Rascally Rennies with the Gal Pals – Part Four

(Story Summary: The following morning, the Gals and Guys return to the Faire Grounds for another day of fun. But upon their arrival, they learn that the Golden Scepter had been stolen. The good news however, is that the thief is still within the grounds and security had been doubled; after the theft was reported.

At the same time; the bad news is if the scepter isn't found again, Miss Fiona McNair will be fired or worse. Will our heroes be able find the thief and stop them or will this scoundrel force Fiona into leaving her position as manager and the Faire behind forever? SUMMER ARC FINALE!)

After leaving the Faire behind her for the day and being dropped off home by Carol, Haiku immediately retired to bed; telling her parents that she already had enough to eat at the grounds to compensate for her supper. Her parents, though confused by her sullen demeanor (at first) respected their daughter's wishes and wished her goodnight; hoping she'd feel better in the morning. Unfortunately; the moment she got into bed, poor Haiku appeared unable to sleep.

All she could think about was the figure in the trench-coat, slinking hither and yon around the faire and stealing anything he/she could get her hands on. The wee Goth shivered at the idea; knowing full well that if it were to happen, her Nanna would lose her job as manager...or worse. These thoughts and more caused poor Haiku to almost cry in her sleep, while she tossed and turned beneath her covers.

(The Dreamscape: Haiku's Mind)

As the wee Goth drifted off into the land of dreams, she found herself back at the faire grounds. But instead of seeing all the performers out and about, doing their thing; she saw only one person...the figure in the trench-coat. She watched as they went through every inch of the grounds, taking anything and everything they could find.

When the thief's crime spree finally reached its end, there was nothing left anywhere. The clothing stands, the jewelry shoppes, the weapon stores...even the food booths were all stripped clean of their wares. This all left the merchants feeling understandably miffed and each of them began crying out in outrage over this development.

As things started to become progressively worse; Haiku could only watch in alarm, wondering if her Nanna and her troupe were safe from all this. The moment this thought came into her head, a spotlight shines down upon a spot in the distance; revealing the saddened form of her grandmother. "Nanna...Nanna, what's going on" Haiku shouted desperately, "where did all the crafts and merch go?"

Much to her horror and surprise, her grandmother didn't respond to anything she said; as if she couldn't hear her at all. With tears welling up in her eyes, the wee Goth child rushed towards her grandmother; hoping that her presence would help give her some glimmer of strength. But just as she tried to hug her, Haiku suddenly phased right through Fiona's body and fell to the ground.

Confused, she walked over and tried to grab onto her hand; only to see her fingers go right through it. Alarmed by this, Haiku tried to give her one of Fiona's bandmates/family a hug next. Just like before; the moment she tried to put her arms around any of them, she simply phased clear through and fell to the ground hard.

As Haiku lay there, trying to ease the pain in her nose; she could see a woman dressed as an English queen approaching her grandmother. From the moment she saw the stern look upon her face, Haiku could tell that this woman was not amused. "Miss Fiona McNair for the Royal Wood, you have failed to stop the thief that has trespassed upon the shire" the queen said firmly, "now...you shall pay the price!"

After this proclamation was made, all the merchants of the faire suddenly rushed Fiona; where they proceeded to strip her of her beautiful clothing. When they finally dispersed, the poor woman now looked like a lowly peasant rather than a beautiful serving wench or a musician. Not long after that; some armored knights arrived, grabbed Fiona by her arms and proceeded to lead her off into the blackness of the void (presumably off to jail.)

The sight of this utterly horrified Haiku and she desperately tried to get everyone to stop. "Please, give her another chance" she begged, "we'll catch the crook...we promise...WE PROMISE!"

(Back to Reality)

With that final scream; Haiku, back in her own bedroom, suddenly fell off the side of her bed and hit the floor. Not long after that; Haiku's parents suddenly burst into her room, fearing that she might've hurt herself. "Hildy, sweetheart; are you okay" cried Mrs. Matthews, "we heard you screaming and then, there was that crash and..."

Before the woman could finish her statement, she suddenly felt her daughter throw herself into her arms and hold her for dear life. Not long after that, Haiku proceeded to sob loudly with both fear and despair. "MOM, DAD...I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE" the wee Goth wailed, "I'VE HAD THE MOST HORRIBLE DREAM!"

After a while, both parents scooped her up in their embrace and did whatever they could to calm Haiku down. "There, there baby; it's okay" Mr. Matthews hushed reassuringly, "you might've just had a nightmare after reading one of your books too late at night again." With a fierce scowl upon her face, Haiku glared firmly at her father with tear-stained eyes and proclaimed her nightmare had nothing to do with her books.

"I was back at the faire...but all the shoppes and booths were empty, even though it was open" she murmured hysterically, "then...everyone's surrounding Nanna...and the queen tells her 'you have failed the shire' and...and..." The moment she got to the near climax of her nightmare, poor Haiku appeared on the verge of having a panic attack. Thinking quickly, Mrs. Matthews escorted her out of her bedroom and towards the kitchen; where she offered to make Haiku her favorite tea.

"Maybe after we've all had a cup, we can talk" she said with a soft smile, "would you like that, hon?" Haiku said nothing aloud in reply; in her current state, all she could do was smile weakly and offer up a small nod. With that settled, she took a seat at the table while her mother put the kettle on.

(A Half-Hour Later)

Some time passed since everyone sat down at the table and Haiku had finished recounting the nature of her dream with her parents. By the end of it; the duo was shocked, confused and outraged all at once from the story. "So, you see...that's why I had trouble sleeping" the wee Goth confessed, "I just can't bear the idea of Nanna losing her dream job and that the crook responsible getting away with it all."

To say that her parents were shocked by all this information would be the understatement of the millennium. At first, they tried telling Haiku it was just all part of her nightmare; nothing more than her own subconscious mind messing with her. But then, she took out her phone and brought up the picture Becky sent her through a mass text.

When she brought it up, her parents got a look at it and gasped softly. "We were at the faire all day and haven't seen anyone else dressed like this" Haiku explained, "and this guy has no ID on him; no pins, tags or anything!" After taking all this information in; Mr. Matthews presumed that perhaps, the person in the coat might've been chilly from being outdoors all-day.

"But honey, it was almost 94 degrees out yesterday" Mrs. Matthews retorted, "only people in costume would be crazy enough to walk around dressed like that in the heat." With this statement, Mr. Matthews offered up the possibility that the person's trench coat might've probably been a costume of some kind. "I mean...I've heard of people dressing up in pretty odd getups" he suggested, "which means hot or cold weather, they walk around in it regardless."

While there was some truth in his words, neither Haiku nor her mother felt anyone would be crazy enough to do such a thing. "If you guys need a second opinion, call Nanna for yourselves" Haiku suggested while wiping away her tears, "or maybe, Officer Higgins can tell you about it...or any of my friends who were with me..." Sensing that she was becoming hysterical again, Mr. Matthews took Haiku into his arms and hushed her soothingly; all while patting her head.

"There, there sweetheart" he murmured softly, "we do believe you...but after hearing what you've told us, we're wondering if anyone will be able to catch this thief?" Mrs. Matthews nodded slightly in agreement; adding that the figure might've done a full wardrobe change, now that news of his/her presence was spreading. Not long after she said this, everyone looked at the stove's clock and saw that it was almost 11:00 PM.

"Goodness, it's getting late" she said with a slight yawn, "best get back to bed everyone." While she did agree with her mother's idea, Haiku admitted that she was worried about having another nightmare. "How about one more cup of tea to help you sleep, hon" suggested Mrs. Matthews, "it always helps me, whenever I have a rough night."

With a light smile on her face and slight nod of her head, Haiku held up her cup high; eager for another drink of tea. As Mrs. Matthews headed over to the cupboard, she looked around inside for anything that would help her daughter rest more easily. It was then that she came across a small plastic baggie, one that contained what appeared to be some leaves and colored powder.

She remembered being given this by Stella's mother, back when they first met at "Girl Jordan's" pool party. According to her; if she mixed all these properly in boiling water, it would make a tea that will instantly relax the drinker. Stella confirmed this for herself by saying it helped their friend, Lincoln rest at night; when he suffered some nightmares.

With all this in mind, Mrs. Matthews decided to give it a shot. After waiting for the pot to boil everything just right for several minutes, she poured the tea and handed Haiku back her cup. "Drink every drop, honey" she murmured with a smile, "you'll need your rest for tomorrow."

Not needing to be told twice, the wee Goth sipped down every bit of the tea. Before long, she was starting to feel its calming effects. "Thanks for that, Mom" she droned softly, "I think I (yawn) I will be able to sleep much better, now."

With that said; she kissed her parents on the cheek, said her good-nights and headed back upstairs to bed.

(Line Break)

The following morning; everyone rose out of bed, had a hearty breakfast and suited back up into their faire attire. After the events of yesterday's visit, the Gal Pals and Lincoln were determined to return to the grounds and try to have another fun faire day. Of course, for them; this was about more than just another day of revelry.

After failing to find and catch the crook yesterday, everyone hoped they would have better luck this time around; none more so than poor Haiku. After being picked up in the van, she immediately told the Gals and Guys about her nightmare and how real it all felt to her. "Sigh...I know it sounds silly, in some ways" she murmured, "but I just...I can't shake away this feeling that something bad might happen!"

Upon hearing these words, Lincoln's mind suddenly flashed back to when he visited Lucy at the Fortune Teller Tent and the prediction she gave him. Perhaps in one way or another, something huge would be happening at the faire. At the same time, he hoped it wouldn't result in him or his friends fighting the thief.

"Well, Haiku; I speak for everyone when I tell you this" Jordan began, "no matter what happens, no matter how long it takes...we will find this crook and stop them!" Immediately after she said this, the other Gal Pals and Lincoln cheered loudly in agreement; while also pledging their full support. Touched by their overwhelming dedication, Haiku couldn't help but shed a joyful tear.

"Thank you all so much" she sighed gratefully, "but...how will we find this creep, they may not be at the grounds anymore." No one could deny the truth of her words but at the same time, no one could think of an appropriate reply. The only thing that could be said was Lincoln offering up a simple "we'll think of something" to his Gothic friend.

Then, at that moment; he suddenly heard a musical chime ring out from inside his backpack. He opened it up and saw his cellphone ringing, along with the image of Officer Gabriella Campos upon the touch screen. Without hesitation, he answered the call and turned on the speaker; believing that everyone needed to hear the call.

As it turned out, the call was actually a voicemail message she sent to him. Regardless, Lincoln quickly pressed the "play" button on his phone and waited patiently for said message to start. "Good morning, chamaco; heard you and the gang were on your way to the Faire grounds again" the officer's voice greeted sweetly, "unfortunately...there was an incident, last night; which left us all here with no choice but to keep the gates closed until further notice."

The crew was beyond bothered by this news, mostly because they were already halfway there on their drive. But before anyone could voice their complaints, Lincoln shushed them softly; wishing to hear the rest of the message. "In case you are wondering; no, no one's been hurt" Campos assured, "but something has been stolen and we think it happened sometime before or after everything closed down last night."

The moment this bombshell was dropped, it shocked everyone so hard that it Carol almost swerved the van off the road. But she was able to keep her composure just enough to keep on moving forward. Soon after; Campos' message revealed that somehow, the Golden Scepter was taken from its carrying case during the night.

"That bit of the report surprised me a little, to be honest" confessed the officer, "mainly because the guard who was tasked with holding the case still had the key with him when he went to use the restroom." Upon hearing this reveal, everyone was left scratching their heads in utter confusion. "It doesn't make sense" murmured Cici, "if the security guard had the key to the carrying case, how else could the crook get it open?"

At the moment, it felt as though this whole mystery left them with more questions than answers. The biggest one being how would they be able to find it again, after the thief managed to snatch away the scepter? "Call the officers back, Linc" ordered Carol, "see if they can tell us if the crook is still lurking around there!"

Not needing to be told twice, Lincoln brought up Higgins' number and pressed speed-dial at an almost lightning fast speed. The phone rang four or five times until (much to everyone's disappointment) they heard the officer's voicemail asking them to leave a message. With a frustrated growl, Lincoln tried to call Simmons' phone next; only to be met with the same thing.

It was then that everyone realized that the trio might've been busy working with the faire's security staff, at the moment. "They must be too busy to answer their phones right now" groaned Phoebe, "considering the circumstances, I can't really blame them." Everyone murmured softly in agreement; while also thinking that if the gates were to be closed, it might be better off to head back for home.

"No dice" Carol decreed firmly, "we promised we would help Haiku save her grandmother's job and by golly, we will make good on that promise!" Not long after that, Lincoln joined in the fray; proclaiming that no Gal Pal deserved to suffer such indignity. "Linc's right; you're part of our family, Haiku" Becky stated, "and that makes your grandmother one of us as well."

If Haiku wasn't crying before from her friends' show of support, she certainly was now; albeit small tears. With a grateful smile on her face; the wee Goth once again, thanked everyone and vowed to repay them for their kindness...somehow. "We'll think about that later, girlfriend" Whitney said bluntly, "we've gotta get the rest of the boys, if we're gonna do this job right."

With that, Carol put her pedal to the metal and drove the van straight for the McBride household; whereby Lincoln called up Clyde and told him to "assemble the team." "Ready the Merry Men, Alan-a-Dale" he said in his Robin Hood voice, "this day, we catch a thief!" The Gal Pals couldn't help but giggle at his statement, some calling it ironic.

"A thief planning to catch another thief" Haiku chuckled mentally, "there's a funny surprise."

(Scene Change: The Gates of the Michigan Renaissance Faire)

Sometime later, everyone arrived at the gate to find it closed shut; just as Officer Campos said in her voicemail. At the same time, they also saw scores of other patrons ranting and raving with anger; demanding to know what was going on. With fear welling up inside of her, Haiku searched the area for signs of her grandmother or her troupe.

Thankfully; she did manage to spot them, standing before the gates and doing whatever they can to keep the crowd calm. At the same time, they saw the security team looking over everyone in line intently. They also appeared to be patting each of them down and/or thoroughly searching through any bags they had with them.

"Just be calm, everyone" urged Fiona's bandmates calmly, "once each of you agrees with the search, you shall be granted entry." It didn't take long for the gang to realize what was going on. With news of the Golden Scepter being gone now made public, it left the security team feeling paranoid.

Thus, every patron would have to receive a pat-down before being given entry; to make certain no one had any illegal items in their possession. "This is just like what happened with my cousin at her school, after someone made a bomb threat" Dana whispered, "every student was treated this same way for weeks...until the culprit was eventually caught." Everyone suddenly shuddered in unison, dreading the idea of having every inch of them be felt up by the security guards.

The one most nervous about this was Clyde; who, even now, struggled to keep his mind calm. "Don't be too nervous, everyone" Haiku murmured, "we've got nothing to hide...so, just go along with this." While they still felt rather nervous about the situation, the Gals and Guys all nodded in agreement and stood back in line.

When the time came for each of them to be searched, they did their best to keep calm while Officer Simmons rifled through their bags. "I'm so sorry for doin' this to y'all, kids" she murmured with a lightly shameful tone, "but it's just standard protocol...you understand, right?" Everyone nodded silently in understanding and urged her to keep doing her job.

When the time came for Lincoln to be searched over, he spotted his parents and some of his sisters at the gate. He also noticed some rather uncomfortable looks upon each of their faces. This meant that, like the patrons, they were also subjected to a full body search.

Thankfully, the security team found nothing questionable or suspicious on him; even considering his bow and suction cup arrows a non-lethal weapon. "All clean, sug" said Officer Higgins with a thumb's up, "you can go through now." Lincoln thanked her for the entry and proceeded towards the gate; where he then greeted his family members with great joy.

"Hi, guys; nice to see you here again" he said casually while hugging his folks, "I'm guessing you had to be searched as well?" From their expressions alone, Lincoln could already guess their answer. "They told us if we didn't agree to it, they'd label us as possible accomplices" Lana murmured uneasily, "whatever that means."

Rather than discuss the meaning of the word "accomplice" with his sister, Lincoln chose to take a knee and hug her reassuringly in his arms. "Sorry you had to go through that, Sis" he murmured, "hopefully...today will be the day this all ends." Touched by her brother's words, Lana returned the hug and wished everyone luck on the case.

Not long after that; Luna, Leni and their parents joined in the love as well. While still holding onto his little sister, Lincoln's face suddenly became quite serious; which surprised everyone. "Sport, are you okay" questioned Lynn Sr., "did something happen on your drive here?"

Upon realizing his behavior, Lincoln shook his head and smiled; assuring his dad everything was okay with him. "I just...I don't know if I should tell you this, guys" he whispered softly, "but the reason why everyone's being searched over is...something valuable has been stolen from the grounds." Leni gasped loudly at this reveal but immediately clamped her mouth shut afterwards, fearing she might make a scene.

When asked what sort of thing was stolen from the faire, Officer Simmons arrived and politely told them to move along. "Sorry to break this up, y'all" she stated, "but there are other people in line waiting to come on in." Lincoln nodded in understanding, said his last goodbyes to the family (for now) and broke away stepped aside; waiting for the Gal Pals to come stand with him.

"The security team will give you the rest of the info, guys" he stated, "just...keep your eyes open for anyone wearing trench-coats or something." The moment he mentioned the garment's name, something suddenly sparked in Leni's head. Then, she felt a rare yet welcomed sensation within her.

"Guys, I think I have an...idea" she chirped, "last night, right before we all left; I found something in the garbage bin last night, when I went to use the Ladies...pryvie...prithee..." The moment she felt her mind starting to wander, Leni swiftly slapped her forehead and growled. "Hold on for a sec" she urged, "I'll go get it and show you." Before anyone could say anything, the young blonde quickly rushed off into the distance like a bolt of lightning.

While she was away, everyone wondered what sort of "surprise" she wished to show them from the privy; which everyone else knew was the Olde English term for restroom. When she returned, seconds later; Leni appeared to be holding a massive load in her arms. At first, everyone felt it might've been either a large piece of cloth someone threw away or a poorly designed outfit.

Much to everyone's surprise, however; the item was, in fact an outfit and a rather familiar one at that. "Why would someone throw their coat away in the trash" questioned Liam, "if'n no one's usin' it, give it to me; our scarecrow needs a new wardrobe." Just as Leni was about to hand over the coat, the elder Gal Pals quickly stopped their friend in her tracks.

"Guys...I think this is the same coat the guy in my photo was wearing" gasped Becky, "which means, they're onto our plan to find them!" Not long after this, Lincoln approached Officer Higgins and asked if anything else might've been taken recently; aside from the..."you know what." "It's funny you'd ask me that, sugar" she replied in a hushed voice, "when she was setting up shop, one of the costume vendors said a jester's outfit and a full-faced harlequin mask suddenly went missin' from her inventory."

Before the officer could continue; Leni suddenly yelped in pain, claiming something had nipped at her hand. Seeing as though his sister was still holding on to the coat, Lincoln asked if anyone had checked the pockets for anything. "I know it's a long-shot" he murmured bluntly, "but whatever's been left behind could be the clue we need to find the thief."

With that said, Leni gingerly placed the coat down and everyone began to feel it up feverishly; hoping to find something stashed away in it. When Haiku dipped her hand into the left pocket, she felt the same small yet painful prick at her hand that Leni did. Ever so carefully, she reached back inside and collected the item in question; a hairpin...and a rather "old school" looking one at that.

"Ooh, how cute" Leni gushed adorably, "did whoever owns this coat buy that from one of the jewelry shoppes?" After giving the idea much thought and inspecting the pin in question, the officers shook their heads in response. "This looks much older than what they make here, sweetie" Simmons murmured, "except for my Grandmama, I haven't seen anyone wear something like this in ages."

Just as she was about to dismiss the item as "trash" and cast it aside, Haiku and Lincoln immediately stopped her. "Hold on, Ma'am" the young Loud boy insisted, "I think it would be a good idea to keep that on hand...if my hunch is correct." Haiku turned to her friend and smiled, thinking that the two of them had the same hunch in mind.

"If you two dudes have something up your sleeves, would ya mind sharing" Luna requested, "we've gotta get to work soon." The two kids nodded in understanding, turned towards Officer Higgins and asked if they could visit where the item was last seen. While feeling a tad perplexed by the idea, she decided to allow it.

With that settled, the two kids waved goodbye to their friends and hurried along towards their destination; the Faire grounds security office.

(Line Break)

Upon their arrival; the kids were, as they feared, halted by the officer on duty. This was both due to them being "just a couple of kids" and the fact that, like the rest of the security team, the scepter going missing had left her a tad paranoid. "Rest assured, Miss; these kids are more than qualified" said Officer Higgins, "it was them and their friends who informed us about the odd stranger in the trench-coat yesterday."

The moment this tidbit was revealed, the security guard immediately changed her tune and granted them entry. Afterwards, they proceeded to ask her to recount everything that happened before the theft. "I'm telling you, it was freaky" she murmured in a frazzled tone, "I had all my keys with me, when I went to the restroom and yet...they still managed to find a way in my office and open the case!"

Upon mentioning this, she took out her ring and showed every key that was on it; including the one for the scepter's carrying case. "I think I have an idea on how the thief got in the room" Lincoln murmured, "he or she must've jimmied the lock!" At first, both Higgins and the security officer doubted his words; wondering how he would know of such things.

"Trust me...I know" he muttered coyly, "whenever we tried locking Luan up on April Fools, she always managed to have something that would help open the door; like Lori's credit card." Upon mentioning the idea of a card, the security guard said that she came across an old playing card in the trash bin; when she came back. After this reveal, everything started to connect little by little.

With the mystery of how the thief got into the office now solved, next was the matter of the hairpin; which left everyone hoping they were on the right track. "Ma'am...you said someone managed to open the case's lock without the key, correct" Lincoln asked, "could we have a look at it for a moment?" Without a moment's hesitation; the guard nodded in compliance, hurried to the back of the room and brought back the case with her.

It was a large, thick, slightly old rectangular case; just about half Lincoln's height. At first glance, it reminded him of the sort of cases Luna would store one of her instruments in. "Here you go, folks" said the guard as she placed the case down, "what do ya need it for, exactly; the thing inside the case is long gone."

Rather than answer her, Haiku asked to borrow the hairpin they found in the pocket of the trench-coat earlier. Upon being given the item, Lincoln and Haiku began examining the case until they found what they wanted; a keyhole. "Of course" cried Officer Higgins, "if you've got a steady hand and a good ear, anyone could pick this lock with a pin."

After making this discovery; Haiku added that the thief must've locked up the case again, once they've found what they wanted. "I think we're close, kids...dangerously close even" murmured Higgins, "but I can't help but think that there's one more clue that we need." With that said, she and the kids began racking their brains; trying to think of what else they would need to catch their perp.

Then, like a blow to the head; an idea began to form in Lincoln's mind. "Miss Higgins, could you make a call out to your partners" he asked, "I'd like them to give one more look over that trench-coat and hat Leni found in the bathroom trash." The officer nodded silently, took out her walkie-talkie and immediately made the call.

Ten seconds later, Officer Campos answered and asked what the group needed. "Miss Campos, we think we've got an I.D. on who's behind all this" Lincoln said confidently, "but we need one more thing...could you guys perform one more search over the coat and hat Leni found?" In spite of her better judgment telling her otherwise, Campos agreed to the request and momentarily signed off.

Seconds later, he could hear Leni's voice on the line; proclaiming she saw bits of hair in the hat. "The outfit must've belonged to somebody really old" she murmured in disgust, "the hair we found looked...kinda grey but not totally, if that makes sense." Sometime after this reveal; Lincoln, Haiku and Officer Higgins got a sudden e-mail on their phones.

Each of them looked at their screens and saw that it was an image of the inside of the hat Leni found with the coat. When she saw the few strands of long hair on the photo, Haiku's eyes started to narrow angrily. Not long after, she took out her phone and began a feverish search online for something.

When she found it, everyone could see her looking even madder. "Haiku...are you okay" Lincoln asked warily, "did Leni's message have something offensive in it?" Rather than answer him, Haiku asked her friends to take a look at what was on her phone.

The moment they did so, Lincoln and Officer Higgins gasped in shock. "Um...not to seem rude here, folks" the security officer interjected, "but would someone mind letting me in on things?" Wasting no time, Officer Higgins showed the image on Haiku's phone to her and immediately asked the guard to send word to all faire staff.

The woman nodded in understanding and immediately put the word out. "I think we've got the snake now, gang" Higgins giggled, "now...to trap her and make sure they don't get away." While the kids fully sided with her on the notion, both Haiku and Lincoln couldn't help but wonder how they would accomplish this.

However, before they could think much on the idea; Higgins' walkie-talkie suddenly went off. Not long after that, the kids felt their cellphones going off at the same time. The moment they answered, the ladies and gent could hear their friends calling out to them in alarm on the other end of the lines.

"Guys! Wherever you are, come quick" Phoebe's voice called out from Haiku's phone, "some nutjob is making a scene at the jousting field...and somehow, we doubt it's all part of some show going on!" At the same time, through Higgins' walkie-talkie, her partners reported the same thing. They also added that the figure was dressed in the same mask and costume that was reported missing earlier.

"Let's skedaddle, kids" ordered Higgins, "we don't want this crook escapin' the grounds...or worse!" With that said, everyone left the office and hurried out the door of the security office; the guard on duty following close behind them.

(Scene Change: The Ren Faire Jousting Field)

At the western side of the faire grounds, a massive crowd could be seen gathering there. Now, at first glance; new arrivals at the scene would assume that a big show was going on here. But in reality, there was something far more sinister at work.

Standing at the center of the field, the crowd spotted what looked like a jester; who was being surrounded by a group of the queen's knights. Naturally, no one was aware of what was happening, at first. So, they presumed it was all part of some performance.

The Knights, Queen and other performers present seemed to think the same thing and were almost willing to play along. "Good morrow, noble Harlequin" the Queen greeted regally, "hast thou come to share a roguish jest with us?" Much to her surprise, the jester said nothing; which made the other performers feel a little worried.

"C'mon, pal; that's your cue" whispered one of the knights beneath his helmet, "say something!" Again, the jester did not answer them but everyone could see their head moving side-to-side; as if they were searching for something. Then, at that moment; a man playing the court chamberlain looked over the jester intently and gasped.

"Everyone...this guy's wearing the costume and mask that went missing from the costume shoppe" he whispered to his fellow performers, "and just look at what he's holding!" Feeling curious, everyone took a look at the figure and noticed they were holding their hands behind their back; supporting what looked like an odd hunch beneath her tunic. But before anyone could call her out on it, the skies echoed with the shrill whistle of a bagpipe's tune.

This noise suddenly caused the crowd to part slightly; revealing the kids, Miss Fiona McNair, her troupe and the security team standing in the back. "Sorry for all the noise, everyone" Officer Simmons said apologetically, "but we must ask you all to please, stand aside!" Upon being given this command, several patrons began roaring in defiance.

"We can't leave yet" said a little girl around six years old, "the show was just getting good." As much as it pained her to do so, Ms. McNair firmly urged the girl and her family to leave. "She is correct, Lords and Ladies" Haiku announced suddenly, "what you're seeing here is not part of a performance piece."

Before anyone could voice their disagreement, Lincoln stepped forth and pointed his bow towards the field. "Look well upon the jester, good people" he said emphatically, "for she is the reason the Queen's guard hath been invading your persons mere moments ago!" Upon hearing the boy's words, the queen stood from her dais and demanded an explanation.

Meanwhile, Haiku took a glimpse at the jester for a split second and saw that they were slouching quite hostilely. This meant that the scene was starting to wear out on their nerves, which was just what she and her friends needed. With this in mind, she took her grandmother by the hand and made a casual stroll towards the queen; who was still eager to know what was going on.

"No doubt, Your Majesty; you have heard that the Golden Scepter has been stolen away, aye" questioned Ms. McNair, earning a collective nod from the court; "well...ma wee Granddaughter and her compatriots have brought some things to our attention on the matter." Upon hearing these words, the Jester began to grow even tenser by the moment. At the same time; Haiku, after earning the crowd's attention, began to explain everything.

"Someone among us is a thief, Lords and Ladies" she decreed, "more than that; they are the same who tried to ruin this faire once before, years past...all for her own selfish gain!" This news caused everyone to become quite antsy, wondering what sort of nutjob would want to ruin such a great place. "This same knave also sought out to tarnish the good name of someone many of you hold dear" Clyde declared in a dramatic tone of voice, "the Lady Fiona McNair."

For many of the patrons, this announcement was the straw that broke the camel's back. Theft, forcing security to perform body searches on each of them and endangering the faire were all bad enough. But throwing one of the faire's best performers under the bus for said theft was beyond inexcusable.

Then, at that moment; the strange jester let out a fierce and vicious roar of anger. "Why must you charlatans always ruin everything" the stranger demanded while pointing towards Fiona's group, "you just can't stand the fact that people are paying attention to me now...can you!?" This behavior caused the Queen's court to suddenly become quite suspicious of the stranger.

"Knights...surround this rogue" she commanded, "we wish to have a word with them." The jousting knights nodded in understanding and proceeded to surround the jester, while also wondering if this was all part of some sudden improvisational act. Then, just as they got within range; one of the knights suddenly noticed the hunch the stranger had on their back.

As they tried to move away, everyone could see it shifting around side-to-side. At first glance, everyone presumed that it was nothing more than a pillow shifting around. But then, they could hear the sounds of metal scrapping against the tunic's material; which made them feel even more suspicious of this stranger.

As "he" continued scooting backwards, the jester became so distracted in trying to find a way out that they ended up tripping over their own feet; landing unceremoniously in the sand on their side. When the dust cleared away, Haiku gasped when she caught a glimpse of the jester's neck; where she found a small black crescent moon tattoo. "That's the same tattoo Officer Higgins mentioned" she thought joyously, "now, we've got you...you vile thief!"

Back in the field, the jester had recovered from their fall just moments ago. They winced painfully while rubbing their sore back, hoping that their "prize" was undamaged. As the mysterious jester drew out the Golden Scepter from their tunic, both patrons and performers alike gasped in alarm.

Upon seeing the looks on their faces, the jester tried their best to "save themselves" and proclaimed that they simply took what was "rightfully theirs." "The prize goes to whoever wore the best costume in the costume contest, correct" the jester asked in a deep voice, "as it stands, my attire is more authentic than whatever the lot of you wearing!" Alas, much to the stranger's annoyance; their rantings went relatively unheard.

"There is no point in trying to slink away from this" Fiona said firmly, "why not preserve what remains of your 'dignity' and surrender peacefully...Madame?" Upon hearing the performer speak so gauchely; the jester fumed with rage and ripped off her mask, revealing the disgruntled face of one "Madame" Victoria Chapman. Needless to say; time was not very good to her, since the last time she "graced the shire with her presence."

Her face appeared stretched, as if it went through a facelift; her once beautiful hazel eyes had lost some of their luster and her grayish-blonde hair was now fully grey in sheen. Many young patrons recoiled in disgust, proclaiming she looked like "death warmed over...twice." But many of the performers, specifically the more seasoned ones, were quite surprised to see her. "

"VICTORIA! Is...Is it really you" cried the chamberlain in surprise, "it has been ages since you've graced our humble shire." With a fierce growl in her throat, Victoria glared at the man and told him to "stow it." "I could barely stomach the hammy acting from heathens like you, back in the 1980's" she shouted, "I refuse to hear it again now!"

Many of the actors on the scene grimaced bitterly at her attitude, some appearing unsurprised that she still acted like a total diva. In time, the rest of the security team arrived; along with Officers Simmons and Campos as well. When they caught sight of Victoria out on the field, many of them were quite shocked.

"I remember her" Campos cried in surprise, "my Abuela was one of Victoria's biggest fans...before her studio cast her away." Upon being reminded of her "former glory," Victoria grew even angrier and began waving the scepter like a war club. "Silence! None of you are fit to speak about my lost greatness" she raved, "I was once a star of the screen, one of the Company's best performers...until Madame Fate intervened and decided to take all that I held dear from me!"

The moment she said this, the disgraced actress fell to her knees and began to weep. But much to her surprise, she was met with only looks of disbelief from the crowd; not empathy. This infuriated Victoria, who proceeded to call everyone "uneducated" and "uncultured trash urchins."

"Oh...real mature move there, lady" Phoebe scoffed sarcastically, "calling people names when you're trying to gain their support...real smart." Cici couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's statement and said that it was a "real sick burn," while also high-fiving her. "The lass speaks the truth, Madame" Angus Blackwood declared, "you choose to blame me sister...blame all of us for your downfall; when it was you and you alone who helped bring it all about!"

In that moment; Haiku, perhaps emboldened by the situation, stepped forward and glared daggers at Victoria. "Everyone here did everything they could to make you feel welcome, to help you start a new theatrical career" she exclaimed bitterly, "but all you did was talk everyone down!" Madame Victoria scoffed at Haiku's words, proclaiming that she refused to listen to a lowly child's criticism.

"All I wanted was try to give the public what they deserved" she said firmly, "an authentic experience that depicted the true nature of the Renaissance period!" Upon hearing the word "authentic," many younger patrons (specifically children, tweens and teens) began to wonder what she was talking about. Meanwhile; many of the older patrons, some who've been attending since the beginning, revealed what Victoria truly wanted.

"This crazy hag wanted to take all the fun stuff outta the faire" a man dressed as a friar shouted, "I still remember when she tried to take turkey legs or bread bowls off the food menu and replace it with just barley gruel!" This reveal caused everyone to almost vomit with disgust, which made Victoria all the more furious. "Can't you fools take the truth" she exclaimed, "or would you prefer your lies and illusions filled with deep-fried foods, t-shirts and inaccurate attire?"

Unfortunately for her, this statement was met with the exact opposite type of response she was hoping for. Soon; many patrons, young and old, began roaring in defiance against her. "You call yourself an expert on the subject matter, 'Madame'" Haiku muttered in disapproval, "but you forget...the Faire is a place of merriment, whimsy and spectacle; education is only a small factor in it all."

Ms. McNair nodded in silent approval at her granddaughter's words, patted her head tenderly and proceeded to make her way towards her former colleague. As she drew closer, Victoria suddenly became more hostile and started waving the scepter about madly; as if it were a weapon. "Back away, you Scottish wench" she snarled, "it's because of you that I've resorted to common thievery...YOU RUINED ME!"

Rather than be put out by Victoria's comments; Ms. McNair remained, surprisingly calm and offered up her hand in friendship. "I never wished to take your place or your glory, Madame" she said sweetly, "I only wanted us to work together...to bring joy to everyone who would visit the faire." She then added that there was still hope for Victoria, a chance for her to truly regain her glory.

The rest of Fiona's troupe took their places beside her, each member also asking for Madame Victoria to surrender peacefully. "With my wife's skills and your knowledge, you could help make the faire an even more whimsical place" suggested Gareth, "so, Your Ladyship...what say you?" After this, all was silent; not even the trumpeters dared to sound off their horns, due to the thick tension in the air.

Meanwhile, many of the patrons were still convinced this was an act and proceeded to record it all for posterity on their cameras or phones. But at the same time, the Gal Pals and Guy Squad became quite tense; wondering who would make the next move. Finally; Victoria's body appeared to relax itself and she let out a deep, heaving sigh.

Afterwards, she held the scepter in the palms of her hands and gazed down upon it sadly; as if contemplating on everything that's transpired. For what felt like ages, everything remained as quiet and still as the grave. Then, Fiona watched as Victoria hung her head low; presumably in shame.

In her mind, she considered this as a sign of surrender and was prepared to call the authorities over. But as Fiona turned herself around, a vicious scowl appeared on Victoria's face and everyone could see her hands clutching the handle of the Golden Scepter tightly. "BOLLOCKS TO THAT, YA GRUBBY SCOTTISH WANKER" she cried, her refined voice suddenly slipping into a cockney English tone; "I'd sooner perform at children's birthday party than work with the likes of you again!"

With that simple yet fierce declaration, she held the scepter high above her head and was moments away from striking Fiona down from behind. But then, five suction cup arrows suddenly whizzed through the air and struck Victoria at five different spots. The first one managed to hit her right between the eyes, leaving her mildly disoriented.

Meanwhile, the last four arrows managed to strike consecutively against Victoria's left wrist; causing her to lose her grip on the scepter. Once it managed to slip out of Victoria's hands, it fell down hard atop her head like a brick; thus knocking her out. The moment the disgraced actress/thief was defeated, everyone took immediate action.

"Knights, retrieve the scepter" the Queen commanded, "the guards shall deal with the thief themselves." With this command, a pair of knights hurried over and collected the Golden Scepter; while the security team proceeded to secure Victoria Chapman. It wasn't until she felt the cuffs tightening on her wrists that the fallen starlet snapped out of her daze.

With a fierce, cat-like snarl; Victoria tried to break herself free...but to no avail. "You're gonna do time for your little escapade, 'Madame'" Officer Higgins said firmly while mocking the woman's title, "hard time!" Once their perp was apprehended, the three officers proceeded to escort the now fully disgraced actress out to the parking lot; eager to report the crime to the station.

"Wait...I must know one thing, before you cast me away again" Victoria pleaded, "how did any of you even know I was here...I was in disguise and everything!" The moment she brought this up, Carol and Dana brought forth Victoria's trench-coat and held it up for all to see. "While inspecting your coat, 'Madame;' my friends discovered a few interesting clues" the blonde teen stated, "a hairpin in one of the pockets and some hair inside of the hat."

The moment these two examples were revealed, Victoria hung her head lower in shame; amazed that she overlooked such things while performing her scheme. "Foiled by children" she wailed mentally, "now, I have truly hit my lowest point!" Not long after that, several patrons started to surround her; each one appearing incredibly sore with her.

"So...wait, you were that creep in the trench-coat" exclaimed a teen dressed as an orc, "you're the one who tried to throw away my ax!?" Not long after this, a young female patron complained that Victoria also knocked her princess cap off her head and proceeded to crush it in the dirt; proclaiming it to be "historically inaccurate." Soon, several other patrons began voicing anything and everything Victoria tried to steal from them or destroy while in disguise.

"Oh-ho-ho! This makes things all the more interesting" chuckled Simmons, "wait until the chief hears our police report!" With that said, she and her partners resumed in escorting Madame Victoria off the premises; who was now kicking and screaming with outrage. "You heathens can't do this to me, I'm Madame Victoria Chapman" she roared, "I made more money in one hour than all of you make within fifteen minutes!"

Alas, much to her disappointment; no one appeared intimidated by her ravings. "Look on the bright side, Señora" Campos said coyly, "after what you did here today...the whole state of Michigan will know your name now." As the crowd watched the fallen starlet turned criminal be led away from the area, Fiona and her troupe couldn't help but pity her a little.

"She could've found satisfaction with smaller acting venues like we have" murmured Angus, "but she expected too much for herself...shame." Ms. Abercrombie and Ms. Haggard couldn't help but agree, while also keeping their secret feelings hidden. "At least she won't be criticizin' our clothes no more" the former thought mentally, "I know it be wrong of me to say it...but tis the truth."

(Line Break)

Sometime later, everyone was gathering at the Queen's Stage; where a special event was taking place. There; the queen asked Fiona, her troupe of performers, the Gal Pals and the Guy Squad to come stand alongside her before the crowd. Naturally; the kids all felt shy about it, at first.

But after a little encouragement from Ms. McNair, they agreed and all took their places beside the queen on her stage. For about half a minute, the children shared a few bows or curtsies towards the audience; which caused them to go into a wild cheer. After witnessing everything that happened earlier; these young ladies and gents were all hailed as heroes, in their eyes.

Among those cheering for them were Lincoln's own parents and a few of his sisters, who were all weeping happily with joy for them. Upon seeing their emotional display; Lincoln smiled at them, removed his bycoket cap and bowed graciously in thanks for everyone's applause. The rest of Lincoln's "Merry Men" did the same thing, which caused the Gals to giggle a little; thinking that they were really getting into their characters.

After a while, the Queen soon took the stage and raised her hand high; causing everyone to suddenly fall silent. "Today, we honor the efforts of these brave souls" she said proudly, "thanks to them; the Golden Scepter is safe with us once more!" This caused everyone to erupt into a wild fit of cheers.

"With the combined efforts of Ms. McNair, her merry troupe of bards and these children; a vile thief has been cast out of our great realm" the queen added, "it is for that reason that I wish to make the following announcement." With that, she looked to the side and first called for Fiona to step forward.

Despite feeling mildly self-conscious at first, she eventually complied; greeting the crowd with a quick yet respectful curtsy. In time, the Queen thanked Fiona for not only her aid in stopping Victoria but also for her many years of service to the shire. "In honor of all the joy, merriment and selfless dedication you have given to the realm, we wish to name you our Lady-in-Waiting" offered the Queen, "what say you to this honor?"

To say that everyone was taken aback by this would be putting it mildly. In truth; Fiona was so surprised by this offer, she almost fell over in shock. The moment she stumbled slightly, the crowd couldn't help but laugh a little; thinking that she knew just how to lighten up a situation.

At the same time, Gareth and the rest of the troupe were anxious to hear Fiona's reply. "Just think, lads" whispered Ms. Haggard, "if Fiona accepts, she could become even more famous than that old sod, Victoria!" The others giggled excitedly, hoping that their friend/colleague/kinfolk would say yes to the opportunity.

Meanwhile, Haiku was also left awestruck by the Queen's request; wondering if her grandmother would accept it. Finally, after taking a moment to collect herself; Fiona faced the Queen and bowed her head low. "Your Grace, I am...truly honored by your proposal" she murmured, "but...I'm afraid I must respectfully refuse it."

This announcement caused everyone, patron and performer alike, to gasp loudly with surprise. A moment later, Fiona turned towards the crowd and asked for a moment of silence; which they happily granted her. "Make no mistake, Your Grace; standing as your Lady would be a tremendous honor" she stated, "but...at the moment, I am content with where I am."

To elaborate, Fiona explained that her greatest joy in the shire has long been walking amongst the patrons/shire-folk. "I adore singing, dancing, laughing and making merry with them" she stated, "if I were to be part of your attendants...I would have few opportunities to do so with them." After saying all this, all was silent; which left Fiona feeling quite nervous.

Then, the Queen stood before her with a bright smile and nodded in understanding. "I cannot deprive the people of someone who has brought so much joy to them" she decreed, "still, in the future...you may wish to join me." Fiona bellowed out a delightfully raucous laugh, gave the Queen a curtsy and proclaimed that she would "happily consider the option for the future."

"Besides...I am not the one whom we should honor, this day" she said stoically, "were it not for ma dear granddaughter and her comrades here, the Golden Scepter would've been lost to us forever." There was a light murmur of agreement from the Queen, the members of her court, the knights and all the other performers present. The whole time they were talking, the Gal Pals and Guy Squad couldn't help but wonder what they were all saying.

Then, after everything went silence once more; the Queen asked for the chamberlain to bring her the Golden Scepter. Upon being given it, moments later; she approached the children and asked them to kneel. Despite feeling a tad nervous about their situation, everyone did as they were told and bowed their heads respectfully.

Then, with the Golden Scepter held tight in her hand, the Queen proceeded to wave it side-to-side three times over; as if she were knighting the children. "As queen of our fair shire" she began, "I hereby name these young lads and lasses...Champions of the Court!" This announcement caused everyone to cheer madly with delight.

At the same time however, the kids all couldn't help but wonder what was going on. "Is it a good thing or a bad thing that the Queen said all that" questioned Dana, "I'm a tad confused." As if sensing the children's confusion, Fiona approached them and began handing something to each of them.

At first glance, these looked like ordinary ID cards. But Fiona's bandmates assured them all that they were far more than that. "These cards allow you VIP entry into the Faire for the entire summer season" said Ms. Abercrombie, "tis our token of thanks for your involvement in helping catch Victoria...thank ye, wee ones."

Upon being told the true nature of the cards, the kids suddenly erupted into a wild frenzy of delight. "This is awesome" cried Cristina, "but wait...will our families allow us to come back for the rest of the season?" Soon after she said this; Mrs. Loud got on the stage, hugged Lincoln tightly and congratulated everyone on their efforts.

"To answer your question, dear; Lincoln's more than welcome to attend" she assured, "and after word of all this gets out...I'm willing to bet that the rest of your parents will feel the same way." With that settled, the Gals and Guys resumed their earlier cheering frenzy. After taking a moment to let everything sink in, Haiku turned towards the camera to address the viewer on her final thoughts.

"Here I thought things were going to end terribly for everyone" she murmured, "but thanks to me and my friends; the scepter is safe, the crook has been caught and now...we get to enjoy the faire for the rest of the summer!" Upon saying these words, Haiku swiped away a joyful tear from her eye and sighed blissfully; thinking things couldn't get any better. Just then, everyone's cheering was brought to a sudden halt; when they heard the sounds of a lutes and/or mandolins playing.

They all looked to the side and saw Luna standing beside Gregor McDuffie, who were both playing a familiar tune. The moment she heard the music, Haiku knew that the time had come to rejoin the celebration. "I'll touch base with you guys later" she stated, "right now...I need as much faire fun I can handle, if I want to be satiated until the next weekend!"

With that, she bade the viewer a final farewell and rejoined everyone in the celebration. The moment they recognized the melody that was being played, Lincoln pumped his fist in the air and rallied his friends to join him in the song.

(Lincoln)

When they come tough, we treat them rough

(The Guys)

With our little bow and arrow

(Nine of the Ten Gal Pals)

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, we fear no foe

(Haiku, Fiona and her Troupe)

With their little bow and arrow!

(First AN: Thus, both this particular multi-part oneshot and the Summer Arc for A Day in the Life of the Gal Pals comes to an end and with a BIG bang to boot. But what does the future hold for our favorite friend group? Tune in next time, to learn the answers and so much more.)

(Second AN: In some areas of the real world, whenever something serious occurs; police and/or security officials either perform pat downs, cavity searches or use metal detector wands on them. This is all necessary to make certain nobody has anything illegal or stolen on their person. I used this sort of scenario for this final part of Rascally Rennies, due to the events of Part Three's cliffhanger.

I hoped I made the scenario believable for you all, folks; particularly the bomb scare thing Dana mentioned.)

(Third AN: To give your imaginations on what Madame Victoria looks like after so much time had passed, her face resembles something akin to Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians or Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove. But the real kicker here is...after Victoria got her facelift; she makes the other two look Sports Illustrated models, by comparison.)

(Fourth AN: I know there wasn't much Ren Faire fun in this chapter compared to the other parts of this oneshot. But considering the circumstances of the situation, the Gals and Guys really wanted to capture the crook behind everything. Plus, everyone loves a good mystery.)

(Final AN: As mentioned above, this is not the end of the fanfic; just the end of the Summer Arc of oneshot stories. Soon, we will be entering into the Fall Arc; which will include a campout story, a story revolving around Lincoln's birthday and even Halloween story...not necessarily in that order. Be sure to stay alert for any and all future developments.

Thank you for your patience and support, have fun reading.)