Ok, not a lot of time, so let's get going. Everyone ready to contact the guys and find out what Shelia and Alex are up to?

Lauren: Definitely.

Maxine: I'd LOVE to know what's going on.

Valerie: I don't like this...and I'm worried about the guys. :(

Daphne: This is so weird.

Jenny: You got that right, Daph.

Kimberly: Let's get those two nutcases...or WHATEVER they are. :p

(We open in the common room. The clouds are thickening outside as the group walks in with the kids. The room is empty of people. Everyone carries steaming cups of hot chocolate or tea. The kids' faces are sticky with chocolate.)

Emma: I'm glad we went back into town for lunch and picked up drinks at the convienece store. I feel soooo much better. :)

Lauren: *nods* Me, too. Finally. :) ;)

Kimberly: (Grins at the kids with their chocolate mustaches) How's the cocoa, gang? ;)

Katie: Yum! (Licks her face) :D

Mick: Love cocoa! :D

Kimberly: You must. It's all over you. ;)

Mick: *looks down at himself, then grins* I'm messy! :D ;)

Emma: (As she wipes Katie with a tissue from a box on the table) Yes, you are. VERY messy. ;) :p

Maxine: He sounds so proud of it. ;)

Lauren: *rolls her eyes; also takes some tissues* He IS proud of it. His daddy does the same thing. ;)

Maxine: Well, now that we're all warm and fed, what do we do about the mechanical monstrosity downstairs...AND the loonies who created it? :p

Valerie: We have to dismantle that thing somehow.

Lauren: Didn't someone mention by way of a sledgehammer? ;)

Daphne: I like that idea. ;)

Emma: We should probably contact the guys, too.

Kimberly: And if we're gonna take this thing out, let's do it now. Who knows when the sort-of Micky and his keeper will be back? :p

Valerie: We can contact the guys on the way to the basement.

Daphne: *nods* Good.

Maxine: I saw some public phones in the lobby, but I don't know if we'll be able to call California on them...

Valerie: Not THAT way. (Opens her watch to reveal her communicator) THIS way. ;)

Lauren: Much easier, and it's free. ;)

Maxine: You're kidding?

Valerie: Does it look like I'm kidding? They can be used for long distances, too. (Into the communicator) Peter, come in, honey. It's Val. Come in.

Emma: (Also opens her watch; Daph takes out her purse communicator) Mike, it's Em. Guys, we've got to talk.

Lauren: *opens her watch also* Hey, Mick!

Daphne: Hello, Davy?

Kimberly: I still say those are too awesome! :D

Jenny: I want one of those! ;)

Maxine: Where did you get them?

Lauren: Mick made them. ;)

Emma: (Into the communicator) Baby? Mike, I know you’re probably still mad at me, but we've really got something important to tell you!

Lauren: *taps her watch communicator, then stops abruptly; eyes widen* Uh oh...

Emma: (Looks up from her communicator) Lauren, what is it?

Lauren: *winces* Oh, man, I think Mick just got clocked by something or someone. :P

Kimberly: Someone hit him?

Maxine: Must have been a fight with one of the guys. ;)

Lauren: *shakes her head* Not one of the guys. Mick's out cold. I'm not getting anything else from him.

Emma: Well, Mike would knock him out if he got him mad enough. ;)

Lauren: No, the lingering feeling is evil. :P

Emma: Evil? :o

Lauren: Evil. :P

Valerie: Oh, god, n... (she makes a face) Oh, man, my head... (she puts her head in her hands)

Katie: (Goes to Valerie, who is on her other side on the couch) 'Kay, Aun' Val'rie? :(

Valerie: No, Katie. My head...I feel confused, thick...

Emma: (Mutters) MUDDLED. X(

Katie: Mudderd?

Maxine: WHAT'S wrong?

Valerie: (Frowns) I felt Peter become light-headed and confused...and now I can't feel anything. (Gulps) Oh, god, they must have them and are doing something to them. :o

Maxine: They WHO? Who's doing WHAT? :o :(

Emma: Shelia and Alex have the guys. They like to play games with their captives. We can...feel it. :p

Daphne: *groans suddenly* Oh man! *rubs at her jaw* Feel like I just got socked in the chin. :P

Lauren: *quirks an eyebrow* You too?

Valerie: Oh, god...

Katie: (Gets up and walks over to Daphne; tugs on her pants) 'Kay?

Daphne: Not completely, kiddo. :P

Valerie: Daph, are you getting anything else from Davy?

Daphne: No, just the lingering evil, like Lauren said. :P

Valerie: I'm getting that, too. Peter was scared. He knew SOMETHING...and now, I can't get anything but that whiff of nastiness.

Emma: Do you think they're...

Valerie: (Looks quickly at the kids and shakes her head) No. They're not...gone. We would have felt that.

Maxine: Is this that "feel what someone else feels" thingie? :p :o

Emma: Yes. We're all linked to our significant other that way.

Kimberly: You're kidding! Just like the kids seem to be linked to their folks?

Katie: (Frowns) Mama?

Shelly: *makes a face* Mommy? :P

Emma: Yes, swee...(makes a face and groans) Ow. Something just hit me HARD on the shoulders! :p :o

Lauren: Oh, geez... :P

Katie: Ouchie. :p

Emma: (Picks up her daughter) Oh, baby, you too? (Winces again; so does Katie) YEOUCH! I feel like I just got thrown against something really hard and sharp! :p

Katie: BIG ouchie. :p

Kimberly: Nothing hard or sharp is touching either of you!

Emma: (Narrows her eyes) They were ramming Mike with something hard and sharp. (Frowns) And now, I can't feel anything from him, other than that "whiff of evil" (rolls her eyes) and a bit of annoyance. ;) :p

Katie: Mama! No Papa! :(( (Clutches her mother)

Emma: Honey, he's ok. I don't think he's...gone. We just can't feel him for some reason. :(

Maxine: Oh, god. We've got to get down that machine and take it out, before something ELSE happens! :p

Jenny: Yeah! :P

Kimberly: Yeah, but what are we going to do about the guys? Can you feel where they are?

Emma: They WERE at the airfield, which means they did get here safely. I have no idea where Mike is now.

(That's when the lights suddenly go out. The only light now is the fire crackling in the fireplace.)

Kimberly: What on EARTH? :o

Lauren: Now what? :P

Maxine: (Looks outside and makes a face) It looks like there's going to be a non-nutcase-created snowstorm out there.

Kimberly: That's all they're talking about on TV.

(As the girls try to decide what to do next, four little lights flutter into the room. One is pink, one is copper brown, one is yellow, and one is purple. They roam around the twins and Katie, who run and jump and giggle as they try to catch them. They run over to their mothers and friends to point out this new spectacle.)

Emma: Someone should find some flashlights...(as Katie tugs on her leg)...what is it, sweetie?

Katie: (Points at the lights as they float into the room) Lookit! :D

Shelly: Pretty lights! :D

Emma: What... (her eyes widen as they flutter over the room)

Maxine: Whoa!

Lauren: Oh my...

Kimberly: Isn't it a bit early in the year for fireflies?

Jenny: Oh-kay...

Daphne: Uhh...

(The pink light touches down first...revealing a woman in a very simple dress and soft suade boots. She looks a great deal like Daphne; her long, black hair is pulled back with slender strips of leather.)

Woman: Who are you calling a firefly? :p

Copper Light: Devvie, don't be upset! I told you we should have been direct! (She touches down; it's Emma, in a brown peasant dress over a yellow blouse, a red embroidered apron around her waist, thick dark stockings, and the soft boots.)

Katie: Mama? :o

Woman 2: Not quite, little Katherine. :)

Purple Light: *chuckles* I kinda like appearing this way. *she touches down; Lauren appears in dark leggings, a violet top, and the soft boots*

*The twins turn glances back and forth before Lauren makes them stop, a slight grin on her face.* 8-| ;)

Yellow Light: Really ladies, maybe we ought to explain ourselves. This must be terribly confusing! (The last light desends, and she very much resembles Valerie, in her golden dress from "Monkees In Wonderland", a gold circlet around her long, flowing auburn hair, and a leather strap carrying a short, finely engraved scabbard on her back.) They must think themselves mad!

Maxine: I...I...I.. :o

Kimberly: Holy sh....(looks at the kids)...moly! :o

Emma: (Holds Katie tightly) Who ARE you?

Woman 4: Suspicious. She really IS your ancestor, Emmeline! ;)

Emma: My...what?

Katie: An'ses'ser?

Laryen: Ancestor. :)

Valerie: You're our ancestors?

Emma: Why are you here?

Emmeline: We're here to help and advise you. You're all in great danger.

Maxine: No kidding. Been outside lately? That could be the storm of the century out there! :p

Emmeline: Yes, we have. How do you think we GOT here? :p

Devlanta: And let me tell you, it was not fun! :P

Valeria: Look, we might as well tell you...Julia and her new apprentice have captured the men and shut them in evil glass devices. Their powers, physical and verbal, cannot escape these prisons, which is why you no longer feel them.

Valerie: Are they dead?

Emmeline: No, but they're very weak. The devices are charmed to absorb the captive's power every time they are shaken. :(

Emma: What can we do?

Emmeline: You can watch us show you how we came to become fighters! ;)

Katie: Us? :D

Mick: Yay! :D

Emmeline: (Looks at the other ancestors) Shall we show them how we women first became Guardians? ;)

Valeria: It would be far easier and quicker to show it than to explain it. :)

Laryen: Definitely. :)

Emmeline: We'll do it! (She takes the other ancestors' hands; there's a bright blue light around the whole group; when it subsides, we're in an icy grotto. Lord David and Georgiano, both looking as they did in "Devil and Michael Nesmith," are surrounded by nasty-looking little demons. The demons overwhelm the boys as Zero - yes, Zero, in his bright red-orange costume from "Nightmare Revolutions" - walks in, followed by more demons. Zero has Bard Peter in his arms. Peter whimpers; Zero gazes with evil delight at the innocent young man. :o >:) )

Zero: That's almost all of them. (He smirks as the demons drag the two young men over to Zero) Well, hello there, Guardians! I do believe we meet again! ;) :p

Peter: (Sobbing) Robert will come for us! :o :((

Zero: (Strokes Peter's hair) Oh, but that's the idea, my dear Bard. I WANT that obnoxious White Knight to come here.

Peter: Wha...what? :o

Zero: (He nods at the walls of the grotto, which are made of pure ice) How would you like to be...part...of this attractive scene? It'll keep you out of trouble. ;)

(Shelia, also in her "Nightmare Revolutions" robes, joins them with a sword of her own. She looks hopeful and annoyed.)

Zero: Julia, where have you been, girl? :p

Julia: Looking for Robert, what else?

Zero: He should be coming VERY soon. He always comes for the others. They are his army and his family. ;)

Peter: Wha...what are you going to do to us? :o

Zero: Until your beloved leader arrives, I have a very nice spot for all of you. (Indicates the glassy wall of the ice grotto) Isn't it lovely? Made by nature, it shimmers and glows like a thousand prisms, like the sun itself.

Peter: (Goes to the wall and touches it) Oh, my, it's... (but as he touches it, there's a black light around him...and when he reappears, he's on the other side of the ice wall. He looks around, his face scrunched up in horror, and starts to cry...or looks like he does. We don't hear him.)

Zero: Our dear Bard just discovered how my little game works. (Nods at Shelia) Dear, would you like to do the next one...or even take them both? ;) >:)

Julia: Might as well do this the easy way. ;) >:) *she grabs the hands of both boys and shoves them against the wall; they disappear in a black light and reappear on the other side of the wall with Peter, pounding on it as hard as they can* That was rather enjoyable. >:)

(Peter looks at the others in horror; he tries to go to them, but bumps into another glassy wall. He closes his eyes, but his blue light does nothing. :( )

Zero: The ice absorbs both sound and power. Their powers, verbal, mental, and physical, cannot leave the ice. They can see and hear us...but we can't hear THEM. ;) >:)

Julia: Just as they should be. >:)

(Peter shakes his head in shock, tears falling onto the icy wall in front of him. :(( )

*The other two continue to pound on the walls.* :P

(There's noise in the halls outside of the grotto. Sir Robert, his long, thick, wavy black locks flying, hacks his way through a battalion of demons. He glares at Zero when he finally makes his way into the grotto.)

Sir Robert: The Evil One. I should have known you were behind this sudden cold wave. What are you trying to do?

Zero: Simple, Sir Robert. I have found a way to create storms that will freeze human beings...but not kill them. When they are sutibly frozen, Julia and I will remove their soul, and they will become one of our slaves. Isn't it delightful? >:)

Sir Robert: Non, Evil One! Your demente plan will never work! My men and I will stop you, as we always do!

Zero: Not this time, Sir Robert Del Naysmythe. Your men are hardly in a position to stop anything at the moment. (Indicates the wall; Robert gasps)

Sir Robert: Non! NON! Mon amies, I will save you! (He starts hacking away at the ice, but the huge broadsword doesn't make a dent in it)

Zero: (Smirks and makes a broadsword of his own appear) You won't rescue them so easily this time, Naysmythe! The ice was created by black magic. It cannot be broken by ordinary means. >:)

Sir Robert: Non! You...you...monstre!

Zero: Don't worry, Naysmythe. You'll join them shortly. ;)

Sir Robert: Never! (He and Zero have a short duel; Julia watches with a smirk)

(The demons move, cheering Zero on as the two men leap and turn all over the rocks and flat piece of ice in the grotto.)

*Julia black lights some ice at Robert. One hits his back and knocks him to the ground.* >:) ;)

Sir Robert: (Glares as he tries to pull himself back up) Julia...that was cheating... X(

Julia: *smirks* So? ;)

Zero: Now, now, Sir Robert, you know we devils never plays by the rules. We create our own. (He grabs Robert's free hand and shoves it against the ice; the moment Robert touches it, he disappears in the black light and reappears on the other side. He tries to pound his way out, as his sword is still on the other side, but to no avail. He angrily mouths French curses...but we don't hear them. X( )

Zero: That’s the end of our last distraction.

Julia: Pardon me, Uncle, but that's not all of our distractions. You've forgotten the women. Again. :P ;)

Zero: Dear, what can they do? Emmeline is lovely and intelligent, but, unlike you, she is not trained to be a warrior. They have powers, but ordinary women do not wield swords and daggers.

Julia: *makes a face* I would not be so sure about that, Uncle. :P

Zero: They're just part of the men's music hall show, and while not bad to look at, I woudn''t categorize them as knight material.

*Julia just shakes her head.* :P

(Suddenly, we hear demons scream and something whiz through the air. A demon falls down dead...with a familiar spear lodged in his back.)

Emmeline: (Offscreen) Good throw, Dev! :D

Zero: What in the WORLD was that? :-/ X(

(Another demon falls; this one was felled by a short sword with an elaborate jewel-encrusted handle.)

Julia: Your ordinary women. :P ;)

(The four female Guardians run into the room. All are dressed as we saw them earlier but Valeria, who wears hose and a tunic like Laryen's in yellow and golden brown. She still sports her gold circlet and the scabbard on the back.)

Zero: But, how...

Emmeline: Did you think Ursula would not teach us how to fight, too?

Julia: He did. *jerks a thumb at Zero* /:)

Valeria: (Pulls her sword from the demon) I have taken fencing since I was old enough to carry the sword. Wales is a wild country, and one needs to know how to protect oneself.

Devlanta: I always enjoyed throwing the javelin. Same thing as throwing a spear. ;)

Emmeline: I will admit, I am not as good as they are (shoves several demons into a wall with a long, thick, slightly curved staff) but I am learning. ;) :)

Laryen: *wields her dagger* I'm not too shabby myself. *tosses her dagger, lodging it in one of the demons* ;)

Valeria: (Her eyes widen as she turns to the wall...and sees her sobbing husband) Peter! My Peter! What...how...

Emmeline: Robert! (Turns to Zero and finally pushes him into the wall with her stick; he actually looks like he's enjoying it as he gazes into Emmeline's eyes) What did you do to them?

Zero: You know, you're beautiful when you're angry. ;) :X

Emmeline: (Thrusts the stick against his throat) WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM? X(

Zero: Um, dear, I know I wanted some foreplay, but this isn't what I had in mind...(gestures at Julia and the demons)...could I have a little help here? :p

Julia: *sighs* Now you want some help. :P ;)

*Julia goes up to Emmeline, trying to pull her off Zero as "Antarctica" begins.*

(Valeria grabs Julia's sides and tickles them. Emmeline gratefully goes back to trying to get Zero to tell them how to free the guys. Zero returns to looking down her considerable cleavage. ;) )

*Lauren throws her dagger again, lodging it in the wall, right next to Zero's head.*

(Zero looks up...and is distracted long enough that Emmeline finally knocks him down with her staff. She gets away and he goes after her, making a staff of his own suddenly appear. :X)

(Valeria serves a demon tea that she makes appear in a blue light. He drinks it, eats the cup, eats the table...then puts a hand around his neck, gagging and screaming, and runs off. Valeria just stares at the cup, wondering what on EARTH was in that.)

*Devlanta plays tug of war with another demon over her spear. She lets it go suddenly and the demon falls over, hitting its head hard on the ground, knocking itself out. Dev picks up her spear and grins.*

(Emmeline blows icy crystals on several demons who are trying to gather around her. They freeze up instantly, and she knocks them into each other, domino-style. ;) )

(Valeria picks up a demon that was inspecting HER cleavage and throws it into the wall. As the boys watch, surprised, it falls to the ground with a big smile on it's face. ;) :X)

(The girls surround Zero and Julia as an instrumental version of the song finishes.)

Emmeline: Tell us, Zero. How can we free our lovers?

Zero: Do I have... (Julia elbows him; he sighs) Just touch the wall, and they will be released. :p

Valeria: You two will be coming with us. X(

Zero: I think not. I have other places to be, other ways to do my work. (Looks at Emmeline and kisses her hand) Until we meet again, my lovely Scholar!

(He and Julia vanish in a black light.)

Emmeline: Damn! (Wipes her hand on her apron) X(

(Devlanta and Laryen have already made their way towards the wall.)

Valeria: Will it work?

Laryen: Only one way to find out.

(Layren touches the glass wall first...and, in a bright blue light, finds herself holding human fingers. She helps pull Georgiano from behind the rippling wall of ice.)

*Georgiano gives Laryen a big kiss.* :D ;)

Valeria: Wonderful! It DOES work! (She does the same to Peter, who gives her a huge hug when he's through.)

Peter: My love!

(Devlanta goes to the wall next, and helps a stumbling David back into the grotto. Emmeline is last, as she gently but firmly puts her hand on the wall...and in the last rippling, grasps Robert's long fingers and helps pull him with the others.)

Sir Robert: Emmeline...

Emmeline: Oh, Robert, I am so happy you're safe! :X (She hugs him enthusiastically)

Sir Robert: So am I, ma cherie. (Looks around) We must leave this place. The Evil Ones may return.

(There's a bright blue light, and we fade out on the scene.)