To kick off 2018, I'm helping MiloMurphysBlawg on Tumblr with a fan project of revisiting the entire 1st season of Milo Murphy's Law! And here's my episode of choice - 'Perchance to Sleepwalk'! In 3, 2, 1...ROLL IT!
It's a calm, warm, early fall day in Danville. The leaves haven't started turning yet and we see the trio of Milo Murphy, Melissa Chase and Zack Underwood walking through the woods near the Underwoods' woodland villa, used only during the summer.
"I love nature...when there's not a fire, of course..." the jinxed boy mused. "The trees, the sky, the chirping birds, the fresh smell of leaves, the cruel indifference of larger animals devouring smaller animals, flowers, pine cones and the annoying nibble of small woodland creatures that have no idea what personal space is," Milo explained. "Isn't this the perfect spot?"
"Yeah," Zack confirmed. "And not too far from my folks if we need anything."
"You sure they don't wanna join us, Zack?" Melissa asked.
"They have a slightly different definition of 'roughing it'," Zack answered.
Eileen and Marcus Underwood's definition of 'roughing it'...not roughing it at all. Nice goin', Mr. and Mrs. Underwood! You left your son out in the open with a walking disaster area!
"Looking good, Milo!" Zack cheered as his and Milo's tent was set up. "Need any help with your tent, Melissa?"
Uh...Melissa's tent is a castle and she put it up by herself! Does it look like she needs help?
"I'm good, but maybe later you guys can help me dig up a moat," Melissa told the boys.
"I've been camping with Milo before, but not this far from a hospital."
"Aw, come on! We've been out here for 5 minutes and nothing's gone wrong!" Melissa assured Zack.
Cue squirrel stampede...
...and fallen tent...
...and instant campfire.
Meanwhile, with Cavendish and Dakota...
"I still can't believe Mr. Block thinks we fabricated the whole 'pistachios taking over the future' deal. Who in their right mind would make up something like that?" Dakota asked to his Steampunk partner.
"Someone who wanted to get off pistachio duty, I guess," Cavendish answered, establishing contact with Mr. Block.
This time, Cavendish and Dakota's mission was to stop a flock of red-beaked crows from destroying a critical strain of pistachios. This presents a problem for our time traveling friends. If they save the pistachios, they could doom the world again. So, what does Dakota suggest? DITCH DAY!
After a day of just messin' around, the duo stopped a downtown café...where they ran into that same flock of red-beaked crows that were projected to attack the strain of pistachio plants. That means the pistachios are safe! Double Uh-Oh! Fear not, Dakota's got a plan - lead them with his lindberger sandwiches!
Back at the campsite...
Milo, Melissa and Zack were roasting marshmallows out on their campfire, unwinding from their day.
"Hiking, climbing, fishing..." Melissa began.
"Pulling Milo out of the lake..." Zack added.
"It's been a full day," Melissa said.
Milo yawned as he headed for the makeshift tent set up by him and Zack. "I'm gonna sleep like a log...or some other sleepy wood-based object."
The trio bid each other good night...and outed Diogee...
"GOTCHA, DIOGEE! I knew you followed us!" Milo exclaimed, busting his dog. "You should go home, boy. This is no place for a dog."
Diogee whimpered as he headed home. However, before Milo, Melissa and Zack could sleep, Melissa got out of her tent and pulled Milo out.
"What's goin' on, Melissa?" the cursed boy questioned.
"Milo, I know you have a habit of sleepwalking; Zack doesn't," she began as she and Milo went back to her tent. "I think it'd be better if you slept with me, Milo. That way, I could keep an eye on you."
"But how would you do that? We're both gonna be asleep, remember?"
"I've got it covered, Milo..." Melissa said, rummaging through Milo's backpack, soon pulling out a dog collar with a bell on it and putting it on Milo. "There we go...now, should you sleepwalk, Zack and I will hear that bell ring and we can follow the sound of that bell to you. That way, we can get you back here before you venture out too far," she explained as she put her curlers in.
Milo smiled as he hugged Melissa. He didn't know why, but he felt something strange inside him whenever he was with Melissa. She was always there for him, no matter what.
Milo and Melissa took the same bunk that night. Later that night...the bell on Milo's collar rang.
"Yeah, maybe I will have cake..." he mumbled, waking Melissa.
'Game on...' Melissa thought to herself.
"Maybe we should follow the hippopotamus..." Milo whispered, waking Zack.
"Milo?"
Melissa yawned as she exited her tent, cup of coffee in hand and curlers in her hair. "What's going on, Zack?" she asked.
"Milo is sleep..." Zack began before noticing that Melissa was in curlers. "WAIT! You sleep in curlers?"
"And you sleep dressed as a mealworm?" Melissa retorted.
"Never mind that. Milo is sleepwalking!" Zack told Melissa as she took out her curlers.
"Well, let's follow the sound of the bell and bring him back to the campsite," the calm ginger explained to her cautious friend.
Yeah...easier said than done when Murphy's Law is in effect.
Let's recap what went wrong here...
Falling spiders - CHECK!
Smacked by an evergreen tree - YOU GOT IT!
Random family band - YEP!
Fallen trees - TIMBER!
Bald Eagle - CA-CAW!
Frogs? - RIBBIT!
Crows - Quoth the Raven, that's a yes!
Mud puddle - SLIME TIME!
Lookout tower - CRASH!
Pine cones? - Pineco, USE EXPLOSION!
Warthog? - Hakuna Matata!
Everything in the backpack becoming useless? - Unfortunate, but true.
Snakes? - It had to be snakes...
Flying off a cliff and getting nailed by your makeshift toboggan? - What else could go wrong?
Oh yeah, Milo getting stopped by a tree.
That was the end of Milo's sleepwalking journey. Meanwhile, Cavendish and Dakota have led the birds to the pistachio plants, where they proceed to destroy the strain. Unfortunately, they were outed by Brick and Savannah, who report them to Mr. Block. As punishment, Mr. Block demotes them to cleaning outhouses in the Renaissance while Brick and Savannah are on pistachio patrol. Of course, Brick's rage about the new assignment leads him and Savannah to get attacked by a bear.
Melissa and Zack's mission was more of a success as they were able to get Milo back to Melissa's tent just as the sun came up.
"Was I sleepwalking?" Milo asked.
"Yeah, you were, Milo..." Zack told his cursed friend.
"Well, I'm glad you guys got to me before I got too far!"
Uh, no they didn't! Melissa took off Milo's backpack and threw it at him...
"That's for worrying us half to death, Milo!" Melissa scolded.
...she then had a surprise for him.
"And this..." Melissa whispered, pecking him on the cheek. "...is for coming out of that whole debacle unharmed. I love you, Milo Murphy."
Milo blushed as Melissa pecked him...now the class jinx has plenty to think about...and one of those things is his relationship with Melissa. The question - does he like Melissa the same way she likes him?
Challenge complete! I already have the next chapters of 'Aftermath' and 'Time Force' in the works as well as a few more Milolissa shorts (I guess this counts as one...) coming up, so stay tuned for that. And as always...
IT'S MILO'S WORLD AND WE'RE ALL LIVING IN IT!
