Ep.239 – Christmas Arcadia - A Video Game You Can't ESCAPE!

WEBVTT

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During the holiday season, it's often
hard to find time to relax, But

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when you can, why not dive
into a comforting and fun video game.

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But what if that video game didn't
just suck you in figuratively, it literally

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drew you into a new world and
now it wants yours. What's that you

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want to be scared to? Come
with me. You will experience tales over

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opera, ghosts, and death death. It is not recommended for a week

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at hart Listen as in the dark, it's more fun at that way way.

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This is weekly speak game. Hello, my spooky is It's Friday,

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and because it's the holiday season,
we have even more spooky for your weekly

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I'm your host and narrator, Enrique
Kuto. In tonight's story, it's a

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doozy, it's a lot of fun. It's a novella in the world of

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Strickfield, and it's all about those
video games you kids out there like to

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play and how maybe they're more than
meets the eye. But before we get

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to that, thank you so much
for joining us today for this extra special

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spooky and remember we have another one
tomorrow. And if you love the Strickfield

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universe we've built right here at Weekly
Spooky. Well, you are not going

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to want to miss it. I'm
going to go ahead and tell you now

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your beloved Rage Devereux, the angel
of Death, who met her end of

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sorts at the beginning of this year, she's going to be back, baby,

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showing up just in time for the
holidays. So make sure you're subscribed

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and check back tomorrow. And while
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left us reviews. It costs nothing
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And if you want to leave a
little something extra under our tree after all

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the bonus shows we've been putting out, well, the only thing I want

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for Christmas is you to join our
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support what we're doing here, make
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and get two bonus shows every single
month. But now, my friends,

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it's time for the story that's enough, Gibba jabber. Let's get to the

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Christmas tinged terror. It's time.
The air is cold, and we'll get

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to it right after these quick words. Christmas Arcadia by Rob Fields, December

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twenty third, Friday Perspective. Bailey
Downs, Ariel Mirn and I are leaving

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Strickfield Junior High for Christmas vacation two
weeks to do whatever we feel like doing

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normally. Mona Abeles is with us, but she's homesick with food poisoning from

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some takeout her and her mom got
while coming home from North Ridgeway last night.

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I texted Mona a little bit ago. She's feeling better, but she's

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not fully at one hundred percent yet. She's thinking maybe tomorrow we can hang

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again. Only have about a two
block walk to get to downtown Strickfield.

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We're already seeing other kids from school
hanging around at different places. It's when

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we pass Roth's Rings, our go
to place for donuts in Strickfield that we

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see Madeline Donnerley and Carter Cross.
Inside. Most everybody calls Madeline mouse on

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account of how short she is,
and then there's her mousey voice. Ariel

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suddenly stops and looks inside. You
see that, Bailey, Really, why

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do I put up with Mouse?
I smile Ariel's way just a little.

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I don't know, why do you? I mean you did tell Mouse she

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could keep coming to our weekly Friday
night slumber parties at your place. Ariel

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kind of glances my way with a
scowl before she looks back at Mouse and

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Carter again. Strickfield Junior High is
my school, Bailey, Ariel says,

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with authority. Yet little Mouse donnerly
walks around my school like she can do

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whatever she wants. Before I can
reply, Ariel moves and marches right into

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Roth's Rings. I quickly follow behind
her. We go straight to the arcade

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that's off to the side of the
cafe. Mouse is playing the new Street

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Fighter game with Carter. I'm pretty
sure you can easily get this game on

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your home consoles. Yet Jerry Roth, the dean of Strickfield University and owner

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of this place, is able to
get full arcade cabinets for some of the

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bigger popular games. Between Roth's Rings
here and Wilder Hall at Strickfield University,

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those are the two nice arcades that
people hang out at with lots of games

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for them to drop their quarters.
In getting back to Mouse and Carter,

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They've got a little basket with some
doughnuts inside and their drinks on a stand

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next to the game. It looks
like Mouse and Carter are really locked in

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on their fight. In the end, Mouse ends up beating Carter with her

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characters super move. Carter turns to
thanks a lot, Madeline. Mouse shrugs,

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told John burning hot today. Then
she takes a drink of her coffee.

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Yes, Mouse utters when she feels
Ariel's standing behind her. As always,

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Mouse is wearing a scarf, and
to Beret, her voice is just

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as mousey as her older twin cousin
Aileen, probably why Ariel started calling her

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Mouse. Soon nearly everybody at our
school was calling her that I hate you.

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Ariel tells her her usual greeting for
Mouse. What you come here to

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tell me? I hainte invited to
your parties? No more, Mouse replies.

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Before Ariel can answer, she groans
and reaches into her back pocket to

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pull out her smartphone. She then
storms away from Mouse and heads back outside

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to take the phone call that just
leaves Mouse, Carter and me. Mouse

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takes another drink of her likely premium
coffee. I know Roth's Rings is serving

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up death wish Ginger dead for the
holidays. Likely what she's drinking. Mouse

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turns to Carter, want to race
again? Hugh know I love racing,

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he replies. Is this all you
two do after school? I ask them,

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you just come in here and play
video games. Mouse shrugs, Nah,

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sometimes we watch movies, but you
already know that. Now they take

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their stuff over to the cruise in
USA game. After putting their stuff on

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the little table there, they dropped
their quarters in and start racing. Then

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Ariel returns, you just had to
forget your backpack at my house last weekend.

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Mouse. Ariel snaps, my little
cousin Stuart found your game box inside

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it when I was babysitting him on
Monday and hooked it up. He played

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a bunch of the games you had
on it. And that was my mom

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on the phone. She saw how
Stuart was into those games and wants me

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to go to the mall and pick
him up one of those game boxes for

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Christmas. Mouse is still playing when
she tells Ariel, you ain't gonna find

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one like what I got at the
mall. I built that game box myself,

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if you want me to build your
cousin one for you for Christmas.

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I can do that. All you
gotta do is pay for the parts.

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Ariel just looks at Mouse for a
long moment. Excuse me, what I

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built that game box myself? Mouse
repeats. My little console plays every old

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school game out there, from the
original Atari twenty six hundred all the way

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up to the previous generations of PlayStation
and Xbox. I even have lots of

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real arcade games on it. You
name it, it's probably on there.

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If that's what your mom wants you
to get for your cousin, then I

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can build one for him. Ariel
gets frustrated. Why can't you be a

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normal person, Mouse, Why do
you have to be such a mutant?

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Mouse starts laughing. Now now I'm
a mutant. You're killing me here,

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Ariel, Ariel growls. Look at
you. You're always playing video games.

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You watch horror movies like they're going
out of style. You read lots of

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comic books. On top of that, you drink so much coffee. I

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mean I could probably put a light
bulb in each of your ears, put

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a shade over your head, and
use you for a lamp in my bedroom.

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Now you're telling me, you build
game consoles. Everybody's got to have

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hobbies, Mouse says simply. As
Carter wins the race, Mouse comes in

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a very close second. Now she
turns to Ariel. I'm guessing yours is

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picking on me. I accidentally laugh
a little boy? Does Ariel give me

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the stare of death. I hate
to admit it, but little Mouse is

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actually pretty funny. Ariel turns back
to Mouse. Okay, i'll bite.

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How much will it cost for you
to build Stewart a little game box like

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yours? About one hundred dollars?
Mouse replies, one hundred dollars. Ariel

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cries in surprise. Yep, and
that's for everything I gotta buy at radio

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depot to build your cousin a quality
U, the parts, the power supply,

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two controllers in the micro SD card
to put all the games on.

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At this point, I can build
it and get everything to you by tomorrow

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night. One hundred dollars, Ariel
says again, in disbelief. One hundred

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dollars is pretty cheap for all Madeline's
giving you, Ariel. Carter tells her

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I bought one from her. It's
nice. A hundred dollars, she demands

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of Mouse, again, ignoring Carter, Mouse shrugs, try finding somebody else

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that'll build you one for that price. I guarantee you said personal charge you

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more, and you probably won't get
as good as what I'd give you.

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Ariel looks at me. Now you
believe this, Bailey, one hundred dollars.

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She looks back at Mouse. I'll
pass. Then she points at Carter,

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and you got ripped off. Then
she goes to grab his cup with

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his soda in it. Carter stops
her. Forget it, Ariel, stop

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drinking my SODA's all the time and
buy your own. Ariel gives them a

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dirty look before looking at Mouse again. I'm not paying one hundred dollars.

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Mouse shrugs. Good luck finding a
good game box then, and before Christmas.

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Thinking about it, there is a
Kiosk selling them at the mall.

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But I'll bet you they're cheap,
real cheap. Ariel points at Mouse.

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If they're selling them cheaper than what
you're offering, I'll gladly take it.

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Madeline's saying the quality is cheap.
Carter tells Ariel, and you won't even

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get close to the number of retro
games we got on our boxes. Mouse

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ads those little mini knockoffs of the
older systems are just playing bad. They

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can't even handle the higher end console
games. That's why I built my own.

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You sure you won't reconsider Ariel.
Ariel turns away from them, Come

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on, Bailey, let's go.
Then she turns back to Mouse and points

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at her, and don't you dare
be late to the slumber party again like

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you were last week. Mouse shrugs
again, like last Friday, you never

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said what time seven o'clock? Ariel
groans. Then she points to Carter.

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You aren't invited. Carter smirks and
shrugs himself. Wouldn't come if you didn't

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invite me, your highness. I'll
be hanging with the guys anyway, meaning

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Bill Chapman, Richie Horton, and
Brian Chunk. Ariel points to them.

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I hate you both. See you
soon. Mouse calls out behind us as

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we turn and leave the donut shop
perspective. Ariel, Miran Bailey and I

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took a taxi to come to Strickfield
Town Center Mall. Bailey said it would

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probably be a waste of time coming
here. Seriously, Mouse wants one hundred

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dollars from me to build Steward a
game box like hers. What does she

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take me for? We may be
in every class at Strickfield Junior High together,

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but I'm a mirrorn. We know
when we're being taken. On the

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other hand, we know when to
be the takers, if you catch my

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drift. Getting back to now,
Bailey and I walk to the mall and

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eventually go into Best Buy. Of
course, they're not selling any kind of

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game box like what Mouse has,
just the usual current systems. I call

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over one of the employees to wait
on me. Five hundred dollars for a

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new gaming console, I growl as
we leave the store and head back out

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into the main mall. That's just
highway robbery, Bailey, you can afford

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it, she says simply. I
hate it when Bailey feels like she has

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to contradict me. That's not the
point, I grumble. I'm telling you

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it's all a big racket. First, you pay extortionist money for a console,

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and did you see how much the
hottest games are seventy You also have

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to buy an extra controller if you
want to play with another person at your

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house on one of those systems,
you have to keep buying batteries for the

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controllers. Then you have to pay
a monthly fee just to play against people

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online. And you heard the Best
Buy guy talk about the DLC and micro

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transactions and all that other stuff on
all the other games. Tell me that's

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not a racket. Bailey smiles a
little. Maybe one hundred dollars for Mouse's

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game box ain't such a bad deal, after all, you heard everything she'll

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give you for that, Like she
said, you're just giving her the money

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to buy everything to build it.
I remember the Kiosk selling the cheap mini

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knockoffs of the old Nintendo Entertainment System
and go check it out for forty dollars.

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It comes with the unit, a
power supply, two wired NES style

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controllers, and a bunch of games
on a micro SD card. As I

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sample a few games, I remember
what Mouse said about this thing. She

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wasn't kidding when she said this piece
of junk was cheap. The games on

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it are just horrible and look like
they were cut and pasted together. After

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we walk away from the Kiosk,
I tighten my fists and growl at Bailey

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as she shrugs and smirks a little. Then I almost miss seeing the light

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at the far end of one of
the less used wings in the mall.

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I think there's a store down there. Bailey and I head to the light.

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Even though the rest of them all
is packed with stores, what with

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it being the holidays, there's still
this one wing that nobody seems to want

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to set up shopping. It never
fails. Just the same, my curiosity

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gets the better of me. I
do want to see who's down here.

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We soon see a single store called
Tinkers, which looks like some kind of

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an oddity store. I glance over
at Bailey. It can't hurt to check

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it out. If we don't find
anything in this place, I'll text Mouse

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and tell her I'll buy a game
box from her. As soon as we

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walk in, a man looking to
be in his late forties approaches us.

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Is there something I can help either
of you find today? Not me,

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Bailey tells him. I immediately asked
the man, do you, by any

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chance sell game boxes? Then I
explain what they are and what they do.

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I don't believe I have this game
box of yours, but I think

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I may have something your little cousin
may like. He tells me, please

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come with me. We follow the
man to the counter. He's got some

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old school video game consoles in the
display case, but it's the unfamiliar one

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next to the Sega Genesis that he
pulls out. He puts the unit down

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and hooks it up to the modern
TV he's got at the other end of

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the counter. After adding these two
weird looking controllers to it, he finishes

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the setup by hooking up are those
VR goggles. This game console is called

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simply Virtua and is rather a collector's
item. The man says, that's my

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business, finding rare items and selling
them here at my store. Isley Tinker

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at your service. Tinker explains how
the Virtua console was created years ago,

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back in the days of the Atari
twenty six hundred and Calico Vision. He

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says the Virtua could blow all of
them away with its processing power and graphics.

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It was actually even better than the
arcade games themselves, and it could

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be played at home on those old
school box TVs. It may have very

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well been the advent of virtual reality. How come this thing never came out

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on the market, Then I asked, Okay, I'll admit I don't know

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much about video gaming, but you'd
think this console would have made the scene

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the way all the others you hear
about it. Tinker sighs, a little

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Virtua was a little too perfect.
I'm afraid definitely way ahead of its time.

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00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:12.960
I don't know who programmed the one
game used to demonstrate the console,

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00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:18.160
but I can promise you not a
single system on the market has Christmas Arcadia

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00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:22.599
on it. I'd even be willing
to bet that not even those game boxes

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00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:29.279
you spoke of will likely have it. In fact, this console is quite

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rare, and just for the fact
alone that it's one of only three prototypes

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ever constructed Christmas Arcadia. I ask, that's actually a game? It is?

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Would you like to try it?
Tinker asks me. Really, all

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you do is put on these goggles. Tinker explains, then you hold both

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00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:57.839
of these controllers like so. He
demonstrates how to hold them. After I

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put the goggles on, Tinker puts
the controllers in my hands. Then I

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00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:10.480
hear him switch the console on.
You're not safe yet, weekly Spooky will

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00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:23.839
be right back. I suddenly find
myself in this Christmas looking village. Wow,

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00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:30.079
this game's graphics are truly just amazing. I've only ever seen VR a

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00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:34.640
few times. When Stewart would bring
his Oculus over, I thought the graphics

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on that were amazing, but the
Virtua has the oculus beat by a landslide.

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It's like everything's so real here.
As I'm walking around the village,

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I hear Tinker explain that I start
the game by finding the Christmas Queen in

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the form of Arcadia herself. Once
I find her, she'll give me my

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quest. So I play the game
for a little bit and soon find Arcadia

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sitting on her throne in the very
center of the village square inside a gazebo.

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Queen Arcadia is wearing a white crystalline
gown that glows bright in the light.

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Her skin is shimmering like on the
fiber optic Christmas trees Mom puts up

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every season. Her eyes and lips
are as red as Christmas lights. Her

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00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:26.240
hair is green like mistletoe. Her
crown looks like polished ice, along with

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her long scepter. I truly understand
why she's called the Christmas Queen now that

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00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:36.079
I think about it. This is
what Mom does for a living. She

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00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:41.279
designs and codes computer games. She's
been doing it since she graduated Strickfield University

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with her computer programming degree at twenty
four. In fact, her newest game

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00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:51.160
was in that best buy store.
Bailey and I went to Also Retailing for

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00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:55.559
seventy dollars. I don't know how
mom does it, but she makes all

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these great games that get big time
cash grabs. In fact, she's the

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00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:03.240
one in our household who makes all
the money. I definitely don't complain,

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since it keeps a roof over our
heads. Anyway, the Christmas Queen looks

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00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:11.759
at me eagerly. I think she's
going to give me the quest Tinker said.

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00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:18.839
At long last, Arcadia says to
me, I have waited with patience

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00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:23.359
for you to finally come before me. The debt ode to me shall finally

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00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:30.319
be considered fulfilled. Then Queen Arcadia
takes my hand in this virtual world,

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I can actually feel her touch.
I quickly remember I'm only getting a demonstration,

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00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:40.279
but I kind of want to see
what this video game character will give

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00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:45.400
me for a quest. You truly
belong to me now, Ariel Miron,

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00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:49.079
she tells me. I quickly exit
the game by putting the controllers down on

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the counter and taking the goggles off. Then I look right at Tinker.

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This thing's just incredible. I think
Stuart would really love this. How much

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00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:08.839
the man replies, you can have
this entire package for fifty dollars. After

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00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:14.480
I pay the man, Tinker packages
everything in the worn original box, including

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the original instruction manuals. He even
throws in the adapter needed to connect the

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00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:25.000
Virtua to our current HDTVs. Bailey
and I leave the store. Now I'm

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00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:30.279
laughing, and Mouse wanted to charge
me one hundred dollars for a little junk

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box. You just wait till she
comes to the slumber party tonight and sees

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00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:40.960
this. I'm very happy for you, Bailey says, sincerely. Little did

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00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:45.640
I realize just how much I'd really
come to regret this amazing bargain. Let's

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00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:51.000
just say I would eventually wish that
I'd paid Mouse the one hundred dollars for

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her game box. I'd probably have
avoided all the trouble that was soon to

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00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:07.079
follow. Perspective Madeline Donnerly. I'm
in the mousehole my bedroom, finishing with

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pack in my backpack. I look
at the clock, six fifteen. Yeah,

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00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:15.079
I'll make it. It still amazes
me that you are friends with those

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girls. I look at my full
length mirror in the closet and see the

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00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:25.160
ghost of Mary Worth looking back at
me. I get what you're saying,

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Mary, I tell her, but
I know how to read people. You

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did not know how to read me. Upon learning that I was indeed real

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00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:38.799
on that first day, I fully
turned to face her. Okay, you

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00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:42.599
got me still, Mary, I
know you're there watching. When I'm at

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Ariel's house on Friday nights, I
can't help but laugh. I'll never get

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00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:52.880
over how you scared them all that
first night. Mary smirks, and I'll

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00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:57.440
be more than happy to frighten them
again, should you just ask? I

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00:23:57.559 --> 00:24:03.960
smile now. I really do appreciate
you being my friend. Mary. I

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00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:07.880
hope you ain't worried. I won't
let you possess me no more. It's

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00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:12.160
never crossed my mind. She glances
at the clock. You best be leaving.

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00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:18.160
I think about it for a second. Then I remember the little compact

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00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:22.039
on my desk and grab it.
I open it to reveal the mirror inside.

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00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:26.319
A second later, Mary's face is
in there. This way we can

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00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:33.200
keep talking while I'm walking to Ariels. My relationship with Mary Worth All started

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00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:37.559
with Watch an Urban Legend with cousin
Aileen and Bella Tabon. We call her

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00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:42.440
Bells. The moment that scene happened
where Rebecca Gayheart and Alicia Witt were playing

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00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:47.680
the Bloody Mary game. I decided
to look into the urban legend a little

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00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:52.359
more. In the upstairs bathroom,
I played the Bloody Mary game with the

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00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:56.119
lights out. As many times as
I said Bloody Mary, nothing happened.

294
00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:03.079
Then I remembered my research. Bloody
Mary was really a witch named Mary Worth.

295
00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:08.319
Bloody Mary was just a nickname,
not a real person. I composed

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00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:15.000
myself, took a deep breath,
and said Maryworth's name three times. When

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00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:22.359
I finished, Mary Worth herself appeared
in the mirror. Ariel Miran always wants

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00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:26.160
to see me get scared so badly. Well, she would have finally got

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00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:30.559
her wish if she would have been
with me. I was so scared I

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00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:33.640
screamed and tried to run. The
door slammed shut in front of me.

301
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When Mary told me not to be
afraid, I calmed down and went back

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00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:44.599
to the mirror to talk to her. I was sad seeing Mary's story in

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00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:48.759
the mirror about how she was wrongfully
accused of so many bad things in Salem,

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00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:56.400
Massachusetts, and result she got arrested. Then she was tried and sentenced

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00:25:56.400 --> 00:26:00.680
to burn at the stake for witchcraft
by the magistrate. As Mary's pillar was

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00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:06.000
lit, the magistrate's wife presented Mary
with a mirror for her to see her

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own evil. Before she died,
Mary simply used the mirror to escape from

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00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:18.200
her body and the mortal realm and
into the afterlife. Years later, she

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00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:22.119
would finally meet me. Mary said
she could come into the mortal realm through

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me if I would agree to let
her possess me. No, not like

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00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:30.640
Linda Blair and the Exorcist. In
my case, possession means Mary and I

312
00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:36.079
share a supernatural bond. We can
talk to each other like we're doing right

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00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:40.160
now. I can also call Mary
to come out into the mortal realm and

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00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:44.839
protect me if I'm in danger.
All I gotta do is look in a

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00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:48.319
mirror and say her name three times
to let her use me as her vessel.

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When the danger's over, she goes
back in the mirror and gives me

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00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:57.039
my body back. Getting back to
now, we finally reach the main gate

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00:26:57.079 --> 00:27:02.799
of the gated community where the mirrors
live of I look around and see constructions

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00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:07.519
started to expand the wall around Strickfield
Commons. The Mirons recently bought all of

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00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:14.440
the properties here they now own all
of Strickfield Commons and eventually the new wall's

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00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:18.079
gonna be completely enclosing. It must
be nice having that kind of money.

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00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:23.640
Ariel texted me the updated gatecode.
I'm in. After punching it and opening

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00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:27.519
the side door next to the main
gate, I walked straight ahead until I

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00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:33.000
reach Ariel's house just off Capital Court. Ariel's right at the front doors with

325
00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:41.200
her angry scowl to let me in. The slumber parties just me, Ariel,

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00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:45.160
and Bailey. This time. Turns
out Mona Abels is homesick with food

327
00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:49.480
poisoning. We all talked to Mona
via video chat. She was feeling okay

328
00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:53.640
to talk to us, but she
still couldn't make it tonight. I had

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00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:57.000
food poison in myself before, so
I know how bad it hits you.

330
00:27:57.880 --> 00:28:02.640
When we're done talking to Ariel turns
to me and gives me a hard time

331
00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:07.119
about the one hundred dollars I asked
for for the game box. Then she

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00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:11.000
hooks up this console I ain't never
seen before, called the Virtua. She

333
00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:15.279
said she bought it from some junk
store at the mall and turns it on.

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00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:19.359
I got to look this console over
at the store mouse. Ariel tells

335
00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:23.599
me, I bet you don't have
this game on your game box. She

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00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:27.880
holds up what looks like game in
goggles. I don't think yours can even

337
00:28:27.880 --> 00:28:33.920
play VR. Nope, I agree, it can play PS four games,

338
00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:37.240
but not the VR part. I
smirk. That's what my souped up game

339
00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:42.599
in PCs for. Ariel wants to
growl at me, but she stays composed.

340
00:28:44.359 --> 00:28:48.839
The game is called Christmas Arcadia.
Ever heard of it? I shake

341
00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:53.359
my head slowly, can't say I
have. Is it a homebrew? Ariel's

342
00:28:53.400 --> 00:29:00.079
looking at me. Funny homebrew?
Now she's shaking her head fast. Why

343
00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:06.720
games that developers make for older consoles
no longer supported? I explain, I

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00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:10.160
got some of them games for my
older systems, and even my PSVR.

345
00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:15.640
Ariel groans, whatever, you little
mutant, you and all your technical talk.

346
00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:19.279
All I want to show you is
that I got the Virtua with everything

347
00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:25.240
here for a mere fifty dollars.
You were gonna charge me one hundred,

348
00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:29.559
like I said, it was to
buy everything to build the game box.

349
00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:33.799
I emphasized, but if you found
this console for half of what I quoted

350
00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:38.359
you, good for you. But
only one game my game box has tens

351
00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:44.279
of thousands of games. Now,
Ariel's growling at me as usual. She

352
00:29:44.359 --> 00:29:48.480
can't scare me or get under my
skin. Then she tightens her fists.

353
00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:52.359
I hate you. I just smile
a little and wait for Ariel to tell

354
00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:59.160
me to leave. She don't.
I think somewhere deep down, she really

355
00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:03.720
appreciates her friendship with me. May
I play the game? I ask,

356
00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:07.759
yes, I want you to.
Ariel hands me the controllers and explains how

357
00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:11.960
to work them. When I'm ready, she slips the goggles on me.

358
00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:18.039
Whoa, I shriek when I see
how amazing the graphics are. You say

359
00:30:18.039 --> 00:30:22.960
this console was made back in the
Atari twenty six hundred days. That's a

360
00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:26.839
long time ago. That's what the
guy running the junk store told me,

361
00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:32.039
Ariel confirms, I'd love to see
what's inside the console. I say,

362
00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:37.039
no way, I'm letting you take
it apart mouse, Ariel sneers, go

363
00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:40.279
ahead and play Bailey and I can
watch you on the TV. Here.

364
00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:45.759
Oh like the PSVR, I say, got it? I start Christmas Arcadia.

365
00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:52.039
It's easy to walk through the virtual
environment. These graphics are truly amazing.

366
00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:56.839
Even the PSVR and Oculus ain't got
graphics this good. Everything here looks

367
00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:03.839
so incredibly real. I walk into
the village and look around. I can

368
00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:07.680
even go into the random shops.
I know in the real world I ain't

369
00:31:07.720 --> 00:31:11.960
really walking, but here it's like
the controllers and the goggles know what I

370
00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:15.599
want to do, and I do
it. In the game, I see

371
00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:18.680
myself moving around like in the real
world. I can even feel things when

372
00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:23.359
I touch them, including picking up
and holding stuff. Getting back to the

373
00:31:23.400 --> 00:31:26.839
game, I walk around the village
until I find the square and see the

374
00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:32.319
Christmas Queen herself sitting on a throne
in a gazebo. There. Wow,

375
00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:36.640
I want to know what kind of
gaming engine this is. I really want

376
00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:40.160
to know what kind of hardware from
back in the golden age of video games

377
00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:44.839
that's supporting this engine. Sure ain't
the unreal engine. When I get closer

378
00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:51.599
to the Christmas Queen, I start
feeling uneasy. Madeline, Stop Mary,

379
00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:59.119
I utter what. The Christmas Queen
raises her scepter. Approach your Queen mortal.

380
00:32:00.119 --> 00:32:04.279
I gasp when I feel myself suddenly
being pulled her way. No,

381
00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:07.960
you shall not lay claim to her, I hear Maryworth say to the Christmas

382
00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:14.759
Queen. Flea Madeleine, and then
I hear Ariel and Bailey asking me who

383
00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:19.799
I'm talking to. They can't see
Mary Worth, which is good. I

384
00:32:19.880 --> 00:32:22.839
really don't want them knowing my secret. I turn and run from the Christmas

385
00:32:22.920 --> 00:32:27.119
Queen. I got a gut feeling
and glance over my shoulder to see I'm

386
00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:31.079
right. The Queen's chasing me,
literally flying after me. I duck into

387
00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:35.240
one of the shops and slam the
door. I gotta get out of here

388
00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:39.839
fast. You cannot escape me,
little one. I hear just outside.

389
00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:44.799
She's gotta be homing in on the
signal projected through the goggles and controllers.

390
00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:49.359
I gotta get rid of them in
the real world. I'm feeling I can't

391
00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:52.759
move in this virtual world. I
walk to the back room and then I

392
00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:58.599
see the mirror and rush to it
to quickly say Mary Worth's name three times.

393
00:32:59.000 --> 00:33:02.319
However, instead of Mary claiming my
body as her own, I'm feeling

394
00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:07.720
a powerful feedback that cuts the connection
between the virtual world and the real one.

395
00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:13.440
Suddenly I'm back in Ariel's house again. I can finally lose the gear.

396
00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:17.240
You okay, mouse, Bailey asks, wow, you're really sweating.

397
00:33:17.880 --> 00:33:22.319
After putting the gear down, I
look at Ariel. You gotta take this

398
00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:25.279
console back. Something's really wrong with
it. You don't know what it can

399
00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:31.160
do. Ariel laughs scornfully at me. Wow, you're telling me you finally

400
00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:36.200
found a game even you can't beat, and it's even one that came out

401
00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:40.880
before our time. What a loser. I'm serious, Ariel, I cry,

402
00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:45.720
Please just take it back. I'll
give you my game box to give

403
00:33:45.720 --> 00:33:49.440
to your cousin. You don't even
have to pay for nothing. Just take

404
00:33:49.559 --> 00:33:53.720
this console back. Bailey ain't sure
what to think, but Ariel keeps laughing

405
00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:59.559
it up. Then she pinches my
cheeks gently and teases me, Oh,

406
00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:02.000
you're so so cute. When you're
mad, Mouse, I'll get you some

407
00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:07.920
cheese. I'm being serious. I
return. Something's wrong with that console,

408
00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:15.599
there's evil in it. To my
surprise, Bailey actually takes my side.

409
00:34:15.239 --> 00:34:20.480
I think Mouse is right Ariel.
We really don't know enough about the Virtua

410
00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:24.079
too. Ariel folds her arms in
front of her and gets mad. Since

411
00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:29.239
when do you agree with that stupid
little squeaker on anything, Bailey? You

412
00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:34.000
don't even like her, Bailey gasps. Then she points right at Ariel,

413
00:34:34.519 --> 00:34:38.079
that's not true, and what you
just called Mouse was uncalled for. For

414
00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:42.880
the first time, Bailey gives Ariel
a piece of her mind. You're the

415
00:34:42.920 --> 00:34:45.119
one who doesn't like her, Ariel. The only reason you even invite Mouse

416
00:34:45.159 --> 00:34:50.599
to our slumber parties every Friday night
is to try and scare her or humiliate

417
00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:53.079
her, make her cry. And
when you can't, you take it out

418
00:34:53.079 --> 00:34:58.800
on Mona and me when Mouse isn't
around, Ariel gets real mad. Now

419
00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:02.360
you know, but you can both
just get out of my house. While

420
00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:06.400
you're at it, Bailey, you
can tell Mona I'm done with her too.

421
00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:09.360
I befriended you three and this is
all the thanks I get. Well,

422
00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:13.960
you know what, I don't need
any of you. She points to

423
00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:17.719
the front doors. Just get out, I sigh and bow my head.

424
00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:23.639
Ah man, I go and get
my backpack before I leave. I make

425
00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:28.320
one last attempt to beg Ariel,
to get rid of that virtua console.

426
00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:31.599
Ariel glares at me as she points
past me to the front door. Again,

427
00:35:32.360 --> 00:35:37.559
Just get out, you nerdy little
twerp. Then she shoves me hard

428
00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:39.960
to the door. Get out,
and don't you ever come back here.

429
00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:45.559
Ariel finally gets what she wants.
Normally, I'm pretty laid back, but

430
00:35:46.440 --> 00:35:52.519
I can't believe she really attacked me
like that. I'm feeling pretty choked up

431
00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:54.679
now as I get up and walk
out of Ariel's front doors for the last

432
00:35:54.719 --> 00:36:00.360
time. I'm so choked up now
that I can't help it and start crying.

433
00:36:00.360 --> 00:36:07.280
I just lost my friend. This
really hurts deep inside. Mouse.

434
00:36:07.840 --> 00:36:12.639
Bailey calls out, I wait for
her. When she reaches me, Oh

435
00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:17.360
yeah, she's seeing me crying.
Much to my surprise, she actually hugs

436
00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:22.719
me. I'm so sorry. I
like you, Mouse, I really do.

437
00:36:22.960 --> 00:36:27.880
I can't help myself. I hug
Bailey back and cry on her shoulder.

438
00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:31.480
I just can't believe Ariel Mirron attacked
me like that. I got a

439
00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:37.039
very bad feeling. Things are gonna
get real bad. Did you hear that?

440
00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:43.400
Better check the locks on your doors
weekly. Spooky will be right back

441
00:36:47.760 --> 00:36:54.039
perspective, Ariel Mirren. I've got
the whole house to myself now. I

442
00:36:54.039 --> 00:36:59.159
don't need those stupid girls as friends. In fact, I'll go out and

443
00:36:59.159 --> 00:37:02.159
make some new friends over the holiday
break. Even better, I think I'll

444
00:37:02.199 --> 00:37:07.119
head into the village and get some
right now, tonight doesn't have to be

445
00:37:07.159 --> 00:37:12.880
a total loss. Wait a minute, I've still got the virtual console here.

446
00:37:14.239 --> 00:37:17.199
Okay, I'm not a gamer like
Mouse, but I want to play

447
00:37:17.280 --> 00:37:22.840
Christmas Arcadia again. At least i'll
have something to talk about with Stuart on

448
00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:27.920
Christmas Day. The console's already hooked
up and turned on. I reapply the

449
00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:35.639
gear and go back in. I'm
walking around in this truly amazing VR world

450
00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:40.840
and really loving this Christmas wonderland again. There's snow covering the grass and on

451
00:37:42.119 --> 00:37:45.400
just the right parts of these stores
and houses. Out of curiosity, I

452
00:37:45.480 --> 00:37:51.480
reach down, and no way I
can actually pick up and hold the snow

453
00:37:51.519 --> 00:37:55.440
in my hands. I even feel
the cold winds making me shiver some.

454
00:37:57.400 --> 00:38:01.000
Even the snow wets my hands.
I remember the Christmas Queen and walked to

455
00:38:01.039 --> 00:38:06.719
where I first saw her in the
village square. Sure enough, she's sitting

456
00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:09.960
on her throne in the gazebo.
I knew that you could not resist returning

457
00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:15.280
Ariel Mirn come closer. I walked
to her and stopped directly in front of

458
00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:20.679
her. I don't understand why Mouse
got so scared. I even heard her

459
00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:25.039
say Mary Worth's name three times.
I still get shivers down my back when

460
00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:29.719
I think about that slumber party.
After the school year started where we all

461
00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:36.519
saw that ghastly woman for the first
time, except for Mouse. Still did

462
00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:42.000
she actually see bloody Mary in here
somewhere. It's time for you to repay

463
00:38:42.039 --> 00:38:47.079
the debt that is owed Ariel Mirron, the Christmas Queen says, and you

464
00:38:47.159 --> 00:38:53.159
shall begin by assisting me in a
most important task. Thinking this is just

465
00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:59.039
part of the game, I ask, what's the task? The Christmas Queen

466
00:38:59.159 --> 00:39:05.079
smiles. You shall become my vessel
in the mortal realm and possess my limitless

467
00:39:05.159 --> 00:39:10.079
power. And all that I require
are your hands. Then she holds out

468
00:39:10.079 --> 00:39:16.599
both of hers. Now I have
this really bad feeling in my gut.

469
00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:22.480
How do you know my name?
Again? I know I never told you

470
00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:28.519
my name. Suddenly, the Christmas
Queen snatches my wrists. You were a

471
00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:32.800
bargain made to me before your time. I gave your mother her life's desires.

472
00:39:34.599 --> 00:39:39.000
In return, I am to have
your life first. I require your

473
00:39:39.079 --> 00:39:45.840
body so that I may enter the
mortal realm. Then every day shall be

474
00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:52.119
Christmas. Yes, I shall give
those greedy mortals their deepest desires. In

475
00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:58.480
return, I shall possess their very
souls. No, I cry out as

476
00:39:58.480 --> 00:40:02.599
I struggle to get free, but
Queen Arcadia is so strong. Suddenly I

477
00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:08.960
feel a powerful surge throughout my body. Then Arcadia fires twin ibeams directly into

478
00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:15.840
my eyes. I'm now weak and
powerless to resist or move away. And

479
00:40:15.880 --> 00:40:23.239
then I'm suddenly feeling so incredibly powerful, like the world is mine. Wow,

480
00:40:24.079 --> 00:40:29.400
Arcadia just wanted to share her power
with me. I just have to

481
00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:36.679
let her, let her be me. I want to keep feeling all this

482
00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:40.599
incredible power, And then I feel
Queen Arcadia is truly a part of me.

483
00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:46.639
I know exactly what I must do, and I have all the powers

484
00:40:46.639 --> 00:40:52.840
of the Christmas Queen at my command, just like she promised. In fact,

485
00:40:52.360 --> 00:40:58.320
I now have my plan for bringing
everlasting Christmas to the mortal realm.

486
00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:05.159
I feel I'm still me, only
now I'm so much more. The Christmas

487
00:41:05.199 --> 00:41:10.519
Queen claimed me and remade me.
I know I'm also Arcadia. Now it's

488
00:41:10.599 --> 00:41:15.880
time for me to leave the virtual
realm and journey to the mortal one.

489
00:41:16.079 --> 00:41:21.559
From there, I shall claim four
souls that shall grant me the immense power

490
00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:27.639
I require to merge the mortal realm
with my virtual realm to make Christmas everlasting.

491
00:41:28.360 --> 00:41:30.840
And that's only going to be the
beginning of my conquest of the mortals

492
00:41:30.840 --> 00:41:36.920
themselves. I make a fist and
squeeze it as I feel the green fire

493
00:41:37.000 --> 00:41:44.559
that I can now channel, simply
amazing, Well, I need four souls.

494
00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:51.599
I smirk when I easily think of
what four souls i'll take. Madeline

495
00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:57.280
Donnerly escaped once, she won't do
so again. In fact, I'll save

496
00:41:57.360 --> 00:42:01.760
her for the endgame. I raise
both of my fists, now burning with

497
00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:07.079
power. I use that power and
rip open the fabric of time and space,

498
00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:14.800
creating a portal to the mortal realm. Upon stepping through it, I

499
00:42:14.920 --> 00:42:20.920
drop the controllers and remove the goggles. Seeing myself in a nearby mirror,

500
00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:27.840
I'm disgusted with my clothes. Using
my new powers, I quickly reconfigure my

501
00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:32.800
clothing into something more stylish. When
I finish, I know exactly how to

502
00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:45.480
deal with Madeline Donnerly. But first
perspective, Mona abels, I've grown again.

503
00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:50.159
When my stomach hurts, ugh,
I'm so hungry. That's it.

504
00:42:50.239 --> 00:42:52.840
I'm getting out of here and getting
something to eat. After I get cleaned

505
00:42:52.920 --> 00:42:57.679
up and put fresh clothes on,
I go downstairs. There's a note from

506
00:42:57.719 --> 00:43:00.960
Mom and Dad saying their next door
playing bored with the McClellans, and there's

507
00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:06.480
food in the fridge. I open
it and see Dad definitely cooked lasagna.

508
00:43:07.360 --> 00:43:12.119
Gross. I appreciate Dad tried to
cook food when Mom and I both got

509
00:43:12.159 --> 00:43:17.000
sick from food poisoning, but he
just can't cook period. When I feel

510
00:43:17.039 --> 00:43:22.920
the hunger rip my tummy again,
I know exactly where I'm going. Denoyer's

511
00:43:22.960 --> 00:43:28.639
grill here I come. I'm thinking
about my favorite bacon cheeseburger platter with a

512
00:43:28.679 --> 00:43:34.239
tall glass of coke. Even the
thought of Denoyer's incredible pumpkin silk pie makes

513
00:43:34.239 --> 00:43:39.599
my stomach really rumble. After I
put my jacket on and head outside,

514
00:43:39.679 --> 00:43:46.000
I see someone standing at the edge
of my sidewalk. Um hello, I

515
00:43:46.119 --> 00:43:51.920
utter. The figure points right at
me. I can tell it's another girl

516
00:43:51.960 --> 00:43:55.400
when I see her pigtails. Suddenly, her body comes to life with bright

517
00:43:55.519 --> 00:44:00.719
light. Glad to see your feeling
so much better? Mona U, she

518
00:44:00.920 --> 00:44:07.719
says Ariel. I gasp. She
sneers, Ariel, Mirrn is gone.

519
00:44:07.400 --> 00:44:15.400
The name's Arcadia now and you are
mine. I shriek and quickly duck when

520
00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:21.199
Ariel shoots these blasts from her hands
at me. Since when could she do

521
00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:27.960
that. You can't escape me,
Mona, Ariel cries gleefully. There's nowhere

522
00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:31.079
you can run. I get up
and run out back, and then this

523
00:44:31.239 --> 00:44:36.199
surge of electricity shoots from underneath the
porch light and right in front of me.

524
00:44:37.079 --> 00:44:42.800
It transforms into Ariel. Her bleach
blonde hair is glowing. She's also

525
00:44:42.920 --> 00:44:46.920
wearing eighties fashion, a green top, a glistening skirt, red tights,

526
00:44:47.360 --> 00:44:52.880
glistening leg warmers, and even La
gear high tops. Ariel points at me.

527
00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:58.960
I told you there's no escape,
Mona. I turn to run again,

528
00:44:59.559 --> 00:45:04.719
but I'm suddenly stopped. Ariel's new
power surrounds me. Soon I'm encased

529
00:45:04.719 --> 00:45:08.519
in some kind of glass I can't
break. I turn and face her.

530
00:45:09.039 --> 00:45:15.519
Why are you doing this? She
smiles a wicked smile. One down,

531
00:45:15.239 --> 00:45:21.639
three to go. Then I shall
remake the mortal realm in my image.

532
00:45:22.239 --> 00:45:27.400
You should be pleased that you're going
to assist me in making Christmas a forever

533
00:45:27.559 --> 00:45:34.039
event instead of only once a year. You shall see when I enslave this

534
00:45:34.199 --> 00:45:38.360
world. Stop this, Ariel,
I shout. I quickly go for my

535
00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:44.920
phone on No, stupid me left
it in my room. I can't text

536
00:45:44.920 --> 00:45:50.719
the others to warn them. There's
nothing I can do. I sigh sadly

537
00:45:51.280 --> 00:46:01.760
as Ariel makes us both disappear perspective
Bailey D I can tell Mouse is still

538
00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:07.239
pretty upset. To be honest,
so am I I knew Ariel Miron was

539
00:46:07.280 --> 00:46:10.119
someone who always had to have her
way all the time when Mona and I

540
00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:15.159
first met her, still she called
us her friends, even though she had

541
00:46:15.199 --> 00:46:21.840
funny ways of showing her friendship.
But tonight, I can't believe Ariel lost

542
00:46:21.880 --> 00:46:24.800
it like that and lashed out at
us. She went too far when she

543
00:46:24.840 --> 00:46:30.880
pushed Mouse. I walk with Mouse
back to her place. We don't really

544
00:46:30.960 --> 00:46:35.920
talk a whole lot. I know
there's definitely tension between us. Even though

545
00:46:35.960 --> 00:46:38.960
Mouse is always a laid back kind
of person, I feel she's always kept

546
00:46:38.960 --> 00:46:43.760
her guard up around Mona and me. Okay, I'll be honest here.

547
00:46:44.440 --> 00:46:47.760
Mona and I didn't really like Mouse
when we first met her. We tolerated

548
00:46:47.800 --> 00:46:52.679
her because we knew Ariel liked her, Even though Mona and I would never

549
00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:57.199
admit it. Mouse got to grow
on us. We really liked having her

550
00:46:57.239 --> 00:47:00.000
around. When Mouse and I reach
her house, we face each other.

551
00:47:01.119 --> 00:47:07.599
You're gonna be okay, I ask
her. Mouse sighs, are you now?

552
00:47:07.639 --> 00:47:13.039
I sigh myself. Ariel did go
off on both of us, didn't

553
00:47:13.039 --> 00:47:17.039
she. Then I finally decide right
then and there to take that first step

554
00:47:19.199 --> 00:47:22.239
Mouse, Why don't you just come
spend the night at my place tonight.

555
00:47:22.880 --> 00:47:28.199
We'll have our own little slumber party, you and me. Mouse considers me

556
00:47:30.199 --> 00:47:32.920
no offense. But you hosted a
slumber party at your house before, and

557
00:47:34.159 --> 00:47:38.280
uh it didn't go very well.
I laugh a little. Yeah, you're

558
00:47:38.400 --> 00:47:44.639
right, it was rather interesting with
all four of us cramped up in my

559
00:47:44.760 --> 00:47:50.639
little attic bedroom. Then Mouse meets
me halfway. You can spend the night

560
00:47:50.679 --> 00:47:53.159
here. Bailey, mom and dad
know you, so they ain't gonna care.

561
00:47:54.440 --> 00:47:58.880
Okay, sure, I'm pretty sure. Mona and I have never been

562
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:02.400
in Mouse's house. We've just never
been over here. I don't even know

563
00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:07.519
that Ariel's ever been over here.
Mouse opens the front door and waves for

564
00:48:07.559 --> 00:48:09.920
me to come on in. Her
parents are sitting on the living room couch

565
00:48:09.960 --> 00:48:15.519
together watching TV. I can't believe
that woman is really Mouse's mom if I

566
00:48:15.519 --> 00:48:20.719
didn't know better. She kind of
looks like Violet from Friday the Thirteenth,

567
00:48:20.719 --> 00:48:24.119
Part five. Mouse brought her box
set of those movies over to Ariel's Halloween

568
00:48:24.119 --> 00:48:29.719
weekend slumber party for us to binge. We actually got through every movie in

569
00:48:29.760 --> 00:48:35.400
the entire set. Anyway, Mouse's
mom looks so retropunk, and her dad,

570
00:48:35.440 --> 00:48:38.280
well, he just looks like a
normal, average kind of guy.

571
00:48:39.079 --> 00:48:44.519
Cute though you aren't staying the night
at Ariels. Her mom asks in her

572
00:48:44.559 --> 00:48:49.199
silky voice. Then she sees I'm
with her. Is everything all right,

573
00:48:49.280 --> 00:48:52.920
Maddie? Yeah? Mom, Mouse
lies, Ariel had something come up,

574
00:48:52.960 --> 00:48:58.599
and Mona's sick. It's just gonna
be me and Bailey. Her dad looks

575
00:48:58.639 --> 00:49:01.320
our way. There's placed me a
pizza on the kitchen counter. Help yourselves.

576
00:49:02.119 --> 00:49:07.320
Sounds good, Mouse says. Then
she motions for me to come upstairs

577
00:49:07.360 --> 00:49:09.639
with her. When we reach your
room, there's a sign in her door

578
00:49:09.679 --> 00:49:16.599
that says welcome to the mouse Hole. Wow, my eyes go wide when

579
00:49:16.639 --> 00:49:22.239
Mouse brings me into her room.
I mean, this bedroom is a total

580
00:49:22.559 --> 00:49:28.159
Geeks paradise. She's got multiple video
game consoles neatly displayed on shelves. She

581
00:49:28.239 --> 00:49:32.760
even has a few full sized arcade
games, Donkey Kong and Gauntlet Dark Legacy.

582
00:49:34.519 --> 00:49:37.119
There are posters for horror movies all
over the walls. She even has

583
00:49:37.159 --> 00:49:43.280
collectible horror figures still in their original
packaging. Then I see her desk with

584
00:49:43.320 --> 00:49:46.880
a soldering gun and something she was
working on. It's the bed that actually

585
00:49:46.960 --> 00:49:52.719
surprises me, though, A bunk
bed. Welcome to my little mouse hole

586
00:49:52.800 --> 00:49:57.760
in the wall, Bailey Mouse jokes, putting her backpack down. Got a

587
00:49:57.800 --> 00:50:02.320
bed you want to claim? M
top bunk? I ask, it's yours.

588
00:50:02.760 --> 00:50:07.559
She opens up a mini fridge Wanta
Coke. Yes, so Mouse and

589
00:50:07.599 --> 00:50:12.719
I are having sodas together. She
can tell. I'm really amazed by her

590
00:50:12.719 --> 00:50:17.000
bedroom. Oh, my family's well
off, she says. Mom and dad

591
00:50:17.039 --> 00:50:22.559
bought me game consoles every Birthday and
Christmas since I was four. Dad also

592
00:50:22.679 --> 00:50:25.960
gave me all of his The arcade
cabinets were pretty beat up when Dad brought

593
00:50:27.000 --> 00:50:30.239
them here for me. I restored
him and put raspberry pies inside. Those

594
00:50:30.239 --> 00:50:34.800
are little computers, kind of like
the ones that run phones now. They

595
00:50:34.800 --> 00:50:38.559
can play so many games, including
the original rams the cabinets have. She

596
00:50:38.679 --> 00:50:44.400
smiles a little. What you want
to do? Mouse and I are eating

597
00:50:44.480 --> 00:50:49.000
pizza and watching Christmas horror movies on
the bottom bunk. We actually both came

598
00:50:49.039 --> 00:50:52.480
out of our shells. With each
other a little more. We even laughed

599
00:50:52.480 --> 00:50:55.960
hard at how cheesy some of these
movies really are, especially Santa's Sleigh.

600
00:50:57.719 --> 00:51:01.199
We both admit it's not like being
at air, but we're having a great

601
00:51:01.280 --> 00:51:07.280
time. Then Mouse looks my way. You think Mona's feeling okay, I'm

602
00:51:07.320 --> 00:51:12.960
thinking maybe we should invite her over. I nod quickly. Yeah, let's

603
00:51:13.039 --> 00:51:15.679
let's talk to her. Can you
get her on your computer? Sure,

604
00:51:16.199 --> 00:51:21.360
we pause the movie and get off
the bunk. Mouse brings up Facebook Messenger

605
00:51:21.440 --> 00:51:24.800
and clicks on the group chat.
Then she clicks on Mona's pick, followed

606
00:51:24.840 --> 00:51:30.960
by the phone symbol. No answer. I wonder maybe she's sleeping or went

607
00:51:31.000 --> 00:51:37.079
out. Mouse asks, I quickly
get my phone and try calling her straight

608
00:51:37.079 --> 00:51:40.960
to voicemail. I look at Mouse. Funny, Mona never turns her phone

609
00:51:42.000 --> 00:51:45.239
off. Then I leave a brief
message and hang up. Mouse is to

610
00:51:45.280 --> 00:51:50.719
the point none of us turn our
phones off. We just look at each

611
00:51:50.719 --> 00:51:54.159
other for a moment. Okay,
we agree something's wrong here, Mouse,

612
00:51:54.239 --> 00:51:59.320
But what do we do about it? We can either wait for Mona to

613
00:51:59.360 --> 00:52:02.719
turn her phone back and get your
message, or we can go look for

614
00:52:02.800 --> 00:52:08.360
ourselves. Mouse answers, I consider
it. Then I tell her, let's

615
00:52:08.360 --> 00:52:14.480
not jump to conclusions yet. How
about this, Let's finish the movie and

616
00:52:14.519 --> 00:52:16.519
if we don't hear from Mona when
the credits roll, I'll call her again.

617
00:52:16.599 --> 00:52:21.719
And if she still don't answer,
we go look for her. Sounds

618
00:52:21.719 --> 00:52:37.239
good, don't go away weekly spooky, We'll be right back. Mouse and

619
00:52:37.320 --> 00:52:42.239
I finish Santa's sleigh and our slices
of pizza. Mona still isn't answering her

620
00:52:42.280 --> 00:52:45.800
phone. True to our plan,
Mouse and I put our shoes and coats

621
00:52:45.800 --> 00:52:50.920
on and head downstairs. Mouse's parents
are still up. We're heading downtown.

622
00:52:51.440 --> 00:52:54.800
Mouse tells them. Her mom looks
at us seriously, Maddie, why don't

623
00:52:54.800 --> 00:52:59.320
you just move your things into Roth's
rings as much time as you spend there.

624
00:53:00.119 --> 00:53:04.480
Mouse laughs a little funny, mom, Oh wait a minute. Her

625
00:53:04.559 --> 00:53:07.000
dad suddenly gets up and comes over
to us. He whips out his wallet

626
00:53:07.039 --> 00:53:12.519
and gives Mouse some money. How
about bringing home some more coffee? Sure?

627
00:53:12.599 --> 00:53:15.599
She says, the usual, Yeah, the usual for me. Her

628
00:53:15.679 --> 00:53:21.039
dad says, bring home some more
of that death wish Christmas coffee. Mouse's

629
00:53:21.079 --> 00:53:24.360
mom tells her, I'll get two
bags of ginger dead. Mouse tells her

630
00:53:24.840 --> 00:53:29.280
we've been drinking it pretty good.
Huh. When we leave the house,

631
00:53:29.320 --> 00:53:32.599
I tell Mouse, I can't believe
your parents are so laid back. She

632
00:53:32.639 --> 00:53:37.360
shrugs, Yeah, they know.
I'm always okay long as they know where

633
00:53:37.360 --> 00:53:42.800
I'm going. Mouse and I walk
a few blocks and head into downtown village.

634
00:53:43.320 --> 00:53:46.320
Soon we walk into Roth's Rings.
There are people hanging out on Friday

635
00:53:46.400 --> 00:53:51.760
night, as usual. We recognize
some people from school. Then we see

636
00:53:51.800 --> 00:53:54.840
Carter Cross finishing a game. He's
surprised when he sees Mouse in me.

637
00:53:55.559 --> 00:54:00.920
Mouse immediately tells him everything that happened. Yeah, Mouse ain't gonna lie to

638
00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:05.639
her best friend. Carter actually lives
next door to her. Then Carter gives

639
00:54:05.679 --> 00:54:09.679
me a quick glance. You both
okay, he asks. We tell him

640
00:54:09.719 --> 00:54:14.360
we are. Then I mentioned that
we're looking for Mona and can't get a

641
00:54:14.400 --> 00:54:17.920
hold of her. Now Carter's concerned. Want me to help you find her?

642
00:54:19.760 --> 00:54:22.719
Would you? Mouse replies, I
can tell you both for sure.

643
00:54:22.760 --> 00:54:27.639
Mona ain't here. Carter says,
I know because I've been in here for

644
00:54:27.639 --> 00:54:30.159
the last couple of hours with the
guys. He nods down the road.

645
00:54:31.000 --> 00:54:35.320
You think she might have gone to
the movies? The theater started staying open

646
00:54:35.400 --> 00:54:38.559
later tonight for the holiday break.
I shake my head quickly. No,

647
00:54:38.920 --> 00:54:43.639
Mona always text me when she wants
to go to the movies. Hey,

648
00:54:44.360 --> 00:54:47.840
where are Horton, Chapman and Chunker
anyway? Mouse asks, they left a

649
00:54:47.840 --> 00:54:52.519
bit of go. Carter replies,
but I'm here and I'll help you.

650
00:54:52.000 --> 00:54:57.960
Let's go one second, Mouse says. We go to the counter with Mouse

651
00:54:58.000 --> 00:55:00.559
so she can buy the coffee for
her parents. When we're done, we

652
00:55:00.639 --> 00:55:05.559
leave Roth's rings and head back to
Mouse's house so she can drop off the

653
00:55:05.599 --> 00:55:08.599
coffee and the change. Then we
head off and walk around the village.

654
00:55:09.280 --> 00:55:13.679
There's a few more places open late
where people hang out on Friday nights.

655
00:55:14.159 --> 00:55:17.480
Carter even calls out to Denoyer's grill. Sometimes Mona will go out there when

656
00:55:17.519 --> 00:55:22.960
she really gets the munchies. Carter
hangs up and shakes his head a little.

657
00:55:22.800 --> 00:55:28.159
No go. I talk to Denoyer
himself. He knows Mona and she

658
00:55:28.199 --> 00:55:32.719
ain't been there tonight. I groan, you, guys, I'm I really

659
00:55:32.760 --> 00:55:38.159
am worried. Now where else can
we look? Carter asks? Even Mouse

660
00:55:38.239 --> 00:55:43.480
is stumped, but she has a
suggestion. It's been some time. Maybe

661
00:55:43.519 --> 00:55:47.079
we can head back to Roth's rings
and see again. Feeling it was worth

662
00:55:47.119 --> 00:55:52.199
a shot, we head back.
We go in and look still no Mona,

663
00:55:52.960 --> 00:55:58.159
but it ain't long before Ariel comes
in. We're all quite surprised at

664
00:55:58.159 --> 00:56:01.480
her appearance. She looks like she
swiped Doc Brown's DeLorean and treated herself to

665
00:56:01.519 --> 00:56:08.000
a full makeover in nineteen eighty five
and pigtails. Ariel waste no time coming

666
00:56:08.039 --> 00:56:14.480
our way. You people look like
you've lost somebody, she says. I'm

667
00:56:14.480 --> 00:56:16.840
still upset at Ariel and want to
yell at her, but I'm really worried

668
00:56:16.880 --> 00:56:22.320
about my friend. Have you seen
Mona? She's not home. We've been

669
00:56:22.360 --> 00:56:27.480
looking everywhere for her. Ariel smiles
a little. I think I saw her

670
00:56:27.480 --> 00:56:31.679
at one of the nearby cafes,
which one. Carter asks, I'll take

671
00:56:31.719 --> 00:56:36.559
you there. I was heading that
way myself. We leave Roth's Rings and

672
00:56:36.599 --> 00:56:42.320
walk with Ariel. Where'd you see
Mona? Mouse asks Ariel, sounding reluctant

673
00:56:42.360 --> 00:56:46.320
to talk to her. I'm taking
you all to her, Ariel replies.

674
00:56:47.039 --> 00:56:52.320
We walk for a little bit and
past Big Ed's soda parlor. Then Ariel

675
00:56:52.360 --> 00:56:54.760
turns down the alley next to it. You said it was one of the

676
00:56:54.800 --> 00:57:01.480
cafes, Carter said, I never
said this street. Ariel replies, Andy's

677
00:57:01.559 --> 00:57:07.480
China Dragon is open all night too. I've grown a little and follow Ariel.

678
00:57:07.039 --> 00:57:13.119
Both Ariel and I know that Mona
loves Chinese food. Andy's China Dragon

679
00:57:13.239 --> 00:57:16.559
is really good for a village Asian
place. Like Denoyer's Grill and Roth's Rings,

680
00:57:16.559 --> 00:57:21.639
they're always open. We walk through
the alley until we come to the

681
00:57:21.760 --> 00:57:29.599
end. What the Carter utters when
the scenery suddenly changes. Everything looks just

682
00:57:29.800 --> 00:57:35.960
like like that video game Mouse was
playing at Ariels before Ariel went all spas

683
00:57:36.039 --> 00:57:40.000
on us. As we're looking around, we'd swear we're not in Strickfield anymore?

684
00:57:40.840 --> 00:57:46.480
Are we really in that Christmas Arcadia
video game itself? Now? Looking

685
00:57:46.519 --> 00:57:54.159
at everything, we see this immense
VR world without goggles or headsets. Suddenly,

686
00:57:54.239 --> 00:57:59.480
Ariel turns and shoves Mouse hard for
a second time to make her fall

687
00:57:59.519 --> 00:58:02.679
onto some you're by snow. How
do you like the game now, you

688
00:58:02.800 --> 00:58:08.840
little insect. Carter quickly gets in
between them, stop at Ariel. Now,

689
00:58:09.719 --> 00:58:15.320
to the surprise of Mouse and me, Ariel easily shoves Carter out of

690
00:58:15.360 --> 00:58:19.559
the way. Carter works out and
can easily pick any of us up like

691
00:58:19.639 --> 00:58:24.440
pillows. Especially little mouse. Why
are you doing this? Mouse shouts at

692
00:58:24.480 --> 00:58:30.920
Ariel, All because of a game
box. Ariel laughs, Oh, this

693
00:58:30.119 --> 00:58:36.800
is much more than a pathetic little
game box. She talks to me too,

694
00:58:36.840 --> 00:58:43.639
And as for Mona, I have
her. Suddenly we find ourselves in

695
00:58:43.760 --> 00:58:47.199
the village square. At the very
center is a gazebo with a throne,

696
00:58:49.280 --> 00:58:54.039
and then we see her inside a
glowing glass container. Mona, I shriek.

697
00:58:54.960 --> 00:59:01.519
Help, Mona cries out. Ariel's
gone crazy? Have I? Ariel

698
00:59:01.599 --> 00:59:07.000
cheers. Then she looks at us
as Carter joins. Now she raises her

699
00:59:07.000 --> 00:59:13.920
finger. If you ever want to
see Mona again or leave my realm,

700
00:59:14.760 --> 00:59:21.239
all you have to do is just
defeat me. And then Ariel holds out

701
00:59:21.239 --> 00:59:27.280
her hands like claws and makes Christmas
red and green fireballs, holding them in

702
00:59:27.320 --> 00:59:36.360
her hands, she smiles wickedly.
Who dares to challenge my power? First

703
00:59:37.480 --> 00:59:44.840
perspective, Carter Cross, I really
ain't believe in what I'm seeing. First,

704
00:59:44.840 --> 00:59:51.800
her Royal Highness is really strong.
Now she has powers. Well,

705
00:59:52.199 --> 00:59:58.199
this is Strickfield, right, or
at least it was. Bailey quickly looks

706
00:59:58.199 --> 01:00:01.280
at Madeline and me, Oh,
guys are gamers. What do we do?

707
01:00:02.480 --> 01:00:07.039
Run, Madeline yells. The three
of us turn and run as fast

708
01:00:07.039 --> 01:00:10.199
as we can. If I got
a guess, I'd say we're gonna get

709
01:00:10.199 --> 01:00:15.840
away from Ariel and regroup. Then
we'll figure out how we're gonna save Mona

710
01:00:15.079 --> 01:00:21.159
and get out of here. No, Ariel yells, you will not run

711
01:00:21.199 --> 01:00:24.360
from your queen. This is my
kingdom, and you will obey my will.

712
01:00:24.920 --> 01:00:30.880
I so command it. I just
barely see one of Ariel's fireballs out

713
01:00:30.880 --> 01:00:34.880
of the corner of my eye and
quickly dive at Madeline, taking her down

714
01:00:34.920 --> 01:00:38.199
into some snow before the green flame
can hit her. Thanks, buddy,

715
01:00:38.760 --> 01:00:43.440
she says. I quickly get off
her and yanker back to her feet.

716
01:00:43.840 --> 01:00:47.199
Come on, Bailey points to an
alley. This way, I'm ready to

717
01:00:47.239 --> 01:00:52.079
tell her I ain't going down no
more alleys. When a red fireball nearly

718
01:00:52.119 --> 01:00:57.639
misses me, I groan and quickly
follow the girls. I can't believe Ariel's

719
01:00:57.639 --> 01:01:02.039
still upset about Mouse's game box,
Bailey says, I'm thinking it's more than

720
01:01:02.039 --> 01:01:07.440
my little game box. You guys, Madeleine tells us I don't know her

721
01:01:07.519 --> 01:01:10.599
queenship the way you girls do.
I tell them, we thought we knew

722
01:01:10.599 --> 01:01:15.480
Ariel, Bailey says. When a
green fireball nearly misses her, She turns

723
01:01:15.559 --> 01:01:22.039
quickly and screams why Ariel. I
quickly yank Bailey out of the way of

724
01:01:22.039 --> 01:01:24.480
another green fireball. Then we come
out the other end of the alley and

725
01:01:24.559 --> 01:01:29.519
head down a street. Soon a
horse and carriage nearly runs us down.

726
01:01:30.320 --> 01:01:35.239
We look and see Ariel's manning it. You might as well just give up,

727
01:01:35.599 --> 01:01:39.159
Ariel points to us. You're in
my world now. I rule over

728
01:01:39.280 --> 01:01:45.639
all here. Everything you see is
my property. She sneers at us now,

729
01:01:46.199 --> 01:01:52.000
and since I see all of you, I'd say you're my property too.

730
01:01:52.960 --> 01:01:57.559
Ariel stands up and fires two red
beams from her eyes. I quickly

731
01:01:57.599 --> 01:02:01.400
push Madeline out of the way and
take the hit for ror. Ugh feels

732
01:02:01.480 --> 01:02:06.760
like truck Tucker just plowed right over
me. Truck's the heaviest guy on our

733
01:02:06.800 --> 01:02:12.039
football and basketball teams at Strickfield Junior
High. I can tell you firsthand.

734
01:02:12.360 --> 01:02:16.280
Being run over by truck ain't fun. I groan and try shaking it off.

735
01:02:16.639 --> 01:02:21.960
Then I feel Madeline and Bailey grabbing
me. We gotta move, Madeline

736
01:02:22.000 --> 01:02:25.880
tells me, trying. I reply. We run into a nearby shop.

737
01:02:27.360 --> 01:02:31.239
I finish shaking Ariel's eyebeams off and
turn away from the girls. I quickly

738
01:02:31.280 --> 01:02:36.599
slammed the door and pull the heavy
wooden bar down across it. You think

739
01:02:36.639 --> 01:02:40.719
that'll keep Ariel out, Bailey asks, maybe it'll slow her down? I

740
01:02:40.840 --> 01:02:45.880
answer, let's keep moving, Madeline
says, as we're turning to go,

741
01:02:46.000 --> 01:02:52.239
we hear Ariel just outside. Really, you think a locked door can keep

742
01:02:52.239 --> 01:02:59.719
me out? Fools? Suddenly the
door is reduced to whatever the VR version

743
01:02:59.760 --> 01:03:05.519
of anyway. Ariel comes right in. Her fists are burning green and red.

744
01:03:05.920 --> 01:03:08.920
She's ready to throw some more fireballs. Then she looks right at me

745
01:03:09.000 --> 01:03:15.599
and laughs scornfully. No coke for
me this time, peasant boy, Not

746
01:03:15.719 --> 01:03:19.320
when you still owe me a case. I tell her, Okay, I

747
01:03:19.400 --> 01:03:23.679
know I'm probably playing with fire here, but Ariel looks mad now, but

748
01:03:23.800 --> 01:03:30.440
I'm so thirsty. Then I forget
Ariels literally playing with fire, and she

749
01:03:30.519 --> 01:03:36.639
reminds me when she hits me with
her eyebeams again. I groan hard and

750
01:03:36.719 --> 01:03:40.760
feel I'm flat on my back.
Man, sure feels like truck Tucker ran

751
01:03:40.840 --> 01:03:45.360
me over three times, back to
back. I turn and manage to sit

752
01:03:45.400 --> 01:03:49.800
with my back to the wall.
The next thing I know. Ariel's right

753
01:03:49.840 --> 01:03:53.079
in front of me and lowering herself
to look at me. Run girls,

754
01:03:53.559 --> 01:04:00.639
I quickly tell them Carter. Madeline
cries no. Bailey grabs her arm.

755
01:04:00.920 --> 01:04:04.159
Come on, mouse, there's nothing
we can do for Carter. Madeline's shaking

756
01:04:04.239 --> 01:04:10.920
now. She tightens her fists and
yells why Ariel, Come on. Bailey

757
01:04:10.960 --> 01:04:15.519
grabs her arm again. Let's go. Ariel looks over her shoulder. Run

758
01:04:15.679 --> 01:04:20.559
insect, Run as far as you
can. I'm saving you for the final

759
01:04:20.679 --> 01:04:29.480
act of our little little Yes.
Since you love horror movies so much,

760
01:04:29.639 --> 01:04:34.480
we'll call this little scenario a horror
movie and you get to be the star.

761
01:04:35.519 --> 01:04:40.360
You ain't getting away with this,
Ariel. Madeline yells, we're gonna

762
01:04:40.400 --> 01:04:44.360
stop you. When the girls get
away, Ariel turns back to me.

763
01:04:45.519 --> 01:04:48.960
You know, Carter, Bailey really
made me mad the other day when we

764
01:04:48.960 --> 01:04:55.360
were talking. I'll bet you can't
guess what she said. I just grown.

765
01:04:55.440 --> 01:05:00.599
Now do I even care? Ariel
laughs. Bailey made a joke about

766
01:05:00.639 --> 01:05:05.000
you and me. She said she
knows I like you. She said that

767
01:05:05.079 --> 01:05:09.800
I was going to be your high
school girlfriend and then marry you. She

768
01:05:09.960 --> 01:05:15.000
laughs harder. I got mad and
told her you're nothing but a brainless oath.

769
01:05:15.559 --> 01:05:19.119
Why would I even consider a low
life worm like you? What would

770
01:05:19.159 --> 01:05:25.400
you have to offer me? I
really grow now, Yeah, you're right,

771
01:05:26.000 --> 01:05:29.719
you being my girl would be a
fate worse than death. I don't

772
01:05:29.719 --> 01:05:32.360
know why I ever asked you out
at the mall that night. Yep,

773
01:05:33.039 --> 01:05:40.119
that made Ariel mad. Then consider
yourself departed, Carter, because you belong

774
01:05:40.360 --> 01:05:45.000
to your Christmas queen. Now you'll
make another beautiful piece for my gazebo with

775
01:05:45.239 --> 01:05:49.159
Mona. But I don't just lay
there and let Ariel have her way with

776
01:05:49.239 --> 01:05:54.079
me. I make one last attempt
to get away and shove her and make

777
01:05:54.119 --> 01:05:58.400
her fall on her butt, still
feeling those last iebeams, as I get

778
01:05:58.519 --> 01:06:01.119
up and make for the open back
door, I dive right through it,

779
01:06:01.320 --> 01:06:06.519
just as Ariel's beams narrowly miss me. I stagger and make myself run again.

780
01:06:08.360 --> 01:06:11.920
I know I got a fine madeline
in Bailey. I manage to run

781
01:06:11.960 --> 01:06:15.320
almost a block before Ariel clips my
foot with her beams. I cry out

782
01:06:15.320 --> 01:06:18.960
when it feels like my leg got
swept right out from underneath me. I

783
01:06:19.039 --> 01:06:24.760
fall on my back and know Ariels
coming, Are you really that afraid of

784
01:06:24.920 --> 01:06:30.119
little old me, Carter, Ariel
teases, reaching me, I can't possibly

785
01:06:30.199 --> 01:06:35.199
understand why. I mean, you
only have the weight of all those muscles,

786
01:06:35.360 --> 01:06:41.880
right, And then there's skinny little
me. Why I'm just a poor,

787
01:06:41.920 --> 01:06:45.639
little rich girl who loves being pampered. You could say, I just

788
01:06:45.079 --> 01:06:51.039
love getting my way, and that's
where you come in. No, I'll

789
01:06:51.039 --> 01:06:56.840
never marry you, and I will
make Bailey pay for even thinking that pitiful

790
01:06:56.920 --> 01:07:01.159
notion up. But don't worry,
Carter, you will be spending the rest

791
01:07:01.239 --> 01:07:06.559
of your life with me. You're
going to be my personal servant. Yeah,

792
01:07:06.840 --> 01:07:14.960
my manservant. Your sole purpose will
be to serve your queen. Ah

793
01:07:15.000 --> 01:07:18.880
No way, I growl and spring
to my feet, and still you run

794
01:07:18.920 --> 01:07:25.159
from me. Ariel laughs. Let's
reenact a scene in one of our friend's

795
01:07:25.239 --> 01:07:29.920
favorite horror movies, shall we.
Now you can know what it feels like

796
01:07:30.320 --> 01:07:35.360
to be in this part of said
movie. Suddenly everything changes. It ain't

797
01:07:35.400 --> 01:07:41.159
no Christmas Wonderland no more. Now
it looks more like a rundown village from

798
01:07:41.440 --> 01:07:45.320
straight out of the Middle Ages.
And then I see movement ahead and wonder

799
01:07:45.360 --> 01:07:51.079
if Ariel got ahead of me.
Then these zombies come out of the alley

800
01:07:51.119 --> 01:07:56.079
and look right at me. I
know they're zombies because their clothes are all

801
01:07:56.119 --> 01:08:00.039
tattered and their skin looks rotten.
They don't even say anything, They just

802
01:08:00.159 --> 01:08:05.440
grumble and stumble towards me. Oh
come on, really, I mutter.

803
01:08:06.039 --> 01:08:10.800
I run down one street, then
another, and another. No matter where

804
01:08:10.840 --> 01:08:15.239
I go there there are zombies everywhere. They keep stretching their arms out and

805
01:08:15.320 --> 01:08:18.920
growling. I might as well be
trapped in some Resident Evil VR game.

806
01:08:19.560 --> 01:08:25.520
And then I see the huge flash
and look up to see the storm above

807
01:08:25.600 --> 01:08:30.640
me. The next thing I know, the rain's just coming down in buckets.

808
01:08:30.039 --> 01:08:33.079
Ah, give me a break,
Aeriel, I yell at the sky.

809
01:08:33.720 --> 01:08:40.079
Ain't this supposed to be a Christmas
game? Then I hear ariels laughter

810
01:08:40.199 --> 01:08:45.760
fill the sky. As you wish, peasant Boy, everything changes again.

811
01:08:46.319 --> 01:08:51.079
Instead of a rainy horror village,
everything's back to the Christmas setting. The

812
01:08:51.159 --> 01:08:57.680
zombies change into a holiday nightmare.
Now I've got evil reindeer, elves,

813
01:08:57.760 --> 01:09:00.439
polar bears, gingerbread Man, and
anything else you can think of for a

814
01:09:00.479 --> 01:09:05.960
horror Christmas. I keep running to
try and lose Aeriel. Suddenly these two

815
01:09:06.399 --> 01:09:11.800
nutcrackers soldiers grab me out of nowhere
and lift me right up off the ground.

816
01:09:12.520 --> 01:09:16.279
Our Christmas Queen requests your presence mortal. The one on my right says,

817
01:09:16.960 --> 01:09:23.319
you will come with us immediately.
The other one adds, are you

818
01:09:23.399 --> 01:09:35.960
afraid? Good weekly spooky, We'll
be right back. I fight to break

819
01:09:36.000 --> 01:09:42.039
loose, but they're really strong.
They just keep dragging me along like I'm

820
01:09:42.039 --> 01:09:45.399
on my way to jail. Truth
be told, I'd never really given much

821
01:09:45.439 --> 01:09:49.800
thought to Ariel Miron. Yeah,
she's a spoiled, rich brad who loves

822
01:09:49.800 --> 01:09:54.600
getting her way all the time.
She sure loves drinking out of my coke

823
01:09:54.680 --> 01:09:58.880
cans all the time. Makes me
think of how nearly everybody at Strickfield Junior

824
01:09:58.960 --> 01:10:02.880
High practically down to her, except
for Madeline and me. I don't know

825
01:10:02.920 --> 01:10:06.600
what's going on here and why things
are like this. I gotta talked to

826
01:10:06.640 --> 01:10:11.800
Madeline and get the cliff notes from
her on this. Bring him to me,

827
01:10:12.560 --> 01:10:16.279
I hear Ariel say. When I
see Ariel, now I am really

828
01:10:16.399 --> 01:10:21.039
mad. I dig down with everything
I got and finally break free of these

829
01:10:21.319 --> 01:10:28.159
demented nutcracker soldiers. Then I point
right at Ariel. You ain't getting away

830
01:10:28.199 --> 01:10:32.800
with this, you hear me.
But Ariel isn't intimidated at all. Yeah,

831
01:10:33.199 --> 01:10:38.399
whatever, I should have ran when
I had the chance. Ariel hits

832
01:10:38.399 --> 01:10:43.399
me with her iebeams one more time. I'm on the ground again. A

833
01:10:43.439 --> 01:10:46.840
few seconds later, she's standing right
over me. She actually gives me such

834
01:10:46.840 --> 01:10:53.920
a sweet smile. Now, man, I hate to admit it, but

835
01:10:55.079 --> 01:11:00.880
I actually love seeing Ariel smile.
When will you learn, Carter? I

836
01:11:00.119 --> 01:11:05.640
always get what I want, and
now I want you. From now on,

837
01:11:06.199 --> 01:11:12.640
you will serve me as I wish. Her eyes and hands glow.

838
01:11:12.760 --> 01:11:18.960
Now you are mine. I scream
when Ariel uses her powers on me again.

839
01:11:19.720 --> 01:11:24.199
When she's done, I'm inside the
same kind of glass as Mona.

840
01:11:24.880 --> 01:11:30.119
I really groan when Ariel clasps her
hands and laughs happily. Two more.

841
01:11:30.720 --> 01:11:38.399
Ariel squeaks, Then it's going to
be Christmas every single day. Then she

842
01:11:38.560 --> 01:11:42.960
squeaks really loud, like her parents
just surprised her with her first car.

843
01:11:43.560 --> 01:11:46.680
Okay, I know we ain't old
enough to drive yet, but I'm just

844
01:11:46.800 --> 01:11:53.920
saying. She seems to be awfully
happy thinking about what's about to happen to

845
01:11:54.000 --> 01:12:03.640
me. Perspective. Madeline Donnerly,
Bailey and I move through building after building.

846
01:12:03.920 --> 01:12:06.760
I don't know if we're keeping distance
between Ariel and us or not.

847
01:12:08.840 --> 01:12:13.439
One thing bothering me though, is
not finding a single mirror in this entire

848
01:12:13.640 --> 01:12:17.840
horrible place. Without a mirror,
I can't call on Mary Worth. I

849
01:12:17.920 --> 01:12:23.119
know she could stop Ariel until I
can find a mirror. I gotta go

850
01:12:23.239 --> 01:12:28.039
on my wits. Bailey and I
finally stop to rest. Then I feel

851
01:12:28.039 --> 01:12:31.720
her hand on my shoulder. Is
this really because you asked Ariel for one

852
01:12:31.800 --> 01:12:36.399
hundred dollars to build her a game
box for her cousin? Bailey asks,

853
01:12:38.079 --> 01:12:43.560
seriously, Mouse, I look at
my friend. Where we are, Bailey,

854
01:12:44.359 --> 01:12:47.600
we ain't in Strickfield. We're in
that VR game from the slumber party,

855
01:12:48.199 --> 01:12:54.479
and I'm thinking Ariel ain't herself either. Bailey raises an eyebrow. What

856
01:12:54.479 --> 01:12:59.199
are you saying? Well, how
many times you've seen Ariel get mad at

857
01:12:59.239 --> 01:13:02.159
me for not giving her what she
wants? And she's gonna finally snap?

858
01:13:02.359 --> 01:13:08.840
Now I've been thinking about this.
Ariel said she got that VR console at

859
01:13:08.880 --> 01:13:12.720
the mall right, Yeah, I
was with her. The store was called

860
01:13:13.119 --> 01:13:18.000
Tinkers. Bailey tells me, I
look at her with wide eyes. Tinkers.

861
01:13:18.800 --> 01:13:24.119
Well that really explains a lot.
That's a real game changer here.

862
01:13:24.760 --> 01:13:30.399
Bailey gawks at me. What do
you mean you saying Tinkers might have something

863
01:13:30.399 --> 01:13:34.039
to do with all this crap?
I think that store has everything to do

864
01:13:34.119 --> 01:13:39.880
with all of this crap. Bella
Tabon, my cousin Aleen's best friend,

865
01:13:39.920 --> 01:13:44.319
told me a few stories about Tinkers. Turns out the man himself Isley.

866
01:13:44.359 --> 01:13:48.319
Tinker gets a hold of things,
either they're already cursed or he does something

867
01:13:48.359 --> 01:13:53.039
to him, so they do things
you may or may not want him doing.

868
01:13:53.720 --> 01:13:57.239
Bell's told me what a coffee pot
from Tinkers did to a skinny geek

869
01:13:57.239 --> 01:14:01.640
girl at Strickfield High School turned her
into a heavily caffeinated lunatic, and Ariel

870
01:14:01.720 --> 01:14:06.439
said, I was heavily caffeinated earlier. Anyway, you want to track Tinker

871
01:14:06.520 --> 01:14:11.239
down after finding out about the thing
you bought, forget it. The store

872
01:14:11.319 --> 01:14:15.800
ends up disappearing and you ain't never
finding it again. Also, the things

873
01:14:15.800 --> 01:14:19.119
he sells are just like the cursed
antiques from Friday the Thirteenth the series.

874
01:14:19.960 --> 01:14:25.079
Yep, that's right, you ain't
gonna destroy him. I don't want to

875
01:14:25.119 --> 01:14:29.039
go into everything I know because cousin
Aleen and Bells trust me to keep their

876
01:14:29.319 --> 01:14:32.840
hunting of supernatural baddies a secret.
I've even been out with him a few

877
01:14:32.840 --> 01:14:38.960
times. I take a deep breath
and tell Bailey, now that you said

878
01:14:39.000 --> 01:14:43.439
tinkers, I think the game's doing
something to Ariel. I just had a

879
01:14:43.479 --> 01:14:46.079
gut feeling she ain't been herself.
We got to figure out what's got a

880
01:14:46.119 --> 01:14:50.000
hold on her and break her free. Bailey smiles at me a little.

881
01:14:50.880 --> 01:14:56.600
Even though Ariel went off on us
earlier, hurt you, you still want

882
01:14:56.600 --> 01:15:00.479
to help her? I sigh,
Yeah, I know Ariel hurt me,

883
01:15:01.119 --> 01:15:05.560
but I'm betting she wasn't herself when
she pushed me. I'm gonna do what

884
01:15:05.600 --> 01:15:09.479
I gotta do to save her.
You want to help me, I could

885
01:15:09.600 --> 01:15:13.119
use it. If you're still mad
at Ariel, then I get you.

886
01:15:13.800 --> 01:15:16.960
But she's still our friend, Bailey, no matter what she's done. Bailey

887
01:15:17.000 --> 01:15:20.840
gives me a gentle hug. Maybe
that's why we always give you a hard

888
01:15:20.880 --> 01:15:26.560
time. You keep us all honest. Then she backs up and looks at

889
01:15:26.560 --> 01:15:30.000
me. What are we going to
do? We know what Ariel's capable of,

890
01:15:30.079 --> 01:15:34.880
now, I shrug. I ain't
really sure. I don't know how

891
01:15:34.920 --> 01:15:40.199
extensive this VR world is. I
hate to say it, but this is

892
01:15:40.279 --> 01:15:45.359
one game Ariel's mastered and she ain't
no gamer. Suddenly, the door to

893
01:15:45.439 --> 01:15:49.960
our building flies apart. Ariel comes
right in and looks at us. Then

894
01:15:50.039 --> 01:15:55.680
she points right at me. It's
not about me being a gamer geek like

895
01:15:55.800 --> 01:16:00.439
you, you pathetic little vermin.
Then she laughs coldly. I've been your

896
01:16:00.479 --> 01:16:05.359
bff for years? When will you
learn that I'm a mirn. We Mirrans

897
01:16:05.479 --> 01:16:10.159
always get what we want. We
play to win, we play for keeps,

898
01:16:10.520 --> 01:16:15.640
and above all, we have no
friends. Maybe I ain't got no

899
01:16:15.760 --> 01:16:18.760
mushroom power ups, but I toughen
up like Mario and tighten my jaw.

900
01:16:19.680 --> 01:16:25.000
What you want with Ariel, Queenie, Come on, I know you ain't

901
01:16:25.039 --> 01:16:28.359
her you think, and I don't
know she played your evil game and came

902
01:16:28.399 --> 01:16:32.920
in here. Ariel laughs like I
said something funny. I am me,

903
01:16:33.399 --> 01:16:39.119
you pathetic little fool. I'm just
so sick and tired of you always being

904
01:16:39.199 --> 01:16:43.359
the yin to my yang, watching
you win at everything you do. No

905
01:16:43.439 --> 01:16:47.680
matter what I did, I just
could never beat you at anything. Today,

906
01:16:47.960 --> 01:16:53.840
I'm finally going to defeat you,
and it's something you hold very dear.

907
01:16:54.840 --> 01:17:00.199
This is one video game even you
can't beat. Once I've final he

908
01:17:00.319 --> 01:17:06.840
defeated you, then I'll claim my
prize, your very soul. I think

909
01:17:06.880 --> 01:17:11.119
about it a little more. Now. On impulse, I dig into my

910
01:17:11.199 --> 01:17:16.840
back pocket and grab my smartphone and
forget. I still am not in Strickfield.

911
01:17:17.520 --> 01:17:20.760
None of us here have our phones. But when I feel what is

912
01:17:20.800 --> 01:17:26.840
in my back pocket, my plan
comes together. Just like that. What

913
01:17:27.439 --> 01:17:30.880
you're gonna just stand here and gloat
because you're always gonna be a spoiled mirror,

914
01:17:31.359 --> 01:17:35.840
I tell her. And after you
win today, then what and after

915
01:17:35.880 --> 01:17:42.199
that? Then what? And after
that? Then what you see where I'm

916
01:17:42.239 --> 01:17:46.000
going here, I know the real
Ariel mirror. She ain't never happy with

917
01:17:46.119 --> 01:17:50.560
nothing. I look right in Ariel's
eyes. I know you can hear me.

918
01:17:50.640 --> 01:17:55.159
Ariel, and you ain't never gonna
be happy as long as I'm around.

919
01:17:55.319 --> 01:18:00.119
Know why cause you ain't never getting
what you want from me? Like

920
01:18:00.159 --> 01:18:05.079
I told you before, give me
something to be scared about. Ariel shakes

921
01:18:05.079 --> 01:18:11.760
her head a little, like she's
having disorientation. Then she focuses again the

922
01:18:11.800 --> 01:18:15.439
next thing. Bailey and I know. Ariel unloads her powers on us.

923
01:18:15.039 --> 01:18:19.640
Now we're both in them glass bubbles. We saw Mona in earlier. Then

924
01:18:19.680 --> 01:18:26.640
I got a bad feeling in my
tummy that Ariel got Carter too. Aw

925
01:18:26.920 --> 01:18:32.119
Man, I see I'm right about
Carter. When Bailey and I find ourselves

926
01:18:32.119 --> 01:18:38.079
in the village square where we first
saw Mona in her glass prison, Carter's

927
01:18:38.119 --> 01:18:43.239
also with us in his own case, You girls, okay? Carter asks

928
01:18:43.319 --> 01:18:47.880
us, Still alive? I tell
him, but for how much longer?

929
01:18:48.439 --> 01:18:54.199
An unwelcomed voice calls out. We
all look to see Ariel sitting inside the

930
01:18:54.239 --> 01:18:59.119
gazebo on the Christmas Queen's throne.
What's you gonna do with us? I

931
01:18:59.239 --> 01:19:03.520
demand? Ariel laughs, you were
definitely right, Madeline Donnerly, I am

932
01:19:03.560 --> 01:19:11.520
indeed not Ariel Mirn. I am
really Queen Arcadia. Allow me to explain,

933
01:19:12.560 --> 01:19:16.159
many years ago, in your mortal
realm, a young female computer programmer

934
01:19:16.239 --> 01:19:23.439
coded what would become known as Christmas
Arcadia. What she had created was a

935
01:19:23.479 --> 01:19:28.399
product quite ahead of its time.
You would think that it would revolutionize gaming,

936
01:19:28.479 --> 01:19:32.199
as your parents or even your grandparents
would know it. However, the

937
01:19:32.279 --> 01:19:38.680
gaming industry refused to give such a
credit to a female, and the Virtua

938
01:19:38.800 --> 01:19:45.279
console was quietly kept hidden away,
or so it was believed. But my

939
01:19:45.520 --> 01:19:53.119
programmer Adrian Miron, Ariel's mother would
have the last laugh. She implemented a

940
01:19:53.279 --> 01:20:00.520
very powerful software patch that fully upgraded
me and allowed ME to think and become

941
01:20:00.640 --> 01:20:06.439
sentiented much to both Adrian's disbelief and
expectations, I also came to become in

942
01:20:06.560 --> 01:20:13.279
possession of great power. Even though
I was her creation. I came to

943
01:20:13.359 --> 01:20:17.000
evolve into a being far more than
anything even Adrian could have ever imagined.

944
01:20:18.079 --> 01:20:24.520
Upon learning that I could easily grant
her fondest desires, a bargain between Adrian

945
01:20:24.600 --> 01:20:30.640
and I was forged. I gave
her eternal youth in exchange for creating me.

946
01:20:30.479 --> 01:20:35.640
However, I required something far more
in return, for making Adrian a

947
01:20:35.680 --> 01:20:44.439
superior computer programmer and allowing her to
become quite wealthy from her skills. Adrian

948
01:20:44.520 --> 01:20:50.680
agreed to give me her first born
to become my vessel, and I would

949
01:20:50.720 --> 01:20:57.319
have to be patient and wait for
Adrian to find herself a husband. Many

950
01:20:57.399 --> 01:21:02.600
years later, Adrian Miron would finally
fill her end of our bargain. Ariel's

951
01:21:02.640 --> 01:21:10.720
meeting with Isley Tinker today was of
no coincidence. Adrian met with him recently,

952
01:21:11.640 --> 01:21:17.760
and together they craftily and carefully planned
when Ariel would be maneuvered into Tinker's

953
01:21:17.800 --> 01:21:24.239
shop to where he could simply sell
her the virtual Consul for almost no money.

954
01:21:25.319 --> 01:21:29.760
All that I required was for Ariel
to venture into my realm. The

955
01:21:29.840 --> 01:21:35.199
first time. She became enthralled and
seduced by my virtual realm, which greatly

956
01:21:35.319 --> 01:21:41.399
lowered her guard. Upon her return, I had fully gained control of her

957
01:21:41.439 --> 01:21:48.800
body as my vessel. Now,
Ariel Miron belongs to Arcadia. As for

958
01:21:48.920 --> 01:21:55.079
why I require the four of you, simply put, I require the power

959
01:21:55.119 --> 01:22:00.680
of four souls to allow the merging
of the virtual realm with the mortal realm.

960
01:22:00.760 --> 01:22:06.079
Upon completion, Christmas Day shall be
as forever as time itself. And

961
01:22:06.119 --> 01:22:12.720
what's more is that your people have
proven quite greedy and selfish over the years.

962
01:22:13.239 --> 01:22:15.479
Every day shall be Christmas Day for
them, just as you see it

963
01:22:15.560 --> 01:22:21.000
here in my village. And I
shall be queen over all that I see

964
01:22:21.039 --> 01:22:28.079
in the mortal realm, enslaving its
people to my will. And as for

965
01:22:28.199 --> 01:22:33.520
Adrian Mirn, she shall rule at
my side as per our agreement. She

966
01:22:33.720 --> 01:22:39.199
created me and made me what I
am, so it should only be fair

967
01:22:39.279 --> 01:22:45.279
that I share my unlimited power with
her. Now I always knew that the

968
01:22:45.319 --> 01:22:51.520
Mirans were really greedy. I mean
they own the entire Strickfield Commons property now,

969
01:22:51.960 --> 01:22:57.680
along with tons of businesses and factories
in our area. A few popular

970
01:22:57.760 --> 01:23:01.239
magazines said the Mirans are the top
one percent of the top one percent.

971
01:23:02.079 --> 01:23:06.479
Bells even mentioned a few times that
the Mirrors are known to dabble in dark

972
01:23:06.560 --> 01:23:12.960
magic. But hearing about what happened
with Ariel, just now, ah man,

973
01:23:13.079 --> 01:23:20.479
that's just so wrong. Then Ariel
transforms into Queen Arcadia herself, and

974
01:23:20.560 --> 01:23:25.439
now it is time to open the
portal to the mortal realm again, this

975
01:23:25.560 --> 01:23:30.439
time with the addition of your combined
life energies. I promise you it shall

976
01:23:30.479 --> 01:23:36.880
not hurt a great deal. You
will just simply age rapidly as I draw

977
01:23:38.000 --> 01:23:44.039
upon your energies to open the portal
and merge our realities. I gotta act

978
01:23:44.079 --> 01:23:46.760
now. I quickly dig into my
back pocket and pull out my compact.

979
01:23:47.039 --> 01:23:51.680
I open it, look into the
small mirror, and quickly say Maryworth's name

980
01:23:53.199 --> 01:24:02.479
three times perspective Mona abels. My
jaw drops in wide shock, so do

981
01:24:02.560 --> 01:24:09.680
Bailey's and Carters. As Mouse's little
compact glows. Then this strange power comes

982
01:24:09.680 --> 01:24:17.760
out of the mirror and goes right
into Mouse in seconds. She's that horrible

983
01:24:17.800 --> 01:24:23.720
Bloody Mary. I'll never forget seeing
her in Ariel's mirrors just after the school

984
01:24:23.760 --> 01:24:30.199
year started. Sometimes I still have
nightmares about seeing Bloody Mary. But what's

985
01:24:30.279 --> 01:24:34.520
Mouse doing with her? What is
this, Queen? Arcadia utters, just

986
01:24:34.560 --> 01:24:41.000
as shocked as the rest of us. Your evil shall never corrupt the mortal

987
01:24:41.079 --> 01:24:45.920
Realm, Arcadia, Bloody Mary tells
her. Before Arcadia can react, Bloody

988
01:24:45.960 --> 01:24:51.399
Mary raises her arms and utters some
strange words. I gasp in surprise when

989
01:24:51.439 --> 01:24:58.199
we're suddenly freed, just like that, the glass is gone. Your powers

990
01:24:58.199 --> 01:25:03.399
are no match for mine. You
a cursed which. Arcadia declares. Your

991
01:25:03.520 --> 01:25:10.840
challenge is accepted. Bloody Mary replies. Arcadia starts their fight by shooting these

992
01:25:10.880 --> 01:25:15.920
beams from her eyes and knocking Bloody
Mary down. Bloody Mary's quickly back to

993
01:25:15.960 --> 01:25:20.600
her feet and fires her own magic. Arcadia doesn't stay down either. Your

994
01:25:20.680 --> 01:25:27.439
powers are indeed strong, Witch,
Arcadia says, I think I shall draw

995
01:25:27.520 --> 01:25:32.800
upon your energies to merge my realm
with the mortal Realm. Do not even

996
01:25:32.960 --> 01:25:40.039
consider the possibility that I am your
inferior. Bloody Mary replies. The two

997
01:25:40.079 --> 01:25:44.520
of them continue fighting each other,
exchanging one display of power against the other.

998
01:25:45.279 --> 01:25:49.279
I really can't believe that this is
little Mouse Donnerly taking on Queen Arcadia.

999
01:25:50.000 --> 01:25:55.359
Arcadia and Bloody Mary continue to show
off their powers. It looks like

1000
01:25:55.399 --> 01:26:00.359
they're evenly matched. Then Bloody Mary
catches a break and is able to take

1001
01:26:00.399 --> 01:26:04.319
the wind out of Arcadia's sails.
She quickly turns to us, I shall

1002
01:26:04.359 --> 01:26:09.920
return the three of you to the
mortal realm now. Then Bailey speaks up,

1003
01:26:10.239 --> 01:26:15.600
Wait, no, what about Ariel? What about Mouse? Bailey's courage

1004
01:26:15.640 --> 01:26:19.560
gives me some too. Ariel and
Mouse are our friends. We're not leaving

1005
01:26:19.560 --> 01:26:26.399
them behind. The girls are right, Madeline? Carter agrees, can't you

1006
01:26:26.479 --> 01:26:31.399
free Ariel from Arcadia's control? I
am not Madeleine Donnerly, Carter cross.

1007
01:26:32.159 --> 01:26:36.439
Madeleine is merely my vessel. I
may only possess her when she summons me

1008
01:26:36.600 --> 01:26:43.039
to do so. Mary pauses.
It looks like she's thinking, are you

1009
01:26:43.159 --> 01:26:46.039
sure that you wish to do this, Madeleine? The risk may be far

1010
01:26:46.079 --> 01:26:53.720
greater than you can comprehend. Another
pause. Can Bloody Mary and Mouse talk

1011
01:26:53.800 --> 01:26:58.760
to each other? Somehow? Very
well? I only pray that you succeed

1012
01:26:58.840 --> 01:27:02.920
in your plan. Bloody Mary has
Mouse's compact in her hand. Now,

1013
01:27:03.000 --> 01:27:08.119
just as Queen Arcadia is ready to
fight again, it shall not be I

1014
01:27:08.359 --> 01:27:13.880
with whom you shall do battle any
longer, Bloody Mary tells her. Then

1015
01:27:14.000 --> 01:27:18.520
her spirit leaves Mouse and goes back
into the mirror. Are you crazy,

1016
01:27:18.600 --> 01:27:23.479
Mouse? I ask her? None
of us is a match for Queen Arcadia.

1017
01:27:24.119 --> 01:27:29.560
I don't know how, but turn
back into Bloody Mary. Maybe we

1018
01:27:29.600 --> 01:27:33.680
ain't mona. Mouse replies, but
I bet you anything. I know who

1019
01:27:33.800 --> 01:27:43.000
is the only thing scarier than that
is not being subscribed weakly, Spooky will

1020
01:27:43.000 --> 01:27:51.119
be right back. We watch as
Mouse turns around to face Queen Arcadia.

1021
01:27:53.000 --> 01:27:57.640
Come on, Ariel, I know
you can hear me in there somewhere your

1022
01:27:57.720 --> 01:28:03.000
efforts shall prove most futile. One. Arcadia sneers, Ariel, mirrn is

1023
01:28:03.119 --> 01:28:09.399
mine? Oh yeah, Mouse fires
back, who says, come on,

1024
01:28:09.520 --> 01:28:13.000
Ariel, I know you're hearing me
in there. Ain't you supposed to be

1025
01:28:13.079 --> 01:28:16.159
the Queen of Strickfield Junior High.
Ain't she used to always get in your

1026
01:28:16.199 --> 01:28:20.279
way? How many times you always
rubbing people's faces in it that you rule

1027
01:28:20.319 --> 01:28:25.920
our school? How many times you
gotta remind people you're a mirror. You're

1028
01:28:25.960 --> 01:28:30.399
really gonna let Arcadia rule you?
Now? Come on, Ariel, I

1029
01:28:30.520 --> 01:28:34.760
know you're hearing me. Then Carter
points at Arcadia. You still owe me

1030
01:28:34.800 --> 01:28:39.520
a case of coke? Ariel,
I ain't about to just kiss that off,

1031
01:28:39.920 --> 01:28:43.520
he smirks. Now, then again, you can't really drink any more

1032
01:28:43.560 --> 01:28:47.079
of my sodas if you belong to
Arcadia. Right, you ain't throwing no

1033
01:28:47.199 --> 01:28:51.079
more Friday night slumber parties if you
belong to Arcadia, I throw in,

1034
01:28:51.600 --> 01:28:57.359
And then Bailey finishes with I understand
if you feel you can't have your way

1035
01:28:57.399 --> 01:29:00.600
with Arcadia. Then she approaches me
and puts a hand on her shoulder.

1036
01:29:01.199 --> 01:29:05.199
I mean, you can't even deal
with your little mouse problem, right,

1037
01:29:06.119 --> 01:29:15.359
Arcadia laughs scornfully. You mortals are
so foolish to believe that your your no,

1038
01:29:15.479 --> 01:29:19.119
you shall not fight me. You
are my vessel your mother sold you

1039
01:29:19.159 --> 01:29:24.640
to me. Cease fighting me at
once. I get on Mouse's other side.

1040
01:29:25.159 --> 01:29:29.159
Yeah, Ariel, you want this
squeaky little rodent to keep walking around

1041
01:29:29.199 --> 01:29:32.800
your school like she owns the place? How's that one saying? Go oh

1042
01:29:32.880 --> 01:29:38.720
right, when the cat's away,
the mouse here is going to play?

1043
01:29:39.720 --> 01:29:44.800
Yeah, Ariel Mouse chimes in,
I'm gonna rule Strickfield Junior High School.

1044
01:29:44.840 --> 01:29:49.359
Now she raises her finger. First
thing, I'm gonna declare the school an

1045
01:29:49.439 --> 01:29:55.239
Ariel Mirror free zone. Everybody can
walk the halls like they own them.

1046
01:29:55.319 --> 01:29:59.520
Now, what you gonna do about
it? Ariel? Huh. Arcadia is

1047
01:29:59.560 --> 01:30:05.560
shaking more. Now cease fighting me. Let me out. We hear Ariel

1048
01:30:05.640 --> 01:30:12.800
yelling from somewhere. You hear me. You're nothing but computer code. I'm

1049
01:30:12.880 --> 01:30:21.760
Ariel Mirrn and I want out.
That shall shall not. Arcadia utters shakingly

1050
01:30:23.239 --> 01:30:28.640
before these ripples of energy start flashing
from cracks, appearing all over her body.

1051
01:30:29.359 --> 01:30:32.359
Then Mouse jumps up and down,
laughing as she waves her arms and

1052
01:30:32.439 --> 01:30:41.000
sings, I'm gonna rule the school. I'm gonna rule the school. Then

1053
01:30:41.119 --> 01:30:45.199
Arcadia screams. Bailey and I quickly
take Mouse down. Then Carter lays on

1054
01:30:45.239 --> 01:30:50.119
top of us. We don't see
Queen Arcadia explode, but we can see

1055
01:30:50.159 --> 01:30:57.560
the bright flash of light that says
she did. We wait right where we

1056
01:30:57.640 --> 01:31:01.319
are for a little bit. We
only move when Carter finally gets off us.

1057
01:31:01.760 --> 01:31:06.279
We all turn to see Ariel laying
face down with her normal clothes and

1058
01:31:06.359 --> 01:31:14.159
wavy hair. We quickly go to
her, Ariel, Mouse asks, then

1059
01:31:14.279 --> 01:31:21.319
she shakes her head Ariel. Ariel
groans a little. Then we suddenly realize

1060
01:31:21.359 --> 01:31:28.479
it's freezing and look around. We're
in the middle of Gunter Square. Carter

1061
01:31:28.600 --> 01:31:33.920
tells us we're back home in Strickfield. Carter takes off his jacket and quickly

1062
01:31:33.960 --> 01:31:38.960
puts it on Ariel as she sits
up. Then she looks right at Mouse

1063
01:31:39.000 --> 01:31:44.399
and gets real mad. You will
never rule my school. Mouse, I

1064
01:31:44.520 --> 01:31:47.560
hate you. Then she looks at
the rest of us and what are you

1065
01:31:47.640 --> 01:31:53.720
people looking at? Bailey and I
quickly hug Ariel. You're back, I

1066
01:31:53.840 --> 01:31:59.079
cry, excitedly. Ariel hesitates at
first, then she hugs Bailey and me

1067
01:31:59.199 --> 01:32:02.920
back. After a little bit,
we come apart. It's really cold out

1068
01:32:02.920 --> 01:32:08.880
here, Ariel says, sticking her
arms inside the sleeves of Carter's jacket.

1069
01:32:09.760 --> 01:32:15.079
Let's get you home, I say. Then Ariel seems to remember Mona,

1070
01:32:15.680 --> 01:32:23.199
you're feeling better. Yeah, I
was well going to come to my slumber

1071
01:32:23.199 --> 01:32:28.039
party after all, Ariel finishes for
me with an eyebrow. Raised, you

1072
01:32:28.119 --> 01:32:31.960
still want to have your slumber party? Bailey asks, it's Friday night.

1073
01:32:32.359 --> 01:32:39.079
Ariel snaps, of course, I'm
having my slumber party. I Then she

1074
01:32:39.119 --> 01:32:45.039
looks really let down. I heard
everything Queen Arcadia said. Now she's starting

1075
01:32:45.079 --> 01:32:51.399
to cry. Mom, she really
you guys are welcome to come to my

1076
01:32:51.560 --> 01:32:59.199
place. Mouse offers it's just a
block that way. Ariel doesn't say anything,

1077
01:33:00.039 --> 01:33:03.319
but she lets Mona and I escort
her to Mouse's place. I've never

1078
01:33:03.359 --> 01:33:11.279
seen Ariel this hard hit to think
that Ariel's own mother offered her in exchange

1079
01:33:11.319 --> 01:33:15.800
for power and riches. Ariel's not
only finding out that Mirans will turn on

1080
01:33:15.840 --> 01:33:23.600
their own, She's also finding out
that she's truly alone in the world.

1081
01:33:23.640 --> 01:33:32.479
Now, well not exactly. She's
got all of us. We've all just

1082
01:33:32.560 --> 01:33:39.319
been through a strange ordeal together.
Now it's up to Ariel to adjust to

1083
01:33:39.479 --> 01:33:54.039
everything that's happened. December twenty fifth, Sunday Perspective, Madeline Donnerly, we

1084
01:33:54.119 --> 01:33:58.479
didn't end up going to my place
after all. Now we ended up heading

1085
01:33:58.560 --> 01:34:02.199
back to the mire Engated Commune unity. Ariel was only feeling down before she

1086
01:34:02.359 --> 01:34:08.520
got real mad. She wanted to
go back home, and she wanted all

1087
01:34:08.560 --> 01:34:13.399
of us to come with her.
Yup, even Carter I knew things were

1088
01:34:13.439 --> 01:34:18.399
gonna get real because Ariel never let
Carter come to her house before. As

1089
01:34:18.399 --> 01:34:23.159
soon as we all got in the
front door, Ariel tightened her fists and

1090
01:34:23.279 --> 01:34:27.199
screamed for her mom at the top
of her lungs. I ain't gonna go

1091
01:34:27.239 --> 01:34:30.720
into every teensy weensy little detail,
but let's just say it was real,

1092
01:34:31.279 --> 01:34:35.840
real bad. To give you the
cliff notes version, Ariel called her mom

1093
01:34:35.960 --> 01:34:41.159
out on the deal she made with
Queen Arcadia. What's more, her mom

1094
01:34:41.239 --> 01:34:47.359
didn't even try apologizing or saying anything
about making a mistake or whatnot. Adrian

1095
01:34:47.439 --> 01:34:54.680
Miron actually ended up calling Ariel a
spoiled little brat, and well, like

1096
01:34:54.720 --> 01:35:00.239
I said, it was real bad
end result, Ariel said she was leaving.

1097
01:35:01.199 --> 01:35:04.840
Her mom asked her where she was
gonna live in the most scornful tone

1098
01:35:04.880 --> 01:35:10.239
I'd ever heard from her from any
woman for that matter, let alone a

1099
01:35:10.279 --> 01:35:14.359
mother. Her dad was also there, and believe me, he wasn't caring

1100
01:35:14.439 --> 01:35:18.479
nothing about Ariel neither. Seriously,
what is freaking wrong with these people?

1101
01:35:20.960 --> 01:35:28.760
And now I got a new bunkmate
here at the mousehole. Yep, Ariel's

1102
01:35:28.800 --> 01:35:32.680
living here with me. Now,
I guess it fell on me. One

1103
01:35:32.920 --> 01:35:35.840
Carter's a guy, and it wouldn't
look good if she was living at his

1104
01:35:35.960 --> 01:35:42.760
place. Two Bailey's family ain't got
room in their little house. Three Mona's

1105
01:35:42.760 --> 01:35:48.359
family ain't got room neither, So
that left only me to be honest,

1106
01:35:48.840 --> 01:35:53.319
I really wasn't sure Mom and dad
would have let her stay with us.

1107
01:35:53.920 --> 01:35:56.920
All I had to tell him was
Ariel had a really bad fallen out with

1108
01:35:57.000 --> 01:36:01.279
her parents. My mom and dad
let Ariel explain her side of things to

1109
01:36:01.359 --> 01:36:06.800
him, not mentioning all the magic
stuff and the Virtua console from Tinkers.

1110
01:36:08.039 --> 01:36:13.800
Obviously, in the end, they
let her stay so long as she followed

1111
01:36:13.840 --> 01:36:17.279
the house rules and did whatever they
asked, you know, chores and stuff.

1112
01:36:18.520 --> 01:36:24.159
I'm laying on the lower bunk and
it's Christmas morning. Yeah, you

1113
01:36:24.319 --> 01:36:28.880
just know Ariel wanted to be tops. Ariel will never change in that way.

1114
01:36:30.319 --> 01:36:34.119
I know you're awake down their mouse, She says, yep, I

1115
01:36:34.239 --> 01:36:42.600
tell her you sleep good. No, I'm still mad, I sigh sadly.

1116
01:36:43.479 --> 01:36:45.720
I'm really sorry, Ariel. I
know I got to be the last

1117
01:36:45.720 --> 01:36:49.119
person on the planet you wanted to
have to live with. In all her

1118
01:36:49.159 --> 01:36:55.479
finger shoots down and points right at
me. You stop right there. Ariel

1119
01:36:55.520 --> 01:36:59.199
climbs down from the top bunk and
sits on the lower bunk with me.

1120
01:37:00.079 --> 01:37:04.239
That's not why I'm mad mouse.
I'm not even mad at you, believe

1121
01:37:04.279 --> 01:37:08.800
it or not. I mean,
I know I should be, but I'm

1122
01:37:08.920 --> 01:37:15.039
just not. What did I do
that you would want to be mad at

1123
01:37:15.039 --> 01:37:20.399
me for? I ask? Ariel
laughs. Then she tells me you are

1124
01:37:20.479 --> 01:37:26.319
my mortal enemy. You're the good
to my evil. You're the one person

1125
01:37:26.359 --> 01:37:30.479
I want to destroy. For the
longest time, Mom and Dad kept telling

1126
01:37:30.520 --> 01:37:33.800
me I needed to be really aggressive
if I want to succeed in life.

1127
01:37:34.520 --> 01:37:40.760
So I managed to take control of
Strickfield Junior High all except for you and

1128
01:37:40.840 --> 01:37:45.600
Carter. I even invited you to
my slumber parties because I'm obsessed with wanting

1129
01:37:45.640 --> 01:37:48.199
to scare you and make you look
bad in front of Mona and Bailey.

1130
01:37:49.439 --> 01:37:56.119
I wanted to use you to prove
my authority and my dominance. She sighs.

1131
01:37:56.920 --> 01:38:00.960
You became the one person I always
looked forward to fighting with each and

1132
01:38:00.039 --> 01:38:04.640
every day ever since the third grade. You've always been the mouse to my

1133
01:38:05.199 --> 01:38:11.159
being a cat. Yeah, I
get you, I say, And now

1134
01:38:11.199 --> 01:38:15.079
that you're living here in the mousehole, with me. I sigh for what

1135
01:38:15.159 --> 01:38:20.319
it's worth. I'm sorry, but
you gotta admit your mom was right when

1136
01:38:20.359 --> 01:38:24.840
she asked you where you were gonna
live. You got to live somewhere,

1137
01:38:24.920 --> 01:38:28.520
Ariel. You can't live out in
the cold and with no one to be

1138
01:38:28.640 --> 01:38:38.159
with I. I know, she
starts crying a little. I just can't

1139
01:38:38.159 --> 01:38:43.880
believe that that mouse, as badly
as I've treated you all these years,

1140
01:38:43.880 --> 01:38:49.079
that you that you still brought me
here to live with you. I sit

1141
01:38:49.199 --> 01:38:55.680
up and look at her now,
because you're my friend, Ariel, even

1142
01:38:55.720 --> 01:39:00.239
after what happened on Friday, I
know it wasn't you tell her. I

1143
01:39:00.319 --> 01:39:04.800
know, Queen Arcadia got in your
head. You and me, we're all

1144
01:39:04.840 --> 01:39:10.800
good. Then I take her hand
and wrap my pinky finger with hers pinky

1145
01:39:10.880 --> 01:39:15.840
promise. She wipes away some tears. Now, but how can I face

1146
01:39:15.880 --> 01:39:20.920
everybody at school after Christmas vacation is
over. You just know they're all going

1147
01:39:20.960 --> 01:39:26.800
to find out about what happened to
me. Like my dad told you,

1148
01:39:26.800 --> 01:39:30.000
you just got to take it one
day at a time. I remind her,

1149
01:39:30.039 --> 01:39:34.680
don't worry, you got all of
us, We all got your back.

1150
01:39:36.560 --> 01:39:42.359
And then Ariel suddenly wraps me up
in her arms, something she rarely

1151
01:39:42.439 --> 01:39:47.199
ever does. We hug each other
for a long while. Mouse. I

1152
01:39:48.960 --> 01:39:55.600
I, well, I know what
you're feeling, Ariel right back at you.

1153
01:39:56.800 --> 01:40:00.399
Then we finally come apart. I
hear my phone, then I pick

1154
01:40:00.439 --> 01:40:04.760
it up. Mom and Dad say
it's time to come downstairs and start off

1155
01:40:04.800 --> 01:40:12.000
Christmas morning. You ready, Ariel? Ariel takes a deep breath and nods.

1156
01:40:12.600 --> 01:40:15.000
We get up and go to the
door. As we're about to leave,

1157
01:40:15.439 --> 01:40:19.199
she turns and points right at me. I hate you, Mouse.

1158
01:40:20.279 --> 01:40:26.640
All I do is smile at my
new roomy, knowing she's back. Yeah.

1159
01:40:26.680 --> 01:40:30.680
It's gonna take Ariel some time adjusting
to living with us now, but

1160
01:40:30.800 --> 01:40:33.840
I think everything's gonna work out.
We leave our room and go downstairs to

1161
01:40:33.880 --> 01:40:40.079
get our Donnerly Christmas morning started.
Mom and Dad even got presents for Ariel

1162
01:40:40.159 --> 01:40:45.600
under the tree. I think,
for the first time ever, Ariel's actually

1163
01:40:45.680 --> 01:40:50.680
happy on Christmas morning. I mean, after what just happened, I could

1164
01:40:50.680 --> 01:40:58.159
only imagine how Christmas must have been
like for her back inside the mirror wall.

1165
01:40:58.319 --> 01:41:00.880
Also, I better mention the other
others don't seem to remember about me

1166
01:41:01.000 --> 01:41:04.960
and Mary Worth. As soon as
we were all safe and sound. I

1167
01:41:05.079 --> 01:41:09.880
talked to Mary. She went to
the others and used her white magic to

1168
01:41:09.920 --> 01:41:14.960
make them forget seeing Mary possess me. It ain't that I don't trust everybody.

1169
01:41:15.399 --> 01:41:19.119
I just don't want them looking at
me different because of my supernatural relationship

1170
01:41:19.159 --> 01:41:26.119
with Mary. As for the virtual
console at Ariel's former house, Mary saw

1171
01:41:26.159 --> 01:41:30.720
it sitting on Adrian's dresser in her
bedroom and easily grabbed it into the mirror

1172
01:41:30.760 --> 01:41:35.600
with her. Remember, there ain't
no destroying things from tinkers, so Mary's

1173
01:41:35.680 --> 01:41:40.720
keeping the virtuous safe with her.
As for the rest of our holiday break

1174
01:41:40.720 --> 01:41:45.439
from school, our groups started getting
together more. No, we don't have

1175
01:41:45.479 --> 01:41:48.960
slumber parties at Ariel's house no more. I ended up taking over by hosting

1176
01:41:49.000 --> 01:41:54.520
movie nights at my place on Friday
nights now, which means even the guys

1177
01:41:54.600 --> 01:41:58.479
get to join in. Even Mom
and Dad join us for the fun.

1178
01:41:58.600 --> 01:42:03.800
Sometimes this change is an adjustment for
all of us, but at least Ariel's

1179
01:42:03.840 --> 01:42:08.279
happy to be with all of us, even if she won't admit it,

1180
01:42:09.600 --> 01:42:15.560
and she still manages to swipe Carter
Sodas. Anyway, here's to hoping you

1181
01:42:15.600 --> 01:42:21.279
all have a great holiday season and
don't worry we're definitely coming back with some

1182
01:42:21.399 --> 01:42:36.720
more adventures down the pike. Happy
holidays, a much needed happy ended as

1183
01:42:36.760 --> 01:42:41.880
we lead to the end of the
holiday season, and I, for one

1184
01:42:42.039 --> 01:42:46.199
am thrilled. I can't wait to
find out what the future holds for Mouse

1185
01:42:46.479 --> 01:42:51.800
and Ariel and everyone else at Strickfield. But I guess we'll have to wait

1186
01:42:51.800 --> 01:42:57.560
and see what the new year holds, won't we. And speaking of remember

1187
01:42:57.560 --> 01:43:01.920
tomorrow, we have a very special
Christmas Strickfield story to wind down our holiday

1188
01:43:02.000 --> 01:43:09.359
horrors this month, and it features
our own Rage Devereaux, the Angel of

1189
01:43:09.439 --> 01:43:13.760
Death, a character that many thought
we would never see again, but you

1190
01:43:13.960 --> 01:43:17.079
just never can say never can.
But you'll want to be here tomorrow to

1191
01:43:17.159 --> 01:43:20.800
check that one out for sure,
So make sure you're subscribed, My dear

1192
01:43:20.840 --> 01:43:26.520
listeners, and thank you so much
for letting me entertain you through your holiday

1193
01:43:26.560 --> 01:43:30.079
season, for allowing me to bring
a little joy to what can often be

1194
01:43:30.159 --> 01:43:33.880
chaotic and stressful, And for all
the folks who've joined us over on Patreon

1195
01:43:33.960 --> 01:43:38.920
to help keep the spooky going into
the new year. You guys have been

1196
01:43:38.960 --> 01:43:41.800
an immense help, and I want
to say an extra special thank you to

1197
01:43:41.880 --> 01:43:45.439
our brand new producer, a Patreon
producer named Mark Shields. Mark has been

1198
01:43:45.479 --> 01:43:49.479
supporting what I do for a very
long time, and I really appreciate his

1199
01:43:49.600 --> 01:43:53.560
help. And I want to say
an extra special thank you also to our

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01:43:53.560 --> 01:43:57.079
Patreon podcast boosters, folks who pay
just a little bit more to hear their

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names on the show. And they
are Johnny Nick's Bobotopia dot Com, Megan

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Huh, Julia Kirsh, Brent mccallaugh, Steve King, Karen we Met,

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Jack Kerr, and Craig Cohen.
Thank you, guys so much, and

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thank you to everybody who's gone to
Weeklyspooky dot com, clicked on Patreon and

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helped us make this program possible.
But in the end, any of you

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out here listening to the program,
sharing it with friends, reviewing it,

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and just showing up every week to
hear something scary make it all happen.

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So I thank you and I will
see you all tomorrow. But for now,

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for myself, for my executive producers
Rob Fields and Mark Shields hey that

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rhymes, for my producer Dan Wilder, and my composer Ray Mattis, I

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will talk to you holiday homies tomorrow. Thank you for listening to make sure

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to find your way back next week, but for now you are safe.

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Trust me.