Milo Thatch walked nervously into the inn. It was his first time in space, and it was definitely a little frightening. He had heard about aliens all his life, but to see them this close was absolutely mind blowing. They were all sorts of shapes and sizes and colors, their limbs and eyes coming n large varieties and quantities. Ecstatic, he pulled out a notepad and pen, scribbling away as he mumbled to himself over and over again. Letting his eyes dart between the guests, his eyes fell on a multi-tentacled alien with a bright orange afro, conversing with a human woman about who knew what.
"Whoa…" he mumbled, transfixed on the scene. Whatever he had believed as a little kid was now thrown out the window. Everyone on Earth was so afraid of aliens, of anything they didm' know, but here was something debunking that myth already.
He watched for a few more minutes as the two women talked, the human picking up a tray and waving before moving on to another table. That must be the owner then, Milo thought, beginning to approach her. Boots clomping against the wooden floor, he was stopped halfway when he heard it.
A loud squish underfoot. Glancing down, he noticed under the sole a flattened pink slime, bubbling and gooey. Scraping it off, he went on to approach the woman when there was a sudden pinch on his finger.
"Jeez!" he laughed it off, so as not to look awkward, "splinters…."
"Splinters! Splinters!" mimicked a voice, loud and high-pitched. Milo looked around.
"Wha-?" he said, a gasp escaping his throat as it materialized in front of him, the pink blob he had supposedly stepped on. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the woman snap her gaze in his direction, and before he could blink she was running over, snatching the thing out of midair.
"Morph!" she scolded it lovingly as it nuzzled into her cheek, "what did I tell you?" The thing merely laughed, licking her face before darting off to most likely pester someone else. The woman tucked the tray under her arm, brushing stray strands of brown hair out of her face. Milo felt himself blushing uncomfortably.
"So sorry about him," she said, "I've always told my son to train him ever since he came to the house, but you know teenagers, huh?" Milo nodded, forcing a smile. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he had the most peculiar feeling that someone was watching him. He let his eyes flit around the room. Visitors- human and alien alike- were paying him no mind. He prayed silently, thankful that he was not making a fool of himself as he always did in public.
"Sarah Hawkins, owner of the Benbow Inn," the woman introduced herself, inclining her head. Milo nodded, rubbing the back of his neck, his hand clammy and cold.
"M-Milo Thatch, former professor of University," he said. Sarah gestured to her tray, "Would you like anything?"
"Huh?" he asked.
"Food? A drink?" Sarah repeated, dumbing it down for him, "you like tired, Mr. Thatch." He nodded.
"Sure, yeah," he said, "are there any tables available?" Just from looking around, he knew her answer- every chair was taken, tables squeezing people from four to even ten at a time. With everyone eating and making a mess, it looked slightly unsanitary to him.
"If its alright with you, Mr. Thatch," Sarah hefted the tray against her side, "I can pull you up a chair at the Captain's table?" Milo widened his brown eyes. He had been with some pretty prestigious people, but nerve once a captain. It was definitely going to be interesting.
"That's perfectly okay, Mrs. Hawkins," Milo nodded, hefting the strap of his bag back onto his shoulder as it began to slide down his arm. Beckoning him to follow, Sarah led him to a table by the window. Outside was dark, and he could hear the pitter patter of rain as it began to fall.
Once at the table, he stood by Sarah as she ruffled a young boy's hair- Her son, no doubt, he thought, sending him a smile. The boy merely rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair, his brown bangs falling backward to reveal a smooth forehead.
"Jim, no leaning back," Sarah tapped him, "I don't want you fall over." Jim immediately righted himself, settling for leaning his elbows on the table. Milo gulped as the boy eyed him curiously, scanning him up and down before asking, "Who's the bean pole?"
"Bean Pole! Bean Pole!" he heard the same tiny voice as before, and Morph jumped out of Jim's pocket, laughing hysterically. Sarah grunted.
"Jim, be nice, he's a guest," Sarah said to him, then, "Professor Milo Thatch, Professor Thatch, this is my son, James." Hesitantly, Milo took a seat next to the teenager. He definitely had an interesting look about him. Milo thought it might be his hair, with the bottom half shaved off, save for a small braid at the nape of is neck, ending in a large tuft. Milo absentmindedly wen tot touch his own brown hair, suddenly conscious about the cut.
"Call me Jim," Jim said, "nice to meet you."
"And you," Milo returned the sentiment, pushing his large round glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"So, Mr. Thatch, I'll bring you a glass of perp juice to start with, is that okay?" Sarah said, but before she could answer she was already passing through the yellow swinging double doors, leaving him with her son.
"I see she forgot to mention me," came a voice from his right. Milo looked over, only to jump out of his skin, bite his lip to keep from gasping in surprise for the second time that day.
Sitting next to him was, well, what he could only discern as a woman, considering the bust of the chest, the slender build. The woman held out a hand, a white glove with black claws poking out the tops of the fingers.
"Captain Amelia Doppler of the RLS Legacy," she introduced herself, "pleasure to meet you." He nodded, gulping.
"What?" Jim asked, playfully elbowing his side, "cat got your tongue?" The captain and Jim then chuckled, Milo raising an eyebrow in confusion. Jim could only laugh as Captain Amelia rolled her eyes, which were slanted slightly, Milo noticed, a blue eye shadow decorating her lids. Amelia pursed her lips- the joke was so incredibly obvious!
"Professor Thatch, while you appear to be as intelligent as your title claims, I must say," the cat cleared her throat, tucking a strand of her short brown hair behind her ear, "and I do say this with the utmost affection, that you are indeed quite daft." Milo sputtered, taken aback.
"I, uh, I'm sorry… what?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Sweat beaded his skin once more.
"I am a cat, Professor Thatch," Amelia finally pointed to her ears, and Milo could only stare, watching as her ears twitched slightly, dancing atop her head to show off their curved shape. Milo stole a quick glance, his face turning red. Amelia sighed, tapping her claws impatiently on the table.
"You may look, Mr Thatch," she said dryly, "happens all the time."
"Sorry, I just, uh, I've never been to Montressor before- that's what this place is called, isn't it?" he asked. Jim nodded.
"Yeah- where did you say you were from?" Jim narrowed his eyes at the man, who tugged at the collar of his shirt. Milo opened is mouth to add to his statement when there was a bang at the entrance of the inn.
"Yo, Milo!" a short girl yelled, crossing her arms over her chest. The pant legs of her overalls bunched up around her ankles as she walked over, a slew of other people following. Jim and Amelia glanced at one another, then at Milo, who slapped a hand to his forehead.
"Exactly why are we here again?" the girl asked.
"Audrey-" Milo began, only to be cut off by a tall man with dark skin, muscles bulging out of his clothes.
"Milo, if we want to get there, we need to go now," the man said.
"I know, Doctor Sweet, I know-" Milo began to protest.
As they talked there was a small whimper, followed by a soft sneeze. Captain Amelia and Jim paid no mind to it, instead watching the visitors as they quarreled.
"Mole is getting impatient," Dr. Seet said, "now I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to have to drive a carriage full of dirt-"
"I told him to stop that-" Milo tried once more ot take control of the situation.
"Mr. Hawkins, I suggest," Captain Amelia piped up, breaking down the din, "that you find tables for your guests, no?" Jim looked from the captain to the others, nodding in a rush as he stood up.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry abut that," he apologized, "I mean, unfortunately, there really isn't room righ tnow so I can go grab some chairs front eh kitchen and bring them out for you guys to sit if that's okay-"
"Professor Thatch! I have your perp juice for you!" Sarah Hawkins sang, making a flourished entrance from the kitchen. On a silver tray was a teapot, next to it a tall drinking glass. Gently, she placed it on the table in front of him, "Here you go- on the house!"
"Thank you, Mrs. Hawkins," Milo said, "um, my friends here were wondering if they could sit?" Sarah raised an eyebrow in confusion- last she checked, he had come in alone. Milo jutted his chin at Audrey and Dr. Sweet, who waited patiently. A small cry sounded, followed by sobbing and Amelia rushed to pick up her infant, cooing with affection.
"Oh!" Sarah exclaimed, a hand fluttering to her heart, "your friends! Jim- go get some chairs will you? We have no more tables." Jim nodded, and disappeared into the kitchen, the yellow doors swinging behind him.
"Sarah," Amelia cut in, rubbing her sons back, "have you seen Delbert? He said he was going to the restroom." Sarah shrugged as Jim reappeared, placing two chairs down for Audrey and Dr. Sweet, "Here you go."
"I can't say I have, Amelia," Sarah said, "I can go check if you like, I mean, t isn;t like he's lapping up toilet water!" She and Amelia suddenly burst into laughter, much to the guests confusion.
"Well, at any rate, I'm getting a tad worried," Amelia said. By now, her son and quieted down, returning to fitful sleeping. Dr. Sweet looked on in wonder- here was a feline caring for a pup. It was definitely something you did not see everyday.
"Is he yours?" Audrey asked, jutting her chin at the baby. Amelia looked up, nose twitching before nodding, "Yes, yes he is- along with his sisters." She gestured to the stroller, where triplet kittens were sleeping. Audrey nodded, a tad uncomfortable with the fact that a cat was able to give birth to a dog.
"Dr. Sweet's the name," Dr. Sweet suddenly piped up, "this her sis Audrey. Of course you already know Milo." Amelia and Jim nodded, "This here is Jim Hawkins, and his mother Sarah."
"And you?" Audrey asked, leaning her elbows on the table.
"Captain Amelia Doppler of the RLS Legacy," the cat said proudly as she placed her child back in the stroller. Dr. Sweet rubbed his chin, nodding at what she had just said. The name sounded familiar….
"Doppler," he repeated, then, "Hey, Milo- weren't you talking to someone named Doppler on the phone earlier?" Milo shrugged, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"Yeah, why?" he said.
"So, you're the Professor Thatch he was talking to earlier, huh?" Jim piped up, playing with Morph, who decided to dart in and out between his fingers. The other two didn't even bother asking, just looked on with astonishment.
"Um, yes, yes I am," Milo said.
"Sarah, please find him?" Amelia asked the innkeeper, "if Professor Thatch is waiting, then it must be important!" Nodding, Sarah tucked the tray under her arm.
"Of course, Amelia," she said, "enjoy your juice, Milo, please send Jim over i you need anything!" They watched as she walked away, calling for a "Doctor Delbert Doppler!"
"That's hs name?" Milo asked, "Delbert?"
"As much as your name is MIlo," Amelia confirmed, "now where- oh, there! Delbert, sweetheart, over here!" She waved a hand in the air, and soon the mysterious Dr. Delbert Doppler was taking a seat next to Amelia, giving her a quick peck on the crown of her head.
"What, what;s wrong, Amelia?" he said frantically, "I can't be in two places at once-"
"Oh, tish-tosh," she waved away his protests as if they were flies buzzing in her ear, "your Professor is here to see you, Delbert."
Milo raised a hand nervously. Who he thought to be a human on the phone was anything but. Sitting across from him, next to his feline wife was a dog, clasping his paws on the table. A pair of glasses rested on his muzzle, the arms slipping under floppy ears that looked like they were begging for a good scratch.
"Oh!" the mutt held out a hand, "Professor Thatch! How nice to finally meet you!"
Milo nodded, gulping as he took the animal's paw. The fur tickled his skin, and he felt his hands slacken with sweat once more. Audrey and Dr. Sweet shared a laugh, trying to stifle it as best they could.
"Yeah…." he muttered uncomfortably.
"You sounded quite urgent on the phone," Delbert said, "and in all honesty, I thought you would be a little…. taller, to put it nicely."
"And I thought you would be human…." Milo said. Delbert shrugged- he was what he was. That was that.
"Well, I'm a dog, sorry to disappoint you," Delbert said flatly. Amelia placed a hand on his arm.
"Delbert," she warned. The man sighed, clearing his throat with a growl.
"Alright, well, formalities aside, what is it you need help with?" Delbert asked, leaning forward eagerly.
Milo opened his mouth, then shut it, unsure of what exactly to say. Audrey nudged him with her elbow, jutting her chin at the dog, who waited patiently.
"Alright," he cleared his throat, "remember when we had first talked over the phone?" Delbert nodded.
"Yes- you told me about your new job as Professor of a prestigious University," Delbert said.
"Smithsonian Institute, yes," Milo reminded him, "well, ever since then, I began studying up on lost cultures-"
"Like the Flatulagen?" Delbert suggested, receiving blank stares from the crowd. Amelia giggled as he slapped a hand to his forehead, "what is it you humans learn on that planet?!"
"No, not like the.. Flatulagen," Milo said nervously- to him, the name sounded like a bad case of the runs. "More like the Mayans and the Incan Empire- people like that." This time it was Delbert who was confused. He turned to Jim, who was trying to dig Morph out of his hair for the millionth time, "Jimbo! You're human!"
"Thanks for noticing," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Morph squealed, darting in between the visitors/
"Do you know any of these races they're talking about?" the animal asked him. Jim merely shrugged. He had never hear dog any of them, in all honesty. Having lived on Montressor all his life, he was not familiar with Earth legends and myths.
"No, sorry," he said.
"But you're human," Milo said. Jim nodded.
"So are you, it's great," Jim joked.
"How are you not familiar with the Incan Empire? The crystal pyramids underwater?" Milo said in surprise. Jim rolled his eyes. Amelia and Audrey merely sat there win silence, waiting for the conversation to just end.
"Oh, I don't know," Jim said, "maybe because I've never been on Earth? I've lived on Montressor all my life?"
"Makes sense," Delbert nodded, "a boy who's lived in space all his life would have no knowledge of a planet unless he went for a visit." Jima and the doctor exchanged a look- their voyage to Treasure Planet had been only a few months ago, but it still only felt like yesterday.
"Right, right…." Milo trailed off, "anyway, what we want to do is uncover the Atlantean Empire."
"That's being a bit blunt, eh, Milo?" Audrey said.
"Never heard of it," was the alien's immediate answer. Milo felt his jaw drop, slam on the wood of the table. Audrey rolled her eyes- for a prestigious professor, he really didn't know much about the world. Then again, they were in space. Anything was bound to happen.
"Nevertheless," Dr. Sweet cleared his throat. "what Milo is trying to get at is will you be willing to help?" Delbert sent a questioned glare at the doctor, who crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well, I mean, I'd have to be educated further on the matter, of course…." Delbert trailed off. His ears pricked upward, twitching like radars on his scalp as the inn began to grow noisy.
"Why don't you go, Delbert?" Amelia said, "you could get that vacation you wanted, and like you said, it'll be a great learning process." Delbert bit his lip, finally slapping a hand to his forehead. It would be a great experience, Delbert knew that. And from the way Milo had sounded on the phone, this was incredibly important- why else would he come to Montressor from Earth? Sighing, he hung his head.
"Jim," he groaned, "please get your mother." Jim stood up reluctantly, chair scraping the floor as he pushed away from the table.
"Thanks," the mutt said as Jim disappeared through the yellow doors, a faint clanging noise sounding from the kitchen. After a few minutes of clanking and banging, Jim ran out, a robot close on his heels as he raced after the boy. Sarah followed a few minutes later, stopping halfway to catch her breath.
"B.E.N.!" she shouted for the robot, leaning on the table for support.
"Yes, Mrs. Hawkins!" B.E.N. cut short his pursuit of Jim to appear suddenly by her side, waiting patiently for an order, it seemed. Milo stared, eyes scanning the bucket of bolts up and down. The brown metal used to construct the body made the android look spindly, bolts protruding crudely from its limbs. With a semi-round plateau'd head, it looked like it could be used as a table. An upside down triangle constructed the abdomen and upper body, a compass bolted right in the center.
"B.E.N., what are you doing?" Sarah asked, obviously tired. Dr. Sweet got up from his chair, guiding Sarah to sit down. Before anyone could say anything, he whipped out a medical bag (from where, no one knew), and began flashing a tiny flashlight in her eyes, holding the back of his hand to her forehead.
"Excuse me, what's going on?" Sarah asked as Dr. Sweet pulled out a thermometer, holding it out to her.
"I'm checkin to see if you're alright," the doctor explained, "open your mouth and hold this under your tongue for a few seconds." Reluctantly, Sarah obliged, the plastic cold against the underide of her tongue.
"And what exactly does this have to do with reprimanding B.E.N.?" Sarah asked, popping the thermometer out. Dr. Sweet took it, shaking his head as he watch dthe red line rise slightly.
"Your showing symptoms of a cold, possibly the flu," he said, "I suggest you take a few days off and rest."
"Wait, what?!" she exclaimed, followed by a small cough, "I- I can't do that! I-"
"If Sweet tells you to rest, you rest," Audrey cut in bluntly, "that's that. Besides, you look like you could use it."
"But I don't have tme to rest- ever since Amelia and Delbert and Jim got back from their voyage business shaw been insane! With so many customers there's no time to rest!" Milo leaned forward eagerly, having only heard the word 'voyage'.
"Where did they go?" he asked. Sarah sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"Treasure Planet," she answered, "anyway, Dr. Sweet, thank you, but I really can't-"
"I can help you, Sarah!" the robot yelled, his voice screeching. The people at the tabs winced, Delbert quickly making sure his kids were still sleeping.
"That's what I was afraid of!" she groaned, "B.E.N. you've been great but all you've been doing is causing a ruckus and chasing people around!" The robot's face fell- if that was even possible. hanging its head, he nodded.
"I know, I know," he said, "but I think it's because I've lost it again."
"Lost what again?" Sweet asked.
Turning around, B.E.N. pointed to the back of his head. An oval shape was cut out the back, blue, red and yellow wires tangled as they sprouted from his cranium. Sparks flew from the ends as he moved, dangerously close to shocking someone.
"My mind! I've lost my mind!" B.E.N. began to cackle as he answered, the green pixels in his eyes turning blue, blinking on and off.
"Okay, okay!" Delbert said, "calm down, cam down!"
"Trying…." B.E.N. said, "calming…. file undetected….."
What is going on? Milo thought as the robot continued to malfunction, spouting complete and utter nonsense.
"Centroid…!" B.E.N. sputtered, his neck beginning to jerk back and forwards, side to side. Sweet moved to stop him, his hands unable to follow the swift movements of the mechanisms keeping his head together.
"Centroid…." MIlo repeated under his breath.
"I'm so sorry," Sarah said, "he's never done this before-"
"Centroid of the mechs…. mechanism!" B.E.N. shrieked, "files undetected…..! Delete!"
"Delete what?" Milo chimed in. It had to mean something, or else he wouldn't be saying it, right?
Visitors began to look their way, showing no surprise at what was happening- it had probably happened before then, just not as bad, was Milo' guess. Whatever it was, they had to find the brain before he gave Sarah an aneurism- or worse, lost business because of his dementia.