Centurion and Ruby were walking around the halls of the soon-to-be Cortinovis Radisson. It was as fancy as you’d expect, and Ruby had trouble containing the excited bounce in her step.

Ruby: “Flip, this place is gonna put the ‘rad’ in Radisson my mans! I can’t believe Nells actually bought this place.”

Centurion: "And ropes me, and therefore us, into it."

Ruby chuckled as she noticed the somewhat exasperated sigh that followed.

Ruby: “Hey, if you’re annoyed with her entrepreneurial spirit, you only have yourself to blame. It’s easy to see where she gets it from.”

They rounded the corner and got back into the lobby. Nellie was standing at reception going over a checklist with a sales rep. Centurion squinted, and gently placed a hand on Ruby’s shoulder.

Centurion: "Wait here a sec, babe. I feel like I have to intervene, before she gets fleeced and overpays for the caviar. After all, that’s my money as well she’s spending now."

Centurion hurried towards Nellie and the rep, and Ruby gave the place another good look. Sometimes she couldn’t believe she was living in this layer of society, but a hotel was going to provide plenty of opportunities for parties, hero conventions, and obviously TIA promotional events. It was a good way to keep busy in between the hustle and bustle of wrestling life.

Life went by quickly sometimes. Only on Monday, Centurion had woken her up with something big and massive (a giant box of graphic novels), and now they were standing in a recently purchased hotel that was opening on Friday, a day after another Anarchy match against a pair of fake do-gooders that were so obnoxious their blood contained more ipecac than platelets.

Ruby turned around and much to her surprise, she saw two girls standing at the other end. They seemed near identical and couldn’t be older than a year or ten. Their faces were as pale as they were expressionless.

Ruby: “Oh! Err, hi gals! Where did you two come from?”

Both of them raised their arms and pointed at the Banana-Lime Blur.

*COME PLAY WITH US RUBY. FOR EVER AND EVER AND EVER.*

Their voices were cold and monotonous, and sent a shiver down the Super Dear’O’s spine.

Ruby: “Uh oh. All of my nope. Nope nope nope!”

Behind the girls, a fountain of red viscous blood erupted and cascaded throughout the hallway. Ruby shrieked and darted towards the lobby.

Ruby: “Nope nope nope!”

She stopped at Centurion and numped into him so hard he bumped into Nellie in turn. Ruby was panting and she turned back towards the hallway, only to see it was empty. Centurion and Nellie frowned.

Nellie: "Are you okay, Rubes? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

Centurion: "I mean, Lacklan’s back, but…"

Ruby: “Err, guys? Do you think it’s possible the only reason this hotel was even for sale is because it’s haunted?”

Centurion grinned.

Centurion: "Haunted? I think you’re imagining things."

Ruby: “Laugh if you want, but if you wanna spend winter in solitude here so you can finish writing your novel, I’m not gonna be here for it!”

Nellie: "Don’t worry, Rubes. Even if it’s haunted… I ain’t afraid of no ghost!"

Ruby snapped her fingers, and pointed at Nellie.

Ruby: “Nells! You’re brilliant!”

Centurion: "She gets that from me."

Ruby suddenly darted out the front door, and Centurion and Nellie looked at each other, puzzled.

Nellie: "She’s not going to bring a moose in here, is she?"

Centurion: "Who knows. Anyway, about this caviar…"



Centurion and Nellie were relaxing at the bar with a drink. Nellie sighed, and looked up at the lights, while her father was going off on their opponents for the week, OBTL and Boots Lichter.

Centurion: "We're not up against professional wrestlers. We're facing a couple of grifters that think they can make a quick buck off the stupidity of a certain American political ideology. And what truly makes me angry is that they don't really even CARE if they win or lose. They'll just lie about it, or spin it in a way where their brain dead followers will think they actually WON. I'm actually kind of jealous. I have things like "standards" and "morals" that prevent me from shamelessly creating my own reality, and tricking people into following me down that rabbit hole. I wish I could have people following me around in willful ignorance and throwing money at me just for telling them that their mistakes aren't their fault. Unfortunately, I was born with things like a heart, and a conscience...and a brain. Unlike these two flesh suits."

He slammed his glass down on the counter, and Nellie quickly applauded before looking over his shoulder.

Nellie: "Hey, Rubes is back! And… is that Bill Murray? And Dan Aykroyd? And Harold Ramis and… Oh, I see what’s going on…"

Ruby, flanked by the OG Ghostbusters, burst into the lobby in full Ghostbustin’ Gear.

Ruby: “WHO YA GONNA CALL!?”

Bill: “GHOSTBUSTERS!”

Ruby: “Message received, my guy! Don’t worry, Nells. My Ghostbustin’ buds and I are gonna make sure your hotel is completely unhaunted by the end of this day! Bustin’ ghosts today, bustin’s MAGA miscreants tomorrow! This is the life! This is the way!”

Ruby zoomed off into the corridors while Bill and his fellow elderly started chasing after her. Centurion gently laid a hand on Bill Murray’s arm.

Centurion: "Look, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to."

Bill: “Why worry? Even after this, I owe her like 18 favors. Besides, I’m ready to believe her, and she promised me Bears VIP tickets.”

Centurion: "Great, I guess I’ll see that deducted from my card by tomorrow then."

Bill: “You truly are both each other’s keeper! Now back off man, I’m a scientist.”

Bill and the others charged after Ruby, leaving a rather flabbergasted Centurion and Nellie behind.

Nellie: "Well, I guess it can’t hurt. And I can put a certificate up. Charge an extra fee!"