Everyone ready to finish off this story?

Mike: Huh?

Peter: (Yawns) Five more minutes, Val...

Micky: What?

Davy: Is someone talking?

(We open in the yellow kitchen of the Montgomery House. It's well into New Year's afternoon; the sun is high overhead, and wavery winter sunlight pours through the windows. Emma brings Lauren a plate of pancakes and a cup of tea.)

Bob: Hello, ladies. Happy New Year!

Emma: Happy New Year, boys.

Bert: Where's everyone else?

Emma: Val's still asleep with Jordan. Daph's playing with Lizzie and Leah.

Lauren: The guys are still passed out in the ballroom.

Bob: That was a really interesting story you girls came up with. I liked it much better than last year's January round-robin story.

Emma: So did I, actually. I think we did a great job on this one.

Lauren: I think so, too.

Emma: For one thing, it helps that we had more time to do this one. Neither of us had any major plans for the New Year or the weeks afterwards.

Bert: Who came up with the idea of doing a jungle adventure?

Emma: Actually, it was one of Lauren's most brilliant ideas...and as a fan of "Indiana Jones" and old-time movie serials, one I heartily approved of.

Lauren: *shrugs* Thought we need a good "search for treasure" story

Bob: And it was a good "search for treasure" story.

Lauren: Plus I got to use some ideas from "Wild, Wild, West."

Emma: As did I, thanks to a friend sending me some episodes of the original show.

(As Emma pours more pancake mix onto the pan, the four Monkees stumble into the kitchen. Mike's hair is standing straight up. Peter's hair is in ringlets, and he has blush on his cheeks.)

*Davy now sports a poofy afro. Micky's is just a mess.*

Bob: Nice, guys. Did your hair while blindfolded again?

Mike: Shaddup. (He flops in a chair) Coffee.

Emma: I don't know if I should bother giving you coffee. If you hadn't gotten sloshed again, you'd be feeling better and your hair would be fine.

Mike: (Growls) COFFEE!

Lauren: Testy.

Peter: Michael! (Sighs) I think Emerald decided to play a little joke on us.

Davy: You THINK?!

Bert: I think they're interesting looks for you. What the heck happened to your hair, Mick?

Micky: Think she found out mine doesn't like to cooperate.

Emma: Who has a stomach that's up for pancakes?

Peter: I'm starved!

(Mike grunts.)

Micky: You have to ask?

Davy: I could handle a few.

Emma: Ok, boys. We'll start with Micky, then go around the table. And Micky, if you try to snitch Lauren's, you won't be getting anything until dinner.

Micky: *puts his hands up* I wouldn't think of it. I happen to like my hands.

Lauren: I've taught him well.

Bert: Hey, how did you guys like that story you did last night?

Peter: I had a lot of fun with it. It was nice to be the hero who was strong AND intelligent for a change!

Mike: It was cool. I got to fly a plane.

Micky: Other than the plane, it was fun! I am still a little sore over the goggles thing...

Lauren: Well, if you ever actually WORE your glasses...

Micky: Here we go again.

Bert: How about you, Davy?

Davy: The whole thing was fun. I really enjoyed the treasure hunting. The nightclub was groovy, too.

Peter: I'm really glad I got to take part this time. I didn't get to do last year's story.

Bert: That's right. You were away last January.

Mike: Yeah.

Peter: (Nods) Not this time, though. I promise, I'm going to be around a LOT more this spring.

Mike: (Snorts) Good.

(Emma brings Micky his plate of pancakes and hands him the bottle of maple syrup.)

Micky: Thanks! *plows into his pancakes*

Emma: (As she pours batter on the pan) You're welcome, Mick. (Smiles at Peter) Ok Peter, you're next.

Peter: Thank goodness. I think I'm starting to know how Mick feels at any given time.

Bert: So, the January round-robin is now an annual thing?

Emma: (Nods) Yeah. It's fun to start off the year with an alternative universe story. It lets us mess around with the characters and do a pure action story after the feel-good stuff during the holidays.

Bert: This is the first time I've seen you work with all original characters in a while.

Emma: After all the confusion with trying to keep everyone straight in the November play story, I thought it would be best if we kept things simple here and just create characters intended for this story only. Which means (looks at the camera), like the characters in the stories in Arc 1, don't count on seeing the natives or the gangsters again.

Bob: Where did you guys get some of the ideas you used in this story? Micky and Lauren, where did you come up with all those crazy inventions?

Lauren: Various movies... *jerks thumb* and his brain.

Micky: *shrugs* I take any opportunity I can to show off my gadgets.

Mike: I had to get a plane in there. I miss ridin' in a plane.

Peter: I actually did debate becoming a college professor for while before I decided I'd rather work with younger children.

Mike: An' I loved gettin' to do two brawls and fightin' the gangsters in the temple.

Peter: I wasn't as fond of the fighting, but I enjoyed creating a native culture out of wholecloth.

Bert: Now there's a question. Why were the natives dressed in pants, speaking the King's English, and drinking tea?

Emma: Thought it would be a funny visual to have natives looking a lot less like stereotypical big grunting guys wearing loincloths and shoving spears around and a lot more like English groundskeepers...and it would get us around problems with (coughs) political correctness.

Mike: Did they have to do the whole druggin' us and chainin' us thing? Why were the chicks in charge?

Emma: Because they had enough sense not to put the men in charge.

Lauren: We can't help it if the women were smarter.

Bob: How about the gangsters? Where did they come from, so to speak?

Emma: LeMarque was inspired by a somewhat similar traitorous Frenchman in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Pruitt had his origins in Jabba the Hut and several TV villains.

Bob: How about you, Davy? Where did you get the idea for the whole thing with your girlfriends and Daphne and being out of work?

Davy: Let’s just say I worked with what I knew.

Bert: So, what's on tap for next month? More parties?

Emma: Not this time. We have a genuinely good story this February. (She gives Peter his plate of pancakes and starts Davy's)

Peter: Ooh, thanks Em! (He digs in.)

Mike: I'm almost afraid to ask what this "genuinely good story" involves.

Emma: Ask Lauren. The next three stories were her idea.

*Lauren grins, blushing a bit.*

Mike: Ok Lauren, what are we gonna do next month?

Micky: Oh no...

Lauren: A nice boat ride.

Mike: Can we take our new boat?

Emma: (Looks at Lauren) Remember this. He asked to use it, not me.

Mike: We've barely used the thing, Em!

Emma: I don't know why you bought it in the first place. You get sick LOOKING at waves.

Mike: Call it an impulse buy.

Lauren: Of course we'll get to use the boat!

Mike: Great! It's a really awesome little yacht. Has a bar an' everythin'.

Emma: Well-stocked, knowing you.

Mike: Nahh, someone's gotta drive the boat.

Lauren: Well, we'll get to enjoy all it has to offer.

Micky: I sense a "but" in there.

Mike: Yeah, me too...and I DON'T like it.

Lauren: We'll get to visit a beautiful, secluded island.

Mike: I'm still hearin' buts.

Micky: Me, too.

(Emma delivers Davy's pancakes to him, then starts on Mike's.)

Emma: You'll see next month, dear.

Mike: Not that again!

Peter: (Shakes his head) I don't think it's a good idea for Valerie to be on a boat in her condition. What if it sinks?

Mike: It ain't gonna sink! Not while I'm on it!

Peter: No offense, Michael, but that isn't reassuring.

Lauren: Valerie doesn't have to go. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea, anyway.

Micky: I'm still hearing a "but."

Mike: It's my boat! I'll make sure nothin' bad happens while we're on it!

Lauren: Okay. Valerie and Peter will not be joining us on the boat excursion.

Peter: (Nods) Thanks, Lauren.

Micky: I'm still bothered by this.

Mike: Mick, I swear, I will not let anythin' happen to us while we're on that boat. Besides, we'll probably just be in the waters near Malibu Beach.

Micky: *turns to him* Mike, do you SERIOUSLY believe that something won't go wrong? We can't have a PARTY without something happening!

Mike: Well, maybe nothin' TOO bad will happen...

Peter: He has a point.

Micky: *sighs, aggravated* Are you BLIND? Do you not see the Cheshire Cat grins on their faces?

Lauren: Who? Us? *Motions between herself and Emma.*

Mike: Oh, I see 'em. I'm just hopin' they don't mean what I think they mean.

Peter: Michael, you can't always delude yourself.

Mike: I ain't...well, I have a pretty good idea of what they have in mind. I'm just wishin' I didn't.

Emma: And the spring's going to be loads of fun. We have our next four-party story due to start in March.

Micky: Fun? Yeah, I don't think we're gonna be having much fun during the spring, either.

Emma: Oh, I think you will, Micky. Davy and Peter, too. (Looks at Lauren) And us ladies are going to have a blast.

Mike: I noticed you didn't mention me.

(Emma just grins.)

Mike: Shit. I'm so toast.

Micky: A blast? That could be taken so many ways.

Emma: You and Davy and us ladies are finally going to upgrade our magic this spring.

Davy: Mick, I'm thinking you're right, mate.

Peter: (Nods) Mike and I went to a higher level when we put the Diamond Sword back together, but you guys are still a little below us, and none of the women have changed levels in a while.

Emma: And the April story is mostly about you, Mick. You and your hobbies.

Micky: My hobbies?

Emma: Do you still play tennis?

Micky: Uh, yeah, I do.

Emma: Better brush up on your technique. You'll need to be really good by April.

Micky: Oh, I'm good. REALLY good.

Emma: You'll need to be good.

Micky: Important opponent?

Emma: You might say that.

Mike: Mick, she ain't gonna tell you.

Micky: Just curious, that's all.

Emma: We have some good stuff ready for the late winter and spring. Neither of us have any major plans for the winter and early spring as of this second, so we should have plenty of time for stories. No one's moving, as far as I know.

Lauren: Thankfully, no.

Bob: Since this is the beginning of the year, we thought we'd like to ask you what you hope to see more of in the role play stories this year.

Peter: Actually being IN them. There were at least three or four stories last year where I barely had two lines or didn't appear at all.

Mike: Plane rides.

Emma: More team work, in the stories and while writing them.

Lauren: Perhaps going backwards in our thinking for story lines, and by that I mean going simpler.

Emma: (Nods) Making them less complicated. Fewer characters to trip over. I know what you mean.

Mike: Yeah, me too.

Peter: (Nods) There's eight of us as it is, and when you factor in our families and everyone we know...

Lauren: And perhaps being a little looser in the stories too.

Bert: Micky, Davy? Anything you guys would like to see this year?

Micky: Well... *looks at Lauren* I've been thinking, um, that the little ones aren't so little anymore. I kinda miss having a really little one around.

(Peter just laughs and shakes his head.)

Lauren: *raises an eyebrow* Soon, Mick.

Mike: (Rolls his eyes as Emma drops pancakes in front of him) Figures.

Micky: "Soon." You're killing me, Babe. You know that?

Peter: Micky, we already have Valerie pregnant. Remember what it was like the last time two of the girls were pregnant at once?

Micky: Yeah, but...

Mike: I think you can wait a little longer, Mick. (Looks at Emma) Darlin'...

Emma: We can wait, too.

Mike: Man...

Micky: *sighs* Yeah. I guess so.

Peter: Will I be involved in these stories?

Emma: You'll be in some of next month's. (Grins) However, I wouldn't make any plans in the spring.

Peter: (Grins) Thanks, girls.

Lauren: Trust me, we thought long and hard about who'd be involved when.

Emma: And as of this second, we still need to work on the late spring and summer stories.

Mike: (Leans back, burping) You sure make good pancakes, darlin'.

Emma: (Sits down with hers) Thank you, dear.

Micky: Compliments to the chef.

Emma: Thank you, Mick.

Bert: Hey, where's Emerald?

Mike: Far away, I hope. (Tugs at his Bride-of-Frankenstein hair) This is her idea of bein' cute.

Peter: She needs to lay off the Shirley Temple movies with Jordan.

Bert: Hey Mick, how's your new chemistry set working out?

Peter: Yeah! I hope you like it.

Micky: It's fantastic! I love it!

Lauren: He's yet to blow up anything.

Mike: He'll be movin' that set over to the Beach Cave before he can.

Micky: Yeah, it'll be moving there shortly.

Mike: Where's your real glasses, Mick?

Micky: *mutters quietly* Home.

Davy: I know he said something, but I couldn't understand it.

Peter: You need some kind of a chain to attach to your glasses so you won't lose them, Mick.

Micky: *makes a face* I don't need a chain. I won't lose them at home.

Lauren: *warningly* Micky...

Micky: I don't like wearing them, alright!? I can see well enough without them.

Mike: Then why have I caught you with the paper two millimeters from your face recently?

Micky: Well, I, uh...you see, um...I don't like them!

Lauren: I know this whole argument by heart.

Emma: I'm wearing them now, Micky. I haven't had any problem with them in months.

Mike: Except when they won't go in right away and we have to listen to her curse for five minutes...

Emma: Hush. You’re not helping, Baby. (Mike grumbles)Micky: That's fine for you. (Makes a face) I can see just fine! I don't walk into anything or anyone.

Mike: Not recently, anyway.

Lauren: Right. You just can't read worth a darn.

Micky: Am I reading right now? No, I'm not. *folds his arms*

Peter: Don't you want to read the directions for your chemistry set?

Micky: That's where I left them.

Davy: Mick, what about contacts?

Micky: *makes a face* I don't know how I like putting my fingers that close to my eyes.

Emma: Micky, it's really not that big of a deal once you get the hang of it.

Micky: I'm fine, really.

Lauren: You are so hard-headed about certain things, Mick. Seriously.

Mike: And you guys call ME stubborn.

Micky: Babe, you dislike the idea of contacts as much as I do. I know how sensitive your eyes are, so don't be telling ME I should try them! I have the glasses. I just don't need them all the time. Leave it at that!

Lauren: You act like you don't need them at all. Do you know how many times I've had to clean the floor around the toilet?

Micky: That's a low blow, babe.

Davy: *chuckles* Literally.

Micky: *rubs the bridge of his nose* You guys are really starting to annoy me with this.

Mike: It's fun.

Lauren: We're not trying to ANNOY you. We're trying to make you see that you're being silly about the whole thing.

Micky: I'm NOT being silly! *stands* I'm heading out. I'll see you guys later. *leaves*

Lauren: That went rather well, don't you think?

Davy: What got into him?

Lauren: *shakes her head* I don't know...

Emma: Maybe we'd better end this, before we lose anyone else.

Mike: Yeah.

Peter: I'll do it. (Looks at the camera) We here at Dream World wish all of you a safe and happy 2009, and we hope you had a wonderful New Year's.

Emma: If you're interested in real-life lost tribes and African legends, Depression-era gangsters, the world in 1935, or fictional stories of adventure and fantasy, head to your local library or go online. You'll never know what you might find.

Peter: See you next month!

Lauren: Take care, everyone!

(Cut to the credits. "Your Auntie Grizelda" plays over scenes from the "production." We end with the guys passed out in the ballroom while the girls tell the story around them with the words "A Raybert Production" superimposed over it.)