Chapter 2

Who am I?

Why was I killed?

The one who is sure to know the
answers to those questions is
the man who ordered my murder.

At the other end of the
phone line is the very
man who had me killed.

Our meeting -- it's all so sudden.
I'm not sure I'm really prepared
for what's to come.

Sith:
Hmm, yes... If what I
read in this file is true...

Sith:
...this woman could be quite a
bedeviling bit of trouble for us.
She needs to be erased -- tonight.

Sith:
Confound that Nearsighted
Jeego! His skills are as
feeble as his eyesight.

Adjutant:
Not to worry, sir. I have already
taken the next step, sir.

Sith:
Hmm, yes... But, I say, the last
thing I ever expected was to
talk to the target herself...

Sith:
...even if it was only
over the telephone.

Sith:
I must admit, my good man,
it put me in quite the tizzy
there for a moment! Fah ha ha!

Sissel:
What is this place?

Sissel:
These oddly luxurious
furnishings... This oddly
refined music...

Sissel:
And that odd little
machine... I've never seen
a room like this before.

Sissel:
But one thing's for sure...

Sissel:
These people are assassins.

Sissel:
And, what's more...

Sissel:
That red-headed woman is
another of their targets.

Sissel:
That file the old man has...

Sissel:
Maybe it'll give me some
information on my redhead.

****

Sissel:
Just as before, rain passes
through me as it makes its
way to the ground.

Sissel:
I wonder if that red-headed
woman is still here...?

Ray:
After that telephone call, she
reported the whole incident to
the police.

Ray:
This junkyard is such an out-of-
the-way place. It'll take them a
while to get here...

Ray:
Until they arrive, though,
it looks like she's
watching over your body.

Sissel:
A sense of duty, eh? It's a
wonder she isn't scared of
ghosts in this spooky place.

Ray:
The ghosts are already
here! Heh heh.

Sissel:
Hey, cut that out! She'll
think I'm haunting the
place!

Ray:
In any case...

Ray:
...just leave this place to me. You
go out and pursue your mystery.

****

Sith:
Hmm, yes... How much
longer, my good man?

Adjutant:
We are charging up our
backup power now, sir.

Adjutant:
The process should be complete
in about thirty minutes, sir.

Sith:
Hmm, yes...

Sith:
But confound that
Jeego, I say!

Sith:
Every year, his "reliable range"
gets shorter and shorter!

Sith:
He'll get coal in his next pay
envelope, confound it!

Adjutant:
Or might I suggest glasses in
his envelope instead, sir?

****

Sissel:
It seems this file contains
information about that
redhead.

Sissel:
But I can't read it
when it's closed...

Sith:
Great Scott! D-Did you see that?!

Sith:
The file... I say! The file reared up
and snapped at me, my good man!
Nearly bit my head off!

Adjutant:
Not to worry, sir.

Adjutant:
I've already seen to it that
the target, Miss Lynne, is no longer
a threat, sir.

Sith:
Bah! That's not what I'm
talking about, man!

Sissel:
Hmm... "Lynne," eh? So
that's her name, is it?

Sissel:
(But this file...)

Sissel:
(It's like it's written
in a foreign language.
I can't read it at all.)

Adjutant:
Might I suggest putting away
the file and relaxing, sir?

Adjutant:
You have a very important job
ahead of you tonight, sir.

****

Sissel:
Darn...

Sissel:
This is a pickle. The phone
and I got put away neatly...

Sissel:
And the only thing I've
learned is the name "Lynne."

Sissel:
This sure is a weird room.

Sissel:
(I traveled through the
phone line to get here...)

Sissel:
(But where exactly is "here"?)

Sissel:
(And who exactly
are these people?)

****

Sith:
Egad, man! Are you trying to
give me a case of the vapors?!

Adjutant:
My apologies, sir. But
I did not touch it, sir.

Adjutant:
It appears the equipment is
still malfunctioning, sir.

Sith:
Bah! Granted, technology is
certainly a convenient thing.

Sith:
But our use of it is just
plain "off," confound it!

Sith:
Hmm, yes... In any case...

Sith:
I don't wish to see the face of
our current target, my good man.

Adjutant:
As you wish, sir. In that case,
might I suggest this, sir?

Sissel:
...!
(Hey! That's...!)

Sith:
Hmm, yes... Sissel...

Adjutant:
If all goes well with our "deal"
tonight, we will have the power
to change the world, sir.

Sith:
Hmm, yes... It's a very important
night, indeed, my good man. We
can't afford to make mistakes.

Sith:
And that is why we can't afford
to trust that Sissel... No, we
must be very careful...

Sissel:
"Sissel"...

Sissel:
That must be my name...

Sissel:
(Now that I hear it, it
DOES sound familiar...)

Sissel:
A "deal," eh? What
could that be all about?

Sissel:
(Just what exactly was I up to,
I wonder?)

Adjutant:
We are completely
prepared for tonight, sir.

Sith:
Hmm, yes... Now all we
have to do is pluck the
fruit of success. Fah ha ha!

Sissel:
One thing's clear. These
villains seem to know me.

Sissel:
And another thing.

Sissel:
There seems to be some
kind of connection between
me and this "Lynne."

Sissel:
Why else would our names
both come up here like this?

****

Sith:
Where is your head, man?! I told
you I don't wish to see this face!

Adjutant:
My apologies, sir. It appears to
be another malfunction, sir.

Sith:
Well, get it fixed, man, unless
you want to see ME malfunction!

Adjutant:
Certainly, sir.

Sissel:
These guys murdered
me, and now they're
targeting the redhead.

Sissel:
What kind of "connection"
did we have with each other?

****

Sissel:
Spinning this painting
around makes the old man's
head spin, but that's about it.

Sissel:
I've got to find the right
timing and get beyond
this projector.

Sissel:
(What I need tonight is a
way to "flip" this situation
around!)

****

Sith:
I say, this room is giving me the
heebie-jeebies, my good man!

Sith:
What with paintings spinning
around and the like! It's enough
to give a man the jitters!

Adjutant:
My apologies, sir. The room was
just completed recently, sir.

Adjutant:
We are still trying to
iron out the kinks, sir.

Sith:
Hmm, yes... I just hope
that's all it is...

Sith:
I mean, egad, man! How
am I supposed to relax
and enjoy my grapes?

****

Sith:
It's a miserable state of affairs
when I can even be startled by a
telephone that doesn't even ring!

Sith:
Egad!

Sith:
It's even more pathetic to
be startled by the same
telephone twice. Bah!

Adjutant:
The problem must be solved, sir.

Adjutant:
The "Miss Lynne" problem, sir...

Sissel:
(What?! "Lynne"...?!)

Sith:
Hmm, yes...

Sith:
You did mention taking the
"next step" a moment ago,
didn't you, my good man?

Adjutant:
Yes, sir. I sent "One Step Ahead"
Tengo to her apartment, sir.

Adjutant:
That telephone call must
be him reporting in, sir.

Sith:
Very good, very good!

Sissel:
Lynne is in danger again!

****

Sissel:
That phone is my lifeline.

Sissel:
I'd better not put it
away right now.

Sissel:
(Besides, I want to hear what
they're saying about Lynne.)

****

Tengo:
This is "One Step Ahead" Tengo.
I'm at the target's apartment now.

Sith:
And? Out with it, man!
Have you taken care of her?

Tengo:
No. She isn't back yet.

Sith:
What?

Tengo:
It only stands to reason.

Tengo:
If the target got here first, they
wouldn't call me "One Step
Ahead," now, would they?

Sith:
........

Sith:
I don't get it... But in any
case, man, once you've
taken care of her --

Tengo:
Then you'll promote me to the
head of the hitman division...?

Sith:
Bah! No, man! Now you're even
getting "one step ahead" of me!

Tengo:
We can discuss my
new salary later.

Sith:
Great Scott! Now you're even
getting one step ahead of
your last one step ahead!

Tengo:
I'll get back to my job now, sir.

Sith:
Confound it! You're even
hanging up one step ahead!

Adjutant:
What did he say, sir?

Sith:
He asked me to raise his salary.

Adjutant:
What will you do, sir?

Sith:
Maybe I'll give him some of
Nearsighted Jeego's pay.

Sissel:
Lynne...

Sissel:
I can't lose her! She's my
only lead if I ever hope to
solve the mystery of me!

****

Sith:
Egad!

Sith:
Would you try to control that
thing, man? Are you trying to
give me an embolism?!

Adjutant:
My apologies, sir. But
I did not touch it, sir.

Sith:
Ah, I get it now! You're trying
to kill me off so you can take
my place, aren't you?!

Sith:
Confound it! I may
be losing my hair...

Sith:
...but my ticker is as robust
as my eyebrows are thick!

Sissel:
I'd better get going.

Sissel:
I can't put a stop to
their plain if I stay here.

Sissel:
(I'd better use that phone
to get to Lynne... and fast!)

****

Sith:
Great Scott, man!
There it goes again!

Sith:
I almost got one of those
grapes lodged in my gizzard!

Adjutant:
My apologies, sir.

Adjutant:
Next time, I will be sure to
get you smaller grapes, sir.

Sith:
Just you worry about getting these
confounded contraptions fixed
first! Bah!

Sith:
Did you see how surprised I was
again? Take some pity
on me, man! I certainly am!

****

Ray:
So how was your meeting
with your murderer?

Sissel:
There were a couple of
guys, but I don't remember
ever seeing them before.

Ray:
But don't forget, you've
lost your memory.

Ray:
Who knows? They might even
be good friends of yours.

Sissel:
(They're not exactly the
types I'd ever want to be
best buddies with...)

Sissel:
By the way, where is our
redhead?

Ray:
I think she's around
here somewhere.

Lynne:
So that guy in the black
suit was targeting me...

Lynne:
But why...?

Lynne:
And then that wrecking ball
came down and saved me...

Lynne:
But how?

Lynne:
.......

Lynne:
There's something funny
going on tonight. And I've
got a bad feeling about it!

Sissel:
(I'll save her as many times
as it takes... as long as she
helps out with my mystery.)

Sissel:
(Besides, how many times
can a person die in one
night, right?)

****

Adjutant:
Preparations are
almost complete, sir.

Sith:
Hmm, yes... Finally! I'm starting to
get sick of grapes, my good man.

Adjutant:
We have other fruit, sir. Might I
suggest you try one of them, sir?

Sith:
Bah! I thought I would,
after I finish this bunch...

Sith:
...but, I say, no matter how
many I eat, there always
seem to be more...

Adjutant:
I see, sir.

Adjutant:
In any case, soon, the
telephone will be out of
service for a while, sir.

Adjutant:
So you will be receiving
"One Step Ahead" Tengo's
report a little later, sir.

Sith:
Very good, very good.

Sissel:
(The telephone is going
to be "out of service"?!)

****

Sissel:
This line doesn't
seem to be working.

Sissel:
(Guess I can't go there right now.)

****

The telephone line guided
me to Lynne's apartment.

Fortunately, Lynne isn't
here yet. But, unfortunately,
the hitman is...

And there are a couple of other
unfortunate little developments
waiting for me it seems...

Sissel:
Hmm...

Sissel:
It looks like there's
an unlucky little
lady here tonight.

Sissel:
And an even unluckier
little doggie...

Sissel:
The poor, brave
little warrior.

Sissel:
He must've been trying
to defend his mistress.

Sissel:
If Lynne came home now...

Sissel:
........

Sissel:
(I have to do something
about this situation...
and fast.)

****

Tengo:
That Nearsighted Jeego is
really losing his touch.

Tengo:
It looks like the title of
"head of the hitman
division" will soon be mine.

Tengo:
A pro never takes his
eyes off his prey.

Tengo:
That's the secret to
getting promoted.

Sissel:
What is this fool mumbling
about, sitting there stuffing
his face with donuts?

Sissel:
But never mind that.
I'd better rescue
that poor little lady.

Sissel:
(And that poor little
doggie, too, of course.)

****

Missile:
Huh? Where am I...?

Missile:
And, more to the
point, WHO am I?

Sissel:
........

Missile:
Who am I?!

Sissel:
Uh, are you talking to me?

Missile:
Of course! Do you see
anybody else around here?!

Sissel:
(If I remember right, the dead
don't have voices. Their thoughts
reach the other person directly.)

Sissel:
(I guess that explains why this
dog is talking to me right now.)

Sissel:
This is your mistress's
apartment. And you are...

Sissel:
...presumably, the little
doggie who died here.

Missile:
"Died"? So I'm dead, huh?

Sissel:
(Let's see. The dead lose
their memories. They even
forget what they look like.)

Sissel:
(And so that's what this
blue "flame" shape is
all about...)

Missile:
Oh...!

Missile:
There's no time to lose!

Missile:
Miss Kamila!
My Miss Kamila is in trouble!

Sissel:
...!

Sissel:
You mean, you remember?!
You know who you are?!

Missile:
That's right. I'm Missile.
Nice to meet you!

Missile:
I'm a Pomeranian!

Sissel:
(Well...)

Sissel:
(I guess now I know it's
possible for the dead to
regain their memories...)

Sissel:
(...thanks to this little doggie!)

Missile:
Miss Kamila! Miss Kamilaaaaa!

Missile:
My Miss Kamila is in trouble!
And I vowed to devote my
life to protecting her!

Missile:
But I died before I could
rescue her! How could I
let her down like this?!

Sissel:
So you're more worried about
your mistress's safety than
your own death, eh?

Sissel:
I like your moxie, little doggie.

Sissel:
(Looks like it's time to go
back to four minutes before
this little guy's death.)

Sissel:
(Time to save this his life!)

Sissel:
Let's see. First of all, I'd
better see what I can find out
about your death, little guy.

Missile:
Excuse me, but...

Missile:
...where exactly are we?

Sissel:
Huh? You followed me?

Missile:
I followed you. You brought me
with you. One or the other.

Sissel:
(Hmm... It looks like the
dead can move around
together.)

Sissel:
This is... the land of four
minutes before your death.

Missile:
Really?! We're really here?!

Missile:
So that means you're
going to save Miss Kamila, doesn't it!

Sissel:
Aren't you even surprised?
I mean, we just traveled
through time, and --

Missile:
Not especially!

Missile:
I mean, Miss Kamila can walk
around on two legs, but I can't
do that.

Missile:
So if she can do that...

Missile:
...then it's not so strange
that you can walk
backwards through time!

Sissel:
So that's the way your mind
works, eh? I guess that's
reasonable enough.

Missile:
Come on! Come on!
Let's get started!

Sissel:
Okay. First, we watch your last
four minutes unfold. Then we use
what we learned to save Kamila.

Sissel:
(Just like when I saved
Lynne at the junkyard!)

Sissel:
If we watch closely, we
oughta be able to get a few
leads. Keep your eyes open!

Missile:
Of course!

Missile:
Leave it to me to
sniff out a few clues!

Kamila:
Yippee! Found
the remote!

Emma:
Shut that
mutt up!

Kamila:
No, Missile! You're not
supposed to bark!

Kamila:
The lady next door is
crabbier than ever tonight.

Emma:
If it barks again...

Emma:
...I'll knock this
wall down!

Kamila:
You don't want her to knock
the wall down, do you, boy?

Kamila:
*sigh* Why do you like to
bark so much, anyway?

Kamila:
You sure are cute, but just
don't get us killed, okay?

Kamila:
Darn. I really wanted
to watch TV, too.

Kamila:
Hey, I know! I'll
listen to music!

Kamila:
Oops! Oops!

Kamila:
Whew!
That was close!

Kamila:
I'm in the mood
for donuts tonight.

Emma:
I'll knock this
wall down!

Tengo:
Hmm. I don't really like
it when jobs outside the
original scope crop up...

Tengo:
I have to put it down as a
separate charge, and
accounting never likes that.

Tengo:
But I guess it can't be
helped... Sorry, kid.

Sissel:
So that's the whole dramatic
story of what happened four
minutes before you died.

Missile:
Wow, look at that. I'm dead. I'm
kind of shocked, to tell the truth.

Missile:
Okay, let's get started
on saving her!

Sissel:
But, let's see... How are
we going to do this?

Sissel:
It seems to me the easiest
way would be for you to take
a big bite out of that man's leg.

Missile:
Oh, I don't think I could do that!

Missile:
Whenever somebody I
don't know comes around,
all I want to say to them is...

Missile:
"Welcome!"

Missile:
I can't help it!

Sissel:
Okay, then I guess the only
thing we can do is get the little
lady to help herself somehow.

Missile:
Oh, I don't think she could do that!

Missile:
Did you notice her putting
those red things on her head?

Sissel:
Red things...? Oh, you
mean the headphones?

Missile:
Whenever she puts those
red things on, that's it!

Missile:
I can call her name until
my throat is sore...

Missile:
...but she never hears me!

Missile:
To be perfectly honest...

Missile:
I hate those red things!

Sissel:
Hmm, you're right.

Sissel:
With those headphones on, our
little lady doesn't even hear the
sound of the intruder's gun.

Sissel:
(So maybe that's our first "lead."
Now we know we have to do
something about that.)

****

Sissel:
Well, can't really change
the little lady's fate by just
"standing" around watching.

Sissel:
That intruder in black
will be entering this room
in just four short minutes.

Sissel:
And my ghost tricks
can only get me so far.

Sissel:
If I want to save the little
lady, I'm going to have to
get her cooperation.

Sissel:
And the first step is to
get rid of anything that
might get in the way.

****

Sissel:
That's funny...

Missile:
What's wrong?

Sissel:
This telephone doesn't seem
to be working right now.

Sissel:
(Usually, the telephone
line glows red, but it's
dark right now.)

Sissel:
Hmm...

Sissel:
Looks like I can't use the
telephone lines in the "four
minutes before death" world.

****

Sissel:
Uh-oh... This isn't good...

Missile:
Miss Kamila is going to put
those red things on her head!

Sissel:
Yeah, I know. And once she
gets them on, it's all over.

Sissel:
She won't be able
to hear a thing.

Sissel:
(What can I do...?)

****

Kamila:
Oops! Oops!

Kamila:
Oww! Why is it acting up all of
a sudden?

Kamila:
I don't really like getting smacked
by doors -- especially in my own
house.

Kamila:
It's like the door is a bad dog, biting
the hand that feeds it.

Kamila:
Although, with Missile, it's more
"nibbling at the tip of my nose"
than my hand...

****

Missile:
Oh, no! Miss Kamila put those
red things on her head!

Sissel:
This is bad. Now she's really
off in her own world.

Sissel:
(Hmm...)

Sissel:
(I think I missed a really
critical chance to stop her!)

Sissel:
The [Rewind] panel... I think
I need to use it and
re-think my strategy here...

****

Sissel:
Man! She can't even
hear all that racket?

Sissel:
How far up does she
have those headphones
turned, anyway?

Missile:
Actually, I have to confess...

Missile:
I've always wanted to try
those red things on...

Missile:
I wonder what they're
like? I bet they're all
soft and cuddly...

Sissel:
(Yeah, okay... Well, I guess
we have to do something
about those headphones...)

****

Sissel:
Unbelievable...

Sissel:
She can't even hear
any of this commotion.

Missile:
It's all because of those
red things on her head!

Sissel:
(I guess we'll have to
do something about
those headphones...)

Sissel:
(Changing a little lady's fate
is no easy task, apparently.)

Sissel:
I guess I'd better turn
off this star ornament.

Sissel:
We don't want the lady next
door pounding the whole
apartment building down.

****

Sissel:
Darn. Our little lady is
off in her own world.

Missile:
It's those red things!
Look at them!

Missile:
I wonder what they're
whispering in her ears?

Missile:
Look how Miss Kamila keeps
nodding to what they're
saying, over and over!

Sissel:
(One thing's clear.
Those headphones
are holding us back.)

****

Sissel:
Huh?
(I can't make another
donut fall.)

Missile:
Hmm. What do we do now?

Missile:
Without that donut, the
squeaky guy won't come,
and I won't bark!

Sissel:
Yeah, and the barking part
is your favorite, right?

Sissel:
(Hmm... It looks like
only one donut will fall.)

Sissel:
(We only get one chance...)

****

Missile:
Something just fell! And
quite dramatically, too!

Sissel:
It was a wooden box,
kind of heavy. I wonder
what it was doing there?

Missile:
I'm just glad it didn't fall
on Miss Kamila's head!

Sissel:
Me, too.

Sissel:
We don't need to add
to the number of
ghosts around here.

****

Sissel:
Darn. It looks like I'm down
to only a few more seconds.

Missile:
Miss Kamilaaaaa! We
have to do something!

Missile:
We just have to!

Sissel:
Now, now. Getting worked
up isn't going to help. We're
down to the wire, here.

Sissel:
Do we have enough
time to do something
to change her fate?

Sissel:
Or is it time to use another
one of my ghost tricks?

Missile:
Another ghost trick?
What is it?

Sissel:
We could "rewind time,"
and start all over again
from four minutes ago.

Sissel:
Whatever we do,
we'd better hurry!

****

Sissel:
Looks like the poor little
lady is completely unaware
of the danger she's in.

Sissel:
I have to find a way to open
either her eyes or her ears.

Sissel:
Once I get her to notice what's
happening, then maybe I can do
something.

****

Missile:
Oh, so close!

Missile:
You almost knocked
those red things down!

Sissel:
(Hey, I think you're onto
something there...)

Sissel:
(If we drop them in the
fish tank, Kamila won't be
able to use them anymore...)

Missile:
But if we drop them in the
fish tank, Miss Kamila'll get
a scolding from Miss Lynne!

Sissel:
All you have to do is
pretend it was your fault.

Sissel:
That's the way of the
honorable warrior.

Missile:
Okay... But you've obviously
never seen Miss Lynne
when she gets mad...

****

Kamila:
Oh, no!
Darn.

Kamila:
How did I manage to do that?

Kamila:
Lynne just bought those
headphones, too...

Kamila:
How about if we tell
her you did it, Missile?

Kamila:
Darn. Now I can't even
listen to music, either.

Kamila:
I think the gods are playing
tricks on me tonight.

Missile:
Forgive me, Miss Kamila!
I'm only doing it to save
you!

Sissel:
(So, what? Now you think
you're one of the gods, eh?)

Missile:
Huh...? No...! Never mind that!

Missile:
The important thing is,
we managed to change
the situation!

Sissel:
That's true.

Sissel:
At least now we can use the
little lady's ears to help us.

****

Sissel:
The question is,
what do we do now?

Sissel:
Unless we do something
more, the outcome will
still be the same.

Missile:
Oh, if only I had big,
strong teeth and an
aggressive spirit!

Sissel:
(Hmm. Doesn't seem like we
can stop the hitman from
coming in. So, in that case...)

Missile:
Oh! I have an idea!

Missile:
Why don't we
hide Miss Kamila?!

Sissel:
...!
("Hide," huh...?)

Sissel:
That sounds like just the
kind of idea a little doggie
would come up with.

Missile:
Are you making fun of me?

Sissel:
(But where could a little
lady hide in this room...?)

Sissel:
(Hmm. I think I might
have just the place.)

Sissel:
But there's just
one little problem.

Missile:
How to get Miss Kamila
in there, right?

Sissel:
Exactly.

Sissel:
If I could possess
Kamila herself, the
answer would be easy.

Sissel:
But I can't do that, so I
guess the only way to
do it is to lead her there.

Sissel:
(Now, what can I do, using
the objects in this room...?)

Sissel:
(I think I'll try out various
things and see what I
can come up with.)

Missile:
And I'll be here watching,
cheering you on!

****

Kamila:
Where'd the
donuts go?

****

Kamila:
Missile, if you bark like
that, you'll make the lady
next door start howling!

Kamila:
If you keep this up, that wall
is going to come down on our
heads before we know it!

Kamila:
But you'll protect me if anything
bad happens, right, Missile?

Missile:
Of course I will!

Sissel:
That's quite a big promise
for a little fellow!

Sissel:
(The poor little guy's up
against some formidable
opponents...)

Sissel:
(The man in black, and
the woman in purple!)

****

Sissel:
Why do you always give your
mistress so much trouble?

Missile:
Yes, I'm truly embarrassed
by my own behavior...

Missile:
But when that little guy
starts squeaking, it gets
me all in an uproar!

Missile:
And when I bark...

Missile:
...Miss Kamila always
comes over and gives
me a nice hug.

Sissel:
(Hmm. we might be able
to take advantage of that
piece of information...)

Missile:
Huh? How?

Sissel:
Wherever the donut
falls, the rat shows
up to check it out.

Sissel:
And then you go
to bark at the rat.

Sissel:
And then our little
lady comes to you
to quiet you down.

Missile:
Yes. That's just the way
things work, I'm afraid.

Sissel:
(So, in other words...)

Sissel:
(...the donut can be the
bait that will lead the little
lady to where we want her.)

****

Sissel:
If you bark like that,
how can anybody enjoy
the pretty melody?

Sissel:
And your poor mistress
has to get up and quiet
you down every time.

Missile:
Yes, I'm truly embarrassed
by my own behavior...

Sissel:
(Hey, look at that.)

Sissel:
(One of the ornaments
fell off the tree.)

Missile:
I'm not interested
in things like that.

Missile:
I graduated from playing
with balls a long time ago.

Sissel:
You should try graduating
from needless barking, too.

Missile:
Sorry. That's one thing I
could just never give up!

****

Sissel:
What exactly are you
barking about, anyway?

Missile:
Well, just look at it! It's all
sparkly and glittery and it
turns around and around!

Missile:
Besides, it plays that
exciting music!

Missile:
What else can I do but bark?

Sissel:
Tell me this, then. Exactly
what are you thinking
when you bark like that?

Missile:
Well, let's see...

Missile:
That time there, if I had
to put my feelings into
words, I'd say they were...

Missile:
"Welcome!"

Missile:
I guess that about sums it up.

Sissel:
(I guess it's the kind
of feeling I'll never
quite understand.)

****

Missile:
Wow! You sent
that thing flying!

Sissel:
I like to tidy up by shoving
eyesores under the sofa.
Heh heh.

Missile:
Hey, how come you're
looking at me when
you say that?

Sissel:
(Hey, wait a minute.
"Under the sofa," eh...?)

Sissel:
(That might be a spot the
hitman wouldn't look...)

Missile:
Come to think of it!

Missile:
Miss Kamila climbs under
the sofa all the time...!

Missile:
...Trying to catch me!

Sissel:
You're a naughty little
doggie, aren't you?

Sissel:
(So my new plan is to
hide the little lady under
the sofa.)

Sissel:
(The only problem now is,
"How do I lead her under
there?")

****

Sissel:
Huh?
(I can't make another
donut fall.)

Missile:
Hmm. What do we do now?

Missile:
Without that donut, the
squeaky guy won't come,
and I won't bark!

Sissel:
(Hmm... It looks like
only one donut will fall.)

Sissel:
(But the donut's the only
bait that will lead the little
lady to where we want her.)

Sissel:
(Maybe I should re-think
my plan of attack...)

****

Tengo:
Listen up, little girl.
I'll make you a deal.

Tengo:
If you promise to keep quiet, I'll
let you live. For now, anyway...

Kamila:
........

Tengo:
What a shame.

Tengo:
But I guess this brave
little fellow refuses to accept our deal.

Kamila:
Missiiiiile! Nooooo!

****

Sissel:
Hmm... It doesn't seem like I can
stop the intruder from coming in...

Sissel:
And I guess this little
doggie doesn't have
much fighting power...

Missile:
People often tell me my
name doesn't suit me!

Sissel:
(I guess the only thing to do is
hide our little lady someplace
where the hitman can't see her.)

Sissel:
Hmm... I'd better rewind time
and think about this one...

****

Missile:
Wow! You sent
that thing flying!

Sissel:
I like to keep things
tidy. Heh heh.

Missile:
And I like to bark at
things that move!

Sissel:
(I guess everything looks
like a toy to a little doggie.)

Sissel:
(And now I bet our little
lady will come over to
quiet you down.)

****

Kamila:
Missile, no!

Kamila:
What are you doing under
here, you silly boy?

Kamila:
Aw, my little "Missile"! You're
always doing the cutest things!

Tengo:
........

Tengo:
Nobody's here, eh?

Tengo:
My prey is bound to
come home sometime.

Tengo:
Might as well make myself
comfortable in the meanwhile.

Sissel:
There! Our little lady's
fate has been averted.

Missile:
It has...?

Missile:
The poor thing is still curled up
in a ball and shaking with fear.

Sissel:
Well, yeah, that's true...

Sissel:
But that's not so bad.
In the scheme of things,
I'd say she's just fine.

Sissel:
And, look. You're not dead.

Missile:
Oh, you're right. We did
it. We did it, didn't we?!

Missile:
We did it!

Sissel:
Well, to be precise, you're
the one who did it.

Missile:
Huh?

Missile:
Me...? I... saved Miss Kamila...?

Sissel:
Yup.

Sissel:
You're the one who lead
her under the sofa, right?

Missile:
........

Sissel:
You protected your mistress.
I can attest to that!

Missile:
Oh...

Missile:
Oh, thank you!

Missile:
Can I ask a question?

Sissel:
Sure. What is it?

Missile:
What exactly are those
strange powers of yours?

Sissel:
Oh, you mean my ghost tricks?
Apparently, they're the power to
manipulate inanimate objects.

Missile:
If they're "ghost" tricks,
then can I do them, too?
I'm dead, too, after all.

Sissel:
I-I guess...?
(That's how it goes, right?)

Missile:
I've been staring at those
donuts as hard as I could
for a long time now...

Missile:
...but they won't budge for me!

Missile:
Why do you suppose that is?

Sissel:
I don't really know.

Sissel:
I guess you just don't
have that power.

Missile:
Well, I have one thing
to say to that...

Missile:
That's not fair!

Sissel:
(Sorry, but I guess not
everybody who dies gets
the powers of the dead...)

Missile:
So what's going to
happen to me now?

Sissel:
Nothing, really. Your
death has been erased.

Sissel:
You'll just go back to being
a happy little doggie, living
your everyday life.

Sissel:
I guess this means goodbye.

Missile:
But...

Missile:
...we'll meet again
sometime, right?

Sissel:
Yeah, maybe. If you die again.

Missile:
What you did for me tonight...

Missile:
I'll never forget it!

Sissel:
Heh heh. Well, I guess we'd better
be getting back to the "present."

Sissel:
Time to see what happens
next in our "story"!

Sissel:
And now a new
"present" is born.

Sissel:
The little lady is still
curled up in a ball and
shaking with fear.

Sissel:
And the little doggie is
wagging his tail happily.

Sissel:
So what am I going to
do now?

Sissel:
I think I'll watch for a while
and see what happens.

Tengo:
What?!

Tengo:
Still at the junkyard?

Tengo:
All right, got it.

Tengo:
I'm on my way.

Tengo:
Hmph. I guess my prey likes
to play hide-and-seek.

Tengo:
She hasn't had enough of that
junkyard yet, apparently.

Tengo:
I can't let Nearsighted Jeego
beat me out on this one.

Tengo:
I'd better hurry.

Kamila:
What was that all about?

Kamila:
You saved me, didn't you,
Missile? I just know you did!

Kamila:
Maybe I shouldn't
answer it...

Kamila:
Lynne!

****

Sissel:
A call from Lynne, eh?

Sissel:
It sounds serious. I wonder
what they're saying?

Sissel:
I'd better go possess that
phone and listen in.

****

Sissel:
Oops. How rude of me
when the little lady is
on the phone.

Sissel:
It's not really the right
time for this kind of
cheerful melody anyway.

Sissel:
Besides...

Emma:
I'll knock this
wall down!

Sissel:
...there's always THAT
to worry about. I'd
better turn it off...

****

Sissel:
There's that little doggie,
all curled up on the floor...

Sissel:
Dreaming away the life
we worked so hard to
get back for him...

Sissel:
That's fine, but what's
up with that core?

Sissel:
The dead can't possess
living creatures.

Sissel:
That's one of the rules
Mr. Desk Lamp taught me.

Sissel:
So what would a living
and breathing doggie
be doing with a core?

Sissel:
I'd better try possessing
him and see.

Missile:
Oh, it's you! It's you!

Missile:
It's -- Hmm...

Missile:
Come to think of it, I never
did ask you your name.

Sissel:
I guess it's good we ran into
each other again, then.

Sissel:
This is a good chance
for us to reintroduce
ourselves to each other.

Missile:
You mean you forgot
my name already?!

Missile:
After everything we shared
together?! The drama?! That
tearful goodbye?!

Missile:
I'm Missile!

Sissel:
But, you know, it's strange...

Sissel:
I wonder why you remember me,
now that you're alive again?

Sissel:
Do you remember your
time being dead?

Missile:
Of course! All of it!

Sissel:
(Okay, let me get this straight.)

Sissel:
(The memory of being
dead doesn't disappear.)

Sissel:
(And the dead I meet in the Ghost
World develop a core when they
return to the land of the living.)

Sissel:
(And if I then possess that core,
I can talk to that person!)

Missile:
It looks that way, yes.

****

Missile:
Hmph. That Kamila! It never fails!

Sissel:
What "never fails"?

Missile:
Every time she gets on that
black "Hello?" she talks and
talks and forgets all about me!

Missile:
No matter how much I run
around and show off, she
never even glances at me!

Sissel:
(So that was you showing off, eh?)

Sissel:
Well, I would like to hear
what the ladies are talking
about.

Missile:
Oh! So would I!

****

Lynne:
Kamila! Oh, thank
goodness you're okay!

Kamila:
Well, I don't know if I'm
"okay," exactly. You won't
believe what just ha--

Lynne:
Listen to me! You've got to
get out of there, right now!

Kamila:
But what about dinner? I was
thinking about spaghetti tonight...

Lynne:
I won't be going back there for
a while. And you might be in
danger if you stay there, too!

Kamila:
But I already WAS in danger.
Just a little while ago --

Lynne:
Meet me at that restaurant,
the Chicken Kitchen, on
Dead End Drive!

Kamila:
Dead End Drive? I dunno...
That's pretty far.

Lynne:
Just hurry, okay?! Oh,
and one more thing...

Lynne:
Bring the music box
with you, okay?

Kamila:
Music box...?

Kamila:
I love music boxes! Is
it a present for me?

Lynne:
I'm sorry, but it doesn't play.
I can't even get the lid open.

Kamila:
Then you can't very well call it
a "music box," then, can you?
More like just "box."

Lynne:
Just bring it, okay?! It's kind of
big, and it's made out of wood.

Kamila:
Okay, I will. Where is it?

Lynne:
I kinda hid it in that room
you're in...

Pigeon Man:
Excuse me.

Lynne:
Eeeeek!

Kamila:
Lynne!

Kamila:
Not again!

Kamila:
Darn. Now I've dropped
the phone in there, too.

Kamila:
How about if we tell
her you did it, Missile?

Kamila:
But I sure hope Lynne's all right...

Kamila:
I'd better get going. I know
right where Dead End Drive is.

Kamila:
But I never saw any music
box around here! Where
am I supposed to find it?

Kamila:
Do you know where it is, Missile?

Kamila:
Help me look, okay?

****

Sissel:
Well, I guess the phone's
"dead" now, too... What are
the odds that would happen?

Sissel:
Looks like our little lady
is a bit of a klutz.

Sissel:
The next thing you know,
she'll be dropping that poor
little doggie in the tank.

Sissel:
Anyway, something is
happening to Lynne.

Sissel:
I'd better help Kamila
find her treasure.

Sissel:
(Hmm. I don't know if
it's because I lost my
memory or what...)

Sissel:
(But I don't seem to
remember what a
"music box" is, exactly...)

****

Sissel:
Darn...

Sissel:
With the receiver in the
fish tank, I can't use
the telephone lines.

Sissel:
Don't tell me...

Sissel:
...I'm trapped in this room?

****

Kamila:
Darn. I can't find that silly
ol' music box anywhere.

Kamila:
If she was going to scream, she
should've done it after she told
me where the music box was...

Sissel:
Kamila must be scared.
She's still just a little girl,
after all.

Sissel:
It's cute the way she
keeps looking in the same
places, over and over.

Sissel:
(There must be some
way I can help her...)

****

Sissel:
Looks like this is your
chance to shine.

Missile:
Me? What do you mean?

Sissel:
You can really help her out right
now, with that great nose of yours!

Missile:
Oh, you're right!
I didn't think of that!

Missile:
So what kind of smell
should I be looking for?

Sissel:
Oh, uh... I don't really know.

Missile:
Oh.

Sissel:
Hey, come on. You can't expect
me to do everything for you.

Missile:
That's okay. Don't feel
too bad about it...

Sissel:
(I'm being consoled by a dog...)

****

Kamila:
Hey, wait a minute. That
cart just moved, didn't it?

Kamila:
I've always thought so, but
that just proves it! This
apartment building is...

Kamila:
........

Kamila:
...leaning to one side.

Sissel:
Whew! This little lady
knows how to keep me
on the edge of my seat!

****

Kamila:
The cart moved just now, didn't it?

Kamila:
I'm telling you, this building
leans to one side!

Kamila:
Ever since that lady
moved in next door...

****

Kamila:
Hmm. It looks like the
tree is getting impatient
for Christmas, too.

Kamila:
Ha ha! Wouldn't it be
cute if that's what the
tree was really thinking?

Kamila:
But, seriously, maybe the plug's
not in right. Just what I need, one
more thing to make Missile bark...

****

Sissel:
That wooden box
that just fell...

Sissel:
That just might be the "music
box" we're looking for.

Sissel:
I bet the little lady will
know when she sees it.

Sissel:
(We're really close now!)

****

Kamila:
This is it! The music box!

Kamila:
Yippee!

Kamila:
I'll leave the remote here.

Kamila:
But don't you touch it, Missile!

Kamila:
If the TV comes on,
you'll start barking.

Kamila:
I'd hate to find you flattened
underneath that wall
when I came home...

Kamila:
Okay, I'm leaving now, Missile.

Kamila:
I have to go help Lynne! She's
like a sister to me, you know!

Kamila:
You be good while I'm
away! And no barking!

Still no peace for the little lady...

And the redhead, Lynne, is facing
a new crisis right now as well.

Meanwhile, I'm in a bit
of a pickle of my own.

With the receiver at the
bottom of the fish tank...

I find myself still trapped
in this apartment.

Too bad I can't just curl up and go
to sleep with my tail wagging, too...

Because there is something I must do.

The question is, how do I go about
getting out of here...?