A Familiar Scan

“Emily, could you please come down stairs for a moment?” said the voice of Emily’s mother. “Sure thing, mom. Just let me finish up here.” Emily Hunter responded, while reading a book. She was sitting on her bed with her back against the wall and her legs crossed. Reaching over to grab her pillow, she slipped the blue hard covered book labeled “Journal XXVII” into her pillow case before jumping to the floor and heading down the stairs. Her anxiousness and curiosity of her father’s journals lead her to sneak a book out of the attic while her parents were away to read another entry. “Darn. Just when things were starting to get interesting…" Emily said to herself. “What was getting interesting?” An unfamiliar voice asked when she reached the end of the stairs. Startled, Emily jumped back against the wall and looked up into the face of Murdoc’s younger sister and her aunt, Karla Hunter and another dark skinned male with long black dreadlocks hanging past his shoulders. He wore blue baggy jeans and a black polo top with red stripes around the sleeves. While Emily had been staring at him, he waved a hand in front of her face. “You must be Emily, right? Doc and his wife have always mentioned you every time I call them.” Emily calmly blinked and stood next to her mother. “And you are?” Right when Emily uttered those words, her father, Murdoc Hunter walked down the stairs holding a small blue CD case, followed by her mother, who starred harshly at her child. “That’s a rather rude way to greet another person, especially if he’s a friend of mine.”

His wife brushed some of her hair off her shoulder, while tugging on Emily’s braided hair. “She knows better, DON’T YOU, EMILY?” Emily was practically in tears as she nodded quickly to get her mother to stop the torture. Murdoc, gently rubbing his little girl’s head, only could say “You had it coming. Try not to be so rude, ok?” He then handed the case over to the dreadlocked man. “These should be it. All the other music is stored in Terry’s online storage. Anything else you need, Rasheed?” Emily tilled her head to the side, deep in thought. “You’re Rasheed? How come you’ve never come by the house before?” Rasheed ran a hand through his dreads. “Well, unlike Murdoc here, I’ve been rather busy with being a music producer.” Murdoc smacked Rasheed on his forehead with the CD case. “HEY! I’m a retired private investigator and a part-time chef. Plus, I have a teenage daughter. What makes you think I’m NOT busy?” Rasheed laughed. “Touché, my old friend, but be careful with those cds, man. They are kinda old, since you, Terry and I made them quite a long time ago…”

“Exactly how long ago do you mean?” Emily asked, knowing where her question might lead. “Perhaps I can clarify some questions of mine regarding a few earlier journal entries…” Rasheed rubbed his chin. “You know, I can’t really say for sure… Murdoc, do you remember?” Emily’s father had his eyes rolled up in thought, trying to remember how long those Cds were. “Oh, great. Looks like I won’t be figuring this one out anytime soon…” Emily thought to herself.

“…Idiots!”

Murdoc blinked as the case was snatched from his hands by Karla, who had been sitting on the couch during the majority of their conversation. After looking at the cds inside, she mumbled to herself before holding up 3 different discs. “This is why women are the better secretaries…Do these look familiar to you two?” Murdoc snapped his fingers. “Right! We made these mixes specifically for your 20th birthday party! Rasheed, how could you forget?” As soon as the comment was made, his wife gently wrapped her arms around her husband and starred at him with her black eyes narrowed and a cat-like grin on her face. “And who couldn’t answer his daughter’s question?” Murdoc placed his hands on his hips and with a proud expression on his face said: “Rasheed…AACCKK!!” His wife’s gentle embrace suddenly became a fierce chokehold, as Murdoc struggled to breath. “AND…” Karla turned to Emily and patted her hand on a couch cushion. “Hey. Sit here, I’ll tell you about it while bro works out…whatever he’s got over there. Okay?” Emily, looking at Murdoc and his wife worriedly, pointed to them without saying anything. Rasheed patted her shoulder. “Relax, I’m sure he’s only exaggerating the suffering…” Murdoc, hearing this, voice his objection…or tried to at least, as it sounded more like: “Rasheed, you little aAAHHHGGGG!!” Chapter 3: A Familiar Scan

“If I’m not mistaken it was a Friday, and I was setting up the house with Murdoc and Terry for my Karla's surprise birthday party.” Rasheed said as Karla tugged her blonde hair playfully. “As I had said, I was twenty that day, and Murdoc had made sure that I wouldn’t find anything out. He basically had planned out how the day would go, and everyone that I knew was involved.” Emily was wide-eyed in surprise. “Everyone!?” Karla smiled and nodded. “Everybody.” Emily turned and looked back at her father, who was now tapping the floor, screaming “Uncle!!”, in which his wife replied “Oh, I’m an UNCLE now!?” Karla, Emily and Rasheed only could shake their heads in shame. “Are we talking about the same man?” Emily asked whoever would answer. Rasheed only looked on. “I honestly don’t know anymore…”

Journal XXVI Entry 9

"Ok, Rasheed. The turntables are set up and it should be connected to my laptop." Murdoc said, stepping away from the DJ booth that was placed in the living room. Terry walked in carrying a large woofer and sat it next to the booth. "Yo Ra. Is it cool right here?" Rasheed nodded and reached into a large blue case and pulled out a tangled bunch of cables. "Yeah, that's fine for now. But don't plug anything in until I finish the main set ups." Rasheed said, almost getting entangled within his own cords. Murdoc walked over to Terry. "Is she coming? You know Karla is looking forward to the day she can hang out with her again." Terry nodded without turning to face Murdoc. "Alana will be here. She thinks of Karla as the little sister she never had."

“Ok, wait. I was never told exactly how you and Alana met, Auntie Karla.” Karla looked at her niece with surprise. “Really? I could’ve sworn I did…" Murdoc, who happened to have somehow escaped from his wife’s headlock, was now sitting comfortably on top of her rear end. “I'll explain it. Alana, as you know, was a martial arts student at the local school. But what you didn’t know is that Karla was also taking lessons at the same school. Those two started off as fierce rivals, constantly arguing about this and that…” Karla’s cheeks puffed as she looked away from her older brother. “She was doing the exact opposite of what we were taught! Never use anger as a fuel to fight.” Emily leaned herself on the back of the couch. “But that’s what she teaches me. How did she change her whole attitude about fighting?” Rasheed rested his head on the arm of the beige couch. ”Karla did.” Karla blushed at the attention she was getting. "Don’t give me all the credit. It was also Terry, who also knows some forms of martial arts, that helped me out whenever I would ask.” Murdoc smirked as he rolled his eyes. “It was more like Terry was dragged in, because of your "persuasion"." Karla glared at Murdoc. “You wanna fight two girls right now!?” Murdoc reeled back in fright. “Enough for today, please. Anyways, you should ask Alana about it the next time she’s over. She’ll tell you more about it.” “Now I believe you left off when Rasheed, Terry and I were setting up the equipment, yeah? The doorbell rang while Terry and I were discussing a few matters, and Rasheed answered it…. ''"Hello? Is this 361 Miller Lane, apartment 3?" A female voice was heard through the black door. "Hey Alana. Guess you made it, huh?" Terry said as he casually walked to the door as Alana walked inside. "Of course I did! I wouldn't miss that sassy little girl's birthday even if ya paid me!" Alana said, waving at Terry and Rasheed. Alana wore a deep blue shortcut top with a matching blue mini skirt. Rasheed's mouth was wide open as she walked by, which was closed shut by Alana, who giggled lightly at the reaction she was getting. "Down, boy. Try not to drool!" She tuned to Murdoc and gave him a small smile as she handed him a medium box covered with white wrapping paper. "Hey, Von."''

"Don't...*sigh* call me that." Murdoc said slightly annoyed at the use of his P.D. assigned name.

"Sure, Von."

"Don't-Call me- THAT!"

"Where's Lil' Karlie?"

"She's at work. I had called the job ahead of time, told them to stall for time while we got the house ready for this special event." Murdoc replied, crossing his arms confidently. Rasheed, Terry, and Alana nodded.

"Not bad."

"...impressive..."

"Ingenious."

"I know..." Murdoc said with a smirk. "Hmm? Hold on a sec, guys. It's my phone." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small brown cell phone, which was playing the Final Fantasy VII Victory theme. "Hello?...Ahh, yes, boss. We're all here...No, Karla isn't here yet. Still on the job. She'll be off in about an hour...Sure. See ya in a few, Lona." Alana raised her eyebrows. "Whoa! Your boss is coming, too!" Murdoc nodded. "Yes. I have a platonic relationship with my boss. How about you, Alana?" Alana's face flushed. "W-What are you implying about Terry and I?" Murdoc smirked. "I never said anything about Ter, Alana." That comment only made Alana flush even more. Terry, on the other hand, stood facing the window as if he didn't hear their little argument. "Murdoc, let's not start that again, ok?" He said, never turning to face the group. Murdoc nodded. "Ok, ok… I'm sorry I started it."

Interrupting them, the doorbell echoed in its box. "Ah, that must be Lona. I'll get the door." Murdoc said walking to the front gate. As he opened the door, he bowed politely to Lona Beckly, who stepped inside. In one hand was a large duffel bag, and in the other, a folder in the remaining free hand. "Lona, this is Rasheed Watters and Alana Salazar." Murdoc introduced his two friends to his boss, as Rasheed shook her hand and Alana waved daintily. "You already know Terry." Terry nodded his head, acknowledging Lona. "Hello, how are you?" Lona stepped up to Murdoc and held out the duffel bag. "These are some of the gifts that Karla wanted. I'd have come sooner but traffic is crazy over here." Murdoc smiled as he took the duffel bag from his boss. "Welcome to this part of the neighborhood, Lona." As he placed the bag with the other gifts that his sister would be receiving, he glanced at the wall clock. "Ok people, she'll be home any minute now. Go hide in the guest bedroom and stay quiet." Murdoc and Rasheed made their way to the DJ booth while Terry continued to sit there.

"What are you doing, Terry?" Rasheed asked. "I'm relaxing, kid. You're stressing too much." Terry replied while placing his black shades from his face and wipeing them clean before placing them back. At that very moment, Karla had made her way to the front door. "Hey! C'mon, guys! My hands are full." Terry, Rasheed and Murdoc turned to the front door. "He-llo? A little help here!" Terry stood up and walked slowly to the door, squinting as he looked through the gate. "Um, may I help you, young lady?" Karla huffed aloud. "Ter-ry! It's me, Karla. Open-the-door!"

"Do you live here?"

"Ugh! TERRY!" Terry's laughter was followed in suite by Rasheed and Murdoc, as they opened the door and helped her with her bags. "Hey there, little lady. How was work?" Karla closed and locked the doors as she plopped down on the couch. "Terry, you don't wanna know…"

"Well, we do." A calm voice came from the hall, catching Karla's attention. "*gasp* Lona! Alana!" was Karla's reaction as she stepped back in surprise against her brother. "Surprise, girlie! Happy birthday!" The cheerful Alana said. "I figured you'd enjoy their company today, so I pulled a few strings…" Murdoc said holding his sister's shoulders gently. Karla turned around and looked him in the eyes. "You sly dog! Is that why my boss…" Murdoc and the rest nodded. "Yup. It had to be done in order for us to get things ready over here." Karla smile and stood on her toes. "Aww…thanks, bro." She kissed his cheek before going to see her guest. "I'm surprised you came, Ms. Beckley." She said giving the elder woman a hug. "Of course I would, Karla. You and Murdoc are like my family, and the boys in blue at the office certainly like to see your face."

Alana placed her hands on her hips. "Girl, you are growin'! Keep this up and you'll be as tall as me…maybe!" Karla measured herself between Alana and Lona. "Yeah, maybe. I'm 20, so I still have time to catch up to you and Murdoc." Alana crossed her arms as she gave Karla a glare. "You got a boyfriend yet?" Karla laughed. "No, not yet at least. I haven't found anyone that shares a common interest with me."

"Thank God, too!" Murdoc said in disgust, his eyebrows lowered at Alana's question. "Murdoc, is there a problem?" Lona asked her semi-employee. "Karla doesn't need a boyfriend right now. She doesn't need a boyfriend ever!" Murdoc mumbled. Rasheed rolled his eyes at Murdoc. "C'mon, man! She's 20 years old. Let her get out and live a little."

"Please! Do you know what it was like when she was 11? She got her first bra at 11! 11!"

Lona sigh deeply. "Murdoc. That is how young women grow up. I had mine at 12." Alana nodded. "I had one at 11, too. Why are you so stressed?" Murdoc tilted his head to the side. "…She's growing up too fast for me. I honestly believe that women should get breasts at 21."

Alana raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?" Murdoc crossed his arms. "Yeah. You know, 'Happy Birthday'…Poof! There they are."

Karla sighed. "Murdoc…" Terry, deciding to lighten the mood, walked over to Karla and picked her up and carried her in his arms to the presents at the DJ booth. "Perhaps we can get to the fun part of this day, hmm?" Karla blushed and laughed. "Sounds good to me!" Murdoc, Alana and Lona stood there smiling, as Rasheed moved back to the DJ station to change the track.

-- After The Party --

Terry sat with his head leaned back against the brown pillow. "I think we did well. Did you enjoy yourself, Karla?" Karla was standing in front of the hallway door, where a full size mirror was attached, looking at her newest outfit bought by Lona Beckley. A deep blue jean vest and matching jean pants that hugged her body. She also wore a short sleeve pink top, with her long golden brown hair in a ponytail kept in place by a pink hair ring. "I absolutely loved it, Ter. Thank you guys sooo much!" she said as she turned her back to the mirror and looked at her back to see the vest's design which said: "For your eyes only!" She then lowered her eyes and looked at her rear end to see how the jeans looked before she noticed another pair of legs standing behind her. Jerking her head forward, she saw Murdoc standing there with his arms crossed. "You better be looking for the price tag!" Karla groan, as her brother made his way back to his PC. "Ugh! Stop being so traditional, big Bro! This is the look for females my age." Terry raised his head, twirling his trademark black shades between his fingers. "You need to let Karla be Karla. She's 20 years old now, so she is going to act like one." Murdoc sighed as he sat his YuGiOh cards on the edge of his computer desk. "…I know. It's just…She's growing up so fast and I'm starting to miss the little 9 and 10 year old that would always want to ride on my back after school. I feel like I'm losing her…"

"Murdoc. You're my Big Bro'. That's never gonna change." Karla said, standing behind Murdoc's chair. Then with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, she snatched his glasses off of his face. "I'll nag and annoy you till the day you die!" She said as she ran to her room, with Murdoc close behind, giving chase. "Give those back, you twerp!"

*************************************************************************************************** “That’s pretty much how the rest of that day went…wow, we really jumped off topic, huh?" Karla said, giggling while sticking her tongue out the corner of her mouth in a silly gesture. Emily smiled and quickly stood up from the couch. “That’s okay, auntie. It was nice to hear that story anyway. I’m going to have a shower, so I guess I’ll see you later.” Murdoc smiled and nodded. “Alright, Emi. Good night.” However, as he stood up, he was immediately tackled to the ground by his wife. “Forgot all about ME, didn’t you?” She looked up and smiled sweetly at Emily, who had a loop-sided smile on her face. “G’night, dear.”“G-good night, mom.” She quickly made her way up the stairs, thinking “I sure have a weird family.” Getting her night gown and change of undergarments, she thought back to the events in the journal, knowing that they told her what they wanted her to know. “If I remember correctly, the events actually don’t end there.” She made her way into the shower and let the water reach a warm temperature before stepping inside. As she let the water run on her body she began to piece the events together with what she has read. “Hmm…Daddy moved over to the computer desk after moping about how auntie Karla was growing up…"Murdoc. You're my Big Bro'. That's never gonna change." Karla said, standing behind Murdoc's chair. Then with an mischievous gleam in her eyes, she snatched his glasses off of his face. "I'll nag and annoy you till the day you die!" She said as she ran to her room, with Murdoc close behind, giving chase. "Give those back, you twerp!"However, when he leapt out of his chair, his elbow knocked over his stack of cards, landing all over his accessories. But one card in particular happened to fall face down on the open scanner: The Winged Dragon of Ra. Suddenly, the PC booted up and began to function on its own. Terry noticed the slight hum of the unit and called Murdoc. "Yo, kid! Did you turn on your computer?" Murdoc walked in, with Karla struggling to get out of a headlock. "No. Why?" Karla finally managed to squeeze her way out of her brother's grip, as she looked to the PC, which was working away. "Bro, it's on. And it's scanning something!" Murdoc and Terry looked at the scanner to see a very familiar sight. The Egyptian god card was in the process of being scanned, as Murdoc freaked, remembering what happened at Terry’s home when that very same card was scanned. "Stop that scanner!" All three rushed to the PC…but they never made it.

Murdoc's leap for the computer missed, but ran into something much softer. "Ack!"

"Oof!"

Terry opened his eyes and picked himself off the ground… "Wait… Why am I outside?" Terry thought as Murdoc was kneeling over someone he didn't recognize. "Hey, kid. You alright?" he asked while walking over to his distraught friend. But when he saw who Murdoc was kneeling over, Terry realized why he was so out of it. He had to put on his shades to cover up his own surprise. "You've got to be kidding me!" Murdoc's eye's were wide open, as well as his mouth. "…Are you real?" Murdoc asked, through his shock. The mysterious figure finally rose and offered a white gloved hand. "Of course I'm real. You DID tackle me to the ground." Murdoc slowly reached out and grabbed the dainty hand and realized that it was his glasses that were being handed back to him as well. Murdoc stood up, placed his eyewear on, and looked into the brown eyes of a rather tall female rabbit! She stood about 5 ½ feet tall, with cream colored fir, and ears that reached pasted her shoulders. She wore a long purple dress that was a few inches above her red high heels, almost looking like royalty. Yet even after being roughly tackled by Murdoc, she still had a smile on her face. "Um, I'm really sorry, miss…"

"Rabbit. Vanilla Rabbit. It's quite alright." Vanilla answered the nervous Murdoc. Terry steeled his face and stepped to the rabbit named Vanilla. "Miss Rabbit, you think you could tell us where we are?"

Vanilla nodded as she looked at him. "Sure, but it should be obvious if you look around. This is Mario Central, also known as Mario Land in certain dimensions."