Chapter 3
After Crystal revealed her story to Dudley about what happened in Amity Park, he began to help her in various ways. Dudley assisted in hiding her powers whenever they flickered unexpectedly. On one occasion, while Crystal was cooking and feeling unusually tired, she started sinking through the floor. As soon as she noticed, she pulled herself up, with Dudley quickly stepping in to distract his mom from checking the kitchen.
Dudley had glimpsed what was happening and realized he needed to act fast. It was purely by chance that he noticed in time and managed to divert attention without anyone else noticing.
Unfortunately, Crystal had become so engrossed in learning to control and fight with her powers that she forgot to underperform in school, resulting in a commendable report card for the first time since primary school. Uncle Vernon was furious, accusing her of using her “freakiness” to outperform Dudley.
Though Dudley couldn't stop Vernon from beating Crystal, he managed to convince the Dursleys that Dudley had instructed her to study hard and help him improve his grades. According to Dudley, this was to prevent teachers from getting suspicious if Crystal was smart enough to teach someone else while not performing well herself. Petunia, seeing the benefit of saving money while improving Dudley’s grades, agreed with the plan. They insisted that Crystal maintain high grades and tutor Dudley every day after school, or face punishment.
Both Crystal and Dudley were astonished that the ruse worked. From then on, Crystal ensured she got good grades and provided effective tutoring. She discovered that Dudley struggled in school because the teachers’ explanations didn’t make sense to him. Crystal made adjustments in their sessions, clarifying concepts in ways Dudley could understand.
Dudley’s grades quickly improved, and he consistently achieved B+ or A- marks. Everyone was thrilled with his progress, especially Crystal, who was proud of his hard work. When Dudley got his first B+ report card, his parents threw a party and allowed Crystal to attend and enjoy some of the food. Dudley credited Crystal for his improvement, explaining that her tutoring was crucial.
The two children also began working out in the nearby woods, where Crystal had previously trained her powers. They focused on endurance and strength, running around until they were tired, careful not to overexert themselves to avoid injury. Dudley even lost some weight, which concerned his mom until he explained that he was running to keep up with other kids and lose extra weight.
Meanwhile, Crystal continued to patrol and stop petty crimes like muggings, appearing in the news every few weeks. Each time, the Dursleys ranted about the "Ghost girl," oblivious to the lives she saved. Crystal occasionally got nicked by knives during her patrols and kept the injuries hidden from the Dursleys. Dudley ensured she had a secret stash of bandages for these situations.
She kept up with Danny, Sam, and Tucker, learning surprising and baffling details. She was astonished to find that she and Danny were not the only half-ghosts. Danny’s parents’ old college friend, who had been in an accident with the original ghost portal, had become a villainous ghost with a vendetta against Danny’s family. Crystal shuddered at the thought of such a person discovering her existence and potentially taking her away from the Dursleys.
Months turned into nearly a year since Crystal gained her powers, and her life had improved significantly. She had grown a few inches, thanks to sneaking better food, and no longer had to hold back in school. Her good grades allowed her to complete her homework without fear of punishment and gave her the freedom to spend time studying in the library. Unbeknownst to her, she was advancing in her education beyond her current grade level.
One evening, while flying high above London, Crystal admired the view of Big Ben. She decided to enjoy the flight without seeking out trouble. As she let herself free-fall, she used her powers to catch herself just before hitting the ground, her wide smile reflecting the thrill of the descent. She had performed this stunt several times, and people were growing accustomed to seeing a glowing girl fall from the sky, though she was sure she startled many.
Perched on a rooftop, Crystal was about to head home when a green portal appeared on a nearby sign. A ghost emerged before the portal disappeared. The ghost, looking a few years older than Danny, had pale grey skin, flaming cyan hair, and wore a black crop top with one strap, black skinny jeans, a silver spiky belt, and silver boots. Her neon green eyes were accentuated with black eyeliner, and her purple lipstick stood out. She carried a purple and blue guitar and surveyed the area with a smirk.
"London, it looks so boring. Full of stuck-up oldies. They need to learn what it means to have fun, and soon everyone here will be screaming my name."
"Um, excuse me?" Crystal decided it was a good time to speak up, surprised to meet a full ghost. Unlike Danny, she had never encountered another full ghost before.
The girl spun around, glaring. "Who are you?"
"I'm, um, Saphfire?" Crystal hesitated, using a pseudonym to protect her identity. She didn’t want anyone figuring out who she was through her name.
The girl raised an eyebrow. "Is that your real name, pip-squeak?" Crystal shrugged. "What's your name, miss?" The girl frowned at the title.
"I'm Ember McLain, and I'm the best rockstar there ever was or will be! No one will forget my name when it's on everyone's tongue!"
Crystal slowly nodded, pretending to understand. "It's nice to meet you, Ember. Are you going to do a concert?"
"Why yes, I—" Ember was interrupted by a scream. Without a second thought, Crystal shot off toward the source of the noise, not realizing Ember was following her in surprise.
Ember watched as the young ghost quickly arrived at the scene of the scream. Crystal swiftly dealt with the man attacking a child, and Ember was both surprised and impressed at how efficiently she handled the situation.
After ensuring the child was safely reunited with their parents, Crystal flew off toward the woods.
"Hey, Pipsqueak!" Ember called out, catching up with her and grinning. "Good job. Why did you do that, though?"
"Because no one deserves to be hurt! They deserve to be safe and sound." Crystal’s voice trailed off, her face and eyes reflecting a sadness she didn’t realize she was showing. She thought of her own pain, the help she never received.
Despite Dudley’s efforts to help her—getting good grades and making things bearable—he was just a kid. He couldn’t stop his parents from beating her or confining her to the cupboard under the stairs. He tried his best but couldn’t provide the safety or care she needed. What they needed was an adult who could rescue them from that place and give them a loving, healthy home.
"Hey! Pipsqueak, snap out of it!" Ember’s voice broke through Crystal’s thoughts. As she felt a hand touch her shoulder, Crystal flinched away instinctively and flew off as fast as she could.
Ember stared after the ghost child, her hand still outstretched from where she had touched her shoulder. This behavior was unusual. What kind of life had this child led before she died?
Wait, Ember thought, when did this ghost die? She had never heard of a ghost child named Saphfire before. It was considered rude to ask another ghost how they died, but Ember was concerned. This child seemed to have been troubled in life and was still struggling with it.