Well, everyone, my few weeks turned into months and I'm feeling really rusty. Anyway at long last, here is the new installment! I'm a little woried about the length and I'm hoping it will fit. You guys enjoy!
Talon
Tails from the Broken Pleo Bin
Episode Three
Night or early morning. Our scene is the inside of a residential living room where several cutely-dressed pleos peep out from beneath a coffee table.
Pleo1- Come on, Major Tom, what is it?
Major Tom hazards a step forward so he can see past his fellow pleo’s nose- Oh, just forget it, Argyle, it’s probably another bio-cat. Come on, Mama just lower the thing a little! What is it?
Pleo2- Be quiet before we’re noticed.
Both Argyle and Major Tom.- Sorry, Nova.
Woman- All this mud in your little baby-wrinkles! *Moves over to the edge of the table and sits down with Droopy in her lap on a handtowel.* She has a bottle of something in her other hand and picks up a washcloth that was hanging just in front of the other three pleo’s noses and serving as cover. They all freeze.
Nova and Major Tom- It’s a pleo!
Pleo3- Hey move your big tail over I wanna see too!
Major Tom- If I move too much she’ll see us, Forty Five.
Nova *stepping ahead of Major Tom*- Oh I see him! He looks awful- mud and leaves and… *eyes widening as if in shock* Oh! And his neck is broken like mine. It looks like someone just… just threw him out like a rotten tomato. The end of his nose looks funny.
Major Tom- Nova no!
Argyle- She’ll notice you’ve moved.
Woman- looking closely at Droopy’s face- Looks like you’ve lost your camera, Sir. I have a battery or two laying around. Let’s see if you come on, Little Guy. This is the first time a pleo has come to my doorstep by doggy-post.
Droopy *Inward thoughts*- Wawawill I work after all this?
Other pleos from beneath the table forget themselves and start mooing as Droopy boots up. The woman jumps and stares down in confusion- Hmmm. I don’t remember leaving you four out. *She slowly lowers Droopy to the floor near them* Come on. Don’t be shy. He doesn’t look so bad now does he, Nova?
Nova *turning so she can sniff at Droopy’s shoulder*- No he doesn’t. What’s your name, Stranger?
Droopy *freezing for a second* Uh …
Woman*yawning*- Oh what a day this has been! I need to start a thread about you on the forum. This is all so…. Strange- just… strange. She goes over to her computer and the other pleos surround Droopy who is now clean and stretching to check his joints.
Forty Five *giving him a gentle shove* Ahe, do your speakers work? Who are you?
Droopy- Droopy. My name is Droopy. I’m lost- no no I’ve lost my friends. There was a loud noise and the crate flew open and and and *shivers and whimpers* and there was a big bird that carried me off and oh it was terrrrrrrible!
Nova- It sounds as though you’ve had quite a time of it. Don’t worry. Mama will probably keep you.
Droopy- Keep me? Like this?
Forty Five- *Showing off his bandaged tail*- Of course. Take it from Argyle. My tail has seen better days but Mama took me in just as I am.
Argyle- Forty is right. Young Droopy, you’ve come to the right place. Mama takes in pleos no matter what their condition. Sometimes she adopts us out to others.
Nova- But only if she knows we won’t be mistreated.
Droopy sighs and presses himself against the leg of the coffee table- I’m so sorry, Everyone but I’m so… *curls into the sleep position* tired.
Argyle nestles against him and does the same- Me too. I don’t think there is any more room on our shelf. I’m sure you could use the company down here. Good night, Yung Droopy.
Droopy *inward thoughts*- This is just too pleasant to be real! I smell leaves too! Ugobe leaves! Everyone is so kind. *twitches his tail in his sleep* But… but what about the others? I have to know what happened to the others! Angel and Scar and Melee and Skittle. I have to find them- somehow I have to find them.
Daytime with the man who is back at work. He stands gaping at his computer and staring at his phone- Delete. Delete. Delete. All these messages! What on earth…?
Fellow female worker- Haha! Missing broken pleo-fliers spilling from all our printers? When did you get so popular Phil? Was this part of your idea?
Phil shrugging- No, but on the bright side, there’s more work for us. He goes into his office and closes the door- *Grumbling to himself*- More work yes but not enough time! I can’t do this alone how can I… wait. This message from Australia- pleo-vet! Is she serious? *opens an email and gaping* She is serious. Lady Kat, I could reaeaeaeally use your help right now. Someone is serious about finding my broken pleo.
In the doctor’s office in California- we see Mama walking in with a pleo under her arm- Hello, Mr. Graves. Is Doctor Barns in today?
Mr. Graves- Why yes he’s…
Mama notices the flier- Who put that up?
Mr. Graves- *Smiling*- Oh I knew you’d notice. Doctor Barns put that up. Our computers have gone haywire. Everyone has at least two of these floating around their office.
An annoyed Doctor Barns walks past- Or ten. Mrs. Redwoods have you seen that little robot?
Mama *Walking over and taking a closer look. Her eyes widen.*- Meh-Lei, you’re such a good dog. I’ve seen that pleo. He’s at my house. I should call this number right away.
*Teenaged girl nudges her companion*- Hey, Will? Did you hear that?
Will grins- Can you say reward? Cha-ching!
Teenage girl- Right. And when we find it, let’s burn it like we did that little colorful furball with the pointy ears.
Will smiles deviously- No we can’t burn that one. We won’t get the reward money. You’re the regular around here. What’s her phone number.
Annabelle grins and holds up her iPad- I’ve been listening to her recite it for months now. Now all I have to do is search for her address using this number and… *typing* Got it. Let’s go.
Will grinning- Belle, we make quite a team, don’t we?
Annabelle grinning back- Video Zone fame for the win. My guess is she’s got lots more of those rubbery little daemons crawling around. Now come on, Will! Let’s go claim that reward money.
Back at Mama’s house the pleos are having a pizza party. They have festooned the house with pleo-charger cords for streamers and set up little liquorices stations of several flavors everywhere. Nova- Isn’t this fun?
Droopy- What? I can’t hear you over the music!
Nova- I said isn’t this fun!
Droopy- Uh… right. Yes! Fun! Now why are we celebrating again?
Argyle- We’re welcoming you to the clan, Droopstir!
Droopy- *inward thoughts*- but I don’t want to be part of this clan. They’re really nice and all but I need to find my…
Meh-lei- Grrrrrrrr!
Droopy- Meh-Lei?
Meh-Lei- Someone’s outside that isn’t supposed to be here.
Droopy- Hey Nova? Argyle? Anyone? We’ve got company!
Forty Five- Good. The more the merrier!
Droopy- No. Company not good! Outsiders! Baaaad. Get it?
Outside- Will and Annabelle pause and look at each other.
Will- But somebody must be home. What’s all that noise?
Annabelle- Oh come on, Will I’ve been over every window in this house and there’s no one in there. Now let’s get this done and go okay? She walks over and bashes out a window with a hand mirror.
Droopy and Meh-Lei both come to attention.
Droopy- Moooooooo!
Meh-Lei- Rrrrrrrruff! Rrrrrrrruff Ruff! Citizens of Redwoods Township, we have hostiles! I repeat. We have hostiles! All units assume the offensive position!
Little Forty Five- Which one, Meh-dog?
Meh-Lei *Looking confused*- Um… Uh… Offensive Position Lost Pleo. Meh-Lei grabs Droopy and runs into another room.
All pleos watching and suddenly understanding- Ooooooooh!
Back outside, Will- freezing- Dadadog. There’s a dog in there.
Annabelle- Stuff it you coward! You’ve come this far and I’m certainly not getting arrested by myself. Come on!
The two young people burst into the house through the shattered window. They freeze when they see pleos standing around with their faces smeared with pizza.
Will- Oh my! I think I’ve seen everything. Now which one is it? The pleos have formed an intricate maze between the two young people and Droopy. It extends from the kitchen into the spare room where the mostly boxed pleos are kept. A stepladder leans against the shelf. Droopy and Argyle are mostly hidden by the bottom rungs as they are sitting on the closest shelf to the floor.
Annabelle blinks- Crud! How are we supposed to get through that.
Will gives a snarl- Just play soccer. He starts kicking pleos out of his way.
*sound*- Raaaaarrrrrrr!
Will and Annabelle both scream as a large cat soars from nowhere and claws into Will’s face.
The remaining pleos have now formed the words “YOU SHALL NOT PASS
Annabelle- What the…? I I I’m getting out of here.
Will- Oh no you’re not, not before you get this cat off meeeeeeeee!
Annabelle shoving the cat away- There. Ya happy now? Move!
Both young people stagger their way onward past the frozen pleos until they reach the doorway of the pleo-room where meh-Lei stands snarling furiously.
Will freezes- Oh no. No no no no there’s the dog. First spelling robots then a rabid cat and now a vicious dog.
Annabelle grabs him by an ear- Look, I can’t account for the spelling pleos but look at the dog it’s not vicious. It’s old and fat and lazy it won’t hurt you. Let’s go.
Meh-Lei- Old? Fat? Lazy? Hah. That’s what you think. *Commenting on her own play-by-play*- The vicious wolf springs! She bites!! *To herself*- Now it’s time to use this weight to my advantage. *Continues allowed*- She disables her prey all by her self!
Annabelle goes over backward with a scream- Wiiiiillllllll! Get that blasted robot and let’s get out of heeeere! *Swatting at her face and fighting to get out from under Meh-Lei* Ou! Ooo! Oh not the hair not the hairrrrrrr! Awwwww!
Will *From further in the room*- Let the dog chew on you a little. Got a problem. There are two with broken necks. Which…? Ah ha! The one whose neck isn’t all bandaged up. I’ve got you now, my beautiful billion bucks.
Will makes a dive for the bottom rungs of the ladder to reach the shelf where Droopy is hidden.
Nova- Oh no you don’t. *She grins out at us* I’ve always wanted to do this but I’m not as stiff-necked as I once was. Corporal Chester, it’s time to earn your keep. *to herself*- Glad Mama doesn’t know how much we’ve been drilling or she’d pull our batteries. *She sneaks over to the other side of the ladder, a nervous-looking male pleo following behind her.*- Simple enough for ya, Rookie?
Chester- Uh… Now listen here, Miss Nova, I don’t think I’m cut out fer all this here violence.
Nova- No time, Soldier. This entire mission is counting on you. Get to it!
Chester sighing- Yes, Ma’am.
From Chester’s point-of-view, we see a large hand towel stuck beneath one of the legs of the ladder.
Chester- Okay. Okay I can do this. One to be ready, two to be steady, three to go!
He jerks on the hand towel. The ladder shoots forward slamming into Will’s ankles. Even as he stumbles backward he falls over a rug that curled upward beneath the ladder and tumbles head long into the shelf above Droopy’s, striking his head on it. *Will’s point of view*- Dotted stars fading into blackness.
Cut to outside. Mama stands staring in dismay at the broken window as five squadcars empty and police spill into the yard. Two stand in the now open front door of her house looking smug as two others come out dragging a still-unconscious Will and a crying Annabelle.
Annabelle- But I swear, Officer they were spelling! The robots were spelling words like human like English words I mean it said… uh they said ‘You shall not pass’! I’m telling the truth you have to believe me don’t tell my mom about this or she’ll take my phone!
Officer holding her- Forget your phone, Young Lady, what about your freedom. Should’ve thought of that before you decided to go breaking and entering.
The pleos hide trench-fashion behind the curled rug. Nova raises her tail in salute- Well done, Troops. Well done. Corporal Chester, you’ve just been promoted. Droopy, take a listen. Mama has found your family. She shoves a cordless phone in front of him with her nose.
Mama’s voice- Yes. That’s him. Oh Mr. Jacobs you have no idea what sort of day I’ve had! A bad day at the doctors and then someone tries to break into my house and… I’ll never be able to pay for this! Who does this pleo belong to that you’ve gone through so much effort to get him back?
Phil’s voice- Well, no one… yet. He’ll be making lots of people happy very soon and hundreds more of his kind will be joining him.
Mama- Hundreds?
Phil- Yes, Ma’am. Hundreds. Maybe thousands I haven’t counted yet but they’re everywhere. I’m not sure how but my front lawn and my porch and my grill and the back of my work truck were littered with boxes. Let’s just say Doctor Kat and I will certainly have our hands full. Somebody must’ve posted something on MyFace. Listen if you don’t mind I’m programming your address into my GPS now and I’m coming to pick up our prized package. Don’t let anything else happen until I get there okay?
Melee- *standing in front of Phil’s computer in an oddly-frozen posture.*- You can stop pining now Angel, the Droop has been recovered and… what’s this? Wow! Hundreds?
Skittle, Scar, and Angel- Hundreds? Hundreds of what?
Melee- I… I don’t know. The laptop went dead. Aaah great. The suspense is shorting me out!