ROOK: Next stop, Luke's surf shop. Dude looked like he had a problem.
ROOK: How's it going?
LUKE: Not so stellar, yo. Someone busted my boards on the beach. I'm stuck here covering the shop. Any chance you can look into this for me?
ROOK: I'd be happy to help.
LUKE: Thanks, Rook! Mucho appreciated.
ROOK: I took a look at them.
ROOK: Ouch. Those surfboards got smashed up pretty good.
LUKE: No doubt. What a bust. Looks like a yeti was up in there with a cricket bat!
ROOK: ...Yeah. So, when did this happen, Luke?
LUKE: Dunno, chiller. I've been 'laxin in my board shop, waiting for the curl. Just came out to catch a wave and found all my boards like this!
ROOK: Alright, I'll check into it.
LUKE: Rad, cap'n. Gracias.
ROOK: De nada, amigo.
LUKE: ...Huh?
ROOK: ...Never mind.
ROOK: Figured I might as well poke around and talk to people.
ROOK: Chaz, know anything about Luke's surfboards?
CHAZ: Hardly. Why would anyone want to waste their time with surfboards? They're just big floating sticks, and not very extreme at all!
ROOK: It's kind of extreme. I hear Luke's pretty good.
CHAZ: That chump? Ha! He's gotten a little too much sun, thinking he's sooo cool with his tan, tattoos, and swimming ability! ...Just wait until I rock my stunt, then we'll see who's the real "king of the beach!"
ROOK: Any idea who might have broken Luke's surfboards?
??????: Well, I don't want to be a tattle-tale...
ROOK: Taylor, if you have any information, it would help my investigation.
Ah, finally, the girl gets named.
TAYLOR: Well, I didn't actually see the surfboards get broken. But, I know that Chaz doesn't like Luke too much, and he thinks surfing is dumb.
ROOK: Well, I gathered both from talking to him, but let's hear your take on these subjects. Why doesn't Chaz like Luke?
TAYLOR: For some reason Chaz thinks Luke is trying to out cool him and take his title of "king of the beach."
ROOK: A-ha. He mentioned that. But why does he think that?
TAYLOR: It's probably 'cuz of that silly lifeguard. Luke gave her a surf lesson, and now Chaz thinks Luke's trying to outdo him!
ROOK: A one-sided rivalry. A crime of jealousy? It was a possibility...
ROOK: So why does he think surfing is dumb?
TAYLOR: Well, as a founding member of the Chaz McFreely Fan Club, I've read his online profile at least a hundred times...
That explains why the hit counter's not in the single digits...
TAYLOR: In it, Chaz claims that "surfing, as a sport, is not nearly extreme enough." Also, he's a pretty bad swimmer.
ROOK: Well, most of her information, I already got from Chaz, but that one detail could be useful. I should talk to the silly li— I mean, Summer.
ROOK: Hey Summer, did you see what happened to Luke's surfboards?
SUMMER: Can you believe I didn't?! It happened while I was taking my 3-minute break. That's what I get for being lazy!
ROOK: No word on Chaz. But I figured I'd see if Clara had any ideas.
ROOK: Do you know what happened to Luke's surfboards?
CLARA: Yeah. Mr. Suckers broke team! He didn't mean to; he's just grumpy...
ROOK: Mr. Suckers...?
CLARA: Yeah, Mr. Suckers. He's a giant squid and my new friend... ...Taylor thinks I'm making him up. But that's only because my other two best friends are imaginary, and they don't like Taylor much.
ROOK: A friendly, yet currently irritated, giant squid. Well, why not? I'd met a yeti and a zombie, so this might be worth looking into, as well.
ROOK: ...Grumpy?
CLARA: Yeah, he seemed cranky last time I saw him. Poor Mr. Suckers. I know! We should throw a tea party to cheer him up! You know how much giant squid like their tea!
ROOK: A giant squid... tea party? Seriously?
CLARA: Of course, he loves tea! Rook, do you think you could help me? I'll just need help getting a few things!
ROOK: I...suppose. Sure.
CLARA: Great! All we'll need is a blanket, some teacups and saucers, spoons, a teapot... oh, and tea, of course!
ROOK: An interesting thought. And she's the only one to actually claim to know what happened. But to be sure, I decided to see if my Super-Detector could still detect tracks after the upgrade. Indeed, tire tracks could be found near the broken surfboards. There was just one track, and that might just indicate a motorcycle... much as the one Chaz had out but the stunt track. I examined it, but I couldn't get it working for a test run. I spoke with Tim.
ROOK: I wish we could fix up Chaz's stunt bike...
TIM: Me too! I'm his biggest fan and unofficial pit crew. I even have an extra gasket for his bike! But, I'm not much of a mechanic.
ROOK: If you give me that part, I can probably help fix Chaz's bike!
TIM: Anything for Mr. Chaz!
ROOK: I took his gasket and went to repair the motorcycle.
Hey, that's not a gasket!
ROOK: You mean, 3 gear belts, 4 gears, and 10 sections of wire isn't a gasket?
No! ...But it does seem to be what it needs.
ROOK: I actually had a part left over! I wonder what happens to these parts; you'd think I could carry them over to the next thing. Anyway...
ROOK: So, let's see this stunt...
CHAZ: Take a note, chump: Chaz does not perform for just one person. Wouldn't be fair to my legions of Chaz-Fans!!
ROOK: I suppose that's a good excuse. Or maybe, the stunt is just too extreme, even for you.
ROOK: I felt dirty saying that, considering that the stunt was rather less extreme than he was making it out to be, but when you're gathering evidence...
CHAZ: That's it, chump! Nothing's too extreme for Chaz McFreely! Stand back and prepare to have your face blown off by awesomeness!
ROOK: Better than a Fetch Quest to get everybody gathered to watch mediocrity, but whatever. He began his stunt, which consisted of him circling the ramps once, then having the hoop lit, and jumping through it. So overdone. But hey, I got a luchador jumpsuit out of it. And, more importantly, I could check the treads! It was a match; might he have been doing stunts on the beach and smashed the boards, either intentionally or not? Maybe, but for now, I decided to check my other lead. Closer examination of one of the boards indicated that a piece of it wasn't in the pile, but a few feet away! I checked it... and found goo on it.
ROXIE: The slime seems to be from some sort of sea creature, although I also detect faint traces of chamomile.
ROOK: This "tea-loving squid" theory seemed to be getting more and more probable.
Well, you know what they say: "If a cat claims to be an ancient dragon, it's probably true."
ROOK: ...Who says that?
...They do. Weren't you paying attention?
ROOK: (mumble) Anyway, time to gather tea stuff. Hey, this washed-up crate might contain something!
Hey, no dissing the dune buggy!
ROOK: Not that! This! (ka-F-Space!) See? Cups!
I thought y'all were flat...
ROOK: ...Cut that out! I'm going to need some chamomile... Another crate near the base of the pier contained... saucers and not one word about aliens!!
...What?
ROOK: ...I needed teaspoons. Even though Turkey-on-a-Fork was not the most intuitive source, I suppose it couldn't hurt.
ROOK: Have anything I could borrow for a tea party?
???? ???: Ugh. Well, do you need spoons?
ROOK: I do, actually.
???? ???: They keep sending me spoons for the Turkey-on-a-Fork cart. I mean, really? This suffering is endless. Anyway, help yourself.
ROOK: Yes, SPOON. Anyway, on my hunt for tea, I felt, I don't know, drawn into the surf shop. I decided to look around. Board shorts, bikinis, and flip-flops sold here — everything you need for a day at the beach. I kind of liked the bikini on the mannequin torso, but... I've never seen a figure like the one it was on. I mean, chests don't have two large bumps on them, do they? I'm not sure a top made for a Sim with them would fit me. A picnic table display made out of surfboards...what will they think of next? ...How clever...there's even a surfboard-themed register. Beachwear made from all-natural fibers... a good selection of surfboards... and in the counter display: board wax, spare fins, and... herbal tea!
ROOK: Have anything I can borrow for a tea party?
LUKE: Uh... yeah! Only the best all-natural herbal tea! Chock-full of anti-oxidants and just bursting with eco-friendly flavors!
ROOK: Luke, that's perfect! May I have some?
ROOK: Didn't want to harm the squid, after all.
LUKE: Fully, kid! It's all yours. Totally enjoy! But, uh, first I gotta figure out how to get in my display case...
ROOK: What do you mean? You can't get the tea?
LUKE: Sorry, chiller, totally spaced...I lost my keys the other day. It was righteous! I was tucked in an epic barrel, straight cruisin'...
ROOK: Luke, if I can open your display, do you think I could "score" some of your tea?
Dude, he said you could have it all if you wanted! And you wouldn't have to do anything!
ROOK: I couldn't just take it all! What do you take me for, a Kleptomaniac Hero?
I don't know, ask the chests that aren't there now.
ROOK: Urk...
LUKE: That's a deal, amigo.
ROOK: I picked my way past the lock and grabbed some tea. I figured I'd need a blanket or rug, and thought I remembered seeing a particularly out-of-place one in the tattoo parlor.
And one that would go well with a tea party hosted by an adorable little girl.
ROOK: That too.
ROOK: Have anything I can borrow for a tea party?
JUSTICE: You're welcome to the old blanket on my shop's floor here. Been meaning to replace it — pink doesn't sell alternative body-art.
ROOK: Thanks a lot, Justice.
ROOK: I grabbed it and went in search of a teapot. The chef, perhaps?
ROOK: Have anything I can borrow for a tea party?
CHEF WATANABE: Hai! I have an old Watanabe family teapot.
ROOK: May I borrow it? I promise to return it once the tea party is done.
CHEF WATANABE: Only if you are an honorary Watanabe. Bring me four clumps of kelp for my seaweed rolls, and I will give you this honor.
ROOK: So, I set about collecting it. I felt weird about half my collection coming from recently-radioactive waters, but there you go.
ROOK: Hey, chef, I got all the kelp you asked for...
CHEF WATANABE: Arigato, Rook! You are now a Watanabe! As promised, you may use the Watanabe family teapot.
ROOK: Thank you so much, chef!
ROOK: I told Clara.
ROOK: I've got everything we need for the tea party!
CLARA: That's great, Rook! Hooray! Tea party!! Won't Mr. Suckers be delighted?
ROOK: I sure hope so. So, now what?
CLARA: Mr. Suckers is sulking by the tide pools, down past the docks. I'll head over and you can meet me there when you're ready.
ROOK: After she left, I went past the docks to a short series of cliffs. I F-spaced a rock down to help me up, then used the same one to get up higher. By the lighthouse, I moved another rock down so that in the future, I wouldn't have to move that first rock up and down if I wanted back... or fell off trying to cross. I was faced with a wall with holes in it, and stones on top. I moved them into helpful slots, and used them to climb over. I was also slowed by a locked gate.. but of course, not stopped. In the tide pool itself, I found a chest with two fish tanks: one small, and one large! However, to get where I was supposed to be, I had to jump across raised platforms. No biggie. I did F-space a stone into place to make it a little easier after the fact. And there was Clara!
ROOK: I'm here! Let's get this tea party started.
CLARA: Yay, Rook! You made it!! We were getting pretty thirsty.
ROOK: How'd you get over here anyway? I mean, I had to F-space some stones into place and overcome a locked gate! I assume you didn't lock it behind you...?
CLARA: Mr. Suckers was nice enough to give me a lift from the beach. But he got shy and hid when you showed up.
ROOK: "We?"
CLARA: Yeah! Mr. Suckers and I can't wait for the tea party to begin.
ROOK: Alright, then! Let's see this "Mr. Suckers."
ROOK: She set up the tea party, and I sat at it. Imagine my surprise when a tentacle took the teapot and served me, before taking a cup for himself! I noticed one tentacle had a bow on it, no doubt applied by Clara. Well, since he was were, time to get some answers...
ROOK: Uh, Mr. Suckers, what happened to those surfboards on the beach?
MR. SUCKERS: Gurgle, gurgle...slurp...gurgle, glub.
ROOK: ...Uh, yeah...what you said... So, can you understand that kraken?
CLARA: Who, Mr. Suckers? Sure. He said thanks for the tea party!
ROOK: Can you ask him about the broken surfboards?
CLARA: He didn't mean to break stuff, he was just upset 'cuz of all the noise around his home lately.
ROOK: Restless? So he could have come ashore at night and broken them by accident?
CLARA: I guess so, in the dark. He said there's something underwater that's making a lot of noise and disturbing his sleep!
ROOK: That was the last piece of the puzzle, for this particular case, anyway. Back to the surf shop!
ROOK: Hey, Luke, I think I know what happened to your boards.
LUKE: Yeah? That's wicked news. Give me the lowdown. So what's the verdict, brah? Who gave my boards the smashdown?
ROOK: I had practiced saying it on the way back, partially to help me process it. I hoped he would believe it, as, well, it was the truth.
ROOK: It was a kraken! His name is Mr. Suckers. Clara and I had a tea party with him and he explained everything. Don't worry, it won't happen again.
ROOK: Luke blinked blankly.
ROOK: You don't believe a word of this, do you?
ROOK: He got a faraway look in his eyes. I couldn't imagine what he saw.
Looks like him surfing as an adoring Summer looks on, and Clara riding Mr. Suckers in the background.
ROOK: I see...
LUKE: I believe... ...for a future like that, I have to believe, dude.
(Hey, new dispatch missions! Kinda piling up... Also, a set of surfboards, one with a bite.)
- Surf's Up!
LUKE: Hey, dude, I'm bummin! I've got a hankering to serve up a fun event at the shop. But I'm, like, totally out of ideas. Maybe you know some people who can help?
3 stars. 30 minutes. Athletic/Charismatic. New Outfits.
- The Extremest Case
CHAZ: Yo! This is Chaz McFreely. Yes, the Chaz McFreely. I'm headlining this year's X-Treem X-Po, but I've already performed every trick known to man! I need a crack team of Extremegineers to invent my next big trick—something one one has ever seen before! Can you help me?
Careful, Chaz. Disney might sure you for that portmanteau there. Anyway.
4 stars. 15 minutes. Athletic/Charismatic. New Outfits and Object.
- Suckers Sabotage!
CLARA: ''The Main Street Beauty Pageant is coming up! Naturally, I went down to the registration office and entered Mr. Suckers as a contestant! But it seems like someone's trying to sabotage Mr. Suckers' chance at winning. Please help me!
5 stars. 15 minutes. Charismatic/Paranormal. New outfits and a trophy.
ROOK: ...Mr. Suckers? Is it only open to cryptozoological beings? If not, do you think I should join? I'm sure to win over a kraken...
I dunno. I mean, yeah, you'd beat a kraken, but the full contest is yours only if it's not entered by Violet... or Poppy... or Sapphire... or Taylor... or Brandi...
ROOK: Alright, I—
Or Rhonda...
ROOK: Alright, I get the point! Good grief!
- Missions
- The Bushido Code: ***; A/C; Outfits, Object
- Candypaluna: **; A/S; Object, Mission
- Episode X: **; S/P; Object, Trophy
- Equipment Recovery: **; A/S; Outfits, Mission
- The Extremest Case: ****; A/C; Outfits, Object (NEW!)
- F, Robot: ***; S/C; Outfits, Mission
- Failing Forest: ***; N/P; Object, Paint, Recruit
- The Finest Blade: ***; N/S; Outfits, Mission
- Gonk Need Food, Badly: ****; N/A; Object, Recruit
- H 4 XXOR 3 D!: ****; S/C; Object, Recruit
- High School Yearbook: ***; C/P; Object, Mission
- Justice for Justice: *****; A/C; Outfits, Trophy
- Legendary Cheese: *; A/N; Outfits, Trophy
- Magical Assistant: ***; C/P; Object, Mission
- Missing Bugs: **; N/A; Objects
- Ol' Gabby's Mine: **; S/N; Objects
- The Prominence: ***; P/S; Outfits
- Reagent Run: **; P/N; Outfits, Recruit
- Red Buddy: ***; P/A; Outfits, Object, Trophy
- Roadie Despair: *; C/S; Objects, Recruit
- The Sadness Parade: **; C/P; Outfits
- Sewer Search: ***; S/N; Object, Trophy
- Snack Thief: ***; S/C; Outfits, Object, Trophy
- Suckers Sabotage!; *****; C/P; Outfits, Trophy
- Surf's Up!: ***; A/C; Outfits (NEW!)
- Tainted Broth: ***; P/N; Object, Paint, Recruit
- The Bushido Code: ***; A/C; Outfits, Object
- Yeti Begins: **; P/N; Objects, Paint
- Recruits and Recruitables
- Beebee: N,A,3C
- Carl: 3P,N,S
- Elmira: P,N,3S
- Gordon: 5S
- Leaf: 3N,2C
- Ms. Nicole: 4C,S
- Nova: 2P,N,2S
- Pinky: P,4C
- Preston: A,3C,S
- Renée: 3N,2C
- Roger: 5A
- Agent Rosalyn: 2P,3S
- Travis: 3C,2S
- Trevor: 5C
- Agent Vic: 3P,C,S
- Violet: 3P,N,S
- Wolfah: 3N,2A
- Zoe: 4P,S
Next time: RUN silent, RUN deep!
