The Goth Wotch
Issue 6: Terrible Twos
"Hey Katie, hey Wolfie," Cassie says to the two redheads standing in her doorway the next Saturday at around 2:30. The two walk in, and the black-banged blonde shuts the door behind them.
"So, what was so urgent that we had to come over right away?" Katie questions immediately.
Wolfie adds, "Definitely short notice, whatever it was."
"What happened, guys, is that my mom told me this morning that I have to watch my cousin Emily tonight. Problem is, I already had plans to go to the mall in Wakefield with this girl I know named Brittany and some friends of hers. So-"
"So you want us to babysit your cousin," Katie interrupts. Cassie nods.
"How old is she?" Wolfie asks.
"Two," Cassie answers while holding up the pointer and middle fingers on her left hand.
"Sure, I'm in," Wolfie says.
"Okay, why not? About what time should you be back?" Katie questions.
"I should be home around 7:30. Get her in bed at 7, and you two can go ahead and leave after she falls asleep."
"Are you sure it's okay to just leave her here?" Katie asks.
"She'll be fine," Cassie answers. "Anyway, I'm going to go get her. I'll be back with her in a minute. I'm just going to send her in and go though, because I really need to get going to make the 3:00 bus."
"You're overreacting," 29 says while he and 32 walk through the halls of the empty school, 32 walking around five feet away from him and trying to avoid looking at him.
"Are you insane? We went on a date for God's sake!" 32 shouts in response, all while looking extremely paranoid.
"It's not like it was natural or anything. You can blame the Wotch for it happening."
"Trust me, I do. So, what is it we're being sent to do?" After asking this, 32 moves a foot or so closer to her partner.
"It's been discovered that there are two more magic users within this town. Protective spells have gone up around the forest, preventing any magical spying, while there has been a high level of transformation magic going on all around town. We're supposed to find out the sources of these spells."
A knock is heard on the door, and Katie immediately stands up and opens it, looking down to see a blonde toddler in a black dress.
"Must run in the family," Katie quips as she lets the girl in before closing the door behind her.
"I see the resemblance," Wolfie says as she sees the girl.
"Hi!" Emily shouts. "I'm Emly!"
"Cute," Katie mumbles.
"So which are we going to check out first?" 32 asks 29. She is now walking next to him, apparently over what had happened previously.
"I thought we'd look into the transformations first," Agent 29 answers. "Those are mainly occurring in a house in town, so we can go straight to the forest from there."
"Good, good. Just so ya know, 29, I'm... oh, what's the word... sorry for overreacting over that."
"I understand, 32. I understand," he answers in his usual calm manner.
"Huh. Hey Wolfie, you know they have a Blade TV show now?" Katie asks while channel surfing.
"Nope," Wolfie answers while looking through a magazine. "I'm thinking of going to see tonight after Cassie gets back. Wanna come?"
"Nah, can't. I already told Ming I'd watch TV with her. She's really getting me into this anime stuff."
"Katie, I wan' juice," Emily, who's been sitting on the floor, suddenly says.
"Hmm... that's weird," Wolfie says. "I haven't said your name since she got here."
"Cassie probably told her our names before she dropped her off, Wolfie," Katie answers.
"That makes sense, I guess..."
"You say it's coming from this house?" Agent 32 asks as her and 29 approach one of the houses in a small neighborhood in town.
"Yes, this is it," 29 answers. "Please tell me you don't feel like trying to break in this time. We both know how that usually works out..."
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"Wan' up!" Emily calls while standing next to Wolfie's left leg. The were is sitting on the couch beside Katie.
"Okay, Emily," Wolfie replies before picking up the toddler and setting her on the couch between her and her fellow redhead.
"No! I want UP!"
"Wolfie, I think she wants on your shoulders." Katie tells her friend. Wolfie shrugs and picks Emily up once more before putting the girl atop her shoulder. She then stands up.
"He he, Wolfie tall!" the toddler squeals.
"What are the chances that no one would be home now?" 32 complains as she and her partner walk away from the house.
"A Saturday t 3:30? Pretty good, I'd say," 29 answers, drawing a sigh from 32.
"Well, what are we going to do now?" 32 asks of her companion.
"What can we do besides head on to the forest and hope someone's home when we return?" 29 questions in response. He and 32 then begin walking toward Tandy Forests.
"I wanna ride more!" Emily says just after Wolfie sets her back down before sitting down.
"I'll do it," Wolfie," Katie offers. Se picks Emily up in the same fashion, and almost immediately...
"Lemme down! Lemme down!" the toddler screams, causing Katie to lay her in Wolfie's arms.
"Kitty too tall! Kitty too tall!" Emily sobs into Wolfie's arms, while Wolfie stares at her, bewildered.
"Guess she's afraid of heights," Katie says, rolling her eyes.
"Don't you find something odd about what she just said?" Wolfie asks her significantly taller friend.
Katie stares at her peculiarly, before wondering, "Like what?"
"How'd she know you're a werecat? Doesn't that seem odd to you?"
"She probably just got my name confused, Wolfie."
"But she called you Katie earlier," Wolfie points out.
Katie replies, "Just a mix-up, Wolfie. I've heard kids do it plenty of times."
"Okay..."
Agents 29 and 32 enter the forests of Tandy, eyeing the countless trees surrounding them.
"So, 29, how are we supposed to find something out here anyway?"
"Look for anything suspicious, of course."
"This better not take all night," 32 sighs in response. "I was hoping to go see that pirate thing tonight."
"Don't you think doing the work of the Counsel is a more pressing concern?"
"So, what do you want to do, Emily?" Katie asks of the toddler a couple of hours later, not bothering to change the tone of her voice from that of an ordinary conversation.
"I wanna story!" the girl excitedly answers. Katie picks the toddler up off the floor and sets her on the couch before getting started. Meanwhile, Wolfie sits in the kitchen, looking through a phonebook. Once she finds the number she's looking for, Wolfie lays the book down and grabs the telephone. She dials the number in the book, and after listening for a minute or two, she hangs up.
"Hmm... that's odd, but it doesn't explain the rest..." the werewolf mumbles. "There's a missing piece of the puzzle here."
"Well, I found a small house over there," 32 says to 29 while pointing east, "but nothing all that bizarre."
"It's a start," 29 answers. He is about to continue, but is interrupted by odd squawks of some sort of bird. "32, we need to get out of here. Now."
"Why, oh panicless one?" 29 ignores the question and grabs 32's wrist, pulling her with him until they are out of the forest.
"What is it?" 32 asks. 29 turns his head toward her.
"That was the call of a phoenix, 32. The Counsel needs to know about this, now."
29 turns and begins walking back toward the highschool. As 32 follows him, she mumbles, "At least I can see the movie."
Katie lies on the couch with Emily sitting on top of her stomach, Katie somehow having managed to fall asleep. Wolfie walks into the room and sees the scene.
"I don't know how she does it," Wolfie laughs, the previously suspicious/confused look expression on her face now a smile. Suddenly, however, the smile disappears and her eyes widen as a small blue fireball leaps from the toddler's hand.
Emily giggles, "Fia funny!"
"Eep!" Wolfie gasps. She silently decides to let Katie sleep, then picks up Emily. Wolfie looks at the clock whilst holding the girl. 6:45.
"Cassie said we could leave when she fell asleep, ya know," Katie yawns while standing in the doorway around half an hour minutes later.
"Well, I just thought I'd stay and make sure she's all right," Wolfie lies, keeping the truth of wanting to test her suspicion hidden.
"Alright then. You still coming over tonight?"
"I might be a few minutes late, but I'll be there," Wolfie answers. Katie walks away, shutting the door behind her. Wolfie immediately enters Cassie's bedroom, having put Emily to sleep on Cassie's bed, and inside sees not Emily but Cassie sleeping.
Wolfie gasps, expecting the sight but still surprised by it, before walking over and beginning to shake Cassie with her right hand. The goth begins to stir, and as soon as her eyes open, they widen upon seeing who's standing above her.
"Oh um... Wolfie! Uh... what are you doing here?" Cassie asks nervously, knowing what she's been doing has basically been found out.
"Just checking on a hunch I had."
"So you figured it out before you found me?" Cassie asks Wolfie as Cassie sits up and Wolfie sits down next to her bed.
Wolfie answers, "More or less. What I wanna know, is why would you regress yourself anyway?"
"Um... see... you remember the thing with the magic virus?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well, when I was younger... I dunno, my mind was a lot simple, so I wondered how it'd work as a relaxation technique. So I combined some regression and hypnotization spells to get things just right."
"I think I get where you're coming from. But there are other ways to relax..."
"I thought I'd give this a shot," Cassie answers while looking down, still a bit embarrassed to have been found out. "It's not the first time I've done it or anything."
"It's not?"
"Nope. Last time Kirk-
"Since when do you call him by his name?" Wolfie interrupts, possibly more confused over this.
"Anne's sister accidently resurrected Amaar and Kirk helped out. Long story," Cassie answers. "Anyway, last time Kirk was over here, I made myself his age. Did some things I regretted then-"
"Like... what?" Wolfie asks, a bit scared by the possibilities of this statement.
"Not like that or anything. Just broke some of my stuff. Anyway, I've also messed around with different ages for a few minutes each night, just to see how well it worked. And today was a field test of sorts."
"You could've at least let us know first. I mean-"
"I could just imagine the reaction to that question," Cassie laughs, before turning serious once more. "You're not planning on letting Katie know, are you?"
"'Course not. Hey, we all have secrets."