Hallo-whatta?

by DaveDShow

*****'*****

Zach and Cody often spent their free time in Arwin's workshop in the basement of the Tipton Hotel. Even if Arwin himself was a little nutty, his workshop always had cool gadgets and other stuff to play around with, and Arwin didn't seem to get too upset if things didn't always work out the way they were supposed to. But today-just a few days before Halloween-he was helping them to create their Halloween costumes.

This year, they were dressing as twin cyborgs, and Arwin's help was invaluable. He had built matching, functional-looking costumes and was giving them shiny, metallic-flake paint jobs. Gold for Cody's suit and silver for Zack's. While Arwin was finishing his work, the twins were rummaging around, looking for any cool items they could add.

"Hey, Arwin, what's this?" Zack yelled out. He was holding up a medium-sized, plain-looking cardboard box. It had been resting on a low shelf against one of the workshop's walls There were no labels, or anything that might give a clue to what was within, although it was sealed with packing tape.

Arwin put his spray-paint equipment down and walked over to where the boys stood together. "Don't know. It was already down here when I moved in, but I never really opened it up." He got a sudden burst of inspiration. "Hey, maybe we should open it up!"

Zack and Cody didn't need any more prompting than that and began tearing away at the tape. They made a little progress before Arwin came over with a box-cutter, and motioned for them to give him some room. The twins rolled their eyes, but both backed up a couple of steps. Arwin unsheathed the short blade, slit the tape on the top and sides of the box's lid and opened it. Zack and Cody both came forward and looked inside.

"Oh, cool-comic books!" Zack exclaimed.

Cody pulled one out; it was sealed by scotch tape in a plastic wrapper, with a cardboard backing. "This is pretty old," Cody observed. He pointed to the comic's publishing date, October 1975. "And look at that price tag! 25 cents!"

Zack pointed to the cover. "You can't get anything for 25 cents anymore!"

Cody was about to mention that they could each get a little sphere of bubblegum from a vending machine for 25 cents today, but before he could get it out, Arwin pointed to the comic's title. "'Werewolves Run Amok!'" he read. "Hey, I remember that one! It got reprinted in a big volume a while back!" He examined the colorful cover again while Zack and Cody picked out another one each.

Zack found an issue of 'Monsters Roam the City!', while Cody's choice was 'Vampires Prowl by Night!'.

After some perusing, the twins turned to Arwin, and Cody asked, "Hey, Arwin, would it be okay if we borrowed these?"

Arwin shrugged and replied, "Well, it's okay with me. I guess the law of salvage would apply here."

"Law of salvage?" Zack asked.

"Finders, keepers," Cody filled him in and then looked back at Arwin, who nodded agreement.

"Yeah, they're kinda like buried treasure!" he exclaimed. Arwin took his new-found copy of 'Werewolves Run Amok!' back to his workbench and set it down gently. "Come back in about an hour, guys. The paint oughta be dry by then."

Zack headed for the door, carrying only his comic. "Come on, Code-ster, let's go check these out."

Cody rolled his eyes again and picked up the box and followed his brother.

Arwin suddenly looked up and said, "Oh, and say 'hi' to your mom for me!"...but they were gone.

***'***

When they got up to the Tipton lobby Zack seemingly forgot all about their new discovery as he made a bee-line for the candy counter. He leaned against the front of the counter and smiled at the pretty, blonde teen-aged girl who was re-stocking the counter's displays.

"Happy Halloween, sweet thang!" Zack drawled in what he thought was his smoothest voice.

Maddie smiled back at him. "Hey, Zack, what are you up to?"

Zack's chest expanded a little as he grinned and shrugged. "Oh, just gettin' ready for the coolest night of the year...which I wouldn't mind spending with the prettiest girl at the Tipton!" Zack heard Cody clear his throat beside him, and added, "...or my brother," turning his head and giving Cody a pained look. Cody just smirked back at him as he held their box of comics.

"Well, okay, then-present and accounted for!" The new voice belonged to London Tipton, the fabulously wealthy teen-aged heiress whose father owned the hotel-just one of many. As always, she was dressed in a stylish but flamboyant outfit that was probably custom-designed. Although London was famous for making entrances that definitely got her noticed, for once, she had actually joined them quietly until speaking up. She patted her friend Maddie on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Maddie, I can find a cute guy and give him a job telling you you're the prettiest girl in the room!"

Maddie smirked good-naturedly at her friend. She knew London wasn't really being mean, but she still raised a single eyebrow and purred, "Gee, thanks, London. You'd do that for me?"

"Just doing my part to help out the economy!" London cheerfully replied. Maddie's sarcasm was basically lost on her.

Zack grinned at London then turned his attention back to Maddie while Cody, still holding the box, cleared his throat again seemingly anxious to get moving. London noticed that no one was paying attention to her, so she decided to stir things up. Since Cody wasn't looking, she stepped quietly behind him and quickly goosed his ribs through his sweater.

"Aahhhhh!" Cody cried out as he jerked suddenly, the comics almost flying out of the box he was still holding.

"Would you be careful, already?" Zack turned to his brother, raising his voice. Cody was about to respond in kind, when they both noticed London jumping up and down in place, clapping her hands repeatedly.

"Yay me!" she exulted. She turned to Cody, "Ha ha! Got'cha!" she laughed. Cody tried to think of a reply, but he couldn't help noticing how cute London was when she did that, so he just gave her a sheepish smile. London grinned back at him then pointed to the box he held, "What'cha got?"

"Oh-we found some cool comics in the basement...down in Arwin's workshop!" Cody set the box down on the carpet and he and London squatted down over it.

London carefully examined some of the comics' covers and offered her professional assessment of the subject matter: "Eww! These guys are ugly!" She tossed the comics back into the box.

Cody carefully caught them and gently picked up them back up. "Well, they're monsters, London- they're kinda supposed to be. It's the perfect reading material for Halloween!"

Cody half-expected London to make fun of him for enjoying reading, but she scrunched up her face in a quizzical expression and questioned, "Hallo-whatta?"

Cody again took mental note of how appealing she seemed to look when she did that, but explained, "Halloween-you know, when everybody dresses up in cool outfits and they get treats. You know what Halloween is."

London considered for a moment, then brightly replied, "Oh, then I do that every day!"

Cody was about to explain further, but then realized that the girl was probably right. London returned to thumbing through some of the comics, till she found one she seemed to like. She held up a copy of 'Vampires Are All Around Us!' and pointed to the cover. "Now this guy knows how to dress!" tapping a character's image with her finger. It depicted a vampire wearing a Victorian suit, with a matching cape. "But he really needs a good dentist to fix those teeth!" She handed the comic back to Cody, pleased at her use of logic to make her point.

Just then, Mr. Moseby, the hotel's manager, strolled over from his usual station at the lobby's reservations desk. Poised and well-mannered as always he greeted the youngsters, "Hello, everyone!" as he nodded to each one in turn. Then his eyes fixed upon the box on the floor. "Er...um. Boys, where did you say you found those?"

Zack was quick to speak up. "Oh, down in the basement, Mr. Moseby. They were in Arwin's workshop-he said we could borrow them!"

The twins looked up at him; Zack expectantly, Cody questioningly. Mr. Moseby frowned slightly, biting his lower lip. Maddie looked at him with a slightly concerned expression on her face, while London seemed curious and also expectant at the same time. He finally cleared his throat, and the expression on his face seemed to soften slightly. He even gave a slight smile and quietly spoke, "Hm...Well...very well, boys. Just take good care of them...they do look quite aged, after all," regarding the neatly stacked comics in the box, all boarded and carefully sealed. "And make sure you put them back exactly where you found them when you are finished with them!" He raised an admonishing finger and his face took on a particularly stern expression. "They, er...they must be someone's valuable property, after all!" He concluded with a single, crisp nod.

Zack was about to argue when Cody edged his way in from of his brother and quickly spoke up, "Don't worry, Mr. Moseby, we will!" He nodded to emphasize the assurance he was trying to give the older man.

Moseby seemed satisfied and nodded once again, "Very well, then." He seemed about to say something further when everyone heard a bell at the reservations desk ting repeatedly. "Oh," he turned sharply, "Please excuse me." He then headed back to the desk, his attention focused solely on his area of expertise...

***'***

Zack leaned in close to his brother and whispered, "Did you notice how weird Moseby was acting?"

Cody's face scrunched up a little as he thought for a few seconds. "Yeah, now that you mention it, I did. Wonder what that was about?"

Zack casually shrugged. "Who cares? It's Moseby," dismissing the notion as quickly as he brought it up. Zack quickly bounced to his feet and grinned at the blonde. "See you later, Maddie!" he winked at her then headed for the lobby's elevator banks. Maddie put her fingers to her lips, smiled and blushed slightly, then returned her attention to the stacks of candy on her counter that needed putting away.

Cody once again found himself carrying the box, but this time, London gave him a hand picking it up off the floor, then made sure that he had a good grip on it. She reached out and ruffled his hair and smiled at him, then gave Maddie a cheery wave and sashayed off.

***'***

Mr. Moseby handled the line of customers quickly and efficiently, checking reservations, accepting their proffered forms of payment, handing out key cards, summoning bell personnel and giving them clear, concise directions. When he finally had a chance to take a short breather, he mused to himself that he needed to have a talk with Arwin at his earliest opportunity about lending out valuable items that weren't his property to begin with. But his firm expression softened slightly as he observed Zack and Cody boarding an elevator. Before the doors closed, he noticed the boys looking into the box Cody was still holding, and they seemed excited. The doors finally closed and Moseby turned to examine the desk's surface...the better so no one in the lobby could see the slight smile spreading across his face. 'It definitely could be worse...,' he thought to himself. Then he looked up as a middle-aged couple made their way to his desk and his focus was entirely on them as he greeted them, "Welcome to the Tipton!"

The End

Legal stuff: The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and all related characters are property and trademarks of Disney and It's a Laugh Productions and are used without permission. The comic book titles are, to the best of my knowledge, not borrowed from anyone or anything.

' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '