Post-apocalyptic Island of Horror

Soooo...I had this dream that my bf and I inherited this mansion on a private island along with this dr with whom we were friends.  We moved in all together and started living and settling in.  There was a bridge from the island to the mainland.  Anyhoo, we were there for several days. One night, I was woken up by a noise. I looked outside and, to my horror, saw a bunch of humanoid, zombie-like creatures.

I woke up the bf and got him to look, too.  We dressed and headed to the kitchen where there was a wall of windows and looked outside as tons of the creepy critters were wandering around.  We watched as one ate a squirrel.  Our friend, the doctor (not to be confused with THE DOCTOR as in Dr. Who), was on call and had gotten called in.  He came into the kitchen to grab a bite and coffee before heading out.

"You might not want to go out there," I said.

He looked up and followed my line of vision to the windows. Needless to say, he dropped his coffee.

"Is your car in the garage?" the bf asked.

"No..." the dr. replied.

"It's weird.  They can only go as far as the drive before stopping..." I said.

"A force field of sorts, I guess," the bf said.

"I've gotta get to work," the dr. said.

We somehow managed to distract the zombie critters through the window long enough for the dr to get to his car and drive off.

Every day they disappeared completely.  No sign whatsoever on the island of anything but normal creatures. We holed up every night and made sure our cars were in the garage.

At some point, we had to hire this handyman/hunter dude and he suggested we just move as the activity got increasingly worse.

We packed at night, all night, got everything into the cars and trucks that we wanted/needed. We waited for daylight, but it never came.  Instead, a storm moved in and kept the sky dark.  The critters could apparently be out then.  We had already set explosives up in the house, so we needed to hightail it out of there.  We had no choice but to drive outta there like crazy.

We drove to the bridge, slow-moving critters chasing us all the way.  We tossed some dynamite at the bridge as we crossed and blew up the bridge just as the house blew up as well. 

And then...I woke up.  Pretty crazy.

Epic dreams, y'all!

Twitterpony Milestone

Sooo...this has nothing to do with a dream.  This has everything to do Twitterponies! :3 I have been amazingly blessed with friendships from this twitter rp phenom.

Firstly: to the mane 6: Y'all are awesome! Keep up the good work! You make RPing with you fun when we interact.

Secondly: to Buck: you were one of the first ponies I befriended.  You are funny and smart and a true friend IRP and IRL. Much love and good wishes to you!

Thirdly: to Ember the most awesome sugar drop of d'awwwwshine ever: Kiki would not be Kiki without you! You are adorable and squee and sweet and kind.  All my hugs and wubba to you! :3

Fourthly: to Lemony and his many characters: you make the RP scientifically interesting. ;3 Your characters are crazy and fun to watch and interact with. Science to you, my friend!

Fifthly: to Terra: You were one of the first ponies I RPed with and have always been my friend. All my woof and hugs to you!

Sixthly: to Brony: Without your character, Muse would never have had a voice.  ^,^ Thank you.  And you are a friend to all my ponies.  All my fluffy hugs to you!

Seventhly: to Bladewing: Without you, Shadow would never have come out of her shell and Kasumi would never have been able to spread the d'awwww.

Eighthly: to Tiger: You are sweet and fun to RP with! I am glad you joined.  All my hugs to you! :3

Ninthly: to Drew, Dominick, and others whom I interact(ed) with: y'all made me feel welcome! I love y'all! All my hugs to y'all, too!

Tenthly: to all the ponies/critters/inanimate objects on the RP that are not mentioned above or below: Y'all are crazy! I mean that in the most loving of ways!!! Without each and every one of you, this RP would be boring!

Last but certainly not least: to Tailsin: You became one of my best friends, almost instantly.  Izzy and Catch have the most adorable ship ever.  Bubble is almost as d'awwww as Ember. Punkie has an amazing best friend.  And Kiki has a wonderful husband. :3 All my love and snuggles to you, my sweet bard!

Thank you all for making this RP an amazing place! I couldn't ask for more!

<3 Punkie

P.S. I know I forgot someponies! Don't hate me if I forgot you! I do love each and every one of y'all! ^.^

Cue the music!

The Mission Impossible music, that is....

So, I was a spy working with these two hot guys (one was tall, dark, and scruffy; one was just a bit taller than me, blond, and nerdy). We were on a mission to find some files and alter their contents for national security purposes. We managed to get the data, alter it, and find something else that was of more importance.  We had to take it back to headquarters and get debriefed.

We were then given a new mission to steal some documents from a heavily guarded and secured vault.  Nerd-boy, who's name was Tai, figured out how to hack the security system. Scruffy guy, who's name was Caleb, and I came up with a plan to subdue the gaurds and infiltrate the vault to get what we need and get out.  We proceded with our plan.

Caleb and I managed to get inside.  I used my womanly charms to convince the guards there was somebody after me and subdued them all with some chemically enhanced perfume to knock them out.  After which, Caleb and I got into the vault and were retrieving the documents when...

...someone's house alarm went off nearby and scared the crap outta me.  I was all, "Oh Lordy! We're gonna die! We're gonna rot in jail because we can't tell them we're CIA!" Then I realized it was a dream and the neighbor's house alarm (which is broken and goes off randomly and I wish they'd fixi t)....When I finally got back to sleep, I didn't finish the dream. :(  Oh well...I imagine Caleb and I got away with everything and stopped the "bad guys"! ^.^

Warehouse/Sanctuary dream #3

“So, our baby is going to be born in quite a few less months than expected,” Biggie says over the mini-Farnsworth.

Emma nods.  “I woke up with a baby bump this morning.  Now, nothing in my closet fits.”

The big guy laughs.

“I’m still in my nightgown and robe,” she says with a smile.  “No weird experiences on your end, Kale?”

“Just an escaped lizard, twins with psychic abilities, and a sea creature terrorizing a river,” he says.

“Glad to hear it’s no big deal,” Emma says with a laugh.

Biggie smiles at her. 

“Big guy?  Oh…you’re on the…phone?”

“Hi, Henry!”  Emma calls.  “It’s called a mini-Farnsworth.”

“As in the Farnsworth?”  Henry asks her.

Emma nods.

“And, once again, I am in awe of people.  Anyway, we need to kidnap your big guy,” Henry says.

Emma nods again.  “I was almost done with him.”

Henry waves and heads out.

“I will call you later,” Biggie says.

“Be safe, Kale,” she says.

Claudia waves to the big guy as she enters the room.

He waves back and ends the call.

“Kale?”

“The rough translation of his name into English.  I’m apparently the only one allowed to call him that, though.”  Emma smiles.

“Like Nikki.”

Emma nods.

Claudia hands her a box.  “Maternity clothes in different sizes that may or may not match your style courtesy of Leena.”

“I shall have to thank her, because I woke up with a somewhat significant baby bump,” Emma says opening the box and taking out the clothes.  “These match my style close enough.”

Claudia nods and heads out.

****

Emma appears in the dining area in a pair of blue jeans and a blue shirt with a leather jacket.  The biggest part of her baby bump is about five inches from her normal waist.

“Cute,” Myka says.  “Almost your style, too.”

“Yes, thank you, Leena,” Emma says, sitting down and putting three of the pancakes from the center plate onto hers and dousing them in butter and syrup.

“That’s a lot more syrup than even Pete uses,” Claudia says.

Emma nods.  “I wanted extra.”

Artie smiles at her.  “I just wonder what it was like when you were pregnant the first time.”

“Odd,” she says simply.

Myka looks at her for an explanation.

“I craved sardines and toast all the time.  Now, I don’t even like sardines,” she says.

Claudia makes a face.

“It was a common food item back then,” she says.

Myka nods and chuckles.

“I also ordered the regents around like crazy,” she says. “That was somewhat fun, though, until they realized why I was doing it.”

Artie chuckles.  “I would’ve loved to have seen that.”

Emma grins.  “It was quite a sight.”

“I can imagine,” Pete says.  “Where’s Jinks?”

“With the regents,” Emma says.  “A formality.”

“You’re allowing it?”  Artie asks.

Emma nods.  “They can’t usurp me, though.”

“I’m gonna pretend I know what you’re talking about,” Claudia says.

“Emma brought back Jinks,” Artie says.  “She made the regents reinstate him, because he had been selected for a specific mission that didn’t end the way we were planning.  He was supposed to be released after that.  Also, Jinks probably met her before the rest of us, without realizing who she was.”

“He did,” Emma says.  “He is a valuable asset and a good friend and agent.  The Warehouse can’t afford to lose people like that.”

Claudia smiles.  “I knew I liked you.”

Emma chuckles.  “Anything on our plates today?”

Artie shrugs.  “I’ve got nothing, right now.  I suppose we’ll go to the Warehouse and see if we have any pings.”

Emma nods.

****

Upon entering the Warehouse, everyone knows something’s wrong.

“Great,” Emma says.  “She’s having a temper tantrum.”

Artie nods.  “You better stay in the tunnel for now.”

“I can go to my office,” she says.  “There’s no purple goo there.”

He nods, grabs an umbrella, and hands it to her.  She puts it up and moves to her office quickly.

“Watch out for high emotions and falling purple goo,” Artie says.

“Again, I’ve had weirder commands,” Claudia says.

Myka moves toward Emma, who is looking out the window in her office at the Warehouse storage.  “What are you doing?”

“I’m doing a mental inventory of the entire Warehouse,” she says.

“Oh yeah, perfect memory,” Myka says.

“Times like this, it comes in handy.”  Emma smiles at Myka and continues her inventory.

Myka turns to Artie.  “So, what do we do now?”

Artie thinks a moment.  “We check the machine that makes the purple goo.”

Emma answers her mini-Farnsworth.  “Helen?”

“It’s John,” Helen says.  “I think he’s going to die.”

Emma pauses in her mental inventory and focuses on Magnus.  “Did you try the thing I gave you?”

Helen nods.

“When?”

“Yesterday afternoon.”

“Give it one more day, Helen, and let me know.”

Helen nods.  “What’s going on there?  It sounds frantic.”

“The Warehouse is having a temper tantrum,” Emma says.  “She does this from time to time when the artifacts start speaking to each other and/or emotions are running wild.”

“Weird,” Biggie says from just beyond.

“I know,” Emma says.  “I’m out of the danger zone, though.”

Helen smiles at her.  “I’ll let you talk to the big guy.”

Emma nods.  “Hang in there, Magnus.”

Helen nods and hands the big guy the mini-Farnsworth.

Emma goes back to her mental inventory, keeping her mini open.  “Hello, love.”

“Hello, again,” he says.  “You look busy.”

“I am, but I always have time for family.  Is Magnus still there?”

“No, do you want her?”

“No.  How is she really holding up?”  Emma turns to focus on the screen.

“Not too well,” Kale admits.  “She mopes.”

Emma sighs.  “Keep an eye on her, love.”

He nods. 

“Oh dear,” Emma says, watching as Pete gets struck by Warehouse lightning and screams like a little girl.  “Well, that’s not promising.”

“Sounds like you’re needed there,” the big guy says.

“Call me in a few hours, Kale,” she says.  “I really do want to talk to you.  I miss you.”

“I miss you, too.  I will call,” he says.

She blows him a kiss before they end the call.

“Pete!  Is Pete okay?!”  Emma calls from the office.

“They’re bringing him back here,” Artie tells her.  “He’s been gooped, though.”

Emma nods.  “You can use Clara Barton’s gloves without repercussion,” she says.

“If we need to,” Artie says, finding it on a shelf.  “Go back to the inventory.”

Emma nods and turns back, writing which artifacts she feels are interacting with each other negatively based on triangulation of lightning and where the biggest goo concentrations are.

“He looks a little singed,” Claudia says, helping Myka and Leena lay Pete on a table.

Artie nods and picks up Clara Barton’s gloves.  He places the gloves near Pete, waving them back and forth across his body and watching them light up near his shoulder.  “Here is where he was struck.”

Emma turns and watches from near the door.  “You can use the goop to neutralize the burn.  Pile the goop on his shoulder.  It might do the trick.”

Claudia begins scooping purple goo onto Pete’s shoulder.

Pete gasps and tries to sit.

Artie pushes him back down.  “Slowly, Peter.  You were struck by Warehouse lightning.”

“I know, but we have to stop the Warehouse from self destructing, right?”  Pete asks, slowly sitting.

Artie shrugs.  “Yes, we do.”

“Take it easy, Peter,” Emma says.  “We also need you in one piece.”

Pete smiles.  “Noted, Agent Emm.”

Emma grins.  “Here’s the list of possible interactions.”

Myka takes it from her, careful not to goop her.  “We’ll goop these items,” she says.

Emma nods and scoots further into her office.  “I think I’ll stay in here.”

Artie nods, watching the goo come pouring down on Pete.  Myka and Claudia start laughing.

“Very funny, Warehouse,” Pete says, spitting goo from his mouth.  “This does not taste like it smells.”

Emma giggles.  “Just stay away from me.”

“I’d threaten to hug you, but I don’t want to hurt you,” Pete says, sticking his tongue out at her.

Emma laughs.  “Careful with that tongue, Peter.  You might get goop in your mouth again.”

Pete laughs and swipes goop from his face and hair onto the floor.  “I’m just gonna go help the girls goop the list.”

“Yeah, just be careful on the stairs going down into the Warehouse storage,” Emma says.

“Noted,” Pete says, heading off with the girls.

Myka starts gooping on one aisle, while Claudia and Pete take the next two.

“This is crazy,” Claudia says.

Myka agrees.

Pete starts singing about gooping artifacts, causing the girls to giggle.

Artie shakes his head as Pete’s voice carries to the office area.

Emma laughs.  “He’s not a bad singer.”

Artie grins at her.  “He’s not great either.”

Lightning flashes across the Warehouse again.

“Singing might calm it down, though,” Artie says, eyeing Emma.

“Fine.”  Emma picks up a guitar and begins singing “All My Lovin’” at a slow pace.

“Whoa,” Claudia says from below.  “So much better than the goo song.”

Myka chuckles. 

“Is that Emma?”  Pete asks.

“Sounds like it,” Myka says.

“I love her more and more,” Claudia says with a grin, gooping a baseball and setting it back on the shelf.

****

“Well, Warehouse meltdown averted,” Artie says as the three gooey agents make their way back into the office area.

“Please, tell me that was you singing,” Claudia says to Emma.

Emma nods, ducking a blush.

“So…awesome,” Claudia says.  “I wish I could hug you, right now!”

Emma giggles.  “I’ll take that hug later.”

Claudia nods.

Irene enters with Jinks and moves directly to Emma’s office, shutting the door.  A heated argument ensues.  Jinks stands silently in the corner, watching the two women.

“Claudia, you might have to sing to the Warehouse if this arguing keeps up,” Artie says.

“Weirdest request ever,” Claudia whispers.

“Luckily, no goo can go in that room,” Artie says. 

Emma sits Irene down and begins scolding her for something.  Irene looks suddenly pale, speaking only one or two words at a time.  Emma turns and closes every blind in her office, shutting out the others.

“Her office is, apparently, sound-proof,” Pete says.  “Was she scolding Mrs. Frederic?”

Artie chuckles.  “Yes, Emma is older and, technically, in charge of the entire Warehouse system, including the regents.  I’ve said before that the regents were on top of the food chain here, but it’s actually Emma at the top.”

“It’s still weird,” Myka says.  “Mrs. Frederic has always been the one who seemed in charge.”

Jinks emerges, running a hand through his hair.

“Well?”  Claudia asks.

“I’m back, but on an eight month probation,” he says.

“And Mrs. Frederic?”  Artie asks.

“Emma’s talking to her about Warehouse decorum and policy,” Jinks says with a sigh.  “I’m next.  I think Emma could make a grown man cry if she wanted to.”

“I know she can,” Artie says.

Mrs. Frederic comes out from the office, solemn.  “I understand, your eminence,” she tells Emma.

“Emma, not eminence,” Emma says.  “You are a valuable agent and friend, but no one can jeopardize the Warehouse.”

Mrs. Frederic nods and heads out as Emma motions her to leave.

“Jinxy, a word,” Emma says.

Jinks moves inside the office.

Emma closes the door.  “Good work, Jinks.”

“What?”

Emma chuckles.  “I had you drafted to the Warehouse, because I knew you would keep us honest.”  Emma sits in a chair and motions to the one across from her.

Jinks sits.  “So, I’m not really in trouble?”

“You did pull a gun on Irene, so we have to have a probationary period.  I’m the only one allowed to pull guns on regents.”  She winks at him.  “But, you are fully reinstated as Claudia’s partner, with all the bells and whistles that go along with it.”

“So, um, Mrs. Frederic?”

“She is also on probation for disobeying rule number 432, the most important rule in the book.”

“There’s a book?”

Emma nods.

“What’s the rule?”

“Never use an artifact from the dark vault for any purpose, ever,” she says.  “There is a reason those artifacts are in the vault, and it is not just because they are dangerous.  If she had continued to use that artifact, the woman would have been in a perpetual state of drowning, unable to die, unable to breath.  I would’ve had to kill her using physical force in order to put her out of her misery, and Irene knew this.  She was desperate to get the information, too desperate.”

Jinks nods, a little horrified.

“Yes, I know how to kill a man with my bare hands,” Emma says.  “I’ve only ever had to use that kind of force once in my life, and I never want to again.  That is why you are still here and not fired.  You are an incredible agent, honest, hardworking, and good for this team, especially Claudia.”

Jinks nods.

“And you know everything I just said to be true,” she says.  “Memorize the dark vault inventory and make sure none of it ever surfaces in this way, please.”

Jinks nods.

Emma hands him a thick-ish file.  “Well, try to memorize it, anyway.  I don’t think you have a photographic memory.”

He shakes his head.  “No, ma’am, I don’t.”

“Emma, not ma’am.  I hate being called by a title other than Agent or Ms. or Mrs.”

He smiles.  “Emma.”

“Much better, Jinxy.  You have nothing to worry about.  I have made sure of that.”  She pauses.  “Well, nothing to worry about as far as a career in the Warehouse, that is.”

Jinks grins.  “Yeah, I figured that’s what you meant.”

“And, I highly doubt any of the regents will try to cross my grandmother’s, mother’s, and mine rules anymore.  We make those rules to ensure the safety of everyone, not just Warehouse staff,” she says, standing. 

Jinks stands and follows her to the door, moving out of the office when she opens the door.

“There are 642 rules,” Emma says.  “The most important of these rules are numbers 1, 13, 48, 432, and 527.”

Artie nods.  “That’s a given.”

“Rules?”  Myka asks.

“Rule number 1: Always listen to the Warehouse master; in your case, this is Artie,” Emma says.  “Rule number 13: The Regents must always answer to her eminence.”

“That would be you,” Pete says to Emma.

Emma nods.  “Rule number 48: Keep each other honest in everything you do, not just Warehouse work.  Rule number 432: Never use an artifact from the dark vault for any purpose, ever.  There is a reason those artifacts are in the vault, and it is not just because they are dangerous.  And, finally, rule number 527: Agents must trust each other.  You were given this job for a reason.”

Artie smiles at the last rule.

“Agents must trust each other?  That’s a rule?”  Pete asks.

“Yes,” Emma says.  “Agents should trust each other.  I should add to that rule that you may also trust her eminence.  Oh, and a new rule shall be made today.”

“And what is that?”  Claudia asks.

“If anyone calls me ‘her eminence’ or ‘supreme director’ or anything other than a nickname or Emma or Agent Emm, I will put you on probation for three years,” Emma says with a wink.

“She’s lying about the probabtion,” Jinks says.  “But, she’s still threatening if we call her those things.”

Artie laughs.  “That is why we call her Emma.”

“Is Emma short for eminence?”  Claudia asks.  “Do not hurt me!”

Emma laughs.  “Yes, it is.  My birth name was Eminence Dalia Lafete.  I shortened it to Emma in the 1700’s.  I hated the name Eminence.  It sounded too self-important. ‘Oh, hi, what’s your name?’ ‘Eminence.’ ‘Oh, bye then.’”

Claudia giggles.  “I can see what you were doing there.”

Emma nods.  “I don’t know what my mother was thinking.”

Artie chuckles.

“We’ve got a ping,” Pete says, peeking at the computer.

Artie moves to investigate.  “Everyone who is gooey, go home and clean up.”

Pete, Myka, and Claudia head out.

“We’ll reconvene in a bit to discuss how to handle this,” Artie says, eyeing Emma.

“What?”  She asks.

“The ping is you,” he says.

“The ping is me?”  She asks, scooting into her office.  “Seriously?  What does that mean, Arthur?”

“Pull it up on your computer,” he says.

She does so and notes the ping.  “It certainly looks like a level ten ping, which would mean me in most cases, but I am most certainly not in Florida.  I think I would know if I was in Florida.”

Artie chuckles.  “So, what do we have?”

Emma shrugs.

“What’s a level ten ping?”  Jinks asks.

“Something you don’t typically learn about,” Emma says.  “A level ten designates a living artifact, like me.”

Jinks nods.  “So, there’s another you?”

Emma shrugs.  “I doubt an exact copy, but there could be another living artifact.”

“O-kay.  And this living artifact is in Florida?”

“He catches on quickly,” Artie says, teasing.

Emma giggles.  “Yes, it is.”

“I think we’ll have to teach them the protocol for a living artifact and the possible ways to subdue it,” Artie says.

Emma nods, picks up the umbrella, and moves toward the door.

The other two follow her back to the inn.

“Another living artifact?”  Claudia asks.

Emma nods.  “And there are certain ways to try and subdue it.  I am the only example of a living artifact to go by, though, so you will most definitely have to improvise.  No gooping, because that could kill.  Also, do not put it in a purple bag if it will fit.”

“This is the oddest set of instructions I’ve ever received,” Pete says.

Emma chuckles.  “You can try the Tesla, but it may not work.  Hand-to-hand combat is advised as the first step, if talking doesn’t work.”

“I’m pretty good at hand-to-hand,” Pete says with a grin.

“You couldn’t beat Emma, though,” Artie says around a cough.

Emma grins at Artie.  “Yes, well, I am nearly 500 years old.”

Artie chuckles.  “You have to assume many things while believing nothing when approaching a new living artifact.”

“Oi,” Claudia says.

“Assume that they could be an exact copy of me, while learning from their body language and reactions,” Emma says.  “If they’re an exact copy of me…”

“Let’s just say, we can scrap the mission if they are,” Artie says.  “Emma could get away and never be found if she so desired.”

“I could also best you at any type of combat, Peter,” she says.

“I believe it,” he says.

“But, she can’t go, because of baby,” Claudia says.

“Exactly,” she says.  “Which is why Artie and I have decided that all four of you are needed for this mission.  No one of you is in charge.  Learn with each other.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to phone home.”

“E.T.?”  Pete asks.

“Well, we aren’t exactly normal,” Emma says.  “So, yes, E.T. phone home.  It was a good movie.”

Claudia chuckles. 

“Mind blown, again,” Pete says.

Emma chuckles.  “Get going.  And take a bag with at least three changes of clothes and all the things you’d need for several days travel.  This could take a while.”

The others nod and scatter to their rooms to gather their things and head out.

****

“Ah, Florida,” Pete says.  “I feel drowned, again.”

“At least this time it’s water and not purple goo,” Claudia says.

Jinks stares at the downpour in front of them and opens his umbrella, offering to share with the girls.

“And, Pete gets to get wet,” Pete says.

“You should’ve brought an umbrella,” Myka says. 

“I’ll buy one when we get to the hotel,” he says with a grumble.

The team grabs their rental and head out.

“We should really get another rental car in case,” Claudia says.

“We’ll talk about it once we gather intel,” Myka says.

The others agree.

Pete drives along.  Myka calls home via Farnsworth.

“Hello, Myka,” Emma answers.  “Why does Peter look like a drowned rat?”

“Gee, thanks,” Pete says.

“He got wet.  It’s pouring here,” Myka says.

Emma chuckles.  “And, he didn’t pack an umbrella, either.  Don’t worry, Peter.  You can buy one at the hotel for later.”

Pete mutters under his breath.

“Anyway, Claudia was wondering if we shouldn’t get a second rental car,” Myka says.

“Couldn’t hurt, in case you have to split up,” Emma says.  “But, try to stay together.  There’s a certain amount of safety in numbers, even in our line of work.”

Myka nods.  “All right.  We’ll stop at the next rental place and grab a second vehicle.”

“Artie wants to say something,” Emma says, handing off the Farnsworth.

“Don’t get too comfortable at the hotel, either.  You might have to leave at a moment’s notice,” he says.

“All right,” Myka says.

“Call us if you need anything,” Emma says.

Myka nods and closes the Farnsworth.

“Emma looked worried,” Claudia says.  “I don’t like that.”

Myka nods.  “She doesn’t want us to split up.”

“So, we follow each other around in two rental cars and look like weirdos, because Emma needs us to stay together on this,” Jinks says.

The others agree.

“And, I need to change,” Pete says, pulling into a rental place.

Jinks and Claudia get out, rent a car, and pull out behind Pete and Myka.

****

Myka checks the local police scanner for chatter.  “We’ve got some weirdness about a mile from here,” she says to Claudia, who’s lying on her bed.

Claudia sits up.  “Should we check it out?”

“Probably,” Myka says, turning to the door between the two rooms.

Pete opens the door.  “Anything?”

“Possibly,” Myka says.  “We should check it out, though, I think.”

“I think?”  Jinks says.  “You are never unsure of yourself like that.”

Myka nods.  “I know, but this is something we’ve never done before, at all.”

“It’s not a bag and tag,” Claudia says.  “And, Emma’s worried.”

Jinks nods.  “I know.  Let’s go.”

The team heads out in separate cars to investigate the odd police chatter: a man in longjohns wandering around a department store looking for a dress and talking about how he was a woman the day before and should still be one.

****

Emma laughs as Myka explains the situation.

“An escaped mental patient from a nearby asylum,” Myka says.  “But, we checked it out anyway.”

“It was a good thought, and a total possibility,” Emma says.

Myka nods.

“Don’t go second guessing yourself, Myka.  Trust yourself,” Emma says.

“Is that a rule?”  Myka asks.

“It’s the implied half of rule number 527,” Emma says. 

Myka smiles and nods.  “I’ll go back to listening into police chatter.”

“Good luck, m’dears,” Emma says.

Myka turns back to the police scanner. 

“That’s interesting,” Claudia says as a bulletin flashes across the television screen.

Myka looks up and watches as a zookeeper talks about a random monkey getting out while none of the others followed him out.

Myka calls Emma.  “Could the living artifact be an animal?”

“It’s possible.  What do you have?”

“A lead on a capuchin monkey.”

“Follow it.  See where it leads.”

Myka nods and hangs up.  “Let’s go.”

****

“Monkey, monkey, monkey,” Claudia calls to the general area of where the monkey was last seen, outside a lovely shipping warehouse.  “Here, monkey.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna work,” Jinks says.

“Really?”  Claudia asks.  “Got a better idea?”

“We need fruit,” Peter says.  “We could lure it out with fruit.”

“It’s not like there’s a fruit stand around the corner, Pete,” Myka says.

Claudia peeks around the corner.  “No fruit.”

Jinks sighs and starts calling out, “Here, monkey, monkey, monkey.”

Claudia rolls her eyes at him.

He shrugs.

The monkey peeks out from behind a crate.

“Hi, monkey,” Myka says, holding out a hand to it.

It jumps back behind the crate and disappears.

“Great, it disappears,” Pete says.

“Hey, little monkey,” Claudia says.  “I’ll get you some fruit if you come back to me.”

The monkey reappears and approaches Claudia warily.

“Hey, cute guy,” Claudia says, kneeling down and waiting.  “Come on over to Aunt Claudia.”

Pete bites back a laugh.

The monkey jumps on Claudia’s shoulder and pulls at her lips.

“Yes, I’ll get you some fruit,” she says, standing carefully.

Myka takes out the Farnsworth and calls Emma while Jinks runs down the block a ways to get some fruit from a corner store.

“Operation catch the monkey is a success thanks to Claudia,” Myka tells Emma.

“Does it appear to be an artifact?”  Emma asks.

“No, it appears to be a normal monkey,” Claudia says from behind the Farnsworth.  “I think it just found a bug in my hair and ate it.  Gross.”

Myka chuckles.  “I don’t think it’s our artifact.”

Emma nods.  “Doesn’t sound like it.”

Jinks returns with some grapes and hands them to Claudia.  “I got organic and asked if they could rinse them.”

Claudia nods and begins feeding the monkey on her shoulder, carrying him away from the shipping boxes.  “Come on, cute guy.”

“And, now, Claudia’s feeding him grapes,” Myka says, turning the Farnsworth so Emma can see.

“Great with animals,” Emma says.  “I’m adding that to your file, Claud’.”

Claudia smiles.  “I’m oddly okay with that being in my file.”

Emma chuckles.  “Keep at it, guys.”

****

“Something was stolen from a jewelry store without any of the cameras catching a thief,” Myka says.  “That sounds like an artifact.”

“Or a superb hacker,” Claudia says.

The group heads out to check the footage.  The police welcome the help, a bit skeptically until they get a phone call confirming that Myka, Peter, Jinks, and Claudia are there to help.

“Who was that?”  Pete asks the nearest officer.

“Someone who called herself Agent Biggs, from the FBI,” he says.

“Emma?”  Claudia whispers to Pete.

Pete shrugs.

Claudia looks at the footage again and checks it on the computer.  “It wasn’t hacked.  The diamonds were there, then they weren’t.”

Myka nods.  “It’s weird.  There’s no blip.  There’s no stoppage.  Just a moment between those diamonds being there and not being there.”

“Weirder and weirder,” Pete says.

“Time to catch a thief,” Claudia says.

Pete smiles.

“I am not referencing a movie,” she says.

“It was a good movie,” Pete says.

Claudia shakes her head at him.

“Can we see the crime scene?”  Myka asks the chief.

He nods and leads them to the jewelry store.

“There is no breakage in the glass, no signs of forced entry, no signs of the case being opened,” Pete says, examining the case and the store.  “Just, no more merchandise in this case.”

Claudia nods.  “I want to try slowing down the images and moving frame by frame to see if I can spot anything.”

“Good idea,” Myka says.

“Scooby doo, where are you?”  Pete says.

“That makes you Shaggy,” Myka says.

“Thanks,” Pete says with a laugh.

****

“Frame one, the diamonds are there.  Frame two, there’s a shadow.  Frame three, the diamonds are gone,” Claudia says, showing the team.

“Can you enhance the shadow?”  Jinks asks.

Claudia nods and does so.

“That looks like a person,” Pete says.

“Is that a reflection?”  Myka asks pointing to one section of glass case.

Claudia enhances the area.

“Is that a creepy looking doll?”  Pete asks.

“I think we should show this to Emma,” Myka says.

The others agree.

****

“We saw the frames and the enhanced pics,” Emma says on the Farnsworth.  “It is possible that it is a level eleven artifact.”

“Level ten, and now eleven.  I’m afraid to ask,” Jinks says.

Emma smiles.  “Level ten is living.  Level eleven pretends to be alive.  It can be subdued with goop and a purple bag.  But, it is also one of the most dangerous artifacts.”

“As the numbers go up, so does the threat?”  Claudia asks.

“No, not with nine, ten, and eleven.  Ten is the worst,” Emma says with a wink.

Claudia grins.  “You don’t look like the worst.”

“I could be if I wanted to,” Emma says.

“She’s not lying,” Jinks whispers loudly.

Emma laughs.  “Looks like you are looking for a creepy doll with a love of diamonds.”

“Great,” Pete grumbles.

“A fear of creepy dolls is natural, Peter,” Emma says.  “I don’t care for them, either.”

Pete shakes his head.  “Let’s go find a creepy doll.”

“It’s probably hiding in plain sight,” Emma says.  “Figuring out where that is, that’s the problem.”

Myka nods.  “Indeed.”

“Good luck,” Emma says.  “And, use fire if necessary.”

“Fire?”  Jinks asks.

“The doll looks to be either wood or a frail clay type doll.  Fire will destroy it enough for you to stick what’s left of it in a bag or goo.”

Myka nods.  “Fire, then.  Lovely.”

****

The diamonds are found in the bedroom of a six-year-old girl, adorning several of her stuffed animals and dolls.  Myka moves into the room and looks across the wall of toys.

“Lots and lots of dolls,” Pete says.  “This is disturbing.”

Myka nods.  “Let’s start this.”

They pick up each doll and put it in a bag, returning it to its spot if nothing happens.

Pete reaches for another doll, but, suddenly, it’s not there.  “Found it, sort of.”

“Sort of?”  Jinks asks.

“It was here, now it’s not.”

Myka looks around and reaches for a doll she missed.  Suddenly, it disappears.

“We have three choices,” Claudia says.  “We can set fire to the room, goop every doll simultaneously, or keep this up until it can’t do this anymore.”

“Goop washes out,” Myka says.

Claudia reaches for the doll that keeps disappearing, hoping they won’t have to goop the dolls.  “Come here, dolly.  I don’t want to have to dirty your friends or burn you.”

The doll moves to the right.

Claudia snags it by its hair.

The doll goes limp.

Myka helps her get it into a bag.  Sparks fly.  The doll is subdued.

“That was fun,” Claudia says with a grimace.

“Claudia, doll whisperer,” Pete teases.

“Peter, Pediophobic extraordinaire,” Claudia teases back.

“Pediophobic?”

“Fear of dolls,” Myka says, smirking.

****

“Dark vault,” Emma says, cataloging the newest member of the inventory.

Jinks takes it there.

Artie watches Emma pace the length of her desk.

“What’s with Emma?”  Claudia asks him.

“Not sure,” Artie says.  “She’s been like this all day.”

“Should I go talk to her?”

Artie shrugs.  “The worst that could happen is she’ll refuse to talk.”

Claudia nods and moves toward the office.  “You okay, Emma?”

Emma turns and smiles at Claudia.  “Not really.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m getting nervous for no reason, I think.”

“Nervous, about what?”

Emma rubs her tummy, which seems larger than the last time Claudia saw her.

“Baby Biggie?”

Emma nods.  “I don’t know why I’m so nervous.  I’ve had babies before.”

“Half-bigfoot babies?”

“Good point,” Emma says, sitting on the edge of her desk. 

“You’ll be fine.  You were a great mom to your other kids.  You’ll be fine with this one, too,” Claudia says.  “I mean, Leena turned out great, so something went right in the line.”

Emma smiles.  “True.  I’m just nervous for no reason, then.”

Claudia hugs her and sits next to her.

“I think it’s just happening too fast for even my head to wrap around,” Emma says.

Claudia nods.  “I can see that happening.”

“Promise me one thing, Claud’.”

“Sure.”

“Court for a long time and love even longer before having children?”

Claudia chuckles.  “I think I can do that.”

Emma smiles and wraps an arm around her shoulders.

****

Emma calls for Helen.

Biggie finds her and hands over the mini-Farnsworth.

“Did it work?”  Emma asks.

“It seems to be working,” Helen says.  “It’s giving him back his power without making him go dark again.”

“Good,” Emma says.  “I seriously had hoped that would work.  I’ll need the artifact back.  Once it dings, place it in the bag and send it back this way.  I really shouldn’t allow myself to let others use these things.  Although, this one is nowhere near dangerous.”

Helen chuckles.  “I will send it as soon as it dings.”