So when Dad has to go out to collect a few things, one of my duties as a R.I.P. (Reaper In Preparation) is to take care of customers when he is away. So I floated up to see a very red-faced phantom pushing the call button like it was a vending machine that took his money but didn't give him a candy bar. So he starts yelling.. rude.. when he sees me and insists that I take him to the other side. I told him that we were closed and to come back tomorrow. Then he DEMANDED to see my superior, and I said, "You do know who my superior is, right?" I think he thought I was being rude, and he turned from red to purple. Then Dad came home. Dad's customer service skills are off the scythe, and it wasn't long - maybe a couple seconds - before the phantom turned a white shade of pale and agreed to come back tomorrow... Where was I? Oh, right, Hy Brasil. Vandala was feeling a little bit better, and by the time the ship was anchored in the harbor she was ready to hit the markets. The island only appears once every seven years, so it was crowded with phantoms, ghosts, specters, and apparitions. I even thought I saw Kiyomi Haunterly there, but she disappeared before I could talk to her. There were lots of creepy-cool shops, and I found my Dad a new blade cover for his scythe. It's made from the toenail clippings - ewww - of a black dragon, and it fits Dad's scythe blade perfectly. Vandala found a place to get her leg waxed - the wooden one - which she says cuts down on the wear and scare of saltwater while keeping out the ghost termites. She also found a place to buy old treasure maps, which is strange, 'cause if you had a map to a treasure, why wouldn't you just go find it yourself? Anyway, the shop creeper told Vandala it was authentic, and she was all ready to buy it. Now, by this time, I had put Dad's scythe cover on the end of my staff 'cause it was easier to carry that way, and my hood was pulled down over my face 'cause it had started to rain. That's when I decided it would be funny to pop up behind the shop creeper and practice my 'ominous voice'. So I did, and when I said, "This map is a fake - it will lead to no treasure," the shop creeper nearly jumped out of his ectoplasm. He looked at me and started apologizing to Vandala, who was getting a very piratey scowl on her face. "I, uh, well you see, Captain, I mean, of course, I will return your money minus a small restocking fee." I was trying not to laugh, and then I snorted, but an 'ominous voice' snort sounds kind of like a growl, and he gave Vandala all her money back. After we left, Vandala asked me how I knew the map was fake. I stopped, and using my 'ominous voice' again, told her, "There are some secrets that only a reaper can know." Then Vandala got very serious and said, "So, lucky guess then?" "You know it," I answered, and we ended the day with ice scream before getting back on the ship. Later on, after we got underway, I think Vandala was wishing she's skipped the ice scream.
