[Rated ‘PG’ by CJ. Note: This story is only ‘based’ on the Real Ghostbusters cartoon.]

Mid Saturday afternoon at the Firehouse. I was chatting with Janine about everything from the latest fashions to the increasing repetitiveness of our working lives.

“So, how’s things with you and Dr. V?” she asked, suddenly. “Fine” I replied. “Must be by the way he was singing your praises the other day!” I couldn’t stop myself from blushing a little.

“How come you’re here today?” I asked, changing the subject. “I’m only here as a favour!” she sighed. “I normally get weekends off, now” she huffed and answered the phone as it rang again for the umpteenth time that day.

“Phew!” sighed a rapidly tiring Ray Stantz. “This one’s gonna take a bit longer than we first thought, huh, Egon?” “Egon!”

The blond-haired physicist’s attention was firmly fixed on the clicking PKE meter in his hand. “Hmm, very strange, not good at all…” he muttered.

“Remind me to buy an extra packet of Twinkies next time we go shopping will ya Ray!” “This always happens when we’re runnin’ low on ‘em” Peter gibed at his preoccupied companion.

“According to these readings, there’s something far bigger than this troublesome demon trying to enter our world” Egon cut in, halting the sniggers from the cheap seats.

“Troublesome?” “That’s the understatement of the year!” Winston smiled.

While their attention was momentarily diverted they all failed to notice the demon’s rapid approach from their 6 o’clock eye in the sun.

“Yeeooowww!” Peter screeched as the demon hit him on the back of the head. He fell forwards and practically flattened his nose!

Winston and Egon blasted it as it made a hasty retreat, but missed by miles.

“Ha! Ha! Catch me if you can!! You couldn’t catch a cold!” The demon shouted as it ducked and dived overhead missing each shot with only a hair’s breadth to spare.

“You OK Peter?” Ray asked, running over to his downed friend. “Yeah, never better!” he sputtered through his hand which was clamped over his nose and bleeding upper lip. He got up, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and rejoined his cohorts.

“Let’s fry this thing and go home!” Ray shouted as the demon danced in and out of firing range.

Spreading out in a pincer movement, they finally had the demon cornered on all sides. “Nooooooo!” it screamed as it sank into the waiting trap Peter threw out. “And let that be a lesson to you!” he added wistfully.

By the time the guys got back to the Firehouse I had long since gone home.

“Dr. V, Clare stopped by earlier this afternoon, asked you to give her a call when you got back!” Janine shouted up the stairs as he shot up to the next floor at a pace too scary to watch.

“OK!” came the reply. “What’s up with him?” she asked as Egon walked by on his way to the basement. “Oh, just a bit of hurt pride that’s all, nothing to worry about” he replied and continued on his way.

Upstairs in the bathroom Peter nursed his cut face. “Ow!” “Curse that demon!” he huffed. Ray overheard his cussing and stopped by to see if he could help, though he knew it would probably be rebuffed.

“What’s up Peter?” he asked cautiously. “Oh, nothin’ much, I just look like I’ve been smacked in the face by a train that’s all!” “How am I gonna face all my lovely, adoring lady fans now?!” he hissed back.

“It doesn’t look all that bad to me, you’ll be as right as rain in no time!” the occultist proffered reassuringly. “I don’t expect you to understand!” Peter growled.

“Oh come off it!” Ray shot back. “Clare’s seen you in a lot worse a condition!” “Remember last month when you got dragged by your feet by that…”

“Don’t remind me Ray!!” he snapped before his younger friend could finish. He turned back to the mirror. “I wouldn’t have minded quite so much if it hadn’t been here!” he squinted in obvious discomfort and pointed to his mouth.

Leaving Peter to his ‘nursing’ Ray rejoined Winston in the lounge. “Pete OK?” the older man asked. “Yeah, he’ll be fine.” “He’s just got his ego bruised that’s all.” They both chuckled knowing full well that image was everything to Peter.

I was sitting at home watching TV when the phone rang. “Hi Peter how are you?” We chatted for a while, but he put me off from seeing him that evening which I thought was a little strange at the time. He’d been practically ‘falling over himself’ to see me of late!

Inside a New York museum, four porters were manhandling two large crates into position for a new display about man versus nature.

The boxes contained the taxidermies of the two notorious Tsavo Lions, made famous in a recently released film. They had been specially brought in from the Field Museum in Chicago to form the centrepiece of the display.

Around midnight, while the men were just finishing off the last details of the exhibit, the eyes of the Lions began to glow with a strange fiery light. It was well known that these Lions were not like any others previously encountered.

The eyes glowed brighter and burned like fire. However none of the men noticed anything amiss.

Wondering if something was wrong, I extended my usual Sunday morning stroll to the Firehouse. Of course my brown-haired chum was still in bed when I got there. I didn’t arrive until 11am, to allow enough time for someone to be awake!!

“Hi Clare!” Ray called out as he put the phone down. “Hiya!” I replied. “I think Peter’s still in bed and Janine’s gone out with Egon for the day.”

Winston came down the stairs and stood near to me. “I know what’ll wake him up!” he said, winking at me. I shook my head and made my way upstairs followed by fits of giggles from Ray and Winston.

I slowly and silently entered the bunkroom, tiptoed over to Peter’s bed and stared at him for a moment. He was well away!! Bless him! It seemed such a shame to disturb him. He looked SO cute!!

After a minute or two I plucked up the courage to risk incurring his wrath! I carefully peeled back the bedding and I had to smile to myself! All he’d got on was a very skimpy pair of boxers!! He was laying on his front with one hand tucked under his face. I raised my hand and roundly smacked his rear!! “Yyaaaaahhh!!

“Get outta bed ya lazy so and so!” I half shouted. He leapt up, fell out of bed and ended up in a heap on the floor. I couldn’t stop myself from giggling uncontrollably.

When he ‘came to’ he realised that it was me who was standing over him. He smiled up at me and picked himself up off the floor. “What was that for?” he asked rubbing the small of his back.

“Well it’s 11.30am and high time you were…” before I could finish he grabbed me and kissed me deeply. “Mmmm” I muttered, thoroughly enjoying every moment.

Realising his lip was hurting him again he pulled away. “Is that why you put me off yesterday?” I asked. He nodded sheepishly. I gave him a big hug and kissed his cheek. “It’ll take more than that to put me off!” I laughed. He smiled feeling reassured and hugged me back.

I wandered back downstairs while he got freshened up and as I did so I caught Slimer waiting to pounce on a doughnut Ray was halfway through eating.

“I’d eat that up if I were you” I said. Looking up, the occultist spotted Slimer, broke off a piece of doughnut and tossed it to him. “Yum! Yum!” Slimer gurgled.

Finally registering my return Ray smiled. “Nice wake-up call!” he chuckled. “Wha, oh yeah!” I laughed. “Poor thing was fast asleep!” “I don’t know how he can sleep all morning like that, I certainly can’t!”

“He’s done it ever since I can remember!” Winston added to the discussion, coming up from the basement.

“Yaaawwwnnnn!” Peter uttered as he slowly ambled down the stairs. “Evenin’ Pete” Winston giggled and shot a quick smile in my direction. Ignoring the reverse-sarcasm he went straight into the kitchen. I tried to stifle a giggle myself, but everyone noticed anyway!!

The phone rang and Ray answered it while Winston and I enjoyed a quick chinwag.

“Sorry to butt in guys, but we gotta call.” “Oh, right, well I’ll leave you to it then.” “Gimme a call later” I said to Peter, kissing him goodbye. He nodded and watched me as I left.

“Winston look out!” the occultist shouted as a particularly sharp-clawed demonic creature dive-bombed them for the umpteenth time.

“Trust Egon to pick today to go out on a date with Janine!” Peter chipped in. “Aw c’mon, give the guy a break he’s not exactly been quick off the start in her direction, and now that she’s got his attention she’s gonna make the most of it.” “You can’t blame her” Winston replied.

“No I suppose not, just wish he was here to give us a hand that’s all” Peter added. Unfortunately their conversation momentarily took their minds off the job in hand, only this time Ray took the brunt of it.

“Yaahhh!!” he called out as the ‘thing’ picked him up and dropped him into a nearby pond. Kerrrsploosh!!! Soggy auburn hair draped all down his face, he scrambled out, covered in algae and weed. “Phwerere!!” he sputtered.

“You look like a fish out of water!” Peter cracked. The youngest Ghostbuster glared at him, unimpressed with his friend’s brand of humour!

The demon was soon caught, thanks to Ray’s boosted determination. However they all overlooked the readings on their PKE meters after the spook had been caught.

“Oohhh!” Ray groaned as they made their way back to GB-HQ. “Never mind, we’re nearly there” Winston soothed.

Ever the joker, Peter made fish-like bubbling sounds and ‘fin’ movements with his hands, just to mock! Ray ignored him, understanding how Peter had felt now it was his turn.

“What is it with us and demons lately!” the occultist whined, frustrated. “Are we a magnet for them or something!” “Tell me about it, that’s the third one this week!” Winston added.

“It’s all very fishy!” Peter quipped. “Peter!” Ray retorted, exasperated.

“I have to admit though, they do seem very ‘attracted’ to us lately!” the psychologist sighed. “Every time we show up, they drop what they’re doing and have at us instead.”

“Well, we are out to get ‘em, so perhaps it’s not that surprising” Ray chimed in.

Upon their arrival back at the Firehouse, Janine and Egon had returned looking very ‘full’ of themselves!!

“Gee Ray, what happened to you?” Janine asked, trying to stop herself from laughing. “I got hurled into a pond” he replied, sheepishly.

He squelched his way upstairs to change. “Hmm, this is all very strange” the blond physicist commented as he headed for his lab.

“Ya know, I wish he’d tell us what’s on his mind!” Winston asked Janine. “Oh, I leave him to it now.” “He was even taking readings while we were out today, if you please!” she balked. Gathering her things she headed for home.

“Come on, lets go see what Egon’s up to” Winston said, grabbing Peter by the arm. “You can, I’m gonna phone Clare!” he replied, conveniently getting out of any situation that might arise in Egon’s lab.

“Hiya!” “How’d the bust go?” I asked. “Not too bad, but Ray got dunked in a pond!” my ‘partner’ replied. “A pond?!” “Oh dear, I bet he wasn’t pleased about that!” “He wasn’t, especially as I kept making references to fish on the way back!” he giggled.

I laughed back. “Oh you’re rotten!” I chastised. “Are you free this evening?” I asked. “As far as I know, why” came the curious reply. “Good!”

A little later he was at the door with a big bunch of flowers, and chocolates this time! “Sorry about yesterday” he said. “That’s alright” I replied.

I’d just about got the flowers into a vase when he came up from behind, put his arms around my waist and picked me up!! “Aah!!” “Steady on there!” I giggled.

He gently put me down on the sofa and cuddled up to me. “Thought I’d better make up for it!” he beamed, putting on his most winning smile.

As we kissed passionately he pushed me down on the sofa and lay on top of me. “Your lip’s feeling better I see!” I laughed in between kisses.

“Uh huh” he whispered in my ear as we snuggled up to one another.

Everything was silent at the museum. All the lights were off. The only visible things were the eyes of the Lions glowing ever brighter with each passing moment.

Suddenly a flash of lightning and an extremely loud clap of thunder danced and rolled across the sky above the city. It took everyone by surprise and more than a few folks jumped in their beds.

Peter and I however were far too ‘preoccupied’ to take much notice of the raging storm outside!! That was until a bolt of lightning struck my apartment building, blowing the circuit breaker. Fortunately it did its job and nothing got damaged, but the power went off of course.

“Whoaa baby!” Peter called out. “Didn’t think we were getting THAT wild!” he laughed. I slapped him affectionately, “Idiot!” I giggled.

Sitting up I pulled my dressing gown around me. “Oh well, I suppose I’d better dig out some candles!” Peter stopped me. “Leave it til morning!” he pleaded. I could just make out his disappointed expression in the gloom. The power flickered back on just as I put my slippers on, so I gave in and we went back to bed!!

Back at the Firehouse, the rest of the guys were also having trouble sleeping, though for slightly different reasons! It was only 11.30pm, but they’d hit the sack early after a tiring day.

Flash! Bang!! “Waaahhhh!!” Slimer yelled. Ray and Winston jumped up at the same time. “That does it!” they both said together.

Sleepily fumbling their way downstairs, Winston made a big sandwich for Slimer and a snack for himself and Ray. “What’s with him lately?!” Winston asked. “I don’t know, he’s been a light sleeper ever since Peter started spending his free night’s at Clare’s place.”

“Perhaps he knows something we don’t!” Winston laughed as they headed back upstairs. “Nah, more like he just misses Peter!” Ray chuckled.

At that moment Egon emerged from his lab and walked into the bunkroom. “There’s something seriously wrong here” he announced. “With us or Slimer?” Winston asked jokingly as Slimer greedily scoffed his sandwich.

Ignoring the mirth Egon continued. “With the storm outside.” “Egon it’s just a storm, they happen all the time” Ray replied.

“Not like this they don’t, according to these readings, there’s a massive increase in PKE and that can mean only one thing!” They all looked at one another, realising that they were about to miss yet another decent night’s sleep.

It was then that Egon realised that their brown-haired colleague wasn’t in the room. “Where’s Peter?” “At Clare’s place” Ray replied before he remembered Peter’s precise instructions about not being disturbed!!

“We need him here immediately” Egon commanded. “You call him if you want to!” “I sure don’t wanna be on the sharp end of his temper” Winston laughed.

The phone rang and woke us both up with a start. “Hello?” “Oh, hi Egon, yes he’s here, just a minute.” I handed the phone to Peter.

After about five minutes of arguing back and forth Peter reluctantly agreed to join his colleagues.

“Sorry Clare, work calls!” he sighed, getting out of bed. “Can’t be helped I guess” I replied. He gave me a quick kiss goodbye and left. Actually I was grateful that I’d now be able to sleep uninterrupted, after all I did have to work the next day!

“So what’s the big emergency that you guys can’t handle?” Peter groaned sarcastically. “I hope you realise I had to leave Clare all alone to…” “I wouldn’t have called you if I didn’t think it was absolutely necessary” Egon cut in coldly.

The psychologist stopped in his tracks and was all ears. Egon held up a wildly clicking PKE meter.

“These readings have been getting steadily worse all day” he began. “I’ve been wanting to test my new ghost tracking device and this seems as good a time as any.”

“Oh great, another wacky invention to blow up just when we need it most!” Peter whined.

In the museum the two Tsavo Lions had returned to life. Sniffing and exploring their strange new world they looked for an escape route and quickly found a half open skylight.

Standing on top of the building they let out the most blood curdling, spine chilling roars the world had ever heard. As the sounds echoed over the city all the people’s pets began to whine and whimper in fear.

The evil Lions were hell bent on exacting their revenge on mankind for being literally shot off their territory. Padding around the roof, a fire escape provided their way to freedom and the city.

“Dddid you hear that?!” Winston asked, his face aghast. “Yeah, sounds like some dog bit off more than he can chew” Peter replied, not taking any of it seriously.

Egon was more concerned. “Peter, please pay attention!” he snapped. Peter pulled a face and stuck his tongue out behind Egon’s back.

“Is the ghost tracker installed in Ecto-1?” Egon asked. “Yep, all ready to rock and roll!” Ray replied, slightly over enthusiastically.

They all piled in and headed off out into the stormy night, the ghost tracker leading them in the direction of the ever-increasing PKE source.

The museum curator decided to pay one last check on the new display, which was going to be officially opened by the Mayor in the morning.

“Ah, we’ve put so much effort into this, I hope it starts attracting a few folks back in here” he sighed as he headed to the main display hall.

He turned the lights on and got quite a shock when he noticed that the two precious main exhibits were missing. “Jeepers!” “What on earth could’ve happened!” “They were here earlier!!” He dashed upstairs to the security room to play back the CCTV tapes.

What he saw defied belief. “Oh my god, they’re alive!” “How can that be they’re over 100 years old!!

Ecto-1 pulled up outside the museum, just as the fraught curator was about to call them! Pressing the security doorbell they waited patiently.

“Well that was sure quick!” the curator said, relieved. “I was just going to call you guys, you’re not gonna believe this!”

He showed them the security tapes. “Hmm” Egon muttered. “It all fits, that sound we heard earlier and it just so happens that tonight is exactly 100 years since they were, well, brought to book.”

“Egon, where do you get all these little snippets of info?” Peter asked, baffled. “You should try spending your spare time reading up instead of sleeping” came the unemotional response.

Realising that their quarry was no longer in the vicinity, they all piled back into Ecto-1. “So where now Egon?” Peter asked. “The Zoo, the Serengeti?”

“Hopefully this new ghost tracker of mine will be able to pinpoint their exact location” Egon replied, his attention glued to the previous readings on the device’s display monitor.

Re-activating the tracking sensor, it began to click wildly and Egon shouted out directional instructions to Ray, who did his best to follow them.

They wound up outside the Library. “I wondered if they’d come here” Egon muttered to himself as they all piled out.

“How come?” Winston asked. “Look!” Egon shouted and pointed to the two huge stone Lions gracing the steps to the building.

The Tsavo Lions were each standing on top of the stone ones. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck each statue and the Tsavo Lions were absorbed into the bigger ones. The net result of this ‘blending’ was that the stone Lions came to life!!

RRRROOOOAAARRRR!!!! They bellowed in unison. The sound was heard across the whole city, even above the roar of traffic.

“Fry ‘em!” Peter shouted over the din. They all opened fire with ion cannons on maximum power, but they had little effect against the giant monstrosities.

The ‘Lions’ leapt up off their pedestals and charged past the Ghostbusters, who quite understandably, were literally blown off their feet.

After recovering from the shock, Egon was the first to get to his feet. “This is worse than I thought” he commented, helping Ray to pick himself up.

“Oh man!” Winston groaned. He’d landed right on top of Peter, who was less than pleased about it.

“We need to figure out where these entities are drawing their energy from” Egon enthused, heading towards the Library. “There may be a valuable clue in here, the whole sordid adventure was well documented at the time.”

After an hour of reading through old journals, newspapers and scientific papers, they had found little that could be called of use. The only thing that seemed to give any hope was a paper about the ‘normal’ behaviour of Lions.

Egon formulated a plan. “So let me get this straight Egon” Peter gibed in disbelief. “Your plan is to put a giant fake lioness in Central Park, borrow these Lion mating calls tapes and wait?!”

“Precisely.” “My guess is they won’t be able to disobey their natural instincts” came the disappointing response.

“Excuse me, that all sounds very plausible to lure these overgrown kitties, but just exactly how do we trap them?!” Winston asked.

“Err, well, if we set all of our traps around the ‘Lioness’ we should be able to do it, but we shall have to be very cute about when we snap them” Egon replied, slightly unsure of his own logic.

Once everything was set up, Egon activated the loudspeakers and the sound of Lions once again echoed across the city.

It didn’t take long for the desired effect to happen. The Tsavo Lions duly responded to the calls of their own ‘kind’ and headed in the direction of Central Park. However on the way they damaged as much property as their paws could reach.

“Heads up guys, here they come!” Peter whispered into his walkie-talkie.

The Lions encircled the ‘lure’ just out of trap range, then moved in closer. Unfortunately they spotted the Ghostbusters and all hell broke loose!!

Each of them was chased in circles around the ‘Lioness’ and everywhere bar where they needed to be. Winston got too close for comfort and ended up with a large tear in his jumpsuit from a flying paw swipe.

After much fretting and more chasing they finally managed to get back to their respective positions and as the Lions charged towards them Peter shouted into his walkie-talkie “NOW!”

Simultaneously the traps were opened and the spirit Lions were drawn out of the stone ones. Each was half-caught between two traps. “Nice plan Egon!” Peter cheered his blond colleague.

Catching up with the action, the museum curator came bounding over to Ecto-1 where the four Ghostbusters were catching their breath back.

“Thank you, however can I repay… what happened to the taxidermies of the Lions by the way?” Egon looked at his colleagues hoping someone would have an answer.

“I think they were destroyed when the ‘entities’ possessed the stone ones from outside the Library” Winston proffered. “Well only the stone one’s they possessed were left behind anyway.”

“Oh no!” squawked the curator. “They were worth $5,000 each!!” He ran off in the direction of the fallen stone Lions, huffing and cussing all the way.

“You’d think he’d be grateful” Peter muttered sarcastically. “It wasn’t our fault his kitties got cooked!”

It was late afternoon before they got back to the Firehouse and they were all rather pooped beyond description. Except Peter, who oddly enough had just enough energy left to drag himself over to my place!

“Right, I’m off to Clare’s” he said as he prepared to leave. “And if anyone interrupts me this time, I won’t be held responsible for what happens OK!” “OK Egon!”

Egon looked back at him, tired of Peter showing his unfailing ability to not take anything seriously.