Ash G
Ashley rubbed his hands together, shifting into Taylor. Taking a deep breath, he opened Isaac's door.
"Ike!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide, "I... sorry to barge in, but, but..."
He looked around nervously.
"Where's Saku?"
Isaac
Isaac looked up at Taylor.
"Isn't he with Zac?" Isaac asked. "Dang... you don't think that the kidnappers got to him already do you? We only found out yesterday..."
Ash G
"Zac... Zac's gone out. Looking for him. Oh my God..."
Ashley put his head in his hands, pretending to be in shock.
"They can't have gotten here this quick Ike, no way..."
Isaac
Isaac shook his head incredulously.
"Man, this is... this can't be happening."
He stood up and started pacing.
Ash G
Ashley hesitated, and gulped.
"I'm gonna..." he began, going towards the door, "I'm gonna tell the animals. Keep an eye out, right?"
He opened the door and stepped through, keeping an eye out for Zac.
Isaac
"Okay," Isaac said.
He continued pacing.
"Ike, stop pacing. C'mon think... I should call Zac. Check if he needs any help. Yeah, good idea Ike."
He went looking for his phone.
Ash G and Taylor
Ashley closed the door behind him, quickly turning into Isaac.
That's when he saw Taylor coming down the hallway.
"Tay!" he exclaimed, rushing up to him.
"What? What? What?" Taylor looked worried all of a sudden.
"It's Saku. Have you seen him?"
"No..." Taylor looked around worriedly, "why? Where... where's Zac?"
"He's out looking for him," Ashley ran his fingers through his hair, "he's... after that kidnapping warning yesterday? Oh man..."
"Ok Ike, cool it..." Taylor began gently, wondering why their roles had suddenly reversed for once, "I'll... I'll tell the animals... we'll find him."
Taylor gulped, as Ashley nodded.
"Ok, I'm gonna find Zac."
And Ashley began down the hallway towards the elevators.
Isaac and Zac
"Well, I don't know why Tay told you that," Zac was saying. "Saku's with me, and perfectly safe."
Isaac frowned.
"I don't know either. Maybe someone gave him false information. But why?"
"Playing some sort of sick joke? Who would do that?"
Silence.
"Ashley," they said together.
"We still haven't gotten him back yet, y'know."
"Yeah, we should. Any ideas?"
"Hmm... we could... play along with his little joke..."
"Ahh, prospects. If Ash contacts me, I'll tell him Saku really is missing."
"And then after we've gotten him genuniely worried, you can come back and we can all pretend to know nothing about it."
"Yeah. This'll be fun!"
They made a few more plans, then hung up.
Taylor and Ash G
Ashley knew he had to find Zac and Saku before either Ike or Taylor did.
Meanwhile, a confused look crossed Taylor's face.
"Are you sure?"
"Defin Tay."
He frowned slightly.
"How long ago was it?"
"Secon. Saw wit my own eye."
Taylor nodded.
"Thanks girl."
The bird flew off, and Taylor headed back inside. What the heck was going on?
Ike had said he was going to find Zac. Well, if Saku was with Zac, he might have been back. He knocked on his door.
"Ike? You there?"
Isaac
Isaac opened up the door.
"Hey, Tay," he said. "I was just on my way down to the lobby."
He wondered if this was actually Taylor or Ash.
Taylor
"The lobby?" Taylor looked confused.
"Well, if you're still looking for Zac..." he looked him up and down, wondering why he looked so calm all of a sudden, "a bird told me that he has Saku. I don't know what you were going on about..."
Isaac
"What I was going on about?" Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Tay, walk this way."
He stared towards the elevator.
"I just got off the phone with Zac, and found out that Saku's just fine. Before that you came to my room and said that he was missing - or was it really Ash, trying to cause trouble?"
Taylor
"I what?" Taylor frowned, "Ike, I haven't seen you since before breakfast."
He hesitated.
"If it was really Ashley, he's really starting to grind my nerves. But if he was going to work this right, he'd be looking for Zac, right?"
Isaac
Isaac grinned broadly.
"And Zac's going to tell him that Saku's missing. We're going to turn some tables, Tay, and make this little prank of Ash's backfire."
He rubbed his hands together gleefully.
Taylor
Taylor chuckled.
"How long have we been saying we'd get him back man? We have to think of something big one day."
He rubbed his chin.
"Where is Zac, anyway?"
Isaac
"We've been saying we'll get him back for a long time," Isaac grinned. "Zac is shopping with Saku - refilling his Saku supplies."
They headed down to the lobby.
"If Ash asks, I'm here to keep an eye out for Saku, in case he manages to escape his captors and get back," Isaac grinned maliciously.
Ash G and Taylor
Ok, Ashley had no idea of where Zac was. Oh well.
He stepped out of a nearby bathroom as Zac. Spotting Isaac and Taylor, he made his way over.
"Zac?" Taylor frowned slightly.
"Hey guys. Do you know if the lunch bar is set up yet?"
"Should be in an hour or so," Taylor glanced at Ike.
Isaac
Isaac nodded.
"How fares the search, Zac?"
Ash G and Taylor
"Search?" Ashley tried to look innocent.
Making Zac look innocent was something.
"What search?"
Taylor kept the confused look from his face. Isaac had told Zac about Ashley's prank so... Ok, this was Ashley.
Isaac
"It's good to know you're so concerned about the consequences," Isaac replied, tolerably.
Well, now, this was going to be interesting.
Ash G and Taylor
"Consequences?" Ashley raised an eyebrow, "look Ike, I don't know what you're talking about. Now if I don't get back to Saku, he's going to worry."
"Well, we were told Saku was missing..." Taylor folded his arms and stepped in front of him.
"Really? By who?" Ashley frowned, "look this is no time to play around..."
Isaac
Isaac shook his finger at Ashley.
"See, now this is what happens when you turn your back on Saku. He goes missing," Isaac said disgustedly. "I can't believe you just left him alone like that!"
Ash G and Taylor
"I did not turn my back on Saku!" Ashley exclaimed, anger showing in Zac's face.
"And if you don't mind, I am going back to him. Mom and Dad were watching him while I came down, alright?!"
Taylor stepped back a little, outbursts not exactly his thing anymore.
Isaac and Zac
Meanwhilst, Zac decided to cause some of his own mischeif and dialed Ash's phone.
"Saku is -" Isaac began, when he heard the phone ring. "Okay, that's not mine..."
Ash G and Taylor
Ashley put his finger up as if to silence them both, then headed for the elevator.
He took the phone out of his pocket and answered, changing his voice back to his own.
"Yo?"
Taylor frowned as he watched after him.
"He's pushing it," he said simply.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac nodded.
"Ash? Oh thank goodness," Zac said, putting on a frantic tone. "I've been trying to call everyone, But I swear they're either talking to other people or their phones are off or something - Saku's been kidnapped!"
Ash G
"Hey man, calm down," Ashley insisted, getting into the elevator and closing the doors.
He made sure there weren't any security cameras, and shifted back into himself.
"Well Ike and Tay know. I can tell your parents, we can get onto it right away."
Zac
"How can Ike and Tay know? YOu're the first freaking person I've been able to tell!" Zac wailed.
Ash G and Taylor
Ashley frowned.
"There is absolutely no way you'd call me before Ike or Tay, and their phones are working absolutely fine. Well, I dunno about Tay's, but Ike's is."
Taylor pursed his lips.
"So what do we do now?"
Zac and Isaac
"Well don't ask me," Zac replied. "Maybe he was on the freaking phone already when I called. Geez, what's your problem, Ash? You're questioning why I'm calling you, when my son is missing! Damn I turned my back for two seconds... Two seconds!"
Isaac shrugged.
"Wait I guess."
Ash G
"I wasn't questioning anything! Look, settle. Well, try anyway. We'll get some locators onto it. Dimension hoppers if we have to."
Ashley leant back againstt he rail before the door opened, and he made his way back towards the rooms.
"Look, I'm on our floor now. I'll tell your parents. Where were you when it happened?"
Zac and Isaac
"Fish shop. Getting some frozen fish for... for Saku. Look I'm, I'm gonna continue looking. Talk to you later."
Zac hung up then called Isaac and filled him in. Isaac turned to Taylor with a smirk.
"Zac just told Ash that Saku was missing. He's on his way back here."
Ash G and Taylor
Ashley put his phone away, and knocked on Walker and Diana's door.
Taylor nodded.
"Cool. Guilt trip on Ashley's behalf or what?" he chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac grinned evilly. It wasn't long before Zac and Saku arrived at the hotel.
"Hey guys," Zac said. "I'm hungry. Lunch ready yet?"
Ash G and Taylor
"You know, the other Zac asked the same thing," Taylor chuckled, "hey Saku."
He reached out a tickled Saku's neck.
"I think he's gone to tell Mom and Dad."
Isaac and Zac
"Well, at least he can play me right," Zac chuckled. "Okay so here's the plan... when we next see Ash we don't know what he's talking about. After all, Saku is quite well, huh?"
"'Es," Saku replied.
"So, we just hang around here for a bit then?" Isaac asked.
Ash G and Taylor
"Maybe someone should call Mom and tell her not to worry," Taylor looked worried for a moment, "then again, he's probably there now. I think lunch is out actually... I should probably find Mouse and get something to eat."
Ashley waited and waited, but there was no answer. Frowning, he tried the doorknob. Locked. Ok...
Isaac and Zac
"Good stuff," Zac said, picking up Saku and headed for the food.
"Well, look, if Mom and Dad find out, we can tell them the truth - that Ash was pulling a prank in bad taste," Isaac shrugged. "If we call, well, that's just... yeah..."
Ash G and Taylor
Taylor rolled his eyes and headed for the elevator, going back up to the rooms.
When Ashley saw him step out, he headed over.
"Hey Tay!"
"Ash?" Taylor looked confused for a moment.
"Yeah. Look, Zac called and said Saku was missing. Do you know where your parents are?"
"I... thought they went sight-seeing or something," Taylor shook his head, "they're getting ready to leave. What do you think?"
Ashley frowned.
"Don't start with me when your nephew has been kidnapped."
"Go and ask Ike. He's in the lobby. Which you should know. I, meanwhile, am going to find my wife-to-be."
And Taylor disappeared through their door. Ashley scowled, and headed for the elevators again. Tay could seem more worried, really. At least pretend to be worried.
Taylor groaned as he heard Ashley walk away.
Mouse
Mouse hummed slightly as she dragged a heavy brush through Fafnir's fur. It was a bit annoying managing to move her heavily pregnant belly about but the close link with her Pack was something she needed to do occasionally.
Fafnir's tail beat lazily against the floor as he sighed in contentment. Bets watched, muzzle propped up on her paws.
None of them looked up as Taylor entered the room.
"Problems, amour?" Mouse asked.
Taylor
"Oh God," Taylor rolled his eyes, and made his way over to her.
"Ash is pulling pranks, and now Ike and Zac are reversing the roles. On the grounds that Saku is missing, that is."
He knelt behind her, put his hands on her shoudlers, and gave her a small massage.
"It's almost lunchtime though."
Mouse
"Yes. Food. Good idea." Mouse gave Fafnir's coat one more stroke, then got clumsily to her feet.
"I'll just go wash my hands."
She went into the bathroom.
You know, playing pranks that the kitten is missing is really not a good idea. There've been...things. Fafnir twitched slightly.
Death, decay and the stink of old blood... Bets shuddered. Not a good game to play.
Taylor
"Ashley doesn't mean it in that way," Taylor insisted, "but I have a feeling he's going to regret it this time."
He lay back on the bed, waiting for Mouse.
Mouse
He doesn't mean it that way. But there's been some things lurking around that do. Fafnir huffed a sigh.
Mouse came back out and smiled at Taylor.
"Let's go get something to eat."
Zac and Isaac
"Y'know Zac, I think Saku needs more variety in his diet. Raw meat, milk and water? All the time? I mean, c'mon..." Isaac was saying.
"Yeah... I was thinking of inventing a fish thickshake."
Isaac shook his head.
"Oh look, there's Ash now."
Ash G and Taylor
Ashley frowned when he spotted them... and Saku.
Groaning to himself, he made his way over.
"Guys? What the hell is going on?"
Meanwhile, Taylor began to lead Mouse down to get some food.
Isaac and Zac
"Hey Ash," Zac said cheerfully. "We're having lunch."
"I was just telling Zac that Saku needs some more variety is his diet," Isaac said. "I've seen cats eat grass..."
"Isn't that to help them get furballs out or something?" Zac asked.
Saku just drank his milkshake.
Mouse
"Grass is for furballs, yes," Mouse said as she headed towards getting food.
"But cats do eat other non-meat things..."
She looked at Saku thoughtfully.
"He probably should. He is half alien."
Ash G and Taylor
Ashley eyed everyone warily as he sat at a table.
"He should be eating normal stuff too," Taylor shook his head, putting his arms around Mouse and swaying her with a grin on his face.
Mouse
"Yes indeed," Mouse said, smiling as she laced her hands over Taylor's.
"Vegetables, yuck." Saku made a face.
"You don't know if you'll like it till you try it."
"No." Saku got a stubborn look on his face.
Zac and Isaac
"Here," Isaac said. "Try some of this. It's called salad."
"Ike you are such a -"
"Not in front of Saku, Zac."
Zac poked his tongue out at him.
"And that's real mature too."
"I was only following your example."
Mouse
Saku kept his mouth closed.
"And what a fun game this is going to turn out to be," Mouse said dryly.
"Make Saku eat proper food."
Taylor and Ash G
"Yes, do," Taylor insisted.
"Ok guys, this is driving me nuts," Ashley insisted, standing up and shaking his head.
"One second Zac calls and is all 'I can't get hold of anyone, Saku's been kidnapped!' and the next you're all acting as if nothing happened. Now what the heck is going on?!"
Zac and Isaac
Zac frowned at Ash.
"Why would I say that?" he asked. "Saku's been with me all day."
"Such a prank would be in really poor taste, especially after Mordred's call yesterday," Isaac nodded. "Okay, Saku, you eat some of this salad and I'll make the rubber mouse run around the hotel room when we get back up."
"Bribary?"
"Just until he gets a tatse for it."
"I don't think you should be bribing him."
"Mom and Dad never let us get away with not eating our veges - if he doesn't bribe, I'll have to blackmail."
"Ike..."
"Yes?"
"Never mind."
Mouse
Mouse giggled slightly.
"No." Saku closed his mouth again stubbornly.
"Ok...Saku, eat your vegetables." Mouse leaned in closer to the kitten. "Or I won't let Fafnir take you hunting."
Saku scowled, then sighed.
"Ok."
"Good boy."
Zac and Isaac
"Go Mouse," Isaac grinned.
"I wonder if you can get fish flavour salad dressings," Zac mused.
Isaac gave him a look.
"What? Hey if it encourages him to eat fruit and veges..."
Mouse
"Ceaser salad or something like that?" Mouse suggested.
"It's got fish in it..."
Saku looked at her and finished his milkshake.
Zac and Isaac
Zac nodded.
"Yeah, that'll work."
"I like Ceaser salad wraps," Isaac mused. "Actually, they can have chicken in them, I bet Saku would like that."
Ash G and Taylor
Ashley just shook his head and sat down again, wondering what was going on.
"He should like chicken, have you tried that yet?" Taylor asked Zac, "and meanwhile, all this talk of food is making me hungry."
Isaac and Zac
"Umm, no I don't think I have," Zac said. "We'll do that next. Maybe KFC."
"That's all Saku needs. Fatty foods."
"But... he's a cat..."
"Why don't you go get some lunch, Tay?" Isaac said. "Food is right over there screaming 'eat me'."
Mouse
"Me too. We did come down to get lunch..."
Mouse started to make herself a sandwich.
Saku watched her solemnly.
"Would you like to try some, Saku?" Mouse asked.
The kitten nodded slowly, so Mouse cut off a bit and gave it to him.
He ate it thoughtfully in tiny bites.
Taylor
"I might just do that," Taylor pulled a face, then made his way over to the buffet.
He grabbed a plate of food, then brought it back to the tables.
Mouse
"Food doesn't scream," Mouse pointed out, pausing in feeding Saku parts of her lunch.
"Unless it's alive first. Then it usually does scream, but not 'eat me'."
She grinned.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac poked his tongue out at her.
"Ike, there are just some things we don't wanna see."
"Shush you."
Mouse
"There are some things I just didn't want to read, yet nonetheless, you and Faith kept typing," Mouse said, smiling slightly.
"Very disturbing."
Isaac and Zac
"I can imagine," Isaac nodded.
Zac grinned broadly.
"But, but..." he joked.
Mouse
"No. Bad boy."
Mouse shook her head slightly, grinning.
"T.M.I."
Zac and Isaac
"I know," Zac grinned. "Very bad. But how can I not say those things to Faith? She's just so -"
"I'm with Mouse on this, Zac. Don't wanna know," Isaac cut in.
Mouse
"Uh huh." Mouse nodded. "Much too much. We pure and innocent types should not be contaminated."
She grinned.
Saku just looked from one to the other and frowned slightly.
Zac and Isaac
"I agree," Isaac said. "And on that note, lets change the subject to something more Saku-friendly."
Zac muttered something about virgin ears.
"What was that Zac?"
"I said, native warriors carry spears."
"Uh huh."
Mouse
"I would kick you, but it's so much effort," Mouse sighed.
"Kick him for me, Ike?"
Isaac and Zac
"Sure."
And Isaac kicked Zac.
"Ow!" Zac objected. "That hurt."
"That was the idea."
Mouse
"Thank you, Ike."
Mouse grinned.
"Let that be a lesson to you, young Zac."
Isaac and Zac
"It was my pleasure Mouse," Isaac grinned.
"I'm sure it was," Zac replied, rubbing his leg. "Take that."
"Take what?" Isaac asked as he lifted his drink to his lips. "Ahh! Zac!"
Zac grinned, having cooled his brothers coffee.
Taylor and Ash G
Taylor rolled his eyes and continued eating.
Ashley had been eyeing them all very carefully. Finally, he stood.
"I'm going back up to my room."
And with that, he departed.
Mouse
Mouse giggled slightly.
"He's all confused...what did you two do?"
She looked at Ike and Zac mock-sternly.
"Tay's too nice to be involved..."
Taylor
Taylor grinned, then got up and went over to her.
"Now that kind of quote I could get used to," he grinned, kissing her in thanks.
Mouse
"Anytime, cher, anytime."
Mouse smiled.
"I thought better of you, Ike...something like this is exactly like Zac, however."
Isaac and Zac
"Ash brought it on himself," Isaac said. "He tried to fool me - and Tay - into thinking Saku had been kidnapped. But I was smart and called Zac."
Zac grinned.
"We turned the tables on him and made him think Saku really had been. That's why Ash was so confused then - he saw Saku with us, alive and well. And that's the way I like him."
"You also like him asleep."
Mouse
"Well..."
Mouse frowned slightly.
"That puts a whole new spin on events."
Taylor
"We've been trying to get him back for tricking us for quite some time," Taylor insisted, wrapping his arms around Mouse again and placing his hands over her abdomen.
"He keeps pretending to be one of us and tricking the others, kinda thing. When was that... I think it was January or February the last time?"
Isaac and Zac
"Yeah," Isaac said.
"We should come up with something really good," Zac said maliciously. "Something that'll really -"
"We keep saying that and we never do anything..." Isaac chuckled.
Mouse
Mouse leaned back into Taylor's arms.
"Too busy, that's probably why. Ash needs...something to do. Other then play pranks. I'd offer ideas, but..."
She shrugged slightly.
Taylor
"We really do need to think of something though," Taylor insisted, "he's been pranking us for way too long. I think we got him back a few times when it started, but since then..."
He shook his head.
"He'll get what's coming to him eventually. Maybe Mindy freaking out was punishment from God or something."
Isaac and Zac
Zac laughed.
"Could be," Isaac grinned.
"We need to plot something really good," Zac nodded.