It's Not Aliens This Time - Chapter 2

They made their way to the pier where Captain Carl's boat was docked. As they approached, they could see him standing on the deck, looking out at the sea.

He turned as they came closer, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Well, well, well, what brings you all here?" he asked, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Darcie was the first to speak. "Captain Carl, have you seen Pee-wee or the Playhouse?"

"I haven't seen Pee-wee in a while, but I did notice something strange earlier. There was a bright light in the sky, and I saw what looked like the Playhouse being lifted up into it."

They all gasped. "Did you see anything else? Like what was lifting it?"

Captain Carl shook his head. "No. Oddly enough, the whole Playhouse looked like it flickered in and out of existence before finally vanishing."

Miss Yvonne felt a lump in her throat and her heart sank. Pee-wee was her dear friend, and Darcie's boyfriend. She couldn't imagine what could have happened to him and the Playhouse.

"We need to find him," Darcie said, her voice trembling with worry. "We have to do something."

Captain Carl nodded, his expression serious. "I agree. I'll take my boat out and see if I can find anything out at sea."

Miss Yvonne placed a hand on Darcie's shoulder. "We'll find Pee-wee, I promise."

Darcie nodded, her eyes shining with determination. "I won't rest until we do."

As they all headed back towards the shore, Miss Yvonne couldn't shake the feeling that something big was coming. Like the calm before a storm. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she was sure that everything was going to change.

* * *

Back in LazyTown, where the Playhouse had ended up, Sportacus was showing off a few soccer tricks to Pee-wee, who was impressed.

"Let me try!" he exclaimed, hopping up off the round, purple sofa and over to the soccer ball on the floor. He went to kick it, missed, and fell right over. "I meant to do that."

Sportacus chuckled, "Don't worry Pee-wee, you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

"What can we do now?" Stephanie asked, excitedly.

Everyone was thinking for a few minutes before Pee-wee spoke. "I know! We can color!"

"That sounds fun! Can we listen to music too?"

"Sure!" Pee-wee headed off to find his radio, coloring books, and crayons.

Stephanie and Sportacus quickly followed him. They were all happy, at least for the moment. Pee-wee was glad that he had found new friends in LazyTown, even though he missed his old ones -- especially Darcie. He wondered if they were looking for him. He hoped they were.

As Pee-wee sat on the floor with his coloring book, he couldn't help but think about Darcie. Her long, brown hair and sparkling blue eyes had always captured his heart. He missed her more than anything. And he knew he had to find a way to get back to her.

Sportacus noticed Pee-wee's mood change. "Are you okay, Pee-wee?" he asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Pee-wee sighed, "As much as I'm glad I've made friends with you guys, I miss my friends back home... especially my girlfriend."

"You have a girlfriend?!" Stephanie asked, a shocked expression on her face.

Pee-wee nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, her name's Darcie, and she's the most beautiful woman in all of Puppetland... and the world!"

Sportacus and Stephanie exchanged glances. They could sense the love and affection that Pee-wee had for Darcie. And they knew they had to help him get back to her.

"We'll help you find a way back, Pee-wee. We'll do everything we can." Sportacus replied, beginning to pace around the Playhouse's living room.

Stephanie grabbed a coloring book and a crayon. "Okay, enough talking. Let's color!"

As they colored together, Pee-wee couldn't help but feel grateful for their friendship. They were helping him forget about his worries, even if it was just for a little while. But he knew deep down that he had to find a way back to Puppetland.

* * *

Days had passed -- weeks even, Darcie had lost track of time -- and no one could find any clues as to what happened to the Playhouse -- why it had just disappeared the way it did.

She sat in her room at Miss Yvonne's house, thinking. As she was lost in thought, her aunt walked in, sitting next to her on the bed.

"Oh, Darcie, you're going to drive yourself crazy." Miss Yvonne said after a moment.

Darcie sighed, "I know, but I just can't help it. Pee-wee and the Playhouse have been missing for too long. I don't know what to do."

Miss Yvonne placed a comforting hand on Darcie's back. "We'll find them, Darcie. We just have to keep looking."

Darcie nodded, though her heart felt heavy with worry and fear.

After what seemed like an eternity, there was a knock at the door. Miss Yvonne got up to get it, and standing there was Reba the Mail Lady and Ricardo, the Soccer Player.

"Reba, Ricardo, what are you guys doing here?"

"Ricardo and I were doing some research into what was going on when the Playhouse vanished." Reba replied.

Ricardo nodded, as they walked in. He sat down a large printed sheet of paper on the table, and pointed. "There was some kind of magnetic force engulfing the Playhouse right before it disappeared -- that could be the light that Captain Carl was referring to."

Darcie leaned in to read the paper. "And what does that mean?"

"Well," Reba began, "it could mean that the Playhouse was transported somewhere else. Somewhere far away."

Darcie's heart skipped a beat. "Far away? But where?"

"We don't know yet," Ricardo admitted. "But we're going to keep investigating."

Miss Yvonne nodded. "We'll all help in any way we can. We have to find Pee-wee and the Playhouse."

Darcie's head was swirling with thoughts and questions. But one thing was for sure: she was going to find Pee-wee, no matter what it takes.

-----------------------------------