Episode 14 - Old Navy Performance Friends

## Summary

The Club splits up and goes their own way this week: Shamanda and Adam bond while CEJ hits the Gap's cooler younger cousin, Old Navy. Susan takes a long hard look in the mirror. And Krashlee? Well, let's just say she deals with the most dangerous momster of Mystery County.

## Previously On...

Hi, this is Krashlee.

So, the most embarrassing part about last week was that Adam mental dominioned Paul into asking me out. Like, maybe he kind of wanted to on his own, but he definitely wasn't ready. So, it probably wouldn't have been that special of a first date anyway, which is why it's good that Miss Wexler called this weird demon thing to erase Paul's memory. I almost thought that they erased something from my memory, but I remember everything I always remembered, so probably not.

Shamanda and I then like went to drive Paul home and let me tell you, that guy is a play*er*. Yes, he was passed out, but he was flirting with both me and Shamanda. Then Adam apparently found out his dad is the actual Devil and I guess he sold his soul to him. Nothing surprises me anymore. That kid turns into a grub regularly. And also, apparently the devil came and told Shamanda it was time to give up her soul. And I'm kind of freaking out because she's my best friend. And I think her soul is the only thing going for me because she's obviously extremely cool and mature and I'm like, Oh, I can't drive. Hello, that's why I love that old movie Clueless.

So, I hope she still wants to be my friend after she has no soul. And Adam went to, no, CEJ went to Cold Stone and met a bunch of kids and he had the best day ever, I guess. He put like 15 pictures of them on MySpace in, like, three hours, but whatever, it turns out those kids are definitely evil. And one of them was wearing a ghillie suit, so maybe you should have known that. Then it turns out Miss Wexler has an evil twin named Barb who came to the Lair and gave her a bunch of back-handed compliments and tried to sell her young living essential oils. And then she also recently moved to a three-bedroom complex across the street from Miss Wexler's two-bedroom condo. It's crazy. I hope she doesn't cause any problems.

## Plot

### DOWNTOWN HAVERFORD

As the Devil in the form of Damon tells her that her time is up, Shamanda feels a wrench in her soul, and sudden emptiness. Her vision goes black and she wakes up in her truck, parked safely in a ditch. She remembers the Devil filling her body with something until she was full to bursting. Shamanda realizes, she still has her soul, and more than that. Adam Miller's soul has been stitched to hers and both are within her.

### THE MILLER HOUSE

The Devil is playing catch in the backyard with Adam, which has been so much fun. After a moment, Damon warns him that something will feel awful. Adam's head explodes in pain. He passes out and awakens hours later. Diane has pulled Adam onto a lawn chair and seems to have been sitting with him the whole time.

She asks him how he's doing, and he asks where his dad went. Diane tells him that she would prefer him to not call the Devil his father. She wants things to go back to how they have always been. Adam tells her about his splitting headache, and realizes that he knows exactly where Shamanda is. He can feel her sitting in the truck.

Realizing that his sensitivity to light has grown more intense, Adam asks him mom to buy him some clothes that will help shield him from light. Starting with a hat from Lids. Diane Miller feels so guilty about her choices that she agrees to anything Adam asks.

They drive to Mall Street, and Diane goes into the Lids. Adam is still banned for life, so he waits outside. While on the sidewalk, Adam a couple get into a verbal altercation, ending with Adam unintentional casting mental dominion. He sends the couple away and is shaken by the loss of control.

### THE DEBELLO HOUSE

Shamanda and Krashlee bring Paul back to his house. They carry him into his family's rec room under the uninterested eye of his college age sister, and lay him on the couch. Shamanda can't stay, but Krashlee wants to be there when Paul wakes up. Krashlee watches a few episodes of The Simple Life, before growing restless and beginning to snoop around. She finds Paul's laptop and is able to guess his password. His username backwards. Remembering the conversation about Barb and Paul meeting on the cryptid message boards, Krashlee looks into Paul's DMs. She finds extensive chat logs between Paul and NiceHoneyCoolMom, a recent poster on the boards.

Krashlee is pretty sure that NiceHoneyCoolMom is Barb. She has been offering Paul a continuous stream of plausible rumors and hearsay about Susan being involved with the monsters in Mystery County. Particularly the Moth Man. Barb insinuated that Susan was using monsters somehow, with a shifting story, but Paul seemed to buy it. Barb pushed Paul to investigate Susan, and to find a way to stop her. To take her magic books.

Krashlee decides it is time to leave, and as she starts to go, she hears a ping. Unable to resist, she heads back to Paul's computer and finds a cyphered message. She is able to decode it and finds the following message:

> *Thank you for volunteering. You have been accepted as a member of the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. Further details to follow. Excited to work with you.*
> *- Dr. Brian Inajar*
>
>

Krashlee writes down the message, but before she can look further into it, Paul unplugs the computer. He is awake and upset to find Krashlee going through his stuff. She tries to explain but all she does is give Paul the impression that she has a crush on him that has gone way to far. He tells her very clearly that he is not interested in her and that he wants her to leave.
Devastated that her new crush has completely discounted her, Krashlee is very insecure. She tries to leave Paul's house coolly, but can't salvage the moment.

> "Just get out of here."
>
>

Feeling overwhelmed by her awkward insecurities, Krashlee is taken over by a past life. Janice, the beat poet, is surprised but unfazed by her emergence into an unfamiliar time and place. She knows the one place that is like home, wherever she roams. A coffee shop.

As Janice looks for a cool place to go, she heads to somewhere new to her, that looks like a hopping spot.

### THE MILLER HOUSE

When CEJ got home from his awesome day, he found a very preoccupied Diane Miller. It was unusual as he made his own dinner and was left to his own devices. Usually, his aunt would fuss over him and take care of anything he might need. The space was nice for him. He went to his attic bedroom and slept well. When he woke up, he realized, the only thing he wants is to go to Old Navy and buy new pants.

His pants have been through a lot, and it's time for a new pair.

CEJ throws on his roller blades and makes his way to the Old Navy. On the way, he runs into his new friends. Joel, Cynthia, and Jeremy. They have an awesome time talking about crocs and Heelys. Joel gives CEJ an extra pair of his Heelys. CEJ is surprised at the offering and asks Joel if he's sure.

> "CEJ, look down for a second. How many feet do I have?"
>
>
> "Two."
>
>
>
> "Then why would I need four, when I'd rather give a pair to my best friend?"
>
>

CEJ chokes up and tells Joel that he is CEJ's best friend too. Feeling fully accepted, CEJ looses all of his insecurities and he feels amazing.

### STARBUCKS

The Starbucks employees have been asking Janice to leave, which is a familiar feeling for Janice. However, the customers are digging her. She performs some of her beat poetry, and getting all the good snaps. Krashlee comes back to herself right as Janice finishes a poem that has been a crowd pleaser. Everyone around her, sans employees, are complimenting and encouraging her. Even though she isn't sure what has been happening, Krashlee is pleased and flattered.

Feeling a caffeine buzz, Krashlee looks around and sees several empty cappuccino cups. She runs around the Starbucks three times. Her phone has been buzzing almost constantly since that morning. When she cut her mother's bangs off.

> 'Get your little behind back to this house immediately.'
>
>

Seeing that 48th message, Krashlee decides to wait for an even 50 before she heads back home. The next two come seconds later. Krashlee sighs and starts walking home.

Krashlee knows she is in a lot of trouble. Paula has had her hair fixed into a blunt bob, but it doesn't suit her angular face. Paula tells her that she called Krashlee's shopping addiction sponsor, Emily. Krashlee has been ditching her group therapy. Paula proclaims that she doesn't know what to do with Krashlee. They argue and Krashlee tells her mother that if she'd had a GOOD therapist who wasn't her mother, things would be different.

Paula looks furious. As she stares at Krashlee, tears start to roll down her cheeks. She starts to fully breakdown under her daughter's scorn. Krashlee hugs her mother and tries to comfort her. Krashlee tells her that she's restarted her detective hobby, and Paula is buoyed by the news. When Krashlee asks about getting business cards that say monster hunter, as a joke, Paula tells her that she gets her imagination from her father.

### THE LAIR 8AM

About half of Susan's books have been taken. Mostly the spell books. The cryptid research books remained untouched. Susan also realizes that Barb took the second draft of her novel. Monster Girth. A story about a young ingénue monster hunter who finds herself in love with one of the monsters she has to kill. Not based on anyone we know.

Susan is furious.

She self-soothes by scrapbooking late into the night. She sleeps at her condo, and is woken up by a policer scanner tuned into the C.R.A.M.O.s channel. Susan has volunteered with them in the past. She hears about something strange happening at the Quivik house on Manateau street. People are being entwined by Christmas lights and someone needs to respond. Unit three responds that they would be happy to help, however, they are still dealing with the pile of bodies from the cave by the ranger station.

Susan texts Krashlee, and heads to the Quivik house.

### THE FELT HOUSE 8AM

Shamanda headed home after her encounter with the Devil, and she tasks Astrid and Adriana with keeping an eye on Adam. Shamanda gets a text after 8am from Susan with an address. Shamanda grabs a cup of coffee and drives to Manateau street.

### THE MILLER HOUSE 8AM

Adam has a new razor phone that his mom got him. He texts his friends 'new phone, who dis?'. None of his friends know who texted them. Susan sends him her full contact information. Adam goes to tell CEJ about his phone, but his mom tells him that he left for Old Navy. Adam wants to head after him, and his mom lends him the car. Adam tells her that he's going to hunt a monster, since they no longer have secrets. His mom doesn't love it, and asks if he should be hunting his own kind. It hurts. She brings him an extra large hoodie to help with the light sensitivity.

### THE OLD NAVY 7:30 AM

CEJ and his friends walk into the Old Navy where Brian Mosby is working. Brain is really uncomfortable when the other kids walk in. He asks the other teens if they were coming in for a shift. CEJ is surprised that all his new friends work at Old Navy, and is delighted to hear that they can give him their employee discount.

> "Sounds like maybe Daddy's gonna be getting two pants."
>
>

CEJ heads into a changing room with some new pants, and Chet appears to him.

> "CEJ, we need to talk."
>
>

Chet tells him that there is something off about him. He tells him that CEJ is different. He tells CEJ that he wasn't supposed to be able to do something, something horrible, and it is causing a problem. CEJ starts to leave, wanting to get away from Chet, but Chet is able to slam the door. He tells CEJ that he doesn't like the kids CEJ is hanging out with. He tells CEJ that something big is looking for him.

CEJ is done with Chet, and tries to banish him. He explodes in light and shadow, and CEJ feels a blast of psychic energy. He feels a tug around Manateau Street, like something was waking up.

He turns to his new friends, ready to show off his pants, but when he does, something has changed. His friends are still there, and they are still talking excitedly to him. But he sees them differently now. He sees the truth in the dead skin covering their faces. Someone is wearing these teenagers like skin suits.

CEJ quashes down his gut feelings and goes into hard denial mode.

## Characters

**Main Cast**

* Rashawn Nadine Scott as Shamanda Felt and Cynthia
* Jeff Murdoch as Adam Miller and Joel
* Erin Rein as Krashlee Grenadine, Janice, Jeremy, and Barb Wexler
* Claire Linic as Susan Wexler
* Alan Linic as CEJ
* Tyler Samples as Chet Gibbons, Paul DeBello, Rider Strong, Diane Miller and everyone else

## Introductions

Tyler: Welcome to Mystery County Monster Hunters Club, where we use dice to tell a story of high school hijinks and cryptid conundrums. I'm Tyler Samples, your keeper of monsters and mysteries. Let's meet our players.

Rashawn: Hi, everybody. I'm Rashawn Nadine Scott and my character is Shamanda Felt, the Crooked. And I have to say that *my* playlist is the best one.

Jeff: Hi, I'm Jeff Murdoch and I play Adam Miller, the Monstrous. And I got a new magazine called Daddy, and baby, I got issues.

Erin: Hi, I'm Erin Rein. I play Krashlee Grenadine, the Flake. And I don't know what's so flaky, about liking bad boys.

Claire: Hi, everybody. I am Claire Linic. I play Susan Wexler. And yes, I am a twin. And yes, the movie Escape From Witch Mountain is loosely based after me.

Alan: Hey, I'm Alan Linic and I play CEJ, the Mundane. And I may not be the host with the most, but I am the most with a ghost.

## Notable Quotes

* "Krashlee is feeling pretty insecure right now." - Krashlee Grenadine
* "I want some pants, and I want 'em BIG." - CEJ
* "How many feet do I have?" - Joel
* "If I learned anything from Jackass 3D, it's that it's okay to cry." - CEJ
* "Time is really fluid when you're a 14 year old girl, who is being possessed by a Lust Demon." - Krashlee Grenadine
* "It's called, Monster Girth....wait, I can do it better!" - Claire on Susan Wexler's book
* "Do you think you can do it better? Because that sounds pretty perfect to me." - Tyler to Claire
* "Make sure he doesn't like fall or trip over his own shoelaces. He pisses in hats. He's a very complicated young man." - Shamanda Felt on Adam Miller
* "My stomach can't handle a press on...a graphic tee? No thanks." - Adam Miller

## Links

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