6- Ghoul

Ghoul's eyes widened in shock of what he just heard. "Forget the plan?" he whispered to himself. "Why would he just forget the plan? All that packing for nothing?"

The star-bender beside him made a noise under where Ghoul's hand was placed. He once again pressed his free finger to his lips and gestured 'shh.' The adults outside the closet continued their talk.

"Forget the plan?" Unity said. "Finnie are you sure?"

"Yep," Infinity spoke again. "We completely wasted Magnet's time here and lost an important item. You were right, this plan was a wreck from the beginning."

"Hey now," Magnet said. "You shouldn't be feeling too bad about that! It's just...y'know...ten years of work and resources...down the drain..." The more the scientist spoke, the more his voice dropped with sadness, clearly realizing what had happened.

Infinity must've sensed his disappointment. "My friend, I am truly, truly sorry. Let's grab Ghoul and we'll be out of your hair soon."

With that footsteps could be heard slowly getting further as the king apologized over and over.

The moment Ghoul released Shimmer she grabbed the detergent he had used on her. Without warning the girl sprayed the prince square in the eye. Ghoul stumbled backward and hit the floor. "Arrgh!" He yelped. "What is WRONG with you?!" He shut his eyes and scrubbed his face furiously.

A different voice answered. This one was husky and coarse like an parched old man. "Up sonny, up! I can't take another second in here, you have to help me get out of here!" Ghoul opened his eyes to see a wrinkly, bearded elder crouching in front of him. He was wearing a janitor's uniform and wielded a mop. When Ghoul inspected him, he noticed the man wasn't really all there, meaning he was see-through. After adjusting his eyesight, Ghoul screamed 'stranger danger!' and ran past- or through?- the stranger. The janitor's closet was wide open and Shimmer had presumably ran through it. The old janitor followed the prince as he jogged down the corridor. "Please," the old man begged, "Lead me out of this place!"

"Leave me alone," Ghoul yelled. "How did you even get in that closet?"

"I was in there the whole time, you barged in on ME!"

Ghoul didn't have time to play around with this old-bag. If Shimmer met his parents and Magnet he would be dead for sure. The prince ignored more of the old man's calls as he ran back to where he thought was the private sanctum. When the automatic doors slid open, Ghoul slipped in and exclaimed, "Shimmer, you are so dead!"

Only after shouting those words did the prince realize this was very much NOT Magnet's sanctum. The children and their school tour guide started at him baffled. "Who's Shimmer?" One of the kids asked. The scientist showing the kids the anatomy of a pendant ushered Ghoul out like he was a criminal.

"Wait please!" Ghoul begged as he was thrown out of the learning room. "Have you seen a star-bender around?"

"Not in fifteen years, kid." The man said and slammed the door violently. They definitely thought he was crazy.

Ghoul heard the giggles of the transparent janitor beside him. Ghoul rolled his eyes. "I thought I told you to go away. I need to find the sanctum."

"I can help. I know what sanctum you're on about. Had to clean up a lot during my time working here.

"Used to, you retired now?"

"You could say that."

Ghoul looked him up and down. "Sure doesn't look like it. If you can help me find the sanctum, I'll help with whatever you need."

The man's face cracked into a wrinkled and chapped smile. "Thank you, young lad."

Finding the sanctum seemed relatively easy once Ghoul accepted the janitor's help. As they walked, Ghoul made small-talk with the man, causing second glances from anyone who passed by. "Sheesh," Ghoul thought out loud. "What are they staring at?"

"Probably you. Being a prince and all." The janitor- Uceine, joked.

Ghoul took the jab in stride. "I mean, yeah good point, either that or my dashing looks."

That made Uciene laugh, which satisfied Ghoul. There was something about the janitor that in a really odd way, reminded him of his imaginary friends.

Once the two entered the sanctum, Ghoul's jaw dropped at the sight. His parents were there, both rushing to smother and berate him for his stupidity. Magnet was running diagnostics on something, that something being Shimmer. She sat atop an empty desk as Magnet had her hooked to his meglo. "Why're doing this again?" She asked.

"Checking your pulse." Magnet fibbed, not looking up from his screen.

"Ghoul, what is wrong with you? I almost called off the whole plan!" Infinity said while ruffling his son's hair. "Almost?" Ghoul replied excitedly. "You're not calling off the plan after all?"

"I hope not." Magnet chimed, ripping his eyes off his device. He patted Shimmer and gave her a sticker for her 'bravery.' Usually a teen would hate being patronized like that, but Shimmer took the praise whole-heartedly.

"Well," Magnet came up to the monarchs with the verdict of Shimmer's tests. They whispered from across the room so the star-bender couldn't hear. "She seems fine. Memories, definitely wiped." He brought up a tube filled with little glowing dots, like fireflies. "All extracted from her pendant. As for her xode powers, likely wiped too. The loading didn't finish thanks to a certain someone-" an evil eye was fired at Ghoul. "But we should be fine. Purification project shall be ranked a success!"

"Well that's just inhumane." Uceine appeared like a ghost from thin air.

"This doesn't concern you!" Ghoul exclaimed at the janitor.

"Ghoul please, don't interrupt." Unity said, ignoring the old man's presence.

"Thank you Magnet. Keep the memories safe here. We'll take care of this one."

Magnet shook the family's hands before all four turned to Shimmer.

"So," She said, "What's this whole plan about?"

**********************************************************************************

"WOW." Shimmer gasped in awe at the carriage parked before her. "It's glamorous!" Over the next few days the group had packed and were now prepared to get back on the road for their next destination. "Say, Ghoul the soulless?"

"What?" Ghoul grunted as he let some of the last things he packed into the carriage.

"What other kinds of people are we gonna meet on the way? And how many are, y'know extinct?"

"A lot, but we plan on finding only six so far, including us two."

"So just another four to go?"

"Another four to go."

"WOW."

The two sat in the back as the kings bid their goodbyes to their friend. As soon as they got in, Shimmer began freaking out about how grateful she was to be here. "Your majesties, I must say, of all star-benders to help you with your plan, I am truly honored you chose me. I won't let you down! Even when I do, I promise I won't! Was that metaphorical? Or did it just not make any sense. Not sure why I pointed that out, or why I'm still talking and-" The girl let out a horrific gasp and grabbed Ghoul's face, jerking his head so they made eye contact. "I SPRAYED THE PRINCE OF THE NORTH IN THE EYE WITH DETERGENT?!"

"Yes, yes you did." Ghoul was still rubbing his eyes for recovery.

"Oh god, I am so sorry, prince. I mean, Ghoul the Soulless-"

Until Shimmer said that, the kings just looked at her warily. Now they burst out laughing upon hearing Ghoul's 'real' name.

"Ghoul the Soulless? You made her call you that?!" Infinity wheezed. Ghoul sunk deep into his chair, wishing for it to be a black hole instead. After five agonizing minutes of jeering and laughter, everyone prepared to start on the road again. As Ghoul pressed his head against the window he stared outside. He wasn't sure what is was, but everything looked more vibrant somehow. Then he saw Uceine staring right at him on the footpath. The man gave a friendly wave as the colors around him went from bright to bland and he faded away. "What the-"

"Next up, Tobuscis!" Unity declared proudly. "For a plant-bender!"