act one , prologue ...
love from new york !

( september of nineteen ninety-one ! )

( now playing ... roam ─ the b-52s ! )

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THE STREETS WERE BUSY . CARS AND TRUCKS on the road, people on bikes, walking on sidewalks in the muggy but slightly cool air on this September evening. The sun's almost set, a dark blue that is currently over the sky as the streets were still lively. New York was always the state that never really slept, especially between the summer and the warm parts of the first fall month. New York was all noise every part of the day. There was no rest. You heard cars, people laughing, the road rage. Every sound you could imagine, or every sound that you've never heard, comes from the depths of the state of New York.

But perhaps the most chaotic part of town was a firehouse. A firehouse that hadn't been in business until a group of parapsychologists and their two blue collared friends eventually took that firehouse over. The Ghostbusters had been in and out of business, but were officially back after the ghostly Pink Slime Incident that happened two years prior. They would get calls in and out, capturing ghosts and ghouls alike, getting rid of the potential horrors that took over the city.

But, the firehouse building was quiet for the evening. The three remaining Ghostbusters in their beds that were in the upper floor of the workplace. The desk was empty for the night, other than the radio that was sitting on it. It was on th news station rather than a music station.

Sydney-Anne Seymour hated that station.

But they leave it on for a while, simply because her partner liked the AM setting on the radio. It has been like that for the past four hours they've been researching and conducting experiments. One of which Syd actually needed the radio for.

Syd, currently working on one of the traps that needed to be fixed, finally looks up from their work. Goggles under their glasses. They could barely see a thing. It was a bit dark, maybe due to the goggles being on the night vision setting. They look down at their current project, working on the finishing touches of the newly improved traps.

"Hey, E? I don't wanna intrude on your news session, but I'm gonna need that radio."

There was no response. The lack of it makes Syd look up from their project once again. Their brows furrow in confusion, though it is unnoticed due to the goggles covering their eyes. They put the ghost trap down in a safe area, standing up off the floor. The place would've been eerily quiet if it hadn't been for that boring radio station. But that just made it seem scarier.

Syd started to walk away from the extra ghost trap they're working on, goggles still on their face. "E?"

No response.

Syd finally stands up, looking around. They finally lift the goggles that lay on their head. "Egon?" They call again.

There's still no response from the other parapsychologist. Syd finally starts to walk around the laboratory. There were some lights, but most of the firehouse was very dark. It didn't illuminate enough for them to see. This was where they began to worry.

They peek into another room. He's not there. Their stomach starts to bubble as they realize that Egon isn't in the other room. "E?" They call again. Nothing once again.

They lean back, finally turning around to go into the laboratory section again before seeing someone's face close up. Brown eyes behind glasses, familiar curly hair. Being that close makes Syd yelp. They almost fall backwards, but the other person catches them before they fall to the ground. Syd gets one more good look.

"Egon!" Syd sighs, shaking their head, "My god, you scared me!"

"Did I? My apologies," he says back, "I was upstairs."

"You couldn't tell me that you were going up there?" Syd asked.

"I did," Egon answered.

Syd blinked, rubbing a hand through their hair. "Oh," They say, "Well I was─"

"Diatracted by your current project? I could tell," Egon finishes, "You looked so invested, I didn't want to bother you."

Syd gave Egon a smile. He was always so considerate when it came to that. It makes their heart melt at the matter. Maybe it was just because Egon was currently standing in front of them. It's been doing it for the past couple of decades.

"Did you need something?"

Syd blinked. They were back into reality as they looked up at the practically emotionless ghostbuster that stood in front of them. They had almost forgotten what they had called Egon for.

"I was, uh ... Calling you so that I could change the station," Syd told him, "I need the music station for the experiment that I'm working on."

"The frequency fluctuation ... That's the project, correct?"

"Indeed it is," Syd answered, "I want to know if the ghosts can mess with it. I think the music station will help with that."

Egon gave a nod. "I know you've been working on that for a while now."

"Yeah," Syd replied, "It's not that extravagant, but I still consider it very important, you know?"

"I know," Egon repeated, "Which is why I came to ask if you wanted me to stay. Help with the experiment."

Syd turned to Egon. They feel a smile spread across their face. "You wanna help?"

"Well, of course. You've always had a knack for that stuff. Pitch, frequency, sound. You were always better with that stuff," Egon explained, "I feel I can definitely learn from you, Annie."

Annie. Syd always felt their heart swell whenever Egon called them that. The other ghostbusters didn't know why Egon could call them that, but they couldn't. The childhood nickname was very special. Syd never bothered to correct Egon, considering Annie was the name they introduced themselves with. But, it became a special thing after some time. It always felt nice and comfy coming from Egon.

Syd reached up, giving Egon a kiss on the cheek. "Pretty sure that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me," They said.

Syd could see a hint of a smile on Egon's face. They knew that Egon wasn't very great at showing his emotions. They could say that he's getting better at it, but that was Egon's trademark, they never wanted to get rid of his awkwardness. Sometimes, even the smallest of smiles from him satisfied them.

Syd's ears perked up when the phone started to ring. Usually, Janine would've been the one to answer that, but she was out for the night. This led Syd to walk away from Egon and toward the desk, putting the phone up to their ear.

"Ghostbusters, Syd speaking," They answer.

A woman is on the other end of the phone. "Thank goodness, one of you is still here," She sighed in relief.

"Can I help you?" Syd asked.

"I'm hoping so. My name is Julie Parker and I work for the WNEW radio station down at Hudson Square," She introduced, "I think there may be a ghost here."

Their eyes widen at the phone call. Syd sits down in the chair, pulling the notebook that Janine uses right in front of them. They reach to grab a pen, writing down the information that they gather.

"Really?" Syd slightly gasped in interest and astonishment, "What's been going on?"

"The top floor of our station has been blaring music. Everything's been going haywire," Julie explained.

They hear Egon walking over to them. They're still focused on the phone call, writing the rest of the information. "Got it," Syd mumbled as they finished gathering the information that they needed, "I'll be there as soon as possible."

Syd hung up the phone. They look up at Egon, standing up from the chair. "We got another one," They told him.

"Really? This late?" Egon asked, "Where?"

"At the WNEW radio station. Apparently the top floor has been abandoned for some time. They've been hearing music blaring up there and some other things," Syd explained, "This is perfect timing considering what my experiment is about."

"Interesting," Egon replied, "Would you mind if I accompany you?"

Syd looks back at Egon as they're gathering the equipment that they need. They thought it was really sweet, wanting to come with them. Although sweet, it wasn't a surprise. They always came in a duo. You never saw one without the other.

"Of course, E," Syd answered.