(Top song is really a bop, I highly suggest it! ^^)
Cagney Carnation was the least liked folk out there in Inkwell Isle. "Why?" You may ask, well.... His mischief and personality is the reasons. Sometimes he could be hot-headed, whilst some days he would be the nicest fellow you could meet.
Some folk spoke to him, but sometimes would just avoid him fully. Even the craziest folks would avoid him.
However, only one person didn't mind nor judge the flower, and that was Hilda Berg.
She would talk in "Dream Talk". Always wanting to be a pilot, plus, asides from only wanting him to listen to her, she'd listen to him as well. She also had an advantage: cheering him up and calming him down. Others were highly confused about this, on how she would be the only one to be able to have that ability. Guess it's just the perks of being best friends?
~Present day~
Cagney was speaking with Cala Maria, one of the mermaids in Inkwell Isle. She was popular for her beauty and looks, even though she was bitten by some eels, she seemed alright.
"I... Uhm, highly apologise for gossiping behind your back..." Cala apologised, it wasn't her forte to gossip, just sometimes she would.
"Nah, don't worry. I'm used to it," He then quirked his head questionably, "So, what am I to you? Do you agree that I'm a monster?"
She glanced away with a frown, before sighing "I-I don't know..
I just don't think you're bad or anything...." She paused for a moment, diverting the subject: "Wait!" She almost screeched, "Maybe Captain Brineybeard will like you, or perhaps even Beppi The Clown or Djimmi The Great!" She gave him a big happy smile.
Cagney was sitting on his roots. "Heh. Maybe I will talk to them." Cagney said with a nervous giggle, he was just entering the big world; which made socializing kinda hard on him.
'How am I supposed to try not to get angry then?' He thought to himself.
"But..." Cagney said before he was interrupted by the purple scaled mermaid, "Wait!" Cala Maria said, "Just be careful of spooks. Okay? There's a express nearby. It's called 'The Phantom Express'. Probably best to avoid it. Asides from that, Miss Berg wanted you to see her plane skills. Best to go to her first." She said with a smile, the male smiled back, lastly, she patted him and got off shore, "See you later, Cags!" She said before swimming away into the ocean.
Later that night...
'Where is she?' Cagney wondered.
Later, he heard a plane engine running and sputtering after he quieted down, looking up, seeing Hilda flying her plane in circles. "Hil!" He yelled, she looked down to see the Carnation, "Cagney!" She squealed in excitement, and flew her plane down.
"Have you heard about the competition? I'm going there! I'm hoping you compete. But, you don't have to." She took off her goggles and helmet. Her messy bun waived out, and she took it out, for her medium hair to be exposed.
"Woah." Cagney looked at her in awe, immediately shaking his head as he huffed: "Sorry! You look nice." He had a light blush from embarrassment.
"Nah, don't worry! I'll live. I've had someone do that before. Not my type by the way to let you know. I think I'm not exactly interested in getting a relationship." She said with a small shrug. "Plus, you're one of my best friends. I would probably accept if you asked me out for a dance."
"Oh. But yeah, I've heard about the competition. But what can I do? I get nervous around a lot of people..." He said in a sorta concerned tone, worried about the others more than he was himself.
"Hey." Hilda set her hands on his shoulders, "You're not too bad with the so called 'Jazz hands' thing. And plus that, you have more abilities!" She said happily with some bit of visible panic.
"Umm, Hilda..? How come you sounded a bit panicked once you said that?" Cagney said with a tilt of his head, seeming to notice the panic, "Oh... Have you ever heard about the new express that came in last week?" Hilda asked, "Uhh... No-... Wait.... Yes! Cala Maria told me." Cagney said.
"Good. It's called The Phantom Express." They both looked around after hearing a giggle, she sorta stood closer to Cagney, he had a Stern look on his face.
Everything was silent until Cagney (casually stabbed it) yelled something...
"Anyone here?!" Cagney said in a stern voice, not scared of what was gonna happen to him, but he was scared for Hilda. He was afraid something might happen to her.
A loud cackle of laughter flew at them from the distance. Then, a train engine. Horn whistling, wheels running, lastly, the whole train itself. It was big with a huge smile, anything anyfolk would be scared about.
But that wasn't Cagney, he was no quitter nor he was submissive, no no.... He wasn't any of that, as he had made a quick running start at the train.
Hilda saw the sudden action and immediately started chasing after him, failing to catch up. "CAGS!" She screamed, still not gaining his attention.
When she went to shout again, he had done made a jump into one of the train carts, the train still driving.
That was when the pilot huffed in annoyance and looked at her plane. Her only way to catch up was that.
~In The Express~
Cagney panted heavily in exhaustion. At least he got into the train, right? But when he looked around after sitting up, he knew he had company due to the furniture being cleaned, arranged in nice arrangements, and more.
Once the flower looked ahead of him, he saw a door, curious, he reached out for the valve, only for it to open before he reached it.
He suddenly met a angered face, a skeleton? No wonder why this was called The Phantom Express! There's a skeleton on board!
Without knowing, he backed off since that Skeleton looked like the conductor of the train.
"Scared of me, eh, flower?" The Skeleton asked in a scratched tone, yet he didn't sound friendly.
"No! You look like the conductor, so I'm trying to respect you-!" The spiked male spat out, he was now about two-four feet away from him now.
"Because I am the Conductor you idiot," the skeleton scolded, not sounding happy, "Hm... I'll let you talk to my assistant, seeing if he doesn't mind if you... Could stay." With that, the skeleton whistled.
Two headed creatures suddenly burst their heads through the door, snickering.
"Ugh... BLIND SPECTER!" The skeleton shouted, loud yet cracky voiced. And a bit mouthy sounded as well. (Child friendly book, fellons, not saying the other word. U^U)
Suddenly, a blue orb came from the ceiling, forming into a ghost that was upside down. "Yes, Mr. T-Bone?" He asked, looking at the Skelly.
T-Bone leaned against the wall, and gestured to the Carnation, who was in slight confusion. "This guy here managed to get on board just from running and jumping." The Conductor spoke, caring less for any possible injuries on Cagney, which he didn't have any.
"Who now?" The Specter asked, but was answered once he looked towards Cagney Carnation.
Looking back at the Phantom, he tilted his head, petals waning a bit.
(♪ His eyes! His hair! His derriere! It's crazy and yet, I don't care! And I swear one day I'll finally make him mine! ♪ I'm sorry I had to-)
The Specter was blue, no eyes (as in saying he's a cyclopes with no eye), a wavy tail and was translucent. Oh heck, he was cute!
Wait... What did Cagney just think for a moment? No, no... That doesn't sound right... A flower and a Ghost? Impossible!
The two suddenly started talking, introducing eachother to one another.
So... This Ghost was Blind Specter...
Seems like Cagney was gonna have to hold back his moves...