Ghostbusters: Regeneration

Chapter Eleven

The group were soon back at the Firehouse and too busy making preparations to concern themselves with Peter. Upon gathering with Winston and Janine, Ray told the team he wanted them to get out there tonight to start making headway with the paranormal uprising. Apparently sensing that some members of the group were apprehensive about going on a job so soon, Ray delivered a speech to restate the duties of the Ghostbusters. The lives of Manhattan's citizens were currently being turned upside down by the crisis, and there was no one else they could call on for help.

In all her years as a fan of the Ghostbusters, Melissa had never really considered the real-life responsibilities of being one. Right now, the team were as important to the city as the police or fire departments, if not more so. Thousands of people were relying on the small group to come through for them in a time of crisis. She agreed with Ray's implications that it would be irresponsible for them, as the only ones with the power to help, to give anything less than 100% for the people in distress. Still, she could not help but wonder if she was capable of rising to such an important and onerous task.

Janine had already drawn up a priority list of jobs based on the calls and emails that had been coming through since the morning. Ray and Egon took a look through the shortlist and quietly picked out a handful that the team would aim to complete this evening. They then began organising everything they would need, deciding on a 7pm departure time for their first job. Janine had found some spare jumpsuits for Melissa, Hiroko, and Callum to wear, so Ray asked the four to work together to make any necessary size adjustments. Once Winston had finished moving his belongings from his car into the Firehouse's sleeping quarters, he was tasked with loading equipment into the Ecto-1 and ordering in something for dinner. Ray and Egon went about making various other preparations, including testing out a piece of tech in the basement that the team were going to need.

Later on, a banquet of freshly-delivered cuisine straight from Chinatown had been laid out in the kitchen area. After finishing off the makeshift modifications to the ladies' uniforms, Melissa, Hiroko, and Janine climbed to the first floor via the stairs, finding Ray, Egon, and Winston already helping themselves to the food.

'Lookin' sharp.' Ray told the ladies as he sat down at the kitchen table with a plate of food.

Melissa felt a little embarrassed appearing in a real Ghostbusters uniform for the first time. She rarely enjoyed being the centre of attention and did not feel that she had earned the honour of wearing the team's iconic outfit. Hiroko also seemed a little bashful about her first appearance in a genuine Ghostbusters jumpsuit, but was still beaming regardless.

'They'll look a lot sharper once we order in some proper women's suits in their sizes.' Janine commented as she led the ladies to the kitchen counter.

Melissa had fit relatively well into a suit that had once been intended for Egon in his slimmer days, so her outfit had not needed any modifications. Hiroko's uniform, which had originally been intended for Winston, had required a significant amount of tweaks to fit her short stature. Most notably, the length of its sleeves and trouser legs had to be significantly rolled up and secured in place.

As the ladies began to survey the open boxes of food, Hiroko once again laid eyes on her reflection, this time in the shiny chrome body of a toaster.

'I am never taking this off!' She remarked aloud, bending down slightly to study herself again.

'You might not be sayin' that after you've gotten slimed by some random spook!' Winston commented as he stood with a plate of food in one hand and a fork in the other.

'We don't have any other spare uniforms for now, so just be careful,' Janine said, 'of ectoplasm, sweet and sour sauce, or anything else.'

'Shouldn't be a problem.' Hiroko said casually as she transferred some chow mein from one of the delivery boxes to her plate. 'We've still got our Ghostbusters outfits from the eighth grade, and they're still in near-pristine condition.'