Disclaimer: I do not own Legion or Southwest-Statistic.
Taken some inspiration from Black Christmas and When A Stranger Calls
Inside Ayla Ranzz's room…
There was a doll. Someone held it.
The doll had red hair spun from yarn, in a patchwork dress.
It's smile was stitched up with two red cheeks.
It's body was stuffed with, well, stuffing.
It smelled sweet and carried an aura of warmth and loving home.
"Made with tender loving care…"
And then it's head was ripped off.
…
"So what do you think?" Ayla asked.
"About what?" Ebony replied.
The two were in the steamy bathroom. The Girls First Bathroom. They swam in a large tub suited for ten girls, filled with warm water and covered in clouds of foamy bubbles. There was a fog of steam from the hot water. Ayla had a towel wrapped around her head. Ebony let her hair flow freely, like she always did. Piling up her kind of hair would be a crime to human nature.
"The phone calls." Ayla replied.
"Phone call." Ebony corrected.
"No, I heard Garth mention there was another one." Ayla informed. Ebony blew away some bubbles in her hand and let them pop in the air.
"You were eavesdropping?"
"There's eavesdropping and then there's just happening to overhear."
"That sounds so twisted for some reason." Ebony sighed. "Turn up the hot water?"
"Gotcha."
Ayla twisted the knobs. The water rushed, but the tub didn't overfill. The two sighed. It felt good.
"Girls?"
Knock-Knock.
"Almost done?"
Garth was at the door. He wouldn't dare come in, he had a towel wrapped around him and one over his shoulders. It felt good being clean again.
"Give us some more time!" Ayla responded.
"Okay. I'll get the lounge set up. But don't waste too much water." He lectured.
"We'll try not to!"
They sighed again.
"So…?" Ayla leaned in.
"So what?" Ebony asked again.
"Were you scared?"
"What makes you think I'm scared of Santa Claws?" Ebony asked.
"With a 'W' instead of a 'U'." Ayla replied. She reached for a bar of soap. "That scratching noise sounded so horrible, though."
"Yeah…" Ebony trailed off. "Can I be honest with you?"
The water was still running. Ebony felt herself getting lost in the warm, inviting sea. If only something hadn't kept her anchored to reality. That scratching noise, that poem. Ayla wasn't worried. They had Garth with them. A different one, but basically the same person. The same person as her loving big twin. Ebony was new to the experience of having a grown man look after them. She didn't have a dad. She just had mom, and then Marcie.
In her travels, she preferred mom and Garth. And Imra. But she wasn't here, although she reminded her of someone else, someone she missed but couldn't recall the face.
The rat slowly crept by the side, hidden by the steam. It's eyes following them around as the tossed words in the air. It started to like it's teeth expectantly.
"Shoot." Ayla said.
"Um, well, before dinner, I…" Ebony hesitated, before breathing in the aroma of the bath salts and lavender shampoo and giving in. "I heard a noise."
"What kinda noise?" Ayla asked so innocently.
"Scratching."
Ayla kept washing her face with the soap.
"It went, sk-"
"AAAH!!" Ayla screamed. She shielded her face. Ebony jumped. The water sloshed over the edges.
"What?! What?!"
"I got soap in my eyes!" Ayla tried to rub it away. Ebony sank back in the water and gave Ayla an undignified look.
"Hand me the wash cloth."
Ebony swam around, looking for it, to no avail. Ayla started sightlessly groping around the bath, she leaned for the edge near the wall. They didn't hear the rat hiss over the still running water. Or squeal as Ayla grabbed it and started dunking it in the water.
Dunk, dunk. Splash, splash, splash.
Ayla held the rat to her face and started to clean away some of the soap.
Dunk, dunk, dunk. Splash, splash. Dunk.
She did it again.
Dunk, dunk. Splash.
In her defense, it was now a very clean rat.
"That's better." She sighed and put the rat near the side. It stumbled around on the edge, smelling of soap and lavender, soaked to the bone, before falling off the side and scampering into the hole it chewed in the wall.
"Found it." Ebony held up the soaked cloth, dripping with foamy water.
"Thanks, but I'm good now." Ayla said. Ebony looked confused. There was only one cloth between the two of them.
…
"So, are you scared?" Ayla asked again. The two were by the bathroom counter in bathrobes. Ayla was sitting on the counter, littered with make-up, toothbrushes, and other stuff you'd find in a bathroom for girls. The water was draining, the foam dissipating. They were getting in their pajamas.
The radio was on. The demo of This Way by Southwest-Statistic. Very 90s Garage Skater Punk.
"I'm a little kid. Of course I'm scared." Ebony replied as she brushed the drying strands of raven locks.
"I wouldn't think you would be." Ayla was toweling off her head.
"What's that mean?"
"Nothing. Just that we have a grown-up with us." Ayla fixed. She almost forgot, they weren't supposed to talk about that.
"Why don't you call him Bro?" Ebony wondered.
"He's not MY bro, he's someone else's."
"He's basically the same." Ebony retorted. She didn't like the other Garth. She wasn't comfortable around teenagers. Not after the ones she'd seen on the news, working with Magog. "Only, y'know. Older. And more rugged."
"You mean hairier."
"Between the two of them it's hard to tell."
"I guess." Ayla kicked her legs in the air. "Who do you think Santa Claws is?"
"Obviously a Santa with claws." Ebony replied. As if there was a whole Kingdom of different species of Santa. Santa Claus, Claws, Clause, Cause, Causeway. She started looking through a pile of shirts for one to wear. "I mean, what'd you think with that name, he's a lawyer?"
"With claws." Ayla joked.
"He sounds like something from Goosebumps." Ebony thought out loud.
"What?"
"Nothing." Ebony pulled out a big pink shirt with the words Maison Ikkoku written on it to go with her small black pajama pants. The thing covered her like a dress. Ayla got dressed in a set of pale blue pajamas with bananas on them. A gift because of her thing with monkeys.
"Why now? It's not Christmas Eve yet." Ayla wondered. "But, it's probably Christmas somewhere in the universe." She started looking around for the hair dryer.
"Maybe he's the Santa who comes for the bad kids. Before Santa does. The one with a 'U', a mean." Ebony pondered. "You know, he probably doesn't think Santa is severe enough with the naughty ones, so he comes early and scares the sh!t out of the them."
"Don't use words like that, you're too little." Ayla told her. The three-year difference gave Ayla the right to, but the two had enough worldly experience between them. She pulled out a curler. It had Imra's name written on it, then hid it. Curls did not look good on her.
"Sorry. And Garth?"
"Well, he acts like a kid. He is a kid. So, maybe it includes the young at heart?"
"Maybe. But, what have we done to get put on the naughty list?" Ebony put that scenario out as Ayla finally found the hair dryer, then put the curler back at the thought of getting put on that infernal list.
"Uh, well…"
"Never mind." Ebony moped. "I've done plenty." Thank you, Marcie.
"I don't think sarcasm could count." Ayla relaxed and told her. "Or could it?
She plugged it in, not noticing the dial was set at full blast.
FWWWWSSH!!
Ebony yanked the plug out, making sure her hands weren't wet. She turned to Ayla, looking as wide-eyed as a deer in headlights, and laughed.
"Hey, check you out."
Ayla regained the ability to blink before her cheeks sagged back to their rightful place. She turned to the mirror. Rather then hair that curled at the end, she had a carrot colored afro.
"Who's up for some disco dancing?" Ebony laughed, thinking of whether or not Jazmin kept any afro combs in here.
"Shut up."
…
"Girls? Ready?"
Garth knocked on the door. He stood back, wearing black sweat pants, socks, and a green tank top, showing off that tattoo on his left arm. The two girls exited the bathroom.
"Ready." Ebony chirped as they walked down the hall.
"What took so long?" He quizzed.
"Ask Little Orphan Annie." Ebony jerked her thumb in Ayla's direction, after tirelessly getting her hair normal again.
"Shut up."
"Do I want to know?" He asked as he picked up Ebony. She held on to his neck.
"Maybe." She poked his nose and smiled deviously.
"Never mind." Garth put his hand to his forehead. He did not want to know.
"So, where exactly is everyone else?" Ebony asked, putting emphasis on 'exactly'. Garth began to run it down, but he wasn't getting into semantics.
"Simple." Garth started.
"1. Sun Woman is holding a coup on Mercury, getting an extra-charge since they were on the planet closest to the sun."
"2. The Dark Circle is trying to blow up one of the biggest churches on Venus."
"3. The Fatal Five rigged action-figures in Japan into walking WMDs."
"4. Micro Lad and some of the LSV have taken Doll World, a colony that orbited around Mars, hostage."
"5. The Devil's Dozen are, once again, trying to bring eternal night, which brings them into some contrast with Sun Woman's plans."
"Yeah, simple." Ebony rolled her eyes.
"What are we watching?" Ayla asked.
"Whatever's on, I guess." Garth mused.
In the lounge/living room, he set up a little area for them around the couch. Despite the size of the lounge itself, about the size of a gym, but even bigger then the gym they had, with an extra floor, the pillows, blankets, and snacks made the room feel small and cozy, making some of them forget about the calls.
"Comfy." Ayla plopped down on the couch and grabbed a bowl of popcorn. "Thanks."
"Oh, here." Garth handed Ebony a mug.
"Coffee?"
"Decaf."
"Should've known."
"Score 3 for Mr. Stay-At-Home Dad." Garth said to himself proudly.
"What?"
"What?"
Ayla rolled her eyes. Who needed TV when they had this?
…
And so, it began. They started with a comedy.
"You'll shoot your eye out! You'll shoot your eye out!"
"Poor kid." Garth murmured.
"Who gives their kid a Beebe gun?" Ayla asked. She sat next to him, holding a pillow against her chest.
"I once got a set of katanas for my birthday." Ebony said, sprawled on a pillow on the floor, flat on her stomach with her head once again leaning on her hands. They didn't want to know if she was kidding.
…
"I don't care how funny it was, that movie was just unrealistic." Ebony said. "A kid does not do that when dealing with two burglars."
"Where's your imagination?" Garth asked.
"I'll use my imagination when reality starts getting real again." Ebony explained.
"That actually reminds me of something me and Garth dealt with when we were younger." Ayla said.
"What?" They asked.
"Oh, well, some crazy guy thought we were elves and tried to break in."
"Why?" Ebony asked.
"Mekt."
"Figures." Garth said.
…
"We now return with Christmas With The Kranks."
"AAAHHH!!!" They screamed.
"CHANGE IT! CHANGE IT NOW!" Ayla ordered.
"I'm trying!" Garth fumbled around with the remote.
"…there were no survivors."
They collectively sighed.
"Oh thank God." Ebony wiped sweat from her forehead. "That was a close one."
…
The Double Dip Horror ended.
"The production values were shot." Ebony criticized as she sipped her decaf. She turned to her companions.
"What's wrong with you two?"
"N-nothing." Garth said.
"N-nothing at all." Ayla added.
You couldn't tell by the way Ayla clung to the side of Garth's head with dear life. Or the way all color had drained from their faces.
They probably shouldn't have watched a PG horror movie about a ghost that tried to kill twins.
...
"Zuzu's petals!"
They switched places. Ebony sat on the couch, legs folded. Ayla sat with her back leaning to the couch.
"Who would've thought one person could change the world so drastically?" Ebony asked. Garth nodded as he munched on a bag of chips.
"You have no idea." Ayla said.
…
The next movie was some dreck with Ernest Borgnine.
"Hey." Ayla turned from the screen, she was fiddling around with the popcorn bowl. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Garth patted the seat on his right, the left being occupied by Ebony.
"Who do you think Santa Claws is?" Ayla asked.
"Still on your mind?" He asked.
"Yeah…"
"He's nothing but some stupid prank played by stupid Esper." He said. "Don't worry."
"But what if there WAS a Santa Claws?" Ayla asked. "That scares the bad kids and cuts them-
"Don't talk like that."
Ayla nearly jumped at the seriousness in his voice.
"You've done nothing to deserve that kind of treatment from ANYONE. And don't let them tell you different."
Ebony peaked her eye open.
"Understand?" Garth asked.
"Yeah. I understand."
Ebony smiled. It suddenly felt warmer.
"That goes double for you-"
He stopped when he saw her resting her head on the pillow propped up on his left side. He smiled.
"I think it's time for bed."
RRRRIIIING!
That woke her up. The three turned to the phone. It rang ominously. The caller ID lit up.
UNKNOWN.
The two huddled to the adult. He didn't want the machine to get it. Or they'd hear whatever it was that was meant to scare them. He got up and picked it up.
"Don't!"
He motioned for silence. He held the phone and covered the mouth piece so they wouldn't hear him talk into it.
"Hello?"
Breathing, again. He motioned for them to stay where they were. Scared, they stuck their heads under the pillow and blankets.
"I know you're there. Now talk." He said irritated.
Just breathing.
"Okay, enough is eno-"
"Have you checked the children?"
He turned his head so sharply he got a burning pain in the back of his neck. They were still there. All the lights were on. No one else was there.
"Listen Esper. Cut the crap right now."
He was cut off by moaning. Erotic moaning. Becoming crying. And screaming. Craziness. And yelling. How many people were calling?
"Billy! Where is she, Billy?!"
"What the? Who?" This was mimicking that movie he was watching earlier, about obscene phone calls to a sorority house.
"What your mother and I must know is, where's Agnes, Billy?"
"There's no Billy. Come up with something origi-"
"Where's Agnes, Billy?!"
He lowered his voice. "There is no one-"
SSSKKRRRITTCCH!!!
"Daddy please! Please don't-"
GGKKT. THUMP.
"It's just like having a wart removed."
SCRATCH SCRATCH SCRATCH.
"You hear that Billy? That's what happens to bad little boys. Now where is Agnes?"
"There is no Agnes." His eyes started to glow.
"Don't play games with me you little f&*ker! Where is the damn baby?!"
HEEHEEHEEHEEEEEEEEE
"You better watch out, you better cry."
"You like that?"
"You listen to me you sick little-"
All the other sounds stopped and seriousness returned.
"I'm going to kill you."
CLICK
So matter of fact.
"What is it?" Ebony asked. "What's wrong?"
He held the phone next to the receiver but didn't hang it up. He needed to think of a diversion.
"You two, just, stick around. Watch some more TV." He smiled and told them. "Put on a holo. I've got a call to make."
The rats laughed in happiness.
…
"You told me they were going to stop, and I just got another one from that witch."
Garth was arguing with the warden and Mandalla, on the screen once again.
"We haven't let Miss Ulnoor out of sight."
"Honestly, I haven't even left for the bathroom." Mandalla said.
"Bull! You wanna hear what she said this time?" Garth yelled. He typed in some commands, and sent a recording to them. Then, he muted it so the girls wouldn't hear the replay. Mandalla and the warden looked sick when they heard it.
"You have no idea how lucky you two are that those kids didn't hear that." Garth lectured as he raised the volume.
"I am so sorry for whoever made this obscene prank, but Esper was not responsible." The warden stated. Mandalla felt ashamed as a Legion Cadet, but knew there was more to this.
"Then why did it trace back to her?"
"All I can say is it wasn't her."
Garth sighed in frustration. "I need to take care of this. I'll call back."
He hung up.
"COMPUTO, scan the entire base. Is there anyone else here?" Garth asked the Super-Computer.
"SCANNING…"
The results Breeped up. Only those three. No one else. It did it on every other setting.
"Great." Garth muttered.
"Was it her?"
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Ebony ask him. The two girls were standing next to him, wondering what was wrong.
"Everything okay, Monkey Boy?" Ebony asked.
"Yeah, yeah everything's…" He trailed off. He couldn't lie. "No. I'm sorry girls."
"What was it this time?" Ayla asked.
"Something really, vulgar." Garth spat the word out.
"At least now there's more talking." Ebony said. "Not that it's a good thing."
"Look, I'm gonna level with you." He kneeled down. "Ayla, kid…"
"I have a name." Ebony crossed her arms.
"Sorry. Ebony. I need to stay up in the monitor room until everyone gets back, but I don't want to leave you two alone. So, here…"
He took off his flight ring and gave it to them. Ebony already had a ring on, a rose ring.
"It has a shield. It can't be broken by anything."
"We know." Ayla said.
"You-of course." Garth rolled his eyes at the obviousness.
"What about you?" Ebony asked.
"Don't worry." He flashed a smile. "I'm strong enough to take care of myself." He flexed his well-muscled arm. "I'm the guy who fought Zaryn the Conqueror all by himself."
"Don't be stupid!" Ebony yelled. "You have a kid to worry about!" She shoved the ring back to him. "You get killed you make your wife a widow and your son loses a father. Think!"
Garth nearly backed up.
"Right now my concern is you two." He gave the ring back. "But thanks for worrying. I'm sure Imra'd appreciate it." He kissed her on the forehead.
"Lunkhead. Gonna get himself killed." Ebony mumbled.
"So now what?" Ayla asked.
"I don't want you two wandering around this place tonight. Or sleeping in different rooms. So, you can stay in mine and Imra's room right across from the monitor room." He explained. "I'll be right there if you need me."
But still separated.
"You want us to sleep in your room?" Ayla asked. "That's grosser then gross. God only knows what crawls under your bed."
"Pervert." Ebony muttered.
"With a capital P."
Garth flashed bright red. Ayla laughed.
"You're right. This IS fun." She said.
…
SKRITCH SKRITCH SKRITCH
The claws practiced outside in the cold. The rat slinked out.
"Ready?"
The rat nodded.
"Goooood."
SCRATCH
One dead rat. Then, it's head missing, it scurried off.
"Time to deliver the gifts."
