been able to hide her ability from them. She was rather sucky at lying.

While Molly knew that she couldn't tell Fran everything just yet, especially regarding who Scratch really was, this was still a good start. She was a terrible liar, anyway, and could only hide those stress hives for so long.

After their shopping trip was over, they dropped off Libby at the bookstore, then all drove to the McGee residence so Ollie wouldn't have to walk all the way home. 

"Pete, Sharon, again, thank you both so much for the help today," Ginny said. 

"Oh, it was no trouble at all," Pete said. "We know what it's like to try to get everything straightened out after moving in, so it's the least we could do." She smiled gratefully, then called out to Fran, who was still chatting with Molly. 

"Sweetie, we're gonna need to head home soon. A good chunk of these groceries need to go in the fridge."

"Okay, Ma," Fran called back, then turned to Molly. "Thanks for showing me around today. And for… you know… understanding me." 

"Of course!" Molly said with a smile. "I honestly think it's super cool that you've been able to see ghosts your whole life. Maybe I can introduce you to some of the ghosts around town next time we hang out!" She stopped herself a bit, suddenly feeling a little nervous. "I mean… if you wanna hang out again."

"Of course I do!" Fran said. "We're friends now, remember? Besides, I'm definitely curious about meeting some of them." Molly beamed at that.

"Great!" She cheered. "I can't wait to introduce you to them, Fizz! This is gonna be so fun!"

"Wait… 'Fizz'?" Fran asked in slight confusion. Molly's eyes widened as she realized what she'd just said.

"Oh… I, uh, thought it'd be fun to give you a nickname," she said sheepishly with a laugh. "I've noticed that you make a "fzzt" sound whenever you're startled or excited. So… 'Fizz'."

Fran's eyebrows raised a bit in realization. Now it was her turn to look slightly embarrassed.

"Ohhhhh… that's kind of a vocal stim I have. It's kinda a sensory thing, too. Sorry. Half of the time, I don't even notice when I do it."

"No, no, you don't have to apologize," Molly quickly reassured her. "I like it. I honestly think it's kinda cute. That's why I wanted it to be your nickname." Fran looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

"I honestly can't remember the last time someone outside of my family gave me a nickname," she said. "'Fizz'…" she repeated it a few times under her breath, the feeling of it rolling off her tongue making her giggle and giving her a warm feeling in her chest. It just felt… right.

"I like it. Thanks, Molly." 

"Fran!" Ginny called once again, getting their attention. "We gotta head home, honey!" The two girls flinched apologetically.

"Sorry, Ma!" Fran called, then quickly asked Molly, "Can I see your phone for a sec?"

"Um… okay?" Taking her phone out of her pocket, Molly unlocked her phone and handed it to her. With quick fingers, Fran typed something into it and handed it back to her. Looking at the screen, Molly was surprised to see that she'd added in her phone number as a new contact. Then she noticed the name she'd put in for it.

Fizz 👻

Looking back up at her, Molly smiled. 

"See ya later," Fizz said, winking at her as she headed to her mom's car with a wave. As she got in the car, Ginny waved out of the driver's side window.

"Night, Mollypop! See ya soon!"

Molly waved back as the car pulled out of the driveway.

"See you later!" she said with a grin.

As they drove home, Fizz smiled to herself as she looked out the window. Today had certainly been… something. But in a good way.

"I know that look," Ginny said fondly. "You had fun today." Looking back at her, Fizz's smile grew.

"Definitely."

"So, aside from the ice cream, did ya get yourself anything nice today?"

Fizz's foot nudged against the shopping bag she'd gotten at the bookstore, bringing her thoughts back to slightly more pressing matters.

"Just something fun to read," she said.

Maybe now she could get some answers about her recurring dream…

Chapter Text

"It's incredible! Only two days in, and she was already making friends!"

Ginny was positively over the moon as she excitedly chatted with her cousin over the phone. It had been almost a week now since the two had moved to Brighton, and once Todd called to check in, she was eager to tell him everything that had been going on in such a short time. She smiled as she heard him laugh on the other end.

"Told ya so!" He said, playfully smug. She rolled her eyes, even though he couldn't see it. "In all seriousness, I'm happy to hear everything's going so well."

"You don't know the half of it." She still couldn't believe just how quickly and smoothly Fran was adjusting to living in Brighton. Especially after everything they'd gone through.

Things had been pretty hard after Garrett passed away 5 years prior, but she had done her damndest to stay strong, for herself and for their daughter. But it wasn't without its challenges.

When Garrett got sick, she had felt a rift starting to form between her and Fran. And it only got worse after he was gone. Fran took the loss especially hard and fell into depression, becoming closed off ever since then. Every attempt made to try to get her to open up was only met with her pushing anyone and everyone further away, even her own family. 

At the rate she'd been going, Ginny was petrified that she was going to lose her daughter, too.

But then Todd called her up and told her he was coming to Chicago for a long-overdue visit before he headed on his big worldwide adventure. To say it had come as a surprise was certainly an understatement, but it was a welcome one, all the same. 

And it was exactly the breath of fresh air that they had needed. 

Ginny wasn't sure how, but he managed to finally break Fran's walls down. She began talking more, she was leaving the self-isolation of her room and actually spending time with them. And then… she laughed. She was smiling again. 

For the first time in years, Ginny felt that she finally got her daughter back. That things were going to be okay.

That's when Todd eased them into the whole idea of moving to Brighton. 

He had already sold Ginny the house to do with as she pleased, be it moving in or renting, but he knew he couldn't just throw Fran headfirst into such a massive change. He had to be gentle about it. Ginny was relieved when Fran showed positivity to the prospect of moving. While Chicago was where they'd both grown up and had everything they'd ever known, it still held many sad memories for them, and Fran didn't have many friends to speak of, even before Garrett passed.

A change of scenery would probably be best for both of them. It was only a 4-hour drive away, so they wouldn't be too far from family. Plus, it was before the school year started, so Fran wouldn't feel even further uprooted.

So, they agreed to the move, getting everything ready before seeing him off on his flight to Japan.

"So, tell me more," Todd said, bringing her thoughts back to the present. "You've told me plenty about how Fran's doing. How are you settling in?" She smiled at this.

"I'm doing pretty well. I've taken up a few odd jobs here and there until I can find something that suits me. I am thinking of applying for a job at one of the local bakeries, though."

"Oooooh, good choice. I'd try Pam's first. She's a wizard at baking, I swear."

"I'll keep that in mind." Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny noticed Fran had finally woken up, entering the kitchen for breakfast. Smiling, she leaned against the doorframe, gently rapping her knuckles on it to get her attention. Fran's head shot up at the noise, but relaxed once she saw her.

"Hey, sweetie."

"Oh. Hey, Ma. What's up?"

"Uncle Todd's on the phone. You wanna talk to him?" She bit her lip in amusement as her daughter's face lit up with a grin as she held out her hand.

"Gimmie!"

Hearing Todd's laugh on the other end, Ginny complied with a chuckle of her own, Fran's smile growing as she placed the phone to her ear.

"Hi, Uncle Todd!"

"Hey, Two-Tone!" She could practically hear his smile on the other end. 

"How's Japan?"

"It's going great! The people, the culture, the food, it's all amazing! Been taking a lot of pictures, so expect those in the mail, soon. Probably gonna stay here another week before I head out to wherever the world takes me next. But enough about that, your Mom tells me things are going well."

"Ha! That's putting it mildly," she said. "It's going great! I've made a few friends, I know all the fun places to hang out. I'm actually excited to start high school in a few weeks! If you told me 2 months ago that I'd be excited for that, I woulda thought you were nuts!" Todd laughed once again at her infectious enthusiasm.

"I'm really glad to hear that. I know your Mom is especially happy about it." Fran shot an appreciative glance to her mother. 

"Yeah. I am, too."

"So, tell me about these new friends of yours."

"Well, there's a few of them, and we're actually gonna hang out later this afternoon. But for now, first there's the girl I met the day Mom and I moved in. Her name's…"

"…Molly, I know you're excited about Fizz being able to see ghosts and all, but did you have to call an emergency Ghost Friends meeting so early in the morning?" Darryl asked groggily through a mouthful of cereal as Molly set up a video call on her tablet with Libby, Ollie and June. "I'm pretty sure the others haven't even woken up yet." Molly looked at her brother with a smile.

"Come on, Darryl, it's 9 AM. You and I both know Libby's already been up for 2 hours, tops. And besides, Ollie and June have a pretty solid sleep schedule, too, so they're usually up and have finished breakfast by now."

After that eventful afternoon, Molly was quick to tell Darryl about Fizz's gift. She decided against telling their parents just yet. She figured Fizz would tell them on her own when she felt comfortable with it. Even before she became aware of it, she had wanted to at least tell Fizz about the Ghost Friends, eventually. But ever since Fizz quite literally bumped into the ghost of the previous Mayor, Molly knew that she'd fit right in with their little crew. 

Now it was only a matter of discussing it with the rest of the team and getting their input.

"Good morning, everyone," she greeted as Libby, Ollie and June joined the video call. They returned the greetings as she smiled. "Now, our emergency meeting of the Ghost Friends can commence."

"Is everything okay, Molly?" Ollie asked in concern, Libby looking equally so. "You usually don't call an emergency meeting unless it's serious."

"It's nothing too bad, I promise," Molly quickly reassured her boyfriend. "But it is an important matter. I've been considering something for the past few days, and I need to know your thoughts before I move forward."

"The floor is yours, Molly," Libby encouraged her as she gave a grateful smile and took a deep breath.

"What would you all think about having Fizz join the team?" She asked. Ollie and Libby's expressions turned to one of understanding and approval. 

"We were wondering when you were gonna bring this up," Libby said. "I think she'd make a great addition!"

"Same here!" Ollie added. Molly smiled in relief as Darryl playfully mouthed a "Told you so" to her. She knew they'd be cool with it, but sometimes you just need some verbal affirmation.

"Great," she said. "When Fizz comes over later, I'll bring it up to her and see what she thinks."

It was then that June, who'd been tinkering with her latest gadget, finally spoke up.

"Ollie mentioned her particular gift for being able to see ghosts even when they don't want to be seen," she said. "I'd like to meet her as well and possibly ask if she'd be okay with conducting a few tests on this with me." 

"Of course you can tag along, June," Molly said. "The more, the merrier! But maybe put a pin in the whole experiment thing for later. I think it'd be better for her to get to know you, first."

"Understandable."

"Hey, Molly," Ollie said. "If Fizz agrees to be part of the Ghost Friends, she'll definitely need to know some of the local ghosts around here. From what you three told me earlier, she's only met one, and that was by accident."

"Don't worry, Ollie," Molly said, a smile already forming. "I already have just the ghosts in mind to introduce her to today."

Todd laid back in bed after finishing the call with his cousin and niece. It was a relief to know that they'd settled in Brighton so quickly, Fran especially. As he stared up at the ceiling, he thought back to the friends she'd told him about. He knew some names better than others as he thought back to some of the neighborhood kids he'd occasionally cross paths with in his years living there. 

Libby was an easy one to recognize. She was the daughter of the local bookshop owner. He recalled attending one of their Hanukkah parties a year or so back, especially how shockingly quick their latkes got scooped up. He wasn't entirely sure if he even got one or not. He must have, though, as he could vaguely remember the taste.

Ollie was a bit a mystery. His family had moved to Brighton less than a year before he left on his trip. But he remembered seeing them at the Halloween festival, rambling about how the rather impressive special effects at the haunted house were actually real ghosts. He chuckled a bit at the memory. He didn't really believe in that kind of stuff, but his inner actor couldn't help but applaud how committed whoever was in charge of that whole thing was to the bit. 

From the way Fran described him, Darryl reminded Todd of himself a bit at that age. He loved a good prank, and this kid sounded like a pro. He could already imagine the type of trouble Fran would get into with that boy, and could only hope she'd send pictures or videos, because a part of him really wanted to see that.

And then there was the boy's older sister.

The moment Fran told him her name, it had been gnawing at his thoughts.

Molly McGee.

He'd heard her name mentioned quite a few times around town thanks to all the work she'd done to help the community, but a small part of him felt a bit more weight behind that name. It was important, but he wasn't sure why. It felt like the answer was on the tip of his tongue but miles away all at once. 

But one thing that part of him knew for sure; knowing that Fran had met this girl felt right. Like his niece couldn't have found a better friend than her.

That alone was enough to ease his jumbled thoughts for now. And with a smile, he went to sleep, eager for what adventures tomorrow would bring.

Chapter Text

It hadn't been long before the afternoon had come. Once she was out the door after saying goodbye to her mom and promising that she'd send a text, Fizz smiled as she put on her headphones and clicked on the music app, beginning her walk to Molly's house. Hitting the shuffle button, she let the music be the perfect combination to the gentle breeze she felt pass her, along with the warmth of the sun on her shoulders.

She had always found music to be sure fire way to not only help her calm down when she felt overwhelmed, but it also helped spark her imagination whenever she needed an escape from the stress. That was something her father had taught her from a young age.

A small chuckle escaped her as she remembered something he once told her as they listened to one of his favorite songs.

"Daddy, why's your eyes closed?"

The little 4-year-old sat on her father's lap, during one of the rare, quiet moments that he was home from his work trips. She stared up at him as he smiled and bobbed his head to the music playing on their CD player. Opening one eye slightly, Garrett peeked down at her as his smile grew.

"I'm letting the song tell me a story."

"Story?" She tilted her head curiously. "Doesn't sound like the ones you and Mommy read." He laughed as he opened his eyes.

"Well, not all stories are the same. Some can be told, like the books your Mommy and I read you at bedtime, or they can be sung, like the songs you sing with your friends at daycare." She looked down in thought, remembering the song her group learned recently on Halloween. 

"You mean like Five Little Pumpkins?"

"Exactly," he said with a smile. "But just listening to the words can only do so much. You have to let your imagination to the rest."

"Im…imajun…"

"Hehe, imagination. You know how your dreams are like little movies in your head when you sleep? That's your imagination at work. The right song can take you on an incredible adventure if you know how to listen to it. The words can tell you a story and the music can take you to a new world that only belongs to you. It all just depends on what your imagination can create with it."

"Can I try?"

"Sure you can! I know just the song!" Pulling out another CD, he put in the player and hit start. "Just close your eyes, listen, and let your imagination do the rest."

Fizz's eyes opened as a familiar voice filled her ears. It was that song; the very same one she and her dad were listening to so long ago. She smiled as she began to hum along to it.

No one can blame you

For walking away

Too much rejection, na na

No love injection, na na

Life can be easy 

It's not always swell

Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl

'Cause it hurts like Hell

"But down in the Underground," she sang as she did a small spin mid-step. "You'll find someone true. Down in the Underground… a land serene, a crystal moon. Ahhh-Ahhhh~" 

She did another graceful spin on the sidewalk, letting her imagination run free to the music. In her mind's eye, she saw the Ghost World, exactly as Molly and Libby had described it. A sky as deep and dark as the sea, the smells of all kinds of food in the air, the sounds of (ironically) lively chatter in the streets, ghosts of all shapes, sizes and shades going about their afterlives. 

The next time Molly decided to visit, maybe she'd ask to tag along. It would certainly be an adventure.

"It's only forever… it's not long at all," she continued to sing as Molly's house came into view. "The lost and the lonely, that's Underground, Underground…"

Letting the song reach its end, she walked up the front steps and knocked on the door before turning off her headphones and taking them off to rest on her shoulders and neck. As she waited, she sent a quick text to her mother, letting her know she got there safely. After a moment, the door opened, and she was greeted by a smiling face.

"Hi, Fran," Sharon said as she stepped aside to let her enter. "Nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too, Mrs. M.," Fizz responded. Looking up the stairs, Sharon called out.

"Molly! Fran's here!" It didn't take too long for the girl in question to come bounding down the stairs.

"Fizz!" She cried excitedly, jumping off the second to last step with a smile. Fizz giggled and gave her a small wave.

"Hey, Molly. Hope I didn't get here too late."

"Nope! Your timing's perfect. Everyone else is already upstairs in my room! Come on!" Gently grabbing her hand, Molly led her up the stairs and down the hall to the ladder leading to her room.

"Wait, your room's in the attic?" Fizz asked as Molly climbed the ladder. Molly nodded as she rapped her knuckles against the attic door. 

"Password?" Darryl's voice rang out from the other side. Molly and Fizz rolled their eyes.

"Very funny, Darryl," Molly said. Her brother laughed from the other side as the door opened. 

"Okay, okay," he said in amusement, then waved. "Hi, Fizz."

"Hi, Darryl," she said with a returning wave. Letting Molly lead the way, Fizz climbed up the ladder into the former's attic-turned-bedroom. Shutting the door behind her, she could see that along with Darryl, Libby and Ollie were also there, and gave them a small wave, which they returned. Standing next to Ollie was a girl around Darryl's age. She had her dark hair tied in a high ponytail and wore red glasses over her dark brown eyes, which were focused on the drone she was currently tinkering with. 

Molly gently put her hand on her shoulder and made a sweeping gesture with the other.

"Welcome to my room!"

Fizz let out a low whistle as she looked around the room. There were fairy lights of numerous colors hanging along the ceiling, a small bookcase that doubled as a headboard for the bed right next to the window. Said bed was practically buried in plushies of all shapes and sizes. An Irish coat of arms hung on the wall, alongside numerous paintings, no doubt done by Molly herself. In the corner adjacent to the bed, was a lime green beanbag chair which had a few more plushies on it. Across the room was a desk covered in all kinds of art supplies and a pile of homemade scrapbooks.

It was bright, it was cozy, it was warm.

It was just so… Molly.

"Okay, this is nice," she said as she sat down on the beanbag chair. Ollie then stepped forward and gestured to the girl next to him.

"Fran, this is my little sister June," he said, then gently tapped her shoulder to get her attention. June looked up and gave a small smile. "June, this is Fran."

"You can call me 'Fizz' if you want," Fizz greeted as she held out her fist, which June quickly bumped with her own. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," June said quietly. "Ollie told me that you have rather extensive knowledge on the paranormal, and that you're a spirit medium." Fizz did a slight double take.

"You're certainly forward," she said with a surprised laugh. June ducked her head a bit. "That's okay. So am I sometimes. But yeah, all that stuff is kinda a special interest of mine. I take it yours is technology and stuff?" 

June's head shot up to look at Fizz, who simply smiled and pointed to the drone in her hands.

"Did you recently get that, or…?" She asked.

"I actually built it myself," June answered, her eyes lighting up as she proceeded to go over all the specs and features of the drone to her. Fizz smiled as she listened attentively, asking an occasional question if there was something she didn't fully understand. 

"So, how much do you know about ghosts?" June finally asked after she felt she had said all she needed to say about the drone. Fizz chuckled.

"Well, aside from the common knowledge about them, only a few things," she explained. "To be fair, while I can see ghosts all the time, I rarely got the chance to really talk to one, you know? I'm not really good at starting conversations. I had a hard enough time trying to talk to living people growing up, as is." June nodded in understanding. It was at this point that Molly felt it was the right time to bring up the subject of why they were hanging out today.

"Well, funny you mention the subject of talking to ghosts, Fizz," she said. "Because we thought we could introduce you to a few of our friends from the Ghost World, if that's okay." Fizz straightened up in her seat.

"Wait, really?" Ollie nodded with a smile.

"Yep. And we also thought that if you like, you could join a club that we made together; the Ghost Friends!" Fizz tilted her head in confusion.

"Ghost Friends?"

"It's more like a team," Libby stepped forward to explain. "We help ghosts whenever we're needed. Be it if they're in any kind of trouble, or if they need help solving their unfinished business."

"Ohhhhhh," Fizz said in understanding. "That sounds kinda cool, actually." Molly grinned in excitement, which made her laugh.

"Sooooo…?" 

"Let me meet your friends first, then we can talk about me joining the team."

"Okay!" Molly then put her hands behind her back as she rocked on her heels. "But in order for that to happen, I need to ask you a question, first."

"Ohhhkay," Fizz said tentatively. "What is it?" Molly smirked.

"How would you spell the name Jeff?" 

Fizz once again tilted her head, this time in thought.

"Well, much like my name, there are a few different ways to spell it," she said. "There's the more common way with a J; J-E-F-F, but there's also guys who spell it with a G; G-E-O-F-F."

"YAY! SOMEONE GOT IT RIGHT!" A male voice suddenly called out right next to her.

"FZZSST!" Fizz fell out of the beanbag chair in surprise before whipping her head in the direction of the voice. Her eyes soon met a pair of sunflower yellow ones. 

"Fizz, are you okay?" Molly asked as she knelt down next to her. She didn't answer, as she was busy trying to slow her racing heartbeat while taking in the appearance of this new ghost who was now smiling at her.

He was currently in "invisible mode", but she could still make out his shape. He was medium sized with a more middle-aged build, with his ectoplasm resembling male pattern baldness on his head. He had a large teal-green colored nose and his upper lip jutted out slightly with an overbite, as a couple green snaggle teeth stuck out. Despite this, he wore a kind, welcoming smile, which faded slightly as he took in her startled expression.

"Oh, sorry," he said as he came into full view, his clear ectoplasm becoming a mint green as the ectoplasmic "hair" on the sides of his head drooped. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just got excited." Taking deep breaths to calm her frazzled nerves, she gave him a nod.

"I'm okay," she said, to reassure both him and Molly. "Just a little startled." The ghost slowly held out his hand to her in a silent offering. Fizz's hand wavered for a moment before finally taking it as her helped her to her feet. His hand still held hers slightly as she gave him a shy smile.

"Um… hi," she said. He smiled back at her and shook her hand, the excited energy back in his eyes. 

"Hi! I'm Geoff!" He greeted. 

Fizz couldn't help but notice the feeling of his hand in hers as he shook it. Before grabbing it, she had mentally braced herself for the sensory issues she'd most likely get from the texture, but it never came. His ectoplasm was certainly as squishy as it looked, and cold too, but it wasn't slimy or sticky like she had expected. It kinda felt like a marshmallow that'd been left in the fridge for a little while. Tilting her head at him, she then remembered his rather enthusiastic entrance and what he'd said.

"…With a G, right?" He grinned and nodded as he finally stopped shaking her hand.

"Yep! G-E-O-F-F! Not many people spell my name right on the first try, but you did!" Fizz couldn't help but giggle a bit. This ghost practically radiated golden retriever energy. 

"Well, I kinda know what it's like to have a differently spelled name," she explained. "My full first name is Francez, which is actually spelled differently between males and females. Boys usually spell it with an "I-S" at the end, while girls spell it with an "E-S". Mine is the female spelling, but it has a Z at the end instead of an S. This is usually why I preferred to just go by 'Fran' most of my life." Looking around, she suddenly became aware of the other pairs of eyes now looking at her in surprise and ducked her head with a blush. "I rambled again, didn't I?" 

"It's okay," June reassured. "I ramble a lot, too, especially about things I like talking about." Fizz smiled in relief and took a breath. At that moment, a swirling blue and black portal appeared on the other side of the room, catching all of their attention. After a few seconds, the  head and broad shoulders of another ghost, this one pale purple, poked out. He looked around the room until he locked eyes with Geoff.

"There you are," he said in relief as he fully floated into the room before coming to a stop next to Geoff, the portal disappearing behind him. "Honey, we were supposed to wait until Molly's signal." Geoff looked sheepish.

"Sorry," he said. "I got excited." 

"Um… hi?" Fizz said in shy confusion. The other ghost looked at her in surprise, then gave her a smile.

"Oh, hi. Sorry for barging in like this," he said. "We were supposed to wait for Molly to introduce us, so you wouldn't be overwhelmed." Fizz scratched the back of her neck as Molly stepped up next to her.

"Oh, it's okay," she was quick to reassure both of them. "You can't really blame him. A lot of people get excited to make a new friend." Fizz nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it's cool, Mister…?"

"Oh, this is my afterlife partner!" Geoff said cheerfully as he rested his head on the the ghost's shoulder. The ghost let out a chuckle.

"Jeff," he introduced himself. "With a J."

"Huh," Fizz said with a tilt of her head. "Geoff… and Jeff. At least that's easy to remember. I'm Fran, but you guys can call me Fizz if you want." She held out her hand, which Jeff shook.

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Molly beamed while watching them. This went far smoother than she thought.

About an hour passed while the 6 kids spent time with the ghostly pair, one of them in particular making an effort to get to know the two. It didn't take long for Fizz to strike up a friendship with Geoff and Jeff. They were incredibly friendly and patient with her barrage of questions about the Ghost World, which they were ready and willing to answer. 

Eventually, a knock at the attic door got their attention as Sharon came in. 

"Kids, lunch is ready," she said before noticing the two guests in the room. "Oh, hi Geoff, hi Jeff. Didn't know you two were stopping by!"

"Hi, Sharon," the two chorused.

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" She asked. "There's plenty of food to go around." The two ghosts looked at each other for a moment, considering the offer before nodding.

"We'd love to, Sharon," said Jeff. "Thanks."

It wasn't long before the group congregated to the kitchen to eat and continue their conversation and also share some stories. It was Fizz's turn, and she had everyone invested at her tale of a ghost encounter she had when she was young.

"…So long story short, that's why I avoided the Iroquois Theatre like the plague when I lived in Chicago," Fizz said as she finished her cup of soda. Jeff flinched. 

"Sorry you had to experience that," he said. "I hope you know that it was nothing personal against you. It was just part of the job for us ghosts back then."

"Yeah, I get that. Molly mentioned the whole "misery numbers" thing. But, when my Uncle visited before we moved here, we did have to pass by the area, and the ghosts there were surprisingly chill compared to last time." Geoff looked interested.

"Your Uncle? What's he like?" He asked, oblivious to the awkward looks of the rest of the Ghost Friends' faces. Fizz smiled.

"He's pretty great. I've got a few photos from his visit on my phone if you wanna see," reaching into her pocket, her smile turned to a look of confusion before she lightly slapped her forehead. "I think I forgot my phone in Molly's room. I'll be right back." Standing up from her seat, she headed out the kitchen and went up the stairs to Molly's room. As soon as she was clear out of earshot, Jeff shot Molly a look.

"What do you guys know that we don't?" He asked. Molly sighed, her eyes getting misty.

"Okay, okay…" she said. "But you have to promise not to freak out. And you can't tell Fizz yet, either. She doesn't know."

"Oh man, I'm terrible at keeping secrets," Geoff moaned. Molly gave him a pleading stare. "But for you, I'll do it." 

"Jeff, you might need to be ready in case he screams," she added. Jeff nodded, readily holding up a hand. Molly gave them both a grateful smile, then took a deep breath.

"Fizz's Uncle… is Scratch."

Opening the attic door once again, Fizz climbed into Molly's room, eyes scanning it for any sight of her phone. Eventually, she caught sight of it on the beanbag chair. She figured it must've fallen out of her pocket when Geoff startled her. Smiling, she bent down to pick it up, but as she did, something else caught her eye. 

Right next to the chair was an old, fancy looking dollhouse. 

It was an aged off-white in color, had a dark green roof, a pale red door and numerous windows. It was two floors, three if you count the attic. There was also a small placard on the front with a "S" engraved on it. Despite its age, it looked well-cared for. 

Brushing off some dust off the roof, a chill went throughout her entire body. A ghost had definitely been there at some point. Its energy practically radiated through the whole dollhouse. But despite the chill the residual energy gave off, it felt safe… and oddly familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd felt it before.

Perhaps this was where the ghost Molly had mentioned before at the ice cream shop had lived. Even though it was still clearly a sore subject, Fizz couldn't stop the selfish hope that Molly would tell her more about this mysterious little guy one day soon. He clearly made an impact in her life, and Libby's too, judging by her equally somber reaction.

Standing back up, Fizz backed away a little, taking in the full view of the dollhouse as she was lost in her thoughts. Suddenly, another chill went down her spine, and she turned just in time to see a dark blue fin phasing up through the floor and heading right in her direction.

"MMMMPH! MMNNNMMMMNNNPH!" 

The two ghosts had taken the revelation as well as Molly had expected. It took Ollie, Darryl and Jeff to restrain Geoff and muffle his shocked and excited yells so Fizz wouldn't hear.

"Geoff, please calm down," Libby said. "Believe me, I was just as surprised as you are when Molly told me, but you promised her you wouldn't freak out." Geoff's struggling in his husband's arms began to slow and his muffled exclamations were considerably quieter, but the excitement in his eyes was still there. 

"That's better," Molly sighed in relief. "But still, you can't tell Fizz about this. Not yet." Geoff nodded as Jeff slowly removed his hand from his mouth, Ollie and Darryl following suit.

"I know, but… she's my best buddy's niece!" He said, eyes shining as he smiled. "I never thought we'd actually meet his family! And I'm sure she'd wanna know how much Scratch means to all of us!" Molly gave a bittersweet smile.

"And she will… just not now," she said. "It's… it's too soon. We'll just take it a step at a time, okay?"

Jeff nodded in understanding.

"Of course." Geoff nodded in agreement with his husband.

"Okay! But can we at least introduce her to Sharkie? I know he'd love her!"

"Well, we might have to ease her into it," Molly said with a giggle. Geoff shrugged.

"He's probably already around here somewhere," he said. "He's had a habit of following me and Jeff around lately, especially when he knows we're gonna visit you."

"Yeah, I guess that makes…" Molly started, but then her eyes widened as his words sunk in. "Wait… Sharkie followed you here?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Everyone's blood (or ectoplasm) ran cold as a scream rang out from upstairs, as they immediately knew what that meant.

"FIZZ!!!"

Barreling up the stairs, the group made a frenzied dash to the attic to save their new friend. Molly practically skipped rungs on the ladder to her room as she pushed the door open, catching sight of Fizz lying on her bed, legs kicking as a dark blue shape was on top of her.

"Fizz! Oh corn, are you—?!"

"AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"…Okay?"

Fizz had certainly been screaming alright, but it wasn't in fear or in pain. Her legs continued to kick as she struggled to push off the small, cute, ghostly shark that was currently slobbering her face like an overexcited puppy.

"Come on! Hahahahaha! Cut it out, that tickles!"

Molly and the rest of the group let out collective sighs of relief as they climbed into the room, unable to help themselves from smiling at the sight. Molly crossed her arms as she watched Sharkie almost literally shower their new friend with affection. 

He must smell Scratch all over her, she thought. Walking over to her bed, she gently pulled the little ghost shark, who was letting out excited whimpers, off of her. 

"Come on, Sharkie, let her breathe!" Fizz continued to laugh as she wiped away the slobber and sat up.

"Another friend of yours?" She asked with a grin. Molly smiled as she sat next to her, Sharkie curling up in her lap.

"Fizz, this is Sharkie," she said as she pet his head. Fizz beamed as she reached over to pet him as well. Loving the attention, he quickly migrated from Molly's lap to hers, nuzzling her face with more happy whimpers.

"Awwwwww," she cooed, gently rubbing her nose against his in an Eskimo kiss before continuing to pet his head. "Who's a good little sea pitbull? You are! Yes, you are!"

"'Sea Pitbull'?" Molly asked, tilting her head. Fizz nodded.

"Yeah. Much like pitbulls, sharks get a bad rep of being dangerous animals," she explained. "Believe it or not, there are far more fatal alligator and hippo attacks per year than sharks." 

"It's true," Libby nodded. "I've read a couple books on it growing up."

"There are also several nature documentaries we've seen in school that confirm this fact," June added. Fizz nodded.

"As long as you don't bother them and don't stray too far into what they consider their territory, they'll leave you alone." Darryl then raised his hand.

"Alligator attacks I can understand," he said. "But… hippos?" 

"Yeah, I'm kinda with Darryl on this," Ollie said. "I know hippos are wild animals, but are they really that dangerous?" Fizz chuckled.

"Oh yeah, my Dad told me about them after one of his trips to Africa. They can be be surprisingly vicious," she said. "They're incredibly territorial, and have a tendency to ram and knock over riverboats if they feel threatened by them. No to mention their big teeth and incredible bite strength. You've seen those videos of them eating whole pumpkins at zoos, right? Mouths like those could easily break bones like toothpicks." Darryl let out a low whistle. 

"Huh," Ollie said. "School hasn't even started yet, and we already learned something new."

"Please don't mention school," Darryl groaned. "Let me enjoy what summer I have left!" That got a laugh out of everyone as Sharkie snuggled into Fizz's lap with a purr, which made her quietly squeal.

"He's so adorable," she gushed as she continued to pet him. "How'd you even find this little guy?"

"Technically, Sharkie found us," Darryl said as he and Molly shared a fond look.

"It's a really long story," she added. 

"Well, I hope I get to hear it soon," Fizz said, briefly glancing over at the dollhouse again. Molly's line of sight followed hers, her smile slightly falling for a moment as she looked at the dollhouse that held so many memories for everyone else in the room. After a moment, the two looked back at each other, and Molly smiled.

"You will… I promise."

Chapter Text

Todd Mortenson let out a loud gasp as he shot up awake in bed, panting heavily as if he'd just been underwater. He ran a hand through his hair as he put the other on his chest in an attempt to steady his racing heartbeat.

It was that dream again. The same one he'd been having since the day he left Brighton nearly two-and-a-half months ago.

He was outside. 

It was dark, so dark that if one looked up, they could see the stars in their entirety. 

He was running along a path that seemingly had no end, and had no clue where it exactly it led. But… he wasn't scared. 

Not anymore. 

Because now, he knew where he was headed; it was a world of new possibilities. He was not cowardly running away from something like he always had, but towards the life he'd always wanted.

As he ran, he enjoyed every sensation; the wind in his face and hair, the feeling of solid ground under his feet, his heart racing with excitement in his chest.

He was well and truly… alive.

Eventually, he reaches a split in the path. One direction is clear and illuminated by the moonlight, while other is covered in a dense fog. The man he was before, the one who spent his life playing it safe, would've picked the clear path without a moment's hesitation. However, the fog covered one drew him in. Yes, it was unknown and risky, but at the same time, it didn't feel dangerous. 

He stands there, thinking about which path to take when he hears a sound. 

"Hello?" He calls out, then hears it again, this time closer.

It's the light and joyful laughter of what sounds like a young girl.

He turns around to see a golden light approaching him. Squinting, he makes out a vaguely humanoid shape that resembles a girl. It—She?—is about half his size, with a flowing skirt and a high, short ponytail. 

And it looks like she has no legs, just floating in midair. Almost like a…

But that was ridiculous. There's no such thing as ghosts!

…Right?

Before he can fully process what he's seeing, she zips right past him, into the fog-covered path. And with no more than a second's hesitation, he follows her.

Even with the dense fog, her bright golden glow makes it easy for him not to lose sight of her. She was fast, so it was difficult to keep up with her. Her laughter rang through the air as he raced to catch up with her. 

After what felt like ages, he was forced to skid to a stop as the golden girl suddenly disappeared behind a large brick wall that seemed to stretch on forever, too high to climb and too far to walk around. Approaching it, he could notice cracks in the wall, with that same golden glow shining through them, mixed with sky blue. He squinted as he attempted to peer through the cracks, and it was then that he heard it. The girl's voice, calling out to him.

"Scratch!"

Then everything went white.

He massaged his forehead as that last moment replayed in his mind, particularly the last thing he heard.

Scratch.

His childhood nickname. 

Only one person had ever called him by that name. But he knew Adia's voice anywhere, and that wasn't it. So… who was this mystery girl? And how did she know it? 

He was never really one to believe in the supernatural, or the possibility of dreams trying to send a message, but this dream had been happening far too many times for him to really ignore.

He sighed as he laid back in bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to think of how to go about this. He then remembered something from his visit to Chicago.

Two-Tone's into this kinda stuff, he thought. Maybe she can give me some advice. I certainly can't make heads or tails of it.

His mind made up, he tried to get a decent night's sleep. He had a flight to catch soon, and a long overdue meeting with an old friend. 

He'd message or call Ginny the first chance he got to ask for Fran's insight on the matter.

…Little did he know, on the other side of the world, his niece was having a very similar problem.

Fizz shot up in bed in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. She anxiously reached around her bed blindly before grabbing the nearest plushie and clutching it to her chest. After a few moments of deep shaky breaths, she reached to her bedside table and grabbed her phone, turning on its light so she could see. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stood and quietly walked over to her bookshelf, scanning the titles until she found the one she was looking for.

The Big Book of Dreaming: A Guide to Dreams and their Meanings

"Bingo," she whispered to no one in particular. Sitting back on her bed, she propped open the book, leaning it against her knees as she flipped through the pages. 

Ever since she'd found it at the bookstore, she'd been looking through this book front to back in an attempt to understand what her recurring dream was trying to tell her. And so far, she'd made progress piecing some things together.

The fact that she was underwater may represent feeling overwhelmed in a specific emotion. And the water being grey made it even more obvious as to what that emotion was; she was trying to overcome her depression and self-doubt. The water turning a warm purple the further up she swam seemed to represent healing and a spiritual connection. Maybe her not having to hide her abilities from her new friends?

Then there were the blue and gold "light beings"; according to the book, light signifies a sort of guiding force. The color of sky blue usually symbolized hope, peace and a positive outlook on life. Similarly, golden-yellow symbolizes happiness and energy.

And finally, there was the red glow that surrounded her, and this time, it was much brighter than before. 

According to the book, the color red can mean a lot of things; a lot of times it can signify aggression or danger.

But… she didn't feel any of those. Reading further on the book entry, she found a lot more words that better described what she truly felt.

Vigor, Courage, Raw Energy, Impulsiveness, and Passion.

Smiling to herself, she put the book back on the shelf as she began to understand her dream a little more. Moving here was a much bigger change than she originally thought, but so far, it's been nothing but a good one. She mentally reminded herself to thank Uncle Todd again the next time he called.

Laying back in bed, she knew there were still a few things about her dream that were still a mystery to her. Every time she'd had it, minor things would change; the gray of the water would get lighter, the harsh whispers quieter, the light beings' faces were becoming less obscured, the red glow around her got brighter and brighter, and she was getting closer and closer to the water's surface.

As she fell back asleep, she wondered what she'd find once she finally breached the surface, hoping that the answer would come sooner rather than later.

Unbeknownst to her, the very same barn owl she had seen her first night in her new home had resumed its perch in the tree outside her window, watching over the house and its occupants like a silent guardian. 

Chapter Text

The weekend before the last week of Summer was quickly approaching, and Molly was determined to make this one count; by inviting Libby and Fizz over for a 3-day, 3-night sleepover. Libby was naturally excited, due to being no stranger to Molly's sleepovers. Fizz, on the other hand… was a bit anxious.

"Fran, honey, breathe," Ginny reassured her as she helped her pack that Friday afternoon. "This is Mollypop we're talking about. You're gonna have a blast, no matter what!"

"I know," Fizz said, her shoulders slumping. "It's just… I haven't been to a sleepover since second grade. And we know how that one ended."

Ginny sighed. She remembered how excited her then 7-year-old daughter was for her first big sleepover… only to be in tears when her parents came to pick her up the next morning. All she and Garrett knew was that the girls were calling her all sorts of names, even as she ran out of the house to their car, one of said names being "Freak". And oh boy, did Ginny had some strong words for the parents of the girls who thought it'd be funny to make her baby cry. 

Fran refused to go to another sleepover after that night. And after Garrett got sick, Ginny didn't fault her for it. 

"Plus, this is a weekend-long sleepover!" Fizz continued, bringing her mother back to the present. "I didn't even know that was a thing!" Ginny stifled a laugh.

"Fair enough," she said as she put the last set of folded clothes into her daughter's red duffel bag. "Well, that's everything clothing-wise. Anything else you wanna bring?" 

"Oh, yeah," Fizz said as she walked over to her bookshelf, grabbing some mechanical pencils, colored pencils and a sketchbook, along with the dream book she had bought at the bookstore. As of late, she had begun sketching the things she remembered from her dreams once she noticed certain details beginning to change. Maybe she could show them to Molly or Libby to see if they could make sense of it. As she put them in her bag, she glanced at the plushies on her bed. Ginny seemed to understand what she was thinking.

"I doubt the girls will judge you if you bring one," she said. Fizz laughed.

"Oh, I know they won't," she replied. "Molly's got a whole mountain of them on her bed! I'm just trying to figure out which one to bring." She eyed the bed a little longer, before she caught sight of one in particular. One of the oldest ones she had. Smiling to herself, she gingerly picked it up, giving it a hug before putting it in the bag. Ginny smiled at her daughter's choice.

"Would you say you're ready, now?" She asked in encouragement. Fizz smiled.

"Not really… but like Dad used to say; do it scared."

Once Ginny had drove Fizz to the McGee residence later that afternoon, she had just barely knocked on the door before it swung open and Molly, who was already in her pajamas, nearly bowled the latter over in a hug. 

"Fizz!" She exclaimed. Fizz, who had grown used to the bear hugs by now, laughed at her friend's excitement and hugged her in return, even if her squeals were making her ears ring a bit.

"Happy to see you too, Molls."

"I've been looking forward to this all week," Molly said as she released the hug and excitedly bounced in place. "Libby got here a little while ago, and now that you're here, our sleepover can start!"

"Molly, we still need to have dinner first," Sharon said with a laugh as she walked up to the door to greet their friends. "Hey, Fran. Hi, Ginny."

"Hey, Sharon," Ginny replied as Fizz gave a small wave.

"Hi, Mrs. M."

"Fran, I can take your stuff for you if you want," Sharon offered, which Fizz gratefully accepted, handing over her sleeping bag, pillow and duffel bag. 

"Thanks," she replied. Ginny then smiled and held up a small backpack.

"Actually, we got one more," she said in amusement. "I packed some movies, a portable DVD player and extra snacks in this one." 

"I never mentioned it before, but since this is my first time staying over, we figured we should let you know that I have kind of a high metabolism," Fizz shyly admitted, ducking her head. "Plus, I wanted to make sure I had some snacks I know I really liked. Texture issues, you know?" Sharon giggled and nodded in understanding.

"I completely get it," she reassured. "And don't worry, you're not the odd one out; Leah packed some snacks for Libby as well, and I had Pete make an extra snack run just in case." Ginny grinned and handed the backpack over to Molly, who took it and put it on the couch for now. 

"Well, I'll leave you girls to it," she said as she pulled her daughter into a hug and kissed her forehead. "See you on Monday, sweetie. But if you need anything before then, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

"Okay," Fizz beamed up at her. "Love ya, Ma." 

"Love you, too. Have fun!" And with that, Ginny bid Molly and Sharon goodbye and headed to her car as the three of them waved. Once she had pulled out of the driveway and was out of sight, Sharon shut the door behind her as Fizz took off her sneakers and walked into the living room. Libby, also already in her pjs, was sitting on the couch and gave her a welcoming wave, which she returned.

"Hey, Fizz."

"Hey, Libby." She then turned to Molly. "So, I know we've got the whole weekend together, but what's the game plan for tonight?" 

"Well, Dad and Darryl are picking up snacks and pizza for dinner, first," she explained, her excited smile never leaving. "Then we're gonna build a pillow fort, have a plushie prom, play some games, watch movies, maybe tell a few scary stories and stay up as late as possible!" Fizz smiled at this. It sounded like a basic sleepover.

Her first real sleepover.

"And don't worry, I made sure to take a well-rested nap before coming over," Libby said, which made Molly giggle. Upon noticing Fizz's confused expression, she sheepishly elaborated. "When I get sleep deprived, the line between fantasy and reality gets a little… blurry."

"Yeah, it was almost like she sleepwalks while still being sorta awake," Molly added.

"Ohhhhhhhhh," Fizz said with a slow nod. She recalled reading about something along those lines in her dream book. Waking Dreams, she believed they were called. Maybe she'd bring it up to them later tonight. 

"How about while we wait to Dad and Darryl to get back, we can bring your stuff upstairs and you can get your pjs on so we can really get this sleepover started?" Molly asked as she picked up Fizz's duffel bag. The two other girls looked at each other and nodded.

"Okay," Fizz grabbed her sleeping bag and pillow while Libby picked up the mini backpack, and the three of them headed up the stairs to Molly's room.

Dinner had gone by quickly once Pete and Darryl got home with the spoils of their errands. They had not only gotten pizza and cheesy bread, but extra popcorn and ice cream! The girls, along with the rest of the family, spent most of dinner laughing and joking with each other. Fizz couldn't help but smile the entire time. It felt… nice. Nothing like that disastrous sleepover back in second grade. She was among people who genuinely cared and enjoyed each other's company, including her own. 

They didn't think she was a freak. To them, she was just simply Fizz. 

And she liked that.

As soon as the girls finished dinner, they headed up to Molly's room to get to work on the pillow fort. With the three of them together, they managed to get it set up in less than 10 minutes. As the three girls settled into it, Molly began setting up the plushie prom, gathering as many plushies as she could. Libby had even brought a plushie of her own; a cute little turtle that matched the one on her pajamas. 

"Fizz, do you need a plushie?" Molly asked. "Because I have plenty to spare!" Fizz giggled and shook her head. 

"Appreciate the offer, but don't worry, I actually brought one," she said as she crawled out the fort entrance and unzipped her duffel bag, gingerly picking it out before bringing it in and shyly holding it up for her friends to see. 

It was a hand-crocheted, dark wisteria purple ghost ragdoll with a cute little smile. It certainly looked on the older side and incredibly well-loved. Its long yarn hair covered one of her pale orange button eyes that shined brightly in comparison to the dark sockets that surrounded them.

"Fizz, she's so cute!" Molly cooed. "Does she have a name?"

"Yeah… her name's Echo," Fizz said as she absentmindedly played with the doll's hair. "My dad and I made her together when I was little." Libby flinched slightly at this, which Molly gave her a sympathetic glance. Fizz noticed, but chose not to pry. "She's kinda my comfort item." Molly smiled and held up one of her own plushies, a white unicorn in a pale pink dress.

"Well, would Echo care for a dance?" She asked, putting on an elegant voice for the unicorn, which made Fizz and Libby giggle. Fizz cleared her throat.

"It would be my pleasure," she responded, making Echo bow while giving her best attempt at a faint Scottish lilt to her voice. Pulling out her phone, she opened the music app and selected a song for the plushies to slow dance to. Molly and Libby perked up at the gentle notes that flowed from the phone's speaker, sounding like something out of a fairytale, as a male voice began to sing.

There's such a sad love

Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel

Open and closed

Within your eyes 

I'll place the sky within your eyes…

There's such a fooled heart

Beatin' so fast

In search of new dreams

A love that will last

Within your heart 

I'll place the moon

Within your heart…

"I know this song," Libby said. Fizz smiled wistfully.

"Yeah, it's from one of mine and my Dad's favorite movies," she explained. "It's called Labyrinth, and knowing my mom, she probably packed it amongst the movies she grabbed for this weekend." Libby nodded in agreement.

"It wouldn't be a sleepover without at least one cult classic fantasy film to watch," she said.

"I've honestly never seen that movie," Molly admitted sheepishly. "I've heard my parents mention it a few times, but we haven't sat down and watched it." Fizz chuckled with a mischievous grin.

"Ohhhohohohohohohoho, once this Plushie Prom is over, we are fixing that!" 

Molly giggled and nodded as they continued the fantastical dance between the ghost and unicorn plushies.

"Okay!"

As the pain sweeps through 

Makes no sense for you

Every thrill is gone 

Wasn't too much fun at all

But I'll be there for you-ou-ou

As the world falls down

Falling

As the world falls down…

Falling…

Falling…

As the night continued on, the three girls joked and laughed with each other as they played games and watched movies. Unsurprisingly, Molly adored Labyrinth, and found herself humming the songs as the three of them played a few rounds of Mega City and Go Fish. Much to her friends' surprise, however, Fizz was a natural shark when it came to card games, as she quickly showed when she convinced them to play a round of Old Maid. The girl had a stellar poker face. Molly could only imagine the chaos that would happen if her fiercely competitive mother ever challenged Fizz to a game.

When it got to the time to tell ghost stories, Fizz was once again in her element as she elaborated on her own haunted experiences growing up in Chicago. Apparently, knowing how to put on a dramatic and scary performance ran in her family, much to Molly's amusement. However, Libby certainly knew how to spin a grisly tale herself once she regaled the legend of Howlin' Harriet. While all three girls knew the truth of Harriet's soul now being at peace, it didn't dampen the entertainment of the old campfire story.

By the time 11 o'clock rolled around, the three of them were now settled in their respective bed and sleeping bags, but still were awake and alert enough to chat about whatever was on their minds.

"Hey, Fizz?" Molly asked, turning onto her side and propping her head up with her hand. Fizz looked up at her questioningly.

"Hmm?"

"What were the sleepovers you went to growing up like?" Even in the dark room, Molly could see the slight discomfort on her friend's face. Silence hung in the air for a few moments, before Fizz let out a sigh.

"To be honest… this is kinda my first. I mean sure, I was invited to one back in second grade, but I pretty much swore off them after that night."

"What happened?" Libby was now invested, too. "Did… did you…?" She trailed off, not even able to finish the question as a slight blush crossed her face in embarrassment. Fizz looked at her in sympathy.

"If you're asking if I had an accident, no I didn't… although, part of me would've preferred that. Then I could've left earlier," she said, swallowing the growing lump in her throat at the memory. "No… I was invited as a joke."

"What?" Molly's voice was hushed, but the shock and heartbreak was clear. Fizz sat up in her sleeping bag, hugging Echo close while bringing her knees to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them.

"I… I thought the girls who invited me actually wanted to be my friends, but… turns out the girl who was holding the sleepover, her mom made her invite me. And she was quick to tell me that," she explained, her voice cracking slightly. "She and her real friends spent the rest of the night making fun of me, calling me names… saying I was a… a freak, because as far as they knew, I talked to people that didn't really exist." 

Molly and Libby stared at her, their hearts breaking at the sight of her looking so small. She sniffled and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"So yeah, didn't wanna go to a lot of sleepovers after that mess," she continued. She then gave a small smile. "My mom and dad would kinda do our own family movie nights, though. We'd put on our pjs, build a pillow fort in our living room, eat popcorn, watch movies, and just have fun together. It wasn't really a sleepover, but it was good enough for me." She then looked at Molly, her eyes shining. "Like I said, this was my first real sleepover, so… thanks for making it a good one, so far."

That did it for Molly. Climbing out of her bed, she immediately sat next to Fizz, pulling her close in a hug.

"Fzst!" Fizz's exclamation at the sudden contact was quiet and short, and she soon relaxed as Libby joined in the hug, as well.

"I'm so sorry you went through that, Fizz," Molly whimpered. "You didn't deserve it at all." Fizz slowly reciprocated the hug.

"It was a long time ago, Molls," she said quietly. "But thanks. For being here, I mean. You're a good friend. Both of you are." Molly and Libby tightened their hugs instinctively, and the three would remain like that for a good while before they finally felt comfortable enough to go to sleep. As Molly climbed into bed, she looked at Fizz, murmuring something to her as they both drifted off.

"Thanks for being here, too, Fizz…"

She found herself underwater again, the water now a dull silver.

The harsh and voices were quiet, but now mixed with those of the girls mocked her.

"Monster!"

"Weirdo!"

"You belong here!"

"Who would wanna be friends with someone like you?"

"You talk to yourself all the time! You must be crazy!"

"You're a Freak!"

Despite her best efforts, she flinched at that word. That cruel, ugly word. The voices laughed tauntingly.

"Yes, that's who you are!"

"Fran the Freak!"

"You think that just because these people say they accept you, that it's true? They'll see you for the freak you are eventually, and they'll abandon you, like everyone else!"

"That's who you ALWAYS will be!"

She slammed her hands over her ears, screwing her eyes shut and curling into herself, trying her hardest to drown them out as the pink glow began to surround her. They loudly began to chant.

"Fran the Freak, Fran the Freak, FRAN THE FREAK!!!" Their voices crudely mixed together, sounding like something otherworldly and evil. She bit down on her lip hard, fighting the urge to scream. The sound soon grew deafening.

"FRAN THE FREAK! FRAN THE FREAK! FRAN THE FREAK!"

It finally reached the point where she could take it no longer. But unlike before, it wasn't emptiness that was overtaking her, but resolve. She was DONE letting her past walk all over her. Gritting her teeth, she released herself from her fetal position and screamed as loud as she could. And for the first time, she not only heard her own voice, but didn't feel like she was drowning.

"My name… is FIZZ!!"

The dull pink glow emanating from her burst into a fiery, poppy red light, near-blinding the shadows surrounding her as they shrieked in pain. She suddenly felt incredibly drained, as if that burst of energy left as quickly as it came. She began to sink deeper into the depths, her glow beginning to dull only slightly as the voices continued their pained wails. Through the bedlam of voices, another cut through them like a blade as she felt a pair of arms wrap securely around her.

"I'm here. You're not alone." 

The feeling of safety in his embrace felt familiar, as did the sound of his voice, but at the moment she couldn't quite place where she heard it before.

Her eyes snapped open, her vision now filled with a sky blue glow. It was the blue light being, who was now much larger in size as he held her protectively close. His face was still blurry, but she could tell he was smiling at her. She soon found herself smiling in return as she hugged him right back, noticing that he was incredibly soft, and kinda squishy.  

Almost like a giant marshmallow.

With her still in his arms, he began to swim upwards towards the surface. As water's color changed to purple, she could feel herself get some of her energy back, gently releasing herself from his embrace as she began to swim upward on her own. The light being shrunk back down to his usual size and swam beside her. 

She began to see the surface get closer and closer, where the gold light being was waiting. As she got closer, the light being trailed behind slightly. She reached an arm up as she got the closest she'd ever gotten. This was it. She was finally gonna be able to breathe. 

But just as she was about to breach the surface, she hesitated. She couldn't stop the questions forming in her mind.

What if it wasn't everything she hoped it would be?

Would she grow to regret her choice if she did this?

What if this was a mistake?

"You know you can't stay here, kid," she heard the light being say. She looked at him, floating a good distance behind her.

"I know that, but… what about you? Aren't you coming with me?" His demeanor turned bittersweet.

"As much as I'd like to, this is something you gotta do on your own."

"What?!" She shouted. "I can't just leave you here! Not with those things!" She pointed back downward to where the shadow monsters had been. He barked out a laugh at that.

"You don't have to worry about that," he said, winking one of his yellow eyes. "I already conquered my personal demons a long time ago. Those little pests were your battle to fight. You showed them you were brave enough, and won."

"But… I'm still scared. If I won, I shouldn't be anymore, right?"

"I know what that's like, better than anybody," he said. She could practically hear the smile in his voice. "But, being brave doesn't mean you're never scared anymore. It means having the strength and the hope to fight back, even when you're absolutely terrified. So, please trust me when I say this… do it scared." 

Her breath hitched in her throat at this, and looked back up towards the surface. The gold light being waved excitedly at her, urging her to come up. She knew he was right, but at the same time, she still didn't want him to be left behind. She let out a sigh.

"If I go… I'm never gonna see you again, am I?" Much to her surprise, he laughed once again.

"Whoever said you wouldn't see me again?" He asked. "I'm positive you will, kid. I might look different, but believe me; you'll know when you do."

That brought her some comfort as she looked back at him. They stared at each other for a long time, before she smiled.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now go for it!"

She nodded, looking back up. The glow of the gold light being radiated down at her, mixing beautifully with her own red glow. Kicking her legs as hard as she could, she swam as fast as her body could allow and reached her arms up, taking in a huge breath of air as she finally breached the water, and a bright light filled her vision.

"Molly? Molly! Wake up!"

Molly let out a sleepy groan at the sensation of someone shaking her shoulder. Shifting slightly in her bed, she slowly cracked an eye open at the sound of Libby's frantic whispers. 

"Uhhnn, Libby?" She said groggily. "What's going…?" Her eyes snapped open, now fully awake once she noticed the concerned look on Libby's face, along with something else. A warm, red light was starting to fill the darkness of her room.

"I… I think something's happening to Fizz…"

"What?!" Sitting upright in bed, she and Libby looked at their friend, who was still fast asleep. She looked rather peaceful, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath… except for the fact that a poppy red glow was now surrounding her entire body, and glowing brighter by the second. She turned over onto her back, quietly snoring as the glow started to move inward, towards the center of her torso. The two continued to look on, frozen in shock as a large, glowing red orb began to float out of her body. It reached to just about the two girls' eye level when it began to elongate and take on a new shape. 

It quickly shaped into a head and torso with a spectral tail at the end, with the top of its head taking on a short, messy style that looked similar to hair as features began to form. A round, dark pink nose appeared in the middle of the face as dark purple sockets faded into view, the eyes within them remaining closed. It turned in midair as arms sprouted from the torso, reaching into the air like a good refreshing stretch. At that same moment, a mouth split open in a long yawn, showing off pale yellow, slightly sharp teeth and a bluish tongue. Once that was done, it—she—turned in midair again and floated on her side, curled up with her hands underneath her head as she resumed snoring in tandem with the girl below her.

Molly and Libby's jaws dropped. They knew a ghost when they saw one, but at the same time, her face was unmistakable.

Floating in front of them, a couple feet over her own body… was Fizz.

Slowly, Molly got up from her bed and walked over to the sleeping red ghost, staring at her as her thoughts began to spiral. 

This couldn't be happening. Not again. She began to hyperventilate. Fizz was happy! She didn't have to hide who she was from them! Why would she go wraith?! 

"Molly!" Libby whispered sharply as she grabbed her best friend's shoulders, turning her to meet her gaze. "Look at me. Follow my breathing." She began to take deep breaths, which Molly did her best to mirror. "If we're gonna help Fizz, we need to figure out what's wrong, first." Molly shut her eyes tightly, sharply inhaling and holding her breath for a few moments before letting it out slowly. She then opened her eyes and nodded. 

"Okay," she whispered. Turning back towards Fizz, or rather her ghost, gently poking her shoulder. "Fizz? Fizz, can you hear me?" Fizz stirred in her sleep, raising and ectoplasmic hand in an attempt to swat Molly's away.

"Nnnnnnngh, five m're minutes," she murmured sleepily, which made Molly giggle despite herself. She then began to gently shake her shoulder.

"Fizz, this is serious, please wake up." The red ghost stirred once more as her eyes opened. Much to Molly's surprise, they actually glowed; a bright yellow-green and sky blue, much like the heterochromia of her eyes. After a moment, the glow faded enough so the girls could finally see her irises, but unlike most ghosts' eyes, they weren't completely black. 

They were blue and green, just like her normal eyes.

"Molly?" Fizz asked, rubbing at her eyes in exhaustion. "What's up?" 

"Fizz," Molly said quietly. "…Are you okay? I mean, are you feeling okay?" This earned her a confused head tilt in response.

"Yeah, I feel fine. Why?" She grew a little more alert, and concerned, as she noticed the looks on their faces. "What's wrong?" Libby held Molly's hand in support and took a deep breath.

"We need you to do something, but you have to promise not to freak out," she said. 

"Oooooookaaaay…" Fizz's concern grew at this. Part of her wanted to sit up, but it seemed as though her legs were still asleep. She couldn't entirely feel them. "What do you need?" Molly steeled herself, preparing for the inevitable chaos that was to come.

"Just… look down at the floor." 

Confusion outweighed concern as Fizz did as she was asked… only to now be wide awake as she came face to face with herself, still lying in her sleeping bag. It was only now that she realized that Molly and Libby were standing this whole time, and she was eye-to-eye with them. 

But how was that even possible? She reached out to touch her supposed doppelgänger, only to stop once she saw her hand. It smaller than normal, was glowing bright red, and was kind of transparent. 

Almost like a… no. 

No way.

She let out a small, fearful wheeze as she held her hand up in front of her face. She slowly reached up to feel her face, and felt her breaths grow shorter and more erratic as she recognized that cold, marshmallow-like texture. In her shock, she leaned a bit too far forward and was now upside down, and despite her best efforts, couldn't turn herself upright in midair. 

This was too much. Far too much. She took a deep breath… and…

"AH-MMMMPH!" 

Molly and Libby's hands quickly covered Fizz's mouth before her screams could wake up the entire neighborhood, let alone the rest of the house. She struggled in their grasp in a panic, her arms flailing and nearly slapping the two of them.

"Fizz, please calm down!" Molly whispered desperately. Fizz let out a few more panicked muffles from under her hand, which sounded a lot like she was saying, "I'm dead!" Molly's heart just about broke as she looked her directly in the eyes, which were beginning to well up with frightened tears. 

"I know you're scared and not entirely sure what's happening," she said as soothingly as possible. "We're not completely sure, either." She then turned the little red ghost upright with her free arm and held her close, rubbing her back comfortingly. "But we're gonna figure this out, and we'll do it together. You're not alone here. You've got us, no matter what." 

Tears streamed down Fizz's face as her flailing and struggling slowed her a stop. Molly removed her hand from her mouth before wrapping both her arms around her in a hug, and Libby was quick to join in. Fizz buried her face into Molly's chest, letting out muffled sobs as she wrapped her arms around both of them, slightly amazed that she could stretch them that far. Molly found tears pricking the corner of her eyes, as well, tightening her hug in response. Hugging Fizz like this gave her a sense of déjà vu, one that gave her a warm feeling all over. 

It reminded her of how it felt the first time Scratch was the one who initiated a hug between the two of them.

For what felt like ages, the three of them just held each other as Fizz's cries turned to small hiccups. She finally looked up at Molly and Libby, her eyes still shining with tears.

"B-But…" she stuttered, swallowing the lump in her throat as her dread began to rise again. "How are we supposed to figure this out?" She slightly pushed away from them, drifting backwards before once again winding up upside down. She struggled a bit to right herself back up, to no avail. "Look at me!" She threw her arms out in frustration and emphasis. "I'm literally DEAD!"

A loud snore cut through the air, getting all of their attention. They looked down to see Fizz's body, snoring as she soundly slept on the floor, a small line of drool coming from her mouth. Libby knelt down beside her body and gently pressed her ear against her chest, listening intently. She then looked up at Molly and Fizz's frantic ghost. 

"Your body's got a pretty strong heartbeat, so I'm fairly certain you're still among the living," she confirmed with a smile as she stood back up. Molly sighed in relief as Fizz let out a small hysterical laugh.

"O-Okay," her voice wavered as her spectral body vibrated with several emotions. "I'm still alive… that's good. But if I'm alive, how am I like this?" She gestured to herself. Libby put a finger to her chin in thought. 

"Well, you could be having an out-of-body experience," she theorized. "They're actually surprisingly common." Fizz's eyes widened. 

"But… I thought that only happened to people who have near-death experiences," she said. Libby shook her head reassuringly.

"Not always, it can also happen to people who experience dissociation." 

"Huh… I don't think that's what happened," Fizz muttered. "I mean, sure, I get a little spacey sometimes, but this has never happened to me before!" She then tried once again to upright herself, only to fail. She groaned in aggravation. "And why am I upside down?!"

"That's a bit easier to figure out," Libby said. "I think because you're not used to having a weightless feeling, your ghost body's a little top-heavy. Maybe if you shapeshift your lower half, you can balance yourself out." Fizz raised a brow at her incredulously.

"I don't even know how I got out of my body without dying, how am I supposed to change my shape?"

"You were able to stretch your arms to hug me and Libby, weren't you?" Molly asked encouragingly. Fizz nodded.

"Yeah… I did. I don't know how, but I just wanted to hug both of you in that moment."

"That's a good start!" Molly beamed. "Try it again. This time, just focus on your tail." Fizz looked at her tail, giving it an experimental swish. She giggled slightly, then took a deep breath and closed her eyes in concentration.

"Come on," she muttered as her tail began to wiggle. "Come on…" Furrowing her brows, she tensed her upper body as she continued to concentrate. She began to feel her tail elongate and split, but it didn't hurt. She felt the ectoplasm solidify slightly into a more familiar shape as she began to turn over. A moment passed, and she opened her eyes. Molly and Libby were smiling at her, and right side up. She looked down to see that she successfully morphed her tail into legs, and giggled to herself. She kinda looked like she was wearing red, glowing footed pajamas.

"I… I did it. I actually did it!"

"Ooooooh, I knew you could!" Molly squealed, pulling her into another hug. Fizz let out another laugh.

"Okay, okay, thanks," she said gently prying herself from her grip. "But back to the whole matter of me being a ghost, but not dead. Molls, can either you or Libby tell me what exactly happened before I woke up?" 

"Well, I was having a hard time sleeping," Libby began to explain. "Even though I had my eyes closed, I could tell there was a light on. I thought you might've forgotten to turn off your phone before you fell asleep, so I was gonna do it for you… but then I saw it was actually you that the light was coming from. You were glowing bright red, just like your ghost form is now. That's when I woke up Molly."

"You kept glowing for a second, then the glow turned into a little ball of light that floated into the air," Molly continued. "Then the light changed shape, and… there you were."

"Okay," Fizz said, processing this information as she paced back in forth, walking in midair as she would on the ground. "So, I am having a kind of out-of-body experience. But the question is how, and how do I get back in my body?" Libby walked over to her bag, fishing in it for a few seconds before pulling out a book.

"Well, this book on the paranormal just might be able to provide some answers," she said as she walked over to turn on the lights in the room. Molly and Fizz both flinched, squinting at the sudden brightness. Libby's eyes widened once she glanced down at Fizz's body. She then whispered, "Molly, come here for a sec." Molly tilted her head and walked over to her.

"What's wrong?" Libby pointed at Fizz's body.

"Tell me, does anything look different here?" Molly looked down at the girl sleeping on the floor and squinted. She then shook her head.

"Not really. We know she's fast asleep, and she looks fine to me. Even if her snoring's a little loud."

"Exactly!" Libby said. "She's not pale, there's no dark bags under her eyes. She doesn't look like a soulless shell at all." Molly looked down at Fizz's body again, her eyes widening.

"Wait a minute," she said incredulously. "You mean… Fizz isn't a wraith?" 

"What's a wraith?" Fizz asked in confusion, getting their attention. Molly and Libby looked her, then at each other and then at the book in the latter's hands.

"We better sit down," she said. "I have a feeling that we're gonna be up for a while."

The three friends spent the next 20 minutes going over Libby's copy of the Pop-Up Book of the Paranormal. They showed Fizz the various different types of ghosts that existed, in which she learned that the little sea foam green ghost in the bookstore was a Story Sprite that Libby had managed to tame. They then explained what wraiths were, how they come into being, and the unfortunate side effects if one should stay away from their body for too long. Molly even told her about how she became a wraith for the first time by jumping through a portal to the Ghost World. 

Having them with her to help her figure all this craziness out was definitely comforting to Fizz. Her anxiety had slowly waned away the more she learned. 

"Okay, so…" she started. "I'm not dead, and my body isn't soulless, either. So, I'm not a wraith, which is apparently good. Then… what am I, exactly?" Libby flipped through the book a little more, before her eyes widened.

"I think I just found the answer," she said, flipping the book around to show her and Molly the page she landed on. Leaning forward, Fizz began to read it aloud.

"While taking on similar appearances to all ghosts and even wraiths, Astral Projections are more a subclass of the latter; being an intentional out-of-body experience, but not entirely disconnecting from the body. This can either be caused by a near-death experience or by achieving a strong connection with the spiritual plane. The body is still living and healthy, but remains in a sleep-like state until the soul fully returns to it."

Fizz sighed in relief as she finished reading the passage. 

"So, I just need to jump back into my body, and I'll be okay?" She asked. Libby nodded.

"That's what the book says."

"Okay, that sounds easy enough." Fizz floated over to her body. It felt so surreal looking at her own face when it wasn't just a reflection. Scratching her arm anxiously, she looked at Molly, who gave her a wide, encouraging smile. Taking a deep breath, she smiled back. Facing her body once more, she swooped upward, then dove right into the center of her chest.

Her body once again gave off that warm red glow and slightly arched upwards from the force of the energy. Eventually the glow died down, and she laid back on the floor. Molly and Libby were quickly at her side, looking down at her, worry etched on their faces. She just continued to lie there, not even so much as twitching. Molly began to tremble.

Did something happen? Did it go wrong? Was she hurt? Was she…?

Suddenly, Fizz shot up with a gasp, making both girls shout in surprise. She sat there, breathing heavily for a few moments, her hand on her chest so she could feel her heart beating. Eventually her breathing began to even, and she let out a shudder.

"Oh, man, that felt weird!"

"FIZZ!" In an instant, she found herself in the middle of a hug sandwich, courtesy of Molly and Libby. 

"FZZSST!"

"Sorry," Molly apologized for startling her, but continued to nuzzle against her cheek. "I'm just glad you're okay." 

"We both are," Libby added. Fizz let out a chuckle.

"Yeah, me too." As they released the hug, Molly kept her hand on Fizz's shoulder. 

"Also, I totally get what you mean about your body feeling weird after going back into it," she said. "I've briefly gone wraith a few times, and going back into my body always made me like, hyper-aware of it." That got a particularly big laugh out of Fizz.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but this is certainly the most exciting sleepover I ever went to," she said with a wink. Molly beamed at her, eyes sparkling with amazement now that all the craziness had died down.

"I know," she exclaimed. "You can astral project, Fizz! That's so cool! I wanted to figure out how to do it once, but I couldn't no matter how hard I tried!" Fizz lightly bit on her knuckle in thought.

"You said I glowed before my ghost appeared outside of my body, right?" She asked. Once Molly nodded, she furrowed her brow. "Maybe this is what my dream was trying to tell me…"

"Dream?" Libby asked. "What dream?" Standing up, Fizz went over to her own duffel bag, fishing out her dream book and sketch book, handing them to Molly and Libby.

"Well, it started right before I moved here." 

She then proceeded to explain everything to them; her recurring dream, the shadow monsters, the glow around her body changing the closer she got to the water's surface, and finally, the two light beings.

"Now that I think about it, maybe they were ghosts," she mused to herself. "Even if I couldn't see their faces, I knew they were safe. But what really confuses me is the gold one. For a while, I thought it was the Sun I was seeing, but the closer I got each time I had the dream, it looked more like a person. But that didn't happen until after Mom and I moved here." 

"Well, there are some who believe that our dreams try to tell us something," Libby said. Fizz nodded, picking up Echo and hugging the ragdoll close.

"I might actually believe that, especially after tonight." She then looked at Molly and smiled. "Thanks for calming me down, earlier. You're a lifesaver, Molls." 

Molly smiled in return, her eyes then falling on Echo. She stared at the doll for a long time, then looked at the old doll house. Biting her lip slightly, she stood up and walked over to her bookshelf, pulling out one of the numerous scrapbooks she owned. Libby's eyes widened in understanding as Fizz tilted her head in curiosity.

"What'cha got there?" Molly took a deep breath and sat down next to her.

"You know that ghost friend I've mentioned before?" She looked down at the cover of the scrapbook with a bittersweet smile. "…I think I'm ready to talk about him." Fizz's mouth opened in shock.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "I mean, tonight's been a lot as is." Molly looked her right in the eyes, and nodded.

"I'm sure," she said, and opened the scrapbook. The first photo they saw was of the McGee family, all smiling brightly, but it was the center of the group that really caught Fizz's attention. Molly was tightly embracing a sky blue ghost with bright yellow eyes and a large, darker blue nose. He looked to be about half Molly's height and on the older side, maybe even older than her dad, with obvious frown lines on his face and his ectoplasm taking the shape of short, slightly messy hair on top of his head. He had his arms crossed and was rolling his eyes, but that did little to hide the small, affectionate smile on his face. Fizz found herself smiling so big her cheeks began to hurt.

"Oh my gosh, he's adorable," she giggled. Molly's smile brightened as she looked at the photo. 

"His name's Scratch," she finally said, her eyes growing misty. "And… he's probably one of the best friends I've ever had."

The girls talked for a good couple hours after that, most of it was about Scratch. Molly and Libby showed Fizz a ton of photos and shared a lot of stories about him, and she found herself laughing so hard her sides hurt. Part of her hoped that she'd get to really meet him one day. Something deep down told her they'd hit it off fast. She shared a look with Libby as Molly told the story about the time that he had cursed them both, so that he could only answer anything asked of him with "No", and Molly could only answer "Yes". They both saw the laughter and joy in her eyes as she recounted the shenanigans the two of them got into that day, and it was obvious that this was exactly what she had needed. 

Fizz had been right; talking about Scratch did make Molly feel better, even if it was just a little bit.

Soon enough, though, the three of them were all exhausted, the excitement and adrenaline of the evening finally wearing off. And with that, they three of them climbed back into their respective sleeping areas, ready to sleep in until about noon.

As Molly and Libby quickly fell asleep, Fizz on the other hand found herself wide awake. Even though she had been awake for almost half the night, a good chunk of that time as a ghost, her body still felt surprisingly well-rested. Holding a hand up in front of her face, she flexed her fingers a few times. Molly wasn't kidding; being back in your own skin after a literal out-of-body experience felt weird. But at the same time, it felt familiar to her; like whenever she'd get sensory overload, just not as uncomfortable or stressful. She was just more… aware of herself and every single part of her body.

She dropped her hand down, looking up at the various cobwebs on the ceiling. As she did, she thought back to her dream. This whole "astral projection" thing seemed to answer some questions about what it all meant, but now she had even more questions to ponder; one in particular now blaring in her mind.

Is it really possible to dream about someone before you've even met them?

She hadn't been lying when she told Molly about how she wasn't fully able to make out the faces of the light beings, or rather spirits, in her dream. But now, as she laid there, she realized there was one thing she had unconsciously omitted in all the excitement, and it wasn't until Molly had shown off her photo albums and scrapbooks that it all clicked into place.

Before she breached the surface of the water in her dream, she had looked back at the blue spirit. And for the first time, she could see his face clear as day, giving a smile back at her that was very similar to the one Molly had given her right before she went back into her body.

But that wasn't why she was having trouble falling back asleep.

It was the fact that he looked exactly like Scratch.

Chapter Text

The next morning was a bit of a blur once the three girls woke up and the events of the previous night came rushing back to them. Once Darryl had come up to them at breakfast, saying that he'd heard a short but particularly loud scream late last night, they figured there was no point in keeping this from the rest of the McGee family. They were obviously no strangers to having ghosts in their house, anyway.

Pete and Sharon took the news surprisingly well, albeit with the expected parental concern. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Pete asked, nervously playing with his hair. Sharon put a hand on his shoulder in support, worry also etched onto her features. Fizz quickly held her hands up in reassurance.

"I swear, it didn't hurt, Mr. McGee," she said. "Sure, it felt weird, but I was still technically connected to my body, which was sleeping and surprisingly peaceful, in spite of my panicking. And I obviously got back into my body easily enough." She waved her arms slightly in emphasis with a smile. "I'm all good."

Molly's parents both let out a sigh of relief, their shoulders relaxing. As they all further conversed on it, Fizz caught a mischievous glint in Darryl's eyes. No doubt he was gonna try to rope her into future pranks with her new "ability". And she'd be lying if she said part of her wasn't kinda curious to see what he'd come up with.

Molly proceeded to call Ollie as soon as possible, excitedly telling him and June everything, barely even stopping to take a breath. June immediately had several questions and wanted to run a few tests, as long as Fizz was comfortable with it. She agreed, and within the hour, the girls were dressed and had walked across the street to the Chen residence to meet up in their basement/lab.

"Ever since our family stopped ghost hunting, I've been conducting non-invasive experiments to better understand ghosts," June explained as she set up her computer. "Geoff and Jeff have been nice enough to help when they're not too busy, and while I have done some research on wraiths, I'm curious to see the different effects of astral projection."

"I wish I could give you all the info you need right now, but to be honest, I'm not even sure how I did it," Fizz said with a shrug as she sat on a nearby stool. "This is gonna be as much a learning experience for me as it is for you." June gave an understanding nod as she typed a few codes into her computer. Molly walked over and put her hand on Fizz's shoulder.

"Don't worry," she said supportively. "Like I told you before, we're gonna figure this out together. All of us are with you every step of the way." Fizz smiled appreciatively and nodded, determination in her eyes. 

"Okay, let's see if I can do this again," she said, then looked at Ollie in slight sheepishness. "Um… is it okay if I borrow some pillows and blankets? I think I need to be asleep for this to actually work."

It took a little over five minutes for Ollie to gather the comfiest spare pillows and blankets available in the Chen residence. With the rest of the Ghost Friends' help, he made an impromptu sleeping area in a corner of the lab.

"Think this'll be enough?" He asked as he unrolled a fuzzy weighted blanket. Fizz sat down and reclined herself against a couple pillows, taking in the comfort of it all as she shot him a thumbs up.

"Yeah, I think so," she confirmed with a smile, folding her hands behind her head. "Nice job, Ollie!" 

"Thanks," he said with a flattered expression, handing her the weighted blanket. "I thought this might help, too. June has one of her own, and she told me it helps her sleep better." June nodded to confirm this. Fizz smiled in appreciation as she settled the weighted blanket over herself. Taking a few deep breaths, she allowed herself to relax. 

As she started to feel herself drift off, she thought back to the past month, and how much her life had changed in such a short time. Her mind began to wander, her memories filled with nothing but the kindness and joy her family and new friends had given her. She thought about all the love and happiness that now surrounded her, and how it lifted her up, but kept her grounded all at once.

And with that, she fell asleep with a smile, the warm red glow from the night before already beginning to emerge from her.

While Molly and Libby were already familiar with the process, that didn't stop the amazement in their eyes matching those of the rest of the Ghost Friends as they witnessed it again. Thankfully, they were more educated about what exactly was happening, so there was no unneeded anxiety over it.

Fizz, or rather her spirit, floated in midair above her sleeping body and gave a refreshing stretch before peeking an eye open. She noticed the looks on her friends' faces, both eyes open now as she glanced down at herself. She beamed when she realized that not only had she pulled it off, but her spectral form already had legs this time!

"I did it," she muttered, before looking up and grinning at the others. "I did it! Ha-ha, YES!" As she pumped her fists in the air in victory, Molly pulled her into a hug.

"I knew you could!" She squealed, excitedly jumping in place. Fizz chuckled as June stepped closer to get a better look at her.

"Interesting," she muttered as she gently poked one of Fizz's ectoplasmic legs. "It's not often you see ghosts with legs."

"Oh, well the legs are more of a choice, in my case," Fizz explained as she floated out of Molly's arms. "When I first astral projected last night, I had a tail like any other ghost, but I obviously wasn't used to being like that and I kept winding up upside down. So, I morphed the legs as sort of a counter-balance to keep myself upright." June nodded as she continued to inspect her.

"I don't think I've ever seen a ghost, or wraith, with your coloring, either." Molly and Ollie joined in on her observation.

"She's right," Molly said. "I've seen quite a few pink ghosts, and Scratch had only turned red a couple times when he went into "scare mode". But I've never seen any with that bright shade of red except you. The closet I can think of when it comes to wraiths are June and Ollie, but she's more a warm pink, and he's orange." Fizz tilted her head curiously.

"Well, what about you?" She asked, then looked at Libby and Darryl, as well. "What are your colors?"

"Libby and I are different shades of green," Darryl said, motioning to himself and Libby. "And Molly's like a yellowish gold." Molly blushed a bit at that.

"I stuck out like a sore thumb the first time I went to the Ghost World," she reminisced sheepishly. June pulled out her tablet and typed away on it.

"This further proves my earlier observation that wraiths, and now also astral projections, are much brighter and more vivid in color than normal ghosts." 

"Huh, that's pretty cool," Fizz said. "So, about these experiments?" June's expression brightened as she lifted up her tablet again.

"Oh, yes. I wanted to run a few tests to see if astral projections have similar abilities as ghosts and wraiths. Let me just turn on the Ectoplasmic Enhancement Filter on my camera real quick." She tapped her screen a few times then held up the tablet in front of Fizz. Her expression soon changed as she studied the screen, becoming more quizzical. She then motioned to the rest of the Ghost Friends to look at the screen, and soon their expressions became a mix of curiosity, confusion and amazement.

"What? What is it?" Fizz asked, now anxious. Molly quickly shot her a reassuring smile. 

"It's nothing bad, Fizz. Remember how Libby's book mentioned that astral projections are still sorta connected to their body?"

"Yeah…?"

"Well, thanks to my filter, we can actually see it," June confirmed as she snapped a photo and turned the tablet around to face her. Sure enough, Fizz's ghostly energy glowed much brighter in various reds and oranges in the filter, resembling that of an infrared camera. And connecting her spirit to her body's chest, was a thin, glowing thread. She glanced down at herself and looked back at the screen in surprise.

"Huh… does this mean I can't go too far from my body, or…?" 

"Hmmm," June pondered, then held up her tablet. "This is a good opportunity for our first test. Fly around the room a bit." Fizz quickly complied, zipping around the lab with surprising ease. Despite the knowledge of the invisible thread, she didn't feel tied down at all. She let out a giggle as she quickly weaved around her friends serpentine style. Molly couldn't help but laugh herself at her friend's antics. Fizz skidded to a stop in front of June.

"How was that?" She asked. June looked up from her tablet with a smile.

"It seems that the thread connecting your soul to your body extends depending on how far you go from it."

"Cool! I honestly hoped as much. It didn't feel like it was holding me back at all." Fizz then crossed her arms and slightly leaned over to get a look at the tablet screen, grinning mischievously. 

"So… what other tests should we do?"

The rest of the Ghost Friends smiled with her, and they soon got to work. 

Throughout the morning, Fizz tested out all the various abilities ghosts have to see if she was just as capable of doing them.

While flying around the lab, she at one point went up through the ceiling into the Chen's kitchen. That was certainly an awkward hello to Ollie and June's parents.

"Flying, and Intangibility," June wrote down on a notepad. "Check!"

Taking a deep breath, she allowed her ectoplasm to fade from sight, even though with their prolonged exposure to ghosts, they could still technically "see" her.

"Invisibility," Libby confirmed with a thumbs up and wrote it down. "Check!"

Fizz noticed Darryl smirk at that one.

Clearing her throat, Fizz closed her eyes and took a deep breath before her form became several times larger in seconds, her ectoplasm turning to an acidic green as the aura in the room warped and twisted. Her features distorted, turning into a nightmarish visage as she let out a haunting mix of a wail and an animalistic roar. Just as quickly, she snapped back to normal with a giddy look on her face.

"I've always wanted to do that," she giggled as she scratched at the back of her head. The Ghost Friends stared wide-eyed for a moment, before bursting into grins. Darryl and Libby applauded as Molly held up a piece of paper with a large '10' drawn on it.

"Scare Mode," she said, putting the paper down and looked to June, who was writing on the notepad again. "Check!"

Molly had brought one of her plushies, a cute little pink bunny with a purple bow tie, and sat it down on the floor. For this next test, Fizz didn't feel comfortable with one of them being a guinea pig. She looked intently at the rabbit for a few seconds before diving right into it. It gave off a red glow for a few seconds before shakily standing up, unsteady on its plush legs. It waved at the kids before suddenly starting to breakdance, making all of them laugh. Fizz flew out of the bunny, letting it flop back on the floor, before giving a bow at the others. Molly applauded while giggling as Darryl picked up the notepad.

"Possession," he wrote down with a mischievous smile, mentally filing this away for future pranks with her. "Check!"

She held out her hands and focused on Molly. Pretty soon, a pale red aura surrounded her and lifted her a few inches off the ground. Fizz put her back on solid ground after a few seconds, feeling a little winded.

"Telekinesis," Ollie wrote it down on the notepad as Molly giggled. "Check!"

For a final test, Fizz attempted a few times to make a ghost portal, but no matter what gesture she tried, nothing happened.

"Figured as much," Libby said as June continued to take notes. "You might need a few more times astral projecting before you can pull that one off. We've only been wraiths a handful of times, but we needed help from another ghost to make a portal to the Ghost World."

"I was able to do it once," Molly admitted. "But I haven't really tried since then." 

"Fair enough," Fizz said. June tapped away on her tablet, recording all the data they'd gathered from the tests. 

"I think that's good enough for the spectral ability testing," she said, her eyes lighting up. "We can save the ectoplasm tests for another day, if you're comfortable with doing that, Fizz."

"Sure," Fizz shrugged. Suddenly, the sound of a phone notification rang out. Reaching into her pocket, Molly pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. 

"Oh, Mom just texted me," she said. "She says lunch is almost ready. And Ollie, she and Dad say that your family can come over, too. Dad's in a bit of a cooking frenzy, today."

"Great!" Fizz immediately perked up. "I know time flies when you're having fun, but I'd be lying if I said all this astral projecting wasn't working up a bit of an appetite. So, I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to get some lunch." 

And with that, she dove back into her body. It didn't have as great a physical reaction as the night before, but her body did give off the same red glow as usual. Once it faded, Fizz opened her eyes, sat up with a yawn and stretched.

"That might've been the most productive nap of my life," she joked. Molly and Libby let out a giggle at that.

Once the kids, along with Mrs. and Mrs. Chen, congregated back to Molly's house for lunch, they were quick to recount the events of the morning to the adults while they ate. Much like their daughter, Reuben and Esther had a million questions for Fizz, given their paranormal research background. Fizz was able to answer what she could, and June provided videos from their tests to provide a visual aid (Fizz and Darryl had to bite back a laugh at the oh-so-manly scream Pete let out at the "Scare Mode" test).

"I'm still figuring everything out," Fizz admitted. "But so far, I think I'm getting the hang of it."

Lunch continued on with minimal incident, and once the Chens went back home, the girls went back up to Molly's room to relax and chat. It was during this time that Fizz received a text from her mother.

- Hey, sweetie! How's everything going?

Looking up from her phone, Fizz smiled at her two friends as they excitedly talked about their plans for activities they can do for the rest of the weekend. With a smirk, she replied to the text.

- Best first sleepover ever.

Chapter Text

After the resounding success that was the weekend sleepover, Fizz and her mom spent the first couple days of the week doing some severely last-minute school shopping. It wasn't too hard to get all the usual supplies she needed (a messenger bag, books, pencils, pens, binders, etc.), and they were happy to peruse the clothing aisles. Since they were all starting high school (and were probably going to experience at least one growth spurt during that time), Fizz, Molly, and all their friends decided that it was time to change up their style a little, but not too much.

"Let me know if you find anything, okay, Sweetie?" Ginny asked. Fizz nodded and gave her a thumbs up as she wandered into the next aisle.

"I will, Ma."

It was while digging among the clothing racks that Fizz found some early Halloween-themed clothing. She let out a small, happy squeal at her good fortune. Halloween was her favorite holiday, and this was exactly what she was looking for in a new look. She was quick to grab anything in her size that caught her eye; some fun spooky t-shirts, a skeleton patterned hoodie, and some dark, torn jeans. She even found a pair of black high-tops with bright red ghosts on the sides and matching shoelaces. Fitting, given the shared secret between her and her friends.

Over the past weekend, she and the other Ghost Friends had tried to figure out how to get them to successfully astral project, too… but that ended in minimal success. Molly and Ollie came closer than Libby, Darryl and June, but they couldn't fully exit their bodies, only sticking out halfway. The group refused to give up, though, and planned on trying again later in the week.

Fizz decided (for now) to not tell her mother about her astral projection abilities. Ginny had only just secured a job at Pam's bakery, and was still figuring out the paperwork for getting Fizz not only into school, but making sure her IEP was all set. The last thing she wanted was to stress her mom out even more! 

In her frenzied clothing collecting, she spotted it; a black, short-sleeved button down shirt covered it cute little white ghosts. It kinda reminded her of the floral Hawaiian shirt that her Uncle Todd wore, only this was much more her style. Spooky, but still had that fun sense of whimsy about it. It was a little on the bigger side, but she didn't care. She'd grow into it.

Ginny couldn't help but laugh as her daughter walked up to their shopping cart, a huge bundle of clothes in her arms and an even bigger smile on her face.

"I take it you found what you were looking for?" She asked with a smirk. Fizz nodded enthusiastically as she dropped the clothes into the cart. "This shopping trip went a lot better than we thought, then!"

Their purchases made, both mother and daughter left the store with a huge weight of their shoulders.

That Wednesday evening, Fizz once again found herself at the McGees' house, only this time with her Mom for a combined family dinner. Pete and Sharon had said it was their (belated) way of telling them "Welcome to the Neighborhood".

While the parents decided that homemade spaghetti and meatballs were the best choice for the main dish, the kids were willing to try a few other things as well. Ginny finally had the opportunity to make her Nonna's turnip soup recipe, while Sharon made some Thai dishes, all with varying levels of spice for those less tolerant to the intensity. Fizz in particular was a fan of the desserts.

"Ginny, this soup is amazing!" Pete said between spoonfuls. The rest of the family nodded in agreement. "My full compliments to the chef!"

"Well, Grazie," Ginny said with a proud smile. "Good to know I can do my Nonna's recipe justice."

"Normally, I'm not much of a turnip person," Darryl admitted. "But this is really good!"

"You should totally make it for next year's Turnip Fest!" Molly encouraged. "It would be a hit!"

"Turnip Fest?" Fizz asked in between bites of Khanom Buang, tilting her head. 

"It's a local festival that me and Dad brought back last year," Molly explained. "It's mostly centered around Brighton's main crop; the turnip. There's games, dancing, food stands. All the fun stuff to expect at a festival!" 

Fizz and Ginny listened on with interest as she recounted the events of the previous year, to which Pete sheepishly admitted about how filling the giant piñata with nothing but turnips and turnip soup wasn't the best call.

"I think I saw an article about that online last year," Ginny recalled with a wince. "Please tell me you didn't do it again this year."

"Nah," Pete said. "We went with homemade candy, streamers and turnip-shaped confetti. That was Molly's idea. And we actually won this year's Best Fest in the Midwest!"

"That must've been exciting," Fizz said with a chuckle.

"Oh, yeah. The whole town went nuts when the news broke!" Darryl said. "I'm pretty sure Mayor Brunson was riding that high for almost a month."

"He didn't even care that his car was one of the few that got flipped over in all the excitement," Sharon added. That got a big laugh out of Ginny.

"Oh, I would've paid money to see that!" She howled.

"To be fair, it's the first time Brighton has beat Perfektborg in anything in the last 129 years," Molly said as she ate another spoonful of soup. She then leaned over and whispered, "Also, you didn't hear this from me, but even they were getting tired of winning all the time."

"Oooooooooh, scandalous!" Fizz fake gasped as the two of them giggled. Ginny found herself smiling at the sight. It warmed her heart to see her daughter so happy.

"I'll see what I can do about the soup," she said to Pete with a wink. Pete held up a hand reassuringly.

"It's not until Spring, so you have time."

"Okay, then," she chuckled. Both families continued the evening enjoying the food and each other's company. Fizz simply sat back, taking in the warmth, only to slightly jump at the sudden sound of her phone dinging. Taking it out of her pocket, her eyes lit up as she spotted the notification. 

"What is it, Fizz?" Molly asked. 

"Just got a text from Uncle Todd," she replied happily as she handed the phone to her. "Apparently he just met up with an old friend of his!" 

Molly's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the photo. There he was, standing on a mountain with a gorgeous view of the early evening sky, shining various shades of pink and violet behind him.

But he wasn't alone.

He was hugging a taller African American woman with incredibly curly hair, who was wearing a hiking outfit in numerous earth tones. The joy in their faces was unmistakable as they clung to each other like a lifeline, even though it sent a pang through Molly's heart. 

While she was still getting used to seeing his human face, she recognized the woman in an instant.

"Adia…" she said with a smile, her eyes shining.

"You know her?" Ginny asked, surprised. Molly stiffened slightly, sharing an awkward look with her family.

"Well, not too personally," she stammered, her smile a bit too wide. "I'm just a fan of her ClickClock videos. I even got to briefly interview her for school." 

"Huh. Small world," Fizz commented. 

"But enough about back then, let's focus on now!" Molly was quick to change the subject. "Anyone want some more dessert?"

Fizz continued to stare at her friend in concern. A feeling in her gut told her that something was off about Molly's reaction to the photo, but didn't want to interrogate her in front of everyone.

"I'll take some more of those mini Thai crepes your Mom made," she said in an attempt to ease the tension. Molly smiled thankfully at her as she handed her the plate.

She'll tell me on her own terms, she thought to herself as she took another bite of Khanom Buang.

It was on Friday that the Ghost Friends met up once again to retry astral projection. They were all in Molly's room with various piles of pillows and blankets to ensure they'd be as comfortable as possible. Libby had also brought flameless incense sticks for aromatherapy, and had numerous electric candles adorning the room, because the last thing they needed was a fire hazard. 

"Okay, be honest with us; what are we doing wrong, Fizz?" Ollie asked. Fizz, whose spirit form was already reclining in midair, peeked a eye open at him. She then sat up, crossing her legs.

"Hey, I'm still learning about this stuff, too. I wouldn't call myself an expert," she said. "But if I had to guess… I think you guys are wanting it too hard."

"What?" Darryl sat up from his spot on the beanbag chair. "'Wanting it too hard'? What's that supposed to mean?" Fizz floated closer to him.

"Well, take me, for example; did I exactly want to astral project the first time I did it?" The rest of group's expressions quickly turned thoughtful at this.

"No," Molly finally said. "You really didn't." Fizz then shrugged, cocking her head in a "Well, there you go" manner. 

"But how exactly are supposed to not want it?" Libby asked. "It's all we've focused on these past few days. I've scoured every book we have in the bookstore on the subject, and so far, no progress." 

"I have to agree with Libby," June admitted. "Ever since running the tests with you last weekend, I've been wracking my brain over it!"

"And there lies the problem," Fizz stated, before morphing a few extra arms, stretching a hand over to each of her friends, and gently tapping their foreheads for emphasis. "You guys are thinking too much!" 

Much to her relief, this got a few giggles out of them as they playfully swatted her hands away. June and Ollie in particular couldn't help but marvel at how quickly her morphing skills had developed.

"Okay, you may have a point there," Molly said. "But I've tried clearing my mind, too. And that didn't work, either!" Fizz couldn't help but roll her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Molls, I love ya, but that case you were thinking too little." She took a deep breath. "Look, from what you guys told me, one of the ways that Wraiths come into being is when a person hits emotional rock bottom, right?" 

Molly, Libby and Ollie all confirmed this with a nod, looking a little disheartened.

"Well…" Fizz continued. "In my personal experience, Astral Projection occurs when the opposite happens. You wanna know what I think about every time I do this?" The group all nodded, leaning in closer. 

"…I think about you guys. Also my Mom… my Dad… and my Uncle Todd. I think about everyone in my life who's lifted me up and kept me grounded all at the same time."

"I… can think of a few people like that," Libby said as she shared a smile with Molly.

"So can I," Darryl admitted shyly.

"We all can," Ollie said. Fizz grinned at this bit of progress. Molly stepped forward and hugged her, which she readily returned.

"Thanks, Fizz. Let's give it one more try."

It took about 20 minutes for the rest of the group to fall asleep. Fizz soon found herself—float-pacing? …Float-pacing—back and forth, watching each of her friends intensely as they slept. She wasn't trying to push them too hard, but part of her still wanted at least one of them to get it right this time. Sure, it was cool to be able to do something like this… but she didn't want to be the odd one out. Not again. 

She'd been considered the "odd one" most of her life. 

As she paced in midair, she almost failed to notice the warm, golden glow that started to emerge from Molly as she slept. Catching it out of the corner of her eye, she whipped around in time to see a glowing, yellow, familiar-looking shape rising up into the air. 

She was tensed and slightly curled in on herself, as if bracing for something, her eyes screwed tightly shut in their dark sockets. Fizz gave a soft smile as she drifted closer to her, and in a moment of light-hearted mischievousness, gently poked her nose.

"Boop!"

Molly's eyes snapped open, revealing dark brown irises, while the normally white part of her eyes were now a pale pink.

"Fizz?" She asked. 

"You know, gold is definitely your color, Molls," Fizz said with a smirk. Molly quickly looked down at herself, and Fizz could've sworn she glowed even brighter as she smiled in excitement.

"Yes!" She cheered, pumping her fists into the air. The two barely had a moment to savor the moment, as various different colors suddenly filled their vision, tackling them to the floor. It took Fizz a moment for her eyes to focus, but once they did, she saw four other brightly colored, familiar spirits looking at them, all with equally bright smiles. Looking around, she could see their bodies in various parts of the room, sleeping peacefully (and not looking like soulless shells at all!). She smirked again.

"Told you guys you could pull it off." 

As they all floated back up, she got a good look at the others. Much like they had earlier explained, Darryl and Libby were differing shades of green, the former more teal than the latter's lime. Ollie was a warm orange, much like a sunset, his ectoplasm forming those unmistakable swoopy bangs over his eyes. June was a shade of pink that made her think of watermelon sherbet, and was a bit surprised to see that her ghost form still had glasses. They all still had dark sockets around their eyes, but if one looked closely enough, they could see that what was usually pitch black now had a hint of their respective colors to them. Unlike Molly, the rest of the whites of their eyes were varying shades of yellow, much like Geoff and Jeff.

And if the photos she'd seen were anything to go by, much like Scratch, too…

"Huh," she muttered to herself as another detail suddenly grabbed her attention. 

"What?" Molly asked.

"It just hit me…" she said with a giggle. "I'm the only one in our group who doesn't have brown eyes." The rest of the group looked at each other in surprise, before bursting into giggles themselves. She was right. Fizz held up her hands in a "settle down" gesture.

"Okay, okay, in all seriousness, though," she started with a smirk. "Since we've successfully figured out how to all astral project… what do you wanna do first?" Molly mirrored with a smirk of her own.

"Well… there is one idea I've had for a bit," she said as she twirled a finger in the air. As she did, a swirling black and blue portal appeared behind her. Fizz's eyes widened as the rest of the group shared knowing looks.

"We… we're going to the Ghost World?!" She practically vibrated with excitement.

"Yep!" Molly confirmed. "But I wanted to wait until we figured this out, first. So we could surprise y—WHOA!" She didn't even get to finish her sentence as Fizz tackled her to the ground in a hug, wrapping her arms around her several times over.

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you THANK YOOOOOUUUUU!" She squealed, nuzzling her cheek against Molly's. "Ooooooooh, fzst fzst fzst! You guys are the best!" Molly giggled in response.

"It's the least I can do," she said shyly. "But before we go, I gotta test one last thing." Fizz released the hug, as Molly floated towards the portal. "No one follow me just yet. I want you guys to keep an eye on my body after the portal closes. Let me know if there's any changes." Everyone nodded in agreement. And with that, she flew into the portal, letting it close behind her. 

Libby, Ollie and Fizz closely watched Molly's body, nearly unblinking as the seconds ticked past. Darryl fiddled with his ectoplasmic hood as June also observed their sleeping friend, taking notes. Much to everyone's relief, aside from her stirring in her sleep slightly, her complexion didn't change a single shade. Not long after, the portal reappeared and Molly exited it.

"Well?" She asked anxiously. June smiled and handed her notebook to her.

"Much like I theorized, the threads connecting our souls to our bodies while astral projecting do not sever after we enter the Ghost World." 

"That means we won't have to go wraith anymore," Molly said, a smile growing across her face.

"Yes!" Fizz cheered. "Gotta love a loophole!" The whole group floated up to to portal, entering it one at a time, until she and Molly were left.

"Shall we?" Molly held out her hand, which Fizz readily took.

"Heck yeah!"

And with that, they flew into the portal together.

Chapter Text

Fizz gripped onto Molly's hand as they flew through the portal, the whirling ambience of it surrounding her and filling her ears. It almost sounded like a windy day. Despite her growing excitement, she kept her eyes shut. She didn't want to catch even a glimpse of their destination until they were fully there. Suddenly, the whooshing sound stopped, with soft, very distant chatter replacing it.

"Fizz," she heard Molly whisper from next to her. "We're here."

Slowly opening her eyes, she took a moment to fully take it all in. An inky, bluish-black sky seemed to go on forever above them, with a sparse amount of stars. Before them was a vast, odd fusion of a town and a city, with buildings from all sorts of places and time periods, a vast majority of them being black, accented in varying shades of purple, green, and blue. And in that town/city, were ghosts. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them. All in various shapes, sizes, and on the cooler side of the color spectrum.

She couldn't, and wouldn't, stop the awed gasp that escaped her once she took in the sight she thought she'd only see in her wildest imagination. 

The Ghost World.

She was finally seeing it with her own eyes.

And she didn't have to actually die to make it happen. Bonus!

"Fzst-fzst-fzst-fzst!" She vocalized as she flapped her hands in excitement, eyes large and sparkling. The rest of the Ghost Friends found her joy and excitement to be near-infectious, as they all soon found themselves smiling with her. Molly gently elbowed her with a grin. 

"Soooooo… where do you wanna go first?" Fizz gave her an excited and familiar grin that made bittersweet feelings well up in her.

"Everywhere!"

Fizz would be lying if she said that wanting to explore the entire Ghost World wasn't an overwhelming idea, but at this moment, she didn't care. She wanted to see it all!

Molly and Libby, on the other hand, decided to start more simple; visiting Geoff and Jeff’s house. But that didn't stop Fizz from at least taking in all the sights she could on their way there.

"You guys weren't kidding," she said as she watched various ghosts go about their daily activities. "This place really is lively!" Unfortunately, she was too caught up in her surroundings to fully pay attention to what was in front of her, which led to her bumping into a couple of ghosts. "Oh, sorry, excuse me! I wasn't looking where I was goooiii…"

She trailed off in shock as she soon recognized the two ghosts in front of her. One of them was a taller man, the same shade of green as Geoff, with a decently sized beard, wearing a suit coat and a top hat. The other, a deep shade of purple, was a woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing an elegant looking dress and a headpiece in the shape of a cobra.

"Lincoln?! Cleopatra?!" Fizz squeaked in shock. She immediately began to stutter anxiously, her eyes looking anywhere but at the two historical figures in front of her. "S-Sorry about that, Mr. P-President." She then bowed deeply, still trembling. "M-Miss Queen of the Nile…" 

She remained quiet, frozen in place as she bowed in respect. She shut her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable scolding… 

…Only for a warm chuckle to reach her ears.

"It's quite all right, young lady," Lincoln said as she looked up at them in surprise. "One can get easily overwhelmed in a place like this." 

"I can't even begin to tell you how many times I got lost during my first days here," Cleopatra added. Fizz looked at them for a moment as she straightened back up, wide-eyed and blushing in mild embarrassment. 

"There you are!" Molly's voice grabbed their attention as she floated up to them, stopping next to Fizz. "We were trying to tell you to slow down, but—oh, hi, Abe!" She waved at the ghost in question, who gave her a friendly smile in return.

"Hello, Miss McGee! Always a pleasure to see you," he responded, which made Fizz do a double take. She had almost forgotten that Molly had met him before. "I see you're on one of your regular visits to the Ghost World. And you brought a new friend with you." He then gently tipped his hat to Fizz in greeting.

"Um… hi," she stammered as Molly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 

"Yep! Mr. Lincoln, Cleopatra, meet Fran Wolfe. She's new in Brighton, and this is her first time visiting the Ghost World!" Fizz smiled shyly, holding out her hand.

"It's… really nice to meet you both." 

"A pleasure meeting you, as well," Lincoln said, shaking her hand gently as Cleopatra gave a nod in agreement. Fizz beamed, and once again gave her a small bow. Lincoln turned his attention to Molly.

"So I take it you're taking your friend on a tour?" Molly nodded, which made him smile. "Then don't let us hinder you. Go ahead and have fun! And Miss Wolfe, I look forward to seeing you again should our paths cross."

"Likewise," Fizz said with a smile, waving at the two as she and Molly floated off to join the rest of their friends. Once they were out of earshot, Cleopatra gave the former President a look. 

"Is it just me," she murmured. "Or did that girl remind you a bit of…?"

"Oh, believe me, the resemblance was not lost on me," he chuckled. "And I believe the truth of that matter will reveal itself in time."

As the group continued towards their destination, Fizz found herself absentmindedly looking up at the sky, thinking about the encounter she just had. 

I just met Abraham Lincoln and THE Cleopatra! If Dad were here, he would've nerded out BIG TIME! She thought, her smile a tad bittersweet. Out of all the cultures and places he visited and learned about, Egypt was always his favorite. And it's a shame Uncle Todd doesn't believe in ghosts, because l bet he'd be super jealous that I've actually travelled somewhere neither he or Adia have ever been to!

But it was during her sky gazing that she noticed something… odd. 

In a further part of the sky, on the outskirts of the city, floated a large… island? There was no other way for her to describe it. It was a large, rocky island floating in the air, resembling a distorted skull, with an aura of shifting pinks and greens surrounding it. Despite the intimidation she felt from the structure, she found the aura strangely comforting, as it reminded her of the northern lights. Something in her gut told her that it had to be important somehow.

She looked back at Molly to possibly ask her about it, only to see that she was now engaged in a very active conversation with Ollie and Libby. Fizz smiled to herself, figuring that she could ask her later, and continued to follow them. 

But not before stealing one last glance at the floating island.

Geoff and Jeff's reaction to the surprise visit was as warm a welcome as one would expect from the two. All the Ghost Friends were quickly pulled into a massive group hug, courtesy of Geoff. Once he let them go, Fizz was almost instantly tackled by an overjoyed Sharkie, much to her delight. She had definitely developed a soft spot for the little guy, so getting to visit and play with him was always a treat. As she continued to play with him on the floor, Jeff meanwhile got tea for the rest of the group, even putting a cup aside for her if she wanted it.

"So, run it by me one more time," he started as Geoff sat down next to him. "You found a way to not go Wraith anymore, but still visit the Ghost World?" 

"Yep!" Molly nodded enthusiastically. "It's called Astral Projection. It's technically like a Wraith, but our souls are still connected to our bodies! Fizz showed us how to do it!" 

"Interesting," Jeff muttered, sipping his tea. Geoff, meanwhile, was just as excited as Molly.

"That means you won't have to call on one of us to make a portal for you!" He gushed. "You guys can visit whenever you want, now!" 

"I know!" Darryl cheered. "This is gonna be so great!"

As his husband and their guests continued to excitedly chatter, Jeff glanced over at Fizz, who was currently giggling loudly due to Sharkie showering her with slobbery kisses.

That girl is full of surprises, he thought to himself. He then let out a small whistle to call Sharkie over.

"Come on, Sharkie, give her some space to breathe." Sharkie floated over, nestling onto his lap. Fizz sat up, wiping off her face, but still smiling. Jeff then scooted a bit closer to Geoff, patting the now open space on the couch, welcoming her to sit. It took a moment of shy hesitation, but she soon sat down.

"So, Fizz," he said, deciding to strike up a conversation with her. "How's your first visit to the Ghost World been so far?"

"It's been… a bit of a lot," she started scratching the back of her neck. "But in a good way! There's so much to see and explore here! But… I didn't really know where to start. So, Molly decided that we should start slow." Jeff nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, this place can be pretty hectic," he said. "Anyone can get overwhelmed. But if you ever need recommendations for places to check out first, I can make a list." 

"I'd like that," she replied thankfully. Then, a pondering expression crossed her face. "That reminds me… do either of you know anything about that floating island thing in the sky on the outskirts of the city?" 

What she thought was a simple, innocent question… quickly got everyone's attention, as she soon felt several pairs of eyes on her. She ducked her head down a bit.

"Did I say something wrong?" She asked. This was instantly met with overlapping reassurances from the "Geffs", Molly, Ollie, Libby and Darryl, which made her flinch and cover her ears. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed June do the same, which Ollie and Darryl were quick to help. Sharkie immediately sensed Fizz's discomfort and moved from Jeff's lap to cuddle up next to her. His close proximity to her helped put her at ease.

Molly's expression was the first to turn apologetic as she floated up to her. Fizz slowly removed her hands from her ears, and Molly gently held them.

"Sorry for yelling," she said. "You didn't say or do anything wrong, we promise. We just weren't expecting you to ask about that."

"I… I saw it on our way here. I was curious and wanted to ask earlier, but you were busy."

"It's okay, Fizz," Jeff said. "And to answer your question, that island is where the Ghost Council meets." Fizz perked up in interest.

"The Ghost Council?" She asked. "You've all mentioned them before, but I figured that they worked in a fancy building. You know, like City Hall. But a jagged stone island in the middle of the sky?"

"Yeah… they're dramatic like that," Ollie commented sheepishly. "They also a bit strict, but pretty nice once you get to know them." 

"You know," Libby mused. "It wouldn't hurt to introduce her to them sooner rather than later. Besides, I'm sure they'd want to know about the whole astral projection thing, anyway." 

"That's actually not a bad idea, Libby," Molly said with a smile. Fizz's eyes widened as realization set in, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Wait… you mean now?"

It was when the group were halfway up to the Ghost Council's meeting spot that Fizz internally debated whether or not she should've just kept her mouth shut about the whole thing. Getting to explore the Ghost World was one thing, but having to meet the ones in charge during her first visit?! This was a LOT. While the rest of her friends flew up towards their destination, she kept herself a ways back, but still following them.

Molly, meanwhile, was a bit excited to see the Ghost Council again. Sure, they didn't start off the best, but they warmed up eventually, and even helped out in some tight spots. As far as she was concerned, a social visit was long overdue.

Especially since the last time she had seen them face-to-face was…

She shook her head, clearing those thoughts from her mind. This was a happy visit, not a sad one! They were not here for that, they were here to introduce Fizz.

Eventually, they reached the surface of the island, where Fizz caught sight of large, tall, stone podium, similar to the kind you'd see a judge sitting at in a courtroom. Looking up, she saw four, elderly-looking ghosts sitting at it; two males and two females. The two females were pale purple and pink, respectively, while the two males were teal and blue. The two women and the teal man had hair similar to those old-timey wigs you'd see in period piece films and the blue one appeared to have male pattern baldness similar to Geoff. Even as they were busy combing through piles of paperwork, they looked pretty strict, which made her nervously gulp. 

And if they weren't intimidating enough, behind them was a tall, hooded figure shrouded completely in black. She couldn't make out the figure's face, as there was a glowing, pink void where it should be. It tilted its head, almost curiously, and Fizz felt a chill run through her ectoplasm as she realized it was looking right at her.

As she stayed there, frozen in anxiety and unable to tear her gaze away from the figure, Molly approached the desk.

"Hello!" she said cheerfully, getting their attention. Her words sounded muffled to Fizz, who despite her own fears, worried that they would berate her friend for interrupting their work. She could see the pale purple one reply, but she couldn't hear it over the growing ringing in her ears.

This is too much too fast, she thought to herself, backing away slowly. 

Too much, too much, too much, too much…  

Despite technically not having lungs, she felt her breath starting to speed up.

Too Much Too Much Too Much Too Much Too Much…

She couldn't take that hooded figure staring at her.

TooMuchTooMuchTooMuchTooMuchTooMuchTooMuchTooMuch!

It was looking into her very soul, probably trying to see everything that was wrong with her.

TOOMUCHTOOMUCHTOOMUCHTOOMUCHTOOMUCHTOOMUCHTOOMUCHTOO—

She flew below the island and into one of the crevices that resembled an eye socket, curled up and wrapped her arms around her knees, still floating in midair and trembling as she struggled to control her breathing.

It's just too much…

"Miss McGee!" Lucretia greeted as she and the rest of the Council smiled at their guests. "This is certainly a nice surprise." Molly beamed back at them as the rest of the Ghost Friends all exchanged their greetings as well.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Sir Alister asked. 

"Just figured it'd been a while since we stopped by for a visit," Molly explained with an honest shrug. The others nodded in confirmation.

"Well, it's certainly welcome," the hooded figure said before tossing the hood off to reveal a familiar face to all them. Molly beamed.

"Hi, Sally!" 

The Heroine of Brighton, now Chairwoman of the Ghost World, gave a broad grin as her form took on a less intimidating size. She then descended from the desk, landing in front of them, her pet bear not too far behind. 

"I hope no one was too busy to make a portal for you kids," she said good-naturedly. Bartholomew, however, looked concerned.

"I hope you kids aren't overdoing things," he said. "You know better than anyone the adverse effects of becoming wraiths for too long."

Much to their surprise, though, the Ghost Friends all looked at each other with knowing smirks.

"Actually, we didn't need to ask anyone," Ollie said. "And we don't have to worry about memory problems anymore."

"Come again?" Grimbella asked. June smiled.

"Thanks to a new friend of ours, we discovered an alternative way to leave our bodies without fully disconnecting from them."

"WHAT?!" The Ghost Council exclaimed. Sally looked just as dumbstruck. Libby nodded, pulling out her Pop-Up Book of the Paranormal.

"It's called Astral Projection," she explained. "It's the ability for one's soul to leave their body while it's asleep. And like June earlier said, we're still technically connected to our bodies, so there's no risk of memory loss."

"Interesting," Sir Alister mused. "I believe I've heard a local monk or two mention this practice over the years, but I'd never seen it, personally."

"Exactly how did you come across this knowledge?" Lucretia asked. "You mentioned a friend made you aware of it?" Molly nodded.

"Yep! And that's part of the reason why we're here," she said. "We wanted to introduce you to her. So, without further ado, I would like you all to meet…" She then turned to gesture behind her, only to see that one member of their group was now missing.

"…Fizz?"

Her breathing now having slowed, Fizz kept hugging her knees to her chest. She couldn't tell how long she'd been hiding in the small cavern. A minute? An hour? It didn't matter to her. The ringing in her ears had long since died away, and she found the silence rather comforting.

How could she be so cowardly? She wasn't alone, far from it! But then why did this scare her so much?

"Fizz?" A small voice then cut through the silence, startling her, and she soon found her vision filled with a golden glow. Looking up, she soon found a familiar face looking very concerned. "Are you okay?"

Slowly removing herself from the fetal position she curled herself into, Fizz leaned against one of the walls of the cavern, scratching her arm.

"H-Hey, Molly…"

"What are you doing down here? What happened?" Molly asked, making Fizz flinch. 

"It…" she muttered, looking down at her hands. "It was too much. I… I just couldn't handle everything at once. I'm sorry…" 

Without saying anything, Molly slowly and gently took Fizz's hands and held them.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," she said. "I should've asked if you felt ready, not just jumping head first into this!"

"But that's just it; I was ready!" Fizz finally met Molly's gaze. "I don't know how to explain it, but suddenly it kinda felt like everyone was waiting for me to screw up, and it scared me. And then with that big hooded figure without a face just staring at me… I couldn't stay there. I just needed to be away from everything to calm down." Molly opened her mouth to comfort her friend, only to catch one detail in particular.

"'Hooded figure without a…'?" Despite herself, she let out a small chuckle. "Fizz, that was just Sally. She won't hurt you, I promise. And she does have a face, it's just sometimes the robe hides it. It's part of the whole "Chairwoman" aesthetic." Fizz blinked in surprise.

"So… she doesn't look like the Ghost of Christmas Future all the time?"

"No, she certainly doesn't," a female voice with a slight southern twang to it got both girls' attention as it also let out a giggle. Fizz turned to see the hooded figure from before floating in front of them, only now much smaller and with her hood down, revealing a round, freckled, pale pink face with a pointed nose and a sweet smile. She wore a bandanna around her neck, the same color as her ectoplasm, and her hair was messy and styled into a low ponytail. Molly smiled.

"Fizz, I'd like you to meet Sally Tuggbottom." The ghost in question gave a friendly nod at Fizz, who shyly waved in return as she found the courage to exit the cavern.

"H-Hi," she whispered, before clearing her throat. "Sorry if I didn't make the best first impression." Sally raised a hand and shook her head.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "I know how nerve-wracking meeting new people can be." This got a relieved sigh out of both girls. "And I'm sorry for unintentionally scaring you." 

"Oh! Uh, it's okay," Fizz reassured. She then took a deep breath and held out her hand. "It's nice to officially meet you." Sally laughed and shook it.

"Likewise."

Molly then put a hand on Fizz's shoulder.

"If you want to wait to meet the Ghost Council, we can always reschedule," she said, only for Fizz to shake her head at her.

"Nah. I'm ready. Like my dad always said; Do it scared." Smiling, she took Molly's hand and the three of them flew up to the top, where everyone else was waiting. The sight of her friends' relieved smiles certainly helped ease her anxiety, even if the Council was eyeing her curiously. Gripping her hand reassuringly, Molly spoke up again.

"Everyone, allow me to introduce our new friend; Fran Wolfe. But we just call her Fizz. She was the one who taught us how to astral project." The Ghost Council's curious gazes turned to those of surprise at the sight of the newcomer. Fizz soon found herself feeling a little self conscious as Sally gently and encouragingly nudged her forward. Molly hen floated up and pointed to each Council member; first the purple woman, then the teal man, then the pink woman, and finally the blue man.

"Fizz, this is Lucretia, Sir Alister, Grimbella and Bartholomew." 

"Heeeeeeyy…" Fizz waved with a nervous smile. "It's, um, an honor to meet you all." The Council's expressions changed once again, this time to one that she couldn't quite place. Was that politeness in their eyes… or recognition? The purple ghost woman, Lucretia, was the first to fly down to her, and the rest soon followed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," she said, her elderly voice kinda reminding her of an old-time nanny. It put her at ease.

"I must say, it's rather impressive that one as young as you have mastered an ability such as this," Sir Alister commented. Grimbella and Bartholomew nodded in agreement, which made her blush.

"Oh… thank you."

The rest of the Ghost Friends looked on, relieved that their new member was handling everything so well. This visit was more successful than they'd hoped for.

Then, a low growl cut through the air. Ollie looked up at Sally.

"Sally, that was your bear, right?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Nope. I know his growls, and that wasn't one of them."

"Oh dear, are you hungry?" They suddenly heard Lucretia ask. They all soon looked to Fizz, who was hugging her stomach, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Hehehe… maybe?" She admitted as Molly giggled. "I haven't eaten since breakfast." 

"Well, let us at least get you a snack," Lucretia said. "I know there's a good churro cart near here." That's when Fizz's head shot up, eyes sparkling.

"…Did you say churros?"

The rest of the afternoon seemed to fly by. Churros, exploring the most popular hot spots (Fizz made a note to herself to find out how to get an invite to the Haughty Haunts Club), and just taking in all the fun and excitement that the Ghost World had to offer. 

By the time the kids had gotten back home and into their bodies, they were pretty tuckered out. They spent a while just talking, amazed at everything they'd gotten to do that day. By the time they were done, the sun was low in the sky, and everyone by Molly and Darryl had to go to their respective homes.

Fizz now sat on her bed, on another phone call with her Uncle Todd before going to sleep.

"Just from this week alone, this might be the greatest summer of my life," she cheered, which made him laugh.

"Great to hear, Two-Tone. So, you ready for high school?"

This made her pause, thinking about her earlier panic attack. Was she ready? High school's a big change…

It was at that moment that the smiling faces of her new friends, and most importantly her best friend, flashed in her mind. She smiled to herself.

"With the company I keep now? It'll be a breeze."