Everyone ready to practice?

Mike: This won't hurt, will it? :(

Peter: I'm practicing for something else.

Davy: No, it won't 'urt, Mike.

*sighs* Mick's still in the bathroom.

(We open in the sheltered area between sand dunes as "Ladies Aid Society" begins. Davy and Daphne square off first, while Mike settles on his plastic chair and Lauren sits on the sand next to him. Mike brushes invisible specks of sand off of him.)

Lauren: *gives Mike a sad smile* I'm telling you, Mike, you don't have any sand on you.

*Davy tries to get the upper hand, but Daphne ends up swatting his rear and grinning at him.*

Mike: Well, now I don't. (He frowns) Should they be doin' that? Those weapons are awfully pointy...

Lauren: They know how to use them. We all know how to use our weapons, and we use them well. Besides, they aren't trying to hurt each other.

(Davy actually goes between her legs and lightly pokes her other side.)

*Daphne laughs, wagging a finger at him.*

(Davy smacks her lightly on HER rear, then tries to slice off her belt.)

*Daphne tries to slash at HIS belt.*

Lauren: *chuckles* We'd better keep an eye on them. If they forget we're here, they might start really losing clothing.

Mike: (Blushes) I don't think this is the place for that...or really all that sanitary.

(Davy jumps on Daphne as the song ends.)

Davy: Oh luv, I do enjoy foreplay...

Mike: A-HEM.

Daphne: *blushes* Except when we have an audience...

Lauren: *claps* Very nice, you two.

Mike: I thought you were practicing.

Davy: I, um, just got caught up in the moment. (He quickly gets off of Daph)

Mike: Are you going to practice with Lauren, too, Dave?

Davy: Mike, why don't you practice with her?

Lauren: Yeah, Mike!

Mike: ME? But....but...I can't!

Lauren: *stands* Yes you can, Mike. You may think you can't, but... *motions to her heart* it's in here. Besides, I'll take it easy on you.

Mike: I...I...don't have a sword! Mine's broken! I can't fight!

*Lauren holds her hands out and concentrates. A sword appears, laying in her hands.*

Lauren: *smiles* Will this work?

Mike: Is it...safe?

Lauren: *nods* Yes. Please take it, Mike.

Mike: Well... (He gingerly takes the sword) Is it clean?

Lauren: It's so clean, you can see yourself in it.

Mike: Ok, so...why don't you start?

Lauren: *makes her staff appear and takes a stance, nodding* Okay. *gently swings one end of her staff at Mike's sword*

Mike: (Jumps) Yikes! (He pulls away, cringing)

Lauren: *frowns* What did I do?

Mike: I just...wasn't prepared. (He tries to straighten himself out a bit) Ok. Now do it.

*Lauren nods and tries the same action again, a little slower.*

Mike: (He jumps...but this time swings the sword) Ok... (It goes nowhere near Lauren.)

Lauren: Well, you swung this time! That's a good start! This time, swing closer to me, okay?

Mike: If I get closer to you, I might hurt you!

Lauren: *shakes her head* I'll be watching for you. You won't hurt me.

Mike: Are you sure?

Lauren: *smiles* Positive.

Mike: Well, all right. (He swings again...and gets a little closer to Lauren, but doesn't hit her or her dagger)

Lauren: Well, that was closer. Here. *holds her staff in both hands* Just swing at me, and I'll block it.

Mike: Ok, I guess. (He swings at the staff, barely hitting it)

Lauren: Now a little harder.

Mike: What if I break your staff?

Lauren: It's a strong staff. Don't worry about it. Just swing.

Mike: All right... (He starts to swing...then stops and inspects the staff) I think I see a dirt speck...

Lauren: *a little irritated* Mike!

Mike: (Jumps back) Sorry! Ok, here I go! (He swings...and misses the staff entirely, landing on the ground) Darn it! Got all sandy...

Lauren: *sighs* Oh dear...

Mike: (Brushes himself off, then puts his head in his hands) I can't do it. I just can't. I can't fight.

Lauren: *puts a gentle hand on his shoulder* It's okay, Mike. You tried. We're gonna help you get over this. We just have to take it a step at a time.

Mike: (Pulls back) DON'T... (more gentle) Don't touch me, Lauren. I'm too afraid.

Lauren: *removes her hand* I'm sorry, Mike! I forgot!

Mike: That...that's all right, Lauren.

Davy: There's got to be SOMETHING we can do for you, Mike. How did this happen?

Mike: A machine. Alex had a machine. I smelled so much...danger... (He howls)

Lauren: That's what Mick said.

Mike: Peter was there. He told me I'd hurt him, I'd made him feel bad. I didn't mean to.

Daphne: Peter couldn't have been acting under his own power. He'd never do something like that.

Mike: Peter IS the power now. He's more powerful. He's in the shadows.

Lauren: We have to come up with some kind of plan of action.

Mike: I don't know what we can do. Peter is more powerful than any of us now. He's more powerful than the Devils.

Davy: That's only because of what the Devils did to him. I'm sure if we all work together...

Micky's voice: *wearily* I have an idea. *walks up to join them; looks slightly better than before*

Lauren: Mick... *wraps an arm around his waist*

Davy: I guess you're feelin' bettah, Mick, if you're out here.

Micky: The room stopped spinning long enough for me to join you.

Mike: Hi, Mick.

Micky: Hey, Mike. *smiles*

Lauren: What's your idea, Mick?

Micky: It probably won't be a popular one... but I had the time to think back there. *pauses* We have Mike challenge Peter.

Daphne: What? Mike could hardly spar with Lauren!

Lauren: Oh man, Mick. I think you got hit even harder than we thought.

Mike: Mick, I can't fight anymore. Peter will KILL me!

Micky: There. You just said it. No matter what the circumstance, Peter will NOT kill. There's NO way he'd even think of hurting you!

Lauren: Are you absolutely sure about this, Mick? Peter IS siding with the Devils.

Mike: Look at what he and Alex already did to me...and to you, Em, and Ursula!

Micky: Mike, I SAW what happened to you. Alex showed me in one of his infamous nightmares. Peter did not physically harm you. He just can't do it.

Mike: Yeah, but he can get in our heads. And if he doesn't, Alex will turn his machine on us, or Sheila will do it.

Micky: *sighs, sagging a little* That's just a chance we'll have to take.

Lauren: *frowns, feeling Micky lean against her more* Man, Mick, we've gotta do something about YOU! We're seriously going to need you, and we can’t have you passing out or something in the middle of everything.

Micky: It's the concussion.

Mike: Can you help him, Lauren? Or Davy use his healing powers?

Lauren: *looks to Davy* What do you think, Davy? Both of us?

Davy: We could try.

(Davy puts his hand on Micky's chest. Lauren wraps her arms around him. They concentrate. There's a blue and a purple light. When it subsides, Micky's standing a bit straighter and looks less dizzy.)

Davy: Do you feel better now, Mick?

Micky: Whew, yeah, I do! (Makes a face) I guess the headache didn't wanna leave.

Lauren: *looks around him* Neither did the bruise. Looks like that's the best we can do.

Micky: *waves it off* I'll take some more aspirin. I'll be fine.

Davy: That magician did say my healing ability was pretty low-level.

Micky: But it was enough to at least get rid of my worst problem.

Mike: Then I guess you couldn't help me. I'm so scared. Everything I smell...everything I hear and sense...it's scarin' me...

Micky: I suppose it could hurt to try. What do you think, Dave?

Davy: I say we should try. Poor Mike needs all the help he can get.

Micky: We'll ALL concentrate.

(All three concentrate, while Davy puts his hand on Mike's chest. Mike tries hard not to cringe or pull back. There's a purple, red, pink, and blue light. When it subsides, Mike is still on the ground, and still cringing.)

Mike: I don't feel any different...

Micky: I guess it didn't work.

Davy: There's only one way to find out. (Davy puts his hand on Mike's shoulder - Mike throws it off)

Mike: Davy, no touchin'!

Davy: (Sighs and turns to the others) It didn't work.

Mike: (Pulls away) Why did that magician say I'm the strongest? I'm not strong. Peter got to my head.

Davy: Mike, you ARE strong. You are the strongest-willed person I know.

Micky: *nods* He's right, Mike.

Mike: No, I'm not. Not if they got to me.

Micky: Then you can be again!

Mike: Can I? I...I'm broken, Mick, like my sword.

Micky: Mike, remember how you fixed your sword before? It can be fixed again. YOU can be fixed!

Mike: I guess...

Davy: We'll all help you, Mike. We'll help you get Em back. We'll help you get stronger.

Mike: I wish I could believe like you guys do.

Davy: You have to believe it yourself.

Mike: (Sighs...then frowns) I wish Em were here. (Puts a hand on his chest, though he pulls it away quickly) She's annoyed...and kinda floppy.

Lauren: "Floppy?"

Mike: Yeah. Like her arms and legs just wiggle around with no bones.

Micky: That's weird.

Mike: I wish she were here. I keep tryin' to imagine her back, but it ain't workin'.

Daphne: She might be in trouble.

Micky: *sighs* They probably turned her into something.

Mike: Maybe somebody oughta go after her and Urse.

Micky: *slightly annoyed* Wasn't that what we were essentially talking about?

Lauren: *warningly* Mick...

Micky: Sorry.

Mike: (Looks down) I'm sorry, Mick. I guess I'm not much of a help right now.

Micky: *sighs* No, Mike, *shakes his head* I'm not thinking before I open my mouth. I know you're having a rough time. I just have to remember to be more patient.

Mike: And I need to try to be more patient with myself. I don't know WHAT happened, other than every time I try to fight, or use my wolf senses, I just feel overwhelming fear.

Micky: So we work together, then? *makes a move to lay a hand on Mike's shoulder, then remembers not to; claps his own hands together* Right.

Mike: (Starts to pull away...but then smiles faintly) Thanks.

Micky: *folds his arms; nods* You're welcome.

Mike: Maybe...we could go to someone's house now. Might help our minds.

Lauren: Actually, that's not a bad idea.

Davy: We should check in with the Abbies and Val, too. They're watchin' the kids at the Montgomery House.

Micky: How about we just go there, then?

Mike: Yeah.

Davy: I think we're all set. (Blushes) Lauren's car and the jeep are back in Arizona. We're going to have to blue-light it.

Micky: Easier and quicker that way, anyway.

Davy: Everyone concentrate. (Blue lights in various shades surround the group. When they subside, they and their weapons are gone.)

(Fade out on the now-empty beach. Fade in on Sheila's penthouse and the room Emma was in before. The doll is still there, in the same place Sheila and Zelda left her before.)

Sheila: (Growls as they enter the room) I can't believe he's making us babysit HER. What does he want with her, anyway?

Zelda: Who knows?

Sheila: I don't know why he didn't kill her outright or drive her crazy, too. Would serve her right. Some plain little Scholar doesn't belong in the arms of a fine Knight!

(She settles on the bed, grumbling.)

Sheila: I want to throw this stupid doll out a window, but the Boss would have a fit.

Zelda: He isn't here NOW.

Sheila: Good. Let's throw her out a window.

Zelda: *folds her arms* I think he'll notice that.

Sheila: Let's pull her arms off.

Zelda: He'll notice that, too.

Sheila: (Picks up the doll and tugs at her waving yarn hair) What WON'T he notice?

Zelda: How about some mental torture?

Sheila: (Rubs the doll's legs) Certainly. It won't get rid of her, but it WILL unnerve her.

Zelda: Now, doesn't that work just as well?

Sheila: (Yanks at the doll's hair) Yes. It's not as satisfying as getting rid of her, but it's something.

Zelda: And it'll keep you from getting bored.

Sheila: (Bends the doll's legs over her back) This is fun!

*Zelda chuckles.*

Sheila: (As she twists the doll's neck, the phone rings) Blast it. Why now, when I'm having fun?

Zelda: I'll get it. *picks up the receiver* Hello? *grins* Alex.

Alex: Are you having fun without me?

Zelda: I'M not.

Alex: Yeah. Wanna join us in a little fun? Big Boss wants to go after his old lady and kid.

Zelda: *smirks* Sure! *mutters into the phone* It'll be more interesting that watching Sheila play Twister with the Scholar Doll.

Alex: We're heading right out, so get a move on.

Zelda: Be right there. *hangs up* I'm heading out to help Alex and the Boss with a little something.

Sheila: You go help. I'm having fun right here. (She twists the doll's torso) Oooh, bet that hurt.

*Zelda continues to smirk; disappears in a black light.*