Merha Mad Laboratory and domicile

[Kai Merha]

Nestled up on Haunted Hill is the Merha Mad Laboratory and Domicile. If you are not a solicitor, come up to the iron wrought gates and sound the door gong. Doctor Homer Merha, PHD in Mad Science is more than happy to welcome you into his lab.

If you are a solicitor, please brace yourself for the activation of the Solicitor Ejection Chute, which replaces the previous Solicitor Spring-Activated-Removal Slingshot, which was proving to be an insurance liability.

Ask about Doctor Merha's after school internship/lab assistant opportunities, but be ready to sign a waiver releasing him from any culpability for your time spent in his lab. Doctor Merha is a mad geneticist, and some of his experiments can get...interesting. Bear in mind that Doctor Merha travels often with his new wife, Abyssa Tempest, and you may often find yourself working alone.

Or, if you're not scientifically inclined and art is more your thing, ask Doctor Merha's son Kai about the murals on the walls. Maybe he can explain to you why he couldn't decide between golden ochre and viridian green.  

[Kai Merha]

Quote:

To: DaDemonGhoul@boogle.com

From: MerhaKai@monsterhigh.edu

Dear Demona,

I hope Grrmany is treating you well. It's time again for my weekly e-maul to let you know how things are going back here in New Salem. I hope these aren't getting too boring. I know being a fabulously famous international supermodel is probably way more interesting than what's going on here.

My step-sister, Octavia headed home this last weekend back to the Bermuda Dieangle where she lives during the school year with her dad, King of the Kraken. I miss her already! I hope this year at Blackwater Academy goes better for her and that she doesn't get bullied by that gang of mermaids again.

Dad and my new step-Mom, Abyssa are doing great. They're actually going to be leaving again in a week to attend a Mad Science conference in Boo York City. This next year there are going to be a lot of those sorts of trips, since dad is a Mad Geneticist and Abyssa is a Marine Dieologist and they plan on attending conferences for both. Dad thinks it's good for monsterkind to see a Normie/Monster couple interacting out in public. He wants to show how far acceptance of monsters has come.

I'm still working part-time at the Arght-House off of Two Skulls Boolevard. I picked up some extra hours because it sounds like the band that Nero put together with me, Roswell, Glen and Dash isn't going to be practicing any time soon. In fact, every time I suggest it to Nero, he starts shaking so hard I'm afraid his gold necklaces are going to snap. Weird, huh?

School is starting up again soon. This year, Melody is going to be staying in the Doomitories on campus. I considered doing it too, but I live so close to the school and I'd feel really bad abandoning dad like that. I know he's got Abyssa living here now too, but, I dunno, I guess a guy just wants to be there for his dad too. Melody sent me the list of her doommates and I can tell she's really wishing you were on the list instead of Vinnie Lovecraft. I hope things will go all right for her. Actually, I know they will. Mel's got an ace in the hole if her doomies try anything - don't cross a Siren, amirite?

I don't know if there's anything else interesting to say....oh wait, yeah. I think there's a circus coming to town. I've seen a big red and white striped tent raised up on the edge of town, but it's blocked off by a bunch of wooden fences right now. If you can find a chance to come back into town, maybe I can take you. I haven't been to a circus in years, though my mom used to always joke that she thought one day I'd run away and join one...

I've attached some scans of my in-prog work from my sketchbook. Let me know what you think!

Aloha, love you,

Kai

 

[Kai Merha]

Kai returned home from the first day of school in a great mood. He liked his classes so far, he wasn't super overloaded with homework, and he'd met a lot of great new kids. Kai was always up for making new friends.

"Hey dad, I'm home!" He called out as he walked into the foyer. Off to the left was the door to the Mad Science Lab, wide open as usual. Kai's father looked up from a particularly complicated-looking structure of test tubes and glass beakers and gave his son a nod.

"Is it that late already? My goodness, time does fly..." Kai Merha's dad, Doctor Homer Merha had the same thick black hair as his son, but that was where the familial resemblance began and ended. Dr. Merha was a normie, one of the few normal human beings who had embraced the monster world by studying the realm of Mad Science. A geneticist by trade, Dr. Merha dedicated his time to studying monster biology at the DNA level. Right now he was working on studying the Uncommon Cold.

Kai decided to leave him be for the time being. Too much distraction while he was working with dangerous germs could have some unfortunate consequences. Kai dropped his school bag in the hallway, being careful not to slip on a trail of water on the floor leading towards the living room. Leaning over, Kai poked his head in to see his stepmother watching TV and typing on her laptop.

"Hey, Abyssa! I'm home!" Kai's step-mother was the newest addition to their home, a welcome one. Despite leaving a trail of water everywhere she went, as Kraken were wont to do when they were outside of the ocean, Abyssa brightened up the place with her humor and sweetness. Not only that, but she was a brilliant marine die-ologist. She held up a tentacle to wave at Kai without looking up from her laptop.

"Welcome home, Kai!" She adjusted her glasses with another tentacle as her fingers flew across the keyboard. "First day of school go well?"

"It went great!" He gave Abyssa a big thumbs up. "I'm going to be heading out in a bit here to the Coffin Bean to play Spellbound with some friends. Is that okay?"

"Are you going to be home for dinner?" Another tentacle pointed at some concoction boiling away on the stove in the kitchen adjacent to the living room. Kai smelled the air. Something fishy...of course.

"I'll probably eat at the C.B." He replied. "I'll be home in time to CRYPTE Octavia, though." Octavia was Abyssa's daughter, Kai's step-sister. She lived in the Bermuda Die-angle with her father, Fathom Tempest the Alpha Kraken. Because of the time difference, there was only a slim window that they could use video messaging software like CRYPTE to talk to Octavia during the school year, and Kai didn't want to miss the chance. It was going to be months till she would be able to come back to Salem to visit.

"Fangtastic!" Abyssa replied. She clicked 'save' on her document and closed her laptop. "I want to remind you that your father and I are going to be leaving for that Mad Science Consortium in Bitealy late tomorrow. Are you going to be all right on your own for a week?"

"Sure!" Kai replied. "Be sure to take lots of pictures and e-maul them to me." Kai wished he could go with them and see the Screaming Tower of Pisa, but with school just starting up it wasn't possible.

"Kai, are Glen or Melody here?" Kai's father stepped into the living room, wiping something glowing purple off his hands. "I want to go over the procedures for the current experiments we're working on before we leave."

"No, I think they stopped home before coming here." Kai replied. Melody Nocturna and Glen da West were both getting some school credit volunfearing as lab assistants for Dr. Merha. "You can text them, you know."

"I could, if Gill Bates would invent an iCoffin that didn't fizzle out if you just happen to run 1.21 gigawatts of neutron flow through it!" Kai's dad ran a hand through his frizzled black hair with a sigh. "Sometimes I wish I had pursued Mad Electronic Science instead of genetics! Or maybe both! A double major! I could splice an iCoffin with a frog-"

"And then you'd get a phone that croaks when you need it most." Abyssa replied, wrapping her arms around her husband. "Relax for a bit, Homer. We can watch the new Wyvernia St. George show together."

"All right." He agreed, and the two of them settled on the couch. Kai gave them a grin.

"Aren't you two adorkable. I'm heading out!" Grabbing his deck of Spellbound cards, Kai gave the two of them a wave and left for the Coffin Bean.  

[Kai Merha]

Kai trudged in the front door just as it was getting dark. He'd looked around all over, but Nero moved fast for a big guy when he wanted to and he hadn't been able to catch up with the sphinx for a hexplanation. Nero wasn't answering his iCoffin, either.

The only other real possibility was to actually drive to the circus on the edge of town to see if Nero really was going there, but it was too late now. Kai wasn't allowed to drive the van after dark, and it was too close to the time to call his step-sister.

Kai had himself half-convinced that this was just some sort of musical-artist type weirdness. Sure, that had to be it. Tomorrow, Nero would be at school and he'd have sketched out a whole circus-themed album. That had to be what was going on.

A tiny feeling of unease in the pit of his stomach wouldn't go away, but Kai dismissed it as best he could as he joined his dad and Abyssa to sit in front of the computer and talk to his step sister. Tomorrow, he'd get up early to drive them to the scareport and then he'd be on his own for a week. Surely everything would be cleared up by tomorrow.  

[Glen da West]

It's SATURDAY!

The black and green SUV pulled up (read: screeched to a halt) at the curb in front of Merha Manor (okay so it's actually parked halfway on the sidewalk!). Glen jumped out of the driver's side and shut the door behind him before he paused and looked at the wafting smoke from the burning rubber and frowned.

"Wow! Maybe I need coolant!"

He then made a funny face an scrunched his nose at the accompanying odor.

"Wow. Hope that's not me!"

He then ran around to the back of his 'baby' and jerked the trunk door up, jerking himself up in the air in the process! He looked down for a brief second before he let go and dropped to the pavement. He wiped his hands on his pants before he looked inside at the contents; goodies stacked clear to the top for his and Kai's boo-only creepover to ensure their guests had a good time!

Creeping bag? Check!
Video games? Check!
Additional snacks? Check-a-roonie!
Soda? Double check!
Bored games? Check!
Spellbound cards and starter packs for the others? Can't forget those so - check!
Hamster ball for the pool? He looked up on the top of the SUV: Check!
Change of clothes (jammies and such)? Check!
Red Ghoul stash? (Stashed under the secret compartment for emergencies) Check! (Keep that hidden - Kai's rules and all!)
Boo? (Tucked in his creeping bag) Check!
Mountain of Pizza Shack gift certificates? CHECK!

Glen sighed happily before he scratched his head.

"Gonna need a little help here."

He then ran up to he front porch of the Manor and proceeded to ring the doorbell...

**banshee-like wail**

And knock on the door!

*ratta tatta tatta tatta tatta tatta**  

[Nero de Sphinx]

Nero's dad pulled up to drop him off at Kai's house. Nero put his claws on the door handle but hesitated to open it.

"You know, papa, I can drive, I've got a license, I'm a good driver."

Nero's father narrowed his eyes, "Mon fils, I know, I taught you myself, but where will you take the car?"

"Papa, it's been like a year since Monte Sc~"

"We do not talk about Monte Scarlo."

Nero sighed, "I know, I know. It'd be a lot easier on you if you didn't have to take me places, and you always complain if I get home late!"

"Those zombies of yours, they do not drive fast enough. Maman and I will talk about it, but for now you will accept rides from others."

"Kai's dad..."

"Kai's father knows his son will not run off and do something stupide. You I am not sure about. Now, Kai can give you a ride home in the morning."

Nero grinned, "If I'm home in the morning we didn't do this party right."

Nero's dad rolled his eyes, "and you wonder why I will not let you get the car. Have a good time."

Nero gave his dad a quick fist tap and swaggered up to Kai's front door, where Glen was woodpeckering through the door. A small shiny patch bare of paint had formed under his tiny fist.

"Minibro! Sweet, bandana!"  

[Glen da West]

Glen turned his head and found himself staring at abs. he then blinked and looked up -- up -- just a little further and he grinned.

"Nero! Thanks!"

He paused from chipping the paint off of the Merha's front door to levitate up and inspect Nero's own prime choice of head wear and he nodded with satisfaction.

"You had the same idea! Sweeeeeet!"

Glen then lowered back down to the porch and proceeded to resume his rap-rap-rapping on Kai's door.

"If anything can stop a creepover from being pirated, it's pirates! Simple logic!"

Glen looked at the front door, knocking, then at Nero.

"Gee, I wonder if he's still getting all prettied up? Chase couldn't come so I need help unloading the Glenmobile."  

[Kai Merha]

"DOOR'S OPEN!" Kai shouted, not wanting to pause his game of "Maul of Duty" as he was at a critical venture in the middle of a graveyard raid. After a few moments, Kai scowled, paused the game and ran to the door. When he opened it with a long, protracted creak, he just stood there for a moment, confused.

"Why....." Kai wasn't quite sure what to say. Was there something he was missing? "Why are you guys dressed up like pirates?"  

[Glen da West]

Glen looked Kai up and down and set his fists on his hips as if taking a firm stance.

"I think the more important question is why you're not! There's a fiendish plot afoot to pirate this creepover and pirates are needed to put a stop to it!"

Glen nodded at kai as if to silently say 'so there', but then turned to Nero and jetted a thumb back at young mister Merha.

"I guess we're going to hafta give him a pirate makeover."  

[Nero de Sphinx]

"There's a plot?" Nero asked, turning to Kai and raising his eyebrows in surprise, "I just heard a couple guys in the halls mentioning it was a pirate party. It sounded like the kind of arty thing you'd do. Besides, My abs look sick in no-shirt."

He looked Kai up and down.

"We can work with it. Get your creative juices flowing. Does, uh, anyone know how to sew?"  

[Dashner Hawke]

Dashner stepped up to the porch, but then stepped down again. He shook his head, stepping back up on the porch... and then stepped back down.

"Come on, you can do this..."

Secretly, he was a little (very) nervous about this creepover, he had never been to one before... and that means he didn't know what to wear. He just threw on whatever he wanted, knowing that the other boo's wouldn't care.

He slowly knocked on the door, with some hesitation.

"Kai...? Glen? Bro's?  

[JD Leeds]

Dashner Hawke

JD had arrive shortly after Dashner, in time to find him hawkewardly standing at the doorway. He threw a claw around the monster's shoulders, minding the wings.

"Heyyy, bro!" He grinned. "Tonight's gonna be a total scream! What are you waiting for?"

JD knocked with force once more before opening the door, dragging Dashner in by the shoulders.

"Arooooooooh!" JD howled like a werewolf, gleefully enjoying the echoes resonating through the mansion. "Who's ready to par-TAYYY???"  

[Kai Merha]

"Heck yeah, I can sew. Do you think these pants are off the rack?" Kai started, but was interrupted by the throbbing bass sounds of JD Leeds arriving with Dashner Hawke in tow. Kai gave them a hang-ten gesture to invite everyone in.

"Ahoy, bros, c'mon in. I guess we're going full pirate up in here!" Kai took one hand and crooked it like a hook and squinted one eye shut. "Y-arrrr!"

He propped the door open in case any more bros showed up for the party, and then led everyone through the hallway to the back mezzanine where the pool was.

"Feel free to jump in, the water's always warm. Watch out for the equipment in the deep end. It's uh, not nuclear...not anymore, at any rate." He pointed to the patio doorway to the 3-season's porch. "And that's where my Hex Box is if you wanna play Maul of Duty. Hey Glen, what's the ETA on the screechza?"  

[Glen da West]

"Well let's see...!"

Glen closed one eye with his tongue pressed between his teeth in focal concentration while idly scratching a forefinger against his scalp.

"I ordered right before I left the Castle. They guarantee thirty minutes or less. I live on the other side of town so I'd say..."

Glen looked at his watch, then back at Kai.

"Twenty five minutes? Just enough time to get everything unloaded from the Glenmobile! Any volunfears? Oo!"

Glen then reached into a pocket and pulled out a H-U-G-E wad of coupons and gift cards for screechza places around town. He showed them to Kai.

"Do you think this will be enough to feed the masses?"  

[Dashner Hawke]

Dashner awkwardly walked in, dragged under JD's arm. He got out of JD's grip, before offering all of his bros bro fists. emotion_brofist

"Yo yo yo, bro's! This creepover is going to be EPIC! Was Rory invoited?! Why isn't he here??"

Dashner enthusiastically walked into the hallway, and faced a mirror. "Oh well, a creepover wouldn't be a creepover without Rory!"

He looked straight into the mirror before saying the summoning chant. "Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim Rorrim!!"