Chapter 2: Transmitter

The snow on the sides of the road was splattered with dirt and gravel. Robecca barely saw Ghoulia standing near the steps outside the school in a blue coat, turquoise gloves and matching earmuffs that had been a gift from Cleo. The sun had set, leaving the sky in fading shades of orange and blue. "Ghoulia, I do hope I did not keep you waiting long. I had to sneak away from Ms. Kindergrubber, you know how she is."

Ghoulia reassured her she hadn't, but that they should get going before anyone found them. She also told her the main door to the catacombs inside was locked. There was another entrance nearby, but it was out in the graveyard.

"Are you sure you know the way?"

Ghoulia moaned a definite 'yes'.

"Splendid!"

They left the pale light of the streetlights behind. It was completely dark by the time they reached the graveyard. Even with the light coming from Robecca's goggles it was hard to see, the snowy paths between the gravestones practically disappeared in the darkness. The surrounding trees might as well have been shadowy hands crawling out of the ground. Somewhere an owl screeched.

"Do you recognize anything?"

Ghoulia tilted her head, trying to find a hint of any of the landmarks she knew. Then she saw it. She pointed toward the old mausoleum in the distance and said the entrance was inside. It was good that she knew the way, because Robecca's sense of direction was nearly shot. They walked side by side, their arms occasionally brushing against each other. On the way Ghoulia told her all about the time she had to sneak home late after a date with Slo-Mo, and how her parents nearly caught her. She had found the secret entrance then, and had used it as a short cut to the Zombie Path ever since.

It wasn't long before they found themselves in the mausoleum's shadow. The doors in front of them were worn with age and opened with a big shove. Once they were inside, the chill in the night air along with the dampness of the mausoleum made Ghoulia shiver. Almost. Noticing her friend's discomfort, Robecca took Ghoulia's hands in hers to warm them up again. "Here look. Built in heating."She said with a laugh.

Ghoulia could feel how warm her hands were getting in seconds. She might as well have been putting them near a furnace. There were perks to having a friend with a built in boiler, but she knew Robecca hadn't always been that way. When she had first found her, smashed to pieces, she had been as cold as ice.

Behind the coffin in the center was a concrete slab, and when they pushed it out of the way, it revealed stairs leading down into the catacombs. Robecca's goggles provided just enough light so they could navigate the stairs and through the series of tunnels back toward Monster High. After a short while of walking they reached the old lab near the SKRM track where Robecca had been reassembled. Unlocking the door, Ghoulia explained that the part she had found was a transmitter. She was sure it belonged in Robecca's head near her mechanical brain, but she had to refer to her blueprints to be sure. And it wouldn't take long to reinstall.

"I see. I must admit I have been quite…'scatterbrained' lately. Do you really think this will help?"

Ghoulia told her she was sure it would. The transmitter would help the signals in her brain travel around more easily, and help her thoughts become more focused.

"Oh I certainly hope so."

Even though her main systems ran through superheated steam, the more delicate ones in her head ran through a series of winds like those found in a music box. Robecca had to be careful not to get too wound up, figuratively and literally, or something could go wrong. It wasn't too difficult for Ghoulia to get the transmitter running. Once it was attached she adjusted the frequency and then clicked the panels on the side of Robecca's head back into place, being careful so none of her dark hair would get caught.

It would still be a few minutes until Robecca woke up again, so Ghoulia used the time to get her things together.

Two mechanical eyelids fluttered open."…Ghoulia?"

The zombie girl went over to her and asked her how she felt.

"I-…I am not sure. I do not feel different." Robecca slowly sat up. "Do I look different?"

Ghoulia shook her head and told her it could take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two to start noticing any big changes.

Robecca was glad she left her window unlocked. Climbing up the wooden trellis on the side of the house wasn't easy, she almost fell twice, but it beat trying one of the doors and having Ms. Kindergrubber catch her. Ideally she would have been able to use her rocket boots and land on the roof, but they would make too much noise. She also didn't think she would have a good explanation if Ms. Kindergrubber asked her why she smelled like smoke and leather.

Once she was in she shut the window and drew the curtain. She was about to turn the light on when she heard a small noise near the door. She froze, it couldn't be. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small shape close to the ground. What a relief.

"Captain Penny. Shh, it is alright." she whispered. She made her way over to her penguin, bumping into her end table in the dark on the way, and picked him up. "Are they asleep?"

He looked up at her and shook his head, after a moment he wanted to be put down again. She turned the light on and looked at her clock. It was after midnight.

Robecca ran her brush through her hair to get rid of any obvious knots before she went to sleep. Not that she really needed to sleep, but Ghoulia had recommended that with this new transmitter in place, sleep would help her process things she couldn't while she was awake. When she was done, she picked up her bottle of hair oil so she could smooth some through her ends. But as she did a small memory flashed through her mind, of a bottle similar to this she saw years before her accident. She couldn't fully make out what was on the label, other than something written on the bottom in black ink. Before she could recall anything else the memory was gone, and the bottle in her hand said 'Hair Oil' again. Curiosity ticked through her mind, and Robecca turned the bottle over in her hand to see if anything else would happen. Nothing did.

This must be what Ghoulia was tocking-talking! Oh, I did it again…

She eyed the bottle, and then put it back on her dresser for good. She sat on the edge of her bed, the gears in her head turning. What was in that other bottle? Was it important?

On the other side of the bed Captain Penny pecked at something on the floor. He managed to lift one end with his flipper, but it slipped. He tried again and clamped it securely in his beak. Proud of himself, he waddled around the bed and stopped at Robecca's feet.

"What have you got there?" she took it from his mouth and realized it was her letter! "Oh my, I nearly forgot about this!" She lifted her penguin up on the bed with her, who looked at the letter, then at her, then to the letter again. "You want to know what it says too?"

Captain Penny chirped in agreement.

"You do? I am not sure. There is no stamp or return address. It seems a bit suspicious."

He started to peck at it again.

"Alright, I will open it.

She slid her finger along the top of the envelope and pulled out the paper. She unfolded it and instantly she recognized the handwriting. She couldn't believe it, after all these years he was still around, and he had found her.

"Banejamin?"

Captain Penny made a little noise that sounded like confusion, but Robecca didn't notice. Her old friend, how long had it been since she had seen him? One hundred years at least! But how could that be? She was so sure she would never see him again ever since…

You're alive?! Banejamin, how did you find me?

She got up from the bed and held the letter to her chest. She could see him in her mind now, curly dark hair, tanned skin, and endless curiosity. Adventurous but never reckless, always well thought out and observant. "Can you believe it Penny? After all these years I- what?"

The little penguin didn't share her enthusiasm. In fact, he looked the opposite of thrilled.

"I remember, you never liked Banejamin much did you?"

He shook his head with defiance.

"Come on now. You think he was that bad?"

Captain Penny made another little noise and hopped down from the bed.

"Where are you going?"