A Little More Explaining

"What was that?"

"One of Burns' spies," Bob sighed, not looking to see who had asked the question.

"Spies?"

Bob turned his head. Marge had asked the last question.

"Yes. Animals can be possessed just as humans; in fact, an animal is easier for a dark spirit to overtake that a human. Some creatures, when used in Satanic rituals, can become 'magnets' for evil spirits, seeming absorbing untold numbers of demons. Such creatures can not only be control by vampires such as Burns, but become extensions of his will an consciousness. Larger creatures, large dogs or wolves even, can be used by the Vampyr to guard their resting places during the day."

"The hounds of Hell!" Lugash said.

"Exactly. Smaller animals like bats, birds, rats and mice, are not much use for such purposes, but can serve the Vampyr in other ways, usually as spies. That crow Brian killed was acting as Burns' eyes and eyes during the day, following us while he sleeps during the day."

"He used the crow at night too, Bob. Remember?"

"Oh yes, that incident in your home. Tell me again, where do you live?"

"That old mansion at the edge of the orange groves outside of town."

Bob gasped. Krauser looked over his shoulder to see what had elicited such a response, and nearly ran an elderly couple off the road as he drifted into the oncoming lane.

"Mr. Burns used to own that property when he was alive."

Brian's face betrayed no reaction, but his gut clenched and he bit down hard.

"That bird under his control could enter your house at will!"

Later on, Bart went to talk to Joshua.

"So, you're from Australia, huh?"

"Not originally. I'm an expatriate."

"Zuh?"

Jessica clucked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "He used to be an American, duh!"

"I knew that," he said quickly."

"No, you didn't, Bart."

"Look you want to talk about something-!"

"So! What state are you guys from?" Joshua asked, curtailing their argument.

"Oh, we're both from Springfield-" Jessica began.

"Hey everybody! We're going through a tunnel! Hold your breathe and make a wish!"

"Uh, Homer, the tunnel is seventeen kilometres long!" Bob said.

"So? I can hold my breath that long!"

"Do you know how long a kilometre is?"

"Shut up!"

Ten minutes later…

Lisa and Marge hefted Homer off the floor and laid him on one of the bus seats.

"Anyway," Joshua was finishing, "I stayed in Australia a couple weeks the summer of my junior year, and I loved it so much that I went to uni there."

"Juh?"

"University," he explained.

"Fuh?"

"Kaw-lehge!"

"Ohhhh!"

"…and I've lived there ever since."

Nelson, Kearney, and Dolph cam down the bus aisle.

"Hey Wallach, I hear you're pretty good at Tae Kwon Do and all that crap."

"Yes, I'm the reigning champion right now in all of Queensland."

"Let's see some moves."

"I don't perform. I use the ancient arts only for self-defense and the protection of the weak."

"C'mon, man! We wanna see some Kung Fu!"

"Fine. Any volunteers for a quick demo?"

Bart stood.

"I'll go."

"Alright," Joshua said, standing up. Bart grinned smugly. Though an entire foot taller than Bart, Joshua Wallach was extremely thin, with fine, feminine features and unwieldly limbs. Bart was certain that, with his newly-acquired knowledge of fighting, that Wallach would be put to shame.

"Ha!" he said, throwing a powerful punch. Wallach blocking and delivered three quick strikes to Bart's torso. He froze, a look of shock and indignation on his face. Josh grinned, and pushed Bart over with a single poke to the forhead.

"Haw-Haw!"