Snakes, Wolves, and Bears, Oh My!

Posted on Tue Apr 4th, 2023 @ 6:58pm by Spencer Gustaffson & Keon Seong

1,349 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Invasion
Location: Angel Grove Residence
Timeline: 16th November 2050, 2025 Hours

Keon expected his group to have come through the door of the older home. He expected the bags and equipment sticking out from every side, and he expected more than two figures to greet him. What he did not expect was two strangers coming through the door of the abode, with no ghost hunting equipment. So, Keon did exactly what he knew how to do; act dumb.

With a mildly broken Korean accent, he smiled wide. "I have permission to be here," he explained quickly, as if he was expecting to be scolded, "The owner of the property wants me to investigate an entity. She believes this place to be haunted."

Spencer had heard about this haunted house outside of Angel Grove. It was a place the Kaldore invaders hadn't destroyed or even seemingly attacked at all. It was possible that they were concerned about whatever it was that haunted the place. If they were, that meant whatever - or whoever - it was should be on the side of the Rangers and the newly-born Resistance. They'd been able to get away from Angelus, but he wondered if this was going to put them in the crosshairs of either of the two Kaldore fighters who'd beaten the Rangers already. He saw the asian man, and raised an eyebrow at the explanation.

"Yes, we've heard it's haunted too. We're with the GPF."

If this man was a human working with the aliens, better to get that out now. He wouldn't be able to raise much of an alarm if both Spencer and Kyarah attacked him and made it their goal to disable or kill him. If he was on the side of decency, of the people of Earth, he'd probably understand that they were here in their effort to save the world.

Keon tilted his head to one side. Having just barely arrived in town, he was stunningly unaware of what was going on in Angel Grove. Aside from the destroyed buildings, which he had thought were due to yet another monster attack that he heard were rife in Angel Grove, Keon had spent most of his time in the car he drove on the way from the hotel to the spot. Had the hotel owner warned him there was something afoot in Angel Grove? Yes. But Keon simply stuck the information in his back pocket and recklessly drove in without any regard for the destruction around him.

But if the GPF was here, maybe it was time to update himself. "I can say it is haunted for a fact, but the ghost disappeared just before you arrived," he explained, looking back at where the little girl he had met earlier once stood. "I haven't set my equipment up yet, but you're more than welcome to sit in to see if we can catch a glimpse of her again."

Kyarah regarded the scene before her dumbly, arms folded. Already skeptical of Spencer's rushed coaxing to come, the lack of enlightenment playing out was doing her meagre patience no favors.

Angling herself to Spencer, she muttered, "I'm sorry. . .why are we here playing Ghostbusters again?"

Spencer looked at Kyarah, his voice even. Sometimes her short temper got on his nerves. He was as eager to get in and fight as she was, but he had realized after that incident where she'd only saved him because of the suit SOS that they needed to build their line of supply and echelons of support. "We're here because the Kaldore are not. This is the only neighborhood in the state that hasn't seen some kind of occupation attempt - I can only guess that it's due to this ghost. If I'm wrong, we burned a few hours. If I'm right, we get a powerful ally and a forward base."

It was obvious to Spencer that they needed this. If the Kaldore, or even one of their leadership, was concerned about supernatural threats, then he'd have no problem fighting with a unit of ghosts and other supernatural beings; if they were loyal to this planet, he'd take them on as allies.

Spencer looked at Keon with a firm expression. "We don't really have time to sit around, I'm sorry. Can you make an effort to bring her out for more than a glimpse? We need to know if she's the reason the Kaldore aren't here, or if we would have trouble using this as a temporary base."

Keon looked the two up and down. This would have been the first time he really worked with the GPF, but the idea of them appearing in a rather innocuous haunted house was alarming. Especially considering that the ghost high-tailed it the moment they appeared.

"We might have a problem with that," he warned, "She was only here long enough to make her presence known. I think you two scared her away."

"That doesn't bode well for her helping against the Imperium," Kyarah grumbled, subconsciously aware that she was coming off gruffly. As a scout, she was accustomed to venturing into the unknown and making sense of it. Yet the Kaldore's invasion effectively made an unknown of her own refuge, and she was struggling to cope with the subsequent lack of stability and structure in her life.

"He's not scary," she added, indicating Spencer with a directional nod. "A bit bull-headed, but his heart's usually in the right place." The quips were an effort to further check herself. Already amused with the idea of a ghost fleeing from mortals, building upon it with the notion that it was Spencer's fault did lift her mood.

Keon immediately picked up on the banter. He smiled softly, tilting his head back to where he last saw her. "If he keeps frowning like that, she might have a different opinion." The ghost hunter made a point of not sticking his nose in the business of all this violent hubbub that seemed to be stemming from America. It was likely why the rest of his ghost hunting team was held up.

But a sudden pause as a soft voice spoke in a whisper in his ear. Show them the crystal. They're okay. He looked to his side, only to find thin air and no sign of the young girl. Tilting his head to one side, he gave the pair a cautious look up and down, as if expecting them to spout knives and threaten him. "... She did give me something."

Spencer raised an eyebrow at Kyarah's diplomacy, but let her continue. The other man picked up, so it was at least working. The two of them were fighters. She was a scout and he was a melee specialist. The lack of structure that this invasion had put them in put both Rangers on edge; things like this were her stronger suit, rather than his. Still, he tried to play along, shooting a smirk at his fellow Ranger. "Bull-headed? I would say I'm more wolfish. Besides, you're the scary one."

When Keon turned strangely, then said that the ghost had given him something, that caught Spencer's ear. He turned and had to resist leaning in, his expression curious. He didn't know much about ghosts or magic, but knew that artifacts from them were important. He nodded a bit slowly. "What did she give you?"

The ghost in question appeared behind the pair of Rangers, waving at him to show them. Strange as this whole encounter was to him, Keon was curious enough to see where this adventure would lead. Slowly, he pulled out the light blue orb, presenting it to the pair. I'm... not sure what it does, but it seems important."

"Oh, that's definitely important," Kyarah said, instantly recognizing the orb as a crystal. "Life-alteringly so, as I can't imagine she gave you that for safe keeping," she added, looking to Spencer.

Spencer nodded at Kyarah, looking at the Solar Crystal. It was close to his own in color, but somehow seemed totally different. He spoke softly. "That'll definitely help to turn the tide. We'll tell you about it."

 

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