Everyone followed Kevin as they made their way to Ralph's house to conduct some neighborhood surveillance. It was autumn and with Halloween starting tomorrow, leaves were covering the neighborhood.

Red, orange and yellow, in various different shades. All of them were floating gracefully on the soft breeze. It was as if a friendly hand was gently lowering them to the ground. Whispers between these leaves filled the air, whispers and mutters. The air was cool and crisp, like a refreshing drink of cool water after hours in a desert. The breeze fluttered around, gently caressing everything it touched with fingers that had been a comfort to so many over their long, lonely years.

And then Ralph's house came into view.

With such beautiful weather, and the calmness of the leaves falling, Kevin seems quite happy and relaxed as he leads the way. He even reaches out to catch a couple of the leaves.

As soon as the house comes into view, though, he grows more serious, "There it is." As they approach the last bit, though not leading them too close until they decide how to do this, he checks if he can see through the windows.

Kevin attempted to peer through the windows. They seemed to have a brown, muddy tint to them. As if they had somehow aged or weren't cleaned properly. It was a detail about Ralph's house that he hadn't noticed before.

Then Kevin saw something that he definitely hadn't seen before.


A man suddenly stepped through the front door of the house. The man's hair was disheveled onto one side of his head. He exited through the front door and tripped a bit on his own feet as if he was in a hurry. He looked around as if he was checking to see if anyone was watching. Then he hurried down the street and away from the house.

Sara was impatient, frowning throughout. "Well?" she asked Kevin after he peered through the window.

Kevin gets a confused look on his face at what he sees, but dives for the nearest cover as the man comes out of the house.

After the man is gone, he says, "That was my dad. Maybe he's investigating too, but... He was putting on his belt. Why would he take off his belt?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:32, Sat 11 July 2020.

"Belt!?" Jimmy asked in surprise. "Ha! You're Dad's like a Batman person, with a utility belt. HA-HA!" He poked fun at Kevin and his Dad for a second.

"Ha! You're Dad's like, investigating the Batcave! Hahaahh!"

Gary sighed in annoyance at Jimmy's comment. "Well, did you see the old woman? Ralph's Mom?"

Though Kevin has, until now, found Jimmy's jokes funny, this time he just rolls his eyes.

Looking back to Gary, he's nodding almost before the question is finished. "Yeah, I saw her sitting at the kitchen table. Looked like he was talking to her. But I didn't see Ralph."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:04, Wed 15 July 2020.

"What would they be talking about?" Sara asked, ignoring Jimmy.

Thinking about that for just a moment, Kevin says, "I guess the missing kids? He's probably investigating that for the newspaper."

He still sounds unsure, however. "Ralph told us not to eat anything there. Maybe dad did eat something, and it's making him act weird?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:37, Sat 18 July 2020.

Gary seemed worried. "Let's get closer." He said. "We have to find out what's going on, otherwise Edith will get upset with us. She wants us to find out stuff." Gary noted, as if what Edith thought of and wanted was the most important thing.

"Ha!" Jimmy cried out. "Edith-smeeedith. Let's get closer to the house just to find out what is going on. I bet it smells in there. I bet she's some kind of witch. I've never seen a witch before. I want to see."

Kevin nods emphatically to Gary and turns to sneak closer to the house, but adds to Jimmy in a softer voice so he's not overheard as they get closer, "Yeah, she smelled like a really dusty old person's closet. Maybe she doesn't know about washing clothes, that's a human thing. But I still think alien."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Tue 21 July 2020.

Sara follows the boys, examining the house as she does so. Are there any ways in other than the front door?

The kids got closer. The autumn breeze tousled Sara's hair and pinked her cheeks. The warmth that had been in the wind just an hour ago had either evaporated into the sky or leached into the earth.

As the kids got closer they could see Ralph's Mom in the kitchen window. The old woman was wearing a long, white sleeping gown. Trailing behind her was the fabric of the large garment. And underneath the ends that dragged along the floor what looked like cables. Wires. Yellow, green and blue. It was like they were just sticking out from under neath the dress.

The doors to the house appeared to be locked. Or unlocked. No one could tell from their vantage point. The windows closed.

Gary seemed worried. "Do you see that?" Gary asked in a sharp whisper, pointing at the old woman who didn't seem to notice, the kids so far away. "Those look like wires under her....her....sleeping thing." Gary said

"A robot..." Jimmy said, all the laughter and joking around suddenly gone from his mood.

"A robot!" Kevin echoes, though with excitement in his voice. "I never even thought of that! She's an android, like Data! But maybe more evil, like Lore. I wonder who built her?"

Kevin looks to the others, and says, at a bit of a loss, "But why would a robot kidnap a kid?"

Sara blinked as she stared at the window, then gave Kevin a judging look. "Because whoever built her told her to." Duh.

"Who built her?" Gary asked, a bit worried, the momentum of the story gaining steam, changing the perspective of what was going on.

"The same person who wears army boots...." Jimmy said, cutting the tension.

"...Your Mom."

Kevin sighs at Jimmy's joke, but nods to Sara and Gary, "We gotta find out. Somehow. Maybe someone else will come see her? 'Cause I dunno if a robot will go out shopping so we can sneak in and look around."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:51, Sat 01 Aug 2020.

"Maybe you will," Sara stared at Kevin. "And while she's talking to you, I'll try to sneak in."

"Alright, Alright." Gary said, trying to get everyone to calm down and stay focused. "Let's choose one person to just go up and ring the door bell and then run away. This way the others can get a good view of those wires. Then we can tell Edith what we learned. Also, we don't know what the others in the club house have found out. If she's a robot, then that means that she could be dangerous."

"You're Mom's dangerous..." Jimmy whispered under his breath, though it was clear that Gary didn't hear him.

Kevin's eyes widen a little in fear, and he's starting to shake his head to Sara's suggestion when Gary comes up with a sensible alternative. Still scary, but not as scary.

"Yeah, okay. Let's do… rock paper scissors, and pick someone to go up to ring the doorbell."

"Rock, Paper, Scissor says..." Jimmy got ready to hold out his hands.

OOC: Each character must yell "Shoot!" and then PM the Storyteller to tell the Storyteller whether or not they choose Rock, Paper or Scissor.

"Shoot!"

"And rude gestures automatically lose," Kevin adds with a slightly suspicious look at Jimmy.

Then he, too, yells "Shoot!"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:46, Fri 07 Aug 2020.

OOC: Storyteller will roll Random 1d3 for each NPC

1 = Paper

2 = Scissor

3 = Rock

OOC: 16:15, Today: Gary rolled 3 using 1d3.



"Shoot!" Gary yelled and he stuck out a rock

OOC: 16:17, Today: Jimmy rolled 1 using 1d3.



Jimmy stuck his hand out to show paper. Then, seeing that Kevin had showed rock and Gary had showed rock, Jimmy yelled out.

"Paper beats rock!" and then he slapped Kevin's hand and Jimmy's hand with his 'paper' palm. "I win!"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Sat 08 Aug 2020.

"Oww!" Gary yelled, pulling back his hand from the slap. "That's doesn't count, Sara had scissor. And scissor beats rock."

"So what?" Jimmy countered. "Paper beats rock. And I beat two rocks with one paper. I win!"

"But Sara was showed scissor." Gary objected. "And scissor beats paper. So you lose."

"That just means that both of your rocks beat Sara's scissor." Jimmy said with a big smile on his face. "And then my big paper came around and slapped the shit out of you!!! Hahaah!" And with that he slapped Gary's hand again.

"Owww!!!" Gary yelled

"HAhahah! I win! I win!" Jimmy said and he did a little dance, sort of jig, moving his hips and arms in a celebration of his victory

Sara glowered for a moment... then, her face smoothed out. "Fine," she said blandly, almost succeeding in hiding her irritation. "You go and talk to the robot."

Kevin transitions more smoothly than Sara does, having already planned for just such an occurrence. He's instantly smiling cheerfully, and says, "Yeah, I agree, you won. You win, you get to ring the doorbell!"

"I was really gonna do it anyway. I just like playing paper, scissor rock." Jimmy said and he made his way out of the bushes and ran up to the front door. When he approached the house, he started to hesitate, the true nature of ringing the doorbell or knocking on the door of an evil robot-neighbor perhaps affecting his bravery.

"Can I tell you something? He's OK. But I just wish he wasn't such a jerk sometimes." Gary said to Kevin and Sara. It was clear that he wanted them to weigh in on Jimmy's behavior.

As he ducks into the hiding spot, just peeking out, Kevin gives a nod of agreement. "Yeah. Weird thing is, I don't think he means to be one. Sometimes it's really hard to think before you say stuff."

Rather than weigh in, Sara began making her way towards the back door, with an eye to sneaking in like she said she would. Not like they'd even see much from there...

As Sara made her way towards the house, she came across something in her path: It was rat. Ugly and fat. It had a long tail. Its small hands were held up to its mouth and it was nibbling on something with sharp teeth.

Separately, Kevin heard a sound next to him in the bushes. He spied a long rat tail. It protruded from the bush just a few inches next to him. There was a foul smell like something the rat was eating or the rat itself was rotten. It was a sweet, putrid smell. The kind of smell from a garbage can.

Stealth is no longer a consideration for Kevin. In that moment, he totally forgets everything that they were actually trying to do. He lets out a yelp of fear and jumps back out of the bushes, right into the open. Complete with commentary, "Ew, yuck, gross!"

Sara stopped in her tracks. Her first instinct was not so different from Kevin's... but then curiosity prevailed. She bent forward to take a closer look.

Sara stopped in her tracks to examine it. She peered forward to see that the rat had small, beady, red eyes and a hooked nose. One, jagged tooth shot out from the left side of it's snout. Its tail curled alongside its foot and jutted out in front of its feet.

"GROSS! A RAT!!" Gary yelled, jumping up from the bushes at the rat that Kevin had saw and called out. Sara could hear the yelling from the bushes behind her. Gary grabbed a hold of Kevin's shoulder almost instinctively.

"Look! Gross!" Gary pointed out, even though Kevin had just pointed it out a moment earlier.

Sara stood and watched the rat, disgust vying with morbid fascination. Is that what rats are supposed to like? Could Tomkins take it in a fight?

Kevin nods quickly to Gary, backing up even further. He looks up, and spots Sara looking at another one, and says, trying hard not to sound as scared as he actually is, "Maybe we should come back later?"

Another one scurried out of the bushes and up a tree.



"Let's get outta here!" Gary yelled, jumping up and down in grossed-out gesture. Than he turned around and ran.

Sara ignored the cowardly boys, sidestepping the rat and the tree as she tried to get closer to the house. Why would a robot's house have so many rats around it? That didn't make much sense...

As if disturbed by all of the movement, they came out from everywhere like they were disturbed. They came out of the bushes and within a few seconds the steady trickle had become a stampede of brown fur and black beady eyes. They flowed like a muddy river, not deviating from their erratic course in all directions.

One headed directed towards Sara and another towards Kevin. Gary stammered backwards as a stream of rats ran towards him, their teeth bared and claws scratching at the air.

Kevin had been opening his mouth to yell to Jimmy and Sara to run, but then the swarm appears, and his yell turns into a scream.

He turns and runs as fast as his legs will carry him.

Okay, that was too much. Turning on instinct, Sara darted sideways. She didn't scream - at least, she didn't think she did - but her eyes felt like they were going to burst out of their sockets.

OOC: Sara and Kevin give up defence in running.

Foot Chase!

Both Sara and Kevin roll Stamina + Athletics + !

16:43, Today: Kevin rolled 1 success using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s.  Stamina + Athletics + 1.

Kevin ran as fast as he could. Behind him, he could hear the furry bodies of the rats picking their way through the autumn leaves and grass and making headway towards him as if moved by some collective mind.

OOC: 20:05, Today: Storyteller failed (no successes) using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,5,3,5,3)).

But Kevin was fast. He managed to outrun the rats, turning away from the property and down Rodeo Drive.

OOC: Kevin Joins Thread

Kevin: That Was Close!

OOC: Oops, sorry, got sidetracked with other things for a bit and forgot to check this game.

23:55, Today: Sara rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((8,4,2,7,4)).

OOC: 12:17, Today: Storyteller rolled 4 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,9,10(+5),9,9)).


The rats swarmed through the yard as Sara made her way back towards the street. Suddenly felt a the heavy weight of a rat's body land on her leg. Another one jumped and was temporarily caught on her shirt. A third one clung to her arm.

OOC: 12:18, Today: Storyteller rolled 1 success using 3d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((6,8,1))


That's when Sara felt a sharp pinch on her hand. Looking down, she saw one of the rats sink its teeth into the back of her hand.

OOC: Sara suffers 1 lethal damage.

Sara cried out and waved her hand frantically, trying to get the rat off while also continuing her increasingly uncoordinated effort to escape.

Sara rolls Stamina + Athletics + 1

OOC: 22:18, Today: Sara rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((4,6,4,7,8)).

Sara managed to run into the hedges near the adjacent yard. She could hear the rats scurrying through the leaves, their sharp claws and teeth scratching as they made their way towards her.

Emerging from the other side of the hedges, she saw Jimmy.

"What the heck? You guys chicken or what? You asked me to go ring the doorbell and I did. And then you all ran away." He said, beaming at the fact that he was the only one who had rung the bell and totally oblivious to the threat from the rats.

Sara slowed and silently pointed at the rats. For a moment, she felt slightly embarrassed... but there were so many of them!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:53, Wed 23 Sept 2020.

"So what?" Jimmy said, moving towards the rats. Then suddenly one jumped up at him.

"Ehhh!" He yelled. "I'm not about this. Gross! Let's go!" And he started to run away towards Rodeo Drive

Sara ran after him for a while... then took a turn. Maybe the rats will chase Jimmy now instead? He's not as fast...

Sara ducked away and into the brush. It was nighttime now in the neighborhood. And it was dark. Dark and pitch black.

She heard the scurrying of rats behind her. But as she ran their squeaks and scratches faded in the distance.

After a short while, Sara stopped. She could hear her breath, feel her heart pounding.

Jimmy was gone. Sara was alone. It dawned on her that it was way past her bedtime and that tomorrow was Halloween night. She could either head home or stay out even later...

She headed home. She still had to work on her costume...

OOC: Sara Joins Thread

Sara: Halloween Night