Meet the Peanut Brigade
"Wake up Conan! You're gonna be late," Rachel called to them from the kitchen, her voice echoing in the hallway. They could hear Detective Moore's disgust as he attempted to ignore the human alarm clock.
"Oh would you be quiet? You don't need to wake me up too!"
"Just go back to sleep, Dad," Her voice was strong and instructive. Conan stirred, pulling himself out of his state of unconsciousness. He sat up, rubbing his eyes under the glasses that were never removed.
"Hmmm?" He crawled to the mat adjacent to him, where the female rested. The apartment was small enough without the extra resident and part of him missed the days before he had to share the room. But, if he was going to figure out where the child was from, he would have to keep her close for the time being. Jimmy shook the girl gently, "Amber, get up," She ignored him and covered her head with a pillow, blocking out the extra sound, "Come on Amber."
"I don't wanna," The whine was muffled from the extra material. Conan continued to shake her, yet the only thing he could accomplish was a slap on the wrist and the girl pulling more covers over her head.
"Get up before I drag you out of bed," It was the last thing the boy could think of as he grabbed her around the ankles. Protesting, she kicked him in the jaw. Jimmy touched the bruise gingerly and scowled as he moved to the long side of the bed, took the edge, and elevated it. Amber rolled off of the mattress onto the floor. She sat up and glared at him, clearly annoyed.
"Okay, I'm up," he looked triumphant as the aggravated Amber followed him down the stairs. The blonde took the seat at the table that was across from the boy. Rachel came up behind them, her voice much to chipper for the morning.
"So Conan, I hear that you're going with your friends to the museum," She sat down beside the kids. Jimmy Kudo looked up at her and nodded,
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, I was thinking that it would be nice to include Amber," The girl looked up, hearing the familiar name. It would give her an excuse to look around town, and she may even enjoy it, once they looked at the artifacts and the history behind them. Her green eyes met Conan's blue, he seemed thoughtful; though, she was sure his motivation came from a desire to solve the case and be rid of her.
"Okay Rachel," He took Amber's hand while making his way to the door. It wasn't until they were outside before he allowed his fingers to loosen so that she could be released. They walked in silence for about fifteen minutes, only accompanied by the sound of automobiles humming and pedestrians passing by. The first words that the two heard were from a group of children about "their" age. His friends from school, she noted.
"Who's she Conan? That your girlfriend?"
He was the biggest and tallest of the group, his voice husky and powerful. Jimmy replied with a stern "No," Amber looked up at him and, feeling the need for a more detailed explanation, branched off of Conan's response.
"Technically I'm a friend that's a girl, not a girlfriend," George looked perplexed,
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"I'm a friend, who happens to be a girl," his expression did not change; she sighed in disbelief and swore that the boy in front of her was one of the thickest people she ever met, "You figure it out, think for yourself," Apparently the snide remark was not what George wanted to hear; he held up his fist menacingly.
"Why I outta," She squealed, ducking behind Conan as she did. The brunette wearing the aqua sweater crossed his arms.
"Yeah, scare her half to death George, then she'll wanna be our friend."
"So what's your name," Amy looked at her, a wide grin on her face, as if to welcome the blonde into the group. She was overly enthusiastic about the entire situation, but, if she accepted the blonde, then it was a guarantee that Mitch and George would as well.
"Amber,"
"So where do you live," Mitch looked at her, waiting for an answer. Slowly, she moved to the side, standing next to Conan, rather than using him as a shield. The blonde shrugged.
"I dunno," The three children looked confused; Mitch was the first to speak.
"Well, where are you staying," She flushed and starred at the ground while tightening her grip on Conan's arm. It wasn't that Amber was embarrassed, but, for an eight year old kid, Amy could be a little scary. And, if she knew that Amber was staying with her crush, things could get a bit hectic.
"Erm, nowhere," Jimmy caught the George's expression and responded, answering his unasked question,
"Amber has amnesia, so she's staying with us for now,"
"What's amnesia?" Apparently the answer baffled George rather than gave him an understanding. He scratched his head, looking back and forth between Mitch and a furious Amy.
"It's a state of temporary or permanent forgetfulness; generally caused by a sharp strike to the head." Conan stared in shock and disbelief, mouth agape, at Amber's definition. How could a kid produce that answer? She gazed into his blue eyes, totally and completely oblivious to what she had just done.
"Oh—THAT'S GREAT!"
"It is?" The blonde was confused by his enthusiasm. It seemed, out of place for such a tragic event, but she allowed him to continue.
"Yeah, it means we can solve it, like real detectives!" George grabbed her hand, dragging Amber behind him. She resisted as well as she could, but her light weight made it difficult. The girl looked at him and pleaded,
"Can't we just go to the museum?"
"Don't you want to find out why you lost your memory?" Mitch had spoken this time and, while George was pulling her, had followed close behind.
"No!" The group refused to take the answer. It had taken a sufficient amount of time to convince them to continue with their original plans. On top of that, it had also required both Amber and Conan. One to insist they went to the museum and the other to encourage them to let the "youngest" of the group decide the day's events. Reluctantly, they agreed.
They continued on their way and left for their destination, walking in the warm afternoon sunshine, and approached the air conditioned building where they spent the day with excitement and exploration along with sights that were accompanied by the children's cries of admiration. It was only during the last exhibit where the children were interrupted from their visitation by the means of a vibrant shriek.
"KITTY!" She ran towards Amber, hugging and tackling the blonde to the ground.
"Ah!" It was the only thing the blonde could do, cry in surprise as her closest friend flattened her like a pancake, crushing her rib cage in the tight embrace. She recognized everything, but mostly, the golden, curly hair that fell down the girl's shoulders. But, her clothes had changed, for Sindey was now wearing a sundress, like she always had when they were kids.
"You know her?" Amber shook her head, denying that she had ever met her companion.
"Never seen her before in my life," She smiled nervously as Synthia looked at her hurt and betrayed. The tears surfaced in her eyes and her bottom lip quivered.
"You don't remember me?"
"No, sorry, but I don't remember anything," the water seemed it would flow out of the blonde's earthy green orbs that always appeared to change their tone.
"But, we were in second grade together, remember," her voice was pleading, as if hoping to strike a nonexistent match. Amber shook her head. Sindey stared, mouth agape before her gaze shifted.
"Oh, JIMMY!" Conan paled, tensed, and then relaxed; realizing that she was the same girl he had ran into the night before, quite literally. And, as predicated from the previous evening, the curly haired blonde rushed past him and grabbed a brown cat on the floor. Amber took the opportunity and, looking at the group anxiously, grabbed her friend's hand.
"Now, I'm gonna explain to her why we don't know each other. So we're just gonna talk over there, alone, okay, bye," Her voice was shaking as she dragged Sindey behind a corner, isolating them from the group.
"Alright, you've got some explaining to do,"
"Umm," She giggled as the words spilled out of her mouth, "Well, first, there was a storm, and then we made a spell, and then we said it, and now we're here." It wasn't the right thing to say. Sindey glared at her.
"This isn't funny!"
"I know," Amber sulked, her voice was apologetic.
"What happened to 'What have we got to lose' or 'It's not like we're going to go into the T.V. or anything.'" They looked at each other, and the older one thought about the situation. To call the location a simple show would be an insult, characters don't interact with others, rather it was a planned story written by another person.
"Well, technically, I don't think we're in the T.V. just another world." It was the wrong thing to say.
"Technically, I DON'T CARE!" Amber flinched.
"I'm in trouble?" She didn't have to wait for the response; the blonde knew the answer before her friend gave it.
"You have no idea," Sindey grabbed Jimmy's tail, dragging him across the floor, heading towards the group. She had only crossed a few feet before stopping mid step. "Oh yeah, why don't you remember me?"
"Well, they kinda found me, and I kind of told them I have amnesia," Amber looked sheepish as she braced herself from Sindey's rage.
"You did what? Now what the hell am I supposed to do?"
"Go to Dr. Agasa's and tell him you're lost?" Her hope was diminished as Sindey's fury continued to escalate.
"THAT'S-" She stopped, the anger melting away, "the best idea you've had so far,"
"So-o I'm not in trouble anymore?" Synthia continued walking, her feet stomping on the floor as she marched toward the group.
"Don't talk to me,"
"Okay," Amber looked at the ground as she followed her friend, sullenly returning to the tour.
