Extreme Ghostbusters:Ed-Lita
By A. Rhea King

Chapter 1

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Eduardo sang sending puffs of mist floating out on each word.

Garrett looked up at him, shaking his head. They had been combing the area around Battery Park for a half hour searching for a big red, lanky, demon with a long nose and a huge set of nasty looking shark-like teeth. The person reporting added this demon was chasing a ghost girl dressed in early 1800 style clothing; a fact Egon seemed to doubt was true.

"Garrett, Eduardo," Roland said over Garrett's radio.

Eduardo was looking around with a half-cocked smile.

Garrett picked up the radio in his lap. "Yeah?"

"We haven't found anything. You two?"

"Nada."

"Let's call it a night. Kylie and I both have a test tomorrow. And it's freezing out here."

"I gotta test too." Eduardo turned to Garrett, grinning. "And I never miss Algebra."

"Girlfriend's class?" Kylie taunted over the radio.

"Ashleigh Morendo." Eduardo holstered his gun.

"Ashleigh Morendo! She doesn't even know you're alive." Kylie laughed.

"Not yet." Eduardo started down the alley towards the street." But as soon as I turn on my charm," Eduardo straightened his vest collar. "She won't be able to resist me."

Garrett followed with the radio still keyed. "You are dreamin' Goat Boy."

Eduardo looked back at Garrett. "Kinda like you and Sasha Stone, ain't it weasel breath?"

"You have the hots for Sasha Stone?" Kylie sounded like she was on the verge of hysterical laughter.

Garrett released the key, dropping the radio back in his lap. He hurried to catch up to Eduardo.

"Who told you I like Sasha Stone?"

"Dunno. Forgot."

Garrett wheeled around in front of Eduardo, stopping him on the sidewalk. "Spit it out, slush for bra—"

A ghost girl dressed in early 1800 style clothing flew between them, pursued by a big red, lanky, demon with a long nose and a huge set of nasty looking shark-like teeth.

"Speeding ghoulies! Ten o'clock!" Eduardo yelled, taking off after them.

Garrett started after him, picking up the radio in his lap. "We found 'em. Looks like—" He paused, watching the two ghosts fly across the street and Eduardo almost get hit following them. "Back into Battery Park, kids."

Garrett dropped the radio in his lap, using both hands to catch up with Eduardo. He topped a hill, catching a glimpse of Eduardo disappearing into a stand of trees. He stopped, picking up the radio again.

"I think we're headed for the pond."

"You think?" Kylie panted over the radio.

"Lost Eddy-Boy in the trees. He's being courageous tonight."

"Great. We're almost to you."

Kylie and Roland ran up just as light burst near the pond. The three headed towards it. They came around a bend to find Eduardo struggling to hold the demon in a proton beam. At the same time he was trying to push the ghost girl away from him. She kept coming back and grabbing a hold of his shoulders.

"Could use a little help here," Eduardo yelled.

The three aimed at the girl.

"The demon! THE DEMON! Forget the girl!"

The three shot, surrounding the demon with proton beams and moving to circle around him. The demon pulled hard, proving to be a hard catch.

Kylie ripped the trap off her back and tossed it out under the demon. She pressed the button. Nothing happened. She jammed her thumb on it. Nothing happened.

"Come on Kylie," Garrett groaned.

"It won't open!" She screeched.

"This has got-ta be a joke," Eduardo groaned. "You three go—get off me ghost chick! You as bad as Slimer," Eduardo yelled, shrugging the ghost's hands off him. "You three got it?"

"Yeah. Go," Garrett said.

Eduardo holstered his gun, dropped to his hands and knees and crawled to the trap. He got to the trap just as the demon stretched suddenly. The three hadn't really been ready when Eduardo asked and this sudden movement was more than they could handle. Kylie lost her balance and fell back, sitting down hard. The proton stream from her gun neatly cut down the center of a tree nearby, catching it on fire. Roland and Garrett struggled to hold the demon but when he stretched again they lost their balance too. Roland fell into a flowerbed; Garrett was knocked over, chair and all. Kylie, Garrett and Roland looked up, staring.

Eduardo knew he was in trouble more from feeling than actual seeing and he heard a sound he didn't like even more. He reached out to push the button just as a clawed hand grabbed him around the waist, lifting him into the air. Eduardo was now face to face with a very angry demon with a gleaming row of shark-like teeth.

Eduardo screamed. The demon snarled. Then hurled Eduardo through the air. Eduardo hit the ice of the pond and slid a few feet before falling through thin ice. He didn't even have a chance to get to his feet. The demon stomped through an empty flowerbed, down the bank and into the pond. He picked Eduardo up again and sent him flying through the air again. Eduardo hit a tree and slid down, landing in a heap at its base. The ghost girl flew over, hovering over him. Eduardo was out cold and soaking in the winter air. She brushed her hands against his face, looking intrigued by him. The ghost girl spun suddenly, facing the demon. He had extended razor sharp talon claws as he lumbered towards Eduardo and the ghost.

Roland, Garrett and Kylie broke from their trance when Eduardo hit the ice.

Kylie was now trying to force trap open, watching horrified. "Come on you stupid trap!" Kylie hissed, beating it on the ground.

Roland and Garrett aimed at the demon.

"On thre—" Garrett stopped, watching Eduardo fly through the air. He aimed at the ghost girl when she flew in front of Eduardo. "This ghost girl has a major problem here." He watched the ghost touching Eduardo's face.

"Guys, Eduardo's in a bit of trouble here," Kylie sharply reminded them.

"Okay, on thre—" Roland began, but he stopped when she spun.

The girl's face suddenly changed and she grew several feet higher than the demon. The demon stopped, looking up at her. She roared extending razor sharp, knife like claws from her hands. Her face was haggard and wrinkled with a pug nose and flaming eyes. She looked down at the demon with her mouth open, displaying four rows of shark like teeth. The demon stared up at her a moment, then began backing away. The three quickly scattered out of his way. He stepped on the trap and it popped open, sucking him in and snapping shut behind him. The three looked at the ghost turned highly menacing demon. She 'popped' back into her original form with a giggle. The girl turned back to Eduardo, and then flew into the grove behind him.

"Okay. I missed something," Garrett said.

"She likes Eduardo?" Kylie giggled, holstering her gun. She walked over to Eduardo, kneeling down. "Eduardo," Kylie said, patting his cheek.

Roland and Garrett joined her.

"Why would a ghost like Eduardo?" Garrett asked.

Kylie smiled, agreeing with Garrett. He was a slacker, lazy, and chicken. What was there to like?

In the trees behind Eduardo the ghost watched. And listened. The more the three mocked Eduardo, the angrier she grew and the more her face changed. By the time he came back around and they left, her eyes were flames of rage. She grew calm suddenly.

"Fools. They have no idea what you are, Eduardo my love." The girl cackled at her own dark joke. She spun, flying into the night.

#

Kylie looked up from her book when the door opened. Eduardo stopped, leaning on the doorframe for a moment. He sneezed a couple of times ending in a string of raspy coughs. Eduardo walked over to the desk, falling into a chair. Kylie happened to catch a glance at the bag he was carrying.

"Wynona's Occult? Eduardo! I never knew."

"For my—" He coughed hard a few times, leaning over. "G'andma."

"Oh," Kylie said, watching him. "Have you gone to the doctor yet?"

Eduardo reached in his coat pocket and slapped a piece of paper on the desk. "Yeah. Whe'e's Egon?"

"Right here," Egon said, coming down the stairs. He walked over, picking up the paper and reading it. "It's about time. Go home."

"Way 'head o' you," Eduardo muttered as he left.

Kylie looked up at Egon. "Just the three of us, huh?"

"Yes. For a week."

"Sounds like fun." Kylie turned back to her book

#

Eduardo turned in his sleep as a string of coughs erupted. He hugged his pillow with a soft moan, burying his cheek into it. Beside his bed the ghost girl watched his restless sleep. Eduardo turned again, waking up with another string of coughs. Eduardo sat back and looked up and let out a screech. He jumped out of bed, stumbling back against a bookcase behind him. She smiled, floating towards him with her arms outstretched. Eduardo dodged her, grabbing his jeans from the floor. He pulled them on, turning around. She was flying towards him again. Eduardo grabbed his coat and ran out the door, slamming it behind him.

She chased him, howling, "Soon. Very soon, Eduardo."

He hailed a cab and leapt in before it stopped.

"Ghos'buste's," he told the cab driver.

"Hey I—"

"NOW!" Eduardo screeched with a cracked voice.

The cabdriver turned and his eyes grew large when he saw the ghost flying towards them. He tromped the accelerator, shooting down the street. Eduardo watched her fade out of sight before turning and sitting back. He coughed, ending in a string of sneezes and wheezy sniffles.

"Ghos's and colds. Ba' combo," he muttered under his breath.

#

"KYLIE!" A voice hissed and she sat up, looking at Eduardo. He was sitting by Janine's desk where Kylie had fallen asleep behind.

"Wha—What are you doing here?"

"Tha' ghost chick—the one from the park—she was at my apar'ment! She chase' me!"

"The ghost…" Kylie thought for a moment, then realized what he was talking about.

"The one dressed in 1800 clothes?"

"Yeah! Tha' un! She chase' me, Kylie! Kep' sayin', 'Soon. Very soon.'"

"You're sure it wasn't a dream?"

"Why don' you ask the cab d'iver outside. I ain' got my walle'."

"Eduardo!" Kylie hissed.

She pulled a drawer open and took some money out of a box. She went out, paid the cab driver and came back to find Eduardo with his head on the desk.

She sat down, returning the left over money to the box and shutting the drawer. "You look awful."

Eduardo coughed in response.

"We'll check it out tomorrow," Kylie said

"Okay." Eduardo was already drifting to sleep.

Kylie went upstairs and gathered up some blankets, came back and covered him up. Kylie sat back down, laying her head back down on the desk. She watched Eduardo sleep for a while before drifting back to sleep.