At the McBruce shed, the girls were finishing their homework when Kirby's tummy started to growl.
"Kirby is hungry again," chuckled Estrella. "That little puffball can eat anything."
"Nearly a year and Kirby has been a town hero and a eataholic," replied Tania.
When they went into the kitchen to give Kirby a snack, they heard something in the pantry. Inside, they found a traumatized Chief Hess. "Chief Hess?" asked Leah. "What are you doing here? You're a cop, and cops know that tresspassing is against the law."
"I know, McBruce," replied Chief Hess. "I'm hiding from an old police academy classmate."
The Klue Queens were a little confused. After hearing the doorbell ring, Kirby came up and opened the door, only to see a detective, a pre-teen girl, and a tiny dog.
"I'm Detective Dan," greeted the man.
"Poyo?" asked Kirby.
"Are there any criminals in here?" asked Detective Dan.
Chief Hess became petrified by the apperance of Detective Dan. Confused, Leah asked, "Do you know that moron?"
"That's Detective Dan," explained Chief Hess. "He and I were police academy buddies back in the day. Every day he always lets the criminals get away, take all the bologna from the kitchen, uses the bathroom in a cabinet, and shoplifts from music stores. The people at the Chicago Police Academy couldn't take it anymore, so they had to let him graduate along with the class of our time."
"Isn't that illegal?" asked Rylie.
"Not unless the board couldn't handle one student any longer and they don't want any parental issues," Tania answered. "When we had our fashion show mystery, Sam told me that Beverly Hills High couldn't handle a student named Mandy anymore due to the fact that she cares more about her beauty than her grades, wears inappropriate school attire and spends all her money on beauty products."
"Dad?" asked Dan's daughter. "Isn't that your old friend Leslie Hess?"
"That's right, pumpkin," Dan replied.
"You must be Dan's daughter Ann," Chief Hess guessed. "And the little dog must be Stan."
"That's right," answered Ann. "I joined forces with him so we won't get introuble with the law. Especially, last week."
She got out a newspaper which had a crazy headline.
Moronic detective, released rebel teens from Chicago state prison.
Ann explained that the teenagers were tossing balloons with ketchup at city halls as a prank, only to be caught by the police and they have to serve community service. He thought they were slaves from an alien planet and released them. The chief of police wasn't happy, so he decided to give Detective Dan time off.
While going through the mail, Kirby and Swinger found a flier that was acidentally left in the mail.
Boccaccio Manor scheduled for demolition.
Authorized by Lane Gaines.
The Klue Queens were shocked by the news. "The Boccaccio were one of the first Italian Americans who came to Lititz Heights in the late 18 hundreds," explained Tania. "They even operate the Boccaccio Cheese Market. After the second World War, they moved out and moved into the downtown area. "
"Reminds me of our Gavin Gates mystery," recalled Kaylin. "And Uncle Rusty is making a Italian Creme of Onion soup Saturday."
"Could you please take Dan and his family along?" begged Chief Hess. "I don't want my police buddies to laugh at me, especially Deputy Downs."
"You know my hermana's esposo," laughed Estrella. "He won't laugh at you."
Before they could begin their investigation, they needed suspects to who would want to demolish the place.
XxoxX
Suspects
Lane Gaines (Real estate agent) - Knows every building in Lititz Heights.
Mayor Hess (Mayor of Lititz Heights) - Finally has the money to schedule a demolition.
Fontina Boccacio-Rongsu (Owner of the Boccacio Cheese Market) - Seems cautious when someone tries to enter Boccacio Manor.
XxoxX
Later at Boccacio Cheese Market, Rylie, Kaylin, Rick, and Detective Dan were arriving to talk to Fontina, the current owner of the market.
"Buon pomeriggio," greeted a middle aged lady in an Italian accent, "and welcome to Boccacio's Cheese Market."
"Buon Pomeriggio, Mama Boccacio," greeted Rylie. "We were wondering-"
"Before you say anything," replied Mama Boccacio, "let me introduce you to mi familia."
With a few bangs from her cowbell, her three sons, two daughters, and her Asian husband came here. "This is my husband, Oliver Rongsu."
"Ni hao, young travelers," greeted Oliver.
"It's gouda to see you again," replied Rylie, "But we-"
"And here are my bambinos - Burnice, Gordon, Ricky, and twins, Mozzy, and Monte."
"We're having a speciale this week on parmesan," stated Burnice.
"Cura di assaggiare (Care to sample)?" asked Gordon.
"No, thanks," answered Rylie as Mama Boccacio's grown-up children stuffed their faces with cheese.
"This is delicious," admitted Detective Dan. "Let me take them all."
"Let's not," replied Rylie as she grabbed his hands. "Mama Boccacio, we want to talk to you about the old house you lived in as a child."
"Si, si," replied Mama Boccacio. "The old Boccacio Manor in the suburban area. After Nonno Proceso died in battle, Nonna Talhia had to move out of the house because it brought her so much pain. She never got over her death, but my papa and I did. In honor of him, we had the Proceso Special, which is a combination of provolone and taleggio cheese."
"Mama," replied Burnice, "you always tell wonderful Boccacio stories."
"Grazie," replied Mama Boccacio.
"A word of advice, mate," Rick said to the lady. "Whenever our friends say no, they mean no."
"Scusate," replied Mamma Boccacio. "It's just we always do this whenever we see a new face in our store."
When she said that, Kaylin and Rylie knew they were talking about Detective Dan. As he was getting out a local paper, Kaylin and Rylie could see an article about the sales from different real estate companies. Lititz Heights Reality was going up while Gaines Realty was going down.
XxoxX
Meanwhile, Leah, Kirby, Paige, Detective Ann, and Tokkori were going around the old Boccacio Mansion when a flamboyant man came up to them.
"Lane Gaines of Gaines Realty," greeted the man. "Say you wanna buy a home to run away from your parents. Look no further - Boccacio Manor has plenty to offer for your teenage needs. Of course, I have been getting rumors of ghost hauntings, and not the good kind."
"No, thanks." Leah answered. "I don't even know my real dad actually. Mom doesn't like to talk about it. After I met Kirby, I've been getting Scottish visions."
"Looks like it's a side effect of spending a lot of time with an alien," guessed Ann.
"That's right," replied Paige. "In the 'Fairly OddParents' episode 'No Substitute For Crazy!', whenever beings spend so much time with one or two people, their magic rubbed off. In this case, *star* magic."
"Poyo!" cheered Kirby.
"The world famous Klue Queens and little Kirby," smiled Lane. "Everyone has been talking about you. What brings you to Gaines Realty? Don't tell me - you're fed up with your parents and hate them now?"
"No," growled Leah, "We are want to investigate to see if there's a reason why Boccacio Manor should be demolished."
"Oh, yeah," recalled Lane. "The surprise demolition. Go right ahead, ladies."
Leah, Paige, and Ann found it a little confusing to let a real estate agent just let them in like that. When they got into the manor, Kirby found a strange item, pressed the button and kaboom, stinky smells were everywhere.
"Stink bomb!" shouted Leah.
The smells were so horrible, Leah, Ann, Paige and Kirby fell unconsciously. Only Tokkori made his escape. "Sweet jumablaya!" he shouted. "I gotta warn the others!"
XxoxX
Estrella, Tania, Swinger, and Detective Dan were arriving at Sound Symphony where they spotted Mayor Hess, Judson and the Bugaloos were giving a Broadway singing lesson to children. Another creature helping them was an anthropomorphic owl, whom was familiar to Tania.
"You're Dr. Blinky," recalled Tania. "From 'H.R. Pufnstuf' and 'Horror Hotel'. I thought you worked for Witchiepoo now. Unless you're a double agent for the good guys who wants to keep Witchiepoo from causing trouble."
"You're a clever girl, Tania," Dr. Blinky commented. "Who, coincidentally, has a similar name to Joy's Madame Tania persona from the final episode of 'The Bugaloos'."
Tania was surprised that Dr. Blinky knew her name, then remembered that the Bugaloos are from the Krofftverse like Dr. Blinky is, she figured that they told Dr. Blinky all about Tania and how she wrote beautiful songs for them."
While explaining the mayor about the demolition, she explained that she didn't hire a construction company for the job nor doing it tomorrow. This could only mean one thing: someone forged the legal documents of the demolition.
"All I remember is that a strange man gave me a delivery for a box," Mayor Hess continued, "only for it to be a bunch of lightbulbs. Whoever is responsible is doing 500 hours of community service."
"Tania! Estrella!" shouted Tokkori from behind. "We have an emergency!"
"This better not be another trick to sneaking into the Roadhouse Fantasia buffet again," scolded Tania.
"It's Leah, Paige, Gumball, and Ann!" shouted Tokkori. "Someone knocked them out with a garbage bomb!"
Knowing that he meant "stink bomb," they had to get to the manor fast. "Let me come with you," assured Dr. Blinky. "I dealt with sick skunks before."
XxoxX
By the time they arrived to Boccacio Manor, they could see their friends out cold. Just then, Tania remembered something from her grandparents "Pufnstuf" videos. "Dr. Blinky," she said to the owl, "remember the birthday episode of 'H.R. Pufnstuf'? You used your Getemup Horn in order to wake people up from sleeping magic."
"Usually sleeping stuff would last up to one to two hours," replied Dr. Blinky as he got out his horn, "but this is a quicker way."
Infront of the unconscious members, Dr. Blinky placed the mouth in his horn and shouted, "Get up, everybody! Get up! Get up!"
"¿Estás bien?" Estrella asked.
"We're fine," Ann replied, "but we smell like old cheese."
"I know, right?" replied Leah. "Mama Boccacio would not be happy about this."
"Perhaps a little chinese food would calm you guys down," suggested Tania.
"Good idea," Ann replied as she picked up Stan.
While they were going out, Swinger and Kirby found a business card.
XxoxX
Later at Hong Kong House of Chow, they were having some Chinese food for dinner when Kaylin, Rylie and Rick came in while carrying a cheese stuffed Detective Dan.
"Sorry we're late," groaned Kaylin. "We had to keep Detective Dan from hogging all the cheese."
"Mama Boccacio didn't charge us because she wanted to help about the manor," Rick explained.
After they finished ther dinner ten minutes later, Tang came in with ther checks and fortune cookies.
"Hey, Tang," Rick greeted. "Taking it easy on television news?"
"Yeah," replied Tang. "I've been reporting about the demolition of the house tomorrow. I never thought Mayor Hess would demolish another historical house."
"But she didn't sign those papers," replied Tania. "She signed fake delivery papers. We want you to get the press and head over to Boccacio Manor tomorrow to see what's going on?"
"Sure thing," Tang replied. "After all, us reporters need to know what's going on."
Carefully, they read their fortunes.
The stars are there for you. - L
Stop the increase after low problems. - K
Press the power of teamwork in your heart. - E
News of the light can lead the way. - R
Just in the buisness they succeed. - T
Never interupt the Programs of Life. - P
After putting down their fortunes, Swinger gave Estrella the business card.
Ganes Realty
Ganing the Power.
"Girls," said Rylie, "those fortunes gave us an idea on who's responsible and how to catch the culprit.
XxoxX
The next day, Lane was going around looking for any skunks when Kirby, Rick, Swinger, Tokkori, Little Miss Starlight, Sumo, Masahiro and Stan came out dressed like them.
"You're not real skunks!" exclaimed Lane. "Your pets and creatures dressed like them."
"Why don't we shed some lightbulbs on the subject?" Tokkori growled.
Confused, Lane turned his head and the Boccacios, the Klue Queens, Ann, and Dan tossed the same lightbulbs Mayor Hess got at him.
"So," growled Gordon, "you like destroying familia traditions!"
"How do you know that?" asked Lane.
He was so shocked by the lightbulbs, he barged into the house. The Boccacios, the Klue Queens, Ann, and Dan decided to follow him.
Inside, they looked everywhere for the weird real estate agent. Little did they know, Lane was using his suction cups and started cutting the chandelier with a laser he got from his government agent buddies. Looking up our heroes could see that he's going to kill them. Quickly, Leah spotted the wall mirror and shouted, "Kirby, suck it up! "
With one gulp of the mirror, Kirby turned into Mirror Kirby. As the chandelier fell. Mirror Kirby jumped up, activated his shield and broke the chandelier. Lane was petrified by what he did. He got so angry, he got down and staired at the little puffball. He tried to grab Mirror Kirby, but Mirror Kirby's replication confused him and trapped him in white tarp, making him look like a ghost.
"Excellent work," commented Ann. "Usually Dad lets criminals get away on accident, but this is better."
"Pumpkin," Detective Dan asked, "why did you choose to live with me instead of Mom?"
"Everyone in Chicago thinks you're a nutcase and you mess up badly," Ann explained as she hugged. "But no matter what problems you have, you'll be the only father for me."
Everyone but Lane was delighted by the father-daughter bond.
XxoxX
Later, Tang was getting a report on another Klue Queen mystery. "Were there any clues that Lane was responsible for the fake demolition scam?" she asked.
"There was that news article about the real estate sales of Lititz Heights," Tania recalled "Lane's was going down. When we ran into the mayor at Sound Symphony, she explained that she had plans to schedule the place for demolition, but didn't plan on hiring a construction company nor scheduling it today. Finally, there was that buisness card with Gaines Realty on it.
"Gaines Realty was falling apart," explained Paige. "Everyone is digging the new fancy real estate companies. So Lane decided to increase my business."
Mayor Hess barged up and asked where Lane was. They leaded the mayor inside the manor where their pets were scaring him up a coatrack.
"Back off, you wild creatures!" Lane fearfully exclaimed. "Animal fur is a big real estate violation!" After the Klue Queens helped him down, Mayor Hess came up to him and gave him a broom.
"For bamboozling a mayor," scolded the mayor, "You're getting 500 hours in community service."
Fearfully, Lane started cleaning up the mess outside. When everyone evacuated the building, Detective Dan said, "I guess that wraps up the case of the floating hippo."
Everyone chuckled at Detective Dan, except Chief Hess, who found it confusing. "Dan," he said, "I'm impressed that you got help from the Klue Queens. I thought you would blow this one, but I'm proud of you."
"Didn't do it alone," replied Dan. "Ann helped too."
Touch by the family bonding, Mayor Hess decided to demolish the house anyway. Everyone was petrified by this.
"You're not going to make another parking lot?" asked Leah. "Lititz Heights has at least 12 parking lots, which is good enough for this little town."
"Who says anything about a parking lot?" asked the mayor.
All together, the Bugaloos turned Boccacio Manor into an elaborate dance studio with numerous Krofft Productions murals on it. Reading the sign, Leah and Tania recognized the name "Bugaloo Dance Studio."
"That's from the 'H.R. Pufnstuf' movie," recalled Leah, "where Witchiepoo personaed as Betsy Bugaloo and tried to steal Freddy."
Quickly, everyone barged into the new dance studio and celebrated its grand opening. However, Mayor Hess told Lane to stay and clean up the mess. To prevent him from slacking off, I.Q. placed a tickle spell on him.
"Every time he slacks off and/or tries to act bad," explained I.Q., "he gets tickled."
Lane thought it was stupid, but ended up getting tickled by the spell. I.Q. also explained that the spell will ware off after he completes 500 hours of community service.
XxoxX
While they were celebrating, Mama Boccacio and her husband arrived to see what's going on. "I heard my children saying that they're going to save our old home," she explained, "but you magical beings turned it into a dance studio."
"Oh, my," Mayor Hess. "I know that this meant to be part of your familia and you don't want anyone getting in fearing that bad ghost could traumatize the citizens, but the place needed another dance studio for low income families."
Instead of bursting in rage, Mama Boccacio smiled, because she met her husband at a dance studio when they were in high school. The two of them were the masters of tango in the day. "Oliver, my love," she said to her husband, "care to dance like it's 1999 again?"
"With pleasure," answered Mr. Rongsu as they began to tango.
The Boccacio-Rongsu kids were delighted by their parents' dancing. As everyone was being amazed by their dancing, Mayor Hess told Dr. Blinky that he was going to be the general manager of Bugaloo Dance Studio.
"Living Island doctor, double agent for Mayor Pufnstuf, and general manager of Bugaloo Dance Studio," wowed Dr. Blinky. "I'm going to need a nap after all that."
The End
