#c3p2

“… and one haunting this necklace I found in the back room! I don’t know what happened to them or how they got there, cause I haven’t had a chance to talk to any of them properly yet, but I’ll tell you as soon as I find out.”

Ghosts are so cool. Gwigsey loves them a lot, and really wishes there was a way for her to talk to them (Raven tried it once, but it ended badly). Thom seems excited too, his eyebrows are raised a bit.

Raven does the thing where you gnash your teeth and breathe in through them. Gwigsey doesn’t know what it’s called, but she can’t do it because her fangs don’t fit together properly. They’re too crooked from being punched a lot.

“Surely if the ghosts were evil they would have got us by now,” Luna says. She stirs her tea, and the sound of the spoon clinking against the cup cuts through all the other noise. Gwigsey watches it intently. “I doubt you need to worry, Don.”

“Yes, exactly,” Raven nods. Ben looks like he’s about to talk, but she gives him a look. “There’s really nothing to worry about. If a ghost tries to get you, I’ll banish the fuck out of it. Though I do think it would be a good idea to move from that seat.”

He sighs gratefully and lets his shoulders slump, then he slides to the floor. Then there’s a knock at the door. 

“Shit, it’s the ghosts,” Gwigsey says, grabbing Ben’s arm and making him jump.

“Knocking from outside the apartment?” Raven says. With a chuckle, she stands up and goes to get the door.

“Yeah, they’re playing a trick on us,” Gwigsey says. “Whoever answers the door is going to get insta-possessed. Watch out Raven!!!”

A little while later, Ben arrives. He lets himself in.

“Ciao!”

“Does no one around here know how to knock? Were you all raised in a barn?” Luna mutters under her breath.

“Hey,” Raven stands up and jumps over to give him a hug, like she did with Donny and Thomas.

“Hello Pigeon,” Ben smirks. “Hi Luna, Donny, Thomas… Hey why’s there a raccoon on your couch? I didn’t think you were allowed pets up here.”

“Watch it,” Gwigsey snarls.

“I’m joking,” Ben waves a hand, then shoots a glance at Raven which he thinks Gwigsey doesn’t see. Gwigsey sees, and she will remember that.

Everyone else greets Ben individually. No one’s particularly thrilled to see him, cause he’s a bitch. Once that’s done with he sits on the couch next to Gwigsey, who eyes him cautiously. Luna has migrated to her armchair, and Raven is sitting on Gwigsey’s other side.

“So, this is nice,” Ben says.

“It is! It feels extremely cold and haunted, but other than that it’s very nice!” Donny agrees.

“Raven, didn’t you say you found some ghosts in here? That’ll explain the hauntedness,” Gwigsey asks. Both Donny and Ben go pale.

“Excuse me?” Ben says, turning to Raven and widening his eyes.

“What? They’re not going to hurt you,” Raven says with a shrug. “It wasn’t worth mentioning.”

“Where are they?” Donny asks.

Luna doesn't throw Gwigsey out, as she swore to every single god. Hmmmmm, blasphemy. Naughty. Instead, she banishes Gwigsey to the couch and tells her to sit quietly.

Next to show up are Donny and his little brother Thomas, the other members of SKELAGRAM. The band's all here, ayyyyyyyy.

"Hi Luna, hi Raven!" Donny beams, closing the door gently behind him. "Ooh, you've decorated quickly, it looks really nice! Oh and Gwigsey's there too, hi!"

"Hello," Thom mumbles.

Gwigsey sticks her tongue out.

"Hiya!" Raven grins, closing a cupboard door and hurrying over to hug them both. "Luna did all the pretty decorating, I've just been putting stuff away."

"Is there anything we can help with?" Donny asks.

"Uhm..." Raven looks towards the pile of boxes on the floor, most of which are empty, then shrugs.

"Raven's cursed object collection is here," Luna picks up a box labelled "CURSED" and rattles it. Quiet metallic clunks emanate from it, as well as what Gwigsey can only describe as gentle Hell Wailing. The stuff in there must be ancient and very very haunted, probably by some super angry demons. Donny goes pale.

"Where do you want them?" Thom asks, unfazed.

"Oh no, don't," Raven shakes her head. "You might get possessed."

"That would be funny."

"No it wouldn't, Gwigsey."